The Eye That Does Not See
Author's notes
This is an alternate universe fiction about what would have happened in Auldrant if the score had never been written by Yulia. I did some things that some Tales freaks may not be happy about seeing as I twisted it to make some events happen that would not have if the score hadn't been written. Sorry, I just couldn't bear to write the story without one of my favorite characters xP.
Prologue- A history unwritten
Yulia stood before a glowing figure. All this time, people had thought that only six fonons existed. It was logical too- no one had ever suspected- nor had they had reason to suspect that there were more than the six governing elements sustaining their world. But now, here before her was proof that Sound itself was a fundamental element to the sustaining of Auldrant.
"Who are you? What is your name?" Yulia asked the figure in astonishment. Never before had she seen something so beautiful. It looked like a man but she couldn't be sure- its shape was ever-changing and it rarely kept the same form for more than a couple seconds. Though the one thing she could make out were its eyes. Gold and always the same they were glorious and magnificently beautiful.
"I am called Lorelei. I govern over the force of sound in this world." The figure spoke slowly to her. It was strange almost as if it was speaking in a thousand voices and only one at the same time. But then it was to be expected. The spirit of sound governs all noises in Auldrant. And, though you would think a noise composed of a thousand voices screaming, crying, praising and loving all at once would sound hideous, all the voices- all the tones melded together as if they were meant to be and they were.
"Yulia, as the spirit of sound, it is my duty to reveal to you the Score of this planet- its grand symphonic arrangement." Yulia stared at Lorelei. She did not understand what it meant. A grand symphonic arrangement? What was that?
"I can see you are confused so for your sake I will explain: For many years I have shown the history and future of this world to many of its inhabitants and none have been able to see or hear me until now. Yulia, you are the first. The Score I will show you is a record of Auldrant's past, present and future. It proclaims all things throughout the life of this world. You will see the many paths that lie before this world and you will see all that will befall man whatever the path. But, know this that the world will unavoidably travel a drastically different road whatever you choose." Yulia stood dumbfounded. She looked at this spirit. And then she realized it wasn't just a spirit of Sound. Lorelei was a spirit of Wind, Fire, Earth, Water, Light, Dark, sound and Time itself. She thought back to the Planet Storm and remembered exactly how it worked- memory particles passed through the radiation gate and then went through the different fonons and re-entered the planet. So, Lorelei must not just be the governing entity of Sound and Memory but also a compilation of every other spirit and every spirit spoke in his voice.
"You are the spirit of all things Lorelei, aren't you?" Yulia instantly felt as though she had said something horrible that should never have been brought to light however, if there was anything she felt, it was nothing but glowing happiness- a feeling that was radiating straight from Lorelei.
"Your choice, Yulia that is before you now is whether or not to write the score for all man to read and know." Lorelei was avoiding confirming what Yulia had said but, she knew from his tone and his face that she was right.
"I haven't even seen the score. How can I write let alone decide whether or not to reveal it to humanity?" Yulia asked perplexed.
"Yulia, prepare yourself. I will show all things to you and you will see all things. No human has ever been able to hear my voice and certainly they have not recognized me but to you who first did, I will reveal the score and my secrets." Lorelei surrounded Yulia and she found herself completely immersed in light. If I were charged with telling you all the things she saw, we would be here for all eternity. Suffice it to say that Yulia saw many things. Seeing all things was not like seeing how the world will become but, the many paths that lay before men. They have their own abilities to choose their own fates. But, as each choice is made, a certain path disappears and Auldrant will never be able to take that path again. As she watched, Yulia paid close attention to two major paths: each one showing the outcomes of her two choices. On the one hand, if she wrote the score there would be major conflicts in the world. Families would be torn apart and even the face of the land would be scarred by the conflicts of men. However, she saw that these wars would eventually come to an end and the world would be at peace until the cycle re-circled. But, if she didn't write the score, she knew that the world would be at peace. And, for the most part, men would cease thirsting after power. There would be petty struggles but, the only major conflict would come when another was born who had the choice whether or not to write the score. If any of them attempted to write it, then, inevitably, there would be people who opposed them. Many people would die in these struggles but, whatever the outcome of those struggles, the world would always return to an era of prosperity. After seeing a great deal of the happenings of the world, Yulia began to see the events that would unfold in her own life. She saw happiness and teaching as well as learning on her part. She saw that she could be happy and content for the rest of her life. At least, up until a certain point. She found a rude awakening from her dream of bliss when she saw a betrayal by someone who she trusted- someone she loved as a brother- Francis Daath. Inevitably, he would grow too hungry for power and betray her. But, out of that betrayal she would meet a man who she would love and then, she would raise a family with him. And, eventually one of her descendants would lead the fight against one who would attempt to write the Score if she did not. Yulia saw all these things and many more. It was almost too much but, when it seemed as if her head was about to burst, the visions stopped. She had seen everything. Despite all she had seen, there was one thing she couldn't fathom. Lorelei could see that she was troubled.
