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cyten0 · 2 months ago

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A Symphony in Crimson

Act 2: A Movement in White

Chapter 4-A

𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞𝄞

Entry ----- Date------

The recently named Starchild, Fa, has finally cleared the observation period, and fully stabilized. (Dad has been over the moon from that name. Mom however, is mixed. She did everything to keep you from getting named that, yet here you all are.)

Regardless, since they're safe for periodic exits from containment, you’ve been able to take closer notes on their Craft energy, and took a trip to talk to the Empress. Cleared out a few more monsters around there. That virus might be well off in Fa, but it’s baseline form sure is annoying. Least the mountains cold climate makes them chill out. And since it’s based on Arcana energy, you’re immune!

One of these days you’ll figure out how the blinding universe that dimensional portal works and make your own, so you don’t have to trudge back up here any time you want a conversation longer then two sentences. But there’s a distinct lack of alien spaceships to use as reference, and you can’t afford to break this one, so for now it’s fine!

Still, the trip was worth it. After sharing your results, The Empress seems pleased. You assured her it was child’s play… She didn’t get the joke, but as a reward, she shared some more knowledge on how primordial beings like herself, Chaos, and Fa are created. So you’ll take it!

Since wishcraft is not a universal field of study, ambient craft that would normally be used by it tends to coagulate and eventually begins to take form into a primordial. Or maybe just act as a shell to enter this reality? Sort of? The wording was unclear, so you suspect there’s more to it. Given the way they bend reality itself, it could literally be all of the above and more! But the energy is a critical part of it, and affects their nature upon completion.

Given your own results, You suspect that Fa was formed, and subsequently ripped apart by, the excess wishcraft energy Astravia was pulling toward itself. Literally made manifest by the people’s faith, and then torn asunder by it. Never got the chance to fully form, left half dead in a crater.

It would explain why their original state resembled much of Astravian mythos. Their eyes are that of the Empress Arcana, the seared off stumps of their Phoenix wings, the dark body of the night sky, their heart glowing like the north star your royal family is named after. The virus overtook some of those physical details, but it’s still present. You wonder is it had some effect on their personality? Astravia is a fairly cruel country, but they’ve been nothing but friendly.

...Astravia doesn't deserve them. The strong lording their power over the weak, punishing any that dare step out of line. And the people will stand by and just let them BLINDING DO IT. Because they’re scared of retribution from your family. Scared of tyrants that aren’t there! No matter what how hard your family and you try and give them chances, this blinding nation never tries to be better!

You almost wish you hadn’t saved it. But then. Your family wouldn’t be around. Fa wouldn’t be around. So it doesn’t matter. You’ll get to go to Vaugarde again later, once everything has caught up. Meet with your old family again. See how this new world treated them.

Fa kind of reminds you of yourself, back in that world. Lost. Alone. Their only anchor being their family. But so often abandoned by everyone else. Only getting the chance to live by luck alone. You don’t want them to suffer that. You want to make it so they can be happy! Blind it, they deserve it! Not this cruelty! Not this hatred!!!

...It’s fine. You can fix this. You can make it work. There MUST be a solution. You don’t think you can fix the kingdom. Dad, Mom and the others have been struggling enough with that as is. More importantly, the people will never accept Fa as they are now. Not with that constant hazard they pose.

… Maybe that’s an angle? They’re literally the embodiment of the faith. If they could be fully restored, instead of kept alive, made into a full primordial instead of a halfway biohazard… Well you have faith that would work. Wishcraft is your specialty! I mean, it can’t be harder then turning back time or rewriting a country into existence?

You’ll keep this idea quiet for now. No need to worry them over it, let them focus on more traditional methods. Pass it off as research into Arcana restoration, as there’s plenty of overlap. Stars, maybe they can help each other! Ones stuck in reality, one’s stuck outside it! Wouldn’t that be a pleasant surprise!

Yes. There is ALWAYS a solution. And you can find this one!

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

As you enjoy your breakfast, you contemplate what you read. These references to an entirely different world have been a surprise to you. And a worrying one.

From what little you can glean, apparently this isn’t the first time Astravia had a cataclysmic event occur to it! You have no idea what it was, but Siffrin apparently fixed it, somehow.

People had theorized Timecraft could do some interesting things, but apparently Siffrin took it to a whole new level! Even more then Fantasia did.

...Speaking of Fantasia.

...Literally born from faith. Was almost like Change or Expressions… No wonder Change took such interest in them. It’d be like watching a baby get kicked to the curb.

But one thing worries you. From what you gather, Astravia was a very unpleasant place to live for most. Brutal to a fault. If Fantasia was born from it… How did that affect them?

