[F02 - SP] The Mountain's Top <<Breaking the Unbreakable>>

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

The shimmering of blue in the air filled Nari’s vision as the teleporter dropped her onto the surface of Floor 2’s main town. It took a moment for her vision to clear, the after effects leaving her eyes watery. She hoped that she would eventually get used to it – it seemed like a good system for moving between floors and locations, but the bright light definitely annoyed her.

Glancing around, she saw a small village, a sparse population moved throughout the streets – Nari could tell that a few of these individuals were players, but most of these other players seemed busy with their own tasks, completely ignore her appearance on the teleporter pad. Avoiding eye contact with most of them, Nari began weaving through the players and NPCs, asking those who stood off by themselves if they had heard anything about a man on a mountain.

It took nearly twenty minutes before she finally found someone who could give her directions. Listening intently, she bowed, thanking them, before making her way to the front gates of the town. Taking in a deep breath, she took her first steps out of the town of Urbus.

It took far longer than she expected to traverse the area beyond the town, dodging around the few creatures she came across on her path. Eventually she came to a large peak that seemed to tower above her. A clear path led up the side of the mountain, and Nari felt her head tilt back as she took in the entire size of it.

‘Well, this doesn’t look too bad…’ She felt herself bite her tongue as she continued looking up the path. A sharp angle became obvious the higher the path went, until the path itself disappeared from view. ‘I spoke too soon…’

Shrugging inwardly, Nari began what she knew would likely become the longest walk of her life – and one that might make her hate the outdoors in the near future. She only hoped that whatever waited for her at the top of this accursed trail would be worth all the effort she was putting into this.

As the gravel road gave way to what could barely be called a dirt path up to the foothills of the mountain, Nari started to wonder if she was getting into something above her head. Trudging onwards, she leaned forward, forcing her feet to continue as the incline began to shift underneath her.

What felt like hours slowly passed as she found herself entering the cover of trees – blocking out the majority of the sunny day, and leaving her in a cooler mood, matching the cooler air that had begun to surround her. As the trees pressed in ever closer, she felt her left hand dipping towards the hilt of the blade on her right hip, readying herself should something leap out at her.

As she plunged deeper into the woods, continuously on the rise up the foothills of the mountain, Nari couldn’t help but feel as though something was watching her. Every so often she would whip around, hand on hilt, ready to draw her blade should something be standing behind her – yet every time, there was nothing.

Spotting the edge of the forest, Nari gave a shuddering sigh of relief, rushing forwards against her better judgement. As she cleared the edge of the trees themselves, she felt a tingling in her spine, and twirling around she drew her blade, raising her shield and bringing her blade perpendicular to its top edge. Her eyes scanned the wood line, but after a few breaths of nothing jumping towards her, she relaxed.

Turning back to the view behind her, she saw for the first time where the woods had exited – a large crevasse spanned the immediate area, with a bridge of stone jutting out between this side and the opposite. As Nari took in the pathway, her eyes grazing across bridge, she realised that this would be no easy crossing – made more so by the fact that halfway across, a portion of the bridge had given way. Sighing to herself, Nari made her way to the edge of the bridge, readying herself for the challenge ahead.

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14 |

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Word Count: 698

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Coming to the edge of the bridge, Nari slid forwards carefully to test the strength of the rock beneath her feet. Glancing over the side as she did so, she saw that the drop went on far beyond what her eyes could see, far enough down that she doubted she would survive if she did slip over the edge. As she continued to carefully step forward, Nari began eyeing the gap in the centre of the bridge. The gap itself appeared larger than she had originally expected, she would have assumed it was nearly a metre across – far enough that she wondered if jumping across would even be possible.

As she became more assured of the strength of the bridge, Nari began glancing further and further around, looking for a way around. She could see in the distance that the edges of the crevasse could be traversed, however it would mean backtracking through the forest and covering a distance that would likely see her climbing the remainder of the mountain in the dark – both options something she would prefer to avoid entirely.

