<logging in>
<Welcome to The World>

Akida stepped forward out of the descending ring of light and his eyes were dazzled by the bright sun hanging over Mac Anu. He shielded his eyes with his guantlet-laden hand and wondered where to start. Having read the boards, even though some of them didn't make much sense to him, Akida was not as clueless as most newbies. He stepped forth, and was frightened by a giant Heavy Axeman who suddenly ran by. He backed away from the Heavy Axeman, stumbled on a step and fell backward hard. Amazed by the reality of this game he had lost his friend to, Akida stood up and brushed off his pants.

Akida looked at the newcomer warily, still fearing what happened to his friend might occur to him. Yet something told him this person would be a great asset in finding information on what had happened. Akida watched the Inhert stand patiently, waiting for an answer. "Errr... could you answer a question first? I'm wondering if you ever met someone that went by the name Kell?"

Three golden rings rained from the sky, a mysterious green light bathing the stone around the chaos gate. As the rings faded out of existance, Taod merely stood there, his serpent like eyes closed, forming a fleshy mask over his jade hued eyes. With his head lowered, he moved forward, opening his snake like eyes to search about the night time scenary of Mac Anu. Those green orbs which serve as his eyes shine brighly in the moonlight, adding a catlike appearance to the snakelike shape. Moving calmly away from the Chaos Gate, he brings his hand down to the hilt of his Mizuchi, those glowing eyes moving to the confused looking Twin Blade, absolutely ignoring the other one. He was rather new to this world...but he still had experianced much more then most others could hope for. "You need help", he asked the Twin Blade, his raven colored eyebrow raising slightly.

Akida turned around at the new voice and found himself facing a Blademaster with an almost snake-like appearance. Those glowing green eyes pierced into him, feeling like he was looking through him into his soul. Although frightened by the Blademaster, he reached deep within himself and walked toward him and spoke. "Yeah... I do. I think my friend is trapped somewhere here in The world, and I don't have much to go on." He stood for a while awaiting an reply from the Blademaster, who looked to be debating whether to speak again to him. Akida hoped he would, because he needed all the help he could get if he was to resue his friend.

Taods tonque slid from his mouth to moisten his lips, those searching eyes of his burning into the Twin Blades, his soft lulling voice rising forth again to say, "I will help you...but if something more pressing comes up, then I'm leaving" His voice seemed to carry on the wings of the breeze that blew through Mac Anu, causing Taods hair to whip about his face. Moving his ebony clothed hand a way from the hilt of his blade, he held it out in a gestur to calm the obviously untrusting player, his voice sliding past his lips once more, "I am Taod NynE of Avantgarden der Dämmerung...The Twilight of NynE is my nickname"

Still looking towards the serpent-like Blademaster Akida replied to Inhert, "My name is Alec.. I mean Akida. I'm only a Lv. 1 Twinblade but I know at least a little about The World." Akida, still awaiting a response still faced the snake-like Blademaster trying not to be impatient with the newbie. Thoughts of his best friend Kelly crossed his mind like fleeting flashes of light. Kelly lying there, his terminal crashed on the floor, and the strange tone that kept repeating along with that image...

"If you wish for me to leave you can say so. I won't be mad. I have to feed my dog anyway."

(OOC This is getting confusing with all 3 of us typing at the same time)

Akida (ignoring Inhert for the moment) took Taod's extended hand, feeling the glove covering the strange player's hand, and shook it firmly. Searching in his mind for the right words, he tries not to make himself sound like an idiot, he says, "If you're willing to help me I need to speak with you in private about a few background details that err.. regular players might find disturbing." He inclines his head towards a nearby pub. "I'll pay."

Moving his eyes to the other BladeMaster, he merely frowned, returning his outstretched hand to the hilt of his Mizuchi. He was already pissed off at these two, but boredam takes its toll on some people. Lowering his head once more, "Im a mere level three BladeMaster, but I will help when I feel like it.."

