Here at the Arcadion, you'll find a grand spectacle unlike any other. The realm's greatest fighters pit fist against fist and magick against magick, putting their lives on the line as crowds howl and clamor, each clash more visceral than the last. Step into the arena if you dare, and either rise to become champion, or fall forever in ignominy.
Official site description[1]
The Arcadion is a battle arena in Final Fantasy XIV. It is the location, where the high-end 
Raid series of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail takes place.
History[]
The Arcadion was built in Solution Nine as an entertainment venue for the people. Within, combatants utilize souls of feral beasts to amplify their strength and then battle in different arenas suited for them. King Zoraal Ja was the one who introduced feral souls for combatants to use for researching the souls. It was number one entertainment venue for Alexandrians, but when Zoraal Ja directed all resources to the war against Tuliyollal, the Arcadion was closed. Many of the combatants were disappointed with this, and they begged Queen Sphene to reopen the arena. However, her authority wasn't enough to reopen the arena.
Part 1: Light-heavyweight[]
The handler and announcer of the Arcadion, Metem, re-opened the Arcadion after the death of Queen Sphene to bring joy for the people of Alexandria grieving the loss of their beloved queen. He spotted the Warrior of Light and gave them an opportunity to combat as a challenger in the upcoming tournament, the Ascencion Arcadia Championship, as he was the one who protected the people of Alexandria from Zoraal Ja and was also the one who defeated him. The Warrior agreed.
Metem explained the workings of the Arcadion and the tournament itself. It was divided into three tiers: light-heavywight, cruiserweight and heavyweight. He then explained how the combatants use feral souls to amplify themselves with soul regulators. Since the Warrior didn't wear a regulator, they couldn't use feral souls themselves. Instead, Metem allowed the Warrior to use seven souls of former champions to level the playing field. The Warrior was against this, since it was like using the Endless, which they saw was against natural order. To allay Warrior's doubt, Metem agreed that after every victory, he will release any of the souls the Warrior uses. This was enough for the Warrior to accept.
Warrior's first opponent was a Hhetsarro-rookie called the Black Cat, who utilized the feral soul of a feline beast named Cath Palug. The battle was rough, but Warrior emerged victorious. The Black Cat then came to them, amazed how they were able to beat her without a regulator, and she wanted to know what they are. Metem directed the Warrior's attention to the next opponent: Honey B. Lovely, a Tonawawta, who utilizes a feral soul of a venomous bee and charms her opponents. Despite Honey B.'s charms, the Warrior brought her low.
Metem congratulated the Warrior for their second victory, and Black Cat was also thrilled. Metem suggested the Warrior recruit a second for themselves to help them out in the tournament. Since the Black Cat was defeated and couldn't fight for a while, she insisted on becoming the Warrior's second. The Warrior accepted, and the Black Cat introduced herself as Yaana.
Yaana led the Warrior to her gym. Outside the Arcadion, fans were swooning over them, mainly because they didn't use a regulator. But others, of course, were disappointed that their favorite's lost. Some were even annoyed at Yaana, because she wasn't like her sister, a fighter known as Wicked Thunder. Yaana and the Warrior slipped into her gym, where the Warrior met Yaana's younger sister, Neyuni. Neyuni was grateful to the Warrior for looking after Yaana. Yaana explained her background; her parents were Turali, who got trapped within the dome, when the interdimensional fusion happened. While they were integrated into Alexandrian life, they never wore regulators. They worked as hunters, but one day they went on a hunt and never returned. This was the reason Yaana took interest in the Warrior, as they reminded her of her parents. Although Yaana and Neyuni now use regulators, they still remember their parents, since they died without wearing them. It was their eldest sister who insisted the sisters begin using them. Neyumi asked the Warrior to wear a regulator, but they refused, and Yaana told her it's a matter of culture and upbringing.
The three then celebrated with energy drinks, and Yaana and Neyumi told the Warrior more about their sister, Eutrope. She used to be a fighter in the heavyweight division of the Arcadion and was about to be immortalized, but just before that she disappeared. Immortalizing is the highest award for a contestant, as they are invited to live in Everkeep's highest level and live a life of comfort. Using feral souls constantly takes a heavy toll on the body, which is why Arcadion fighters retire young. The fighters, who reach the age of twenty while fighting are immortalized.
The Warrior and Yaana headed back to the Arcadion for the next match, a Tonawawtan known as Brute Bomber, utilizing the feral soul of a bomb king. Yaana warned the Warrior that he is the reigning champion of light-heavyweight division, and that he fights dirty. Despite Brute Bomber using forbidden substances to gain an edge, the Warrior put him out. This victory made the Warrior the new champion of light-heavyweight division.
