Cypreline Meulamere

## Character Overview

Cypreline have a slender body without being too much fit. Her light green hair contrast with her tanned skin. She has golden eyes that seems to glow under the light of the dusk or dawn. Cypie's face is tattoed with dark green stripes.

During childhood, Cypreline was exposed to the chemical weapon known as “Black Rose”. As a result, she must periodically feed on a source of aether. The Black Rose weapon stop the aetherflow of a body resulting in death. Though, the aetherflow inside Cypie's body slowy slow down. By eating/drinking "fresh" aether, she replace her thickened and corrupted aether by a new, thus extending her life. She could also be seen as an aether conduit/pipe: She can suck aether from objects or being and then let it flow into something else. She didn't have full control of that ability and sometime shift to overdrive. As she provoked the death of people in the past, she now refused to use magic anymore and is reluctant using her ability. Lastly, she is actively searching for, if not a cure, at least a way to avoid her greatest fear: becoming something close to a voidsent -or now, a sin eater-.

## Quick Character Story

### I. Childhood

She was born in Gyr Abania. Empire invaded her homeland when she was a child. She survived the “Black Rose Experiment” conducted by the Garlean in the village of Bittermill. As a result, her aether was tainted by the poison and mess with the healthy circulation of her aetherflow. As her aether is constantly slowing down, she need to feed herself of aether on inanimate object or living creature or being.
### II. Younger years

After a harsh childhood she became an adventurer, feeding on small crystal from time to time. Supported by her close friend Margarita, Cypie searched for a way to control her need. She read about the ancient Abalathian warrior and try to learn more about the way of the axe. Without strong clues, she decided to search for something new. She soon learned the duality of Red Magic and gave it a try. The balance between white and black magic seemed to suits her well until she provoke a deadly incident. Becoming mad after a surge of ambiant aether, her need to feed transformed her temporarily into some kind of leech or vampire. She fed on her teammates until death. When she realized what she had done, she flee far away north to Ishgard and Coerthas.
### III. Ishgard years

She was fostered by an old elezen and slowly rebuild her self confidence. She swear to not use magic anymore and start learned mechanics and magitek engineering by working in the Skysteel Manufactory and the Garlond Forge. Once she build solid knowledge and gain more confidence she start to work as a freelancer. This way she could gather information across the world about aether transfer.
### IV. Feeling Mhigan

Rumors about the breaking of Baelsar wall recalled her of her homeland and she came back to the fringes of Gyr Abania. She discover the truth about the Black Rose and want to take revenge. She enlist in the Liberation Army and start rebuilding Rhalgr’s Reach. During this period, she met another great friend, Grima. Witnessing each other abilities, they swore to keep each other secrets. After Ala Mhigo was freed, she also get in touch with a group called The Silver Valkyries, group she sometimes work with.

## Character trivia

* Favored weapon: Guns & Machinery, Gunblade
* Hobby: magitek engineering, wines & spirits
* Friends:
° Tahla Molkoh *(ig-npc)*
° Faberreaux *(oc-npc*)
° Margarita
° Grima
* Qualities:
° polite and open minded
° faithful and protective over the one she trusts in

* Flaws:
° insecure and sometimes emotional
° difficulty to build relationship

* Hopes & Dreams:
° To find the origin of her ability.
° To take personal revenge on the empire.

* Fears:
° Becoming a threat for people due to her ability (aether-feeder)
° Being alone

## Timeline

*\*\*Note: This timeline is approximative. Basically built from the two lore books and twitched to fit as no one really know precisely how much time passed between expansions...\*\**

* **6th Astral Era**

* **7th Umbral Era**

* **7th Astral Era**

*\_\_\_\_HW Event\_\_\_\_*
*\_\_\_\_End of Dragonsong War\_\_\_\_*
## In depth story

### ***From childhood to Cartenau***

#### *A village called BitterMill*

Cypreline is born during the 9th sun of the 5th astral moon at the border betwen the Shroud and Gyr Abania few years before Garlemald occupation. The small hamlet of Bittermill was one of the last settlement in the forest border. Originally populated with lumberjacks, people started to leave the forest village until Garlemald invade the area in 1557 of the 6th Astral Era. Garleans bring prisoners of war and make it a prisoner camp. During this time, scientists use the prisoner as test subject for experiment.
#### *Survivor of the plague*

