We decided to make our way out by walking. Patching myself up as we continued, Desdemona lead us onward. Curiously she seemed to know where she was going by memory.
"Des, have you been in these parts before?"
She remained silent as if she did not hear me. Her eyes seemed distant as she continued on slowly walking around. We reached the end of the shroud and looked on to a mostly empty field. Desdemona stopped several feet from outside the shroud gazing around in a haze.
"Des?"
Over in a corner I noticed something covered in weeds and overgrowth. Looking towards Desdemona I watched as she continued to survey the area. Turning my attention the overgrowth, I walked over and began to pull weeds and mud off of it. To my shock it seemed to be a carriage of some sort. Desdemona looked over at me and approached cautiously.
I cleared enough to finally scrape off the remaining overgrowth. Desdemona quickly jumped into it, kneeling down and starring straight forward as if she was hiding.
"Des?"
She pointed before her and I watched a tear fall from her eye.
"That is where they died."
"They?"
"Mom-my...."
My head began to hurt as well as hers. Swiftly the echo brought back to a memory, Her memory. I looked around to see a fire for warmth, the carriage back to its normal state. A chocobo lay resting near a Miqo'te male and a young female miqo'te. Desdemona stood next to me gazing upon the man, quickly she turned to see a woman with a bow and began to cry aloud.
"Let me just..."
She reached out and attempted to grasp the woman. Her arm went right through her and she fell to her knees sulking. I quickly rushed to her side as she covered her head. Holding her she began to cry in my arms.
"Why?! Why can't I save them!?"
She lifted her head and looked up to see her mother smiling. As she turned to look at what she as smiling at she gazed over to see her father. With weight seemingly trusted upon her shoulders she arose and walked over to see him. Gasping out and smiling herself she looked down to see her father holding her comfortably.
"This is where I want this memory to stop. Right here, where nothing bad is happening. Where I am not about to lose everything dear to me."
Her eyes looked towards me as the memory drifted into light and disappeared. Des kneeled down at the spot and laid a simple feather upon the ground.
"It's not much, but I did what I could daddy."
Gazing over at the end of the cart, she walked over and kneeled down. Placing her hand upon the ground, her eyes opened wide in shock. Quickly she began to tear into the ground, ripping weeds and grass away from the spot. Finally she began to pull something from it. Standing tall she held it within her hands and looked down upon a bow, weathered and aged, but still in tact.
"She kept this bow close to her at all times."
"What were their names?"
She turned towards me and smiled a bit.
"Ragathor was my daddies, Lynzy my mommies."
"How- no, never mind."
"We were ambushed by enthralled worshipers of Garuda. I heard the mother crystals voice that night. Perhaps she new what was to happen. She may have even done all she could to save my life. Why, I will never know, but someday perhaps I will know."
She placed the bow upon herself unwilling to part from it. Gazing thru the items in the carriage she smiled as she came upon a box of clothing. Holding up a small dress she chuckled aloud showing it to me.
"I remember this being my favorite overdress."
"It is rather cute, though I doubt it fits you any longer."
She continued to stare at it as she began to speak aloud.
"Master Louisoix rescued me that night. He comforted my daddy in his last moment and promised to keep me safe."
Turning towards a bag of hers, she opened it and placed the dress inside. Closing it she turned her attention back to me.
"That man was my father figure for most of my life. He died alone and afraid safeguarding this realm. Tis my responsibility to safeguard it with all that I am able to as well. This, I swore to him when I vowed to become an Archon."
"Archon? You do not possess the tattoos the others do."
"I was to young to be made one officially. However I was still considered one by him. That was all any of the others needed to be assured. I-"
She turned her attention back to the distance remaining ever still.
"By the gods, what in the seven hells was that.."
Her ears twitched over and over as her tail kept very still.
"I have to go, something does not feel right."
"What? what is wrong?"
"The isle of Val... I can't..."
She shook her head and looked back towards me.
"I suspect you can make your way back from here?"
"I know the Shroud well enough, go on do what you must."
Desdemona teleported off, disappearing and leaving me in her abandoned camp. Taking a long look around I sighed aloud.
"He did not die alone Des, I am sure he had you and others somewhere in his thoughts... How sorry I am..."
My linkpearl activated and speaking into it was Minfilia.
"Eidolon? Are you active again?"
"I am Antecedent."
"Good to hear! We all need a bit of a break at times I suppose yes?"
"Aye, is their something I might help you with?"
"Well, we are in the midst of relocating our headquarters."
"Oh? Sounds a bit stressful, do you need help?"
"No, no, we have everything under control for now, I was curious if you could make a stop in the Shroud and visit the Moogles? The Moogle Guard recently summoned King Mog and he was defeated by the Warrior of Light. We would like to make sure everything is back to normal. Given your relations with them I figured you might want to look into this yourself?"
"I will, I am sure Moggy would be happy to bring me to them."
"Thank you, oh and our new headquarters can be located in Mor Dhona! Please check in at your earliest convenience."
"One more thing, Des has left to the Isle of Val in a hurry. Perhaps it best to check in with them?"
"We will look into it, though naught seems out of the ordinary."
"Thank you, Eidolon out."
I teleported to the Eastern Shroud and headed to the Thornmarch. As I approached the outside I noticed Kali and Moggy awaiting me. Smiling I approached Kali and hugged her.
"What are you two doing out here?"
"Waiting for you Kupo Eido! The Moogle Guard wanted to see you!"
"Any particular reason?"
"They wish for you to meet King Mog kupo-po! We want to see him calm kupo."
"I can try, see if he will converse of course."
Kali smiled to me as we heading into the Thornmarch. Stopping in an opened area, I watched the Moogle Guard and their console drift down towards us. They quickly circled around us and began channeling their aether for summoning. Before I knew it the area began to light up in several places and from the ground a giant moogle with a crown and staff appeared from the ground. Turning it's gaze towards me, the moogle guard and their console moved aside for King Mog to look upon me.
"Ancient Kupo, legend and myth why have I been summoned so soon?"
"Your loyal kind have requested I speak with you King Mog. I know you came here initially in dismay and threat. I wish to assure you the people of the forest wish no ill will upon the moogles in any way."
"I sense in my children they trust you kupo-po. Why is this?"
"They took care of me many years ago. To this day I look to them for much guidance and wisdom, despite their devious mischief at times."
Smiling up to the great moogle, he shook his bottom and danced around raising his staff.
"If they trust you so, then I shall as well kupo! My children wish harmony kupo, I trust you to help keep them safe in my absence."
"I will do my utmost, I care deeply for them as if family!"
King mog began to float down towards me. Slowly he placed his staff upon my head and channeled aether into me. I felt his presence as he gave unto me his aether. Smiling to him I realized he had just gifted me.
"Thank you."
"Take care Kupo, you have many hardships ahead of you. Trust in yourself Kupo, trust in those whom love and trust you."
With his everlasting words of wisdom, King Mog disappeared into aether once again. The moogles quickly approached me and hugged me as the floated off into the trees.
"So adorable, the lot of you!"
"Thank you Kupo Eido!"
Moggy rushed to me and hugged my quickly moving her had up to face me.
"That was seemingly simple to be honest! You are all lucky to have such a deity to pray to. I have seen many Primals use and abuse their own kind."
"Come back and visit again Kupo! We celebrate and have fun!"
"Of course!"
Suddenly, my linkpearl activated, on the other line was a voice I recognized but shocked me and left a chill down my spine.
"Ahhhhhh, Eidolon."
My eyes widened at the sound of the voice.
"Elidibus?!"
Chapter 43 End
A Realm Awoken End
TOC
http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/2469857/blog/2514726/
