✦ STORY .
I. Past
Both in Gridania, Sebastian was put in quite a predicament from a very young age - Namely, he was born with an illness that not even trained Conjurers were equipped to deal with. Because of this, he was a very sheltered child, forbidden to interact with most other people out of fear that somethimg, or someone might worsen his health; And as if all of this wasn't enough, the young Hyur would discover not too long after that he is, in fact, a Padjal.
His parents were at crossroads - His mother was overprotective, wishing to only do what she believed was best for her son, and his father, while mostly an agreeable individual, refused to believe that his son had to spend the rest of his life locked up within the confines of their home.
When the news struck about Sebastian being a Padjal, and his horns began to take shape, his parents refused to give him away, no matter how many times it had to be explained to them that they had to. Terrible headaches would soon become part of the young Padjal's daily life, where he would be found crying for what appeared to be hours at a time.
Sebastian, at only four years of age, had already begun hearing voices and developing his magic - For better, or for worse. Any time he'd hear the Elementals in his mind, he'd do everything in his power to make them go away, to silence them. Not long after would he be found simply... Floating away. Never too far, but enough to get outside the house, and see the greenery he was surrounded by, wishing to explore it further. His parents were rightfully frightened by this sight, but their whole trajectory of how they treated Sebastian changed suddenly, when they heard him speak in what felt like the most confident he had ever felt -
And with that, how could his parents say anything back to him? To argue, to dispute his claims, everything felt like it would only hold him back from the inevitable. On the night Sebastian was seen outside again, the Conjurer guild would this time be accompanied by more than a handful of individuals, here to take the young Sebastian away - After all, an untrained Padjal could be a devastation on their lands, a force of reckoning to all, should his mind go astray. But his words echoed loudly still in his parents' eardrums, and they had already decided together what they wanted from their son. Before the guild had reached their doorstep, Sebastian's father, who looked at his son with so much fondness, knew that it was time to say goodbye - Not because of the guild, however. No, instead, his father, with the same confidence Sebastian showed with his words, told him: "Run. Run as far as this magic of yours can carry you, and do not look back. Your life has to begin somewhere else. This, I am sure of. Now go."
A revolution of magic
Although scuffed, Sebastian's escape wasn't entirely unplanned; His parents knew that Sebastian was special and that he will find his way. They filled his backpack with many notes that would be of use to him, and on top of that, certain individuals who happened to be his parents' old friends, were told in advance about the situation and temporarily took the child in for a short time before they sent him off to the next location, and the next, and the one after that. He would constantly be lost in books and read much about conjury, white magic, or even other topics like biology, history, geography, anything that would help him understand the world better, much to the surprise of many as he was able to understand books that were normally too difficult to comprehend for any child of his age. His illness still persisted and those around him noticed that his magic was constantly flickering - As if he was suddenly a normal boy, and the next a mage they couldn't recognize, his eyes shifting from his natural color to an almost ethereal-like blue, suddenly speaking in cryptic ways nobody would understand the meaning of.
His headaches persisted as well, and as the years went by, he realized that all he wanted was freedom, in every sense of the word - To be free to make his own decision, without anyone, anything, being in the way. He never wanted to be bound by anybody unless he himself wished for it to be so. Only a few years would pass before Sebastian would eventually no longer be spotted by anyone - Not the Conjurer guild, not the people his parents entrusted him to, not even the Padjals and elementals themselves could track Sebastian down often times due to his flickering connection to the woods. Despite the pain that sometimes felt unbearable, Sebastian was determined to continue his journey - Perhaps to a point one might consider him mad - But his continuous research and practice put so many mages to shame as he had exemplary discipline and willpower to persist even through the harshest of training he'd put himself through.
Not even reaching ten years had he already learned glamour magicks all on his own in order to hide that which made him be seeked out in the first place - His horns. Many moons had passed in attempts to only keep himself sane enough and to not succumb to chaos and, after the voices had done enough damage to his mind, finally did he no longer hear them. Battle after battle, he was eventually able to completely silence them, and remove any possible connection by what felt like brutal force.
