[F04; PP] A Winter's Breadth <<Harbinger of the Night>>

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Was it always this cold? Seems like time only makes it worse. She pulled her hood tighter around herself, the fluffy purple vest, with its fox-like ears covering her ever so slightly from the wind that howled around her. The piece had once been a prized possession of hers, the fox tail and ears joyous and welcoming, in her mind. Now, though...Now it's just a reminder...

She pulled the hood of the vest closer down towards her face, trying to block out the wind, and the memories themselves. She'd taken this quest after speaking to a local broker, as a way to get back into the world - to escape the things that had been haunting her lately. 

To attempt to get back to clearing this place, and maybe getting everyone free...and maybe myself, too. This place had taken so much from her, and she just wanted to be done with it. Done with everything, and free back to the real world. 

One step at a time, that's all we can do - isn't it Yuki? She glanced down at the winter fox by her feet as she spoke, the creature looking back up at her with a twinkle in her eye. The fox seemed pleased to be back in their home territory, the snow and cold not bothering it in the slightest - something that Nari felt a moment of envy about. At least you're enjoying yourself.

She kicked a bit of snow at the fox, watching with a slight smile as the creature dove for the piles that were created, every little bit of playful as she had always been. Nari couldn't help but be jealous of that - it seemed like the fox's moods never changed, never brought down by the reality of this world. Oh to be a fox in the snow.

Spoiler

Statblock

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 39 | HP: 780/780 | EN: 117/117 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+42] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 3 | Bld: 48
Tier 4 | Tier 8
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).

Equipped Items
Solitude's Sorrow [Scythe; Tier 4 Perfect] A long handled, two handed scythe with a curved blade. This piece contains a purple chain that wraps itself around where the shaft meets the blade, reminiscent of the weapon often pictured with the grim reapers of tales.
Enhancement: Accuracy [2 Slots] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the BD when attacking. Cannot be used to cause a critical hit.
Enhancement: Bleed [1 Slots] | Effect: Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 (1 slot) or natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 (2 slots) deal (12 * Tier) unmitigated bleed damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. Bleed damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. The highest tier of Bleed damage overrides lower tier versions; cannot be overridden by lower-tier versions.

Reaper's Defence [Light Armour; Tier 4 Perfect] A full leather piece, this armour allows the user the freedom of movement while offering minimal protection from incoming attacks. Designed to replicate the scales of a dragon along the shoulders and lower torso, the piece provides no restriction to the flow of combat, with the flexibility of the leather allowing for further bending movements as required.
Enhancement: Evasion [2 Slots] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the BD when attacking. Cannot be used to cause a critical hit.
Enhancement: Light Momentum [1 Slots] | After an unsuccessful attack, gain +(1 per slot) to the BD until your next successful attack, at which point this bonus is removed. Another unsuccessful attack will reactivate this enhancement. Cannot be used to cause a critical hit. [For Area of Effect attacks: This effect only activates if you miss all enemies targeted by the attack.]

Music Box [Trinket; Tier 1 Perfect]
Enhancement: Loot Die [3 Slots] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the LD.

Battle-Ready Inventory
Teleport Crystal {3}
Starter Healing Potions {4} | Heals 50 HP
Divinity's Wait {5} | Tier 2; Perfect Potion | Mitigation III
Divinity's Protection {5} | Tier 3; Perfect Potion | Overhealth III
Cold Brew Coffee {4} | Tier 1; Perfect Potion | HP Recovery III
Percephonius Pyratius {11} | Tier 4; Perfect Potion | Damage III

Sword Arts
[x12] ST-I (12 10 EN) | A single-target sword art.
[x15] ST-II (15 13 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 18 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 9 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
[x14] AOE-II (14 12 + 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 14 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.
[x16] TECH-B (15 13 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 13 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 13 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 9 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE STUN | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. All struck targets are stunned for one turn.
[x16] TECH-G (15 13 EN) | BURN | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, applies [Burn] on the enemy. [Burn] is a DoT ailment that deals [14 * Player Tier] unmitigated Burn damage for 2 turns.
[x2] RAW-A (10 8 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.

Combat Skills
Battle Healing [Rank: 3. Active: Passive. Effect: While in combat, recover 1% per rank of your maximum HP (rounded down) at the beginning of your turn.]
Fighting Spirit [Active: Passive. Effect: Attacking and using Howl or Focused Howl generates +1 additional Hate. (Ex. Generate 1/2/3 Hate on a Miss/Hit/Critical attack. Generate 5 Hate when using Focused Howl.)]
Howl [Active: Post Action. Energy Cost: 2 EN. Effect: Adds +2 Hate each against up to 4 targets.]
[Howl Addon] Focused Howl [Active: Post Action. Energy Cost: 4 EN. Cooldown: 4 Turns. Effect: Adds +4 Hate against a single target.]

Weapon Skills
Polearm [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: +7 DMG]
[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Stamina [Active: Passive. Effect: Reduces EN of all attacks by 2.]
[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] Precision[Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 ACC.]
[Rank 5 Weapon Addon] <<Weapon Type>> Focus [Active: 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 [Active: Passive. Effect: For TECH Sword Arts, +4 to multipliers, +3 to EN cost. No other Shifts may be taken.]

Armour Skills

Light Armour [Rank: 5. Active: Passive. Effect: 30 MIT. Mitigation is capped at 2 slots.]

[Light Armour Mod] Meticulous [Active: Passive. Effect: Gain +1 base Damage.]

