Avoryn

The boars heard me as they were preparing their next charge, shifting ever so slightly their attention before focusing again on their initial opponent. Thankfully, this helped Fae to dive out of the way and proceed a potion from her thigh to her lips and top up her health bar.

I sighed in relief, preparing myself to dodge incoming blows from now on.
I heard Fae's warning, one that I knew all too well. Don't. Get. Hit. This was obvious to anyone, the less you get hit, the more your HP stays green. But in my case, seeing that I was practically naked and any injury I would suffer could be dramatic in an instant. 
But I also had a potion in hand, ready to down it as soon as I get in a pinch.

— Don't worry about me Fae, I'm just here to help distract a bit. I won't steal your spotlight. Also, I would hate to see you get hurt because I didn't intervene.

One loud snap broke the stillness of the battle, reaching for me. I looked over my shoulder and saw that Nari had sent me a weapon, some sort of whip.
I deftly reached for it, wondering how to use this kind of weapon, as I had settled for heavy axes and not a dextrous weapon as this one.

Equipping Tealeaf Whip | Tier 1 Whip | DMG +1

I unfurled it, striking left and right to test it, a booming crack echoing with each movement.

— That's a weapon... Or tool... I was not expecting to wield one day. I'll definitely hand it back after that fight. I'm not interested. Be it for fighting or... Other... Stuff. I swallowed my saliva, focusing myself back on the battle. Alright, Fae-Fae, let's do this!

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Word count: 295

 

I listened to the girl's story in silence, holding her tightly against me as to make her feel welcomed. 
I didn't have any retort, except keeping my voice as sweet and wispy as I could, whispering softly above her head.

— You know, we both are in the same situation... The only difference is that I know my way around video games, thanks to my... I shuddered to the thought of the death that happened right before my eyes. My now late fiancé. We were also interested in discovering this world, seeing it and interacting with it in person. It was a chance for him to introduce me to a foreign world and for me to renew with old habits that had died. I shimmied closer, lifting her head so as it'd stay on my shoulder and could look into her eyes. I smiled as much as I could despite the sadness hiding behind my eyes, reflecting the searing pain from the past few days. But now, he's also gone, and hasn't returned to save me as promised. I break eye contact and look at the town, having increasingly more trouble to keep my own emotions bottled as a facade. I know how hard it is. Trust me. But you can't let yourself wither away. You've got to find strength within, somehow, somewhere. I wave my hand at the scenery, showing what's around us. This is our reality now. You've got to live to see tomorrow, and the day after. Yes, we're inside a virtual space right now, and we can't do everything we'd be doing at home. But you're still you, you're still living. I hear you crying, I feel you sobbing against me. I tighten my grip around her. You are living. You're still you, a human being, with a will to live and see things through, right? I cleared my throat, chasing away the quivering words that were forming. You said you liked to do things. Sports, games and such. Keep on doing exactly that. Live, exercise, eat, sleep. Everything here is comparable to your real self. Just imagine that you're also trying out fancy new technology that lets you dress, stock stuff and simplify a lot of everyday tasks. 

I knew that during this speech, my hand would've been shaking hard if it was not gripped to the woman's arm. She also was an anchor that helped me not fall into despair. Who am I kidding. I'm mortified too. I don't even know who I'm trying to convince, her or me? I finally let her loose, sliding on the bench.

— Right, I'm going to get us a drink, I'll be right back... And I'll take care of you. As I was entering the shop, I flipped around, checking her reaction. If you want to, of course. Don't want to impose myself at all.

 

 

As I was searching for more materials in the plains, I kept a tight eye on my allies' health bar, especially Fae's.

I was worried, but expected her to handle a few boars on her own, and that's why I stuck to foraging. Rounding around bushes, I spotted a few tufts of grass that looked particularly, let's say, "alchemistic". I bent over and fell face-first into the bushes, prickling my skin on multiple occasions while waddling my way towards my prize.
And for once, my eyes didn't deceive me.

Gather materials for Zackeriah the Alchemist: 1/5

Stocking the material in my inventory, a bit of pride in me, I took a look at my companions' status. And then, dread overcame my body.
I saw Fae's bar changing colour, turning yellow. I could not really hear what was being said, but as I popped my head back out of the bush, I saw that she was clutching her side, her gaze focused on the opponents.

