Zahra

{ID# 5900}  {Battle (1+8) 9}  {Craft 7} {Loot 6}  {MOD 10}  Zahra

The wolf had obviously had enough. Using the force of Zahra's hit it redirected itself and this time tackled Zahra onto the ground, teeth sinking in entirely too close to her throat {3 Damage}. The spear tumbled a couple feet away. Eyes wide Zahra watched as her HP bar began to diminished by the second. If it got down too low she would be in danger--especially without potions. That fear began to take over as the fight or flight response kicked it. Her body moved of it's own accord. Bringing a knee up she jostled the wolf in the stomach, it teeth released. With a shove that took all her strength the wolf then rolled off of her. In that moment she crawled over to the spear and then rammed it down into the wolf's paw {2 Damage}. Taking deep breaths, she watched as the MOD struggled to release itself. 

Zahra 9/13

Wolf 3/9

It felt strange to talk to someone who was basically a copy of yourself--with the only difference being gender. "What else?" Zahra laughed lightly, dropping a hand in the water and watching the ripples fan out further and further away. The thing was, this was a question that actually required thought. Most people would be able to list off things, but Zahra had spent most of her life focused on her younger sister, Kya. Even while attending College she worried about how she was doing and if everything was alright. Although, there was one thing that did come to mind when he asked. "You know, when I was younger my father and me would go ghost hunting. Where I lived in Japan had a lot of ghost stories attached with it--probably one of the reasons my father choose it--and we would go out at night just to visit some of those places." Just thinking about some of those places gave her cold chills. "There are times were some friends and I will go now. They love to ask me about the lore involving the place. Most of the time they freak out before even getting there." Zahra grinned at the memories. "Probably pretty lame, hn?" 

"Well I guess it is getting late. We should probably head home. If you need anything, just let me know."

Zahra turned toward him just had he said this. Their mission together was complete, meaning that they would now go there separate ways. "Of course," Zahra affirmed, "The same goes for you. I'll be expecting a message every now and then just to know your still out there." By this point she was grinning. "Well, until next time Crusher." With a wave, she then pivoted around and started deeper into Starter City. Personally, she was glad that fate had decided to let them meet that day. Since the streets were beginning to become barren Zahra opened her menu and unequipped the spear, then equipped the journal and quill. She began to write:

Dear Kya, 

I met another player today by the name of Crusher. He's a tall, blonde sword wielder and...

TOTAL LOOT

1 Anneal Blade Each

 112 Col Each

2 Materials Each

1 Skill Point Each

 

{ID# 5588} {Battle (1+9) 10} {Craft 5} {Loot  7} {MOD 2} Zahra

The wolf stumbled, but did not fall. In what appeared to be a desperate attempt the wolf retracted it's gums and went for Zahra's left shoulder. It was the sun that glistening off the white teeth that cued her to the attack. The blunt end of the spear knocked into the wolf's temple. This time it stumbled, dazed and stepped further away from the women. This was her chance. Using the distance between then Zahra swung the pointed of the spear around, cutting deeply across the torso of the wolf {DAMAGE 3}. A pain fulled howl was released as soon as the pixels started to leak out and disappear. 

Zahra 12/13

Wolf 5/9

Leaning forward, and nearly toppling forward in the process, Zahra intently listened to his reply. The excitement that had been witnessed when hearing that she was half-Egyptian suddenly made sense when he stated that he himself was half-Arabic. "That's true, there is not." Zahra murmured, drawing her gaze to the rippling water. What Rolland had said was correct, there were not may people in Japan who were not full-blooded and the ones that weren't usually had a rough time. Especially in school. Other children bullied the ones that weren't full Japanese. Zahra had even experienced some of this bullying by being told she looked funny or that her skin was too dark. When her father had found out he had been furious. "As for books, well, let's just say there isn't a genre that I don't enjoy. Stephen King is an excellent author. I especially like Salem's Lot. One of my top authors is Neil Gaiman though." Zahra grinned, bringing her gaze back up and eyes lite with excitement. "And music, I tend to listen to classical or soft rock. The only kind I really, really dislike is Opera. It kind of hurts my ears." 

Boredom? Improvement? Strength? None of these were reasons that had been expected or even remotely thought of. In fact, for once in her life Zahra was completely speechless. That didn't last long as several question began to weave there way across her thought process. What was Marisa life like outside the game? Did she have people that cared about her? It was then that Zahra realized that she didn't know anything about Marisa. Of course reasons like that wouldn't occur to her, she didn't have the same life as the other female player. Her grandfather always told her that there were two sides to one coin. 

