Deep within the hearthlands at the edge of Astorea, the very tip of their borders, lie a sudden drop that marked what should have been the end of the world-and for many at a time before, it had been the edge of Terrasphere. Now it was such no longer. This cliff indeed still marked the edge of Tertus Valley, true, and still did it fall into the endless depth of Naryu Canyon. It was this that marked an uncross-able journey for all but those with the most gleaming of whistles.
Haru thought himself to have quite a shiny whistle, himself. That was hardly why he was here, however. The half-shattered sage was content with sitting upon the rocks of Tertoria's tallest cliffside to watch the endless depths that yearned beyond.
In the shadow of every tree, in the shade of every cloud, in the crook of his clothes and the depths of the canyon itself lie a gaze that was ever-present. It could be felt from everywhere-alerted those who were closer to the Divine and placed them on guard. This gaze had only existed for as long as Haru overseen these spots of darkness darkness, and no other time since or otherwise. It was hard to say that the presence was truly in the dark-it was really just curled around Haru himself. And even so, so cast a shadow this large, it could be naught but a monster given form.
Few had ever seen Oberon. Few were attuned to the dark from which it had been birthed. Even so, that number had begun to grow day-by-day as the corruption grew in the world. New Travelers came upon shining comets that carried it abreast. Had Corruption become a new mastery itself? That would be the only way that the sage Haru could think of to explain it. He had been unable to check his masteries for four years, yet still could only come to that conclusion.
"My friend, I didn't come here to run from her," He disagreed with the presence. It really hadn't been the case. He knew Majolica was coming to the cliffside now, in fact. It was the first place he had expected her to go, had she chosen to enter Terrasphere at all. If a great airship had come from any place at all, why wouldn't it have been Tertoria? It would be the first place to look, and Haru intended to guide that girl to the bridge that could be seen in the distance from overtop this very cliff.
It really was his only way to apologize for allowing that home to have been destroyed in the wake of the destruction.
"Ha, ha, ha... It is too late to ask questions now, Oberon. She's already caught onto our presence. There's no way to escape her now." A wry grin was settled on his face that looked out into the horizon. He had intended for Majolica to find him today. Back when he had known her before, his senses were not nearly what they were now-but he had become something else entirely, one with experience to boot. He knew to that to anyone with a grain of salt in the arts that Majolica undertook-and she had more than just a simple grain-Haru was now a presence that could not be ignored.
He was like a raving beacon that others attuned could feel pushing against them like a raging wind, a flowing current or a presence in one's fearful dreams. Majolica would come to him. He could feel her approaching. Soon she would be here. Soon, she would see the presence of a monster-the mass of soul that had grown many eyes with which to see the world-and Haru would see if forgiveness could be given from such an old friend.
He had to know. He couldn't bear to hide from her, whose home he had failed to uphold. Majolica, whose friend was no longer the Tomomi she had known. What would she think of him now?
Haru thought himself to have quite a shiny whistle, himself. That was hardly why he was here, however. The half-shattered sage was content with sitting upon the rocks of Tertoria's tallest cliffside to watch the endless depths that yearned beyond.
She is catching up to you. You won't be able to escape if you continue to stay.
In the shadow of every tree, in the shade of every cloud, in the crook of his clothes and the depths of the canyon itself lie a gaze that was ever-present. It could be felt from everywhere-alerted those who were closer to the Divine and placed them on guard. This gaze had only existed for as long as Haru overseen these spots of darkness darkness, and no other time since or otherwise. It was hard to say that the presence was truly in the dark-it was really just curled around Haru himself. And even so, so cast a shadow this large, it could be naught but a monster given form.
Few had ever seen Oberon. Few were attuned to the dark from which it had been birthed. Even so, that number had begun to grow day-by-day as the corruption grew in the world. New Travelers came upon shining comets that carried it abreast. Had Corruption become a new mastery itself? That would be the only way that the sage Haru could think of to explain it. He had been unable to check his masteries for four years, yet still could only come to that conclusion.
"My friend, I didn't come here to run from her," He disagreed with the presence. It really hadn't been the case. He knew Majolica was coming to the cliffside now, in fact. It was the first place he had expected her to go, had she chosen to enter Terrasphere at all. If a great airship had come from any place at all, why wouldn't it have been Tertoria? It would be the first place to look, and Haru intended to guide that girl to the bridge that could be seen in the distance from overtop this very cliff.
It really was his only way to apologize for allowing that home to have been destroyed in the wake of the destruction.
You said you were afraid of her. You did not want to have to meet her again. What has changed?
"Ha, ha, ha... It is too late to ask questions now, Oberon. She's already caught onto our presence. There's no way to escape her now." A wry grin was settled on his face that looked out into the horizon. He had intended for Majolica to find him today. Back when he had known her before, his senses were not nearly what they were now-but he had become something else entirely, one with experience to boot. He knew to that to anyone with a grain of salt in the arts that Majolica undertook-and she had more than just a simple grain-Haru was now a presence that could not be ignored.
He was like a raving beacon that others attuned could feel pushing against them like a raging wind, a flowing current or a presence in one's fearful dreams. Majolica would come to him. He could feel her approaching. Soon she would be here. Soon, she would see the presence of a monster-the mass of soul that had grown many eyes with which to see the world-and Haru would see if forgiveness could be given from such an old friend.
He had to know. He couldn't bear to hide from her, whose home he had failed to uphold. Majolica, whose friend was no longer the Tomomi she had known. What would she think of him now?
