Reki was sniping her targets from above a cliffside. Her targets never saw her at all. The monster’s detection range was a paltry 50m range. Reki was hitting them from 285m without fail. The arrows pierced the chimeras accurately at critical points of Neck, foreheads and heart, one after another. If any player ever saw this nightmare unfolding, they would run the other way if they ever battle her. The shot was so distant that the dying chimera at level 320 in average spun around in circles trying to find the source of the attack without any luck.
This was Reki’s method of gaining extraordinary amount of level within a short time. She continuously ranged high level monster zones, planting herself in a secure place before raining down arrows. It was not always successful in the beginning. Her attack range was not far enough initially and only by using high terrains she avoided instant death. Even then some monsters could snuck onto her. With her <
‘About time I am moving, I guess.’
Reki thought to herself. The Level Up window just popped up. She ignored the window at the moment, not allowing herself to be distracted. She shot a couple more arrows imbued with specific magic this time. The arrows that she shot seemed as if it has blue strings attached at the end of the fletching. <
All of this was thanks to a particular Magician that sometimes decided to show off by retrieving the sword he planted with <
‘Wonder where that idiot is right now. I have not seen him for a week.’
Reki hesitated to send Winter a message. She knew he was still finishing his profession change quest. She satisfied herself with writing back and forth to Rinne. Samuel wrote to her from time to time, but she was not sure what to reply to his messages. He was agonizing over how to confess his love to Rinne and Reki somehow became his confidant. She wanted to shout to Samuel that she was too young to understand love! She was only 14 in real life after all. She knew she was socially awkward and terrible at conversing. But even she wanted to love someone. One liner reply from her somehow only spurred Samuel to pour out his heart to Reki. She was getting nauseated that she chose not to reply the last couple of messages. (She is so beautiful. Like the moon, a flower that is so frail yet strong *Bleargh*!)
The man she was thinking deeply about was well over in the Northern side of the continent. In a journey to get his unique class skills.
Reki put unnecessary thoughts away. Another Chimera just entered her Kill Zone unknowingly. Standing up, she unlimbered her bow. From its small compact size, even smaller than a harp, it expanded to its original size with a key word. The lines of scrollworks and brilliance would not allow any player to mistake it for a Legendary Class item. And they would be correct.
Artemis’ Bow was not unique, but extremely hard to obtain. It has ridiculous damage and extra penetration damage from automatic Wind elemental magic application to every arrow shot. Grasping her bow firmly, she drew the strings, the long arrow shaft firmly attached. The Chimera was dead. It did not know it yet.
xXx
“Geez. What is taking her so long to reply!” Samuel was pacing back and forth in the middle of the road. Arcanum was a bustling city even at night. Samuel was waiting for Rinne to appear. And he was getting nervous as he asked her to walk around the city. It was not the first time they walked around the city together. But it was the first time Samuel did the asking. The previous times, Rinne was the one asking Samuel to accompany her.
Getting nervous, Samuel wrote mails after mails to Reki, their new companion that was probably the most mature out of them. Winter did not count as a proper adult in Samuel’s opinion considering his penchant for quips and pranks against Samuel. Reki however exuded a cool, mature aura. Always calm and collected. (Author’s Note: Isn’t he just mistaking her awkwardness?)
She was also a good listener, always listening to Samuel’s problems and worries. Before he knew it, Samuel was reliant on her advices, especially concerning Rinne. It was puzzling that this girl only communicate using the mail system that almost no player used as directly speaking or whispering was more convenient.
But since Samuel has his own circumstances in real life too that was unusual, he could put up with someone else’s little idiosyncrasies. As the meeting time drew nearer, Samuel became more and more panicky. He stuck to Reki’s words down to the last letter. He was uncomfortable with the advice of losing his Cowboy Hat that was his signature. But since the previous advices were making his relationship with Rinne closer, he was inclined to do whatever he was told until it did not work. The large bouquet he grasped in his hands was a digital construction. Consisted of datas and textures. Yet the rose bouquet looked fresh and beautiful.
Glances of amusement and curiosity from onlookers were ignored by Samuel. He was too lost in his thoughts. Which was why he did not notice Rinne standing behind him.
*Pat*
Rinne barely patted him. But as wound up as he was, Samuel shriek undignifiedly, bringing chuckles from onlookers. Totally embarrassed, Samuel completely forgot all his plans and counter plans to the perfect date (only in his mind). Rinne rescued him.
“Is that a flower, Samuel?” Rinne cued. After a second pause were Samuel sorted back his jangling nerves, he was back in minimum control.
