CHAPTER 4 - CHOOSING A CLASS
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Favrielle ducked as the huge level 10 hawk tried to stab at her with its beak. Her agility was high enough that her back no longer pained when she bent back all the way. It had been a week, in the game, since Favrielle joined Trixie's party. She got along with everyone in the party and they fought well together. They had each gone up a few levels except for Favrielle who was now level 9 and Avel who reached level 15. Even Juno and Jupiter had gone up a few levels. Favrielle had also improved her fighting skills with her daggers. Rave helped her out under the scrutinizing of Trixie who insisted on being there for every lesson. He seemed to think that she was very mysterious and continued to pester her about it, which Avel said was very unlike him. Favrielle and Avel were on very friendly terms and even Lancelot was friendly in his own type of way. The only one Favrielle felt distant from was Trixie. She tried to make an effort of working together, but the elf seemed to not trust her for some unknown reason.
Rave shot an arrow at the hawk right on the neck. As a sniper, Rave always waited for the best time to make a shot. The hawk yelled and Favrielle felt like her eardrums were going to burst.
Lancelot glared at Rave as he stuck his lance on the bird's left wing. "Watch it with the arrows!"
Rave ignored him as he readied another arrow. Favrielle used Triple Slash to create a big slash on the bird's chest. The hawk attacked her with its claws and she had to fall back in order to not be squished.
"Your supposed to be a tank, Lance!" Favrielle yelled as she ran to the rear and used Triple Slash. Rave shot 3 arrows at the hawk's neck and it was temporarily paralyzed.
Lancelot pierced the hawk in the heart and it fell on the ground. He then glared at her. "I told you, cavaliers aren't tanks."
Favrielle snorted. "There is no difference between a cavalier and a tank."
"Of course there is." Lancelot frowned. "I don't see why you continue to say otherwise."
Favrielle rolled her eyes and let Juno hop unto her hands. The slime had been in charge of getting all the loot recently after it absorbed the king slime energy orb. Aerita said that Juno would be able to fight after she finished absorbing the orb completely. Rave quickly jumped down from the tree he was on and walked over to them.
"Good work," He said. As temporary leader, he was in charge of making sure we all leveled up. Before she and Avel logged out for the day, Trixie said that she wanted all of us to continue leveling up.
"Can't we do something else?" Lancelot complained as he leaned against his lance.
Rave, as usual, didn't answer and pretended that Lancelot hadn't said anything. Lancelot glowered at him and Favrielle racked her head for something to change the subject.
"You guys wouldn't mind if I quickly drop this off at the tavern?" Favrielle asked she gestured at the hawk's body. Whenever they killed a monster, Favrielle would always take it to the tavern to sell it off. They split the money and Favrielle would use her share to pay for boarding at the tavern.
Lancelot and Rave ignored her as they continued in what looked like a staring contest. Favrielle decided to take their silence as a yes. She put the bird's body in her bag (which amazed her everytime the items shrunk) and left with Juno on her head. She knew the way to the tavern like the back of her hand and she was getting used to living in a game.
Favrielle entered the tavern and walked up to the counter where Randall was wiping a glass.
"Are you always doing that?" She asked curiously.
"Doing what?"
"Wiping a glass." She clarified.
Randall chuckled. "It's an old habit I have. It makes me feel calm and relaxed."
"Huh," was the only thing that felt right to say.
"Enough about me." Randall put down the glass and peered at her. "What have you got for me today?"
Favrielle pulled out the big bird and it covered the entire counter. She had to move back in order to see Randall clearly.
He stroked his chin. "This is one big bird." He examined it, then pulled out one of it's feathers. "The feathers will be great for pillows." He glanced over at her. "I'll pay you 500g for it."
Favrielle nodded and Randall handed her the gold coins. "What are you going to do with all that money?" He asked.
"I don't know." She simply replied. Her armor and weapons were good for now and the only thing that she really needed money for was for food and boarding.
Randall was silent for a moment, before he said. "Maybe you should buy a house?"
