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rune monna

Mar 26, 2024, 31 min read

A Viera born of the Veena tribes based in the Skatay Range of Southern Othard, and known widely around Eorzea as the Warrior of Light.

profile

NAME: Rune “Roo” Monna (forest name: Rúni Monnawesfv) AGE: 23 years old (as of the beginning of ARR) GENDER: Male → he/him NAMEDAY: 22nd Sun of the 1st Umbral Moon GUARDIAN: Oschon, the Wanderer STARTING CITY-STATE: Gridania GRAND COMPANY: Maelstrom → Second Storm Lieutenant

key points

  • CHARACTER INSPIRATIONS: Raiden Ei, Xie Lian
  • KEYWORDS: survivor, persistent, gentle, deadly, tranquil
  • A friend to nature, a foe to those that dare being innocents, friends, and family to harm… and he strikes back at them with what one can call a surgical bloodthirst; a kind of storm beneath calm waters condensed into the deadly point of his spear.
    • Melee combat is his specialty, and he is very, very good at it. He gives credit to his abilities to his former Wood Warder master, who had a strong emphasis in combat during his training.
    • In the battlefield, people would describe him as a controlled chaos. His strikes are deliberate and precise, but he does so in blindingly fast fashion that this enemies are left to wonder what the hell just happened before they are cut to pieces.

personality

  • A TRANQUIL SPIRIT → Outside of battle and in places he deems safe, he lets down his guard and generally is calm, tranquil, and gentle. He loves to take naps under the shade of trees, as it reminds him of the forest he once called home. His demeanor makes it so that he is easily approachable by animals. It’s not unusual to find him napping beneath a tree with a bird trying to nest in his long hair.
    • Social cues are definitely a challenge for him - a combo of him being raised in a remote village in Othard, being a foreigner in Eorzea (for only a time, since eventually he calls it home), and being some flavor of neurodivergent. 
  • INTROVERTED HERO → He does tend to keep to himself and honestly prefers it that way, which makes him feel very ill-suited for the more political side of things that the scions get involved with. He’s just glad that the others are there to do the talking, as he would rather be pointed as a weapon toward the enemy instead.
    • “If I am the weapon that must be wielded by the Scions - the one pointed at every enemy, be it they of the light or dark… then so be it.”
  • FROSTED BLOODLUST → During battle, it would be a wonder to get any words out of him if you were his enemy. His attitude becomes one of frostbite - silent and poised to kill.
    • Underneath the calm, he has a thirst for battle and bloodshed that can be rather frightening to others, even his comrades. His guilty pleasure is the thrill of dancing with death - nothing makes him feel both more alive and more appreciative of the world around him, and it makes him more protective of life as a whole. At one point (during Stomblood), this becomes dangerously close to a kind of self-harm, to the point that Aymeric had to stage an intervention at the behest of the Scions. At the same time, this bloodthirst is what draws Zenos towards him, and as a result he further enables that side of him.
    • Interestingly, he does not mind being dehumanized and being used as a weapon and a weapon only, partly due to the way he was raised (and taking it absolutely the wrong way) and his love for fighting.
  • THE MIND OF A PROTECTOR → Some would say that his behavior with which he readily throws himself into harm’s way for the sake of others is befitting as his role as the Warrior of Light, but when one decides to look into it a little further, the behavior quickly becomes concerning. This is both due to his yearning for battle and his belief that you must go the distance in order to protect those you love; however, he truly takes this to a drastic length to the point of near-martyrdom. His tendency to put everything and everyone before himself manifests into such behavior as a result.
    • From a conversation regarding Rune’s habits and tendencies:
      • T: maybe just like the pattern is like jumping into things without regard if he comes out alive. like everyone knows the stakes of it all but Rune knows it and just jumps anyways while everyone hesitates.
      • A: yea i think that would be a good way to go about it! like with the primals everyone is initially thinking like “oh he’s so brave for that” but when the enemies scale even further in terms of power she’s like “now wait a minute. hold on there bud. did you even plan to come out of that one alive”

relationships

the scions of the seventh dawn

Axilia Molkot

”

Alisaie Leveilleur

Full aware is Rune regarding Alisaie’s regard towards him as a figure to look up to, but he is unable to comprehend as to why. As contradictory as it sounds, he cannot help but try and dissuade others from also going down the same path as he does – that is, as a warrior fighting for the star to the point where he will willingly and readily die for its sake.

