She was nervous. And when she sat down and thought about it, being nervous was silly. This was just a video game, she couldn’t actually die, and no one was actually going to invade her country and kill her countrymen. She told herself this as she logged in and looked around, noticing the scared faces of the NPCs around her. As she hurried through the streets, her heart hammering in her chest, she repeated to herself that this was just atmospheric pressure. She wasn’t in distress and there was no reason to have a heart attack over something as fictional as a…well, a fictional war! Savannah had made it out of the city quicker than she could remember. She didn’t feel winded and her feet didn’t feel tired, but she looked around her and noticed the lack of buildings sitting shoulder to shoulder and the general smell that delineated being in the city center. The air was clearer here, fresh even, and she inhaled deeply through her nose to fill her lungs up. Her breathing slowed a little and her head felt a little clearer. But the nerves continued to infest her stomach. It was the tiny tendril of smoke curling from the chimney of a lone building that caught Savannah’s attention. Curious, she began to make her way to the building and only paused long enough to knock on the door…which swung open with ease. Shit, she whispered to herself, hoping that she wasn’t stumbling upon a murder or something else horrible. Uh, excuse me in here! I’m just wandering around and saw this place and the door is open. I’m not breaking and entering, I promise!
Surprised to hear the door open, the elf didn't turn as quickly as she normally would, fiddling with bottles on the far wall that she'd just written some labels for. She hummed lightly before spinning to take a peek at the person who'd entered, a slight giggle in her voice as she set her marker and the jar on a table, her now free writing hand giving a beckoning wave. "I wouldn't have thought you were an intruder, no need to worry. This is a store, after all." Solaria tried hard to keep her smile from growing too wide- honestly, that day was a bit lonely for the alchemist, as her only help had ditched early because of the anxiety of the current events in the kingdom. While she couldn't blame the 'local', as she called them, it had made her work a bit harder when she was trying to prepare to go to war. "The door's always open, because we're generally always open too. Well, I say we, but it's just me today." She wandered closer to the stranger, studying her slightly. The girl was small, she realized. The closer she got, the more Solaria felt she towered over the stranger, whose height was almost two feet smaller than her own. Considering her ear shape, she could only assume that this was not a human, nor an elf quite like she was. "A faerin, I see. Your pallor is a bit unusual to me... Are you feeling unwell? Any shortness of breath, dizziness...?" She didn't mean to play doctor, but she hadn't seen anyone with such a skin tone. Her natural inclinaton to assume one might need medical attention just made the tint scream cyanosis, making her fear for the stranger's life before even getting her name. Realizing her mistake of becoming frantic herself, she took a deep breath and took a swig of some tea she had set on a nearby desk. It tasted gross, but it really was calming. "My name is Solaria. I'm the alchemist here. "Your pallor shows signs you might not have enough oxygen in your blood... Unless that's just a rare trait? I do hope it's the later, but if you'd like, I could give you a quick check-up. I'm still training, but I'm in nursing school, so I do know a bit about the body and how it functions, or how it should."
A store? Savannah’s brow furrowed as the word touched her ears. Had she seriously missed a sign or some delineation that said such? Was she that worked up that common sense was hard to come by now? Ugh, she would have facepalmed if she hadn’t been feeling so sorry for herself. Clearing her throat, she slowly entered the shop and cast her lilac eyes around the various bottles that lined the shelves. Curiosity took hold of the Knight, but before she could trespass further into the shop and wander over to the shelves to see what all the different bottles were supposed to help with, the woman’s voice questioned her. Blinking, Savannah gave a small nod and a blush tainted her cheeks. Well, uh, yes, actually. My pulse is a little quick. I think it’s just because of the coming war. She paused here, not sure how to continue with what she was feeling. The other side of that question was whether she really wanted to divulge such information to someone she had just met. Then again, they were all in this VRMMO together so there was little – if anything – that the young elf alchemist could do with any information she collected. Ah, I’m Savannah. Nice to meet you. I’d shake your hand, but my palms are pretty clammy. She chuckled a bit, her eyes still skittering to the different corners of the shop and squinting at bottles that were far out of her reach. Uhm, sure? I mean, I feel okay outside of some general anxiety and queasiness. Do you have anything for that? Or maybe some potions that help in battle or something?
