[PP-F5] Butcher of the Sands (Opal)

[Azide 0]

Sand, sand, and even more sand- sand as far as the eye could see. Alongside the tenth and the twelfth, this had to be among his least favorite of the floors which had been made available to the masses. It didn't help that the scorching heat of this place was every bit as intense as the biting frigidity of the floor which preceded it; but at least the fourth made up for its unfavorable conditions in its solemn sort of beauty. Indeed, whereas the tundra was a noticeably popular location for shops of all sorts, he had never encountered any shops of note in the desert.

A hand raised to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun, Azide peered around the dusty settlement from his precarious position- a seat atop one of the town's many sandstone domes. The young man wrapped the crook of his arm around a single raised knee, cradling the inwardly tucked leg more closely to his chest while the other stretched out liberally before him. Even with the slight shade afforded by the shadow of his hand, he found himself still squinting as he searched the surrounding area for any signs of red and white. Nothing, so far.

[Opal 0]

It had come by as a shock when she received a message from her Vice Commander on the opportunity to take one of the higher leveled quests which she knew very little about. Despite the harsh environment of floor five, Opal found little difficulty in navigating the town of Armadillo as well as it's blistering high temperature. Now having the <<Survival>> skill to safeguard from the extreme of temperatures, the heat had become just a minor annoyance. With a firm grasp of the ornate saya in her right hand, the woman toted around an Odachi Katana, the long blade reaching to an approximate seven feet in length, well above the height of the woman. It had been her dream to obtain such an item and thanks to the very crafter of this floor, she had become one with her blade and planned to use it as a means to end this world. 

With sweat drops streaming down the tan surface of her curvy figure, Opal had stood for a moment to inspect the surrounding. She was unsure of where to meet the Vice Commander at and he didn't seem to be around. Perhaps she was early, and that was above all else a good thing for she had thought the extra time to prepare for the quest would make her late for the engagement. Standing tall in her full height, the woman placed one hand on her hip, the white silver armor the laced her arms and bosom was covered with a satin white caplette that draped her shoulders. To each side of the cape was the embroidered image of a silver phoenix stitched into the fabric, and then an overlay of a crimson cross to signify the guild's emblem on top. The caplette was further detailed with a bold crimson trimming that made the uniform almost pop and stand out amongst the blazing heat and sand ridden town. She wore a black mail armored corset, with the fabric bearing white with the same red embellishment around the edges of the armor. Upon her waist was a sheet of satin white skirt that fluttered and billowed outwards from an over passing dry wind. The fabric had yet another phoenix design stitched into the material, but much more pronounced in color and in full bloom as opposed to the ones that bore on her caplette. Finishing off the ensemble she wore a pair of shin high white boots with red metal outline in the grooves of the plates that surrounded the fabric. Thigh high leggings were worn of a smoky white color, each one offering a different length while the right leg had two leather straps for personal fashion taste to just add a bit more uniqueness to the outfit. Unsure whether or not the Vice Commander would approve of such a flashy uniform was yet to be seen or heard for this was the day of christening her uniform in public. 

Smooth short ebony hairs from her face, the one amply dark makeup was replaced with a much more red tones but held the same design at least for the moment as well as the ruby red lipstick which she would confess to be her favored color. With the butt of the saya landing softly in the sandy ground, the woman used squinted honey eyes to search out the Vice Commander once more, she had not even bothered to look above for the sun was too set on forging its rays and bearing its fangs upon her eyesight at such a low level. Looking up, she would be only met with blinding light. 

[Azide 0]

He spat as a gritty wind left him feasting on grains; it was not that he didn't think that grains were a vital part of the average diet, but more so out of a personal distaste for this sandier variety. Instinctively, a hand slid down to his hip, but his fingers were left grasping at empty air. Somehow, he'd forgotten to pack something as simple and obvious as a canteen or a waterskin- no-brainers for a floor like this. Was it another sign? Of course, he'd like to dismiss it as the heat messing with his head, although obviously that hadn't been a factor until after he'd arrived on this floor. And so he was left to wonder- was he slipping?

Taking a handkerchief from one of the inner folds of his jacket, he wiped clean his lips and folded up the small square of cloth before stowing it away. In the process, his eyes caught a glimpse of a figure out of their corners. With a quick shift of his position, it was now obvious that this was the player he'd been waiting for- albeit, dressed quite a bit differently compared to the last time their paths had crossed.

A far cry from the black which had once garbed her, the red and white which now emblazoned her garments was unsurprisingly a much bolder palette to sport. And though the two of them shared the same color- that of the Knights of the Blood, it would not be a stretch to say that uniform worn by his comrade possessed a personality much less subdued than his own. But for all of the flare, he had to say that Opal managed to pull off the look rather successfully.

Seeing as how she had apparently failed to spot him, he whistled once cleanly, accompanying the action with a wave. Interestingly enough, he recalled being incapable of whistling back on the other side, but perhaps this was yet another field in which CARDINAL provided compensation.

Realizing that it would be counterintuitive to ask the young lady to meet him up on his perch, Azide raised himself to his feet before sliding down the rough curve of the rocky structure. Puffs of debris took to the skies as his boots struck the ground with a hollow thud, and he continued to wave. 

"It's always a treat, seeing the different takes that people can have on just a handful of colors," he remarked, as he dusted his own armor with a few swipes of his fingers. "Me? I'll be honest- I'm not nearly as creative as the rest of you." Two fingers jutted out from his hand, and he tapped them against his covered shoulder. "I swear, I've worn the exact same design ever since I first spawned into this world; even this uniform is just the latest incarnation of my favorite jacket design." With a shrug, he sighed. Slowly, a smile slid from one corner of his lip to the other, edging one side upward ever-so-slightly. "In any case, I hope that new sword of yours is as sharp as your outfit," he remarked, gesturing to the almost absurdly long blade clutched between her fingers.