Alphinaud Leveilleur

Thancred Waters

Urianger Augurelt

Y’shtola Rhul

G’raha Tia

Minfilia Warde

Krile Baldesion

Tataru Taru

YDA / Lyse Hext

estinien varlineau

aymeric de borel

zenos yae galvus

These violent delights have violent ends. (or, toxic yaoi realness)

The relationship these two share is very convoluted and complicated, with the only point holding them together being that of ultraviolence. Their personalities are two different kinds of cold and yet they clash all the same; Rune’s underlying heart is bathed in protective fury and Zenos’s is wrapped in hedonistic masochism. None of their encounters seem romantic either, at least to outsiders, and yet in some kind of sick way, Rune is the only one able to understand Zenos and how he ticks and Zenos with Rune.

Where Aymeric and Estinien try to pull Rune back from the abyss that comes with his concerning enthusiasm regarding dancing with death, Zenos pulls him in further and ruins any kind of progress they may have made. (This is also what separates Rune from Zenos in terms of their similarities with their bloodlust - Rune has a support system and Zenos doesn’t. Because of that, it’s all Zenos knows, and why he continues to enable Rune’s behavior.) It’s not that Rune easily allows him to do so either; it’s something the Viera thoroughly despises him for and actively fights against for the sake of his loved ones. And yet, Zenos makes it too easy to fall back on bad habits.

On the flip side, Rune also enables Zenos’s behavior by simply existing. To the crown prince, Rune was his “angel” that “came to bring him love (aka unfettered and unrestrained violence and the thrill that comes with such adversity)” and he wants nothing more than it. The Viera becomes a sort of obsession for him, making him spiral down further into his own web of destruction; for prior to meeting Rune, his life was stagnant and he was unable to find the satisfaction he so craved in the war that comes with living. It probably wouldn’t even come as a surprise if he ended up mistaking his obsession as love at some point. What kind of love, though, is anyone’s guess. After all, what wouldn’t he do for the one that brought color to his world, even if that color happened to be a deep scarlet?

Overall, it’s a relationship deeply entrenched in their violent vices. It’s the only kind of language that they are able to speak to each other with, after all. There’s no flowers to be shared here, or for romantic songs to be sung. These two just really want to fucking kill each other and somehow the “do you think love can bloom on a battlefield” quote applies here.

Zenos: …to bite down on my jugular, to feel the warmth fill your mouth and run over even as you drink deep. Rune: prommy? 🥺 Aymeric, back at base camp: I get the feeling we need to send Rune back to therapy.

bad ending

related to: lightwarden au logistics / andante agitato - to snuff out the light one last time.

Probably during the worst timeline of the Lightwarden AU is only when the two finally acknowledge how they feel for each other in their own convoluted way. In a desperate last bid to prevent Lightwarden Rune from destroying The First, the Scions call on Zenos to kill him, in which the latter was all too happy to do.

  • Imagery:
    • A waltz with the dance floor dashed with blood
    • Obligatory song lyrics →
      • And I hope you die / I hope we both die / And I hope when you think of me years down the line / You can’t find one good thing to say / I am drowning / There is no sign of land / You are coming down with me / Hand in unlovable hand - The Mountain Goats, “No Children”
      • ”You are my angel / Come from way above to bring me love” - Massive Attack, “Angel”
  • See runos things bc im brainrotting rn for extra stuff.
  • Snippets I’ve done of them, because I’m unhinged:

adra

see the pact of the void for more info :^)

  • A voidsent that initially appears with long violet hair and the same golden eyes as Rune. They work in tandem with him as he learns to harness his abilities as a Reaper.
    • The only time they truly appear to others is when Rune uses Enshroud and they take over for a short time. Otherwise, they appear to him only and are able to change their appearance at will after they were fed enough aether over time that they are able to do so.
    • They mainly serve as his tether to the darkness after his experiences in the First, in which such experiences have left him shaken in regards to his connection with the Light. Their bargain was struck out of Rune’s secret fear of being unable to maintain a balance of both Light, and falling prey to either as a result.

biological family

Rune’s biological family consisted of Joryck (father – presumed deceased), Katja (mother – alive), and Thurin (older brother – deceased). Rune himself is thought to be deceased by his village after Thurin’s body was found by a fellow Warder with Rune nowhere to be found.

thurin

Rune’s Wood-Warder master and his senior of 5 years. If Rune is the spitting image of their mother, Thurin was the spitting image of their father.