Considering she'd noticed that the bell hadn't rung when she'd carefully set it up, along with the fact that this woman knew not she was in a pharmacy of any sort, Solaria decided to send a message out to her not-so-handy employee about the concern. She'd never minded the lack of a lock, but she wasn't a craftsman- she couldn't fix a sign or bell even if she wanted to- and she definitely wanted to, if they needed it. "Nausea is common with anxiety. If you were breathing unsteadily it might explain some of the oxygen concern, and your pulse speeding up is normal. I can understand being taunted by the war, but just to be safe, I'm going to do two things. First of all, I'll ask you to sit down to relax yourself. Please take a seat where you like- the chairs aren't numerous, but they should be pretty cozy. Cozy enough to take a breather, at any rate." With a skip in her step, she made her way to one of the shelves and reached for something off the highest plank of wood. It was a small salve, colored lightly like moss, and from the container, it emitted an aroma of mint and chamomile. Bringing it to the girl, she opened the jar and took a small swipe of it out with her index finger, drawing a small line like a mustache under the girl's nose. "This is a special mixture sort of like boroleum, if you know what that is. It's essentially meant to ease pain as you breathe it in from under your nose- but in this case, it's an herbal salve that should help your muscles relax. Even if I heal your mind, your body is still in state of panic. Calming one doesn't always calm the other, and it'd be bad if the cycle continues, right?" Her lips were more of a cocky grin, but she meant her words with sincerity. Closing the bottle and placing it nearby, she put a hand on her own chest, the other moving to rest on her 'patient's' cheek. Her voice low, she began to chant as light flowed from her chest and through her arm, into the hand to warm the cheek it held. The light was her magic, holy and pure- magic she hoped would at least calm the girl's spirit, while the medicine would hopefully calm her heart and body in tangdem. "May you see your strength once more." Heart Cleanse
Sit down and take a breather. Had she been in any other state of mind than her current one, maybe Savannah would have thought of that herself. As it took, the moment the advice was given, she was apt to look around the shop once more for a chair to situate herself in. Finding one not far from the alchemist, she settled into the plush cushions and sighed as she relaxed into the comfortable chair. Thank you, she said after a moment, a hesitant smile marring her lips. This is a nice shop you have here. I didn’t even know there were shops this far out. I just started walking and ended up out here completely by accident. I’ll remember this place from now on though. Quieting herself as the woman drew the salve under her nose, Savannah couldn’t help the skeptical look her brows took. She was a firm believer in Vapor Rub, but having it here in the game, well, she never would’ve guessed that something like this existed. Inhaling through her nostrils, the mint was calming and refreshing. Adding to the woman’s chanting, Savannah felt the pains in her shoulders and back practically melt away. She felt considerably better than she had when she first stumbled into this shop. Wow, she whispered, the tense lines in her face relaxing. She even slumped a little in her chair. That’s amazing. I feel…amazing. Thank you for that. Pausing, she shifted slightly in her chair before plowing forward with her question. Will you be assisting the war efforts and such?
"Well, it doesn't surprise me you wouldn't have known. My shop is still on the new side, and I don't get a lot of customers that are actually players like me. I got this land at a discount because I helped with Dormont's reconstruction- monetarily, I mean. Got a title too, though I don't see much meaning in it myself. I never really did understand things like nobility." She giggled as she spoke, twirling at points as she seemed to dance within her store. Her store was her home, her place to return to when she was done with her missions for any reason at all. It was a place she was sure she could help people, from her own world or local to this one, which was one of the best reliefs the healer could feel. "I'm glad you're feeling a bit better. Mixing alchemy and illumancy was a smart choice if you ask me. I'm not normally the support type, but I wanted to be able to put some of my medical lessons to use. I'm trying to be a nurse for real- this is just practice, you know what I mean?" Knowing she was done for the moment with the medicine, she brought it back to its place on the shelves and found herself a chair to relax in, sitting not far from Savannah, wanting to give her some extra comfort in knowing someone was there. "To be honest, I'm lucky you came in at all it seems. I had a sign out front and a bell on the door, but don't know what happened. Neither helps if they're missing. But my shop is called Sunshine Salves... And you're welcome anytime!" The smile on her face likely sold the name- her lips were tugged up, her teeth slightly beaming a glare from one of the few windows, before she laughed like a little idiot. She'd taken so much time to focus on her shop as a form of a break from her own concerns, she had forgotten- even if only for a moment- she wasn't the only one scared of the war ahead. And scared, surprisingly, she was. "I plan to go into the tunnel system. I've signed up already, just have to be prepared to go. I'm scared myself- been there, not a fun place- but I can't just avoid it you know? I was on the rescue mission... I tried so hard, but couldn't save anyone. It reminds me of those damn tunnels-" She covered her lips as she spoke, embarrassed by her language. "Sorry, I know it's not the end of the world if I curse, but I still feel bad about it. I have a little brother, so I'm always being careful with my language normally. It slipped out anyway." She laughed, continuing her rambling about her plans. "I went into those tunnels during the reconstruction. Went with a party, most of us died. There's big beasts in those tunnels. We mostly cleared them then, but I don't know what's in there now. This time, I plan to be able to protect more people. I'm stronger than I was... And I'll use that strength to help my friends." Calming herself a bit more, she spoke slower as she asked to redirect. "What about you? You're headed into the war, it sounds like... What do you plan to do?"
