Lycan

Lycan fiddled with Harbinger in the town square of the first floor. The blade, while it had done him plenty of good, seemed to lack the umph he desired as of late. Even with his training and persistence, the damage done seemed minimal. With a crinkled nose, he rose from his seat on an open bench and slid his longsword into its sheath. Lycan looked up to the sky and covered the noon sun from his eyes.

"I need to get something better," he decided.

With his mind set, he made for the marketplace. Busy with the usual commerce, the lunch hour made it easier to maneuver the streets. Last time, Lycan went to a place called "The Gurando Foji", owned by a player named Oikawa. Since then, Lycan learned the disturbing fact that the smith had become a Player Killer. By word of mouth, he slayed the only player on Aincrad who possessed the unique dual weilding skill. Lycan couldn't, in good conscious, risk his own life going back there. Not at least at his current strength.

The familiar clang of hammer on anvil pulled his attention to a different place, The Blazing Typhoon. Lycan made way and entered with a jingle of the bell. Upon arrival at the counter, he saw a window with prices and an order form. The teen took a moment to study, and his eyes widened at the new player discount. While he felt horribly disheartened that he still qualified as a "New Player", he was grateful to catch a break in his wallet. With a nod, he set to work entering a request:

Quote

Name: [Fenrir]

Your Profession: Blacksmith

Your Rank: 8

ID: [Leave Blank]

Roll: [Leave Blank]

Item Type: [One Hand Straight Sword]
Tier: [1]

Quality: [Perfect]

Enhancements: [+2 Bleed, +1 Damage]

Description: [A straight longsword forged of a blued steel and named after the mythological Norse beast. Ancient runes are carved along the flat of the blade, leading to an ornate guard in the shape of a wolf. In the recesses of the wolves' eyes on each side, are a pair of small gems. Each gem gives off a faint, harrowing glow.]

Post Link: [Leave Blank]

Content with his request, Lycan added the 750 Col to the envelope and hit submit.

<- 750 Col>

Summary

Lycan
+2 SP (Thread)
+1 SP (RGQ - Easy)
+ 400 Col

Esther
+2 SP (Thread)
+1 SP (RGQ-Easy)
+400 Col
+5 Materials

~FIN~

Floor two, the city of Urbus. Lycan had taken a lycan to this quaint little forest town. While he had yet to muster the experience and strength to venture higher in Aincrad, this little city had become his go to. It reminded him most of home, in Montana. The teen spent many of his days, similar to this one, busying about the forest and looking for a fight. Days upon days, weeks upon weeks, but the grinding had begun to wear on him.

"Man," he huffed. "What a day. How many is that, two dozen? Three dozen?"

The teen slumped down in the bench he sat. The gurgle of the fountain behind him drowned out the droning voices of players as they walked by. Many of which frequented the nearby stands and shops, looking for a new trinket, blade, or treat. Lycan let out a long drawn sigh and pressed his hand to his face.

"I need a break..." he muttered.

"Break you say?" asked a withered, crooning voice.

Lycan looked up to find himself shockingly eye to eye with an elderly lady clad in rags and drenched in the aroma of cats.

"Sweet baby jesus!" he spouted in a startle.

"Have you heard of the Ancient's Cave?" she asked, her hit and miss set of teeth bare for him to see.

'Yikes...' Lycan searched for a chevron above her head and found none. 'Damn, an NPC. Still, thank god someone's grandma isn't trapped here.'

"No, and frankly I'm not interested," The teen turned his head away from the woman and skirted her off with a gesture of his hand.

"Even if there's treasure?"

Lycan's body became rigid and he slowly turned his head to the old woman.

"Treasure you say?" he repeated.

The old hag took a seat beside him, much to the boy's visible dislike. She pressed her palms into the bench and leaned into whisper while Lycan did everything in his power to lean back. The old gypsy's words left her lips on a sweet aroma of decay and failed hygiene.

"A cave full of chests. All of which to offer something: strength, wisdom, or riches." She spanned her hand out as if the chests themselves were before them. "Be careful though, for these chests are not what they seem. Foolish you be, and a finger or two might show what I mean."

'Great... she's rhyming...'

"If your luck be strong, you'll leave not before long. A companion you'll find, but keep my warning in mind..." The old woman smiled an arguably nauseating grin. Then, with a pat on Lycan's thigh, she got off the bench with a groan.

"Be careful, kiddie," she cackled before turning and walking off.

