As I walked away and my sense started to return I pondered once more.
While I did enjoy women that were older than me, on Earth I wouldn't have been reduced to a blind horn dog. In addition, who said that older women alone were my sole interest? I loved all kinds of women! But I had only felt that heat around my F'lhaminn and my brand new Mio. I had no other evidence to chart out how or why I suddenly got inflicted.
Would my tastes drive me to feel this intense? I felt like there was something else. No one else in the world needed to be cooled by a vortex of Aether. Everyone else in this world could keep down a full plate of food. I was strong enough to use Riot Blade, but didn't have enough Aether to cast Fire without borderline fainting.
Something was going on with me. Something with this body. It was less of a cheat and more of a curse was it not? But I had no marks. No stigmata. No cursed tattoo. It started on that night years back. F'lhaminn and I opened a door that I just couldn't close all the way anymore.
I glanced over at my Minfilia. Was it an issue of dominance? That was the other difference wasn't it? Was I tamed?! I was wasn't I?! But then Mylla and Adal...
I could tell that this problem would be my eternal riddle.
Our footsteps made our presence known, the crowd got an eyeful of the newcomers then parted like the sea, putting us in the sights of a beautiful woman on age with Minfilia.
Her hair was a sandy blonde, tied into a long ponytail that blew in rhythm with the chimes of Gridania. Her eyes were as green as the canopy and almost just as dense. I couldn't identify her.
I walked closer, with Minfilia still holding space to my left. Then I saw the horns. Light gray, bordering on white, they stood proud of her head and branched slightly like feathers instead of antlers.
"Greetings, Sir Winter and Miss Minfilia. The elements heralded your arrival. I am Kan-E-Senna. I am here to guide you upon their request."
It was unexpected and birthed far too many questions, one being, was she truly this young? In-game she looked as old as the other two city-state leaders, didn't she? Was it an act? A way to compensate for her obvious lack of experience? Was I also fooled?
Two, why was she here? Were there not others who could take us instead? I recalled that this city's guard wore full wooden masks. Why would one of the highest powers in these woods arrive personally as if we weren't mob characters here on tour?
Three, the elements told her? That was concerning. We had at some point drawn the "eyes" of the Twelveswood. We did nothing special. I cast no spell. Were they drawn to the echo? I didn't bring my blades or armor. Why would I? Neither of us were adventurers. No other civilians walk around Gridania with blades at their hip. Why would we?
This couldn't be a usual event. Otherwise, half the god-damned city wouldn't be here to rubberneck.
She was unlikely to lie about the will of the elements. Those feather shaped horns on her head represented her birthright as a Padjal. A special blessing that the forest provided to its chosen from birth. Padjal were gifted in natural magics and were supposedly ageless.
Though Kan-E-Senna looked far older than the other Padjal who tended to stop growing after 10. I supposed that she was special somehow. Something in the back of my head did a fist pump, but I mentally swatted it away.
I was already bursting with anticipation for what I'd be doing with Mio later. Having a woman who obviously hid explosive curves underneath that dress and then another woman who displayed them openly and teased me non-stop, was not helping my impulses stay under control.
I continued to think about why I had arrived in Gridania.
"Thank you, Miss Senna, for your consideration. We shall follow your lead."
I put my hand over my heart and bowed with my knees. An emote that I shamelessly stole from Elezen players. The Twelveswood was "founded" by these types. I had to show proper decorum.
"You're too kind, Mr. Winter."
Kan-E-Senna wasn't just any Padjal. She was the Seedseer. It was her name that guided the nation. The equivalence here would be her Highness Nanamo personally walking out of the sultanate to greet us.
Although I had heard that before the Calamity, there was a council that decided on things in unison. Perhaps her role was not as prominent despite the respect she drew. Either way-
It's a ludicrous event I was wrapped up in. Hopefully only that.
---
"Please, just Winter is fine."
Winter gave her a cordial smile and Kan-E did her best to keep the blush under control. She couldn't keep her eyes off of the man in front of her.
He sprouted a full head of wavy rose gold hair and blinked with hazy eyes as blue as the sky and as soft as Moogle fur. On his face was a natural smile that grew from lips, as red as blood currants. They contrasted strongly with his smooth marble skin tone. He looked like a glazed doll from the Amphitheatre come to life. He was beautiful. She had never been so attracted to anyone before in her life.
Kan-E eyed her younger sister, a sweet child with a mop of ruddy red hair. Raya-O was stuck fast to her spot. Her mouth hung slightly open and eyebrows furrowed in utter shock. How many times had she been scolded for her poor etiquette... But Kan-E excused her brash sister this time. The sight eased the Seedseer's heart. At least she wasn't the only one affected by the man's ethereal presence.
The crowd, populated entirely of her people, took their steps back out of respect for her. She didn't want to displease her guests by overcrowding them with the curious.
The Moogles, that called Gridania home, bounced in the air around the newcomers. While Winter seemingly could not perceive them, continuing to direct his dreamy half-lidded gaze around the city, his friend Minfilia could. She tracked them with her eyes and seemed unsure of whether she could interact with them or not.
Kan-E laughed lightly. Minfilia was too polite.
"You can see them can't you? Do not be afraid. The Moogles are our eternal friends."
A cheerful smile bloomed on Minfilia's face. It reminded her of Raya-O. What didn't remind Kan-E of her brash little sister was-
"Mhm. I haven't!"
