[SP-F1] The Quest to find More Cigarettes! Pt. 2

[Ronin 0]

Lyftal, that was the area that Ronin needed to travel to in order to find his precious smokes.  It was a damn shame that the little bodega here in town hadn't carried his brand, otherwise he would've been done with this nonsense already and been happily smoking at his cancer stick, sitting out fronta' his little shanty of a shop in his little weathered wooden chair, without a care in the world and nothing but his nicotine and his fluttering eyelids.  He sighed, knowing he had a long way to go before he could achieve that fantasy in his brain.  "Welp... guess I had better start packin..."

[Ronin 0]

As he started throwin' [censored] together for the trip, he realized he didn't really need to bring his little shank anymore.  He added it to his inventory just in case.  There was one perk to playing in a virtual world like this; traveling could ALWAYS be light.  All you had to do was unequip anything you weren't going to be immediately using and it would then just be a couple hand swipes and some finger wiggles away.  He smirked as he sorted everything out, deciding to rock just his clothing today, without his shield or armor on his person.

[Ronin 0]

Once he was sure everything was in order, Ronin took a quick lil trip to the can, unloading any extra weight he might have stored in his bladder.  He didn't want to go adventuring hours away with a full one, that was for sure.  He might decide to stop off on the side of the path and relief himself and that little lapse in focus, could very well be the thing that got him killed.  As unfortunate as it was, there were players in this death game who wanted nothing more than to kill other players.  Even though they would die in real life...

[Ronin 0]

This sad reality was something that weighed heavily, not only on Ronin but on his comrade Caspar as well.  They had both played enough video games back in the real world to know how fun it was to slaughter other players in game.  However, this was different.  Everyone knew they were trapped inside this virtual world and everyone knew that when a player was killed in here, there was no coming back.  There was no waking up from your coma, or pulling off your nerve gear or carrying on with your life.   When you were killed, you were really and truly done for.

[Ronin 0]

Still, these assholes didn't care.  They came into this game and got trapped here just like all the others and though they might've started out alone and afraid like everyone else, they had quickly turned to their own dark, twisted demented paths.  Now, all they lived for in game, was to kill other players.  It was disgusting and they would even work for money.  Show up with the right amount of Col and they'd take out anyone for you... just give 'em the name.  Ronin sighed, knowing he hadn't made any enemies, but knowing that player killers light that, didn't usually care.

[Ronin 0]

Knowing it was dangerous to go traveling out of the safe zone, to a far off place you'd never before been to, and just for cigarettes; Ronin knew he was being quite stupid.  Still, he couldn't fight the powerful urges and cravings for nicotine in his brain and his body ached every second that he went without his precious smokes.  No, he couldn't allow fear to rule him, not even in this game where there were player killers on the prowl.  He had to go and find his smokes, despite their wild intentions and if he did run into some, so be it.  He would give them a run for their money.. hopefully.

[Ronin 0]

With all his stuff together, Ronin nodded and stepped across the weathered wooden floorboards of his little shop.  They creaked under the weight of his steps and he found himself at the threshold, peering outside.  "Alright, here goes nothin..." he said, before stepping into the outside world and looking off in the direction he was supposed to travel.  His route, or at least the one which he decided he would take, would carry him up and over the mountain in the distance, and down into a valley before he finally ended up in Lyftal.  Hopefully this little adventure of his wouldn't take too long...

[Ronin 0]

Leaving the Town of Beginnings on the little cobble stone like pathways that stretched the entirety of the little zone, Ronin felt the pressure of his quest building.  He knew this wasn't the smartest thing to do and he wondered if he ought to call upon Jambi or at least Caspar to help him out.  It would be nice, in the event he was attacked, to at least havea  little back up to help him out.  If he were doing it all alone however, it would only be his ass on the line and he wouldn't be risking the lives of his friends in this stupid little journey.  After all, it was just cigarettes.

[Ronin 0]

Licking his chapped lips, the swordsman tried to make good time as he started out of town and headed along the path leading toward the mountain.  He was still very unfamiliar with the world outside of town and he hadn't done much at all in the way of exploring, aside from the little trips he had taken into the forest and the one to the lake with Jambi and Caspar.  Other than that, he was completely greene and novice in the ways of this unexplored land.  This mountain was going to be something new and he hoped from the top, he'd gain a better vantage point and be able to learn a bit about the lay of the land.

[Ronin 0]

The path leading up to the mountain was long, rocky and winding.  He sighed, wondering if he ought to simply cut across the fields and get there in a more direct route.  He decided against it, knowing there might be some strong creatures lurking in the bushes and he didn't want to engage them, at least not now, not while all his gear was unequipped and he was simply trying to make good time.  There would be a time for looting and fighting mobs later, but this wasn't it.  His thirst for nicotine was much too strong right now, to stop and mess around.

