[SP-ST-06] The Past That Haunts us <<The Gemini>>

[Wulfrin 0]

"There is a place I go to train," Wulfrin's words echoed like a voice in the back of Astra's mind as he stepped off the teleport gate of Floor 6. "Deep in the Amazonian themed jungles of Floor 6 is a waterfall. It's a bit of a tourist spot, but meditating there does wonders for one's mental state."

Krycim is the main settlement of Floor 6, nestled in the western portion of the jungle floor. Wulfrin's previous descriptions were fairly accurate as the majority of the residents were muscular and fit women that gave less than welcoming looks as the white haired swordsman began to make their way through town. Despite the less than pleasant air about the area, most of the inhabitants stayed to their own business allowing the wandering player their freedom to traverse where they saw fit.

"Be warned though," Wulfrin's voice crept into Astra's head once more repeating the last bit of info the mentor had left. "Floor 6 is known to play many tricks on you. There are mobs there that defy the natural confines of the system."

* * *

Storyteller System is in effect

Wulfrin is acting as storyteller [Full stats omitted as they will not be used]
True Tier: 6

[Astra 0]

Astra took his steps into the jungle biome of Floor 6, with Wulfrin's words reverberating in his head. He was here to continue his training, hone his virtues, and meditate on them, something that Wulfrin suggested to him in prior teachings. With the dangerous situations he's found himself in, the white haired youth could use some time to clear his head and gather his thoughts. Luckily for him in most of those situations he had friends with him to guide him, protect him, and vice versa. Astra felt that someone could only ever be as strong as the good company they keep. For now, he was alone. Making his way through the settlement of Krycim. 

The swordsman could feel the non-welcoming looks from Krycim's inhabitants, but he brushed it off, bearing it no mind. He'd been looked at with prejudiced eyes and disdain before in his life, especially in highschool, but has learned to live with it; as he accepts who he's become. Nonetheless, he continued to make his way through the settlement, taking in the sights and sounds, as well as observing NPCs and PCs alike. Astra approached a few people who had seemed like locals, and began to ask for directions. "Hi, excuse me. I've heard of a great waterfall somewhere in the jungle, would you be able to tell me how to get there?" It took a few tries from some less than friendly locals before he got a response, but eventually a strong looking woman sharpening a blade gave him some vague directions. Astra thanked her for her help, and left the settlement. 

As he found himself wandering through the jungle, he couldn't help but think about Wulfrin's voice in the back of his head, warning him of some potential dangers on this floor. Specifically "mobs that defy the natural confines of the system". Astra hadn't come into any contact with mobs like that yet, but he couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Cardinal was capable of a lot, and sure enough it could play tricks when it wanted - but how far could the system really go? 

He continued to follow some trails and bits of water he would find while traversing the jungle, but was still yet to find the waterfall in question. Astra took a break from walking through the jungle and performed some stretches, before looking up into the canopy of leaves and shrubbery overhead. "Hm, I wonder where this spot is. Maybe I took a wrong turn?" He gestured with his hands to bring up his map, and began to poke around, seeing if there was any clear path ahead to take him to the waterfall. 

***

Astra | HP: 60 | EN: 24 | DMG: 7 | MIT: 2 | ACC: 2 | REC: 1 

Spoiler

 

Name: Astra
True Tier: N/A
Level: 3
Paragon Level: 1
HP: 60/60
EN: 24/24

Stats:
Damage: 7
Mitigation: 2
Accuracy: 2

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket:
  - Honed Longsword | T1 Perfect Straight Sword | ACC 2 | DMG 1
Armor/Trinket:
  - Swordsman’s Splendor | T1 Perfect Light Armor | MIT 2 | REC 1
Shield/Armor/Trinket:
  - 

Combat Mastery:
  - N/A

Combat Shift:
  - N/A

Familiar Skill:
  - N/A

Custom Skill:
  - N/A

Skills:
  - Straight Sword R3

Extra Skills:
 

Inactive Extra Skills:

Sword Arts:
-  ST-I (4 EN) | A single-target sword art. (x4 dmg)
- AOE-I (1 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. (x3 dmg)
- TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. (x4 dmg)

Addons:
  

Mods:
  

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Starter Healing Potions (Restores 50HP) x2

Housing Buffs:
-Bedroom | "Rested" | -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
-Dining Hall | "Delicious" | Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
-Living Room | "Relaxed" | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

Crafting Profession:
-

Gathering Profession:
-                              

 

 

[Wulfrin 0]

The jungle was suffocatingly dense. The sounds of the wildlife echoed throughout the dense jungle floor eerily, almost as if slowly encroaching on Astra's position. Instincts were beginning to kick in. Should you run? Should you flee? Anyone with a proper sense of self preservation would, right? This was the scenario found in most horror stories meant to keep kids from wandering through the jungles alone. Often times such stories did not end in the cleanest of ways.

Interestingly enough the feeling was not too unlike that first day of the game's launch. SAO was advertised as a fresh start in a new world. For those who dared to jump on this opportunity, quickly found such a story to be both their blessing and curse. For many this day was the end of their story. An image flashed into Astra's mind, the Monument of Life within the Black Iron Palace. One name stood out amongst the sea of other unfortunate souls to be lost to the game. Yuji, slain by wolves. A statement that would remain ingrained in Astra's mind everyday he picked up his blade.

Howls echoed from within the dense jungle, followed by something else. An human voice screamed in fear as if they were under attack. The sound of snarling and the gnashing of teeth could be heard in the distance. The voice sounded both alien and familiar at the same time, yet just as quickly as it had started it vanished, the jungle falling into its silent slumber once more.

[Astra 0]

The longer he spent in the jungle, the more he began to feel...Constricted. It was as if something was wrapping itself around his throat, making its way to his heart and his brain, and wrapping its tendrils around them as well. His legs began to feel slightly heavy, and his movement began to slow. Even if his instincts were screaming at him to turn around and make his way back to Krycim, he would grit his teeth and keep trudging forward. 

With each step, fragments and images of memories came flooding into his head. He was suddenly standing in the Town of Beginnings again, right on the first day of SAO's launch. A friendly face stood proudly next to him, chest puffed out, spiky electric blonde hair sitting on top of his head. Astra looked on as the visage became more clear, and he saw a large toothy grin, that of his friend Yuji. His first companion in Aincrad. 

Astra closed his eyes as there was a twinge in his heart. When he opened them once more he was surrounded by wolves, gnashing their teeth and walking closer, with a familiar screaming nearby. Astra closed his eyes again, and when they reopened his was in front of the Monument of Life, tears falling from face to ground. 

He stopped moving through the dense jungle floor, gripping his head. "Where am I?" 

Suddenly a scream could be heard, one that sounded as though it was coming from a human in danger. Astra quickly shook his head and snapped out of his momentary trance, unsheathing his sword and beginning to run towards the screams. He hoped that if there was someone in danger, he could make it in time.