-Queen's POV-
~
Kate is undeniably the most hardcore perfectionist I know. Her tolerance to mistakes is only limited to the three-person she is living with. Two of her ex-boyfriends had even said that she is the most difficult girl to be with!
This is because Kate does not sugarcoat her words. She is like made of three ingredients combined: honesty, straightforwardness, and bluntness. Her character also comes with her job! Kate is a Quality Specialist in one of the biggest companies across the country. From the word quality, you know she is something you don't want to mess up. But she also cooks any dish at the perfection level!
Kate and Candace are the oldest among us. They are both twenty years old. Ace may seem like a jobless person because of her lifestyle and she always plays online games but that is just on the surface. A pure facade. In reality, the stock market is her real playground!
Despite our age gap, we are close to each other because the three of us grew up in the same neighborhood and we are childhood friends. They were just sent away to study overseas after graduating grade school and I also managed to make friends with Lorraine during middle school while the two of them are out of the country.
Lorraine is the most enthusiastic. Her parents are pretty accomplished in the fashion industry. She is also updated on every new trend. But despite her money, simple things make her happy.
I stared at my draft for a while and reluctantly clicked the published button on the documents. This is the last draft I made. I should create another draft for Chapter 100 but for some unknown reason, my brain cells are feeling inactive today.
I closed my device and decided to join my friends who are playing MMORPG ADVANCE in the living room.
"Queen, Ace is leveling your character. We have reached the level 1000! hahaha..." A rich laugh from Lorraine resonated around the room.
"Thanks, Ace. Are we going to enter a dungeon?" I asked while sitting behind Ace and looking at her piloting my character.
"Yes! After your character reached level 1000, we need to go on a final quest. The minimum player to enter the quest is five. It is called Desert Blessing. Then, after passing the quest, we can gain access to the new feature of the map." Candace explained while clicking her mouse simultaneously. I focused on the monitor screen until I saw the system announcing that my character already reached level one thousand.
"There! Hahaha Now, let us get that Desert Blessing. I can't wait to have vouchers in my inventory!" Lorraine squeals in excitement. The three of us laugh with her and enter the game.
"Okay, I am in the main lobby. Send me an invite now." Kate whispered softy while quickly glancing at Candace.
"Me too! I am in the main lobby, waiting for your invite, Ace!" Lorraine muttered while grinning ear to ear.
"Here! Go, accept my invitation." Candace said and a notification flashes right away on my screen.
Desert Blessing Quest
A Player named STORM invited you to partake a quest.
Accept? Reject?
I clicked the accept button without hesitation and my character immediately transported to a barren place.
"We need to wait for a random player to join us." Ace said as a reminder that the minimum number of players required to take the quest is five.
"While waiting, I will read the story of this quest for you guys!" Lorraine cheerfully offered and started reading the small text on the left panel where the back story is placed in the game.
"Desert Blessing
Two legends left a memorial before leaving this world. This memorial is blessed by the two legends and whoever holds the item will be blessed greatly. Your mission is to get the memorial guarded by the two great mythical pets of these two legends. " Lorraine quickly finished reading the whole story.
There is nothing special on the back story of the quest. It is just like the usual story I read from the past quests we played but for some reason, I noticed that Candace's body went stiff. She stared in the screen with a dumbstruck expression. Her eyes also turn misty as if the back story that Lorraine had just read has a deep impact on her.
"What's wrong, Ace?" I asked her feeling concerned about the sudden abnormal reaction I have seen.
"Oh, my eyes must have felt tired." I heard her quietly responded before blinking a few times.
"This is our last game for this morning, you can go back playing tonight!" Kate said in a stern voice. She is also like our big sister ready to discipline us anytime.
"Why is it that there is no one entering, Ace?" Lorraine pouted as she complains to Candace.
"It's probably because we are the first player to reach level 1000? Let me try to announce in the world chat." Candace calmly replied before her fingers burst into typing a message.
