FINAL FANTASY XI
CHAPTER XII
Division
Daylight poured into the room, and Magus would open his eyes. It was welcome, the dream he had been having involved a legendary Behemoth chasing the Black Mage for the simple reason that Magus had stolen his pants. Monsters didn't wear pants, so already the surrealism was obvious. As the daylight that flooded his sight faded, he finally could make out who had open the door to his quarters. It was not his master as he had expected, so the worries he possessed of having overslept took flight of him. It was however interesting who had woken him up. It was Aadia; she stood in the way of the window, having just pulled up the blinds.
"Good morning?" Magus uttered words as he rose to his feet slowly. He was unaccustomed to having company decide to wake him up, and it crossed his mind that it might throw his schedule off if he were awake too early. Her attire had changed; it seemed the clothing she wore was now more adorn for travel. While the leather that bound her here and there remained, crimson pants had turned to ebony. And over shadowing it all was a red cloth. It was a rouge hue, and was buttoned up over her chest so that only her pants could be seen. In all sense of the word, a trenchcoat, however it was more designed towards Aadia's personality than the usual jacket.
She seemed to be standing comfortably in it, as if this change of outfit was not a detour from the usual, but a return to her standard clothing. Magus waved a bit as he had spoken a greeting already, and accompanied such with a smile. It was relieving that she and not an upset Torukoishi had awaked him, but why had she woken him so early?
"Good morning, Magus." She waved her own reserved greeting as well as replying her spoken word, and sat down on the bed next to Magus. The Black Mage was fully dressed, so he had no reason to feel as if she had invaded his privacy, or some other sort of impolite thing. Such would be beyond the Elvaan anyhow, so such worries would be simply paranoia. Aadia would scan the room, and Magus wondered if anything was wrong with the way he kept house. His room was plain, nothing extra to clutter up, for he knew he couldn't make sense of many objects in his room. There were standard pieces of furniture, and a small jewelry case for the hilt of his staff; nothing more.
"What's up?" Magus reply stated everything he wanted to know, it still was a curious matter that Aadia had found her way into his room. There was no pretense that she was angry, or confused, or curious of any matter that involved him. Perhaps she was just visiting, but he had the feeling that the two of them would be out on the road again. Interesting things happened when she was around, not so much that she was the cause; he would act a little bolder around her to compensate for her almost intimidating matter. A woman who could leap twenty feet in the air, and strike much harder than he could was a bit much to take. He was just compensating for the presence of a strong woman.
"Not much, but I want to ask a favor of you." Aadia's voice didn't waiver, so it wasn't a matter of life or death. She stood up, and took a few steps over to the case for Magus's hilt to examine the weapon he carried. Magus would easily have agreed to her terms, if he only knew what they were. He leaned back onto his elbows, slouching for comfort, and then he made his move.
"What's the favor?" Aadia had taken the hilt from the case and now was twirling it between two fingers. Magus thought she might be trying to decipher how to get it to extend, but instead of rising to the occasion of explaining it he awaited her request. He still felt she was going to take him somewhere, but where would he be needed? Aadia set the hilt down on the table, and turned over to him, nodding to herself. Magus could only quirk a brow.
"I want you to come to the San D'oria capital with me to visit the Wasser-Kristall." Aadia had spoken matter-of-factly, as if Magus was used to travelling. Indeed he was, but it was a bit forward for her to just assume he wanted to travel all that way. He didn't know much about where they were going either, only recollections that the Wasser-Kristall she spoke of was San D'oria's national treasure occurred. Why would she need to go visit that? She wasn't a thief; Magus could rest easy knowing that.
"Fine, I'll have to talk with my master." After only minimal deliberation, he had agreed. Now there was the simple task of getting Torukoishi to agree to let him go on a reasonably lengthy trek to get to the capital of the Saruta Baruta country. It would take them roughly a week or so of walking, luckily it was no longer in distance, since Magus and Aadia would be starting on the Elvaan border.
"I already spoke with him." Aadia's seemed to perk up with her words, as if it were a great deed she had done for Magus. Indeed it was, there was no reason for her to have proposed Magus's company if she hadn't gained permission from the keeper of the Black Mage. Magus was pleased, not only would he be getting out more, but also he would be in the company of such an interesting character as Aadia. He barely knew her, but there was a sense of trust that had carried with her ever since she had returned to take the hand of death away from him during the second incident with the Galka in Rydia.
"So when do we leave?" Magus was already eager to pursue; it was going to be a hybrid of a much-needed vacation and a journey that would lead him to more knowledge. And he would be helping someone; it was apparent why Torukoishi would not reject Aadia's request. She was in the need of Magus, and Magus himself needed to be taken about the Elvaan country. In the presence of her, he needed not worry about his own Hume rank. The Elvaan would have to accept him if she had, and Elarisa was good testament. The deserts were however hot, and Magus would be in for some trip he expected. He still had some things to talk to Aadia about, so gathering his purse of gil he readied to ask her some things.