Active Extra Skills
Concentration [Active: Free Action. Cooldown: 5 turns. Effect: As a free action, gain Absolute Accuracy on your next attack. In the case Absolute Accuracy is already present, increase your Accuracy by 1 instead. Effect lasts until the start of next turn.]

Meditation [Active: Post Action. Cooldown: 3 turns. Effect: Recover an additional (4 * Tier) energy.]

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 [Active: 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.]

Survival [Active: Passive. Effect: Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects.]

Familiar Skills
Protector Familiar [Active: Free Action. Cooldown: 3 Posts; Effect: The next time you would take damage, your familiar rushes to your aid, reducing the final damage by 10%.]

Estate Buffs

Master Bedroom [-1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.]
Master Bathroom [The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down).]
Dining Room [Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.]
Basic Kitchen [Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.]
Living Room [Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.]
Attic (Storage) [+5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests]
Storage Closet [+1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot]

 

[Jomei 0]

  

Jomei the emerald duelist

Spoiler notes Level: 32 | Paragon: 66 | Tier: 4(10)  Jomei: 900/900 HP | 128/128 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 49 | HLY BLS 19 | FLN 16 | HLY 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. equipped Fragarach  Vestige of St. Patrick Alatreon's Will battle-ready inventory Antidote (3/3)  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==

 

A slow, steady exhale escapes past rounded lips, parting the tiny cloud of steam that rose from the hot cup of tea grasped within his hand. Thin steams of the suns light poured in through breaks in the curtains, illuminating the wooden floors and white walls of the studio space. 

Tap

The tip of a pencil held loosely between his thumb and index finger hits the closed lid of the piano as he loosens his grip, only to take hold once again, lift up an inch or two and...

Tap

Eyes were lingering on the blank sheet of paper before him for far too long.. Without looking at any sort of a clock, he began to get used to what time it was by the amount of light that came through the windows. The concept of the sundial became much more apparent to him the longer he spent trapped in this hall, which was too often nowadays.

Tap

There was not much to Jomei's life anymore. The silence of the studio space reflected his current life.. not much action or word from the frontlines, his comrades, friends. That number seemed to dwindle day by day, for no other reason than lack of contact. It was a sad life, but at the same time safe.. comforting. Though, part of him -- more than one, if he was being honest -- longed for the old days of adventuring with friends, with a guild, with someone he loved. That danger, that excitement, it was why he had dove head first into Sword Art Online in the first place, not to sit alone in an empty hall trying to write music. 

Tak

Setting the pencil down with force - and gently placing his cup of tea beside it - he would rub the palms of his hands up and down his face with a slight groan. "I can't keep doing this." his voice muffled as it tried to pass through the virtual skin, muscle, and bone of his hands. Peeking through parted fingers at the brown owl that sat perched atop the piano, her head tilted, looking back at Jomei curiously. 

Pulling his hands away from his face, he would turn on the small bench, swinging one leg over to straddle the seat, before laying flat on his back. A swipe of his hand would summon the slightly transparent menus from thin air, where he began aimlessly scrolling through the list of friends he had. Though, his thoughts did not settle on a single one.. he already knew. He would plan on getting out of here, look for a friend to contact, do the opposite, and then just go back to sitting in seclusion. 

Who knew the quiet life could be so... boring.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Snowfrost had changed as Nari made her way back towards it; the signs of the coming festival clear in the way that people moved, the way that the appearance of the town was changing. She'd seen it before, many times on her passing through - she had even heard that it was the sign of a quest coming about. She paused on the edge of the town, considering the possibility. It had been a long time since she'd actively engaged in...well, anything that could be considered beneficial towards their eventual escape. Perhaps it's time to change that...time to step out again, to do something towards that goal.

It was certainly something that she would say was easier said, than done. The quest from what she had heard contained its own perils, dangers that an individual could find overwhelming if they faced it alone. Like so much in this world, once one stopped to think about it. She knew, if she was going to do this, she would need help - assistance from someone, anyone else. 

She brought up her menu, quickly palming to the friend's list, before scrolling through it. More names than she remembered had been crossed off that list, gone forever, little more than memories now. She fought back the breath that had caught in her throat, pushing past it and further down the list as she looked for anyone that would still be around, still someone she could call upon. It didn't take long for her to stop on a single name, one that she had seen so long ago, but hadn't spoken to in...far, far too long. Keying up the messaging system, she quickly drafted her request.

Message

To: Jomei From: Nari-Lanreth Hey Jomei, I know it's been...well, a long time. Hoping you've been well. I've been...well, I've been. I think that's about all that matters. Anyways, not sure if you've ever heard of the Harbringer of Night quest, but it's that time of year again, and was thinking that it might be nice to get out and...do something. Things have been quiet lately...and I figured...well, anyways, let me know if you're interested. I'll be waiting at Snowfrost if you're up for it. Hoping to hear; Nari

She gave a flick of her wrist, sending the message off before moving in towards the town. She could at least enjoy the festivals while she waited. Not like there's much else to do...and maybe I'll find something else of interest around here...or someone of interest...

[Jomei 0]

With eyes closed, the back of his head pressed into the seat of the bench with a weight that almost seemed like it could push right through the wood and into the floor. A heavy sigh pushes from his lungs, piercing the silence like a hot knife.

