Snow

After a while, the sunlight warmed her enough to cast aside the covers. The cool air tickled at the skin not covered by her silken night gown. Outside, she could hear the early songs of the birds and the clatter of wagons on distant cobblestone roads. With a lazy reluctance, the blonde finally slid herself out of bed. A creature of habit, Snow pulled the sheets tight and began making the bed. Pillows fluffed, sheets tucked, and comforter smoothed, she drudged into the kitchen for a light breakfast.

Lockne, her familiar, opened several of its eyes. The little mimic about the size of a jewelery box opened its toothed maw in a yawn. It leapt off the nightstand beside the bed and hopped along the wooden floor to catch up at Snow’s heels. 

“Oh!” Snow exclaimed when the little creature bumped into her foot. “Good morning, Lockne. Breakfast for you too?”

The alabaster mimic opened its lid and chattered it shut as though it tried to purr. Snow figured this meant something positive. She certainly knew what a negative reaction looked like and so did Shield— his poor nipped fingers…

The light of Aincrad's floor crested the horizon and danced through the branches of Floor 3's endless trees. The little beams of radiance permeated through the windows of a small estate just outside of the main town, Flora. From the wooden floorboards, the column of illumination slowly crept up thin, cotton sheets. It traveled over many folds and danced between strands of golden blonde before finally coming to rest on the fair skin of Snow's cheeks. She rustled beneath the covers. As the day's light grew above the horizon, more poured through her curtains and stretched from her head to the foot of the bed. Its warmth seeped under the sheets and into her small frame. Snow flopped to her other side as though to try and grow more comfortable. Instead, two azure eyes cracked open with a soft sigh. The girl rolled to her back, arm over her forehead, as she stared toward the ceiling. The game's realistic graphics even went so far as to render the motes of dust floating listlessly in the morning light.

Another day in Aincrad, she thought to herself.

“I’m sure,” Snow replied with a smile. “Some of us woke up early to prepare for the tournament.”

Snow sipped her tea coyly with a snicker on her lips. Her cheeks again flushed when @Calrex commented her on her kimono. The blue hues and subtle flower pattern matched the girl’s cerulean eyes and nodded to the lavishly floral nature of floor she chose for her home. Snow’s hand pulled to her chest and nervously checked to make sure the folds were neatly in place.

”Thank you,” she spoke after a moment’s hesitation.

Calrex shared he was in the tournament and Snow noted to keep an eye out for him in the competition which laid out before them. Some combatants already clashed weapons in displays of intense ferocity. Some seemed jovial, but the man she remembered from a quest long ago, @Alkor, moved across the floor with tenacity and bloodlust. Were this any other setting, Snow would worry for his opponent’s life. If only Snow knew how to harness that kind of mindset on the battlefield. Then again, the support tank role wouldn’t justify that kind of behavior in a group battle. So, she’d settle for keeping other’s safe instead and her enemies at spear’s length.

”Do you have any favorites?” Snow leaned toward @Baldur and asked before another sip of tea.

Of all the places on Aincrad, Baldur's abode and the home of Jacob's Ladder always filled Snow with nostalgia. Her own house on the third floor resembled a mixture of her home and what she assumed the homes in the west looked like. While her actual abode became home to her, The Baldur Estate struck a familiar cord she didn't want to shake and welcomed with open arms. After serving the owner of the estate his tea, Snow took the hot kettle back to the lavish kitchen where she spent many nights preparing meals for the guild. In its dimmed light, the blonde poured her own cup of tea with fresh leaves. The dried tea unfurled as clear water tinted to a lovely shade of green.

"Ocha," Snow softly muttered to herself with a smile crested at her lip's corner.

Green tea, such an important part of Japanese culture and so revered it is given an honorific prefix in its normal pronunciation. Homesick, but surrounded by its digital clone, Snow understood why the tea received such honor. Subtle aromas, the warmth, the fragrant taste and comfort all combined into a fine piece of humanity. Snow held her tea in both hands, the heat warming her through and through. With a deep breath, she left the sanctity of the kitchen and returned to @Baldur's side where she moved her lovely blue kimono aside to kneel on the tatami beside him.

