I could see Monti’s face cringe as he slowly took a few steps back in cowardice.

“Monti…” I looked at him as he knelt down and covered his face cowardly. Could it be that bad? I looked again at the thick woods of the Ancient Elven Woods that we were in. The sound of twisted metal is nothing old or natural.

Then I saw it. A large dark figure moving as if feasting on its meal. I startled and out of my fast, unconscious reflexes I had shot an arrow at the moving figure. My arrow soared like an eagle as it flew into the dark woods. A loud thump was heard when all of a sudden I heard the outcry of a Mini Dragon furiously roaring in there. No, it can’t be the sound of a Mini Dragon, I thought. Its outcry was tremendously furious that got Monti panicking into the nearest bush.

“MONTI!” I screamed as I rushed to him, “We need to go NOW!”

I rode on his back, and he ran faster than I’ve ever seen. Cold sweat poured over my face as the hard wind blew me.

We stopped at the heart of Uruga and rested there. I hugged Monti hoping he would calm down a bit more.

Resting by on the grassy fields of AEW, I scratched the lower neck of my new Raccoon. It closed its eyes and purred in pleasure just like cats would. I was the only one who could understand what it wants and says. My guild mates say I’m just crazy. But it didn’t bother me. I loved this adorable Raccoon too much to even care. I called him Monti.

I noticed his ears rotate to the left direction followed by his head turning as if hearing an unnatural twitch in the woods of the Ancient Elven Woods. I listened carefully and looked to where Monti was looking. All I saw were trees that grew, and a few mobs. I slowed my breathing to listen carefully. Then my pointy elven ears tingled to the sound of something that seemed like metal being twisted. Something didn’t seem right in the woods.

"I can't wait to see Wildfire's wedding," said a passing Cleric to her Fighter partner, "I'm surely going to buy that red dress. Theres a 25% promotional discount!"

I gazed back at the peaceful view of Uruga's waterfall. The breeze was fine as it cooled my usual sweaty body. Just then I saw someone riding a big raccoon, cute and cuddly. Its orange fur and dark brown stripes behind its back matched the color of the person riding on it. You could hear a kind of magical plopping sound from its feet as it trots away to the Ancient Elven Woods. I've always wondered how its like riding one of those merry looking creatures. I carried on with my tiresome gaze. Every so often there would be more passers wearing a tuxedo. "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to rent one," I thought, "and a raccoon might be nice too."

Sweat poured all over my face. I could feel my back being sticky from all the running in the Dungeon of Abyss. My training style has been different lately. I haven't bothered to look for a party in a few days ever since I discovered this new way of shooting, a new tactic for a Scout to survive on his own. Actually I'm not the only one who knows this. Most Scouts I know have been quite satisfied with this latest style of solo training. Although there were still some who said that this only works if we use scrolls to buff up our defence, I was quick to disprove their theory.

I loved it. Being able to run without stopping to shoot. Strafing backwards while we face the charging enemy to shoot out poisonous arrows from our bows. How can an Archer not love this kiting?

Everywhere I go in this dungeon, there is that smell of rotten meat. I crept into a huge room full of Abyss Orcs with my crossbow. Their skins were red, bodies were tough, facial expressions were raging for food. I grinned. They were all walking around aimlessly. I held my crossbow high and shot countless poison arrows on the area they were at. They roared and charged right after they saw me. I strafed backwards while shooting another countless arrows of poison on top of them all. The poisons were slowly eating their lives away until the whole group of them dropped dead.

The Sand Beach was warmer and brighter compared to the Forest of Mist. I started to sweat after running for a few minutes in search of Mormo's wedding. There were too many footprints on the sand for me to follow. I kept running until I reached a more grassier land with trees that had leaves falling slowly to the ground. I imagined myself laying on the green grass that swayed together in the wind. But now isn't the time, I thought.

I kept running, hoping to get there in time. I already told Mormo that I'd try. I stopped to catch some breathe and to my luck, my ears tingled on hearing laughter and Celestina's shouting for a more organized ceremony. I ran to the direction of the screaming crowd congratulating Mormo and HotIce.

As I reached there, I realized how beautiful the wedding spot was. The two lovebirds were already facing each other, smiling widely by the huge tree that had pink leaves. Celestina was telling Trinity, a new guild member, to get back to her seat as she ran by Mormo to slice a wolf with her sword, "Sorry Celes, those guys brought mobs here so I had to kill them."

"You may now kiss the bride", said an official of the wedding. They kissed passionately while holding each other close. Bursts of excitement came followed by flashy magics of Frost Nova and inferno. The crowd started dancing wildly. I tried to talk to Mormo to give my congrats but she seemed to be pretty busy joking around with all her friends.

"Well I guess I'm done here", I said to Celestina.

"Yeah, its time for me to carry on with something productive. See ya Stranger!" said Celestina. I later walked around the middle of Sand Beach where it was more peaceful. The wind coolly dried my sweat as I dropped flat on the comfortable green gass.

Together with my stead, I rode fast and dodged attacks from the Des Harkans. The Karasian Templars shot huge blasts of their magic that tailed me half way through Collapsed Prison. Fortunately I was able to dodge them too. The "Blue Cows" seemed to be minding their own business as I glided past them; they knew better not to chase me anymore.

I teleported into the cheery atmosphere of Elderine and moved to the heart of this crowded town. Climbing off my stead, I brushed dust off of my golden Scout armor that I collected from the Collapsed Prison. I gave a single brush to my green untidy hair, left it the way it is and stood still by the big grayish statue while I waited. "Maybe I should wait at the green garden, I love the sweet scenery there", I thought, "or maybe not, I don't want to make it seem as though we are in some sort of relationship."

