Another snippet from one of me and Wildeve's pieces. However this one has long been discontinued. (It could come back if people were interested for it to be its own individual fic.)
/In which Ymir tries out a hyped-up virtual reality video game and is the lucky lottery winner of a rare, fought over item that will tear open the game's community and real world itself /
Krista's eyes were glancing across the dungeon. She had only been in it once but not this far. She usually didn't have a team to play with. In fact, Armin was her only friend, but she felt it wasn't worth much since he was her half-brother. She held out her sword and shield, ready to perform a ward or quick deflect and parry if there was an ambush of the usual goblins or giants bats.
"Shouldn't there be more players?" The dungeon was near the end of the tutorial area for beginners and would often be crawling and overflowing with players learning and teaming up. It was deathly quiet except for crackling of torches and distant echo of water bubbling. Now that she thought of it, why was Armin here? He was above level for this area and new items of importance didn't just spawn near the beginning.
"Armin," Krista kept close to him to act as a buffer to any possible ambushes, "what're you here for really?"
"The algorithms measured back at the base told my superiors that there was a break in the coding. They said that there would be a different kind of item drop here," he admitted, he felt an immense guilt for having lied to her.
"Besides, we aren't picking it up specifically, just scoping the place out to confirm it."
He had given her a half truth. The book he was referring to that led him here was just the code, the item he wanted wasn't what he wanted, it was just a reconnaissance mission.
They continued on to the deeper part of the ravine. The place where the upper levels were was ahead of them.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine," he assured her, he went on. Silent, trying to stay close to the shadows, he knew that slayed enemies meant one thing, others have been here and, even worse, would be after what he was trying to get a peek at. If the opportunity presented itself, he would have to take it and leave.
They entered a hallway that opened in the wall to their right, he pulled out his interface and confirmed that this was the area he had to go to. Unlike the entrance of the castle, this part was well kept and clean, like no one had been down there to disturb it. They followed the tunnel that was lined with torches and ornate carvings on the walls, telling tales of old heroes and battles.
It opened up into a vast chamber, a circular one surrounded with doors that led to the deeper parts of the dungeons. Inside were Titans dressed in masks, three of them, a tall man, a heavily built man, and a short woman. Respectively, one was an archer of sorts, another was a marauder, and then the third was a pugilist.
They looked so high in their levels, Armin ducked himself behind the corner, along with Krista.
"It's not here..."
"We have to keep looking."
"Damn it."
They suddenly teleported out of the sanctum, leaving them safe.
Armin let out a sigh.
"If those guys couldn't find it...I guess it's not here, or they hadn't looked well enough."
Pulling away from the wall, he walked to the center of the room, looking around it. He pulled out his interface once more, scanning the waypoint that was set for him. He undid the waypoint, it was useless here.
"Nothing..."
Historia only saw a glimpse of what Titans could look like. She saw the radiance of enchanted armor and weapons with its opulent sheen. Their teleportation made the room light up in a dazzling light and they were gone. She didn't realize she was holding her breath till she heard herself loudly exhale. They were definitely high level with the amount of expensive equipment they had.
"We should keep looking," often more than not people tend to overlook small details. Players and factions had different strategies of searching for items, too, which is how the Scouts were able to keep their funds due to their advantages in item location and identification.
Historia brought her claymore down, eyeing the room. There was broken stained glass on the ground, indicating this was once a holy place. In the middle of the room was steps that led to a raised platform of white marble that was crowned with a broken mahogany altar. Runes of old were carved into the dusty wood as Historia approached it, eyeing around where the Titans once stood. Historia went around the desecrated shrine until she saw something shiny.
"Oh, a health potion!" She quickly plucked it from its hidden spot underneath a plank of splintered wood.
A thunderous roar went through the circular room. The closed doors slammed open with gales of wind. Historia had to slam down her sword into the marble, severely dulling its tip, as the vortex threatened to throw her away from the center of the room. The room went dark as the torches were ripped from their scones and a bright, brilliant golden light shot from the altar. Slowly, it began to repair itself like a puzzle coming together under skilled, knowing hands.
"Armin!?" Historia couldn't see where her brother was as the light began to engulf her vision. Loud organs of unknown origin were echoing through the castle until it was deafening, screaming and howling into her ears. The distant groaning and screeching of skeletons and other undead were nearing like they were drawn to seemingly last flame of holy light in the dungeon.
"Krista!" Armin howled, trying to see past the light.
"What the hell did you touch!?"
The song accumulated, it was godly, almost. Powerful.
It grew louder and louder, until it all stopped and they were engulfed in darkness. Armin reached into his inventory to pull out a torch to light the room, bringing a small glow that illuminated the rotunda. Under the flickering light, he saw that the alter had repaired itself; the ornate carvings were flawless, the statue of a great winged woman, the icon of the game and supposed goddess of Ravenna, stood before them, arms open as though it were offering an embrace.
Historia was flung to the floor as though she were nothing, he rushed to her, helping her to her feet.
He was about to suggest that they should get out of here until his eyes were drawn to the altar's wooden slab. Upon it was a woman dressed in rags, just like any beginning player. Around her neck was her teleportation necklace meant to be given at later levels for starters. She groaned painfully.
Her hair was disheveled, unkempt, and adorning her tan face were freckles, over those were eyes of amber, like wheat. She sat up and stared at them, she didn't look hurt, just confused. She brought her feet up and over the edge, she was sitting at the altar, wondering where she was.
"...this isn't Trost."
Armin shook his head slowly. "This isn't."
Her gamer tag said Ymir. That was all. It must have been unique enough or she may have opted to have her first name visible.
"Is this where you start the game?"
"Um, no, you start at Trost. You're new?" Ymir nodded. "Uh...we don't have any more business here, but I suggest you come with us, I know someone who can help you better."
This wasn't normal- players never start down here, definitely not.
He reached into his shirt and pulled out his necklace, a small jewel of sapphire. Colors varied depending on the faction one chooses, hers was a dull white, like Krista's.
"You see this? You have it too on your neck. Hold it and then select Trost, we'll be taken to the same spawn point."
Ymir reached to her teleportation crystal and held it in her palm; the selection of areas came up and without questioning further, she selected Trost. Armin watched her be bathed in a white light before disappearing, almost like magic. He went back to Historia, making sure she was alight. He held his own crystal.
"C'mon, let's go to Trost."