Life

As much as Life didn't want to part so soon, he knew there was nothing left to say for now. So Alkor is alive, and broke up with Mari... It seemed he was wrong in his matchmaking abilities, but he also felt this was just both of their stubborn natures butting heads. They were both loners after all, they needed each other. Perhaps Alkor didn't see it that way. Life sighed, after listening to everything she had to say he began to understand where she was at. Everything was pointed at her, fingers and swords. She needed a friend with innocence, purity, someone light-hearted but full of love. Not someone jaded or cold, withered and battered, not someone like him. "Well I guess that's it then. I'll probably find an Inn or something on a lower floor. Check out the sights and scenery, see the progress everyone's made.. start getting focused on clearing the floors again." Life smiled weakly before turning in the opposite direction. He looked back one more time before leaving "Oh and.. I'm sorry you and Alkor didn't work out... I thought you two would be good for each other. I'm thankful for you letting me know he's alive though. Take care, Mari." 

@Mari

Now that Life was back from isolation he was keen to see just how far the players had come and what the floors looked like these days. His first stop on this field trip no doubt would be floor one. The humble town of beginnings, where everything.. well, began. The streets still bustled with activity, players and NPC's buying and selling, generally just having a good time. One thing that surprised him was still the amount of players who refused to risk their lives to beat the game, preferring the safety of the beginner zone. It made him feel slightly better about his own stagnation, but also gave him feeling of unease. 

He wore an armored Yukata made from ebonweave material. To a trained eye in the light you'd be able to see a pattern like spiraling staircases, and the material would appear blue. However in most other places without direct sunlight, it appeared pure black. This colour scheme matched Life's hair, blue in the light but black otherwise. It was short in length apart from a fringe which went past his jawline, his eyes were a faded blue like winter skies during the evenings.

Life continued down the streets until he came across a familiar store, one in which players could find the quest <<The First Few Lessons Are Free>> he himself never took the quest when he was leveling and didn't have the ability to do it now, but he had helped others complete the quest before and brought back some good memories, those of which were few. Inside the store appeared to be two newbies about to embark on one of their first adventures. Life smiled and couldn't help but overhear the two talking. 

"Excuse me ladies, I couldn't help but notice you're about to begin a particular quest." He spoke softly, his accent was almost aristocratic, a deep upper-class British. "If you'd like I could accompany you two and give you some pointers? My name is Life by the way, pleasure to make you acquaintances."

 

@Astralin @Ralacrest

After opening the chest and discovering its mediocre contents Life pulled himself back up and dusted off his kimono. "Well then young one. That concludes your introduction to SAO. You can follow me towards the teleporter. I recommend heading back to the first floor and doing some beginner quests. Don't go throwing your life away so willingly. We need every player we can get you know. The kid scrambled back onto his feet. "Wait! Will... will you keep an eye out for my sister?" Life tilted his head back towards the kid. "Sure, what's her name? What does she look like?" Jeff responded quickly. "Mariah! She's tall with black long hair, a little shorter than you. She uses a two handed battle axe." Life raised an eyebrow, pretty specific enough. "Alright then kid, I'll keep an eye out for you. I'll let her know her little brother almost got himself killed looking for her." He stuck his tongue out playfully and walked off. It felt good to be back. Now... towards floor six, lets see what that amazon lady was rambling about. Life stepped into the teleporter, fading away into a stream of blue data.

Chest opened ID: 137179


Thread complete 
Page reward: +1Sp +400Col
Quest reward: +2Sp +2000Col +1 Kumatetsu Statue 
Chest Reward: +400 Col +2 T1 Mats +2 uncommon consumables

Total: +3Sp +2800 Col +1 Kumatetsu Statue +2 Mats +2 uncommon consumables

Life stood and looked around the vicinity, noticing a glimmer in the distance. "And oh yea, one more thing. Always keep an eye out for loot. Observe." Life walked over towards the glimmering light, a hint of silver sticking out from a tree strangled by vines. Life took out his katana and began cutting down the vines one by one to slowly reveal a chest, it seemed the tree had been growing around it. Life used his strength to pull it free as it landed on the ground. The boy followed with curiosity, eager to find out what was inside. "Now, there's always a chance these things are booby trapped, so you gotta be careful when opening them. Not everything is as it seems. Your party could go for a chest and find themselves surrounded by unkillable monsters. Always be weary. That said..." Life knelt down to open the chest.