Oh, she was player? Savannah immediately felt…well, horrible as, during this entire encounter, she had assumed that she was speaking to an NPC. It was the reason behind her hesitation for asking about the war to begin with. The NPCs in the city were frazzled and walked away at the first mention of the forces invading their homeland. Assuming that Solaria would have done the same, Savannah was remiss to ask, but, lo and behold, she had been wrong the entire time. Barely, she concealed her blush. Tuning in to what she was saying, Savannah nodded along as if she understood the words flowing from the elven woman’s mouth. She didn’t know anything about any titles or reconstruction, but the nurse thing she totally did understand. It made her smile…kinda. I still have no clue what I’m doing with my life, Savannah announced, sitting forward with a forward jut of her chin as if she were proud. She wasn’t, but there was no point in sulking about it. She’d figure it out one day…or she wouldn’t, but she’d still pay her bills and she’d die of old age. But that’s great you do. I envy people to basically have their lives planned out and a road to get through every pitstop. Her comment was sincere, even if it was a little awkward. Hearing her profess her fear at the coming war was another boon to Savannah’s haggard being. She exhaled again and nodded to those words, intimately understanding Solaria’s problem. I haven’t seen anyone die yet, but I’m nervous. I’m almost dreading it because I know some friends are likely to fight and they might die, but I also know that this isn’t real, you know? But it feels real and it’s just…it’s a lot. The devs are amazing for their work with this game, but this event is just…heh, not good for my health! At Solaria’s question, Savannah wet her lips and rolled her shoulders, trying to remain calm. I plan to help Southwatch. I’ve already signed my name and am to report to the front lines tomorrow, I believe. I just…I guess I’m afraid of dying as well, you know?
Solaria let out a soft chuckle as she heard the rather uncertain yet blatant reply. "Not knowing what you want to do in life isn't a bad thing either. As long as you're alive, you have plenty of time, you know? My roommate- who's also my best friend since we were kids- honestly has nothing in her mind as to what she wants out of life. She just came to the same college as me so we could be near each other, because we've been raised like family, you know? My goals have been pretty much set in stone since I was a kid, but in reality, that's not normal at all. Even I have some things I don't know about my future. You can only plan so much... And sometimes, it's more fun with the mystery." Moving to take a long drawn sip of tea from her teacup, she glanced to the kettle not far away and contemplated offering her guest some to sooth her. "I'd offer you tea, but the stuff I make isn't that good. I mean, it's healthy, but... I was raised on old herbal medicine, so it tastes like crotch." Where had she learned to say something so vulgar? She hoped never to say it again, and was red as her dress from realizing she was continually failing her attempt at politeness. "It's not weird to be afraid to die, either. I've died already, and I'm more afraid because of it. We may be able to come back to life, but there's a cost, you ought to know. If you want to know what it is...Take a peak at my health stats with Investigation Mode. I don't hide anything. You'll see a part that says 'death affliction' and a bit about mine. Everyone gets one when they revive, as a sort of cost. It varies, don't know how. I got lucky with mine, I'd say. I've heard a lot of people get phobias related to the cause of their death. But I don't think there's a person alive that truly feels unafraid to die. If they are, they're dead inside as is, and that would have to be the reason why."
I’m not one for the mystery, Savannah said in reply, quickly shaking her head back and forth. I’ve had enough mystery in my life to last me the rest of my lifetime. I would rather a plan laid out, with a step-by-step guide of how to achieve it with as a little deviance as possible. Boring, I know, but stable. And stability is…well, you know. She shrugged her shoulders and let her words trail off into nothing. She wasn’t entirely sure why they were having this conversation and why she had decided to share so much of herself that wasn’t her TS character, but here they were. Her words regarding death made Savannah shudder. She knew there had to be some consequence that no one was telling her. Most games just had Resurrection Sickness. Of course TerraSphere had to do something entirely different. She was tempted to do as Solaria suggested and investigate more into the girl’s profile, but there was a part of Savannah that felt that was too intrusive, even though she had been given permission. Instead, she shook her head and released another breath. Thank you for telling me, she murmured, her mind wandering as she thought over what she had just learned. I had heard there was a Goddess of Death, but nothing about those afflictions. How do you get rid of them? Bargain? Quest?
