[F4-PP] An Absent Melody Breathes Once More

[Raidou 1]

Still trying to come to terms what had happened, Raidou was offering cadence on the ice. A wide sweep of his weapon as he shatters a vial to dust, pixels fly in all directions and richocet of the surface of a cleared reflection. He was exerting so much force with each swing, each parry was fueled with power. He was struggling for control, trying his best to regain his composure for he hated the fact...

     Help to keep us safe

Raidou felt as though he had failed them both, how could he had been so blind for so long. He could control every outcome but under his very nose, he could have very well passed right over them numerous times before without noticing. Phantoms of the lost parade around him as a soft melody plays in his head. An image of Mari, another he had failed.

          Graves of those who have fallen before you

An image of the monument flashes into his head, constant day in and day out painted with soft orange light from the sunset. No names, no news. A bittersweet result, that he always feared that they would appear.

               No one can even stand you

His energy depleted and drawn thin, he drops his sword to the ice. He falls to one knee, his wounds still ticking upward slowly. He had yet to respond to Kiluia's message, he couldn't face them having failed to protect them for all this time.

                         Who think they can solve others problems

Exhausted from the energy he had spent, he sits idle on the ice. It was cold and burned his skin, unable to pick himself up he whispers "I'm sorry..." as the warmth of water poured down his cheeks.

Spoiler

Raidou, The Red Wanderer
Level: 56
HP: 1120/1120
EN: 112/112

Stats:
Damage: 8
Mitigation: 86
Evasion: 3
Accuracy: 3
BH:56
TAUNT
VAMP OFF:112
BLD:12

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Dracbane [T2/Perfect/2HSS]: V.O 1, ACC 1, BLD 1
Armor: Commander's Scrutiny - Duress [T1/Perfect/Trinket]: +2 Accuracy, Taunt
Misc: Red Wanderer's Robe [T1/Perfect/L.A] +3 Evasion

Skills:
Gatherer [Obtained]
Two Handed Straight Sword [Rank 5]
One Handed Straight Sword [Rank 3]
Parry [Obtained]
Howl [Obtained]
Battle Healing [Rank 5]
Fighting Spirit [Obtained]
Light Armor [Rank 1]

Extra Skills:
Concentration
Familiar Mastery: Protector

Mods:
Vengeful Riposte
Focused Howl
Finesse Rank 3

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal*1
Empty Slot
<<Darkness Salve>>*2
Tactician's Gaze - Ogma [T1/Perfect/Trinket]: +3 Accuracy
Auric Sol - Corona [T3/Perfect/2HSS]: Damage 3

Edited June 29, 2020 by Raidou

[Eruda 0]

Eruda walks out of a tailor shop that was not hers given she has not yet craft anything for a long while of worth. Thanks to Setsuna as she walks out of her shop with a new outfit, mainly comfy white long sweats, and a long-sleeved white shirt hoodie thing. They were both made to be strictly warm for these floors alone. Walking through the trees that trees in the coldness to head back to the town she hears a clashing of what sounds like a weapon against a rock? Eruda turns slightly toward the frozen lake sit Raidou on one knee. -Why is he out here all alone, I wonder if I should go help him- thinking to herself. Knowing what Raidou told her before that he had no time to dabble with his time right now and seeing him here...On one knee...The sword on the ice sliding...From the corner of her eye, she sees Haine, the blue-haired female walking in his direction. She hid behind the trees to watch what would happen...

