[PP - F3] The King's Tomb <<Search for the Hoya>> (Lessa)

[Takao 0]

Takao folded his arms just under the metallic chest piece of his new and freshly acquired armour. His green eyes glanced out into the dark fields of dandelions that swayed in a gentle, eerie breeze. He was standing alone and in silence at the western edge of Delilah, wearing an uneasy expression upon his face. His discomfort wasn't well hidden, though he didn't have much of a talent for hiding his emotions. Takao shifted his weight from one foot to the other as if contemplating forward movement, but such motion never came. Instead he swiped his hand in front of him to open a floating menu before him. A clock on the upper corner of his menu read read "23:49", though the full moon that loomed overhead already gave him a clear indication of the time. He navigated through the options until he came upon his list of friends, a constantly expanding index filled with the names of his acquaintances. He lightly chewed the inside of his mouth in silent consideration as he looked over the list of names. He finally stopped at one name, Lessa, and pressed the floating text. Another prompt opened up amidst the mess of menus, allowing him to enter his desired message.
 

 

*New Message*
From: Takao
To: Lessa

Hey Lessa! I know it's late, so I'm sorry if I woke you up, but I was wondering if you might be interested in helping me out with something? I found a creepy tomb on the third floor and I'm too spooked to go alone.

 

 

Takao sent the message and began the lengthy task of closing out of the plethora of menus clouding his sight. He huffed out a breath through his nose and glanced around again, noticing a crude stone wall beside the dirt road that headed westwards. It was difficult to tell in the darkness, but a forest lay in the distance. Takao was barely illuminated as he hoisted himself up onto the meter-tall partition and balanced himself peculiarly with his legs crossed. The roads were almost entirely empty when he'd passed through the town, most players wouldn't take the risk of hunting at night. His own curiousity prevented him from sleeping after finding the tomb, which seemed rather out of place on the otherwise peaceful and tranquil floor. Rather than lay awake in bed for the entire night, he'd decided to try checking it out on his own. He had made it nearly five meters past the mist and into the maze of trees before he'd decided it might not be best to take on that excursion on his lonesome.

[Lessa 1]

The alert startled her out of a deep sleep. Groggily, Lessa rolled herself over, the bed's springs creaking in protest beneath her weight. The noise was exceptionally loud in the still silence of her bedroom; though a small party raged in the bar, the room she had claimed as her own was too far away to pick up the merry sounds. With a flick of her wrist and a pleasant jingle of chimes, the light from her menu cut through the darkness, causing her to squint until her eyes adjusted. Once they finally did, she scanned the message.

"Takao?" she whispered, her sleepy expression giving way to concern. Excluding his brief visit to her forge, she had not spoken to the boy since their initial meeting. Was he in some sort of trouble? Quickly, she shot a message back assuring him that she would be there as soon as possible. She also added a quick line asking him to stay put until she arrived. The last thing that she wanted was for him to venture in on his own. Lessa was sure that he was capable of taking care of himself, but because he had messaged her, he was now her responsibility. Furthermore, the sound of the tomb on the third floor put her on edge. Even after spending much of the last few months on that floor, she had never come across anything like he had described. Whatever it was, it made her uneasy.

With the help of her internal tracking system, she was able to find Takao relatively easily. The clinking of her armor, her heavy footfalls, and her labored breathing were the only sounds as she ran to his side. By then, it was just past midnight.

"Hey," she greeted between deep gulps of breath. "Thank you for waiting."

[Takao 0]

Her response came not long after he sent his message. The sudden appearance of a menu in his face tore his attention away from the scenery that he'd been watching with careful eyes. The third floor had to be his favourite by far, but the air around him felt unusual. It felt heavier than normal, and he couldn't suppress the feeling that something was lurking around. Every shadow he saw seemed to move and scurry away at his gaze. He opted to lay along the length of the stone wall with one leg propped up and the other idly swaying back and forth. His eagerness to explore the tomb was making each minute that passed feel like an hour, and after five minutes passed he was beginning to be lulled asleep by the gentle sounds of the night. He teetered ever so close to the clutches of sleep, but each time his eyes nearly closed to rest, his curiousity sparked up and kept him staring at the sky.

