[SP-F17] Perfection is Overrated | <<Challenge of Olympus>>

[Acanthus 0]

Tink. Plonk. Fanfare. Ding.
That was a strange collection of sounds. A small avalanche of events had just occurred, and Acanthus did her best to sort them out.

She had just been getting the hang of crafting. She put the finishing touches on a new support song. Tink. At last, she had successfully completed the craft. Plonk. A notification informed her she was now level two. Fanfare. And a message hit her inbox immediately. Ding.

Of all the sounds, the one that intrigued her was “Ding.” She rarely used the message system. Maybe it was Edict, inviting her out. Disappointed, she read the message from “Zeus” on floor 17. An aggressively long and opaque message attacked her reading comprehension. She finally managed to parse the message for what it was. A quest! Better yet, one that promised to improve her craftwork. She hurriedly checked her inventory before heading out the Scalabis’ teleportation crystal.

 

Spoiler

 

Acanthus | Lvl. 14 | HP: 280/280 | EN: 46/46 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 30 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 3 | LD: 3 | BLD: 24

Skills

<<Straight Swords>> Rank 4
<<Light Armor>> Rank 3
<<Searching>> Rank 3
<<Hiding>> Rank 3
Combat Mastery: ACC Rank 1
 

Equipment

Wormwood (T2 Perfect Longsword | BLD: 2 DMG: 1)
Custom Breastplate (T1 Perfect Light Armor | MIT: 2 EVA: 1)
Tuning Fork (Ambition: +1 EXP per crafting/gathering attempt)

 

 

[Acanthus 0]

Stepping out into floor 17, Acanthus noted the similarities to floor 24. It had the same classical, Mediterranean feel to it. But where Scalabis was modeled after Rome, floor 17 was modeled after Greece. Togas greeted her as far as the eye could see; even some of the players seemed to enjoy the fashion here.

Acanthus had almost made the decision to settle here. But the cinders of a feud still burned on this floor. And everyone here is so serious. I tend to be serious myself; I don’t need any encouragement. Scalabis was the right amount of refined and cheerful for her. It kept her exposed to new and interesting things, while still remaining a comfort and refuge.

Having acquainted herself with the plaza, she began to keep an eye out for her satyr escort. She scoured the plaza for a few minutes before she smacked her forehead. This is a videogame. I have quest markers. Pausing to check her map, she noted the bright red dot on the outskirts of the city.

[Acanthus 0]

I want to be her.

Acanthus had expected a tall, brutish goatman to be her guide. She was shocked at how wrong she was.

Her guide was a lithe satyr, about 190cm tall. She had the lean muscles of someone that had achieved their physique through a lifetime of practical hard work. Her face was young, but spoke of a well-traveled guide that had seen and withstood decades of strife. The calm confidence she exuded left Acanthus feeling that no harm would come to her, so long as they traveled together.

The satyr leaned against a nearby olive tree, perking up once she noticed Acanthus. She spoke in a light, clipped Greek accent.

“The new performer, eh? The name’s Elpis. You ready to meet Apollo?”

“Hi, Elpis. Yes, but I’m in no hurry.” Your voice is incredible.

“Great! I’d actually hoped to stop by a few spots and collect grapes. Dionysus is running low on wine. Although he’s always running low on wine.” She winked, and began to lead the way.
 

[Acanthus 0]

A distance from town, Elpis gestured off the path. “Here’s our first stop. There’s a grove just beyond these rocks.” Acanthus checked the giant, mossy stones. “Aren’t you concerned about any monsters out there?”

Elpis brandished her walking stick. “This had always been more than enough to ward off monsters. Besides, you’ve got the Blessing of Zeus right now. Won’t be any monsters to fight in the first place.” Ah, so that’s what that new icon meant. Elpis grinned sheepishly. “I have to admit, I save up a lot of my gathering errands for when I escort you craftsmen up the hill. There’s nothing out here I can’t handle, but it saves me a lot of time to not have to fight things off while I’m gathering. As a matter of fact, you might take some time yourself. Won’t have a finer opportunity.”

