Gulool Ja Ja's Legacy: A FFXIV Dawntrail Rewrite [Fanfiction]

The whole of Tural was naturally in turmoil. The purple dome's appearance in the north was extremely unsettling. Word from the seers of the Yok Huy painted the purple dome as the hand of the 'Golden City'.

The population of Tural needed some time to parse through this information. For years, they had been entranced by tales of the 'Golden City', letting their imaginations conjure up fanciful details. It was only now that they began to understand that which can appear as gold can be rotten on the inside.

The Warrior of Light awoke from slumber in darkness, and decided to check on Wuk Lamat. Both Koana and Wuk Lamat had been working overtime and through long nights the past few days to steady the ship.

The throne room turned out to be empty, and thus the Warrior of Light climbed the steps, relying on intuition to search for the Second and Third Promise.

The Warrior of Light kept climbing, finally setting foot upon the roof of the Vollok Shoonsa. There, Wuk Lamat stood looking out towards the seas to the east. During the day, these waters sparkled like gems, but as it is still dark, these waves are now ominous and tumultuous.

The Warrior of Light picked up sniffling sounds coming from the female hrothgar. Upon noticing the Warrior of Light who silently stood next to her to also stare out into the dark seas, Wuk Lamat gradually regained her poise.

"I still… find my older brother's attack on Tuliyollal, and his taking of father's life to be incomprehensible," Wuk Lamat finally expressed. "Why would he take such action? For years, he risked his life protecting the people, a respectable commander of the landsguard…"

"As for Koana… as usual, he retreats to his research, his science when facing these sorts of situations. Deep down, he thinks himself socially inept, but the people certainly recognize his genuine desire to improve their lives through technology…"

Zoraal Ja's course of action…? It is indeed quite incomprehensible on the surface, but the Warrior of Light had experienced this situation at least once before-- Ilberd.

Thus, the Warrior of Light regaled Wuk Lamat with the beginning and the final moments of the Ala Mhigan madman.

"So you say this… Ilberd. His relentless desire to free his home, Ala Mhigo, led him to resenting his very own people for not being willing enough to spill the blood necessary for it? It led him to even sacrifice their lives to summon a supernatural being? It led him to resent an ally in a man named Raubahn, who could have influenced the soldiers of the neighboring state of Ul'dah?"

The Warrior of Light nodded, and Wuk Lamat sank into silence, her mind wrestling with the existence that is Ilberd. Gradually, she developed an inkling of an understanding.

"It's… obsession, isn't it?" she muttered. "When the mind becomes too obsessed with an idea… all else falls away. Overtime, it gradually corrupts your soul and distorts your mind in ways unimaginable. Yet, behind it lies a certain twisted logic."

"Unfortunately," the Warrior of Light sighed.

"I've always preferred to wander the lands of Tural in my caravan, carefree and at peace," Wuk Lamat said. "If I became overly obsessed with this state of being, this state of peace… would I then take inexplicable actions to achieve it, ultimately to my own detriment?"

"And my brother, Zoraal Ja," she continued. "I know he always strove to prove himself. I know Mamook sees one-headed mamool ja as lesser. That must be his obsession. If… if my father, a two-headed, is considered the best of two-headed mamool ja, having united Tural… and if Zoraal Ja's mind became twisted by an obsession to overcome the status of a two-headed…"

The Warrior of Light sighed once again. Such is the mind of man, fragile and weak, succumbing easily to avarice and desire. So Emet-Selch once lambasted. But for each failure, hope laid elsewhere too, so the Warrior of Light had proven.

The sky brightened as dawn approached, and the radiant sun rose above the eastern horizon, turning the seas into a glittering gold.

Wuk Lamat's face became filled with determination.

"Tobi, of the Pelupelu, has informed me of disturbing news," Wuk Lamat said. "Much as I had hoped that Vorporlor's words would be proven false, a few…Pelupelu merchants have been offered various forms of payment to deliver powerful beasts, especially dragons, to the purple dome."

"Luckily, some knowledge of the past ages does exist, and most of the Pelupelu are frightened of potentially… enraging the dragons, and thus Tobi was able to prevent this disaster. Still, it worries me that a few had even considered such an idea," Wuk Lamat sighed as she shook her head.