It was that same silence that made the soft, chiming of a notification seem even louder than normal. Olive orbs opened once again with a inquisitive hum. A single hand moved slowly to check the message, the speed of which had had been taking things day by day lately. A well formatted message spread open, short, sweet, and to the point. It was from Nari, probably one of the last people he had seen before everything went quiet. Glad to see that she still considered him a friend, despite his radio silence. His eyes scanned the contents of the message, his lips slightly turning into a smile.

Jomei had literally just said that he needed to get out of his house to break him from this funk, so reconnect with Aincrad and his friends. Why was he now hesitating to respond? A quick tug of war within his mind between the boring comfort of solitude, and perilous adventure with an old friend waged on. Tightening the muscles in his stomach, he forced himself up to a sitting position -faster than he had moved in awhile- as if to send a jolt of energy into his body and coax him to respons.

RE: Message

To: Nari-Lanreth From: Jomei Hey Nari! It really has been some time hasn't it? I think 'been' is the best way to describe how I've been as well. I'm not sure if I've heard of that quest before, definitely sounds interesting. .. Yeah sure, I'd love to join you. Need to brush off some of the dust anyway. I'll get my act together and catch you in Snowfrost soon. Thanks, Jomei

 

 There was that fire in his heart that he needed to ignite, that longing for adventure. He huffed another breath, but this one filled with determination. Pushing himself up from the piano bench, he moved into the townhouse proper to collect his gear and clothing more suitable for the winter weather.

---

The ginger's body materialized onto the Fourth Floor, adorned in a long charcoal coat with green accents, and a cloak reminiscent of his usual one with fur lining the inside of the collar and shoulders. Resting on his shoulder, the trusty owl Adere with her own green scarf wrapped around her neck. "Alright, now to find Nari." he would say to himself as he stepped off into Snowfrost, keeping an eye open for the familiar face and purple hair. 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

To think this place used to bring peace and solitude...a feeling of home. Her eyes glanced down at the small fox beside her that she'd been speaking to, the winter white coat blending in rather well with the snow that surrounded them. Snow, which Nari had once enjoyed. Now, it just reminded her of the coldness that was her life; the loneliness that came with it. She shook herself, straightening as she heard the soft hum of the teleporter kicking to life behind her. At least you still enjoy it here.

She moved from her position, seated along the outside of the main courtyard that housed the teleporter. A quick pass down a low wall, around a corner and she found herself coming face-to-face with the redhaired player she'd messaged not too long ago. Smiling up at him, she gave a soft nod of her head in recognition. Long time, no see, Jomei. Thanks for coming along. I was going to-

She cut herself off as she realised what she'd been about to say, a small frown crossing her face before she continued speaking. Well, doesn't matter. Thanks for coming. So, you've never heard about this quest? Supposedly some sort of...winter king, or something...not really that important, anyways. Basically there's some sort of soldier running around - never seen before, supposedly - and people are a bit...antsy, about it. From what I've been told, they headed off in a...

She pointed off in a westerly direction, away from the town itself. ...that way, direction. Maybe. The NPCs weren't super helpful, to be honest. As to be expected. Spoke with one of the brokers, and the only thing they'd really give me was 'they're used to cold, so avoid the frost'. Which I'm guessing means...frost based weapons might not be a great choice. Wouldn't happen to have any fire based stuff, would you? Maybe we can melt them away? 

She smiled at her own joke, holding it only for a few seconds before letting it slip away. The local rabble are all assured that some guy name...David? Darius?...something like that, is going to make short work of this guy, but supposedly it's our job to...well, hunt him down. Figure out what's going on. That sort of thing.

She glanced over at Jomei for a second, her face thoughtful as she tried to figure out how to say the next part without insulting him. I know it sounds pretty basic, but...life's been quiet here for a while...I would...it would be nice for it not to be too quiet...so let's be careful...

[Jomei 0]

The ginger's smile was warm, in contrast to the slowly falling flakes of white snow that left a cold bite on any skin they happened to land upon. The ground beneath his boots crunched with each step as he closed the distance between himself and Nari-Lanreth. "Hey Nari, it has been some time, hasn't it." the sound of his voice, although sprinkled with that usual cheeriness, was softer, lower. The mental exhaustion blanketed in a thin lattice of positivity. "No need for thanks," he added with a smile as he adjusts the enclosure of his cloak, "It's always a pleasure seeing friends. And truth be told, I needed an excuse to get out of the house. I've been.. cooped up in there a bit longer than I would like to admit." 

He listened attentively to Nari go over some of the specifics of this quest, which at first glance, seemed to have a lot more to it than simply 'hunt down this boss and defeat them.' Aincrad truly was evolving each day, leaving him behind in the dust. Bringing a hand up to summon his menus, he took a quick look at his equipment, studying his weapon and the attributes it held. Jomei wasn't one for having multiple swords to switch to depending on the situation, but at least his current load out shouldn't cause them to run into any issues. "No fire or burn effects no." he noted, placing a gloved hand on his chin, "But no ice either. So level playing field I suppose." Pulling his hand away from his face, he let his fingers rake through the floating box, dismissing it in a small flash. "I'm not worried though, I'm sure the two of us together should be able to handle this quest without issue."

"The quest does sound a tad familiar.." he thought on it for a moment, before snapping his fingers, attempting to at least.. the sound muffled because of his gloves. "The Night King, right? If I remember.. the quest used to be a lot less.. involved. Just the simple run of the mill boss and minion fight." Crossing his arms at his chest, he smirked, a bit proud. "If the difficulty is anything like it once was, we should be there any back with no problems. I took on the Night King on my own before it was updated." 

