[SP-F3] Search for the Hoya - Quest Repeat - COMPLETE!!

[Mack 0]

OOC: Repeating the quest, need a second amulet.

Having given away the Hoya of Minos, which he had received as a quest reward from an earlier quest, Mack found himself in need of a second amulet. While the first one had been given to Opal, for a good cause no less, Mack's true desire was to gift one of the amulets to Piera. That gifting would be giving out the amulet for the purpose for which it was intended to serve as a gift. In a shimmer of light, the Grandmaster of the Crimson Blades appeared on the third floor of the Aincrad tower, bright lazy sunshine cascading down around him in the mid-morning sky. Shouldering his axe, Mack immediately headed out to return to the Tomb of King Minos, defeat the guardians, crush Minos and his ghost for a second time, if need be, and retrieve the Hoya of Minos for a second time.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Mack

[Mack 0]

ID: 30331
BD: 6 (4+1 Charm+1 Concentration)
MD: 7
Mack: 56/57 (-1 Dam., Mit. 2)
Bison: 19/29 (-8 Dam., -2 Thorns)

Passing through the main gates of Delilah Village, Mack headed out into the plains surrounding the village heading in the direction of the Forest of Wavering Mist where he knew Minos' tomb to be located. As he began crossing the rolling hills and high grasses of the plains the enormous axe-man kept his grey eyes peeled for any mobs in the area that he might be able to thrash on the way out to the forest. He was in need of the crafting materials and mob hunting was the surest way to come up with those precious materials. Reaching the summit of a hill, Mack looked around and quickly spotted a nearby buffalo. Slinging Guillotine down off of his back, Mack charged off down the hill and buried the bearded head of the axe into the bison's flank, which was promptly followed by the massive creature kicking the axe-man in the chest and sending him flying several feet through the air before crashing back down to the ground.

[Mack 0]

ID: 30993
BD: 9 (8+1)
MD: 9
Mack: 55/57 (-1 Dam., Mit. 2)
Bison: 9/29 (-8 Dam., -2 Thorns)

Picking himself up off of the ground, the blonde haired warrior shook his head a few times to clear the stars from his field of vision. Using Guillotine as a sort of modified crutch, Mack clambered back to his feet and faced off with the bison that had wheeled around to face him in the intervening moments since it had kicked him. The massive brown beast's nostrils flared and it pawed the ground before charging. As the animal came in Mack leaped into the air and brought the blade of Guillotine crashing down on the animal's skull with it lodged as the beast continued to run, carrying the axe-wielder along like an odd facsimile of a windsock. When the animal abruptly stopped the weapon was freed from the buffalo's head and Mack, Guillotine, and all went sailing through the air to land in a heap some twenty feet away.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31016
BD: 3 (2+1)
MD: 9
Mack: 54/57
Bison: 7/29 (-2 Thorns)

No sooner had Mack returned to the earth than the massive mound of buffalo flesh was upon him again. As the beast rumbled and grumbled and snorted in fury it raised its gigantic front hooves up off of the ground and brought them stomping down in the middle of Mack's chest just as he was preparing to get back to his feet. In the real world such an attack probably would have been fatal, thankfully this was a video game. A video game where real world death was still possible, but still just a video game. Grumbling to himself, Mack took a wild swipe at the bison with Guillotine and, though he missed completely, he did at least succeed in getting the beast to back off for the time being so that the blonde man could get back on his feet.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31018
BD: 6 (5+1)
MD: 7
LD: 20
Mack: 53/57 (-1 Dam.)
Bison: -3/29 (-8 Dam., -2 Thorns)

As the bison pawed the ground and then charged again Mack set his feet and waited. When the beast was close enough he swung Guillotine over his head. The bearded head of the axe flashed in the bright sunshine of the day and buried itself deep in the bison's skull. Still, it would take a few seconds for the creature to fully dissolve as it died and those few seconds were all the bison needed to be able to slam into Mack one last time and knock the hulking blonde man on his rump again. Seconds later the beast was gone from the field of battle and, in its place, there was a bag with one hundred forty-five col and a pair of crafting materials. Not a bad haul, certainly an auspicious sign for the completion of the quest as a whole.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31021
BD: 10 (9+1)
MD: 10
Mack: 51/57 (-2 Dam., Mit. 2)
Bison: 18/29 (-2 Thorns, -9 Dam.)