[Opal 0]

Was that a cat call? Thin dark brows curved with almost a tinge of anger as she shot in the direction of the whistle, but it had been a different sort, normally cat calls had two rapid releases while this earlier one was a clean single toned noise. Looking back over her shoulder, she rose a hand to see the dark outline of a figure waving to her. She had not suspected it to be Azide and only watched as the figure slid off the dome establishment before his boots hit the ground kicking up a small whiff of debris with the sand. Clutching the weapon in her hand, the silhouette of the one who had whistled was now as clear as water as they now stood to face one another. Honey eyes dressed the Vice Commander for a brief nano moment, before she raised a closed fist over her heart and gave a slight nod, "Vice Commander." she said briefly before he began to speak. 

With warm drips of sweat running down the curvy nature of her body, the woman could only help but smile as he complimented her uniform. She looked down at herself to make sure nothing was poking out, it wouldn't be the first time a nip had slipped in something revealing as this, though she was assured her armor would stay in place for the remainder of the time of it being worn. 

"I will be honest, I think the jacket idea is just as creative as any other. If it makes you feel comfortable, that's all that matters in the end. As for the Masamune, I assure you it is a perfect quality item from a very humble blacksmith not too far away from here. Jevi, my go to blacksmith, has done a marvelous job in crafting this unique sword. It might be a bit unorthodox, but if I am to make a name for myself in the future...this sword is going to carve that path for me."

A hand swiped over the ghostly panel of her menu board as she produced two bottles of water. She still had several of these left along with the bread from her origins and had only used them as rations for long trips. This sand and heat had been worst for her, a minor annoyance now. However, she was unsure if her Vice Commander was suffering with that hot looking uniform on, or if he had the <<Survival>> skill. Ruby red lips smiled to him and handed over one of the waters, "You look like you could use a drink. I am not sure if one can be dehydrated out here, but better safe than sorry." Uncapping the contents, the woman drank a third of the fill, pressing the cool bottle against her forehead with her free hand she turned back to Vice Commander Azide and smiled, "This is my first time on this quest, I heard it was quite a doozy. I shall try my utmost not to fail in my attacks."

[Azide 0]

Not only was it the woman's outfit which had brightened, but from what he observed, so too had her disposition. Perhaps it was just the weather playing tricks on his eyes and mind, but he swore that her temperament seemed sunnier today; though her behavior around him still lingered in comfortably within the realm of business, it helped that she was smiling this time around. Moreover, the flicker of life which had flashed across her eyes could still be glimpsed even now, despite the squinted position forced upon them by the harsh rays which struck them from all around.

It was one thing to stand in the city and talk about a sunny day, but it was another thing entirely when that light hounded one's retinas from every angle imaginable in a place such as this. With the lighter complexion of the sandstone floors and sandstone structures, the rays bounced all around, making a downward glance nearly as unbearable as its upward counterpart.

But that was beside the point. What was remarkable then and there was the vitality in the lady's honey-colored orbs. It was as if those once hardened eyes had begun to flow once more, like spheres of amber held to the light. He had to wonder what those eyes would reveal when the process was more thoroughly complete. For now, however, they were eyes that he could trust, and would have to trust.

"I like the way you think," remarked Azide, as his fingers wrapped around the top of the bottle. With a snap, the cap was released, and he helped himself to a generous sip of the quenching liquid inside. "Not just for being prepared, I mean." The bottle was sealed with a few quick twists of his fingertips. "But also in the sense that I'll gladly take substance over style nine times out of ten." He flicked the collar of his coat as an ironic smirk found its way onto his face. "Of course, that doesn't mean that I can't occasionally have both. When in doubt, keep things simple- that's my line of thinking." 

The air before him shuddered for a moment, before revealing a shimmering screen. Azide skimmed briefly through the panel's contents, darting his eyes in alternation between the quest information and the woman standing behind it. Finally, he dismissed the window altogether with a wave of his hand. "As for this particular quest, I wouldn't lose my head over it." He chuckled softly, having already analyzed the probable events of the ensuing battle. "From the looks of that blade you're holding, you just might end up outranging the Sando Satsu himself. I'd like to see how this Jevi's craftsmanship holds up against a savage like that. But we'll be finding out soon enough." With an empty palm, he motioned towards the northern gate of Armadillo. "By the way- outside of more formal occasions, feel free to just call me Azide," he said, glancing at the woman sidelong. With that, he set off.

[Opal 0]

Opal's lip twitched into a half smile, the ruby red flesh curved more so when she nodded at her being prepared. She knew she would end up spending more days out in this unbearable sun, she liked to be prepared for such occasions and water was a powerful substance in this dry and never ending heat. Placing the saya over one shoulder she leaned on her right side, "I have come to admire the simpler lifestyle due to my training. You would have enjoyed the philosophy of Master Myoga in that regards. Yet behold, I adorn myself in attractive wears that leaves only the slightest bit of mystery to the eye. Not very simple, huh? Although I believe this uniform will speak for itself." Taking a gulp of the pristine water, the woman was given a rush of rejuvenation as it splashed against her throat and down to her belly. The cool and refreshing liquid put a bit more pip in her step as they prepared for what she believed was going to be a grueling battle ahead.   

She heard of this quest from an information broker, but she dared not do it alone, requiring a higher level than she achieved at the moment. Which in regard made her nervous. Only having a single rank in light armor did nothing for her nerves at this point, however, she believed the items she had in her inventory would at least keep her alive for the most part. She just hoped she would not end up looking like a fool in the middle of battle with the Vice Commander. 

