The Devil In White: An AA Online Novel

Amelia stretched, satisfied as the sun began to set in earnest. The time difference in this world was accelerated, and what had seemed like a day in Aspiration was a mere six hours. She had gained another several levels, advancing to 47 after the day's events and turn in at the castle. It was already a ridiculous speed.

She hadn't gained any new spells or abilities but her existing stats had skyrocketed. She couldn't say that she had really done more than tag along today anyway, and her next progression of the skill Chronicler of the Heavens had advanced with her entry but not enough to level. It was time to kick it. "I need to logout, I want to get up early and see the League of Arion Finals. I know it's lame, but I've been a fan for years."

"Oh?" Forsythe asked, looking up.

Raven looked interested too and started to speak before stopping herself. A moment later she seemed to find a stick and started breaking it with her hand. Uncharacteristically silent.

"You think they'll be more exciting than a few years ago?" Aidan asked quizzically, a funny half-smile on his face.

Amelia smiled and shrugged. "I don't know, that was pretty exciting if you're talking about Cadence and Alerion. The way they handled that free for all was amazing. Started with a corner and instead of playing defensively just advanced outward."

"Yeah? That was something. What year was that? I'm sorry I was thinking of a different one." Aidan admitted sheepishly while staring off as if he was trying to remember.

"Uhh, it was the '43 I think," Amelia answered after a moment's reflection. "I can see the confusion though, the '44 was amazing too. It took five hours to resolve over the newly opened Japanese arena, and the international players really did suffer from not knowing the terrain."

There was deathly silence, and finally, Aidan whispered in response. "Yeah, I think I remember that." Raven looked like she was about to cry, and Forsythe had failed to skin the last kill on the field simply because he was halfway through and had stopped. It was so extreme that it gave Amelia pause, and formed a knot in her stomach.

"What's wrong, the '46 will be good too?" Amelia asked, looking from one to the other two. "If you can't see it I can record it and send it to you, just send me your contact information sometime tomorrow or your iStream account number."

Aidan turned away and started walking toward the road, and it was Raven who was the one who answered Amelia. "Hey that would be cool, but you know, we can look it up. Everyone's watching it and we have our favorite narrators already. We'll see you tomorrow though right?" Raven smiled, but there was something different. Something frightening.

"Yeah, sure," Amelia said. She wondered what she'd said. It seemed to be quite the sore spot. She was going to log in the clearing, as it was considered a safer place than most, and as she was leaving she looked back and saw that Raven was still standing in the same place, Forsythe was kneeling without getting up, and Aidan had already disappeared.

"System Command: Logout."

Amelia breathed shallowly for a moment, and slowly the darkness that clouded her vision was simply darkness because it was her room in the real world. For a long time, she lay there, her heart feeling slightly ill at ease. Near the end of the day of hunting she had been having a good time, she had even laughed, so why did she feel this sudden hurt in her c.h.e.s.t. There had been something she said.

"I only started playing the game because of friends. It's not my fault they quit and I stayed. Should have just stayed solo." She removed her visor and placed it on the side of her bed. Her alarm was already set, and there was nothing to do but roll over and try to sleep until her chores started in the morning. Until she could go back to that world again and find out what it was that had made those three look like that.