[SP-F2] A Time to Hunt - Bagging Up Those Wintery Flakes pt. 1 Redux

[Brax 0]

     Having had a good rest the night before in Urbus, Brax woke up today with a mission in mind: getting snowflakes.  He had spent the last several days training, building up an inventory of damage potions, and had leveled up to his 2nd stage sword arts on his Battle Axe, giving him access to an AOE attack.  With his Veteran's Axe in hand, and a high damage AOE in tow, he knew that he would mow down large mobs collecting loot and snowflakes galore, the better to help win this contest he had chosen to participate in.  While he would have preferred his training, he had chosen to commit himself to the task, knowing that he needed the supposed camaraderie associated with helping others.  And perhaps, it would lead others to ask him along on their journeys throughout Aincrad, giving him opportunities to engage his weak socialization skills and flex his mind in new and different ways, ways that could ignite a spark in his damaged brain.

     Brax knew that it would be better to hunt where your are familiar with your surroundings, which would put him on floors 1 and 2.  And since he was already in Urbus on floor two, he would hunt here, hunting down prey wherever it was to be found.  He knew, though, that his damage would not be up to par for his hunting trip, so before exiting Urbus Brax consumed one of his Potions of Strength, feeling the maroon liquid pour down his throat and empower his limbs with a simple increase.  It felt like fire filling his veins, a weak burning sensation throughout his body, then it cooled, simply leaving him with a sense of increased power.  He was ready.

Activating Potion of Strength (+1 damage for a thread)

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45589

Spoiler

BD 9 +3 ACC LD 14 MoBD 8 -1 EVA

Brax 28/32 [6 - 5 MIT] x 4 = 4 DMG EN 3/8

Wolf 1 -4/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

Wolf 2 -4/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

Wolf 3 -4/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

Wolf 4 -4/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

     He did not have to wait long for his first opportunity to use the new Sword Arts he had received from his level up.  Stepping out of Urbus into the surrounding open plains, he happened upon a large group of wolves, eagerly in search of prey such as himself.  Not wanting to waste such a chance as this, Brax engaged the creatures in mortal combat.

     As they sniffed the air and noticed his presence, Brax took notice of them as well.  Having never fought more than one foe before now, it was an interestingly novel thing to have to keep track of multiple foes at once.  The wolves coordinated themselves well, probably having done this many times with other unlucky players, as two broke of from the pack to flank Brax to the left and right, effectively boxing him in and leaving him unable to run.  'Not that I was planning to,' thought Brax silently.  The two in front warily eyed their trapped prey, jaws salivating at the chance to rend him limb from limb.  But Brax would be the victor here, not these savage beasts, and he set his axe to the right, feeling the Cardinal System take hold of his body in preparation for Lumberjack, his group strike.  His axe shone darkly, collecting power for the assault, and as the two wolves in front of him charged in attack formation, he felt the system draw his axe in opposition to them, slashing a wide arc before his eyes and slicing the beasts in half.  Enraged by the death of their comrades, the two flanking creatures jumped into the fray, crisscrossing Brax along his arms and breastplate with sharp scratches, but his sword art continued it's deadly actions by slashing twice more, left to right and right to left, both hits severing the flankers just as it had done to start.  Surrounded by vanishing pixels, Brax was intrigued by the power of his new attacks.  'So this is the strength of the AOE,' he mused, 'not too bad.'  Though it had drained his reserves considerably, Brax knew that it would come in handy to deal with more than one opponent at once, come the future.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+320 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     Having expended much of his energy, Brax took the next few moments looking about the plains in search of materials and rest.  Logically, he knew that he could not do what he had done very often, for at least the moment, he lacked the reserves for such things.  As he leveled, his energy would rise, and with it, his experiences here in Aincrad.  The more useful he proved, the more people might wish to associate with him, the more he would experience and the more he might come to remember.  As he mused, his eyes roamed the countryside, though they failed in their quest to find anything of worth.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     Wandering from the area, he pulled closer to the dense forests that dominated much of the flatlands of floor two.  While the floor was mostly mountainous, settlements dotting the level tops and deep craters adorning them, the flat areas were covered mostly in trees, large forests that housed many a foreboding creature.  He traversed the open lands surrounding Urbus, though, trying to maintain a decently close distance to the main city in an attempt to remain 'safe', such as it was.  Not in fear, mind you, as Brax was unable to feel such things, but rather in order to remain close to the necessary shops for potions and the like, should he require more than the fare he currently carried.  His careful gaze continued to fail at the current task of finding suitable crafting supplies for sale to others.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     This time resting and regenerating his energy gave him precious moments to think, but his thoughts were not things he wanted to confront as of yet.  During his training he had discovered the Pactagonal Knights reference, and he had wondered several times what it could have been referring to.  But as with all things he considered extraneous, he pushed it from his mind.  In order to find the reference, he needed people.  In order to get people, he needed power.  And in order to get power, he currently needed to hunt.  Feeling his energy topping off, he readied himself for another round of combat.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45590