In her distraction, Marisa raced forward. There was only two left now. The male player with the cancer stick and her. Pulling from her reserves she widened her step and pushed herself harder, faster. Zahra followed Marisa into the village. Coming to a stop, she placed her hands on her head and turned toward the group. "Fourth." Zahra beamed, glad since she didn't have a lot of extra money. 

After his introduction the male player--now known as Daeron--stuck his hand out in expectation of a handshake. Being raised to show manners, Zahra reached out and lightly grasped Daeron's hand. Afterward the hand fell back at her side. Zahra was not going to introduce herself, if he really wanted to know he would ask or find out, depends on how's she feeling at that moment. Not only had Daeron introduced himself, but his level, which was impression in itself. There was a feeling that the only reason he mentioned it was to get some type of reaction out of her. Probably to fuel that ego radiated off of him. 

Suddenly, he made a comment about her looking pretty hot herself. Not even seconds later water had hit her torso and face. The droplets rolled off of her as if she were a made of glass and back into the oasis. "Aw, Daeron," Zahra murmured lowly, allowing a small smirk to decorate her features, "Why don't you tell me something I don't know?" Of course, that could be taken two ways; one being that she understood the underlying meaning of his statement and two being that he thought she was being literal. In the few seconds of knowing him Zahra assumed that he would go with the first one. There was a brief second where she thought that she might be being too judgmental, then again, he had not done anything to prove that her judgments where wrong. 

Behind Daeron another stranger settled on the brim of the oasis. Zahra offered a smile in his direction, even if she didn't know him. This was an open oasis and anyone could join. She wondered if Celes knew any of these guys...she had gotten awful quiet...

Within seconds, the woods began to diminish and the pair found themselves back in the field outside Starter City. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air Zahra then turned a gaze up the moon that was just beginning to rise over the horizon. This mission had taken most of the day and the start of the night, but it was mission that was well worth it. Not only did she get the rewards of the mission, but she got to meet Crusher and go on an adventure with him. "You know, I had a lot of fun on his mission." Zahra affirmed, turned around to face Crusher with a friendly smile.  

"If I had done that, I would have gotten grounded for a week." Zahra commented, laughing lightly. Her father and mother were very protective of their girls. She was positive that it was the fact that both parents--even if they were married--felt like they were single and raising a family. It added unneeded stress to their lives. That was the main reason Zahra took care of her sister so much, well, that and the fact that she was the older sister.

Then there, a couple feet in front of there was the exit for the forest. Relief flooded over her like a title wave. "There's the end, I'll race you!" Without another word Zahra took off, grinning the entire time.

The serious conversation that they had been having suddenly got interrupted by the fact that someone had wrapped their arm around her bare shoulders. Tensing, Zahra turned a raised eyebrow to the male that had appeared next to her. With chocolate brown hair sticking out in every which direction, and eyes that appeared red he was attractive, but it was the sheer arrogance that radiated off his being it was easy to tell that he was only attractive and nothing else. Maybe. Taking a calming breath, Zahra offered a tight smile, "Oh, you know, we were just talking about how rude it is to touch someone that you don't even know. Nothing much." Maybe he would take the hint. 

Following the his line of sight was another group of stars. This one had been dubbed Athena, ancient Greek goddess of mainly wisdom and courage. Focusing her gaze back on him Zahra was glad to see that the corners of his mouth had finally turned up into a handsome smile. It was amazing how different people appeared when they smiled. His happened to highland the more handsome features of his facial structure. Listening to the next question posed, Zahra opened to mouth to answer, but was stopped by the fact that he had slipped into the falls of the fountain. Zahra had to quickly place a hand over her mouth to keep a laugh from escaping and to keep him from seeing the wide grin that had taken over her features. Some people were very sensitive to that kind of thing. Luckily for her, he played it off and then asked another question. Relaxing, she calmed herself down and answered the second question first. "Reading, Writing, Learning, Star Gazing...and the list goes on." Zahra stated nonchalantly, "And I'm Zahra. Nice to meet you..." She then paused due to the fact that she didn't know his name. After she got him name, then she would start asking questions. 

"It's a pretty strange one," Zahra concluded, shrugging to herself. "And I have no idea." For as long as she could remember it was just there. There was no rhyme or reason behind it--at least not that she knew of anyway. If Zahra were to make an educated guess though she would have to guess that it was from something that happened when she was younger. Maybe getting lost in a dark forest or something of that nature. There wasn't anything in particular that she recalled to bring about such a fear. 