Around the age of 8, the young elezen girl was the witness of something that will change her life for ever.
The village became the test site of chemical weapon made by the empire. Named "Black Rose", this weapon killed the villagers en masse.
No one survive but a young girl, found wandering inside the nearby swamp.
She doesn't know how or why she survived the dreadfull poison but she suspect the black rose give her some power to feed from the aether of inanimates things,living people and even beast and monsters... The way her ability works is unknow. She is able to manipulate aether between thing: Absorbing the aether from someone to feed her own or injecting aether into something or someone became as easy for her than breathing.
#### *An aether crooked*

As stated, unintended consequence to being exposed (and surviving) the Black Rose is that Cypreline can now handle aether in her own way. Since that day, her own aether is slowing down inside her body. She need to ‘feed’ herself from sources of aether to clean her aetherflow. The principal source of aether for her is small crystals. She always have some in her bag and keep them in a vault hidden inside her room. She can also feed on the Aether of living creature.
She discover lately that she also can give aether to peoples and things.
She is really sensitive about surrounding aether and sometime, a dense environnemental aether can turn her into impulsive behavior. Her body stock up aether without control until it need to discharge. The nearly full discharge can induce a massive lack of aether that lead her to loose herself and let the thirst control her. In a similar manner, an area impoverished of aether will make her thirsty and in need to find something to fill her aether up.
#### *Younger years*

She's been found by a group of refugee, hiding from the Garleans then fleeing the country as soon as the Baelsar Wall construction started. She grew in the shadow of the wall all her younger years.
At the age of 12, she started learning the way of the bow. Developing hunting skills as a poacher was proved useful when she became a smuggler few years later, passing goods and information between occupied Gyr Abania and the Shroud. Despite the danger, a teenage wildwood girl leave no trace of her presence... Until that day.
A strange twist of fate allowed her to free herself: Garleans kept her in a area where aether was very dense. Inebriated by the thick air so full of aether, her mind went blank as she turned berserk...
She finally stopped this hazardous job and try something less dangerous by joining botanist guild in Gridania. She was in charge of flaura/fauna research for both the guild and what will become the twin adder. This part of her life ended by becoming an adventurer, roaming the land through Shroud to La Noscea at the age of 18 to finally settled in Wineport.
Battle of Carteneau happened only a few years later, bringing doom and despair on the land. Cypreline wasn't on the battlefield on that fateful day but instead helped with logistics at the rear.
### ***From a calamity to another***

#### *The 7th umbral Era*

During the firsts years of the 7th astral era Cypreline met one of her close friend. Visiting gridania again, she let herself go to a bar. The drinks was strong, too strong for the girl. A female roegadyn called Margarita helped her to cure a strong hangover. They then moves together back to Limsa Lominsa. Cypreline joined the adventurer's guild and start roaming the island. She finally established in Wineport where she continue her training and discover herself a passion for winemaking while working with a lalafell named Shamani Lomani.
She also spent time searching for a way to gain more control over her strange power. First she heard rumour about the Abalathian warriors who harnessed their inner beats. After more investigation and training, the way of the warriors was, despite learning her much about herself,  not a good way to keep her aether stable.
Adventuring eventually led her to Thanalan where she find another clue about a way to achieve her goal by learning red magic.
With the learning of how to keep white and black magic balanced and with a lot of training, she could more easily control her specials needs.
#### *The beast within us*

