Cygnus

Cygnus thanked Baldur and bowed slightly when the man gave him a teleport crystal. This would for sure be useful to him. It might even save his life.looked over at Baldur as he mentioned a lot of players forewent accuracy buffs. Cygnus chuckled when he said that when you miss, the damage you deal is always zero. "Indeed!" He agreed. "I have an item at a shop that I ordered. It's supposed to give me a major buff to my Accuracy. It's not done yet, though." He frowned as they continued on their journey. When Baldur mentioned his shop, Cygnus looked over at him. He remembered that Baldur had a shop on the first floor. In fact, they had met each other for the first time near that shop. He had heard through the grapevine that Baldur didn't charge a mark up on healing potions. That alone spoke volumes about his character. He had to go pick up some potions from there sometime. He smiled at Baldur and spoke. "It is very kind of you to not put a mark up on healing potions. They are in high demand, especially among lower-level players. You could make some decent Col." 

"Hm?" Cygnus gave Kasier a confused look when she thanked him for sharing the loot. Cygnus was a nice guy by nature, so it was just a given for him to split the loot with a party member. She would be healing him after all. That, and she would need it far more than he would. The warrior simply smiled, giving Kasier a "Sure, you're welcome. I'm happy to help. Just pay it forward." He wanted to start the chain reaction of kindness. He thought on a conversation he had with Emblem, where he said that the best and worst of humanity revealed itself in this situation. He was determined to continue this. He wanted everyone to work together. For the good nature of humanity to win out against the bad. That was their best chance to get out of this alive. At least, that's what Cygnus thought. 

Cygnus chuckled when Avilon had a mini celebration about being a higher level than him that resulted in her falling into the snow. He moved to help her up, but she had already picked herself up off the ground. He understood her excitement. It put in perspective how far you had come when you see someone who has not made it quite so far. He bowed respectfully when Avilon introduced herself. "A pleasure, Sir Avilon." He said, addressing her like one would a knight. He hoped that would help with her sheepishness. The warrior then straightened his posture. He wanted to chuckle at the name she gave herself. It spoke to her personality, or so he hoped. He wanted to be something similar himself. Give hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, comfort to those in despair, and all that. He started to think a little about his own fancy title but decided to save that for later. This girl was... interesting. Her childlike demeanor caught him off-guard at first, but now it served to comfort him. Strangely, he wasn't even aware he needed comfort. "So, uh... Avi, do you come here often?" He asked her. The brunette man cursed himself for stumbling over his words. He never really used nicknames before, being trained up since he was a child to be a perfect, respectful, high society gentleman. 

Cygnus chuckled nervously and blushed with embarrassment when Kasier  complimented his knowledge of the game. He wasn't sure he knew a lot, but he had been here long enough and had enough people help him to where he learned some things someone starting out might find useful. He was happy to get a chance to pay forward the favors done for him. Honestly, he found it almost adorable that she was more likely to heal a boar than fight one. They were data, just some ones and zeroes that looked like a boar . It would respawn when killed anyway, but he admired this girl's gentle soul. It seemed she really was fit for a healer role. He smiled and looked over at her. It appeared she was embarrassed to admit that.  "Being gentle is nothing to be ashamed of, Kasier ." He decided to try and make her feel a little better about having admitted that.

"I wasn't a fighter either when I first came to Aincrad. I remember how nervous I was before my first battle." He chuckled to himself. "Anyway, I guess my point is, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You'll find your way." As Cygnus said that, he spotted the entrance to one of the forested areas. It looked to be just the place he was looking for. A few boars stood in the way, however. Four in total. He looked back at Kasier . "Let's get a warm up in. Get you your first taste of what you'll be doing. I don't think i'll need to be healed, but stand ready. Anything can happen." It occurred to him then that he didn't even ask if she was ready. Sure, he'd be doing the fighting, but being around combat when you're not used to it might be a little intimidating. He could just take them out quickly with a Sword Art. It might be better that way. With a smirk, he looked back at Kasier, giving her a thumbs up. "Watch this."

He drew Gavel from her sheath and sprung into action quickly, not even hesitating. He executed his cheapest AoE Sword Art, Eruption. He pivoted on his heel, his body making several rotations as his razor-sharp, silvery blade cut the mobs to ribbons like they were made of wet tissue paper. As they exploded in a brilliant shower of blue pixels, Cygnus looked back at his party member. "Sword Arts." He said simply and sheathed his sword, dismissing the loot menu after transferring half of what they found to his party member. "Hold onto those by the way. May be useful if you take a profession. If not, some accept them as a form of payment for goods and services. Two won't get you much though. We'll find more."

