For Answer II [Solo]

[Saber]

    With his first tally on the chart, Saber felt a bit of solace for being trapped in his favorite game. As far as he knew, the world around him was going to be his new home for a while and he had no qualms with it as he played it constantly anyways. Unlike many who lived in the cities and the more advanced areas back in the real world, Saber thrived in a lack of objects and luxuries. He had lived a simply, quiet life for so long that even after two years of being in a city, he still found himself reverting to his youth with his own family. He was able to survive off a minimal amount of resources and could make every dollar stretch in ways that others found difficult. The man also had a mind of creativity, allowing him to create much of what he needed from the scrapes he found lying around the house he lived in. It wasn’t a glorious life he lived and it was by no means a rich one, but it was one he was comfortable with living. There were no complications, no annoyances, and no worries suddenly hitting him out of the blue.


    Now as he stared towards his first sunrise with the first items of his new life in his inventory, Saber was ready to take on the challenge of this world just like he took on the challenge of college. The sudden transition to Elder Tale wasn’t like anything else he had faced before, no, this was a beast that would take days, weeks, months, maybe a year to defeat. In that time, Saber would be cut off from his family, his friends, and his own life back home. It made the player’s chest vex with pain and he felt a little lonely, but the fire in his eyes and the grin on his face helped keep him together.



    He had prepared for something like this to happen when he was younger; he had prepared to survive in this kind of situation. His father’s daily teachings about the land, how to survive off it, and how to live as one with it were finally going to come to use. And just with that thought, it made Saber feel like his father was right there beside him, watching. No one would support him from here on, at least no one that Saber could full trust. This world was different than the real one and people would most likely be battling for supplies and power. If Saber wanted to do the same, he would have to trust in his father’s teachings. He would have to put himself first and ensure his own safety. He would need to put aside everyone else and put his own goals first, at least for now.

[Saber]

    Before he could do any of that, Saber would have to test the limits of everything around him so he could figure out where he stood and what he had on his side as for skills. Just like he had tested his archery ability and had begun to test his physical ability, he’d have to put everything else up on the list; cooking, cleaning, weapon smithing, clothe making, food gathering, and even bodily maintenance. Primarily as a hunter, he’d have to check for his ability to trap and track his enemy targets. He also had to figure out how Quests would fall into his new loop of life. Would they benefit him or would they be a waste of his time? Also, would they increase his connections with the People of the Land or were they just regular NPCs without any form of a conscience? This game, this new world of Elder Tale, was a completely different demon than what it was before, and he had to start all over in it. If only he had waited one more day to start over.



    Giving in to his fears and constant thinking, Saber opened up a menu and navigated towards the system settings. Before he did anything rash aside from what he had already done (running from the central city of London into the wilderness without saying anything to anyone, engaging in combat with a threat that could have potentially killed him even though it was a cute bunny rabbit…), he needed to check and see if he could actually log out of the game. He needed to answer the million dollar question; was he really trapped here or was this just another feature of Elder Tale? With that in mind, the player opened up the panel in his menu with the designated button.

[Saber]

    The small object hovered there for a moment, taunting the player with its shiny words and welcoming icon. In the end, even as friendly as the button looked, a hard press of the little window caused Saber to realize the devastating truth behind it. The button flared its bright activation color, giving a slight feeling of hope, but the world around him didn’t react in the slightest. The logout button floated there in its glorified colored state, staring back at the unsatisfied player which continued to press on its imaginary surface, praying that maybe holding it for a designated time would cause it to activate. Nothing happened in the end, and Saber was forced to accept defeat; he lost to an imaginary button.



    “Well, there goes that.” A heavy sigh escaped Saber’s lips as he released the shininy button of despair and reluctantly closed his menu. He turned away from the sun, but more specifically from where his menu just was, and stared up towards the horizon beyond. It seemed like he was right the first time; there was no obvious way out of the game which meant that he was trapped here.



