Secrets of the Clouded Prithvi

[Kynim]

Words, interred into the workbook of the Prithvi, are written- swift, short entries remarking on how far he's believed to have come. 




In a state of disarray, I once wrote all of life's misgivings, and all of my shattered feelings unto paper; ever since, I've grown to be collected.. calm, conscious of the world and it's truth. I can only look back on them now and find a small shred of the misfortune I'd been cursed with for a brief time.. but how can one blame themself? Your worst moments shape you, chew you up, and spit you out; and the only thing that matters is whether you can find the resolve to stand up once more... It was a challenge, but over time, I learned how to deal with it; how to learn from it, how to become it. I couldn't come to live with the person I became; enwreathed in the blanket of my despair and failure, I retreated into the worst kind of shell, bereft of laughter and light. The truth is that, despite all of my pain, and everything I claimed out of rage, I never found the way to say goodbye, nor thank anybody who got me to where I am... and if you aren't me, reading this, don't think this is me throwing in the towel. 

Kiri Prithvi... The mother that you are. While Kousei and Rudra take after our father with their stark white hair, and complexion, let us not forget that you gave me a set of leather work-gloves at age six- let me smelt my first ore at the age of seven, and taught me how to read runes before text when I was a mere child! I still use them, to this day; adorned with the patterns of duckies wearing floatable tubes despite the fact that they can swim, and the fact that the painted design is faded, I still wear them lest I let my hands get dirty. I make weapons, to this day, in the same way that you showed me; a work of art, a blessed opportunity to impress a story upon the metal... while you're still around, at times, I hope that you've found what you need, in your absence.. and I thank you, for teaching me an expression of art and love that I never knew I would be so good at.

Dyaus Prithvi.. When I speak to people, they tell me- often, that I resemble you; my joy, my being, my presence- I bring whimsy everywhere I walk, invoke smiles ... while I may never become the Wishgranter that you are, I'll do my utmost to ensure, with every fiber of my being, that people can have what they want.. and I take that with me. With every passing day, I get closer to learning how to open portals; I tame the air spirits you once gave me, the young cloud-lings that you gave me as a gift... I think one day, I'll learn how to find you. Whether that be slipping straight through the veil to find you, or merely finding a way to send you a letter. You taught me that I was capable of anything, and to cherish the few moments we can spend with one another. I'm sorry that I felt abandoned by you. You can still se us... I'm certain of it.. and for that, I thank you for being the best father you could've been.

Melidoyla... My beloved sister, anarchist of Meranthe, bringer of Joy, and my first believer. You were an inspiration to me, for far too long; much of my being and intent is molded by the effects you had on me. There's little I can say .. it frustrates me to think about what I could've done. But thank you.

I may never learn how to grant wishes, create true wonders, or bring happiness the way that those who came before me could, but...
I can grant smiles ... I can create memories, and I can bring joy to those I meet.

I can know love.. and friendship,
I can see the world in a mere grain of sand,
and hold the heavens in a wildflower.
I can hold infinity in the palm of my hand-
and eternity in an hour.. because I found it, at least.
The Answer.

... But first, one must ask the questions- of wayfinding, of harmony, of joy, of clouds...
if the answer was found so quickly, the journey itself wouldn't matter; and therefore, reader, I invite you-

I'm unsure as to what to call this record, as I inter it further; it could settle in dust, or be read for generations for what the contents may hold depending on how long my journey becomes. I may yet find other secrets to put in here, to explain what I've come to learn about the world.. or come to believe, and thus, I'll start with my first, definitive statement that I've come to accept, truly.

The First Secret is 
Music was the first magic that humans could comprehend, and hold on to..
To invoke feeling, the spirit, and the soul with sound, and manipulate it-
It serves as one of life's most beautiful, most simple things- and with that, I wonder if
There truly is a Song of Creation, at the core of the world, like an ethereal hum.. I can feel it,
I'm most certain that I've felt it; there are types of music that can invoke elemental power... With a mere scroll,
I've learned how to invoke the power of thunderstorms that Melidoyla would smile upon; I even named one of them after her...
... to that end, I believe there are Muses that inspire upon those music- Mestra would have been one of the first, and yet...
I'm certain I'll come to meet one, some day.

[Kynim]

Beneath the several documents, release forms, and research notes, another personal entry is made within his book of secrets.

I have come to learn that sometimes.. the world can be cruel, unforgiving, and sometimes, the people closest to you will surprise you. In more recent years, I've tried to take the back seat where I can; and yet, the world itself beckons my call, heeds my aid... Even if not on the front lines of a war, I know exactly where it is I need be. I'm a wanderer.. a traveler, a healer, and a mender. The art of healing, whether it be the Soul, the Spirit, the Mind, the Body.. or the Self, is the most sacred of arts; and thus, it must need be taught, passed on, and shared with the world at large. 

