A woman sat on a chair in a small, modern office room. She was wearing a black blazer, with a white, buttoned top underneath; black, dress pants, and black, brogues. A smart-casual outfit.

In front of her, sat a middle-aged man on an office chair, wearing formal attire. The man and woman were just about to finish talking across his desk.

The man was holding a small stack of papers—the woman's resume... and he was just about to finish skimming through it. The woman wants to be hired for work at the man’s communications company.

It was a job interview.

As he looked at the woman one last time, he gently laid her papers down on his desk.

"Why should we hire you?" He asked.

The woman expected this question. She cleared her throat, and without hesitation, she answered, and looked the interviewer straight in the eyes.

"I've always been sure that I want to build a career with the skills and expertise I've gained in my field of Business. Through the experience I've gained, I'm confident that I'll be able to pursue a long-term objective for this career," She said what she rehearsed for a long time without hesitation, with glinting eyes of determination.

The man looked at her, unfazed and apathetic.

"Alright..." the man said, as he pushed the stack of papers toward the woman on his desk. “We’ll call you when you get the job," he said.

The woman nodded "Thank you," She said as she took her resume on the office desk.

Later, she was with another interviewer in another company. "We'll call you," The woman she spoke to said, as she gestured with her hand.

Soon once again, she finished another job interview with another interviewer. "Sorry, but maybe you can try our sister branch," The interviewer said as he pointed outside his office window.

This went on for the woman for about two months.... searching throughout the whole city to land a stable career. Despite the countless rejections and absent phone calls, she kept persistent that there will be that one place that will finally accept her.

And eventually...

"I see... we'll call you. See you soon," The interviewer said.

"Okay, thank you." The woman said as she stood up, and arranged the small, stack of papers in her hand to put in her envelope.

As she left the office room, she saw a man waiting by the door as if waiting for the previous interviewee to leave the room... who else, but none other than her?

She saw the man enter the office doors.

As he went into the room with the slow, closing glass doors; she saw and overheard moments of their conversation.

"Excuse me sorry, I'm late!"

"Oh, it's fine! We were expecting you! Here’s the good news, you got the job!"

The interviewer and the man shook hands.

The woman overheard this as the glass doors slowly closed in on her. Without another word, she left.

With a look of displeasure, and her eyes, downcast, she walked sluggishly and empty-handed on the city's rough pavement on her way home.

At a distance, an envelope with a bunch of printed documentation of a jobless woman jutted out in the city's local recycling bin.

———————————

Arka slowly opened her red, and dried eyes. The cold weather's affecting that due to the humidity. She awoke with her arm up, her neck bent... all was just in an awkward position as her uncut and untrimmed, outrageously, long hair touched the floor. Some of it caught in her mouth.

A dream...? The first thought that came out of her. What was— she cut off her thoughts, still drowsy from waking up.

She couldn't remember it.

Her four-legged bed's a mess as its flat, bed sheet was all scrunched up, and three of her pillows are on top of her leg, under her forearm, and on the floor. Her curtains, half-open, shone a partial shaft of light through her dark room.

It looks like she tossed and turned last night.

She removed the strand of hair in her mouth, weakly expressing a look of annoyance about it. She did it with as little and as slow of a movement as possible to avoid ruining her lethargic moment of awakening— wetting her palate.

After moments fleeted by, she dragged her leg on the bed toward the floor to sit up.

After placing both of her feet on the floor, and sitting upright, she took a deep breath and exhaled, with half-closed eyes.

It was time to start her afternoon.

South of the Grand Kingdom of Fellmoria, was a Mountain Region. This region was almost barren of life—hardly of any foliage... hardly any fauna, except the topmost, part of the mountains—the crest.

The place was almost dry of resources and life.

This can be seen just from the sight of the region's increasing dead trees which begin to transition as a player arrives around the center part of the mountain while hiking up.

Arka's making her way up here after she accepted a gathering quest for materials and other supplies. Some of the materials she'll find can be used for upgrading her current equipment to improve her effectiveness in combat.

With the type of monsters she fought, she was able to picture a clear idea of what type of gear she wanted on her character.

