Chapter VI: Discovery of one's self
Aldra’s quest to uncover herself had led her to the farthest reaches of the world, some of them almost mythical even to the people of Eorzea. Her first stop was the desolate ruins of the Garlean Laboratory—the place where she had been “born.” Amid the jagged rubble and flickering remnants of broken machinery, something caught her eye: a journal, its leather cover thick with decades of dust. The faintly embossed title read Aulus mal Asina’s Records of the False Queen Project.Compelled by a mix of dread and curiosity, Aldra opened it. As she turned the pages, her hands trembling, she came to the section on cloning, and almost dropped the journal in horror. The entries revealed a truth far darker than she could have imagined: Aulus mal Asina had deceived the Emperor, claiming to have succeeded in creating a clone. The reality was far crueler. The Dragon Queen Baalysia had been pregnant, and all attempts at cloning had failed, perhaps thwarted by the Queen herself. But as Baalysia’s life ebbed, the scientist devised a merciless plan: he would remove her unborn child, place it in an artificial womb, and age it rapidly into a weapon, a soldier, an assassin, molded from infancy. Worse still, he intended to manipulate the child’s very thoughts, implanting the belief that they were nothing but a clone, ensuring they would remain eternally bound to his will.Aldra read on, her pulse quickening. The journal detailed her own origin in chilling precision: she was not fully dragon. Her other half, the scientist noted, was fox spirit blood, a strain unlike any he had ever encountered in these lands. It was a secret that seemed almost otherworldly, as if a fragment of another realm pulsed within her veins.Closing the journal, Aldra felt the weight of her history press down on her. Yet, she also felt the faint stirrings of purpose. She would seek her father’s homeland, the place where fox spirits roamed, the place that might hold the key to her other half. Before leaving, she entrusted the journal to Y’shtola, leaving behind a fragment of the darkness she had inherited, stepping forward into the uncertain and perilous path of self-discovery.
Aldra set sail from Limsa Lominsa, bound for the distant eastern shores of the Land of the Morning Light. There, amid the cherry-blossomed valleys and mist-shrouded mountains, she encountered a fox spirit—a Gumiho—named Koo Mihyun. The moment Mihyun sensed Aldra’s presence, she was captivated by the improbable union of dragon and fox spirit, a bond so rare it seemed almost impossible in this world.Koo Mihyun, perceiving both the danger and curiosity Aldra’s appearance might draw, took it upon herself to guide her. She taught Aldra illusionary magic, allowing her to mask her horns and tail, so she could move unseen by those who might covet or fear her. With this gift, Aldra could navigate the land not as an anomaly, but as an ordinary traveler, free to explore its secrets.Yet even as she adapted, Aldra’s keen adventurer’s instinct sensed that all was not well. Shadows of unrest stirred across the Land of the Morning Light, subtle but persistent, whispering of troubles hidden beneath its serene beauty. Determined, Aldra resolved to uncover the source of this turmoil, ready to confront the unknown and restore balance to a homeland quietly on the edge of chaos.
One victory after another brought them closer to justice, and finally the corrupt leader was captured. Their success caught the attention of the Emperor of the Land of the Morning Light, who extended a personal invitation to the capital city of Seoul.As Aldra and Koo Mihyun stepped into the imperial city, Aldra’s breath caught. Among the bustling streets, she saw a man whose presence sent a shiver through her very core, an instinctive certainty that he was her father. Her heart raced, her legs refused to move, and instinctively she ducked behind a carriage, unwilling to confront the overwhelming truth. Koo Mihyun, her eyes wide, whispered in shock, “That’s… the Emperor.” The revelation struck her like lightning: Aldra’s father ruled the land.Shaken, they returned to their inn to plan their next steps. That night, Aldra reflected on the awakening of her fox spirit heritage, the powers that had long lain dormant stirring to life in response to this mystical land.But dawn brought catastrophe. News spread through the city like wildfire: the Emperor was dead. Worse, Dolswe,the steadfast companion who had guided and protected them, was being accused of the murder. Aldra’s chest tightened with disbelief. She knew him too well; he would never strike down someone he admired and respected. A storm of determination ignited within her. She would uncover the truth, no matter the danger, and prove Dolswe’s innocence.
