Snow

Snow finished off the piece of bread in her hand and looked over to her companion. She saw the look of conflict and paused eating.

"Listen, it's not okay that you're alright sleeping on the floor. Seeing that makes me really sad. I don't really see age, race, color, any of that. You're a person. You deserve a bed, food, and to happy." In her eyes burned a fire of sincerity. Even the children who boarded with her in the Inns before she left for the fields had beds. To think Assassin was okay with poverty and felt she had to work people for what she needed nearly broke Snow's heart.

Snow pushed away her food. Her appetite receded enough for the little she ate.

"I don't think anyone is going to think bad of me because of you. You're plenty brave and resourceful. Why don't we do a quest together? Something where we work together as a team? That last one was just a stroke of luck."

@Assassin

Spoiler

<<Blood in the Sand>>

This quest takes place on Floor 5.

Repeatable only for "Sand Armor Potion" | Solo/ Party Limit 4

 

Word from the Information Brokers speaks of a hidden respawning Field Boss on Floor 5. A small party reported having encountered a dangerous unknown enemy in the sand dunes of Floor 5. 'Swimming' through the sand, the shark like creature would attack by bursting out of the sand and biting with powerful jaws. This monster <<Sand Shark>>, proved to be a dangerous opponent for the relatively low leveled party, and dropped a powerful alchemical concoction.

 

Requirements: 

<<Sand Shark>> must be defeated, Maximum Party Size of 3.

At least one [1] Page (20 or more posts).

 

Rewards: 

1. [Sand Armor Potion] This incredibly potent alchemical salve can be applied to a piece of armor, increasing damage mitigation/resistance.. (+27 MIT consumable; does not stack with other MIT consumables).
2. [3 Skill Points].

 

 

<<Sand Shark>> is a respawning Field Boss and has the following statistics:

HP: 125

Damage per Attack: 50

"This is awful..." Snow moaned, her spear drawing a line in the sand behind her every step. Sweat beaded and rolled from her face. Strands of blonde clung to her neck as if they were trying to fuse with her skin. The plated armor she wore felt more like it was trying to kill her than protect her. The heat of the floor permeated every crevice and the distant horizon danced like waves of the ocean.

"Why?" She asked no one. The player's handbook mentioned a field boss on the fifth floor which offered lower leveled players a challenge and large amounts of experience. Not wanting to drag anyone else into her mundane affairs, the young Valkyrie opted to go the fight alone. Which at this moment in time, she already questioned.

Please hurry up and appear, I'm dying. I want to get the heck out of this place and go for a swim in the lake back home... Ugh...

Despite the occasional rock, only silky, sandy dunes stretched for what seemed miles. No trees, no monsters, no players, just a single Snow in a vast expanse of scalding hot desert.

As summer encroached on the third floor, more and more players came to enjoy the weather. The lake near Flora gained a fabulous reputation for spring and summer events. Since Flora was built adjacent to the lake, it offered plenty of beachside open to players of all levels, even non-combatants. The humble and unassuming streets of her new home town were filled with people of all shapes and sizes. For Snow, the lake was always a ten minute walk from her front door. So, while players smiled, laughed, and enjoyed a slight reprieve, the young Valkyrie looked for ways to continue her advancement in the game.

She learned of a quest from the player’s handbook where beginners could get a free set of armor for a small fetch run. In her usual gear, she set out for a local blacksmith in town. The smithy looked no more than your average medieval smith. A muscular man in a thick hide apron hammered away on an anvil while a quaintly beautiful woman tanned hide just outside the front door.

Her eyes stuck to him as he went over to the outcropping. Shield took a knee and though she couldn't see what he was doing, she heard the chiming of keys. Seconds later, he came on back with the news.

"Well, considering how many fish you brought to shore and the few little baubles I wrestled together, I think you have me beat." Snow giggled softly. "But my luck isn't usually the greatest."

She looked over to his fishing gear and stood up from her seat near the water. Her hand pulled down her menu and the greaves she wore earlier reappeared. Snow dusted herself off and checked for stow-aways on her person. Content no grabs or snails were hitching a free ride, she faced Shield.

"On that note, I'm getting a little hungry." Snow looked to the exit. "I'd leave you to fishing but... I might be in a bad way if someone sneaks up on me on the way to town."

She turned back to him.

"Of course, you're more than welcome to join me! You could try some my food at the bar if you like?"

An Easter event? Here? Doesn't seem very... Easter-y. Oh well!

Snow ruminated over the idea of eggs and bunnies in a dark, but colorfully illuminated cave. She could see it, but if the walls were more of a white marble, it might have made more sense. She wondered what kind of rewards she would have earned if she could have participated. Last event she attended, Snow walked home with a cute little kitsune mask that Megitsune re-painted for her.

