Final Fantasy XIV: The Winter Calamity

Limsa Lominsa truly was a beautiful city-state. She sat upon high whitestone cliffs, connected by long seaworthy walkways and tough rocky architecture. The city was carved deep into massive spires of stone that jutted out of the ocean in defiance. Through every crash of the waves, the city held. Through every typhoon that threatened to tear her apart, the city held. Through the intense downpour of salty rains, the city held.

Till Sea Swallows All.

Limsa Lominsa was even older than Ul'dah. The story went, a band of Sea Wolf Roegadyn, located far north near the Northern Empty, attempted to stage a rebellion to free their people, but then were defeated by those very same people they meant to rescue. They fled, with a broken and battered ship, as well as cracked and shattered hearts, as far south as their sails could carry them over the course of a year. 

"Hey!!"

Eventually, they ran aground with a rough landing. The ship was stranded high upon a bundle of reefs, but the Sea Wolves didn't care. They left it to settle a village they could call home, a new start. However, they weren't welcomed to those lands kindly. The natives, Kobolds, fought valiantly to defend their shores and drove the Sea Wolves away from their village.

"Hey you!"

The Sea Wolves ran back to the confines of their ship. The one that harbored them for that long year at sea. From that ship, washed upon the rocks, they birthed bridges to other islands. They nurtured buildings and lighthouses from the sea's tall spires of white stone. This was the birth of Limsa Lominsa.

Limsa Lominsa wasn't as wealthy and fattened with gold as Ul'dah, but she had thriving industries of smithing, ship building, culinary arts and fishing. She acted as the dominant maritime city of Eorzea as well as insurers and security. 

Every city-state had a port of some kind, accessible by sea, within their territory. It was through these ports that massive quantities of trade goods could circulate and enrich and city-states. The tides lifted all ships. Nothing was more efficient. Airships would guzzle who knows how much fuel. Aetherytes couldn't move that much through the network at once. And of course, a Chocobo can only haul so much. This was Limsa's power. Sea-borne Commerce. Commerce that's constantly threatened by piracy. 

A piracy that I swore the new Admiral Merlwyb, would have dismantled upon coming in. I naturally didn't know all the details, but after she won in this region's version of a democratic election, a ship race called the Trident, she immediately started work on making Limsa Lominsa alliance compliant.

"Hey hey! Wait up!"

I heard a call from behind me. Thancred had already gone ahead of me to meet the Circle. I stayed behind to send a few letters, but I didn't take long to start following him.

"Yes?"

"I-oh gosh~"

In my face was someone unexpected, but somewhat familiar. Yda Hext. A member of the Circle, but she never got the chance to be a Scion. 

She was staring at me while catching her breath. On her head, she wore a turban that had a half-mask attached that covered her eyes and nose. I could still see the dark blue eyes and hidden beauty that matched her sister through the small holes. I knew that under that turban was a short bob of golden hair. Supposedly, an Ala Mhigan tattoo was on her face but I couldn't see it. The only tattoos were the purple tribal ones on both sides of her neck. Like Thancred, she studied under the Sharlayans. She earned that mark.

"Hello, Miss Yda."

I gave my familiar greeting of grabbing her somewhat rough hands and kissing the back. It was strange to see her without gloves. But I guessed that was because of the summer heat. 

"Oh my gosh! You know me too?! Eeeeeeeekkkkk!"

'Too? What could she mean?'

Her outfit was light, an open casual looking white jacket that was lined with a few maroon colored patterns that I didn't recognize. Underneath was a red sash that covered only one half of her curved chest. Her melons were being forcefully contained in a thin black bra with a simple edge. 

On her feet and legs she wore high red steel grieves that came up a bit past her knees. Behind the grieves sat a smooth and toned pair of thick thighs. Her thin shorts existed for coverage and nothing more. They were hiked up far above the supple flesh of her thighs and slightly outlining a plump and seductive sex.

She suddenly jumped and hugged me.