-Treasure chest found

The kid charged at him with his curved sword, surprisingly being able to string together a good mix of regular strikes and rage blows. But of course Life was much faster than him, and easily avoided each attack without even having to use his blade to parry his strikes. The kid began to become frustrated, becoming more wild and aggressive with his attacks until.

*trip*

*splat*

Life tripped him over when he was being careless and fell straight onto the ground. Life held the edge of his katana at the boys head. "Lesson two. If you can't be hit, you don't take damage. Lesson three, if you only focus on attacking you leave yourself open to counters. Disregard both and you'll end up dead faster than the guys that threw themselves off the side off Aincrad. You will never know what a monster is capable of, ever. Even if you've killed hundreds of them before. You only have one life, and this game is designed to take it. You want to make to the end? Focus on staying alive first." The kids ego seemed to be hurt so bad he began to cry, most likely due to a mixture of his failure and his frustration that he was too weak to save his sister. Life put his katana away and squatted beside the boy. "Lesson three. Probably the most important lesson..." Life pointed two fingers towards his left temple. "This game will destroy you mentally. You must train your heart and mind to be stronger than any weapon you wield, or you'll crumble like a pillar of sand. You must hold onto your reason for fighting with your life, or risk losing it. And if that reason become lost, find something else to fight for as soon as you can, or risk losing yourself to the void." 

The kid followed his instruction, and without fail his curved sword began to glow orange before exploding into a powerful single strike. The look of awe in the boys eyes was cute, it was like how he first felt when learnt how to use them. Blissful innocence, ignorant of the world that waited for him. Life debated if it was worth gearing him up for the world out there, but again, it was for his own good. Life sighed. "Alright thats enough of that. You know how to use a sword art, but do you know how to use a sword art?" The kid looked at him confused. "You're going to come at me with the intent to kill, and I'm going to show you the second lesson. Sword arts aren't actually the most important aspect to this game." The kid scoffed since Life had just told him that he mastered the game for using the sword art. Of course that was the intention, he was teaching him a fast tracked lesson that every dead player taught him the hard way. 

The boy probably would have ignored Life if he hadn't just saved him and showed him that he could handle multiple mobs stronger than he in a single swoop. It seemed he was finally getting through to the child and they could begin his training. Life and the boy were now just a few minutes away from the teleporter in a subtly secluded part of the forest. Life ran his fingers through his black blue fringe, putting it to one side away from his face. "Now the first thing you need to understand about this game is that its a mmorpg that revolves entire around you ability to use this." Life let his kimono slide off from one side to give his right arm move freedom of movement, reaching down towards his katana he activated his Han'ei sword art, demonstrating the bursting power that sword arts could provide. "Sword arts are the name sake of this game. Learn to master them and you've begun to master the game. No skill is actually required to use them, but using them in the heat of battle requires skill. I used to use a curved sword too when I first started, lets see if you can use rage blow... take your blade and cross it over your body as if you were gearing up to let out a big backhand. Then let the game do the rest." 

The kid bit his bottom lip and shoved himself back up onto his feet. "Fine. I'm going back then. And ill show you whos strong." The kid walked past him, shouldering his hips as he walked by. It'd have been intimidating if Life weren't twice his height. The old Life would have let the kid go to his own devices, but he had a new found concern for those around him that weren't his business. Life turned round and grabbed hold of the kids shoulder. "Where do you think you're going squirt. Do you even know how to use a sword." The kid turned to face him yelled. "Of course I do!" Life smirked in response "So show me." The kid quickly opened his inventory and pulled out a one handed curved sword and began to waggle it around like it were some kind of light saber. "Yeah no that isn't going to cut it im afraid. If you want to get stronger, come with me." Life turned away and headed back onto the main path that lead towards the teleporter, he was on his way to floor six after all, but that didn't mean he couldn't stop and help a player out.

The boy nervously took his hand, still shaken up by what had happened. "What is a kid like you doing all the way up on the eighth floor. You should know its dangerous for your level, let alone your in an area that's completely secluded from anything useful. You could have seriously died, for real. Did you forget about that detail?" The boy shut his eyes and looked away, refusing to answer him. That kind of ticked Life off, someone with no regard to their Life wasn't helpful at all to everyone situation. "Well, kid. What are you doing out here?"  The boy took a moment before he seemed to calm down a little, at least stopped shaking. "My name is Jeff. I'm.. looking for my sister. She was on my friends list, and then one day she told me that she was going up to the higher floors... and then... her name was gone..." 

