[PP-F7] Lexa's Light

[Morningstar 0]

                                                                                                                                Nimbus - Floor 7

"This is it then? You're heading for the mountains?

It was hard to tell what Joaquin was thinking. His eyes were so analytical, so cautious. Unreadable.

"Yeah," Morningstar spun the ice cubes in his glass, "I'll wait a bit longer, see if anyone bites."

Joaquin sighed, pushing back his sandy brown hair. "Are you sure you don't want me to come?"

"You can't miss another guild meeting. They'll start to wonder why they even promoted you," Morningstar chuckled, sipping his drink.

Joaquin tapped his fingers on the table nervously. He was always worrying about Morningstar. Rightfully, of course, as the latter was always doing something foolish. Morningstar scanned the tavern, but nobody seemed to pay his request any mind. The room was nearly empty, actually. At the table closest to them, a casual poker game was coming to a close. Another man sat alone at the bar, slowly throwing back an electric blue liquid that seemed unappetizing to Morningstar. The bartender wore a shining gem around her neck, one that he'd noticed on a few other NPCs. The green glow that emanated from it was hypnotic.

Joaquin spoke again, returning Morningstar from his trance. "One missed meeting won't kill anyone. They won't even notice I'm gone."

"You're literally the leader of a squad now, they'd absolutely notice. And it literally could kill someone if you miss out on whatever you guys are planning."

He groaned. "Okay, fine. But tell me if you get yourself into trouble, alright? If you die doing this I'm not coming to your funeral." The swordsman stood up, his silver armor clinking as he moved. He finished off the last of his drink and gave the bartender a wave.

"I have no intention of dying," Morningstar chuckled.

"Nobody ever does," Joaquin shot back, leaving for the exit, "See you around, Stephen."

Morningstar took another sip from his glass. He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. Of all days, he imagined he'd feel worse today—sadder, maybe. Instead, he was relaxed. He recalled a study he'd read once that explained how people who'd come close to experiencing death felt oddly calm during it. Perhaps this was similar.

Or, his friend was right and this was foreshadowing.

He straightened his posture and drank the last of his drink, patiently awaiting the assistance of a fellow player. His request asked for one or two people to help him clear a cave system deep within the mountain ranges of the seventh floor. If all went to plan, they'd even be able to clear out whatever beast lived at the end. From what Morningstar remembered, the caverns were home to lizardmen (like most places on Floor 7). Aside from that, this area was mostly unexplored. He didn't know what awaited him in the dark. His fingers twisted at the pendant that hung from his neck. Faint anger rose within him at the thought of the mountains. He took a few deep breaths, in an attempt to return to his previous tranquil state.

The anniversary of his lover's death had come and he was determined to avenge her. "Ten more minutes and then I'll head out, whether I have a party or not," he mumbled to himself, waving down the bartender for another drink.

Spoiler

Morningstar | Lv. 16 | HP: 320/320 | EN: 50/50 | DMG: 11 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 24

Gear:

• Beginner's Straight Sword | Uncommon
  +1 DMG
• Beginner's Light Armor | Uncommon
  +9 MIT
• Lexa's Light | Perfect
  +3 ACC

Battle Ready:

• 5x Health Potions

Skills:

• Two-Handed Straight Sword | Rank 5 | Precision | Stamina | Ferocity
  +9 DMG
  +1 ACC
  -2 ENG per attack
• Light Armor | Rank 3
  +15 MIT
  -1 Stealth

Combat Shift:

• TECH Specialist
  +4 to multipliers
  +3 to ENG cost

@Nari-Lanreth @Monarch

Edited February 4, 2023 by Morningstar

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

It was her very first time entering the bar, let alone this floor. She had only come here on the request of another – a broker, who had called in a favour that she owed him. She’d never heard of the player making the request, a man named Morningstar, apparently. All she knew was that Jakail had requested she help out this player whom had put up a request – a notice stating they needed help clearing the caves on the seventh floor. She’d tried to argue at first – she had far more important things to do, but Jakail hadn’t given any ground.