For such a barren region, it was hardly believable for her that a gathering quest was even leading her up the mountain that was just... almost dead. Does it have to do with the lore present, in the world?

Even the soil Arka walks on was broken as she pursues hiking up with her darkened, steel sabatons. Some of her steps resonate with a crack within the soil, indicating the clay breaking underneath.

The wind blew through her helmet, making her eyes squint, within.

Suddenly, a window appeared to the right side of Arka's HUD.

It was a chat window with a message from Banelfsing.

The conversation started— "wanna hunt mobs today?" Banelfsing asked in the chat window.

Arka focused on her message box.

"nah, im doin a quest at the mountains atm." She replied back

"wat? You mean that mountain range south of the city? so there's a quest that leads you to there?"

"yeah, and im curious. i might be the first to go all the way here far from the main city. lol."

"cool. maybe just some More mobs lol. welp, take care duuuude." Banelfsing replied.

Arka replied with a small, text art making an "ok" sign. After that, she closed her window.

Messaging through chat messages requires just selecting your friend in the friend window at the system settings menu, and then selecting whisper. It requires no extensive effort whatsoever except through thoughts and brain activity.

It has been a while since Arka met Banelfsing. They usually just hunt field monsters, trade for Fels, and supplies, and occasionally, run the discovered dungeons with other players to hunt dungeon type monsters, and scavenge for loot or other 'treasures' to sell. Most of these dungeons, however, were too difficult to complete as they retreat before completing them, either through bad party composition, communication, or players just not knowing what to do in the team. Arka and Banelfsing just decided not to bother with the dungeons for now. What was important was improving their equipment with whatever they can scavenge, and come back to try test their metal against stronger foes at a later time.

Recently though, there are rumors of certain groups of players who group amongst themselves already conquered and stayed consistent clearing through some of the game's hardest dungeons. This was discouraging for Arka, for it would mean that these players collected dungeon armor pieces— Armor in the game that could boast additional properties and whatever modifiers that would improve a player’s survivability in battle.

But this is yet to be confirmed, for there weren't any witnesses who picked up or worn any of the sorts of equipment.

Most importantly, Arka and Banelfsing haven't died yet, for it will take a lot of effort to obtain their gear again, and the currency that they have collected.

I’m starting to think that this is a poorly designed game... Arka thought.

On the rocky surface that Arka was on, she eventually reached a cliff with a dead log on the mountain path, nearing the crest. She walked closer to the cliff, and looked over the edge, admiring the vista.

She saw the Grand City. Markedly, by a significant distance. But just enough to see its castle walls. It towered over the villages and farms it encompasses. She can still discern the windmills that turn on the farmlands. A sight, it was.

It's not every day she could see views such as this. Maybe if she started going out in the real world, she will be able to admire these kinds of places.

Beautiful. She thought.

But that's not possible... a thought like this immediately crossed the back of her mind. Real life wasn't as beautiful as what she was currently seeing.

Life wasn't fair. The world's economy was crashing, humanity can be cruel...

She remembered that real life was often disappointing.

It was a cliché, but it was true.

The clouds then that surround the mountain cliff she was on overlapped her view of the city, eventually losing sight of it. Arka took this as a cue to continue what she came for in the Mountain Region. She turned back to the road she was on and moved onward, making her way up the rough path.

As she neared the crest of the mountain, it slowly transitioned to having low-growing, alpine flowers, and grass that began to emerge in sparse amounts. Mountain rabbits, mountain goats, and different species of insects begin to neighbor the chilly, peaceful domain on a small scale.

Despite the present flora available, the barren soil was still pervasive in the general mountain path.

Arka traversed the area that was existent with bits of fauna. The smell of the foliage enters her nose.

It was there, when she stumbled upon a person, in a small area surrounded by low-growing plants.

It was a woman. She was on her knees, gathering herbs and flowers at the abundant location of flora she was on. She has long, straight, cocoa, hair past shoulder length, chainmail underneath a leather vest with only a single chainmail sleeve on her left arm; fingerless, leather gloves, leather tassets, chainmail leggings, and high, leather gaiters possessing multiple belts.

She has a wooden Recurve Bow over her back, a steel hatchet strapped straight, on one leg, and a leather, leg bag on the other.

