Opal

Going off of Zandra's idea...

I would like to see a Support role mods that utilized 'in the moment' Mob Debuffs, a random roll will drop Mob Dmg by x, or drop mitigation by x. Also some debuff roles for Floor Raids. Of course they would be temporary debuffs lasting only x turns. 

Weaken Debuff: -x Dmg / lasts x turns / Takes a Post Action Roll
Armor Break Debuff: - x Mit / lasts x turns / Post Action Roll
Poison Buff on Player: Casting a Poison effect on a Players Weapon / 50/50 chance on roll of succeed and failure
Paralyze Buff on Player: Casting a Para effect on a Players Weapon: Same above
Bleed Buff on Player: Same as above

Other Mods can include Temp Unique or Demonic Buffs/Debuffs for a Single round in combat. 

Just some more ideas going with the idea of Support. 

It had seemed all the work she had done to help clear the outer lying land of the mobs came to pass. They were safe enough now that Calrex was here as well as the some other members, except for Oikawa; Opal's wildcard. She was unsure if he was befitting the role of being executed as she was the one who caused him to act in the first place. She turned him into a Player Killer using one of her wild potions, but did that mean he was still stain free from his hands? This was a difficult decision to make, however, she would leave that player alone for now. Should he swing his sword in the name of justice towards a green character, then she would sail the seas in his blood. Until that day should it ever come, he was safe. Pushing the long snow white hair from her shoulder, the woman took a glance around.

"Might as well not waste the resources given. I'm not exactly a person you just come up and talk to, but that player...Itzal. He was ready to throw his life away to protect everyone. Aincrad needs more players like that, but even then he said if he had to chose one over the many...it would have to be a special circumstance. Trash...just like the rest. The woman's cape billowed out lightly with the passing of the breeze as she stood there watching like some kind of creeper. She rolled her eyes, and moved through the trees disappearing once again in her stealthed form. 

--
Notes: Stealthed LD 22+ 
Should you find Opal, well...can't do much there. XP
ID: 68475
LD: 6+4 = 10 No Mats

"How did this fool get that weapon? I thought it was sewn only to the player who had the unique skill. Well, aren't you a piece of work. I wonder what you had to sacrifice to get such a precious item. And what the hell are you talking about 'bravado'? The way I treated players is my own damn business. Both Hikoru and Lowenthal are orange players, I judge them accordingly to their crystals. Most people blur the lines, that's when you fall into a state of confusion and complexity. It is much easier when things are in black and white. Green and orange."

The woman shifted and brought a hand over her face to sweep away the violet highlights in her otherwise snow white hair. The snake scale armor polish dulled under the afternoon atmosphere and she gave him a look, "My side of the story makes no difference, does it? In the end, some people don't care about the story and just about the person. I am not out seeking people to recognize what I have done, nor do I care about their opinions towards me. So why should I say anything else on the matter? It doesn't change anything in the end."

Taking in a long drawing breath, the woman swept through her inventory quickly and her Masamune disappeared from her hand, "If you have something to say, come out and say it. Otherwise you can leave me the [censored] alone. I got more than enough on my mind and I don't need some Tom Cruise wanna-be following me around everywhere I go." And with that, the woman...sat down. She crossed her legs and hunched over slightly reading over her map data and figuring out where the next rare spawn was gonna be. She had quite a handful of these coordinates, but now was making the most of it with a little time off from 'work.'  

Opal Swapping Equipment: Hunting Equipment 
ID: 68423
LD: 16 +4 S&D+2 reveal+2 Equipment = 24 
Advanced Dun Found: 15 Floor Level Mobs
Boss: Floor *70 = HP || Dmg: Floor* 11

Opal had briefly shimmered, her avatar changing from her normal equipment into a long trench coat, and a ring gifted to her by Grave a long time ago when she wanted to become a treasure hunter. She touched the ring on her finger remembering the day he gave it to her. There was a point of sadness to her eyes as she thought about that very day. But violet eyes steeled as Jaken popped off the ground and hurried along with the Tank in tow, "Don't leave me!!" he declared with a shout, raising his over sized staff as he wobbled towards her. 

Attention snapped back to her surroundings as the decayed building was now right in front of her. The stonewalls were black and tainted, there seemed to be some kind of runes etched into the stone. The woman ran her fingers across the patterns as she eyed them closely, "These look like something I have seen before in an old History Book or something." as she ran her fingers across the runes, they began to light up in a particular fashion. 

"Interesting..." The massive doors to the castle finally swung open, out came a flutter of terrified bats as they covered the small space before whipping into the air and out towards the horizon, "Pesky little things," she murmured. But they had finally arrived inside and without a bruise or fatal wound to their HP, but their adventure had just begun. Once more activating her Reveal skill, the woman's eyes danced over the runes that glowed once more, "I can't say I know how to read these words, but for some reason I have a strong urgency to follow them. It's almost like they are guiding me along to somewhere..." almost in a trance like state. The woman kept her hand on the wall as more and more of the runes began to glow and slowly morph into something else. The ground trembled lightly for a mere moment. Opal had stopped and snapped her gaze over at Jaken as her abruptness caused him to hit her shin. 

