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My Life as a Heroine:
Or, Tales of the Bumbling Servant of the Goddess Bibliophile
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Many years ago, I decided to take on of one of the most sacred duties of a hero or heroine: the Chronicles. As a young, eager heroine, I began recording my adventures to go forth into this world on a mission to honor and worship my goddess Bibliophile, blessed be Her name.
Alas! As my travels went on—through years of stumbling onto all the paths never taken—I failed to maintain this sacred responsibility.
Over five years passed before I became aware of my neglect. Few remaining fragments exist of my early chronicles. So much has happened that I cannot possibly recount it all. Truthfully, I don’t remember enough to record anything from that time.
Thus, in the Year of the Goddess, two-thousand twenty, I again pick up a quill to revise and update my Chronicles. I desire to rectify my earlier lapse of responsibility. May my goddess give me strength to finish this endeavor!
Blessed be this work,
Mathilde
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The Calling
I thought I was hallucinating upon first hearing the words and feeling the effects of my goddess. Never had I imagined that a deity would chose me to be their champion among the people. Realizing my destiny, I committed myself to Her with great fervor.
My understanding of my Goddess is as yet most pitiful, but even more so in those early days. I often pondered if my new life was a mistake. A divine hiccup. Why me? I could not fathom why my Goddess would want me as Her advocate.
Some of the villagers whispered that Bibliophile only reveals Herself to the most enthusiastic bookworms. If that was true. . . my Lady’s choice was beyond all human understanding!
I finally decided not bother thinking about such confusing matters. My brain was not designed for it. ’Twas better not to think and simply continue my adventures in honor of Her Greatness.
Such adventures they were! Over the years, I’ve fought many monsters and escaped peril not a few times. I often spend much time wondering around not quite sure what I am doing. It is only by the grace of my goddess, blessed be Her name, that I have made it so far. What joy it brings to toil in Her most glorious name! Blessed be those who believe, O beatific Bibliophile!
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Earliest Surviving Chronicle Log Fragments
3 Feb [201?]
Alas, my quest is going slowly. I so wish to join the NGO. I want to prove myself in the arena now I’ve proper fighting gear, but my godesss, blessed be Her name, has not seen fit to send me again. I admit my previous efforts were less than stellar. Journey on!
Update: I’ve been made master my guild! All glory and thanks to Bibliophile!
5 Feb [201?]
My goddess, blessed be Her holy name, saw fit to allow me two arena fights yesterday! I was only victorious in the first, however; I must have angered my goddess, blessed is she, before the second fight. I shall pray more to regain Her favor.
8 Feb [201?]
Oh, my heart is so heavy tonight! I so want to honor my goddess, blessed is Her name, at the arena, but I failed again today! I don’t know what I can do. Have I displeased my Lady? All honor, power, and glory in Her name! Let me follow the path of righteousness.
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Beginning of New Chronicle Log
16 Jul 2020
What bliss! What wonder! Yesterday morn, I heard Her voice once more! At last, my most worshipful goddess has shown Herself to me. I had not felt the presence of Her in my life for innumerable years. Oh! How I wailed and gnashed my teeth, trying to uncover what sins I had committed to silent Her voice! I confess that at times I doubted My Lady’s existence at all. The shame it brings to write such blasphemy. Glory be to all creation for Her mercy!
19 Jul 2020
Life now feels as if I’ve been in a time capsule, frozen for all those years I feared my goddess had found me unworthy. I encounter many younger heroes and heroines that have achieved as much or more than my own imperfect being. My Lady always provides, though. Since my “reawakening”, I have improved my skills more in a few days than in many years!
My faithful pet biowolf, Gleep, has stayed by my side for all these years. Ah, the look of surprise on a monster’s face when he suddenly materializes to attack! It never fails to cause me extreme glee.
20 Jul 2020
Lest I forget, let me scribble some lines to memorialize my latest achievement. I am proud to now be a recruit of the guild Cutie Mark Crusaders and desire to reach the highest of their ranks. I feel strengthened by my guild as I continue my quest to worship and praise my Righteous Lady.
25 Jul 2020
11:08 AM With a crash, a bang and a wallop, Gleep suddenly reached the next level. He’s not going to overtake me, is he?
What blessing to Gleep! Ah, I remember when he was just a pup; now he is level 21. Glory to my Lady, Bibliophile, for Her support and magnificence!
My goddess, blessed be Her name, has also shone Her favor upon me in recent days: I have reached level 42, ascended to the guild rank of follower, and increased the strength of skills and weapons.
