Author's Note: If you absolutely can't handle the length of this 17k word chapter, you can skip it. It's a flashback and not exactly necessary to understand the plot of future chapters (though it establishes some useful backstory). Additionally, I published a prologue alongside this, so be sure to check it out!

Interlude – In Memoriam

Sierra – Floor 1 – November 30, 2022 – 8:43

Wordlessly the line shuffled forward, their feet scuffing the ground as the mass of people moved. Some were bare, others adorned with beaten and torn shoes. They were walking trash and they all moved in staggered succession. Sierra could feel the muck that had accumulated on her hands and feet. She was one of them, these lost and tortured nobodies.

Of all the things Kayaba decided to stick in a virtual world, it would be grime. She struggled to remember her last bath.

"Greetings noble adventurer!" Spoke an animated voice from up ahead. An NPC clad in fancy purple and white clothes smiled and waved his arms, gesturing the next person in line forward.

Only a couple more people in front of her now. Sierra grabbed the edges of her frayed shirt, staring at the dark brick road. The shadow of the «Black Iron Palace» loomed over her in the morning light, dominating the entire central courtyard.

"Greetings noble adventurer!" Another jovial greeting. Sierra grit her teeth, moving forward a step as another person was called up for their turn.

She felt someone brush in front of her, knocking her back a step. A man in the same ragged clothes as she stepped into line in front of her. He snickered as he pushed Sierra backwards. She stumbled, but kept her footing.

"Um, I," Sierra started, mumbling the broken sentence half to herself. The man just turned away towards the bright-hearted NPC.

"Hey! Asshole!" The man behind Sierra shouted, jumping in front of her and grabbing the shirt of the man who cut in line. "The fuck is your problem!"

"The fuck you want?" The cutter sneered, "You gonna start crying like that little bitch?"

Sierra's hands rushed to her eyes, brushing away a tear. She hadn't even realized it. In front of her, the two men started to scuffle. The big man who had been behind Sierra threw a punch, smacking the cutter back a few steps. A right hook finished the job, knocking the man onto his back. There was no «Harassment Warning»; the NPC guards simply watched the fight with disinterested expressions.

"Get to the back and wait like everyone else, asshole," The big man said as he returned to the line. With an angry grimace, the cutter ran off.

"Th-th-thank you," Sierra stuttered, taking her place in line again. The big man stared back at her, his face contorted with annoyance and anger.

"I didn't do it for you."

Forty-five minutes after the daily quest giver took his morning post and two hours after Sierra got in line, she was finally called up to his stand. It was a dark and dreary wooden stall, not a permanent building by far. Two more NPC guards stood by the richly-robed man, their faces hidden by heavy metal visors. Two-meter long spears were gripped in their right hands, the butts of the mighty weapons digging into pavement. Sierra cringed at the sight of the weapons. She sold her «Starter Longsword» over a week ago to give her the extra money she needed for a room to sleep in. Her armor had been pawned soon after.

"Would you like to learn more about the war effort?" Sierra heard the NPC ask. The person ahead of her looked back at Sierra, his expression twisted.

"Yes," The man said, and walked off.

Sierra groaned as the NPC launched into a speech. Occasionally one of the other non-players would do this to purposefully hold up the line. Apparently it was amusing to some people to annoy everybody else by starting the NPC's explanation. There wasn't any way to cut the quest-giver off and the NPC wouldn't recognize that the player who asked was no longer around. Sierra stared at the NPC as he spoke.

"Illfang and his Kobold underlings have risen out of the dark abyss they call home and are threatening the whole land! Just last year, our noble hero «Xeronas the Unyielding» was killed in a brutal battle to save «Starting City» and we've been fighting them tooth-and-nail ever since!" At 'tooth-and-nail', the NPC threw a couple punches to accentuate the effect, "But keep heart! All of our town is singular in our determination to rid the land of Illfang and his vile spawn! Even «Princess Asteria», the «Moonlit Sword», is behind you! Our beautiful princess is fighting the demonic kobold army this very moment, her legendary katana illuminating the path forward for all of us back home!"

It went on like this for a long while. The length of the speech was absurd considering how many people had to line up every day to receive the quest. Nobody was willing to forsake their spot in line to chase after whoever activated the speech. Every day there were a couple of people who decided to start it.

"-which is why we must remain singular in our efforts! Because-"

Sierra spoke the last few lines with the NPC, "-here in «Starting City», everyone matters!" The speech came to an end and the NPC settled into his uncomfortably clownish smile. Sierra rolled her eyes. "Finally," she said.

"Greetings noble adventurer!" Sierra walked forward as she was called up to the robed NPC. The man's face was bright and cheerful, an artificially wide grin plastered on his face. He waved his arms, bowing deep for her. "I'm so glad someone has finally decided to take up my quest! I was beginning to lose all hope! Tell me, what's your name?"

Today, just like yesterday, the day before and every day for the last two weeks, Sierra gave her username, "Sierra."

"My, what a noble name for a noble soul!" The NPC laughed, throwing back his head, "Well, Sierra, would you like to do a quest in the name of all that's good and pure? You'll be awarded «10 Col»!"

"Sure," Sierra shrugged, mumbling the words. She could hear the line shuffling forward. A quick glance behind her and she saw the entire length of the street was filled with people. There were easily over a hundred now and counting.

"I'd like you to make a delivery to a dear acquaintance of mine," The NPC pulled out a bag and set it on the table in front of her. "He's extremely valuable to the war effort against Illfang and his vile legions of kobolds! Please make sure he gets it before noon!"

"Yeah, sure," Sierra took the package and it was automatically added to her inventory, "Whatever."

She walked off, picking a random direction and sticking to it. Above her, the sky was plain and gray, a thin mist beginning to pick up through the wide city streets. Bright orange tiled rooftops mixed with white and grey stone walls, but even their cheer was dulled by the morning.

"Greetings noble adventurer!" She heard behind her as she turned a corner.

Sierra opened her menu, looking at her pathetic collection of items. 43 Col, worn shoes, an apple and the ragged clothes she had equipped. She hadn't even bought the clothes; they were simply items that were automatically added to anyone's inventory when they had nothing else to wear. At least the creators had decided even the poorest players shouldn't have to go naked.

They were drab, dull brown rags: a thin t-shirt that did nothing to stop the chilly winter air and equally worn pants that were thread-bare at the end. At least she had shoes, so she was one of the luckier non-players. Many of them couldn't even afford that.

Several people hung around each alleyway she passed, each in various states of unwell. Some were propped up against doorways, struggling to sleep through yet another miserable day. Others stooped under overhangs, examining their inventories wistfully. She only saw one player with a weapon, a small dagger he probably got as a random quest reward. He was showing the pathetic thing to a couple of other non-players and they all marveled over how much he could sell it for.

Only a few Col, Sierra thought grimly. She'd gotten one too a while back. It didn't last long before the temptation of selling it for some food set in. With a dagger, she could have gone out to fight some «Frenzy Boars». She shook that errant thought away. No way could she face those things.

A few minutes of walking and the shiny white and grey buildings turned more brown and broken. An occasional burned-out building and more than a handful temporary wooden shelters dotted the area. Even the beggar NPCs were less numerous than the non-players sitting around and doing nothing. A couple of them curled up on the ground their hands tight around their stomachs.

Hunger was a maddening thing. Without eating in-game, they'd suffer increasingly painful stomach aches. Though they wouldn't die of it, the pain was constant and mind-numbing. It was enough for Sierra to sell her armor just to get ahold of a few apples.

"Hey," Sierra glanced down an alleyway. A male player in armor leaned over a nervous and evidently uncomfortable young woman. He had effectively pinned her against the wall and was leaning in close. "Don't you want to eat something?"

"Y-yeah," Sierra hung around, watching from the mouth of side-passage. A wave of sickness went through her as the girl looked hopefully at the player, "You… you'll feed me?"

"Yeah, baby. I'll take you out to eat, but you gotta do me a favor," The man smiled, his face inches from the young woman's.

Sierra turned away, rushing down the opposite alleyway. In her mind she saw the girl's hopeful expression as the player cornered her against the wall, the subtle way he eyed her over. All for a bit of food, a bit of comfort. Sierra's fists grew white with pain as she stalked down the alley.

She could feel her stomach growling.

The «West Quarter Barracks» lay snug against the walls of «Starting City», nestled between two run-down NPC houses. A couple of guards were standing outside the entrance, looking out over the wide street leading up to the barracks. A few other NPC guards exited the barracks, dragging a non-player between them off towards the «Black Iron Palace».

"I told you I didn't do it!" The man shouted, thrashing about. He couldn't escape.

"You have violated the «Harassment Code», scum!" One guard replied, "You will be prosecuted accordingly!"

"She was asking for it!" The man kicked his feet, trying to regain his balance as the guards dragged him from under the arms, "What did she expect when she's dancing in a bar?"

Sierra ignored the spectacle, walking up to the guards and materializing the bag she received from the quest-giver. Immediately upon walking up, one of the guards smiled appreciatively, shifting quickly from his stern and harsh persona to a more friendly and sociable mode for the quest.

"Greetings Adventurer!" Luckily for Sierra, the pseudo-randomized location given for the quest made it so that she didn't have to wait in line for a second time. "Is that a delivery for «Captain Garlocke»?"

"Yeah." Sierra said quickly. The guard took the bag from her, depositing several coins into her palm with his free hand. It was a quick motion, a highly unnatural and coordinated thing.

"Thank you for your assistance in the war effort!" The guard said, dematerializing the bag and returning to his stoic self. Sierra sighed, walking away quickly and 10 Col richer.

She had 53 Col now, which was enough to stay at an inn for the night. She smiled at that thought, thoroughly conscious of the rumbling in her stomach and the grimy, sweaty feel of her clothes as she walked. Complimentary food and a common bath was exactly what she needed, though she wouldn't be able to check in until the afternoon.

Her daily quest done, Sierra headed towards the town center. She worked through the list of quests she could possibly do in her head. She'd only be able to do «Finding Mrs. Litterby's Toupée» again tomorrow. «An Unplanned Misconception», a quest about resolving a young woman's problems with her ridiculously numerous sexual misadventures, wouldn't become available again until Friday, the day after tomorrow.

