Chapter 1: The Quest for Couture

In the land of Eldoria, where the bravest adventurers wield swords that glow with enchanted flames and the mightiest warriors don armor forged in the depths of Mount Doomthar, there was one adventurer who didn’t care about any of that.

Meet Skyler.

Skyler, who was non-binary and fabulous, didn’t see the point in stats. Why care about +10 Strength when a well-chosen accessory could give +100 Confidence? Skyler understood what was truly important in this game world: fashion.

As they strolled through the bustling marketplace of Eldoria’s capital, Skyler’s sharp eyes scanned the array of wares with a critical eye. Their current outfit—a perfectly balanced ensemble of leather boots (the color matched their belt, obviously), a flowing azure tunic, and a feathered cap—was, in their own words, “almost there, but not quite screaming ICONIC.”

“Skyler, shouldn’t we be focusing on, I don’t know, surviving?” came a voice from their side. That was Pip, Skyler’s fairy companion. Pip was, at the very least, practical—if a bit of a buzzkill.

Skyler flicked their hand dramatically. “Pip, darling, survival is fleeting. A killer outfit? Eternal.”

Pip sighed and fluttered closer. “What if your ‘eternal outfit’ can’t protect you from a rampaging troll?”

“Pfft, trolls. Have you seen what they wear? No wonder they’re so angry,” Skyler replied, examining a pair of sleek, thigh-high boots on display. They squinted. “Hmm, these boots are doing something, but are they doing enough?”

Skyler didn’t need Pip’s approval. They didn’t need anyone’s approval. They just needed something fabulous—something that would stop a dragon in its tracks, not with fear, but with envy.

A vendor, noticing Skyler’s intense scrutiny, approached. “Ah, I see you’ve got an eye for the finer things! Those boots offer +15 Agility and +5 Speed!”

Skyler waved off the vendor’s stats explanation. “But do they come in a gradient finish?”

The vendor blinked. “Uh… no?”

Skyler turned with a dramatic sigh. “Then why even bother?”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

The vendor, confused but clearly desperate to make a sale, tried again. “How about this legendary cloak? It grants invisibility and—”

“Is it velvet?”

“No, but—”

“Pass.” Skyler spun on their heel, dramatically adjusting their feathered cap, the single peacock plume fluttering behind them like a banner. “I need something that makes a statement. Something that says, ‘Yes, I slayed the dragon, but I also slayed this look.’ You understand?”

“Not really,” the vendor admitted, scratching his head. “But, uh, I do have a helmet that’s said to grant invulnerability.”

Skyler groaned. “Helmets? Absolutely not. Do you know what that does to my hair?”

“But… you can’t be invulnerable without it.”

“I already am, darling. To mediocrity.”

Pip, hovering beside Skyler, facepalmed. “Skyler, we need to find a quest, remember? Maybe something that doesn’t involve shoes?”

Skyler’s eyes lit up. “A quest! Of course! We need to find something worth our time—a real challenge.”

“You mean like saving the kingdom from the Lich King?” Pip asked hopefully.

Skyler blinked. “Pip, please. I was thinking more along the lines of finding the Perfect Cape. You know, something that sways dramatically when I walk into a room.”

Pip let out an exasperated sigh but didn’t argue. After all, they knew when Skyler had their mind set on something, there was no stopping them.

Just then, a commotion arose at the far end of the marketplace. A group of adventurers—covered in battle scars, clanging in heavy armor—was returning from a dungeon raid. In their hands, they carried a gleaming chest, and from that chest peeked the most magnificent fabric Skyler had ever seen.

It shimmered. It sparkled. It positively radiated fashion.

Skyler’s heart skipped a beat. “Pip,” they whispered, “do you see what I see?”

Pip squinted. “A group of adventurers? Probably strong. Likely dangerous.”

“No, Pip! That cape! Look at the sheen! The texture! The drama!”

Pip sighed again. “Right. Drama.”

Without another word, Skyler was off, striding confidently toward the adventurers. Their perfectly tailored boots clicked against the cobblestones, their azure tunic flowing behind them. As they approached the group, they struck their best pose—one hand on their hip, the other pointing dramatically toward the chest.

“Excuse me,” Skyler called out, “but I simply must have that cape.”

One of the adventurers, a burly warrior with an axe the size of a small house, raised an eyebrow. “Uh, what?”

“The cape,” Skyler repeated. “The one in your chest. It’s clearly not your color. Let me take it off your hands.”

The warrior stared at them, bewildered. “We just fought through hordes of monsters for this treasure. Why would we just give it to you?”

Skyler smiled, flashing a look so dazzling it could have been a skill in its own right. “Because, darling, you’re doing a disservice to fashion by keeping it. That cape belongs with someone who can truly appreciate its… elegance.”

The warrior blinked. “Are you serious?”

Skyler took a step closer, lowering their voice dramatically. “Deadly.”

There was a pause. Then, the warrior burst out laughing. “Okay, tell you what. You want the cape? Prove you can handle it. Duel me.”

Skyler froze. Duel? With weapons? Ugh, the hassle. But then they glanced at the cape again, sparkling in the sunlight, and steeled their resolve.

“Fine,” Skyler said, “but only if we do it fashionably.”