Cithrel stopped before a building, a deep frown on her face.
"Is this it?"
[Yes, this is the Guild of Heroes.]
With the cracked windows, peeling red-pain, and half-broken door, Cithrel wouldn't have been able to tell that this place was a Guild. Let alone a guild to those considered heroes. Had it not been for the system suddenly speaking up on her walk, Cithrel would have ended up in a very different place, still lost on what to do.
But know, she had a rough idea.
"I go in here and they'll help?"
[It is the Guild of Heroes.]
Cithrel didn't like the sound of that.
"Why did you send me here?"
[To help you.]
She highly doubted that was the case. Still, Cithrel was able to at least focus on this. It didn't allow her mind to wonder about the endless curiosity of everything. To really question it all.
"You can help me by telling me what you're useful for."
Cithrel didn't expect it to answer as it had simply repeated it was System 666 every time she had asked what it was.
[I am here to help Cithrel Nightgale. To serve as her guide through the Bloodrim game and help her seek victory. I will protect you, even after you regain your powers. There is nothing that I will not do for my Goddess.]
"I'm no Goddess. Just an half-elf trying to escape this worm-hole of a game."
She had heard its words. To her, it sounded like it would be there every step that she needed to take. Yet she couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not. Would it really be of help to her?
Cithrel didn't linger on the thoughts as she returned her focus to a simple goal. Get gear and money. Then she would have to determine what the ending of this game was. As she believed whole-heartly that all games had endings, even if a player could continue with it.
The half-broken door groaned as it was pushed open. Inside, heads turn and eyes came to focus on the half-elf. She stared back, hardly believing that these ten people would really be in such a run-down place.
She had only expected one or two.
"I'm here to join this guild!"
It was a utter lie, but she needed something, anything, to help her with this start. And if it meant lying about joining them, then she would. Especially with the red-symbols above each of their heads, she decided against her originally plan.
If they knew she was new, her throat was going to be even more on the line then it already was.
"Who are you?"
The voice appeared to belong not to a man or woman, but a creature that stalked out of the shadows. Ink dripped from its form and she instantly thought it resembled a cross between a slime and humanoid
"Cithrel."
She couldn't tell if the creature had eyes, a mouth, or anything at all. Cithrel took a step back as it moved forward, inching closer and closer. But she refused to leave the building that she just entered.
"What makes you think we'll take you in?"
Cithrel was in agreement with that. Her stats were at zero, unable to help her with persuasion. She couldn't charm or charisma her way into it. Nor could she yet bully them into doing what she wanted.
But if they were like the NPCs she had faced in other games, Cithrel knew there was a way to it. She had an inkling that she'd be able to join them if she pushed for it.
A noise Cithrel couldn't quiet identify escaped from the creature.
"Come back when you're not level 0 and have killed 5 Demogorgons."
She stared. "Who are you?" It was only fair she asked that question back to him.
His body changed slowly. He grew taller, going from being barely at at her waist, to towering slightly above her. His appearance became more humanoid, at least for his face as it transformed to show two holes glowing a bright blue.
"Elel."
His answer chilled her to the bones.
"We don't take too kindly to elves, here. It would be best that you leave."
Cithrel took his words and slowly backed away. She hadn't gotten what she wanted. No money. No gear. Nothing, besides she would need to avoid these people. She couldn't see the reason to why she had been sent there.
When she hit the middle of the street, Cithrel took off.
"You sent me there to die, didn't you?"
She went into an alley, looking over her shoulder. She knew it would do no good if she was really being followed. Though she doubted that the NPCs would have a care to follow her or even have any intentions too.
[No.]
"Then where was the so-called help, you claimed they would give."
She entered into a new street, the brick path changing to gravel. She slowly mixed into the crowd of walking NPCs.
[You didn't ask the right question.]
Cithrel rolled her eyes.
"There was no right question to ask. Those guys are pretty much player killers. If I didn't know they were NPCs, I would think they were actually player killers."
The red-names was something she had seen often enough. Something that she had of her own in other games. There was something about killing another player and taking their loot that thrilled her.
Yet she did not want to be on the receiving end so early.
"Why did you send me there?"
Soon she leaned against a wall, watching the citizens of City W, move around as if they were living creatures.
[To help you.]
She didn't believe that anymore then she could throw a full size Giant.
"How were they supposed to help me?"
Cithrel used this time to take in their appearances, their races and life style. Even if she didn't belong here; even if it was nothing but a game and they were NPCs destined for robotic actions; she wanted to learn more.
The lovely atmosphere; the children running as they played their foolish games; and the all around how each of them moved about didn't make Cithrel see them as simple NPCs. Maybe Bloodrim had been more developed then she had originally thought.
Maybe they were generated to act more like a player.
[The Guild of Heroes is said to be made of compassionate beings. Their leader, Elel, is an Inkling--]
"An Inkling?"
[Inklings are small, black creatures, made of ink or other substances. They often seem humanoid and can take humanoid appearance easily when they want to blend into a city. However, as you saw, they often don't take on that appearance.]
"I wouldn't eagerly change my appearance either. Why does it matter if he's an Inkling?"
Cithrel could feel a headache coming on as she tried to find a solid ground. She needed something that made sense. Something that told her that this was normal and that everything would work out in the end.
[Inklings are known for helping Adventurers, like you, and being their guide in this world when they appear. You would be treated more like you have always existed in Bloodrim, then a player who came here, seeking help.]
"I am a player seeking help."
She tried to figure out another way to get what she needed.
"What about a dungeon? Where's the nearest one of those?"
[16 km away]
"Are town safe heavens? Do monsters come here?"
[Yes and no.]
Cithrel pushed from the brick wall, barely missing bumping into a cloaked figure. She didn't spare a glance as she worked through the crowd. She had spotted two guards and decided against lingering any longer in one spot.
She worked on making her way through the unfamiliar city, looking for the fountain she had began at.
"How many dungeons do I need to conquer to beat the game?"
No answer came.
"How do I beat the game."
[There is no known way too do as you request.]
Her mouth twitched as she dodged around NPCs. She hadn't seen one player yet. Though she was sure that a few had to be somewhere in the city.
"All games have a way to be beaten."