Haine

An abrupt start to her morning.

She felt a little pissy, she wouldn't lie, but the mood wore off as she resumed her normal routine. She let her half fogged mind wander as she went about it. She padded to the kitchen and popped open the fridge. A bucket of fish greeted her, eyes wide open, staring into her soul. She ripped open each individual package and scrunched her nose. The two keen familiars about trampled her in pursuit of their breakfast. "H-Hold it--" she stumbled back to the sliding door and felt for the lock. She clicked it open and moved out. She flung the fish at the lawn and watched the two pad away. Next, she'd feed herself, get dressed, and sort through the day's itinerary.

She nursed a mug of coffee while she sought a quest more challenging this time, sometime more than a walk in the park. It would keep her trained and in check, all while reaping the rewards she sought. She wasn't as powerful as she longed to be. Her insecurities became more apparent once she stood among the rest of these front liners, seas of unfamiliar faces, all with an elusive air of strength and fortitude. That was what she aspired to be, or at least, the missing puzzle piece to her stress.

A quest to slaughter a bee matriarch, it sounded familiar. She clicked through it and decided that would occupy her morning. She clicked her tongue and debated. A party request to the guild, or to the public? She felt a little daring that day.

Quote

Need help with Return of the Queen. These coords. Let's have a blast!
Haine

She fired a message to the player request board and made haste for the rendezvous point. It never hurt to see new faces. Often times these random questers didn't stick around, but the few who did made the experience enjoyable. She found a spot near the heart of town, an ornate water fountain. It was hard to miss.

Her mind seemed to short circuit and disregard all else as she sobbed into the girl's shoulder. In normal circumstances, she wouldn't be caught dead with a tear on her cheek. She wore her heart on her sleeve, though the deepest of emotions were suppressed, shoved aside in favor of maintaining her appearance. Caught and blindsided, she had no chance to prepare, no forewarning of what would transpire. Teardrops soaked the girl's tunic. It was not until she felt her weight rushing back that she pulled back slightly. Raidou was there to catch her in time and support her weight. "Th-thank..." Haine sniffled, teary-eyed, "Thank you." She cast a glance at Raidou's general direction, as the pools of tears obstructed her vision. A quivering smile on her lips as she choked out a laugh.

A trace of joy overcame the shock as she felt her sister pat her head. She pulled away for a moment and squeezed Ruri's shoulder. "You!" she chipped in, sniffling, "You're lucky I'm not kickin' your butt for that." She tried to recover her emotions for a moment, wiping her tears with haste. It was of no use. A moment later and she cracked again. Seeing the tears in Ruri's eyes had her starting again. "Oh come here...-" She wrapped her arms around her sister and embraced her properly. She was glued to her, as if she'd disappear if she let go. 

The events of Absolute Zero wrapped up faster than she'd anticipated, giving her ample time to spend as she pleased. A fine, peaceful afternoon, the weather almost pleasant where she lived, it was hard not to relax in a secluded getaway. She teleported to the entrance of her humble cottage, soaking in the sun's warm rays. It was a much needed escape from the frigid temperatures of the fourth floor. She kicked open the door to her home and the little cub slipped past the frame. "Ahh, home!" she called out, to nobody in particular. Dead quiet. Sometimes, she liked the peace and quiet. She hummed a chipper tune and pushed the door shut. A quick bite would -

A ping interrupted her train of thought.

As soon as possible?

Haine's brow quirked. It had only been minutes since the party's foray. A hint of curiosity and worry piqued at the urgency of the message. Short and concise messages were typical of the man, though an urgent message always had an explanation behind it. This had none. She scratched her temple and sighed. If it was urgent, she would make haste. Not even a reply exchanged before she shrugged on her coat left for the guild hall.