A few NPCs strolled about, oblivious to the legions of pained non-players.

A commotion to the side snapped her out of her thoughts. She passed a building as a couple of loud players exited it, the well-worn sign indicating it as the «Lone Star Tavern». Most of the players were in sets of iron or leather armor, chattering among themselves. As Sierra watched, they gathered around a nearby NPC desperately calling for attention outside the tavern. He wore peasant's clothing, though Sierra couldn't help but notice how even that cheap outfit was of a significantly higher quality than her own rags.

"Please, won't anyone save my darling daughter from the «Frenzy Boars»?" He called out. When one of the players approached, the NPC turned towards him with a relieved expression.

"Oh, come on, Taruken!" One of the players said, putting her hands on her hips and puffing out her cheeks. She was a pretty young woman, probably only seventeen or eighteen, with long brown hair and very fair skin. "You haven't beaten that quest yet? I did it ages ago!"

"Relax, Yuuki," The man responded, laughing lightly, "I'm not as good at all this as you are. I only started playing seriously last week."

"Yeah, you're lucky I let you freeload off of me," A tall man with glasses spoke up.

"Don't worry, Taruken," One of the others, a boy with fiery red hair, said, "We'll all help you out! Besides, the NPC's daughter is quite the cutie."

"Oh my god, you're sick," Yuuki playfully punched him in the shoulder.

Sierra stared at the odd group of players in ill-fitting armor as they gathered around the NPC. They were smiling and laughing, an odd thing to see in the non-players outside of alcohol-induced stupors. The young one, Yuuki, had an infectiously bright smile as she joked around with the rest of her group.

She gazed at them long after they had departed, watching as one of the older boys teased Yuuki and how she waved her arms in defiance. They were all younger than Sierra was and though they looked like a rather emaciated bunch, they all seemed happy.

Happy. What an odd feeling.

An odd thought struck her suddenly. What if she could do that too? No. Impossible. Each passing day of scrounging up the scraps of the virtual society was the only thing she was worthy of. Wandering among the hungry and the dirty and the desperate was her life now. There was no other option unless she was to risk going outside.

Each night before she went to sleep on some random doorstep, she would promise herself the next day would be better. Maybe they'd all be let out once the authorities got ahold of the situation, or she'd stumble upon a ridiculous amount of money, or she'd find a mysterious, well-paying quest nobody else knew about, or… or…

Perhaps it was a moment of madness that propelled her. Perhaps she was just tired of seeing the women propositioned in alleyways, or tired of the hunger tearing at her every day. Perhaps she didn't have a reason at all. Even so, she worked up her courage and approached the NPC, the words spilling from her mouth almost involuntarily.

"I heard your daughter is missing?"

Hikari – Floor 1 – November 30, 2022 – 20:13

"A room, please." Hikari deposited 50 Col on the inn counter and waited as the inn keeper sorted through it.

This was the cheapest inn in «Starting City», but it wasn't like she could afford much better. Staying at an inn every day was a necessary expense, despite the fact that she was saving up for a new axe. No other place in the city had rooms quite this cheap; they were meant for the poorest players and it looked like it, but it gave a free meal and access to a sentō, a communal bath. She shifted her right arm, displeased by the growing feeling of dirtiness. It had been a long week so far of grinding against «Frenzy Boars» and «Dire Wolves» and she'd only gained a single level. Even so, level 5 was an improvement. Perhaps it was time she grinded against kobolds more often.

"Here you go," The innkeeper said, bowing and sliding two keys over to her, "You have room B on the third floor. There's also a key to the bath. Breakfast is served at 8 in the mess hall."

"Thank you," Hikari bowed.

First things first, the bath. Hikari picked up her step, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with her level of stink with every movement. If she remembered the inn from the last time she stayed here, the bath was on the first floor. She turned a corner and walked up to the two separated doors. One indicated male and the other female.

All she had to do to open the female bath was hold her key in front of it. As she passed through it, an image of one of the other times she'd come to this particular inn came to mind. A young man had waited outside the baths for someone to enter. Just as Hikari was opening the door, he rushed up and grabbed the door. Before Hikari could react, he had tried to get into the sentō.

The result was the system forcefully ejecting the man from the bath and a «Harassment Notice» popping up in front of him, indicating that NPC guards were on the way to arrest him. In a flustered panic, the guy had ran off before Hikari could say a word.

A burst of warm air greeted her as she entered the sentō. It was still early in the night and there didn't look to be anyone inside. A large, wide barrier separated out the tiled floor of the women's bath. Several faucets lined the sides where she could sit and wash herself and there was a large pool towards the far wall she could relax in once she was done cleaning herself.

"Functional plumbing in a medieval city," Hikari chuckled, unequipping her armor, "Will the wonders never cease?"

A cool breeze ran through the room as she stood naked. It was an open-air facility and the top of the bath was exposed to the night sky. There were no tall buildings nearby for any particularly adventurous players to try and sneak a look into the bath and none of the inn rooms had windows facing into the baths as far she knew. Overall, it seemed an incredible amount of time went into the construction and design of the modern-looking sentō.

She washed herself quickly to remove the dust and grime from her day of outdoor adventuring. Thankfully, but also weirdly, the game did not bother simulating a person's gastric functions. While «Sword Art Online» went to great lengths simulating realism in other aspects, such as the inclusion of artificial hunger, thirst and introducing the necessity of bathing, it appeared Kayaba Akihiko had no interest in forcing people to use the toilet.

Once she was done washing, she moved quickly to the warm bath to relax. She sank into the water. The sensation was incredibly similar to real life, but just like everything else there was just a little something that was off. Perhaps it was the feel of the waves lapping lightly against her chest, or the odd way heat didn't necessarily feel painful even when she felt it should.

Hikari hadn't noticed she was dozing off until the door to the bath slammed open. Her eyes opened quickly to see a woman dressed in rags walk around the barrier into the bathing area. She was slender, with medium-length black hair and dull green eyes. The two women locked eyes for a moment before the newcomer unequipped her dirty clothing.

She stood there in the default white underwear. The woman thumbed through her menu before hovering over the particular option on the menu to unequip them. Hikari smiled; she had much the same reaction, the same hesitation before she'd first used the virtual baths. The newcomer glanced over at Hikari a second time, then a third.

"It's okay," Hikari called out, swimming to the edge of the pool, "We're both girls here. I don't bite."

The girl chuckled, though it sounded more like the release of pressure than anything else. She said, "Sorry. Every other time I've used these, they were empty. I'm just not used to other people being around."

"If you're uncomfortable, you can still bathe with your underwear on and it'll have the same effect. The game designers took a person's personal comfort into consideration about that." It felt odd to say it, but it was true. Kayaba Akihiko was perfectly willing to lock players in a death game, but he was considerate enough to allow a person to keep their personal sense of privacy intact.

"No, it's fine," The woman closed her eyes, breathing deep before unequipping her underwear. It vanished with a quick flash and she sat down on one of the stools to start washing herself. Soap was provided by the inn; it was a convenience Hikari hadn't been afforded in real-world sentōs.

From the looks of it, the newcomer was a non-player. She looked worn-down, with sunken eyes and large bags under her eyes. Her expression was dark and focused, staring off into the distance as she gently scrubbed herself off.

"What's your username?" Hikari called, smiling softly as the woman turned towards her, "I'm Hikari."

"Sierra."

"Oh, sounds western," Hikari giggled, "You didn't want to pick a Japanese name?"

"I guess my roots don't interest me," Sierra shrugged. She paused for a long moment, thinking before continuing, "It feels odd to introduce myself with my username, but I guess that's who I am now."

Hikari recalled Sierra's tense gait as she had walked, the uncertainty in her every action. She was a non-player through and through. Nervous and afraid, uncertain and wary. Hikari felt her throat tighten at that. She knew living conditions were terrible in «Starting City» at the moment and only seemed to be getting worse. What had Sierra gone through to get to this point?

"Sierra-"

"Hey," The woman interrupted her, looking Hikari dead in the eye as she finished rinsing herself off, "You're not a non-player, right?"

"Maybe. How would you know that?"

"You don't have the pathetic look of most of my kind," Sierra shrugged, standing. She walked over to the bath and slid into the water a respectable distance away from Hikari. Leaning back against the wall, she continued, "You look more put-together. Respectable. Occasionally I see people like you who don't belong among the rest of us losers.

"You aren't a loser," Hikari slid closer to the woman, concerned, "I don't look down on non-players."

"I don't want to be a non-player," Sierra muttered, barely imperceptible.

Hikari pondered the situation for a long while, focusing on Sierra's worried expression. She'd already grinded to level 5, so her goal for the week had already been met. In addition, she had enough funds to spend the next few nights at the inn. In essence, she was free at least until the end of the week.

"Let me help you out," Hikari said finally. Sierra looked up at her in shock, about to deny her, when Hikari continued, "Don't protest. It's like I'm doing a social good, you know? Getting someone off the streets and all."

"How could you possibly help me?" Sierra shook her head, "I'm hopeless."

"No, you're just inexperienced," Hikari took Sierra's hand, "And I can put you on the right path, you know? We can go tomorrow morning and hunt some «Frenzy Boars». You know that quest about that lame old man who lost his daughter? There's a decent randomized equipment reward from that."

"I…" Sierra looked down and away, "Thank you. I-I don't know if I can do it, but thank you."

"Don't worry about it," Hikari grinned.

They chatted for a long while after that, the two women settling into a conversation about nothing. Somehow it felt like it meant everything to the non-player sitting beside her, whose quiet responses were sometimes painful to hear. How she had lasted so long without any help was astonishing, especially considering all the dangers present in «Starting City». Between the constant conflict, the predatory behavior of certain players and the general harsh environment of living on the streets, it was a miracle Sierra was in as good shape as she was after a month.

Hikari knew her newfound companion wasn't a good representative of the general status of non-players. If estimates by some of the newly-made fact-finding committees were true, there were at least 4,000 players who made a permanent residence in «Starting City» without actually playing the game. The number was decreasing every day, but nobody held any illusions it would disappear entirely. Sexual assault and harassment remained at a staggeringly high level and there were still several suicides a day. Most players had taken to other towns to escape from the chaos and the depressive atmosphere of the central town.

And they were still stuck on the first floor.

