Lessa

Rolling.

As Jomei pointed out the flower, Lessa jogged over, pressing closer to examine the item before it slipped into his inventory. Then she nodded. "Good to know, thanks. There's not a lot of light here, but hopefully a white flower will stand out a bit better than a darker colored one."

She tugged an elastic band from around her wrist, and in a smooth, sweeping motion, gathered her blonde hair at the nape of her neck. In a movement so second-nature that she was hardly aware she was doing it, Lessa pulled her hair back from her face, and wrangled it into a long, sleek tail. Then she turned away from him, shoving her hands into another bush as she mulled over his question. "It's funny that you mention that," she stated finally. "I'm actually considering moving, too. I love Manderley, but it holds a lot of memories. I'm starting fresh, and some new scenery should make that easier. Besides, I have the col, and almost thirty unique floors to choose from. Why wouldn't I?"

She straightened, pursed her lips, then added, "I'm not sure where I want to go, either. The mountains on Floor 15 are gorgeous, and I love the overall vibes. I used to teach about Tibet, so I'm all about the culture and the history. Floor 24 is pretty, too, but I'm not sure I'd want the sun and sand deal all the time." She loosed a quick shrug. "Yeah, I guess I haven't had anything call to me yet, either. Hopefully soon."

Shifting back to her search, a flash of snow-white caught her eye. Lessa grinned, lunging for it with more enthusiasm than was probably necessary. "Aha!" she declared, grabbing it by its stem and yanking. She instinctively brought it to her nose for a smell, and it shattered into light against her face. She immediately summoned her inventory, and breathed a small sigh of relief after confirming it was there. It was then, with her attention on her HUD, that she felt the eyes on her back.

She slowly closed the window, the twinkle of bells far too loud in the silence. A sideways glance at Jomei confirmed he also felt the presence. "Yeah," she replied slowly, "and the feeling's mutual. I definitely don't trust it, either. Let's get this done quickly."

ID 222984 | LD 18 | CD 2

Ushiame Flowers [ 2 / 5 ] 
Grove Guardian Tolerance [ 25/30 ]

Lessa nodded, humming a soft sound of agreement. "I definitely don't want to get on the guardian's bad side, either. Whatever it is, with a name like 'the guardian', it's probably packing some power." Whether that meant literal power, or symbolic, she couldn't be sure. In truth, it didn't really matter. Getting thwacked by a strong beast, or being shunned by a floor of NPCs for slaughtering their god-figure, could both be equally problematic. "I definitely hope that this guy doesn't come after us," she said suddenly, a thought coming to her. "I mean, in the story, the guy who wasn't run off was sick, right? I'm sure the moral is not to be greedy, but here's to hoping the guardian recognizes that we're trying to help." She blew out a hard breath, sending her long blonde bangs flapping. "I'd say something like 'the game wouldn't set us up on a quest that just screws us over', but I've learned my lesson in the six billion years we've been stuck in here."

I don't want to lose you, he said so conversationally, and she was surprised by the pleasant little flutter of butterflies in her stomach. Her cheeks warmed, and she flashed him a quick smile of appreciation before turning away. Flowers, flowers, flowers. People were suffering, there was medicine to be made, and no time to waste. Still, Lessa felt a bit lighter than she had a moment ago as she picked through the leaves of a nearby bush. They were the size of dinner plates, and at first glance, didn't appear to be hiding any flowers.

"I have no idea," she answered. Then she shrugged. "Not sure why, but I'm envisioning something pink. Or maybe purple, like the bark? I sort of hope they're white, so they'll stand out. It's really hard to see in the dark." She chewed on her bottom lip as she studied the bush a final time, then pivoted to explore another one. "This is such a pretty floor, and I love the crystals. But I miss the sunlight. I'm not sure I could live in a place without a day/night cycle."

ID 222484 | LD 6 | CD 5

Ushiame Flowers [ 1 / 5 ] 
Grove Guardian Tolerance [ 15/30 ]

Percival turned away from them, a clear dismissal, and Lessa blew out a long breath. "Oooookay then," she drawled, though only loud enough for Jomei to hear. "I get the guy is stressed, but damn. No need to bite our heads off when we just wanted to help. When we did help." Shifting toward the path Percival had indicated, she waited until her partner did so as well before moving into a walk. As she plodded, the woman scrubbed her hands over her face, then winced as she realized how thoroughly she'd smeared soot across her flushed cheeks. "Ick," she mumbled, snagging the end of her cloak, and using to unceremoniously wipe at the grit.

"That was an interesting story though," came her muffled voice from behind the fabric. Only once she'd let it fall back into place, swirling about the heels of her boots, did she continue. "Definitely a warning for us. We can't be greedy, meaning we can only take as much as is necessary." The blonde pursed her lips in thought, then added, "However much that is. I actually have no idea. I guess we play it by ear?"