Favrielle rose an eyebrow and he continued. "Your not like the other travelers who disappear all the time, instead you stay here. You might as well buy a house instead of pay boarding if you are going to live here permanently."
Favrielle tilted her head. "You know, I might just do that."
Randall nodded and left to go serve another customer. Favrielle left the tavern and wandered around the large village. "Where do you think I should go, Juno?" She asked, knowing that the slime couldn't possibly understand her.
Juno squeaked and Favrielle stopped in front of the weapons shop. She entered the shop and was greeted by a smiling Ferios.
"Hello again." He greeted. "How can I help you this time?"
Favrielle took out her twin level 9 raspiers. "I would like to sell these." It's not like she used them anyway.
Ferios studied the raspiers before accepting them. "I'll give you 100g for them."
Favrielle frowned. "100g? Are you sure it's not worth more than that?"
Ferios nodded. "Nowadays, people want more higher leveled weapons and armour. It makes the prices for the lower leveled ones to drop."
"What is the highest level weapon you've seen?"
The elf thought for a moment, before answering. "A level 20, but that's no surprise. Most of the higher leveled people go to the humanlands for weapons and armor. The humanlands has the best materials for those kind of things." He sighed. "But they're so expensive to buy."
"Hmm..." Favrielle muttered thoughtfully.
Ferios studied her armour. "That level 5 armour is going to make your defense worse in battle. I would personally recommend getting a new set before battling any higher leveled monsters."
"What is your highest level set and how much is it?"
"Hmm...the highest leveled set I have is a level 15 and it's 35,000g."
"..." Favrielle's expression went blank. It was only a level 15 and yet it cost a fortune!
"Uh...I think I'm good for now." She hurriedly said.
"Oh," He said looking disappointed. "Well if you ever need new armour, you know where to go."
Favrielle gave him a thumbs up and was rewarded with a confused look. Shaking her head, Favrielle left the shop.
Favrielle shook her head as walked back to the tavern.
***
Trixie logged into SCO (Second Chance Online for all you boring people) and appeared near an empty grove of trees. None of her party members were there and she guessed that they were leveling up. Avel had logged on earlier than her and Lancelot and Rave had the luxury of playing though the night. As for Favrielle... Trixie frowned. She didn't know why, but she felt uneasy whenever Favrielle talked to Rave. She could barely get him to say a few words, while Favrielle could get him to talk for a whole conversation. Did he like her? Trixie dismissed that thought. They had only known each other for a few days, how could he possibly like her.
Jupiter squeaked and hopped in her arms, distracting her from her gloomy thoughts. "Let's go find our team mates." She used her wand to give herself a speed buff and she sped of into the village to find them. She found them near the quest board talking about a skill Favrielle gained.
"It's really cool." Avel commented.
"It could help us out in this herb gathering quest." Lancelot said with a rare tone of impressment.
Trixie bit her lip. Everyone now was impressed with Favrielle. All the attention that used to belong with her was now Favrielle's. It felt like she was taking all of her friends away.
"We can all spit up and find the herbs." Trixie suggested, startling everyone except Rave.
Avel looked over at her. "Oh, Trixie. I didn't see you over there."
"We can't split up. None of us have the identification skill except for Favrielle." Lancelot said cutting off any reply she was going to give.
Feeling annoyed, Trixie said. "Then learn it. As party leader, I say we all split up and find the herbs."
"Who made you party leader?" Lancelot muttered as he scowled at her.
"I don't think we should do that either." Avel said as she glanced at Trixie. "I agree with Lance and it might also get a little bit tricky getting the herbs."
Favrielle frowned and asked, "Why would it get tricky?"
"Well-" Avel began.
"We're not arguing about this." Trixie firmly said. "I make the decisions as party leader, right Rave?"
Rave didn't say anything at first. He gazed at her for a long time before nodding.
Trixie breathed a sigh in relief. At least Rave was still on her side.
The quest called for 16 different herbs so they decided that each person would search for 4. They parted ways and all went into different forests.
