[PP - F23] A Normal Day of << Search and Rescue >>

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had looked back to Hestia and let out a tiny sigh, she was a bit sorry for what she had said to her, sure she had felt like she had been beating herself up for something she just couldn't control. Ruby had just felt like you couldn't beat yourself up too much for something you couldn't of fixed, but... I guess there had been just a bit more to this all. Ruby had un-clenched her fist and looked down at the ring and took a breath. Ruby had looked over to Hestia and said to her "I am sorry Hestia, I am just looking at this at some sort of way to make you feel a bit better saying that it was out of your control... but I suppose I just don't think and feel as you do." she had moved her hand with the ring towards her "If you want to be the one to report it to him then be my guest... however I can still give it to him if you want me to." she had said with a caring tone, she couldn't think and feel like her so instead of trying how she would handle the situation, she would just follow how she would want to deal with it.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I glance over towards Ruby and just gives a small nod and hugs her gently. Knowing i can't really be mad at her that much since she was just trying to cheer me up, and she is in her own person with a different perspective on the matter. It is okay Ruby. I know you were just trying, but i..i just can't help but think if that was someone else. Since the game just showed it can stop first aids if it feels like it for a quest. What if there is some kind of trapped area within the game or even on this floor, or if they decide to implement that in a boss raid. What good would i be if such a thing repeats and i can't protect my family and friends like i couldn't protect her. I say towards the blond haired fashionista as i take a step back away from the hug as i glance up into her eyes, and then slowly looks towards the ring. I pick up the ring very delicately in my right hand as i look down to it as i hold it tightly within my hand to make sure it won't fall from my grasp. Biting my lip slightly as my mind starts pestering me with thoughts once more. 'What if this was itzal's ring? What would you do then you failure? How would you be able to look at anybody at all? What if this was Tel's ring how could i ever face my family again?' My right hand clenches ever so slightly tighter as such thoughts continue as i try to just ignore them for now. Just hoping a good night's rest or a long fight with a monster will get them out of my head. Hoping that the sadness will just go away if i do something to just push it away.