Coming to the gap in the bridge itself, Nari could see that the gap was not nearly as far across as she had originally expected. Although wide, Nari figured that she could make the leap – but certainly not as heavily weighed down as she was currently. Glancing back to the forest, assuring herself that no immediate dangers were present, Nari warily pulled up her menu before storing her armour and shield away. She immediately felt her body lighten, enough so that she felt the leap might be more than possible.

Taking another glance down into the pit, Nari took a deep breath before stepping back down the bridge. Closing her eyes, she reminded herself that there was no reward without a risk. Snapping her eyes open and beginning her run at the same time, she forced herself across the bridge as fast as she could, pushing off from the hard rock at the last possible second. She felt herself hover in the air for what felt like a number of minutes before she felt a sudden change in her stomach.

As she felt herself beginning to drop, Nari threw her arms forward, wildly attempting to gain the final distance between herself and the ledge on the other side. Closing her eyes, she leaned forwards, hoping it would be enough to allow her to catch the edge of the bridge. Her heart seemed to stop as she felt herself still hovering in the air – and then just as suddenly, she felt her feet slam into something solid, the momentum causing her to roll forward.

Her eyes snapped open as she threw her arms before her, managing to cover her face before it too slammed into the hard rock surface she had landed on. Nari felt her breath escape as she realised that she had made it – across a gap that certainly would have led to her death should she have been any tiny bit off in her jump.

Standing, Nari looked behind her. As she looked down, she saw that she had just barely landed on the edge, the heels of her feet having actually still swayed above the open gap. Skipping forward onto the safety of the solid surface, Nari felt herself begin to breath once more.

Putting the occurrence behind her, Nari set her sights forward once more. As she crossed the remainder of the bridge, Nari pulled her inventory up again, returning the comforting weight of the plate armour and shield to her body.

Before her, the rise up the mountain continued, and Nari plunged onwards, determined not to let this hinderance dissuade her from her success. Step by step, Nari knew was the only way to defeat this quest – and in the end, the game itself.

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Word Count: 641

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

The path up the mountain had begun to wind towards the eastern edge as Nari had continued, forcing her to slowly shift right from where she had originally approached. The grade had slightly increased on her, but seemed to have levelled out over the last few minutes, maintaining a soft thirty degrees. Nari had just started to relax, thinking the rest of the journey would be relatively simple, when the path had come to a sudden abrupt stop.

Before her lay the face of a cliff, dropping off immediately, the ground below barely visible – but clearly far beyond what she could survive.

Turning to her left, she saw a harsh mountain side covered in pock marks and crevasses. Tilting her head back, she could see a ledge above. Eyeing the wall, she could see how the many marks and holes in the wall were almost… by design. As if someone had placed them just far enough apart that one could use them as hand and foot holds, should they be so daring.

‘Right. Only way is upwards.’ Bringing up her inventory, Nari did a quick look around before removing the heavy armour and shield. Grasping the nearest hand holds, she pulled herself upwards, swinging her feet into the holes below her to hold herself in place.

Tilting her face upwards again, she glared at the ledge above, figuring it was only about four times her own height away. ‘Here I come.’

Moving slowly, Nari pushed and pulled herself up, taking time to make sure her hands and feet were firmly in place before making the next step upwards. It felt like hours had passed as she moved her way up the cliff face, and as she glanced up again, she realised she was almost at the ledge itself – just under a quarter of the distance left to go. Feeling a burst of energy at the realisation, Nari urged herself onwards, giving up on caution as she felt her muscles started to complain.

‘They could have made this a little less realist-‘ Her thought cut off as she felt the fingers on her right hand slip, just as she was pulling her left leg up. For a moment, a race of adrenaline pulsed through her as she feared she would lose her grip entirely. Her left hand pulsed slightly as she gripped down on her hold, and she released a sigh as she pulled herself back onto the rock face, managing to hold herself from falling.

Nari remained still for a few moments, letting her rapid heart beat and adrenaline burst settle before pulling herself back into motion. Returning to her slow and steady movements, Nari took her time covering the remaining distance, carefully picking her pathway, ensuring her holds before moving onwards.

