[F17] Obsidian Invasion

[Macradon 0]

Objective: Stop the Archers
ID: 133405
Final BD: 7+3(Familiar Enhancement) = 10

Everything was going smoothly, people were leaving to fix the other problems, and the small group that stayed at the archers were doing a good job of fending them off. Macradon was slowly getting the hang of the archers’s movement patterns and easily began mowing the lawn with these skeletal figures that tried to play big shots but wasn’t really that good at it. With all the arrows that just glanced off because of the armor he was wearing. Small plinks could be heard as every arrow erupted and was thrown to the side by the mists of his silver armor, it was very easy to hold the archers occupied with Zandra, Ariel and him, they were doing a great job being a huge occupational hazard for the undead horde that tried to advance against these three monsters some would call humans and others would call insane beings of pure power.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Macradon

[Zandra 0]

Objective: Stop the Archers
ID: 133406
Final BD: 6+3(fighter familiar)=9

Zandra plowed into the ranks, deeper and deeper. The flying arrows had struck her all over her body. There was barely any area at all that wasn’t marked with a red dot. Her face was scarred. She felt the hair sticking to her skin as it was wet with sweat. On her sides, the guards she had talked to join her have been killed one by one. Now only two of them remaining. Zandra was proud thou, they haven’t given up and ran away when their friends shattered into crystals and faded into nothingness. Zandras breath was heavy and for first time in a long while, she wanted to take a break, just rest for ten seconds. But there was still to many skeletons infront of them. And she was one of the top players when it comes to handing hordes of enemies. This was her duty. She cant just give up because she feel a little tired. She cant… but dam* she would pay ten thousand col for a short rest.

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Zandra

[Dracul 0]

I though I heard a the lioness saying something and now, with the army of mobs finally dwindling I could actually turn her way and pay closer attention to her. I'd half expected to see bodies littered around as she stood on top of them triumphantly covered in their blood from head to toe. But this was a video game, bodies we're immediately disposed off by the Cardinal system however, the Cardinal couldn't dispose of Ariel's current expression. A cold shiver ran through my spine as I watched her focused on only one objective, eliminating the enemies around us. I shared her objective and while blood wasn't a reality here, her bloodlust has. I can see why she decided to isolate herself after the 24th boss fight. I forcefully exhaled as a arrow grazes my neck, reminding me that the fight is not over... not yet. "How're you holding up there sage?" I asked with a grin, trying to snap her out of it.

---

Objective: Stop the Archers
ID# 133407
Final BD: 4 | 1+3 (Blue Rose:+3 Damage

Edited January 3, 2020 by Dracul

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia deadpanned. What kinda of effing objective is this? No, thank you! She shouldn't have left. Let her go back to slaying skeletons! She cursed under her breath. No it was too late for that, they're probably already done.

"So we have to hold hands? In a circle?" She asked, sighing to herself before she outstretched her arms. "I swear to God if we accidentally summon Satan, I'm going to murder Kayaba," she whispered, pursing her lips before shaking her head. 

"Well, this isn't weird at all," she commented, watching the portal as she looked to both Baldur and Calrex. "Nice meeting you buddy. I just love holding strangers hands when I first meet them, so yeah, just hand over your fingers," she chuckled.

This feels. Like. A Children's show. What were they going to do next? Play merry-go-round? Ring a round a rosie? What was this? Teletubbies? Oh God, now she just wants to hurl.

Spoiler

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133409
BD: 6
Group Members:@Calrex, @Baldur, and @Azhoda
Cumulative BD: 10+6=16

 

[Baldur 0]

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133408
BD: 8
Group Members: @Calrex @Azhoda @Cordelia
Cumulative BD:10+6+8=24

Baldur smirked at Cordelia throwing shade at the event design forcing them to hold hands. He could see that bothering some people, holding hands was very intimate in asian cultures, akin to something like PDA.

"Would it help if we went boy, girl, boy, girl, Cordelia?" The chastisement had no heat behind it, and a hint of amusement dancing in Baldur's eyes.

He took one of Cordelia's hands and held the other out for Azhoda, so she could take Calrex's other hand.

"Everyone, this is my kohai Calrex-kun. The highest level player in SAO. Cal-kun, these are two girls I just met, though Cord and I did a quest together."

He laughed and grinned at the strangeness of it all.

"Alright, lets focus on closing this portal to... the underworld? Whatever... the portal fo floor 16!" He hoped that once Az took their hands, whatever would happen would happen.

