The Forest of June?

Parting from shut gates Cleo - Fion following closely behind - opted to take in Wildburg and to ensure familiarity with the games system. It was your typical system, practically all used in other games, only with various aesthetic changes. With a simple thought in mind, the helmet you wore instantly registered the brain waves holding the command, and it appeared.

As some holding little to no knowledge - nor any care to - exact details were lost in the vast sea that had been technology.

Small distance from the gates Fion, seemingly unable to handle silence for long periods, spoke up. "So, where ya going next ki-" He cleared his throat hastily correcting himself. "Cleo."

Fion posing that question pulled him out of a gutter he seemingly had not noticed he was in. Such a semi-chaotic start had future plans slipping down a watery soap into a never-ending hole - never to be seen again. 'It sucks there isn't a map in this game. They must be going for the realistic style.' He thought.

Halting in his steps, he faced Fion gazing directly up at him. "Is there another town nearby? I'm not all too familiar with Wildburg."

Lips parted slightly in thought whilst also scratching under his chin, Fion stared off into space over Cleo's head. The mental image map of Wildburg - at least of what he knew of the geography - practically ran through his mind. "There should be a small village on the outskirts of the Forest of June. We could make it there before sunset."

Tilting his head, "We?" Cleo asked.

Fion returns his gaze to him, unimpressed. "Yeah, we, as in the both of us." Crossing his arms, he gave off the image of a stubborn child refusing to accept the word 'no'.

"Uh, I would prefer to be by myself but okay."

Seeing no fightback against him tagging along, Fion I curled his arms letting them lay limp at his sides. His steps were swift in following Cleo who, after having spoken, walked in a random direction. Coincidently, Fion noted, it was the right one so he remained silent for a few minutes.

(Hey Cleo! ~ Don't forget to spend your points to level up your stats! ( ´ ▽ ` ).｡ｏ♡)

(Indeed. We wouldn't want you to die against a monster that is at a higher level than you.)

'Ah, that's right, I almost forgot.' Mentally - because Fion currently in earshot - he thanked Ariel and Ester for their reminder. 'Stats.'

Feet remaining in motion, his stats menu popped up before his eyes.

{ Name: Cleo

Species: Vampire

Level: 03

Health: 1300

Stamina: 05

Durability: 05

Strength: 05

Magic: 05

Blood: 05

Skills: ???? Lv. 1 | Pain Enhancement Lv. 1

Current Status Points: 18 }

Looking over his stats, his mind worked overtime putting together the basics of a build he ultimately chose to go with. In partnership with the Silver Spear, he received as an award most of his points were fed into stamina and strength. And very few went into the other stats.

{ Name: Cleo

Species: Vampire

Level: 03

Health: 1300

Stamina: 45

Durability: 15

Strength: 40

Magic: 10

Blood: 10

Skills: ???? Lv. 1 | Pain Enhancement Lv. 1

Current Status Points: 00 }

****

Hands stretched above his head as though he had woken up from a fulfilling nap, Fion gazed at the small quaint village. Cleo stood off to his side quite a few steps back like he was hiding behind him - from an outside perspective they looked similar to a father and his son.

"This village has an inn, right?" Cleo asked, tilting his head to meet Fion's eyes.

Fion shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me. Haven't stepped a foot out of Helda before now." Turning his head to look around, he added. "I'd imagine, with it being so close to the Forest of June they would. After all, adventurers come here for requests and the like so it would be good business for them."

Normally Cleo found no reason for the feeling of anxiousness when being stared at, however, the villagers took quick peaks that had him further hiding behind Fion. The eyes made his skin crawl for reasons unknown to him which was something he could not ignore.

Noticing his moments, Fion sent him a small comforting smile. "Just ignore the looks."

"Why are they looking at me like that? It's kind of hard to ignore."

"Since you don't seem to not be knowledgeable about it…" Fion paused, almost as though he was in pain just thinking about what he was currently planning to say. "I'll tell you when we find an inn, alright?"

Find an inn the two did. Such a task didn't take as long as they thought nor was the process to acquire a room.