They were not alone. @Calrex stood beside the lord of the manor in his half-naked attire. Snow grew used to the site of the bluenette in his sparring attire but each and every time she could feel the warmth of her cheeks raise and a rosy hue flush her pale features. Subtle memories of her sparring match with him came to mind and the embarrassment followed suit. Yet, every time Snow brought it up, Calrex always returned kindness and warmth. Were it not for his wife, Teayre, Snow would have liked to know him more personally. She chuckled at the notion.

"It's alright Calrex, everything is tended to and prepared. Just enjoy yourself. Let me know if you need anything," Snow returned before Baldur's reply in her soft Czech lilt. She smiled to Calrex before taking another soft sip of her tea and nestling the cup with her hands in her lap.

So many new faces showed up on the guild's stomping grounds. Some came to participate in the fighting, others to enjoy the affair. Snow, despite dreaming of one day fighting with the front lines, decided to leave the combat to the competitive and enjoy some serenity on the side lines. She loved helping others.

"Are you participating in the fights, Calrex?" Snow followed up.

The blonde ran along the water's edge, trying to get along its massive outer perimeter and closer to the epicenter of the ripples. The water stilled itself after a few minutes, but the arrival of more players filled her with hope that they might actually find the Gilded Princess together. Running out of breath, she slowed to a halt and gripped her knees. As her chest heaved and sweat beaded on her forehead, movement in the water caught her eye. Through the mirrored surface, she struggled to see what exactly it was, but the reflected sky sparkled with the glimmer of gold. As quickly as she made out its sheen, the surface undulated and distorted the painted scenery upon still waters.

She pointed. "There!" The word left her lips heavy from her sprint.

Snow stood, slowing her breaths and finding her strength again. She took a moment to equip her spear from her inventory and stood by the water's edge with its length held at the ready. She had never tried throwing her weapon, but perhaps it would give her a way to track the thing it hit -- like a shark fin above the water's surface.

@Mari@Baldur@Calrex@Shield

A rumor. It all started with a rumor. The <<King of Lakes>>, at one point, existed only as a rumor. Then, a lucky or foolish player landed the massive beast. Since then, players from around Aincrad flocked to the 22nd floor to fish for the regal creature. The materials from the monster appeared in many of Aincrad's finer restaurants from stews, to steaks, and even sushi. The rumor faded into fact, and the rarity of the beast became commonplace for some. The uniqueness of its flavor also faded and the <<King of Lakes>> became no more than a standard hunt.

But rumors breed rumors.

A small girl clad in blue plated armor and wisps of white linen walked alone along the glimmering waters of the Lake of Reflections. Colors danced across her fair skin from the sky above and the gentle breeze from the moving castle danced between long strands of flowing blonde. Snow, a young adventurer determined to make a mark on Aincrad for the sake of her late friend, Daire, sought a different goal today. The blue of her eyes rivaled the clear waters as she stared out over the lake. Slithering shadows beneath the shimmering surface slowly swam, and the young Snow brought a slender finger to silent lips.

"The Gilded Princess," she muttered to the wind.

For what Kingdom does not have a princess? In a lake as large as the Lake of Reflections, to think only one mystery swam in its depths would be an insult. Thus, the rumor of a new, elusive catch took to the message boards. Unlike the King, this mysterious fish shone brilliantly. Some said, The Gilded Princess was a figment of the imagination born from long hours at the water's edge. After long enough, the sun plays tricks along the ebbs and flows of the water, nothing more. A user on the boards by the name of <<Angler>> believed otherwise. His messages detailed a massive, golden princess of the water who's scales alone shone brighter than diamonds and opals.

"Does she really exist?" Snow crouched near the water's edge where small minnows and water bugs fled from the loom of her shadow.

When pressed for proof, <<Angler>> only said he was unable to land her. He did, however, post an image capture but the brightness of the light resulted in no more than a vague blur of white and orange. Teased and dismissed, <<Angler>> insisted it existed and that if caught, would yield materials to rival that of the King.

As Snow's thoughts drifted into the possibility, she watched the little fish near the water's edge move listlessly in the constant push and pull of the wind on the water. Then, suddenly, the sound of what she could only assume was a cannon or explosion ruptured in the distance. A plume of water shot higher in the air than any building she knew in Aincrad. Snow shot up to catch the faint blur of gold and the iridescent shimmer of something. Her eyes grew wide. Was it real?

