[PP-F4] Frostbite [Complete]

[Guest]

Steam billowed out from beneath the hood that masked all but the bottom of his face with a wreath of shadow. His lips twitched as he shut them. "Damn the cold, and damn me, too," he muttered discontentedly. The pale winter moonlight beat down on the gilded pattern he'd stitched into it, the fibers of lion mane shimmering indifferent to the chill. He was a man not made for this weather, despite the winters that plagued the city he hailed from.

He moved through the snow covered city in the quiet calm of night time, ignoring the infrequent bustle of other players. The items he wanted here could be used for items that made for thicker defenses and increased accuracy. The challenge would come when he had to brave the elements outside town to gather them.

Alkor had explored the fourth floor before, but never had he attempted to solo any of the mobs. He was uncertain of the gap between them and himself. "I figure I'll be fine, though," he thought aloud, patting the hilt of his weapon. It occurred to him that he ought to invest in a better weapon, but that would have to wait."I can sell my wares to make the money for that," he reminded himself.

A snowflake came to rest on his hand, and he stopped for a moment to admire it. "I remember playing in the snow as a boy," he murmured. "Things were so much easier back then. When I wasn't getting trapped inside video games." He laughed aloud at his own joke, despite the fact that it lacked any humor.

Solo play was a lonely life.

[Lessa 1]

The woman moved quickly across the snow-filled landscape. She had increased her pace slightly, to keep the blood pumping, and her body warmer. Besides, the faster her legs carried her, the sooner she would be back to town, and the warmth that an inn provided. Her claymore was strapped securely to her back, a few white snowflakes dotting its soft pink hilt. Her gauntlets were on as well. She had already learned that being caught unprepared while out alone was the worst thing she could do. Perhaps the armor was not especially fashionable, but they did their job. And besides, they were pink too. It could have been worse.

Soft moonlight lit her path as she picked her way through the drifts. Finally, she was greeted with the welcoming sight of the city. She sped up further, now moving into a slow jog. She could practically taste the warm cider she would indulge in the moment she reached the safe zone.

And she did begin looking for an inn as soon as she moved into the city. However, her blue eyes fell on something different, and after a moment of inspecting the player, she broke out into a grin. She knew that name.

"What kind of a weirdo stands out here in the cold, all by himself?" She teased, her hands on her hips.

[Guest]

He trudged toward the edge of the safe zone with a grunt; Alkor had never enjoyed navigating snowy weather in this world or any other, but it seemed especially vexing when it piled up to this degree. The swordsman stopped short when he heard a voice. What kind of weirdo...? Ah. He knew her before he looked up, the familiarity of her voice skirting the edge of his awareness and sparking recognition. What's she doing up here? Is she this strong already?

It was admirable, he supposed, that she'd come so far from the first time they met. He still remembered the girl who was awkward in her movements but confident with her words. Somehow in his mind, he'd see that girl whenever he looked at her, though he'd never be as foolish to believe that she'd stay that weak. She'd had a tenacity about her that had only grown over time, and that resolve burned in the woman he saw now when he glanced at her. The beacons that lit the edge of town revealed the amber glow of his eyes faintly, dancing in the torchlight.

"I'm not standing, I'm mapping out a path around the floor," he said, and if she looked now she would notice the map feature of his menu open. His back was no longer to her as he flipped the window shut and folded his arms. "I've got a few errands to run that are taking me out to the remote parts of the map," he said conversationally, steering clear of any talk that might lead her to believe he was doing something profession related. Heck, there were plenty of quests available on the floor, she might just assume that was his prerogative. "How about you," he said, shifting the topic quickly, "seems like you've been busy."

His skills and equipment were optimized for survival, regardless of the situation. What he lacked in defense he made up for in agility. That was his chosen archetype, albeit without the rapier most speedy characters seemed so attached to. Alkor enjoyed a more traditional, western blade. He watched the horizon for spawn points, listening to her as he did so.

