Freyd

"Val... oh, good grief." Pinching the bridge of his nose, Freyd shook his head in the negative for added denial, but to no avail. "Was Hel a witch? I honestly don't recall, not that it really matters." Sighing despondently, he groaned like a mopey teenager and dragged himself across the threshold. Lollygagging his head like it was attached on a swivel might have been playing it a little too strong, but he was amusing himself. By the time the rest of the party cleared the portal, all that remained of the sentinels on watch at the vestibule to Thor's butthole-of-an-entrance to the Nord

Ambling into his friend's shop, Freyd hoped to find her in good spirits after their recent outings, the weight of some pretty hefty discussions and life experiences having weighed on Katoka's shoulders. She was resilient, he know, but it never hurt to come check on a friend. A small care basket of assorted teas and treats gathered from across Aincrad under his arm, he deposited them on the nearest counter before mindlessly filling out an order form. "Brought you a little something to brighten your day," he added, after a quick hello, not sure quite how awake the blonde samurai was. "T

Unbidden, a tiny head with rounded ears perked up from within Freyd's armor at the mention of soup. Persi's disappointment was palpable over the complete absence of soup. Though not as fine as a good bowl of ether, the tiny shadow mongoose had an infinite appetite for all things nom-nommable, and liquids were second only to vapours, in her book. Darting lazily off to the side as the two men tenderized chilled griffon meat, she couldn't help wonder whether it tasted like chicken, and yearned to find out. "You're up next, Persi," Freyd offered, taking a running charge and the discombobul

Spotting the opening left by Wulfrin and Mina, a smirk curling the edge of his lips, Freyd dashed low between them both. Streaking like a black bolt of doom across the battlefield, he leapt high at the last minute - a little trick he'd picked up from Macradon. The sheer for of impact sent wheat and dried grass exploding outward in equal measure to Mina's awesome blow just moments earlier. Between the three of them, the boss cat was annihilated, never having had a chance to do anything more than lick chops no longer in existence. Standing amidst a crater of former cat carnage, the last

The meeting broke up as various groups entered their own separate conversations. This much social time had been an absolute drain on him, though he dared not let it show, especially in the aftermath of Wulfrin and Ciela's wedding. He just needed some air and a bit of personal space after everything else. Offering a few friendly nods given to familiar faces, and welcoming smiles to those he didn't recognize, Freyd gradually made his way to the tent flap closest to the ocean, leaving the gathering behind. Fates dice were being cast once more, with precious little to act upon, save a gatherin

Thread Closing: Assault Mode extra skill was not unlocked. Freyd receives: 4,688 EXP (Word Count [5869/10*16*0.5] + Quest [0]) 5,690 col (1 page [0] + Loot [4987] + Quest [0] + 15% P5 Reward []) 2 Materials (Loot [2]) Terra Firma Scale | (T3/Unique/Consumable/Single-Use) | +18 Mitigation. This item can stack with other sources and its effect lasts for one thread. | 234805a T4 Rare Consumable 234601a T4 Rare Weapon 234601b Bee receives: 2,793 EXP (Word Count [5869/10*1*0.5] + Quest [2500]) 5,100 col (1 page [100] + Quest [5000]) Terra Firma Scale | (T3/Uniq

Having given the twin-headed serpent a dazing strike and knocked it clear of its nest, Freyd seized his opportunity and pounced. Black blade held high, he rushed their enemy and swung precisely, intending to harm and capture its attention, but not necessarily kill outright. This was meant to be Kyoto's chance to shine. With the beast's defenses in tatters, Freyd circled around to his left, drawing its attention away from his companion and exposing its back for a follow up. "Nicely done! I've got his eyes. Now, do your thing." The diamond pattern on the serpent's back flaked scal

Abdullah's glare could have shattered ice the same way Wulfrin had just done, save from several hundred feet away. "Wow... that NPC really hates me. Well, you, as me, but really meaning me. Interesting. I've been pushing his buttons for months to see whether it would make a difference. It certainly seems to have.... oh. And he just stabbed a lackey. Yeah. I'd call this a successful experiment, in an unfortunate sort of way. At least that dude will respawn eventually, I hope?" Freyd seemed pensive for a moment, as if pondering myriad possibilities in that 'brain equals bag of