As they moved towards the open desert, Opal looked back and blushed slightly at his comment of being more casual in regards to rank. She was unsure if that was a good idea on her behalf, he was indeed Vice Commander of the guild. Biting her lower lip slightly she only nodded, "If you insist...Azide." Orange eyes aglow with a smile to match made her feel at ease a bit. As they were now walking into treacherous terrain, the woman had decided to unsheath the Masamune as the saya was placed into her inventory for safe keeping. With that, she held the blade out behind invertedly and away from Azide as to not accidentally nick him with the sharp edge. 

This will be the second time he would see her in action. The first had proved to be an enjoyable duel, but he had overpowered her back then, hopefully she could come close to being on par with his power this time around. 

[Azide 0]

A few quick taps was all it took to disappear the bottle from his hands; in a flash, the object faded to a silhouette of white, before blinking out of site. With so many days in the field, it was not surprising that his body had become intimately familiar with the motions. After all- if he were to die in this world, he'd prefer it if the reason wasn't something along the lines of retrieving his items too slowly. The last thing he needed for his legacy was to be remembered as the guy whose unfamiliarity with the in-game menu caused to him to draw a sandwich from his inventory instead of a crystal.

"If you had to wear any uniform out into the desert, that would probably be the one to take," quipped Azide. "Dressing light- in every sense of the word, really. For a place like this, there's not much I could complain about." The new look was considerably more flamboyant than the plain black sweater she'd first worn to their duel- although aspects of the young lady's battle armor from that encounter carried over in ways which they'd both already alluded to. His eyes drifted to the lengthy blade balanced upon the crook of her shoulder- the thing had be as long as several of his serpentine familiars on end. Subtle did not seem like a word to be using when describing Opal.

With a lift of his hands, he pulled them into an easy shrug. "As far as fashion goes, I'm about as conservative and old-fashioned as it gets around these parts. And although I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this, believe me when I say that the clothes we wear are hardly a good judge of character." Despite not having declared it outright, the woman had seemed almost jaded when describing her usual wears. He wondered if perhaps she'd been on the receiving end of one too many comments from both men and women alike- he knew how they could be. "Some of the finest men and women I've ever known were dressed in clothing that most people would probably use to mop up a spill without so much as a second thought. By all means, those dresses and shirts should've been tatters- but you'd be damned to spot even the smallest of holes in them. It got to the point where it was pointless trying to figure out where the original fabric ended and where the patches began; they might as well have been wearing quilts. But for what little they had, you can be sure as hell that they took care of it. Those patches were like badges to these people." 

Lifting his head, his eyes stared out into sky. It was almost blinding, without the protection of shade- but he could make out the shapes of two creatures circling above them. It would be ignorant to call them mobs- they were, after all, still within the confines of a safe zone. But he recognized the pair of dark shapes; they were vultures. With a sigh, he lowered his gaze back to the young lady.

"On the other hand, I'm sure you're familiar with those big brands that everybody seemed to go crazy over back on the other side. I love an Armani suit as much as the next guy, but then you've got names like Gucci and Prada, or Chanel and Louis Vuitton. But you could dress a hog with a hundred layers of any of from the bunch, and all you'd end up with is one overdressed pig. I knew people just like that; they were a reckless sort that would muck up everything, and then scurry off to hide behind their piles and piles of money. Everything that ever came into their hands came back out broken, and they would toss it aside. The next day there'd just something else sitting in its place, as if nothing had changed." He shook his head, in hopes that the motion would dislodge the memories of the unpleasant bunch just as easily. "So whatever people might insinuate, the way you dress speaks nothing about you in the least." 

Azide slid his hands into his pockets, and shook his head a second time, more softly than before. "Sorry for going off on a tangent there," he said, looking off to the side. By the time he turned back, his usual smile had returned, and his eyes took on their usual softer watchfulness. "But one more thing, real quick. I promise," he said, punctuating the words with a laugh. By now, the tall gates of Armadillo were nearly upon them.

"For a while, I used to think that it was the title that I wanted." said Azide, as he clasped his hands behind the crook of his neck. "But it's not nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be. I guess you could say that it's one thing to play the part of a soldier, and it's another to have the heart of one." As they made their exit from the settlement, he watched with mild interest as Opal unsheathed the staggering weapon, though he refrained from drawing his own just yet. "My heart has never strayed from my old guild- something I'd prefer to go unmentioned, especially to our Commander. But we were far from soldiers, our merry little group. So until the day comes- when I must adopt the heart of a soldier- just call me Azide."

Edited October 29, 2015 by Azide

[Opal 0]

Opal blushed once more, but the way Azide had carried his words and tone, she was unable to decipher the meaning behind them entirely. She wore such fabrics in the real world, she was a sorority girl no less and the names he expressed were only the tip of the iceberg when it came down to her wardrobe. While she did make a humble income, she was far from able to afford a lot of things. While being a chemist aid had its financial pleasures, she was more in it to help the world and cure cancer and other diseases that plagued mankind. With a dainty hand the woman smoothed locks of black from her eyes, "I used to dress in a much more provocative manner. I craved attention more than anything else because I hated the feeling of being alone and by myself. I didn't enjoy sleeping in my own bed unless I had someone there with be to help ease the tension, and I constantly complained about not finding Mr.Right, but I had no problems using my body to fill the void of lust and pleasure. I might be a bit bitchy at times, and to be honest, I feel more normal now wearing something like this, than I do any of those name brand designer clothes."

Opal had relinquished a bit of personal history to her Vice Commander in hopes of allowing him to know more of her self. If it pleased him, she would say no more on her personal life story and that would be the end of it. She admired how well he carried himself though, being in title or not, she found him to be a superior person to her own self and one she could greatly admire, much of that to the likes of Commander Heathcliff. Only have met the Commander that one time was more than enough to tell her she could trust him. Perhaps that was a fault of her own, trusting people. But if she were to be committed to someone or something, she would not falter or fail in the discovery of their person, she would fight tooth and nail to keep it all together now as opposed of before. 

