Crystal Tower

"Promise me you'll take me on your next adventure. A journey. Together. That's all I ask."

The Crystal Exarch, the man you loved more than anything, was crystallizing before your eyes. Though you had the spirit vessel meant to safely house his soul in your hands, your heart was breaking. "G'raha, please..." You fell to your knees beside him, embracing him.

He lifted his heavy, crystallized arms and gently placed them around your waist. "My love," he murmured. "Pray do not mourn me. We will meet again. Believe in me... in us. I promise you, we shall be together again. Soon..." He smiled, gently kissing your lips. 

"...for that is where I belong. My place has ever been at your side." G'raha Tia then struggled to help himself stand, using his staff for support. You helped him to his feet and he looked up at you, a soft, knowing smile on his lips. "Know that love will see us reunited, my hero."

Slowly, he walked in front of the Crystal Tower's throne and watched you warmly. You approached him as the crystal reached higher and higher on his body. You knew the pain must have been immeasurable, but he did not cry or even wince. He simply stood there...smiling at you. "Let my memory serve as a beacon of hope to the First." 

"With my final breath, I must tell you, Warrior of Light..."

"...more than anything in all creation..."

"...my heart swells with boundless love...for you."

"G'raha... I love you too... G'raha...!" Tears sprang from your eyes as you went to embrace him, the crystal rising higher. At the moment you wrapped your arms around him, he was gone. His soul flickered in the spirit vessel, and you felt a single tear from his eyes fall onto your skin. "G'raha... Oh... G'raha..." You sobbed, slowly stepping away from him.

Taking in the view of his crystallized form, you saw that still, even in the moment of his death, his smile did not waver--much like his everlasting faith in you. 

You took a step back, lowering your head and trying not to break down. You carefully held G'raha's spirit vessel in your hand as it glowed brilliantly, flickering with love and hope for you. Your friends and allies came running, but they saw the scene before them and spoke not a word. You felt their quiet, reassuring presence around you as you let the tears fall...

The remainder of your time on the First was a blur. You visited each and every location in Norvrandt, taking the Crystal Exarch's spirit vessel along with you, so he could say goodbye to the world that had been his home for the last century.

You trusted him, you believed in him... more than you could say for anyone else.

But to part like this was almost too much to bear.

Finally, the time to return to the Source with your Scion friends was at hand. One-by-one, their essences filled the spirit vessels, and at last you bid the First and all its peoples goodbye. You waited a moment, to be sure all of your friends had awakened safe and sound, then bolted out of the Rising Stones without a word to anyone.

Your heart was racing, tears dripping from your eyes as you thought of him. His smile, his love, his warmth. You saw the Crystal Tower looming in the distance, aglow in the vastness of night. In your mind, you heard him calling out to you, though you were certain it was no more than your imagination. "G'raha, I'm coming. Soon, you will wake up! And then..."

"...We'll never have to be apart again. You'll be by my side...for every adventure. Every journey. That, I promise you... I promise, G'raha! Just wait for me...!"

You reached the gates of the Crystal Tower and carefully removed G'raha Tia's spirit vessel from the pouch you had worn around your waist, and with it, you were able to gain passage.

Dashing through the familiar halls and up the twisting staircases, you finally reached the top of the tower. "G'raha..." You breathed his name. He had been asleep upon the throne, but looked to be stirring from his slumber now that the tower had been unsealed.

"Mmm..." he murmured, gradually opening his eyes. "...Ah... Have I..."

"G'raha...!" You cried his name, tears streaming from your eyes as you ran to him.

"It's... You. W-Warrior of Light..." G'raha sat up in a daze. "...'Tis a dream. It must be." He reached out to stroke your face, blinking tiredly. "...My love... I thought I would never see you again. How did you get in the Crystal Tower...?" 

You showed him the spirit vessel as he wiped some of the tears from your eyes, standing up on wobbly legs. "This... You... You gave it to me."