She stretched her arms over her head, working out some of the tension still knotting her back and shoulders. Apparently, pulling people from a burning building took a toll on the body, even in a video game. At least she'd finally stopped trembling. While she'd done a good enough job hiding it from Percival (and perhaps Jomei), the ordeal had left her more than a bit shaken. "I wonder what this guardian is, anyway," she began conversationally, glancing over at Jomei. "Maybe a big bear or something? That would kind of fit the setting."

Hardly any time had passed before the pair emerged in a clearing. Though trees still canopied the space, shifting leaves sending dappled moonlight falling to the ground below, there was an openness here that Lessa knew was intentional. A circular pond with a small waterfall burbled pleasantly from the opposite side. "This has got to be it," she whispered. She didn't know why she suddenly felt the need to lower the volume. Something just felt different about this part of the woods. Something felt... holy? Rubbing suddenly damp palms on her thighs, Lessa's gaze swept the meadow, searching for signs of flowers... or threats.

The NPC's lips nearly disappeared entirely as they drew into a paper-thin line. Behind his glasses, his dark eyes flared brighter than the fire still burning mere feet away. Despite the chair he appeared confined to, and his somewhat scholarly exterior, Lessa sensed the anger rolling off of him in waves. Or perhaps that was simply the flames, the heat it threw, and the strange, hellish light it cast. "We are perfectly capable of taking care of our own," he sneered, "and we take offense to any suggestion as to the contrary."

Clearly, Lessa longed to shoot back, even as the gathered Sronians coughed loudly. Even those who hadn't been trapped seemed sluggish in their efforts to put out the flames, as if they'd already given up hope that there was anything left to save. The Guardian itched to abandon the pointless dialogue, and aid the crestfallen NPCs, but something told her that the quest required diplomacy over physical labor. At least, this part of it did. And she could wait just a bit longer, if it meant helping the greater good. Besides, there were still people in Dagan who needed saving, too.

 "No, we aren't saying that at all," she stated, hoping that her tone didn't betray her words. "I apologize, we got off on the wrong foot here, Mister..." Her voice trailed, and though she eyed him expectantly, he remained silent. Finally, she prodded, "I never caught your name."

"Percival."

"Percival. Alright, Mister Percival. We're confident that you could have taken care of your own people, but we're still glad to have been here to provide backup." Without giving him an opening to comment, she forged ahead. "As Jomei said, we're just here to help." With a sweeping gesture that perhaps bordered on too showy, Lessa motioned to the still-burning wreckage. "You guys are really busy. Maybe there's something we can do while you all focus on putting out the fire?"

She thought that he might reject her again, but instead, he turned to regard the flames in contemplative silence. Then he sighed heavily. "That building held our supply of Ushiame flowers, which is the main ingredient in all of our medicinal products. We've... lost it all. If we hope to tend to our own wounded, and possibly those in Dagan, you'll need to retrieve more from the Blooming Grove." With a distracted wave of his hand, he directed them toward a nearby trail. "Bring me back what you can, and maybe we'll discuss this further."

Event Rewards

Experience
Bahr: 2,130
Jomei: 3,726
Freyd: 4,498
Katoka: 1,167
Oji: 617
Morningstar: 1,457
Hirru: 4,292*

All participants also receive 5,000 col and the following item.

Magdalyn's Cuckoo | (Tierless/Consumable/Re-usable) : Must be equipped in a Battle Ready slot to use as an instant (Free Action | Item) to gain +3 LD when rolling for loot on the next monster killed.
Can be applied after a roll. Limit 1 use per thread.

Thread rewards are being listed here so that they can be linked back to if desired.
* Only receiving experience, due to not completing the escape room.

Even as she kept her steps slow and measured, her mind spun out of control. Lessa had truly thought that she would die before facing Dominic again, and that had been entirely okay with her. Now, at the notion of seeing him again, she found it difficult to take a deep breath. 

What she went through in that defiled church left scars she'd never shake, and she had only been there for two days. The idea that others had spent years in that place was something she couldn't begin to comprehend. Even so, the visuals burned into her brain kept her up at night. Olivia, clinging to the edge of the world. Bahr, also fighting for his life, though in a different way. And Dominic, his arms lifted to the heavens that he swore he represented. And Oliver might be mixed up with a teenage version of that psychopath? Fear gripped her so tightly that her knees nearly buckled. 

She didn't want to do it. She didn't want to keep walking down the long hallway that stunk of human waste and neglect. She didn't want to relive those memories, or face him again, or open herself up to anything he might have to say. But what she did want was Oliver, safe in her arms, and that need drove her forward.

Even so, she never chanced a look at Bahr. Like a mountain climber looking back at the ground, doing so might snap the thin thread of courage holding her upright.

When Dominic finally spoke, the sound of his voice chilled the blood in her veins.

I'm not your sister, she felt the urge to retort, but what would it accomplish? She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

The whitehaired swordsman remained silent at her side, and Lessa took it as an invitation to speak first. She did so in a brisk, no-nonsense tone.

"Everest has run away with a group of kids. Where would she take them?"