You remember how they acted that day in Dormont. Before they fought the king. How they changed to something cruel and callous on a dime. How they seemed scared after the fact. You remember Equinox, and how far they were willing to go to prove a point. How they nearly gouged out Bonnie’s eye for it….

Is there something under the surface they are hiding? Even now?

...Gems alive, you need to stop this.

You hate being scared of them. But you just can’t get those shattering worries out. But it's hard NOT to, given the whole 'eating people' and 'destroyed an island' things. Even if you know they would never willingly hurt you, you had partners in the day like that. Gems, YOU were like that...

But you also KNOW they’ve been hiding something. The others have been ignoring it, trying to keep themselves from worrying, but you haven’t.

How they sneak away every night, without fail. How when you fought a sadness day before yesterday, and they looked at you with this wild look in their eyes even after it was dead. How they've seemed weaker every day. How they put on a fake smile the second you or anyone looks at them. How they haven't sang a single song since Dormont.

Some of that could just be trauma, but the moment anyone notices, they pretend like nothing is happening. They are a terrible liar.

You wished for this shattering book so you could try and get some fears off your back. Figured being better informed would help. Make it so you’re more assured. Be ready for any troubles that might come up. Or at least give you SOMETHING to discard these theories! But it doesn’t! It hasn’t helped at all!

Hm. But you do know what MIGHT be useful. Or more accurately, who.

You turn towards Fa, enjoying their own breakfast nearby. They went hunting yesterday afternoon, but are enjoying Bonniface’s cooking none-the-less. Regardless, you should ask for a favor.

◆ “Fa, mind if I borrow that console a bit? I want to try out that ‘messaging’ they mentioned, and to see to see if the others have any advice on anything.”

✦ “Oh! um. Yes. Alright!”

Gems, this new Fantasia is a lot more shy then Siffrin was. Sure, the old Siffrin was quiet, but they had this air of confidence and lightheartedness that Fantasia simply does not. Fair enough, but still.

Fantasia hands you the device. You’ve seen them use it a bit before, so it’s not TOO hard to figure it out. Especially since your wish lets you read Astravian rather easily. You find the messaging software, and find an option called ‘Scale chat’, which you presume must be them.

It’s supposedly like sending a letter, yes? Best treat it as such.

◆ {Greetings. This is Odile. I’m messaging to look for any pertinent advice and knowledge about Fa, or Fantasia as they have chosen. They are, as one would expect, uninformed about themselves. And given they only revealed their actual nature a few days ago, we have little and less to go off of. In addition, they have been acting as ‘Siffrin’ the entire time we’ve known them, further complicating knowledge. Any information about them, physical or personality wise, would be recommended.}

There. You believe you’ve gotten the message across. You wonder when- hm?

♯ {Hi Odile! Wow, how the stars do you know Astravian?!

♫ {Oh Fantasia’s such a neat name!}

𝄢 {My father would be proud. Also, how much you know?}

Oh. So, this is far more quick then you were expecting. Hm. Well, that works out well.

◆ {Fantasia taught us the Favor tree ritual, and I wished to know more about them. Got a copy of Siffrin’s lab notes and the ability to comprehend Astravian.}

◆ {Aside from that, only that their diet consists primarily of sadnesses and wildlife, that they can replicate entire organs (such as a stomach for normal food), and a rough idea of their capabilities.}

𝄢 {I presume that wish came with the ability to parse my brothers terrible handwriting. I've not read them myself, as he used them a bit as his own private journal.}

𝄢 {That said, how far are you? Approximately.}

◆ {Not very far. I've just learned how their star half was created. Only had it for a few days.}

♫ {Well, I can help with the food stuff! I’ll make a list of everything I know!}

Bonnie will be pleased with that. You’d best let them know.

◆ “Bonnie, Letting you know, you actually might be able to help Fa with food. They’re prepping notes now.”

✿ “CRAB YEAH!!!! Oh! Ask them if they got some cool recipes, I wanna know all of them! Especially ones Tay likes!”

✦ “Tay?”

✿ “Yeah, Fan-Tay-za!”

◉ “Gasp! The first nickname!”

▲ “Oh, nice one!”

You chuckle, and nod at Bonnie, and relay their request.

♫ {Of course! I’ll get Ti to throw in a few as well!}

♪ {Nille wants to know more about Bonnie cooking.}

◆ {Yes, they are quite the skilled chef. Don’t worry, we make sure they are responsible with cookware, though we hardly need to.}

𝄡 {I look forwards to sharing knowledge. Returning to the main question. There’s not much I can think of on the psychological front. Especially that would stick after so long.}

Right. The one thing you are most worried about. You need SOMETHING.

◆ {Anything is appreciated.}

𝄢 {Hm. Well, you mentioned their otherworldly nature. There is ONE thing about that which may still be present.}

◆ {Yes, I had theorized as much. I'd like details, if possible.}

𝄢 {While for the most part they are a fairly normal person for their circumstances, they do have some additional psyche’s that have formed from Astravian culture.}

Perfect, exactly what you need!

