Lycan

Lycan ran his hand through his platinum hair with a huff and a sigh. His early morning started with a face full of well water and a rather upset innkeep. While people were fighting on the front lines to escape, the idea of SAO as a game faded from the minds of others. Apparently, this innkeep valued fictional currency - something of which Lycan was a little scarce.

"Yuck... Just about dry..." the teen muttered aloud before shielding his eyes from the bright overhead light of the artificial sun. "Thank god it's a good weather setting."

The teen shifted his body on the length of a town bench. The soft babble of the waterfall behind him threatened to put the swordsman back to sleep. It was a notion he wasn't particularly against, considering the abrupt wake up call. With a stretch and a yawn, Lycan crooked his arm behind his head and relocated the toothpick in his mouth to the other side. 

'Seesh,' he thought to himself. 'What's a guy got to do for a quick penny around here?'

<<I'm not putting NK on this because its silly. But don't be a blockhead and start a scene. Y'dig?>>

Occasionally, Lycan's message box was peppered with invitations to events on the higher floors. Often, they advertised free food, free beverage, and a venue unlike anything on the lower floors. The problem?

One stray glare from a high level monster and Lycan knew his brain would be fried faster than an egg in a cast iron skillet.

So, just like any other player grinding their way up to the top, he felt a day off was deserved and necessary. On the second floor, thick with lush vegetation, shady trees, babbling creeks, sparkling lakes, and swaths of non-hostile fauna, the teen set to do his work.

The location nested in the perfect location. Plains separated a quick fifteen minute walk to the main city of Urbus. Only a few meters of trees separated a crystal clear lake from the prying eyes of the main road. A small, beaten path crooked its way through the woods and opened to beautiful lakeside lagoon. Smaller than a beach, the shallow waters and silken sands made perfect perch for relaxing or laying a cloth for a quick picnic. Several small, rocky craigs marked smaller, isolated pools for soaking and offered limited sanctuary from the beach.

Stretching far and wide as Urbus itself, the lake ended where mountain began. Here, its serene waters flowed underground into an expansive cavern. Great for curious explorers, the waters vanished into darkness and mysteries unknown. Where water and mountain lacked, the endless forests of the second floor provided and from the woods, a series of small creeks spilled into the lake. Small autumn insects busied about the white rapids and the occasional fish leapt from below to steal a morsel of food from the air.

Lycan sat on the small beach by the shallows with his hands on his hips, eyes staring out across the expanse.

"This'll do," he nodded.

With a flick of the wrist and the press of a button, he sent an invitation to the public boards of every major floor city.

"Now we wait."

With a grin, the platinum headed youth, clad in his usual red and blue longcoat, perched upon a lakeside boulder and awaited his fellow players.

Quote

<<Notice - Public Invitation>>

Sender: Lycan
Location: Floor 2, Urbus Outskirts (1.263,-5.879)

Message:

Hey Aincrad,

Looking for a quick get away? Wanting some rest and relaxation after all that grinding? Not quite strong enough to party hard upstairs with the VIPs?

Look no further. 

Meet me at (1.263,-5.879) for a day at the lake. Bring swimwear, snacks, and your friends. The only thing that's free is a beautiful lake, some sand, and a good time. Fishers, bring a pole. Looks like the creek is brimming with line-breakers waiting to be caught.

So hurry up! I'm looking forward to meeting some new faces!

P.S. You're invited too, Zandra. I don't play favorites. ;P

Sincerely,

Lycan

The moment and stillness of the forest punctuated Esther's point with undeniable clarity. Lycan's vision lost its focus while he recalled how asinine he acted moments ago. He felt another pang of regret and self loathing - enough so, that he pulled his hand away from Esther's touch. With a sigh, he shook his head and shot his hand through his hair.

"Well then..." He gripped his face and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Another point added to the douchebag-o-meter."

With another disappointed shake of his head and sullen sigh, he took a deep inhale.

"I would have never guessed such a thing. Don't worry, I'm good with secrets. Still..."

The ever familiar kiss of anger warmed his blood. The teen began to ask the question of who would force someone to do such a thing? His fist tightened and stomach churned with the thought. This world contained such beauty, despite its cruel intentions, but the idea of sick bastards among the ten thousand boiled Lycan's temper.

"Who would do something like that...?" his voice droned off, eyes on the sea of trees beyond them.

His teeth clenched.

"I hope they got what they deserved..." he hissed.

To prey on the helpless and take advantage of one's power... Nothing rubbed Lycan the wrong way like it. The youth strived for knowledge, strength, and status to better himself and prevent people from taking advantage of him. Forcing someone's child to perish at the hands of their parent...

"I don't want to think about it," he concluded, changing his tone. "I owe both you and Mari an apology."

He grabbed her hands, firmly this time. His yellowed eyes burned with a familiar zeal. This time, warmer and inviting.