"Uh..." Lycan stared at where she touched him with a face of absolute horror. "That was the creepiest thing I've ever seen."

He shuddered at the experience, but the small, little inkling of curiosity took hold when a pop-up appeared for a quest. With it, a set of coordinates. 

"Hmm... I wonder..."

In honesty, Lycan was still looking for a break, but the stress of grinding had worn him down. There was one person that came to mind the he knew could handle everything here with both hands tied behind his back and blindfolded. The teen felt wrong asking for his help, being a front liner and all, but perhaps he could learn a thing or two. Since their last outing with Teayre didn't go so well, Lycan hoped the opposite would be true today.

With a flick of his UI, Lycan thumbed down his list of recent acquaintances and party history. He found @Calrex's name and began typing a PM.
 

Quote

Calrex,

Hey, I know we don't know each other very well, but I was hoping you and I could go on a little quest. It's nothing I can't handle alone and its something I'm sure you could do in your sleep, but I want to ask you a few questions. Last time, Teayre set an odd mood. This time, I just would like for two guys trapped in a death game to level with one another.

I know you have better things to do and the second floor isn't helping you get any stronger, but if you have the time, let me know. If you want to come, meet me at these co-ordinates. Some crazy, old, NPC lady says there's a cave full of treasures here. Might be worth your while in the end. Even if its some extra Col.

Let me know. Thanks for reading,

Lycan

Attached: (1.2351, -.8.6892) Map Marker

He hadn't heard Esther until she was upon him. Her little hands grabbing his, spun him around as she slammed the gem in her hands. Lycan raised a brow. Esther never took such assertive actions. He looked at her as one might look at a stranger. With a pause, he brought the stone into view.

"Looks like it," he replied, looking back to his compatriot and skirting her compliment.

"I'm fine." he replied. "Just cold. It's been a long day. I just want a cup of coffee and a place to warm up."

He pocketed the gem.

"We can talk about how to make a safeguard potion while we relax." He took a deep breath and looked toward Urbus that could be faintly seen between the trees. 

'I think some grinding will clear my head after this,' he mentally noted.

He turned back to Esther with another practiced smile.

"I don't know about you, but I'm freezing my bits off. Let's get going." Lycan began to head toward Urbus, looking back to make sure she followed suit. "Looks like you did all the work again! You've gotten much better at this!"

He directed his attentions to the approaching city and faintly shook his head.

'Still have to make sure she's safe,' he reminded himself. 'Can't have her waltzing around unarmed, especially with Mari. I owe her that much.'

"Right!" Lycan called out from the Boar's blindside.

He hunched low and charged the boar, Harbinger at his side. His blade again begun to hum with the charge of his sword arts. This time, the boar was too keen on the sound. The red eyes of aggro snapped onto Lycan as he approached from behind. The teen quickly firmed his stance and began staggering to a stop. A wide, muscular swipe of the boar sought to assist him and the teen doubled over as the girth of an ivory tusk burried deep and through his avatar.

Pain didn't exist in SAO, not in the most literal sense. Instead of sharp agony, a light numbness or tingle would indicate damage. The brain, however, was a curious creature. While Cardinal was incapable of harming its occupants, death excluded, the phantom trigger of the mind mimicked true pain. With a boar's tusk in his gut, Lycan exhaled in a grunt. The beast flicked its head skyward and loosed the boy to the air. Lycan crashed to the ground in a roll and came to rest with his hand on his gut.

"Ugh... f*ck..." he groaned, the HP in the top corner ticking down from the blow.

With Harbinger's help, Lycan forced himself back to his feet. The boar, in turn, had already begun its follow up charge.

"No... I did," he replied quietly. "I didn't think you'd just do it." 

Lycan pulled her to her feet. Then he heard the trigger word.

'Friend,' he mentally repeated.

"Right..."

'Friend, that's all this is. Nothing more. She's just a friend. Stop pretending it'll be something else.' Lycan nodded to himself, a little flat in the features.

"Yeah, that sounds good," he smiled to Esther genuinely. A practiced response dating back to a time before SAO and a time before college.

"Let's see if I can wind this up."

With a nod, Lycan directed his attention to the surrounding area - this time, with more clarity.

 ID# 68233 results: // LD: 5 //

His amber eyes washed over the creek, the banks, and the underbrush that framed them in. He couldn't pick up any familiar hues of purple. Thanks to the thick brush, he couldn't notice any fallen logs or potential growing spots for the crystals.

