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[SP - F23] As It All Comes Down Again | S&R


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clifftowerruins_screenshot_04-1920x1080-7f1314781f892e811f49d5725c184b7f.png
The sound of the wind is whispering in your ear. Can you feel it coming back?
Through the warmth, through the cold, keep running 'til we're there.
We're coming home now, we're coming home now

"She's been gone for nearly a week. We both knew that it would be dangerous, and yet, she went anyway. While I am aware that her absence likely suggests she is... beyond saving, I wonder if you might go look? I cannot help but hold out hope."

Another tear-jerker quest. Lessa felt her own heartstrings being tugged as the NPC wove his tale of woe. She'd largely avoided such quests; she had enough to be sad about without them, thank-you-very-much. Here on the twenty third floor, there seemed to be no shortage of misery-based missions. What was up with elves and being so upset all the time? They were really emotional. Emo elves.

"No problem, mister! I'd be happy to help!"

That she had not expected. The woman frowned, finally turning to look at pair who conversed behind her. There was a tall, willowy man with chalky skin and pointed ears, who wore a dark suit. And, much to her horror, a pip-squeak player in starter gear. There was hardly a moment for hesitation as Lessa's previous errands were forgotten. She'd closed the distance between them in three heartbeats.

"Uh, hi there," she began, giving the elf a quick wave. Then her attention was reserved entirely for the boy. "What are you doing up here?"

Puzzlement settled over the boy's expressive face, his brown eyes narrowing with confusion. Then they widened, as if he'd decided there'd just been a misunderstanding. "Oh! I'm helping this guy. See, his wife went out to fight some bad guys, and she hasn't come back yet. So I'm going to go get her, because that's what heroes do!"

Yui's Grace Applied

Spoiler

Level: 41 | HP: 820 | Energy: 82 | Base DMG: 12 | Base MIT: 72 | Acc: 4 | Thorns: 2 | Heavy Momentum: 1 | Bleed: 1
2HSS [5] | Heavy Armor [3] | Protector Familiar [3] | Survival | Howl | Precision
Scarecrow’s Twin [+2 DMG/+1 BLD] | Rose Gauntlets [+2 Thorns/+1 HM] | Rosebud Charm [+3 ACC]

Housing
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down).
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests.
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll.

 

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Lessa's jaw worked as she studied the boy. It wasn't uncommon to come across a young player, as kids of all ages had joined the game on launch day. But it still tore her heart in two, looking down at his wide eyes. Excitement swirled amongst the gold flecks in the brown, and freckles of a similar color skipped across his flushed cheeks. He was so, so eager to help someone else, even if that person was a NPC. But what if his crusade ended in tragedy?

She wouldn't let that happen.

So a wide smile masked the concern as she squatted down to the boy's height. The worry wasn't chased away, not by a long shot, but momentarily set aside. It would do no good to let him know how anxious his venture made her. "So hey," she began. "Would you mind if I tagged along?" Uncertainty flickered across the boy's face, so she hastily added, "I want to help him too." Her eyes flicked toward where the stoic elf stood, then back again. "But I'm not sure I could do it alone. With your help, I'm sure I'll be able to! So can I go with you?" She flashed him a quick wink. "I could be, y'know, your sidekick."

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The boy's eyes widened, and the uncertainty was replaced almost immediately by pure, unadulterated glee. The transformation caught her breath in her throat. Lessa had nearly forgotten how expressive children were, as she hadn't truly interacted with one in years. She'd forgotten how simple they were.

"Do you mean that?" he asked. Then, without waiting for an answer, exclaimed, "Yes! Let's do it!"

It was just so easy. Lessa's smile wasn't as wide as her new companion's, but it was present nonetheless. "But you know," she stated sagely, "I can't be partners with someone if I don't know his name."

"Oh, right!" In a gesture so genuine that Lessa nearly sobbed, the brown haired boy stood straighter, squared his shoulders. "M'names Oliver."

Lessa extended a hand for a shake, and when he took it, she replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Oliver. My name is Lessa."

Oliver's head tilted, confusion ghosting across his expression. "That's a weird name."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It sort of is weird, but it's my Sword Art name."

"What's your real name?"

 

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"My real name?" It had been so long since she'd freely given out that information. Players who had changed her entire life didn't even know her birth name. Yet here was a little boy, likely less than ten years old, asking for it. What a strange day it was turning out to be.

