[PP-F21] One Last Carry <<BoTK>>

[Pinball 1]

Pinball waited by the doors that led to the Forgotten Time King's throne. 

He was waiting for two players, named Omen and Circe. They were new, and from what he'd seen, eager to make their way to the frontlines. That made Pinball, despite his outwardly cold demeanor, eager to usher them along. The Forgotten Time King was the quickest, easiest, and safe way to promote a jump in player levels. It was why he had sent Omen there in the first place. And it was also why when Omen reached out to him about helping another player in the same way, Pinball had accepted. He finished up the consumables and waited. 

Pinball wore a black cloak long black cloak and dark clothes under it. Icy blue eyes peered out at the world from beneath the shadows of his hood. He heard them approaching long before they'd arrived. 

When they were within sight, he nodded his silent greeting. 

*** 

Consuming: 

x1 Liquor of Might: DMG III 
x1 Tofu Burger: Protein II 
x1 Bubbling Bourbon: +15% Overhealth {229729} -> {Filling} +20% Overhealth
x1 smores: EVA II 
x1 T4 Brainworm Draught: [0/3 32 TVM]

[Pinball: 840/840 HP | 120/120 EN | DMG: 20 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 4 | BH: 37 | LD: 6]
[Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 120/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40]

Player Stats (unbuffed):

Spoiler

Level: 33 (Paragon Level 43)
Health: 840 | Energy: 120
DMG: 20  | ACC: 5  | EVA: 4  | BH: 37 | LD: 6 
Shift: Tech

Skills:

Combat Skills:
► Battle Healing [22/30]
► Energist [8/8]
► Combat Mastery: Damage [13/13]

Weapon Skills:
► Thrown Weapons [30/30] 
    Add Ons: 
►Focus 
►Precision 
►Stamina 

Utility Skills:
► Quick Change [8/8] 
► Searching: [22/30] -> (Skylight: R5) 

Extra Skills:
► Disguise
► Survival
► Forgotten King’s Authority 
► Hiding [30/30]

Familiar Skill: 
► Rending Familiar [10/10]

Armor Skills:
► Unhindered 

Modifiers:
► Sneak Attack: Trickster 
► Vanish 
► Tracking
► Untraceable

Miscellaneous: 
► +1 LD to Looting, Searching for/Opening Treasure Chests (Paragon) 
► Earn Col Equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in a thread (Paragon) 

Inventory:
»[Equipped] [Demonic] Hellfire: Burn, Blight, Bleed, Static
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Warrior’s Focus: +3 ACC
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Black Cloak: +3 EVA 

Battle Ready: 
» [Soundtrack] Sound of the Wild {Instant Incarcerate} 
» [x5] Binding Melody {Instant Incarcerate}
» [x2] Lacrimosa - HP Recovery III Crystal {Instant}
» [Demonic TW] Cold Fervor: +2 Freeze, Phase, Cursed
» [Demonic TW] Astral Blade: Holy, Fallen, Phase, Damage
» [Uncommon TW] Tyrfing: Absolute Accuracy 
» [Perfect Cloth] Cloak of the Harbingers: +3 LD 

Spoiler

Housing Buffs: 
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Filling: 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.
Relaxed: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Item Stash: +1 BR Slot 
Skylight (Searching): +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase.
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt 

 

 

Edited September 15 by Pinball

[Omen 0]

Did he trust him? "No," Omen said firmly. "But he has helped me once. I do not see why he would not help me again." 

That was how they had found themselves in the thick of the Nineteenth Floor, under the protection of a killer. Omen had reached out for help, again, and to his mild surprise, Pinball had accepted. Omen and Circe were to meet Pinball at the doors to the boss room of the Forgotten Time King. Omen led the way. He was familiar with skirting around the ranges of aggressive mobs, and with Circe's help, they were able to make it to the boss room without being randomly attacked; it was one of the worst things that could happen to them, given the difference in strength between them and the mobs of the Nineteenth. 