Moments later, the woman padded into the guild hall. The halls were empty, typical at these times during afternoons. It made it a little harder to find the man. "Raidou?" she called out, her voice echoing back. Nothing. Footsteps shifted to a different area of the hall. "Hey, cap'n!" A quick snoop of nearby rooms deemed fruitless. She moved to a place she knew he frequented, his dim, ominous apothecary. A tall, familiar cloaked figure's back faced her. "Ah, there you are-"

Her blood ran cold that moment, as if the woman had seen a phantom face to face. She staggered back, her heart seeming to lurch from her chest. A phantom with vibrant azure locks turned her way. A delicate face with soft, azure eyes rest upon hers, those which had haunted her dreams. A figure which had only manifested in dreams revealed itself. "N-No it c-can't..." a hand covered Haine's lips as tears prickled her eyes. A flash of emotions too intense and varied to process that moment. Tentative footsteps moved to the younger and she laid a hand on her shoulder, as if to confirm the phantom was in fact real. She buried her head on her shoulder and the beginnings of a sob escaped her.

It was almost too easy to fight the thing. She'd struck the thing once and before she knew it, the rest of her team reduced it to an edge of its existence. She smirked. "Good one, team!" Her spirits kicked up a little. It was always nice to have an extra hand. She wasn't so fond of grueling on the field if she could avoid it. The sooner they could decimate this golem, the sooner she could retreat to the warmth of her cottage. A nice afternoon basking in the sun with her love, that would be the plan should he respond to her messages. She pushed aside the mild irritation of how slow he could reply. Perhaps he was in the middle of battle. Oh well. With or without him, she would enjoy a pleasant afternoon break. 

She moved with purpose, eager to get the battle over with soon.

The trek up the mountain was mildly unpleasant. Her skills protected her from harsh winds, though the uncomfortable sting still nipped at her nose. She sneezed and wiped her nose. Oh boy. The fight had not even begun yet. She quickened her steps in haste, boots crunching at the snow tops. A moment of silence followed through the trek, and Haine fixed her attention on the slender woman ahead. The auburn haired woman wore next to nothing in terms of snow attire. Haine all but shivered just noticing the risque dress. A bold and elegant choice she could never dare to sport. She averted her attention lest she make it apparent she was looking. Fingertips brushed back her bangs and she moved ahead of the party.

Finally, the great golem revealed itself. The task was simple. She was hardly frightened by its gargantuan form. Years of fighting all sorts of foes desensitized her to the shock factor of large, hideous beasts. She squared her shoulders, and with a flourish of her glaive, went in for a hit.

Raidou was always concise and to the point, though seldom was he this... choppy? She quirked a brow and wondered what could've bothered him. She didn't have long to ponder as a question came her way. "Ah, Kiluia?" She clicked her tongue. "He's doing well. Always on the grind, yeah?" She cast her attention to the women beside her. She shrugged it off. Everyone had those days. She'd find time to check with him later. The situation fixed on the quest at hand, with all four readying. She wasn't opposed to the work, though a little play was must for balance.

Her attention shifted to the cub, now pouncing on Kasumi for attention. "Oh, come here, you!" the bluenette called out. "We don't smother people." She gestured beside her and the fur ball trotted over. "Good." She fished for a treat and fed the little one. She scooped him into her arms and turned to the party. "Let's?"

The lull washed over as the battle turned in full rotation. Tension spread throughout the field as Orgoth and Shadow challenged each other. One against the other, seemingly matched in strength now. It was dangerous to intervene till their squabble ended. Orgoth crashed into the furthest parties, the earth shaking. And after then, the shadow resumed his destruction.

Amber eyes filled with both ire and fear as the shadow wrenched the strange tar-like creature off its form and faced Raidou. Strange tendrils obstructed his view and grounded him in place. She was not the only one to notice among many comrades. The entire squad struck back with brute force. Haine steadied her glaive and went head on for the Shadow. "Take that!" she retaliated, her brows furrowed. She backed off to regain her composure and cast a glance back at her comrade. "Hang in there," she called. She cast her glance to the rest of the field.