"The price is never enough," Freyd replied, his voice somehow undistorted by the roiling shadows of his helm's face plate, which also concealed the Whisper's smirk as he watched his companion use a familiar-looking trick. If Abdullah was at all capable of memory, and Freyd believed he was, this combat should already have revealed their identities. Or his, at least, few yet being aware of Wulfrin's adoption of the same brand. "Careful. You keep this up and he's gonna start thinking you're me. And, handsome as I may be, I don't think you want that kind of bullseye on the back of your

A squad of assassins burst forth from the sand, each appearing at a different cardinal point around the players. Katars held high, they moved to strike as one - a well trained team - only to find that one of their targets had already disappeared. Flitting from shadow to shadow, Freyd snared their blades and bound their clothing, suffocating each in turn from within their respective umbras. A moment later, he was back at Wulfrin's side, their four would-be assailants crumbling to dust in a very pretty patters all around them. The crowd was stunned into silence, then broke into a raucous

[Group moves to floor 25] NIGHT brushed off concerns, again. She always did. Even when she was in a group, it's like she wasn't even there. Appropriate, given her frequent use of stealth, but also frustrating. Shaking his head and deeming it pointless to pursue any further, he set about navigating their journey to Lite'tara. Pausing a moment to gaze upon the massive status of Orgoth, he patted its foremost hoof as they passed. Good memories. Mostly bad, actually, but now wasn't really time for nostalgia. "Everyone grab a piece of chalk, unless you want to end up lost in the la

Freyd just laughed at her protest, marveling at the preposterous critique. "Pfft. Just how long do you imagine freefalling takes from a hundred feet up? We didn't even get close to the top of that thing, and its body might well have pulverized us as it collapsed, well before we hit the ground. But, yeah, sure, I'll warn you next time." A snort wrapped up his half-hearted retort, knowing she was just reacting to the adrenaline. It never even crossed his mind that Kat would react to Shadow's power with dire recollections of the the villain's worldwide flood. Irredeemable grin plastered

His previous run had gone on for ages, the blasted beast playing a confounding game as the two of them had danced around each other for what seemed like ages. This time would be different, and he'd ensure it by doing the very last thing the mob expected. Freyd stood still. One hand outstretched, he beckoned the scaled monster to come at him. His other fist he kept concealed behind him, slowly building up the necessary power for a single, devastating strike. "Oh boy," he groaned, half-expecting Fate to turn against him and leave him mauled on the sands. She was a fickle bitch, after a

"Aww... crap. That's never good, if perhaps predictable." Freyd acknowledged, confirming Bahr's observation while glancing skyward, half-expecting to see some cartoonish Cardinal pseudo-face gleefully glaring down at them. For a cold, calculating machine, it had one hell of a twisted sense of humour. "Nice dagger throws, by the way," he offered Circe, whose skills had definitely sharpened since their last encounter, the sultry woman's demeanor having shifted decidedly more towards aggression than he recalled. Duly noted. The fact that none had hit him in the back was considered a bonu

Slipping from shadow to shadow, a giant casting no small offering, Freyd rapidly reached Katoka's back, offering a gentle tap to let her know he was there. "Nice!" Grasping her wrist, deep azure eyes gleaming like beacons in the midst of a proper rockslide, they asked for her trust as he pulled her towards him and into the void. It felt weird; dark and utterly devoid of anything, including sound. In a world without anything, including light, the only tether to her sanity she could sense was the gentle press of his grip upon her sleeve. She couldn't see him, nor even her self. T

"Tesseleth? I know the name, and ran into Zandra recently, the eccentric wielding a hefty blade bearing the same name. But that particular raid predates my arrival to the Frontlines." Freyd found himself reminded of how much a newbie he still was compared to some of Aincrad's true veterans, Jomei included. He counted Hirru among them, the notable Vice-Commander famous for his own troubled past when it came to raids. "That's good intel. I'm glad you came along when you did. Were you in Charko for some other reason? It's more than a ways off the beaten path." Accepting the quest in

