Meliadoul's Journal
Chapter II: The Fall and Rise of Meliadoul




Autumn 8th, 8:12 A.M.
After our 3 day trip, we finally arrive at Brandor. It appears that that there is a great festival going on. I asked a few women I met on the street about it and they claimed it was the Harvest Festival! We were all very tired from our travel and I told the group to enjoy the festival for a few days. I hope they buy new weapons and armor though.

Autumn 8th, 3:36 P.M.
While my group enjoyed the festival, I couldn't. I tried to enjoy the games, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I am failing our dragon. I looked into the elemental staff and my responsabilities filled my mind. I began to go around the town square asking people questions when I remembered the Shuriken shop guy from Juna. I decided to go to the one who lived in this town.
"Excuse me sir."
"Yes? Your not a ninja, so why are you interested in Shurikens?"
"I'm more interested in a dragon. I spoke with a man in Juna who knew about one here. It's green and it's been stolen."
"A stolen dragon?! I would love to help you! I wish I could, but I can't leave my shop. The festival is a time of joy, but there are still the thieves and pickpockets."
"I understand. Can you tell me where the dragon is?"
"Why, yes! There is a man who has a dragon and is letting people view it in the small field outside of the festival! You have to pay to see it though."
"It's our friend. Me and my group are going to free it."
"Be very carefull! The man who has your dragon is very powerful. He commands a group of warriors who show no mercy in battle. No one opposes him because of his army and not even the police stand up to him."
"Thankyou for the information. If I had any ninjas in my group, I would send them to you."
"No ninjas? How can you win battles then?"
"A lot of skill and a little luck."
"See you later then! Let me know if you ever get a ninja."
"I promise I will."
I left the man and gathered my group. We were together within about 15 minutes. I told them of the warriors we must face. One of them, a young wizard named Kazin, spoke up.
"Meliadoul, we're prepared for whatever the enemy can give. We've fought the dead, we've fought the living, and we've fought dragons. We're ready for anything!"
"Thank you, my friend. Lets get that dragon!"
They shouted in agreement and we all left the town in the direction of the field. When we reached it, we saw the dragon tied down with ropes and we saw a man infront of it.
"Look guys, your gonna have to wait in line and pay like everyone else!"
"Thats our dragon. You have no right to take it."
"I remember you! Your the guys who tried to stop us from catching it! I'm gonna kill you now!"
He ran at me, but I sidestepped.
"That was a stupid thing to do."
"Like it matters!"
The man pulled out a gun and prepared to fire on me. I thought he was gonna shoot, but a man in better clothing came up through the crowd. The man with the gun did not shoot. The richer man approached me.
"So, your the one who killed my swordsmen and tried to take my dragon."
"Your swordsmen attacked us and that dragon doesn't belong to you."
"Hah! I get what I want. I want you dead!"
He rose his right hand. 4 people walked through the crowd, two men and two women. They were snipers. The man from before also stood up and pulled out his gun again. The well dress man took a step back and before we realized it, the snipers had dragged us into battle. Durring the fight, I utalized the Shock spell's effectiveness on Snipers. I knew that it overloads a gun, so the fight was short. After we defeated 4 of the snipers, I realize what I'm going do to. I quickly grab him, break his gun, and twist his arm around his back.
"Hey, uh guy! Let the dragon go now!"
"Ha ha ha. You threaten me, yet you don't even know my name!
"Well, what is it then?"
"My name is Byron."
"You don't have a first name?"
"You idiot! Byron is my first name!"
"What kinda name is Byron?"
"Bah!"
Byron pulled out a gun of his own.
"I'll show you!"
"Are you forgetting about your sniper here?"
"He's weak. He is of no use to me now."
Without another word, he shot the sniper in the chest right before me.
"Are you insane?"
The group moved in on him. He then started to flash the gun around.
"Insane? Ha! I have no need for weaklings! I'd love to fight you, but I really do have to leave."
"Your not going anywhere."
"Another time!"
We all started to move in on him, but a helicopter landed behind him. He jumped in before we could do anything.
"How do ya like that! He's a rich guy!"
After Byron's departure, we untied the dragon. It remembered us and it gave us a roar of thanks.
"Guys, I need to find some stuff out about this guy. The festival ends in a few days, so we'll stay here until it's over. I'll find out our next destination soon. In the mean time, I want Dragoniz to keep an eye on the Dragon. RPDragon3, I recommend you go to the Shuriken Shoppe and buy some stuff, because I promised the guy there I'd recommend you. As for the rest of you, enjoy the festival for a few more days. I'm going to return to the Inn.
We all went our seperate ways through the town. I returned to the inn and went to sleep. In my sleep, I saw the green woman from the Elemental Summit and she was speaking to me.
"Hello, Meliadoul."
"It's you again! Why are you here?"
"I am here to give you a message."
"What might that be?"
That man who you encountered. He's a very dangerous man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He wants your dragon, but you do not know why.
"Yeah. Why is that? Why does he want that dragon in particular? He could catch one of the purple ones up on the mountain much easier."
"You will not understand the signifigance to that dragon until you are worthy. It is the same with the Elemental Staff. Once you have prooved yourself, your thirst for knowledge will be quenched."
"...I see. Why do you guys care about me anyway? What makes me special? Why me? There are plenty of wizards out there. Some of the greatest are traveling with me! What seperates me from them?"
"You must find this on your own as well."
"Not to insult you or your elemental pals, but you guys are confusing. You claim that you can help me, but you don't tell me anything."
"You have every right to be confused. But there is one thing I can tell you. You must go to Karko Canyon next. There is a small Indian tribe there that needs your help. You are needed and you will go."
"Okay, we'll leave for Karko Canyon in a few days."
"And one last thing."
"Yes?"
"There is a person in Karko Canyon who can teach you a very usefull skill. Do not leave the canyon without it."
"Okay."
After that, I went back to my normal sleep.

