Cordelia

ph

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One by one, others both familiar and unfamiliar trickled into the scene. Cordelia couldn’t say she was surprised by the lineup, considering her and Oscar’s long list of mutuals. At least they were all pleasant faces. At Acanthus’ arrival, she offered an enthusiastic wave– and an amused expression when she realized the woman was more terrified than anything at the sight of the Hot Dog Monopolist himself.

Meat tube concoctions is a new one, she noted with dry sigh, storing it in her head for the next time she got dragged out for one of these expenditures. 

“So that’s what we’re here for.” Cordelia crossed her arms and made a thoughtful sound under her breath as Oscar explained his wild plan. It’s very him, no doubt, but she was more than intrigued by the prospect of eating a quest boss– and it was Oscar so at least the food would be good. She was more concerned about the potential option of him making hotdogs from them, but she’ll worry about that once they’re done with the killing first. “I’m down,” she spoke up, clapping her hands together with a smile. “A free meal and some good loot. Not like I’m losing anything.”

The shrill caw of an overhead crow signaled the swordswoman’s arrival into Stonewall. 

Cordelia emerged from the settlement’s teleportation gate with a heavy sigh, her familiar in towe as the corvid landed on her shoulder with a flutter of black wings. Floor Fourteen was an incredibly dreary place, something that the frontliner did absolutely not need after coming face to face with death itself. The fight with Callisto seemed to have physically drained Cordelia in the days that followed the battle with the decaiying beast, especially with the scare she had with Freyd’s near death.

Just thinking about it was enough to send her thoughts in a downward spiral.

She quickly shook her head, shooing them away before both the environment and her brain could get to her. Cordelia came her to do a quest and she’d be damned if something like death was enough to scare her off from completing such! 

Just as she neared Stonewall’s entrance (if you can really call it that), a mop of brunet hair stole her attention. “Baldur?” Her eyes lit up at the sight of her mentor and friend– it had been some time since they’d last interacted after all. Outside of a few subtle glances during the raid fight, it must have been months since she found herself outside his estate like a wet dog. 

“It really is you!” Cordelia exclaimed, walking up to the man with a grin. “What brings you to Floor Fourteen?”

Skill(s) Being Dropped: Charge, Rending Familiar
Mod(s)/Addon(s)/Shift(s) Being Dropped: N/A
SP Incurred Towards Limit: 20
SP Refunded: 20
Cost: 20,000 Col

Cordelia hummed doubtfully, expression a mix of both fondness and exasperation as she smiled back at him. “Why do I feel like you don’t really mean that,” she drawled, rolling her eyes playfully before she started laughing under her breath– which immediately morphed into an incredulous gasp as soon as Oscar turned around to deal with the rest of the pirates. Silently, she apologized to their fading blue fractals that that was the last thing they had to hear before they were put out of their misery. Her lover truly was cruel.

And yet, she somehow fell for this man, and somehow, he also looked her way. Their banter was a form of intimacy that she didn’t share with anyone else, and part of her wondered if she was able to recreate such a bond. Even after so many months apart, Oscar treated her like he owed her the world. It was a sentiment Cordelia couldn’t ever dream of understanding, but with one step at a time, she’ll come to accept unconditionally. Unfortunately, that didn’t make his teasing any more palatable.

“You’re unbelievable.”

Cordelia exclaimed loudly as soon as the ship went quiet, flicking Oscar’s forehead with an indignant look. “As if you haven’t been spouting all that nonsense about a “duel” this whole time.” Huffing out a hot puff of air, she crossed her arms all while shaking her head in feigned disappointment. “Please, they’re NPCs, not deaf.”

As if on cue, another figure emerged from the ship’s… whatever, along with the rest of his dinky ass crew. Rabid looking things, all of them, save for the man in the center, which Cordelia could only assume was the ship’s captain they’d been set up to face all this time. If that wasn’t obvious enough, Ryland started to curse up another storm as soon as he set sight on the man. 

“Surely this is the last one, right?” she asked impatiently. Her hand readjusted itself on her sword as the captain began to spew out some bullshit about turning over Ryland for an end to this bloodshed. Unfortunately for him, Cordelia isn’t an idiot. Obviously, the easy way out is going to be worse in the long run in terms of rewards, and as much as she wanted to dropkick Ryland into the next life, she’d rather not skimp out on some good loot after the effort she put into this quest already.