We arrive at the main settlement as i see the dark elf waiting by the gate as i feel my heart rate increase as i can feel each beat as i start feeling nervous. I take slow deep calming breathes to try and dismiss the nerves as i look towards the dark elf with a saddened look as i slowly move my right hand towards him and shows him the ring. I...i am sorry. We couldn't bring her back safely. I say barely being able to say it loud enough for the man to hear. My voice a bit shaky as emotions threaten to spill out.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby eyes had widened a bit as Hestia moved forward to hug her gently, however a smile grew on Ruby's face and she had returned the hug wrapping her arms around Hestia. Ruby had petted Hestia's pet and roamed her fingers through her hair as she had spoke, trying to at least calm her down in that sort of way since... its probably her best bet to making her feel better about things since her words didn't exactly fully work. After she had let go and grabbed onto the ring Ruby had looked at Hestia with a warm smile and placed a hand on her shoulder saying out to her "I may not be able to feel as you do, however I know you wont let something like this happen again, I know you will be stronger for any situation that happens. That's the cute Ember I know of." she had giggled. After Hestia had gotten herself together Ruby had followed up behind Hestia until the two eventually walked up to the dark elf to report what had happened, Ruby had placed her hand on Hestia's shoulder again and said "However we have extracted revenge... if its any consolation, I understand if it cannot be one."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I give a kind smile towards the blond haired healer as she tries to cheer me up. When we get towards the elf i look towards him with some worry about what he could say about all of this. I watch him slowly take the ring into his hand as he puts it into his pocket with a nod of his head in mourning. "That..that is alright..thank you for at least confirming of her fate. I can figure that trying to get back here without those filthy forest elves killing her while her back was turned might not have been as expected. Thank you for letting me know of her fate, and getting revenge against those forest elves." The dark elf says and then turns around and leaves quickly. Dismissing any words we could say to him about what actually happened and what the surface looks like at all. I then turn back to look towards you with a rather confused look on my face. Is..is he in denial? I say sounding utterly confused about the man's choice of words, and how he just filled in blanks where things could fit within his mind. My familiar looks over towards me with concern as he nudges me more as i smile down towards him slightly. Feeling a bit better that the man hadn't exploded in anger towards me at my failure, and that i can try to prevent it in the future by making sure i can get better gear from Shield if possible.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had watched as he had slowly walked up to Hestia's palm and take the ring saying out not in anger but more so in anger. However after his were exchanged that simply was the end of it all, Ruby had frowned a bit and looked over to Hestia as she had asked out a question, Ruby had smiled a little bit and said "There will be those people that go through the 5 stages of grief. He lost the love of his life now he is in the first stage, however I doubt the game will let us see the rest of his stages." she had looked over to see he had faded away from their visuals and she had said "Come on Ember, we got a whole wasteland to get to the bottom of it all, sure the quests are locked out for us but nothing can stop us from exploring on our own time to find some answers that we want to find. Perhaps we could find how the war all started somehow up there... maybe at least." she had stepped in front of her and leaned her head forward saying "What do you say?" she giggled.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I nod my head in understanding of the whole five stages of grief. Having had to deal with that before within my own life. I then tilt my head at the mention of another quest that supposedly was meant to follow this one as i take out my notebook and flips towards the page for the twenty third floor as i begin writing down that information that this quest has a sequel. I then look up towards you with the grief gone replaced with curiosity and some excitement as my mind focuses more so on what i can learn to help others. Mmk. Lets go explore then. This does mean that there is more then meets the eye in regards to this quest though. That there might be some kind of secret stuff happening that we don't know about. I say as i look around the area and only seeing the hateful looks once more. Knowing that getting out of any locals will be something of the highest difficulty to do, and that it would take tricking them to say anything of use towards myself or Ruby. The question is though where do we begin? Since the obvious place is the ruins, but as we saw it has nothing of use basically from what we are able to observe. Furthermore, we also have the surrounding area for a long distance basically nuked into nothing with no life showing. Then we have the forests that we can now know has those crazed beastmen, and then also those forest elves they keep talking about.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had let out a victory chuckle saying out to her "Now thats the cutie I know! Always down for adventure." she had giggled. However Hestia's next words had brought Ruby to a bit of attention figuring out where to go, Ruby had placed her hand on her cheek and said out to her "Wwwweeelll... neither option sounds really the best, the ruins is basically a bloodbath at this point, both forest areas don't sound too friendly and safe and I doubt we would be able to find anything just in the middle of a wasteland..." she had let out a hum looking over to the side then back to Hestia "Maybe pointlessly walking towards a place would be a good thing for us to do when we can't decide what to do. Worst comes to worst we just have to figure out a camp situation for the night, unless you are too scared to sleep with sexy ole me." she had playfully giggled.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I look towards the blond haired girl as i tap my cheek gently with finger as i then grin as a idea comes to mind. Hey Ruby if there is a survivor within that ruins the first time it is possible there were other survivors that could be on the surface or hiding within the underdark. Though if that is the case we would have to figure out where they would be hiding. I say softly to myself near the end as i pull out my little notebook of the twenty third floor as i read through its information before shaking my head no as look over towards you with a small shrug of my shoulders at not having direct clues as of yet on where to go. Welp if we don't know where to start going towards the ruins is part one in trying to figure out where someone would be to begin this. I say towards my fellow healer as i then heads right back towards the ruins from where we had come from that is the entrance towards the surface part of this floor. My mind focused entirely on solving this floor's mystery now more then anything else as my familiar walks along with me as i pet his head gently for the time being. 'Your sacrifice won't be in vain miss we will find other survivors and we'll help this floor.' I think to myself with a determined look blazing within my eyes on finding someone that can tell me what had occurred.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had thought about it for a moment, she wasn't really wrong about that... she had looked to her and said "Well, its very well possible that there could be more of them hiding out there, but trying to find them wont be easy. Especially if a lot of them are hiding in the shadows, my chances of finding people are good, but not that good." she had confessed out to her, but she did straighten herself and said "However I am not opposed to attempting to find such people to get more information about this so we can come back to this place knowing the information, and who knows maybe it would be extremely beneficial for us to know such things. Knowledge is power after all, but..." she had turned around and looked over to Hestia with a smile "Knowing is half the battle." she had then said "We wont let the others perish, I know we can be successful in at least doing those things, how many could we find? Well, if the computer wants it could be a infinite number, but the pleasure is still there."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

