Reyna

Still kneeling, the young women placed the dull end of the spear on the ground and used the downward pressure that was applied to stand. As she stood her narrowed gaze brushed over the shadows of the cave. While the scan told her nothing, but it did provide further reassurance that they were all safe.  Despite the reassurance, the spear remained out and ready.  Not that there was really a good place to store it either. 

As the trio started walking toward the opening of the cave, the young girl started to sway.  There was no hesitation. Suddenly, Morningstar was there and encouraging the young girl to hop on his shoulders.  A small, gentle smile appeared as she put a hand up to ensure that the young girl did not lose her balance and fall backward.  Internally, she found herself wondering if Morningstar had experiences with children in the real world. Maybe siblings? Or even a child? She could ask him…but now was not the time for that.  She found herself pondering that thought as Morningstar’s voice broke though the darkness.

"Congrats on making it through your first quest," Morningstar chuckled, "you did perfectly."

The warmth that had been gathered in her stomach spread until the heat hit her cheeks.  She was all the sudden grateful for the darkness that surrounded them.  “Thanks,” she laughed lightly while softly poking him with her elbow, “It helps when you have a partner who knows what they are doing.” Glancing up, she found her gaze drawn to the girl who was now resting her chin on the fighter’s blonde, spiky hair with her eyes closed.  As they continued forward, the mouth of the cave became wider and brighter.  Before she knew it they were only a couple feet from the mouth of the cave. 

@Morningstar

The closer sandaled feet took her towards the exit, the slower the steps became. Within minutes she was mutely standing at the entrance of The Town of Beginnings. As much as the player did not want to admit it nerves were starting to take root in the pit of her stomach like a tree anchoring itself to the earth. Unaware of the world that started to fade around her she stared into the field. This would be her first fight.

This time she could die. 

Not that she could not die the other times, but this quest was specially about taking on a monster. The lesson one quest was specifically for gathering. Not fighting. If something happened would anyone come to her aid? There had been stories floating around of players who intervene when someone is about to die. Did one of those players hunt down here? A knight in shining armor? Only one way to find out. Not that she would need a knight. Reyna was going to learn to take care of herself; even it if killed her. 

There was a moment of silence between the two as the player considered her next actions.  Prior to coming to this quest, she had heard that the blacksmith was...well, brash.  Those rumors had been right.  Knowing that the blacksmith treated all the players the same made remaining still and nodding possible.  She was not special.  It was just how he was programmed. Nothing could be done. 

"Understood. I'll be back soon then."

Without so much as another thought the purple haired players swiveled around and walked out.  There was also nothing that said she had to stand there and take it either.  Once the quest was accepted the quest goer was free to go. 

While the path out of the city was different than the previous one it still appeared the same.  If one didn't pay attention soon all the streets blended. Several new players got lost daily trying to find their way around the maze of floors.  Even Reyna sometimes took a wrong turn.  Like today.  After coming to dead end, she realized that the was a point where she was supposed to turn left but turned right.  After working to reorient herself once again Reyna was off towards the exit once more.  

     That morning, the alarm that had been set for 8:00AM rang throughout the small room at the local Inn. Instantly lilac orbs opened and stared at the blank ceiling above. In the real world, Reyna was not much of a morning person; however, in SAO that had changed. No matter how much she tried to sleep in if an alarm was set the system would automatically wake up a player. It was useful, but also annoying. Although today the alarm was set for a reason. Today would be the day that Reyna took on the second quest in the series of starter quest. The previous day she had spoken with the Alchemist and received the name of the next quest holder. Lyle Tealeaf. As she thought about how to get there the sudden feeling of hunger overcame her. 

"Perhaps before I leave, I should eat..." Reyna murmured, rolling out of the bed and extending her arms into the air. In the real word, there would have been small "pops" and "cracks" as her bone resettled from the night, but in SAO there was nothing like that. It was one of the benefits of a virtual body. After stretching the women then made her way out the door and to the local bakery. In a matter of minutes, a cheese Danish had been obtained. Happily munching on the Danish, she made her way to the blacksmith. Right as the finished chewing the last bite she arrived at the shop. Taking a breath, the player then pushed open the door. 

