Well, its back to N'rolav for me - I hear the Dundee there is being overran by horrors again. Not enough hunters to keep them in check, I suppose. Its not so bad really. Not nearly as bad as the tombs or the spider caves. Ick.

I had an interesting discussion with Hojo. Seems he has a learning disability or something - cant hold his sword properly anymore and needs some intense training that isnt offered by the usual trainers at the towns. He mentioned getting Patton to help. I certainly wish him the best of luck. Unwilling to advance your training is one thing, there are always reasons people have for staying where they are... certainly nothing wrong with that. But unable is a whole different matter. Troublesome, but I am sure he will get himself sorted out.

Azure is salivating for another party. I swear that woman is a born carouser. Luckily, she avoids the brew or I have a feeling she would be doing more than my share of Swamp Duty. She also has a penchant for getting otherwise respectable men into ale dunking tanks - something to be said there I think, but will leave it for another to say this time. It really is a good idea though, her planned gathering. Perhaps with the right timing it will be the most successful of all her endeavors - although some of her past shindigs will be hard to beat.

The sun is rising, Fleur is stirring, and I am ravenously hungry again. Time to see to the appetite and start the day off right.

I am getting the hang of hunting in the Granite Spires. I can't say I am very fond of the terrain. I used to find some affinity with the rocky, barren land of the mountains and quite enjoy finding the places where echoes called back to me from forever. Now, I am just not very happy when I am out there alone. At one time, the sound of my blade whistling through the air and the humming of my blood rushing in my ears were enough to keep me company for marcs upon marcs while I hunted and trained.
Things have definitely changed.
I wonder if everyone feels it after awhile - the loneliness that creeps in like rain soaking you to the bone. I know that I feel it more and more when I am away from her for a long time and it seems I only feel real warmth when her smile is turned my way.
I train and I hunt. I try to do so while she sleeps and I look forward to the time we get together - there has not been a day when she hasnt been by my side and I want to keep it that way.
I have ventured into the Sea Caves, but not far. I am not fond of those caves as there seems to be a rather dire risk of becoming as drowned as the sailors that still haunt the area. I cant say I am looking forward to eventually hunting in the Dead Zone - and in fact, the more I think about it, the more I am enjoying the somewhat desolate but certainly open and crisp atmosphere of the crags. No hurry to the trainer, I think.
Unless she comes with me.

Reminder to self:
Retreating is useless without the administration of health potions.

Too many marcs to count.

That was the thought in my head when I opened my journal.
How long has it been since I have written? Too many marcs to count.
How much of my life has been recorded here? Too many marcs to count.
How much more is untold, remembered only by the landscape that bears witness to much more than will ever be spoken of aloud? Too many marcs to count.

So, who's counting?

The Fall Festival has been wonderful this year. Although, I wished I would have been lucky enough to find a Masked Bandito costume again. Fleur has been sporting some highly fashionable pirate wear - and I certainly cannot complain. The Festival is always a time for the unepexted and this year has been different than those past - including the appearance of a certain jovial, bouncing fruit: The Great Korunga. I havent met him, personally, but Ive been hearing a lot about him. Especially from Azure and Agua and there seems to be some sort of gala planned for commemoration of the gods mysterious messenger.

Mere asked me the most oddest of questions recently: Do you feel like a warrior?
Thought provoking, certainly, and more complex than the simplicity of the stated words. What should it feel like to be a warrior? Does one feel their profession? Or is it a way of life, more than a skill set that is passed on? Well, I didnt bore her with all my own thoughts of how one might come to ask if someone feels like a warrior and I did answer her with the closest approximation of my understanding.

I guess the question also reminded me of how others view warriors... and also of the many comments that I receive relative to how often I train or farm. Or rather, my lack of recent visits to the trainer. The simple truth of it is this:
There comes a point in every one's life where they find something worth fighting for, something worth dieing for, and something worth living for.
I have fought, I have felt death, and now I simply want to live. The first two are inevitable, they will happen again - but you only get one chance at truly living.

So it may not make sense to anyone else - but she makes the world right for me and more than anything, thats worth living for. All of the fighting and the dieing, even in the greatest of victories, could never make up for even a moment left to spoil when I could be making her smile. And when I fight, I am stronger than ever because I have her to live for.

Note to self:
Shortening the straps on Azures armor has gone unnoticed. She must think she has grown taller. Another tactic is needed. Remember to talk to Patton about acquiring some of his pulverized thistle needles .