Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
at adventu, we believe that colorful story and plots far outweigh the need for a battle system. rp should be about the writing, the fun, and the creativity. you will see that the only system on our site is the encouragement to create amazing adventures with other members. welcome to adventu... how will you arrive?
year 5, quarter 3
Welcome one and all to our beautiful new skin! This marks the visual era of Adventu 4.0, our 4th and by far best design we've had. 3.0 suited our needs for a very long time, but as things are evolving around the site (and all for the better thanks to all of you), it was time for a new, sleek change. The Resource Site celebrity Pharaoh Leep was the amazing mastermind behind this with minor collaborations from your resident moogle. It's one-of-a-kind and suited specifically for Adventu. Click the image for a super easy new skin guide for a visual tour!
Final Fantasy Adventu is a roleplaying forum inspired by the Final Fantasy series. Images on the site are edited by KUPO of FF:A with all source material belonging to their respective artists (i.e. Square Enix, Pixiv Fantasia, etc). The board lyrics are from the Final Fantasy song "Otherworld" composed by Nobuo Uematsu and arranged by The Black Mages II.
The current skin was made by Pharaoh Leap of Pixel Perfect. Outside of that, individual posts and characters belong to their creators, and we claim no ownership to what which is not ours. Thank you for stopping by.
After a few weeks in Torensten, Yuna had started to adjust to life in the bustling city. The people here could be incredibly friendly, at least once she stopped asking questions about temples or Sin that no one understood. People even seemed sympathetic when they learned that she had popped in from another world--it didn’t seem to be so unheard of in Zephon--and she was grateful that there were other people around who understood her plight.
Yuna was even starting to be able to make a name for herself with her white magic. Though no one seemed to know what a summoner was, they had plenty of need for a healer, and she was more than happy to lend her skills to whoever needed it. Even though she needed a way to support herself, she still felt guilty taking money for her services. She had become a summoner to save whoever she could, not to profit off of people’s suffering, so she traded for meals and lodging instead whenever she could. Yuna was even starting to be happy in her new life.
And yet...something was missing.
She missed the sound of the waves hitting the shore in Besaid. She missed the way that Wakka would come in laughing from his Blitzball training and ruffle her hair in the way she hated. She missed the way that Lulu would chide her for skipping meals to study. And there was someone else she missed. She was sure of it, but the harder she tried to picture his face, the more it seemed to slip away from her. But even if she couldn’t remember him, Yuna still missed him with an ache that never seemed to go away.
But more than anything, she missed having a purpose. Her life’s goal had been to become a summoner. To defeat Sin. To end Spira’s suffering. Now, Spira might as well have been a million miles away. She might never see her home again, let alone be able to save it. If she couldn’t do that, then what the point? What could she do in Zephon to find meaning?
Maybe it was Yuna’s existential crisis that led her to accept a job in the wilds outside of Torensten.
“We sent a delegation to Provo that was supposed to return yesterday.” The man who had come to see her at the inn was dressed officially with firmly pressed clothes and a distressed voice. “Last we heard, they were diverted towards the Headstone Forest due to an earthquake. We’re worried they might have been caught in it or run into trouble out that way.”
“Of course,” Yuna found herself saying as she clasped her hands together and and gave him a slight bow. “I’ll do my best to find them and heal anyone who needs it.”
That was how she found herself standing near the city limits of Torensten with her staff in one hand and a bag thrown over one shoulder. The sun had risen recently, and she watched its rays creep over the treetops in the distance as the man finished briefing her on the location.
“They should be less than a day’s journey to the northeast. I don’t believe they would have made it all the way to the forest.”
Yuna nodded in understanding before perking up at his next words.
“I’ve heard you’re new to the area, but there can often be monsters out that way. It can be dangerous to travel alone. And since you don’t know the way, we’ve hired a mercenary to protect you.”
“You hired me a guardian?” She asked in surprise as her thoughts flickered to Kimahri, Wakka, and Lulu. It made her feel strangely homesick, and she was quiet for a moment before she realized the man was still looking at her expectantly.
“Will that be a problem?”
