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

Ch9 Searching for Answers

"Wait!" Wuk Lamat squinted her cat eyes. "Earlier, you said you had waited a long time for our arrival. What do you mean?"

"I did? Hmm..." Queen Sphene tilted her chin downwards in thought.

"Yes. We came because of Zoraal Ja," Erenville himself was desperate to find his mother. "I am also in search of a viera named Cahciua."

"Oh yes! Zoraal Ja has ruled alongside me for many years. Recently, I have begun to feel uncertain as to whether his influence on my people has--" At this point, Queen Sphene's image flickered once again!

The Warrior of Light suddenly felt many burning pairs of eyes drawn to their group. Examining the surroundings, The Warrior of Light identified it was the automaton guards patrolling that had suddenly stopped in their tracks to fixate upon them!

"Yes! Cahciua is also a highly valued member of our society. I am certain that you will come across her soon enough!" Queen Sphene continued as they strode into the center of The Outskirts. The automaton guards returned to their patrols.

"It's the Queen!"

A citizen with a device attached on her head yelled in joy, and soon, those in The Outskirts gathered around Sphene, all beaming in happiness.

The party observed silently as Queen Sphene went out of her way to speak to every single individual. Her memory of every single individual's history and recent situation was perfect. It was obvious as to why she was so welcomed and beloved by the people.

Bakool Ja Ja was speechless as he was swamped by questions of relation to Zoraal Ja. Apparently, his kind weren't seen here often, and many assumed he to be some distant relative. Bakool Ja Ja's two heads barely had any openings to reject their claims.

Wuk Lamat looked on, conflicted emotions in her eyes. The Warrior of Light only frowned, sensing something nefarious at work from years of experience.

Eventually, Sphene proposed for the party to explore how Alexandrians lived their daily lives. It was truly eye opening. Alexandrians had the very concept of death erased from their minds-- none could even recall those who had passed!

The party naturally attempted to further probe Sphene along the way, but was repeatedly met with obstacles. Any question that strayed too close to Sphene's assessment of Zoraal Ja would cause her image to flicker. Of course, they only probed when no other robotic guards had them in sight. A 'confused' Sphene would return, recalling their identity and their journey but distracted from the subject of Zoraal Ja.

"You would do anything to protect your people?" Wuk Lamat asked.

"Anything to preserve Alexandria, yes. As I am sure that you would for Tuliyollal," Sphene smiled in reply.

"Including the lives of innocents outside your domain?" Krile probed.

"Of course not," Sphene lightly smiled. "We Alexandria was once embroiled in a war against a kingdom named Lindblum. They created a weapon that brought Alexandria to the brink. Luckily, our mastery of electrope allowed us to form a protective dome for our people."

"To carelessly begin a conflict against another is foolish. My people's happiness is my happiness. I would never seek a conflict that could potentially destroy my own citizens' lives," Sphene concluded. "Oh yes! I require your assistance. Zoraal Ja--"

Her image flickered once again, and once stabilized, Sphene veered off to an irrelevant topic.

"Do you have a heaven?" Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic asked bluntly. He had come because of an agreement with the Yok Huy, to end his father's imprisonment up the mountains. The Yok Huy's previous generation had suffered, fooled by the dreams of heaven that were delivered to their minds by who they now know to be the Alexandrians.