Nymoria

Something in the movements of the Gemini finally registered for Nymoria, and she pulled back from the fight with a sudden look of shock. The Gemini seemed to hesitate, as if uncertain about the disengagement, the weapon quivering in the air as it was held in place from the movement it had been about to take. It’s the exact same movements that I would make. It’s…mimicking me? All of those strikes, those parries…those are all my style of fighting. This thing really has been watching me. For the first time since she had followed it, Nymoria began to truly wonder who the figure before her wa

Nymoria felt a single moment of elation as her blade connected with the figure’s form, causing it to freeze in place. She had to resist the urge to rush forwards once more and drive her attack home further, knowing better than to simply rush into the fight blind. She’d seen first hand what happened when the stun effect ended, and how sometimes players had been caught by the follow through of attacks they had forgot had even started. Stepping back carefully, Nymoria readied herself into a guard stance, the blade held comfortably, but strongly, in front of her as she waited to see what the

The blade of the figure slashed across her shoulder, tearing a portion of her skin with it as she tried to roll away from the strike. Nymoria hissed slightly in response, the natural sound likely unnatural to those who could actually hear it. She knew there should be no pain, and yet as the blade passed through her shoulder, she felt nothing but a searing sensation; her mind making up for the missing feeling almost instantly. The down ticking of her health bar was all the reminder that Nymoria needed that the fight against this thing was not going to be easy; that she was going to be pre

Whatever it had been planning Nymoria didn’t have the time to figure out as the figure suddenly lunged forward, a sabre appearing from beneath the cloak and slashing wildly towards her, forcing her backwards as she swept out of its way. The sudden movement had caught Nymoria entirely off guard, no indication that the cloaked figure had been preparing to attack her. She’d been forced, almost immediately, onto the defensive as she tried to regain her balance and purpose. Her blade danced around in response to the movements of the cloaked figure’s weapon, trying with all her might to simply

She’d managed to calm her panic, if only slightly, following the thoughts of the player killers. Few had been found in recent years, and none had been seen since she’d truly begun her push towards the upper floors. She’d managed to convince herself, if only slightly, that the likelihood of one finding her now, was limited. Not to mention it knew me. That would be impossible for another player who I haven’t grouped with before…and none of them would remember me, or want to harm me… When they had reached the edge of the pool, the cloaked individual had turned back to Nymoria, the hand reapp

Her question remained unanswered for another twenty minutes, before a small pool began to appear between the trees. Nymoria eyed the area, knowing within herself for reasons that she couldn’t explain, that the pool was their eventual destination. The image before her, still distant, seemed to shimmer slightly the closer they moved towards it, as if trying to draw her eyes. Not that it needed to, as her focus remained balanced between the figure, the surrounding area, and the slowly approaching pool itself. Musei, who had disappeared into her pocket for the majority of the walk, had reappe

Every ounce of her body had screamed at her to deny the request, to turn away and head for the teleporter and the safety of her inn room. She truly wanted nothing to do with the cloaked figure, who was an obvious danger even to her untrained eyes. Yet, Nymoria found herself slowly agreeing to the proposition, her body seemingly moving of its own volition as she not only agreed, but began to follow the cloaked individual out of the village and into the wilderness. Why am I doing this? It’s not like I’m possessed by the system or anything…but then, why am I going with them? I know this is

The markets within Krycim proved to be far more interesting to Nymoria than those found on the floor below, and while she found little for herself, the assortment of meats and fruits caught Musei’s attention almost immediately. She indulged the weasel to a mediocre degree, purchasing a variety of small treats for him to snack on as they continued their way through the town, eventually leading onto another bridge where Nymoria stopped for a break. Her eyes shifted around, trying to spot the figure she had seen throughout the day, always several metres away, but never quite out of sight. Sh

It’s very much like Aruyt, in a way. The words were the first things she thought upon seeing the settlement they had arrived in. Krycim, capital and main civilised area of the sixth floor, appearing in many ways to be a jungle styled version of Aruyt, at least in Nymoria’s eyes. She leaned against a nearby railing, staring out over the forests that stretched beyond the village and into the distance, wondering if there wasn’t a place here for her, once she’d saved up enough money to find something nice. Musei, who’d departed her shoulder for a few moments to explore the nearby area, appea

Nymoria was feeling confident following her success in the lower levels. She’d taken on a number of various quests, her capabilities growing with each individual situation. It had given her a courage and determination that she had previously thought impossible for someone like her; and although she doubted she would be able to hold on to it forever, she knew that she was at least able to push herself forwards this time due to the momentum she’d been gaining. It was the entire reason she had dragged Musei from the comfort of the inn they’d found within the city of Aruyt, taking him on a t

The bandit exploded into shards as Nymoria’s blade slashed through their throat, barely catching the skin but striking hard enough to end the bandit’s existence. If only for the time being. Sighing, as the two were left alone in the keep, she turned her attention back towards Kagamine, whom had dropped the greatsword as soon as the bandit was gone. Thank you for your help. Let’s get you home, now. Nymoria signed towards the teenage boy, a smile spreading across each of their faces as they realised that they were free to leave the keep, finally. Nymoria spared one final glance back towards

