Birdie

"Milady?" she criticized, eyebrow raised. With little choice in the matter, Birdie hesitantly took hold of Aereth's extended arm- what came next was a blur.

By the time it was over, her eyes were sealed and wrapped impossibly tight around his neck, clutching onto him for dear life. "... is... is it over?" After five seconds passed without any movement, she inched a single eye open and was met with an open plain, trees scattered here and there with docile creatures roaming the land, and finally, the back of Aereth's head. "What...-"

"-the hell were you thinking!" She leapt off her ex-rival and bent her knees upon landing, glaring at him with the fury of a thousand Suns. "It wouldn't have taken that long to get down, do you know how irresponsible that was! Oh God, what if you fell? What if we died?!" Shifting from feelings of anger to unease in less than three seconds, she softened her eyes and sighed. "How the hell did you know that was going to work?"

@Aereth

"Don't worry about me, go!" she screamed in an affirming tone, watching Mac give chase to the fleeing orange player immediately after. With only a few muffled gasps escaping the dagger guy's mouth at this point, the world grew surprisingly quiet in the absence of swordplay and back-to-back insults. Birdie curiously lowered her eyes to the man she'd been subduing, keeping quiet until he posed a question. "Guess we don't get a trial in court or nothin'?" She smiled in reply and giggled, "I wouldn't bet on it, pal."

A little way through the forest, the once-cloaked figure had toppled over with his limbs barely managing to keep him upright. "Th-this is it..." the brunette mumbled, defeated by the overwhelming effects of Macradon's stun. "This is how it ends... all that planning... a-all that strategizing, theory-crafting, building relations... all for nothing." The man glared at Mac from the corner of his eye, eyebrows pulling together in a vague attempt to seem threatening. "W-well, what are you waiting for... finish the job off. Just... kill me..." he pleaded, eyes pressing shut.

@Macradon

- Attack Roll -
Ahh, gotcha.
Also: nada, nope, no roll.

- Health List -
<Birdie>                 700/700  HP ||  43 MIT || 18 DMG ||  46/70  NRG
<Macradon>              1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT || 19 DMG || 114/134 NRG

<Dagger Guy>              42/755  HP ||  48 MIT || 12 DMG ||  68/74  NRG 
<Orange Axe Guy>         311/680  HP ||  43 MIT || 10 DMG ||  56/68  NRG - Stunned -

When Aereth talked about the Martial Arts quest giver, she couldn't help but chuckle and roll her eyes. "You think highly of that NPC, I see." A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes as he explained the mechanics of the crystals, though she was quick to mask it with an understanding smile. "So that's what you mean by random. That... makes a lot more sense now, even if it is a little disappointing." In her mind, she imagined teleporting around the floor until they landed right in the middle of the Queen's domain. Looking back, it did seem like a childish desire.

The only way down the hill was a steep curvy path, it brought a bad feeling to the bluenette's stomach just looking upon it. As Aereth mentioned their first lesson with Itzal on the eleventh floor, she lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. "M-most of it... whyyyy?" the woman asked cautiously, recalling the events that transpired that very day. A lot of searching... we found a ruin... I think he and Itzal ran off at some point... What does that have to do with this? W-what on Earth is that man planning? she regretted even asking herself.

@Aereth

Fifty hit points? Birdie wondered. The skill's usefulness extended way beyond the DPS role she assumed, all players benefitted from such an impressive amount of regeneration, tanks especially. At first, he had her curiosity but he had her attention, and she'd undoubtedly pick up the skill sooner than later.

She halted her next step abruptly. "Say wha-?" Of course, the bluenette had taken the liberty of sorting through her inventory prior to arriving on the eighth floor. Wearing her Seasilk Vest beneath a vanity half-breastplate, Vanguard Signet across her left index finger and Tempest Fleuret fastened to the West side of her waist, she was more than ready to tackle whatever was ahead. "Ready to go, boss. I'm feeling confident enough without potions this time around- I'll save them for when it really matters-" like the boss room, she wanted to finish. Just as the last word left her mouth, Sirius barked and came rampaging through a forest brush, chasing after the purple dragon who'd stolen a stick he'd grown rather fond of. They passed their tamers in a flash and moved deep into Money King territory. Her eyes shot wide open, "Dang it, you guys!"

