[PP - F04] Daddy-Gladdy << Essence of Steel >>

Gladiator · January 10, 2020

"Damn!" Gladio exclaimed out into the distance of the snowy floor.

After the Christmas event, Gladio had just been in a worse mood than usual as depression over his lost family has taken the best of him. He spent today gathering specific materials, something that a player had inspired him to do. He was determined to get what he needed and find exactly everything for the grave he wanted to give his wife and lost kid.

"All I really need on this floor is good enough lumber to set up the base... I could probably set up shop once I get it constructed as well, well... once I get my profession going..." he had thought to himself. He looked around and rubbed his hands together "Damn I hate the cold, wish I brought better equipment for this weather." he said out to himself as he progressively got more and more cold.

@Mari

Mari · January 10, 2020

The forth floor was one of Mari's favourites; the weather was cold, but that's what she liked. She enjoyed the slight touch of bitter frost - she liked that it wasn't so hot she would have to spend days struggling to breathe because it was too damn hot . Then there was the ambiance, the soft hues of blues and whites - how everything was so still and silent, but still teeming with life. It was like everything was quite literally frozen in time.

She had chosen to do a few of the quests after her talk with Macradon, she wanted to get some done and continue to climb the ranks. It felt good...being Tier 3 now. Yet, she didn't feel the elation she thought she would. Mari sighed as she ran a hand through ginger hair. Exhaling. Steam on her breath. The last time she had come here... was the time she found out Alkor was alive again. She was so overwhelmed with emotions then; so much so that she had probably inevitably pushed him away...

Still... Now was not the time to dwell on such things, Mari opened up her inventory, scrolling through everything. "Damn...I'm gonna have to restock some things soon..." Mari mumbled to herself, seeing how low her consumables were. She could go ahead and make some, or attempt to make some herself but her shop was still in shambles. "For now... I'll use this..." Mari took one of the two Matriach's stingers out of her inventory, then pulled out her dagger. She poured the solution over the glinting crimson blade.

Mari was here for the <<Essence of Steel>> Quest. She wanted that item, the experience wouldn't be too bad either.

As Mari walked the floor she heard an echoed voice, cursing. Her brow furrowed. Not many people hung out around this floor, it was too cold for them. Approaching the source of the sound, Mari felt mild relief when she realized it was just Gladiator.

"Stub your toe or somethin'?" Mari asked him as she approached.

*Used Matriachs Stinger +1 Damage

MARI LV 50 | HP 1030 | ENERGY 100
DAM: 11+1 | EVA 3 | MIT 25 | ACC 4 | SAVVY 1

Rank 5 Dagger
Rank 5 Charge
Rank 5 Light Armour
Bull Rush
Survival
Precision
Athletics
Sprint/Acrobatics

BATTLE READY INVENTORY* DIMENSIONAL BACKPACK

1X MATRIACHS STINGER (+1 TO BASE DAMAGE) (USED THIS THREAD) |

@Gladiator

Gladiator · January 10, 2020

After the middle of his thought, he looked over as he heard footsteps stepping through the snow and to his surprise: it was Mari. "Mari, what'cha doing out here in the snow? How'd you find me?" he asked out to her. He then shook his head and smiled a bit realizing it didn't really matter then said to her "No, I didn't stub my toe. I am just out here looking for the right materials for my uh, "project"." he then chuckled.

He placed his hand on the back of his neck then rubbed it saying out "Hey uh, sorry about the whole Christmas event and me being upset. I just, really wished that I could of spent it with my past wife and kid." he sighed "You just know how it is, you'd like to spent your time on events like that with loved ones, and well. I sure as hell don't have any here. So it was a little depressing to be on my own."

@Mari

Mari · January 10, 2020

"Materials?" Mari's blue gaze glanced around the area. "Ahh...I know this floor very well. There's a small forest that way." Mari pointed East; "Most of it is frozen glades; but I used to hunt for materials there all the time, now I just by them from a Merchant named Ceres; she often gives discounts, and it saves me the time I'd spend hunting them myself. I was planning on visiting her after this quest, actually."

Mari opened up her HUD as she approached him, standing idly by his side she pointed to her screen. "As for what I'm doing here; I'm doing the Essence of Steel quest, I know...its much lower than my level but the boss drops a useful item I want." Mari glanced up at him and offered him a slight freckled smile. Their last encounter didn't exactly end all that well. It was at the Christmas event and she had approached him in good spirits, but he wasn't really in the mood for company - and Mari could understand why.

"I get that...It's why I wanted to say hi to you there." Mari said as she turned her eyes away from him to look at the gloomy sky above. "I was lucky I got to spend it with someone I love ..err loved but; it still makes it hard. I miss my daughter too."