When the two women finally exited the sentō and retreated to their individual rooms, Hikari felt both hopeful and terrified. Suddenly she was responsible for the life and well-being of this woman, Sierra, who desperately needed to get out the city. Yet even though she was uncertain about being responsible for Sierra's life, there was a certain satisfaction in knowing she was helping her.

Archaeus would be proud, rest his soul.

The next morning came quickly, forcing Hikari into her all-too familiar waking habits. First, the alarm went off at 6:00 sharp. The ideal time to get up and leave since most players would not be out in the field stealing all the spawn areas. Hikari cracked her eyes open quickly, the weight and allure of sleep bearing down upon her. She was so soft and comfortable…

She hit the snooze button. Ten more minutes of bliss.

Enough repeats of this and it was already 7:00. Hikari swore, dragging herself out of bed and rubbing exhaustion from her eyes. Days of farming and grinding didn't exactly do her body good. She equipped her «Starter Leather Coat» and her «Beginner's Greataxe», the heavy wood and iron weapon resting on her back. A quick once-over of her brunette, curly hair turned into an extended pruning session, fixing errant hairs and pressing down those ever-present and ever-stubborn curls at her hairline.

"I wish I had straight hair…" Hikari whined, eventually giving up.

Most days she wouldn't care about how she looked. The «Frenzy Boars» and «Dire Wolves» didn't notice one way or the other if her hair was sub-par or not, so usually Hikari didn't either. But today was different, whether she was entirely willing to admit it or not. For the first time since travelling with Archaeus, she had a partner.

A cute one too.

Sierra had been a grimy mess when she walked into the sentō the night before, but she cleaned up impressively. Hikari knew she was attracted to the woman, though she'd have to hide that fact. The poor non-player had seemed incredibly grateful Hikari was helping her out. No sense introducing any awkwardness into the training session.

To her surprise, Sierra was waiting in the main lobby of the inn before Hikari even arrived. The woman smiled as she entered the room, standing quickly and awkwardly to greet her. Hikari looked her over; she was wearing those plain and drab default clothes.

"Good morning," Hikari said, smiling.

"Mornin'."

"You already eat?" Hikari's stomach growled a bit, but she had food in her inventory.

"Yeah."

"Do you have any armor or weapons?" She already felt she knew the answer. Sierra shook her head. "I suppose I can afford to get you something. The «Beginner Series» is ridiculously cheap, especially with the inflation of weak weapons brought on by non-players selling their weapons."

"Inflation?" Sierra asked, "This game has something like that?"

"Yeah," Hikari nodded, gesturing for the door. They left quickly and Hikari led the way to a nearby blacksmith. "Lots of non-players have been selling their weapons and armor to pay for food and lodging just like you," Sierra cringed at that, provoking a spike of guilt in Hikari's gut, "But that also means those weapons are dirt cheap. I can probably earn back whatever I spend on you from just a few kills."

Hikari knew she said it casually. Fighting «Frenzy Boars» and «Dire Wolves» came naturally. It was difficult to imagine it as any different for other people. However, looking at Sierra now, the young woman was the image of terror at the prospect of even leaving the city.

But there was also eagerness hidden beneath. Hikari doubted Sierra even recognized it.

"Th-Thank you."

"Don't worry about it."

It wasn't until after she'd bought Sierra a «Starter Leather Coat» and a «Beginner's Scimitar» that Hikari realized Sierra had literally no possessions. No clothes, no items, nothing. With a determined grit and ignoring Sierra's cries to stop helping her, Hikari dragged the non-player to a nearby clothing store for decent clothes, to a general store for camping supplies and other basic necessities, and finally to a market to get a bite of lunch.

"Hey, Hikari?" Sierra stopped her as they backtracked away from the central marketplace. When Hikari felt the gentle tug on her sleeve, they were standing in a large courtyard surrounded by upper-class NPC mansions.

"What's up?"

"How do you know you're helping me?" Sierra was fidgeting in her new armor, one hand nervously gripping the scimitar. "What if I just wind up back on the street again?"

"Guess you just gotta help yourself," Hikari shrugged, "I can give you the boost you need, but I wouldn't throw my money at you forever. It's up to you to take what I've given you and establish yourself."

"I…" Sierra looked down and away, "Thank you. What you're doing really means a lot."

"Don't worry about it!" Hikari smiled sadly at how Sierra's quiet insecurity tugged at her, "I wasn't gonna be busy today anyway. This just gives me something to do."

In truth, Hikari had no idea if she was doing the right thing. As they passed out of the rich district and into the shadier parts of «Starting City», she could see the non-players begin to accumulate. They appeared in doorways, on the side of the road, in alleyways. Outwardly, Sierra was just another one of those desperate people. But Sierra was different. She had to be.

There had to be a will to live.

Right?

Sierra – Floor 1 – December 1, 2022 – 14:23

"You just let the system take control of your movements," The young woman's supportive voice came from the side, but Sierra didn't dare look towards her, "It's just like how your in-game menu illustrates. Move your body the way it shows you on the screen and you'll be able to use that «Sword Skill»."

"Easier said than done!" Sierra barked back, her scimitar shaking, rattling in her unstable hands. She could barely hold the weapon, let alone swing it effectively or activate a «Sword Skill».

The «Frenzy Boar» stood in front of her, steam erupting from its wide, thick nostrils. Its fur was a midnight dark blue and its eyes red as fire. It beat the ground with a heavy hoof, throwing its head back as it faced down Sierra.

"This is literally the weakest monster in the game," Hikari called out, "Aim for the back of the head."

The beast lunged forward a step, prompting a shrill shriek from Sierra as she fell backwards onto her behind. The «Frenzy Boar» didn't attack, jumping back a step. Sierra looked at it, confused that it had retreated. She could hardly think from the fear, from the rush of adrenaline that burst through her when the creature tried to attack.

"The mob has a one-in-three chance of failing to attack," Hikari called out, "And none of these guys will engage you in combat unless you threaten them first. You didn't kill any of these before Kayaba announced we were all well and truly boned? Even I managed to fight a couple."

"I logged in late," Sierra stood, using her scimitar as support to do so, "Only a little while before the speech began. I didn't have the time to do much besides some sight-seeing."

"You haven't killed a single monster?"

"Nope."

The «Frenzy Boar» tossed its head, pacing back and forth in front of Sierra. She leveled her scimitar towards the thing, focusing. All she had to do was hit it. All she had to do…

"Yaaaah!" Sierra shouted, charging the thing.

She ignored her mounting terror; the crippling need to run away to safety. With every step forward the feeling only increased. She raised her blade, struggling to keep her hands from shaking so bad that she'd let the heavy scimitar go.

The red-eyed «Frenzy Boar» squealed, charging her. Sierra froze up, screaming and throwing her arms up. She attempted to turn around as the creature barreled into her, its tusks digging deep into her forearm. Sierra expected pain, but the only sensation she felt was a cold numbness as she fell back onto her behind again, the «Frenzy Boar» retreating a few feet.

"You see the pattern yet?" Hikari called from the side, "It's different for every monster, but they follow an internal AI. For a «Frenzy Boar», they attack, retreat a little while, and repeat. It's really easy to take advantage of that pattern once you've got it down. Too bad it's different for every monster – some, like kobolds, don't even pause – or this game would be really easy."

Sierra got to her feet, her fear replaced by rage. This piece of shit monster knocked her back twice! Already she could see her health dipping down less than 100% for the first time. It was only a few points, but it was still something.

The «Frenzy Boar» charged again, but this time Sierra expected it. She ran forward, her scimitar held in front and focusing intently on its tusks. At the last second, the «Frenzy Boar» pulled back, its attack failing according to the internal AI. It showed its back, exposing itself.

Seeing her chance, Sierra slammed her weapon down on the back of the boar's neck. The slash of the blade opened the creature wide from neck to stomach, a long red gash appearing down the thing's side. The pig squealed as it tossed its head in pain. Its health was in the red now.

Just as the pig was turning about, Sierra brought down her scimitar once last time, slashing a clean line along its neck. It wasn't enough to decapitate the thing, but the head flopped off the body as it hung on the remaining attached flesh. The creature slumped over, finally dead.

Sierra stood over the messy and bloody corpse of the fallen pig. Its corpse oozed thick red blood. Blood and bone in this game was clear and visceral. Through the wound in its stomach she could see its intestines. Her adrenaline rush fading, Sierra slumped to her knees, staring at the defeated thing in wonder.

"You did it!" Hikari called from the side, celebrating as she ran over, "You killed your first one!"

"Yeah," Sierra smiled up at the young woman, "I did."

A screen popped up in front of Sierra, showing a list of items she'd obtained from the fight: A «Frenzy Boar Leather», a «Frenzy Boar Tusk», and «11 Col». Sierra opened her mouth in shock, staring at the amount of money she'd earned.

"11 Col?" She said, flabbergasted, "But that's so much! That's the amount I get from one of my daily delivery quests."

"And now you're starting to see why the players have a lot more money than the non-players," Hikari said, "A few more kills and you'll have a roof over your head tonight. That's usually what I call my break-even point. I make sure I make more money every day than I have to spend to survive."

"But that just begs the question. Why do boars drop Col?" Sierra puzzled over the menu as she accepted each of the items she obtained and they appeared in her inventory, "I mean, it makes sense for there to be skin drops and tusk drops, but why Col? Boars wouldn't naturally carry money."

"It's just an RPG thing," Hikari waved her hands, "It works out better for us anyway, because the amount of «Frenzy Boar Leather» and «Frenzy Boar Tusks» on the market right now have driven the prices of the objects into the dirt. You may as well keep them."

"What could I use them for?"

"Leveling your «Crafting» skill or turning them in at a «Monster Hunting Association»," Hikari paused as the «Frenzy Boar» corpse began to shimmer slightly, "Oh, hey, make sure you use your «Harvest» skill on the corpse to get more stuff. At low levels, you don't get much, but I'm assuming it'll get a lot better at higher levels. Just kneel in front of the body and a menu will pop up."

Sierra did as Hikari said. The menu popped up, prompting her if she wanted to «Harvest» the boar. She clicked «Yes» and the boar's corpse disappeared. A secondary menu showed up to inform her that she'd obtained more items: another piece of «Frenzy Boar Leather», a «Medium Animal Bone», and a «Shiny Round Stone» which was noted to be obtained from its stomach.

