[OP-F1] An Adventure Begins . : COMPLETE : .

[Creius 0]

It was fine and dandy to decide that he would go and become strong enough to start clearing floor bosses with the strongest players, getting there was a different matter. Nathan touched the pommel of his rapier that he'd obtained in the early minutes of joining the game and looked at the various paths that led across the Town of Beginnings. He ran a hand through his black hair, trying to come to a decision about where to go but seemed unable to decide. There was just so much to cinsider, he was a low level and that could prove deadly if he made a wrong move. Sometimes it isn't the mind that decides for you though as Nathan figured out. His stomach rumbled slightly and he laughed a little. Okay, food it was then for now. He walked down one of the paths of the town and found an eatery which would satisfy his intentions. Tired Warrior Resthouse read the sign of the pub that hung over the door as he walked through the door.

The tavern wasn't terribly busy at the moment, but that suited Nathan quite well. Interacting with people weren't his strong suit, so much so that he still had yet to talk to anyone in the game. NPC's were even a bit difficult to talk to for him at time. Just one of the drawbacks of being extremely anti-social in a completely 3D rendered world. He approached one of the empty tables and unequipped the rapier from his selection and sat in the chair that faced the door. He didn't have the money to buy food, but he didn't need to by food right now. All he needed was a table where he could relax. He leaned back in his chair and swiped his right hand down, accessing his menus. Going through them quickly he selected the bread and water that everyone started with. They appeared on the table in front of him and he set a little meal up for himself. Sure, nothing fancy but it would set off that edge of hunger for now. As he began to dig into his inadequate meal he kept his eyes on the door. Even in a safe zone he couldn't quite trust people here. The thought of being PKed and actually dying only made him more distrusting of the people in this game.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Creius
Completed Thread

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan wandered around the first floor. The breeze blew around his silver hair a bit. His green eyes scanned his surroundings. He had black clothes on that would match his one day armor. He could see his weapon now and his armor. His starting blade was sheathed on his back. He was low leveled and so did not plan on going out into the plains alone. It was a dumb decision. He was even able to figure that out. Jonathan then began to smell food. His eyes moved to a place called Tired Warrior Resthouse. His stomach began to grumble. A bite of food couldn't hurt. 

Jonathan walked in and looked around. There was only a few people in the building. Jonathan brushed some of his silver hair out of his eyes and glanced at a table. He sat sown and swiped his hand in a downward motion. He selected his inventory and picked out some bread. He began to chew on the bread quietly catching his eye on a seemingly low leveled blue eyed boy. 

[Creius 0]

Nathan was minding his own business in the tavern, or at least trying to. The new entrant was making that a little hard to do though. He could feel the eyes looking at him and, out of the corner of his eyes, he could make out the silver haired face that was looking at him. He took a bite of the bread and downed it with water. Why couldn't he just eat in peace?  He set the bread down and pulled on the collar of his beginner's clothes, trying to cut off the eye contact with his face. He couldn't quite break it though and sat there, enduring the gaze. He could barely swallow his bread, relying heavily on the water to wash it down. What if he'd just been targeted by a PKer? Analysis of his clothes showed he wasn't farther than Nathan himself at all, if not in a similar position. That boded well if they were to fight. Just maybe he could take him. With the bread done he sat there and sipped away at the water, hoping the young man would stop staring at him. It was a bit unnerving.

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan watched as the young man moved and was trying to cut off eye contact. Jonathan stopped staring. Jonathan thought of what he would do next. He knew that if he would just sit here the boy would think he was weird. Jonathan never really socialized with anyone. He was alone all of his life. Probably you were not supposed to stare at people. Jonathan had to find a person to go out and help him become stronger. And another person with the same need would probably be best. 

Jonathan finished his bread and watered it down. Jonathan stood up and turned back to the boy. He quietly walked over his feet barely even making a sound at all. He had learned to keep his feet quiet. He sat down at his table to make sure they were at the same level of speaking and said, "Hello... my name is Jonathan. I am sorry to bother you but I would like to ask, would you possibly enjoy going to farm together out in the fields?" Jonathan sat quietly awaiting the boy's answer.