"Is that...?" Snow's chest fluttered.

With the fastest her fingers could move, she pulled up the message boards and found the rumor of The Gilded Princess. She entered only one line in all caps.

SHE'S REAL! THE GILDED PRINCESS IS REAL!

Snow dismissed her UI and broke into a jog along the water's edge. As a single player, what could she do? Still, the budding Valkyrie wanted to see the rumor come to light. She wanted to see <<The Gilded Princess>> in all her majesty.

As they arrived at the inn, Snow caught Assassin by the shoulder. The look on her face held only one emotion: concern. Her words, her body language, and just the way she moved seemed... empty.

"Hey... wait here for a minute..." With that said, Snow approached the counter. The gents from before went wide eyed and from Assassin's perspective, she could see Snow lean into the counter. There were some muffled words exchanged and the blond pointed her finger firmly against the table several times. The other patrons in the lobby turned a gaze. Some of them leaned into their comrades and likely whispered the events of the prior night where Snow nearly stripped down to nothing. Then, both the gents turned and vanished in opposite directions. Snow spun on her heels, cheeks red as tomatoes.

"Okay, so. Two beds. Lets go." Her words were broken by the rapid beating of her heart. Snow was definitely not the assertive type and acting like she did last night nearly killed her with embarrassment and anxiety.

Snow went upstairs where one of the gentlemen opened a large door at the end of the hall and ushered them in. Once inside, Snow immediately took a seat and exhaled a heated breath of relief. She took a moment to get her heart rate slower than a hummingbird.

"So," Snow sucked in a deep breath. "What's going on? You've been quiet since we finished that quest. I thought you would be excited. You did really good today."

@Assassin

Let's see what you can do conqueror!

To see mother and child reunited was heartwarming even if the two avatar's were not tied to any living person. The image in itself reminded her of family back home. Memories of long distance phone calls and harassment form her father trickled into her thoughts and the weight of sorrow hung heavy on the corners of her lips. The mother looked to the two of them with a brimming happiness and relief that felt so distant and foreign to Snow. As the two ran off from view, a little prompt appeared with the notification of quest rewards. With a press of the accept button, the window vanished to the scene of a hungry Assasin.

"Hmm? Food?" Snow repeated a little flat. Her brow lifted at a similar lack of tone in her companion's voice.

"Sure!" Snow tried to overcome the somber mood with an injection of positive energy. "How does the tavern from last night sound, or would you like something different?"

@Assassin

The light of day slowly turned the black of darkness to grey and finally painted the world in color as she emerged. Just outside, Assassin stood beside the little girl and for a moment, Snow's lips curled into a smile. Beside one another, it looked as though they might have been siblings; one took up the fantasy of fighting "meanies" and the other just wasn't strong enough to handle actual bad guys. The blonde spearwoman sauntered up to the two and placed her hand on top of Assassin's head with a smile.

"Great job in there," Snow complimented while taking a knee. She turned to the missing girl, their eyes still red from tears. "You too, but next time, don't play near scary caves, okay?"

The little girl's head hung. She knew what she did was a mistake. She likely remembered her NPC mother reminding her it was dangerous. After a pause, she nodded softly.

"Th-Thanks tank-lady and..." The little girl looked to her other savior. "Thank you ah-sis."

"Ah-sis," Snow repeated. "Cute."

The play on words and Assassin's name all sort of rolled into one. How cleaver for an NPC.

"Well," Snow huffed as she stood. "How about we head back into town, reunite you with your mom and..."

The blonde looked to Assassin with a giggle.

"How about you and I settle in for some dinner? What do you say, Ah-chan?"

@Assassin

"Got it," Snow called back. She watched from the corner of her vision as Assassin's marker vanished deeper into the darkness with little girl in tow.

She redirected her focus on the only other thing that remained. The bat's marker bobbed erratically, clearly wounded. Its chirps cried out to help it see and began to make its way closer to Snow. The blond leveled herself and charged at it for the last time. Her spear caught it by the wing and she lifted its tip high before whipping the beast down to the ground in a spray of fractals.