"I won't make you cry like that again. I can't repay you for my actions, but I won't let something like that happen to you. You're a pacifist, I get that, so I'm going to do my best to arm you with ways to defend yourself without violence. If you need a blade, I'll be the one to spill blood. Okay?"

Lycan squeezed her hands gently before letting go as if to finalize his adolescent oath. He wouldn't let it be argued or dismissed.

"Now," he looked around to get his bearings, the faint babble of a creek in the distance finally filling the silence of the woods.

"I think we're close, keep an eye out for--"

The teen's eyes shot shot wide and he reached out to Esther. He gripped her by the shoulders and jerked her toward him as they fell to the ground together. Two scythe like appendages lashed out and scattered lilac curls to the wind. The buzz of insect wings droned heavily and a large black object flew overhead the two.

"Sh*t, stay down," Lycan commanded as he rolled to the side and slid out from under his female counterpart. The swordsman rose to his feet and loosed Harbinger from his back.

<Ancient Cicada> 25/25 HP -- 20 DMG

Lycan faced his foe, a large, flying insect covered in draping moss and vines. Amidst the green glimmered sprays of shimmering blue crystals. With large orange eyes the size of baseballs and wings like palm frawns, the decrepit monster threatened for another pass of its sharp claws.

Lycan readied, it reared and darted. A sidestep. The hum of Cardinal's assist. The sweet song of steel and percussion of battle.

Two vertical arcs _{(4 EN)} marred the insect's aged carapace and forced it to crash into the ground several feet from where Esther lay. It beat it's wings one final time, pulsed, and ruptured into a rain of fragmented data.

As the dust settled, a small glimmer caught Lycan's eye where the insect's corpse had disturbed the forest floor.

"Anothet close one," Lycan quipped, sheathing the blade to his back. He held out a hand for Esther. "You okay?"

ID# 67938: // BD: 10 // LD: 18 // MD: 1//
BD: 10 + 2 = 12 Perfect Critical
Vertical Arc (2x2): (5 DMG + 2 CRIT) 7 x 4 = 28 Total Damage
Ancient Cicada: -3/28 HP <<-28 DMG>> DECEASED

Unrelated to Mob: LD: 18 <<Material Discovered>>
Not yet harvested.

Lycan paused mid walk as if magically frozen in time.

"Wait..." he muttered. "What?"

His sharp amber eyes ran up and down the meek, curved frame of the girl with eyebrow cocked. He remembered the kids and her being the caretaker of them. His head tilted.

"You suggested the collar?!" It was like a flower that prided itself on its thorns. While not entirely impossible, the thought spurned questions in his mind. The timidness, her uncanny ability to trust, her pacifist nature. Add a collar and the threads pulled together. 

"I see..." he muttered while rubbing at the few scrubby hairs on his chin.

Lycan just thought her as a nice, innocent, morally pure player trapped in a terrible world. While that remained partly true, Esther wasn't entirely trusting as she was submissive. That meant she wasn't entirely naive either. He expected her to ask if he was okay as the gears clicked around in his head.

"So its a cosplay thing then," he deflected, resuming his stride. "and a trust exercise. So... I guess my question is: Is Mari a bad person?"

They ventured some odd paces into the thick of the woods by now. The musk of decaying leaves and rich soil permeated the soft winds. The faint rustle of the trees and dancing shadows masked the faint movement of local fauna. Small rodents, non-aggressive, scattered from their approach and hid beneath brush with watchful eyes. Avian creatures chirped and sang as they played tag in the forest canvas. Nature's grip, though artificial in this world, created serenity and calm in its occupants. Possibly one of reasons his mind opened to the concept of a "good" PKer. Then again...

"I mean, you're not hurt, you're not talking ill of her, and I'm not hilt deep on her blade right now with you outside a safe zone..." he continued with a quick check behind himself for safe measure. "So, what's the story?" 

"I know of Mari," Lycan corrected. "Ariel told me her name, and I know she's player killer."

Lycan adjusted his coat, still feeling a little tense from his ineptitude at trusting people and dealing with the presence of the opposite gender.

'And that...'

"And apparently likes your... collar..."

Esther put her collar away and Lycan felt a moment of relief. The teen actually liked the aesthetic of chokers or tight necklaces, but the chain made him a little uncomfortable in more ways than one. With it out of the way, he wouldn't have to worry. Plus, Esther now looked more free and bright. No one should shackle that smile.

"Aright, so..." Lycan pulled up his maps and inched next to Esther so she could see.

"This is the next few hundred meters of forest..." Lycan began, squatting a little lower so his HUD was more eye level for the girl. "Here," he pointed on the map. "Is a small creek that butts up along a ridgeline. Have you done the <<Let There be Light>> quest? If so, that ridge holds several caverns you might be familiar with."

He crouched a bit more, his shoulder pressed against hers. Lycan flipped to his personal notes and Alchemy encyclopedia. A few clicks and swipes later, he produced the rendered image of an herb.

"This is one of the components we are looking for."

