Lessa

"Oh no no, I'm good," Lessa assured Jomei. At the same time, she shoved her face within inches of an old tome, squinting at the handwritten text like a junkie might regard their next hit. Before Jomei could react, she yanked herself back, shaking her head rapidly. "Nope," she reiterated. "I am good. Soooo good. I am not at all obsessed with some dusty old books in the middle of a video game that kills people." She put extra emphasis on each word, as if that were necessary to convince Jomei of her conviction. Still, when she hooked her arm through his and dragged him toward the front door, she

꧁༺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)

"No," came her knee-jerk answer, grief-stricken expression never wavering as she watched the bound captain. Half a dozen armed men surrounded the man, and though Daemon Xandis wore a brave face, Lessa could see his jaw clenching and unclenching anxiously. The NPC, who had never been anything but kind to her, was in genuine trouble. His people, the innocent Ladonians, were likely in a similar predicament below decks. They don't deserve this. "I'm not sure if this is some sort of messed up event or what," Lessa muttered, words spouting from her lips like water from a faucet, "but it's hones

Her hand clutched his, and in it, Lessa found balance in both the literal and figurative sense. Later, she'd look back on that moment and ruminate on the fact that they were holding hands. But in that split second, she simply squeezed, steadying herself against the sudden attack. With a pang of regret, she let his hand slip away as he confidently summoned his weapon, drew it, and strode forward. Jomei was one of Aincrad's most powerful players - surely, he'd surpassed her over the years - and she had complete faith in him. Whatever this random encounter was, she could think of no better c

After Jomei's shrimp-related admission, Lessa added a snort of her own. "You can't eat fifty shrimp in one sitting?" Feigning disappointment, she shook her head, then heaved a great sigh. "I'm afraid that's a deal breaker for me. I simply cannot entertain the notion of being with a man who cannot eat fifty shrimp." The words left her mouth before her mind could register them, and she felt a blush climbing her neck. It spread across her cheeks like unfurling flower petals, and she ducked her head to hide the tell-tale embarrassment. Maybe it won't mean anything to him, she thought on a note of

Much better company, huh? Lessa grinned back at him, even as something fluttered in the pit of her stomach. It was an odd sensation, and one she hadn't felt in quite some time, but she couldn't say it was unpleasant. "Better company, huh?" she finally asked, leaning over to give his shoulder a gentle bump with her own. "You say that now, but you haven't met the cruise staff. Seriously, I had a waiter once who totally threw out the 'six per customer' and brought me as much shrimp cocktails as I wanted. Seriously. Like fifty shrimp." Where perhaps a more modest lady might have been embarras

"Yep," Lessa agreed, "definitely feels like we're taking off. There's no turning back now." The flurry of activity drew her attention - men calling out, chains falling away, the thunk and grind of something mechanical. Though perhaps it clashed with the classy sophistication of the party, she found herself watching the dock workers. Despite the rebellion, and all the heartache and bloodshed that had accompanied it, the NPCs still managed to put on a fancy evening for them. They showed up, did their job, and performed like the well-oiled machines they tinkered with. Nature was healing, as the c

“Something like that, yeah.” Lessa smiled at the plum-haired woman when she mentioned their previous encounters. “It’s good to see you again, regardless.” At Nari’s trailing question, clearly meant to inquire about their relationship status, Lessa felt Jomei shift at her side. Uncomfortable? Insulted? It’s not worth trying to psychoanalyze him, Lessa silently chided herself. She had spent so much time trying to decipher every movement, every sound, every word (said or unsaid). Lately, she was trying to live by the mantra “if it matters, they’ll say something.” Easier said than done, though.

꧁༺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)

Rows of shelves ran in all directions, rolled out like a red carpet, seeming to beckon Lessa closer. They stood a couple feet higher than she did, and if it weren’t for the soaring ceilings, she might have felt claustrophobic. Instead, the woman felt like she stood in the coziest, most inviting museum ever. Art hung on walls, bronze busts guarded the aisles, and real plants thrived in their prettily painted pots. Warm light bathed the library’s man occupants, white and blue crystals mixing to amplify the space’s sense of magic. And the books. So, so many books. Thick tomes, paper-thin doc

At the newcomer’s question, Lessa perked up a bit. “Baldur?” she asked, sitting up a little straighter. Hot water streaked down her skin as she shifted, and steam rose where her damp hair met the cool night air. She grinned impishly at Morningstar, her blue eyes alight with humor. “He and I go way back. We met when he jumped me in a field. Naturally, I had to defend myself. He’s lucky I was feeling merciful that day, and let the poor newbie live.” Barely able to contain bubbling laughter, she nodded sagely. “That’s exactly how it happened, too. I’m definitely not exaggerating or anything.”

Lessa gave a soft tsk, the sound echoing in the cup before she removed it from her lips. “Who doesn’t like libraries?” she countered, rolling her eyes for added dramatic flair. “Certainly nobody I’d like to spend my time with.” As Jomei asked about preparations, she downed the last of her now lukewarm cider in one giant swig. “No preparations on my end,” she answered after coming up for air. “And I’m totally finished. I can finish one of those suckers off in record time.” Recognizing that her partner was also finished, Lessa pushed her chair back from the table with the always obnoxious s

“Ooh, danger,” she echoed, drawing out the word to add emphasis. “I like danger. Almost as much as I like trouble.” She accepted the steaming mug with a nod of thanks. After a hesitant first sip to check the temperature, she moaned in a manner than had the couple at the next table eyeing her. “Godddddd,” came her appreciative groan, “that never gets old.” She lifted her mug toward Hik, who apparently recognized her praise, and accepted with a quick thumbs up. After another long swig, Lessa set the mug back on the table, shook out her blonde hair, then leaned across the table toward Jomei.

