As December progressed closer to the famous holiday of Christmas, the people of Uskor once again, changed their decor. Snow fell into the thriving city and coated the rooftops in glistening white solidified water. Most of the NPCs spent their days indoors huddled around the fireplaces for warmth. Some players however traveled outside.

Tangurple and Night, along with their frost immunity necklaces, skipped about in the freshly fallen snow, leaving behind footprints and treads as they trudged through the deep snow. One of the local villagers was looking for some frost troll meat and Tangurple happily obliged. Night, although reluctant to test the ability of an odd charm necklace, tagged along with him. With her staff strapped to her back, she folded her arms into the folds of her mages robes.

Tangurple jumped and frolicked about in the snow. "Oh god, how I missed it. Y'know, Night, I used to hate the snow because of all the chores that came along with it but now I finally get to enjoy the frozen world." He talked rather fast and with a childlike sense of glee.

Night stared at him, appearing cold as she bundled herself up more and more. "You know I don't like being cold."

"Night, you're not cold, you can't be. These necklaces won't allow you to be cold."

She glared at him. "Then how am I cold right now?"

Tangurple stopped dead in his tracks, "Because you think you are and thus you are. Believe yourself to be warm and warm you shall be. This game relies on our brains responses, if we trick our brains into thinking this is warm like Hawaii, then it'll be warm."

Night closed her eyes and muttered to herself, "I am warm, I am warm. Warm like a mid-summer day." she looked up at him. "It's not working."

Tangurple rolled his eyes and laughed. He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Do you trust me?"

She blinked rapidly for a moment, questioning what he meant. "Uh...?"

"Do you?" He asked again.

"Yes...?"

He nodded and hugged her. He wrapped his arms around her almost constricting, then forced themselves into the snow. A gust of cold wind blew over without touching them. They sank into the deep snow and became protected from the cold winds by the walls of snow they created. He pushed himself off of her and rolled to one side, packing down some more snow. While the walls of this makeshift crevice were only a foot tall, it kept them warm.

She turned to him and smiled widely. They clasped hands and locked their fingers together.

Tangurple mumbled something incoherent but loud enough for Night to catch on.

"Hmm?" she hummed.

"Oddly enough, I feel more at home here than I ever did in the real world," he began. "Normally, I wouldn't say such things to Falcher or Dailin even or even mention it at all. I've grown fond of this prison, to say the least."

Night's smile faded. "What about going home and seeing the real thing?"

"I don't need the real thing to be satisfied with the view. I just want what I can get my hands on."

"I see..." her voice trailed which put Tangurple into a backtracking state.

"I mean like, I'd love to meet you in the real world but um... if we can't get back, then I'll accept this as enough."

She chuckled, "so you say, Mr. Knight."

"Naturally, M'lady."

Night's face turned a soft shade of pink as she smiled again. "M'lord," she replied.

Tangurple sat up and caught the breeze as it brushed off his warm skin. "It's a little nipply out."

Night started to laugh but covered her mouth trying to conceal it.

"What?" He asked with an innocent look on her face.

She couldn't control herself and broke out into laughter. "Nipply! You said nipply!" then she snorted and buried her face in the snow.

"Hm. adorable"

"Shut up, it's not."

"Of course it is"

"Don't you have a quest to do, good sir?"

"Yes, but quests have no due dates."

"You're procrastinating again, stop that. Get your work done."

"I will, I always do." He said, pushing himself up and pulling her to her feet. "Shall we continue?"

She nodded and they continued their walk. After some distance through the snow, they came upon a frozen pond. It wasn't notable enough to have been added to the maps but it was home to some creatures, some very large creatures. Tangurple knelt down and surveyed the area. Twelve frost trolls had gathered in a single spot and all hovered around the mouth of an icy cave. Then came forth a smaller frost troll followed by two larger ones. That made fifteen frost trolls in a single spot.

Tangurple switched his targeting among them all, and all, except for the little one, were attackable rank one mobs. He slipped back from the hilltop and shook his head. "Plenty of the meat we need, just too many mobs to attack."

Night knelt down beside him. "How many?" she asked.

"Fifteen trolls plus one child troll."