After years of adventuring, roaming the land of Eorzea, the elezen wanted to join something more. Evolution of the conflict with the garlean, made her wishing for more action. Deep in her heart sleep a dreadful grudge against the imperial. Grudge awakened by the final confrontation of the Grand Companies and the Garleans. Her wish to protect her new homeland from threat that the other Grand Companies could not handle made her easily recruited by the Crystal Braves.
Not so much time passed before she was sent in a spying mission in Northern Thanalan.
Objectives lead’s her and her two teammates into the old mine where a trios of a curious cult is rumored to meet. The further they go into the deep, the worst she felt. Inside herself, a curious sensation of hunger start to wake. It was a long time since she didn’t feel that. Despite her training in the balance of her own aether, her curse was awakening once again. As they enter a wide room, they hear a shout. The closing of a heavy iron door thunder in the wide room. As they run to hide behind some old wagons, a volley of pointy steel flight in the air. The shield of one of her teammates save her from being hit while others arrow lied firmly biting the wood of the wagons.
It was an ambush. Room were poorly lit and only the gloomy waves of some crystal sprouting from the wall save them from the darkness. Two archers awaited them at the other side of the room. The shielded Hyur had an idea and throw his hat to the side. The head wear was pierced in an instant. But now they knew their enemies could see in dim light. So do their third party member, a young miqo’te. The plan was simple. As their leader will make a move, the cat ladies will spot the ambushed archers and Cypie could cast a spell at them.
But troubles were only a stone’s throw of them. rushing in plain sight, protect by his shield and armor, the Hyur fell as the third ammunition found a way in the joint, seriously wounding him. The miqo’te throw arrow at where she spotted their enemies but Cypie spells were corrupted by her affliction. Two powerful balls of lightning rushed behind the enemies making crystals explode and crushing the archers under stones falling from the impact point.
The room was filled with a strange blue light and air was filled with glittering smoke. The spells crushed a wall and revealed tons of shiny aether crystal. The elezen felt dizzy after the first breath. She started to sweat heavily, while the young miqo’te rushed to their injured friend.
*- “ We did it Cypreline. Delon is injured, we must retreat.”*
But Cypie didn’t listen anymore. The air was so thick, full of powdered crystal. She felt the hunger grows with every breath, she will soon lost control of herself.
*- “Please J’lamthe, run…”*
The huntress didn’t know what to do, she saw the elezen taking of her long coat and looking at her with lustful eyes.
*- “Run, please…”*
Cypreline stumbled on a rocks and fell on the ground. She put her hand on a crystal and slowly absorbed his aether. The crystal then fall on the ground, now a mundane piece of stone. J’lamthe feared what she witnessed and rush to the iron door only to be catched by the blade of the last cultist. Shocked, she slowly lied on the ground her life slowly leaving her body.
*- “No… J’lamthe…”*
Cypie cried before abandoning herself to her hunger. She rushed onto the cultist, pushing him against the wall as she fed with an unholy joy. The cultist, eyes wide open could feel his life crawling under his skin, leaking from his body into the elezen’s. As Cypreline tighten her grip around his neck, she fed on his aether, leaving him an empty shell, a dead corpse.
Delon caught, still alive. Cypreline make a turnaround and walk to him. Too much blood were spilled, and Delon could never get out of the mine alive. She sat on top of him.
*- “What... are you ?”*
This was his last word as she gave him the kiss of death, another victim of her aether drive hunger…
When she woke up, she was covered in snow. Even her didn’t know how she make her way through the cold land of Coerthas. Once thing was certain, she murdered her friend and she swear at this moment that she will never use magic anymore. She was too dangerous... Even nowadays, she sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, awoken by the face of Delon and J’lamthe.
### ***Blooming in the snow***

