Mamari is born in Ul’dah to Lord Lolorito Nanarito and his wife Numeme Nume as Manaru Naru. While taking after Numeme, who was plainsfolk, in terms of appearance, her name was that of a dunesfolk to show her connection to her father.Numeme was a successful businesswoman in her own right, heading a fleet of trading ships which operated in Limsa Lominsa. Indeed, their marriage served as a union of business as much as themselves, though both would profusely deny it was done for business alone.

Numeme is lost at sea in a storm while overseeing the budding trading route with Kugane when Mamari is three. This leaves Lolorito as the sole living parent of Mamari, though she is already accustomed to the various nannies and caretakers two busy and rich business owners would have.

Mamari expresses her first interests and talents in the art of conjury at the age of seven during a visit with a healer due to illness. Seeing the art being performed, her childish curiosity lead her to barrage the healer with questions and eventually request to try to use their cane in attempt to try the art herself. Hesitant to deny the daughter of Lolorito and seeing no harm in a supervised attempt, the healer yielded his cane to her for a moment and found her gifted with a naturally strong feel of the aether around her.This information was therefore passed onto her caretaker of the time who in turn passed it onto Lolorito. Feeling the role of a conjurer was an elegant art befitting of a young merchant princess, Lolorito chose to seek out a tutor in the skill for his daughter.

Mamari was successfully being taught the art of conjury by an Elezan named Rotert Ceadaux. Rotert is a native of Gridania who studied as a conjurer in the guild for many years, only leaving on the behest of teaching Mamari the art. Lolorito had his daughter brought under heavy protection to the conjurer guild to after failing to find a teacher more locally, but would not suffer her to stay there long term. It was after meeting the young Lalafellian himself that he agreed to the task; the money Lolorito offered swayed him little, but the eagerness of his perspective pupil won him over.

Rotert proved himself to be an excellent teacher, nurturing and honing Mamari’s natural skill at the art. Furthermore, he would not let Mamari sit idly on her abilities, as it was his belief that the healing art was best practiced on those who needed succor. Thus, as refugees poured into Ul’dah, he often took her to provide aid to those who were wounded or fell ill during the journey. Lolorito did not protest these trips, barring that Mamari was properly compensated for her time in some manner and proper guard accompanied them. Money was not commonly found among the refugees, but Mamari often traded legends from their homeland or small handmade trinkets in payment.One such trip, which was also their last for the coming reason, found them returning from Lost Hope. On the road, they found themselves waylaid by bandits. While they had suffered some encounters with vicious wildlife or a small group of bandits, of which their guard could drive off, this group was more organized and quickly overpowered them. Their goal was simple: Mamari’s capture for ransom. Though Rotert attempted to defend her, he too was knocked aside. In her fear as she was being taken, Mamari’s abilities welled and exploded into a bright white light which stunned the men around her. This gave Rotert and the guard time to recover, distract the bandits, and to usher Mamari to the relative safety of Black Brush Station.

Rotert was faced with a conundrum; Mamari had tapped into abilities he knew from his time at the conjurer’s guild to be forbidden. Pleading with Lolorito, knowing the danger of these powers, he was given leave to return to Gridania with her and remain for some time. With little choice considering what had already transpired, the guild agreed there was nothing else to be done but to see her taught to control this and any other ability which might manifest though refusing to actively teach her any further abilities.

While Mamari made multiple visits to Ul’dah, she spent three years calling Girdania home. No new powers awoke in that time, and she became master to a spell which was known as Holy, the selfsame spell she had used when under threat of capture. Now fourteen, it was only a scarce few months after her return to Ul’dah that Rotert fell ill. The illness was rare and while there was a cure, it was terribly expensive. With no other choice, Mamari pleaded to her father to assist, pleas that were turned down. While Lolorito cared for his daughter, he would not break his principales; a man lives or dies on his own back. He didn’t give handouts, particularly not notably expensive ones. At least, this was his claim.With the only means for a cure out of reach, Rotert soon passed leaving Mamari grief striken at the loss of her dear mentor and friend. She withdrew, losing the naturally upbeat nature that was a cornerstone of her personality throughout her childhood. But her depression soon turned to rage at her father’s perceived callousness. This anger festered for some time before Mamari made the choice to leave, running from her existence as a merchant princess and into the much harsher streets.

At fifteen, Mamari is adjusting to life outside of her pampered past. While a choice made in anger, her experience in the refugee camps served a great deal in educating her for the task ahead. Having taken a notable amount of gil from her household when departing, around 15,000, her first order of business was to change her appearance in some fashion. She makes her way to the alchemist guild, paying for the dye necessary to change her hair color. While a messy first attempt, she succeeds, her hair turning from blonde to a brilliant sapphire blue shade. She leaves behind her name, Manaru Naru, and takes the name Mamari Mari. For his part, Lolorito felt no ill will toward his daughter for her actions, instead allowing her to make her own way if it was her wish. Even the money she had taken was but a small drop to him.Recalling the value of trinkets and baubles such as rings and necklaces, Mamari choses to take up the practice of goldsmithing. While clumsily working through her early days to craft worthwhile pieces, her skills improved slowly as the coffers she took begin to run dry. Working within the guild as a goldsmithy, she manages to begin to turn a profit with her work. She also continues to ply her trade as a conjurer, discarding her father’s rule of compensation and often helping in the refugee came right outside of Ul’dah for no charge though her experiences being waylade on the road kept her from visiting camps further out. Eventually, at the suggestion of one of the refugees, she makes her way to the adventurer’s guild and finds a second source of income healing for various groups seeking their own fortune and fame.

Mamari witnesses the invasion of Ul’dah and all the horrors that accompany it. With her skills as a healer, she takes to the streets, desperately trying to save all she can. Many she tries to help don’t survive, and Mamari is eventually nearly killed herself by one of the various monstrosities in the streets and forced to retreat into hiding to succor her own wounds. The events of those days never fully depart from her, leaving permanent psychological and physical scars.

With the various scars of the calamity and the lingering grief of her lost mentor, Mamari fritters five years away spending what gil she doesn’t need for room or food on drinking. Having first found the vice during errands to the mining guild for ore needed to work as a goldsmith, she’s now a regular at the Quicksand. In this time, she’s also become adept in battle due to her work in the adventurer's guild. She rarely visits the refugee camps now, finding little time for it between her own jobs and her liquor habit.Said liquor habit brought her into first contact with Sia Reeve. A known troublemaker, she and Mamari quickly found a mutual fondness for each other’s company. It wasn’t, however, until Sia landed herself in some legal trouble with the Brass Blades that their friendship became more than that of drinking pals. Mamari ponyed up the necessary funds to spring Sia from incarceration and helped her have the charges dismissed besides. When Sia asked how she could repay her, Mamari simply stated that she could do so by staying out of further trouble.

Seeing the girl had no real income outside of what she could make in the Bloodsands and whatever illicit activities she might get up to, Mamari offered to show her the ropes in the adventurer’s guild. Taking up a levequest together, the two found themselves well synced in battle. Quickly realizing this and after a few additional levequests, Mamari suggested they make their partnership a long term one. Sia happily agreed.

Mamari begins to experience headaches and visions, something Sia had been experiencing for some time. Noting the growing reputation of the pair and seeing one such attack within the Quicksands while they were on break, Thancred saw fit to approach them. Explaining the gift they had was known as the echo, he invited them to the Scion’s base of operations in the Waking Sands. This interaction would only cause their reputation to further skyrocket after they jointly dispatched Ifrit.After some debate once the offer to join all three Grand Companies came, it was decided between the two that joining the Ul’dah Grand Company would provide perks they couldn’t otherwise gain and would be near hat-hanging distance besides. Sensing Sia’s reluctantness to deal with the law in any capacity, Mamari took it upon herself to do most of the hands on work with this arrangement, requiring Sia to come only when absolutely necessary. Mamari saw them both supplied with Chocobo mounts to make journeying across the land when teleportation was not available faster. Allowed to free roam the land when not in service, these Chocobos will often join them round a campfire at night with their fondness for each of their mistresses clear.

Things remained much the same until the return to the Waking Sands after Titan’s defeat where they stepped into the aftermath of a massacre. The information gleaned from echo visions were enough to make Mamari queasy, throwing her back to the terrifying days of the Calamity 5 years prior. Seeing the distress, Sia helped her friend out of the building and they made their way to the Church of Saint Adama Landama. There, they arrange transportation for their comrade’s bodies. Despite her earlier issues, Mamari elects to go with the group despite Sia's offer to deal with this without her. The callous behavior of some of the workers irks Mamari and they wind up in a verbal altercation. Despite this, their comrade’s bodies are successfully seen to the church for their final rites.Once seeing the departed to their final rest, and helping Cid recover his memories, Mamari struck up a quick friendship with the engineer. While in very different fields, they find the knowledge each can provide the other a boon. Her other new companion, Alphinaud, is found to be less tolerable. At this point, his actions and somewhat pompous behavior reminds her of her father a bit more than she would like. However, she rationalizes this being due to his age and inexperience. While never voiced, she quickly begins to hope that he’ll find his footing to not need such an overinflated ego. With this in mind, and her now expertly honed skills as a healer, she and Alphinaud remain civil but typically only converse concerning their shared art of succor.

