[SP-04] <<The Night's King>>

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia kept an impassive face as she stood face to face with Joramun. As nice as she's gotten over the past few days, she still had no mind to deal with the bull[doo-doo] of NPCs. They're freaking ones and zeroes, why the hell should she give a damn about that?

She shrugged and stood up from her seat in the tavern, heaving a deep sigh as she looked down at the now hysteric and blubbering mess of a man. After he mentioned his now 'deceased' wife, he broke out into sobs. . . which if you couldn't guess, was a very uncomfortable situation to be in.

Very.

"Alright, I'll bring you his crown or whatever," Cordelia mumbled, rolling up the sleeves of her haori to give him an unimpressed look. "That reward you mentioned better be worth it," she sighed, giving him a slight bow before she headed for the tavern exit.

STATS/BATTLE READY:

Spoiler

LVL: 35 | HP: 700/700 | EN: 70/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

INVENTORY: 

☆ T2 Katana | Haunted Verdict: [Cursed] 4 HLY, 4 DMG
☆ T1 Light Armor | Bastille’s Resistance: +2 EVA, +1 PARA VNM
☆ T1 Jewelry | Aura Sensors: +1 EVA, +2 KEEN

BATTLE READY:

☆ [5] Standard Healing Potions [Heals 50 HP]
☆ x4 Vicious Dragon-Fang Potion: +3 DMG 

CONSUMED:
> Titanium Infused Hotdog: +30 MIT
> Evasion Dog: 2 EVA
> Focused Dog: 2 ACC

SKILLS:

☆ R3 Accuracy Familiar Mastery: 3 ACC
☆ Disguise: [Gain +1 EVA until the start of your next turn]
☆ Survival: [Increases out of combat health regeneration to (15 * Tier) per post. Grants immunity to most damage dealing environmental
attacks/effects.]
☆ R1 Curved Sword Skill 
☆ R5 Katana Skill [+7 DMG/+1 BASE]
> FEROCITY MOD: +1 DMG
☆ R1 Hiding Skill: +1 Stealth Rating
☆ R1 Light Armor Skill: 5 MIT

 

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia sighed as she walked in to the fortress made of ice. Surprisingly, it had been a lot easier to make it here than she actually thought. She shrugged. Well, she wasn't complaining at all. The faster she did this quest the faster she can go home!

Her sandals made little to no sound as she walked through the frozen fortress, only adding on to its already eerie atmosphere. She really wasn't sure if she was getting chills from the cold or the fact that she felt like there was something watching her. Maybe the cold? Her haori didn't offer the best protection against the cold, being that its almost as thin as her freaking hair, especially when her clothing underneath it has no sleeves. She may still have survival but it didn't mean that she couldn't get chills!

"Alright. . ." she muttered, "where are these things?" She asked under her breath, unsheathing her katana as she looked around cautiously. 

[Cordelia 0]

A shrill shriek made Cordelia's body tingle as from within the walls of ice erupted a group of zombie looking creatures. . . but made of ice? Cordelia let out a breath of hot air as she readied her katana in front of air.

"Alright, you ice-cubes for brains, come at me!" She demanded, charging in head first with her blade soaring beside her. A valiant war cry left her lungs as she swung her katana at the pale skinned wights. 

White light erupted from the blade of her katana as she felt her holy enhancement proc multiple times while she was attacking. Her katana sliced right through some of their bodies like a hot knife to butter, and by the time she had finished her attack, two of them had already been killed.

Her bangs fell over her steel gray eyes as she watched the other two remaining wights. Their health bars were hanging on by a small thread, she just needed to activate one more AoE attack and then she was free to fight the king!

