The Book of Vana'diel - Section XXIV

A page from the Book of Vana'diel.

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XXIV - The Grand Duchy's Battle

Men are wont to suffer

And forget wherein they’ve sinned

Ne’er hearkening back on tragedies past

Lest the Twelve might humble them

Thanks to General Clairette of the Brigade, most of everyone knew about the two boys who were revealed to be catalysts residing in the Grand Duchy of Jeuno. Both of them being thus, were chosen for whatever reason among many others by the Descent when they were but toddlers to be hosts to the emptiness. 

In events that transpired back in the days during and after the Great Crystal War, a special undercover elite group known as the Raven Unit swept the land in search of these catalysts. Once found, all catalysts were ordered to be exterminated, in order to put at ease the fear of the people and the nations' governments. 

With the whole world having been torn apart by the war, nobody wanted to take chances. The catalysts were to be neutralized without mercy, and were to be treated as mere tools that would aid in the destruction of Vana'diel. 

Upon exterminating many of the subjects, the Raven Unit gathered that those whom had become catalysts to the emptiness were always children without family; orphans with no relations. Nobody was sure just how many of these catalysts survived the sweep, but Raven Unit had disposed of any and all that they had found. Due to the lack of reported sightings, it was assumed that all of them had been annihilated. 

In the end, time would eventually prove that all catalysts had not been wiped off the face of Vana'diel then.

On one such bloody event, later in history to be known as 'The Grand Duchy's Battle', one particular catalyst overcame the emptiness that so threatened the land through his body. The tales of the refugees in the Archduke's Palace would spur talk of how the boy - a single thief - against all odds, fought back the darkness and defeated one of three Descent Commanders whom led the attack on Jeuno after a long struggle that spanned from within Jeuno's walls to the forest of Jugner. Refugees and soldiers alike witnessed the fight through a device in conjunction with linkpearls. 

As is the custom for the archived names in The Book of Vana'diel, the boy's formal name was printed as Steffen the Immaculate, contrary to his real name which will remain undisclosed in regards to descendants of the famed Brigade. The other boy, name also undisclosed and to the readers of this book known as Drebin the Umbral, was rumored to have bested the second of three Descent commanders in battle and killed him mercilessly with the use of the emptiness. The third commander was never found and was assumed to have fled Jeuno. 

I have chosen to chronicle this section of The Book of Vana'diel as a testament to the turning point in the enlightened people's lives.

-Nael, 

Author and Chronicler of Vana'diel's History

Author's Note

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that this section is supposed to be taking place sometime well into the story's world's future. NO this isn't the last chapter or anything, nor has there been a time skip, it's just one of many pages that come together as the story goes on.

On a further note, I'm almost done with Chapters 40 and 41 which I'll be releasing simultaneously.