[PP-F27] Because we’re Adventurers <<MD:Dagan>> (Lessa)

[Jomei 0]

  

Jomei the emerald duelist

Spoiler notes Level: 32 | Paragon: 64 | Tier: 4(10)  Jomei: 880/880 HP | 126/126 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 48 | HLY BLS 19 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. equipped Nihilim's Wrath  Vestige of St. Patrick Alatreon's Will battle-ready inventory // skills Spoiler Skills Saber R5 | TECH Spec. Combat Mastery DMG R3 Cloth Armor R5 Charge B Healing R5 Energist Fighting Spirit MA R2 Extra: Concentration (x) Survival (x) Meditation (x) Parry Forgotten King's Authority Hiding R.4 Mods Athletics (x) Vanish (x) Addons Stamina (x) Ferocity (x) Precision (x) Nimble (x) data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs Spoiler Housing Buffs:  Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat     Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)     Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. Living Room: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

 

The grapevine that was Aincrad’s social scene proved to be useful for many things. Finding out what players are in need of help or tales of veteran players being told as if they were some folk heroes. One of the most talked about topics, and more useful for that matter, was the talk of quests possibly unknown to the masses, and with Floor Twenty Seven newly unlocked, there was much to be discovered about the uncharted territory. All Jomei could pick up from eavesdropping on a small group of passeybys was that there was a chain of linked quests on Floor Twenty Seven that stretched across the entirety of the floor. What they were about, they didn’t know, not even where to claim the quest. Jomei knew he could just head up to the newly opened terrain and find out himself… or he could use this opportunity to visit an old friend he had not seen in some time.

An interesting title for a coffee shop, Pumpkin Delights was named after the strange familiar that the proprietor had claimed as his own. Of course, this was no typical coffee shop, but instead a house of information sold to players for the right price. Jomei and Hikoru went way back though..so he was sure some info about a quest could be traded for some friendly conversation.. or at least a discount.

Speaking for a bit, Jomei learned what he needed about the quest, stopping Hikoru before he went into any major details to avoid any spoilers. In reality, he just wanted to know where to pick it up, and how much danger to expect. But in all, this sounded more like a chance to explore the floor rather than fight across it, and Jomei knew the perfect person to delve into this quest with.

 

Quote

To: Lessa
From: Jomei

Hey! Sick of me yet? 

I heard there was a new quest line on 27 that requires a lot of exploring. Thought it might be right up your alley. I’m at Pumpkin Delights getting some info, if you want to meet me here.

Ps. How do you take your coffee?

 

[Lessa 1]

꧁༺Lessa༻꧂   Lessa, Guardian of Aincrad Level: 31 Paragon Level: 54 HP: 820/820 EN: 120/120 Stats: Damage: 28 Mitigation: 142 Accuracy: 4 Battle Healing: 45 H.M.: 8 HLY: 8 REC: 8 THRNS: 72 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Arcael's Might (T4 THSS - DMG DMG DMG HLY) Armor: Empress Armor (T4 HA - HM HM THNS THNS) Misc: Neutron Star Necklace (T4 TRINKET - ACC ACC REC REC) Skills: Straight Sword R5 Heavy Armor R5 Battle Healing R5 Energist Fighting Spirit Charge Active Mods: Impetus Emergency Recovery Justified Riposte Addons: Iron Skin Ferocity Stamina Active Extra Skills: Parry Survival Battle Ready Inventory: Teleportation Crystal x5 Mass HP Recovery Crystal x2 Housing Buffs: Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down) Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1] Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Guild Hall Buffs: Helping Hand: Lowest-leveled guild member receives +10 bonus Exp at the end of the thread. At least half of the thread's participants must be guild members. Limit one use per month, per character. [1/1]

Quote

To: Jomei
From: Lessa

I could never get tired of you!

Yeah, that sounds amazing. I'll head your way now.

I like my coffee dumped down the drain. ;) But if they have hot caramel apple cider, or hot chocolate, I'll take that!

The journey to Pumpkin's Delight took nearly half an hour, but to Lessa, it seemed to fly by. She remained lost in her thoughts, her movements mechanical as she trekked the familiar path. A new quest line on a new floor was just what she needed to shake off the rust, and the metaphorical baggage she'd been toting around for months. But was she ready? She hadn't kept up on her training, so her reaction times might be slow. She also hadn't paid any attention to the rumors on the new floor, so she was entirely unaware of what she was getting into. Was it possible she might end up holding him back? Or was that just those negative thoughts plaguing her again?

All the while, Riker padded dutifully at her side, occasionally glancing up at her, but allowing her her silence.

The bell on the door chimed merrily as the swordswoman finally nudged her way into the coffee shop. She flicked a quick wave in Hik's direction before proceeding toward Jomei's table.

"Howdy," she greeted, grinning at her friend as she took her chair. "So what are we getting ourselves into today?"

[Jomei 0]

Jomei looked over the message reply from Lessa with a warm smile. A wave of his hand and the screen was deposited into the void, allowing him to bring his attention back to Hikoru behind the counter. ".. and you can add a caramel apple cider to that. Hot." With the two drinks in hand, the ginger took one of the quiet tables within the coffee shop, close enough that he could still converse with his old friend while waiting for Lessa to arrive. It was nice to catch up with Hikoru, even though he had put his adventuring days behind him. 

