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[He looks up with that usual warm smile of his.]

You flatter me, but that's just basic service for a guest.

[He then gestures to the empty chair in front of his desk as he clears away some of the papers while leaving the ones he already set aside for this conversation. He's definitely going to be taking some notes.]

I hope you were able to rest well. You look better, that's certain.

[Not completely, but very much compared to how she was when they first landed on the ship last night.]

[ She raises a hand to scratch at her cheek. ] That's all thanks to you. [ He'd taken her back here, offering her a place to rest for the night while she had been basically an exhausted wreck. It's a little embarrassing needing to be careful for, but she's grateful nonetheless.

Rem tilts her head up, attempting to look over the edge of his desk at whatever papers are in front of him. Standing in an office like this reminds her of the many times she'd entered the Archsorceress' back in Orience. She finds her straightening her posture without thinking about it, hand lowering from her cheek to her sides. ]

Taking notes on something...?

[A half grin as he watches her trying to take a peek.]

Bit of everything. Notes, reports, ideas, designs and schematics. I've never been much to idle, and here it's no different.

But these in particular—[He taps the papers in front of him.]—are about you.

[ In another timeline, she would have given him an incredulous look and asked if he does this for everyone.

As it is, she remains standing, shifting only to allow her fingers to link together once again. Despite her attempts to control her expression, she can't help her surprise. ] You... wanted to know more.

Well given everything that's happened and your situation being far from ordinary, thought it best to keep things straight.

[And since she's still standing despite his earlier gesture for her to sit, and seeing that familiar posture of a cadet in front of her superior, his expression turns a bit more wry.]

Now come, have a seat. This is going to be a long talk so might as well be comfortable.

[ She walks forward, taking the seat. Rem smooths out the imaginary wrinkles of her skirt, delaying but not avoiding the conversation. He's helped her time and time again. While it's difficult to feel useless, she supposes the least she can do for him is answer some questions. He's already gotten her to agree not to use human souls. ]

What would you have me to start with?

[He leans back in his chair, quill twirling in his fingers.]

Let's start with who you really are. I didn't try prying before, but I think knowing what kind of life you had and a bit about your world would help me better understand the whole "using souls" thing.

[ Who she is…—

That would be a good start. Although it feels more than a little imbalanced when she doesn’t know as much about him.

Moreover, she wants to know. When coming from a warring in which all forget the dead, older adults with both experience and knowledge are rather rare. And with Tempus Finis commenced in her world, all the elders she had known are dead. With them went their histories, with only vague echoes of their impact left upon her. She can’t remember the last time she’d seen grey hair or wrinkles before coming to this realm. ]

Will you… tell me about yourself, too? Afterwards.

[As if expecting it, he just grins.]

Only fair. Of course, I don't want to pry on any personal affairs so you don't have to tell me all your secrets. But if it's important to explain your situation, even just a general hint will be enough.

And I'll do the same for myself.

Okay... [ She settles, somewhat, into her seat, looking down briefly, then back up to him. ] Because I want to know, I do. [ She offers him a meager, shy smile before it passes from her lips, and her gaze falls once more to her hands upon her lap. ] I want to know you while you live.

[ This world has many perils, but that she's met people who come after their deaths means she has a chance to know them. Assuming they won't die again in this world.

Rem falls quiet, brushing these thoughts aside to contemplate where to begin, and she supposes that most of his questions ] As for me...

I'm from Dominion of Rubrum, enrolled at Akademia as a cadet. Among the classes there... I'm in a special force called Class Zero. There are fourteen of us. We fight in the war as a special ops unit, either as auxiliary, independent, or leading other soldiers in battle. We fight for our Crystal. [ There. Context. ]

Aside from our military duties, our task is to harvest... what most call "phantoma"-- souls, life essence-- after each battle. Human or beast, it doesn't matter.

[ She pauses here, thinking back to their previous conversation. Aside from how the soul appeared near the altar, it seems that he can't see them. ]

Most don't know of its true nature even within the Dominion. Soldiers sometimes vaguely refer to their soul or power as magical energy, or what they need to sacrifice when needed. There are a few exceptions here and there, moreso among the cadets at Akademia, the military academy. However, inquiry into phantoma, or using it like we do, is strictly forbidden. We have standing orders to execute those not authorized. [ Her eyes shift away, and she presses her lips together. She's not guilty of executing anyone for that reason, herself. But she is guilty of letting them get away, just as she's telling Cid all of this. ] So... don't mention this to anyone, please.