“Ah.. Yes. I remembered that today is your birthday. So… Happy Birthday.”
Rinne came from a place where giving flowers to the fairer sex were common. She accepted graciously with thanks.
“Why, Samuel. I am surprised you remembered.”
Rinne thought she heard something like ‘No way I will forget.’ muttered’ but she could not be sure as it was really softly spoken. She was truly touched as she has not celebrated her birthday for the past four years. Since the accident…
She was recalling the pain, both physical and emotional she had endured. Her life was over. So she thought. She could not sing anymore. She was ready to die. Until she was forced to play Royal Road. She could sing here. She has friends too. One adult that was childish but kind in his own way. A boy of his age who was like a brother she could not leave alone. And recently, another girl who was like a shy cat.
“..nee… Rinne. Are you okay?” Samuel’s look of concern was what she saw when she snapped back into (virtual) reality.
“I am okay. Just remembering something once.”
“Really? What is it? I hope it is something good!”
Samuel was so cheerful that Rinne could not tell him that half of it were bad memories. She wondered why she who decided to be a loner teamed up with him. They who stood at the opposite corner of the street, plying their music to the crowd. She had to admit that it was probably his deft hands that played the lute beautifully.
“Of course it is!” Smiled Rinne.
“Well, what is it?”
“That is a S-E-C-R-E-T.”
“Eh! Why? Can’t you just tell me, Rin?” Whined Samuel.
“You should not ask a girl their secret. You will get hated later. Now, let’s go. We have places to see. It is the Christmas Season after all.” Samuel shut his mouth and walked together side by side. On an impulse, Rinne linked her hand with his. It was crowded after all.
xXx
A figure was trodding on the grass - no - dragging his feet over them. He was still wearing his green bandana. His eyes however lost his avaricious seen. What was left of the player named Daffy was a bare shell of his previous vigor. Money! That was his source of vigor.
Daffy’s second failure to rob Winter and his comrades proved too much for him. The Thieves Guild terminated his membership. He would probably have survived in shame if not for Umber deciding to be petty, claiming Daffy sicced some high leveled bastard (Winter) on him just to undermine his authority.
Umber himself was not present for the VERY short local council meeting because he was still locked out. There was not much Daffy could do to defend himself. He did screw up! The core tenet of the Guild is to bring profit. But the accompanying tenet is to distance yourself from losses. Blinded by his anger and pride (Winter seemed to be very good at annoying people) he pursued a high risk target when he could have let it go, moving onto easier targets. It was not Daffy’s first time to back away. The man was not even based there, just passing through. It would have blown over in a month.
Being a thief was as much a gamble as a luck. It was a high risk high return profession. You could rob someone stronger than you. Or rob someone that has strong connection. Thieves Guild operate on obscurity, keeping themselves below recognition of righteous players and large guilds as much as possible while collecting wealths like worker ants. Luck was not with Daffy that day. For a no name player the old coot (Daffy exaggerated here) had a lot of friends. Too bad it only came after the fact that Winter has direct connection to the leader of Surging Wave Alliance, Summer.
Stomping on the grass in display of frustration, Daffy was contemplating where he should go next. He still has considerable personal wealth and his equipment. He knew he has quite desirable skill set, gumption and intellect (might be overrated -ahem-) as a Thief. It would be a few steps below his deserved skill level. But Daffy thought he could attach himself to Bandersnatch, a coalition of Hill Raiders a few days North of where he was.
He was so preoccupied with schemes and ideas on how to raise his status in the his new environment that it took him a while to notice he passed a <
A band of thieves with green bandana over their brow popped out from a rise. The Marker has maximum range for the signal to be received by the setter, thus they were always nearby if they wish to hear the signal when it was set off.
Daffy recognised the player in the lead.
“Hey, Daffy! What are you doing out here alone in the middle of nowhere? Isn’t your territory somewhere closer to the city?”
Ianieus or for short everyone called him Ian for obvious reason, pointed to a vague direction behind Daffy where he walked from. Ian knew Daffy’s area was the city area and a few kilometers beyond. A pretty decent player with a touch of ambition. Daffy quite like the guy.
“I am leaving town, Ian, for good.” Daffy shouted back.
Ian and his four comrades walked closer to Daffy so they could talk more comfortably. Texting system in Royal Road work in a specific radius despite obstacles or line of sight. The voice your virtual body speak however has normal limitations, like the real world. Besides, there was something to be said about talking face to face instead of a few hundred meters apart and texting each other over the distance.
