Thanks so much for the reviews!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

.hack/OMEGA

Chapter 3

Just a little thieving

The Heavy Blade was in the air, her hair flowing as she leaped. Her massive sword was held behind her head with two hands. Once the monster's head was level with the Heavy Blade's body, she swung the blade forward. The blade entered the head of the monster and split down through the center as she was pulled back down by gravity. The monster disintegrated into particles of data, which floated up into the sky. She smiled towards her female Wavemaster friend. The Heavy Blade rested her weapon on her shoulder, walking over to the other player. "See? That is how things done around here. It will be a little different for you since you're a Wavemaster and all, but you get the idea."

The Wavemaster nodded her head in agreement, holding her staff gently up. "Is there anything else I need to learn about The World before I start on my own?" she asked.

"Hit Points. When your Hit Points reach zero, you die. Your Hit Points are low, Newbie," I said to the Wavemaster in particular. I had my dark blue cloak equipped with the hood over my head, so that they were unable to identify me. My shadow looked like a black ghost on the desert sand. From the interior of the cloak, my left arm reached out to them, two, glass tubes with a cork keeping a green liquid inside being held out. "Items. Potions restore Hit Points."

The Wavemaster turned to the Heavy Blade for approval. Once it was given, she wandered up to me, and took the two Potions from my hand. She speed-walked back to her Heavy Blade companion, and then followed by drinking one potion. She handed the other Potion to the Heavy Blade.

The Heavy Blade drank it also. Once she was done, I watched as the two, tubes disappeared from their hands into data. She looked down at the Wavemaster, and said, "See? There are many older players like him to help you out in The World." The Heavy Blade now looked up to me, a friendly smile greeting me. "Hello there! I'm sorry, but we have no money to give you in return. Would you like an item from the next Dungeon we go to?"

The hood's darkness hid my narrowed eyes. "If the Wavemaster would give me her staff, that will be to my satisfaction."

"My staff? I only just started. I don't have a second to-"

The Heavy Blade cut her off, stepping in front of the Wavemaster with her sword held out in an offensive stance. "I knew you were too nice! A Bandit! You roaches swarm everywhere!"

"A thief?" the Wavemaster asked in disbelief for a moment, but her the tone of her body language quickly changed, for she stood with her staff, ready to cast spells down upon me.

Their resistance did not surprise me. I asked very politely for one simple, replaceable weapon, and they weren't so nice in return. "Feh, those are just players just trying to get in on my action," I whispered, and they did not hear.

The Heavy Blade charged. Her battle cry was more like a squeal. She brought her sword into the air, above her head, jumped up, and then swung down.

In an instant, I had pulled my sword from my sheath, thrown my arm out from under the cloak, and raised the sword to block the Heavy Blade's. The metal came together with a "clang" followed by sparks.

She swung her body around in mid-air, not yet landed from the first attack, bringing the sword to my neck from the left.

But, of course, I blocked it again. She was good, maybe a level 50, but that was only half of maximum level, only half of what I was.

Her feet came down to the sand with a grunt, our sword against each other. She panted heavily; Heavy Bladers have no battle endurance. "Walk away now…Bandit… and I…won't…PK you."

"Your advice was not even considered," I replied to her. I slid my blade off of hers, brought the sword down, and then swung upwards. The sword connected with her chest, going through her skimpy chest plate with ease.

The Heavy Blade seemed to freeze in time as her body became gray toned, and fell to the sand with a heavy, stone-like thump.

Once that happened, lightning struck down from the sky, hitting me hard. When I realized that it was the Wavemaster girl who had used a lightning spell aimed at my shoulder, I looked at that girl like she had awakened a monster inside of me. My two, white wings shot outwards from under my cloak, tossing the cloak behind me. With one flap, I was propelled towards the Wavemaster at great speeds. Before the girl knew it, I stood before her, my blade stuck through her neck.

I could tell her talking feature was now disabled since she obviously tried to talk, but made a choking sound instead of words.

"When you whine about how your weapon was stolen, be sure to mention the name, Sorma the Winged Knight." And with that, I pulled my sword from her neck. I quickly grabbed the staff from her possession before it could gray out with the body. I examined it thoroughly. "Haven't gotten a staff in a while," I said to myself simply as if nothing had happened. My wings folded, the cloak rolling back over my shoulders to drape over me. I sheathed my sword, holding the staff under the cloak as not to be seen.

When I exited the desert area and entered the city, I glanced around at the players staring at me. Cloaked players meant that is was just some newb trying to look good…or someone with something to hide; in my case, it was the second, of course.

As I walked the stone streets into the bazaars, I noticed many shops with nothing of interest, until…the corner of my eye caught something shiny. I turned my head to look into the bazaar to the left of me. Pinned onto the wall was an interesting, exotic, gold necklace. Gold accessories were always stat magnifiers, so I wanted it.

I took a step over to the street shop, staring at the necklace, waiting for the NPC shopkeeper to turn his back to look at me.

Once it finally did, the male designed NPC laughed, throwing its hands up into the air. "A customer! You know I haven't had a customer for-"

"I would like to see that gold necklace," I said stiffly, interrupting.

"Not a socializer, eh?" It shrugged. It turned, pulled the necklace off the nail, and placed it on the counter between us.

I held it in my hands examining it. The lace was three, gold separate laces intertwined. Hanging from the lace was a very aerodynamic arrowhead with various weird engravings on it in some language that must be only of The World. It looked to be a speed enhancement. "I will give you a Wavemaster's staff for it."

The shopkeeper NPC went wide-eyed. "Are you serious? Weapons go for 3 times more than small accessories like this!"

I had maybe 40 other Wavemaster staffs in my possession, so this wasn't a big deal. I placed the staff on the counter, and then simply walked away.

I could hear the NPC snicker that he had gotten a good deal.

I walked around the town. Every once in a while, I would sit down in areas where people were talking, hoping to overhear a planned quest for me to barge into. But when those failed me the information I wanted, I wandered more.

Once night came in the field, the field was silent and inactive…except for me, still wandering.

But, then, it happened. The necklace tugged at my neck. I looked down at the necklace, the arrowhead tugging at the lace. When I stood, it tugged more. I walked down the street a little more, watching the arrowhead. The arrowhead soon floated over to the left, tugging in that direction. It wasn't an arrowhead; it was a compass! So, I followed. I turned the corner, and there was a Twin Blade standing before me, the compass tugging harder than ever before falling limp.

"Hello again, Sorma," greeted the Twin Blade, a smirk on his lips.

The cloak hid my bared teeth, anger towards the player before me. Underneath my cloak, my hand rested on my sword. "Ikardis… I assume you want a fight."