Autumn 9th, 7:56 A.M.
The next morning, I awoke with the dream still in my mind. I thought to myself that we must help the people in Karko Canyon, if not for their sake, but to prove me worthy of the Elemental Staff and the answers to my questions. I decided to find out more about this Byron guy on my own. I left the inn early and went through the town. I then came accross the Mage's Guild. I went in and they told me that some of their scrolls were stolen. I was angered greatly! No one steals from a fellow mage! They told me that there was a group of about 6 mages, three wizards and three priests, who had take them and that they were hiding somewhere. I gathered the group together yet again. I informed them of the stolen scrolls and we all agreed to look for them. They will report back to me in a few hours with what they have found out.
Autumn 9th, 3:07 P.M.
My group reported back. We have learned that the mages in question are on their way out of town. We're on our way to meet them now.

Autumn 9th, 3:20 P.M.
We are approaching them.
"Hold it right there!"
The leader turned in my direction.
"We don't have time for this."
"We do. Hand over the stolen scrolls!"
"You want spells? You get them! Alright guys, time to put this magic to the test!"
Their staffs began to glow and we entered battle.

Autumn 9th, 7:00 P.M.
This must be Meliadoul's journal. Oh, this is Dragoniz. I know that we'll get you awakened soon, but I decided to keep you up to date. I'm going to write for you, so when you read this, you can catch up on what happened while you were out. I'll start with what happened. While we were fighting, you fell victim to Quake. Apparently, it had more of an effect on you than it would have any other wizard, because we couldn't revive you like we normally could. We have faith that your not dead though. Anyway, after you went out, we defeated the last of the mages. We brought you back to Brandor Inn and put you in bed. We got in the best doctor of the town. After he checked you out, he told me that you took damage equal to a level 5 spell, and that you must have been hit with something harder than a normal quake. But, we all saw it. Something was odd, because normally, quake covers you with mud and dirt. You fell through the Earth and it spit you back out. I can't put my finger on it, but it must have something to do with that staff you've been carrying. That elemental staff. Anyway, we returned the scrolls to the guild. Alma Beoulve went into a fit when the man made us pay full charge for the scrolls we earned. He said something about how he gave all of his money to his daughter who went on her own journy. Wierd. In other news, I kinda read through your stuff. Sorry, but it's the only way for me to find out where you wanted to go. We're heading off to Karko Canyon in a few days, because the festival is nearly over. I'm going to go check up on the troops. I know it's not my business to take over for you, but I couldn't help it.