Life's face stiffened "Right.." Well that would explain the complete disregard for his own safety. "Well kid, the one thing I can recommend doing is getting stronger. If you're not willing to ask others for help, then become strong enough to require none. What you did was foolish and who knows. Maybe your sister is alive, we don't know the circumstances. But if she found out you were dead. Then how would she feel? How would you feel if it were you? Probably something like you did now. Don't be a fool."

Life followed the sound of the pleading and found a young boy surrounded by wolves, a pack of five be precise. He had seen these wolfs roaming around the forest before, always looking hungry, but never picked on players above their weight class. This young boy, was it a player? Life looked over at his face, a face of innocence, in complete terror. Life spoke to him, his voice soft and deep "Do you require assistance, boy?" Life looked under the lads health bar, No NPC tag huh? 

The boy cried out to him "Please mister, I don't want to die. They all have dark red markers, I can't beat the all at once!" Life looked above the heads of the wolves, for him, they were light pink. "Very well. Close your eyes." Life reach down to his katana and lowered his stance. The faintly visible metal that peaked from the katanas scabbard hummed blue as Life activated Amatsu no Homura. Life struck one of the wolves with his blade, killing it instantly, apparently that was enough of a deterrent to scare the rest of them off. Life sheathed his weapon as he stood in front of the boy who coward beneath him, extending a hand out to him. "Fear no longer... what is your name?" 

Life - 
HP:480/480
Energy: 33/48 (8-2-2-2-2)

-Life uses Amatsu no Homura (11*8= 88 Damage AOE)

Wolf Pack:
#1: -8/80

It made Life glad that she wasn't so fixated on strength like everyone used to be before he had put himself in isolation. It really only felt like yesterday when the crimson inquisition threw its weight around belittling everyone they came across based on their strength. Life had no doubt if he were as weak as Mari back then he would have also been the target of such nonsense. Yes.. Mari was never like that to begin with, and the fact that didn't change when she was the one with the power put him at ease. Maybe it wasn't such a big deal, but at the end of the day it was their actual lives on the line, it wouldn't be wise to completely ignore the numbers all together. Life sighed "Perhaps you're right, but they're still important from a gaming standpoint. Especially in one that has our necks in a guillotine. Still, we shouldn't forget to treat people like people. Not numbers." Life spoke with a deep upper class aristocratic British voice, an accent he picked up from his father who had came from wealth in Britain before moving to Japan.

Floor 24? It seemed like the other players had made quiet some progress, though the amount of years that had passed... would they really be around long enough to clear all 100 floors? Still, a quarter of the way was still a huge milestone. "I see.. we've come some ways. But there's still much more to do." Life twinkled at the following statement. "Like I said before Mari, I'm back for good now. I've pulled my head out of the gutter and its focused on getting out of here. I'm not about to crawl back into isolation. I hope that doesn't bother you too much, seeing me again..."  He wondered if the thought of him being dead was comforting for her. 

And what now? Life? They had both done what they came to do, were they to part ways? Say goodbye and not see each other for months? 

He paused, almost sulking. He didn't want to say goodbye yet. "I.. like what you did with your hair by the way. It looks nice, I think it suits you." Life attempted at small talk, anything to keep the moment endure as long as it could.

@Mari

Life felt some consolation when Mari accepted his party request, it was like a baby step towards rebuilding their friendship, even if it was seemingly for some selfish reason. However what Life was more interested in was Mari's growth. He allowed his eyes to look over towards her name and health bar, eyes widening as the numbers indicated registered in his brain. Level 53!? She was more than twice his level now!? Life sheepishly grinned as he looked away, coming to the realisation that now SHE also knew that she was more than twice his level...

Life scratched the side of his cheek with his finger as he looked back towards her as the skies began to obnubilate, the shadows from the clouds cast themselves over Mari only wavering when lightning struck. He watched her stand there as she took the lead, staring down the creature as it skulked out from behind ashen trees. Life almost felt scared, no he was, he feared for the creature that was about to be on the receiving end of Mari's raw emotions. Just sit tight she says? 