And so, Nari found herself wandering into a bar within Aincrad – for the very first time, looking for someone she barely had a description for. She had assumed it would be difficult to find them – but the bar was so empty, that she spotted the man almost immediately – alone now that the friend had left, just as she was entering.

Shifting the spear in her left arm so that it sat against her shoulder more comfortable, she made her way through the seating area – happy that she had left her armour and shield off for the time being, dressed solely in the violet turtleneck and black leggings.

“Are you Morningstar? I hear that someone by that name requires assisting in clearly out caves. I’ve been…requested to come assist.” Her face holds a welcoming smile, albeit the eyes speak of a resistance towards being there – no malice or anger in them, simply an emotion of wanting to be somewhere else. “If you’re not them, would you happen to know where they can be found? I’ve not made myself entirely familiar with this floor and area, but simple directions could assist.”

Nari-Lanreth's Statblock

Spoiler

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 10 | HP: 740/740 | EN: 86/86 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 147 | ACC: 1 | REC: 8 | EVA: 0 | LD: 0 | STH: -5 | THORNS [72 DMG] | FROSTBITE [30 DMG]

Tier 4

 

Laurel Wreath (Earn Col equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in thread).

+1 LD (This bonus only applies to looting, searching for and opening chests).

 

Equiped Items

Síonnách Geímhrídh | [T3 Polearm [One-Handed Assault Spear]; Perfect] Standing at nearly 120 cm in length from tip to tip, this short spear contains a metallic-appearing shaft of shifting dark and light violet, twirling in a mesmerising pattern. The blade - connected by a metal collar of a blackness similar to a void - glints with an ice blue colouring, a shift of light violet visible in the surface at the right angle. Twin wrapped lengths of cord - a combination of ice blue and dark violet - hang from the metal collar, intertwining in a mesmerising pattern when in movement.
Enhancement: Freeze [1 Slot] | Effect: Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 (1 slot) or natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 (2 slots) remove the enemy’s action on their next turn as a Frost effect. Frozen opponents have their Evasion set to -1. Striking a frozen enemy before the effect ends deal an extra (16 * Tier) unmitigatable damage. [Must hit to activate the status condition.]
Enhancement: Paralyse [1 Slot] | Effect: Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 (1 slot) or natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 (2 slots) remove the enemy’s action on their next turn. Paralyzed opponents lose any evasion properties.
Enhancement: Frostbite [1 Slot] | Effect: Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 (1 slot) or natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 (2 slots) deal (10 * Tier) unmitigated Frost damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. In addition, anyone with Frostbite receives a -1 Accuracy debuff until the effect wears off.  Frostbite damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. The highest tier of Frost damage overrides lower tier versions; cannot be overridden by lower-tier versions. [Must hit to activate the status condition.]

Dark Fox's Reckoning [Tier 4; Heavy/Plate Armour] Forged to be shapely, this piece appears thinner than most pieces of heavy armour - leaving what appear to be openings towards the neckline, and the sides of the torso. Smaller shoulders leave limited protection towards the neck, but allow for greater movement. Coloured a dark violet, the edges of the piece outlined in a shifting soft silver, orange and red colour. Upon the chest's centre stands a white fox, slightly cured with fangs barred, black eyes staring out as if at the individual in front of the piece.
Enhancement: Recovery [1 Slot] | Effect: Before your post action, make a separate CD roll. On a natural CD7+, regain (1 per slot * Tier) additional energy. This CD roll may also apply to activating the effects of Vamp-Def.
Enhancement: Heavy Momentum [1 Slot] | Effect: After an unsuccessful attack, gain +(1 per slot * Tier) base damage until your next successful attack, at which point this bonus is removed. Another unsuccessful attack will reactivate this enhancement. Must be using the Heavy Armor Skill for this enhancement to take effect. [For Area of Effect attacks: This effect only activates if you miss all enemies targeted by the attack.]
Enhancement: Taunt [1 Slot] | Effect: +1 Hate generated from Howl, Focused Howl, and successful attacks.