Making their way to the outskirts of Corethas to retrieve Cid’s ship, the group finds themselves in the company of Haurchefant Greystone. While Mamari was tactful in her protests, she could not hide the disdain she felt for the Witchdrop trials, finding that justice that claims a victim either way is anything but. After his friend was nearly sent down the gorge, Haurchefant very much shared her opinion on the matter.After reclaiming the ship from the Stone Vigil, Mamari and Sia saw to the defeat of Garuda. Like the previous two primals, the Ixal’s idol proved no match for the two. However, seeing the might of the Ultimate Weapon was enough for pause. Returning to Ul’dah to bid for help from the Grand Companies, Mamari joins in Operation Archon to purge the realm of Garlean forces and deal with the looming threat of the Ultimate Weapon. Joining with several other acquaintances from the Adventurer’s Guild, Sia and Mamari lead the force which destroy the Ultimate Weapon and free Thancred from his subjugation at the hands of Lahabrea.

At this point the pair split duties: Mamari seeks to find the location of F’lhaminn while Sia deals with the looming threat of the moogles. Both return just in time for Elidibus’ appearance at the Waking Sand, giving chase but unsuccessful in dealing with their quarry. When the Doman refugees come seeking aid, Mamari once again finds herself disgusted with the rulership of Ul’dah, her own father included. Having long had sympathy for refugees from her days succoring their injuries and illnesses, she gladly assists Yugiri in relocating her peoples to Revenant’s Toll before another primal calls her and Sia away. This time, the mighty sea serpent Leviathan calls for defeat.Alphinaud’s actions after this point continue to be a point of contention for Mamari, who sees the would-be Company leader as far too inexperienced and naive to run such an organization safely. Nonetheless, she lends what aid she can and attempts in vain to help the budding Grand Company of Eorzea to make its first footsteps into the realm without doing more harm than good. The whole of the issue in Ul’dah gives Mamari no warm feelings either as she long has distrusted the monterists since her own father’s perceived betrayal.

The primals Ramuh and Shiva both quickly fall under fist and cane of the duo, and they also help Raubahn chase out the garlean spy which had embedded itself into the Flames. Mamari is also introduced to Moenbryda at this time, whom she finds if nothing else an amusing character when put in the same room as Urianger. They find some comradery in their mutual love for liquors and wines. While Mamari had not heavily drank in some time, she still enjoyed the taste of alcohol.It was at this time that Mamari joined Alphinaud’s sister Alisaie on her quest in the Coils of Bahamut. Each malm down was hard won, but with time the pair, later joined by Alphinaud and Sia, accomplished their goals to purge the land of the elder primal once and for all. Alisaie and Mamari became close in this time and early on shared their misgivings with Alisaie’s brother with each other. Despite this, Mamari told the girl to be patient with her brother and that his hubris would likely teach him roughly at some point. With this in mind, she told Alisaie she would likely need to be there to pick him up when he does suffer the blow back. Alisaie took this to heart, despite her irritation with Alphinaud’s general behavior. In the same time, Mamari would also join Sia for the expedition into the World of Darkness, helping them deal with the threat of voidsent.

Later, Mamari’s fears about the Crystal Braves starts to take form in the words of Riol, who amplifies Mamari’s concerns that the Grand Company would be easily corruptible. Yet, little time can be spent dwelling on the fact due to Lucia requesting aid for Ishgard to investigate the Keeper of the Lake. During said investigation, both Mamari’s and Sia’s echo is silenced by Midgardstomr for reasons neither understand. Hot off the heels of such a severe issue is the ascian attack on the Rising Stones. Despite the fact that Sia and Mamari manage to repel the attack, Moenbyrda is lost and both join with their other Scions to mourn her.Yet, little time is allowed to grieve the passing of a friend as the Steps of Faith are now under attack and Ishgard in desperation calls to the Scions for aid. Once again, Sia and Mamari answer the call and are vital to repel the dragon attack from the city. Once the attack ends, the pair once again split. Mamari, whom Sia knows as Lolorito’s daughter, has no interest in attending the banquet on offer in Ul’dah. Despite Sia herself disliking stuffy parties, she sympathizes with Mamari’s plight and agrees to go alone to represent them both. In the meantime, Mamari assists Tataru in her self-given task to become stronger and helps the clerk find her unique talents despite the fact that she found herself a poor arcanist in terms of practical application. It is on their return that they find the Stones waylaid and are able to flee thanks to the distraction provided by Yugiri.

Seeking the relative safety of Dragonhead, it’s all Tataru can do to keep Mamari from storming Ul’dah itself to find what’s become of Sia and the other Scions. Luckily, she manages to keep her fellow Lalafell from doing so for long enough that Alphinaud and Sia turn up. After exchanging stories with Sia to catch up on what had transpired, Mamari turned her attention to Alphinaud. While she had never found his personality pleasing at the time, seeing him in such a sorry state was not what she wanted. Once Tataru and Haurchefant intervened to help him regain some determination, Mamari asked to speak with the boy alone.Alphinaud and Mamari shared long words that night. Mamari did not mince them with the boy, she made it clear exactly where the fault lay. As she stated to his sister during the Coils, his hubris had bitten him back. But she also pointed out the many things that were not his doing. He left himself to be taken advantage of, but the takers were responsible for their own actions. He was a victim of terrible machinations, not the perpetrator; he at most was only responsible for giving them the weapon needed to attack. Additionally, she encouraged Alphinaud to learn from his errors and that this was not unsalvable.

Despite being quite the dressing down, Alphinaud came to appreciate Mamari’s input greatly as it gave him someone who both recognized his fault but gave him the patience and encouragement needed for him to grow. At the end, while not revealing the how of it, Mamari discloses her friendship with Nanamo to Alphinaud and that she knew her well enough to know she would not hold him to blame for what was believed to be her death. Alphinaud would only later realize the amount of comfort he felt in these words and the salve they served for the guilt in his mind. It's at this point that Mamari feels the need to further sever herself from her roots. In a figurative gesture, the lalafell cuts her hair short, resolidifying the oath that she would never allow her father to hold sway over her again. Having long been told long hair was proper for a lady of her class, this was a form of rebellion Mamari desperately needed to exhibit.

Soon came the confirmation of their asylum into Ishgard and the four make their way into the city proper where they meet Lord Edmont. Learning of his sons, Mamari is quick to offer up assistance to the two in repayment of their refuge. Sia joins her first in the Sea of Clouds where they rescue Emmanellian from the grips of the Vanu Vanu and he experiences a verbal lashing from Mamari at his poor attempts to grasp renown once out of harm’s way. Artoriel she’s more sympathetic to, understanding the misgivings he has. Despite this, the two manage to win over the older son after their investigation and successful dispatch of many of the heretics they came across.Upon return to the city, they find their comrades accused of heresy and must come to their defense in a trial by combat. Out of the two, Sia elects to fight in Tataru’s stead making this the first time Mamari witnessed Sia and Alphinaud fight together. Once declared innocent, the group reconvines and Tataru and Alphinaud reveal that Raubahn may still be saved. They make haste to Hatali where Raubahn is being held, releasing him from captivity and bringing him to the Waking Sands. Mamari personally oversaw his treatment and recovery, allowing the general to finally realize that she was the selfsame friend the Sultania oft had over for tea and treats in the several months between his appointment to the Syndicate and Mamari’s departure.

Able to tell the knowledge that had come to him, Mamari asked him to remain silent on the matter to which he agreed. When hearing from Dewlala Dewla and Papashan that Nanamo was not in fact dead, Mamari swore to the general that when the time was right, they would find and help her. Raubahn knew from her conviction that Mamari had full intention to reveal herself to Nanamo and so did not need to press the matter of how much the Sultana had missed her. Before they can act, however, word from Tataru arrives and their obligation to Ishgard calls them to return. Leaving Papashan and Raubahn to investigate the claims of the false death further, they return to Ishgard briefly before setting out with Estinien now in tow in search of Iceheart.Estinien and Mamari quickly strike up a camaraderie between them. Estinien’s no nonsense attitude meshed well with Mamari’s forward nature and the two become fast friends. When they finally locate Iceheart, who reveals her real name as Ysayle, Mamari is unsurprised that any attempts at negotiation with Nidhogg is impossible. She had a hunch that the wyrm's hate had run too deep at this point. During this meeting, Sia and she both regain the connection to their first crystal of light. She agrees with the decision to seek out Hraesvelgr and the now five strong group set out for the Churning Mists.

The Gnath’s summoned primal proved no match for Sia and Mamari as a team and they gained the trust of the Foreland dragons with ease. At this point, Mamari is already becoming exasperated with Estinien and Ysayle’s constant bickering. Sia and Alphinaud were bad enough, she didn’t front row seats to yet another denial dance. After journeying through Sohm Al, they reach the Mists and regain their second connection to a crystal of light along the way. While Sia and Ysayle are both enchanted with the cute bundles of fluff that are the moogles of Moghome, Mamari leans toward Estinien’s persuasion of them which was that they were good for nothing freeloaders who would avoid work at any cost. Despite her opinion of them, Mamari does her part in the chores asked of the group and they eventually make their way to the platform to call Hraesvelgr.After being told the tale of the start of the Dragonsong war, she and Sia both see a first hand account thanks to the echo, which was not bound unlike the blessing. After learning that the Shiva summoned into her was not the soul of the original Shiva but a primal of her own creation, Ysayle remains behind, broken by the revelation as the other four decide they must do what they can to end the war, even if that means putting Nidhogg down.