With the two on the same page now, Jomei readied himself to find this NPC that could help them take down this King once again. "So, shall we?" he gestured with a hand outwards in the direction Nari had originally pointed. "How have you been? Up to anything lately?" 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari smiled at the commentary about being cooped up, and the need for freedom. She'd certainly felt that as well, although her own situation had been more of a mental restriction, than a physical one. Wandering the empty tenth for answers that cannot be found, does no good for the mind and soul. She refrained from mentioning that bit aloud, deciding that it wasn't impertinent to their current situation. 

Instead, she listened as Jomei explained his own viewpoint on the Night King's quest. She was happy to hear that he had gone through it previously, albeit a bit surprised that he had been able to face the Night King alone - an obvious sign that Jomei had been doing this a lot longer than Nari herself had. There weren't many field bosses, let alone quest bosses, that she would feel comfortable facing solo.

Well, I certainly feel better knowing that you've done something like this before. Even if it was...well, entirely different on every single level and aspect. Though it would be nice if one of us had something beyond just my...burn ability. I mean at least I've got that, I guess. She gave a soft shrug, smiling in response in a way that bespoke her hesitation to rely on it. She wasn't even sure if the burn effects would help them in any way, or if it would just be ignored. Still, better to have it than not. I've...been. Mostly. It's been quiet, without everyone around. And a bit lonely, too. Aside from Yuki here.

She paused for a few steps, listening to the crunch of snow beneath their footfalls as they made their way across the town, and eventually into the lands beyond the safe zone. Nari couldn't help but feel a shiver at the sudden change in environment; the cold no different than before, but the feeling of safety gone. As to anything exciting...not really. Not unless you count wandering empty floors looking for answers that you'll never find, exciting. Which, it's not, by the way. It's actually...

Lonely. She fell silent again, realising the awkwardness she was likely bringing up just by mentioning it. She glanced around them, considering a change in topic. It's a lot quieter across Aincrad lately. I hope everyone's alright. I haven't really...well, I haven't checked the monument in a long, long time. I don't think I'd want to, even if I was in the area.

Great topic choice. Real uplifting and encouraging. She pushed the thought away with an internal growl, refusing to let the air die there. Instead, she put on a smile and tried to pretend happiness, if only for Jomei's sake. But hey, we're still here and going. Which means that there's still hope. And let's be honest, nothing's going to kill us, right? We're too awesome for that!

[Jomei 0]

Lonely. That definitely described how Aincrad felt lately. It wasn't like anyone had died, or any major falling out. It seemed everyone wanted to be left to their own devices. The word hit the ginger like an sharp, cold breeze, biting not only at his skin, but chilling his very soul. "Well" the man started with a breathy chuckle, not one that held much real humor behind it, "Just with that, you've been up to more than I have. Staring at blank music sheets and listening to single tones drone on.. that's been my past couple.. however long its been." 

With the mention of the monument, Jomei let out a heavy sigh. He hadn't checked it either.. whether to see if any new names popped up, or to pay his respects to friends passed. "Neither have I.. but" he swipes a hand upwards, quickly bringing his friends list to life. "I don't see any names missing from my friends list, so that has to be a good sign, right?" His gaze lingered on a name or two for a moment longer than the rest, his smile fading. As his eyes drift off, he closes the menu and turns his attention back to Nari. "Enough of that. We're out here now. So lets make the best of it." 

Jomei looked around at his surroundings, taking in a deep breath as he looked off into the distance. Most of the floor looked the same. Snow. Trees. Mountains. But he could never forget the memories of this place.. both good and bad. "I don't know what it is about this floor that makes it so.. iconic? Maybe that's not the right word. Perhaps.. its because it was the first 'different' floor that was unlocked. Rather than a typical medieval style town, or forest.." He holds out his hand, palm turned upwards. A stray snowflake lands on his glove before slowly disappearing, "Or maybe its just the snow. It could be romantic, it could be mysterious, or dangerous. This floor been the backdrop to plenty of scenes of my life here."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

"Plenty of scenes...far too many, if you ask me." There was no bitterness to the words, but Nari's face had darkened ever so slightly in response to the thought. She had spent far too long on this floor, considering the implications of...well, everything. "You're right though. We're here now, even if others are...being lazy. Let's make the most of it."

She tried to force the smile, hoping it didn't come out looking like some sort of horror genre grimace, but figuring it likely did. The joke was barely something that she could consider a joke, after all. Poor attempts at humour for those who have nothing left to lose...She didn't like that thought, it reminded her too much of the before times. "Did you say staring a music sheets? You're trying to compose stuff again, eh? Without luck, from the sounds of it...although, I can't blame you. Hard to find the necessary inspiration for it, especially lately...which reminds me, I've been considering redoing that quest. Not much drive to be a performer lately, you know?"

Not that she was sure what she would switch out towards. Blacksmithing was great, but there really wasn't any need for it, if no one was around. Plus, it wasn't like a profession was high up on the requirements lately, with how quiet the whole area had been. "That being said...I guess there's not a huge push to do sales and stuff, if no one is around. That, and I'd prefer not to have to return to Olympus any time soon, if I don't have to...I'm so tired of seeing the gods and their weird challenges."

Her eyes shifted over the view around them, the snow seemingly bright against the otherwise dull colours of the forest and sky. Although it had started to snow ever so slightly, Nari had noticed that something stuck out against the horizon in the distance. Peaks, similar to tents that she had used in her own camping trips, back in the real world, seemed to stand against the outline of white winter's touch. "Hey. Over there, I think there's some sort of camp, or maybe just hikers who are lost. Either way, maybe worth checking out?"