The plant looked similar to the jagged leaves of a dandelion. Its flower, purple in color, resembled a snapdragon and in the maw of its petals, a bright yellow stamen peeked out.

"It's called a Night Howler." _{(Yes, I did)}

Lycan flipped through his notes and produced a final image of an old fallen piece of wood. Decaying and peppered with moss, Lycan pointed at small iridescent clusters within the dark green of the moss.

"These are Blue Beryl Mossite, the second ingredient. They grow on the bark of dead trees in damp areas. We'll find both along the stream if we're lucky."

Lycan closed out of his windows and stood up straight. He arched backwards with a few audible pops from the odd position showing Esther what to look for. With a few turns and twists, he looked to the lilac framed girl.

"Ladies first," he gestured toward the treeline with a bow.

Aprroved. Welcome to SAO-RPG.

"Yeah," he replied honestly, the soft touch of steel brushing against his hand. He nervously pulled it away and folded his arms.

Her moving closer caught his eyes and the spark of memory when he saved her from Addel's poison filtered into his mind.

"Yeah," he repeated with red cheeks. "I am if you are."

He looked away again, but used it as an excuse to pull up his menus. A flick, swipe, and a poke later, he produced a friend request in front of Esther.

"There." He closed out of his UI. "And don't be so quick to unfriend me next time. I'm a lot of bark and a little bite."

'Well...'

"Anyway, what do you say we head out into the forest? If you're going to keep company with Mari, you're going to need to play it extra safe. I'm going to teach you how to make a Safeguard Potion."

Lycan smiled to the young lilac haired girl. It was forced over the mixed emotions of the past hour or so, but it still shown genuinely. They had a day to make up for and he had an unpayable debt to work off. She may have forgiven him for the time being, but Jax was not so fickle as to forget his transgressions.

He walked over to the thermos and spilled mug and picked them up. He brought them over to Esther.

"Now that's two coffees I owe you."

'Well...' he mulled over with a flattening of his lips. 'I'm just a great big 'ol f*** up, aren't I?'

He listened to her explain herself, falling deeper into regret. He knew Esther was fragile, easy to upset. Why did he go off the handle at her? Yeah, he mad. Yeah, he had to learn his place in this world the hard way. Still, the little thing in his lap didn't deserve his unfettered rage. Mari did. The Player Killers did. Those people who dare hurt people like Esther did.

'I deserve it,' his mind concluded in a sad realization.

He shook his head as she continued to tell him of her adventures, her growth. She explained Mari wasn't as bad as he thought. The list of his questions became shorter and shorter, instead reverting back on himself. How could he? Why wasn't he more patient? Would she forgive him?

"Sorry about the cup," Lycan apologized as he glanced to his muddy footprint. "Told you I had an anger issue."

He turned back to Esther with a nervous smile.

"Not as well adjusted as you thought, huh?" he tried to muse and lighten the mood.

Her hands wrapped around his after she rose and the chain jingled taught. It forced his attentions back on her as he face grew red. She diverted her eyes, lips mumbling something that only she could hear over the ambient noise of the forest and nearby town.

'Does she... like it?' That thought alone blossomed into a chaotic frenzy of questions. His mind drifted off into the mental scenario of Mari pulling on the chain and Esther blushing. Then correlated it to his own hand around the leash and the gentle tug just now. 

His eyes widened and heart pounded.

"I.. uh..." he let go of the chain. "Yeah, no." He looked away. "Whatever floats your boat... or... whatever." He stammered, unsure of what exactly to say after having that revealed about someone. Especially a someone that was just in your lap. Lycan scooted back, rocked, and quickly shot to his feet. His brushing the dirt off his pants helped to clean the filth from his body... and mind.

'Wait... does that mean she likes women, not men?' The teen vigorously shook his head to empty his adolescent thoughts.

"Potions, huh?!" he quipped back a little to abruptly. "You don't say! Heh. Heh heh..."

'Get it together Jax, Jesus. You just crushed this girl's spirits! Man up!' 

Lycan cleared his throat and exhaled slowly through pursed lips. After a deep inhale, he looked to Esther and offered his hand to help her up.

"Listen," he began, his tone more sincere. "I don't want to hurt you either. _{Contrary to a moment ago...} I'm sorry for going off. And... before we go. Don't talk about us being friends like that's in the past tense. Unless... you don't forgive me yet. I can understand..."

Topic Locked due to Character Death.

As his hand ran up and down the small of her back, she seemed to relax. Her fetal position melted and with a few gentle movements, she buried her face in his lap. To his dismay, he could feel the damp chill of her tears peppered among the warmth. Again, he shook his head at his own lack of tact.

"Shhh..." he whispered to her as she shook and trembled. With his free hand, he started to organize the mess that her hair had become. Tangled, dirty, and woven with grass, Lycan ran his fingers through. Where his hand stopped, he'd carefully work out the knot or remove debris.

He felt her clench his coat and baggy pants as she whimpered for a moment. She couldn't see, but the teen nodded quietly and continued to tend to her.

