Payday! (Spring 898)

I awoke early the next morning to get ready for the meeting at the Bat's Lair Inn. I washed quickly, and got dressed in my customary favorite blue tunic. True to his word, Moguri had patched the few minor tears and cleaned the garment for me.


"Moguri," I said, walking towards the door, "I'm headed out for the morning. I should come back with some gil for food and-" I broke off suddenly, spying the Moogle asleep on the chair by the fire.


"Poor little guy must've been up all night," I said with a chuckle. I grabbed my pack and my staff, and slipped out the door quietly to avoid waking Moguri.


It was still early enough that the streets of Bastok were nearly empty as I headed to the Bat's Lair Inn. There were just the usual guards performing their usual patrols, and the normal crowd at the auction house.


"I should really remember to sell that chunk of mythril," I muttered to myself. As luck would have it, it was currently sitting at home.


"Talking to yourself, Aspen?" came the voice from just behind me. I jumped slightly, and turned to see Kuto-Lulu standing there. "I saw you from over there," he offered, waving his hand toward the residential area, "and decided you can accompany me to breakfast." He giggled, and began walking for the archway to the Bat's Lair.


"Oh, may I?" I asked, rolling my eyes and following after him. "It has long been my every wish to attend the great Kuto-Lulu at his breakfast."


"Enough with the sarcasm," he responded, trying to sound intimidating. "We meet Garrick and hopefully get paid, so you can't be mean." He giggled again, and stepped through the small archway.


"Allow me," I said, taking a lond stride forward to open the door. The pleasant aroma of baked goods wafted out, instantly igniting my hunger. "Ooh, bretzels," I said longingly.


"Patience, my chubby friend," replied the Taru, ducking through the door with a laugh.


"Chubby?" I asked, with mock indignation. "I'm not chubby. I'm actually quite lean." I walked into the eating area, looking around for an open table. "If anyone's chubby here, it's you," I added with a laugh.


"Taru are chubby by nature," offered a large man in a rumbling voice.


"Garrick," I said, nodding my head in greeting, "good to see you here." I slipped into a chair across the table, leaning over the table. "Did our skins sell? And did you talk to your associate about my training?"


Garrick held out a hand, palm outward to signal for my silence. I suppose my mouth was running away without me again.


"One question at a time," he said, lowering his hand. "Aye, we sold our lizard skins, and even got a bit more for them than we had hoped." He pulled a pair of large bags from his belt, and placed one in front of me. "Five thousand," he offered in a low tone.


It took a moment for the amount to register. Five thousand gil? That amount took my parents almost two months to scrape together, and we had made it in two afternoons.


"Seriously?" I asked, hefting the bag. "We made fifteen thousand gil in one afternoon?"


"Aye," responded the large man with a smile. "Well," he amended, "a little more, but I took a small seller's fee. Costs money to list and such." He turned to Kuto-Lulu, who was climbing onto another chair, a bretzel gripped firmly in one hand. "Your cut," he offered, sliding the other bag over to the Taru.


"Thanks," replied Kuto-Lulu, around a mouthful of bretzel. He picked up the bag, shook it gently, and dropped it into his pouch. "I heard five thousand?"


"Aye," replied the large man. "Not bad. We'll have to go again soon, but we can't risk flooding the market." He stroked his chin for a moment, then added, "How about we go out once a week? Maybe on Icedays?"


"Sounds good to me," I answered. "I'm heading up to get a bretzel." I slipped the small bag into my pouch, drawing the string tight. Five thousand gil a week was almost unheard of back home.


I walked up to the counter, where Griselda was standing. "Good morning, Griselda," I said with a smile. "I'd like one of your bretzels, please." I turned from the synthesis process, surveying the rest of the room quietly.


It was mostly empty, which wasn't surprising considering the early hour. Besides our group, there was a pair of Elvaan in the corner, discussing something in low tones. A small group of Galka in mining gear occupied the largest table, presumably getting a bite to eat before the work day.


At a dim table in the corner was a solitary Hume male, garbed in a voluminous grey cloak. The hood was lowered, revealing his long greying hair and lined face. We made brief eye contact, and I smiled, nodding my head in greeting. His expression never changed.


"Here ye are," came Griselda's voice from behind me, startling me out of my reverie. I turned, accepting the steaming bretzel and counting the gil from my pouch. I started back toward the table, doing my best to ignore the Hume in the corner.


"So, if we start up on the high ridge," Garrick was saying, tracing designs on the table top, "and work our way downward, we should be able to separate the lizards. Them bastards'll never know what hit 'em." He smiled, and relaxed back into his chair before noticing I had returned. "Aspen," he added, turning to me, "I brought the man ye wanted to meet." He motioned just behind me.


I turned my head, and was surprised to see the Hume in the grey cloak standing just behind me.


"This is Aramis," Garrick continued. "He might be able to help ye better with yer problems."


"Very nice to meet you," I said, extending my hand toward Aramis. "My name is-"


Aramis cut me off with a scowl, looking me over briefly. "This is the one?" he asked, directed to Garrick. His voice sounded low and raspy from disuse. "I would not know how to train one so old." He shook his head, his hair flowing behind him. "Do you really wish for me to try, Garrick?"


"Aye," responded the other man. "I owe him a debt. He saved our wee companion there, and I told him I would introduce ye." He shrugged, and took a large bite of his bretzel.


The cloaked man sighed briefly, one hand lifting to his brow. "As a favor to you, I will do what I can." He appraised me briefly again, and then said, "Be at my house tomorrow at dawn. Bring a staff, a sword, and a cold meal." He turned without waiting for a reply, and strode from the room, his cloak billowing behind him.


"Aye, that's the Aramis we know and love," added Garrick after a moment. He continued talking about plans for the next visit to lizard coutry, but I barely heard a word. I was already looking forward to my training.

Home Again, Home Again (Spring 898)

We trudged back through the Bastok city gates in the early evening - just about supper time, actually. My stomach made me acutely aware of this last fact.


"I'll go and sell these," said Garrick, hoisting our collection of lizard skins in a worn leather sack. "I think these usually sell pretty quickly, so maybe we'll see our gil tomorrow." He began walking toward the auction house.


"I need to get something to eat," I said with a nod. "I'm going to head home for a bit. You'll come find me when Garrick has our gil?"


"Yup," came the response from Kuto-Lulu, punctuated as always with a giggle. "And if nothing else works, we can always meet at the Bat's Lair for some food and drink."


"That doesn't sound too bad, actually," I replied with a grin. "My mouth is watering just thinking about those hot, fresh bretzels." I considered for a moment, then added, "Actually, why don't we just plan on meeting there? Maybe tomorrow morning?"


"Sounds good," the Taru replied. "I'll let Garrick know." He dashed off in the direction of the auction house, following after the large man.


I made my way through the residential area of Bastok, and finally to my front door.


"Moguri," I called, opening the front door, "I'm back." I shrugged my pack off my shoulder, hanging it on one of the pegs by the front door.


"Good evening, mast-Aspen," came the reply as the Moguri came flitting into view. "How was your lizard hunting, kupo?"


"Not bad," I said with a nod. "We were able to skin twenty four lizards. Garrick is off selling them right now." I looked around at the sparse living area, and added, "Once we get paid, we'll have to buy some furniture."


"After re-stocking the pantry," piped in Moguri, fluttering closer to me. "Our supplies are running a little bit low," he added with a mournful expression on his feline-like face. "Do you want some dinner? We have some rice and vegetables..." He trailed off, waiting expectantly.


"Sounds good," I replied with a smile. "Hunting up lizards is hungry work," I added with a chuckle. I sat in front of the fireplace, happy to be able to relax for a bit.


I must have dozed for few moments, because I awoke to Moguri hovering by my side, a steaming bowl cradled in his paws.


"Here you go, kupo!" he proclaimed, passing the bowl over to me. Inside was a bed of white rice, with several steamed vegetables sitting on top, drizzled over with a bit of some sauce. It smelled great, especially after the long afternoon on the trail.


"Thank you," I said, nodding my head to Moguri before starting to eat. The dish was nice, but a bit more flavor would have been nice. "After I get paid, we'll make sure you always have a full pantry," I said, nodding once again to Moguri. "This dish would have been perfect with a little more spice and some meat."


"I know, kupo!" replied Moguri, hovering near my elbow. "You give me the gil, and I'll make you the most perfect meal, Aspen!" He was fluttering even more rapidly in his excitement.


"Deal," I replied with a chuckle. I finished eating, and handed the bowl off to Moguri. "I think I'm staying in for the evening, but I should get my share of the gil tomorrow. And I might be meeting with a someone who will train me in magic."


I stayed up for a couple more hours with Moguri, just talking. He was actually very interested in the lizard hunting trip, presumably because he didn't get to go outside the city much.


"So Kuto-Lulu killed the Quadav with a Ki focus?" asked Moguri. "That's a useful skill to have. One of my old masters was a monk, and he was still training to use his Ki strike. It can take a long time to master."


"I imagine so," I said, remembering the white aura and devastating impact of Kuto-Lulu's fists. "That Quadav certainly noticed the years of training, just before he crumpled to the ground in pain." I chuckled, and stood up, stretching my back in front of the fire.


"Anything I can get you, Aspen?" inquired Moguri, hovering near my left elbow.


"I think I'm going to head to bed. Tomorrow I'm meeting up to see if we get paid for our skins, and talking to Garrick about his friend that can train me."


"I'll do a bit of housework for you, then," replied the Moogle as he nodded to me. "Leave that tunic where I can find it. It needs a good wash and probably some stitching." His feline nose wrinkled as he spoke, eliciting another chuckle from me.


"I will," I said, walking toward the bed. "Have a good night, Moguri."


"You too," he replied, flitting around the room, probably making some mental checklist.