@Itzal

The axe flew from his grip and fell into a thick of nearby brush. The brunette's lips distance themselves as he tried to speak, though words didn't leave his mouth. He was defeated. Beaten. Toyed with like a useless kitten... All of his wit was exhausted on petty remarks and useless taunts that when he tried to think of a clever retort, nothing but blanks came to mind. He'd tried every trick in his book, every possible solution to this problem and to what effect? At what cost? His well-thought out plan to murder low-level players in cold blood led to such a sorry outcome, and his pride was shattered after being played around with by a player double his own level.

It was clear that there was no making it out alive, not in any capacity he wanted to be. His friend was already captured, held down by the Knight's companion... he didn't want that same fate. "F**king scum!" Twisting on the balls of his feet, he turned and sprinted as fast as he could the opposite way. Perhaps the loss of his weapon would allow him to outrun the Knight? He didn't know why he bothered trying. It would be useless. But there was nothing else he could do.

- Attack Roll -
Can the Dagger Guy feel his arms at this point? Like, Birdie's been kneeling into them for a while.

- Health List -
<Birdie>                 700/700  HP ||  43 MIT || 18 DMG ||  46/70  NRG
<Macradon>              1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT || 19 DMG || 114/134 NRG

<Dagger Guy>              42/755  HP ||  48 MIT || 12 DMG ||  68/74  NRG 
<Orange Axe Guy>         463/680  HP ||  43 MIT || 10 DMG ||  56/68  NRG

@Macradon

"Vacant locations... I see. Slim chance that'll be any place noteworthy," Birdie muttered under her breath, curiously gazing at the stone. "Yeah, I'll see- Aereth?" She stared at the spot where he once stood, blinking. Releasing a sigh the bluenette rolled her eyes, and brought a hand to the crystal, tapping the item's side to twice to activate it. "See you down there."

---down there---

Blinding white light enveloped her vision and faded just as quick, revealing a grand view of the hilly landscapes which made the second floor so appealing. As the woman turned her head sideways, a small hut resided on her left and Aereth was stood waiting to her right. "You weren't kidding, I literally have, like, no idea where we are... oh, though I think that hill right over there is Urbus," she proposed, pointing towards a green hilltop in the distance. An inspection of her mini-map didn't do much to help, either. "Alright, let'spick up this quest at a notice board and see how far away this new wasp queen thing is..." The bluenette hummed curiously. "Hey, what happens if you use a teleportation crystal on the floor that you're on? Think it could bring us closer to the boss?"

@Aereth

The brunette glanced up to see orange now floating above his head. It wasn't his plan to commit a crime until he achieved a high rank in Laughing Coffin, at which point he'd betray all the green players whose trust he'd earn in the meantime. The Knight appeared to have other plans, however, and as his axe struck the heavily-armoured man, not even a pixel drained from the rock-solid health bar. He gasped in pain as Mac's Galaxy Destroyer dealt a third of his hit points and clutched the axe even tighter, swinging it frantically to threaten Mac and create some distance between them. "Sod off and breed some better insults, y-you... slave of the Knights!" His resilience and will to fight were beginning to crumble, the once-imposing facade he wore so proudly falling apart at the seams.

As the dagger wielder struggled beneath her, Birdie pulled his arms further across his back and jammed her knee deeper into his back, almost hard enough to cease a hit point.

- Attack Roll -
Nothin' to see here.

- Health List -
<Birdie>                 700/700  HP ||  43 MIT || 18 DMG ||  46/70  NRG
<Macradon>              1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT || 19 DMG || 115/134 NRG

<Dagger Guy>              42/755  HP ||  48 MIT || 12 DMG ||  68/74  NRG 
<Axe Guy><Orange Cursor> 463/680  HP ||  43 MIT || 10 DMG ||  57/68  NRG

@Macradon

As Aereth mentioned putting an end to his nightmare, Birdie wanted so desperately to frown but she didn't- she couldn't. He was right. The nature of seeking vengeance against Laughing Coffin and its affiliates meant that in all likelihood, he could succumb to the same fate as the PK'ers he sought to kill, and it was a price he was graciously willing to pay. It was a daunting possibility and one the bluenette didn't want to think about, but she could at least admire his dedication to the cause. Closing out their perhaps most depressing conversation to date, she gave him a weak, feeble smile.