Dark Fox's Retribution [Tier 4; Celtic Shield] Similar to a wall shield, this piece stands nearly 137cm tall, and nearly 76 cm wide - easily covering the form of a shorter individual. Tapered on the sides, the shield seems to bend inwards slightly on its edges, a perfect opening for an outwardly weapon to be levelled through. The top and bottom edges slightly bend inwards, giving the impression of a less than straight appearance. Coloured in a dark violet, with edges of dark forest green, a white fox, slightly cured with fangs barred is emblazoned on its centre, appearing as if ready to strike.
Enhancement: Recovery [1 Slot] | Effect: Before your post action, make a separate CD roll. On a natural CD7+, regain (1 per slot * Tier) additional energy. This CD roll may also apply to activating the effects of Vamp-Def.
Enhancement: Thorns [2 Slots] | Effect: Successful non-critical attacks against you deal (9 * Tier) unmitigated damage to the attacking enemy. Only activates on damage dealing, melee attacks.

Battle-Ready Inventory

Teleport Crystal {3}
Pure Unadulterated Rage (Meals) | Mitigation 3
Starter Healing Potions {5} | Heals 50 HP
Blank Dungeon Map {4} | Tier 4
Immolation Potion {1} | Tier 4; When used, successful non-critical attacks against you deal (10 * Tier) unmitigated damage to the attacking enemy. Must be of the appropriate tier to use. Effect lasts for one thread.
Caribou Stew | Tier 4 Rare Meal| Protein II

Inventory

T1 Monkey Agility {2} | Evasion 1
Super-Duper Anti Snake Sauce (Salve) | Antidote 2
Spyglass {3} | Use to reduce the number of posts required to search for a dungeon, familiar or field bosses by 5 posts. Effect lasts for one thread.
T1 Uncommon Health Potions {5} | Heals 5% of Maximum HP
T1 Uncommon Overhealth Potion {1} | Adds 5% of Maximum HP to users Maximum HP for a thread
T1 Rare Health Potions {1} | Heals 10% of Maximum HP

Combat Skills

Battle Healing
Rank 3
Passive
Effect: While in combat, recover 1% per rank of your maximum HP (rounded down) at the beginning of your turn.

Weapon Skills

Polearm
Rank 5
Passive
Effect: +7 DMG

[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Stamina
Passive
Effect: Reduces EN of all attacks by 2.

[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Precision
Passive
Effect: Gain +1 ACC.

[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] <<Weapon Type>> Focus
Passive
Effect: Decreases minor critical threshold by 1. Also reduces DoT thresholds by 1. Players cannot use Focus and Ferocity at the same time for the same Weapon Type.

[Rank 5 Shift] TECH Specialist
Passive
Effect: For TECH Sword Arts, +4 to multipliers, +3 to EN cost. No other Shifts may be taken.

Sword Arts

[x12] ST-I (12 EN) | A single-target sword art.
[x15] ST-II (15 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn.
[x20] ST-B (20 EN) | A devastating single-target sword art. Can only be used if the sword art used the previous turn is not ST-B and had rolled a natural CD9+. When performing an AoE attack, use only the first roll.
[x11] AOE-I (11 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
[x14] AOE-II (14 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A powerful sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. Only available for use when AOE-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if AOE-II had been used and had missed the previous turn.
[x16] TECH-A (16 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.
[x16] TECH-B (15 EN) | DELAY | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, applies [Delay] on the enemy. [Delay] is a status condition that reduces the enemy’s ACC by 1 for one turn.
[x16] TECH-C (15 EN) | COUNTER | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, places [Counter] around the player. [Counter] reduces the final damage taken by its user by 25% (rounded down) for one turn.
[x16] TECH-D (15 EN) | SHATTER | A single-target sword art that applies [Shatter] to an enemy for 3 turns. [Shatter] is a debuff that can stack up to a cap of 3. Each stack of [Shatter] removes -20 MIT from an enemy, down to 0, if it has MIT.
[x12] TECH-F (11 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE STUN | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. All struck targets are stunned for one turn.
[x3] RAW-A (10 EN) | THORNS | A single-target sword art that utilizes the [Thorns] of the individual against the enemy. Other types of enhancements that apply damage upon contact with the individual are also considered in improving the damage of this sword art (eg. Immolation Potion, Flame/Frost Aura, etc). Outgoing damage is considered mitigatable.  Must have a weapon equipped to activate this sword art.

