[PP-F3-NK] To Find a Gift (Anemone) <<Search for the Hoya>>

[Grave 0]

I rapped my nails against the wooden counter, Hikari squeaking in interest at my ear. This was interesting, and reminded me of an age-old myth... Theseus and the Minotaur. The sheet I gazed upon told of the <<Search for the Hoya>> quest. The 'Hoya' was a magical necklace that changed form depending on the person who retrieved it, guarded within a maze hidden in the Forest of Wavering Mist by a pair of fierce minotaurs. How powerful these minotaurs were I had no idea... but I wanted that necklace. I wanted it for a gift to Jevi, and I was going to get it even if it cost me an arm and a leg. "Alright... guess I will take this on, hey, Hik?" I asked the weasel, and she simply squeaked her indifference. "Hey, you are supposed to care whether I get hurt or not, you ratbag," I cursed the animal and rubbed my knuckles against her skull, just in front of her single spiral horn. "Wanna come with me? I could do with some company... not that you will be much help," I offered the weasel, and she nipped my earlobe in annoyance. "Hey, okay, okay, you can try and help!" I exclaimed while chuckling at the creature's antics. "I should probably find someone else to back me up too..." I mused as I wrapped my coat around my body, the chains rattling as I clipped them at the front. I reached for the doorhandle and turned it, easing the door open...

[Anemone 0]

Anemone was walking along the path of the city. A small smile on her face as she walked through the thickness of the people around her. Curly hair moved and bounced with each step she took until she was coming around the corner and down the walk way. It was then that she noticed a not so familiar face, but she knew the player by his icon plate of the Knights of the Blood Oath. She had gathered her things, pat her satchel and strode towards the man as he was walking towards her.

Small lavender smile on her lips, the woman stopped in front of the larger male player. "Grave," she said lowly but looking directly into his eyes. She had built a small bit of confidence over the course of time and she had wanted to meet more of the members of the guild she was in. Red eyes looked at him and she stuck out her pale hand to him, "It is good to meet you finally. Oh, we haven't met yet. At least I don't think. I am one of the new members of the Knights, my name is Anemone. I will be the support healer in the guild for the time being. It is a very nice to meet you."

The woman with her hand in his shook his hand, the small lithe fingers inches smaller than his own as they shook and she smiled. She didn't know what else to say after that, and she clasped her hands behind her back and looked around, "So, you off to do something today? Would you require any help? I wouldn't mind spending some time to learn more about you and the members of the guild. I still have quite a bit to learn about the structure and the ways things work." Her smile ever lasting even through the small hiccups of her conversation. She was attempted to speak louder so he could hear her, hopefully he was getting the message. @Grave

[Grave 0]

I was whistling casually to myself as I strode along the streets of Delilah, Hikari bobbing upon my shoulder like some kind of furry parrot. A small figure blocked my way, and I began to sidestep around them, before realizing they had deliberately stopped me in my tracks. "Hm?" I asked the girl before me with a raised eyebrow, with hair a mixture of white and red and matching apparel. "Would you like something?" I asked, before she said my name, and I recoiled, taken aback momentarily. "H-how...?" I choked, before looking back over the colours that adorned her. She must have been a KoB recruit... I had been out of touch for so long.

"Oh, it is nice to meet you too, Anemone," I responded with a wide grin, taking her hand in mine and shaking it. "I apologize for my awkward demeanor, you knowing my name caught me off-guard. I have been so out of touch with the guild, I did not even know we had recruited you, I am sorry," I apologized and rubbed the heel of my right hand against my forehead, shunning myself for acting so weird.  "Well, yes I am. I recently received a notice for a low-level quest that I never took and decided to go out and finally deal with it. Mainly for the reward..." I explained, before trailing off and pondering silently. "Of course you can accompany me! I was just heading out to find someone to come with anyway, so it would be a pleasure to have you along," I accepted her suggestion with a courteous bow.