LD 8

     Unfortunately for him, Brax found no enemies in the vicinity to slay.  The area was devoid of creatures, both good and bad.  He would be forced to move on, most likely in the direction of the forest's edge, playing the odds that a decent mob would be waiting to taste the steel of his blade, and sate what could quickly become a blood thirsty weapon if left to it's own devices.  The weapon almost called to him, though he knew that such things could not be real, called for battle and bone.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45591

BD 9 +3 ACC LD 16 MoBD 9 -1 EVA N/A

Brax 26/32 [6 + 1crit - 5 MIT] x 4 = 8 DMG EN 3/8

Wolf 1 -1/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

Wolf 2 -1/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

Wolf 3 -1/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

Wolf 4 -1/16 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 20 DMG

 

Another group of wolves required Brax's attention at the edge of the forest. They appeared much like the previous pack, all snarls and fangs, and looking for a person to snack on. Brax seemed to be down wind of the pack, though, so they had yet to notice his approach. Surprising, given that he was fully clad in heavier armor, not exactly lending itself to stealth tactics. Be that as it may, he managed to close the gap between them without being spotted. Setting his axe to the left, he put in motion the Lumberjack Sword Art yet again, the movement beginning to feel relatively natural as it flowed through him. Left to right, right to left, and left to right once more, the three wide slashes from his powerful blade cut into the closely packed wolf pack, and as his weapon stopped glowing, the beasts surprised pixel mist disappeared into the air above, leaving behind more mats and snowflakes for his hunting purposes.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+320 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     He had first considered the practice anathema to his true desire: the remembering of his memories.  How could losing one's self help to restore the past?  But, while he did not battle with the emotions that meditation normally strove to subdue and pacify, making their presence a part of him again, he found the process very...fulfilling, as if for at least a moment, his desire did not consume him or his thought process, which he supposed was the point.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     It was this desire that ordered his thoughts, that drove his behavior.  He knew what others had said about him.  Brax was a robot, devoid of emotions, and it was true.  He could not process his feelings in the same ways as everyone else.  Brain damage did that to a man.  But, his current meditation was not for introspection, but rather, a chance to lose that desire to look inwards in search of another clue to his past.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45592

LD 6

     His attention focused inwards, he could not be bothered to search for loot or materials in the area.  Brax tried to turn his meditations towards a specific goal, the ruminations on the Pactagonal Knights, but all the training he had done in the skill only allowed him to clear his mind, not guide it down a path of his choosing.  It was the most frustrating aspect of the task itself, at least it would be if Brax felt the sensation, though part of him could seemingly understand on a basic level that stymied feeling of going nowhere fast.  He began to bring himself out of it, deciding to try it another day.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45593 7 2 8

BD 7 +3 ACC LD 2 MoBD 8 -1 EVA

Brax 25/32 [6 - 5 MIT] x 4 = 4 DMGEN 3/8

Wolf 1 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

Wolf 2 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

Wolf 3 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

Wolf 4 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

 

Ending his meditation, Brax rose up from the depths of his mind to find his energy had returned. He rose from his seated position, and after a short stretch he went in search of more beasts to hunt, finding another pack of wolves to slake his axe's thirst for blood. His Epitaph glowed brightly as it sent power coursing into his body, and as he engaged the rabid pack it allowed his frame to dodge each of their attacks effortlessly. He weaved into their midst like a ballerina performing a dance of death. His weapon glowed a moment as Brax concentrated, and in the middle of the four beasts he unleashed his Lumberjack, the three wide-arced strikes spinning him in a pirouette of pain and killing all of them quickly. Again, he would need to rest, but before doing so, he gathered the potions that had dropped, as well as the standard loot from all monsters.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

 

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

Brax chose to wander this time, spending his current rest searching for more mats. Turning over every rock and twig he could find, he found success nestled in the blades of grass of an open space just shy of one of the large forests dotting the floor. Picking it up for examination, the dull rock had a few flecks of crystal embedded in it, it was filled with impurities, and even the most cursory examination of the surrounding lands could tell that it had nothing to offer, material wise.  He moved on, feeling the computer generated breeze wash over his skin.  The sun was high overhead, and there were monsters and mats still in need of finding.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     They seemed to be hiding from his watchful gaze, those mats and monsters.  Though Brax was not yet ready to face another hoard of beasts, he at least could attempt to find some crafting supplies, if not for himself than for others in the world of Aincrad.  He had not thought of a profession for himself, personally, but if he made a new acquaintance or two while adventuring, perhaps his mats could go towards their skill building.  He would first need to find others to engage with socially, though, and for a mentally damaged individual with weak social skills, that was quite a challenge.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45594