Then the strangest thing happened. Though chains weighed Dominic down, his spine straightened, and he gracefully rose to his full height. He stood in the center of the prison cell, but it might as well have been center stage. In a stunning transformation, the prisoner became the presenter. Grime covered his entire body, and his once neatly styled hair was plastered to his head, but if she looked in his eyes - she saw him. And it was as if nothing had changed at all.

"No small talk?" He crooned back at her, that ethereal smile shoving his cracked lips back from yellowing teeth. "After all this time, you don't wish to catch up a little?"

Lessa's hands clenched into fists at her side, but she gave no other outward reaction to his words. "Everest," she repeated. "Where?"

Dominic gave a small hum of thought, as if attempting to put a face to the name. "Everest." The way he drew the single word out, like a sort of purr, turned her stomach. Then he lifted a single finger, wagging it in recognition. "Ah, yes. My brightest star. The Light shone so brightly through her, and it was a high honor to help her reach her full potential."

Regardless of his true meaning behind the words, they slammed into Lessa like a freight train. In turn, she slammed her fist against the bars of his cage. If the sound startled him, he gave no indication - he simply went on grinning back at her. "You sick fuck," Lessa snarled. "What did you do to her?"

Dominic pressed his palms together, a bastardization of a gesture that had once made him appear so devout. "I showed her the Light."

"You told everyone that the Light could only be accomplished through killing yourself," Lessa shot back, jabbing a finger toward the direction they'd come, as if indicating the past rather than a specific direction. "So you showed her death? What does that even mean? You can't even keep your own story straight."

He gave a small shrug, the rise and fall of his shoulders nearly imperceptible beneath the tattered shirt. He never gave a damn about consistency, Lessa realized, peering in at him the way a child might study a lion at the zoo. It didn't matter what the story was, so long as he had the charisma to sell it. And that, he had in spades. Draped in chains and caked in filth, he still exuded power. There's no reasoning with him. He's delusional, and Oliver is going to pay the price for his madness.

"Bahr, hi." She turned to him, and wanted nothing more than to meet him with a tease or a jab in the arm. It had been months since they'd seen each other, though they'd spoken regularly, and she was happy to see her friend again. Hey stranger, she might have greeted, were the situation different. But she simply could not find the energy to drum up the enthusiasm. He'd hurried over, that much was evident, but every minute she'd spent waiting had been dedicated to imagining Oliver in danger. By the time Bahr reached her, her stomach roiled like a stormy sea, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep down the grape pop she'd chugged on the walk over.

"Thanks for coming," she started, all business. Then her gaze finally caught his, and the color drained from her flushed cheeks. "Your eyes." She heard herself utter the words, and had nearly reached out to graze fingertips over his cheek before she caught herself. Gone were the Christmas eyes that she'd grown so accustomed to. Instead, her own blue eyes blinked owlishly as she stared into the pools of crushed stars. Then she coughed once, shook her head, and took a step away from him. "Sorry. Just didn't expect-"

"Bahr, isn't it?" Where Lessa had moved backward, Kyra took a step toward the Kingslayer. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, even under these circumstances. Lessa has told me so much about you."

The blonde scoffed, though there wasn't much venom in the sound; her mind was clearly still elsewhere. "So much for confidentiality."

The therapist's eyes, a pretty shade of purple that perfectly matched her suit, lit with humor. "Even outside of our sessions." She turned back to Bahr and extended a hand. "My name is Kyra. I am a psychologist, and I have been working closely with the Sanctuary survivors. Regarding your questions, I am afraid we do not have many answers." Efficiently, she filled Bahr in on the necessary details, including Everest's fixation with Dominic. "We have no idea where they might have gone, and they left no clues. So far as we know, Dominic has had no interaction with the children. Everest spoke often of his teachings, and his plan, but I had simply assumed those referred to his nonsensical preaching about 'the light.'" Kyra shook her head, a silk-smooth lock of white hair slipping over her shoulder. "Now, I'm not so sure."

"We'll go see him." When all eyes turned to Lessa, she simply stared back, resolute. "I've been thinking about it, and as much as I hate the idea, it makes the most sense. Who knows what he said to Everest when no one else was around to hear. They spent a lot of time together, right?"

Though Kyra didn't wince, her discomfort carried through her voice. "Yes. According to her, they spent considerable time alone together. He claimed it was necessary to show her the way."

"Fucking pervert," Lilik growled. The muscles in her arms bulged as she wrapped them tighter about herself. While it was possible that she was providing herself comfort, Lessa suspected it was more about holding herself back from doing something rash.

Understanding and sympathy came into Kyra's eyes, but fled just as quickly. "I haven't found any evidence that he engaged in a physical relationship with her."

"Well thank god for that," came the snarled response. "I was starting to think Dominic was a bad guy or something. You've really put my mind at ease."