☆ ☆ ☆

ID: 133674
BD: 2+5=7, Success | 12x8=96-25=71 100-71= 29 HP
MD: 2, Fail

ID: 133675
BD: 9 [+1][+4] 13+1+4=18x8=144-25= 119 100-119= 0 HP

ID: 133676
BD: 5+5=10, Success | 12x8=96-25=71 100-71= 29 HP 
MD: 4, Fail

ID: 133677
BD: 10 [+2][+4] 13+2+4=19x8=152-25=127 100-127= 0 HP

HP: 700/700 | EN: 55/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Frost Wight #1: HP: 29/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG
Frost Wight #2: HP: 0/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG
Frost Wight #3: HP: 29/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG
Frost Wight #4: HP: 0/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia seethed as she felt the sharp blade of the ice axe rip through her haori and into her back just as she finished off the last wight. "You're going to pay for that!" She hissed, just before white hot sparks erupted from the damaged haori, sending electricity through the frost wight's body, immobilizing it.

She jumped backwards, needing to catch a breath. The thing won't be able to get her for now. . . but she needed a tiny little break cause holy [doo-doo], that thing did a big chunk of her health, thank God she had eaten one of those hot dogs she had bought from Oscar. She sighed. She definitely was going to need some time to heal and regain her energy after she kills this thing. Damn! If the wights were doing this much damage, how the hell was she supposed to go against the king alone? She should've known that she needed someone to help her. Why did she have to be so damn stupid?

ID: 133686
BD: 1, Miss
MD: 9, Hit [170] DMG 170-35=135

ID: 133687
BD: 6, Hit

HP: 565/700 | EN: 46/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Frost Wight #1: HP: 29/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG [PARALYZED]
Frost Wight #2: HP: 0/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG
Frost Wight #3: HP: 0/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG
Frost Wight #4: HP: 0/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia bit her lip her lip as she leaned her head against the cold ice that walled the cavern. Heck, that frost wight did a bigger number to her than she thought it did. . . she was going to have for her health to refill, as well as her energy. She wasn't fit enough to be fighting the king yet. . . not yet.

She looked up as she slowly sat down. 

Suddenly a serious thought crept up on her.

What was she doing here? 

No, not as in the frozen fortress. Not as in the quest. . . but why was she here? In SAO? What had led up to this specific point in her life? She mumbled words under her breath that not even she could understand as she thought about it. 

What was she exactly? A rich, stuck-up girl? Who never had to really struggle in her whole life? She laughed. What a [no-no word]-ing joke.

ID: 134257
BD: 6, Hit

HP: 565/700 | EN: 32/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Frost Wight #1: HP: 0/100 | 25 MIT | 120 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

Her whole life had been a damn struggle for as long as she could remember. 

She groaned and leaned her head back on the wall once again. She felt bipolar. Only five minutes ago, she was having the time of her life fighting literal ice zombies. . . and now she's a sack of depressed [doo-doo]. Maybe she was. 

She inhaled sharply and stared at the palms of her hands. Everything had been going. . . so well lately that sometimes she wondered if she was in a dream. Everything with Oscar. . . she had been making friends. . . frenemies, but still. . . she felt content with her life at the moment. Everything was the way she wanted it to be. She had someone who lo. . . who liked her, she had friends that she could trust, but still, she felt so empty.

What was she lacking? Why did everything still seem so monotone to her? Of course, it was only like this when she really though about it. Sometimes, she felt like she was the happiest person on earth. . .

but why?

565+30=595/700

[Cordelia 0]

What exactly was she lacking? A family? A cause? Both?

She sighed and shook her head as she looked down at her palms. She felt like she had a family. . . but what was her cause? What was her causing her to keep living. Oscar? She felt like he was a fraction to it, though be it a large fraction. . . but what else? What was she striving for now? 

Cordelia felt her eyes get slightly watery. She hated thinking about this. She hated thinking about the future. She just wanted to live in the present. She wanted to live now, not later. 

She sniffed as she hugged her knees closer to her body. What was she living for? Was she living for herself? For Oscar? For everyone she knew? Her family?

