After the Kirins set about getting their scrapes and bruises patched up, between Cid, Miina, and Eos, they had put to getting their camp pitched for the night. Even being so close to Brightlam, none of them wanted to try and sneak their way in after the rest of the day’s effort. For his part, Esben had excused himself from the set-up rather quickly after managing to trade a favor with Rudolf to get out of the work...
Leaving him time to peruse his journal, and the two marked pages within. One with a contract that had been finished and signed in his own blood, the other with a charred mark upon it. He didn’t know the language that the first contract had been written in, only that he evidently didn’t need to know it for the summoning magic to work itself through him. No doubt, the addition of Ramuh to it would be similar.
If there was one thing that suited him to his job, however, it was that Esben didn’t like not knowing important things. If it involved him, he absolutely detested it.
He stood, long strides quickly carrying him to where Cid and Ramuh were in the middle of some inscrutable discussion that he likely didn’t have the theological basis to add much to—but that didn’t dissuade him from stepping up and interrupting them.
”Cid. Ramuh. May I have some of your time?” He held up the journal, with the two pages next to each other that encompassed the sum total of his summoning contracts.
”I’d rather like to actually get some idea of how this all works before I start trying to figure how I can incorporate it into our plans going forward.””Ah, Esben.” Cid greeted the SEED with a smile upon his face, his eyes flickering down to the journal with an expression of pleased surprise.
”Oh? I’d not taken you for a summoner. Had Eve remained with you, that would most likely have fallen to her. But let’s see what else you have here besides Ramuh…ah, two fae! The ones you summoned during the trial, yes?””Yes. Somehow, I doubt Eve would have had the patience for Eos and Selene.”His gaze turned back to Esben once more, gesturing for him to join the sage in sitting down upon the grass.
”Ask away. In this subject, I am an open book.”Two steps further, and he sank cross-legged to the ground. He wasn’t terribly surprised that the Eidolon deigned to let Cid do all the talking.
”Simply put, I don’t know where to start asking. I don’t know how those two managed it, but I’m able to summon them without issue reading from a page that isn’t written in anything I recognize. I don’t rightly know how the use of aether even functions, as I’ve not been around enough mages before now, nor had the time even now, to ask, and when it comes to potentially calling in him—”He nodded at the form of the Eidolon next to them.
”I’d rather not risk burning myself out in an instant if I thought calling on him could be a good idea.””Fortunate indeed for you that the summoning art is far less magically technical than the magicks of white or black. So long as you are aware of how to channel your aether, you may summon forth Eidolons. Of course, as you are, I would not expect to be able to channel one of Ramuh’s might for much more than a singular blow at a time. Though with the greater spirits, one such strike at the opportune time may be all that is required.” The old man said, a twinkle in his eye.
”If you are not able to access the flow of your aether in even some minute fashion, I express a measure of surprise. Materia draws upon such, as do warriors when they empower their strikes.””I’m from Skael, remember? We invented the Materia machines because we’re too...how would the Grovmasters put it? Divorced from our natural world.” At least they knew, now, that they couldn’t rightly blame
Skael for the Blight.
”But if that is the nature of things, that’s simple enough. I don’t want to play around with things I don’t understand, and I doubt that either of the fairies could give me a good explanation.”If it was as simple as channelling the minute aether he had with a focus on the target of the summoning, then that was a workable enough explanation. If he didn’t have to risk his own wellbeing in the process, all the better. He snapped his journal shut, placing it back within one of the pockets of his cloak.
”I’ll just have to trust that Ramuh isn’t as hungry for my aether as Eos seems to be. On to matters of planning, then.”He pointed at Ramuh once again.
”I imagine that the Eidolons may not command quite the same position of respect within the modern church as they had in ages past, but it seems to me like Isolde’s actions—feeding us a poisoned ritual and wilfully dispelling Leviathan’s own manifestation—go beyond that into callous disregard. If either of you had to hazard a guess, would you expect similar of Alambert or Zacharias?”At the mention of the other Grovemasters, Cid’s face fell, giving a deep sigh.
”Alambert, I cannot speak for. He is a relative unknown to me. As for Zacharias…” A hand came up to his head, the old sage rubbing his temple.
”As a much younger man, he sought my guidance for a time early on within his time with the Cathedral in Brightlam. While I regret the path he has taken, I believe he is not completely lost to reason. His fears have simply overtaken his hopes.” He stayed silent for several moments, reflecting on times long past before speaking once more.
”Regarding your plans…I believe I can aid you all in this regard. Both the Cathedral and Brightlam’s council chambers are holy ground. I trust you understand what I intend by this?””We need to get ourselves in there first,” Esben replied.