ID: #184662 | BD: [7+6-2] HIT! vs. Shadow, The Malevolent
-14 EN / Dimension Stampede
DMG: 405-150MIT=[255]

+ 5 EN REC

Haine could hardly understand the events unfolding. A duel between Orogoth, the master, and the shadow he created. The entity detached itself from the minotaur and threw him aside like a mere ragdoll, a testament of its sheer power. The shadow held an advantage over the minions, summoning them at ease to do its bidding. A moment of intermission as both sides of the field regained their bearings. It was eerily quiet until the monstrous form emerged from the shadow. The woman felt her skin crawl at the sight of the monstrous deformity. A human torso manifested of shadows, with grotesquely contorted limbs arching out like the limbs of a spider. Its face was a gaping hole of razor sharp teeth. A thick miasma lingered from its being and she scrunched her nose.

As soon as it entered the field, it begun its wreckage. Players were thrown aside like ragdolls as the shadowling rampaged through the heart, and in its wake it seized two figures. Ensnared in its grasp was a woman with long silver hair, and then a figure she recognized all too well as her lover. The audacity. A dormant ire emerged as the woman's eyes narrowed. She raced forth in pursuit of bloodshed, though in the blink of an eye the man countered. A glowing fist careened the shadow's way, packing a decent dent on its hideous face. It did little to abate her nerves.

"Hey ugly!" Haine taunted, with a brandish of her spear. "Yeah, over here." By the time she'd uttered her second sentence, she warped into periphery of the creature and lanced through its skull (or lack thereof). With a huff, she kicked off it. Was she a little out of hand? Yeah. Fortunately she had talented tanks right beside her. If any attention was drawn her way, it wouldn't be for long.

Victory was a guarantee with a team of powerhouses. Simmone's casts kept them up to boot and Griswold served as their shield. Freya and Haine dished out the damage in tandem. It was a shame the fight was ending so soon. The woman could feel the adrenaline rush through every pivot of her soles. "S' a shame it's wrapping up so soon. We make quite a team!" She peeked over her shoulder and grinned at Griswold and Simmone. She moved her attention to Freya and the remaining opponent. She kept at distance lest the energetic blonde strike her with her axe.

A beat later, Haine kicked up the dust as a diversion. The cloud overwhelmed the remaining lioness's senses. The poor thing could not see left from right, and from the fog, Eruda emerged. The impact of the strike had the beast careening the bluenette's way. "Right on it, Freya!" she confirmed, side-stepping. Before the beast could touch down, she lanced it to the dirt. She exhaled sharply and wiped her brow. "And that'll be a wrap."  

 The intensity kicked up in what felt like seconds since then. As soon as the woman fell off the Lion's back, she stumbled back into a pack of more. Materializing from thin air, the next wave presented itself in a flourish of flames. The pride's warmth radiated on her skin, a sheen of sweat breaking on her skin in proximity. Of little concern. She wiped her brow with haste and twirled her glaive. In the meanwhile, the others encircled the remnants of the pride. Tails whipped and teeth gnashed in retaliation. A lioness slammed itself against Griswold's shield. In tandem, the other beast seized the opportunity to slip around and slash at Freya. Haine regained her composure and narrowed her eyes.

"Look alive, guys!" She brushed the dust off her collar and brandished her spear. She sprinted with her glaive pointing straight at the lioness's jugular. With a pivot of her heel, she drove the spear's tip clean through the opponent. Shattered fragments later and only one stood in their wake.

A feeling of something heavy pounces on the woman.

Her figure shot up, sending the culprit flopping onto its back. Haine's eyes widened, heart racing. Her instincts prepared for a fight or flight, only to be met with two beady eyes. "PINGU!" she screeched, hand over her chest. What a way to start the day. Who needed an alarm clock with these things running around? Her blubbery companion was raring to go, wings flailing. It would have been endearing to watch the penguin's chubby self flail on its back, were it not for the way she'd woken up. Haine groaned and cast a sideways glance at the open doorway. Kiluia must've left the door open on his way out. She could hardly keep her eyes open in all her lethargy.

A faint light filtered through the curtains, a signal of early-o'-clock. Hours she would rather be sound asleep. Never a morning person, she operated best come noon. She flopped back, burying herself under the covers. The bird rolled off the bed, landing on the carpet with a plop. A moment of silence, and the woman felt she could finally relax. Amber eyes fluttered shut, and a soft sigh escaped her lips.

