[Thread; Semi-open]

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Characters: Rydia (Open to any at Madain Sari)
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Summoner gathering and meeting Anima's fayth
Location: Eidolon Wall, Madain Sari
Date: Feb. 1804
Warnings: None.

Upon touching down near Madain Sari, Rydia stepped away from the crystals that guided the Lunar Whale, and headed for the exit. She paused by it and smiled at everyone who had decided to join her. That she would have gone alone went without saying; as a summoner, it was her duty. Still, all this company was definitely welcome. The gathered summoners, even the one who had recently arrived, really did feel like an extended family. For one who had lost hers years ago, it was a powerful thing.

"Well, this is it! The Eidolon Wall isn't far." Rydia had explained the situation as best she could, earlier; that the fayth of Anima had visited her and stated to have news. Beyond that, she was as ignorant as them. Well, now was the time for answers.

The green-haired summoner exited the airship and headed into the ruins of Madain Sari, once a thriving Summoner town. Her smile faded, expression growing solemn as she took a fairly straightforward approach, merely intending to reach the Wall before considering any other action.

Rydia paused outside the Eidolon Wall and stood in silence for a moment. After all that maneuvering, after detours and issues galore, she was there once again. She bowed her head respectfully, then stepped forward into the sacred area.

Comments

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

Eiko marched right into Madain Sari like she owned the place, because more or less she did, as the last living summoner of her tribe, excluding Garnet. "I'm home!!" she called out, earning a chorus of enthusiastic kupos from all over the settlement as they converged on the little summoner. Each and every moogle got hugs and chatter as she continued on her way to the Eidolon Wall.

She turned to the newcomers who had never been here before, adding on to the information being supplied by Rydia. "Welcome to Madain Sari, home of the summoner's tribe!" Not that the village appeared to be anything more than a desolate ruins, abandoned and collecting dust. "Once we get to the Eidolon Wall, only summoners can go in. It's tradition."

failtags

[light-chosen.livejournal.com]

For once not having been eluded, Ingus had come along to continue his duties in keeping watch on Eiko. And of course helping out with this situation... Whatever it was. He frowned as he passed through the ruins, though did crack a small smile when Eiko was greeted by the very excitable bunch of moogles.

He nodded his agreement when she stated he couldn't go in... didn't mean he couldn't wait outside after all.

[alittlebitesper.livejournal.com]

Terra followed after the others into the town, crouching down to give one of the moogles a scratch on the head after it was done greeting Eiko, and then heading towards the wall as well. She had only been there once, but she did remember it. It was quite a sight, really.

"Do you think she will speak with everyone the way she spoke with us?" She asked Rydia quietly. She's rather curious about this whole thing, honestly.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Rydia glanced over at Terra, thoughtful. "I don't see why not, if she's told that we're all summoners. If she wants to help this world, then now would be the perfect opportunity to spread her influence."

She headed over to the statue, pausing and bowing her head respectfully.

[summoningcalm.livejournal.com]

Braska was uncertain. After being returned to his original size, he was very aprehensive about this journey. He wasn't even sure he was prepared to see much more of Gaia but it was a pleasant place and, best of all, Yuna was with him. Any discomfort about this world was set aside by the family he'd suddenly acquired.

He loved Yuna, and was willing to get to know all the other summoners. Of course, he was nervous as well. Quietly just following along, he simply observed, for now.

[sharemypain.livejournal.com]

At the approach of others, the statue lying on the ground inside the enclosure of murals began to sing the Hymn of the Fayth, the sound greeting the gathering of summoners. After a few moments, a transparent woman clad in blue and white appeared over the statue. Some she recognized among those gathered, others she did not, and yet there was one missing from their number. It was an unfortunate reality she had to accept. Her son was no more, and yet she lingered still in this world.

The fayth nodded her head, issuing her salutation calmly, yet almost warm. "Greetings summoners."

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

It had been far too long since Garnet's last visit to Madain Sari -- since before the Flash of Light, at least. Even those summoners not native to Gaia had been to visit what was left of the ancient summoner's tribe; the Eidolon Wall. As soon as she'd returned from the latest council meeting, she'd donned her old traveling garb, packed a bag, and chartered a private airship (under the guise of Dagger) one-way to the outer continent. She'd had the pilot drop her off just outside Conde Petie and, carrying her bag on one shoulder, and another bag Zidane had sent with her, made the rest of the trek on foot. She'd likely be the last to arrive, if she'd heard everything correctly. Garnet just hoped she wasn't late for anything important.

It had been quite the surprise to see the Lunar Whale (was it an airship? It didn't look like one) parked on the outskirts of the village, and even more of a surprise to find a young man standing guard outside the Eidolon Wall. Giving him a nod and a gentle smile, she set her things outside, and then peering cautiously inside. Quietly, she joined her fellow summoners surprised at the number of them.

