"You do realize you could've sold your clothes for a lot." Khirtis reiterated his point for the third time. "Something is wrong with you for signing up to a literal death game without learning anything about it."
Layla rolled her eye irritated and replied, "And you said I talked too much! For the millionth time, I GET IT! I just wanted to be comfy while I played. Who could've guessed a game would clone our real-world clothes inside??"
A common practice for rookies in Yvestell was hawking the clothes they spawn in for a few silvers - a small fortune for those under level 25, who typically dealt in coppers. The few silver coins they earn could be traded for sturdy gear, and stronger weapons. And if the players did their research, they would have leftover for consumables and trinkets.
Layla's voice dropped to a hushed tone, tinged with suspicion and asked, "Just how far is Analdon? My gut is telling me you're luring me into some sort of trap... somewhere nefarious." She clutched the hem of her shirt and whispered, "He wants to have his way with me I bet..."
"Layla, please. We are out of the forest, walking on a clear path straight to the town. Which is called ANCLADON BY THE WAY." Khirtis corrected her, turning to her and playfully pinching her cheeks. As the blonde girl tried to fight back, Khirtis noticed a blue blip appearing at the edge of the area discovered on his map, courtesy of his unique vision.
"Wait, I think there's someone up ahead." Khirtis announced, extending his arms in front of Layla blocking her. She looked down the path, seeing nothing, and pushed his arm aside. "I think it's you who's wrong in the head, seeing phantoms in every bush since we started walking." she teased.
Khirtis verified his map again, and confident in his senses said, "Believe me, I know." They walked up to a curve and as they creeped to check, they see a man cloaked in navy, standing solemnly beside a broken-down wagon. Layla arched an eyebrow, "Is this some special skill of yours?"
"..." he remained silent, ignoring her question and kept his gaze on the man ahead. Khirtis thought of sharing his [Eye of Helix] with her earlier but realized the potential perils that could come with opening up. Despite their brief companionship, trust wasn't something to be given easily.
"Hmph! Whatever." Layla emerged from their cover, taunting, "I've got my own secrets," her tongue peeking out at Khirtis before walking toward the man in blue.
Khirtis reached out to grab her hands, but she evaded his grasp. "Hey! Wait!" he hissed, but she continued her stride. It was then that he realized he hadn't used [Eye of Helix] on another player. Layla's mention of a mystery piqued his curiosity.
Khirtis focused on her name, and whispered, "Eye of Helix," activating his skill.
-The Eye that perceives through the veil-
-Target: Player-
-Comparison: Higher level; Lesser Accolades-
-Conclusion: 50% of Player character sheet is viewable-
XP - 69/210
HP - 140
Attribute Points (2)
Vitality - 15
Strength - 10
Agility - 20
Endurance - 10
As Khirtis went through Layla's attribute stats, a sudden movement caught the man's eye. It was Layla, as if possessed by a sense of urgency, began sprinting. The man, taken aback, snatched a crossbow and aimed it at her.
"Layla!" Khirtis' voice thundered across the dirt path. Layla's attention snapped to the imminent danger as the crossbow's bolt, cocked back to its limit, whistled through the air.
Swish
The bolt, swift as lightning, almost reached her skull but at the very last second it veered off course, pushed aside by a sudden gust of wind, going through Layla's hair. Its momentum unabated, the bolt continued on its deadly path towards Khirtis, who was momentarily distracted by an astonishing revelation in Layla's stats.
Intellect - 2
Faith - 8
Luck - 150
Fortuna's 7-Sided Dice (One of One) - Lv. 1
???
Four-Leaf Clover (PASSIVE) - Lv. MAX
???
-Hit! -110!-
The arrow's kiss against his shoulder sent him thumbling to the earth, his white tank top now splattered with red. The ground beneath him drank of the blood flowing from his wound, painting the path crimson. A series of ominous status effects danced before his eyes:
[Bleed]
[Stun]
[Coma]
The pain was intensified every moment, like a relentless pounding on an anvil. As he laid there, he recalled the reason he had logged into this game in the first place - to find a way to earn a living and support his family, even if it meant risking everything, including his life. Khirtis sympathized with Matteo's naivety. His vision began to fade, and his thoughts grew dim as he laid hopeless.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry-"
"Your apologizes won't do him any good, young girl."
