i promise we'll walk across the moon someday soon

[promittere]

FULL MOON CODA

The moon wanes, and retreats into the sky.

After a quick chat and a vote, the otherworldly wizards, their mentor, and their sage decide to hand Victor over to the Central government—to the young wizard who appeared later in the ordeal. As both a sage's wizard and Crown Prince to the Central throne, Prince Arthur is the ideal person to understand both the discriminatory behavior driving Victor against wizards and the political ramifications of his actions, both past and planned. He pledges to you to make sure that, even if you aren't around to see it, Victor pays for what he's done and then some, while respecting Tatara's wishes to avoid bloodshed. He'll manage his case, while making sure his uncle, Vincent, does not have too much sway, due to his relationship with the West. Ultimately, he'll be locked up for life, put to hard labor, and made sure his intelligence is not misused.

When the sun rises, everyone gets to work repairing the manor. The damage is pretty bad but not unsalvageable, and it's made a lot easier with the help of some of the other original wizards who trickle in as the day begins. So long as it hasn't been burnt into absolutely nothing, it's salvageable—hopefully your figurines are safe!

For the first time since you arrived in this world, things feel stable. The brittleness in the air is no longer there, and there's a serenity to the breeze and the sky. It's comfortable. As the previous sage and sage's wizards begin to go about their business as usual, they mention anomalies and other odd incidents they must take care of around the world, but it is nothing like what you initially remember. This is no longer a world a hair's breadth away from falling apart, and you fixed it.

Whether you noticed it in the chaos of the final fight, or you hear it from someone else, or you notice on your own in the days that follow, you will realize that your sage crest is gone. With the other wizards in place again, your job here is done. Quite literally. You are no longer obligated to Tatara or to this world. All that's left is to go home.

A day and time is chosen for the ritual, and you have a few days after the final battle before the ritual is ready. This would be a good time to wrap up loose ends before you go, perhaps for good.

And when the ritual is ready, you'll know.

OOC NOTES

🌙 This is the end of Lunae Calamitas! Thank you so much for playing! We hope you had fun ♥
🌙 This post will remain open, so feel free to play out what loose ends you'd like to resolve ICly.
🌙 If you have the time and energy, be sure to check out the love meme and the TL;CR meme!
🌙 Enjoy the journey home, and rest well. You earned it.

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Comments

[leewards]

No, I do not think that's necessary. Not any longer. [He lays his head on Urianger's shoulder, ear pressed against his lover's pulse so he can listen to signs of life. At least someone he loves is still alive.] She cannot survive without me.

[And now he finally says what has been torturing him for months-- he only kept quite for his own sanity, otherwise he would have torn this world apart long ago... or himself.]

And you cannot ask me to take you to my world-- I will not allow it. I will not subject you to that. There is- there is a reason I chose to leave it.

If we had not become lovers, I would have stayed here.

[divineth]

Oh, Ithaqua… I am so sorry.

[He lifts a hand to hold against the back of Ithaqua’s for support. There really is no winning in this situation, is there?

Ithaqua’s reveal surprises him, though. He wouldn’t have gone back to his mother…?]

…What hast thou so reluctant to return?

[leewards]

You have seen where I came from. It is... worse than the Forest of Ice, solely because there's nothing there. Nothing happens.

I hunt, I care for Mother, I remove any humans who ventured into it, and then I take care of the house. Then I sleep, and when I wake, I hunt again, check in on Mother again, and I-- [He takes a deep breath.]

Outside of the forest, there is nothing, no one willing to welcome us, they hate magic and would sooner burn us at the stake.

[Then he shakes his head minutely, hand tightening around Urianger's wrist.]

Three months in this colourful world full of magic, and I realize there's more I could be seeing in my life, living without the fear of humans and their witch hunts, and that's turned me into a bad son.

[divineth]

…An agonizingly lonely existence it must have been.

[So it’s no wonder why Ithaqua would want to escape. And even if Urianger were to join him, the monotony and isolation from the world would surely creep back in with time.

He gives Ithaqua’s head gentle strokes.]

Ithaqua…I do not believe thy desire to leave maketh thee a bad son. From what I have seen and heard, thy mother put an incredible effort into preparing thee for the world beyond that forest and the town which scorned you both. She would see thee flourish, as thou hast done so hither.

[leewards]

She deserves a better death than wasting away. [But in his heart, he knows he wouldn't have been able to find an alternative.

Then, he's silent for a moment. He agrees with Urianger, he's thought about everything she's done for him ever since she found him and made him a home, how she kept the truth of his origins a secret. Perhaps she wanted him to be ignorant of the horrors, and thus happy. It's simply... difficult for him to accept because for the longest time, she was his whole life.

Then he came here and found that his world expanded.

He sighs deeply and moves his hand to hold onto Urianger's, lacing their fingers together.]

Take me home with you. That is to be my home.

[divineth]

She doth, and I dearly wish that we may have brought her hither.