His body was found by another Warder not long after the Garlean attack to their camp and was subsequently returned to the village, where Katja held last rites for both of her sons.

joryck

Once known throughout the village for his combat prowess and many, many years of Warder experience under his belt, Joryck was Thurin and Rúni’s father and was also well-known for his kind eyes.

Joryck was presumed deceased after failing to return to the village after a decade of no contact, where male Viera were expected to return every three to five years. No evidence of his death, however, has been found. In truth, Joryck is indeed dead, and was killed by the hands of an aether-starved voidsent — and one that also happens to serve as Rune’s Avatar now.

katja

The mother to Thurin and Rúni, and

others

mother miounne

Rune’s parental figure while he grew out of his later teenage years in Gridania. Having relatively recently arrived from Othard, his youthful features belie a scarred body and mind from past experiences – one that Miounne was intuitively aware of as soon as Rune tried to join the Adventurers’ Guild at age 16. Wanting him to even have a little bit of a childhood, she would refuse his requests and would eventually only relent once he was able to prove his combat prowess time and time again. She would find herself wondering: where in the world did he learn to fight so viciously at such a young age? What exactly did he go through to become so reticent and quiet when other children his age were much more lively? And why in the world was he alone without a family? She had endless questions for him, but she knew that only time will reveal the truths… that is, if he ever decided to ever tell her about it, anyway.

On his 18th (presumed) year of life and a year into his newfound adventuring life graciously granted by Miounne, the Seventh Umbral Calamity struck.

timeline

YearAgeEvent
1552–The imperial legion conquers and annexes Doma, a small border nation on the eastern continent of Othard.
1553-The XIVth legion advances on the Ala Mhigan border.
1554022nd Sun of First Umbral Moon – Rúni Monnawesfv is born in a Viera village in the Skatay Range, located in Southern Othard.
15573The mountain village of Ferndale is laid to waste by a recently awakened Nidhogg.
15617The Eorzean Alliance is formally inaugurated.
Twins Alphinaud and Alisaie are born to House Leveilleur.
15628Archon Louisoix gathers twelve of his disciples and forms the Circle of Knowing, a secret society with a self-proclaimed goal of saving Eorzea from disaster foretold.
Archons from the Circle of Knowing arrive in Eorzea. They split up and travel to each of the realm’s city-states.

1.0 begins here.
A goobbue breaks free of its arcane fetters during a parade and proceeds to run amok the streets. Ascilia, one of the spectators, is orphaned at the age of twelve when her father is killed by the rampaging beast.
156612Rúni approaches the village matriarch and tells her about him not being comfortable with his own body. The matriarch agrees to help him with a treatment of fantasia and allows him to switch over from village duties to Wood-Warder training.
156713Rúni completes his fantasia treatment and begins training as a Wood-Warder under the Wood-Warder master (and unbeknownst to him, his older brother) Thurin.
156915Thurin is killed by a stray contingent of Garleans after attempting to fend them off. Rúni is kidnapped by the remaining Garleans and shipped off to Doma for experimentation, where he has a fateful meeting with a certain prince. He manages to escape only after a few short months.
157016Rúni changes his name to “Rune Monna” and moves to Eorzea via ship in an attempt to escape Garlean presence in Othard. He then joins the Lancers’ Guild in Gridania and begins a small life for himself as an adventurer, granted graciously by Mother Miounne despite his younger age.
157218The Seventh Umbral Calamity occurs.
1577232.0 begins.

pre-ARR

Rune is born to a village located in the Skatay Range in southern Othard. For the most part, he lived a rather idyllic childhood but was often found at the edge of the village, watching the tree line as if he was waiting for something. During this time, he was taught how to read, write, and the basics of combat and survival by the women of the village. At one point, he tries to sneak outside but ends up being caught by a Wood Warder and was subsequently punished for it after he was brought back to the village - this was when he learned of the dangers of the outside world and the existence of the Wood Warders.