When she finally collapsed onto the ledge above, her entire body ached – so much so that she found herself content just to lay and allow herself a few moments of respite. Closing her eyes, she felt herself beginning to drift off…

 

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Word Count: 503

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Snapping to consciousness, Nari realised with a start that she had actually fallen asleep. Glancing upwards, she noticed the light had shifted in the sky slightly, but it didn’t appear as if more than an hour had passed.

Scowling herself for taking such dangerous actions, she pulled herself to her feet, looking to the path ahead. The dirt path had resumed, wrapping to the west this time, and increasing to a stronger angle – Nari figured closer to forty degrees.

Pulling her inventory back up, she refitted herself in her armour, the comfort of it and the shield reassuring her. Bowing her head, she took her first steps forward. Her exhaustion seemed to subside as she forced herself onwards up the path, the pain in her feet dulling to a small ache. She wondered how much further she had to go, up this painful pathway.

Turning a corner she saw the path before her switchback to another cliff face, this one completely perpendicular to the path, at a ninety-degree angle. Sighing, questioning if it was all worth it, Nari pushed forward to the bottom of the wall.

Glancing up at it, she saw similar hand and footholds, these almost appearing carved into the rockface itself. ‘Almost as if they were put here specifically for this purpose…’

Removing her armour once more, she began the ascent up the side of the cliff, repeating a mantra to herself as a reminder to go slow. Taking caution caused her to move far slower up the wall than her previous climb, and it was almost half an hour later that she scaled the edge of the ledge, rolling over and collapsing on her back, her muscles spasming at the brutal work they had just been put through.

Nari groaned as she pulled herself to her feet. Looking around she saw that the path continued up the mountain’s east side, curving off to the left and out of sight. Not bothering to return her armour, the thought of the weight of it making her groan mentally, Nari pushed herself to continue the climb.

‘I’ve come this far…’ As she turned the corner, a small building came into sight. It took Nari a few moments to recognise the building before her, and what it meant. The excitement of the realisation caused a burst of energy in her body, and she felt her steps pick up slightly as she rushed to the front door.

As she reached the door itself, Nari realised that the door itself was simply an open entry way. Giving one final push, she forced herself through the door, calling out as she fell to the ground, her legs giving out beneath her. She managed to get her hands underneath her as she collapsed, stopping her face from smashing into the ground. The cold floor on her left cheek felt so welcoming, and she had to fight to keep her eyes from closing entirely.

“Excuse me, but why are you lying on the floor?” A calm, older voice asked her. Nari forced her right eye open enough to notice an elderly man with a white beard standing over top of her. He stared down at her with an expression that seemed a combination of amusement, concern and growing annoyance.

“Comfy…so…tired…” Nari’s voice seemed almost dreamlike to her own ears, and she could tell from the man’s change in expression that it clearly sounded like she was on the verge of death. Forcing herself to roll onto her back, she opened both eyes, fighting against the exhaustion.

“Might I ask why you are lying on the floor?” Although the question repeated, Nari could’ve sworn there was a slight change to the tone of the question itself. As if the man was becoming impatient.

“I…I was…I heard there was…a quest here?” Nari felt her eyelids becoming heavy, and she fought against the urge to sleep as the man knelt down beside her.

“Ah, you must be here to learn the ways of the martial arts.” The man rubbed his beard, drawing his fingers through it. “You are out of luck, I only train those who are worthy. Enjoy your walk back down the mountain.”

The man stood and began walking down the corridor, leaving Nari on the floor where she was. A sudden depression gripped Nari’s chest. Was this really how the quest was supposed to go? Did she do something wrong?

“Wa…wait! I’m…I’m worthy. Let me prove it!” Nari forced herself to her feet, struggling to rise. The elderly man stopped as she did so, seemingly watching her attempt to rise. “I…I can do this. I can be worthy.”

