Part 1 -ObLitEraTioN

Zamis was born and raised on the Steppe into an outlier group of the Dhoro tribe. He was born to scientists, engineers, but most importantly, malicious zealots that called themselves the Chosen Ones. His tribe believed that there was a way to harness the power of Azim, the Sun, and Nhaama, the Moon, using scientific methods passed down through their tribe for centuries. They sought to harness this celestial power to wipe out every other tribe and person on the planet, so that they were the only ones that remained. They believed they were the 'chosen ones', and that when they were the only people left living on their star, the gods would smile upon them and welcome them to their domain to live out the rest of time.His father, Bodol Dhoro, was the head of their tribe. Zamis didn't see much of him in his early years, except on days where he could join his father in his lab to watch his experiments with a curiosity only born to one with scientifically-minded parents. His father was stoic and cruel, caring more about his tribe's divine purpose than of his child. This neglect led to the first instance in Zamis' life that he can remember. While he was in his father's lab, an experiment Bodol had been working on backfired, sending a scorching light brighter than the sun beaming through the lab. Though Bodol was unaffected due to having tinted goggles for safety, he had paid no mind to the safety of his son. Zamis was four years old when he last saw the light of day. Due to the mishap, Zamis' eyes became extremely sensitive to any kind of light, to the point he could only see in the dark with no direct lighting to avoid searing pain. His mother donned him with a blindfold that stayed secure to his head and completely blocked out light, never allowing Zamis back in his father's lab. Bodol rarely acknowledged Zamis after that, deeming him a lost cause.Luck isn't exactly the right word for it, but because he was so young, Zamis adapted fairly quickly to his loss of sight. His hearing grew sensitive, so much so he could hear when birds flew above him or the faintest sound of a footstep yalms away. Due to the nature of his tribe's ideals and the deep-rooted culture of the Dhoro tribe, they picked up and moved often, never staying in one place for long. Because Zamis' hearing was so delicate, despite his loss of sight, when he was old enough he took on the job of scouting out for any nearby people or tribes. He was often accompanied by his childhood friend, Zalitai. Zalitai and Zamis grew up together, becoming far closer to each other than their fanatics for parents. Zamis considered him his family, and they were rarely ever seen without the other nearby.Throughout the years, Zamis had honed his abilities to fight, gaining a reputation of not taking a single hit before he had his opponent on the ground. His curiosity only grew, daring to take off his blindfold in the darkest of rooms just so he could slowly read through stacks and stacks of books in the dark. His sight never slowed him down. He was able to do almost everything anyone else could do, some things even better. Despite this, he still felt the ever looming shame his father, and even his mother, felt towards him. It was hard for him to push aside, but eventually he learned to live with it, finding happiness in other places.