"Oh hey, I've gotten one of those stones before," Hikari grinned as Sierra accepted the items, "They're a bit more valuable than the regular drops and can be used for higher level crafting. You're pretty lucky to get one on your first kill!"

Sierra turned back to «Starting City», its white walls and tall buildings shining in the afternoon sun. Underneath that beauty was a nest of desperation, of people too afraid to venture outside. A life she used to belong to. But now, thanks to Hikari, she had a chance to escape.

"Should we go kill more?" Sierra asked Hikari, and they both grinned.

It was about three hours and eighteen kills later when Sierra and Hikari finally reached the «Breeding Grounds». It was a wide, bell-shaped and low stretch of ground that was slicked with mud and pig feces. Many of the creatures strolled about, whining and squealing at each other. Others rolled around in the muck, their dark-blue fur painted brown. The skeletons of much, much larger pigs dotted the ground, though there was only one nearby of that size.

Sierra and Hikari crouched behind some bushes, staring down into the depression. Sierra examined the «Breeding Grounds» further. There was only one entrance, an opening in the rocks near where they crouched. The rest of the area was surrounded by rocks that gave way to a steep incline down into the murky home of the pigs. It was deepest at the far wall.

"There," Hikari whispered, pointing, "You see that fat tusk-less one at the end?"

Sierra followed her finger towards the giant pig, its broad, pale blue shoulders stooped over something it was chewing on. The thing reared its head back, its fat and flabby face gazing at the sky. It was several times larger than the regular «Frenzy Boar» monsters and each step seemed to be a chore for the massive creature. Sierra shivered. The thing was the size of a truck.

"Yeah, I see it."

"The thing it's chewing on," Hikari motioned at the small bundle of red, white and grey at the mother pig's feet, "That's the farmer's daughter. She's dead."

"So much for being kidnapped," Sierra shook her head, squinting down into the depression, "But I guess it makes sense. Pigs don't kidnap people. They would just kill them. So can we just return to the farmer now?"

"No. Not yet. You have to get close enough for a menu to pop up saying something like 'You have found the farmer's daughter,' and then you can collect your reward."

"So we kill the mother pig?"

"Oh, heaven's no," Hikari shook her head, "That thing is a raid boss! Nobody has managed to kill it yet. I don't know if anyone has dared to try. If you get too close, the raid boss will attack you along with every other «Frenzy Boar» down in that clearing."

"So how do we beat the quest?"

"Simple," Hikari materialized a longbow, a grin stretching across her pretty face, "I've already finished this quest. A friend of mine showed me how to do it a while back. If I attack the «Mother of All Pigs», every «Frenzy Boar» down there is going to agro onto me. While they're all busy chasing me, you go down and get close enough to the dead woman to update the quest."

"But that's dangerous!" Sierra protested, standing up just as Hikari readied an arrow, "You're risking your life for an in-game quest! That's ridiculous!"

"It's not a game, Sierra," Hikari narrowed her eyes, drawing back the bow to test it. Her gloved hands wrapped tight around the bow, her form steady and strong. "This is our reality now. Besides, I'm not risking my life as much as it seems. I've got a head start and «Frenzy Boars» aren't very fast. I'm more worried about you."

"Why me?"

Hikari shrugged and said, "Because you're a noob."

A few minutes later, Sierra found herself crouched among the rocks on the far side of the «Breeding Grounds». She could see Hikari across the way getting into position, her bow trained on the «Mother of All Pigs». Sierra's hands shook as she gripped a nearby rock, preparing to slide down the steep incline close to the mangled body of the farmer's daughter.

The raid boss huffed, looking around warily as if it sensed the two players close by. It took a break from feeding off the corpse and walked towards the wall, sniffing absently at the rocks. Sierra held her breath as Hikari drew back her bow at the opposite end of the depression.

Her first arrow imbedded into the shoulder of the «Mother of All Boars» heavily, the monster stumbling back just a step. Instantly every «Frenzy Boar» in the clearing looked around for the assailant. Their leader tossed its head in fury, stalking towards the single entryway. A second arrow thudded into its stomach.

Sierra looked up at the health bar appearing around the raid boss. The damage done by those two shots were miniscule even though each could have killed a «Frenzy Boar» outright. As if reading Sierra's mind, Hikari let loose another arrow into a «Frenzy Boar» idling near the entrance.

Hikari jumped up, waving her arms and shouting above the clearing. Every boar charged towards her, huffing and squealing mightily. Hikari let loose another arrow, killing another «Frenzy Boar», and ran off. The remaining ten or so boars all charged after her. The «Mother of All Boars» followed, but stopped near the entrance to the clearing and stared after Hikari.

Sierra slid around the rocks, dangling her feet down onto the slippery mud slope that led into the clearing. As she let go, the «Mother of All Boars» remained fixed near the entryway near the far wall. She glided down the incline, leaning back to keep herself from falling. Mud caked onto her boots and gloves as she maneuvered down the twenty feet or so to the clearing bottom.

"Why isn't the boss following her?" Sierra growled quietly to herself as she reached the bottom. The raid boss was still hanging around the entrance to the «Breeding Grounds», pawing at the ground and shaking its head. In the distance Sierra could hear Hikari hollering at the pigs.

She only had to take a few steps toward the mangled body of the farmer's daughter before a menu popped up in front of her, a somber message on the screen indicated the quest had been advanced. Sierra clicked the message away and stared down at the corpse. Empty blue eyes stared into space and her face was splattered with blood. Her torso was ripped up and her entrails were exposed. Sierra felt her heart tighten. It was just a game. She wasn't real.

Sierra felt something strike her side, a numbing cold feeling in her side as she was launched several feet to the side. Somewhere in the distance someone screamed as Sierra felt her body hit the rocks near the wall.

She groaned, rolling over. A massive shape loomed over her. Sierra dodged to the side just as a heavy face slammed into where she just was. The «Mother of All Boars» loomed over her, its bright red eyes wide with fury. The pale blue fur all along its back was bristled and steam ejected from its wide pink nostrils.

"Sierra, run!"

The voice spurred her into action. Sierra rolled away from another strike from the boss, scrambling to her feet. There was a heavy ringing in her ears, her steps messy and rushed. Behind her, the boss pig squealed.

Another heavy impact against her side and Sierra felt herself flung against the side of the clearing, her head cracking against the rocks. In real life, a blow like that would have knocked her out or worse, but Sierra's HP simply dipped down into the red. She stared up at the massive mother pig as it reared its head back to strike the finishing blow.

"C'mere, piggy!" A shout from the side. An arrow slammed into the side of the raid boss's face, forcing its head to the side. A high-pitched squeal erupted from its snout as the raid boss turned towards Hikari, who stood at the entrance of the «Breeding Grounds».

Mud caked the young woman, sprayed all over her hair and face. Hikari's leather armor clung to her body as she stood firm at the mouth to the raid boss's domain. Her bow was drawn tight, one arm back and straight while the other gripped the shaft of the bow tight. Her expression was wild and carefree, a ruthless smile adorning her normally soft features.

"Now, Sierra!" Hikari shouted, letting free another arrow. Sierra drew her scimitar, slashing the «Mother of all Pigs» across the snout. The massive thing reared back onto its hind legs, only to get several arrows in the stomach for it.

Sierra darted for the entrance of the «Breeding Grounds», panting with every step. Hikari let fly another few arrows, keeping the raid boss back as the player made her escape.

"The other boars?" Sierra asked as she came close, her feet sliding somewhat on the mud.

"All dead," Hikari loosed another arrow.

"We should get out of here," Sierra said, and Hikari nodded.

The two women took off, running towards «Starting City». Behind them, Sierra could hear the «Mother of all Pigs» screaming and squealing, but it could not keep up with them. Eventually they left it behind. Their feet pounding beneath them, the soft grass made way for the two young women running through the fields. Sierra shouted in exhilaration as the two charged back towards town. She smiled, letting the adrenaline flow through her.

She was alive. She was alive. She was alive!

Hikari – Floor 1 – December 1, 2022 – 18:12

"She's dead, you say?" Tears welled up in the old farmer's eyes, "My little girl… Here, take this anyway as a reward. I have no use for an old family trinket like that now that the light of life has gone. You still deserve payment for finding her."

Hikari peered over Sierra's shoulder as a menu popped up in front of the former non-player. Sierra stared at it, her mouth agape.

"F-f-f-five hundred Col?"

"He gave you a random weapon too," Hikari pointed at the screen, "Oh look, you got a «Steel Scimitar». I got my bow from this quest. You're lucky to get something you're already using."

The farmer bowed and the two women began to walk away. Almost immediately, Hikari heard the farmer launch back into his generated lines as he implored the various players and non-players walking past to come help him.

"Please, won't anyone save my darling daughter from the «Frenzy Boars»?"

"I leveled up," Sierra said. Hikari turned to the girl, smiling at the shocked expression on the young woman's face.

"Yeah, the quest gives experience too. It's pretty nifty."

Sierra opened up her menu, managing her attributes. Despite her looks, Sierra had turned out to be a competent fighter. Cowardly, sure, but when she was able to but the fear aside, Hikari could see potential.

Is that what Archaeus had seen in her?

"So what now?" Hikari stopped when Sierra asked the question. The sun was going down, descending down the center of Western Road, the main thoroughfare extending out from the «Black Iron Palace». The question made her pause because she hadn't considered it; what came next?

"I guess…" Hikari mulled over the words, uncertain what to say, "We part ways. I've got a quest I've got to finish in the northern segment of the floor. I was thinking I'd travel to either «Horunka» or «Tolbana» tomorrow, and then from there head to the «Military Encampment» to sort out that quest."

"Right, uh, yeah," Sierra said quickly. They both stopped in the middle of the road. "So I guess this is goodbye?"

"For now, yeah," Hikari smiled, "I'm glad I managed to help you overcome your fear of fighting monsters."

"You've pretty much saved me," Sierra nodded slightly, showing respect to her teacher, "It's not like the fear is completely gone, but I wouldn't have made it nearly as far without your help."

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Hikari smiled, bowing.

"Yeah. Take care, Hikari," Sierra bowed back.

