[SP - F7] Magic Mountain

[Lessa 1]

Nimbus

Story goes from what I've heard, those who go, they don't return. But I've come back a time or two, 'cause I don't have a thing to lose.

"I need some help."

If I had col for every time someone spoke those words to me, I could drink my lemonade in a far nicer establishment. My eyes slipped closed for a moment, my lips drawn in a tight line as I prepared herself. I'm afraid I can't, I would say. I have somewhere else to be. It was a lie, of course, as it had been a long while since a strict schedule had dictated my actions. But it was a small price to pay, I rationalized, for some peace. For some alone-time. For some personal growth. Was it not true that the worse sin was allowing selfmyto be pulled in too many directions, never pausing to consider my own well-being? So no, I would not help this player. Yes, I would lie to get out of it.

But when I rounded on my victim, the excuse on my lips, I was startled to find the raven-haired woman was not even addressing me. Instead, her attention was reserved for the bar keep, who continued to dry his steel tankard as he asked, "with what?"

"My friend is missing. He left this time yesterday, and has not returned." She spoke of the event as if reporting scientific findings, or presenting statistics in a conference room. There were none of the immense emotions that I would expect from someone worried about a friend. 

The player behind the bar seemed to sense the oddness in her demeanor as well. "You're sure he's missing, and not just busy doing something?"

With a sharp nod, the woman explained, "he had planned to return by sundown yesterday. I messaged him then, and again this morning. It is unlike him to not respond."

Edited October 7, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

There it was again. That strange, detached reaction to a question that might have sent another player into a overwhelmed frenzy of fear and suspicion. Rather, the woman remained stone-faced, standing beside the bar, her hands clasped formally behind her back. 

The bar keep continued, "and you're sure he's not dead?"

At that, even I winced. The inquiry had been delivered with such insensitivity, and a complete lack of respect for the woman, and the situation. My blue eyes wide with surprise, I honed in on the woman, certain to see a reaction this time.

There was none. "I am quite certain, yes. I have just come from the monument, and his name is not there."

"Oh." Briefly, I wondered if the man had asked such an invasive question merely to get a rise from the girl, made uncomfortable by her seemingly non-existent emotions. If so, he had been disappointed. I, however, had only grown more intrigued.

"I would be willing to help," I called, slipping from my stool, and making my way to the woman's side. When the stranger turned, I had my first good look at her entire face. It was hard, as if etched in a gray stone that matched her pale complexion. Her jawbone was sharp, and cheekbones were high, positioned below almond-shaped eyes of stunning green. The color filled my mind with memories of visiting antique shops with my grandparents, and marveling at the old, emerald medicine bottles.

In a word, she was breathtaking.

Edited October 7, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

I might have stood there gaping, had it not been for the stranger's reply. "That would be appreciated, thank you." I was suddenly aware of the girl's gaze combing over me from top to bottom, sizing me up. In my blue jeans and hooded sweatshirt, I showed no indication as to my level, strength, or abilities. I suspected that it was good faith that drove the woman to agree to the offer. That, or desperation. If it were the latter, she gave no indication.

"Why don't we head outside," I offered, motioning to the door. In truth, I was eager to equip my armor, if only to assure the woman that no mistake had been made in hiring me on. As we walked, I added, "my name is Lessa."

In the same smooth, unwavering voice she had used before, the woman replied, "I am Liza."

There was such a uniqueness to her tone, I mused silently. It was short, curt, and no-nonsense. This Liza might have been comfortable in a college lecture hall, or as the CEO of a big company. Already, I suspected Liza could handle herself, and if for that reason alone, I found herself drawn to the woman. I was curious. I wanted to know more about her. It had been some time since I had felt this way.

"Liza, huh?" I turned back to smile as I opened the door for my new companion. "We have similar names, you and I,"

"I suppose."

Right. Despite the bleak circumstances, I felt a grin split my lips. No-nonsense. Well, I would not be offended by the treatment, and might even enjoy a bit of quiet as we searched.

