3. Zafiro

Zafiro


  • Loggin: –Thorn--
    Character: Zafiro

    Journal Entry No.1

    First time writing a journal, never givin much thought to it, never thought I'd have one. So I might as well introduce myself, thats always good to start with. My first name is Zafiro, my last name.. well it doesn't stand for much, so I'll not write it. I'm fifteen years old, with blue eyes and blue hair. I've lived with my mother in a small town called Bezentil for as long as I can remember. She's always worked at a local tavern as a waitress. But with her years of experiance around the kitchen, she quickly became the cook. It pays a little better, and she seems to enjoy doing what she does.

    The hair is my mothers doing. Back when I was eight years old, she had a hard time keeping up with me when she took me to the market. It was'nt all her fault, seeing as all the other boys I ran around with had the same color hair. We often confused our parrents by running about in circles, and then vanishing into different directions. Going out to explore the inner walls of Bezentil, or seeing what trouble we could cause around the market. Frusterated by this to no ends, my mother thought up the "brilliant" idea of dying my hair. She could'nt have picked a more embarssing color than a light blue. It made me stand out like a sore thumb, so she could easily pick me out from the crowd. Not a hard task, considering the first few weeks were filled with me getting into scuffles with the other boys. They found it fun to pick on me because of my hair. Where as I found it fun to rub their noses into the dirt. Even though I won most the fights, I always lost when my mother came running, usually grabbing me by the ear, dragging me home for a beating and sending me to bed without supper.

    Thinking back on it now, I was a little bit of a trouble maker growing up, throw in a short temper and I was quite the handfull. I've grown used to the color, and even though my mother stopped dying it when I was ten, I've taken up the practice myself ever since. It makes me feel different, and to be honest, blue isn't that bad of a color.
    End No.1

    Journal Entry No.2

    Today I went out to look for work. A little job or chore to earn some coin of my own. But without much luck. Defeated and bored I went back home, to find my mother and Carter, the towns guard captain, sitting at the dinner table. I didn't think much of it, Carters been visiting my mother for a few weeks now. I think he might have a thing for her, but who knows. So long as he doesn't hurt her, I've got no problems with him.

    Shrugging it off as just another visit, I turned to walk back out the door, wanting to leave them to their private talk. Only to be stopped by the sound of a rather loud whistle, Carters way of getting my attention. I turned about and he beckoned me over to sit. He then held a hand out to me with a small smirk. Slightly confused at all this, I shook his hand. As I did, Carter said almost smugly "happy birthday Zaff". A little annoyed I gave my mother an acusing glare, she knows I hate birthdays. All she gave in response was an apologetic shrug. Carter on the other hand, laughed and messed up my hair, telling me she never said a word, and that he's been waiting on this day to come for a long time now. Confused, and still annoyed, I asked what he was talking about. He then took a parchment from his pack, an inkwell, and pen, laying them out on the table for me. He said that there was a job opening in the guards, and if I wanted it, all I had to do was sign my name. He then got up from the table and told me to sleep on it.

    That night, I couldnt sleep. I got up from my bed and walked out of my room, still lying on the table, iluminated by a small burning candle, was the paper and pen. I sat down and started looking around our small little house, I began to realize that my mother and I never really had much. Her job at the tavern always put food on the table, and clothes on our backs, but not much else. All this time I've just been doing odd jobs and chores to make a little coin for myself. I should have been giving what little I made to my mother, just to help out where I could, but I never did.

    I knew that being a guard would pay a decent ammount of coin, maybe enough to fix up this old house, maybe enough to ease the burden my mothers been carrying all these years. Growing up I knew that I would eventually have to do this, I just didn't think it would be so soon. As I signed my signature, four words kept crossing my mind. ~Time to grow up~.

