4
Quest:
Unlocking the secrets of the Rainbow
Sogre stood in Windurst Walls looking at the house he had believed to be haunted since he was a child. It was the lone house in the northern part of Windurst Walls; everyone called it the House of the Hero. Sogre approached the door with the ruby clutched in his hand. Somehow he knew this is where the ruby wanted to be, it started to pulsate in his hand. Sogre walked up to the door and it remained tightly locked. "Well this is it you stupid stone." Sogre thought bitterly to himself, he kicked the door and turned around to leave and suddenly he heard the door unlock. Sogre slowly turned around and saw that the door was ajar. Sogre approached the door and slowly entered the house. The inside of the house was dark and dusty; no one had been living here for a very long period of time. The ruby began to glow brighter and brighter, Sogre took it out and gazed at it loosing himself in the ruby. "You! What-taru are you doing-woing herey-weary?" A voice called from behind him. Sogre turned around and saw and old magician, dressed from head to toe in flowing robes who identified himself as Ajido-Marujido. "I askey-asked you a question-taru!" Ajido-Marujido said asking Sogre what he was doing in the house once more. Sogre stammered at a lost for words and in his nervousness he stumbled backwards the ruby dropped onto the floor.
"Sogre...gather the seven colors of light…"
Ajido-Marujido was shocked when he saw the blood-red ruby on the wooden floor. "Its…can it-taru be?" Ajido-Marujido approached the ruby and picked it up, "Its Carbuncle's Ruby!" the old magician exclaimed. Sogre got up and took the jewl from the old Tarutaru's hand. "You know what this is?" Sogre asked the old magician. "It's the legen-wegendary ruby that's said to hold Carbuncle captive-waptive!" Ajido-Marujido exclaimed excitedly. "You can hear Carbuncles cries for helpy-help?" Ajido-Marujido exclaimed getting a few inches from Sogre's face, his eyes glistening with hope. "Uh, yeah I guess so." Sogre said slowly edging away from Ajido-Marujido's face. "You have to savey-save Carbuncle!" Ajido-Marujido said. "I…" Sogre began but backing into the bookcase stopped him as the case nearly fell on the poor Tarutaru. Ajido-Marujido laughed at this and began to leave "Go exposey-wose that ruby to the seven color-wolors of light and rescue Carby-warby." He said as he closed the door behind him. "Seven colors of light?" What does that mean…?" Sogre said as he closed the door behind him.
"Seven colors of light…what is that suppose to mean?" Sogre thought to himself as he sprawled himself across on the warm Sarutabaruta grass. "Maybe… she would know?" Sogre sat up and decided that it was well past due time to see his old friend again. Sogre did not want to draw attention to himself during his short stay in Windurst but Mixo was much more intone with puzzle solving than he was. Sogre walked towards Windurst Woods.
The grand ivory fountain in the center of the area was just as clean and grand as he remembered it Sogre had not been in his home nation in so long he missed the shade that the trees in the woodsy region of Windurst provided. He reminisced about the times he and Mixo would just lounge about lazily enjoying the shade and sun, completely oblivious to the chores they had to do. Sogre found himself standing outside a wooden hut with a flower garden to the right. With all of his courage he walked up to the door and knocked. There was no answer. Sogre lingered outside the door for a couple of minutes and as he began to walk away he bumped into a tall Mithra with pink-white hair. The Mithra looked down to see who had disturbed her. "Sogrrre!"