Absentmindedly, Opal stuck a manicured thumb nail into her mouth and bit down lightly onto it, she was in deep thought at the moment and had not noticed they were clearly across the border of Armadillo now, the massive Masamune blade still toting behind her as she held it firmly in her hand, but she could not help but mull over what he said about his previous guild. Did she have the same feelings towards The Crimson Blades? 

"If it was not then, then it is now that I hold everything sacred to me. My life is precious, everything I own materialistic or otherwise is precious. I used to think the world was built on material means, you had to be selfish to get what you wanted in life, you had to step over a few people to get where you were at, had to do special favors for special things. But now...it all seems twisted and dark. While I was away, I had discovered pieces of me that were buried in my soul. They were locked up black boxes that needed a certain key to be unlocked. Now that they are unlocked, I have clarity as to what I wanna do with this life. I realize...I have a soul and I have an obligation to myself to make sure that the path I stand on, is as pure and unconditional as it ever was. Azide..." she hesitated for a moment before speaking, a slight quiver on her ruby red lips before steeling her nerves to him, "I want this guild to be the center and foundation for Aincrad. Our foundation, what we build now, needs to be the pivotal building block for all of us to stand on. Guilds will come and go, people will come and go, but we need to set a permanent foundation now. If we continue to let these obstacles build and build, eventually the pillars will be too strong to shake and we will all just fade away in memory. Destruction in beauty and in creation of a new." She felt like she just rambled on about a totally random subject but there was a heavy passion in her voice as she spoke, and it was all the truth. She had been with the Blades and could not handle the idea of a military lifestyle. And then she became a solo player for a few months and now with the Knights of Blood. It was unfamiliar territory despite her past, but being with Azide and Commander Heathcliff, she felt the world was much safer now than it was before and she would do anything to keep it that way. 

[Azide 0]

Words were spoken, just as they always were; that in itself was not something new. All day and everyday, people said all sorts of stuff, and claimed all sorts of things. But these statements she shared- they seemed genuine, and showed signs of a silent sincerity. Azide looked to the woman as she shared with him her story, his expression stolid and steady. But rather than the uniform that the woman addressed, it was her eyes that he met. She wore a golden stare, which in spite of its gleam, bore even still the subtle signs of a tarnishment since past. To these polished orbs, he turned his own eyes- sharp and cool. Despite their steeliness, a warm ring of color stood at their centers, gazing outward while revealing nothing of what lay behind them.

"I'm not going to tell you that the past is unimportant; if you're ever in need of that sort of empty rhetoric, feel free to drop by any corner downtown and take your pick of the Chinese buffets," remarked Azide. He recalled having bitten off the corner of one of those curiously shaped cookies, only to have spat it out into a nearby napkin upon finding it stale and unpleasantly sweet. But this was not about day-old deserts, or even the nonsensical gibberish which had been waiting for him inside of the so-called 'treat'. "What I'm getting at is that whatever may have transpired before today- it's all old news, and it'll only get older from here. So while you may not have been the type of girl my mother would've approved of..." he trailed off, with an airy laugh. "It's not nearly as important as how you are now. And besides..." he added, shrugging his shoulders. "You'll never truly be alone. Not as long as the Knights are around."

His eyes darted around the uniformity of the desert, surveying the surrounding area for any signs of interest. For now, all he could see was the same sand that had been prevalent on this floor from the very moment he'd arrived. That, and the occasional cactus standing in the distance. With a sigh, he returned his full attention to Opal, and noticed that she had since taken the end of a fingernail between her teeth. She couldn't be nervous, could she?

Whatever the reason, he listened as the woman returned to expression, speaking first of her own actualizations, followed soon after by earnest aspirations. As these too came to an end, he found himself nodding- the core of her message was one that struck a chord with him. It had not been too long ago that he too had realized the need for stability in this uncertain world.

"If that's what you truly desire, then I ask only that you lend the full extent of your passion to the Knights of the Blood. Let that fervor be observed just by Heathcliff, or even myself, but by all of those who have yet to join us- as well as those who sympathize with our cause. I think you'll come to find that we're not so different when it comes to our goals in this world." He slid his hands from his neck, and stowed them away in the pockets of his jacket. "Maybe I'm just too too proud, but I was never going to sit back and leave my fate up to the Azure Brigade. Aincrad has long been overdue for a second entity capable of leading it."

Within the folds of his pockets, Azide could feel his fingers curl and tense as he aimed his gaze skyward, before returning it to the woman dressed in red and white. "It might not mean much, coming from someone who never had the chance to meet your master- but I feel as if Myoga would be proud of the woman you've become, and even prouder of the one you're becoming."

[Opal 0]

Opal's face was red from the heat and become hotter from the last comment Azide had made to her. Pushing strands of black hair in front of her cheeks to hide the glow of her blush, she attempted to clear her throat on the manner, "Thank you..." an audible thanks in his direction while still shielding her face of the Vice Commander. She had always thought if she was doing the right thing. Unfortunately, Master Myoga did not approve of military functions such as the Crimson Blades. He had his reason, and he wanted her to see that guilds like those came to power and then quickly would fall without a moment's notice. If she were to be part of something like that, there would need to be sustaining like forever within the game and that is why she gave Commander Heathcliff a chance as well as the Knight of the Blood. Through dialogue with Azide she had found out that guild had been around since nearly the beginning and never once did it fade into the shadows. Perhaps slept, but the time for sleeping had come to pass and it was time to wake up.

"On the very essence of my own blood, I vow to help make sure that this guild blooms into what it should be. And we need to tell all those around us that Aincrad needs a strong foundation to which the Knights will be based on. With some delegation to the matter, I am sure Commander Heathcliff can lead us out of this abyss and free us from this nightmare. But it will take time and energy, manpower as well...a lot of time. Just recently the thirteenth floor has been unlocked, correct? We need to keep that momentum going and keep taking out Floor Bosses. Do you think Commander Heathcliff will accompany us on this raid as well? If we can get him in the spotlight..." Opal bit down on her lip as her words were rushed from her mouth, she wasn't sure of the Vice Commander shared the same vision of a unified Aincrad as she did. 