Over the years, Zamis grew to resent the cynicism and belief system of his tribe. Despite his father's hatred, Zamis was still set to inherit the role of Khan when he turned twenty. But, he couldn't stand the thought of taking his father's place in his experiments and the expectations that would weigh on him to carry on the radical ideals of his tribe. So on an impulse, he decided that the night before his twentieth birthday, he would leave. After much persuasion, he managed to convince Zalitai to leave with him, despite the other's reluctance. They set off in the middle of the night, simply picking a random direction and setting off. Many moons were spent under the stars, surrounded by nothing but tall grass and a peace they never truly felt growing up. This eventually led to their friendship developing into something closer. Zalitai was the first person Zamis loved, and he was ecstatic to hear that Zalitai felt the same. Zamis was entirely unaware, however, that Zalitai had always felt a... jealousy, when it came to him. Despite growing up with a disability, Zamis had always been the favorite and most accomplished in the tribe, and Zalitai was always in his shadow, developing a poisonous need for attention and power. His resentment had been festering for years, something that dulled in those long nights in the Steppe due to it just being the two of them, but he always wondered why he had been convinced to leave their tribe in the first place. But feelings aren't one dimensional, and soon Zalitai's resentment would burn anew, leaving behind nothing but ash.It wasn't long before they ran into the Garlean army. They were in the process of getting close to the Steppe's border when they were captured. They thought it was the end of the line for them, but instead of being made prisoners or put to death, by the mercy of one general that Zamis can no longer recall the name of, they were made into soldiers. They knew they had no choice in the matter, and that they would never rise in rank, but it wasn't a fate that was wholly hated. Zalitai in particular grew well into his role. He enjoyed the rigidness of training, the structure that he never truly had before. Zamis, though he hated being confined once more to a group with delusional ideals, still managed to excel despite his disability. His experience in combat and his heightened senses made him reliable, which made him admired amongst fellow soldiers. Zalitai saw this, saw how much their comrades grew from hating them to an almost friendship because of Zamis, and finally snapped.One night, their unit was assigned to search for and rescue a unit that had yet to come back from their mission to clear an extensive cave system. As their unit searched deep within the ground, they soon discovered a tear that, unbeknownst to them, led to the Thirteenth. When they reported back, they were simply told to 'bury it' without any explanation for what it was. They, of course, did as they were told, setting up explosives inside the cave with the tear all the way out to the entrance. When the rest of their unit left, it was Zalitai and Zamis that remained to finish setting up the detonator before they had to leave. It was in this moment, when they had just finished, that Zalitai found his opportunity. He pulled Zamis in for what was meant to be a quick, discrete embrace. As Zalitai pulled Zamis to him, his hands braced on Zamis' shoulders, and before Zamis could move his arms, with one quick, hard push, he sent Zamis falling back into the portal to the void. The last thing Zamis saw before he vanished was the almost sad, but wholly resolute expression on Zalitai's face. He found himself falling, falling in darkness for what felt like an eternity, nothing but pure confusion and shock flooding his mind... until he landed on solid ground, cracking his head against a ledge, his thoughts replaced with a sudden flash of pain, then nothing.

Part 2 - IniQuItY

Zamis woke up to complete darkness... and with no idea how he got there, or what had come before. The fall was hard enough to completely erase the past, something that one could arguably call a mercy, but left him feeling empty. But somehow, he managed to survive thanks to two voidsents who had yet to give in to the cold ruthlessness that had infected the Thirteenth. They were both powerful in their own right, but had given up on their lust for power and aether to instead wander the star together, trying to find some way to save it.Instead of consuming him, [REDACTED] convinced his brother, Shal, to try to help Zamis, not wanting to leave him for dead- or for other voidsents to consume. Many days had gone by before Zamis woke up, and it was even longer before he was able to trust the two that had brought him back to health. Soon, though, he realized that without them, he wouldn't survive in a world he didn't understand- especially coming from one he didn't remember. Slowly, through much time and effort on the brother's part, Zamis grew to trust them. Where one brother was eager about it, quickly gaining a closeness to Zamis that he would swear to himself felt familiar, but he couldn't quite place it, Shal was... different. He had a certain look in his eyes that showed just how the Void had affected him, but one he thought he kept well under lock and key, buried deep within his mind and heart. Though Zamis didn't have practice in recognizing subtle expressions, there was an unsettling, disturbed feeling he could never really shake when Shal looked at him.Despite his forgotten memories, Zamis did remember why he needed his blindfold, and what had caused him to wear it. Though by some twist of fate, it was soon discovered that, though the Thirteenth wasn't entirely lacking light, he could see the world around him without feeling pain. It amazed him so much it brought tears to his eyes, and for the first time in what he felt was many, many years, he took off his blindfold and had no need to put it on again. For years that summed decades, he travelled the Void with the men who saved him, helping the two brothers in their goal of trying to restore their world to what they remembered it once being. Through their travels, Zamis grew closer to the brother that was the first to be kind to him. Many nights were spent looking at the vast darkness of the sky, talking about past and present, getting ever closer. This was the second time Zamis had fallen in love.Zamis never felt the Thirteenths' influence on him like it did to the world's inhabitants. This was due to a faint echo that he didn't know was within him, and it was a question that he never had answered.Zamis was well into his older age when Shal couldn't suppress the Thirteenth's impact any longer, the sight of Zamis and his brother so close fueling the darkness within him. They had traveled far following an aether trail that they suspected would lead them to another tear. Over the years, Zamis had helped close many of them, never finding a need to see what was beyond. They were getting close to it, deciding to rest right before they reached it. It was then when Shal asked Zamis' partner if they could talk, leaving Zamis' sight. He thought nothing of it, settling down to sleep when he heard a sudden, pained yell.Now, he knew the Thirteenth and its residents well at this point, having lived there for as many years as he had.