The two had spoken until the ring of the bell above the entry way greeted a new customer, drawing both of their attention. "Hey Lessa, glad you could make it." the ginger greeted her with a smile, passing the steaming cup across the table as she sat down to join him. "Hopefully some trouble. Maybe some danger. Definitely some adventure." Raising the coffee to his lips, he took a moment, sipping his drink before he continued. 

"As I was saying in my message, turns out there's a new group of quests on Floor Twenty Seven. Something about the lore behind the different nations and why they divided amongst themselves. Some of the Info Brokers also think that completing the quest could actually help the raid team, but nothing confirmed that yet. Apparently there are four parts to the quest.. one for each divided nation."

"There's a library in the central city of Ronbaru, where we can meet with a man who can give us all of the juicy details about the history of the floor and all that...." As he took a moment between thoughts, Jomei moved his hand through the air in front of him, sending both a party request and a pinpoint marker for the start of the Mysterious Divide quest.. "Or, we can just follow the marker to the first leg of the journey and meet with the first quest giver in Dagan..."

Sipping his coffee again, he lean back in his chair, looking at Lessa over the porcelain rim of his mug. "So, which would you rather, jump right into it, or start the quest the proper way?" 

[Lessa 1]

“Ooh, danger,” she echoed, drawing out the word to add emphasis. “I like danger. Almost as much as I like trouble.” She accepted the steaming mug with a nod of thanks. After a hesitant first sip to check the temperature, she moaned in a manner than had the couple at the next table eyeing her. “Godddddd,” came her appreciative groan, “that never gets old.” She lifted her mug toward Hik, who apparently recognized her praise, and accepted with a quick thumbs up.

After another long swig, Lessa set the mug back on the table, shook out her blonde hair, then leaned across the table toward Jomei. “So, about that dangerous and troublesome adventure?”

She listened intently as her friend spoke, contributing the occasional nod or excited hum where appropriate. When he ended by offering her a choice, Lessa pursed her lips in thought. “I figure we might as well do the quest right,” she answered after a moment. “It’s been a while since something new popped up, and even longer since it caught my attention like this. We should take advantage of that, right?” She brought her drink back to her mouth, but before she drank, she eyed Jomei over the brim. “Plus, I also just really like libraries.”

[Jomei 0]

Jomei felt the warm smile on his face as Lessa reacted to her drink. Perhaps he would have to try it out the next time he was in the area.. rather than the semi-sweet coffee that he sipped on. He wasn't even sure if caffeine was a thing in SAO, or if it was just some placebo effect. A bit of jealousy set in as he looked into the chocolate brown colored liquid that sat idly in his mug, and looked across to Lessa's once again. "Guess I'll have to get myself one of those too next time." he added with a grin.

After the two enjoyed their respective hot drinks for a few moments more, Jomei went into describing what Hikoru had told Jomei about the quest. He offered Lessa two options, the quick route, or the traditional route. As he could have expected, Lessa chose to visit the library first. "Of course you like libraries." he teased her with a wink. "Though, if I'm being honest, I was hoping you'd choose to take that route. I'm pretty curious about this grand library as well. And I suppose it would be a bit less of an adventure if we skipped a big part of this quest." 

Tilting his head back, Jomei finished off the rest of his coffee and placed the empty mug back on the table with a content exhale. "Any other preparing you want to do before we head up to Floor Twenty Seven? If not, we can head to Ronbaru whenever you're finished." 

[Lessa 1]

Lessa gave a soft tsk, the sound echoing in the cup before she removed it from her lips. “Who doesn’t like libraries?” she countered, rolling her eyes for added dramatic flair. “Certainly nobody I’d like to spend my time with.”

As Jomei asked about preparations, she downed the last of her now lukewarm cider in one giant swig. “No preparations on my end,” she answered after coming up for air. “And I’m totally finished. I can finish one of those suckers off in record time.” Recognizing that her partner was also finished, Lessa pushed her chair back from the table with the always obnoxious scrape of wood on wood. Then she stood, her blue cape cascading down her heavily armored legs to swirl about her ankles. There were very few things that Lessa would miss when they beat the game and returned to the real world. The ability to wear a cape every day and not be judged was absolutely one of those things.

With a sharp salute in Hikoru’s direction, which he returned with a small smile, Lessa led Jomei into the warm sunlight. “It’s a good day for a quest,” she mused aloud, pausing to pat Riker as the wolf joined the pair. “I feel it in my bones. This is gonna be a good one.”

That positivity stayed with her as they made their way to Ronbaru, putting a little pep in her step. “I haven’t spent a whole lot of time on this floor,” she told Jomei as they wandered the city. Blue crystals cast a soft glow across their path. “Honestly, I’m surprised I haven’t hit the library yet. But it’s big enough that it’s pretty hard to miss.” Even as she said the words, she slowed to a stop in front of the massive building. “Looks like something straight out of Washington DC,” she said, awe clear in her words. “I love it already.”

Yet despite her eagerness to get inside, she motioned to her friend. “After you!”

[Jomei 0]

The ginger offered a simple nod and smile when Lessa confirmed that she had everything she needed on her end. Of course, they had no idea what this quest had in store for them.. since they really only had intel on where to start the quest - or how to dive into the meat and potatoes of the quest proper, should they have chosen that route. Jomei was anticipating combat at some point on the floor.. but he made it this far without relying on consumables, and he trusted Lessa to have his back. "Sounds good. I'm not sure how much travel we'll actually be doing on foot, and how long it'll take. So I swung by a general store to grab some basic camping supplies, in case we need it. Tent, bedrolls, flint... nothing too crazy, but just in case we find ourselves on the road a bit late." With a soft chuckle and a smirk, he shrugged his shoulders, "Wouldn't feel like much of an adventure if we just fast traveled from town to town." 