"Here goes nothing"

Edited January 3, 2020 by Baldur

[Azhoda 0]

Well, this was not gonna be weird, well... Sh*t it is gonna be weird. Okay, have to deal with it now, not focus on the holding hand part just on closing these things. Following Baldur and Cordelia to the portal. There was another guy already who Baldur called Calrex. Not paying much mind to it now as it seemed Baldur took my hand and Cordelia's. That means I had to take Calrex his hand, taking his hand I hoped for the best as the circle around this thing was not full.

Then BAM the portal fell into itself and disappeared with a small explosion of light. YES, WE DID IT, I thought fast looking over to some other portals that needed to get closed as well. Following the rest, I joined them again.

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133410
BD: 6
Group Members: Calrex, Baldur, Cordelia, Azhoda
Cumulative BD:10+6+8+6 30

[Macradon 0]

Objective: Stop the Archers
ID: 133411
Final BD: 3+3(Familiar Enhancement) = 6

The hippie group were holding hands around the portals, kumbaya’ing so close the portals like it was some kind of lovecraftian horror story of trees being cut down by ancient old ones trying to defile the beautiful amazon forest with deforestations. With everything that was going on, Macradon did his part against the skeletons and tore down as many as he could, leaving about a dozen left to be taken down by The Lion Sage and The Berserk Healer. Standing up straight to look at the now emptying fields, Macradon would look over at what needed help “Alright archer depleting warriors! We are to disperse to aide the other groups. Evacuation probably needs the most help but the portal closing people seem to be moving towards that. We should head for the portals since it seems to be restricted somehow, I'm not sure what yet, but if they're switching to evacuation, we should go and close down portals!” Macradon roared as he awaited people’s decisions before he would make his, making sure that he was getting everything in his mind to click into place.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Macradon

[Calrex 0]

Spoiler

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133412
BD: 8
Group Members: Baldur, Cordelia, Azhoda
Cumulative BD: 8

It wasn't long before Calrex watched three people come over to assist him with closing the portal, recognizing one of the faces as they came closer. Baldur, along with two players he had not met before, arrived to help, "Nice to meet the both of you, albeit under such odd circumstances."

As the three arranged themselves in the order that suited them best the bluenette gave a nod before taking the hands of the two people adjacent to him, giving a small breath. Almost immediately the portal vanished in a flash, "Alright that's one down..."

Looking nearby he spotted another down a street, with some creatures already partially spawning, "Looks like there's still more to deal with."

His gauntlets vanished , being replaced by the massive two-handed axe Grand Legionbane. Rushing forward he quickly swung and knocked the creatures aside before planting the axe into the ground near the portal, "Not sure if you guys are feeling this...but I'm sensing some kind of energy block. I can probably only help with this and one more portal at most, but after that I don't believe I've got the willpower needed to close another one."

Spoiler

Participated Closed Portals Total: 1/3

 

[Cordelia 0]

"Oh, don't worry about it," Cordelia chirped. "Let's just keep going! I can stand here all day!" She declared. Heh, no she couldn't. In fact, she literally wanted to blow her head open with a cannon at the moment. This objective was way worse than fighting the archers, at least with them, she was moving around.

Here, she was literally holding hands. In a circle. With a couple of strangers! Odd thing to say at and odd time at and odd place, she knows, but what the hell? Holding hands with strangers was what she was good at!

She gestured for Calrex to come back. "Well, this portal isn't going to close itself!" She drawled, wiggling her hand a few times at him. "Get back to it!" She demanded, smiling to herself.

Yeah, she was dying inside. Her will was dwindling faster than. . . faster than. God, she didn't know. Her will was just dwindling okay?

 

Spoiler

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133413
BD: 6
Group Members: Baldur, Calrex, Azhoda
Cumulative BD: 8+6=14

Total Portals Closed: 1/3

 

[Ariel - The Crowned Lion 0]

"Just peachy! Thanks for asking." replied the blonde as she caused the last skeleton in her sight to explode. She'd wave the white lion flag on top of her weapon, at her fellow bone busters across the battlefield, to signal that she too had finished. "Minna! Nice work out there!" Then she would turn towards Dracul, who was sitting on a nearby rock, probably exhausted both mentally and physically; and offer a genuine smile. "I half expected you to turn tails. I'm glad I've been proven wrong." she took a long breath, relaxing after what has been hours of continuous fighting. Even if her HP bar barely twitched from full the prolonged fight and state of batlle 'high', wore her off more than she thought. "Actually, lemme sit next to you..." she said, crashing next to him. They eyed their surrounding, the event wasn't over but a small rest was welcomed by the battle worned players.