    “Time to get to work then.” Picking up his feet, Saber continued down the path at a steady pace this time. With no way to logout and his suspicions rectified, it was time to do the only thing he could; play the game, level up, and search for an alternative. Though, finding that alternative could take a long while to find so he would have to keep himself occupied until then.

[Saber]

    In order to do that, Saber needed an objective of sorts. At first he thought of doing quests and the choice of doing monotonous work to level up like any sane person would do. However, as he had considered earlier; there was the issue of potential and location. The quests had the potential to be wasteful and there was a chance he wouldn’t get much out of them aside from experience and gold. They could be flat, boring, meaningless tasks that didn’t give him anything but experience with moving hay bales or carrying rocks. The location of the quests was another problem.



    Due to the expansion, there was a chance that the quests that Saber remembered, and was considering completing, were all moved and in different places than they had previously been. Should that occur, as it most likely did, he would waste time searching for them. Time was valuable for him, especially since he could expect other players to be expanding and searching for ways to live as well. The first twenty-four hours of playing would be the most important hours of the entire game, and Saber wasn’t going to let anything slip out of his reach. He had no choice but to take every opportunity and capitalize as long as the result would benefit him greatly.



    “Fortune favors the bold… doesn’t it Terence?” A sly smile crossed the player’s face as he clutched the bow which lingered in his left hand. On that same side, the bushes began to twitch again. It was a slight movement, but one Saber noticed only because of the low rumbling coming from within the bush’s shadows. The player glanced over and turned to face the collection of natural growth.

[Saber]

    Saber narrowed his eyes on the now still grass and waited for a moment, choosing to remain still as he focused his vision on the one piece of nature. The longer he stared at it, the more he felt like something was looking back at him. It was a hard feeling to describe but Saber felt as if his body was being analyzed by something. Something was there, sizing him up, something which had probably been watching him for much longer than Saber had known about it. Due to the distance from the ruins of London, it was highly likely that this area was filled with a large number of various monsters. It also meant that there the chance of those monsters being larger, more powerful creatures, was extremely high.



    For Saber, that meant he was outnumbered, outgunned, and in probably the worst situation because of his lack of knowledge about how death would now work. Not only that; Saber only had a bow to defend himself, a starter bow to be exact, a bow that was falling apart to be even more so. In addition, the arrows he had available to him as ammunition could barely penetrated the flesh of a small rabbit. If he came across anything tougher or more violent than that; Saber would be better off running like a madman than trying to fight back. The realization of the hell he was now in made Saber grip onto his bow tighter. He was probably going to die here.

[Saber]

    In reaction to the slight movement of the player’s hand, a shadow darted out from behind the bush and tried to move back into the darkness of the forest. Unlike with the wounded rabbit, and in a bold move after his thoughts about potentially dying due to coming across a giant creature summoned out of the depths of hell, Saber pounced on his chance to experience a potentially life-threatening hunt and bolted into the forest. He remained hot on the creature’s tail because of his quick reactions and followed the movement of trees, bushes, as well as the noises echoing from ahead of him. When Saber was finally close enough, the shadow darted to the left and stayed mostly out of sight. A low hiss escaped the player’s mouth as he adjusted and continued his chase. Twenty feet ahead, a small figure came into view but it was obscured by the shadows of the vegetation around it. Saber’s eyes tracked the body, watching it duck and slip through the underbrush as it moved rapidly in its attempt to flee or reach some sort of safety.



    An arrow came free from Saber’s quiver as he pulled on the back end of the shaft. However he didn’t dock the arrow or prime to fire. The player simply held it firmly in his palm and remained prepared to take advantage of any opening he could get during the run. If he wasn’t ready and a chance opened up, it would most likely take him too much time to get set up if he had to reach back. Holding the arrow would give him a slight edge later on even though it hurt him a slight bit now due to him having to close his fist as he ran. Either way, it was something that needed to be done.