I got ready for bed quickly, and slipped under the light covers. Relaxing my body as sleep took hold, I managed one last thought:


'It's good to be home.'

Skins (Spring 898)

By the next morning, I was strong enough to move around on my own. After we had eaten our trail breakfast, I was feeling almost back to normal. I resolved to myself to take it a bit easier in today's hunting.


By mid-day, we were back in the bottom of the ravine, with another small stack of lizard skins to our name. There were a few brief moments of danger, which made me realize we had actually been extremely lucky yesterday.


At one point, Kuto-Lulu sustained a nasty gash on his arm, courtesy of a lizard's row of knife-like teeth. Garrick became poisoned during one prolonged fight, sapping his strength as the battle wore on.


I both cases, I was able to gather my energy and remedy the situation without any overwhelming side effects - just a bit of fatigue after each one. After each casting on my end, we took a short break.


"It's good to see you all better, Aspen," said Kuto-Lulu during one such break. "You really had us worried last night."


"I'm doing a lot better," I said, looking over to the Taru from my perch on a small boulder. "As long as I don't overdo it, there shouldn't be any issues."


"Let's try not to catch on fire again, then," replied Kuto-Lulu, grinning over at me.


"Aye," came the solitary reply from Garrick. "Let's get a few more of these lizard skins, then head back and sell them."


"Sounds good," I agreed with a nod. "I'm looking forward to buying some new clothes, personally. And seeing your friend, Garrick," I added with a smile. "Maybe I can learn how to control this wild talent of mine."


Within another hour, we had twenty four-lizard skins - enough to sell two groups of twelve.


"I think we should head back," was my input. I placed my staff butt-first into the ground, using it to stretch my back. "We have plenty of skins, and we can do an even three-way split."


"Aye," was Garrick's response. "Should net us a tidy bit of gold."


"I like that plan," added the energetic Taru. "Then we can buy Aspen some new clothes." He giggled, turning toward the distant rise of Bastok.


We packed up camp and began walking back to Bastok under the hot sun. On the way, we discussed the best way to get paid for the skins.


"Look, if you want, I can put the skins on the auction house, and I'll send you the money when it comes in," I suggested. "You both know you can find me at the Goldsmith's guild if things go wrong."


"Do you have the funds to post them?" asked Kuto-Lulu. "The auction house requires cash up front to post."


"I guess not," I said with a sigh. "What do you think Garrick?" I asked, turning toward the big man.


"Trouble," he replied, raising his hand over the next hillock. "Two Quadav. And they've already seen us."


I nodded, shifting my pack off my back and gripping my staff tightly. "I guess we'll have to fight it out," I said. "I'll try to heal some of your wounds if I can," I added, silently wondering if I could do more.


"Aye, don't overdo it," replied Garrick, unshouldering his bow and swiftly nocking an arrow. "If ye fall unconscious, ye're no use to anyone."


"I'll remember that," I said, gazing at the small hillock in front of us.


Suddenly, the two Quadav burst into view around the side of the small hill, rushing toward us with a speed that belied their bulk. Faster than my eye could follow, Garrick let an arrow fly, nocked another, and released it toward them.


The arrows impacted into the chestplate of the lead Quadav, staggering it slightly. The other drew ahead of it, drawing its large jagged blade as it moved. Garrick and Kuto-Lulu moved into position, trying to box it in slightly and keep it from me.


"Bind," I cried, releasing my will toward the rushing Quadav. It took a little more energy than I was prepared for, but I had the satisfaction of seeing the roots of some desert plant reach up, and ensnare the Quadav's legs.


The Quadav began to jerk against the roots, and I could see them starting to tear, but his progress was slow. Garrick began loosing arrows at the bound Quadav, and nearly all of them found their mark.


The previously staggered Quadav pulled past the bound one, rushing for Garrick and Kuto-Lulu once more. I gathered in my energy, and said, "Blind, releasing my will at the charging Quadav.


The Quadav stumbled on the hardpan, and then regained its balance, but its path to my two companions was noticeably unsteady. The Quadav removed a large, two-handed axe from its belt, and took a mighty swing at Garrick.


The axe missed by a good foot, and Garrick drew back out of range, loosing another arrow into the Quadav as he retreated. Kuto-Lulu stepped in, his fists blurring toward the unprotected abdomen of our foe, staggering the creature back once again.


I stepped into the fray, swinging my staff as hard as I could toward the blind Quadav's neck. There was a gap between its plating and helmet, and my aim was true. There was a large cracking noise, and the Quadav's eyes rolled back in its head as it slumped to the ground.


There was little time for exultation, as the previously bound Quadav finally broke free of its entanglement and rushed for our group. Garrick released another pair of arrows, and connected with both, but the Quadav seemed to ignore them, charging straight toward me.


Kuto-Lulu stepped in front of me, a wordless roar rising from his throat. As the Quadav drew into range, swinging his sword, Kuto-Lulu's fists blurred once more toward an unarmored spot, but sheathed in an intense white aura. Each impact of against the Quadav's body resonated loudly, driving the Quadav back under the onslaught.


After three hard impacts, the Quadav fell over onto its back, unmoving. Kuto-Lulu drew a deep breath, the aura fading from around his fists.


"What was that?" I asked, feeling amazed. I'd never seen anything quite like that before.


"That was a Ki focus," replied the Taru. "One of the things I've been working on mastering. It tuckers me out me to use it, so it's a last resort, but it can come in handy." He giggled, but he sounded out of breath. "Can we rest here?" he asked, abruptly sinking to the ground.


"Aye, I suppose," came the answer from Garrick. He walked over to the bodies of the Quadavs and began examining them. Apparently one was still alive, because he drew his knife and crouched down next to it. I turned away, not wanting to watch the coup de grâce.


Kuto-Lulu sat on the ground, breathing heavily. I watched him for a moment, but determined there was nothing I could do. He just needed some rest.


Garrick came over a moment later, holding a few items. "Just the loot from the Quadies," he said with a faint smile. He spread it out before us, and stepped back.


The only items to take our pick from were a couple of blue-green crystals and a small pile of gil. I picked up the gil, intending to count it and split it evenly. Near the bottom of the pile, I encountered a few odd coins. They were made of a different metal, and had an odd edged shape.


"Those are beastcoins," Garrick offered, seeing my confusion. "They aren't used in towns, but ye can melt them down. These are made of bronze."


"I might be able to refine them," I said, thinking of my Goldsmith training. "Maybe make something of worth from them." I slipped them into my pouch, and divided the remainder of the gil.


"Are the weapons worth anything?" I asked, casting a glance to the large sword and axe on the ground.


"No," replied Garrick, casting a dirty glance at the axe. "They're too large for Hume use, and made cheaply. Best to break them, or leave them here." He took hold of the sword, and lifted it with an obvious effort, before smashing it downward on a nearby rock. The large blade broke in half, rendering it useless.


The axe proved to be to difficult to break, so we dulled the blade on a rock and left it lying in the dust.


We gathered up the rest of the Quadav items, and resumed our trek towards town, and our meeting with the auction house.

Firelight (Spring 898)

I awoke beside a roaring fire some time during the night. I pushed the thick woolen blanket off, and tried to sit up, ignoring the buzzing pain in my head.


"Ye're awake," came the gruff voice from my right. I turned my head to see Garrick sitting by the fire, whittling on a piece of wood.


"How long.." I asked, unable to get the rest of my question out. I figured it had been quite a while, due to the dryness in my throat. Luckily Garrick understood the question.


"Ye've been out for a few hours now. I think ye may've overdone it when trying to heal the Taru." He paused, carving another long, thin shaving from the bit of wood. "He's doing much better, by the way."


"...good," I croaked out. "Water?" I was more thirsty than I could remember being, and the pain in my head was still pounding along with my pulse beat.


"Aye," was the reply, as Garrick got up and grabbed his waterskin from the ground next to him. "Ye'll want to drink this slow."


I nodded, using my arms to drag myself into a sitting position. My entire body ached, but I was eager for the water.


Garrick crouched down beside me, holding the waterskin up to my parched lips. It was a bit humiliating, but I don't know that I could have done it myself, to be honest. And I really wanted that water.


Garrick tilted the waterskin, trickling warm water down into my mouth. He controlled the angle with a steady hand, being careful not to let too much out at once. After a moment, I raised my hand slightly, signalling him to stop.


Warm or not, the water had helped immensely. The throbbing pain had diminished down to a low ache, and I felt a bit of my strength return.


"Thank you," I said, nodding my head to Garrick. I finally had the energy to look around a bit. I noticed we were in the shadow of what must have been the same rock outcropping where we had originally intended to camp. "How did you get me back here?" I asked.


"I carried you," Garrick said, rising from his crouch and moving back to his previous spot. "It wasn't even all that far," he added, a deep chuckle rumbling from him.


"Where's Kuto-Lulu," I asked, looking around slowly for him.


"Standing watch," came the reply. "We're still in Quadav territory, and we're down a man. Bad timing, aye?"


"Aye," I agreed with a smile. "But I think I'll be all right, Garrick. I just need a good night's sleep and some food. By morning we'll be back down hunting up some more lizard skins."


"Aye," he replied, "that may be, but we must be prepared for the worst. If ye can't battle with lizards, we best get you back to town." He continued whittling as he spoke, shaping the bit of wood into a still-hidden shape.


"I guess we'll see in the morning," I said, settling my body back down to conserve energy.


"Aye, that we will," came the response. After that, he went quiet for a while, and the only sound was the crackling of our fire.


"Aspen," he asked, finally breaking the silence, "why did ye use up all your energy on the Taru? Ye could have done yourself some real damage, or even been killed." He paused, his hands continuing to deftly whittle away on the wood. I could finally see the shape of a bird trying to emerge. "Did ye not learn how to manage your energy in training?"