At once, the two women took a step in the same direction. For a moment, they both paused, looking at each other in confusion. Finally a grin stretched across Sierra's face and Hikari felt a certain light giddiness run through here. Hikari spoke, almost laughing the words.

"We're going to the same inn."

The rest of the night was pleasant enough. Hikari chatted with Sierra for a long while at the same inn where they met, both of them talking about nothing in particular. Sierra marveled continuously about how she was able to stay the night at an inn two nights in a row. It was a simple thing, but Hikari could tell it meant the world to the former non-player. Neither players were particularly open about their pasts, but neither particularly cared to know.

They bathed at the same time again, chatting amicably the entire time. Sierra held no concerns this time about getting naked to wash and Hikari was glad to watch – discretely, of course. A couple of times she thought Sierra was checking her out, but she chalked it up to her imagination. When the bath was over, they retreated to their respective rooms, finally saying their goodbyes properly in case they didn't see each other in the morning.

When Hikari finally collapsed that night onto the not-so-soft but incredibly cheap bed of the inn, it felt like a day well spent.

One of the few.

Morning came with more of the same misery. Hikari swore at her alarm, shutting it off with another curse and turning around in her sheets. Another hour passed before she finally deigned to get up. When she ate her complimentary breakfast, Sierra was absent. Hikari felt more than a subtle twinge of regret at that, but packed up and left anyway.

The grass lining the morning road was wet with dew. The packed-dirt pathway stretched over rolling hills and into the nearby forest. The «Meandering Forest», it was called. Although it was still a mile distant, Hikari could see the tall, dark trees jutting out severely from among the hills. Beyond that would be «Tolbana». Further still would be the «Military Encampment» where the NPC «Princess Asteria» lay waiting for Hikari to finish her quest.

It was a simple mission – run all the way back to «Starting City» and deliver a map to one of the NPC commanders of «Black Iron Palace». The problem was that all of Hikari's quests were on the other side of the «Meandering Forest». She was pretty much done with the beginner's side, or so the other players called it. Rumor had it that there were other similar quests that came later that would make her backtrack again.

Even so, the unexpected and inconvenient side-tracking quest caused her to meet Sierra. As annoying as traveling all the way back to «Starting City» was, at least she made a friend. Hikari looked over her friend's list. Archaeus and Sierra. The only two so far. She turned her head back to the clear blue sky; there wasn't a cloud in sight.

Who would she meet next?

The sun was already overhead when she reached the entrance to the forest. A man stood around the entrance, pacing back and forth and waving his arms. He was tall and college-aged with red hair. He waved at her as she approached. Hikari paused for a moment. A highwayman?

"Hail traveler!" He called out.

"Uh, hello," Hikari stopped in front of the young man. He was armored in «Light Metal Armor» which was obviously designed to resemble traditional samurai armor. A scimitar hung at his belt.

"I've got a question," The young man began, "You familiar with the «Meandering Forest»?"

"I suppose so," Hikari said, shifting from one foot to the other, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, my buddies and I generally cross this forest through the «Horunka» side, but we're in a rush to «Tolbana» to get to a meeting. We got lost and got attacked by a bunch of these plant-monster things."

"Ah, the «Little Nepenths»," Hikari nodded, "I fought a bunch of those for a quest in «Horunka», but I gave up since the drop rate for the quest item was stupidly low."

"Oh, you gave up too?" Klein chuckled, "I wound up falling off a cliff. I made my way around back to the entrance, but I can't contact my friends through private messaging since the forest is registered as a dungeon. Could you help me get to the other side? I'm sure they'll wind up there eventually."

Hikari shrugged, saying, "I suppose so. It's safer to travel in groups. Add me to your party."

"Thank you, thank you," The man bowed profusely, "My name is Klein. I'm the tentative leader of a group of friends. And you?"

"Hikari. I'm a soloer," She said as she accepted the party invitation. A little notification appeared on her menu and Klein's health bar appeared at the top left of her vision. The two started walking side-by-side into the forest, the trees towering over them as they entered.

The «Meandering Forest» was filled with enormous flora, but the underbrush was packed full with plant life as well. Massive flowering plants, bushes and vines snaked along the ground. Moss covered everything, from the packed-dirt road to the trees to any wayward signpost that they passed. Birds chirped overhead, singing sad and vibrant songs all at once. They were joined by more exotic sounds of the forest; insects, small mammals and other mysterious creatures all adding to the cacophony of noise.

Further in, Hikari knew they would begin to find ancient stone ruins. The mossy outcroppings of the ancient ages were overgrown with vegetation, but rumor had it there was a mysterious dungeon hidden amongst the largest of the ruins. Hikari herself had found a treasure chest once. It had been nestled between two giant pillars and covered in vines and plants to the point that it was invisible from the road.

"So are you based out of «Starting City»?" Klein asked. He walked with a relaxed gait, giving Hikari the impression he must have been a slacker in real life. Everything about him screamed 'young, lazy college student.' At least, before everything fell apart.

"No, I've spent the last week questing in «Tolbana». I only went back to «Starting City» to do a delivery quest for the Princess."

"Which one?" Klein laughed, a deep and friendly sound, "I had to backtrack about a week ago with my friends for that. Huge pain, but that's what advances the main quest for this floor. Apparently there are more quests like that later on."

As they began to head into the forest, Hikari felt the game hesitate momentarily, loading the new area. Dungeons like the «Meandering Forest» were often bigger on the inside to preserve world space, meaning they were loaded into an entirely separate cell. The edges of the forest lined up perfectly with the outside barrier to preserve the realism of being able to enter the forest at any point, but the interior was likely several times larger than what it appeared to be outside.

"Has anyone beaten the main quest for this floor?" Hikari wondered aloud, "I honestly can't tell how far I am into it, but I'm pretty sure the boss is gonna be this Illfang monster that all the NPCs are freaked out about."

"«Illfang the Kobold Lord», yeah," Klein put a finger against his lip, "I wonder if anyone's found the dungeon yet. Finishing the main quest is supposed to give you a hint where the dungeon is, but that might just be a rumor."

"I heard a lot of people gave up trying to look," Hikari let out an exasperated sigh, "100 floors and it takes us a month to clear the first? That's," She paused, thinking, "Well, assuming that we clear each floor in exactly one month every time, that works out to be eight years and four months."

"Oh my god," Klein stopped, staring at her, "I'll be over 30 by the time I get out."

"Imagine what it's like for the kids," Hikari shook her head, "There's no way for a NerveGear to tell if someone is a child or just short, so technically anyone of any age could be in the game. I know I saw more than a few children in the courtyard after the «Hand Mirror» changed our appearances to real life."

"It's bad enough for us," Klein grimaced as he spoke, "But yeah, a kid trapped here too? That Kayaba was a freak."

The sun was overhead by the time they reached the first batch of mossy ruins. Tall monoliths stretched up into the trees, collapsed onto each other. Worn-down statues with vines growing out of carved noses and ears stared at them both. Monuments to the gods or simply decoration, they would never be able to tell the difference.

They walked for a long time among the ruins, chatting to pass the time. Klein seemed afraid of silence; if Hikari stopped talking, he would soon say something else. The air was pleasantly cool. The further they got north, the colder the temperature got. The «Military Encampment» itself was snowed on occasionally, but not too often. Here in the forest amidst the bright sunlight and cool shade of the tall trees, the temperature was just perfect.

A nice, relaxing walk.

"Wait, Hikari," Klein held out an arm, holding her back, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

All at once, the bushes exploded into life around them. Short creatures with dog-like faces and dull orange fur surrounded them. There were at least five, each carrying crude axes or spears and wearing mean, stupid expressions. Their underbellies were off-white with swirling black tattoos that continued onto stumpy arms and legs. A few wore mismatched and incomplete sets of armor – a helmet here, a single pauldron there. Hikari drew her bow, scowling as she spoke.

"Kobolds," She nocked an arrow, pointing it at the nearest one as Klein drew his scimitar.

"Hikari, your weapons?" He asked.

"Greataxe and bow. Yours?"

"Spear and scimitar."

The loose circle around them tightened as the kobolds jeered and barked and threatened them with their barbarically designed weapons. They were among the more dangerous mobs of the floor, having no cool-down time to attack and a tendency to strike in group ambushes. Hikari swore. She should have seen this coming.

"I thought monsters generally stayed off the main roads!" Klein called out. A kobold charged him, its stone axe meeting his scimitar.

"Key word is generally!" Hikari loosed an arrow into one of the kobold's eyes. The monster reared back, clutching a bloody eye-socket and screaming as it tore at the wound. A second arrow caught its throat and the kobold fell silent as it thrashed about on the ground. It would be dead soon.

The monsters charged in, bringing them too close for her to use her bow. Hikari ducked under a swing from a stone sword and slammed the length of her bow against the attacking kobold's face. It cracked weightily against the creature's skull and the thing fell back a few steps. Hikari opened her menu quickly, activating the hotkey that equipped her greataxe and holding it in front of her. The entire motion took two seconds; Hikari felt a grim sense of pride knowing she could switch weapons that easily in combat.

"Behind you!"

Hikari ducked to the side. Klein's scimitar tore through a kobold that was about to bring its sword down on the young woman. She nodded her thanks before spinning, her greataxe catching a kobold's blade. The weight of her strike knocked the creature back a step and Hikari wasted no time. She stepped in, slamming the blade of her axe down onto its chest. The kobold's ribcage collapsed and the creature fell to the ground.

Three down. Two to go.

Hikari and Klein stood back to back, his scimitar in his hand and Hikari's greataxe in hers. The monsters paced around, their expressions duly terrified. Hikari grinned, kicking off and slamming her axe down on the monster. Klein did the same behind her. Hikari shouldered into the parry, forcing the kobold back a step. A quick sideswipe and the kobold jumped away from her again. The thing was faster than the other ones she'd fought.

"Damn it," Hikari swore as she slammed her greataxe into the dirt, missing the kobold again.

The orange thing snickered at her, stabbing at her just as Hikari lifted her axe from the dirt. Caught off balance, the blade bit deep into her stomach. Her health dropped drastically, falling into the yellow. Another strike like that…

Hikari swung her axe around, forcing the kobold back. She stepped away from the thing, circling around it. Just as she prepared to step off and attack, her foot slid around a rock. Hikari twisted awkwardly, losing her balance and stumbling to her knees. The kobold's eyes widened, drool running down its mouth as it saw its chance.