Then the demon struck again, beak pecking at Haine's rear. She yelped, shooting up. Hand soothed her back and she winced. "What'd'ya want?" she droned, brows furrowed. A brief glance at the clock revealed the time. An hour before her usual routine. "Can you wait one hour?" She squinted and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The creature tilted her head and trilled softly. There was something unsettling to such emotion paired with soulless, beady eyes. "Fine, you win. Now get yer butt outta here." She dragged herself out of bed and threw on her robe. An earlier start to the day, as her beauty sleep had been disturbed.

Consumed: Damage +3: 181527-2, Mitigation +3: 171425-1, Protein +2: 180859-2 [FILLED], Antidote +3: 149554-2

She equipped her warmer gear, a heavy duty coat with thicker boots geared for snow. She braced herself for a world of blustery weather on the fourth floor. A quick teleport to the wintry floor and business would be dealt with. On entry, the chill of the ice nipped at her nose. She shivered, drawing her coat snug around her. These conditions were of mild discomfort, as her skill accustomed her to harsh climates. Polar cub in tow, she headed for the heart of town. The shade of an awning provided temporary reprieve from the snowfall.

Not long after, a string of messages flashed on her HUD. She heeded the names of her guild members, particularly of two women. Kasumi, one who fought with only the might of her fists, and Simmone, the shrewd merchant with a regal air. She hadn't been on a quest with the two of them together before. Today would make for a refreshing outing.

Soon enough, the trio arrived near the awning she stood. Amber eyes flickered to the approaching figures and a soft smile followed. "Glad you could all make it. Let's knock out a quick one, yeah?" She nodded in acknowledgement of Raidou, and then, the women beside her. She cast a brief glance between the group and fired a party invite. "Ever fought an ice golem?" she hummed, filling a moment of silence with idle chatter.

A tantalizing read it would be, under the shade of a nice tree in her garden. She'd keep it safe in her inventory, lest Asmura read it out of curiosity. She was much too young to be exposed to certain things of the world. She clutched the bag to her chest and pulled up her inventory. A few swipes and she stowed it away for a boring day. Walking about town in her simple wear felt rejuvenating on its own. Her concept of entertainment had changed drastically in this world and that was apparent. Never before would a good book or a simple stroll be enough to cure her boredom.

She contemplated a day in or out on the walk through town. After the events of the raid, she survived and held her own weight, though her level disparity compared to the lot made her feel inferior. She wanted to at least be on par with the others, never under. She was pushing herself to reach her goals a little at a time but not outright torture herself. She'd done enough torturing to earn the might she had now. She pulled a random quest off the top of her list and sent a message to the guild. An invitation to the snowy parts of Aincrad, to fight a great golem.

She made her way to the fourth floor's safe zone.

Hardly a sheen of sweat on her forehead, she was raring to go. A glowing spiral encircled her for a moment, her bar glowing as a portion of her energy returned. She turned to give her thanks though the gaze of the woman intimidated her. She had no clue why. It wasn't of the bad sort, more of the type of intimidation that made her feel shy. Though in battle, she was a different being. She mirrored the woman's words with nod, hands propped on her hips. "And we are going..." she turned around, lest the woman's gaze bring a flush to her face. "To feast!" she finished, with a glow of her glaive.

She set her sights on the leader of the pride, with its large, ostentatious mane. "You're mine." She narrowed her eyes and charged forth, vaulting off the spear and onto the lion's back. The momentum drove the spear through its cranium, red pixels spewing in place of blood. She crushed its head with her sole and pulled her weight back to dislodge the end. Her weight pushed backwards and she fell off the creature's back with a yelp. 

There wasn't much to do in Aincrad for entertainment. It wasn't as simple as playing a television show. If that were the case, she doubted much people would leave their homes. It would be a resurgence of hermits. Playing video games within a video game? Too meta, Aincrad knew it. After toying with Asmura's watercolor set, she pieced together a series of ill mixed splotches, abstract art. She felt ashamed. Asmura, only twelve, could paint much better than she ever could. In the end, she made a stop to the bookstore. It was nice to have that normalcy, to have people in this world creating stories to share. Digital or physical? She tapped her chin and contemplated.