Snow looked up to Shield as he stretched and scanned the area. His vision stopped at a rock formation in the distance.

"See something?" Snow asked. "Another chest?"

As her vision was occupied in his direction, she saw a little, unique mushroom growing off the stalagmite he sat upon. She looked a little closer and it reminded her of a glowing shitake. Snow prompted an inspection tool-tip on it and saw it was a usable material. She shrugged, and harvested it for later.

The smell of eggs and fresh bread made the blonde wrinkle her nose. She let out a soft moan as her senses slowly transitioned from dream to reality. Light from the window shone through and warmed her skin. Her mouth parted and closed only to realize she tried to eat some of her hair while she slept. Snow's cerulean eyes cracked, then fluttered open. She lifted her head from the crook of her arm; a red imprint remaining on her face. Her hand lifted and hooked the half-eaten lock of hair out of her mouth. Vision slowly returned to her and she didn't immediately recognize the person across from her.

"Assassin?" She squinted until the young girl came into view. Snow rubbed away the sleep from her eyes and blinked a few more times to confirm. "Hnnngh... Did you sleep okay?"

Snow's tone of voice listed lazily with each word. She smacked her lips a little bit until she realized the food in front of them served two. The senses really flooded back in the realization of her hunger. She skipped her food last night and couldn't ignore the need for something in her belly right now.

"Oh, thank goodness. Did you get this for us?" Snow smiled and took her plate from the tray. She immediately broke her bread and used the crust to break the yolk. She dipped her bread a few times to soak up the egg, and popped it in her mouth.

"Mmmm. So good. Thank you!" Snow smiled, very happy in her expression and her slight sway of her body side to side. Her back ached a little from the crooked sleeping position, but it was worth the hot breakfast.

@Assassin

"It really is a pretty floor," Snow admitted. "Maybe when I reach a higher level, I might come visit more often."

Her feet moved slowly in the geothermal pool. The warm water felt fantastic. Were Shield not desperately trying to fish, she might have decided to go for a swim. Then again, stripping down to swim attire might be a bit much for a first outing; with the guild leader no less. She smiled and blushed at her silent thoughts. Daire would certainly be the devil's advocate were she here.

In her thoughts, Snow felt something crawling on her ankle. One of those small snails from earlier decided to use her as a viewing point for the rest of the pool. Thankful that this time she wasn't trying to sit on it, Snow booped it into her inventory for use later in her kitchen.

"I do have to say this is a magical place. Were you to bring someone here on a date, I'm sure you would earn some brownie points." Her head tilted in thought. "Buuuttt... that would also mean sharing your secret fishing spot with someone. It's important to have your get away spots."

Conclusion:

Snow Receives:
+2 Thread SP
+1 Quarantine SP
+400 col
+ Mild Bragging Rights

Calrex Receives:
+2 Thread SP
+1 Quarantine SP
+400 col
+ Mild Confusion

Hearing about Seul helped alleviate some of Snow's emotional discomfort. Her actual discomfort was a different story. Snow shifted her position a little bit and felt something rough underneath her. She lifted up her rear and found an odd, pointed rock peaking through the smooth pebbles of the shore. She plucked it out from under her to examine the iridescent color and brittle, jagged ends. She had seen a stone similar to it before in a shop. She couldn't remember the name, but it was pretty enough to keep. She added it to her haul for the day before nestling herself back into place. 

Feeling better, Snow leaned back and got herself more comfortable again. Her mind searched for subjects of conversation that would be appropriate given the epiphany earlier. She stared up at the hanging stalactites to ponder. Then, a decent subject came to mind.

"So, Shield. What has been your favorite floor so far?" she asked. The third floor is where Snow made home, but the mystery and beauty of this floor easily made top five.

@Shield

Highest level?

The phrase intimidated her a little. She knew he was up there, but not at the top. 

"Oh, well I guess that makes sense." Snow commented regarding the front line diversity. "You seem to know a lot, but that's not shocking considering you're such a high level."

Snow laughed a little. She didn't quite understand the lingo, but discerned there was still plenty to learn about the game. To her knowledge, there was weapons and armor. All the other nuances were gibberish to be deciphered somewhere down the road when she could go toe to toe with anything but a boar and not be afraid. She knew one thing for certain, she lacked the aggression to manage a damage role. When he mentioned his guild, Snow looked away.

"O-oh, no. That's quite alright. I've caused enough problems." Her hands fiddled with the empty cup and saucer in front of her. "I'll manage somehow. Besides, you and your guild are busy trying to get us all out of here. It would be selfish to ask for your help. You're already helping everyone."