"Take your time," he assured as his fixing of her hair turned more into his hands gently running through it.

She finally mustered the composure to speak, deciding she wanted to explain herself after all. Lycan turned his eyes away from her, the admission of guilt conflicting with his desire for the truth.

"You don't have to," he admitted. "We all have our secrets..."

'Some more than others...'

"It's okay," he responded to her apology. "I was a jerk. I shouldn't have come off so stern."

He felt her head lift and met her eyes with his. Again, the bottom of the scum bucket rattled with his dignity and Lycan had to look away.

'Jesus, Jax. Way to go.'

"It's okay," he muttered. "You don't have to tell me, just..."

He glanced at her for just a brief moment so he could grab the chain that dangled from her neckline.

"Just don't wear this around me..." He gave a soft tug. "I don't like the idea of someone treating you like an animal..."

The boar whipped wild from the blow, throwing hardened tusks at Lycan. The teen blunted the attack against the flat of his blade and kept his footing firm. The beast's sheer strength nearly lifted the boy from the ground and landed him square on his back. With an outstretched hand, the swordsman caught himself before he toppled.

"Big one's putting up a fight," Lycan cried out. He took a moment to check on Arc.

Thankfully, he occupied the last remaining boar as they circled one another with eyes locked. Lycan snapped his attention back to his target while he pushed himself off the ground. Arc quipped about their attack patterns and Lycan nodded at the info.

"Pack mentality," Lycan added. "They likely spawned as a trio."

With a huff and a grunt, the Feral Boar commanded Lycan's gaze. It was ready to charge again.

"Big one's gonna charge!" the platinum swordsman warned.

The moments of silence hurt the most. It stirred the memory of day one in his mind. Her stillness and quiet forced him to look at her from time to time. Balled up, shivering, clutched to herself like her body was the last of a reality she thought she knew... The teen had never seen his actions do this to someone before. Lord knows his skills with the ladies were bad, but today marked a new high score.

"Hey..." he cooed, finally massing the courage to lower himself beside her.

He heard her murmur, "I was late..."

'Maybe I should just leave her alone...'

"J-just wanted....explain....everything...coffee" she continued.

Lycan turned his attention to the thermos, overturned mug, and the footprint where a cup once existed. Now, the dark drink pooled into the crevices his boots left behind. A faint glimmer of defragmenting data sparkled as the last of the mug vanished from Cardinal's system. His attention turned to the stream that fed the spill as coffee still trickled from the thermos. Hoping to salvage the damage of his behavior, Lycan reached out to upright the container. As he did, its information window appeared.

<<Info:  'Lycans special make up coffee - extra strength for extra adventures'>>

The degree to which he felt like scum hit rock bottom with deep thud. His mind failed to find the words to describe his current state of being. Instead, a soup of hate, loathing, and guilt festered inside. Lycan parted his lips and the aroma of his reaction slipped out as a single word:

"F***..."

"I'm sorry," Esther whispered beside him, still curled up.

"Tch, scumbag..." Lycan overheard someone mutter as they walked past the two to the fields. 

The teen found it hard to argue that apparent fact.

"Hey..." he repeated, hesitantly placing a hand on Esther's back. "Come on... I'm the one who should be sorry. You have nothing to apologize for..."

'Does this game have a ctrl + z? Please say it has a crtl + z...'

"Listen, it's just a big misunderstanding. I get that now. I'm sorry I pushed so hard. I just..." Lycan held his tongue at dredging up the topic again. "We can talk about it later."

He tried to softly rub Esther's back, fully expecting her to slap his hand away. Unfortunately, his large feet found its way into his mouth often. In past experiences, sadness flipped to anger in the blink of an eye. Especially when dealing with the opposite gender. He would brunt her rage. He had to. It was only fair.

"Hey, come on... You're fine. I'm not going to hurt you. Just breathe."

Lycan stood helpless as he witnessed the fruit of his labor. Esther deteriorated into a mess that even the best actresses and actors would struggle to maintain. The truth dawned on him. Whether or not he had the answers he wanted, he knew his actions were unwarranted. He knew he ****ed up and he ****ed up hard.

"Sh--..." Lycan's gloved hand pressed against his face and dragged the menace and anger from his features. He let out a deep, defeated sigh and turned his eyes away from his failure.

"F***..." Lycan's mind ran ajar, still filled with so many questions about Esther and that killer, but doused in the nausea of his inhumane behavior. He couldn't look at her now. Her whimpers and sobs permeated his ears and sank his heart into a pit of self loathing. Beneath his foot glimmered the digital remains of one of Esther's cups. He had made out that is was Evyln's, the missing girl. Lycan planned to ask more about that if he could clear Esther of suspicion.

Now...

"God dammit..." Another deep sigh.

More of Esther's tears.

"I'm sorry..." Lycan kept his eyes away from her and his hand still covering his face.

