Elyth

ID10061|BD3+2|MD3
 

"Mmh," Elyth enunciated, squinting at the slight pain, and charged up her sword without gauging its position. She thrust it forward, and missed. "Darn it, I need to focus!"

The rat, barely avoiding Elyth's thrust, also barely touched her with its next attack on her legs.
-0HP to Elyth
-0HP to Rat

ID10069|BD5+2|MD6
 

Elyth charged her sword again and swung in a clockwise motion, slicing at the rat's head. She watched in sudden fascination as the top of the rat's head peeled off and the just as suddenly stuck itself back on, and the rat ran forward to claw at Elyth's legs with its own claws. The little beast stuck its fangs into Elyth's flesh for a minute second, before she peeled it off with her sword.
-1HP to Elyth
-3HP to Rat

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat3: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat4: 8/14 [Combat!]
Elyth: 21/27 [Combat!]

ID10061|BD4+2|MD6
 

"Ha, well, next one," Elyth said, slumping down along the church wall for a total of 15 seconds of rest. Any more and she'd lose the willpower to stand back up.

...

"Ah, sitting down feels soooo nice!" Elyth sighed, but got up anyway. She turned to face the last rat in the church, and activated her sword skill. A blue glow surrounded her sword, and she walked up to the last rat before slicing at it vertically. She didn't miss, thanks to the buff from the Wind's Whisper she had crafted way back, and the rat's HP went down slightly. The rat, for its part, retaliated by jumping at Elyth's pants, slicing through the thin cloth and landing a hit on her left leg.

-1HP to Elyth
-3HP to Rat

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat3: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat4: 11/14 [Combat!]
Elyth: 22/27 [Combat!]

"It would be great wouldn't it? To make it out alive," Shanok said, getting sentimental as he looked to his left. Elyth agreed, finally weighing the hope that lingered in that statement. It would be amazing if Elyth could see her family again. After all, they were probably missing Elyth right now.

"You're absolutely right, Shanok. It feels like we've been here for so long-- I just want to see my family again," Elyth smiled, breathing a sigh. "Ah, but I like it here. Despite all the death and despair, it's a really beautiful land, and all the people I've met made this experience worth it for me." A pause. "Well, I probably shouldn't say that anywhere near other people," she nervously laughed. "Too many triggers. And, uhm, sorry if it offended you."

"You do have a point, walking there would take us a long time and I don't see why the NPCs wouldn't agree to letting us on their cart," Shanok said, replying to Elyth's brilliant plan of hitching a ride on an NPC cart. She waited to the side as Shanok sauntered towards a merchant cart and conversed with the cart's owner. Then, the bald NPC cart driver exclaimed, with a volume so loud that Elyth could also hear, "Of course you can! We're always willing to help anyone that needs help. Come on, get on!"

Shanok heeded the driver's words, and climbed into the cart, situating himself behind the eight bundles of hay stacked onto the quite spacious cart. He reached out a hand for Elyth to grab onto, saying, "Come on, get in."

"Okay, don't drop me," she smiled, grabbing Shanok's wrist, and stepping into the cart before plopping down on the other side of the cart. The wooden boards were too hard to be comfortable, so she grabbed a bundle of straw and sat on it.

"Well, then, Shanok-senpai, I guess we're just going to tour for a bit, so tell me a little about yourself!" Elyth improvised as she leaned back onto the walls of the cart.

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat3: 3/14 [Combat!]
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 23/27 [Combat!]

ID8497|BD3-FAIL: The rat leapt forward just as Elyth retreated, and Elyth couldn't help but breathe a sigh as it missed hitting her body. She backed against the wall, and watched as the rat fell from the zenith of its leap and onto the floor.

-0HP to Elyth

ID8496|BD8+2=10-SUCCESS: Elyth moved quickly, not willing to give up such a chance at victory, and sliced forward with her activated sword skill, cleaving through the rat's body.

"Phew," she thought aloud. "That was a tough one."

-3HP to Rat

LOOT DICE!: [iD8496]-18+1=19

+(14x5)= 70 col

+1+1= 2 mats

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat3: 8/14 [Combat!]
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 24/27 [Combat!]

ID8499|BD6-SUCCESS: The rat, startled by Elyth's attack, woke and stared at the retreating figment of her sword, and quickly leapt at her, as if to kill. It scratched venomously and furiously at Elyth's hip, and retreated just as quickly.

