Heres Chapter 2 in this collection of stories I hope everyone enjoys! Oh yeah I own nothing except the game.
2
Party:
Journey to Jeuno
Sogre got off the boat in Selbina. He looked around and it resembled Mhaura except instead of a rocky ground there was sand, also the temperature was much higher, it felt like he had left fall and descended in to summer. The boat ride plagued Sogre's mind what would he say if he saw someone he knew from Windurst? Sogre felt as though he had failed one of his good friends and that thought would plague him for many years to come.
The boat arrived in Selbina during the morning hours but it did not dock until dusk. Sogre walked through customs and wondered what he would do now. He knew he couldn't go back to Windurst and he didn't know the area very well either. Sogre walked out into the town and looked around, to his left there was a pub and to the right a weapon and armor shop. Sogre couldn't recall the last time he ate so he trudged off towards the pub. The pub was large and filled with many people of all races. Sogre sat down in a booth and waited for the attractive Mithra waitress to come take his order. She was indeed beautiful with red hair pulled into two small pig tails in the back of her head. She approached Sogre and took out her note pad. "Hello sirrr I'm Daisy and I will be yourrrr waitrrrress this evening, what will it be?" she asked. "I'll have…a slice of pumpkin pie with a jug of apple juice please." Sogre said, Daisy wrote this down and walked away. Sogre began to think what he could do then, he over heard a group of adventurers talking at the table across from him. He strained his ears to hear what they were saying, he heard the Hume male tell the Galka something about Jeuno and how it's the town every one goes to. Sogre tried to get a little closer and he heard a little Tarutaru pipe in "Wait I need to go get a worm for my quest!" Daisy returned with Sogre's food, she placed it in front of him but he didn't notice he was too intent on hearing the conversation the adventurers were having. "We need a cleric if we wish to pursue that task Kataru." A tall Elvaan said. Sogre knew how to treat some injuries however, nothing too major. He was contemplating on approaching the adventurers then it happened: his chair was too weak and he was leaning too far over, Sogre fell off his seat with a very loud crash that drew all attention in the room towards him including that of the adventurers he was eavesdropping upon. The Galka walked over and helped Sogre to his feet, Sogre mumbled a thanks. He was blushing bright red, he had never been so embarrassed in his life. But he seized this opportunity to talk to the adventurers, "Um, excuse me but I couldn't help but over hear that you were in need of a cleric?" The group of adventurers looked at Sogre then the Elvaan mumbled something to the Hume, the Galka nodded towards Sogre. "Are you a cleric?" the Elvaan asked, his voice was soft and calm. "I can heal your injuries." responded Sogre knowing that he could not cleanse their body if they were poisoned. The group of adventurers talked amongst themselves for a few minutes occasionally looking up from their huddle and examining Sogre. "You're hired." the Elvaan said. Sogre sat down next to his new comrades and in the morning they would set off to find Kataru's worm but in the mean time he would finish his meal with the adventurers that he just met and worry what he would do when he got to Jeuno later.
Sogre awoke early the next morning. After they finished their meal the night before the five of them checked into a hotel for the night. The Elvaan was called Ban, the Hume L.T., the Tarutaru has already been introduced as Kataru, and the Galka was called Snow Ball. They met in the lobby; some of them had to gear up before leaving the safety of the town. Sogre sat on a old junky couch that had springs popping out of the cushions while Ban stood in a corner. Sogre was nervous to be setting out on a real adventure with real adventurers; he could hardly conceal his excitement. Sogre began to day dream about the hero he would someday become until he heard music. Sogre remembered this music because he had awoken in the middle of the night to sad yet lovely music. He turned around and saw that the music was coming from Ban! Ban was playing a wooden harp with such passion yet gentleness Sogre couldn't help but feel the pain in the poor Elvaan's heart as he played. L.T. and Snow Ball walked in with Kataru nipping at their heels. "Are we all set then?" Ban said as he put his harp away. Snow Ball nodded and the five adventurers left the inn and set off for the Valkurm Dunes.