A sharp jolt struck my ear and I turned to face Hikari. "Oh right, I forgot to introduce Hikari, my little magic weasel," I pulled Hikari from my shoulder and held her out for Anemone to take a close look. "She helps me with my cooking every now and then, and sometimes accompanies me on my adventures. Apart from that.. she has no statistical use." I tactfully selected my words, and the weasel turned in my grasp to gaze at me threateningly. I slung the orange furball around my neck, letting her lazily dangle upon my chest. "Shall we head out? Hope you are not easily spooked, the quest takes place somewhere in the Forest of Wavering Mist."

[Anemone 0]

"Oh no! Please by all accounts I should be the one apologizing. I am a new recruit, the Vice Commander probably hasn't alerted everyone of my comings. But all in all, it is a pleasure to meet you, and you as well Hikari. I've met so many wonderful familiars so far, you are one of the most adorable I have seen." Anemone spoke with a lightness in her voice. She nodded her head slowly and bit down on her lower lip, if the quest was on this floor, then it should not prove to be too much of a problem. Her high ranking healing skills should work out for both of them if it would need to be so, and she should most likely tell him about her unique gift.

"I am not scared as I feel more inclined to say. As I have said once, I am the Support Healer of the guild, that also means I have no combat experience or damaging skills on hand. If I tag along, you may end up having to do the dirty work. But I can make it up to you with some materials. I am a fairly decent searcher, and I got the Gathering Skill. Knowing that, I think if you'd like to we can stop somewhere and pick another player up unless you can handle the work load?" Anemone wanted to lay out all her cards so she knew what Grave was getting into. He did mention he was looking to bring someone along, possibly another DPS to make things go by faster and easier but he was kind enough to allow her to join him, at least she could search out some materials while they were on this little quest.

He had spoken about the Forest of Wavering Mist, "Sounds like an interesting quest. I have to admit, I am not one who takes adventures without the aid of others. I have not done many of the quests on these floors since I am a Healer. But it sounds like a fun adventure, I shall do my best to keep us all safe." She squinted her eyes, she too would even protect the little creature clinging to him if it came down to it. When she took a last moment to make sure her satchel was secured over her hip and the belt was fastened, her brightly colored red and white hair bounced with a nod of her head. Lavender lips once again smiled back at Grave as she took her place to his side and would follow, "Yes, I am quite ready to go when you are. Please lead the way," she said with a small enthusiastic cheer, although barely audible. @Grave

[Grave 0]

I nodded politely and smiled softly. "That is fine by me. It was less a need for extra hands and more just someone to keep me sane... someone more human," I scratched around Hikari's horn to accent my point. "Oh no, you do not have to waste your efforts on repaying me. I appreciate the offer, but I think your material gathering efforts should be utilized for someone more in need than myself," I politely declined Anemone's offer with a wave of my hand and shake of my head. "Your healing may come in handy, depending on how powerful the minotaurs guarding the quest reward are," I added with a smile. I had yet to find out how much damage they could really do to me, and whether there were more monsters than just them hiding in the labyrinth. "Well, allow me to be your tour guide. I guess you could say I live here on the third floor, so I know the area quite well," I informed the healer. "Please do, make sure you patch me up, okay?" I asked her with a teasing wink and began striding off, beckoning Anemone to my side as we left the city.

---

The two - wait, three, Hikari was with us too - of us stood just outside the perimeter of the Forest, its aptly named 'wavering mist' reaching out towards us like hungry tendrils. "I will not blame you for holding my hand if you are scared," I taunted her playfully before taking my first few steps into the forest, the white fog engulfing me as I beckoned Anemone once more. The mist made it difficult to see where trees were, so my arms had to flail around before me to check for hidden dangers. Once or twice I almost happened to crash into a tree or log, narrowly avoiding the obstacles, and the whole way I was checking behind me to make sure Anemone was still close and I had not accidentally left her behind.

[Anemone 0]

The small woman gave a nervous smile as per the comment on having him patched up. She nervously pulled the hair from her face to around her ear before dipping her eyes towards the ground. Anemone had only given the softest of smiles as they began their trip through the floor three establishment. She kept her hands to herself as well her eyes on the ground mostly and up once in awhile to take in the certain features of this village world. Red eyes fell upon Grave as they stopped at the borderline of the forest, his comment made her smile and shook her head once again followed by a weak smile, "N-no, that won't be necessary. I might not get out to adventure too much, but I know when I feel safe. Unless there are player killers involved, I don't think the mobs here are gonna cause too much trouble." Logical worlds from the female as they pressed on.