"We're rolling the dice on this one? Alright, sure." She inspected the crystal briefly before shoving it away, raising her eyes back to Aereth. "Mhm, if memory serves right then the camp should be right around... aha!" Passing one last tree that led away from the forest, the Elven camp came into sight nearby. "I'll be right-"

---minutes later---

"-back!" Running back from the Elves' camp, the bluenette called out to Aereth as he drew closer. "Sorry I took so long, the Elf Commander seems to enjoy the sound of his own voice." Birdie rolled her eyes. "So, about these crystals. Will our destination be completely random? Like, it doesn't follow a pattern or pre-designated locations or anything?" She called up her inventory and materialised the crystalline rock, priming it for when he gave the go-ahead.

@Aereth No sweat. ^^

Pulling up beside Jon, she smiled after hearing he wasn't upset by her tardiness. "No problem, I drank a damage potion beforehand so I should be able to hit sufficiently, it's just a question of whether or not I can hit the slimy little bastard. Terra Firma's evasion is off the charts, right?" Glancing sidelong at the man, she continued. "If that's the case, we should prepare for a long fight. I don't need to tell you this but if we spend too long fighting that thing, our chances of walking from it probably won't be so good. Especially with this damn heat..."

Despite packing light with feather-weight armour and a vanity half-breastplate, the scorching temperature weighed down on the bluenette. Although artificial, exposure to the Sun a threat to their health both mentally and physically, and Birdie knew it all too well. "Let's head out, we'll be cooked through if we're stood around too long. How far do you think we'll be travelling?"

@Morgenstern

A panic-stricken gasp was given when his axe was thrown aside and he dropped to his knees, scrambling for the handle. Taking his hold on the weapon once more, the cloaked figure's hood would drop down to reveal a set of mint green eyes and a head of brown hair, handsome features for an otherwise ugly personality. "Red-cloaks and your smart insults," he spat, clambering to his feet. "Why haven't you struck me down, dog? You call yourself a Knight of the Blood and yet fail to spill any? My good friend over there is ripe for the taking yet you insist on playing with me like some... delicate chew toy of yours!"

Birdie watched on in fear as Macradon and the axe-wielder stood off verbally. Powerless to stand in case the orange player got any smart ideas, she dug her knee deeper into the man's back causing him to struggle weakly. All she could do was sit and stare pensively, praying to the Gods their conflict ended with everyone's lives intact.

@Macradon

- Attack Roll -
Birdie continues to jam her knee into Dagger Guy's back.

- Health List -
<Birdie>              700/700  HP ||  43 MIT || 18 DMG ||  46/70  NRG
<Macradon>           1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT || 19 DMG || 127/134 NRG

<Dagger Guy>           42/755  HP ||  48 MIT || 12 DMG ||  68/74  NRG
<Green Coffin member> 680/680  HP ||  43 MIT || 10 DMG ||  66/68  NRG 

Bloodstained Land... Birdie mused, walking through the streets of the 21st floor on her way to a teleport gate. Based off what little she knew about the quest, it was one of those fancy evolution ones that were essentially previous floor bosses on steroids - in this case, the 5th floor's Land Shark boss. Having negotiated to meet up with Morgenstern and tackle the quest with him, she hoped to catch up and learn more about what happened since going on hiatus.

As it turned out, she was running quite late. Speaking the necessary words into the teleport gate, Birdie disappeared from the highest unlocked floor and a second later in the dusty wastes of Fortaleza. Ever since the overhaul of the lower floors, she'd found herself half-disappointed by most of the changes - upon first sight of the sandy settlement, however, it was quite nice. The old town of Armadillo was an eyesore at best, this new city breathed fresh air into an otherwise dead, dusty realm of existence.

The bluenette quickly found the tavern and Jonathon standing in front of it. "Hey!" She called out to the man, sending him a wave. A wolf-dog of ghostly appearance trailed behind her, tongue hanging from its mouth to suggest a friendly and tame personality. "Sorry I'm late, had to clear something up with a client and it ran over a little bit. You ready to do this?"

@Morgenstern

Birdie flinched when Macradon struck the dagger wielder. This is it... she thought, resigning to the notion that the man would die, and she and Mac would both have fresh blood on their hands. Watching with grief-stricken eyes, she bit down on her lip as she saw his health bar budge... and nothing more.

Frozen from a cocktail of shock, confusion and resounding relief, she'd sat still for a moment as Macradon shouted for her to hold him down. As the gears in her head started grinding once more, she shouted: "G-got it!" and sprung into action. The woman slid her Fleuret into its sheath and moved to hold down the stunned orange player, crossing the man's arms behind his back and kneeling on them to keep him firmly in place.