-1HP to Elyth

ID8498|BD9+2=11-CRIT2: Elyth, pretty darn mad, slammed the blade of her sword down exactly where she predicted the rat would flee to. The overwhelming CRIT she saw a moment later brought much satisfaction to her, and she smiled before stepping back several paces.

-5HP to Rat

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat3: 11/14 [Combat!]
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 24/27 [Combat!]

ID8501|BD5-FAIL: The rat faltered in its movement, and snarled hastily. It couldn't afford to let up now, when all its comrades were nearly dead. It blindly charged at Elyth.

-0HP to Elyth

ID8500|BD4+2=6-SUCCESS: Elyth was glad that the rat missed in its attack. She didn't want to be attacked again, especially after she realized how much it hurt. Eck. 

"Shannaro!" Elyth shouted, and moved to stab at the rat, activating her sword skill.

-3HP to Rat

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat3: 14/14 [Combat!]
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 24/27 [Combat!]

ID8493|BD4-FAIL: The rat moved faster that Elyth had originally thought it could, and nipped at Elyth's leg. However, it suddenly ran into a wall, as though there was a wall to run into in the first place.

-0HP to Elyth

ID8494|BD4+2=6-SUCCESS: Elyth, drawing back Hell Fang, gathered her sword skill, and plunged the scimitar into the rat's stomach, which was flailing in the open due to its attack from earlier. 

-3HP to Rat3

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 3/14 [Combat!]
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 26/27 [Combat!]

-2HP to Elyth

ID8485|BD9+2=11-CRIT2: Elyth, drawing back Hell Fang, gathered her sword skill, and plunged the scimitar into the rat's stomach, which was flailing in the open due to its attack from earlier. 

-5HP to Rat

LOOT DICE!: [iD8485]-19+1=20

+(14x5)= 70 col

+1+1= 2 mats

Elyth gasped for breath as the rat dissipated into sparkles. "Bye," she muttered halfheartedly. "One day I'll beat your ass sorely."

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 8/14 [Combat!]
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 26/27 [Combat!]

ID8486|BD7-SUCCESS: The rat moved faster that Elyth had originally thought it could, and nipped at Elyth's leg. If there weren't other rats in the room, Elyth surely would have screamed.

-1HP to Elyth

ID8485|BD10+2=12-CRIT2: Somehow, Elyth had not been hurt all that much during this entire encounter. She must've not been putting in as much effort. She checked the state of the Church, and watched the rat even more intently as it moved to attack. She put on a defensive stance, and looked to the distance between her and the rat, relaxing so she could move to attack the instant after the rat did.

-5HP to Rat

+1HP to Elyth (Skill)

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 11/14 [Combat!]
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 26/27 [Combat!]

ID8488|BD2-FAIL: The rat looked to Elyth, and ran straight at her. Snarling, it bared teeth, just as the rat before it had done. Was it trying to invoke fear? Or maybe it was scared itself... And it missed, teeth scratching the hard wooden floor instead of the Elyth before it. 

-0HP to Elyth

ID8487|BD6+2=8-SUCCESS: Elyth didn't tend to believe that the mobs in SAO could feel much fear. Maybe the NPCs, yes, but rats? Not that likely, especially because they were the noobiest of noob mobs. So she decided to charge straight forward, and take the head of the rat, like Toyohisa Shimazu in that manga back in Japan. Drifters, she thought, and watched with growing determination as her sword cleaved through the rat's eyes.

-3HP to Rat2

Anyone mention Life x Cupid yet?

Elyth slid up to the counter once she was called out by the Blacksmith, who she saw now was named Tyger. She waited until Tyger slid the sword towards her, and then took it gingerly, preparing to leave.

"Thank you, and I'll take care of it!" she replied, and slipped the sword into her satchel. She could test it out later.

As she was preparing to go, she heard the other customer up front ask about an Artisan. Elyth was an Artisan, so perhaps she could help.

"Um, I'm an Artisan," Elyth said, smiling slightly. "Can I help?"

+Hell Fang from Tyger

-600 col to Catfish Forge

Or maybe it's gonna be a Kirito kinda thing. 

Good luck everyone.

Luci's like a twelve year old who can graduate college. Lessa's a mother of forum orphans (myself included so go mom!)

