Origins

As I read from Kiersten's journals, I can't help but remember how I myself got involved into the world of adventuring.

My tale begins in the Windurst of yore. My youngest years were spent in the confines of the city's walls, as light skirmishes with the Yagudos plagued the nation. However, the city held fast against the invading forces. That is, until the beastman confederate gained an unexpected source of support : the Dark Kindred. From then on, the city's walls were put to the test on a daily basis. Very seldomly were we allowed to roam free around the Woods and Waters districts, the Port and Walls areas being off limits to civilians. All available hands were enrolled into the army, and my mother was no exception.

Having settled in Windurst before the war began, Merlyh Delionne was forcedly enrolled into the army at that point. As fate had decided, she was sent to assure the defense of the Tavnazian nation. Two years after being dispatched, I received news of the battle of Tavnazia... and my mother wasn't amongst the few survivors. Being the child I was, I fervently refused to believe my invincible mother would ever fall under the might of the confederacy.

Alas, my new statute as an orphan of war meant being raised in commune with others sharing my grim situation. As the war was nowhere in sight, we were quickly trained in the ways of hunting and tracking, prepared to lead soldier lives as we were in age to wield a bow and arrows. It is during that time frame that I was kitnapped with the rest of my training company by Yagudos. I still resent deeply those events, and nowadays try to calm the scar it left by smashing Yagudo bones whenever I have time to do some campaigning.

But the war ended a year and a half later, and a truce was struck with the Yagudo. As orphans, we were still treated as commune children, endoctorined with the clan's will. However, Illu Bohjaa, a close friend of my mother, decided to adopt me at the age of seven, and raised me as her daughter from that point on. That's when I became Rosaly's sister, age four at the time, for better and worse. I led a seemingly normal life as a farm girl, helping my foster mother with tending the dhalmels.

My values of duty kept me working on the farm throughout the years. It wasn't a glorious life, especially considering how Nanaa Mihgo kept picking on me for knowing my 'secret'. But at least, I was given the love and attention of a caring (though a bit rough on the edges) mother. So I felt like I owed her a debt of gratitude and never strayed from the farm. ...which wasn't the case for Rosaly, who left for a world of adventuring at age 17.

At first, I was glad for her. But each time she came back to visit us, she spun her tall tales. Wild dhalmels in Tahrongi Canyon... Rams as big as a house in La Theine Plateau... The white beaches of Valkurm Dunes... The greeneries of Rolanberry Fields... As more news of the outside world reached my ears through my sister... I started to resent her choice to leave the farm more and more. I even blew a fuse once and ran off to Port Windurst to dreamily watch the newly instaured airship travel agency, hoping that some day I'd fly off to see the world aboard one of those flights.

I was scolded pretty hard by my mom at that point, for lacking manners (like she's one to talk about that subject), and I went back to toiling on the farm, a bit more depressed with each passing week. Until...

Illu >> Sweetie? Can ya stop feeding 'em dhalmels fer a bit?
Coeurl >> Yes, mother.

Coeurl puts down her pitchfork
Coeurl walks up the ramp leading out the corral

Illu >> Please dun take it hard sweetie,
Illu >> but yer fired.
Coeurl >> =O.O= ?!?
Illu >> Gawsh! Stop'em googly eyes!
Illu >> I'm doin' this fer yer own good!
Coeurl >> ...I don't understand mother.
Illu >> Dun play dumb wit' me, kitten!
Illu >> I know yer not likin' it here.
Coeurl >> ...But I thought you needed me here mother?
Illu >> Sure, I need a pair o'hands tendin'em beasts.
Illu >> But I also need a mind on da job.
Illu >> Yers has been wanderin' about fer months!
Coeurl >> ...I'm sorry mother, I'll try harder.
Illu >> Nonsense! I can't keep ya on track like that!
Illu >> Ya need to go where dat mind of yers leads to!
Coeurl >> ...?
Illu >> Listen girl... Ye can't stay here forever.
Illu >> Ya need to go see dat world out there.
Coeurl >> But... ...but..!!
Coeurl >> Who's going to help you on the farm?!
Illu >> Dun "but" me like dat!
Illu >> I swore to yer mummers I'd take care of ya.
Illu >> Dun turn it 'round to ya takin' care of me!
Illu >> I ain't gonna stop ya if ya want to stay here.
Illu >> But I ain't gonna stop ya either if ya leave!
Illu >> It's time ya do yer own thing, kitten!
Coeurl >> ...
Illu >> Listen, take a week off to think it through.
Illu >> Then, ye'll have to tell me with all honesty
Illu >> which path ye'll be takin'.
Coeurl >> ...I think I'll stay on the farm mother.
Illu >> Are ye deaf or dumb?!?
Illu >> Take that damn week off!!!
Illu >> And listen to what yer heart says.

I followed mother's advice, and as luck would have it, Rosaly came back for a visit during that week. Hearing why I was off duty from the farm, she asked me to head for Port Windurst with her.