"I just figured...if Commander Heathcliff was there, perhaps they would see his strength and want to join under our banner? I have yet to see him action myself, but he radiates with an ominous feeling I can't quite make out. But when I met him that one time at the meeting, I felt intimidated and scared at first, but then he smiled...and I felt safe. Like under the wings of a mother bird...Warm..." Opal had pushed ebony hair from her face to behind her ears, the walk in the desert had become detering as she knew any minute now she might be seeing mirages. Bringing up a free hand over the menu, she materialized a bottle of water, uncapped it and started to quench her thirst by drinking it aggressively.  She continued to perspire even when cooled down.

"In any case, perhaps that is a conversation best saved for another time? I have been following your lead this entire time, so I am unsure of what we should be keeping an eye out for in terms of the completion of this quest..." she had admitted not knowing the full details of the quest, perhaps the sun was pushing her logic out and why she had become irritably talkative. 

[Azide 0]

A brief glimpse of Opal's face revealed that it was flush, and the observation raised a brow on his own face. "You alright over there?" asked Azide. The young lady had coughed dryly before trailing off, and he had to wonder if perhaps the heat was getting to her. Admittedly, he was not exactly enjoying the desert life himself- but as far as he could tell, neither the heat nor the sand-laced winds were of any serious concern to those who had claimed the Survival skill. That didn't necessarily make them any less unpleasant- the discomfort was all too real, and it showed in the sheer frequency with which he found himself lifting a hand to wipe the glistening sheen from his brow.

From there, he listened as the woman effective pledged her loyalty to the Knights of the Blood, and nodded at her promise. If he were to be true to himself, he would admit that he himself was still not entirely sure of what he wanted- either from this guild, his position within it, or even from this world as a whole. His application to the Knights had been a leap of faith, or perhaps the leap of an air-logged fish flopping into the first body of water that it could find. While it remained to be seen whether that body was an ocean or a shallow puddle, he could appreciate her devotion nonetheless.

It was looking like that time again- trails of sweat lined his face, making it look as if it were a field freshly plowed. He blinked his eyes thrice in quick succession, raising an arm only when his vision remained just as blurry. With the end of his sleeve, he dabbed at his eyes and forehead as Opal steered the conversation towards their enigmatic leader. "While it's true that I would also like to see the Commander marching alongside us, it has not escaped me that the man who leads us is a deliberate one indeed. I have reason to believe that Commander Heathcliff is capable of holding his own against the best and brightest among us," he remarked, drawing upon a few tidbits that he had picked up here and there. It was all very much conjecture, and transitive conjecture at that, but it was unlikely that the Crimson Knight would be a slouch on the battlefield.

"But at the same time, history has shown that the player known as Heathcliff has been absent from each and every raid. And while it might be a simple matter to claim that the earliest raiders simply forgot his face, I think we can both agree that our Commander is not the easiest man to overlook. So I can only conclude that, at least for the time being, we will be attending in his place."

Opal voiced her uncertainty as to what she should be searching for, and he gave yet another nod of his head. "If these brokers are worth their salt, then what we're looking for is a large ring of spears implanted in the ground, former a makeshift arena. The site was last reported to be somewhere within the northern desert, hence the reason we departed from the northernmost gate."

[Opal 0]

White knuckles born from the grip on the hilt of her Masamune. She had been flustered from the heat and the compliments received by the very Azide, her Vice Commander. While she knew in her heart, she was a formidable player or of one coming to age, she felt the strong compliments only set her spirits higher. Words from her superior were words she planned to engrave into her heart and it would make her just fight harder and more fierce when the time had come to show off the necessary skills. While they had touched on personal issues, Opal had stayed away from heart deep conversation, there was still much to learn about Azide, what kind of man he was or what sort of sauce he liked with french fries? Or did he enjoy foods like that? The woman's train of thought was snapped back to reality when he was explaining as to what they needed to keep their eyes peeled for. 

Sighing and revealing her honey dipped eyes, the woman brought a hand over her brow to scan the area. Off to the far distance it seemed blurry and difficult to see even when she squinted there was nigh in sight except for more sand, cactus and the occasional Turkey Buzzard flying overhead waiting for its next meal to collapse. She had also kept the complaining to a very minimal, she had worked on that herself in training. What use is complaining and pouting going to do for you? Nothing. She had learned that her obsessive disorder to have things done for her was that of a bratty woman who had yet to fill in her own shoes. Despite the grievous and oppressive heat from the desert, the woman had kept her mouth shut of complaints. 

"An arena in the northern part of the desert? We've been walking for quite awhile. We should be coming up to it pretty soon then. I don't know about you, but I can say for sure this is probably one of my least favorite floors in Aincrad so far. There is a blacksmith whom I told you about that forged my Masamune, she is probably the only worthwhile mention on this floor. The Traveler Quest was none too pleasant either, traversing this desert without the Survival skill would be much more disheartening..." her words trailed off as she kicked what appeared to be a skull from out of the ground. No doubt something from an animal that was lost in this savage heat and its carcass plucked clean off of any meat. But as they walked further and further, the rate of these unsanded bones seemed to grow in number, was this some sort of bad omen or were they closing in on the questing grounds?