"WAAAAAAA! HOW ARE YOU SO HANDSOME?? THIS IS ABSURD!!"

If I was as backed up as I was before, there's no way I would have been able to hold back. My cock was pressing against my pants, but I could bear her touch just fine. 

I didn't use my storm anymore. I had grown too reliant on its ability. When Ice Aether was gone, how would I be able to cope? How could I grow my power of belief without tempering my will? If I didn't shape up, my future was bleak.

While she continued to touch me and stroke my face with bold enthusiasm I chose to introduce myself. 

"I'm Winter. Thancred's brother."

"WHATWHATWHAT?! Thancred's? The one I know? Or perhaps a mirror image from the heaven you came from? Does he have wings?? Do you?! Kyaaa!"

Yda was a bit of a ditz, but it'd be a mistake to underestimate her. On her flared hips, were a heavy and menacing pair of Darksteel Knuckles. She'd use them to punch bullets out of the air and send foes flying just as fast. Her speed was abnormal. Well, all the characters were abnormal, but Yda in particular was even faster than Thancred. Her punch was no joke either. If I were hit casually, I think I would explode into a bloody mist.

Usually, she had Papalymo to rein her in. Papalymo was a skeptic and a cynic. A Lalafell with a deep familiarity with Black Magic... And with slapping Yda over the head to make her behave.

"Oh gosh, I'm feeling so hot when you stare at me! Do you have heat vision?!"

I didn't know how to react to that. I wanted to bite her lips- no no no! Not again! I attempted to drag this conversation somewhere productive.

"Miss Yda, would you happen to know where Papalymo is?"

"Eh? You don't know either? Nevermind that! Just call me Yda! Or-or-or-or-Sweetheart! Kyaaaaa!"

I stared at her blankly while she continued to stroke my face and chest. This was obviously sexual harassment. Should I just fuck her after all?

"Should we go looking for him?"

"Oh, come now! He'll be fine! Now now! Can I hear it?! Sweeeeeeetttt heeeeeeeeaaaaaaarrrrrrt???"

'...Let's tease her a bit.'

I patiently grabbed Yda by the hips and pulled us to a wall. I could see the passerby stare at us engaging in our act. 

'Enjoy the show.'

I wrapped my arm around her waist and used my other hand to pinch her jaw, carefully aiming her lips towards mine. 

"We should find Papalymo, sweetheart~"

My Minfilia liked when I breathed on her lips, so I decided to repeat my action. Bringing my face close enough to clearly see her azure eyes hidden behind the mask and I tenderly let my lips scrape hers while gently breathing into her partially open mouth. They were soft and plumper than I noticed at a glance. 

Yda had her hands on my chest and she was frozen stiff. Her face was red and her breathing was heavy. Behind me I heard the spectators. 

"Oh my..."

"Gods, would ya' lookit that..."

"Why cantcha' do that ta' me Bjorn?"

"Haps I 'ould if ya' didn't look like a-Kyuuukkk!! choookeeee"

"Yda?"

"..."

She was stuck. I moved my hand and fiercely groped her round ass. It was more firm than any of my women. A condition of her combat style as a Monk perhaps. Still plenty soft though. 

"...!!..!"

I recognized that shaking. She must've cum a bit, but made no noise still. Did I break her? So she could dish sexual harassment, but couldn't take it?

I patiently molded her fine ass and whispered into her mouth.

"Say something Yda, or we're going to do something naughty in front of all these people."

"N-n-naughty?"

She whispered back. 

"That's right, I'm going kiss you, then use my tongue to wrestle yours."

"Mmmnn??!!"

Another light climax. Yda had a vivid imagination. And I assumed that played a heavy part in her reaction. I pulled her closer and let my lips slightly touch hers, but only barely.

I stopped squeezing her ass and stroked her back instead.

"Good girl. Come on, let's go."

I had no clue how I slipped into training mode. Did she somehow knock on my door without me noticing? Did my power have nothing to do with my severe perversion? She must've been born for it. 

