A knock on Ritsu’s office door, she doesn’t even bother to look up. “Enter.” She keeps her focus on the papers in front of her.
The elezen enters with a slight hesitation, bowing. “Lady Arlow.” He pauses. “You asked to be kept abridged of any unusually activity. Well, there was an incident in the far east that may be of your interest.”
She raises her eyes up to look the man over. “Oh? And what would that happen to be?”
He clears his throat before reading his report. “Sosui Island, at around the 3rd bell, the inhabits reported a strange rumbling, flickering lights and strange humming sound. None that they ever have heard of before.“ He sets the report on the corner of her desk, along with a child’s drawing. Ritsu picked them up, looking them over. The man hesitated before speaking again. “There..was also a report of a blonde hyur. One that fits the description that you have mentioned before.”
Ritsu’s eyes grow cold. “Each time. Faster and faster…” she murmurs as she sets the papers down. “Fetch me an airship, I shall be departing within the bell.”
He curtly bows. “Very well.” He quickly departs the room.
Ritsu pulls out a sheet over paper, quickly writing a letter. She hesitates before removing her link pearl, setting it on the letter. She touches the letter once, before quickly leaving to get her affairs in order.
Several suns later. The island was a mess, whatever did this had real power behind it. Slowly coming into her view, the structure. Surely Garlean design. Or possibly Allagan. She can only hope it is the former. She starts to climb up the rocky surface, pausing as she sees a familiar tuff of blonde hair come into view.
The /lighthouse/ was made more evidently clear to be of Allag in design. Just the feel, the smell, the colors of the place. The blonde man was masked, but the stance and structure, she knew who this was. He stood at a control near the entrance. Blue screens floating in the air around him. His hand was steady on a small device, making slight movements as something moved around what looked like a map. "Well now this is an unexpected surprise. Isn't this far east a little but out of your hunting grounds my dear?"
She pulls herself up on a rock, no longer making an effort to move forward. "What can I say..I am branching out." She pauses "You came back quite quickly this time. Any reason for that?"
His attention was focused on the map, and he shrugged. "Actually yes. Mayhaps I have your people and friends to thank for that. I had thought after all these years people would become the wiser, a clear miscalculation. Time has done little to quell the savagery of people"
She shifts ever so slightly closer. "Surely you are not blaming me for what transpired. I was not even present, nor was it on my orders. I was just as surprised to hear such Regardless, I am certain you could agree that this dance of ours has gone on far too long. How many years now?"
"Indeed, it has my dear. There was but one task that remained on my docket and then the song would have been over for us. But in such pretty paranoia, you and yours sought it fit to hide the auracite from me. Even once you all saw how unprepared you were for its effects."
Her jaw sets "It is far from paranoia. Regardless of what transpired, in your hands I fear it may have gone far worse."
"And what makes you the authority on that, my dear. You of all people should know I only ever had the masses well-being in kind." One of his monitors beeps red. He pushes a button to silence the alarm, but the marker still pulses on screen.
"A question I could turn right back on you?" she scoffs. "Well-being? Maybe at some point, some version of you. However, … now?" she shakes her head "I would not be surprised if you lose more and more of yourself each time you come back."
"On the contrary, my dear. It seems each time... each body... has unlocked more and more of what was my previous life. In some ways not knowing was rather peaceful. “The red blimp turns a bright green "A path, there you are..." He says to himself. Upon pressing another button, a bar appears on screen and seems to fill.
"More in reverse then?" she couldn't help but smirk. “Does that mean you were quite the asshole in that life?" she creeps the tiniest bit forward, nodding to his screens. "What might you be looking for anyroad?"
The bar didn't take long to long to fill, once it was completed he began hitting a number of commands, the platform and area around the doors began to glow brighter... its veins of lights focusing on certain points "Base insults there, Knoltros? I had thought better of you than that. But as seems to be the case, I have been wrong about all you people..." He pulls a tombstone from the console, all the monitors blinking out of resistance. There is a rumbling as the door begins to close and he slides towards it "No matter.. It was a pleasure, when we did get to spend time together my dear.... farewell." As he flicked a wave, a smirk on his lips. The veins of energy peeks, first two... then five, then twenty sparkles of light formed... until they each began to fire beams of energy towards Ritsu.
Ritsu’s eyes widen as the door began to creep open. “No, Canis?! Do not dare..” she tries to scrabble up the rest of the ledge, closing the distance between them. “Seven hells..” beams fire off around her as the doors started to close. She hesitated a mere moment before lifting her hand, aether swirled around her as she let off a fire ball large enough to destroy the door. She darted into the darkness..making her way after the man.
A letter left behind on Flynt’s desk, a link pearl resting a top of it..
My Darling,
I honestly do not know where to start…
When we first met you came to my aid, helped me put a stop Canis time and time again. Looking back on that past, I was so painfully naïve. I thought he could become a better man, that despite his trespasses, he should be allowed to live. This line of thinking was so wrong. Then we learned what he was. No matter how many times he fell, he only rose again.
This needs to end. However, I shall not drag you, nor those from the lodge into this. It is time I clean up the mess that has tainted our lives for so long.
I can picture you standing there, clutching this letter till your knuckles are white. Try not to be too angry, this is something I should have done so long ago…
Your beloved,
Ritsu
On the floor, careless left, a drawing. Perhaps made by a child? However, not his own..just what is this..?