With that, the two were finished and their beverages and were off. Each said their quick goodbye and thanks to their friend and owner of the establishment, before making the trek through the town towards the central plaza where they could teleport up to the recently opened expansion of Aincrad. Jomei felt the kind grin form on his face as Lessa expressed her confidence in how the quest was going to go for them. Opening his mouth to speak, he almost blurted out 'its always great questing with you' or something of the sort. Not that it wasn't true, but it just sounded corny, or forward. 

"Mm" he responded with a nod, "Don't think I've actually felt this excited to go on a quest in awhile. Glad you decided to check it out with me." That was better

Warping up to the Twenty Seventh floor, the two found themselves in a world that was almost entirely encased in stone. Yet the sheer size of these caverns, and the blue, glowing stones that sat embedded within the rocky walls broke up that 'trapped' feeling. "Oh wow.." Jomei felt himself saying in a hushed tone as he looked around, "I actually haven't been up here at all yet.." The two would have time to sight see, and they were interested in checking out this library. Onwards they went through the Ronbaru, until they found themselves approaching the massive building. 

Even with the sheer size of the architectural masterpiece of a library, they still were not prepared for the spectacle awaiting them through the front doors. 

[Lessa 1]

Rows of shelves ran in all directions, rolled out like a red carpet, seeming to beckon Lessa closer. They stood a couple feet higher than she did, and if it weren’t for the soaring ceilings, she might have felt claustrophobic. Instead, the woman felt like she stood in the coziest, most inviting museum ever. Art hung on walls, bronze busts guarded the aisles, and real plants thrived in their prettily painted pots. Warm light bathed the library’s man occupants, white and blue crystals mixing to amplify the space’s sense of magic.

And the books. So, so many books. Thick tomes, paper-thin documents, scrolls that appeared older than time itself. 

“That’s it,” Lessa stated finally. “I’m never leaving. I’m staying here forever.”

A soft chuckle from behind her startled Lessa out of her reverence. “A long, long time ago,” the man began, smiling from beneath a bushy beard, “I said something very similar. Low and behold, I’m still here, just as promised.”

The blonde grinned back at the NPC, immediately taken with the grandpa figure. “Are you one of the librarians? The keepers of all this great knowledge?”

”I’m not sure there’s a man or woman alive that could possibly contain all of the knowledge held here,” came his honest answer. “But yes, I am a librarian.”

And likely just the man we’re looking for, Lessa found herself thinking. In response, she pushed a little harder. “So what can you tell us about the library?”

The man ran a bony hand down his beard as he gazed across the maze of shelves. “This is a place of learning,” he began.

A few moments later, Lessa had her next quest objective. But she still offered the man a small nod. “We’ll be happy to ask around for you. If anyone can solve this mystery, I figure it’ll be Jomei and I.” Her expression softened, and she added, “You’re in good hands. We’ll let you know what we find out just as soon as we can.”

[Jomei 0]

The grandiose exterior of the library was nothing compared to the inside, which seemed almost larger than he had anticipated. More books were contained within than probably even the most scholarly of minds could read.. and that was simply in the main hall of the library. Whos to know how many tomes sit waiting on shelves within other, smaller rooms off to the side. Not only books, but various pieces of art, plants, and plenty of places to sit and just get lost in a book or two. Even those who were not a fan of reading would probably find themselves drawn to the activity after stepping foot into this building. 

They were not long into their visit when a figure approached them from their flank, an older gentleman - obvious by the wrinkles on his face and white in his beard - wearing flowing, brown robes. The smile on his face was welcoming and kind, the appearance of a man who loves his job no matter how long he had been doing it. He revealed himself to be one of the librarians of this establishment, and following along with Lessa's questioning, he went into a long winded tale of the library and the surrounding territories. 
 

Spoiler

"This is a place of learning." Motioning to the seemingly endless rows of books, the old man smiled mischievously. "Of course, finding answers has a funny way of creating more questions. The more we learn about farming practices, the more interested we become in the crystals that make the growth possible. The more natural resources we locate in Srona, the more we wonder why those same resources aren't distributed evenly through the land. And after the Misadventure of Mistrek, we find ourselves asking how one man could possibly manage to fit inside a-" With a quick wave of his hand, the NPC cut off his little diversion. "Oh, that doesn't matter much. What does matter is the most important question of all, and the one the Lapis Society was founded on. The Universal Truth. The 'big one.'" After a dramatic pause, the snowy-haired man threw his arms out wide, his brown robe flapping theatrically. "Why the territories exist at all!" 

Moving into a leisurely walk, Destin continued to address his small audience. "We've uncovered literature that hints at a time before the boundary lines, but no one knows for sure why they came into being. Did war break out? Was there a natural disaster, or some act of nature that drove the people into their separate corners? Or did the leaders at the time just decide it was a good idea?" Chuckling to himself, the man shrugged his narrow shoulders. "Were there even leaders? Did they elect them, as they do in Ordsea? Did they serve until death, or-" For the second time, Destin caught himself before giving in to full-fledged rambling. "I apologize, but I find myself endlessly intrigued by our mysterious history. It's why I joined the Lapis Society, and I suppose my enthusiasm is why I was chosen to represent them." 