“So the rumor is true? You are out of the Guild?” Ian that had jogged and stopped in front of Daffy asked, his face showing no hint of surprise.
Daffy sighed inside. What Thieves value the most are informations as commodities. They are valuable in the right hands and very portable and hard to part from you. Ergo, Thieves Guild members were notorious gossipers - creating or sharing, not very good on collecting for those in the lower rung - that delight in listening the latest happenings around them, mainly someone else’s misfortune that would create a spot for them to occupy. Talking about that, Daffy’s spot had been occupied by his Lieutenant the moment he was booted out.
’I guess I should not be surprised that everyone knows. It should be posted in the Guild Announcement page for anyone bothering to read it.’
Not many bothered, really. That particular page was the most uninteresting in content. Ian was, among those that did not bother to read them, instead getting his news by other channels, rumor mills.
“Yes. It is true, unfortunately. It will only be something temporary though. I will be back.” Declared Daffy.
He will be back. Raiding travelers does not really suit Daffy’s temperament. He prefer subtler methods of violence.
“Ouch. Sorry to hear that, Daffy.” Ian’s voice was laced with real sympathy.
“Me too, Ian. Me too.” Murmured Daffy.
Both of them were silent, Daffy lost in his own thoughts, Ian, giving Daffy time to collect himself. The rest were equally silent, following their leader’s cue.
“Okay. That’s that. Good to see you, Ian. But I have to go on.”
“I cannot let you do that, my friend.” Ian spoke in low voice.
Something crawled on Daffy’s spine. The ghost of a shiver.
“What.. what do you mean, Ian?” Daffy’s voice held a shudder.
“You know what I mean, Daffy. Sorry, buddy. But we have to do this.” Ian’s voice and countenance was apologetic, but the determined look he held was unmistakable.
“But I am your friend, Ian! Your friend! You would do this to me, someone that helped you when you joined the guild?” Daffy’s tone changed to outrage. He knew the Laws of the Guild were sacrosanct without any exception. He never expected to be on the other end of it however.
“That is why I am really sorry. At least spare yourself a lot of time and suffering. Leave your valuables and money behind. I will take only half of it and logged you as a no name adventurer and leave your equipment alone..”
“What? Why? He is not in the guild.” One of Ian’s henchmen spoke. Ian glared the player down to silence. The player must be new in the guild to still be following the Law to the letter.
<
Ian was a better man than him. Daffy has to acknowledge that. If the circumstance was reversed, Daffy would bleed Ian dry and laugh while doing it. Ian at least gave Daffy an out, at the cost of half his wealth. That door closed the moment that player spoke out. He would report Ian if he did anything less than thorough job.
It was as if something inside Daffy’s mind finally saw the irony. This was what he desired? Comrades that would turn on you in a heartbeat? A group of players that prey on others, bullying and intimidating them to submission? How shallow had his life been! How self-important he had been!
Stolen novel; please report.
Daffy laughed. Long and hard! It confused Ian and his henchmen. Daffy laughed some more when he saw how confused they were, nearly doubling over in mirth. The humor of his situation was still there, but his urge to laugh at it finally passed after a few minutes. Wiping out digital tears that deconstructed instantly, leaving no wetness on his fingers, Daffy sobered up.
Standing straight, he gave everyone in front of him a look of sympathy, especially Ian.
“Ian. Leave the guild. You are not suitable for this.”
It might be confusing seen from outside. Daffy’s avatar was in his mid-twenties while Ian’s was late thirties. Daffy aged his character quite a bit, but nowhere close to Ian’s. His naivety in things still shone brightly. He never got the chance to ask why he joined the Guild.
“What? Why? What are you talking about, Daffy? What was so funny?”
While Ian was confused, his henchmen/comrades were older than Ian and saw the truth, at least a little glimpse of it. That made them not very good person in real life. Daffy was not too. He saw the Guild as the fastest path to wealth and power. He wondered what sort of person he would be if he ever got to the top. He shrugged both in answer to Ian’s question and his own.
Manipulating his personal window, Daffy requested a Trade with Ian. The player that spoke out earlier has a smug look on his face. They should see the request as they were in a party. He dumped half the money in his purse, 5600 Gold. There were exclamations of anger, but Daffy did not hear it. Those that chose Thief as their profession could see the total wealth a person have when they trade. It made lie detection simple for their profession.
Those that refuse to trade lied how much they have on hand. And would be given ‘special care’.
Daffy pressed <
“What game are you playing here. Give us all your money!”
“Yea. Don’t waste our time chasing you all over the place, man. I got a date later.”
