And so came the day that your life has changed forever,
your fate belonged to you never.
You are marked by your purity,
and not by maturity.
Your innocence is needed,
so that darkness can be succeeded.
But if you can cope,
there is reason for hope.
The air is moist and every shard of luscious, green grass glistens with silver dew, the sun was still rising through the pink clouds. The sailors from the forgotten days used to claim that "pink skies at night were a sailor's delight and pink skies in the morn' the sailer's be warn', for life at sea depends on the sky." Our elders were wise to judge the weather before sailing out but all these centuries later our ships, homes and much else has been built to stand through nature's wrath.
"Caste of Osten, are you sure you want to head off to university this year?", Clifford looked up a foot to engage in eye contact. The fifty three year old man was smaller in height but broader in width, he had small brown eyes set deep in his skull and a thin beard. He wore no shirt revealing his powerful muscle at his age and a loose pair of red pants, he resembled the ancient Chinese monks.
"Yes, it would be odd for a graduate of 2625 to start school a year late, besides I want to meet the other tribes of the world," I lifted my head up from eye contact and gazed beyond the train station,"There is so much more to discover than living the simple bard's life." My tribe lives in the western mountain sides in a small settlement named Osten. Clifford called me "Caste of Osten" because my family's name is Caste and our settlement is Osten. To simplify the confusing ritual of addressing some, if I meet someone named Jane Peters from Shea Shore I would call her Peters of Shea Shore. Its a proper way to identify ourselves in this day and age mostly because each settlement from around the world has a different job for its inhabitants. In Osten, we are bards and balladeers which is equivalent to singers and composers. Music is no longer the way it used to be, no more concerts, categories, genres or even schools for music. Its just that the people of Osten happen to be gifted singers and lute players. Other tribes have different professions, for example, the settlement of Ives in the far east have powerful magicians. Magic powerful enough to freeze or burn someone. And just south of us lays Shea Shore, the land of science, but not the type of science our elders studied. Today, chemistry and physics are no longer necessary, today the tribe of Shea Shore attempt to master powerful alchemy.
"It'll do me no good to speak with your mind in the distant now will it boy?", Clifford laughed and handed my suitcases to the tall conductor's assistant, "You may need tap this one with a baseball bat when you get there." The conductor and Clifford laughed as I came back from spacing out.
"No, I won't be day dreaming again," I smiled generously.
"What is your name sir?", asked the assistant.
"The names Farley Caste." Though I was given a horrible name I am proud of my humourous title. This is the main reason I much rather be called Caste than Farley, as for Clifford he could care less. My town is the home of some of the worst names you can get.
"Well Mr. Caste", The man removed his conductors hat and looked me square in the eye through his glasses, "You can promise me one thing I hope."
"Absolutely", as our green eyes met in pure focus I felt an overwhelming amount of frost take over my veins causing me to shiver. I looked around to see if anyone else showed signs of this unnerving feeling but everyone was frozen in time. No one's chest filled or gave air, no one blinked and no one spoke, the entire train station was still.
My breath is knocked out of me by a sudden break beneath my feet. I fall a million miles a second into an empty universe, the hume infested world disappears into a realm of crystal and blue like orb's. Blood and breath once again flows through my veins as my journey slows to a stop. I land gently in the arms of a large statue, when I examined her structure my fear disappeared. The crystal of which she was born from glistened beautifully, my eyes followed her glistening body up to her face. The angelic statue was carved with three crystallized wings arching her back. Her goddess like face was pure with a golden pendant on her forehead, who was the woman that carried me.
"Her name is Ultima, isn't she a beauty?", A familiar voice startled me.
"Conductor", I stated, "What have you done?"
"Fear not Caste, for your story begins now", he stepped forward and emerged into his true form. His face began to age by the second and his hair began to grow pointing into every direction, longer and whiter with every step he took. His glasses changed from iron to gold and his dark blue suit turned into a magnificent purple satin robe, "Let me introduce myself, I am Tellah, I once lived and breathed in a world far different from your own. I gave up my very last breath to avenge the murder of my daughter. However, because I gave my life for a reason of the greater good I have been summoned to prepare you for your journey forth."
Tellah, the great sage from the mythical land of Mysidia, "But wait, you can't be Tellah, he is just a children's story character. This isn't real."
"No, you are right", he said with sarcasm as he gestured his hands above his head and motioned his body clockwise, "You obviously do not have eyes or the ability to feel!"
Denial ran through my veins as my heart pounded, I leaped down off of Ultima and approached him, "Tellah, if you are so, explain to me how you know the spells of the time magician. How could Tellah have stopped an entire train station! Tellah couldn't even remember black and white magic when he walked with Cecil!"
"Who says I stand alone?", he walked nonchalantly examining the realm we stood in, "On your journey, you will meet many great people from very different worlds. They were once in your position, they held the fate of a greater story than your average being. I hear you have read a lot of story rhymes through your life that will help you identify these people. They will come only when the time is right, and to avoid revealing yourself two of these people will work together to stop time and summon you and your allies here."
"Allies? What do you mean?", I ran my hands through my ash blonde hair, "And who are the two you are talking about? I know that one is a time mage and the other is a summoner and that both are from a story rhyme. One must be Rydia, you must remember Rydia."
"I will never forget Rydia, but she was not ready for this journey nor prepared to summon next to a time mage", he smiled, "Yuna, from the story known to you as "Legend of Sin", has offered to lend you a hand in your journey. She and a time mage are why you are here young one".
I have never felt more afraid, timid and helpless in my entire life. The weight of an infinite number of lives pulled me to my knees, gravity has never felt more heavy than it does this very second. This man is Tellah, my placement is in the hands of Yuna but who controls my time? Tellah glided his way through the gleaming crystal floor and disappeared through the light leaving me alone. In a blink of an eye time was restored to its previous form.
"Caste!", Clifford laughed, "Here he goes again, this one day dreams a lot more often than a university boy should be!"
"Ah yes", Tellah stood back in his conductors assistant uniform, he looked me square in the eye, "Let this be your final fantasy boy, once you get on this train you have to stay alert."
Clifford and Tellah both looked at me with glistening eyes, a part of me wondered if Clifford was in on this too. Clifford gave me a final hug goodbye, "Yes Caste, you must stay focused during your studies."