Almost as quickly as the creature had appeared, it had vanished. Life standing bewildered as the orange form before him turned into a flashing whirlwind of cuts and strikes. In one move the quest boss was finished. It took Life much more effort to even come close to the same effect on Kumatetsu on floor eight. Though Mari made such quick work of the beast he wouldn't really be able to tell if it was even a threat to him. 

Rain began to gravitate toward the desolate land where Mari stood, as if it were feebly attempting to douse the last ember burning in protest. The flame that was Amari Olfsden would no be extinguished for a long time to come. "Did you get what you wanted from that?" Life blinked at her, still in a state of awe before replying a few seconds later. "I think so.. though I can't believe that I once stood above you, you've completely eclipsed me, that's for certain. Even if you're just doing it for the sake of it, fighting for your life is just as important as anyone elses." 

Life thought for a moment on that statement, he realized that he actually had no idea how far the players had been progressing since his isolation. "Say, Mari. How many floors are we up to now?" 

@Mari

Life listened intently to what Mari was telling him, and to his relief it was many of the same questions that he had already asked himself during his own reflection. He had found himself again. The person that wanted to save lives and push out of this hell hole and get back to his family, he was not Life, he was Eric. A person with friends, family, hopes, dreams. He had a life to live and he didn't want to waste anymore of it in this game. But more importantly than that were the other players, they were all people with aspirations just like him too. As Mari turned around he smiled faintly, because he knew his answer.

"I want to live, Mari. I want to fight. Not just for my sake either. For the sake of everyone else trapped around me. I think we get so caught up as players that we forget that we're real people. Outside of this world we have lives, and more than that, their lives are linked with the lives of others outside of it. People who care about them. This is the conclusion I had come to during my reflection Mari, it's why I'm back. I'm tired of treating my life and lives of others as a game. I'm serious."  Life followed behind her as he spoke with determination, gripping the hilt of <<Fates Calling>> tightly.  He looked up into the charred canopies of the forest, trees became sparse, leaf litter turned to ash. They were getting closer to where they needed to be, and he'd find out just how far Mari had come. "Say Mari, since we're both doing the same quest, we should be partied, right?" Life opened the games dashboard and sent her the request.

@Mari

That night Life would dream. He we would dream that he was back at sea, the same dream that had every night. Drowning. Sinking. Unable to move. Unable to breathe. Opening his eyes once again to see daylight. Life inhaled deeply and exhaled sharply as he got up, whacking his head against the roof of the log he laid in completely forgetting where he had fallen asleep. "Ugh..." Life rubbed his head to ease some of the pain. He crawled out as the sun rose and straightened his posture. So then today is the day then. The day I return back into Aincrad, the players need me back on the front line. 

"Help! Someone please help me!" A voiced called out from the distance. Life turned his head around to see what the cause of the commotion was, he wasn't expecting anyone out this far into the jungle. "What in the world." 

A few hours deep into the forest Life found a familiar log, a large and hollowed out tree that grew moss and provided sufficient shelter from the elements outside. It wasn't like a bit of rain could hurt him, or that he could even get sick. It just felt nicer to feel protected then just sleeping out in the open, the place was quiet enough.. there were no mobs so it didn't attract players, and the were no NPCs either. The only signs of 'life' that could be seen this deep were potential creatures to be killed and turned into food. Most of the other gatherable materials were useless and inedible, not that he particularly cared for making a living like some other players. It just seemed like a huge waste of time to spend all day gathering materials in hopes that the next few times you try to ding out an item it'd be good enough to sell. Nuh-uh someone else could have the pleasures of trying to fill out order after order. 

Life was about to call it a night and find a log to sleep in when suddenly a tall tanned woman wearing various different plants are clothes burst in through the front doors of the Inn. "Someone please, anyone you have to help!" Life examined the women closer, Tch, just an NPC. "A beast is burning down our homes on the sixth floor couldn't one of you adventurers come help us?" A bunch of keen players instantly jumped to the woman's side "Of course fair amazoness, I shall aid you in your perils" One player said. "You can count on me to save your people!" Another remarked. 

Life stood up and rolled his eyes, it was free exp so how could he turn it down. "Quest accepted." He bluntly stated before walking past the drama queens and pushing the doors open making his way out from the establishment. First he'd find a place to rest for the night. Then he'd begin to make his way below. 