They approached the doors of the boss room, walking down the old stone halls of a dilapidated castle. Their host, Pinball, stood beside them, hooded, looking like a ghost in its preferred haunt. Try as he might, Omen could not resist to look at the orange crystal hovering above the head of the young criminal. If Omen had his thoughts on it then, though, he kept them to himself. 

"Hello," Omen greeted. "And thank you." 

*** 

Omen | HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2

Player Stats: 

Spoiler

Level: 5
Health: 100 | Energy: 28
DMG: 7 | MIT: 34 | THORNS: 18 | REGEN: - 

Skills:

Combat Skills:
► Howl 

Weapon Skills:
► Axe [4/30] - Rank 1

Utility Skills:
► Empty

Extra Skills:
► Empty

Familiar Skill: 
► Empty

Armor Skills:
► Heavy Armor [8/30] - Rank 2

Modifiers:
► Empty

Miscellaneous: 
► Empty

Inventory:
» [Equipped] [Perfect] Steel Axe: +3 DMG 
» [Equipped] [Perfect] Survival Armor: +3 MIT
» [Equipped] [Perfect] Iron Shield: +2 Thorns, +1 Regen

Battle Ready: 
» x5 Rumbling Rum Party Favor: Instant Mass HP Recovery (10%) 
» x5 Rumbling Rum Party Favor: Instant Mass HP Recovery (10%)
» x5 Soothing Spirits: Perfect Healing Potion (+15%) 

 

[Circe 0]

Circe followed closely behind Omen, her sharp eyes scanning area full of over-level mobs. The air was thick with a sense of foreboding, and though they had managed to avoid the aggressive mobs so far, the atmosphere did little to ease the tension.

When they finally arrived at the boss room, Circe's gaze shifted to the hooded figure waiting for them. Pinball. The infamous player-killer with the orange crystal above his head. She had heard whispers of him. Either way, the idea of working with him didn’t sit well with her, but Omen seemed to trust him enough to make the call, and for now, that was enough.

Omen greeted him, thanking him for his help, but Circe stayed silent for a beat longer, her arms folded across her chest. She wasn’t about to be as polite as Omen.  "Let's get started then," Circe finally said, her tone sharper than intended.

*****
Circe | HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2

Player Stats:

Spoiler

 

Skills:

 

Combat Skills:
► Empty

 

Weapon Skills:
► Throwing Knives [22/30] - Rank 4

 

Utility Skills:
► Empty

 

Extra Skills:
► Empty

 

Familiar Skill:
► Empty

 

Armor Skills:
► Empty

 

Modifiers:
► Empty

 

Miscellaneous:
► Empty

 

Inventory:
» [Equipped] [T1 Perfect Throwing Knives] Initiate’s Draw: +3 DMG
» [Equipped] [T1 Perfect Light Armor] Initiate’s Draw: +2 EVA, +1 MIT
» [Equipped] Wolf Pendant. | TIER 1 JEWELRY | +3 ACC

 

Battle Ready:
» (3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)
» (1) Potion - Zackariah’s Special Draught: +15% HP Heal
» (5) T1 Rare Big Bertha Braciole: +4 EN

 

 

[Pinball 1]

Omen and Circe couldn’t be more different, in looks or personality, Pinball thought. Omen greeted him politely, and Circe was by far more curt. He didn’t reply to either. Instead, he nodded. He wasn’t of a mind to linger either. He turned and pushed the great wrought iron doors open. The hall seemed to shake under their moving weight. With the doors open, the room was finally visible. It was a wide and barren room of cold stone and destroyed architecture. Pinball paused for half a second. The room looked nothing like it had when he’d taken the quest solo. Whatever — it hardly mattered. The fight was the same. Across the room in the distance slumbered the Forgotten Time King, collapsed upon his ruined throne. 

“Enter with me and keep your distance.” And with those simple instructions, Pinball stepped inside. At some point mid-stride, shadows devoured his form and he vanished, leaving Omen and Circe by themselves. 