    My mother, who seemed to be watching me from her cracked bedroom door, walked out and wrapped her arms about me in a hug. Telling me to get some sleep, and meet Carter outside the barracks in the morning at sunrise.
    End No.2

    Journal Entry No.3

    I could hardly sleep a wink last night. I felt strangely.. excited about becoming a guard. I'm none to fond of the uniform, but what it stands for. I'll be trusted with protecting the town, and its people. When you think about it, it's a big responsability. I can't mess this up, thats all I could think as I made my way to the barracks. Outside, was Carter, standing by the doorway. He motioned me over with a somewhat proud look on his face, and said he knew I'd make the right choice. He then brought me inside and gave me the grand tour. It wasn't much, considering theres only enough room for bunkbeds and storage chests, both of which I'll get as soon as I move in. He took me to the armory where three sets of equipment were laid out. One set, had fullplate armor, a tower sheild, and longsword, standard equipment for a Soldier. The second set had dark leather armor, a shortbow and a quiver, standard equipment for a Scout.While the third set was a breastplate, a pair of shin guards, and special gauntlets, meant for hand to hand combat, standard equipment for a Brawler. Despite Carters suggestion of a soldier, I picked the brawler equipment. I think he just wanted me in heavier armor to keep me safe.

    After choosing my equipment, he sent me home to pack my things, telling me to only bring what I needed from home. Tommorow training starts, and my new life as a part of the guard begins.

    {[The next entries seem to be done with better handwriting]}
    Journal Entry No.4

    My mother sent over a few things yesterday, some of the items I left at home years ago. Figured I'd forget this book, never wrote much in it, so its practically un-used. Might as well start it up again. I'm nearly twenty years old, and things have changed, but not much. I'm still a low rank brawler, but fairly skilled for my age. Joining so young was foolhardy, all of the older guards and veterans were harder on me than any of the other recruits, saying I was too young, too weak. But I never gave in, and tried harder than anyone just to prove them wrong. It's earned me some form of respect, but I still have to put up with an annoying comment here or there.

    Today we've been seperated into two man teams to do patrolls around the borders. Carter as guard captain got the first pick, and as always, he picked me. I only have a few minutes before we head out, but the patroll sounds simple. Hike for two days all the way up to a ruined tower and report any strange findings, sounds like another excuse to make us do alot of walking, but orders are orders. We're heading out now, I'll write more later…

    After a long and boring day of walking, we set up camp a few hours away from the forest. I could practically see the tower jutting out of the treetops, it won't be long before we're there. And the sooner we get there and back the better, this has to be one of the most boring patrolls I've ever been on! Carter keeps trying to make the trip more interesting by telling childrens tales of how the tower used to be demon filled and how I should stay sharp, because it could be dangerous. But after he ran out of stories, he ordered me to take the first watch and went to bed. It's about time to wake him up to take the second watch so I can get some rest myself, maybe tommorow will be better than today... Or not, it's starting to rain.

    Journal Entry No.5 {[ Done with a shakey hand, seems sloppy]}

    I'm cold, cold and wet. My whole body aches and my armors been ripped to shreds, its near useless now. I'm not sure where I am, but looks to be a swamp. I've found shelter in a small cave that seems safe enough…. But how did I get here?