Finally, the man's amber eyes hardened with resolve. "This is where I must ask a favor of you. We had a donation made to the library recently. A woman claimed that the journals belonged to a distant relative, and that they've been stashed in the attic for as long as she could remember. As said woman has no interest in genealogical studies, she gave them to us. Though most of what is written is somewhat mundane - climate patterns, growing seasons, crop yields - the entries grow darker, and more cryptic toward the end. Many references to some unknown threat, and words such as 'separate' and 'divide' appear quite often. The last entry mentions a 'the most important phrase,' but also that it is 'best forgotten.'" Destin's eyes crinkled at the edges as he scowled. "Not much to go on, but also the most promising lead we've had since I've been here. If you're willing, I would like to send you to the four other territories, to meet with most prominent figures you can, and ask them about a secret or important phrase." Smiling sheepishly, Destin added, "They may have no idea what you're talking about. But on the other hand, they may. I'm willing to take that risk if it means uncovering the truth."

With that story, the two players received the official quest and their first objective. "You can count on us." Jomei said confidently with a clenched fist held in front of his chest, following along with Lessa assuring the old man that they would find these 'phrases' that he mentioned from each of the surrounding territories. Turning his attention towards the door leading back out into Ronbaru, he looked to Lessa. "Shall we?" He knew the woman's heart would be town between the prospect of adventure and just staying in this library. The thought brought a soft, sympathetic smile to his face as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you and I can come visit again after we finish exploring the territories. Check out their selection.. See if there's any other secrets worth finding... Unless you'd rather stay and explore here first. I'd hate to pull you away from all these books." 

[Lessa 1]

"Oh no no, I'm good," Lessa assured Jomei. At the same time, she shoved her face within inches of an old tome, squinting at the handwritten text like a junkie might regard their next hit. Before Jomei could react, she yanked herself back, shaking her head rapidly. "Nope," she reiterated. "I am good. Soooo good. I am not at all obsessed with some dusty old books in the middle of a video game that kills people." She put extra emphasis on each word, as if that were necessary to convince Jomei of her conviction. Still, when she hooked her arm through his and dragged him toward the front door, she did so with a bit more force than was probably necessary. Because, yes, if given the chance to spend eternity in a library, Lessa would absolutely pull a Professor Zei and die right there in those stacks.

Only once they'd reached the street did she step away from him. Summoning her HUD with a twinkle of bells, Lessa busied herself with checking the quest details. "Looks like we need to travel to Dagan first." Her lips pursed as she studied the name. "Dah-gen. Day-gon. Dah-gon. And we need to speak to, uhhhh, Tie-beer-ee-us." Scoffing, she rolled her eyes skyward. "I don't know who picked these ridiculous names. Why can't we have 'Bob' and 'Fred' in, like, cities named after colors or something?"

The pair traveled comfortably, cycling naturally through easy small-talk and companionable silence. Laughter lines had dug themselves deep by the time they reached Dagan, but the moment they reached the city proper, Lessa's smile fell away. "Something's wrong," she stated, pulling away from Jomei, and moving into a jog toward the town hall. Shouts, cries, and panicked voices rained down around her like enemy fire. By the time she found Tiberius, she had drawn her weapon. 

"What's happened?" Lessa demanded by way of greeting.

The gruff old man leveled her with a stare, then answered with a question of his own. "Who's asking?"

Annoyance prickled across her skin, but the Guardian kept her voice steady. "We're here from Ronbaru. Destin sent us, and-"

Tiberius gave a humorless laugh. "I'll happily tell that man and his little society where they can stuff their precious books. Now leave. You're not welcome here."

[Jomei 0]

What she said was that she was good. She said it a couple of times actually. Good to leave to library. What she meant, however, was definitely the exact opposite. Probably just telling herself that she's good to go, to fool herself into actually thinking she was good to go. The hand on her shoulder slowly retracted as he brought his arms to cross at his chest. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he looked at her with a smirk and a cocked brow, waiting for her to actually show that she was 'good'. Finally tearing her eyes from the pages of a handwritten tome, she grabbed the ginger by the arm and made a swift exit. Despite everything that she's told Jomei that she's been through.. leaving that library may have been the hardest hurdle she's ever had to overcome. 

Once far enough away from the library, when the risk of Lessa being pulled back through the doors as if by a magnet, they looked over the quest details. "Dah-gan" Jomei added into the list of pronunciations.. at least that's how he would have said it. But hearing how Lessa gave it three other pronunciations, he wasn't so sure now. As 'difficult' as some of the names were to pronounce, Jomei enjoyed that. Reminded them that they were in a fantasy world. "Alright then, so then what would you call Ronbaru?" The 'renaming' of cities became one of the constant talking points as they traveled from the one settlement to the next, sharing plenty of laughs and playful arguments about whether or not Urbus should be called "Butte Town."

The interesting thing about the settlement of Dagan was that it was a farming settlement, within a cave settlement. There wasn't much light that emitted from the large, crystalline structures that jutted from the rocky surface, yet from what Jomei could see, the crops still prevailed. However, as much as Jomei wanted to inquire about how they could even get plants to grow in this environment, Lessa brought his attention to what almost sounded like shouting voices overlapping each other.. and none of them happy. The two made haste as they rushed into the city, stumbling upon the source. Keeping themselves away from the crowd, who seemed to be demanding something from them, the older gentleman, Tiberius, seemed distraught. Lessa tried to pry information from the man, but he was very dismissive, saying the two were not welcome here. Jomei's brow furrowed, and he would take a step forward to stand beside his blonde companion. "Look, whether Destin sent us or not, you look like you're a bit in over your head. We've made a habit of helping people, so let us know what we can do to help." 