Cygnus listened as Avilon spoke of encountering a few wolves some time ago. He wondered what her level was if she was able to take them out so easily.As he wondered this, Avilon asked him what level he was. He hesitated for just a second. She was clearly of a higher level than him, so maybe it wouldn't be smart to tell her that he wasn't even level 10 yet. He felt bad for being suspicious, though. She seemed perfectly nice. Besides, they were in a safe zone at the moment. Deciding to take a chance, he spoke. "I'm only level 9. This is the highest floor i've gone to by myself. I've been higher, but that's usually when I have people with me." He chuckled nervously. They were engaged in conversation, so Cygnus figured it would be rude not to introduce himself. "I am Cygnus, by the way. A pleasure to meet you. miss."

Cygnus responded to Baldur thanking him for inviting him to come along. "Oh, it's no problem, really. Thanks for coming. Like I said, I couldn't handle it on my own." He hadn't known Baldur for long, but the higher-level player had been very kind to him since he started. The lower-level player had a lot of respect for the guy too and his willingness to help out those smaller than himself. He could see them being fast friends-- perhaps something deeper. He never really had a brother in arms before, and now that he did, he wanted to know everything Baldur had to teach him. He chuckled nervously when his partner asked if he had any teleport crystals. "Sorry, I don't. They've been out of my price range for awhile. I think I have enough to buy one, though." He opened his menu and checked how much Col he had. "I have a bit over 2000 Col." He frowned at his lack of funds. How could he ever afford his own house? He waved away his money concerns and checked to make sure everything in his inventory was in order.

Once he was finished, he followed Baldur outside the city. When he asked Cygnus about his skills, the brunette scratched his head. "Unfortunately, I have not. I was planning to max out my weapon skill first. But if you have any suggestions..." Baldur was clearly more experienced than him, so he likely knew what he was talking about. Therefore, Cygnus was very interested in hearing his input. He thought on the battle ahead, however. Was it really not that difficult? With Baldur here, it likely wouldn't take a long time or be all that dangerous, but he came prepared with a couple of Greater Damage Mitigation Potions and a couple of Greater Health Potions just in case.

Cygnus opened his eyes and his cheeks turned slightly pink at the mention of having lunch. He hadn't had lunch with a girl in a very long time. Not since Miki. He almost panicked and began to consider turning her down, but he was snapped out of it by her saying that he never told her his username. He stood immediately, bowing apologetically. "Forgive me, miss. It's Cygnus." He couldn't believe he forgot to introduce himself. That was etiquette 101. He had gotten far too lax since he came here. He thanked his lucky stars he was far away from his instructor's ruler and straightened his posture again. With a smile, he gestured for her to follow him. "Come on. I know a good spot." He led her out of the southernmost exit of the Town of Beginnings.

They began walking through the fields after that. He gestured around to the boars that littered the area. "Boars," he stated simply, "these are your standard mobs. Great for lower-level players. One can be deadly for the ill-equipped, unfortunately, so get some gear and some XP first if you were thinking about fighting them on your own." He looked back at her. "We won't be fighting these, however. We're gonna go for something just a little more challenging." He grinned. "I saw a giant bird-like mob spawn in the forests one time. I was too low level to handle it before, but maybe I can now. Like I said, just stay behind me. I'll make sure you'll be okay. I have a Greater Damage Mitigation potion on me if it gets too hairy for you, but we shouldn't need it as long as you keep your distance." As they walked, Cygnus opened up his menu and sent Kasier a party invite. It would be easier for her to track his health that way.

Cygnus had gone on one of his strolls through town. The day was treating him well. Weather was perfect (though it was always), nothing had gone wrong, and he even managed to meet a few new people. All was right with the world. He came across a small gathering, however, and looked to see that Rain was at a booth giving away potions. He noted his lack of healing and approached the booth, placing his order. "Good day, Rain. If you're just giving those away, i'd like a couple of the Greater Health Potions and a Minor Elixir." This was some good stock. He had to visit Rain's shop some time...

As Kooh tried to walk away, Cygnus got in front of her and blocked her path. "What part of "you almost died" do you not understand?" A hint of desperation found its way into his voice. "Why is this not a big deal to you? You are aware death is permanent here, right?" He got closer. "Aren't you the tiniest bit afraid?" Even if Kooh wasn't, he was. That battle was the first time he really feared for his own life as well as someone else's. He was still processing it and that feeling of fear still had a tight hold on him. He couldn't say anything else, he just looked at Kooh with that same confused expression.

Cygnus growled at the wolves, dashing forward and executing his Sword Art, Eruption. With a roar, the warrior charged forward , pivoting on his heel and cleaving the weakened mobs in two before they exploded in a shower of pixels. Cygnus slicked his hair back and grinned, turning his attention to Emblem. "Nice work!" He sheathed his sword and transferred half of what the mobs gave to Emblem. "I hit a rough patch there for a second, but I think it worked out okay." He stretched. "So, wanna head back to town? We can go after some more mobs if you want, though." 