Autumn 10th, 7:07 A.M.
I learned more about Karko Canyon. As it turns out, it's got some kind of master healer! They say that he can raise the dead! I know your not dead, but if this guy is that good, he can bring you back! I also checked up on the Green Dragon. We're taking it with us. We heard from some guy that we could run into all kinds of monsters on the way to Karko Canyon, so we're going to use the Dragon again. It seems to feel bad for you, because it's head has been down since it saw you when we got back to the Inn. Well, with you out of action, we need someone to help. And it's very eager to fight again. We've been hiding it in the woods near town, but it's getting bored. We're going to leave tomorrow night. That way, we'll avoid running into more of Byrons troops. Yep, rumor around town is that he's after us. Turns out that those mages who stole the scrolls are on his payroll. It wasn't a coincidence that they ganged up on you. They know your the leader. Well, I'm going to go by the guild to see what's going on in the world of spells. We'll get you to Karko Canyon soon, my friend.

Autumn 10th, 11:45 P.M.
As I said, we're traveling at night by torchlight. We can't risk getting in a fight with Byron and his crew again. The Dragon is strangly obeying us, because it is following us without care. And it's carrying you on it's back, which saves us the back problems. I got some spells today, and I'm ready for anything. I think the others are too. Those new paintball guns should be usefull as well. Well, I'm writing this on our break, and it's over now, so I'll write again soon.

Autumn 11th, 12:03 A.M.
My close friend Bainey says that he sees something ahead, so we've stopped for the moment. I see them too. Looks like a group of 5 people. Perhaps travelers? I'm approaching them now.
"Hello, my name is Dragoniz. What's yours?"
"My name is none of your business. We're here for that dragon and to take care of some business of our own."
"Wait, you wouldn't happen to be working for Byron, would you?"
"You're fast. You can come silently or you can end up like your friend Meliadoul."
"So the rumors are true. Those mages were working for Byron. Figures."
"So, will you go peacefully?"
"Think for a second. You'll kill us if we surrender, or you'll try to kill us in a fight. Let me think here. I know!"
I pulled out my staff and shouted "Flame!" I shot fire into the leader holding the mace, but to my suprise, it did very little damage!
"What the?"
"Ha ha. Our armors have been laced with dragon skin and coated in a special serum, so we are very strong against all forms of magic. I take it this means we have to fight."
Oh no! Our new spells won't help us here! Good thing we brought along the dragon and some snipers and swordsmen! We entered battle with them. I walked over to the green dragon. It had fallen due to a bomb that was somehow placed onto it. It appears to have died.
"Huh?"
The dragon gets up on 3 legs and roars in pain.
"Your alive!"
At that point, some of our priests; Alma Beoulve, Jen-Chan, and Redd; simultainously casted Restore on it, healing the wound enough for it to walk.
"That'll have to do until we reach Karko Canyon. Maybe the healer can help you too."
Then I remembered the Assassin, who was regaining conciousness as well. He turned to me.
"I suppose you'll kill me now."
"I suppose. But only after I get some information."
"I won't tell you a thing."
At that moment, Dekar pulled out a sword and held it to his throat.
"My friend Dekar here has hand spasms without warning. I suggest you tell us what we want to know."
"Kill me now! I won't talk."
I motioned Dekar with my eye, and he spasmed out, cutting the lower branch off of a tree.
"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you what you want."
"Good, now what does Byron want with the dragon?"
"I don't know! I'm just an underling, I don't know anything!"
"Yaknow, Dekar's also got problems with his left hand."
Dekar punched the guy in the jaw in a quick left jab.
"Byron knows that the dragon is different from normal ones. I don't understand what he means, but he said something about a legend a few days ago."
"Thanks. If Byron wants the dragon so badly alive, why did you guys try to blow it up?"
"That was a bio-bomb. The explosion introduced a virus into the dragon, which will paralyze it after a day or so. It won't die, but it'll be less usefull than jello soon. That way, no one but Byron can use it."
"Why was Meliadoul hurt by the spell so badly?"
"I have no idea! And don't hit me this time, I really don't!"
"One last thing. Where is Byron at right now?"
"He'll kill me if I told you!"
"I'll kill you if you don't!"
Without warning, he grabbed his mace and took Dekar down quickly, then he started running. Bainey quickly responded and shot him dead between the eyes. He fell, and didn't get up.
"Well, that's it for him. Alright guys, we're heading for Karko Canyon again, and now we have to hurry, for the Green Dragon's sake. Oh, and Korts, could I speak with you?"
A young archer walks to him.
"Yes?"
"You picked up some Dragon Armor. I don't know what to tell you. Just keep it with you until Meliadoul wakes up, so we can ask him what to do with it. Okay?"
"Sure."

