Book 2: Chapter 5: Patch 1.0: Encounter at the Festival

Through dark alleyways only illuminated by the lingering fireworks above set off by independent parties, into busy streets crowded by passersby as they head home or to taverns now that the main events are over – Fenrir chases after the short glimpses that he can catch of that remarkable girl.

Sometimes he feels as if he’s but chasing after an illusion given just how elusive she is, but going by others talking about her and looking in her direction as he gives chase, she has to be real.

The girl that he wants to save most right now is away from the king whom claims ownership of her and his guards that protect her.

He wants to shout out for her to wait or stop, but he doubts that a captive running away is going to easily stop if somebody shouts at her to.

She’s faster than he is, too.

The chase leads him into another alleyway. Standing at the end of it is a girl facing a dead end as she frantically looks around for an escape.

Fenrir stands at the only entrance to the alleyway.

She turns around, sees him, and backs up until her back is to the wall of the building behind her.

He raises his hands to show her that he is unarmed and, hopefully, to convey that he isn’t here to hurt her. He still doesn’t want to say anything given how close he is to the main street. The last thing either of them needs is to attract attention.

With nowhere for her to run, he gets close enough that he can quietly talk to her. “I’m here to help you,” Fenrir says, keeping his hands where she can see them. “I’m a friend. Promise.”

The girl relaxes for a moment, but it doesn’t last. “I’ve – I’ve heard that one before,” she says. Her voice betrays her semi-monstrous appearance. Rather than sound anything like a monster should, she has an incredibly soft, angelic voice that sounds soothing even when she’s stressed out like now. “Who are you?”

“I’m just some guy who can’t resist getting into trouble. I saw that asshole holding you up when he arrived on his ship, and seeing that made me instantly dislike him and want to save you,” Fenrir explains, his eyes locked on that metal collar around her neck.

Her eyes light up as her entire demeanor changes. “Save me? You want to save me?”

Fenrir looks a bit confused from her sudden excitement, but he nods.

“No, no – you can’t. I am naught but a prized toy of that cruel, evil man. I cannot be saved. There are none who would dare oppose him for a horrifying girl such as I,” she says, turning away and raising one hand to cover her mouth while her other hand wipes away non-existent tears.

He has a feeling that she’s enjoying this too much.

“…you’re totally into the whole damsel in distress trope, aren’t you?” he asks.

The girl freezes.

Why can’t he meet a single normal girl in this game?

“Anyways, seriously, I’m here to help you. I’ve got a ship and everything that you can hide out on. I don’t know how you escaped on your own, but I’d be happy to help you stay escaped,” Fenrir offers.

She looks up at him with a serious yet somber expression. Her expression tells him that she’s appreciative of the offer, but that she doesn’t want to bring anybody else into this. “I am sorry, but I really can’t. It would be bad for you if you were discovered to have helped me. Right now, I am just out on a run. They will surely find me soon. They always do. I just – I need to get out of there to stretch my legs every so often.” She looks down at the ground. “Thank you for your concern. I truly appreciate it, but it would be better spent elsewhere.”

“Fuck that.”

She looks up at him.

“Do you want to be his prisoner forever?”

She shakes her head.

“Then come with us. We’re all already prepared to get fucked over if anything happens because we screw up and get in trouble, but that won’t happen.”

“I… I can’t. I’m sorry. I would feel horrible if anything happened to anybody because of my mistake in getting caught in the first place.”

Fenrir gets an idea. As much as he’s cringing at the thought of behaving like he’s about to, it is the only way he can think of to potentially persuade her. “My princess,” he pauses to see her reaction.

It is a very, very positive one. She’s eagerly looking at him with wide eyes and waiting for him to continue.

“I wish for nothing more than to save you from that evil tyrant. A princess as beautiful and innocent as yourself deserves a far better life than being some slave. I wish to show you the world beyond being a simple slave,” Fenrir tells her, doing his absolute best to not break character and cringe until his face is forever stuck doing so.

Her hands are over her mouth and her eyes are quivering. “Nobody has ever spoken to me like that before – I, I mean, I can’t! Life is far too cruel, and I am not worthy of having such a brave and kind hero to save me. You also mustn’t force yourself to call me beautiful, for I know just how terrifying and disgusting my appearance is.”

“Every single part of you is beautiful, my princess,” he says. Wait, even if he’s just playing a role and trying to get her to come with him, this could totally look like flirting. He’s going to have to tone it down before this girl gets mixed signals. He doesn’t want to appear unfaithful, and he can already imagine Cassiel getting pissed off at him for what he’s said so far.

Shit. It’s too late.

The girl practically has hearts in her eyes as she longingly gazes at Fenrir.

“You truly wish to save me?” she asks.

That’s something he can answer honestly without borderline flirting, thankfully. “I do. I promise,” he answers.

“But why? Why me? You know naught of me, yet you are willing to go so far for me!”

“I can’t resist helping those who I see in need of it, and I want to see how angry he gets.”

“But if it’s discovered that I’m gone – that you have me, then you will be chased to the very ends of this world until I am returned to him!” she cries out, being as dramatic as she possibly can by waving her arms around as she speaks.

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been hunted down.”

“You still wish to save me despite knowing just how much danger it will place you in?”

“I do.”

The girl runs at him, jumps up, and wraps her arms around his neck!

This is bad.

How is he supposed to react? Should he tell her that he’s taken? But what if she’s just roleplaying and not actually into him like that? It would be really awkward if he turns her down right now only to realize she had no intentions of any such thing in the first place. He has never been in a situation like this before.

“Thank you,” she whispers into his ear. She sounds genuine, not dramatic like before. “Everybody else is too afraid of Ull to do anything. Two groups have tried saving me before. One just wanted to use me for what I am, and the other was paid off. I – I don’t really know why, but I trust that you are better than them. You just seem very trustworthy.”

Fenrir definitely can’t let her know that he used to lead one of gaming’s most manipulative, backstabbing, sadistic groups.

Her soothing voice whispering into his ear relaxes him. He still isn’t sure what he should do about her, but he wraps his arms around her in a soft hug. “Me and the rest of The Soaring Wolves will protect you with everything we have. I’ll be honest with you, part of me wants to save you and protect you solely to piss that guy off since I didn’t like him the moment I saw him. The other part of me just wants to save you because I believe everybody should be able to play this game however they want, and I doubt you can do that when you’re collared and treated like an object by some asshole,” he says. He worries that he’s starting to sound like some fedora-wearing white knight.

“Those reasons are good enough for me to see you as my hero,” she says, sending shivers down his spine.

“Hah, you don’t have to call me anything like that. I’m just some guy who wants to piss off the top dog and make sure you’re having fun.”

“And that is precisely what makes you my hero.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll accept it. Now, mind hopping off me? I need to go find a robe to hide you in and sneak you back to The Shoebill. You’re kind of obvious right now.”

Her tail flicks behind her. She places a quick kiss on his cheek before getting off of him. “I will be waiting for your return, my hero,” she says, looking up at him with tearfully happy eyes and a gentle smile.

He honestly didn’t expect this to mean so much to her. Seeing just how happy the idea of being saved makes her – there is no way that he isn’t going to fight to the end to save her now.

“I’ll be right back,” Fenrir says before leaving the alleyway.