Acanthus

Haru struck her again. “Your defenses are sloppy. You never would have let yourself get hit before.” “I didn’t take a hit for two years, Haru. And that was because I never left the safe zone.” Acanthus threw her body into Haru, looking to unbalance her. Haru carefully readjusted her weight instead, pushing back against Acanthus. “You know that’s not what I mean.” Haru sidestepped, letting Acanthus tumble past her. “You’re losing control of yourself. It’s—” “—unbecoming?” Acanthus choked out a half-laugh. “Never heard that one before. It was Dad’s favorite word to chastise me wit

Locked in battle, the two versions of herself struggled to break through each other’s defenses. “What about all the good she did? Was none of her kindness worth your pain?” “It never was. Never.” Acanthus cried. She pressed the attack, desperate for an opening, some way to hurt Haru. She fought ferociously, greedily unleashing sword art after sword art, with no regard for her energy bar. Haru’s stance remained strong. “I know you don’t believe that.” Acanthus channeled all her frustration into stamping out this twisted version of herself. No, it wasn’t herself—it was Cardinal.

Unsettled by her own appearance, Acanthus hesitated. The Gemini stepped confidently toward Acanthus, charging a familiar sword art. Rather than fall back, Acanthus held her ground and attempted to parry the figure. The Gemini's approach had been too slow to truly catch her off guard. Acanthus snapped to attention, deflecting each part of the combo. “I won’t indulge this.” Acanthus launched herself into combat, eager to exploit any opening she could find. “This—this navel-gazing philosophy handed down by some programmer. You’re nothing but a quest objective.” Haru parried the first st

(Have a little background music, as a treat. YouTube Link to AERIAL REBUILD - Takashi Ohmama) Acanthus took in her own form, stunned. Despite identical physical features—tall, skinny, with coppery hair—Acanthus knew she was a different person the moment she looked into the stranger’s light brown eyes. Those eyes. They were the same color as Acanthus’, but they were not hers. The ones that faced her seemed only faintly familiar. They brimmed with gentle emotions, unlike the ones Acanthus had noticed in the mirror as of late. Acanthus’ jaw tight

Lost in thought, Acanthus’ mind turned to her last few months in the game. She’d come a long way in a short time. She had finally conquered her fear of moving forward. Acanthus felt a small swell of pride. “We’re here.” Acanthus looked around her with surprise. While she had been lost in thought, she had walked into a dream. Acanthus and the stranger stood in the middle of a snowy field that stretched further than she could see. Tall, thin, leafless trees stretched up and into the sky, making neat columns and rows that stretched into the infinite white. A placid lake of black w

The weather continued to worsen. The skies grew darker, and small drops of cold rain peppered her head. Drawing up her cloak, she tried to weather the worst of it. But the wind, even through the massive jungle trees, bit mercilessly. Acanthus winced as another gust rushed through the jungle, causing her to shiver. The weather did not belong on this floor. For some inexplicable reason, it unnerved her. It was like seeing an elephant downtown. It likely wasn’t dangerous, but felt like an omen that something was amiss. Something was about to happen. You’re being ridiculous. It’s weather in a

She weighed whether she wanted to let the matter go before deciding to press her. “You seem to know more about my time in this game than you’re letting on.” The cloaked figure nodded faintly. “I’ve spent a while watching you as you grew in power. I don’t mean to sound off-putting. In fact, you’re my hero. I look up to you.” This quest is starting to creep me out. “How were you watching me?” No answer from the mysterious figure. Acanthus considered her options. It’s not too late to just leave. Turn around, maybe scout the quest a little more before you take it on. No. The old me would have

“How far do we have to walk?” The figure ignored her. Not talkative for a quest object that wanted to fight out of the blue. Normally, she would have enjoyed the quiet, but she knew so little about the quest. Further, the info broker’s guide was unhelpful on the matter. Aside from the rough mechanics of the fight, it appeared that nearly every written account differed in some way or another. Most depicted the Gemini as a mocking, cruel figure that taunted the player as they fought. But the person that had met her in Krycim… “I’ve been following your progress for some time. I’m eager