Autumn 11th, 7:01 A.M.
We reached Karko Canyon a little after dawn. We are all tired from traveling all day yesterday and all of last night, so we are going to spend the day in the Inn. Whoever wakes up first is going to go check out the new shops. We're also gonna find that healer for you, so you'll be reading this before you know it. Oh, and the Dragon was welcomed. Karko Canyon is an Indian Village, so they welcomed the dragon as they did us. I haven't heard anything about the trouble that the Dryad told you about though. We'll see when I wake up. I'm going to sleep now.

Autumn 11, 2:44 P.M.
Those 7 hours of sleep helped us all. The group is currently checking out the town's shops, but Bainey is going to help me find the healer. I heard Kyle found out where the healer is, and sure enough, he did. We're going to see him now.

Autumn 11, 3:07 P.M.
I'm talking with the healer now.
"Well, as it turns out, your dragon will be fine. That was a stun grenade, so it will be fine soon."
"Stun grenade? That assassin said it was a bio-bomb. Well, never trust the enemy... What about Meliadoul?"
"The wizard... I'm not sure. Could you tell me how he was injured?"
"Yeah. We were fighting some enemy mages and one of them used a Quake spell on him. It sucked him into the ground and then the ground closed in around him. Finally, it spit him back up in the condition you see now."
"Quake? That's not right. When the ground swallows and spits you out, it's a different spell. I forgot it's name though. It's a level 3 spell though."
"So I've heard. But, that mage learned the spell from a scroll, which we reclaimed for the Brandor Magic Guild. Some of us even read it, but we didn't learn any level 3 spells. I myself read it!"
"What makes you think that the Magic Guild guy gave you back that scroll? If it's that powerful, do you think he'll just sell reading privilages? He's probrably trying to keep it secret, because guild's aren't supposed to have any spell levels higher than 2, due to the danger involved."
"I think your right. Well, will you heal Meliadoul? Is he okay?"
"This is an interesting young man. For yousee, he should be dead, but he's not. He doesn't have a pulse at all, but there is still brain activity, meaning something is keeping him mentally and perhaps emotionally alive, but physically dead. I've never seen anything like it! I would love to study him!"
Dragoniz shoots him a "try it and you die" look.
"....nevermind."
"Can you help him or not?"
"I can. I can revive him. He will be weak for a few days, but alive."
"What's your fee? We'll pay anything."
"No fee. More of a favor."
"Favor? Name it."
"People of Karko Canyon have been disappearing lately. Some of the Indian's say that there is a monster in the woods who is eating or kidnapping or killing them. We're all very afraid of the woods, but if we don't go there, we can't get the herbs that grow there or the wood needed for fires and tools. The river that supplies the mountain with water runs through there as well. We need someone to kill the monster or run it off."
"That would be us, huh?"
"Yes. Your the only ones that could handle it, if you could defeat the warriors and masterbone as you did."
"How did you know?"
"I study relics and demons to further my knowledge in the supernatural, hoping to understand how monsters harm people and use this information to make cures. I found a bone on a pendant your friend Meliadoul was wearing and some armor shards, so I'm assuming he records victories this way. It appears that he has defeated dragons, swordsmen, and the undead. If you all share his skills, then you have the skills needed to defeat the monster."
"We can't defeat it without Meliadoul."
"I know, so I will revive him first. I just want you to promise not to leave without helping us."
"You have my word."
"Very well. Come back tomorrow, the healing ritual will be done by then, and your friend will be alive, although weak."
"Thankyou."

