Well, it's been more than 2 months since I came back after a prolonged period away from the game for works and studies and other life commitments, my first half of the month I have promised myself not to go over the top and enjoy the game as it is, which means just being laid back and casual, but then I got a jolt and decided to marathon leveling all my jobs to 60, in just one month and a half, of which I did, and I have finished my last battle job as dark knight just a few days ago and I felt so good about it, despite getting sick of all the dungeons run and mind numbing FATEs.
So I hang around to finish all the side quests as well as continuing my main quests to unlock expert and level 60 roulette, to my realization, I am so regretful that I let so many side quests passed my book (not to mention I haven't completed all the hunting logs for several jobs until now) and I let more than 2 million worth of exp out of the door while I was slaving away with FATEs. So at 60, I spend several days with lower leveled side quests and some of the main quests, and oh how I enjoyed it, I have learned so much, not just about Eorzea, but also about its people and myself as well, maybe reading the texts are not your thing and lot of it is being written in some accents that left me baffled to understand (is that even English!
:<) but I decided to be patience and read all of them (well, most of them!)
And today, I'm finishing the last of the side quests on my map, which is lying hidden within Matoya's cave, I picked them up after completing Antitower dungeon as a mission to rescue Minfilia, which has broken my heart as I looked into her eyes and I knew that something bad's gonna happen. As it went I came back empty handed, Minfilia using up all her remaining power to bring me home, again, I wouldn't want to believe she's gone and I do hope that she's still out there and there will be a way to bring her back to us (as I cannot stand that Alphinaud.... nah I'm joking :))
So came back and saddened, I don't wanna do anything else, I picked up the quests from the brooms in Matoya's cave and start wandering around. By the time I have finished those side quests (beware there's no guide and you're mostly on your own to decipher the texts from the brooms) I learned that there is a hidden broom outside of Matoya's cave, which Saro Roggo (the employed frog inside the cave who wants to learn Matoya's desire) suggested to me that it might hold the knowledge to Matoya's desire but I have to call out the name of the person who is dearest to her, the frog doesn't know, and neither the brooms but one of them said Matoya really hates Y'shtola as she never mention anything about her. So I set off to the designated location and have to call out a name, and I know nothing about Matoya, but it's so obvious that I have to type Y'shtola anyway :) which I did.
The broom appeared...and it was no ordinary broom, it is Matoya's memories of Y'shtola, the broom told me of their memories ever since the day Y'shtola was a little child until the day they parted ways, it almost brought tears to my eyes as it reminded me of someone I know in real life. Reading the texts as I learned Matoya keep those memories away from her in that hidden broom outside her cave, I feel maybe it is too painful for her to remember, as a parent to a child, who would want to see their child adrift and came back with eyes half-blinded, seeing their youth cut short and throwing their lives away for the brighter yet unknown future. I would be in much pain too but I appreciated whoever comes up with those stories and I have come to adore Y'shtola more, I have always been adoring her because, she's just like that person I know here... beautiful, determined and ready to sacrifice for those dear to her.
I always think, a game is a game, something you would play for your entertainment, you wouldn't take them too seriously, life can be a game but a game should never be one's life, though, final fantasy is a bit different, sometimes it can be a life within a game, sometimes there are things you read in there, remind you of who you are, what're you doing and those who dear to you. For me, those last quests from the broom reminds me of my parents, of those who dear to me, since the days I was little until the days I left them to pursue my future.
Maybe this is someone's life as well, the life of the person who wrote those quests, part of them is in there. No one can write a touching story without putting themselves into it. So does Final Fantasy, instead of reading a novel, bio, you'd play the game and pick up part of someone's lives.
After all, just remember, final fantasy stories are written by people just like us, who breath and feel and love just like we do, and we're not just playing a game, reading a story but we're also witnessing someone's lives flaming in within those cold texts and rigid rendering, their wills, their passions, their feelings and their hearts.
As your fellow gamer, I hope you enjoy the adventures as much as I do and don't forget. Stop and smell the roses...
May you ever walk in the light of the Crystal.
P.S (Doom to those who speedrun my first timers dungeoooons, I had to keep skipping scenes and spent all my time in the inn flipping pages! but may you know realize how beautiful it is to take a walk across the realm, on foot)