She nodded towards the outlines that she'd spotted, trying to turn Jomei's direction in the path that she intended to take them. The NPCs had mentioned that Darian was somewhere out here, perhaps this was the man's camp. Either way, it was likely worth checking out, if for no reason other than they had no alternatives to work with right now.

ID210044 | LD: 10+3=13 | Camp Search | Success!

[Jomei 0]

The ginger let out a sigh, the hot breath hitting the air and becoming a cold cloud that vanished with a light breeze. "Aye. A whole-lotta nothing lately. For a bit, I thought I had found inspiration.. Some muse that just made composing easy again." the hint of joy that he wore on his face faded, as did the cloud of breath not moments earlier, "But not anymore." He hummed to himself at the mention of changing professions and visiting the gods of Olympus once again to be granted their boon. "I never saw being a performer as a 'profession' for a time I crafted songs to sell, sure.. But I really only did it for the fun of it. To hold onto a bit of my real world self, I suppose." 

Both of their attentions were drawn to a nearby camp, placed perfectly beside a lake. A single tent with, what seemed like, a very light dusting of frost and snow covering the canvas flaps of the shelter. And though he needed to squint his eyes to focus a bit more, he could have sworn that he saw the shape of a figure sitting within the camp. "Maybe. It could be our guy. Lets go check it out. If its not, maybe they'll be kind enough to let us warm up by their fire for a few minutes."

The duo began to push through the snow towards the camp, the small fire in the center promising even a small moment of warmth as they investigated and asked about this NPC's whereabouts. "Excuse me?" Jomei asked as he got within earshot of the individual, their back to the two players. "We're looking for someone.. supposedly set up camp outside of the town somewhere. Does the name Darian ring any bells?" The NPC, without words at the moment, simply grunts and slowly turns their head to look over their shoulder towards the player.. their features obscured by the fur cloak on their shoulders. "S-Sorry, I hope we're not interrupting your meal. We just heard he could help us out.." All the while the ginger spoke to the figure, he was unaware of the tattered mass of cloth, armor, and possibly more just off to the side that lay motionless in the snow. 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Jomei's words about the performer profession - or his view on how it wasn't a profession, had certainly caught Nari off guard. She found herself glancing off to the side, trying to find a response to the words, as they approached the small encampment. It wasn't that she viewed it as a job - no more than anything else that they did in Aincrad. Blacksmithing, her first profession, had been something that she had picked up due to her love of the art, as was her stint in performing musical expressions. Still, in her mind it was a profession - something that was done with a purpose, but bearable due to her enjoyment of the activity.

She had just begun to open her mouth to mention her thoughts, when she spotted the lump in the snow. Already starting to disappear beneath the blowing dusting of white that seemed to cover the barely visible grasses - something uncommon on this floor normally. She stopped mid-step as she tried to figure out what she was looking at, her eyes peering into the slowly fading light even as Jomei called out to the figure at the fire. It was Jomei's voice, the change in pitch and a slight hesitation that seemed to come to it, that forced Nari's eyes away from the body and back towards the individual they had come across mid-meal. 

It had risen to it's feet already, stepping forward and drawing a sword that had escaped Nari's vision until just now. Almost instinctively, Nari stepped forward in order to place herself between Jomei and the aggressor. Her scythe twirled softly in her hand, and her voice was controlled as she spoke a whisper towards her companion. "Something tells me he's not happy to see us. I don't think this is the original owner of this camp...and I don't think we're getting away without dealing with him...

She didn't hesitate, not wanting to give the combatant time to draw his weapon fully. Diving forward, she spun, bringing her Scythe upwards in an arc meant to tear the individual across the centre, while so focused on slamming the shaft end into his side with the follow through motion. "Overwhelm and overcome! Switch!"

 

---

 

Combat Round One

Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 39 | HP: 780/780 | EN: 104/117 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+42] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 3 | Bld: 48

<<King's Soldier>> | HP: 760/1000 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 100 80 | Shatter [-20 MIT; 0/3]

Soldier's Insight | Howl does not produce hate against the King's Scout. Instead it focuses his attack on the howler for one post. Afterwards he continues to attack those with the highest hate. If players hate values are equal, he targets the player with the least mitigation and lowest total health, in that order.
Battle Fury | When his health reaches 500 or lower, every other post, his attacks deal 50 additional damage. On the turns he does not receive this bonus damage, he holds his shield up to mitigate 50 additional damage against him until his next turn.
Frozen Soldier | If the freeze enhancement is activated on him, he will not receive the frozen affect, but instead receive -1 EVA and -1 ACC for one post.

ID210119 | BD: 4+3=7 | <<Tech-D vs. King's Soldier>> | Hit: 20x16=320-80= 240 damage | Shatter [-20 MIT]

[Jomei 0]

It wasn't until his ears picked up the sound of scraping metal.. a sword being pulled from its scabbard, did Jomei begin to piece together what was happening. In almost an instant, as Nari seemed to pick it up as well, she had placed herself in front of Jomei with a scythe at the ready. A scythe? He took a quick look at the woman, taking in that this build of hers was completely different from the one she sported the last they had fought together. Rather than placing herself in harm's way as a heavily armored tank, she had opted for lighter armor. 