As Elpis proceeded past the rocks, Acanthus eyed the vegetation along the road. There were plenty of things to choose from. Eyeing some thistles, she reached for her knife—

Oh, that’s right. It’s buried in a tree on floor 1. It had been some time since her encounter with Hatred. She had started to move on. Though she suspected the Hatred had not.

Moving deftly with her bare hands, she plucked a few springs from nearby bushes. She came away with much more than she anticipated.
 

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225992 | LD 16 | CD 7. Critical success. (2) materials gained. +16 EXP 16/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

Elpis popped out from the rocks, her satchel noticeably heavier.

“What a haul! You sure you don’t need any grapes?”

Acanthus shrugged. “I’m not really sure how they’ll help me with music, Elpis.” The satyr laughed. “That’s easy. Dionysus always sings his best when he’s drunk.” That would be nice… If I could get drunk. Acanthus didn’t often have the urge to drink, but there were times she appreciated its function as social lubrication. She had been to plenty of after-work get-togethers made pleasant by the presence of alcohol. It helped her navigate large crowds. She actually found herself missing the feeling of a light buzz.

“You know what, sure. I’ll take a look.” Excitedly, Elpis leaped back over the rocks in a single bound. What I wouldn’t give for legs like that.

The vines Elpis mentioned grew the biggest grapes Acanthus had ever seen. They were plump, deep red, and the size of golf balls.

“Don’t just stand there! Go ahead and grab a few!”

She tried pulling a few off the branches, but lost in thought, she let them fall to the ground. They shattered in a fine digital mist.

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225993 | LD 10 | CD 11. Failure +3 EXP 19/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus decided she would try for a few more grapes. There were plenty left on the vine. But something about the grapes eluded her. The second batch dissolved in her hands. She turned her attention to Elpis.

“So what do you satyrs do when you’re not escorting around helpless adventurers?”

Elpis gave her a scrutinizing look. “You look far from helpless, friend. But I see what you’re driving at.” She settled onto a rock while Acanthus harvested grapes. “Most of the time, there isn’t much for us to do. Satyrs aren’t exactly organized, so it’s not like we the senate of Satyropolis laying down instructions for us. Most of us just do what we want.”

“So what do you like to do then?” Elpis grinned. “I love to travel. I love seeing all the different people on this floor. Even the monsters intrigue me. I’ve spent my whole life wandering this land.”

Whole life? You’ve only existed for two years.

Her internal reaction shocked her. She couldn’t deny the game was new, but it seemed cruel to be so dismissive of a lifetime of memories. Even if Elpis were an NPC and her memories weren’t “real,” did that make them any less real for Elpis?

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225994 | LD 4 | CD 10. Failure +3 EXP 22/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

One last bunch of grapes. I've got to get at least one batch. I bet these would fetch a fair price to a cook or alchemist.

Frustratingly, the grapes disappeared yet again. She made a frustrated noise.

“I think I’ve had enough of these grapes. I’m ready to move on, Elpis.”

“You got it, chief!” Elpis saluted before bounding off the rock and back to the road ahead.

“Elpis, wait up! You’re going too fast!” Acanthus sprinted back onto the road, where Elpis waited patiently. “Sorry, friend. Sometimes I forget you don’t have these handy little things.” She flexed her goat legs proudly. The chestnut brown hair complimented her olive complexion, and it was clear that she took good care of herself. Despite her travels, her legs were not matted or caked in the grime of the road.

“So where are we headed?”

“Are you blind, girl?” Elpis laughed as she pointed to the northeast. “You’re headed to Mount Olympus!”

Mount Olympus towered over the entire floor, set on a peak so high it became lost in the clouds. Acanthus felt her knees grow weak.

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225995 | LD 2 | CD 5. Failure +3 EXP 25/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re afraid of heights, brave adventurer!” She teased Acanthus when she noticed how shaky she looked.

“It’s not a fear, really. I mean, I have a physical reaction, but I know the reaction is irrational.”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh. And tell me—does that make the feeling go away?”

