[SP-F2] A Time To Hunt - Bagging up those Wintery Flakes pt. 2 Redux

[Brax 0]

     After resting in the cave for a time, Brax felt his body rejuvenate back to normal.  He wondered what was affecting his body so, and surmised it to be the potions of strength that he had gathered on his journeys.  It was the only thing he could think of; either that, or his previous exercise in the real world, his stamina and cross country running he had done just to stay fit, was not preparation enough for actual battlefield conditions.  Be that as it may, he could not hunt properly with the added assistance the potions provided.  'Perhaps it is only associated with potions found in the fields,' he mused, 'so if I were to purchase them from a reputable vendor, I would not be facing such hardships.'  He filed the thought away for further study, and resigning himself to the effects, poured another one down his gullet.  Getting up, he marked the cave on his map, in case he needed to rest again after his next hunting party.

Consumed 1 Potion of Strength (+1 damage for the thread)

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45598

Spoiler

BD 7 +3 ACC LD 11 MoBD 3 -1 EVA

Brax 32/32 EN 3/8

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

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

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

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

     Brax exited the small cave and surveyed his surroundings.  He had not noticed during the battle with those pesky wolves, but cresting a nearby hill he found that the cave was near a midsized lake, replete with all the accoutrements associated with it.  Flocks of birds bathed in it's waters, swans and geese and such.  Fish leap upwards toward the sun, their glistening bodies glittering under it's rays.  Normal animals, most assuredly unlike their savage kin, frolicked in the gentle waves on the shoreline.  As Brax drew closer, however, a persistent buzz echoed in his ears.  Turning to face the sound, he saw a horde of wasps gathered amongst a flower bed.  They noticed him right away, and with a noticeable increase in their droning, the swarm attacked.  His Epitaph failed him then, the supernatural speed he derived from it failing to avoid the deadly stingers, and he felt them pierce his heavily armored frame.  The swarm circled around afterwards, looking for another opening in which to strike, but Brax was prepared: as they pulled away, he set his Lumberjack into motion, and on their return trip he let them have it.  Crisscrossing his body three times, his axe glowing with power, he struck down the swarming insects, left to right, right to left and left to right again, each blow managing to connect and damage several wasps at once.  With a final fritzing the swarm dispersed, and Brax collected what he could from their remains.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+320 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     Brax rested after the exertion of combat, gazing out on the lake and it's inhabitants.  It soothed him, in a way, much like the one he remembered from Berringer's.  They had a park there on the grounds, a few trees and open grasslands in Dawson's Creek, where the patients were able to relax and play, such as they could.  Though, they did not have a true lake, only a duck pond.  The aviary assortment here in AIncrad was much more diverse.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     He looked around the lake in search of more materials, but found nothing of worth, only the gentle breeze wafting over the smooth glassy surface of the water, interrupted by splashes from the denizens that called it home.  Only ducks had lived in their small pond at Berringer's, which he chose not to call his home.  Though that would have been an accurate depiction, given his status as ward of the state.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     For a moment, Brax's thoughts turned to family as he considered the concept of home.  Given his lack of feelings, of a desire for family and friendship save in the most basic and clinical of ways, he recalled talking to a fellow adventurer of the idea.  What was his home?  Berringer's?  Probably not, with all of their derangement and mentally disturbing viewpoints.  Even the doctors and nurses, nice as they were, could not substitute for a true family, such as he had seen them engage in.  Feeling his energy reach completion, Brax shook the thought from his head, trading it for a thought on a battle to come.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45599

Spoiler

BD 8 +3 ACC LD 16 MoBD 4 -1 EVA

Brax 28/32 EN 3/8

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

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

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

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

     Searching near the garden from which the previous swarm arose, he found another group of Wasps ready for combat, coming to investigate the death of their kin, no doubt.  This time, Brax lay in wait for them, hiding behind a nearby outcropping.  As they flew into the flowery meadow below his perch, he waited until they all were wandering amidst the fragrant flower patch.  When at last they all had gathered he struck, leaping from his concealment with his Lumberjack ready for battle.  The energy of the Epitaph was in full force, letting him come to rest lightly on his feet, and in doing so allowed his first swipe to catch the two rear guards to fall before even realizing he was there.  As their pixel showered upon him and the other Wasps began to turn, Brax charged forward with a spring in his step, letting the computer guide his remaining two attacks to cleave the insects asunder.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+320 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     Picking up the loot from his kills, Brax felt something more amongst the monster's drops.  Picking it up for a quick observation, he noticed that there seemed to be more stingers than there were monsters.  His mind thought the situation odd, to say the least.  'Hmm,' he wondered, 'Why would the system have dropped more loot than expected?  Is it a glitch?  No, probably not, not with how advanced the system clearly is.  Presumably, it must have been lying here all the while, waiting for someone to secure it for themselves.  Nothing but an extra mat.'