**The steady clang of metal on metal greets you as you enter the dimly lit shop. A man stands behind the anvil, rhythmically striking a heavy hammer against his newest project. Like Zackariah, the man sports a long white beard, and is pushing seventy years old. Unlike Zackariah, there is no warmth or gentleness in the NPC's eyes. Instead, Lyle regards you with annoyance, bordering on disgust. "I'm busy," he states tersely.

**As you attempt to explain the situation or introduce yourself, he will cut you off with a wave of his leathery hand. "I don't do anything without payment. Go kill a couple of those pesky boarlets for me, and bring back their tusks. They're pretty weak, so even you shouldn't have any trouble.  Do that, then I'll hear you out."

And so, the next quest begins. 

**Taken from quest summary

As a screech reverberated through the cavern Reyna's body moved before her brain could even process what was happening.  One second, she was standing next to the young girl, and then the next virtual arms wrapped around the shoulders of the child, pulling her as close as possible.  There was a dull sense of recognition as the sound of wings swiping the air thundered toward the duo. The child, in response, curled into the protective embraced as sobs started to escape from the small mouth.  Gently, the older girl cooed, trying to quiet the sobs that seemed to draw all attention to them. 

With her attention focused on quelling the child her awareness of the surrounding environment faded. As she mentally, and physically, prepared for the attack Reyna shut her eyes tight. We'll be okay... Despite just having met her traveling partner she trusted him. He would be there, of that, she was sure. Of course, if someone asked her why she would have not been able to put it into words, but she believed in Morningstar. Luckily, her trust in her partner had not been misplaced. The sound of a sword swiping through the air and screech of death echoed in her eardrums.  Then, there was a slight awareness of someone standing next to her. Without thought the grip on the girl loosened. 

"Morningstar..." Reyna whispered, relief and happiness laced in her voice as she looked up at the other player. Reyna wanted to express her gratitude, but the words fell silent as she watched his hand reached down and interlaced with the child's hair. "You're okay. We've got you."  At that the young women's face broke into a large grin. We. As in both of them. In the pit of her stomach a tingling sensation started to make itself known as warmth spread through her. 

"We do," Reyna echoed warmly, "Now let's get you back to your mom."  

@Morningstar

Quest Rewards: 

• Word Count: 4,478 / 10 = 447 * 1 * 1 = 447
• 897 Experience Points | 447 [Thread Progession] + 450 [Quest]
• 900 | 400 [Thread Progession] + 500 [Quest] Col
• 5 materials
• An Assortment of Potions:
  • (5) T1 Uncommon Health Potions: Heals 5% of Maximum HP.
  • (1) T1 Uncommon Damage Potion: +1 DMG for an entire thread.
  • (1) T1 Uncommon Overhealth Potion: Adds 5% of Maximum HP to users Maximum HP for a thread.
  • (1) T1 Health Potion, quality is based on Crafting Results [Perfect Quality].
• Unlock <<The Second Lesson>> Quest

**Adjustments to Word Count & EXP completed by Nari-Lanreth

 "Right," Reyna murmured, turning her attention back to the hammer and chisel, "Feel the chisel pierce the rock."

There was a moment where Reyna just stared at to see if he would say anything else. No other words passed the paper-thin lips. What she was feeling was stupid. How the heck did someone imagine that? Breathing in through her nose, and then out through her mouth, she tried to envision in her mind’s eye the solid metal of the tool breaking through the rock. This time when she stuck the rock a window appeared in front of her. The message, <<Player has acquired new item: rock dust>> flashed before her. After that the Alchemist then guided her though breaking down the rest of the ingredients. Before she knew it a pale blue potion sat before her in a bottle.

After successfully crafting the potions, Zackariah holds them up, examining her work. "You did a fantastic job," he finally declared, offering Reyna the items. "Now, was there anything else?" Once you explain your real reason for visiting, Zackariah chuckles and shakes his head. "Leave it to Dorian to forget something so important. No, I'm afraid it wasn't me that borrowed the col. You might try Lyle, the blacksmith. I've seen him talking with the mayor frequently the past month or so, and he's just up the road. I wish you luck!"