[Lessa 1]

And laughing while mapping a path? Lessa thought to herself, fighting the urge to smirk. But she would not push the issue further. She felt that perhaps she had interrupted a personal moment, and she did not want to make him feel uncomfortable. Instead, she went along with his hasty change of subject.

"I'm well, thanks," came her reply, her breath slipping from her lips and into the air with each word."In fact, it looks like I've finally caught up to your level." She had reached the seventh level only earlier that morning, but it felt good to be more equally matched with Alkor. Lessa had always viewed him as above her in some way, and while she did still consider him a mentor, at least there was not a huge discrepancy in their levels anymore.

"You're looking well," she continued. She had noticed his new equipment, and was pleased to see that Alkor was doing so well for himself. Of course, as a solo player, he did have a lot of time to focus on himself. She had been dividing her time between multiple other players, helping newcomers, and training under Kiluia. While the experience was great, she sometimes wished she could slow down and look after herself for a while. Just as she had done in the real world, Lessa struggled to say no, and spread herself too thin.

"I have been busy, yeah," she told him, finally. "Just finished up a quest. I was planning on going back to thaw for a bit. Then, I was tossing around the idea of collecting some materials." She smiled. "Things are getting pretty crazy in the forge, and I need to restock." She motioned away from town. "If you want company, I'll be around."

[Guest]

He nodded quietly as she gestured toward the city. Another plume of steam dripped from his shivering lips and Alkor screwed his eyes shut to will away the numbness, and when he reopened them, he was surprised to see Lessa still standing there. "You should get some rest," he suggested. "I haven't started for the evening yet, and you're just finishing up."

That the difference in their strength was negligible told Alkor he wasn't trying hard enough. He needed to focus, and to become stronger. He couldn't protect anyone if he couldn't get any stronger.

"Besides, there's nothing pressing enough that I'd need company for," he told her. Regardless of how much more frequent drops were in a group, the young swordsman didn't want her to risk her neck for materials. Especially not materials for a profession she didn't even know he had.

[Lessa 1]

"Thanks for the advice, Mom," she teased back, her smile a clear indicator that she meant no harm with her words. It was more obvious than ever now that she was becoming more comfortable around Alkor. Whether that was a good or bad thing, it was hard to tell. Good for her, perhaps. But he was a very withdrawn individual. He had always seemed to keep her at arms-length. It was nothing to take personally, as she figured he was this way with everyone. And maybe her more relaxed nature might frighten him away if he was not ready for it yet. But then again, maybe it won't, she found herself thinking.

Regardless, she grew a bit more serious before proceeding. "Still, let me come along? If it isn't too much trouble." Seeing him again had truly made her day. It was not often that she bumped into her old friend - if she could use the word 'friend' at all. Calling him a friend might suggest that the feeling was mutual, and despite her lengthy time in the game, she still was not certain that it was. "Maybe you could teach me a thing or two, while you're out there." She had always viewed him as a mentor of sorts, so perhaps this would be a more appropriate avenue. 'Please take me with you because I miss you' didn't quite feel right.

[Guest]

He had started to turn away when she spoke up, and he stopped short. Sarcasm wasn't beyond the threshold of his understanding, but he wasn't used to hearing it since he'd come to Aincrad. Just as he was about to speak, she did again. His lips clamped shut.

Just a moment before, Lessa had told him to let her know if he wanted company. Now, she was actively asking to come along? His eyes moved from right to left as he processed the situation, not sure what to make of it.

Then, she said something about learning from him. His gaze slowly moved up and locked on her. He let out a snort that blew a stream of steam from the shadows of his hood. His lips were set in a hard line. "I can hardly say no to that, can I?"

The solo player finished his turn and faced the snowbound floor beyond the city, and he flipped the menu open in front of him. The display in front of Lessa prompted her:

Alkor would like to form a party with you. Yes/No?

[Lessa 1]

She moved quickly, as if waiting too long might cause him to rescind his invitation. Her fingertips selected "yes," and with a flick of her wrist, her menu disappeared. "Great," she said, as if finalizing the action. "Thanks for letting me tag along." She could tell that the exchange had confused him, and more than likely, he was trying to process it all. But she would not give him time to reflect, because reflection may lead to over-thinking. Though his face was set in stone beneath his hood, she could practically see the gears turning in his mind.