With a heavy sigh, Tiberius would look over his shoulder at the amassing crowd for a moment. Weighing his options, he would turn back to the two players, his hardened expression not softening by any means, but still told the two what they wanted to know. "We're all just farmers here, its how we get by. But I'm sure you can guess that, growing crops is tough with the low light. We've managed to get by, keep our people alive, but we aren't growing enough for trade. That was, until we found some caves deep in the mountains that, by some miracle, are perfect for us. Crops grow even faster than out in the fields, and twice as large.. But when the forward group began preparing the ground, there was a cave in. We aren't suited for search and rescue, but that's what these folks are demanding. Those men and women are their friends, their family.."

Jomei nodded before Tiberius would continue, "Don't worry, you can count on us. You focus on calming that mob, and we'll find those farmers and bring them back safely."

[Lessa 1]

"A cave in?" Lessa echoed, frowning. Accidents such as these were common in Aincrad. The NPCs faced the same hardships that normal humans might in the real-world, and the universe wasn't always fair or friendly. Still, an event of this magnitude wasn't something she'd seen in a long time. One or two people trapped, maybe, but an entire group of farmers? That was definitely cause for alarm. Putting voice to her thoughts, she asked, "How many people are we talking?"

Tiberius' face lost even more color, as if that were possible. When he finally spoke, it appeared that the short answer pained him to say. "There are thirty one people missing."

Lessa winced. As a teacher, that was a number she was well acquainted with. An entire class's-worth of people, trapped. "We'll take care of it," she assured the mayor, seconding Jomei's promise. "Don't worry."

The man's expression darkened, and he opened his mouth to speak - likely to say something along the lines of 'how can I not worry?' - but Lessa turned and strode out the door. Only when she'd left the town limits, and she felt Jomei fall in step beside her, did she finally speak. "I really hate quests that put NPCs in danger just for the sake of giving us something to do." Lips drawn into a tight line, Lessa stomped down the path, her cobalt cape flaring behind her. Her pace wasn't exactly a jog, but any increase to the speed might push it into that territory. "It just sort of pisses me off, y'know? These are people. How long have they been trapped in this cave, waiting for someone to stumble across the quest? How many times have they been saved? It's really shitty, when you stop to think about it."

A handful of NPCs stood at the mouth to a large cave, their faces stricken, their hands wringing anxiously. "Hey," Lessa greeted warmly, pumping extra warmth into her voice, and locking away the earlier annoyance. "We're here to help. Is this the entrance?" One woman, her face red, puffy, and streaked with tears, nodded once. Lessa's heart shattered. "We'll get them," she promised, reaching out to place a gentle hand on the townsperson's shoulder. "Just wait here, we'll be right back."

With a small nod to Jomei, the blonde slipped into the darkness. It took only a moment for her to notice what caused the lack of light. "Look at this," she murmured, motioning to the remains of smashed crystals that littered the dirt path. They still glowed with a faint yellow light, but it was hardly enough to actually see by. "Maybe I'm being paranoid," she began, "and turning this into something it isn't. But if this were the work of a cave in, why would the crystals be smashed like this while the walls and ceiling are fine?"

[Jomei 0]

Getting into a bit more detail about the disastrous cave in, eventually came the topic of how many people were trapped within the caverns. Jomei had anticipated a small handful, perhaps four or five. Any number that Tiberius threw at them would not matter, as they were a precious life to the town and needed to be rescued.

Thirty-one.

That amount clung to the tension in the air, making it almost difficult to breathe in the moment. The ginger felt his stomach drop, so many people in danger. So many peoples lives now depended on their success. Lucky enough for him, Lessa responded. Said what he wanted to say but probably would have choked. So instead, he pushed down that slight doubt and offered a semi confident nod. However, before any further conversation arose, Lessa was quickly turning towards the door. Jomei looked back at her as she suddenly walked off, turned back to look at Tiberius for a moment, and back towards the front door. Clearing his throat, he finally spoke again, "We'll be back." and he moved towards the door they entered from with haste.

Olive eyes watched the long, golden strands of hair slightly bounce and sway with each step.. her pace not exactly a run or jog, but definitely with purpose. A purpose that needed to be addressed immediately. With a few larger strides, Jomei stepped up beside Lessa, peering past any hair that fell at the sides of her face to get a read on her expression. He didn't need to try and decipher how she was feeling for very long, as she made her opinion on the matter very clear. These quests always put the lives of Aincrad's citizens, the NPCs, in danger. The corners of his lips pulled into a frown as he looked forward towards the ground before him. "Remind me not to take the Night King's quests with you then.." he said simply before sighing, "It's rough, compared to this." 

Pondering for a moment on how to respond, he finally pieced his words together and spoke his mind. "The thing is.. that's just how video games have always been.. Placing the player in the shoes of the hero, making them feel like they accomplished great things by fighting off hordes, saving a princess, or just protecting the innocent townspeople." He quickly added on after a short breath, "But.. this, Sword Art Online, is different. We are actually here, these people actually respond to what we say and do.. some even remembering our names. They are more than just NPC's, they are the people of this world, and we're just the visitors. In the beginning, it just felt like a game.. but the longer we stay here, the longer this becomes our lives.." With an exhale and shake of his head, he felt the need to not continue, as his point was made and he wanted to avoid babbling. "It is shitty." he felt that was appropriate closure. 

