Airi stared at Garret with on open mouth, she was in shock, she had just heard Garret say he never heard her characters name, was he a new player, that's all she could come up with as to why Garret didn't know who Gawain was. "What?" Garret gave a nervous look, "Should I know your name?" Airi gathered herself, she coughed, she tried her hand at a male voice again, "Yes, you should, theres no one in this land that doesn't know me!" Garret sighed. "Sorry, I've only been in the world for three weeks, I don't know about any famous warriors" Airi was about retort when what Garret said hit her, "Wait, did you just say you've only been in the world for three weeks?" Garret nodded "Yeah, why?" Airi was curious "What did you mean by that?" it took Garret a bit to realize what Airi was asking, when he did he gave an understanding hum.
"In this world, people appear out of thin air" Airi's eyes went wide, "What do you mean they just appear?" Garret scratched his head, searching for the right explanation, when he found one he started talking "Well, at certain times or days a new person appears in the world" Airi was still not understanding but she let Garret continue. "These people appear in a flash of light, we belive that the reason it happens is because thats how the gods create life" Airi was mistified, people, appearing out of thin air, that wasn't something that happened. "You really expect me to believe that?" Garret gave a confused look "But it's true, isn't that how you got here?" Airi went silent, it was then she remebered the shining blue stone she had found while she was playing the game, it was after the bright shining light from her computer screen that she found herself laying on that cold cave floor.
Airi was at a loss, she had come to this world in a flash of light, just like Garret had said the people living in it appeared, Airi's head started to spin, was her worst fear actually true, was she in a real world. Airi looked around, everywhere she looked she saw nothing but Elder Tales the game, yet with all that happened Airi's started to drift to the latter option, "No, it can't be possible" she mumbled, it wasn't possible that she was in a actual real honest to god world that was just very simmilar to the Elder Tales game, "This can't be happening" she mumbled.
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Garret watched as Gawain looked around with a confused look on his face, Garret could here him mumbling something but he couldn't clearly make out what he was saying, "Hey, you okay?" he walked over to Gawain and placed his hand on his armored shoulder Gawain looked over with a scared expression on his face. "Woah, you okay, you look like you've just seen a Banshee" Gawain had a pale look to his face, he started panting hard, "Woah! Calm down!" Garret placed his other hand on Gawain's shoulder. He rocked Gawain back and forth, "Come on! Calm down!" Gawain panted heavily, Garret clicked his tounge, Gawain wasn't responding at all, it was like he was in another world. "Snap out of it!" Garret raised his hand off Gawain's shoulder and in one fluid motion slapped him across the face, Gawain slowly looked back with a dejected look, he touched where Garret had just slapped him, Garret smirked "Looks like that got your attention" Gawain stared at Garret in silence.
"Why did you just do that?" Gawain scowled, "It's the only thing I thought would get you to come back" realization came to Gawain's face, he took in a breath, "Better?" Gawain took another breath after that his normal look came back. Gawain nodded, "Yeah,thanks" Garret chuckled "Good, now, what was that all about?" Gawain took a pause before answering.
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As Airi started to freak out and hyperventalate she suddenly felt a strong force against her face, she could feel the weight of something on her cheek, her head turned and the weight left her cheek, she looked back and locked eyes with Garret, he had his hand raised, and Airi felt a tingling sensation on her cheek. She gave a dejected look, she touched her cheek and it stung, she finally came to a conclusion as to what had happned, Garret had just slapped her, "Why did you just do that?" she scolwed at him. "It's the only thing I thought would get you to come back" at first Airi was confused, then she came to a realization, she must have started having a panic attack, Garret must have slapped her to calm her down, that move was something Airi only saw in games and movies, to have it happen to her made her feel weird. Airi could see the concerned look on Garret's face, she took in a breath, "Better?" Garret asked, Airi took a second breath.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Airi nodded, "Yeah, thanks" Garret gave a hearty chuckle, "Good, now what was that all about?" Airi took a moment to think, how was she going to explain what had happened with her, she then came to an idea, "Sorry to scare you like that, I guess I was having trouble wrapping my head around the whole, appearing out of thin air part" Garret sighed, "I know, it took me some time to get accustomed to that when I was first told" Garret saw the red hand print on Airi's face. He gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry about hitting you so hard" Airi touched her bruning cheek, "It's okay, you did it for a good reason" Garret gave a releived smile. It was then Garret had a confused look on his face, "What?" Airi gave the same confused look back, Garret seemed to be looking Airi over, "You, Your much shorter then I thought you were" Airi gasped.
"I guess it was the angle you were running, it must have made you look taller" Garret chuckled, Airi started to panic on the inside, still having the mind set she was in a game world she felt it would be bad if it her true gender was found out. Airi chuckled along with Garret, "I guess it's the armor, it must make me look taller from a distance" Garret nodded "Yeah, that might be true too" the two laughed like idots for a while. Suddenly, Airi's nose was assulted by a foul smell, "Ugh, what stinks?" Garret had a look on his face that said he was smelling the same thing, "Your right, what the hell stinks so bad?" the two started to sniff around. Airi noticed that the smell was coming from right in front of her, she looked and the only thing in front of her was Garret, who saw her staring at him. "What?" Airi gave a hum, she then took in a big wiff from Garret, she almost puked when the nausious smell entered her nose.
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Garret saw Gawain recoil after smelling him, Gawain started to cough, "What?" Gawain wreched himsef free from Garret, he held his nose closed, "Garret, it's you, you smell like crap" Garret gave a confused look, "Me? Really?" he raised his arm up and smelt himself, he almost retched on the spot, Gawain was right, he smelt like crap. It was then he realizaed he was still covered in snakes blood, "Oh, this must be the cause" he looked over his bloodied clothes, Gawain gave an agreeing nod, "I guess I should go wash off" Garret chuckled "Yeah, you should" Garret took his map out. He looked over it, "Ah, looks like around heres a big spring we could head to" he heard Gawain gasp, "What do you mean 'we'?" Garret looked over "You don't want to come with me?" Gawain nodded, Garret gave a disappointed look "Really? You sure you don't want to come with me?"
Gawain nodded again, "I have my own things to do" Garret sighed "Yeah, I guess you do" he chuckled "Sorry, I should have thought better" Gawain nodded "Well, it was nice meeting you" Garret extended his hand. Gawain smirked and extended his hand, "Likewise, thanks for helping me I guess" Garret chuckled, "You still going to hold that over me?" Gawain nodded "You know it" the two laughed "Seeya Garret" Gawain let go of Garrets hand. "Yeah, seeya Gawain, I hope we meet each other again" Gawain nodded and started to walk away.
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As Airi said her goodbyes to Garret a thought occurd to her, the only reason she was able to move at all now was because of the second Weightless Potion she had drank, if she was on her own and the potion wore off and a monster appeared while she wasn't able to move. Airi shuddered, she'd be finished, she looked back at Garret who was studying his map, "Well, he doesn't seem to be all that bad of a guy" Airi figured it be better to travel with someone rather then alone. She turned back to face Garret, "You know" Garret looked at her "What?" Airi smiled "I changed my mind, I think I will go with you" Garret smiled, "Really?" Airi nodded "Alright, come on I'll lead the way!" Garret chuckled and started walking off looking down at the map. Airi couldn't help but smile, she then fallowed behind Garret as he lead the way to the supposed spring, all the while her thoughts started to drift, where in the hell was she, was she really in a real world, or was she in a game world that was all too real? [Ch.4 Part 3 END]