“I will only train those who can prove to me that they are ready.” He seemed to watch Nari, as if waiting for a response. Nari forced herself all the way to her feet, opening her mouth to respond. A flash in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she saw a dialogue box hovering in the air, waiting for her to accept the quest the elderly man had provided her. Reach out hesitantly, she pressed the accept button, not taking her gaze off the man who waited patiently, watching.

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Word Count: 865

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

As Nari’s dialogue box disappears, the elderly man suddenly smiles. Stepping forward he gives a slight bow, the man began speaking, introducing himself to Nari – yet seemingly unaware of her own responses and reactions.

“My name is Master Yunxiang, and I am the monk who lives atop the mountain. Those who are worthy may learn from me the secrets of the martial arts, but first they must prove themselves.” The man waves his left hand, pulling it from his beard and twirling it around the air before him in what was likely meant to be a display of agility. Nari’s tired eyes followed the movement, waiting for further explanation. “To prove your worth, you will complete the three tasks which will prove your abilities – and if you surpass my expectations, then I will teach you what I know.”

The man paused for a mere moment, allowing silence to reign between them. Nari had just opened her mouth to ask for further guidance, when Master Yunxiang continued his monologue, providing more guidance on what tasks would be required of her.

“To begin with, you shall hone your very body to become a living weapon – not something to simply carry the blade you fight with, but to be the very weapon itself. You will train until your muscles ache, until your very body feels as if it will give out – and then you will push yourself beyond.” Nari groaned aloud at the man’s words, not looking forward to this first task. Her body already ached, just from the climb up. ‘How much more pain must I endure here?’

“Once you have honed yourself physically, you must train your mind to become as lethal as your body. To do this, you will sit below the waterfall beyond this dojo, meditating until your concentration is unbreakable.” Nari felt her face scowl as Master Yunxiang continued speaking. She was not enjoying these directions so far, and wondered what the final task would be.

“Finally, once your mind and body are ready, you will head to the large boulder in the centre of this dojo’s garden. Using naught but your very hands, you will destroy this boulder – leaving little more than rubble where it once stood.” Master Yunxiang crossed his arms across his body as he finished his monologue. Nari waited a few moments, curious to see if there would be any further directions. When nothing more claim, Nari nodded, looking around the dojo itself.

Seeing a small training room deeper within, she figured this would be the best place to start. As she headed for the room, she heard the footsteps of Master Yunxiang receding, leaving her to her tasks. Nari glanced around for any sort of equipment she could use to train herself, finding little more than a collection of logs standing on end. Unsure of what they were for, Nari decided that the best thing would be to complete some exercises she had once done – back in the real world.

‘But first, I will relax for a few moments while I recover from that damned climb…’ Collapsing to the ground, Nari leaned back against the wall, letting her head fall backwards and her eyes close.

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Word Count: 532

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Some time later Nari awoke from her rest. Finding herself still alone, she rose, her body feeling slightly better than before her sleep. Determined to be done with this as quickly as possible, Nari began her routine, deciding that a muscle building collection of push-ups, squats, and handstands. Her arms and legs burned as she moved through the motions, starting slowly but picking up momentum as the numerous different forms began to return to her.

‘I wish that I had spent more time focusing on these in the real world – I wonder if it would’ve helped me…’ She pushed the thought aside – not because it brought a hard feeling to the pit of her stomach, but because she needed to focus. Or so she told herself.

As the sweat dripped down her face and back, Nari wondered just how long she would have to keep this up. She couldn’t feel any immediate changes in her form, but she assumed the routine must be doing something.

Spoiler

ID203195 | CD: 3 | Body Training | Failure (0/2)

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Word Count: 165

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari continued the routines right up until her arms gave way beneath her. Collapsing to the floor, she felt little had changed. Cursing and groaning as she did so, she forced herself to her feet, deciding that perhaps a change in the routine was required. She looked around for anything that could inspire her, but nothing immediately stood out.