***
Favrielle chose to go into the eastern forest. Lesmelle (the village) was surrounded by four forests. She had been told that the eastern forest had the most herbs in it. Her identify skill should help her identify the herbs they were looking for, so she wasn't concerned. She took a bite out of a raisin cookie and gave one to the slime on her head.
Favrielle smiled and wondered if Juno might be able to reproduce a cookie. She took the slime off her head. "Juno, recreate a raisin cookie."
The slime blinked at her and glowed slightly. She stopped glowing a few seconds later. "Where's the cookie?" Favrielle asked.
The slime hopped on her head and Favrielle saw a raisin cookie in her hands. Her eyes lit up. If she allowed Juno to absorb all the foods she bought, she would never have to buy food again. Favrielle snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed a white plant with brown...horns growing on its sides.
"That was easy," she muttered as she pulled the plant out of the ground.
That was when Favrielle felt something big poke her hand. She dropped the plant and saw a small hole on her hand. Naturally, her first reaction was to freak out. She didn't have time to do that because she felt something poke her foot. She moved away and looked down to see the plant...moving. She shrieked and pulled out her dagger. She could only use her left-hand because her right had a hole that luckily was not bleeding.
The plant moved very slowly so all she really had to do was pierce it with her dagger. It stopped moving and she hoped that it was dead. Or maybe that wasn't the right word for this situation. She put the plant in her bag and was going to leave when she felt 10 more pokes on her feet. Favrielle looked down to see 10 horned plants. She leaped away from them and Juno hopped off her head.
Juno activated Bubble Smack and she began to smack all the horned plants. Favrielle let her 'fight' all of the plants by herself. Though, it actually wasn't a fight. It was more of a one side beating. Favrielle gathered all the plants and put them in her bag. Juno hopped on her head and they continued their walk in the forest. This time they were more cautious and moved aside when they saw 10 pink thin skikes heading their way. Favrielle looked over at the direction that the spikes came from and saw a pink spiky bush.
How am I supposed to beat that?
The bush sent out waves of spikes and she nimbly dodged them as she tried to figure out a way to beat it.
Favrielle kicked the bush and groaned as pain grew in her leg. Her armour barely protected her from the spikes. Ferios was right about her armour. The bush tried to climb on her leg, but Favrielle moved back. Wait, she was supposed to get it's needles, not the entire thing. She made a not very grand escape and tried to take the needles out of her leg. A horrible pain grew on her leg and the area where the needle was began to swell.
The pain all over her body began to numb and Favrielle winced as she walked deeper into the forest. Only two more to go. That is if I don't die first. She only had to find a hanging berry and a screaming morel. Favrielle hoped that none of them were hard to beat, but the name screaming morel sounded pretty dangerous. She looked around and saw a tall mushroom in a clearing. No other plants grew near it and Favrielle studied it.
Huh. She walked over and poked it. Nothing. She poked it again. Nothing. She poked it for the third time because the third time's a charm. Still nothing. She sighed in relief and took out her dagger and-
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Heard the loudest and most terrifying scream in her entire life.
Favrielle couldn't be bothered by the notification. Her ears were paining her and she felt the pain tolerance skill deactivate. She reached into her bag and took out a health potion. Her HP was 15 and it was getting lower by the minute. She drank the entire bottle and grimace at the sour taste. Her HP went back up to 175 and she felt her pain fade away slightly. Favrielle glared at the morel and used her dagger to behead it before it caused anymore pain. She was about to walk away when she saw five more morels. She quickly cut them all up and put them in her bag.
Juno hopped off her head and somehow slid in the health potion bottle. Favrielle wasn't sure what the slime was doing, but she put the bottle in her bag as well. Only one more thing to do before I go see a healer.
The name hanging berry didn't sound very terrifying, so she wasn't surprised when she saw a berry hanging from a vine. She walked over and plucked the berry. "That was easy-"
The ground opened and a big plant swallowed her up. Favrielle began to breathe heavily and her mouth began to dry. She felt a pain in her chest and she began to feel light headed. She had never like being in tight spaces. It always made her think that she would never be able to escape. She felt like she was ready to faint when the plant suddenly opened. The sudden brightness made her feel dizzy and faint.