He took a deep breath and weathered the guilt of her sobs. His fist clenched and head shook.

"I - I don't know what to say now..." He still couldn't turn to face her.

'You f***king idiot.'

"Seeing you like that..." His voice trailed. "I felt powerless to do anything. After that day and now seeing you still alive..."

Lycan's chest weighed down with the thought of Esther's name crossed out on the Monument of Life.

"You can't trust a PKer. They killed one of us. Hell, they've killed hundreds of us..." He bit his lip.

"What was I supposed to think with you being paraded around like that and calling her your mentor?"

Lycan's tone raised again, his temper flaring; not at her but the situation.

"Listen..."

He wanted to kneel beside her - tell her it was okay and he didn't mean it. No, Lycan had seen that fear. Doing so would not mend any wounds. That bridge was on fire and he could only stand and wait to see if anything salvageable remained.

"I'm sorry... and an a**hole..."

He ran his hand through his platinum hair and crooked the back of his neck with a deep breath.

"Please..." Lycan pleaded. "Don't cry..."

 ID# 67726: // BD: 11 (9+2ACC) // CRITICAL HIT 

The teen never felt the kiss of a blade before. Its cold embrace lightly chilled the skin, forcing hairs to stand on end. Her question dripped like venom along its edge, burying beneath the surface and coursing through the teen's veins. Jovial and light demeanor faded from his expression. Now cold, rigid, and dark, Lycan stood absolutely still. His heartbeat rose, and adrenaline dialated his eyes.

Mac spoke and implied the identity of the assailant. Baldur followed and confirmed any doubts.

'Teayre,' he repeated in his mind, body tense. 

"Can you see or hear anything now Lycan?" he heard Baldur ask.

'Is that...?'

Without hesitation, the back of Lycan's hand shot up at Teayre's blade. Its cold edge buried deep and ruptured motes of red into the air, however it was enough to skirt the weapon from his neck. The teen dropped his body low, pivoting on his heel. Harbinger's steel sang out into the air as the boy's amber gaze locked with that of the Crimson Maiden.

He surged forward, the familiar hum of Cardinal's assist emanating off Harbinger's length.

Twin Vertical Arcs _{(4 EN)} lashed out and locks of crimson hair swept to the air in their wake.

Teayre: 189/189 HP // 46/46 EN

Lycan: 30/36 HP // 5/9 EN // 9 MIT // <<-15 DMG>>

Wolf: 0/20 HP // 18 DMG // 4 MIT <<- 24 DMG>>

A feral howl and burst of pixels announced the death of Lycan's target.

"Whew," he sighed. "Close one."

The teen, now behind Teayre, turned about as he slid Harbinger back into its sheath.

"Just waiting for you to get here so we could meet up," he answered holding out his marred hand in a gesture to shake hers. "No death wish, really. Just trying to help some NPC mom find her kid."

Lycan leaned to the right a few inches to make eye contact with Baldur.

"No cries yet," he added. "But I think there's a pack of wolves nearby."

It was then, and only then that Lycan noticed the hovering orange marker above Teayre's head.

"Oh shi--!" Lycan barked. "That didn't make you orange did it?! My bad! I'm so sorry! I just don't like seeing people get attacked from behind."

The youth tried to hide it, but the faintest movement of his lips curled into a the semblance of a grin.

"Nice to meet you, Teayre."

 ID# 67725 results:

+11 Bonus Materials

"Not good enough," Lycan barked, unsympathetic to what he now assumed was an act. He eyed the chain around her neck with every intent of using it to tether her should she try to flee.

"What do you mean by mentor?" He stepped forward, boot turning one of the coffee cups to digital ash under his weight. "A killer? Just a bait tactic to murder innocent players? How much of what you told me was a lie?"

He heard her whimper the word 'friend' and his heart throbbed with a dull pain. Collapsed to the ground, tears in her eyes, fear shaking her body, the sight wavered Lycan in his resolve. Anger fought with compassion and his stomach churned at his own actions. He clenched his teeth at the internal conflict, convinced he needed to know the truth before he trust the girl with his back. Their history was still fresh, afterall.

"Friend?" Lycan hissed, trying to maintain his composure in light of his doubts. "I had to watch you get dragged around like a dog by someone that kills other people with full knowledge there isn't a damn thing I could of done if you were in danger. Friends don't willingly put themselves in harm's way. Friends don't become property of a murderer like its cute or normal."

A pop up appeared, notifying Lycan of her decision to unfriend him. A desperate act to force him to reconsider? I pity move? A distraction so she could take advantage and run?

Lycan swatted the notification out of the air and the morning light caught Lycan's amber irises, setting them ablaze in an eerie glow.

"You're not going anywhere," he growled, "Not until I have answers."

He teetered on the edge of trust and guilt. What he was doing didn't settle right in his gut, but he wasn't about to be PK fodder for his ignorance. He'd heard of this rouse before and in a world where death lurked around every corner and whispered on every tick of the clock, he'd be damned to die for a pretty face. He knew his actions might have irreversible consequences, but deep down, he cared about Esther. Were that not true, no questions would be asked. If he didn't care, he would have wiped her memory from his mind and been done with it.

