𝙲𝚢𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 ˢʷᵒʳᵈ ᵃʳᵗ ᵒⁿˡⁱⁿᵉ

« 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎 2 »

«𑁍»

55ᵀᴴ 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗿 • 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮𝗺

The bustle of Granzam, the 55th floor of Aincrad, pressed in on Evaya. Sunlight glinted off passing adventurers, a constant reminder of the ever-present struggle for survival and a path back to the real world.

The Order of Sacred Hope (OSH), her guild, thrummed with a different kind of energy. Though established years ago, their commitment to player well-being and a sense of honor had drawn a steady stream of recruits, making them a force to be reckoned with.

Evaya, their Vice-Commander, felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Their current guildhall, while functional, was bursting at the seams with their ever-growing membership.

A soft chirp echoed in Evaya's mind, a subtle alert from Pixie.

𝙴𝚟𝚊𝚢𝚊, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚊 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚆𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚜. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕!

Evaya's eyes lit up. The Whispering Woods, a sprawling forest on the outskirts of Granzam, was known for its beauty and abundance of resources. A guildhall nestled close by would offer both serenity and practicality.

Lately, tensions with the established guilds had been simmering. The OSH's long history of challenging the status quo and prioritizing player welfare had rubbed some the wrong way. Finding a permanent home away from the city's watchful eyes could offer them some much-needed breathing room and a chance to solidify their place as a beacon of hope in Aincrad.

"Pixie," Evaya murmured, "Is this listing legitimate?" Years of navigating the treacherous world of Aincrad had instilled a healthy dose of skepticism in her.

𝙰𝚋𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢!

Pixie chirped.

𝙸𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚞𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚙, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎.

A smile tugged at Evaya's lips. Patting Fafnir's muzzle before jumping on to her large furry white beast who grew bigger as he levelled up. He barked, taking off towards the woods where Pixie lead him to the Whispering Woods.

The air grew cooler, carrying the earthy scent of the forest as sunlight dappled the path ahead. Towering trees whispered secrets in the breeze, sunlight dappling the forest floor in a mosaic of light and shadow.

As Evaya approached the designated location for the potential guildhall, a blur of white fur shot past her, disappearing and rolled around in the grass with an excited bark. Fafnir, his powerful form a constant source of comfort and security. A smile tugged at Evaya's lips. Even Fafnir seemed to sense the potential of this place.

The area itself was currently enpty, a clearing nestled amidst the dense woods. Yet, within its emptiness, Evaya saw a canvas of possibilities. The surrounding forest could be transformed into a training ground for the Order of Sacred Hope (OSH), a place for her fellow members to hone their skills and strategies.