He'd gotten into many fights, and knew just how dangerous it was. So when he heard that yell, he was instantly up and grabbing his weapon- a blade he had found discarded long ago in a ruin- and rushed to the noise, his panic rising. He knew that voice like the back of his hand, and knew [REDACTED] was in trouble.He came upon the scene, crushing panic and shock filling him at the sight. There was his partner, bloodied and torn to pieces, slashes running down his body like a large animal had clawed into him in one fell swipe. Zamis ran to his side, desperately checking for a pulse. By some miracle, he felt a faint thread of a heart beat, but knew there wasn't much he could do to save him in this state. He hung his head, choking back acceptance of the other's fate, when he heard Shal's voice behind him. It was a voice that still haunts his dreams to this day, the coldness and touch of delight so misplaced in the sight of such tragedy. "You know we can save him. Accept the deal."Despite his partner quickly dying in front of his eyes, Zamis hesitated. For the years he'd been here, Shal had persistently asked him if he'd be willing to accept a voidsent into him. Every time Zamis said no, for he saw the consequences of what could happen firsthand, and wanted nothing to do with it. He already felt his mind wasn't his own because of his memory loss, and didn't want something else invading it like a sentient leech. That and the instinctual, self-preserving feeling he got every time he looked at Shal made him keep his distance, only playing nice because of his and his partner's relationship.But now, in his most desperate hour, Zamis felt- no, knew- he had no choice. He said yes, wanting nothing more than to save [REDACTED], no matter what would happen to him. As it goes, as soon as he accepted Shal's deal, he knew he'd made a mistake. The other's memories quickly flooded his mind in a sea of fire, forcing him to relive the moment Shal attacked his own brother, all so Shal could finally force Zamis to accept a contract with him.He felt Shal eating him from the inside out, stripping him of who he once was into something... not new, but monstrously different. Pain pulled his bones apart, extending them far beyond their limits, muscles stretched and snapped at the rapid growth, nail beds burst to make room for large claws, gums tore and teeth fell out to make room for razor sharp rows of fangs, his tongue burned and tore as it stretched and grew scales. The worst pain of all was the sharp, stabbing knife of fire in his left eye, burning it dark purple, sealing their contract. He blinked, and the next second his partner was dead in his arms, not wanting to accept that it was his hands- used like a puppet by the monster inside him- that had done it. With what little scraps of thought he had left, he knew he had to go- *somewhere, anywhere- knowing being in the Thirteenth like this meant he would become one of the many wandering voidsents he'd fought off. He had nothing left here, destroyed so quickly by himself and a man he thought he could trust on some level, despite his instincts screaming at him not to. So, blindly, he started crawling towards that trail of aether, his voidsent forcing the memory of his partner's slaughtering over and over in his mind like a horrific night terror he couldn't wake up from.He still can't recall to this day how he managed to find the portal. The amount of pain in his body and the memories stabbing through his mind's eye made him feel immobilized in grief and fear, but somehow, he managed to find it and fling himself through it, out of the place he had called home through his adulthood and back to a land he'd long forgotten. Without the void's influence, the pain lessened to a tolerable degree, but not without leaving its permanent mark on both his body and his mind.