Her cup came to rest with a clink. Both hands lightly sat on the outside of it as Snow remained quiet for a while. The slight glimmer of brightness in her dulled again. She smiled, but its authenticity could be questioned.

"Thank you for the tea, Calrex." Snow placed a few col on the table to cover her portion or the tip. She stood up from her seat and offered him a curt bow. "It's been nice to meet you. Maybe we'll meet again some day on better terms."

She didn't pause much to leave time for reply. Enough of his time had been wasted with her. To think she'd possibly drag another guild down with her... Snow turned for the door and made for the alley. 

@Calrex

Snow smiled as she hugged Galilea. She was so kind before. It was nice to see another friendly face. This time, they had more in common than before. 

"I have! I've even figured out a good direction for where I want to go too!" She shared with excitement. Galilea wandered over to some marble statues that laid about the church. What was she looking for?

"Hmm, well..." Snow summoned her menus and produced a handful of <<Gogi Berries>> the old gypsy gave her. "I met some old lady in town that said she could make the animals around here her friends. My house gets a little quiet and lonely, so I thought I'd see if I could convince one to be my companion!"

Snow set the berries back to her quick menu. She saw Galilea pick up a piece of one of the statues and raised a single brow.

"I used to relax here and watch the anim-- what're you doing?"

@Galilea

One of the names Shield mentioned rang a bell. She met Mari, she fought Calrex, he hadn't mentioned how he met Galilea yet, but another name sounded familiar. She scrunched her brows and searched her memories. The name... the name... The memory of her first meeting the other Blood Oath members came to mind. Mac, Opal, Mack, Seul...  

"Wait..." Snow perked up a little. "Did you say Seul?"

She felt her hand get increasingly numb and turned to the two crabs having a hay day with her hand. She plucked them off one by one and squeezed them until they surrendered their lives into useful ingredients. Snow puffed her cheeks in irritation and rubbed at her hand until the feeling returned. She held out her hand and watched the patches of exposed red polygons mend over. Then, directed her attention back at Shield.

"I met him before," Snow mentioned. "We never really talked, but I remember him. He's alive! Thank goodness..."

Snow exhaled a breath of relief. Until then, she thought all the former members of the Blood Oath dead or missing. She never added Seul officially to her friend's list, but she remembered his presence at the few gatherings she attended. If he was alive, maybe some of the others were still around. The sense of brooding and self defeat took a back burner. At the moment, she was just glad.

@Shield

The girl returned to town, her journey quiet. She thought over her actions and the message of the quest itself. It was something told a thousand times over in stories and books, but in person, it felt different. Although still just a story written for a game, it made Snow think differently. Her perception and actions had consequences. Although some people could now sleep, the cost was silencing unobtainable love. Why were there two minotaurs? Were there two lovers? Did she love both of them, but all they would do is fight? Did they die fighting one another, reincarnated as beasts?

Whatever the legend or lore, Snow tried to bury it in her mind. The quest was over. Today, she would take the rest of the evening off. Snow's mood no longer wished to grind for experience. She just wanted some quiet, and to be comforted by a warm fire. 

Conclusion:

+1 Thread SP
+2 Quest SP
+1 Quarantine SP
+1 Yui's Grace 5/5 SP
+1,000 col
+4 [T1 Materials]
+<<Hoya of Minos>>
+ <<Rare Trinket #150265>>

Lootable Monster Rolls:

Confused, Snow sat alone in a dusty, dimly lit chamber. The soft sound of metal chimed against stone behind her and startled her. She turned around to where the pendant magically hovered and now sat lifeless. It's shape reminded the girl of entangled knots. She assumed it was made of gold or brass. Snow lifted it in her palm and prompted the tooltip to appear. 

<<Hoya of Minos>> it read. <<A knot formed of the unity of two despite the cruelty of circumstance and fate.>>

Snow pondered its meaning. Did it have something to do with the two minotaurs? With the ghost? Was this some sad tale of a two lovers who could not be together. That even in death they could not feel each other's touch? Snow felt morose and sobered by the idea. She felt guilty. Even if it was just some plot given to a quest, Snow felt her actions denied them the only thing they wanted.

"I should take this back to town..." Snow added the pendent to her inventory. "Maybe now everyone can find some rest. Some... peace..."

The blonde questioned why? What was the meaning? Was she supposed to attack the minotaur? Was this some part of the quest's design?

