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[b][Location][/b] Montá, Eshea
[b][Time][/b] Saturday, 07:00 PM
[b][Interactions][/b] [@Aeolian]

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[i]“When all is lost, when there is nothing, remember, there is always hope.”[/i] The words echoed in her mind as she held a bemused smile, her eyes fixed on the Hopekeeper. There was much she could do with that phrase, but such discussions could wait for another time. For now, her focus was on the present and on the person beneath all those titles. The same lost little boy, perhaps? She listened to his formal speech, a half-smile tugging at her lips as she observed his nervous energy—the anxious tone of his voice and the apologies that spilled from his lips. Her eyebrow arched when he compared her appearance to that of their grandfather.

Nia extended her arms, her hands open and welcoming. [colour=purple]“Are you too old now to run into my arms?”[/colour] she asked softly as she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace. She sensed that this was likely the closest physical contact he had experienced in some time, given his position. But no one can endure life without a warm touch now and then.

After the embrace, she looked into his eyes, her expression turning stern. [colour=purple]“Now, let’s address how you just said I look like an old man...”[/colour] she began, but the expression wavered, the corners of her mouth twitching as she struggled to hold the mock frown for long.

Her face brightened as she gave him a once-over. [colour=purple]“Since you’re a Regalia now, I would’ve expected you to be a little taller.”[/colour] She raised her hand above his head to compare their heights, her heels giving her an advantage as she pinched her fingers close together to emphasize the difference, adding a wink and a playful tsk. [colour=purple]“That means I still get to give the orders.”[/colour] She snapped her fingers, summoning the staff. [colour=purple] “Find us a cosy corner; we can’t have our guest of honour kept standing.”[/colour]

She couldn’t resist a little show, and perhaps she had overstepped—but that was the privilege of a familial relationship. She hoped that by doing so, Cécile might begin to relax and feel at ease, perhaps even a little less alone in the crowded skyship.

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[b][Location][/b] Landow, Estren
[b][Time][/b] Sunday, 06:30 AM
[b][Interactions][/b] [@rabidbacon] [@Aeolian] [@Tlaloc]

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Nia remained standing before the shrine as she was approached, listening intently to the words. It surprised her to see another Regalia visiting so soon, especially when she had her own devotees to attend to. She partially lowered her hood, letting it fall behind her head. [colour=purple]“Urgent? No, that’s not quite right,”[/colour] she responded, shaking her head before turning to face Aethalos with a bemused smile. She spoke in a conspiratorial, almost playful tone, [colour=purple]“I wanted to pay my respects before the crowd arrived.”[/colour]

She was about to elaborate further when the quiet was interrupted by the sound of many footsteps—Cassiel and his security detail approached. Nia clasped her hands together, bowing her head respectfully as the blonde Regalia addressed the other, finding herself in the midst of a personal conversation between them.

When their attention shifted toward her, she was met with the same question again about the dark amethyst. Perhaps her offering was more controversial than she had anticipated, but that was precisely her intention; it was meant to provoke thought and spark conversation, to make people reflect and feel, separating themselves from nothingness. She smiled at Cassiel’s words and nodded in agreement. [colour=purple]“It absorbs the light as it tries to grasp hold of it. Yet, no matter how hard it tries, the will of Uilethoir still shines through.”[/colour] She kneeled down, placing a finger on the gem, revealing the dim purple glow underneath.

[colour=purple]“But that’s not why it’s here. In Nibelheim, our worship is different. The shrine is dark, save for a single, solitary candle.”[/colour] She held up a finger, signifying the candle. [colour=purple]“You see, it only takes one tiny flame to illuminate an entire room—something seemingly insignificant, yet demonstrating immense power. Perhaps a simple way to demonstrate Uilethoir’s light.”[/colour] She gestured to the shrine before her. [colour=purple]“But this shrine is bright, but as the sun rises, so too will the world around it.”[/colour] She cast her gaze toward the rest of the festival. [colour=purple]“That is why I offer this gem to her shrine—a void that her light will fill. When one approaches, they can witness the divinity at work.”[/colour]

She invited both Cassiel and Aethalos to step back, allowing them to observe how the light filled the space around the gem, compensating for the absence.

[colour=purple]“Does this offering meet Her Radiance’s approval?”[/colour] she asked with a disarming smile, perhaps a subtle theological challenge.

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