I was silent for another long moment, considering what my reply should be. For something was supposed to be largely a secret, my innate casting ability was certainly becoming common knowledge.


"I..never had any training," I finally responded, looking toward the fire. "I've always been able to make a few things happen. I just have to will it, is all." I paused, shifting my gaze over to Kerrick, then added, "It's not really something I wanted spread around, but.." I trailed off, shrugging my shoulders.


"Ye need training," came the quiet reply after a moment. "Ye're likely to kill yourself without it. I think ye got off extremely lucky today in that canyon."


"Your probably right," I said with another shrug, still gazing into the dancing flames. "I just feel like I wouldn't be a free Hume anymore. Like maybe they would lock my in a laboratory somewhere and run horrible experiments on me."


"Ye're not the first spontaneous caster, ye know," replied the large man. "I mean, aye, ye're uncommon as a dancing Galka, but ye're far from the only one."


This was news to me. I'd never heard of any other spontaneous casters.


"I'd advise ye to get some training when we get back to town. I can use a couple connections from my service days, and I know of a trainer who'd be happy to teach ye a few things." He paused a moment before adding, "And he'll let you out when you want for adventuring, or 'field training', as he calls it."


"That doesn't sound too bad," I said with a smile. "I'll sit down and talk with him, if you can arrange it."


Perhaps learning a few things about my abilities could be a good thing. At least I could try to avoid things like today's events.


I shifted my body, trying to get comfortable on the hard-packed sand, and drifted off to sleep. Maybe tomorrow we could all get rich off lizard skins.

Leaping Lizards! (Spring 898)

I swung my staff at the mottled brown lizard, hitting it in the thick armored plating just behind its neck. The lizard glanced at me, growling deeply in its throat, and Kuto-Lulu stepped in with a quick combo punch to the exposed side of its head.


The lizard fell, the venom it had been collecting in its mouth dribbling out into a noxious purple puddle.


"That was close," said Kuto-Lulu, a shrill giggle escaping him. "Another few seconds and he would have sprayed that poison all over you."


"The fact didn't escape me," I said, in considerably less humor than my companion.


As it turns out, lizards could be plenty dangerous. Between the sharp teeth, armor plating, poison and fire breath, it was no wonder these skins sold for so much.


"Can we skin this one, at least?" I asked, squatting down for a moment to catch my breath. We found out the hard way that the lizard's skin was incredibly difficult to remove in one piece, and the leather workers weren't very anxious to spend their money on torn skins.


"I'll see what I can do," came the rumbling reply from Garrick. He was a large man of few words, but he was an excellent tracker and the only one of our group who could reliably skin these things.


We had met up with Garrick by the main city gates, and had set off in a south-west direction. After about an hour of hiking, we ended up in a large ravine, with small flocks of lizards dotting the sides and bottom.


As we quickly learned, the hardest part was luring a solitary lizard away from the pack. If the group was watching, they would respond as one and charge us all together. This wasn't a desirable outcome, so the hunting was taking a little longer than planned.


Adding to the general fun was that Garrick wasn't able to use his sword, or his arrows, as skins slashed to pieces generally don't sell. He was down to using a staff, not unlike mine. Kuto-Lulu just used his fists, of course.


"This one's good," Garrick rumbled, holding up a bloody lizard skin. "That brings our total up to...fourteen."


Not a bad total, but it had taken us most of the evening to get there. It was going to be a long night.


"Are we going to camp out here?" I asked, looking to Kuto-Lulu and Garrick. I had no problem camping in the wilds, but if we were going to make it back to Bastok, we should have been on the move already.


"Aye, it's likely," replied Garrick, with one of his rare smiles. "We'll pull back in the shadow of that outcrop," he said, pointing to the north, "and make camp. Then tomorrow, we can try for more skins."


I nodded, saying, "Sounds like a plan. Why don't we try for another few before pulling back? I see plenty of lizards across the way." I shifted my staff, dropping into a battle stance.


"Aye," said Garrick, doing the same.


Kuto-Lulu nodded his head, and crept up to the nearest lizard, several dozen yards away. We found the best way to make this work was for a single person to provoke one, and then run back to the group, normally dragging the lizard along for the ride. Safely away from the rest of the flock, it could be dispatched easily.


Kuto-Lulu lined up his shot, and pelted a good-sized rock at a large lizard who had wandered away from the rest of the group. It whirled around, and charged the Taru, who was busy running back to us as fast as his little legs could carry him.


"Oy! Over here!" shouted Garrick, swinging his staff at the charging lizard. It connected with one of its powerful hind legs, sending the beast sprawling into the midst of our group. We set in relentlessly, not giving the beast a chance to even get up.


It looked like the end of the poor beast, when it managed to raise its head, a thin wisp of smoke trailing from one nostril.


"Look out-" was all I could get out before the fireball exploded in the middle of our group. I had been trying to throw myself backwards, so I was spared the brunt of the flames, but Garrick and Kuto-Lulu were both caught off-guard. I was sure the lizard was incinerated, but that was the least of my concerns at that moment.


Kuto-Lulu and Garrick we both thrown to the ground, their clothes and armor smoldering. I picked myself up from where I had fallen, patting out my tunic to be sure I wasn't still burning myself. I could hear Garrick groaning faintly, which gave him secondary importance in my mind.


I rushed over to Kuto-Lulu, who was lying unmoving on the ground. His hardened leather cuirass was smoking, and I pat it down quickly with my hand and sleeve. He was breathing regularly, but was obviously unconscious.


"Damn," I swore under my breath, preparing to cure him. I placed my hands on his, pushing a little more power into him. "Cure," I whispered, willing his wounds to close. I felt the power flow from me, but his eyes remained closed.


"Cure," I repeated emphatically, putting even more energy into it. His breathing strengthened a bit more, but his eyes still didn't open. I decided to give Garrick some attention before I completely depleted my energy reserves.


I made my way over to Garrick, who had managed to pull himself into a sitting position, and was weakly patting at the smoldering spot on his own cuirass. He didn't look great, but at least he was still conscious. I raised my hands toward him, but he shook his head.


"See to the Taru," he grunted, before breaking into a short coughing fit. "Looks like he got the worst of it."


I nodded and made my way back to where Kuto-Lulu lay, his eyes still closed. I raised my hands, starting to feel the weariness from repeated healing.


"Cure," I repeated, putting even more energy behind my will. At last, Kuto-Lulu's eyes flickered open, and a low groan escaped his lips.


"What..happened?" he managed to get out, before he broke into a coughing fit as well. "Did we get him?"


"Lie still," I instructed, doing a quick visual inspection of Kuto-Lulu's body. He didn't appear to be bleeding, and he had at least stopped smoking. "We almost had him, and then he decided to explode on us. We're all extremely lucky," I concluded, twisting my mouth into a wry smile.


"Did we get the skin?" asked Kuto-Lulu, attempting a smile of his own.


"Aye, we'll get it," came the response from Garrick, who had apparently moved over to the lizard corpse. "These beasties are resistant to fire," he added, chuckling gruffly. Up to that point, I don't think I'd heard him laugh.


"I think it's about time to pull back and make camp," I said. "We shouldn't push our luck, especially with the light starting to fade. I lowered my body into a crouch once more, placing my hands on the prone Taru.


"Cure," I intoned, intent on getting Kuto-Lulu back on his feet. As I released the curative energy, I put a little more will behind it, wanting to be able to get moving toward the safety of camp.


Suddenly, the world faded to grey scale. I stumbled backward from my crouch, completely losing my balance as the light faded from the world.


"Aspen?" I heard, seemingly from miles away, as everything faded to black.

Back to Business (Spring 898)

As I made my way back toward the residential area, I decided to stop by and see Fatimah at the guildhouse. I was hoping she would be able to tell me what the metals I had found in the mines were.


I'll admit there was a small part of me that just wanted to see her, too.


I strolled through the front door of the Goldsmith guild, waving a quick hello to Teerth and Visala, and walked into the large workroom where Fatimah's workbench was located. She was posted at her usual spot, peering through her lenses. As if I would find her anywhere else during the afternoon?


"Fatimah," I said as I drew closer to her workbench, "I found some minerals down in the mines, and I was wondering if you could take a look at them for me?"


"Good afternoon, Aspen," she said, looking through her lenses for a moment longer before turning her attention to me. "In the mines? I wasn't aware you were a miner now." She chuckled, and held her hand out to me. "Let's see what you found."


I placed the dull metallic chunk of ore into her hand, and she brought it a bit closer to her face for inspection. "This is silver," she said after a few seconds. "Not incredibly valuable, and pretty common, but a few more ores and you could make a nice ingot from this." She held the silver ore back out to me, asking, "Got any more?"


I nodded, holding out to accept the ore back. "I found this one as well," I said, digging the shiny ore from my pouch. "It was being guarded by a worm, who wasn't fond of me trying to take it." I laughed, placing the new ore in her outstretched hand.


Fatimah gave a low whistle as she held the ore up for closer inspection. "Nice find," she said, eyeing the material closely. "This is mythril. Expensive stuff, and you can make some nice pieces from it. A few more of these, and I could help you make an ingot." She handed it back to me, adding, "Or you could try selling it on the auction house. People pay good money for mythril."


"I'll think about it," I said with a smile. "I don't know that I'm ready to craft anything from mythril quite yet. I'm still working with copper, where it's cheap to screw up." I laughed, slipping the mythril into my pack.


"You'll get there," Fatimah replied reassuringly. "Anything worth doing takes time."


"I'll bear that in mind on this long road," I said with a chuckle. "I should get going. I've nothing to work on today."


"Have a good day," she said with a smile, before turning back to her lenses.


