Gulool Ja Ja's Legacy: A FFXIV DT Rewrite + Expansion Concepts [Fanfiction]

Ch7: The Fall of Gulool Ja Ja

Zoraal Ja successfully sneaked his way back into the Skydeep Cenote. In his hands were a set of tiles to unlock the interior, along with a cup that carried a simple but elegant symbol-- a dot surrounded by two comet-led semi-circles. These, he had acquired from an ambushed Ketenramm.

Behind him was Sareel Ja, eyes glimmering in excitement.

"Son of Gulool Ja Ja," that soft female voice said as Zoraal Ja and Sareel Ja approached the supposed gate to the City of Gold. "I once saved your life by removing the additional soul within your one-headed body, restoring balance between mind and flesh."

Zoraal Ja did not deign to reply, and simply observed the electrifying blocks that shifted about in the environment.

"So. What is it that you desire?" That angelic voice asked.

"It is not what I desire, but what you-- can offer me," Zoraal Ja replied as he raised up that mystical cup-like relic into the air. He assumed this cup-like relic to be of value.

"A stolen artifact. But very well." Silence ensued as that angelic voice considered the circumstances.

At length, she spoke again.

"I can see in you... the desire to be recognized. The members of Mamook look down upon your very existence, do they not? You are but a one-head, after all. You cannot contend against a two-head...not even your father chose to automatically pass you the throne."

"Make your offer!" Zoraal Ja spat. He had spent many years defending Tural leading the Landsguard. Even slain Valigarmanda. Yet many in Mamook still see him as nothing compared to a two-headed.

Though he felt some agitation that his father had chosen a rite of succession as the method, of which he was not the victor of... Even if he inherited the throne, Mamook would likely ignore his rule due to him being a one-headed mamool ja.

"I could make you King." An enticing whisper in the ear.

"A meaningless title if 'they' continue to worship the two-headed in their minds," Zoraal Ja shook his head. There exists only one solution."No... the line of two-headed mamool ja must end!"

"Then we are at an impasse," she said. "My heaven requires procuring souls, and I am one who prefers that which is willingly given. Many years ago, the Yok Huy were warmongers, happy to offer the souls of their fallen enemies for a few of their members to enter my heavens."

"As for ancestors of your race? They were willing to offer the souls of many of their dead cross-tribe fetuses, as a trade for my assistance in occasionally helping them produce a two-headed heir."

"If you desire there to be no more two-headed heirs in the future... you must offer another source of souls," she concluded.

"Do you have an army?" Zoraal Ja asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"It is technologically possible."

"Then what do you need me for?" Zoraal Ja chortled. In his eyes, with an army, this angelic voice of a being could gather souls easily if she so desired.

"I am bound by my being," so she replied. "The Yok Huy chose war-- not me. Similarly, your ancestors chose to sacrifice the souls of their stillborn fetuses for a chance at a two-headed."

"And if you accept... you can be the king in control of an army. But the results of that army's actions, if they commit a massacre, will solely be your responsibility, and not mine. I am simply Sphene, the loving queen."

Zoraal Ja snarled in mockery. He felt disbelief that the person behind this angelic voice could simply absolve herself of such fault.

Still. "Very well." He agreed. After all, his heart carried another goal.