 

The rattling of armour brought him out of his daze. He sat up quickly and turned his head toward the source to see Lessa running toward him. He pushed off the wall and brushed his clothes off before beginning to approach her with considerably less haste. Takao's gloved hand raised to wave in greeting, and a habitual smile grew on his face. "Hey Lessa!" he replied in his usual chipper tone despite his lack of sleep. His head tilted to one side slightly as he noticed her laboured breathing.

 

"No problem. Thanks for comin', and sorry for wakin' you up. I would'a let you sleep if I'd known." His hand moved up to rub the back of his neck, flashing a sheepish smile that replaced the earlier one. The thought that it was so late didn't seem to have even crossed his mind.

[Lessa 1]

As her pulse slowed and her breathing steadied, Lessa had her first real opportunity of the night to really look the boy over. He had approached her with such nonchalance, such ease, that she felt strangely uncomfortable. Biting the inside of her cheek, the woman tried to make sense of the enthusiasm with which he greeted her. What had I been expecting? An emergency? Late-night messages usually signified some sort of urgency, yet Takao behaved as if they were meeting beneath the noon-time sun. A creeping embarrassment warmed her cheeks at her own haste.

The second thing that she noticed was the guild symbol that hovered beside his name. It was one that she was quite familiar with. "Cerulean Silence, huh?" The Guardian blurted out. Immediately, she regretted the tactless way she had approached the topic, but with no way to rescind her words, all she could do was back-peddle. "I didn't even know that you were looking for a guild. But that one is nice, I guess. A lot of strong players."

Her gaze shifted so that she was looking just past him. "Anyway, no need to apologize for waking me, I don't mind helping out. But what is it exactly that we're dealing with?"

[Takao 0]

His eyebrows raised as she looked him over, though he maintained the otherwise untroubled expression that he'd been wearing. It was a rather odd set of circumstances, he thought. He could've waited until the morning, which would have been the smart option, but instead his excitement and curiousity got the better of him. At the mention of the guild, the corner of Takao's mouth pulled upward and his eyebrows knitted closely together. It'd been something people were noticing a lot lately, though the significance of it never dawned on him. An insouciant shrug prefaced his words.

 

"Ayup. I wasn't really looking for a guild though, actually. I just met somebody who took me to see Mari, and she offered me a spot on the guild." He paused, as if considering saying more. "I dunno if it'll be something I stick to, though. She said that all the members are mostly independent of each other. I think that kinda defeats the purpose of a guild, y'know?"

 

As the subject switched, his characteristic smile returned. "Well, I'm not too sure actually. I was checking out the woods a little bit ago and I heard some screams, but I couldn't find where they were coming from. I kept going for a while and found a tomb with a couple big lookin' dudes standing outside, but the atmosphere of the place spooked me pretty bad so I left." His hand raised to rub the back of his neck as his face became flushed. Cowardice was not typically a word in his vocabulary.

[Lessa 1]

When Takao spoke of guilds, there was a tension in his voice that had not been there a moment ago. Or, perhaps she was imagining it, affected by her own tension that came with hearing Mari's name spoken aloud. Don't you dare put this on him, her common sense hissed. He has no part in this. He's innocent, and he does not deserve your pettiness and your stupid grudges. Blue eyes slipped behind closed lids as she took a deep breath. When she turned back to him, her features were more relaxed. For the moment, at least, she could put aside the silly feelings that plagued her.

 

There would be no more talk of guilds unless Takao brought them up again. Instead, she focused her attention on his description of the night's events. One thing that he had mentioned sent up immediate red flags. "Screams?" she echoed, her brow furrowing in equal parts concern and confusion. Screams were never good, especially in a death game such as this. Had unsuspecting players fallen victim to some great horrors inside this mysterious tomb? It was a common enough story: low-level players explored a low floor under a sense of false security, only to be jumped by something far stronger than they were. There were terrors that would give Lessa a hard time on every floor, but she knew where they lurked. Other players did not have such life-saving knowledge.

 

The sense of urgency was back as she drew her claymore. His embarrassment and cowardice were entirely lost to the worry that washed over her. "Let's go then." 