"You too," I said, turning toward the front counter. I had decided to sell the mythril ore on the auction house, since I couldn't really use it yet, anyways. Also, the gil from the sale would help me get more copper ores, which would bring in even more gil.


As I opened the door to exit the guildhouse, I ran into Kuto-Lulu, who was apparently on his way in.


"Hello!" I said, startled to see him here.


"Aspen," he said, obviously pleased. "Just the goldsmith I've come to see! I have a business proposition for you."


"I'm listening," I said with a smile. Knowing him, it would be something so incredibly outlandish that it could never work.


"I found out that you can make really nice leather goods from lizard skins," he said with a smile. "Gustaberg is just crawling with lizards. If we can harvest some skins and sell them to leather workers," he continued with a smile, "we could stand to make a large profit."


"Not bad," I said, musing over the idea. "Do you know anything about skinning lizards?"


"Well," he said, "not really. But," he continued, a gleam coming to his eyes, "my friend Garrick does. He's a ranger. I figured we could all go out together and split the skins evenly."


"I could probably help out with that," I said with a smile. "How dangerous could a bunch of lizards be, anyways?"

The Zehrun Report, Part IV (Spring 898)

The rooftop area of the Bastok Metalworks was surprisingly clean and pleasant. The builders had obviously taken the time to make it into more of a relaxation area, with some planted greenery and even a running stream through the entire area. The stream terminated by flowing into the building, powering two large water-wheels on its way out.


Knowing Cid, the wheels probably powered the pumps to get the water up here in the first place.


I saw a number of building on the other end of the roof, some bearing the official flags of other nations.


"Those must be the embassies for Windurst and San d'Oria," I said to myself. Even further down, there was a larger building bearing the seal of the Republic of Bastok. I could only assume it to be the office I was looking for.


As I walked through a small garden area, I noticed a Hume girl on the bench apparently talking to herself.


"Yes...I know that...sitting in the gardens. It's such a nice day out.."


I watched her for a moment, amused, before noticing that there was likely more going on than appeared. She wasn't merely talking to herself, but also clearly listening to responses. Her head was tilted at a slight angle, and I realized she was 'hearing' whatever it was through one ear. I approached her, fascinated.


She looked up as I came closer, her young face lighting into a bright smile. "Hiya, mister," she said, swinging her feet under the bench. "Nice day, huh?"


"Hello," I said, nodding my head in greeting. "I couldn't help but notice you were talking to someone who...isn't here," I finished lamely. "Can you tell me how you can do that?"


She looked at me like I had just aged about 100 years in front of her. "You never heard of a linkpearl?" she asked incredulously. "You put it in your ear, and anyone with a pearl from the same shell can talk to each other. Here."


She raised her hand to her ear, worked something free, and held it out to me, palm up. Nestled in her palm was a tiny pink pearl. I could actually hear tinny voices coming out of it, as if whoever she was talking to hadn't yet realized no one was listening.


"That's...great," I said, trying not to sound as amazed as I felt. We certainly hadn't had anything like that on the farm, and I hadn't exactly been watching every movement of every passing adventurer. Besides, adventurers were kind of an odd lot, and I'm not sure I would have noticed one talking to himself as odd.


The girl smiled at me again, and slipped the tiny pearl back into her ear. "I have to go," she whispered to me.


"Thanks for the advice," I whispered back, a smile crossing my face. I would have to make a point to get one of those pearls for myself and Kuto-Lulu. Maybe I'd meet other people who might want one, too.


I continued strolling through the rooftop gardens, making my way over to the largest building. As I drew closer, I could see a Hume man posted outside the front steps. He was clad in dark scale mail, and had the look of a sentry. As I approached, he spoke in a bored voice.


"I'm sorry, but this area is off limits to-" He broke off suddenly, looking me over. "Would you happen to be Aspen?" he asked me.


"I am, actually," I said with surprise. "I have the report from overseer Makarim in the Zehrun mines. You must be Naji?" I asked hopefully.


He nodded, and extended his hand. "I'll take that report," he said with a smile. I noticed, however, that the smile never reached his eyes. They remained cold and assessing the entire time. "I understand this was your first mission," he continued with the same empty smile. "Not bad work. Normally we-"


He was interrupted by a deep baritone voice from just behind us, saying, "Is that my report, Naji?"


I turned quickly, to see a tall Hume man with long brown hair. He had a noble look about him, and I thought it was perhaps more than the fine doublet and hose he was wearing. It was more in the way he carried himself.


"Sir Lucius," Naji said, snapping a quick, neat salute, "this adventurer just brought the last one. I was just going to bring them-"


Lucius cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Of course you were," he said with a smile. "May I have it, please?" He held out a gloved hand, arching his eyebrows.


"Of course, sir," Naji said, obviously flustered. He handed the envelope over to Lucius, who examined it briefly.


"Did you open this," he mused, turning his attention to me suddenly.


"No..sir," I said, belatedly remembering to add the honorific. He merely nodded, broke the seal, and unfolded the paper that lay inside.


"I see," he murmured a moment later. He looked up to Naji, and said, "More Galka are beginning to believe in their Talekeeper's return."


Naji nodded his head, saying, "Talekeeper, sir? I was under the impression that he was but a Galka myth."


"If that were only true," Lucuis murmured, re-folding the paper and slipping it into a belt pouch. Addressing Naji again, he added, "We're received reports that the Talekeeper is already back among them." He paused a moment, and continued, saying, "Naji, if any more of these reports arrive, deliver them to me immediately. And do not bother the president with such trivial matter."


"Yes, sir!" exclaimed Naji, snapping a salute so hard I was afraid he would render himself unconscious.


"As for you," Lucuis said, turning to me, "you have done well, adventurer. Your republic thanks you." He turned, quickly walked up the stairs to the building, and disappeared inside.


I heard Naji exhale a sharp breath. "I'll submit your credit for completing this mission, Aspen," he said to me. "Make sure you go and see the gate guard when you want another." He nodded to me, which I took for an end to the conversation.


"Finally," was my thought as I strolled back toward the Metalworks entrance. "That was more trouble than it was worth. Now, what to do with the rest of my day?"

The Zehrun Report, Part III (Spring 898)

I exited the mines into the bright sunshine of the Bastok Mines district, blinking owlishly in the afternoon light.


"Hope I never have to wander in there again," I muttered, and began walking toward the Markets area. I had a vague sense of where the Metalworks was, but wasn't familiar at all with the President's office. Meaning I would probably have to stop and ask directions.


"And everyone's been just so helpful here," I muttered, continuing to trudge through the streets.


After my encounter with the black slime, the trip out was uneventful. I had found my way back to the main tunnel by process of trial and error, and had sat down to rest for a few moments by the mouth of the mine. It did wonders for my mental energy, but it was still pretty tough to force myself to get up and keep going. The only thing that had kept me going was that the end of the journey was drawing closer - hopefully, at least.


I knew the Bastok Metalworks area was through the Markets district, by the eastern edge of the residential area. As I had no idea how to wind my way through the maze of housing, I had no choice but to take the long way around.


As I wound my way through the marketplace, I had a little time to reflect on the task I'd undertaken. I had understood the idea behind not earning any wage for this errand, but I hadn't known it would take most of my day to complete. Had I known, perhaps I would have tried my hand at something else.


"Might as well see it through to the end," I concluded to myself, forcing a spring back into my step. I had to be almost finished at this point, right?


The Metalworks building was near impossible to miss - it was a huge stone structure rising from the middle of the marketplace. I knew the entrance would be somewhere by the residential area. That is, if Kuto-Lulu hadn't given me the wrong information. Which I could easily see him doing.


Luckily for me, he was correct. The massive gate stood open along the broad lane, with a large Galka in sturdy-looking armor posted beside it. He nodded his head to me as I approached, clearly giving me permission to enter.


"Excuse me," I said as I drew closer to him, "I'm looking for the president's office. What would be the fastest way there, please?" I was trying my best to be polite, always aware that this Galka could likely snap me in half if he chose.


"Big Harvest is here to help," he said with a broad grin, raising one arm in a salute. "You want to use the lifts in the main hall. President's office is on the roof, near the back." He nodded his head again, falling back into his sentry pose.


"Thank you," I said with a nod as I walked past him into the Metalworks.


It was blessedly cool inside, at least compared to the midday heat of the Marketplace. It wasn't nearly as loud as I had expected, either. When I had imagined the Metalworks, I thought of one giant forge. This place wasn't like that at all.


I passed through a small entry-way, with another armored Galka stationed inside, and entered into the main gallery. The room was enormous; easily 100 feet from end to end, with the ceiling rising over 50 feet in the center.


I found the lifts quite easily - they were in the center of the room, and rose the entire way on a system of metal and wood girders. The platforms were made of wood, reinforced with bands of metal. As I watched, they transported a pair of Galka workers and a low cart piled with metal pieces with no problem.


So the lifts seemed safe enough, but a small part of my brain insisted on wondering what exactly was driving them, and what would happen it if failed suddenly 50 feet in the air.


"Never you mind," I muttered to myself, and walked over to the loading platform. When the lift came down again and stopped, I stepped onto it, placing my hand on one of the support rails and gripping tightly.


"First time on the lift?" came a deep, gravelly voice from behind me. I turned to see a tall, grey-haired Hume stepping onto the lift behind me. "You don't need to be," he said, displaying a large, yellowing smile. "I designed these lifts, and they could lift a behemoth! Not that we want a behemoth here, but.." He trailed off, his eyes acquiring a faraway look as the lift began to rise slowly up the rails.


"You designed these?" I prompted him after a short silence.


"Aye!" he proclaimed, coming back from wherever he had gone. "I'm Cid!" He thumped his arm on the chest of his thick workman's apron as he spoke. "I'm the head engineer here in Bastok." He stuck a hand out to me, which I shook. It was covered in grime, but it would have been rude to not take it.


