Act 8

The chamber was much as she remembered, though lacking the large throne that had made up the room's center piece. It seemed simple and more inviting without it. Without thinking on it, Penelo slowed her pace and walked with a kind of light reverence, the type of walking one oft adapts in a church or other holy place.

To Penelo's surprise, the new Grand Kiltias looked to be a mirror image of his predecessor, Anastasis, so much so that for a moment she thought that maybe her announcement of the old Grand Kiltias's death had been premature. If guessing her thoughts, the Grand Kiltias turned towards her, ignoring the large tome he had been looking over.

~Helgas must all look the same to Humes~ Came the soft, well spoken telepathic voice of the GrandKilitas. ~There are so few of us to begin with, it is a forgivable mistake.~

"I'm-I'm sorry." Penelo said, quickly dropping her gaze. "It's been such a long time I had forgotten your kind could read minds. I meant no offense."

~I am no stranger to the ways of Humes and their…quarks. Though it may not be easy for some of the races to read your strange emotions, I find them refreshing and pure for all their intensity. Having said that, no offense taken, Penelo the sky navigator.~

Blushing intensely, the youth forced herself to meet his stotic gaze. "I…we, need your help."

The Grand Kiltias looked at her for a long moment that drew out the silence like the taught string on a bow.

~I cannot help you. I am sorry.~

Biting her lip, Penelo tried to cover her disappointment. "I haven't told you why I'm here. I guess since you can see inside my head... I don't know why Balthier thought you would be able to help, but he did and he's usually right. Isn't there something, anything you can do..?"

~Espers.~

Penelo's head shot up at the word. The Grand Kiltias had returned to the large tome in front of him and with a long withered finger marking his place, read from the faded lines.

~Espers~ He started again. ~They carry the divine in them though they themselves are not divine. Each Esper started their existence as a lesser race, the Humes, chosen by the gods for an assigned task to be carried out in their stead. Consumed by Mists, the chosen was granted powers far surpassing the most gifted magic users.

But alas, such is the corruptive nature of the Hume's that many could not withstand the mists influence, for while it granted great strength, it drew out the weaknesses inherent in humanity. The chosen became despoiled and perverted, their forms twisting and mutating so that the outside would better match the inner.

The gods with great fury at their scorned gifts, bounded the Espers to the realm of the mist, able only to take form to serve those that are able to conquer them in battle and whom have the strength to carry their weaknesses as their own.~

"Their weaknesses as their own? What do you mean?"

Ageless eyes weighted down on her, filled to the brim with timeless knowledge. ~You who carried Shemhazai the Whisperer, did you never feel her presence within you, urging out your anger? Even you, who are pure of heart, cannot escape such malice, be it even such a small thing as becoming quicker to lose your tempter than apt you were before you played host to her. You and your friends were very lucky. Those with the physical strength to conquer the Espers, but lacking the heart to carry them, soon find themselves destroyed from the inside~

"I…I don't understand." Penelo said finally. Her grey-blue eyes could no longer meet his steady gaze, a sense of confusion unfamiliar to the usually bright young woman caused her to sigh. "I can see, a little bit, what this has to do with us, but what I don't understand is Balthier isn't an Esper! He doesn't even have a physical form that anyone but I can see! Why-"

"This is truth you speak, as far as you know it." He interrupted, motioning the girl to hold her peace. "What remains to be seen is Balthier himself.~ The elder paused, dragging in a deep and even breath. ~If the mist proves to be too strong than he will become consumed and be an Esper in truth, both in mind and body. Forever sealed with in a cryst, to serve for all time humanities history~

"So then… there's nothing I can do to help him?" For the first time, the slightest thread of anger was evident in her rising voice. "All we can do is sit around and wait doing nothing? Balthier is in danger, waiting just isn't good enough!"

~Such ire does not become one of your intelligence~ He chastised, stepping away from the massive tome to rest in the large throne at the middle of the room. ~Think rather, what do the gods see in you that they have chosen you to be his caretaker in this most critical of times? You have far more power than you are crediting yourself with.

Will it be your light that causes his own to shine brightly, or will it be that your light causes his darkness to be ever more apparent?~

Before Penelo had a chance to recover from this revelation, at a silent signal, a guard stepped forward and gently moved her towards the door. Too shocked to fight it, she willingly allowed herself to be lead away.

On his throne, the Grand Kiltas watched her leave and gave the slightest shake of his head.

I cannot help. It is far too late.