“Oh! No, I don’t mind working with someone.” Really, she even preferred it. Travelling was lonely work, and she knew what could be waiting for her when she found the missing group. They might not even be alive, and she preferred to face that with someone else.
“Thank you for considering my safety. I look forward to traveling with them.” Yuna smiled at him and glanced back to the horizon as she waited for this mysterious stranger to show up.
Caius Dragelion was a traveler, to say the least. He didn't really have a "home", so to speak. But if he did, it would probably be Torensten. The bustling port city was lively, and even if it still almost scared Caius a little considering how his home had once been back in his own world, it brought him comfort. And it had a good view of the sea, a constant reminder that there was a whole wide world out there for Caius to explore... Something that brought him comfort. One would think he would travel far and wide and make home at the towns in this world that reminded him more of home, but... His old home, any reminders were just painful reminders. And he had made his keep here. He had made his life here.
Being a mercenary again wasn't something he had wanted to do at first, but it had turned out to be very rewarding. While he wasn't a fan of taking people's gil either... He knew that he would be using it to prepare himself to go out and help more people. Gil was a means to an end, and he found himself helping people to procure the means to help more people. It was an steady arrangement, he found. He didn't spend too much on himself, just food, supplies and lodging really. But what he did use, was used to make sure he was in tip top shape to go out and do what he did. What the Dragonblades did. They were an honorable mercenary unit, taking jobs that helped people and kept them safe. Sure, they charged gil for their services, but the gil went toward a good cause, and it kept the world safer in turn with only so many soldiers running around. And it kept good people working and doing good things.
Speaking of, Caius had been hired to escort a healer to where she could do her work. Caius had some use of magic, but healing was not one of his specialties or he'd have just told them he'd go himself. If this woman could save lives in ways he could not... Well, it was why he'd taken the job in a heartbeat. The mercenary would make his way outside of town to the meeting spot, where he would spot a woman waiting by her lonesome. She matched the description given, and Caius would give the woman a curt smile as he would greet her.
"You must be the healer" He spoke softly as he looked her up and down. She had a grace to her, yet she also had that look of one who'd seen much... Interesting. Perhaps she would have some stories to tell? Either way, he would extend his hand.
"Caius."
Final Fantasy X
19
YEARS
Female
Tidus
Heterosexual
274 POSTS
Erin
I live for the people of Spira, and would have gladly died for them, but no more!
Yuna spent a few minutes watching the sun creep over the tops of the trees in the distance until the sound of footsteps coming up the path behind her alerted her that her companion must have been arriving. Turning around to greet him, she took a minute to study him as he approached her with the rising sun illuminating his features. He was an incredibly tall man with a sprinkling of stubble across his jaw and blond hair that looked to be just a little longer than hers. He had an unreadable, closed-off face that intimidated her slightly, but as he drew closer, she could see that his brown eyes were kind as he gave her a small smile.
His greeting was curt, and as he extended a hand and gave his name, she had to fight a small laugh. She knew it would look rude, but he just reminded her so much of Kimahri. A man of few words. What was Kimahri doing back on Spira now that she was gone?
It was the comparison more than anything that made her give him a warm smile as she took his hand in return. “Yes. I’m Yuna. It’s an honor to meet you, Caius.” Releasing his hand, she held her staff down by her waist as she gave him a shallow bow. “Thank you so much for your help with this. They tell me that you’re a guardian?” He might be a stranger to her, but she had only the utmost respect for people who were willing to risk their lives for the sake of others.
Turning away from him slightly, Yuna considered the winding path that led out of Torensten, flushing slightly as she decided that she should be honest with him. “I’m afraid that I might have to rely on you for direction quite a bit,” she confided. “I haven’t really had to leave Torensten yet. I only recently woke up in Zephon. But I'll do my best to help in any way I can before we arrive.” Hopefully Caius didn’t mind serving as her guide along the way. She was eager to finally get a look at the lands that lay beyond the city.
