Winter 77th, 511 A.V.
Everything going on around him was almost a blur to the Ethaefal. Stories about the past lives of others, the presence of the Stone, the verbal battle that seemed to go on, all of it was a mess for Xelhes to try and sort out. He still believe in the prophecy Veldrys had spoken of, a prophecy given to the mortal world by a god. To Xelhes the words of Viritas were ones to be trust more than the words of Sela, despite the woman's best intentions.
When the sunlight hit the Stone and the vision came to everyone, Xelhes could not help but a small, confused noise. For a brief moment he saw a group of people, though the vision was too fast for him to focus on the setting that the party occupied. However one face stood out to him above all the others and for some reason made him worry. Syllke, the kind individual who had been friendly with Xelhes right from the beginning, and was simply kind to everyone.
Though the setting was unknown to Xelhes he felt uneasy at what he had seen, feeling as if something bad could happen at any moment to the group that he saw in the vision. Instead of voicing himself the Ethaefal stayed silent while the others bickered, listening to the past of the Stone and also thinking back to the moment of what was his past death. Louie's words had fallen of deaf ears, as well as Veldrys'; Xelhes lost in his memories, though eventually broke free of them to listen to the full past of the Stone. Hearing the story did not stir anything inside of the Ethaefal, no memories or emotion. Xelhes did not know if it was because his past life had known nothing of the past, or there simply was nothing for him to feel. The Stone itself was the thing he was focused on, and the fact that it was there before him was more important than even the history of the artifact itself.
When Seodai's voice rose, Xelhes jumped slightly, his thoughts returning back to reality as he took a step away. Quickly the conflict escalated and before Xelhes knew it the two men were in a brawl of their own, causing the Ethaefal to step away again in order to make sure he did not wind up in the ensuing conflict. When Cian was knocked down with them, Xelhes' eyes widened, the Stone almost gliding across the floor and stopping mere feet from him. Walking towards it without hesitation the Ethaefal picked up the Stone, slowly doing so. As he did his expression changed, his eyes becoming almost distant once again as he held the Stone to his chest, looking down on it. It was here, right here in his hands, the Stone Leth had sent him to find so many years ago. His life had been lost trying to find this, Leth having kept his soul and returning him to the world so that he could find it.
A mournful smile came across Xelhes' face as he continued to look at the Stone, his eyes looking more distant and yet happy. "Leth...I found it..." The words he spoke were in a quiet voice yet anyone listening would have heard; a voice that sounded far different than Xelhes' normal tone, like a completely different individual. The sorrow and happiness were conveyed through his words as he shed a single tear while looking at the Stone, the salty water landing on the artifact as Xelhes' small smile widened slightly. It was this brief moment that finally gave a part of his spirit rest, his past life as the woman Isolde rising to the surface in this instance with the Stone, and vanished just as quickly as the words were said. Thought Xelhes had no true memories of that life in this form he still felt the happiness of finally completing his task to Leth; to finally give the past life of Isolde closure and rest.
Looking up at everyone and wiping the remnants of the tear from his face Xelhes began to observe the faces of everyone there, looking for what they thought should be done with the Stone. Sela was still obviously adamant at the Stone's destruction, and a few others had the look as well, but even so Xelhes still did not want to see the Stone destroyed. It was now that he had noticed Veldrys and what seemed like a few others had moved to grab the Stone as well, Xelhes having completely ignored the actions of everyone around him when he himself went to retrieve the Stone.
Looking at everyone again the Ethaefal spoke, a question directed at everyone, "So...what do we do now? Do we destroy the Stone or fix it?" Turning his gaze to Sela directly, he gave her a kind smile, and spoke again. "You said the Stone is a poison, and while it is true that destroying the source sometimes can cure those inflicted, there are times when the only way to actually cure the poison is to examine the poison itself and make an antidote from it. If we simply destroy the source we might not accomplish anything because, as you said, Denval is already poisoned. Wouldn't destroying the Stone be the same thing as killing a poison snake that bit you? The source is gone, but the toxin is still there and you still die. To me the problem seems the same, as destroying the snake will not purify the toxin that already infects Denval."
The Ethaefal's words were spoken with a kind tone, not trying to be offensive or seem smart in anyway. When he finished speaking her turned to Veldrys, an almost confused look on his face. "I think that sounded realistic...That is how poison sometimes works right, Veldrys?" Medical knowledge was still something Xelhes had little of, though he knew of a few things here and there. Looking back down at the Stone again Xelhes let out a sigh and took a few steps away from everyone in general, waiting for there answer while not letting anyone get to close in the chance that they tried to steal the Stone. If in the end it was decided the Stone was to be destroyed, then Xelhes would hand it over; he did not want the Stone for himself, he simply wanted to make sure no one acted of their own according until a decision could be reached. It was then that Xelhes thought of something, the words of the prophecy coming back to him even after Veldrys had recited them a few times already. Quietly he spoke, "Fuse the orbs, ere Denval fall..." He looked down at the Stone for a moment, then back at everyone else, a confused and maybe even concerned look on his face before he spoke again. "The prophecy says orbs, not orb...If this is one of them, where is the other?"