Sogre and Mixo sat inside Mixo's house drinking chamomile tea. Her house was truly remarkable; in the months that Sogre had left Windurst Mixo had not only improved her black magic skill but also she had learned the way of physical combat using the scythe as her weapon of choice. Piles of chain mail adorned her living room and her bedroom while robes and spell books lined the walls and any other crevice Mixo could cram them into "What happened to you afterrr the boat?" Mixo inquired sipping her tea. "Oh that well you see…Gehe said he'd ride back and I told him I'd stay in Selbina, I heard pirates attacked the ship back…" Sogre said making it up as he went along. Mixo knew Sogre long enough to know that this was a lie but for the sake of not causing arguments she hastily changed the subject. "What brrrings you herrre?" Mixo asked helping herself to more cream. "Well.." Sogre began helping himself to some sugar lumps "I recently came across this strange stone that, ok don't laugh but…it…" "It what?" Mixo asked intrigued. "It…talks to me." Sogre finished. Mixo looked at Sogre as if he sprouted a second head; she put down her tea cup hastily and stood up "You expect me to believe a stone is talking to you?" Sogre expected this kind of reaction. "Look you know the legend of Windurst; the great hero who called forth a beast that was able to save the federation! When he died his power must have been locked away into this stone. I took it to his home in Windurst Walls and it talked to me once more. It told me to gather the seven colors of light. I need your help, please tell me what it means I know you know. Sogre pleaded. Mixo took a moment to think and then she resumed her seat. "Sogrrre I know you'rrre not crrrazy. The seven colors of light is prrrobably rrreferrring to the rrrainbow." Mixo explained, Sogre nodded in agreement. "Well the weatherrr is deterrrmined by the prrresence of an elemental in that rrregion so I would guess that if you found wherrre elementals are prrrone to appearrr you could take their enerrrgy to powerrr that stone." she concluded, Sogre sat with his mouth open having forgotten all about his tea "What a fantastic idea!" Sogre exclaimed. He hurriedly collected his things, thanked Mixo then ran off at full speed. As he exited her house the gem began to glow orange and floated up into the sky recieving the power of light from the sun.
Sogre spent many weeks gathering the seven colors of light. He traveled to the arid region of Tahrongi to gather the power of the dust, La Theine Plateau for the power of wind, Konschat Highlands for the power of thunder, Pashow Marshlands for the power of water, and the Valkurm Dunes for the power of fire, only one remained; the power of ice.
Sogre returned to Jeuno and tried to get leads to where he could find the power of and ice. He checked the weather forecast linkshell daily but to his dismay no region was going to experience snow storms anytime soon. He was at a loss. Each night he had a dream of a little blue fox-rabbit type creature with a brilliant red ruby mounted on its forehead telling him that he must hurry to gather the remaining power. Then one night he had a nightmare that was much different than any of the dreams in which the blue fox-rabbit creature was in. He dreamt that he was in a castle surrounded by snow as far as the eye could see. He was at the top of the castle looking out into the snow storm. The castle was very large and filled with the presence of evil. Sogre approuched one door at the top and felt a tremendous power coming from behind the door, it was like a power he had never felt before. Slowly he opened the door and...
"Ring ring"
Someone was calling Sogre's phone. Sogre woke in a daze still weary from the sleep he had just been awoken from. He reached over to his bedside cabinet and picked up his phone knocking a lamp onto the floor in the process. "Hullo?" Sogre answered yawning. "Hey Sogre did I wake you?" came a familiar voice from the phone. "Oh Hi Ban. no not really I was kinda sitting here awake something up?" Sogre said trying to muffle his continous yawns. "Yeah, remember you told me that you were searching for a place that was very cold and snowed alot?" Ban said trying to contain his excitement. "Yeah" Sogre responed. "Well I found it! The Beaucedine Glacier. I'm amazed I didn't figure it out sooner well anyway you can get to it from going through a cave in the north eastern most part of East Ronfaure and going through the Ranguement Pass. It is a dangerous journey for someone of your skill level so I asked one of my friends to meet you in The San 'd Orian square tomorrow night at sunset. You interestred?" "Yeah! I'll leave first thing in the morning!" Sogre exclaimed. "Uh Sogre, its midday." Ban said. Sogre leapt out of bed at once and rushed to the curtains which he drew back in a hurry. The sun crept into his dark bedroom filling the room with light. Outside his window he saw adventures walking through the streets of Jeuno "Oh...great." Sogre muttered dumbfounded at how he slept well into the day. He picked up his phone and ended the call, despite he could still hear Ban talking, then he jumped abck onto his bedand rested his head on his cloud soft pillow. "I have to get up...but not right now." Sogre thought as he drifted back off to sleep.