I have always been the product of those who taught me; mending was an art taught to me by my mother, my aunt.. my uncle... Sometimes, I wonder if I would've had a more adventurous life if I'd learned not to care for the wounds and pain of those closest to me.. But I am naught but a bleeding heart. I've never known anything but the means to restore the heart, the being, and the dreams of those that I call my friends, my loved ones, and my most favored.

Even if I need to face the false light of a girl drawn to madness, and become cursed with unsight...

Even if my spirit be damned by a wraith to try and protect a friend... 

Even if I need to face the likeness of death, or oppose the reaper to restore a fractured soul. My mind- body- and soul- have been in disarray for months since that moment when I was able to stay Morana's hand with the aid of Lucille; protecting the life of my twin brother before he could be surrendered to some strange, ominous gate lingering with the essence of death..

... and yet.. after all that has been lost... I can see them again, and remind myself why the art of healing is so sacred to me.

Kiri Prithvi taught me how to mend the body, and yet I can see her in every craft I make; and hear her voice, urging me to ensure every piece is my best work. That every portal I study is committed to memory, lest my destination be somewhere I don't intend to be. I don't know if you're dead mother, or if you've simply gone elsewhere. But I know that you're watching from afar..

Dyaus Prithvi taught me how to mend the mind and soul, or at least.. he let me believe that I could do it; it was belief that allowed me to stray unto the path I'm on now, and he was the best person to distill such a thing into someone. He showed me how to achieve my goals- how to achieve my beliefs, and how to bring that same confidence into others.

Melidoyla.. while I'll never come to understand you fully, I know how to mend a body and spirit from what you taught me; for while you gave people falsity and toyed with them with all of your pranks, you brought laughter, a sense of family, and among all things, you taught me the path beneath Harmony that I want to follow; for you were a being of Joy before you lost who you were, and I'll ensure that memory is retained. 

There are others I see, in this haze; in this veil of death I've become spectator to.. and yet, among all of them, these three- the most important aspects of my youth, return in full force with every sung harmony, every note of despair, every ring of melanchony- and yet, I can only come to smile, because I've come to know joy.

The second secret is

Joy is the ultimate state of healing; for when one comes to understand it, they'll always know it

Joy is a distillation of Harmony; when all things have come to be perfect and true, and happy, one may experience Joy

To invoke joy is to invoke a smile, to invoke laughter, to save a mind from madness, to allow someone to see their light once more

Joy can be felt in music, in dancing, in art, in love, in friendship, in kindness

It is a feeling that can be felt by all; some may find it in battle, some may find it in solitude, some may find it in passion-

I can open eyes to the Joy of Harmony, and to the world at large; and with Azalea's light, I've come to realize the type of person that I am

I've come to learn what it is that I want to pursue in life, I know what it is that I want to reach

I'll find it some day, some how, but first, I want to find you, because your disappearance is something that can't be left unwritten.

After all,

You gave me a key to find you

[Kynim]

The potentially non-canon adventures of a wandering Kitsune are chronicled here. The words are scribed hastily- lightly, with far less intent than before. 

"..and who's gonna know you, like me..?"

The air is dense here; and with the warnings of those I've listened to, I walk into the spirit realm aware of the risk- and aware of the reward. Dyaus told us three to find him, some day, but my brothers have other things to take care of, I'm sure.. and besides...

You gave me a key, didn't you? So here I am now, in a realm I shouldn't be- if only to tell you of how far it is that I've come. To find out the secrets of the Prithvi lineage.. to find out where you went, to finish this story. Because you left it.. unfinished. You did exactly what I would have done- selfless, generous, to try and save a life- just as I have, and in that moment, I wonder if I came to understand you more than ever before, father.

But you still rest as the final enigma of my life. For when mother disappeared and my sister died, you were forced out of the realm. I suspect your physical body was forced to dissipate, with the magic of your final wish expended. I don't know if mother ever told Kousei and Rudra that would happen.. but I know they both say hi; a handwritten letter from Kousei that I'll deliver to you says as much.

I have grown much, even more with every year, in order to appease the life I've tried to live. Countless foes have tried to undo the internal harmony and rhythm that I hold dear, leaving me with a body laden with curses and weakness that I must find the strength to press on with- with every passing moment, it begs me; just stop, just stop, just stop...


But I have much more to do in this world before I'm ready to do so. I have harmony, love, and joy by my side. I want to show you all of these things I achieved...
But if the spirit realm is to take hold of me, I want this to be a living record of my journey; for the Cloudsage Compendium will return to the physical world in three years time, with or without me. 

But for now.. I'll keep looking for traces of you. I'll work on my projects where I can find the time- and space- and I'll find every last clue of you, until..

Until I can open a portal directly before you, and force you to face me. For you forged me into the being that I am, all that I aspire to be, and you deserve to see me as much as you owe me answers. Friends I have shared burdens of death with- and those I have begged to see my purview have all aligned with my vision.


... I'm holding off a wedding just to find you, you know. Because I want to tell you all of the secrets I've come to learn about the world, that you may tell me some of yours.


