Balance of Light and Dark

Thomas glance at the boxes. “Are those for your friends Khyran and Ruran?” he asks.  At John’s nod, he pulls out to letters.  “If you would be kind to include these in with the chocolates.”

John looks at the letters curiously, “Um, alright.”  He was about to open one up but was stop by a gentle hand on his glove one.  “I guess it’s something serious.”

“Yes,” Thomas said.  “A voidsent that had attacked a young boy. I wish to hear the advice on how best to deal with it…and if possible, on how to destroy it.”

“I can help…”

“NO!”  John drew back from Thomas’ outburst.  “I…I’m sorry, John but this voidsent is far too dangerous. I do not wish you harm.  It is why I wish to speak with your friends because I’m afraid I’m too old to face this void on my own.”  He rubs John’s ear in a fatherly way.  “And you have your own family that does not wish to see you hurt…or do I need to remind you what happen with young Howl?”

John ducks his head, remembering those days when Howl had been missing after the fight at Specula Imperatoris, and wraps his arm around himself.  Thomas sighs and kneels next to John.  “I will be careful, John.  But I need to know that you will be safe.  You and Howl and the others that you are living with now…the whole of you have your own lives, long ones that I hope, to live.  Please understand that I only telling you this because I do not wish for you to go down the path that I once did.”  He was startle as John’s own arms wrap around him, but only for a moment.  “Now now, I still also have much to live for. I wish to see grandchildren from you and Tanya.”

“DAD!” John says, blushing. After a moment, he takes the letters from Thomas, place one in each of the boxes.  He stands up and makes his way to the door.  “I’m off.”

Thomas stood up, watching the door close behind his son, before he allows his temper to rise up to chill the room.  He knew that he had lie to his son, but he did not wish to upset him or even risk bring what few memories might still reside from the Siren that had tried to use him and his gift to remain in this world.  She would pay with her own life for what she did to John and he would be the one to do it. *****

The letter would arrive in the box of chocolates that John sent.  The writing is neat though a bit rough compare to John’s own handwriting.  The name written on the outside of the folder letter would just save Master Thomas to Kyran Oisin.

Sir Khyran Oisin,

It has come to my attention that you have a voidsent in your precession, one that is held trap by your hands, a voidsent that should not be allowed to have a chance to be free. First, I wish to thank you for what you did, removing the memories and her from my son, John.  I only wish to see that the Siren is dealt with.  As for how that may be done, I have sent off a letter to another Hunter that I hope may have

some idea on best protect any that would face her…or he knows someone that could find a way to keep her from using her ‘Song’ to control others.  If you are free, please let me know so that I can speak with you about what you had to do to remove her and her memories from John’s mind, so that I may be to see if there might have been any lasting effects with my son.

 May Nald’thal’s and Rhalgr’s blessing be on you,

Master Thomas Waterstrike, Lord of House Waterstrike

****

The letter would arrive in the box of chocolates that John sent. The writing is neat though a bit rough compare to John’s own handwriting.  The name written on the outside of the folder letter would just save Master Thomas to Ruran Vas.

Ser Ruran Vas,

I wish your help.  I have just recently received information concerning John and a voidsent.  You know of my son’s Gift.  I fear a Siren, perhaps long lived and a high run, use his gift against him.  She implanted her memories into him, to torcher him for the minor roll he and the Unit he was with prior to returning to the Flame Unit ‘Dagger’.  If allow myself to think of what those memories did to my son…I fear I would have to rewrite this letter to you.  Know that she is no longer link to John, her being and memories now held trap by one that is also a Hunter like us and close friend to John.  I have sent a letter to Sir Khyran Oisin to see if you still hold her trap and if there might be lingering effect from what he did to remove her.

If you may have a way to kill her without her ‘Song’ effecting and controlling those that would face her is for some reason she has found a way to free herself from her prison.  If not yourself, then maybe fellow Hunters might be able to give advice on best to deal with her.  Please contact me when you receive with what help you can offer, and I’ll let you know as well on what Sir Khyran has told me.

