The Cursed Paradise (Edentia Online)

Chapter 4

Zagato nowhere to be seen now. Dark clouds that covered Hastille City now has gone, the clear blue sky is visible now. Then a notification message popped.

[Zagato] left something to the storage.

Everyone waved their gesture, and checked the storage box. It contains some [Gold], which is the money for the game, and an avatar pack. I can't believe that guy have some good behaviour. One avatar pack is quite expensive, so it's lucky to get one of them free. I opened the avatar pack, there are a mirror in it and a message.

'Hope you all like it' [Zagato].

"A mirror ? are you joking ?" I frowned.

Everyone disappointed when they knowing what it contain. When I slowly touched the crystal clear mirror, a light came out covering my body. As the light disappeared all I can see is now myself, wearing a black nightgown and a pair of white slippers, I shocked and covering my body with my hands. Jotan's silver hair turned into dull black hair. He wore a white short and bare footed. I saw the others are also changed into their real appearance, some of them are half naked they were so embarrassed.

It all begun into chaos when all the avatar shops opened for the first time. They notice it and rushed into nearby shops. I and Jotan still stood in the same place, since both of us hate being pushed into crowd.

"Is there another settlement in this game ? maybe we could find another shops then." I scrolled the mini map, and found a village nearby Hastille City. [Aarune] village on the west. "Shall we go there ?"

"Okay, then let's go." We ran to the outer gate. The snowy field is on our view now. I opened the mini map and activating the navigation system. I set it from [My Location] to [Aarune]. Then it showed a path direction in blue color.

The quiet village on the hill gave a peaceful atmosphere. Few player settled there after fighting monsters on the field most of them are [Thieves] and [Warrior]. Male player passed by us and and snatched me. His strong arms holding an [Iron] axe now holding my weak left arm.

"Hey cutie wanna party with me ? don't be shy, just say yes and you'll join me." He said with a sly grin. His somewhat filthy sight traveled my body. Damn I just wore a nightgown. I shot a death glare to him. Jotan understood my changed panic face, he then pushed him and took my left arm.

"Leave her alone."

"Heh Why do you wanna join him ? he looks weak." He swinged his axe moving a gesture with it. Strange, he just played about hours but moving a gesture I''ve never seen in this game. A party invitation message popped out.

[Goliath] party invitation request.

I saw it a while then said "None of your business, bye !" I rejected his invitation. Soon Jotan and I ran quickly avoiding the man. We stopped at nearby shopping street. I gasped "Whoa hah hah, that.. was close. Thanks jo."

"Anytime" he smiled. "Let's see.. we're stopped at the right place, avatar shop. Let's see what's inside."

********************************************

"Thanks for your arrival, come here again if you have a time" A NPC girl on the avatar store bowed at us, showing some respect. I changed my black nightgown into a red cloak with golden brooch, I also bought a pair of white leather boots. The straight black hair that I wore before changed into brownish gold. Jotan black hair now turned silver, like the ones when we first time met in the game. It almost swallowed our money pocket, then we turned into a [Butcher's Taste] tavern. It was my idea though, I can't stand a hunger for a long time.

The food that we ordered now arrived to our table, a NPC waitress said "If you want anything else just raise your hands,simple." Two portions of beef steak with juicy taste, the sensory sytem are taken to its new level, even we could the real taste of a food in virtual word. I stuffed my mouth with the food. Back in real world I love eating, but my body can't even gain weight. my friends said that i was lucky to have a body that can't get fat. Jotan is as skinny as me too, but instead of eating like a hungry monster, he gulped his food slowly.

As I looked over a window the sun settled in the east, I checked the time, it was passed only 3 hours in the real world, what kind of timing system is this.

"You confused by the timing system ? Same like me when I took the motion test for the first time. Well, in Edentia Online you passed a week that contains six days, but in real time you just passed a 24 hours only. A time passage divided by [Morning], [Afternoon], [Sunset], and [Night Time]. Each time passage take an hour only in real world. Rumour said that we were taken a time paradox mysteries" He said with a serious tone, that's the real himself; being serious.

"Oh.." I formed a gaping mouth, then my head hurt when I think about that too much. I can't stopped thinking after those event flashed in my head. My HP bar dropped a little. Even a headache colud reduce HP !? silly game ! I wish I could get out this cursed paradise. Jotan touched my forehead, his hand glowed white light; magically my HP raised after that.

"You're a scholar, don't you ? anyway I couldn't thank more."

"Actually I don't like it though, but I need to take it. I don't want to be useless person without a single ability here." He frowned.

"What ? Why did you think about that ? you great at mathematics, that maybe useful, maybe" to lighten up, I forced a gigle.

He slapped his forehead. "Iz, this is a game, not school." He sighed for a while and continued "I failed at [Elemental Test] didn't get any elemental magic. So I choose the scholar path, at least let me be useful in parties. Or struggled to be alive until the end." he take a last glance to his glowing hand, he clenched it into fist.

"Sorry."

"That's okay." He gave me a wry smile. As we stepped leave the tavern, he still frowned, maybe I shouldn't ask him about this. It was my fault to be so much questioning him.

"Jo, I want to say.. goodbye, thanks for all" I hold back my quilty feeling, paused for a while. "I always catch a problem for you, so that's why I'm leaving. I hope one day we will met somewhere"

"Hasta pronto, Goodbye see you again once more" He smiled to me, turning around facing east. After that he ran swiftly, leaving the peaceful village behind.