[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/uAjjAG1.png[/img]


~ [i]Virtual Reality: Strages[/i] ~[/center]

The arena already looked like a war zone, no thanks to the fight being waged atop its cracked ground. Weapons lie scattered across the ground; some half buried in the dried up lake bed and others simply knocked off to the side to be collected later. Only a few Avatars were actually still alive, and they were the strongest of the bunch - obviously the crowd favourites to win. In their eyes, the newcomer had simply no chance of overcoming their might. Not with that little bow and sword she was using. 

Of course, they were pretty surprised she had come off with three kills. Only the favourites for victory got that many; picking off all the weaker Avatars in a kind of truce until they could fight to the death on their own. Of course, almost anything went in this arena. It was located in a Fantasy Zone, where no technology would function, but that was the only limitation. All magic, and anything else you could bring to the skirmish and make work, was allowed.

That made it pretty easy for the last two guys. Burly Avatars each with their own respective magic weapons and armour and Artefacts, and their fancy enchanted armour from varying settings. One had a full set of plate armour - made of a light weight but durable alloy from some fandom world -  and wielded a mace and large metal shield. The other stood with flexible leather and two, almost identical blades with winding snakes that made up the pommel, handle and guard. The effect of the two swords had been devastating from the beginning; causing some kind of paralysis effect upon being struck. It limited motor function, as the last competitor had found out first hand.

The last competitor, and sole female competitor for that matter. She hadn't come to Strages simply to kill over-confident, egoistical twats with too much time and money to waste on powerful items and off the books PvP matches. Instead, she had to come for information. The prize for winning was a series of mint condition, wax sealed letters that contained information on the location the first Riddle pointed to. 

Though, she didn't really think she needed it. She stood facing the two men; sword sheathed behind her back, and her bow in hand. Being in a Fantasy only Zone meant her Sharanga could actually be used to its fullest effect. Shield generators had a nasty habit of blocking both her arrows and stun effect. Over her head was her name tag. Normally, she would have kept it reconciled, but she very much doubted anyone would care if she was seen competing in unofficial, essentially black market PvP events. 

The tag read Alekhine.

And she was pretty confident she had already figured out the location of the First Clue. Though, she wanted to make sure she was actually right before she charged off and wasted a day searching the damn place for a clue which had no physical description. It wouldn't matter too, too much. Hunters had spent two years searching for the clues to Helen Grey's Quest, and had made no progress. Zilch. Ling. Zero. 

In those two years, no Avatar had made any headway on finding the First Clue. There had been so many theories, so many bandwagon wild goose chases that always ended in disappointment and a still static Scoreboard. With all the people using Virtual Reality, it was a miracle - a literal miracle - that no one had discovered the location yet. Of course, Alekhine was pretty sure she'd be the first to find it. Others might have been drawing the same conclusion as her, but... That wasn't a thought she was willing to entertain very much. She [i]needed[/i] this. The fame would be nice and all, but it was the money she was after. It wasn't like she had any relatives she could get money off of. Not after her mother offed herself.

That wasn't her concern, though. There were so many priorities, but her mothers state of living? Not one of them. Her biggest concern, though?

The burly, hulking males who were charged towards her.

The first - a dark skinned, bald male, with his name tag hidden - swung down with his mace at the now empty patch of dried land. The arena had been built into a dried up lake-bed on the equator of Strages, and Alekhine had been smart enough to cast a speed enhancement spell on herself. She ducked backwards; pulling an arrow from her back quiver, before nocking it and firing. It wobbled as it went, and collided with the sharp end of a sword as it was swung upwards to deflect.

The two of them were good, and complete Warrior classes. Plus, they looked as though they were regular Black Market customers. Chances were they had some kind of new hacked software loaded onto their rig that let them judge projectiles with much more precision and accuracy. Or perhaps they just had some kind of ability like that character from the 2016 game Overwatch, Genji.

Her eyes flicked up to the second man's name-tag. "xXThe_Pummeler_Xx" An incredibly... [i]original[/i] name. They flicked back to see him charge at her with his swords. She flicked the sides of her bow, causing two small blades to protrude from either end of the structure. It hadn't come with those modifications, but she found someone who could mod it for her. She parried one, then two, before drawing and letting loose and arrow that penetrated a weak spot in his leather armour; just beside his breast. His Avatar let out a grunt, and his face twisted in pain. The bastard must have been wearing a full body haptic suit, and forgot to disable pain. Idiot.