Once scouting out the Aery, they come to the conclusion that they cannot pierce the abode without assistance and therefore make the choice to journey back to Ishgard. Once they learn Cid is in the city, they seek his help and he directs them to Biggs and Wedge who are working on a personal sized aircraft which might do the job. However, the Manacutter as it is known still needs work. It is then that word comes from Ul’dah, leaving the engineers time to get the aircraft in order. The news that Nanamo had been located reaches them and the trio of Alphinaud, Sia, and Mamari return to Thanalan. After a briefing from the group of Raubahn, Papashan, Yugiri, and Pippin, they choose to see out Nanamo’s former Lady in Waiting, Meriel. After cornering her in the Silver Bazaar, Lolorito appears in the company of Dewlala Dewla just in time to spare the girl the pressure of revealing the full truth as he does so himself.By the time he finishes his explanation, Mamari’s blood is left boiling and it's all she can do to restrain herself. After receiving the antidote to revive the sleeping Sultana, Raubahn offers Mamari a place to journey with him to see it administered. Despite Raubahn quickly amending the statement that her healing would be welcome should anything be amiss, between this and the young woman’s seething anger on display, it is clear to the room that Lolorito is now intrigued.

Once agreeing with Sia and Alphinaud to meet them back in Ishgard, Mamari takes Raubahn up on his offer and journeys with the group to the palace in Ul’dah. Unable to hold her tongue entirely when Dewlala attempts a conversation with her, the Syndicate member finds herself on the receiving end of the healer’s barbed tongue with several comments about how all save Raubahn seems content for the damage to the Scions to go unaddressed and how unsurprising the fact is. For his part, Lolorito says nothing about what happened.But Dewlala, despite the sharp words, presses Mamari for the full details which Mamari gladly gives an account of the many missing and possibly dead members of their ranks. Dewlala responds that the full extent of the damage to the Scions was only known by Lolorito until recently and offers a sincere apology for everything done to harm the group. Mamari accepts the apology on behalf of the Scions, but makes it clear she knows Dewlala would be less concerned if the Scions didn’t have something to give Ul’dah when the group was recovered. Dewlala doesn’t deny the accusation, seeing no point in claiming it to be something other than the truth.

Raubahn and Mamari are both present when Nanamo is administered the antidote and awakens. After some time ensuring she seemed well, the General suggested he go speak with one of the maids to start a meal for her and leave the two girls to talk. Mamari hesitates to tell her friend the truth and instead suggests she check her health to ensure no underlying damage was caused from her prolonged sleep.The sultana is confused as Mamari finishes looking over her aether and vitals, the latter of whom offers an apology for her actions as she did. Though Nanamo pushed for an answer for what she meant, Mamari struggled to find the proper words to express who she really was. Instead, it came out as a jest, saying she wasn’t sure if she liked her blonde hair or the artificial blue more. Yet, this was all it took for Nanamo to realize exactly what Mamari meant; even before her shift in personality, Mamari often made jests. Hugs were given and tears were shed by both. While Mamari had never spoken the fact to anyone, one of the things she regretted about her choice was her inability to keep her friendship with Nanamo present in her life.

Raubahn returned with a maid some time after the two had calmed down and began to relay what had transpired since they lost contact. Leaving her to attend to setting the table in the sitting room connected for a meal, he approaches the two and admits he’s rather glad Mamari had chosen to reveal herself and his intent to do so himself if she did not. Mamari took no offense to this and while Raubahn had to depart to see to the more practical issues of his reinstatement, the two shared a meal and further talks before Mamari parts with her friend again, this time with a promise to stay in touch. After this point, they commonly exchange letters with Mamari confiding in her friend regularly about the events of her travels.Once briefly discussing the movements of the Garlean Empire, including their creation of another goliath ship, Mamari departs Ul’dah and rejoins Sia for the return trip to Ishgard. There, they prepare for departure with the Manacutters. Journeying back to the Aery with Estinien, the trio manage to pierce the veil of aether that served as Nidhogg’s nest. Fighting through the horde gathered in defense of their sire, they reach their arena and put the great wyrm down. This awards reconnection to the third crystal of light and the yellow orb Nidhogg used as an eye besides. The former comes with a vision which speaks to the depth of the treachery committed by early Ishgard and the guilt Haldrath bore as a mantle until his dying day for his part. Even further still, it revealed the history of modern Ishgard’s rule and that there were no divisions between high- and low-born.

Realizing the ownership of the eye pried from Nidhogg’s skull, Estonian bid the two accompany him to speak with Hraesvelgr. Both are yet again accosted by visions of the past, this time the moment that the white great wyrm gifted one eye and half his strength to his wounded brethren. Mamari felt keen understanding for the wyrm’s choice to save his brother. For her, it was the understanding of what the pain of loss can lead to. Hraesvelgr had already lost so much and Mamari had personally felt a world shattering hatred not unlike Nidhogg’s. She could not bring herself to judge him at that. There was no villain to be had, just a broken creature that Mamari sorely hoped would find peace in their departure. This would be the first time Mamari would muse over her father in anything but rancid hate; were his actions, cruel and callous as they were, sourced from the same wellspring of sorrow? She couldn’t fathom the idea, despite it springing to mind.However, they had little time for sure musings as Estinian received a call from Aymeric bidding them to return at all haste as heretics had turned upon the gates of Ishgard. Upon hearing this, Ysayle requested to return with them as she was confident her men would still heed her word. As she thought, the fighting that began to break out within the streets of the city halted in response to her calls for peace. Despite the Temple Knight’s attempts to ignore their adversaries moves toward a truce as Ysayle follows her men, the three remaining are joined by Harchefant who helps to prevent any further bloodshed from their side as well.

Once things had begun to settle more, Estonian, Sia, and Mamari returned with Harchefant to Manor Fortemps. There, they lay bare the full truth to everyone present and in response, Aymeric departs to speak with the Archbishop with intent to put an end to the forgery of history that had taken place since the contemporary Ishgard’s inception. Knowing what will likely come to pass, all present swear to assist in the Lord Commander’s rescue. Further still, it's at Lucia’s suggestion that Sia and Mamari seek out Hilda. Mamari uses herself and Sia as an example to the wider narrative; born in vastly different stations, yet each using their unique experiences to find the best path forward for all involved. While in the middle of their conversation and with Hilda beginning to sway, Charibert appears at the bar they used as a meeting place to pick a fight. After driving him back, Lucia appears and tells them it was as they feared and Aymeric was being held on suspicion of heresy.With a force gathered, they storm the vault and quickly begin to push Temple Knights and the Heavensward themselves back. During the final moments before the Archbishop’s capture, Harchefant steps between Sia and the spear of light that Zephirin summoned. Alphinaud and Mamari’s panicked attempts to heal the wound prove fruitless and with no other choice, they bid farewell to one of their dear friends. Once bringing news of his death to his father, the two do as he instructs and give chase to the Heavensward and Archbishop. To do this, they yet again sought out Cid’s help and were happy to find he was glad to lend it. For Mamari, the rage in her heart was not unlike the same burn she felt upon her mentor’s death.

After a brief encounter with garlean soldiers, Mamari, Sia, Alphinaud, and Cid meet and speak with the chief of the Vanu Vanu. They learn the key to Azys La has been devoured by the White, known as Bismark to the common folk. Devising an arguably insane strategy to use an island towed behind the Enterprise as bait, Sia and Mamari both face down and defeat the large flying whale. This action regains the forth crystal of light and faint whispers of Hydaelyn can be heard by both. They only briefly claim the key before they are waylaid by the Ascian ally of the Archbishop and it is taken. They depart while Sia and Mamari are still recovering from the blows. While the Heavensward and the Archbishop depart following the compass the key forms, the three run across Garleans yet again upon the return to the Vanu Vanu village with their emperor in tow. Moments before the chief and several other Vanu Vanu are slain, Lucia intervenes and protects them. It is here that the goliath ship mentioned to Mamari in Ul’dah makes its first appearance as the vanguard of the garlean soldiers and their emperor retreat to it.

While they attempt to reach Ayzs La, they find without the key that the barrier surrounding the floating fortress is all but impenetrable. With no other choice, they return to Ishgard. While discussing methods to pierce such a barrier like a ram of aether, word that Tataru may have found one of their missing friends is mentioned by Lord Edmont. Believing perhaps this could both reunite them with their friend and offer them more information on building the ram that was suggested, Alphinaud, Sia, and Mamari go to find Tataru to learn more. The four then journey back to Ul’dah where Pipin and Urianger wait with news. Y’shtola’s wand has been found among the rubble, but Y’sthola herself was not.By Urianger’s analysis, they realize she had employed the magic of flow and was likely trapped adrift upon the lifestream. This leads them to Gridania seeking help to retrieve her. Given Sia and Mamari’s past help, they’re quickly granted an audience. Even without such favors under their belt, Mamari spent several years under the watchful gaze of the seedseers and is well known by them; she had even treated with Kan-E-Senna and Nanamo long ago over tea. She cannot change her aether and they would ever know the aether of the lalafell who had tapped into forbidden magicks those years ago. But, with the wisdom of the years, all the seedseers recognized her desire to remain hidden from her past and so did not speak of it openly.