Spoiler

Name: Eruda
Level: 25
HP: 500/500
EN: 50/50

Stats:
Damage: 3
Mitigation: 52
BLD:12
TAUNT
THRNS:18
REC:1

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Bleeding Edge - Malice (Bleed 2, Taunt)
Armor: Resistance Plate - Lily (Damage Mitigation 3 (+27 Mitigation)
Misc: Stalwart Defender (Thorns 2, Recovery 1)

Skills:
Heavy Armor [Rank 4]
One-Handed Curved Sword [Rank 2]
Fighting Spirit [Obtained]
Howl [Obtained]

Extra Skills:
Concentration

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal
Ebon Tether - Beauty (+3 Loot Dice)

Edited June 30, 2020 by Eruda

[Haine 0]

Kiluia's words haunted her sleep for the past few nights. She had nightmares from the cave, stuck in that cocoon, only nobody would be there to save her. Other times he was there fighting, struggling while she laid there helpless. It had been five entire years, and in that time the world didn't stop for her to catch up. She was exhausted that first night and holed up in her room. She would find answers... tomorrow. And then the next day came, and she figured maybe the cocoon would be a less cruel fate. Her siblings names were missing from her list. It could only mean two things, it was unlike her to be a pessimist. In a world like this, she didn't know what else to believe. She spent the next few days at the inn, ruminating.

Haine couldn't keep up with this isolation. It was time to at least try to communicate with those worried for her, let them know she was alive if anything. She woke up with Raidou on her mind. Her anxiety pulled her thoughts away from everyone else besides the two people she saw ever since the incident, she was too afraid to think of the rest in fear of facing it. Kiluia had tried to contact her since that day, but she heard nothing from Raidou yet. It was odd. She turned to message her dear friend and then noticed his location on her map. It was then when she realized that something might have been bothering him.

He was at his peaceful place to reflect.

The lady dressed warmly for the weather and left, using her map to trace him to the icy floor. She trekked through the heavy snow and shivered as icy drafts nipped her skin. Her blue eyes peered into the distance to see a figure, ballistically swinging their sword into the ice. She inched closer and it was Raidou, in a fit of rage. Haine squeezed her hands by her sides. He sunk to the icy floor and knelt there, unmoving. She could tell from his trembling shoulders that he was fighting tears.

"Raidou?" the other called to announce her presence. She swallowed thickly. His composure was crumbled. She moved towards the ice and knelt down beside him. She rested her palm on his shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.

 

Spoiler

Name: Haine
Level: 44
HP: 900/900
EN: 88/88

Stats:
Damage: 8
Mitigation: 12
Accuracy: 1

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: 2H AS Paralyze II
Armor: Tier 1 light armor [Vanity]
Misc:

Skills:
Two Handed Assault Spear [Rank 5]
Light Armor [Rank 3]

Extra Skills: Fishing

Mods:
Finesse Rank 3
Ferocity
Precision
Athletics

Battle Ready Inventory:
(3) Starter healing potions - 50 HP

 

Edited June 30, 2020 by Haine

[Raidou 1]

A soft hand upon his frame, the warmth was undeniable and hot against the cold.  He looks up to find Haine upon the lake they had met all those years ago and he could bearly comprehend what had happened. First Eruda, then Kiluia and now Haine had finally returned. Raidou had been fighting for so long and hard, doing everything he could search for them. Everything he could to beat the clock and the game before they expired. Living on a timer he had been run ragged. Somehow picking himself up, having beat himself to s*** simply trying to get his mind blanked. Grabbing her hand, he pulls her in close. "I am so sorry I failed the both of you..." he held her tightly just to confirm she was real. His first real friend had been returned to him by a simple chance. The whole reason for fighting as harshly as he had had finally shown some results.

[Eruda 0]

Eruda watches and hears what Raidou said to this female. Moving her head in a direction different from where it was but still out of sight to get a better look. Raidou pulls this female into a hug and Eruda's face goes icy blank as her feet slip on the slippery snow and she falls into a snow mount next to where she was standing. Readjusting her positioning in the large mound of snow she pokes her head out just inches above so she could watch this even further. She felt bad for spying but she really wanted to know what this female meant to Raidou. She sniffles a bit from being in the large mound of snow peeking just over as she blends in with the white around her. Was this the reason why he was so distant from her?? Was there another female he liked. The thoughts were agonizing but she was not going to just to conclusions just yet. She waits and watches what happens between the two.