Another grouping of people gathered outside of the cave entrance, not paying too much mind to the two adventurers until they were nearly on top of them. Rather than an angry mob like those trying to pry answers from Tiberius, these people seemed more distraught.. desperate. It was hard to look them in their red, glossy eyes for too long, but it also instilled him with a confidence and urgency that they needed. As Lessa took a moment to reassure a crying townsfolk that they would complete their mission, Jomei stepped forward towards the mouth of the cave. Placing a hand on the cavern wall just above his shoulder, he looked within, hoping his eyes would focus to the more extreme darkness. Once the two were ready, they exchanged a nod and entered the cavern proper. 

The sounds of the outside world faded as they slowly became submerged in the pitch black sea of darkness, while any sound made within the rocky depths bounced off of the walls and echoed. The shifting of rock and gravel beneath their boots as they stepped, some of it sounding more akin to glass than stone. Catching Lessa's attention, she investigated.. discovering that it was, in fact, shattered pieces of the crystalline structures that provided crop bearing light Tiberius mentioned. "Unless the cave in was caused by tremors.. it could have knocked the crystals from the walls?" Jomei offered a less suspicious counter argument, but judging by the fact that the rest of the cave seemed intact, Lessa's statement held more weight. "You're not suggesting this was some kind of sabotage.. are you? Who would even..?"

Looking back up into the darkness, Jomei would sigh, "I don't suppose you have Night Vision.. do-" The feeling of something large and furry gently brushed against his leg, sending a chill down his spine. His hand would shoot towards the hilt of his rapier and he took a wider stance, eyes shifting to look down at.. oh, it was just Riker. A breath of relief, "Scared the hell out of me." he said with a small, breathy chuckle. "Wait.. Riker." looking back up to Lessa, he formulated a plan. "Do you think Riker can try and sniff out the farmers? I can send Adere with him to be a second set of eyes, as an owl, she should be good at seeing in the dark."

[Lessa 1]

Lessa studied the shattered gems for a long moment, expression as hard as the rocks that surrounded them. Finally, she loosed a small sigh, and shrugged a single shoulder. “I mean, I guess,” she conceded. “It could have been the result of the cave in. It probably was.” She paused, then nodded, as if to convince herself. “I’m sure you’re right, Jomei. And I can’t figure out why anyone would want to smash the crystals.” Still, doubt swirled in her eyes as she continued studying the wreckage. She looked as though she might say more, but then thought better of it.

Jomei’s question seemed to shake Lessa out of her trance, and her gaze snapped to his face before she answered, “No, I don’t, but it really could come in handy right now.” Night Vision was a mod she’d honestly given very little thought to, as it didn’t really fit with her play style. Now? She had half a mind to move some skill points around.

Lessa felt Jomei stiffen beside her, and instinctively, she did so as well. She only relaxed when she realized the big monster was Riker. “That’s a great idea, actually,” she told Jomei, before squatting down beside Riker. Though she wore her heavy gauntlets, she still managed to give the wolf a thorough skritching as she murmured gentle commands and reassurances in the pup’s ear. When she stood again, he trotted a few paces ahead. “I’m not sure how much he’ll be able to do in the dark, but I have to assume even in-game wolves can see better than humans can.” Flashing the owl a quick smile, she added, “Still, I’m sure Adere will be a huge help.” 

As the familiars took off, the muted slaps of paws and flaps of wings growing steadily softer, the pair were plunged into silence. Lessa was the one to finally break it. “I figured we’d hear them yelling or something,” she confessed. “I can’t help but worry that...” Her voice trailed as she turned to peer deeper down the tunnel. “This game is super screwed up, in every way possible, but would they really just send us on a quest to find three dozen dead bodies? Because that would be a new level of screwed.”

[Jomei 0]

Lessa eventually agreed with him regarding the shattered crystals, outwardly at least. Though, in reality, Jomei wasn't entirely sold himself. Were the crystaline structure that much more frangible that the rocky cavern walls themselves? Even when Lessa seemingly moved on and pushed forward, his olive eyes lingered for a moment longer before falling in step with her.

While the two's skill lists were absent of the one skill that would have seemed useful in this situation, their respective familiars seemed more than capable of filling in that gap and, hopefully, lead them in the right direction. Hopping from Jomei's shoulder, the small, brown owl would take to a hover just above the much larger wolf's head, before turning and following their lead deeper and deeper into the cave. With the two familiars off on their own search party, the duo of Jomei and Lessa were left alone in the silent darkness.

The fate of the trapped miners was a topic of conversation that Jomei himself  was trying to avoid. Mostly to keep the image of finding a cavern filled with nothing of rotting corpses, some crushed, some deceased from other means. It was a gruesome thought but.. Jomei had a bit of hope that this was not the case. As he had been forced to learn time and time again, Jomei needed to switch his brain from that of a human, to a player. "It's definitely something I didn't want to think of..." he admitted with a frown, "But.. I don't think thats the case. In reality, I think we can't hear them because.. well.. that would make the quest too easy, you know?" he would say with a shrug of his shoulders. "Looking at it from a video game perspective, maybe we need to progress a bit further, make some headway in finding them, before we start getting some clues about their whereabouts." 

