The Explosures Exposed!

And so, Shukie and me started our quest to shatter the barriers of our bodies. Uh... this just now didn't sound too well... :D
Soon Shukie realized that she already had one of the items. Luckily for her, during one of her training sessions in the Crawlers' Nest, she and her party had been killing Exorays, and got an Exoray Mold. I will tell you about them later ^_-.

So, we decided to go get the Bomb Coal in first place. Asking other adventurers, and revising ancient codices in the Cathedral, we worked out that the Bomb Coal was the incandescent remains of an Explosure, a Bomb-type monster. Bombs are, as you know, a peculiar type of fire-based magical beings (that is, arcana), who tend to explode when they get low on health, or when you annoy them enough.
I remember, when i was a little lass, meeting them for the first time in a nightly walk through Ronfaure... sorry, i digress :D
As i was saying, to get the Bomb Coal we needed to destroy Explosures, bombs that can only be found in the... Garlaige Citadel.
Many of you have heard surely horror stories about this place. In the past, still when i started adventuring, Beastmasters used to lure monsters into attacking unsuspecting young adventurers that were training there. But after this practice was outlawed, and the way the magical Charm worked was modified, that ended... only to unveil the Citadel true horror: overcamping!
Yes... 6, 7 or more parties training in areas that could only sustain 3 at best. Both in the Higher and Lower floors. And it is also a very popular place for training amongst the members of the Cult of RMT... i will tell you about them other day... otherwise i would never end with this story :D

So there we go, Shukie and me, with the aid of our friend Songoku, a strong Paladin, and two friends of his. It was the first time i ventured through the First Banishing Gate of the Citadel... a very exciting experience ^_^ there were so many bats... willing to aggro if we let our Sneak spell wear off, hehehe. It wasn't too bad. It took us a little while to find the cave of the Explosures. Since we were enough people not to have any problem with them, i thought i could use Ninja as my support job, and help hitting the Explosures. It took us a while, because apparently the Explosures that day weren't powerful enough to leave their incandescent remains behind them... but we finally got our first item!
We were feeling stronger already!
We thought that breaking our innate limits wasn't going to be so hard...
how naive we were being!...

In Defiant Challenge

Some days ago (make it two weeks, hehehe), my friend Shukie and me noticed that our training had become stagnant. No matter what we did, we just couldn't improve ;_; It was frustrating... specially for Shukie: imagine a Dark Knight who realizes she can't hit harder!

Well, it happens that, apparently, the bodies of the 5 races have limits. The experts of the Orastery discovered that some time ago, during the Crystal War, trying to find a way to optimize our power against the Beastmen. They even drew a diagram split into levels. The top level of the Children of Altana was level 50. We had just reached that level.
*sigh*

"What, Lumin? That's stupid! What do you mean by that?"
"Apparently, we have met the limits of our bodies... or so say the research papers from the Orastery."
"They're full of it! I know i have met plenty of people who is a lot stronger than me!" *clenching fist* "There has to be a way to go beyond that level 50 you said, Lumin! >_<"
"But Shukie... the papers..."
She didn't let me finish that sentence. She turned around and started running. I ran trying to catch up with her. Thankfully i have longer legs than her :D
"Hey Shukie!" *pant* *gasp* "Shukie... where are you going?"
"I am going to Jeuno! I know there is an old man there who always have strong people hanging around him! >_<>
"But Shukie... wait just a second..."
"No! You can't stop me! I am going there! If you trust your books so much, you can stay here! >_<>
"But Shukie!... Shukie wait!"
"Now what?" *finally stopping, but frighteningly mad*
"If we are going to go to Jeuno, you are taking the wrong direction ^_- We need to go to the Port, not to South San d'Oria."
"uh... hehehe ^_^ *blush*"

After the necessary wait in the docks, and some wrong turns in Jeuno we finally reached the doors of the Archduke's chamber, in the Auroral Palace.
"Shukie, are you sure that the old man is inside the Archduke's bedroom?"
"What are you talking about? I wanna see the Archduke! :D"
*staggers* "Shukie... focus, please. The Archduke isn't even here!"
"Damn, Lumin, you're no fun!

We finally found the old man. He was Maat... that name rang a bell... and i am still trying to figure out why. As soon as we approached, he greeted us.
"Wow, two beautiful young ladies who are on their prime! I see you have raised to your bodily limits, hehehe."
For some reason, i didn't like how he said 'bodily'.
*whispering to Shukie* "Shukie, i think he is checking us out"
*whispering back* "Well, he should, to know how strong we are." *replying to Maat* "Whatever, old man... you know we have topped up our potential, but we want to get even stronger... i and i know you know something about it! >_<"
"Well, well, well, aren't you hasty? But i have to congratulate you for your instinct. Certainly, i can help you to go beyond your level... but..."
"But what, old man? We don't have all day, you know?"
"Hehehe, that's the spirit, alright! Well, i have a little challenge for you! ^_-"

And *sigh* that's how we got to have to look for 3 damned items: an Ancient Papyrus, an Exoray Mold, and a Bomb Coal. By then, i thought it was just a "fetch quest"... but no, not by a looooooooooong shot...

A greeting to all my friends, and to all my readers.

Hi people!
Hellooooooooooooooooooooo?
Someone out there?
Oh well, i guess that right now noone can read this... i mean, i didn't post it yet :p lol
Anyway, if you are reading it, congratulations: you have infected my computer!

Nah, seriously ^_^ Welcome to my blog.
Why am i writing a blog? Well, i don't know... i just kind of like writing (Shukie knows this :D), and i would like to reflect here what happens to me in Vana'diel.
What is Vana'diel? Oh, it is the world created by Altana, the Goddess, in which we all live and go through exciting adventures... some days more exciting than others... like when you spend the whole day crafting, hehehe.

Oh yes, i am Luminariel, sorry for not having introduced myself before :D. I am a White Mage. What is a White Mage (whm from now on)? I am kind of a doctor, but without actual knowledge of medicine. Yeah, i know you meet people like that all the time in the hospital, but not that at all. I am a religious person, a believer in Altana. Altana, blessed be her name, created the 5 races of Vana'diel, who sprung from the 5 tears she shed over it when she saw her world lifeless. These 5 races are the proud and resilient Elvaans, the strong and wise Galkas, the industrious and versatile Humes, the dextrous and agile Mithras, and the intelligent and (extremely) cute Tarutarus.
And even nowadays, Altana keeps protecting her children, granting to those who invoke her holy name good health, strength and fortune. But not anyone's pleas can reach her sacred ears: it takes a most commited mind, who can channel their faith and made it reach her. That's us! the White Mages!

I love being a whm. Through all my life, since i was just a wee little girl, i wanted to help people reach Altana, and help Altana's blessings to reach people. I studied long years in the Cathedral... but that's another story. Other day i will talk to you about my childhood ^_^ Today, i just wanted to introduce myself to you all.
I hope to see you again soon, for soon (hopefully) i will have material for a new post... i am trying to succeed in the first test the old master Maat has proposed me... it's so hard! ;_;

See you, my friends! ^_^
A big kiss for you all! ^x^