While Candace is looking for another player, I alternately opened the application where my story is published. I think I have been slightly addicted to reading the comments of my readers as my fingers automatically tapped the comment section.
True enough, I saw another comment emphasizing how uptight I am in my characters. I frowned deeply and switched back to the game lobby.
Another player finally joined us. Lorraine applauded after the player entered the barren area. Kate shook her head and chuckled at her reaction.
"Open mic, Thunder98. " Lorrain sent a chat initiating for the newcomer to turn on her audio.
"Hi?" I heard a male voice from the new player sounded in my earphone.
"Hi! I am Raine, the character with a blue skirt!" Lorraine responded describing her avatar as if it is not enough for the guy to recognize her in-game name.
"Hello, Raine! Uh-hmm..." the guy trailed as if he is about to say something but is hesitant to speak.
"Are you the real STORM?" he finally asked.
"Is there a fake STORM?" I inquired.
"I am. And Queen, there is no fake storm but there are a variety of players using the storm as their in-game name. But it does not mean they are fake." Candace explained while clicking a few commands on her screen.
"Wow! You are the real STORM? My friend wants to 1v1 in the arena after this quest. Is it okay?" the guy excitedly asked. But before Candace could make a sound, Kate already responded.
"She will not. This is our last game for this morning. You can do 1v1 some other time." Kate said.
"Ohh, okay. I will add you later STORM. My friend is still asleep anyway." the guy announced dejectedly.
"Wait! If your friend is still asleep, how do you know that he wants to 1v1 storm in the arena?" Lorraine asked in confusion.
"Well... " the guy hesitated again.
"Is it TYPHOON?" Candace asked the guy softly.
"HEHE Yes." I heard the guy confirmed.
"Do you know this quest that we are about to do, Thunder98?" Kate suddenly pried the guy.
"Uhmm... We need to get an item that is guarded by two monster guardians. The first monster guardian is called Prickly Pear Cacti. Its thorns are highly toxic and poisonous. The second monster guardian is called Predator Scorpion. It can also produce acid and is venomous." I heard Thunder98 said in response to Kate's question. He seemed more knowledgeable about this quest.
"I'll go. You guys just stay here." Candace said before her character swiftly vanished. I look at her serious face as she maneuvers her character towards the center of the barren place.
"You are truly worthy of your reputation, STORM!" the guy said as the four of us were left behind.
Kate and Lorraine watch Candace's character on her screen while I switched back to the app where my story is placed. I took a glance at my news panel once again. Then I stared at my monitor screen for a while, somewhat preoccupied.
"The monsters are sleeping! Hurry, steal that memorial, Ace!" Lorraine's voice pulled me out on my reverie.
I switch back to the game and look at her screen. Those two monster guardians were indeed slumbering. Candace picked the memorial in between the thorny plant and large scorpion easily. The system suddenly burst a series of system notifications in the global announcement about our success in the quest.
-
Global - SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
-
"CONGRATULATIONS TO STORM, Raine, KT, Queen and Thunder98 for being the first players to complete the Desert Blessing Quest. Your rewards will be sent to your mail."
-
"STORM, Raine, KT, Queen, and Thunder98 obtained the Desert Blessing."
-
"STORM, Raine, KT, Queen, and Thunder98 successfully unlocked the Four Field features of the map."
While the MMORPG ADVANCE player community who saw these notifications probably burst with excitement, the four of us who are in the notification stared on the screen dumbfounded.
"The quest seems too easy? Are we even taking a quest?" Lorraine was the first to voice out our feelings. How did we finish the quests when we did not even get to fight!
"Wow! That's how a legend finishes a quest in just a blink of an eye!" I heard the guy said cheerfully.
"Well, since it's finished, it's time to log off now." Kate said and stood up. I looked at her as she walks towards her room. Lorraine stretched her body comfortably while Candace is having a conversation with the guy.