“Alright. I’ll fight you.” “Excellent.” The stranger spoke softly but with a tinge of excitement. “Follow me, I know just the place for a duel.” “Wouldn’t it make more sense to just head outside and fight?” But the figure exited the tavern without acknowledging her. I suppose it's scripted to fight in a specific area. She followed the stranger into the damp, chilly air. The weather was uncharacteristic for the sixth floor. Not that she frequented floor six often—she found the Amazonians unpleasant to be around. But as a floor modeled after the jungles of the amazon, it typically

The hooded figure seemed to accept Acanthus’ answer, but continued waiting at her table. Acanthus raised her drink slowly. “Did you need something else?” “Yes. I’d like to challenge you to a duel.” Acanthus choked on her drink as the stranger patted her back. Recovering from her coughing fit, Acanthus gave her an incredulous stare. “I’m not really sure why I should risk my life to duel someone I don’t know?” As if in response, a dialog box opened up in front of her. [Would you like to start <<The Gemini>>? Y/N] Huh. A quest. She quickly scanned the info broker’s guide for

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I really like your name. How did you get it?” Acanthus stopped mid-sip as she eyed the stranger that made herself comfortable in the seat across from her. Was she supposed to know her? Something about her voice was familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Warily, Acanthus set her mug down. “Asking about player names can be a breach of etiquette, as I understand it.” She took a moment to observe the stranger. She was tall, about as tall as Acanthus, but with just enough of a slouch that made it hard to tell. And her voice—Acanthus couldn’t see a face, but she

The best songs have a memorable reprise. The last time she had quested with Freyd, it was by sheer accident. From getting lost in Fortaleza to stumbling into him at just the right moment, her first quest in a party had been nothing more than a pleasant accident. You were lucky you didn’t die. This time, every step of the process had been more intentional. Acanthus had selected this quest specifically for the skill it gave. She had heard about Freyd shepherding a different crew of new recruits through the quest. She reached out to Omen, learned Freyd was preparing a second run, and decided

Her brief skim of the quest had prepared her for the mechanics of the quest, but it did little to prepare her for the horror. Morningstar found the camp quickly, at the end of the trail they walked. Darian’s camp rested alongside a lake, frozen solid in the cold. Although looking at the scene, it was clear the camp was no longer Darian’s. His twisted corpse laid off the the side, already picked at by hungry and desperate predators. In a game that often depicted blood and wounds with nothing more than faint red marks, Darian’s mangled body was a stark contrast. In Darian’s place sat a col

Each pack increased Acanthus’ confidence. The pattern now seemed comfortable, and Acanthus loved nothing more than a predictable pattern. Nymoria took the first attack, Acanthus followed in with a stun, and then they cleaned up the remaining enemies. With the benefit of hindsight, she realized that even when the first snapdragon had landed its luck strike, the two of them weren’t in any danger. But Nemo… He might prove difficult. Nothing the two of them couldn’t handle, but neither was it going to be the place for mistakes. Nymoria had already started the fight. Acanthus hurried in, ready

Acanthus followed him down to the waterline. The sky was overcast, and the weather was a touch too humid, but she would take this any day of the week over the drab darkness of floor ten. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. The names rotated through her head again; she did her best to block them out. If they had to talk, it could wait. If she mentioned them before the fight, it might rock the figurative boat. The boat by the water left much to be desired. It was a large dinghy that barely had enough room for the two of them. Was there not a larger vessel? It would be awfully cramped, and t

“Raitoboru Bay sounds lovely. I’ve been meaning to visit, but never really found the time. Is it true what I’ve heard about ‘beach episodes’? Many players talk about them, and I wonder—” Just then, Levi’s shrieked so loudly that the birds in the nearby trees scattered at once. Acanthus yelled and fell face first into the snow. She shot up, ears ringing, sword drawn, and ready for action. You got this. You skimmed the quest information on the way over. King’s Soldier, mid-level minion, compiled information suggests his attacks become fiercer at half-health and frost has a reduced effect…