Lessa wanted desperately to clap a reassuring hand on Lilik's arm, but thought better of it. If Alkor had taught her anything, it was that cornered animals didn't react well to physical contact, no matter how well-intentioned. So instead, she turned to Bahr. "If you don't want to go, I completely understand. He almost-" The words caught, and she swallowed around a sudden lump in her throat before forcing them out again. "He almost killed you. I wouldn't blame you at all if you wanted to wait for me to do it. Then we could go look for the kids together."

"Good luck even getting through to him," Lilik interjected. "I've tried to see the prick a few different times. They never let me past the door."

Both Lessa and Kyra swung surprised looks toward their friend.

"I didn't know that," Lessa shot back.

At the same time, Kyra murmured, "You never told me."

"Yeah, well, it didn't matter. They won't let you see him. So you're probably wasting your time."

Let's pick the truth that we believe in, like a bad religion, tell me all your original sins.
So many questionable choices, we love the sound that our voice makes, man, this echo chamber's getting loud.

First Floor, Town of Beginnings, Teleport Plaza

"Tell me what happened."

Lilik and Kyra turned to stare at each other. From outward appearances, the two women couldn't have been more different. Lilik already towered at six foot, but her wide shoulders, facial tattoo, and intimidating air made the woman seem larger than life. Kyra, on the other hand, seemed even smaller than her five foot, nine inches. Her snow-white hair and light complexation clashed dramatically with Lilik's plum pony-tail and dark skin, as did Kyra's lilac pant-suit and Lilik's yoga pants and oversized crewneck. Beneath the surface, one studied violence while the other longed for it. But they shared a few things, as well - a worried look, a deep-rooted interest in Sanctuary, and fear in their eyes unlike any Lessa had ever seen before.

"Seriously," Lessa pressed, "do it. Just tell me quick."

Never one to wait around, Lilik spoke first. "A bunch of the kids up and left. Said something about going off on their own, or some bullshit like that."

"Who?" Lake blue eyes narrowed into slits, Lessa glanced from Lilik to Kyra, then back again. "Where? Why?"

"Uhhh, like a dozen kids? Don't know. And don't know."

"Not overly helpful," Lessa muttered, the words escaping her before she could think them through. If they bothered the statuesque Lilik, she gave no indication. Lessa's gaze came to rest on Kyra. "Start from the beginning, please. I need to know what's going on."

Kyra's voice, as rich and warm as the flowery tea she preferred, was uncharacteristically tense. "Lilik is right," she began slowly, "there really are still many unknowns. So far, we have determined that eleven children are missing, all between the ages of eight and twelve."

"Eight." On a strangled groan, Lessa pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes; the mere thought of an eight year-old wandering Aincrad alone terrified her. 

As if interpreting Lessa's utterance as a question, Kyra nodded slowly. "Yes, eight. No one knows where they've gone to, but I may have some idea as to why they've left." The woman hesitated for the briefest moment. Then she squared her shoulders, clasped her hands, and spoke as precisely as a policeman giving his commanding officer a report. "The group appears to be led by a girl named Everest. An orphan taken in by the original Sanctuary group-"

"Cult," Lilik interrupted sharply. When her two companions turned to look at her, Lilik heaved a shrug. "Don't pussyfoot around it. It's a cult. Call it what it is."

Kyra, to her credit, only inclined her head slightly before continuing. "Taken in by the original Sanctuary cult. Without a parent figure in her life, and left alone during a very impressionable time, I believe Everest was incredibly vulnerable. Likely, she would align herself with the first person to show her attention."

"Dominic." Lessa ground out the name between clenched teeth, her hands balling into fists at her sides even as the sound of his name sent a wave of nausea through her. At a glance, Lilik appeared to have the same reaction, crossing her arms tightly across her chest.

Kyra's lips, painted a pretty pale pink, drew into a thin line. "Yes. As you know, I have been working with the Sanctuary survivors, helping them sort through the trauma. Everest has always spoken highly of Dominic, and even went so-far as to express remorse over not ending her life with the others."

As Lilik's eyes slipped closed, Lessa threw her hands up, exasperation clear in every line and curve of her face. "But Dominic was full of shit! Everyone saw it! If she was there, then she should know that!"

"I agree," Kyra reassured, "Dominic's entire platform was both self-serving and nonsensical. But Everest simply did not see it that way. I had hoped I might be able to convince her otherwise, but instead, it appears that she's been doing the convincing. Over the past couple of months, other children have expressed similar sentiments where Dominic is concerned. I mentioned it to you recently, Lessa."

Lessa nodded. "I remember."

"But I never could have imagined that they would take action. I truly believed that I had more time. Had I acted sooner, I might have-"

"Stop that," Lessa commanded, then placed a firm hand on Kyra's shoulder. "You couldn't have known. None of us could. We'll just start asking around, and we'll find the kids. We'll bring them back. Whatever kool-aid they're chugging now, they can't hide forever."

Kyra's expression shifted, pain washing over her like a cold rain as her gaze caught and held Lessa's. "There is one more thing. I am so, so sorry, Lessa."