[Saber]

    The player sucked in air and breathed heavily, pumping his lungs full of virtual oxygen as he forced his legs to move faster, steadier, and lighter. Even in a body which wasn’t real, the movement gave Saber peace of mind and he was able to keep up with the animal in front of him. With his eyes locked on the creature, Saber’s body self-consciously began to bring him closer and closer to it until eventually he found himself running directly to the creature’s left. He was off by several feet still, unable to get any closer due to the number of trees and undergrowth, but he was close enough. From where he was looking, Saber was able to get a visual of his target and could at least get some information from it. The animal was a small beast, not one worth being too frightened about like he had been fretting about, but it was a kill nonetheless. Letting it go simply because it was small wasn’t an option after chasing it for so long.



    Glancing to his right, Saber took his eyes off the creature for a moment and sighted a large tree root that was coming dangerously close. He moved his arms more aggressively, adjusted his foot placement to open his stride up, and then lunged off the ground onto the root. With a heavy kick, he elevated himself vertically off the ground and vanished into the tree branches above. Leaves rustled, a branch broke and fell, and several birds evacuated their homes as Saber disappeared into the canopy. The shadow adjusted its path due to the sudden movement, ducking to the right and moving away from Saber’s last known position

[Saber]

    The animal squealed for help as it ran over and under several larger tree roots, diving deeper into the forest. Without any hesitation though, the animal continued to move further and further inside the dense area. From an objective standpoint; the animal was fearless in its attempt to flee. It wasn’t going anywhere in particular due to its swift changes of direction, but it didn’t seem to know where it had come either. It simply continued forward, brazenly progressing into an area it had never known before in a simple attempt to save itself. The squeals of fear grew in tenacity with every turn the animal took. The noise, along with the loud steps of the animal, echoed into the silent jungle around it. Yet the prayers fell on deaf ears. Not a single soul appeared to come help the tiny source of the cries, but it seemed that Saber was gone. Maybe he had given up or found another target.



    The animal didn’t run for much longer, and slowly came to a halt in between a large bush and a small tree that had several vines twirling up around its trunk. The tiny beast huffed and looked around itself, scanning the area with its pair of soft red eyes as it searched for the location of the hunter it had expected to be following it. The forest grew eerily quiet as the little animal backed up. The animal whimpered and attempted to tuck itself away within the protection of the tree behind it. When its backside was unable to move any further, the creature lay down and slide its body back. It lay there, still and alone, quietly whimpering for salvation from any other creature in the area.

[Saber]

    Then, a loud whistle echoed down from above the quiet area. The shadow looked up to its exposed left, the pair of ears on its head rising high as to try and pinpoint the source’s location. Before it could discover said location, suddenly from the trees a quick moving object appeared for only a second before the vision of the cornered animal was suddenly blocked out. A single arrow flew down from the tree tops and dug itself into the target’s head, striking just beside the creature’s left eye. The shadow let out an alarmed squeal and took a staggered step back, pushing against the tree as it tried to hide underneath the roots that were there. Before it could move away into cover, another arrow came from the canopy, this time it came from a location much closer. The second shot dug into the shadow’s side, piercing deep into its ribcage.



    A much more pained noise escaped the throat of the creature as it stumbled over, staggering out from its half-guarded position towards a small circle of sun on the ground. The little creature practically fell into the lighted space, exposing its identity to the forest around it; the whining animal was a small boar. It didn’t last on its feet in the light for long and finally fell forward onto its side with a soft thud, removing itself from the bright light. It wasn’t down for the count though and was able to recover after some struggling, but the two arrows inside of it were difficult to move with.

[Saber]

    As the pig took a step forward, ready to try to run for its life once more, Saber dropped down from the trees directly in front of it. The player landed in a couch, soothing the landing before standing upright. The sudden, frightening emergence caused the pig to jump and fall back down onto its side. He grimaced at the sight of the pained animal in front of him and wished he could help the little thing; he also wished he never had to attack the baby in the first place. But this hunt did not have a lack reason to it. Saber needed this, he needed to hunt, and he needed to end this little creature’s life so that he could become a stronger person, a stronger player. The pig most likely didn’t understand, as its watering eyes showed otherwise; it didn’t understand this situation at all.