Acanthus remained silent. Elpis gave her a good-natured smile, and started off down the road. They traveled in silence for a time, before Elpis stopped them yet again. “One more stop. Hera needs some more flowers and herbs for her perfumes. She says Zeus’ eye has been wandering again.” Elpis rolled her eyes. “Gods, the gods can be a little much sometimes.”

In the meadow just off the road, the two of them gathered flowers and herbs in the quiet summer buzz of the insects.

Distracted by her thoughts, she made no headway while she gathered.

Acanthus finally plucked up the courage to speak. “Physical reactions and fear aren’t really the same thing, Elpis.”

“You’re still wondering about that comment? Good grief, girl, I set that conversation aside already. Don’t worry about it.”

 

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225996 | LD 1 | CD 1. Failure +3 EXP 28/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

“I don’t see how they’re the same. Fear is something you think or feel inside. Physical reactions are something you really can’t control.”

“Friend, you’re saying two different things. Who says you can control what you’re afraid of?”

“Sure you can. If I face my fears enough, they aren’t really fears anymore.”

Elpis thought for a moment. “But you’re still scared. At least, that’s what I think. One of the elder satyrs told me that bravery isn’t the absence of fear; it’s just not letting the fear control you.”

“Elder satyr.” As if that’s not some trite saying from the real world, imported into Aincrad. Acanthus scoffed.

“Ok then. Let me turn the question around to you: why is it such a big deal that you’re not afraid? Why label whatever reaction as purely physical?” Acanthus was uncomfortable with the satyr’s questions. Why is this NPC pushing back on me? She busied herself harvesting more of the bright pink flowers. They had an intoxicating smell to them. [Result].

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225997 | LD 16 | CD 2. Success. (1) material gained. +8 EXP 36/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

“I don’t know that I have answers for you right now, Elpis. I just don’t like labeling my physical reaction to heights as “fear.” That should be a word for things that are worth fearing. Knees getting weak looking at a mountain kilometers away? That’s just ridiculous.”

Elpis jumped up, her sack full of flowers. “Maybe, but you’re dodging the question again. It’s ok to not have answers. It just means there’s more thinking to do. I get a lot of that done while I’m wandering the plains.”

Acanthus bent over for one last attempt to gather flowers. She just saw a few bright blue weeds hidden amongst the flowers. The game’s icon indicated she could gather them. Her results were less than satisfactory as she lamented how she had been chided on philosophy by a computer. She wanted to be mad at Elpis, but she knew the fault lay with herself for acting like a child about her own fears. Physical reactions. She corrected herself.

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225998 | LD 1 | CD 2. Failure. +3 EXP 39/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

“I’ve kept you in the field long enough. Let’s head to Olympus.”

“Hold on.” Acanthus found one last crop of flowers. These sparkling yellow flowers smelled strongly of honey. “Oh, those are ambrosia flowers. I’d watch out. They can have a powerful effect when distilled.” Acanthus could see why; even in its raw form, she was tempted to lay down in the field and drift off to sleep. The scent was heady with sweetness, and made her drowsy.

Her drowsiness made it difficult to gather, and she failed to collect any materials. The two went back to the mountain path leading to Olympus. The path turned to steps, and Acanthus fought to keep from looking up the steps. She knew it was just going to result in more vertigo. I’ll just keep my face down and make the climb, one step at a time. As she took each step slowly, she was grateful that Elpis had decided to refrain from any comments.

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 225999 | LD 6 | CD 4. Failure. +3 EXP 42/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

That was not worth the climb.

Olympus was grand, but only in the sense that it was large. It seemed like everything here was built for people that were two meters tall. Other than that, the works of art that dotted the landscape seemed so… generic. A fountain of a cherub spitting water, some marble busts of each of the greek gods. One of the developers really phoned this place in. Still, the place had a sense of beauty and wonder. It was pure-white marble from roof to pavement. And the palace stretched as far as the eye could see.

Elpis, on the other hand, was ecstatic. “I love getting to come here!” She exclaimed. “To be among the gods is a treasure in and of itself.”