"Sorry... am I late?" she asked, and then her eyes fell on the ghostly image of a woman. Was that Anima?

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Rydia paused, listening to the familiar hymn. As the fayth appeared, she bowed her head again, straightening with a warm smile. Just then, she hear Dagger's voice as well and perked up, darting a smile for her friend. "No, not at all. We're just getting started."

Turning her attention back to the fayth, Rydia relaxed as the summoners were welcomed. She wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a solo meeting, but now that didn't matter. "Greetings. I am glad to be in your presence once more, whatever news you might have. As you see, I brought a few friends...." One by one, she introduced them all. Though she wanted to jump into questions immediately, Rydia managed to restrain her curiosity. Those who had not met the fayth before deserved a chance to speak to her also.

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

With Garnet's arrival, Eiko skipped over to her, and issued a big hug. It'd been forever since they'd seen each other, and months since she'd even gotten her monthly visit. Some of that was her own fault, having run off to Treno and then Iifa without permission. Technically, she was still grounded for that, but this was something important, so she'd been allowed to go.

"Dagger!" she squealed with delight. One would almost think the child had forgotten completely where she was, or why. Yet after her outburst, she turned her attention back to the fayth, curious about being called.

[sharemypain.livejournal.com]

The fayth listened to the introductions, nodding to each person in time and even sparing a bittersweet smile for the child summoner present. So lively and energetic, happy. "Summoner Yuna, High Summoner Braska, you are known to me." Father and daughter, both avowed to defeat Sin, the very source of Seymour's obsession. A blessing that perversion of of a fayth was not present in this world as well, and yet she could not help but wonder after the state of Spira, as she found herself fully cut off from it.

Even since the time she had spoken to Rydia, matters had changed. "My son no longer dwells in this world." It was not an accusation, nor truly a lament, but rather a statement of a fact. "The bonds of life and death no longer hold, they have become fragile chains, easily sundered. We are all caught in an unending movement of chaos, which knows neither beginning nor end."

[alittlebitesper.livejournal.com]

Terra offered nods of greeting to the people she knew and somewhat hesitant smiles to the people she didn't. They were all summoners after all, yes? And so was she, now. In a sense, anyway. Her hand came up to absently fiddle with the pendant around her neck as all eyes turned to Anima's fayth, her head tilted slightly to the side as she listened.

"You mean the way people came back to life at the Iifa tree?" She asked, probably unnecessarily but her thoughts seemed to be leaking out. Her eyes unconsciously drifted to Rydia for a second as she asked before turning back. It was all so strange!

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"The way I did...." Rydia silently, unknowingly, agreed with Terra. It was very strange...and not a little unsettling. She had tried not to think about it too much, at least in front of others, yet the fayth's words touched on her troubled thoughts.

"The Iifa Tree wasn't used for this purpose before, so I've been told." Her gaze slid to Dagger and Eiko. They knew the most about it, of course, and what gaps were in her knowledge they could provide...assuming Anima's fayth needed it.

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

Dagger had smiled, even laughed for just a moment, returning Eiko's exuberant greeting with a gentle hug of her own, and then letting herself half drape arms around the younger girl until Eiko saw fit to leave her embrace. Dagger's eyes and ears, however, had turned to this Fayth, her words, and those contributed by her fellow summoners.

Fellow Summoners. Such an idea was still so new, so unreal, but there she was, surrounded by them. It was no thriving tribe, but they were more than two for the first time that she could recall, and this common thread had begun to build a strange draw and bond to these people -- some of them who she knew better than others, and at least a couple who were quite nearly strangers, but it didn't matter.

The topic at hand was a serious one. Life, death, and the nature of existence thrown asunder. Dagger wondered, distantly, if this was something that summoners before them, in their pursuits of knowledge and unity with nature, had encountered before.

"It seems too much to simply be coincidence -- that someplace like that, would appear within the grasp of a place like Iifa. And, that green source of life that's deep beneath it... I've heard some now call it The Lifestream."

[sharemypain.livejournal.com]

"It is no coincidence," Anima concurred. "I felt the break of our bond with my son's passing, as I did with Rydia. Both dwelled within the Farplane, their souls adding to the life of the tree. His has vanished, and she has returned. Yet part of her soul lingers in the Mist. They are all connected."

While she could not identify why this had come to pass, it was vital that they understood that there were links, growing and changing with each passing day. Something was at work that went beyond the twisted cycle of life and death in Spira where souls were trapped in stone and summoners sacrificed themselves to bring an end to suffering.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"I see...." Rydia twitched a little at Anima's comment about her soul. She understandably wasn't fond of the idea that part of herself had not returned with the rest of her. Overall, she felt the same...but Anima was wise, and she trusted her judgment.