Before Ulric could finish his poor attempt at negotiations, Cordelia was already on the move. She wove her way closer to her opponent, curving her sword in a radiant display of prowess. White light cut through both the air and the sea captain as a flurry of red gashes appeared on his body. From the corner of her eye, Cordelia could see that her damage was minuscule in comparison to his overall health, and she sighed under her breath knowing that this would be another long fight.

ph

Claiming:
[1x] Maddening Hex
[1x] Bear Trap

Cordelia’s patience was whittling down with every minute of this boss fight. Between failing to proc a single instance of holy— the entire point of her build, mind you— and the emotional roller coaster of the fight itself, her temper was on a short fuse. 

Fuck this.

Fuck this stupid bear! Callisto’s health bear was close to nothing at this point, and she couldn’t help but think that if she had procced her holy just *once*, this fight would have been over minutes ago. Onimaru, Slayer of Demons, her ass. 

Whatever.

Her sword glinted a dim light as if to taunt her critless streak, but she ignored her frustration and charged in for what was hopefully her final strike against the undead boss. Briefly planting her feet in the ground, she dashed off with a cloud of dust. Like a bullet, she imbedded the metal into the bear at breaknecking speed. Though her holy enhancement still refused to proc, it did a sizable chunk of damage. Grunting with the weight of the attack, she ripped out her sword, breath catching in her throat as she hoped for the moment of its demise. 

ID: 239098 | 28x(15+3)= 504-65= 439 DMG
BD: 3, hit | CD: 4
37+4-(15-2)= 24/114 EN

Cordelia’s jaw almost dropped to the ground.

“What the fuck!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air incredulously. Well, she guessed she shouldn’t be too mad since she prayed for the man, but *what the fuck!* Inwardly, she cursed Kayaba for whatever the heck that was, but she didn’t have much time to dwell on it. Freyd was alive(?) and in one piece, and that’d save her from feeling bummed out for the rest of the fight.

Now with a burden off her shoulders, Cordelia had no hesitation going back into her fight. Bahr was fortunate enough to land a hit, knocking Callisto out of his enhanced state. With him partially staggered, Cordelia drew her katana and sliced across the bear’s ragged pelt. 

Holyless once again.

She wasn’t allowed to use her weapon apparently. Onimaru is a stubborn thing, always withholding its power until the very last second. Maybe she won’t activate holy at all this fight. Who knows. Who cares. Not her. Not Cordelia!

ST-I vs Callisto | ID: 238936 | BD: 8, hit
32x(12+3)= 480- 45= 435 DMG

42+4-(11-2)= 37 EN

Amidst the mayhem of conflict, several furious shouts and cries of grief caught her attention.

Cordelia’s blood ran cold in her veins.

Freyd– the bright-eyed newbie that had been there to witness her in her lowest moments– was gone just like that; nothing more than a flurry of blue fractals in the breeze, and even that barely lasted for more than a few seconds. Cordelia hadn’t been there to witness his almost inhuman climb to the top of Aincrad’s ranks, but that didn’t really matter in the end, did it? No matter how many times she’s heard about his feats in the passing wind, he never stopped being the person who helped her pick herself up after falling into a slump. 

"Hah!  You haven't looked at yourself from the eyes of a fledgling player in a while, have you?
You and Mari were virtual goddesses in my eyes.  And, so very human too." 

Being human didn’t seem to be enough– not when life slipped through her fingers so easily. 

The memory broke the fog in her head, and she leaned back on her heels as if to bask in it just for a little longer. Cordelia didn’t believe in any higher being, not when the last few years of her life had been confined to a digital hell, but in the short time she had, she whispered a small prayer for whatever being or deity that would guide Freyd to a restful slumber. It was the least she could do when she had never repaid him for his help. Being a beacon of hope hadn’t mattered in the end, obviously. They were still fighting– always fighting– and Freyd was still dead.

Anger, fear, and regret swirled in her head like a dangerous cocktail, but a distant reminder served as an anchor amidst the downward spiral. 

“This place needs capable heroes and inspiring figures to keep the rest of us motivated to reach the top of the castle.” She echoed those familiar words with a bittersweet murmur, as if amused with how the tables had suddenly turned.