"Did you feel that rumble? I think we might have just stumbled upon something."

36 minutes ago, NexusRequiem said:

From the perspective of a new member looking in. Should I make a character and get started now? Or should I sit back and wait for this "SAO 3.0"?

It will effect the entire populace. Might as well start your character now and get a feel for how things work, worse case scenario, everyone will be relearning how to do things and started from the same point. Should you feel it necessary to start a new character though, you are free to have more than just one. There a few people who juggle different characters here. 

Opal watched as the bird dove down and hit the latch once more to follow up with Cal's much better rock throw. The woman folded her arms more impressed by the bird than his own strength, "Well, that is one way of doing things." The woman said nodding to the bluenette. However there was only a little bit left to go until the bridge could be crossed. The woman was not going to be in any sort of throwing competition with the player and she didn't wanna spend the entire time throwing rocks at the thing to get it to budge. 

"Alright. Looks like we can get over it with enough speed and mobility." The woman looked around her and took several steps back, Jaken. Stand ten feet ahead of me...and whatever you do...Don't move," the woman had commanded her familiar. Without grievance or refusal the familair eyed his Master and nodded his head, "Yes Master Opal! I shall do as you command! But I must ask what do you plan OH NO!!!" the woman took off at break neck speeds as her body dashed towards her familiar, her boot pushing into the face of the Imp launching her skywards towards the bridge where her light body reached for the edge of the wooden bridge. Her hands came down on top of it, her body pulled into a roll and landed on the other side. 

Jaken's eyes were spinning round and round as his body wobbled back and forth as a boot sized imprint was plastered over his face. His wuzzy body finally fell over with a thud, "how...cruel...to use me as a springboard." he declared. Soon enough though, Opal had managed to break the mechanism, allowing the bridge to drop down towards the ground creating an open path for them to follow. A smug grin on her face as her black lips curled and she waved, "Alright. Everything is good on this end. Should be able to cross without any problems now." 

The woman nodded, "I don't think it would be trapped. Then again, if it's controlled by the undead, I am sure there are plenty of nasty things inside. But I love a good adventure, I haven't been able to explore much because of certain time investments. Its-- nevermind. Let's go." Opal sighed and shook her head, while she was doing this for the experience and the skill points, she honestly was doing it for the fun of adventuring as well. She had always hoped to do some really fun dungeon diving, but she played everything off as it relating back to gaining more power and strengthening her future endeavors. The violet eyes of the woman crossed the field as she gestured for her familiar to follow once more. The trio started with a steady pace, the land becoming more and more decayed and brittle as they began to reach the threshold of the castle, only to be stopped by a rather huge moat of sorts where the castle bridge was locked in place.

She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms over her chest pondering, "Any bright ideas on getting the drawbridge down? I wonder if there is a latch or a lever but that wouldn't make any sense to put it on the outside." Opal's eyes widened once more as she activated her <<Reveal>>, it was a great mod that allowed her to see through doors and structures, hopefully she could find something that would help in them getting across. As she examined the little nooks and crannies of the bridg, her eyes squared on the mechanism that would release the hold and she pointed.

"If we can hit that little spot, it should release the bridge..." Opal searched the ground and found a rock the size of her fist and lifted it up, "I was never good at throwing balls.." the woman took  a few steps back and brought back her arm and threw the stone and lobbed it into the air. It was probably the girliest throw you could see a woman doing and the stone completely dropped half way from the distance of the mechanism, "Oh [censored] me...I guess I am pretty bad at this, why not give it try?" 

With how the frontlines are going, its still gonna take some time for players to become relevant. I was thinking maybe after hitting a certain level; 25/50. That a player can respec into a secondary skill set with half of their available SP available.

So like, you would have one skill set which would be your main set in your profile.

Then once you hit the right level, you would simply divide your SP by half and you would be able to create an entire new skill set. This will make players much more versatile and able to fill in extra roles that we would otherwise not have. Also, it adds a bit more theorycrafting for players who might want more of a PvP build; IE Player Killers or those who strictly are in it for the PvE side and wanna do something tanky or DPS. 

Just a thought I had. 

Like a creaking ship falling over, the monster exhausted its last breath of life as it pixelated from the power of Cal's last attack. With a thud towards the ground, it had shattered along with it the thundering boom overhead as lightning stretched across the abysmal skies above. Dark clouds hung like a portrait of despair on the floor, a foretelling of endless nightmares that would soon creep up on them. Opal placed her Masamune gently over her shoulder and hummed, "All that hard work and no col from it. What a waste of energy...I suppose it can't be helped though. As you say, we should get moving." 

"What a brilliant display Master Opal!" the little former king Imp rushed passed Calrex who had done the killing blow but acted as if Opal had been one to slay the Gigantos, "Right with power you are, my Lord! Such an incredible amount of power that brewed from your katana! What a marv-" 

"I get it Jaken, I am awesome." The woman said looking down at her familiar whom then turned and looked at Calrex, "Yes, you are. But this one didn't even lift a finger! You should be down on your hands and knees thanking her for her generosi-"

"It's alright, Jaken," the woman's black lips curled slightly into a smile, "He did help a little," she would say with a mildly joking manner, "But enough of that, let's continue forward. What can you tell us about Castle Blackwatch?" 

The familiar yellows eyes on the stranger as he turned with a 'hmph!' and walked side by side his Master. Clearing his throat, "Castle Blackwatch was one the home to some of the best and well known Knights in Aincrad. Some even said they had a powerful mage before the land was not longer ripe for Magic. The king of the castle and his lady were quite revered and rumors say they haunt the halls of the castle even now. A weird spell had set off some kind of decay to the land causing it to look as it is now. But the castle itself is quite large and many adventurers say it is often changing, spending days or even weeks to fully investigate the grandeur of it all. If you are looking for treasures though, you have come to the right place." 

The Familiar had surmised the lore of the land and the castle. As Opal and company set upon foot and sight of the castle, the loud boom of the thunder above their heads brought light to the land for a brief moment illuminating the castle with a streak of lightning. Opal's jaw nearly dropped from the site of it, it was indeed a massive kingdom of itself. 

"It's going to take forever to search through the entirety of that place. I should have brought more people. I suppose we can do a simple sweep of the first floor, do you have any preference on how you wanna enter the stronghold? I suppose we can always go through the front door?" 

"Hey! What do you think--!" Opal's gaze averted from the Troglodyte to Baldur as she watched from the corner of her eyes see his figure shoot from out and attack with a similar looking San Ge. Brows furrowed and pinched together, a scowl on her face as if to say, 'you best not bag the trophy I have been looking for,' but his attack had come up with a little more than half the remaining. The creature was unable to lift its weighted body off the ground as she shot her hand out towards his attire and grab him by the collar. 

"Who the hell do you think you are butting in? I said I would take care of this you brain dead fool!" the woman let go of his collar and her eyes shot back towards the creature who was rumbling and getting back up on his legs, the massive trunk for a mace swung down hitting the ground as the eyes began to glow red alerting them that it was about to pull out all the stops now that it was in the danger zone of being pixelated. Growling under her breath, the woman's blade lifted in her hand as the aura began to whip and spin around it curing the steel with an ominous and violent state. She shot forward once more and lifted her body into the air and slammed the katana into the creature's face, several slashes ensued and ripped through the high coloring it's body with orange glow marks signifying the damage was done. 

When her feet hit the ground, she turned around and faced Baldur as it pixelated, "Oh I hope you have a teleport crystal on hand, because I am going to BEAT THE LIVING [censored] OUT OF YOU! Why the hell did you jump in? I said once before that thing was mine! You got in my way! Grrr! Why do you have to be so goddamn problematic? Are we done here now? Seeing as it is dead, you can go bugger off and annoy someone else and leave me to my training!" 

The woman whipped her body around, her short cloak unfurling off her shoulder along with the long snow white hair that dressed her head. The Masamune began to dim down now as she held it in one hand. She looked over her shoulder, clearly a disgusted look on her face, "How the hell did you overpower me? Wait. I remember seeing that weapon but not in the hands of your own." Opal turned around, "Is that the...?"  

<<Battle Engaged!>>

Opals HP: 1080/1080 
EN: 65/108
Sword Art:    San Ge - 18x7x2 - (14 Energy) - 252 Dmg 
Hate: 2
Equipment: [Party Equipped]

<<Baldur>> HP: 775/775 | EN: 62/76
Hate: 2

A giant, rare spawn gorilla like monster: HP: ---/1010 Dmg: 70

ID:  68417
BD: 3+3 = hit
MD: 5
CD: 6
LD: 10 +4 = 14 [5050 Col]
1 Material to Baldur

The Gigantos had no time for these pesky humans. More and more of its health was being drained from its pool as they lay upon him the grandeur of their sword arts. One after another, their strikes targeted the vital spots of the Giant, criticals taking effect as it finally fell to one knee after an exhausting round from the two players. Opal would not relent in her attack however, her blade humming with a ferocity glow that engaged in freny of multiple slash attacks. <San Ge> was her only go to attack at this point. With no cool downs, she could just spam this technique until her Energy pool bled dry making most of her other sword arts obsolete and otherwise useless. 

With her blade swung across her shoulder and following forward, the sweeping attacks brutalized the exterior of the creature as his body was littered with more and more damage marks. Flecks of its body's skin started to deteriorate as the duo continued to savagely beat it down into submission. Yet, the creature was not quite dead yet. With an angry glow to its eyes, the Gigantos sought out the Knight of the group. Getting back on both feet, it's anger was unfurled upon Calrex. 

<<Battle Engaged!>>

Opals HP: 1100/1100
EN: 70/110
Sword Art: San Ge || 14 EN || 19x7x2 = 266 
Hate: 4

Calrexs HP: 1434/1490
EN: 125/146
Sword Art: 
Hate: 4

Gigantos: HP: 141/1500 || Dmg: 140 [Achilles [-22] HP  [-266] ]

ID: 68352
BD: 9+3 = +1 Dmg
MD: 9-2 = +1 Dmg 
CD: 
LD: --

It was a sound idea, and at least for right now her ears were saved from his Howl ability. He had taken initiative to gather the hate of the mob and then stunning it, giving Opal enough time to sweep in and make a follow up strike. Unfortunately her attack didn't have the added effect of her charge, but she was still able to draw a sword art. With the blade glowing a hue much to the color of violet, like her eyes, the Masamune swept through the motions of the strikes. She had engaged Gigantos with the confidence she normally carried with herself, while she may have been a Laughing Coffin member, she still held tight to the belief that she was a Front Liner as well. She played dual parts in this game now that Calrex knew her true objectives. 

She was a Guardian in which Aincrad neither cared or wanted for. She silently took out orange players from this game retroactively creating a safer envirnoment for players to go about and questing without being harrassed. These players never thanked her once for saving them, because they never knew she existed to do such things. She was also playing in the hands of the Laughing Coffin Guild, a player killer guild itself. She acted within the guild as Sensui's 'secret weapon' she had done things she did not enjoy under his command, even forced to vile things to other players, but at least they were still alive. But she would soon make her way up the food chain, she would destroy Laughing Coffin from within and rid this Aincrad of its anarchist ways, however, the Coffin guild was merely an organized entity, there were many more orange players who acted without the aid of the guild often times being much more dangerous. 

Her work was never ending, and the weight of so many things bore down on her shoulder. And yet, she did so without grievance or complaint. Someone had to do it. 

Eyes flickered once more as the Gigantos was riled up from Opal's last attack. Now free to attack as it wished, his hate engine was set on Calrex. With the large metal mace pounding the ground, he came roaring towards the Knight and whiffed. 

<<Battle Engaged!>>

Opals HP: 1100/1100
EN: 83/110
Sword Art: San Ge || 14 EN || 18x7x2 = 252
Hate: 2

Calrexs HP: 1490/1490
EN: 125/146
Sword Art: 
Hate: 3

Gigantos: HP: 583/1500 || Dmg: 140 

ID: 68348
BD: 3+4 = hit [Keen Active]
MD: 4 -2 = Miss
CD: 7 [BH Activated-Neglected]
LD: --

Over her shoulder she stared towards Baldur and shook her head at him. The roar of the Gorilla brought back her attention, causing her focus to break upon it instead of the Samurai. Her dark brows scrunched as she executed her attack. Wondering if it was by some unknown force taking stabs at her Pride, or perhaps it was the words that somehow made way to her ear by the dogmatic player, she was unable to make a sound strike with her long blade. Instead, the katana blade pierced through the trunk of the tree to which it held before she was able to make contact with the thick armored rare spawn. She gave a low a grunt, side stepping away from its thunderous attack once more as wind and debris picked up around her. Casting her long hair aside into the wind, the woman spun on the ball of her foot and attempted to gain more advantageous ground against this Brute.

She was too occupied to have a steady argument against the player and this Gorilla and the stress of the battle, as well as missing consistently seened to coincide with her rage. Not to mention on top of that, Baldur was one of those players who just did not give up hope on humanity. She admired that fact about him, and she too did not give up that same hope. However, unlike he who would not shed blood for blood was just as incapable of protecting the weak from the strong. There was no one else who could do what she would do, burdening the fact, she was the only example this Aincrad had as a resolute angel of revenge. Surely, one could question her ideals. Killing a hundred players to save even a thousand; she would do it. Because it was the right thing to do, it was coded into her blood. 

"Then you indirectly killed another person because of your selfish ideals. When will you people learn to wake up and smell the roses that taking a passive role in this will only cause more people to die in the end. I will become a symbol this world will fear, if I must. They will cower when they think about attempting to slay another player. I will carry the burden, when I am the only one who has reserved the souls of the damned to hunting me...Then in the end! It is better that they attempt to slay me instead of other innocent people! I don't care about being hunted by others, I don't care what others think. This world of Aincrad has already twisted so many souls, we are toxified by it. Slowly, you will realize one day that there will be evils born into this world that we won't be able to control anymore and you will be a slave to it, because in your past...you were just too damn pure to pick up your sword. If someone has to do it, then it might as well be me. I have stained my hands in another, I must carry that, and I will not stop now and I will not be stopped." 

<<Battle Engaged!>>

Opals HP: 1080/1080
EN: 78/108
Sword Art:   Miss
Equipment: [Party Equipped]

A giant, rare spawn gorilla like monster: HP: 506/1010 Dmg: 70

ID:  68346
BD: 1+3 = 4
MD:  1
CD:  3

Opal had her ears shut and her violet eyes squinted to make sure that loud reverberated howl would not shake her bones. But instead, Calrex had decided to charge at the enemy and released a flurry of strikes with his blade gathering Hate the old fashioned way; brute strength. Opal relaxed her hands from her body and looked down at her Familiar, "Stay put and out of sight, Jaken." 