"Y-you... you think you're so righteous, don't you?!" screamed the cloaked figure, "Do you think your actions here serve any true purpose?! You putrid Frontliners will perish at the hands of Laughing Coffin or the floor bosses will get to you all first, killing us merely delays the inevitable!"

- Attack Roll -
Birdie sits still and looks pretty.

- Health List -
<Birdie>              700/700  HP ||  43 MIT || 18 DMG ||  46/70  NRG
<Macradon>           1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT || 19 DMG || 127/134 NRG

<Dagger Guy>           42/755  HP ||  48 MIT || 12 DMG ||  68/74  NRG - Stunned -
<Green Coffin member> 680/680  HP ||  43 MIT || 10 DMG ||  66/68  NRG 

@Macradon

As he spoke, Birdie pulled her eyes towards Aereth. All of the negative emotions welling inside of her began to subside, reassured that he wouldn't go and do anything reckless too soon. The bluenette breathed a sigh of relief, doing nothing to resist a smile. "As long as you believe you're strong enough when the time comes, I guess that's all that really matters. Thank you for being smart about this, Aer." She crossed an arm over her chest and put her hand over Aereth's, signalling the trust she held in him.

As she rested her hand on her hip, Birdie took a second to scope out the map and check out their position, wondering how far they were from the Elven camp. "Looks like it's only a minute walk back to the Elf Commander, then it'll be a brief walk back to... town... o-oh." Making the realisation that travel by teleport gate wasn't possible, she made a sidelong glance towards Aereth with troubled eyebrows. "S-so, um, how should we go about proceeding to the second floor?" 

@Aereth

"Mac!" she screamed after watching dagger guy stun the Knight where he stood. Birdie emitted a low growl as she pulled her sword arm back and shifted stances, causing a whirl of light to wrap around her blade as she shot towards the orange player. The fencer pierced her target's armour after three thrusts and laid waste on the man with eleven more, twirling and spinning as the aim assist system guided her motions. As she delivered the final stab, less than 10% of her target's health remained. Her chest rose and fell as she panted, awaiting Over Radiation's cool down to finish before finishing the monster off.

... Monster... b-but...

... this isn't a monster... he's a player... Realisation overwhelmed her. Eyes wide open, regret and guilt began welling inside the girl. Even though the dagger guy was a criminal- a cold-blooded killer, even- did he really deserve the fate they were dealing him? She felt too weak to hold up her weapon. So desperately she wanted to reverse time, go back to when the player's fate was negotiable - maybe Macradon could have called for reinforcements, had both Laughing Coffin members arrested instead?

It was too late, they were too late. All she could do was gaze powerlessly as the stunning effect started to wear off on her impromptu partner. Oh my God...

- Attack Roll -
ID: 87580
BD: 5+3=8, Hit!
Sword art used: Over Radiation - 18*14=252-48=204 DMG

- Health List -
<Birdie>              700/700  HP ||  43 MIT || 18 DMG ||  46/70  NRG (-12 NRG)
<Macradon>           1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT || 19 DMG || 127/134 NRG 

<Dagger Guy>           70/755  HP ||  48 MIT || 12 DMG ||  68/74  NRG (-204 HP)
<Green Coffin member> 680/680  HP ||  43 MIT || 10 DMG ||  66/68  NRG

@Macradon

Birdie ran as fast as her feet would allow yet she could barely up - Mac's speed was a testament to his strength and experience. Keeping an ear open as he began counting down, she braced herself on 3, held an arm out on 2 and pulled herself around a nearby tree at 1, maintaining every ounce of speed as she switched directions.

The two assailants halted when Mac charged ahead and Birdie capitalised on a fresh attack window. Shoving her blade arm backwards, she reached for the air ahead with her free arm and pushed forwards, causing a bright blue flash to emit from her Fleuret. Submitting to the aim assist system, Birdie was propelled forwards like a ray of light as she struck the body of the dagger wielder, again and again, piercing his digital skin over and over until fourteen red holes excreted blood-like particles. A wild scream pierced the air as his health fled to 40% and Birdie flipped away from his attempt to swing at her, sandwiching the Coffin members whilst the familiars blocked any exit paths.

