The gardens outside of Ul’dah were experiencing crops disappearing. So we went out to look into their problem. We fully expected our ‘friend’ in the magitek to come after us at some point.
We split up into two teams. I was with Oni, Felix, Chloe, and Rhisi. We followed the tracks towards the end of the line. We found a bunch of shrews pushing the missing crops towards crates. Shrews are not that intelligent of creatures. We knew someone had to be behind this. We followed what appeared to be an aether trail. Which led us towards where the other half of the group was.
Chloe wondered if the tunnels or caves beneath us might be where that trail really led instead. But we never got a chance to find out. That damn Magitek rider was attacking a nearby camp. We hurried to respond, putting out the fires and pulling survivors out to safety where we could tend to their wounds. Once things were better under control a few of our team went to try an find that Magitek but it and the crops were gone without a trace.
I was busy with things of my own the next day. I had my own house to worry about an some freelance work I had been putting off. So I did not see anyone from the Order that day. An there was nothing particularly of note worth mentioning that day either. Just being healer for a few groups of freelancers on odd jobs.
I stopped by the Order house yesterday after running some errands. I felt like I was being watched as I paused near the fence. Well I was being watched. By Oni. An he was in one of those moods again. The kind of mood that sends a shiver down my spine. Well it did not help when he spoke that I may have shrieked just a bit an definitely jumped. I was not expecting him to be perched high upon the stone fence above my line of sight.
He said I had not been training. I told him I had been busy an had had no time to speak with Aimee let alone do some kind of training. He started calling my aether small an compared it to unripe fruit. An talked of going to nibble on Quarcy’s aether. Now… I was not making it sound like I wanted to be Oni’s snack… But I found his words insulting.
Felix came by during our conversation. I was so focused upon Oni that he startled me. Yes… I jumped again… He did not stay too long though before he decided to head inside an get something to drink.
Oni asked me if I knew what my aether looked like. I of course answered. Shades of blue. Soft shades. Like the color of ice or the sky. An then he mentioned I should be able to show him something if my aether was not small. I’ve never attempted to do anything with aether other then healing before. As it is I have only been a healer for about two years. So I am still doing the best I can. I was determined to prove myself to Oni. I’m not sure why. It just bothered me so much that I felt inferior. Like I was not good enough. He never said those words but… I still felt like he might as well have said them.
I managed to form a small blue ball of aether in the palms of my hands. I was happy. I was not sure if I could do it. My Uncle had never mentioned using aether in this fashion. Of course then I had a rather wicked idea in my head. I may not have had a book to chuck at Oni’s head but now I had this ball of aether. He had been so darn annoying that I threw that ball at him instead. I hoped it would hold together an not break apart before hitting him. If he wanted me to train… I would make him target practice. Unfortunately he caught the ball. Fortunately it had held together surprisingly well. I’m pretty sure when he disappeared from sight it was to eat that ball of aether… Next time I will make it a sneak attack.
I managed to find him sitting up on the awning near the door. Of course I seem to be very jumpy lately cause he did spook me again. We were talking an Aimee arrived back to the house. It was around there that our talk began heading towards soul stones. Well first Oni asked if he could eat Daisy… I was not letting him attempt eating my fairy… I have no idea if that would affect the way I summon her or if doing so would end her existence. Something I would simply rather not take a chance upon. That was when we started discussing the subjects and soul stones. It was… Interesting to hear about once I learned they only eat the aether of the stones an not the stones themselves. So anything placed within is still safe. It just needs… A sort of jump start with fresh aether.
Eventually Oni decided he was hungry an wanted to go hunt. I had things to work on anyways. So I went into the house an to my room. I worked on my studies for a bit before I laid down on the couch with a recent novel I had picked up. I managed to fall asleep reading an totally miss the beach gathering.
The dream I had last night… Was both pleasant and a nightmare. Thankfully it was not the usual nightmare that sometimes likes to haunt my dreams. I think that talk with Oni plus falling asleep reading that novel had been a bad pairing. I dreamed of Leon…
I dreamed of soul stones and Leon. Of subjects with sharp teeth like Leera. Glowing eyes and evil smiles. Monsters made of aether. An Leon’s warming embrace as he drove away the darkness. I finally awoke an dove for the stones where I had left them on the table. I clasped that green stone to my chest as tears silently fell down my cheeks.
What if some part of Leon was still with the stone he left me as he died? What would happen if his stone ever fall into Garlean hands like those used in the experiments? Would he be like the Others who were devoured by the subjects? Or could he end up like Oni and Raiden? It was so hard to imagine… So hard to think that there was a chance this was what Leon had meant by death was not the end… Hard to picture losing any last shred of Leon if this stone were to end up like the ones Oni had described… Assuming there was even any part of him in this stone.
I’ve barely ever made use of the stone he left behind with me. I still occasionally privately use his old harp for my own comfort. I had never considered there may be more to these stones then a bunch of old memories. I sought help from those cards I had been trying to get used to. However they were unhelpful. The answers were confusing an unclear. Just like my thoughts. Maybe my own confusion was not helping any. I eventually gave up an went to bed again once I was able to calm down enough.
Today is another day. Hopefully some work will help to clear my head an heart.
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