Quote

To: @Bahr

A group of kids from Sanctuary ran away. They still believe Dominic.

Come to the Town of Beginnings. I need your help.

Oliver is with them.

- Lessa

The NPCs exploded from the burning building in a tangle of smoke and limbs. One in particular, a girl of about eleven, tumbled directly into Lessa's arms. Instinctively, the Guardian closed the girl in a tight embrace, lifting her off her feet even as Lessa moved them both backward. "You're okay," she murmured into the Sronian's soot-covered hair. "It's okay, I've got you." Only once an older woman materialized at Lessa's side, and peeled the girl off her, did the Player finally turn to Jomei. Black dust coated the lower half of her face, and she absently dragged the back of her hand across her lips before replying. "It looks like it, yeah."

"Okay, now what in the world was that?" The question burst from her before she could stop it. "I mean, we're here to get some medicine, after all this time, and now there's a fire? What are you willing to bet that the medicine is in there?"

"Who the hell are you?" boomed a voice from behind them. Lessa whipped around to find an NPC in a wheelchair, glaring up at them through smudged glasses. "And what do you want with our medicine."

"Uh, hello," Lessa replied dumbly, momentarily taken aback by the strange turn the questline took. "I'm Lessa, and this is Jomei." She motioned to her friend, succeeding in pounding his broad chest with her knuckles. "We're here because there was a cave-in in Dagan, and Tiberius sent us for medicine to help his farmers."

If the man gave a damn, he gave no indication. Instead, he simply jabbed a finger at the still burning building. "Clearly, we have nothing to offer him. So unless you have some information pertaining to how this fire started, you can leave."

"Very lucky," she countered with a sage nod, "since I'm dirt broke. You'd think after all these years, I'd have more to my name. But I figure that would require grinding for col, and I've always been a bit too lazy for that." She watched him as she sipped, then set down the mug and breathed out a long sigh.

"You're right. Of course you're right. It's wild to me that there are still people out there who don't see NPCs as humans. Like I said, after all these years... you'd think we'd all be settled in by now." She gave the bespectacled Player a small nod, then added, "So yeah, it's nice to talk to someone who feels the same way I do. That they're people, and they deserve our respect. More than that, they deserve to be protected." Her expression darkened, and as clouds ghosted across her eyes, Lessa momentarily shifted away from Raidou. "I was just about to get my teaching degree back home. Before all this, I mean. And active shooter drills were a necessary evil. We did a lot of training, and yeah, I was totally ready to take a bullet for my students if the situation called for it. If that was all that I could do to protect them."

The Guardian's voice trailed as she let her gaze linger on the amber liquid in her cup. Then she slanted Raidou a quick look. "That need to protect people didn't go away when I entered the game. In fact, I feel like I'm probably better equipped to do so here, with my big sword and my fancy skills. I actually have a friend who has joked that I could be Aincrad police. I don't know that there's a need in a system like this, but it's sort of fun to imagine."

The cool air is alive with the Fall Festival. The smells of roasting meat, the sounds of laughter and music - all of Glyndebourne is simply buzzing. As you make your way down a sidestreet, heading toward the heart of the celebration, an elderly woman approaches you. An NPC, judging by her cursor, but one that you’ve never seen before. She offers a warm smile, and asks, “Are you here for the festival?” At your confirmation, she continues. “If it’s entertainment that you’re after, I have something that might interest you!” A quest window pops up, asking if you’d like to begin “The Mysteries of Magdalyn Manor.”

To begin, on-site private message Lessa with an in-character response to the above prompt. You will need to accept the quest.

• Welcome to the first SAORPG escape room!
• Your character will be tasked with solving puzzles in order to exit their prison.
• There is no risk of death or damage, and your character may abandon the quest at any time, but they will lose all rewards, and won’t be able to try again.
• Each writer may only run the room once, with one character.
• You will still need to write a post for each interaction, describing what your character is thinking/feeling/doing, etc. However, for the duration of the activity, the minimum word requirement has been lowered from 150 to 100.
• This will be a solo venture, and take place over DM, to discourage cheating. You may post your roleplay in a public thread when the event is over, if you’d like to share it with others.
• You will earn an EXP reward for your roleplay, as well as any potential event items.
• The room will close permanently at the end of the month, so join early to give yourself time.
• Questions should be directed to me, either in this thread, or over Discord.
• Good luck!

With the wall toppled, and the dragon head felled, Lessa was finally able to face off against the true threat. “Alright,” she ground out, tilting her head from right to left before setting her sights on the massive boss.

That desire to deal big damage lingered, surely a side effect of her earlier miss. But Lessa surprised herself by instead opting for another TECH sword art, opting for the delay rather than the extra damage. Her efforts had paid off thus far, crippling the heads long enough for her teammates to deal devastating damage. And oddly enough, she didn’t hate it. “I wonder if I could make a build out of this, she wondered, even as she launched herself at Wushen.

