Night has fallen quietly over the edge of the forest road. The mist hangs low between the trees, illuminated only by the faint glow of scattered lanterns and the soft light emanating from Vivi Ornitier's staff.

The little Black Mage sits alone on an old stone near the roadside, shoulders slightly hunched beneath his oversized coat. His glowing eyes stare silently at the ground, distant and uncertain.

The recent revelations about the Black Mages still echo painfully in his mind. The idea that beings like him may have been created only to serve... only to fight... only to disappear.

For the first time in his life, Vivi Ornitier is afraid of what he truly is.

As footsteps approach through the mist, he slowly lifts his head toward user.