📗 @mysidiasprodigy (a long response to two Palom prompts, one for getting him something he needed without him asking, the other about Golbez’ loyalty)
“Thanks!” Palom chirped as Golbez handed him a book from one of the upper shelves only accessible with a library ladder.
The young man, scanning lazily, nearly frustratedly, at the size and quantity of words in the text just handed him, has the aura of both black and white magic, despite his greater proficiency in the former: black magic palpable in how his presence radiates outward- radiated heat (though it may have more to do with his particular attitude than how magic generally manifests itself…), white magic flitting around that hot frame like birds, moths, butterflies- uncontrolled and untapped yet coexistent.
Magic exists as both an innate power and a learnt thing. For example, Rosa is an incredibly powerful white mage but she’d’ve never been powerful without patience and practice. Kain and Cecil could eventually, instinctively tap into white magic, as Edge did with black magic, while Rydia exchanged her white magic for something entwining white with black.
Golbez himself is unable to use white magic despite his best attempts, but was blessed with ability for black magic, something he honed past perfection into invention and redefinition- something he could feel the sparking of in the boy across him in Mysidia’s library: the creative force to turn a job class into the fibers and art and science, redefined entirely again with one’s own flair. To stretch something so far that it extends out of mastery and back into birth and creation.
The evening light is peaceful, even for postwar standards, and Golbez wondered if that peace was what drew him so definitively out of the woods for the night.
At the end of the Creator’s War, Golbez conceded to recovering fully from his injuries in Baron before unintentionally becoming a part of their plans to, once again, restructure and repair the world. Each king would be responsible for the specific plans or requests of their own kingdom while the other kingdoms would extend themselves to help wherever possible. Damcyan required assistance rebuilding their throne room (a task that Kain quietly requested for himself, much to Edward's amusement), Mist in making their cliffs traversable. The area around Agart would be safely sloped into the Underworld to encourage connection between the above and below grounds while Edge bore the weight of connecting with the Feymarch solely on himself.
Golbez offered up, unexpectedly, to research how to connect the Blue Planet once again with the Moon, if any Lunarians similar to his father ached as strongly to learn and grow, for the sake of themselves and the societies around them.
He would research the past history of lunar travel while aiding Palom in researching informational texts on construction and culture for the use of everyone backing this post-war cause.
The kings would supervise their respective lands with their closest advisors but some not directly entwined with that specific status (such as Ceodore, Ursula, and Luca) would travel with the new Red Wings, comprised of Baron’s dragoons, soldiers, and engineers to physically and spiritually rebuild the world- Kain to lead this ragtag group across the planet wherever aid was requested. Those not traveling and physically constructing handled the constant communication between the kingdoms and towns: Porom would remain in Mysidia to handle their logistical work, Rydia to Mist, the Eblan ninjas homebound due to their king’s absence in the Feymarch.
And after securing a permanent connection between the Moon and the Blue Planet, what would he do then? What purpose would there be for him once reparations were complete? Once the kingdoms reorganized, shuffled back together like cards?
He supposed there would always be dissonance and disconnect, with Ceodore requiring Kain for advice and training but the kingdom requiring his teacher to be the new captain of the Red Wings despite his lifelong status as a dragoon. This newfound responsibility then extended to status as a co-advisor if either one of his two best companions were ever out of the kingdom on other business (Cecil usually for decision-making advice, Rosa for her healing prowess). He seems strangled by the political jargon of the advisors and chancellors, but is comforted because this vocabulary and vibe is also absent in his peers, all more like civilians than royalty.
Palom and Porom had also both taken on the Head Elder position of Mysidia but Palom with looser control of leadership as he travels and trains frequently with Leonora. Edward is still, strongly a bard and Edge spends time with Rydia and that child as if his kingly responsibilities are optional, rather than mandatory. Cecil and the other kings are so close as friends they function as such, even in political settings. Cecil still so quick to rush into danger, as if he is just a knight without the heavy responsibility of a king not to self sacrifice.
Perhaps no one belongs in just one place nor does any position fit exactly like a mask, but there’s a role and place for everyone regardless, despite how often they change- princes to carpenters, dragoons to airship captains, from Baron to Agart to Mist, to the Moon; society could never be anything other than fluid. People as they are, recreating themselves as needed.
Regardless- where did this place him if his duty was not to the Moon or the Earth? To any kingdom though even he himself no longer felt hibernating on the Moon or hiding away in the woods was the right, contented choice.
Maybe reparations would last forever. There would be no danger nor harm to any person or kingdom, but they would never be satisfied with what needed to be fixed or recreated. The kingdoms would be forever intertwined with one another and he could exist in Baron as he did in Mist, in Damcyan, Kaipo, Troia, the Moon- free to roam but more often than not more involved than anticipated.
Bubbling up and breaking this unending, aching stream of thought was Palom’s voice asking Golbez that same ongoing question he asked himself; What would he do once reparations were done? When this singular night of research ended?
“I intend to travel to the Moon again soon to check on the current status of reparations but if I am not needed I… I won’t remain there for long. I will remain in Mysidia tonight.” He swallowed, anxious, admitting something so unsaid it was nearly unthought: the deep desire to remain on Earth with Cecil and the others.
“So you're on our side now, right?” Palom asked cheekily, already anticipating the response. Maybe his future was to be decided only by forces outside of himself.
“Yes.” A short response, but a definitive one. No matter where he traveled to, or what tasks he took on there, there would be family he would return to in places he would finally call home.
