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Black magic could only destruct. Thaumaturges paid careful attention to its use and study to prevent anyone from causing massive damage. There was such a thing as too much power, and the leaders of the guild in Ul’dah made great efforts to teach their rules to newcomers. They weren’t difficult rules to understand, but to follow… sometimes that was the hard part.
Moonflower came to Ul’dah to learn magic. She could have gone to Gridania to learn conjury, as the city was much closer to where she lived, but she had seen a thaumaturge in the forest one day, and had been fascinated by the bursts of fire and ice. Conjury would get its turn, she was sure, when she had learned black magic. It was also true that she could have gone to Limsa Lominsa to study arcanic magic and become an arcanist, but the spells were not nearly as pretty as the fire, ice, and lightning spells she saw from a thaumaturge’s wand.
She was of the opinion that black magic could do more than destroy. There was beauty in the spells cast and in the way the wands charged. It could also defend, and wasn’t that something? Protecting someone by blasting away an enemy with beautiful fire did not seem as terrible as she’d been warned black magic would be. And even if all it did was cause destruction, there could be no life without death. Forest fires were devastating, yes, but the grass grew back. Sometimes to create, you must destroy.
One day, she voiced her opinions to Nagamasa. The man looked surprised, but only for a moment. He smiled at her and said, “That’s what I love about you, Moonflower. You’re always finding beauty in things and places where beauty doesn’t belong.”
“Masa! There is plenty of beauty to be seen in ice formations and dancing flames. Don’t tease me.” She pouted at him, clutching her moogle staff to her chest.
He chuckled quietly and then stroked her ears. “Calm down, I was complimenting you. Not many other people would stop to admire the pools of yellow liquid in the Aurum Vale. Or read the messages in Toto-Rak.”
Moonflower shrugged. She was easy to impress. The Aurum Vale had flowers that were pretty, and so did Brayflox’s Longstop. Sastasha had lovely coral formations too, she remembered. It was overall a beautiful world they lived in, so it was only right to appreciate the smaller things. She always trusted him to protect her should she get distracted, and she was improving her reflexes to prevent injury to herself as well. “We’re getting sidetracked,” she said, pulling on his hand. He proceeded to spin her around, making her laugh. “But really, Masa! Isn’t it true that destruction allows creation?”
“I believe you are right in some way, yes. But take care that you don’t go overboard with your pretty destruction.” His words may have been lighthearted, but Moonflower saw the serious expression in his eyes.
“I know what I’m doing,” she promised. “At least regarding black magic. Maybe not everything else.”
The laugh he responded with was a great reward, for he rarely laughed. It made her feel warm and proud of herself. If she could make him smile and laugh, then there was nothing she couldn’t do.