The thing raised its sword, preparing the finished blow. Hikari raised her greataxe but she knew she didn't have the time to defend herself. In just a moment, the thing would swing its blade down and kill her.

But the killing blow never came. A scimitar stuck through the creature's chest, puncturing its heart. Hikari gasped as blood spurted from the mortal would. The kobold fell to its knees, the sword slipping uselessly from its hand. Klein stood behind it, a wide grin stretching across his face as he offered a hand to Hikari. She took it gratefully.

"Tough fight, eh?" Klein said, sheathing his scimitar.

"Thank you," Hikari bowed towards him, "You saved my life."

"Oh, uh, well," Klein rubbed the back of his head, "Don't worry about it. I was just doing my duty, you know?"

Hikari brushed herself down, patting the leather armor she was wearing to get the dust off it as she unequipped her greataxe and slung her bow around her shoulder. She ran her hands through her hair, tying the curly waves into a ponytail and sighing.

"That's a bit of excitement in my life I can do without," Hikari smiled at Klein, her heart still racing with adrenaline.

"Agreed."

It wasn't much longer until the edge of the forest. When they finally broke through the tree cover, the deep valley of the northern section of Floor 1 opened up before them. Bright, vibrant greens and yellows stretched out before them. Nestled in the valley below was «Tolbana» and Hikari could see off in the distance the snow-white lands that held the «Military Encampment». Her only obstacle to completing her quest now were fields of flowers and cheerful meadows.

"And now I know the way through," Klein breathed in deep, evidently enjoying the clear air.

"What about your friends?" Hikari asked, her brow creasing with worry.

"I'll have to go back in to find them," Klein checked his menu, "They must still be inside the forest if I hadn't heard from them. No messages."

"Be careful," Hikari called as Klein stepped back towards the forest, "Let me know what happens so that I know you're safe!"

"I will!"

A message showed up on Hikari's screen: a friend invite from Klein. She accepted it with a smile. And like that, Klein was gone. Hikari turned back to the valley in front of her, the great expanse that beckoned her onwards. There was more than a small amount of worry for Klein's safety nestling within her, but the man was capable even if his appearance didn't suggest it. He'd find his friends. She stepped forward towards «Tolbana».

And now the last leg of her journey.

Sierra – Floor 1 – December 5, 2022 – 15:23

Her blade bit cleanly through the torso of the «Kobold Grunt». The pathetic thing let out a final squeal before collapsing, dead. Sierra panted as the relief flooded her. It had been a close fight, but she'd pulled through.

«Level up!»

The notification popped up in front of her, signaling that she'd made it to level 3. She stood at the edge of the «Meandering Forest» amidst the mossy and ruined remains of an ancient civilization that never was. In front of her, the wide expanse of the «Tolbana Valley» stretched out in front of her.

"Woohoo! We did it!" Yuuki jumped up next to Sierra, slamming her hand down on Sierra's back several times. Sierra coughed as she took the blow.

"It was a tough fight," Sierra replied, smiling at the younger girl, "But we're finally through the forest."

"We didn't find any purple dye, though," Yuuki pouted, "I really wanted to dye my hair."

"Perhaps there isn't any purple dye?" The man with the glasses, Sierra's other temporary companion, spoke up, "We may have to find you red and blue dye instead and mix the two."

"That's lame," Yuuki said, but instantly cheered up as she looked down at the valley. She grabbed Sierra's arm, pointing at the town nestled in the valley. "There's «Tolbana»! Man, it's gonna be great to see Jun and Taruken the rest again. You'd think they'd be willing to help a girl out in finishing a stupid delivery quest."

"The princess's quests have gathered quite the reputation," Sierra mused. Her two temporary companions sheathed their weapons. The kobolds had ambushed them shortly before the exit to the «Meandering Forest». It had been a tough fight, but both of Sierra's companions were very talented fighters and they pulled through.

"I wonder how the boss strategy meeting went," Yuuki pondered, "I think they had found the dungeon a little while before we went back to «Starting City». It was guarded by some boss or something."

"Why didn't you participate, Yuuki?" Sierra asked as the three began to walk down the dirt path into «Tolbana», "You're level 7, aren't you? You'd be able to help them out a lot."

«Tolbana» was still a mile distant, but already Sierra could see the distant outlines of people crowded in the town center. It was the second largest town on the floor next to «Starting City» and had an impressive number of buildings. «Horunka» didn't even come close in size and the rest of the first floor's towns were equally small.

"The «Sleeping Knights» come first," Yuuki grinned, "Beating the floor boss is all good and all, but the well-being of my friends is what matters most. Besides, I'm sure the players at the strategy meeting are all talented enough to handle it on their own. I think Ran might be going to it."

Talented fighters? Sierra mused over the thought. It had been several days since she'd parted ways with Hikari. It had felt so sudden; the woman simply showed up in her life, changed and fixed everything, and then left just as fast. With her help, Sierra had gone from a worthless non-player to an independent participant in the game.

"Eh?" The sound of Yuuki's amused voice drew Sierra's attention away from her thoughts, "Sierra, you look like you're in love. Who were you thinking about?"

"N-N-Nobody!" Sierra blushed, feeling the heat on her face as she turned bright red, "I d-don't know what you're talking about."

"You're so obvious," Yuuki grinned, elbowing Sierra in the side, "Out with it!"

"It wasn't love or anything like that," Sierra mumbled, looking away before adding, louder, "I was thinking about the girl who got me out of being a non-player. She helped me kill my first «Frenzy Boar» and finish my first real quest. She pretty much saved me."

"Oho, so you're into chicks?" Yuuki grinned. The guy in the glasses smirked at Yuuki's teasing.

"I never said-" Sierra paused, sighing, "Yeah, I am."

Her two companions froze up, dumfounded. Yuuki's jaw was practically on the floor and the guy in the glasses had stopped completely in his tracks. Sierra looked back at them, one eyebrow raised while her two companions reeled from the shock.

"Wait, really?" Yuuki burst into life first, a hint of redness on her cheeks as she said, "I had no idea! But that leaves a very important question that I just have to ask. How attractive am I? I need a non-straight opinion."

Sierra laughed. "You're very cute, Yuuki."

"Thank god," Yuuki wiped her brow.

The rest of the walk into «Tolbana» was peaceful, the sun lazily shining down on them. Fields of multi-colored flowers swayed in the breeze. Somewhere off to Sierra's right, in a farmer's pasture, someone was fighting a handful of giant rats. She recognized the quest: «A Farmer's Dilemma». The young man cut left, slashing one of the rats cleanly across the side. Its entrails spilled out onto the farmland as it thrashed and died. The man moved on to the next one.

Thankfully, on this particular stretch of road there were no regular monster spawns and thus no chance of ambush. The kobolds were limited to the forest and the northern areas of the floor closer to where «Illfang the Kobold Lord» hid.

Sierra listened as Yuuki chattered, the young woman's light-hearted voice flitting into the air. Her two scimitars clanked with every step. The more powerful one, her «Steel Scimitar», was her primary weapon. The other, her «Beginner's Scimitar», was a backup in case her dominant weapon broke or if she lost her grip on her main weapon. It was yet another tip she'd picked up over the last couple of days.

About a leisurely half hour later, the gates to «Tolbana» stood ajar before them. The walls were thick and made of carved gray stone. Guards in uniform patrolled the top portion, their red capes flapping in the breeze over chainmail and white cloth over-shirts.

Yuuki bobbed up and down with every step, racing through the gate and calling back at her other two companions. Sierra smiled and followed. Behind the gates stood a quaint town. Vines grew along the walls of white buildings, around wrought-iron windows and stained glass. A small church sprung up in the central courtyard, tall enough to be visible from here.

"Ne, Sierra, why don't you come with us to the «Military Encampment»?" Yuuki stopped in front of her, grabbing Sierra's hand, "Do you have to make a stop here?"

"I'm afraid so," Sierra smiled at the younger girl, who pouted up at her, "It was fun traveling with you, though. I'm glad we ran into each other."

"Yeah!" Yuuki grinned. She fiddled with her menu, sending Sierra a friend invite. She accepted graciously.

They said their goodbyes quickly. Yuuki pouted the entire time but eventually her companion dragged the young girl off. Sierra waved until they were gone.

Yuuki, the girl whose smile was like the sun. Sierra wondered if she'd ever see the cheerful one again. The rest of her friends were all waiting eagerly for her return back at the «Military Encampment». Although that was Sierra's ultimate destination, she had a few stops to make first.

Sierra turned down the first side alley closest to the guardhouse, making a right into the wide streets between houses. The alleys here weren't anything like the ones in Starting City. Instead of being filled with non-players laying around, passing their days with empty stares and furtive glances, the alleys here were clear and bright. Potted plants sat in open windowsills. The scent of baked goods drifted through the air.

Maybe she'd stop by the bakery before heading out to the encampment?

Her first destination was a small shack nestled near the corner where the city walls met the valley edge. The building was squat and small, a quaint red chimney spewing out smoke into the air. A couple of players sat around talking, each one armed and armored.

The «Monster Hunter Association» held an interestingly sub-prime location. Inside, the low-hanging wall was almost too short for most people to stand properly. A short-statured NPC manned the counter, his brows almost too heavy for Sierra to see his eyes. A thick handlebar mustache and full beard obscured the bottom half of his face.

"Whaddya want?" The gruff man spat as Sierra entered. The room inside was too small to hold many other players, so most waited outside for their quest timers to run out.

"I've got my dailies for ya, Bogart," Sierra grinned, slamming her hands on the table and leaning in close, "Fifty «Frenzy Boar Leathers» and fifty «Frenzy Boar Tusks» just for you, sweetheart. Oh, and I got my «Kobold Grunt» quest done finally, so fifty «Kobold Fangs» as well."

The gruff NPC stared at her – or, at least she thought he did, as it was difficult to tell – before grinning wide and opening his arms up. His smile was toothy and irregular, with several golden teeth stuck in amongst the gaps.