Sitting a respective distance from each other to ensure the best angle of talking with each other - face to face - Fion continued where he left off. "Before we get into it I want you to know I don't exactly hold these beliefs. And most times I'm a complete coward in the face of battle but in regards to something up for others that do not deserve discrimination, like your species, I won't hesitate to speak up. I won't hesitate to speak my mind."

"Um, okay," Cleo replied lamely.

"So, a hundred years ago in the capital city of Wildburg, Loelia, there lived a beautiful benevolent queen." Cleo's surroundings slowly changed to fit the setting and the people being talked about in the story - like he was an actor sitting in the middle of a set currently being used. "She expressed her love for her people in ways that would benefit them greatly which, ultimately, paved the way for them to thrive over any other kingdom established in Wildburg."

Cleo raised an eyebrow, ears intently listening, hanging onto every word but such as not physically seen.

"One day, whilst receiving an audience with a citizen of her kingdom, an envoy from a faraway land had newly arrived." The scene around them changed to show an expensive carriage, led by four horses, entering the large palace's grounds through large golden gates. "The envoy was later revealed to be the vampire prince of the land of Artania. His name was Caelus Locus and he was the precious heir to a kingdom that thrived in darkness and was home to species known today as 'monsters'."

Interrupting, purely for clarification, Cleo asked. "So like…what we fought in Helda?"

Fion nodded his head. "Exactly."

"Is that kingdom still around?"

"No." Fion's voice was sharp and his face screamed 'horror' at his question. "Anyways, no one in Loelia understood why they had sent an envoy and so, in curiosity, the queen accepted the meeting with the envoy. When the two met they instantly knew they-"

(Loved each other (●'◡'●)ﾉ)

"Hated each other."

(¯＼(٥⁀▽⁀ )／ Oh…)

"However, for the sake of appearances and their duties their talks began. The envoy was sent, it goes, that Loelia would help them with acquiring acceptable land for food for their people. Of course, most did not need food grown on land but there were some who were not like them."

"Why not grow their own food then? Why ask for land?"

"Because their kingdom's land was dying. The darkness is not like someone turning off a lamp for instance. This darkness was a living breathing substance that was gobbling up the life within the kingdom like it was starving for centuries."

"Oh. And what was the decision the queen made? Did she help?"

"She refused to help. Of course, it was not something she had to do, however, the kingdom of Artania had simply given them a chance to accept a deal before they decided to wage war. Which they did."

"You're skipping a lot of details aren't you…"

"It's getting too long and i'm tired."

{ YOU RECEIVED A QUEST!

Main Quest: Forest of June!

Information: Newly arrived at the village that borders the mysterious Forest of June you begin to wonder what is out there. The place is open for adventurers and young hero's like yourself so be sure to keep your eyes open and lips closed. After all, nothing is as it seems.

Recommended Level: 5 }

Another quest popped up before Cleo's eyes. Eyes read through the information like a sponge, his eyebrows furrowed once finished.

"Alright, I'm off to bed! Goodnight Cleo."

Blinking, "Goodnight." he replied.

Their discussion now over, Cleo kept to himself, and Fion laid upon the surprisingly comfortable bed.

Calmly sitting at the small desk residing in their two-bed inn, Cleo accepted his brother's friend request and opened up his message.

{ ASHTARTE:

Yo! Cleo, I have something to tell you, when can we meet in-game? It's about a certain quest that takes place in the Forest of June. It's not something we are doing now but I learned it from a player who is already extremely high-level!

Sent: 12:06 am }

'You forgot to tell me what you needed to before leaving Ash. Gosh, you're such a scatterbrain.' Cleo snorted. His eyes drifted lower until landing on the time - due to how late he had read this it was most likely two o'clock.

Gaping at the current time that had synced up with reality, Cleo's brain instantly jumps to the few stressful classes he has tomorrow. Leaping up from the chair, it took him no time at all to log out hurriedly. The last sight he managed to spy before his vision went black was Fion snoring away on the inn bed.

Tomorrow they would enter the Forest of June, however, college unfortunately came first.