She began moving toward the vast, white wilderness. "What have you been up to?" she asked over her shoulder. The question seemed innocent enough, and though she did not mean to sound clingy, it had been a while since she had heard from him. More often than she would care to admit, she had thrown around the idea of messaging him, and asking him to meet her. But every time, she had reminded herself how poorly that had worked out the time before.

[Guest]

As they trudged out into the tundra, Lessa spoke to Alkor asking what he had been doing, where he had been. It never really occurred to him to wonder what people were doing in Aincrad when they weren't around him. It was like the daily routine of grinding, collecting mats, exploring, eating, and sleeping were the only reasonable answers. It would have been different if he were the type of player who went out and got involved with guilds or romance, but he was a solo player, and that made it a brief list.

He slid the blade from its sheath at his side as they moved further into the field, wanting to be ready in the event that something attacked them in the chaos of this floor, drowned in floes of white. There were several mobs he was aware of that hid in the Arctic wastes and struck unsuspecting players. Fortunately, it rarely happened this close to the city. The game design incorporated them to kill players who got brave and went too far off on their own at lower levels.

"Seems like a redundant question, doesn't it?" He asked, not trying to sound rude or acerbic. Small talk was just not this young man's forte. His breath felt ragged in his throat, a side effect of the weather. His mind still wandered over why she wanted to come back out into the wilds with him, but he tried to put it out of the way of more pressing matters, like keeping her alive.

His minimap blinked with the location of the Starglade to the northwest, and the general respawn points of monsters that he'd marked for himself along the way. They were pretty far from anything particularly dangerous. "Just the usual grind," he said after a moment, feeling a little bad for not giving an answer. Damn, he glanced at Lessa out in front of him with a raised eyebrow, why did that make me feel like a jackass?

[Lessa 1]

Her gaze fell to the ground, and she watched the snow disappear beneath her boots with each step. The only sound between them was the crunching of compacting snow, and their ragged breaths. Lessa knew what she was getting herself into. She was an excellent judge of character, and she had lived her life honing this skill. She normally knew just what to say to a person, and how they would respond. She understood people. And despite all of this, she was thankful that the dark could hide the hurt on her face. Her attempt at being friendly had gone up in smoke, but she was foolish for expecting anything else.

A sudden light caused her to glance over at him. She saw that he had his minimap up, and he was busy looking it over. "Usual grind," she repeated softly, nodding. "I see." They continued to walk, side by side, their bodies throwing long shadows across the snow in the moonlight. This silence was not the comfortable silence they had experienced that day in the meadow. This was stifling, and the woman yearned to say something to break it.

But the words would not come to her. Instead, she reached up and freed her heavy claymore from its sheath. Though her mind was elsewhere, she might as well have a weapon at the ready.

[Guest]

His hand flipped through the menu deftly before he glanced over at her. "How far out have you explored?" He asked, unintentionally dispelling the awkward silence. Alkor was an oddity in that he'd never really been the social type, so he didn't really understand why things were strained between two people. It was absolutely normal for him to be standing right next to someone and not talking at all.

Lessa, however, was not her usual, cheery self. She always had something to say... or was that just when other people were around? Alkor realized he hadn't really taken the time to notice prior to this moment. He glanced away from her to stare up at the moon, taking in a long, deep breath.

Is she as unsure of herself around me as I am right now? In the real world, he'd lived his life in a cut and dry, decisive manner. SAO had given him pause and forced him to struggle with decisions, but none of those had really been about other people. Mainly, he had worried about his own life, or someone else's on occasion.

He didn't tell her why he was out here, mostly because he didn't think anyone needed to know- but was it right of him to just give her the cold shoulder when she'd practically begged to come with him? He snorted his aggravation, but offered no reason behind the sound. "I'm... hunting for materials..." he said slowly, as if he had to carefully weigh every word of the admission. "And... I'm just... uh... I don't even really know."