A multitude of thoughts happened all at once. Ranging from she'll be fine to several deaths, right before my eyes. The more I lingered on the thought, the more terrified I became. Up until my knees gave up underneath me. I landed softly on the grass, backpedalling lightly as fear built inside me, my hands slipping on the grass.

I had to make a choice, here and there. Risk my life and try to prevent the loss of others, or run away and abandon, yet again, people to their fate. I was not built to endure, I had no equipment, and I knew I had no way of really defending myself.

As I turned around, making ready to bolt away, a crystalline sound echoed from below me. I stopped my motion and lowered my gaze. At my belt were the three potions I had started with and readied just in case. The flasks had just rung when colliding against each others. 
It was true that I had no weapon, no armour. But I still had consumables at hand. And fucking guts. I muttered to myself. I spun around, towards the ongoing fight. There was this sinking feeling overwhelming me, one that I had felt many times before back in my fencing days. The kind of stress that helps you sharpen your senses just before a skirmish.
The time was ripe to show what I had learnt all these years. Not my skills, but what I was made of. Fuck the masks, fuck my pride, I'm not about to let people die before my eyes, just because I'm afraid that they'll think of me as a monster.

I narrowed my eyes, breathed in one big gulp of air, clutched one of my potions in my hand and started sprinting towards the animals, past Nari and slid into the field, resolved to see the end of this battle.

— Hey! You four-legged bacon! Come get a piece of me!

 

 

I was sat at a table, my head resting on my knees as I was watching passerby go to and fro, a half-eaten pastry was laid on the bench at my feet and my hand clutching my pendant. Players, NPCs, everybody. Anybody, with or without purpose. Well, watching was not the right word. I was lethargically letting my emerald eyes wander from anything that caught their interests to the next stop, while my mind was reliving unpleasantries.
I was not in the mood to eat, really.

At some point, a young woman approached me, a full pie in her hands. I took a look at her, from her deep blue eyes and long hair to her equipment. That taught me how little she had partaken in the game as of now. Although she was adorning armour, it was pristine, no hint of any weaponry and her stance was shallow, not one that a conqueror nor a fighter would sport. 
She joined without a word, sat there and reached for a slice, stuffing herself full.

I shifted my head, so that my cheek was resting on my knee, and faced her. At least someone is hungry. I couldn't help but smile a little, seeing that someone was eager to have something.

It was also at this moment that I took notice that she had also offered me to join in her eating.

— Thanks, but... I took a moment to lift my head, as to look and sound a bit more sociable, showing what I had left from my own pastries. I've got my own already, plus... I sighed, shifting my stance to sit properly. I'm not that hungry anyway. If we were in a bad film, it would be the moment rain would start pouring and violins would play. I moved once again, leaning on the table, planting my elbow into it and landing my face on my hand. I'm Avoryn, by the way. Sorry, I'm not in the brightest mood right now, tough times, see?

I finally took the time to look at her and study her features, emotions a bit more carefully, trying to read her mood. It was then that I finally noticed that she was down in her boots, holding up tears that wouldn't run and basically eating her worries away. I stood up and walked around the table before sitting on her end, an arm reaching for her shoulder and rubbing it if as to try and reassure her.

— You don't look so good either, want to talk about it?

 

As I adjusted the cape on my shoulders, I smiled at my companions' answer.
I was about to go back to my searching when an approaching rumbling made me perk up my ears. 

— Hey, guys? Do you hear th- 

A stampeding boar rushed towards Fae, piercing her abdomen with its tusks and sent her tumbling down a few meters behind, around Nari's feet, rendering me speechless.
Faerie got up, clutching her sword in her hand, and prepared herself to give back what damage she took. A whole horde of boars arrived, totalling 4 opponents against 2 and one tenth.

I looked at Nari, a bit of fear in my eyes as our warring companion missed every single hit.