Cordelia wasn’t the hero of this battle.

Her eyes blazed with a renewed vigor, and she turned to the rest of her companions. “Focus.” It was a simple instruction, but one that spoke multitudes. Cordelia was far from a motivational speaker; she didn’t have the power to rally like Macradon, nor the passion to inspire like the others following suit. Her voice would be likely drowned out by the chaos that followed a fallen warrior, but if anything, the advice was for herself. “Being blinded by your grief won’t make this fight any easier.”

The words would hopefully linger long after she dove back into the battlefield, fueled by the need to make Freyd’s death mean something. She brandished Onimaru with practiced ease, and the hiss of the cursed sword only urged her forward to slay this demonic beast.

POST ACTION:
Charge + ST-B vs Callisto | (28+4+3) x (20+3) = 805-45= 760 DMG
ID: 238569 | BD: 3+6, hit 

61+4-(2*4)-18= 42/114 EN
+71 HP

“Holy shit, are you guys okay?” Cordelia held up her hands worriedly as she approached Jomei and Bahr, the former having taken a less than joyful ride with Callisto’s claws. Callisto’s sudden charge at Jomei was alarming, but the concern was short lived with the quick response from Bahr. The bear’s abrupt burst of speed was also short lived with an attack from the shadows, and Cordelia huffed when she realized she had barely seen their team’s sixth member even after all this time.

Typical Pinball. She guessed. Probably.

With the antidote applied and the rest of her team safe (for the most part), Cordelia went back to hackin’ and slashin’ away at the bear. Her feet swept her back into the fray, and a familiar charge filled her veins as her katana tore away at Callisto’s decaying flesh. Her sword hummed with energy, and she readjusted her grip in response.

ST-I vs Callisto
ID: 238489 | BD: 5, hit | CD: 10, ST-B Available | 28x15= 420-(65-20)= 375 DMG
+71 HP -12 HP (Madness)
67+4- (12-2)= -61 EN

Cordelia’s heart sank as the fight seemed to fall into chaos. Callisto seemed to spare no mercy as it dug its claws into their frontline, and while Jomei’s health was far from reaching the yellow, the stacking of effects on him was starting to worry her. Looking at the other groups, she could surmise that they weren’t doing too much better. 

Her eyes wandered back to Jomei. “I’m fine,” she said back, lowering her sword just briefly to check up on the ginger. “Are you sure? That was a hard hit.” She couldn’t help but grimace as her eyes hovered over the various venoms under his healthbar, slowly ticking down the green as the seconds went by. 

God, she hated DoTs. 

Fortunately, the hatred reminded her of the trusty vial that Arabelle had managed to throw her way earlier; the antidote materialized in her hand in a flurry of blue, and she downed it in a single go. Unfortunately, however, it wouldn’t quell the sinking feeling in her gut (nor the remaining damage she still had going), but it was certainly better than nothing. 

Speaking of nothing– Cordelia briefly froze when she felt a tendril wrap around her leg, but it soon disappeared as quickly as it came. “Huh,” she mumbled dumbly, blinking incredulously at the withering vines at her feet. 

+ (51+20) HP
-12 HP  (Madness 1)
POST ACTION:
Consumed: congealing ale [236114] 
+ Antidote 3/3

+4 E
 

ph

POST ACTION:
Consumed: congealing ale [236114] 
+ Antidote 3/3

+4 E

Cordelia gave herself no break, immediately going in for another attack on the bear. Her sword cleaved through flesh, following an incredibly familiar pattern. 

Once again, the damage was much to be desired, but she sucked up her disappointment and retreated back to the rest of her party.

Arabelle was soon at her side, and her weariness wmust’ve been noticeable considering her words. Cordelia rubbed her eyes, but it didn’t seem to help with whatever she was inflicted with. “I dunno,” she mumbled, squinting in irritation. “Some kind of debuff that's affecting my vision and mobility.” Her gaze shifted over to the edge of her peripherals. “And some kind of DoT effect too,” she added with a grimace as she watched her health slowly tick down before being refilled by her passive healing. Clearly, It wasn’t the best thing in the world considering she had little else to do but to keep attacking, but she was far from dead so that’s at least some good news. Probably. 

