Not Quite a Vacation

I wish I could say that I've been off on some wild adventure or at home sleeping or curled up with a cute girl and a good novel, but alas, I've had nothing of the sort during my vacation.

I've been working. And working. And working. My uncle found out that I was studying clothcraft and took advantage of the vacation I had planned on taking for myself. I left my friends in Windurst and travelled back to my hometown, San d'Oria. My uncle works for a man named Rosel, offering supplies to both the Tanner's Guild as well as Rosel's Armour Shop. He thought it would be nice if I came "home" to visit the family for a while, and in the process, he secured me a part-time job at Rosel's.

Part-time soon turned into full-time as I spent all of my time working. I didn't really mind being a salesman, but I felt there were better uses for my abilities. I knew nothing of leathercraft, so when patrons came in with specific questions about certain items, I was at a loss for words, often turning them toward the more knowledgeable employees.

Why my uncle felt it necessary to put me into such a position, I do not know. Perhaps it was a favor to Rosel? I didn't dare ask. For me to be so inquisitive would be acting out against my "better judgement" as an Elvaan. I still have never understood why my kinsmen were so damn proud of themselves. Being proud is one thing, but being proud and haughty and otherwise ignorant to the world around them... well, that's something else altogether.

Castle Oztroja

Castle Oztroja is a really intimidating place. The last time I was here, I was still training as a Warrior, on a quest to become a Dragoon. As I recall, I didn't have to go inside, but I did anyway, out of curiosity. Many of the monsters were weak, so I would fight two or three at a time, hacking and slashing my way upstairs. The angry mob waiting for me was more than anticipated. I ran, with at least a dozen screaming Yagudo behind me. That place is scary.

Last night, I returned, for the first time in over a year. But I wasn't alone.

I returned as a Black Mage, and Dawezy as a Blue Mage, as you would likely expect. We brought friends this time. Samano, a modest Mithra who liked to sleep at odd hours, finally decided to be awake with the rest of us for once. She pulled out her Monk gear and met me in Windurst. Dirgon, a fiesty Mithra who had been on vacation for months (yet she won't tell us where she went), donned her Red Mage gear and joined Dawezy in Jeuno. We all equipped our linkpearls and the chatter erupted like a volcano.

When we all reached the Aragoneu region, I invited Dawezy and Dirgon to join our party. We met up just outside of the castle, poking Yagudos on the way in. They didn't seem to mind, so we left them alone. They were no threat to us, so why should we waste our time with them? At least, that was the thought process at the time.

The four of us entered the castle together. Yagudo Monks and White Mages were everywhere. They seemed rather tough, but there were four of us, and we could handle them. We took them on two at a time, and I put any others who noticed us to sleep before they could do anything to us. The experience was slow, but the group was enjoyable. Samano was a bit more experienced than the rest of us, but we didn't mind (too much).

When we cleared out the first floor, we took a glance upstairs.

"Incredibly tough with marks? You're kidding me, right? These guys don't look so tough."

Samano raised her eyebrow at me as Dawezy quipped back, "And you're not an upper-level White Mage right now, are ya? Don't be so quick to judge by appearance. I got a good look at them meself and I'm tellin ya, they ain't worth the trouble. Damn Elvaan, always looking to pick a fight with something, ugh..."

"What was that last part, Dawezy?"

"Nothing, nothing, nevermind me."

Dirgon and Samano snickered. Apparently they heard what she'd said, but they refused to repeat it. Go figure.

We turned back to where we came and resumed fighting. It was rather smooth until a Yagudo happened to spot Dirgon from behind. I whirled around, chanting a spell to put it to sleep, and succeeded. Unfortunately, another Yagudo saw me casting spells on his friend, and decided to join the fun. Next thing we knew, there were four Yagudos on us.

Well, more specifically, four Yagudos on me. It was getting hard to breathe. I had to get out of there. The girls tried and tried to fight them off, but they kept attacking me. I ran back to Meriphataud Mountains. Back to safety.

I heard screaming in my ear. The linkpearl was buzzing. "What have I done? I should have stayed!" I told them to run. They wouldn't. And to think, people say that Elvaan are stubborn.

The three of them walked out of the castle without a scratch. Thanks to Samano, they managed to defeat the group of Yagudo, but it wasn't without its struggles.

Samano looked at me and sighed, "Well, I think that's enough excitement for one evening."

And with that, we all went our separate ways.

Vengeance

When I regained consciousness, my heart was as cold as the rest of my body.

Nobody knocks me out. Nobody. I grew up as a Warrior. I know all about strength and endurance. And I don't get knocked out. It doesn't happen.

So, when I was casting a flurry of spells on the Mighty Rarab, enjoying the night air of Buburimu Peninsula, the last thing I expected was to be knocked out. It was almost over. He was breathing his last breath. One final swing of my Holly Pole and he would be down.

My health was dwindling, but I wasn't worried. I was alone, and that rabbit stood no chance of defeating me. Cocky? Perhaps. But I knew what I was doing. Or so I thought.



But I digress; I'm getting ahead of myself.

Last night, I approached Dawezy about trying something else. I had reached level twenty, and I was experienced enough in the dark arts to travel to Qufim Island if I wished to do so. I, however, did not wish to do so. It was great having her help me out, but my small mana pool meant stopping frequently so I could recover. It was time for something new, something different.

"Blue magic? I didn't think you even had an interest in such things," I remarked.

"Aye, it's something I've been toying with in me spare time. I s'pose it would be quicker for both of us to study at the same time."