There. Had that been so hard? Actually, yes. That was moderately difficult.

[Lessa 1]

His first question sounded so impersonal. The way that he asked her with no more than a sideways glance from his minimap just felt disconnected. Surely, this could have been his way of attempting small-talk, but it seemed strained. It was as if he was only asking her for the information, and nothing more. Like a boss asking for an update from his employee. Now I'm the one doing the overthinking, Lessa thought to herself, a humorless smile crossing her lips. But it was difficult not to dissect him. Words, tone, and body language normally revealed everything. But he was difficult to read, and not just because he was cloaked in darkness. Did I do something to upset him? Has he been avoiding me?

She opened her mouth to speak her mind. Questions like that would drive her crazy unless she put voice to them. Though it might make things awkward, she would prefer it over not knowing.

But he spoke first. And when he finally grew silent again, her features had softened. Maybe she had been overreacting, and truly was just nervous around her. It was not an ideal situation, of course. She would much rather he be more at ease with her. But she would take nervous over angry any day. And besides, it would be hypocritical of her to judge him for being nervous.

"Material gathering, huh?" Her voice had an encouraging edge to it, like a teacher addressing a struggling student. "Very nice. I have quite a bit of experience in that department." Though her words were meant to reassure him, she could tell that he did not wish to continue discussing the matter. Instead, she looked over at him and smiled into the darkness. "Put down any bosses lately?"

[Guest]

Alkor pointedly kept his gaze from hers as she spoke. His hands slipped into his pockets like those of a teenage boy uncertain of how to cope with a situation he'd been thrust into. "Yeah," he murmured, "I'm sure..."

He froze when she asked about boss battles, however. His eyes lit up for a half second, and Alkor looked at her like she had struck him. "I..." Obviously he was taken aback by the question, as if Lessa hadn't seemed the type to keep informed about bosses or front lining, though he knew the truth to be otherwise. "Oh, uh, yeah," he managed, taking the chance to shift the momentum of the conversation away from his awkwardness. "I was part of the raid that took down the Twinfire Phoenix on the Ninth Floor."

He spoke with a certain nonchalance that didn't do the news justice, but he figured she wouldn't have kept up with anything about that particular floor boss, so many levels above this one. The Phoenix had been notorious, however, for wiping hundreds of players out of SAO and to their untimely deaths. It was entirely possible she would realize that.

[Lessa 1]

At first, she thought that she had upset him somehow. The sudden change in his whole demeanor suggested that she had said something wrong. Her mind immediately went to work, formulating a list of things that she could do or say to remedy the situation. But then, as he spoke, she realized that maybe she had not upset him. Maybe, she simply caught him off-guard.

But all thoughts of this sort where lost when she registered what he was saying. Her lips parted into an expression of silent awe, and could do nothing but stare at him for a moment. Finally, she was able to form the words that bounced around excitedly in her brain. "Really?" She did her best to keep from squealing like an overly enthusiastic school-girl, but her attempt was in vain. Her shock and admiration were clear as day. "That's incredible! I know about that boss fight! That phoenix took down a ton of players!"

As the initial surprise began to subside, her cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. "I do still want to be a front-liner one day," she confessed, "so I know a lot about boss fights. I do my best to stay updated." Then her voice trailed, and she was silent for a moment as the pair continued to walk. "But I had no idea that you were involved."

[Guest]

"Yeah," he confirmed, not entirely enthusiastic about that particular fight. It had been a sobering realization, that brush with death. It told him that he was far from adequate as a player, and that he needed to push himself more. His conflict did not bleed into his expression however, as he opened his inventory and selected "equip."

Normally, it wasn't his style to use a defensive item, but for the sake of keeping Lessa safe, and allowing her to have a look at his spoils, he decided to bite the bullet. In a stream of greens and blues, a strange bulwark materialized on his back.

It was a magnificent looking shield, blue and red entwined in a pattern that looked like an ocean of flames. The ruby at the shield's heart burned with an inner fire, and feathers that hung off the edges glistened in the moonlight. "I took more damage than even the high level players," he admitted, "and survived."

