Romina Walsh stood in her cold office tapping furiously on her holographic screen, after Fred left that day with the information he sought she had not been able to get it off her mind.
Who was Aya Brown and why was she important enough to the CEO to send the archival rat on a digital manhunt?
The servers buzzed as she searched through the old employee database looking for something. Romina was pressed on the matter of why the name bothered her so much. Nothing like this had ever gotten under her skin.
Brown.
It was a common name but she could swear that name had great importance to the company, someone at Lumos Inc. had that name, someone that seemed familiar but she just couldn’t remember.
Brown. Brown. Brown.
Romina sighed, pushing her long dark strands of hair out of her face, it had gotten long again and she would have to shear it off before it became a hassle. She continued typing until she was met with a message.
[Access Denied]
“Denied?” Romina growled, other than Victor Sinclair himself she had the highest administrative permission as Lumos Inc’s head server engineers, she had to know all the ins and outs of the database.
This didn’t make any sense.
Romina adjusted her glasses and tried again.
[Access Denied]
[Highest Authorization reached]
“Highest authorization reached? Well, that confirms it. I have the same access and privileges as the CEO, unless…” She took a moment to pause and breathe deeply. If she couldn’t access these files despite being at such a high level then…
This was old data.
Buried Data.
Romina walked over to her office desk and placed her tablet on the table to think. The dark haired woman laced her fingers together in thought and stared out of her windows overlooking Evangels.
Her company was hiding something and Fred had slipped up involving her, she would get to the bottom of this. To the bottom of the person, she could not remember.
----------
Aya walked home with her hands in her pockets and more thoughts than she had left the house with. She had already known the Eos Conquerors were in town thanks to Mars catching sight of Arlo at the Pinhole Arcade they had visited not too long ago.
“Why would they be holding a tournament here? They clearly want to smoke her out. I don’t even get why they’re mad, they betrayed her!”
Aya walked until she was once again within the vicinity of her building. She looked up at the old thing with peeling paint and worn broken edges. The walls had ballooned with water and old giving the decrepit old place an even worse look.
Aya walked through the main door, into the lobby, and up the stairs to her and Mars’ apartment. This would all soon be just another thing of the past.
No more Lydia and Fido and hopefully one step closer to finding out who in her family was left.
----------
Mars was in the kitchen when she stepped through the door, the dark haired girl was in the kitchen peeling potatoes for dinner with a high-tech slicer.
Aya watched as she washed the potato and slotted it into a machine using the little compartment. The machine would peel all the skin off and slice the potato into long strips for fries.
“Welcome back, how was your walk?” Mars asked quietly. “You were gone for a bit,”
“Oh sorry I was at the convenience store,” Aya said, taking off her shoes and placing them within the shoe rack. It would be one of the last things to be packed up when they were moving.
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“The one with the dead-eyed cashier?”
“Oh you mean Nisha,”
“Nisha,” Mars raised an eyebrow, “You’re acquainted now?”
“Yeah, we just talked a bit about Moon Valley, she’s pretty cool. A little mean but cool,”
Mars laughed.
“Well, dinner will be ready soon, come help me with these eggs,” Mars said, stretching her hand out to Aya. The brunette ran over and began cracking the eggs alongside her roommate and friend.
----------
“Don’t stay up too late,” Mars said after they had washed up their plates and dried them. They were each heading to their rooms when Mars had spoken.
“Right back at you,” Aya said with a laugh.
“I’m glad you made a new friend today, did you get her ID?”
“Yeah, she plays a mage,” Aya chirped, she almost thought Nisha wouldn’t have wanted her to have it. She seemed stand offish at first but Aya knew now that she just had some rough edges.
“Basic but I dig it,” Mars teased, she leaned against the frame of her door, she was ready to get back into her gaming pod to kick some more ass.
Aya had a feeling Nisha wouldn't like what Mars had just said about her class. Mage was pretty tough to play, Aya imagined. Besides, no class was a bad one.
“How is mage basic?”
“I’ll tell you later, skill floors and all that,” Mars winked. “See you tomorrow,”
“Later,”
----------
[Yvlena Acquired
EXP: 1710/1750
***
Swamp Jelly (Herb) x10
Rusty Armor (Rare) x1
Marsh Stone (Mid Grade) x2
Forest Elemental Soul Shard x1
***
Moon Points x3000
Moon Gem x100]
[Title: Marsh Conqueror (I)
Strength increase when in any Marsh or Swamp area
Water Resistance Bonus]
[Skill: Stun leveled up]
[Skill: Rabbit Volley leveled up]
[Rabbit Knight gained a level +1]
[Sprite gained a level +1]
“Okay that’s a lot, but at least I won’t have to worry about Swamp Jellies for a while and I got a new title too!” Yvlena said in excitement, “All I need to do is return to Bavga, but aww man. My sword,”
Yvlena hung her head as Sprite came to rest on her shoulder. She gave a long and suffering sigh.
“Just leave the battles to us Yvlena,” Sprite said.
Beside her Rabbit Knight gave a nod, Yvlena guessed with the two of them she had nothing to worry about. The Avaresh Swamp was a lot more peaceful now.
“Let’s head to Bavga’s,” She said taking the first steps back. Her summons followed loyally behind her.
----------
“You return,” The Swamp Hag said with a hint of surprise. “I thought for sure that third task would be the end of you, Old Crocante’s gone soft,” Bavga coughed, spitting out some darkened phlegm.
“Is the balm working?” Yvlena asked, she felt sorry for the old woman who had to endure such a strain on her body, hopefully eliminating the Miasma from Bloom Haven would help speed her recovery.
“Working! I’ve never felt better in the last 100 years. I feel the Miasma’s influence weakening,” Bavga laughed.
“Well done,”
[Quest Complete
The Third Task
Within the deeper swamp lies a foul creature guilty of polluting the once harmonious waters of the Avaresh Swamp.
Once a creature of balance, the miasma has tainted it and destroyed the being's true nature.
Find the Minor Miasmic Entity and destroy what was once a former guardian of the swamp
***
Rewards
Vaelindor’s Cup (Herb) x5
Vaelindor’s Cup Seeds x10
***
Moon Points x5000
EXP: 2000]
[Yvlena is now Level 14]
[Yvlena is now Level 15]
“Two level ups in one go!” Yvlena gasped.
“Thank you for entrusting this task to me Bavga,” Yvlena said to the hag in her rocking chair.
Bavga lifted her hand to wave away the comment. The hag sighed, rubbing her chest to soothe some of the pain that came with the Miasma sickness.
“I should be thanking you, I’m breathing lighter and I can tell the Swamp looks better than it has in years,” Bavga said, her saggy cheeks stretched into a smile.
Yvlena couldn’t help but find it charming.
“Now ask your question,”