As she turned and noticed Arka, it was revealed she has a light-brown complexion.

It wasn't long before Arka noticed they were staring at each other. She felt awkward.

She started to walk away—

"Oh." the woman uttered. "Are you here to gather stuff too?" The woman asked her, as Arka stopped in her tracks.

"Y..." She cleared her throat and swallowed. "Yeah,” she said. "Uhmm... I came here because of a quest to gather stuff... and the marker just led me this way... I mean, this mountain," Arka said, with a slight movement of her hand.

By 'marker', she meant the arrow that appeared above her HUD that pinpointed the location she meant to go to for her quest.

"Is that so..." After that, she turned her attention back to the herbs she was gathering. "Well then, feel free to join me here if you like... Not that, I feel lonesome or anything," she said.

"Okay. Uh, thank you..." Arka told her.

This woman was totally lonely.

As Arka approached the gathering spot, she looked up the woman's avatar to see her username. After focusing a little, her HUD revealed the name of this player, gathering herbs on the mountain's soil.

Mikrim— it spelled.

Arka turned her attention towards the shrub and flowers on the rich soil of the mountain, as she began to pick and pluck the required items she needs for her quest and supplies. The quest reward was worth 20 Fels; a hefty amount in the game world with its current economy.

Then again, she has only just started the game for a short time. Maybe there was more content to be seen as she continues playing, and it would alleviate the difficulty of equipment, money, and the game’s current economy.

It has been two weeks and three days since the alpha test, and anyone has yet to cross continents and pass city borders because of the overwhelming amount of monsters outside their current playing field. They've proven to be too difficult. People already tried a commonly used run and evade tactic, popular on a certain popular game trilogy, and still, all these players have perished without a care for their lost equipment and money they have earned.

It was true what they say, that not all heroes wear capes.

The silence and the sounds of soil and foliage being dug up, and placed in their bags became a bit awkward for Arka. The unreasonable, uncomfortable feeling that begins to well up inside her has urged her that something has to be done about it for some reason. She thought it might be best if she tried to start a conversation.

"So, wh—"

"You know, you're like, the second person who's come up here," Mikrim initiated the conversation, not knowing that she interrupted her. "I'm the first one up here, of course." She stated.

Arka can't help but feel it was her way of saying she was the most experienced and most familiar of the mountain better than anyone else.

Arka’s hunch proved to be correct.

"There's a lot of good mats for crafting new equipment, and quick healing supplies on these mountains,"

She used the term "mats" which is slang for materials.

"So, you're saying... you've been the only one up here all this time...?" Arka asked.

"Yep. A few days in, since the Alpha test," Mikrim said. "I can't exactly recall," She said as she shrugged.

Over two weeks of gathering mats... this thought shot through Arka. She turned her head in reflex to Mikrim.

As Mikrim saw Arka's head turn, she understood this as a way of expressing her confusion underneath her thick, darkened, steel helmet.

"I prefer exploring, and maxing professions in MMOs, you see, Mikrim clarified to Arka.

Arka did understand her way of playing the game. In many MMOs, some players prefer maxing professions and exploration... rare individuals where specific guilds are made, focused on their type.

These types of players can plot unique maps and discover content in video games that any regular player thought possible. They are usually called the Explorer types of players.

"Oh, I know... your way of playing," Arka said. "It's just rare... to see players like you," She said in her usual speech.

"Is that so." Mikrim said. And then, she turned her attention to the plants she was gathering. "Then, I suppose you've played a lot of video games too, huh?"

"Uh, yeah, like... since I was a kid." Arka said, feeling as if she was easing into talking with the person near her. She also turned her attention back to gathering flora.

"Is that so..." Mikrim said.

"Mhmm..." Arka agreed with a hum. "I know all about the grind and the usual dailies, and whatnot," She said.

"I see... so like, you're saying you're already well-experienced about this genre," Mikrim said

"Yup," Arka said. "I guess... pretty much," She said.

"Interesting..." Mikrim said. "When I started this game, I was surprised about the open-world... how do I put it...? It's like a dream come true for explorers like me. It's pretty amazing," she said. "I can definitely just say I'm glad to be born in this day and age," Mikrim said with passion as she smiled at her words while looking at Arka.