Night glanced at her staff, then back at him. "I don't think I could protect you from that. I'd drain my magic too fast and probably get eaten in the process."

"So much for the quest, eh?"

"What about the guild?"

"Dailin? Please. She's got more on her plate than any straight A student at Harvard College."

"This might be a nice relax for her."

"Troll hunting?" He gave Night a sarcastic 'really' expression.

"What about Falcher or Creoft?"

"Falcher might come to think of it. Creoft is Company Commander, he's got shit to do just like Dailin."

"Have you actually asked these people?"

Tangurple didn't respond. He stared at her in silence as her argument made him look stupid. He eventually sighed. "No. I haven't."

Night rolled her eyes. "Let's go then, They'll still be here when we get back."

"True... Fine." He grumbled as he rolled to his feet.

Back in Uskor Castle's Great Hall, Dailin, along with Falcher, Creoft and King Rothguard, babbled away about the upcoming festivities.

Rothguard spoke above them with his usual commanding style. "What you people call Christmas, we recognize as the Dawnbreak."

Dailin glared at him while speaking in a harsh dragon-like tongue. "It doesn't matter what the hell we call it, but rather what's important about it."

"The name is just as important because if you call a big event like this by a different name, people, the general public will look at you like you're mad. You don't know what that status does to people, much fewer families."

"You're the only one here who's throwing a temper tantrum over the damn name! Usually, Creoft's the one I rip on about tantrums."

Creoft chimed in. "Come now! I do not-"

Dailin elbowed Creoft's gut. "Shut it. Rothguard. This festival is just as important to your people as it is to mine. We cannot, for the love of god, keep debating this."

"Then agree it to be the Dawnbreak Celebration."

"Oh for the- Fine! We'll call it that! Now can we move on to the important things, baby Rothguard?"

Falcher and Creoft looked at each other in shock but dared not to say anything. A woman's bite is far worse than her bark and neither of them wanted either.

Rothguard nodded in agreement but showed distaste for her rudeness. "I propose we do a few things. Start it off with a commemoration ceremony to remember the years past, followed by a feast and later a dance."

Dailin seemed content with this. She liked simple, simple was good. She agreed and in an instant, the whole night was planned. She, however, questioned him further about the logistics of it.

Falcher nudged Creoft and motioned for him to follow. As they exited the hall and the castle, Falcher began his walk to the city gates. "Would I be correct to assume you and Dailin will be together for this event as well?"

Creoft shrugged. "Probably. As much as I hate playing dress up with the girl, I do enjoy her company."

"You don't need to be so formal around her, you know."

"I know, I just choose to stay formal because it keeps us professional."

"Not interested in going further?"

"No. Not really."

"Let loose for this event at least. You might enjoy yourself for once. Being formal for so long hurts not only the relationship but the mentality between you two." Falcher explained.

"So you say, but to, as you put it, let loose would create some unnecessary friction between us and my standing in the guild."

"And what makes you say that?"

"That my friend... is classified information."

On the other side of the city gates, Tangurple and Night stood there patiently waiting for the large wooden doors to open. The large wooden doors slowly swung open, rotating on their gear platforms. Standing across from them was Falcher and Creoft.

Tangurple ran over to greet them with the usual cheery grin he always had. Night walked up behind him. Falcher smiled and chuckled. "Where have you two been? Romancing in the woods again?"

"I wish," Tangurple replied. "Actually, we were coming back to ask for some help."

"Is that so? Whatcha need?" Falcher asked.

"Extra DPS. I have this quest to collect Frost Troll meat but instead of one, we found fifteen." Tangurple told them of where it was and just how badly they needed the help.

Creoft shrugged, somewhat agreeing to assist. "I suppose. I'm just following Falcher for entertainment. I could use some combat exercise again."

Falcher scratched the back of his head and pondered for a minute. "We'll probably need more hands than just the four of us." He turned to Creoft. "You suppose Dailin's done with the planning?"

"Bwahaha!" Creoft laughed. "Hardly. That woman is persistent. She'll be at it for days knowing how those two bicker. "I think we can handle fifteen with just four of us. We, after all, are unstoppable."

Falcher sighed. "OK, but you're forgetting one simple fact: we don't have a healer."