After a few minutes she finally came. She had reddish hair that was tied back to a single ponytail. Somehow she looked different than the last time I saw her. It must have been the new green gear she wore. Her eyes were filled with joy and, at the same time, sadness. I could see how much effort it took her to give me a warm smile. I smiled back and said, "Hey".

"I'm going to miss you, again", she said looking away. This time she couldn't hold her smile.

"Its only a few weeks" I smiled. Then I saw from a distance, a Fighter with his brownish armor waving and smiling at her, "your friend?"

"Yea, guild mate stalking me," she joked, "but I'll be killing a few mobs along with him later."

I cleared my throat which made her rais an eye brow. I took out from my inventory a bow that I once used to destroy Harkans and handed it to her, "take it."

"Its a completed Harkan bow!" she said dropping her jaw as she looked at it.

"Bows are a lot quicker than crossbows", I reminded her, "you'll need it when killing that Mini Dragon"

"Thank you!" her teeth showed when she smiled. I noticed how her hands gripped the handle of the bow tightly. Her friend was now waving frantically this time, "well, I really need to go off now. Thank you so much!"

Without waiting for a reply, she ran off with her friend towards the gate to Collapsed Prison.

The cool breeze blew in from the west as I walked past the large welcoming town of Uruga. It was a town crowded with Vendors selling weapons and gears that people believed to be blessed with various qualities. I recognized many faces, most were in their joyful mood chuckling and giggling about how one of those reddish Orcs chased a novice fighter up the stairs but tripped and fell backwards making the creature roll down the stairs that lead to the greenish outdoor. I knew that I wouldn't be seeing this same happiness for a few weeks.

I took off on my stead, glided down the hill, made a left turn and stopped in the middle of a bridge blocked by my own Guild mate.

"Thou shalt not pass", she said.

"I will be back, I promise", I replied. Unfortunately, nothing I say would have excused me from leaving town, "Celes, I'm late, I must go."

"Over my dead body", she lifted both her hands and right knee as though she was ready to pummel me. I sighed. Then I saw a yellow Archon that stood gracefully behind her by the stone bridge.

"Celes look! A big fat chicken!" I pointed at it. She looked back and chased it with her deadly mace. This was my chance, I thought. I quickly jumped onto my stead and sped off to the gate to Collapsed Prison. I made a quick glance back at the greenish environment of Uruga as I heard Celestina's battle shriek. Somehow I felt sorry for the violently beaten Archon.

The time has come for me to finally become a Scout. I felt happy whilst saddened for not being able to enter the Passage to the Abyss any more. It brought me back great memories of meeting new friends who appreciated my Archery skills. Time seemed to be going just too fast for me.

Moving on, I was searching around Elderine for Scout Master Deikid. Perhaps he knows the direction for me to continue my journey, I thought. I talked to him, but he went on about the same old problem he was having. I wasn't interested enough to even bother getting him the set of Archer gears. Its a mission too simple, I'm sure he could easily have gotten them himself.

I turned back and saw, to my surprise, Celestina chatting with a friend of hers, "Oh hello there Stranger! Still looking for your job quest?"

"Yes. None of these people know."

"Well good luck to you!" she pleasantly smiled and waved. I walked a bit further from where they talked and checked through the vendors for interesting equipments. I overheard their conversations, Celestina's friend saying, "Don't you need to talk to that man in Forest of Mist?"

It hit me harder than Frost Nova, "How could I not have thought about it!"

"Well I'm not so sure myself, but I'll let the Stranger find out on his own", said Celestina.

I smiled evilly and shouted back at her, "I HEARD THAT CELES! MWAHAHAHAHHA"

Her jaw dropped and looked my way, "OMG NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"

"I'M ON MY WAY THERE NOW!!!"

I rode my stead and headed to the Gaurd Captain right away for my Job Quest.

The air smelt of stenched blood. The skies were dark while the surounding landscape was visible enough for anyone to stay on track. Further ahead of me on a crackled ground stands a common harkan; a double variation of two blue colours it has with a snout of a cow and a body of a wild cat. "Blue Cows" is what a Fighter angrily described them for the sudden attack he once had from a those beasts.

There was enough unoccupied space surounding the Harkan for me to sneak pass it without another game of cops and robbers. I kept on running but stopped to notice how it held its club letting the heavier end rest on its shoulders. I wanted to get closer to it. A very interesting creature it is. But suddenly its body turned around and chased me to the gate to Elderine. I quickly teleported using the gate before it could land its club on me. I can't kill it alone. I knew that I wouldn't be able to survive before I could hunt it down.

This is an Archer's problem now. We aren't as agile and sneaky as we are supposed to be, so as I've heard complaints from a few other brethren. The same gossips are being spread fast among the elven archers. We aren't being supported with enough abilities given to us by Nature, thus making us the most unwanted class for a grinding party. I still like what I have, but after hearing all the skills we lack, I now feel shameful for wanting more. Where do these elves find out about our missing abilities?

It must have started with the a group of archers who shared the same jealousy; the Mages are being replaced over us and that the Mages can already do a similar skill to what we have that once gave us a special identity. They are now ahead of us with their newly discovered magic.

We can't blame Nature for not providing us everything. There must be another of those materialistic humans thats holding Nature back from helping us out. I won't know just yet butfor now, we Archers must survive on whatever Nature provides for us. Our time to shine will come one day.

Not blending with Nature

That feeling is coming back to me again. But this time its a bit worse. I feel like I'm in between two worlds that do not want me. Humans and Nature.

Humans, some are hostile to me and my fellow brethren archers for what we are. Those Mages took our identity. We aren't needed by any party like we used to. I guess Nature isn't with us Archers just yet. We would need to survive with what we have for now until we get new skills given to us by Nature.