***

Stealth: ID#231468 LD: 3+6+1 (Multipurpose) = 10 Stealth Rating

Edited September 15 by Pinball

[Omen 0]

“Understood,” Omen rumbled. The boy didn’t like to talk, that was for sure. He gave Circe a sidelong glance as Pinball opened those huge doors to the Forgotten Time King’s throne room. He wondered what had sparked the agitation. Was it just the orange cursor? Omen could’t blame her if that was the case. It made him, too, uneasy. But Omen followed without question, and he hoped that Circe would follow. 

As they entered the boss room, Pinball disappeared. Omen grumbled something incomprehensible and turned to Circe. He swiped open his inventory, then the trade interface. “Here,” he told her, “take these. If he takes a bad hit, we will heal him.” The Forgotten Time King, from his understanding, could be solo’d… but that did not make it a complete push over. After, he’d close his menu and cross his arms, keeping his distance like Pinball had instructed. In the distance, The Forgotten Time King stood up, retrieving from its side a spear that crackled with the force of captured lightning. Its socketless eyes were set solely on them. It began to approach them, slowly, like a cat stalking its prey.

But all they could do now was wait.

Edited September 15 by Omen

[Circe 0]

Circe stared at the spot where Pinball had vanished, her eyes narrowing in mild frustration. She had expected... more. Something, at least. A final word of caution, a last-minute strategy, maybe even a cocky remark. But no, the guy just melted into shadows without so much as a glance back. Typical. It left an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, but Circe shoved it aside. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on nerves or second-guess their guide.

She glanced at Omen, who, unsurprisingly, didn’t seem rattled at all. Of course. He was as calm as ever, handing her the healing items with a measured look. Circe accepted them without complaint, giving each a quick once-over before slipping them into her inventory.

“Got it,” she muttered, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of tension. She didn’t love the idea of playing support, but if it meant staying alive, she wasn’t going to argue. "Let’s just hope we won't have to play healer too much." Her tone was joking, but her eyes told a different story—wary, calculating. She wasn’t keen on babysitting Pinball or anyone else, but she knew better than to let her pride interfere with their chances of success.

[Pinball 1]

He could hear Omen and Circe conversing behind him as he vanished, but his pace did not slow as he entered the throne room of the Forgotten Time King. Pinball was there for one simple thing. He'd do it and then he'd leave. As Omen and Circe entered the boss room, the Forgotten Time King rose to his feet, reaching its withered arm for the weapon at its side and staring, eyeless and soulless, at the two players and the entrance of the boss room. 

Pinball was in its blind spot. 

Exploding from the corners of its vision with knives in its hand, Pinball carved a great twin red arc across the body of The Forgotten Night King. That got its attention. It thrust its great spear in Pinball's direction, but Pinball was too quick. He felt the electrified air beside him crackle with energy. 

They were in it now. 

*** 

10 Stealth Rating

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-D] [Sneak Attack Trickster] [-20 EN] 
Free Action: Sound of the Wild {Instant Incarcerate} - DoT Damage Doubled
Forgotten Time King: ID#231485 BD: 3+5 (Hit) MD: 1 (Miss) - 25*16= 400/2 - 60 = 140 DMG, [REND] [STATUS EFFECTS APPLIED] 

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:1) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 100/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 0/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 2,388/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 60 (-20, -20) | ACC: 3 [BLT REDUC: 1/2] [SHATTER: 1/3] [112 BRN: 1/2] [96 BLD: 1/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [64 TVM: 1/3] [56 RND: 1/2] (472 DoT DMG) 

Edited September 15 by Pinball

[Omen 0]

"Let us hope," Omen agreed. The Forgotten Time King had eyes on them. Did Omen not feel a twinge of doubt? A seed of worry, in his gut, telling him he'd made a horrible mistake bringing Circe here? What if it really was a trap after all?

But no, Omen did not worry. And he did not doubt his decision for a moment. That was simply the type of man that Omen was, and that did not change when he was left without obvious protection, staring down a quest boss that could kill the both of them in one shot. Thankfully, today was not the day Omen would die. Pinball flickered out from his stealth and landed a nasty looking scratch across the boss's stomach. Omen watched, lost in thought as the initial damage was immediately followed by another, much larger chunk of its HP vanishing. 

"Good," Omen rumbled. "I do not think that this will take long."

