She was vaguely aware of the direction she was heading. The moment she left the forest, she allowed herself to cry. The last few days had been hectic, but she had come to enjoy her family genuinely. This may have been just a game, but their mannerisms were so authentic it was easy to forget. She vowed to become an adventurer her mother could be proud of. After shedding her tears, her body felt lighter. 

     The day was lovely. It was a bit before midday, and she needed to figure out where to meet up with Kat, but she would figure it out when she got to town. It wasn't long before she came upon a road. She looked at the city on her map and started walking towards it. 

     Her bare feet made no noise as she walked. Now that she was moving, she was eager to get to the city. She hoped it wouldn’t take too long. The steady sound of hooves approached from behind. She made way for whoever it was to pass.

     “Hello, little lady, what's a little girl doing so far from the capitol?” inquired a man from atop his horse. A protective tone in his voice. 

     “Hello,” she replied, “I’m on my way to the Wanderers Union to join.”

     “A young girl like you? That's impressive,” he remarked. “If you don't mind, I can give you a ride. I am on my way to deliver a message from the mayor of my hometown.”

     She looked him over, he was wearing some nice armor, nothing expensive like a knight would wear, but it was obvious he wasn’t a commoner. After judging him not to be suspicious, she nodded and said, “Thank you, I’d appreciate the ride.”

     He got down from the back of his horse and made a gesture. “May I?” he asked. She lifted her arms a little and nodded. He bent down and picked her up before gently placing her sidesaddle. He then climbed back up, holding her, so she didn't fall. The animal was huge. She had never seen a horse before. It was thrilling but also a little scary.

     “Let's head off. You can hold on here,” he indicated to a small strap, “but I’ll make sure you don’t fall.” He urged the animal forward, and it began to walk at a brisk pace.

     Myrra yelped in surprise and grabbed the strap. She wasn't enjoying the ride so far. Sensing her discomfort, the man began to speak. “So tell me, young one, where do you hail from? You aren’t a human. That is obvious enough.”

     “From the Forest of Moria,” she answered, remembering the name from the map.

     “Ah, so you’re one of her daughters, then?”

     “Mhmm, Mommy said I should go to Weinheim.”

     “It must be nice there. I've never seen it myself. Us mortals aren’t generally allowed in there. She lets us cut trees near the forest's edge, outside her influence.”

     “It is. I have a lot of sisters. We would play and snuggle. My sisters would bring fruits and veggies. And Mommy is so caring and gentle. She loves us all, even the mortal races,” she sniffled. “But I promised I would visit, and I need to make stories to tell them.”

     “Well, joining the Union would guarantee stories, you’ll have no trouble there. It must be hard leaving your family at such a young age.” She nodded in response. “You are courageous, and I'm sure you’ll make them proud.” This innocuous statement brought tears to her eyes. As she quietly sobbed, he looked straight ahead, not wanting to embarrass the small girl further.

     They rode in silence after that. The man made occasional observations, pointing out interesting things to her. While riding, she checked her status and allocated her stat points.

 

 

     Satisfied with her allocations, she closed her status. The city came into view shortly after that. They joined a line of people seeking entry to the city. A man in a shabby-looking wagon rode past, grumbling about not being allowed entry.

     “Am I going to be able to get in?” she asked.

     “You’ll be fine. Tell the guards you’re here to join the Union, and they will let you in. After that, if you leave, you’ll need to pay the entry fee to get back in.” 

     It took another twenty minutes before they reached the gates.

     “Names?” inquired one of the guards at the gate. 

     “I am Angor., and this is…” he prompted.

     “Myrra,” she offered.

     “Reason for visiting?”

     “I'm here to deliver a message from my hometown to the Senechal. She’s here to sign up at the Union.”

     “‘Nother wanderer, eh?” the other guard asked, his thick accent making him hard to understand. “Been a lot o’ ya folks' lately. Past few days, a bunch o’ ya came in.”

     “The entrance fee is five silvers,” the guard noted, taking down their names and appearance. He grabbed two small metal disks and spoke a few words. They glowed for a moment before he offered them to Angor. “Mind your business while here. Our dungeons are sturdy, and there's plenty of them.”