"Tch, nothing here. Let's start walking back. Maybe we'll find something on the way." Lycan began to move back towards Urbus, carefully stepping through the brush. The gentle breeze that felt so refreshing before, now threatened to chill him to the bone. Beside that, Lycan wanted a few moments to himself. Today already tested his span of emotions and a reprieve to reflect was overdue.

Lycan was still new to the forth floor and its eternal winter. Thankfully, he had more than enough experience with this kind of weather in Montana. While his clothes weren't specifically designed to stave off the cold, his Blood Wolves' Coat did a fine job at keeping him warm. He didn't expect a message from Esther like this, and while his blue and red coat stood out against the icy plains, he did his best to remain stealthy. With the faint crunch of snow beneath his boots, he approached behind the lonely girl.

"Hey," he whispered, taking a seat in the snow beside her. "You okay?"

The sound of music found his ears and Lycan raised a brow. His sight peered into the distance to a lake rimmed with lit candles. In the middle, like a mournful ghost, a woman played an old violin. Its shrill hums and sorrowful notes reminded him of a time he played Viola, but never as masterful as this. Not only did the girl play her tune, but the sweet song of her voice paired with it. Part siren song, part banshee's cry, something wrenched at Lycan's heartstrings. What were they doing here?

"What's happening?" he whispered to Esther. His eyes winced to get a better view at the woman on the lake. "Is that... Mari?"

Lycan turned to Esther, her face burried in her knees. He cocked his head with concern. Then it dawned on him.

'An homage? A funeral? But why Mari? Her daughter?'

Lycan looked out to the ghost on the lake as she played her sad serenade. With lips sealed and the weight of the situation dawning on him, Lycan inched closer to Esther and put his arm on the small of her back. He watched as the funeral commenced, unknown to the who or the why. To see such sad faces, the departed commanded the love of those present. Lycan felt out of place, but he felt honored to be able to pay respects to someone so cared for.

"You see that, Jenny?" a distant shadow whispered to another. "Lookit how close he's gotten with the little thing - practically doin' it in the woods!"

"It's sad really," replied the other. "To make such a fuss over a simple kiss. Must be a real prude. The girl looks like it's far from her first rodeo."

"Tch, I wouldn't mind a ride..."

The faint sound of a punch making contact with a shoulder.

"You'll get your turn." A slight pause. "I have an idea. Let's go."

-----------

"I didn't know you were going to do that," Lycan replied. "I mean... after this morning. It was dumb to ask..."

Lycan still felt the heat in his cheeks and the dwindling throb of his heart.

"It's not your fault," Lycan added. "I just -- Yeah, don't worry about it."

The teen rose to his feet, clothes dripping wet. He shook his hair free of what water he could and began to ring out his coat. Meanwhile, his mind hinged on the kiss. How long were they stuck in SAO? How long was it since he kissed a girl? Robin, senior year of high school? He couldn't even remember her face... Lycan looked up to Esther. She wasn't his ideal type, but... he was beginning to feel something. What exactly, he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Here, let me help you up," Lycan held his hand out. "We should probably hurry up and find the last ingredient so we can get back and warm up. I'll buy coffee and we can find a hearth to snuggle up to."

He bit his lip at the word, realizing it tingled more than it should. Did she bite him?

"I mean sit next to!"

Approved, Welcome back to Aincrad.

It happened so fast. Before Lycan had a chance to understand what was happening, her lips were pressed into his. His eyes shot wide, chest beat, and he didn't give a thought to his balance. When Esther began to topple, he fell in tow. It was a split second decision, but the teen threw his arm behind Esther's head to protect her. The contents of which all but abandoned as he acted.

Ker-Splash! Shatter~!

Cold water lapped at his face and soaked his clothes. The babble of the shallow creek ran over his arm and through Esther's hair. He loomed over her, his cheeks reddened and eyes still wide with shock. His body pressed against hers, a contrasting warmth to the cold creek. It took a moment for reality to slap the sense back into him. That's when he realized how close they were and how inappropriate it may have looked.

Lycan scrambled.

He lifted her upright and scampered to shore. Then just sat there quietly, unsure what to say.

'Thank you? No, that's not right. Sorry? Yeah, that's better.'

"Sorry," he stammered. "I lost my balance. You, okay?" As he asked, his empty hand rubbed at the back of his head.

'Empty...?'