***
Action Taken: None

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:1) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 100/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 0/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 2,388/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 60 (-20, -20) | ACC: 3 [BLT REDUC: 1/2] [SHATTER: 1/3] [112 BRN: 1/2] [96 BLD: 1/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [64 TVM: 1/3] [56 RND: 1/2] (472 DoT DMG) 

Edited September 15 by Omen

[Circe 0]

Circe stood off to the side, arms crossed and hands tucked in her pockets, watching as Pinball flickered in and out of the shadows like some kind of ghostly assassin. He reappeared, his blades carved deep into the Forgotten Time King, red arcs of damage streaking across the boss’s massive health bar. For all the tension leading up to this moment, she had to admit, the guy knew what he was doing.

"Not bad," she muttered under her breath, though her eyes stayed glued to the fight. She didn’t like giving out praise too easily, but in this case, it was warranted. Pinball moved with an efficiency that spoke of experience, each strike well-placed and brutal. The boss was losing health fast, and Pinball barely looked like he was breaking a sweat.

“Yeah,” Circe said louder, this time in response to Omen, "seems like he got this under control." 

"So," she continued casually, her voice light but curious, "how do you know this guy anyway? You don’t seem like the type to fall in line with PKers."

***

Action Taken: None

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:1) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 100/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 0/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 2,388/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 60 (-20, -20) | ACC: 3 [BLT REDUC: 1/2] [SHATTER: 1/3] [112 BRN: 1/2] [96 BLD: 1/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [64 TVM: 1/3] [56 RND: 1/2] (472 DoT DMG) 

[Pinball 1]

The first attack had landed -- good. Now for the next one. The Forgotten King swung wildly, and Pinball had no issue deftly dodging the spear swinging overhead. Pinball's form flickered as he activated Vanish. The Forgotten Time King didn't know where he'd went. But it didn't have to wonder long. Pinball reappeared, kicking up its bony back and burying two knives between its shoulder blades. Pinball used its back as a spring board and created more distance between them, a new pair of knives flashing into his hands. At some point during the combat, his hood had fell around his shoulders, revealing his face. Pinball looked young, with an icy expression and piercing blue eyes. The Forgotten Time King's rotten skull of a face harshly juxtaposed his own. 

"Not so talkative this time, are you..." Pinball murmured. 

***

Free Action: [Vanish] [-5 EN] - ID#231813 LD: 8+6= 14 Stealth Rating 
Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-D] [-14 EN]
Forgotten Time King: ID#231814 BD: 6 (Hit) MD: 2 (Miss) - 25*16= 400/2 = 200-14= 160 DMG, Status Effects Applied

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:2) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 85/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 1/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 1,756/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [BLT REDUC: 1/2] [SHATTER: 2/3] [112 BRN: 1/2] [96 BLD: 1/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [64 TVM: 1/3] [56 RND: 2/2] (472 DoT DMG) 

 

Edited September 16 by Pinball

[Omen 0]

"Yes," Omen agreed, "it does." He had crystals at the ready though, just in case. The boy was quick, and he'd nearly brought the Forgotten Time King to half-HP already... but things got weird in a battle, and he could very well still end up taking a nasty hit at some point, purely because he was unlucky. If that outcome came to pass, Omen would heal him.

Circe leaned in, casually inquiring as to how he'd fell into cahoots with a player killer. Omen grunted. It was a good question, and warranted. But the truth was, Omen wasn't entirely sure himself. "I don't know him," Omen admitted. "When I was scouting for quests, there was a courier who delivered me a package of consumables. Apparently, my desire to join the frontlines is obvious. I was left a message: that if I wished to level quickly, I should travel to this set of coordinates." 

Pinball's blades were buried in the back of the Forgotten Time King. He kicked himself off the mob, using it as a spring board to create distance. 

"Well. When I arrived, I did not need to wait long before a full party of players arrived to assist me. Sent by him."