“You’re lucky I looked first before firing my arrow, small one,” the Warder told him gruffly.

Once puberty hit and the roles of the children were to be determined within the village, Rune is AFAB and at first spends the first several months in the village learning the tasks of the village women; and yet, throughout this time, it was clear that he had felt miserable the entire time. He says as much as well to the matriarch, who then tells him that he’s not the first one to feel this way and lets him know that it’s alright - the only thing was that his role was to be changed to that of a protector of the forest. He eagerly accepts this trade and, after a short treatment with fantasia, begins his forest protector training at the age of 13.

During this time, Thurin, his Wood Warder master (and, unbeknownst to him, his older brother), teaches him a variety of combat methods, to which it’s revealed that Rune has a natural talent for melee combat despite the focus of Warders to stick to the shadows and strike the enemy unnoticed. From there they began his brutal combat training in earnest; to this end, he always gives credit to his master regarding his combat prowess should someone ask.

Unfortunately, his training only lasts for 2 years when, at age 15, a wayward Garlean unit strays into the forest and kills his master in combat. They then kidnap Rune and ship him off to Doma under orders for experimentation overseen by Aulus mal Asina. It would take only a few short months for Rune to escape the facility, however, but not without extra scars in body and mind. This experience would leave him with a deep hatred for Garleans.

Finding himself unable to return home after his escape, Rune decides to move to Eorzea in a bid to avoid the Garlean presence in Othard, eventually finding himself in Gridania as an adventurer during the Seventh Umbral Calamity.

a realm reborn

before the fall

  • Rune and Axi become part of the Scions, and at this point will both do separate parts of the MSQ that still eventually reach the endings per base game and expansion.
  • Axi 🤝 Rune -> found family sibling bonding

heavensward

  • Rune, finding Coerthas to be similar to his home in terms of climate and environment, is often found here on days where he has time to relax. Ishgard eventually becomes the place he calls home in Eorzea.
  • DRG job quests -> uhhhh i did them so long ago i can barely remember what happened so i gotta review
  • Rune and Aymeric become close friends during this time. This leaves Aymeric feeling a little conflicted when he realizes his true affections for Rune, since he and Estinien already have something going on but god forbid the two say it out loud (everyone and their mother already knows what’s up and the two of them think they’re being so sneaky but they’re NOT)
    • Aymeric goes to Estinien to confess regarding Rune. It’s funny bc Estinien is like “Oh. You too huh.”
      • During the trip to Zenith, Rune ended up having lots of bonding moments with Estinien under the stars, with the latter finding that he cares about him more than he wants to admit. It kind of becomes a ritual thing whenever they have to set up camp – and later on in the future as well. Ysayle and Alphinaud pretend that They Do Not See the entire time.
    • The duo decide to talk about it with Rune when Tataru lets slip that she had noticed Rune being WAY more affectionate towards the two of them than anyone else. Lucia also ends up calling out Aymeric with his frankly embarrassing behavior.
      • Lucia: Milord… are you kicking your feet under the table?
      • Aymeric: I have no idea what you’re talking about. (blatantly lying)

stormblood

  • That whole speech Zenos gives the WoLs after Yugiri and them try to ambush him:
    • Zenos: Hear me. Endure. Survive. Live. For the rush of blood, for the time between the seconds - live. For the sole pleasure left to me in this empty, ephemeral world - live!
    • Rune: Sir, this is a Wendy’s
      • Unfortunately for Rune though, this is truly the only time someone actually gets a read on his guilty pleasure for the thrill of battle and having close brushes with death and he hates that it’s the fucking crown prince of the Garleans of all people
  • After Zenos loses to Rune as Shinryu, Rune takes a piece of Shinryu’s scales and fashions it into a spear as a kind of trophy for his victory.

[POST-SB → SHB] At the point when he was the only one of the Scions left, he was very much at a low point, especially when, at the time, he believed it was by an enemy that he couldn’t even fight. One by one his friends were dropping like flies and he wasn’t able to do anything about it.

