[6F - SP] Calming the Soul - The Reflection in the Mirror-Bright Shield [Completed]

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76942 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 10 - Hit! 5 dmg + 2 - 4 mit = 3 dmg, Bleed rounds remaining: 2

Reflection: HP: 65/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 1 - Miss

"An interesting hypothesis once again," replied the reflection, quirking its eyebrow. "And what am I meant to show you then?"

It took two short steps and swung at Shield's head. Stepping to the side, Shield evaded the attack altogether and swung the spike of his own axe directly into the reflection's face.

"Just like a mirror, it's been staring me in the face this whole time," Shield replied. "You're a warning about my impatience, my haste, and quite likely, my ambition for the front lines."

He ripped the axe free, spraying red sparks into the air to drift among the stars that dotted the battle's scenery. The reflection stood gaping on the spot, a wide gash dividing its eyes and hiding its nose from view completely. Finally, once the effects of Shield's last attack finally sunk in, the reflection smiled an incomplete smile, the center of its mouth currently missing, only displaying a glittering red gash.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76943 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 1 - Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 1

Reflection: HP: 39/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 7 + 3 = 10 - Hit! - 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen, Thorns - 14 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

"I suppose once you unravel the clue, it doesn't take long to get to the point, does it?" sighed the reflection. "Well then, since you've solved the riddle, I don't suppose you'd mind if I stopped holding back, would you?"

Without another moment of delay, the mirror image darted forward. Shield tried to cut it off with a downward swing of his axe, but it dodged nimbly to the side and clashed its own weapon against Shield's exposed shoulder. The speed was startling, though nothing Shield had not seen before. Between the thorns and the continually bleeding gash still obscuring much of the reflection's face, it was clear that the battle was nearly at an end.

Shield continued to retort with his own weapon, but it was difficult to find purchase now that his opponent had kicked into high gear. Its riddle may have been defeated, but it was not going to go down without a fight.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76944 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 3 - Miss, Bleed rounds remaining: 0

Reflection: HP: 27/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 9 + 3 = 12 - Hit! - 4 dmg + 1 - 34 mit - 27 regen, Bleed - 12 dmg

Shield tried to retreat in order to give himself space to think, but the reflection in front of him continued to press forward, not giving him an inch of space. He picked up his speed, practically running backwards, but with his feet kicking higher with each step, the mirror image had a very easy time using the hooked bottom of its axe's head to hook under Shield heel.

With a crash, he toppled backwards, hitting his back hard. In the real world, it might have even knocked the wind out of him. With a flourish, the mirror image dropped to one knee and dug the point of its weapon deep into Shield's chest. Its life was still trickling away, but the wound was beginning to close. He knew that there was no way he could truly lose this battle, but he did not want to win it simply by letting his armor do the work for him.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76945 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Battle: 10 - Hit! 5 dmg + 2 - 4 mit = 3 dmg, Bleed *reset* rounds remaining: 2

Reflection: HP: 10/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4
MOB: 7 + 3 = 10 - Hit! - 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen, Thorns - 14 dmg

With his shield arm, he reached up and pinned his opponent's axe in place, not letting him pull it free from his chest. The reflection's head bobbed backwards in surprise, unsure of how to respond. In the moment of confusion, Shield swung his axe down, planting the spike of it directly into the top of the reflection's head.

Its mouth still open in shock, the image checked its health and gaped for a few more moments as its life teetered on the edge of nothing.

"Its going to bleed as soon as we pull apart," Shield said quietly in the silence that followed.

"It will," said the reflection.

"As soon as it starts to bleed, you're done," he went on.

"I am," it agreed.

"Well, do you have anything else to tell me before then?" Shield asked.

"I suppose I want to know what you learned through eliminating all of your greatest flaws," it said, its eyes glossing over a little.

"You know as well as I do that defeating them here doesn't make them go away," he answered with a smirk.

"You're right. Forgive me for trying to sneak in one last trick question."

"I would expect nothing less."

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield

[Shield 0]

Spoiler

ID# 76946 results:

Shield: HP: 400/400, Damage per Attack: 5, Mitigation: 34, Evasion: -3, Regen: 27
Bleed rounds remaining: 1

Reflection: HP: -16/300, Damage per Attack: 4, Mitigation: 4 [DEAD]
MOB: 5 + 3 = 10 - Hit! - 4 dmg - 34 mit - 27 regen, Thorns - 14 dmg, Bleed - 12 dmg

With a smile, the mirror image sighed.

"Well, I suppose that's it then," it said with a note of finality in its voice. "You'll forgive me if I don't let myself go down without a fight."

Forcing itself back onto its feet, and wrenching free both the axe in Shield's chest and the axe in the top of its head, the mirror image drew its arm back and sliced through Shield's stomach. Between the red spouting from its head and the scratches on its hand from grazing Shield's armor, the last of the life vanished from the demon's health gauge, and it vanished in a burst of red light. The pixels swirled among the stars like a supernova, thinning themselves out over more and more space until they disappeared without a trace.

Shield felt his body go cold, and suddenly the entire world was split at the horizon by a blinding light. The fissure in reality spread to overtake the starry battlefield until slowly, the light began to dim and the world began to come into focus. It took a great deal of effort for Shield to open his eyelids the rest of the way, and as the little space by the waterfall came into focus, so too did a small dialog box in front of him.

[Congratulations!!]

Another readout popped into existence below it, displaying his earnings from completing the quest.

"What's this? A new skill?" he said, blinking to clear his vision the rest of the way.

Sure enough, the Meditation skill had been unlocked for him.

"Appropriate," he chuckled to himself before exiting out of the windows and struggling up to his feet.

His legs felt like jelly, if jelly was filled with pins and needles, that is. As life returned to his limbs, he made his way carefully back down the steep trail he had taken to get to the waterfall in the first place.

"I think that's enough sight-seeing for today."

[Quest Rewards]

5 SP (2 quest reward, 3 thread length)

1200 Col (3 pages x 400)

Unlocked Skill: Meditation

Edited February 8, 2017 by Shield