A ceremony for the Warrior's victory was held, but in the middle of it, Brute Bomber underhandedly interrupted the ceremony and demanded a rematch, since the Warrior's victory was unfair, since it was eight against one. He used his feral soul, even though Yaana said to him to fight without it. Brute Bomber attacked the Warrior, but in the middle of it, a bolt of lightning struck him unconscious and the arena went dark. When the lights came back on, everyone, especially Yaana, were astonished to see the Wicked Thunder, Eutrope, standing on the arena. She challenged the Warrior into a match, wanting their soul. Eutrope, however, had no right to fight in the Arcadion, but the president of Ascension Arcadia allowed an exhibition match between the Warrior of Light and Wicked Thunder. Despite the Warrior's opponent being her sister, Yaana nevertheless urged the Warrior to win.
After a brutal match, the Warrior beat Eutrope, and she retreated. Back at Yaana's gym, Eutrope appeared. The Warrior was wary, but she claimed she didn't come to fight them, but talk with her sisters. Yaana was upset about her disappearance, and demanded answers. Eutrope first explained that if Yaana wants to live, she has to give up fighting in Arcadion immediately. Eutrope revealed she vanished, because she discovered the ugly truth about the fighting in Arcadion. Excess usage of feral soul transfiguration causes a disease called psychonecrosis, which eventually causes the person's own soul to degrade, leading to eventual death. She also revealed that immortalizing isn't what it is described to be. The life of luxury and comfort is a lie. The fighters, who are immortilized, are simply taken away and held in a secret facility, where their regulators are removed and they are kept in confinement until they die. This is also why Yaana still remembers the immortalized, but never actually met them. When Eutrope began to notice the condition in her, she went to get counsel of the immortalized, and it was when she snuck into the president's office that she discovered the truth. She then disappeared and went on searching for a cure. She eventually discovered that a soul dense enough can in theory cure psychonecrosis, which is why she wanted the Warrior's soul (the Warrior's soul being possibly densest in all of the Source after the Ascians). Eutrope bore no ill will to the Warrior, but at the moment, their soul is her only hope for survival. Yaana urged her sister to stop, as taking the Warrior's soul just to save herself is wrong. Eutrope lashed at her saying she doesn't know how it feels to have your soul to be eaten away.
Suddenly, everyone heard a noise outside, and Eutrope ran away. It was Metem, who came to see how Yaana and Neyuni were feeling after the sudden appearance of their sister, when he happened to overhear their conversation with Eutrope. Metem assured everyone he had no idea what really happens to the immortalized. He always believed fighting in Arcadion was safe. Yaana said they have to make this knowledge public and stop the fights. Metem said that would be the worst possible thing to do right now, because of the president. He suspected that Eutrope kept her silence about this, because she understood, that everyone would be in danger if the truth is revealed. And the president could just cover it all up. In order to stop all of this, Metem claimed they have only one recourse; the Warrior must triumph in the tournament and become the grand champion. Since the Warrior doesn't use a regulator, they are in no danger of psychonecrosis. And the grand champion is given access to all the souls in the repository, allowing the Warrior to do with them as they pleased, even releasing them back to the aetherial sea. Metem then left. Yaana promised to support the Warrior as best as she can, while also try to find with Neyuni an alternative cure for Eutrope, one that doesn't involve taking the Warrior's soul.
Part 2: Cruiserweight[]
The Warrior returned to Yaana, just as the cruiserweight matches of the Ascencion Arcadia Championship were about to begin. In the meantime, Yaana and Neyuni had been focusing on finding the cure for psychonecrosis. While they hadn't found the actual cure yet, Neyuni had managed with assistance from Oblivion to discover a method to diagnose people for psychonecrosis. Yaana intended to diagnose all the fighters for the disease, starting from the light-heavyweight fighters. She called Honey B. Lovely first, as she was actually close with her, despite being rivals. Honey arrived and Yaana explained to her about psychonecrosis. She was shocked and got worried if she is sick already. Neyuni diagnosed her, and to Honey's relief, her soul was still intact, but Yaana suggested she quit Arcadion to spare herself. Surprisingly, Honey agreed to retire right there and then, claiming that no amount of fame is worth dying for and intended to keep on attaining it by other means.
Honey then turned to Yaana, as she knew that Yaana used her feral soul quite a lot while training, even when they were forbidden to train with them. Now Honey knew why: the President didn't want them to die too early. Yaana couldn't deny it, and Neyuni said Yaana is on the verge of contracting psychonecrosis, but so far she hadn't had any symptomps. With Honey in the clear, Yaana intended to go see Brute Bomber next, even though they aren't exactly friends.
