Lessa

"Yeah, this way," Lessa confirmed, nodding gently. She had spent quite a bit of time on the third floor, which surprised her a bit. When she had been a newcomer to Aincrad, she had spent very little time on the third floor. The first floor had been a safe haven, and the second had been her attempt at standing on her own. While she had trembled and fallen that day, her first steps like that of a newborn foal, Lessa had finally begun to truly learn the mechanics of the game. When she was first whisked away to the fourth floor, she fell in love immediately. The third floor, as a result, had been

At his mention of previous guildmates, the faintest traces of a smile flickered across her lips. Good for them, she thought to herself. She had hoped that her Guardians would go on to make names for themselves, and find like-minded people to join forces with. That, it seemed, was precisely what had happened. She was proud of them for what they had managed to do while she was away. She was proud of them for pushing forward when she had been too weak. But I won't be weak much longer. Lessa blinked a few times when he mentioned falling off the face of Aincrad, but she chose not to discuss the m

She neglected to react to his compliment, as his mention of the new guild interested her far more. "Azure Brigade?" she repeated, gaze dropping to the street before her as she racked her brain. Where do I know that name from? Of course, the Brigade was a hot topic, and players could often be heard murmuring about one great feat or another. It was a group of some of Aincrad's finest, the highest-level players all in one place. It was no surprise that they were one of the game's most influential guilds. But the guild seemed more familiar to her than rumors shared too loudly between strangers. Wh

"A long time, yeah," she replied weakly, not caring to reflect on the actual amount of time. Tristan had taken it upon himself to determine the exact number of months, which made her a bit dizzy. Had it really been that long? While she had not been actively avoiding old relations, Lessa was more than happy to drop off the map for a while. All she wanted to do was move on, yet the strangest things lingered to remind her. Sometimes, she let those memories motivate her. Other times, she allowed them to anchor her into the darkness she was scrambling to stay just ahead of. Occasionally, she had

"Can I help you with something?" Lessa glanced up from the the health potions that she had been examining. A raven-haired player stared back at her, an impossibly wide grin plastered across her face. This must be the shop owner, she determined. "Ah, no," came her answer, finally. "I'm just browsing, but thank you." "Are you sure?" the sickly-sweet voice countered, her emerald eyes narrowing. "These are top-of-the-line health potions. All of the front liners shop in my store." At this, Lessa's eyes widened. She took a step back from the shelf, her hands going to her hips as she rounded

Note: Rolled an 11, which became a 12 with my +1 to CD (Hammer of Dawn, which I've linked to in my shop).

Lessa nodded knowingly, but remained silent until Arc had told his entire story. Then, softly, "a lot of people have died here. A lot of good people. People who never deserved the end they were given." Memories of her previous boss fight played out in her mind yet again, as it often did when she closed her eyes to sleep. Her face paled. "And a boss fight is no joke," she added. "But if he wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, maybe that was just right for him." His sudden declaration drew her attention back to him. He swore he would not die, a statement that Lessa might have pegged as foolis

Unfortunately, she was mid-sip when he made his wisecrack about being brought by a suitor. She sputtered into her drink, drops of hot chocolate dotting her cheeks before she slammed the cup down on the counter. She smiled as she wiped the drink away with the back of her hand, but she could not stop her cheeks from warming. "Me?" She countered, then she shook her head. "Not quite. I used to run a guild, and this inn was our meeting place. I've spent most of my time up here, which means I've spent a lot of time watching people come and go. Most are too busy staring longingly into each others' ey

The cup slid across the wood with a dull hiss, and as Lessa glanced toward it, she was surprised to see ale in the man's hand. She eyed him for a moment, then gave a goodnatured shrug. Why not start when the sun rises? It wasn't like there were laws against it, and just about every social norm had been thrown out the window with the announcement of the death game. Lifting her own mug, she nodded toward him. "Five o'clock somewhere," she quipped. "Couldn't sleep, huh?" She took another long sip from her mug, imagining the warm, sweet liquid warming every bit of her body. Though Lessa rarely