[Takao 0]

The temptation to press the matter upon noticing her reaction was difficult to suppress. It wasn't terribly urgent, at least not in the sense of causing either one of them any physical peril, so he could bury the urge for the time being. He made a mental note to bring it up later. It was easy to occupy his thoughts elsewhere, as the reason for his calling her so late had yet to be confronted.

 

He nodded at her echoing his words, then rubbed his chin. "Yeah, but..." Takao huffed out a breath as he tried to think of the best way to put his thoughts into words. Unable to do so, he shrugged in defeat. "I dunno. It was weird. Hard to describe." He shook his head as she drew her large sword that made his own pale in comparison. Her words reinforced the assumption he'd made that she was just about ready to get going. Takao smiled and nodded his head before spinning on his heel and starting down the path. A glance over his shoulder checked to see if he was being tailed, though the look was fleeting and he turned back to face forward quickly afterward. After they'd left the warm illumination of the town and ventured out into the cold night, Takao reached for his back and grasped the handle of his sword. He pulled the blade, a much more slender weapon than her own, free of the protective housing as he walked, and held it at his side with the tip pointed away.

 

"So, this is how it happened last time. I managed to get about... twenty meters or so into the forest before the mist set in. Then ten meters in it got much thicker, and around there is when I heard the scream. After that I walked north-northeast about twenty meters and I found the tomb with the... uhm..." His words failed him again as he tried to recall the name of the beasts he'd seen. "There were two of them. I'm sorry, I don't know the english word. In Japanese it was like an Ushi-oni, or uh... Ox demon. It looked like an animal's head on a man's body. Really tall too."

[Lessa 1]

As he outlined his experiences, Lessa did her best to estimate the distances. She was much better at picturing things in feet and inches, but seven years of track and field had given her some idea of how long a meter was. Ten meters? Twenty meters? That was not long at all. The fact that these activities were contained in a fairly small space was not lost on Lessa, but it did not get her any closer to the answers she searched for. "Maybe," her voice trailed off into the dark night as her face scrunched in thought. "Maybe it is some sort of quest? I mean, look. It is just as you described it." The pair had decended a short way into the woods, and the mist was already beginning to swirl about their feet. Hell Rose's red light fractured eerily all around them as the fog grew thicker. As strange as it was, Lessa felt the first tendrils of fear closing about her heart.

"If it is a quest," she murmered, "I've never heard of it." Her voice was much softer than it had been before, for no reason other than it felt right to whisper, given the circumstances. They walked along in tense silence for a few moments longer, each clinging tightly to their weapons, each lost in their own thoughts. A few times, the girl glanced over at Takao to ensure that he was still by her side, but neither spoke. At least, not until they reached tomb.

"Oh god," Lessa breathed. "Minotaurs." All at once, his description made sense to her. "Those are minotaurs, Takao. I've never seen one in-game."

[Takao 0]

His mouth turned to a thin line as the mist arose and thickened, not exactly according to his estimated measurements but close enough for it to be eerie similar. One of his eyebrows quirked up as he cast her a sidelong glance that lingered for a moment as he thought. A quest definitely seemed about right, all of his unusual experiences thus far had been explained as being a quest of some sort. "A quest makes sense. If that's the case, then I'm really curious about what's so important for them to be guarding." His voice didn't carry the softness of a whisper, but he kept his tone low all the same. Having somebody at his side had steeled his nerves, the same feeling of unease having left him after they'd entered the mist. A befitting silence fell over them, until the silhouette of a tomb entrance and two large beasts sprawled into view.

 

Takao's gaze returned to Lessa when she spoke, both of his eyebrows raising. "Minotaurs," he hoped saying the name would help him memorize it. "This is the first place I've seen anything like them too." The tip of his sword bobbed up and down with the minute movements of his hand at the hilt, a subtle sign of his eagerness to engage the two minotaurs. With Lessa beside him, he felt much more confident, enough to finally give the minotaurs a thorough examination. By his eye, he'd estimated them to be around twelve feet tall and covered in brown furs, thickest at the bull-shaped head and hoofed legs. Either of them was equipped with a broad axe with two heads, which certainly added to their already intimidating appearances. "I've got the one on the right if you can get the one on the left."