It was growing dark as the sun set and clouds wafted peacefully over the moons light, the sounds of wildlife gradually toned down and he wondered what he was to do next. This small scuffle marked his return, but it didn't exactly mark his stay. He had to keep going, keep moving forward, keep growing strong. Once he was powerful enough to do that, he would tear down the floor bosses, piece by piece. That's right... my father and friends, everyone I loved is waiting for me back home. I have to persevere for them. Life wondered just how much longer they had left in this forsaken game, surely they were vegetables at this point, their time was running out slowly. 

Life made his way back into the towns Inn and sat contemplating. He had quiet a lot of excitement for one day considering he had spent 2 years secluded in the forests. Just watching the influx of players going in and out of the Inn was exhausting, talking about col and items and quests and experience, it was just so much for him Better get used to it. 

Life set back off onto the path he was on before towards the village, the wagon that had been torn to shreds earlier had no vanished, similarly to the beast just slain. These quests are all the same, no impact on the actual world It wasn't a glorious return, there were no fireworks or flashing lights, just a subtlety fading kaleidoscope of particles, and he was fine with that. As Life got closer towards the village the forest became sparser until he arrived at the gates.

"So which one of you was looking for someone to kill the bear?" An elderly NPC came out of a wooden hut nearby. "Well that would be me sonny, the village elder. Can you help us?" Life smirked "Already did." He pulled out a claw from his inventory he received as proof upon slaying Kumatetsu. The elder took it as proof and nodded "Well thank goodness then, we can begin to rest easy again, I feel bad that it had to come to this but that bear was growing more violent by the day, you did us all a favor." Life sighed, he disliked the formalities, it was the reason he didn't come to the elder in the first place, this way there was less talking. "Your reward for a job well done." The elder handed him a bag with 2,000 col followed by a small statue. "Take this totem as a token of the villages thanks. I'm sure it will serve you well." Life bowed at the elder and took the items, a flash of pixels wavered around him as the quest was deemed complete, his exp had shot way up and ticked him over to level 25. "Wait.. that can't be right, that was way faster than I anticipated." Right.. something was different but he didn't know what. "No matter, I won't complain." 

 

It made sense, Mari was a lot more hurt than she was angry, maybe he was sick and twisted for real. The reason? There could only be one reason. Mari kicked him square in the chest as if she were tearing down a house of cards. Life landed straight back into the river, completely drenched. The pressure that hit him was relieving, it wasn't much but it was some fraction of the punishment he deserved. Life flashed back to his dreams, being stranded in the ocean without a life line, that same dream which haunted him for two years replaying over and over.His kimono now weighed heavier then the strength he had to pull himself back up from the water that rushed over his impuissant body. Life stared up into the clouds, giving her the answer "Because you were the closest one to me at the time, that was all. It could have been anyone, the problem wasn't with you, it was me."

The flowing water began to numb him, a river into an ocean. But this time, a life-line? Had someone come to save him? "everyone deserves a chance at redemption"  Life returned to his senses, the rope fading away, the ocean, just a river. Life reached out and took Mari's hand. Was she really giving him a second chance? If she was, it definitely wasn't because he deserved it, no, it was because maybe she too also was searching for a second chance. A chance at redemption. 

Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return. 

Life smiled weakly and stood tall again with Mari's aid, though he still could not face her. "I swear to never harm you again Mari. Or so the Gods may send my soul to hell to burn for eternity. Though now, we have a beast to kill, do we not?" Life adjusted his kimono and walked ahead looking down at the charred earth before him. The beast shouldn't be too far away from this location. "Lead the way, I'm curious to see how far you've come."  

@Mari

Life thought on the question, wasn't he like that to anyone else? It couldn't just be that he only targeted her, why? He couldn't tell her that truth, it was already difficult enough. She couldn't trust him, he didn't know if he could rebuild the trust that he once had but he made a promise to himself long ago that he would make things up to her. Life looked away from her, too ashamed to make eye contact any longer. 

"Where were you these past few years?" 