I pulled back to a normally sociable distance. Without giving her another glance. I couldn't go around doing this in every city! I had self control! Let's find Papalymo!

---

Papalymo wanted to jump off the side of Limsa Lominsa at the moment. He was witnessing something that he only expected to see in his worst nightmares. He wanted to wake up. He wanted to be rid of this accursed demon that rattled his mind. This could not be real. 

"""INTO YDA'S LIGHT!!! THE MOTHER SHALL SET US FREE!!!!"""

A crowd of hooligans started strutting about, chanting that accursed phrase. Papalymo was in a horror that he'd never wake up from. The worst case scenario had come to pass. That ostrich brained woman really started a cult.

Hooo...

What should he do???? If he tried to dismantle it, would they attack him? These people were pirates after all. Papalymo didn't expect them to shake his hand and say "Well to do!"

Hooo...

If only Yda was here. He'd hit her with all the force he had in his small body. He wanted to dent her head into a bloody stump. And then get killed by the cult right after.

"INTO YDA'S LIGHT! THE MOTHER SHALL SET US FREE!!!!!!!!!!"

Some blockheads thought it'd be funny to join in on the fun despite not really understanding what was going on. They were going to turn that idiot into a Primal. Papalymo could already see it in his mind's eye.

"Bring me crystals Papalymo! And not the blue ones just the green ones!! They taste better!!!"

HOOOOOOO...

He almost screamed in terror. If he slammed his head into the floor as hard as he could, would he die? As long as it was fast, it might have been worth it. Oh, perchance would he need the leverage of a table?

"Papalymo?"

The Lalafell looked up just before giving himself to Rhalgr and saw a delicate looking young man with pale-pink hair. He had a sleepy look on his face that Papalymo didn't know how to read.

"And just who might you be?"

The young man smiled.

"I am the Thancred's younger brother. My name is Winter Modi."

Modi?! Thancred??

"Thancred's aye?"

That little girl must've adopted him as her own. Her heart was always too big after all. What was her name again? Memedi, Mamadi, or Momodi?

"Yes sir."

The young man was polite. Unlike that blunderbuss of an idiot behind him.

"WAHAHAHAHAHA! FEAR NOT! YOU SHALL ALL RECEIVE MY DIVINE BLESSINGS! GATHER AROUND AND DRINK THIS WINE FROM MY DIVINE KEG!!!"

"""YDA!!!! YDA!!!!!"""

"MY GODDESS!!! AHHHHH!!!!"

"GET OFFA ME YA DAMN-"

Hoooo...

"She's quite energetic isn't she?"

"I do not know how she ended up with a cult, but she needs to take a swim in the ocean before it gets to her head!"

"Hahaha. That sounds like something she'd enjoy."

The young man was affable. Friendly even. It relieved Papalymo's stress by a lot to know someone sane was witnessing that idiot slapping the side of a beer keg and calling it blessed.

"Did sir come to meet with the rest of the Circle?"

"sigh Indeed. You've reminded me that we shouldn't be idling around here."

There were major concerns that they had to deal with. While the Shroud's balance wasn't terrible, it worried Papalymo that Y'shtola would ask them to check such a thing in the first place.

"I had a talk with Master E-Sumi-Yan. He reported that you and Yda succeeded in persuading the Council to reform the Twin Adders. Congratulations on a job well done, sir."

Was the young man so well connected? Thancred's brother. Memedi's brother? Was he going to be E-Sumi-Yan's brother next? Perhaps Papalymo would likewise gain a surprise kin!

"Oh? Those stubborn fools finally saw the light?"

"Was it not already so, sir?"

Papalymo shook his head. He saw the resistance and selfishness that infected the leadership of Gridania. They did not focus enough on the issues outside of their forest. Despite being on the Garlean side of Eorzea, Papalymo fully expected their efforts would prove to be wasted. Surprised was an understatement.

