2017-08-19: Facing The Truth
- Cutscene: Facing The Truth
- Cast: Xantia
- Where: Guardian Temple
- Date: August 19th, 2017
- Summary: Xantia learns more about herself in several ways, as the Guardian of Lightning makes her realize how complicated seeking the truth about oneself truly is.
Xantia ran as fast as she could, fleeing from the Guardians' inner sanctum, and the voice that had spoken to her there. Why was she running? What exactly was she running from? Even she didn't know for sure. She just wanted, needed to get away, not knowing how to face that was made known to her when she took up the tablet bearing a leonine figure...
"Foolish child. Your actions are without reason, your motivations borne from ignorance. You know not what you commit yourself to. Look within yourself, and recall. Were we truly the first to place the burden of hope upon you?"
Xantia freezes, then one hand flies to the side of her head. A flash of memory... words once spoken to her, returned to her in an instant. Though the sound of the voice remains hazy and indistinct, the words themselves are crystal clear.
"Your task is not an easy one. But you must never lose sight of it. Never forget your mission, your destiny, your place in the world. You are Filgaia's hope... my child."
Xantia drops to her knees, filled with an abrupt sorrow with the realization that she did forget. She forgot everything. This voice, the way it addressed her. Could it have been...
"Fa... ther...?"
The inexplicable feelings of sadness quickly transition into desperation, Xantia gripping the tablet in her hands tightly. "Was it you? Did you show me this? If you know something, then tell me, tell me everything!"
No answer. Which is the wrong answer, in Xantia's current state of mind. Desperation immediately transitions into frustration, and anger. "Why?! Why just this? Are you making fun of me?!"
Now, Xantia found herself face to face with a statue of the very Guardian who addressed her before. Of all the places she could have run to, she ended up in a wing completely dedicated to Noua Shax, Guardian of Lightning. And found herself addressed once more.
"Have you calmed yourself, child? Will you now face forward, or will you continue to run?"
That gruff, prideful voice rang out in her mind once more, prompting Xantia's previous anger to return in a flash. "What do you want from me? Are you just going to taunt me again? If all you're going to do is give me tiny pieces of my memory, I don't want it! There's no point, not if I can't remember what it means!"
There was a moment of silence, just long enough for Xantia to start thinking that it would be like before, and the voice would fall silent once again. Which would be fine, she'd be okay with never hearing it again. However...
"...I see. You liken your situation to dying of thirst, and being given a single drop of water. Allow me to correct your mistaken impression: I did not restore this memory to you. I merely provided the impetus for you to grasp the surfacing memory, rather than let it slip away once more."
Now it was Xantia's turn to fall quiet a moment, dumbfounded by this claim. "...I don't understand."
"I cannot see that which is buried in your mind, but your heart spoke clearly: the words of Stare Roe and Leitea Salk stirred recognition within you. Yet rather than strain yourself to grasp it with all your might, you ignored it - perhaps even pushed it away. You are sabotaging your own efforts to recover your memory."
Indignant at the accusation, Xantia stepped closer towards the statue before her, threateningly raising a fist. "What did you say?! I'd never do something like that! I want my memories back more than anything!"
The Guardian's voice, in contrast, retained its calm. "Can you truly, without any doubt, say that you do not fear the truth? Truth is the death of possibility. Once the truth is known, all that might have been no longer is. You will have no choice but to accept a singular course of events. And you realize perfectly well how small the odds are of everything matching your hopes."
"I..." Xantia's response, and her approach, were stopped in its tracks. She'd never thought about it that way. At least, not consciously. But now that she had, she found herself unable to deny it.
"However... if you would continue to pursue the truth regardless, then I will guide you where I can. For Filgaia's sake, and for your own, I will not allow you to look away."
Xantia found a smile returning to her features, finding reassurance in these words. "So... what you're saying is, you'll help me recover my memories? Thank you! I guess I was wrong about you... you're actually really nice, aren't you?"
Even the Guardian seemed momentarily flustered by that assertion. "...In all my time, I cannot claim to have ever been referred to as 'nice'."
"Aw, that's so sad! Don't worry, Noua Shax! I think you're nice!"
Xantia saw nothing strange about trying to comfort a Guardian. After all, she'd already received the greater comfort: the knowledge that from now on, she would never truly be alone.