"I'm grateful to be given another chance, but it's unsettling to know that it's come about because the balance of this world is shifting." She crossed her arms, pensive. "I was eager to leave the Tree and Guadosalam, but that might have been a mistake. Perhaps there was more to learn by lingering."

[summoningcalm.livejournal.com]

Braska was silent the entire time, though when his name was mentioned, and he was addressed as High Summoner, Braska merely nodded politely. This was all way above his head, though the mention of Guadosalam and the Farplane kept him interested. This was strange. He was almost uncomfortable with the lack of understanding, though he could request to be filled in on the blanks later.

He couldn't offer any knowledge, though he gave a small sigh. "Perhaps, if there is a need to have the tree and Guadosalam inspected, I may offer to travel there. I need no Guardians, but if there are others who want to accompany me, I'd be more than glad of the company.

[alittlebitesper.livejournal.com]

Terra didn't really know what to think of things such as this. Her world didn't have concepts like this, it didn't have soul sucking trees or tribes of summoner peoples. Something about it was nagging at her, though. Her hand continued to fiddle with her pendant as she finally spoke up.

"You said that Rydia...left something of herself in the mist?" Terra asked, frowning faintly and tossing the other green haired girl an apologetic look. "Should we be worried? Is there something wrong with the people that are being brought back?"

[lastsummoner.livejournal.com]

"That's because Mist is made from souls that haven't cycled," Eiko chimed in. At least, with her understanding of the phenomenon. She glanced up at Dagger for confirmation of the fact. "Garland and Kuja were trying to take all the souls out of Gaia so it could become Terra, and that made the Mist."

Not that the child really minded talking about death, but the idea that some of Rydia could be in the Mist, while she was alive again really creeped her out. So she scooted over to give her summoner friend a tight hug.

...that and Seymour's death bothered her. More than she would admit out loud. He'd been a friend and taught her about Spira's summons. Yet now Anima said he was gone forever? Why bring back Kuja and not Seymour? It seemed so unfair.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Rydia looked away, as Terra asked the question that she had feared. As blunt as she could be, even Rydia hadn't been able to bring herself to ask that question. While waiting for Anima's reply, she hugged Eiko back. The little summoner's support was very welcome, and helped her refocus. "I can offer transportation. If there's a need to investigation, I'll gladly do my part."

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

Inside Dagger's head, the gears were turning. She had known, of course, that Rydia had been among the fortunate few to meet her demise and then pop out the other side as if nothing had ever happened. Never in history had there been a time where Death had been a potentially temporary state. But Anima's words had set her mind in motion.

Mist was a dispersion of souls; a by-product, of sorts. Souls blended up and dispersed in the way that water evaporates in heat. That Rydia had revived among Iifa's roots was suddenly not such a coincidence as she might have thought, especially considering Anima's words; 'Yet part of her soul lingers in the Mist.'

"There was a time, when the Mist was harnessed to create new living beings -- the Black Mages. In that way, it's like they were made of the bi-products of many souls. If the Tree is now reviving people, is it possible it's no longer capable of doing it's intended job so thoroughly as it once did? Like... Instead of completely dispelling the souls of the dead, some are sent out almost completely intact?"

So much so, that it effectively resurrected the departed.

[sharemypain.livejournal.com]

The summoners appeared to have reached a consensus of sorts, despite the fact that the fayth had shared little. However, her knowledge was limited to what she knew from her own experience. Her unique situation, hovering between life and death made her an ideal mediator.

"I wish I could give you answers for why this has happened. Yet please, use this knowledge to shape the world. Rydia is not the only soul to have become integrated into this world. Others have come and gone, lived and died, or faded away. Yet they linger on."

[summoningcalm.livejournal.com]

They linger on. That part didn't sit well with him. Like the Unsent, they remained in the world without a real reason or a right to be alive, like the living had. Frowning, Braska sighed softly as he looked amongst the group. They were certainly a well-informed bunch and none of it made any sense to him.

He didn't know what to say and only gave Yuna's arm a gentle squeeze in response to what she'd offered, smiling lightly to Rydia and keeping most of his attention on Anima. She was the one giving the information and the fact that she had information on this world didn't surprise him.

[alittlebitesper.livejournal.com]

Terra didn't really know what to say about all of this, and that fact was plainly evident on her face as she looked from Anima's fayth to the other summoners and back, frowning some.

"Do you mean they're like ghosts?" She asked, rather unhelpfully. She had no experience with spirits and such, but she'd fought several varieties of ghosts. And she knew ghosts were, what, spirits of dead people that stuck around, right?