***
Action Taken: [NONE]

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:2) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 85/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 1/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 1,756/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [BLT REDUC: 1/2] [SHATTER: 2/3] [112 BRN: 1/2] [96 BLD: 1/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [64 TVM: 1/3] [56 RND: 2/2] 

Edited September 16 by Omen

[Circe 0]

Circe raised an eyebrow at Omen's explanation, glancing back at Pinball as he kicked off the Forgotten Time King’s back with the ease of someone who’d done this a hundred times before. Her gaze lingered on his icy expression, the cold efficiency with which he dismantled the boss. She had heard about player killers before—ruthless, self-serving types who got their kicks from preying on others. Yet here Pinball was, helping newbies get a leg up.

"Sounds like he's got a soft spot for fresh players now," she mused aloud, her tone half teasing, half thoughtful. "Maybe he's trying to balance the scales.  Redemption for his past." She shrugged, stuffing her hands back into her pockets as she watched Pinball.

"But hey," Circe added, her voice light, "whatever his reason, I’m not complaining. If he's feeling charitable, might as well take advantage while we can, right?" She cast a sidelong glance at Omen, her smirk subtle but present.

****

Action Taken: [NONE]

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:2) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 85/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 1/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 1,756/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [BLT REDUC: 1/2] [SHATTER: 2/3] [112 BRN: 1/2] [96 BLD: 1/2] [64 BLT: 1/2] [80 STC: 1/2] [64 TVM: 1/3] [56 RND: 2/2] 

[Pinball 1]

The Forgotten Time King thrust with his great spear. It missed again, unsurprisingly. Pinball had fought this thing once before, on his own. He'd come with even more buffs this time, and already with a knowledge of its attack patterns. It shouldn't have been surprising that the fight was passing by so easily -- but it was. And maybe that was because the Forgotten Time King Pinball was fighting now was nothing like the Forgotten Time King that he had fought previously. It was strange. And he would have to go and look for a reason for that change later. 

But for now, Pinball's knives carved crimson smiles in the digital torso of the Forgotten Time King. Its body writhed with pulsing black veins, pumped chock full of the potent venoms Pinball's knives were laced with. He was surprised it even had veins, it looked so much like a corpse. Its health was dropping fast. Compared to the last time, Pinball was making even quicker time of the fight now. And that was absolutely nothing to complain about. 

***
Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-D] [-12 EN]
Forgotten Time King: ID#231875 BD: 4+5 (Hit) MD: 6-3 (Miss) - 25*16= 400-20= 380 DMG

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:3) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 71/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 1/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 960/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 20 (-20, -20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [BLT REDUC: 2/2] [SHATTER: 3/3] [112 BRN: 2/2] [96 BLD: 2/2] [64 BLT: 2/2] [80 STC: 2/2] [64 TVM: 2/3] [56 RND: 2/2] (416 DoT DMG) 

Edited September 16 by Pinball

[Omen 0]

Omen pondered the thought. Atonement for past sins? It was not far out of the realm of possibility. But Omen did not know if there was atonement equal to taking someone's life. He ran his fingers through his beard. "Perhaps that is the case. But I wonder..." The boy didn't strike Omen as the type that would be seeking out forgiveness -- but was Omen truly such a good judge of character? There were too many unknowns, he decided. Too many things he didn't know that he would need to before he could have a proper opinion on the criminal's true nature. 

"Yes," Omen agreed. Whatever the reason for it, he was helping them. Perhaps he should not read any deeper into it than that. 

The killer was a whirling dervish with those knives of his. Light on the feet, he darted in and out to secure his blows, each more wicked than the last. It did strike him as odd that he wore no armor, though he doubted you'd need it nearly as much with enough evasion and high enough HP to take a good hit. He wondered what his true level was. 

***

***
Action Taken: [NONE]

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:3) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 71/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 1/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 960/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [SHATTER: 3/3] [64 TVM: 2/3]

Edited September 16 by Omen

[Circe 0]

Circe couldn’t help but chuckle softly at Omen’s musings. "Yeah, I doubt he's the soul-searching type," she said, her eyes tracking Pinball as he moved like a shadow around the Forgotten Time King. The boss’s attacks were heavy and erratic, but Pinball was always one step ahead, never lingering long enough for a strike to land. It was almost... artful.