Armour Skills

Heavy Armor
Rank 5
Passive
Effect: MIT + 35. You can only benefit from one armour skill at a time (the respective armour type must be equipped). Your evasion is capped at 1 enhancement slot and you take -1 to Stealth Rating per rank.

[Rank 5 Heavy Armor Addon] Iron Skin
Effect: Gain +15 Mitigation and +15 * Tier HP

Active Extra Skills

Survival
Cost: Complete <<The Traveler>> with Unlock Conditions
Action: Passive
Effect: Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects.

Parry
Active: Post action
Energy cost: 9 EN
Cooldown: 3 Turns
Effect: Apply the energy cost upon proc, not activation. Reduces the final damage of the next successful attack against you by 50% (rounded down) and negates stun/paralysis effects of that attack. If hit by multiple attacks, only apply parry to the first attack against you. Parry lasts for three turns. Cooldown starts when the player activates the Skill. If the player is hit when using Parry, the cooldown is reset to 3 turns.

[Parry Mod] Vengeful Riposte
Passive
Cooldown: 4 Turns
Effect: A successful Parry also returns 50% (rounded down) of the raw damage that would be dealt to you back to your opponent. The reflected damage can be mitigated by the opponent.

Block [Requires two Extra Skill slots]
Passive
Effect: Requires an equipped shield. User’s evasion cannot be greater than 0 (can still be negative). Grants additional mitigation:
Rank 5: 25 MIT

Inactive Extra Skills 

Combat Mastery

Mitigation
[Expert] -> Rank 3
Passive
Effect: Gain +6*Tier Mitigation per rank. Ranks of this Skill apply to Mitigation enhancement caps.

Estate Buffs

Bedroom
Effect: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat

Storage Closet
Effect: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot

Spoiler

Word Count: 290

 

Edited March 11, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth

[Monarch 0]

Yasu had found his way into a bar on the seventh floor, yet somehow he couldn't afford anything. All this time doing nothing and watching players really should've gone towards setting up a business that could run itself. A drawing of the tavern would be placed on the page of the journal the boy was always carrying on his hip. His button up short sleeve shirt and black pants with comfy sneakers would pull the eyes of people not invested in their own situation. Whatever, let them stare, he was comfortable.

The boy's ears would be pulled away towards a pair of players speaking of a guild, Yasu's eyes would trail up to find those who are talking. I forgot guilds were even a thing, I guess players do like to stick together though, it makes risking your life for eachother that much easier. His thoughts would trail back to that day he spoke to a friend. Would this count as evil? The boy knew there were risks anytime someone goes out into the field, but he never stepped up. Maybe Iris had lit a fire under his ass after all. "Such a drag." The boy would say, quietly.

Walking up to the pair, who had become a trio while the kid was absorbed in his own thoughts, Yasu would hold up a peace sign. The woman had mentioned a request and that a player named Morningstar needed help. This should be easy. "Hey. I'm here to help too."

---------------------------------------------------

Monarch's stats:

Spoiler

 

120 HP | 30 EN | 6 DMG | 1 Para | 4 Stealth

Skills:

Rank 2 Straight Sword

Rank 3 Hiding (Blindside, Untraceable)

Equipment:

The Watcher’s Eye | T1 OHSS | Rare | 1x DMG, 1x Para | A black, single edged sword, straight as an arrow, no cross guard, with a black wrap around the handle.

Battle Ready Inventory:

3x Starter Healing Potions

 

 

[Morningstar 0]

It didn't take long for his help to arrive. Two players appeared simultaneously regarding the request that Morningstar had made.