    I remember that we made it to the tower, everything looked as expected, just old ruins, covered with dust. Carter ordered me to explore the first floor of the tower, while he went down into the lower levels. After half an hour of finding nothing usefull I went up one floor, and heard strange noises scuffling about. I went to investigate, walking down a hallway, I noticed one of the doors slightly open, with odd flashes of light sparking inside the room. I tightened the straps on my gauntlets, fully expecting trouble, but when I kicked in the door, all I saw was this small little man, in a hooded red robe. I let my guard down, asking him what he was doing here, though before I got a response, red runes started to form all around him. Then, in a flash of light, a large demon was standing before me, easily eight feet tall, with powerfull arms and razor sharp claws, that seemed to burst into flame. It roared loudly, causing the whole tower to shake, then struck out at me with a firey slash. I managed to block the first strike with my gauntlets, but I wasn't fast enough to block the second, or the third, or the fourth. It was relentless, slapping me about, picking me up by my breastplate and throwing me through a door. Lying there in the ruble of the doorway, I thought I was done for. I felt as if someone was lifting me up, and expected to get thrown into a wall, but it was Carter! He heard the noise and came running, blade ready. In an instant he'd taken grip of the situation, sizing up the enemies and formulating a plan. He ordered me to take care of the caster, to kill him quickly, while he held off the demon. He charged the demon, slashing at it with his greatsword, besting it in combat, and forcing it back through another passage. Stunned and a little shakey, I gathered my wits about me and charged for the caster full sprint. I was hoping, that the caster would be distracted by his demons losing battle. But he wasn't. Before I could even get close enough to touch him, he had already cast a spell. A giant green hand formed before him, grabbing me and forcing me to the ground. I struggled to get free, but to no avail. All I could do was watch as he slowly walked my way, circling about me, looking me over, grinning. He held a hand over my body, and began chanting. Runes started to form all about me, glowing brighter with each word he said. He finished his chanting and said in a cold, deadly voice "You'll suffer in the cold for days, starving, then, you'll be eaten, this will be your end." He turned, walking towards the battle, chanting another spell to aide his demon. I yelled out to the top of my lungs for Carter, but, the sight of me distracted him.. just long enough for the demon to land a blow, sending him back into the wall. The last thing I remember seeing is the demon and the caster closing in on him, and everything went dark....

    I awoke to find myself in this damned swamp, beaten, sore, wounds openly bleeding, armor ripped to shreds and useless. I was lucky to find shelter in this cave, it's not much but at least its dry. Tending my wounds as best I could, I managed to stop most the bleeding with shreds of my clothing. I'm worried about Carter, what happened to him? Is he somewhere in this swamp as well? Part of me doubted it, but I couldn't dwell on it. If I had any chance of survival, I'll need to keep my wits about me.

    Journal Entry No.7

    Somehow, I managed to get out. I'm not sure how, luck? The gods favor? I'm not asking, I'm just greatfull. I left the cave as soon as I felt rested enough to travel, my timing couldn't have been more perfect, as a pack of kobolds swarmed inside the cave, sniffing about. No condotion to fight, I left them to it. They want the cave, it's all theirs. Trudging through sludge and moss, I made my way through the swamp, finding all kinds of strange prints and tracks, but a few I found, looked human. With a small bit of hope, I followed them, for at least an hour or so.. them seeming to, twist and turn.. and go all over this area of the swamp. Looking about, I noticed blood on the ground.. and dead kobolds. I thought, enemy of the kobolds.. friend of mine, so I continued to follow the tracks. That is, untill I came across a stream.

    The stream didn't seem so deep, and seemed passable considering the tracks lead through it to the other side. The current was a little strong, but I had to cross. I took a few steps back, and with a running start, attempted jumping the stream. Only, I didn't realize how slick the mud was, so I slipped into the water. But what my food landed in wasn't water, it was some type of goop, or.. slime, but it was alive! It tried to swallow me whole, but I dug my nails into the sludge on the other side of the stream, and pulled as hard as I could. I escaped, but my metal shin guards, weren't so lucky. Looking back at the stream, I noticed the goop crawling out from the water. It was a slow moving goop, so I wasn't worried, untill, another came out, and another. The whole stream seemed filled with these creatues, so I left quickly, hoping to put distance between myself and that stream.

    After a short time of searching, I found the human tracks, and continued to follow them. Thankfully, they lead to civilization. This city, Peltarch, is huge compaired to my home town. The people here seem welcoming enough, as soon as I stumbled up to the gates I was escorted to the temple for healing and rest. After I'm back to full strength, I'll need to explore this city, ask around for Carter. He might have made it here before I did, and probably in better shape. I can't complain though, even all this, is better than the cold chilly death I was promised.


  • sorry thorn don't know how I missed this one.

    reviewed, xp pending