Clearing her throat with a simple cough and not to be dulled down by silence; the young woman decided to speak up. "So you said this was a quest, correct? And you were mainly doing it for the reward. Is there any significance to this reward or is it just the usual col and skill points that you wanted?" The woman was rather curious, she did not know the general layout of most of the quests except most gave out col or points, but the rewards for slaying the best or killing mobs, those were under her radar for the most part. She kept her hands to her back as she walked, now having to lift her head and looking forward as the thick blanket of white fog rolled around their bodies as the entered the forest. Her red eyes squinted, "It's becoming a little more difficult to see." @Grave

[Grave 0]

I turned my head at the sudden and unexpected question from Anemone. "Mm? Yeah, it is a quest. There is said to be a special necklace within that changed form every time someone gets it... I want to get it  as a gift for my girlfriend so she can keep a part of me with her at all times," I explained with a relaxed sigh. "I will be heading up to the front lines at some point, so I need her to always have something on her that connects us," I clarified, before clearing my throat subtly. "But I have no intention of leaving her all on her lonesome down below," I added sheepishly with an awkward grin, hoping my explanation did not go misinterpreted. I began leaning forward to try and see further into the fog, although I expected my efforts to bear no fruit. "Yeah, it is. Hopefully we should be in the clear soon enough..." I added hopefully.

Finally the fog began to thin once more and we stepped into a small, circular clearing, in the middle of which was a large stone platform. "Well... I assume this is it?" I asked myself and strode casually towards the slab in the earth; there was a trapezoidal hole in the slab, which I assumed was the handle. Reaching down, I wrapped my fingers around the handle and pulled up, groaning in sync with the trapdoor as I heaved it from the earth, revealing a black and dark stairway, from which wind-produced echoes escaped. "Well, here goes..." I sighed to myself and slid down into the hole, the first step quite a distance from the surface. I reached a hand up towards Anemone to see if she wanted my assistance in getting down. "Let us just hope this trapdoor does not close on us, hey?" I teased and stuck my tongue out playfully.

[Anemone 0]

ID: 81944
LD: 6+ 8 = No Mats ;(

"Oh! That's quite sweet of you and rather romantic as well. This girl must be a pretty lucky gal," Anemone said with her hands swinging behind her back. She had dreamed something of like that for herself one day, it was one of those hopeless romantics that would scheme and plot in their head to be whisked away by a gallant knight. However, she has not been met with such fantasies here. She had quite a few protectors that she had run into, but she highly doubted any one of them would be interested in a fragile thing like her. Sweeping the crimson streaked hair from her face and with a small smile they had continued on into the thick fog which soon came out thinning as they came upon a location to which Grave was leading them.

Hands up to her chest as the woman's eyes beamed around and looked for any salvageable materials but the land seemed a little bare to produce anything in this location. Anemone placed a finger on her lip and looked on as Grave began to open up some kind of hidden trapdoor. She continued to watch as his muscles strained and with a mighty tug uplifted the door which revealed a rather dark and mysterious underground corridor. "Oh, this is going to be quite difficult to see." Watching Grave go first, she stepped forward and saw his hand pop out. Smiling, she turned and placed her small hand in his own and blushed lightly as she took hold of it as they made their way down. "Thank you, Grave. I can be quite the clumsy woman sometimes." Releasing her hand from his when she knew she had stable ground to stand on. @Grave

Edited April 11, 2017 by Anemone

[Grave 0]

I smirked and chuckled at Anemone's compliment. "I guess she is. I am pretty damn lucky too; she was such a bitch at first, but she had her reasons. She lived a... pretty terrible life and pushed people away. I managed to crack her and gain access to her more tender and romantic self." I explained, staring at the grass below as I reminisced on our various meeting before I had confessed to her. I reached out and very gently brushed the back of my hand against Anemone's shoulder. "I think guys would be pretty lucky to have you too. You are really sweet and deserve someone caring." I complimented her with a soft smile