"Ha! Don't have to tell me twice!" 

He quipped as she unsheathed the Masamune from its saya. Taking in a deep breath, the woman got herself mentally ready to go for the throat, so to speak. Flicking her blade to the side, allowing the glowing sword art to take hold, the woman broke free from the ground leaving a trail of dust behind her wake as she shuttled off and <<Charged>> towards the Monstrosity named Gigantos. Her blade glowing hot with ferocity as she struck the foul creature in the achilles tendon as her blade passed through with a single sweep. She then turned on the ball of her foot and aimed the next several attacks behind the creature. Each sweeping strike of her blade carved more and more lines of orange across its back causing the stunned creature to take on the burden of her attacks without fail. It gave a gravelly growl from the throat as it remained unmoved from the Ultramarine's attack. Coming down from the attack, her lithe body once more side by side of her partner, "Kinda like old times, huh?" 

The blade seemed to die off from the sword art, exhausting the power in a harsh purple aura, leaving the blade in a state of dullness. She shifted on her foot and back into position once more, ready for the next assault. Stunning this thing was a good idea, but eventually that stun would wear off and they'd have a real fight on their hands. 

<<Battle Engaged!>>

Opals HP: 1100/1100
EN: 96/110
Sword Art: San Ge || 14 EN || 20x7x2 = 280 
Hate: 1

Calrexs HP: 1490/1490
EN: 135/146
Sword Art: 
Hate: 2

Gigantos: HP: 989/1500 || Dmg: 140 (Stunned Until Next Turn)

ID: 68289
BD: 5+3 = 8 [Keen Activated]
MD: Stunned
CD: 10 {BH Activated-full health}
LD: --

Opal nodded, "I'm fine with that. Let's go, Jaken." The woman commanded her Familiar who was a lumpy mess on the rocky floor. He had picked himself up and dusted his robes as he collected his staff and looked at her with a rather harsh looking scowl. "Rude!" he said swiping his little hat off the ground and beating it with the other hand while plopping it once more on his head. 

The female lead them out of the safezone as the thundering sky continued its rumbling energy. She looked up and noticed the lightning flickering more and more as they continued to head towards the Castle itself. Yet with this light show, there was still no rain to be seen. As they continued their journey, Opal's silence was shortly broken as she turned her head to face Calrex, "I never got a chance to hear the details of the raid...I..." she sighed and rolled her eyes, "Apologize for my rude behavior. But to the point, have you all decided on the teams? I know I am not much, but I would still like to join. I know I can be something of a wild card for you all and with being in Laughing Coffin, that doesn't settle well in the bellies of everyone else. I figured after the other night, we would have some kind of understanding as far as my allegiances go. But I guess even that, for myself, is a little on the murky side." 

As Opal began to talk about the Front Lines and rejoining, a massive hulking beast of thing with purple flesh and bulging yellow eyes materialized before them. With a metal mace and standing roughly forty feet tall, this gruesome lumbering troll thing seemed to want play as it bellowed out with a roaring yawp at the intruders embarking its land. 

"Hey Jaken, a cousin of yours?"
"Hmph! Very funny..."

Opal turned to Calrex and gestured, "Do your thing." She said plopping both hands towards her ears to soften the Howl that would eventually come from...well, wherever he executes the skill. 

<<Battle Engaged!>>

Opals HP: 1100/1100
EN: 110/110
Sword Art: --
Hate: --

Calrexs HP: Err...too lazy, you do it. 

Gigantos: HP: 1500/1500 || Dmg: 140 

ID:
BD:
MD:
CD:
LD:

Opal saw the Tank player coming right from behind her, she offered the slightest of waves as she held up her hand to greet him. He was nice enough to come out all this way to help, she should at least show a bit of respect and appreciation for the help, "Yeah. Castle Blackwatch. Ever been there? Rumors say there is a lot of undead in there, and it was once a former fortress that was quite renowned according to the lore of the land. I am sure we could find some treasure in there too. Old castles always have good stuff, if not, its easy experience."

She had cut straight to the chase, "So, I figured you'd tank and spank. Keep the hate off of me and we should be square. I got a damage pot on hand as well if you'd care to use it. I think I have a few mitigation pots as well if you wanna buff up. I have no use for them since you'll be taking the hits. We can split materials and col down the middle. If we find any other treasure, we'll...I suppose we'll come to some kind of agreement for who gets ownership. Anyways..."

"Ahem." The small Imp next to Opal coughed, having her eyes roll once more the woman introduced her familiar, "Calrex this is Jaken of the Imp Clan. My familiar."

"King Jaken! Well former...all my servants died, you best not get Master Opal injured! I will smack you with my staff!!" the creature lifted his staff as if to his Calrex in the shin, before Opal's boot landed and squished his body down, "Pay no attention to him, he is merely here for my accuracy boost and nothing more. He offers some interesting tid bits every now and then as well."

Opal scooped what items she needed and traded them to Cal for his own personal use during this time or not. Clearing her throat over the rumbling sky above she gestured, "Shall we?" 

======

Traded x1 Rare T2 Dmg Pot [+4 Dmg Pot]
Traded x1 Rare T2 Shard of an Aegis [+36 Mit]
Items: Here  and Here

Floor fourteen, Opal had yet to see any part of this floor first hand except from casual rumors from the Info Brokers. With a constant flow of energy in the sky and the never ending darkness that seemed to loom, she felt something at peace as she looked up into the thundering sky through a glass window. Violet eyes trickled down to the drink in her as she sat in peace within a tavern in the main settlement of Stonewall. She had heard rumors of some rather nasty undead creatures roaming the halls of the dilapidated fortress known as Blackwatch, it was a good time as any to get some extra training in and to raid the once former and grandeur Castle. However, to take this quest alone would be forfeit. She was confident in her abilities, yet she did not test the waters so to speak on this floor. She could possibly get by carving out a few of the mobs alone but would probably seek the safety of a zone to recover loss HP if she would push herself too hard.

The woman leaned on her right arm as she continued to gaze at the foreboding sky. The veins of crackling yellow lit through the dark clouds, conspiring to rain yet not a single drop had fallen since her time here. The tavern itself was all but bare, save for a few people who seemed tough enough to be on the front-lines, yet no familiar faces in sight. With her hand placing the mug down on the wooden table, the woman set up her menu and down her recent contact list. She scrolled through names and she began to gnaw on her bottom lip, "No one dependable really...Very well cant ask the Twins, they don't do mob runs unless they are hunting for a player. Volcano is out of the question...I can barely stand that guy, Sensui would be of no use either. Oikawa; no. Grave; no. Knights of the Blood, I rarely see their flag these days, I wish they had kept better organized. Someone needs to whip those boys into shape, I wonder why the Commander has been so lax with that recently. Calrex..." the woman's violet eyes rolled as his name appeared on her list, why was he there in the first place? She took a rather long look at his name and prompted the message screen.

Quote

From: Opal
To: Calrex
Body: I know I am the last person you might wanna see right now. But you are the only dependable person I know who could do what I am looking for. I need your Tank skills to raid Castle Blackwatch on Floor 14. We both could use the levels, so it would be mutually beneficial for both of us. We'll split the rewards down the middle as well. If you are interested, I'll wait for you until 5pm Server time at the edge of the safezone at Stonewall. I'll see you there...or not, whatevs.

Opal shuddered lightly having to reduce herself to asking for his help, but at the same time. He was the only one who knew her agenda, and she did feel safe with him around. She had mixed feelings for the guy, he was a breed apart from the others. How he ended up with Tearye...she would never know. That was a personal matter, and Opal...well, she probably isn't something that would be on his mind very much in any sort of romantic endeavor. Not that she would think of such things herself...not with him. Ew...kinda...

Snapping out of her weird daydream, the woman lifted her body from the booth and gave a strong arm stretch as she yawned and rolled her neck over her shoulders, "Alright. Let's see if he will even show up." Equipping herself as she needed, she headed towards the exit and to the edge of the safe zone as she had instructed to meet, "Jaken! Come, we might have a guest coming with us this evening." 

"Yes! Coming Master Opal!" the small familiar waddled towards his so called Master and huffed and wheezed as he leaned on his staff, waiting as she did with his yellow eyes looking forward. 

--

Item Prepared: +4 Dmg Pot
Equipment: Masamune X, Vambraces, Ring of the Blood, Jaken [Familiar] 

There was a pop up from her interface, it was a friend request from the player Itzal. So that was his name. The woman dismissed the pop up, "I have no desire to make friends with anyone especially people like you. You have my respect for now, let's leave it at that. Cause at the end of the day, I am still Public Enemy number one for most of people in Aincrad. This mark of the Laughing Coffin is a symbol to be feared. Do not mistake my leniency for kindness...Now, fall from my presence." The woman turned her back on the player and walked away from the scene. She had stayed within the area to mind her own business, that player Itzal was much like Calrex. She sighed that players like him were more often in numbers than not, it made her job all the more difficult. She stood between two trees leaning out and watching the scene unfold.

Those violet eyes seemed heavy with thought, she was protecting all of Aincrad like she had promised herself so long ago. Bits and pieces of fabricated lies to mask her true desires. These kids, who played and splashed about without so much as a care for the world upon their shoulders. They were the future she was protecting, hoping that her will to fight would never become dirty enough to be something she hated. Her heart would be within her chest as she looked down at the Masamune in her hand, those thoughts continued to weave constantly in her mind. She took a long inward breath and expelled slowly through her nose, was she insane to think she could save this world herself? Saving...? Was she really doing that, or was her form of Justice just as polluted as the idea of Laughing Coffin. In the end, she was a Player Killer just like they were. No matter the color of the crystal over their head. She knew this and despite all that, she continued this path of carnage. 

