Memoirs of Adventure Creative Writing Contest (NA) - Official Entry Thread

[Mihli_Zhwan]

The Cairn of Passage silently emits the same pink glow, piercing through the gloom, illuminating the faces of a Hyur, a Lalafell, and two Mi'qote. They stand with their backs to each other, watching, waiting, in a silence magnified a thousandfold by the eerie lighting of the dungeon. They came here for one reason - to get to the bottom of this, no, two - making some gil along the way. They are seasoned fighters, ready to leap to action at a sign of -
"Oh my Thaliak," exclaimed the Lalafell. "I forgot to summon my egi."
The shorter of the Mi'qote buries her face in her hands, while the remaining two burst into laughter so raucous, the nearby worm almost aggro'd.
"Angelic, please," sighs the taller Mi'qote, the grin on his face eradicating any trace of disappointment.
"It's like what, floor 77, and you just realized?" wheezes the Hyur.
"Guys, it's not that funny," protests the shorter Mi'qote, the giggles escaping from her cheeks undermining her own words. She was laughing too now, because everyone else was.

Friends. Laughter. It had been too long since she'd had those simple, beautiful things. I know this better than anyone, dear reader, because she was me. The Mi'qote red mage was my paramour, the Hyur paladin and Lalafell summoner, our friends. We met them on the chaotic battlefields of Sigmascape (Savage), just faces blended in to the crowd of eager adventurers, weapons in their hands, loot in their eyes. We bonded over nights slumped on the ground in front of a mad clown, reviewing mistakes and strategies and standing up to try again.

We continue to descend into the endless depths of the palace. The snow - no, ash, won't stop falling. It's too bright.
"This place is so cool," remarked the paladin.
"Will, remember, dragon in ram out," I said to him, referring to the chimeras that patrolled the halls. "Repeat after me."
"Dragon left ram right," he replied cheekily.
"I'm being serious! This is a matter of life and death," I retort, after I caught my breath.

Hearts pounding, we stand in the Cairn of Passage on floor 199.
"This boss is super hard," says the red mage.
"Yeah, we'll explain when we get in," I add.
"Do we have enough pomanders?" worries the paladin.
"Of course," replies the summoner casually.
We run down the ramp in a sea of white. At the end is no boss, just a Firecrest and a familiar bench.
"I got bamboozled," sighs the paladin.
Laughter rings through the expanse as we run to our prize.

Dear reader, my adventures have not been bereft of more sizable triumphs. I have killed bosses right as everything went black, earned millions crafting for ambitious adventurers. There is a reason I did not write about these things. Please, fellow adventurer, treasure every moment with the people you treasure. And if you have none as I once did, keep an open mind, and an open heart.

My friends, if you're reading this, I love you.

- Mihli
Gaelicap