A lot faster than he had expected Nari to move, her scythe cut through the air, and their combatant all the same. "Alright, time to do this." Jomei said with a confident smirk, as he pulled his own rapier from his hip. Quickly weaving around Nari, Jomei went in for a quick strike. His the blade of his rapier piercing through the soldier's armor and into their shoulder, causing the man's muscles to all tense up and freeze. The features of their attacked become all too apparent as Jomei closes the distance, noticing the splotches of pale, sometimes frostbitten skin, and frost clinging to their hair and clothing. 

Ripping his rapier from the once frozen soldier, Jomei returned to Nari's side, "I have a feeling this guy may be one of the Night King's lackeys.. his body looks like he is too frozen to even be alive right now. It would be best we finish him quick.."

Combat Round One

[2] Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 39 | HP: 780/780 | EN: 104/117 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+42] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 3 | Bld: 48

[2] Jomei | Lv. 32 | P. 60 | 900/900 HP | 115/128 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 5 | BH 49 | HLY BLS 19 | FLN 16 | HLY 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. (-13 EN)

<<King's Soldier>> | HP: 444/1000 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 100 80 | Shatter [-20 MIT; 0/3] | STUN | REND 1/2 (-288) (-28 Rend)

Soldier's Insight | Howl does not produce hate against the King's Scout. Instead it focuses his attack on the howler for one post. Afterwards he continues to attack those with the highest hate. If players hate values are equal, he targets the player with the least mitigation and lowest total health, in that order.
Battle Fury | When his health reaches 500 or lower, every other post, his attacks deal 50 additional damage. On the turns he does not receive this bonus damage, he holds his shield up to mitigate 50 additional damage against him until his next turn.
Frozen Soldier | If the freeze enhancement is activated on him, he will not receive the frozen affect, but instead receive -1 EVA and -1 ACC for one post.

ID | BD 2+5 = 7 | TECH-A 16 x 23 = 368-80 = 288 | Stun Applied | Rend Applied
MD 10 | Stunned

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Jomei had reacted right after Nari had struck, either her reacting to her call or simply realising that danger that had presented itself. Either way, the two of them had moved in a way that Nari hadn't felt in a long, long time. Too long, if she was being honest. It felt good to return to the motions of conflict and combat, to test her speed, her skill, her capabilities against another. Careful...keep your mind focused on the fight before you, lest you get pulled away and make a mistake.

She spun her scythe around, bringing it behind her own body and allowing it to rest for a brief moment before moving off to the target's left side. She felt her feet slipping on the icy grass as she moved, and fought to keep her balance. Her counter-balancing kept her on her feet, but cost her time, and as she rushed up to meet the soldier, she found his blade waiting.

The ring of steel against steel rung out, her swipe intercepted by the soldier's own blade. His smiling face stared at her from behind his own defences, a look that seemed determined to tear her apart. Her heart began to race as she realised her decision to leave behind her much more dense tanking build, and just how easily her defences could be overcome now. Reacting without thought, she felt herself begin to backpeddle, attempting to put distance between herself and the soldier in front of her. "Sw-switch! Jomei! Help!"

Combat Round Two

[2] Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 39 | HP: 780/780 | EN: 102/117 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+42] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 3 | Bld: 48

[2] Jomei | Lv. 32 | P. 60 | 900/900 HP | 115/128 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 5 | BH 49 | HLY BLS 19 | FLN 16 | HLY 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. (-13 EN)

<<King's Soldier>> | HP: 444/1000 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 100 80 | Shatter [-20 MIT; 1/3] | STUN | REND 1/2 (-288) (-28 Rend)

Soldier's Insight | Howl does not produce hate against the King's Scout. Instead it focuses his attack on the howler for one post. Afterwards he continues to attack those with the highest hate. If players hate values are equal, he targets the player with the least mitigation and lowest total health, in that order.
Battle Fury | When his health reaches 500 or lower, every other post, his attacks deal 50 additional damage. On the turns he does not receive this bonus damage, he holds his shield up to mitigate 50 additional damage against him until his next turn.
Frozen Soldier | If the freeze enhancement is activated on him, he will not receive the frozen affect, but instead receive -1 EVA and -1 ACC for one post.

ID210121 | BD: 2+3=5 | <<Tech-D vs. King's Soldier>> | Miss [-2 EN]

[Jomei 0]

Fighting on icy terrain added an extra level of caution to the battle. Not only did they need to focus on avoiding the soldier's attacks, and make sure their own strikes landed, but they needed to watch their footing. One simple slip up could be the cause of a missed attack, or worse. It was only a matter of time that one of them made that mistake, and Jomei's olive eyes widened when he saw Nari had been the one to put herself in that situation. One missed second, the the frostbitten soldier was able to get the better of Nari, placing his blade in the way of her own.

"Nari!" Jomei shouted in response as she called out to him for help. Using the Charge action to close the distance quickly, he placed himself just beside Nari, and in front of their opponent. With one, swift motion, he placed a hand on Nari's shoulder to push her out of harms way, while his knee drove up and into the soldier's abdomen. 

With the soldier's guard broken for just that moment, Jomei followed up with three piercing strikes to the chest. From the tree cover above, Adere the owl swooped in to finish the combo, raking her talons along the shoulder of their enemy, before she retreated to the skies above once again. 

Now placing himself between Nari and the soldier, he brought his sword up into a defensive stance across his body. "I'll try and keep his attention, you finish him off. I've got this." The soldier gripped their sword, and let out a scream of desperation as crazy as the look in their eyes. They rushed at Jomei, swinging wildly. However, the ginger was able to block, parry, or dodge all the strikes with ease. "Alright, you're up. Switch!" 