Just as she was about ready to say she was fine and that she’ll just thug it out, an antidote appeared in Arabelle’s hand before she reached it out to Cordelia. “Oh– You didn’t have to,” she exclaimed sheepishly. But realizing that it was still better than no antidote, she took it anyway.

POST ACTION:
ST-B vs Callisto
ID: 237398 | BD: 8, hit | 28x(20+3)= 644-(65-20)= 599 DMG

73+4= 77-(20-2)= 59/114 EN
-12 HP from Madness
+ trading congealing ale (antidote iii) [236114] from Arabelle

The sight of a massive clawed paw was the last thing Cordelia saw before she was sent tumbling backward. As she landed, to say she was initially disgusted was the understatement of the century; bare skin made contact with the murky brown water that clumped together in thick puddles along the chamber’s floor, and even if it didn’t stain her skin and clothes, the mere knowledge that she was touching the corpse water was enough to nearly send her gagging. If that wasn’t enough, the close proximity immediately sent the stench straight to Cordelia’s face, invading her lungs like she had inhaled fire itself. 

“Shit.”

The assault on her five senses aside, Cordelia looked up to realize more than half of her health was just gone. Completely gone. If it hadn’t already, the remaining blood on her face drained, leaving a horrified, paled complexion. Looking at the rest of her party, she now noticed that aside from their tank, *everyone* had a significant chunk of their health missing. All of that was one attack? She called fucking bullshit. Cordelia gritted her teeth as she wobbled back to her feet, gripping her katana with a newfound ferocity. 

Already, her teammates were getting back to work, with both Jomei and Bahr popping a mass healing crystal that seemed to soothe her worries, albeit not that much. Seeing as her health would be covered for now, she dashed back into the battle. Immediately, she felt a difference. Whether it be from the fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins due to Callisto’s last attack or the fact that he had debuffed her, Cordelia’s movements felt sluggish, and the peripherals around her usually clear vision had blurred, like she was staring out a foggy window. However, she persevered through the struggle, drawing back her katana before lunging forward to deliver a horizontal slash to the bear.

POST ACTION:
ST-I vs Callisto | 28x(12+3)= 420-(65-20)= 375 DMG to Callisto
ID: 237323 | BD: 8+3, hit | CD: 11
-6 EN

PASSIVE:
Madness 12/4 -> 12/3 : -12 HP
BH: 51 + HB: 20= +71 HP

Cordelia braced herself as she prepared for Callisto’s first attack in retaliation to the players, but her tense shoulders relaxed in confusion as she watched him charge into absolutely. Not even Jomei, who was still playing his silly little tunes, mind you, had managed to avoid an attack from the half-dead bear. She huffed, unsure if this meant that Callisto’s attacks would be devastating should they land at some point, but it was a thought she’d rather brush off for now in favor of actually attacking the damn thing. 

As soon as Callisto sat his fat ass back down, Cordelia went in for another attack. A burst of energy flowed through her, and as she felt it hum across her body, she channeled it into her sword. White hair billowed behind her in violent wisps as she activated her <<Charge>> skill, and she dashed back into the fray. The meat of her palm rested on the butt of her katana, propelling the blade forward while she twisted her body to an angle best for piercing the bear’s flesh. 

And pierce the flesh she did. Onimaru ripped right into Callisto’s side in a devastating attack. Wanting to make the most of such a useful skill, Cordelia pushed herself harder, twisting her wrist to drive the sword deeper. Only when she was content with her damage did she finally pull back, detaching her katana from the bear’s marred flesh with a satisfied grunt.

POST ACTION: 
Activates <<Charge>> | +3 DMG, -1 ACC
ST-B vs Callisto | 28+3+4= 35x(20+3)= 805-65= 740 DMG
ID: 237064 | BD: 1+6=7, hit | CD: 5 

-8-20+4+2= -22 EN

A gust of trapped air wafted past Cordelia as the gates to the boss room opened. In that moment, she felt reminded of days in autumn, when the rain had just subsided and what lingered in its place was the unusual yet somewhat pleasant smell of wet leaves and morning dew. Then immediately her senses were bombarded. A scent so strong of death and rot that she could taste it on the tip of her tongue. Decrepit and ancient air that’s housed defeated corpses for God knows how long danced along her bare skin, sending shivers down her spine and causing her heart to beat out of her chest. The clack of heels and shuffling of boots were followed by the splatter of water that reeked of decay, only seeming to make the smell worse. And last of all, the sight. Warped trees stretched up along the walls like limbs seeking refuge from a terrible fate. The swordswoman’s steady gaze followed a trail of crimson, a starking contrast to the eerie darkness that loomed over the room like a heavy blanket, and she sucked in a sharp breath when her eyes finally recognized the peculiar shape of the petals – only to immediately regret it as the taste of rotting flesh filled her lungs. 

