Auntie toasts the VRMMORPG

2.1 Temple Cleaning

Flora did her daily free-running, martial arts, and technician activities. Although she started at 8.a.m, it was noon before she finished. She was considering toning down her daily activities now that a whole new world, the Cradle, was hers to explore.

Yesterday, Flora had received a quest from Evailyn. She dreaded doing social things like investigating but was willing to beat up some bishops.

Quest: Set My House In Order (Evailyn)

Description: Power Plays are disrupting the operation of Evailyn's church. Corruption and selfishness are running rampant. Identify the unfaithful council members and evict them from the church.

Temporary Power: Excommunicate. Description: Severes the formal ties to a church.

Possible Rewards: Reputation gain with Church of Evailyn, Faith

Possible Penalties: Reputation loss with Church of Evailyn, Loss of Faith

Time-Limit: 1 week

Difficulty: B

The church resided in the Holy District of the Capital. Flora needed a while to jog from the Talpica Portal to the church. Near the portal, the sidewalks were stuffed with people, and Flora couldn't reach the speed she wanted to. She wore the octopussy like a backpack because she didn't want to lose it or other people to trip over it.

The city had broad streets filled with the same anachronistic assortment of vehicles as the Metaworld. Over the roofs flying crafts floated through the air, but there was an open corridor between the streets and them.

"It's because of traffic regulations. You can only rise and sink in the designated zones. Usually, they are in the middle of the streets between sidestreets." Aidan explained the strange phenomenon to her.

"We need a ride..." Flora didn't say more because her mind filled up with ideas. Motorcycles, hoover bikes, flying treasure chests, and toaster spaceships flitted through it. Aidan had to add sound effects to the arrows he guided Flora with because she kept missing turns.

When Flora reached the temple, her thoughts were still preoccupied (a flying Jacuzzi!), and she almost ran into some guys blocking the door.

"Oh, sorry, dears."

"You are not welcome in the temple of the Goddess Evailyn. Please leave, Ma'am." The guy in the shiniest armor said.

Flora gazed at their badges. They were three C rated temple guards, and one D rated priest. Their levels reached from level 50 to 150, but the zone squeezed them to level 1. All of Talpica was a level one zone.

"Why?"

"Orders, Ma'am."

"Concerning me, or is no one allowed to enter?" Flora pitied them. They were just pawns in a game played by the bishops.

"The council commanded us to block you specifically, Ma'am."

"Pardon, dears, I have to enter. I'm the Champion, for now at least." Flora activated Kinetic Shield.

The guards first blocked her with arms, but Flora just ignored them. Then a male Fireling hugged her from behind, a female Woodling grabbed her arm, and the Waterling speaker positioned himself in front of her.

Flora carefully took one step after another. She pulled the Fireling and Woodling with her and pushed the waterling. Meanwhile, the fourth guard, a waterling priest, gaped at her.

The boots of the guards screeched as they got dragged on the floor.

Flora was strong, but moving three buff guards in armor would soon overburden her. After she inserted two more nocks in her mech-suit, she still struggled but progressed slowly into the corridor to the main hall.