[Azide 0]

"All I can say is that if you ever need to find me, and for some reason, you can't get a hold of my location data, then you know which floor not to check," said Azide, as his eyes caught sight of a familiar piece of rubble lying half-sunk within the sand by his feet. A flicker of recognition lit his eyes for just a moment as he promptly identified the object; it was the very same skull which Opal had earlier launched with a casual punt. He'd remembered darting his eyes over just in time to witness the artifact go flying into the air, only to be eaten up by a passing sandstorm which had rolled in from seemingly out of thin air. Just as quickly as the phenomena had come, it'd left only a few minutes later, before they'd even had a chance to set foot into the whirling winds.

 With a shrug of his shoulders, Azide took several paces towards the withered skull before scooping it into the air with a swift swing of his leg. He watched as the object took flight, and hurtled through the uncovered skies of the desert floor. With the bone-laden terrain that they had slowly transitioned to during their journey, it would be a pointless labor to pick out which of the mementos it was that they had treated with such respect. But as he traced the arc and path of the airborne skull, his thousand-mile stare fell upon a far off portion of the dusty field ahead. Where the air had previously been clear, if not heavy with rippling heat, a veil of swirling sand had raced in to obscure the distant patch of land. Only moments later, the old skull was swallowed whole by the impromptu storm, disappearing from view.

He shot a quick glance over at Opal as he recalled the details which had been recited to him on behalf of brokering parties. "Speaking of soon, I don't think it'll be much longer before we walk away from all of this with a couple more skill points under our belts." Azide gave a slight nod in the direction of the dust cloud, which continued to stubbornly persist, in spite of the raging currents. "And just to give you a heads-up, I'd like to ask that you take the first swing at our friend the Butcher," he began, giving a pat to the sheath at his side. "We dagger-users don't exactly have the most reliable stunning abilities, so I'm counting on you to incapacitate him for one round when the time comes."

OOC: Apologies for the scrub-tier post, had to grind this out without any muse xD

[Opal 0]

Silver beads of sweat ran down the most feminine of curves as she walked in this overwhelming heat laced floor. HEr dry red ruby lips moistened only by the flick of her tongue or by pulling in her lips to subsequently moisten them from within her own mouth while dragging her tongue across both. Exhaling slowly and letting a hand slide down over her chest to wick away the sweat, Opal had listened to the Vice Commander's strategy for the battle  She was to lead the charge with one of her stunning strikes after being told that the dagger lacks proper damage dealing stun moves. She was fine with this, if she could she would take on this so called Butcher single handedly, but she knew she would need the help from her guildmate. Clearing her throat from the dry heat, she swiped a hand over her menu and looked back over to her left and smiled, "Are you hungry? I have some dried up wolf jerky I don't mind sharing half with if you have something of an empty stomach. It would be wise to keep those hunger pains to a minimal while fighting on this floor. All this heat is making me hungry anyways. I may have brought some water, but I did not bring any food...I shall be more prepared the next time we go on a quest together. "

Opal shifted through her menu revealing a long stick of what appeared to be dried and seasoned meat of a wolf. Perhaps not the best tasting food in the world, but Opal was not picky when to came to filling her belly, she just wished she had more to share with her VC. With it materialized in her hand, she offered half by breaking the broad stick in half and stretching her hand out to give Azide the other half. Chewing on her end with the corner of mouth she ended up ripping a piece off and only to find the seasoning to be quite as she had expected it to be, it was mostly rough chewing but it wasn't so horrible as to spit it out. She wouldn't waste food in anycase. 

Opal had smiled at the earlier mention of getting some skill points under their belt, all players were desperately looking for ways to get their levels up. Experience in mob hunting or some form of hunting mini bosses such as this was a great way overall to help with that dilemma. She trained mostly as a solo player, having to keep an eye on someone else was a bit more of a challenge, however, the times when she was hunting with a friend such as Kalesh, she knew he had her back and he was a competent fighting in that respect. But the road to gaining all that experience was a long one, but she would not rest until she was labeled an elite player of Aincrad, doing that while under the banner of the Knight of the Blood, would surely help populate their numbers in the future. Rosey cheeks flashed a bit as she peeled away the veil of dark hair from her eyes. She thought nothing but positive thoughts of her guild and she was glad to know such a man like Azide was the Vice Commander of it all. Absentmindedly, she shifted her eyes from the sand to Azide smiling for a brief moment of the thought, then quickly went back to chomping down on another rough piece of dry meat. 

[Azide 0]

Seeing the strenuous effort required for the woman to down the dried protein, Azide waved his hand a single time to dismiss her offer, but followed the gesture with a nod and a smile. "I've actually only just eaten before I left," said Azide, in an arguable stretching of the truth. In reality, he simply did not find the idea of chewing on dry food and salted food while walking around in the desert to be a particularly appealing one- let alone chewing on wolf jerky. Wouldn't that be similar to eating dog? Perhaps that sort of thing flew with certain cultures and peoples, but canis was not a genus which he wished to know the taste of. "But once again, I'm glad to see you so prepared. You could say that I've been slacking off lately with that sort of business- aside from the usual research itself." While the young lady chewed away, he paused to summon a bottle of water from the depths of his inventory, and unscrewed the top before gulping down another generous portion. 

There had been a time when he had once worked day and night producing all sorts of alchemical curiosities, laboring away in his lab in order to fill an ever-increasing self-imposed quota of crystals and potions. It had been a different time- back when the possibility of being one-shotted by even a boss monster was nigh-unthinkable upon reaching a certain level threshold. But now, it seemed more likely than not that tanks would survive with little intervention, and that those who fell short of the highest level of mitigation would be dealt grievous injuries from even a single unplanned hit. Health crystals were an outdated invention nowadays- it seemed as if alchemy's only remaining uses were in damage boosting, along with the invaluable enhancement of safeguard. But the drive which had once kept him pushing forward belonged to a time since past. Was it selfish? To pass on the burden to a newer generation of craftsman? He had no illusions that the answer was anything other than an affirmation, and yet, it was difficult to keep a train moving after it had run out of steam.