"Oh my god I'm so late!" Sogre thought panicked. Since his last talk with Ban Sogre fell asleep well into that night and awoke the following morning in a frenzy. He woke up and immediately grabbed his knapsack then he rushed out the door knocking his poor moogle flat on his behind. "Have a good day master." the moogle said as he picked himself up. Sogre rushed to the chocobo stables and made his way towards San d'Oria via the Batallia Downs. Through out his trip all Sogre could think about was how late he was and how furious Ban's friend would be at him. Sogre was in such a rush he almost forgot the Carbuncle's Ruby sitting ontop his dresser. He was halfway to the stables when he realized he forgot it and raced back to his mog house knocking his moogle down once more. Early morning faded into day and day into night as he rode on towards the Elvaan capital of San d'Oria.
Night crept unsuspectedly upon the Elvaan nation of San d'Oria, mothers ushered their children indoors for dinner, the working men and women locked up their shops and began to trudge home to their families. A lone figure stood beneath the moon light next to the grand fountain of Northern San d' Oria. A tall Elvaan man with jet black hair and kind eyes stood next to the fountain gazing at it longingly as if he just wanted to slip away into the silvery depths of the water. He had been waiting for someone since sunset, people had asked him if he was homeless and he just meekly replied that he was waiting for someone. Exhausted from waiting for a person who might never show he turned his back and began to walk away back toward his house. "Wait!" The Elvaan thought he heard someone shouted in the distance. He stopped briefly but dismissed the voice thinking he was hearing things after waiting so long. "Wait!" There it was again only a little louder, but the Elvaan kept walking. He was just about to enter his mog house when something hit him in the head. "Ouch!" He exclaimed massaging the now sore spot on his head. He looked around on the ground to see what had hit him he found a lone stone. He picked it up "I thought I asked you to wait." a voice came from behind. The Elvaan turned around and saw a Tarutaru bathed in the moonlight tossing a stone up in the air and catching it. "I know I'm terribly late but I have an excuse for that! Oh and I'm Sogre, the one Ban asked you to escort safely through the Ranguemont Pass." The Elvaan laughed at the emphasis the Tarutaru put on the word "safely" "I see so you're the one. Well shall we make haste? No I don't want to hear your excuse right now there will be time for that later when we return. Oh yes my name is Reaulece." Sogre and Reaulece gathered their supplies and made their way towards the dreaded Ranguemont Pass.
The Ranguemont Pass is the only link connecting the mainlands with the icelands and as such it can be quite dangerous for those unprepared. Sogre and Reaulece approached the cavern, a terrible stench came from within. Reaulece and Sogre (although reluctant at first) stepped into the cavern. The pass was dark, dank and dingy Sogre did not like it one bit, he rather liked the sunlight and the crisp breeze blowing in his face he definately did not want to linger here more than necessary. Sogre and Reaulece crept quietly through the cave with the aid of a magic spell so that not even a blind man with the keenest of hearing could detect them. Sogre lighted the way with his magic keeping them out of the dark and driving away the cold as well. Throughout the ordeal the two did not talk much unless it was Reaulece telling Sogre which way to travel (looking at his map first of course.) They had been walking for what felt like hours when Sogre asked Reaulece to take a break so he could rest and recover his strength. "We can rest for a while." Reaulece said collecting moss and what ever else he could find in the cave to make a fire, once gathered into a pile he spoke a few words of magic and almost instantly a roaring fire was created. "Wow so you're a magician I take it." Sogre said looking quite impressed at Reaulece's mastery of fire. "Yes, I've been studying it for years but there is still much for me to learn." The two adventurers sat around the fire for a while and talked about miscellaneous matters from the weather to where they grew up. Reaulece pulled out his map and announced that they were almost to the exit.