The anguish he experienced during this time period made it very hard for him to forgive G’raha for a while. When G’raha tells him that his friends in the First and the others back in the Source were okay, his feelings go up to a boiling point and he finally flies into a rage.

shadowbringers

  • Feo-Ul slowly helps Rune out of his shell and teaches him the importance of relaxation and play alongside work. For a guy constantly vigilant and always fighting, especially for a few years straight now since ARR, unlearning this habit was incredibly difficult, but the fae was eventually successful in their efforts.
  • It also kind of helped that they were in the First rather than the Source and that things were handled at the Source for the time being.
  • Axi’s kids ->
    • “Alice loves Rune. She just constantly asks about him and Rune is like I am not allowed around this child per tataru’s request (she caught him giving Alice a knife)”
    • “Aliceen is super rambunctious! She grew up kinda spoiled (her years on the first and Axi and Graha gave her everything and anything) so she seems a little entitled but genuinely she just has so much love and energy to give out and she rarely sees Rune laugh or genuinely smile so she makes it her “life goal” to be the reason most days”
    • “Akisah (second born) is more quiet and reserved! She really keeps to herself and when she does have the small adventurous spirit her sister absolutely encourages it (they once got stuck in a tree trying to build a treehouse on their own and it was Aki’s idea). It’s why Aki grows up to become an Archon like her father. She’s just really studious”
  • It’s also revealed that both Rune and Axi are both of the same sundered Ascian from the events of the Final Days in Amaurot, along with Ardbert. This explains how the three are able to communicate with each other despite Ardbert’s current “condition.”
  • [POST-5.0]
    • “alright i’m so tired i’m just gonna fuck off and go fishing for a while” moment
    • Immediately after the events of Shadowbringers did Rune feel shaken up about his connection with the Light, and decided to seek out teachers of the dark in order to keep a healthy balance of both. This is when he learns of Reapers and their pacts with voidsent, and forms a bargain with one such voidsent in order to keep himself in check. Similarly, he finds a teacher in a man named Fray and also begins his training as a Dark Knight in this way.
      • He also has an irreversible change with his appearance where, under times of significant stress, he slowly turns back into his appearance while he was under the influence of the Lightwardens’ aether. He also gets a bit more feral in fights. All of this is mildly concerning to the Scions because every time this happens, they keep thinking he’ll fully turn into a Lightwarden when, in reality, the danger has fully passed.
        • His eye color is usually the first to go. When his hair turns fully white, it means it’s really, really bad.
      • See the characteristics of the lightwarden of the first for extra things
      • At the same time, this appearance change also occurs whenever he assumes the mantle of a Reaper. During this time, he and his Avatar also work in tandem to keep the light within him in check. → the pact of the void

alternate timeline → forgiven retribution

See lightwarden au logistics for extra info!

  • The group decide that both Axi and Rune were to split the lightwardens between themselves

    • Axi: Holminster Switch, Rak’tika
    • Rune: Il Mheg, Ahm Araeng, Eulmore
      • He gets Titania for more Feo-Ul angst :nodders:
    • Axi is the first to get the symptoms from the overabundance of light aether and Rune immediately goes “nononono, give it to me, stop that”
      • The two have a very intense shouting match in The Pendants that only G’raha and Thancred are privy to, with G’raha finding out by seeing them through his mirror and Thancred finding out through the door of the room. The latter decides to come back later after hearing the revelation that Axi was pregnant. Meanwhile, Ardbert is stuck between the two trying to stop them from arguing. This is probably one of the few times Rune truly gets heated.
        • Axi: You don’t get to make this decision for me!
        • Rune: You have a CHILD
        • Thancred/G’raha: SHE HAS A WHAT
        • Ardbert: Guys please-
        • Axi/Rune: NOT NOW ARDBERT
        • G’raha: WHO???
    • Axi eventually acquiesces and transfers the aether over to Rune who immediately shows symptoms of the overabundance of aether, having to deal with a combination from 4 lightwardens in total now.
      • Axi: SEE? You can’t handle it
      • Rune: Yes I can now SHUT UP AND STAY HEALTHY
        • He, in fact, ended up not being able to handle it

