Meet your heroes

The burst of static spoke louder than any words could. Izhu tucked the linkpearl away, face grim.

"Stick close, everyone," Izhu warned. "I've lost contact with Krile. We're really on our own, now."

"Oh man, Krile is probably freaking out," Rhela said with a carefree grin. "I can't wait to see the look on her face when we get back. Hah!"

"Oh, yeah, we can totally handle this," Lani said with a good-natured roll of her eyes. "We're just wandering the aetherial sea without our rope back to the surface. No biggie. Our souls will just be washed away by the lifestream if we fall, and our friends will never know what happened to us. You know, a day in the life."

Izhu's face went deathly pale in an instant.

"Relax, I'm kidding. We'll be fine. We just have to stay together." Lani patted the Lalafell's head. "Looks like the path's a bit... crystal up ahead."

"Race you," Rhela announced before charging ahead, bouncing along the crystals with light steps. "Last one there has to tell Hydaelyn they suck at running!"

Izhu barely even raised her head, groaning. "Be careful, Rhela," she warned, but her tone was resigned - the voice of a woman who had tried to warn her girlfriend of the dangers of something many a time and never been listened to. Izhu was beginning to think that Rhela really was immortal.

"Well, we are in a hurry," Lani said with a grin before taking off after Rhela. "You're still no match for me! Get back here!"

Izhu took her time. The crystals bore their weight well, at least, and the other two hadn't so much as stumbled. Izhu wasn't taking any chances, though. She picked her way across the sparse crystals carefully, willing herself not to look down.

A light hovering off to the side caught her eye. A warm, inviting yellow light. It seemed to be looking at her. Calling to her...

She turned, picking her way across the crystal to the light. It was a somehow familiar presence, but one she couldn't place.

"Nenesha..." the light whispered to her heart as she drew close. "You have grown up... a fine, strong young woman..."

The voice wasn't familiar either. Just who was this stranger? No, not a stranger. Their hearts knew each other, even if her mind didn't remember. And that name... Nenesha... Izhu furrowed her brow. It sounded so familiar, but...

"I'm so glad... I feared... what would happen to you... as I was dying, but... you're all right..."

Realization flooded Izhu's mind, washing away all other thoughts. "Lih... Lih Elakha..."

"Yes..." The light that had drawn Izhu seemed to reflect off nothing, forming the fuzzy outline of a Miqo'te woman. "Full glad am I that you remember me..."

"We've never forgotten you," Izhu insisted, hot tears rushing her eyes and needing to be blinked away. "We never will. You saved my life that day."

"I was... foolish," Lih said, raising one of her hands to her face. "I went back one last time after the children were out, hoping to find your file. Before the fire consumed it... I didn't want you to lose your last connection to your mother. But I... I lost my chance to look after you because of that. To look after you, and Piedha, and Mihli, and Keih, sweet little Keih who I never even met... to look after Mama, who is so forgetful, to look after Papa, who is so clumsy... The others from that day... they're all gone, but I- I can't look away..."

Izhu set herself down on the crystal outcropping nearby, understanding forming slowly. "... That's why you haven't gone back to the lifestream..."

Lih shook her head. "I regret... not caring for you all. I just want to watch you all grow... to see you go safely to the end of your journeys. I regret not even saying goodbye to you all... You needed me, and because of my foolishness... I cannot be there..."

"Lih, you did it because you cared," Izhu insisted, her throat tight. "I am who I am because of you. Not only alive, but seeking to care for others like you cared for me. Mama, Papa, Piedha, Mihli, Keih... we've all been touched by your life, and by your death. You died taking a risk, doing what you thought was right. You set an example to all of us. Don't let that keep you from your rest. Let us take it from here."

Lih was silent for a long moment. "Nenesha... No. Izhu... It is the name my parents gave you, and the one you bear proudly. Yes, that's right... Izhu... A fine name for a fine young woman..."

Izhu looked toward Lih's image curiously.

The sprectral outline reached out, embracing Izhu. There was no sensation against her skin, but a swelling warmth in her heart told her it was real all the same. "I love you, my little sister. I'm glad we met. Just once... before I go..."

"I- I am too," Izhu whispered. "Lih... I love you too..."

"Tell my family... our family... that I love them," Lih murmured. The warmth in Izhu's heart crescendoed. "And look after them in my stead..."

And then the chill of the aetherial sea began to return, the light fading.

"I'm proud of you, Izhu," the voice whispered one last time, and then Izhu was alone once more.

"I will," Izhu managed hoarsely. "Always. I promise."

"There you are!" Rhela said, annoyance carefully masking relief in her voice. "Geez, weren't you the one who was telling us to stick together?" She raised her voice, yelling to their companion. "Hey Lan, I found her! Over here!"

"Dummy. What were... you..." Seeing Izhu's tear-stained face, Rhela's voice lowered, and she knelt down. "Hey. Are you all right?"

Izhu gave her girlfriend a watery smile, wiping her eyes. "I am now."

Rhela fidgeted with her outfit for a moment. "So..."

"I'll tell you about it when all this is over, I promise," Izhu insisted. "Let's just go for now. Okay?"

After a moment's hesitation, Rhela nodded. "Yeah. Better not be thinking about breaking that promise, though."

"Hey! Are you two all right?" Lani asked, jogging over. "Phew, you scared me for a sec. Gonna have to put you in a jar to keep you from getting lost from now on."

"It's gonna have to be a big jar for that chubby ass," Rhela said, giving Izhu one last glance and then standing up. "And I hope you're planning on carrying it."

"Nah, we can just roll it in front of us," Lani said, grinning. "So, we heading out?"

"Yes. I have a promise to keep," Izhu said, letting the warmth that had touched her fill her body once more. "Let's get this done and get home."