‘Think…what other exercises did I used to do back in the real world?’ Nari thought back to her days when she had spent some time enthusiastic about gymnastics and Aikido. She pictured her time in both activities, wondering what else could possibly help her here. Although she thought hard, only one activity came to mind – one that she had always detested, but had always been drilled into her as mandatory.

Sighing heavily, Nari forced her feet to move, directing her back to the hallway she had originally entered through. Taking a quick glance around, and seeing no obstacles nearby, Nari began to run. She pushed her legs to move, forcing herself to follow the hallway. Her pace remained slow at first, and she quickly found herself following a circular path that led back to the training room she had started in.

Once she was sure of her path, and the lack of obstacles, Nari pushed herself to go faster, constantly willing her speed to increase. In time, she began to lull into an almost dreamlike state, becoming only partially aware of the dojo around her, focusing instead on going as fast as she possibly can.

Spoiler

ID203196 | CD: 10 | Body Training | Success! (1/2)

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Word Count: 254

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari felt her legs give out beneath her as she turned a final corner. Tucking her shoulder and allowing her body to roll, Nari felt herself stopped as her legs slammed into the wall, her back bending against the where the floor and wall met. Closing her eyes, she sighed, realising that nothing appeared broken or overly damaged.

Snapping her eyes open, she realised that she had reached a speed beyond anything she had managed previously, a hint of redness coming to her face in pride. After a few moments, she leaned sideways, allowing her feet to fall beneath her.

Once she had returned to her feet, she followed the path back to the training room. Glancing around again, she took some time to inspect the logs more closely. She had no idea what they were truly used for, but as she looked them over, she wondered if she couldn’t modify them for a weight-based exercise.

Grabbing the end of one of the logs, she pulled it towards herself, letting the far end remain on the ground. Taking the log in two hands, she began bending her knees, letting her body drop until her thighs were parallel with the floor below her, her bottom pushed out and her back kept as straight as possible. She could immediately feel the weight of the log pressing down on her.

Pushing as hard as she could, Nari forced the log back up, raising herself to a standing position and forcing the log above her head. Although her arms and legs continued to burn from the exertion, Nari forced herself through the reps, determined not to let this quest best her.

Spoiler

ID203197 | CD: 12 | Body Training | Success! (2/2)

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Word Count: 277

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Letting the log drop from her grip, Nari stumbled backwards. She felt herself fall to the floor as her arms and legs finally gave out beneath her. Leaning her head back against the wall, she knew that she had done as much as she could.

‘I can only hope that it’s enough for the task ahead.’ Her mind’s voice whispered. Nari shrugged mentally, knowing that it didn’t much matter. She had nothing further that she could give physically. ‘I should…rest here a bit…before the next part.’

She thought over what Master Yunxiang had said, about needing to sit under the waterfall until her concentration could not be broken. She had originally thought that the physical aspect of this would be the hardest part, but as she sat and thought about what would come next, Nari wondered if it wouldn’t be much more difficult to remain focused and unbothered as a waterfall crashed down upon her.

‘There’s only one way to know for sure, and it’s not by sleeping here forever. I best go see what awaits me.’ Climbing to her feet once more, Nari pushed aside the pain and exhaustion of her body, reminding herself that the rewards would outweigh the pain she was currently feeling. ‘Not to mention the nice inn room waiting for me back…’

The thought was driven from her mind as she followed the path to the outside, behind the dojo itself. She found waiting for her a waterfall of a scale that she hadn’t quite imagined. It was neither the largest, nor the widest she had ever seen, yet the water poured down without pause, a steady, strong flow. Nari watched the water in awe, her mouth agape and her mind numb, as she wondered once more if she was up to the task.

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Word Count: 299

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari stood watching the water for some time before she remembered why she had come here. Shaking herself from her delirium, Nari stepped towards the waterfall. A small path led beneath the falling water, to a small outcrop that one could sit upon should they so choose.

Nari looked around, making sure that no one else was nearby before bringing up her inventory menu once more. Nari scrolled through her menu, coming to rest where her clothing was listed. Her finger hovered over the remove button. She felt herself turn red in the face once more, and she glanced around to make sure that no one was nearby – conscious of the fact that someone, anyone, could suddenly walk in and see her.

