[F17 - SP] <<Challenge Of Olympus: Tailor>>

[Bahr 0]

It wasn’t every day that Bahr got a mysterious notification letting him know that there was a rare quest available for him on a higher floor. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he got a notification for anything. Nobody ever messaged him and he didn’t do anything noteworthy beyond menial, low level quests. It wasn’t that he was complaining about getting the notification, in fact he had been quite excited about it. Still, something seemed a little… off about the whole thing.

That being said, Bahr wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to take part in a rare quest. It could give him a unique skill like the Gemini had, or perhaps some exclusive equipment, the likes of which he hadn’t possessed yet. No matter what was in store for him, he didn’t plan on sitting back and letting destiny pass him by.

Approaching the teleport gate in the Town of Beginnings, Bahr stood before the slab and announced his target destination. “Teleport! Athenaia!”

[Bahr 0]

Upon reaching the seventeenth floor, Bahr was absolutely gobsmacked by the amazing architecture he saw all around him. The entire floor was Greek inspired, gigantic marble structures littering the environment in any direction he looked. Having always been a fan of buildings such as these, Bahr mentally kicked himself for never having adventured out so far. This place was like a dream! He could definitely see himself purchasing a house in a place like this.

He didn’t have much time for sightseeing, though, as the air in front of him started to tremble and wiggly about. As Bahr peered into the ripple in space, attempting to decipher meaning from its sudden appearance, a strange creature leapt forth. The NPCs in the surrounding area all collectively stopped what they were doing and gasped, gaping at the creature that had emerged right into the city center from the rift. Bahr wasn’t quite sure what to make of it himself.

[Bahr 0]

Standing before him was a man. But, it was also a goat. A goat man? What the hell was this thing? It scrambled to gain traction with its hooves against the marble tile that the flooring was composed of.

“Gods damnit, why does it always have to be this floor they send me to?” he said as he nearly slipped again, “Couldn’t send me anywhere with favorable terrain, right? They just have to send me to a place themed after them. Arrogant little-” It was then that the creature noticed that Bahr was standing in front of him. As though suddenly remembering that he had a job to do, he did his best to stand up straight and walk graciously toward Bahr, legs trembling, and deliver the news he had been commissioned to deliver. “Ahem… Ba-... wait a sec, let me make sure I’ve got the right guy…” he said as he thumbed through what appeared to be a Greek-style clipboard. “Bahr. That’s you, right?”

[Bahr 0]

“Uhh… Yes. That would be me. I’m Bahr,” Bahr responded, still a bit put off by whatever it was that was standing before him.

“Yes, yes, of course you are,” the creature responded dismissively, licking one of his fingers and turning the page on his clipboard. “Says here that you’ve been invited to-”

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t get over this. What are you?” Bahr interjected, looking the creature up and down.

“What am I?” the goat man replied in an offended tone.

“Hey man, I don’t mean to offend. I just, y’know, have never seen anything like this.”

The goat man groaned and slapped his forehead with one of his palms, eyeing Bahr with an expression that was ever so telling. This wasn’t the first time this guy had been asked this. Not by a long shot. “If you must know, I’m what they call a satyr. You know. Half goat, half man?”

[Bahr 0]

“Fascinating,” was all that Bahr could utter, still examining the satyr’s features.

“Oh, well I’m real happy that I can be fascinating to you, Mr. Hero. Yeah, I just go around thinking to myself, ‘I wish more people would gawk at me and call me fascinating. That would really boost my self esteem.’ Except I don’t. Don’t you think it would be a little weird if someone walked up to you and went, ‘Oh my god! He’s half man, half man! A full man! Oh, how fascinating!’ Wouldn’t that get old quick?” It was obvious that the satyr was not happy. And, ironically, a little satirical.

“I mean, I guess, but why would someone be amazed by something that’s all one piece instead of two things mixed together?” Bahr inquired coyly.

“Look, buddy,” the satyr said in a frustrated tone, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Where I come from, you’re the rarity. We actually have a human in a zoo. No joke, it’s hilarious. He keeps yelling, ‘Let me out! Let me out!’ Yeah, we ain’t lettin’ him out.”

[Bahr 0]

“That sounds… horrible,” Bahr sneered, his face scrunching up into an uncomfortable look after thinking about it.