As if in reply, her sword gleamed brilliantly, signaling another Holy prod. Grinning, the blonde plunged her blade into the dragon’s thick skin, finding a sweet spot between two scales.

"Almost done," Lessa growled through gritted teeth, bending her knees, and shifting into a battle ready stance as Jomei and Ariel did considerable damage to the head. After her previous miss, Lessa really, really looked forward to leaving her mark on Caustic. Less than a quarter health left, and then a single health bar left floating above Wushen's head. They could do this. They were so close to making it out without any casualties.

Riding high on that thought, Lessa thundered toward the ghostly dragon, closing the distance in only a few strides. She hefted her blade over her shoulder, and let it fall along Caustic's thick scales. It skittered and sparked, and left a red gash that clashed with the vibrant pink. When it didn't burst into pixels, however, Lessa let out a groan of frustration. She'd been so sure that she could deal the damage necessary, but that didn't appear to be the case. She sent apologetic looks toward Ariel and Jomei, feeling a bit like she'd let their devastating attacks go to waste.

Lessa pursed her lips in thought as Raidou spoke. When he fell silent, she finally commented, "You know, you're an odd guy." She paused to sip from her mug, though she eyed him over the rim the entire time. Only when she'd returned the cup to the bartop did she continue. "I don't believe that I've ever met anyone else like you. Anyone so..." She spun her hand in in the air, as if that might help her find the word she was looking for. "Introspective?" She scrunched her face up, as if that wasn't quite the term she was going for, but apparently decided that it was close enough. "I think most of us have fallen into one of two camps. One sees the NPCs as equals, or at least, treats them with respect. That's probably because we've been in here so long that it's hard not to. I wager most of those people now see Aincrad as their new normal, and consider it our 'real world.' I'd put myself in that category."

Lessa pressed both palms to her still-steaming mug, but rather than bringing it to her lips, she simply let the drink warm her hands. "The other camp still treats this like a game. They treat NPCs like lines of code, like background characters at best, and slaves at worst." Her lips pulled down at the edges. "I've seen some pretty messed up shit where NPCs are concerned. I've never understood those people, but if they joined the game just to cause chaos, its possible they never outgrew it. Anyway, I figure those people are still painfully aware that this is a game, and refuse to accept it as their reality."

"But you." She poked a finger in Raidou's direction. "You seem like you marry the ideas together. You talk about col, and guilds, and the quests you've completed, and you count down the days since we came in. But then you have so much respect for NPCs, and awareness when it comes to how interconnected everyone in here is. You also give excellent advice. I feel like I should be paying you a therapy fee or something." She propped her elbow on the counter, balled her hand into her fist, and balanced her chin atop it as she regarded him. "Fascinating."

As Jomei came into view, Lessa couldn't help the grin that bloomed across her face. And when he plopped onto the rock beside her, she leaned against him for a friendly bump. "That seat was saved for my smoking hot and unbelievably wealthy sugar daddy, who was going to offer me a lifetime of comfort and a herd of one hundred horses. But I guess I can settle for you." Then she shook her head. "Nope, wasn't waiting long. I'm ready whenever you are." She found her feet again, and waited for Jomei to do the same. At her side, Riker regarded Adere with deep, soulful eyes. Whether he wanted to join the owl in flight, or eat her, Lessa couldn't be entirely sure. It was always a mystery where Riker was concerned.

"I'll admit," she began after they'd walked a ways, "I feel sort of bad leaving this quest line hanging while we were dealing with the boss fight. I know NIGHT already finished it, and saw the story to its natural conclusion, but the game should still provide the quest for us, right?" She smiled sheepishly. "I have to assume that these poor people haven't been trying to find medicine for two months now, or however long its been since we finished the first one. That would be a really long time to be waiting on us." The visual of injured NPCs standing around bleeding for weeks on end threatened to bring down the mood.

So she shook her head, blonde hair tumbling over her shoulder as she turned back to her companion. "So lets get that medicine for them, yeah? I'm assuming we'll need to run it back to Dagan, so we could loop around and-"

Lessa stopped midsentence, the words falling away as a kaleidoscope of color caught her attention. "Jomei," she began, instinctively reaching for his sleeve. "Is that... fire?"

She let go as she exploded forward, long strides eating up the distance while her boots slapped at the dirt path. Once she'd drawn closer, she saw the small party already gathered around the shed, with more running from various directions. A few buckets of water sat beside her, apparently carried by the runners. Without thinking, she dragged one up, then splashed it across the closed doorway. Smoke poured from the broken windows, and leaked from edges of the doorframe, and when she heard the muffled cough from inside, her mouth went dry. "There are still people inside," she managed to choke out.

She wanted so badly to hit something. The need ached up and down her arms, stabbed at her fingers, pressed on her chest. After her previous miss, a rare sensation washed over her. The desire to deal damage, and as much as humanly possible. Her hands shifted in her gauntlets, clutching her sword's hilt tighter an in attempt to satisfy the longing for destruction. As Jomei felled the head beside her, the blonde prepared to release her own hell on Wushen.