     “Of course, my good man,” he replied with a smile, taking the offered metal disks. As they passed under the walls, he handed Myrra hers, and she saw the metal disk had a small hole in it. “Keep this on you. It is your entry visa. If a guard catches you without it, they may fine or imprison you. You can slip it onto a necklace using the hole.”

     Angor dismounted just inside the gates. After helping Myrra down, he handed the reins to a small stable boy barely taller than Myrra. The boy nodded as the man gave him instructions and put some silver in his hand. 

     With his horse stabled, he began to lead her down the street. Being one of the main streets, it was wide enough for several carriages as well as people. Inn’s, taverns, shops and stalls lined the main street. Myrra was assaulted by more smells and sounds than she had ever heard before. People went in and out of the various buildings around her. Most of the people seemed to be common civilians, but she caught the glimmer of a weapon here and there. Many stores had someone, usually children, advertising their business. The surrounding cacophony made her miss what Angor had said.

     “I’m sorry, what?” she questioned.

     “I was asking if this is your first time in a big city,” he said.

     “No, but the one I visited is very different from here,” she replied.

      As they walked down the main road he gave her a general city layout, where good places to get supplies, the best place to stay, and essential services. They walked for several minutes more. Myra trying to see as much of the city as she could, which resulted in her seeing very little. Her diminutive size also hindered her ability to see around her. 

     Before too long, they turned down a small side street. This one was quieter, filled mostly with houses. Some heavily armed and armored people passed them by. She assumed they were adventurers by the way they were dressed. They walked for a moment longer before approaching the guild building. It was large imposing building made of marble and onyx. At the top of the stairs sat a pair of large doors, flanked by a pair of large stained-glass windows. The afternoon light falling on them, making them glisten like colored gems.

     “Here's the union office,” Angor gestured up the stairs. “If you go inside, they will help you get setup.” 

     “Thanks for your help, mister Angor,” Myrra beamed.

     “It was entirely my pleasure,” he smiled. “If you ever visit the village of Verrani ask around for me, I’ll be sure to treat you to some hospitality.” 

     “I will,” she exclaimed, giving him a slight bow, which he returned.

     She watched him for a while as he retraced his steps down the street, then a crowd passed by, and she lost sight of him. Turning, she climbed the stairs, which were inlaid with something that made them sparkle. Giving the impression she stood in the night sky. When she reached the large, sturdy oak doors, she jumped back in surprise as they swung outwards on their own. She stepped inside, and the doors closed behind her. As she walked up to the counter, several people stared at her.

     “Welcome to the Union. I assume you are looking to join?” asked a bored-looking woman from behind the counter. Myrra stood on the tips of her toes, trying to see over the counter. With a sigh, the receptionist stood and led her to an elevated section for shorter races. She retrieved a small tablet, and instructed the girl to put her hand on the plate, the woman wrote down something. She then took out a small flat rectangular piece of crystal material. Which she set in a depression on the tablet. The crystal glowed for a moment, then she removed it and, after an examination, stuck a length of string through a hole at the top.

     “Here is your Union ID. it serves as proof of your identity and allows access to most cities. It also grants access to exclusive services,” she said, showing the girl the features. She took a small bag from behind the counter and handed it over. “This is your Beginner kit. Ten Silver, a few health restoratives, and a city map are inside. If you wish to take the job, the board is over there.” She pointed over to a couple of boards. “You start as Rank F. You can take jobs of your rank solo, and one rank higher if you are in a party, two if your party consists of four or more with a balanced dynamic. You can select the job on the board, and your ID will track it. If you want a room, the inn across the street discounts Union members staying longer than two weeks. If you have no questions, I wish you a good day and happy adventuring,” she explained impatiently.

     She had no questions and instead went to a table. After saying “Friends,” a menu appeared, showing she already had a request from Kat. After accepting it, her sister immediately sent a message.

     Katherine the Red: Finally, it's been an hour already.

     Myrra: Sorry, Sis, I was still doing the tutorial, then I had to go to the city.

     Katherine the Red: Your tutorial was outside a city?