[ She's making an exception for him!! She's going against orders!

But she stops here, just in case he has any specific questions. ]

[As he said, he's taking notes as she speaks, that quill stopping and his eyes glancing up at her sharply when she mentioned she is fighting for a crystal. Already he can see this conversation taking very interesting turns, and he also remembers how she seems to be familiar with entities that share the same name as their Eikons.

Crystals...

Bastard things.

Even in another world they seem more like a curse.

His expression only hardens further as she explains about the phantoma and use of it, the fact that it is forbidden to know further only making it more suspect. Of course, he keeps open the acknowledgement that her world may work on completely different systems and fundamentals than his own, but anything with that amount of secrecy usually means it's nothing good.

So there will the sound of the quill for a moment before he looks back up at her.]

What exactly was this war you were fighting? How widespread was it? Since you mention a school of sorts this all seems to have a lot more organized than just a typical "territory war" between kingdoms.

There were already skirmishes at the border, but it formally started when the Empire invaded us, attempting to take our Crystal because theirs was losing power. [ A furrow of her brow, there. She still doesn’t know how a Crystal loses power. They are essentially their world’s gods. ] If it weren’t for Class Zero, they would have succeeded. After that, the war grew… and grew.

It encompassed our entire globe. All four Crystal-nations, even their l’cie. As for Class Zero, we fought as needed to defend our Crystal. When the other nations wouldn’t yield, the Dominion invaded them, in turn. We continued to gather phantoma. Sometimes, we were sent out on specific missions to gather unique ones. It just depended on what our orders were.

Those of Class Zero can only harvest from the dead. I'm... the only one in my class that can take one from someone who still lives, as well. [ Not that she knows the reason why. ]

The other exceptions are the l'cie... [ Her voice goes hushed, and her fingers curl into the fabric of her skirt, but the moment passes. She speaks as if this is all rather normal, expected. ] They're, ah, demigods chosen by the Crystals-- who can harvest from the living when the Crystal calls for it.

...Bloody hell.

[Cid puts down the quill with a clatter as he rubs his brows, silent for a moment before there's a sharp laugh.]

Seems like crystals are a nuisance no matter the world.

[After wiping his face, he looks back at her. Harvest souls while still alive... Well if that isn't chilling enough, the fact it all seems normal for her is. ]

And you said they are the ones calling for these souls, phantoma? And what was the current situation before you arrived here?

Edited 2024-03-12 05:00 (UTC)

[ Rem presses her lips together, abruptly looking up at him when he mentions the Crystals being a nuisance. It's an automatic, defensive response, which makes her address that first before even going into what's the current state of her world. ]

The Crystals... give their blessing to us. [ A brief hesitation, but she then continues without missing another beat. ] They take souls by their proxy, the l'cie. But only when necessary, like when calling a verboten Eidolon that calls for hundreds, sometimes thousands of souls to be sacrificed. [ Another pause, and her shoulders slope down, looking that defensive edge. ] I know it sounds terrible [ ~~it is terrible~~ ] and it is scary, but this is all for the benefit of our nation, and the well-being of our Crystal.

[ It's child solider indoctrination o'clock. ]

And how exactly do your nations benefit from these crystals?

Each nation's crystal has a unique blessing. For example-- in Concordia, their Crystal gives them the ability to control beasts and dragons. For us, our Crystal gives us magic. [ She knows from a previous conversation with him that when he was in his world, he had been working on ways to not rely on magic. She understands that. Yet-- ] Without it--... without it, we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves, both from the fiends roaming Orience, as well as the aggression of other nations. They'd overwhelm us, utterly. [ Her gaze lowers, troubled. She'd witnessed and has been subjected to enough of the horrors of war to feel that relying on magic is absolutely necessary at this point. ] And when we can't handle a threat ourselves, sometimes the Crystal sends a l'cie to fight with us. Or combat another Crystal's chosen.