I couldn't agree with you more! Arka felt the same, also cracking a smile within her helmet.

"Did you just start exploring the world when you came?" Arka asked.

"Nope. I first wanted to try doing the typical grind like most, but when I saw the kinds of monsters this game had and finding about the difficulty... well, I changed my mind," Mikrim said. "So, I went exploring instead. And I get to see how beautiful and ugly this VRMMO world can be. It's a godsend to roam this kind of world if you ask me,"

"I'm glad to hear that. I feel the same way about this game," Arka said being a bit surprised she didn't do her usual stutter. She was happy about it.

Their time together soon, started talking about other things from there.

"I love the Dragon Age Series." Arka said to Mikrim.

"I don't know that one," Mikrim said. "What's it like?"

"It's an RPG," Arka said. "Lots of fun fights, lots of exploring, lots of choices..." Arka could go on. "Oh, I think you'd like that too if it's your kinda game..." She said.

"Sounds like, a nerdy game..." Mikrim said, with a teasing tone.

Arka felt discouraged. "O-oh... I just t-thought—"

"I'm joking, I love RPGs." She immediately said to Arka, as she smiled on teasing her. "Also, J-RPGs!" She exclaimed. "I'll try Dragon Age later. Thanks for the suggestion!" Mikrim said.

Arka thought she wanted to get mad at the person next to her for teasing her like that. She thought that maybe she should get back at her in some way. She'll think of something... other than that, it's been so long since she has had another companion whom she can talk with about video games. Arka felt happy about this.

Soon Arka finished one part of her quest, with her bag almost full of plants. Mikrim stayed to chat with Arka, waiting for her to finish her herb gathering.

All that remains, was to mine mountain ores.

Arka asked Mikrim. "I'm gonna go mine some mountain ores next. Do you wanna come?"

Mikrim placed a hand on her chin. "Actually, I do... this is good timing," Mikrim said. "I've been wanting to gather some ores for a long time, but the cavern's overrun by those monsters. I can't deal with them on my own," Mikrim said.

"I see," Arka said as she went ahead. "Let's check it out," Arka told Mikrim, as she followed in suit.

Soon, they arrived in front of a narrow gap, between split mountain ridges. A crevice.

"The monster nest is on the other side of here," Mikrim told Arka. "I've lost count how many there were."

"I'll go take a peek," Arka said, as she began to enter the crevice.

Half-way in, she stopped in the middle of the crevice. She saw the other side.

There was a monster group who were quadrupedal beings, with fat legs like elephants; possessing the body and torso of a mythical centaur; half-man, and half-horse. Six, big, tendrils swayed behind their backs, where each end of these tendrils possess their eyes. They have arms with big, demonic-like hands with claws and a head of a bald human where sharp teeth protrude out their mouths and cover their whole face. Each creature stands at approximately 5'3" to 5’8”

Arka counted how many of these creatures there were, discreetly. Summing it up, there are around twenty of them in all.

Next, she inspected the surrounding area to know the environment she expected to fight in.

It was a small, rocky area, with a ledge, keeping the creatures trapped in place. They go in and out of a cavern with the ores she needs to get. It seems to be their nest.

An open area. Arka concluded.

Arka began to head back out of the crevice to Mikrim.

As Arka returned to Mimrim and closed their distance, Mikrim asked her. "So, how does it look over there, Master, Arakar?" She jested.

"Well..." Arka said. "Those monsters? They're called Plainruiners. They're rather slow, so they'll have trouble keeping up with you. However, they have giant, murderous claws that can tear you apart if you get too close, and you can't catch them by surprise because they have six eyes that can see both in front, and behind their backs." She said.

Arka's knowledgeable about this monster because she fought them once already during her mob hunt with Banelfsing.

"Your only best choice of fighting them is up-front." She said all this to Mikrim, without a stutter or her slow tone. She was secretly happy about this smooth description she was able to deliver.

"Is that so..." Mikrim said. "Then, what do you propose we should do?" She asked.

Arka looked at Mikrim. Suddenly, a party window appeared in front of Mikrim.

