Chapter 5: Dawn’s Horizon

Mariya looked over the menu of the top ten guilds. The guild known as Dawn’s Horizon was just behind them in the rankings. She knew in terms of numbers, they were one of the strongest guilds in the game and only recruited players that were level 80 and above. Yet, Mariya and Wolfy knew the truth behind the purpose of the guild. After taking a moment to note the message that Himorogi had sent her before closing her menu and looking around the room. No one was there aside from Yara.

Yara was busy pacing back and forth in front of the throne as she looked lost in thought. Making her way over to her, Mariya could start to hear Yara talk to herself as she scrolled through a random menu as if she was trying to do something useful.

“Yara?”

“If we have to, we could gather and save money from there. The monsters aren’t too high so Mariya could…”

“Yara,” Mariya called out a bit louder.

“Oh! Mariya, when did you get here?”

Mariya smiled.

“I’ve been here. What were you thinking about?”

“I was just ensuring that we have a sustainable income of gold.”

Mariya placed her hand on Yara’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry about that. We have plenty of gold.”

Mariya smiled and headed for the exit. Making her way down the silent hall, she exited the guild building and allowed the sun to shine down on her face. The sounds of birds chirping in the distance reminded her of the real world. She recalled all the time she had spent outside under a tree, reading different books to expand her knowledge. Yet, the more she remembered, the more she began to dwell on the past of the read world.

Looking over to a nearby large oak tree, she could see her brother laying down under the tree. He appeared calm and like he was sleeping. Making her way over to the tree, she sat down beside her brother as he awoke and looked up to her. Changing back into his human form, Wolfy laid his head down on Mariya’s lap.

“Something on your mind, sis?”

“It’s… nothing.”

Wolfy sat up and hugged his sister gently. For a moment, the world around them felt silent.

“Do you think we’re better off in this world?”

“I mean, do you think the real world is any better?” Wolfy asked as he rested his head against his sister’s shoulder.

Mariya didn’t speak as Wolfy held out his arm.

“This body doesn’t have scars. I don’t wake up depressed, there is little in the way of worry. Plus, no one carries that I’m a failure without anything to show for it. In this world, I have purpose and meaning. Only thing I can’t take away is the nightmares.”

Placing her hand on her brother’s head, Mariya remained silent as she patted his head.

“Nii…”

Wolfy was silent for a moment as his thoughts scattered between everything that he had been through in his life.

“Do you want to go back to a world where we would likely take ourselves out?”

“I’ll admit, running a guild whose goal is to kill everyone is rather exciting.”

“Just a matter of controlling the other pawns,” Wolfy said with a smile.

Mariya couldn’t help but laugh.

“And how do you know you’re not a pawn in my game?”

“Or maybe you’re a pawn in my game.”

“Nii, I love you and all but we both know that you’re not a strategist.”

Wolfy stood to his feet and took a second to stretch.

“Maybe, still, let’s shelf the real-world. How’s the plan going?”

Mariya waved her hand and looked over the menu until she found what she was looking for.

“Himorogi should be on her way to the Dawn’s Horizon guild. Scyilia will be taking care of gathering up items from various merchant guilds.”

“And neither of them actually know what we’re planning.”

“I wouldn’t be much of a strategist if people knew the mask I hide behind.”

“Only me, a few friends and of course your partner.”

“Yeah.”

Mariya stood up and wrapped her arms around her brother’s neck.

“If we ever get out of here alive by some crazy chance, I’ll give you some chocolates for Valentine’s Day.”

“Isn’t that meant for lovers though?”

“Sisterly chocolates are different.”

“Will they happen to be white chocolate?” Wolfy asked with a smile.

“There’s a high probability,” Mariya said with a smug expression.

#

Wolfy downed the can of energy drink as he sat on one of the windowsills looking out at the horizon. While his sister was busy dealing with various messages from Himorogi and Scyilia, he found himself with nothing to do but wait. It was slowly reminding him of the real world. He would often find there was little to do after working for over sixteen hours with various projects. Unlike his sister, he didn’t hold down three jobs and considered to be a failure by the standards of society. Even in school he was nothing but an outcast to everyone and bullied by those that didn’t fear the murderous gaze in his eyes.