Sogre was very nervous when he first laid eyes on the dunes, it was all desert as far as his eyes could see, nothing but fiends and sand. "Don't get too discouraged little guy, there are a few beaches around here. But such a shame we won't be visiting them." L.T. said to Sogre. The group set off towards the north they were hunting a worm from a damsel fly; these flies were extremely large and over grown dragon flies with deadly venom. Kataru explained that he needed a worm from the stomach of one of them for an experiment or a potion or something of that sort, Sogre wasn't paying attention when he was explaining but nor was everyone else. After a while of walking Sogre sat down "Can we rest a little please?" he panted, the poor Tarutaru was falling prey to heat exhaustion. L.T. handed Sogre a canteen of water, "Sure little fella." He said. Ban and Snow Ball kept walking they said they were going to scout the area for flies and blow a whistle if they found one. L.T. sat next to Sogre "So where do you come from?" "Windurst." Sogre said praying that L.T. wouldn't ask him why he left and decided to come to this hellish place yet he had no such luck because the next question that came from L.T.'s mouth was "Why did you come here of all places? I thought the Tarutaru hated the dry and desolate regions of Vana 'diel." Sogre was thinking of a way to explain it so he would not have to tell L.T. of the incident on the boat. "I uh.." stammered Sogre fighting for words then he heard it, a whistle a little north from their location. "Looks like we'll have to save that answer for later." L.T. said picking up his giant axe and running towards the sound of Ban's whistle. Sogre and Kataru followed behind him.
When Sogre, Kataru and L.T. got to the scene of the Damsel Fly battle they saw Snow Ball attempting to hit the fly with his sword and Ban was playing a magical tune on his flute. L.T. entered the fray immediately injuring the fly greatly with his axe. Kataru and Sogre ran over to Ban, if the fly turned its attention to them it could swallow them whole in one bite! Kataru began to utter words of magic and Sogre stood next to Ban also casting a spell. Snow Ball parried the attacks of the fly while striking back when possible however he was unable to deal a critical blow to the beast. L.T. was not able to make much more progress than Snow Ball every chance he had to cut off the fly's wings with his axe the fly swerved to either the left and the right so L.T. would just strike downwards into the sand. Sogre finished casting his spell before Kataru did; Sogre altered the time barrier surrounding the fly so its movement was greatly reduced. Kataru finished his spell shortly after, fire built up in his hands and he threw three fire balls at the fly, it howled in pain and agony. This was the opportunity that Snow Ball and L.T. needed, Snow Ball hit the fly's left wing with his sword with all his might and L.T. leapt onto the right one, both men severed the wings and the body fell to the ground. "Put it out of its misery Kataru." Ban instructed. Kataru spoke a few more words of magic and the sand the fly was laying upon folded over it, the fly moved and struggled to get free after a while it stopped writhing and Kataru let the veil of sand and rock fade. Much to Kataru's dismay there was no worm where the fly had decomposed. The other four sighed as well because it meant that they had to hunt down more flies.
The adventurers spent the entire day hunting down and killing flies but alas they found nothing. Kataru had given hopes of getting what he needed until he saw another fly. Despite the other men being tired and exhausted from their previous battle Kataru began casting a spell regardless. Snow Ball followed Kataru's lead and began taking stabs at the fly with his sword; L.T. was on the other side of the fly getting ready to strike with his axe. Ban began singing a song that would cheer up his allies and hopefully give them enough strength to get through this last battle. Sogre began chanting a spell to hinder the fly's sight so it could easily be attacked by L.T. and Snow Ball. Kataru unleashed his spell, the air around the fly rapidly grew colder, the wind fused together and created a ball of ice which proceeded to fall unto the fly knocking it unconscious. L.T. severed the fly's head with his axe. Once it began to decompose Kataru's little Tarutaru face lit up with joy as he spotted the worm he needed. Kataru picked it up and stuffed it into a pouch strapped onto his tunic. "We can rest now!" Kataru exclaimed happily. The five adventurers trudged back to the inn and combined they felt as if they brought half the desert with them.