Echoes of agreement were voiced. Ian was hesitating as Daffy did not only put forth a trade.
What the rest could not see was Ian received a <
Ian hesitated some more, meeting Daffy’s eyes. Daffy knew what Ian would see there. Giving Ian a slight nod that he replied, Ian accepted both request. In a single second, Daffy lost half his wealth and gained a new friend. Probably his first real one in Royal Road.
’There is indeed no honor among Thieves.'
Daffy drew his weapon and unleashed his strongest combo skill to the player that would report Ian later. No idea what would happen to him, but it cannot be that bad considering this was a game. How bad could it be? You will still be alive anyway. No big deal.
Retarand is dead!
You gained Murderer’s Mark!
Infamy +10
’That, nobody saw coming.’ Thought Ian gleefully.
Everyone’s mouth were still hanging open when Ian used all his cooldown at once, something he had not done for a very long time. He damaged his opponent, Carramat quite a bit before the rest burst into action.
Ian was regretful when he was forced to kill Daffy. He could not attack halfheartedly anymore when as the last one standing, Daffy furiously delivered blow after blow to him. Ian was not sure Daffy did not deliberately let himself die too. There was a wisp of a smile on his lips and eyes when they crashed together for the last time in mutual deadly embrace before he faded away.
xXx
Adria missed Winter. She was waiting for Winter’s letter daily. She would sulk for a while when his father, Minalan told her that there have not been any. She could not believe Winter would forget writing to her!
’I am doing it again!’
Adria sighed and crawled out of her <
She gave one last look to the cape before hanging it in her closet. She would likely bury herself in it again tomorrow.
’Maybe he is currently in very far and dangerous region fighting giants and dragons. There is nobody to help deliver his mail. Yes. That must be it!/
Nodding to her own genius, Adria closed her closet with a light touch.
Something had been feeling off for her lately since Winter left. She moved to her side table to open the drawer. Inside the drawer was a pouch that still bulged with sweet round flavored candies. Adria has been eating them sparingly, only when she was feeling on her lowest. This was one of the anomaly she could not remember. Who gifted her the bag of candies?
Eating it always make her both sad and happy. She used to love eating candies and would finish them in a flash. But somehow this bag of candy she treasured and savored.
Then there was her being continuously rude to Uncle Winter.
Recently she has been referring him as Winter instead of [/i]Uncle Winter[/i]. Occasionally she slipped, which somehow displeased her father immensely. She did not see the look of worry on Minalan’s face whenever she slipped. Nowadays she learned to kept the slipping in her head though it had gone from occasional to regular occurrence.
’I wonder if Winter realised the cloak looks like his hair. All soft and white.’
Adria’s face blushed uncontrollably. She accidentally swallowed the hard candy that set her coughing. Holding her cheeks that warmed, she wondered what she was feeling here. Whenever she thought of Winter, there was a slight twinge in her heart. The few times she thought more on it she felt warmth on her cheeks that climbed rapidly that stopped her breath.
’I wonder if this is what happen when you miss someone a lot.’
She thought on the non-existent mother she had never seen and only heard in her father’s stories. She felt stirrings in her heart. It felt different. To Adria that was designed to have mental capacity of a ten years old, it was all the same. She could no differentiate it.
Convinced she was right, Adria was tempted to open her closet and bury her face in the cape again but thought better. It was almost dinner time and her father should not be allowed to go hungry.
xXx
Minalan looked forward to each time his daughter asking whether there was a letter for her from Winter like his own cooking. Trepidation.
He thought that was it when Winter left. Everything would go back to what it was. He would be a but a sweet memory of a kind Traveller that spent a little time with her, forgotten eventually.
’Give it time! It has not been that long since he left!’ Minalan thought to himself.
His heart knew it was false yet the falseness was better than the alternative. The truth would be too painful for Adria to accept.
Minalan wondered if Adria’s memories were returning slowly. She called him without any honorifics more than a few occasion. It has been a week since she slipped though, so Minalan dismissed the idea. Her little girl has always been one disrespectful brat. She probably thought she could speak impolitely if the man was not here.
’That must be it.’
Minalan mulled the conclusion for a bit and decided to accept it as fact. One less problem to worry.
“I am not suitable for this at all, Thelladria.” Minalan chuckled to himself when he thought of Adria. The source of his Joy and Sorrow.
It was a cruel joke for Freya to grace Minalan his second chance in the form of Adria. At first.
