Episode 7. Eagle Vision (3)
The player, Sephirah, killed time in the hideout by strumming her guitar. She couldn't play any instruments in reality, but in the game, just mimicking the motions produced a pretty decent sound.
"Can the ring... never be broken—"
No matter how much the instrument's melody supported her, it couldn't hide her singing skills.
"Soon—not far off—"
Right now, Sephirah should have been rushing around without a moment to spare for such idle pursuits. Her level was low, and she had nothing to her name.
It was true that this game had once been so familiar she'd grown utterly sick of it. Still, she had no confidence she could linger in the game at such a stagnant low level without ever dying even once. People like that were the ones who deliberately went insane with it.
"Will a better life be waiting?"
Even so, Sephirah didn't stop humming the old song she'd picked up from another game in her childhood. Levels could be raised anytime; there was no rush. Her level wasn't high enough to relax just yet, but she'd already wrapped up what she could do at dawn.
Across the entire game world, marked densely with icons, were all sorts of special landmarks. Visiting them granted experience points at minimum, and depending on the spot, players were rewarded with money, consumables, NPCs that used to matter back in the day, enemies matching their level, treasure chests that looked promising but were filled with junk, and more. Even special gear with unique effects and names, obtainable only through quest rewards in the game.
Everything near the city could be considered hers already. If she'd only done the quests, she'd be about level 5 higher.
"From that sky, that far end—"
As the song ended, Sephirah's guitar vanished from her hands back into her inventory. For something she'd improvised on the spot, it had been a pretty solid performance.
Clap clap clap.
And right on cue, applause rang out from in front of her. At this point, it wasn't self-praise anymore—it was publicly acknowledged. Her sole audience was the one NPC she could call a friendly relation.
That said, he was a bratty young thief who couldn't leave the hideout without permission, so she had to humor him whether she liked it or not.
"How was it, Loqi?"
The NPC Loqi, who'd been half-listening, pondered for a moment before replying.
"...First time hearing it. What song is that?"
"Eh, just something. I overheard some girl singing it once while passing by. Back then too, it was one guy and one girl."
"Guess it was an original then. Since even I don't know it."
It didn't exist in this game's lore, but unfortunately, it wasn't an original. The song Sephirah had just sung was simply a famous one from her classic gaming days. Especially fitting for a game vibe with two leads—a guy and a girl—embarking on a journey, so it had just popped into her head.
"So, how was it?"
"Yes, yes, great job, boss. Happy now?"
"Put a little more sincerity into it?"
"No, seriously, boss, you suck so mu—"
"Just kidding. I know I suck."
Sensing the reaction would be worse than expected, Sephirah cut him off first. She knew full well this wasn't the right stage or song for it. She knew, so there was no need to hear trash-talk from in-game data too.
Still, she'd thought she'd done pretty well this time.
"So, boss, what're you gonna show me today?"
"Hm? Show you?"
"You said yesterday. You'd show me lots of stuff, dragging me along. What was it?"
"Ohhh..."
Sephirah recalled yesterday. Yeah, she'd said that before logging off. The kid would be thrilled just following her around while she checked the map anyway.
"...Sephirah's fantastic performance?"
"No proper answer and I'll starve myself till I drop."
"Fine, fine! Joking. Get ready. I'll take you anywhere."
She struck a cocky pose, chin up, and Loqi headed obediently to the room he'd lent her. Truth be told, she'd never once thought about what to show the little thief.
Players could see special spots on the map at a glance and fast travel after one visit. Did she really need to plan a date course? She'd never even planned one in reality—
Thud!
"Kyaa!"
Startled by the massive crash, Sephirah whipped her head forward with trembling eyes. She had no idea what had fallen, but dust clouds billowed, obscuring everything. Had Loqi dropped something? No, that didn't fit. His official trait was hyper-vigilant silence.
Then what had made the noise?
"That old man doesn't know the meaning of 'give me a heads-up'! Seriously?!"
A coquettish voice cut through the dust. It was clearly an angry shout, yet it sounded pleasant, thanks to realistic voice acting based on pro VAs. One of the voices Sephirah had heard just yesterday.
"Claire, get up."
"You're ruining the mood again, old man!!"
"Sephirah located."
As the dust cleared, two figures came into view. A swordsman withdrawing the light from his hand, readying to restrain. A nun barely keeping balance with her staff, brushing dust off her white robes.
Aiden Oliver and Claire.
"Uh..."
Sephirah could only roll her eyes, frozen. She'd gotten clothes from the hideout, but no hood to hide her face. Inventory weight limits meant she only carried one wand as a weapon. They'd heard her voice and seen her face yesterday, but she'd never been this defenseless.
"A dream...?"
This hideout's entrance was sealed by game logic—no holes, only accessible via fast travel, even for players. How could another NPC get in? This was abnormal.
"Loqi!!"
Sephirah bolted up from the bed she'd been lounging on and dashed into the room Loqi had entered, grabbing his hand as he prepped to leave. Permission? Privacy? No time for NPC formalities.
