Nameless Scion Sketches 5

The sight was horrifyingly vivid.

Of you standing there, staggering once, coughing. The second time, you fell to your knees, and you were hacking out gobs of light (part of her wished it had been blood instead, to save you a harsher fate). Alisaie could hear how labored your breathing was, how erratic it became, choked as you collasped prostrating, violently trembling. Chocolate brown orbs Alisaie once peered into in search for comfort now rolled to the back of your head. Your body and limbs twisted in unnatural angles amidst the noise of bones breaking and flesh tearing.

All the while, light began beaming out of your body, threatening to consume you whole. In the final moment you held your remaining sliver of sanity, tears rolled down your cheeks as you intended to make it count.

"Alisaie..." You forced a last gasp, "I'm sorry—"

She woke screaming, sitting up with glassy, crystal-blue eyes blown wide in terror. Seeing she was back in her suite in the Pendants instead of whatever nightmare she just witnessed, she forced herself to calm down, panting heavily for air.

Shakily, she clutched at her face and eyes. Ignoring the sobs from her own mouth, she tried to reassure herself.

It's fine. The Scion isn't overflowing with Light anymore. Her aether is back to normal. Her fight against Emet-Selch and Ardbert's help made sure of it. She's...

Scrambling out of bed, Alisaie clamored for the door, nearly tripping over her feet. Before she could second-guess herself, she was already standing right before the double doors of your personal quarters. She reached for the handle at the door, yet her hand only rested limply against it as awareness took hold.

What am I doing...? The normally sassy Elezen teen frowned. This is stupid. You're being stupid. You don't have to actually go and try to wake her just because you're feeling so disoriented after...

Your face flashed inside her mind, in the moments before she witnessed you transforming entirely.

"I'm sorry—"

The door creaked open, against her better judgement. She peeked inside the dark room aglow with moonlight. You were already rising from the sheets at the sound of the disturbance, yawning and rubbing your eye with the back of your hand.

"Oh... Mm..." You blearily opened one eye. "Who's there...?"

Alisaie swallowed. "Scion," She started, "It's just me."

"Ah, Alisaie." Your face warmed up into a sleepy grin as your eyesight adjusted to the dark. "Mm. No need to hide behind my door. Come inside and have a seat. I'm sure you'll want the privacy."

She did as told, shutting the door behind her with a clack. Walking towards the chair by your bedside, she started to see more of you quite easily in the dark, though her face instantly flared at seeing how scarcely dressed you were even in your sleep.

Gods sakes, woman. Aren't you cold wearing nothing but your lacy lingerie? I know I've seen you exposed like this before on a regular basis, but still...!

She could only bite her tongue when she sat down. Part of her hoped the thud of her backside meeting the chair wasn't as loud as she felt it was.

"You don't usually come to see me at this hour, Alisaie. I would've expected your brother to show up instead."

Alisaie scoffed. "Sorry to disappoint that it's not my boorish brother of mine for once."

You laugh softly at her attempt to brush away her not-so-discreet jealousy. You were just so used to the closeness you shared with Alphinaud especially during your time in Ishgard, but you found her company no less pleasant than her brother's. "I welcome you all the same, my dear. Now tell me, what's on your mind?"

"Erm..."

Alisaie's fists clenched at the skirt of her nightgown. She hadn't really thought this far through, expecting herself to walk away by the time she arrived at your door. But now she's on the spot...

Come on, be done with it. You came this far already.

"I... Merely wanted to check in on you. Y'shtola confirmed your aether has stabilized, but... I just wanted to be certain you were well after your fight with Emet-Selch."

"Considering I was sound asleep, I'd say I'm as well as can be. Compared to when I had accumulated so much light, at least."

"No... Pains, or anything? Strange aches? Loss of consciousness throughout the day?"

"None at all. My body feels immensely lighter." The memory of a certain warrior's spirit fistbumping with you in the Crystarium came to mind. "I've Ardbert to thank for that."

She sighed. It's still unbelievable how that turned out so well for all of you. "And I as well. As do the rest of us. And all of Norvrandt. We wouldn't be here without him."

Of course she'd be just fine. She was asleep until you decided to just come right in here and wake her up.

"S-Sorry for dropping in so late."