"Wull, yeah." The boy interrupted her thoughts, eyebrows quirked in curiosity. "You know, the name your parents gave you." The corners of his lips turned down, and he asked, "Did you already forget it?"

"Right. No, I didn't forget it. Don't worry. My real name is Alyssa." 

Any hesitation disappeared, and the smile was back to full strength. "Can I call you Alyssa?"

Lessa nodded. "Of course you can."

Oliver bounced onto his toes, then rolled back on his heels. He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his starter pants. "Okay, Alyssa!" Those two words were pumped full of such excitement that she again worried about her heart. If he kept this up, it would either shatter into a million pieces, or be reduced to a pile of mush. Likely both.

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A deep, guttural cough drew both Lessa and Oliver's attention. The elf, who Lessa had momentarily forgotten about, stared down his nose at the pair of them."So, are you willing to aid me in my search?"

Lessa went to reply, but Oliver beat her to it. "Yup! I'm going to bring Alyssa with me. We're going to find your wife, and bring her back."

Tythen gave a long, slow nod. "It is appreciated, thank you." 

A popup consumed Lessa's vision, outlining the quest's objectives, and asking if she'd like to accept it. She did so, dismissed the window, then turned to look at Oliver. "You're in charge, boss man," she told him. "Are you leading the way?"

Oliver glanced at her, then took his lower lip between his teeth. "Wellllllll," he drawled out the side of his mouth. "I don't really know where I'm going."

Yeah, Lessa thought to herself, definitely glad I intervened. "That's not a problem, I'll take point. You just walk beside me, okay? Make sure nothing gets the jump on us?"

"Right!" He nodded vigorously, and Lessa nearly choked when he flashed her a quick salute. "Should I get my sword out then?"

The blonde drew a deep breath, exhaled. "Yes, please do that. Do you have any armor?"

"No. Do I need it?"

Not if I can help it.

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  • 3 weeks later...

They walked side by side, the blonde and the brunette. The latter had to work double-time to keep up with Lessa's long strides, but the childish eagerness kept his little legs pumping. The journey passed quickly as Oliver rattled off question after question.

"Soooo Alyssa! Do you help clear the floors?"

Lessa blinked, casting Oliver a downwards glance before looking back to the trail. "Do you mean do I fight on the Frontlines? No, I don't. I used to, though."

Oliver drew his tiny, level one sword. He examined it as he asked, "Why'd you stop?"

The woman loosed a small shrug. How could she possibly explain the horrors that lurked on the Frontlines to this child? To shatter his innocence that way? Or was it better to help him understand the risk, exposing the realities of the game before he got himself in trouble? I can't do it. "It just wasn't a good fit for me, boss man."

She looked down in time to see him nod sagely. Then Oliver gave the air a few good whacks with his sword, moves reminiscent of a kid playing with his plastic lightsaber. "It's gonna be a good fit for me," he assured her, his chest puffing with pride. "I'm going to fight there as soon as I get a little bigger."

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Lessa knew what she was walking into before they'd reached the Queen's Fortress. She could see the gray smoke spiraling into the air, and the smell the stink of dying fires. They weren't going to like what they found. "Uh hey, Oliver," Lessa began slowly, a hand reaching out to rest on the boy's shoulder. "Why don't we head back? I know some other quests we could do."

The boy gave a quick shake of his head, brown hair flopping into his eyes. "Nuh uh. Let's finish this one. We told the elf man we would."

Lessa winced. What a loyal kid, willing to see the mission through until the end. But she really, really didn't want to do that. Not with him. "Well look," she tried again, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Truth is, I'm really hungry. There's this place on the fourth floor that has amazing burgers. They have pretty great chocolate chip cookies, too. Want to go grab a bite? I'll buy."

Oliver looked up at her, something akin to annoyance on his boyish face. "C'mon, Alyssa," he whined. "We're already here. Let's just go already." He scampered ahead, and Lessa had to jog to keep up. As she passed the remains of an overturned cart, still smoldering from recently died fires, she glanced inside. Okay, no body. So far.

"Oliver!" She called out. "Please wait for me. Let's do this together, okay?"

Lessa would do everything in her power to assure he didn't find what she was convinced waited for them.

[Searching - 1/4]

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“Hello?” Oliver called, his youthful voice echoing through the smoking ruins. “Hey, is anyone here? It’s me, Oliver! I’m here to rescue you!”