"Now answer me." There was a pause and a flutter in his commanding tone. "Please..."

Like an effective partner, Arc called out what Lycan could not see. While the platinum crested swordsman locked blade to tusk against the largest boar, the mercenary dealt killing blows to the lesser minions.

"Got it," Lycan replied with a grunt and a shove of the boar.

The beast did not reel from Lycan's comparative strength, instead propelling his own body backwards. With a thud and drag of its hoof, the boar marked its intent to charge. Lycan switched his longsword to his offhand, preparing for the inevitable. A roar filled the starlit sky and the half ton beast barreled forth.

"Its charging!" Lycan warned.

As the boar charged, Lycan sprinted perpendicular to its path. Momentum forced it from following suit and missed the boy by a clear margin. Lycan quickly firmed his footing and skid as he tried to double back. He slammed Harbinger into the soil by his feet, jarring his momentum and giving the youth a platform to launch from. His legs tensed and he flung himself back toward the boar. As he ripped Harbinger from the ground, the blade hummed with Cardinal's assist. Lycan snapped the hilt from his left to his right and unleashed his sword art (4 EN).

Two red crescents carved deep into the boar's hide, eliciting another feral cry.

"What the hell is that?" His finger pointed directly at her collar with a firm, flat voice. The emotion of kindness was completely devoid from his features.

"And who is Mari, the PKer?" Lycan squared his posture to the tiny player. His six foot height dwarfed her as his stern gaze cast down upon her.

"I saw you in the fields with her, dragged around by that thing." Lycan's lip flared with disgust. "And now you're wearing it casually in public? I have a feeling you haven't been entirely honest with me, Esther. Who are you? What is your relationship with that woman?"

The teen felt the urge to draw Harbinger. Even with her innocent features, bright eyes, and melodic voice, Lycan couldn't help but recall their previous adventure. Esther told him about her desire to remain a pacifist, to make people smile, to help others. Then, she drank a potion from a shady vendor named Addel and put the two of them in a rather precarious situation. While Lycan felt a small but somewhat intimate bond from the exchange, it now pulled taught with questions and doubt. He didn't want to believe it, but he had seen it before. Was Esther bait for a PKer guild? Was he being swindled into a trap?

The teen's eyes lacked compassion and his brow hung low in a threatening glower. 

Closed to Esther. RGQ is registered HERE. Esther, Level 8. Lycan, Level 9.

Lycan sat just outside the safe zone of Urbus. The morning sun painted his features in a soft, orange light. The teen propped his body against one of hundreds of wooden posts, interconnected as a large perimeter fence. In his mouth dangled a long stalk of wheat, and his eyes carefully watched the treeline. Thick with green foliage and mysterious shadows, the forest of the second floor held a large variety of natural ingredients as well as unique monster spawns. The teen remained silent and stoic as a hunting party of players embarked into its depths.

'What's taking her so long?' Lycan pondered. He rose his arm from its folded position across his chest and checked an imaginary watch. The cuff of his Blood Wolves' Coat lacked the facility to respond chronologically.With a sigh, the teen plucked the strand of wheat from his lips and examined the chewed end of it.

Impatience settled into the boy. It had been weeks since their last outing and just 24 hours since the girl approached him at his stand. Relocated to the main market place since their last adventure, she asked if he would teach her some potion recipes. Lycan hesitated, but his willpower faltered to her puppy like expression and sweet voice. She was ecstatic. He was reluctant.

Truth be told, he had many questions since he left her in that Inn. Who was the girl with the leash and why was she wearing a collar? What ever happened to that one missing girl of the kids she mentioned? How much did she remember of that night they spent together?

With an adjustment of his posture on the post, Lycan huffed and glanced back at the city gate.

"Hope she didn't get herself in another situation..." Lycan mumbled.

 ID# 67662 results: // BD: 4 + 2 HIT // MD: 7 - 3 MISS //

Lycan watched as Ariel effortlessly disposed of the winged insect. In the aftermath of a pixel explosion, the blonde giggled with a wink. It became clear to the teen, that Ariel could more than handle her own. With a snarl of his upper lip, Lycan felt the desire to prove himself. While the bees struggled with the blonde, Lycan braced his stance. The hum of Cardianl's assist spilled along Harbinger's edge. A moment of explosive tension and Lycan's body cut a path through the opening. As the Wasp Queen swiped low for Kimba, Lycan interjected with two rapid arcs of his sword.

The hollow thud of blade against carapace sounded and marred the Queen with twin wounds along her length. Spurred by the image of his Queen under attack, the Soldier Bee sped toward the teen. Lycan caught glimpse of the attack, throwing his body to the ground and into a roll. His legs and arms sprawled out and caught a firm foundation in the soil. With a grin, he looked to Arial and raised his brow playfully as if to say:

"Your turn."