Spoiler

BD 5 +3 ACC LD 17 MoBD 9 -1 EVA

Brax 17/32 [6 + 1crit - 5 MIT] x 4 = 8 DMGEN 0/8

Wolf 1 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

Wolf 2 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

Wolf 3 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

Wolf 4 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

     Not that Brax was truly in desperate need for a companion or two, for the moment.  He could take care of larger mobs all by himself, such as the wolf pack he was about to engage in battle.  They milled about just outside the forest and as Brax weaved through the tree line, they sniffed the air and saw him approach, fangs bared in anticipation of a succulent meal of adventurer steak.  There was something a bit different about this group, Brax noticed, but as they began to run him down, he put it from his mind.  Setting his axe to the right and twisting just so, he felt his new Lumberjack attack begin to charge up.  The beasts came in a wave, one after another, and with a mighty roar he believed would deter any other monsters from capitalizing on his dropping guard, he released his hold on his body and flowed through the motions, his first strike cutting the first wolf in half, his second doing the same, and his third knocking the last wave of two wolves into the air that, after landing hard, exploded into so many pixels.  Breathing hard at the depletion of his energy, Brax believed the battle over.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+320 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Brax chose to sit and rest following the heated battle.  He even lay down in the vegetation beneath him, the better to regain his energy expenditures.  He could not nap, at least out in the open, but at least the refreshing situation he found himself in would allow his raggedly run frame to get a chance to recover.  Battle was a wearying game, and he was quite unprepared for it in his current state.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

He had used quite a large amount of energy in the conflicts previously.  He logically knew that this was not his real body, and that the loss of energy shouldn't affect his actual stamina, but after such a contest, even Brax's supremely logical outlook could not overcome his supposed physical weariness.  He opened his eye a bit, searching for any threats that may catch him while he rested, and seeing none, closed them again.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

His breathing return to normal after 10 minutes or so, and he felt the system replenish his reserves quickly. He felt sore, and though pain was a feeling like any other, one that he barely felt, he recognized that he would need to begin moving, in order to keep the muscles from getting locked up. He stood and shook out the kinks beginning to form in his sore body, and with a last look about the tree line for mats or monsters, he began to move off.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45595

BD 6 +3 ACC LD 1 MoBD 4 - 1 EVA

Brax 20/32 EN 6/8

Wolf Pack Leader -1/16 [7 x 3 Ultimate Breaker - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

He skirted the tree line, looking for a suitably safe place to truly rest his tired mind, and to perhaps break open his rations, fuel his physical frame. Near the southern edge of the forest was a small cave, not very deep in the mountains, that would provide some protection from any monster or player that might wish ill towards someone in the wilds. But first, it had to be cleared of it's inhabitants. He had attracted the attention of a pack leader, a slightly larger wolf with blood soaked fur and a much more cunning gleam in it's eyes. It's lips curled into a menacing snarl and struck hard, catching Brax completely unawares and knocking him down before trying to pepper him with a myriad of scratches that would have drawn red pixels from Brax's body. Flailing about, Brax managed to push the monster back just enough to set his axe to the side but in his confusion, he set it lower than either the Whirlwind or Lumberjack he was used to. Thankfully, his axe glowed in response, and as Brax watched relatively helplessly, his body moved into the Ultimate Breaker technique. His axe rose twice in an uppercut-like motion, and the strength of the two blows lifted the raging beast partially into the air at eye level. For a finale, it drew the axe above his head and brought it down atop the creature's head, slamming it into the ground where it flattened and burst into a pixel shower.

+1 material

+1 snowflake

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45596 4 18 8

Spoiler

BD 4 +3 ACC LD 18 MoBD 8 -1 EVA

Brax 19/32 [6 - 5 MIT] = 1 DMG EN 4/8

Wolf Pack Leader Mate -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Ultimate Breaker - 4 MIT] = 17 DMG

     From deep within the cave came another howling cry: the wolf leader had a mate, and she was pissed at the death of her beloved.  She ran of the darkness of the cave, murderous rage emanating from her eyes as she barreled into Brax's breastplate hard enough to dent the metal.  He deflected the blow partially, pushing the angry dog off to the right.  Before she had a chance to turn and recover, he moved his body into another Ultimate Breaker, the three blows dazing then killing the mournful female.  Brax eyed the mouth of the cave incase another wolf decided to make an appearance, but all he heard was a shuffling of paws deep within.

+1 material

+1 snowflake

+80 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Partially weakened, with a little over half his health remaining, Brax contemplated the best way to confront the pack inside.  He could not just run in there, as the darkness would obscure his combat capabilities.  Not only that, but he was also unaware of the size of the mob itself.  It could have been 4 or 24 for all he knew, and those were not good odds to play with.  As he was still near the treeline, he came up with a solution: hiding behind the trees for cover, he would toss a rock into the darkness and draw out whatever was inside.  Then, after seeing the strength the group possessed, he would either slay it or move on.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax