Lyra

"Thank you" Lyra answered Pepper's compliment, sidestepping her attack, unfortunately it still scratched the young girl.

Lyra didn't speak anymore, she didn't want to die in the face of an NPC.

Her weapon, zephyr, lighted and she made one quick move that didn't even made the slightest contact on the enemy.

Quicly, she ran away from Pepper and with a hardened expression, prepared for the next strike.

HP=7/13

Lyra had no choice but to channel her anger to the mobs.

She didn't know what finley was thinking, maybe she was wrong in deciding to go to the front lines, but it was also wrong to imply that she couldn't help.

A mob approached her. Her rage showed, with no mercy she killed.

"I- am- not- USELESS" she shouted so loud, that the whole forest she was in could hear.

In a few minutes the mobs would come. She couldn't die. She needed to find Io. She needed to go the front lines.

"Haa" Lyra gasped, as the hilt of Pepper's blade hit her head.

Her body shook and her ears tremble from the sound of the weapon tearing down her scalp.

Panic had started to swell inside the young player, yet she still tried to keep calm.

"Just a game" she whispered repeatedly to herself "Just a game"

Pepper had just jumped back and Lyra thought that that would be her last move, but it was not. The NPC had adjusted itself to do more than an attack. She did not pause to wait for Lyra anymore and simply proceeded to do a double slash. Every attack made contact.

"Ahhhh!" Lyra screamed, mostly from shock than pain. At the corner of her screen, she can see her health bar abating to yellow from the assaults.

It was only a second when she realized the next hit was aimed for her face. But it didn't come, Lyra had moved, and had made it out of Pepper's attack zone successfully.

She knew she needed to do something,but what?

Pepper moves faster than the mobs in the plains of Floor 1 and Lyra had never encountered something stronger since the NPC she was currently fighting. If she used one weak move, it might be her end.

"No!!" Lyra shouted like a madman, keeping distance from her opponent. "Distance!" An idea suddenly popped in her head.

She dashed towards her opponent, activating a sword skill and dealing a downward strike. She didn't stop there she followed it with a 'V-like trajectory landing a triumphant 'critical hit'.

HP= 8/13

"Woah!" Lyra's eyes widened as she saw Pepper's spinning attack coming towards her. "How--??"

The awe worked like a stun, that even after the damage has been done, Lyra was still standing to watch.

"O-Oh... my turn?" She said naively as Pepper waited for her counterattack. "Just standing there huh?"

She asked, suddenly nervous.

"Ok... Here I go"

Her zephyr lighted and with a quick wave of her hand, she did a slant.

"Oopsie!" she said, failing the strike.

HP= 11/13

------------------

OOC:

Sorry, I'm finding it difficult to do the emotions thing, could you please help me a little more with it

Thank you ^.^

"You can't!" Finley quickly retorted.

"Why? You said it yourself, beta testers are often in the front lines, then if Io is there--"

"If Io's there, he wouldn't want you to be there too... and I thought this wasn't about Io?"

Lyra's eyes were filled with tears and hatred.

"Why wouldn't he want me there? Cause I'll just be a nuisance? Because you just always save me?" She violently wiped her tears. "You've never seen me fight Ken"

"That's not what I'm saying!"

Lyra shook her head and left.

Lyra looked at her brother's best friend, her eyes pleading for help. She didn't want to voice out her thoughts, but there was great need to do so.

"It's not about Io" she replied in her small fearful voice.

"Then what is this all about?" Finley asked.

Lyra shifted her gaze towards the tea on the table. There was nothing she could do, she needed to tell him.

"I want to be a clearer"

Finley didn't know why Lyra invited him to such a place. A restaurant inside a deep dangerous forest that was rarely visited by players, what was she thinking?

"Look , Rina" His voice echoed across the empty place. "If it's about Io-"

Lyra tensed, he wasn't sure if it was because he mentioned her real name or if it was because of her brother's.

Finley cleared his throat, she invited him here, she might as well start.

Lyra smiled at Dellis' confession. And though she was a lot abashed at his words, she was happy for what he has decided to do.

"... Man, I'm hopeless, right? With that mindset, in a game like this..." Dellis didn't continued his words, but Lyra could feel the sadness in his tone. Her happiness swerved towards his emotions.

"W--- Well, Lyra, sorry about that, just forget what I said." Dellis redirected the conversation. "Why don't we try our hands at the Trembling Ox, when you feel ready? They say the boss's female version, the Trembling Cow, makes a milk that is used to make a cake with a really legendary taste."

"Tempting" Lyra said, eyeing an Ox in a distance. "you know... I'm not really a fan of governing decisions and I would never try to" her eyes remained on the prey. "but if you really want to protect special girls like me, then you might at least try something manlier"

She smiled at Dellis and handed the sunlight sword at him.

"Don't worry, I have a cool sword too" she made one small laugh then proceeded to ran towards the Trembling Ox. "Come on, Izzy and I needs to taste that shortcake!"

Party’s fight

"If we fight it now, it wouldn't turn into a fruit"

"Yeah!"

"I'll take this one and you take that"

"Ok!"

"Will you be alright Lyra?"

"Yes! I can do this"

The party attacked the monsters, switching and using their skills to the best of their abilities. It was a wonder to watch them go. 3 siblings sticking with each other till the end. Lyra watched in admiration.

Happy, with their good luck, they fought the little nepent with flower, even before it becomes a little nepent with fruit.

(ooc: will edit)

“Wohooo!!†Lyra jumped as Dellis finished the wasp.

"We did it! You're awesome, Lyra, you know?"

Lyra blushed, turning tomato red. “A-a-ahhh… It wasn’t actually me… I-I mean thanks… but, it wasn't actually me… It was you†She raised Sunlight Sword, hoping it was enough to cover her red face. “You're awesome. I mean, not just the weapons you forge, but also the way you fight. I’ve never known anyone who uses a shield to attack. One who only uses the sword, yes, but a defense weapon to attack. Well, that’s unique!â€

Lyra paused for a while, only to blush redder than her current color.

“Ahhhh… I mean, if you could use blades, tha-that would be cool tooâ€

She looked around to find somewhere to hide, but found none.

“Sorry!†she said in an embarrassed deep bow.

"Woah!!" Lyra gasped at the sight of the Sunlight Sword. "I could use this?" she asked, picking up the long sword with utmost care.

"Wow! This is amazing" she muttered, scanning the weapon from the end of the hilt to the point of the blade. "It's beautiful" she said, distracted from the fight.

"I just can't u--" she tried to say, when Dellis shouted.

"Dellis!" She screamed back, instinctively holding the weapon the way she do with her 'zephyr'.

"Ready, Lyra?" He asked.

"Mhmm" Lyra nodded with a worried look. "Ready!" she answered holding position.

"SWITCH!"

Lyra made her first move the instant she was transported to Dellis' position. Quickly,slashing back and forth at her opponent, changing skills just in time for the other's cooldown.

The wasp's counterattacks didn't deal much of a damage and Lyra was just surprise to know that in a minute of battle, she has pushed the mob into the red zone.

"Ha!" she joyfully exclaimed. "I'm still green!!!"

She excitedly ran towards Dellis, enthusiastically reporting her achievement.

"Ok...This is the last attack" she said, glancing at the monster's health bar. "I think" she said in humorous uncertainty.

"Well...I'm leaving everything to you" she told him in a big smile. "Switch!"

Lyra watched in astonishment as Dellis took out a shield he most likely forged.

"Izzy's Scales Reflection!" He shouted a weapon skill increasing his enemy's vulnerability by blinding it.

"Wow" She whispered softly, so that only Izzy could hear. "I should visit his shop" she said in a little soft laugh.

After 3 seconds, the stun went out and Lyra was able to stand up. She picked up Izzy and intently observed the fight, readying herself for another switch. It was only that, Dellis was fighting all too good. She wasn't even expecting him to call her.

"It will take a bit more hits to kill her!" He shouted to Lyra. "Sorry, but I'm terrible with swords, so I use my shield even when attacking. That does less damage, but I'm always ready to block."

He stopped for a second. "How's the stun? Did it go away? Can you switch back to finish it?" He asked her.

Lyra nodded, understanding the situation.

"Call 'switch', I'll leave the last attack to you" she said preparing.