Part 3 -EfFulGenCe

Zamis arrived in Gridania much like he left the Steppe, but less confused and far more aware of how much pain one can go through. He had a voidsent stuck inside him, he resembled a monster, and the Sun had returned in its full, painful glory.It was a dark year for Zamis. Losing his partner to someone he had his reservations about, but still trusted with his life, left a deep wound in his heart. Shal, now his voidsent, was relentless in his onslaught of berating and forcing unwanted memories into Zamis' mind. He was blind again after knowing so many years with sight. The oddest result to come out of it was that apparently, accepting Shal into him seemed to have effected his age, making his body young again but his mind remaining the same.It took him a long time to accept that he wasn't the one who killed his partner. He made a mistake by accepting the deal and the guilt ate away at him like an animal gnawing at his bones, but despite the voidsent screaming in his head reminding him of his failure, he morphed his guilt into pure, white-hot anger at the thing inside him. It also took him a long time to figure out how to control his voidsent to the point where he was able to have small moments of silence, despite knowing there were always eyes inside him, watching him. He couldn't sleep very much or very well, learning how to constantly keep his guard up and his mind steady and strong. He knew that if he slipped, even for a second, his voidsent could take over, causing him to blackout and lose hours of his life, waking up to scenes more horrific than the last. He figured out how to accept his changed appearance, despite the purple glow of his scales and the way he developed small scars from biting his mouth with his new, sharp teeth. He made a home in the Shroud, away from the prying eyes of curious, but hateful people (could he blame them?), living on survival instincts he couldn't remember honing in a past life, taking odd jobs where he could for gil that he didn't know what to do with but knew would come in handy should he need it.He was constantly haunted by his voidsent and what had happened in his old home, but he found a new normal. He even made a friend, then two, then a small handful that didn't have the same hateful eyes that people usually gave him for his large, voidsent-like appearance. He was living half alive, but clinging on to the small, happy things he could that made him continue to march on, despite fighting the urge to fall to his knees. He kept a journal that he still writes in to this day, recording every little memory he has, no matter how insignificant, in a desperate attempt to record his life for fear he'll forget it again.

He had been living in Gridania for five years before he met Katsu. He took a job posting from the board that had a meeting place and time and paid well, which brought him to the Quicksands in Ul'Dah. While he waited, he happened to sit right across from another Xaela, though he couldn't see him at the time. To make a long story short, they hit it off instantly, meeting again and again after that, finding conversation easier with him than Zamis had found with anyone else. Being with Katsu was the first true ray of Sun he'd felt since he lost his sight, and despite all the walls he tried to build and the fear that permeated that scar in his heart, Katsu was the third person Zamis fell in love with.Through Katsu's friend, Tai, they found a way to treat Zamis' eyes, treating his lifelong ailment. In the end it succeeded and soon enough Zamis could take off his blindfold for the last time, never needing to wear it again.Despite his voidsent's influence and attempts in trying to prevent it, more of Katsu's connections led him to the opportunity to extract his voidsent. It was a terrible process, testing the true limits of his and Katsu's relationship and the extent of what his body could handle, but the pain and heartache was more than worth it. Something he never thought was possible became possible- he had finally rid himself from Shal. A little piece of his voidsent remained, but it stayed locked away within him, never to be summoned again.The process didn't come without consequences, however. All the scarring he'd accrued when Shal had taken him over in the Thirteenth remain permanent, sensitive to the slightest touch. He keeps bandages on them to avoid anything, including cloth, making contact. He went blind in the eye used to seal Shal's contract, a side effect that medicine can't fix. Though he kept his height and bulk, he lost his sharp rows of fangs, turned back into his regular set of pointed canines and mandibles. He kept his claws and altered tongue, but lost the purple glow of his scales. Zamis considers all his physical changes and detriments a welcome exchange for the silence and peace it brought back to his mind.He now lives his days as a bartender, still taking odd jobs when he can. He runs his own secretive underground organization, bringing people with the same purpose together into a small community he often calls his home away from home. Though far less honest than his on-paper jobs, he built it from the ground up himself, and has found great success. He is far happier than he's ever been, recently married to Katsu, the man that helped him through his lowest points, despite going through a series of unfortunate mishaps leading to their impromptu wedding. He is ever distrustful of strangers, now more than ever, but those he holds close know him for who he really is- a big, goofy guy who loves to listen to stories as much as he loves to tell them. He is far happier than he could ever remember being, and knows that this time, it will last.

Katsurou Martakh
Husband

Kinmokusei "Sen" Senshi
Friend

Ushiwaka Maru
Friend