17 Monster Lair?

"The tracks lead in there."

"Well, this place isn't creepy at all," Toyo muttered. He let out a breath in exasperation. "Of course the last chicken would wind up in there. If this was a normal RPG, I'd call monster lair." He looked at Naomi. "Do you think it's possible here in SAO? Monsters living within the safe zone?"

Naomi nodded, but when she replied, it was clear that her thoughts were elsewhere. "I was in the beta-test. During that time I found a quest to kill some giant spiders that were infesting the sewers. They were cut off from the city proper, but still."

She went quiet for a moment before glancing over at him. "Maybe...maybe you should wait here?"

Toyo frowned at her. "What? Why?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to sound rude but...you look like a fairly low level." She gestured at the warehouse. "If there is something there like a hidden quest or random event, it could end up being quite dangerous for you."

"And for you if you get caught by surprise."

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"Yes," she admitted, "but…"

"It's always safer with numbers," Toyo pointed out. "Let's just go in together and keep our guard up." He shot her an easy smile in spite of his rapidly growing fear of encroaching danger. "I trust you to protect me."

Naomi sighed once before nodding her head in resignation and starting forward.

"I'll take the lead then." She drew an elegant, polished shortsword from a sheath at her side. "Weapons out, just in case."

Toyo nodded and readied his beginner level sword. His anxiety mounting, he tried to tighten his grip on the weapon as he followed behind, but the cheap, worn leather was becoming increasingly difficult to keep a firm hold of. His sweaty palms weren't exactly helping either.

Under his breath, he uttered a quiet prayer that his share of the quest money would be enough for repairs at the blacksmith afterwards...and for there to be an afterwards.

Naomi started for the abandoned warehouse, but paused when she saw his sword. Though she tried to mask it immediately afterwards, her brief look alone was enough to make Israel's face flush in embarrassment at his sub-standard equipment.

They reached the creaking door, and Israel was about to step cautiously inside when Naomi urged him back and strode in first. He followed behind, secretly happy to have a high level with him.

Huge stacks of old, dusty wooden crates sat in tall, organized rows all throughout the ramshackle building, each divided by a walkway littered with lumber and broken boards. Piles of trash and debris filled the corners, a few dozen ladders leaned against the walls, and high above, cobwebs covered the crooked rafters.

Aside from being abandoned, the warehouse appeared relatively ordinary.

Toyo scanned the interior of the building once more, then shrugged and glanced to Naomi.

"Looks like we were wrong. Only thing dangerous about this place is all the dust. Can you tell where-"

The wind suddenly picked up outside, flinging the creaky door open and knocking one of the ladders down.

In an instant, Naomi was on him, shoving him back behind her with surprising strength as she got into a protective stance.

She glanced around a moment, then slowly relaxed as the wind died down and the door creaked back into place.

She tucked a strand of long black hair back behind an ear and smiled sheepishly at him.

"Sorry. Place has me a bit jumpy."

"You're kind of starting to make me feel like the damsel in distress at this point."

She shrugged apologetically. "Well, to be fair, in this situation that might not be far from the truth."

Toyo cleared his throat and gestured at the stone floor, eager to change the subject. "Can you see any tracks?"

Naomi nodded and started forward. "This way."

They walked quickly and quietly down one of the walkways, passing by row after row of the huge, stacked crates, then turned right towards the centre of the warehouse. After a few seconds, Toyo began hearing a faint scratching noise, though it grew louder with each step. Naomi was studying the ground when they made another left, no doubt trying to focus on the chicken's tracks, so only he noticed when they passed by what looked like a large cellar door in the floor about two rows over.

Toyo drew to a stop. "Hey, I think I just saw-"

Several boxes near the ground toppled suddenly to the floor, sending a loud crash echoing around the warehouse. Naomi moved to once again shove Toyo behind her as she raised her sword, but then bolted forward when the clucks of a frightened chicken filled the air.

"There she is!" she shouted.