Unfortunately, it didn't play out that way. The ice wall remained standing after Ariel's attack, and the spiderweb cracks that bloomed across it seemed to mock Lessa. The Guardian clenched her jaw, muttered a hushed, "crap," through gritted teeth. Her bloodthirsty side would have to settle for a broken wall instead of an injured boss. Hopefully it would scratch the itch.

"I've got it," Lessa called to Ariel, zeroing in on the wall's weakest point, and driving the tip of her golden blade home.

Watch your energy, Jomei had said, and with a quick glance at her HUD, Lessa confirmed that her numbers were holding steady. She had dealt a decent amount of damage, but using lower-power sword arts had allowed her to keep her energy count in check. Looking good, she silently reassured herself, even as she geared up for yet another attack. Hopefully, they could get this head down in only a matter of moments, allowing them more time to destroy the wall and actually hit the boss. 

So lost in her thoughts, Lessa didn't even notice the thick root that snaked its way out of the ground a foot in front of her. As she lunged forward, the toe of her boot hooked the wood, sending her flying forward. With all the majesty but none of the grace of a sugar glider, she sailed over the pebble-strewn ground, crashing only a few paces from Overgrowth. Hissing out a hard breath, she scrambled backward, praying that it wouldn't take advantage of her blunder.

The reply came quickly, and the alert in her HUD nearly had Lessa spilling her pop again. Swearing softly, she draped her open book across her chest, and summoned the message with a flick of finger and a twinkle of bells. The grin spread across her face as she saw his willingness to go adventuring.

“Alright, lazy bones,” the young woman called to Riker as she carefully shifted, setting the book and can on the coffee table. “Up and attum. We’ve got places to be, people to see.” If the wolf heard her, he gave no indication. “Come on, bud,” she tried again. “We can’t keep Jomei waiting.” With an annoyed grunt, Riker flopped over to face the opposite direction, giving her his back.

Amused, Lessa fisted her hands and buried them in her hips. “Fine, grump ass. Stay here, then. Maybe I’ll redo that quest while I’m out. The one that gives you a familiar at the end…”

This time, he gave a snort of disapproval as he climbed to his feet, gave a good shake, then leveled her with a blank stare. When he passed by her on the way to the door, he rammed his head into her leg, sending her off balance.

“Ooookay,” she cried, laughing. “I deserved that.” Then she pulled up a new message, and wrote it as she walked into town.

Quote

To: Jomei

From: Lessa

Thanks for squeezing me into your super packed schedule. ;)

How about we meet in Dagan, where we left off? I think that’s where the quest line picks up again.

 

And without waiting for an answer, she teleported, made the short trip to Dagan’s main city, and dropped onto a large rock to wait for her friend.

Lessa jabbed a finger at Jomei, passion firing in her wide blue eyes. "Take that," she barked at him. "And use it. Or I will be the one to kill you."

From the other side of the walls, Lessa could hear the cries of battle. From the snippets she caught, and from what she could see above the ice, it seemed as if the other groups had felled their heads. Theirs, however, still held onto half of its health. That fact bothered her for more than it should have, for reasons she would have to examine later on. Maybe with a therapist. As if recognizing her frustration, Riker gave a low, guttural growl. "You want to get in there, don't you?" she asked of her companion. His hackles rose, and he growled a second time, gaze on the ice-blue dragon before them. She'd always hesitated to send her familiar into the fray, too worried about losing him. But he was willing, and lord knew they needed the help.

So she blew out a hard breath, and with a nod of her head, granted him permission. "Just please be careful," came her plea, delivered under her breath as her best friend in Aincrad thundered toward the enemy. She followed behind, him, begging her weapon for as much power as it could give her. 

Lessa hardly knew the man, having only interacted with him once in the distant past, and for a short while in the present. Still, when his praise landed, she felt her cheeks growing warm. Pleasure unfurled like flower petals, turning to welcome a sun that had been absent for far too long. "That means a lot," she told him, and meant it. "I think its difficult to feel important in a place like SAO, when you've got stats attached to everything you do. Am I the highest level? Do I have the rarest items? Have I cleared the most floors, completed the most quests, dealt the most damage?" She quirked a small smile, shaking her head as she answered her own question. "No. I am not, I do not, and I have not."

But she didn't seem overly disappointed by that fact. Instead, some of the weight that had dragged down Lessa's shoulders appeared to have lifted with Raidou's words. "So then you have to ask yourself, 'what makes a person important?' I guess if you go by the real world's standards, it's a little more complicated than the numbers attached to them. Because if you ignore the things like 'how much money they have' and 'how many houses in exotic places they own,' you're kind of left with less quantifiable stuff. What have they accomplished? How do they feel about themselves? What do other people think about them?"

