In the skies far to the south of Loksha, a lone demon flew northwards, making a beeline for the town. She wore what could only be described as a maid's uniform, one with short sleeves that exposed her arms as well as an opening in the front that showed off her rather generous cleavage. While traditional maid uniforms were black and white, however, her's was completely black in color. This included a black apron, which was tied at her back in a large bow just above where her wings extended out from the back of her waist and a cord-like tail which end in a spade grew out from the base of her spine. On her head, a black maid headdress was visible behind a pair of black horns that grew from her temples and curved inward as if tracing the top of her waist length black hair, which like her demonic wings shimmered with a patterned resembling the nice sky. Around her wrists were a pair of black cloth cuffs, with a gem set into the backs of each one. Her golden eyes stared forth towards her destination and her lips were stretched into an eager smile as she hummed a tune that gave away her happy mood.
Her wings, horns and tail were the tell tale characteristics of a Succubus, one of the many Demon Races that Clarissa watched over, while her starry hair and wing patterns marked her as member of the Night Touched sub race.
Receiving a warning that her stamina was low, she scanned the plains below her for a suitable place for a break. Spotting a rock she could uses as a bench, she descended landing gracefully on her feet, reminding her once again how glad she was to have spent so many hours trying master her flight ability. Sitting on the rock and looking towards the direction she knew Loksha was in, her thoughts went to her reason for flying to such a far away town. She didn't just dress as a maid in the game, she worked as one in real life, as had most of the women in her family. She was a personal maid for a young man from a rather wealthy family, though being the same age, the two had been together so long they could be considered childhood friends. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that she had something of an obsessive crush on him. For that reason, when she learned that he intended to start TFO as soon as he was able, she immediately went out and got a copy, intending to play it on her off time so she would be strong enough to protect him in the game. Earlier today, he had finally gotten his own copy and begun playing, though he had soon logged back out again, saying that his character had been rendered unconscious for 24 hours in-game. With the 3 to 1 time difference, this meant 8 real world hours of being unable to play, so instead he decided to check up on some of his favorite mangas and light novels while he waited. The main problem was that he was rather tight lipped about the details of what happened, but since he didn't know that she played as well, he let slip his username and current general location. Since it was her day off, she was there more as a friend than his servant, thus allowing her to slip away to login without issue. Having studied the geography of the game world, she immediately began the long journey to the Artam continent, where Loksha and the Forest of Change stood, and where her Master was.
Lost in her thoughts, she was surprised to notice that her stamina was full again. She stood up, brushed herself off, and took flight once more.
"Just wait a little while long Master Ignix. Your cute maid Lilith Regalia is coming to protect you. I hope you'll give me a good reward..." she said with a slightly creepy smile and a bit of drool that spoke of ulterior motives.
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At Loksha's lone gate, a single female figure could be seen leaving the town, with the reconstruction efforts in full swing behind her. Though she looked almost human, the horns that grew from her head and curved backwards and her lizard like tail made her recognizable as a Dragonoid, one of Silas's Races. Her horns were rather jagged and brown like her tail and she had no wings which taken together meant she was of the Earthen sub race. Out of all the form she had ended up in during her year of playing TFO, it was the one she liked the most. Its high strength and ability to control earth was wonderfully compatible with the martial arts she practiced in the real world. Though she did have a bit of trouble adapting to her new tail.
On her body, she wore a Chinese style blouse that was white and rather plain, along with a pair of black yoga pants. Over her pants, she wore a pair of long metal boots that extended up past her knees and shined like silver. A matching pair of fingerless gauntlets enclosed her arms and extend past her elbows, leaving a sliver of her skin on each arm exposed between the gauntlets and the short sleeves of her blouse. She wore no head gear, allowing her straight black hair to reach the small of her back. In the front, her bangs were cut short while the sides extended to her shoulders to frame her cute face and a pair of red eyes that shone like rubies. She was a little on the short side, and her slender figure and modest bosom gave her a lithe and delicate appearance.
Even with this appearance, it had been a long time since any of her fellow Travelers had underestimated her. After all, no one wanted to mess with Ivel Lazulu, one of the few candidates for TFO's disputed top spot.
As she walked away from Loksha, she stretched her arms and sighed happily. "That monster attack was pretty fun. It's not everyday I get to take on an army like that. Now then, what to do, what to do...Ah, that's right! Little bro's going to logging in today! I'll ask him for his username later and track his character down. Should be nice to have a sparring partner for a while..."