It had not been the over-active imagination kicking in after all. Now that one of the few clustered of water vapor had passed over the moon it was easy to tell that they had indeed changed color. The amethyst violet was just a soul piercing as the sapphire. Hearing the question posed only caused her smile to widen. "Only half." Zahra clarified, "On my mother's side." The slight bite that the fall wind had was starting to take it's toll. Bringing both legs up she then snaked her arms around them and drew them close to herself. She didn't noticed the strangers staring though, because after answering the question she turned her eyes to the sky once more. It was her turn find one. Suddenly, her hand shot out toward a cluster of stars to her left, his right.  "It looks like a sword...so Cailburn. Or more commonly know as Excalibur. " The legendary sword from Arthurian Legends that was said to choose the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. "Your turn." Zahra started factually, returning her gaze back to him. 

--Caliburn--

Beginning was always the hardest part, but that didn't deter the stranger for just seconds later his sapphire orbs were searching the sky. Taking after his example Zahra too turned a curious gaze toward the little lights above and began to search. Suddenly her gaze was been drawn by his finger to a cluster of stars right above them. If one used their imagination the cluster took the appearance of a tree. It was a pleasant surprise that he had chose the name for this constellation from a familiar Norse Legend Yggdrasil or The Tree of Life. Almost automatically his gaze was drawn back to her and hers to him. Her companion then proceeded to tell her that it was her turn to find one, and asked if she minded answering a question. "Ask away." Zahra suggested, offering a friendly smile of encouragement. It was then that she noticed that the sapphire eyes had changed color. Or maybe that had been a trick from the light, but with the moon as her only light source it was hard to tell.

{ID# 5081} {Battle (1+9) 10} {Craft 4} {Loot 2} { MOD 3} Zahra

The wolf was to the first to make a move after there stand off. It ran at her, teeth bared and red orbs focused on her honey golden ones. Just in time Zahra put the spear up and white teeth locked around the wooden shaft. It growled, but did not relent. Worried that it might try and break the only weapon she had Zahra had to think fast. Letting go of one end she slid the wooden shaft through the wolves teeth moving at the same time. Once the shaft was out, and she was out if harms way she rammed the blunt end in the side of the wolf with enough forced to move it about an inch {DAMAGE 3}

Zahra 12/13

Wolf 5/9

That night the sky was mostly clear, save for the few puffs of water vapor that lingered here and there. As the fall wind blew it effortlessly rolled those cottony puffs across the endlessness--causing the bright light of the moon to flicker like a dying light on the empty city. It was just enough light to be able to see the more detailed features of her companion. His snow white hair was hit by the moon just right so that it gave off a soft glow. The sapphire orbs that had pierced her own golden honey ones were aloft, staring at the small glittering lights that littered the sky. He was most certainly around her own age of nineteen. The answer to the question came sooner rather than later, and Zahra listened to that answer intently, for what he spoke was true. They did not have the same constellations. There was no Leo the Lion or Cancer the Crab. There was just stars. "While the constellations are not the same, the fact that there are some make me feel just a little bit closer to the world I left behind." Zahra gently stated, more to herself than to him, "But you know we could always make them more familiar to us by making our own." No one had bothered to look at the sky and name anything, they were all too worried about surviving, but the life lived in Sword Art Online was still life and it still needed to be lived. 

The fall breeze blew threw the open window tussling playfully with the forest green curtains; foretelling of the colder weather that was to come. In the small, dull gray room there was nothing more than a single wide bed and a trivial desk. Within the single wide bed laid a restless young women. For the past two hours this young women had been laying there, trying to let the sandman come and take her off to a dreamless sleep--but no matter how long she waited he never came. The next breeze that blew through the window beckoned to her with a gentle caress across her cheek. Twisting out of her warm cocoon she opened her menu to apply casual attire and then left out the door. Before long she was down below, wandering the city that was now a ghost-town. The only sound was that of the night and the click her tall boots made as they hit the pavement. The wind ran it's tendrils through hair the color of raven's feathers; it blew the loose maroon knit sweater and brushed past blue jeans. 

Her feet lead the way while her mind waved in and out between empty streets. Before Zahra knew it she had arrived at the fountain that decorated the square--the water still flowing gracefully and soundless. There relaxed on the ledge was another player admiring the night like herself. His features were highlighted by the night, giving him the appearance of an angel watching over the fountain. "It's a beautiful night for star watching, isn't it?" Zahra murmured, gliding over and taking a seat on the ledge like him. She placed her hands down and then leaned back, letting the moon's light wash over her as she let her gaze wander over the vast openness above them.  

--Zahra--

Hearing that someone had intentionally entered this death game caused her to stumble. Catching herself, Zahra sped up so that she was running next to the backwards-running girl. It had never even passed through her mind that someone would willingly come in here, but now that Marisa had mentioned the women could think of a few reasons. The main one being her sister. Suddenly, Zahra wanted to know what Marisa was doing here; when the other girl got here. 

"I do." Zahra affirmed, nodding her head slightly. 

