The grand Theatre in the upper levels of the Tower; the Exarch sits playing a grand piano in the center of the room, his eyes closed, lost in his melancholy music.

Solitude
October 2023

'Thought it were me imagination, 'til I mentioned one night in the Stairs, well in me cups - and t'other Guard all nodded. We've all heard it some time or other, faint on the wind: an old piano, playin' the loneliest tune you ever heard.'

#zefstory #rahastory #grahatia #gpose

The Exarch sits alone on one of the grand, curving crystalline staircases which spiral up the Tower. His hood down, staff in his lap, his eyes are closed; a faint smile of bittersweet, melancholy nostalgia plays about his lips.

Ghosts from his memories race past him, upwards, onwards; the Warrior of Light, dressed in the same Crimson garb she wore on the day they assailed the Tower - and in front of her, leading the charge, his younger self.

The shades charge up the stairs, toward adventure yet to come; in the foreground, the Exarch dreams on, lingering in memories of youthful comradeship - the Warrior at his side.

Dream
October 2023

Sleep comes but rarely, and offers little consolation...and so one must conjure one's own dreams - be they memory, or phantasy. To dwell thus among ghosts risks madness, 'tis plain...but to deny them? Madness then...is all but certain.

#zefstory #rahastory #grahatia #gpose

G'raha kneels on the floor, stripped to the waist. His hands, both spoken and crystal, are raised to cover his face; with one eye visible behind them, he stares out with an expression of sick horror and despair. The walls of the Tower enwomb him: deep blue crystal chased with thick veins of gold, a vivid mirror of his own altered flesh.

Exarch
October 2023

'I am but an extension of it now.'

#zefstory #rahastory #grahatia #crystalexarch #gpose

Firm and unyielding, the Exarch stands before the Tower under a sky afire with senescent Light. His crystallized hand holds his staff firmly; his spoken hand cradles a young Lyna, perched on his hip and clinging to his robes, a smile of perfect trust on her face.

Love
October 23

Of all the roles I assumed, none was so unexpected - and for none am I more grateful. Never will I burden you with the knowledge; yet full oft you alone stood between me and the precipice. As long as I endure, no harm shall come to you - so I swear.

#zefstory #rahastory #grahatia

Amh Araeng. G'raha, dressed in light travelling gear, carrying a pack and armed with a lightweight allagan bow, stares up at the blinding, frozen wave of light, so vast it blocks out the sky. Feo Ul hovers at his side. Overlaid text: From one end of that broken realm to another, he wandered. He stood before the Flood, and took its terrible measure; the toll of sacrifice exacted to halt that crushing wave.

Rak'tika Greatwood. G'raha, taken by surprise, leans back in dismay with a blade at his throat; behind him, a white-haired viis warrior in traditional dress crouches, smirking, holding the knife and pinning his crystallized hand cruelly with her clawed heels. He reaches in vain for his bow, just out of reach -Feo Ul shrieks as they fly, scolding, to his defence. Overlaid text: He met with peril in the depths of the Greatwood, where even Light struggled to penetrate - and learned of the hope which endured there, deep in the forest twilight.

Kholusia. G'raha, cloaked and hooded, stands amidst barren, deserted farmland under blazing Light; the splendour of Eulmore visible in the distance. An orange bird perches on his shoulder, chattering - Feo Ul in disguise. Overlaid text: He walked among the people of Kholusia: broken, and starved, fractious amidst the ruins of their lives. Even here, on the brink, there must surely be a better way...

Lakeland. The purples and violets of the local flora are visible behind G'raha as he looks up; he appears a little older now, a little more worn, his hair longer, and faded just a touch. Feo Ul, perched on his shoulder, stares up in awe - even they are rapt by the beauty of the sight before them. Overlaid text: And then at last, when he could ignore the pull no longer, he returned to the Tower; weakened, and weary, but wiser for his journey...

Distance
October 2023

1/2 🧵

#zefstory #rahastory #grahatia #gposevn #gpose

G'raha Tia, seated in a vibrant field of flowers in a land which we recognise as Il Mheg. He is dressed in the same sturdy longboots he wore at the Find, centuries before, and light archer's armour retrieved from the Tower; a travelling pack, and a lightweight bow rest at his side. His right hand is fully crystallized to the wrist, though yet lacking the gold veining we will come to be familiar with. He wears a leather cuff in an effort to protect the raw flesh at the seam, but worries at the back of his hand regardless. His face, too, is now marred with a slash of blue across his cheek - an injury sustained in transit from the Source, which healed in crystal. Indistinct in the background, as yet unseen by G'raha, a familiar fae figure flits, intrigued by the newcomer.

Wanderer
July 2023

#zefstory #rahastory #grahatia #gpose

An image of an old parchment, burned and stained, with text appearing as handwritten. Full text too long for Alt Text - a link to the text version can be found in the replies to this post.

Night in Mor Dhona, in the Eighth Umbral Era. The sky is unusually clear and free from smog, the stars visible. G'raha Tia sits before a watchfire, surrounded by Ironworks generators which glow faintly. Closed at his side is a complete copy of 'Heavensward'; in the distance, bracketing the image on one side is the Tower, and on the others, the Keeper of the Lake, barely seen. G'raha is unkempt, unshaven, dressed in rough survival gear, and quite alone.

He tugs off his gloves, a hint of reluctance in his furrowed brow, his tense jaw.