"Oh sh--!" he blurted. His eyes darted about until their attention was caught by the listing glimmer of defragmented data. His stomach dropped. He quickly pulled up his menus and checked his inventory.

'Gone...'

His shoulders slumped and head hung low.

"That's two things of yours today..." he grumbled. Fortunately, the warmth of the kiss overpowered the abysmal sense of defeat from destroying Esther's first potion. Now they would never know...

Lycan looked to the potion and back to Esther.

'She wants me to try it?! To see if its correct?!'

That night, he could hardly taste anything but the bitterness of his own potion. How would he know how to compare? Wait, was he actually considering...?

Lycan swallowed the lump in his throat and pulled the potion closer to his face. The soft swirl of pink liquid within compared to the soft hues of her own lips. Lycan felt his chest pound.

"Well, um... I-I don't know," he stammered. He shook his head and forced a breath out to steel himself. "I just remember the taste of my own potion."

'Oh sh--, man. Do it. Man up. For science!' Lycan's inner thoughts egged on. 'No! That's silly. Am I really...'

"I can tell you, but..."

He paused, mustering the courage through his own stupidity and hormone induced panic.

"I'd uh... _{Need a kiss...}" his voice started strong, but withered into oblivion.

Just as he mumbled the suggestion, Esther replied with her run in with odd potions. She wasn't serious about the comparison and Lycan felt the chill of rejection rush down his spine. He left fielded that one. Hard.

"Yeah!" he laughed nervously, hiding the potion behind his back. "Maybe we can look into making one! haha!"

'You effing moron...'

"So, um, yeah!" Lycan cleared his throat. "Safeguard potions, right!"

ID# 68209 results: LD: 5

Lycan turned his back to the girl to hide is utter embarrassment. He distracted himself by trying to looked for any nearby signs of Night Howlers or Blue Beryl Mossite, but his mind was far too preoccupied at an honest effort.

Player Deceased. Thread locked.

'No... you didn't dream it...' he replied in his mind. 'And it is the truth. If I wanted a kiss... not like that...'

Lycan's face tinted red at the thought. As he continued to explain, her face changed from concern to unexplained laughter. She pressed herself into him, her face against his chest. Lycan's arms shot out wide, unsure what to do with the girl latched to his body, laughing. He felt her shiver and his arms fell around her. Her laughing stopped, and she sat there in his arms for a moment. Lycan felt a smile creep across his lips, both at the embrace and his relief. She wasn't upset afterall.

"I don't know," he replied while looking at the potion in his hand. "I'll do an appraisal on it."

Lycan tapped the pink vial with his finger and touched the small magnifying glass icon. His eyes scanned the text under the description. "U-Uh..." The teen's face lit up and he looked to Esther who looked just as red as he.

"Uhm... It uh... It tastes like your..." He couldn't finish the sentence without sounding awkward. So, with his finger, he pointed to his own lips. Hoping she'd get the connotation, he held the vial out with an open palm in case she changed her mind.

She then continued to recall the night, exacerbating the situation. He nodded.

"You did," he replied. "You weren't awake for long. Enough to make... this."

'Trouble?'

"You do tend to get into, uh, interesting situations..." Lycan added, trying not to make her feel bad for the situation. She didn't know any better. Like she said, she's just Esther. Just Phoebe.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The teen let a chuckle escape his lips when his dive managed to get Esther and a few others a little wet. Her upset whine made it all that much better. Then, with more finnesse than he ever witnessed from the girl, Esther took a running leap to the lake. She flew with lilac wisps behind her and he watched her practiced execution of a flawless dive. Lycan watched the Olympics back on the surface world, and he recalled one of the determining factors of a high score being the smallest splash. Esther, despite her feminine assets, slipped beneath the surface like needle and vanished from sight.

Shortly after, her redheaded friend roared at the teen. Lycan grinned at Domarus's challenge and subsequent cannonball of his much larger build. He winced as a cascade of water and wave washed over his head. Plopping back to the surface, Lycan shook his hair and sputtered for air.

"Nice one!" Lycan complimented, but his words were heard by neither Esther nor Domarus. 

The teen looked around, waiting for the two to emerge. When they did, their heads were off in the distance. Lycan could only make out their vibrant lilac and crimson hair, completely missing the hidden brunette in the reeds.

"Oh..." he muttered. "Well then..."

'Clearly more than friends... Alright then... Guess she's into those kinds of guys?'