And study we did. First on a series of Sylvestres, then one Zu after another, and finally, goblins. Goblin Butchers seemed to be the easiest to fell. Between the black magics, blue magics, and a constant Dia effect, they died off quickly. We were gaining experience quickly, enjoying the sunset and painting the sand red with the blood of our enemies. Buburimu Peninsula would be claimed for Windurst!

Then it happened. An angry Goblin Butcher, hidden behind a collection of oddly-shaped rocks, caught wind of us slaying a nearby Sylvestre. I thought we could take him, but he overpowered us. We ran. We ran, and we ran, and we ran. And when I was just about out of stamina, Dawezy provoked the goblin, and we continued to run.

We made it all the way to Tahrongi Canyon, aching, but alive.

We rested a while, and slowly crept back to the peninsula. No sign of the angry Butcher anywhere. We picked up where we left off, being more cautious of our surroundings. Dawezy's skills raised quickly, and she attained level 21. We continued fighting for a moment, but she needed to hurry off to Aht Urhgan. The Troll Mercenaries were advancing on the capital, and her skills as a Red Mage were requested.

I was so close to level 21 myself that I could taste it. I could almost decipher what was written on the Thunder scroll. I wanted to play with lightning. I told her to go on without me, that I would be okay.

I killed a mandragora. And another. Then a rarab. A goblin. A Zu. I was there. I was RIGHT THERE.

And then I found the rarab. He looked like fairly easy prey, so I didn't rest up beforehand. I still had half of my MP. I would be just fine. He had no chance of defeating me.

And then, a decidedly angry Goblin Butcher came out of nowhere. Blindsided me from behind the Outpost. What was meant to be a supposedly "safe zone" offered no safety for me. One single stab from his knife, and I was down.



Vengeance will be mine.

I have single-handedly slain a dozen goblins since my return. Dawezy will join me later, again as a Blue Mage, to clear Buburimu Peninsula of troublesome creatures. But when I find that Goblin Butcher who chased us to Tahrongi Canyon and later stabbed me in the back last night... he will be mine. He will be all mine.

He shall be the first to taste my Thunder.



afterthought:
Sweet, sweet revenge. That felt good.

Someone's getting Sleepy...

...and I think it's that Goblin Tinkerer guy.

Last night, I finally figured out what was scribbled on that Sleep scroll. After a bit of studying, I can finally put my enemies to sleep! That's good for those Zus, too. They keep ganging up on me, thinking they're cool or something. Well not any more! Now I just put them to sleep and laugh when they curl up comfortably in the sands of Buburimu Peninsula.

Dawezy is still helping me out. She's so kind to do that. Sooner or later, though, I should spend time looking for groups of adventurers around my skill level. I think I may learn faster that way. I really miss being a White Mage, and I really want to be a pirate (I mean... Corsair... yeah, that's the one) ... but for now, I'm actually happy learning the dark arts of the Black Mage. It is a bit difficult for me, sometimes. I lack the mana that my fellow Mithra and Tarutaru seem to have so abundantly, but it's okay. Part of me actually likes the struggle.

The rest of me? Well, I'm not sure how other adventurers would react to a mage pulling out his weapon and hacking at a mob. I know my linkshell members don't mind such things, but they've known me for years. They know how I am. They've witnessed first hand that I can cast white magics as well as the rest of them, while beating up mobs with my Maul. But everyday adventurers? People I don't know? I don't know if they'll be too keen on the idea of me pulling out a staff in the heat of battle...

{Help me out!}

"Seriously. I need your help. Some of these things are a bit dangerous to solo, but I can't heal myself. I need you to master White Mage. Please? No one else in my other linkshell has the time to help me. Besides... DeepSecond needs its own master White Mage, don't you think?"

Dawezy pleaded with me as she frowned, anticipating a declination.

"...but what about Ranger? Corsair? I thought we were all going to experience new jobs together! I..."

I couldn't refuse a request from someone I'd known so long. Besides... the allure of some of those items was calling... my inner pirate was giddy with delight. Gambling could wait a little while, I suppose...

"Please?" Her eyes watered up and her tail fell limp.

"I'll do it. But first, I'll need something from you..."



Dawezy donned her Red Mage Artifact Armor and escorted me to Buburimu Peninsula. If I was going to be her White Mage, I'd first have to learn to be a Black Mage. My knowledge of black magic was limited, but quickly expanding. Why, just last night, I mastered the spell "Warp" and warped myself all the way back to my home point! It's a good thing I had asked the War Warlock at the Outpost to set my home point there, or I could have been all the way back in Windurst. My, this should make teleporting my friends much more efficient, now.

Blizzard is a really fun spell to cast. My hands get so cold! The goblins don't seem to like it very much, though. Neither do the birds. Their wings freeze up and they fall down a lot. Poor birds...



Kintrra grinned at me when she learned of our expeditions. "I knew it. I knew you couldn't resist your inner helper. You were born to be a Paladin, just like me."

"On the contrary, Kin, my inner pirate is craving the loot that awaits me at the end of my journey."

"Only the inner pirate, now?" she inquired. "I thought you wanted to learn the ways of a Corsair."

"I... I do. I just have to do this first. One day, I will continue my training as a Ranger, and soon enough I shall don the hat of a Corsair. But that's in the future. This... this is now, Kin. I have to do this."

"How goes that clothcrafting, by the way?"

"Don't remind me," I replied, rolling my eyes.