My face turns into a beaming very happy smile at hearing that you agree that my idea isn't that farfetched as it could otherwise be. With renewed vigor i move even faster through the underdark wanting to reach the location before anymore of those beastmen could show up to try and make things worse for any survivors that could've been out within the field. I then glance on over towards my fellow healer as another thought enters my mind. You know something just struck my mind now that i think about. We had a female person drafted into the army, a queen be in charge who is now dead. I think this dark elf society might be based off of a matriarch type of rule over there lands. Since normally men are drafted first when you try to think of who normally would probably get picked back in the olden days of war and combat. I say towards Ruby as i take out my little notebook and writes that down for possible future use of information. I then smile as i pass by rocks and different passages within the cavern that could lead one deeper into the underdark. However, i go upon the path that i have memorized to where it would lead for the exit to the surface. My familiar quickly flying behind to try and keep pace with my eagerness to get towards the surface and learn.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had giggled seeing a bright smile coming from Hestia, it was definitely a sight to see for Ruby a smile that could even make Ruby herself smile, however she is her sister after all, nothing more. She had looked back forward and looked over to Purobolos which had returned back to Ruby, "Find anything my little monster?" she had asked out to him, Purobolos had did a movement where it had said "yes and no", Ruby had let out a questioning hum and looked over to Hestia as she had begun to speak, Ruby had pondered about her words for a moment looking down then back to her "So... it could be possible that that mans wife was drafted perhaps that many men were dwindling that could fight? That's kind of scary to even think about, do you think the queen is still around herself even?" she had spoke with a little bit of concern. She had turned back to Purobolos and asked out to him "Did you see any living elves out there?" Purb immediately grew a dumb look as he shook his ball body no, Ruby had got a little mad at him and said "Hey, it was only a question, dont have to treat me like I am an idiot for asking a question."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I exit onto the surface as i glance about the ruins as i run a hand through my hair as i glance about trying to figure out where to even begin with my searches to find anything of use that could give way to a secret or clue to the area where people are missing. before i could go out to investigate i turn my head towards Ruby and shakes my head no towards her. I guess you were a bit out of it during that boss meeting. Unless that council thing is lying about there queen's fate she is as dead as they can get. Skeletal is her current state that we know of her fate as. Though that does bring the question once more to how her land ended up in this state. Was the queen strong? Did those beastmen have something to do with it? Or is Shield's theory of forest elves and remaining dark elves warring with each other correct. I say as i glance about the area as i then proceed to use my familiar and myself to start checking every single rock and stone that can be turned over myself still wearing my golden cloak. I glance through the area forcing stones out of the way while panting softly not finding anything yet. Nothing over here! I call over towards the blond haired healer as i just continue moving one stone after another for a sign like the claws of beastmen or signs of struggle.

#102098  LD:10+3=13 nothin (chest)

[Ruby 0]

[Invalid Roll: 102099 - Cannot roll Labyrinth before 10 posts of a treasure chest roll.]