Yuna, her name was. He noticed the movement of her lips and the deepening of her cheeks as though she were trying to hold in a laugh, and he wondered if there was something on his face. Not dwelling on it for long, the mercenary would return to business as Yuna would continue her briefing. Caius would tilt his head lightly though, blinking a few times when Yuna would say she'd been told he was some sort of... Guardian?
"That's a new one" He spoke calmly as he studied her a moment longer, trying to figure out if he knew her from somewhere as to make these sorts of claims. Not recognizing her, he supposed perhaps his work had just given him a label. "My partner and I are mercenaries, who specialize in these sorts of jobs" Caius would elaborate. Yes, he supposed doing these sorts of jobs constantly would make people start to think you were do-gooding guardians, wouldn't it? Though he hadn't heard of any in the stories who charged fees. Not that Caius wouldn't do this for free if it was reasonable to. He'd done it in exchange for room and board back in his world. This wasn't all that different from that though, was it? Same sort of deal.
Yuna would confide that she was new to Zephon, a story he was very familiar with, and didn't know her way around. "That's certainly a challenge. But I've been here a little while now" He responded, seeming to take the added challenge in stride. "So long as you know where we're actually going, I'm sure I can manage on how to actually get there."
With that, he would begin to lead Yuna to the rental areas nearby.
"I assume since this is a healer's errand, speed is of the upmost importance, yes?" Caius would ask, questioning her to ensure he knew what sort of transportation would be needed. "Are you using medications, or healing magic? I need to know if we're going by chocobo or cart."
Final Fantasy X
19
YEARS
Female
Tidus
Heterosexual
274 POSTS
Erin
I live for the people of Spira, and would have gladly died for them, but no more!
Yuna tilted her head a bit when Caius seemed surprised by her phrasing. “Mercenary,” she echoed him, smiling a little sadly when she realized that he probably didn’t know what a guardian was. Why would he? If there were no summoners in this world, then it followed that there would be no need for guardians. Even if accompanying her did make him a temporary guardian, it was better to adopt their vocabulary while she was here. So she’d use Caius’ word if that’s what he wanted.
“Will your partner be joining us?” She asked politely, but she suspected the answer was no as she scanned the horizon and didn’t see anyone else approaching. Torensten must have thought that this was a two person job. Yuna found herself a little disappointed--not because she thought they couldn’t handle it or that Caius seemed like bad company--she was just so used to travelling in large groups that venturing off into the wilderness with only one companion sounded lonely. Still, she didn’t comment on it as she switched her staff to the other hand and nodded at Caius when he mentioned that he’d been here for a while now.
“Do you mean...that you’re originally from somewhere else too?” She asked curiously, trying to decide if she could picture him among the beaches of Besaid or the towering spires of Bevelle. She doubted he was from Spira, but it would have been wonderful to meet another person who mourned losing the same places that she did. “Yes, I know where we’re going,” she murmured in answer to his question after pausing for a moment to recall the exact words of the man who had hired her. “Less than a day’s journey to the northeast. They don’t believe that the delegation would have made it all the way to the Headstone forest.”
Adjusting the bag over her shoulder, Yuna followed Caius down the path as he led her to some rental areas near the edge of Torensten. She perked up at the familiar chirps and kwehs of the chocobos, and she almost wanted to laugh out loud at the sound. Finally, something in this world was familiar.
“I’ll be using magic. So I don’t have much on me,” she reassured Caius when he asked her methods. “I don’t mind travelling by chocobo if that would be fastest. I’ve ridden one before.” Pausing, she leaned her staff against her side as she dug through her bag quickly before holding out a small pouch with some coins in it to Caius. “For our expenses,” she explained with a slight smile. They might both be getting paid at the end of this, but it still felt wrong to make him pay for their transportation up front. He was being kind enough to escort her after all.
“You sound like you’ve been doing this for a while. You must have so many stories.” Yuna continued, stepping to the side since it seemed like he knew what was he doing with the rentals much better than she did. It was definitely good to have someone experienced along. And maybe he could tell her more about Zephon than she'd heard so far.