How ironic it was that the only thing that seemed to escape death here was something that symbolized death itself. 

Then came a pained howl, and there it was; a bear shrouded in shadow and littered with evidence of failures to take its life. The brilliant vermillion that once decorated the crevices of the room fell away into a repulsive brown, drained from both color and life, leaving only the hulking form of Callisto the Tainted.

Instinct puppeteered her like a marionette on strings as she drew her katana effortlessly. There was little light to reflect off of the blade’s surface, but Cordelia could feel the hum of energy thrumming through the Carver of Demons. It felt almost right to be faced to face with the beast, as if both she and the sword had been waiting their whole lives to claim the soul of a tainted creature beyond help. Months of second-guessing herself had led her to emerge with a newfound purpose in life— a purpose she couldn't quite explain in words but something she felt deep in her soul. Whatever it was, it had led her to this very moment, and God be damned if she didn’t fulfill it. 

In her newly garnered confidence, she hadn’t realized that the rapid beating of her heart was now accompanied by the rhythmic staccato of a violin. A determined melody filled the air as sword met instrument; the crunching of strings and trilling of notes weaved their way into the atmosphere– along with various (with what she was assuming) Irish profanities and insults. And although Jomei’s final words to the rest of the party were morbid and quite honestly confused her, Cordelia matched his enthusiasm with a sharp nod. “See you on Floor Twenty-Nine,” she repeated quietly before extending her sword and following after Arabelle, who was already well on her way across the battlefield.

Onimaru clung to her side like a dutiful companion as her boots trekked across mangled corpses and wilted petals. Her eyes quickly found Arabelle’s silhouette, and just as she backed off from her own attack, Cordelia closed in with a flurry of silver hair. Skilled hands drove the blade into the still-fresh wound, and a guttural sound left her throat as she dug her katana through Callisto’s flesh before ripping it free. It was fortunate that there was no viscera that followed, but the stench of death invaded her throat the longer she lingered around the beast. 

Cordelia retreated backwards with light feet, just barely holding in her breakfast.

POST ACTION: 
ST-I vs Callisto | 28x(12+3)= 420-65= 355 DMG
ID: 236721 | BD: 6, hit | CD: 9 
-6 EN

Cordelia’s nose wrinkled, and she visibly shuddered. “That’ll do it,” she said. While far from considering it a phobia, she preferred to steer clear of anything with more than four legs. Anything with more than that was bound to be trouble– trouble that she did not want to deal with. 

Upon the mention of her shop, she blinked dumbly. Then a rush of memories flooded her head, and she suddenly gasped. The ginger hair. The green hood. “Oh, you’re Baldur and Mac’s friend!” she exclaimed, eyes widening. The day Jomei must’ve been talking about was far in the distant past, so her memories of it were a little fuzzy– but she distinctly remembered the chaos that followed Baldur when he emerged into her shop… chaos that came in the form of Macradon. She didn’t exactly remember how Jomei fell into the mix, but seeing how she had to cut him down from a giant spider’s web, Cordelia didn’t doubt he only added to the shenanigans. "It's been a while since we've seen each then," she began with a smile, "and I'm Cordelia if you don't remember." Because I definitely didn't remember you at all. She hasn't really seen Baldur nor Macradon recently either, and even before getting stuck in that stupid slime, she had mostly kept to herself for a while. 

"So what are you doing down here?" she asked idly, arching a brow. "Cave spiders aren't too uncommon on this floor, so you don't sound like you'd come down here willingly."