"'bout durned time, girl!" A quest menu appeared in front of Sierra, asking if she wanted to turn in the items. She click yes quickly and the items vanished from her inventory, "I've been tellin' the rest-a-these guys all day that they need more dedication just like you!" The short man was gesturing outside at the players milling about, "Durned near nobody bringin' me «Frenzy Boar Leathers» anymore! So what if they're across the forest! You deserve a bonus."

Another menu opened up in front of Sierra, congratulating her on finishing the three quests and showing her rewards. 200 Col for each quest and a couple of useful stones she could grind up to use in «Alchemy». She wasn't particularly good at the art of potion-making yet, but she was getting there.

"Thanks Bogart," Sierra grinned, "I'll be back tomorrow for more quests."

"Durned well better be!"

Outside, a couple of players were getting up, their quest timers finally out. Sierra nodded at them as they passed by. They looked tough, so they'd probably be going for the «Kobold Grunt» repeatable quest or maybe the «Kobold Sentinel» quest. Sierra shivered. The last time she fought a «Kobold Sentinel» had been a nightmare.

She stopped by the bakery, ordering two scones for the road. As she waited, she watched as people passed along the road outside. A young girl and guy were holding hands, talking pleasantly. It was a rare sight to see two people in a relationship in the game, but perhaps it would become more common overtime. Would Yuuki get a boyfriend at some point? Would Hikari?

Sierra waved the thoughts away as the baker handed her the two scones. The NPC smiled politely and bowed as Sierra took her leave. It was still a shock to think about, but it had only been four days since she'd really started playing. Four days of grinding and questing and leveling. Four days of fighting.

She took a quick look at her inventory. 2496 Col. It still surprised her to see so much.

She'd almost died at least three times now. Once against the «Mother of All Pigs», once against the lone «Kobold Sentinel» she'd found outside the «Military Encampment» and once when fighting with Yuuki in the forest against the kobold ambush. After the third time it almost felt like a state of being. Living on the edge had been a laughable and dangerous idea before. Now it was simply her life.

It had only been four days.

The menu stated the time was 16:43, which gave her just enough time to turn in one last quest before heading to the «Military Encampment» to turn in «Princess Astoria's» delivery. Rounding a corner near the town center – and taking a brief moment to admire the central fountain, of course – Sierra arrived at a rather fanciful and quite large private residence. She knocked heavily on the door and a butler greeted her, bowing deeply.

"I have Mr. Parsch's, uh," Sierra paused, grimacing, "Ointment."

The butler's eyes went wide and he bowed again, this time even deeper. He ushered her inside to a marble tile waiting room. Paintings hung on the walls – not particularly good paintings, but paintings nonetheless. The butler hurried off.

The waiting room had wowed her the first time she'd entered several days earlier. Now it seemed overtly gaudy and excessive. Mr. Parsch was Tolbana's resident egomaniac; his quests had much more to do with his vanity than anything else. Prior to obtaining a set of anti-rash ointment from an apothecary in «Starting City», she had been entrusted to delving into an ancient mossy ruin in the middle of the «Meandering Forest» to find a rare snake. Sierra proceeded to kill this ancient and mystical snake to supply Mr. Parsch with a new set of top-end snake-skin slippers.

But whatever. He paid well.

"Ah, Sierra! Thank the gods you're here," Mr. Parsch entered the waiting chamber with a flourish, his arms outstretched into the air. He was dressed in a loose cotton bathrobe and numerous rings adorned his fingers.

"Mr. Parsch!" Sierra smiled a fake smile. The man was repulsive even if he was an NPC.

"So you've reconsidered my offer, have you?" Mr. Parsch grinned, taking Sierra's hands in his own, "As one of my concubines, you'll be paid marvelously. You'll have a private-"

"No, no," Sierra pulled her hands away, "I'm here with your ointment."

"Ah, that," The man went pale, extending a hand carefully, "Uh, well, give it here, then."

Sierra grinned as she handed it over, saying, "You may wish to end your midnight escapades with the mayor's wife, considering that's what caused all this. If he finds out about you two an embarrassing rash is going to be the last of your worries."

"That's quite enough, thank you!" Mr. Parsch grabbed the ointment, ushering her towards the door, "Mr. Edwards, please be sure that Miss Sierra is paid for her services. I must be off."

And just like that, the very small and very embarrassed rich man disappeared.

Soon enough, Sierra found herself standing outside again, breathing in the afternoon air of «Tolbana» two hundred Col richer. She almost had enough for a top-end scimitar now. Or maybe she should pick a secondary weapon like how Hikari had a bow?

Her quests now complete, Sierra made her way towards the center of town again. Yuuki and her companion already had nearly an hour head start, so catching up with them would be impossible. Sierra shrugged. Oh well. The empty road was pleasant enough.

In the central courtyard, players chattered and talked and exchanged information. She thought she saw a blonde in a brown cape trying to wring some information out of another player but she was so far unsuccessful at it. Birds chirped in the air. Crickets buzzed their lonely yet lively songs. There were even dogs barking somewhere distant, though she'd yet to find any dogs in the game itself. Everything was cool and quiet, as if the chaos and heartbreak of «Starting City» was remote. In a way, Sierra felt as if those dreary days were all a distant memory. A half-forgotten falsehood.

And so Sierra kicked up her feet, turned herself in the direction of the «Military Encampment», and was off. Another adventure awaited her ahead. It was just down the road.

Hikari – Floor 1 – December 5, 2022 – 17:53

Snow drifted lightly over the «Military Encampment». Rows and rows of white tents set up atop a small plateaued hill, the sides of it fortified with sharpened logs and makeshift dirt walls. NPC soldiers patrolled regularly and there were many players here interspersed among them. The best of the original ten thousand, or so she'd often hear it told. Everyone here had seen combat. Hikari walked among the rows of tents, absently looking about for the Princess's tent.

"Oh!" Hikari turned towards a familiar young man. Klein's back was turned to her and he was walking between a few rows of tents towards the «Military Encampment's» center. "Kl-"

She stopped, noticing the girl walking next to him. She had long brown hair and was turned halfway towards him, a wide smile on her face. There was a hint of a blush on her cheeks, a dash of redness that told Hikari everything she needed to know. Klein was smiling, rubbing the back of his head nervously as the two talked.

"Nah, Yuuki that was just a Sentinel!" He laughed, "Not really much to it!"

"But you were amazing!" Yuuki replied, grabbing his hands with excitement, "Most of my friends have trouble killing those things!"

"Really, it's nothing," Klein's face was quickly turning red, his hand wrapped up in Yuuki's.

"I'll leave you two alone," Hikari said, giggling to herself.

Hikari kept walking, keeping an eye out for her goal. When she finally arrived, the impressive size of «Princess Asteria's» tent wowed her – and not for the first time. It was easily the size of a building. Guards patrolled the exterior and two were posted at the front with spears at the ready. Hikari strode out confidently, the reply from the «Starting City» garrison in hand. Considering this was the third delivery she'd had to make between the «Military Encampment» and «Starting City», she felt more than comfortable approaching the foreboding central command.

"Message for «Princess Asteria»," Hikari said, holding out the letter. One of the guards squinted, examining the image.

"This way, madam," The guard opened the tent flap, ushering her inside.

Within, the tent was splendid. Grand curtains fluttering down from above were complemented by bright colors and vibrant gold thread. Vases of rare flowers shone in ostentatious vases. «Princess Asteria», the «Moonlit Sword», reclined in a plush chair at the opposite end of the tent, kicking her feet into the air as several strapping and handsome young men massaged her. One was at her back, the other two rubbing her errant feet.

The Princess, Jewel of the People and Leader of the Armed Forces, was easily over four hundred pounds. Hikari doubted whether the woman could move at all, let alone lead an army. Hikari cringed in disgust. The fat princess looked over at her, flapping her balloon-like hands excitedly.

"Oh look! A messenger! A messenger!" Thick sausage-fingers waved at Hikari, beckoning her forward, "Back from Commander Garlocke with the reply?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Hikari kneeled, handing the message to one of the servants, who carried it regally over to the more-than plump princess.

"Read it to me, Salvius," The princess moaned the words out as one of the shirtless men rubbed her shoulders, their considerably well-muscled frames in sharp juxtaposition to the princess's round figure.

"Yes, your Highness!" The man Hikari had handed the letter off to saluted smartly, his right hand slamming into his forehead, "'To the Most Beautiful Princess Astoria, Light of the Kingdom and Jewel of the People, bearer of the Moonlit Sword, Commander of All the Land's Armies, Successor to Xeronas the Savior of Starting City, it is with pleasure that-"

"Princess!" A man slid open the tent flap quickly, panting heavily. It was a soldier, still outfitted in his uniform, "Urgent news from the front-lines! «Illfang the Kobold Lord» has been slain in combat! I teleported in just after the fight ended. The gates to the Above are opening!"

A ringing sounded in Hikari's menu as it opened in front of her. Bold words appeared in front of her screen, shining black in contrast to a stark white surrounding. Hikari felt her heart stop, her eyes barely registering the notification in front of her.

FLOOR ONE CLEARED

Hikari rushed outside, the fat princess and the military letter forgotten; the menu had indicated the main quest for the floor was completed anyway, so she no longer had a quest to complete. Among the military tents, players stood about staring at their menus. Some held their mouths agape. Others stared expressionless. All were silent.

But only for a moment.

When the dam broke, it broke fast. It started with a few players lifting their arms and shouting into the air. It escalated quickly, with people jumping about, slapping each other on the back. Fireworks were already being set off, even though it was barely sundown yet. Shouts and screaming, guards running everywhere. Astoria was screeching something but Hikari didn't care to hear her.

Hikari herself couldn't resist but to join in.

She found herself running among the gray tents, arms fully extended in the air and singing some half-remembered song from her youth. Floor one was cleared, floor one was cleared, floor one-

Hikari slammed into someone, knocking both them and herself off their feet. She slammed into the ground on her behind, unsure what happened. Her thoughts racing back into reality, she shook her head as she examined the person she ran into.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't lo-" The girl paused as Hikari locked eyes with her, the recognition setting in, "Hikari?"

"Sierra?"

The former non-player stood before her, outfitted in a separate set of leather armor than she'd had when they parted ways. Two scimitars hung at her belt and each seemed well-worn from use. Sierra's hair was dark with dirt, but nothing that seemed more than a day of farming would cause. Sierra stood quickly, helping Hikari to her feet.