"Don't be. I'm not particularly upset to be woken at the moment. It's not as if we have pressing matters to immediately attend to in the morning." You leaned forward, regarding her with a warm smile. "I'm honestly glad you wanted to check in."

She nodded, albeit stiffly, saying nothing more.

Seconds passed in silence, and after a moment, you tilted your head to the side in curiosity. You expected her to break off into a monologue about whatever was on her mind especially since she had bothered to wake you at this hour, so it was unusual for her to be so tight-lipped for once. More often than not, it was her who—much like her brother and the other Scions—had so much to say in your conversations together.

"Are you alright, Alisaie? You're oddly quieter than I'm used to." You chuckled. "I'm not quite used to being woken only to talk someone else's ears off."

"O-Oh," She stuttered, "I... I am. I'm simply trying to find some cohesion with my thoughts, and..."

Closing her eyes often helped her organize her thoughts. Yet even with her sleepiness hovering over her and her body desiring rest, she willed her weary eyes to remain open, fearful that if she closed them for longer than a few seconds—

Body collapsing. Violent hacking. Eyes rolling. Bones cracking and snapping. Skin tearing.

Glassy beads trickled down to the tiled floor. The moonlight cast a brief glimmer on each one in the split seconds before they pelted at the now-trembling Elezen teen's feet.

A broken, beloved hero in her final time apologizing.

You're perceptive enough, even in your recently-woken state. "...Alisaie."

The red mage Leveilleur held her shuddering breath at the sound of your voice. While it held that familiar, smooth and silky undertone that often accompanied teasing, right now it carried none of that levity. If she looked up, she'd see the quiet concern in your face. However, she didn't want to see it even though it was exactly what she wanted to do—that's why she was even here to begin with.

But if she did, she also feared that this, too, would turn out to be another nightmare... And you would instantly transform into the horrific monstrosity she had seen you turn into.

Just the way Tesleen did. But worse.

"S-Scion—"

Her shaky voice roused a feeling of protectiveness from you, your eyes focusing on her in renewed clarity.

"I... I saw a dream of you. Of when we failed. If Ardbert hasn't been there to... To help us. To help... You."

Understanding dawned on you, but you allowed her to continue speaking.

"I saw the way you just... Just fell over. How your body just... Turned..."

She couldn't even say it. Not without feeling sick to her stomach. But you understood well enough without her needing to elaborate.

"It was like seeing Tesleen all over again. I felt so powerless to stop her from turning. To do anything to save her."

Here, alone with you, one could almost hear the cracks threatening to shatter her façade.

"And seeing it happen to you... Even though it was all a dream, I—"

And the cracks were spreading a lot faster than she thought they would.

"I...!"

Instinctively, she searched for your gaze despite her fears, seeking once more the comfort she's grown so familiar with whenever she saw them. Instead of her nightmares coming to life, she saw only you as you are, your scarred arms outstretched as if having already anticipated exactly what she needed.

Unable to help herself, she nearly stumbled into the bed, into the arms she feared she'd never feel again, into the warmth and safety that only you could ever truly provide for her. It was a comfort her brother received in spades, but she was just too stubborn, too proud to ever ask for it out loud. That was just who she was.

But her pride meant nothing when she witnessed Ga Bu lose his parents. When Tesleen transformed into a Lightwarden after saving Halric. When she was on the verge of losing you. It meant nothing when all the emotions she bottled up from the people she had lost and could have saved burst forth in much-needed relief knowing you didn't have to be yet another name on that list.

It meant nothing when you held her like this, soothing her with gentle strokes through her snow-white hair, making it easier to forget about what could have been.

"It's alright now, Alisaie."

You held her a little tighter as she sobbed uncontrollably in your arms. 

"I'm alright."

---

Something fluffy with the Scion and Alisaie ✌️ I had been thinking about this scenario happening since the end of Shadowbringers.

I wanted the interaction between the Scion and Alphinaud instead, but I think Alisaie felt like she had more to lose in this expansion with the Warrior of Light. The Scion had been a steady presence in her life and Alphinaud's amidst all the people that kept dying around her. Since Alisaie conceals more of her true feelings compared to her brother, it all just comes to a head when she realizes there's no real way to save her hero when the time comes... Until the very end when everything turns around in cathartic whiplash for them.