"I... did?" G'raha Tia stared at the spirit vessel curiously. There was a certain eerie familiarity to the strange crystal, and when he touched it, it hummed. His eyes grew wide--he had felt something. "What is... What is this?"

"G'raha... Do you trust me?" 

"Of course I do. More than anyone in all the world," he said with a drowsy smile. "To think that you would be the one to wake me..." He sighed. "May I... inspect this crystal?"

"Yes..." You handed over the spirit vessel and G'raha Tia took it into his hands, the crystal glimmering brighter at each touch, pulsing with life and vigor. "It's reacting to you. That crystal contains... your soul. Your memories. Of a you from another time... A you whom had awakened in the future... a future where all had gone wrong." 

"You went back in time... to save me. To save everyone. You were--you are a hero."

"I can hear a whispering voice through the crystal..." G'raha Tia murmured. "A presence, reaching out to me. You say it is...me? An older version...of me. I see..." He pondered it for a time, closing his eyes as he listened to the whispers of the crystal.

"Aye... I can hear my own voice, 'tis faint, but I hear it...and feel the sensation of being drawn closer." G'raha opened his eyes slowly, smiling at you. "I understand. Myself, and... my older self... we both seem to be of one mind and one heart." He stepped back to sit upon the throne again, cradling the spirit vessel in his lap. "My faith in you, my love for you..."

"...these things have ever been my guide, my beloved hero."

"G'raha..."

G'raha Tia closed his eyes, sitting back on the crystal throne, and the spirit vessel suddenly radiated a brilliant, blinding light. Your heart squeezed in your chest as you dared not look away despite being burned by the powerful radiance. "G'raha!" You called to him again.

"Come back to me... Please! I can't lose you! Past, present, future... I want to be with you!"

Then, the light gradually began to fade...

"...That is what I want, as well," G'raha answered you. "That is what I have always wanted, Warrior of Light." At last, the light had dispersed, and G'raha Tia was standing before you with a gentle smile. "...Thank you for believing in me."

You blinked away several tears and stepped closer. "D-Did it work?"

He wiped the tears from your eyes and approached, his ears waggling shyly. "It did," he answered softly. "The memories and soul from the older me...joined with me. It was...a strange sensation, like experiencing a very long and vivid dream in the space of an instant." G'raha sighed. "But the transference was successful. Thank the Twelve..."

You threw yourself into his arms, embracing him as you sobbed freely. "Oh G'raha... I was so scared. I believed in you... but...but..."

"I know," he said gently, stroking your back and holding you firmly against him. "I know, my love. But all is well," he continued, pulling back slightly to look up at you. "All is well..." Tears gathered in his eyes as his smile deepened. "...We will not be parted again."

"Yes..." You nodded, touching your forehead to his. "...Never again. I promise, G'raha. We'll go on all the adventures together. My journey will start anew, with you at my side. I've never wanted anything else... than to be with you." 

His cheeks flushed red as his tail wagged happily. "Aye. Let this kiss be my promise... that I shall ever remain at your side, my warrior." G'raha leaned up and brushed his lips against yours, kissing you lightly, then a little deeper as he squeezed you in his arms. "Nn..."

The kiss ended as the two of you quietly gasped, both longing for more. He sighed deeply, tears rolling down his cheeks as he became somewhat limp in your arms. "...My body is quite weak, having only just woken up. Pray give me a short while for my strength to return." 

"Let me carry you."

"A-Ah... N-No. You should not do that--"

As you kissed the tears from his face, you lifted him into your arms bridal-style. "I'll carry you back to the Rising Stones just like this. I don't care who sees us... I love you, G'raha Tia." 

"I-I love you as well... b-but, is this not a bit much...for our happy reunion?" He blinked several times, his ears wiggling nervously as his tail flailed about. "My love... We could rest here for a spell together, alone, and--"

"I'm taking you back. Right now," you insisted, turning around and carrying him out of the throne room. "No more protesting, G'raha Tia... You're coming back with me."