She pointed off in the distance. “You see the statue of the man with a harp? That means Apollo’s domain is that way. Just head to the statue and follow the mosaic harps. You’ll be there soon enough.”

“W–wait, you’re my escort, right? Where are you going??”

[Acanthus 0]

Elpis shook her sack. “I’ve got to drop these off with Dionysus and Hera. I’ll be back here to pick you up. Don’t worry, the gods are all friendly!” She bounced down the marble lane before stopping again. “Well, I wouldn’t say friendly. But they definitely won’t hurt you. I mean, physically. They won’t kill you.” Elpis said the last part with a sense of finality. She left Acanthus in the middle of the road while she whistled a merry tune. She shouted back, “Don’t worry if you have any physical reactions! You can’t control those anyways, so what does it matter?”

I should have known better than to engage in conversation with her. Acanthus began to rethink taking this quest so quickly. Maybe I should have leveled up a little more. Even if it’s just a crafter quest, I’m all alone on floor 17. This all just feels a little too much.

Edited August 13 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

Whatever fears she had did not subside once she arrived. Apollo’s palace was fit to impose; she was barely inside and felt insignificant.

“Who is this that travels far,
And strives each day to reach the stars?”

Acanthus was thrown by the formal stance of the woman before here. Back stiff, striking the pose of an operatic diva, this woman seemed to only have ever looked at the world from down her nose.

“Erato am I, you guided by fate,
Here to host Apollo’s eternal fete.”

Another figure danced into sight. “Rhyming fate and fete? Maybe you need to take a break. Pardon my sister.” The woman turned to Acanthus. “Erato thinks that lyrical poetry has to rhyme to make a lasting impression.” Erato stared daggers at the dancer.

“A challenge, to dig myself out of a ditch,
something you’d know if you weren’t such a–”

“Hi! Thalia here. Goddess of comedy. And timing.” Her hands clasped in a silent plea, she looked back at the two. “Don’t mind them. A little sibling love, eh? Why don’t I show you to Apollo?”

[Acanthus 0]

When she entered the grand chamber of Apollo, she was nearly blinded by the brilliance. Gold and purple shone in patterned arrays that rivaled the beauty of the sun.

Apollo, on the other hand, appeared dark and depressed. He lounged over his reclining couch in a way that invited hedonism. He busied himself staring at a silver goblet he stirred in one hand. His other hand draped over the edge of the couching, holding a bent flute in limp fingers.

“Who did you bring this time, Thalia?”

“We’ve got another performer, o consummate wonder of the arts.” She bowed as she backed away.

“Fine.”

Acanthus locked eyes with Thalia, pleading. Thalia mouthed the words Sorry, good luck and vanished behind the massive double doors.

The flute dragged the marble floor like nails on a chalkboard. Acanthus could barely stand it.
 

[Acanthus 0]

“Another adventurer, here for a morsel of my blessing.” He remained enthralled by his goblet. “What is your name?”

“Acanthus, sir.”

“Sir? Just *Sir*?”

“I–I’m sorry?”

“You should be. Poor girl doesn’t even know how to address divinity.” Her attitude was slowly shifting from scared to angry. Apollo spoke again. “Acanthus. Compliment me.”

“What?”

Apollo rolled his eyes. “A performer without ears. Droll. I said, ‘compliment me.’”

Deep breaths, Acanthus. It’s all part of the quest. “O consummate wonder of the arts, Lord Apollo.”

“Stale. Thalia already used that one. Try again.” Acanthus fumed, but kept her composure.

“Droplet of sun, brief moment of wonder in this dull life, lord creator of the dance and the nine muses, everlasting in peace, wisdom, and grace.”

Apollo’s goblet stopped stirring. He turned his gaze to her.

“You are good, girl. A silver tongue indeed. Perhaps there is hope for you yet.”

He returned his attention to his goblet. “I need a favor from you. Do this, and I will grant the boon you seek.” Acanthus waited breathlessly for the quest instructions.

“Deliver unto me the perfect song.”
 

[Acanthus 0]

“The… the perfect song?” Almost forgetting the compliment, she added, “oh radiant Apollo?”