Wincing, Lessa jogged over to the young player’s side. “Hey bud,” she cautioned slowly, “let’s keep our voice down.”

He answered her concern with a stubborn frown. “But I want them to be able to hear me.”

”Right,” Lessa replied slowly, “but we don’t know what else could be listening. We wouldn’t want the bad guys to know we were looking, would we?”

Oliver chewed on this new information for a moment, then finally nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

Relief warmed her, but the sensation was temporary. They still had a lot of work ahead of them, and it likely wouldn’t be pretty. Carefully, Lessa picked her way deeper into the wreckage of a collapsed outbuilding. The stone was still warm as she turned it over, peering beneath to find... nothing.

”That’s okay,” she murmured, gently setting the slab back down. She did want to find the missing elf, but the visual absolutely chilled her.

[Searching - 2/4]

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The woman stumbled a bit as she ventured deeper into the ruins. Arms spread to balance her, Lessa picked her way deeper into the still smoldering wreckage. The smell was overpowering, an unpleasant mixture of smoke, wood, and... something else. If Lessa were being honest with herself, it smelled of death. 

Stop thinking like that, she scolded herself, but the creeping anxiety remained. There was something terribly eerie about this particular quest. Lessa was far from a combat junkie, but she'd take hacking away at waves of baddies over this. There was too much emotion in this one. It was too easy to get back in her own head, and reflect on some of her own losses. 

"Alyssa! I think I found something!"

Fear gripped her. "Hang on, Oliver!" she heard herself calling back. Panic dogged her heels as she hurried back to him. The brown-haired boy was crouched over the remains of what looked like a wagon. Bits of straw, miraculously spared from the flames, littered the ground. Oliver was unceremoniously prodding at something with a long stick.

[Searching - 3/4]

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"What is it, Oliver? What did you find?"

Lessa crouched beside the small boy, one hand clutching his shoulder. Not only was it meant to let him know she was there, but it allowed her to yank him back if the situation called for it. 

"See it?" The boy prodded once, twice, with the long stick.

Her blue eyes narrowed as she studied the black lump. It wasn't a body, thank goodness. So what was it? "Is that... a shoe?"

Oliver nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I think so! A boot, or something. Do you think it might be a clue?"

Lessa heaved a sigh, straightening again, and offering Oliver a hand. When he took it, she pulled him to his feet. "I'm not sure if it's a clue or not," she admitted. "I'm not sure if this is one of those quests. And I'll be honest, I've got a bad feeling about all this. I think we should go tell Tythen that we couldn't find his wife."

[Searching - 4/4 Complete]

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The first signs of anger sparked across Oliver’s face. Heavily lashed chestnut eyes drooped to mere slits. “No.” His hands balled into fists, planting themselves on his hips as he repeated, “No. I’m not gonna do that.”

A frown creased Lessa’s lips, her brows furrowing as she asked, “What?”

“I’m not gonna give up. I’m not gonna tell Tythen that we couldn’t find his wife, because we didn’t even look. It would be lying if we said we did.

“Oliver, listen.” There was something pleading in her tone, and she spread her hands in front of her. “It’s just a quest, and I don’t like the direction that it’s heading. We can easily just abandon it. It wouldn’t be the end of the world.”

“It would be to Tythen! We promised him! What are we going to tell him?”

The initial shock was warming into frustration. “We don’t have to tell him anything,” she slapped back.

Oliver rolled forward on his toes, bouncing a bit as he stared up at her. Whether it was the anxious energy, or an attempt to appear taller, Lessa couldn’t be sure. But it was an incredibly childish gesture, making him appear even younger. “Yeah we do! He’s counting on us!”

“He’s an NPC!” The words exploded from her, propelled by sheer exasperation. “It doesn’t matter what we say, because he doesn’t matter. He’s not real!”

Her outburst plunged them into silence. Oliver dropped back on his heels, face crestfallen. The rage in his eyes disappeared, extinguished immediately, only to be replaced with hurt. 

Lessa regretted the words immediately. She reached out for Oliver, as if hoping to pluck the words back before they reached them. “Hey, I didn’t mean that.”

The boy jerked back. “Yes you did! You did mean it!”

Her jaw worked as she drew her hand back. “No, I didn’t, Oliver. I really didn’t. I don’t actually feel that way about NPCs, you have to know that.”