Edited October 7, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

"Do you know where exactly your friend went?" I began by asking the most obvious question, just in case she could narrow it down for me. If she could, we would save a lot of time, and have a considerably easier task ahead of us.

Much to my dismay, Liza shook her head. "I don't, no. In fact, all I know is that he came to this floor."

I frowned. "That means he could be anywhere on the floor." I paused, but my face quickly lit with a renewed hope. "Wait a minute," I started, lifting finger in the universal 'aha' motion. "Why not just track him? You have that option, so long as he is on your friends' list, and-"

"He's not." Her interruption was terse, and my hand dropped back to my side, the flicker of hope extinguished just as quickly as it had sparked.

"Ah. Well." I turned away from her a moment, looking out over the mountains that sprawled out before me. The vast mountains. The vast, vast mountains. "I guess we start walking then?"

Again, my efforts were rewarded with a mere "I suppose." 

It was at that point that I remembered my armor. With a practiced flick of my wrist, I called up my HUD. There was the pleasant call of chimes as I fingered through my options. When my selections were made, and the ribbons of light and color had hugged my body, then fell away, I was left standing before Liza in my full armor. She was not impressed, and frankly, by this point, that did not surprise me.

"And so we go," I stated.

[Lessa 1]

We began on the main path, as there was no real reason to start somewhere else. I took lead, and Liza kept pace, never falling out of step with me. Occasionally, I tossed her a sideways glance, checking her face for any clue to her thoughts. I was consistently disappointed, as her expression remained blank. I had always prided myself on my ability to read a person, but Liza was giving me a run for my money. Silently, I reminded myself not to be too bothered by it, but I was not overly convincing.

By the time we reached Nimbus' main entryway, and the edge of the safe zone, the green orbs of light stood out against the falling darkness. Before long, night would be upon us. Though I had spent my fair share of evenings deep in the mountains, I had never been searching for a missing player. I had also never been escorting someone. The thought made me uneasy, and out of fairness to Liza, I voiced my concerns.

"It's getting dark," I informed her. "Would you want to wait a bit, and venture out tomorrow?"

There was no hesitation. "I would rather go now."

"Of course you would," I muttered under my breath. 

[Lessa 1]

I heaved a heavy sigh, running my fingers through my blonde hair. "We'll go then. Want to change into your armor?"

For the first time, I saw Liza's face change. It was the faintest flicker of embarrassment, warming her cheeks, and prompting her to briefly glance away from me. A turkey vulture soared lazy circles over our heads, and her eyes followed when she answered, "I don't have any."

"Oh." Perhaps it was because she had showed such little emotion prior to that moment, but her reply seemed especially pitiful to me. I had also witnessed the woman of stone drop her guard, if only for a moment, and I understood the importance of it. Despite my best intentions, I found myself having a difficult time remaining detached from Liza. You can't help everyone, that voice in my mind boomed again. But you can try. That voice was fainter, as I had locked it away the best I could.But as the girl with the black hair watched the bird, and I watched her, much of my frustration faded away. She would be better of if I loaned her some armor, I rationalized. She would be safer, and so would I. It would be best, even if I did not bring emotion into the matter. At least, that was what I told myself.

"Will you borrow some of mine then?"

"I'd rather not." She was still turned away, her face hidden from view, but I could hear wisps of shame in her voice. "I'm not a fighter."

So that is how it would be then, I concluded. I would be fighting for the both of us. Could I rationalize that?

Edited October 8, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

During my second year at Michigan State, I started my teaching internship. Despite my countless hours in the classroom, and many visits to observe other teachers, I felt entirely unprepared for what lay ahead of me. More than anything, I worried that I would not be able to reach all of my students. At six periods a day, and over thirty students per, we were talking about one hundred and eighty students. How would I help everyone learn the material? How would I keep each one entertained and engaged? And how would I ensure that each felt appreciated, valued, and loved. Hell, I was afraid that I would not be able to remember all of their names! It was a lot for one nineteen year-old to handle.

