((Rather fitting theme for a rather bittersweet piece. Written in IC first person. Summary: Lili visits her late husband's headstone.))

((During the Enemy At The Gate event.))

A Forlorn Jakkya

Kiht Jakkya woke that afternoon to find that Miah was gone. She knew about the battle that was supposed to happen, but she was Gods knows where. It did not matter, she preferred that Miah was not there. She had told Miah that she would not act rashly. It was one of the rare times when Kiht lied.

She adorned her armor and leathers. She wrapped her bandana tight around her head. She slowly applied her war paint; the dark green of the Black Shroud. It was a reminder of what she was ultimately fighting for. She made her way to the Coffer and Coffin.

At the tavern, she did not recognize any faces. Sure, she knew the man in the black armor was Osric. She saw the Hyur woman with the white hair named Kanaria. However, these were not the people she knew. After Kiht heard his words, she came to believe that Osric was a broken man. It filled her with sadness, but she had one final job. Unlike him, she would not bow to the Garleans just because they placed a collar on her neck. Explosive or not, she was going to do what she had originally planned to do, or she would die trying.

When the groups began forming, she asked to join Osric's group. Her request was innocent, but her intentions were not. She had been acting like a grim statue the entire time; ignoring and blocking out most of the things being said and done. She had one mission now.

She followed the group to Ul'dah, and watched absently as they set off the bomb near the wall. Even the massive explosion did not shake her grim resolve. When she lined up at the gate with the terrorists and traitors, her gaze drifted to Osric. Her hand slowly moved to the hunting knife on her belt. Before this group of forlorn individuals could hurt a single defender of Ul'dah, she and Osric would go to Hells together. She was relatively sure a hunting knife to the collar would set it off; Set them both off.

However, something gave her pause. Something shook her from her grim trance. Out from the gate of Ul'dah was an expected sight; Erik Mynhier. Adorned in his Sultansworn armor, Kiht knew the brave man would be the first one out the gate. However, the small figure standing next to him was not who she expected..... Khloe Jakkya.

Kiht's clumsy Thaumaturge cousin who had earned the nick-name "Mouse" during their childhood, was standing there beside a Sultansworn! Kiht's eyes went wide in shock and awe as tears welled in them. The Morbolvine Clan had found Kahn'a in time. They were there, and ready to help defend Ul'dah. When more defenders emerged from the gate, Kiht's breath was taken away. Sultansworn, Immortal Flames, Mercenaries and the Morbolvine Clan. They outnumbered the attackers. They were an impenetrable wall of saviors.

Kiht had to struggle to keep her tears at bay. Hope was returning to her heart. There was no need for her to sabotage the terrorists now. Even if Kiht decided to fight, there would be little difference she could make. When the Garlean side charged, Kiht darted right for her cousin.

Khloe bore an expression of utter confusion. Kiht swung her lance over Khloe's head; yelling "duck!" before doing so. As expected, her cousin hit the dirt. Even if she hadn't, Kiht would have intentionally missed. "I am tired cousin. -Tired-." Kiht said to Khloe as she smirked. Khloe climbed to her feet, and smirked at Kiht in return. She cast a sleep spell at Kiht, and Kiht grinned widely as she did nothing to avoid the spell. "I love you." Kiht said to Khloe before she collapsed onto the ground, and fell into a deep sleep.