Should I or Should I Not [Saber]

[Verin]

 It was around noon and the smell of coffee was coating the air which was mixed with the smell of blooming flowers. A young fox tail sitting at a small table for two was drinking a cup of coffee while waiting for a friend to get there. As he sat there drinking his coffee he thought about what he and his friend were going to talk about which would help decide the young boy's fate. The young fox tail had this crazy idea to go and explore all of the Londinium server alone which could be considered insane by some and it was this fact that made the boy call up a friend who had hit level 90 and was perhaps the master of soloing things Saber. The young boy and Saber had a somewhat weird connection, they were former members of the same guild which had disbanded about a month ago, so why would the young boy call him of all reasons? It was because to the young boy Saber was the most experienced person he knew about what the young boy was planning to do since Saber had practically did the same thing just at a much slower pace. Consumed in all of these thoughts the young boy looked up into the sky and watched the clouds of the blue sky move across it while occasionally covering the sun for a few seconds. Perhaps this journey that the young boy had in his mind would make him like that of the clouds, a drifter that had left his roots in seek of things like adventure and power while being completely neutral to the events going on around him. The thought about being a drifter made the young boy smile, it probably wouldn't be that bad and in a sense he would be a part of the front line of explorers while being one of the youngest and weakest since he was only level eighteen while most were at least around level thirty five or higher. Suddenly the young boy heard footsteps and snapped back to his senses, turning around he saw the familiar face of his friend Saber.

[360]
Saber

[Saber]

Do You Believe in Ghosts?

: Words : -904-
: Tags : Verin
: Skills Used : [-N/A-]
: Notes : -N/A-

For once, Saber was in Londinium with a bit of a purpose. Usually he walked through the streets like that of a confused chicken or something like that of a wandering ghost. He never seemed to have any reason to be in the city except to either be leaving or going to rest. Any other time he spent in the city was spent doing almost nothing. All of the things he needed to do, like crafting and questing, he performed either outside of the city or in his hidden library underground. Londinium was just a place which he used as a sort of protection from the elements whenever he was hiding. At least here he didn’t have to be worried about being attacked randomly by either a monster or a disgruntled player. Then again, he wouldn’t put it passed someone to lunge out and try to get him killed by the Royal Guard.

But not this time. This time, Saber was in Londinium because he had been requested. Most of the time, Saber would ignore the message for later or just reply with something along the lines of “no”, or “not interested”. The difference this time was something quite easy; it was an old Guild Member of his. The fact that he had disbanded his Guild still left a bad taste in his mouth and his heart still hurt because of it, but he would not share the reasoning behind it all with his old underlings. They did not need to know why, and he would not tell them. The best kind of protection was the kind that a person did not know they had, and disbanding the Guild was Saber’s best way to keep them out of the fire. He was a fool to think he could lead a Guild, not because he couldn’t but because of whom he was. Saber was a person who did not make a lot of friends, but his list of enemies did not seem to have an end.

And yet even though he had disbanded the Guild, House of Crowns, Saber still made himself as available as possible for his previous underlings. In his mind, he was still their Leader even though he could only assume that many of them hated him now. He would not blame them, but he would not apologize either. The reasoning behind his disbanding of the Guild was a burden that was his own to bear, and he would shoulder it like everything else he carried. His head would remain high, his back straight, and he would continue to walk. Let them hate him, let them curse him. He would rather them despise every fiber of his being than be imprisoned and tortured for however long they were stuck in this world.

The message from one of his old underlings, Verin, also came at a perfect time. Saber had just finished a simple quest and was returning to Londinium to make a new set of weapons for himself. The location designated by the lower leveled Adventurer also denoted that it was a type of tea or coffee shop, which was even better. Saber had been off for a few hours already and would enjoy taking a short break, as he probably would have anyways. As he approached the location though, the scent of desserts and tea caused the Assassin’s stomach to rumble. Saber smirked. He no longer had a choice it seemed.

