[ Hal's a good boy who takes his shoes off before entering a person's home, and finds a couch to sit on before he sips from his portable mug. He had a feeling he may be here for some time, just to listen. Honestly, he had always been curious, but with Emet-Selch's theatrics, this may take... longer than needed. Maybe. ]
Ah, I am rather a creature of habit, I must confess, and have grown quite used to this particular ensemble. I do at least change into bedclothes when I sleep.
[He shrugs and takes a seat in a rather oversized chair. He takes a sip of his latte before continuing.]
Well, you came here for my tale, so I suppose it is about time I told it.
[Emet-Selch nodded, took another sip, and continued.]
Thousands upon thousands of years ago, when my world was as it should be, there were a people, towering in stature, intellect, and potency. My people.
We tended to our world as doting stewards, and we created wonders, using only the vast potency of our life-forces and our imaginations. We wanted for nothing and, thus having no need for jealousy, had no conflict with one another that could not be resolved by spirited, civilized debate.
You caught a glimpse of us, did you not? Cloaked and masked, as was our custom.
[He paused to take a sip and watched Hal, over the lid of his latte.]
It was a Utopia, yes. But, alas, it did not last the eons that it could have. A calamity came upon us.
A mysterious phenomenon turned our powers of creation against us. It spread throughout the world, causing our peoples darkest fears to be given form, rather than the wonders we wished to manifest.
Soon we were beset be horrible beats, rivers of blood, fire raining from the skies. Our whole star and all of her people were on the brink of annihilation.
Because we managed to save what was left of it, at least temporarily. Using every bit of strength we could muster, we of the Convocation of Fourteen--thirteen of us, anyway--called fourth the greatest Creation of all: Zodiark, the very will of our star given form!
[He paused his narration, one hand outstretched, waiting for Hal's reaction]
Just so. We called on Zodiark to save our world from utter destruction, and so He did. We called upon Him again to restore the ruin that had been made of nature, and it was done. Such was His power.
[Emet-Selch took a sip of his latte, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.]
Zodiark was powerful, and despite all he had done for us, for our very star, there were those who feared His power. They called forth another, equal and opposite to Him: Hydaelyn
[He pronounced the name with utter contempt, a dark expression worn on his features.]
They did. But Hydaelyn had a special power: the power to divide Her foes. Strength stature, soul, all aspects are divided by Her power. And She struck Zodiark and divided Him not into two, but into fourteen.
Ah, but Zodiark was our very star given form! And so it was not just He who was Sundered, but the very star and all of its life...Including what few of our people who remained. Only three of us, myself included, survived the Sundering intact.
[He looked at Hal's hand on his arm and sighed again, a soft sad sigh, this time.]
Yes, I am. What was left of my people... were not even recognizable as such. Fractured as they were, they more resembled worms writhing on paving-stones after the rain than they did the people they once had been.
They lacked strength, intellect, aether... They could not even remember who they once had been. All they had was the vaguest sense that there had once been a better world.
Zodiark, weakened as he was, was banished to the moon. Those three of us who remained Un-sundered set out to undo the devastation that had been wrought by Hydaelyn. We would reunite the shards to the source, and thus heal not only Zodiark, but all the Sundered souls as well.
But travel from one shard to another is no simple thing. To make the journey, we had to give up our bodies, traveling as souls along. Thus I became as I am now. With my original body long discarded, I require a host.
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You don't dress down even in your own home? Huh.
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[He shrugs and takes a seat in a rather oversized chair. He takes a sip of his latte before continuing.]
Well, you came here for my tale, so I suppose it is about time I told it.
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[ Hal angles his body towards him, leaning forward, engaged and eager. ]
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Thousands upon thousands of years ago, when my world was as it should be, there were a people, towering in stature, intellect, and potency. My people.
We tended to our world as doting stewards, and we created wonders, using only the vast potency of our life-forces and our imaginations. We wanted for nothing and, thus having no need for jealousy, had no conflict with one another that could not be resolved by spirited, civilized debate.
You caught a glimpse of us, did you not? Cloaked and masked, as was our custom.
[He paused to take a sip and watched Hal, over the lid of his latte.]
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I did, yeah. You make it sound like a utopia.
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A mysterious phenomenon turned our powers of creation against us. It spread throughout the world, causing our peoples darkest fears to be given form, rather than the wonders we wished to manifest.
Soon we were beset be horrible beats, rivers of blood, fire raining from the skies. Our whole star and all of her people were on the brink of annihilation.
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How come you're alive, then?
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[He paused his narration, one hand outstretched, waiting for Hal's reaction]
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[ Hal just blinks at him. Though, magic and such... why not, right? Like Captain Planet or something from anime. ]
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I will get to that, presently. I told you before, it is a long story.
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[ He leans back slightly and curls himself up, becoming smaller. ]
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Zodiark was powerful, and despite all he had done for us, for our very star, there were those who feared His power. They called forth another, equal and opposite to Him: Hydaelyn
[He pronounced the name with utter contempt, a dark expression worn on his features.]
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So did they fight?
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Ah, but Zodiark was our very star given form! And so it was not just He who was Sundered, but the very star and all of its life...Including what few of our people who remained. Only three of us, myself included, survived the Sundering intact.
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... oh.
Hal reaches out to put a hand on his arm. ]
You're lonely.
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Yes, I am. What was left of my people... were not even recognizable as such. Fractured as they were, they more resembled worms writhing on paving-stones after the rain than they did the people they once had been.
They lacked strength, intellect, aether... They could not even remember who they once had been. All they had was the vaguest sense that there had once been a better world.
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But travel from one shard to another is no simple thing. To make the journey, we had to give up our bodies, traveling as souls along. Thus I became as I am now. With my original body long discarded, I require a host.
[He placed a hand to his chest.]
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One does need heirs when founding an empire.
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Hal tilts his head at him, blinking. ]
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Ardyn's greeting to Emet-Selch, which he thought was a pet name at the time.
It starts to fall into place. ]
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