Cygnus began to feel a little bit uncomfortable when Kasier got very formal with him. He felt like he was in another awkward meeting of high society back home. He shook off the feeling and smiled at her,leaning back in the bench. "If you're looking to grow, I can help with that. I wouldn't be where I am today without the kindness of strangers, so I like to pay it forward." He looked over at her. "We can go outside the city and hunt if you would like. I can protect us both. Just stay behind me and you'll be fine." He paused and looked up at the sky. "Or we can just take a rain check on that and just sit here and chat. It's up to you." He seemed more relaxed now as he stretched his arms and yawned. "I could go either way. It's a nice day out. Perfect relaxation conditions." He closed his eyes as a cool breeze washed over his face.

Cygnus stared at her in disbelief. She had almost died, and there she was standing there as if nothing had happened. As she asked if they were going to leave, Cygnus put up one hand as a "stop" signal. "Hold on, you are aware you almost died, right? Half a second slower, i'm serious about that, half a second, you would be dead right now." His tone was a mix of disbelief and a small amount of bubbling frustration. He was frustrated because he was so worried about her and she just shrugged it off like it was no big deal. His face had confusion and a host of other emotions etched into it. Kooh treating her near-death experience like this perplexed and almost angered him. "I was so worried, and here you are just... just..." the rest of his sentence got caught in his throat. He wasn't used to speaking like this to begin with.

The tone the warrior had been waiting for finally sounded. He pulled up his messenger, seeing that Baldur had made it to his location and was asking where they should meet. Luckily, the inn was conveniently located near the teleport plaza. Cygnus shot a quick message back.

"I'm actually close. I'll meet you there."

The brunette dismissed his menu and began making his way to the teleport plaza. When Cygnus got there, he began scanning the crowd of people for Baldur. It was difficult because of how many people there were, but Cygnus eventually found who he was looking for. He approached Baldur and bowed respectfully. "Good afternoon, Baldur. Glad you could make it." He smiled, realizing how much more comfortable he felt around one of his own countrymen. Cygnus was Japanese by birth, but he was raised in various places around the world. He considered himself Japanese, however, and so was happy when he came across someone from the same place. "So, are you prepared and everything? Ready to get this started?"

The brunette warrior's gaze shifted to the girl that had greeted him. He eyes her for a moment, wondering if she knew anything about this floor. He decided to strike up a conversation with her and hopefully bring up a question or two about it. Her question confused him, though. He looked down at himself to see how he was dressed. He was in his armor, the shiny back-tinted metal reflecting the light of the morning sun that was also reflecting off of the snow. It wasn't... warm, necessarily. But it kept him protected. He had a heavy jacket he could probably put on, but this felt safer. He smiled at her and responded to her question. "I'm looking to go out and hunt mobs soon. Don't know much about the types of mobs that spawn here though." He yawned and scratched his head. "I'll admit, you are better dressed for the weather than I." 

Cygnus watched as Emblem ran off to get the first strike in on the mob. He followed behind, ready to strike once Emblem gave him the go-ahead. When he did so, however, the wolf he was aiming for leapt right out of the way of his blade. He cursed in frustration and held his blade at the ready, ready to defend himself if the mob attempted a counterattack. He hated missing like this. It was embarrassing. Hopefully, Emblem could succeed where he failed and finish them off. He hoped so, anyway.

Can I get a lock on this pretty please?

Cygnus nodded as Helios stated that the boars wouldn't aggro them as long as they kept their distance and even if they did, the trio could make short work of them. "I agree. Let's get going then." His mood improved greatly once they were ready to go. Now that combat was involved, he couldn't care less about the rest of his day. It was probably going to be great assuming all went well with their hunt. He gestured for his party to follow as he walked deeper into the fields, hoping to find stronger, more interesting mobs the further away they got from town.

Thread Summary

Cygnus: + 1 SP, 133 Col

Helios: + 1 SP, 133 Col

Jazmyne: + 1 SP, 133 Col

Thread Complete

Cygnus shivered in the freezing wind as he left the inn he had stayed the night in. The inn had a fire going, so it wasn't so bad inside, but in the early morning, it was freezing cold and a light snow was falling. Cygnus always despised the cold. He wasn't a fan of blistering hot climates either, but he almost felt like he could handle those better than he could handle this. "Damn this snow..." he mumbled, trying to think about what he was going to do today. Hunting mobs seemed to be the easiest option, but he hadn't been on this floor long and didn't even know what mobs were here. He didn't feel comfortable jumping into a situation he may very well be ill-equipped to handle. He grumbled and thought about heading back into the inn until he had a concrete plan, but decided to wait here until he met a player who knew more about this floor than he did. He was sorely in need of information.