Warrior, Yaana and Neyuni went to see Brute Bomber at his apartment, where he was petting his cats alongside his friend, Howling Blade, the reigning cruiserweight champion. Yaana explained to Warrior that Howling Blade was Eutrope's boyfriend but couldn't elaborate further when Brute Bomber noticed them. Howling Blade left, as Yaana explained to Brute Bomber about psychonecrosis. He refused to believe it due to his loyalty to the President. Neyuni diagnosed him and he was then struck with the basic symptom of psychonecrosis: as the soul gets worse, its connection to the body weakens, causing dizzy spells and pain. Yaana tried to convince Brute Bomber to retire, as he was sick already, but he angrily refused to listen and told them to leave. Outside the apartment, Howling Blade heard everything.
The cruiserweight matches were about to begin, and Warrior and Yaana headed to the Arcadion. There, the Warrior met the other two cruiserweight fighters, a Shetona called Dancing Green and a Milalla called Sugar Riot. The Warrior's first match was against Dancing Green, who uses a soul of a terrible toad in a arena, that reacts to his dancing moves. In order to defeat him, the Warrior needed to ride the rhythm. In the match itself, the Warrior managed to answer Dancing Green's rhythm and won the match.
Next, the Warrior prepared to face Sugar Riot, a street artist, who was credited for painting many of the graffiti found in True Vue. She used a the soul of a pudding to bring his artistic creations to life. While certainly complicating, the Warrior nevertheless fought their way through all of her art and won, clearing their way to face Howling Blade. But first, Yaana brought both Dancing Green and Sugar Riot and told them about psychonecrosis. Both were shocked about this and Yaana urged them to retire. For Dancing Green, this wasn't an issue, he intended to go back to his roots and return back to the dance floor as himself. Sugar Riot also intended to go back to where she started and that way find new inspiration for her art.
As Warrior and Yaana returned to the gym, Neyuni said they have s situation. She turned on the screen, where it was shown that Brute Bomber had bursted into the Arcadion and demanded the staff to hand over unsanctioned feral souls. Metem intervened, claiming he will be banned for life from the Arcadion, but Brute Bomber punched him in the face. He then grabbed a camera and addressed the Warrior to meet him at the Everkeep's 8th level demolition site, where they will settle the score once and for all, vowing he will crush them this time. Yaana was outraged that Brute Bomber would do this after she told him about psychinecrosis. Metem entered the gym and reprimanded Yaana for telling Brute Bomber the truth. Instead, he went to the President, where he denied everything and urged Brute Bomber to get those unsanctioned feral souls. Metem said the President wanted to get rid of the Warrior and sanctioned a grudge match, all accordong to his "script". The Warrior had no choice but to accept, and hope he can beat some sense to Brute Bomber. Yaana demanded to come along, feeling responsible for what was happening.
Metem arranged a transport to tht 8th level, where Brute Bomber was waiting. Yaana tried to reason with him, but he would have none of it. He declared himself as the most despised fighter in the Arcadion and activated every feral soul he had obtained, transforming into a chimerical beast. Yaana was horrified as this would push him to the brink and tried to intervene, but Warrior stopped her. Metem declared he wasn't Brute Bomber anymore, but Brute Abombinator. The Warrior engaged him.
After a destructive battle, the Warrior struck down Brute Abombinator. But having utilized so many feral souls at once, he perished as a result. One of Brute Bomber's cats appeared and was about to be crushed by a falling debris, but it was saved at last moment by Howling Blade. He looked at his deceased friend and said he never expected he would be the first to die. From this, Yaana realized that Howling Blade also had psychonecrosis and he admitted it. He explained both he and Eutrope were doing research of their own, when they both realized they had the disease. While he was determined to keep on fighting in the Arcadion, even if he would die in the end, Eutrope left. Howling Blade assumed Eutrope left him. Like Yaana, he too was surprised, when Eutrope showed up to challenge the Warrior, thinking that maybe her disease had gone milder. Warrior and Yaana tried to reason with him to retire, but he refused, as fighting was all he had.
Warrior and Yaana returned to the gym, but Neyuni wasn't there. Yaana tracked her to East Yyasulani and they went after her. They found Neyuni. She said Eutrope wanted to meet her urgently. Eutrope then revealed herself and apologized for having used Neyuni to draw the Warrior into an ambush, still intending to claim the Warrior's soul. She activated her feral soul to become Wicked Thunder. Yaana tried to readon with her, but Eutrope claimed there was no going back now. Yaana was unwilling to let the Warrior come to harm and without any hesitation she activated her own feral soul and took on Wicked Thunder as the Black Cat. Since Eutrope had grown weak due to her psychonecrosis, Yaana managed to defeat Eutrope. As Eutrope was kneeling, Yaana, catching her breath, said that she felt it was weird Eutrope would be willing to take a life just to save herself. After what she heard from Howling Blade, Yaana determined Eutrope didn't want the Warrior's soul for herself, but for him, because she loves him. Eutrope admitted it, and added that it wasn't just for Retsarra, the Howling Blade, but also for her friends in the heavyweight division, as all of them also have psychonecrosis. Yet they all continue to follow the President. Eutrope believed he had done something to them.