“Yeah, don’t play the high and mighty card with me, kid. Your species would do the same. And given the reaction you had upon seeing me, I doubt you’d have a problem with it. Anyways, I’m here because I have a job to do. Can I just read the script already?” the satyr asked as he impatiently held up his clipboard and tapped it.

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

“Ahem… Says here you’ve been invited to Mt. Olympia.” The satyr was reading really slowly. It reminded Bahr of that one kid in school that nobody wanted to diss on, but everyone dreaded hearing read. “Aphrodite has issued a challenge to you, a Battle of Crafts.”

“Wait, did I hear that right? Aphrodite has challenged be to a Battle of Crafts?”

“Yep.”

“What does that even mean?”

[Bahr 0]

“How do you expect me to know, man? I’m just the guy with the clipboard. The clipboard guy! Does it really seem like the whims of the gods and what they mean are within my pay grade?”

“Uh, no.”

Could this be real? The Goddess of Love had summoned Bahr of all people to Mt. Olympia? Holy crap! He blushed as his mind ran through the possible implications of such a demand. Had she taken a liking to Bahr? Did he have the greatest luck of any man, ever? Only time would tell.

“That’s right. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve had quite enough of you, and I’d like to get home to my wife and kids.” The satyr turned around and started walking away.

“Don’t you have to, like, guide me to her?”

The satyr groaned as it turned around, reluctantly nodding toward Bahr. “Yes, you idiot, that’s what I was doing. Come on, let’s go.”

[Bahr 0]

As Bahr passed through the ripple in space he found himself graced with the most glorious environment he had ever laid eyes on. A Greek city in the clouds, with shades of goldenrod and ivory in every direction he looked. Cardinal had crafted the most marvelous of worlds in the clouds, a place so beautiful it made Bahr want to stay forever. As he approached the edge of one of the clouds, he looked out to the horizon and saw the floating castle of Aincrad floating off in the distance. It was the first time he had seen it from that angle since the box art of the game. It actually brought a tear to his eye, thinking that everything he had done and every experience he had had for the past two years was all wrapped up into that disgusting floating edifice. He spat in its direction. He was in a much better place now.
 

[Bahr 0]

“Alright, that’s enough gawking. Let’s get a move on,” the satyr impatiently demanded, tapping its hoof against the cloud.

“Right, right. Sorry, it’s just… I mean, come on, man! Look where we are! This is the most amazing place I’ve ever been!” Bahr exclaimed, gesturing toward all of their surroundings.

“Yeah, right. Try working here,” the satyr muttered as it moved toward the cream colored steps that were nearby. Bahr followed, and the two ascended the heavenly staircase. It almost felt as though Bahr had died and gone to the afterlife. They ascended what had to have been at least a hundred stairs easily, both a bit winded when they reached the top.

“Still think this place is awesome?” the satyr managed to ask between labored breaths.

“Are you kidding? I would still die a hundred times if it meant that this was my light at the end of the tunnel,” Bahr fired back, his eyes still filled with wonder for everything that Mt. Olympia was.
 

[Bahr 0]

Eventually, the satyr managed to lead Bahr to a palace of sorts. “This is the place,” the goat man huffed, “Just get this over with quickly so I can escort you out of here and be done for the day.”

“I’ll take all the time I please. This is my treat, and I’m not gonna let some grumpy goat doofus ruin it for me,” Bahr retorted, his patience for the hybrid creature beginning to wear thin.

“Goat doofus!? I’ll have you know, I graduated from-”

“Boys, boys, please. Cease this noise at once. I grow faint from your incessant squabbling,”  a heavenly voice sounded, the most heavenly tune that had ever graced Bahr’s ears before.

“You got it, boss. Just let me know when you’re done so I can escort this ruffian out of here.” With that, the satyr took his leave. Bahr was thankful that he had left - any longer and he may have strangled the dude.

[Bahr 0]

“Are you the one they call Bahr?” The heavenly voice emanated once more, seemingly coming from nowhere but everywhere at the same time.

“Yup, that’s me. How do you do?”

“I am well, young traveler. Though, after our engagement, I’m not sure I will be able to say the same for you,” the voice mused as the door to the ivory palace slowly opened. “Enter so we may begin.”

Bahr cautiously entered the structure, which was largely empty save for a large bed covered in a shroud on the far side of the massive chamber. Once he was inside, the doors behind him slowly returned to a closed position.