Who's the next contestant? Who will win a date with the mystery player? 

*INTENSIFIES*

(heavy breathing) 

Elyth had found this store quite by chance, like all things she usually did, and today she was here for a sword-- oh, there was someone inside already. Well, then Elyth would just slide in and keep the wall company until it was her turn to place an order. Maybe she could just fly a paper airplane with what she wanted towards the blacksmith and sneak up to the counter to put a bag of col there. It wasn't such a bad idea. In fact, quite plausible. 

Elyth took a piece of paper she somehow had scattered around in her bag, and took out a pen.

Could I request that awesome gold and silver scimitar hanging behind the counter, blacksmith ma'am?
(Hell Fang) 

I'll just put 600 col on the desk, labeled with my name, Elyth.

I'm standing by the wall. Please talk to me when you're done with your previous customer please

D: Thank you!

Well, the note didn't look too bad. Elyth transferred 600 col from her bag into a smaller pouch, and snuck up to the desk, careful not to disturb the other guy in his talking. She slid the slip of paper onto the desk, and placed the pouch atop it to hold it down. With that, she scampered away to the wall again, to wait for the blacksmith to finish her business.

Rat1: 0/14 [Dead]
Rat2: 14/14 [Combat!]
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 26/27 [Combat!]

Gathering up the col and mats that had fallen to the ground, Elyth looked around furtively. 

"I wonder if the other fights will be as easy as this... I do need to earn back the col I paid for this sword," she thought, and put the mats and col into her satchel, to store there until she could find go to her store again and drop them off. That would take some time. In the meanwhile, Elyth approached the second rat, a fat, pale gray thing, and activated her sword skill, tapping the rat with her foot before stepping away quickly.

ID8382|BD1-FAIL: The rat leapt at Elyth, intent on retaliating. It clawed again at Elyth's legs, but failed as it misjudged the distance between the two combatants.

-0HP to Elyth

ID8384|BD6+2=8-SUCCESS: Elyth, on the other hand, had already prepared her sword skill and swooped in down low to cover the distance between herself and the rat, sweeping under the smaller mammal and scratching its hide. A digital wound opened in the rat's hide, and Elyth leaned heavily on her left leg to keep herself from falling face flat on the ground. Quickly she propelled herself backwards, charging her sword skill on the way, generally getting back into position.

-3HP to Rat2

Rat1: 5/14 [Combat!]
Rat2: 14/14
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 27/27 [Combat!]

ID8379|BD8-SUCCESS: The rat moved faster that Elyth had originally thought it could, and nipped at Elyth's leg. If there weren't other rats in the room, Elyth surely would have screamed.

-1HP to Elyth

ID8380|BD9+2=11-CRIT2: Elyth, taking the chance that the rat was now somewhat attached to her leg, summoned a sword skill and pierced it's hide, ripping it open before drawing away in... terror? Though no blood appeared, Elyth could distinctly see the severed skin. This went against her pacifist tendencies, like the entire game did. Well, she had just wanted to rip this rat apart, she supposed. The rat let go of Elyth's leg and leapt back for a counterattack.

-5HP to Rat

LOOT DICE!: [iD8479]-19+1=20

+(14x5)= 70 col

+1+1= 2 mats

Rat1: 11/14 [Combat!]
Rat2: 14/14
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 27/27 [Combat!]

Warily, Elyth moved back as to allow herself more room to move. The health potion, if she needed it, was just a few steps away.

ID8375|BD3-FAIL: The rat took that chance to attack, moving up towards Elyth and clawing at her. Except, instead of clawing at Elyth, who was moving back to retreat towards the potion, it clawed at the floor.

-0HP to Elyth

ID8376|BD7+2-SUCCESS: Elyth took the chance to move, and as the rat removed its claws and snarled at Elyth, she summoned her sword skill and aimed at its mouth.

-3HP to Rat1

ID8377|BD2-FAIL: The rat had no chance to stay still after a successful attack at its mouth, and moved to the left of Elyth, who was summoning yet another sword skill. It snarled and sent its teeth towards Elyth's foot.

-0HP to Elyth

ID8378|BD6+2-SUCCESS: Panicking, because wow did she not like the sight of a rat baring its teeth at her, Elyth slid her summoned sword skill into the rat's body, which was conveniently sailing towards Elyth's foot.