— You can do it, Fae! Nari's coming to help you. I mumbled to myself, disputing whether I should hop in despite my lack of armour. I mean, even if I can't fight properly, I can still soak up some damages. I have those starter potions hanging at my belt and I could split up aggro to help them? I watched as the boars ganged up on my quest mate, my legs feeling heavier to the thought of taking damage and possibly meeting a dire fate. I shook my head, backing away from the fight, my voice wavering a bit. N-Nari, you should help. Fae. You should help Fae. I'll be over there, somewhere safer. If you need help, shout, I'll come and... My throat tightened, making it harder to speak. I'll try to soak up damage while you finish them off.

On that, I left the two to their fighting task while I got back to scavenging a bit further, alas to no avail. I couldn't find any materials and could only hear the battle raging on, which made me peek way too often to make sure my friends-to-be were still kicking and alive.

 

It didn't take too long for Vigilon to craft my items, a few knocks on the materials and the job was done, as pristine as I had wished them to be.
I was impressed by the speed and quality of the work done and at how polished the final products were.

I instantly equipped my new items, marvelling at the perfect fit.

— Snug as a glove! Thanks for your work! And for the note for your friend. I'll make sure to visit your friend as soon as possible.

— I'll make sure to speak highly of your work and to come back to your workshop whenever I need upgrading or repairs! Thanks again for your work.

 

Disappointed at the withering of the first drop I managed to spot, I crawled myself back out the thicket, seeing Nari's amused face that disappeared quickly.

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— It, uh...can take some time...gathering stuff at first can be a bit of a hassle - but it'll come. Just have to keep going, and keep up the tempo! I mean, it took me some time, but I managed it! Helped that I had good company, too... I mean that always helps, right

I stood up, brushing the dirt away from my pants before stretching my back.

— I mean, I kind of expected the quest to just hand the mats instantly, 100% of drop rate. It's supposed to be a beginner's quest after all, right? I sighed, shaking my head in disapproval. Obviously, the game master doesn't want us to clear things too easily. By the way, what do you think is he doing? Monitoring us? Netflix and chill?

A shadow passed behind me swiftly and in one smooth movement had deposited something on my shoulders. Some sort of wispy cloak, reminiscent of fairy wings, was adorning my back, courtesy of a winking Faerie that had just deposited the item for me to use.

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— This cloaks helps a bit with that. Keep that safe, I don't want to tear it.

As the cloak had specially been crafted to be a loot goblin's best friend, I had absolutely no reasons not to equip it.

— I'll treasure it as my own, have no fear. And I'll give it back as soon as this gathering stuff is over, I'm not taking it with me, there's no way I do! My face blushing hard as I cross my arms in a cross shape.

Equipping Fairy's Dance: Enhancement: Loot Die [3 Slots] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the LD

— Thank you so much, both of you, for the all the help you're giving me. How does it look?

I twirled, giving the both of them a good 360° view of me with the cloak equipped.

 

Following our discussions, we finally arrived into the small township of Tolbana. It was a tiny settlement with a few erring NPC here and there, some players had already invested the city, going in and out of some shops or just relaxing by the shadow of a tree. We followed Nari up to a small abode and entered it.

The shop was dimly lit, the few sunshine rays shining through various vials stocked on several shelves and counters, casting coloured dancing shadows on the walls of the apothecary.
It smelled of weird concoction and old medicine with a hint of je ne sais quoi that was mostly pleasant. An old man was sat at a desk, Zackariah the alchemist was hard at work with his craft.

As I was examining some of the potions laid out for the world to see and buy, Faerie went ahead and activated the next steps of the quest, a warning pop-up appearing before my face.

The quest ||The First Few Lessons|| has been updated.
Get to Zackariah in the Town of Tolbana.
⇩
Fetch materials for Zackariah in order to gain information on the loan. (0/10)

I dismissed the box and straightened myself, stretching my shoulders and neck. I don't think there's any use to stretch or to warm up... But old habits die hard, heh? I turned to the ladies, gesturing at the door.

— Well, it appears that we must get to the wilderness and gather a few things.  I suppose it's as Nari described earlier? Explore until you see shinies and then pluck them? Shall we?