"W-Well..." G'raha blushed profusely. "I... suppose I cannot stop you now... I know how stubborn you are," he smiled. "Ah, you truly are my hero...even carrying me like this when my legs are too weak." He sighed. "Though I admit, someday I wish to prefer the favor for you..."

"...perhaps when the day comes, when we share our Eternal Bonding ceremony..."

You widened your eyes at him, nearly tripping down the stairs. "E-Eternal Bonding ceremony...? G-G'raha, you..."

"Aye," he said, smiling brightly. "I may not have a ring at this very moment, but I pray the love in my heart shall suffice for now. Beth, my love... Will you marry me? I wish you be at your side forevermore--not just as your companion and friend, but as your eternal lover."

You slowly descended the stairs with him in your arms, feeling your eyes grow wet again. "Y-Yes! Of course, G'raha... I want nothing more than to be with you! I love you more than anything," you pressed your lips to his, squeezing him tightly. "I-I'm so happy..."

"As am I..." G'raha's eyes welled up. "I had been waiting to ask you for so long," he admitted. "Even before I sealed myself within the Crystal Tower, I yearned to stay at your side. Now, I--even though it was painful to leave you, full glad I am that I followed my destiny..."

"...I prayed that some day, this destiny would lead me right back into your arms."

"And so it has," you said, leaning down to kiss him softly. "Because of you... the Crystal Tower has become such an important place to me, G'raha... It is the place that brought us together once, twice...and finally, now. Where I was forced to say goodbye to you two painful times... now, at last... I can finally say to you: 'Welcome home, G'raha Tia. I have missed you...'"

G'raha Tia's eyes widened, a few more tears rolling from his eyes. "And I... I have missed you too, Beth... my love." He wrapped his arms around your neck and pulled you close as you approached the Crystal Tower's entrance. "...With all my heart, I love you."

As you stepped out into the beautiful, cool night, the twinkling stars above watched on as G'raha Tia leaned to give you many passionate, deep kisses that made your legs go weak. You nearly collapsed upon the ground as his lips touched yours again and again, and when you gasped he leaned to kiss your neck, extremely eager to show his adoration for you.

"Mmm... G'raha... Please wait until we return to the Rising Stones... You need to rest."

G'raha sighed, finally pulling away. "I have no wish to rest now that I am with you again..."

"...I pray that you will let me sleep in your arms on this night, Beth."

"Of course," you murmured. "I need to have you in my arms, G'raha...I need to have you close." You squeezed him against you with a sigh, continuing on your way as the town came into view. "After everything that has happened... I just want to take some time to rest with you. To enjoy your comfort and your warmth..."

"Hmhm..." G'raha reached up and combed a hand through your hair affectionately. "I feel much the same. Ah... But, would you put me down? I believe I can walk on my own, now..."

"Am I not allowed to carry my future husband to bed?"

His ears flicked up and his cheeks flushed. "W-Well..." He rubbed one of his arms shyly, his tail swaying about. "Wh-What will our friends think...?"

"As much as we tried to keep our relationship a secret... they all know about it. Even Ryne."

"Ah..." G'raha's ears hung low. "I-I see..."

Before stepping through the town's gates, you turned to look back at the Crystal Tower. "So much has happened, surrounding the Crystal Tower... What a journey it has been."

"Aye... I will have much work to do, ensuring that it is sealed once more," G'raha sighed. "Though the gates have closed behind us, I wish to take extra measures to ensure none may enter. But for one night, I shall gather my strength... snuggled in your loving embrace."

"Mm... Yeah. For now... Let's just enjoy this moment of peace." You carefully set him down. He stretched up and kissed your cheek, taking your hand as you walked together towards the town, leaning against you for support. "...I'm so happy that you're okay."

When you returned to the Rising Stones, all of your Scion friends were there waiting for you. Everyone was happy to see the Crystal Exarch--G'raha Tia--returned, and welcomed him with open arms. When the happy reunion came to an end, you retired to your chambers with him and went to bed together, cuddling close and savoring every moment together.

It seemed, perhaps, that the saga of the Crystal Tower had finally come to an end...

"Rest well, my hero..."