"What the—why so sudden?!"
"Quiet. And listen!"
Sephirah pulled up her map, and the surroundings shifted. The two pursuers faded behind them, furniture vanished, replaced by trees.
But she wasn't safe yet. If they'd tracked her here somehow, a simple relocation might not cut it. She needed a plan. Improv one now.
"Don't freak. We're just bailing to somewhere close."
"No, but—"
"Details later."
Using fast travel in a pinch, Sephirah briefed Loqi on precautions. Checking the designated spot, she smirked—crisis averted, plan born on the fly.
"Good. If memory serves, direction is..."
Fast travel ended; location changed perfectly.
"Hide where I said. When the forest view changes... got it?"
"...Yeah."
"And remember."
Sephirah handed the nodding Loqi a spare dagger, then shoved his small back.
"No matter what happens in the forest, don't panic."
The abandoned NPC would follow the player.
* * *
Player encountered.
It was a spot too sparse to call a proper forest. More like the edge, with trees scattered but not dense, and the sound of nearby water audible.
This was where the player Sephirah had fled to.
"No matter where you run, it's pointless, player."
Aiden Oliver had tracked her effortlessly. Her startled expression matched vague memories. Her voice, her panicked flight—they all confirmed no hesitation needed.
"I'd like a word."
"A dream. This can't be real..."
"Don't move from there."
Aiden approached slowly, unarmed. The woman ahead didn't cover her face or bolt again. She just took tiny steps back while watching him.
"Hey, Aiden!"
"..."
"You know me?"
"That's my question. I said don't move."
"C'mon, you really just wanna talk? Liar."
Of course Aiden had no intention of stopping at talk. He needed answers the voice UI wouldn't give: the player's identity, goals. Why memories surfaced of journeying with total strangers. And why those hero-like figures ultimately chose betrayal and slaughter.
"If your words don't convince, we'll take you."
"You will? You think you can?"
"Shouldn't be hard. I can find you anywhere."
"Ha."
The player spun her wand with a laugh. Find and capture her anywhere? To a player, that was a massive challenge.
Sure, NPCs often had stats overpowering players. Even early-game had ones that hit like trucks.
"No, wait... you?"
But Aiden Oliver? A character even mid-tier players could tackle from the start, a staple strategy target?
Sephirah severely underestimated him—as one naturally did with familiar NPCs.
"Yeah, try it if you can! I'll even tank one hit for old times' sake. Watch closely, see how much I've changed from what you knew."
"What I knew..."
Sephirah spread her arms wide. Aiden extended his hand like prepping magic, but dodging was trivial.
"Yeah! No matter what, someone like you—"
Crackle!
A tearing sound grazed Sephirah's ear like lightning. Blood trickled from the graze, down her neck, soaking her hem. Eerily familiar sensation.
Snap-crack...
Then something snapped behind her. Branches and leaves rustled as it crashed down, barely missing her back.
"That, uh..."
No one turned to look. Sephirah sweated inwardly but kept her head forward. She knew what that sound meant without checking.
"Claire."
"Hold her down? Yep, got it!"
Red iron chains rose from Claire's book. Prepped on warning, they slithered snake-like to bind Sephirah's limbs.
"Fascinating."
The chains burned away soundlessly before touching her, leaving a tiny light she'd conjured.
"Heard from Loqi, but that's a first-see ability."
Sephirah twirled her wand onto her shoulder. No panic shown, no weird mutters. She maintained her mysterious aura.
"You've changed a lot from what I knew, Aiden."
Far from her player knowledge. His companion NPC, his own state.
"Attack speed aside, how'd you drop that tree?"
"No need to tell strangers."
"Hmmm..."
And Aiden himself differed from what he knew. His magic—'ancient spells' cast wandless and swift. A glancing test shot had hit harder than expected, startling even the player.
"This is scarier than I thought."
Sephirah sidestepped behind the fallen tree. Aiden advanced slowly; she kept retreating.
"Your face says you're gonna eat me."
"Talk first."
"Oh my."
Their distance shrank. Backpedaling couldn't outpace pursuit.
Whiiistle—
Sephirah whistled, eyes narrowed. Her mouth said uneasy, her face endless leisure. Which was real? Aiden couldn't tell.
Why whistle? Why this pointless retreat—
"Watch your back, Aiden!"
"...!"
Something streaked past Aiden's left like an arrow. A breeze followed; his brushed shoulder throbbed.
"Told ya to watch out."
Neither Aiden nor nearby Claire had sensed the approach till the last second. As if hidden perfectly until her whistle—summoned by her call. A horse.
"Y'know, I said we'd meet again, but I wasn't ready yet?"
Sephirah mounted smoothly. She'd bought time; Loqi should be safe. A determined hider even players couldn't find.
She'd never planned to fight Aiden. No need for deaths; no confidence in killing him anyway.
Best choice: flee.
"So let me live today?!"
Sephirah bolted desperately.
