As soon as Lumiere spoke his last word, Elizabeth felt a force pulling her toward the unknown. She stepped beyond the door, and a bright flash of light immediately filled her vision.
A radiant glow enveloped Elizabeth as she disappeared into the void. Leaving Lumiere in the white room by herself. "Have fun exploring the world Beyond Reality." She utters as she closes the white door.
...
A pillar of light pierced the morning sky. It landed with a silent crash like a celestial arrow at the heart of Mad Forest Village. People in the village glanced up for a moment, but they all quickly returned to their daily chores. They stopped marveling at the sight after it had been a common occurrence for a week.
In the blink of her eye, Elizabeth found herself in the middle of a strange place; she felt disoriented.
Once she got better, Elizabeth looked left and right.
To her left and right stood rows of wooden huts, their thatched roofs swaying gently with the breeze. It took her a moment, but then she realized she was in a village, like the ones she saw in medieval and fantasy movies.
Villagers passed by Elizabeth in linen tunics one after the other. Others in leather armor, some armed with swords, shields, or bows slung across their backs.
Elizabeth looked down, and sure enough, she was wearing the same linen tunic as everyone else. And in her right hand was the wooden hammer she had chosen earlier.
Elizabeth was awestruck; everything around her felt so real.
The smooth grain of wood in her palm, the clean, fresh air she breathed. The distant clatter of footsteps and chatter from the crowd around her. It didn't feel like she was in a game at all. It didn't look or feel virtual at all. It was like she had stepped into a brand new world.
As Elizabeth marveled at the scene around her, darkness engulfed her vision.
A pair of soft, warm palms covered her eyes from behind with a tender touch.
"Guess who," a deep, playful voice from a woman whispered in Elizabeth's ear.
It was Rianne; no matter how much Rianne changed her voice, Elizabeth could always tell it is her.
"That's surprising... you're early." Elizabeth reached up; she gently lowered the hands covering her eyes. Then she turned around to face her friend. "I thought you'd be stuck creating your character for hours like you usually do, Rianne."
"Hehehe... I went with my default looks this time," Rianne said with a grin. She took a playful jump back before spinning gracefully on her heel. Her character glided with elegance. Her golden-blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders, showcasing her virtual beauty. "Why shouldn't I show off this beautiful face around?"
Figures…
Elizabeth crossed her arms, her tone suggesting she couldn't suppress a smile. "So… where should we go this time?"
Rianne furrowed her brow in thought, fingers tapping lightly against her thigh. "I heard that the village chief always has one starter quest for new players. Let's check that out first."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Do you know the way?" she asked.
Rianne nodded confidently, extending her arm towards the biggest house in sight. Its thatched roof and wooden beams stood among the village houses behind Elizabeth. "It should be that one... it's the biggest house around here."
Elizabeth followed Rianne's gaze, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the village.
So you don't know...
"Or," Elizabeth crossed her arms, "we could ask a villager. I'd rather not walk in circles."
Rianne's face lit up as she declared, "Sounds like a plan. Let's go!" She grabbed Elizabeth's hand and pulled her along as she started to look for someone to ask.
...
After stopping a random villager to ask, they found out that Rianne was right all along. The village chief does live in the biggest house she pointed earlier.
As they walked, Rianne glanced at Elizabeth and tilted her head. "By the way... is that hammer your weapon? That's big!" She is about 5'3" tall, almost as tall as Liz; Rianne looked genuinely impressed. The hammer in Elizabeth's hands looked almost five feet tall. It's quite large, especially for Elizabeth, who has not carried one before. She can hardly hold it securely with both hands. Elizabeth struggled to keep it balanced as she walked, and it almost made Rianne laugh. Each step showed her inexperience.
"Looks cool, doesn't it?" Elizabeth said with a hint of pride, despite her awkward posture.
Rianne nodded, grinning. "Totally... Just… try not to drop it on your foot."
"And yours? What did you choose?" she asked, eyeing Rianne's waist.
"Tada!!" Rianne posed dramatically as she drew a leather-bound book from her side. She held it up with pride.
It was the same tome Elizabeth had seen back in the white room.
"You're a healer?"
"Not just a healer," Rianne said, her chest puffed out in pride. "I am going full support. Buffs, heals, shields... you name it. Everything that will keep everyone alive."
"Even if I suck at games, being a support means I am the most important person on the team." She leaned in with a wicked grin. "And of course… I get to choose who lives and who dies first. So you'd better treat me well from now on."
Elizabeth chuckled. "Then you'd better keep me from dying. Since I'll be doing the heavy lifting this time." In truth, she felt relieved. With Rianne as a healer, they might survive long enough to actually learn how to play this game.
Before they realized it, they soon arrived at the village chief's house. It was a thatched-roof hut, nestled among lush greenery and colorful flowers.
They noticed an old man in a plain black linen robe. He swept the ground with a worn straw broom, taking great care with each stroke.
"Ahh, new faces," the old man said with a friendly smile, setting the broom aside. He opened his arms in welcome, his wrinkled face lighting up with a kind smile. "Welcome, welcome to my village; I am Bigo. How may this old man be of service to two lovely ladies?"
"Hello Mr. Bigo," Rianne said as she bowed her head in a gesture of respect. She grabbed Elizabeth's head and applied gentle pressure to make her bow. Rianne saw online that treating NPCs well could lead to better quests. It might also help avoid headaches.
"No, no," she continued with a bright smile, "we came here to help. Do you have anything you need help with?"
"Ahhh, of course," Old man Bigo replied, stroking his beard while deep in thought. "You see, the goblin population in the forest has been increasing lately. It all began when more adventurers ventured out to the bigger towns. It's now riskier for villagers to collect materials outside. If you could kill five of them, it would be a great help. Naturally, your party will also receive five silver as a reward."
Rianne's eyes lit up. "We accept your request!"
"That's good to hear. Be careful out there, young ladies; may the goddess of light guide your way." Old man Bigo turned around and resumed sweeping the ground with his broom.
"Let's go, Liz!" Rianne exclaimed, grabbing Elizabeth's hand in excitement. She pulled her along, eager to start their first quest as they headed into the forest.
"Are we just going to rush in like this?" Elizabeth asked, her astonishment clear as everything is happening so quickly. She was still unsure if she could even wield the hammer properly.
"Why not? We'll figure things out along the way," Rianne's carefree voice rang out like a melody. "It's virtual reality... we are free to do anything we want!" Elizabeth hesitated. Rianne's words lingered, urging her to let go of caution and dive into the thrill of the unknown.
"Fine," Elizabeth muttered, a half-smile tugging at her lips. "But don't blame me if we die!" With that, the two of them took off, racing out of the village and into the shadowy depths of the forest.
With a sprint, it took them five minutes to reach the outskirts of the forest. . The excitement that had driven them before started to fade as they faced the tall trees. The sun was still high in the afternoon sky, but the forest ahead felt strangely dark and quiet. It was hard to shake the feeling that someone was watching them from the shadows.
Rianne clung to Elizabeth's arm, her grip suggesting that Elizabeth should go first.
Where did your excitement go?
Elizabeth wondered.
"Should we go?" she asked in a voice that was almost a whisper.
Rianne gave a brief nod.
With a steadying breath, they took slow, deliberate steps into the dark forest.