***
Axelant poked the fainted girl with his arrow tip. He had been trying to find some hanging berries when he saw a huge plant. He sliced it open and saw the fainted girl. Axelant examined to wounds on the girl. She had a hole in her right hand and her legs were covered in pink needles. He couldn't tell what race the girl was. She wasn't a human by her height. She wasn't an elf because she didn't have pointed ears. And the other races had distinguishing features. The girl had long dark green hair and she looked distressed. Axelant didn't know why, but he felt the urge to help her. He sighed. He was probably going to regret this. He noticed the girl's bag and decided to help her by putting all his hanging berries in her bag. He then picked up both her and her bag and took them to the village healer.
***
Favrielle felt something cool on her forehead. She opened her eyes to see Aerita removing a wet cloth from her forehead. The elf seemed to be saying something, but it took awhile for her to hear her correctly.
"What did you say?" She asked as she sat up.
"I asked if you could hear me." Aerita put the wet cloth on a table near her. "Though it seems that you can't."
"I can hear you now." Favrielle said as she looked around. She was in a large room on one of the beds in the healing center. How did I get in the healing center?
Aerita nodded at her and gestured for her to stand up. Favrielle swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She realized that she was no longer wearing her armour and was now wear a white flowy blouse and leather trousers. Her hair no longer fell at her back, but was braided back into a very complicated braid. Favrielle curiously looked over at the healer. Aeritha either didn't catch her gaze or was ignoring her as she pulled out a paper from her bag.
"So your the one who took the quest." Aeritha said as she put the paper down.
Farielle paused mid-step. "That was your quest?"
Aeritha nodded. "I needed a few ingredients to finish a potion."
"Hmm..." Favrielle muttered as she took out all the morels, horned plants, and berries out of her bag. Wait...berries? She pulled out ten red berries.
Favrielle frowned. She had never put the berry in her bag and how did one berry become ten?
Aeritha accessed all the herbs."I can give you one-fifth of the money for the quest on the board and 5g for every additional herb."
Favrielle nodded at her, not really paying attention to what she was saying.
Aeritha handed her 262g and Favrielle asked her, "How did I get to the healing center?"
Aeritha paused. "Someone brought you over here. I'm not sure who he is though, but he should be waiting in the next room."
Favrielle nodded and left the room. She walked in the next room to see a tall elf with dark hair and brown eyes standing near the door. He looked up when he saw her approach him.
"Hey," Favrielle said. "Were you the one who helped me out of the forest?"
The elf had a very serious and intimidating face. He looked alot like Rave except that he wore the armour of an archer. The elf nodded, but didn't say anything.
Favrielle smiled. "Thank you, I'm not sure what I would have done without you."
The elf nodded and Favrielle noticed many new messages on the party chat.
Favrielle hadn't realized that she had been gone for so long.
Favrielle looked away from her messages and noticed that the elf who helped her was gone. I didn't even get his name.
***
Favrielle slashed the big frog in its stomach. Water gushed out of the large wound and Favrielle barely avoided being sprayed by the acid water. One drop of that on your skin and it was instant death. Avel, Lancelot, and Rave had each died and respawned at the healing center. Now it was just her and Trixie fighting the fog by themselves. Trixie hit the frog with another flame spell which was doing no damage. Favrielle glanced back at the mage as she used her daggers to activate Triple Slash and a new skill she learned Scar Slash. The frog ribitted and squirted out water at her. Favrielle jumped left and tossed her dagger at the frog's heart. The frog's attack stopped and Trixie burnt the frog to a cinder.
Favrielle frowned at the burnt frog. "I could've sold that for good money."
"It doesn't matter." Trixie frowned at her. "Is all you care about money?"