“I don’t know! I don’t know anything about you!” He spun on his heel, pounding away from her before Lessa could say more. She watched him go, knowing she’d have to take chase eventually. But she could give the boy a moment, because she had absolutely been in the wrong.

She changed her mind when she heard him scream.

Spoiler

 ID# 134829 results: Battle: 1 Craft: 5 Loot: 15 MOB: 3

Fonsa is found barely alive, fight off Crazed Beastmen and keep Fonsa alive. (3 Hits)

 

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Before she her mind could catch up, her body was already moving. Lessa tore away from the smoldering cart, eating up the distance between herself and Oliver. 

Praying she wasn't too late.

But she was.

As soon as Lessa reached the boy's side, she saw the body pinned beneath the rubble. Oliver's breaths came in weak, shallow gasps, as if he teetered on the edge of complete hysterics. He likely did. He's just a kid. Lessa grabbed his shoulders, spun him, and pulled him against her. He struggled once, weakly, then snaked his arms around her waist. His small body hitched, and her torso vibrated with his silent sobs. "Shhh, hey," she murmured, a hand moving to stroke his hair. "We did the best we could, okay?" She knew her words wouldn't help, but it wasn't as if she could stay silent, so she just kept talking. "We found her. That's something. That's-"

A low growl drew her from her comforting, and Lessa turned horrified eyes on a pair of massive Beastmen. Their cloven hooves thunked dully on the hard-parked earth as they approached, their muscular midsections already slick with sweat. Instinctively, Lessa shoved Oliver behind her. "Stay back," she barked, to both the enemy and her young charge. In an instant, she had drawn Scarecrow's Twin. 

Her blue eyes flashed, shifting from their typical hue to a supernatural cerulean shade. <<Howl>> activated, drawing the attention of the two Beastmen away from Oliver. In the confusion caused by her skill, the first creature botched his attack. The second one, however, knocked his club against her heavily armored shoulder. Lessa winced as her body jolted, but only a sliver of her health was depleted. Better me than Oliver.

"Uh, Alyssa," came the boy's trembling voice. "I think the girl is actually still alive."

Spoiler

[H: 2|2Lessa: HP: 820-13=807/820 | EN: 75/82 | DMG: 12 | MIT: 72 | ACC: 4 | THNS: 36 | HM: 1 | BLD: 24
[H: 1|1
Forsa: HP: 3/3 Hits | EVA: 1

Lessa used <<Howl>>-7 EN
Rested: 1/2

Beastman 1: HP: 300/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 134840 | MD: 4, Miss
Beastman 2: HP: 300-36=264/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 134841 | MD: 6, Hit (85-72=13) | THNS activated.

 

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  • 1 month later...

"What?" Despite knowing how bad of an idea it was, Lessa turned away from the two enemies. "What do you mean?"

Oliver's voice trembled as he replied, "She's breathing! I mean, it looks like she is." She found him hunched over the seemingly lifeless body, his tiny form dwarfed by the wreckage around him. He shouldn't have come at all, but - 

A roar drew the Guardian's attention back to the more pressing matter. Crap, was the thought that exploded through her head as Lessa grimaced. Were she taking on the pair of enemies on her own, she'd be far less concerned. But now she protected one, maybe two other lives. The stakes were so, so much higher, and Lessa felt panic tapping about in her mind.

Whispering an oath, so not to let Oliver hear it, she squared off against the two monstrosities. All at once, the three lunged at each other. Lessa, fortunately, was faster. Scarecrow's Twin burst with light and color as power pulsed through it. <<Calamity Disaster>> activated, and in an instant, Lessa strung together six fierce strokes. Startled by the sudden action, neither beastman was able to return the damage. Good, she thought. Let me keep them distracted. Let me keep Oliver and the NPC alive.

Spoiler

 

[H: 3|4Lessa: HP: 807/820 | EN: 75+1-15=61/82 | DMG: 12 | MIT: 72 | ACC: 4 | THNS: 36 | HM: 1 | BLD: 24
[H: 2|2
Forsa: HP: 3/3 Hits | EVA: 1

Lessa used <<Calamity Disaster>>-15 EN
Rested: 2/2
Against BM1
- 136576 BD: 3+4=7 HIT. 12*12=14-20=124
Against BM2 - 136577 BD: 9 CRIT HIT. 13*12=156+24 (BLD)-20=160*
* Incorrectly wrote "Beastman 1" instead of "Beastman 2"