[Ronin 0]

Continuing to wander along, the swordsman felt like he was making pretty good time and he decided to take a break.  He found a little shady spot on the side of the path and took a seat in the grass.  He looked around, keeping an eye out for creatures that might attack him and more importantly, player killers that might be lurking in the area.  He sighed, feeling sort of on edge.  What was he going to do if he did encounter a gang of PKers?  He wouldn't be able to hold them all off and he wouldn't be able to get back to the safe zone before he was slain.  This was definitely the open world and the point of no return...

[Ronin 0]

Popping a squat and pulling some bread and water outta' his inventory, Ronin took in a deep breath and kicked back.  He munched on his bread and swigged at his bottle of water, feeling pretty damn good thus far.  He was going to try and make it all the way to this Lyftal town before it got dark, that way he could get his smokes and maybe find a little Inn to sleep in for the night.  If there weren't any cheap Inns, he was going to camp out on the ground, under the stars, like usual.  Hopefully the rain wouldn't mess him up too much, but it was either that or breaking the bank on a bed at the Inn.  Ronin would always opt for the former.

[Ronin 0]

Once he had finished his little bread and water break, the swordsman fired up another of the disgusting black and milds.  It wasn't the most ideal fix for an after meal smoke, but it was better than nothing.  Knowing he was on his way to get his own ciggies, he decided he could at least endure for now and settle for the fact that this was less than perfect.  Puffing at the black and mild, he almost wanted to puke.  The taste, the tobacco, all of it; it just didn't add up to the delicious cancer sticks that he was used to.  "Oh well... beggars can't be choosers..." he said, before setting his sights on the mountain and starting off down the trail again.

[Ronin 0]

The trail became more rocky and more uneven the farther he went.  As he began to climb in altitude up the side of the mountain, the smoker had to take more frequent breaks.  He did so in true chain smoking fashion, lighting up several times as he stepped off to the side and tried to catch his breath.  He sighed and looked back the way he had come from, wondering how long he had been gone now?  Had it been thirty minutes, an hour, several hours?  He couldn't be sure, but if he had to guess he'd imagine it hadn't been all that long... had it?

[Ronin 0]

Popping a squat on the side of the hill, the swordsman took a long drag at his smoke and thought about Jambi.  Where was the girl at this moment?  What was she up to?  Was she thinking about him too?  He didn't know, but he hoped whatever she was up to, she was happy.  He thought of her often, even before he had run into her inside this game world.  Part of the reason that he wanted to clear this game so badly and set everyone free, was so he could get back to her and back to his life in the real world.  He sighed, feeling like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

[Ronin 0]

One way or another, he was going to find a way to clear this game and get back to the real world.  He knew that Jambi was inside the game with him now and that only made him want to try even harder than ever.  He was going to do everything, anything he could, to make his way onto the front lines and help everyone there clear each and every floor until this game was beaten.  He wasn't going to stand back and grow accustomed to this virtual world, like so many others had already.  No, he was going to keep on pushing, until everyone was set free.

[Ronin 0]

Caspar was in here too and even though he was concerned that Jambi and his friend with the scarred face might be killed at any moment in this chaotic and violent world, Ronin knew they gave him an even better chance to actually beat this game.  With their help, the trio could grow stronger together and work harder than ever before to clear the floors and eventually join the front lines.  They could use each other as inspiration and motivation, to keep on moving, keep on growing stronger and keep on pushing until they were free.  There was no other choice for them.  It was either fight, or die.

[Ronin 0]

With these thoughts in mind, the swordsman suddenly wondered what the hell he was even doing out here.  Sitting up here on this hillside, leading up to the top of the mountain?  Out here all alone, exposed, vulnerable, outmatched and outnumbered?  He was too weak to take on most players as it was, let alone a gang of them.  If a small group of PKers were to come after him now, he would be a goner, no question about it.  If he were dead, how the hell was he going to do any good to Caspar and Jambi?  The answer; he wasn't.  "Damnit..."

[Ronin 0]

Despite this realization that he was being a total idiot by coming out here alone, especially since it was just to find some damn cigarettes; Ronin knew he had to keep on going.  He had already made it to the base of the mountain and begun his climb up toward the peak, so he knew it made more sense to keep going than to turn back.  Once he reached the top, he'd have a better look at the surrounding area as well and that would help him to learn more about his environment.   This was essential to survival.  If he wanted to make it through this game with Jambi and Caspar, he would need to be as well informed as possible.

[Ronin 0]

Getting back on his feet and feeling more determined now that he was thinking about Caspar and Jambi, the swordsman hiked his way up the rest of the mountainside, finally making it to the summit.  Once he arrived at the peak, he paused and took a long deep breath in through his nostrils, filling his lungs with the fresh air.  It was incredible that this game seemed to think of everything.  Anything that existed in the real world, be it mountains or the fresh air that you might find at the top of them, it existed here in this virtual world as well.