I stretch as I stand up from the bed, gazing over to observe the morning from our room on the penultimate floor of the Six Seasons. Sadly, despite my efforts, we didn`t get the city to pay for it, though we did get a pretty substantial Hero Discount, the first one I`ve ever actually gotten in all my years as a gamer. It was still way more expensive than it had any right to be at 7,500 dols, but money is soon going to be flowing like water out of a hose.

　　From the balcony on the eighth floor, it`s quite an impressive view, far more picturesque than the game`s primitive graphics are able to display. The craggy peaks of Mt. Minestrone peek out above the southern horizon. And the Pesto Forest to the southeast shines with a golden glow, reflecting the early morning sun. There`s hardly a cloud in the sky, a good travel omen as I mentally prepare myself for the road ahead.

　　The shutter door opens, and Sammy steps out to greet me, holding a complementary cup of tea as she grabs a chair just beside.

　　"Are you thinking about anything in particular?" she asks.

　　"Just admiring the scenery. I`ve never gotten an opportunity to just sit here and get a good look at just how beautiful the scenery is. Just raw, untouched nature in every direction other than the main road back toward Rigatoni. It`s absolutely magnificent."

　　"Was it not like that where you`re from?"

　　"No, where I came from, there were still places untouched by human civilization, but they were few and far between, mostly in places that were very isolated or otherwise difficult to get to. Much of the world was covered in sprawling cities, some with gigantic towers that stretched to dizzying heights."

　　"Did you live in one of those?"

　　"I lived in a smaller city. Though it was still probably a hundred times larger than Rotini. A sprawling expanse of civilization home to nearly a million people."

　　"A million people? I wasn`t aware there was a city that big in any kingdom on Avaria!"

　　I pause for a minute and look around for any signs of onlookers. Seeing no one, I beckon Sammy close and speak in a low whisper.

　　"You must promise that you will not repeat what I say to anyone, no matter what. Is that okay?"

　　"I& guess? That`s sort of a weird request, Ash."

　　"Promise?"

　　Sammy sighs. "Promise."

　　I nod. "I`m not& from Aravia at all. I don`t want to say everything, but after an accident where I originally lived, I woke up just outside Penne. Then I heard your scream, and followed it to you, and, well, after that it`s all as you know. And that`s why I`ve been so evasive about my home, or going back. Because I don`t know if I ever can."

　　"Oh." Sammy`s face turns sullen.

　　"That`s why I wanted to investigate the Calamity. Because maybe somewhere along the way, I`ll find clues on how to get home."

　　"I had no idea."

　　I stand up and smile. "Shall we get a move on? We`ll be in the capital by nightfall and-"

　　"Nightfall? Is it that far?"

　　"I-"

　　"Ash, we`re both a lot stronger than I would have thought possible. Or have you forgotten since yesterday?" Sammy shakes her head. "Don`t you mean, we`ll be there before lunch?"

　　Her mood livens up and she playfully jabs my shoulder. But I am curious just how mutable the rules of this game` world really are now. There are a few minor obstacles that I wouldn`t mind skipping, especially given how close we are to some power scaling that I`d like to get my hands on as soon as possible. And there doesn`t seem to have been any repercussions for skipping the maze puzzle. I don`t want to drastically alter the plot if I can help it, but there`s at least some room to mess about with the sequence of events.

　　We leave soon after we finish freshening up and getting dressed, stopping only long enough for a small breakfast of fruit and toast before departing. A couple of townsfolk - probably local gossipmongers - greet us as we leave the hotel. The two of us turn to each other, nod, and in a blinding flash, sprint past the trio of onlookers and toward the northern edge of town. That much feels amazing, at least. Can think of a few particularly chatty conversations I`d like to avoid, as well as a few shady characters I`d rather not deal with.

　　The morning dew hasn`t fully dissipated by the time we leave Rotini proper and begin our trek to Ravioli. A grassy scent fills the air as we follow along a cobblestone road leading out of the city, and the cawing of a murder of crows overhead fills me with determination as we march onward.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author`s consent. Report any sightings.

　　We carry on through the morning, traveling at a pace which would have been a heavy sprint for even an elite athlete on Earth, but barely registers a light jog for the two of us now. We carry on for some time, only stopping as we approach a sharp bend in the road.

　　"Tired already, Ash?" Sammy asks, winking at me.

　　"Not tired, Sammy. You know that I have greater endurance than you do!"

　　"Oh really, Ash? And how do you plan to test that one out?"

　　I blush for a moment, but quickly shake such thoughts off. "It`s not about speed or stamina. It`s just, I`m getting a feeling that there`s an ambush waiting on the other side of these trees."

　　"Your otherworldly senses at play?" Sammy sticks her tongue out at me.

　　"I thought you promised not to bring that up."

　　"I mean, it`s just us, and I still need to process it all myself."

　　"Fine. No harm and all. But still. What do you want to do about it?"