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Within Loksha's walls a pair of female Travelers walked the streets, one grumbling and the other surveying the aftermath of the attack.
The grumbling girl was obviously a cat person, one of Aurora's Beastkins, and her spotted ears and tail gave away her Cheetah sub race. She wore a loose green leather shirt with no sleeves and a pair of baggy leather pants, both of which did a poor job of hiding her womanly curves. On her arms and legs, she wore a matching pair of leather boots and arm guards, while tied around her neck was a scarf that almost long enough to touch the ground. By her sides hung a pair of sheathed daggers, just above a pair of leather pouches strapped to the side of each leg. Her short blonde hair was styled in a messy bob cut, with an ahoge on top that curved back between her cat ears. Her blue eyes were downcast as her cat ears and tail drooped as she continued to grumble.
The other girl was surprisingly still human, with red hair that was short up front, and tied up in a long pony tail in the back. Though her curves are slightly lesser than the other girl's, her clothes are obviously intended to show them off. Her top was a black and red corset while her bottoms were a pair of brown leather short shorts. A pair of black leggings graced her legs, ending just a few inches below her shorts. Her feet were clad in a pair of leather boots that were slightly raised at the heels. She wore a fur lined white jacket with with long sleeves that was open at the front so as not to hide the rest of her outfit. On her hands were a pair of black gloves.
The human girl stopped suddenly and gave an exasperated sigh.
"Dawn, would you give it a rest already?" she said with her hand on her hips.
The cat girl, Dawn Shallent, turned around to glare at her friend. "Easy for you to say, Lynn! Unlike you, I'm not a girl in real life! And what's more, I'm a cat now too! How is it that you're still human even though we just fought a mass of monsters who's abilities focus on changing people?!"
Lynn Flonem raised an eyebrow at this. "I don't see what you're complaining so much about. The Cheetah sub race gives a huge AGI boost, which is good for your Rogue class, right? As for being a girl, what are you going to do, sue the game makers? We both sighed the waivers when we bought the game, so that's not happening anytime soon."
Dawn folded her arms. "You still didn't answer my question about why you're still human. If you think so highly of my new race's stat boost, why don't you get a race that boost your CHA for your Sorcerer class. And while we're on subject of classes, explain to me how you got your first class upgrade ahead, as well as a higher level, when we started at the same time!"
"I'm a higher level than you because I play more often, of course."
"Quit dodging the question Lynn!"
Lynn snickered.
"Obviously I'm saving my first time for a very special race! Beside, I don't see why you're so hung up on becoming a cat girl, you're better off than that guy." Dawn looked to where Lynn was pointing just in time to see a male Traveler in the form of an Arachne trip and fall on his face, clearly not used to having so many legs.
"Yeah, I guess you're right..."
"Of course I am! Now let's get you out of that boring outfit and into something much more appropriate!" Lynn make a grab for Dawn as she said this, but the cat girl was to quick and managed to jump back before she was caught.
"Oh no! No no no! It's bad enough I have to be a girl, there's no way I'm going to dress like one too!"
Lynn pouted.
"Oh come on! I have a dress I made that I know would be perfect for you!"
"Hell no! Geez, ever since you got that Tailor job, you're been pestering me to wear one of hose frilly dresses of yours! Why don't you find someone else to be your dress up doll!"
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Don't be ridiculous! Where am I going to find a girl cuter than you!"
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About half a mile east of Loksha and deep underground, the sole occupant of a cavern full of glowing azure crystals was picking themselves off the floor when they shuddered three times in quick succession.
"I have a bad feeling....Wait, what's wrong with my voice...?"
*Ping!*
You have been transformed!
Racial Group
Spirit
Race
Kitsune-tsuki (1st stage)
Sub Race
Skytail
Spirit Racial Group
The Spirit Races were one among the few intelligent races that were not protected by a patron god. Whereas most races who started off as babies and slowly grew up while forming a sense of self, young spirits came into being as children with their gender traits and personalities fully formed. Instead of a slow continuous growth, these spirits experienced their growth in short bursts, moving from one stage to another in response to either outside influences or their own growing power.
Although perfectly capable of peaceful co-existence with the eight race groups that had been guided to become civilized by their gods, their vast abilities and lack of a guardian deity lead them to be shunned. After several incidents where the few malevolent spirits decided to wage war against the world, they instead became hunted vigorously, until every last spirit had either been sealed or destroyed.