HP= 12/13

ok... if I understood everything right.. it means the second post has only the words "Dice roll" in it.

And... when fighting monsters in the fields, we also have the same system.

Right?

Sorry but I don't uunderstand how to do thee second post works in the combat guidlines, could please explain it to me. :)

And does this apply to the monsters we encounter in the field too?

Thanks! :D

The 2nd Floor (第2層, Dai 2-sÅ?) of Aincrad has a generally mountainous topography. The terrain is rocky, full of hills, and not particularly diverse.

Most of the landscape is predominantly flat-topped mountains, which are topped with lush green grass. It is primarily inhabited by large ox-type monsters

The entirety of the Second Floor is mountainous in terrain, and is inhabited by a large variety of plains and cliff-like geographical features.

-SAO Wiki

Lyra gasped at the wonders of Floor 2's unsafe zones. "Ahh!! This is refreshing" she said, being used to Floor 1 and all.

"Look! Look!" she lively pointed at the oxen grazing in a distance. "I bet those are the 'Trembling Ox', specialty of Floor 2, treated like a mini boss" She chuckled repeating words of certain friends from floor 1. "Let's try beating it later if we level up ok?"

Lyra ran from left to right, enthusiastically telling Dellis about the things she heard.

" The main town here is Urbus--- and did you know about the town Marome? They said it didn't had any NPC blacksmith there---- and there's like a whole lot of---" Lyra continued to speak, until she realized what she was doing.

"Oh, sorry!" She said, abashed at being too talkative. "I'll just--" she blushed, shrinking back into her shy persona.

Lyra covered her face and comically walked back a few distance from Dellis.

Being too embarrassed, she didn't noticed the earthen black bee monster with green stripes and ice pick-sized stingers that was only waiting in the shadows to attack.

It quickly used a 'sting' skill, that stunned Lyra.

"Switch" she called. Switching Dellis to her position as the monster's opponent. "I've never been in a party before" she told Dellis. "but I've also heard that players cannot attack simultaneously. The sting will affect me for,I don't know when, so please hang in there for awhile, plus I believe that the monster's a wind wasp. A perfect hunting mob, that has weak attacks and great amounts of XP points to gain"

Lyra intently watched at what would happen next, knowing the mob would not move until five seconds after using its skill 'stinger's attack'.

-------------------------------------

LYRA = LVL 5 ; HP=12/13 ; Healing crystals= 20 ; Teleportation crystal = 10

-------------------------------------

Lyra felt a big lump in her throat as Dellis asked the big question.

"I don't know" She shook her head in frustration.

"It took me months to recover from the announcement of the 'death game'. I didn't had the chance to search for him when everyone was still in Floor 1."

Lyra smiled at Dellis, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Oh, sorry!" she said, wiping the tears away.

Turning away from him briefly she stuffed herself with sweets to calm her nerves.

"Ok!" she said energetically. "Shall we go somewhere else? Hunt some mobs maybe?"

"I'm Lyra" The young player smiled more comfortably. "Nice to meet you!"

She gave a slight laugh, one that she usually do after meeting someone amusing.

"And... well.." She said, picking something from her bag of sweets. "I've never played computer games before. Well I might've but..." she shrugged, pulling out a croissant. "It must have been so long ago, that I can't even remember"

There was a huge emphasis on the 'so', pointing it out even more.

"Plus--" Lyra neared Izzy, letting it nibble on the food. "It's my brother's hobby to play games so I pretty much steered away from it"

"Haaa!!" Lyra suddenly screamed in delight as she watched the lizard eat. "Kawaiiii!!!!"

"Mmm" Lyra nodded, as the NPC officially started the quest.

She unsheated Zephyr, made a deep breath and started to run towards her enemy.

"Haaa!!" She shouted. Starting the fight with her strongest sword skill, the 'Vertcal Arc'.

It dealt two damage at her opponent.

"Yes!" She said, running backwards to ensure a defense position.

-------------------

Ooc: thank you ^_^

And... I'll try my best!

"Ahhh!!!" Lyra bounced up and down as something jumped on her shoulders.

Her face turned pale white as the thought of being attacked in a safe zone occured to her.

"Please, please no." She silently mumured, closed eyes, hands together, wishing not to be killed by any monster or player killer.