The first to join him was a girl who stood about a foot shorter than him. Her hair was a shade of dark purple and her clothes appeared to be particularly chosen to match with it. Her weapon of choice was an assault spear that came approximately to her shoulder. The next was a brown-haired fellow who seemed to carry a lack of energy with him. They would do, he thought.

"I'm Morningstar, yeah. I appreciate the help. It'll be nice to know someone's covering my back," he smiled, gesturing for them to sit. "Please, pull up a chair. I'll give you a rundown of what I plan on doing and then you can decide if it's something you're comfortable with."

He was confident in the trio, despite not knowing them. He felt fairly comfortable taking on the goal alone; however, having people there to cover his back was ideal. He stuck up his hand, motioning to the bartender with three fingers. By this point, she knew what he meant.

"This place has pretty... let's say 'unique' drinks. I ordered some for you to try if you'd like. On me, of course."

It didn't take long for the server to bring the beverages. He thanked the NPC with a smile, taking a sip from the hexagonal glass. The pale green liquid inside was cold and refreshing. Its primary flavor was lime but the faint taste of jasmine was there if you paid close attention.

"It's called a Deepedge Ghost. I'll let you judge it yourselves," Morningstar chuckled. "Anyways, I know I didn't say much on the request, so I'll try to be more specific here. If you're both willing to join me, we'll be heading up into the mountains to explore a cave system. I've gone about halfway in before but I don't know what we'll find throughout the unexplored parts. If the path leading up to the mountain isn't bad enough already, we'll have to do a bit of climbing to get to the cave entrance. Once we're inside, I can lead us through the parts that I know but beyond that, we'll be improvising."

He looked between the two, curious to hear their thoughts. "I don't know how experienced you two are or anything else, for that matter, but I'll assume that if you're interested in coming along that you're confident in your own capabilities. I'm more than willing to trust you both if that's the case."

Edited March 14, 2022 by Morningstar

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Her eyes drifted over the drink as it was set down before her, but her attention was focused on hearing what the man had to offer for information about their coming outing. She listened intently to his limited introduction into it – they’d be exploring a cave system. ‘Sounds like a dungeon. Shouldn’t be too bad with the three of us. Especially seeing as he’s been there before – at least a part of it should be familiar, I hope.’

His commentary about trusting them was…well, interesting to her. They’d only just met – but she had to admit there was a bit of trust required when partying. You had to have faith that the people you were with would work to keep you alive.

“I can’t speak to your, or the others capabilities-“ She waved a hand towards the other man who had joined them, her eyes casting over him briefly before refocusing on Morningstar. “But I am confident in my abilities. I don’t know what your…focus…is, but I find myself up front drawing attention and setting up debuffs. Hopefully that works for you – and is helpful.”

She finally let her eyes settle on the drink, unsure if she wanted to try it or not. She wasn’t one to drink much beyond coffee and the odd glass of water, but she felt it would be rude to deny it. Lifting it, she took a single sip – fighting back the wince that appeared on her face at the flavour. She gently set it down, letting it remain seated for the remainder of the discussion.

Spoiler

Word Count: 261

 

[Monarch 0]

Yasu sat at the table with these strangers, if for no other reason than to be off of his feet. He had agreed to help, but he had no idea what he would be doing or why, so he needed to save his energy or create a surplus. ”No thanks.” He would say, as a black coffee materialized in his hand and he would take a sip. His journal would slide off of his hip as it opened to a page with a sketch of Astreya on it. An almost perfect rendering at that. On that same page, Yasu would sketch the two players he sat with but would not write a description next to them.

”I’m not a good fighter.” Monarch would remark, his quiet voice devoid of emotion. His movements were slow, and only done when necessary. Hell, his eyes barely moved from the page he was staring at. ”I’m here to improve.” His pencil would fall as he looked up to Morningstar, then towards Nari.

”Call me Monarch.”

[Morningstar 0]

The girl's expression was expected; he'd never found anyone else who enjoyed the drink like he did. He was an anomaly. The brunette's choice of coffee didn't hurt Morningstar's feelings either. He glanced back and forth between the two of them.