Yaana was then struck with a surge of pain, the symptom of psychonecrosis: her use of feral soul had driven her over the edge, and now she too was sick. Eutrope was alarmed that her sister was now in he same predicament as her. But then Neyuni stepped in and said there's no more need to fight, as she believed she had found the cure. Eutrope doubted that, since she didn't find any mention of such. Neyuni determined she had only checked through Arcadion's records, but Neyuni, with Oblivion's help, checked Alexandrian military records. Alexandrian military knew about psychonecrosis and looked for a cure. As it is, when body gets damaged or sick, it will attempt to cure itself, but since psychonecrosis affects the connection between soul and body, it works differently. The military discovered a stimulant for this, and Neyuni said if they can find the formula for this stimulant, they can obtain the cure, and it wouldn't need the Warrior's soul. Hearing this made Eutrope humble and realize she had nearly made the biggest mistake of her life, when she attempted to take the Warrior's soul. She turned to them, and accepting she may never deserve forgiveness, but she nevertheless apologized to Warrior of her actions. The Warrior forgave her with a smile. Eutrope then collapsed due to her illness, and Warrior, Yaana and Neyuni took her back to the gym to rest.
Despite now having psychonecrosis, Yaana intended to keep acting as the Warrior's second. The match against the Howling Blade was approaching, and Yaana was compelled to get Retsarra to retire, for Eutrope's sake. She had an idea: he usually goes to Mosaic café to unwind before a match, and she intended to ask for Honey's help to have him appear in a live broadcast, where the Warrior will issue a challenge he could ill afford to deny. Yaana contacted Honey and asked her to meet her and Warrior there.
At the café, Honey met the Warrior and Yaana, and using her broadcast, the Warrior issued a challenge to Retsarra: the loser of their fight will have to retire. At first Retsarra was going to refuse, but fans in the cafe managed to cause enough pressure for Retsarra to accept. Since the Warrior was practically asking him to let go of the only thing that gives his life meaning, Retsarra demanded the Warrior will give up their life meaning in return, in this case, adventuring. The Warrior accepted. The bets were on, and Yaana thanked Honey for her help. Honey said it was no trouble, and the fans around then asked if they did good, and she said they did very well. This stunned Yaana and the Warrior.
Before the fight, Yaana briefed the Warrior that Retsarra uses the soul of a legendary wolf, Fenrir, to control earth and give him increased agility. In the fight itself, the Warrior was pushed to their limit, but they managed to beat the lone wolf of the Arcadion. Yaana was thrilled of the Warrior's victory. Retsarra then came and he upheld their bet of retiring. However, he didn't realky know, what he was going to do now. The Warrior suggested he join them and Yaana against the President. He refused due to his own loyalty to the President and also because he still thought Eutrope had left him. Yaana lashed at him and told him the truth: Eutrope never left him, she went find the cure for him. Hearing that the woman he loves went to such lengths for him, he then came to realization: the President was ultimately responsible for his and Eutrope's condition, and the death of his friend Hector, the Brute Bomber, he changed his mind and joined the Warrior and Yaana. He said he's going to meet them at the gym shortly, there's one thing he needs to do first.
The Warrior and Yaana awaited at the gym, when Retsarra arrived with Hector's cats. He took it upon himself to tske care of them now that Hector is gone, but since pets are forbidden where he lives, he asked if Yaana could take care of them. Yaana said Neyuni had wanted to adopt a cat for a while now and she accepted. Yaana then said, that Eutrope is resting upstairs probably with Neyuni and asked if Retsarra would like to see her. He wanted abd they headed upstairs, leaving the Warrior the cats.
Yaana and Retsarra soon came back, shocked to have discovered both Eutrope and Neyuni were gone. Before they could wonder why, the screen in the gym activated. From the screen, the President addressed the Warrior. While he was pleased with their performance, he was upset that they and Yaana had interfered with his script. And so, to ensure Warrior's continuation in the Arcadion, he had kidnapped Eutrope and Neyuni as leverage. He also said that should Warrior triumph in the heavyweight division, he will not only release them, but also provide them wuth the cure for the psychonecrosis as well as access to the soul repository. The Warrior, Yaana and Retsarra were disgusted the President would resort to kidnapping to force the Warrior into this, but for Eutrope and Neyuni's sake, they had no choice. The three promised to each other they will see this through.