Meeting and holding his gaze, Lessa continued. "You think highly of me, which means something. Since I haven't thought so highly of myself lately, your doing so kind of fills those gaps." Her entire demeanor softened, and she glanced away from him, cupping her hands around her steaming mug. "I think I can let that be enough for now, propping me up until I find my own feet. And it'll happen. I'll probably be kicking and screaming the whole way, but I've spent a huge chunk of the past decade mourning, and I'm getting a bit tired of it. Even widows in the 1800s only had to wear black for two years. And I'm a modern woman."

She finally brought the drink to her lips, and hiding the slight smirk as his last question registered. "Maybe I'll tell you one day."

꧁༺Lessa༻꧂   Lessa, Guardian of Aincrad Level: 31 Paragon Level: 54 HP: 820/820 EN: 120/120 Stats: Damage: 28 Mitigation: 142 Accuracy: 4 Battle Healing: 45 H.M.: 8 HLY: 8 REC: 8 THRNS: 72 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Arcael's Might (T4 THSS - DMG DMG DMG HLY) Armor: Empress Armor (T4 HA - HM HM THNS THNS) Misc: Neutron Star Necklace (T4 TRINKET - ACC ACC REC REC) Skills: Straight Sword R5 Heavy Armor R5 Battle Healing R5 Energist Fighting Spirit Charge Active Mods: Impetus Emergency Recovery Justified Riposte Addons: Iron Skin Ferocity Stamina Active Extra Skills: Parry Survival Battle Ready Inventory: Teleportation Crystal x5 Mass HP Recovery Crystal x2 Housing Buffs: Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down) Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1] Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Guild Hall Buffs: Helping Hand: Lowest-leveled guild member receives +10 bonus Exp at the end of the thread. At least half of the thread's participants must be guild members. Limit one use per month, per character. [1/1]

Quote

To: Jomei
From: Lessa

Hey hey,

Now that things have calmed down a bit, do you have any interest in meeting back up for the next quest in the Mysterious Divide line?

I'm definitely no completionist, but this one is kind of bugging me. I want to see how it ends.

Let me know! : )

Lessa put very little thought into the message as she composed it, and didn't waste a second shooting it off between sips of grape pop. She'd always felt comfortable around Jomei, but after seeing each other so much over the past six months, she considered him one of her best friends. There was no flutter of anxiety or nagging doubt as she asked him for more time, and that guilt over asking for his attention never reared its ugly head. In fact, the invite had already fled her thoughts as she plopped down on the couch, splashing purple liquid across her hand in the process. She didn't even bother to mutter a curse word before unceremoniously licking the drops from her fingers. Then she reached down and wedged the can between her legs, freeing up her hands to crack open the book she'd borrowed from Destin's library. Thunder thighs, it turned out, were useful for more than just splitting watermelons, and the skulls of men who wronged her.

Riker loosed a loud, dramatic yawn from his place on the rug. Flopping onto his side, he allowed the morning sun to stream through the slider door and bake him like a ham on a buffet table. A breeze swept across the lake, whispering through the emerald leaves, and ushering in the scents of late summer. As they swirled around Lessa, tugging at her blonde flyaways, she inhaled deeply. And as she exhaled, she felt a sensation that she hadn't in the longest time.

Lessa felt at peace.

"Got it," Lessa replied, nodding in Nari's direction. TECH sword arts weren't her forte, but she'd follow her tank's lead. As the head towered above her, and she felt its beady gaze boring into her, Lessa shivered. "Let's get this thing down as quickly as possible," she muttered, gaze flicking toward the walls that had sprung up around them. She really, really did not enjoy being cut off from the rest of the Frontliners. 

Once again, fear licked at the back of her mind, and she tightened her grip on her massive blade. Then she wasted no time dealing a quick blow, and moving back to Jomei's side. The need to be in his proximity was suddenly impossible to ignore. Because of his closeness, she noticed the moment that he reached for something on his belt and came up emptyhanded.

That fear intensified. "Jomei," she said in a hushed voice. "Do you not have a TP crystal?" Despite being in the middle of combat, Lessa summoned her HUD, withdrew a teleportation crystal, and shoved it at him.

Lessa’s heart leapt to her throat as the boss dealt a devestating blow. All around her, Players stumbled backward, and status effects cropped up all over. Had every single person on the Frontlines taken damage at the same time?

As the woman scanned the joined Players, her gaze snagged on Alkor, and the breath was torn from her lungs. If he felt her gaze on him, he gave no indication, but the damage was already done. Memories of her best friend’s death crashed into her, an attack far more deadly than anything Wushen was capable of.

Fear that she’d thought she’d rid herself of now banged on her mental barrier, demanding to be let in, and given attention once more. She gave in, immediately summoning her HUD, and producing a mass healing crystal. It wouldn’t heal everyone, but if she could prevent even one more death, she had to try.

5 hours ago, Jomei said:

Jomei and Rai haven't spoken much. But he'd def come if he was invited.
Unless he's brought as a +1 instead 

He's being brought as a +1. :3

Lessa and Jomei will be there!