Despite her focus on the fight, a thought nagged at her. She realized she knew almost nothing about her current partner, Omen, despite their shared experiences and battles.

Turning to him, she asked, “You know, I’ve spent quite a bit of time with you now, but I don’t actually know much about you. What brought you to the game?”

Her tone was casual, but there was genuine curiosity behind her words. She had always been focused on her own objectives and survival, rarely stopping to learn about the people she encountered. But now, in the lull of waiting for the fight to be done, it struck her as odd that she hadn’t bothered to ask more about Omen.

***
Action Taken: [NONE]

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:3) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 71/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | TVM: 32 | BRN: 56 | BLD: 48 | BLT: 32 | STC: 40 [Rend CD: 1/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 960/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [SHATTER: 3/3] [64 TVM: 2/3]

[Pinball 1]

Another blow came, another blow went whizzing by. The Forgotten Time King was very good at missing its attacks today. Pinball almost felt bad about using all those consumables earlier, if he wasn't going to take a single hit. But that was a foolish thing to think. If he hadn't buffed it, and he had taken a hit, or missed his attacks, he would have been left wanting for them. It was always better to be safe than sorry. He needed to make sure he remembered that, going forward. It was one of his biggest, most consistent mistakes. 

His daggers flew. Pinball stayed on the outside now, kiting the Forgotten Time King's wild attacks. Despite its gargantuan spear, it was not as good at closing the distance as Pinball was at creating it. Almost half a dozen knives sunk into the Time King's chest. Pinball had pulled a different blade now that he was done messing with his Status Effects, and the blades he'd thrown had glowed with a deep red aura. The Fallen enhancement had activated. 

***
Free Action: [Quick Change] - {Hellfire} -> {Astral Blade} 
Action Taken: [TECH-D] [-13 EN] 
Forgotten Time King: ID#231954 BD: 6 (Hit) MD: 5 (Miss) - 25+8= 33*16= 528-40= 488 DMG

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:0) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:4) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 62/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | HLY: 8 | FLN: 8 | Phase [Rend CD: 3/5] 

Forgotten Time King: 408/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [SHATTER: 3/3] [64 TVM: 3/3]

Edited September 17 by Pinball

[Omen 0]

"I thought that it would be a good way to reconnect with my children," Omen said. Though the thought made him gloomy, Omen's expression remained neutral. His tone did not dip or slow. He did not sound or act sad, though he felt the emotion grip his heart. "My wife encouraged me to." His expression grew pensive. He ran his fingers through his beard. 

"I was about to say that if I could go back in time and smash the thing into a million pieces, I would," Omen said. "I had a grandchild on the way, you know. But I don't think I would. I feel as though I have a responsibility now to help the others escape. If I had found myself on the other side, I think that I may have tried my hardest to find a way in." 

Then Omen frowned. He shook his head. Pinball's fight with the Forgotten Time King was nearly over, but that was not what Omen's mind was on. 

"I can only hope that I do not return to an empty home. Time..." He looked as though he were about to say something, like he was grasping at the words, but nothing came to fruition. He shook his head quite firmly. "Time." 

[Circe 0]

Circe listened quietly, her eyes on Omen but her mind wandering elsewhere. Reconnecting with his kids? She couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. Omen had a life, a family—a wife who cared enough to encourage him, children he still thought about, a grandchild on the way. He had people waiting for him.

Her fingers twitched in her pockets, gripping the fabric tightly. She doubted anyone even noticed she was gone, let alone missed her. The idea of having someone on the outside felt foreign to her, almost laughable. Who would care if she made it out of this? Probably no one.

“Must be nice,” she muttered, barely audible. She wasn’t trying to be bitter, but the thought gnawed at her. “To have people who matter… waiting for you.”

When Omen mentioned returning to an empty home, something flickered in her. She understood that fear. The idea of coming back to nothing—no one to greet you, no place that felt like home.
She could sense the heaviness in his words, the doubt that crept in as he talked about returning to an empty home. It was something she never expected from someone like him—so stoic, so sure. But everyone had their fears, even Omen. And Circe, surprisingly, felt the need to offer something back. Something real.