 

[Creius 0]

His remaining water didn't last too long and soon enough he was just holding an empty glass. He kept his eyes averted though, not really wanting to draw attention from the other boy. He heard the quiet whisper of shoes against the wood as someone approached his table in the quiet tavern. Nathan winced slightly, so much for avoiding a conversation. There was the noise of wood on wood as that same person drew themselves up a chair and sat at his table. Now that it was unavoidable Nathan let the cup disappear into pixels and looked at the silver-haired boy in his green eyes. There was a sense of intelligence there, one that worried Nathan a bit. A smart enemy was a dangerous one. When the boy spoke he could sense a bit of nervousness. So he was about as anti-social as Nathan was, that was a little more reassuring. He couldn't help but look away as he considered the offer. Sure he needed to begin somewhere, but he wasn't really a people person. "Um...I don't know..." He wasn't all that interested in running off into the fields with some random person he had just met. However, he'd watched plenty of beginners go and get themselves killed in the fields right out side of the town. He knew he needed some help to kickstart his adventure... "...I guess...Maybe for a bit..." He stood up from his chair, closing off further discussion for now on the subject. When he was standing he swiped his hand down and reequipped his rapier, enjoying the comfortable weight at his side now that he was dealing with a stranger. He was all set to go, his few belongings now at his side, so he looked to the silver-haired boy. "My name is Nathan." With that he went to the social portion of the menus and sent a party request to the boy across from him.

[Lessa 1]

The inn was relatively tame, which was just the way that Lessa liked it. Her activities that morning had followed the normal routine: wake up, travel to the first floor, locate players who need help, and train with them. For nearly every day the past year, the blonde had dedicated the morning hours to preparing others to survive within the confines of the death game. Wide-eyed, eager young players who had insisted on joining the front lines, but struggled to equip their own weapon. It still shocked her that, after so many months, there were still countless individuals with such delusions of grandeur. After a morning of working with people like that, the woman was eager to settle into a dark, quiet corner of the first floor. 

So she settled deeper into her chair, the wood groaning beneath the weight of her heavy armor. Her gauntlets rest on the table before her; she had removed them to more easily hold her gauntlet of ale. Hell Rose, her claymore, was draped across her lap. The woman was content to stay as she was, nursing her drink, and letting the frustrations of the morning seep away. But the conversation that she inadvertently overheard changed her mind immediately.

The two players, she realized upon a quick inspection, were brand new to the game. Though she could not determine their levels for certain, their starter gear was a dead give-away. She was very familiar with it, having worn it herself in another lifetime. She pushed back from her chair and, in a few long strides, closed the distance between her table and theirs.

"Gentlemen," she greeted softly. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I did hear that you're planning on going out into the field. Are you planning on going with a higher-level player?"

Edited December 12, 2015 by Lessa

[Creius 0]

Nathan, upon hearing the heavy foot steps from behind him could only groan slightly. Not another person... He turned and saw a surprisingly well equipped player. This one could kill him in a heartbeat if she wanted to. That much he could tell in an instant. He glared at her a little bit, not trusting his life with her in the slightest. What type of fool did she think him to be that he would just join her because she offered to help? On top of that she was a part of one of the most powerful guilds in Aincrad. That didn't really sit well with Nathan. That much power and he was simply supposed to trust she wouldn't cut him in half? He wasn't trusting enough to let her come... "Sadly, I believe I'll have to decline your offer... You would probably attract stronger mobs than the two of us can handle." There was a certain amount of truth in his rejection of her assistance, just enough to where his distrusting nature hopefully didn't show. The armour and her natural assumption that they were weak were just a bit too much for him to trust. He doubted his rapier would be able to penetrate that thick armour and if he couldn't effectively fight back he didn't want to risk the chance of her killing them.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Creius

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan watched as the boy turned to look at him. he hesitated for a moment before accepting his offer. The boy stood and then equipped his rapier, which seemed to add comfort to him. Jonathan smiled and then heard heavy footsteps heading their way. Jonathan looked where a girl stood. The blond had a huge claymore and she seemed to be able to wield it very well. She was very powerful and could probably cleave him in two easily. The girl began to speak. The sound of which he flinched at. He didn't hear a female's voice that often. He was only use to his Father's. She asked if they were thought strong enough to go out alone but Nathan denied. His answer was she would attract higher level monsters but Jonathan could hear in his voice that there was a deeper meaning than that. Jonathan then began to worry. He was nervous on how the girl would take Nathan's answer. He began to bore his green eyes into the girl's. 

