i dont think ive posted this anywhere, but i wrote this for fun a while back before ao released, in like june 2021 or so. found it while writing something else and realized i did this whole diary/journal thing in a sort of similar way to the ones ingame. so i changed some things (mainly the navy ranks since i used the AG ones) and decided to post it. enjoy.
Ruined Diary of Alexander Grey
March 4, Y1836
My name is Alexander Grey. At the time of writing this, I am a soldier of the Grand Navy. I decided to start writing a diary for when I become an Admiral. It’d be an amazing story, I bet. Right now, I’m currently on a mission with 3 Captains, 10 Marines, and my boss, Lieutenant Randal Jackson. We’re heading to this small island in the Bronze Sea. It’s pretty far from everything, but seems to be directly south from Redwake. Might border on the edge of the Dark Sea, but I’m not sure. We’re heading there to protect it after a small-scale pirate attack, which is why they didn’t send too much. We also have orders to keep an eye on some wood magic user that showed some signs of violence. I think his name was Jeremy Harrison. Seems like we’re arriving soon. To be honest, I hope some pirates come by. I’ve never seen Randal fight, and I’m interested in seeing how he got to Lt. so fast. Plus, I could score myself some respect with the Navy, maybe even earn a promotion. We’ll see, I suppose.
March 7, Y1836
Well so far, nothing has happened. It’s been pretty boring in all honesty. That Jeremy guy seems to be doing alright, even seems like he’s pretty tame. I dunno what Lt. Lincoln saw in him that said “violent”. Might have to cut this page out honestly.
March 14, Y1836
It’s unbearable already… We could be out on the seas arresting pirates, but instead we stay at this dinky little fishing village where nothing happens! Maybe I’ll try and prov…
The rest of the page has been torn…
Y1836
This page seems to be hastily written, and there are drops of blood on it…
everything went wrong. lincoln was NOT joking when he said that. randal was on his last leg the last i saw him. he told me to get to the bronze sea base and ask for backup ASAP. i tried to dodge his wood attacks, but i got hit with something. i don’t know if i’ll make it but i need to tear
The next few words are obscured by dried blood…
apart… cant let the boss know. if i dont make it, the island is a small fishing island directly south from redwake. its a long way there, but you’ll know you’re going in the right direction when you’re near the dark sea. i think im near the base
There are a couple pages torn, or ruined by seawater…
April 25, Y1836
It’s been a while since I wrote in this. I’ve made a full recovery, thanks to the healing magic medics. I really lucked out coming to the base. Commander Cameron Silver had come to the base to rest before an expedition to the dark sea. He overheard my situation, and said that he’d take care of it himself. He’s an extremely powerful Commander, and even obtained Flare Magic on his own. Him and his small crew are made up of heat-based magic users, with a single Lieutenant - Hank Winchester- as a water magic mastermind. His job is to fight on his own, then extinguish the flames when the fighting is over. I’d like to go to the island when I get a chance, just to see what went down. For now though, I’ve got an assignment in the Nimbus Sea… This should be fun.
More pages are tattered, and ruined by seawater…
February 6, Y1837
I’ve been busy for a long while, but I’ve finally got some free time. I’ve finally been promoted to Major, maybe about a month ago. I think I’ll head toward that island I used to mention. I wonder how they’re doing over there? It’s a couple seas over, but I’ve got some time.
March 16, Y1837
Finally made it to the Bronze Sea. Currently heading toward the island right now. I think I’m pretty close, I went south from Redwake about 2 hours ago. Though I see something off in the distance… Kinda looks like a big tree. I might be going the wrong way. Whatever, I’ll check it out.
March 16, Y1837
Alright, this definitely isn’t the island. The entire island is entirely covered with wooden roots. And they all lead up to some crazy giant tree. Is this magic or is this a natural occurrence? It’s all pretty confusing… Maybe I’ll take this up with the Commodore. This’d be a cool place to explore. There even seems to be ruins of houses… I’ll explore a bit more and try to uncover some stuff.
Alexander closes the diary for now, and puts it back into his pocket. He pulls out a torch and lights it, then begins to wander around the tree. Its roots covered the entire island, even seeming to go beyond it in the ocean. He walks around the tree and stumbles into a wall, covered with wood. He climbs the slightly high wall and notices that the wooden roots have stopped. They seem to not extend anywhere past the wall, almost as if it acted as a barrier. He took a few more steps then fell off the small cliff. He landed face first into the ground below, which had not been overtaken by wood yet. He got up and dusted his uniform off, slightly dismayed that it was dirtied. He looks around for a while, then turns his back to see a horrid sight.
A corpse of an unknown man, who seemed to have died a while back. Alexander examined the gauntlets on the corpse, and realized that they once belonged to a commander of the Grand Navy. He puts the pieces together, and figures that this must be Commander Silver’s corpse. After discovering this, he quickly climbs the wall and dashes toward his sailboat. He hears something approaching behind him and quickly whips around to see the giant tree, now with an opening. He takes out his flintlock pistol and aims it at the opening, and puts his hand on his cutlass, ready to battle.
“H-hey! Who’s there?! I’m a Major of the Navy, and I’ll end you if you lay a hand on me!”
From the opening, a masked man with robes obscuring his body walked slowly toward Alexander. Alexander gripped his cutlass tightly, and put his finger on the trigger of the flintlock. The masked man exerted an unnerving aura, and Alexander was getting worried. The man stopped and eyed him up and down, before recognizing who he was.
“HAVEN’T YOU CAUSED ME ENOUGH STRIFE?! Get…. AWAY…!!!”
Alexander realized the masked man’s identity, and immediately fired his pistol. The masked man guarded himself with his left arm, which completely stopped the bullet. Alexander was extremely confused, but soon found out how he blocked it when he was punched hard in the stomach. The man had replaced his left arm with wood magic using a spell that was lost to time, which enhanced his magic and his physical capabilities. The masked man knocked Alexander back with another punch, then rushed toward him and landed another blow with his left arm. This time, he surrounded his arm with wood magic circles. As he landed the punch, he shot multiple beams of wood from the small circles, piercing Alexander in multiple places and mortally wounding him. The masked man walked back into the tree as Alexander fell to the ground, dead.
The masked man sighed, as he slowly made his way back into the tree. The walls plug up the opening, leaving the hollow tree with no entrance or exit, as it was before.