It was a grim survival, though. The burns still stuck with him, smoldering in his heart, scarring his digital body beneath the cloak he'd made to protect himself from ever feeling that close to death again. His steps took him out just a fraction ahead of Lessa, and he smiled softly. "You'll be fine on the front lines," he told her. "People work together there to keep each other alive."

He remembered the potion from Ryu, and how it had kept the Phoenix from ending his life. Alkor thought about how they had all charged the Phoenix together at the end to bring it down, and how his screams had blended with their battle cries. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Once you get there, you'll fit right in."

In reality, he didn't fit in with that group at all. They were go-getters, extroverts, personable people. He was a loner. Once his eyes opened, he focused on the floor ahead of them. He reached back for the shield, and though it felt awkward on his arm, he held it up to test its weight. This'll be perfect for Caelam, he thought with a smile.

[Lessa 1]

"Wow," Lessa breathed, eyes wide. The shield that now clung to Alkor's back was stunning. The colors were just beautiful, and it looked at though it could really do a lot to help protect its user. The young woman was not a shield user herself, but she could absolutely appreciate this one.

 

But what impressed her more than the shield was the young man who wielded it. Again, she found her stomach leaping to her throat as he spoke of the boss battle. Took the most damage? He was strong, yes, but strong enough to take more damage than the seasoned front-liners? The thought made her shiver. 

 

"I'm not sure that I'm strong enough for that yet," she confessed. "But I appreciate your confidence in me. And I feel better knowing that there are others who will keep an eye on me." During her time in Aincrad, she had encountered many players who were only concerned with their own survival. She had began to wonder if maybe the majority of players were like that, and she was among the minority.

 

But notions like this were complicated when she looked at Alkor. He walked beside her, hooded-head down, cloak fluttering out a bit behind him with every step. Though he was not particularly large, he cut an frightening figure in the moonlight. Had she not known him, she might have suspected he was someone to be feared. But I know better now, she thought to herself, lips drawn in a tight line. He's confusing, yes. But I don't think I could bring myself to be afraid of him. She had spent time with him, opened up to him, and learned at least a little bit about him. Perhaps if she did that with the other solo-players, she would learn that they were not all that bad either. Maybe the front-lines really would be how Alkor described them - filled with players willing to help others survive.

 

"Can I tell you a secret?" She asked suddenly. It had been on her mind for a long while, but this conversation had brought it forward again. Without waiting for his answer, she blurted out, "I am thinking about creating a guild."

[Guest]

He stopped walked when she spoke up, and turned to look at her. She said something about wanting to start a guild, and he wondered what it had to do with him. "I won't tell anyone," he said in response to her statement that it was was a secret. That was the standard procedure with secrets, wasn't it?

He slung the shield back over his shoulder to rest and placed a hand on his hip. "It's a lot of work to run a guild," he told her, "or so I've heard. I've never been involved with one, so I'm no authority."

After a moment, he turned his attention toward the path and glanced at his minimap. "A few more kilometers this way, there's a spawn point. Wendigos," he drawled. "Not your average mob. Not sure how many we'll run into if we keep this pace." It seemed like a good place to interject that point, not that he meant to cut her off. "We can take them, but they deal heavy damage and have a decent chunk of health."

"There are other paths, though," he commented. It seemed strange to him that Lessa brought up a guild, or wanting to make one. She never seemed like the type for guilds. Or maybe he just hadn't noticed. "You'd be good at it, I think," he added. "You're good at people, after all."

Alkor offered her a smirk.

[Lessa 1]

She thought over his words as he spoke them, and she nodded along. "Thanks," she replied, in response to his promising to keep it a secret. "It is still just an idea. Nothing set in stone yet. I want us to all grow stronger, together. And I think a guild would be a good way to do that." She shoved her hands deep in her pockets. "It has been a long time since I heard anything from the front-lines. I'm not sure if there are even people trying to clear the floors anymore. And that's a problem."

