Valla

Guardian of Nature She has many labels: Grand Spirit of Spring, Grandmaster of Wind Magics, Lecturer of the Tower of Seasons, and Guardian of Nature. However, she was not born with such great powers. Her life started as a rather common spirit. Rain Priestess In all the places I've visited, I was entranced by a legend spoken in a borderland town. When the town was afflicted by a devastating drought, a priestess by the name of Valla came out of the forest to heal the sick and bring the rain. --Excerpt from Journeys Across the Federal Continent. She was born in a forest far away from the civilized world. Grand Spirit of Spring, Valla Verafina. Like every spirit, Valla was born without a name and was unaware of the purpose of her existence. One day came when she realized she could summon gentle breezes from the valleys, small creatures of the woods, and even use the powers of nature to help others. Many years went by. Humans eventually appeared near the edge of the forest. They built a village, cleared the land for farming, and irrigated the fields using water from the rivers. She studied these beings with great curiosity. Then came a day when disaster struck. A drought of the century struck. The heart of the woods, however, was relatively untouched. However, the humans who lived at the edge of the forest suffered when their fields cracked and their sources of water dried up. As a kind-hearted spirit, Valla innately wanted to help these people. She thus mimicked priestesses who ventured near the forests. The magic-disguised spirit then took the name "Valla" and appeared amongst the humans. She used her powers to transform waters from the heart of the forest into rain to nourish the fields. She also used blessed spring waters to cure the sick. "Thank you, Master Valla! " The humans praised the rain-bringing priestess for saving the entire village. She had never smiled so happily in her life. Even when she returned to the forest, the happiness she felt convinced her that helping the humans was the right thing to do. "Master Valla! Please help us again! " When there's a first, there will be a second. The rain allowed humans to survive the drought, but now they hoped to restore the fertility of their fields. The forest murmured gently, telling her not to over-use her powers lest catastrophe strike. Nevertheless, the villagers kept praying to her for help. Valla hesitated for a while before deciding to give them another rain. Once again, the villagers praised Valla for her powers. But when the spirit returned to the forest, everything had wilted. The powers of the forest were depleted. She then realized that she had committed a grave mistake. Meaning of Rescue She over-extended her powers to save the humans, but nature paid a greater price, depriving her of her home. She realized the limits of her powers. To atone for her acts that disturbed the natural balance and to provide lasting help to others, she bade farewell to the forest and started her journey. The homeless spirit left her place of birth and took the name "Valla" as her own. Valla tried to help people she met by using her powers with great care to avoid disturbing the balance. She also contemplated on the means to help even more people. She gave alms to beggars, distributed food to refugees, and even mediated arguments... But despite her powerful magics, the requests for help never seemed to cease. Just as Valla became increasingly vexed, the Principal of the Tower of Seasons appeared before her and told her that the Tower needed a person like her. She told the Principal that she only wanted to use her powers to help others and that the Tower of Seasons held no meaning for her. "You can save a dozen today, and a hundred tomorrow. But even a powerful entity like you cannot save thousands in a day. " the Principal smiled. "Even then, I will do everything I can to help them. One day will come when everyone can lead happy lives ", she said stubbornly. "Beggars will keep begging tomorrow. They beg only to survive. " She was silent. "To truly help others, your powers must be used wisely to solve the problem at its roots instead of the symptoms. " "Only those with the knowledge to survive and prosper can escape the curse of poverty. " "People must learn to redeem themselves and not depend on others for salvation." The Tower of Seasons aimed to pass on the powers and means of delivering others to their students. She no longer hesitated and accepted the Principal's invitation. Thus Valla became a teacher in the Tower of Seasons and signed her first covenant with the Principal. She is now determined to pass on her knowledge and powers to those willing to help others. The students of the Tower of Seasons gained a fearsome yet respectable instructor: Professor Valla. She would deliver cruel lines with a smiling face while maintaining her dignified aura as a lecturer. After class, however, she would answer every question with earnest, leaving students bewildered to her true temperament.