Without our Crystal, we would all be as good as fodder.

[ Big irony in that statement, when the Crystal uses them as fodder, too. Even if she realizes the dissonance, she wouldn't know what to say. She's seen what happens when one nation lost its Crystal to another.

She looks up at him. ] ...You don't seem to like my answer.

Not really, no.

[He's not going to sugarcoat it, and after scrawling over the paper once more, he sits back, the quill falling into the inkwell with a small sign of frustration as he taps his finger against the edge of the desk.]

I suppose it's my turn then.

In my world, we also have crystals—Mothercrystals. They are giant monoliths that nations have also developed around and fought over, many rising and falling over the past centuries because of their existence. And these Mothercrystals are the source of magicks for those who are unable to draw on the aether on their own. With crystals harvested from the Mothercrystals, the people were able to develop new, easier ways to live.

Use fire magic to burn an oven or forge. Use water magic to fill otherwise dry wells. Even use wind to more quickly dry clothing. At first it may seem convenient, but that convenience is at a cost.

People began to rely on these magicks, but the harvested crystals are limited in their uses, and once depleted they are no better than rocks. Which is why while everyone uses crystals, Bearers—magic users—are highly sought after as they could be more easily exploited for such use.

And that includes Dominants.

[A hard look at her.]

I suppose you could consider Dominants and Eikons similar to your l'cie. They were originally created to act as wardens or guardians of their Mothercrystal, but over time that changed to just fight for the nation that was in control of that Mothercrystal. So while we had the greater power and should be respected as such, we were no different than another tool of war.

And as it turns out, these Mothercrystals were actually used to drain the aether of all the land, all for a so-called god's spell to effectively reset the world to his own liking.

[A small, quiet but harsh laugh.]

You call the power of your crystals a blessing. For us, and from what it sounds to me even in your world, it was a prison—a curse.

[ As he speaks, she listens attentively. What he tells of his world lines up with what she knows about it from others, that the Dominants are tools of war, that magic taxes them. The news about his world having mothercrystals is new, however, as well as them being the source of draining the world of its vitality.

It's impossible not to be sympathetic to that. If there was something or someone draining her world, when she's done all she can to help protect it... she would fight against it. ] I'm guessing no one knew what the Mothercrystals were truly doing. Hurting your world, I mean.

[ That's not what Orience's Crystals are doing, she's certain. The Crystals only offer their blessing. ]

It makes sense to consider that a curse. As well as... being chosen without your knowing. [ The l'cie, at least, not only gain power, but immortality. They sacrifice their humanity and will so they might protect others. ]

Aye, I was the one who first figured it out. No one else could figure out how the Blight came to be, only that it was draining aether. Understandably, it was not something I could just wildly claim to just anyone, so I decided to just take matters with my own hands.

[ie, destroy them.]

But your crystals are taking all souls, aren't they?

Edited 2024-03-13 23:17 (UTC)

[ Her lips purse as he mentions taking matters into her own hands. While she knows their worlds are different, there's a gut reaction to any implication that the Crystal could be harmed. But he's moving the conversation along, so-- ]

Ah... No. I don't-- [ She hesitates. ] No, that's not how it is. [ More context, then. ]

The l'cie function as, ah, almost like an extension of the Crystal. [ Her hand rises to the clasp at her cloak, fidgeting. ] They have little will. Most of who they were when they were mortal is gone. When the Crystal can't move, the l'cie can for it. I mentioned the Crystal sends l'cie to help us in battle, I do mean that 'sometimes'. The Consortium-- the Dominion's governing body-- have no control over the l'cie or when they do go into battle. That alone is the Crystal's judgment, and historically, [ Keyword, historically. ] it's rather rare of a l'cie to join because of the devastation they can bring. Many times people have hoped a l'cie would come to help, but they haven't. Then, sometimes when they do come, we're ordered to evacuate the area.

When the Crystal deems souls need to be sacrificed, it's the l'cie that takes them-- because they can siphon from the living, not just the dead. But I don't think the souls they take... go to the Crytal. They're used for the l'cie's power. [ Consumed for the sake of the magic or summoning, as far as she knows.