"We can leave as soon as you're ready to go." Aadia left the room, but stood quietly in the doorway. She was leading, and Magus expected more of this as the trip pursued on. She was probably the more experienced traveler. Torukoishi had raised his apprentice mage well, but it was all in theory. Magus hadn't seen much combat outside of witnessing it. Nor had he seen much of the world outside a textbook. Sure, the young Black Mage had traveled, but never had he had time to investigate his surrounding as much as he wanted to. Torukoishi kept a strong schedule that he wanted his foster child to follow.
"Alright, well, we should leave now." Magus was still anxious as he had been it was about time that they get on the road. It was still early enough that their arrival in San D'oria in early afternoon would allow them to travel just before the heat. They would need shelter however around the mid-afternoon, unless Aadia didn't want any such thing. The Elvaan people were raised in the deserts of Saruta Baruta, it might come to pass that Magus would just have to settle with the dripping of sweat off his body if it got that severe. Conversation ensued as they picked up things here and there and went about the departure process.
"You aren't going to say goodbye to Torukoishi?"
"Because he doesn't like to be disturbed this time of day."
"Oh I see..."
"What about Osamu and Elarisa?"
"They left earlier today, Osamu is heading off, and Elarisa is going to stay here."
"I won't disturb Elarisa, she's probably with Torukoishi."
"That makes sense."
"Did Osamu say anything about where he was headed?"
"No, he probably just had some things to attend to."
"Did you see him leave?"
"No, Elarisa did however."
"I see..."
"How do you get out of this crazy maze?" The two of them had made a wrong turn down the hall, the conversation had led them the wrong way, but Magus wasn't surprised that even after all this time living here he could still make a mistake whether he'd been distracted or not. It was an interesting catacomb even if the structure he and Torukoishi shared was relatively small. It was surprising that one could get lost with only a small amount of halls and doors to choose from.
"It's just that door... So, Aadia... why are we visiting the Wasser- Kristall?"
"Because... It's not important, I've just never really seen it before."
"Is that it?"
"Yeah that's all there is to it."
"Why did you want me to come?"
"Oh that's simple, I just wanted some company."
***
CHAPTER XII
Division
Daylight poured into the room, and Magus would open his eyes. It was welcome, the dream he had been having involved a legendary Behemoth chasing the Black Mage for the simple reason that Magus had stolen his pants. Monsters didn't wear pants, so already the surrealism was obvious. As the daylight that flooded his sight faded, he finally could make out who had open the door to his quarters. It was not his master as he had expected, so the worries he possessed of having overslept took flight of him. It was however interesting who had woken him up. It was Aadia; she stood in the way of the window, having just pulled up the blinds.
"Good morning?" Magus uttered words as he rose to his feet slowly. He was unaccustomed to having company decide to wake him up, and it crossed his mind that it might throw his schedule off if he were awake too early. Her attire had changed; it seemed the clothing she wore was now more adorn for travel. While the leather that bound her here and there remained, crimson pants had turned to ebony. And over shadowing it all was a red cloth. It was a rouge hue, and was buttoned up over her chest so that only her pants could be seen. In all sense of the word, a trenchcoat, however it was more designed towards Aadia's personality than the usual jacket.
She seemed to be standing comfortably in it, as if this change of outfit was not a detour from the usual, but a return to her standard clothing. Magus waved a bit as he had spoken a greeting already, and accompanied such with a smile. It was relieving that she and not an upset Torukoishi had awaked him, but why had she woken him so early?
"Good morning, Magus." She waved her own reserved greeting as well as replying her spoken word, and sat down on the bed next to Magus. The Black Mage was fully dressed, so he had no reason to feel as if she had invaded his privacy, or some other sort of impolite thing. Such would be beyond the Elvaan anyhow, so such worries would be simply paranoia. Aadia would scan the room, and Magus wondered if anything was wrong with the way he kept house. His room was plain, nothing extra to clutter up, for he knew he couldn't make sense of many objects in his room. There were standard pieces of furniture, and a small jewelry case for the hilt of his staff; nothing more.
"What's up?" Magus reply stated everything he wanted to know, it still was a curious matter that Aadia had found her way into his room. There was no pretense that she was angry, or confused, or curious of any matter that involved him. Perhaps she was just visiting, but he had the feeling that the two of them would be out on the road again. Interesting things happened when she was around, not so much that she was the cause; he would act a little bolder around her to compensate for her almost intimidating matter. A woman who could leap twenty feet in the air, and strike much harder than he could was a bit much to take. He was just compensating for the presence of a strong woman.