As Lycan paddled in the middle of the lake, he spotted one of the isolated soaking pools. He looked back to Esther and Domarus in time to see her face him and push him off into another location. The youth's nose curled and lip flared at the sight. Lycan knew she wasn't the best judge of character, but today was for fun. Guess she was seeking that in a different way. Lycan shook his head and huffed.

"Whatever..." he muttered.

Then, with a freestyle stroke, he made his way to one of the lagoons. With boulders framing a near full circle, Lycan pulled himself underneath a fallen log and into the small pool. It reminded him of the hot tubs from back home except without the bubbles and with far more fish. Compared to the lake, the shallow waters were warmer, likely heated from sunlight on the dark, smooth stones at the bottom. Lycan crooked himself in a corner against the hot boulders. His skin touched it and he pulled away for a moment in shock.

"Jesus those are hot."

Then he rested his body against it, letting the heat work into his bones and muscles. He let out a long drawn breath and felt his lips curl into a smile.

"Yeah..." he muttered. "This is the spot..."

Gaze pointed toward the slowly listing clouds, the teen closed his eyes and let the warm waters do their work.

'Brittany, Jamie, Ryan, and Evelyn,' Lycan repeated in an attempt to memorize them. 'Evelyn...'

"That's right," Lycan replied. "Evelyn, wasn't she missing? I never had the chance to ask you what happened."

His words of Addel hit her and Lycan saw her mood change. He stopped along the bank as she dried her hands on her shawl. When her timid words recalled the potions she made, Lycan recalled the item which remained in his inventory. As she spoke, he opened his menus and produced the oddly named vial in his hands.

"This?" he asked, holding it out to her. "You weren't very coherent at the time. The name of the potion says it all. I kept it after I left you at the inn. If you'd like it back..."

And then she asked if they kissed. Lycan's mind fluttered back to that very moment. Ester laid in a corner, the soft light of the starry sky giving form to her barely clad form. The shimmer of silk over her chest and thighs as her breaths escaped soft lips. He remembered the flush of heat on her cheeks and her unresponsiveness. Her body in his arms as he had to make a choice.

"No..." Lycan replied with eyes too guilty to look into hers. "I made an antidote, but you were unconscious. I had to -- I used my own mouth to make you drink it..."

'Her life wasn't in danger... It could have been... Did I take advantage of her?' His mind raced.

"I'm sorry," he added. "I didn't even know if the antidote was going to work. I had to do... something."

He turned his gaze back to her.

"Are you mad?"

 ID# 68139 results: // BD: NAT10 // CD: 5 // LD: 18 // MD: 3 (6-3EVA) //

Sure enough, his keen senses identified the threat before it made its appearance. The trio of bees emerged from the flora and darted toward the group. Lycan quickly hit the floor as his hair whipped about from the proximity of the bee's beating wings. The earthy aroma of fallen leaves and rich soil permeated Lycan's nostrils. He shook his head and pushed himself to his feet.

"Watch the kid!" Lycan shouted.

Arc's similar battle cries and Calrex's percussive howl turned the peaceful forest into a colosseum. Lycan quickly joined into the fray, his blade held at the ready. After the blast from Calrex, the three seemed most preoccupied with the bluenette. The novice swordsman sought to take advantage of their exposed backs.

Lycan placed his hand on Harbinger's length and the hum of Cardinal's assist pulsed through its steel. With a twitch of his wrist, Lycan shot forth and brought down his blade in twin, rapid cuts_{(4 EN)}. With the bee's attentions occupied, Harbinger bit deep. He felt resistance on his weapon through thick carapace.

When Lycan came to rest with his follow through, he placed himself between the boy and the bees.

"Stay behind us," he warned, eyes intently locked on the movements of combat.

Wasp 1: 22/50 (Arc's BD roll) <<- 28 HP>>

Wasp 2: 50/50 (Lycan's  BD roll)

Wasp 3: 50/50 (Calrex's BD roll)

Arc: 120/120

Lycan: 140/140HP -- 10/14EN <<Vertical Arc (2x2)>>

(Hate: 3) Calrex: 1470/1470 | EN: 144/144

Kid: 20/20

Lycan heard the familiar static of a mob falling to deresolution. He cocked his head to the source as Arc finished his follow through. Meanwhile, the rumble of hooves approached. The teen tensed, two tusks aiming to disembowel him. Lycan took a deep breath and readied his offhand. The boar lowered its head for the strike and the swordsman quickly strafed and reached out his empty palm. The slap of ivory against flesh gripped his arm and the boar jerked its head upward. Lycan's body wrenched as his arm came taught and lifted him up.