Gone were the days of a full-speed throttle. But he inched ever forward, if only at his own pace, on nothing more than a will and a dream.

Once more, the shifting sands settled in the distance, and the vortex of unchecked winds dissipated until it was nothing more than a soft whisper flowing through his ears. Where the winds and the sands had raged furiously, a new arrangement now stood proudly, with no architect in sight. As his eyes beheld the ring of enormous, embedded spears, he noted that the builder could only be none other than CARDINAL itself. There was no question that this was what they had come for.

"I want you to remember that you are in no danger today, Opal," he spoke, in a calm and level voice. He carried on in closing the distance between themselves and the newly revealed arena, but turned to look at the woman beside him. "Know that this is a battle I've studied with quite a bit of depth and introspection. The Sando Satsu is an erratic foe, showing an unprecedented disregard for the normal conventions. Our mitigation and evasion are irrelevant against a creature like him- nor does he seem to be affected in any way by hate." He shifted his eyes back to the structure ahead. "But none of that will matter, as you'll come to find."

Edited November 4, 2015 by Azide

[Opal 0]

OOC: LD Roll: 1-10 Opal, 11-20 Azide for Sando Satsu Attack Pattern. 

Opal looked over to her Vice Commander, eyes blinking through the haze of the sandstorm as it approached swiftly then died in a matter of moment. Red lips curved into a small smile when Azide had mentioned that she would be in danger today, did that mean he would go out of his way to protect her? It was all the same wherever she went, always someone trying to protect her...Maybe she was just paranoid of the thought of having to lean on someone else. But that was not the case today, for when he said it, he most likely meant as a uniformed tactic. With the both of them here, they would have no worry of being in danger. They were Knights of the Blood after all, and Azide had claimed to have studied this particular quest with much analysis. 

Reassured of his words, the woman flipped her weapon outwards and casually placed it over her shoulder. With a finger on her menu, she removed the caplette from her shoulders revealing the intricate design of her body armoy. The white clad metal with the crimson outer edge seemed to continue towards her backside and stopping at the small of her back. Her chest continued to drip with slow moving beads of sweat from her tanned figure. Raising a hand to smooth out the curtain of hair from her eyes, fingers worked through the damp strands and moved them from eye sight. Honey orbs then descended upon Sando Satsu, a reptilian mob warrior with a suit of armor and a double blade sword. It was both massive and intimidating as it shrieked and seethed with horrible anger. It was a fitting mob boss for the environment and surely one it would use to its advantage. Relaxing her mind and her muscles, Opal took a step forward before Azide could even bat an eyelash. Prepared and ready, the woman burst through the sand as if it had no persuasion over her movements as she burst in with a blur of white and red, the activated <<Sprint>> and <<Charge>> made her look like a streak of light before appearing above and ahead of the spawned mob boss. Coming up through the air over the staggering wooden spears that jut from the ground, the woman's blade began to show an ivory glow as it pulsated with life. The Masamune came down along with the owner of the katana as Opal replayed the strategy in her head, "Stun it!" 

Coming with full swing, the woman cleaved downwards with her mighty blade making the first connected strike against the Lizard. Switching to her off hand, the woman pulverized the solar plexus with a fist that sent the lizard screaming in pain from the abdominal blow. Twisting on her foot and continuing the momentum of the charge, bare white knuckles blossomed over her hands as she held the blade tightly and came around with a cross slash against the armor of Sando Satsu. With a small chunk of HP depleted and stunned, Opal had made her opening move to perfection. However it was not time to celebrate just yet. Doing a quick backdash through the sand's arena, the woman called for the Vice Commander, "I got him stunned! He's ready for you now!" 

<<Battle Engaged>>

Opals HP: 100/100 
Energy: 16/25
Sword Art: Ra Setsu, 9 Energy, 66 Dmg+Stun

VC Azide HP: 133/133

Sando Satsu: 304/350 HP, 20 Mit, 40 DMG [Stunned]

ID: 37342
BD: 10 [+2 Dmg]
MD: 1 [Miss]
LD: 13 [No Attack]

 

Edited November 4, 2015 by Opal

[Azide 0]

It was with a bang, rather than a whimper, that they stormed the arena. Like a bolt of lightning, Opal descended upon the Sando Satsu with a blinding vengeance, leaving the Butcher standing deaf and dumb. Though Opal herself quickly affirmed what she had accomplished, Azide had already taken off by the time the last of the words had left the young lady's lips. Like the color of the woman's lips, the dagger clutched between his fingers flashed a ruby red as he hurled himself at the hulking reptilian. This was a quest which had been a long time in the making; today, thanks to their combined efforts, he would finally be able to check it off of his list.

Again and again, boots struck the sand in a rapid staccato succession as the young man blazed a trail straight to his target. Atop the fine grains of the desert, he appeared to be almost skating as if the ground were the clearest sheet of ice. As his acceleration reached its peak, Azide shot into the air for a brief moment, before driving the glowing blade straight into the body of the beast- in its petrified state, it seemed more suited for a job as a statue than as a boss.

Chemikaze plunged deeper into the creature's flesh, having pierced its armored skin as easily as if it were the ripened insides of an avocado. With a twist of his body, Azide spun himself clockwise, leaving the Sando Satsu with a trailing wound. Just as easily as it had entered, the dagger was torn back out from the Butcher, leaving him free to continue the onslaught. His hands guided by the instruction of CARDINAL, Azide slashed another three times in just as many revolutions, before falling back to the ground. Sharp eyes darted up to confirm the creature's health- a very workable one hundred and sixteen. 

"You're up again, Opal!" he shouted. If he wished, he could tip the woman off to what he had learned- that the Sando Satsu had been reported to undergo a shift in its characteristics somewhere between sixty and eighty points of health. But it wouldn't matter either way, for the Sando Satsu would be unable to launch even a single counter attack, and so he held his tongue.

