Abalasster

I had been tending to my shop for most of the day. Being trapped in exile, it had been a good month since i had been anywhere near my shop. I had been able to fix most of the shelves. The inventory was still here, more or less. When i had come back. Windows were shattered and everything was in chaos on the inside. However, through the chaos didn't claim my companion which i left behind, Khepri. So, after i mended one of the last shelves, i decided that it was time for me to get out of here and do something productive. So, i went to the back. I got my rapier, Transcendence, and put on my robes. But, whilst I was looking, I found something that offset me. It was the robes of the guild that I was in. One that had fallen into shambles. I couldn't find any of its one existing members. Still, i grabbed the robes and put them on. There was no hurt in reliving the good times, which was something that i needed to do to a very high degree.

Khepri jumped on my arm and we were out the door. I traveled around town for a little bit of my time. But, it wasn't long for me to find a place that interested me. It was a cafe. I sat outside, and enjoyed the coffee which i just ordered. I saw a crowd come by, which wasn't out of the ordinary. But, three words instantly caught my interest. It wasn't the three words as much as it was a voice. The voice was feminine. I had heard this voice once or twice before. I started to scan the crowd, but found nothing. i continued to watch. Hopefully these words would call the attention of someone or thing. One of them was what i can only decipher to be Japanese, a language that i'm not proficient in. So, i just sat back an waited for something interesting...   

I woke up again. This time on my own accord. No horrific flash backs or memories did it this time. I looked outside now. The sun was just making its way over the horizon. I grabbed my rapier and sheathed it at my side. I looked at the window of the tavern unto the city. The window revealed much. I could see the bell tower; a place that was part of my training to become a merchant. Next I saw the entrance to the town. This was where I first started selling items in my cart. I closed the window and looked over to Jericho. She was still asleep...but, she was crying. I had no clue why. I knew that waking er up probably wasn't the best idea. So,i exited the room and went down to the cafe section of the restaurant. I picked up two coffee's, Some odd rendition of French toast for myself, and some equally odd rendition of Pancakes. , for Jericho. I brought them back up to our room. I sat it on te shelf and began drinking my coffee.

"I don't know how they did it, but the were able to duplicate the taste of French Vanilla down to the letter" i said to myself...     

Night was arguably my least favorite time of day. This was because it was so damn reminiscent of that hellish cave. I took a deep breath and ran through the Town of Beginnings into the fields. I could see no one in the streets. But, there was this feeling in the back of my mind. I felt as if i was being watched. Sure, I've been watched before. My old friend Koumori had mad a run in with a hooded man multiple times, but it didn't feel like that. This, entity, seemed to be watching me from all angles. I made it out of the town and into the plains of the first floor. I drew my rapier to combat what lie in the fields. I then spotted a group of boars. One was obviously bigger than the others. I charged towards these monsters. After what had just happened, i needed to kill something...

Alright, just invite us to a private message when you create the thread.

"I'm not leaving Mariska behind" Bishop said.

"But if you go back your dead. It's pointless. They have no clue where the hell we are, but if you go out there, were done. The cries you hear right now probably aren't even hers. They did the same thing to lure out Polaris. They imitated the cries of Eurifacles" i whispered to Bishop.

"But what if she's not dead" Bishop responded. "You can say here and die like a coward. But i'm going to go out there and at least make an effort to save her. Your "Tread lightly" advice is a saying that cowards use to hide behind"...

I jolted up. I had no clue where i was at first. I felt like i was living on two worlds. The last place i remember was being in the fields. I took in my surroundings. I saw that i was in a private room of a tavern. I saw that my rapier was on the desk next to me. Jericho was in a chair on the opposite side of the room.She must have carried me into this room. I smiled. At least someone was watching my back. I laid back down in the bed. Today had been...different...

OOC: The music was a great touch. Good job on your end.  