"Not at all. But let's not dwell on it I suppose. We have bigger issues-"

"ON 3 WE DRINK! BE SAVED! 1! 2!!! 3!!!!"

"""GULP GULP GULP GULP"""

Twelve above. Who's going to pay for all that wine?!

---

"My gil..."

A blonde Lalafell, dressed in black Thaumaturge robes, was looking down into a now empty leather sack with a sound of mourning in his voice. I didn't know how to comfort him. In a way, this was my fault, but it was needed for the sake of the future. Though, Yda probably didn't need to buy them a round.

We were currently walking towards a room on the Lower Decks that I recognized to be the Rogues' guild. Though there was no sign or anything familiar. Perhaps it was like the Arcanists? They didn't exist before or during 1.0?

Limsa Lominsa's buildings used a striking maroon red for their doors and bolted on dark grey steel for structural support and ornate designs. As we walked I enjoyed seeing how they riveted everything together. The Blacksmiths' guild were amazing artisans as much as they were outstanding crafters.

THWACK

"OWWWWW!!!"

Papalymo was naturally upset, so it wasn't a surprise for him to swing his staff, one bigger than he was, and clock Yda over the head with it. Yda jumped in front of me and hugged me tightly. Was it instinct? Or intentional? She needed to be trained.

"Winwin!!! Help me!!!!"

Winwin. I could feel her springy body push into mine. I didn't walk around in a suit of armor after all. I could feel her breasts, slightly smaller than my Mio's, bigger than my F'lhaminn's. 

I couldn't tell when I was trading breath with her earlier and squeezing her sizable ass, but she smelt like spicy cinnamon.

Seriously, should I fuck her after all?

"COME BACK HERE YOU BLOCK HEAD!"

"NO!"

"YOU-!!!"

"Okay okay you two. Let's calm down. We've arrived."

I tried to calm Pinky and the Brain. It was funny to see them on screen, dizzying to have them swirl around me as we tried to reach the meeting place. It also tortured me in other ways that I wasn't keen on expressing.

"WAHAHA! You've been bested once more! Papaly-THWACK-OW!"

He got one last hit in before the doors opened through my awe-inspiring telekinetic power.

"Shtola!!! Heyheyhey! Look at what I found!!!"

Yda let go of me to drag forward sultry looking Miqo'te who just opened to doors. Her hair was shaded with such a pale green that it almost looked white after the sun was done painting it. Her skin was a light and flawless mocha tone. A color that brought out her eyes that seemed to be dappled with the shine of the ocean's deep turquoise hue. Her lips were shaped in a plump and seductive pout, a result of being moved against her will.

She was dressed in a white long shirt that was laced with large floral shapes on her sleeves and across her breasts. It looked like a stylized dalmatica, but it was shaped in such a way to hide her curves. The shirt didn't stop at her hips, and instead flared out like a skirt to reach her mid-thighs. Thighs that were wrapped deliciously in a navy-blue pair of trousers that strained to contain her figure. On her neck she wore a thin grey scarf that hung off her shoulders like a hoodie, and that same bronze gadget that Thancred wore, attached with a thick string. Now that I saw it again, I realized that Yda wore a half-cut version of said gadget on her head and Papalymo wore a smaller version of the gadget around his neck as well.

I believed that they were used to measure Aether levels. A concept that wasn't too plot relevant as I recalled.

THWACK

"WAAAAAHHHH!!!"

Yda got another knock from a furious Papalymo, who's wallet was still empty, and was chased into the building.

"sigh So much energy..."

I felt that in my soul.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance, Miss Y'shtola. Thancred has spoken of you often."

I gingerly picked up the woman's hand and kissed its back, holding myself from biting it like a fucking dog. I recognized that old feeling in me swell up. Was Y'shtola older? She looked to be my age, but one could never tell in fantasy. Perhaps I would need to steal Minfilia away for a while. 

"Ah! Then you must be Winter?"

