Ability raid

19 Cancer

We finally moved on to Riovanes, as instructed by the talking frog. It felt like half a year had passed since we met Marach and Rapha. Rapha had been patient enough with our tendency to get sidetracked by errands and clearing the Mandalia Plains of clearly menacing goblins and stealing their gil (where are the pockets on that traditional goblin garb anyway?), but she seemed to enjoy spending time with Ramza while we were out and about. A man with a pure heart, she kept insisting…

Well, I couldn’t disagree with her. I had seen Ramza hurl himself into numerous battles simply for a moral objection he had to the injustice that occurred before his eyes, without as much as thinking it over. I hear he gets that from his father.

But I digress. We were back in Yardrow and on to Riovanes, but first, Rapha warned us, we needed to pass through the Yuguewood; a place where all the souls of those who died there in the fifty years’ war refused to leave.

I understood. We all got out our tufts of Phoenix Down.

Of course the only one unable to handle Phoenix Down had to be our resident chemist. Really, Luso? Did you really have to spend your time learning how to treat yourself with potions after getting hit automatically? Was there no notion that sparked in your mind that we might have greater need of Phoenix Down in a battle because if we don’t get raised back on our feet, we actually die and never come back?!

Unlike those poor souls that got showered with Phoenix Down in the Yuguewood?!

No?

I bet they had a chemist who didn’t know how to use Phoenix Down either, Luso.

Riovanes Castle Gates

Luckily, everyone else knew how to use Phoenix Down, so we quickly sent those poor souls to the afterlife. They almost seemed grateful, the poor mages…

Having done our good deed for the day, we then pressed on to Riovanes Castle, where Marach already awaited our arrival. He wanted the scriptures, of course. He knew what they were. He was the mysterious figure that prompted Ramza, Navarre and myself to quench our curiosity and read the notes. I still wish I hadn’t done so, but hey, even a time mage can’t turn back time that far.

Despite Rapha’s plights, he still insisted on fighting, and he had brought the knights and archers to support him.

Now, it was always a pleasure to see hume opponents on the field. After months of slaying goblins on the Mandalia Plains, there had been one thing missing. Goblins hadn’t much to offer… Sure, we learned particular abilities through sheer practice, but hume opponents provided something more. When they died, often a crystal would appear that held their very soul and life force. Goblins had little to offer in that respect, only some additional energy. But Humes, even their martial knowledge was hidden inside that crystal!

And we all had plenty to learn about the abilities of a knight and an archer. So, armed with a spear, bow, axe, and some daggers, Greg, Mustadio, myself, Lavian and Ramza went on an ability hunt.

Also, does anyone find it rather ironic that someone as innocent and naive as Ramza would gravitate towards thievery? Just me?

I am Bathsua, commander of all the elements so long as I stand on them, and these are my memoirs.