As he continued in his inexorable quest moving forward to retrieve another Hoya of Minos, this time to gift to the woman that he actually was interested in, Mack created another hill and continued moving in the direction of Minos' Tomb. He knew from past experience that the two guardians at the tomb would not prove to be much in the way of a fight, therefore the quest wouldn't take all that long to complete. As a result, it was a good idea to engage in a spot of hunting and material gathering along the way. When the blonde warrior came upon another bison blocking his path, he didn't hesitate before burying the blade of his axe deep in the creature's side, leaving a gaping wound as he tore it free. The fact that this bison looked nearly twice the size of the first and also chose to kick Mack for his trouble was purely coincidental.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31023
BD: 3 (2+1)
MD: 7
Mack: 50/57 (-1 Dam., Mit. 2)
Bison: 16/29 (-2 Thorns)

As had been the case with the previous bison that Mack had tried to tackle, this one also waste no time in coming charging after him as he was getting back to his feet. At least this time, though, Mack was ready for the tactic. Picking himself up off of the ground, the blonde man shook his head back and forth and he just managed to step enough to one side as the furry freight train from hell rumbled past that he was able to avoid the worst of the animal's attack. The massive creature still managed to strike him a glancing blow, and it received an equal sting back from the thorns enchantment on the Angelic Sheath. But, at least the massive animal hadn't managed to land a critical hit this time, or knock him to the ground, and that was definitely an improvement.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31063
BD: 9 (8+1)
MD: 3
Mack: 50/57
Bison: 8/29 (-8 Dam.)

As the bison wheeled around at the end of its charge to launch the same attack for yet another consecutive round Mack snarled in frustration and tightened his grip on Guillotine. This time the blonde man wasn't going to give an inch to the overgrown herbivore. As the beast made to charge him down Mack whipped the bladed head of Guillotine across his body in a silverish blur of motion. The weighted axe head slammed into the side of the buffalo's head with enough force to physically redirect the animal's charge. As it stampeded past him, Mack ripped the weapon free from the bison's skull with a savage grin.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31074
BD: 8 (7+1)
MD: 6
Mack: 49/57 (-1 Dam., Mit. 2)
Bison: -2/29 (-8 Dam., -2 Thorns)

As the beast rumbled past Mack yet again the blonde axe man shifted his grip on Guillotine and slid his hands into a position that would let him punch the bison next time it was in range. With a bellow of rage, the bison lifted its two front feet just barely off of the ground and charged towards Mack again. When the beast was in range, Mack punched it in the head as hard as he could. Of course, Mack's strength wasn't nearly enough to halt the charge of the beast. But, still, the impact of the axe-head coupled with the output of his armor's thorns enchantment, meant that Mack was quite capable of killing the beast and it dissolved into pixels, leaving behind a crafting material in its wake.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31081
MD: 8 (7+1)
MD: 5
Mack: 49/57
Bison: 21/29 (-8 Dam.)

As he neared the edge of the plain where the tall golden grasses and rolling hills slowly disappeared into the dense trees of the minotaur infested forest where the Tomb of Minos was located Mack came upon yet another bison. Another chance to harvest crafting materials that really should not be bypassed. Taking the leather-wrapped mahogany haft of Guillotine in his hands, Mack slunk up to the grazing animal and then proceeded to bury the gleaming steel head of Guillotine deep in the massive beast's rump. As it kicked out in retaliation Mack jumped to one side and the beast's retaliatory strike missed.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31244
BD: 9 (8+1)
MD: 4
Mack: 49/57
Bison: 13/29 (-8 dam.)

Rolling quickly to one side to avoid the kick out from the bison, Mack came up to his feet and the beast's side and buried the hardened steel head of the blade deep in the creature's side yet again. As the massive animal lumbered about, trying to face its attacker Mack continued to move quickly to circle the beast. The goal was to remain ever behind or to the side of the enormous animal where its ability to strike back at him would be mitigated somewhat if for no other reason than because of the sheer size of the beast. Of course, if and when it decided to move forward to get away this plan would be moot. But, for the time being it as working just fine.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31412
BD: 3 (2+1)
MD: 8
Mack: 48/57 (-1 Dam., Mit. 2)
Bison: 11/29 (-2 Thorns)

Almost as if on cue, the bison rocketed forward a few steps and then turned in a very neat pivot that Mack wouldn't have expected in such a large animal. The next thing he knew, the beast had gored him right in the chest. The force of the impact blasted the massive axe wielder back several steps to land in a heap on the ground. Growling from somewhere low in his throat, Mack picked himself up off of the ground and faced off with the enormous mass of muscle and fur once again, his storm grey eyes narrowing as he tightened his grip on Guillotine and moved back in to attack again.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31420
BD: 7 (6+1)
MD: 3
Mack: 48/57
Bison: 3/29 (-8 Thorns)

As he charged down the bison Mack devoured the ground in long, almost loping, strides. When he got into attack range on the massive beast again it tried to gore him for a second time, but the blonde axe-man dodged easily to the left and came up swinging. The weighted axe head of Guillotine tore through the air and buried itself deep in the side of the buffalo. As quickly as was possible, Mack extricated the weapon from the beast and continued to work to circle around behind it to launch the final attack that would kill the creature and bring the blonde warrior a crafting material in reward.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31422
BD: 6 (5+1)
MD: 9
Mack: 47/57 (-1 Dam., Mit. 2)
Bison: -7/29 (-2 Thorns, -8 Dam.)