Combat Round Two

[2] Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 39 | HP: 780/780 | EN: 102/117 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+42] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 3 | Bld: 48

[4] Jomei | Lv. 32 | P. 60 | 900/900 HP | 96/128 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 5 | BH 49 | HLY BLS 19 | FLN 16 | HLY 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. (-20 EN)

<<King's Soldier>> | HP: 80/1000 | DMG: 200(+50) | MIT: 100 80 | Shatter [-20 MIT; 1/3] | REND 2/2 (-336) (-28 Rend)

Soldier's Insight | Howl does not produce hate against the King's Scout. Instead it focuses his attack on the howler for one post. Afterwards he continues to attack those with the highest hate. If players hate values are equal, he targets the player with the least mitigation and lowest total health, in that order.
Battle Fury | When his health reaches 500 or lower, every other post, his attacks deal 50 additional damage. On the turns he does not receive this bonus damage, he holds his shield up to mitigate 50 additional damage against him until his next turn.
Frozen Soldier | If the freeze enhancement is activated on him, he will not receive the frozen affect, but instead receive -1 EVA and -1 ACC for one post.

ID 210122 | BD 4+5 (-1) | Charge Activated |  Tech-C  16 x 23(+3) = 416 (-80) = 336 DMG
MD 3(-3) Miss

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She'd called out, and he'd appeared. There as if he'd always been, as if there hadn't been a gap in their time together. Placing himself in the path of the strike that was meant for her. She'd almost felt herself scream out - but the strike had gone wide, either through luck or through Jomei's naturally fast movements. He was used to this style of combat, something entirely contrary to how Nari had always gone through Aincrad previously.

As Jomei managed to withstand the assault of the man, Nari found herself moving once more. Forcing herself to her feet, and bringing herself to bear down on the soldier. Jomei's words rang out, activating the system at the same moment that Nari moved around Jomei's left, her scythe already in motion. "I am the reaper brought forth to guide you to the peace beyond!"

The words had left her mouth in a scream before she realised what she was even saying, her scythe slashing across the body of the soldier, seeming to pause for a breath of a moment before continuing through and cleaving the man-beast into two pieces. Shards erupted as the soldier disappeared in a sparkle of luminescent colours that seemed to hover on the air for a moment.

"That's...that's better...are you okay?" She glanced over Jomei, giving him a couple of pokes with her right hand in order to check on the man. She hadn't seen him take any hits, but she figured it was better to be safe. They'd both been away from the field for some time, from the sounds of it, and she didn't want to be the cause of..."I don't think that was the man we were supposed to meet here."

Combat Round Three

[2] Nari-Lanreth | Lv. 32 | P. 39 | HP: 780/780 | EN: 102/117 | ACC: 3 | DMG: 20 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 30 | B.Healing [+42] | L.Momentum: 1 | LD: 3 | Bld: 48

[4] Jomei | Lv. 32 | P. 60 | 900/900 HP | 96/128 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 5 | BH 49 | HLY BLS 19 | FLN 16 | HLY 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. (-20 EN)

<<King's Soldier>> | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 200(+50) | MIT: 100 60 | Shatter [-40 MIT; 0/3] | REND 2/2 (-336) (-28 Rend)

Soldier's Insight | Howl does not produce hate against the King's Scout. Instead it focuses his attack on the howler for one post. Afterwards he continues to attack those with the highest hate. If players hate values are equal, he targets the player with the least mitigation and lowest total health, in that order.
Battle Fury | When his health reaches 500 or lower, every other post, his attacks deal 50 additional damage. On the turns he does not receive this bonus damage, he holds his shield up to mitigate 50 additional damage against him until his next turn.
Frozen Soldier | If the freeze enhancement is activated on him, he will not receive the frozen affect, but instead receive -1 EVA and -1 ACC for one post.

ID 210123 | BD 5+3=8 | <<Tech-D vs. King's Soldier>> | Hit: 16 x 20 = 320 - 60 = 260 DMG | Shatter [-40 MIT; 0/3] | Target defeated!

[Jomei 0]

The scythe bisected the man like a hot knife through butter. Gasps for breath were the only sounds that could be made from the soldier's mouth as his eyes went dark, and their entire form ceasing to exist an an eruption of glass like pieces of data. Jomei's shoulders slowly lowered as he let out an exhale of breath, the danger having now passed. The blade in his right hand was returned to the scabbard on his left hip before he turned in the woman's direction, being met with a couple of pokes to the chest. 

Jomei responded with a smile, "I'm perfectly fine. He didn't manage to hit me once. Looks like you avoided taking any hits as well. Good." the smile brightened. "No, I don't think it was." he started, before noticing the mass of a man being covered by the continuing snowfall. Moving past Nari, he walked over to the mound and brushed some of the snow away, revealing a body; cold, lifeless. Rolling the corpse over, he looked at the armored individual.. not recognizable.. but the fact that there even was a body meant it wasn't a player. "I'm assuming this was who we were looking for." he said back to Nari as he looked over the freezing body of Darian once more. 

Placing his hands on his knees, he pushed himself up to a standing position once more. "Looks like its just going to be the two of us taking on the Night King.. still down?" he couldn't stifle a smirk, excited at the prospect of adventure. 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She kept her gaze on the body in the snow even as she spoke. It was odd, seeing the form of a deceased individual in Aincrad - not something that occurred often, when generally things 'died' and disappeared. Shards of glittering nothing, that slowly faded into non-existence, as if it was never important to begin with. Just like many people we once knew...gone to the memories of time slowly disappearing along with them...