Without another word the older NPC led the way to the back of the shop while holding the items. He laid out the materials on a thick wooden table in the center of the room; then gestured the player over. With practiced motions wrinkled hands picked up the stone and placed it in front of Reyna. "There is a tool to the right that is a hammer and chisel. Pick that up and start to use it on the rock." Following his directions, the hammer and chisel were located. With unsteady hands she placed the chisel over the rock then brought the hammer down on it. Nothing happened. Blinking rapidly, she glanced over at Zackariah in confusion. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Reyna asked, eyeing the material suspiciously. 

There was a shake of his head, notifying her that she did not do something wrong. "Try again," the NPC commanded gently, "This time focus on the way the chisel feels puncturing the rock." 

The Town of Beginnings was no more busy than usual. Players of all types decorated the street doing daily tasks or relaxing. As Reyna strolled, her eyes lingered on the groups of players as they chatted and laughed. Desire for the same interactions bubbled up but they were swiftly pushed down. For now, she needed to focus on her goal. There was some hope that along the way connections with others would come as well. 

Several minutes later a familiar door came into sight. Pushing open the shop door it opened into a large room with potions decorating the walls. The Alchemist was nowhere to be seen. Slowly wandering into the shop, she softly called out, "Hello?" Immediately the familiar, wrinkled face appeared from behind the shop. Zackariah. Without hesitation he warmly greeted her.

"Ah, you," He voiced, smiling, "Welcome back. May I see what you collected?" 

First two fingers swiping the air, a player menu opened before the women. Reyna pulled the materials from the inventory and placed them on the counter. A speculative glance scanned each material in turn. "Perfect, let's make that potion."

Continuing to meander back towards town the lavender haired player decided to find the final material while intentionally heading back to the Alchemy shop. Lips pursed; a focused gaze scanned the grassy plains for something to pick up. Even as the wind gently brushed past the green stems there appeared to be nothing of interest.  

Slowing right outside the gate into town a broader scan was made. Then lilac orbs landed on the side of the town wall. Bright, earthy evergreen moss was crawling up the side of the cities wall. Approaching the wall, a beige hand reached out to entangle long nailed fingers into the moss. Much to her surprise, it was soft. As she engaged with the moss a window popped up asking if she would like to place the item in the player inventory. A bright, wide smile broke out. The final material. Pacing the <<Climbing Moss>> into her inventory the young woman then leisurely strolled through the gate of the city and started toward the Alchemy shop.

It was never the plan to get distracted, but on a quest like this it was difficult to stay focused. Especially by oneself. Without someone to engage with it allowed the mind to turn inward. If she was being honest with herself, the choices she had decided to make did not bring forth feelings of pride or comfort. Instead, they summoned waves of regret and guilt.

The first several nights after discovering she was captive in this game had been rough. The female player had found an Inn and locked herself in one of the various rooms. Those days were full of tears and nightmares. After so long the tears stopped coming but the nightmares remained - even to this day. Then she waited. And waited. And waited. Until two years passed, and no changes had been made. During that time, Reyna had started to journal and try to find her way. It had taken a long time to accept this virtual reality as a new life, but there was no choice. It was either learn to live or waste away. Yes, her ultimate goal was to return to the real world, but in the meantime, it would not hurt to live this life either.

After all, it was the only one she had now.

Halfway paying attention, Reyna spotted another rock and leaned down. She attempted to pull the rock from the ground; however, the rock would not budge. Frowning, and narrowing her eyes, another attempt was made. The rock still did not budge. Sighing, she gave up on this material and attempt to find another one. 

Allowing a narrowed gaze to drift up from the ground it rose until it hit the sky. Well, not a real sky, but the bottom of the floor above. Just the thought of the other floors made her smile. After all, she had ventured to the one of the upper floors for the spear that had been gripped in her right hand. It had taken a long time to decide what weapon to even use. A sword would have been fun, but something about the polearm called to her. Perhaps it was its ability to be distant, but Reyna also wanted to be useful in close quarter combat as well. She had heard of a quest on one of the upper floors that allowed a player to gain close combat skill. In her mind, as inexperienced as that was, it made sense to have a close- and long-range skills. That way, one could always be as prepared as possible no matter the situation.

"What else is there besides rocks and flowers?" Reyna muttered to the emptiness. 