There was a time in the beginning when he thought Adria should not be alive at all. It was that painful to look at her and remember what was lost. It made him loathe the sight of her. And yet… now he could not imagine life without her. Never mind that his love would not return anymore, forever gone. She lived in Adria.
“Father! Put that pan down and stay away from the stove!” Adria’s voice snapped Minalan from his thoughts.
He looked down to see himself about to put the fish to the fire. It had been lathered in plenty of condiments and spices. It would taste good!
“What? Why? I am cooking!” Minalan replied in mild confusion.
“You. Do. Not. Cook.” Adria said. Her left hand was on her hip while her right pointed at Minalan and jabbed the air with every word followed by her stomping footsteps.
“You will poison us to death if you keep this up. Now put the pan down and sit.”
She flicked her pointed finger to the dining table. Minalan flinched at the accusation. He put the pan aside and moved to where she pointed. Shoulders drooping in defeat.
Adria, with self-satisfied smile moved a small crate and mounted it to reach the stove and kitchen racks. She began taking out a small slab of meat from magically chilled box, cutting into it. She hummed while she worked.
’Freya. But she is beautiful.’
Minalan could not help but exclaim while he observed Adria working the kitchen. She only recently began learning how to hum. It reminded him of Theladria again. She always hummed when she cooked too. He saw an overlapping image of Theladria, tall, her long lustrous black hair flowing in waves to reach her back. He almost choked from the emotion.
“Ah! You put the salt and whole mix of spice in the fish again!” Adria exclaimed in annoyance when she realised what Minalan had done to the large cut of fish.
Minalan could not help but smile when Adria hurled abuses at him, nodding in agreement at his incompetence as a cook.
xXx
“Thank you for the business. I look forward to do further commerce with you when I pass again.”
Zaya tuned out the NPC’s reply. She had gotten what she wanted. A profit. Sizable ones too since she managed to offload her whole supply of <
She gave one last buttering up to the merchant NPC before saying her goodbye, flicking the reins to move the draft horses. The three behind her followed.
Zaya mentally checked what she remembered from Royal Road Trade Journal. The journal that was published once a month held the most accurate prices on items in different regions on average. It was the literal bible that all Merchant classes referred to when they wanted to turn a profit from trading. From her rough calculation, the current deal she just finished would net her around 10,000 Gold worth of profit when she got her cargo to Albion, the capital of Knights. The journey has zero risk as the road there was patrolled by combination of NPC and Players aspiring to join the ranks of Avalon knights.
“This much is mine… this is yours. Don’t complain! I tried my hardest!”
“No, no. I don’t deserve such praise. I am just returning the money you loaned to me.”
“Be grateful I remember by debt!”
“I refuse to be in anyone’s debt! So take your money or just leave it there! I don’t care!”
’Ahhh~ The last one might be too much! No way I can just dump money on the ground for some broke players to pick over! It goes against my principle!’
Zaya was murmuring what she wanted to say when she finally bumped onto Winter. The gruff mannered Player left a deep impression on Zaya somehow. He had not replied the numerous messages she sent. Zaya was pretty much trading town to town heading to where the enigmatic Player was. She was a week’s journey to Arcanum, very close to him when the next day she checked and somehow the man managed to span over a third of the continent. She was surprised when she checked the name of region he was in, courtesy of the friendship she forced on him.
Winter was suddenly WAY too the North. She was not sure what occurred, but he somehow managed to Teleport himself some half year journey distance from where Zaya was, the last two months of the trip over very hostile barren lands. When she realised she could never catch up to him for good, probably, Zaya began focusing her effort to trading. She felt a little miffed that the man sneaked away from her without taking his share of what she mentally called ‘Pity Loan’. It would not do for Zaya to be beholden to someone else. She has always been someone who managed everything by herself, by any means.
What Winter did to her was akin to snubbing her core belief. A grave insult to her independence. Thus, she decided to show pay the man back with hefty interest to salve her injured pride. She had been trading furiously since then, earning profit after profit, finishing deal after deal, collecting contacts and building her mercantile empire one brick at a time.
She always pictured them meeting somewhere eventually, or her catching up to wherever he journeyed. Zaya has to eventually admit it was unlikely with the way she traveled. Winter has freedom to travel to unknown regions while Zaya’s route was fixed to profitable routes where money could be made.
Thus she decided to advance her plan on building her business empire. She would expand her business and contacts to eventually cover the whole Versailles Continent. That way, he would not be able to escape when she finally repaid her debt.
Nodding to herself, Zaya slowly thought up schemes to earn even more profit.
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Author's Note:
Let me know if you spot errors folks. I am going without editor due to my long absence.