This was an unheard of ability, one that he thought should be explored further - And so he did, dedicating himself to this research as much as he possibly could. Years would pass and he would find himself in other various guilds specializing in conjury and medical fields of all types. He had never let anyone in on who he actually was during this time, doing what he was needed to do in order to make a living as well as help people, while the rest of his free time was spent working towards a cure for this unknown illness that was still an enigma to even his soon-to-be colleagues. Nevertheless, his prowess in magic had quickly made him rise up in the ranks, receiving a lot of support and cheer from those around him, while others had shown jealousy due to him being quite younger than the rest, which Sebastian had quickly noticed as his senses were quite heightened, and he'd always be one step ahead to ensure that no one could have his way with him.
Due to his poor health, he had very little energy to actually hold himself in combat; Because of this, he practiced his fighting abilities, working on his strength and dexterity, for when an inevitable big threat barges his way, he'd know how to take care of it - At least, before his time would run out and he'd be depleted of either his strength, or magic. One test after the other, battles after battles, everything would accumulate to the one singular moment that Sebastian had been waiting for - His healing abilities would strengthen to an unimaginable scale, using all of the surrounding aether required for him to cast a spell that had, on that day, revolutionized medicine and conjury forever. This... Was the sign that that which had been sucking up his entire life force and could've possibly ended his life prematurely - His illness, had been cured - He had become a renowed White Mage, one capable of feats that none could possibly imagine.
Sebastian was always a kind soul, wishing to help those in need, and that kindness would be easily exploited had he not the intuition to see it from a mile away. Regardless, he would find himself in dangerous areas, involved with people who perhaps wanted to abuse his power, yet despite all of this, he was curious to see what the world had to offer. Whether it was beautiful or ugly, he wanted to see everything, even if it meant putting his life at risk, as he never wanted to be sheltered from any experience, regardless of how scary it may at first be. He would soon decide on becoming a traveller, visiting other nations, continents, and so on. Whatever the next journey may be, he would walk into it with a desire to view it for what it truly was, and appreciate its beauty in the darkness. He would meet many people along the way, most being only passerbys who heard his name in cheer and celebration, but there were few others who had stuck with him for many years to come.
One such individual, a skypirate Viera with the name of Luis Graves would soon become an unlikely ally and eventually a cherished friend. A man so enshrounded in mystery that Sebastian couldn't help but be interested in him and his state of affairs. Luis was simply a skypirate to the common eye, present on ground strictly for business, but once the two had noticed each other's presence, they were unable to simply walk past each other, and had quickly developed a sort of colleague-like relationship. To Sebastian, Luis was a mage so full of aether, yet Luis had never introduced himself as such, neither had he shown that he had any knowledge in wielding magic, but he knew that nothing would escape Sebastian's gaze. From the first day, they realized they had at least one thing in common - They were both powerful mages, with senses of such high potency it was simply not something they could ignore, or better yet, they knew that they could never hide anything from the other, and that idea on its own was frightening... And exciting.
Indeed, Luis realized very quickly that if Sebastian wanted to speak with him, he would have to humor him as he couldn't let such a person roam around free, knowing his little secret - Sebastian would immediately cut to the chase, and would in private ask him why he keeps his magic hidden, to which Luis cheekily responded by having a gun aimed at Sebastian's head, threatening him should he ever say anything about the magic, or even this very encounter. 'Twas a jest of course; They both knew the weapon was, for the most part, useless against someone like him. After not so much as a flinch, Sebastian only responded with a chuckle that indicated a sense of fondness already, Luis soon following suit, and the two had struck conversation as if they already knew each other for a long period of time.
Luis would continue calling Sebastian a "good coleague" for a long time before he fully accepted Sebastian's friendship, as he was someone who came with a long history of lost and broken bonds, trust never really being his companion in his current age, but with Sebastian, it was different. Although it was known to Luis from the start that Sebastian was a Padjal, him dispelling his glamour magic when around him was shown as a subtle message of trust, and Luis had found himself sharing a lot more than with anyone else he had before in his life, their relationship blossoming from the most unlikely of places.
Despite them becoming friends (or "Good Colleagues", as Sebastian loves to tease him for), Luis was a skypirate who scammed folk for money, one who murdered and did whatever necessary to get what he wanted, and Sebastian... Was a good person, with a good heart. Each year, Luis wanted to rid himsef of Sebastian more and more, evemtually finally inviting him over for one last chat. That evening, Luis wanted to ensure Sebastian wasn't involved with him and his ways of scum, and said his goodbye for what felt like it would be foreve, as if all of their years of friendship suddenly vanished.