People have also remarked upon my increasingly virtuous nature as I accumulate more gold bricks. I cannot wait to build a temple in honor of my goddess!
30 Jul 2020
03:16 AM Wow, I am level 43 now. I think that’s a bigger number than the level I was before.
Thank you, my goddess! This was so soon after my previous promotion. I wish only to reach even higher levels to better glorify your name.
My Lady, send me your wisdom on whether to seek a new guild. Though I am happy to be gradually moving up the ranks, the guild has lacked a leader since I joined. Elections were called again after the vote threshold was not met. Many experienced leaders have left, which worries me. I shall follow your decision, whatever it be. Blessed be the name of Bibliophile!
1 Aug 2020
04:35 PM Almighty, I did NOT see that coming! Mother Nature tore through his heart like a hurricane, and he STILL can’t resist her! Love is too complicated for me! I’ll stick to questing for now.
Hooray! After all this long and agonizing traveling, the quest to reunite mother nature with father nature is finally over. Got a golden brick, Icarus rockets and 12074 gold coins as a reward!
As an aside, I received a side job yesterday to “Resurrect.” I knew what had to happen first before that job could be completed. There was no doubt my goddess would promptly revive me, but I didn’t want to die again. I wasn’t afraid of death; it was dying I feared! I had avoided this task previously by cravenly allowing the time to expire. My Lady, blessed be Her name, patiently repeated encouragements all day until I accepted my fate. The rewards were worth an extra death.
04 Aug 2020
Glory forever to the one true goddess, Bibliophile! My gracious Lady has blessed me so much today. First, Gleep aged once again—he’s now level 22. He has been particularly fierce in protecting me during monster fights recently. Ah, he is growing up so well! I also had another success in the arena today. I’ve resolved to improve my skills there. In addition, I have advanced to the rank of master in my guild. Finally, I’m over halfway to collecting all the golden bricks needed for the Temple. Despite my confusion about all the weird quests I must undertake, I can’t imagine another life.
10 Aug 2020
08:12 PM An epic but short burst of music played mysteriously, and the words “Level Up!” appeared above my head in glorious 3D. Seems I’m level 44 now!
11 Aug 2020
05:05 AM What a nice day to die… Asked the Lying King to give the Great One my love.
They say only the good die young. It must be so because I’d only recently been able to stay “pure good.” Perhaps some wickedness once in a while would be healthier. Healthier, in this instance, meaning less deadly.
14 Aug 2020
02:39 PM Gleep just made another notch on his collar. Looks like he got his next level.
Happy 23rd Level, my loyal biowolf! Gleep is growing by bounds and leaps these days. Always so eager to shred monsters to pieces. My Lady, in Her infinite Grace, has blessed me with such a helpful pet!
16 Aug 2020
02:22 PM Notes from the battlefield: The Jaguardian was triumphantly defeated! I’ve gained more experience and looted some gold, but it’s time to return to my heroic deeds.
With this glorious victory, all in honor of Bibliophile, blessed be Her name, I have officially received my Hunter, 3rd class medal. It’s so shiny, I can’t stop looking at it!
I didn’t expect that boss monster today, but my goddess encouraged me the whole time I was fighting. I’m not sure I heard all of it or always followed Her advice, but it all worked out in the end. For me, that is; the Jaguardian met a less fortunate fate.
Ah, what a wonderful achievement! It only further proves those who seek the Light of pure goodness are not weak, useless heroes or heroines. (As some heroes have whispered behind my back.) Our Light can defeat powerful foes just as well as those less inclined to goodness.
20 Aug 2020
Today I achieved the rank of chief master of the Cutie Mark Crusaders guild. This guild is rather baffling, frankly. Since I’ve joined, there has been a constant cycle of failed elections. There is also a large gap between the six members with the highest rank and the rest of the guild. The member with the next-highest rank is has not yet reached cardinal. ‘Tis odd.
Nevertheless, I am determined to remain in this guild until I reach cardinal. This will grant me the coveted Careerist, 1st class medal. If I join another guild it will only delay this honor. Only through the strength of my Lady, blessed be Her name, will I be able to persevere in this goal.
21 Aug 2020
03:13 PM An epic but short burst of music played mysteriously, and the words “Level Up!” appeared above my head in glorious 3D. Seems I’m level 45 now!
Wow! I’m turned level 45 today! I have been working hard on my quests…except when I’m wasting time in towns. Is it wrong to be proud of my progress, My Lady? I do everything in order to glorify you, after all. Gathering all those gold bricks certainly is a challenge, but I’m inching closer to having enough for a Temple. I am sure there shall be no other temple like it.