The Transience of Her

A Decisive Victory, An Ominous Warning

“Yes... we all did it! We all defeated that nasty boss!”

Even our serious-looking guildmaster is getting all giddy and triumphant by this one achievement we've all clinched.

We all cheer, jump, and raise our fists in the air, like we've all won a million bucks in the lottery.

We even imagine lots of confetti showering upon all of us.

Amidst this celebration, I can still spot the jewel the boss dropped upon its total defeat.

As my face is still radiated with a smile from the euphoria we all feel, I pick up the jewel.

[Acquired Heptagonal Heart.]

I take a look at its detailed description.

“This jewel is named for its seven-sided heart shape. Fifty years ago, it was meant as a portable containment vessel for the evil spirits that caused all sorts of natural disasters that struck Eleftheria. Despite being made of the finest crystals harvested from the Remorga Mines, advanced containment technologies from Eleftheria's most brilliant of scientific minds, and the best enchantments from world-renown master sages, the Heptagonal Heart still had its shortcomings. It had a single glaring flaw: It could not detect deliberate containment procedures by malevolent entities despite the jewel's internal background system check routines made possible by its magi-technological nano-circuits. That flaw was not the fault of the inventors behind it; it was simply the mastermind of a demon that took advantage of that overlooked trait. The demon's identity is unfortunately lost to history.

“Despite overlooking that high-risk security flaw, the Heptagonal Heart was scheduled to be launched alongside the weather control system that it was a part of. On the day of its launch, the systems suddenly overclocked to uncontrollable limits, leading to an explosion that killed all of the participants who were present at the launch event.

“Since then, the jewel's whereabouts were unknown, as the weather control system was made into a breeding ground for monsters that could be deployed everywhere on Eleftheria due to the system itself having a wide-reaching network that spans all continents.”

After I've read the item's rather lengthy backstory, I'm suddenly being showered by confetti, with colorful lights that spell out the letters “MVP” right above my head.

Maricar the guildmaster catches wind of this.

“Oh, you've been crowned the MVP, Melchor!”

Lianna adds.

“It's primarily because you survived that nasty attack. You can chalk it all up to luck.”

I respond thus.

“Well, it can't be all luck. I just had the coincidence of choosing this job that I never knew would be the key to victory.”

“But you've earned it all the same. Congrats, regardless.”

MVPs in boss raids like this are being given additional rewards.

In my case, I've been given several more goodies, like manna from the heavens.

[Acquired 100,000 yesos.]

[Acquired 2 Restoration Poultices.]

[Acquired Blossoming Sand Ruby.]

[Acquired Flexible Waist Knight Leggings.]

[Acquired Miniature Clavier.]

“Ooh, nice!”

Giovanna salivates at the rewards I've received.

“Can I have them, pretty please?”

“Hmm... we'll all decide the distribution of those rewards. Can't have our proud guild broken up just because of some minuscule loot drama.”

“Affirmative.”

Our guildmaster approves of my suggestion.

“As we all go back to our HQ, we'll decide shortly on how the rewards should be split among us, according to our needs.”

Everyone else nods in agreement.

After we've picked up the other loot from the long and difficult battle, we teleport back to our HQ.

The HQ's courtyard shines brightly under the clear, star-filled moonlit sky.

We all gather here, sitting in the comfortable grass.

Tucked in a reachable corner is a small box that says “Box of Sparklers”.

Our esteemed guildmaster, Maricar van der Valde, begins her speech.

“We are all gathered here to celebrate the completion of a quest that many of us have attempted in the not-so-distant past, which have all ended in abject failure.

“But as luck would have it, a former lone wolf named Melchor Kam'arin joined our ranks, thanks to the efforts of one of our best warriors, Linnia Beferia. And he served as the key to the defeat of a boss long thought to be undefeatable.

“Thanks to him, we have finally beat the odds and achieved something satisfying, something that will inspire other players and guild to do the same: Hope against hope.

“Our distinguished MVP has earned exclusive rewards for being the one who survived the attack we all dreaded, and for being the one who landed the killing blow. He has finally decided to share most of those rewards with us, according to our urgent wants and needs. We've discussed the matter in private minutes ago, and so it has been decided.

“50,000 yesos will automatically go to our guild's financial reserves. The other 50,000, meanwhile, will be kept by Melchor.

“The Blossoming Sand Ruby will go to Giovanna, as her magical aptitude needs some improvement.

“The Flexible Waist Knight Leggings will go to Leggy, as a close friend of his is in desperate need of better equipment.

“The Miniature Clavier will go to Aulina Freya, as said decoration is in her want list for a long time.

“One Restoration Poultice will go to Zoredd, as he is in need of such an item for future boss raids.”

I finish the speech by stating the following.

“And the other Restoration Poultice will go to... my best friend here in this game and in the real world, Linnia. Here, you deserve this for the kindness you've shown me roughly a week ago”.

I shed a single tear while she reacts...

“I-I don't deserve this reward. I-it's like... bribery.”

“Come on. You said one time that the best of friendships are mutual ones, right? You gave me a Poultice, and I'll give you one back. That's mutuality.”

“Oh, that's right. I forgot that.”

“Feeling better now?”

“Of course!”

[Donated 50,000 yesos to The Sandwich Guild's coffers.]

[Gave Blossoming Sand Ruby to Giovanna Dewey.]