Throughout the years, he secluded himself from people and most around him, aside from his sister. He had few friends and rarely trusted anyone to the point that he barely would leave his own room. In the real world, he felt his life held no purpose and simply wanted to see it end as quickly as possible. Yet, even when trying to take his own life, he failed. School, job and even death, he had failed. Entering into the world of the internet didn’t solve how he felt – if anything, it made him more depressed.

He questioned the point in even trying to go back to school to get a degree in visual communications. No job would hire him without one, however, with one he would found himself with a degree that could end up putting him into a massive debt. Still, he couldn’t deny that having an education was far better then not having one. He had seen his sister work so hard for her degree and even shooting for her Masters. And yet, all of it amounted to nothing.

Taking another sip of his drink, he calmly through it on the ground as it disintegrated into the aether. Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the frame of the window and sighed.

“You seem lost in thought.”

Opening one eye, Wolfy could see Yara standing beside him with a smile on her face.

“That’s the problem, my brain never stops thinking.”

“Mind if I sit?”

“Feel free. You want a one of these?” Wolfy asked as he pulled out another can of the energy drinks.

“I love those things. Even in the real world, I would drink at least one a day,” Yara said taking one of the cans and popping it open.

“Yeah, soda and energy drinks were my main diet in the real world.”

“How many would you drink a day?”

“About twelve or so each day.”

“Wow, that is a lot. Bet your insides hated you.”

Wolfy downed his drink in one gulp and threw it on the ground.

“Pretty sure they still do. Along with everyone in the real world.”

“People will hate you or what you do no matter what. I learned that in art school after being critiqued by my peers.”

“Oh? You’re an art student?”

“I already got my degree but yeah, everyone has something to say.”

At the sound of hearing yet another person held a degree, Wolfy felt his mind racing back into the darkest of the real world. He began to question if he truly was even able to call himself an expert in his craft. For five long years he studied book design but every time he felt like he was going somewhere, the doubt sank in. Could he truly call himself a graphic designer if he didn’t have a single piece of paper telling him that he was qualified? Society deemed it so.

“Let me ask you something. Are you glad we became trapped in this game?”

“Why would you ask that? Of course I’m not glad. I want to go home and see my husband, be with my friends and family. Don’t want to get back home?”

Wolfy was silent for a moment. He knew he didn’t. There was nothing for him back in the real world other then pain and misery.

“Yeah…”

“What are you two talking about?”

Turing his head in the direction of the voice, Wolfy could see his sister standing there with a smile on her face.

“Just some small talk. I actually have to get back to writing up the budget for today. I’ll talk to you later,” Yara said with a smile.

Once Yara had exited the room, Mariya sat down on the windowsill and looked out at the beauty of the game before her.

“You look sad, nii. Did something happen?”

“Some of the past crept up. Nothing to worry about.”

“My door is always open,” Mariya said with a smile.

“That sounds incredibly sexual,” Wolfy said with a chuckle.

Mariya couldn’t help but laugh.

“Everything sounds sexual to you.”

“What can I say, I have a gift.”

Reaching into her bag, Mariya pulled out a small necklace. It was gold chain with a wolf signet made of pure obsidian. While gold was not as durable as the other metals in the game, it was rare and considered expensive. The signet made of pure obsidian was the thing that took Wolfy by surprise. Pure obsidian was of the rarest metals in the game and extremely durable. Words failed to leave his mouth as he looked to his sister in shock.

“I crafted that for you, nii. Took like ten thousand tries to craft it and enchant it with all the different skills but I finally did it. That necklace has hit point regeneration, magic point regeneration, triple damage and the ability to cast Howling Moon once per day.”

Howling Moon as a skill that allowed the user to transfer into a wolf and buff up their stats by four times the amount and last in total for six seconds. Plus, it would stack with any other buffs that were in effect.

“Sis… I…”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“I didn’t get you anything. I’m such a horrible brother…”

Mariya smiled and gently patted her brother’s head.

“You’re fine, nii-nii.”

“But I—”

“I told you, you’re fine.”

Wolfy put the necklace on and looked stared into his sister’s eyes.

“I’ll get you something, I promise.”

“Nii, you don’t have to. I wanted to do that for you. You’re my brother and as your sister, it’s my job to be there for you when your sad or lonely.”

Without warning, Wolfy embraced his sister tightly.

“Remember, no matter what the world throws at us, you will always have me and I’ll always have you,” Mariya said with a calm voice.