“More lore?”
“Keep going, Bo. Carry me to that person.”
‘What’s on their heads?’
"San Na Litly’s eyes are not as blurred as her mind. On the heads of the two people ahead are bizarre masks with ethereal strings reaching into the air."
‘Why are they wearing masks?’
"Not only are these two individuals wearing masks, but so are majority of the people living on this world. Even miss San Na Litly wears a mask."
“I’m not wearing a mask.”
‘Am I?’
“Stop fiddling up there.”
“Am I wearing a mask, Bo?”
“Of course not.”
“But.”
"After making sure there was indeed no mask on her head, San Na Litly finally calmed down. Her thoughts on the two people just a few meters in front of her."
“Hi!”
"The two mask clad people have already noticed San Na Litly and her puppet. Their attention more towards the rather tall puppet, but also intrigued by the smaller person sitting on the puppet’s shoulder."
“Hey there, miss.”
“Good day.”
“Hi, I am San and this is Bo.”
"In her execitement, San has forgotten to be surprised at their calmness. After all, her puppet, Bo, is a eye catching if anything."
‘Hey, that’s right. Why are they so calm?’
“Nice to meet you, San. I am Devin and this is my wife Karla.”
“Nice to meet you two.”
“Did you just wander in from the Dim woods?”
“That’s right, how did you know?”
"Hearing San’s reply, the two let out a small breath, revealing their relief."
“Your Insignia is a pure white and the number zero on it tells us you are level zero.”
‘What Insi-’
“What Insignia?”
"Her eyes flutter about searching furiously, but as before, her search yielded no results."
“You can’t see your own Insignia. See here, this is Karl’s Insignia. Can you see that?”
“Oh! Ye, a bright green color and the number four. Does that mean she is level four?”
“That’s exactly right. And the color means she is close to leveling.”
“Devin.”
“Ah, sorry darling. We need to be on our way San.”
“Oh, Okay. Thanks for the help.”
“No problem.”
“Bye San.”
“Bye.”
‘I wonder where they are going.’
"After a moment of a quiet daze, San Na Litly turned her attention away from the couple and towards village before her."
‘I forgot to ask about the masks.’
“Lets go, Bo.”
‘Bo, Bo, lets go, Bo.’
"While engulfed in her thoughts, San and her puppet Bo saunder into the village. Bo’s awkward mechanical like movements and San’s high set position on his shoulder earn them a few curious glances."
‘They are all wearing masks.’
“Bo.”
“What is it, Na?”
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“You see all the masks, right?”
"With a rather distraught gaze, San Na Litly looks down at her puppet. The long pause causes tensions to rise within her."
“I see them.”
“Really!?”
“Yes. Stay still.”
"Like an excited child, San Na hugs her emotionally stable puppet and her small toy bear."
‘I knew I’m not crazy!’
“Bo, Go over there.”
"It took as little as a casual glance to identify a point of interest. What San Na Litly noticed with her light green eyes, was a swirling green vortex above a person."
“What is above your head?”
“Hmm?”
“Above your head? The green spiral.”
"A rather stout young man, just about as tall as San Na Litly, looked up in confusion. His thoughts weren’t ‘what green spiral’ but ‘How pretty!’"
“Hello?”
“Uah. Hi there.”
‘What’s up with this guy?’
"San looked around, looking for validation of some sorts. She noticed that people barely gave them a glance."
‘I should be wearing a mask right?’
"Ignoring the burning questions about the previously mentioned mask, San’s attention is still on the green vortex slowly spinning above the man’s head."
“I was wondering why you have that vortex above your head.”
“I don’t?”
"Looking up, the man saw nothing, he stumbled a few steps back and continued looking around, searching for the aforementioned vortex. His movements did not result in the vortex moving, instead it held steadfast."
‘What’s going on? He can’t see it?’
Thoughts of doubts filled with insecurities have begun to bubble forth. As San was about to resume her questioning a look of revelation struck the young man.
“It must be your quest. Green means you complete it here.”
"After pointing to the ground, the man backed up two steps. His previous position had by coincidence been right underneath the marker. And it just so happens to be the entrance of a sizeable house that rents out its rooms to people."
“Just walk underneath it.”
‘Uhh.’
"Along with increased attributes, the level up event comes along with pleasant feelings and reinforcement of the body’s constitution. In the case of a frail person this can give them a sizeable boost to energy."
“Did you feel that, Bo?”
“I feel stronger.”
“Really!?”
"It was only now that a look of happiness crept out from behind the mask. And the stout young man couldn’t help but be further charmed. Due to most people being hidden behind a mask, people had to develop a different approach to attractiveness."
‘What?’
"San Na Litly can’t be blamed for being so overwhelmed, the events leading up to her has overloaded her senses, making it hard to focus on a single matter."