”Which is where I’m planning to focus on Zacharias first. Knowing that he came to you for guidance at one point only reinforces my view that, despite his apparent vitriol, he may be the one to focus on for our goals. With him on our side, we may have some luck swaying Alambert—just as Isolde thought that, should we accede to her demands, she might sway him to our side.”The disdain with which he held her and her plans was more than evident.
”I should think, for a place that prides itself on its connection to nature and the spirits, and considering Zacharias as likely the most conservative of the council, that between the fairies, Ramuh, yourself, and even Leviathan if it should come to it, he may be swayed to vouch for us. He was the only one who actually seemed shocked when we mentioned your name. We were all hopeful to have an authority to trust after Osprey, so we weren’t nearly as careful with Isolde and her immediate vouching for us as we should have been. Given the disregard she showed to Leviathan and Ifrit, and her refusal to listen to anything we said after you blinked yourself out of that mess, I doubt there was anything genuine behind anything she said—except that, maybe, she does think you’re some sort of demon.”Cid nodded at Esben’s words, taking some time to consider.
”Yes, your assessment of the situation lines up quite nicely with mine, lad. Isolde’s disregard for the Eidolons lines up with a heterodox faction of the Cathedral’s beliefs: the Mothercrystal above all, and even the other gods proper are not immune to this. In contrast, the major Eidolons tend to be viewed as not being worthy of proper worship in this regard. I am known to the upper echelons of Brightlam’s Cathedral, being that they have some of the largest congregations of the faith in the land, though I am unsure of where this suspicion of myself came from. It is not completely unheard of to be suspicious of a centuries-old man, though I should hope that I have proven myself worthy of some small measure of trust with my deeds in Etro’s service over the years.” Another sigh, before he fished out a small crystal of light, handing it over to Esben.
”When you have Zacharias, if you should be upon holy ground, raise this crystal aloft, and I will know its radiance and come.”He took the crystal from Cid’s grip, turning it over in his fingers as he looked it over.
”You do understand,” he started slowly, glancing sidelong at the older man,
”That if we can’t get any of them to agree with us, we’ll have to take more drastic measures? I don’t know that we’ll have any recourse for Isolde, not to mention that I’m somewhat convinced she’s in knowing or unknowing league with Valheim as it is—but Alambert and Zacharias too.””I understand.” Cid’s expression turned grave, his tone deliberately calm.
”I mislike it, but you are correct. Do what you must, though I would implore that you do not compromise your morality and soul if you do not have to. Spy and cutthroat you may be, but even the worst of us are still human in the end.” Satisfied with the crystal, he slid it into one of his hidden pockets. Unsatisfied with Cid’s misgivings—and with being called a
cutthroat at that—he pushed on.
”I’ve managed to make sure that the others will try things the quieter way, for now, but if the need comes to it, Drana Asnaeu’s stability is secondary to the greater goal. Will you be able to point us in the right direction to reach their crystal, if so? I don’t want us stumbling around completely in the dark, and interrogations can get messier than we need to deal with, doubly so if the same ones we need to interrogate are the ones we need to assassinate.””The physical locations of the crystals are unknown to me. Once, I was able to simply teleport myself to them, but that avenue is closed now. The darkness encroaching upon the land has caused Etro’s light to dim from more and more holy sites, with the Four being among them. The crystal you bear will call me when you reach them, however.” He paused, a hand reaching up to stroke his beard as he thought.
”I can, however, give you an educated guess. I know for a fact that the Crystal of Water is underground, at the very least. Considering the holy sites within Brightlam and the nature of the council’s predecessors, I have reason enough to believe that the Crystal will be within the city. That leaves two likely locations it is buried under: Brightlam Cathedral, or the giant tree containing the council chambers. Of course, you understand that it will be even odds should you attempt to hazard a guess.””That’s workable,” Esben replied with a nod.
”Better than we’d have otherwise.”He fell silent again, watching as Rudolf walked off with Izayoi. No doubt trying to figure out another of her tricks for himself. The others were mostly done setting up their minimal camp, short of gathering firewood. Before too long they’d all be reconvening for dinner, which would cut the conversation with Cid to an end.
”One last thing, then.” With the talk of summoning and Eidolons, and a faction within the church that cared little for such powerful creations and emissaries of the gods, and knowing just how many of their party they had lost since arriving in Drana Asnaeu, there was one topic that he couldn’t just leave untouched.
”Your good health is unsurprising. I trust Eve is doing well after what Isolde pulled?””Well enough.” Cid replied amicably, a smile returning to his face at the mention of Eve.
”The shock to her was less than it was to mine own self, and she has recovered apace. Bahamut’s power flows through her, and I had set her to attempt communion with the Dreadwyrm when I left to aid Ramuh. Do you have any tokens or such you would like me to bring to her?””Ah, not right now, unless you want to be mean and let her know she missed Elly’s pastries leaving so suddenly. Maybe another time.”
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