Short Story: [Emberfate] Date Location

Hey everyone!

Another short story coming right up — this is the last story in the series of 'In Game Dates' with each of the Emberfate love interests, starring Chris and also featuring some of the lovelies from the guild!

As with the last one, this short story is mostly written by Anna 'Lavinnia' Kończak and edited by me. This should be the missing story for Jan 2024!

I hope you all enjoy!

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You: Which location do you think is the prettiest in Emberfate?

RubyintheRough: for me it’s the evergreen vale where cat and I first quested together

You: Any specific spot in that area?

RubyintheRough: not reeaaaally... to be honest I only care about the place because I made memories with cat there lmao

You bite your lip, thinking about Ruby's answer. You tap away at the keyboard, ready to ask a follow-up question or maybe prompt for a response from the other two members in your party, but before you can, a new message appears in party chat.

RandomCatFacts: Okay, sorry to interrupt, but I'm ready. Is everyone else good?

RubyintheRough: yup I'm good!

SelfconsciousPotato: yes ma'am

You mutter a silent curse at the lost opportunity but quickly delete the question you had typed out, tapping away at your keyboard to write something else.

Today is the day a new set of quests came out on Emberfate, and much to everyone's surprise, it requires a party of at least four to complete — each member has to go to a different spot in a castle overrun by the undead and pull the levers at the same time.

Ruby, Cat and Potato were already in a party and immediately dragged you in the moment you logged on, so here you are, fighting for your life against these skeletons while desperately typing in between button mashing.

You: On the count of three then

You: 3

You: 2

You: 1!

SelfconsciousPotato: arghh, I'm sorry I clicked too fast again!

RandomCatFacts: It's all right. We can try again. Fifth time's the charm, right?

RubyintheRough: yeah! it's okay I don’t mind too much since it means hanging out with you guys more!

You: Think of the cute boots that drop from the final boss! You can get it this time, Potato!

As the four of you run back to the start of the area to meet up and repeat the process once more, idle chatter fills the party chat. You tap your foot against the floor, waiting for the moment to slide in with the question burning in your mind.  

RandomCatFacts: Have you guys seen the concept art for the new dungeon that’s coming out with the next patch?

You: I’ve checked out the art on the site. Looks amazing!

SelfconsciousPotato: I’m def looking forward to doing that content. I wonder what cosmetics will drop

RubyintheRough: of course that’s your first reaction lmao

SelfconsciousPotato: what? my character has to look fab!

  For the past two weeks, you've been thinking of taking your partner, Chris, out on a date in Emberfate. After all, you can't help but be jealous of the constant cute screenshots Ruby sends you of her in-game dates with Cat all over the world of Emberfate.

Unfortunately, Chris spends most of his time raiding, running dungeons or killing noobs in the PVP arena. So you know you can't count on him to figure out what game location would be interesting for a virtual date, and this very important decision will have to rest on your shoulders instead.

As the playful conversation in party chat continues without any sign of stopping, you hesitate before deciding to throw caution to the wind and just interrupt with what you want to say instead.

You: Sooo...

You: Guys, sudden question I know, but...

You: Where do you think I should take Chris out for an in-game date?

RubyintheRough: aawwww is that why you've been asking about locations?

RubyintheRough: ok ok let me thinkk 2222232333

RubyintheRough: AHHH I ALMOST DIED TYPING

MforMuse: Can I suggest the Enchanted Woods? If you ignore the howling wolf mobs, it’s a rather romantic place. :)

Wait… MforMuse? But Muse isn’t in your party!

You glance again at the chat, your blood freezing in your veins. Damn it, did you accidentally switch to the guild chat tab and send your question there instead?!

Is Chris online? Please don’t let him see this.

LucidityofLight: …nice

Nice. That’s all he said. But that word weighs so heavily on your soul.

Your in-game character stops dead in its tracks, then does a little jump for joy that is the opposite of how you feel as you let your head fall forward onto your desk, your forehead colliding with the spacebar of your keyboard.  

MforMuse: Oh, I didn’t realize Chris was online. :)

RubyintheRough: HAHAHAH omg busted

RandomCatFacts: I guess the date won’t be a surprise anymore.

SelfconsciousPotato: whoa whoa, think of us single lonely souls here before you rub your cute romance in our faces!  

You almost want to cry from embarrassment.

Just as you've decided you're going to log off and never come back to Emberfate again, a small window pops up on the side — a private message from Chris.  

LucidityofLight: You want to go on a date with me in Emberfate?

You: Yeaaaah… that was the plan.

LucidityofLight: Doing what

You: Idk. Nothing in particular

You: Just hanging out together

LucidityofLight: I don’t see the appeal of staring at each other’s avatars

LucidityofLight: Tbh

LucidityofLight: But

LucidityofLight: I’m happy you want to see more of me.

You: Well, duh.

LucidityofLight: Then

LucidityofLight: Fine

LucidityofLight: I'll figure out some nice place we can go to

LucidityofLight: ...Another time

LucidityofLight: Until then

LucidityofLight: I have a better idea of what we can do

LucidityofLight: Give me half an hour and I'll be over

You blink in surprise, but a smile immediately overtakes your face at the suggestion. Still, you can't resist throwing their remark back at them to tease them.

You: Oh?

You: Doing what

LucidityofLight: …

You: Let me guess...

You: You want to cuddle and kiss me.

LucidityofLight: …

LucidityofLight: maybe i shouldn’t come over after all.

You: Nooo

You: You already said you would!

You: Get dressed

You: I wanna see you here asap!

Maybe the plan for the Emberfate date with Chris didn't work out quite the way you expected, but at least you'll get to see him in person tonight instead. A worthy trade for your embarrassing ordeal, you'd say.

Grinning to yourself, you type a goodnight to your guild, logging off and preparing for the real life date.