"It is fear…" The Warrior of Light replied, recalling the existence of Allagans. Some knowledge of the Allagans might exist in Tural.

"Yes… the Pelupelu, having been enslaved in the past, may decide to switch their loyalties if the existence within the purple dome proves fearsome enough. They hope to avoid a gruesome fate," Wuk Lamat sighed. "I cannot fully fault their thinking…"

"Additionally," she continued, "The Moblins have received offers from an existence within that purple tome. Promises of technological knowledge. It is worrying, to say the least."

"Thus, I must ask for your assistance," Wuk Lamat finally requested. "I may not have proven my worth yet, but as my father once sought assistance from others, I, too, request yours. I have heard tales of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, of your relationship with various city states as well as the dragons."

"As I am inexperienced, and unworthy of my father's legacy, I hope you will at least assist me in preserving Tuliyollal. Do as you see fit," Wuk Lamat said.

"May I offer a suggestion?" Erenville's voice surprisingly sounded behind the two. Wuk Lamat yelped and nearly fell off the roof.

"When did you get here?!"

"For some time," Erenville drawled. "I've tracked many lifeforms during my work as a gleaner. They all certainly have a superior level of awareness."

The Warrior of Light was speechless as well.

"I need to seek out an old friend of my mother's in Shaaloani. The Warrior of Light may come along, and perhaps observe if the appearance of the purple dome caused any issues in the area," Erenville suggested.

"Good idea," the Warrior of Light agreed. "Krile can meanwhile make contact with those across the seas."

"Thank you," Wuk Lamat patted her chest. "I have already given Krile access to my father's detailed records of his adventures. Hopefully, he can find that which he seeks. As for me, I will need to spend some time settling affairs in Tuliyollal. Then, it falls to me to free Zoraal Ja of his obsession. Koana is no warrior, and this is an issue of family and honor. I cannot shirk my responsibilities any longer."

The three descended the steps back into the throne room, to find a number of scions waiting patiently, with the exception of a simmering Alisaie.

The Warrior of Light explained Wuk Lamat's request, and the present scions agreed to provide assistance.

Soon, the Warrior of Light noticed Krile distracted and lost in thought.

"Ah!" Krile regained alertness under the Warrior of Light's examination. "Forgive me. I was lost in my thoughts."

"I've examined Gulool Ja Ja's records," she explained. "Apparently, my grandfather initially attempted to assist Gulool Ja Ja in examining the 'Golden City', sending a number of well-designed mammets through the gate. None, however, ever managed to find their way back, and thus the investigation was abandoned. I was wondering if perhaps there is some method to make contact with those mammets if they are still partially functional…"

The Warrior of Light nodded and smiled. Indeed, such knowledge would be of great assistance to their understanding of the 'Golden City' and the purple dome. Though the mammets might be trapped within, there is certainly the possibility of regaining contact once they venture into the purple dome.

Soon, the Warrior of Light and Erenville set off for Shaaloani to the north, crossing the wondrous wooden great bridge that defied physics, stretching across the water vapoury expanse.

Shaaloani is a place where the people are given freedom to govern themselves, so the Warrior of Light discovered.

Erenville led the Warrior of Light to meet Iyaate, an old friend of his mother's. Iyaate informed the two of the events following the appearance of the purple dome.

So it was that the Warrior of Light and Erenville was drawn in by the young hyur named Zekowa. He sought the rescue of his companions.

A combination of smarts and trickery soon led the Warrior of Light and Erenville to Wihuwte. To their disbelief, Wihuwte was actually transporting Zekowa's companions northward, towards the purple dome!

Relying on Erenville's talents, the Warrior of Light followed, and soon discovered that Wihuwte was selling the souls of Shaaloani's inhabitants to the Golden City! An automaton identical to those that had invaded Tuliyollal sucked out the soul of a captive with a gun before their very eyes.

The Warrior of Light and Erenville understood that they could no longer remain in their hiding spot. Just as they prepared to intervene, especially because they had promised Zekowa of his companions' safety, a deep voice spoke from behind them.

"I would not be reckless if I were you." The Warrior of Light swiveled around to see Estinien in cloth and leather, but still equipped with that recognizable lance.

"Erenville. You should call for the sheriff's intervention. We will need it," Estinien said as he unsheathed his lance. "Now let us do what we do best, O Warrior of Light."