---

TL Note: 'Minna' - jap. "everyone"
Objective: Stop the Archers
ID# 133414
Final BD: 4 | 1+3(DMG Familiar)

Edited January 4, 2020 by Ariel - The Crowned Lion

[Zandra 0]

Objective: Stop the Archers
ID: 133415
Final BD: 10+3(fighter familiar)=13

The ranks was thinning out, the skelton horde of boney archers, that from the start had looked like an uneding ocean with crackling bodies without flesh, was now almost destroyed totally. Thru the combinged effort of the frontliners together with newer players. Also, the group of NPC’s that had joined Zandra when she rallied them. If this would work in the future, they could prevent player deaths with the sacrifice of a NPC or several. Thou of the guards, only one was still standing. But still, his sword arm rose, and fell, rose, and fell. And finally, the last one of the skeletons, was dead. Zandras axe had cleaved him in half from the bottom down in one single wide powerful swoop. It also left a big marking on the ground. She turned to the only living guard. ‘’Thank you for rallying with us, thanks to you and your comrades, we turned the tide and vanquished the bone horde. Well done.’’

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Zandra

[Baldur 0]

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133416
BD: 3
Group Members: @Cordelia @Calrex @Azhoda
Cumulative BD: 8+6+3=17
Baldur closed portals (1/3)

Baldur followed the others over to the next portal that Calrex-kun had found, and the whole holding hands thing seemed to wearing on Cordelia. He could see how this was more mortifying for a younger girl, especially after they had just been in a battle. It was a pretty severe shift in gears.

"It's okay Cordelia-chan, you can admit that after holding hands with the famous Calrex and Baldur, you never want to wash your hands again." He gave her another playful smile, hoping that making light of the situation would help her relax at the inherant awkwardness.

"By the way, Shion-chan, have you met Cordelia-chan before? We did a quest together not a day or two ago. She's handy with a katana. I dunno if you guys are about the same level, but since we're getting to know each other so intimately now, maybe you could help each other."

Baldur threw Cal a knowing smirk.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Baldur

[Azhoda 0]

Well Cordelia seems to hate this, it was clear to me at least, but it seemed Baldur got of a laugh now or two, it even made me giggle a bit before he spoke to me about knowing Cordelia, "I have met her before, not to much talk but I have met her before, I knew she was around the same level or so. But I myself are more of a Naginata fan. Got the skill fully maxed out now," I said as it seemed like Calrex was getting on with the next portal.

Standing by the next portal I looked and we were standing in the same formation, I was holding both Calrex and Baldur's hands. It was really weird, Baldur had a grip that was quite strong and while on the other hand Calrex his hands. WHAT THE HELL DOES HE USE, they are so soft for a guy's hand. On the other hand, my hands were also quite soft but who would notice. 

With a sigh and a nod, I closed my eyes for a second and before I knew it yet again the portal closed into itself and exploded into a light disappearing into nothing, "Done, I can do one more, I feel for some reason a bit drained," I walked passed Calrex and spoke softly to him "You got some soft hands," before focusing on the next portal.

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133417
BD: 4
Group Members: @Cordelia @Calrex @Baldur
Cumulative BD: 8+6+3+4= 21

[Calrex 0]

Spoiler

Objective: Close Portal
ID:133419
BD: 10
Group Members: Baldur, Cordelia, Azhoda
Cumulative BD: 10

The bluenette couldn't help but give a laugh at Baldur's comments playfully messing with the new player Cordelia, deciding to follow along, "Knowing the situation we're in, I would highly recommend washing your hands after. I was picking up a bunch of rocks and rubble before this, and who knows what Baldur here has gotten his hands on prior."

With the portal closed Calrex turned to find the next portal, but not before he heard the other player, Shion, whisper over to him, "Wait...she said what?!"

"Oh...uh...thanks?"

 At that point she was already out of earshot, leaving the Ultramarine Knight scratching the back of his head for a moment before eyeing the next portal, "Whelp here we go one more time."

It seemed they got to this portal before any monsters had started to spawn, which left Calrex hefting the Grand Legionbane onto his shoulder in order to move it to the final portal, at least for the group. Setting the weapon down he stood at the border of the portal, "Last one...I think?"