    “Raise your head…” Saber whispered as he raised his bow. The player stared at the pig and drew a third arrow from its location on his back. He was going to end this as quickly and painlessly as possible, but he would do so as a hunter, not a killer. As a hunter, he would respect the land and its fruits rather than steal and bring pain to the land around it. Death was a part of life, and as a Hunter, he required death of his prey to survive. However, that did not mean he had to be a villain. Just as the pig used plants, Saber would use the pig. It was natural, and he would not let it go to waste.

[Saber]

    “End your life with a feeling of glory, not sorrow… Go out with a smile.” Saber continued to mumble, almost to himself, as he placed the arrow against the wooden frame of his bow. Death was thought to be something sad and depressing. Yet that was not so. Death was a form of relief as it would elevate the soul to a much more eternal and joyful place.



    The young pig in front of him only squealed in pain and nudged its snout at the ground in front of itself. Saber however showed it only mercy as he pulled the string of his bow. Yet, before he was able to fire and end the moment of anguish, the little creature’s legs twitched. It quivered and shook. The soft, pained whining escalated into a squeal of defiance and the beast rolled carefully onto its belly and legs, propelling itself back upright with a powerful shove. It staggered to the right, forcing the hunter to adjust his aim. Then it began to step forward in a brilliant sight of will. One hoof after another, the young pig pushed itself and moved closer and closer to Saber, driving its weak and wounded body into action. After it took five steps, the young creature released the loudest noise it had done since Saber had begun to chase it. It was then that the air whiffed and a light breeze flowed through the area. A second later, the forest returned to its silent and calm state.

[Saber]

    Standing there, almost frozen as he stared at the distant sight of the pig bursting apart and turning into items, Saber realized that he wasn’t the only thing that would be trying to survive in this world. He was an Adventurer that had appeared out of the air, and the animals in the forest were the true inhabitants. He was the invader, they were the natives. It was probably the first time seeing a human for the little pig he had just killed, and Saber regretted his decision to chase it. Even as he was able to collect his rewards, the spot which the animal had fallen was almost like a stain in Saber’s eyes. For others just walking through, it would look like nothing more than another patch a grass that had been laid down on by something. On the other hand, Saber couldn’t help but frown as he looked at the now empty space.



    The man placed his hand down onto the floor, rubbing it slowly over the grassy patch where the animal had lay down for the last time. The feeling he experienced was cold, empty, and unforgiving. The tale of this pig had come to an end simply because someone, or something, had selfishly trapped Saber in this world. If he had not been trapped, had he not switched characters, Saber could guarantee that the pig would still be alive and prancing about the forest floor. It would still be with its family and still be happy. It would never have met its fate today. Yet, that was exactly what this was. The pig and Saber’s meeting was not by chance; it was by fate. There was nothing Saber could do to change that. This predetermined meeting was something set in stone the day the universe was formed. The hunt was inevitable.

[Saber]

    “Ares give me strength… Gaia guide me home.” The short prayer was one his father had taught him to say when Saber had found himself stuck in a sad situation. The man had smiled when he explained it to Saber, which was strange, but it was something that stuck with him nonetheless.



    “We call to Lord Ares for both physical and mental strength as to help us bare our burdens, for power to stand against those who try to push us down, and for an edge in battle that will lead us to victory. We call for the Lady Gaia to ensure our safety during a hunt and during a fight, and ask that she lead us home to those we love. It is very easy to get lost in her embrace you know, and a mother’s love is not always kind.” Were the words the older, wise man had said. It was strange to learn about a religion like that centuries after its golden age, especially in a land dominated by Christians. Yet it was something Saber had learned to embrace. His father was a Greek, and his mother was Italian. They chose to move to America for a reason unknown to Saber, however it was not something he worried about at any point. He was their son and they were there to teach him about the world, to give him a way to survive. They weren’t there to push their problems onto him. That was what his mother had told him, and he was thankful for it.