 May Nald’thal’s and Rhalgr’s blessing be on you,

Master Thomas Waterstrike, Lord of House Waterstrike

"Mhach, Nym, and a city name Amdapor."  Thomas Waterstrike’s eyes went distance.  "From what was told, the elementals cause a great flood because their war drain the very land of aether."  A dark look settle on his face.  "If only it had been as simple as that."

Ruran nodded quietly, but then his head canted. Behind the shadows of his mask, his brows furrowed. "There is more to it..?"

Thomas nods.  "From what was pass down in my family line, those in Amdapor were great in aether, healing, but also golem work...or more to it, giving life to that which shouldn't have it.  From the other side, great destructive power, using the aether of oneself.  But to do so...they sided with the void and in turn would bind them to their own will.”

"That...sounds terrible," Ruran murmured, a frown in his tone. "But to be expected. Siding with the Void yields nothing but the destruction of oneself." He seemed quiet certain of this, and his stone flickered in approval. The knight hesitated, lingered on the hunter's previous words. "...'Giving life to that which should not have it'..?"

"Stone, to do as they bid.  Craved statues, use aether from the land to grant life to it, to use the same spell that those of Amdapor knew.  Yet that drain the land as it was not release once it was done."  He bow his head, the weight of a thousand years on his shoulders.  "Yet neither care on what they did to the land, how the power was killing the land, until the flood came.  Those that didn't die flee, those of my line arriving in Gyr Abania.  Those of my line flee into the higher mountain."

"I see..." Ruran shifted his weight from one plated foot to the other, nodding as the story was told. "It is true, the land--and its aether--can only take so much..." His head canted, allowing Thomas to speak more of the tale.

"Both side came together, realizing that if those after them live, that it shouldn't be forgotten what wrong was done."   He look up at Ruran.  "A balance was decided as a way to make amends for what was done. We work on using both black and white magic to hunt those voidsent that use the flood to escape, to heal those that had been hurt because of what our ancestors did."  He sigh, "Those of my blood still practice that first steps into what later became know as Red magic."

Thomas  points at his chest.  "It is a hard balance to achieve and harder to maintain."

"Ah--red magic, I have heard of such," he replied, his posture perking for a moment. "Yours does seem quite difference... There is danger in practicing black magic, as well as white--I am sure you know this well. I am impressed you are able to balance it..."

With @weepingknight

The boy cowers as his father raises his hand.  “I told you, you were to practice before Master Waterstike came.  How dare you embarrass our family...” the hand came down at the boy.

Thomas’s staff block the hit.  “You,” came Thomas quiet voice, an icy chill rising up around the three, “will Not strike him.”  The boy’s father tried to match the icy glare that Thomas has but he drop his eyes after a moment.  “The child will be taught but I will not see one so young be cowered in such a fashion.”

The father back away, shivering from the cold.  “Fine...take the boy.” he says, spinning around without so much a goodbye.  The mother came forward, placing a kiss on the top of the boy’s head.  “Please forgive him.  You know the business has been stressful for him right now.”

Thomas wanted to say more but held his tongue.  The children were already scared enough for his own displace of anger.  “I’ll see to their tickets when they are ready to come to Ul’dah.  I’ll also speak to my wife and see if she would be willing to take your son on as well as the student that she is teaching.”

After a last few details with the children’s parents.  He left Lisma and flew back on the airship to Ul’dah.  He was meet by one of his former students as he came off the airship.  “Master...Master, I think I saw the person you wish to speak with.  I saw him step into the inn at the forth ward of the Goblet.”

“Thank you, Stephan.  Please let Maggie know that I may be late for dinner.”  The young man nods, giving a quiet “I will, Master Waterstrike.”  Now, a small stop by the Goblet.

The door opens and a slightly familiar hyur steps in, the staff used as a cane as he move into the inn. Step, steptap, step, steptap.  If Ruran looks up, he would see an older but slightly familiar hyur moving toward him.  "You," came the kind but elderly voice, "are a hard hyur to find, Ser Ruran."