What is Zodiark?

[Februs]

Can't deny Solkzagyl isn't the nicest guy ever and Constaint is still pretty motivated, but still. There is light travelling from their crystal to yours when you beat them, so there is some power-grabbing here.

Again, not true. There is nothing, anywhere, in the entire Pld questline that indicates the light transfer from one crystal to the next is a "power grab" of any kind. Aetheric light is not the basis of the Pld's power, and it is clearly stated in the early dialogue of the original Pld arc that the only reason a Pld crystal is necessary is so that the recorded knowledge of our ancestors can be passed down to us. This is a proven fact that is stated in the quest dialogue as well as the job lore, which implies that the aetheric light you see transfer between the Pld stones is nothing more than a process of acknowledgment and possibly data transfer. The light of multiple Pld crystals accumulate within ours because we are worthy of it. We are the strongest of the Pld's and that which is closest to being a "true Pld," much like our ancestors were.

Also, keep in mind that our very own Pld soul crystal is not strictly ours. We received it from Solkzagyl. It was his. This means that our foundation for the knowledge and skill set of a Pld was bequeathedto us by another Pld. We didn't steal it by beating the guy who came before us and eating his crystal light, and he didn't smack us with his own superiority. He merely gave us the tool we needed to grow and prosper. Solkzagyl also didn't lose any power after giving us the crystal. If anything, he gained power, and a fancy new set of duds, between our first meeting and our last.

The status of being a "true Pld" is the whole purpose behind getting Oathkeeper to glow, as well as that behind nurturing Constaint into a proper Pld. Constaint is driven by Solkagyl's death to see the quest to the end, but he does not acknowledge himself as a Pld at any point in the story because of Solkagyl. If anything, he frequently doubts his worthiness. It is only though our actions and tutelage that he begins to see himself as a Pld.

One of the major themes of that quest line was to foster a new generation of Pld by restoring the old ways of the true Pld. This is represented by Oathkeeper's restoration, which would have not been possible if the Pld ideals were in any way tarnished by the wielder. Solkzagyl's method was wrong, which is why he lost and why Oathkeeper did not glow for him. Our method was correct, as we supported Constaint the entire time and encouraged him to improve himself and become worthy of the legacy. None of that would have been possible if the light transfer between crystals had somehow been a power grab that kicked Constant (and Janlyns, for that matter) back down to the bottom of the barrel.