Life stayed silent, trying to process the situation, even though he was being grilled, that much was expected. All things considered he could have been much worse off had Mari decided it to be so, and to be fair, she still could. Life opened his mouth, words following seconds later. "I isolated myself on the eighth floor. The dense jungle made it easy for me to hide from other players and just be on my own. I needed time away from things to reevaluate myself and think about what I did." Life paused. Wait didn't she say she saw Alkor recently? Life eyes widened in bewilderment, how did he miss that detail? Just as quickly as he surprised himself, he regained his composure. He was happy Alkor was alive, he spent so much time thinking about his death and blamed himself for not being strong enough to save him. But that was for another time. He still owed Mari an explanation.

"Sometimes I slept in a log, sometimes on an uncomfortable tree branch. I thought about you almost every day. And then I stopped. Because there was nothing that thinking could accomplish if I just stayed and moped around waiting for everyone else to do the dirty work. We're all in this together and I needed to do better on my end, start pulling my weight again. Though it seems that everyone has completely eclipsed me over the last two years, I don't know if I'll be of any use. I thought I'd come down here since there's supposed to be field boss that was free xp. I'm guessing that's why you're down here too?"

Life's arm swung back to his side as Mari began to fulminate. "You're sorry!?" I am.. What about the time I confided in you, and you relished in the fact that I had taken a life?" I was wrong.. Or the time I asked for your help, but you claimed to love me, then decided you never wanted to see me again? What kind of person did that to someone they claimed to love?  It was easier that way.. You never f**king cared Life. I do.. 

Life stood there and took it all. watching as her veins bulged and her voice strained. Rejecting him for everything he was worth. How could he put the blame on the game? On a faulty system? Explain the things he heard, the lies he was fed. No, it was entirely his fault. He was weak and undisciplined. Easily manipulated. Mari was his closest friend, and he destroyed her. The worst part was that he remembered how it felt. He remembered torturing her, hurting her, conspiring to end her; and it made him physically sick because he remembered how it felt good. It was funny in a sense, his justification for her killing all those people would easily have applied to himself. The truth of the matter was if he ever got out of this game alive, he wouldn't be able to function, he'd become a psychopath just like Argumail. 

Mari reached out to him, countless times, she knew it wasn't him. She had the strength to persevere through it all and still put her friend first, but he left her for dead instead. He didn't deserve to be anywhere near her, because the truth was that even though she killed, she was a far better person then he. 

"I did.. and I still do, Mari. The truth is I'm the worst friend anyone could ever think to conceive. I can't call you my friend, I never behaved in a way a friend should have. Maybe at first.. at first it was the best friendship I ever had. You needed someone when everyone else was looking down on you, and I saw through you." Life paused, realizing that he was beginning to plead again. He didn't deserve her. "I want to be selfish Mari. You were right. The manipulation, the torture, the lies. It wasn't me. I want to tell you that you're my friend. That I care about you. That I want to ignore the fact that I used your dead daughter as leverage. I want you to trust me again. But I know it could never happen, I don't even deserve to be having this conversation. What I deserve is to pay for what I did. And I can only let you decide that Mari. Only you. I spent so long thinking about what I did, and I realized you're the only person that can answer it."

Kumatetsu was ferocious and wild, much faster than he was before. Life had no doubt in his mind that if he took a hit from the beast as it was now he would be in big trouble and he wasn't about to test that theory and find out. The bear came at him with a strategic and methodical mixture of swipes and bites, it was almost as if it were trying to fight him with martial arts. The battle had being going on for quiet some time now and Life was beginning to regain his muscle memory Not back to how I was yet... but closer He felt his eyes lay dead no longer paying attention to the beast directly, Deeper. Life's body began to sway, reading the attack pattern of the mob and easily dodging each attack as it came, his blade began to glow once again. "San Ge."  It was almost a split second that had passed and multiple cuts appeared upon the beasts torso as it reared back for another blow. Life sheathed his blade and allowed the beasts health to drop to 0, along with its body. "Thank you for the battle. Kuma." Life turned away from its body as it dematieralised into fragments of white and gold, heading back down the beaten path towards the village, and to collect his reward. 