Edited December 13, 2015 by Morgenstern

[Lessa 1]

As sad as it was to admit, his response did not surprise her. Countless other players had turned down her offers for aid as well, letting their own stubbornness cloud their better judgement. Or maybe there was no better judgement to cloud, she thought bitterly, her jaw working as she studied the raven-haired boy. But while it did not surprise her, it did disappoint her. If this was the mindset of Aincrad's lower-leveled population, she wondered if there was any hope left for them. Lessa's eyes, a shade very similar to his, narrowed. 

"Understood," she replied tartly, the initial gentleness of her tone dropping instantly. A small voice reminded her to proceed cautiously. Perhaps the boys did not know any better, or there was an external factor impacting their decision. But much of her mind was consumed by a louder voice, which spoke to the stupidity that the pair displayed. There should be nothing keeping them from seeking safer training.

When she continued, she addressed both men. "However, I did not actually offer to help you. I just wanted to make sure that you were smart enough to not go out alone."

[Creius 0]

Nathan heard the terseness in her voice as she continued on. He didn't like being called, especially by someone he didn't know. Plus, she didn't know why he'd rejected her help. It wasn't like he didn't want help, it was just hard to trust his life into the hands of a complete stranger. He stared into her eyes, letting a silent pause extend as he cooled off from her comment on their decision. He knew better than to rise to anger so he wouldn't answer in anger or frustration like she had. "Obviously you don't understand an even more pressing matter that is the true reason why I reject your offer. I rejected your offer for help because I can't trust you. My friend here is at a similar level than me so I could at least put up a fight if he were to decide he wanted to slip his blade into my back." He turned back slightly so he was looking into Jonathan's green eyes and nodded an apology. His words might have caused offense and he knew he should apologize for their truth. "Sorry, but it is true. I don't really trust you either." With that out of the way he turned back to the woman in front of him. "You however, I can't risk trusting. You're many times stronger than the two of us combined. If you were to betray us, we couldn't stop you. Hell, you might be able to kill the two of us in one stroke. I'm sorry that it obviously frustrates you but I am not willing to risk the chance." That was all there was to say on the matter. It was the entirety of the truth. He couldn't trust her an inkling, that was just how it was. He held the stare for a bit, trying too see if any understanding about the predicament came to her.

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan listened to Nathan speak about why he did not let the girl join them. He was really being harsh about it. He looked to Nathan who was talking about how he really didn't trust him either he could just be a match to Jonathan, which made sense. He looked back at the girl and up to her cursor. Green. Jonathan knew that the woman would most likely not attack. Jonathan did not say anything though, trying to make friends with Nathan. He never really had a friend before.... Jonathan also understood an emotion in Nathan's voice. Anger. Hatred. His voice was as hard as cold iron. If the boy was trying to avoid being PKed then he was not doing a very good job. Jonathan thought for a moment then realized. He hadn't said a word in this discussion. 

[Lessa 1]

Instinctively, she opened her mouth to argue. The man was spewing nonsense, and it was her job, as a more seasoned player, to set him straight. But then, just as quickly, she closed it again. No, she could not go on thinking that way. Every time that she made someone else her responsibility, she gave them a part of her. She made herself vulnerable. When something went wrong, she also took the damage. And maybe that was why she was so broken.

"Fine," she replied finally. "Clearly, you're set in your ways. I'm not going to go on trying to change your mind. I just hope that your misplaced paranoia doesn't lead to your death." Then, with a sideways glance at his silent companion, she added, "or anyone else's." She took a few steps backward, collecting her gauntlets and claymore from the table where she had left them. When she spoke for a final time, just moments before exiting the inn, it was directly to the boy with the emerald eyes. "My name is Lessa. If you get into trouble, please do not hesitate to message me."