With a twist, she spun around his body and kicked him hard in the ankle, causing him to drop to the floor. Alekhine went to turn and stab him through the throat and kill him, but the mace came up over her again. She kicked off "The Pummeler", and let the mace smash into his back. In the next instance she loosed and arrow, which was promptly blocked by his shield.

But it wasn't any arrow she had fired. It was from the right side on her back quiver. Or, as it was mor commonly known to Alekhine, her "Boom Boom Pouch". The arrow detonated on impact and flung the two men back a small ways. It wasn't enough to cause them much harm - well, not for the one holding the shield - but it was enough to disorient and stun them. 

Even before the explosion ripped through the air and danced across her face with heat, she had begun running. The Paladin type man was still standing, if barely, but his shield was low. Low enough for her to jump onto. Her run halted as she took a step up onto the metal, and jumped off behind him; pulling an arrow from the left side of her back quiver and firing it. The "God's Wrath" section, as it were.

The arrow quickly began to glow, and then shot away through the air like a lightning bolt. Because that was exactly what it was. Enchanted to become a lightning spell as soon as the Sharanga gave it the stunning effect it did with every arrow. The delayed crash of thunder ripped through the lake bed just as it slammed into the back of the Avatar's neck, and his body crumpled to the ground. In seconds, the Avatar was deleted, and the contents of his inventory piled up on the dusty floor.

Alekhine picked it up, and stowed it in her inventory; ignoring the penultimate fighter as he stood from the ground and picked up one of his swords; the other having skittered away from the explosion. There wasn't even a second between the two actions before he took a swing at her. Swinging her bow, she parried, before dashing behind him. The joints of her arms locked on the arms of the bow and she grabbed him from behind - bow pressed into his neck. 

In the next instant - before the crowd could react - he was dead. The blade of her bow had slashed his neck as she forcefully ripped it to the side. He fell, and his body vanished; his items collecting together very similar to his cohort. The only things interesting, though, were his two swords, which she promptly collected. 

[center]~[/center]

[b]"A lot of money was exchanged today, you realise? The crowd really isn't the happiest that the two favourites were offed by a newcomer."[/b] the voice of an older woman scolded; likely in her late fifties, [b]"If I were you, I wouldn't be surprised if someone set a bounty on me - showing your name and all that."[/b]

[colour=Pink]"What are you, my mother? I've dealt with sissies setting bounties on me before. Piece o'cake."[/colour] Alekhine almost chirruped to the female Avatar stood before her. They were on [i]the Astrid[/i]; a souped up battle cruiser with jump capabilities owned by [i]"Madrek"[/i]. She was a rather old PvP star who owned several underground PvP rings, as well as business selling secrets. 

[b]"Maybe you should give those Artefacts to the crowd, before someone hunts you down and offs you. Charity work would suit you better than running your ego all day."[/b] always the joker. Madrek was... well, a fun character. She didn't want to have anything with The Quest, so instead she simply ran her business and kept herself warm and fed.

[colour=Pink]"Like hell!"[/colour] the blue haired Avatar exclaimed, [colour=Pink]"I'm pawning these babies off as soon as I get back to the Bazaar. I-"[/colour] she was cut off by her illegal associate.

[b]"You need the money, I know - you say it every frickin' time you win one of these things."[/b] it was true. While she had never competed on Stages, she had fought in other arenas owned by Madrek. That was how they became acquainted. Something told her that the woman was getting somewhat tired of dealing with the crowds of people pissed at the Avatar who always managed to kill the favourites.

[colour=Pink]"Oh, shut up, Grannie. Actually, I never asked... Where does your name come from? Also, where the hells my prize?"[/colour] her voice was still calm despite the nature of the words she spoke. It never really moved from that tone, to give her credit. A lot of people attributed it to some kind of voice regulator, but somehow it was completely natural. She just wished it was the same was she was in the real world...

[b]"Vulpin word for "Dominator". Got it changed after I visited the planet they were on. Some fandom crap; people with fox ears and tails with powers like those Ghouls from that Tokyo Ghoul anime I got pestered into watching. Bloody hunters..."[/b] she looked slightly annoyed, but also slightly playful, knowing that Alekhine herself was a Hunter, [b]"And your prize? Here. The paper catches fire a short while after the seal is broken, I was told. Make sure to take screenshots. Now get the hell off my ship, hot shot."[/b]

Alekhine took the envelope and stored it in her inventory; giving a mocking salute as she turned to walk away. 
[colour=Pink]"See ya, Pharaoh~"[/colour] she called back, a note of playfulness in her voice as she stepped into the private teleporter. It still cost Credits to travel, but at least it was convenient. The sum of money was immediately deducted from her account as she was transported away; from the ship, to The Bazaar.