"No, but that was such a waste." Favrielle sighed and put her daggers in her bag. Juno was still inside the empty heath bottle and didn't want to come out. Favrielle didn't understand what her pet wanted, but she left her there.
Trixie rolled her eyes at her and Favrielle didn't understand why the elf seemed to be angry at her.
"Is there something bothering you?" She asked as she sat down on the grass near the pond.
"No." Trixie said blandly.
"Why are you upset?" Favrielle asked again.
Trixie scowled at her. "I'm not upset at anyone! Stop bothering me already!"
Favrielle rose an eyebrow and that seemed to make Trixie even more upset. "What is bothering me is you!"
"Alright, what about me is bothering you?" Favrielle asked calmly.
Trixie's face turned red in anger. "Everything about you! Your very existence is bothersome! Your like a fly! A moth! An..."
"Enigma." Favrielle added helpfully.
"Yes! An enigma!" Trixie stopped then glared at her.
Favrielle just smiled at her. She still didn't understand what was wrong with the elf, but the whole thing was kind of amusing.
Favrielle stood up and stretched. "If that's everything, I'm going to-" She froze when she noticed another frog appear out of the water. It squirted acid water at Trixie. Favrielle knew that it would be too late to warn her. She pushed Trixie out of the way and felt the spay of acid all over her. Everything went black and she could faintly hear the sound of someone screaming.
***
Favrielle opened her eyes to see a crying Trixie. Trixie's eyes widened when she noticed that she was awake.
"Your awake..." She softly said before crying again.
Favrielle sat up and noticed that they were still at the pond. A few feet away from them was a chared frog. Favrielle tried to put the pieces together, but she couldn't concentrate with Trixie's crying.
"Why are you crying?" She asked.
Trixie rubbed her eyes and suddenly hugged her by the shoulders. Favrielle was thoroughly confused but she patted the girl on the back. Trixie continued to cry until she had n more tears left. She let go of Favrielle's shoulders.
"Thank you for saving me." She softly said.
"It was nothing." Favrielle said. "It's just a game after all."
"No, you don't understand." Trixie looked at the ground. "I...I have a fear of death...."
Favrielle frowned. "Doesn't everyone?"
"Yeah, but...I even fear death in virtual reality games." Trixie looked back up at her. "Whenever I end up dying in a virtual reality, I have a panic attack in the real world. That's why the others don't let me fight up close." She began to tear up again.
"Uh. Your welcome?" Favrielle didn't really know what to say at this point. "How come I didn't die?"
"I used a healing spell. It allows someone to instantly gain all their health and heals any wounds." She sniffled.
"Oh, thank you."
They sat there in silence.
"I'm sorry for how I acted." Trixie quietly said. "I didn't mean anything I said. I was just upset that...I thought that..." She trailed off.
"You thought what?" Favrielle asked.
"I...thought that you were taking away my friends." She looked guiltily at the ground.
Favrielle wasn't the best at giving advice, seeing that she had never tried to. She coughed. "It's alright. I understand." I think.
Trixie look up at her and gave her a small smile before looking back at the ground. "And also..." Trixie's face flushed a bit. "I know you like Rave...you can have him if you want. Rave probably doesn't like girls like me.."
"..." Faverielle's expression went blank. The whole reason she was upset was because she thought I like Rave?
Faverielle burst into laughter, startling Trixie. She continued laughing until she noticed Trixie's confused looks.
Favrielle patted Trixie on the back. "Don't worry, I don't like Rave. Well, not in that sense. He's a nice guy and all, but he's not my type."
Trixie curiously looked at her. "Really? Then what is your type?"
Favrielle thought for a moment. "My type would be tall, elegant, and gentlemanly. He would always think about me first and would be a hopeless romantic."
Trixie blinked. "That's a lot of requirements."
"I know."
"No offence, but that sounds like the kind of guy that would only exist in fairy tales." Trixie said as she stood up.
Favrielle stood up as well. "I know. I got my inspiration from Levi. He's the main character's husband in The Legacy of the Key."
Trixie's eyes lit up. "You like that series as well."
