Yours Truly, Callie

2. Willow Caverns

The imperial city of Calphius, the capital of Valoria, welcomed Callie in its grand gothic architecture. She was astounded at how realistic the graphics were. Monumental buildings of ivory were meticulously built around the King's palace, which resembled a basilica complete with vivid stained glass in the shape of a fleur-de-lis. A majestic ruby and gold flag boldly waved in the wind with the Valorian crest in the center of two lions, one with a longsword in its mouth and the other grasping an olive branch. Romantic towering medieval spires were completed with gargoyles perched atop. The sound of horses clacked along the weathered cobblestone roads.

Callie didn't know where to start, there was a plethora of players running throughout the city and Non-Player Characters or NPCs who gave quest lines. The chat menu that was being inundated by the second. It was filled with players looking to buy and sell items, and others recruiting members for a dungeon raid.

"Ah, yes! The new knight we've been expecting, Pyxis. The King is currently bedridden and we'll need you to help collect medicinal herbs in Willow Caverns," Thaldor the resident medicinal priest NPC greeted her with his scraggly beard and salt and peppered hair. The regalness of his white and gold cloak emphasized his pale skin. "Take this map to teleport you there. But, you mustn't go alone," he warned. "Dangerous creatures lurk in those caverns. Be sure to look for a party to join!" Thaldor's chatbox closed and Callie was once again on her own to explore the town.

Callie was excited for her first quest, after all she was level one. Instead of the powerful reaper, she witnessed during character creation, Callie's character was clothed in pelt leather armor that looked like it was made by a new apprentice. Vertical layers of the light brown calfskin top wrapped around her torso. The equally shoddy pelt she wore as the bottom part of her armor set could barely protect her from a scratch. The scythe she was equipped with looked like more a broomstick with an oversized old sickle attached to the end.

Callie clicked on the small map Thaldor gave her. Her computer screen went black and she was automatically teleported in front of the entrance of a brick-red cave. There was a dilapidated sign off to the left of the cave swarmed by players and appeared to be made of hastily cobbled together wood and nails. Players who were low-leveled like her crowded near the board as it updated with new flyers.

HEALER NEEDED, 4/5

TANKS WANTED, 3/5

Callie frowned at the parties that were available, as they all needed someone who was a Cleric class to heal in the dungeon or heavy armored tanks to take on damage. Assassin classes were weak in the beginning, parties didn't care for them until later on.

"Ryusaki: Are you looking for a party to collect medicinal herbs?"

Words in bright blue popped up on the bottom of her chatbox, it came in as a whisper from the katana-wielding warrior. He towered over Pyxis, was well built with broad shoulders and scars ran across his arms. His armor was made of oblong pieces of steel being linked together by strips of leather, resembling a samurai. He wore a dome-shaped helmet connected to a neck guard of chainmail flaring to the sides, a golden crescent symbol nestled at the center.

"Are you looking for a Valkyrie to join your team?" Callie quickly whispered back, fingers crossed they had other roles filled already.

"Yeah. We have a healer, tank, and me. It would be nice to have another assassin class to join us." The Kensei retorted.

Before Callie could answer, a small pop-up appeared in the center of her screen.

RYUSAKI invited you to their party. Do you accept? Y/N

"KatsMeow, is Katie our Cleric who'll be healing us. She'll be sure to keep an eye on our health bars. WillyWonkers is Will, our Berzerker, he's tanking and he'll be taking aggro from monsters and bosses first before we go in," Ryusaki instructed while the four of them nodded. "If you have the voice chat program, Discord, you should join our channel." A blue link popped up in the chatbox.