"Hurry!" Sparrow cried out ask she darted through the woods. "Almost there!"

The young swordsman trailing behind her struggled o keep pace, but where he couldn't keep pace by jumping over or weaving through, his blade cut a path.

"Oh gods! Adielle!" Lycan heard the pixie cry.

With a crescent swing of Harbinger's edge, the young warrior breached an opening. Trees crested with moss, glowing fungus, and miniature building fashioned from nature itself expanded before him. His eyes were drawn to the screaming of a tiny voice. Another pixie, pale skinned with a long wisp of midnight hair cried out as thorned vines constricted around her fragile form. The ornate wings on her back crumpled, snapped, and fell loose from her body in a trail of red pixels.

"Please! Save her!" Sparrow cried out frantically.

It was too late.

The vine which held her pulled close to what looked like the giant maw of a Venus Fly Trap. Its jaws opened wide enough to even swallow the young swordsman. With a flick, a short scream, and loud snap, Adielle was no more. Small motes of what Aielle once was, peppered the jagged teeth of the Mandrake.

"Adielle..." Sparrow sobbed.

More screams sounded, and Lycan's amber eyes fell on the horrors of five more Mandrakes descending on the fairy villiage. Whip like tentacles snatched frantic pixies from the air and one by one, and the winged beauties fell into the maws of floral beasts.

"Please..." Sparrow cried as he gripped onto the collar of Lycan's coat. "Save them..."

 ID# 67661 results: // BD: 3 + 2 ACC = MISS  // MD: 5 - 3 EVA = MISS //

Lycan snarled at the scene. He knew they were nothing but data and mobs none the less, but he still felt pity for the fairy crying into his collar.

"Fine," he shooed Sparrow from him with a flick of his wrist. "Don't get in my way and stay out of sight."

Without waiting for her, Lycan dashed into the fray. Harbinger hummed with the Cardinal assist as he lashed out with a vertical (1 EN) strike. The plants demonstrated a startling reaction speed, pulling their slithering limbs from the path of the blow with lightning speed. With the same tenacity as they wrenched fairies from their homes, a volley of vines whipped out at Lycan.

Side stepping. rolling, and ducking, the platinum crested teen avoided strike after strike. The offensive of six Mandrakes against one boy cause Lycan to bite his lip in frustration. The longer he played defense, the more screams of fairies were silenced by death.

Lycan: 140/140 HP // 13/14 EN // 5 DMG // 2 ACC // 3 EVA // 9 MIT

GROUP A:

Mandrake: 20/20 HP // 20 DMG

Mandrake: 20/20 HP // 20 DMG

Mandrake: 20/20 HP // 20 DMG

GROUP B:

Mandrake: 20/20 HP // 20 DMG

Mandrake: 20/20 HP // 20 DMG

Mandrake: 20/20 HP // 20 DMG

"Warm chest? Do you still feel warm?? Lycan asked. At the mention of chest, he looked down just past her neck and collar bone. Silken lace and shimmering fabric framed Esther's soft and pale skin. The darkness masked the more finer details, but Lycan found himself looking at the barely covered chest of the girl. Flustered, he skirt his eyes behind her at the cold, stone wall.

"Am I easy?" he heard her ask, and his own body temperature seemed to rise.

"E-excuse me?" he stammered.

"... on the eyes," he heard her continue in her potion-drunken state.

"U-uh..." Well, that wasn't a question he was exactly ready for. However, he felt slightly relieved. At least she was making conversation.

'Still,' he racked in his brain. 'What do I say?! She's just mumbling. Yeah. Totally incoherent. Don't take it seriously.'

"We should probably get you dressed," were the words he opted to say.

'God, you're an idiot...'

Lost in a strange fit of recent events and self loathing, Lycan turned toward the sound of glass clinking and water boiling. There, a half-conscious Esther fumbled about through menus and buttons.

"What're you--"

He stopped short as the completion window appeared.

"I'll be damned."

Shortly after, Esther slipped herself off the stool and into Lycan's lap forcing him to the ground. With more semi-coherent mumbling, she stuffed the small bottle into his hands. Some more mumbling later, her head nested in the crook of his neck. Her warm lips pressed against his slightly exposed collarbone. Lycan's face flushed.

An snoozing Esther pinning him between the floor and the wall, another pop-up appeared - Quest Complete. Lycan saw that she had officially become an Alchemist and smiled warmly as she mumbled to herself. Not wanting to wake her, he lifted her small hand and pressed the acknowledgement button with her finger.

"Congratulations," he whispered.

She muttered something and softly bit at his neck. The boy inhaled, part surprise and part unexpected pleasure. She snorted, laughed, then went back to her soft murmurs and a nuzzle. Flushed and warm in the face, Lycan again found himself cradling the passed out girl in her nightwear. Her body pressed against his, soft and warm.

