Simulated sunlight glints off the majestic peaks of the Glass Cascade that towers over the small village of Sundare in the pale hours of the morning cycle. At the base of a dilapidated clock tower, a lone elven mage materializes as the clock strikes the hour.

With an elegant Light short bow and quiver of silver-tipped arrows strapped to her back, the elf jogs to the village square and stops at the angelic fountain in its center. She wears a simple long black cloak fastened with a silver leaf clasp and a short, practical moss green dress with knee-high, laced leather boots. Pointed ears peek out from beneath her long, inky black hair pulled into a high ponytail separated into six braids, and chin length bangs that frame her delicate elven features. Her cloak flutters in the artificial breeze.

Over the solitary figure hangs the lone name ‘Kaleidoscope’ in golden writing.

[September 21, 2014: 06:00]

World Chat

[TheWanderer] hey ****kers

[TheWanderer] ive got a lvl 40 Windsong bow

[TITTYtittyGANGbang] GAMERGATE

[TheWanderer] i’ll sell for 50k

World chat is [off]

Villagers wander through town in an eternal loop, and a white dog chases a young boy in an endless game of tag around the fountain. Carts and shops line the square with their owners out front waving and beckoning, bidding visitors enter to buy their wares.

Private Chat [Noodles]

[Kaleidoscope] You online?

[Noodles] long time no see babe

[Kaleidoscope] God you’re annoying.

[Noodles] seriusly where u bin?

[Kaleidoscope] My parents were in town.

[Noodles] oh right

[Noodles] how did that og?

[Noodles] *go

[Kaleidoscope] About as well as could be expected. I’m still a disappointment.

[Kaleidoscope] … and my brother is moving to town.

[Noodles] ur parents can suck a bag of dicks

[Kaleidoscope] Where are you?

[Noodles] wait! ur bro? thats awesome

[Noodles] im at the singer blacksmith. finally lvled up enough to wield an amethyst blade

[Kaleidoscope] I’m in Sundare. Meet you at the White Stone?

Darting between buildings, squeezing through alleys, and dodging the various armed races that mill about the village, Kaleidoscope sprints for the main gate that leads to the northern trail until the guards posted on either side of the wide arc halt her.

[Sundare Guard] You are entering the Roragry Foothills where many dangerous beasts lurk. Be safe on your journey, traveller.

[Kaleidoscope] ****ing guards.

[Noodles] ahahaha

Long grass bows and trembles as if caught in a breeze during the tail end of the most pleasant seasonal cycle. A dark forest lies to the west of the village, a dangerous barrier between Singer Village and foothills that surround Sundare. The White Stone lies on the other side of the woods. Kaleidoscope follows the northern trail alongside a winding river. Further along, the river would become the Junsuina Falls, but the trail forks long before the river ends, and Kaleidoscope races towards the edge of the forest.

Guild Chat

[TheArtfulShadow] roll call

[Noodles] sup boss

[TheArtfulShadow] just you?

Along her way, Kaleidoscope passes a small group of humans and wraiths battling endlessly respawning wolves. A white wolf appears directly in her path. Without missing a stride, she whips her bow off her back, an arrow already nocked and drawn, the bowstring taut.

Leaping into the air, Kaleidoscope performs a perfect flip over the beast, and lets the arrow fly at the peak of her aerial arc. It strikes true. The green health bar that hangs over the wolf’s head shrinks. Only a quarter life in the red remains. Twirling her left hand in the air, silvery light swirls, winding around her fingers. The mystical aura is cast at the lunging wolf with a flick of her wrist, and the beast vanishes in a twinkling flash like shattered glass.

Bow secured, Kaleidoscope picks up the small collection of coins dropped and continues her journey. The forest looms ahead.

[Kaleidoscope] I’m here.

[Kaleidoscope] But only for an hour.

[Noodles] wut? y? ur gonna bail on me?

[Kaleidoscope] I have class.

Kaleidoscope slips into the filtered shade of the aptly named Silent Wood. Vines cling to trees, strangling the trunks and branches. The air is still. Nothing moves. Not even the leaves tremble.

[Noodles] oh

Private Chat [TheArtfulShadow]

[TheArtfulShadow] the prodigal elf returns. i finally caught you online.

Guild Chat

[Noodles] thats cool

[Noodles] i should head to bed soon neway

Private Chat [TheArtfulShadow]

[Kaleidoscope] Just because I choose not to converse, doesn’t mean I’m offline.

[TheArtfulShadow] lousy parent day?

[Kaleidoscope] Atrocious.

[TheArtfulShadow] wanna grab a beer later?

Bow in hand, Kaleidoscope slows to a walk and creeps along the narrow trail that squeezes through the towering trees. Their trunks are so wide that it would take four human men linked hand in hand to encircle one.

[Kaleidoscope] Don’t you have papers to grade? I think I’ll pass.

[TheArtfulShadow] how am i supposed to procrastinate if you refuse to aid me in that endeavour

[Kaleidoscope] Try the dumbass asleep in your bed. I’m sure he’d be happy to distract you.

[TheArtfulShadow] you’re not wrong 😉

[Kaleidoscope] Gross.

Guild Chat

[TheArtfulShadow] by popular demand, the guild has elected to tackle the gatekeeper quest next weekend

[TheArtfulShadow] are you available to slay the forces of evil?

[Noodles] oh yeah!

[Noodles] i totally 4got to tell u bout that!

[Kaleidoscope] Only the Sunday.

[Kaleidoscope] Isn’t The Gatekeeper the third hardest quest on the server?

[Kaleidoscope] I’m not a high enough level to be of much use.

[TheArtfulShadow] while your physical attack may be lacking, your magic ability is unsurpassed

[TheArtfulShadow] you’re the highest mage in the guild, and seventh in the entirety of the server

[Kaleidoscope] You sure know how to charm an elf, oh great puppet master.

[TheArtfulShadow] careful, sweetheart. i’m spoken for.

[Kaleidoscope] -.-

[TheArtfulShadow] with the completion of the guardian, the guild rank rises into the tenth slot

[Kaleidoscope] On the server?

[Kaleidoscope] I thought we were 2nd…?

[Noodles] game wide baby

[Noodles] we’re talkin beta worthy rank

[Noodles] paid to play, that would be sweeeeeeeet!