“I am Dormant. But everyone calls me Dorm.”
“My name is San.”
"The variness in San’s voice is apparent. This variness is not because of distrust or paranoia. The man’s voice is noticeably nervous, making her put up her guard."
‘I’m not putting up a guard.’
“This is Bo.”
"The man’s eyes move to the emotionless gaze that seem to hold a sliver of intelligence. His thoughts along the line of 'powerful'."
“Well met, Bo.”
"San’s tensions lower when she sees the man pay a respectful greeting to her most important companion."
“Did you just arrive in this world?”
"Hearing the question she couldn’t help but subconsciously cringe. The idea of being in an alien world hasn’t sunken in. San’s subconscious thoughts still held onto the idea that this is a dream."
‘If it is a dream, it’s not too strange.’
"Deep in thought, San forgot she was standing in front of a complete stranger that was asking her a question and staring at her expectantly."
‘Oh, right.’
“Me and Bo only remember walking in the woods.”
"Now that she thought about it, she didn’t remember what she was doing before she got teleported here. The more she thought about the more she felt her memory being surprisingly lacking."
‘How did I get here?’
"San’s thoughts couldn’t help but spiral, suddenly she felt it was all the more likely that this was a dream, so she tried a trick she had read about. She pinched her nose close and tried to breath through it."
“What’s wrong?”
"From the stout man’s point of view, San Na was fiddling with her mask, puffing out her chest and bunching up her shoulders. Dormant’s eyes couldn’t help but roam.
Perhaps her thoughts were occupied by more important matters or due to the masks everyone wore, there was no expression to decipher unscrupulous motives."
“It’s nothing.”
‘If it was a dream, Bo would tell me.’
“Do you want me to guide you around the village?”
‘What’s this guy up to?’
“No, that’s okay.”
"After declining this strangers offer, San’s focus turned towards her new lore update. The man was initially waiting for something at the entrance but now he felt awkward and couldn’t help but retreat back into the building."
‘Does this voice know what everyone's thinking?’
“Bo.”
“What is it, Na.”
“What should we do?”
“Whatever you want to do. I’ll always be with you.”
“Thanks, Bo.”
‘Maybe I should walk around the village for a bit.’
"After snapping out of her reverie, San, Followed by a puppet began strolling casually around the bustling village.
While the Seven-step village is one of the smaller villages, it is still filled to the brim with people, many of which are just passerbys.
Large influx of people are here on one quest or another, many heading towards the Dim woods or more likely they gather at the abandoned mine."
‘Oh, there was something about a mine in the lore.’
“Bo, are mines scary?”
“No, mines are just dark and it’s the dark that can be scary.”
"Due to the eccentricity of people, San Na Litly’s one sided conversation is largely ignored. Some might even be more afraid of the quiet ones rather than a talkative spritely woman. Even if that woman was talking to herself."
‘Why is it so insistent that I’m talking to myself?’
“Bo.”
“What is it, Na?”
“No, nothing, nevermind.”
‘It’s impossible for Bo not to be real. If everything is fake, Bo is still real.’
"The seven-step village is the home to around six thousand people, but over three thousand people are here are visiting the the village. Some are here for the mines, some due to the close vicinity to the Dim woods, and some just passing by."
“Is that it? Is that the mine?”
"Outside the mines entrance is a bustling trade district. If it wasn’t for the very obvious signs with arrows pointing towards the mine itself, it would be hard to distinguish from a marketplace."
“Are you hungry Bo?”
“I’m okay.”
“Really? I’m feeling a bit hungry.”
‘I don't have any money.’
"The street is wide enough to let six carriages ride side by side, and yet there is only small space left for the considerable foot traffic. Majority is taken up by the street vendors, some audacious enough to build semi-permanent booths."
“That’ll be two Div.”
‘Div?’
“I’ll have a bowl and give me a Kar-ale.”
“Three Div.”
‘Wait! I have Div!’
"Like a torching catching fire, San Na Litly’s eyes shine and her hands pat every place on her body in search of her newly gained Div. Her thoughts in a flurry but soon gather."
‘It has to be in the system.’
"Fishing out seven small coin that look like they have been carved out of old decaying pieces of wood, San Na Litly rushed forth and enters a line of to a boothe."
‘Now that I look at them, they seem a bit strange. Can pieces of wood be money?’
“Are you sure you don't want anything?”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay but let me know if you change your mind.”
‘I wonder what it tastes like.’
"The short wait allows the spritely woman to observe her surroundings better, the vendors, the houses and mine entrance quickly fade away and her curiosity is pointed towards the rather unique people."
‘Why does everyone wear a mask?’
"The hundreds of masks seem unique and different but after a while similarities can be seen. Even the different archetypes seem to follow a trend. There are some that appear more rare, while not flashy, they are indeed different in more than ways than just appearance."
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