So it was that the Warrior of Light charged forth to intervene in Wihuwte's human trafficking business. Automatons on bikes appeared from the purple dome, but Estinien was well prepared for their appearance, leaping from one to another with a flashing lance and explosions.

The Warrior of Light broke many chains with a pair of twinblades, freeing many of the captives that very nearly had their souls sucked out to fuel the 'Golden City's' existence. Freed, they began to rally around the Warrior of Light, picking up weapons dropped by the guards knocked unconscious by the Warrior of Light.

Thus, Wihuwte soon found himself in desperate straits, and looked towards the purple dome as his only escape.

Luckily, Erenville returned with assistance just in time, and Zekowa stood to block Wihuwte's escape. The two faced off, guns blazing. The sheriff and his men, lagging a few yalms behind, arrived in time to see Zekowa send a bullet through Wihuwte's head.

Though initially ruffled, upon seeing the freed ragged captives, as well as the automatons returning back into the purple dome while dragging along a few unlucky souls, he understood the nature of the matter, and could only sigh at the betrayal of a man who he had trusted.

And so the Golden City's reach into Shaaloani was temporarily blocked, and the region's inhabitants regained a measure of protection.

The Warrior of Light returned to Tuliyollal to inform Wuk Lamat of these events. Upon entering the throne room, the rest of the scions had arrived from overseas, and were in deep discussion with Koana and Wuk Lamat.

"...I was saying, aether and soul are strongly interlinked. As the soul weakens, the aether also thins," Y'shtola explained to Koana.

"I cannot deny my interest," G'raha Tia muttered. "Another soul of mine from a different timeline, along with its memories, was integrated into my own, but to separate the two…"

Most surprising to the Warrior of Light was the presence of Zero.

"Us voidsent consume one another, soul feeding on souls along with aether," she said. "However, memories are also consumed, thus the crazed minds of the beings in my world, consisting of multiple personalities…"

"Couldst this mysterious civilization hath drawn inspiration from voidsents?" Urianger wondered.

"Hmm… It is certainly a possibility," Y'shtola nodded with a finger on her chin.

"I must admit that I am most intrigued," G'raha Tia said. "As far as we know, the soul is cleansed in the underworld and during those moments, even the memories hidden in the deepest parts of the soul are recalled. We must be misunderstanding some aspect of this…absorption of souls conducted by this 'Golden City'."

The many archons furrowed their brows in deep thought. As for the Warrior of Light… well… perhaps in the minds of these archons, the Warrior of Light is a bit of a knobhead.

"Master Motoya once warned me that by using aether to 'see', I would live a shortened life," Y'shtola slowly said as she organized her thoughts. "Extending that logic, perhaps when a soul is extracted from a body prematurely, a sort of lifeforce linked to that aether remains locked into this soul."

"Then, it is this influx of aether-life force that is used to revive and strengthen the user, as it did for Zoraal Ja when he fought against Gulool Ja Ja," she spoke, increasingly certain of her hypothesis. "As for said memories-- the Warrior of Light has seen those crystals that carry the memories of the twelve seats of the ancients."

"If I may make another bold guess, I believe the memories of past existences have simply been recorded and stored using a sort of technology. And as for the memory hidden within the supporting soul-- it may simply have been repressed in some way, to prevent its interference with the user's mind."

As she said this, the Warrior of Light recalled the device used by Hermes-- Kairos, which wiped memories from test subjects.

Koana nodded. He had been investigating the many soul-related devices left behind by the automaton invasion of the 'Golden City'. His tinkering exposed certain aspects behind the technology, and once the more… knowledgeable scions arrived, he naturally broached the subject.

"Assuming what you say to be true, then…" G'raha Tia muttered. "The supporting soul is temporarily attached to the controlling soul, supplying its remaining life-force aether until spent. Then this spent soul should return to the aetherial sea?"

"A slight reprieve for the enslaved soul," commented Y'shtola.

Indeed, to truly combine and split souls… perhaps only beings like Hydaelyn and Zodiark were capable of this. Even then, to fully combine souls with no connection to one another… such a thing should not be possible. Otherwise, the Ascians would long have 'completed' their sundered members to create powerful paragons.