Alas, while fate was always unpredictable, destiny had other plans for the two individuals. A Calamity would soon hit, Bahamut unleashing absolute devastation on much of Eorzea's lands. With many gravely injured, Sebastian, with all of his capabilities as a White Mage, was only one individual who threw himself in the midst of chaos to try and save as many people as he possibly could, but he knew that such a task was impossible to handle alone, and so, with some persistence, he was able to locate Luis and speak to him. The Viera was ready to simply leave as if Sebastian's voice wasn't even registering in his ears, but yet again, Sebastian knew beforehand that he wouldn't be able to do anything simply idling by, so he offered him a deal on the spot:
He needed the ships that were in Luis's possession. Many are dying, and most of the conjurers in their area had their hands full with other patients, and so he requested Luis's aid and to be allowed to use his ships temporarily and deliver all the people, medicine, and whatever other goods that were necessary to travel with to safety, and in exchange, Sebastian would offer himself as his crewmate, indefinitely.
Far too many healers and medicine were simply too far away, and Luis knew that he couldn't refuse such an offer - His name and business would too benefit, and he could only stand to gain being in association with Sebastian, one so well loved around the world. He knew this very well, he knew that this offer was more than what came from Sebastian's lips - The Padjal's life would be changed irrevocably, forever - Luis's hesitation to accept it only showed Sebastian how deep rooted Luis's care was for him, something that Luis never really spoke about - He didn't want to tarnish his name and his good deeds, and from just that hesitation alone, Sebastian told him to never call him a good person again. Not if he wasn't willing to call himself one too, for every man is made of history that will never be pure, and with this offer Sebastian had showed him that, by willing to be his crewmate, despite being aware of the cruel acts Luis had committed in the past. 'Twas a moment that decided their entire course that followed after, Sebastian becoming Luis's first ever and proper crewmate, the two had been with each other ever since, involved in even more mysteries and people of all kinds of intentions and morals.
Eventually, the crewmate number would rise, some of these individuals becoming intertwined with Sebastian in more ways than he had ever imagined, and it was then that he realized.. This was it - This was freedom.
II. Present
Before anything else, Luis had ensured that nobody's identity would be tarnished due to their shady activities - Their involvement in many of the world's trades and negotiations, allyships and adversaries made Sebastian's daily life far more exciting than he could have wished for, as he was able to travel on his own when ever he wished, knowing that he always had a place to return to on Luis's ship, never straying too far. Deep within Gridania's woods was a home he had claimed his own, as it was initially long abandoned, seemingly due to the dangers surrounding it. It was the perfect fit for him as he had a connection with nature in such a way that every living critter felt his presence, the various monsters never being seen close to his home. It was a place he would often return to for a short rest, at times taking care of the animals that would frequently visit him, some even following him for parts of his journey.
One would ask why return to Gridania after he was frequently sought after as a young child, and they'd be right to do so, but Sebastian's appearance granted him this escape; 'Twas true that Padjals were known to put a glamour on for their appearance, but Sebastian never did such a thing outside of simply hiding his horns. It seemed that the "flickering" connection, in combination with his illness, made him visibly age more than any other Padjal, making it impossible for anyone to recognize him from his younger self. When asked about his age, however, he'd always respond cheekily and never giving a proper answer - Was he in his twenties, thirties, or even a century old, none could say, and Sebastian likes it that way.
Ever since Sebastian became a traveller, it was around this time that he had already begun experimenting with more dangerous magic, testing his limits further, at times toying with even his own life, but never letting the magic fully take over. He had learned many things that to most other mages was absurd at best and forbidden at worst, but to Sebastian none of it was ever too much. He was an exception among exceptions, and this set of skills was what set him apart from all and why he was able to be involved with people as dangerous as Luis or even Theofort was, like it was just another typical day. At present, he is able to use his magic to heal any wound, some which to even other White Mages was not a possible feat. Curiously, he had gotten a scar on his lip that, if he wished, could have healed in mere moments, yet he keeps it visibly present on his body...
Bonds on the ship
Theofort Dubois, a man who's name rang familiar in Sebastian's ears, a soon-to-be partner, was one of the newer crewmates who had joined alongside his best friend, Étiennette Fleur de Leroux. While Sebastian was aware of Fleur's noble family, Theofort was the more mysterious individual, as Sebastian had spotted him at many different locations throughout his life, at times feeling like he was followed by the same individual, but never did he feel as though he was in any danger - Quite opposite, he was intrigued by this phenomena, wishing to know more. It felt as though every time he had seen him up to the point they had officially met, he was in an entirely different place, both physically and metaphorically speaking. In private, he would confess that, subltly, he had felt as though he was being called by him, but never really elaborating on it as he quickly brushed it off, saying it was likely just a small red thread that was pulling the two close as time went on, or "Fate" as some would call it.