Her blade spun as the greatsword slammed into it, force the larger weapon off to the side and away from Nymoria’s form. She could feel herself tiring, the burst of energy she’d been running on to keep the fight going slowly dying out as the assault against her wore away at her arm through the connection of the blades. She’d managed to hold out this long, but she was worried that if she didn’t finish the fight soon, that the bandit would eventually find the upper hand. A quick glance towards Kagamine confirmed that the boy was still struggling with the greatsword, barely lifting it now th

We almost have it! If we can just land one or two more hits…we should be in the clear then! I just need to keep pressing her. Keep her unable to strike back! Nymoria almost shouted with joy as the woman’s form locked up underneath her strike once more, watching as Kagamine lunged forward and slammed his own weapon into the form of the frozen bandit, before stepping backwards in fear. The boy had proven useful for the first time since the fight began, and yet Nymoria felt a moment of fear as she saw the bandit’s eyes turn towards him. Although the bandit had remained locked in place, Nym

Her plan had worked, although Nymoria was beginning to wonder if that was a good thing or not as the greatsword slammed into her and sent her reeling backwards, toppling into the dirt and laying facedown for a second as the pain soared through her. She knew the pain was nothing more than her own imagination, in a way, and yet she couldn’t ignore the way it caused her body to spasm. Forcing herself to her feet, she lifted the sabre and faced the woman once more, ignoring the grin that spread across the bandit’s face in response. There was a deadly look in the woman’s eyes, as if she was e

Kagamine was proving less than useful in the fight, and Nymoria noticed that his health bar had taken a hit – a fact that she was not pleased about. The bandit, in turn, was acting differently compared to how Nymoria was used to having enemies fight; instead of focusing on Nymoria herself, the bandit seemed determined to instead focus on the boy – a fact that Nymoria knew would only end badly if it was allowed to continue. Driving forwards, she placed herself between the bandit and the boy once more, her blade moving in a flurry as she tried to block each strike aimed anywhere other than

Her first strike slammed into the woman, who had begun reaching for her own blade belatedly. Nymoria’s movement had surprised her, and as the blade slashed through the cloth on her right arm, the bandit froze up in place. Stepping back, Nymoria watched as Kagamine rushed forwards, the greatsword in his hand and a determined look on his face. It felt like time slowed as the weapon was raised, and then brought down towards the bandit – only to slam into the ground right in front of her. She felt herself wince slightly, before she was in motion once more. She knew that the effect of

Whether or not there would be a group waiting for her, Nymoria knew that the only way forward was, forward. Their movement was filled with both haste and caution, checking the areas they passed quickly and thoroughly for any alternative escape routes. Nymoria could feel her pulse quickening with each step they took closer to the front of the keep. Against all her attempts to delay the inevitable, Nymoria found herself finally opening the doorway leading out to the main courtyard, the open gates of the keep standing as a beacon to freedom. A part of her wanted nothing more than to make a

Nymoria smiled as she spotted the knightess whom she had come to view as a friend; the woman had proven time and again to be resourceful and welcoming, as well as a good conversationalist – when Nymoria had the time and energy to converse. She gave a return wave as Ciela motioned with her fingers, returning the greeting in kind. Hello, Ciela! It’s good to see you again. Are you here for the hunt as well? Behind Ciela Nymoria could see two other players, both appearing somewhat out of sorts compared to the crowd around them. Her head cocked slightly as she studied the two, watching as they

Nymoria had followed the pair out into the blistering cold, her breath coming in quick against the cold as the anticipation rose within her. She’d worked with groups before – mostly with negative outcomes, when it came to the general atmosphere of the group itself – but something about these two felt different. They were in an entirely different class, even Nymoria could tell. She’d been eyeing Freyd’s form when he’d turned to yell at her, the words lost on the wind and completely indecipherable. Thankfully, she didn’t rely on her hearing, and the movement of his lips told her everything

Nymoria kept an eye on Salem as they moved out into the city itself, the streets somehow seeming less welcoming as she pulled into herself slightly; an action that would appear as nothing more than a subtle shift in her arms drawing closer to her core. As Salem spoke about the architecture of the area, marvelling in how unreal it felt, Nymoria found herself smiling. She’d never had the consideration that it felt unnatural in any sense; if anything, she saw it as being human built, simply through other means. I disagree. I think they were built with a purpose. That purpose was to en

The streets of the Town of Beginnings was as quiet as they always were for Nymoria. Small groups of players and NPCs, littered with individuals pushing through and around them, moved throughout the streets. Nymoria herself was among the individuals weaving through the larger groups, her pace one of determination without destination. She wasn’t entirely sure what had brought her back here – in fact, she really had no reason to return to the Town of Beginnings, other than sentiment. She’d passed by numerous various sights that had once been welcoming now seemed old and behind her, as if her