Thursday, February 12, 2015

Game Time

Between spending time with my sons, working full time, various writing projects, and all the other things life throws around, I still manage to find some time to myself to enjoy a little time playing video games.  One game I enjoy playing is Final Fantasy XIV.  Adventurers travel all the lands of Eorzea fighting in dungeons and battling foes to protect the citizens from evil forces.

Like other games in the Final Fantasy franchise, this version includes the popular Chocobo.  Usually the large bird is a utility used as a mount.  Very rarely is much of the story told from the Chcobo's point of view.  I thought it was time for this to change.

I see these as being tales told to other chocobos in the stables at the end of each day's travels.


I am so excited. My day has finally come. I have been given a partner to travel and explore this wide world in which we live. I see all the different types of peoples that visit the fields near our home. Tall muscular fighters that nearly have to duck to enter the stables. Short folks that can hide from sight in tall bushes and barely reach my knees. They all travel about protecting others, fighting monsters, and collecting materials for their various crafts. Now I can travel with someone and do all of this along with them. Wait. I hear the whistle made for my new partner. KWEH! Off to start my adventures.

I spent most of the day running through the woods with my new partner. He is a small person that uses mystical energies rather than steel weapons. I could have not asked for a more perfect rider. As we moved between the trees I could see some people fighting smaller monsters. Beasts too weak for my partner to be bothered with. Some people were fighting these monsters to keep them away from the nearby city. We rode to a village filled with people even smaller than my rider. They were so short, their feet didn't touch the ground. They just floated around with their wings fluttering. We crossed through the village and approached another forest filled with larger beasts and walking trees. I will admit I am a little glad my partner dismounted and sent me away before fighting anything there.

My partner got some clothing for me. He calls it “barding.” What I have now is simple and decorated in the colors and symbols of the nation he has been helping lately. He has promised me more barding in different styles and patterns. I can't wait.

Cold. Today was a journey in an area that was very cold. Mountains soared into the sky. Stone towers rivaled them in height. Beasts here come in both large and small sizes. Fortunately, I am much faster than the large lizards that roam the area. Some of them tried to come after us, but I was able to keep us safe until we entered the brick city that had been established a long time ago. Some of the walls of the city looked damaged, but it was still safer than the castle nearby that had been taken over by beasts and dragons.

Today's adventure was both exciting and intense. I was given a treat of gysahl greens. With a gift like this, I expected to carry my partner from one end of the world to the other. However, this time he didn't hop into the saddle for a ride. Instead I fought alongside him to beat many, many evil monsters. It was very scary at first, but I couldn't leave my partner alone when he had so much faith in my skills. KWEH! I learned a new kick to use the next time I'm asked to fight. Despite my fears at first, I can't wait to beat more monsters and learn more combat skills. Maybe I will even learn some tricks to help my partner by more than just fighting.


These last few days has been extremely busy. We traveled from area to area, region to region, and nation to nation. We fought evil troops that came with magitek defensive units, a behemoth, numerous goblins and evil sylphs, and more fish men than I care to count. We traveled to the ocean, visited a region full of giant crystals, and cruised across a giant desert. While I truly enjoy my time with my partner, I wouldn't mind if he got a new mount so I could get a little rest. Maybe one of those flying things with one eye could carry him around for a bit.

Now, where did I leave my controller.  Ramuh has offered up a challenge I can't refuse.

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