I did not tell my mentor teacher how I felt, but as it turned out, there was no reason to. She already knew how I felt, and as she explained to me upon our first meeting, she understood. Kathy taught me many things in the months before I donned the Nerve Gear. We spoke of lessons, tests, and worksheets. We spoke of friends and family, and we spoke of love and stress. But the most important lesson she taught me came in the form of a short story. It was etched into a small box that held my sticky-notes, and accompanied by tiny gold starfish.

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a girl picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the girl, he asked, “What are you doing?” The girl replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.” “My daughter,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!” After listening politely, the girl bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, she said…

“I made a difference for that one."

Edited October 8, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

The story returned to me as I watched Liza. I had committed to saying no more often, but that did not mean that I was required to harden my heart entirely. Despite the cold calm with which Liza composed herself, there were cracks that revealed her true nature. And that was why I had to help - I could relate to being broken. "I'll make a difference for this one," I whispered. If she heard me, she did not let on.

"That's no problem," I lied, this time louder, and nodding toward the path that lay ahead. "Just stay behind me if anything shows up, alright? We'll never find your friend if anything happens to you."

She merely nodded, falling back in-step beside me when I finally trudged forward. I inhaled deeply as I moved across the line between the safe and the unknown. Despite the number of times I had ventured into this danger zone, I always felt myself tense as I made the transition. Out of instinct, my hand moved to Gram's magenta hilt, hovering there to reassure myself that no matter what happened, I would be able to protect myself. And Liza. Probably. Hopefully.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

As it turned out, I did not have long to wait to test my skills as a protector. Only thirty minutes into our search, a low, throaty growl murmured from the tree-line. As Liza and I had passed the time in complete silence, the sudden noise came as a shock to both of us. I felt the girl tense beside me, and heard her sharp inhale of breath as a gray wolf padded into view. It was not the largest wolf I had seen, but even the smaller beasts could rank highly on the intimidation scale. This one was no exception. Its dark lips were curled back to reveal a twisted, yellow-white snarl. Its beady eyes were narrowed, and I swore they remained placed solely on Liza. From the quickness of her breath, now only inches from my neck after she had moved closer, I knew she also sensed this. The creature's hackles were lifted, giving the impression of sharp spikes that seemed to run along its back. No doubt, even a weak beast could send my heart galloping in my chest. As I drew my sword, careful not to bump my companion, it dawned on me that it was she I feared for. I could make easy work of such a creature, intimidation factor or no. But Liza was a sitting duck, and one that appeared to appeal to the wolf. That significantly increased the difficulty of the situation.

"Stay behind me," I commanded sharply, taking a step in front of the girl.

Lessa: 580 HP | 58 EN | 0 H

Wolf: 290 HP | 70 DMG | 0 H

Edited October 11, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

Liza followed my order, quickly positioning herself so that I blocked her from view. This brought me less comfort than I would have expected, as the girl lingered so close that I could feel her trembling. The sensation unnerved me tremendously. Moments ago, the player had been carved of stone. Now, she shook like a leaf on the wind, clinging desperately to the branch, and the last moments of life. I felt her hand tighten around my arm, as if I were her tree. In some ways, perhaps I was. And that brought me no comfort at all.

As gently as I could, I shrugged out from underneath her hold, and took a few steps forward. The wolf, apparently eager to begin, took my movement as an invitation. Without so much as a snarl of warning, the beast threw itself at me. Immediate horror washed over me, as I realized that there was not enough distance between myself and Liza. If the wolf made contact, it would take out both of us. I had my armor, but the other woman did not. Furthermore, I had not given myself enough room to maneuver. I was forced to dodge, throwing both myself and the wolf off-balance. We both stumbled, but quickly righted ourselves. Another pass would soon follow, but at least Liza was no longer in the path of danger.

Spoiler

 

69405 | MD 1 | CD 1 | LD 18 | MD 1

Lessa fails. Wolf fails.

Lessa: 580 HP | 56/58 EN | 0 H

Wolf: 290 HP | 70 DMG | 0 H

 

 

Edited October 14, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

"Lessa."