After absorbing the essence of one of these beings, you have become one of their number, and their last hope for revival.
+50 to all stats.
Kitsune-tsuki (1st stage)
The Kistune-tsuki are an all female race of fox-like spirits. Appearance wise, these spirits are almost indistinguishable from humans when hiding their ears and tails. They start their lives in the appearance of a young girl with a single tail, and grow into older looking forms with each tail they gain. Inherently beautiful, magically gifted and extremely clever, these beings tend to rely on their charms, wits, and spells to get by until they become strong enough to create their servants, the Kitsune-bi. Each Kitsune-tsuki is attuned to a single element, and while they can use others it is this element that they are best with.
You are currently a first stage Kitsune-tsuki, leaving you with a body similar to a human child and only a few spells.
+100 CHA
+50 WIS
You CHA is added to your INT when determining base mana and the effectiveness of your magic-based abilities.
Skytail
This sub race of Kitsune-tsuki share a special connection with the wind, making them the most agile of their kin. Of all Kitsune-tsuki sub-races, they also have the most youthful appearances in each stage, never losing their child-like cuteness even as their bodies gain the curves of womanhood. They have pale, nearly white skin and pure white hair and fur. The whiteness of their bodies are broken only by eyes that are azure like a clear blue sky. It is said that their tails, which are the fluffiest among Kitsunes, are as soft as the clouds themselves.
+100 AGI
Wind Magic Mastery proficiency
Wind Magic Mastery
Basic Lv1
You have learned how to control the wind in various ways through magic.
As you continue to use your spells in this area, you will learn more ways to utilize the air around you.
Current Spells
Gale - Basic Lv1
Air Bullet - Basic Lv1
Gale
Basic Lv1
You conjure a short burst of wind in a direction of your choosing. The force and duration of this spell depends on your skill level, INT, and CHA.
Mana cost: 5
Air Bullet
Basic Lv1
You compress air into a ball and fire it in a direction of your choosing. The compressed are will burst when something solid is hit. The size and damage of this spell depends on your skill level, INT, CHA.
Mana cost: 25
You are the first Traveler to become a part of the Spirit Racial Group!
+2500 Fame
You are the first Traveler to become a Kitsune-tsuki!
+1500 Fame
You are the first Traveler to become a Skytail!
+1000 Fame
Ignix blinked as the windows opened in front of his, or rather her face. After reading through them, she began to tremble.
"A-All female...No...there must be some kind of mistake..." she mumbled, hurriedly bringing up her status window, only to have her fears confirmed.
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Dawn and Lynn were on the east side of Loksha watching the repair work on the walls when Dawn's kitty ears suddenly perked up.
"Do you hear that?" Dawn asked her friend.
"Hear what?"
"You don't hear it? Sound like a little girl screaming..."
"Really? It could someone in trouble! Let's go check it out!"
"B-But...It's coming from the east..."
"The east? You mean the forest? That just makes it more urgent! Come on, let's go!"
And like that, Lynn began to run at full sprint, slipping past the guards and through one of the holes that hadn't been repaired yet.
"B-But...Oh whatever..." the cat girl said defeated before following suit.
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Meanwhile, the white void where the gods resided was in turmoil.
"Don't let her go Silas!" Irene shouted as Clarissa squirmed in the dragon god's grip while she, Wendolyn and Victor held Aurora back.
"Oh come on! Just a little cuddle! She's just so adorable!" Clarissa whined.
"No means no! We're not supposed to have direct contact with any of the players! Lucas! Dalmar! Stop laughing and help us out!"
It would be quite a while before things calmed down.
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Cookie Corner
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This weeks recipients of the "Good Idea!" cookies are: xacual!
xacual: Suggested a incremental change which gave me the idea for the racial stages.
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Author Corner
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Finally done with Chapter 2! Sorry it's been taking a while to get these out, I've been trying to figure out the specifics of the game world in addition to my college work.
Anyways, this chapter introduces the specifics of Ignix's new race as well as a bunch of characters that will be important to the story in some way or another. I also decided to start up the "Cookie Corner" where I give out acknowledgement and cookies for those who I got great ideas from!
Next chapter will show Ignix's status window and feature explanations of some aspects of TFO's game system!
Please don't hesitate to voice your thoughts and suggestions so I can improve TFO!
GrandFinale, over and out!
P. S. Tables are the bane of my existence.