'Nope! Nope! Nope! Nope!' he repeated as a mantra in his head. He shook the fantasies from his mind and scooped the girl into both arms. With the wall as support, Lycan slid his body upright with Esther in hand. With some delicate and difficult maneuvering of his hands, he opened enough menus to lock up shop.

"Now..." he quietly cooed. "How to get you to bed..."

His mind spun with more inappropriate fantasies he quickly shook off as he lightly adjusted his grip on the girl. One arm hooked her waist while the other held her legs over his forearm. His hand, well, gripped close to the outside of her thigh just where the silken slip hung. With a rosy cheeked deep breath, Lycan again maneuvered his hands while keeping grip on the girl. A button press here removed his overcoat. Another button press there, and it appeared digitally over Esther's body, loosely draping over her like a makeshift blanket. More importantly, covering her exposed frame.

With another flustered sigh, Lycan looked to the sleeping lass and shook his head with a warm smile.

"What a day," he whispered. "Let's get you to bed."

And with Esther in his grasp, the young swordsman carried the newly promoted Alchemist to the closest Inn under the faint glow of the starry night.

[~Fin~]

The lilac crested girl stirred in his arms. Her green eyes fluttered open with a moan. Lycan's heart beat heavily, praying she was coming through.

"Esther?" he repeated.

"Lye... I'm sorry..." he heard her reply.

His chest heaved a sigh of relief and when she pressed her forehead to his, he felt himself clutching her tight like a long lost lover. He let her free to see a weak smile on her lips. His hands fell from her silk clad form as she tried to stand in vein. She toppled forward, but he caught her in his arms.

"Hey. Easy now," Lycan coed, his face warm with a smile that the girl was at least breathing and trying to move about. "I don't know what the side effects of his potion or my antidote are going to have. Just take it slow."

He helped the girl to her feet, hooking his arm around her waist. He helped her over to his stand, and pulled a weathered stool from the underneath the counter top. Lycan helped Esther upon it, trying to keep the girl off her feet as much as he could. There she sat, in a dark, musty alley. All alone at the back corner, behind an alchemy stand with burners firing and flasks bubbling. Esther's bright hair and crystalline eyes starkly contrasted by the muted earth tones and shadows around them. Clad in silk, she looked like a girl ready to peddle love potions or open a kissing booth.

"How are you feeling?" Lycan asked, taking a kneel beside her.

In the back of his mind, he wanted to lay into her for taking a potion from a stranger. He wanted to yell at her for being too trusting. But, he stifled his urge to chastise her with the fact it was he who brought her here to begin with. Were it not for his own naivety, she wouldn't have had to learn that hard life lesson. He should have waited until dawn.

Lv 1-24

Workin on it. T^T

Gun be the next Calrex one day. #LifeGoals

"Mari, huh?" Lycan repeated. "That was the other one then. I won't forget that name."

Already frustrated, Lycan's disdain toward this "Mari" character was clear to hear on his voice.

"Now, we going or what?" the teen barked, ready to leave with or without the blonde.

After some quips about the types of material she's made for players, Ariel jumped down from the tree. For a girl in a dress, she handled herself quite well. Then again, Lycan had seen her dispose of many floor mobs with her combat prowess. Maneuvering from a tree without losing control of her attire was a far simpler task in comparison.

"I don't want to know," the teen jutted in as she mentioned her wares and types of clients. Before he could say anything else, Ariel maneuvered her way beside him. Her presence startled the boy as she whispered into his ear. Her words began to simmer his temper until she sent him ajar with her final comment. Lycan snapped his head on a pivot fast enough to break it were this the real world.

"Excuse me?!" He blurted, more confused than angry. Even a small haze of red found its way to his cheeks. "I'm not like that."

Instinctively, the boy put his hands around his throat. The thought crossed his mind, but it certainly didn't work for him.

"No thanks," he snarled. "I'm no one's pet and certainly no one's dog."

Speaking of dogs, one such character approached the two. A man around both their ages, clad in dark colors with sharp and cunning features. Lycan remembered the face, but struggled to pin a name to it. Regardless, the teen caught a glimpse of the male's narrowed and threatening gaze. Above his head, an orange icon hovered. Lycan felt his skin prickle with the adrenaline of fight or flight.

"Just fine," Lycan shot back with ire. His body resonated with fight over flight, but the lingering thought of numbers deciding strength nagged at his mind. His fists tightened.

"I'm out of here, Ariel. If you want to chat or help me level, I'll be hacking away, looking pathetic on the forth floor." The teen spoke to the blonde as if the newcomer were invisible. Lycan had a hunch it was a feeling the fellow was used to. Then, Lycan directly returned Hikoru's narrowed gaze, focusing more on his orange icon than his actual face.

"Sir," was all Lycan offered the man. With a sarcastic half-bow, Lycan pivoted on his heels and hopped down into the busy streets just outside of town. Moments later, he merged into the foot traffic and disappeared, heading straight for the warp gate.

[Lycan Leaves the Thread]