So far, the young women had collected two rocks and a flower. After doing a quick scan of the surrounding area all Reyna found was more rocks and flowers. It was rather boring, but at least it would get the quest done sooner rather than later. Cheese tart on the brain her gaze bore down at the land beneath the purple traditional sandals. There! Bending over to pick of another flower she brought the plant up so that the system would focus on it. It was nothing special. Just a regular, red flower with five wide petals around the center. Figuring it was better than nothing the flower was placed in the inventory. Only one more ingredient. The last ingredient should not be so hard to find. Especially if Reyna was not picky about what selected. While something different was desired; she also desired to get this quest done. After all, the one after this was the first fighting quest – and that was something to look forward too.

Another glance in the corner of screen informed her that it was now 12:05 in the afternoon. Sighing to herself, she placed a hand on her stomach as she imagined audible grumbling that was not taking place. While Reyna had eaten that morning before leaving on this quest that had been several hours ago. Now, the lavender themed player was regretting not buy an extra cheese tart from the bakery called Tartify. The thought of the creamy, broiled cream cheese made her sigh longingly. Perhaps, after this quest was complete, she could enjoy one of the cheese tarts. 

There was something else about the bakery that made her happy. The NPC who worked the counter of the shop was friendly and warm. She always grinned at players in a welcoming manner. Reyna enjoyed her interaction with the NPC. It was one of the few times she actually spoke with another character. Part of her wanted to make friends with the other players, but there was a lingering fear that blocked her ability to form those connections. What if they thought she was weak? What if they thought bad of her for just starting adventuring? The negative thoughts swirled around her head -  causing her to feel slightly dizzy. Leaning against the polearm she placed her temple against the pole. Now was not the time to be distracted. 

The thought that a guild would ask her to join their ranks crossed her mind, and it made Reyna laugh a little. She was a nobody to the guilds around here. Just a low-level player who dreamed of making it to the front ranks – but that didn’t always have to be the case. Reyna reassured herself that hard work and determination would help build up her level, and then ultimately increase her HP. One day even she could make it to the front line.

But that was a long way off.

For now, it was safer to focus on the present and live to see the next minute. Then, hopefully, the next day. The rest would come with patience and a little bit of luck. The more Reyna thought about it the more her spirits brightened. This was going to get her places. One day looking for potion ingredients and then the next fighting a boss monster. All she had to have was patience.

With each step the Town of Beginnings was getting closer into view. From the outside, the town appeared to be rather large and impenetrable with its' fortress like walls. Which made sense if one really thought about. It was a safe haven. A place where players could go and not risk the ultimate price of the game. 

And it was not a bad place to live. 

Since it was a beginner friendly town the wears and inns were decently priced. That had been a major help when it came to surviving on the first floor. The only real downside was that it was home to the Liberation Army. There was usually always a flurry of Army activity, and sometimes the Army could be tricky to deal with. If she were being honest though, there was a point where she thought about joining their ranks. At least they provided for their guildmates, and it was an easy way to get three decent meals. Ultimately, however, Reyna had decided against joining and decided to go out as a Solo Player. At least for the moment. 

Instead of moving further into the wilds of the plains Reyna turned and meandered parallel to the Town of Beginnings. After all, the town meant safety and wandering too far was not wise. While the lower floors were usually safe that was not guaranteed. The more she thought about the more she wandered if she should go ahead and start back. Before she even realized it, she was already heading back towards town. 

"Better safe than sorry." Reyna murmured, nodding as if to convince herself. 

As she was wandering back, she did a quick spin around just observed. There was no one nearby. You’re just paranoid. Stop it. Then a small voice in the back of her head maliciously whisper, "You're too scared. How can someone like you be on the frontlines? Wanna be a clearer - well, good fucking luck." Reyna found herself momentarily frozen as the voice continued to bombard her. It was a bright yellow flower that brought her back to earth. It stood out among a patch of deep red flowers. For some reason it was the only yellow one. Smiling, Reyna picked the flower and added it to her inventory. 

 The response, "Well, then we should be friends" died in Reyna's throat as the path suddenly split. Narrowed lavender orbs studied each path trying to discern the way to go. The path to the left appeared as if it continued down a straight lighter path. On the other hand, the right path appeared to take a deep turn toward the heart of the forest. Reyna preferred the left path, but when Morningstar started down the right, she bit her bottom lip and reluctantly followed. The further they ventured down the path the darker the aura got. To control the fear that was starting to bubble up Reyna closed the distance between Morningstar and herself. 

