FFXIV Writing Challenge 2025 -- Call It A Day

It was never truly dark in Uldah. Even as the sun slipped behind its evening curtain, the first lights of the city were already beginning to twinkle to life. It made the city glow. A golden shell, tucked in the velvet blue of night’s coffer, gently wrapped in a glittering scarf of a thousand stars.

It was no wonder that, despite its many flaws, A’zav Tia was in love with the city.

He leaned against the rooftop’s parapet, practically daring the wind to push him off. It was a bad habit, really, testing fate this way. But the breeze was gentle tonight, a caress against his cheek that carried with it the smell of sweet wine and the song of the nightly performers. It was an invitation. A laughter-filled summons to dance, cajole, and spend the night in blind reverie, before the stern sun emerged to burn it all away.

It was a tempting offer.

The day’s exploits had been less than fortunate, to say the least. A wrong turn down an alley, a wrong word to the wrong guard. Faults that A’zav couldn’t even blame on his condition, as it was completely on his lack of attention to detail. Easily avoidable. And though he’d escaped from the noble’s house with a chest full of coins (and maybe a bottle or two of vintage wine), the run in with the Flames had left him with a foul bruise on his leg.

To forget the day with dancing and drinks was tempting, and there was a large part of A’zav that wanted to accept Uldah’s siren song.

But he was, admittedly, tired. And the weight of a full chest of gil rested contentedly at his hip. And, again, admittedly, he’d perhaps indulged into that vintage wine a bit too earlier in the evening.

So for now, all he could do was lean back against the parapet and closed his eyes, content to simply call it a day.