Snow exhaled sharply in relief and stood up straight in the silence of the cavern. Without the pressing danger and sounds of terror, she found the lack of light and sound peaceful in a way. Snow took a deep breath and mounted her spear to her back. Then, she chased after Assassin and the girl.

@Assassin

Mari's words did little to console the roots of her fear. So deeply ingrained by the trauma of loss and the madness of this digital prison, even the test of time may fail to heal this open wounds. Yet, to hear such words pulled a fraction of her sorrow from her eyes. The promise made was a lie Snow knew all to well, but the intent behind them still held a strong meaning. The blonde took a few staggered breaths to calm herself down. Her hands played at the scarf around her neck and though she felt her and Mari weren't that close, she didn't hate the intimacy of the moment. It almost felt as if she had a best friend again.

Snow's eyes drifted up to Mari's orange marker with reddened eyes. She didn't deserve that label.

With a nod, Snow responded, "Only if you let me be that pillar..."

A faint smile broke through the trembling uncertainty and vulnerability. The words almost hurt to say when she remembered their original context and the awkward repercussions of their first utterance to Mari those many days ago. Snow tried to stand taller, defiant to her frailty compared to the orange player. To be strong for someone else... the scared little blonde wanted so desperately to be the bravery and courage she once saw in her late friend. She so desperately wanted to be that light for Mari's own darkness -- to be the one to help her forgive herself and smile again.

@Mari

The gap in their abilities burst into a rain of sparkling fractals. In the fall of light and remnants of the icy elemental, the frame of Mari stood. Snow's heart raced, her eyes blinked in disbelief, and the image of Daire's demise melted away into the warmth of another's touch. The dam which held the emotions shifted, and the walls dropped. Snow's trembling grip on her golden spear failed and its length disappeared beneath the white. Snow stepped in and wrapped herself around Mari. Her fear of loss, the way Mari acted when they first met, the awkwardness, the longing... All of it crashed together into an irrational but welcome silence. Snow knew it wasn't Daire in her arms, but what she needed was exactly this.

"I'm sorry." The words escaped into the redhead's shoulder. She was sorry for her actions prior. She was sorry for her actions now. She was sorry for failing the people she cared for. She was sorry for being too weak.

"I'm sorry..."

Snow's chest fluttered as she held the moment selfishly. Her eyes stung with the free flow of tears. After a moment, the storm calmed and Snow loosened her grasp. She stepped back and looked to Mari with glistening eyes framed by reddened cheeks.

"I--" The blonde's chest lifted in a sharp breath. "I don't want to lose anymore people. I... I don't want to be alone."

@Mari

The shrill of terror echoed through the darkened cavern and raised the hairs on the back of Snow's neck. Her pace quickened in the direction of the sound. In the murky darkness, the blonde spearwoman could only make out rough shapes and the erratic movement. Subtle waves of disturbed air wafted against Snow's face and she knew another foe lurked in the depths. Cardinal reacted to her perception of danger with a solitary red prism that danced rhythmically above the bundled figure of a whimpering child.

Assassin called out and Snow nipped at her lower lip.

'This is fine,' she mentally quipped. 'I can draw its attention and keep them both from harm.'

Snow snatched her spear from her back and squared her stance.

Snow darted forward and with a rough guess, impaled the bat through the abdomen with her spear. She twisted her torso, pivoted on her heel, and spun forcibly until the bat flung free from her weapon and slammed into the jagged cavern wall across the way.

Snow snapped her attention behind her where a small girl's tears halted for a brief moment.

"It's okay now," Snow encouraged with soft, matronly words. "We'll get you home soon. Can you be strong for me and stay right here?"

Snow heard the faint whimper of a nod through the darkness.

"Good." Snow turned her attention to the green marker in the room. "That should keep its attention for now. Show me your best, Assassin!"

@Assassin

Welcome, welcome! I've been around these parts for some time (Since 2016 if my numbers are right) and it's stayed a solid place. Always new events, work being done on content, and overall supportive and friendly people. I hope you enjoy it here as much as I do and look forward to seeing you in the field. If you'd ever like some free food, come by my rotating sushi bar and say hello!