The idea of stability was something Solaria could agree with easily, causing her to nod when the woman spoke of it with such desire. "I want stability too... But even the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Hopefully women aren't always included in that." She giggled faintly, knowing her joke was quite horrible. "The goddess of death is surely there. You meet her when you die, and she offers you a few things. She'll offer to change you entirely if you please- to start with a fresh new look, so to speak, or your old body you've been working on. I chose to keep my appearance, though I think I started dressing a bit differently at times just for fun. Y'know, hair and whatnot. But the price... is a literal price. I forget where I have to go to do it, but I'd have to pay to have it removed. It costs a thousand gold- not that much when you think about it in regards to being death related, but it's a lot all the same." The steam of her tea tickled her nose, and she had to fight the urge to sneeze as it taunted her. "What skills did you choose? While we're at it, I can try to help you stay alive longer by figuring out your focus. I'm pretty good with my sword... But do you have a way to fight?"
A full-fledged smile came upon Savannah’s mouth. It was the first she had shed all day, especially since walking into the shop. She nodded her head, blond pig-tails swaying with the movement. Women usually get left out of the important things, according to history. Let’s hope that is one of them as well. She winked In reply to Solaria’s joke. Hearing that the Goddess of Death – Lady Lucia’s patron nonetheless – offered certain “packages” once death happened actually had a soothing effect on Savannah. She had been contemplating rerolling her character, making changing her race or something, but couldn’t decide on how she wanted to do that. Dying would restart everything, which made sense, and made the prospect of death in the coming war a little easier for her to bare. And she wouldn’t be losing all her hard-earned work which was a boon. Skills? Oh! Guard, Polearms and blacksmithing. I’ve gotten pretty good with my halberd, but it’s difficult since I’m so small. And I haven’t tried tanking in an official sense, but I’ve been practicing the motions so I won’t have to go into my skill book in the middle of the fight to find them. How did you decide on the magic that you did?
Giggling with relief that the woman rather than being put off was smiling from the bad joke she'd made, Solaria could only clap in response to the reaction she'd gotten. "I agree. Let's be left out of that part of history too! Also, I'd like to be left out of the next time there's an astramancy-based portal hopping. That wasn't fun, I'm telling you right now." She could clearly envision the dizziness she'd felt that day, falling hundred of feet out of the air onto a blanketed ground that was still far from forgiving. She'd had a good new encounter, at least, along the way- but she had her own problems bubbling up since then, life becoming messier all the more because of it. "Ah, I chose pretty easily, actually. I've loved swords since I was a kid- and I mean took lessons and all that- so I worked on slash from the beginning, and got myself a good number of swords to choose from when I fight now. My favorite's one of the first I got though, it was made for me by someone who was a smith at the time... We're not really on the best of terms now, but I still love Uchi." She giggled over the nickname she'd given it. "I think he hates that I name my swords." To her, swords were like family. They'd protected her the same, or at least her sanity in her youth. Sure, she wasn't skilled enough to use a katana to slice bread, but she could protect herself if needed, and she liked that. "As for illumancy... I actually stole the idea from Ay- er, my friend. See, I've been playing MMOs a long time. My best friend and I played together- I was always the slasher, and she was the healer. Since I play alone, not with her, I figured... Why not use holy magic like she did, and be a magical nurse in this world? So, I took on healing with holy magic and mixed in some alchemy to make medicine in my free time. Slash is still my strongest skill, but I'm actually starting to like the healing aspects of the game as I go. It's nice being able to help people, don't you think?"
Astramancy based portal hopping? Man, the more and more people told her about magic, the more Savannah thought that perhaps she should have picked up a wand and went Harry Potter style instead of a spear. The lure and the power that these spells held was tempting…but she had given her word – even if it was only the word of a character in a video game – and she would stay true to it. Slaughter with every step, Spear like Dragon: that was her goal. People name their genitals for crying out loud, Savannah replied with a chuckle. Naming your swords is very tame compared to that. And it’s cute that you name them. They probably all feel differently in your hand so they have their own personality…kinda, so it makes sense. She shrugged her shoulders with another smile. I wanted to be a hero, I guess. Like, stand in the front and take all the damage so my friends wouldn’t get hurt, so I picked up guard and the halberd just looked so freaking cool during character customization, so I chose that weapon. And then I thought about making my own armor and maybe putting my own sigil or something on it, so Blacksmithing made sense. I guess I just didn’t realize how much work this would all be. She gave a sigh, her shoulders slumping a bit. She still looked more relaxed than she had when she originally stumbled into Solaria’s shop, but the slight furrow to her brow indicated that she was already thinking about something else. Thank you for sharing your time with me, she said after a moment’s pause, lavender eyes twinkling with warm as she regarded the elf woman once more. This was a nice respite from everything that’s going on out there. I’ll be sure to come back and visit…when everything is over. But, I need to prepare. I’ve got people to protect, after all.