"Izzy! Bad lizard! Come here this instant." Lyra opened her eyes that were changed to two comical dots while an anime sweat drop appeared on her head.

"Lizard?" She said in surprise, picking up the small dizzy animal on her shoulder.

"Oh!! Sorry, sorry,sorry!!" She repeatedly applogized to it, stroking its small head on her palm.

"I'm sorry! Really sorry! I should cook that lizard on a plate, not keep her as a pet!" Lyra blinked as a male player approached her. It took a long moment of silence before she realized that he must be the owner of the lizard she was holding.

"A-a-ahhh" she embarassedly stuttered, bowing a deep japanese bow, extending her hands, to express her apologies, and also to bring back his lizard.

The guy took his pet back and apologized about it's behavior.

Lyra on the other hand was still keeping her bow, not wanting to let her red face show.

The fellow paused for a while, then asked. "Uhm... Are you an NPC or a true person?"

It made Lyra look up from her position. "Huh?"

"I'm sorry if I'm rude, it's just that... This game is quite dangerous, you know" he said it while scratching the back of his head and smiling which made her laugh so much, she forgot about her own embarassing moment.

Lyra recovered after making a lot of coughs and distraction from the question.

"Thanks" she said afterwards, her thoughts of fear suddenly disappearing from her head. "Well... I guess I have to be a true person." She smiled a little shyly for he was still a stranger.

"Are you sure you should be on floor two? You're quite young! Aren't you scared?"

"Hmmm" Lyra pursed her lips uncomfotably. "Uhmm" she expressesed uncertainty to answer by looking down and sliding her foot back. "I..." She breathed deeply, she couldn't lie. "I am" she said with a little nod that meant her sincerity.

"ummm..." Lyra, a thirteen year old, inexperienced gamer stuttered at Pepper's request.

She has hunted boars in the plains and bats in the forest and caves, but no player has ever asked her to duel.

She was nervous like a small animal, but didn't want to show it.

'A distraction would be useful' Lyra thought, trying to calm her shaking hands.

The wind blew after a moment of silence, and a comical sweat drop appeared on Lyra's head.

"Ha...Ha...Ha" She awkwardly laughed, waving her hands on front of the NPC.

After a while, the girl blushed in delight. "Ahhh! You're so beautiful"

She touched Pepper's ginger hair, poked her delicate cheeks, and hugged her hips in a delighted smile.

"I wish I could make you my onee-chan!" Lyra said finally being able to release her tensed feelings.

While still holding Pepper, Lyra pressed the 'accept' button on her screen and quickly jumped out of the NPC's way.

Pointing her blade at the enemy, acquiring a new sense of character with a desire to win and a passion to kill.

A little sly smile appeared on Lyra's lips.

If the bluff of a threatening face scared an NPC, she would surely have a good laugh about it.

The days grew in Aincrad, and its floors were slowly increasing. Players were getting determined to finish the game as the days passed by. Though not everyone was participating in the race for a certain player was still taking her time.

"Wooooowwwwww!!!!" Lyra, a 13 year old, level five player, gazed at floor 2's bakery as her mouth watered at the sweets displayed.

"I'll take this, and this, and this!!!" She smiled as she ordered from the NPC.

"I guess that's all" The baker said with a laugh.

"Yes! Yes!" Lyra said joyfully, holding her big bag of sweets.

This was Lyra's first time to go up a floor and though she won't admit it, she still feel the fear of being trapped in a game and dying in it. The first floor was her rabbit hole and the fear of dying in the upper floor's was her fear of dying. She has mastered the first floor, made its streets her home, and its NPC's her friends. But the fishes in the lake was getting boring and the places was getting deserted. One floor wouldn't make a lot of difference anyway, so she decided to go.

Lyra paused for a while imagining the real world and how people were doing there.

She took one mindless bite from a doughnut and blushed a deep red. "Ahhhh! Yummy!!"

Lyra will be hit but she will get up again and finally kill all the wolves. Her health will be in the yellow zone

(ooc: will edit)

Lyra uses both skills

(ooc:will edit)

Level Up=5

1-5 Lyra will try to use both of her new skills

6-10 She will get hit

(ooc:will edit)