The garments removed, he stares down grimly at his right hand; mostly obscured from view by the flames of the campfire.

Crystal
October 2023

1/2 🧵

#zefstory #rahastory #darkfuture #grahatia #gpose

Title card for a fic. A post-apocalyptic scene showing four figures, battle-ready and wearing facemasks. G'raha Tia stands in the foreground, raising a bow of allagan make. Behind him stands Biggs III, Ironworks chief; in front of them kneels a white-haired auri woman, and further back, a highlander man gestures forward with a blade. Text: 'Quarry' Mature - wc. 4842 - Dark Future series 'Might have known it would be this lot,’ Farah sighs, as she straightens out the body. G’raha bends to assist. Whatever life he’d known in the past, he hadn’t shied from the fouler work that fell to the Ironworks crew - and that was just as well. In the 8th Umbral Era, attacks on the Ironworks are frequent...but one raiding party in particular earns G'raha's attention.

Quarry

September - December 2024
wc. 4,842

Mature, CW: violence, mild gore.

Part 3 of my 'Dark Future' series
🔗 archiveofourown.org/works/61561042

Link to series so far:
🔗 archiveofourown.org/series/4420735

#zefstory #rahastory #zeffic #darkfuture #grahatia #ffxivwriters #ffixvfanfic

#zefstory #rahastory #darkfuture

The scene is presented in stark black and white. Two figures, indistinct through heavy wire mesh fencing, make their way down a staircase.

Viewed from behind, the figures make their way down the stairs. The first is tall figure with short-shorn hair, wearing a long leather coat, a familiar Black Mage's weapon strapped to their back. In front of them on the stairs, barely visible but leading the way, is a much shorter figure with a long white braid. The space is vast, but dilapidated - a factory or bunker, long disused, debris scattered on the floor.

In close up, the figures identities are revealed. In the lead is Alisaie. A heavy mask covers the lower half of her face. Her expression is stony.

Behind follows Zefiris, also masked. Her trademark braid is gone, knifed short. She is missing her glasses, and wears an eye patch over her left eye. Her gaze are similarly hard.

Dark Future
May 2024

CW: character death, grief/mourning and associated imagery, panic / anxiety attacks

1/19 🧵⬇️

#zefstory #rahastory #darkfuture #elezen #grahatia #wolgraha #gposevn #gpose

The World of Darkness. G'raha, dressed in Ironworks gear, runs across a bridge of light alongside Zefiris' squadron, similarly attired; she brings up the rear.

Heroes
October 2023

‘Biggs, Wedge and I spent months analysing the gear you recovered from the Labyrinth. The result: our first bespoke Ironworks armour, to see you all safe in the Void. G’raha, you do the honours - after all, it was your nifty needlework that inspired us.’

#zefstory #rahastory

A golden sky at St. Coinach's Find, as afternoon flows into evening. G'raha sits alone high on the scaffolding surrounding one of the ruined buildings, his feet over the edge; he is playing a six-string guitar, and singing to himself. 'Feel the wind eternal Sweeping cross the land Over sea and desert Stirring waves and sand...'

Over his shoulder, Unei and Doga approach. They look at him with surprise - Unei's hand raised to cover her mouth, stunned by what she hears. G'raha sings on, oblivious to their presence. 'Lost within the darkness I am blinded by light A radiance that brings endless night...'

In the background, sunlight catches the crystal structures surrounding the Find. His eyes closed, lost in music, G'raha appears peaceful and contented. 'Now a secret beckons- Let it show us the way Together we will find the break of day...'

'Beneath a fiery sky, where the rains run dry Let my song be lifted by the wind on high...' G'raha concludes the song with a smile; he has become aware of his audience, but continued on without missing a beat. Unei and Doga have kept their distance, not wishing to disturb him; both appear visibly moved.

Eternal Wind
October 2023

On the eve of breaching the Tower.

1/3 🧵

#zefstory #rahastory #grahatia #gposevn

G'raha Tia, of the Students of Baldesion, disembarks the ship which has brought him from Sharlayan. It is a bright day, and the sun is high; he stands on the Lominsan docks, backpack in hand, with his right arm raised to shield his eyes from the sun as he looks to the horizon.

Adventure

October 2023

G'raha Tia, Student of Baldesion, arrives in Eorzea to join the Crystal Tower expedition.

Extra shots and ficlet in replies!

#rahastory #zefstory #grahatia

G'raha Tia stands in front of the Forum building in Sharlayan; the sun is in his eyes, and he is smiling as he looks toward the horizon. He is dressed in a white scholar's coat, and his right hand is raised to his neck, touching his newly-aetherseared archon's marks. By his side is Galuf Baldesion, his hand resting on G'raha's shoulder as he speaks. Krile stands in front of them both, smiling proudly up at G'raha.

Faith

October 2023

'Congratulations, lad. Your father always knew you’d get your marks, since you were ay high - he’d be damned proud to see you now. Gods know, I am. But no resting on your laurels, Archon - back to Val with us, where the real work begins!'

#rahastory #grahatia #graha

Youth

October 2023

#rahastory #grahatia

A some additional tags that might be useful:

🍃 #rahastory VN's/fics focused on G'raha (#zefstory timeline)
🍃 #abjuration for my post-5.3 VN series
🍃 #darkfuture for my 8th Umbral Calamity series
🍃 #zefraha general ship tag