"Hey! I didn't think we were going to meet up for a while!" Sierra grinned at her. Outside the alleyway, several players ran past screaming and cheering.

"Yeah, I didn't think so either," Hikari beamed, "You've taken well to the life of a player, it seems. I'm glad."

"It's dangerous," Sierra shrugged, "But so far it's been a lot better than being a non-player."

"Hey, uh," Hikari found herself blushing, stricken by the surprise of the moment, "You want to grab a drink? There's a place nearby we can go."

"Oh, uh, sure!"

"Good," Hikari beamed, "I know a place nearby."

The «Taphouse» was less of a house and more a collection of worn rags. It was a big tent with a wide entrance that covered several small tables and stools. The wooden furniture was dark and looked rotten, though Hikari wasn't really sure if they could break or not. The bar itself was manned by a tall, skinny NPC whose stern expression looked as if it could bore holes into steel. Several players lounged about, already drinking, though it seemed Sierra and Hikari had beat the rush.

"Heyo Sergio," Hikari grinned, sitting at the bar. Sierra joined her at her side, "Eventful day, huh?"

"Ay," Sergio mumbled, cleaning a glass, "«Illfang the Kobold Lord» is dead and our beautiful kingdom is saved. What'll it be?"

"Two pints, please," Hikari smiled as she ordered. Sergio nodded and walked off. Next to her, Sierra flinched heavily, turning to Hikari with an uncertain look on her face.

"Ne, Hikari," Sierra looked about the room quickly, "I'm not 20 for another year. I can't drink."

"Oh relax," Hikari waved her hand, "The NPCs in this game would sell alcohol to a 12-year-old. They don't care about age. Why would they, considering we're trapped in here against our will?"

"Ah," Sierra piped up again, "But this isn't real alcohol, is it? I mean, we're just lying down in hospitals. We're not actually drinking."

"It's all simulated. From my understanding, Kayaba Akihiko researched the neural map of a brain when a person is intoxicated and created sensory impulses in the game to replicate that effect. The result," Hikari nodded her thanks as Sergio returned with their drinks, "Is a pseudo-drunkenness that you get from drinking in-game. It's not quite the same thing; notably, you can't get absolutely smashed and it tops off at a point. Neither will you get alcohol poisoning and have to throw up."

"Huh," Sierra nursed her drink, sipping it uncertainly, "Are there any other substances in the game?"

"Tobacco is here, I know for certain," Hikari smirked, "That one was easy to implement, apparently. There are rumors of harder drugs, but so far I haven't seen any proof."

Behind them, several players barreled into the «Taphouse», ready and raring to get started drinking to celebrate the floor being cleared. They were loud, shouting and hollering jovially. From the fact that they were fully armored, they looked to be a cancelled hunting party.

"Hey, Pollux," One of the others nudged one of the bigger men in the group, "Why don't we head up to check out Floor 2 now that it's open?"

"Nah, Jacob," The big man, Pollux, shook his head, "We'd have to head back to «Starting City» to use the teleporter or cross the dungeon. Either way, it's a hassle. We're better off partying for now and heading up later."

"Excuse me, ladies," Another big man, who looked identical to Pollux except for differently colored hair, squeezed past Hikari and leaned over the counter, "Four pints, please."

Sergio nodded and the man retreated to his table. Sierra took a short sip of her beer, while Hikari downed a long gulp. She wiped away the foam on her upper lip, suddenly feeling a bit off.

"You know, Sierra, I wasn't sure what to expect," Hikari admitted, "I didn't know whether you'd keep at it or not. I was worried you'd just sell the equipment I gave you and go back to your life as a non-player. But now I can rest easy."

"I considered giving up," Hikari looked over at Sierra, "I almost did it, too. I had a large amount of money from the farmer's quest. I had weapons and armor I could sell. I'd be lying if I thought that it would be easier to just sell it all and blow my money on a few days of blissful life living in an inn."

"What stopped you?"

"After we parted ways, I was walking towards the «Black Iron Palace», debating whether I should go out hunting «Frenzy Boars» or just give up entirely now that I didn't have you to support me. I saw the line of people in front of the most popular daily quest NPC. It was backed up around the corner and several people were fighting near the front," Sierra laughed, though it felt empty, "Apparently someone tried to initiate the long-winded explanation of the war and a couple other non-players got pissed and beat him up. There were even NPC guards coming in to break up the fight and everything.

"I guess that I realized I used to be a part of that rabble. I would have been pushed aside while someone else leapt into the fray to beat the crap out of somebody. And maybe I would have wound up in one of those alleyways, begging for money or selling myself for just a little bit of food. I realized I didn't want to go back. So I swallowed my fear and went out hunting instead."

Hikari was silent for a long while. There were glimmers of wetness at the edge of Sierra's vision, but the young woman wiped them away quickly. Hikari felt her heart hurt, not only at Sierra's story, but also from a memory a month distant. A memory that Sierra had called to her.

"Can I tell you a story, Sierra?" Hikari turned towards the bar, suddenly feeling very odd. In the corner of her vision, she saw Sierra nod. She continued, "In the early days of the game, I was just like you. I spent the first night just wandering about, unsure what to do. I thought that maybe the police would find Kayaba and bring him to justice and we'd all be let out. I thought it was just a lie and that at any point I'd just wake up and find out it was all a dream, or a joke, or something.

"It was the morning of the second day when I met Archaeus. I had been crying in the door of some bakery somewhere in «Starting City». I hadn't left the city since the announcement. He asked me for my name and whether I needed any help. I said I was fine, but I'm pretty sure my red face told him otherwise. He was outfitted in some of the «Beginner's Plate Armor» with a tall tower shield and a long spear. Even with his dorky nose and acne, he looked… invincible.

"He wanted to take me out hunting to get me used to the game, much the same way I did to you, Sierra. I agreed and we fought some «Frenzy Boars». He even showed me how to complete the «Pignapped!» quest, which is when I found out he was a beta tester. Instead of leaving me, we stuck together for the rest of that day and the day after.

"I found out a lot about him in those early few days. He was in college, studying to be an architect, though his grades weren't the greatest. He lived alone in a private apartment and was in-between jobs. No friends, apparently, but he said that was fine since his online life was vibrant and sociable. Even trapped in the game, he felt as if everything would be okay. He gave me hope.

"On the third day, he started feeling strange. He was constantly drinking water, but he said he constantly felt parched now. After a long hunt, he collapsed in the field and I had to drag him back to the city. I spent the rest of the day nursing him in the inn, but all he would do was moan and sleep, complaining he needed water when he was awake. I didn't know what was going on.

"It was the end of the fourth day when it happened. I lay a cool compress on his forehead to try and keep him comfortable and was leaning him forward, trying to get him to drink some water. He looked fine, physically. His avatar did, at least. Just as I was about to drip some water down his throat, he mumbled something and went still. I tried shaking him, thinking he fell asleep, but he wouldn't wake up. A moment later, his body disappeared, a «Connection Lost» notice showing up."

Hikari hadn't realized it, but she was openly weeping now. The memory, though a month distant, was fresh and stark in her mind. She still saw his half-open mouth while lying on the bed unmoving. Even more, she saw the shocked expression on his face at the end of the second day, when Hikari had worked up the nerve to kiss him. She remembered his nervous laugh, but then the uncertain but determined way he kissed her back.

"It took me a long time to figure out what happened," Hikari continued, "Ten thousand players were trapped in this game. It only makes sense that a couple were forgotten by the authorities. Those with no families, no friends, especially. The police were bound to lose just a few. Not everyone could be brought to a hospital in time. Perhaps he was a name accidentally crossed off a list or maybe they just weren't fast enough.

"He died of thirst."

Hikari buried her head in her hands, sobbing quietly into them. All around her, more people were filing in to the «Taphouse» to celebrate the victory over «Illfang». Only Sierra had noticed she was crying, her body shaking.

"I didn't even know his real name."

For a short moment, Hikari felt foolish. Here she was, crying in front of a woman she barely knew, a woman who had undoubtedly faced hardship worse than she had. But then Sierra slipped from her bar stool, gently pulling Hikari into standing up.

The taller woman wrapped Hikari in an embrace, holding her tight as Hikari cried into Sierra's shoulder. The two women were largely ignored by the boisterous and inebriated crowd of the bar, though Hikari knew that wouldn't last long. After a moment, Hikari broke away from Sierra, wiping her eyes.

"Sorry," Hikari mumbled, "I didn't mean to get like that."

"It's okay," Sierra looked around the bar, "Why don't we take a walk instead?"

Hikari nodded and Sierra led her outside, holding her hand tight. Players were still partying in the streets, though most had retreated to find places to sit down and drink or chat or otherwise celebrate. Sierra had laced her fingers through Hikari's, walking with her side-by-side along the lines of tents.

"I really didn't mean to cry," Hikari cringed, staring at the ground, "I just-"

"Take a look at this," Sierra said, smiling.

They had stopped along one of the entrenchments at the edge of the «Military Encampment». It was one of the raised platforms where someone could look out over the lines of sharpened trunks and trenches. Hikari felt her breath catch.

All of the first floor stretched out below her. In the valley below, she could see one road as it led down towards «Tolbana». Brilliant white snow gave way to fields of flowers and wheat. Further down, the fields starkly contrasted the beginnings of the «Meandering Forest», which looked more like a thin band of trees from here. To her right, the trees thickened and the small town of «Horunka» was nestled at base of a small mountain. There, the forest was dark and low.

Behind the mountain, the sun was beginning to set, casting vibrant shadows over the whole of the first floor. «Starting City» was already coated in darkness. Even from this distance she could see bright lights in the windows of the city as it hugged the opposite end of the floor. Layers and layers of hills and fields separated «Starting City» from the «Meandering Forest».

She could see the whole of everything on the floor. The floor that had trapped them for a month, which they had finally cleared. Their prison was open, but only just. If only Archaeus could see her now, staring down at their whole world for the last month.

"This is only the beginning, Hikari," Sierra spoke, their hands gripped tight together, "It may be a long road ahead, but we have hope. We have a chance. Even if it takes us ten years, we can get out. Both of us will."

"Sierra…"

"So," Sierra smiled, grabbing Hikari's other hand, "Why don't we check out the second floor?"