The sight of the cave nearly made her turn around. There was absolute nothingness. Just a dense black void that looked like it would swallow someone whole. Gripping the spear tightly she followed the broad shoulders of her partner into the darkness. Even if Morningstar had not said to stay close, she probably would have done so anyway. Without noticing it, her left hand hovered over the back of Morningstar’s shirt – ready to grab on just in case. Realizing what was happening she quickly withdrew her hand.

And she was glad she did. 

In the next instant, Morningstar's sword was drawn and partially lighting up the cave. The next instant a screech was heard from the darkness, and then the light blue pixels appeared before quickly fading into the dark. As the bat had screeched though, Reyna's ears had picked up something else. The barely auditable sound of crying. Koko. Fear replaced by the desire to find the little girl Reyna ventured off to the left from Morningstar. Fumbling through the dark, arms outstretched the player felt her way around the cave while following the sounds of crying. If this was real life scratches and cuts would have decorated her hands and knees. 

It took several minutes of blindly feeling, and periodically trying to ensure that Morningstar was there, Reyna found a large rock where the crying was coming directly behind. Kneeling, she whispered into the darkness, "Koko, is that you?" The sounds softened even further as a small, cracked voice whispered back, "Y-y-yes." A wave of relief overcame the lavender haired player. Koko was safe. Softly, Reyna explained that Koko's mom had sent them to come bring her home. As Reyna continued to talk the soft scratching of cloth against ground could be heard. Reaching out into the darkness, her hand connected with something warm, small, and soft. Reyna pulled. A small body collided with her kneeling form. Small arms reached around her neck as a head buried into the crook of her neck.

"I-I wanna go home," A small voice whispered, "I wanna see my mom." 

Wrapping the girl in a comforting hug for about a minute she nodded. "Morningstar," Reyna called out into the darkness, "I've got her! I've got Koko!" 

@Morningstar

A sudden decision was made as Reyna crouched back down to examine the ground around her. If one item was found here, then perhaps another could be. Using the spear as support, her left hand reached around to feel under the tall grass of the plains. There was dirt. Roots. With a jerk Reyna pulled her hand back as she thought she felt something dance across the back of her hand. Are their even bugs? No way, it was just my imagination. Has to be. 

Convincing herself that she was overreacting she started to search once again. Within a matter of minutes her hand it something hard under the soft soil. Digging her fingers under the edge, Reyna pulled up. As she pulled, the hard surface suddenly dislodged. At the same time, the hard object hurdled through the air and landed with a soft thud on the ground. Another rock. This one didn't have any fun colors or texture. It was just a plain, old rock. 

"This will do," Reyna commented, placing the next rock in her inventory, "Now only three more items to go." 

The first search was a success. 

A feeling of pride bubbled up and overflowed as a Cheshire like grin overtook the avatars features. She had done it. The first search in the game had landed her a unique rock that could be used to move forward. Using the spear to balance, Reyna stood upright once again and turned to look back at the city. The comfort of the city stood statuesque in the distance as sunlight flooded the plains. She had not even felt like she had walked that far; yet the city had to be at least 500 yards away. Then again, Reyna had never been very good at estimating distance. Taking a quick glance in the corner of her screen the young women observed that the time was now 10:30. It was still early. Perhaps she would even be able to get this quest done today. Quest done or not though, she needed to head back to the safety of the Town of Beginnings before night fall. The plains could become a dangerous place for a new player - especially once the sun fell. 

And the wandering continued. 

While Reyna knew what she was looking for she was also unsure. Was it anything that could be found? Being a beginning quest it could not be too difficult to figure out. Taking a moment, the spear-welder then knelt and examined a rock that was innocently sitting in her path. Sometimes this game of death amazed her. The texture of the rock was rough and rigid. The smell of the grass and freshness wafted up as it was pulled from its indent in the earth's crust. Using the focus feature she allowed the system to assist in picking out all the different dents and tints of...pink? Eyebrows knitting together in confusion she brought the rock closer to her face. There was a light tint of pink as the sun reflected off the surface.  

"This is beautiful," Reyna murmured, twisting the geode in her hand one more time, "And perfect for this quest." Flicking the menu down, the geode was placed in her inventory.