"So? We have an enchantress. To some degree she's capable of ensuring our survival, I made sure of that.-"

Falcher quickly interrupted Creoft. "Wait, you made sure of what? How could you, a player... Uh-huh..." Falcher had a smug grin on his face, a look that usually meant he solved a puzzle.

Creoft stared at him curiously. "What?"

Falcher shook his head, laughing mildly. "I think I finally have you all figured out, Creoft. Now all the puzzle pieces fit."

Creoft's curious look immediately became one of fear and panic. "Uh... what?

"You made sure that the Enchantress class could support us without a healer. Rafael mentioned you grumbling about the 'crew screwing up' and then you go missing for several days then happen to reappear at the right moment. You never left for Empora, did you?"

"I did." Creoft quickly responded.

"Bullshit. I don't think... no, I know you are not whom you say you are. Spit it out, Creoft. Who in hell are you?" Falcher unsheathed his rapiers and pointed their sharp tips at his neck.

Creoft gulped, bewildered by Falcher's logic. He sighed heavily, slumping his shoulders in defeat. "Before you skewer me, just hear me out."

"The fact that you have to tell me that, is far from reassuring."

Tangurple and Night stood there, lost in the moment, just watching the whole situation unfold.

Creoft took a deep breath and then spoke, a tone of reluctant sorrow being present in his speech. "You're right. I'm not who I've been saying I am. Creoft was just a name, a mask per se. Truth is..." Creoft's face shifted and his hair changed colors. "I am Richer..."

Falcher pressed his rapiers directly against Richer's throat. "You bastard, you trapped us here and you decide to mask yourself as one of us, have you no shame? No dignity?"

"Falcher, This is not my fault. I did not design this game to become a trap."

"Bullshit."

"That's the truth, whether you believe it or not. That wraith you saw on that day wasn't me. I'm a sly and cunning man, but that bold move doesn't fit me. Hell, it doesn't fit anyone in my development team that worked on this project. This game, it was hacked and tampered with." Richer sighed, stiffened his posture and took one last look at Falcher. "Now you know the story. You're free to skewer me..."

Falcher took a deep breath and sheathed his rapiers. "So what is the endgame?"

"Of the hacker? Who knows, probably wanted to destroy the company, ruin VR for the world? I haven't the foggiest." Richer said.

Falcher moved past them began to walk down the cobbled road. "You guys coming? We have frost trolls to kill."

Tangurple immediately followed with Night in tow. Richer shrugged and joined up with them a minute later.

At the hill overlooking the Frost Troll hideout, Falcher laid flat on the hilltop studying the trolls themselves. Richer was sitting, scrunched up into what seemed to be a normally uncomfortable position. Tangurple crawled up beside Falcher and watched the Frost Trolls as well. "What do you think?"

"Suicide run, if you want to know the truth. Without a healer, we'll be hurting, a lot." Falcher rolled over onto his back. "I don't know how you got saddled with this quest but you should seriously try to convince that NPC of hazard pay."

"He told me he'd pay based on the amount of meat I bring to him. The quest minimum is six lumps, God knows how many trolls that'd be to kill." Tangurple sighed. "If we made the attempt, could we live?"

"I'm having my doubts but we did kill a world boss with just three people. I suppose anything is possible. We could win triumphantly or get the shit beaten out of us."

"Creoft... er... Richer!" Tangurple called down to the stiff figure.

Richer slowly turned to face them, "huh? What's the matter?"

"Need your opinion, get up here."

Richer crawled up to them and saw the gathering of Frost Trolls. "Opinion on what?"

"If we could win against this many with just us."

"We'll live, we have the DPS... but we'll be hurting, in a whole new way."

"Like how?"

"Ever broken a bone back in the real world?"

"No..." Tangurple said rather timidly.

"That times ten. We'll be walking out of this with barely any health left over. That is if Night knows the enchanter class well."

Night had been eavesdropping in on the conversation purely out of curiosity and interjected upon Richer's comment. "I know the class well, Thank you very much."

Richer peered over his shoulder then went back to his explanation. "Anyways, we can win, Night just has to stay on top of the buffs and damage boosts."

"Simple enough, just don't take too long to win."

"How many points do you have dedicated to magic?" Richer asked while studying the Trolls.

"All of them."

