[SP-F2] A Mystical Calling

[Garou 0]

After the boulder ordeal with Keith, Garou decided to head back to town for a few supplies. Urbus was once again his destination. The town tucked into the mountainous crater was luckily full of crystals and easy merchants who didn't want any trouble. Which was fortunate, since the boy didn't want any either. After getting a few healing crystals (even though he had a large wealth of col from the field bosses, he only got three) Garou received a message.

Fascinating how you managed to eat entire sweet roll back there! Definitely have sort of pep to you! I would like see you at my hut!

Sincere,

Martial Art Master

[Garou 0]

He was astonished by the old man actually contacting him. Garou knew he was an NPC, but he didn't expect him to seek him out. Must be a quest, he wondered. Garou walked out of the town towards the distance. He brought up his HUD menu with a flick of his finger and poked an option to set a waypoint towards the hut. A purple trail led off towards the largest mountain on Floor 2... waaaaay in the distance. Garou grunted as he hefted his chains and began walking down the rocky land.

[Garou 0]

Garou came to the foot of the mountain, only to be met with a near ninety-degree cliff heading straight up the mountain. He looked up and immediately noticed chunks in the rock, excellent spots to grab ahold of. He jumped up and grabbed some rocks, pulling him self up with his upper body strength. The cliff was strong and stable, only a few tiny pebbles crumbling under his fingertips. Garou pressed on relentlessly up the mountain.

Two hours in, it happened. A rock slipped. Garou was starting to grow weary as the cliff side grew even steeper than before, sometimes bending outwards. He had to almost climb upside-down to continue. But when it became a straight wall, a large chunk that he grabbed came loose. He held by only one hand, gasping at the thinning air. Garou watched the loose rock fall out of sight onto the craggy ground that was almost invisible, soon to be faded by a cloud line. He shivered with anxiety more out of being tired, but still kept climbing upwards.

[Garou 0]

Eventually, Garou reached the top of the ledge after three straight, merciless hours of climbing. He gazed around in a dizzy state, barely able to remain conscious. The next thing waiting for him was a trail leading further up the mountain. He swooned, because

THERE WAS A MOUNTAIN ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.

Garou gulped and felt his limbs grow weak as he marched along the path, feeling like he had already died and was now ascending to Heaven.

[Garou 0]

Garou crunched down to his feet after another hour of walking. He shook from the lack of stamina and the draining fog at his altitude. He needed the energy to survive the travel. Garou pulled out a teleportation crystal and raised it to the booming sky, but slowly lowered it. No. I've come too far to give up now, Garou decided.

The chained lad let go of something in his head he couldn't exactly grasp, like a sealed gateway. He pictured himself in his mind unlocking the gate, twisting the bars with all his might until they gave way. He pushed the doors open with a creak, that at first he thought was the sound of the gates but he soon realized that it was something different. His bones.

Garou had effectively shut down the his mental pain block and forced his real-life body to register the nervous pain from the previous climb and the endless walking. A normal person might have simply died at that moment... but Yon Aurinko was no ordinary person. The pain drove Garou to stand back up and continue following the ascending trail.

[Garou 0]

After about ten more minutes of trudging through the unreal pain of Sword Art Online's vicious mountain, Garou came upon a group of figures in the fog. He ran towards the human-like shapes, but quickly buckled back as he held his mouth to suppress a shrill scream. The people in front of him weren't people at all- they were 7 Lost Adventurers, or more accurately described as the rotting remains of astray travelers. They were wrapped partially in linen, but their mangled, deceased faces looked more alive than the tired Garou at this moment. The purple-haired bard took out his trusty longsword, Heaven's Beam, and stood his ground.

[Garou 0]

After what seemed like forever, the boy shut out most of his pain and jumped into the closest one, swinging his two-handed sword almost like he was a level one player again. Garou's blade almost connected, but the vile creature squirmed to his right side and slammed a limp hand into his shoulder. The all-too-real pain shot up his arm, but he managed to back up once again. What... are these... things even doing here!?

Garou's HP: 7 / 17

[Garou 0]

Garou stomped his feet on the ground, transferring his pain into anger. Die. DIE. DIIIIIE!!! His next course of action was spinning on the tip of the toes of his front foot, swinging around his mighty blade. It caught the immediate Lost Adventurer in the throat, having the beast dissolve intstantly. Heh. So they're that weak? Garou jumped ahead and cut another of the monsters in half, from the groin up. All that was left of the two was separate piles of dust.

[Garou 0]

Garou leaped over the ash pile and rammed another zombie-creature with his good shoulder, feeling a mighty impact as his martial arts skill kicked in. He looked up while his head was ringing to see that the monster's body had ruptured. Only four left, he examined. Garou lifted his sword up high, unable to charge a real sword skill in his weakened state. The boy cursed under his breath, still refusing to take off his chains as the enemies closed in.

