An Introduction

The few sickly trees and large mountains of southern gustaburg made kimalla a lot less uncomfortable than it should. Being a Mithra she was supposed to have grown up in the middle of the forests of windurst or their ancestral home of Elshimo Island. That was a life that she never knew though. She was born and raised in Bastok the homeland of the Humes and Galka. The only time she had ever been to Windurst was to bury her Grandmother. She had never even seen a map of Elshimo let alone set foot on it. So she was at home here with the Minewoks and Technology that only the humes and Galka could provide.

Her family had come over to Bastok to aid the other races during the time of the Great War. Her Grandmother had been a respected fighter and leader. Following the Pacification of the Yagudo she led a contingent of Mithra and Tarutaru to bastok to help fight the beastman menace here. Kimalla's mother had fought in the war as well. Although she was a strong and agile warrior she was wounded by an Goblin in the Valkurnum dunes. That was where she looked after by her future husband, Kimallas father. Whenever Kimalla asked why they never moved back to Windurst her mother replied, "Because it will never be the same, the death has tainted it." So she grew up in Bastok.

Now at the age of 19 Kimalla was moving out into the world. She has become one of the Adventurers that explore around Vana'diel. Helping people and keeping back the tide of beastmen. Well that was the theory anyway but at present she was still wandering round South Gustaburg killing Hornets and saplings.

"When are we going to do something decent? I mean we're a lean mean fighting team. Surely we could do something better than this!" The complaint came from the teams resident Hume, Rowan, as he pointed at the now dead body of the Vulture they had just killed. Rowan was a fairly beefy hume. Just shy of 6ft tall and quite wide across the shoulders. He was the main warrior of the group. His suit of Bronze armour gleamed slightly in the midday sun as he put his axe onto his back. "We're supposed to be coming out here to get experience fighting as a team. Sure I've learnt somethings but when are we going to fight something...Bigger." Rowan was also known for being rash. Another child of an ex war hero he had been pushed to eminate his fathers deeds and seek out the adventuring life. His family and Kimalla's were old friends, partly why she was wearing a similiar bronze outfit to the one he was, it had been donated from that family to her.

"These things will suffice for the moment." rumbled the groups biggest member. His name was Takker although the humes called him Quiet River. A large and generally quiet Galka he had met the rest of the group only a year before. When asked why he searched out the group specifically he kept quiet. No one except the Galka really know what they remember from their previous life. He was however a grateful addition to the party. Deep and complex, he fought with his hands and could move quickly for one his size. Although he did spend much of his time in meditation and prayer he could always be counted upon when needed.

"I've heard they found a Hume who had been beaten to death by a Sapling just down from here. He was beaten black and blue...very nasty." That from an Elvaan named T'lesta. The groups healer was just taller than Rowan but a lot less bulky. She was still athlectic and as graceful as only that fair race can be. Her face was long and elegant, her eyes deep and thoughtful and her hair was long and blonde like one of the characters from the Elvaan sagas. Although she still carried the pride and arrogance of her race she was an oddity. Not many Elvaan mages could be found. This was due to San'Dorias emphasis on swordplay and combat. Beneath her usually confident exterior sat the seed of doubt and a heart of gold.

"Well if any of them try that on our hume I'll burn em up." Came the highly excitable voice of the last of them. Mugal-Stugal the Tarutaru mage. A happy go lucky Taru whose optimism was a welcome break from the troubles of the world. His family were in Bastok for a very simple reason. Supposidly humes made bad food. Mugals father was a master chief. They owned a shop just off the market district (and a cart in the mining district) and did surprisingly well. Mugal wasn't interested in making food though. Living with humes had made him ambitious. So he went with the group and helped them with his magic.

"No offense Mugal but I don't think you have the power or the ability to burn up some toast, let alone a sapling." Said Rowan as he scanned the area. "I mean you could only "just" get rocks to hit that last vulture."

"Well at least I hit it. Try aiming with your Axey-Waxy next time. Maybe then 'lesta won't have to keep sealing you up again." Retorted Mugal. The argument wasn't real, it was a sign of their friendship.The banter was always friendly and was as much a part of the group as any of the members. Althought she might not show it Kimalla was glad to have this group with her, they were good people who would look out for each other.