Voices of a girl and man echoed in his head. Time has passed and Khirtis' consciousness returned to him, but he was unaware of his state. Layla's tears fell on his face as his head rested on her lap.
"I've bandaged him thoroughly. He will make it."
"It's all because of him! How do you allow yourself to get hit like that!"
Her cries were followed by a slap, the force of the slap rippling to his injured shoulder. The sudden sharp sting woke Khirtis up with a loud grunt.
"Ow!" he yelled, grabbing his shoulder in pain.
The man approached Layla and spoke to her but his voice barely audible over her sobs. "Careful! You'll reopen his wounds!"
"Kris, you're awake!" Layla ignored the man's warning and hugged Khirtis tightly, tormenting him more.
Khirtis turned away, wincing, and begged the man, "Please... save me."
*
*
*
"I never meant to cause harm. When I noticed a figure sprinting towards me, I instinctively brandished my crossbow. You were nearing your final breath If I hadn't been quick to your rescue. I am truly sorry." the man in blue said, extending his hand, palm spread open facing the sky.
Khirtis, propped against the wagon's seat, didn't know what to do. "Um... it's okay. You jumped to save me, so you already paid your debt. And besides, the fault lies elsewhere." His gaze drifted to Layla, who feigned innocence with a poorly executed whistle.
"No," said the man, looking at Khirtis while keeping his arm stretched out. "Without your acceptance, then I will forever be rejected out of your purgation."
Layla and Khirtis exchanged looks, puzzled at his behaviour but Khirtis quickly realized that they were dealing with customs from another world. He carefully stood up, placing his hand in the man's.
"Don't sweat it, accidents happen." Khirtis said, kindly smiling.
"Such is life." he smiled back, then added "Let's rewind our encounter. My name is-"
*Loras - Merchant of Bryales* Lv. ??
"I assume our path crosses at Ancladon? It happens to be my final stop, and I was stuck with the misfortune of drawing the ire of a few Toudaes," Loras explained, gesturing to a damaged wheel on his wagon. "I was repairing it when misfortune struck twice."
"That misfortune has a name: Layla," Khirtis quipped.
"As you said, it was an accident. But I am left wondering, why were you running, Lady Layla?" Loras asked.
Layla mumbled something inaudible, then under the men's stares, she spoke up, "I wanted to get to you... faster."
Loras chuckled, "You're right, why walk when you can stride like giants!"
HP: 23/140
A thin vial sat on the wagon's edge, its insides shimmering with a magical, ruby glow. "Drink," Loras urged, gesturing towards the vial. "You've already had a few to keep you from knocking on death's door while I worked on stopping your bleeding. This one will restore you to full health."
Khirtis' realized the cloth wrapped around him, now dyed with the color of his blood. "He really was frightened when he was helping you, Kris. The blue guy is a good man." Layla chimed in with a hint of relief.
-Lesser Potion of Healing-
Most common healing item among new adventurers.
Heal: 100 HP
(Can be sold) - 30~50 C
[Helix's Insight]
New Recipe unlocked!
[Makeshift Lesser Potion of Healing (Blessed)]
[Apples (Ancladon)] + [Tulsi] + [Glass container]
Due to a mysterious blessing of an ingredient, healing property is increased by 30%.
Heal: 130 HP
Gulping down the potion, Khirtis felt his life force surge back to normal. The [Eye of Helix] skill was proving invaluable, its versatility allowing to gain knowledge and recipes that most players would work hard for. Going through many quests, reading Yvestellian books and much more.
HP: 140/140
"Feeling like a million bucks, thanks to you, Loras," Khirtis expressed his gratitude. Loras returned the smile, "How about joining me to Ancladon? I could use some company," he said, before adding, "Just the wheels left to mend, and we'll be on our way shortly."