Cordelia’s brain stuttered, and her mouth opened before closing wordlessly. Sword? She looked down at the katana on her hip. “O-oh, you mean Onimaru!” she exclaimed, a surprised laugh leaving her. Instinctively, she unsheathed the blade from its saya and presented it to Arabelle. It’s not often she got the chance to gush about her sword. “It’s by no means intricate,” she began, already feeling the worries slip off her shoulder as she fell into familiar rambling. Cordelia went on to describe its design– from the slight chips on its surface to the detailed carvings inlaid upon the metal to the custom hilt she had designed. “It took a lot of work to get it to where it is now,” she concluded with a sheepish chuckle, but by then her posture had visibly relaxed. 

“It might as well be my first time,” she said with a lighthearted lilt to her voice. “I’ve been away from the frontlines for… a while due to some complications.” Her presence was negligible, clearly, but it didn’t change the fact that she was back. “I trust your abilities don’t worry.” Cordelia offered her own pleasant smile in response to Arabelle’s rather questionable comments. She liked this girl. 

It was then she saw Lessa. “Oh–” she stammered, not expecting the sudden trade menu filling up her vision as soon as she saw the woman. “I… thanks.” She was almost about to outright refuse her offer, but something in her gut told her otherwise. 

Have I ever even used a Teleport Crystal?

+Troll's Blood
+TP Crystal

+Applied Troll's Blood

Updating Inventory in First Post*

yoinks ty

As soon as she stepped into the crowd of amassing frontliners, an unexplainable smell hit Cordelia so hard that it almost sent her reeling. Her nose wrinkled in disdain, and she tried to swallow down the unease brewing in her stomach to no avail. It was nauseating, to say the least, both the smell and the knowledge that she was about to step into a floor boss fight. Cordelia was no stranger to the frontlines, but it truly never got easier.

She made quick work of downing all the consumables she had prepared as she weaved between unfamiliar and familiar faces, searching for the lucky party number four she had been assigned to. It wasn’t too hard, really. She was already aware that she knew some of the faces on the list, and it didn’t take long before she was able to pinpoint a mop of ginger hair against green armor. Jomei’s familiar face soothed her nerves a little. Cordelia wouldn’t say they were the best of pals, but it was reassuring nonetheless.

Her boots skidded to a halt just as she reached the group, and she mustered up a smile. “Jomei,” she exclaimed with a wave. “Team four, right?” Her attention was pulled away momentarily when she noticed an unfamiliar player next to him. “Ah– I don’t believe we’ve met before,” Cordelia said as she offered out a hand to Arabelle with a smile. “My name’s Cordelia. I’ll be a single target DPS for this party.”

@Jomei @Arabelle

"IM BACCCCK."

Cordelia sprang through the doors of the diner with a skip in her step. She had just magically appeared from… somewhere– wherever she was last. Even though she was just here a few days ago, the incoming boss raid was forcing her to buy a few things she never typically bought. So here she was to steal some more hot dogs from her partner! Yippee!

Stuffing a few hotdogs into her inventory, Cordelia bid the shop goodbye with an enthusiastic wave, regardless if there was anyone there. “Alrightthanksseeyoulaterbye!” And then she was off. To where? Who knows. Not her.

+1 Evasion Dog [2 EVA] - 1000 Col
+1 Focused Dog [+2 ACC] - 1000 Col

Cordelia appeared at the shop with a hesitant look before sighing in relief when she realized she was at the right place. Shopping for consumables had never really been her style, often choosing to tough it out and hoping for the best. If she finds herself in a pickle because she didn’t bring a few snacks or potions– well, thems the breaks, she guessed. Still, she supposed this boss fight was important, and she’d probably get an earful if she didn’t bring consumables… so here she was. 

“Hey Zandra!” she greeted after searching through her noggin for the name for the familiar. “I’m just going to… take these and be on my way. Okaybyeseeyoulater!” She made a swift exit after throwing a sack of Col at the alchemist.

Purchasing:
+ Full Boss Fight Set (5 Mats)
   -Toxic Venom (Salve)
   -Damage (Potion)
   -Antidote (Salve)
   -Mitigation (Potion)
   -Over-health (Potion)

+ Support solo (5 Mats)
   -HP recovery x5 (Potion)

+ Crystal of the Swift Wind Dragon (4 Mats)

-14 Mats to Zandra

Cordelia took a step back, dazed from the sudden onslaught of kisses. She was breathless, as if her words were stolen away in the abrupt act of passion. Slowly, her fingers ghosted over her lips after they parted, and she felt the lingering sensation of their kiss come in a dull but nonetheless pleasant buzz. What was a small moment of thoughtlessness was followed by a roaring wave of embarrassment that overtook her senses. Her gaze flickered over to the stunned enemies, grateful that they seemed to think better than to talk. Yes, she acknowledges that these NPCs were far from real people, but that didn’t change the fact that they looked like real people. And no, she will not be swayed by the romanticism, even if she did find it kind of endearing. With her cheeks already flushing red, she had a ready reprimanding on the tip of her tongue. 