"Enough! Enough of Opal, do you honestly believe her legacy holds any value to me?!" He barked, "She fled, disappeared- whatever! What good will come of discussing ghosts?" Assessing his surroundings, the green PK'er grimaced as he slowly came to realise how futile his situation was. It was a matter of fight or flight- and the latter wasn't an option. "Now, if you'll excuse us!" Both PK'ers powered their weapons with Sword Arts and charged straight at the Knight, ignoring their other combatants.

@Macradon

- Attack List -
ID: 87536
BD: 4+3=7, Hit!
Sword art used: Over Radiation - (18x14)-48=204 Damage

- Health List -
<Birdie>              700/700  HP ||  43 MIT || 18 DMG ||  58/70  NRG (-12 NRG)
<Macradon>           1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT || 19 DMG || 127/134 NRG 

<Dagger Guys>         274/755  HP ||  48 MIT || 12 DMG ||  68/74  NRG (-204 HP)
<Green Coffin member> 680/680  HP ||  43 MIT || 10 DMG ||  66/68  NRG

"Huh..." The idea of being able to carry fifty potions was certainly endearing, if not completely selfless. She couldn't imagine using so many skill points on it herself, though with Itzal's mantle as the greatest scout in Aincrad, it made sense that he was willing to go above and beyond to help other people. "I can see how that would be a lifesaver during boss raids. Theoretically, a merchant could make tons of bank if they set up shop by the labyrinth. Hm, I pity the guy or gal that would have to make those potions though..." Her blue bangs waved around as she shook her head, "S-sorry, off topic. So Battle Healing is a passive skill? Even if it restores like four hit points a second, that's equivalent to one health potion a minute... Sounds like a stupid thing to not have." She inclined her head into a nod, "I'll look into it, thanks for bringing it to my attention."

A fork in the road appeared ahead and Birdie honed in on the signpost. Left was the path towards another settlement, Friben Village, whilst right would lead them deeper into the forest depths. She turned to Itzal. "You're the GPS. Do you know which way we should go?"

@Itzal

She ran to the party's side opposite Mac and shielded them behind her Fleuret, "Make that both of us!"

Clenched teeth appeared beneath the figure's hood, clearly agitated by the Knight's response. His eyes darted between his partner and Birdie & Mac as if contemplating how to react, a low groan tearing his throat. "Pathetic, abhorrent fools... Do you wish for a death sentence, is that it?! I don't give a rat's ass about Opal nor her strength, her desire to clear the game is proof of negligence and disloyalty towards LC!"

His tense fists tightened, "Fine! Have it your way, Knight and... whoever the hell you are! We will spare you the lives of these... pathetic worms you so foolishly wish to save." He exuded a nasally growl and tugged at his partner, "But mark my words red-cloak, once I command a squad of my own, I will hunt down every man, woman & player you know and force you to watch as we strip away their lives, one by one. And we'll start with her!" Spitting on the ground in Birdie's direction, the cloaked figure and his partner took off running for the forest, shadows obscuring their shrinking forms.

Birdie leapt forwards and half-turned to Mac, herself and Sirius ready to give chase. "If we sprint now, we can catch them!"

@Macradon

Listening to Itzal as he talked about deciding one's own path, a feeling of relief swept through the girl. "Thanks, Itzal," she smiled, though another look of guilt overcame Birdie. "I thought... I-I dunno, I guess I thought that with all the lessons you went through with me and Aereth, you'd be mad at me for turning away from the scout's path. Everything you taught will be put to good use, promise." In truth, those tidbits of knowledge about basic scouting know-how and nimble-footed combat training were going to save her life one day, or perhaps they already had and she just didn't know it yet.

There it was again, a lengthier version of the passage that the raid organisers denied her with so long ago. It stung looking back at how naive she'd been to ask for entry to the raid, and Itzal was right, nobody wants a dead player on their conscience. It was a crappy situation to have placed herself in and she knew it was no one's fault but her own. Accepting Itzal's words with a heavy sigh, she nodded. "Y-yeah, maybe you're right. If anything, I was the one acting like a kid - it was naive to think they'd let me in so early." He ran over a few tips and tricks, going so far as to suggest skills and buffs which would prove the most useful. "Extra Weight...? That's a skill?" She continued, "Buffs are the first order of business, I already put an order in with Jonathon for potions. I've been raising Light Armour so that I can get Athletics and then Ferocity will be the primary focus, Battle Healing is... interesting, though. I haven't actually considered that before, isn't its use based on luck?"