-Joint Quest!-
Escort: A Bryales' Repentance
The merchant wishes you to act as guards until you reach the gates of Ancladon! The forest is outwardly safe but within lies monsters of all kinds - Wraiths, Toudaes and Goblins!
Rewards: 500 XP, 200 C
[Helix's Insight]
Loras didn't need guards, but he offered as a gesture of goodwill for the trouble and pain caused. This quest was his way to recompensate them without putting them on the spot.
The quest window popped up for both Khirtis and Layla.
-Form a party?-
It dawned on them that they had been traveling solo thus far. "To think my first time would be with you, Kris," Layla teased.
"This is a good reward, you airhead! Accept my invite! And my name is NOT Kris!" he retorted, as Loras watched their banter with amusement.
"Hmph." Layla accepted the party invite.
-Joint Quest Accepted!-
As Loras busied himself with the wheel, the pair observed in silence. "Hehe, I doubt you could sell that blood-soaked top now. Looks like it's just pants and boxers for you," Layla joked.
Khirtis glared playfully. "That's shirt you're wearing - it's mine." then, recalling the earlier chaos, he added, "You dodged a real bullet there. That arrow missed you by a hair."
"Well of course! Pure maiden's luck!" Layla boasted with a laugh fit for nobility.
Khirtis scanned her using [Helix] again, his skill revealing no new secrets. "What's your mystery skill?"
"Good question! I don't really understand it myself. It makes me... luckier?" she said, pinching her lips tight. "I don't think I'm obligated to tell you. Hmph!"
-Insight Received!-
Fortuna's 7-Sided Dice (One of One) - Lv. 1
It was once told that Fortuna (Goddess of Fortune and Luck) had a cubic dice, each facet of the cube representing a different shade of the concept named luck. Grants the user a passive effect of serendipity, always in constat state of luck - applying the likelihood of fortunate events of all kinds to occur.
???
Four-Leaf Clover (PASSIVE) - Lv. MAX
Should the user possess a four-leaf clover in their vicinity, whether nearby, adorned, or stashed in their inventory, the base [Luck] stat is increased by an arbitrary number, dependent on the magnitude of fortune encountered.
Luck - 200
"What!?" Khirtis exclaimed, his surprise nearly deafening Layla.
"What's the big deal?" her gaze was piercing, yet within the depths of her iris, Khirtis noticed an odd thing. A luminescent die, spinning slowly. "Never mind, it's nothing." he muttered.
One eyebrow arched, she probed further. "So, what exactly is a Helix's Insight, Kris?"
Caught off guard, Khirtis' face said it all. A quick glance at the party tab revealed the truth.
[Helix's Insight] (Shared)
Due to being in the same party, [Eye of Helix] shared its information with other members.
"Your skill is related to this Helix, huh? Don't bother, you can't keep secrets from me. Try as you might, you'll only reveal more!" Layla's laughter held a sharp edge this time.
Luck - 210
'This is pure insanity!' Khirtis thought to himself. Layla's stats were off the charts, statistically akin to a player in their level 50s. And they hand just started playing. 'She's clueless, an airhead, and that's her uncurable debuff.' Yet, her potential was terrifying. Luck influences everything from loot drops to personal charisma, and her [Fortuna's 7-Sided Dice] takes it a step further.
Khirtis' mind raced, "Was it my choice to save her, or did her luck pull the strings?" he whispered. Status effects which affected a player's mind existed, but this was different. Her skill seemed to bypass all defenses, bending chance itself.
"Khirtis, we should head out." Loras called, snapping him out of his trance. "Layla already claimed the driver's seat."
"Little horsey, behold, your new charioteer!"
Rising to his feet, Khirtis brushed aside his doubts. His goals lay elsewhere.
"Kris, hop on the horse! Let's see if you can stay on!" Layla's challenge rang out.
He chuckled and felt confident, "This girl is nothing to be afraid of."