Morning came and they were still tired from their night of celebrating. Snow Ball almost hit it off with the waitress from the pub; Daisy until he vomited all over her clothes. Ban did not partake in the festivities, he went up to his room and played his sad yet calming tune all night long. L.T. drank yagudo drinks until he passed out all over the bar, meanwhile Kataru worked in his room with that worm he obtained, explosions could be heard and foul odors crept out of his room all night long. Sogre went up to Ban's room to listen to the wonderful and melodious playing of the simple yet elegant wooden harp. He sat outside the door way and listened to the harp for what seemed like hours. Ban's playing triggered memories from Sogre's past. Memories of his schooling flowed back to him, friends he had made, his graduation, spells he had tried to cast but gone horribly wrong. Sogre chuckled to himself remembering some things he did when he was younger. Then Ban's melody changed to a sorrowful tone, as the tone changed so did the memories that had flowed back to Sogre. Foul memories of Mixo and Gehe came back, the arguments they had that Sogre blocked out, the boat ride in which Gehe was thrown over board, battles that they had won and the enemies they had vanquished, all of it came flowing back to him in a single rush that overwhelmed him. The music stopped and the oak door opened. A tall Elvaan man with blonde hair spiked up held the door open with one hand and a wooden harp with the other. "What is it?" His voice was gentle. Sogre was still muddled in his memories so he didn't respond at first. Ban asked a second time and Sogre managed to stammer "Oh sorry I was listening to your music." Ban smiled at the small Tarutaru. "Why thank you little one, I have been musically gifted since I was young but I never really acted upon it until recently." Ban said sadly. "You play wonderfully!" Sogre said. "Thank you. You had best be off to bed now for tomorrow we embark on a new journey." "Where to?" Sogre asked. "To Jeuno of course my dear child." Ban replied.
Morning came all too quickly for Snow Ball and L.T. but Sogre, Ban and Kataru woke up refreshed. "Ugh I'm never going to drink again." L.T. moaned as the group trudged off to the east heading for La Theine Plateau. "Well no one told you to go crazy and drink that much." Kataru said matter-of-factly, L.T. smacked him in the back of the head. "Did I really puke all over Daisy?" Snow Ball asked in his hulking voice. "Yeap, you sure did." Ban said. "Damn." Snow Ball responded.
Sogre had gotten use to the heat of the Valkurm Dunes in the past few days he had been there but he was not sad to see it go, although next time he promised himself that he would go to the beaches and enjoy the dunes a little more. Soon they had put the Valkurm Dunes to their backs; they began to see more and more grass and less and less sand to which no one objected. From what Sogre understood the other four people he was traveling with were in the dunes for weeks before he came along, apparently many healers do not linger in the dunes for very long.
La Theine Plateau, lies beyond the Ronfaure region of San d' Oria and is home to many creatures mainly the rarab although many orcs pass by on their way to the Orc strong hold of Davoi. The Plateau itself has many cracks and crevices. Many adventurers disliked the Plateau because of its many levels, as the plateau progresses the ground elevates a little bit and many adventurers find themselves up against a wall of earth as they follow their map. La Theine also had a mystical aura about it, or at least Sogre believed so. Occasionally if you looked up you could see a rainbow appear in the sky.
Fortune smiled upon the adventurers today because there was no rain in the plateau nor was there any wind. "This will be a good day to travel." Ban said admiring the nice weather. Sogre nodded. The friends walked onwards following the dirt path. In the distance Sogre could see an altar, similar to the one he saw in the Canyon which felt like years ago despite it only being a week. L.T. noticed that Sogre's gaze was fixated on the altar. "That's one of the several crags found in the world. There are a total of six that we know of but perhaps there are more in some unexplored region of Vana 'diel. Once you receive its blessing you can travel between that gate freely." L.T. explained. "Well not exactly…" Kataru chirped in. "You can only go to it from a teleportation spell. If a cleric casts a spell to a gate that you haven't opened the door way to then you'll be left behind! It's important to receive the blessing of every gate you find! You never know when it can save you." Sogre looked at the approaching altar with even more fascination now. "Hey Ban, can we go check out that crag?" Sogre finally asked. Ban and the others agreed that it couldn't hurt to go take a look at the great stone crag.