-3HP to Rat1

Rat1: 14/14
Rat2: 14/14
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 27/27

[iD: 8370] BD:7+2=9, but eh, SUCCESS

Elyth circled around the first rat and incited it, imagining herself gathering energy into her sword to execute a Thrusting Sword Skill. She plunged her blue glowing sword into the rat's heavy body.

-3HP to Rat1

[iD: 8371] BD:2+0=2 FAIL

The rat attempted to attack back, but wounded as it was, it could only attempt to jump at Elyth. Elyth wasn't sure if her luck would hold in this manner, but she sure hoped it would.

-0HP to Elyth

Upon walking not five seconds from the tree, Elyth spotted Deacon Sherrard, in his blue and white robes, walking around in the light wind. 

"Deacon Sherrard!" she shouted.

The Deacon started, then relaxed as he turned to look at the speaker. "Elyth! I see you have recovered. You are not well armed for this village, so I wish for you to enter that church and help me eliminate some rats in return for some armor. What say you?"

"Well, sure. I’ll go now," Elyth agreed. After all, wasn't it her duty as an adventurer to help the NPCs in Aincrad? This was not very different.

Elyth entered the Church, upon which her Encyclopedia dinged again. Turning to the fourth page, Elyth reads:

Bazalt Church-- The Church in Bazalt is a quiet place, perfect for the weak and the holy to pray. Lately it has become infested with rats. It is a shrine to the god of grasslands, and fruits and breads may be offered here in return for a random buff from the god.

Elyth hummed, and in looking up from her book and observing her surroundings, she sees that there were four rats in the Church. There were also two potion-like things that could be seen in the room. An altar stood in the center of the room, and a bronze inscription is embedded in its marble stand.

Elyth drew her sword, the Hell Fang, and observed the first rat.

Rat1: 14/14
Rat2: 14/14
Rat3: 14/14
Rat4: 14/14
Elyth: 27/27

Elyth moved west, watching the compass on her map, and spotted a tree, with delicious looking fruit on it. 

"Oh my, that's tantalizing!" Elyth exclaimed, and reached up to grab one of the circular orbs. The orb looked like an apple, so she presumed it was edible. Hopefully it was.

[iD: 8350] LD: 10 + 1 = 11

Aw, Elyth couldn't reach the apple. She certainly wasn't that short... Perhaps she should've climbed up the tree.

Musing about this at the bottom of the tree, Elyth decided it was in her best interest to climb. She dropped her shoes and satchel, and quickly ascended to the top of the apple tree. She attempted to forage again.

[iD: 8351] LD: 20+1=21

"Yes!" Elyth hollered as she grabbed one of the apples hanging very close to where she was hugging the tree. She dropped the apple, and it fell, relatively unharmed, onto Elyth's satchel. Spotting another apple very close to where she had plucked to other one, Elyth made an attempt to reach that, too.

+1 Apple

[iD: 8352] LD: 18+1=19

"HUHUHUHUUHUUU," Elyth cackled. This was brilliant. All the apples... All the apples were almost hers! HAHAHHAAHAAAA. Meanwhile, she spotted an apple just above her. Elyth reached up for the red sphere, and...

+1 Apple

[iD: 8353] LD: 6+1=7

...the sphere in Elyth's hand fell to the ground, and Elyth looked down just as she was about to finally grasp the tender fruit. Quite a bummer, she thought, and looked around for another apple. This was much harder than she thought. The sun glared onto the morning dew of the leaves, and the smooth skin of the apples glared back. Elyth followed the reflection, and found another apple to her... southeast!

*Ding*

Stepping out of the Tavern, Elyth's Encyclopedia sounded again. Being ever the careful girl, Elyth opened up the large yet not heavy volume and flipped to the third page. She already had two other entries, and each took up a page, regardless of the space left. Though, Elyth noticed, if an entry spilled into a second page, then that entry would by two pages long.

Bazalt Village-- A village on the First Floor of Aincrad, located near the World’s Edge. It is far from the Starting City, and any adventurer here may find enough here to sustain his or her adventurer’s spirit until the end of Aincrad’s time.