Cygnus was in the middle of a stroll through the Town of Beginnings. Though he had moved on to other floors, he always liked to come back to this area. It was familiar, and that comforted him. He felt like he could relax best here. He had spent so much time around town when he first started out that he knew this place like the back of his hand. He was currently headed to one of his favorite spots; a park near the center of town. He had a specific bench in mind as well, where he would take naps when he went out for a stroll. He approached his usual bench, but noticed a girl sitting in it. She was garbed in the starter clothing. A newbie, by the looks of it. He walked up to her and bowed respectfully. "A good day to you, miss. Mind if I join you?" If he was given permission, he would sit down. "I like this place. It always seems peaceful. Forgive me if this is inappropriate, but I can't help but notice your lack of gear. You're just starting out, huh?"

Cygnus sat on the stone steps leading up to the inn in the fortress city of Nimbus. He had taken a quest called <<Case of Wurms>> just a little while ago. He knew he couldn't handle this quest by himself, so he began scrolling through his friend list to find someone who could potentially help him out. He eventually came across Baldur's name. He remembered the player from way back when he started. He seemed like a perfectly nice fellow and Cygnus considered him a friend. Making his decision, the anxious warrior opened up his messenger and sent Baldur a message.

"Hello Baldur! Remember me? I had a thought to tackle the <<Case of Wurms>> quest, but I can't do it alone. I was wondering if you would like to give me a hand. I think we could find some good combat and have a lot of fun."

He sent the message and stretched, dismissing his menu. Now came the hardest part; waiting.

I will be taking this quest with Baldur.

Cygnus looked around when Emblem stated that he was ready whenever Cygnus was. The brunette frowned. No mobs were nearby. Just as he was about to vent his disappointment, the warrior spotted something that made him smile. A mob had just spawned some distance away from them. They were a small pack of Dire Wolves, just four in number. Two of them looked to be on guard, while the other two laid on the grass and cleaned themselves. "Hey, look over there. A few Dire Wolves just ripe for the picking." He smirked and readied his weapon. "Would you like to do the honors this time?" He grinned at his friend.

Cygnus didn't even stop to register his victory over the mobs. Kooh was down to her last sliver of HP, and by the looks of things, this Dark Elf was getting ready to finish the job. Cygnus continued his spin from his Sword Art, making it to where the Dark Elf was just as the mob struck to end Kooh's life, his dirk made contact with Cygnus's blade just in time, sending sparks flying. As the dark Elf looked at Cygnus in shock, probably realizing his fellows were dead, he heard the warrior hiss one phrase; "You will not have her." Without hesitation, he smashed his head against the Dark Elf's sending him sprawling to the ground. Before his back even touched the hard, dusty earth, however, Cygnus plunged his blade into his chest. The rogue let out a weak chuckle before exploding into thousands of pixels. With the battle finished, Cygnus turned around to face Kooh so he could make sure she was okay. "Are you okay? That was a close call. If I had been just a half second slower..."

Cygnus ducked under the Captain's sword and smirked as it bit into the bark of a tree nearby. His smirk quickly faded however when he saw Kooh's HP. It was almost down to nothing. "Kooh! Hang on, i'm coming!" He desperately fought back as many of the strikes as possible. "God damn it! Get out of my way!" He roared, pivoting on his heel and executing his Sword Art, Eruption. Cygnus spun around, cleaving through the soldiers as though they were nothing. The Captain brought up his shield to try and block the blow, but Gavel sliced right trough the metal and cleaved the Elf in two. His targets burst into a rain of blue pixels. The warrior paid them no mind and charged forward, praying he got to Kooh before her attacker did.

The Rogue cried out as Kooh swiped her claws across his face, ripping off his mask. The Elf growled and attempted a retaliatory strike, but he was partially blinded from the blow and his attack went right past her. Cygnus had a chance to take him out now. He had to be sure to not waste it.

Cygnus's eyes widened as he saw Kooh fall to the ground after being stabbed by the masked elf. He just had to get to her. He just had to. He looked at his own health bar as it dwindled away, almost into yellow. He could hardly withstand their assault. The warrior desperately tried to parry and dodge but their attacks always seemed to find him. He began to grow more nervous, almost fearful.  What could he do if they couldn't manage to land a blow? He grunted as the captain ran him through with his blade , then tried his damndest to put some more distance between himself and his enemies.

Kooh's fight went from bad to worse, as the Elf closed the distance between them quickly with his dirk wielded backhanded and shoved his blade in her back again. With a sadistic laugh, he turned his grip around and pulled it out. "Well, little girl. Looks like our game is over." It was as if even through his mask, you could feel his savage grin.