Hitting level 40 was a milestone I had been eagerly awaiting, and the moment finally arrived. It was time to buy my first mount. I had my eye on Gilbert, a majestic sabre that would take Ana from foot-slogging adventurer to the envy of all other Night Elves.
Walking into the mount vendor’s shop, I felt a mix of exhilaration and disbelief. I was finally going to ride in style! The vendor greeted me with a nod, and there it was: Gilbert, the Sabre. His sleek fur and impressive stature made me feel like a true hero.
“Gilbert, you’re mine!” I proclaimed as I forked over the gold.
And here’s the kicker—I’d been PvPing a bit recently, and it paid off. I managed to get Gilbert for 2 gold cheaper than the listed price. I felt like I’d just scored a major discount on a luxury item. I strutted around proudly, thinking, “Who knew that getting my butt kicked in Warsong Gulch would end up saving me gold?”
The feeling of hopping onto Gilbert and feeling the wind in my hair as we sped across the landscape was nothing short of liberating. I felt like I was finally living the high life—no more trudging through the lands like a commoner. It was the closest I’d ever felt to being a movie star on a red carpet—if the red carpet were a lush forest and the paparazzi were just the occasional wandering mobs.
As the days went on, I couldn’t help but revel in my newfound mobility. Gilbert and I were unstoppable. This was also the perfect time to venture into new territories, and we had a new adventure on the horizon.
This book wouldn’t be complete without dedicating a whole chapter to Jinx. She was, without a doubt, the quirkiest, most unpredictable member of our guild—a pink-haired gnome with a penchant for sending us the wildest stories in the mail. And I’m not talking about your average tales of quests and victories. No, Jinx had a particular gift for weaving outrageous narratives that left us all laughing, cringing, or just plain confused.
Most of these stories featured a certain paladin and his misadventures, usually involving some absurd scenario or the infamous Tauren Milk incident in Booty Bay.
One particular mail stands out in my mind:
Subject: The Paladin and the Tauren Milk (Part 4)
Dear Ana,
You’re not going to believe what happened this time. Our paladin friend found himself in Booty Bay again—this time on a holy mission. (I think he just likes to visit the tavern, but that’s beside the point.) Anyway, there he was, clad in his shiny armor, strutting about like the Light’s chosen savior, when he bumped into one of those towering Tauren vendors.
Thinking he could outsmart a Tauren—I know, right—he decided to haggle over some exotic milk the vendor was selling. It was called ‘Tauren Milk,’ which already should have raised a few red flags, but our paladin was convinced this milk would give him some kind of divine strength.
After an intense exchange of words (which I imagine sounded more like him puffing up his chest and the Tauren just rolling his eyes), our dear paladin finally bought the milk at a discount. He chugged it down right there in the middle of Booty Bay—like it was some kind of holy sacrament.
Cue the gagging. Turns out, Tauren Milk is not for paladin consumption. Within minutes, his face turned green, and he started staggering around, clutching his stomach. Long story short, he spent the rest of the day in the Booty Bay tavern, less concerned with the Light and more with trying not to die from Tauren Milk poisoning.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
I’m not sure if he’s learned his lesson, but knowing him, I wouldn’t count on it.
Yours in chaos,
Jinx
Jinx’s stories were like little rays of chaotic sunshine in the midst of all our epic battles and adventures. And they always arrived at the perfect time—just when you were about to pull your hair out over a tough quest or grind, her mail would pop up, and suddenly everything was hilarious again.
But it wasn’t just Jinx’s stories that made this time memorable. It was also when Sam and I had started to grow even closer. Our roleplaying sessions were becoming more intense, the connection between Ana and Sam deepening with each passing adventure. He would always tease me about how excited I was to get my mount, saying, “You know, Ana, I bet your sabre is more excited about not having to carry you on foot anymore.”
During this period, we had a surprise invitation from Layoric, another guildmate who was always up for an adventure. Layoric had recently suggested, “Hey, anyone interested in heading to Tanaris for some questing? I hear there are some pretty interesting quests and challenges out there.”
We eagerly accepted the offer. It was around this time that we also had the pleasure of encountering Jinx, who, as a mage, could make water whenever we needed it. As we arrived in Tanaris, Jinx jokingly asked, “Did anyone pack water? Or do we have to drink more Tauren Milk?”
“Never again,” I muttered, recalling the paladin’s earlier misadventure.
Tanaris was a desert, a complete change from the lush forests and snowy peaks we were used to. And while the golden dunes stretched for miles, they held secrets, buried ruins, and danger at every turn.
It was a journey filled with sandstorms, strange goblin contraptions, and encounters with pirates—yes, pirates. But in true guild fashion, we pressed on, laughing, roleplaying, and making memories along the way.
And though Jinx’s tales always lightened the mood, the adventures we shared—both in-game and out—became the real stories I’d remember forever.
As we were all reveling in the newness of Tanaris and its challenges, Layoric had a great idea. “How about we check out that cave over there?” he suggested, pointing to a mysterious entrance half-buried in the sand.
We all exchanged smirks and banter. “Oh, come on, how dangerous could it be?” I joked. “Probably just a few low-level mobs and some dust.”
Jinx chimed in with her usual flair, “Yeah, what could possibly go wrong? I bet it’s empty. Or at worst, there’s a couple of giant spiders in there. I’ve got frost spells ready!”
So off we went, all smug and confident, poking fun at the idea of a real threat. The cave was dark and foreboding, but we pushed on, laughing and joking, imagining our latest conquest as a mere walk in the park.
Oh, how wrong we were.
The deeper we ventured into the cave, we suddenly encountered a massive, menacing dragon. Not just any dragon—a black dragon. And not just any black dragon—it was a glaring red dragon, a sight so terrifying that it made our previous escapades look like a stroll in the park.
“Jinx, are you sure we can handle this?” I typed nervously in party chat.
“Of course!” Jinx fired up a frost spell, her mage instincts kicking in. “We can take this!”
“Really?” I thought, but it was too late. The battle had begun.
We charged in together, swords and spells blazing. The dragon, however, was less than impressed with our bravado. It roasted us with fiery breath, turning us into crispy critters faster than we could blink.
The resulting corpse run was a glorious disaster. We couldn’t stop laughing as we resurrected, each time trying to strategize our next attempt while still cracking jokes about how we were toasted like marshmallows.
There was so much banter and laughter that it made the whole fiasco worth it. I still have a screenshot of the four of us on our mounts, poised and ready for the dragon. It’s a cherished memory that brings a smile every time I look at it.
Years later, I returned to that cave with a significantly stronger character and managed to one-shot the dragon. I did it just to prove a point—after all, who could resist a bit of revenge on a monster that had once roasted you to a crisp?
And thus, my adventures with Jinx, Layoric, and the rest became legendary stories within our guild, stories that would be told and retold for years to come.