Mari wasn't sure if she'd even be able to handle being at the event if Alkor and Macradon hadn't been there; it's partly why she had approached Gladiator. Because....she knew....she knew first hand just how crushing things like that were. If Mari dwelt on it too much...she'd get upset again. She was trying really hard to move past the events of that night - and she knew she had to take it one step at a time... it was just hard. So very, very hard.

"Hey, I'll tell ya what. If you accompany me on this quest; I'll buy you some materials in exchange. How does that sound?"

@Gladiator

Gladiator · January 20, 2020

Gladio had looked over in the east to see a bigger forest int he distance, he looked back to her and smiled and said "Dang, you know a lot more about the world than I give credit." he chuckled. Then asked out to her "A merchant huh? Seem's like you are slowly gaining more trust from others." Then listening to why she had been here, he gave her a slight smile back then said "Ahh, I see. So you are basically here for the same thing I am here for- er, well kind of. I am merely just after the boss."

Then after he confessed his sadness over the event, he looked back to her and said "Well, I thank you. I didn't get to share time in the event with many people. Even if it was a small conversation that we had, I appreciate the sentiment. And, I am sorry to hear about that someone, hope you will find that special someone again, someone that you can spend time with." then turning around when she had offered to accompanying her on the quest, he smirked and said "Well when you offer something like that, how could I say no? Follow me sweetheart."

@Mari

Mari · January 20, 2020

"Hmm?" His comment sparked a small flame of annoyance with her, but she quickly quashed it down as she patted her chest. "Hey now." She began in jest. "I may have shut myself away for a few years - but I'm not incompetent. I'd like to think I know a fair decent amount of things." And she did, or at least, she thought she did. Gladio made a comment about her ties with a merchant, and how she was slowly gaining trust from others. Mari coughed, "I'm...not sure I agree with that - it's not exactly trust but it is a start." Mari didn't throw the word around lightly, and she couldn't say she completely trusted Ceres, nor would she blame the peppy girl if she didn't trust her.

"The boss?" Mari asked, confused. "I thought you were looking for materials for your project?"

Mari glanced down at her map, she had marked the location of the quest, or where she had intel on where it should be. "If you're looking for the boss- I'm heading straight there. I really need to get just a few more skill points before I rejoin the frontlines." Mari begean as they walked through the forest. "Just outside the forest there is a sort of barren wasteland, further in that - there is a large skull that when struck, makes the enemy appear."

"As a dagger user, I don't get a lot of damage in - but with both of us, we should wipe it out in a round...maybe two. I'm here for the experience and for the Essence of Steel item. If I don't get it this time, I'm just gonna have to go back in and try again."

She knew he told him to follow, but Mari already knew where she was going. "I don't really appreciate being called sweetheart." she mumbled. She knew it was a term of endearment, but right now, wounds were too fresh for that sort of thing. "Still... I appreciate the sentiment. I just don't want to think about that sort of stuff right now, it's all too fresh." Mari added, trying not to be completely closed off from the man

@Gladiator

Gladiator · February 19, 2020

Gladio had frowned a little bit and threw his hands upward below his head then said to her "Hey, never said that you were incompetent, just said that I should give you at least a little bit more credit. My apologies." then looking back he placed a hand on one hip and said to her "Mhm, a boss. I got a valuable item I am looking out to get, a lot of players are looking to get their hands on one of them, me on the other hand not really. Maybe I'll find someone to give it to even, its a good item to settle a deal or just settle a bond of some sort I guess. Either way I also stopped by here to get the type of wood that's around, it reminds me a bit of home." he went on a tangent about.

After a moment he looked over and said to her "Oh, well I'd be more than happy to help you out there. That is of course you'd like to have me around." he smiled at her slightly. "If you are needing the item, I am more than happy to just come for the SP more than anything. If I want to get one of my own, I suppose I could just redo it on my own."

He said once again to her "Ah my apologies, thought I could poke a little fun or maybe get a smile of some sort from you. That being said-" he turned around toward where they needed to go "Lead the way Mari."

@Mari

Mari · February 19, 2020

What in the?

Mari tilted her head with a brow raised in confused curiosity. Did he take her jest seriously? Mari may not have been good at social interactions, but she thought she had made it fairly clear she was joking. He kept flip flopping between answers which made Mari suspicious. Why couldn't this guy keep his story straight? Did he want to fight the boss? OR did he want to collect materials?

Now it sounded like he was after the same item she was. Right after she mentioned it. When he had no mention of it before. She inwardly grumbled. This whole 'being nice to others' thing was becoming a bit of a pain. She wanted to try, and she wanted to give the benefit of the doubt but it was shady. Mari didn't trust him.

"Mmm...." Mari thought, did she really want him around? She could easily do this on her own - but having two people would be quicker. She didn't trust that he'd just give her the item - not after that whole spiel of wanting it for himself to settle deals and bonds or what have you. "If you want." Mari said finally. She wouldn't tell him to go away.

