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tallbluelady · 1 year

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🌲 - Climbing up a tree / in a tree.

"Minthe!" Hades called. "What are you doing up there? Master Chiron said that we needed to practice our aethersight, not climb trees."

"I am. Sid said that you get a better view on Air aether from up high," Minthe said. Her older brother hadn't told her that, but she didn't want to climb back down and actually practice magic.

Hades scowled at her, but started climbing the tree himself. He likely didn't believe her - he only believed her when he wanted to - but he climbed up nevertheless.

"You're going to break your neck one of these times..." He wasn't that much older than her but he still grumbled like a grown-up.

Minthe rolled her eyes. "You might. The trees like me."

Hades scoffed, but sat down next to her. He always played angry but Minthe was smart enough to know that he really liked her. He wouldn't sit and watch the birds with just anyone after all.

"Maybe we should try to actually see Air aether while we're up here," he said after the flock of birds flew from sight.

She sighed. "I guess. I still think aether looks really weird."

"Master Chiron said that you only have to get used to it. Then we don't have to use our faces when we talk to each other."

"But I like faces!" Minthe stretched out her arms. "I like everyone's face! Why do we have to hide them?"

"'So that our ideas may take precedence when we meet another. So that our society will prosper,'" Hades recited.

"Yeah, but why can't we do that while still seeing our faces? Seems silly to me."

He gave an exasperated sigh. "I don't know, Minthe. But can we still try to do what Master told us to?"

"Fine..." Minthe grumbled, grouchy that her attempt at delaying the inevitable failed.

She took a deep breath and focused on the aether around her. Sight was a good enough word, but it was a lot more than just seeing. Minthe said it was too loud to Chiron, but he only told her to use it more, and get used to it. She'd develop filters in time, he said.

Minthe turned her head, then almost fell out of the tree. There was such a bright, loud stream of aether to the east of them that it made her dizzy.

"Minthe, be careful!" Hades grabbed onto her arm.

"Hades, can you see that with your aethersight?" She focused on his familiar aether, gold and geometric, like a kaleidoscope.

"What are you - oh." His grip tightened. "What is that?"

"You see it too?"

"Yes. It... It's beautiful." He turned to her. "We should figure out what it is."

"It's too loud. It hurts."

"Minthe... I want to see it. I want to see it with you. You don't have to use your aethersight, promise."

"Promise?"

He nodded. "I'll use mine. I'm better at it anyways."

Minthe snorted and stopped focusing. The world quieted down and she felt better. And she couldn't deny she was curious about the aether stream either.

They both made it out of the rowan tree and started towards the direction of the stream. Hades would stop and start his aethersight every once in a while to make sure they were heading in the right direction, but eventually they could feel the energy without focusing.

The aether nigh roared in Minthe's ears as they approached an opening in the ground. It looked like there were steps all the way down into the darkness.

Hades turned to her. "Are you scared? We don't have to go in if you are."

She growled. "You know you only say that so I will go in."

He gave her that conceding smile he'd give when he'd won. Hades took Minthe's hand and lead the way into the depths.

It was dark, but bright at the same time. Even without focusing, Minthe could see the aether dance and swirl around them. There was something... Minthe wouldn't call it wrong, but it was...

"I don't think we should be here." Minthe started to tug Hades' hand back up.

"Minthe, other than the steps, this is all natural aether. There's nothing to worry about."

"There are plenty of natural things to worry about, Hades. Most of the dangerous concepts from Amaurot are derivations from nature. Or are you ignoring Chiron's teachings about that?"

"Can we see what's at the bottom of the steps at least? I can see the end coming up soon with my aethersight."

Minthe hummed but nodded. "We see the bottom then we climb right back up, alright?"

He nodded back and lead her down.

Thanks for the prompt!

#i need a writing tag #azem minthe #ffxiv hades #maaaaaaaaaybe i should figure out a ship tag idk man #but yeah #this is kinda what ties these two together #they were always good friends but this is the ticket

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