"You saw all. But, more importantly you saw your own fate did you not?" Lorelei of course knew what the answer to that would be. Yulia was a strong woman but this shook even her. She was so shocked by the betrayal of Francis Daath she could not move. She knew that through his treacherous actions, she would be thrown in prison and he would take control of the organization he would christen "The Order of Lorelei".
"Yulia, do not despair. You not only saw sadness but hope as well if I am not mistaken." Lorelei said in an attempt to comfort her. And, it was true. Yulia did indeed see herself finding love in a man and having a family after her imprisonment but, in the end she would ultimately be killed by Daath's paranoia and hunger for power.
"This is a curse I wish on no other man. If you know how you will die or even just how your life will turn out, you can do nothing but live in anticipation for that day. And, for that reason and that reason alone, I will not write the score." Yulia knew that she had made the right choice. She had been upset by the things she saw in her future and even those happy things; she knew she could only look forward with helplessness. She could never change one aspect of her life.
"Very well then, if that is your choice, so be it." Lorelei spoke solemnly. He watched as Yulia walked out of his cave. She was ready to start the life she already remembered but had yet to live. And, things were just as she feared. Everything happened the way she had seen it. Not three years later she had been betrayed and then rescued from prison. There were times in her life however when the happiness she felt was enough to make her forget the fateful foreshadowing of the score. But, she was right. It all ended just as had been predicted.
Francis Daath, after reading Yulia's journal years after her exile came upon an entry that mentioned the score and eventually her foreknowledge of his betrayal. He became panicked. Goaded on by urgent voices in his head, he sent spies to locate Yulia. When they reported back that she was living in a small town in the center of the world, all of his fears became real. He had indeed read that that was where she would reside. He also saw that after reading the score, she had written, "I may be exiled by his hand; I may be rejected from those things which are my own. But, it does not matter. I, in the end will be happy and Francis Daath will receive his just reward." Fearing for his own life, Francis Daath sent assassins who brutally murdered Yulia in her sleep. Those who found her in her blood drenched sheets with her loving husband also dead say that she smiled in death. Not a smile of knowing, cunning or vengeance but one of peace.
Francis Daath spent three more years of schizophrenic paranoia ruling The Order. Eventually he did die. People with a flair for the supernatural say that it was the ghost of Yulia and her Love that pushed Francis Daath from the tower of the cathedral but what really happened that night was that Daath was passing a sleepless night filled with terror-stricken thoughts radiating from every corner of his conscience. In his mania, he opened Yulia's journal to confirm once again what he had read. But, as he was flipping through the pages. He found something- a letter. It was addressed to him and written by Yulia. He ran from his room to escape his fears and fled up the stairs. Running through every room of the great building, his screams of guilty terror filled the silent chapels. And, when he could run no higher, he threw himself from the tower convinced that he could escape the ghosts of his past in death.
Had he stopped to have read the letter before running to his death he would have seen that it read:
"My dearest Francis, I know that you may never have the chance to read this letter but, I write it in the deepest of hopes that someday you will. Know that I do not blame you for the things which you have done. I still to this day love you. I would not be writing this letter if I did not feel so. There is so much I wish to tell you but I know that it will only feed your mania. Francis, I hold no bitter feelings against you. What you did- you did because fate dictated so. And for that, I cannot hold any resentful feelings. I remain, lovingly yours- mentor, friend and sister- Yulia Jue"
It is a tradition that a fate is a wicked thing. The score is a terrible tool and the two who have read its prophecies have gone mad and ultimately been killed by it. The Score could inevitably prevent deaths but, as Yulia saw, it would cause contentions that would rage throughout the eternities on this planet. It can drive men mad with its predictions of death and vengeance- even those predictions of good can plant the seed of insanity in one's heart. Only two have risen up to write the score in the past and the battles that eventually destroyed them also took the lives of many brave men and innocent women and children. From what we have heard from these two, we know that there are only three opportunities for descendants of Lorelei to record the score. We must stand vigilant and waiting for the third bringer of madness to rise so that all the nations of Auldrant may strike him down with great fury that this path of insanity may never be presented to the race of man again.