Much time had passed since Mara's return to Summer Hold. Since then, she invested her crowns into commissioning an armored dress from a nearby smith. Now was the time to start her adventure. She had just finished packing her belongings and begun heading out when she was stopped by her uncle Lloyd.
"I can't believe you're heading out again," he stated. "Being a wizard sure seems to have its perks."
"Don't worry, Uncle Lloyd," chanted Mara. "I'm not leaving this place forever."
"Promise me that you'll bring back a souvenir," whimpered Lloyd.
"I promise," Mara chuckled.
The two proceeded to hug each other and exchanged goodbyes. Mara continued through Summer Hold, waving goodbye to all of her friends, until she stopped at the entrance. She took one last look behind her before spreading her legs and putting her hands on her hips. "Look out, dark wizards!" she proclaimed. "Here comes Mara Stone!"
The adventure began as she strode down the path, which posed as the gateway to every major location in southeastern Magius. She passed by many wizards and bounty hunters as she explored Castlian Shore. Further down the path lay the Oster Cemetery, which Mara couldn't avoid. She made a quick stop to visit her mother's grave.
"Hello, mother," she began. "It's been a while since my last visit. I hope you and Father are doing well. I'm sure you've heard already, but I went to a wizard school in a neighboring region. I made lots of new friends there and won a graduation tournament, and now I'm a bona fide wizard!" She took a deep breath before she continued. "Well, I'd better get going now. Those dark wizards aren't going to fight themselves. I love you."
Mara left the cemetery and continued her journey until she spotted a treasure chest nearby. She opened it and revealed a brand-new blue bandana. This could be useful, she thought. She wrapped it around her head as it began to cover her nose and mouth. She loved the feel of the material. After that, the water mage continued her journey until she was stopped by a mysterious voice.
"Hey, you!" the voice called out. Mara looked around her and saw a bandit behind a bush. "Gimme all your crowns, and I promise to kill you quickly!" The bandit began throwing daggers at Mara, but it wasn't long before she climbed up a tree and casted some water spells from the top. The shots landed and knocked the bandit out.
Mara jumped down the tree and stood before the unconscious criminal. "I can't believe I took down my first criminal," she cheered. "This is only the beginning. Once I defeat more enemies, I'll become stronger and learn new spells!"
A Magic Council scout emerged from the bushes and approached Mara. "Thank you, brave wizard," the scout stated. "I've been tracking down this criminal for a while, but I see you already took care of him."
"It was my pleasure," Mara responded.
"If you see any more criminals," the scout continued, "feel free to call for assistance."
The two bowed and went their separate ways. Mara began to feel excitement from the recognition. She just couldn't help but imagine being a powerful wizard. One day, she may even be powerful enough to take down a bigger threat.