She seemed a little sad. Had he said something wrong? While they had just met, it would be a miserable ride if they were going to get off on the wrong foot right out of the gate and the journey hadn't even started yet. He tilted his head a moment when she would echo the term mercenary. Was there no mercenaries in her world? Or did they mean something else? He knew that usually mercenaries tended to be regarded as sellswords who'd do any jobs for gil, good or bad... But he had hoped to make sure out of the gate that he and Celes weren't just dirty sellswords. They specialized, they had a goal. They had something they wanted to do.
She would ask if his partner would be joining him, and he shook his head. She had probably figured it out by now, mind since nobody was around. "My partner is busy doing her own thing. It will just be the two of us for today, if that's alright with you" Caius spoke cordially, gentle apology in his voice. If she didn't think one man was enough to safeguard her, he understood. The roads had gotten more and more dangerous these days... What with the release of those dragons. "But I look forward to seeing her again soon. I do miss her company" He would admit with a gentle smile.
Yuna would ask if he was originally from somewhere else, and he nodded his head again. "Yes" He responded. "I wasn't a mercenary at the time I left that world, so changing worlds and career is a bit of a shocker" He would admit, in his attempt at a small, dry joke. She would also confirm she knew where they were going. Thank the Astrals for that. She would give her descriptions and he nodded his head as he pulled out his map and started to look it over, seeming to find what he was looking for before putting it away for the time being. When she would explain she knew magic and would be using that, he nodded his head as he understood what they would be using. He was making ginger mental notes in his head throughout this, trying to memorize where they were going and what routes would be best for a chocobo.
The chirps and kwehs of the chocobos relaxed him, as they stepped into the stables. Caius had always been an animal person, and chocobos especially were one of the few things that reminded him of home. He found himself taking a deep breath, stopping a moment to close his eyes and take in all around him. He lowered his head a bit, as if acknowledging what it meant, what he had lost... But after the moment passed, brown eyes opened again to a stone stare as he would pick out the rentals. Before he could rent them though, he felt the push of a pouch full of gil to him, and he would turn toward her with a puzzled expression. When Yuna explained that she wanted to cover the expenses for travel. He stared down at it a moment, then back to her. He took a few moments to deliberate the pouch in front of him before his expression seemed to show some resolve.
"Keep it" Caius would respond as he would gently push the pouch back to her. "You just got here. You need it more than I do."
With that, Caius would pay for the rentals, and the two chocobos would be led out with them. As he would set up the saddle and mount, he smiled slightly when she noted he must have stories.
"I'll see if I can't think of one on the way there. We do have a fairly long trip, after all" Caius responded as he would begin to lead the chocobo out to pasture.
Final Fantasy X
19
YEARS
Female
Tidus
Heterosexual
274 POSTS
Erin
I live for the people of Spira, and would have gladly died for them, but no more!
Yuna blinked in surprise when Caius told her to keep her money. “Are you sure?” She asked hesitantly, but when he pushed the pouch back towards her, she gave him a more genuine smile than she had so far.
“Thank you so much. Sir Caius,” she said, using the term of respect for an important guardian as she clasped her hands in front of her and gave him a short bow. He was a tall man with a tough exterior and an unreadable expression, but he was already proving himself to be incredibly kind under the surface. Yuna liked him immediately, and she had to fight a slight laugh as she tucked her money back into her bag. Caius was once again reminding her of her oldest friend. Kimahri was also short on words with an intimidating appearance, but he was one of the most loyal people she knew. How she missed him.
After that, Yuna politely moved to the side and waited as Caius rented two chocobos for them. Stepping forward to help him with the saddles, she handed him things as necessary, leaning forward to gently stroke her chocobo’s feathers. “I haven’t ridden one of these in a long time. Not since we trained them in the Calm Lands,” she reminisced, before the words died in her throat a little. Where had that come from? She had never visited the Calm Lands before. That wouldn’t come until near the end of her pilgrimage, after she’d visited Bevelle’s temple.
Yuna felt a little dizzy, and she glanced up at Caius mounting his chocobo before she hurried to do the same. Settling down in the saddle, she took a moment to arrange her skirt around her before following Caius as they started to lead their chocobos away from the rental area.