Autumn 12th, 8:25 A.M.
We're on our way Meliadoul! We're all going down to see you wake up! Just then, I noticed something on the horizon. There were wolves running all up and down the street infront of the healer's house!
"Oh no! Meliadoul's in trouble if those things get inside! He's food to them!"
We rushed down the street. Before we realized it, one of the wolves jumped from a crate and behind us, causing the others to surround us. We were forced into a battle. As we were finishing off the last wolf, you came in and you know the rest. We're glad to have you back.

Autumn 12, 12:09 P.M.
I'm glad to be back. I've read over everything that's happened and I'm glad that I'm caught up again. All I remember is being sucked underground and then darkness. I had a rather odd dream too. I saw the 4 elemental creatures from Mount Juna in that dream and they spoke to me. I don't remember the details, but I remember one message they told me. They said that I wasn't dead for a reason. They told me that most would have died from such an attack, but that they were going to keep me alive. I wasn't about to argue with them. They then told me that my group and I must help every town in the world. I said that it wouldn't be possible for every town to be helped. It just isn't possible! But they insisted that it was and that we have already helped out Brandor by retrieving stolen scrolls. They then told me that we must help out Karko Canyon by finding the missing people. I guess that means we should investigate the forest. But not just yet. I'm going to find that new ability that they have been talking of for so long.

Autumn 12, 3:51 P.M.
One of the swordsmen of my group, Big Moogle, found out about the special ability. He overheard to guys on Chocobo's talking about how they learned the ability of controling their pets. Most of us have pets, so it could be a valuelable ability. The dragon is also back up and kicking! I myself don't have a pet, but if my group can train theirs, then it's worth it. We're going to the house of the person who is supposed to help us.

Autumn 12, 4:09 P.M.
We are speaking with the person who teaches the ability now. She's a young girl, around the age of 12, but we'll do anything to get the ability.
"So, will you teach us how to control our pets and use them in battle?"
"Yes, but learning how to control them isn't enough. They need to learn abilities from people and most people charge money for them."
"We understand that."
"But do you know the other expenses? You have to store them in something. I recommend you use a PSU. They're small, red and white spheres used to store pets. It's very technicol how it works, but it allows you to store them in your pocket or wherever you want to put them. You only need one for your pet appeace. You can buy them almost anywhere.
"Okay. What about other expenses?"
"Well, when a pet uses an ability, it's Pp goes down. Pp are pet points, and you can't use an ability unless you have sufficient Pp. Each pet has 15 Pp. To restore Pp in battle, you have to feed that pet food, in the form of greens. But the abilities are the biggest expense. Especially for the chocobo. A chocobo has a few attacks, but it's main use is to ride. To ride it, you need a saddle, which you can buy. Once you ride a chocobo, you are incredably fast and have a higher evasion. Getting on a chocobo takes time, but it's worth it."
"Well, I'm sure. I think the group understands what your saying now. We're ready to learn."
"Meliadoul, where is your pet?"
"I don't have one."
"Too bad. Well, if you ever get one, learn from someone in a town how to use it."
"Okay. I'll go check out the rest of the town now, so teach my group what they need to know."
"I will."