The man stepped into the tea shop and then up to the counter. He asked about another player, gave a description, and then was directed outside to the patio. Saber nodded in response but before he left, he also placed his order; tea, Darjeeling with a bit of extra sugar along with two cinnamon rolls to appease his sweet tooth. The woman on the other side of the counter happily took his request and gave him a timeframe. With that, Saber made his way out to the designated patio area and took a brief look around to find the other player he had come to meet. It was not difficult to do so, as the young man’s hairdo kind of stuck out. Saber smirked again but the emotion went away as he made his way over to where Verin was sitting. He did not hide himself like he may have done with Kitty, but instead made his boots click a little louder on the smooth stoned floor. As he approached, Verin turned to face him.

“Hello, Verin.” Saber said curtly as he made his way up to the table. He took the seat directly across from the Sorcerer and pulled it out quietly. As he prepared to sit, Saber deposited his annoying cloak into his inventory and then pulled his scarf down from his face. He probably looked tired, as he had been up for almost twelve hours already, but that was fine. He didn’t plan on passing out right in the middle of a public area, nor did he plan to do so in front of someone who had called him out especially.

“From what you sent me, I feel it is safe to assume you need some kind of help. What can I do for you?” Saber nudged his chair up to the table and leaned back against it, allowing himself to relax a little rather than remain stiff. Doing so got a little annoying after a while.

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M
Modified by KittyGrey

[Verin]

 "Hello Saber, it's good to see you again. As for what I asked you to come here for, well I have had this idea in my mind for a while but, I'm uncertain whether or not I should follow it. I've been having this idea of going away from that which I know and on a somewhat blank slate go explore all of the known Londinium server." After saying this the young boy named Verin took a sip of his coffee which had to completely cover in sugar because plain coffee was too bitter for him and watched as Saber tried, and what looked like a partial failure, to get himself comfortable. Smiling a bit more Verin corrected his pasture and continued on with what he was saying, "Anyways the main problem is that I'm kind of scared to do it while I also feel that if I do do it I will get stronger and mature some. I'm usually not this indecisive on things like this I'll usually go with what my gut tells me to do, but this time neither my brain or gut know what I should do. Thus I was hoping that since you're usually a solo player yourself that you might have a suggestion on what I should do even though you're obviously not my therapist." Taking another sip of his coffee Verin looked towards the road and watched Adventurers and People of the Land alike move about their daily business while inside Verin there was a choice that would change his life forever and he couldn't figure out what to do, talk about a major unbalance between certain lives.


[275]
Saber

[Saber]

Do You Believe in Ghosts?

: Words : 1736
: Tags : Verin
: Skills Used : [N/A]
: Notes : Yay speech.

As Verin began to speak, it became quite clear to Saber that the Sorcerer was going to be very straight to the point about things. The younger player didn’t waste any time speaking right after his greeting and Saber hadn’t even received his tea yet, which made Saber wonder if he would even have time to drink it all before they were done. Though, that wasn’t exactly a problem. Saber didn’t mind being quick about things and there would always be more tea. But as Verin went on and explained more of his issue, Saber also learned that what the young man was having a problem with was something Saber himself faced when he himself had started. Thankfully, before he could get too far into his talking, a waitress appeared in the corner of his eye. Saber waved lightly to get her attention as he listened and she thankfully caught on quick.

Saber adjusted his chair and straightened up, taking in the information Verin was providing. Verin was indeed a little younger than Saber. He looked greener around the edges and didn’t seem to have the rough tone a lot of adults tended to have, at least from Saber’s perspective. Verin was also a little bit more… upbeat? He didn’t seem to have a lot of problems tugging at his mind and his eyes were still young. He wasn’t a fool though, as Verin himself had stated that he was scared and immature in the sense of being younger. That was good. It was better than most people could say, sadly enough. Very few people admitted their fears, their weaknesses, or when they could not go on. At times, Saber was one of them. However, Saber was different. He knew when he was scared, but he never let it get in his way. Whether he was afraid or not, the job had to be done, whatever it may be.