As she wondered the ghost's pain, Snow heard the thunder of footsteps. She turned only to narrowly avoid the battered edge of an axe. Its dulled and rusted blade crossed her eyesight by no more than a few hairs' breadth. Snow stammered backwards until she stopped against the altar. The wight lowered herself to Snow and its ghostly arms looked as though they tried to hold Snow down. She felt no resistance, no pain, just a cooling prickle on her skin where ghost and player met.

The minotaur roared, angrily. It huffed and charged. Snow looked through the ghost's saddened eyes and to the closing target. She hefted her self up, lifted her spear, and with minimal assist from the system, watched the beast impale itself through the heart.

It halted half the length of Sif's Needle, axe still raised. The ghost and the beast met. Her faint and slim fingers reached out to touch its face. Even in those black, soulless eyes, Snow swore she saw sorrow.

The minotaur distorted, and broke into a rain of shattered pixels. The wight wailed and thrashed. Then, like a bad nightmare, disappeared. 

Snow winced as the haze of debris cascaded from above. The minotaur grunted and shook the daze off from colliding with the brittle stone wall. The tip of one of its horns remained embedded into the aged marble. It struggled to regain its focus too much to notice. Snow wasn't about to let the opportunity go to waste. She tucked the length of her spear against her body and her weapon's lumious hue blurred a straight line into the beast. The tip plunged into its side and pinned it against the wall in another flurry of dust and dirt. The ruins themselves rumbled from the mighty charge. 

As Snow lifted the creature off its feet, the wight shrieked behind her and broke her focus. Instead of slamming the minotaur into the ground, she let it fall back to its knees. The blonde stepped back and covered her ears from the pitched shrill. She turned to the resemblance of a woman and couldn't help but notice her pained expression. The maiden seemed to be in pain. Not for Snow, but the minotaur.

A twin of what she fought on the surface raised itself from its knelt position in front of the altar. Black, beady eyes turned to meet Snow and a haze of hot, vile breath escaped from the bull's nostrils. Another <<Hoya Minotaur>> squared off with her in the small room. It hefted its axe, chipped along its edge, and prepared to defend its territory. The ghastly wisp behind it reached out, but Snow struggle to identify if it reached out for her, or the beast. Regardless, the blonde fetched her spear from her back. Like before, the monstrosity charged first.

Snow slid into a wide stance and felt the rev of Cardinal's assist. Her weapon began to shift to a bluish hue. Then, like two strikes from a viper, the blade of her spear lashed out at the charging minotaur's knees. The sound of steel plunging into meat accented both strike followed by the howl of pain from her foe. The beast staggered, and fell forward. Its head collided with the warn walls and summoned a shower of dust and dirt from the cracked ceiling above. 

The change of topics helped. Still, after today's events, a weight seemed lifted off he chest. She had him to thank for that even if the means didn't quite justify the gains. Snow took her final draw from the mug of tea. It allowed her time to contemplate his question to which even afterward she still fell blank.

"I'm not sure," she replied as she set her empty glass upon its saucer. "I'm just worrying about survival at this point. Before the guild disbanded, they gave me some equipment. That's kept me alive so far. I guess I'm just trying to go through the motions until I find something comfortable."

"I'm not the type that wants to rush into a fight and hack things to bits. I really just want to help those kinds of players succeed. Someone told be a tank is a good idea, but... I don't know if I can get attacked all the time either. They told me to get a spear so I wouldn't have to get too close to fight. And good armor so I wouldn't be scared of getting hit. That's about all I know right now."

She turned to him.

"What kind of role are you? My idea of a front liner is like a group of knights. Is that what you are?"

Talking calmed Snow down. She still felt at peace, but her tears had all but dried. Some day, she would have to thank Calrex for his kindness. She owed him so much already.

@Calrex

Tank lady...

By now, Assassin made herself comfortable on the floor. The soft breaths of a deep slumber already came from her. The look of sadness and concern possessed Snow's features. To think this poor child accepted this as normal... What a horrible way to grow up. The sight made the blonde lose all of her appetite. It truly didn't matter if she felt full, the food meant nothing here. From her chair, Snow sighed and looked through the window to the setting sun between the floors of Aincrad. What a terrible place, but so deceivingly beautiful.

"What sick a sick bastard to turn this art to a prison..." The words left Snow's lips as spoken thought, quiet enough to let Assassin sleep. 

She took a moment, letting the sun almost vanish beneath the horizon. The sky took on an almost purple hue. Enough time passed to let her companion slip deep beneath the waves of slumber. The blonde rose from her seat and knelt beside Assassin's tiny frame. Carefully, she scooped her arms under her and lifted her up. Snow carried the child to the bed and laid her properly to rest.