He weathered the force with a grunt before letting go at the apex. The teen took airborne and tensed his body with another hum of Harbinger's length. Eyes locked, he loosened his swordarm and Cardinal's work pulled him toward his target. Another two vertical arcs_{(4 EN)} marred the Boar's body. As Lycan landed, he locked gaze with Arc.

"Switch!" he called out, readying himself for another assault.

By now, the Feral Boar's body looked as though a game of tic tac toe was being carved into its body. 

No more than a breath's width passed before Teayre's flashed its steel through yet another mob. This time, a lycanthrope and likely leader of the pack burst into a haze of data. Her finesse and movement wasted no effort. Form flawless and practiced, Lycan could only watch in a silent admiration of her skill. Her efficiency, lack of emotion, and threatening tone at the mention of her hair caused the teen's arm to prickled involuntarily. Hairs stood on end, and the chill found home down the length of his spine.

The orange crystal didn't originate from the pulsing red gash on his hand. Lycan glanced to his health and saw it nearly a quarter depleted. All he did was touch her blade. If Teayre wanted to...

"I uh..." the teen stammered, his throat suddenly dry. "I-I'm sorry about the hair."

His amber eyes locked with the fire in Teayre's and Lycan felt his body course with adrenaline. His hands tensed and thoughts directed themselves to Harbinger's hilt on his back.

Thankfully, Calrex stepped forth and lovingly tousled Teayre's crimson locks. Her unfettered rage flared, but its target transferred toward the bluenette. All seemed to fizzle out as the crimson maiden stepped toward their destination, but things quickly turned for the worse. Hands on hilt, she unleashed her katana's length and charged Calrex with a blaze in her eyes.

"Sh*t..." Lycan swore, his hand now gripped tightly around Harbinger's hilt. The blade began to slip from his sheath before Lycan caught the flickering green of his health regenerate by a point. His knuckled turned white and teeth clenched. Harbinger fell back into its sheath and Lycan's hand fell to his side. He took several steps back, placing himself behind the majority and eyed the distance toward Urbus.

'Lover's quarrel?' he thought nervously. 'If not, I need to get the hell out of here.'

He looked to Baldur, Macradon, and back to the couple. A mortal among gods, Lycan felt his inferiority boil to the surface.

Lycan took a deep breath and crinkled his nose.

"Sub dungeon?" he repeated with a flared lip. "Neither of us are ready for a sub dungeon.  But... If it's a Dire Wolf you're after, there's more than one place to hunt those."

Lycan flicked his toothpick to the floor. The stick hit a cobblestone, bounced, then split into glittering shards as it defragmented from the Cardinal system. He reached his hand to his neckline and pulled out a series of fangs and bones lashed together with sinew belonging to the maw of an Alpha Dire Wolf.

"I've had a little experience with that myself."

Lycan let the necklace fall to his chest as he lifted himself upright. He rolled his shoulders to work the blood back into them from lying on the hard bench. When he finished, the boy produced his standard issue straight sword. The memory caused Lycan to grin.

"We should be getting you materials or Col first, but..." Lycan accessed his menus and equipped Harbinger to his back. "I like your zeal."

He gripped his own longsword from his back and produced it with a metallic song of steel. The one handed straight sword caught light along its honed edge, and drew the eyes to the large fang molded into the guard.

"Let's kill us a Dire wolf, shall we? I'll follow you to the exit." Lycan sheathed his sword. "Head to the forests in the north and look for an opening in the trees. If you see passive deer mobs, we're getting close."

"Hmm... I guess." Lycan never liked to brag. Bragging invited challenge and in his current state, people better than him were plentiful. "I just like to keep my ego in check. I'm just a guy in a game. I'm not a hero or a warrior. I'm me."

He gave a nervous smile at Esther before his face fell flat.

"But thank you. I appreciate the compliment." His tone didn't mean it. Compared to those in the field... Compared to Oikawa, Calrex, Baldur, Teayre, Macradon... Lycan was weak and he wouldn't tell himself otherwise. At least not now - not until he could cross blades with them on equal terms.

He took a deep breath.

"Tch, you've already done a lot for the people in town. Those kids, what were their names again? They rely on you very much."

'Date?' he heard her say next. His mind lapsed.

Was that what this was? A date? Moments ago, he forced Esther into a blithering mess of tears and anxiety. Lycan shook his head.