[Lessa exits the thread.]

[Creius 0]

Nathan shuffled slightly after the woman, Lessa, had left the inn. Her comments stung, mostly because they were true. He'd just been hurt or seen too many others get hurt by the actions of others. He couldn't quite open himself up in that way, not able to completely trust himself to someone else. After a bit of mulling he turned to Jonathan, looking him directly in his eyes. "Jonathan... If you want to go at any time I understand. I'm not exactly the best person to party with and I know that. I've always done better as a solo-player since I never trusted parties. I wouldn't blame you if you ran out that door and chased down Lessa. You'd probably have better chances of surviving with her anyways..." He sighed and shuffled a bit where he stood. He wasn't good at these types of things and that would be the one thing that would get him killed. He knew that his ability to trust people was too severely lacking. Maybe time would temper him or he could find a group of people that he could actually trust... That'd be the only way he'd survive this death game. The party offer still stood, all that mattered now was whether he would accept or reject it. Seeing as how things had gone in the inn he could see Jonathan running out the door in hopes of better chances of survival.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Creius

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan watched as the girl began to get angered and walk away with a few unnice comments. Before she went she turned to him and said her name was Lessa and if he ever needed help, contact her. Nathan turned to him and said it was alright if he felt the need to go, that he was usually better alone. Jonathan looked into his eyes and said, "I know what it feels like to work better alone, I was once always alone, solitary. I think we both should get a second chance to be able to work with other people." One day Jonathan would not have this problem. He would own a powerful guild and be well known and respected among most- then hated by the others. 

"I say we should begin to set off, I do believe the monsters become stronger once night falls". Jonathan unsheathed his blade as he walked out of the restaurant and sent Nathan a party invite. Perhaps they both could learn from eachother. Lessa huh?...

[Creius 0]

This guy had to be insane for still wanting to party with him. Nathan was dumbfounded by the fact Jonathan was still willing to party up and was only able to nod at the thought of a second chance. That's something he could use. He didn't completely trust Jonathan at the moment, but maybe one day... Let's see how this first bit of adventuring went before thinking about the future. Had to survive today first. When the party invitation came up his finger hovered over the blue accept button. After the brief hesitation he pushed the button and followed Nathan out the door. "Yeah, let's go. I'm feeling the need to kill something at the moment. Thanks for giving me the chance, hopefully it doesn't get the two of us killed." He'd try his best not to die today but he was making life a little difficult for himself by being so distrusting, Thankfully he'd met someone who at least understood working alone was hard. Maybe they'd end up being successful together and have a bright future. Or, maybe they'd end up dying to the first mob they would encounter. Wouldn't know until they were out there and making their future.

[Morgenstern 1]

OOC: So we don't die we will lower the stats of the mob. 1 damage 4 health, 0 mitigation  So no loot obtained

 

Jonathan watched as Nathan accepted the party request. On his left hand vision he could see another life bar other than his. Creius. He did not question it but he wondered. Jonathan gripped his blade tightly as walked out into the fields. Jonathan felt good to be in fresh open air. He couldn't wait until he could actually do this himself, alone. Jonathan's green eyes scanned his surroundings and caught sight of a boar. Jonathan held his blade so tight that his knuckles whitened. They had the advantage. The enemy had no idea they were coming. Jonathan grabbed his blade and attacked. 

Id: 41915 BD: 2

Jonathan attacked bringing his blade in a downward slant motion. His blade missed the target which he figured would have happened. Before the boar could retaliate Jonathan jumped back and yelled "switch" launching in a perfect opportunity for Nathan to attack. 