Saying it aloud makes it sound much worse. Or it sounds like she's trying to say no, it doesn't take all souls, when her explanation is trying to debunk that on a technicality: "The l'cie take souls when needed, not the Crystal, but the l'cie's wills are tethered to the Crystal".

Oof.

Rem looks away. ]

...It's... us that brings souls home. Class Zero. But we don't bring them to the Crystal.

[He's certainly not seeing much of a difference, technicality or not, and he certainly doesn't look that convinced. But he'll go with it for now. And the l'cie... They sound like akashic, at least in function.]

You speak as if these Crystals are sentient. And where do you bring the souls if not to the crystals?

Edited 2024-03-14 01:59 (UTC)

In a sense, they are. But I'm no expert... [ Her voice trails with her uncertainty. A question of the Crystals' sentience could possibly be better explained by one of her class members, but not her. She gently reminds herself to ask about his world's Mothercrystals, and if they can talk. If they ever talked to him, before they chose him as a Dominant.

As for his question-- she appears uncomfortable because she knows this is the more unpleasant topic. It's also the subject she's really not supposed to be talking about with those outside of Class Zero. ] We bring it to... that sacred place I mentioned, which houses a device of the same name.

[ The device that she'd mentioned that converts souls. ] We call it the Altocrystarium. I know-- [ She says quickly. ] it has "cryst" in it, but there's no crystal. [ That she's aware of, anyway. ] Crystarium is an older word for library in our world, and the Altocrystarium device itself looks like a single, giant tome. [ Hence, higher-library. Altocrystarium.

Her hand at the clasp on her cloak tightens. ]

Cid... I'm trusting you with this. The Archsorceress-- Class Zero's "Mother"-- [ She falters. ] She said we're not supposed to let others know. It's she who gave us the order to harvest souls, and I... It's important, it is. That we follow her. [ She doesn't exactly know how to describe it, and she knows he believes it to be wrong, but to Rem, it doesn't feel wrong. It feels right to follow the Archsorceress, or at least, not to disappoint her, even if she's not Rem's mother at all. Unable to find a way to articulate herself, Rem brushes her thoughts aside, shaking her head. ] We relinquish souls to the Altocrystarium for her, and for us... as a means to grow our power.

[ Her knuckle has since turned white. Crystals, she doesn't know what would happen if the Archsorceress knew she was saying this much. ]

[He's going to look at her for a long moment before he folds his arms over the edge of the desk.]

I won't be telling anyone anything you don't wane me to. Likewise, I'd prefer if you kept what happened to me a secret as well.

[A secret for a secret, and while she may not know it, it's important that a certain someone doesn't hear about his death from anyone but himself. He just...has to do it.]

But this Archsorceress... Perhaps I'm missing more context, but is it normal for someone who isn't l'cie to harvest souls or command others to do so? Did the Crystals instruct her to? Is this something that other nations do as well?

[ Him agreeing to keep this a secret causes a small, reassured smile to appear, but his next inquiry causes her to pause to think. Since Tempus Finis commenced, she’s developed great many gaps in her memory when it comes to people. It takes a few long moments to recollect events and battles around a slew of blank faces and forgotten names. Her brows knit together. ]

No… It was just us who harvested souls during and battle. Only us.

And as for the Archsorceress… Dr. Al Rashia, is her name— [ Rem’s hand releases the clasp, and it rises to scratch at her cheek. ] …She’s not a l’cie, if that’s what you’re asking. Not instructed by the Crystal.

Why do you ask?

Edited 2024-03-14 03:19 (UTC)

[This is a difficult position because on the one hand, maybe this Archsorceress is genuinely a good force and this is just an unfortunate necessity born from the circumstances of their world. On the other hand, the patterns just fit too well with Barnabas and Ultima, too will with those who seek power for their own gain while under the guise of something else. And Rem clearly has all her faith and loyalty to this woman, a person he has not personally seen and can only guess from what Rem says—who is an unreliable narrator here.]

I should ask you—don't you think it's strange she's acting rogue from what's considered normal operations? As I said, I may be missing a few facts so do correct me if I'm wrong, but just from what you told me, she seems to be trying to act like a Crystal herself, and all of you are her l'cie, collecting the souls for her to use on this Altocrystarium in return for your own powers.

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