It was some time later, after the nightmare had finally been put to rest and everything was as peaceful as it was going to get for a while, that Izhu finally made her way back to Thanalan to tell her parents of Lih.

Izhu's tiny fist rapped on the door to the Elakha family home. Once, twice. No more. Just like she used to as a child. The sound of banging from within stopped for the moment.

"Liha'to! Would you get that?" Izhu could hear her adoptive mother yelling. She was constantly amazed at how her mother could pick up such small sounds from out back despite the intense noises of the forge. "Someone at the door!"

Izhu's adoptive father chirped assent, and Izhu could hear him scurrying to answer. "Oh! If it ain't our little heroine!" he said, his face lighting up. He bent, scooping Izhu off the ground and into a tight hug. "Juhi! It's your daughter, I think you'll want to get this!"

The sound of the tongs clattering to the floor covered Izhu's mother's footsteps as she near-sprinted to the door to squeeze Izhu in turn. "Izhu! I heard you and Rhela were wrapped up in all sorta terribleness," Izhu's mother said, shaking her head. She nuzzled her cheek against Izhu's head. "It's all safe now, I hope? I'm surprised Rhela didn't come with you!"

"Yeah," Izhu agreed, feeling the tears bubble up to the surface again. She swallowed them back down. "Actually, Rhela's in town, she couldn't pass up a chance at one of your famous spicy dinners! And, uh, and she offered to come for this too, but um... this is... there's something I need to discuss with you two. Privately. And- and any of my sisters, if they're around."

...
...
It took a long while for the Elakhas to be gathered together. Mama, Papa, Piedha, Mihli, and Keih. And Izhu, of course.

Izhu had planned to skip over most of the story. No need to frighten them more than necessary. Besides... all they really needed to know was about Lih, right? But they insisted, fussed, cajoled Izhu into telling the whole story of the Final Days. From the beginning.

It took hours of retelling to get to the part in the Aitiascope. And when it came, Izhu was almost caught off guard - she'd been so wrapped up in fondly reminiscing for her family that she'd forgotten the message she was here to deliver.

None of the Elakhas spoke for a moment after Izhu finished relating the tale of Lih's appearance.

Fearing the silence, Izhu took it on herself to continue. "So... I know that I'm not the sister or daughter you were meant to have. That... you lost someone because of me."

"No," Juhi interjected firmly. She put a hand on her hip. "No, that ain't how I remember it."

Izhu looked toward her mother, vision blurring with tears again.

"The way I remember it, there we were, in the midst of mournin' our loss," Juhi said. "And there you were, cryin' away. You were too small to know what was goin' on, barely the size of a peanut back then, but I remember thinkin'... She lost someone too. She did. She lost the sweet lady who took care of her. She lost her own mom. She lost her name. Everythin'." Juhi reached out, pressing a hand to her daughter's cheek. "And I thought... Lih gave her life up because she cared for this sickly little peanut. Damned if that don't make her a little special."

Izhu's body trembled as the tears started to flow out of her. She could feel a small hand - Keih's - take hers, and as she turned to look, her sisters were all watching her. Not sad, not pitying, not angry, just... caring.

"And it woulda sure been a shame if we'd let Lih's life's work go to waste," Liha'to piped up. "Your mother made some convincin' points. We decided we had to take you home. I was the one that picked the name Izhu. Means an oath. Cause that's what you are - our little promise to Lih."

Izhu smiled weakly, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "All this time... all this time I've held myself responsible for Lih's death. Felt I was a poor replacement for her. Just by being there... If I weren't there, I..."

"No, Izhu. You're the reason Lih lives on," Juhi insisted. "She woulda gone in there to save whoever she could, whether you were there or not. That's just the kinda person she was. I ever tell you what the name Lih means?"

Izhu shook her head with a sniffle.

"Means 'hope'. And she took it real serious. She was a bright star, our little Lih - too bright to last long. Even if she hadn't given herself for you, it would have come one day. Hells, the Calamity came and I thought, if Lih were here, I'd've lost her all over again. That's just... well, and I'll say it again, that's just the kinda person she was." Juhi ran her fingers through Izhu's hair. "We made our peace with it. You're no replacement. Those're some big shoes to fill, and honey, I don't want 'em filled. I don't want to lose you, too. You're one of our daughters, same as she was. A unique and precious Elakha straight through to your bones."

"And if all of what you say's true, then through you her hand is in our lives still," Liha'to added. "She's always with us, 'long as you're here. That name I picked is double clever... 'cause you're her promise to us, too."

Juhi laughed, ruffling her husband's hair. "Oh, aye, keep pattin' yourself on the back for it. I was the one who gave you the list of names I liked in the first place."

With some laughter to break the tension, Izhu's body sank back into the chair.

Keih hovered behind her, patting her head. "Um. Izhu? I just want you to know that you've been a good tiny big sister to me. And I wouldn't have anyone else."

"Oi! What about me?" Mihli asked, tossing her hair dramatically. "I'm a good big sister, aren't I, Keih?"

"Mihli, please, it's not a competition," Piedha said with a snort. "But Izhu, I'm happy you're here. We're all happy you're here. Our littlest sister, even if you're not our baby-est sister."

Mihli grinned smugly at Piedha. "You don't want it to be a competition because you'd lose."

"What! Utter nonsense, Mihli. Keih, you can confirm - I'm a better big sister than Mihli, am I not?"

"Um... Well..."

"Keih! Don't tell me you love her more than me!"

"It's not more, it's just different!"

Izhu closed her eyes, letting the affectionate bickering of her happy, chaotic family fly over her.

Don't worry, Lih. I'll keep a very close eye on them for as long as I live. And you can bet I'm not planning on dying anytime soon.