"Monarch and... what was your name?" Morningstar asked the girl. "If you're capable of tanking, I feel comfortable being our DPS."

He swished the ice around in his glass, considering what else he should say. His full story regarding the dungeon felt unnecessary. He decided to hold off unless it came up naturally. "I guess all I have left to tell you is that we'll be doing a lot of walking. Any questions?"

Morningstar swished his hand through the air, opening his menu. He located his inventory and recounted the items he kept stocked within it. His health potions, his boar jerky, his over-health potion—it was all there where it belonged. He didn't expect to need much of it, but he'd learned from the last time.

Edited March 17, 2022 by Morningstar

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“Nari-Lanreth…but you can call me Nari.” Her own menu had appeared, and as she waved her hand through the inventory, she called forth her armour and shield – both snapping into place over her clothing, the weight feeling far more comfortable than the tight fitting turtleneck and leggings ever did. Glancing back towards Morningstar, she realised that she did in fact have a single question. “Why?”

The question hovered in the air for a moment, before she expanded upon it. “Why this specific dungeon? Is there some sort of loot? Some unique weapon, or armour skill? Most who delve like this have a reason…and I want to know why. I want to know, if we die here, that it was worth it – not simply because we did something foolish, but because we were doing something worthwhile.”

Her tone was even, and her eyes held no judgement. But they bore into the man whom she had offered her help to, waiting to see what he would offer in response. She had already given her word to assist, and knew that she wouldn’t back out, but she also wouldn’t walk in blindly – the man had an odd look about him, one that she recognised from her days passed. One that she would never forget – never wanted to forget. As she stared, her hand reached for the drink, swirling it around, but not lifting it to drink.

Spoiler

Word Count: 233

 

[Monarch 0]

Yasu couldn't help but feel like he was missing some important information, which coupled with Nari's question, gave him more information than he truly wanted. In fact, Yasu wanted to walk away as is. He had a feeling Nari was capable of helping, and Morningstar didn't look like he was altogether helpless. In truth, the only reason he had stepped up was simply because of Iris. In the off chance he ever saw her again, he wanted to be better than he was before. If for no other reason than to help those around him when they needed it. He didn't really care what most people thought of him, in fact he only cared what people thought of themselves. "I'm curious too." The quiet boy would speak up. If nothing else, he wanted to be sure he wasn't walking in to a trap.

As little as the boy cared about fighting to get out of SAO, he did eventually want to get out. Every moment spent here was one wasted in real life, one he could use to sleep. "I agreed to help, but if you can handle the cave by yourself, I want to know what I'm helping with." His pencil would continue to dance across his paper, finishing up the finer details of Nari's face before closing and clipping back to his belt.

[Morningstar 0]

The question dug into Morningstar like a hook. He had to give an answer; there was no way to back out of it. He paused for a moment to think.

"Alright," he started "that sounds fair."

He cleared his throat, picking out words that he thought fit his motivation. "A year ago today, my girlfriend died in that dungeon. I guess this is just my way of finding closure," he said. His amber eyes were set on Nari. "If we die it won't be worth it. Not really. And what I find worthwhile is objectively foolish. I won't blame you if you'd like to back out now."

He half expected them to, honestly. It was reckless and he knew it. But with or without them, he intended on going to the mountains. He watched the brunette make dozens of pencil marks on his page, taking occasional glances at Nari as his arm moved. If Lexa had still been around, she would have disapproved of the whole event. But she'd made her choice and Morningstar was going to do the same. He stood up, pushing his chair back, and equipped his two-handed straight sword and forest green cloak. 

His eyes had a different glow in them than they normally did.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Her eyes seemed to glaze over slightly in thought as Morningstar gave his answer. It wasn’t what Nari had been expecting, and she had to admit that the honesty behind it was unquestionable. He was on a search for vengeance, then. “I’m in.”