“So, what’s this Battle of Crafts I’ve been hearing about?” Bahr inquired as he walked further into the chambers, his deep voice echoing countless times before fading into silence once more. “It sounds cheesy.” As he reached the center of the chamber, he couldn’t help but notice that nobody else was around. Had he been led into a trap?
 

[Bahr 0]

“It seems you are worried, traveler. Please, approach the bed. Relax awhile. Let’s get to know one another,” the heavenly voice pervaded once more.

“Uh… okay…”

Bahr sheepishly approached the bed, pulling back the shroud that covered it. Within, he found a woman with absolutely perfect features from head to toe, entirely naked. Her hair fell to her chest, covering anything that would make this post *ahem* not PG-13, and she lay sprawled across the sheets in an obviously seductive manner.

Bahr’s temperature flared up as his face flushed with the reddest color possible. He promplty replaced the shroud where it had been and backed up from the bed.

“Uhh, I’m sorry miss, uh, Aphrodite. I didn’t mean to intrude. It seems that you… have no clothes on...” he stuttered sheepishly, unable to shake the redness off of his face. What the hell was this? What kind of setup had he landed himself in? There was a naked woman in there! He totally wasn’t prepared for this!

[Bahr 0]

“But don’t you see, Bloodedge? That’s my very predicament, and the reason I summoned you here.” Bloodedge. Had she really used that moniker? Bahr could hardly believe what he was hearing. “Yes, Bloodedge. We are the gods that oversee this realm. Did you really believe we had not been watching you since you first stepped foot in Aincrad? You, along with each and every other one of our subjects, has had every single action, word, and breath catalogued. I know everything there is to know about you - including the fate of the one you seek.”

Bahr immediately went cold. The one he seeked? She couldn’t possibly mean…

“Yes. Her. I can reunite the two of you once again, provided you defeat me in a Battle of Crafts.”

“Just explain the rules already.” Bahr was done as soon as she mentioned her. All that mattered now was defeating Aphrodite, no matter the cost, so he could be reunited with her.

[Bahr 0]

“Oh, how cute. Look how determined you’ve become. Very well. The rules are simple.” Aphrodite emerged from her shrouded bed, still naked, as light illuminated the dark chamber and two sewing stations materialized right before Bahr’s eyes. “You must construct a dress for me that is suitable for the ball that will be held later tonight. As you sew, so shall I. The most convincing dress shall determine the victor.”

Without even realizing it, sewing needles had been place into Bahr’s hand. He approached the bench to one of the sewing stations and sat down, surveying the equipment and materials he had available. It all seemed very ordinary and run of the mill. How was Bahr supposed to compete with a Goddess when all he had was the same materials he would use back at home?

“I see. You are confused. You see, this is your sewing station from your shop. I had it transported here, temporarily of course. You must defeat me with your prowess and your prowess alone, no shortcuts.”

[Bahr 0]

“Without further adieu, let the competition commence!” Aphrodite exclaimed as she began moving her fingers, telekinetically moving the materials and equipment at her sewing station, causing them to spring to life and practically begin assembling a dress all on their own. Bahr, on the other hand, was forced to tackle the competition the old fashioned way - with a pen and paper. He started by doodling some rough drafts for the idea that he had in his head. Having the designs put to paper would be necessary if he were to create anything meaningful, especially considering what he had available.

“Tsk tsk. And you had such potential,” Aphrodite teased as she looked over his shoulder at the drawings. She pressed her naked frame against his back and wrapped her arms gently around him, her fingertips lightly redirecting his chin so his face would be facing hers. All the while, her materials and equipment at her sewing station continued to dance themselves into a shape that was already beginning to resemble the early stages of a dress.

[Bahr 0]

“Just come with me to bed, Bahr. Relax a while. I can finish the dress on my own, and you won’t have to worry about a thing. Don’t struggle in futility with time that could be much better spent.”

Her tantalizing touch was a far more powerful force that Bahr possibly could have imagined. He felt the pen slip from his hand, but he didn’t care. All he wanted to do was follow Aphrodite to her bed and-

Her.

No, he had to press on. He wrestled himself away from the clutches of her seduction, taking a few materials and beginning to manually sew them together into a design that roughly resembled his favorite sketch. Aphrodite pouted cutely before pressing herself against Bahr once more, her hot breath cascading against his neck. Once again, he felt himself slipping, and it took everything in his power to continue his work.