It was the same…
Sogre was astonished at how similar the crags in Tahrongi Canyon and La Theine Plateau looked. He approached the glowing blue cerulean crystal and touched it like he had done in Tahrongi so long ago. Energy flowed through his body and warmed his soul. It was a similar yet different feeling than the one in Tahrongi Canyon.
"The time is approaching, you must free me soon Sogre"
The glowing ended and Sogre stepped down from the altar to rejoin the others who must have already had the blessings of Holla. Sogre heard that strange voice again; it was the same voice that he had heard when he touched the crystal in Tahrongi. Seeing as no one else was looking around for a mystery speaker Sogre must have been the only one to hear its calm voice, what ever it was it was in need of help. From the crag the travelers walked east towards the Jugner Forest, they were close to Jeuno yet they still had a good distance to go and so far their journey had been a pleasant one.
The group made camp in Jugner for the night. They were exhausted and it was getting late out. Sogre and Kataru created a magical fire together that was resistant to water and wind. The magical fire looked like any normal fire, embers floated in the wind, it was of normal temperature the only difference between this fire and a regular fire was that the magical light that radiated from the fire acted as a fiend repellent providing temporary protection from the fiends in the forest.
Everyone gathered around the fire and talked lightly, one by one they drifted off into sleep, the first being the hulking Galka Snow Ball followed shortly by the Hume L.T. then little Kataru. Soon Ban and Sogre were the only ones awake. Sogre was mesmerized by the dancing flames. Ban took out his flute and began to play an uplifting tune softly so he would not wake the sleeping ones. The magical fire responded to the magical tune in a mystical way, from the fire two embers emerged shaped like two Humes. As Ban played his flute the two embers danced and frolicked about, Sogre was amazed and fascinated. "Why is your music magical?" Sogre finally asked. Ban stopped playing and the fire dancers sank back into the hearth. "Not too long ago I was in Jeuno, I sat in the local pub and listened to a well renowned Bard play his music and recite his tales. One day he asked me if I wanted to learn since he had seen me at all of his showings, I told him I did. Then I asked him the very same question you just asked of me. He told me that it was an ancient art. Long ago the people of Vana 'diel locked pieces of their heart into music, great warriors sung about their victories and battles, mages sung about their powerful magic or boasted about their intellect. Such pieces of music that were able to captivate the soul and release long forgotten memories are truly remarkable and sharing them with as many people possible is what being a Bard is truly about." Sogre's almond eyes widened in fascination he was completely wrapped up in Ban's explanation he forgot how tired he was. Sogre's eyelids began to grow heavier and heavier, Ban began to play his flue once more and then Sogre drifted into a deep slumber.
"Everyone wake up!" Ban exclaimed. Everyone woke up immediately and searched for their weapons in the darkness of the night, somehow the magical fire was dispelled and its light of protection faded. During the time there was no light warding off the fiends a band of orcs spotted them sleeping and had attacked. Sogre was the last to awaken; he opened his eyes and saw everyone in their battle stances. "Where's the enemy?" L.T. shouted holding his battle axe Snow Ball standing next to him with his great sword. "Over there!" Kataru exclaimed. Two orcs were crouching behind a large oak behind Ban. Kataru mumbled a spell and the air around the orcs convulsed, and tore their flesh. They howled in pain and charged towards Kataru. The two orcs would have torn Kataru in half with their razor sharp axes if it were not for the intervention of L.T. and Snow Ball. The two warriors stood in between Kataru and the two orcs and with one mighty swing from their weapons they cut the orcs in half, blood spewed everywhere and continued to flow from their corpses. Sogre and Ban fought one together across from Kataru, Sogre attacked with his blade and Ban played a magic tune on his flute that would help Sogre focus in battle. After L.T., Snow Ball and Kataru finished with their orcs they assisted Ban and Sogre and together the five of them disposed of the last remaining orc. "Why did the fire go out?" Sogre asked Kataru, "I don't know." Kataru said obviously disturbed, "Orcs aren't really gifted in magic so it must have been something or someone else." He finished. "Well since we're awake we might as well continue our journey since we obviously are no longer safe in these woods." Ban said starting down the path, the others nodded in agreement.