Fleur had become a dear friend of his as well - The two could be often seen sitting together, drinking tea and not-so-secretly talk about many things, which included subtle pokes at Luis or Theofort, although most times they would just exchange stories of what their lives were in the past, as well as the recent news of intrigue, whether it was simply gossip or perhaps something that could prove useful for their later adventures.
G'vhikena Dhol, another crewmember, originally a Paladin from Ul'Dah, would become another interesting friend to him and the rest of the crew, having information on Ul'Dah's state of affairs that proved to be extremely valuable to Luis for his business, but more-so a good understanding of their culture for Sebastian. More and more odd friends would be welcomed in as Sebastian would quickly begin to look at all of them as a family he was easily willing to put his life down for. Alongside Luis, he was the oldest one, often seen as wise and filled to the brim with love and intrigue, no matter how dark the times would get sometimes.
Bonds outside
Ethys and Neo Rhyd, two brothers with many different establishments under their name, were, at least from G'vhikena's research, quite possibly one of the most important and profitable allies Luis could have in Ul'Dah, and while that statement was true, Luis and Sebastian had over the years developed a bond with the two Viera that could only be described as familial. Over time, Sebastian would learn more about their personal lives, and perhaps even give advice to the two when they were at their weakest, allowing them to express themselves in ways they couldn't before.
As the brothers were highly in tune with nature similarly to Sebastian, he'd eventually take them to his home - Sebastian was becoming quite busy and because of that he didn't want the house to be left entirely on its own and not taken care of for those periods of time, and offered them to stay there as a means of a vacation - One that they desperately needed, as it reminded them of their long lost homes in the forests they used to inhabit. Over time, he'd return to that house less and less, almost as if Sebastian was becoming the visitor instead of it being the other way around, seeing how much this new place meant to them.
Of course, the relationship wasn't one-sided - While Sebastian had the presence of an older brother, or even a father-like figure, his friendship with Ethys and Neo would put him in a state of calm - As if suddenly his own troubles were non-existent and all of his stress would seemingly flow through him with even more ease, like a gentle stream. It reminded him of his younger self who was frequently lost by his own choice in Gridania's woods, and knowing the brothers' tragic past, he knew he wanted them to have the same opportunity. He saw something in them, despite what their lives were like in Ul'Dah, and he wanted to nurture that.
Outside of Eorzea's continent, Sebastian became incredibly close with a lady of the name of Jin Aizu, initially a Samurai, now a guard to a noble family in Kugane, Jin was a girl that suffered an illness not too unalike Sebastian's that prevented her from sometimes even standing up, much to her annoyance as she needed to be ready to fight when ever she was required to do so. The two had met at a random chance and had stuck with each other ever since, even though their journeys would often keep them away from the other. He noticed that she had the capabilities of wielding magic, albeit at a quite diminished potency. Despite of this, he would teach her specific healing magic that she could use to heal her own wounds and help with her illness, which was something that she would learn over time, even learning how to eventually use this magic towards helping those in need herself, outside of just being a swordsman. She treasures Sebastian dearly as from the moment they met, he never pitied her, or put her down when her weaknesses were shown, but instead focused on uplifting her in ways that mattered, and focusing on what she was incredible at, boosting these strengths of hers even further that she would one day be able to fully conquer that which troubles her most.
In present, Sebastian continues to accompany the rest of the crewmembers, while also devoting himself to continuous exploration and studying of whatever field interests him in the moment.
III. Future
Look inside of me and see that I am not afraid
To walk inside the void like a kid inside a cave
Discovering the patterns of my soul and where it's placed
I've been mapping many caverns but it still feels like a maze
I know I'm made of clay that's worn
Blighted by imperfect form
But I will trust the artist molding me
● ● ●
I am creation, both haunted and holy
Made in glory
Even the depths of the night cannot blind me
Early days and sleepless nights
Death and resurrection, life
My body is a sacred note
Sung between the flesh and hope
My dirt transformed within a breath
Before I took a single step
I'm looking forward to the day
When life can grow without decay
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