Current Location-- BAZALT VILLAGE, OUTSIDE THE BRONZE CRANE

As Elyth put the book away, she noticed yet again how it was early morning. Breathing in the fresh air, Elyth spotted a... campsite?, a house, more houses, trees, and- oo! There was a small spring!- Ah, how good it felt to be alive! She bounded towards the spring, cupping her hands and moving to drink some of the supposedly clear spring water.

As she guessed, it tasted like freshness, for lack of a better word. Taking some of her water bottles out of her bag, Elyth refilled them.

"Now then, to the church!" Elyth cries, rejuvenated by her naturalistic surroundings. I may as well call myself Cetra. Haha.

Current Location-- BRONZE CRANE, SECOND FLOOR: ROOM AND BOARD

Elyth closed the door to the room she had just left, and looked up and down the corridor. There was a stairwell at either end, one leading up and the other leading down, and each door had a specific number above it. Mentally noting the numbers above the door she had just exited, 2-8, she heard the Encyclopedia vibrate, as if ringing. When she had first picked up the book and saw that first entry, there was the exact same sound, like the ringing of a bell in an antique store when someone opens the door.

"A new entry, perhaps," Elyth murmured, and flipped the book open whilst walking towards the stairs at the end of the corridor that appeared to lead down. 

The Bronze Crane-- A mid-sized tavern in the middle of Bazalt Village, where adventurers flock to for shelter and food. It is known for its great service and its matron, Mrs. Junia. The Tavern is located on the first floor, and there are two levels above, all for boarding. The Tavern itself has a great many foods and drinks at reasonable prices, and each room on the second and third floors are presumably look-a-likes.

Elyth walked down the stairs.

Current Location-- BRONZE CRANE, FIRST FLOOR: TAVERN

The Tavern was pretty impressive. Elyth saw around 10 huge rectangular wooden tables, glazed over. Next to each table was around 5 to 6 chairs, some with people in them, some without. There were a couple of lone tables, where suspicion-inducing individuals sat. There was also a counter, where Madam Junia could be seen setting out wares for sale. The most curious thing to Elyth was the giant timer screen in the room. It read:

[011:19:49]

"What is that?" Elyth pondered, and a random NPC spoke.

"That there, miss, is the countdown to dinnertime!" he said exuberantly, before turning back to his group of NPC friends.

"Oh, I see. Thank you," Elyth replied anyways, smiling at the optimism, despite the fact that he said dinner and that it was still early morning, and looked to the large double doors at the other side of the tavern hall. Presumably they were the doors out of the tavern.

"Well, Deacon Sherrard said to go to the Church… Might as well," Elyth sighed, and left the Bronze Crane.

"Deacon Sherrard, at your service. This madam here is Mrs. Junia. She runs this inn, the Bronze Crane. We are in Bazalt Village, a ways from the Starting City,"  the Priest said, gesturing to Mrs. Junia, who had just passed the tray to... someone in the hallway and was now standing behind Deacon Sherrad. 

She chimed in soon enough, saying, "You are free to stay the night, Elyth. Any additional nights require a payment of 10 col a night. Please forgive my inhospitality, but an innkeeper out here needs to make some money." Laughing openly, Madam Junia couldn't help but make Elyth feel at ease with these people. Deacon Sherrard nodded approvingly, and then sighed under his breath. 

"Well then. I suggest that you come to the church after you recover. I shall take my leave presently," He said, and moved towards the door.

Madam Junia joined him. "I must tend to my kitchen! The kids may as well have burned it up! Elyth, you are welcome to join us for supper later, and I must ask for your assistance in other matters as well then. Rest well!"

The two left the room, leaving Elyth to consider what she should do next. First, she considered, I should check that I have everything in my bag. She stretched, and then slipped the cerulean pouch off her back and onto the bed. The satchel was closed with a simple latch, which Elyth undid fairly quickly. She then moved to dump everything out. 

BLUE BAG Contents-- 
» Hatchet- Cuts trees for wood.
» Crafting Knife- Can craft wood. Higher quality knives can carve gemstones.
» Newb Supplies: Water x15;Bread x10
​» Encyclopedia of Places in Aincrad
» Riona’s Book

"It’s the book again! Ah, and the rest of my stuff, too. Well, I’ve recovered, so I should get moving," Elyth said to herself, and put everything back into the satchel with the exception of the Encyclopedia. Placing the blankets back on the bed in an orderly fashion, she slipped the satchel on again, brushing away still-braided white hair and walked out of the room.