#### *Frosbite, Firebreath and Stoneskin*

The days are hard when you need to survive in the Coerthas, and the night even harder. She first lurked around Whitebrim before finding a small cave to hide. She spent time to spy the camp, occasionally stealing food and clothes until she get caught.
Heretic they said she was. But she was not the kind of being arrested without a fight. For every attack she fought back. Unfortunately, the rude climate of this land sapped her strength and her weakened body could but fall to the assault of the guards. She ended in jail.
The day after, a ranked old guy come to see her. She tried to explained herself, truth and lies intertwined. She told them the story of her life under Garleans, smuggling to survive, escaping a danger to run into another and finally wandering the coerthas. To give depths to her lies she recovered her Mighan accent of the common tongue. The sergeant looked at least convinced she was no heretic when he left the cells, but she stayed behind bars, alone for days waiting for “further investigation”.
She woke up to the sounds of a raging dragon. Whitebrim was boiling. Sergeant rushed into the jail. Two guard pointed their lances at her, ordered her to stayed against the wall. She was surprised to see the old sergeant unlocking the door.
*- “No bold moves inmate ! Consider this a trial for your freedom. Help us defend the Holy City and you’ll be free. Fail and face your death.”*
Shocked, she didn’t saw that a guard was holding a spare set of ishgardian chainmail. It was her only chance to stay alive. She took the armor and left with the squadron.
*- “I’m a better fighter with a bow…”* She said.
Sergeant smiled and nodded.
*- “Arrows works for the smaller ones, but to fight dragons you will have to handle the cannon.”* Outside, all the camp was rushing from the barracks, promptly forming the lines. She saw an old knight in the front, holding his sword in the air.
*“To the Steps of Faith !”*
It was her first true battle. Even at Carteneau she was in the rear, helping the evacuation of the wounded. But there she was, bow in hand, witnessing a war. Dragons blackened the sky with their leathery wings, falling on the Ishgardian army. Mouth full of teeth piecing the armors, claws like swords opening wide the wounds. And the ferrous smell of all that blood…
Dravanian horde was everywhere. She could saw the glittering lights of sword and shield on the long bridge. But she had no time to daydreaming. She came across the Gates of Judgements and was drived right into battle. Fighting against flying enemies was a difficult task. Some moved so fast that it was hard to aim carefully. With a shot hitting half of her targets she did nothing but loose precious arrows. Archers are better used away from the turmoil of battle. So Cypreline started searching for a high spot, she soon followed other archer to the watchtowers. At the top of it, big machinery could throw giant spikes into the air, piercing the heavy hides of the scaly beasts. Once thrown to the ground, they were made easy to cut down. With the time the horde seems to thinner, only a few big dragons continued roaming the sky and the pack of smaller ones spreaded. She got down of the tower, meeting the sergeant again.
*- “Nice work Darkski’...”*
He muted when, at the same moment she turned her head and saw it too...
A beast landed at the gates. The size of a mansion, a dragon roared in the air, deafening all the soldiers of the bridge. He was slow, heavy, but it moved forward. Step after step, one goal in mind: to break the city gates. But in front of it a group stood still. Cypreline heard rumour about a group of adventurers compose of fierceful warriors and talented mages led by a chosen of the Mother Crystal. Could the rumour be true ? The warrior of light ?
As they rushed to battle, Cypreline and other elezens gathered at the back. The sergeant barked his orders. While some of the soldier rose the magical defense of the city, she and other gathered at the cannons. The beats broke the magical walls one after the other and continue to get closer. Only the iron projectiles of the cannons seem to have effect on him. But to be effective, they must make the dragon unable to move. One cannonball after the other, one steel drill at a time, soldier made it slow down. The beast finally stop, killed only by the combine efforts of all the army, as well as the group of the warrior of light… With the defeat of their leader, what remains of the dravanian horde started to retreat.
Thankfully, Cypreline was still alive and not injured. So was not the sergeant. At the end of battle, he was stomped by a cannon who felt onto it. Inside the barracks, Cypreline came to see him.
*- “No need to say anything, Darkskin… My pride is more seriously wounded than my body...”*
Cypreline smiled at him as he continue speaking
*- “You helped us, and you are still alive. I’ll need a domestic help during the recovery. So if a Darkskin like you want to be accepted in the city, you’d better accept this deal.”*
She nods, and offer him her arms to stand up.
*- “I’ll help you. But stop calling me Darkskin. My name is Cypreline.”
- Cypreline… A very elezen name, where do you come from ?”*
A veil of sadness cover Cypie’s eyes as she answered
*- “Meulamere...”
- Never heard of it. So, miss Meulamere, I’m Faberreaux.”*
#### *Life in Holy City*