I looked out at the horizon. The sun was on the verge of setting. It would be dark within 2 hours. "So, what shall we do now" i asked Jericho. ". As i was looking into the horizon, i saw a figure. From here it looked like a small creature, nothing over 4 foot. But, from the distance we were at, i knew that it must be bigger. Then, the entire atmosphere around me changed. I thrust into a cave, that looked all to familiar. The creature had came closer as well. It was now about 6 feet away. Now i could get a proper assessment of the beast. It was easily 7 feet tall, with being hunched over. It had claws that were at least a foot in length. It was breathing through its mouth, heavily. Its claws were bloodied. It's eyes, were probably the worst of its features. They looked bloodshot, but looked at me with so much intensity. The worst part about this situation, was the creature of the cave, but that i knew this place, and this creature. I drew my rapier and thrust it at the monster. Suddenly, i was thrust back into reality. I was in the field. And my rapier was mere inches from Jericho's head. But before i could do or say anything, the world started to become fuzzy. Then it went black...      

"Its ok" i said as i began to take my hand off of my. "So like i said, is there anything that i can with" i continued. I began to size up the character that had bumped into me. He didn't look much older than me, nor was he much taller. He did look like he was newer than me however. The weapons and the gear made it obvious. I took my eyes off of him for a moment to look through the crowd. Nothing popped out to me distinctively; at first. Then I saw...a figure. I couldn't tell what or who it was, but i know that they looked extremely out of place. I looked back to the player in front of me again, hoping that whatever or whoever the figure was that it went away. But i still felt that a pair of eyes was looking in this direction...

ID: 38522

MD: 6

CD; 9

Abalasster 24/24 (cancelled due to healing)

The boar that Jericho tried attacking decided to retaliate. It charged at her with villainous intent. I between her and the boar to block the attack. I was able to make it before the boar made contact. It made contact with my rapier. I pushed it back . It buddies came up to cover its flank. This guy was obviously the leader. I got my rapier for my strike...

ID:38523

BD: 8 + 1= 9; 9 x 2 = 18 + 1 + 2 bleed for 2 turns (Overkill much)

Boar 1 -15/4

Boar 2 -15/4

Boar 3 -15/4

I got my rapier ready in my hand. This would have been my first strike in a long while. I felt the weapon begin to charge in my hand. I ran at the boars and swung. I hit the right boar first then bought it through the other two. Whilst they we still recovering, i brought it back though them again. They all burst into pixels. I sheathed Transcendence and turned back to Jericho. 

"Sorry if you wanted to kill any of them" I said to her. This new system of attacks was really quite exhilarating...  

group sounds good to me

Yeah, i say if we can get like 3-4 people in on this, it would be very interesting. I'm down

"How much further until we reach the main dungeon" Bishop called out to the others.

"We just got into this cave no more than five minutes, Bishop" Eurifacles  responded. "Would it kill you to have some patience? You are the only one out of the 6 of us that have complained this entire journey."

"You may want to correct yourself there, Eurif" Bishop responded snidely.

"Would you two try to keep cool heads. We just got here and who knows what the hell we are going to find here" Mariska retorted, obviously irritated. 

"Whats there to worry about. Have you seen our company" Regigous laughed. "We have a high ranking member of the Crimson Blades here, as well as the leader of Midnight Solace. Not to mention my brute strength. We've tackled things way worse than this." 

"We may have many accolades, but that doesn't mean we should get soft" Polaris chimed in. 

"I agree with Polaris" i said to the crowd. "We may have killed things worse than what we think are in this cave, but in reality, we need to keep our guard up."

'Yeah, whatever. The thing i'm concerned about is why Regi didn't mention my guild. The Iron Warhorse too spooky for you Regi?" Bishop said

"The thing you really should be concerned with is me putting you through a wall" Eurifacles called back to Bishop.  Murifacy chuckled

     I jolted up from my sleep in a hot sweat.

"I'm never going to be able to forget, am i" i said into nothingness. My companion, Khepri, must have sensed my unrest, because he began brushing against my arm. I looked out the window of my shop. It was the dead of night. I knew that sleep was now pointless. I got up out of my bed and put on my robes and grabbed my rapier. Khepri made his way up my arm. I walked out the door into the night...        