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     Getting up, Brax strode about the garden a final time before moving on alongside the lake, in search of more mats and monsters on his hunting trip.  He again conjured up the thoughts of family, touching on them briefly but knowing that they would require, like all else in his life, more time than he currently had to devote to them.  As he so often had to remind his wandering brain, his current considerations had to be achieving a modicum of strength in this world, before he could turn himself over to retrospection and his hidden past.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     That girl, the crimson killer, 'Teayre,' he recalled in his mind.  She had spoken to him of finding a family.  As he had previously thought, though, the people at Berringer's were no family of his.  But, given his lack of a past, as he had explained to her before she gave him the silent treatment, he had no roots to draw from, roots that would tell him what he was looking for, what he might need from a family beyond social needs and a place to rest.  He had no true desire for companionship beyond it's relationship to regaining his memories.  He again had to drag his mind away from the train of thought he had stoked, for he felt his energy returning, reigniting his need to continue the hunt.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45600

Spoiler

BD 8 +3 ACC LD 10 MoBD 6 -1 EVA

Brax 32/32 EN 3/8

Horned Frog 1 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17

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

Horned Frog 3 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17

Horned Frog 4 -1/16 DEAD [7 x 3 Lumberjack - 4 MIT] = 17

     Brax traveled the edge of the water, searching intently for another mob to hunt.  His quest proved fruitful as a quartet of frogs, hopping mad and brandishing horns on their brows, leapt out of the calm waters onto the shore.  Shaking the water from themselves, they ambled over to Brax in clear search of a brawl.  Not wanting to disappoint, he stepped into position with axe at the ready, dropped low on his right in pursuit of the Lumberjack Sword Art.  Pushing off of his right foot, he ran at the horny toads, all the while engaging the sweeping triple strikes that were the trademark of his particular weapon skill.  All three blows connected and with his final hit, he dispersed the mob into as many pixels as possible, collecting his loot as it dropped.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     Another depletion of his energy, another rest until it could recover, this was to be the norm for his hunting trips.  He again, as before, searched the area for any other signs, signs that would alert the dark-haired man of crafting supplies.  But, just as before, there were none to be had.  The endless expanse of landscape before him held nothing but his rapt attention, his excuse to not delve back into his thought that always threatened to consume his focus.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     But, as always, he could never stay away from them for long.  His mind always chased him down, much like the monsters he currently hunted sought to do.  They would corner him with words like 'family', 'loss', 'memory', 'feeling', 'desire', all in an attempt to slow him down during his training and hunting.  They never completely stayed buried, even as he was unable to express them.  His Alexithymia kept him from breaking down in hysteria, but it also left him...hollow...at times.  Not that he could feel it.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     No, to truly feel the 'hollowness' of one's soul, one would have to have had a soul to begin with.  This sort of reasoning worried Brax, or rather, Brandon, not because of fear or despair, which he still had not come to grips with, but rather because that kind of thing could descend into madness, which he knew quite a bit about, given his primary residence for his 'entire' life.  Pushing the thoughts back down, he soldiered on in his hunt, having felt the telltale sign of his returning reserves.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45601

Spoiler

BD 7 +3 ACC LD 12 MoBD 7 -1 EVA

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

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

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

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

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

     Since he had not moved on from where he had previously engaged the horned frogs, Brax was not at all shocked, not that he could be, when more amphibians rose from the depths of the lake to his current position.  Their yellow eyes gleamed from the shallows, and hopping towards him, they endeavored to avenge their fallen comrades.  Though they were not quite the same species, these frog still seemed to share a kinship with those who had fallen in battle, and it showed.