As of late, however, her opinion of the Elder Seedseer had soured slightly due to the leader’s choice to cut and run at the banquet; but this was only slightly, as Mamari’s logical side did realize she had to make what choice was best for her people. There was just a lingering sting of abandonment that she could not help but feel. Mamari reasoned with herself that they’re help at finding Y’shtola was repayment that could salve such a wound.Luckily, Y’shtola was pulled back from the rift safely. Though she needed care and time to recover, she eventually turned a corner and rejoined them. Mamari quickly realized, however, that she was not as she was. Her eyes were permanently damaged. The healer had a keen sense of aether, bordering on the skill of the seedseers themselves. And she could feel the pseudo aetheric location Y’shtola now used to view the world around her. After she is fully recovered and they begin their journey to the Dravanian Hinterlands at Y’shtola’s suggestion to find her old master, she and Mamari spend time conversing over this new means of sight. Despite Mamari expressing her worry for her friend, Y’shtola assures her she will be alright and that while it might cut her lifespan down slightly, it would not be significant enough that she would die still youthful if it was what took her. Mamari felt some ease at that, but implored Y’shtola to minimize its use whenever possible. Additionally, she pushed her companion to ask for help if she needed it.

Once reaching Idyllshire and helping Slowfix, the group is given leave to cross the river. Mamari was grinning within moments of stepping into Matoya’s cave. No nonsense and straight to the point, just as she liked it. After a brief discussion about the aetheric converger Matoya had developed and the location of a book on the subject, Sia and Mamari departed while Y’shtola and Alphinaud remained behind to help the master researcher. Despite the fact that Mamari was practically ready to volunteer to remain behind with Y’shtola and Alphinaud, she knew her help would be needed from Sia if they had any hope to find the book within the library that held the research. Upon defeating the guardian of the forbidden section of the great library, the connection to the fifth crystal of light was regained by both. As luck had it, the tome of research was in plain sight and they quickly grabbed it before returning to the caverns Matoya called home.After the book was deciphered and Matoya gave one final warning about the amount of energy needed, the group departed for Ishgard once again. Once seeing the research into Cid’s hand, Sia and Mamari took a moment to visit Lord Edmont. There, the lord presents the two with a gift: the selfsame shield Harchefant had protected them with. They accepted it solemnly, Mamari comforting Sia after the latter broke down once out of Edmont’s sight. Mamari felt the loss keenly as well, though her grief still burned too hot with rage for the tears to fall.

While watching the work upon the Enterprise and a brief verbal scuffle between Y’shtola and Estinien, Urianger approached and presented them with a shard of white Auracite which he happened across by chance. Mamari received the gift and tucked it away for later use. With departing words with those who hopes they carried, the group left onboard the newly renamed Enterprise Excelsior. It was only after piercing the barrier at last that the goliath ship of the Garleans appeared again. It would have spelled the demise of ship and passengers alike if not for the timely and sacrificial intervention of Ysayle. With the lady of ice’s help, they landed safely though once again they felt the grief of loss.Exploring the isle for a means to the Flagship where the Archbishop has apparently fled and encountering the Garleans, they learn the goal of the legion is to find the Alleg technology capable of binding primals alive. While noted as a problem for later, they remain focused on finding and halting the threat the Archbishop poses despite the break out of a skirmish between them. Eventually, the others hold back this Garlean force while Sia and Mamari continue on; at this time, Estinien hands the eye of Nidhogg to Sia for their use. Once doing so, the duo come across Tiamat bound in an Allag device. They shared words with each other and the meeting broke the seal that Midgarstomr had put upon them. By doing this, they proved their worth to bear Hydaelyn’s blessing and gained his boon. He responded to this by transforming into a larger form, granting them use of his wings to reach the Flagship. Before departing, Mamari briefly spoke one last time to Tiamat, asking if she would be against further visits. Tiamat was surprised by this, but nonetheless made it clear Mamari was free to come and go if she so wished.

With Midgardstomr’s help, they reached the research facility and after encounters both with its sentries and the Garleans led by Regula, they reached the end where they faced down Lahabrea and Igeyorhm. After besting them in battle, Mamari threw the white auracite at Igeyorhm which allowed Sia to use the eye as an aetheric blade to cut her down. However, there was not the power to lay both Ascians low. Even as Lahabrea taunted them about this fact, the Archbishop and his knights appeared. The Archbishop fashioned himself a primal and struck Lahabrea down to feed upon his aether.Following him to the singularity reactor, Mamari and Sia fought both him and the Heavensward, laying them all low. As he falls, the Archbishop poses one last question. “Who are you? What are you?” The question lingers in both their minds but they have no time to truly ponder the answer as Estinien is overtaken by Nidhogg’s spirit. Despite this, the battle of the day is won and the two depart riding upon Midgardstomr for their homecoming to Ishgard. Before departing them, Midgardstomr offers words of wisdom to the Ishgardians.Sia and Mamari later attend the signing of the Eorzean alliance document by Ser Aymeric for Ishgard before taking a journey out to Harchefant’s grave. With mutual agreement, they place the shield Edmont gifted them next to it with Mamari casting an enchantment of protection to ensure it remains as it is without rust or grime. As they talk, they’re joined by Alphinaud and Tataru who the two discuss the future with.

Y'shtola and Mamari are in many ways like-minded souls in that they enjoy the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. When Mamari first joined the Scions, they became fast friends. When Mamari was drowning her grief after the events in the Tempest, Y'shtola was the one who both realized what her grief surrounded and how deeply hurt the Lalafell was. She remained a source of deep comfort for Mamari during this time, the two becoming even closer as Y'shtola helped to ease the pain and provide a distraction from it. The two remain close to this day, considering each other something akin to sisters.

Mamari’s estranged father who’s care she left when she was fifteen out of the growing rancor in her heart due to his refusal to save Rotert. Lolorito allowed Mamari to depart, feeling that it was better to allow her to make her own way. It would not have been a hard task to find her if he had attempted to do so, but wanted to keep his distance for some unknown reason. He did, however, keep one ear to the ground for mention of her name, yet none ever came due to the fact that Mamari had in fact left her name behind. Further still, Lolorito had to accept with the calamity that his daughter may have become one more casualty of the event. Even after she reveals herself during the negotiations over helping the newly freed Ala Mhigo, despite a heart to heart between them, their relationship remains heavily strained and they rarely speak, being about business if they do at all.

Numeme Nume

Mamari’s mother who died when she was three years old overseeing a trip to Kugane to further the budding trading routes that had been established. Because of this early death, Mamari knows very little of her mother and who she was, but nonetheless they are strikingly similar in personality. Numeme was an imposing presence; this fact proved a necessity as head of a large and prosperous shipping business. She regularly oversaw the sailors for the most important deliveries or trade deals, serving as captain as well as owner of the ship.She first met Lolorito at the negotiation table during his earlier days. He sought to make ties with a successful shipping company to expand his own business further. They were partners for some time before Lolorito approached her as a courter, finding the woman’s strong personality and business savvy appealing. They soon were wed and permanently merged their corporations. They spent several years together before Numeme became pregnant with their daughter.

Rotert Ceadaux

Mamari’s first and only conjury teacher, he and Mamari grew as father and daughter during their time together. For his part, Rotert was naturally protective of Mamari. His death due to illness affected her profoundly, causing her to lose her cheerful demeanor she had held through much of her childhood.

Sia Reeve

Sia is arguably the most important person to Mamari, serving as a force of stabilization and as a reason to ease off some of her more damaging behaviors. Sia’s naturally cheerful demeanor is something Mamari finds infectious and she would go to great lengths to ensure it remains. Second to all else, even her own, is Sia’s happiness. This is something Mamari would freely admit to those who ask. Sia is also the first person Mamari reveals her past to, and still one of the only people who know her connection to Lolorito. The girl's own alcoholism worries Mamari profusely, driving her to cut back if only to try and encourage Sia to do the same.

Nanamo Ul Namo

Being scarcely a year apart in age and with Mamari’s own pedigree, it seemed almost predetermined that she and Nanamo would be encouraged to be friends. It was no small wonder that Lolorito pushed Mamari toward the friendship with the value it would have. In truth though, it didn’t take much for the two to become close being that their personalities meshed well. They lost touch for some time when Mamari left home and reconnected only after Nanamo awoke from her poisoning. This re-connection was aided in the fact that Mamari had spent some time believing her friend dead, which drove her to reveal herself when it was shown to be a false belief.

Emet Selch

Emet-Selch and Mamari first connected on the First during the time they spent together. Though none of her Scion companions would know, sans Y'shtola, she spent a great deal of time in his company when no one was looking and the two had several leasions before fate and Emet-Selch's own stubborn nature led to his demise. This drove Mamari deep into the bottle for the first time in several years until Y'shtola's timely intervention to help her begin to mourn his death properly.It was only months later, when she had finally began to emotionally recover, that she and Sia journeyed onto Elpis and met him along with Hythlodaeus in the world unsundered. If Emet-Selch were the wiser of the emotional strain Mamari felt in his presence, he made no attempt to show it. Having to part yet again at the end of their Journey to Elpis, Mamari barely managed to hold herself together for the continuation of their task with new information.