Faberreaux was pretty poor. He lived in a really small house in the border town near the Brume. There were only two small rooms but at least it was heated by a big fireplace. The deal they made was simple. Injured, he couldn’t take care of himself. Cypreline will take care of him and the house while he provide her a home and food. Faberreaux was in his early fifties. Day by day, the two elezens learned more about each other. He was in charge of training in Whitebrim. But now he will most likely lose a good part of his income because he was injured. He made everything clear with Cypreline. He lives alone, he had a wife that cheated on him because he can’t have children. He sometimes pushed hard on the drink. He wanted to be a famous captain or given knighthood but instead never went higher than the rank of sergeant. He expected to die in battle but it was loneliness that was killing him little by little. Touched by his sincerity, Cypreline told him all the truth about her. From her birth in Gyr Abania, the strange disease that killed everyone in the village of BitterMill to her mysterious and dangerous curse leading to the murder of her teammates…
Faberreaux accepted it, and never judged her.
When the sergeant started to work again, things changed for Cypreline. To be in charge of training new troops, Faberreaux often stayed in Whitebrim for weeks as Cypreline stay in Ishgard. To help him, she started searching for a job. People in Ishgard were highly suspicious toward stranger even if she was an elezen too. Her darkskin and her face tattoo was often too much for the wary eyes of the inhabitants. Unfortunately, her curse didn’t help her to keep a job. Sometimes, small accidents happened. She sold fruits and sometimes absorbed the life from them, ending in the withering of the said fruits. She started to always wear long sleeves and gloves since those days. Accidents then happened significantly less but the fear of stranger remained the main reason she can’t hold a job for a long time.
From time to time, she received offers to share a night with some obscure nobleman. She once considered to accept because she and Faberreaux needs money but the old man discouraged her from accepting.
*- “Don’t fall in the traps of those lesser nobles… You are just exotic meat for them. And in addition, your power...”
- My curse. Yes, I know. But you’ll soon be retired and we will need money. They will pay me a nice pouch of gils just for a night. I don’t mind selling my body if it’s for you.”*
*- “Are you crazy girl !?”* He shouted. Faberreaux grumbled every so often but never shout.
*- “Do you think you can trust them ? They make what they want with the people of the Brume… And if they discover your secret you’re a dead girl. You’re a stranger here Cypreline, elezen or not, you’re less than the poorest homeless here. Because at least they’re from Ishgard.”
- Less than the poorest homeless !? Is that what you think of people ? Of me ?”*
The words cuts hard in her soul. The war of words continue between them.
*- “That’s not what i think of you… I try to make you understand how nobility consider people from the outside. you’re worth nothing for them.”
- I heard you sometimes, talking to the neighbor. Still calling me Darkskin behind my back.”*
Faberreaux sighted.
*- “It’s only a social mask Cypie…”
- Don’t call me Cypie, you lost the right to do it.”* She was about to cry. Betrayed, she felt like her life couldn’t be less meaningful now.
*- “Girl. What i tried to explain is many people here, especially the noblemen, are afraid of what they don’t know. Many lives with less money than us but we still are part of the poor people here. They may be exception among the noblemen too but there is a social ranking here that could not be changed.”* He sat closer to her.
*- “It is sad but you, as a stranger, are at the bottom.”*
Being enclosed in such a system drives her into anger.
- “So gather the people of the Brume…” She stood up, clenching her fists
*- Unite ! Fight ! We are the folks, the workforce, the might ! Makes them fall off their throne !
- Shhh ! Not so loud ! You can’t say thing like this ! You forget that we’re at war with the dragonkin. How could Ishgard handle a war on the outside and one on the inside ?
- I call it cowardice…”
- You’re still young, and full of vigor. Don’t be so prompt to start a war in the name of justice. I’m old and weak now, but surely wiser. You must learned that you sometimes need to wait, to observe and think twice.”*
She turn her head away and mumble. What the old man said about war was not so wrong… But she was too proud to admit it.
*- “You may lack of work, ‘Devil finds mischief in idle hands’ ”
- You mean ‘idleness is the mother of sins’ ?”* She smile
*- “You’re in Ishgard here “Darkskin”, not Ala Mhigo”* He gives her a little clap on the back
*- Stop calling me like that… What is that job ?”
- The son of a noble house have a new vision for Ishgard. You know the Skysteel manufactory ? They’re hiring people even from the mist and even stranger...”*
#### *Under the sky, all men are brothers*

