Dusty Journal

**Dusty Journal** is a book found in Vaan's House. This item cannot be put into the player's inventory the player can interact with it to read it.

## Book Information

### Content

It's been several weeks, and I'm unable to master this power. Nivara talks endlessly about the 'potential' she sees in me, but I am beginning to wonder if she's wrong. Or maybe I'm the one to blame - maybe I'm simply not talented enough to realize such potential? Does it even matter, really?
The Humans... now there's a race that was lucky. I can't help but remember all the things I learned about them during my classes as a boy. Their guardian dragon wasn't afraid to help them realize *their* potential. With the power awoken by his Blessings, they wasted no time building all sorts of wonderful things. What do we have in Nel'Vari? Tall trees? My fruitless training goes on...
I haven't written in some time, but I'm starting to get the hang of this magic. Manipulation of air... I never thought I'd have such a talent laying dormant inside of me. I asked Nivara to Bless me as the Human's dragon would do, but she gave me a longwinded lecture about trees growing best when left alone. Tedious.
I spend much of my time within the root systems of the Grand Tree. There is much ancient mana, memories of Elves who came before. Those Elves survived far worse than a little training exercise - what could their memories teach me? That obnoxious rule-thumper Wesley nearly caught me this morning as I was activating mana shards. If he knew what I was up to, he'd tell grandfather for sure.
Grandfather is retiring as Elder. Everyone in the village is buzzing about who he will promote to Elder in his place, but it doesn't really matter. Everyone in Nel'Vari worries too much about tomorrow. We should focus on today. Which reminds me, I'm finally able to conjure clouds. Nivara was impressed, but told me that my training was far from over.
I will admit that conjuring clouds is a fun trick, but what can this power really do for me? Realistically speaking, I mean. Oh - I was down in the Grand Tree's roots again today. I heard Wesley whining about how we should have someone guarding the cave that leads to the roots. No one but Gorwin seems to pay the little green brown noser much mind, but if they ever *do* listen to him, I should be prepared to lose access to the mana shards... and the memories inside of them.
Mana is strange. I find shards, I tap into them, I see the memories kept inside... and I feel myself growing stronger, too. I can't explain it. My muscles don't feel any bigger, I can't run any faster... but I feel different. What is more, my clouds are getting larger and more tangible. I can almost step on them. Nivara said she was impressed with my progress, but the way she was looking at me as she spoke her praise...
Grandfather was overjoyed. He told me no Air Mage had ever trained their abilities so quickly. Nivara nodded along. I can't explain why, but I feel that she seems to know *why* I am progressing so quickly. Of course she would, though. She's Nivara. She probably knows everything. What a burden that must be.
The Nel'Varians have been through much. I've seen their lives, their battles. Stories that Grandfather would never tell me in a thousand years. I used to think people here cared too much about the future, but now I think they care too much about the past. Grandfather appointed Gorwin as the new Elder. Gorwin is a good Elf, but will he make the bold strokes we need in order to prosper in the future?
I managed to ride a cloud for the first time today. I barely left the ground, and I fell off right away... but still. For as brief as the feeling was, I can't get it out of my head. I want to feel it again. I'm done going into the Grand Trees roots. Let the memories of the past stay in the past. They were helpful for getting me this far, but now I fear they'll only distract me from what is truly important.
I realize I haven't written in this old journal for a long time. I've been too busy with my mage work. Nivara says I'm almost ready to complete my training. I don't think I need her validation, but she did offer guidance to me. Maybe I owe it to her to humor her 'lessons' through to the end.
Nivara has tasked me with a final 'test' to prove my mastery as an Air Mage. It's to be something that improves life in Nel'Vari. I'd like to conjure a giant cloud and force everyone in the village to ride upon it, to see the wonders they're missing out on outside of our borders. But perhaps that's a bit too ambitious.
Grandfather is getting on in years, and he's having trouble walking to and from the council chamber at the top of the Grand Tree. I wonder if there's something my air magic could do about that.