I flashed my sweetest smile while advancing towards the exit, making sure I was followed.
As the town was small, it was not hard at all to find the exit gates and make for the fields. No mob spawn was visible, but I kept my guard up and was on the edge. Ready to sprint away at the tiniest hint of aggression. 

We split to forage a slightly bigger area, all the while keeping in hearing distance, and I started scanning for materials. As I was circling around a thicket, a simple flash of light coming from inside some bushes caught my eyes and I approached my hand to pick it up.

The material you tried to gather withered in your hands. 0/10

— Fuck... Do I really have to have a green thumb in the game as well? Argh... I'm no good with plants... 

Down, but not felled, I kept on searching for the next shiny I could find.

 

As time went on, I slowly paced myself down as to let Nari take the lead of the group, hoping that my comrades would not notice it.

I diligently listened to my companions' answers to my questions, quietly snorting to repress my laugh when I heard our leader's jokes, cracking a feint smile. Truth be told, it felt good to be in such good company, reassuring even, even if I didn't know these persons an hour before.
I was scared of course, the promise of death if our HP reached 0 was terrifying, but I was sure that staying in good terms with other players could only be beneficial. I had to do my best to keep people by my side, I wouldn't know what to do if I ever were to be left alone.

Shaking the thoughts away, I raised my chin and looked ahead, noticing that we had reached the town's gates. Crossing beneath its tall arches, we ventured forth into the wilderness, forcing myself to keep a keen and discerning eye to avoid any unfortunate encounters.

While we were walking towards our destination, Nari spoke up once more.

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—Have either of you done any time outside the walls of the Town before? Or is this your first excursion? I know a lot of people got left behind in the initial rush...

I pondered for a moment. I had gone outside the walls, it was true. But the mere thought of why, made me stop, my hand visibly shaking and my eyes watering. Reliving once more the last vision I had of my beloved falling to his death. I clutched my hand, trying to hide my distress and nervousness while wiping away the forming tears, and tried to regain a straight face with a reassuring smile, a slight pinch in my throat preventing me to sound as clear as I would like to.

— N- No, I have not yet. I spent the past few days in town. Not much has happened... I took a deep breath to calm myself down, trying to lighten up my speech. But I'm glad you know your way around those parts, and especially around your weapon. We shouldn't have any trouble getting where we're supposed to go, then!

After regaining my composure, I followed suit, catching up to speed with the ladies.

— It sure is good-looking out there. I really can't believe we're in a video game right now. Everything feels so... I don't know how to put it... Right? Alive? I inhaled deeply, letting my gaze meet the blue sky of the first floor. If there was not this HUD, I wouldn't be able to make a difference between reality and this. Well... I suppose this is our new reality for now... Stop being gloomy, you nounce. I slapped myself lightly as to shake me awake, a silly smile creeping in. We'll make it through and come back home sooner than we think! I approached the girl, reaching for their shoulder before stopping midway, feeling as it might come as too familiar and forceful. Say! How long do you think it'll take us to complete the game?

 

As we were walking through the town, directed towards the exit gates, I couldn't help but marvel at the city we were travelling through. Sure, it was a video game and the starting settlement, but everything felt so real it was uncanny. 
As we passed before several shops and POIs, I logged them into my travelling journal as to remember when to go whenever I would be looking for them.
At one point, I noticed a blacksmith's shop and halted the group, pointing towards the forge.

— Hum, could you wait for me for a moment, please? I- I'm going to look in there if I can get something to... Well, be on par with both of you? I won't be long, I promise.

I practically ran inside, letting the two girls to each other.

After a few minutes, I came back outside, still empty-handed, but a happy expression on my face, before joining with my travelling companions.

— So, hum... They didn't have anything I wanted, so I placed a custom order. It should be available soon-ish, and I'll come back later to pick it up. I'm sure the both of you will be more than enough to take care of any danger we might encounter, you both look strong and reliable. I stretched my neck before twirling towards our destination, putting as much confidence I had into my voice. Well then, shall we continue? Onwards!

I took a few steps ahead before coming to a full-stop, knowing very well that I had no clue what to do and that my guides and bodyguards were right behind me, probably confused from my actions.

Great, once again, I show the world that I'm not the smartest tool in the shed. Let's just roll with it for now, I hope they won't notice that I'm lost.