Autumn 12, 8:52 P.M.
The group spent the rest of the day learning how to use their pets. I wish I had a pet to learn with, but I guess it wasn't ment to be. I'm just glad to be back. I spent the rest of the day sleeping. I'm back to life and I can fight, but I'm not at full strength yet. I hope the group doesn't find out that I'm still weak. Atleast I can still fight.....I hope.

Autumn 13, 7:46 A.M.
I heard at the pub this morning that the people who dissapear in the forest only dissapear at sunset, so we are going to the forest before sundown and hopefully we can find the source of the disappearances. We have the rest of the day to get used to the new pet abilities and buy the necessities, because once we enter the forest, we could be there for a while.

Autumn 13, 5:00 P.M.
Well, sundown is in about an hour and a half, and the group is ready, armed with pets, weapons, and a revived sense of self-confidence. I guess knowing that they can use their friends, the pets, as allies in battle as well as partners in the game of life. We have gathered supplies and are going in now.

Autumn 13, 6:25 P.M.
We've been into the woods for nearly an hour and a half. No sign of anything wierd yet. The sun's starting to get low on the horizon. I estimate that we've got 15 minutes before nightfall. Odd, the sky's getting dark quickly. Wait, those are shadows! Huh? It's giant bees and birds! They're fighting us? What? Why are they fighting us? Oh well. I guess it'll be a good warmup for whatever comes down at darkness. I just hope they don't tire me out too much.

Autumn 13, 6:31 P.M.
There I am, my friend Bainey dieing in my arms.
"You killed him! You stupid bird! He was my friend!"
Bainey looked up to me. "It's okay, Meliadoul. I knew my time would come soon, just not how soon. Take care of the rest of the group man. I'll see you when we're all together again. Whenever that is. Good bye, my friend." At that moment, Bainey lost conciousness.
"Bainey!"
I was overcome with rage. Not only had my friend died, but to save me. I could have waited a few days before I went into the forest, long enough to get well rested. He died saving me. That bird must pay.
At this moment, something came over me. I was too absorbed with hatred to notice, but I was floating a few inches off of the ground. The elemental staff flew off of my back and into my hand, while the harvest staff fell to the ground.
"You killed my friend for no reason at all! For this, I will punish you! By the power of the elemental gods from the summet on Mt. Juna, I will destroy you!"
I didn't know what I was doing, how I was flying, or how the Elemental Staff flew into my hands, and I didn't care. I rose the Elemental Staff and for the first time, I used it.
"Fusion!"
It was no ordinary spell. My body flooded with electrical energy. It was flying out every joint in my body. Through my eyes, through my fingers, through my feet. Before anyone knew it, I was emitting such a bright light that it could be seen from Juna! I then let the energy out into the sky. No one knows what happened next. The light was so blinding that people dived onto the ground and ducked their faces into the grass to avoid eye damage. With no one to watch it, we didn't find out what happened. A few minutes afterwards, I was found lying on the ground, with the Elemental staff in hand. I had not been scratched, but I was out like a light. We also found the remaints of a bird. Those remaints, however, were merely dust-covered feathers. Black feathers. The bird had been blue.

After the group had told me what happened, I tried to get up. I couldn't. I tried, but my legs couldn't hold me. I was drained. I felt like I had carried a bolder up Mt. Juna and then some. I merely layed back with the rest of the group around me. They didn't seem to have been shocked by the spell. Maybe they were grounded...

Then it happened. The sun went down. It got dark and we had trouble seeing. One of the branches of a tree was burning, probrably from my blast. Ticx picked it up and held it over his head to get us some light.
Ticx shouted suddenly "Hey, somethings comming this way! HOLY-"
We were hit and all lost conciousness.