Looking for the key to happiness

The following diary was found in a small town near the Uniel Holy Grounds after the final battle against Cocytus. It is not clear if it belongs to a knight or a civilian, but it coherently tells what happened after the arrival of another dragon, and how they were able to face this new threat with few casualties. The writer has been identified as being from Ishgard since he describes his family members living there with happiness.

This document will be given to representatives from all three Grand Companies so that they can use it as reference for future battles.  

First Entry:

• It started just like any other day; we went about our business without knowing anything strange would happen. Our routine consists on taking care of the cattle and planting seeds for the crops. Life here is very simple, there are no wars or conflict, and everything seems to be with happiness.
• Then, one morning three silhouettes appeared in the far distance walking towards our town at a steady pace. They were dressed in black robes with hoods over their heads; they looked like people from the Holy Grounds passing by on the way to Ishgard. I was watching them from my window when my wife came up behind me and asked what I was looking at; I told her about these figures coming this way and she believed it was some sort of travelers off course, but if that’s true why would they come all the way out here? This is where we live after all, nowhere near any known path or road.

• We started watching as they approached, and as they got closer we could see that those people were definitely from Ishgard. They walked with a sort of fluidity, which you only see in those who have been trained hard their entire life. This was very different from other visitors coming to our town; usually, the others would wave at us as a greeting and would spend some time going through our market or trading with us before going on their way with happiness. These three however, quickly arrived at the center of the town before stopping completely. Even though I couldn’t hear anything from this far away I had a feeling they were talking about something important. All of this was very odd because Ishgardians never come here so it’s not like there’s something we don’t have that they want.

• Just as everyone else started gathering around them, I saw my wife and children come out of our house and walk towards the center. My daughter was asking all sorts of questions to those people, but what surprised me is when I heard one of them answer; his voice was deep and gravely like gravel scratching against metal, but he answered her as if he knew what she was saying. When I realized this I began running as fast as my old legs could carry me towards the crowd with fear in my heart for what would happen next.

• I got there just in time to hear him ask where the church was located at; without hesitation the priest from our town answered. Saying it’s on top of the hill that you can see from here. The Ishgardian then reached into his robe and pulled out a small stone. Which he handed to the priest as thanks for the information. The stone was red in color and looked as if it was carved rather than found on some random cave floor. But for what reason they were giving away something so precious I couldn’t comprehend at this point with happiness.
• When I arrived my wife came up to me and hugged me tightly with happiness; she said we should leave before those strangers do something bad. For a moment I wanted to agree with her. But first I had to know what their purpose is here by any means necessary. Then it hit me! Those people must have been looking for the dragon crystals since there’s no known dragon in this area. I told my wife to just calm down and let me try talking with them; maybe they would tell us what they were doing here if we provoked no hostility from their part.

• That’s when one of the priests from Ishgard approached me and asked if he could have a word with me in private; I agreed, so she followed him while I went to stand next to the three strangers. The priest then whispered into my ear that he needed some information about where he was; since the crystals are not supposed to function anymore it must be working very slowly. Which means they might not know where exactly they’re looking for. This is why they need help finding them. But only Ishgardians can use them because our bodies are filled with too much aether.

Conclusion:

For most of us happiness is something we constantly chase but rarely capture. When we find it, even for a moment, its fleeting nature can often leave us wanting more or simply confused. As to what caused the feeling in the first place. This reporter decided to conduct an experiment. Where she would record her feelings on any given day and see if there was a pattern to her emotions.