Final Fantasy: Sins Of The Past
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The world is dying.
You can barely even remember your name, but you can feel the world slowly dying beneath your feet. Mana, once a vibrant energy source that you could tap into, flows faintly through the world, and it is wrong in a way that you can not place words to. This is the world to which you awoke, your body tired and your possessions seemingly aged by the ravages of time you neither felt nor observed.
The great nations of the world are embroiled in war or withdrawn into themselves, the usual arbiters seemingly inactive while chaos reigns. Something calls to you, like a siren’s song which guides your feet to a destination which is both familiar and foreign all in one. A power calls you, for what reason, you can not say… But like a moth to a flame, you head onwards.
For weeks you walk, seeing what became of the world. Each day brings new sorrow, new tragedy, new heartbreak. But finally, you arrive at the destination. A tavern, much like any other. The sign denotes it as The Fat Chocobo, and it is one of the few buildings in this militarized town which seems to have held up well.
On the stage, a young elvaan woman with golden hair like sunlight plucks at a harp, and smiles as she sees you, almost like you are familiar to her. A few others seem to have found tables and watch her with interest. They too seem familiar but you can not put your finger on where or when you saw them, much less who they are.
The performer starts into a story as you find a seat, her voice soft but pure, carrying through the bar on what seems like magic itself. ”Long ago, before the world was born, the light of the six crystals was all there was.” Her fingers dance along the harp as she speaks, creating magical illusions in the air as she goes. ”But it was empty, and so the dark crystal created the first night. But there was something still missing, and the crystal of light created the sun and the stars.”
”’But there is nothing here!’ exclaimed the earth crystal, who then created Terra and the three moons.” The illusionary world spun through the air as its moons joined in the complicated dance around it. ’But nothing on the world moves!’ Exclaimed the water and wind crystals at the same moment, and slowly the world changed. Seas and storms swirled around the world. But soon the water began to freeze, and lastly the crystal of fire acted, warming the early world.”
”And for a time, it was just the crystals, Terra, the moons, the day and night… But the world was still empty. The crystal of earth created the first life, born from the very rock itself. He called them Galka, who would be as strong and durable as the world itself.” Soon the great desert was populated by tribes of Galka, their campfires lighting the desert wastes as the illusion moved through the air. ”Not to be outdone by her brother, the crystal of wind soon brought forth the Mithra. The were blessed by the crystal of wind, for the world would be their home, moving freely as the winds.”
”Soon too they were followed by the Tarutaru in the southern reaches and islands, blessed by the crystal of water to possess great reserves of magic. Humanity was fourth, given the gift of inner fire to see them through the harsh challenges of the frigid northern mountains.” The world quickly began to fill with the lights of campfires and cities as civilizations grew out of those first peoples. ”Finding the world quickly filling with life, the crystal of light created her children in the sky, giving the Elvaan the gift of wisdom. Lastly the dark crystal created vast caverns beneath the earth for the dwarven nations. The dark crystal looked upon the world and could not decide upon a gift to give just her people… For she cared for all those who lived upon the world and gifted them a release at the end of their lives.”
”But the full world was not as peaceful as the crystals would have hoped. War eventually came to their new world. To create peace, each chose a champion… A crystal knight to keep the peace.” The illusionary world faded away until just the light crystal’s knight remained, their face obscured. ”For here our tale takes a turn… For the great knight of the light crystal wished to end the pain and suffering that was death.”
”The knight set forth and snuck into the dark caverns where the dark crystal lay. On entering the dark crystal’s realm, the knight raised their weapon and demanded that the dark crystal surrender and pay for her crimes. The dark crystal did what the knight did not expect, and offered her life to the knight.”
”’If my death would bring you peace, I would gladly give you my life.’” A voice said from one of the tables. The performer smiled almost sadly and picked up the story, ”The knight was confused, shocked that the woman in front of her was not the evil monster that the knight had always assumed. And so the two talked, and slowly became more.” As the two figures moved closer, a third figure entered the scene.
”Abomination!” The illusionary dark knight cried and drew his massive sword. The two knights engaged in battle as the world beneath them shook with the might of their struggle. Round and round the two illusions went as the performer plucked at her harp again. ”The two foes were a match for their opposite in every way… But the knight of the dark crystal was not prepared to fight to a draw. He committed the first Sin and cast a spell to permanently encase both the knight and crystal in stone. He decreed that they should not have been together in life, and so too they should not be together in death.” For those looking closely, the knight’s eyes glowed a faint red as the knight faded away, his eyes last to disappear.
”One by one, the light of the crystals dimmed: earth, wind, water, fire… Until at last the great airships of the Elvaan withdrew… Not to be seen again.” The performer seems sad as she looks at the figures gathered around the stage, making eye contact with each them one by one until she reaches you. ”It has taken me three hundred years to gather the power to undo that dark magic… I fear I am much too late.”
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