As for temporarily combining souls…The Warrior of Light believes that to be possible, recalling the temporary fusion of two Ascians prior to the battle against Thordan back in those early days.

Regardless, the ancients, as masters of creations, are most capable of such a feat if it was possible. Was it possible that an unknown Ascian had passed on such knowledge to this 'Golden City'?

"How much of their words did you understand?" Wuk Lamat muttered under her breath at the Warrior of Light.

The Warrior of Light did not reply, only shrugging nonchalantly.

Krile was reserved to the side, lost in thought. It was only when the Warrior of Light tapped the lalafell on the head that Krile's eyes returned to focus.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, but then embarrassingly smiled. "I've contacted Sharlayan as well and identified the mammets used by my grandfather when he attempted to see into the 'Golden City'. I am not completely certain, but I have fashioned a device that will allow us to potentially locate and retrieve information…"

"That is good to hear," the Warrior of Light beamed encouragingly.

Wuk Lamat cleared her throat to attract the attention of all present.

"As I have mentioned, I requested your aid, for the current state of Tural is unstable due to the appearance of the supposed less-than-golden city. Though the most pressing matters have been settled for now…"

"Go," Koana said. "Our delegates are having discussions with the dragons to ensure that they understand the lust for powerful souls that this mysterious civilization has. I will prepare the defenses of the city and gather the citizens of Tural, to prevent the harvesting of their souls."

"Lamaty'i," he turned to his sister. "I am no warrior, and it is you who sparred against our father alongside Zoraal Ja during your youth. You stand the best chance. For Zoraal Ja to have taken our father's life…"

Wuk Lamat felt torn.

"Do I truly have to take his life?" she asked.

The Warrior of Light sighed, recalling the many foes who only understood might.

"Peace…though it is critical to negotiate, to avoid the loss of life…" the Warrior of Light replied. "Sometimes, people can be stubborn, stuck in their beliefs, in their hatred, in their distrust, or perhaps… consumed by their obsession."

"And unfortunately, there are those that only understand force…" the Warrior of Light warned with a shake of the head, recalling the faces of many twisted enemies in the past.

Wuk Lamat had always preferred her peace and quiet, content with touring various places in Tural. However, she is certainly aware of the existence of 'bullies'. She understood the Warrior of Light's words.

"If I remain passive, taking a step back in obsession of peace whenever there is potential conflict, there will be those who see this as weakness and simply take advantage to benefit their own self… this I know…yet…"

The Warrior of Light nodded, and at the same time, understood Wuk Lamat's internal struggles. Her nature was one that preferred peace, and only the hateful actions of a wayward Bakool Ja Ja had temporarily awakened that fire within her.

Now, although Zoraal Ja had taken her father's life, he is also her brother, occupying many beautiful memories of her childhood, no doubt.

The scions heard this conversation, but chose to remain silent. The Warrior of light had already said all that needed to be said. The rest will be up the Wuk Lamat.

As they prepared to set off to the north to investigate that purple dome, Vorporlor and Bakool Ja Ja appeared.

The Warrior of Light recalled that Bakool Ja Ja had been negotiating with the Yok Huy conditions for his father's freedom. Though Mamook's belief in the two-headed is rather twisted, Zereel Ja had traded himself for Bakool Ja Ja's freedom. Recognizing that Zoraal Ja had baited the young foolish Bakool Ja Ja into freeing Valigarmanda, the Yok Huy had accepted this deal to keep the peace.

"We are to see an end to the 'Golden City's' influence on this continent in service to the Yok Huy, as agents to the north," Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty stated for both heads. It is well known that the Yok Huy's bodies fall into sickness in the northern side of Tural, Xak Tural.

"The 'Golden City' has influenced the dreams of our seers in the past, controlling the minds of us Yok Huy," Vorporlor explained. "Thus, for once, us Chirwagur will cooperate with the ruling Yok Huy faction to defend and hold Tuliyollal until the task is complete."

"Wuk Lamat," he narrowed his eyes. "Do not allow your compassion to take hold of your heart. It may well lead to your own doom, as well as ours. The 'Golden City' is a lie, and its citizens, disposable tools."

So it was that Wuk Lamat, her heart torn, traveled north alongside the Warrior of Light, Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Erenville, Bakool Ja Ja and Zero.

