Cylus 4, Arc 720
The weather in Viden, the Mortalborn had learned since he had decided to settle down in the northern city, was predictable in its unpredictability. You always needed to be prepared for a sudden snowstorm or a blizzard that varied in length, from a few breaks to entire trials. The first snowstorm of the new cycle had arrived as the sun had disappeared and lasted until the third. It seemed to have let up overnight though so that only a few snowflakes were falling now, he observed, as he stood at his bedroom window, looking outside, just like he did every morning.
Standing at the window and observing the sky as well as the people in the street below was a somewhat pointless habit, he realized, but one that he enjoyed a great deal, nevertheless. There was something calming and relaxing about watching how the city woke up and people started to go about their work once more. He often did the same in the evening – although morning and evening were harder to tell apart now that the Rebirth Cycle had begun, and the sky seemed to be filled with starlight throughout the trial.
There had been a time when his attitude towards the Immortal that ruled over the stars had been very different – he had once been known as the Hero of Oscillus – but nowadays, the stars constituted a source of cal and comfort, and he wished to spread hope rather than take it and serve him, through his work as a teacher and an alchemist. He traced the place where the small white spot was, hidden by his clothes for the time being, before he abruptly stepped away from the window and left his bedroom in order to join Elias, one of his mortal servants, in the kitchen, eat breakfast and begin the trial in earnest.
It promised to be busy.
The new season at the Academy had theoretically already begun on the first, but due to the snowstorm, a considerable number of students had not shown up, and some of the classes had actually been cancelled which was why he had considered it to be a good idea to take it slow. That trial, he would hopefully finally be able to teach a full class and start the new season in earnest though; and in the evening, a ball would take place. He enjoyed such events nowadays, especially since that particular ball was held in order to celebrate a joyous occasion, namely Treid’s return.
The last ball that he had attended – the Mummer’s Ball in Rharne that had taken place in Vhalar – had ended with the death of an Immortal, Syroa, whom he had once served. The memory of it still made him thoughtful on a regular basis, even though over a hundred trials had passed. In spite of the fact that he had renounced his ties to her, he wished that the Immortal of Fury had not died but been given a chance to redeem herself instead.
The Mummer’s Ball had not made him wary of balls in general though. He had always been a rather reasonable man, for the most part, and never lacked common sense. He was aware of the fact that the chance of two events of such magnitude occurring in quick succession was miniscule, at best. The ball that would take place that evening would involve no violence and no deaths but be exactly what a ball should be. For that reason, he found himself looking forward to it, greatly so.
The weather in Viden, the Mortalborn had learned since he had decided to settle down in the northern city, was predictable in its unpredictability. You always needed to be prepared for a sudden snowstorm or a blizzard that varied in length, from a few breaks to entire trials. The first snowstorm of the new cycle had arrived as the sun had disappeared and lasted until the third. It seemed to have let up overnight though so that only a few snowflakes were falling now, he observed, as he stood at his bedroom window, looking outside, just like he did every morning.
Standing at the window and observing the sky as well as the people in the street below was a somewhat pointless habit, he realized, but one that he enjoyed a great deal, nevertheless. There was something calming and relaxing about watching how the city woke up and people started to go about their work once more. He often did the same in the evening – although morning and evening were harder to tell apart now that the Rebirth Cycle had begun, and the sky seemed to be filled with starlight throughout the trial.
There had been a time when his attitude towards the Immortal that ruled over the stars had been very different – he had once been known as the Hero of Oscillus – but nowadays, the stars constituted a source of cal and comfort, and he wished to spread hope rather than take it and serve him, through his work as a teacher and an alchemist. He traced the place where the small white spot was, hidden by his clothes for the time being, before he abruptly stepped away from the window and left his bedroom in order to join Elias, one of his mortal servants, in the kitchen, eat breakfast and begin the trial in earnest.
It promised to be busy.
The new season at the Academy had theoretically already begun on the first, but due to the snowstorm, a considerable number of students had not shown up, and some of the classes had actually been cancelled which was why he had considered it to be a good idea to take it slow. That trial, he would hopefully finally be able to teach a full class and start the new season in earnest though; and in the evening, a ball would take place. He enjoyed such events nowadays, especially since that particular ball was held in order to celebrate a joyous occasion, namely Treid’s return.
The last ball that he had attended – the Mummer’s Ball in Rharne that had taken place in Vhalar – had ended with the death of an Immortal, Syroa, whom he had once served. The memory of it still made him thoughtful on a regular basis, even though over a hundred trials had passed. In spite of the fact that he had renounced his ties to her, he wished that the Immortal of Fury had not died but been given a chance to redeem herself instead.
The Mummer’s Ball had not made him wary of balls in general though. He had always been a rather reasonable man, for the most part, and never lacked common sense. He was aware of the fact that the chance of two events of such magnitude occurring in quick succession was miniscule, at best. The ball that would take place that evening would involve no violence and no deaths but be exactly what a ball should be. For that reason, he found himself looking forward to it, greatly so.
Notes
From the Viden calendar:
1st: a snowstorm blows in during the early morning hours. The storm blows over the night on the third.
4th: Anagénnis- celebration of Treid allowing the sun to return. Also, about “Rebirth” and the party to celebrate Treid being resurrected. Yvithia holds a ball to celebrate Viden surviving the Cold cycle and the return of Treid, all are invited to attend (unmodded)
1st: a snowstorm blows in during the early morning hours. The storm blows over the night on the third.
4th: Anagénnis- celebration of Treid allowing the sun to return. Also, about “Rebirth” and the party to celebrate Treid being resurrected. Yvithia holds a ball to celebrate Viden surviving the Cold cycle and the return of Treid, all are invited to attend (unmodded)