𝄢 {Have you seen their horn light up a particular shade before?}

Ah. Right, yesterday morning, where they were in that oddly simple minded state… That’s… NOT what you were expecting.

◆ {Yes. Darkless. How the gems is that based on culture?}

♪ {Oh that must have been fun. Hope you gave them pets.}

♫ {It’s based on the more benevolent parts of the kingdom! The Loyalty of the people, the blessings of the stars, and so on! There are some additional cultural implications as well, but that would be an entire essay.}

♪ {Yes, some symbolisim to it. White was synonymous with the best of Astravia. It’s unfortunately fitting that Commonfolk were not allowed to wear white.}

Hm. Well that’s good to know at least. Also, you noticed you instantly understood White is the same as Darkless, but with an extra connotation? Worth remembering.

You also remember their outfits, with that bit of cultural context. Mi was mostly lightless or dark clothing, but you noticed Aurola and Regulus had pure white armor over dark clothing. Further, Song and Titania’s outfits were mostly White. As is Fantasia’s now that you think on it.

What a strange class system. Though it does remind you of Ka Bue in a way.

𝄡 {There are two more Psyche’s like that one, but you might not see them. Regardless, They are all still Fa, and they can enter or leave said mentalities fairly easy, if needed and prompted. But they might not be aware of them otherwise. Worth noting ahead of time.}

◆ {Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.}

♪ {Just in case, Keep an eye out for Black. That one can get messy. Not as bad as it seems at first, but certainty messy.}

Ominous. Black means lightless, right? Maybe that is what occurred back then? You’d best keep an eye out.

You wait for Mi to send that list, then hand it to Boniface, who starts memorizing it instantly.

✿ “Woah! Oh that’s so crabbing cool! I gotta try that!”

Bonnie starts grabbing their cookware and trying some stuff out. Including using some craft? How odd.

Well, with that all handled, it’s best to start resuming travel. You help the others start to pack up, so you all can get back to the road.

>>>

Your cart begins to close into the next town. Réfroir, if you remember its name right? A frankly beautiful town. Known for its crafted glass, you remember when you visited it last time that you’d gotten to see it during night. The way light refracts throughout the entire town, only a handful of lanterns are needed, barely any on a full moon. You hope to see it again tonight.

Fantasia is a bit nervous going into a town how they are. Mirabelle makes a suggestion to use a hairband to pass off the horn as an accessory, to put them at ease. Fa does, however, change their eyes back to normal human eyes. You’d grown somewhat accustomed to their odd cat-like eyes, but it is nice to see they can do that.

After getting into town, you have Isabeau and Mirabelle see about finding you all a place to stay, taking Bonnie with them, while you and Fantasia see about getting the cart and Bayard taken care of. You find a place willing to hold your cart, and when you meet up with Fa, they are followed by… by...

A wolf. An unusual. Dark furred. Wolf.

◆ “...I have a few questions.”

✦ “Bayard didn’t want to stay in the stables, and asked if I could do something. I’d hunted some wolves earlier so…”

◆ “You changed a horse into a wolf?”

✦ “I had a few options, but they wanted wolf. Was curious how it felt.”

...Absolutely astounding. The surprises simply never cease.

◆ “The horse learned he could shapeshift and instantly indulged?...How Vaugardian of them.”

Si- Fantasia lets out a chuckle at that. The wolf lets out a light bark. They do seem to be enjoying the body, at least. They’re running around quite a bit, sidestepping, circling, jumping. Very excitable.

✦ “Yeah, wolves are really agile aren’t they?… Well they don’t have as much endurance, so it’s overall fair… Oh Bonnie would love that! Absolutely!”

Well, you suppose that is a nice bonus? Get to show Bayard the sights. They can even stay at the inn with you all, though they are still rather big. Wolf, not dog, after all. You scratch behind the ears, and they lean into it.

Bayard lets out a pleased rumble. Well, best to head to the others!

>>>

The lodge you all got was rather nice. Mirabelle had to talk UP the price a good bit, as the person was planning to just give them the place for free, but you managed to pay mostly fair. You don't want to exploit your savior status too much.

You’ll likely have to do some odd jobs for cash like usual, but given the state of Vaugarde right now, there’s plenty to work with, even after the king.

Sadness hunting would work well, but Fantasia typically does that in towns. Quite a few about still, even if they’ve been slowly returning to normal levels. With winter coming in, distributing emergency supplies is probably useful. And some people are probably desperate, so the defenders might need some help.