Beastman 1: HP: 300-124=176/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 136593 | MD: 1, Miss
Beastman 2: HP: 264-160=104/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 136594 | MD: 1, Miss

 

 

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This time, when the beastmen charged, they did so in unison. Lessa simply wasn't prepared, her attention reserved for the NPC and her young charge. Stupid, she thought in the split second before the strike landed. The man's heavy weapon struck her square in the chest, the impact sending her stumbling backward. Her arms wheeled pitifully, and it was a small miracle that her sword remained in her hand. Though she felt no pain, and the attack hardly touched her health bar, the woman was left sucking in air. She needed to do better, be better, if she hoped to keep the two non-combatants alive. Sure, Oliver had that tiny toothpick of a sword, but she'd be damned if he was forced to use it.

With a roar, the Guardian threw her shoulder into the attacking enemy, gauntlet plowing mercilessly into it's face. With a roar of it's own, the beastman burst into pixels. The blonde hardly noticed as they rained like confetti around her. Instead, she squared off against the other enemy. Too late. Apparently horrified by the site of it's companion dying, the beastman had lunged just out of her reach. They had traded failures, a miss for a miss, but that luck would not hold much longer. "Almost done," the player assured her young friend. "Just hang in there."

Spoiler

[H: 5|4Lessa: HP: 807-13=794/820 | EN: 62+1=63-15= 48| DMG: 12 | MIT: 72 | ACC: 4 | THNS: 36 | HM: 1 | BLD: 24
[H: 3|3
Forsa: HP: 3/3 Hits | EVA: 1

Lessa used <<Calamity Disaster>> -15 EN

Against BM1 - 137288 BD: 10 CRIT HIT. 14*12= 168+24(BLD)-20=172
Against BM2 - 137289 BD: 1 MISS. HEAVY MOMENTUM ACTIVATED. 

Beastman 1: HP: 176-172-36=DED/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 137290 | MD: 7, Hit (85-72=13) | THNS activated.
Beastman 2: HP: 104/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 137291 | MD: 3, Miss

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

"Uh, Alyssa?"

"I know, Oliver," the woman managed through clenched teeth, her gaze glued to the remaining Beastman. "I heard it." And she had heard it, the impossibly faint feminine groan from behind her. So the NPC woman was alive, but for how much longer? Now or never, she told herself, hand tightening around Scarecrow's Twin's familiar hilt. If she didn't act soon, the woman may die. If she let the enraged creature past her, the woman would definitely die, as would the young player Lessa had been trusted with. 

Not gonna happen.

"Alright, big guy," she spat, lifting her sword out in front of her. The weapon glowed brilliantly, reacting to the power Lessa pumped into it. As <<Calamitous Tragedy>> triggered, the blonde lunged forward, a beast-like sound of her own echoing through the ruins. The shaggy beast met her head-on, as she had expected it to. Fortunately, Lessa had speed, strength, and game-modified skills on her side. The blade tore through the creature, leaving deep crimson gashes in a form that soon exploded into data. 

Spoiler

[H: 5|5Lessa: HP: 794/820 | EN: 48+1-12=37| DMG: 12 | MIT: 72 | ACC: 4 | THNS: 36 | HM: 1 | BLD: 24
[H: 3|4
Forsa: HP: 3/3 Hits | EVA: 1

Lessa used <<Calamitous Tragedy>> -12 EN

Against BM1 - 137288 BD: 10 CRIT HIT. 14*12= 168+24(BLD)-20=172
Against BM2 - 137658 BD: 2 HIT. 13*12= 156-20 = 136

Beastman 1: HP: 176-172-36=DED/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 137290 | MD: 7, Hit (85-72=13) | THNS activated.
Beastman 2: HP: 104-136=DED/300 | DMG: 85 | MIT: 20 | ID: 137659 | MD: 5, Miss

 

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Inside her heavy metal breastplate, Lessa's chest rose and fell. She worked hard to suck in each breath, the thundering of her heart surely echoing in the empty space between her armor and her body. Her hands shook, and even with her massive gauntlets, the subtle motion was apparent. Truth be told, the Guardian was an absolute mess. Even as Oliver called to her, Lessa remained standing, staring at the space where her twin enemies had once stood.

But why? Her health bar had barely shed a sliver, and she had never really been in any danger. Those Beastmen were far below her level, and she was more than capable when it came to handling them. In fact, she made incredibly quick work of them. Why, then, did each breath she drew remain shallow, and a bit raspy? Why did her head throb, her heart race, and her palms sweat? Why was she so terrified to turn around and face a scared little boy and a dying NPC?