     They broke off into pairs and flanked Brax's person, the slimy creatures utilizing fairly decent tactics.  But Brax would not be fooled, his analytical mind working overtime to assess the threat, and deliver a sound strategy for success.  He felt the energy of the Epitaph activate, and with newfound power he overcame their maneuvers, dodging the flying frogs and their heavy tackles.  Setting his axe low on the right, and as the last frog whizzed harmlessly by his head, he felt more than saw his weapon glow with the activation of his Lumberjack.  Smiling ever so small, he struck the final amphibian down out of the sky, sending it crashing into one of the others on his opposite side.  Looking up in alarm, the four frogs had only enough time to give a final croak, as his last sweeps brought them together and at the same time, crushed them completely.  Hearing the telltale crunch of their passing, Brax turned around only to grab his winnings before resting again.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+320 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     Instead of sitting down this time, Brax decided to continue walking alongside the lakeshore, believing that perhaps he might have slightly better luck finding some mats amidst the shoals of the midsized body of water.  And, he was partially right: in the lapping waves he managed to procure a small shell, similar in design to what those performers in town used for their recordings.  If not, it could at least be used for decorating a fancy set of armor, whether light or heavy it did not matter.  The shell looked primarily decorative.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     The thought of crafting again brought his mind to a profession.  What should he do here in Aincrad?  While training and hunting were noble trades in and of themselves, he might find more people wanting to associate with him if he offered a good or service.  However, there wasn't anything truly special that he was capable of, though having said that, he knew that the vast majority of gamers here had probably not been blacksmiths, tailors, alchemists and such before the game had begun.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

 

     It was a silly notion to entertain, that ordinary boys and girls needed something 'unique' about them to begin a profession.  But, at the same time, nothing truly spoke to him when it came time to decide.  This was the real problem with having no past to rely on; Brax had no references to draw upon, no idea what he truly liked or, conversely, what he did not like.  With no true desire pulling at his heart, and no past to remember, he was more than a little adrift on the seas of uncertainty.  As he wondered about the answer to his questioning, his energy reminded him of it's fullness with a 'ping', and with that, he sauntered off in search of prey.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45602

LD 20

     Strolling along the shore, he kept his eyes peeled for more mats and monsters, crafting on his mind and monster killing in his hands.  The gentle lapping of the waves rose up to his ankles, a warm breeze creating ripples moving lazily towards the sandy embankment.  He reached into the surf, his gaze noticing some more shells of exquisite design, and he pocketed the prize for future transactions.

+1 material

 

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45603

BD 4 +3 ACC LD 13 MoBD 9 -1 EVA

Brax 20/32 [6 + 1crit - 5 MIT] x 4 = 8 DMG EN 3/8

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

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

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

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

 

Apparently, this particular aquatic region was a favorite watering hole for other creatures beyond frogs and insects, for when Brax rounded the next bend he stumbled into another pack of wolves slaking their thirst for water. It caught him unawares, allowing the wolves to also slake their thirst for battle, managing to slash and bite at him through his armor as he disengaged himself from their clutches. Jumping back from the fray, Brax engaged his Lumberjack Sword Art, and the three arcing attacks cleaved every one of the wolves in twain. Amid the disappearing pixels following their demise, he kept his guard at the ready, for he was keenly aware that for every pack, there must be a leader nearby.

+4 materials

+4 snowflakes

+320 col

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 45604

Spoiler

BD 9 +3 ACC LD 8 MoBD 2 -1 EVA

Brax 20/32 EN 1/8

Wolf Pack Leader 0/19 DEAD [7 + 1crit x 3 Ultimate Breaker - 5 MIT] = 19 DMG

And so it was that the Alpha Wolf presented itself, this one sleeker and longer in form. It's coat was gleaming as if it was sheathed in water, glistening in the rays of the sun high overhead. The fangs bared in it's mouth seemed sharper, too, but more graceful in appearance like a rapier, a weapon for a more civilized age. The creature rose from the water after having taken a short bath, presumably to wash off the remains of whatever it had previously killed. Seeing the loss of it's pack did not leave the beast perturbed, though, for it knew instinctively that it could find more wolves to lead. Instead, it slowly stalked the heavily armored man in a semi-circle, black eyes tracking his movements. It struck fast, moving like a silver blur, and it took every ounce of Epitaph energy to slide past the beast unharmed, just missing an evisceration by it's sharp claws. It turned quickly, but with resolution in his steps, Brax took fast advantage of the Pack Leader's mistake.  Setting his axe to the right side, he saddled up his Ultimate Breaker attack, the axe-head glowing green with power as he swung it before him.  All three hits connected, the first knocking the wolf back and the next two slamming it to the ground, which after a moment caused the beast to explode in a shower of death, pixels rising from the ground.  It fuelled a sense of accomplishment in Brax, his growing skill in combat, as he gathered his loot and watched the shower vanish.

+1 material

+1 snowflake

Edited January 15, 2016 by Brax