"Aspen," I said with a smile. "I'm headed up to the President's office to give a report."


The lift glided to a short stop at another wooden platform. It was remarkably like the one we had left at the bottom, except for being suspended 50 feet in the air.


"Mayhap I'll see you around," He said, offering another large grin. "My office is right here off the elevator. If you're runnin' missions for the Republic, it's only a matter of time before I have somethin' for you to do." He wandered down a short corridor to the left, favoring his left leg slightly.


"Another new friend," I muttered, and walked onto the wooden platform. Up ahead, I could see bright sunlight, and could feel a warm breeze making its way up the hallway.


I began walking for the roof, anxious to have this mission behind me once and for all.

The Zeruhn Report, Part II (Spring 898)

I made my way across the large chamber, heading for the small passage indicated by the miner. Not surprisingly, none of the other miners paid me any attention as I walked past them and into the tunnel.


This passage was quite a bit tighter than the previous one, and it sloped slightly downward, though not as much as the main passage. I crept forward slowly, a bit uncomfortable in the closer confines of this tunnel. If another worm popped up here, I might not have enough room for my staff.


The passage twisted and split off to the right, but I kept following the left-hand wall as the miner had indicated. It led me past a passage sealed off by a cave-in, and eventually to a T-juction. I was about to continue along the left wall, when light and the sound of voices from the other passage made me change my mind.


I rounded the corner slowly, letting my eyes get used to the gradually increasing light. As I entered into the slightly wider tunnel, I saw a Galka and Hume miner digging at the edge of the tunnel, and a blond Hume woman shouting directions.


"Harder, Ormr," she shouted encouragingly to the Hume. "This is where Subodh saw that vein of darksteel! We pull that out of here, we all get bonuses!" She turned her head to the Galka, adding, "Where there's one vein, we might find two!Keep pounding, Gildge!"


In all the noise and confusion, nobody noticed my entrance.


"Excuse me?" I said loudly, edging toward the woman. I could see she had a short blade sheathed at her hip, and had no desire to be on the receiving end of that.


"I'm looking for Makarim," I added, even a bit louder than before. "I'm supposed to collect a report from Overseer Makarim."


The blond turned to me, sizing me up at a glance. "You must be the new courier. I wonder if Rashid is getting a little desperate for help these days." She laughed, and I felt a familiar rush of color rise to my cheeks.


"Anyways," she continued, pulling a sealed envelope from her pouch, "I just finished up recently. It's not what I'd want call leisurely reading, but-" she trailed off, ending with a small shrug of her shoulders, and handed me the letter. "Why don't you take this to Musketeer Naji for me. He's posted up near the President's office, above the Metalworks."


"Thank you," I said, trying to be courteous. "I'll be on my way, then." I nodded my head, and turned to leave the cave. "Good luck with the darksteel," I called back over my shoulder.


I had only gone a few steps when I felt a hand descend on my shoulder. I turned around to see the face of Makarim, only now with a threatening look directed at me.


"If I were you," she offered in a low, dark voice, "I'd likely forget everything I heard down here today. This darksteel is considered valuable, but the Republic needs it for their defenses more than you need a quick payday. Understand?" She flashed me a smile that was suddenly too full of teeth.


I understood.


"Of course," I said with a quick nod. "I was just going to deliver this letter, like the mission says." I turned again, walking just a little faster for the mouth of the mine.


"Good plan," her voiced trailed after me as I walked. "And...be careful out there."


I somehow knew she was laughing at me.


I was walking up a long slope, and must have made a wrong turn, because I was suddenly in a passage I didn't recall. There was a lot of rubble scattered across the entry way, and a couple of mine wheelbarrows abandoned in the corner. The air felt stale and heavy, and I wanted out.


I turned around to leave, when suddenly I heard a liquid squelching sound from behind me. It was drawing closer, and I turned to see what else could go wrong today.


Slowly crossing the uneven rubble towards me was a horrible black amoeba. Its pseudopods were waving in front of it as it moved, probably seeking me. I knew these things couldn't see, but sensed by sound, and their touch was acidic enough to ruin anyone's day.


I turned and started to run, thinking I could get away from the slow thing if I just kept moving. The plan worked out all right at first, but soon I was wandering in a small delta of caverns. The squelching noise of the amoeba echoed off the walls, making it seem like it was coming from everywhere. I knew I would have to fight.


I waited for it to draw into view, and summoned up all my will. At first, nothing happened, but I felt a mysterious power rising in me. I focused on that surge, trying to block out everything else around me.


From the edges of the tunnel, I heard clattering sounds as small stones began to rise into the air, attracted by the force of my will. When I figured I had enough, I circled them around me until there was a small wall of loose rock between me and the approaching amoeba.


When the amoeba was no more than a dozen steps away, I pushed outward with all my mental energy, shooting all the accumulated rock directly into the approaching blob. I saw the black gel get shredded by the stone bullets, the liquid innards spraying out behind it in a grotesque fan.


Yet onward it came, leaving a horrible trail of black slime behind it. I could tell it was hurt, but was still determined to digest me. To make things worse, I had expended my mental energy for the moment, and couldn't rely on any more spells until I got some rest.


The only thing I could do was try to beat it with my staff. I dropped into a basic defensive position, gritting my teeth. I was resolute not to let this thing get it's pseudopods on me.


The amoeba stopped a couple of steps away, obviously aware of where I was standing. Almost faster than I could follow, it shot out a pseudopod toward me, which I luckily deflected with my staff. I stepped forward, bringing my staff down as hard as I could across its center.


A gout of the same black slime show out of its wounds, and the whole mass began to sag, spreading slowly out over the cavern floor. As it did, I noticed a couple of undissolved items, which must have been trapped inside its gelatinous form.


I waited until all that was left was a thin puddle of noxious slime, and then began rinsing the floor off with my waterskin, looking for anything valuable. I found a couple of old small bones, a small silvery rock, and a crystal that glowed with a greenish-blue light.


"That must be a water crystal," I said to myself as I collected it. "Not sure if it's useful for what I do, but I'll ask." I turned around, and began searching for a way out of the mines.

The Zeruhn Report (Spring, 898)

The entrance to the Zeruhn mines was at the extreme western edge of the city. The area around the mine's mouth was full of Humes and Galka in mining gear, all milling about. There were several entrances into the side of the mountain, but I was guessing that the largest shaft was the one I was looking for.


As I crossed the open area, a large Galka wearing filthy mining gear stepped in front of me, with his hand up, palm facing out.


"What are you doing here, Hume?" he said in a rough tone. "You don't look much like the mining type to me."


"I'm here to see Makarim," I said, willing my voice not to shake. "On official business," I added, hoping it would allow me to get on my merry way.


"Official," scoffed the Galka, waving his hand dismissively. "You Humes all talk so big." He smirked, looking around at his fellow miners, who all seemed to smirk back. "You know somethin'? This city'd be nothin' without the power of the Galka. Who do you think carved out this forsaken mountain?"


"I wouldn't know anything about that," I said evasively, attempting to step to the right and around the Galka blocking my path. Unfortunately, he stepped right along with me, and continued his tirade.


"Yer damn right you don't know. You don't look like you know much." He laughed loudly, obviously pleased with his own sad joke. "Let me tell you something, Hume," he continued. "It's us Galka who built this city, and we never got a word of thanks from the Humes." He almost spat out the last word. "And now y'think you can just walk into our mines. On your official business."


"I've got a message for him, is all," I said with a shrug, thinking madly to find a way out of this confrontation. "If you could just let me by-" I broke off suddenly, and made a sudden step to the left, attempting to spin around the Galka and make a dash for the mine.


Lucky for me, he wasn't expecting that maneuver. I broke free, and began running for the mines entrance, thanking fate that I hadn't had a heavy lunch today.


"Yeah, you keep on running!" came the shout from behind me, presumably from the same large Galka. He sounded winded, as if he wasn't used at all to having to move quickly.


I made it easily up the slope, ignoring the stares of the two Galkas standing outside the mine entrance. I was sure they had seen the entire confrontation below, but they didn't say a word as I passed between them and into the mine.


The tunnel was actually pretty roomy, despite everything I'd always heard about mines. I suppose they had to make it large enough for the Galka to move around without any problems. There were torches along the wall, but they were pretty far between. I didn't mind much, because it gave me the chance to test out my new ring.


I help up my hand, and as if on cue, my ring began emitting a soft light. It grew until it encompassed my whole body, and extended into a sphere. I could see well for about ten feet, and had dimmer visibility for another ten feet after that. It would certainly make walking around easier, and hopefully wouldn't make me an easy target for anything out in the darkness.


I shrugged, realizing there was little I could do about it, and kept walking through the tunnel, which quickly took a turn to the left, and then back to the right.


After a couple more small turns, I reached a crossroads. I stopped, and looked around for some kind of clue which path to take. I was about to try the right-most passage when I spotted a Galka standing by the gate straight ahead.


"Excuse me," I said, walking closer to him, "I'm looking for Makarim. Do you know where I could find him?"


The Galka turned, and looked me over briefly. "Makarim?" he asked, one corner of his mouth curling up in a smirk. "Probably down in the west leg. I heard Dodoi found some darksteel down there." He chuckled, shaking his head, and turned back toward the gate.


"Thank you," I said, and turned away, before I realized I still had no idea where exactly that was. "I'm sorry," I interjected, turning back towards the Galka. "Which tunnel is that down? I'm new to-"


He cut me off with a wave of his hand and chuckled again, saying, "Down the tunnel to your left, then take a right turn. Cut across the big chamber, hanging right, and Makarim should be in that tunnel. If not, just ask one of the miners down there. They should be able to help you out."