And don't hesitate to ask questions. The pick up can be a bit tough when you start to get into the thick of it all.

When Mari cupped Snow's outstretched hand, her chest sunk as though she just had the floor pulled from under her. The anxiety of defying her state of unrest manifested and then melted. Those small, delicate hands trembled but still conveyed warmth in their touch. Mari stepped closer. Snow let her. As Mari made her case, the blonde couldn't help herself from remembering the scene moments ago. A sad girl played a lonely song to the memory of one lost to time forever. The image played over Snow's own pain of loss. Daire, the similar redhead she first mistook Mari for, lingered at the back of her mind and grew farther and farther away over time. Those memories she cherished became that much harder to remember, both good and bad.

Snow's body relaxed. A soft sting welled in her eyes.

"So Snow -instead why don't we-"

Everything changed. The world became black her body pushed into Mari. Her stomach churned in the abrupt spin and the percussion of something massive vibrated through Snow's body. Ice and snow whipped into a cloud and covered one side of her body. Mari pulled away and the blonde immediately snapped her eyes to the crater beside them. Then, back to Mari which now turned away from her, armed.

"What..." Snow stammered until beyond the hanging orange marker she saw one of red hover above a massive construct of ice.

'Here of all places? How did it-- we were attacked?!'

Snow shook her head. Clumps of half melted powder flung from her hair as the blonde pieced herself together. She glanced to Mari, back to the creature, back to Mari. The imprint of her late friend Daire still lingered as she saw her new acquaintance square up.

"No," she muttered in a shaky tone. "No, no."

Sif's Needle materialized from the girl's readied inventory and into her hand. The edges of her vision narrowed as her heart raced at the thought of Mari's bar draining from red to empty. Emotions and Cardinal spurned her into action, and she charged past Mari in a wake of glittering powder. Sif's blade spun once. A red gouge drew across the abomination's legs. It swung again, and the creature slumped to what Snow could assume was its knees.

"Not again!" Snow shouted in what almost sounded like anguish. Her eyes sparkled with fresh tears.

@Mari

Oh! Can I take the:

<<FROSTED NECKLACE>> - (T3 PERFECT TRINKET) - ID: 154770
     ➥ LIFE MENDING
     ➥ REC
     ➥ REC

It would help me out when I get up to the T3 Heal/Tank build I'm looking to do! I'm only T1, almost T2, so it really won't help me currently so... Just checking!

Snow watched for an opening as the snake and the stronger blonde continued to tussle. The monster Snow struggled with reared back for another taste of the woman's armor and found death instead. To Snow's immediate surprise, one sweeping arc turned a formidable foe into glitter dashed across the hot sands. The tip of Sif's Needle slid into the ground at her feet as her grip fell slack.

"O-oh..." the young adventurer stammered. "You, uh... well then."

Alkor tried to offer words of encouragement but something about his words fell flat from their intention. Snow knew she bit off a bit more than she should have tried to chew, but after witnessing the both of them make short work of the field boss, Snow felt even less adequate. She knew the journey would be long, but now she found herself standing on one edge of the Grand Canyon. Alkor and his companion stood on the other side. And she just now gauged the distance and depth of that goal.

Her sandy shoulders sagged, and she slowly set Sif's Needle on her back. On the bright side, she didn't die. Snow cracked a soft smile in her defeat.

Heh, looks like I won't meet you just yet, Daire...

With a deep breath, she sighed out, "Thank you. I think I'm just trying too hard. I just wanted to be more useful; If you two hadn't of lent a hand I..."

The pause implied the outcome they all imagined.

"Thanks..." Snow's eyes cast to her feet in a slight bow. She raised her gaze through messy bangs toward the female stranger which may or may not have just become an inspiration for the young tank. "I'm Snow. Could I-- Could I ask your names?"

Snow felt a rush of relief. The bat did no more than a scratch to Assassin's health, and Snow would see that it did no more. She leveled her spear toward the flailing beast and prepared herself for Cardinal's assist. As Assassin's dagger bit into it and let the red light give away its location, Snow locked on and fired her sword art. Her body surged forward and the moment Assassin pulled away, the Valkyrie impaled it. She lifted the haft of her spear with fresh skewer atop and slammed it down into a shower of geometric fragments. The Giant Bat was defeated.