Spoiler

Participated Closed Portals Total: 2/3

 

[Cordelia 0]

"What?" She deadpanned, looking at her hand. "I'll wash it when I get home," she mumbled, shaking her head. Calrex, huh. Well, she's barely heard of him. Maybe it was because she lived under a rock, or maybe she just didn't really care. It might be both!

"I think handy with it is a bit of an overstatement," she muttered. 

She looked over to Azhoda and nodded her head. "Yeah we've met before. A while back. I think I'm a little bit higher than you now," Cordelia mumbled, looking over at Azhoda with a small smile. "I've been taking a lot of quests recently and it's paid off," she sighed.

"If this isn't going to be the last time, I'm going to hurl," she whispered, shaking her head. "Okay. Let's just get this over with so we can get this event over with and then we can all go home!" She said cheerily.

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133420
BD: 10
Group Members: Baldur, Calrex, Azhoda
Cumulative BD: 10+10=20

[Macradon 0]

Objective: Escort Civilians to Safety
ID: 133430
LD: 20
Progress: 1/3

Everything was going ok, but people were taking breaks “Maybe it’s because I just got here that I’m this energetic, perhaps people need to rest. I have to push on, I have to do my all!” he thought and went down through the underground tunnels to help the civilians evacuate. As he made his way through, the knight in darkened but also shining armor appeared for the civilians to cling on to “Everybody, grab each other’s hands, let’s make a long conga line, that way we won’t get separated. Now, let’s get you out of here!” he said and saw the long line form where people would grasp onto each other in the hope of their dear life. They were all NPCs, but Macradon still wanted them to live on, they might not be actual people, but they display actual emotions that humans would understand … maybe this was what Hirru felt ...

Edited January 5, 2020 by Macradon

[Baldur 0]

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 
BD: 
Group Members: @Cordelia @Calrex @Azhoda
Cumulative BD: 10+10+7
Baldur closed portals (3/3)(this is third portal)

Baldur held back a grin to a slight quirk of his lips in a smile at the discomfort Cordelia was feeling. He didn't know why he enjoyed it so much, perhaps he really did enjoy pushing people further than they thought they could go. He did enjoy training up and coming players, and the bond of mentorship that he had built with Calrex, Teayre, Morgenstern, and others. He even remembered Itzal alongside Jonathan when they were still in the single digits on the side of a volcano.

"This has been quite the crazy event, but if we can pull this off, then hopefully we should be getting some pretty good rewards out of this. At the very least, I'll enjoy the memory of time with friends."

The flashed everyone a cheeky smile, and then took Cordelia and Azhoda's hands. His grip was firm without being overbearing or crushing. Perhaps gentler than one might expect from a man his size. He had often had to do the 'manly grip' when meeting other professionals outside of the game, like handshakes themselves were some sort of game of dominance. He had enjoyed moving to Japan and getting away from that kind of toxic masculinity, and moving into a culture that was more about showing respect. But Jason had never been the kind of guy to try and assert dominance with a handshake, but at the same time he wanted to make sure it was firm and acknowledged respect in the same way a bow would. His hands may have been a bit odd for those in game. Your avatar did not slowly build up calluses in Aincrad as you would in the real world... because this wasn't the real world. But as part of the calibration system when you first set up your nerve gear, you ran your fingers over your body so it had a tactile measurement of how tall you were, how long your limbs were, and what your general shape was. His hands had the calluses of swordsmanship. While age had not been kind to him even though he was active in the real world, a lifetime of fencing and kendo and Iaido in the real world had given him the frame of a swordsman. He had also enjoyed the hobby of woodworking, and so his hands were much rougher than the smooth-as-a-baby like quality that Calrex had, but they were worn, hardworking hands, that reflected his half a lifetime of experience.

In contrast, he held the hands of two much smaller girls. Well, Azhoda seemed to be a woman in her own right, but Cordelia still had the budding beauty of a girl becoming a woman. Their hands seemed tiny and fragile to him, which he knew with Cordelia at least, belied the internal determination that she carried. It was a sense of dissonance between the small, tentative, hesitance she held his hands with, and the passion with which she had fought against ki'raion. Shion was a bit harder to read, but there was something inside of her that said that the fire in her hair was a reflection of that which burned inside of her, yet there also seemed a bit of tenderness in her as well.

As he took both of their hands, he gave them a slight squeeze and said, "Alright, let's close the portal."