"Thank you," I said again, with a short nod of my head. I turned, and headed down the indicated passage, hoping I wouldn't get too lost. It led steadily deeper into the earth, and took a sharp turn to the left about fifty feet in. I proceeded slowly, taking my time to make sure I kept steady footing on the smooth rock passage.


At the foot of the slope, a passage broke off to the right. I paused a moment, trying to recall the exact directions from the Galka. "I know there was a right turn in there somewhere," I muttered to myself, turning between the two passages. After a short moment, I shrugged, and continued on the main path.


Surprisingly, it led to a dead end after just a little ways in. I turned to go back to the split, when something glimmering in the corner of the passage caught my eye. I walked forward, and crouched down to examine it more closely.


A sudden rush of movement behind me nearly knocked me to the ground, as a tall, segmented worm rose out of the stone floor. It turned what I assumed was its head, a writhing mass of feelers, toward me, and made a loud hissing noise.


I drew back, not taking my eyes off the worm. I had thought the mines worms to be non-aggressive, but I might have made the mistake of invading this one's nest. I braced myself, and pulled my staff off my back. I certainly couldn't get around this worm, so I would have to go through it.


I charged forward, swinging my staff hard as I closed into range with the worm. The contact made a horrible squishing noise, and the worm's hiss rose into a high-pitched shriek. It swung its body around, and then, faster than I had imagined it could move, it swung its mass of feelers toward me.


I tried to ward off the blow, but the worm slithered around my worthless parry and raked its feelers down the front of my tunic. They left a mass of thick gel, and the skin underneath suddenly starting burning.


I shouted from the pain, and brought my staff back into position. I swung again, this time aiming a little higher on the worm's body. I swung true once again, the staff connecting with its "head", just below the mass of feelers.


The worm shrieked again, its movements visibly slowing down from the bludgeoning it was taking. It made another swipe, aiming its feelers at my head this time, but I was able to deflect it with a quick blow from my staff.


I stepped forward, and choked up on the staff, taking a short, powerful swing for the same spot just under the worm's feelers. The blow struck true, and the worm let out one final shriek before collapsing onto the stone floor.


I propped my staff against the wall, and took a moment to examine my tunic. Other than being smeared with a thick gel and not smelling the greatest, it was fine. I pulled it up quickly to check the skin underneath.


The skin on my torso was an angry, irritated red color. The pain had actually faded to a sharp tingle after the fight, but touching the skin was still painful. I sighed, and pulled the tunic back down over my torso.


"I suppose I should see what that shiny thing in the corner was," I muttered to myself, grabbing my staff from the wall. I walked over to the same spot again, crouched down, and began brushing dirt away from whatever had caught my attention in the first place.


After a moment, I had uncovered a large rock shot through with bright silver veins. I slipped it into my pack, making a mental note to bring it over to Fatimah in the guild to see what it was worth.


I straightened up, and turned from the dead end, re-tracing my steps back to the passage that branched off. "I knew there was a right turn somewhere in there," I muttered to myself as I followed that tunnel.


It quickly opened up into a huge cavern. I could see several Galkas and a few Humes along the walls, mostly wielding pickaxes. Luckily the cavern was big enough that the noise wasn't overwhelming. I picked one of the Humes who wasn't chipping away at the wall, and walked towards him.


"Excuse me," I called when I got close enough, "I'm looking for Makarim. Do you know where I could find him?"


He started a bit, then a slow smile rose to his face. "Makarim?" he asked, looking me over. "What do you need with the overseer?" He looked on the verge of laughter. Why did everyone have the same reaction when I asked for Makarim?


"I have a message for him from Musketeer Rashid," I said with a smile. "I'm led to believe it's important, and I'm having a hard time getting straight answers from people here." I shrugged, and added, "I guess we'd better hope no one asks me for a detailed report. I'd hate to get anyone in trouble."


I actually wouldn't hate it at all. If this was the way these miners routinely treated people, they deserved whatever would end up coming to them.


The miner nodded his head, the smile slowly fading from his features. "Makarim's down that passage," he said, pointing west, "and hug the left wall. Should be at the end of the tunnel." He fell silent, turning back to the closest miner. From his reaction, I judged the conversation had reached its end.

"Thanks," I muttered, and set out to find Makarim and pick up his report. I was ready for this assignment to be over.

You've got Mail!(Spring, 898)

I stopped by home for a bit, mainly to deposit my store of unused fire crystals and to get some food. I pushed open the door, and walked through the semi-dim interior.


"Master!" came the cry as Moguri turned from the fireplace and flitted toward me. "You got a package while you were gone! It has the official seal of the Republic on it!" I saw that he was holding a small brown package in his paws, and I stepped toward him to receive it.


"Thank you, Moguri," I said with a smile. "Do you know who dropped this off for me?" I inspected the package quickly, but found no markings aside from the seal.


"Some huge Galka in armor," he replied. "I think he said his name was Invincible..something. He was awful gruff and just asked that I give the package to you."


"Well, thank you," I said with a short chuckle. I began working the package open, trying to get at the contents. "Do you know what's in here?" I asked Moguri after a moment with little success.


"Usually a letter and a ring," he answered, surprising me. "It's kind of a welcoming present for the new residents of Bastok."


"I see," I said, finally worrying the package open and pulling the contents out. As Moguri had predicted, it was a short letter and a ring of silver and gold. I read the letter quickly:

Dear Aspen,

Let me be the first to welcome you to the fair city of Bastok. I trust you will find your life here very rewarding, provided you are willing to put the effort into the city. She always takes care of her own.
If you have not yet done so, I urge you to see one of the Iron Musketeers
about undertaking missions for the Republic of Bastok. We must all do our part to enhance the prosperity of the Republic.
The enclosed ring is enchanted for you only. It will provide a small bonus to your health and quickness, as well as lighting your way in the dark. We hope it will aid you greatly in your travels.
Again, I welcome you to Bastok and wish you the best in our city.

-Invincible Shield, former 3rd division Legatus

I took another long look at the enclosed ring, admiring the detail. It was a small spiral formed of half gold and half silver, with a tiny, silvery stone embedded in each end. I slipped it onto my finger, flexing a bit to ensure it fit right.


I'll admit, I didn't really feel any different with the ring on, but Invincible Shield did say it was only a minor enchantment. Still, I suppose I felt a little more secure for wearing it.


"Missions for the Republic.." I muttered, scanning through the note again. "That's what I was going to do next." I looked up to find Moguri hovering between me and the fireplace, with an anxious look on his face.


"Do you have anything that I could eat for lunch, Moguri?" I asked, suddenly aware again of how hungry I was. "I spent a long morning at the goldsmiths' guild, and I worked up a little bit of an appetite." I laughed, and walked over to the cubby near the door, digging the fire crystals out of my pouch as I walked.


"I have a small sandwich you could eat," he said after a moment. "It's not much, but it should provide you with enough energy to make it through the day."


I nodded my head, turning back to him with a smile. "That sounds great, Moguri," I said encouragingly. "I made a small profit today, but I have to hold onto it until I can make a little more."


"I understand," he said with a nod. "But we're going to need more money to buy food, you know. These pantries don't fill themselves."


"I know," I said with a smile. "Soon we'll have a nice, big grocery budget. Then you can buy whatever you like for dinner." I chuckled, moving towards the lone chair in the room. I was about to dispose of the package wrapping, when something else caught my eye inside.


"What's this?" I wondered aloud, pulling the small piece of paper from the envelope. It was marked 'Adventurers' Coupon'. On the reverse side, it said, 'Redeemable for 50 (fifty) gil from any Bastok gate guard.'


"Well, that's something," I said with a smile. "Not too much, but fifty gil is fifty gil." I chuckled, and slipped the coupon into my pouch. I sat on the chair, turning my head just in time to see Moguri coming towards me, holding a small meat sandwich and a small clay cup of water.


"Here you are," he said, bobbing his head quickly. "Like I said, it's not much, but it should work for a lunch, Kupo?" He was bobbing his whole body nervously, almost like he was waiting for my approval.


"It looks fine," I said, watching him closely. "You don't have to be so nervous around me, Moguri. I'm really an easy Hume to please." I chuckled, and took a bite of the sandwich. While the bread was a little coarse, it still had a very nice flavor. The meat in particular was quite well prepared, sliced thick and juicy.


I finished the small sandwich quickly, cleaning the crumbs off my hands. "That was delicious," I said to Moguri with a smile. "Hit the spot, as they say." I chuckled again, and finished off the cool cup of water. I stood quickly, not wanting to waste any more of the day.


"Any idea when you'll be home again, Master?" asked Moguri, looking at me expectantly. "I can have dinner ready if I only know what time to expect you."


"Moguri," I began, shaking my head slowly, "please call me Aspen. You don't have to keep calling me 'master'. It makes me feel like you're a slave or something." I laughed to try and bring some humour into the situation, thinking perhaps he wouldn't feel so bad about it.


"If..if that's what you want...Aspen," he said, making it sound difficult to get out. It probably was, to be honest. He'd likely spent his entire life referring to people as 'master', and I didn't think it was a habit that would be broken overnight.


"It is," I said firmly, nodding my head. "And thank you for the lunch. I'm off to seek more work." I smiled, walking toward the door and pulling it open. I made sure to grab my staff before I left. You just never know when you might need a good, stout stick.


"Take care, Mas..Aspen," Moguri said, waving his small paw at me. "See you when you get home."


I nodded to him, and pulled the door closed behind me, and began heading for the Mines district. I figured I would find Rashid again and trade this coupon in for some gil, and then ask him for a nice, easy mission.


When I got back to the main gate of the Bastok Mines, Rashid had a line about ten people deep. I gave up on getting to actually talk to him, and walked over to one of the other gate guards, a massive Galka in sturdy metal armor.


"Greetings, adventurer," he boomed out as I drew closer. "It's a lovely afternoon! What can Crying Wind do for you today?"