"I don't get how calling someone sweetheart is poking fun." Mari said earnestly. "To me, its a term of either endearment or condescension. I can't tell you how many times I was called 'sweetheart' in the office by men below their and my pay-grade because I was a woman." Mari said as they began to walk, wanting to explain why she didn't like the term.

As he told her to lead the way, Mari stepped past him, following the map. "It's really not too far, once we hit the wastelands at the forests edge - we'll be able to see it." she turned to glance at Gladiator and offered him a wry smile. "I doubt either of us would miss a giant f**k off skull like that."

@Gladiator

Gladiator · February 21, 2020

Gladio had nodded his head and said to her "I mean I do not see why not, even if the boss is easy its better to do it pairs for it to be over quicker yeah?" he placed his hands on his waist looking toward her as she spoke out after his next comments. "It was more so how I thought was poking fun, I did it all the time to my wife and I just thought it was the same way for most people. I apologize." he said to her, trying not to be an asshole, while he is one naturally he just doesn't want to step too far with this one... he was very curious to learn more about Mari. Turning around as she walked past him he looked at her and said with a grin "I mean, nothing says "I AM RIGHT HERE" than something to obviously give it away. It's too easy to find your target if you don't hide yourself well." he said stating the obvious as he was a part of the military.

@Mari

Mari · February 22, 2020

"True, true..." Mari said as he said it was easier to do it in pairs. "I don't have any AoE so it definitely helps to have someone else who does....I sometimes don't like relying on other people. I keep telling myself I can do things on my own, because I'm so used to having to do it that way. So...it's hard to accept I don't have to anymore, yanno? It's like you get so set in your ways its hard to shift past that certain mindset."

And her words rang true; even with Macradon being a strong confidant Mari felt like she couldn't constantly go to him, and without that, who else was there? Mari didn't feel like she needed to bother anyone else. Sure, others have come to her for aid - which Mari still struggled to comprehend - but did she seek it herself? No.

He apologized saying he was only poking fun - that he did it to his wife. "Well, yeh of course your wife would be ok with being called sweetheart - a stranger? Not so much." Mari said, trying to explain her point of view to him a little better, so he had more insight as to why she was so grouchy over it. "As I said, most people use it in a condescending tone - for a woman, its just frustrating to hear from people we aren't familiar with. It's terrible hearing it when you're walking down the street, or trying to buy groceries, or yanno - managing an office."

Gladiator said something else that she didn't really pay a whole lot of attention to. Mostly because to her, they didn't make much sense. The quest literally stated it was a giant skull. It was meant to be obvious - she didn't think it was trying to hide... but she didn't want to seem rude by questioning his reasoning. She was sure he meant to impart some sort of wisdom onto her, even if it slightly missed the mark. Mari glanced sideward at the broad man and offered him a small smile.

As they walked a little further, they breached the treeline - and were now on the outskirts of the wasteland. In the distance, just over the horizon Mari could see it - a literal giant skull, it looked like it belonged to a dinosaur, or dragon. "Welp, see - giant f**k off skull." Mari said with a forced laugh.

@Gladiator

Mari · March 20, 2020

(Permission from Gladiator to turn this into a Solo)

"Aye, that is quite the large Skull." Gladiator said with a chuckle. He paused. Mari shifted her gaze over to him, raising a curious brow. He shook his head and sighed. "Sorry. Can I take a raincheck on the quest? I have somewhere to be."

Mari offered him a smile. "Yeh, sure - sorry I'm a little antsy right now. We'll catch up soon yeh?" Gladiator nodded and gave her a small wave to say goodbye. Mari returned the gesture, watching his large and broad shoulders disappear beyond the treeline. "welp..." She said with a sigh. "Guess its just me after all..." Mari turned back to the barren wasteland before her -Maybe she shouldn't have been so cold toward him earlier - it was probably why he ended up leaving, right? Mari bit her tongue. She really needed a better handle on her emotions.

"Time to brave a frosty beast." Mari said as she dusted her hands together and stepped forward into the snowy plains.

Mari · March 20, 2020

Mari's footsteps sunk into the snow - she had to lift her knees high and with each step her entire foot was enveloped by the icy white sheet below. "Oof..." Mari said as she breathed heavily. She knew that this place wasn't shielded like the forests she knew so well...but to have such thick snowfall? She'd have to be careful - it seemed if she would venture too far off the path she'd be enveloped completely - and the last thing Mari wanted was to die by snow. What a way to go. "Just...gotta...get...to...that...skull..." Mari said to herself with each step. She was only halfway there.