For several minutes Reyna laid in the field; her thoughts racing faster than horses on a track as she thought about what had led her to this point. The tears that streaked down virtual cheeks had subsided and even stopped all together a few minutes prior. Rolling over and finally sitting up she stared out into the field before her. The small voice in her mind, the reasonable one, exclaimed that this was a horrible idea. That she was easy pickings for PKers or anyone who chose to come by at that time with malicious intent; however, she was finding it hard to bring herself to care. Kill her. At least the nightmare would be over. 

However, there was another voice. This one did not scream. It did not yell. It whispered. It whispered about everything that Reyna was missing, about the love she had for her family and friends, and the desire to live. Sighing, the butt of the spear was placed in the ground and used to hoist herself up.

It was time to move forward.

Then there was silence. 

Immediately, the female's thought process changed direction and started working a mile a minute. Changing her focus from the flower, which had taken up most of her attention, a tentative glance was taken at her adventuring partner. Reyna found herself glancing up to make up for the more then couple different inches in height. The blonde hair was slightly messy with longer strands on one side. Wandering eyes followed the strands of hair to his eyes, which were bright amber and filled with life and warmth. Then his whole face was taken in. Thick brows matched the blonde hair, and his nose was slightly pointed.

That was there when the wandering stopped. His expression caused her thought process to freeze. His eyes were furrowed, and he was staring ahead of them. Morningstar did not appear to be put off by the answer. Instead, he appeared to be contemplating it. Upon that realization, the tension that was starting to build up released. Without knowing it, a breath escaped past her pink lips. In that moment, his amber eyes started to drift toward her direction. Quickly, as if to make it look like she was not just staring at him, the lilac haired women turned her gaze to the forest in front of them. She did her best to focus on the path ensure that nothing was tripped on. While she could feel his gaze on her, she didn't entirely mind. It felt more searching than anything else. 

Then those words left his mouth.

Blinking dumbfoundedly, Reyna's attention immediately turned back to him. Soft lavender orbs met amber. Morningstar was right. This was the first step. She was moving forward and that is what mattered. Excitement started to overflow, and her chest started to flutter. The warmth started to creep over her once again. Breaking the eye contact she turned to scan her surroundings again. "So," Reyna started, taking the moment to calm herself, "Can I ask what made you decided to invite me? I know that bringing a lower-level player can be risky - especially level one." 

@Morningstar

Suddenly, Reyna was forcefully brought out of her thoughts as the ground came crashing toward her. Letting out a small 'ep' in surprise her face hit the grass of the plains. The spear clattered next to her in the long grass. Quickly, her right hand reached out to latch around the shaft of the spear. A wave of security enveloped her as her finger's enclosed the hilt. Almost as if the earth had stolen every ounce of energy Reyna turned her head to side and pressed her cheek into the ground. The breeze picked up slightly; causing the grass to lightly tickle pixelated skin. Her locks, which were braided, floated gently in the breeze. 

It's so peaceful out here...Reyna thought, letting out a long breath. She knew that she should get up, but she could not bring herself to move. Instead, she lay there sprawled out in the grass. "What am I even doing?" Reyna asked the world around her. Unfortunately, or fortunately, for Reyna nothing responded. 

Usually the floor was barren, but as the female players traveled further into the plains a group of players in the distance became known. Keeping distance, Reyna then stopped and placed the butt of the spear on the ground. Then, she leaned on it. For just a minute the spear slipped and started to fall, but after a second if found a grip and remained standing. A small burst of laughter rang from her lips - and then it wouldn't stop. Reyna had forgotten what it was like to laugh, even if it was at herself. Catching her breath, an action that was not entirely needed, she righted herself and kept walking. There was a new energy in the air as she walked. 

Who would have thought that getting out of the city would be so...enlightening?  

And, if she saw herself in the mirror now, would she even recognize herself?

Probably not. The girl who wasted away in the Town of Beginning didn't laugh, or smile. She didn't do anything or feel anything. The world was just passing by and at that was fine. Then the dreams started. Horrible nightmares that left her afraid of the dark and tearful. Dreams about her real body laying in a hospital bed wasting away as time passed. What horrified her the most was that even if she didn't die in SAO, what about her real body? It couldn't hold up forever in a hospital. Eventually, one would have to give. It was the dreams that made her start to rethink life in SAO, as horrifying as they were.