She laughed bitterly to herself as she shook her head. No. . . she was a dead man walking. She knew. She knew. She knew that she wasn't going to be survivor of his hell. . .

if there were to be any.

595+30=625

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia bit her lip in frustration. . . but she actually had a chance to be with someone she loved. She was living that chance. . . but what would happen in the real world? Would she be living with mother and father still? She was nineteen now. . . she could live on her own if she really wanted to, honestly she could've went out on her own years before she had even gotten in here. . . but why hadn't she?

She drummed her fingers against the icy ground and sighed. Would her and Oscar even have a chance in the real world? The two of them came from completely different backgrounds. He was a social worker. Middle class. What was she? A spoiled brat who was the daughter of a renowned actor and a fashion designer?

Surely her parents wouldn't approve of such things back in the real world. . . but she didn't seem to care at the moment. She was living in the present. Not the future.

She keeps forgetting to tell herself that.

625+30=655/700

Used 1x Standard Healing Potion: +50 HP

655+50=700/700 HP

[Cordelia 0]

The girl sighed, pushing herself off of the floor before equipping a potion. Damn, these were the potions she had when she was still a little tier one. She never really had the opportunity to use them, so she guessed now it was a good time. Even though her HP gauge was almost full, she could never be too careful with these kinds of things. She was alone here. No one was going to snap at her or remind her to do this stuff, so she might as well start learning how to do it herself when she was still alone. . . man, when did she actually start caring about her health?

Just as she drained the potion of its contents, a massive rumble ran through the floor and walls, causing a few icicles to drop from the ceiling. She smirked, unsheathing her katana, taking note of Pacco lifting himself off of her shoulders and into the air.

She was going in blind.

Without hesitation, Cordelia dashed in for an attack, just as the Night's King appeared. her katana whirling at his chest, managing to carve a large gash through it before she hopped away.

ID: 134258
BD: 7, Hit | 12x15=180-50= 130 400-130
MD: 7-5=2, Miss

HP: 700/700 | EN: 56/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Nights King: HP: 270/400 | 50 MIT | 300 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

"Holy [doo-doo]!" She yelped as she rolled away from the blade, who completely decimated the ice beside her, sending shards of cold glass into the air. The back of her sandals skid against the frozen ground as she hopped up, grabbing her blade before stabbing it into the ground, sending tiny chunks of ice up. 

She gripped her hilt with a single hand as she used her free sleeve to wipe her face. "Alright, you asked for this," she muttered furiously, ripping her katana out of the ice as she looked at the King with a fire in her eyes. 

"Just because you've brought down my damage doesn't mean you're going to get it easy!" She declared, entering a stance she had seen Baldur use before. Course, she had no idea what she was doing. Do you think she can perfectly read someone's stance? Hell no, but it wouldn't kill her to try it out!

ID: 134259
BD: 5+5=10, Hit | 12x15=180-50= 130 270-130= 140
MD: 6-5=1, Miss

HP: 700/700 | EN: 42/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Nights King: HP: 140/400 | 50 MIT | 300 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

Her teeth pressed against each other until she could feel a slight sting in her jaw. Hot breaths escaped from her as she broadened the distance between her feet.

Strands of her platinum hair dangled in front of her face as she stared at the shadowy figure dead in the eye. "I've read your stats. . !" She exclaimed, her hands adjusting around her katana as she let out a heavy exhale. "You may be able to three-shot me, but you're going to have to catch me first!" Cordelia hissed, charging in for another attack, her katana propelling forward as her hair whipped back in the wind. 

With his own greatsword, the two blades crashed against each other, sendings white hot sparks flying in every direction until both parties pushed away from each other. By now, Cordelia's arms were heavily shaking as she gripped her katana again. 

No doubt this was the strongest enemy she had ever faced one on one.

ID: 134260
BD: 1, Miss
MD: 5-5=0, Miss

HP: 700/700 | EN: 41/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Nights King: HP: 270/400 | 50 MIT | 300 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

Blurs of white and black whizzed back and forth as the sound of metal scraping against metal rang through the desolate, cold cavern. 