Full of fake confidence, I puffed my chest and spun around. Inviting my teammates to follow me, I took a random direction, facing them while walking backwards, a stupid and innocent smile adorning my lips.

— Say, what are your objectives within the game? Do you intend to casually stroll through the floors, or are you running for the frontlines? What are your preferences? Tanking? DPS? Support maybe? Oh! And what about jobs? Do you intend to pick up one of them? Without taking the time to catch my breath, I continued, realising that I should start with me if I were to ask such questions. I'm still debating whether I would run for a Tank position or simply bruiser. I lean towards tanking. I also would love to join the frontlines, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't cut it. Battleaxes are my preferred weapon here. Taking a deep breath, I let my companions take in the amount of information I had thrust their way.

Shoot, I hope I'm not talking too much. They'll think I'm being weird and ditch me. I don't talk too much, do I? Oh, no...

 

 

I press my hand against the doors and push them open, exhaling a deep, cold breath as I enter the premises.
Entering inside the building, my face is instantly hit by the ambient warmth of the forge, heating my body as I press forward, closing the door behind me.

I step inside the workshop, rubbing my hands against each other to warm them up as I look all around me, spinning around to take in the scenery.
It was a smithing shop, alright. Weapons and pieces of armour were hanging all around me, my eyes wondering what my next acquisition would look like.

The room was separated in two by a big counter, the forge radiating its heat from the other side. I kind of wanted to vault over and sit by the fire for a second, but I refrained myself from doing so.

As I stepped towards the counter, the shop owner stepped in, leaning in to greet me. 

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— Welcome to The Dragon's Flame! You looking to protect yourself, or deal some damage?

I looked at him, greeting him in return with a smile, not without shivering.

— H-Hi. I'm glad your shop is heated. I'm definitely not built for cold weather. I take another quick spin and let my eyes wander about the man's work, reminding myself of why I was here, stopping midway when my gaze met a beautiful axe hanged on a weapon rack. I, hum... This! This is the reason why I came here. For a weapon like this! Wow, what a work of beauty! How much would you charge for a piece like this? I noticed that the price tag was stamped right next to the item and felt my face heating up quickly, not because of the actual heat from the forge, but by shame of being so blind. I let an awkward laugh escape my lips as I went back to face the blacksmith. Well, I- I have the materials necessary, could you craft me an axe like this one? But, a bit more specific. Here are the details.

— Also, I've noticed that you could craft some form of light armour, if I'm not mistaken? I'd love to if you could craft me a set of those as well. Of course, I have the coin too! But if light armour isn't in your line of work, I'd settle on heavy. I want to be protected, I just have my preferences for light armour for now, as I don't want to be a frontliner tank.

— If my maths correct, it should amount to 7 materials for the weapon and 700 cols for the armour, right? I already went ahead and sent you the payment. After all, your reputation precedes you, and I have no doubt you'll be able to work this out in no time.

Seemingly scouring my brain to remember something, I lift one finger before turning once more towards the blacksmith.

— I'm sorry if this is too much to ask, and I truly am afraid to test your patience... But I might have one last task for you, that is, if you're up to it. I would love if you could craft just a pendant, without any properties. It would be nothing but a trinket, a souvenir, if you will, for someone I dearly miss. Nothing but a coin of metal with the name Leo engraved on it, if it's not too much to ask for. I can spare the coin, just tell me how much.

 

As I kept shifting awkwardly from one foot to another and twirling my hair, I sighed. Half from the relief that I hadn't had to speak to anyone, half from the fact that I had to if I ever wanted to get some place in this world.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't muster the courage to take the few steps separating me from another group and asked them for help. I had almost given up hope that I could find someone to help me when a voice right besides me made me jump a bit.

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— Hey! It sounds like...you just...uhm...finished doing the mayor. I mean! Talking to the mayor! For the...quest...