Would you like to join Arakar's party?

Yes • No

"First, we party up," Arka said.

Mikrim accepted her party invitation. "I see... I'm not sure, though. I don't know how to fight these monsters yet," She said.

"No, don't worry. I'll take care of them." Arka said. "We can just keep each other in check in case one of us needs help.” She said as she began to walk back to the crevice.

Mikrim was baffled at Arka's answer, as she raised an eyebrow.

"Are you nuts?" Mikrim exclaimed and Arka stopped in her tracks. "I know I said I don't know how to fight monsters yet, but I feel like if we're together, we can handle fighting them," She said.

Arka understood Mikrim being worried about her new friend. But she was also worried about her too. "No, it's too risky since you don't have any experience fighting these monsters yet. You'll die." Arka raised a hand as a gesture to signal Mikrim not to worry. "Just watch for now... You'll see what I mean," She said as she entered the narrow gap.

Mikrim, with a worried expression, followed Arka towards the crevice.

As Arka exits to the other side of the crevice, she dropped her leather satchel, unsheathed her Kampilan, and walked straight toward the horde of Plainruiners, with her blade in hand.

Mikrim followed behind, in the same fashion as Arka, small steps sideways. While she did so, sounds of tearing flesh, clashing metal, and shrieks from the Plainruiners could be heard already.

As she exits near the cracked rock, she leaned on it and witnessed Arka facing off against the creatures.

Arka's long sword sliced off some of the Plainruiners' eyed tendrils. For each tendril, blood sprayed on the rocky ground, as she finishes them off with a lethal slice to the neck, further painting the brown soil with a tint of red.

Some of these creatures’ legs were severed as they lay on the ground helplessly bleeding to death.

Arka cleaved one of the Plainruiners' demonic arms. She rapidly pushed one of these creatures towards a ledge in the area as she pushed her sword down towards its neck. The Plainruiner tried to push her sword away with its remaining arm.

Suddenly, another one of these monstrosities eventually got closer while doing her business. As it was about to grab her, she quickly slammed the creature's face with the back of her darkened, steel fists. The impact was enough to break its teeth instantaneously, and knocking the beast away from her. She turned her focus back on the Plainruiner she was pushing against, and it wasn't long until she drew blood on its arms and neck. This quadrupedal being immediately collapsed, as its corpse bled, down to its fat legs.

As Mikrim watched the scene unfold in front of her in rapid succession, she couldn't believe it, nor could she take her eyes off Arka, slowly dwindling the number of these monsters one by one. She was finding it hard to draw a comparison that this darkened, steel swordsman fighting right now, was the same person.

Only a few words echoed in her mind, as she witnessed the events.

She was strong.

However, it wasn't long until her flawless movements took a turn for the worse.

As Arka dodged, stabbed, and took down one of these creatures with the weight of her armor, another one mauled her from behind. After a forceful slam thundered her darkened steel plate. A large chunk of her HP was taken away, leaving 62% left after such an ordeal.

Mikrim cried in terror of her friend possibly dying. "Arakar!" She yelled.

Arka almost lost her balance and posture after the deafening attack, as she moved a safe distance against these beasts.

Immediately, one of the Plainruiners charged at Arka. Seeing this, she moved away in the nick of time, exploiting the beast's slow movement and reflexes. She quickly brought her sword in a forward lunge, chopping off some its eyed tendrils, then a slice in the neck on its blind side followed afterward. It can be said that Arka has a consistent method of killing these creatures.

After Arka slew the tenth creature, she then rushed forward and yelled her battle cry— determined and resolute for the kill.

Mikrim continued watching the remaining struggles of combat. Shadows of the battlefield loomed over her avatar, as the sun struck the battle-hardened swordsman, emphasizing her strength.

Not soon after, a desolate field riddled with monster corpses was all that remained as Arka, stood at the center of it all. Her long sword dripped steadily of blood of the slain Plainruiners. There was blood that also leaked out of her armor. 24% of her HP remained. Mikrim sees this on Arka's status window.

Arka then turned to Mikrim, saying that the cavern was all clear. She said this, as the sun started to set on the mountain they were on.

Mikrim felt a tinge of inspiration.