“I’d love to hear one,” Yuna said when Caius commented that he could probably come up with a story. She was genuinely interested, but she was also eager to forget whatever episode had just come over her. “How did you become a...mercenary?” She hesitated on the word slightly, as she wasn’t entirely certain that she remembered how he had pronounced it. “Is that what you did in your old world?”
She appeared to be surprised that Caius was not allowing her to part with her money. Something that told Caius that he had made the right decision. "Like I said. You need it more than I do. Make the most of it until you have a more reliable supply. I can make do with paying for travel right now, you most likely cannot."
Of course, Caius took on some incredibly dangerous jobs to be able to do so. Behemoths, Malboro, Dragons... Caius had hunted the worst of the worst to be able to make a living. But it was a living. A living that Yuna did not have. The woman seemed to be quite formal, he noted. She had learned to treat things and people with respect, a quality that he himself respected in turn. He was curious as to her background, before she ended up here... Perhaps he would ask her about it once they were on the road.
The two would ride out on the chocobos that Caius had rented for them, and while he would miss the feelings of the stables, being atop the back of a chocobo kept that feeling for him. It made it difficult for him to walk from place to place, knowing renting a chocobo always relaxed him a bit more. But Caius did what was necessary... Both practically, and financially. Yuna would explain that she hadn't rode one of these in a long time, citing a chocobo training place in the Calm Lands. "There used to be a chocobo farm, where they were cared for and trained back in my world. Though unfortunately, this was back when I was younger" Caius would admit. "Until I came here, I hadn't even seen a chocobo since I was a kid."
As the two would begin to jaunt across the countryside, Yuna would ask if he was a mercenary back in his old world.
"Sort of" He answered. "I can give a bit more of a detailed explanation, but first... I'd like to know a little bit more about you, if you'll indulge me. You were clearly brought up with respect, were you a healer in your old world as well? What did you do? It's a story I'm curious to hear as well. I'll... Try and make my own a little more exciting, if possible, to compensate for your time."
Final Fantasy X
19
YEARS
Female
Tidus
Heterosexual
274 POSTS
Erin
I live for the people of Spira, and would have gladly died for them, but no more!
Yuna settled more firmly into her saddle as they rode the chocobos out towards the horizon. The morning sun glowed on their right side, and Yuna raised a hand to block the light from her vision as they veered towards the northeast. Caius had mentioned a chocobo farm that he had visited as a kid, but Yuna frowned slightly when he admitted that he hadn’t really seen one after that. He sounded a little wistful.
“Did you move to a city?” She asked curiously. She knew next to nothing about bigger cities since she had left Bevelle when she was seven, but she doubted that it was common to keep chocobos in them. Surely the animals wouldn’t have been happy without a large space to run and plenty of greens.
Caius mostly dodged her question when she asked about his background, and she shot him a curious look, wondering if his past was difficult to talk about. Maybe she should make a note to tread a little carefully as they swapped stories. She’d hate to offend him or bring up something that he’d prefer not to talk about.
“Sure, I can go first.” Shifting to lay her staff more comfortably across her lap, Yuna stroked her chocobo’s neck as she thought about how to explain this to someone who wasn’t from Spira. “I was in training for a few years to become a summoner, and I had just recently become one. That’s where my healing magic comes from. I haven’t tried to summon anything since I arrived in this world though,” she clarified with a faint smile. She somehow doubted that it would work here. There were no temples and the Fayth didn’t exist here. Anyway, Yuna was almost afraid to try to call on Valefor. If she failed, then it would be like hearing the final click of a locked door. She’d know then that she could never go back to Spira.
“There’s this monster that exists in my world, you see,” Yuna continued after a moment. “We call it Sin. It’s terrorized everyone for over a thousand years. It’s...honestly still so weird to talk to people who have never heard of it,” she said with a faint laugh as she twisted a bit on her chocobo to look at Caius. “That’s why summoners exist. My goal is to beat Sin and bring peace to the world.”Was. It was her goal. She let the unspoken sentence dangle as she turned to face the front. What was her goal now? She had been so ready to die for Spira. But what was a summoner without Sin and without Spira? What was she supposed to do now?