Kimalla walked away from the group to search for anything else that might need "dealing with." Sure all they had got was Hornets and saplings and vultures. She knew that the group could deal with more than they were currently facing. It was caution that was all. Maybe they were ready to take on...

Just as she clambered onto a rock she stopped and crouched low. As if summoned by her thoughts a large Quadev was prowling around. The Turtle like beastman was around 9ft tall. Larger than Takker. He carried a hammer in one hand and had a large brush helm on his reptilian face. He was searching for something. Turning over rocks with his feet and scanning the brush with his beady eyes. Kimalla turned round to the rest of the group to signal for the attack. The group was ready and able to take a lone Quadev, especially if they had surpise on their side. Fourtunatly takker was watching her as she scouted the area. Kimalla clenched her fist to signify quiet and made a cutting motion to indicate that a fight was at hand. Altough she was far away she knew Takker must of rumbled a warning as the group stopped talking and looked at her. Slowly they started to draw their weapons and readied their spells. All the banter and playfullness that was there a second ago dissolved as the group prepared for combat. Kimalla went to turn back round to view the Quadev when the earth moved. One second she was on the rock she had climbed onto, the next she was on the floor beside it. Whats more the rock she was previously on was moving, it was getting higher, it was standing?

"Quadev ambush." Yelled a voice back in the area of her friends. She wasn't sure who shouted. All she saw was the beaked face staring at her and the cruel look in its eyes. A brief look of Triumph gleamed before all was replaced by a glint off a sword. A large sword that was coming down fast. Kimalla focused eveything she had into moving away form the killer blow. Nothing excisted except her, the sword and the space inbetween them. Time went slower as she rolled away from the weapon. The sword hit the ground inches from her face. With agility only a mithra could possess, Kimalla jumped to her feet. Time was still crawling as the beastman swung his sword horizontally at her, aiming to cut her mid-section. Again she watched as the spartha arced towards her. The blow missed but only just as the catgirl moved back. The Quadev followed through with a blow from his shield hand that Kimalla noticed and ducked under. In one move she unsheathed her dagger and while the Turtle was still off balance she swiped upwards cutting along his forearm. A howl of pain erupted from the beaked face althought the damage was only light she knew it must have pained him. Then a new voice could be heard, harsh sounding words echoed across the dull landscape. Kimalla couldn't understand what was said but the Quadev now looked furious as it turned round to face Rowan. The party had arrived.

"Thats right you big lummox and it goes for your hatchlings too." Rowan was standing axe in hand ready to fight. With a roar the Quadev ignored Kimalla and ran at the hume, sword held high. As the weapon came down the blow was deflected by Rowans shield. Quickly he struck the thing with his axe. The weapon connected just over the Quadev's right hand thigh. It came back with green blood on it. The beast roared with a new pain as it readied itself for another blow. It never came. From behind Rowan came two large furry fists. Each capped in a halo of bronze. One connected with the face and one swung just past over the Quadevs brush helm.

A voice rasied itself over the caphony of metal and warcries. "I call upon the element of water, lend me your strength and your power, through my body you shall form, strike my enemy with your fury." A shimmer engulfed the turtleman as droplets of water turned upon him. Individual drops struck him at such speed that a green ichor oozed from the areas where they hit. Again he roared, this time more in anger than in agony. Ignoring the attacks of the other members the Quadev struck Rowan a nasty blow. A cut opened on the hume from right shoulder to just below his left ribs. This time it was the Humes turn to shout in pain. But just as soon as the blow was struck the warrior was surronded in a glowing nibmusof the light and the wounds were sealed. T'lesta was deep in concentration

As all of this unfolded Kimalla had regained her fighting stance. After the Quadev's charge to Rowan she was left quite a distance from the fight. Calmly she drew the bow from her back and knocked a wood arrow. Aiming carefully she let loose directly into the beastman. Unfourtunatly her quarry turned at the last moment and the arrow bounced from it's hard shell. It was then that she noticed the leather holder dangling by the Quadevs side. Once more she drew her dagger as she ran into the fight and aimed right for the pouches strings. In an movement that seemed too natural she cut the strings and caught the falling holder in her left hand. It felt heavy and cold in her hand. A bronze coin minted by the Yagudo lay in side.