Biting her lip, Nari forced her finger to push the remove button, and in a dash of light her main clothing disappeared, leaving her in nothing but black tights and a short undershirt. It left her feeling exposed, and she rushed to get beneath the flowing water, hoping it would provide some cover and comfort.

Instead, the flowing water pressed down on her, dousing her in freezing water, causing her to gasp as her entire body tingled. Nari closed her eyes and bit her lip as she settled beneath the freezing water. She tried to focus her mind, to push out the thoughts about the lack of comfort and the cold against her body.

Spoiler

ID203198 | LD: 20 | Mind Training | Success! (1/3)

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Word Count: 236

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

As Nari turned her thoughts inwards, she could feel the pressure of the water, and the pain from the cold beginning to recede. Not letting the surprise cause her mind to slip and wander, Nari instead refocused herself, breathing deeply and slowly, forcing her heart to calm and her mind to empty.

‘I will not let this simple test be the end of my resolve. I will overcome it, no matter what is thrown at me.’ The words repeated as a mantra in her mind, and slowly, she forced her eyes open, making sure to keep her mind empty of anything but the repetition.

In the back of her mind she could still feel the pressure of the water, it’s strength and cold pushing against her, threatening to break her concentration, but Nari forced it aside. Knowing that she wasn’t quite ready to completely focus on everything around her, Nari focused on a spot directly in front of her – a small collection of red and pink flowers that moved slightly in the wind of the waterfall.

Nari let her mantra continue as she stared at the flowers, seeing them but not truly registering them beyond the bare whim of thought that brushed the edge of her consciousness. She wouldn’t let anything dissuade her from the task at hand, she was determined to succeed.

Spoiler

ID203199 | LD: 7 | Mind Training | Failure (1/3)

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Word Count: 223

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Something about the flow of the flowers cause Nari’s mind to wander, the mantra slipping away as she focused on their dance in the wind. Nari’s mind began to wander, thinking back to a time she had visited a lake back in an area mere hours away from where she had lived. She remembered, one summer, when she had visited the lake itself. A field nearby filled with flowers – a collection of local wildflowers whose names had long ago slipped her mind – had drawn her attention. She had wandered into the field, looking for a place for picnic.

It was within this field that Nari had met her first dangerous encounter in the real world. Hiding in the trees nearby, Nari had watched as a trio of large doglike creatures had quietly flowed into the field itself. She had frozen – not in fear, but in awe – as the trio moved across the grasses, pushed aside the flowers and slowly disappearing into the trees on the other side. Nari had remembered the sudden calmness in her chest, the threat of these beasts stirring something in her – bringing a peace she had not often felt.

Nari shuddered with a start as she realised that she had fallen over, the memory pulling her from her focus. Pulling herself upright, she began her mantra again, forcing herself to return to the absolute concentration she had had mere moments ago.

Spoiler

ID203200 | LD: 14 | Mental Training | Success (2/3)

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Word Count: 235

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari felt the mantra calming her, bringing her core back to a balance – a centre of focus. Nari felt the words repeat again and again in her mind, as she breathed slowly and deeply, inhaling and exhaling with every second word.

‘I will not let this simple test be the end of my resolve. I will overcome it, no matter what is thrown at me.’ Slowly, Nari felt herself return to the control she had been at before her mind had brought forth the memories of the field. Slowly, Nari forced her eyes open once more, focusing again on the flowers across from her.

‘I will not let this simple test be the end of my resolve. I will overcome it, no matter what is thrown at me.’ Nari focused on the mantra, letting the dance of the flowers become little more than an image in her eyes, something that she could see, but something that would not take away from her purpose here. She knew, that if she could only just see the flower’s dance, but not allow her mind to wander – then maybe, just maybe – she would be strong enough, capable enough…’And that’s what this is all about, is it not?’