Careless eyes watched them play; it was enough to see this...to endure the days to come. 

"He was serious..." Opal listened to the player as her hands were brought back to keep the blade up at length, using both hands to keep it squared with her body. Her violet eyes intensified as he got into a defensive stance, his words were true. She was too much for him to handle, now and forever, which is why more than anything in this world, she had to continue to do as she had done. For the sake of the future and for these people. She too had laid down her life for everyone and she would continue to do so, however, she was not passive like the others. She drew blood, to make a point and her fight would never truly be over. 

"Even now you are faced with defeat, you do not shy away from your words. Is this your pride talking? Or do you really care about those people swimming in the lake?" She already knew the answer from the conversation, he believed in his ideals much like Calrex did. He too would kill to protect himself if he had to and others to protect those he loved. The woman gave a downcast gaze towards the ground and her feet slid away from her stance, "I don't feel very much for a battle right now. You have proven to me you will not back down to save these friends of yours. However, you must realize you made a mistake. There is a player here already who could have helped you, that man with...oh god, what is he doing with that fish now?" Opal looked back towards the player riding the fish in an all too comical way and she placed a hand on her forehead, "The likes of him being the most powerful in Aincrad...That man could have saved your hide should you have only called out to him, sparing your life in return. There is no cowardice in asking for help, unless all your talk is built upon a wall of pride. In the future, remember that. When you are faced with hateful eyes and you have people at your back...Call for them. Do not die a meaningless death. Do you understand?" 

"Well then, Player. It looks like today is the day you get to rejoice that you become a martyr. You said you would hesitate if you found someone you loved and cared for, do you not love and care for your friends here enough to save them? You are just like Calrex, you would go out of your way to save one out of the many. People like you make me sick. This is why the world created people like me. But I am tired of this..."

The woman once more held out her hand and called upon her blade The Masamune X. With a glimmer of light, it fell into her hand within the saya. The woman slowly began to peel the blade from its sheath as she looked it over, finally once again revealing the brooding edge, "I challenge you to a total loss duel. Or, you can take back everything you said just now and run along back to your friends there. Play, swim...forget this ever happened and live to see the light of tomorrow. However should that be the case, your words will hold no meaning to me in the future, and when it is time for me to pass judgement again on your soul, I will remember such words and there will be no backing out." 

The woman swept her blade side to side, "This is Masamune X. I suppose you should know the name of the blade that killed you this day." her pointy finger skimmed across the long seven foot katana as she then held the blade and pointed to the player, "Decisions, decisions. To become the Martyr you so selfishly believe in, or to live another day and find your words are for naught."

OOC: Just stating this now, Itzal has nothing to worry about IE being forced into a duel or anything as such. I dont want the Wrath of Lycan upon me. 

The woman shook her head, displaying the fall of her hair off the shoulders and cape of her armor, "Your words are a lot like his." the woman said gesturing to the buffoon riding the Monster Fish, "And his wife is Tearye, the one you mentioned who might be too far from redemption. But her time will come soon enough, no one can escape the fate that has befallen them. We all will pay a price in the end." The woman moved away from the player and leaned against a trunk of a tree as she looked at the sea of players that were having fun, being merry and without a care in the world.

"You would save all of them and sacrifice yourself? How noble of you. Are you sure all of them are worth protecting? There is no doubt in your mind that would sacrifice yourself to save them all. Are you not scared of death? Do you not have a future that you wish to see? Are you so selfless you would help them all and how far are you willing to go to do just that?" the woman had questioned this player, if not for the fact he was under leveled, she would see him as an equal to herself. She had her plans for people, this one was a wildcard. He could be used as a pawn later on, but right now, she wanted to test his resolve. Lifting herself from off the tree, she crossed her arms over her chest, "Could you kill a player to save your friends?"  

"Reason for killing? Hahahaha." The woman laughed almost bending over from the ridiculous thought. She waved her hand as if to dismiss the silly thought. People broke when she got close to them, perhaps she could break him as well. Opal took a step forward, her eyes narrowing as she began to prowl around the character as if stalking him like prey, "You want a reason from a player who is in a PK guild to give you a why I had done so? It is rather simple don't you think? Yes of course, there was the pleasure in doing it. I reveled in his lose because he deserved it. But more importantly, it was to gain infamy for the Guild. To let Aincrad know that Players like us were now a more organized outfit. We kill without reason, each one of us a right and reason to do things. My reasons were to get the name out and to let the Front Lines know that we existed. Nothing more, and nothing less." 

The woman stopped right behind the player and her lips curled once more, her snakeskin armor seemed to round about the player, not touching him completely, "You say you wouldn't hate anyone who killed so many people. You would feel sorry for them? Hahaha, do you know the cruelty of player killers? Children even, are not safeguarded by such people. There are those in this world who do things far worse than death to others, did you know Urbus is known for its human trafficking, sexual molestation of children as well? You only see this..." the woman gestured to the Lakeside.