Hythlodaeus

Mamari first met the shade of Hythlodaeus that Emet-Selch had created in his rendition of Amaurot, though if he was only a shade remains a matter of debate. Feeling a draw toward them both for who they were and for the link to Emet-Selch they had, she visited them many times until their eventual vanishing. Her heart was already raw from the loss of Emet-Selch, this further dug at the grief she felt.They met again later, first on the moon as his actual spirit was freed from the captivity of Zodiark and then again on Elpis. Seeing Hythlodaeus on Elpis, for the first time in full form, pained Mamari dearly as she knew what was to come for him. For his part, Hythlodaeus recognized two things: the very sight of both he and Emet-Selch brought her pain and that her soul was the very color of familiarity. It was no small wonder to him to see the same soul color alongside Sia who shared Azem’s, considering this familiar color was that of Azem’s mother. The eventual parting was painful for Mamari, who again had to mourn the his loss.

Note: Short stories marked as (AU) deviate from FFXIV canon. Most of the time, its Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus not leaving at the end of Endwalker.

“I’m legitimately surprised you’ve not interfered, all things considered. I mean, you seemed rather keen to keep them separated.” Emet-Selch’s voice dripped with amusement and curiosity as Mamari stared over at her fresh company. She was seated in a quiet corner of the Wandering Stairs and had been nursing a drink for a fair bit of time. As for his part, he knew he still garnered some attention with his appearance as he was sure at least a few of the Crystarium residents had noticed his ability to pop up where he pleased without warning.After pondering it for a moment, she merely shrugged. “Much as I don’t like him at current, it’s a bit like trying to keep strong magnets separated. A good way to get a crushed hand if nothing else.” She’d take the pause to partake a small sip of her drink after speaking. The bottle she had ordered, albeit small for a wine bottle, was half empty. For a single person, this was no small amount of liquor given how strong the wine was, yet Mamari seemed to barely have a buzz going on.Taking his own moment to ponder, Emet-Selch shifted and sat himself in the booth she was in. “I’d feel rather irresponsible to leave you be any longer at this point. Most would be under the table by now. I insist on sharing, if only to keep you from drinking the other half by yourself.”

A smirk adorned Mamari’s face in response to that. “I’ll take the company if it doesn’t disappoint. And frankly, I hold my liquor better than most. Tends to be the case when you’ve experience with it.” Even though they held each other’s company quite regularly, Mamari had been tight lipped about any notion of her history. Perhaps, he thought, the liquor had loosened her tongue a bit.He would wave for a cup to be brought over and only spoke after filling the empty cup a waitress had sat in front of him. “You never struck me as a lush.”Mamari let out a chuckle at that. “Well, I do tend to try and curtail it now-a-days. If you were to have met me before we started playing at hero, you’d find me a more regular at the bottle and deeper in besides.”He tilted his head in curiosity. “I see.” He let a pause fall between them momentarily before finally speaking his next question. “Simply bad habit or legitimate sorrows to drown?” His amusement had died a little, though not out of boredom. It was times like these he had to remind himself of their uncomplete and fragmented nature. It was so easy to fall into the trap of empathy around her.

Mamari didn’t answer right away and seemed somewhat unsure if she should. After a time, though, she let out a sigh and rolled her shoulders in a shrug. “Debatable. At the very least, perhaps a stronger person wouldn’t have resorted to booze.” She drained her current cup and moved to grab the bottle for a refill.
Emet-Selch debated for a time before finally deciding to push a bit more. “And what sorrows are those, then?” He swore to himself it was mere curiosity. He’d never taken a chance to learn his would be ally’s pasts. Perhaps learning it would be of use. Or so he told himself.Mamari again did not respond in a timely manner, though Emet-Selch gave her leave to continue the silence without further questioning. After contemplating and clearly deciding at this point it could do little harm, she spoke again. “My father letting my master die despite the means to save him easily at hand. Leaving behind my pampered lifestyle and trying to survive as a novice goldsmith and pauper. Being on the streets of my city home when you and yours managed to trigger the calamity. Take your pick.”

At this, Emet-Selch found his lips curled into a frown. He had not expected so detailed an answer and the jab at him besides. “I see.” What could he say? The last one was probably the worst of all, and he was undeniably part of the cause. This question danced in his head for a time before his mouth seemed to move before his mind caught up. “Frankly, you seem to overestimate the strength of the majority. Most would succumb to the weight of what you just described, particularly alone. You at least survived it, even if you used liquor as a crutch to do so.”Mamari stared over with some surprise before shrugging again. “I’ve never seen it that way.” She nursed another drink from her cup after that, letting silence consume the air. She leaned deeper into the cushion of the booth, feeling the subtle, pleasant warmth of a heavier buzz start to come on. She should likely stop soon, or she’d regret it tomorrow.For his part, he simply watched her as she did this. A slight flush had overtaken her face and the ease she obtained from the warmth hitting her caused her features to relax more. His mind again jumped in its thoughts before he could stop them, suddenly taking note of the rich pink color of her lips. He cursed himself as he caught up with his mind, knowing where it was trying to lead. Yet, he could not deny the thirst that the wine could not appease. Would it hurt to indulge slightly as he done in the past? As incomplete as she was, he still found her presence a comfort. The feeling of her soul, even if it was in tatters, reminded him both of what he had lost and what he stood to gain.

As much as he wanted to scold himself for such thoughts, he found himself sliding closer to her. She wouldn’t notice this move until his hand slipped under her chin and cupped it gently as he turned her head toward him. “You’re lucky I came along. Some would try to take advantage of someone in your state.”Mamari felt her cheeks burn at the sudden shift in mood and the affection he was showing her. She could not deny the draw she felt toward him as much as she felt beside herself for it and now it made her painfully aware of how close he was as he hovered over her with his much larger stature. “They could try, at least.”For his part, he had almost hoped she would reject his advance and make this easier on him. Yet, she did not, and he leaned closer to her as his more immediate desires overrode any sense of danger toward his goals. Again, she did not reject him or turn him away. He was nearly twice her height. He would tilt her head upward more as his hand rested more on her neck now to do so. At the same time, he bent his own head downward and touched his lips to hers.

The contact was light at first, as if the moment itself was fragile and could easily break. But as the mutual trepidation eroded away and was consumed by the desire both held, the kiss deepened into a passionate exchange. Mamari’s hand had moved up and gently wrapped around the wrist of the hand under her chin as the passion overtook their actions. When it finally ended, both were left a bit out of breath.They lingered that way for some time with their faces still dangerously close before Emet-Selch finally broke the silence. “Perhaps you should retire for the night, hmm?”Mamari merely nodded a little with her eyes half lidded. “Perhaps you wouldn’t mind walking me back.” With what had just transpired, both knew fully the implications of her suggestion. Emet-Selch let out a low chuckle as he untangled himself from her and rose to his feet. He offered his hand out and she took it as she got to her feet as well. No one noticed as the two slipped away together, out of the bar and to the personal room Mamari had been given in the city’s quarters.

When she awoke the next morning, he had already taken his leave. Yet, there were signs that lingered he had been there. Sitting on the nightstand next to a large glass of water and a small bowl of fruit was a necklace. The simple geometric design of twisted metal hanging from black cord made Mamari smile despite the slight headache she nursed. Only after placing it around her neck and dressing did she partake of the food and drink he had left for her.

The Wandering Stairs. So called for its proximity to the common quarters of many of the Crystarium residents who wandered in and out of the establishment, one more now wandered in. Her black dress framed her body and the stave upon her back spoke of her skill as a mage. Y’shtola’s head turned on a swivel, eying the various patrons of the tavern with disinterest until she spotted the one that she was searching for. The lalafell she'd come in search of was seated in a corner booth far from the door and most of the other patrons besides. As she approached, she could see she was already deep in her cups. While they all knew her love of liquor, she normally showed restraint and never consumed so much at once.“Mamari…” Y’shtola spoke her name after approaching to grab her attention, though it was laced with worry as well.For Mamari’s part, she merely dully glanced over. She’d been halfway to another drink but stopped and lowered the cup back down. “Was I wrong to assume we’d have the night free?”The miqote sighed. “No, no, its nothing like that. Its just…” Unable to find words to describe the sight in front of her, she merely slowly swept her hand across the air in a gesture that spoke to what she currently saw.

A sigh echoed from Mamari’s lips. “I’m fine. Just… enjoying a bit more than normal…”But the insistence fell on deaf ears and Y’shtola took a seat next to her as she spoke. “You don’t seem it.” Her lips curled into a frown as she continued. “Mamari, may I hazard a guess as to what is actually going on?”Mamari glanced over before grimacing. “I suspect you will no matter what I say, so get it over with.” Admittedly, her already sour mood was growing pricklier by the moment.Though, if what Y’shtola knew to be true indeed was, then she couldn’t rightly blame her. “You were in love with Emet Selch, yes?”Despite herself, Mamari seemed to freeze at those words and the panic was for a moment obvious on her face. She’d only told Sia and thought she’d hid it well besides. “I…”Her reaction was enough to confirm her suspicion and Y’shtola reached out. Her hand moved to rest upon the smaller one gripping onto the cup. “It’s alright, I’ve no intent to tell the others or have any inkling of ill for it. But we both know… this is not the way to deal with this.” She guided the other’s hand down so she would gently sit the cup upon the table.