I was slightly taken aback, but managed to retain my ability to speak.


"My name is Aspen," I said with a smile. "I have this coupon for you, Crying Wind." I pulled the coupon out of my pouch, and held it out to him with a smile.


"Another new adventurer!" he proclaimed, seeming delighted with the notion. "If we keep gaining them at this rate, we'll be the strongest nation in no time! Awash in adventurers!" He let out a deep, booming laugh, and then reached into his pouch to hand me a small sack of gil. "Here you are," he said, "fifty gil, as promised."


"Thank you," I said with a smile, depositing the sack into my own pouch. "I was also told that you offer missions to citizens. Do you have anything available right now?"


"That would actually be Musketeer Rashid's duty," he replied with a fearsome grin. "I can offer you a Republic Signet, though. It can magically keep track of your activities, and lets you take part in the conquest for the Republic." He paused a moment, then added, "You also can trade in your conquest points for free items and equipment. You can't go wrong."


I nodded, saying, "Sounds like a nice thing to have. I'll accept a Signet." I wasn't familiar with the idea behind conquest, but trading in points for free items sounded pretty good.


Crying Wind nodded, and then raised his hand over my head, and muttered a few syllables under his breath. I saw a small nimbus of light appear before me, and then vanish quickly. I felt maybe a little different, like someone was watching me.


"There you are," he said with another grin. "Now you're taking part in the Republic conquest. Make sure to do us proud out there." He laughed, and clapped a hand on my shoulder in an almost-staggering blow.


"Thanks," I said, making a conscious effort not to rub my now-sore shoulder. "So..I'll just go and talk to Musketeer Rashid, then." I turned toward Rashid's post, noticing the line by him had at least shrunk a little bit.


It actually didn't take long before the line moved and I was able to speak with Rashid again.


"Good afternoon, Rashid," I said with a smile. "I'm back to see if you have any small missions available for me. I got a letter from Invincible Shield that convinced me to try and help the Republic."


"So I see," he replied dryly, and took a moment to consult a sheet of paper. "Well, I have one that just requires a short trip into the Zeruhn mines to receive a report from the overseer, Makarim. Once you obtain that, take it to the guard at the President's office, Sir Naji." He paused, and then added, "That would be through the Metalworks district, up on the top floor." He nodded his head, and then asked, "Do you wish to accept this mission?"


I considered a moment, then nodded my head. "I accept this mission, Rashid," I said with another smile. "So..get a report from overseer Makarim in the mines, and bring it to Sir Naji in the Metalworks? That's it?" It seemed simple, but I was determined not to screw it up.


Rashid nodded back, saying, "Exactly. Make sure you come back and see me when you finish. Unfortunately, this job does not carry a gil reward, but it will allow me to issue you assignments that do." He shrugged, and added, "We all have to start somewhere." He laughed, a short, somewhat harsh sound.


"Thank you," I said with another smile. "I'll take care of this right away." I turned, and began heading toward the west, where the mines entrance was located.


"Good luck," called Rashid, and raised a hand to me as I turned back to look. I raised my own hand in reply, and set off to fulfill my first mission for the Republic of Bastok.

New Recruit (Spring, 898)

I spent the next couple hours concentrating intensely on copper ingots. I picked it up pretty easily after the test, especially with a little private tutelage from Fatimah.


"Keep the shape of the copper ingot foremost in your mind," she offered after one successful synth. "You were struggling near the end there; you almost lost it."


"Can you read my mind?" I asked jokingly, laughing a little to myself.


"No," she replied with a smirk, "I can see your concentration wavering in the crystal's energy. If it wavers too much, that's when you lose control and your synthesis fails." She shrugged, then added, "You're progressing well, but you just need to maintain a little more focus to minimize any synthesis failures."


I nodded my head, and took a fresh set of materials in hand, vowing silently to keep my concentration solely on this next synth. After a short moment of preparation, I released the crystal's power in the now-familiar way.


"Very nice," came the praise from Fatimah, sounding faint in the roar of the flames. I continued to hold my concentration on the desired final form of a copper ingot, noticing that it actually was getting a lot easier as my confidence grew.


The flames roared higher, culminating in the final burst of energy that could only mean a successful synthesis. I set the very warm ingot aside to cool. In a few moments, I would be able to examine it for any flaws.


"Your concentration was spot on that time," said Fatimah. "You've picked up on this ingot synthesis very quickly, Aspen. Maybe we'll have to challenge you a little bit more." She laughed softly, and picked up the ingot I had just set aside, apparently heedless of the heat.


"Not bad at all," she said after a moment's appraisal. "Your edges are more clearly defined that the last few. Not that it makes much difference in an ingot, but it will make them stack nicely in the storeroom."


I nodded, happy to be getting the praise of the head of the guild. "I think I'm just about done for the day," I said with a smile. "I'm just about out of fire crystals, and I'm starting to get a bit hungry." I looked to the stack of completed ingots, silently trying to figure out how much gil I had earned that day.


"You should have no problem getting a nice lunch with the gil you'll make today," said Fatimah with another soft laugh. "I see eight copper ingots here..I mean, nine," she amended, placing the one she was still holding on top of the stack. "You can sell these to the guild with Teerth, or you can pay for the materials and take them to the auction house." She paused, then added, "Although I'll warn you, the auction house will only accept them singly or in a stack of twelve."


"So if I make three more, I could sell them more easily?" I was intrigued by the idea of selling them on the auction house, but that meant I would have to come up with some gil to pay Teerth for the ores. "Or maybe I'll just sell with Teerth," I added hastily, thinking of my poor, aching supply of gil.


"Most newer recruits do," she said with a laugh. "When you build up a little stash of gil, it becomes easier to just buy the materials and sell them yourself. Or use them for crafting other things."


I nodded, and began picking up the small ingots of copper. "Thank you for all the help today," I said with a smile. "I think I'm beginning to see why some get so addicted to synthesis. It's actually a lot of fun." I laughed, and scooped the last ingot up into the pile.


"As long as you can maintain that attitude, you'll go far," she replied with a lovely smile. "It's these crafters who can't see the wonder in each synth that burn out and turn it into a horrible chore." She shrugged, then added, "Just go slowly, and your skills will increase with time. It's not a race to the top."


I nodded, considering the advice carefully. I wanted to become an accomplished craftsman, this was true. But to try and rush through it would certainly end up taking a lot of the enjoyment out of it. I didn't want this to become just another drudging job.


"Thank you again," I said with a nod toward Fatimah. "I'll try to come back tomorrow and make more ingots. Will I see you then?" I blushed faintly, hoping she wouldn't notice the color in my cheeks.


"If I'm not, you can seek instruction from any of your new colleagues," she offered with a smile. "Wulfnoth is one of my best, as is Ulrike. You can find them in the room across from the shop," she said with a wave of her hand. "And if I'm here, I'll provide some instruction, of course."


I nodded again, and stepped for the shop counter, saying, "Thank you again, Fatimah."


She smirked, replying, "What are you thanking me for? You're the one supplying the talent." She laughed again, and disappeared around the corner towards her desk. I laughed as well, shaking my head as I walked toward the shop counter.


I began placing my ingots on the counter. lining them up for Teerth's inspection. He looked at me, and smiled that fearsome grin of his.


"Fatimah liked the look of you, aye?" he asked, before letting out a deep laugh. "Decided to give you a chance in her guild. And it looks like you ain't done half bad." He laughed again, picking up a few of the ingots for inspection.


"Thank you," I said, mustering a smile. "Fatimah told me I could sell these to the guild through you. Pocket some earnings, so to speak." I laughed, but I think it came out more like a nervous chuckle.


"Indeed," Teerth replied with a smile. "Let's see..you've got nine ingots to sell, minus the cost of the ores.." He trailed off, looking down at a piece of paper which, no doubt, had the current prices on it. "You did lose a couple of ores in the beginning," he said with a smile, "which we'll have to count in there."


"Of course," I said with a returned smile. It didn't look nearly as ferocious as his, though.


"I can give you sixty gil apiece for the ingots," he said after a moment's thought. "It's a slightly better price than normal, but we can use the extra stock..and you could certainly use the extra gil." He laughed again, the booming sound filling the room.


Why did people keep commenting that I needed the gil?


"So after expenses, that comes up to..one hundred and forty-one gil in your favor." He smiled, and reached into a cash drawer on the other side of the counter, and began counting out the gil quickly.


I nodded my head, pleased with the results of a day's labor. I made a mental note to myself to check out how much the ingots would sell for on the auction house, be it individually or as a group of twelve.


"Here you are," Teerth's deep voice interrupted me, as he handed me a small pouch of gil. "You can count it if you want, but we ain't in the habit of cheating our new recruits." He laughed loudly again, and I nodded my head.


"No," I said with a grin, "I trust you. I'll be back another day, Teerth. Thank you for all the help." I turned from the counter, and walked towards the door of the guild.


It wasn't a lot of gil, but it was a fair amount for someone just starting out. I was pretty sure that it wouldn't have even covered the crystals I used, though. Maybe tomorrow I would look into buying the materials myself and selling the ingots on the auction house.


I headed back up the stairs and looped around the fountain, heading toward home. Maybe this afternoon I could see if the gate guards needed any small missions done.

Craft Work (Spring, 898)

I stood there for what felt like a very long time, just looking down at the materials that Fatimah had placed in front of me. I mean, I knew the basics of crystal synthesis inside and out, but it didn't help that I had never worked with fire before.

It also didn't help that I had the head of the goldsmithing guild watching my every move.

"Just relax," Fatimah said, giving me an easy smile. "Keep the image of the end result in your mind, and access the power of the crystal. As long as you keep your concentration on the finished product, the crystal should do all the work for you."