Kataru and Sogre led the way with their magic light. It was pitch black outside their two spheres of white light. They were the only things that were able to pierce the darkness of Jugner. Without the light guiding them the group would never have been able to see two feet in front of them, Snow Ball had already stepped on Kataru a few times. Sogre thought about the fire as they walked, Ban was the only one awake and he did in fact wake everyone else up. Sogre tinkered with the idea that Ban might have dispelled the magical flames but he quickly dismissed that idea, after all if Ban wanted them dead he just simply would not have woken them up although Sogre felt as if his sudden spell of drowsiness had something to do with Ban's music. The animals local to Jugner made no sounds as the group walked the path, occasionally leaves would fall onto them but it was impossible to see them falling. Owls hooted periodically and the occasional bat flew about them, disturbed by the light. The group walked onwards and as dawn came they were just about out of Jugner. As dawn grew nearer and nearer the friends rested on a hill that overlooked the Batallia Downs.
Kataru sat on a log and caught his breath while Ban stood at the end of the hill looking onwards; L.T. and Snow Ball sat on the ground and drank from their pigskins. "Are we almost there?" Sogre asked. "Yeah almost there little buddy." L.T. asked. "What are you going to do when you get there?" Asked Sogre. L.T. looked perplexed for a moment then responded. "Well I'll probably hit up the local taverns for a bit and check to see if there are any jobs to be done." L.T. answered and Snow Ball nodded as well. Kataru on the other hand had a different response. "Well Sogre I plan to work with the consulate of Windurst with relations between Jeuno and Windurst and do what ever is needed." Sogre got off of his log and went over to Ban who was looking onto the horizon. The sun crept over the Grand Duchy of Jeuno that could be seen in the distance. "Where to now?" Sogre asked Ban. "We have to cross the savannah like Batallia Downs. It's the last leg in our journey but we can not give any less than our best." Ban replied. Sogre's journey was coming to an end, he was saddened that soon he would be parting way with his new friends but at the same time was afraid that someone would recognize him from Windurst and he would have to deal with what happened before he was ready. Sogre gazed at the horizon with Ban. The orange and purple that formed in the sky as the sum was rising was mesmerizing but Sogre could not linger, he had to finish his journey.
After their brief rest the gang descended the hill and began trudging through the Batallia Downs. The Downs was a savannah-like region that bordered one area of Jeuno. Sproutlings, flies and tigers were native to this area, they thrived in the savannah like atmosphere of Batallia Downs. The tigers were big and black; they could easily devour a small Tarutaru. The five of them walked in the arid region, it was not hot on the contrary it was a cold yet dry and arid region. They walked for a while the cold wind lashing against their faces. The group was hungry, their stomachs grumbled, none of them had eaten in a day and a half since they left Selbina. Their feet became sore from walking all night and well into the day, they were exhausted and had no energy left to fend off a fiend if one had attacked them. Midday came and went Sogre was about to pass out when Kataru shouted "There it is! I can see the gates to Jeuno!" Sogre and the others found a new energy within them and charged at full speed towards Jeuno's gates. The gates grew closer and closer and closer and soon enough they were standing in Upper Jeuno.
Sogre looked at Jeuno and was amazed; he had never seen a city so big before. In the distance he could see a great big dome, Ban explained that was there the map of town and the Mog Houses were. Sogre was fascinated by all of this but especially by the big yellow bird like monsters. L.T. explained to him that they were called chocobos, they resembled chickens but they were one of the fastest creatures in Vana 'diel. Soon after L.T. and Snow Ball trudged off to the local bars, Kataru ventured to Ru ' Lude Gardens to work with the consulate and Ban went off on his own way. Sogre wandered around Jeuno for a while before he checked into his Mog House, to his amazement all of his possessions that were in Windurst were magically moved to his new room in Jeuno also the Moogle attendant in his home presented him with an Adventurer's Phone so he could keep track of all the friends he made, just about every adventurer in Vana 'diel owns one.
Sogre spent many months in Jeuno doing various quests for its citizens and vanquishing ferocious monsters along the way. His power kept growing little by little each and every day. For once in his life he was happy to lead a simple uncomplicated life but that would soon change.
Final Fantasy XI: Sogre's Story 2003-2006
--Argos of Bahamut