 

Shifting the conversation back to the task at hand, Lessa added, "wendigos sound interesting." Truthfully, she knew all about the creatures, and the lore behind them. The supernatural had always been interesting to her, way before she put on the nerve gear. But she had no idea what they would be like in the game, so she would have to keep an open mind. "I do have some new gear to try out," she confessed, "so this should be perfect."

 

They fell silent for a moment, and Lessa finally remembered what it was that Alkor had said about her. "Good at people," she repeated softly, though loud enough for her companion to hear. "I like that."

[Guest]

They're not. He knew what he'd seen on the ninth floor, and aside from the struggle to take down a field boss, it was all quiet on the front. No party had returned front the boss battle, and the 10th floor had not yet been breached. He had gone as high as anyone could go, and that was all. There is no front line to speak of. Not at the moment.

He wouldn't say that to Lessa, though. "Wendigos it is," he said after her succinct assessment. Alkor led her along the path to where two tall cliffs pressed together and formed a narrow pass. On the other side, they would have a straight shot to the Starglade, and a place to rest.

The Wendigos, however, were something else entirely. He saw them before they would see him, though their range of aggression was ridiculously high. The shield slid in a familiar fashion onto his arm, and he pointed.

Two large, fur covered beasts with gray and white fur covering their bodies hulked taller than any player, four arms a piece punching at intervals into the open palm of one hand or another. Their faces were mostly covered by the fur as well, and if their eyes were there, it was impossible to tell.

He heard the grunt that signaled their aggression before he saw them turn. "Stay behind me," he told Lessa. "I don't have hate skills like a tank, but I can take their hits."

The beast charged without warning, and Alkor held up the Twinfire Reflector to rebuff it's heavy attack. The fists barreled into his shield and he braced against the impact, forced backward and almost tumbling into Lessa. His feet dug in, however, and he thrust his sword out to beat back the brawling beast. The Wendigo let out a grunt as it took the heavy hit, but did not fall back.

Alkor deals 5 damage! (Critical hit)

Alkor successfully blocks the strike (Block Skill, no damage)

Wendigo takes 2 damage from Flame Thorns

Rolled a 9 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 4 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 1 on the d20 (loot) dice.

Alkor: 17/17

Lessa: 17/17

Wendigo 1: 24/30

Wendigo 2: 30/30

[Wendigos deal 5 damage on a successful hit]

[Lessa 1]

As Alkor continued to approach the narrow pass that rest ahead of them, Lessa slowed a bit. Now, a few paces behind him, she brought up her menu. She made a couple of quick selections, and stood still as her body crawled with ribbons of color. Once the new armor had materialized, she closed out of the menu and hurried after him.

 

Oddly enough, the wendigos were about what she had been expecting. Though they were a bit furrier than she had originally imagined, they were about the same height. They also had the same hulking look to them. What caught her off-guard was their health bars. Thirty a pop, she thought to herself, gauntlet-clad hands clenching into fists. She knew that she would have to get used to fighting more powerful beasts, but this pair was leaps and bounds ahead of the wolf they had fought on the second floor. If you want to be a front-liner, the blonde told herself sternly, you MUST push yourself.

 

She obliged when Alkor asked her to stay behind him. But after he made his attack, she saw her opening. Drawing her heavy claymore, Lessa rushed the wendigo that Alkor had just weakened. Lunging forward, she lifted the blade for what she thought would be a perfect hit.

 

The arm came out of nowhere. The other wendigo had moved up alongside her, and planted a fist into her chest. The impact was enough to send Lessa reeling. Gasping for breath, she struggled to hold the claymore as she windmilled backward.

 

When she finally came to rest, and took a deep breath, she looked up at Alkor. Lips held a small smile. "Guess the new gear works," she announced, clinking her new silver and pink gauntlet on the similarly colored breastplate. Though the attack had dealt her damage, the metal armor with the roses carved into it stood firm.

 

{Lessa takes 2 damage - +3 dmg mit from breastplate.}

 

Alkor: 17/17

Lessa: 15/17
Wendigo 1: 24/30
Wendigo 2: 30/30

• Rolled a 1 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 1 on the d20 (loot) dice.