What also made Verin seem a bit smarter in Saber’s eyes was the fact that the boy had actually reached out. Rather than deal with his issues on his own and potentially regret his decision, Verin called upon someone with experience and was now asking said person for advice. Whether Saber was a good choice for that or not, Saber didn’t know. Though, Saber also doubted that anyone else in the region had as much experience travelling as he did. The others tended to stay near Londinium or pretty much hugged each other and stayed out of danger. It was quite annoying at times, but it wasn’t his problem. Saber had reached his goal of level ninety and now he had his own work to take care of.

Just as Verin finished speaking, the waitress set down his tea as well as two cinnamon rolls in front of him. One of the rolls Saber placed onto a small saucer and then slid across the table for Verin. The other he kept to himself. Then, he passed a small bag of coins to the waitress, thanked her, and then let her leave to tend to other customers. As she left, Saber carefully grasped his teacup, its saucer, and then lifted them both up. The Darjeeling was sweet, and it tasted delicious. The warm, refreshing liquid helped Saber’s mind clear and he patiently digested everything he had been told, but he also tied in what he knew. The world beyond the walls was unkind to Adventurers.

Unlike many had said, not all Landers accepted the immortal beings. Saber had come across many who had looked at him with disdain, and some who had even tried to kill him or capture him. But, there was also beauty. Saber had seen many wonderful sights in distant lands and had even been asked to take a ship across the ocean once, but had politely declined. As much as Saber had travelled, he still returned to Londinium. This place was his home away from home, and it was the only place truly one hundred percent familiar to him. It was also the only place he felt safe. Unlike Verin, Saber had never truly left the arms of Londinium until his later levels. Verin seemed to be ready to leave now if Saber gave him the right information, which meant that the Assassin needed to choose his words wisely. Adventure was something every player should seek, but go too far and all one would find would be death. It was a problem Saber knew all too well. Going toe to toe with Albion was an example of his greed.

After a few moments of silence, Saber placed his tea down onto the table and let out a heavy sigh. He didn’t like being looked at as someone with knowledge, even though he had much of it. Saber was always the one asking the questions, always the one digging out the answers. He was very rarely the one being asked and it always made him feel weird.

“You have two paths in front of you, which you may or may not already see. One way you can take is to leave Londinium. Take your gear, pack up your valuables, gather up as much gold and food as possible, and head out. Even without a map, if you follow the roads you will come across many towns and people who may be willing to help you. With just a few coins, you can pay your way all the way to the ocean in every direction except North. If you do quests along the way, it will make your life easier and people will be even more accepting of you. However…” Saber leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes. He remembered his own first trip outside of Londinium. He had fled after a fight at Sarum out of fear and had nearly gone insane.

“…Your other option is to remain in Londinium. There is nothing saying that you must leave in order to become stronger, Verin.” Saber opened his eyes and looked at the Sorcerer. The other player was young and Saber could only think of a few terrible things happening to the young lad. All of which could be avoided if he remained in Londinium. Saber doubted Verin had the survival knowledge and expertise he had, but he had been proven wrong before.

“Staying in Londinium will help you make friends. It will help you learn how to live, and help you learn how to survive. Living beyond the walls is not easy. When I travelled, I did not always sleep in a bed. I did not always have a warm meal to eat or anything at all some days. This place, this world, is not as populated as our home. Towns are sparse, and cities are rare. You might travel for days without seeing another person and sometimes, that person may be out for your head simply because you are the person you are; an Adventurer.” Saber took in a deep breath and then looked out towards the road. A frown crossed his face as he recalled a few other memories, ones that he would not share. Indeed, the world was unkind…

“It is not easy to live. Not even in this world. We are comfortable here in Londinium because of the number of people in it, because of the activity. Out there… Out beyond the eyes of Londinium… There are no Adventurers. There are very few ‘safe zones’, and there are not many allies of ours. Monsters lurk around every corner, behind every tree, and in every cave. Food rots, water may not always be available, and the weather isn’t as predictable sometimes.” Saber’s frown vanished as he looked back towards Verin. If Verin truly wished to leave, he had to be prepared so Saber did not withhold anything. He may have over exaggerated some things, but a lot of it was true.