"Reaulece...do you hear that?" Sogre said with some fear in his voice. Reaulece looked around in the darkness and strained his ears to hear what Sogre was talking about. "It sounds...like...flapping wings. A bat perhaps? Nothing to be afraid of I'm sure." He concluded as he stood up and extinguished the fire with another word of magic. Sogre and Reaulece resumed their hike after their short rest. "Are you sure its nothing to be afraid of I can hear it getting louder and louder..." Sogre said concerned. "I'm sure that we're going to be o...oh no." Reaulece turned around to comfort Sogre's fear but instead of soothing his friend's fear he only realized his own. "Run!" Reaulece commanded and together they both sprinted towards the exit. When Reaulece turned around he had seen a barrage of bats closing in on them, they were not normal every day bats no these bats were touched by evil and had been atleast double the size and twice as viscous as a normal bat. They ran trying to ignore the sound of flapping wings which was undoubtedly getting louder and louder.
At one point in the break to freedom Sogre somehow (amazed to even himself) tripped or slipped on some loose rock and he took a fall. "Help!" He called out to Reaulece. The Elvaan stopped and turned around and saw the train of bats dive down upon his friend. A force inside of him took over and he found himself speaking words which he didn't know, he was casting a spell that lay hidden deep within him. With a fury that was not his he unleashed his spell and a deep slumber befell the bats. Sogre sat up thinking he had died but was relieved to find that he only had a few minor cuts and bruises. "Sogre create a barrier around us this could get ugly." Reaulece instructed, Sogre nodded and cast a barrier of light around himself and Reaulece to ward of enemy attacks. Reaulece again started to cast a spell what happened next is too horrifying to describe and it will haunt Sogre in his dreams for many weeks yet to come.
Sogre and Reaulece stepped out into the cold desolate icelands the chilly air nipping at their faces. "Sogre now take out the gem." Sogre reached into his pack and pulled out the blood red stone. Once more he heard the voice calling out to him:
"Sogre now that you have the power of the seven lights return the stone to its place in La Theine Plateau...hurry my power dwindles even as we speak."
Then there was nothing. The voice stopped speaking and all that Sogre held in his hand was a red ruby. "Well did it work?" Reaulece asked. "I...think so but now I have one more task to do. I need to bring the stone to the La Theine Plateau."
Once they had reached San d'Oria Sogre thanked Reaulece as they parted ways undoubtedly to meet again in the future. Sogre then made his way to the La Theine Plateau to confront the being within the gem. Once inside the Plateau Sogre felt the gem pulsating from within his pack, he took it out to examine it. The gem was glowing a brilliant red glow, it no longer felt like a jewl it felt warm as if it were alive. The glowing persisted and grew brighter and brighter. "Well I'm here now what do I do." Sogre sighed exasperated. Then as if it answered his question the jewl began to float and then raced across the night sky illuminating the way for Sogre.
The gem had led him to an area filled with ancient magic. Stone pillars from an civilization lost lined around the center of this secluded area. It was obvious that noone ever came to this part of the Plateau. Sogre approached the glowing jewl in the sky then in a flash of white light the blue fox-rabbit creature that had visited him in his dreams had finally appeared. "Hello Sogre. I am known as Carbuncle, guardian of the rainbows and overseer of Vana 'diel. I know you have many questions but there is little time the fate of Vana 'diel is now in your hands." The creature's voice was calm and soothing. "Why me?" Sogre asked. "You are a descendant of an ancient people young Tarutaru. You come from a family rich in magic. You are a Summoner; one who makes pacts with the avatars on Vana 'diel so that he or she may fight alongside them in the epic battle for peace." "Why did you need me to gather the elemental power?" Sogre asked interested in what the creature had to say. "I needed the power of the elements to appear in this world, I had hoped that one day someone would come accross one of my jewls and bring hope back to this world. Now I shall give you my power, return to Windurst and seek the minister he shall assist you further in your quest. You are the hero of legend, you are Vana 'diel's only hope." With that being said Carbuncle leapt into the sky and projected a light from the ruby in the center of his head downward on Sogre. Sogre was bathed in prismatic light and recieved the blessing of Carbuncle, a new type of power burned inside of him he could feel it. With a renewed resolve Sogre made his way back to Jeuno and thus his adventure truely began.
Final Fantasy XI: Sogre's Story 2003-2006
--Argos of Bahamut