Knowing just words may not have been enough, he found Lessa's shoulder with his own -well, his bicep, given their height difference- and gave it a playful bump, "Besides, its not like we wasted any time getting here.. so I'm sure we'll find the miners safe and sound. We've got this." With that,, Jomei would take a few steps forward, the broken crystals crunching beneath his boots as he stepped over them. "But if we stand here and just keep worrying, things might turn out differently. So we might as well start looking."

 

[Lessa 1]

"You're right," she began. Then, with a hard exhale that sent her blonde bangs flying, she added, "Again. I'm not sure why this quest has me so messed up. I've just spent so much time with NPCs over the past year that it's getting especially hard to see the lines between us and them, y'know?" She lifted her hands, then let them fall again, helpless. "We've been in here forever. I sometimes forget that its a game, and quests like this are going to follow the standard MMORPG formula." Despite all of her apprehensions, when Jomei bumped her, she couldn't help but smile up at him. "I'm glad you're here, though. It makes this easier." The statement was out of her mouth before she fully understood it, but she didn't regret giving her thoughts voice. She meant every word.

A moment later, it was as if a lightbulb suddenly flipped on over Lessa's head. Eyes widening, she rounded on Jomei. "I'm so stupid," she declared without preamble. "If it's a quest with game mechanics, it probably requires other game mechanics to progress! Just calling for them isn't going to be enough." Even as she spoke, Lessa was settling into her battle-ready stance - feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly. She pointed a finger at her own ear, then told her companion, "You may want to cover your ears. I'm not sure how loud this'll be in the cave."

Closing her eyes, Lessa activated <<Howl>>. It took only a second for the power to build within her, the force of a volcano ready to explode. When the skill finally erupted, sending sound and energy pulsing in all directions, her hair streamed back from her pale face. Lessa's eyes snapped open, radiating an electric blue that faded only once the skill concluded. "There," she said finally. "If they didn't hear that, they're either dead, deaf, or-"

A faint call from deeper within the tunnel interrupted her, and a joy even more powerful that the skill she'd just executed lit Lessa's face. "Did you hear that?" she practically screeched, grabbing Jomei's arm and giving it a frantic tug. "Did you? I think that was them! I think they heard me!"

[Jomei 0]

"Like I always say," Jomei began, shifting his expression from a half frown when Lessa displayed his displeasure in the treatment of the NPCs, "The fact that we care, that we sympathize. Mean's were still human. But sometimes.. we need to tell ourselves to make that switch when we have to. Because it won't always be in our power to save everyone.. As wrong as it may feel" he didn't know how else to word it, and treaded carefully to not sound insincere, "Sometimes they're just programmed that way." Despite how she felt, she seemed genuinely happy and relieved that it was him that was stuck on this rotten quest with her. Thankfully their faces were cast in shadow, or else she would have seen the pink twinge to his cheeks. 

There was a beat of silence before the blonde quickly turned heel, facing directly at Jomei. He may not have been able to make out the fine details of her face, but he could see 'i figured it out' painted all over. Using the games actual mechanics to find the miners.. rather than just relying on their instincts and adventuring expertise. Smacking the palm of his hand into his forehead, he'd scoff "We're so used to these being combat skills.. never really think to use them in the field." 

Jomei watched as Lessa readied herself, telling Jomei to cover his ears. He'd seen comrades use the skill during boss raids, usually in an open space. Years of loud concerts, feedback from mics and guitar amps, couldn't have prepared him for the sound of Lessa's suddenly booming voice echoing off the rocky walls of the cavern. The pieces of shattered crystal on the ground rumbled and shifted in place, tiny loose rocks tumbled from crevices in the stone. As her voice trailed off, it seemed as though it cause any damage... which was relieving. "Can't say I was expecting that." he said with a shocked expression as he uncupped his ears.

To their surprise, a response. Faint, muffled, but a human response. He could feel the jubilation radiating off of her darkened face as she pulled on his arm in the direction of the voices. "You did it!" he shouted after her with a small laugh. Taking care to watch their step, despite moving with a bit more hustle, the two eventually arrived at, what appeared to be, a dead end. However, the shouting array of voices on the opposite side of a caved in wall begged to differ. Not only that, but Riker sat in wait, his noise pointing towards the tossed debris. "We found them! But wait.. where Adere?" Jomei questioned, looking around for his owl companion. A high pitched screech above them, the silhouetted form of the owl sat perched on what appeared to be the edge of a small alcove. Before Jomei said more, she began to move deeper in, a direction towards the trapped miners. "I think she found a way in through the ceiling.. weird place for a tunnel but." the man removed his sword from his hip, and took the cloak off of his shoulders. Handing the green cloth to Lessa, he smiled. "Hold this for me?" Using a combination of his Athletics mod and Nimble add on, a kick off the wall had Jomei hanging onto the ledge where Adere once stood. With a grunt, the man pulled himself up and crawled into the very tight space that seemed to be their only way through. "Lets hope this actually leads somewhere.. or I might not be getting out.." he'd say mostly to himself, not sure if Lessa could still hear him.

On the other end of a tunnel, luckily not a complete dead end. Jomei found himself blocked by a couple of larger rocks, but the flickering light of a makeshift fire through the tiny seams told him he was in the right place. After a few attempts, Jomei managed to dislodge the stones, and emerge through the tunnel into the room with the other miners. "Is everyone okay? None of you hurt?" Quick responses, short and few, but the general consensus was they were all alive and able to move. "Okay good.. Hm" he'd take a quick look around, there really wasn't any other way of getting out. Stepping out of the way of the tunnel leading back to Lessa, he'd kneel beside it. "Hope no ones claustrophobic.." 