'Man, if this was a date, I wouldn't get a second call for sure...'

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," he nervously replied, all things considered.

 ID# 68125 results: LD: 1

Sitting up from their place by the log, Lycan gestured over toward the creek. The waters trickled over large, round stones. Small pools circulated at nooks and within, water skeeters and small fry busied about the water. The outstretched roots of trees were made barren from the water's perpetual movement, exposing fragile tendrils as they drank. Green moss and watercress framed the creek's bank where the soft song of small toads and frogs could be heard. Among it, Lycan spotted a glimmer. His eyes narrowed and the closer he got, he realized the sun's light deceived him.

"Well," Lycan continued as he walked along side Esther. "I wouldn't say we're all that lucky. Remember the alleyway with Addel?"

They hadn't talked about that event since it happened. Lycan tried to chuckle to lighten the memory of it, but it left his lips flatly and forced. Addel's poison, Lycan's frantic actions, Esther's heaving chest and flushed face in his arms... 

Lycan liked to see his fellow players in such positive spirits. Many of them took to the water, the males of all were most reluctant. Even the words of Domarus seemed hesitant. Apparently, people decided they specifically needed swimwear to jump into a lake. Clearly they hadn't been camping in the real world before...

Lycan watched as Esther turned her familiar affections toward the redhead. He felt his eyes narrow and a curiosity rise in the back of his mind. Who was he to her? The swordsman knew Esther to be a kind hearted and spirited soul, but he body language spoke to more familiarity than acquaintances. The two had shared some form of bonding moments. Was he a friend?

The platinum crested youth focused on Domarus's thin, red eyes and narrow lips. His features were chiseled and angled and posture was loose but not quite relaxed. Lycan saw his focus wasn't entirely aimed at one person, no. Domarus watched. Domarus was an observer. Did he have an agenda? He wasn't just here for fun, that much seemed clear.

Lycan took a deep breath after Domarus implied he would join after they decided to jump in. 

"Welp, no time like the present." Lycan produced his interface and swiped to the equipment menu. He selected his Blood Wolves' Coat and hit unequip. The maroon and navy longcoat vanished from his body in a haze of blue. He selected his V-neck undershirt and followed suit with the rest of his gear until only his boxers and Alpha's Maw necklace remained. The teen made sure to put Harbinger in his battle-ready slots just in case. With a wave of his hand he dismissed the menus and stretched his arms out wide.

Lycan wasn't by any means an athlete. He wasn't a body builder, nor was he some health conscious dietitian. While he was none of those things, his body still held emphasis on the biceps, pectorals, calves, gluts, and the faintest semblance of abdominal muscles. Most notable, was the unique mark that marred his forearm - not a scar, but a tattoo. Cardinal didn't translate these types of markings from the real world to the game. His Mark of the Beast was given to him on his first day of SAO. Lycan still remembered the man's haunting eyes and the unusual pain. Since then, the teen hadn't felt a pain like that in SAO.

"What about you Domarus? Gonna strip, or take your chances with all that?" The teen grinned and gestured to the redhead's ensemble. Lycan shrugged with a shallow chuckle and looked to Esther. 

"I'd say ladies first, but after cleaning this place out, I'm ready for a dive now."

With a childish grin, the teen broke into a sprint. His bare feet sloshed into the waterlogged sand and before he hit the water's edge, Lycan launched airborne.

"Banzai!" he cried as he hugged his knees to his chest.

KER-PLOOSH!!!

Like a baldur cast into the still waters, Lycan slammed into the lake and disappeared under the surface. Water splashed every which way, catching the occasional bystander with collateral wetness. Seconds later, his white  head of hair emerged with a gasp.

"Come on!" he shouted to Esther and Domarus, or anyone who he had caught the attention of. "Water's great!"

"Naw," Lycan stated as Esther took the gem from him. "I'm not that great. SAO is a numbers game. I knew a little swordplay before this, but real skills don't mean anything unless you have the numbers to back them."

Somehow, during those few seconds, the girl dropped the gem and Lycan's palm found his face. Esther was quick to retrieve the gem and with it, one of the Night Howlers they were looking for. The teen raised his brows in surprise.

"Look at you go," he commented with a smile. "You've gotten a lot better at this since last time. Is that partially thanks to Mari?"

He took the stone back from Esther and pocketed it into his inventory. While its usage for alchemy was nonexistent, it would make a great material for an artificer. Lycan's Alpha's Maw hung around his neck, several wolf fangs crested and linked to a leather cord. For now, the trinket provided more than enough help.

