Umber’s First Darksday of Harvestfall, 1442, Eelreach Waters, Scalemarshes.


    Elyssia weaved through the marshy terrain with ease, her feet barely touching the soggy ground as she leapt from patch to patch. The sound of Leoric’s footsteps, heavier and more deliberate, followed close behind. The landscape had changed again—now dense with wetland plants and moss-covered trees, the ground sticky and uneven beneath their feet. It was all too familiar to her, though, and not in the way she liked.


    The swamp stank of stagnation, both literally and figuratively. Every location in the marshes they had passed had been another step backward, pushing them further into lower-level territory. Can’t wait to be out of this hell-hole. Set let out an exasperated sigh. It would be mind-numbing if she did not have Leoric with her, keeping her busy with his training—although using that word felt wrong. Elyssia insisted she did not teach.


    Maybe I’m not a teacher, but I can show people how to blaze their own trail. That’s enough.


    Yet here she was, watching Leoric out of the corner of her eye as he methodically approached yet another patch of wetland, a frown etched across his face as he appeared lost in his head. Probably mentally ran through his checklist, overthinking again.


    Just like the previous battle, she would not help him for the next one time. He needed practice, and he needed muscle reflexes. He would do just fine. Leoric was a fast learner.


    She was thankful for that. Elyssia was far more distracted by the weight of a conversation she still could not shake—her talk with Vaelith, the questions that had gnawed at her. Elyssia pushed through the thick air, dodging branches and vines, but her mind was far from the swamp.


    Vaelith.


    She could feel the confusion rolling off her friend when they spoke, could almost hear the unspoken questions buried beneath the surface of that mask and her glittering golden scales.


    They had both danced around the topic, skirting the edge of the heart of the matter. The unspoken questions. Elyssia knew what she had done. Choosing words with care, dancing around the topic, making sure not to break the prime directive. But she could feel she had not been alone in this. Jason—no, Vaelith—had been holding something back for as long as Elyssia had known her. Even in high school, her friend had been quiet, contemplative and always on edge about something. It was more than the usual teenage awkwardness. Elyssia could see all the hints and the symptoms, but she had not truly understood what was happening. Just a vague feeling of being unwell.


    Elyssia had shared those same struggles, but had not connected the dots until just a few years ago.


    Her mind went back to that conversation in their private lounge. The one in which neither had said what needed to be heard. But Elyssia had felt something. Vaelith was inching closer to her truth. She had always been so close, but it was like there had been a barrier she should could not get by. But today, it felt like that wall had collapsed. Why and how? She did not know. Such things rarely mattered to her. When you get lucky and a speck of fleeting happiness falls into your lap, just accept it. No point trying to understand how it came to be.


    A guttural growl from her left brought her back to the marshes. Elyssia barely blinked as a lizardman lunged from the foliage, spear raised high. She ducked smoothly, her body already reacting before her mind could catch up. The creature’s attack missed entirely as she spun, pivoting gracefully on her heel and sidestepping its follow-up swing.


    She did not counterattack or engage—this was Leoric’s fight.


    “Leoric!” she said, calling him over her shoulder, her tone almost lazy as she weaved between two more lunging lizardmen. “Deal with these for me, won’t you? And don’t get too cosy back there!”


    From behind, she could hear the telltale twang of Leoric’s bowstring as an arrow zipped past her, striking one of the lizardmen in the side. He’ll handle it just fine—He always did. Leoric doesn’t need me.


    She ducked another clumsy swipe, her body on autopilot while her mind lingered on Vaelith’s hesitant voice, her questions. She had asked her about the body she now inhabited—how right it felt. Elyssia had seen through the question easily enough. There was some hidden meaning behind. Was it about how she felt outside the game?


    “Did it take you a while to feel comfortable in your character?” Vaelith had asked.


    Elyssia felt a tightness in her chest, her own past surfacing for a moment. She had answered, but maybe not fully. Not honestly enough. Because, yeah, it felt comfortable—too comfortable. Like sliding into the skin that had always belonged to her, that she had not known was missing. Her body had always been someone else, a form of herself distorted by expectation and confusion.


    But in this game? My body? It’s not just the calibration system.


    Vaelith had questions about her avatar. Did that mean she was not ready to see what Elyssia accepted? That this body was the reflection of her true self. It was not the glitch. It was the truth.


    Another spear thrust came dangerously close, but Elyssia did not flinch, ducking just in time. She shot a quick glance back at Leoric, who was fending off two more lizardmen, his arrows finding their marks, but not fast enough. He shouted something at her, frustration in his voice, but Elyssia simply ignored him. He could handle this.


    Instead, she focused her thoughts on Vaelith.


    Her friend was still resisting it. Still clinging that there was something wrong with how right it felt in her body. Elyssia had seen the conflict in her eyes—the same look she used to see in Jason’s eyes when they were younger. It was like watching someone trying to hold their breath underwater, terrified of surfacing even though air was the only thing that would save them.


    Vaelith was drowning. Just like I was, before.