　　"We could either fight or go around. On the one hand, going around is faster, and I`d like to get to Ravioli before lunch."

　　"Well, let`s do that!"

　　With a nod, the two of us turn toward the forest to the east of the road and begin sprinting through the grove. We continue on for several minutes, evading trees and stray branches. Sammy actually gets the better of me, dodging the underbrush with a celerity I find remarkable - no doubt, her superior mental stats give her better perception and quicker reaction times than I can muster, even with my higher dexterity and other physical parameters.

　　It doesn`t take more than a few minutes before we`ve fully passed through the woods and back into a clearing on the other side of the bandit ambush. On the one hand, we`re making great progress, and we`re well on pace to make it to Ravioli before noon. Though I do worry about a few things. First, I can`t shake the feeling that I`m going to alter the plot somehow. Second, I have at least an abstract concern about anyone who might get caught up in this mess, one which we could easily clean up. And third, we are leaving quite a bit of experience on the table, right before monsters start getting quite a bit stronger.

　　That the last concern even popped in my head is also worrisome. I`ve always made fun of stories where the protagonist and their party turn into a bunch of rampaging, psychopathic murderhobos. Though, feeling the rush of gaining a new level does feel at least a little invigorating, and I see the appeal of succumbing to such temptation. But I am supposed to be a heroine here, not the villainess.

　　I shrug off the thought and power forward. Sammy`s now a few hundred paces ahead of me - only eight or so seconds at my current speed, though even a tie with her is going to be so embarrassing. I know she isn`t going to let me live it down if she wins this race.

　　Channeling all of my strength into my legs, I find a new burst of speed and barrel forward, pushing closer to Sammy`s sprint with each stride. By now, even though the two of us have long since reunited with the main road, the two of us continue our race just to the side of the cobblestone path leading to Ravioli.

　　 The capital is just peeking above the northern horizon; in its center is the massive castle keep - shorter than the skyscrapers of Earth, but no less grand or majestic. Wind rushes through my hair, whistling in my ears and buttressing my face. I squint to lessen the pressure building against my eyes, though it`s not as bad as I expected. Still think it`s a good idea to invest in some sort of helm when we upgrade our gear.

　　I`ve now halved the distance to Sammy, then halved it again in mere moments, though with us sprinting at the pace of a city drive, the main portion of the city is already in view. Sammy starts to slow and even though her pace is diminished a bit, it`s little help in closing the gap. My knees start to buckle and my thighs and calves burn as we approach the main gate into Ravioli.

　　With my final bits of stamina, I accelerate to my fastest speed yet, now kicking up clods of grass and dirt with each step, my gait and stride length now more reminiscent of a leaping cheetah than any normal human sprinter`s. The air pushes back at me with each step even as I lean forward into the gusts, and it feels more like I`m running through water than air as I power forward. Pain swells in my lungs, and I am forced to confront the limitations of my current body, even augmented by the system`s magic.

　　And then, just as I reach out to overtake her, the two of us both fall to the ground simultaneously, rolling and spinning through the grassy hills just on the outskirts of Ravioli. As I come to a stop, I`m left gasping, desperately sucking in air. My sides burn and my heart feels like it`s about to pop out of my chest, and seeing Sammy`s winded form, I imagine she`s feeling nearly the same. Still, as she turns to meet my gaze, I can`t help but crack a smile through searing breath, and she reciprocates.

　　It`s a couple of minutes before I can breathe without pain, and as the two of us come to, we each take turns picking out grass clippings that have gotten lodged in our clothing and hair.

　　"Another tie?" Sammy asks.

　　"Yeah. Seems that we`re just going to continue to tie no matter the race or circumstance."

　　"Is that a concession, Ash?" Sammy grins and pokes my shoulder. "Last time you were all, I`m gonna win, I`m gonna beat you!` And now you`re all Woe is me, I guess the best I can hope for is a tie.` I guess you have to concede that I`m pretty quick on my toes too!"

　　I shake my head in resignation. "You got me, Sammy. I`d like to make excuses about how you only won because you got such a big lead in the forest, but, that`s on you for your ability to make quick decisions and process information so quickly."

　　Sammy grins as she combs her fingers through her hair. "Well I`m willing to call it another draw - neither of us quite finished, after all. Guess we`ll have to do one more sometime to settle things."

　　"I`d like that. It`s a lot of fun doing this sort of thing with you." My stomach growls. "Though, we`ve been running for quite a while and it sounds like I need a fill-up."

　　"Well, Ash, we are at the capital. I`m sure there are a lot of amazing shops and restaurants."

　　That there certainly are. Though, I think Wallack`s might just have ruined me for all other foods with how delicious it is. But still, this is where we can really start breaking this game apart. A lot of different options for item creation await us, and boy do I have a plan! My smile turns to a devious grin as the two of us pass through the security checkpoint into the capital city.