Crafting for 9/13/2024 Langue de chat consumed (Ambition). +1 EXP per craft (+2 total from Trinket | Tuning Fork) EXP 1065/2559

“First time. It’s odd. I love the cold, but I haven’t come to this floor before. I didn’t have a reason to visit either; I just needed a little break from the current quest that I’m working on. So I checked the Aincrad floor index, saw this floor, and decided to visit.” Acanthus took a deep breath of the frosty air, exhaling a large cloud of vapor. “I spend most of my time on the warmer floors. My shop is on Floor 24 in the main settlement. And as much as I love Floor 24, this is a welcome change of pace. In fact, I don’t know that I’d enjoy winter if it lasted forever. Part of the enjoyment i

At Cordelia’s urging, Acanthus had visited the Monument of Life. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. The names repeated in her head like a broken record. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. Part of her wished she’d never learned what the orange marker meant. Why did she have to ask Cordelia about Pinball? Idle conversation had turned her world upside down. After all the time she spent trying to set her worries aside, they threatened to break her down once more. Belial. Kirbs. Roulette. Sugutsuya. She had spent the entire night reading the info broker’s guide on orange player cursors,

Before the game, the thought of a kindly old gardener morphing into a terrible silver dragon might have surprised her. But she broke a boulder with her fists a week ago—Aincrad was not a place for realism. “A dark secret?” Acanthus put a finger to her lips in contemplation. “I’m not so sure that I have any dark secrets. We all have things we don’t talk about, but I think that’s normal. I really led quite a dull life before this.” She waved her hands in embarrassment. “Not that we’re supposed to talk about that. I’m sorry.” Acanthus broke the conversation off by searching for some pre

“Coredelia!” Relief flooded her voice. “It’s wonderful to see you.” Her worries about the boss vanished. She was certain that they could handle whatever Pinball had set them up to do. “And… Oz?” The rise in her voice didn’t signal uncertainty about the man’s name as much as confusion at what he was doing. He appeared to be scrunching himself up. For a moment, she swore he flickered out of sight before returning to her vision. “It’s good to see you too.” They followed Omen through the 21st floor. Acanthus found it beyond peculiar that he knew his way around here. She failed to contain

THREAD SUMMARY EXP: 500 (Quest) + ((5310/10) * 1 * 4) = 2,624* 2 = 5,248 EXP +284 foraging EXP (561) Col: 14,500 (gathering) + 400 (page) + 500 (quest) = 15,400 col (50) materials (1) Demonic shard T4 Perfect Weapon | 231276a 231276b T4 Perfect Consumable| 231276c

It was a slaughter. The moment she stepped within reach of the first bandit, she lashed out. In a heartbeat, he was nothing but fragments. The remaining bandits lept into action. Channeling what she’d learned from mass combat at Faultwarren, she weaved through the fight, untouchable. The rare times a bandit did connect, their weapons bounced off her armor. “It’s no wonder you need the help,” she mocked one bandit as he collapsed. A single thrust through the temple, and his body dissolved. “Two dozen bandits, and you can’t even kill a single girl.” She hopped away from a rear strike before popp

She was ready to be done, but Cardinal was not. At the final chokepoint before Saharda, a wall of bandits stood between her and the quest’s end. In each hand was a spear, or axe, or sword. “Adventurer,” the front bandit stated gruffly. “You have been kind to us over the last day.” Exhausted, Acanthus nearly nodded. The bandit continued. “But not kind enough. My people live a harsh life, and we require more food. Grant it to us, and you may pass.” More food! She nearly screamed. Did the game want me to pack an entire pantry for an overnight trip? She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m al

Acanthus needed the extra patience for the return journey. The ore seemed depleted, and Zamek now slowed down nearly every hour to read some new letter from his collection. She once had to run after the papers after they blew away in the wind. And the Sandborn has only become more persistent as she had given them food. It was like chumming the water; sometimes three or four would approach, and the asks slowly devolved into demands. Their travel rations depleted, Acanthus was having to exhaust her personal stash just to meet the requests of the bandits. Not to mention that the Sandstorm wa