Thankfully, the view in front of them drove her out of her dark thoughts, and Yuna let out a breath as she stared at the miles of empty grass in front of them. The city had been nice, but it was far out of her comfort zone, and it was a relief to be away from civilization again and back on the road.
“It’s so pretty out here,” Yuna said, looking up at the clouds swirling across the expanse of the sky before glancing back at Caius. “What about you? You did promise an exciting story,” she said with a slightly teasing smile.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Feb 15, 2019 10:30:54 GMT -6
Suppose this world isn't so terra-ble.
Yuna Word Count: 1'745 OOC: LONG STORY TRAIN INCOMING, CHOO CHOOOOO Dialogue Color: 196fd1 Party Sprites Credit
So she was a summoner, she claimed. He was curious about what she could actually summon, but perhaps they would find this out if they were to end up in a combat scenario. She said she hadn't actually tried since they had arrived here... Which indicated to him she was either rusty, or hadn't really had the need. That was a bit concerning, but he supposed he was the one in charge of combat here if things got messy. It was what Caius was here for, after all. To serve as a guardian for her until she got to where she could heal people in need. She had her role and he had his.
"Sin, huh" Caius responded calmly, lost in thought a bit while Yuna talked about a monster that had terrorized their world for years. It seemed the two of them weren't so different after all. So when it came to tell his own story, well... He knew she'd understand if he told it.
"My world..." He trailed off. "... Well, my world became a hellhole, to say the least. Like with your world, we had a threat of our own. A man named Ardyn Izunia, once a Chancellor of the Niflheim Empire, brought the Starscourge down on us. Or at least that's how I've heard it went down. I was very young, maybe about ten or so when the light was lost. Imagine for a moment, never seeing the sun again. Every day greets you with the blackest of nights, neverending. Never knowing when the day begins or ends."
This was probably going to be a fairly long story, but Caius had to set the scene!
"There are these things called daemons. Monsters of varying shapes and sizes. While we had monsters in the day... They were generally nowhere near as powerful or as horrifying as these daemons. They came out at night, seemingly fuelled by the approach of the Starscourge, and would attack anyone in their path. Those that fell were dragged down with them, and rumours state that the humanoid daemons that attacked folks as well were once those that fell. Though evidence of the Empire artificially creating them for use as infantry also exists. When the Starscourge came, night was all we knew... And the more that the light was blighted out, the stronger the daemons became. By the time there was no daylight left... We didn't stand a chance."
Caius took a deep breath. It wasn't the easiest story to tell, but he felt like Yuna could understand.
"Civilizations were destroyed, nature decayed and the world felt more like a wasteland than the Kingdom of Lucis that I grew up in. People were ran out of their homes, and it wasn't long before there was only one city left that wasn't overrun with daemons, one city left that we were able to keep lit in order to keep them at bay."
Caius considered a moment whether he should tell his personal side or not. He hadn't told anyone that part. Not even Celes knew yet. But... After what happened with Cortez... Perhaps it was time to tell it. Perhaps it was time to move on from it. And Yuna... For one reason or another, he felt like he could trust her. And she had asked for his background as well as a story. He had withheld it before, but... She had been so kind as to tell him hers without hesitation. It didn't feel right not to do the same. It couldn't hurt to tie the two together, right?
Perhaps it was best.
"... But not everyone decided to flee to the cities. Some tried to keep to their homes, out of the way, with preparation to flee if need be but otherwise hoping the daemons would not find them. Others decided to take advantage of the chaos, becoming bandits, looters... Waylaying supplies, or homes that were staying hidden from the daemons. My... Family, was in the former category. Bandits attacked our home when I was about 12, and my father and I attempted but failed to ward them off. We were given an ultimatum. Work with them... Or they'd do terrible things to, and then kill my mother and sister, as well as kill my father and I. And that kicked off probably the worst year of my life, to say the least. Doing things that... Will probably haunt me forever."
That was a tough pill to swallow, a tough thing to admit. But he had promised a story, and it was about time he came to accept what had happened.