Working in the Skysteel Manufactory was like a true reborn for Cypreline. She didn’t show the best investments at first. But slowly, she started to appreciate to woke up in the morning and pass the door of the factory. The deep grinding noise of the front door, followed by the smell of the black powder and the lubricant, welcomed her as a daily routine. In the building, lead by Master Stephanivien of the House Haillenarte, everybody works with the same zeal. It was like the heavy cleavage of the Holy City fell into oblivion once the gates are passed. All the people learned the basics of the mechanics, geared transmission, and the making of firearms.
Of course, the dream of equality wasn’t really appreciate by the upper class citizens and sometime nobility, especially the house Dzemael, tried to stopped this project at every turn. But the true belief Cypreline and other now called machinist had in their master and in the future of the machinist guild had made this dream survive. Machinists engaged battles against the dravanian and proved to the Holy city that they could compete with the better knight templars and become peace keeper in the city. Cypreline particularly enjoyed her collaboration with the Garlond Forge, with whom she could learned the secret of the magitek technologies. In this world of geared science and oily machines, away from any aether unbalanced, she truly blossomed.
With the end of the dragonsong war and the city re-opening to the outside world, she started to have dream of travel again… The departure was a heartbreaking moment. She couldn’t left Faberreaux behind without a long warm hug and a river of tears. The old elezen was like a father to her and she swear to never forget the one who saved her from the cold. The last thing she saw was his wrinkle face, smiling at her, proud of the child he never had.
### ***Liberty or Death***

#### *Here and back again*

Soon after her departure from Ishgard, Cypreline went back to Limsa Lominsa where she meet her roegadyn friend Margarita. The big woman told her about a travel road to go to the far east of the world. Cypreline planned her travel as an engineer in a crew who travel to Thavnair and beyond. She soon set foot on Kugane port and spend weeks exploring the Ruby sea with fishers, traders and pirates !
But her new life of adventure was short. She heard some sailors rumors coming from the West. The rumors about turmoils caused by the rise of a force to freed Ala Mhigo from the empire grasp. As nostalgia grows in her heart, she decide to jump in the first ship to her homeland. She arrived in Limsa Lominsa after the Baelsar wall incident. The wall had fallen to the combined army of the Eorzean and Gyr Abania can now be accessed.
#### *The Black Rose*

***!! Warning !! SB sidequest spoiler***
During that time, she met an old acquaintance of her, a keeper of the moon miqo’te named Tahla Molkoh. She was injured by garlean soldiers while investigating the ruin of a hamlet. Pairing with Talha in an investigation in the surrounding of Castrum Oriens, the two of them came to the ghost village of Bittermill, Cypreline’s hometown.
The ghosts of her past drag her into emotional distress. Before her eyes she saw glimpses of her childhood memories. Soldiers coming, beating people. Youngsters dreaming of rebellion. Blurry faces of parents telling her no to go alone in the nearby swamp… A child disobey and being blamed. Then friends and family start to fall on the ground one after the other. The distorted faces of the dead. The fear, the run…
Officer Molkoh took her from her awaken dream. Cypreline apologized and they investigated more of what happened in the village… They found a strange guy, wandering the village. It seemed like the old man lost his memory. The two decide to take him to Castrum Oriens for further interrogation.
While Cypreline was visiting his hometown again, she remember that the village became some sort of prisoners camp during garlean’s occupation. People were taken here to work in the wood. She should tell Tahla about her memories and decide to go back to Castrum Oriens. There she found that lieutenant Molkoh discovered an injured soldier from the empire. Cypreline told her about her past in the village, about garlean making it a prisoners camp and herself escaping what looked like a strange plague. Sadly, the miqo’te had bad news for the elezen lady. Her hometown was a testing site of a new chemical weapon of the empire and Grillarmais, the scientist in charge of the project, was the guy they found in the village. The weapon was called ‘The Black Rose’ and killed everyone in the village, leaving the building and the place untouched. The project was aborted by the legatus Baelsar before being tested on the battlefield.
Cypreline was so shocked that she started crying. World was spinning so Tahla escorted her in her room to give her support. The miqo’te will investigate more and wanted her friend to rest a bit.
She stayed in the room for days. Sorrow and pain mades memories unfold. Cypreline thought about how adults were taken by the empire’s soldier sometimes never to be seen again. Soldier took cavies for their experiments and then tried testing in a bigger scale…The painful faces of the dead on that day. And why did she survived this ? Things started to become clearer. Could her ability be linked to that weapon or another garlean experiment ? That scientist, Grillarmais, should have the answer to her questions.
She met with Tahla again asking to speak to Grillarmais in private. She wanted to use brute force to make him recover his memory. Unfortunately, the prisoner left Castrum Oriens to Gridania earlier to be judged by the council. She will also soon leave the castrum, her first mission was to record all she learned here. Cypreline was furious, not against her friend but against herself being left unknowing of what happened to her and Grillarmais becoming unreachable…
#### *Aether in the dust*