It'd take longer than expected - Mari now partly wished that she did have some company, or perhaps a set of stilts. Her teeth chattered as the snow now started to swallow her calves. "There's gotta be an easier way to do this..." She mumbled to herself as she rubbed her hands together. Still, it was a quest she had yet to do, and it was one that needed to be done, the item was valuable. Being able to increase the rarity of your equipment? Something like that would be very useful in the future.

Mari · March 22, 2020

Turns out, there was an easier way. It took Mari several minutes to find; but there was a slight incline, which elevated her above the levels of heavy snowfall. It must have been a small hill or something, Mari was now walking freely in the snow; her feet only sinking in up to her ankles. Her legs free from their icy prison. It was still pretty cold though. Normally the floor was no issue for her, but normally she wasn't submerged in the snow. Her teeth clattered as she rubbed her hands together. "Right... lets see do I need anything else..." Mari said to herself as she opened up her HUD, going through her stats.

This was a fairly easy thing to fight; so she doubted it. She could have taken something to mayhaps increase her accuracy but Mari was confident she'd hit it - even if she missed it wasn't like it'd be a danger to her. Mari pulled out her dagger and approached the giant skull.

Mari · April 5, 2020

There was an eeriee silence as she approached the skeleton; like all ambient sound had ceased. There was no howl of the wind, no rustle of the trees - even the faint sounds of the birds had ceased. Mari frowned as she gently ran a hand across the bleached skull of the beast. It towered over her. "Hmmm... I think the event said I had to..." Mari glanced around the ground, she found a much smaller discarded bone, picked it up and whacked it against the skull

There was a mighty roar as she hit the skeletal skull and from the boney maw came a giant creature, covered in fur and ice. It looked like a Super sized yeti, but very, very pissed. With two red beady eyes that bore into Mari as they swivelled down. It carried a large jagged bone as a club, it covered in thick, red dried blood. It growled and pointed its club at Mari.

Mari pulled out her own weapon. "FIne, lets do this."

Mari · April 5, 2020

With the flip of her blade into its reverse grip Mari had activated the <<Eternal Cyclone>> ability, she kicked off the hard snowy ground and charged toward the strange yeti-like snow beast. It roared at her, it's mighty cry shaking as it reverberated around them. That didn't bother her. Mari grit her teeth, she'd end this quickly. She wanted that item, she wanted to get away from here and rest.

She pivoted on her foot, twirling round and round as her dagger slashed at the mob's ankles - the successful charge knocked the beast back- he fell to his knees with a mighty crash. Angry red marks littered the bottom of his feet and legs. "Geez..." Mari knew it'd be easy, but she didn't think it'd be this easy. Her eyes glanced to it's health bar...it was already in the red - and the status effect appeared above it <<Stunned>> The poor furry creature couldn't even get up. Mari almost felt bad for it.

Almost.
-----

MARI | HP 1030/1030 | ENERGY 89/100 | DAM: 11+1 | EVA 3 | MIT 25 | ACC 4 | SAVVY 1
Charged Eternal Cyclone 12 + 5=16 x 13 =208
ID:139716 BD: 7-1+4=SUCCESS

<<Frost Beast>>
HP: 42/250 | DMG: 160 | MIT: 0 | ACC: 0 |EVA: 0 STUNNED
Ability: [Partial Phase]: <<Frost Beast>>'s attacks always deal a minimum of 24 DMG instead of a minimum of 1 DMG when calculating Mitigation.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Mari

Mari · April 5, 2020

The frost beast tried to flail around, but he...she? It failed, and failed miserably. It's limbs were heavy, weighed down with the brunt of Mari's stun. She was glad she had it, the mod wasn't all that pricey, and its return investment was great - she was able to get through many solo battles with it. Now, if only she had the ability to do AoE - she'd be loving life. ALas, she went the route of the lonely, tiny, dagger. It wouldn't matter...Mari grit her teeth and flipped her dagger into its typical reverse grip, activating her strongest move, yet again. The <<Eternal Cyclone>> In all honesty Mari was Sick of the move, but its all she had in her arsenal.

She sprung forth and with a series of spins, dizzying spins...she had managed to tear through the last of the frost beasts HP. It exploded into data and left her and the field around them in a dead and eerie silence.

"well...that was easy."

-----

MARI | HP 1030/1030 | ENERGY 70/100 | DAM: 11+1 | EVA 3 | MIT 25 | ACC 4 | SAVVY 1
Eternal Cyclone 12 x 13=156
ID:139717 BD:2 +4=6 HIT

<<Frost Beast>>
HP: 0/250 | DMG: 160 | MIT: 0 | ACC: 0 |EVA: 0 STUNNED
Ability: [Partial Phase]: <<Frost Beast>>'s attacks always deal a minimum of 24 DMG instead of a minimum of 1 DMG when calculating Mitigation.