Several minutes had passed, yet neither party had seemed to make a dent in each other's health bar. . . and unfortunately, one of them doesn't experience fatigue. 

Cordelia swallowed the lump in her throat as she got ready for another barrage of attacks.

Perhaps this wasn't the best idea. . . to go alone, at least. Maybe going with a partner would've been better, even if they had to have slain more of those frost wights. The blade of her katana clanged against the floor as she released a hand from the hilt, reaching back to rub her neck with a grim expression; something she often did whenever she was nervous. 

"Alright, let's get this over with," she whispered, her hand retreating back to her katana as she once again prepared another sword art.

ID: 134261
BD: 1, Miss
MD: 3-5=0, Miss

HP: 700/700 | EN: 40/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Nights King: HP: 270/400 | 50 MIT | 300 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

The Night's King let out a horrifying screech before it raised its greatsword. Cordelia grunted as she waited it to fall. . . and fall. . . and fall.

So that's what it did. Cordelia' extended her heel forward, propelling her backwards just as the blade slammed down on the ice, creating a large crater right in the center of the chamber. Sparing no time, she lunged forward, her heels clicking against the ground to create an almost rhythmic pattern as she charged in on the king, her katana blazing with a bright white light. 

The tip of the katana plunged into the king's chest before it slowly started sinking deeper. . . and deeper. . . and deeper, almost to the point where she was sure it was sticking out on the other side of the creature's body.

"Heh," Cordelia breathed out heavily, looking at the king dead in the eye as she smirked victoriously. "Karma's a bitch, eh?"

ID: 134262
BD: 6, Hit | 12x15= 180-50= 130 140-130= 10
MD: 3-5=0, Miss

HP: 700/700 | EN: 26/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Nights King: HP: 10/400 | 50 MIT | 300 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

Strands of her silvery locks fell in front of her eyes as she watched the Night's King fall. "I. . . I did it. . !" She exclaimed, a smile creeping up on her face as she dropped Haunted Verdict, earning a loud metallic sound as it dropped on the ground. "Pacco, we did it!" She exclaimed, watching as her familiar came swooping in from above, his face indifferent as always. Well, she hoped it was just a least bit excited. It had been a while since she had killed someone so challenging all by herself. It felt good. It felt like she didn't need any help anymore.

"Holy [doo-doo]," she muttered, dropping to her knees as she pressed her palms against the dungeon's cold floor. "That took more out of me than I thought it would," she exhaled, her throat suddenly feeling closed and dry.

"I think I'm going to just sit here for a few moments," she said raspily, though still smiling to herself.

ID: 134263
BD: 6, Hit | 12x15= 180-50= 130 10-130= 0 HP

HP: 700/700 | EN: 12/70 | 12 DMG [Bumped Down for Quest] | 5+30=35 MIT | 3+2=5 ACC | 3+2=5 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Nights King: HP: 0/400 | 50 MIT | 300 DMG

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia walked exhaustedly to the tavern. She could very well hear the murmurs and whispers of players and NPCs alike as she walked through the populated town of Snowfrost, and honestly, she didn't blame them. She had looked like she had walked straight through hell. A very cold hell. 

The tavern went quiet when the swordswomen opened the wooden doors, letting a fresh cold draft in the now silent room. 

Her eyes locked on to that of the widow she had met before this quest, and she swore that she saw him gulp. She sauntered over him with the most impassive expression she could muster before dropping the crown of the king she had so promised to kill on the table, earning a loud thud.

"I killed him, as you can clearly see," she whispered, giving him a cold stare. "You mentioned a reward before I left. What is it?" She asked, her pale eyes looking down at the seated man with such a dead expression that she was pretty sure that she was sucking the life out of him,

[Cordelia 0]

"W-well, you see," the man blubbered, his form visibly shaking as he looked around to the people who accompanied him at his table, who shrank away as her gaze tore from the widow and to them.