Edited December 13, 2015 by Morgenstern

[Creius 0]

OOC: Fine by me (Not that I really have a choice since you went and initiated battle already)

 

When Jonathan's username, Morgenstern, appeared in his vision peripheral he smiled slightly. You would think he would have chosen hammer if he chose that to be his nickname. Not that it mattered, usernames didn't have to mean anything. Sometimes they just sounded cool and were there for a placeholder. He followed Jonathan out of the town and into the surrounding grasslands and trudged along, looking at the new sights as they passed them on the path. He watched as something caught Jonathan's eyes and noticed the boar in the tall grass. Their first target, and hopefully their first victim. He followed Jonathan after the boar and watched as his partner made his attack. He had to contain his laughter as his partner whiffed his attack and had to hurriedly run up to make his follow up attack.

41917          BD:9  (1 Base + 1 Weapon Skill + 1 Crit. Bonus = 3 DMG Dealt)        CD:8           LD:9          MD: 5          

(OOC: Are we going to do Mobs as separate posts then? Or will you include the mob's attack first in your next post?} 

Nathan charged the boar quickly after Jonathan shouted out the switch command. It wasn't his first time in an MMO and even if he didn't sually party up he did understand the basic callouts. Unlike Jonathan's attack, Nathan was able to land a sound blow on the boar, cutting a long gash along its side with his rapier. He watched as the health bar the porker dropped down past half health and close to red. Not quite enough damage to kill it but almost there. However, no he was wide open to a counterattack and he knew the boar wouldn't be too happy with the wound he'd just inflicted upon it.

 

 

[Morgenstern 1]

OOC: This post I will have the boars as well as my attack, 

Boar

The boar was enjoying itself immensely, It was chewing on the fresh green grass until suddenly he head a whiish as a blade passed him missing. The boar turned and another boy was already on him. This one hit almost killing him. The boar reared back and charged forward headed at the one that actually did damage. Its feet pummeled the ground and it put its head down ready for an attack. 

Id: 41930 MD: 2

The boar charged but it ended up flying right past him. It began to slow himself down readying for another attack. 

Jonathan  ID: 41930 BD: 8

Jonathan watched as the boar reared back and charged at Nathan. The creature missed Nathan and went in ready for another charge. Jonathan grabbed his blade and charged himself. The boar began to run at him and Jonathan sidestepped and made a long gash at the side of the boars body. It shattered into pixels. Jonathan sheathed his blade. No one was hurt which was the best thing. Jonathan cracked a smile and looked at Nathan. "That was fun, wasn't it"

 

Edited December 13, 2015 by Morgenstern

[Creius 0]

Nathan backed off from his position of imbalance, trying to recover himself from his attack on the boar. Luckily the boar missed its charge and Nathan was able to stumble back into balance. He turned and saw the boar preparing for another charge and Nathan prepared himself to roll out of the way but then Jonathan came and struck the boar in the side, finishing it off. He watched as the boar dissolved into pixels and disappeared into the air. Nathan sighed in obvious relief, somehow they'd made it out unscathed. He'd been terribly worried that he might have led Jonathan out here to his death like Lessa had presumed he was. "Yeah, fun. That's what this death game is... I'm glad I didn't get you hurt. My stubbornness might get me killed but that doesn't mean that I should bring someone with me." He sheathed his rapier and turned toward the wall of the Town of Beginnings. "You want to head back now or find something else to fight?" Both options had their appeals. Honestly, the combat training would be nice for the future. This was the first time Nathan had actually used his blade and any practice would save his life in the future. However, they'd gotten really lucky this time around. He didn't want to go get them killed because they had pushed their luck a little too far.

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan watched as Nathan sheathed his blade. The boys was glad they made it out just fine. Then Nathan gave them the option of going back or fight some more." I say we should fight just a bit more, anyway we will never get better if we can't beat the first enemy in the game...". Jonathan grabbed his blade out of his sheath. One day he would easily be able to take on these, five at a time. He needed to train now to be able to get better. He also secretly didn't say it but it was the first time ever that he actually used his blade. The sun's position probably gave them another hour of daylight before it got dark. Wolves were more common in the night. 

"This time, you can make the first attack. I presume if we both hit the first time then we can easily be able to kill the darn thing...". Jonathan swung his blade in the air. He had to hit this time. The first time.