I spun around, my eyes meeting a green cursor hovering over a purple-haired woman, seemingly as uncomfortable as I was. Her eyes avoided mine, looking right besides me. I thought that because of my constant shifting, I had stumbled in-between her and someone else's conversation by inadvertence. I slid a bit on the side, taking a look behind me, and flashed an apologetic smile to whomever I had stepped in front of. But nobody was to be found.
A bit taken aback, I focused back my attention to the girl in front of me while she shook her head, collecting herself, before continuing her introduction.

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— I've done the quest before, if you want some help and...err...guidance? I mean I can't really help too much, cause like the system won't let me gather the materials and stuff for you, but I can come along and like...keep you company. And watch over you. In a non-creepy way!

My throat was dry from the anxiety, and I'm pretty sure I was visibly drowning in stress, but I welcomed her with a slight wave of my hand and the warmest smile I could. She had gone out of her way to come and talk to me. Offering her help, even! I knew how words could mix and your tongue fumbling whenever in a tense situation, and looking at her body language, I knew she wasn't in her comfort zone at all.
 

— Hi! Hum, thank you for offering your help. I'm Avoryn and decided just now to start... well... playing the game. I'm all newb'd up and yeah... I took a deep breath and practically belched the last words of my sentence. I could use any help I can get, thankyouverymuch!

As if fates were meant to intertwine, a new figure approached with decided steps, almost running towards us.
Another purple-haired woman stood next to the first one, her voice unwavering, contrary to ours.

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— I am sorry, I couldn't help but overhear that you just spoke with Dorian.

She smiled at us while probing the pommel of her sword.

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— I just got his quest too, I may not be of much help, but I know how to use this sword.

Probably because she noticed how awkward the both of us were before she joined, she rubbed her neck and sped up her speech.

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— If you wouldn't mind my joining. Of course, I mean, I wouldn't want to impose, I mean you don't have to.

I looked at the first woman, seizing her expression, before going back to the newly arrived lady.

— No, of course! I don't mind at all, on the contrary. I'd love to have any form of help, as I don't even know how to get to the quest objective all alone. I don't even have a starting weapon... That's how fresh of a meat I am.

An awkward laugh escaped my throat, before my eyes drifted towards the ground, a bit of shame taking over me.

 

The sun shines through a window of the room I was sat in, landing on my face and stirring me awake. Mumbling to myself, I come to my senses. A few voices can be heard around me as I straighten up, my back hurting a bit from my restless night against the hard surface of the wall. 
I had fallen asleep inside the Monument of Life, mourning the loss of numerous lives.
I cast one quick glance to the list of names, wiping my teary eyes before anything slid down my cheeks, realising that it was not a nightmare and what had happened a few days ago, had really happened. We were a bit under 10,000 people from all-around the world, trapped inside a deadly game until one of us destroys the final boss at the top of Aincrad's 100th floor. 
A daunting task for sure. But one that many of us were determined to achieve. I am one of those, not wanting to let any sacrifices go to waste. I knew I wouldn't be one of the top players, but I still wanted to thread among those that were destined to achieve greatness. It was for this purpose that we had joined this game with Leo, to try to complete the game.

I knew that some of us would be too terrified to go outside the first zone, but I am not one of them. I am terrified, of course, death is scary. But if I'd rather live on the edge doing something that moves me and makes me feel alive than sit on my butt wondering when will be the next time I could do anything at all without being scared shitless.

I stand up, dusting my pants and ruffling through my hair before walking over to the huge slab of cold stone. I let my eyes drift across the numerous names and let my hand glide over some that were barred, stopping on Olesa's and whispering a quick message to whomever might hear me from the other side.

— I promise that I won't let your death be in vain, love. I will free you from this world, and know that I will always keep on going forward. For you… For us. I'll come visit from time to time, I suppose. See you soon.

I let my hand fall down to my side, summoning the system and examining my starting inventory and stats.

Hmm, I don't even have any way or form of fighting. As is, there is no way I survive my first encounter. I need some equipment first. Maybe a merchant could fix me something? I have a few mats and a bit of money on hand. Alright, first stop is a smithy!

I walk outside, shielding my eyes from the sun already beaming, and scan the paved ways of the Town of Beginnings. Truth be told, I had no idea where any good shop were, since I had spent my last days weeping at the monument of Life without exploring much of this bustling city.