[Saber]

    However in times like this, it was hard to be angry at his parents for anything. Jake Furrow had been given an opportunity to learn much of what others he had met did not. He had learned how to survive in nature with the bare minimum of supplies, he had learned how to be self-sufficient, he had learned how to cater to himself and meet the needs of others, and he was also born into a boiling hot kettle where knowledge was open for the taking. Jake was never restricted to one topic and was allowed to learn about whatever he wished as a child. His parents did not try imposing on his ideals, but instead they fed him with more. They gave him questions about his thoughts, considerations of topics for him to search for, suggestions on things that he could improve upon, and showed Jake ways of thought that he could not have perceived before the conversations had. It was a priceless youth, one that he would never despise.



    Now, he was going to be pulling all of what he had learned out from its slumber in his mind and would be putting it all to the test in this world. Two animals had fallen beneath his hand already and the day was just beginning. Saber had a long time to hunt, kill, and engage in the world around him. He had plenty of time to fight, to learn, and to question. However; time was finite. The world would not wait for him, and information was still scarce. Even in his moment of joy as he remembered his family, Saber was wasting precious time. He needed to keep focused on his original goal; acquiring information.

[Saber]

    Pulling up his menu, Saber opened up a message box and activated the virtual keypad with a gentle tap. He flexed his jaw as he thought and swiftly began to type, causing letters to sprawl across the screen in front of him. He recorded the day with as much detail as he could remember, noting the main key incidents from the time he logged in until the time he began to type. He noted the engagements he had with the rabbit and the boar. He recorded the animal’s movements, their reactions, as well as the Pig’s will to survive and live on. He made a note of the items received, the experience earned, and other character development actions that had occurred. He noted the change with his bow and arrow skills compared to how he expected it to be. He typed up how it took much longer to focus, and how inaccurate the weapon was if he tried to rely on some system. He had to put a lot of effort into the skill to get the arrows going where he wanted them to, but the positive to the manual control was that the game only hindered his combat ability; it didn’t restrict him.



    Saber could fire his arrow anyway he wished, but his accuracy was off and he had little control over the bow’s sway. That was due to his lower level and inexperience. His new avatar was new to the game and he didn’t have much playing time with it so not being the best at holding a bow wasn’t something to be angry or bothered about. That fix would come with time and would require Saber to hunt and use the bow. He could not force his body to adjust. That was also something Saber noted in his log, bolding the words so they stood out for future reference. It took almost five minutes for Saber to write up his personal report but it only took a flash for it to be sent and received by the same person; himself. He opened the message and then closed it quickly simply to remove the blinking notification from his display, but then he locked the message to ensure he wouldn’t accidentally delete it later on.

[Saber]

    A short wave of the hand dispersed the menu in front of Saber, leaving the player standing on his own again. The forest was a quiet place, but it was fairly cramped where he was standing. Yet the silence was very attractive for someone who wanted to be alone for a short while, making it a place worth remaining in for now. Saber felt a bit at home within the green walls and his mind was at ease here. He slung his bow over his shoulder to free up his hands and steadied the object to make sure it was secure where it was. It was time to get on with his life here and continue with his search for answers. Saber had a main objective of getting out of the game with a short term goal of creating a small foundation of life he could support himself with. It wouldn’t be easy completing either tasks, but they had to be done at some point.



    The player released a final huff before clutching onto the bowstring which crossed his chest lightly. He turned his back on where the short battle scene occurred and strode off into the shadows of the forest, making his way deeper and deeper into the zone. There was no need for him to stop now and the world was right in front of him. It was time for Saber to play. For while he played he would discover the answers to all of his questions, even finding those answers took weeks. In order to keep himself from falling apart like the other players he had seen he would have to remain patient. One step and one shot at a time, Saber would make progress towards the end game. He would progress for answers.