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Because she could have lost them.

That truth landed on her like a sucker punch when she finally turned to face them. Tears streaked down Oliver's dirty cheeks, terror wide in his chestnut eyes. His lips quivered, though she caught the occasional valiant effort to still them. He was being brave for her. She would be brave for him.

"We're safe now," she informed him, finally stooping to rest a study hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sorry about all that. I know it must have been pretty scary." Oliver merely nodded, so Lessa continued. "Great job finding her. I was ready to give up."

At this, a ghost of a smile drifted across Oliver's weary expression. Even after something so traumatic, a genuine pat on the back could still get through to him. Good. "She's not doing great," Oliver finally told Lessa, moving back to allow the older player room.

As Lessa moved closer, she nodded. "I can see that."

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The truth was that Lessa didn't know how Fonsa clung to life at all. Whatever kept her tethered there was growing threadbare, evident in her pale skin and the fluttering of her long lashes. Lessa reached out a hand and pressed it to the elf's cheek. Where she had expected warmth, she found only cool, rubbery skin. Not good.

"Fonsa," Lessa began, "can you hear me? I need you to stay awake, alright? My friend, Oliver, and I are going to get you back to your husband, okay? Tythen is really worried about you." The entire time she spoke, the woman checked for outward signs of physical trauma. Unfortunately, there were many. Red gashes criss-crossed the woman's shredded armor like some gore-drenched work of art. Equally unfortunate was the fact that Lessa's CPR training had never taught her how to deal with wounds on fake people in a virtual world. 

I guess we're doing this old school, she thought as she eased her arms under the small woman's body. She wasn't sure which, if any, game gods were listening in. But she still prayed that she might have the strength to muscle the barely-conscious woman back to town.

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The gods listened. It was slow going, as the woman was bulky and difficult to carry. She also occasionally jerked to awareness, flailing in Lessa's arms before slipping into stillness once more. Oliver trudged alongside Lessa, his head down, the sword he'd never had to use limp in his hand. Though Lessa had little time to think of anything other than the dying NPC, what few thoughts she had were reserved for the boy. He'd had his first taste of combat today, and his first exposure to the hellish world of Aincrad. It wasn't just a game anymore. Surely, he was struggling to come to terms with all he had witnessed.

Lessa continued to reflect on this as she handed the woman over to her husband, then accepted the rewards, and the follow-up quest. He remained so heavy on her mind that Lessa finally took Oliver by the arm, drew him closer, and knelt down to his size. When their eyes met, she tilted her head, then said, "I know what you saw today was probably pretty tough. Are you feeling okay?"

He nodded, gaze flicking between Lessa and the couple he'd help reunite. "Yeah," he answered. Then, distractedly, "They're really happy."

A wan smile graced her chapped lips, accenting the exhaustion that creased Lessa's face. "They are. You did a good thing today. But did seeing the Beastmen die upset you at all?"

Oliver's gaze remained elsewhere. "No," he answered simply.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." This time when his eyes returned to hers, they were haunted. The sight stole her breath away. "But when I saw the woman lying there, it reminded me of my mom. That's how she looked, right before the bear killed her."

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Standing alone in the busy town square, Lessa watched Oliver as he ran back toward the orphanage - he'd said they'd be missing him if he waited any longer. She watched the people, going about their business without any knowledge of the little boy's trauma. And she watched Tythen as he supported his wife in a strong hug, tears dampening his dignified face. 

She opened a new message and began to write.

Quote

To: @Bahr

Hey Bahr. Sorry about the weird message. I hope you don't mind my reaching out like this. I guess I needed someone to talk to.

I'm just having a really hard time right now. It was all because of some silly quest and some NPCs, which I know you'll totally make fun of me for. But the whole situation left me feeling really... scared, I guess. Or maybe worried. Paranoid? I guess I don't really know how to explain it.

But it just made me think about how important it is to have friends in this place. How important you are to me. How just knowing you have my back makes all of this a little more manageable. I know it's silly, because we haven't known each other all that long, but I feel like you're what I need to keep going. I'm sorry if that's too forward, but it actually helps to say it. I need you around. And I think I need you to know that.

I guess what I'm feeling is emptiness. I get that way when I think about having to do this without you.

From: Lessa

- Archived -

 

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