Althea Valara

I lay awake in bed most of the night, my head spinning with thoughts. Most of all: Why me? I've barely started adventuring - why would they ask someone as green as me to do this mission when they have experienced folks like Naji eager to volunteer?

I mean, I do feel like I'm getting stronger. I don't struggle as much in battle, and I can use higher-level spells now. But I still have a lot to learn. And I can't even beat a damselfly yet!

So no, it can't be my battle skills they want. It's got to be something else.

Perhaps it's the fact that I am so new? Maybe they think I won't question their orders. Maybe I can pick up on something an experienced officer can't, simply because I don't have any idea what to expect.

Laying in bed isn't going to give me any answers. I obviously wasn't going to get any sleep & dawn was breaking, so I decided to get up and go for a walk.

The city was just starting to stir. Merchants were sweeping their sidewalks and drawing back curtains. Water splashed merrily in the fountain. A young Galka ran by, startling a sleeping Elvaan, who sat up with a start and blinked a few times, then started laying out his bazaar merchandise again. A few hopefuls were gathered at the auction house windows, ready to pounce should a tempting item be listed for sale.

I've been spending so much time in the dunes chasing damselflies that I had forgotten what the city sounded like. The clang of the blacksmiths, the creak of the drawbridge, the water tumbling in the wheels, merchants & customers haggling over prices: all these combined to give Bastok its own unique song, full of energy, discovery, innovation--and yes, adventure.

I stopped in the middle of the Galkan Bridge, leaning on the railing, looking towards the port where an airship was landing. There was still so much to learn about this place I called home.

But now was not the time: I had to go far away, not only to another city but another continent. What kind of song would it have? I couldn't even begin to imagine.

I've got a pretty good sense of my way around town now, thanks to the stamp hunt. I still get a bit turned around at times, but I quickly figure out my error. And if I don't, there are friendly townsfolk who are all too eager to help me out.

And I really mean that. Everyone here is so nice. People like to talk; it's hume nature, after all. I've learned a heck of a lot more about the world in the few days I've been adventuring than I have in my entire lifetime.

For instance--the Galka aren't happy with the way they are being treated by Humes. I don't know enough about their race to know if I should be scared of this or if I should feel sorry for them. I'm leaning towards the latter. From all the conversations I've been having, it sounds like the Galka are almost treated as slave labor, and that doesn't sit very well with me.

Anyway. While wandering around town near the South Gate, I met a woman named Tami who needed a note delivered to her husband, who's working down in the mines. I figured why not? This would give me a chance to explore the mines and their surrounding area, and I needed to get two stamps there anyway.

So I headed to the mines district, talking to more people as I went in an attempt to acquire more stamps. I ended up meeting this Galka, Gerbaum, who complained about the number of monsters in the mines. He asked me if I could clear the mines out somewhat, and bring him some Zeruhn Soot as proof I did the job.

Sometimes I have to wonder if I'm being asked to do all this stuff because people are lazy, or if they are scared. I really hope it's the former, because I dread what's in store for me if it's the latter.

As I now had THREE reasons to enter the Mines, in I went. I can see why folks might find the Mines scary--they're dark and silent, except for the stirring of creatures and the sounds of the workers. But duh, they're mines. Of course they're going to be dark!

I headed down into the tunnels, looking for Tami's husband, Zelman, so I could deliver the note. Gerbaum was right--there are quite a lot of monsters down here. I decided to give them a wide berth on the way down, as I figured it'd be best to deliver the note first.

Tami's husband wasn't too hard to find. Had to grin a bit when he complained about all the errands his wife wanted him to do. Typical married couple. Hee. Then he asked me if I could do the errand instead, and go buy some meat jerky for him. As I am Errand Girl (*snerks*), I said yes.

Kind of wish I had a motorcycle. That'd make all these deliveries easier.

Then it was time to make my way out. But hey, might as well try fighting some monsters. So I headed up to some bats. I mean, how hard can bats be, right?

...turns out they're pretty hard. I tried, I really did, smacking them as hard as I can, but they kept attacking me faster than I could ward them off. I got my butt kicked so hard they knocked me out. As I descended into unconsciousness I flashed back to my childhood, hearing the bullies taunting me. "You call yourself a Valara, wuss? Yeah, right."