"After some time, we attempted to escape, take our family and run to the city of Lestallum. They caught on, and, well... For the most part, they lived up to their promise. My mother ended up urging me to run while he bought time. I ended up not being able to trust people after that, and spent little time in the Lestallum, so I spent much of my time over the years working as a hunter and a mercenary. It didn't pay well, there was precious little resources left. I took on monsters far above my capabilities, barely scraping by with my life every time, just to afford enough to eat.
But in the end, I'm just one of many who suffered because of this Starscourge.
Ten years. Ten years of darkness. On the tenth year, the promised day came. The Chosen King, Noctis Lucis Caelum... Appeared as if from nowhere, armed with the Power of Kings and the support of the legendary Astrals that watch over us, at his back."
He'd given the sad, he'd given the dreary, he'd given the personal... Now came the time for the hero to rise and be triumphant, as every good story should end with!
"Backed by the Kingsglaive, who safeguarded and acted on behalf of the Chosen King, King Noctis stormed the capital of Insomnia, reclaimed his throne... And banished Izunia and the Starscourge from this world. Light returned to our world... And Eos was safe once more."
Smiling slightly, it was nice to end it on that note. Though he remembered then he had to tie it into his background as he'd planned.
"Before the battle, I had come to Insomnia to hunt daemons, hoping for a pretty penny to live on if I did. What I found there instead... Was purpose. I watched the King's return to his subjects, to his followers. He strode with confidence, he greeted them like old friends... And he spoke words that still hold a place in my heart."
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the chocobo go on it's own for a bit as he would begin to recite those words. Words he had committed to memory.
"Brothers and sisters, brave warriors of Lucis... You've done well these ten years. And I thank you. You've done so much, all for my sake... Even as the darkness overcame our world, we kept the light in our hearts. We've all lost friends and loved ones along the way, but the one thing we never lost was hope. Brothers and sisters, I ask you to stand by me and fight by my side - for the light and for the future of our world."
They were words that had kept him going even in this world... And words he would not forget. The humility of the King kept Caius himself humble. It kept him determined.
"Those words inspired me to think of something more than myself, and my own survival... To pledge myself to something bigger than myself. To help people... To bring peace to our world. So that's how I found myself amongst them... A member of the venerable Kingsglaive.
Together... Led by the Chosen King, we took back our world."
Taking a deep breath, it was a memory he looked back on fondly. It was one of his few moments of happiness, seeing that light return...
"I served for the Kingsglaive for some time after that, honing my abilities and acting on behalf of the Chosen King while we began the process of rebuilding. Unfortunately, I've been in this world for so long, the chances of my returning are next to none. But..."
That truth still hurt him. But he had accepted it now.
"... Even after I returned to being a mercenary when I was brought here, I never forgot what I learned. I never forgot the values that the King inspired in me. That's why I work with the hopes of making this world a better place. That's what the Dragonblades aspire to. My partner, Celes and I... We aspire to help who we can, enact what justice we can... And punish the unjust as we can. That's what the Dragonblades are about."
"... Whew... Sorry! That was a little long!" He chirped after a pause, laughing a bit in turn. It was his first show of full energy, so it might be a bit jarring to Yuna... But he'd found himself in a better mood. And found himself trusting her, for one reason or another. It was a little easier to warm up to her and be himself around her, he found. For one reason or another. "Well, you did ask for a background and I did promise a story. Couldn't help but kill two birds with one stone, since you went out of your way to talk of your own background and all."
Mulling things over a bit, he was curious as to her thoughts.
"At day's end, maybe I can find another story if you're interested once we set up camp."
The topic of camp made Caius curious as he would haul up his bag, looking through it a moment and frowning.
"I must have overestimated the food I had on hand" He would admit as he would look around. "I'd like to detour if that's alright with you, to resupply on food. I don't know if there's enough to feed three on both the main trip and return trip. There's a forest nearby that I know well, and it presents an opportunity to do something I've ben wanting to get back to anyway. Do you mind terribly? I know we'd best hurry. But cutting it close on food is never wise. This is my fault, and I apologize. I can compensate you for your time when the job is over, of course."
