The Path Unmarked... vol.5 [FanF]

Yet another wave of poison mist showered over me as I focused at the task at hand. Never before had I given the proper respect to adventurers who daily meals depended on tasks such as these. I deflected another advance from the funguar and began my rhythmic chant. This time choosing to draw upon a cool elemental essence in the hopes of bringing this sparring match to an end. My eyelids fluttered from exhaustion as I neared the completion of my cast, for a split second I reveled, believing I had conquered, only to find myself flat on my back with a knot on my forehead from a gridanian walnut that had been hurled in my direction.

My last casts execution had faltered, and I had inadvertently not focused my assault enough as I had now apparently enraged a nearby marmot as well. Ugh!

I heard a hearty chuckle behind me. I struggled to my feet and turned to see a familiar face. There stood Blindrage now attempting to cover previous laughter.

“Want some help?” he asked calmly as the funguar whipped my shoulder again and his new accomplice kicked me in the shin. Begrudgingly I nodded, I was tired, the poison had made me clumsy both on physical and mental levels. This whole endeavor was proving to last far longer than I had originally anticipated. It was becoming increasingly clear that I was going to have to toughen up if I was going to survive this calling.

Gee.. Take out a few mushrooms, how difficult would that be? I thought of the words I had asked myself as I left town and ventured to Camp Bentbranch now three hours ago.

Blindrage pulled his horas from his side and had the marmot down for the count in two hits, before turning his attention to the funguar, which soon followed the marmot.



Internally, it was actually kind of aggravating just how quickly he had taken them out, but I was not going to complain. I had to find and remove two more offending funguar before I could turn in the leve and get the gil reward that would ensure me a cot to sleep on rather than the bed of leaves I’d had the last few nights.

Blindrage peered at me questioningly. “What brings you out here this evening?” he said solemnly. I stood and brushed the dust off my already abused hempen dalmatica.

I explained the details of my task. He attempted to hide a friendly smirk, as he offered to help me finish up. Had I not had the day I’d had, I think I may have refused in order to prove a point, but in the state I was in, I accepted. I had a desperate need for this night to be over, I was in no shape to be out here fumbling around making the mistakes I was out of exhaustion.

I think he sensed my frustration with the whole situation as no further jovial remarks followed. We quietly and methodically took out the next two targets in record time.

I thanked him as he walked me back to Gridania. “No trouble” he said, “I was walking this way anyway… but this is where I have to take your leave…… Get yourself to Carline Canopy, and get some rest friend.”

I wearily bowed and took his advice heading directly for the Canopy. I approached the desk inside and proceeded to use half of the gil I had just earned to rent a room for the next three nights. A quiet miqo’te led me through the back and to a room with simple provisions, but it felt like heaven. I crawled straight into bed and finally allowed myself to succumb to my exhaustion.