[Haine 0]

There was a sinking feeling in her chest as she knelt there. She'd seen him vulnerable before, but never like this. Never with this... intensity. He seizes her hand and pulls her in, holding her tight. With that, her face fell. Over the course of these years, she wasn't here to watch him grow. Both her and Kiluia were his dear friends, she knew he would've searched far and wide to find them. There was nothing she could've done, fast asleep and unable to reach him. What lengths did he go through to reach them? There was a feeling of guilt inside her. With a heavy sigh, she wrapped her arms around him. "Don't blame yourself, Raidou..." she reasoned, softly. "None of us could have known that would happen." She rested her chin on his shoulder and paused for a moment. "I'm here again, thanks to you." She pulled away and tilted her head, attempting to search his gaze.

[Raidou 1]

He was filled with so many words that could not find letters, so much emotion that could not be expressed. Haine looked exactly as he had remembered her but it still didn't feel real. He could not compute this. Raidou takes her hand and slides back for a moment on the slick surface, removing a performance crystal from his pocket. "We should move forward, as if nothing was taken from us." he responds softly using an edge of his robe to wipe his face. There were enough tears, and he would not allow himself to dwell on this. If she had forgiven him, then perhaps he could forgive himself. Hitting the device a somber tone with an anthem produced by little Shiina begins to ring through the distance, a reproduction of something he had asked her to produce. "As before..." Raidou asks the bluenette, removing his glasses and paying her a smile albeit weakly allowing his amber eyes to meet her own. 

[Eruda 0]

Eruda hears both of them as if it was a long time coming since they saw each other. -Who was this blue-haired female and why was Raidou crying over her- Eruda thought to herself and the snow beneath her crouching body started to melt as Eruda's face started to get red from the angry thought she was having right now. She realized that a small puddle was forming under her and she panics a bit. Quickly looking around she sees another large snow mount just feet from her. Getting to her feet she tries to run to this mound but instead loses her footing and falls on her but and slides into the large mound of snow. *Ouch* she thinks but puts her hood back on and peeks upward at the duo. Music starts to play and by the looks of it, Raidou was starting to cheer up just a bit. Humph...she outhales shortly as she watches trying to figure out what was going on between the two of them. What was she missing...

Edited June 29, 2020 by Eruda

[Haine 0]

He wiped away his tears and spoke, of hope and new beginnings. Haine's expression softened. "Yes, let's." She was pulled to her feet above the ice. Albeit her absence didn't feel like much time, a lot of it had passed now. She missed times like this, having snow fights and skating with him. She was a spontaneous girl through and through, it wasn't unusual for her to drag her closer friends along for fun activities. She swiftly equipped her skates and balanced over the slippery ground. He crushed the crystal, a soft cadence forming in the air. It was the same song that played when they were skating years ago. The enchanting tune reminded the girl of good days, it filled her with nostalgia. She closed her eyes and felt for the melody. With that she grabbed his hand, leading him over the makeshift rink. She wanted to lighten the mood.  "C'mon! Hit me with your best move!" She spun around and all but slipped on the ice, giggling.

Edited June 30, 2020 by Haine

[Raidou 1]

As he had done before, he was much better at this than he was back then. A ring burned with the sliding of feet in an aggressive pirouette as he rose and popped against the ice, he wore no skates but his stance adjustment from parrying proved useful for more than combat. The other two girls he had met on this floor reminded of this moment he had shared with the bluenette, for that he owed them dearly. He was a bit shaken by the fact but through the bottoms of his boots, it was threatening to melt away, with each trailing sweep and turn. Two shades one red and one blue, as the pair galavanted around the ice in opposed color. Haine had torn down the barricades he had built through her kindness, and because of this fact, he had flourished. The red wanderer owed a return of that gift to the one that initially given it. She helped him find his voice.

[Eruda 0]

Eruda watched as both of then gliding across the ice, almost dancing. Raidou was really good at the skating as Haine had fallen a few times. Eruda blushes a bit as she watches the two of them enjoying themselves. Sighing as a frown forms on her face wishing it was her out them with them...Suddenly her HUD chimes and Eruda falls backward into the snow trying to mute the chime. The tree above her drops a huge pile of snow from its branches onto her already cold body. Buried in snow, Eruda doesn't bother checking her message as it almost gave her position away. Wiping the snow off herself she peeks up past the mound again. She sniffles from the cold knowing that she should probably get going soon but really wants to find out what happens next. Adjusting her hood to cover her face more she watches the two dance across the ice with the beautiful song playing in the background.

