So you've come.

Questions he’s asked himself multiple times, questions soldiers have posed many times prior. There was talk of a truce between a king towards the far off lands that they were currently heading towards, if there was any hope of a truce it was there. Of course Grillby had his doubts about this entire journey as why would a well off kingdom aid them in this war let alone give them respite over their own kind? Over all it was suspicious but then again his King, and Queen believed this so he shall as well. He didn’t bother to answer the other as this wouldn’t be the last time questions would rise from a soldier to him of this nature, and knowing this particular soldier it would be likely that they would speak like this again. . 

Or maybe she already has lost it. What fool cuts their hair and pretends to be a man? Renaming themselves and going off at humanity as a whole. Though she didn't change her name with the monsters she just... showed up realizing fighting for them sounded more... sane.

A truce did sound nice, another fleeting dream to hope and fight for.

Pausing her works she watched him picking up fleeting children believing this to be a game of some sort their cackles loud only to groan when returned to their parents.

Lame.

Al smiled to herself slowly the innocent grin turned to a more sorrowful one...she missed her son.

Rubbing her cheeks and watering eyes Alyssa gathered herself then geared up and got into line, muscles sore from arrow wounds trying to heal all this constant moving made it hard. Couldn't they go else where? Toward the mountains made her uneasy, her heart resting in her stomach. Why? It didn't matter where they went they will always face war. Thinking about Grilbys nod..

Would he really carry out such an unfair task? Burning a body that didn't need to be it wasn't his problem he didn't need the added trauma. She did hope he would...some how in some fucked up way it would be less human of her to become ashe. Her eyes traveled up to spot Grillby. It would also be nice to survive and make friends at the end of this ordeal it would be nice to live normally among the monsters.

Hell have no fury

Though...truth be told she’s calmed down a lot since, found the right reason to fight instead of ripping into someone. “Yes, General I shall be on it immediately” Rolling her shoulders trying to shake off the dread  the mountain gave her. “say, if I do fall...” She trailed off it was sappy and maybe childish to even think. “I am glad you didn’t kill me” With a soft laugh she walked away. unable to really say ‘I am glad we met’ 

But she held doubt on that. Her eyes followed to where he had pointed staring at the mountain for a long moment.. a strange feeling of dread settled in the pits of her stomach. Why? What awaited them there that made her so.... uneasy?  “wait, ride along?” like on.. horses? Her eyes lit up at that. ON HORSES? That uneasy feeling continued to bubble in the pits of her very being but she.. had to get her mind off of. “Of course it would be best if your suicidal soldier who is also very good at being hit by arrows.. stay up front” She tried to grin but her eyes betrayed her. 

Dropping her shoulders looking back at him. Never the less uneasy feeling or not she’ll follow him straight into hell if he had asked her. “I hope there is little issue along the way...because I am tired of being shot at” Tired of watching them die. Humanity did not appease her like it once did. Alyssa didn’t much care for humans anymore anyway.

This ex mama looked around, she understood that yes they are in a fight but in the end player was young and lonesome. Her shoulders sagged as the other began to break under the pressure of it all. The constant failure their new found human buddy low key losing their shit over the new information about this world and theirs. Setting her sword to the side, Alyssa scooped up the smaller of the two and cradled them close to their armored torso. The whole once being a mom thing kicking in, natural need to nurture over taking the need to fight and slaughter.

The two probably looked out of place, Alyssa stepped over to the side and out of sight. “This war can wait a moment” well, not really but off they go to the side like this whole thing was a big game and they needed a time out. “My past is what makes my future, it maybe a sad future or a happy one. The pain of what happened will always weight in my heart..but it molds a person to be better or worse and sometimes for the best” She brushed away any lingering tears her own welling in her brown hues, a very steady hand brushing through players iron red locks.