    “You just… are.” Elyssia had said that to her, trying to ease her friend into the truth. But she knew, deep down, that Vaelith hadn’t been ready to hear it. Not fully.


    She was still stuck in that middle space, still fighting herself. And Elyssia... Well, she was not sure how to help her.


    How do you tell someone who they really are when they are so scared to accept it?


    How did you tell them that the body they were finally living in was more than just a character model?


    An arrow whizzed past Elyssia’s ear, grazing a lizardman that had been a little too close. Leoric’s voice cut through her thoughts again. “A little help here?”


    Elyssia flicked her wrist dismissively. “You don’t need help. Use the terrain, Leoric! Stop planning and just react!”


    Leoric let out a frustrated growl, but he followed her advice, rolling to the side and setting a trap that caught one of the lizardmen’s legs. Elyssia watched him briefly, her body still moving instinctively to avoid attacks. He would figure it out. Just like she had.


    But unlike Leoric, Vaelith would not figure herself out on her own.


    Sadly, Elyssia did not know how what to do to help.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    No one had helped me when I was in the same place.


    Back when she was still Martin-Ethan—a name that did not fit. Inside a body that felt wrong every day.


    A sudden strike from a spear came too close this time, slicing through her sleeve. She hissed in annoyance but danced backward, still refusing to retaliate.


    “Leoric!” she said, shouting over her shoulder. She kept her tone light, even though her mind was far from the fight. “Come on, you’re slacking!”


    In the back of her mind, she knew what Leoric wanted from her. She could almost hear it.


    “You’re a good teacher, you know.”


    They all want me to light their way. Because the person they see seems to have everything under control.


    But Elyssia was not a guide, a leader, or a teacher—or so she kept trying to convince herself.


    Or maybe... maybe that was the problem? Maybe she needed to stop running from that role. Maybe Vaelith needed her more than she thought.


    The lizardmen fell, one by one, under Leoric’s arrows, and Elyssia glanced up, her thoughts settling.


    Vaelith had asked if her body felt right. She had not been ready to accept the truth. But Elyssia could not let her drown in that doubt forever.


    You’ll figure it out, Vaelith.


    Elyssia felt a pang of determination settling in her chest.


    And when you do, and you are ready to talk? I’ll be here.


    The last lizardman crumpled into the muck, and Leoric stood panting, his bow lowered. “That... that was harder than it looked,” he said between breaths.


    Elyssia grinned, flicking a stray piece of swamp muck off her shoulder. “Nah. You did great. Much better than the previous fight. You’re learning.”


    Leoric scowled at her, but there was a hint of admiration in his eyes now. He got through it, after all. He always did. And for just a moment, Elyssia let herself wonder if she was actually a teacher already. Leoric seemed to see things that way, so why not Vaelith, too?


    And then, maybe... maybe even she could see it.


    <hr>


    The cliffs rose ahead of them, jagged and sheer, their white stone streaked with veins of gold in the nightlight. Beyond the towering cliffs, the city of Luminara stood like a beacon atop the highest point, its spires gleaming in the distance, the majestic city of light perched above the crashing waves of the sea. Elyssia’s gaze drifted over the scene, unfamiliar and breathtaking.


    The sound of the ocean crashing against the rocky cliffs below echoed around them, mingling with the wind. Seagulls cawed overhead, their cries almost lost in the relentless roar of the surf.


    Leoric slowed for a moment, taking in the view. “It’s... impressive,” he said, is the words unable to capture the grandeur of it all.


    Elyssia gave him a sidelong glance, already crouching slightly, preparing for the sprint ahead. “Don’t get too caught up in sightseeing, bunny boy. We’ve got a city to reach.” She flashed him a teasing grin, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Try to keep up, yeah?”


    Leoric chuckled, shaking his head. “As if I could.”


    Silvergale Strand stretched out before them, peaceful and almost eerily quiet. The mobs scattered along the path—tiny crab-like creatures and slow-moving stone elementals—barely reacted as they moved past. Elyssia hardly glanced at them. They were a non-factor, barely even worth noting at their level. This zone was a haven for lowbie adventurers. Leoric knew that in Elyssia’s, this place was simply a bump in the road, meant to slow her down.


    “You know, we could just walk. Explore the area, find some vistas,” Leoric said, his voice light but tinged with amusement.


    Leoric had to admit bee-lining to Luminara like this had been faster than how he had intended. But Elyssia’s single-minded focus on her objectives meant Leoric could not do all the sightseeing and exploration that he yearned for.


    Elyssia shot him a look that made it clear how little patience she had for that idea. “Where’s the fun in that?”


    Of course, we wouldn’t see eye to eye on that. I’m the explorer, and she’s the achiever.


    But before he could argue, she was off, a blur of green and white streaking ahead with inhuman speed. Leoric barely had time to react before she was already ten paces in front of him.


    “Seriously? We’re racing now?” he said, calling out after her. He caught himself grinning despite it all.


    He activated his Sprint ability, his feet suddenly lighter as he shot forward, matching her speed stride for stride. But Elyssia was already laughing over her shoulder, and Leoric’s heart sank as she effortlessly widened the gap between them.


