[center][h2]Offline_Home_bedroom_[/h2][/center] The rain outside was a reminder that life needn't be such a blur, that slowing down was a necessary part of living. Sachi Mitsuka stared out her foggy window, wondering what December would hold. It was a cherished month for several reasons. It celebrated goodwill and cheer, it was the perfect month for hot chocolate and it was also when Nagoya's street lit up with decorations which illuminated the humble city. Sachi loved Nagoya but even so, she wanted to go somewhere overseas, even for just a few years and experience something new, someplace totally unknown. It was her yearning for change and challenges that pushed her into buying The World a month ago. She and her group of friends had all decided to finally give the game a try after hearing such wonderful reviews. The World was not a new game by any means. It had evolved over time. Players came and went, different events were held around the world but the fact remained that The World brought people together from every place one could think of. Sachi found that was the greatest appeal for her. Not much for combat, she did her best to keep everyone healed and safe from harm. To her being a Wavemaster was the perfect role for her. In their group of friends, she was often the mother hen of the group (though Aika and Saya were great too) who doted on everyone. Sachi snapped out of her train of thought and heard a [i]*woooosh*[/i] which signalled she had a new email from someone. Settling into her desk chair, she clicked the round EMAIL icon and read it: [center][b]To:[/b] Allegory [b]From:[/b] KISU [b]Subject:[/b] I need your help! [b]Attachment:[/b] - [b]Body:[/b] Allegory, My name is Kohe Nanae and I'm Hitsu's son. I sometimes helped out during class for her. I'm not sure if you heard the news with school being out for the next month or so but...my mother's fallen into a coma. I found her two nights ago on the computer, slumped over and nonresponsive. It was terrifying. I still feel numb, in a state of shock to be honest. Ever since she and I relocated from Tokyo, we only have each other. We were on our own and now I'm on my own. The doctors told me she's stable for the time being but that's not enough for me! I can't just wait around for her to recover. She is the most important person in my life and I will do whatever I can to help her. I know she enjoyed your company and that she spent time with you and your friends outside of school. I think she event invited you all over for dinner last Christmas? In some ways you guys were like secondary children to her and I know she might not like that I'm involving you but I had to still ask. I've been doing some research and trying to piece together her last few moments. She was playing The World with this account (KISU) so I am going to take it over and investigate from inside the game. Supposedly there are a handful of other cases of people falling into comas who also have accounts in The World. I don't know what any of this means but I am going to find out. My other account can't be used, it's better if I leave it at that. So for now I'll be using my mother's and I hope you'll help me. If you want to help, please meet me at Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground in the Delta Server at 3:00 PM today. I sent your friends other similar emails. - Kohe Nanae[/center] Sachi felt as though she had been hit by a truck at the news of Nanae-san's sudden comatose status. Sachi had taken several of her classes over the past three and a half years and had considered the woman to be a mentor. Sachi did a quick Google search but found no news article about the event of a Nagoya professor falling into a coma. She had to assume her son, Kohe, didn't want it published for privacy reasons. She checked the time and saw she had about two hours to decide but in her mind, there was no real debate. She would help Kohe and had to wonder if the others would come to the same conclusion. It sounded so surreal and she didn't want to pester anyone, knowing they would accept or decline according to how they felt and if they even had any free time to spare. It was a Friday afternoon and some may be stuck at work. The next two hours passed uneventfully with Sachi munching on seaweed rice cakes and drinking hot chocolate. She decided to log on and head to Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground and wait for anyone else. Slipping on her red M2D and plugging in her controller, she booted up The World and found herself soon standing in Mac Anu's Chaos Gate entrance. [center][h2]Online_Δ Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground_[/h2][/center] A series of glowing golden dots greeted Allegory as jogged over to the Chaos Gate and entered the news area words given to her via email from Kohe. A lot of online boards and even the Community Forum had posts about Lost Grounds. A lot of them turned out to be fake or traps but she was sure this one as real. If Kohe and his mother had been playing longer than her and her friends, they probably knew more about the game. A knot formed in her gut as she warped and suddenly found herself on a large stone bridge that left north to a large cathedral. It was twilight, just like at Mac Anu. A soft [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCMkh8MRMNQ]melody[/url] played which tickled Sachi's ears as she walked forward. Accessing her Party List, she noticed her friends were beginning to log on and she had to hope they would soon meet her. For now, now party had been officially established so if a monster appeared, they couldn't heal one another but they could still fight it together. That thought quickly faded as she sensed no danger from the breathtaking Lost Ground. Allegory glanced back toward the rotating Chaos Gate and wondered if she stared long enough, if the others would suddenly appear like magic. Allegory stepped up to the large double doors and entered, her body vanished on one side and reappearing on the other. Walking down the center, Allegory held her staff so it wouldn't knock against the polished marble floor or the grand wooden pews. The attention to detail was stunning. "I could spend hours here." She said aloud as she stopped near the front to see a stone square pillar which seemed to once hold something or someone. There was an iron gate between her and the alter which seemed oddly vacant. Turning around, she looked to the double doors, waiting for a familiar face. [center][h2]Online_Mac Anu_[/h2][/center] KISU grimaced as eyes followed his PC avatar. It was embarrassing to have so much attention thrust upon him so suddenly. He had no idea why his mother wanted to play such a cute, youthful Heavyblade but it was beginning to creep Kohe out. Even though he had assumed KISU a day ago, he had lost count of how many players had come up to him trying to get his Member Address. KISU had some quick words for the creeps who quickly fled. KISU was currently doing some shopping and trying to get a better idea of the sort of player his mother was. He assumed with her busy teaching position that she didn't have time for gaming but given her interest in the creative side of life, it wasn't a big surprise. A [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqRgc8VTN20]playful[/url] yet soothing song played in the background as the female Heavyblade sold some spare items to a NPC shopkeeper. The items were just ones to boost one's speed which he never really used. Whenever he played The World, he usually did it alone, enjoying the challenge and not having to worry about having other members to look out for. But judging by his mother's Party List, she loved teaming up with people, probably even past students and colleagues. He had gotten many invites and flashmails but he was ignoring them for now as he prepared to see if anyone would meet him at Hulle Granz Cathedral, the Lost Ground he had specified in his email to everyone he thought played The World. He set his Online Status to: Busy and headed for the Chaos Gate.