Making his way around behind the bison Mack slashed with a sideways chop at the creature's hindquarters. The steel head of Guillotine made solid contact with the bison and the fatal blow was struck. The problem was that the bison still managed to lash out with its hind legs in one last ditch attack. The force of the impact knocked Mack backwards, flat on his back. As he sat up, the buffalo had already disappeared from the field of battle, leaving in its wake a single crafting material in the form of a bolt of leather which Mack quickly scooped up and added to his inventory before moving on into the forest that held the tomb of King Minos and its hidden treasures.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31521
MD: 8
BD: 11 (10+1)
Mack: 47/57
Minotaur: 18/30 (-10 dam., -2 Thorns)

With the final blow having been delivered to the bison, Mack moved forward into the fog and mist shrouded forest proper. As with his first adventure to the Tomb of Minos when he had earlier completed the quest and received the Hoya of Minos, Mack found his way through the dark and dank forest unopposed by the mobs within. While that had been somewhat disconcerting the first time he had completed the quest, since it was now mirroring his experiences from the first time through it was considerably less bothersome to the massive blonde man. As he approached the two minotaurs that guarded the entrance to the tomb Mack wasted no time in walking right up to one of the beasts and burying the steel head of his axe squarely in the creature's head, right between the eyes. Sure, Mack paid for his insolence when the beast backhanded him, but it was a small price to pay for landing the guaranteed hit.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31535
MD: 5
BD: 10 (9+1)
Mack: 46/57
Minotaur: 7/30 (-9 dam., -2 Bleed)

Staggering backwards a few steps after the minotaur guardian struck him with a fierce and powerful backhanded blow, Mack quickly righted himself and got his feet set in a ready position, swinging Guillotine free and easy between his large hands as the minotaur unlimbered its own enormous battleaxe from its back and bellowed a challenge. In two ground devouring strides the massive bull man was upon Mack, drawing back his own blade and swinging it around his body. The blonde warrior ducked the swing neatly and it sailed over his head, leaving the minotaur momentarily exposed. Taking a half step into the opened, Mack whipped the hardened carbon steel head of Guillotine around his body in a horizontal strike, burying the weapon for a second time deep into the flesh of the foul creature which let out a roar of rage.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31542
MD: 1
BD: 7 (6+1)
LD: 19 (+1 Mat.)
Mack: 46/57
Minotaur: -5/30 (-8 dam., -4 Bleed)

After landing his second consecutive critical hit on the minotaur guardian Mack took a couple of steps back from the combat to consider the damage he had dealt to the creature. With the first blow, he had taken the beast down into the yellow zone on its health and, with the second, he had further lowered the bull man's health into the red zone. It was obvious that one more good hit would finish off the guardian and then Mack could move on to the second. Ordinarily, he might have left the second one alone. But, since they posed no danger to him and since they were guaranteed to drop crafting materials which he needed it would have been stupid to not take out both of them again. Raising Guillotine up over his head, Mack stepped forward and buried the blade of the weapon in the left shoulder of the beast. It growled in anger, but couldn't manage to lift its weapon again as it disappeared in a shower of pixels.

REWARDS:

+2 Mats

[Mack 0]

ID: 31545
Mack: 47/57 (+1 Health)
LD: 18 (+1 Mat)

With the first minotaur defeated, Mack knew that the second one wouldn't attack him until he attacked it. So, he decided to do a bit of exploring in the main courtyard of the temple, something he hadn't done on his first time through completing this quest. Prowling around the outer walls of the courtyard, Mack gently probed at the soft earth around the low stone walls. After a few minutes of searching he encountered a bit of resistance and heard a soft, but metallic, clang of metal on metal. Nodding to himself, the blonde man knelt on the ground and scooped away at the dirt with his hands and, after a few seconds of work, he came away with another crafting material which he added to his inventory.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31553
MD: 9
BD: 11 (10+1)
LD: 19 (+1 Mat.)
Mack: 45/57 (-1 Dam., Mit. 2)
Minotaur: 18/30 (-10 dam., -2 Thorns)

Just as he was finishing up his circuit around the perimeter wall of the small courtyard that surrounding the mausoleum that housed the tomb of Minos his ears detected another metallic clunk. Dropping to one knee again Mack rooted around in the dirt and retrieved another crafting material which he added to his inventory. That done, he rose to his feet and brushed his hands off against one another for a moment before tightening his grip on Guillotine again. Marching directly across the open yard to the other minotaur, Mack stood before the creature and then proceeded to bury the blade of his axe directly into the face of the second guardian for another clean critical hit. This time the guardian responded by backhanding Mack, but he was ready for that. What he wasn't ready for was for the bull man to lash out with the but of his axe's haft which caught the blonde man in the chest and knocked him back a few feet.

[Mack 0]

ID: 31553
MD: 3
BD: 6 (5+1)
Mack: 45/57
Minotaur: 8/30 (-8 dam., -2 Bleed)

When the minotaur raised its axe to swing, Mack coiled his legs and readied himself. As the blade of the beast's axe whipped towards him, Mack dove to the left underneath the blade. Rolling back to his feet, Mack scythed his own axe through the air and buried the bladed head of his weapon deep in the bull man's right side. The beast let out a roar of disapproval at being struck by the axe in that manner. However, there was really very little that the creature could do about it given that the minotaur's digital blood was pouring freely from the gash that Mack had opened up in its head with his initial strike and that blood was getting into the animal's eyes and obscuring his vision.