"Let's move closer to the creek. It's not far."

The faint babble of water over stone gave truth to his words. As they ventured closer to the creek, now within eyesight through the tree trunks, Lycan spotted a familiar sight. He took a sharp detour and knelt beside a fallen log. Across its top, moss grew in thick pads. The youth found a hole in the decaying wood and peered inside. Much to his satisfaction, a few small fragments of Blue Beryl Mossite nested within. Much like a kid fishing his hand in the cookie jar, Lye thrust his hand inside. After a few moments of prying, he retrieved his hand with crystals in tow.

"Bingo," he grinned. Lycan turned to Esther and held up his find. "We're on a roll! You're good luck, you know that?" he shouted.

With a brushing of his pants, the teen righted and joined his friend by the creekside. 

ID# 68101 results: LD: 18

"Yeah, big one," Lycan commented. "Some kind of bug. We should keep alert."

Lycan dusted himself off. Finished, he looked to Esther and the leaves which clung to her attire. Without a word, he began plucking off the debris and noticed a few curls of her hair had been clean cut from her head.

"Looks like a close one," Lycan gently held the cut strands in his hand with a guilty scowl. "Should have been faster..."

He sighed.

"Well, your safe. That's all that matters." He smiled at her before the light of the sun through the canopy hit the gem glistening on the ground.

 ID# 68097 results: LD: 2

"What's that?" Lycan walked over to the disturbed earth where his prey had fallen. From the upturned leaves, he plucked a crystal about the size of his pinky. He tapped it with a finger and pulled up an appraisal window.

<<Sapphire>>

Lycan winced.

"It's not what we're looking for, but..." He held the gem up to Esther. "That's a huge sapphire. I think maybe someone dropped it or we're incredibly lucky. There's no way it could have dropped from that mob. It was far too week for something like this."

Lycan startled as two small hands wrapped around his torso. He instinctively reached for Harbinger's hilt until the familiar sound of Esther's voice hit his ears. The tension eased from his body.

"Oh, hey," Lycan replied. "You got here awfully quick."

When her grip loosened, Lycan slipped off his rocky perch and turned to face her. His mouth opened but the words hung on the tip of his tongue. Esther, wearing even less than the night of her silken slip, stood with a smile on her face. Lycan simply was not prepared and found his eyes roaming more than intended.

'When did Ess get so... hot?' he asked internally.

"Well then," he muttered. "Uh, yeah. I just found it."

His hand scratched at the back of his head, cheeks rosy.

"I did a sweep around the whole thing before I sent out the invitations. It should be clear of mob spawns for quite a while."

As he spoke, more people began to filter in. Many were faces he had never seen before. Teens his age showed up in swim attire, all cute and slightly revealing. A few men also showed, some in trunks, others still dressed in normal attire like Lycan. The smiles and chatter already begun, warming the teen's heart. It felt like... home - just a day at the lake.

Lycan smiled.

Then, a red headed male approached the two. He knew Esther. More importantly, he knew Lycan's name.

"Domarus," Lycan stated flatly. His amber eyes narrowed and transitioned from the curves of Esther to the sharp edges of her friend. Lycan's gaze met with the redhead and he felt his lip begin to flare.

"Glad you could make it," the teen added.

He took a deep breath and pushed his caution to the back of his mind. Something about Domarus' eyes didn't sit right with him. They looked like the eyes of a serpent.

"So... Who's up for some swimming?!" Lycan smiled wide, throwing his arm around Esther with a gentle squeeze.

"Hmm?" Lycan groaned as the shadow of a youth crossed over his warm rays of sun. He plucked the toothpick from his mouth and turned to the brazen lad.

"Strong?" he repeated, shifting himself to a seated position.

His amber eyes narrowed as he took in the person before him. Young, clad in unassuming gear.

'A bait?' the teen questioned internally. 'No... not that...'

"Strong isn't something you say in a place governed my numbers. Strong is an illusion. What you're looking for is resolve. The willpower to get something done."

Lycan paused.

"So no, I'm not strong. I'm commited to my cause, and that's all I need."

The swordsman ran his fingers through his hair once more. This time, his hands came through dry. Lycan ruffled his scalp, letting the hairs fall naturally in their messy style.

"What's your name, kid?" Lycan asked, bringing the toothpick to his lips in a studious glare. "... And what's the job?"