There was no resistance to the act and Mamari willingly loosened her grip on the cup. Despite her attempts to keep her own emotions at bay, she could feel a rush of them digging at her. Tears pricked her eyes and an unease set into her hands that left them quivering. She’d already been so close to cracking and now to have it so plainly said to her was proving to be more than she could handle.Y’shtola’s lips remained curled into a frown as she moved herself closer to her fellow Scion. She wrapped her arm loosely around her shoulders and pulled her into a gentle side hug. “It’s okay, Mamari. It’s okay to hurt about this. You needn’t entertain guilt over your own feelings.”The tears which pricked her eyes finally began to freely fall. “He nearly killed Sia. He… He was an enemy, I…” Her friend’s affection and permission had finally opened the floodgates to everything Mamari was trying to contain.

For her part, Y’shtola kept her arm in place and kept her close as one sister would do another. “And you loved him. Which makes that all worse.” Her lips were still curled into a frown. “Its okay to condemn his actions and still mourn his death and how things happened. Please, don’t deny yourself that.”Mamari shook as slient weeping overtook her smaller frame as she leaned her head onto her friend’s shoulder. For her part, Y’shtola would reach up and gently stroke her hair as a means of comforting her. It was times like these that she remembered Mamari had only just reached her 24th year recently. She was 8 years her junior and still so young besides.This would continue for some time before Mamari finally began to calm herself again. Y’shtola merely smiled sadly. “I do hope you feel a bit better having let that out.” She merely received a nod in response to that and continued. “Do you think you’re able to find yourself to bed? I believe you’ve done plenty of drinking for the night.”The lalafell reached up to clean her face and nodded again. “I can manage, yes.” They shifted apart and both stood.

After doing so, Y’shtola nodded. “Then, I think you should forego any further liquor and go rest instead.”Nodding weakly in response, Mamari let out another sigh. “Yes, that’s probably best. I suddenly feel… rather spent anyhow.”Y’shtola showed another sad smile. “Understandable. But… in the future don’t feel as if you need to carry this kind of weight alone. Thancred and Urianger have been worried about you as well. It’s not as if they can’t tell something was wrong. They just don’t have the observational skills on these matters that I do.”Taking a breath in, Mamari nodded. “Right… right. I’ll remember that.” She gave a lackluster wave before turning toward the steps nearest to the building that held her lodgings on the first. Her chest still ached, and her heart still felt heavy with emotions, but even so they felt a bit easier to carry now.

Mamari stepped through the slowly dilapidating city streets. It was undeniable that the illusion was beginning to collapse under its own aetheric strain. As her hand ran along the wall of the building she walked past, she could feel the still faintly beating aether of its creator. This would be her last visit here; her ride home had come, and she had to leave this place behind. Only Sia knew she came here so often. Only she knew of the hole that still ached in her heart that their victory brought.Yet she could manage a smile when she heard the chuckle of the shade approaching her. “Back again, I see.”Mamari nodded. “One last time, I suppose.”The shade paused to cock his head in curiosity. “Oh, last?”She nodded again with a slight sigh. “I must return to my body soon if I want to have one to return to. And we have the means for me to do so.”

The shade nodded in return. “I see.”The lalafell looked upward toward him. “Will you be alright? I can have someone else come in my stead, if you feel you’d need company at some point.”The shade now shook his head slowly back and forth. “No. Fitting that this is your last visit.” He looked at his hands for a moment. “Much like the rest of this place, my existence is wavering. I seems I will depart soon as well.”She perked up as a somewhat panic-stricken look overtook her face. “I…”For his part, the shade suddenly leaned down, pulling her into a hug. “You need not look so. I accepted my temporary existence a time ago. Smile for me, instead.”Mamari felt her eyes well up with tears, but she returned the hug, forcing a smile as he had requested. “I… I understand. If you’re sure, I won’t… worry for you.”

He nodded, lingering in the hug as he spoke again. “For… what my existence brought you in comfort, I am most glad. It gave me meaning in this ephemeral time I’ve been here.” He nodded. “Know that he loved you. He loved you dearly, despite himself. And the person whom I am a shade of did as well.” Finally, he let her go as he continued. “I know you were so deeply loved by both, my friend. And in a dearest parting wish, I hope you should know it too.” He looked down at himself, his form beginning to fade now. “With that final wish, I have spent my all. I lingered and waited, hoping the thin veil would not burst before I could tell you. And now I have. So, farewell… my dear friend.”She watched helplessly as what remained of his form dissolved into aether. The last thing he saw was her smiling face despite her freely falling tears. They only gave way to sobs after the last of him was gone, leaving the young woman among the nameless other shades, none of whom were aware of her cries over their fading fellow.

At first, all Mamari saw was black, and she could only make out faint whispers of speech. However, there was a distinct feeling of warmth as she felt familiar aether envelope her. With time, her vision began to fade in and the voices became more distinct. She could tell that there was a nearby scramble over something, but what she wasn’t sure. She herself was sprawled across Hades’ and Hythlodaeus’ laps. Hades was supporting her shoulders to hold her up, his other hand holding hers up and gripping it gently as both poured aether forth to try and stabilize her condition. As her consciousness fully returned and her eyes opened, both gave an audible sigh of relief. When she lifted her head, their aether would slow to a trickle in reaction.Hythlodaeus managed to smile. “Thank the heavens….”However, Hades did not likewise do the same. Instead, his lips curled into a scowl. “A fine state you came back to us in. Really, what were you thinking?” He sighed, gripping her hand a bit tighter. “We stayed for you, Hydalaen’s magic be damned. And then you go and nearly get killed. How do you think we’d have felt if we hadn’t been able to pull you back?”Mamari lightly gripped his hand back though she still felt a certain amount of weakness from aether expenditure. “I’m sorry.” She managed a weak smile. “It wasn’t my intent to worry you so much.”

He merely sighed in response. “Of course not. But you still did.” He leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against her forehead. “Rest more. Sia is turning a corner as well, she should be fine. But you’ve spent a dangerous amount of aether beyond what we can provide. So, rest is what you need to do.”Mamari relaxed at that news and nodded before letting her head lean back into his arm once more. Hythlodaeus reached out and gently brushed his hand past some of her bangs. His smile had not faded as he spoke. “Sleep well.”The lalafell returned his smile with one of her own briefly before she faded back into slumber. It would not be long before Thancred approached. “I take it from the slow of aether, she’s alright?”Hythlodaeus nodded. “She will be given some rest. Unlike Sia, whose wounds were mostly physical, she exhausted a great deal of her aether and even ate away a small amount of her soul. The damage will heal given time, but she will still need time for it to do so.”Thancred sighed. “Alright, thank you for the update.” He turned back toward Sia. “She’s likely to regain consciousness soon as well. And probably not need much else in treatment or rest once she does. But either way, thank you for treating her while the others dealt with Sia’s wounds.”

Hythlodaeus smiled and nodded again. “Of course. Our own attachment to Mamari aside, we were best fit to treat her. Mamari’s wounds are more aetheric in nature than Sia’s and so leaving her to the aetherically inclined makes sense.”Thancred nodded and glanced at her once more before turning back to head toward those treating Sia and informing them Mamari at least was well, albeit in need of rest.Hades sighed after he retreated. He could still feel the mistrust in him. But he couldn’t blame him considering all that happened. Hythlodaeus let out a chuckle. “Relax, they will move past it given time. And in the meantime, they seem to trust me well enough to keep you in line.”Hades was irked at this statement. “Keep me in line? Hah, you’re the one who needs that.”Hythlodaeus gave a coy grin at that leaned himself lightly against him as he continued to watch over their third. For all their banter, Hades had no complaints about him doing so.

“I know you stayed for us. Not yourself.”Hades glanced over from his brooding, having taken a seat on the balcony of their room. “Oh?” This statement had gotten Hythlodaeus to look up from his book as well, a weak frown adorning his features. Hades would not speak much on the matter before they withdrew to rest, despite it being part of earlier conversation. Perhaps Mamari wished to encourage him to share more.With a nod, Mamari walked over to where Hades had been lingering in the room since they retired there. “I know you try and hide it, but its not hard to see you’re still as world-weary as you were when we first met.” She folded her arms behind her back as she leaned her shoulders against the balcony railing. “I don’t mean it as an accusation. Just an observation.”Hythlodaeus gently tucked his bookmark in between the pages and sat it aside before rising and stepping over as well. “Considering my location at the time, I don’t much know what transpired. But Mamari is rarely wrong on such matters, or so I’ve noticed as have you.” He smiled sadly. “Considering what you have elected to tell me, I can fully understand the sentiment.”A sigh echoed after a moment. “You both worry overmuch about the matter. I am fine. Really.”

The Lalafell merely shook her head at the response. “That’s not what I’m saying, Hades. To be blunt, you’ve always insisted your fine, even when you’re not. Even when you’re about to break, you’re still fine because you feel you are required to be.” She looked over now. “I just… think you deserve to be ‘not fine’ as it were.”The other male spoke to join her chorus. “She’s right, my friend. You’ve long played the role of a pillar of the Ascian group along with Lahabrea and Elidibus. Bolstering it, holding it up, nurturing it. Even relieved of that weight now, you’ve grown so accustomed to it, you’ve no longer an idea of what its like not to carry it. All Mamari is saying… is that is alright to acknowledge it was a weight. That you’re relieved perhaps. Or sorrowful. You no longer must be okay; you no longer must uphold that weight.”Mamari merely smiled at the slight scowl which twisted Hades’ face. “On the other hand, you don’t have to force yourself either. If I’m off the mark and you’re legitimately okay, I’m glad. I just… want you to know you’re allowed not to be.” She paused for a moment before reaching out from behind her back, lightly sat her hand upon his which had been resting upon his knee.He would stare down at her hand for a moment before his scowl melted into a frown. “I’m not who I once was. I am no longer the young man I was in Elpis. By all rights, I have obscene amounts of blood on my hands. Lives I didn’t even see as lives.” His hand flipped to lightly wrap around the smaller hand on his. “Are you two merely daft of it? Or do you simply ignore it?”