A quick round near the young adult section revealed a novel in vibrant red wrapping. A romance, from the looks of it. Why not? She wasn't opposed to a good romance novel. She thumbed through its pages. Such vivid detail in anatomy, such... oh that was intense. The woman felt her cheeks heat up at the unabashed wording in it. She wouldn't be caught dead by anyone reading this. Head whipped from side to side. All clear. Oh yes, it would be an enriching read. She flipped the book face down and waddled to the counter. "Afternoon!" she greeted to the man across the counter. Thank heavens for NPCS. They didn't have any opinions. The man scanned the novel and threw it into a paper bag, as hollow as ever.

CONSUMES: Antidote +3: 149554, Damage +3: 182471-1
Well Done Steak Feast {Below/Filled} [2/4] (+3 DMG, -45 Mitigation)

Haine | HP:1450/1450 | EN:142/142 | DMG:25 | MIT:34 | EVA:1 | ACC:6 | HLY:6 | PHASE:1 | BRN:36 | HLY:2 | PHASE:1 | BH:72 | Antidote:3/3

In the blink of an eye, the party went head on with the pack of once peaceful lions. Griswold tapped his hammer against his shield, calling the attention of the miniature pride. In a serious of snarls and bared teeth, the pride cats arched their back and prepared for a charge. In what felt like seconds, the party cleaved clean through the field. They stood no chance, perishing mid-roar. It was a little saddening to see, but at least the quest would go on easily. The faster they cleared, the sooner she could rid herself of this heat. She squinted as the bright sun all but blinded her eyes.

Eruda moved for the remaining lionesses, ending all but one who had evaded her blade. Haine stepped in to draw its attention to her. "Here, kitty kitty!" she jested, with a kick of her spear on the tip of her toe. She spun it with a flourish and rounded behind the opponent, driving the blade clean through it. She shot the rest of her party a thumbs up. "Now, ready up!"

The strange wolf golem approached her and sniffed. There was something unsettling and endearing about the stone wolf. "Hey there bud!" She was hesitant to pat him for a moment and did so nonetheless. Fingertips scratched ragged rocks and pulled away. She sensed it was searching for something from the tilt of its head. A slight feeling of guilt surfaced. "Aww, I don't have any snacks for ya bud. Next time, yeah?" A moment later and party invites were exchanged. Now an official team, the four of them set forth for the location of the pride. They left the bazaar and traveled out of city bounds, into a vast sandy terrain.

As they moved, the quest marker circled to notify them of the impending objective. Beyond the horizon, a pack of peaceful lionesses curled up together. A feeling of guilt washed over the woman. They looked majestic and in their element. Just pixels, Haine reassured herself. They'd come back again. She rushed in after Freya with a flourish of her glaive.

Sometimes the team held their own, structured and all. Sis was out there in the front, throwing the punches, with Kiluia's aoe to back her up. As for Haine? Squad medic who could beat shit up if she needed to. And sometimes? That just went out the window. Like now, when the zealous thirteen year old charged head into a pack of wargs. Haine felt her stomach somersault. All forethought and precaution thrown to the wind as Ruri decided that now was the moment to unleash hell. Oh well. Just a bunch of mangy mutts, big deal. Just think of them as oversized... puppies. She felt her skin crawl as she charged towards the heart of action.

"So we're doin' this, huh?" She chortled and manifested her dull spear. The frenzy evened out into an orderly battle, fortunate enough. They were to remain vigilant with this new challenge, but it appeared their training was fruitful. "Since when could I kick ass this hard?" She punctuated with a jab through a mutt's skull. She brushed the dust off her coat and smirked. Her moment of triumph was cut short by a growl behind her. Amber eyes widened and she exchanged an anxious look with Kiluia. Azure locks whipped as she turned to face a pack of vicious mutts, similar to the rest yet twice the size as before.