Heh. Working with defenders, that one amuses you. Would be QUITE the change of pace from back in Ka Bue! Well, at least defenders don’t kill you for breaking the law. And it’s not like you have for a while. Not since…

You hold the gem hanging off the left side of your head. Couldn’t keep going, not after worrying your father so much.

▲ “What’s up M’dame?”

Ah, time to leave that train of thought.

◆ “Considering what we should do to gather funds while in town. I might help the local defenders.”

✦ “Can I come with?”

Hm? That’s a little unexpected.

◉ “Really? I would have thought you’d go for sadness hunting like usual?”

✦ “Just. Felt like a change of pace!”

More of that fake smile… Well, you certainly wouldn’t mind, and you can keep an eye out for any other behavioral changes.

◆ “I’m not opposed to company. Anyone else?”

✿ “I’ma help hand out supplies! I can cook some meals for people, and I wanna try some of these new cooking crafts Mi and Ti sent!”

▲ “I’ll go with you! Many hands make light work!”

Bayard barks, clearly eager about something. Si-Fantasia turns towards Bonnie and smiles.

✦ “Bayard has volunteered to be Bonnie's noble steed!”

✿ “Oh CRAB YEAH! Aw that’s so crabbing cool!”

Given the wolf’s excited response, they seem to think the same!

◉ “I think I’ll go sadness hunting then! It um. Would let me have some space. To think.”

◆ “Very well! Meet you all back here then.”

A plan in mind, you all set out.

As you head out the door, and towards the defender’s building, you swear you saw something, out of the corner of your eye?… Nevermind. You are sure it’s fine.

>>>>

The defenders gave you the task of patrolling the streets, double checking for any disruptions. They trust you to take care of it should anything happen, given the whole ‘saviors’ thing. Even the rumor you both are assisting them will help a lot in keeping trouble down.

Fantasia is just taking the day easy. There isn’t much to worry about, for the most part. Had to settle a disagreement or two, but a stern word was all it took. They caught one pickpocket, but let them off easy with a firm talking to and sending them over to Bonnie and Isa. No worrying tendencies from them.

However, one thing has been worrying you... You SWEAR you are being followed. Two people, showing up every now and then. Watching you specifically, before vanishing. They have weapons, and by their stance, skill to use them.

And they’re Ka Buan.

It’s been years. Your bounty should be out of the picture. So what is their interest in you?

You see one of them try and hide off in an alleyway up ahead. Good, You need to address this NOW, before things get tricky and the others get involved. You wordlessly follow them in, Fantasia following behind you, somewhat confused.

You become equally confused, when they aren’t here. Gems. A Craft Mirage. It’s a trap.

㊊ “Well well well. Thought that would be harder.”

㊐ “Lost your touch with age, Madame Odile?”

Fa looks at the two, confused. But the moment the two men unsheathe their blades, it becomes very clear what’s happening.

◆ “You both are far from home. Mind telling me why you’re drawing swords on an old woman?”

㊐ “Lord Fuhai sends his regards. He’s paying handsomely for your head.”

Of course. That man would hold a grudge. Guess he finally got his council seat.

Fantasia puts themselves between the men and you. You ready your book, craft beginning to sizzle in the palm of your hand.

✦ “Look, I’d rather we don’t fight. Don’t hurt my friend, and go away. You get one war-”

Fa barely has a moment before they are cut in half in a single swing, straight from their shoulder to the hip!! Gems!!

As Fa falls to the floor, the two step over their body, pointing their blades at you.

㊊ “Any last words?”

◆ “Go shatter yourself.”

You fire off a powerful blast of craft at their face, only to find they sidestepped, and-

!!!!!

GEMS!!!! AAAAHHHHH!!! You! They just- Your arm! One stroke, and they’ve cut off your arm, and then-

HNG! A... blade through your heart. Gems… it HURTS!! You can feel the stiff blade against your flesh, before it’s ripped out.

Warm blood starts to pour from the wounds, as the air fills with a metallic scent. You… You can’t think…. Loosing blood fast… You can feel yourself…. fading…

But then….

You… Feel… something shift…. And… you smell…. Sugar?

《《《

㊊ “Any las- what!?!”

You take a deep gasp of air, as you suddenly feel your body refill with life, unharmed, the phantom pain barely letting you breathe.

What. What just…

Timecraft?

But you… You remember what happened? So do the men too apparently! But. How did?-

Fa.

Gets up.

There is a wicked smile across their face. Uncannily wide and cheerful. Their eyes glow that visceral shade. The remainder of their body twists and tears like fabric under strain, ripping apart in seconds. And from under their skin emerges a cacophony of fangs, limbs and tendrils. A strange laugh fills the air.

And their horn. Glows Black.

#isat #in stars and time #isat au #SymphonyInCrimson!au #The Monster makes a return.#And the fabric of time itself shudders in it's wake.

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