As they journeyed to uncover the source of the corruption, Aldra and Koo Mihyun unexpectedly encountered Aldra’s stepsister, Yeonhwa. Recognition passed instantly between them,blood and bond undeniable, and Yeonhwa chose to join their cause. Her goal, to heal her nephew Go Yun of a mysterious affliction, aligned seamlessly with Aldra and Koo Mihyun’s mission to bring justice and restore balance to the land.As they traveled together, Aldra learned more of her father’s past. He had long wondered about his beloved and their child, for Baalysia had departed one fateful night, answering her sacred duties to Eorzea even as he begged her to stay while she carried Aldra. Her love for protecting and guiding those in need was inexhaustible, uncontainable, a truth he had come to respect and mourn in equal measure. Aldra also learned the depth of Go Yun’s suffering: the corruption of the Spirit Shrines had left him weakened, and she had already purified all but the last shrine before receiving the Emperor’s summons to the capital.Finally, they arrived at the last corrupted Spirit Shrine. There, Yeonhwa revealed the unbearable truth: to purify it and save Go Yun, she alone must sacrifice herself. Aldra’s protests were fierce, tears blinding her, but before she could act, Yeonhwa struck her swiftly, sending her into unconsciousness.When Aldra awoke, the shrine was purified, bathed in radiant, cleansing light, but Yeonhwa was gone. Her sister’s essence had merged with the magnificent bird spirit Bonghwang, whose mournful cries filled the air, echoing Aldra’s own grief. She had only just begun to reconnect with her family, only to be torn away once more. The sorrow weighed upon her like a crushing storm.Yet Bonghwang’s voice cut through the despair, solemn but resolute. They must return to the capital with the young prince, Go Yun, to confront the one orchestrating this corruption, and liberate the land from their insidious grasp. Aldra rose, her grief tempered into resolve, knowing that the path ahead was dangerous, but now it carried the weight of vengeance, justice, and the memory of the sister she had just lost.
The capital trembled beneath their feet as Aldra, Koo Mihyun, and Go Yun confronted the deposed crown prince, Yi Su. His eyes burned like molten steel, a lifetime of hatred and ambition radiating from him in waves. Every shadow seemed to twist with malice, every street corner a potential threat. His voice, cold and sharp, carried over the clamor: “This land will bend to me, or it will burn.”Aldra’s chest tightened. She felt the pulse of the city beneath her claws, the spirits of the land whispering in fear and hope. Go Yun clutched her hand, small and trembling, yet his presence anchored her. She roared, a sound half-dragon, half-fox, and it rolled through the streets like thunder. Sparks of magic ignited the air, swirling around her horns and tail as if the land itself responded to her will.Koo Mihyun weaved intricate illusions, shimmering duplicates darting and striking, keeping Yi Su off balance while shielding Go Yun. The deposed prince lashed back with dark energy, shattering stone, splintering wood, and twisting shadows that seemed to claw at their very souls. Fire met shadow, light met corruption, and the air vibrated with the clash of power.Aldra’s heart pounded with grief and determination. She remembered Yeonhwa, now merged with Bonghwang, the purified Spirit Shrines, the countless lives affected by Yi Su’s corruption. Every strike she unleashed was for them, for Go Yun, for the land itself. Her claws tore through Yi Su’s defenses, her magic searing his darkness, until finally, with a surge that shook the heavens, Yi Su fell, his corruption dissolving like mist under sunlight. The city seemed to exhale; the air was clean, the streets quiet, alive with the soft hum of spirits returning.But victory came at a cost. Exhaustion pulled Aldra to her knees, then to the cobblestones. Every limb trembled, every breath burned. Koo Mihyun was there in an instant, lifting her gently, cradling her as though she were the most fragile thing in the world. Go Yun pressed his small hand to her shoulder, his wide eyes shining with trust and awe. Aldra felt the warmth of the land, the connection to her friends and family, and the sorrow of the sacrifices made. She had saved the city, protected the prince, and freed the spirits, but the weight of it all settled heavy on her shoulders, a reminder that even triumph was never without cost.
When Aldra finally awoke, four days had passed. Koo Mihyun was there, guiding her through the grand halls of the palace, where sunlight streamed through towering windows and banners fluttered in the morning breeze. At the heart of the palace, Go Yun was being crowned the new King of the Land of the Morning Light. The weight of the moment pressed upon Aldra’s chest—this was the culmination of so many trials, sacrifices, and dreams.As the ceremony ended, Go Yun’s first decree restored Dolswe’s honor, annulling all false charges and reinstating him in his rightful place within the government. Then he turned to Aldra, his eyes warm and steady. “While you are still discovering your home,” he said, his voice echoing softly in the grand hall, “I want to do what your father would have done if he were here. You deserve this—the title of princess, as the daughter of the previous ruler and my cherished aunt. I have prepared a place for you in the palace courtyard, a home you can always return to. You will always be welcome here.”Go Yun’s words stirred memories and stories of Aldra’s grandmother, Baalysia—the courage, the selflessness, the endless wandering to help those in need. He knew that Aldra, like her, would never stay in one place for long. This farewell was not permanent; it was simply a pause in the life of a dragon who could never be contained.For several weeks, Aldra remained in Seoul, guiding and supporting her nephew, learning the rhythms and customs of the land, and deepening her understanding of her own fox spirit powers. She discovered new ways to weave them with her draconic abilities, mastering the harmony of both halves of herself.On a serene summer evening, she made her way to the docks of Nampo’s Moodle Village. The sky blazed with gold and crimson, reflecting the promise of her journey ahead. Before departing, she sent a linkpearl message to Y’shtola, recounting her adventures and announcing her return to Eorzea. The reply came quickly, warm and playful: “Can’t wait to see you, my dragon princess!”Aldra’s heart swelled, a soft blush rising to her cheeks. She lingered for a moment, letting the sea breeze brush against her face, feeling the pull of home and the thrill of the road ahead. Though she was leaving, she carried with her the bonds of family, the memory of sacrifices made, and the unshakable knowledge that this was only the beginning of her story.