"Yeah, it was a shame that it ended."
They began walking to the healing center. "Yeah, but I like Harrison better than Levi."
"How can you?" Favrielle said looking horrified. "Levi was the perfect image of a knight in shining armour."
"I know that, but I still prefer Harrison. He might not be a knight in shining armour, but at least he's amusing."
Both of them laughed and they walked to the heal center while talking about their favorite books. They met the others at the quest board.
Lancelot studied Favrielle. "So you've leveled up."
Favrielle nodded. "I have indeed."
"What are you going to chose as your class?" Avel asked.
"You should chose mage." Trixie said. "Then we could be the twin mage sisters."
Avel frowned. "What about me? I'm a mage as well."
"Battle mages don't count." Trixie pointed out.
"I think she should be a rouge." Lancelot said. "By the way she gla-" He stopped when he noticed three piercing glares.
"What do you think Rielle should be?" Trixie asked Rave.
Rave didn't answer. He just continued to look at her bow like it was the most important thing in the world. Trixie rolled her eyes at him. "Hello? This is an important question."
"She should be whatever she wants." Rave said simply.
"I'm going to chose something in the warrior class." Favrielle said before Trixie could say anything.
Trixie frowned. "How are we supposed to be the twin mage sisters if we both don't have the same class?" She held up Jupiter. "We both even have the same pet."
"Don't force your ideas into her head." Rave gently scolded.
Trixie glared at him. "So now you speak."
Rave didn't reply, as usual. He just patted her on the head before logging out. Trixie stood there stunned. Lancelot logged out while muttering about someone needing to get a room and Avel coughed before logging out.
Trixie touched her head. "He patted me on the head..."
Favrielle coughed. "Uh...yes, he did."
"He patted my head! I'm never washing my hair again!" Trixie laughed before she logged out.
"I hope she doesn't do that," Favrielle muttered as she wandered around the village. She stopped in front of a large treehouse where a human boy sat on the ground in thought. The game told her that this boy was named Henry and that he was an orphan who was trying to move in with his uncle.
The boy - Henry looked up at her and stood up. "Hello, miss. Would you like to buy this house?"
Favrielle looked at the house then the boy. "Your selling this?"
"Yes, miss." Henry nodded. "I really need the money. I've been trying to sell it for days, but most people around here already have a house."
"Huh. What do you need the money for?"
Henry blinked. "For my uncle. He said that he needs some money to build me a room in his house, so I decided to sell my house in order to get the money."
What a thoughtful kid. "How much are you willing to sell it for?" Favrielle asked. Randall had already said that she should get a house. Why waste such a good opportunity?
"Umm... 10,000g." Henry said looking askance at her.
Faverielle nodded. "I'll buy it."
Favrielle reached into her bag and took out 10,000g. It was a slightly difficult task, but she counted out 10,000g at the end.
Henry put all the gold in a large bag. "Thank you very much, miss. I'll be sure to remember you."
"You can have all furniture in there as well." He said handing her the key to the house.
He thanked her again, before he ran off. Favrielle used the key to enter the house. She opened the door to see a furnished living room. It had 3 windows, a few sofas, and a table in the center. Favrielle explored the rest of the house. On the ground level, besides the living room, there was a kitchen, dining room, and a bath that looked like a hot spring. A large bedroom took up the entire second floor. It was furnished with a large bed, a desk, a closet, a few sofas, and a door that led to a balcony.
Favrielle hopped on the bed and opened up her stats list.
Favrielle added 6 attribute points to willpower, 4 points to agility, 2 points to intelligence, 9 points to dexterity, 9 points to strength, and 8 points to vitality. She then opened her classes menu. Favrielle chose the warrior class. Favrielle frowned. An alf can't be a warrior? Did every race have class restrictions? Favrielle sighed and chose the mage class. I can't even be a mage? Favrilelle's brows furrowed and she chose the archer class. Favrielle's mind went blank. The only class left was rouge. Resigning to her fate, Favrielle chose the rogue class.