Meanwhile, a surprise garlean attack on the main camp of the liberation army, led by no one else but the garlean commander Zenos himself, nearly broke all the effort of the mhigan resistance.
Cypreline didn’t hesitate to join what remains of the Liberation Army and offered her help to rebuild and unite the small sources of resistance. Her desire of revenge over the empire never was so strong.
She was assigned the role of collector which consist mostly on recycling stuff from old battlefield and mending it or make something new out of it. That’s where her engineering skills and magitek knowledge were the most useful.
Collecting, especially in the hot borders of Gyr Abania is not without danger. That’s why collectors are often escorted by adventurers. That’s how Cypreline met Grima in the first place.
The elezen received the order to go inspect old magitek armor buried in sands and rocks and was assigned Grima as her bodyguard. They traveled unhindered. The two engaged in chit-chat while Cypreline check for spare pieces.
All of a sudden, the ground started to shake and soon cracks opened all around them and they fall into a pit. Cypreline life was saved thanks to Grima’s reflexes. The au ra jumped under a big rock before it could crush the elezen. But the falling rock was not the only hazard they faced. At the same time a group of antlions showed up in the pit. The giant insects were digging new tunnesl and were the source of the quake. Cypie brought out her gun and fired at the first bold monster. Two nice shots were enough to send it in the afterlife but it was the only shots the guns could fire before it jammed.
Unarmed, she felt useless against the three remaining antlions. Cypreline felt strong vibes of raging aether coming from the au ra. *All that fury burning…* She tought. But despite Grima was tapping into this inner rage, her grip started to weaken. Their fate looked sealed.
Stepping back from under the rock, Cypreline tripped on something shiny. It was not just a shard, but a big chunk of elemental crystal. The elezen faced a choice. She could stay here and face her end or try something and risk it all to stay alive. Grima was struggling and soon they will be both crushed under the giant rock.
She made her choice. Throwing away her gloves, she grabed the crystal and try to find Grima’s skin to start channeling aether from the crystal to the warrior. She have long think that she could not always suck the aether from things but could also be able to force aether out of her. It was the first time she did it.
Feeding Grima’s rage, the surge of aether gave the warrior the amount of strength required to throw the rock onto the pack of monster, saving them both. Cypie then fell with the crystal in hand, -now a piece of mundane rock- exhausted from the channeling.
Her own aether were running dry, she needed to feed and replenish. Finding the warrior’s hand, she absorbed a a few of the xalea's life force and immediately start feeling better. Grima looked at her, disbelieving.
*- “That thing you just do…”* She started
*- “Is something i prefer to hide…”* Cypreline replied.
The elezen started to explain herself but barely gave details. Grima stated that they’d better get out of here but Cypie was still too weak to climb out of the pit.
*- “Do you need more of my aether ?”*
Cypreline was not sure if she must accept Grima’s offer or not. She was first reluctant of feeding on someone, not sure if she could be able to stop. She finally took her hand and absorbed more. Her mind started to swing as she was leeching off more and more. But Grima got her out of the slumber. Cypreline quickly put back her gloves to avoid any accidental touch. Refreshed, she could climb out of the pit quickly rejoined by Grima.
*- “About what happened…”* Cypreline started, reluctant to speak about it. But Grima interrupted her.
*- “We both have our secrets. I’ll keep yours if you keep mine.”*
The elezen nod in agreement.
Cypreline get back to work, and filled a full bag of spare pieces. They soon returned to Rhalgr’s Reach with more than old metal bits, but also a new bond of friendship…
#### *An adventure with a friend*

\*RP with Adelena about Cypie creating a custom gunblade for her to use // to be written\*