"Happiness, and fun. Sometimes we all forget this is a game where life and death matters. And we do not see the underlying evil and darkness this world breeds or the sadness and dispaire in the veterans who fight and lost their friends in battle, or because one of these...Monsters killed them just for breathing. You White Knights are all the same...and yet, you are all stained with the belief anyone can be saved." The woman leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "I wonder how much it would take for you to hate me."  

The woman stopped to look at Baldur, her eyes showed no interest in what he said, but the reflected truth was a searing spear through her heart. The loud obnoxious creature was however her priority in this little tussle. With the weapon glowing a familiar hue once more, she set forth to embark another cruel device. Sweeping the blade and allowing the after image of the glow to take wind, she shuttled once more towards the creature and ran her blade thick into the hide of his belly, curving upwards and diagonally for a two hit direct hit. Backing off for the moment, her quick foot work continued masterfully moving in to evade the strikes of the lumbering troglodyte as she swept her blade across the belly several more times and coming down with a clean chop.

"That's half..." she said narrowing her eyes at the behemoth's HP tank. With a gut wrenching growl of pain and dismay, his body lumbered forward with all the power of an earthquake to startle the woman. Yet her eyes remained poised on it, withstanding the heavy thumping of his tree trunk mace, she whipped her body to and fro dancing around the several stages of attacks that were now plowing into the land around her. Masterfully evading each blow, Opal cut across to the left and quickly brought her blade up to sweep away the next attack, "No you don't." She said deflecting the last blow, craftily expelling the attack and syphoning its energy elsewhere. 

"When you are faced with killing a friend to save a hundred more...you are willing to throw away the lives of the many to save but one? If not some form of justice, then you act as the killer yourself allowing such miserable entities to exist! You might as well be staining your hand now for those kinds of foolish thoughts! At least I take responsibility for it! I know I killed him! And I will never regret what I have done!" 

<<Battle Engaged!>>

Opals HP: 1080/1080
EN: 79/108
Sword Art:   San Ge - 18x7x2 - (14 Energy) - 252 Dmg 
Equipment: [Party Equipped]

A giant, rare spawn gorilla like monster: HP: 506/1010 Dmg: 70

ID:  68269
BD: 6+4 = hit
MD: 3
CD:  8  [BH Activated-Full Health]

Opal was caught off guard by the mature words of the player. She looked down and then up at him, he didn't know about Laughing Coffin? He didn't know this woman by her name, of course stories of the female should have been spread from the frontlines already to the others alerting them of her and her guild's presence in this world. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders, "I was interested in see what was going on. I just happen to come across this place when I heard laughter and splashing of water. Seems like you guys are just out here relaxing and enjoying your time. But nothing more than more than that."

The woman lifted her arm up and her long blade had dematerialized from view. After the words the player had spoke, she didn't want him to feel threatened, and if he didn't know about Laughing Coffin, then there was a good chance she didn't want to bring it up. For these kids, who were able to play freely in such a way, able to have a good time. She bit down on her lower lip looking towards the lakeside; all those happy face. She remembered why she had joined with Laughing Coffin in the first place and she steeled her nerves.

"I am Opal from Laughing Coffin, I killed a Front Liner sometime ago by the name Ssendom. Laughing Coffin is a Player Killer guild and we kill without mercy to anyone..." she stopped, her eyes clearly changed from that saddened look to a more dominating gaze, "Now you know who I am, and you my side of the story." She squinted slightly, her black lips curled, "This may sound sudden, but what if I decided to kill all those players in the lake now. I am level fifty-five, and I have the means to do so one way or another. Would you take so kindly to an individual who just said they were part of a Player Killer Guild and act so friendly towards them out of good intentions?" 

There was a glint of blue from the corner of her eye, did she really just see a massive fish monster being wrestled by..."Ugh...him..."

Opal's violet eyes peered at the player as he came crashing down to the ground from above. She was not scared by this mere act, perhaps he was just hanging around like she was. However, the Masamune was held tight in her hand, if there was one thing she had learned from the Twins, that looks could be deceiving. Sweeping a hand over the violet strands of hair that decorated her otherwise flawless snow tendrils, the woman shifted and looked at the player and nodded in greeting, "Ugh, hi?" his smile was innocent enough, perhaps. Though she was not one to let her guard down. However the act of being able to spot her out among the darkness gave her a few thoughts this player had some skill in detecting players. 

"Wouldn't you rather be enjoying this time with your friends instead of a shifty character such as myself? I am not one you wish to provoke.But I can see that sometimes curiousity sometimes gets the best of people. But really, you shouldn't be seen with my kind of people. They might get the wrong idea," the woman shifted her body slightly, her snake scale gloves pointed to the tattoo that was jutting out beside her belly. It was the Laughing Coffin tattoo, either the player knew this name well and would eventually gander as to who she was, or did not know of the infamous Player Killer Guild that was making quite the name for itself in recent times.