[Lessa 1]

Lessa nodded. "You got it," she replied simply, recognizing that the time for discussion on the matter was over. It was time for action. Bending at the knees slightly, she lifted her heavy claymore into the ready position. Now, all that mattered was the minotaur that stood before her. She did her best to block out the other oddities surrounding the pair, such as the ever-thickening mist and the shadows that lurked within it. The beast that guarded the tomb's left side stared silently into the night, still unaware of her presence. Soon, it would spring to life, waving its heavy axe with a strength she knew better than to underestimate. While it only had the one health bar, something about the situation told her that it would be a formidable opponent. It will probably hit like... well... an ox. The pun brought her no comfort as she finally pushed off her back foot and lunged toward the tomb.

The moment she neared the minotaur, two things happened. First, it swung its head toward her, emitting a low snort that sent warm breath rising up from its nostrils. The second thing was a shrill scream that filled the air, freezing Lessa's blood in her veins. The sound was enough to throw off Lessa's concentration, and as she struggled to regain her composure, she missed her window of opportunity. It was simply experience, instinct, and pure adrenaline that caused her to dodge the minotaur's return attack, a swipe with his heavy axe that she only barely managed to sidestep.

{[25132] BD: 3. MD: 5. Both attacks fail.}

Lessa [H:0]: 63/63 {+1 dmg on next attack}

Takao [H:0]: 43/43

Left Minotaur [H:0]: 23/23

Right Minotaur [H:0]: 23/23

((Because we both have 4 damage mitigation, how would you feel about having the minotaurs each deal 8 damage?))

[Takao 0]

A smile grew on his face and he returned the nod. Takao reaffirmed his grip on the handle of his sword and approached one of the two hulking beasts that impeded their progress. His skills in the art of stealth were lacking, so he didn't bother with sneaking up on the minotaur. As he entered its line of sight, the half man-half beast stirred to life, and a pair of glowing red eyes met Takao's own emerald hues. The smile he had earlier continued to tug at his cheeks, refusing to be suppressed. There was just something about the thrill of the situation that made him restless in both body and mind, preventing his expression from easing into something more combat appropriate.

 

The minotaur gripped its axe tightly and exhaled a guttural bellow in his direction, though Takao's firm stance was unwavering. He positioned the slender blade at his side with the tip pointing outward, his knees bent and body poised in a specific stance. The metal began to shimmer and glow a pale green, a low hum and whir emanating from the blade. The minotaur began its approach, each heavy step was thunderous as the hooves crashed into the ground. When it stood less than ten meters away, Takao took off toward it in a sprint. Approaching it head on was likely not the best idea, but his unorthodox methods were very rarely regarded for their forethought. The minotaur lifted its axe skyward and brought it crashing down toward the brunet, with the aim of stopping his advance all together. The attempt was futile as Takao dropped down to slide past the axe just as it crashed into the ground, his momentum carrying him past the minotaur as well. His right foot caught the ground and slowed him to a stop, then his left pushed him off the ground. He released the sword art and thrust his blade forward, slashing deep into the minotaur's side and eliciting a pained howl from the beast's maw. A glowing red stripe was left in the blade's wake as Takao came to a stop in front of the minotaur, and immediately put a few feet's worth of distance between the two.

 

The scream that came after his success shook him to the core, as it had the last time he'd heard it. He noted that it didn't sound like Lessa in the slightest, and he knew that it wasn't her, but the fog clouding his vision made his confidence waver. "Lessa!" He called out, just to be sure. "You alright?" His concerned voice was loud enough to cut through the haze and growing sounds of battle.

 

- -

 

(That sounds good to me. Always nice to have a little bit of a challenge!)

 

» ID : [[ 25134 ]]

» BD : [[ 9 ]] (+1 critical damage)

» MD : [[ *5* - 3 = 2 ]]

 

« Takao Â»

[[ 43/43 HP ]]

 

« Minotaur (Right) »

[[ 14/23 HP ]] (8(DMG)) + 1 critical = -9 HP)

[[ Hate : 1 ]]

[Lessa 1]

"Y-yeah," she called back, her voice trembling as badly as the heavy sword in her hands. "I'm good." Though the truth of the matter was, the blonde was far from 'good.' The minotaur was not the source of her fear; she had battled and beaten far more powerful bests since entering Sword Art Online. No, it was the overall setting of this particular battle that put her on-edge. Alyssa had never been one for scary movies and haunted houses, because frankly, they scared her half to death. Now, Lessa found herself entirely immersed within one, and it made it nearly impossible for her to concentrate.

