(PP-F2) Something sweet

[Guest]

(Two Months Later)

Urbus.

A city about three hundred meters in diameter. It's appearance seemed to be created from a crater right in the mountainous region of the area. Similar to a kingdom in medieval Europe, Urbus was the biggest settlement in floor two. The capital of the floor, Urbus was her current residence and Freya hope to make good memories of it.

Starting her cooking quest upon that day. The silver hair woman left the inn upon she was staying and looked up at the sky. The weather was cleared; no stormy clouds upon that day meant a bigger chance of getting more materials. That was supposedly the rumors that hound the players in each floor. A rare profession like the one she was aspiring to do, meant an even more difficult quest. Items. Materials. They were all sought out for and as the players advance, they became even rarer.

Moving thought the town with a basket she had bought not so long ago. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, while her long silver hair seemed to moved with the calm breeze. The thought of cutting it had always hounded her and she would have, had she not been stuck in this game. Damn blades did nothing for her hair aside to do a bit of damage to her HP.

[Shard 0]

*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*

A hammer held high once more makes contact with flaming orange metal, sending sparks flying. Flames bleach out of the furnace, heating the room it near unbearable levels, giving the small room an almost hellish orange hue. Each time the hammer falls, the metal seems to cool, slowly taking the shape of a sword, until finally, in the midst of the super-heated shack, the blade begins to glow brightly as it's true form is birthed into the world.

"Come on. Come on." Shard chants to no one in a low tone. Lowering his hammer, the soot covered man removed his goggles, his dark eyes now something of a reverse raccoon, the majority of his face being black as night. His sinewy body was soaked with perspiration and somewhat bent over as he waited with narrowed eyes for the blade to finish it's incubation.

Finally, in an act of divine retribution for some sort of sin Shard couldn't seem to recall, the glowing blade shatters into a million particles.

For a moment, Shard continued to stare at the now empty anvil before him. On his HUD the message <> continued to flash for minute, before pulsing out of existence and appearing as another message in his inbox.

An explosive sigh shoots through Shard, as the man lethargically drops his hammer onto a counter, turning to head out the door of his shack. Turning the handle of the door, Shard is assaulted by the mid-morning light. He covers his blackened face with a similarly soot covered arm, but as he steps through the doorway, all traces of forge ripple away, leaving just a man, soaked in sweat, clothed in light smiting gear.

This had been the fifth failed attempt this week. At first Shard had just attributed it to the cardinal systems randomization system, but by the fourth failure Shard stared to have doubts. He was supposed to be one of the better smiths on the floor, yet here he was, wasting valuable mats on pixie dust. At this rate he would need to head up to the higher floors again, probably gone grinding and leveling for another week. Another week of not smithing, something he didn't enjoy the thought of.

Giving his head a good shake, sending sweat flying out in all directions, Shard grabs the towel hung on his stall, long unattended. Looking up and down the busy morning streets of Urbus, Shard quirks his mouth in thought. It had been over 12 hours since he last ate, and it seems a shame to stay inside on such a nice day. Deciding his path of action, Shard turns on his heel, moving in the direction of one of more frequented food dispensaries.

Wiping some sweat off his head, Shard puts his hands in his dark smiting pants, making his way down the street silently, ignoring the general noise and ruckus around himself- Wait, why is there a ruckus?

Stopping in place, Shard turns his head to look over his shoulder giving the group of male players a weary look. They seemed to be quite taken with... something. Turning his body to face them, Shard ran a calloused hand through his thick black hair, noticing there were actually quite a few people talking and pointing something or someone out out.

Stepping forward, out of the shadows- actually more pushing his way through the small crowd of young men, ignoring their cries of protest and annoyance, Shard looks up and around, then, a beat passes.

Silver hair. Silver hair shimmering in the light wind.

Time seemed to slow as the woman continued to walk down the street, seemingly totally unaware of all the attention her stunning looks drew. Shard's face was pale, mouth dry as she continued to move down the street just ahead of him. Her head turns, and he see's the same otherworldly violet eyes he saw- back then.

As Freya continues to walk down the street, basket in hand, Shard's mind goes blank. She he go to her? Call out to her? Should he just leave her be? A lot has happened since they last saw each other. Maybe too much?

"Freya."

Without realizing, Shard had already stepped forward out onto the street, his voice and body having minds of there own. As usual his voice was low, but still carried through the wind. His breathing was hitched. His mind was blank, but he was- happy to see her, even if she had forgotten all about him, and the short night they spent together back in that little inn on the first floor...

[Guest]

Pale violet eyes travelled through the crowds. Everything seemed to get their attention, minus of course the sudden commotion that seemed to follow her to each settlement she travelled through. Even if she tried to fit in with the crowds of players that lived within the settlements. The silver hair woman knew she stood out and didn't like it one bit.

She believed herself to be modest. Inside the game there were even more prettier girls than herself, but somehow that didn't matter whenever she left or enter a building. The behavior that followed after her had become so normal to her that she had come to ignore it.

Letting out a sigh as she continued her path, she wondered how the young man she had met not so long ago was doing. Her heart seemed to skip at the thought of him losing his life to the game. He was so much like Daeron and yet, different. That night she had wanted to stay. To bask more in his company. To learn more of him, but her need to continue had pushed her to leave him.

A light, cool breeze kept making her long hair moved and with it- she thought she had heard her name called out. Debating whether to turn or not as she didn't want to see if she was going crazy. The voice that had uttered her name seemed so familiar that a warm shivering sensation went down her spine.

Stopping she turned her head and body a bit to look back and her eyes widened. As if she had summoned him, somehow he was coming towards her. Like before he was towering over her and his presence seemed to be even more outstanding than the last time they had met. The only thing was... He was dirty.

Not that she would have told him that. Being the second time they met in months it seemed to be rude to say something like that. Even if she did look surprised to see him, her smiled stretch in a bigger one that was full of warmth and care. Quickly turning she moved towards him, closing the distance that was between them already.

"Shard!"

She called out, before tackling him with a hug and quickly moving back. Unable to stop herself she patted his shirt down trying to dust away some particles from it.

"Look at you! How are you? Are you well? What have you been doing?"

She asked excitedly, perhaps too quickly for him to understand. Shaking her head a bit, she couldn't help but chuckled and sigh happily.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry for hounding you so quickly with those questions. I am happy to see you are fine!"