“Come now, Bahr. You don’t really want to miss an opportunity to share a bed with me, do you?”

[Bahr 0]

The truth was, he didn’t. Almost as though he had no control over his own body, the materials and needle he had been using to assemble them fell slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor. He leaned back into her embrace, closing his eyes and allowing the euphoria of the experience to wash over him. He stood from the bench and began to walk toward the bed.

Her.

Once again, he snapped back to his senses. He had to finish what he was working on. He had to defeat Aphrodite. Not only in crafting, but regarding her incredible powers of seduction. That was what this game really was, a test of Bahr’s fortitude to do the right thing. He scrambled back to the desk and hastily began threading the needle through the fabric once more, his vision slowly coming to fruition. With each nip and tuck, Bahr’s dress came closer and closer to completion.

[Bahr 0]

“Bahr.”

The heavenly voice carried a weight to it that Bahr had never felt before. Even just the sound of it forced him to drop his instruments immediately.

“I’m waiting for you.”

As he looked back over his shoulder, he saw the bed, its shroud pulled back to reveal Aphrodite waiting for him. She patted the bed invitingly, and like a dog too eager to follow its owner’s command, he immediately rose from his bench and wandered over to the bed. Once he laid down, the plush material masked in sheets enveloped him in an infinitely sooth embrace. Aphrodite cuddled up to him with a satisfied hum, nuzzling her head into the nook between his shoulder and collarbone.

“I knew you couldn’t resist me forever. Let’s relax a while.”

Bahr was utterly powerless to resist her. Waves of euphoria crashed against his every sense like a high tide against a pier, Aphrodite’s every touch teasing his senses with a sensation he had longed for years. It was to the point that Bahr had forgotten who he was or what he was doing. All he knew was that he was happier than he had been in a long time.

[Bahr 0]

As he lay silently with Aphrodite, his eyes flickered to her sewing station. Her equipment and materials were still assembling themselves into a gorgeous gown, and it was nearing completion. Bahr seemed puzzled by the spectacle, having forgotten what they were or why any of this was happening.

Her.

He squinted as he tried to remember. How had he gotten here? What had he been doing just moments before?

Her.

Why did he suddenly feel so restless? What was it he was supposed to be doing that he was neglecting.

Her.

Suddenly he sprang up from the bed and sprinted to his sewing station, picking up the half completed dress and running his needle through it over and over again with a newfound vigor, the likes of which even he himself found intimidating. With each puncture of the fabric he became progressively more fluent, and with each pull of the thread he felt more and more power dumping out of himself and into what he was crafting. He sewed, and sewed, and sewed, the dress continuing to take form and beginning to glow with the power and soul he had poured into it.

It was as though he were sewing the fabric of reality itself.

[Bahr 0]

After what seemed like ages, it was finished. The gown he had created was an absolute masterpiece. A canvas of stars and nebulae. Modular forms and elliptic curves. Infinite voids revolving around infinite parallels. Fractals of infinite reality, each cascading, gliding in an infinite wheel. Each fixture affixed to the clothing oscillated in constant revolution around the center mass, the wearer. Truly, the one who adorned this dress would be the center of the universe. Weaved from the fabric of reality itself, it was the ultimate piece of apparel - one two powerful for a mortal to control should they be foolish enough to wear it.

“There. I’m done. How does this hold up?”

Bahr looked over to the dress at Aphrodite’s station. It was laced together with gold thread and perfect in every way, but Bahr knew it didn’t hold a candle to his creation. Aphrodite knew it, too.

“It has been quite some time since I came across a connection so pure as to resist my charms. It appears that you are the victor this time, Hero.”

“Yeah, yeah, please just put this dress on so I can look at you without turning into a tomato.”

“Very well, as you wish.”

After a few moments, Aphrodite was gotten dressed. She looked absolutely marvelous.

“You’ll definitely turn some heads at the ball,” Bahr said, trying not to stare. Aphrodite giggled.

“I usually do.”

“About earlier. You said you knew about my friend. I really need to know-”

“Hush, Hero. Take this.” A quest completion panel populated in front of Bahr, one of the rewards reading Aphrodite’s Loom. “The success you garner with this tool will lead you to her. Go quickly, you haven’t any time to waste.”