Edited January 4, 2020 by Baldur

[Dracul 0]

I knew this was not the time to sit there idle so I made a highly conscious effort to get up and then without asking, I grabbed my 'blood brother's hand and tried to raise her on her feet. "This is not the time to leisure around. The event isn't over!" Luckily I didn't have to force her, whatever bloodlust she had it didn't cloud her mind enough to forfeit reason. She raised herself than looked in the distance as we returned towards Larissa's walls. Our lot defeated the skeletons but portals were still opened. "We gotta do that now?" muttered the blonde next to me, the summoned the event quest info and frowned. She flipped the screen so I could read as well. I did so out loud: " 'For this action, four players must locate the portal, then surround it, hands joined. If their will is strong enough, it will close'..... WHAT? willpower? power of friendship...? oh no..." I was at loss of words and adding to my despair, the blonde sage next to me started shouting: "Who wants to help us close some of the portals, we need two more players!!!"

---

Objective: Close Portal
ID# 133428
BD: 7
Group Members: @Ariel - The Crowned Lion @Arabelle @Ronnel
Cumulative BD: 7

Edited January 4, 2020 by Dracul

[Azhoda 0]

Alright Last bit of my energy right into this, once closed I should help some people again, they seem like they need it. With this in mind and the still one portal close to the group I nodded. "Alright one more and we can start helping Civilians if we need to," I said following the rest to the last portal as we came there. 

Holding hands here we go again, at least they are not sweaty at all so a bonus for me there. Grabbing the guys their hands without any sort of panic or really any feeling at all, apart from being very very very determined to close this portal. I held on to Calrex and Baldur's hands. Wow when was the last time I really did something like this, I feel a bit weird but in a good way. I did not really care if they were random people I just met, I must admit I did that to someone before just grabbing their hand and dragging them along with me. Even if I did not know.

Then at that moment I closed my eyes and just went with it. A feeling inside my chest before the portal collapsed into itself and exploded into light with a good sound and a flash I stood there still holding Baldur's and Calrex's hand even if the portal was now destroyed. "Nicely done!!!" I said in a good mood still being oblivious to the fact that I was still holding their hands. "So we should see if we could help some civilians out there," I said before I noticed I was still holding their hand, "Oh Sorry," I said in a monotone 

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133427
BD: 2
Group Members: @Cordelia @Calrex @Baldur
Cumulative BD: 10+10+7+2=29 

Portal 3/3 Closed!!!

[Arabelle 0]

Objective: Close Portal
ID: 133439
BD: 2
Group Members: @Ariel - The Crowned Lion @Dracul +1
Cumulative BD: 7 + 2
[personal portal count: 0/3]

As the wall fortifications finished, Arabelle cheered from atop the crumbling house she had taken a seat on maybe a few minutes after she arrived. "Everyone! Thank you for your hard work~!" And all done in less than a day! Her beloved scout didn't even need to worry. Arabelle didn't do any of the heavy lifting herself, but when they needed it, she was there -- directing NPC workers to where they were needed, with her bird's-eye view of their section of the wall. Why did he even expect she would be personally participating in the labor? How insolent of him. She was a lady!

"Something's coming!" came the yell of a panicked townsguard. Swinging her legs, Arabelle looked up at the wall and saw one of the patrolling soldiers pointing at the outside with its face white as a sheet. "They look like archers! Arrows incoming!"

Not just archers. As confused players rushed to deal with the new threat, the earth bubbled up and a black hole(?) opened near her -- beginning to consume everything that had been unfortunate enough to stand above it at the time of its forming. 

"Well, well..." The small purple-haired girl hopped off her perch before she too could be caught by surprise. "Sending notice of an invasion is dumb, anyway. What sort of contrived villain tells everyone their plans?" Clearly, they had this ambush planned and scripted right from the start... but as the game goes, it was all rigged in the players' favor and it happened exactly when the wall was newly repaired and fortified. Poor them, she supposed.

First, the things that appeared within the town walls. She gleaned from a passing informant that they could be closed with a group of four players. Holding hands. Cheesy. Since when did SAO ever employ the Power of Friendship? 

Arabelle approached the group that was starting to form around the nearest portal.

"Need a hand?" she greeted with a bright smile. When the group was complete, she grasped the handsome blond's hand and blinked in recognition before holding her hand out to the lady who had told her fortune. ...okay, now what? "Now let's all close our eyes and feel the presence of the lord. ...just kidding~!"

Edited January 4, 2020 by Arabelle