She rose from her chair, her attention returning to the world as she made her way towards the front of the bar, stopping at the door to wait for the other two. She knew that he would truly go alone if she did back out, that much was clear in his expression and words. She wouldn’t allow that, not so long as she was still around to provide protection. It simply wasn’t in her to leave someone without help, especially when they were doing something that she herself would’ve done not so long ago.

As she came to the door, she’ll hold a hand up to block Morningstar’s exit, fixing her gaze on him. “I’ll help you, and ensure that you make it back home. But I will not place the life of our third member at risk, are we clear on that?”
 

Spoiler

Word Count: 186

 

[Monarch 0]

Yasu generally only helped people when they asked him personally. And it was never out of the kindness of his heart, it was always to avoid having to deal with someone trying to convince him to help. This time was different, he had put himself in this position of his own free will, and as such he would have to go through with it. You see, while this kid was lazy, he would always keep a promise, so he rarely ever made them. ”I’m sorry.” The kid would remark, his voice much quieter than usual. As Nari stood, Monarch would finish his drink and stand as well, although it would look like he was already tired with how sluggishly he moved. ”If closure is what you want, then I hope you find it.”

In all truth, Yasu had no clue as to what loss feels like. The closest thing he’s ever experienced was cutting himself off from the people he cares for, so as to keep himself detached. But that wasn’t true loss, it was running away. He has no one to lose so he’s never lost anyone.

”I prefer hiding from danger.” In his mind it was true, because he couldn’t accept that the one thing he enjoyed other than sleep was so violent. It required so much energy to be at odds with everything, so why let yourself become addicted to struggle? Hiding away seemed like the better option, even from things that end up being utterly harmless, or good for you. He enjoyed his time with that girl, but pushing it further could tarnish the memory.

A risk the kid could not justify.

Turning to Nari once more to clarify his statement, the kid would open his mouth to speak, but stop. Clearly he was trying to pick the words carefully. ”Don’t feel like you have to protect me. If it’s a choice between me or him, save him.” Yasu would look to the floor, pulling his canary yellow scarf up to cover his mouth. ”He’s already lost enough.” A quiet addition, hidden to those around them yet not so well it couldn’t be heard.

[Morningstar 0]

Nari stopped him at the door, giving him what he took as a warning. He didn't think it needed to be said; of course, protecting Monarch would be their priority. Morningstar knew the risk he was taking and Nari, judging by her confidence, seemed capable of protecting herself. Monarch, however, had said himself that he wasn't a fighter.

The boy's interjection was surprising. Morningstar had originally pegged him as apathetic but now, it seemed unfair. He caught the boy's last remark and smiled.

"I appreciate the sentiment but I agree with Nari," he said, meeting her gaze. Then, he turned back to Monarch. "Ideally, we won't be put into a situation where we have to choose but I get that anything can happen. If it comes to it, we'll make sure you're safe. This was my idea and you're already risking a lot by coming along."

"Besides," Morningstar's expression dimmed, "if I brought another person up there to die, I'd never forgive myself."

He turned back to the exit and stepped outside. The skyless city was as gloomy as always. At least, that was how Morningstar viewed it. Without the green crystals lighting the town, darkness would have taken over. The air felt stale in the mountain town but he imagined that after spending enough time there, one could become accustomed to it.

"We'll head north."

Edited March 24, 2022 by Morningstar

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Letting her hand fall, she’ll turn to look at the younger boy, eyeing him closely as he mumbled his final words. She remembered when she had muttered words so similar to those, a time when she would’ve chosen to give up her own life for another. She was also aware that nothing she said would change the fact, the attitude.

“Hopefully, it won’t come to that, then. Because I can assure you, that choice is not nearly as simply as you may expect it to be.” She focused her gaze upon the younger boy for some time, just enough to make her point well known. As Morningstar moved through to the exit, Nari made to follow – stopping only to ensure that the other member of their party came behind.

“North. I’ll follow your lead from here, for the time being at least. You know the terrain well, I assume?” She fell in beside Morningstar, pulling her menu up long enough to send off a message, before bringing her attention back to the group itself. “So, what sort of threats should we expect to find within this cavern? And do we plan on clearing out everything we come across, or are there certain portions we wish to avoid?”