[Haine 0]

"Wow," Haine hummed, impressed by Raidou in all his glory, "You've certainly gotten better at this." She twirled around him and rounded the rink, laughing with the carefree smile that was typical to her. After a while her feet were tiring of the ice. She skated to a halt and equipped her snow boots, stepping off the pond. She stretched her back and looked up at the sky, pondering a moment. Just then, an idea came to mind. Her trip down memory lane prompted her to pad off to a mound of snow. "Sooo..." the bluenette mused, propping her hand on her hip. She glanced over her shoulder towards the older male. "This snowman isn't gonna build itself!" She knelt down on the snow, gathering a mass of the cold fluff. She worked at it until it formed a spherical shape, setting it down on the ground. She prepared to roll it.

[Raidou 1]

He had hoped that the fact this was always on his mind, spending an hour or so in constant motions he was almost out of breath just by the sheer excursion. "I've kind of been practicing." he replied sheepishly at regarding his progress. As she began to leave the ice, he was a bit taken sour at the fact the trip would be cut short. What follows brings a wide smile to his face, leaving the sword where it fell because for once he would not need it for a while. "Your right, I suppose it won't." ushering himself into the soggy wet snow, beginning to pick up handfuls of the stuff and doing his best to form them into spheres. Through Haine he was able to live and to breathe, without having her around it was as if his lungs wouldn't fill with air and for the first time in ages, he was capable of a deep breath.

[Eruda 0]

Eruda ducks her head down slowly not making any sudden movements. Haine and Raidou both came to where she sat there watching them. Eruda started to panic a bit not wanting to be seen because she didn't want either of them to think ill of her. It's not like she came to this floor to watch them specifically. She came to grab a new outfit from Setsuna's shop and ended up here because she was worried about Raidou. It seemed as though for now there was nothing to worry about now. With them being just a few feet from her building what looked like a snowman, Haine's hand-pulled snow from the mound that she was sitting in. Her chest started to pound hard and she was trying to keep her breathing straight and quiet as to not give away her position. She starts to army crawl away from them as low and slow as possible trying to stay out of sight as she blended into the snow.

[Haine 0]

She rest easy seeing him smile again. She never meant for things to go this way, but this moment of happiness they were sharing, it gave her hope that things would be alright again. She was back and here to stay and nothing could change that. She would continue to fight for her life and for those of her loved ones. She saw the weight lift off Raidou's shoulders as he sunk into the soft snow beside her, molding little snowballs. Little specks of snow were caught between her locks from the gentle snowfall. "Good job, soldier! Now let's make a great big one." She grabbed the snowballs from Raidou's hands and the rest of the smaller ones on the floor, lumping them together. She struggled to roll the combined snowballs into the ground. She needed a hand from the other stronger player to get it rolling. Soon enough they'd secured their base for the snowman. "Hmm," she mused, fingertip to her lips, "We'll make this a snow-Raidou. I have just the thing, you'll see," she assured, with a confident nod. "It'll be our best one yet, think you can handle it?"

[Raidou 1]

Hard at work, he was spending a little too much time trying to make them perfectly round. An intense look into each piece as he glanced them with fingertips trying to shape them. He began to shovel a heavy mound of the stuff together patting it firmly and started to round it into a large sphere to compose the body. "Aye captain." he exclaims beginning to ruffle into his satchel and produce some herbs to use as decorations, enjoying the moment the had shared. The snow falls in softened feathers from the greyed sky that builds upon his shoulders in small piles, it would have been sad in appearance if it had not been such a typical scene like a family playing the frost. His hands were slightly numb from the cold, but it was the last thing on his mind for he felt complete for the first time in ages.