I was standing at one of the merchant charts, checking what was in stock these days. I was also reminiscing in the days of my cart entrepreneurship. Most of the items on sale were...less than appealing. The items were more or less built for people who were relatively new to the experience, nothing that would any use on the floor i was heading for. I had heard and seen many great things on the icy plains of the fourth floor. Just as I was about to depart from the cart, a figure knocked into me.

For whatever the thing was, it had caught me at a very terrible time. I felt onto the cart. My first instinct was to grab my rapier and end whatever this thing was. But, we were in a safe zone. I got up from the cart and turned to see what had hit me, my hand on Transcendence just in case. What had knocked into me was a player. I sized up the player in about 3 seconds. He didn't look new, however he couldn't have been here for more than a month. 

"Can i help you sir?" i addressed the player...    

The invite came up and i obviously accepted. I drew Transcendence, my rapier. It was a weapon that had saved my life time after time. One gifted to me by a good friend. One that I couldn't find. I looked out unto the fields and spotted a few boars. I saw Jericho draw her weapon. It was the default one. These boars would be perfect. I began running in the direction of the boars.  By the time I reached them, they were aware of my presence. I got into my defensive position. I was a giant believer in letting the enemy strike first. The boars looked livid. They kept taunting me to attack them. I stayed in my position waiting for either them or for Jericho to attack first... 

I looked over to Jericho. The look on her face was reminiscent to that of her seeing a ghost. 

"Yeah, i'll all good. It was nothing" I responded to Jericho's question. I took another sip of my water bottle. I then began to think of everything i had, before the cave and the introduction of this game. Since then, i seemed to have lost it all. My friends, gone. The guild I had been apart of, barren. I got up off the grass and brushed of my robes. I looked out unto the horizon. The game looked the same as it did when i departed. I extended a hand out to Jericho.

'Are you up for fighting some monsters" i asked. I put my other hand on my rapier in preparation...

"You do have a point, but, how do you know he was been arrested?" I was genuinely curious. Had this person decided to join this hell even though many warnings stated this games one of danger? To me, it wasn't a strange thought. I knew someone who had done such an act. But, i didn't stay on this topic for too long. Another point that the stranger had brought up had grasped my attention. "I can assure you that my helmet is still on, unless this is some kind of hell within a hell". I began to scroll though my inventory. I pulled out a water and began to drink. "Would you fancy one" I inquired to the stranger. I took this time to look at her name. "Jericho" i said in my head. I began to take a sip of my water. That was when it happened. I felt as if i was thrown back inside the cave once more. The image only an instant, but it felt like years of watching the same horrific image, one that carried the same effect every time someone saw it. I blinked and shook my head. "What...the hell" i said in a whisper...  

Rag you have a point but sometimes company is a good thing,

And Zelrius, I'm slightly startled :D 

"I'm sure that they've found out about us" I began cautiously. "In the very beginning...I saw people just...just drop dead. People...out in the real world, thought that trying to take off that helmet would make them heros. When...in the end they've done the exact opposite." I looked down to my feet and wondered what the world had become outside of this hell. I didn't dwell on it too much. I then turned my attention to what the player next to me pointed out, about the new interface. Surely enough, user icons were now there.

"Strange..." I began. "It wasn't like that when i began. However, that was a much simpler time. I have no clue what has changed in the last month."  

When one voice left another came again. This time however, the voice came from something I could see. I sheathed my rapier as she began to walk over to me. 

"I'm terribly sorry" i said in response to her. She must have thought that my shouting was directed at her. I sat back down against the tree. No use in looking for the owner of the first voice. She came to my side and knelt down next to me.

"Hello" I began. "My name is Abalasster. Like i said before, I'm terribly sorry for what has just happened". I looked up at her and extended a hand for shaking. It had been so long since i had seen a living person. After...what had happened in that damned cave...  

I began to walk across the plains of the first floor. It felt like years since i had been out on these fields again. I had been held up in the cave for so long. My friends now laid dead and forgotten. And me...I'm just a shadow of my old self. I sat down under a tree and looked out unto the landscape. But, i had the feeling that i was being watched. I kept looking over my shoulder. I saw nothing, but i knew...I just knew that i was being gazed upon. A voice then made itself prevalent.

"Abalasster..." came the voice.