[Gave Flexible Waist Knight Leggings to Leggy Redoux.]

[Gave Miniature Clavier to Aulina Freya Exeiji.]

[Gave Restoration Poultice to Zoredd Legaspi.]

[Gave Restoration Poultice to Linnia Beferia.]

“And while we're still here, we'll have a little fireworks show. You can all grab the sparklers from the box over there, and be careful while lighting them up. We don't want any fire hazards looming around, you all hear?”

Since we're no longer in battle, a “Ma'am, yes, ma'am” isn't necessary.

We answer instead...

“Yeah!”

Using a special command that all players can use from the beginning of their journeys, we light up the sparklers we hold in our hands. Fire spells are not necessary.

Seconds later, dancing sparks are everywhere, as we all appreciate the beauty of miniature versions of fireworks that shoot from the ground into the sky, scattering into colorful flower fires.

In fact, “flower fire” is the literal meaning of the Japanese term for fireworks.

I've learned of that term from a Japanese exchange student whom I've befriended three years ago.

She said that the term holds meanings beyond the literal one.

A typical flower wilts away when not given enough nutrition and water.

A typical fire gives out when there is no more source to sustain it.

A typical firework shows its best intrinsic beauty near its end.

All of those things, she says, remind us that the beautiful things around us fade away – ephemerally – especially when compared with the concept called time.

It's the same with Lianna.

She, who is practically the most beautiful girl I've ever met in my entire life alongside my mother, had her life cut short without warning, at the tender age of 20.

She's like the fireworks I, she, and our guildmates are holding.

I know she's comfortable with being resurrected here, in this fictional world called Eleftheria, but I have a sneaking suspicion I just learned after I remembered those philosophical musings behind fireworks...

Even this virtual world can't last forever.

Therefore, we must all cherish every second we spend playing Skypaths Online.

Several minutes later, we all run out of sparklers.

“Aw bummer. I was just getting started.”

Auline Freya is disappointed at this.

And then...

I hear nearly-silent footsteps, made a bit louder by the crunching grass.

We all hear that suspicious sound, and thus we take a break from the festivities and draw our weapons seriously.

“Stop, everyone. I mean no harm. I'm not here to launch a lone war on your esteemed guild.”

We all withdraw our weapons in response.

I know that guy.

“Andth'oy Cuathra, are you not?”

“And what if I am indeed Andth'oy Cuathra?”

“You sent me that message yesterday, right?”

“And what if I did deliver that message?”

“Tell me, what are you really?”

“...I suppose... you can call me... a messenger of sorts.”

Yes, indeed you are one.

And you gave me the message of that.

But I can't tell the contents of that message to anyone – not to the guild, and not especially to Lianna.

I don't want them to know the truth, or more accurately, my own interpretation of the truth based on mostly first-hand accounts.

His eyes peer on the woman known in Elefteria as Linnia Beferia, being controlled by the soul of her creator, the late Lianna Riversdale.

Oddly, I sense no anger nor a deep-seated grudge in his eyes.

Those eyes only display tiny hints of pity and sympathy.

That's weird enough for someone who has the appearance and disposition of a cloaked assassin, unencumbered by emotions.

With his speedy hand, he throws another piece of paper that squarely lands onto my almost-clutched right hand – that just moments ago, held my weapon.

And just like that, he flees the HQ in a flash.

Silence permeates the entire courtyard for a brief moment, followed by Maricar's nonchalant reaction.

“What was that all about?”

I answer thus...

“Nothing.”

She can tell from my face and my eyes that I'm hiding something, but then respects my decision of doing so due to that being a private matter, something unrelated to the guild's activities.

And as for Lianna, her face bears something akin to discovering something tucked away in the depths of her past, but not quite digging it outright. A split-second later, her face morphs to a more concerned expression.

“Very well. The festivities are officially over. For your efforts, you can take advantage of an indefinite break from guild activities. Thank you once again, from the bottom of my heart. Dismissed.”

With a much calmer voice that deserves of an actual servant of the benevolent gods, our guildmaster essentially gives us an extended leave.

As usual, we either log out immediately, head to the guild's individual rooms, or head somewhere else.

As for the two of us that remain here in this courtyard...

She gives the first word, after five minutes of night-infused silence since the formal dismissal.

“I-I think...”

“W-Why are you shaking?”

“I-It's just that... he... seems so familiar... but at the same time... he is not...”

“Yeah, it's because of that outfit of his. That cryptic guy.”

“Maybe... he knows...”

I calmly put my entire right hand onto her mouth.

“Please... speak no more. Just be thankful... that you're 100%, true-blue, no-questions-asked, unmistakably, and undeniably alive. Whatever you did to keep it that way, I don't care.”

My right hand then forms into a finger pointing upwards and touching her lips, as if I made her do the gesture of silence.

I continue.

“All I ask of you... is to live. Not exist... but live.”

She nods in approval.

“Well then... see you again.”

I log out, leaving her in the courtyard, standing still, upholding the vow of silence I've calmly imposed on her.

I... I just don't want the trust between us to be broken over the minute details of that.

With Saturday drawing to a close, I shut down my PC, eat my quite-late dinner, and head to bed.

Tomorrow, the cremated remains of Lianna Riversdale here on Earth will be kept forever, in the sanctuary called the cherry tree.

But I won't be there to personally witness the ceremony.

Instead...