“But, even though the world may not always be your friend, you will find many out there waiting to meet you. There are people who live out their lives even now who have never met an Adventurer before. Some call us Gods, some call us Devils and Demons. I have been treated as both. However, beyond the safety net of Londinium there is still beauty. The world is unkind, but it is the most beautiful thing you could imagine. There is no smog or soot in the air, no pollution in the waters, and no radioactive things that could kill you if you ate something badly. The skies are blue, the grass is green, and the waters are clear. Flowers bloom along the roads and in meadows, animals roam without fear of being hunted, and there are many people who live alongside nature much like our ancestors had.” Saber smirked and used a fork to take a piece of his cinnamon roll. Swiftly, he stabbed the piece and then brought the saucer and the fork to his mouth, ensuring that he didn’t drop any crumbs or the entire thing into his lap. He took a few moments to chew it, placed the plate down, and then brought his teacup to his lips to wash down the excess bun in his mouth.

“As I said, it would not take much for you to be able to leave and survive on the basics. All of those basics can be bought at the stores and gathered up very quickly. If you pace yourself and make use of your days, you can cross great distances without much trouble. Going alone will not be easy, but it is possible. I don’t take anyone with me when I leave Londinium and I don’t tell anyone when I leave either. Sometimes, being alone is the best thing for you. You get to enjoy things you wouldn’t be able to with another person. But, if you see something, sometimes it’s also good to bring someone later. So if you decide to travel, make notes as you go along but before we even get to that… I’d like to ask you something…” Saber’s voice slowly trailed off and his eyes hardened for a moment. He narrowed them on the young Sorcerer as he took a light sip of his tea. He kept his eyes on the younger man as he lowered his saucer and cup back to the table. Then, he spoke…

“…Could you kill another human being?”

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M
Modified by KittyGrey

[Verin]

 Verin had made the right choice getting consultation from Saber, his wisdom was just what he needed till the question came. Could Verin kill a person, could he take a life even if it was just changed data?Verin didn't really focus on the other type of human life, it was the human life that couldn't get a second chance that what this question was truly about. The answer was obvious to Verin, "No I can't Saber I can only kill the monsters that spawn at regulated times, but I can't take a human life for I know I'm not strong enough to do so. Maybe when this was a game I could've killed, but now there is no possibility of me doing something like killing another human life." Leaning back Verin took a fork and cut the hot gooey cinnamon roll that Saber so graciously gave him, then blow on it and ate it. The flavor filled his mouth with the rich flavor of cinnamon which helped him switch from the grim tone of the question that Saber just asked and Verin answered to a lighter tone of thinking about what Saber had said before the question. Either to leave or to go, each had their pros and cons, "I understand that living and traveling is hard, but I secluded myself in the old world, I stayed in my room and did the same usual thing every day not wanting it to change. Now call me crazy if you want, but when this whole mishap happened deep down I had a thought and that thought was this, "Finally change." I think, Saber, that I will go on a journey. Even though you've told me these horrible things out there I feel heart want to bound forward at full force, I want adventure." From there Verin quieted and finished his cinnamon roll in a quick bites and then finished off his coffee with a smile on his face.

[328]
Saber

[Saber]

Do You Believe in Ghosts?

: Words : 1038
: Tags : Verin
: Skills Used : [N/A]
: Notes : -N/A-

To Saber’s dismay, Verin’s answer to his question was quite the opposite of what Saber knew would be required. However, the answer was no surprise. Verin was young and Saber doubted that the boy had any experience actually taking the life of a real creature. Though, Saber also doubted that more than ninety percent of the people who played the game killed anything other than insects in the real world. That was not entirely a bad thing either. If the world was filled with merciless killers, than it would have been a much darker place. People like Saber needed to be few and far in between now because of how society worked, which was sad. Many years ago and someone like Verin would have already been married and out hunting. Saber would have probably had a kid already. But, that was in the past. However, it wasn’t the matter of actually being able to kill that was the issue; it was the drive.