She shook her head to clear the thoughts. She'd had enough of those dark ideals, those thoughts that kept her wondering what the point of it all was. It was so easy just to give up, in this world. She wasn't ready to do that, just yet though. There was still a fight to be had, a chance to escape and return to a real life. 

"You and I. I like the sounds of that, although I doubt it'll be easy. But yeah, I'm here to stay. So you better not disappear on me again!" She gave a beaming smile to accent her words, hoping that the jest would go by without insulting the man. She'd disappeared just as much as he had, so there was no finger being pointed. She was just glad to be active again, to be around another person. And to be trying to escape, not giving up and hiding in a corner...that's the important part in all of this. Always the dark thoughts, the negativity. They were here, alive and well. She should be happy about that, in the end. "The big question is, where do we find this Night King, so that I can send him off to the life after this one?"

[Jomei 0]

"I'm sure its nothing we can't handle." Jomei spoke confidently as he folded his arms, looking down at Nari with a smirk that matched his tone of voice. "Only as you don't go vanishing on me as well. We can keep each other in check, pull the other one out when we start falling back into that dark hole. What do you say?" Most of Jomei's closest friends had gone and done just that, set themselves up somewhere safe - hopefully - and cut themselves off from the world. Of course, he had done the same.. so he couldn't put much blame on the others. 

A wind colder than normal swept across the floor, seeming to pierce through his thick layers - and even his Survival skill - sending a chill throughout Jomei's body. Pulling his arms tighter against his chest and lowering his head deeper into the collar of his cloak, he shivered. "Maybe someone back in town knows where we can start looking. I'd rather not stay out here too long, or else we'll end up freezing to death." Reaching his hands out from his cloak, he would pull his hood over his head before making the trek back towards Snowfrost, hoping to find answers and maybe even some respite from the freezing weather. 

"So, I've gotta ask." Jomei began, breaking the moment of silence that had fallen over them. "What you yelled out when you took down that monster of a man.. what was that all about?" He looked over his shoulder in Nari's direction after the question left his lips, "Not judging or anything.. just curious." 

 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

"Deal. Next time you disappear I'll show up at your house and knock until I break the door down, or you come out." She grinned broadly at Jomei, wondering if the man would catch the humour in her eyes. She doubted that doing either would work, if he truly wanted to ignore her, especially in this game. That said, it wouldn't stop her from trying if it ever came to it - she wasn't about to lose the one person whom she had managed to find again. Not now...

"Yeah, maybe there's a quest follow-up in the town itself that we could tag onto. I'm sure it doesn't end here...although it would be nice if it were this simple." She sighed as she considered the possibility. Nothing in Aincrad was ever that simple, even the First Lessons quests had been an absolute brutal drag in the beginning - even though they provided a good basis for getting started, it had felt like it took Nari forever to finish them. "If nothing else, at least we're making progress towards that freedom. It's been...far too long, since I've felt like we were getting anywhere."

Her head tilted as she considered the final question. It took her a few seconds to remember what she had shouted, but as the words came back, she felt her face flush in response. She'd been in the moment, not thinking at all about what she was doing or saying; entirely engrossed in the flow of combat. "Err...I don't know exactly what brought it about, but it just...felt right? Morrighan only knows why, but...scythe and all...reminds me of the grim reapers of old. I guess...new year, new me sorta thing?"

As if that made any sense. The words had been entirely spur of the moment, and she had no real reasoning behind it other than it sounded right in the instant. In the end, she could offer nothing more than a simple shrug in explanation. "Race you back to town?"

[Jomei 0]

"Hah" Jomei barked a laugh at Nari's humorous 'threat', if it could be called that. "You say that like you know where I live." He playfully points a finger in Nari's direction, teasing her. "You, on the other hand, had a little event at your house. So if you go into hiding again, I'll know where to go." With a grin that matched the brightness of Nari's, he shone one right back at her. Returning to a regular posture, he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jacket, "Though, I suppose its only fair I let you know where I live. Or else you'll be knocking down a lot of random doors trying to find me. Its not a large, lavish mansion like yours. Eastern part of Taft, on the Eleventh Floor. The last main road leading out of the East gate.. just look for the house with the sign for 'Bardic Inspiration' hanging out front."

"Were it so easy." Jomei said through a sigh, "Last time I took on the Night King... when it was just a single quest, I had to fight off a few of those guys-" he gestures back towards the camp, where the frostbitten soldier of the Night King attacked them, "-before taking on the big bad himself. As Aincrad builds on itself and evolves, I feel like all of those old quests are becoming much more intricate. Gives you more to do, so that's exciting.. just takes a bit longer." Shoulders rose and fell with a shrug, "Perhaps if we go talk to those who pointed you in Darian's direction.. let them know of his fate.. maybe they can tell us where he was headed next." 

Jomei simply nodded in response to Nari's answer, not really having much else to pursue or question about what she had said. The scythe was visualized as the tool of the Grim Reaper.. so it only made sense. The silence that fell over both of them as they seemed to ponder over Nari's response ended when Nari proposed a race back to Snowfrost. Running through the snow was not as easy task.. and Jomei's height would most likely put him at an advantage for that. Stopping in his tracks, he simply turned his head towards Nari, a single eyebrow raised as he looked at her curiously... for just a mere moment before he breaks out into a dash, retracing their footsteps back towards the town proper.