[Garou 0]

The savage kid let Heaven's Beam strike the ground as he charged his next victim, the blade grinding against the mountain as he approached. Garou spun, unleashing a wave of harmless sparks as he almost threw his sword into the humanoid's waist. However, the monster was faster, jumping back. Garou closed the distance and began hacking at the enemy, who danced out of the way every time. On the lad's eleventh swing an awful, horrid sensation ripped across his neck.

Another Lost Adventurer had snuck up on him and bit into his neck.

Garou's HP: 5 / 17

[Garou 0]

The helpless boy stood there, howling in pain as the zombie wrapped its arms around his chest in an oddly tender way. Garou struggled against the monster, wrenching away just barely in time. He grabbed his neck with an mask of anguish resting on his face, reeling against the mountainside's wall. He held up his sword weakly. "Back! I said BACK!!!" The four beasts crept upon him, darkness glinting in their blacks eyes, hollow grins cut across their rotted faces. "BA-" Garou's cry was interrupted by a hand slammed into his stomach, forcing a pitiful oof out of him.

Garou's HP: 4 / 17

[Garou 0]

The stranded boy breathed in the mist, letting the pain of his virtual lungs manifest in real life. Garou bit his lip as his body shook in increased anger, giving him the strength to strike out with his sword. He effortlessly slashed through the closest Lost Adventurer that had just winded him. As another pile of dust formed, Garou raised his sword in retaliation towards the remaining trio of undead monsters.

[Garou 0]

Garou tried to activate his sword skill again but failed. At this point he began to shake, not from anger or pain but from the climate's cold. The weather was cooling frightfully as eve approached. Garou gave a weak roar as he lunged towards the leading Lone Adventurer, but was suddenly attacked by the one to its immediate left. Garou was rammed in the throat, forcing him to back off and choke for breath.

Garou's HP: 3 / 17

[Garou 0]

The boy was slobbering at the mouth in panic like a cornered animal. Would this be the end for the strapping young lad? I don't think so.He lunged out with a quick and powerful sword swipe, stripping the near enemy's ribs. Before the dust of its body fell to the ground, Garou already slid away from the remaining undead and spun on his heels back to his feet.

[Garou 0]

Garou glared at the two enemies, unhindered by the deaths of their allies. There rags fluttered in a growing wind that threatened to blow away the ash piles, but never growing strong enough to stir any real movement. Garou clapped his teeth in anticipation. Die... Die... He jumped and smacked one of the monsters in the face with a desperate but sick grin, turning to the other one with a wild look in his eyes.

[Garou 0]

His digital heart was thumping, the binary of his bloodstream being calculated way too fast to be possible. Garou gritted his teeth into a sneer before roaring almost like a monster himself to his last foe. He marched slowly up to it, raising Heaven's Beam high then flaying it down. The Lost Adventurer's arm fell from the flash off his blade. Garou swiped it ridiculously fast again, blasting off the zombie's other arm. Even without blood, the scene was almost terrifying. He let out an insane laugh before taking a mighty swing to the side, tearing its head off, leaving a trail of dust.

[Garou 0]

The boy shuddered in exhaustion, almost wanting to curl up and die now that his adrenaline thinned out. Garou looked at the ashes around him and took a deep, shaky breath before he pulled out a healing crystal and recovered from his wounds. He felt his stamina rise slightly too, though the boy was still tuckered out from all the climbing. With no other choice, Garou pressed up the path once again.

[Garou 0]

The winds rose to a nearly slicing speed as the air seemed to vanish from the mountain. Garou had recovered a bit from earlier, but he felt cold through his heavy clothing. He finally unlinked his chains and kept his white gloves on, storing the heavy silver links in his inventory. Just as he started shivering as he crossed his arms, the lad could hear a roaring noise behind him.

[Garou 0]

Garou turned around with wide eyes.

I don't believe it.

Behind him was a huge ghostly swarm of dust that formed a mangled face shooting up the path. Its speed was ridiculous for its size, and it cut through the air in a complete defiance of the now howling wind. He looked up at it in fear.

Lost Wraith

HP: 25 / 25

[Garou 0]

He almost jumped out of his skin as the unholy creature arced towards him. Garou scrambled to pull out his two-handed longsword and hold it in front of him, shearing the dusty monster in half as it reached him. It turned around and let out a guttural, wet cry as it swirled back towards him, empty hollows of eyes directing their hatred at the boy.

Garou's HP: 17 / 17

Lost Wraith's HP: 24 / 25