In the wildness outside of Londinium, enemies were common. There were countless ways to die beyond the safe zone’s cradle and all of which would make long-distance traveling almost impossible at a moment’s notice. Being able to shut off the lights and focus only on survival was a trait which needed to be carried by the curious. There were beasts out in the world that could not be dealt with by someone with a soft heart. They were too violent, too vicious and they did not care for what a person thought. These beasts were nothing more than living nightmares. Their existence swirled around the sheer idea of death and murder. Adventurers were nothing but prey to these monsters from hell, and many Adventurers simply could not keep up. Saber survived for as long as he did not only because he understood this fact, the fact that these beasts didn’t care about his well-being, but also because of his persistence. Unlike many Adventurers, Saber simply did not accept a loss or death. He never quit and never gave in no matter the situation, even if the task at hand was impossible; there was always a way out. That had kept him alive. He was a level ninety who had faced many challenges and the marker in his system window that listed his number of deaths remained at zero.

But could Verin hold that mindset? Could Verin stand in the face of an enemy three times his size and stand firm, without a single thought of fear winking through his brain? Or would he quiver and shake, would he think of running? The answer Saber received told him otherwise, and that was something Saber feared. The young adventurer wished to travel beyond the walls of Londinium, wanted to mature and change and he wanted to get stronger. And yet, he could not take the life of someone else. If Saber had asked if Verin could kill if he was attacked by another human, Verin probably would have said yes, but the lack of context gave Saber the better answer, the true answer. Now that he had it, there wasn’t much else Saber could do. What made things worse was that Verin continued to speak.

Saber closed his eyes for a moment as he listened, letting Verin give Saber a glimpse into his life on the other side. After a few moments, Saber’s eyes opened and he cut into his cinnamon roll. Verin was like many teenagers of the time; lonely figures. Unlike Saber, Verin was a room bug. He stayed inside and didn’t enjoy the world like Saber had. He didn’t live with nature, and certainly never had held a weapon or faced a true moment of peril. He was young, immature, and did not know what he could potentially bump into. But, he was determined. Even after Saber’s short spiel, Verin was willing to face the danger. That was something everyone in Elder Tale had; a sense of yearning. Saber could not quell the feeling himself, as it was something which drove him mad. But in this world, it wasn’t just drive that would help someone survive. The world was not ruled by physical beings but by data, and Verin did not have much of it; he was a level eighteen sorcerer. He would be nothing but a bump in the floor for some of the larger beasts. In that case, Saber could only hope that the young boy had a good head on his shoulders.

“The wish to travel and see the world is what makes us Adventurers. It is what every player in this game has in common.” Saber took another bite from his sweet dessert and savored the flavor before downing it.

“I won’t try to tell you no or bind you to a pole until you decided that staying here is your only option, but remember one thing as you travel; no matter what, you must survive. We may be Adventurers and immortal in this world, but death is not something to be taken lightly. Nothing is more important than your own life.” The instant Saber spoke those words, the smiling face of a familiar blonde foxtail popped into his head. It made him rumble beneath his breath but he did not quell the feeling in his stomach.

“As you travel, make friends, take notes, and gather materials. You never know when you may need to call in a favor or when you may wish to return some where.” Saber chuckled a little to himself and then took a sip of his tea, finishing the cup. He placed that cup down onto the table and then gathered his silverware and plates all into one stack in an attempt to help the waitress whom would come clean up after him. Then, he pushed up onto his feet. The Assassin summoned forth his cloak and made himself comfortable with it before looking up towards Verin.

“You have made your decision and I hope that my advice helps you. Is there anything else you need or any other questions you have for me before I leave?” Saber remained standing as he spoke, adjusting his gear a little before looking at Verin and waiting quietly.

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M
Modified by KittyGrey