The emotion in the single word nearly brought me to my knees. It was such a sharp contrast between the emotionless monotone that I had grown accustomed to over the past hours. Though I could not see her, if her voice was any indication, she was still trembling. In fact, I worried that she might be worse off than she had been before.

"I'm fine," I called back, plastering a smile across the fear that my eyes still betrayed. I did not fear for myself; I had fought much worse. I feared for her. The emotion was contagious, and I half-wondered if the woman had ever seen a wolf before. From her reaction, I suspected she had not. And that explained quite a bit. But my concern for her would have to be hidden, so to keep her under control. I would have to proceed with the delicate caution of a woman talking another off a ledge.

Perhaps it was this same concern that brought me to my feet, and back into position before the wolf was able to recover from my linebacker-like hit. Or, maybe I was just too high-level for it to really matter too much. Regardless, my enormous blade found the wolf effortlessly, and without retaliation.

Spoiler

 

70268 | MD 9 | CD 9 | LD 6 | MD 1

Lessa hits. Wolf fails. 

<< Astral Hell >> activated. 91 damage dealt.

Lessa: 580 HP | 49/58 EN | 2 H

Wolf: 199/290 HP | 70 DMG | 0 H - 91

 

 

Edited November 4, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

The beast emitted a low, throaty growl. Having just attacked the thing, I stood close enough to hear, and feel, the full effect; the noise rumbled like thunder in my chest. My gauntleted hands clenched Gram's hilt tighter, as if to draw added strength from the ornate, magenta weapon. The sooner I brought a swift end to the wolf, the better off I would be. And, perhaps more importantly, the better of Liza would be.

The thought of her caused me to glance her direction. The woman's small, delicate hands were pressed to her face, shielding her mouth from view. Granted, her eyes revealed anything that her hands hid. They were as wide a frightened horse's, and I felt another pang of urgency, like a knife twisting in my gut. There was no real threat, as I was more than capable of handling the shaggy creature on my own. This was especially true considering the wolf's poor performance so far. We had lucked out, running into a fairly incapable monster. Liza, of course, would not understand such things. Were you to base your judgment on her expression alone, you might suspect I was fighting a floor boss entirely on my own.

Hurried by my desire to end things, I brought Gram down sharply, before my opponent had had time to recover from the previous blow.

Spoiler

 

70877 | MD 7 | CD 8 | LD 9 | MD 3

Lessa hits. Wolf fails. 

<< Astral Hell >> activated. 84 damage dealt.

Lessa: 580 HP | 40/58 EN | 3 H

Wolf: 115/290 HP | 70 DMG | 0 H - 84

 

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

A red gash split the wolf's mocha hide. I watched it with some satisfaction, shifting my weight back on my heels. If the wolf's previous actions had been any indicator, it would be a handful of seconds before it was able to recover. I had a moment, and, while brief, I could pause. Pause to breathe. Pause to think.

Liza remained a mystery to me. She spoke with the fierce determination of a hardened front liner, and she carried herself as such as well. It was only due to her lack of armor that I had suspected differently. And this interaction with the wolf only proved that the raven-haired woman was totally inexperienced. Why, then, was she hell-bent on running into the woods? Was this friend of hers so important, that she was willing to risk her life?

What a stupid question, I scolded myself. Of course he is.

"Look out!"

The girl's cry startled me from my wool-gathering. I gave a shout of my own, of surprise, and panic, when I turned to see the wolf barreling toward me. It seemed that I had severely underestimated the beast. While I was able to get my blade up, and put another notch in its health, my own took a hit as well.

Spoiler

 

70915 | MD 6 | CD 1 | LD 9 | MD 7

Lessa hits. Wolf hits. 

<< Astral Hell >> activated. 84 damage dealt. Wolf deals 70 damage. 43 is mitigated.

Lessa: 553 HP | 31/58 EN | 4 H - 27

Wolf: 31/290 HP | 70 DMG | 1 H - 84

 

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

After that, there were many sounds at once. The wolf, growing enraged as its health dove into the red, gave a guttural growl that I felt in my chest. My boots slid across the gravel, forced back a few steps by the brute's strength. My breathing was ragged with surprise, loud and echoing in my ears, though quickly slowing as I gulped in air. And Liza gave a short, choked sob, which somehow rose above all else.