It's just a game, she tried reminding herself, but that brought no comfort whatsoever. Everything in Aincrad was 'just a game,' but that did not make it any less frightening. It did not make the swords any duller. It did not make the deaths any less permanent.

The enormous beast stared down at her, and as she caught its gaze, Lessa felt a creeping sense of dread. She could not go on standing there, paralyzed by fear of some unearthly scream, or else the minotaur would crush her. Just finish this so you can leave.

This line of thinking was enough to propel the heavily-armored girl forward. The sudden burst of speed was entirely unexpected, and it caught the minotaur off-guard. By the time the beast was able to comprehend the situation, and prepare itself for a counter attack, Lessa was long gone, leaving only a glowing red gash int he minotaur's side.

{[25533] 9. Lessa deals 9 damage (8 base + 1 from heavy momentum.)}

Lessa [H:1]: 63/63

Takao [H:1]: 43/43

Left Minotaur [H:0]: 14/23

Right Minotaur [H:0]: 14/23

[Takao 0]

Although he recognized the tremble in her voice despite the distance, Takao made no further comment. His focus needed to be on the fight at hand, for he knew the hulking mass of Minotaur would afford him no opportunities to worry about anything other than evading its attacks. Whatever protection his armour provided from a hostile's attack would not be enough to run the risk of letting the monster get the upper hand. Glowing red eyes stared menacingly into his own emerald hues that stared right back, though much less intimidating.

 

With his focus entirely set on the battle at hand, it was easy to block out any feelings of unease that he'd felt following the scream. Knowing it wasn't Lessa's was enough for him at the moment, though it did further fuel his desire to know what laid beyond the tomb's ferocious guards. Something worth guarding with this much effort must surely be interesting, he thought!

 

Takao was still rather close to the Minotaur and well within range of an attack. This time around, the massive beast opted to swipe its large axe horizontally at him, intent on splitting him in two at the waist. Ever the taker of risks, Takao decided to move out of the axe head's path by diving forward. As he hit the ground, he tumbled forward until he was back on his feet, though regaining his balance after the disorientating maneuver was difficult. He swung wide and blindly missed, although he'd gotten all the success he needed out of not being lopped in half. He lifted himself back up to stand and very quickly put a considerable amount of distance between himself and the Minotaur.

 

- -

 

» ID : [[ 25554 ]]

» BD : [[ 2 ]]

» MD : [[ *7* - 3 = 4 ]]

 

« Takao Â»

[[ 43/43 HP ]]

 

« Minotaur (Right) »

[[ 14/23 HP ]]

[[ Hate : 1 ]]

[Lessa 1]

Another scream. This one was somehow even more terrifying that the first, sounding more like a strangled howl than a simple cry of pain or fright. Lessa gave a choked moan of fear, a sound of pure dread that slipped unconsciously from her lips. Now, her frame shook like the leaves on the wind, clinging to the thin twigs the same way that Lessa clung to her sanity. Another gust of wind, another scream, and both might snap.

 

"Get it together," she mouthed, but there was no sound behind her words. It was as if even her own body could not muster the strength to deliver such a command. In her current state, she was unsure that she would be able to carry it out anyway.

 

Desperately, Lessa swung her gaze toward her companion. The wall of impregnable mist that stood between them made it impossible for her to see him, only tightening fear's hold on her heart. "Takao?" she called out weakly.

 

The attack, which the seasoned veteran should have seen coming, came as a complete surprise. With the force of an oncoming freight train, the minotaur's sharp ax found her chest. Though the blade rang off her heavy breastplate with an impossibly loud clang, the force was enough to throw the girl a few feet backwards. She skidded across the earth, a haphazard tangle of limbs, as her claymore went skipping the other direction.

