The first night was a bit rougher than Odrim had preferred it to be.

After getting run into by a kid with black hair, the wild life he fought were nothing against his armour and barely did any actual damage to him while crushed them. Collecting pelts, teeth and other collectables earned him a tidy sum whenever he got to town next. He also decided not to return to the starting town until he or any others broke through to the second floor.

After the sun set he already had a fire built and a stew from a few of the animals he killed were steaming up the air. Every sense was simulated from the smell of the food to the heat of the fire bringing a bit of humanity into a virtual world. Though the roughness started when he fiddled away with one of the boar tusks he picked up. Figuring it would eventually break after jabbing a knife at it enough times, the tusk changed itself into a horn.

A simple horn crafted from a boar's tusk. Crafted by Odrim Stonewall.

"Neat" was all he said as he blew into it, the sound better compared to that of a wailing cat than a mighty horn blast. But it was enough to aggro a group of wolves nearby into attacking catching him off guard and ruining the campfire and stew.

"Why doesn't nature like me?!"

Nature responded with a wolf trying to bite through his left greave before it shattered from a hammer blow. After a few minutes the wolves died leaving him in the dark with a pile of loot and an unhappy warrior sitting by his now unlit fire. Looking at the horn that caused this mess he stored it away for later use or for selling he hadn't decided yet. The night went by in relative quiet after that with Odrim resting beside a tree as he dozed off for a new day to be filled with opportunity.

*DING*

New message received

Odrim barely registered the noise but opened his messages nonetheless.

From: Lisbeth

Subject: Feeling

Odrim are you still alive? Are you resting at the next town? Do you happen to have any daggers on you? Did you ever find your friend?

How are you feeling?

End message

'She cares for someone who left her at the town rather than comforts her in a time where everyone's emotions were breaking down.'

Odrim hit reply shifting himself so he could type with both hands as his head still rested against the tree trunk.

From: Odrim

Subject: RE Feeling

The fact that you sent the message successfully means I'm still alive. No I am not resting at the next town that is still a fair distance away so I'm sleeping in the open at the moment. No I don't have daggers and why should you need the in the first place? And no I never found my friend though most likely we'll see each other sooner or later.

How am I feeling?

'I have had better days than delving into a virtual world that could kill people at any time but it's still a game by technicality so…'

I am doing well all things considered. I believe I'm taking this whole situation a lot better than most but to say I'm not unnerved would be lying. I am okay… and I hope you are as well.

Hitting send, Odrim didn't feel tired anymore and picked himself up and began walking back to the road.

(***)

The sun trickled through the window of the inn casting the room in a glow as the dust danced around the floor of the room. Lisbeth felt the blades of light against her face and try covered her eyes with her arm in an attempt to block them. Her mother must have opened her blinds again to get her up but she was stubborn and refused to budge from her bed.

"Lissie you awake?"

The voice whispered to Lisbeth as light steps were made to cross the room. Each step getting quieter as until there was no noise at all.

"Lisbeth…"

'Lisbeth? My name's not…!'

Lisbeth shot herself up and took in her surroundings and causing the small girl beside her bed to jolt away, trip and land on her butt.

She was still there, it wasn't a dream, and everything 'he' said was still true. Trapped in a game where reality was gone, her family, her friends, her world was gone.

"Lisbeth?"

She turned her head towards the girl in her room who was rubbing her lower back to take the pain away. Though not true pain the programming made sure you still felt every action you took. She stared at her for a few seconds before remembering who she was. Silica was her name, she had found her crying in the middle of the plaza as many of the players had already left to go out into the world, find an inn or worse kill themselves to escape.

"Silica is something wrong?"

Silica looked up at her before standing up.

"Well everything that happened yesterday but right now, no nothing's wrong. The day is young however so who knows." She answered shrugging her shoulders.

Lisbeth sighed getting out of bed in the process and equipping her armour on. Bringing up the menu and shifting over to messages she found Odrim's response. She had felt bad but she couldn't sleep the night before worried about herself, Silica, everyone in the game… and him. He made her ready for this game, how to fight and socialize with a complete stranger. Silica stood on the bed to look at the message,

"So did your boyfriend have any daggers to spare?"

Lisbeth turned anger expressed on her face and tinge of red on her lower neck, stared at Silica who smiled sweetly at her reaction.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Oh" Silica spoke putting her finger beside her lip. "But isn't he a boy and he is on your friend's list. Doesn't that make him your boyfriend?"

Before Lisbeth could respond, a knock came at the door before opening up to a red headed man with a scruffy red soul patch.

"Hey guys you coming?" Klein asked before looking between the two. "Or are you still arguing about something?"

Lisbeth stared at Silica before leaving the room, Klein moving out of the way in the process. Klein looked at Silica who had a smile plastered on her face, shrugged and got off the bed; following Lisbeth downstairs where the rest of Klein's friends waited having breakfast. Issen waved them down and they seated themselves opposite of the group.

"So what did your friend say?"

(***)

"You bumped into me and didn't even apologize? Didn't your mother teach how to say sorry when doing those kinds of things?"