  • Defeating Vauthry -> Rune immediately suffers from the full force of all lightwarden aether combined -> G’raha comes in, does his speech, and gets shot by Emet -> Ryne subdues Rune by managing to contain the light for a short while -> the Scions take Rune to the castle in Il Mheg with Feo-Ul for safekeeping while they attempt to find a cure -> somehow they find out the cure???? (aka tempering treatment)

    • Feel like this won’t really work bc they needed G’raha there with them to figure out the cure for tempering with Beq Lugg

  • OR:

  • The entire bullshit in Mt Gulg happens -> Scions return to the Crystarium as normal looking for cures -> normal Tempest events -> defeating Emet AND THEN for some Fucking Reason putting all the light aether into the final blow and merging with Ardbert didnt do shit. idk how that happens yet but it’s an au for a reason -> this kinda sorta opens up the way to them finding out a cure for tempering

    • The cure is tempering treatment since Rune’s situation is similar to Titania’s in a way, but with just a severely worse abundance of light aether. Titania got only one dose while Rune got 5x that amount. Titania was able to keep some of their mind bc of their strength of will, and what is the Warrior of Light if not with an extreme strength of will??
    • Overabundance of light also changing his own aether + affects his mind first and then later on his physical features = basically it’s just like tempering

the worst ending

  • The Scions are unable to find a cure for Rune’s “condition” and are unable to really help him much after that. Ryne tries her damndest to contain it but day by day it just gets worse. (See: seconds ticking by)
    • It eventually gets to a point where Feo-Ul has to hold Rune down with magic vines while Ryne and Y’shtola attempt to help him as much as they are able
  • Out of options and also hearing news about Zenos returning (somehow) they (somehow) contact him to (somehow) get to the First (somehow) to try and kill Rune before he ends up destroying the First and inadvertently causing a Rejoining
    • This is easy to learn since Axi is able to go back to the Source and everyone can learn that information that way
  • Rune fully transforms into a Lightwarden, in which both Estinien and Zenos team up (fucking somehow idk how these bitches are gonna work together) to try and stop him (and somehow save him????? idk man this dude is 99% gonna die this is the worst ending for a reason)
  • ANYWAY RAID TIME!

endwalker

the seat of azem

  • As mentioned earlier, the two Warriors of Light were both reflections of sundered Ancients that both held the Seat of Azem at the same time. The only reason why this actually worked is because of their very unusual appearance of their souls. Their souls are so identical to each other that it takes people like Hythlodaeus and Emet-Selch to even notice the minute differences in their souls, so much that they might as well have been twins. The two were also very alike in terms of personality, so really it was insanely hard to tell which was which if they both wore their hoods and masks at the same time.
    • The only thing was that they looked entirely different if one was to look at them by their physical appearance alone.
    • Venat was absolutely enthusiastic about the idea of the two sharing the seat of Azem; inversely, Emet-Selch was vehemently against the idea. Hythlodaeus thought the entire thing was fucking hilarious.
    • Koronis →  Rune: Rune’s Ancient reflection was named Koronis, meaning “crow.” It was very much an appropriate name, considering the man had hair that was so intensely dark.
      • His personality might as well be total opposites with Rune on the surface. He had quite the sunny and endearing personality. He was also rather impulsive and reckless with his methodology, but in the end his ways ended up being rather effective and efficient, much to Emet’s chagrin and Hythlodaeus’s amusement. He was known for being very eager to help others as well, and had a stubborn streak so wide that it was almost, if not all of, the source of Emet’s woes. That being said, he  held so much love for Etheirys and its people.
        • The only time the similarities between him and Rune can be seen is when Koronis frankly shuts the fuck up (and when he’s on his impulsive and reckless bullshit). There are moments when one can find the man sitting underneath a tree and observing the clouds above with gentle contemplation. That’s when it’s easy to see the similarities between the two.
      • His name is a reference to an Apollon myth.
        • KORONIS (Coronis) was a princess of the Thessalian kingdom of Phlegyantis loved by the god Apollon. During her pregnancy she committed adultery with a man named Iskhys (Ischys) and when Apollon learned of this from a raven he commanded his sister Artemis slay her. The goddess did so, felling many others besides with her deadly plague arrows. Apollon afterwards felt some remorse and, angered by the tattling bird, turned the raven’s snow-white feathers black. He also recovered the child Asklepios (Asclepius) from the womb of Koronis and entrusted him to the care of the kentauros Kheiron (Chiron).
        • Koronis was later set amongst the stars as the constellation Corvus (“the Crow”). Her name means “Curved One” from the Greek word korônis or “Crow” from the word korônê.