"I wish to examine this society's control over soul and memories. Perhaps it will be of importance to restoring the void of my world," Zero explained her inclusion. The Warrior of Light nodded in understanding.

"How…strange," Wuk Lamat mused during their journey north. "The Chirwagur faction has always been uncooperative and hostile to the landsgard. Yet, they provide assistance at this critical juncture…"

They arrived at Shaaloani Station. The sheriff discovered that the train tracks from Shaaloani into the north had been used to transport souls into the purple dome. Clearly, the 'Golden City' maintained the railway in hopes of spreading their influence into Shaaloani.

Luckily, this also meant that the railway could be used to enter the purple dome-- forcefully if necessary.

Not long after, a train was designed to punch through the defenses of the purple dome. Illusions would be cast to hide the train to decrease the response time of the 'Golden City's' automaton soldiers.

The whole of the train was covered in layers of metallic armor, non-conductive to electricity, such as titanium, bismuth and tungsten, which also provided relatively hardy defenses. The reason for this is the automations' weakness to lightning-aspected energies.

The train was equipped with many lightning-aspected cannons, while itself remaining non-conductive but tough and weighty for its defenses.

The mood was grim but determined during the construction of this weaponized train. None knew what might have changed in the zone now enveloped in the purple dome. Erenville was especially worried for his mother. Supposedly, Namikka, Wuk Lamat's nursemaid, had returned there prior to the purple dome's appearance as well.

Thanks to the support of Shaaloani's people, enraged that those from the purple dome had been sucking out the souls of their neighbors for nefarious purposes, the armored train was soon ready.

The Warrior of Light hopped onto the largest lightning cannon onboard, ready to deliver fire and hell.

As the armored train left the station, the Warrior of Light spun the rotary device to point the lightning cannon at Alisaie.

"What do you think you're doing, O Warrior of Light?" Alisaie grinned. "I'll have you know I'm not so easy to subdue. Come!"

The Warrior of Light hesitated for a second then fired the lightning cannon. Alisaie spun her rapier and she expertly absorbed the lightning energy ball before redirecting the power into a extra humongous verthunder spell.

The Warrior of Light was visibly impressed, now turning the thunder cannon towards…Bakool Ja Ja.

"Wha…?" Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty exclaimed in fear.

"Warrior of Light. This is unnecessary," Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic attempted reconciliation. "Though we have committed questionable acts against you, us two have turned a new leaf. We now recognize that…"

The Warrior of Light fired the lightning cannon, and Bakool Ja Ja sank onto one knee visibly pained, paralyzed as electricity arced over his darkened scales.

The lightning cannon was turned towards Y'shtola.

Y'shtola narrowed her eyes, and the Warrior of Light smartly decided to point the lightning cannon elsewhere.

Krile was ready for the Warrior of Light. She had already painted a magical lightning cannon, and when the Warrior of Light fired, that painted cannon also let loose. The two lightning energy balls collided and cancelled out each other in a rainbow shower.

"O Warrior of Light…" Alphinaud interrupted. "Let me remind you that we are under an invisibility illusion, and such flashy aetherial storms will disrupt our invisibility…"

The Warrior of Light sheepishly acknowledged the mistake.

The armored train accelerated northward. For much of their journey, they remained completely undetected, yet as they got closer, automaton soldiers flew into the air on their hoverbikes to intercept their path.

Thus began the battle. The Warrior of Light fired the lightning cannon rapidly, striking each target with a near hundred percent accuracy. These automatons, weak to lightning, fell from the sky in a single hit.

The Warrior of Light very nearly struck Estinien, who was leaping in the air from hoverbike-to-hoverbike. The dragoon nonchalantly split that lightning energy ball in two. The two halves of the lightning-aspected shot struck down two targets. Estinien only directed a raised eyebrow at the Warrior of Light.

When they got within fifty yalms of the structure defending the purple dome, they leapt off the train in rapid fashion. The armored train barreled forward, lightning energy gathering into a bomb within the train head.

Upon collision, the lightning bomb exploded, thoroughly destroying the structure, opening a hole into the purple dome.

So it was that Wuk Lamat, the Warrior of Light, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Erenville, Bakool Ja Ja and Zero stepped into the purple dome.