Spoiler

ID203201 | LD: 9 | Mental Training | Failure (2/3)

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Word Count: 203

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari could feel the pressure of the water on her shoulders, the cold and weight of it all pushing against her already exhausted body.

‘I will not let this simple test be the end of my resolve. I will overcome…I will… so cold… I will overcome… the cold, the frigid…’ She felt the words slip from her mind as she fought against the sudden shiver that ran down her spine. ‘I will… so cold… so… strong…’

Nari shook herself against the cold. She could feel the exhaustion taking over her body, the tiredness dragging against her consciousness. It would be so easy, so simple, just to lay down and let the sleep take hold of her… to give it all up and just…

‘I will not let this simple test be the end of my resolve!’ She shook her head, turning her focus inwards again. ‘I will not let this simple test be the end of my resolve! I will not let this simple test be the end of my resolve!’

Glaring at the flowers, she forced all other thoughts from her mind again, allowing only the dance of the flowers register beyond the mantra she repeated. Her face was set in a grim determination, her lips sealed tight, her eyes open but unfocused. As the words repeated in her head, she subtly noticed as they seemed to begin to dance in rhythm with the flowers, as if the very cadence of her words wished to dance alongside the petals themselves, carried carefree upon the winds.

Spoiler

ID203206 | LD: 19 | Mind Training | Succeed!  (3/3)

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Word Count: 256

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Time seemed to come to a slow crawl as the water flowed over Nari. The mantra matched the dance of the flowers in the soft breeze, bringing Nari to a moment of relaxation that she hadn’t felt since the start of this game. The water – both the cold feel of it, and the sound of it around her seemed to subside into the distance, no longer pulling her attention.

Some time later, Nari felt herself shake to consciousness – not quite having fallen asleep, yet still not entirely focused on the world around her. She had felt a while ago as Master Yunxiang had come to check on her, but the elderly man had refrained from disturbing her from her trials.

Feeling an ache in her body, Nari forced herself to stand, hobbling for a moment as her legs refused to maintain her weight. Cautiously, she hobbled out from beneath the water, finding solace in the air beyond it.

Turning to face the water once more, Nari lashed out with her hand, palm open towards the water, feeling an emotion of happiness as the water broke around her fingers. Smiling to herself, she turned and left the waterfall, heading back to the dojo – determined to finish this quest once and for all.

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Word Count: 211

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari turned and headed back to the dojo, passing through and looking for the rock in the garden. It didn’t take Nari long to find the large boulder – the big round, grey piece was an eyesore compared to the more traditional tones of the dojo.

Pacing around the boulder, she took some time to study it from all angles, looking for any signs of cracks, blemishes or other points of weakness that she could take advantage of.

Seeing no major weaknesses in the boulder – which, if Nari was being honest, she hadn’t expected to find – Nari took a step towards the boulder, bringing her hands up into a ready position. She let her feet slide into her old Aikido stance, opening her palms and bringing them to rest before her body, slightly away from her face.

‘Well, here goes.’ Taking a deep breath, she lashed out with her left hand, palm open. A smacking sound greeted her impact, and Nari felt a slight thump in her hand as it hit the hard boulder.

 

Spoiler

Start of Combat

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Boulder | HP: 75/75 | EVA: - 2

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Round #1

ID: 203207 | BD: 2 |Basic Attack VS. Boulder

• The strike misses! (-2 EN) 

Boulder | HP: 75/75 | EVA: - 2

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 22/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Spoiler

Word Count: 173

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Not surprisingly, her hand failed to do any real damage to the boulder itself. Nari pulled her hand back, looking at the red mark she had made on her palm by striking the boulder’s hard surface. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath.

‘I guess this won’t be as easy as I expected.’ She thought to herself. Shaking her hand, she raised her guard again, thinking back to everything she had learnt about fighting in the real world. Most of it she tossed out – the boulder likely wouldn’t be throwing shots back at her, or at least she hoped. But one thing did stick in her mind – an old saying her Sempai had drilled into her.