I nodded my head, and turned my gaze over to the ingot sitting on the desk, taking a brief moment to study it closely. When I was satisfied with the mental image, I nodded my head again, stepped closer to the desk, and took the small chunks of red stone in one hand and the fire crystal in the other.

I closed my eyes, letting the image of the copper ingot fill my mind. I felt a sudden rush of heat in my left hand, where the crystal was.

"Now," came the voice of Fatimah, "let the crystal release its power, but slowly. You're the one in charge." She giggled, a soft sound like small, tinkling bells.

I complied mentally, slowly allowing the crystal's power to seep out toward the components. The heat in my left hand began growing in small increments, and I began to feel echoes of that heat from the rocks in my other hand.

"Very nice," offered Fatimah, from what seemed like miles away.

I didn't reply, but tried instead to keep the image of the finished ingot foremost in my mind. It was difficult with the heat of the crystal flaring up in my palm, and I think I began to sweat from the effort.

Suddenly, there was a loud pop from my hand, and the heat in my hands flared once more before dying out. I opened my eyes slowly, and looked down at my hands.

Instead of a bright ingot of copper, I now held only two red rocks and a handful of ashes. The synth was a failure!

"I'm..I'm sorry," I stammered, looking over to Fatimah. I knew that my cheeks were flushed from embarassment. I had just blown a synth in front of a room full of professional goldsmiths.

Fatimah nodded her head, and said, "What's there to be sorry about, Aspen? You had wonderful control over your energy, especially for a first synthesis. Frankly, I would have been more surprised if you had gotten it right on your first try." She giggled again, the sound cheering me up a little.

"I see," I said, trying to recover from my failure. "Why didn't you tell me that from the beginning?"

"If you knew you weren't supposed to succeed, there's no way you would have been successful. It would have been a complete and utter failure." She paused a moment, then added, "You were doing fine up until the very end. You must have let yourself get distracted somehow."

"I suppose," I said with a nod. "So does this mean.." I trailed off, looking to Fatimah for some kind of explanation.

"Of course," she said with a smile. "I would be happy to have you in the goldsmithing guild, Aspen. It seems like you've got a lot of potential."

I smiled, my enthusiasm returning quickly. "Thank you, Fatimah," I said with a short bow of my head. "I would be happy to be the new recruit."


"Well, we can put you to work synthing ingots for a while," she replied. "Once you've gotten comfortable with that, we'll try some other formulae. You can set your own working hours, and we'll pay you based on what you make, subtracting the material costs." She paused, then added, "Of course, if you make something nice and want to sell it on the auction house, you're free to do that. You just have to cover the full material cost."


I nodded, then asked, "What about crystals? Do I have to bring my own, or can I buy them from the guild?" I only had a couple crystals to my name, and didn't think that would get me through many synths.


Fatimah laughed, saying, "You should bring your own. We can't discount the prices at all, so you can usually get a better deal on the auction house. Of course, you could always try to hunt them down yourself outside." She shrugged briefly, and then added, "Was there anything else you needed to know?"


"I don't think so," I said with a smile. "I'm eager to start working. Can I put in any time today?" I was eager to start, if only because my gil pouch was getting a little empty.


"If you like," she replied with a short nod. "Oh, before I forget," she added, opening another drawer in her desk and rummaging around inside. After a moment, she produced a large cluster of glowing red fire crystals, and put them on the desk.


"These are for you," she said with a large smile. "Consider them a congratulatory present. Welcome to the goldsmith guild, Aspen."

Will Work for Gil! (Spring, 898)

I entered Bastok's Market district through a nondescript gate, and proceeded down a somewhat narrow street. I was immediately aware of the number of other people in the confines of the avenue. People were lined up along the sides and against walls, trying to sell their wares out of small bazaars.


It made progress a little slow, mainly because any steps close to any of these merchants was taken as an interest in whatever they were selling. I heard more sales pitches in that short span of road than I think I'd heard in my entire life thus far.


I wove my way carefully through the labyrinth of vendors, carefully shaking my head and looking away whenever one of them addressed me. Eventually, I reached the short flight of stairs leading up to what looked like a main rotunda area. I could see the top of what looked like a pretty massive fountain in the center.


I walked up the stairs and crossed the plaza on the north side, keeping just enough of my gaze off the fountain to avoid the various bazaars and pedestrians in the area.


"Hey, you!" I heard from somewhere off to my right. "You need to make some quick gil?"


I turned toward the voice, seeing a blonde Hume waving me over. I nodded my head, and crossed over to where he was leaning against the wall.


"That's what I thought," he said with a wry smile. "Every one's out to make their fortune these days. But I'm one who delivers. My name is Foss, and I'd like you to hear my proposition."


I nodded again, saying, "I'll listen to your offer, Foss. I'm Aspen" I was cautious, but willing to hear him out. Especially after noting all the new things I would need to furnish my home. If he was honest about it, it might turn out to be a good deal.


"Here's the thing," he said, his voice dropping a bit. "In the time of the crystal war, they used buckets for hauling minerals from the mines to the Metalworks."


I nodded, wondering why I was getting the impromptu history lesson.


"Eventually," he went on, "the buckets would break or warp and become useless. The workers would pitch them over the side, into the gulf." He indicated somewhat westerly with his arm. "Most of them are still there."


I nodded, with him so far. "And what does this have to do with me making gil?"


"Well," he said with a smile, "I'm a..collector of sorts, you could say. And I'm willing to pay for any of these buckets you bring me. I'll give you sixty gil per bucket, with no limit on how many." He nodded his head with a smile, then added, "I'll also tell any of my friends about you if they're offering work."


I considered a brief moment, then nodded my head. "Alright, Foss," I said with a smile, "if I find any of these buckets, I'll trade them to you for sixty gil apiece. Any advice on how I might get ahold of them?"


He chuckled, scratching his chin briefly. "I'll tell you what I do know," he said with a grin. "Sometimes anglers bring them up by mistake when they think they have a massive fish. Must be a pretty amusing sight." He chuckled again, and then added, "Best place to try would be off the edge of Firewater Circle here into the gulf."


"I'll keep that in mind," I said with a nod. "By the way, can you tell me where the Goldsmith guild is?"


He nodded, with another short chuckle. "I guess you really are new here. I know how to pick 'em out." He pointed eastward, saying, "Head back the way you came, and take the smaller staircase to the right. Follow along the aqueduct, and it'll be on the left side."


I nodded with a smile, and said, "Thank you. Until we meet again, Foss."


I began walking back around the edge of the fountain, hearing Foss begin calling other people out of the crowd as I left. I wasn't in any hurry to begin fishing, but at least it could be a source of income if nothing else paid off.


I followed Foss' directions, and found the Goldsmith guild with no trouble at all. It was a low-profile building situated along the stone aqueduct. It was surrounded by some wealthy-looking homes and a shop specializing in musical instruments. I took a moment to look around, and then pushed the door open and went in.


A large Hume man stood behind the counter, and turned toward me as I walked in.


"Welcome to the Bastok Goldsmith's guild," he said with a wide smile. To be honest, it looked a little frightening on him. "You look a bit lost, friend. is there anything I can help you with?"


"I was hoping to speak to someone about employment," I answered with a smile that belied my nervousness. "I might be interested in signing up for the guild."


The man let out a massive, booming laugh, and said, "We always welcome new recruits to our ranks. My name's Teerth, and I run the shop with Visala, here." He waved one large hand to indicate a quiet Hume woman standing beside him. To be honest, Teerth had commanded my attention so much I hadn't even noticed her standing there.


"Pleased to meet you," I said, with a nod toward both of them. "Who would I talk to about possibly securing some employment?"


"That would be Fatimah," came the quiet reply from Visala. "She normally handles the new recruits." She smiled, and added, "She's through the door to your left, probably at her desk with her lenses. Best of luck."


I nodded, saying, "Thank you both. With a little luck, you'll be seeing me again soon."


I entered the right-side room, keeping my eyes open for anyone matching Visala's description. Sure enough, against the wall there was a short Hume woman peering into a lens device. I walked up to her desk, and stood there for a moment, unsure of whether to interrupt or not.


"Well?" she said after I had stood there a while. "What can I do for you? You're obviously new here." She didn't look up from her lens at all while addressing me, which put me off a little bit.


"Umm, hello," I said, mentally berating myself for being so nervous. "My name is Aspen, and I'm interested in signing up for the guild here." I smiled, then added, "I'm new to Bastok, and looking for a way to help make ends meet."


"I see.." Fatimah said, and finally raised her gaze to meet mine. "I'm Fatimah, and I run this place." She paused to look me over, then added, "You certainly do look like you're new in town. Are you signed with any other guilds yet? I'm quite the jealous guildmistress."


"No," I said with a weak smile, "This was my first stop. Your guild's reputation precedes it."


"That's good to hear," she said, finally giving me a smile. She was actually an attractive woman, once she got her face out of her lenses. "Can you do any kind of synthesis at all?"


I nodded, saying, "I used to make arrowheads for my brother back home. I haven't done much beyond that, to be honest. Nothing with metals, yet."


"I see," she said with a nod. I thought maybe I sensed a little disappointment in her tone, but she was a tough woman to read. "I'd be interested in trying you out, Aspen." She reached under her desk, and pulled out a handful of small, reddish rocks and placed them on the desk.


"I'd like you to try and form these into an ingot of copper for me," she said with a smile. She reached into the desk again, and pulled out some glowing fire crystals and a small copper ingot, then added, "You can use these fire crystals, and here's what the finished product should look like."

I looked down at the materials on the desk top, and nodded my head. Inside, I was panicking a little. I'd never done any synthesis with fire before, and had never worked with metals, either. This could end up going really badly for me.


"Well," said Fatimah after a moment, "show us what you've got, Aspen."