The third secret is
The Answer can always be found, the result of the Almosts
But sometimes the Answer is multiple answers-
Small fragmented pieces of a puzzle yet to be put together
For the answer is never one thing, nor is a lifetime of experience, memories
Yet sharing those memories, experiences, romances, and adventures with others
Is the greatest Answer you could find in your quest to vanquish the Almosts in your life.

---

[OOC: Leave a letter for a potential feature, mention, or head-nod in a future post here.]

[Kynim]

"I saw, in my mind, fairy lights through the mist.."


Many would have given up, but I err closer to him with every passing moment. This, I can feel it.. I'm most certain. My time in the spirit realm has given me much to reflect on; and yet, I have had to make some concession. For the spirit realm is not for the faint of heart, nor the weak of will; I've given up everything to try and find him.. just one last.. conversation. I can feel my body as a mortal shedding away, weak- unable to remain here, but I can sense him- on the tip of my finger- just within reach- for if I keep searching, he'll be there... around the corner.

I thought I found you, once; another human-like spirit with your whimsy; and yet, in the end, I found they were only a trickster spirit trying to take your image. The spirit realm will fool those who are not ready to accept what they cannot find. I have never been one for battle, and I suffered wounds, as a result- but I was able to overcome it. I hold onto William's scarf that I may return home some day. I can feel myself drawing closer, and closer, and closer- for it would be foolish to stop now. Even if the spirit realm is not for the faint of heart..

To that end, I've only continued to search, and search, and search; at times, I forget to eat, I forget to sleep; time works differently, here; it flows, differently; with everything I brought with me, I can sustain myself longer than I need to; mortal food can be hard to find, after all.. Azalea prepared me, that I may find you here. She told me that.. the spirit realm.. is not for the faint of heart....

Rudra, I only wish I could bring you here.. Kousei, I hope you're doing okay. William, you're quite dear to me, I must admit.. These small things keep me at bay, keep me from losing it all, from forgetting who I am.. The air here is thick.. and dense.. and the magical effects are not for.. the faint.. of heart..

Azalea.. will you find me, if I'm lost? I can feel parts of myself slipping away.. I know if I keep looking, I'll find it; I'll find him, I'll find her, I'll find them.. I'll have that conversation. He'll be so proud. But you told me to be careful, and Camino told me to be careful, and Na'Ria told me to be careful, and Tandava told me to be careful, and William told me to be careful.. They all said that.. the spirit realm is..

not.. for..

the faint..

of heart....

maybe if.. i were to play your song..
Mitsuki Prithvi
First Radiant of Azalea, Cloudsage of Xuefeng, Keeper of Joy
(2086-2117)

[Kynim]

Please don't ever become a stranger, who's laugh I can recognize anywhere..
Hold onto the memories, they will hold onto you.

I have been in the spirit realm for far too long- it was months ago I could recognize my Self becoming less and less; as I come to the conclusion that He may never be found, my resolve shatters- only to be rebuilt with the dream that I may yet find him once more. The more that I tread, the more I worry; how will the world be when I return? How can I come back and face them all.. tell them that I failed?

I hold onto these failures- these anguished points in my life evermore, letting them surface into folklore. I have braved the ever-expansive world of Terraheim to find him, to find.. Her, to find.. them, and I find nothing. I have tread the world of Uraheim and the watery, endless expanse and battled fierce beings to test my resolve and I find that it only brings me more pain and anguish to know that I'll never find them. I wish I knew how to cope with the hurt.

I can't keep doing this.. and yet here I am, in Alfheim; the realm of the Meek.. and yet how apt of a name. It's peaceful here.. It hurts, so much less. It's hard to press on further. My body feels more spectral than corporeal, my mind urging itself to give up the fight.. the.. quest.. the.. promise.. It will never give me what I want in the end, will it..? So many have told me that.. and promised me... that.. I'll never find what I seek. The spirit realm is not for the faint of heart.. 

.. I only hope that.. I could.. continue my journey..
I only want to finish my quest of becoming more than they abandoned, I



I wish that I could become the Answer to my problems

...

ah

that answer had been there ere long before I had come to realize it

For I have worked tirelessly- at every point in my life- to measure up to the weight of the world

My own dreams have been to help realize those of those around me, and to uplift them- and to that, I can finally live up to my Answer

Because we made a Promise to the world just as it once made one to us when the tragedies of the world first began, and She taught us about the Song

But what about you? 

You remain so meek, Mitsuki. Are you most certain that you can continue your own journey..

.. your story, your quest? You have felt so much pain- and disappointment- and failure. Nobody would ask you to continue

You were always meant to be a golden fox frolicking among the clouds after all. Nobody could fault you for choosing to stay here.

I will continue our story- our destiny- for we are one and the same. I am the part of you that was born from your dream and fascination

I'm sure most would understand.

Rest well, my friend. I hope you got your wish...