Broken and Freya had been seated face to face in the quaint carriage as it slowly meandered through the gentle, rolling hills of the long-spanning countryside. The rhythmic sound of the wheels crunching on the gravel road mixed seamlessly with the surrounding tranquility, creating a cocoon of calm around them.
Looking out the window to their right, an endless forest stretched into the horizon, the spindly trees reaching up toward the sky as if in prayer. Snow-capped mountains rose majestically in the distant background, their peaks glistening in the thin layer of sunlight that managed to break through the clouds.
On their left side, the landscape painted a completely different picture. Here, the vast savanna sprawled out before them, a golden sea of tall grasses rustling in the breeze. Beyond this dry expanse, the shimmering ocean stretched endlessly.
“It’s so beautiful here.”
Broken nodded, chuckled softly, and replied, “Yes, just imagine, how could we ever see such a unique setup like this in the real world-a dry savanna blending into a forest, with the mountains abruptly capped with snow.”
Freya gently touched the back of his hand with her finger. “You have to explore Yunatea more widely. You will be amazed. There are lands that float in the air. There’s also a place where you can float normally. And we’re not even talking about the many races here in Yunatea. What… what races have you encountered so far?”
“Uhm… Elf? Not really, because Princess Alora is Half Human – Half Elf, right?”
Freya nodded as she listened.
“And a Dwarf, Mr. Fokil.”
“There are Giants, Demons, Faeries, and Dragons too! These are the major races that once ruled Yunatea,” she continued, her voice brimming with excitement and wonder.
“Do the Giants, Demons, and Faeries have their own territories, Freya? I haven’t heard much about them.”
“The Giants reside in the North Continent, and their existence is still largely unknown because few dare venture that far. Besides its distant location, it is also said that the monsters there are, on average, above the current player levels.”
“Go on, Freya… tell me more,” Broken urged, leaning in closer.
“I’ll tell you more about Yunatea, but for now, I want to show you a place that I’m sure you will find very interesting.”
After just a few moments, their carriage came to a gentle stop outside a tiny village. The area was enclosed by walls constructed from stacked trees and wooden beams. It looked to be a small, modest settlement, especially when viewed from its perimeter. The village appeared to be a gathering spot for players who were hunting in the surrounding savanna, as evidenced by the dense forest to their right-a perfect hunting ground.
“We will rest here for a while in this village because I want to show you something.” Stepping down from the carriage, Broken and Freya made their way into the village. The entrance was lightly guarded, allowing anyone to enter without an identity check. Inside, adventurers, both players, and NPCs, paced the streets or lounged in nearby eateries. Judging by their armor, most seemed to be of a fairly high level, above level 100.
“Not many temples of worship in the land of Dissidia… Not in every region…” Freya murmured as they walked.
Their journey led them to a small temple built from meticulously arranged stones, adorned with intricate carvings of women in a sleeping position on the exterior.
“This is the temple dedicated to Goddess Akidia, Broken,” Freya announced with a touch of reverence in her voice.
Broken stood still for a moment, taking in the sight before him. His eyes widened, and an unexpected rush of excitement and joy washed over him, compelling a smile to spread across his face. He hadn’t anticipated Freya bringing him to such a place, although he wasn’t entirely sure what this temple’s significance was to the local villagers. Nonetheless, the well- maintained temple stood as a testament to the village’s deep respect for Goddess Akidia.
“Would you like to step inside?” Freya asked.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he replied, “Yes.”
The two then stepped into the temple. Despite its modest size, the room carried an air of solemn reverence. At the center stood a statue of a woman with serene eyes and a calm expression, her hands and arms draped gracefully in a flowing scarf. Her gaze was steady, exuding an aura of tranquility as she looked ahead. However, as Broken’s eyes settled on the statue, his expression shifted to one of confusion and unease.
“Why do you look puzzled?” Freya inquired, noticing his discomfort.
“She doesn’t look like her…”
“The face?”
“Yes…” Broken replied, gazing intently at the statue that was meant to represent Goddess Akidia. The statue was strikingly taller than the average human, yet he knew that the Goddess herself was not that tall. Most striking was the face, which bore no resemblance to the divine being he had met.
“It makes sense, since you’re likely the only one who has met her in person. The people of Yunatea probably haven’t seen her face-to-face.”
At that moment, Broken began to envision a future where he would build a temple for Goddess Akidia with a statue that truly captured her likeness. It would be a way for him to honor her more deeply and to share her true visage with the world.
“Why aren’t there many temples dedicated to Goddess Akidia in Yunatea?”
“A good question,” Freya responded. “She is the Goddess of Sloth, and many believe their prayers go unanswered by her. Furthermore, Dissidia Kingdom once had a king who was the Sloth Champion, yet it hasn’t happened again until the current king. This was made worse by the fact that Princess Alora-the crowned princess-is not purely human.”
“Does being a Sloth Champion require one to be a pure human?”
Freya nodded. “It has long been a tradition that the blessing of the Sins is given differently to each major race in Yunatea.”
She continued. “Moreover, some fanatics have started to appear, worshiping Goddess Akidia with excessive fervor. They blame many of Dissidia’s inhabitants for refusing to worship her, arguing that this reluctance is the reason there hasn’t been another Sloth Champion from the royal family. This weakening of the human race’s position stems from their lack of a strong leader who serves as their divine champion.”
“But I am the Sloth Champion now,” Broken muttered under his breath.
“Yes, but I was referring to the Yunatean Divine Champions, those who existed before players like us arrived in this world.”
“So, that’s why many reject Princess Alora’s status as the crowned princess,” he concluded.
They lingered in silence within the temple for a few more moments, absorbing the tranquil atmosphere before deciding it was time to move on. Without them realizing it, several NPCs noticed the two of them in the temple.
“Let’s continue so we can reach Clario before nightfall,” Freya said, grasping Broken’s hand and gently pulling him towards the exit.
As they walked through the quiet village streets, even the merchants seemed sparse, with few tending to their stalls or engaging with potential customers.
Suddenly, Freya’s posture stiffened, and she quickly pulled Broken aside, ducking between
the small houses and signaling for him to stay silent. “Broken!” she whispered urgently, her
eyes wide with alarm.
Startled, he whispered back, “What’s going on?”
Freya subtly pointed towards the street, indicating a player who was stumbling along, a
bottle of drink carelessly clutched in his hand.
“That’s Trison, a member of The Ass Guild,” she whispered.
Broken observed the player she pointed out, noticing how disheveled and half-conscious he
appeared. Wearing a white robe with his eyes half-open, the player struggled even to walk
straight down the street.
“He’s a member of a top guild?” Broken asked, his skepticism evident in his voice.
Freya smiled and nodded. “Yes, he is. He’s a healer with the class Drunken Healer.”
“Let’s quickly move. I’m sure he won’t easily recognize us in his state,” he suggested, ready to make their escape.
“No, Broken,” Freya said, her voice laced with caution. “The main issue here isn’t Trison, but
someone else.”
“Who?”
“The Ass Guild typically operates in pairs, except for their guild master, Elincia. This drunken player, Trison, has a mission partner who takes on the tanker role but excels as a melee fighter. His brute fighting style is incredibly tough to contend with, and he’s exceptionally capable of handling massive battles on his own. If we encounter this pair here, it will be very troublesome for us.”