His broad smile came from nowhere, and caught the young woman entirely off guard. She regarded him in silence for a moment, her gaze searching his for some clue as to his thoughts. He spoke with an ease that made her slightly uncomfortable, but after some thought, she attributed his nonchalaunce to his inexperience. Perhaps I should have warned him afterall. "Fine," she said simply, shrugging. "It was nice meeting you too, Arc." She delivered her farewell without emotion, her voice almost robotic in nature. Then, as she turned away, she added, "good luck on the front lines." She left him s

The first thing that she noticed was the smell. As she shoved the door open, unsettling six months of grime, she was met by an aroma that overwhelmed her with nostalgia. Her keys clattered to the countertop as she moved past, caught in the memories that hung heavy like the dust in the air. It had been a very, very long time since Lessa had visited the forge. Of course, the thought had crossed her mind plenty of times, especially when the col had run low. But it had never seemed like the right time. So why was she here now, lighting a flame in the cold, long-forgotten fireplace? A run-in with

"Maybe your Thom believed that," she replied as gently as she could, though she struggled to cover the bite that threatened to accompany the words. "And you know, I hope he did. It's always easier when I tell myself the people I've lost are happy now." A pause, and then, "why wouldn't they be, free from this Hell-hole?" Silence enveloped the pair, broken only by the soft sounds of snow settling nearby. The fourth floor was truly a place of mixed emotions for the blue-eyed swordswoman. She was haunted by the memories of the better days. Life had been easier back then. Trips to the Starglade w

Thom. Somehow, she knew that his words were not meant for her. Arc spoke as if reassuring himself of something, and his use of a name unfamiliar to her only made her feel like more of an outsider. At that moment, she was alright with it. She was foolish to assume that she was the only one hurting; perhaps his inner demons were not unlike her own. A few practiced hand motions called up her HUD, and unequipped her gauntlets. Her fingers, now bare against the cold, raked through her long hair. "Sometimes, it isn't all about fear," she replied softly. "Even the bravest person can choose to stand

"Fortune favors the prepared." The sound of her own voice startled her, as did the strength with which she delivered the words. "The bold? The bold throw themselves into battles that they're nowhere near ready for." In the dim light, her blue eyes grew far more icy than anything the fourth floor had to offer. "The bold fight for some ridiculous, warped sense of glory, all the while forgetting the desires of the people they claim to be protecting. The bold get themselves killed." Lessa felt the stranger's gaze on her, and when she turned to stare off down the empty road, it seemed to burn eve

"Burdened." The word felt dry and rough against her tongue, but try as she may, she could not bring herself to argue with him. She gave a short, humorless laugh that slipped past her lips like a soft sigh. "Something like that. But in a world like this, you're incredibly lucky if you're not." "You're fortunate," she told him, "to still be so fascinated by this place. I am too, occasionally. I catch an especially pretty sunset, or the smell of a particular flower, and I find myself appreciating the beauty of it all the way I did on my first day." She watched the snowflakes glisten in the li

The challenge in his tone was not lost on the woman. The beginnings of a mischievous grin cracked her chapped lips as she answered simply, "you don't need to bother worrying about me. I've spent most of my time on this damned floor. Guess you might say I've gotten used to it." "You, on the other hand," her voice trailed, a small cloud of vapor that hung on her lips for only seconds before cooling into the inky blackness of night. Her first instinct was to call him out on his low level. While she had no way to judge his acquired skills, his starter gear screamed newcomer, and she wanted nothi

"Alright, now just bend you knees a bit more." The boy frowned. "They are bent." "More," came the woman's terse reply. When her pupil refused to follow her order, she shook her head, sending her blonde hair tumbling over her shoulder. "You chose a heavy weapon," she reminded him, struggling to keep her mounting frustration from seeping into her voice. "If you want to continue to use the two-handed sword, you're going to need to better understand the balance it requires." He turned to face her, and she again felt her chest tighten at his youth. His chubby cheeks flushed crimson from the w

OLD Item: Gauntlets Name: Rose Gauntlets Quality: Perfect Shop: Wild Rose Forge Description: +2 accuracy, +1 lifesteal. Silver gauntlets with red accents. NEW Item: Gauntlets Name: Rose Gauntlets Quality: Perfect Shop: Wild Rose Forge Description: +2 thorns, +1 heavy momentum. Silver gauntlets with red accents. <span style="font-size:14px;">This was before the permaroller.