"Are you fudge-ing me? Those were the lil' ones?!"

A moment passed and the women felt her stomach squeeze. "Oh, this won't do," she sighed. A quick perusal of her inventory showed a lack of any sustenance or drinks, other than water. Water was good, but it wasn't favorable to a nice cup or cider, or say, a smoothie. Golden eyes rested in the direction of a tavern across the street. Yes! She would have a quick drink while she was here. She ambled to the shop's entrance and secured herself a booth. Moments later, a cold glass of apple cider rested on the table. She took a swig and cleared her throat, the cool fluid soothing.

A distinct, horned figure approached the woman. With his questionable choice of headwear..? He stuck out like a sore thumb in the tavern. She watched with mild amusement as the horned man approached. "Afternoon!" Haine greeted, an amiable smile curving her lips. "Welcome to the squad weed." She gestured to the chairs beside her. "Have a seat. I'll be a moment. Just gotta finish this..." She took a larger swig of her cider, coughing as the carbon went down.

Not long after, another figure approached. A white haired man with tan skin and familiar red eyes, though she couldn't match a name to a face. A guild member she rescued from a disastrous boar incident a long while ago. "Welcome to the squad, Val, Val...entine?" The other's expression turned tense for but a moment, something observed by the woman, though disregarded. A growling of her stomach prompted an awkward laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm a little hungry I guess. Have you guys eaten yet?" She scratched her head, observing the tension in the air.

"Sandwiches to go? It'll be my treat!"

The old, seemingly senile man seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. A slightly dejected expression and little words to share of his predicament. It didn't take long for her to click the pieces with the quest details. The lake was as dead as could be, nary a splash or ripple. It was a little unsettling to know there was something potentially significant waiting to chomp down. Fortunate of the man, Haine would assist with her fishing abilities. She clasped her hands together and listened as the other two conversated. In the distance, the ragtag, miniature duo waded in the murky waves. She kept a watchful eye on them lest they run astray. It was a lot easier to lose a teacup penguin than one would think.

"Me too!" Haine cut in, hand placed over her collarbone. "I'll take on it as well." A nod of confirmation and the man buffered but a moment, the life returning to him as his quest prompts loaded. She swiped her HUD for a brief rundown of the details as Kiluia sought the details.

Haine seemed wary of trusting quest brokers, especially after the last one had so graciously scammed her. She learned her lesson and strayed far of ominous, cloaked figures promising a lucrative opportunity in exchange for hefty coin. To meet the exact shady figure yet again was just her luck. Her hood was secured around her frame, shrouding her features from anyone who might know her. The oblivious scam of a broker approached her yet again at the tavern, sliding into the empty seat across from her.

She scrunched her nose and reached for the glass across the table, taking a swig. "Yanno, it's not that hard to get COL," Haine commented, nonchalantly. "You could, I dunno, work for it like everyone else does, or actually do your job?" The man caught onto her once she pushed off her hood, piercing amber eyes meeting his. He shifted in his seat, uncomfortably. He slid out of his seat the moment he matched a name to her face. "Aww, leaving already?" She called out, slamming her cup down. "Just saying, if I were a scammer, I'd charge for more than just peanuts. But good day to you too!" The cheerful expression on her face seemed off putting compared to the edge in her tone. The man wasn't worth a brawl. After all, she wasn't so pressed about mere pocket change. She watched with mild distaste as he exited in search of his next victim.

To be fair, it was her fault for falling for a deal too good to be true.

Consumes: Antidote +3:  149772, Damage +3: 182475-1, Accuracy +2: 180416-1, Evasion +2: 180941, Protein +2: 180861

Secret medicine, secret medicine... it sounded so familiar, she could have sworn she did this before. The woman swiped on her HUD and pulled up the quest details. She deadpanned at its absurdly easy requirements. She chalked it up to something she skimmed in pursuit of shinier rewards. Nonetheless, the quest could be knocked out of the ballpark in no time. She contemplated a solo run until she figured she could use the extra company. With her heavy hits, she could take the chance to aid other guild members who had yet to accomplish this quest. She fired a message to the guild and made haste for the rendezvous point. She'd wait for a little while and go off on her own if nobody showed up. She hoped they would. 