Nodding at the Twin Blades comment, he makes his way smoothly to the Pub, his left hand never leaving the hilt of his Mizuchi. Taking a seat in a booth near the front door, he merely asks in a lazy voice, "What are these details...", he asked, positive they would not effect him as the other thought they would.

OOC My head hurts, where am I? Am I at the Chaos gate? Or am I at the pub? Or have I logged off?

Akida, getting comfortable in the booth, once again thought of his friend, wondered if he had ever been here before. He shook these thoughts away and answered the Blademaster as clearly as he could. "About three weeks ago my closest friend went into a mysterious coma while playing the World. When he went into the coma the FMD neuro goggles he was wearing kept repeating a strange musical tone and a strange image." Akira shifted his body, the twin daggers on his belt annoying him. "The problem was, was that the field he was last in wasn't really a field."

His mind registers the fledging twin blader's words, not effecting in the slightest. "Maybe Legacy had something to do with that too...", he thought, returning his vacant gaze to the other. "I just so happen to be looking for a hacker that framed by friend...causing Atlas to be charged with Life in prison...", slamming his fist on the table, he stood once more, "Get needed items...we leave out tommorow morning..."

((Sorry, but I'm dozing off....be back tommorow))

( See you. I should be on again at the same time tomorrow)

Akida exchanged goodbyes with his new acqquatince and walked out of the musty pub. Akida suddenly remembered he had ditched the newbie Blademaster Inhert, and feverantly looked around for him.

Akida suddenly saw Inhert standing by the Chaos Gate, and panic siezed him. He ran towards Inhert shouting for him to wait, but the golden rings descended around the Blademaster and he disappeared. Akida stopped in front of the Chaos Gate, out of breath and extremely disappointed in himself for ditching someone like that. He punched the ground in an attempt to take out his anger.

Akida, still with plenty of time on his hands walked onto one of the many bridges in Mac Anu. He leaned over the cool wooden railing an looked into the water. He spotted several exotic looking fish suddenly jump out of the water and flash in the sun. Akida thought of his friend again. "Fish was his favorite.."

Depresed by the fish and thoughts of his helpless friend, Akida walked off the bridge and towards a bench overlooking a channel. He sat down on the stone bench, still occupied with thoughts of his friend. He started to thinking, wondering if he could find anyone else who could help with his desperate and hopeless search.

(OOC someone please join in, I'm kind of bored right now.)
Akida looked up and watched a trio of small wooden boats glide past him on the channel. In the front of one the boats a beautiful girl stood in the front peering over the people occupying Mac Anu. Her eyes suddenly met Akida's and time stopped for a second as the two locked gazes. She hastily ordered the boat stopped and stepped onto the walkway near Akida. The girl walked slowly toward Akida and looked him over. Akida, confused but intrigued, asked her her name.

Akida, untrusting as he was couldn't help wondering who this girl was and why he felt he knew her. Thinking he might know her in the real world he asked her, "Who are you?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
"I'm... Akida."
"I'm.........

But Akida was never able to hear that beautiful girl's name because his computer crashed at that moment. Alec puched his wall in frustration. He knew if he could get back online she wouldn't be there. She would be long gone. He didn't know how he knew. Sighing, Alec turned off his terminal. He tossed off his clothes and took a long warm shower. Thoughts of Kelly, Inhert and Taod all crossed his mind while the warm water cascaded around him. Turning off the shower he dressed for bed. He threw himself into bed and awaited for sweet sleep to overtake him.

While Alec slept his terminal recieved another cryptic e-mail from none other than Kelly himself.

<logging on>
<Welcome to The World>

As the golden rings faded away, AKida looked around for Taod and Inhert. He wondered whether either one of them was in Mac Anu. Akida without any money to spend at any of the stores, walked towards a bench and sat down awaiting Taod's arrival.

(OCC sorry, this quest is continued in HIDDEN HAUNTED REMNANT)