White Knight

I knew the world was much larger than what I had seen. So far I had traveled the wooded Ronfaure areas around San D’Oria, the deeply carved grass lands of La Theine Platue and the sea side desert of Valkrum Dunes. I was a level 20 thief now complete with a sub job and it was time for me to move on to bigger and better things. All I had to do was get to the city of Jeuno in one piece.

The first part was no problem. I was getting pretty good at avoiding the monsters in these areas. I even took a break to gaze down into the canyons and wonder about the caves I could see deep down at the bottom. Another adventure for another day I thought. There is so much I want to do, its hard not to get side tracked.

It was a very pleasant trip until I reached the Pashhow Marshlands. For one it smelled awful! I tried to stay on the higher ground to avoid the mud but it didn’t take long before my boots were covered in the sticky slimy mush. The monsters here were much larger and much tougher looking. I knew if I caught the attention of one I was dead.

Every time someone on a chocobo would run past they sent mud flying everywhere. It was awful. It seemed like the life was being sapped out of me with every heavy sticky step. I was becoming dangerously exhausted. I spent so much energy pulling my boots out of the mud I didn’t notice a large beast with tentacle like legs stalking me.

With a fluid swing of its enormous arm it swiped me off my feet and sent me flying. I briefly thought about running but I knew it was too far to the nearest zone. I would never make it. Pulling out my dagger I charged. I’m sure the beast was grinning at my efforts. Again he knocked me back off my feet. The ground trembled as he threw himself at me.

At this point I remembered my linkpearl. “Guys, I think I’m in trouble.”

The beast wrapped an arm around my waist and lifted me up in the air. I plunged my dagger as hard as I could into it’s thick skin. It dropped me so quickly I barely managed to land on my feet. My head was feeling woozy from one too many hits now and I knew I didn’t have long to do something.

I pulled out my bow and drew back the string. Before I could release my arrow, a great tentacle swiped me over again. I fell like a rag doll into the mud. I had nothing left.

As the world went dark yet again I could hear Sethsmith call over the linkshell, “What in the world are you doing out there alone?” All I could think was at least I can rest now.

I have no idea how much time pasted before I felt a surge of energy lift me out of the mud. Every inch of my body tingled with life and I gasped in a deep breath of refreshing night air.

“I heard about this new mud facial fad among the Mithra, but I think you might be taking it a bit too far. I think you have marinated plenty long enough. Let’s get you to Jeuno and clean you up.”

I looked up into the warm smiling face of a Hume man in white paladin armor. He pulled water and a cotton cloth out of his bag and wiped the mud off my face. He was tall for a Hume with a soft brown neatly groomed beard and dark kind eyes. I knew I was in good hands.