“Omen,” she started, her tone losing its usual edge, “I doubt they’d just leave you. From what you’ve said, your family sounds like the kind that sticks by you, even when you’re not there. I mean, your wife pushed you to play this game to connect with your kids, right? That doesn’t sound like someone who’d give up easily.”

She looked away for a moment, her eyes following the movements of the Forgotten Time King, still battling Pinball across the room. “People like that… they don’t just vanish. They’re probably right next to you, waiting for you to come back. You’ve got that kind of luck.”

The sound of Pinball landing another blow on the Forgotten Time King echoed through the room, but Circe’s focus remained on Omen. She admired him, in a way. He had something to fight for beyond himself, something she could never quite grasp.

Circe’s own words began to gnaw at her, stirring emotions she wasn’t comfortable dealing with.

Without thinking, she pulled out one of her throwing knives. Her frustration surged, and in a swift motion, she hurled it at the Forgotten Time King.  The blade cut through the air, embedding itself into the creature's shoulder with a satisfying thunk. It wasn't a significant hit, especially compared to what Pinball was dealing, but it helped ease the storm inside her.

***
Free Action:
Action Taken: [ST-I] [-10 EN]
Forgotten Time King: ID#231956 BD: 4+3=7 (HIT) 10*10=100-40=60
(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:1) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:4) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 62/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | HLY: 8 | FLN: 8 | Phase [Rend CD: 3/5]

Forgotten Time King: 348/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [SHATTER: 3/3] [64 TVM: 3/3]

 

Edited September 17 by Circe

[Pinball 1]

Circe's knives found themselves buried in the back of the Forgotten Time King, but not once did the withered husk of a mob even consider looking back towards her. Pinball was drawing too much aggro. The new player attacking came to Pinball as a surprise, but a welcome one -- their damage wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't inconsiderable, either. Pinball, being used to feeling out the health bars of mobs, felt that she had lined up his kill perfectly. 

All at once he flickered forwards, his body stepping in and out of shadow. He took two knives by the handle and drove them home into the gut of the Forgotten Time King. Because of the height difference, Pinball found himself thrusting upwards. Maybe it took a bit of the impact away from it in the end, but it was more than enough to finish the job. 

The Forgotten Time King's body dissipated instantaneously, fractals of data carried away by an invisible wind. Pinball spun his knives back into his hands, which disappeared beneath his cloak. He pulled his hood back up. He didn't waste any time making for his exit. He walked coolly past Omen and Circe and vanished without a word. 

*** 
Action Taken: [TECH-D] [-13 EN]
Forgotten Time King: ID#232043 BD: 2+5 (Hit) - 25*16 = 400-40= 360 DMG 

(H:0) Omen:  HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 7 | MIT:34 | THORNS:18 | REGEN: 2
(H:1) Circe: HP: 100/100 | EN: 28/28 | DMG: 10 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
(H:4) Pinball: 1,008/1,008 HP | 53/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | BH: 44 | LD: 6 | HLY: 8 | FLN: 8 | Phase [Rend CD: 3/5]

Forgotten Time King: 0/3000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 40 (-20, -20, -20) | ACC: 3 [SHATTER III, 0/3] 

Edited September 17 by Pinball

[Omen 0]

Omen watched Circe carefully as she spoke. There was a certain tone in her voice that betrayed something. He did not comment on it. He knew better than that. He stayed quiet, listening, nodding once, and returning his attention to the fight at hand. Omen was not surprised when Circe, whether out of frustration or boredom, hurled a knife successfully into the back of the Forgotten Time King. 

The fight was over just like that. After Circe's attack, Pinball drove his daggers home, and the Forgotten Time King was successfully vanquished. 

Pinball began to leave. As he approached, Omen addressed him. "Thank you," he began to speak -- but Pinball walked right past him without a word. Just a few steps later and he vanished, consumed by shadows, leaving no trace of himself. Omen knitted his brow and shook his head. He spoke to Circe this time. "Come," he said. It would be a long trip back to the safe zone. 

Edited September 17 by Omen