‘It is not the strength of the physical that makes the great warrior, but instead the will to best that which stands before them – for one who wishes to survive, to overcome the challenge, stands stronger already than the one whom wishes naught more than to bring their strength down upon others.’

Nari let the words bounce around in her mind, filling her with that strength she had always felt in her Aikido classes. Bringing her palms up, and setting her stance, she lashed out again at the boulder, striking with her left palm.

 

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 23/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Boulder | HP: 75/75 | EVA: - 2

Round #2

ID: 203208 | BD: 9 |Basic Attack VS. Boulder

• The strike hits! It's a minor critical!  (+1 DMG) 
• | 1 + 11 = 12 DMG

Boulder | HP: 63/75 | EVA: - 2

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 22/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Spoiler

Word Count: 213

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

A soft cracking sound erupted from beneath Nari’s hand, and she pulled it back in surprise. Where her palm had struck, a hair thin split now appeared in the boulder. Elated at the success, she felt herself do a small victory dance, before she remembered this was far from over.

‘Don’t get overconfident now. You’re not done yet. Not until this thing is entirely rubble on the ground.’ Her face split into a smile – unable to subside the happiness she felt at her first success, she rocked back into her fighting stance, bringing her hands up before her once more.

‘I can do this. I’ll not be bested by this rock – nor this game. Nothing can stop me, now.’ The smile still on her face, and a growing fire in her eyes, Nari lashed out with her left palm again, putting as much momentum and willpower into the swing as she could manage.

 

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 23/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Boulder | HP: 63/75 | EVA: - 2

Round #3

ID: 203209 | BD: 1 |Basic Attack VS. Boulder

• The strike misses. Critical miss! (-2 EN) 

Boulder | HP: 63/75 | EVA: - 2

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 21/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Spoiler

Word Count: 153

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari’s third strike was far too wild, sliding up and over the top of the boulder as she put far too much swing into the strike. She felt her balance tip beneath her, and threw her right hand out to stop her from collapsing into the boulder entirely.

‘Focus. Don’t let your progress slip now. You’ve done so well up to this point. You can finish this. Just… focus. Don’t let the excitement, or the fear, or anything distract you from your goal.’

Nari cocked her head to the right, eyeing up the boulder. Stepping twice to the right, she focused on a new spot – deciding that perhaps this would center her balance, and perhaps allow her to regain the will she needed.

Pulling her left foot forward, she bent her knees slightly, letting her arms rise to their natural guard position. A deep breath in – then out, and Nari lunged forward, pushing her left arm in a quick, hard strike against the target before her.

 

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 22/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Boulder | HP: 63/75 | EVA: - 2

Round #4

ID: 203210 | BD: 7 |Basic Attack VS. Boulder

• The strike hits! 
• | 1 + 10 = 11 DMG

Boulder | HP: 52/75 | EVA: - 2

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 21/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Spoiler

Word Count: 166

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari felt the elation surge through her as another crack appeared in the face of the boulder. Her left palm was starting to sting a bit from the constant use, and she considered for a moment whether it would be worth switching up her stance. In the real world, she had never been strong with her right strikes – using them instead as quick jabs to disorient – but perhaps it was different here.

Shrugging her shoulders, she shifted her stance around, pulling her left foot backwards and turning herself so her right shoulder and right arm were forward.

It felt odd, as if everything was off balance, and completely uncomfortable to her. Determined to at least try, she brought her guard up, readying herself for the strike.

‘Here goes nothing…’ She thought as she tried to strike with her right arm. The movement didn’t feel entirely fluid to her, but she placed her strength behind the strike, forcing her body to oddly follow through with the motion as she lashed out.

 

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 22/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Boulder | HP: 52/75 | EVA: - 2

Round #5

ID: 203211 | BD: 6 |Basic Attack VS. Boulder

• The strike hits! 
• | 1 + 10 = 11 DMG

Boulder | HP: 41/75 | EVA: - 2

Nari-Lanreth| Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 21/24 | DMG: 5 | ACC: 1 | MIT: 14

Spoiler

Word Count: 170

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth
Dice Roll Results