"Not much, but I want to ask a favor of you." Aadia's voice didn't waiver, so it wasn't a matter of life or death. She stood up, and took a few steps over to the case for Magus's hilt to examine the weapon he carried. Magus would easily have agreed to her terms, if he only knew what they were. He leaned back onto his elbows, slouching for comfort, and then he made his move.
"What's the favor?" Aadia had taken the hilt from the case and now was twirling it between two fingers. Magus thought she might be trying to decipher how to get it to extend, but instead of rising to the occasion of explaining it he awaited her request. He still felt she was going to take him somewhere, but where would he be needed? Aadia set the hilt down on the table, and turned over to him, nodding to herself. Magus could only quirk a brow.
"I want you to come to the San D'oria capital with me to visit the Wasser-Kristall." Aadia had spoken matter-of-factly, as if Magus was used to travelling. Indeed he was, but it was a bit forward for her to just assume he wanted to travel all that way. He didn't know much about where they were going either, only recollections that the Wasser-Kristall she spoke of was San D'oria's national treasure occurred. Why would she need to go visit that? She wasn't a thief; Magus could rest easy knowing that.
"Fine, I'll have to talk with my master." After only minimal deliberation, he had agreed. Now there was the simple task of getting Torukoishi to agree to let him go on a reasonably lengthy trek to get to the capital of the Saruta Baruta country. It would take them roughly a week or so of walking, luckily it was no longer in distance, since Magus and Aadia would be starting on the Elvaan border.
"I already spoke with him." Aadia's seemed to perk up with her words, as if it were a great deed she had done for Magus. Indeed it was, there was no reason for her to have proposed Magus's company if she hadn't gained permission from the keeper of the Black Mage. Magus was pleased, not only would he be getting out more, but also he would be in the company of such an interesting character as Aadia. He barely knew her, but there was a sense of trust that had carried with her ever since she had returned to take the hand of death away from him during the second incident with the Galka in Rydia.
"So when do we leave?" Magus was already eager to pursue; it was going to be a hybrid of a much-needed vacation and a journey that would lead him to more knowledge. And he would be helping someone; it was apparent why Torukoishi would not reject Aadia's request. She was in the need of Magus, and Magus himself needed to be taken about the Elvaan country. In the presence of her, he needed not worry about his own Hume rank. The Elvaan would have to accept him if she had, and Elarisa was good testament. The deserts were however hot, and Magus would be in for some trip he expected. He still had some things to talk to Aadia about, so gathering his purse of gil he readied to ask her some things.
"We can leave as soon as you're ready to go." Aadia left the room, but stood quietly in the doorway. She was leading, and Magus expected more of this as the trip pursued on. She was probably the more experienced traveler. Torukoishi had raised his apprentice mage well, but it was all in theory. Magus hadn't seen much combat outside of witnessing it. Nor had he seen much of the world outside a textbook. Sure, the young Black Mage had traveled, but never had he had time to investigate his surrounding as much as he wanted to. Torukoishi kept a strong schedule that he wanted his foster child to follow.
"Alright, well, we should leave now." Magus was still anxious as he had been it was about time that they get on the road. It was still early enough that their arrival in San D'oria in early afternoon would allow them to travel just before the heat. They would need shelter however around the mid-afternoon, unless Aadia didn't want any such thing. The Elvaan people were raised in the deserts of Saruta Baruta, it might come to pass that Magus would just have to settle with the dripping of sweat off his body if it got that severe. Conversation ensued as they picked up things here and there and went about the departure process.
"You aren't going to say goodbye to Torukoishi?"
"Because he doesn't like to be disturbed this time of day."
"Oh I see..."
"What about Osamu and Elarisa?"
"They left earlier today, Osamu is heading off, and Elarisa is going to stay here."
"I won't disturb Elarisa, she's probably with Torukoishi."
"That makes sense."
"Did Osamu say anything about where he was headed?"
"No, he probably just had some things to attend to."
"Did you see him leave?"
"No, Elarisa did however."
"I see..."
"How do you get out of this crazy maze?" The two of them had made a wrong turn down the hall, the conversation had led them the wrong way, but Magus wasn't surprised that even after all this time living here he could still make a mistake whether he'd been distracted or not. It was an interesting catacomb even if the structure he and Torukoishi shared was relatively small. It was surprising that one could get lost with only a small amount of halls and doors to choose from.
"It's just that door... So, Aadia... why are we visiting the Wasser- Kristall?"
"Because... It's not important, I've just never really seen it before."
"Is that it?"
"Yeah that's all there is to it."
"Why did you want me to come?"
"Oh that's simple, I just wanted some company."
***