Dear Friends,
Well, today I visited the meeting hall of The Twin Adders, Gridania's Grand Company of Eorzea. I have taken my first step in the recruitment process. Being a new recruit, I have not pledged total allegiance to the Adders. In fact, I was encouraged to lend my support to the other companies as needed for the time being.
As a test of my resolve, I was tasked with tracking down a renegade Thaumaturge from Ul'dah that has recently been seen vandalizing the trees in the forest with some kind of magical sigils. Reports had last placed her near the hamlet of Quarrymill deep in the Black Shroud. Once she is located, I am to provide her with orders expelling her from the forest.
Finding her wasn't difficult. She was actually in the hamlet when I discovered her. She found my request to be quite amusing. She claims that the glyphs in the tree was not placed by her but rather by an Archon named Urianger. She explained that this Archon is the same individual that was sighted several months back during the great rain, prophesying about the coming 7th Umbral Era. She claimed that she would leave the forest I were to deliver the Archon to her. She believes to have noticed a patterns in Urianger's movements and suggested a place within the Twelveswood where I might be able to confront the Archon.
I have to admit, I was sceptical of her claims. I remember the events in which she spoke of. The mysterious hooded stranger appearing at various aetheryte camps throughout Eorzea. I remembered the whole controversy of Hatching Tide, and the prophecy that the Archons were coming to our world. Even though these events occurred within the last year, it seemed like ages ago.
It didn't take me long to track down this mysterious Urianger. He noticed me and began to approach. As he did, I became frozen in place, as if under some powerful spell. I stood there, powerless as he spoke to me. His words burrowed into my mind, I will never forget them. He said,
"Ne'er till land consumes sun can sea bear moons, heavens spew crimson flame, hells seep black dooms.
Hearken unto me, ye seeker of truth, and through my words be saved! The senary sun yields the septenary moon─expelling the Astral, beckoning the Umbral. So saith the eternal wisdom of Mezaya Thousand Eyes.
A shadow hangeth o'er the realm, growing blacker with each passing day! Rise from thy waking slumber! See the nightmare for reality, and ready thyself for the coming chaos! Darkness descendeth, but surrender not to despair! For the future is forged in the flames of the present! Child of everlasting dawn, hast thou the courage to face the night?"
He was asking me if I would join him in his quest to fight this unknown future. I must be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of it. The prophecy of the coming doom of the 7th Umbral era had long been whispered. I must admit, that I never cast much belief at it. Despite my misgivings, I did not wish to anger this obviously powerful man. I nodded my head in agreement. This seemed to anger him, as it seemed he could detect my deception. He spoke again,
"The foul taint of deceit corrupteth thine heart and wills thee to deeds most sinister. I have sensed the hand that guideth thee, and know of its intent.
Full oft, truth lieth not in that which is spoken, but in that which is left unspoken.
Refuse to open thine eyes and thou shalt linger in darkness for eternity.
Or mayhap the dark shadow cast upon thy soul hath rendered it unable to accept the dawn.
But first thou must cast off the shadow which defiles it..."
With that, he vanished. In his place appeared a fierce drake! I found I was suddenly able to move again, so I pulled my lance from my back and defended myself. Can you believe it? I actually won against this... monster!
As I stood over the corpse of the beast I heard a rustling in some nearby brush. The Lalafell, Papalymo, (the one from the airship crash) emerged from the woods. He too had been investigating this Archon. He congratulated me on defeating Urianger's summoned familiar. He shared some of this thoughts on the prophecy that the Archon had been preaching. Suggesting that perhaps, even if true, the prophecy did not necessarily predict the end of days, but perhaps a new beginning. We chatted a bit more and parted ways.
I returned to Quarrymill and spoke with the Thaumaturge. I relayed all that happened to her and she seemed extremely interested. She was a bit upset that I was not able to deliver the Archon to her in person, as requested. But she did agree to stop angering the forest. She committed her promise to paper and bound it with a seal. I happily delivered this document to the Twin Adders where I received payment for my services.
I am not officially recognised as a recruit! I was giving a briefing on the basic workings of the Grand Company, and shown their commissary and arsenal. I was instructed to report back at my convenience for another assignment.
My friends. I'm on my way to greatness...
I both excited and scared.
~Kiji