Y'shtola Raul gave me a charming smile. Small in nature, but huge in effect.

"Yes ma'am."

So I gave a small smile back.

"There's no reason to stand on occasion. In this Circle, we are all friends."

"Then, it's nice to meet you, Y'shtola."

"Fufu, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Winter~"

We began our walk into the meeting place. My mouth was slightly dry, trying to play it cool.

"So Winter, I heard that you were experimenting with Aetheric redistribution..."

Oh?!

"Yes! Here, this..."

I pulled out my Hearthstone and explained it's function.

"So that's why he asked me about it..."

"Who?"

"Thancred. He was quite surprised by your theory on how Aether could react with simple writings. Now that I see it in front of me, it's quite amazing..."

"I only thought of it after thinking on how chants could cast magic. Utterances of voice are able to mold Aether so why not letters and writings? Whenever summoning magicks are used they have that ring of inscriptions right? Well..."

We went back and forth on theory. I mainly needed these runes to work for the Rune Knight's physical prowess to shine. Yda was fast enough to punch bullets out of the air. Primals could move even faster. Hell, the power scaling in this world was truly on the level of DBZ. 

It all looked so slow when playing, but when you see people dodging missiles, protecting against magic that should be moving at the speed of light, it finally made sense as to why the Scions in particular were set to save the world.

I would need to move faster than sound to deal with the problems ahead. At the very least I needed to scratch the sound barrier. Even my Minfilia was so fast it boggled the mind! My pants were torn off before I could blink! And I didn't even want to think about my Kan-E. To be recognized as a Seedseer, you naturally had to have a certain amount of power. Well, Kan-E could use Holy. A level 50 spell.

'sigh'

Even now, I could not jump on top of a parade caravan with one bound. I was all too human. These runes would be my salvation. No amount of belief seemed to change my biological limit. It just created new ones. 

After E-Sumi-Yan explained what he thought my power to be, I started to think that even my theory on runes was messed up, but it didn't seem to be the case. Otherwise, only I would be able to use it. Just like I'm the only one who could see my domain. Well, without special senses or equipment.

As we walked slowly and whispered excitedly over the idea of consumable spells, we touched shoulders on more than one occasion. She smelt faintly of brown sugar and paper. Subtle undertones of metal mixed in to create a slightly sweet scent. 

"He's quite a scholar is he not? Hohohoho."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it, Master."

Y'shtola and I stopped chatting about theory and looked at the surprise Elezen in our midst. The catalyst for all of Final Fantasy XIV. Savior of Eorzea. The strongest mage in the world. Wielder of the legendary staff Tupsimati.

Louisoix Leveilleur.

The elder was massive. Towering over me at what I estimated to be 6'8. He wore a high collared white tunic that had puffy black sleeves. Below, he walked around in heavily armored white and gold grieves that, unlike Yda's, came up all the way.

His staff, Tupsimati, had the power to draw in Aether from the surroundings in a capacity that was far beyond me. It was this staff that the wizened mage wielded to best Bahamut.

I didn't know how to react at all. I was stunned to be in front of such a legendary figure. This wasn't in-game. I really was here in front of the living and breathing article.

"It's not often I get to see Little Winter starstruck."

OH! I forgot!

"Hello, Master Louisoix. I am Winter Modi."

"Hohoho! There is no need for your reverence young one. I'm simply an old man. No more and no less."

'Bullshit. But okay. Sure, you are.'

"Ah! Master, I had 2 letters that I was tasked with bringing you."

I reached into my inner pocket and pulled out Mumuepo's letter as well as E-Sumi-Yan's packet of god knows what.

"Hohoho, one of these is undoubtedly from Master E-Sumi-Yan. Is he doing well?"

"Yes Master. Master Yan is as sprightly as ever."

"I see I see. Well, come now. Let us put on some tea and unite the Circle. That includes you as well, Young Winter."

"Yes sir!"

"Little Winter, why do you never show me such respect?"

glance

"..."