Even as she assessed the worth of her new "possession" she was targerted for an attack. However this attack did not come form the Quadev they were fighting The world around Kimalla went white and then steadily dulled. The air from her lungs was knocked out and even though she could still breathe she felt her strength ebbing away. Turning around she saw the Quadev she first saw pointing at her and speaking in it's own intelligable language. The beast was wreathed in a haze of light similar to when T'lesta or Mugal cast a spell. Unable to speak due to the magical assualt Kimalla could only watch as the Quadev priest drew breath and cast another spell. The light around the priest intensified as it chanted and then raced along it's hammer as it pointed at it's partner. From the shouts of surprise behind her Kimalla knew that the priest had just healed the warrior turtle as T'lestia had healed Rowan.

This was it. The fighting Quadev was holding it's ground against both Rowan and Takker. T'lesta was looking exhausted already as she healed up some wounds on the Galka. Mugal was preparing another spell and even as she watched he counjered up some rocks that flew at the fighting beastman. The situation was not good. In the seconds since the wind was knocked from her, Kimalla had realised that the priest needed to be taken out or the party would not survive. However the group could not fight both the fighter and the priest at once. Even as these ideas went through her head she knew what needed to be done. Alone she stood no chance against the Quadev Priest. But if she could distract it long enough for her party to kill the warrior they might still live. With a grim detirmination in her eyes she turned and ran towards her target. The bronze dagger she held glinting in the afternoon sun.

When the warrior Quadev first struck the time in Kimallas world had slowed to a crawl. As she ran towards the priest she realised that time had gone back to its natural flow. All too soon she was beside the beastman with her dagger stabbing into it's side. More by luck than skill the retaliatory blow sailed over her head. Quickly she removed the dagger from the beasts leathery skin and struck again. However this time the blow rang off a piece of armour that looked as though it was a part of the creature before her. Off balance and unprepared Kimalla could do nothing to avoid the blow from the hammer that came for her left thigh. The blow and the pain drove the catgirl to the warm floor of the gustaburg wasteland. Again time slowed to a crawl but this time it was a whole diffrent case than before, Kimalla was helpless. In morbid fascination she watched as the quadev priest realised the situation. She watched as the hammer was raised for the killing blow. The lines in the Quadev's face became clearer and more detailed. She watched as the face before her turned from surpise to a beaked grin of victory. Calmly she saw how a glow surronded the beast, how the killing blow was readied, how the arms stopped...

Stopped?

Without thinking the dagger Kimalla carried was readied and thrust deep into the Quadevs vital areas. Green blood erupted from the wound covering the ground and Kimalla in an emerald sheen. A look of shock and pain crossed the priests face. Freed from it's paralysis the beastman staggered back and emmited a roar full of pain. eyes on Kimalla it charged again all notion of intelligence and magic gone from it's mind. Again the hammer raised for a blow. Again the blow never fell. A large furry foot suddenly sped over Kimallas right shoulder and straight into the Priests face. Even as the foot connected two fists arced in for timed blows. Smashing into the quadevs gut they left brief imprints where they struck. The look of pain was replaced with the sightless gaze that could mean only one thing. The beast may be still standing but it was dead.

A deep quiet filled the area. Even the wind seemed to stop during the moments after the fight. The body of the priest stayed erect for many seconds after the last blow was struck. It's attacking stance only wavering slightly. Then all at once the arms went limp and the light vanished from the eyes. The beast toppled over backward into the dust that was gustaburg. For a while only the call of a nearby rock lizard dared to break the silence. Kimalla turned round to face the rest of the party. Takker was stood nearest to her, his face attempting to remain impassive but his eyes betrayed him. He was pained but it would have to wait until later. Rowan stood atop the quadev fighter. He was attempting to retrieve his axe from the beastmans skull. Mogul was sitting against a rock breathing deeply, obviously exhausted. Surprisingly it was the quietiest member of the group that broke the silence.

"I...I paralysed the priest. I hope that was ok?"