Ruby had rubbed the back of her head nervously saying out to her "Yeah... you could say I was a bit out of it... to be frank I kind of zoned out during the whole thing... I guess I can consider myself spared from Shield's theory about things..." she had let out one final nervous chuckle. However eventually she had got herself back together and asked out to her "Well... if the queen is dead, how is a stable community happening in the Underdark? Wouldn't it just be absolute anarchy without some form of government system or a ruler?" she had questioned, she doesn't know much about the floor that they were on, all she had knew is some war had happened and it had created the wasteland that you see today. After a moment Hestia had moved over in attempts to find something, perhaps a hidden chest or something but exclaimed that nothing had been over there, Ruby had giggled playfully and said out "The real treasure of Aincrad is over here, don't need special stats to find me."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I bite my cheek ever so slightly at that as i think on Ruby's innocent enough question. Knowing the obvious answer, but the answer does come with another whole slew of questions that would need answering of its own to try and make sense for it all. I glance over towards the blond haired girl and decides to give her a answer right away and for now withhold all of the questions that come with the answer. Well the floor boss is a council of sorts that have the corpse within it. That must mean that the council itself is somehow running the underdark without them knowing the queen is dead in some fashion or the other. I say towards Ruby with a shrug of my shoulders as i then chuckle softly at her little joke as i continue searching through the stones finding claw marks, and blade marks running along the stones. I stop once i see the blade marks finding them to be the most unique as i run my finger gently along the grooves of them. To thin to be anything big and heavy, one handed weapon is the cause. i say softly to myself.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had thought about it for a moment, sure a council could continue a civilization... however it just seems kind of odd, and unstable without someone to rule them all... however perhaps they could've adapted to a government system quickly or at least a voting comittee... but... the question is, where are they? Perhaps they are the floor bosses here trying to take their land back? Ruby had sighed a bit, this had been a lot of thinking, thank god she had totally been spacing out during the boss... it would've led to a world of headaches for her. Eventually she had shook off all her thoughts and said out to Hestia "Anyways! Lets stop thinking about it before too many headaches come up." she had nervously giggled, however eventually she had walked up behind Hestia as she had inspected the blade marks on the stone, Ruby had placed her hands on her hips and leaned down saying "Geez I wonder who caused all these blade marks around..."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I chuckle softly at Ruby's words as i just shake my head no to her words as i glance on over towards her. Well sadly Ruby we are running a investigation and thus we will have to be thinking of all these types of questions and how they connect together to make a realistic reason for how everything is as it is. i say towards the blond haired healer with a sympathetic look as i then focus back upon the area as i then continue forward just following the signs of struggle found within blade marks along the rocks as i glance towards the direction that it leads. I then look forward as i see that it leads towards the eastern end of the floor where the signs of struggle lead to. I glance ahead and gives a nod as i start heading within that direction with a grin upon my face as i let my mind wander upon the subject of the council. Mmmk. Survivors are possible through the war that happened, none have returned home, the council is in charge and wishes to keep there people ignorant. I say out loud for even you to hear as i think through these things as i tap my cheek as i think on that. Either the council is wanting to keep people silent about what happened to there queen, or that dark elf wife was the only survivor. I say towards the blonde haired girl throwing a theory out there. My familiar quickly flying up on ahead of us to give warning of monsters if he is able to spot any that could try to approach us.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had let out a somewhat complaining sigh as she had said that there would be a lot of thinking under investigation then with a playful whine "But Ember.... do we have to..." she had let out a sigh. Purobolos had floated behind her and gave the back of her head a slap, Ruby had looked over to Purb with a somewhat angered look saying "I'll complain all I want Purb you got it?" she had growled, Purobolos simply letting out a goblin like chuckle in response. Ruby eventually returned back to Hestia and listened, Ruby had scratched her head a bit and said out to her "Well judging how many families never returned in World War 2, it seems like it only makes sense for a war as gigantic like this that many would never return. Only makes me think if the war began on day one, and we are seeing the aftermath of not coming up here in time. Just...  a theory I suppose. I could be wrong." she had tried to think of other things then saying "What we got in our hands is a broken community and race, not too quite sure how repairable it really is."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I nod my head in understanding of that idea as i glance up towards the ceiling with a frown. Knowing that if any serious conflicts have arisen that the only ones that most likely would still be going on is the ones that are about information and secrecy. Nothing big like weapons and such would still be going on for one side would've one by now most likely if it has been two years of nonstop fighting for some floors. Well if that is the case Ruby then we might as well not expect many positive things happening from this floor onward since it has been two years of us just trying to get to this point. If there are any conflicts with the floors above then they will most likely be over with by the time we get to them. I say with a small shrug of my shoulders as i still continue onward into the forest where the trail had lead to as i keep my senses up as i look forward and see my familiar walking forward to me as i nod in understanding as i pet his head. it's okay Kuro i know you can't fly easily within here. I say softly to him as i then keep walking forward with a determined look upon my face. The sounds of the leaves rustling ever so slightly from the breeze of the wind going through the floor being the predominant sound with an occasional bird or snapping or crunching of something as animals pass on by. From innocent rabbits and birds, to more distant sounds of angry snarls that seem to be quite a good distance away.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had squinted her eyes as she had listened then replied "Well what did you expect when seeing a wasteland like this? Happiness and rainbows? NPC's waiting to greet you with eager anticipation? I doubt a wasteland equals anything good, even in a video game." she had giggled. After a brief moment they had continued into the forest, Ruby had snapped her fingers and Purobolos had turned to his smoke form that had circled around Ruby's feet, a someone easy trick they have been using to keep him out of eye sight at least from a distance. Ruby had looked around the forest, and it had looked exactly as she thought it would after a war, it looked as if 17 different battles had happened in one single area before moving to the next, Ruby had let out a puff of air thinking to herself how the beginning floors were innocent enough, and now Ruby and Hestia had walked on land more barren than Fallout 3*, without a soul or a real monster to be found.