The Moogles danced in a circle, starting a band.
She could scarce believe it. Not only could Minfilia see the Moogles, but she could understand them?
"Should we meet up with her later?"
A soft voice that seemed carved from the wood of a Rosewood tree tickled her ears and lifted her off her feet. She could smell his heavy manly scent. It filled her senses with glee and made her breath heavy.
This man, he was dangerous for her. Kan-E swallowed her saliva and grit her teeth. How terrifying.
---
Moogles were a recurring species in the Final Fantasy series. They were as iconic as Chocobo and Cactuar. Fluffy mammal creatures that had orbs attached to the top of their heads. And of course their famous "Kupo" sound.
The ones here in Gridiana were actually tied to a primal in patch 3.0. Good King Moggle Mog. It was a story of a king who dropped them here to escape a war, but stayed back to hold the line. Or something to that effect.
The Moogles who stayed back with their king, ended up re-summoning him as a primal. But things didn't pan out too well.
I could see the Moogles just fine, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. It truly sounded like a garbled mess of onomatopoeiae and "kupo" noises. This wasn't a bad thing. In XIV, I was hurtled across the world, burning my precious free teleport vouchers and thousands upon thousands of gil doing a quest-line for these little fuckers.
The quests fleshed out many characters, but my mistake was doing those quests before they added flying mounts. Hours of walking... I didn't want to think about it. The Moogle Post service was hell. A black company that hired hopefuls, snapped their backs over its knee, and spit them back out after they would work no longer. It broke every labor law, bloated hours of my logged game time and didn't even have the mercy to include hazard pay.
I ignored the Moogles that tried waving in front of my face.
'I can't see them. Not going to drag me back into that dead end job. Let the protagonist do it.'
I asked Kan-E-Senna if we should leave Minfilia to play while I handled whatever business she and the elements had in mind.
But Minfilia suddenly turned and walked up next to me, pinching my sleeve.
"No need! I can speak with them tomorrow!"
"You sure?"
Minfilia nodded simply. Very well. I wasn't expecting much to happen. I wasn't registered as an Adventurer so I couldn't be tasked with doing anything of note. If Gridania asked me to help fix a monster problem or something of the sort, I'd just use the Aetheryte and go home. Louisoix would contact me in a month.
Kan-E turned away and my Minfilia stood on her toes to give me a surprise peck on the lips.
'Control. Control. Control.'
With a light laugh, she strutted off, swaying her fine ass in my face.
huff
I was in one hell of a state.
We continued to follow Kan-E-Senna through Gridania. Most of the city was surprisingly familiar. Though just as confusing.
Certain structures weren't where I remembered them being. Flower carts. Bridges. Hell, entire streams that I knew of just didn't exist. I assumed that I saw where the Aetheryte was moved to in 2.0, but I couldn't be certain. My lack of familiarity with the city-state combined it's strange appearance created a bizarre map in my head. There was also a lack of decoration and life. Similarly to Ul'dah.
Gridania was the home of the Twin Adders. A grand company, one of three, that acted as the nation's army. Why were there so little flags? Was this truly an Astral Era?
Overall, the city could be described as boring. The developers must had forgotten to make half of it's assets and instead tried to cover their asses by copy-pasting most of the city.
It was an endless stretch of cliff-tunnels, tree-tunnels, bridge-tunnels, tunnel-tunnels, and I couldn't even look up at the sky for navigation. The lush canopy above blocked everything, twisting the minds of those who did not bend it's will.
"To navigate the forest, you must become a part of it" I could almost hear the Twelveswood declare. Gridania was a traumatizing maze of wood and mossy water-eroded stone. A personal hell for someone out there.
As we walked in silence through narrow pathways I could sense the air becoming abnormally clean. Surprisingly, Kan-E-Senna was taking me exactly where I wanted to go. I kept the letters from Master Mumuepo in my inner pocket. I hoped that the guild master here could shine a light on what secret I was in for.
We walked to an empty dirt and grass plaza littered with rocks and little else. A tree stump ahead was hollowed out and embedded within it's gory cavity was an immensely large chunk of stone with Nophica's symbol carved into it. The symbol glowed with an ancient and holy power. One that I did not fear as I thought I might.
I was thankful to not be suddenly dropped into a surprise talk with a god, then have my soul shattered into non-existence.
Surprisingly, we still had further to walk. I could understand why a guide was needed now. I was a fool. People could get lost and die within this city-state and no one would know it. It was scarier than Ul'dah in that sense. How many corpses had I already passed? Did the trees eat them?
---
The entrance was larger than I remembered. The archways taller. The chamber, darker. Emptier. The dirt trail from the outside gradually became an ornate and ancient wooden path. Near the end of the arboreal stretch, sat a platform that seemed to float leisurely above the shadows.
It was illuminated with some odd floating orbs of light and a myriad of candles. Their soft warm glow flickered, as if greeting our presence. On this deck was the traditional guild desk setup that I recognized from multiple places on Eorzea.
Behind it was an even larger platform. Circular in shape and surrounded on all sides by more of those "orb lights" I eyed in the lobby.
A lone figure stood straight in the darkness. The first night I spent in this world was something similar to this. But a lot had changed since then. I was no longer as afraid. Even without my blades, if I was forced into conflict, I did not feel that I would lose.
"Master Yan."
The shadowy figure walked calmly into the glow of the light revealing himself with a touch of drama. E-Sumi-Yan.