Kristine: Hey, Selene, have you heard of Ragnarok Online?
Selene: Well, no. What is it?
Kristine: It's one of the first online games that existed years ago, when the concept of MMORPGs were still not heard of by many, compared to today, wherein there are so many of these games right now.
Selene: Woah, you mean Ragnarok Online was the first game that revolutionized online gaming to a whole new level?
Kristine: That's right! Anyway, MMORPGs mean Massively Multiplayer Online Role – Playing Games, meaning you can chat with other people, trade, and even make friends with them while doing the usual stuff found in RPGs like leveling – up one's character, etc.
Selene: Socializing while leveling up my character? Wow! That's so cool.
Kristine: Well, let's look at the list of MMORPGs to play later. Right now, I found a story I created a few years ago, while I was still a player there.
Selene: What's that about?
Kristine: It's about both of my characters there, but the main heroine is my main character I've created there, a female Lord Knight.
Selene: Woah, a knight?
Kristine: Yep. In fact, knight classes are my most favorite classes there. They usually have high HP and defense, very much useful in defeating monsters while surviving longer in battle. They usually hold one – handed weapons and shields.
Selene: Cool! Can't wait to try it out!
Kristine: Okay, okay, later. Anyway, let's go on with the story. Disclaimer please.
Selene: The author does not own Ragnarok Online nor the job classes included there (They both belong to Gravity Corp.), just the original characters created from the game as well as the plot.
In the kingdom of Rune-Midgard, there lived a Knight named Joanna Angelfire. She was still really young, yet her bravery, honor and strength exceeded her age. She was also really good as the GM of her guild, Tranquility, showing the true signs of leadership while taking or defending castles. She made orders in a right way and planned how to take or defend castles strategically, all while keeping the discipline of her guildmates.
One day, in the beautiful Japanese city of Amatsu, while Joanna was walking towards a line of cherry blossom trees, her Corsair flew off from her head due to the cool breeze and she ran for it when someone picked it up from the ground.
"This Corsair must be yours," a voice said as she approached her to return it. Joanna turned to her, took the Corsair from her and replied, "Thank you, that headgear would have flown everywhere if you didn't get it."
But then, Joanna got astonished by her looks; she almost looked the same as her, with the same color and length of their hair and the color of their eyes, except that the mysterious girl was an Alchemist, her hairstyle was different and her eyes were in the different shade of the same eye color from hers. She wore her trademark Sweet Gent and her cart was full of potions, acid bottles, bottle grenades and coating bottles she just made, as well as other necessities.
"I knew you were different from the other Knights because of your unique strength despite your age and you're also the GM of one of the most powerful guilds ever," the girl knew about her identity, and then she asked, "What's your name anyway, young warrior?"
"I'm Joanna - Joanna Angelfire," Joanna replied, then she asked the girl, "How about you, what's your name?"
"Tyraine - Tyraine Sirus," the girl replied with her serene smile. Then Joanna gave her enough materials needed for her solutions: Empty Potion Bottles, Empty Bottles, White and Blue Herbs, Immortal Hearts, Fabrics, Alcohol, Heart of Mermaid and Zenorc Fang, because she knew almost every recipe of the solutions made by Alchemists.
"Thank you so much, Joanna. I knew these were hard to obtain," Tyraine accepted the deal. She never knew that the young warrior she met also had a heart of gold.
"Your welcome, that's just a little repayment for returning my Corsair to me because that was my trademark," Joanna agreed. Then Tyraine asked her, "Can we meet again together sometime?"
She nodded and smiled and then she walked away.
After that simple conversation, they became good friends. Sometimes they leveled-up together, sometimes they would meet each other in Aldebaran and chat about a lot of things, sometimes they would gather materials and complete quests, and sometimes they would hang out together with their friends and compete in PVP or even WOE.
On the day before their final quest, Joanna gave Tyraine a Memory Bookmark decorated with a feather of an angel with their names on it, "This bookmark symbolizes our friendship, which will never change throughout our lives, even if problems, trials and sufferings happened. Please keep it as a remembrance so that even we're apart, you'll know I'll always be there with you as your friend, forever," she said. Then she asked her, "Will you promise me that you'll keep it?"