“Yes. I have really been feeling a bit down lately. What I need is the perfect song. Play it for me, and your quest is over.”

The perfect song? I’m not sure what that means, but I might as well try. Acanthus grabbed her lute from her inventory and began to play the first song she recorded. The moment the somber ostinato began, Apollo began to weep loudly. Startled, Acanthus stopped playing.

“No!” Apollo cried. “I said the PERFECT song! That was awful! Horrendous! Never again should that melody plague my halls! Get OUT! Get out until you have found the melody I seek!” He threw the bent flute with all his strength, and it flew so close to Acanthus that her hair lifted from the draft. With a horrible noise, the flute bent clean in half.

Acanthus quickly saw herself out. I wonder how the rest of the performers manage this quest.

[Acanthus 0]

“Friend! How did it go?” Elpis regarded her cheerfully. Acanthus, on the other hand, was morose.

“It was terrible. I don’t know how I’m going to complete Apollo’s request.”

Elpis shrugged. “If you ask me, you got the short straw. Apollo can be capricious in his tasks. I think he’s a different person for every adventurer he meets.” Acanthus pondered that. Elpis continued, “I’d say you got the worst of the gods to perform a task for, but I think everyone says that about their patron god. What exactly did he want from you?”

“Nothing big. Just the perfect song.”

Elpis clicked her tongue and whistled. “I don’t know what we can do about that, chief.”

“Maybe I should just pick this quest back up when I’m a higher level.”

“Hey, don’t quit on me now! They wouldn’t have sent you that letter if you didn’t have what it takes.”

First Landon, now Elpis. All these NPCs keep believing in me. When am I going to start believing in myself?
 

[Acanthus 0]

“How about this. I got a few more things to gather out in the mountains around Olympus. Come out and do a little gathering with me to collect your thoughts. We’ll come up with something together!”

Acanthus looked down off the mountain. Again, her knees turned watery. “I… I guess that’s the best thing to do.”

She dragged herself down off the mountain, eyes glued to the stairs. Elpis talked her ears off the whole time, spilling gossip about the gods. Apparently, Zeus’ wandering eye had become wandering hands, and he was facing an Olympic time-out unless he could woo Hera back. Demeter was having a bad year with crops, and Poseidon was salty about something…

Acanthus appreciated the avalanche of conversation to keep her mind off the steps of Olympus, and the perfect song. The perfect song. What on earth does that mean? Is that even possible? I mean, it has to be beatable; it’s a video game. Acanthus despaired. Out of all the video games to get trapped in, it’s the one that features deep, philosophical questions and no easy answers. Would it kill them to add a few “go here, slay this, come back,” kind of quests?
 

[Acanthus 0]

“... and anyways, that’s why they don’t let Poseidon near the horses anymore. Oh, we’re here!”

Elpis ran gleefully into the rocky crags. Boulders ten times her size jutted out of the sloped hills, and pockets of starchy, yellow grass formed in the spaces between the rocks.

“Lemgrass!” Elpis yelled. She ripped a handful out of the ground and put it directly into her mouth. As she chewed contentedly, all of her goat-like features came to the fore. Acanthus smiled at the visualization.

“Ith’ ‘thomthin phthunny?” Elpis asked, mouthful of grass. Acanthus shook her head. “No. I’m just happy to see you enjoying the grass.” Elpis held up a handful. “T’y thum’!”

“I will. But keep yours, I’ll gather some.” There was certainly enough to go around. She plucked a single strand and tentatively put it in her mouth. As she chewed, a surprisingly complex array of flavors washed over her palette. It was pleasantly earthy, with some sweet undertones and notes of lemon. It was like chewing on a warm summer day.

As she chewed, she pulled out some shears and began clipping the grass. Energized by the lemgrass, she found herself with a plethora of clippings for her inventory.

Spoiler

 

Post Action: Gathering Materials

Roll ID 226000 | LD 19 | CD 10. Critical Success. (2) materials gained. +16 EXP 58/49

 

 

Edited August 14 by Acanthus