I shot up and looked all around. The voice was familiar to me. My eyes scanned all across the open field, but i couldn't find the source of the voice.

"Abalasster...Why did you desert us..." came the voice again.

This time i drew my rapier. This person could see me but i couldn't see them. 

"Show yourself" i shouted.

I frantically looked around the field. No one was insight. The voiced didn't speak anymore, but that didn't stop me from looking over my should almost every 5 minutes. I sat back down against the tree, trying to fathom what just happened... 

I walked into my shop. I looked like a tornado has appeared and ransacked the entire place. I brushed my hand over one of the tabletops, feeling the dust that had collected. I hadn't been here for about a month. I remembered my time in exile. The loneliness almost killed me. My psych definitely wasn't the same as it was when i left. I picked up a duster and began to sweep the dust from my desk. That was when i saw something that i hadn't seen in the longest of times. I saw a scarab beetle crawl across my table. "Khepri" i whispered. I picked up the beetle and nearly cried. My most loyal companion, still alive. I lost alot of things out in the wilderness of my exile, but at least Khepri remained true... 

The blows dealt by Koumori and Opal were pretty amazing. We were able to get one wasp to the point where it would bleed out and the other was at half. I sized up the last wasp. It readied its stingered and looked hell bent on killing me. It's friend wouldn't make it to see the next round. I got into my defensive stand and got ready for the beast to strike me...

ID: 30966

MD: 8

Abalasster 33/34

Koumori 40/40

Opal 34/34

Wasp 1 5/10

Wasp 2 Dead

The wasp sent a flurry of strikes at me. I was able to catch most of them, except for one that went right across my face. I stumbled back. I gripped my rapier tightly and retaliated against the wasp...

ID: 30967

BD: 8

Wasp 1  4/5

I thrust my rapier into the abdomen of the other wasp. I then removed it and kicked the thing back...

"Alrighty then. The positioned have been assigned;Koumori and I shall fight the monster while Opal sits and does what she wants" i said smiling towards the group. I lead us out of the safe zone and towards where the quest was to take place...

 We made it to where the wasp queen was supposed to be summoned. I saw that there were two wasp supplicants had spawned. "I'll initiate the fight. Koumori, after my initial hit or miss, you charge in after. Opal, i suggest that you stay here and wait for one of the wasps to let their guard down. However, these are just my suggestions. I drew my sword and charged in after the wasps... 

ID; 30956

BD: 10

Abalasster: 34/34

Wasp 1 10/10

Wasp 2  7/10 -2 bleed next two turns

I landed my rapier right into the abdomen of one of the wasps. I slid it through the things body in a downward motion until the sword came out. I jumped back and readied myself for the retaliation... 

I walked out of where i was hiding, along with a torch. "I realize that it was a low blow, but the enemy will go long. There are some players in SAO that have no psych at all. They don't know when to stop. All they know is kill and move on. If you can counter them, then you survive. And you have survived. Congratulations my friend" i picked up my cloak and rapier. "You've taught me a valuable lesson, never be in a party with the person I'm training next time i do this. Now, lets get out of here and off back to the Wandering forge..."

The blonde customer had changed her mind, and decided to by both of the perfect vouchers. I smile and slide the other to her. She paid the Col. "You know where to find me next time for your needs" i said to her...

"You think that this is some kind of test? A trick of some sort? You would be a fool to think so. You allowing yourselves to be picked off so easily made him easy prey for me. Now all that remains is you. Now tell me, if I could kill your mentor with such ease, how hard would it to kill you? Unlike you friend's, your death will be slow and you will feel every last part of it. But, I am however enjoying this. You have brought a lot of things to the table to talk about. Why don't we start with your father. Now, how tragic that must have been. Leaving you to take care of your sick mother. Aren't you just like the modern Alexander Hamilton?" I was beginning to delve into things that Lawfer may have not been ok with. But, this is however part of the trial. Weed out the weak to find the strong. But i had faith in my apprentice. I had gotten this information through a trick i had learned. It was the same way that the Calming the Soul got the information. If he reacted strongly to this, i would probably end it there. That was more than enough to qualify...