Letting chance decide my course of action, I engage myself in one of the main roads, walking towards the other end and watching with an awe-struck eye every titbit of merchandise that could be bought.
A few players were gathered here and there around one stall, bartering for a few consumables or some pieces of gear. 

While I was strolling down the road, a voice boomed somewhere behind me.

— You there! Stop, please!

A man approaches me with long, purposeful strides. I point at myself, unsure if this was meant for me.

— Pardon me, but I am in need of some assistance, and you appear quite capable.

Taken by surprise, I look one last time around me to make sure I was the one being looked at, but his eyes interlocked with mine were not lying. He was flagged as an NPC, so I cleared my throat before answering, a bit of uncertainty in my wavering voice.

— Do… Do I now? I don't even have any equipments. I'm not sure if I'd be the best-

The man heaves a sigh, waving his hand as to dismiss my uncertainties.

— No matter, I'm sure you'll do splendidly. My name is Dorian, and I am the mayor of Tolbana. As part of those mayoral duties, I issued a small loan to a member of the community a few months ago. Well, the time to collect had come around and I-

Flustered, Dorian systematically runs his fingers over his perfect moustache.

— Yes? What is it? How can I help you, sir Dorian? And how come you're this far from your hometown?

— You see, I've forgotten who it was I loaned the money to. Terribly embarrassing, I know, but I am a very busy man, and I cannot keep track of everything that happens. I'm sure you understand.

With a wave of his hand, Dorian continues.

— Should you be willing to track down the loan recipient for me, and collect the col, I would be eternally grateful. Just, maybe don't let anyone else know I forgot who the loan went to?

Pondering for a moment, I rest my head over my wrist while considering his offer.

I suppose I could take this quest. After all, it should be a beginners quest and reward me with plenty of money or materials to get some better gear. There's no need to turn that down for now. And maybe that will teach me the lay of this land on top of that. All in all, that's a good idea.

I nod my head in agreement, taking him up on his offer.

— Alright, I'll find whoever owes you money. Would you have any idea of where to start, per chance?

The quest ||The First Few Lessons|| has been accepted.

— Excellent, I knew I could count on you! You might start with Zackariah, the alchemist of Tolbana. He's often doing projects for the town, so it may have been him that borrowed the money.

With that said, I wave him goodbye and go on the quest to find Zackariah. I have a map of the city but without any Points Of Interest marked except those that I had encountered, being the Teleport Plaza, one tavern where I had a drink with my late boyfriend and the Monument of Life. 
After a quick look-over at the rudimentary digital map I have, I sigh and start to jog, following the quest's indications that appeared on my HUD when I accepted it.

Unfortunately, Tolbana was beyond the safe borders of the Town, and that meant that I had to go there to start looking for the alchemist.
That also meant that to get there, I could need some help in case things went south.

Back-tracking towards the teleport plaza, where I thought most of the players would gather before going hunting or questing, I sat there, anxiety building up.
I was prepared to face monsters, but other players, not so much. And so, I keep twirling my hair around my fingers, a helpless expression on my face while I am scanning the crowd, searching for one or several adventurers that could help me on my journey.
I also knew that from an outside glance, I could be intimidating because of my stronger build. But I am also secretly hoping that some kind-hearted individual will jump towards me and offer their help, seeing a poor gal without any equipment to her name.

 

FC artist

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Profile
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Username: Avoryn
Real Name: Charlotte Loumier
Age: 24 ⇒ 26 (21st of November)
Place of birth: France
Gender: Female
Height: 1.79 m (5'10” something according to google)
Hair Color: Green (dyed) – Auburn natural
Eye color: Green (natural)
Vanity accessories: A black ribbon on her head and a dog tag engraved with a singular name.

Stats block and ready to use equipment

 

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Background

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Virtues

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Flaws

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Skills

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Active skills and mods

Weapon Arts

Weapon skills

Utility skills

Combat skills

Armor skills

Combat masteries

Familiar skills

Extra skills

Tailor

Fishing

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Inventory

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Equipment

Storage

New character bundle of choice: Set D | Support Package

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Role-Play log

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Questing

Threads

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Connections

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Relationships

Tales of Avoryn