Fear and Loathing in The Burn

Isolation

Chibibi wiped her eyes and stood up. She grabbed her staff and the light emanated once again. What she saw horrified her. More Garlean soldiers. Dead. She heard rustling from the vents above her and screaming in the distance. She walked slowly around the room. The noises were making it difficult to keep a clear head. The smell was disgusting as well. These bodies had been here for a while. And garbage was left out and about. She turned back to the door and pressed the keypad on the side, but it wasn't responding. Why would the door close in the first place? Lux or Moralia would know what to do. But Chibibi was locked in here. A monster was making its way through the vents, and she needed a way out. On the wall opposite the door she spotted a garbage chute. It seemed like the type of spontaneous thing Lux might do in a pinch. Or maybe he'd stay and fight? Moralia would try and fight it. But Chibibi knew she shouldn't attempt it. Not with the limited aether here. Chibibi didn't get much time to think however, the vent burst open and she saw a silhouette fall down on its side. She sprinted over to the chute and jumped in. An appendage from the beast however, managed to stab through her shoulder. She slid down the chute for a while. She couldn't feel the pain just yet. She was too focused on survival. She put her hands up in front of her as she hit the floor. She couldn't get up. She must have broken a couple bones in her arms. Her staff was only a few ilms out of reach. She screamed as she reached for her staff. The pain was unbearable, the blood loss was making her dizzy. It was a long fall. More than long enough for her to feel like she would die down here. Lux and Moralia couldn't possibly find her now. Chibibi was panting, breathing harder and harder as she kept reaching for her staff. Just a little more. Less than an ilm away from her fingertips. She stretched her arm out just a little more, clenching her teeth to deal with the pain. She did it. She managed to do it. The staff began to glow, and she began healing herself slowly. It felt as though the torn flesh from her shoulder was being massaged back into place. But right now nothing could fix the lost blood except for time. Next were the broken bones. Her bones hurt more as they healed slowly. She couldn't go any faster. Her sight was getting hazy from the bloodloss.

Chibibi heard another blood curdling scream. It sounded close, but it was followed by banging. Whatever was outside, it couldn't reach her. She cursed her luck as she cured her bones. She couldn't concentrate. Things were going dark. All she could do was hope and pray that whatever was outside couldn't make it inside. Her arm went limp, the room went dark, and Chibibi stopped moving. All she could hope for was that she'll wake up next to Moralia and Lux. That this was just some nightmare and they were still in Ishgard.

Chibibi had fainted. Her last thoughts being that Lux and Moralia were safe, and on their way to see her.