in from the cold

  • From in from the cold:
    • Immediately following the aftermath of the entire thing, Rune would at most feel mildly uncomfortable but would be very, very much relieved that he got his body back and that his friends are unharmed. No time for that, though, since it’s time for the next part of the mission now that things are speeding up at an incredibly rapid pace. His mind will just jump from one thing to the next, with the main focus being to get to the goal. End the mission and make sure everyone is alive while doing so. Other things can come up later. As a result, he pushes it all aside and ends up thinking that he’s fine.
      • When everything ends and he finally has time to breathe and relax, that’s when it starts hitting him in ways that he doesn’t expect. Some days he gets up, looks at the mirror, and doesn’t recognize who’s staring back at him. Other days it feels like some kind of veil is torn in front of him and fluttering in the wind, and the open shards of the veil let him see through a kind of unreality. His mind feels stuffed with cotton on the times that happens, and during the times when it’s especially bad, he very nearly resorts to hitting himself just to take that feeling of fogginess away and regain his sharpness. Sometimes, though, the sting of his own slaps against his face isn’t enough to take away the cotton. He does eventually find that an incredibly cold shower helps. 
      • Sometimes, he wakes up from incredibly violent nightmares – both a residue of the time Zenos’s soul had spent inhabiting his body and from the things he had seen while trying to make it back to Camp Broken Glass as an Imperial. He is particularly sensitive to such events due to his extremely vulnerable state at the time. Sometimes he dreams of being unable to save his friends. Sometimes he dreams of the Garlean citizens that he fought alongside with, faceless and desperate, all dying in the blast of the exploding Magitek Reaper. Sometimes he dreams of the cold finally taking him as his attempts to get back to the camp slow to a literal crawl and an eventual stop, not being able to reach them in time. Ultimately, he ends up having a lot more sleepless nights afterward.
    • A particularly bad string of nightmares over the course of several days renders him very much sleep deprived and lost in a state of heavy dissociation. He goes missing for a while after this, unreachable via linkpearl, leaving the Scions in a panic. Initially they had thought that he went to the First and had just forgotten to tell anyone, but G’raha had told them that he felt no presence enter or leave the Crystal Tower. Eventually, they hear from Estinien that he was found in central Coerthas and sent to Aymeric’s home to be taken care of and to rest in a relatively quiet and private area. This disappearing act left the Scions wondering as to how exactly he ended up in that situation, and this was when he confides in them regarding his nightmares - omitting certain details, of course. It’s only with Aymeric and Estinien that he tells the full story.
    • At the heart of it all, one would expect Rune to harbor a deep-seated hatred for Zenos, and it definitely does. It elevated Rune’s desire from simply stopping the Telophoroi and their plans all the way to “I’m going to kill him, and I’m going to make it hurt” territory. This of course plays into Zenos’s hands about getting a reaction out of him for his own personal benefit, but Rune’s fury coalesces less into a fiery explosion and more of a quiet rage, murderous and cold. And yet, a part of him laments that Zenos was the only one to truly understand him, and that leaves him at a very unfortunate and uncomfortable crossroads. He still very much wants to kill him at the end of the day, but the underlying secret conflict that he has is something that he has trouble navigating for a long, long time. He remains a thorn in his side even after the former crown prince’s presumed death at the edge of the universe, in a world ruined by dynamis. After all, how can one forget someone that understands your heart but has also committed unforgivable acts towards you and your friends? It’s too easy to say to just drop him, in the end, especially for someone like Rune. There is no “dropping” Zenos, as much as Rune wants to, and the effects of this whole ordeal will haunt him for a very, very long time.

the walk and the final end

dawntrail

extras

alphinaud was the one to teach him how to heal; otherwise, he is mainly focused on melee arts alone and less on spellcasting.

related

writing and snippets