Like Jomei, Lessa found herself slipping further beneath the hot water. Unlike him, she did not stop at her shoulders, fully submerging herself before breaking the surface again with a soft gasp. One hand shoved her sopping hair back from her flushed face, then wiped at her eyes to clear them. It didn’t do much good, as her hand was equally soaked, but she managed to blink away the water as her red-headed companion spoke. ”Yeah,” she replied slowly, offering him a small smile through the steam that hung between them. “I’m working on it. I can’t mope around forever, right?” But something i

Lessa crouched at the base of a tall tree. Though its spindly branches held no leaves - sticks reaching like skeletal fingers toward the gray sky - it still provided excellent cover. The trunk was so thick that Lessa couldn’t wrap her arms all the way around it. Her entire body remained hidden from the enemy team. Briefly, the woman considered simply hunkering down there, hiding from view like a bush-squatter in Fortnight. She would likely go unnoticed for a while. But what was the fun in that? ”Gotta admit, Nari.” Her voice seemed to boom in the still of the frozen forest. “That’s p

Team B Genuine fear gripped her as Jomei toppled over and plummeted toward the ground. Even before he’d landed in the fluffy powder, she was moving toward him. It was pure instinct. Deep down, she knew her friend wasn’t in danger from the fall; Any damage he took would be negligible, and he would recover the health immediately. But she couldn’t stop herself from worrying. It wasn’t until she stood above him, confirming that he was indeed alright, that she could draw a full breath. ”You definitely deserved it,” she informed him matter-of-factly. Then, as she turned away, she made sure

Team B The snowball hit its mark, plowing into her face, and sending tiny ice crystals skittering across her flushed cheeks. The moment it struck, Lessa instinctively drew a breath, sucking in snow as she did so. By the time she'd finished spluttering and swiping at her face, she'd missed Jomei's reply. But she already knew the answer to her question. The snow in her eyes, nose, and mouth said it all. "Wow," she drawled, planting her hands on her hips as she regarded the Irishman. Her scowl seemed genuine enough, but the daggers she shot him did no real damage. "I was going to sugges

So what else was there? Tailoring wasn’t an option, even if she’d enjoyed that sort of thing. Moving in on Bahr’s clients didn’t make a whole lot of sense. What about being a cook? At the thought, Lessa choked on a hard, self-deprecating laugh. Her, a cook? Yeah, maybe if she wanted to poison all of Aincrad. Or burn it down. And that was assuming she actually remembered to turn on the stove. "Wait," she said aloud, slowing to a halt. What was she thinking? Professions were not a reflection of her real-life strengths. Rather, they were an opportunity to try new things. To allow the game to

Floor 1 Do what you like. It was a simple enough concept, but Lessa had chewed on the question for the past hour. Oliver had been wise to suggest choosing a profession that she enjoyed, as she would be more likely to stick with it. But what did she actually enjoy doing these days? Fighting? Sleeping? Spending time with her wolf, and with Bahr? Yeah, none of those really pointed to a specific career path. Lessa reached up and scrubbed at her face with both hands. “Maybe this is a bad idea,” she muttered to no one in particular, her words lost to the dull roar of the first floor c

The laugh burst from her with the sudden force of a cannon. “Sorry,” she muttered when Oliver’s eyes narrowed. “But no, you’re thinking of ‘irrigation.’ ‘Interrogation’ is a little different. It means asking a bunch of questions. It’s what police officers might do with a suspect.” “Ohhhh.” Oliver nodded sagely. “I see.” Then excitement sparked in his brown eyes as a new thought occurred to him. “Could being a cop be a profession? Like, could I be a cop here in Aincrad?” He beamed. “You’d make a great cop, Alyssa.” “Thanks, Ollie,” she answered, “so would you.” She placed a hand on hi

Lessa couldn’t stop the smile from unfurling across her chapped lips. She brought a hand to the top of his head, tousled his already unruly hair. “That’s a really good question, kid.” He ducked his head, shying away from her hand in typical nine year-old boy fashion. But the pleased smile he wore did not go unnoticed. “Aw man,” he drawled, “why’d you do that?” “Because I can.” When he straightened again, Oliver drove a single finger into Lessa’s arm. “So whatcha gonna do?” He proceeded to jab her with each additional query. “Are you going to open the shop? Are you going to start

She blew out a heavy breath, the expelled air sending her bangs flying. Maybe she would be happier with a shop to run, but blacksmithing simply did not appeal to her anymore. “Whatcha staring at?” The sudden voice startled Lessa, and her entire body jolted as she whipped around. What she found was wide, laughing brown eyes, flushed cheeks, and a grin too big for a tiny face. “Dang it, Oliver,” she managed, a hand pressed to her heart to keep it from bursting. “Why’d you sneak up on me like that?” The boy rolled his eyes in dramatic fashion, then answered, “I didn’t sneak up on y

Profession Change: Blacksmith to Cook Floor 2 Wild Rose Forge. Lessa stared up at the building, hands on her hips, lower lip caught between her teeth. Once, she had been so incredibly proud of the shop, and the work she did there. But something had changed, and the urge to craft had completely left her. How many years had passed since she’d lifted that hammer, or lit that fire? Hell, she wasn’t even sure that the key would fit the lock anymore. What if a squatter had moved into the space, and she hadn’t noticed, considering she never actually went in there anymore? The woma