Odrim stood before the black-haired kid that bumped into him a few days prior. The name 'Kirito' hovered above his name. Despite being alone he knew that the both of them had been working hard in this area. The quests could be done by each player but the rewards were always greater for solo players and judging by some of the kid's stuff he was doing as many quests as possible.

"Hey look I'm sorry I was in a rush, if I didn't get out in time…"

"Then all the good grinding spots would have been taken I know, I'm a solo player too if you haven't noticed. All I want is an apology and I'll let ya get about your business."

Crossing his arms he looked at Kirito who frowned at him before bowing.

"I'm sorry I ran into you earlier."

Letting out a chuckled he patted Kirito's shoulder, "See was that so hard?"

Shrugging his hand off, he turned around and started walking away leaving Odrim behind in the alleyway.

"You'll never make friends that way! Come on let me buy you a drink!"

(***)

Lisbeth stood over the forge slamming the ingot on the anvil with a hammer before it glowed producing a rapier.

"Wow Lissie you're getting better at this whole forging thing." Asuna said, the cloak she wore blocking her outfit as she picked up the rapier. She gave it a few practise thrusts before checking the stats.

"Well someone has to provide you two with weapons. Odrim seemed suspicious enough with me asking for daggers, I didn't want to throw swords into the mix."

"Oh come on I'm sure your boyfriend wouldn't have mind." Silica responded as she walked through the smith's door. The same smile she wore whenever he was brought up on her face as she stared down at the duo.

Before she could respond to the allegation a familiar DING sounded out in the room before the 'new message' sign appeared in front of Lisbeth. She opened her menu as Asuna and Silica stood beside her

From: Odrim

Subject: Care package

I found a mace and a dagger for you; it's in the sent gift section of the message. I don't know who you're giving the dagger too but he or she needs to send payment. I said I'd provide you not every person in the game. Anyway I heard through a certain dealer that you've become a weapon smith so I doubt these will do you any good.

"Tsk the Rat" Getting a pair of giggles from her friends.

I'm sure you're busy at the moment but I have a question.

What armour do you want: light, medium or heavy?

The message ended there with a highlighted gifts section glowing. Opening the package an 'Onyx tower' mace and 'Star scream' dagger entered her inventory. He was right the equipment he sent wasn't as good as their own. She'd been meaning to send him a new hammer but with players still calling the starting city home she had been providing new players with better weapons than what the NPC's offered.

"Hey you think he could make us armour as well?"

"What the mighty Asuna's armour isn't enough?"

Lisbeth turned around, "As long as you paid I'm sure I'd make both of you armour. But you have to message him yourself." Walking back and forth in front of them she turned to Asuna, "What's the difference in armour?"

"Well light is made for speed and lets players attack fast but doesn't provide much in the way of defense. The opposite can be said for heavy, slow attack yet high defense and medium is in the middle between the two."

She nodded her head and opened her messages.

From: Lisbeth

Subject: RE Care package

You were right they weren't as great as our weapons sorry for wasting your time looking for them. In terms of armour medium seems like the best choice. Also my friends Silica (the dagger wielder) and Asuna would like to ask for armour as well. Did you want them to contact you or are you?

Hitting send she turned around to face her friends and heard the DING except it came from Silica then to Asuna then her own.

From: Odrim

Subject: colour

Do you have a specific colour scheme you wanted or do you care?

Ps if your friends grumble at my price let them know that's a discount since they're your friends.

Just as she read that she heard the two of them cursing under their breath before putting in a paid transfer into the mail and sending it out.

"A thousand col what a ridiculous price."

"He must think we're made of money."

"Um guys, he said that was his discount price so stop complaining okay?"

The two just stared in shock at Lisbeth ignoring the DING sound that came from both of them.

(***)

"So this is the dungeon huh?" Kirito said staring at the large gate in the side of the mountain.

"If Argo's information is correct yeah the boss room should be on the twentieth floor so we've got quite a bit of climbing to do." Odrim stated lifting his hammer from his sheath made by Lisbeth as a thank you for the armour.

"It's going to be hard if it's just the two of us."

"Two beta players who generally play solo unless they decide to help weaker groups and completely destroy monsters you mean. We'll be fine besides if it gets bad we can just use the crystals to teleport out."

Kirito shrugged his shoulders before drawing his blade.

"Shall we?"

Odrim nodded grabbing one side of the handle while Kirito grabbed the other and pulled. A few seconds later the door budged and opened forcing stale air out of the entrance. As Kirito walked in Odrim stood at the entrance watching the forest they left behind.

"Something wrong?"

Odrim shook his head turning towards Kirito, "It's nothing come on we've got places to be and monsters to kill."

The door closed behind them as they proceeded into the dungeon, closing off their escape by normal means.

(***)

"Do you think he saw us?"

"Most likely but he probably didn't know who we were and rather drag the kid into it he ignored us."

"Are we going in after him?" The small woman asked adjusting her great sword as she shifted position.

"Xallia has yet to arrive, when she does then we'll follow him."

"Whatever you say chief."

The man laughed the sound echoing throughout the forest, "Please I'm no chief I'm merely a simply gunslinger."

I have essays to write yet I'm writing fanfiction, I've lost control of my life... again.