"See what?" She asked, her hand resting firmly against her katana's hilt as she placed her other on the table. No, no, no, no. She didn't just go fight a a couple of ice zombies and an effing king for nothing. She had found herself in a grumpy state ever since she had traveled back from that damn fortress, which would make sense since she had to travel through ankle high snow in a haori. All of the joyous emotions she had felt after slaying the king seemed to have just vaporized into thin air as well as her patience. 

"W-well, I seemed to have r-run out of m-money and-" she interrupted the quivering man by slamming down her katana on the table, a notable <<Immortal Object>> popping up before it eventually faded away.

"What?"

[Cordelia 0]

Now, she wasn't usually like this and honestly, she only had herself to blame for it, she can accept that. She had practically been a caged up bird her whole life, and it was only natural for her to act out when things didn't seem to go her way, but what the hell.

She rubbed her aching temples. "God, why are all of you NPCs the same?" She muttered under her breath.

"Uh, w-what-"

"Shut up."

She pulled a chair forward from behind her, leaving Haunted Verdict still plainly stabbed in the table. She leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs, giving the man an unimpressed glance before she began to speak. "Listen, mister, I live a simple life," she said, joining her two hands together in front of her as she gave him a pointed look. "I wake up. I eat breakfast with my boyfriend. I go out and kill a couple of monsters. I go home. I feed my bird. I relax with my boyfriend, and then I sleep. Simple, yes?"

[Cordelia 0]

The man seemed to be at a loss for words before she asked again.

"Simple, yes?"

To which he furiously nodded to the point where she was surprised his head didn't lop right over.

"Good, now, I also live by simple rules. I help you, you help me, yes?" She asked again, her eyes narrowing at the man as he began to nod again. "So tell me, my good sir," she leaned in, pressing her elbows against the table as she leaned her chin on the knuckles of her intertwined hands. 

"What exactly have you helped me with today, hm?" She asked lowly, giving him a blank face. The man seemed to have paled, though she was pretty sure she took all of the words out of his mouth. 

"That's right. Nothing. You gave me nothing," she emphasized. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, you told me  that I would receive a reward if I were to bring back this crown, right?" Cordelia asked, gesturing over to the obsidian colored crown with her head.

[Cordelia 0]

"Right?"

That seemed to have sparked some words in the man's throat, to which he replied with a feeble, "Y-yes ma'am."

"Great, so we agreed on these terms, correct?" She asked, feeling like she had been repeating the same [doo-doo] over and over and over again. 

The man nodded.

"So why was I promised something you couldn't give?" Her hard steely gaze bore into his. From his face, he looked like he was staring in the depths of hell. Good. She was promised lies and she really just wanted to let off some steam. She knew that this one guy would just revert to his same old program a few minutes after she leaves, so she might as well make use of that. 

He seemed to be at a loss for words once again, to which she sighed to. "I give up with you people," she muttered, pushing herself off of the chair, which gave a cringing sound as it scraped against the wooden floor. 

[Cordelia 0]

She ripped her katana out of the table, letting it drop to her side just as she gave the man a dangerous glare. "I hope if you ever request my assistance again, you'll have something prepared," she whispered, her gaze sending daggers down on him before she sheathed her sword in its saya. 

Cordelia turned around, her eyes meeting with that of several other players and NPCs that had been in the tavern before scoffing to herself and leaving through its doors.

It was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. She opened her menu and squinted before rolling her eyes. At least it had delivered a decent amount of EXP, which was always worth more than any item or Col in her opinion, but when compared to what she had to face, it still wasn't good enough. 

She closed the HUD and stretched her arms behind her back as she walked over to the teleport gate. This day had been too much for her. First, the absolutely terrible fight, and then the lack of the reward she was promised.

She could only hope that better days were coming.