@Hestia

*a game designed to be empty.

[Hestia 0]

I glance about the wooden forests that remain relatively untouched except for a few marks along the bark to signify weapons having crashes and slashes along its tough bark. I gaze towards the various trees seeing each one with a different wound from the war that must've taken place. Though really only the first few couple lines of trees having such marks after that becoming rather normal grown trees. No sign of wear or tear among any of them to show signs of a fight having been fought from this point within the forest line. I glance over towards my familiar with a rather calm disposition within my blue colored eyes and gives him a simple pat on the head with a gentle smile. The familiar accepting the gesture by nuzzling against my hand affectionately. After having a nice little moment of that i make my way forward deeper into the forest holding onto my sword and shield having equipped my heavy armor that is meant for the greatest damage output. I gaze around the forests keeping my senses sharp as i only hear the soft sounds of leaves rustling within the wind of the trees all around us. Gentle shrubs being pushed and nudges by small non-hostile forest critters of all sorts.

My eyes flicker over towards the blonde healer by my side as i just shrug my shoulders. I wasn't expecting much from a wasteland it is the forests and the areas that have life that i expect to see the interesting things. The things that the game would like to hide from us about the floors if players gave up simply at never looking to begin with, or if they had only accepted whatever was given to them by the surface details that they could grasp. I say towards you with a nod of my head as i continue on my path through the the forest hearing a soft babbles of the running water of some type of stream moving through the area.

After a rather short walk forward reveals a nice open grove like area. Having a nice peaceful stream cutting through it creating a small little stream for creatures to enjoy the water that they can be provided. A few bushes of different kinds around the clearing with various fruits and edibles growing upon them. The only thing ruining this being a small camp of creatures that look rather similar to the beastmen that had attacked the nearby ruined castle. All of the creatures not having any thing like tent or fire just skulking around there area with a leader of some kind rested in the center. The creature looking like some sort of mythical monster if horribly disfigured to be forced into a humanoid form.