"I see Wulfrin, Arabelle and Acanthus have joined us," Freyd added, pointing to each with his gaze. Two he knew personally, the third having only just been introduced, though he'd crossed paths with her name once or twice before. At least a face could now be paired. "Hopefully, I haven't missed any other newcomers. If so, please step forward to introduce yourselves. It's important that we take a brief moment to welcome those who are joining us for the first time. Volunteering for the Frontlines is no small feat, and demonstrates both courage and a willingness to fight for others. Both

Snaring the wayward cat by the scruff as it sought to stray away from Mina's assault, Freyd whirled and flung it overhead to bring it smashing down into the jagged edge of a small granite outcrop with a degree of precise brutality jarring to their otherwise jovial exercise. Shard-like fragments and pixelated motes spilled all over the ground like marbles out of a broken jar. Who knew they made putty tatts in pinata form? The absence of candy was sorely missed. "Wish granted. Beastie ended," he added, plainly, azure eyes already on the prowl for the inevitable final wave. This one woul

"Jomei?" Not a face he expected to find in some obscure forgotten village in the dreg back caverns of the Underdark. Suspicion required prudence, the Whisper peering through shadow to track the familiar face, only to confirm that it belonged ten feet in front of him, just as it appeared. Heh. Not a trick, then. Shoulders bled their tension into shadows whose capacity for such things was indubitably infinite. "I guess that makes two of us," replied the darkly clad man, without so much as missing a beat. Spycraft required wits sharper than sharp reflexes, and a talent for not missing

"I don't need to wait," Freyd replied, appreciating the philosophical detour as they walked into the bleaker desert landscape on the far side of the hill. "Fortune's been kinder to me than most." Whatever the Whisper meant by the comment, he refused to elaborate. There was a distance in his eyes as he spoke, suggesting a memory or sensation recalled. Something that drove him, without the usual foreboding loss that pervaded so many Aincradian lives. Somehow, he, of all people, had found something to live for within the confines of a death game. "Take some time to stop and smell the ro

A coy smile crossed his angular features as he watched her decimate the foodstuff with unmitigated gusto, bleeding into a full and proper chuckle as cider chased cheese down her gullet. Was it going out of style, or the last sampling of some lost vestigial vintage? "Are you worried someone's going to steal your meal? I can't tell if you just really like the flavour or are trying to beat the clock in some sort of festive feeding frenzy. Or, is it some sort of Irish tradition I just don't know about" If so, the chop sticks make it weird. Catching him off guard again as she suddenly

A light chuckle greeted Kyoto's first remark, Freyd grinning at the truth of it. "No. I've been to most of the rodeos this world has to offer, at least those we've discovered to date. Though there are always a few left on my list to check out, or else newly uncovered that I've yet to complete. This one just happens to be original, from what I've seen and heard, and isn't often repeated since it offers no extra rewards. Still, worth doing at least once, right?" Leading them away from the sleepy town, traffic on the muddy road was minimal and soon drifted southward towards more rur

A lone figure in a tailored grey suit wandered into view, patrolling the small town's residents like its appointed steward - which he was. Cane in hand and duster swishing at his back, he looked overdressed for such a rural little town. Perhaps he had hopes of making it grander than it was? "Mayor Cyrus," Freyd greeted him, offering a small formal bow befitting his station. "My companion, Kyoto, and I are volunteering to take care of that pesky recurring snake problem of yours. I trust that you have no objections?" Cyrus smiled, like any politician might at having his title recogn

Trying to keep the distance to ground from the forefront of his mind wasn't helped by Katoka's reminder. He'd probably bounce, and likely wouldn't feel it overmuch due to the system's pain suppression routines, but the embarrassment of belly flopping from eight stories, then probably getting stepped on, was more than he wanted to consider. A sudden keening wail from his fist, fortunately shattered his daydream and promised to do the same to this titan. As the seals around Samael's Pride cut loose, Freyd drove his fist as hard as he could through the gigantic golem's limb, drilling through l

Rig hadn't been on his radar in ages. Most of this floor hadn't, if he was honest with himself. Nimbus itself was an interesting place, but there wasn't much around that regularly drew his attention here. It was... strangely tame? Maybe that was what made him think it might be a suitable training ground for Kyoto. The two hadn't seen each other in some time, but once help was given, the Whisper liked to keep loose tabs on the people he'd previously assisted, ensuring that they were doing well. Time was an investment, after all, and he hoped to see dividends pay off in the form of new play