Where else if not home?

“Ally, where are you?” You frantically ask while you hastily exit the small cave that you call your room, while looking around the dilapidated ruins you called home for the last few years. What little remains gives the impression of some sort of temple, with white marble columns, walls and even what remains of an inner sanctum, now uncovered to the elements after countless updates. “What’s with all the screaming so early in the morning, knucklehead?” Says a melodic voice emerging from one of the countless doors that constellate the ruins, surely one of the better faring rooms if you have to guess, since you don’t remember an instance in which you could step foot inside.

“What happened?” Asks the feminine figure now visible approaching, still showing signs of being sleepy if you have to judge by the stretching that present the many curves to your gaze.

Alyanne Stormchild, Level 4, Ranger
Hero, Elf, Inactive, Explicit
Feats
Naive: It’s easier for people to trust you, you have difficulty discerning the truth.
Shy: Others will find it hard to read your intentions unless clearly implied, slightly improved stealth.

Alyanne remains a treat for sore eyes, even after the time spent “camping” together in these ruins, the mere sight of her leaves you speechless, as if it was the first time seeing her. Her beauty is undeniable even to the most picky of onlookers surely, long platinum hair that cascade around a perfect face with glacial blue eyes and full luscious lips that highlights her flawless chocolate skin. Looking down inevitably, your eyes fall to the curvaceous body that seems to have been sculpted, judging by the perfect proportion and sheer perfection of every element. Not even the light armour can hide her appeal and you stare for almost too long before remembering the reason of your prior agitation, and pulling up your social window, allowing the woman to see the reason for your excitement.

After a few too many seconds, her voice reaches you once more, almost startling you since you were on the verge of ogling her while she observed the tab in front of her. “Is there a bug there? How come you have four personality feats? I was pretty sure that two was the maximum,” Says her giving me a side glance and stepping away, waiting for my answer.

You stand there for a few moments trying to process her words, then it hits you. “That’s just a hidden character creation mechanism. When a hero creates an avatar, they can choose two feats or try Lady Luck by rolling two D100 and gaining a few extra points for their guts. If you roll 95-99 you can chose still gaining the points, but if you roll a 100, you can roll again… two dices for each 100.” You say hastily, trying to move on by re summoning the previous tab. “It’s the effects. Brave now gives minor boosts to the entire party, which is good alone, but there is Leader, it’s not reward experience that I revive now. It’s part of my allies gains…” Waiting for her to realise you get the impression that it still eludes her so you carry on with the explanation “Before it was useless because I couldn’t generate experience on my own, now I can get some because it’s not me who generates it”

At those words her eyes widen and stop blinking realising what that implies “You can level up…” she says shortly before coming to another realisation “The Claimant Crystal, it’s a reward for reaching level 3 now, doesn’t specify a difference between active or abandoned” then a new and worse thought comes to her “Watch if they patch it?”

Proud of your companions wits you are almost beaming before giving her a look that seems to startle her “My thoughts exactly, we need to go hunt some monsters, I think I know of a few Giant Spiders having made nest not far to the east. The dryad of the Lovers Clearing has also said something about a Wounded White Orc to the south near the lake” you wait for her input but already start checking your gear when it hits you. She’ll think you want to use her, has no reason to go to such extents, is not the one slowly turning into a non-combatant NPC.

“I’m sorry…” you simply say “I wasn’t trying to take it for granted that you will follow me” awkwardness envelopes you before you move towards the small cave that serves as bedroom. You don’t even know her that well. It’s true that you have been together for a while now, but still the sensation that you are strangers to each other is there. At least for some reason, you seem to recall some details that she must have let slip at some point, and you surely don’t want to awake such memories.

“Stop there knucklehead,” says her voice with a strange tone, startling you. “I trust you, I know you won’t use me just to level up so don’t put yourself down like that,” continues her, almost becoming monotone. “Who the fuck are you?” Asks the tone making you shudder for no apparent reason and not leaving time for an answer “It feels the same as the day I was created, all the memories are there, my purpose is clear, there are even fucking reasons of why I need to help you,” speaks Alyanne almost angry taking a few steps toward you digging a finger in your chest before starting once more. “Because they trapped you just like I was, because you are trustworthy, because you can’t lie to me, because you are a damn boy-scout, and the perfect fucking boyfriend material”

Her anger now seems just fear of the unknown feelings that seem to haunt her as well, you notice. Before noticing, you move an arm to close the distance that separates you by pushing her diminutive frame against your chest. “At least this time it fells like someone asked me before being thrown into this madness” Alyanne surprises you before pressing her face into the shirt that you wear.

You don’t really have a reason to say it, but still you find yourself almost compelled. “I’ll make sure that bastard never has the chance to use you again” for a moment you are taken aback, but instantly all is clear and you rise her chin so that your eyes meet. “I swear,” you state while seeing the doubt in her eyes

WARNING

New vow detected, generating context…

NEW

• Vow of Protection: Warriors are those who stand between their enemy and what they love or hold sacred. You have vowed to protect someone, even in the face of **** itself. As a reward, you and the target of the vow are granted various intermediate attribute boosts while you are in proximity. You are always aware of the location of the one you protect, as well as their general well-being.

In a situation that the one you protect perceives as a danger, you gain a bonus to Strength and Presence based on the intensity of the perceived danger and the bond with the one you protect.

You both stare at the notification dumbfounded, eventually locking eyes as you both glance at the other. “I suppose this settles it. We find the orc and see if the Dryad offers to move a few experience points my way as reward. The rest we’ll figure in due time,” said Alyanne, turning away from you and moving. And you are ready to swear you see a smile moving her lips at that moment.

Speechless, you move instinctively to follow but the statement picks at your curiosity and you speak “Why the orc?” She doesn’t turn, but you feel a single moment of shock before she can utter a word. “Elves gain more Xp against orcs, and when the orc is higher level, the reward can increase if the orc is a variant. If I remember it right, White Orc is not a common variant either, it’s a rare species so we should get quite the gain.”

Some of that seems to come to you if you try really hard, but seeing you are not an elf, maybe the full knowledge is not there. “That makes sense. Is there anything else I should know?” You try hoping to gain as much information about a potentially dangerous enemy.

“Spiders are disgusting and give me the freaks, sue me.” Says Alyanne with a cute pout while she glares at you sideways.

Stunned for a single moment, you don’t waste the occasion for a bit of teasing. “I meant about the orc.” You comment a bit amused before continuing “But is good to know anyway, next time we meet some spiders I’ll make sure to keep you safe” your final words accompanied by a wink before you move on and take the lead after seeing the shocked expression on your companions face.