"I'm good," I called over my shoulder. This time, I would not be caught flat-footed. "Once more should do it." The last bit, I said for my benefit as much as hers.

This time, the wolf wasted no time turning on its haunches, claws scrambling madly across the hard-packed earth as it launched itself toward me. This time, I was ready. I felt the power pulse through me, and though it was possibly my imagination, I would swear that Gram grew warm in my hands. Once more, the wolf's chomping jaws found my torso. Once more, my blade found its.

Spoiler

 

70919 | MD 4 (+3=7) | CD 12 | LD 3 | MD 8

Lessa hits. Wolf hits. 

<< Astral Hell >> activated. 84 damage dealt. Wolf deals 70 damage. 43 is mitigated.

Lessa: 526 HP | 22/58 EN | 5 H - 27

Wolf: 0/290 HP | 70 DMG | 2 H - 84 DEAD

Lessa receives 1 material.

 

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

We stood in silence. Liza watched me, and I watched the shimmering pixels drift like fine snow around us. Neither of us moved until, finally, Liza spoke.

"We should keep moving." When I turned to face her, my blade going limp in my hand, I found that the walls had been rebuilt. Once more, she had donned the cold mask of apathy. Her lips were drawn in a tight line,  and the blush had fled her cheeks, leaving them as white as porcelain. Rigid, unfeeling Liz had returned, and perhaps that was for the best. In the long run, the calmer she could keep the woman, the better. Besides, no feelings were better than negative ones. Right?

I nodded my agreement, sliding my pink blade home. "Yeah, we should."

We drifted back together, falling into step as we returned to the path. My companion kept her head down, her emerald eyes glued to the path ahead. Maybe she worried I might find something other than apathy there? Regardless, I dropped my gaze as well. If we were going to walk along in silence, maybe I could find some ore along the way. Fortunately, only a moment later, I was able to scoop some up without falling too far behind.

Spoiler

 ID# 89350 results: Battle: 9 Craft: 1 2 Loot: 20 MOB: 6

+1 Mat

Mat Counter: 2

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

We trudged in silence for what felt like hours. While we were fortunate enough to avoid further run-ins with mobs, I actually found myself wishing for combat. That, at least, would provide a break in the monotony. I cast sideways glances toward Liza every few minutes, both to assure myself she was still with me, and to evaluate her mental state. Every time, there was very little to be gleaned. She should be a lawyer, I thought, considering how her face was etched in unmovable stone. Or a professional poker player. I let my mind wander through the possibilities as I scooped up another material, considering just what might happen were a person to declare "card player" as their profession. What sort of mats would they require? Would the only need to interact with NPCs? Could they count cards? I mean, why the hell not? There was nothing else to think about while Liza continued her suffocating quiet.

Finally, I could not wait any longer. The sun was nearing completion of its final march toward the horizon, and I knew darkness would fall if we waited much longer. The probability of our finding her friend and returning before total nightfall was almost nil.

"Look," I began, slowing to a stop to emphasize my words. "I need more information. I know what you said before, and I respect that, but it's going to be dark soon. If there is ANYTHING else you can tell me, you need to do so. Now."

Spoiler

 

 ID# 89772 results: Battle: 8 Craft: 3 Loot: 20 MOB: 10

+1 Mat

Mat Counter: 3

 

 

Edited October 22, 2017 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

Liza appeared startled by my tone. The first crack in her stony facade was charged by first surprise, and then anger. Though she hurried to school her face back into an apathetic expression, there were traces of the emotion in her tone. "As I have said, I have told you all there is to tell about my friend. I know nothing more."

The girl had tilted her head back, allowing her to gaze down down her nose at me despite being a few inches shorter. The look, and the edge to her tone, were both too condescending for my taste. 