Hythlodaeus chuckled at that. “Hades, you say that as if Mamari is guiltless. Or that I would be had I not been part of Zodiark.” The other male glanced up at that as he continued. “Its doubtless that Mamari has likely lost count of the lives she’s taken in her tenure as hero. While it may pale in comparison to your count, one is just as bad as many. But this world is mired in blood, I’ve found. There is no good, there is no bad. There are merely the actions we take and what we think is the best choice out of many.”Her head nodded at that, sighing. “He’s correct. Just because people hail me as hero doesn’t mean I haven’t done my share of killing in the name of what I thought was best. I’m no less or more guilty than you, at least in that aspect. Perhaps… with that in mind, neither of us deserve happiness. Yet, I don’t particularly care. Deserved or not, I won’t self-flagellate over what I’ve done.” She seemed to consider her next words for a moment before speaking them. “Your dying words were to remember. The way I see it, all those lives I took deserve the same. If I stop moving forward, I stop making those deaths mean something. In a world full of death, the most we can do is make those lives we have taken have meaning.”Hades merely stared for a moment before closing his eyes. “Using my own words against me seems poor sport.”Another chuckle echoed from Hythlodaeus. Mamari joined in this one before speaking again. “Frankly, there is a reason I’ve taken a step back from active heroism and battle.”

The former ascian nodded. “You don’t intend to drag me into another battle, I know. Not unless its one I choose first.” His eyes opened again as he considered what he was about to say. “I’ve long said I was tired. But I don’t think I felt it so keenly before.” He nodded his head after a moment. “Perhaps its because, for once, I sorely wished I could feel something other than that exhaustion about the world. Suddenly I am granted my most selfish wish, yet here I am unable to truly enjoy it.”Hythlodaeus stepped closer to him, enough to touch his lips to his forehead. “I cannot undo your exhaustion. But we’ll both stay with you until you’re well rested again. Even if that takes what is left of our now limited lifetimes.” Hades looked between them with Mamari nodding when he looked to her. With a silent nod, he managed a weak smile.

Mamari’s face was adorned with a weak smile as she spoke with her friend across the table as she swirled the wine in her glass. Normally, all four would be at this table but considering it was nearing the deepest point of the night and the two had retreated not long ago, only Nanamo and Mamari were left still nursing drinks. For her part, Nanamo had just let out a giggle of amusement at the joke her friend had just made. Despite her lingering grief at Raubahn’s death, the event which now had her taking time away from the crown to recover, her friend still managed to draw out levity from her. Of this she was grateful as it made the sorrow in her heart weigh just a tiny bit less.However, their pleasant wind down was interrupted as Mamari’s ear twitched in response to the buzz of her linkpearl. With some annoyance, she sat her cup down and nodded to Nanamo. “Thal’s balls… One second, its buzzing.” The sultana nodded as Mamari touched her ear. She really had far more patience than most assumed given that it was so deep into the night and yet she was still willing to reply to such a late call.

Hancock could be heard on the other side of the line and began to speak the moment Mamari opened the line. “Ahh, wonderful that you picked up. I feared with it so late in your part of the world you might be asleep.”The lalafell’s mood instantly soured the moment she realized who had called her. “And you best have a good reason for taking the risk of waking me or I’m liable to make Kugane my next port to have a ‘word’.”Hancock’s voice became sickeningly chipper. “So like your mother. I do apologize. But I felt the matter urgent enough to take the risk of your ire.”An audible sigh of annoyance crossed her lips before she spoke again. “And what, pray tell, is the urgent matter? Get on with it.”

His voice now took a serious edge to it. “Of course. As it were, Lord Lolorito had recently set out upon a vessel at sea. You see, one of our most honored customers in the far east requested he personally oversee an ongoing and vital trade between them. They simply would not accept me acting in his stead. And with the airships so preoccupied with the issues in Meracydia, sea was his only means to travel on such short notice.”Mamari could feel her eye muscle twitch involuntarily from the sheer wish that he would get to the point. Ever wordy, he was. “Your point?”Hancock sighed. “Well, it would be quite normal for us to remain in regular communication so I could better prepare. And… it’s been two days since I heard from my Lord. I’ve been ringing him most of the day, yet the line remains worryingly silent.” He paused before continuing. “I’m quite aware you have a poor relationship with my Lord given your history. But given his vital role in Ul’dah and the fact that I am aware of the sultana’s presence with you at current, I thought it could be no harm to reach out. Perhaps you would be willing to make your port in Kugane.”

While this call had gone on, Nanamo had been watching. She noted Mamari’s face contorted in increasing annoyance before suddenly growing quite blanch. After a moment to process what Hancock had related to her, she spoke again while simultaneously digging within her bag. “I’m getting out my map now.” She hastily shifted her drink to the side and unrolled the well-loved parchment. “Okay, I want the route they were taking. Now.” The last word practically snapped from her lips, betraying the sudden urgency she felt.Hancock nodded and began relaying various points in longitude and latitude. For each one given, Mamari placed a small disc of glass at the point which she also pulled from her bag. Her eyes narrowed as he finished, for the last disc she placed was uncomfortably close to a handwritten note upon the map of her own doing. Penned delicate and neat were the words “Sirensong Sea”.After the information was relayed, Mamari finally spoke again. “I’ve an idea of what happened. And it’s nothing good. We’re on the north side of Meracydia now, the locale I believe he’ll be is less than a day’s journey by ship.”

Relief could be clear in his voice as he spoke again to bid farewell. “You have my most humble gratitude, Mamari. Do be safe, and please feel free to call me should you need something within my means to help with.”Mamari sighed again before offering a short, one-word farewell and ending the call. She felt Nanamo’s eyes on her and she nodded some. “Lolorito was requested in Kugane personally to oversee a trade. The stones on the map represent the coordinates Hancock had for the movements of the ship he took.”The sultana felt a deep frown as she followed with her eyes the line they created. “I know it’s quite rare for him to travel by sea. You’ve put a note here. What is the Sirensong Sea?”The fellow Lalafell could only rub her face in frustration before finally mustering a response. “It’s a ship graveyard of sorts, complete with the souls of the damned. I suspect they’ve ran aground there as we did during our first journey to Kugane.” Once explaining, Mamari began to gather the glass beads as well as the map to return to her bag.Nanamo frowned. “Should we set out right away?”Mamari shook her head. “No. We’ll take our rest first and leave at dawn. Rushing in running on empty will do more harm than good.” She frowned. “Though it might, frankly, be more advisable for you to remain here. We’ll undoubtedly be going into a fight.”

Nanamo shook her head. “I will if you insist. However, I would prefer to come if you feel I can do so with any guarantee of safety.”Her friend mulled it over before nodding. “As long as you do as I say, then alright. I just wanted to make sure you’re aware this could be dangerous.” She glanced at her mostly empty cup before picking it up and draining it in one go.The sultana could only muster a weak smile. “To bed, then?” Mamari merely nodded in response, and they rose from their seats to make their way to their room.For Mamari, sleep would elude her, and she barely managed to keep her eyes closed before she felt the first warm rays of the sun peak through the curtains.As he rose, awoken by the sun as well, Hades quickly took stock of how on edge Mamari was. Questioning her state, the lalafell relayed the information she had learned from the call and where they were now bound for. Hades could only sigh. “Never a dull moment, I suppose.” He set about rousing Hythlodaeus. Despite his pension for claiming to enjoy sleep, it was his fellow that took a good deal more effort to wake up.

However, despite what felt like a slow start, the sun would only just be reaching the point where it no longer touched the horizon when they set out. Procuring passage was no hard task and by the time the sun had been visible for two bells, they’d be on their way. For this leg, all was quiet save Mamari’s antsy energy. She’d not speak it, ever, but the worry for her father was etched clear on her face.By midmorning, however, things started to liven up in the worst way. A strange fog would be the first sign of trouble, rolling in over the otherwise calm waters. For her part, Nanamo hugged herself and rubbed her arms nervously. “There’s some unnatural chill here. I suppose considering our destination, I shouldn’t be surprised, yet...”Mamari merely nodded at the discomfort her friend expressed. “Just remain close by. If this goes anything like last time, we’ll be encountering hostile spirits sooner than later.” As if in response to this statement, the fog began to thicken and the splashing of creatures along the sides of the boat could be heard. With a scowl on her face, she drew her scythe-like stave that served well for both curative magicks and offensive attacks. Hades and Hythlodaeus responded to her action in kind and drew their own weapons.