Life:
HP: 413/480
Energy: 4/48 (-15 sange +1 regen)

Kumatetsu:
HP: -1/300 (165-50= 115 damage)

Life exhaled deeply, letting the air escape his lungs. His arms moved in large arcs, warming his wrist and joints and his katana followed the guided motions. "Yes, this feels familiar... this feels right." His blade began to glow as his inputted motion commands signaled the beginning of his strongest move san ge the beast still struggled to move after his successful Iai. "There's no escape from this one Kumatetsu. You will be taking every lash of this blade." Life stepped forwards, allowing a diagonal slice to come across the bears ribs followed by a quick follow up creating a cross chop signalling the beginning of the end. Multiple much faster strikes followed each cutting deeper into the large beasts pelt finishing with the final vertical straight. Life watched its health bar dropped down to a blood orange colour, he was close, the beast would not be able to take another attack like that. Victory was in sight. 

As Kumatatsu's health settled its eyes began to glow red and the forest went dark, the forests canopy had began to close in around them as if it say this is your final test, prepare yourself. Life took the hint and dashed back to gain some more distance between the two. The bear pushed itself up on its hind legs and let out a ferocious roar. "So this is your true form."

Life:
HP: 413/480
Energy: 18/48 (-15 sange +1 regen)

Kumatetsu:
HP: 114/300 (165-50= 115 damage) 

Enraged ^Damage v Mitigation v Accuracy
 

"Not many strangers know me on sight - and those that do generally want me dead, but I really don't feel like fighting now."

So it was her. Even if he didn't want to believe it, she acknowledged the name, she looked different but her response was so like her. A response that told him everything he needed to know about how he left things. Everyone hated her, wanted her dead, and it was his fault. He couldn't blame anything or anyone but himself for his actions. Thoughts raced through his head as she finally noticed him, as if she had seen a ghost, something that haunted her. No, I couldn't manipulate you anymore, I wouldn't be able to even if he wanted to. He cast his gaze down into the river, as if flinching away from a fresh wound. 

She tried to move past him, but he couldn't bring himself to let her go. He extended his arm out in front of her abdomen, being careful not to touch her because he knew she hated being touched. "Wait.." He looked back over to her, trying to make eye contact, to connect two seas. Could she see him stranded? Just as he left her? "I'm not that person anymore. You have no reason to trust me after what I did to you. But I'm sorry Mari, I'm so very sorry. You didn't deserve what I did to you, what I did to us. I betrayed everything I stood for, but even worse than that, I betrayed you. I hope you can forgive me." He felt tears begin to well up, but he closed his eyes shut and looked away, he didn't want her to feel like her was trying to manipulate her emotionally, he couldn't do that again. 

He wanted to tell her that she could go if she wanted to, that in order to prove he wasn't trying to control her anymore he'd simply let her go. But he didn't want to. He missed her.

@Mari

Life had a lot of time to reflect on the past, he'd done a lot of questionable things and done wrong by a lot of people. The same image of being stranded at sea replayed in his mind over and over, slowly drowning only to be given a second chance at Life. "Honestly.." He muttered to himself. Picking himself back up he decided to follow the river down, It was likely that the river would either pass through the city or be within visual distance of it. As he walked the colour of the jungle began to change around him. Lush green fading to brown and orange, singed bark and ash scattered across the forest floor. This was most likely the direction of the <<Byakko>>. Before coming down to floor six he had been told about such a creature that was the cause of great <<Deforestation>> An amazonian had asked him to save her home after seeing what he had been able to do on floor 8. This creature is burning down everything around it, though the damage didn't look too severe. Perhaps such a creature was beneficial to the floors ecosystem, surely the jungles have become overgrown with nothing getting in its way. But this was the NPC's home, so of course its another creature that had to be slain. Life wouldn't complain, he needed to get stronger. 

Life continued to follow the river until something caught his eye. Locks of orange flowing hair resting on dainty shoulders, cerulean eyes like a pool of water staring into her own reflection. It almost looked like... It couldn't be? Mari? He felt his stomach knotting as the thought filled his head. The woman he called his friend, the woman he lied to and manipulated, the woman he called a monster. Someone he cared deeply for, yet betrayed those feelings, and betrayed her. His own motivations were lost to him, it had been so long ago. But this woman sitting across the river could not be her, Mari had shorter pink hair. That was right.. It wasn't her. Life turned back towards his path. 

"Mari you're an idiot..." 

Life turned around again, was he hearing things? He was certain it couldn't be her, but if it wasn't there'd be no harm in asking right? But, if it was..? How would she react? Part of him feared for his own well being, but part of him also hoped, hoped that she wanted to see him again too. Life stood still deliberating before stammering out her name. "M-Mari..?" Idiot