She crushed a crystal and teleported herself to the haven. As crowded as always, commonplace for the safest place in Aincrad. A feeling of security graced these cobblestone paths, from a page of a storybook in some medieval fantasy. She propped herself against a water fountain at the heart. Hopefully her guild members could find her out in the open here.

The past month had been, for a lack of words, a wild ride. Paradise turned hell, that ought to have been a headline all over Japan. She wondered if people knew. Maybe they did know, her siblings had yet to shrivel up and die from having their Nerve Gears removed. They were unbothered for an entire month, and a month in this world felt like eternity. She had yet to adjust to the reality of this new world. The concept of death was unnerving. She had yet to witness a death in person, but she heard of horrors within local taverns. She would rather be safe than sorry, within the sanctuaries of floor one. It was a peaceful life, though monotonous, but being close to those she loved made it easier to cope.

That was how she felt until her siblings expressed a desire to achieve, flip the script. She felt obligated to follow suit, to be able to aid and protect them lest that ridiculous... death rumor turned out to be real. She couldn't do it by herself. Fortunately, she had her siblings and Kiluia to help her level. Today's agenda: Warg-in it up on floor one. Battle was new and unfamiliar to the girl. She could barely hold a real sword, though fortunately it felt like second nature here. 

The trio stood out on the open plain, at safe distance from a pack of wargs. Haine furrowed her brows, boring holes into the pack of literal... deformed wolves. With everything blatantly realistic, down to the detail of these creatures, it wasn't unnatural to feel freaked. The realization that she couldn't feel physical pain alleviated her nerves.

The woman put on a bright facade, hands planted on her hips. "Good point, Kil. It's either that or the hundredth boar. Don't'cha think we need a change?" She manifested her spear and stabbed it into the soil. "I say we give it a go. If shit hits the fan, crush a crystal and we'll regroup at the town square. Deal-" Haine looked aside to witness the shorter bluenette bounding towards the pack of wolves. "G- For heck's sake Ruri! I guess we're havin' at it after all." The girl chased after the younger.

The walk up the mountain was a slight bit laborious and therapeutic at the same time. A beautiful scenery distracted her from her aching calves. Idle chatter kept her occupied till they reached the base of the mountain. The cool air indicated the presence of a lake nearby. She sung a quick tune and swung Kiluia's arm with hers, a pep in her step. Her love's commentary raised memories of one particular endeavor. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh yeah, thaat," she commented, with a scrunch of her nose. "Ping, you were one bitch and a half to grab, lemme tell ya." She scratched the penguin's head. "Hopefully this one won't drag on so long." She turned her attention to Kiluia. "You're faster than me. You'll do a better job catching the salamander. Knock yourself out!" She pushed her locks behind her shoulder. She left the tedious part to him. She was a better fisher than looter.

At last, they arrived at the entrance of a small hut attached to a fishing dock. A man, appearing dejected, stared at the empty waters. "That the dude?" Haine called out, pointing a finger at his direction.

She blocked out the sounds in the background and fixed her attention on the sole thing that mattered then, her sister's safety. They'd been forced into the town square, so she couldn't have gone far. Looking for the girl was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack with how crowded it was. If the big red man's words rang true, not many would leave this town's safe zones today. Still skeptical, she didn't let the craze get to her head. Surely there was an explanation for this grand event.

A message chimed in before Haine could hit submit. It was none other than her sister and a barrage of text, inquiring of her whereabouts. She took a deep breath and punched out a reply. "It'll be just a trek across town. We'll wait for it to clear first, I wouldn't wanna be separated again." She swiped away her HUD and tilted her head to the side. "C'mon Kil. Let's group up before the sun sets." She set off in the direction of her sister.

Hopefully they'd have this sorted by the end of the day.

COMPLETE
Kiluia & Haine Receive:
200 COL + 2 SP [ +1 ev bonus ]