     Myrra: Yea, I started in the Forest of Moria. It was incredible. I spent like four days there. I was learning how to play. Magic is so amazing.

     Katherine the Red: Wait, you said four days? You have a unique race!?! Where are you now?

     Myrra: I’m in Weinheim. I just joined the union.

     Katherine the Red: Ok, OMW, now. We need to have a discussion.

     Myrra: Didn’t you want to do some quests first?

     Katherine the Red: This is more important. Unique races are scarce. Also, I’ve never heard of one starting outside a city of some sort before.

     She sat at one of the tables and waited for her sister. While she did, she put her valuables into her inventory. Mostly her money and things that would be too cumbersome to carry, which included her tent and bedroll. While she did enjoy playing the role, it was still just a game. No matter how real it seemed, she knew this wasn’t some web novel, where she was actually in a real world, even though she had been having doubts about that the last few days.

     While she waited for her sister, she tried to estimate the time that passed in the real world. Her sister said she waited an hour for the friend request, so she estimated she had only been in VR for two hours. Just as she was beginning to get bored, she received a message.

     Katherine the Red: I’m here. Where are you?

     Myrra: I’m in the far corner to the right of the door coming in.

     A moment later, a tall woman appeared in front of her. She had long red hair tied up in a high ponytail, showing off triangular fox ears sprouting from the crown of her head. As Myrra eyes trailed down, she saw a long jacket that nearly brushed the floor. A well-crafted shirt that covered her up, leaving just enough to the imagination. And a pair of expensive trousers that accentuated her waist and hips. From a belt around her waist hung a deadly-looking blade. 

     Kat stood there like a warrior princess. Myrra noticed a red tail with a white tip swaying behind her sister as she stared at the small girl in confusion.

     “Hi, Kat,” Myrra said with a slight blush.

     “Sam…?”

     “Yea…”

     Kat didn’t say anything, instead scooping up the small girl. Keeping the hem of her dress from billowing as she carried her to a private meeting room. After locking the door behind her, she tapped a small crystal on the table, which glowed momentarily.

     “Explain,” she demanded in a firm, gentle tone.

     Myrra explained everything that happened to her, from character creation to receiving a ride to the city. “I promised Mommy I would come and visit her,” she finished, not noticing the look her sister gave her.

     “That was a very uniquely interesting start,” she mused.

     “What’s the start usually like?”

     “Well, you start in a town and get basic instruction in playing. You usually already have your starting gear. And you don't have a family. You got probably the rarest start ever. I've also never heard of the NPCs getting attached like that. And they gave you some pretty powerful gifts. I'm a little jealous.”

     Myrra stood up and hugged her sister, looking up with a big smile and said. “It’s ok, sissy. I love you lots.”

     Kat stood in stunned silence, her face red, before saying, “You can’t do that, little sis. That's far too dangerous.” She cleared her throat with a cough. “I would still like to do some adventuring. Before that, show me your stats.” Myrra called up her status and showed her sister. “What are your titles?”

     “Well, Daughter of Moria gives me a buff to my plant and nature magic as well as extra stat points per level and extra XP, and increases my favorability with those who align themselves with her.”

     “That’s overpowered as hell. The others?” 

     “Mommy said it's because I'm the daughter of a goddess, so it's a title that’s not obtainable. Child of Nature makes my Nature related skills stronger and level faster, makes passive animals friendly as well as some aggressive animals passive.”

     “What about that one? The unreadable one.”

     “I don’t know mommy didn't say anything about it,” she answered

     “Maybe a secret title, then? I’ve never seen something like that,” she pondered thoughtfully.  “What about your equipment?”

     “I have a Flower Rod that boosts my plant and nature magic and an ivy bracelet that boosts my hp and mp regen.”

     “What about the circlet?”

     “Oh, it’s just one I made with some flowers my sisters gave me.”

     “You made it?”

     “Yes, why?”

     “Come with me. We need to get it appraised,” Kat commanded, tapping the crystal as she stood up. Myrra looked confused as her sister gestured for her to follow. “Do not tell anyone about yourself, not your items or titles. If you do, every player in the area will pressure you. Some may even try and kidnap you. It's already bad that you’re a rare race.”