Alyssa inhaled nice and slow trying to be the grip between the two. Keep them steady before they broke. “I’m sorry I’m talking nonsense about your friend, that is rude of me isn’t it?” She hugged them tight enough not to crush them…they’re so small…hurt and trying so hard. It almost broke the human but it was a relief to see someone so determined to protect the monsters, Even if in a way its for their own gain and sense of being needed fulfilled. 

“This is like a book to me. The way to explain it. There’s a start, middle…and end.. you’re currently at the beginning of this book.. rewriting it so that perhaps the ending would be better, I believe you will be able make it so” Carefully Alyssa got onto one knee setting PLAYER back onto their feet, Alyssa cradling their shoulders in her hands “You’re lasting here longer because each adventure has a slow start. The story yet to be told and so with you here in the beginning you might already be changing the ending of this tale.. or I think that is whats happening here… you just kept starting the book at the ending” She rose to her full height giving Players head a pat. 

The first thing she might note about PLAYER was just how incredibly light and frail they felt despite the power flowing through them. They hesitantly hug Alyssa back, hot tears still fresh in their eyes. This… this has been a long time coming.

“I… My life wasn’t exactly the happiest before all this. I came here because I felt like I could actually make a difference. That I could fix things here rather than stew in a world where I felt powerless and would probably die before I was 20.” Given the trajectory that their life was headed on before all this, that was very likely as well. 

If someone didn’t put a hit on them for their hacking, they probably would have crossed a megacorp eventually. Not that any of that would mean much for someone like her. It would be tricky to put it into terms that would make sense for this world. Perhaps if she swapped megacorp with merchant’s guild?

That was besides the point. The both of them were having a bit of a moment here. They relaxed some at her words. “I… maybe I have.” They give a heavy sniff, wiping away their tears. “You… remind me of someone who meant a lot to me. I almost forgot their words to me.”

“Even if this timeline should reject me… I can at least give you something. Hope. With what little power I have, I can do that much.” They open one of their coding windows. “Maybe you’re right. I’m still a the start of my story and I’ve still got a ways to go on my path… But that doesn’t mean I can’t help you with yours.”

Seeing the gem before her Alyssa slowly reached out for it. “If you trust me with something like this-”  The moment her finger tips touched the new codding the world seemed to freeze. The Knights body shuddering like a program glitching and trying to reset. Her body fazing from a clean unharmed version of herself to a version where her armor was pierced by arrows a shattered green and red soul laying on the ground dying slowly as its life drained before them. Alyssas brown orbs cold and held death her body frozen shaking ever so slightly. The knights image changing from a living grinning Alyssa to the grim future of herself. 

A dark creature sad behind her their skeletal fingers on her shoulders gripping the red cloth around her shoulders tightly, their long fingers curling and tugging gently -almost demanding not for her to reach and grab it. 

"This...is..not- ✡⚐🕆☼ 🕈⚐☼☹👎 "  "Not theirs to cho-ooose- ❄☟☜✋☼ ☞✌❄☜" "Not yours...." “✋❄ ✋💧 👍⚐☹👎 ☟☜☼☜”

The words were cut off the voice sounding distant and around them.Black thick ooze started to dribble from Alyssa mouth her cold eyes strained on PLAYER their free hand gripping onto their shirt, empty eyes glanced over her shoulder. 

“❄☼✡ ✌☠👎 ❄☼✡ ✌☠👎 ❄☼✡ ✌☠👎 ❄☼✡📬📬📬” “💧❄⚐🏱” “💧❄op” “Stop”

The world went black for a moment almost as if the lights went off the only light being the save fragment before the light switch turned back on, the figure behind her fading away staring directly at PLAYER before coming nothing but a voice drifting along with the howling wind.