[There’s still a chance that it could work out, but…they can’t bank their hope on it.

He squeezes Ithaqua’s hand, looking for eye contact.]

I shall, and I shall ensure that thou art able to live free and happy as thy mother would have surely wanted. Thou mayest live on in her stead as well.

[His voice lowers for Ithaqua’s ears only, gentle but full of conviction.]

I shall show thee the beauty of Eorzea and beyond. Wherever our journeys may take us, and whatever hardships we may face, I shall always be there to support thee. This, dear Ithaqua, I promise unto thee.

[leewards]

[Ithaqua blinks at the gentle urging, but lifts his head from Urianger's shoulder, and removes his mask, assuming that his lover would like to see his face. He quickly finds that he is right, in a sense... But not in a way he expected.

Urianger didn't just reiterate his desires to be with Ithaqua and bring him home, but he made a promise. That is so much more important than anything else in this world, and he's speechless as he looks up at Urianger's face, eyes wide.

Then he looks down, kneading their hands together.]

I accept that promise.

[divineth]

[As Ithaqua looks down at their hands, Urianger briefly parts them so he may do something important. With his free hand, he reaches into his robes. What he produces from them is carefully slid onto Ithaqua's finger: a ring inlaid with a beautiful gemstone of swirling blue and red. The blue, no doubt, represents Ithaqua's original eye color. But the red...]

Then may this ring serve as a symbol of my promise, as well as a physical bond to bring thee home with me.

[...his blood.

He lifts Ithaqua's newly ringed hand to plant a kiss upon it.]

I love thee.

[leewards]

I-- [He can't actually believe what he's seeing right now, a ring on his finger with a stone of his eye colour-- but not the white ones he has now, but the bright, blue ones he had in his childhood-- and another in a deep crimson that he knows as only one thing.

He lets out a breath shaky with both laughter and muffled snuffles. That's how emotional Urianger has made him.]

For once, you're quite ahead of me.

[Still, he brushes his lips over his elf's cheek.]

I love you too. [Now he has to think of a way to get his blood on Urianger without alarming his lover too much.]

[divineth]

[Urianger's eyes crinkle with fondness as he returns to intertwining their fingers.]

This is something that I would loath to dally upon, and I could think of no more fitting an opportunity.

[That is to say, cementing their mutual promise of eternity together with a symbolic ring.

...it just so happens to serve a second purpose as well.]

[leewards]

[Ithaqua thinks he might have to start wearing different gloves or stop wearing them altogether, with this ring. Or perhaps find a chain instead... When he works so much with his hands, he doesn't want it ruined.]

Of course... [And now he has to think of something.] I've no ring to give you, unfortunately. Perhaps I should have made the necklace a ring instead.

[But rings are so difficult to make, and he only had time to learn how to make necklace pendants and charms. He could have used magic to assist, but to him, there's nothing like the feeling of accomplishing something with your bare hands.

Then he shakes his head, and pulls a glove off, holding it out.]

The gemstones I gave you, if you will.

[divineth]

'Tis quite all right. Whether it be a ring or a necklace, I cherish thy gifts all the same.

[Besides, he was doing the surprising here. It's okay if he doesn't have a ring of his own yet. Since things went over so well, he'll have to obtain a matching one at a later date.

When prompted, he gets to work on undoing the clasp on his bracelet before presenting it to Ithaqua. It's been well taken care of, with nary a scratch on it in spite of all the action that just went down. It's clear that Urianger's been placing protection spells on it to keep it untarnished.]

[leewards]

[Too late, Urianger. Ithaqua has already started thinking of the design of the ring he'd like to give. He'd rather make it himself, but he has just about no experience, and when he's going to another world, he'll have to relearn where to buy resources all over again-- and actually be able to buy resources, which means earning money somehow.

It's with these thoughts that Ithaqua takes the gems he gave to his lover, nicks his thumb with a fang, and presses the bloody cut to the back of the smaller gem. It freezes over with a soft murmur, leaving an imprint of his skin in red that will never melt.]

I do not hear a no, there, so I shall.

[Then he replaces the bracelet, and holds his hand out for Urianger, a silent request for him to take care of it.

Ithaqua could have left it as-is, or healed it himself, but why deny Urianger the chance to fuss over him?]

[divineth]

[He laughs gently in a show of defeat. There'll be no talking Ithaqua out of this, it seems.]

Very well. Then I shall look forward to it.

[With Ithaqua's blood now imprinted upon his bracelet, Urianger sets to work on mending that new wound, just as silently as it was requested of him. He brings his lover's finger close and presses his lips against it. When he pulls away, the wound has completely healed. Kissing an injury to make it better is very much possible when you have magic.]

[leewards]

[With Urianger's healing done, Ithaqua replaces his glove and wraps his arms around his lover, relishing in the gentle warmth. The reassuring stability. He wishes this moment would last forever, but nothing really does.

Eventually he pulls away, and replaces his mask as well.]

... Shall we make our goodbyes to everyone?