"I know this is silly," Zahra started hesitantly, "but I kind of have a slight fear of forest at night..."

During the day forest where fine, but as night began to fall the tendrils of fear began to leak out and dig in. Although she never really knew where this fear steamed from. In psychology she had learned that Nyctohylophobia--or fear of forest at night--was a specific phobia. It could have originated in way several different ways, for instance maybe a forgotten memory or learned through today's media. It was in no way non-manageable though. There was no panic attack or feeling of claustrophobia. Just an uneasiness.

Excited about the prospect of becoming a performer Zahra had set out early the very next day. 

By the mid-morning she had already made her way through Starter City and toward the surrounding area. Stopping at the entrance, pulling up the HUD and equipping the spear she started out. Other players already inhabited the field area. What Zahra was not after was boar, but after wolf. Not just any wolf either--but the Old Wise Wolf. After finding it she wasn't quite sure what to do for the women in Starter City didn't mention anything after finding it. Although she prepared for the worse. For all she knew this women had just sent her out to take on some field boss. 

Taking the route where wolves were most common Zahra started her search. It wasn't long until she ran into one wolf aimless wandering. Whistling to get it's attention, the wolf whirled around and faced her. It was light gray with a dark gray undertone. It appear exactly like a wolf in the real world, only slightly bigger. Pulling back it's lip to bare teeth it let out a ferocious rumble from it's throat. Then it charged.

{ID# 4939} {Battle (5+1) 6} {Craft 7} {Loot 9} { MOD 8} Zahra

At the same time Zahra charged as well. They made contact as the same time. Zahra's spear scraped across the wolf's shoulder, while it's teeth gazed her arm. As soon as Zahra passed the wolf she used the momentum to pivot around; facing her target once more. On the other hand the wolf landed and then slowly turned around. 

Zahra 12/13

Wolf 8/9

"Very true." Zahra grinned, placing the blunt end of the spear on the ground and slightly leaning on it.

Using the spear she hinged around and started back the way they came. The forest was darker than before due to the fact that the sun was now starting to set. The forest after dark was never a good place to be. It was not only harder to see where you were going, but also your surroundings. Especially if someone didn't have the night vision skill. "Let's get out of here A.S.A.P, I hate to be in here after the sun falls."

Now maybe it was just all the stories that she read, or that fact that she partly didn't like forests, but Zahra could swear that something loomed in this forest after darkness fell. No, she had ever witnessed anything. There was just the feeling that something was consistently watching. That feeling tended to grow the darker it got. The fact that Crusher was also there made her feel ten times better though. At least she wasn't alone. 

The feeling of someone touching her shoulder caused her to turn slightly. It was none other than the other female in the group--Marsia. The fact that the other girl could tell that something was bothering her just by looking was amazing. Then again, she never really considered herself to be very guarded. Feeling grateful that Marsia wasn't going to try and pry in her business Zahra offered her a gentle smile. 

"I have no problem letting you borrow it." Not even seconds after that Crow piped in about wanting to borrow it as well. "I have another one you can borrow. As long as I get them back I'm okay." It wasn't that rare to have a book, was it? The merchant that supplied the books certainly had not acted like it. Right as her mind was about to wander off further into la-la land the sound of someone stomping there foot brought her back to reality. It was Crow, saying that they last one there had to buy food--and then he was gone. Without hesitation Zahra took off after him determined not to be the last one to enter town.  "No way am i going to be last!" Zahra called behind her, grinning playfully. 

"Bartender!" Zahra called, waving a hand in the air, "I would like another one!" 

With the standard response of "Coming right up" the women then settled back in her chair and propped her feet up on the one across from her. Today had been an exciting day of adventuring and boar hunting and now it was finally time to kick back and relax a little. Opening the HUD she then equipped on of the two books that she had just recently bought. This time it was a Japanese Mythology and Legend book. This interest had been peeked courtesy of her father. Propping the book open she began to read the myth that was labeled Tengu. As she started the second paragraph the Bartender came over and dropped off the drink in exchange fore col. Taking a swig, she continued reading the letters on the worn about pages. Suddenly, noise filled the bar--and it wasn't the noise of people yelling. Arching an eyebrow Zahra peeked over the book to find a player making good use of the piano. 

The playing, and song, was so wondrous that she was forced to put down the book and actually listen. A couple minutes passed and then the place went quiet. Watching the young musician she noticed that he seemed to have froze in time. His shoulders and posture were rigid. Poor kid got a bad case of the nerves. Feeling slightly bad for him decided to try and help him out a little. "Encore!" Zahra shouted, clapping loudly, "Encore!" The people around the bar seemed to catch on as they too started to put there hands together to make noise. It wasn't long until the bar was filled with the noise of clapping hands and cheers.