Once she reached where she would lay she kept her metal close and sword closer. So much as to keep her sword in bed with her..sheathed of course. At first she lay there thinking of each event that's taken place since she's joined the monsters and their will, how many times have Alyssa come close to perishing now? Three? Arrows in her body, almost throwing herself off a cliff with the enemy just so the fire monster would not fall to the attack or get hurt. . Although the sword would of surely melted before causing any real damage, but honestly she didn't know if that was the case. ..she still dove and saved him. Then being tied up... And how many times has her general come to her aid? Perhaps to many and each time she was thankful but she really needed to step up her game. 

She listened taking in what they had to say. Games? Players? Different realities? It didn’t make much sense to Alyssa. But what did she expect? They poured their heart and truth to her and that was all she needed to hear. With a low chuckle “Alright good enough for” she stepped forward glancing back at them a brow raising at them.

 "life isn’t meant to be easy..trust me, I-I know. But you must remember… What you change here In the past could change someone else’s future and it might not even be the person you’re trying to protect that you’re chang-“ she stopped mid sentence staring quietly at them her heart picking up with new thoughts…greedy thoughts. Squeezing her eyes shut as she turned away from Player. “Sorry I.. lost my thought there” Clearing her throat the soldier straighten out gripping her the handle of her blade tight. “I can’t speak for you…or for who this person you wish to save it.. but i wish I could do the same….go back, change my past and hope for a better future” Inhaling a shuttering breath Alyssa squared her shoulders before giving a snort.

“From what you say, it’s me who isn’t even real, so…I guess it gives me a really fucked up sense of relief…that my son isn’t really dead because he never existed” That sounded crazy, She’s had to be going crazy she has to be.Or she must already be dead and this being, this PLAYER.  Must be just a lost soul themselves leading a broken knight around a familiar battle field. Or it is all real either way all Alyssa could do now is accept this. “Have you, ever decided to stay with them? Perhaps forcing their freedom might be the reason this greater thing keeps pushing you away”

“I know… and I know I probably can’t save everyone. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try though.” PLAYER was given pause at considering her own desire to change her past laid out. “You know, where i’m from there’s a tale of a weapon that can give it’s wielder the chance to kill their past. If we make it through this, might not be a bad idea to seek your own ‘blade that can kill the past’. Your world’s full of so many amazing things, something like that’s bound to exist.”

PLAYER wasn’t sure if they were giving her false hope or not, but hope is still hope. And if she succeeded… all the better. In a few words, the world and fate could kiss PLAYER’s ass. They were sick of those two things hurting the people the young hacker found themselves caring about. That in mind, they froze up entirely at her next words.

“Alyssa, between the two of us I could argue that you are undoubtedly the most real one here. You have actual stakes that matter. The consequences of your actions hold real weight. Me? I can’t even die properly even if I wanted to.” They understandably don’t deign to elaborate on how they know that ‘lovely’ detail. 

“What I am or am not doesn’t invalidate your existence or your struggles. You matter. In the grand scheme of things, you matter. So don’t talk that way about yourself, because that’s my friend you’re talking about.” Tears well up in their eyes at that. “Real… not real… who the hell even CARES?!” They honestly want to throw something right now or scream until their lungs burst. If they weren’t in the middle of a battlefield, they’d even settle for hugging the human warrior until they cried themself to sleep.

The two probably looked out of place, Alyssa stepped over to the side and out of sight. "This war can wait a moment" well, not really but off they go to the side like this whole thing was a big game and they needed a time out. "My past is what makes my future, it maybe a sad future or a happy one. The pain of what happened will always weight in my heart..but it molds a person to be better or worse and sometimes for the best" She brushed away any lingering tears her own welling in her brown hues, a very steady hand brushing through players iron red locks.

Alyssa inhaled nice and slow trying to be the grip between the two. Keep them steady before they broke. "I'm sorry I'm talking nonsense about your friend, that is rude of me isn't it?" She hugged them tight enough not to crush them...they're so small...hurt and trying so hard. It almost broke the human but it was a relief to see someone so determined to protect the monsters, Even if in a way its for their own gain and sense of being needed fulfilled.