 

{[25595] BD: 2. MD: 9. Lessa's attack misses. Minotaur deals 5 damage (9-4 dmg mit).}

Lessa [H:1]: 58/63 (+1 dmg on next successful attack from heavy momentum)
Takao [H:1]: 43/43

Left Minotaur [H:1]: 14/23
Right Minotaur [H:0]: 14/23 

[Takao 0]

The scream was ear piercing and threatened to throw his concentration off track, even as he stared down the large half man half beast that loomed before him. He grit his teeth and furrowed his eyebrows, forcing his attention to stay on the task at hand and very temporarily shelving the unease that formed a pit in his stomach. He could still see Lessa's health bar in the corner of his eye; it hadn't gone down, she was still fine. At least, as "fine" as one could be, given the circumstances. He didn't give the Minotaur much time to recover from its last wide attack and began to advance on it when its broad axe was being brought back up to prepare for another attack. He approached the Minotaur's right side from stage right and swung his blade into the beast's lower leg. It howled again in pain, not cutting through the screams but instead mixing in with them to create what Takao would likely dub the most unsettling sound he'd ever heard at a later date.

 

His concentration was broken upon hearing her weak voice travel through the thick field of mist, narrowing his eyes and straining himself to make out shapes or silhouettes, but ultimately saw nothing. "Yeah, still h... - whoa!" His unshaken voice was cut off suddenly as his green eyes instinctively shifted back on the fight. He'd nearly made the same mistake, but had been fortunate enough to catch himself doing so beforehand. Takao tensed his legs and pushed off the ground, jumping back and twisting his body into a flip to preform a single hand spring. The Minotaur's axe came crashing into the ground and shook the soil nearby with the sheer force as Takao landed, nearly knocking him off his balance. At the same time, a loud clash of metal rang into his ears, followed by the sound he'd immediately recognized as a dropped weapon. He glanced up to the health bar and watched her health drop as far as it did, then looked back to the Minotaur.

 

"Alright, let's think... I can't go over to her, or I'll lure this guy with me... That'll be bad for both of us." A fleeting glance to her health bar confirmed how much damage the Minotaur did, and a quick look at the Minotaur's health in front of him informed him of how much he had left to go. Lessa's quarry was out of sight, so his knowledge of her status was very one sided. "Looks like it can't do that much damage right out of the gate. I'll... finish this guy up first, then go over." His attention returned to the Minotaur, watching its movements closely and waiting for a cue to either attack or dodge. "I'm still good, almost done on my side! You alright over there?!" His voice cut through the fog, again unshaken but this time expressing a fair bit of concern. In an odd way, he was thankful for the Minotaur's presence to keep his mind grounded.

 

- -

 

» ID : [[ 255607 ]]

» BD : [[ 7 + 1(LMT) = 8 ]]

» MD : [[ *8* - 3 = 5 ]]

 

« Takao Â»

[[ 43/43 HP ]]

 

« Minotaur (Right) »

[[ 6/23 HP ]] (8(DMG)) = -8 HP)

[[ Hate : 2 ]]

[Lessa 1]

Get Hell Rose. You have to get Hell Rose. You're nothing without your sword.

 

Fortunately, for once, Lessa's mind and her body were willing to work together, apparently in agreement that retrieving her claymore was her top priority. As the minotaur took its first lumbering steps toward her, Lessa flipped over onto her stomach, entirely ignoring the protests from her aching muscles. The attack had taken its toll on her physical state in a way that her health bar could never represent, but she would have to worry about that later. Dirt and rocks tore at the soles of her boots and the tender skin of her palms as she half-lunged, half-crawled toward her claymore. Its red glow, though slightly muted by the thick mist, shone like a beacon that she clambered madly toward. The beast's heavy foot-falls were never too far off as it tailed her into the fog.

 

Just as her fingertips kissed Hell Rose's sleek grip, his voice came from somewhere else. It was so steady, so sure of itself. How was Takao so confident, when she was the one who had swooped in to rescue him? She was the higher level. She was the one who should be looking after him. How easily she was frightened, and how quickly she forgot her purpose. She grit her teeth, tugging her powerful sword closer to her. Her role in this game was to support others, not to drag them down, and possibly put them in harm's way as a result. If she were to fall to this minotaur, what would happen to the emerald-eyed boy who had trusted her enough to ask for help? Up against two ax-wielding beasts, be would surely meet the same fate. That, she simply could not allow. I would never forgive myself if I let another one die.

 

Armed once more, the battered Guardian climbed to her feet. He is what's real. The mist, the screams, the fear - none of that means anything. He's the one you need to worry about. He's the one who must stay alive. 