I smiled up through the shadows as I helped Anemone down into the hole, releasing her hand when she seemed stable enough. "Do not mention it. Only polite to help a lady." I responded and winked playfully, before turning and peering into the darkness. "Well, here is hoping there is some form of lighting down here..." I groaned and crept forward, beckoning Anemone along behind me. I constantly flicked my gaze between Anemone and the dense shadows that only grew thicker the further we descended down the staircase. Finally my feet hit a flat landing of stone, and I rested my back against the wall, reaching out to grasp onto Anemone's uniform; the shadows were so thick I could barely see her. "Stay close." I commanded gruffly, my manner now serious as the darkness threatened to send unknown dangers toward us. Releasing the piece of clothing I had grabbed I led on, following the wall to my right with the healer behind me.

My hand wrapped around something hard and cold. Whoomf. A cold blue light ate away the blackness, illuminating the corridor before us. My eyes flicked to the object I had laid my hands on; a blue torch, burning softly, supplying only enough light for us to see five steps away from our current position. There was a spot of shadow between our torch and the next one. "Well, it is better than nothing, right?" I turned to ask Anemone with a sheepish grin, before soldiering further into the hallway.

[Anemone 0]

Anemone smiled at his words, she didn't know true companionship like Grave and his girlfriend, but she had read about it in her romance novels back home. She had dreamed of days like those being whisked away by a knight in shining armor. Funnily enough she was now a Knight herself, or something to that effect being in the Knights of the Blood Oath. Her red eyes darted back and forth from the shadows and Grave's shadow. She had been walking along behind him keeping one hand on the wall so she would not slip and fall into the earth, because that would be very bad and show how clumsy she really was. As they were walking, Grave's hand had shot out from the darkness grabbing her uniform.

The Healer gave a small yelp when she felt something tug her, "Oh! Grave! You nearly gave me a heartache just now." His intentions were pure but she blushed when his hand had innocently grazed her and then in a more serious voice told her to stay close. She nodded, although he probably couldn't see that in the inky darkness all around them. Her red eyes surveyed the area.

ID: 83267
LD: 3+ 8 = ;( Grave, you are making me unlucky!

She huffed a little bit when she couldn't see much, she had told herself to at least find a few pieces of materials during this trip, but this darkness was more foreboding and and treacherous than she thought. They had come up to a series of torches to light their way. Grave made a comment to which Anemone smiled briefly, "Well, it is better than walking through the darkness. If I had night vision, this would be a lot easier to navigate..." Another skill she would most likely need in the future. @Grave

Edited April 27, 2017 by Anemone

[Grave 0]

"I apologize greatly, I wanted to make sure I did not lose you," I apologized to Anemone in the shadows, sighing to myself for not being a little more careful or subtle. I looked ahead down the corridor of blue flames; there were multiple turns in the wall down the corridor, as well as one more at the end. "Haha, yes, night vision would be incredibly useful right now," I agreed with a chuckle as we pushed on into the azure light. Blue, black, blue, black, the cycle of light continued to repeat itself with each step we took into the labyrinth, exploring the maze with nothing but raw instinct.

I was stunned into silence by loud rumbling, like a giant exhalation. I pressed my back heavily against the wall and motioned Anemone back as well. The corridor beside us widened into a large, square courtyard, and at the very end, a giant minotaur stood guard, shouldering his axe like some stoic sentinel. "Well, guess this is him. Wonder how tough he is, the quest never mentioned it," I sighed and stepped out into the courtyard, checking behind me to make sure Anemone was close by. I swept two fingers downwards though the air in front of me, tapping a few tabs to access my equipment. I equipped my armour and gauntlets, my body shimmering brightly momentarily before I emerged, clad in white dragon-like armour that glowed like the moon, and the sapphire spheres scattered across it glinted in the blue glow of the torches.

I peered behind me at Anemone, my helmet's golden eyes glimmering as I did. "You ready?" I asked her, smirking underneath my helmet.