Snow let a pent up breath escape her lips before abruptly turning to Assassin.

"Phew," she began. "Good work! If we run into something next time, hopefully I'll keep its attention. Are you alright?"

The blonde tried to stifle her worry. She tried to remind herself that Assassin didn't like to be treated as a kid. On the other hand, Assassin was still new when it came to the laws of the game. It might take one false move to spell permanent game over. Snow shook her head in the darkness and with it, the dark thoughts.

"Let's try to keep going. We have someone waiting for out help." She flashed a quick smile.

Meanwhile, the soft sounds echoed from deeper within the cave.

@Assassin

A faint line of red arched through the air and the high pitched shrill of a bat's scream sang contrast to the wet tear of metal through membrane. Assassin's attack scored a hit on the creature and painted a target for Snow to follow.

"Nice one, Assassin!" Snow complimented. The bat's attention, however, seemed locked on the smaller of the two.

The flutter and bob of the winged rodent's massive body chased after Assassin. Snow leapt into action and the pull of Cardinal consumed her weapon once more. It tugged her small frame forward and Sif's blade slipped silently into soft sinew. Snow's stance rooted and she slammed her foe against the ground with a loud crack. The massive bat bounced bluntly beside her small companion and flailed wildly to regain flight. One of its massive wings reached out for air and instead caught against Assassin's body. The two small talons at the crest of the bat's wing ripped two long lines down the child's avatar.

"Assassin!" Snow shouted. Her heart raced.

@Assassin

Snow struggled to get upright in the loose ground beneath her. Bits of warm sand seemed to snake its way into places it should not have been. Her chest tingled as the red glow of impact faded away and a faint sparkle of her armor's regeneration kicked in. The little pixel of missing green snapped back into place. The short moment of panic melted into a sense of newfound confidence. Perhaps she was better equipped for the fight than she thought. After some futile scrambling to support her weight underneath her, Snow wizened up and used the length of her polearm to heft herself upright. Several small waterfalls of dust poured from the gaps in her armor and fell from her hair.

The other woman shouted again to catch both Snow's and the serpent's attention. Alkor, as she learned his name to be, sprung into action at the bequest of his companion and drew a blade along the snake's neck. Despite the wound, both heads bobbed and weaved toward the source of the shouting. Both mouths lashed out.

"Look out!" Snow screamed, panic in her tone.

To her surprise, the beast immediately reeled back and hissed wildly. Snow's brows scrunched together and the bar above the monster's head drained steadily. On its fangs, small cracks of red ran up and down as though ivory had fractured.

'Thorns...' she thought to herself. 'Way stronger than mine...'

Snow shook her head. She buried the many questions that arose and brought up her spear, ready to keep the rhythm of combat Alkor suggested.

@Alkor, @Lessa

Snow kept to herself as the stronger players in the room spoke. She could feel tension in Ariel and Baldur's exchange. Some bad blood most exist between them. As Ariel mentioned Calrex being surrounded by beautiful women, Snow felt a momentary lapse of pride. The compliment held for a second before the flood of earlier implications rushed back into her cheeks and embarrassment continued. The young blond dipped her face beneath a curtain of her hands to hide herself from view.

Who is T-chan? Is he married? Why does it matter? It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

Ariel continued and her choice of words filled the air with enigma. Snow focused on talking herself out of a corner, and missed the exchange. Her mind instead focused on calm breezes, her little cottage back home, and absolutely anything except Calrex, this room, and shading effects. The process halted as his voice cut through her attempted meditation. His departure took another weight off her chest only to snap it right back in place with a single name.

Mari...?!

Snow's blue eyes broke from her hands and snapped to the doorway. Eye to eye, their gazes met. She saw hesitation, she saw vulnerability, and Snow did not have an immediate reaction. It felt like a lot. First, tension between Calrex and Snow compliments of Ariel, a slight feeling of responsibility toward Assassin, hidden meaning between Ariel and Baldur, and now Mari, the player killer. Memories on the fourth floor preoccupied Snow's thoughts, and she turned away in silence.

@Mari@Calrex@Baldur@Ariel - The Crowned Lion@Assassin