Tyraine smiled and replied, "I promise. I'll keep this bookmark safe." Then their little fingers joined together as a sign of promise.
On the next day, they took off their equipment and brought only enough zeny for the donation as they arrived in Juno to start the final quest in their first life - the quest for transcendence. After they read the Book of Ymir, reached their way through the labyrinth and found the Heart of Ymir, they found themselves in Valhalla and went to speak with the Valkyrie. After accepting the oath, they were reborn again as Novices.
After their same old journey as before, they went back to Valhalla and were successful in being in their respective transcendent job classes. Joanna became a Lord Knight, while Tyraine became a Creator. And now, they received new skills like never before.
But then everything became lonely when they were dared by their friends to go to the Somatology Laboratory in Lighthalzen to prove if the rumors of the spirits living in it were true. They went to the third level or the disposal site and were disgusted by a foul smell.
Then unexpectedly, the spirits would appear to exact revenge on them for being used as subjects for Life Experimentation. Alarmed, both Joanna and Tyraine tried their best to take them out but it was still not enough. Joanna used her spear skills together with her Frost Diver scrolls, while Tyraine used her Acid Bomb together with Demonstration to finish them off.
But then Tyraine was about to be undertaken by one of the spirits, Kathryne Keyron, a High Wizard, when Joanna saved her. Kathryne was about to cast Storm Gust on her when Joanna was hit by that spell, and finally, she was barely alive after being hit with Lord of Vermillion.
Kathryne laughed mockingly at her as she winced and trembled in pain. "Stupid humans! Their mistakes have punishments, merciless punishments. Our strength increased intensely when there's revenge," she exclaimed, laughed again and suddenly vanished.
Tyraine, shocked with what happened, knelt towards Joanna, who was now covered with wounds. "You shouldn't have done this," she cried, tears flowing from her eyes.
Joanna looked into her eyes and consoled her, "Don't cry, my friend. I sometimes require sacrificing my own life to protect everyone, but that's what good soldiers do. Don't let my death sadden your life. I promise you, I'll stay with you as your friend, even after death." Then she closed her eyes forever and stopped breathing.
"Please don't leave me, Joanna! Please!" Tyraine cried her heart out as her best friend was struck by death. Her tears fell down on her frail, yet serene face. She almost couldn't accept that her friend was gone, because she might not able to find someone to talk with after her.
Days later, she went towards Joanna's tomb in Prontera, which was symbolized by a sacred cross, an angel figure below it and her nameplate together with the words, "Young, yet strong and courageous." At first she couldn't stand the pain of being left alone after her friend's death, but once she glanced at the Memory Bookmark and remembered the words Joanna said to her while receiving it, she became strong and moved on with her life. But she could never forget her, and she would forever be thankful for that fateful day wherein they first met, became friends and most importantly, their sign of friendship.
Selene: Aww… That poor knight. Too bad she was killed already.
Kristine: That's the truth. Knights can get knocked out by mage classes, which practice the art of conjuring deadly spells which can kill enemies faster, since they are not trained to withstand magic damage for they usually have low magic resistance. You know what? This story brought me nostalgic memories of my Ragnarok days. I wish I would come back there.
Selene: What do you mean?
Kristine: I stopped playing RO already a few years ago, for I must once again look for other online games to try out. That's what happened when you're already tired of playing one game and decided to try out new ones which would be a breath of fresh air.
Selene: Aww… Too bad.
Kristine: But it's okay, I would never forget these memories. About the new and most popular MMORPGs coming out, they include Aion, Lineage 2, Luna Online, Cabal Online, Runes of Magic, World of Warcraft, etc. They are just some of the most popular online games, for the market was already huge. Here's the brochure. *hands the brochure to her yami*
Selene: *accepts the brochure and scans the list* Wow, the list is indeed very long! Ooooh, let me try this one. *points a certain MMORPG and shows her choice to her hikari*
Kristine: Hmm, Cabal Online? Ok, let me help you with this one. I have played that as well.
Selene: Yay!!! *claps her hands in excitement* I'm going to try it out now! *dashes to an Internet cafè*
Kristine: Please review the story! It's very much appreciated! *Runs after Selene* Wait, you have to register for an account first!