However, the flame quickly fizzled out as she took in Oscar’s exasperated expression. Gray irises softened, and Cordelia placed a reassuring touch on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay,” she said gently. Her hand reached down to tangle itself with his, offering a firm but affectionate squeeze. “We have time after this, I promise.” Her features brightened as she talked, and a smile curled up the edges of her lips. Maybe it wasn’t all the time in the world– she couldn’t promise something as vague as that– but it was time nonetheless. Time that she would cherish regardless of how fast it ticked by, and she could only hope Oscar felt the same. 

That wasn’t to say that she didn’t savor the time they spent together right now. Even if combat had become monotonous over the years, it had never once dulled the adrenaline that coursed through her body in each and every battle. It was freeing, in a sense, to be able to control her body in a way that she had never been able to before, in the way she wanted it to. Weirdly, it also made the feeling of fighting alongside another seem more real, more intimate, more personal. Each experience felt new regardless of how many times she repeated the motion, like a never-ending adventure in her infinite storybook. Even with his prolonged absence, Oscar remained the person Cordelia had fought alongside the most, apparent in the way they bounced off of each other’s attacks like second nature. It was a bond told through actions rather than words, and Cordelia was more than happy to continue building upon it.

That being said, she’d rather they’d be done with this quest now than later. Call it poor quest design, her being somewhat antsy after reuniting with her lover after so long, or even Oscar’s irritation starting to wear off on her, but the wave after wave of enemies had started to wear down on her naive drive for thrilling combat. Cordelia was done with surprises and “new” things today. Try again tomorrow, please.

With her attention shifting back over to the stunned enemies, a look of resignation crossed over her face as she soon accepted that the rest of this task might take a while. At least they were probably close to the final boss, Cordelia reasoned even though she had no idea what this quest entailed from the very beginning. 

Her eyes flashed an incredulous look at Oscar. “You need to stop referring to it as a duel,” she sputtered, making a face. The grip around his hand squeezed one last time before it retreated to unsheathe her katana. “We could,” she drawled, an attempt at adding a teasing lilt to her voice, “or we could dance around them forever. You’re cute when you’re impatient.” Cordelia ended the sentence with an innocent look, sticking her tongue out just as she dashed off to chip away at the health of the enemy once again. 

Her body stayed low to the ground as she delivered a slashing cut across the group, who seemed to be recovering from their immobilized state bit by bit. Holy light flickered in and out of view, and a window of opportunity opened up for Oscar to land a final blow on the weakened enemies.

You get used to eating bizarre foods in SAO after a while. Sure, the game still had the standard meats and vegetables, but when you’re in a world filled with man killing flora and fauna, sometime’s you just have to take the bounty that’s given to you– even if “eating” didn’t really fufill it’s original function anymore. That being said, Cordelia isn’t sure she’s ever gotten to taste a field boss before, much less a quest boss. She eyed the message in her inbox warily. Cordelia was more than aware of Oscar’s… eccentricties when it came to cooking, but this vague cry for help– if you could call it that– takes the cake. 

But she came anyways. Cordelia didn’t know what this excursion would entail, but what’s the harm in indulging her partner’s passion for… cooking giant beasts and whatnot. She was by no means a Grandmaster Cook like Oscar (and she’s pretty sure she hasn’t touch her shop in months) but perhaps this is what she needed to finally figure out what makes a master of the culinary arts!

She approached the feast laid out on the beach with a knowing look. “You prepared for this,” she observed. Cordelia wasn’t even sure what they were going to end up fighting, but the amount of buffs on the table was more than enough to tell her that defeating it will be no easy feat– which she should’ve honestly expected knowing it was Oscar that invited her here. With him, it was always go big or go home– at least with these passion projects.