[Eruda 0]

Eruda manages to get herself propped up against a bigger tree, standing on the opposite side of the tree out of view. Sweat drips from her forehead as she really thought that she was going to be seen by them but neither of them seemed to notice. Setting her head against the tree closing her eyes to calm her nerves down she peeks just around the corner again to see them making the snowman that was to be Raidou. She pulls her head back and looks to the grey sky as it begins to snow. Soft flakes hit her face making it colder than it was already and Eruda let out a deep sigh. This girl seems to mean a lot to Raidou but nothing besides fun times was happening. How does she get Raidou to focus on something other than work? Eruda frowns at the fact that she hasn't been able to make him laugh but he has helped her get stronger. Eruda likes this factor that she was being even noticed for her true potential and having the push that she never had to succeed. Eruda sighs silently to calm her thoughts and shivers a bit. Wrapping her arms around herself trying to keep warm she peeks around the corner again but staying out of sight. 

[Haine 0]

It was all according to plan, they assembled three tiers on the Snow-Raidou. She circled around the shamelessly bare thing and gave it a once over, arms crossed. "Lookin' good! T'ch, he needs clothes, shameless thing." She drummed her fingers and then, a light bulb lit up in her head. She snatched his glasses from him and poked some holes for the specs to go on. They were comically tiny in comparison to its head. She dug into the snowy bed, finding a few pebbles to create a face. Lastly, it needed a flourish, a nod to her dear friend. Haine hummed, sliding through her inventory. She found a red robe which reminded her of him and draped it over the blingy snowman's frame. He was a force to be reckoned with. "Ahh, perfect! Just one more thing..." A mischievous expression overtook her as she reached down behind the snowman. There was a stash of snowballs unused and ready to pelt. She picked one up and turned with her back facing him. She unceremoniously whips around and pelts it straight at him, only to miss. "Ugh, whyyy?"  She scooped up several more snowballs and ran across the snow, her boots digging into it. She throws yet another one his way, which unfortunately also misses. It propels itself towards a tree and splats.

 

BD: 8

ID: #156471

SNOWBALL MISSES

[Raidou 1]

Raidou pulls his frames off and affixes it to the thing, making a rather odd looking duplicate of himself. "Shame it looks hardly anything like me." With his glasses off Raidou turns and watches a snowball glance past him, Haine had seized the opportunity while his back was turned. He shifts his head slightly as it flies past. "You sneaky little..." he chuckles and winds up his own after pulling out another pair of glasses, pelting her in the shoulder. Like the time that had passed, they devolve in a mirror of memory. Much had changed such then but at least this was still the same. The sun begins to come to a close as they spend a good hour pelting each other with balls of snow, heavily panting and simply having a good time but out of breath. "I am glad your back Haine, I really am." as he falls back into the snow.

ID# 156472 results: Battle: 8, BOINK

Edited June 30, 2020 by Raidou

[Haine 0]

Haine let out a dramatic sigh, throwing her hands in the air and along with it, her last two snowballs. "How many friggin' pairs of those do you have?!" She screams as another snowball pelts her straight on the shoulder. She takes off, running away from his clone. Damn, since when did he get so good at aiming snowballs? The girl reminisced those times when she bested him at snowball fights with ease. She forms another one for a last attempt and it barely grazes the other's pant leg. Ah, just a bit off! "Nooo..." She whined, making her way over to the triumphant man. She outstretches her arms and falls back on the plush snow bed beside him. "Me too, I missed this." She lays there a minute with him to regain her breath. She didn't realize it was getting this dark already. Time really does fly when you're busy enjoying it. Haine was grateful to have trusted her intuition which led her here. She flails her limbs around, creating a lazy snow angel beside it. She stood back up and stood over the angel. She was about to comment until a message popped up on her HUD. It was something from Kiluia, it seemed urgent. She sighed, turning to face her friend. "Hey, take care Raidou. I've gotta dip, there's something I need to do." She walked over to him and knelt down, patting his shoulder.

And with that, she was off.

Edited June 30, 2020 by Haine