ID: 37380
BD: 8 (Hit)

<<Eternal Cyclone>> used = (4x4) [10 + 3 (Charge R3)] = 208

208 - 20 MIT = 188 DMG

Opal HP: 100/100 | Energy: 16/25

Azide HP: 133/133 | Energy: 16/32 (-16)

Sando Satsu: 116/350 HP, 20 Mit, 40 DMG [Stunned]

Edited November 4, 2015 by Azide

[Opal 0]

OOC: Sandu comes out of the stun right? If not, I can just delete my last paragraph. I thought it was just a 1 phase deal. 

Bearing white knuckles once more on the black hilt of her Odachi, the smooth ivory shimmer coated her blade once more as she took a stance which was unfamiliar to her. It would be the first time to use this technique, rarely she used a single target Sword Art, while farming score of mobs in a group were more efficient with the use of her energy and AoE attacks. Fighting one on one was a different story, but none the less it was all the same in concept. The blade flicked upwards as the Reptilian Lizard slashed through the air with his odd shaped weapon. He pounded the desert ground with his thick and scaly tail as it whipped back and forth behind him. Orange scars littered his body from the previous run in with the Vice Commander, the power in his attacks were immense, just as much as she saw in their duel. He held nothing back in that regard to this boss, showing no mercy for the Field Boss that lies between them and getting their hard earned skill points. 

Shifting her weight and bringing her blade back at an angle, the shimmering ivory coated blade cut through the air like it was nothing. A voluminous strike struck the intended target for all it was worth giving Sando Satsu one more scar to bear on its chest. The orange glow of damage showed up with a mix and slowly dimmed down as the damage occurred resulting in a stomping and snarling tantrum to occur.  

 

<<Battle Engaged>>

Opals HP: 100/100 
Energy: 10/25 [+1 Regen]
Sword Art: Zekkai, -7 Energy, 56 Dmg

VC Azide HP: 133/133

Sando Satsu: 80/350 HP, 20 Mit, 40 DMG [Stunned]

ID: 37389
BD: 7
MD: -
LD: -

Edited November 4, 2015 by Opal

[Azide 0]

With a clean slice of her sword, Opal contributed another mark to the Butcher's growing collection which spanned across the creature's battered chest. Both he and Opal had managed to avoid the Sando Satsu's first attack sheerly through outmaneuvering the lumbering giant, but it had been through calculated intention that they had incapacitated the beast and avoided its mild wrath for a second time. Mild, in that it would take three rounds of incredibly bad luck for the creature to down even one of them- and that particular scenario was an exceedingly unlikely one, to say the least.

By now, the Sando Satsu was quickly on its last legs. As he'd estimated, the field boss had been dropped to a measly eighty of its original three hundred and fifty total health points. Considering how no noticeable change in the creature's behavior had come about, he gathered that the true threshold must lay somewhere within the range he'd referenced earlier. With how cleanly the numbers tended to work out in this game, it seemed questionable to entertain the idea that the true value was anything other than sixty or seventy. But by taking the average of the original set, he guessed that the answer was likely to be the latter.

But whatever the case, he was not here to gather data. If he had to destroy the Sando Satsu without satisfying his vague curiosity, then that was a price he would be willing to pay. Chemikaze inherited the same blood red aura as it always had, and from there, he knew that their time with the monster was quickly coming to a close. With a burst of movement, Azide had closed the distance between himself and the giant to nil. The dagger pulsed a total of nine times- once for every slash which had been thrown in those tumultuous few seconds. By the end of it, the behemoth gave a final screech, before toppling face-forward. It shattered soon thereafter, leaving behind a generous amount of col, along with a fragment of its hardened skin.

---

ID: 37427
BD: 10 (Crit +2)

LD: 17 (Loot acquired; Is a quest field boss, mitigation requirement bypassed)

<<Accel Raid>> used (9x1) [10 + 2 (BD 10)] = 108

108 - 20 MIT = 88 DMG

Opals HP: 100/100  | Energy: 10/25 

Azide HP: 133/133 | Energy: 8/32 (+1)(-9)

Sando Satsu: -8/350 HP, 20 Mit, 40 DMG [Dead]

+1 mat to Azide

+1750 col to party

Edited November 5, 2015 by Azide

[Opal 0]

Opal watched as her Vice Commander ripped through flesh and steel with such a tiny instrument in his hand. She had figured that daggers were crude pieces of iron that had no destructive capabilities, only to find she was wrong when they had dueled one another and now before the exploding pixels of the Sando Satsu. Blinking once to get a grip of the situation, the only sweat that covered their bodies was that of the unbearable sun and not from the fight. For it being such a high leveled Field Boss, the battle was as easy as pie. No doubt it was no thank to Azide and his precision and tactical knowledge of the boss before they had even stepped into the crude formation of the arena. Whipping her blade to the left and then to the right, there was no longer a necessity for her Masamune to be out and about. Summoning her ornate casing, she sheathed the blade and let it drop to one shoulder before turning her head back to the Vice Commander.

"That...was incredible, Azide. I had no idea daggers were so destructive. Looks like you got a nice bag of col there as a reward and a little something else from that Beast. I'm saving the col for Commander Heathcliff so we can get a guild hall going. But anyways, if that is the end of the quest, can we get out of this God Forsaken Desert?" 

A pop up shot up in front of Opal as she swiped her hand across the screen signaling a small congratulations on completing the quest. The skill points were a necessity, everything else was an added bonus to her. Honey eyes flickered and she dreaded the thought of walking back through this desert, by the time they got back it would probably be well into the evening and right now all she wanted was a nice cold, "Bath...or shower...I'm done with this sand." 

Slipping the saya through both her arms, she made no further complaints on the sun, the sand and the heat as they walked back to Armadillo and back to a cooler floor.