"Stubborn girl." Snow smiled. She admired Assassin's strength despite her stature. Such a strong will in a tiny body. She pulled the sheets over her. Snow then returned to table. She slid the cold food out of the way, sat in her chair, and laid her head in the crook of her arm. Eyes on Assassin, the blonde let sleep take her and a dreamless rest dulled her senses.

@Assassin

"I see." She kept her responses short. 

Snow took a deep breath. Her face emerged from the safety of her knees and the peeked over them to the still pool. The faint ripples from Shield's constant casting reflected all the ambient light like a false aurora borealis across the jagged ceiling. Her placid expression cracked a brief smile. The girl relaxed her legs and her feet slipped beneath the warm water again. She watched as the slight ripples finally made it to shore and ended at her ankles.

She tried to think of what to add to the conversation but felt silenced. Snow really just wanted someone to confide in. Her usual self just let it all out. She knew it wasn't the best way to meet people or get to know them. Perhaps some kind of nervous habit she had? But she looked at water's edge quietly.

Just stick to the guild. Keep this as a learning experience. There will be other days. You have to make new memories now, Alyssa. Old life or not, this is now. This is where you are.

Snow felt something on her hand and noticed another small crab and its friend raise their claws to her. There was no pain in SAO. They couldn't do anything to her. Snow turned her attention back to the water. She could pry them off her hands later. For now, she'd quietly listen to Shield talk about the guild. She would meet them one day. Why not learn some things to break the ice with?

@Shield

The young valkyrie stood. With a raised brow, she looked toe the two entrances to the room and paused.

Uh... which way was I going?

Another scream ripped through the ruins in an echo. The hair on the back of her neck stood. Whatever made the noise, it certainly wasn't human. Snow already came this far. She took a deep breath, feeling more refreshed and worked her way out of the crater and toward the noise. The tunnel thinned and the sconces that lit the ruins thus far faded from view. Pure, damp darkness surrounded her. Faint growls, clanks, and harrowing shrieks lead her. She felt a weight in her chest. 

The sounds grew until she entered into a final room. At the back of the bead end, an altar stood. A faint outline of a woman hauntingly floated above it. Atop the altar, a pendant hovered. Snow moved to get a closer look, but she felt something else in the room.

The air of the fourth floor held still today. Fresh powder blanketed the ground and sparkled softly in the faint light. Each step sunk at least a foot into the surface. In her hands, Snow held a small parcel wrapped in a white and blue handkerchief. For weeks, the girl made the same journey from her Sushi Restaurant in Umbra. Each trip ended at a lake just shy of an hour from town. Most people ignored it. Tucked away from view in a forest, the serene lake remained frozen most of the year. Frozen lakes meant more effort for the same materials players could gather on more temperate floors. Snow, on the other hand, came for a different reason.

On the edge of the lake stood a small cottage. The home belonged to another player she met several weeks ago. Their meeting ended on less than favorable terms, but the girl still harbored some guilt. Every weekend, Snow brought several maki rolls, sandwiches, and baked treats to Mari's doorstep. She tried her best to remain undetected. Her embarrassment from their first meeting still weighed heavily on her. Embarrassed and guilty, Snow still felt for Mari and wanted her to know at least someone cared. 

As she grew close to the house, the young blonde cautiously kept to the treeline. She looked left, then right. Coast seemed clear. She trudged through the snow and up to Mari's porch. She peeked through from the lowermost corner, but only saw a flickering hearth and kettle softly hissing steam. Snow gulped down anxiety. It looked like Mari was either home, or still close. She set down the tightly wrapped package and knocked softly on the door twice. As quick as she could, Snow turned to run.

She hit the end of Mari's porch, but stopped just shy of the snow. The soft orange glow of lantern light froze her in her steps. Just a ways down the lake's shore a figure hunched over. Snow ducked behind a pillar and kept watch. Was it Mari? What was she doing? Another orange player maybe?

@Mari

When Calrex bowed and formally apologized, Snow felt heat rise in her cheeks and her eyes began to sting. He wasn't to blame. He wasn't...

Tears began to flow down her face. She couldn't hold them back. Her throat tightened. She shook her head. She tried to stop. She made enough scenes for one day. But... seeing him apologize. Seeing him acknowledge her loss and take responsibility, even if it was in part, filled her with both sadness and at the same time, peace.

"S-stop." She managed with a quiver of her breath. "Sit up. Please."

Her hands tended to her tears. She sniffled and struggled to regain composure. She finally calmed herself and took a few steady breaths. She could see now why Daire liked him. To think people like him even still existed in this place...

"Let's just... forget it all." Snow fell quiet and took a drink from her mug. Only a little remained. Snow's voice became quiet and timid. "Thank you, Calrex... you're a sweet man..."

@Calrex