Rosaly >> Hehehe, mom's finally got ya down, eh?
Coeurl >> Huh?
Rosaly >> C'm'on! She read ya like a book!
Rosaly >> You're really hurting to leave town.
Rosaly >> Admit it!
Coeurl >> ...I guess I'd like to do that, I suppose...
Rosaly >> HAH! I knew it! You're jealous!
Coeurl >> ...no I'm not!
Rosaly >> Who are you trying to convice? Me?
Rosaly >> ...or yourself?
Coeurl >> ...
Rosaly >> C'm'on, don't tie yourself down like that.
Rosaly >> Mum's still gonna like ya if you leave.
Coeurl >> ...it's not that easy...
Rosaly >> Oh really? Look at me!
Rosaly >> Mum didn't bat an eye when I decided to leave.
Coeurl >> But we're not the same!!
Rosaly >> Why? Because yer adopted?
Coeurl >> !!!
Rosaly >> Heh... you thought I was too young to notice?
Rosaly >> Heck, since I was ah Bohjaa longer than you did,
Rosaly >> maybe I should start calling you 'little sis'!
Coeurl >> ...
Rosaly >> Listen, I know ya want out of it all,
Rosaly >> be free like a bird...
Rosaly >> The first step is to accept leaving the nest.
Coeurl >> ...but she took care of me for so long...
Rosaly >> And ya think by staying around unhappy,
Rosaly >> you'll be paying her proper thanks?
Rosaly >> Trust me, all mummers wants us to do
Rosaly >> is to be happy in whatever we undertake.
Rosaly >> We're more important than the farm to her.
Coeurl >> ...we?
Rosaly >> Yah, both me and ya!
Rosaly >> So don't tie yerself to the farm for her sake.
Rosaly >> That'll only hurt her feelings for ya even more.
Coeurl >> ...I'm not sure if I understand...
Rosaly >> Bah, yer a big girl now, ya can figure it out.
Rosaly >> ...though yer my little sis now.

I held back a chuckle at that sarcastic take on our age difference and went back to staring the airships coming in and taking off.

Rosaly >> ...yah know...
Rosaly >> ...I can ride one of 'em ships now.

Maybe she wanted to inspire me about adventuring... Or maybe she knew stirring my jealousy a bit more would tip me towards deciding to leave. But that prospect stuck to me for the rest of the week, as I finally told my foster mother of my decision to follow Rosaly's path. As she congratulated me, she sent me off to Heaven's Tower to get registered. As I walked away, I heard her mumble something under her breath.

Illu >> Hope she'll make ya proud Merle.
Coeurl >> ...did you say something?
Illu >> Ah! Nuttin' important!

So much done...

Wow... this weekend was full of win.

For starters, I got more training done as a Red Mage. I'm on the verge of hitting the big four-one. I already did my first Convert... tingly... I love it!

Then, I did my usual Nyzul run with Meilin's static. For a change, I was asked to come as a Monk rather than the usual Bard attire. Hey, any chance to try out my Destroyers is a boon. It felt weird not being able to lull to sleep the random monsters in that maze. I did enjoy hitting stuff for a change though, and except for that "Run From Hell" with nothing but Archaic Gears on every floor we met, it went rather smoothly in spite of the brutal change.

Then, we went ahead and met Bahamut's challenge at Riverne Site #1B. Not once but twice. That time around, I was asked to come about as a Black Mage. I have to admit, I have very little training on how to perform my duties in a group. Moreover, my skills at putting monsters to sleep with magic spells rather than soothing songs are... well, lacking. It made for some interesting moments (read : disasteriffic), but we pulled through with brio. Apparently, that didn't impress the Wyrm King, but I know in my heart that we truly can kick ass.

After that, I was asked by Bucer, Mei and Booty to come join them in helping defend Jeuno from the invading beastmen hordes in the past. Since we were 4-manning it, Mei thought it was appropriate to lend me something to keep me safe in my bardic duties. When I saw that I was holding a fabledd Kirin Osode in my hands... something snapped. My first time holding something that prestigious. I eagerly got dressed into it, and... wow... I'm sure it'd feel even greater if I actually earned the right to wear that. During the battle, we got to see Zazarg at his prime during the Crystal War. No wonder he made it to Serpent General in the present. After the battle, I paced nervously, waiting for Meilin to exit the mines so I can give the Osode back to her. It practically burned my hands. Such a burden... Such mixed feelings, I guess I could always try that again with her permission.

And lastly, I finally got my Optical Hat!!!!

Coeurl gleeeeeeeeees!!!

Thankfully, my awful lot results didn't keep me from having a shot at getting the 'other' pointy hat. We spend hours in that cave collaborating with another group that was already present as we arrived. Apparently they had it hard with their runs, so they gladly accepted a fusion of our two groups. From then on, the fights went on smoothly, and no cluster went to waste. At the end of the evening, I was practically singing in my sleep, as I sleptwalked from spot to spot cycling through my repertoire, throwing the odd Cure III and Paralyna here and there.

So yah... fun-filled weekend. Too bad I need to return to my scholardly studies during the week. But if all weekends are made of so much win and awesome, I think I have enough to endure the academic hardships 'til I go on my next adventures.

...and returrrn again!

Hehehe... Figures I'd come back to this again. This time, I have Kiersten from Akai-Tenshi to thank for that.

So... what happened in all that time since the last post? My francophone LS made a new jump, and I didn't follow. Instead, I went with Freddles and joined PurplePeopleEaters, which dissolved as quickly as I made the hop to it. Thankfully, Bucer invited me and her to join him to his other LS, Akai-Tenshi, under the benevolant rule of the fair Meilin. May Altana bless her and her collection of head-bashing maces.

Also, I dusted off my Monk gear and got that job to lv75. I was forced to retire my Paladin in the process, but I feel it was worth it. Akai already has a handful of Paladins, all of which have much better gear than I did, whereas very few Monks to be compared with. At least I won't feel bad not having some hard to obtain pieces of gear... though I'm slowly working on that as well.

Lately, I was recruited to participate in Nyzul Isle investigations as a Bard. Talk about a hectic location, with air so stagnant we can't stay there for more than half an hour without putting our healths in jeopardy. So far I've been recorded up to floor 55, which is quite a feat. Meilin's thinking of getting me involved with Salvage with my flying fists of fury. I can hardly wait to get started on those.

So... yah... I'll probably try posting new stories as they come in the coming months. Again, I won't guarantee the accuracy of related events, but if I do deviate from fact, it'll be to make it more entertaining. And LONG LIVE AKAI-TENSHI!!! =^-^=