"Stay in the rear, in range but out of the combat zone itself." He turned to Tangurple. "Tang, I need you to become a distraction. As long as you keep laying on the piercing strikes and the that AoE aggro, those trolls should completely ignore me and Falcher."

Tangurple nodded and began rummaging through his inventory.

Richer turned to Falcher, who was seemingly already confident in him again and relayed the last bit of the plan. "Falcher, you and I are going to fillet those trolls. Double team and drop them one at a time. It'll be faster and smoother. If one of them targets you just keep running in circles around it until Tang can regain its attention. All clear? Good, let's move."

The Frost Trolls were gathering near the mouth of the cave again for some unknown reason. Tangurple saw the opportunity for quick strikes to grab them. He slid down the side of the hill, pushing a mound of snow at his feet. When he hit the bottom, he pushed off and utilized his momentum to create chaos amidst the Trolls. He charged in and slashed his sword at each one of them. The aggro was working.

Night stood from the top of the hill and began chanting various words of an ancient language that cast a variety of buffs onto Tangurple, primarily damage shields. She held her staff out in front of her, chanted the words and the orb at its top glowed then dimmed; a sign that the spell had been cast. She repeated the process and continued casting.

Falcher slid down the same path as Tangurple, unsheathed his rapiers and ran along the outside. He selected one unlucky troll and rapidly jammed and plucked his rapiers into and out of the troll. Richer equipped his bow and loaded an arrow. He waited for Falcher to mark the target then released a rapid fire of arrows, shooting one after another.

One Frost Troll fell with a hard thunk against the cold earth. Falcher moved onto the one beside it. He jammed both his rapiers into its back, leaped into the air and landed on the hilts. The brute forced used stunned the troll for several seconds. Richer loaded a handful of poison arrows and shot them. All five hit their mark, lining the troll's back. In a matter of seconds, it too was down and dead.

Tangurple, crowded around by a dozen Frost Trolls, took on heavy beatings as large fists made contact with his heavy steel armor. Night prolonged his life with her enchantments. The damage shields she cast took the brunt of the physical damage the trolls dished out. Tangurple jammed, slashed, cut and sliced his way through them; constantly checking each one to ensure their focus was on him.

From the hilltop, Night was growing short of breath. Between each spell of hers, she huffed and puffed trying to take in the air. "Penta tenru dow vek," she chanted. The staff glowed then dimmed once again. "Penta tenru ikol fareem."

Tangurple watched himself glow for brief moments. His health was slowly diminishing. He called out with a rather fearful tone, "hurry it up you two!"

Falcher heard his plea and moved even faster, sometimes overshooting and shredding the corpse.

One by one the trolls fell and for the better part of ten minutes, they waged war with the clan of Frost Trolls. When it was over, Tangurple tumbled to the floor, out of breath. He was down to his last thousand hit points. Falcher and Creoft both took a seat on a nearby rock. Falcher chuckled and said aloud to Tangurple, "you think this is enough meat or does the bastard want more?"

Tangurple responded in equal comedy. "Doubt it, I think we need another twenty or so. I hear the Emperor is coming."

"Bah! Poor bastard's outta luck. He'll have to suck it up for small portions." Falcher replied.

Creoft rolled his eyes in laughter. "Is it possible we killed the wrong type of troll?"

Both Falcher and Tangurple paused, going wide-eyed and immediately studied the corpses. Tangurple opened up the loot bag and pulled the items into his inventory. He switched to the quest item tab and stared at the meat.

-Frost Troll Meat-

A large bloodied lump of semi-frozen meat. Most would consider this inedible but the truly rare chef can make the greatest meals from even the worse ingredients. Consumption of raw meat is ill-advised and can cause illness which leads to stamina and health drain effects...

Tangurple looked up at the two of them with a face of relief. "We're good. We have the right meat for the quest."

Falcher let out a large sigh of relief and laid back, slightly sinking into the snow. "Halleluja!"

Then in a moment's notice, everything flickered. Vision became blurred by lines of zeroes and ones and broken textures, the varying colors of the digits blocked everything from view as even thought processing began to deteriorate. Sounds of the world and other voices crackled, popped and hissed away into static. Moments later, everything fell into a dark silence...