    Elyssia did not just rely on Sprint. The moment her initial burst of speed ran out, she dashed forward with a blinding speed, using her martial artist gap-closing ability to leap across the zone as if the distance meant nothing. As long as there was a target in range of her Dash ability, she could use it and get there in a moment. One moment she was ahead of him, the next, she vanished, reappearing several feet away in a blur as she darted forward again.


    She kept inspiring him, though he tried not to show it. She had three charges of Dash at her disposal. Even when he caught up to her with his own Sprint, she would use another Dash, leaping ahead once more. It was maddening.


    Leoric let out a frustrated laugh. “How are you always faster than me?”


    Elyssia’s voice floated back to him, clear despite the wind whipping past. “Maybe you just need to work on your legs, pretty boy!” There was a playful edge to her tone, but beneath it, Leoric sensed she was not just showing off—she genuinely enjoyed the freedom of movement. It was like the wind itself carried her.


    His Sprint had cooled down, and he used it again, closing the distance between them slightly. But Elyssia was already streaking ahead once more, her Dash ability coming off cooldown just in time to widen the gap between them again.


    There was no catching up to her.


    Well, not unless he had some hidden ability he had not revealed yet.


    Leoric’s heart pounded as he sprinted, but he could not help the grin spreading across his face. The wind in his hair, the endless cliffs stretching out beside him, the city drawing closer with every step—it felt like flying.


    Elyssia danced across the rocky terrain, her movements fluid and precise. Every time she leapt forward with a Dash, she looked like a streak of emerald and snow against the golden cliffs. She did not tire easily, that much was clear. And Leoric realized, with a mix of awe and resignation, that there was no way he was beating her to the gates.


    Still, that did not mean he could not give her a run for her money.


    Maybe it’s time to reveal my hand? I have an ace up my sleeve, after all. I still haven’t tried it out… It’s probably a good idea to practice using it.


    And if it works out, show off a little, hopefully?


    Leoric loosed an arrow mid-sprint, aiming far beyond the sylvani. It whizzed past her, planting itself harmlessly in the ground several feet past her. She glanced back, her eyebrows raised in mock surprise. “What’s that supposed to be?”


    Leoric grinned and activated his teleport ability, appearing exactly where his arrow had landed. He had actually passed her, finally!


    She turned back to him, and he saw her wide, proud grin. “Oh, you little cheeky… So you’re finally getting serious, then?” she asked, her voice bright with laughter.


    She immediately used her Dash again, zooming all the way to him. She side-stepped him and used her Sprint ability and shot past him.


    Leoric laughed breathlessly, shaking his head.


    Even if I pass her, she can always catch up to me. Not just catch up, really. If I kept teleporting ahead of her, I’d just end up accelerating her thanks to that ability of hers.


    The idea reminded Leoric of how gravity-assisted trajectories worked for starships.


    Any attempt to outrun her would just end up speeding up her further.


    Looking at her go, he gave up any hope of beating her to the town gate. In a way, he now sympathised with the lizardmen from earlier. How they gave up even trying to attack her.


    There’s just no way to beat that girl. At best, you could hope to be in her shadow. At best.


    The city gates loomed closer, the towering archway of Luminara glittering in the sunlight. The spires of the city stretched high into the sky, glowing faintly with the magic that coursed through its streets. As they approached, the guards stationed at the gates watched them with a mix of curiosity and amusement—two adventurers sprinting full-speed across the empty landscape, a scene that could not have been more out of place in such a tranquil zone.


    Elyssia reached the gates first, of course. She came to a halt just before the entrance, her breathing steady, barely winded. Leoric stumbled up beside her a few moments later, panting slightly and glaring at her through narrowed eyes.


    “You’re ridiculous, you know that?” he said between breaths.


    Elyssia just shrugged, a wide, satisfied grin plastered across her face. “Maybe I am, but have you noticed? You’re getting pretty ridiculous yourself, you know? You’re improving and getting faster.”


    Leoric raised an eyebrow, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Still not fast enough.”


    “Yeah, well. It’s actually a problem if the rest of the party all outpace the tank,” Elyssia said, her gaze turning to the gleaming city ahead of them. “When DPS are the first to aggro enemies because they walked ahead of the tank, who do you think gets blamed for all the chaos? The one whose job is to keep aggro. Me.”


    Leoric just nodded slowly in understanding. She was fast because she needed to be to do her job.


    The city of Luminara stood before them in all its glory, the sound of the ocean echoing behind, the cliffs towering high above the crashing waves. Leoric looked up at the massive gates, the intricate carvings of light and gold etched into their surface, and let out a slow breath.


    “Ready?” Elyssia asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.


    There was always a thrill in reaching a new city, no matter how many times Leoric had done it before.


    He nodded, his heart still racing from the sprint, but now it was not just from exertion. The anticipation of what lay ahead—new quests, new challenges, new possibilities—set his pulse pounding with excitement.


    “Let’s go.”


    With a last glance at the cliffs behind them, they stepped through the gates and into the heart of Luminara.