After several tense moments, the first sign of the coming danger took the form of a hand grabbing onto the railing of the ship. They hoisted themselves up and an unnatural groan echoed through the air. Their blue skin spoke volumes to their existence as an undead creature climbing aboard the vessel. Scarcely did it step foot upon the deck before it was waylaid, however. Mamari drew first blood with a spell of light, the intensity of it knocking them back beyond the railing again. The other two followed suit with Hades blasting a fireball in another’s direction while Hythlodaeus scored an arrow to one of their hands to throw them back off before they even touched the deck.It would carry on for several minutes and several men before finally there were no more attackers left. Nanamo had quickly drawn herself closer to Mamari, hiding behind her slightly in fear. It was now that she realized perhaps it had been better if she had taken her friend’s advice to remain behind, yet she still trusted Mamari’s skill and experience to see her through.As they forced back the last of them, Mamari glanced back at her before frowning as her stave was returned to her back. “If you’re going to insist on coming on these types of excursions, we’re going to discuss arming you properly. I know you’ve a small knife for emergency, but I’d rather you more than that to defend yourself.” Nanamo nodded as she took a breath to ease her heart rate.

As she felt calm replacing the instinctive fear again, she would finally speak. “Yes. Yes, I think that wise.”They’d barely finished conversing when one of the sailors called out to alert them to the land they were quickly approaching. Mamari moved over to the railing of the deck and leaned out slightly to get a better look. The rocky outcropping was like what she recalled. Additionally, they were not the only intact ship upon this landing. Within sight was an anchored ship landed at the same outcropping. Mamari scowled and called out to the sailors and their captain. “Bring us as close as safely possible, I think this is our missing ship!”The commander of the ship obliged the request, and they were able to anchor close enough that they could practically step over the railing of their ship onto this other one. There was a bustle faintly visible on the deck of the other ship and soon several clearly unnerved sailors could be seen through the fog. Mamari had moved to the side closest to the ship and upon seeing that she would call out again. “What are your colors!?”She’d be called back quickly, every sailor upon the deck rushing over to the edge of the fellow vessel and several calling back variations of Ul’dah. Mamari frowned, grabbing onto a rope attached from railing to mast and hoisting herself up onto it. “I’m coming across!” She stopped her jump only a moment to look toward Nanamo. “Stay with Hades and Hythlodaeus, this shouldn’t take long.” After seeing her friend nod, she leapt across and landed upon the deck of the other ship.

One sailor called out. “You’re Mamari Mari, aye!?”A nod to the question was given and she looked at them. “Is your commander still hale and whole?”Instead of one of the deckhands replying, she’d hear another voice near the wheel. “Aye, I am by some miracle.” The female voice stepped down from the bridge onto the main deck. “I would say I didn’t think we warranted such a rescue, but considering our primary passenger, it’d be a lie.”Mamari nodded. “What state is your ship? Is she sailable?”The captain shook her head. “Nay, she’s run aground upon the rocks. Even if we were to free her, I fear the damage to the hull is too dire to trust her any longer.”Without a second thought, Mamari motioned to the ship she had leapt from. “Grab what supplies are still viable then and see those and your men transferred. I assume several of your men are likely unaccounted for, yes? If that’s the case, how many?”The captain frowned. “You’ve the right of it, I sent out a small search party who never returned and we’ve been waylaid with several dragged into the fog besides. Including Lolorito in the last attack. Including him, we’re short 6.”

Mamari’s lips curled into a frown at that. “While you get your men and supplies transferred, I’ll lead a search party for them. The spirits here are quick to take captives but slow to kill them, so there’s a chance all can still be saved.” She moved to hop upon the railing as she did when she jumped over and leapt back across. As she did, the captain of the grounded ship could be heard barking orders at the sailors to follow Mamari’s commands.Nanamo perked up when Mamari crossed back over and looked toward her waiting for her assessment. Mamari sighed, crossing her arms. “They’re sans several sailors and Lolorito has been dragged off as well. I’ve confidence that all will be found alive, so long as we move quickly.”Hythlodaeus nodded in response. “Then I suggest we split duties. I can remain here and defend our position here while you and Hades take to the front line.”Uncrossing her arms, Mamari turned to Hades. “Is that alright with you?”Hades let out a shrug. “I’ve no complaints. I’ll serve as the wall while you serve as the hammer then. Not your typical role, but you’ve always managed.”

At this, she simply chuckled and made her way toward the front of the ship where the rocks were near the height of the ship. Without any further words, he followed.Hythlodaeus smiled as they moved to depart. “Do be safe, and I’ll make sure we do the same.”Mamari walked forward onto the bowsprit and jumped from it to land upon the rocks not far below. However, she would wait for Hades to join her and allow him to take the lead after that. They’d find several groups of adversaries in the form of oversized sea creatures and more undead sailors. Just as planned, Hades kept their attention while Mamari did her best to put them down, all the while providing him with what healing she could at the same time.After fighting through many of these of these groups and sending all 5 missing sailors back toward the waiting ship besides, both would perk up as they heard the faint sound of a melody in the distance. Even at this range, it was clear that someone was singing. The tune was melancholy in nature and reverberated off the rocky terrain. Mamari glanced at Hades, and they shared a nod in silent agreement to follow the voice.The voice would lead them to a large clearing with land coral dotting the edges. The aether here was so thick that it was faintly visible and tipped both off that what they were about to face was an adversary not to be underestimated.

Yet, for all the mental preparation they could do to ready themselves for the confrontation they felt was coming, nothing would suit to prepare Mamari for what awaited them in the center of the clearing.A lalafell woman was seated against a blue-white coral-like tree. Lolorito lay next to her, his head resting comfortably in her lap with his mask discarded beside them. He was not quite slumbering but clearly befuddled none the less. The song was coming from this woman. Now that they had moved closer to the source, the lyrics that came from her were more understandable. It was an old bar song from Limsa Lominsa and spoke of a pair of lovers finally reunited after many long years apart.For her part, Mamari seemed waylaid by shock. Hades glanced at her, and a frown adorned his features at her clear discomfort.The woman before them wore a long trench coat with an open cut undershirt. Societal habits also had a bikini like tied cover over her chest under that. Her lower half was covered with a skirt. On her belt were two guns, a large more mini cannon like weapon and a small pistol. Her skin was unnaturally pale. She was clearly dead, yet she seemed wholly different from any of the other undead they had encountered.

Hades looked back to her after studying Mamari’s reaction. He had seen her somewhere before. It would take several moments before it dawned upon him. She was featured in a portrait within Hancock’s Kugane home. They had made a brief visit to what Mamari called “Lolorito’s right hand rat” before and the forward nature of the portrait’s placement made it stand out in his mind.The portrait was of Numeme; of Mamari’s lost mother. And now, at the end of their trek through this place, who should they find but her.Numeme would finish her song before finally looking over toward them. She stared for a moment before a smile adorned her lips. “Aye, it comes to this, then.” She carefully shifted Lolorito from his position and stood. “Come to reclaim him?”Mamari finally found her wits when she spoke, though she could feel a frown tugging at her lips. “We have.”Her mother’s spirit stepped forward, a shield springing up around the tree and guarding Lolorito. “Fine then. Come and take him.” She drew both guns, raising the smaller of the two toward Mamari. “Because I’ve no wish to give him up again so easily.”

Realizing the coming attack, Mamari shifted to the side moments before the gun went off and deftly avoided any damage. Hades scowled and gripped his sword. That was the opening attack of the coming fight.So it was that blow after blow was exchanged between the two and the spirit. Wounds were traded and blood was drawn on both sides. Yet, for all her bluster, Numeme’s face was that of revel. However inexplicable a reason it was, the spirit was clearly enjoying this fight.With a final blow, Mamari managed to drive the blade of her scythe stave into Numeme’s chest. A faint glow of aether began to seep from the injury as she collapsed to her knees. Her guns dropped from her hands, and one moved up to rest upon the wound. “So that’s… it…”The barrier around the tree faded and Lolorito could finally be heard stirring from his stupor. He rose to his feet and his eyes widened at the sight before him. Before he could think better of it, he rushed forward to Numeme, panic etched on his face as he leaned down next to her.She shifted, letting herself lean into him. “She really has grown so strong… she was scarce more than a babe when I left…”

Lolorito wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Numeme…”She laughed. “Its not like you… to be so emotional.” Despite her defeat, a smile adorned her face. She leaned into Lolorito more, savoring the feeling of his embrace as she slowly felt herself coming undone. Her gaze turned to Mamari and her smile brightened more. “Thank you for indulging my petty whim. I just… I wanted to know your strengths. And you didn’t disappoint.”She next reached up, her hand caressing Lolorito’s cheek. “I’m so sorry… for everything. For the pain, the grief…” Her eyes closed halfway, her form slowly fading into a transparent half existence. “I’ll always love you though, you silly fool. So please… stop punishing yourself.”Lolorito felt his eyes burn with tears, unable to find words as he hugged her shoulders fully. And like that, she was gone, faded into nothing.Mamari could not find words either, even with the praise directed at her. It would take minutes before she finally acted. And that action was to walk over to the tree and pick up the mask before returning to offer it out. There were no words between them. None were needed.

The heavy silence still lingered as he took it. He stared at it for a moment before wordlessly putting it on, hiding the tears which had fallen and still threatened to fall.Hades watched the two, ensuring nothing else transpired as they shared the moment of loss they both clearly keenly felt. They could talk at length later, but for now it seemed the silence between them was more needed.After a handful of seconds more, Mamari turned away and finally spoke. “We should return before something else comes.”At that, Lolorito also found his words. “Yes, that would… likely be best. Thank you.” The three began the journey back to the ship after that, Hades taking the front and Mamari taking the back, so Lolorito was in between and guarded unarmed as he was.There was still so much more to say between them. The complexities were layered, even more so now. But it would have to wait until they reached safety.(Not completed yet)