A quick glance back at Monarch before she added her final question. “And, how dangerous are we willing to make this?”

Spoiler

Word Count: 228

 

[Monarch 0]

Monarch hated the idea of someone dying because he was saved. He had made no contribution to either world, and despite not caring too much about that, He thought someone who had actual value outside of information stored in a book that can be passed to anyone should deserve to live more than he does. That’s when Morningstar mentioned being the reason they’re here, and that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if someone died for him. ”I agreed to help.” The kid’s eyes would burn with an intensity as if he was trying to stare a hole through the back of Morningstar’s head. ”I never said I would die. Like I said, I prefer hiding over fighting.”

His brain formulated plans for that situation, despite the likelihood of something happening being almost infinitesimally small. No harm in being ready.

As he followed, Monarch would listen to the players speaking of traveling North. Nari was cautious, and Morningstar was cryptic, most likely unintentionally. Yasu didn’t mind either trait, everyone likes a mystery and safety is their number one priority. Pulling out his journal and flipping to his page on floor seven, opposite of a detailed map of the floor, the boy would read, ”Other than mountainous, to the North it shouldn’t be too dangerous from what I understand, depending on what path this cave is on or near.” His quiet voice would escape as he closed the book and clipped it back to the belt around his waist. If there was one thing Monarch was useful for, it was information.

[Morningstar 0]

"Yeah, you're right," Morningstar began, "the path itself isn't dangerous."

Morningstar recalled the route to the mountain. While it was a ragged path, he hadn't run into any mobs on the way. That being said, he dreaded the length of it. The walk would take about an hour if they weren't rushing, which they had no reason to do.

"The first sections of the cavern are just lizardmen, from what I've seen. Nothing too difficult. After a bit of walking, we'll come to a fork and one of the three paths will lead towards the boss. The others are dead ends. Assuming it doesn't change every time you try the dungeon, it should be the left path."

"The cave is just a regular cave up until you pick the correct path. A lot of rocks and stones. The closer you get to the boss, the colder it gets, though. The point I made it to was completely frozen over. Ice along the walls, roof, and floor. That's when the next level of mobs appears. They're lizard creatures, different from the lizardmen you normally see on this floor. They kind of reminded me of chameleons but blue and icy. Some of them are as big as the cavern itself and others are smaller. With the three of us, I don't see us having any trouble with them."

They arrived at the town's exit. The gate slowly creaked open and they felt the touch of sunlight once again. It was quite the drastic change, Morningstar thought. He stepped out first, using his hand to block out the light while he readapted to the brightness.

"The cave is pretty linear," he said, looking at Nari, "so we'll end up clearing whatever we come across. We'll leave the minute it starts looking bad."

He didn't mention the boss itself. The information he had on it was limited to the sounds it made from the depths of the cave. He didn't know what it looked like, how powerful it was. He was as blind to it as the others were. He pointed towards the distant peaks of the mountains, telling the crew that it was their destination.

Edited March 24, 2022 by Morningstar

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She listened as Morningstar gave his information, assuring them both that it would be relatively safe. Nari knew she would have to take his word on it – she’d never been to this area before, and she knew nothing about it. It caused her to be at a slight disadvantage, only in the sense that she was walking into something she didn’t fully understand. ‘Which seems to be the case in much of Aincrad…’

“Can’t say I’ve had the joy of fighting lizardmen, is there anything specific I should know about them? Any immunities? Special strikes? Things to watch out for?” Her questions were half-hearted, her true focus on trying to figure out the dynamics of the group. She knew that Monarch was here out of some weird curiosity, an attempt to improve themselves as a fighter. Morningstar had mentioned something along the lines of revenge – or settling an old debt with the area. Both made Nari nervous, knowing she would have to watch out for each as they travelled through the caves.

“As soon as it gets bad. Agreed.” She was glad to hear him repeat it, even if it was just to pacify her. It meant he was aware that it would be an issue, should it ever arise. Something that many others failed to even consider.

Spoiler

Word Count: 218