"You know," I started, allowing ample amounts of sass to flow into my own voice, "I just don't buy that. I don't believe that you would care this much for someone who was not on your friends list." I glanced around for more materials, knowing that the action would only work to infuriate her. "I don't know why you would charge, half-cocked, into a situation that is far out of your control, for someone who just didn't matter to you."

That managed to get a rise out of her. "I never said he doesn't matter to me," she shot back, emerald eyes flashing in the dying sunlight. "When did I ever say that?"

"You didn't," I answered simply. "And now I know that he does. Now I have to wonder why you're not willing to divulge more information, considering he's someone you care about. It isn't like you don't know more about him that you've let on, considering he matters to you."

Spoiler

 

 ID# 89780 results: Battle: 3 Craft: 4 Loot: 3 MOB: 4

No mat found.

Mat Counter: 3

 

 

Edited October 22, 2017 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

Though Liza did not resort to a full-fledged scowl, as she was far too mature for such things, her gaze did narrow as she eyed me. I imagined red, fiery daggers shooting from those green slits. Or maybe obnoxious laser beams, complete with Star Wars sound effects. "What more do you need?" Liza demanded. "I have no idea where he is, and that is the truth. I am not keeping anything from you."

"Except why he is not on your friends list." From past experiences, I knew that players disappearing from friends lists could mean two things - either they were removed, or the player was killed. When I had mistakenly thought the latter when the former was true, I had had a near breakdown. Now, I tried to understand how Liza's friend no longer showed up, which kept us from being able to track him. The dark-haired beauty insisted their missing player was still alive, but her refusal to expand on the matter baffled me. I turned away from her to continue searching for mats, letting her stew in her own frustration. "That's sort of important."

I glanced back up to see the girl's jaw work, her eyes narrowing even further, before she finally growled her answer. "Because I removed him."

Spoiler

 

 ID# 89783 results: Battle: 8 Craft: 10 Loot: 7 MOB: 1

No mat found.

Mat Counter: 3

 

 

Edited October 23, 2017 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

"Oh."

I swung my gaze back to the path, continuing my search for mats as we picked our way along the mountain. I could feel her gaze on me, and the heat of it prickled my skin. She was waiting for me to say more, I could tell that much. When I did not oblige her, the girl loosed a heavy sigh.

"Look," she began. There was hesitation in her tone, and I could tell she was selecting her words with deliberate care. "I took him off my friends list because we had an argument, alright? And I was angry. Maybe you don't understand how that feels, since you're so stoic and all, but it was a moment of weakness. I overreacted."

Her comment might have given me cause for offense, but it was difficult to keep the small smile from slipping through. "Stoic?" I repeated. "You think I'm stoic?"

This time, she said nothing. I could only imagine the storm clouds swirling in her eyes, and I figured I'd save her some trouble. "You're wrong about me, you know."

Spoiler

 ID# 109850 results: Battle: 7 Craft: 5 Loot: 12 MOB: 2

No mat found.

Mat Counter: 3

 

Edited December 2, 2018 by Lessa

[Lessa 1]

"Oh yeah?" Liza cut a glance in my direction. "You don't strike me as the touchy-feely type."

At that, I finally gave in to the need to laugh. "Sorry," I managed, when I saw her cheeks growing red. "I know I shouldn't laugh. It's just that, once upon a time, I absolutely was the 'touchy-feely type.' I didn't think twice about giving someone a huge hug, or grabbing their hand, or giving their shoulders a good shake if they needed it."

Liza eyed me, then shook her head. "I don't see it," she stated.

I grinned, stooping to pick up another material that lay alongside the road. "I find that so amusing, because it was a trait that didn't please everyone. I guess I've changed a bit since then. Still, I wouldn't go as far as 'stoic.'"

Liza scowled. "Well, maybe that wasn't the word I was looking for. It's just..." Her hand waved helplessly, as if she could pluck the word she needed from the air. "... I assumed you wouldn't understand how I feel. You wouldn't know what I'm going through."

Spoiler

 ID# 131758 results: Battle: 8 Craft: 8 Loot: 19 MOB: 5

+1 Mat

Material Counter: 4