 

No amount of positive thinking could have protected her from the attack which came only seconds after. The minotaur, having used her lack of weapon to its advantage, landed another bone-crunching attack. But this time, Lessa was ready for it. As her health bar dipped, and the minotaur paused to celebrate its successful attack, Lessa went on the offensive. She dug her heels into the ground, catching herself before she tumbled to the ground once more. Then, emitting a low cry of effort and anger, she swung her sword. Now, it was the minotaur's turn to bellow in anger.

 

{[25644] BD: 6. Lessa deals 9 damage (base, +1 heavy momentum). MD: 8. The minotaur deals 4 damage.}

 

Lessa: 54/63 
Takao: 43/43

Left Minotaur: 5/23
Right Minotaur: 6/23 

[Takao 0]

Staying focused was easy for him, almost natural even. He was fortunate enough to be grounded by a hulking beast of a monster swinging an axe around like a maniac, snorting and grunting at time like an animal, threatening to send him into the next life if he let his mind wander. With his focus came confidence, a very small portion stemming from his own abilities while the majority came from the knowledge that he wasn't alone in this endeavour. Even as the screams entered his ears and the thoughts that jeopardized his concentration appeared, he had little problem shelving them. Normally he would've been racking his mind as his imagination ran wild, asking himself a hundred questions. What was the scream coming from? Was it hostile? Friendly? Could he help it? Should he? None of those thoughts stuck, instead, the only thing he had to think about was what stood before him, the Minotaur. The only thought running through his mind as a small grin worked its way on his face was simple, "I have to kill it before it kills me."

 

Takao was already on the move when the Minotaur began to swing. He was faster than the Minotaur, and his speed afforded him the opportunity to strike while the Minotaur dropped its guard in favour of the offensive. His blade caught onto the lower part of the Minotaur's stomach and cleaved deep into its side, leaving a stripe of glowing red in its wake as the blade ripped through the digital flesh. It howled and roared in simulated pain as Takao landed on his right foot and spun on his heel, watching his quarry dissipate into colourful shards. The howls of pain stopped suddenly and gave him a moment of silence, until an identical roar sounded from nearby. With his sword still in hand, he broke into a light jog toward the source.

 

The silhouettes of two beings sprawled into view slowly, and he very quickly recognized them as Lessa and the remaining Minotaur. He could see her health and noted that it had dropped again, though not by a worrisome amount. He couldn't see the remaining Minotaur's, but he imagined it would be rather low by the sound of the pained howls. He opted to stay quiet and not reveal his presence just yet. On the off chance that she needed help, which he couldn't doubt any more than he already did, he would be in a better position to help. 

 

- -

 

» ID : [[ 25647 ]]

» BD : [[ 6 ]]

» MD : [[ *10* - 3 = 7 ]]

 

« Takao Â»

[[ 43/43 HP ]] (Damage negated by turn order.)

 

« Minotaur (Right) » *DEAD*

[[ -2/23 HP ]] (8(DMG)) = -8 HP)

[[ Hate : 3 ]]

[Lessa 1]

The minotaur gave Lessa no time to recover, and that was fine by her. It was time to end the silly skirmish that had caused her so much grief and anxiety. When is the last time I've felt like this in a battle? she wondered briefly. Months of limiting herself to low-level monsters had made combat especially dull. This time, she felt more on edge than she had in a long while. Of course, that did not affect her overwhelming desire for it to end.

 

With an angry roar that made the pebbles bounce around Lessa's feet, the ox-man closed the distance between them in three enormous steps. All the while, it lifted its mighty axe over its head, preparing to deal the final blow. This time, when it fell, Lessa was ready. Gravity carried the blade toward her, but it was Hell Rose that stopped it in the air. Though she had no speed skills to speak of, the girl had predicted the enraged beast's movements, and sidestepped its attack at the last moment. Where she had once stood, only her crimson blade remained, extended outward from arms that now only trembled from exertion. The weapons met with a resounding metallic sound that echoed through the darkness.