[Lessa 1]

Even the dead end couldn't suck the joy out of the situation. The cries of the trapped NPCs lit a fire in Lessa's heart, and her face glowed with the warmth of it as she beamed at Jomei. "They're alive," she stated, the words tumbling from her lips like a prayer. "They're alive. They're alive!" Though she'd wanted so badly for them to live, doubt had begun to worm its way into her mind. She certainly wouldn't put it past SAO's creators to give them such a messed-up quest. But now? None of that mattered.

Still humming with excited energy, Lessa dropped to her knees beside Riker. Tossing her arms around his wide neck, she tugged him in for a tight hug. "Good boy," she mumbled against his thick, cocoa-colored coat. "You did so good." 

Finally pulling away from her familiar, but still on her knees, Lessa reached for the nearest rock. "So now we just move these around?" she asked, not paying any attention to her partner. "Dig them out, and-"

"I think she found a way in through the ceiling.."

Lessa's heart plummeted.

Slowly finding her feet again, she straightened just in time for Jomei to thrust his belongings into her arms. "Uh, yeah, sure," she answered halfheartedly, the elation she'd felt only a moment ago reduced to nothing. In its place was a cold, bone-deep unease. Absently, she clutched his things to her chest as she forced herself to gaze up at his retreating form. When she could no longer see him, her unease exploded into full-fledged fear. Riker, recognizing his friend's change in mood, padded over to brush alongside her leg. 

"Hope no ones claustrophobic!"

Ha, fuck.

Lessa drew a series of long, slow breaths. Only when she was fairly confident that she could speak without stammering did she finally call back, "I'll help them through on this end, Jomei. You just guide them through. Sound good?"

[Jomei 0]

"I'll help them through on this end, Jomei. You just guide them through. Sound good?"

Jomei nodded as he turned his gaze to the wall of impassable stone and rock, as if Lessa could see him. Turning his attention back to the group of trapped men and women, Jomei placed a hand over the opening he had created in the wall. "You heard the lady." Standing once again at the opening to the hole, Adere stood with her head tilted to the side. "Just follow the owl through to the opposite end, and you won't get lost. I'll be right behind you." Either these miners were braver than he'd expect, or the fear of being trapped in this cave a moment more outweighed the thought of crawling through a tight, dark tunnel. One by one, they moved up to the crack in the wall, carefully pulling their bodies into the crevice and shimmying their way back to the opposite end. Once everything was clear, into the hole he went.

On the opposite end, the form of Adere the owl finally emerged from the tunnel into the cavern where Lessa waited. With a flutter of her wings, she lowered herself from the opening in the ceiling, perching on the armor of Lessa's shoulder, waiting for the others to follow suit. One at a time, the NPC's emerged, climbing their way into the open cave. Faith was immediately instilled within the miners, knowing they were not out of it yet, but their chances of survival were much much higher now that these two had found them. A few moments after the last of the miners dropped down to join the others, the green clad ginger pushed his way from the tunnel with a grunt, before dropping to his feet. 

"Everyone accounted for? Good. Lets get you all out of here."

Retracing their steps wasn't exactly easy in this darkness, but using Riker and Adere once more, the -albeit dim- light from outside of the cave began to lighten their way. Just a few moments longer, and the group emerged out of the mouth of the cave. Immediately, they were met with a rush from opposing sides, and families and friends were united with their loved ones thought to be lost to the mines forever. 

Jomei stood with his arms folded, smiling at the scene of everyone crying, embracing, and cheering. "Feels good, doesn't it?" Jomei would say to Lessa, turning to look at her. Unbeknownst to him, crawling through that tiny space left him with a bit of a souvenier; his orange hair, pale skin, and clothes were covered in dirt. 

[Lessa 1]

Only after the pair had exited the cave did Lessa began to breathe normally. The tunnel itself hadn't bothered her too much, but watching Jomei shimmy into that hole, and imagining doing so herself, had taken its toll. Still, with the night air cool against her flushed face, and the sounds of relief all around her, she couldn't help but return her companion's smile. When she turned to face him, the expression deepened, amusement flashing in her dark eyes. "You're a mess," she informed him matter-of-factly, reaching up to brush some of the dirt from the top of his head. The feel of his shaggy hair beneath her fingers caught her off-guard, as did the sudden urge to wipe away the dust on his cheeks. Instead, she busied herself with patting the dust from his shoulders in a very casual, certainly not at all romantic, probably a bit too forceful manner. Then she turned back to the crowd, partially to admire their work, partially to hide her blush.

"It does feel good," she agreed after a long moment of comfortable silence. "We did good. But we're not done yet." With a small nod of her head, she motioned back toward the way they'd come. "Lets go see Tie-beer-ee-us, and get that phrase we were promised."

---

They found the man seated at his desk, clearly far more at ease than he'd been an hour before. "I appreciate the work you two did," he said by way of greeting. And that was it. Lessa hadn't been expecting to be showered by praise, but didn't rescuing a classroom full of people deserve a bit more celebration? Even as she thought it, Tiberius spoke again.

"My people are in need of healing supplies. Some are gravely injured, beyond what we are capable of treating. Will you travel to Srona, and ask them to send us their most potent salves?"

Lessa merely blinked at him. Only after she remembered this was a quest, and quests have natural progressions, did she heave a sigh. "Sure. Can you tell us about any special words of phrases associated with Dagan first?"

Now it was Tiberius' turn to stare. "What?" he asked simply.