Spoiler

 

Party
Grave: 640/640 HP | 64/64 EN | D: 12 | M: 43 | Rec: 2 | CC: 1 | Reg: 18 | BLD: 24 | BH: 20
Anemone: 700/700 HP | 70/70 EN | ???

Enemies
Hoya Minotaur: 45/45 HP | D: 30

 

 

[Anemone 0]

Anemone kept her radiant ruby gaze on the back of Grave's head as they walked through the tunnel. Blue and black flamed torches lit the walls in pattern as they tread carefully against the stable platform of concrete and dirt. Her eyes shifted when they were finally getting closer to what appeared to be an exit. Her eyes squinted briefly from the small shallow light as they emerged into a small courtyard. The woman noticed the brave Minotaur standing tall, ever watchful and protecting whatever secrets lye behind him. Grave had looked over her and asked if she was ready. The Healer smiled and shook her head, "I am, but you are not." With her hands glowing a dark red, she targeted Grave as his body was surrounded by the same dark red aura. "That'll help with some damage bonus thanks to the new Support Mods. Now you can go kick some butt." She said with a flick of her thumb towards him. All that was left was for Grave to go in and do the DPS work, should he need any other healing she would be right behind him and ready to fix his wounds with her healing hands.

Party
[H:0] @Grave: 640/640 HP | 64/64 EN | D: 12 | M: 43 | Rec: 2 | CC: 1 | Reg: 18 | BLD: 24 | BH: 20
--Sharpness Activated: +2 Dmg for 2 Turns [0/2]
[H:0] Anemone: 700/700 HP | 62/70 EN |
--Sharpness Cool Down: [0/3]

Enemies
Hoya Minotaur: 45/45 HP | D: 30

[Grave 0]

I raised my eyebrows underneath my helmet when Anemone mentioned I was not ready. I had a narky response prepared, before she raised her hands in my direction, projecting some kind of crimson aura over me, embracing me like a sanguine blanket. I could feel my gauntlets pulsating with power, as if feasting off of this aura. "A damage boost, huh? Sounds fun," I responded almost greedily, enjoying the strength my gauntlets were exuding. I turned back to the bull-faced guardian and fell into a low combat stance, to which the minotaur responded with a mighty, defiant snort, swinging his axe down into a two-handed grip in front of his waist. "Well, here goes," I grumbled to myself and set off, my steel boots clicking loudly against the concrete courtyard floor with each bounding step.

With yet another angry huff of putrid air, the minotaur raised his axe and called it down like a bolt of lightning towards my comparatively diminutive form. Halting sharply, I raised my arm to the blade of the axe and caught the golden edge on the thick ivory plating of my Vanishing Dragon, the axe leaving little more than a scratch and my health bar dropping little more than a pixel, before my Battle Healing activated and topped me back up. Grinning almost maniacally underneath my helmet, I slammed the palm of my free right hand against the flat of the axe, shoving it aside and into the concrete floor, before falling back into a low stance, my feet and right hand glowing a sinister purple. I launched a trio of kicks into the bull-man's left leg and torso, the force causing him to keel over, before my right hand swung down and through the back of his neck, the tell-tale flash of a critical exploding outwards as the strike decapitated the beast and shattered him into flitting sapphire shards.

From just across the courtyard I waved to Anemone and called out to her. "Come on! Let us move on!" I told her and backed up to the wall beside the entrance to what I assumed was the center of the labyrinth.

Spoiler

ID: 84636 | BD: 10 (Oops o.o) | MD: 7

<<Delayed Sword>> 4 x 1 x 14 + 2 = 64 DMG to Minotaur + Bleed (-4 EN)

Minotaur: 30 - 43 = 1 DMG to Grave (Regen activated)

+20 Battle Healing

0 Regen (Battle Healing Priority)

Party
Grave: 640/640 HP | 60/64 EN | D: 12 | M: 43 | Rec: 2 | CC: 1 | Reg: 18 | BLD: 24 | BH: 20
Anemone: 700/700 HP | 62/70 EN

Enemies
Hoya Minotaur: -19/45 HP | D: 30

 

Edited May 19, 2017 by Grave