 

In that moment, time seemed to slow. Lessa's narrowed blue eyes lifted to meet the minotaur's dark gaze, her face set in hard defiance. Some amount of time must have passed, of that the Guardian was sure, but she could not say just how much. Every ounce of her strength, every inch of her being, was focused entirely on pushing upward against the monster's attack. It, she could only assume, was just as hell-bent on crushing her blade downward. It was stand-off, a match of pure toughness, and neither appeared willing to give in.

 

Suddenly, Lessa's face contorted, her expression a mixture of pain and anger. An ugly roar gurgled from the depths of her throat as she lifted her sword, bringing its weapon skyward as well. The connection between the blonde and the beast was shattered as she hooked the edge of her blade under the lip of the minotaur's axe, and yanked with all the force she could muster. The move tore the item from the creature's hands, and provided the distraction necessary for Lessa bring her glowing blade back down, and sheathe it in the minotaur's stomach.

 

The monster burst into shards of data, which rained down upon where the Guardian stood. Her chest rose and fell sharply beneath her heavy armor, and her face, flushed with the adrenaline which pulsed through her veins, was slick with sweat. It was only then that she felt the eyes upon her back. Slowly, she turned to face Takao. He made it. When she spoke, her word choice was simple, but her tone revealed the barrage of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "Hey."

 

{[25652] BD: 9. Lessa deals 9 damage (base, +1 critical). MD: 5. Minotaur's attack misses.}

 

 

Lessa: 54/63 
Takao: 43/43

Left Minotaur: 0/23 DEAD
Right Minotaur: 0/23 DEAD

[Takao 0]

Takao watched from the safety that came with the distance he'd kept, his typical and habitual smile spread across his face and both eyebrows raised in surprise and interest as she watched. The two entered a stalemate that Takao himself never could've managed, not with his hit-and-run intended style of play, and Lessa ended up getting the better of the beast. As her large blade pierced the beast stomach and reduced it to shattered data, Takao raised his held sword and brought the tip to the mouth of the scabbard on his back. He slid it inside and brushed his hands together as he advanced toward Lessa, his expression having eased away from surprise and turned to a more normal look.

 

When he was greeted so casually, even with the bombardment of an emotional undertone, he couldn't help himself. His attempts to hold back his laugh turned into a snort and the laugh came out anyway. It wasn't particularly a mocking laugh, more so lighthearted. "Hey!" He replied back in his usual chipper voice, one that would make a person wonder if he'd actually just been locked in mortal combat just minutes prior.

 

"Are you alright? That ended up being a little tougher than I was expecting." He cast a fleeting glance to the health bar that floated by her head and noted the missing percentage, a notable amount but nothing to be concerned over. His gaze returned to her, still wearing a smile. He turned on his heel to face the now unguarded tomb, one hand coming to rest on his hip as he examined the entrance through the thick fog. "Guess we get to find out what's been making all that noise now, huh?" The voice that had previously been unshaken during combat had grown much more timid and apprehensive. The confidence he had during the fight wavered and shrank into nothing, effectively breaking down the wall that had been keeping his imagination at bay. Now, nothing was stopping his mind from imagining what laid beyond them in the fog.

[Lessa 1]

The calm with which Takao addressed her first startled, and then confused Lessa. She stared him down in silence for a few moments, blue eyes searching him for some clue as to his thoughts. Why did he laugh? Was it nerves? Eventually, her tired mind gave up attempting to figure him out. She was already running on fumes, and the battle with the minotaur had done absolutely nothing to improve her state of mind. Sure, at the time, adrenaline had kept her moving. Now, however, she felt a bit like curling up where she stood and trying to sleep. Takao's ease put her on edge, but she would not waste any more time attempting to decode it.

 

"Uh, yeah," she whispered suddenly, remembering his question. Her trembling hand raked slowly through her sweaty blonde hair as she glanced away from him, praying that her eyes would not betray the fear that still held her. It was not until the young man made his second comment that she swung her gaze back to him. His nonchalance was gone; his tone suddenly held definite traces of unease. Somehow, that made her feel a bit better. So I'm not crazy for finding this whole thing way too unusual.

 

A quick look at her health bar reminded her that she had taken a bit of a beating, and that she would need to be cautious as she moved on. "I guess so," came her hesitant answer. Turning back now would do her no good, and it would make their work so-far pointless. Even more concerning was the thought that Takao may go on by himself if she abandoned him. That would not be acceptable.