@Itzal

"Watch your tongue, Pawn of the Blood Oath! Laughing Coffin has oodles of strength practically bursting at the seams, they are the most feared force in all of Castle Aincrad and the realms within it! This Opal is a ferret compared to the lions who rule, and I intend to be Alpha of the pack!" Spoken like a brainwashed cultist, his composure cracked briefly alongside his voice. "We'd anticipated high levels be slaving away in the labyrinth. Your presence here is... most disappointing."

Mind-boggled, Birdie made an "ugh" from the cheesy vibes the cloaked figure gave off. The annoying player kept still as a sculpture with a dagger pointed towards him whilst the other two stood pensively, calmly composed and rational. "L-listen, we don't want-" "Oh do I care what you want?! You know what I want? To see you both dead on the floor!" The shortest blurted a "damn" and held his tongue, and the figure's cloaked eyes flashed green as he glared at Mac once more. "Now, are you going to stand there and bark like a red-cloak slave or does my friend here need to bloody his shiv?!" A wicked grin wrapped the leather mask's slotted lips as he trodded forwards one step at a time, threatening the three low-levels with dagger thrusts at the air.

@Macradon

As Itzal explained that parkour wasn't a necessity and that she shouldn't feel bad for avoiding it, Birdie smiled, nodding. "Y-yeah, you're right, it would be silly if the game forced people to learn fancy climbing techniques. It's not so much I don't wanna learn- on the contrary, it's a great thing to know in a tight spot. Honestly, though, I'm not sure that I could dedicate enough time to get good at it... I'm not really much of a scout anymore." Her eyes fell as she started watching the grass go by. "Is it... bad to say that?"

Having re-opened shop on the 21st floor, Birdie was well-acquainted with the luminous underground realm- she'd even met up with Beatbox there, though the memory was too painful to bear at that point. "I see, you're getting pretty close to finding the boss then? This is the first raid I'm planning to be a part of. I tried to join on the 19th?- but they wouldn't let me in, something about my level being too low." She huffed, "Feels like being told to sit at the kiddie table. Oh! By the way, do you have any tips for a first-timer? Like, anything I should know beforehand?"

@Itzal

"Huh? O-oh, meh... it wasn't by choice, trust me. Freaking hated that job..." It was one of two things she silently loved about Kayaba's death game, the other being that she wouldn't need to see her Mother's face again - or for the foreseeable future at least. Finding herself high up in a tree, the bluenette watched her ex-mentor run, jump and land on an adjacent branch with little effort, firmly outclassing her poor manoeuvre in comparison. She pursed her lips and hummed in contemplation; The nature of his question made it seem like he didn't trust her to stick the landings. She probably wouldn't. "Y-yeah, actually, let's move on foot. Think you can still get us there that way?"

Hopping down from the tree, she landed with a lot more grace than her climb and awaited Itzal. She made way for the gate which was closest to the tree, assuming it would take them where they wanted to go. "So, maybe I should start practising again," she sighed, glancing sidelong at him with a smile. "How have you been? Did the Frontlines make any more progress yet?"

@Itzal

"Mhm, that's all I wanted today. I do have a few pieces of equipment to identify and sell at some point, though that stuff's somewhere in my disorganised mess of an inventory." She sighed, knowing just how much time and labour it would take to separate sellables from desirables. Hidden had put a price on her wares and Birdie was quick to oblige, tapping the Col icon and depositing 13,700 into the trade. "There! That should be all set." With a flick of the accept trade button her half of the transaction was good to go, and a smile tugged at the bluenette's cheeks as she saw fresh wares depositing into her disorderly inventory - if left for much longer, she realised it was going to be a real problem. "Thanks so much! You don't know how hard it is to find a good merchant these days. I'll swing by again soon." With a polite bow, she turned 180 degrees and headed for the shop exit-

"Ouch."

That was the wall.

Searching for the handle, Birdie soon found the metal protrusion and twisted it, allowing light to flood the room for a brief moment as she left.

Received:

• 3 [T3] Blank Dungeon Maps,
• 3 Golden Keys,
• 3 [T2] Blank Dungeon Maps,
• 3 [T1] Blank Dungeon Maps,
• 3 Teleportation Crystals,
• and a combo-breaking Dimensional Backpack.

Transferred to Hidden:

• 13,700 Col

"Alright then," she chimed, "Hidden and I are on DPS, Macradon will tank up as best he can and Kasier will keep the party topped up." Even exerting authority to say those words made her feel ill inside, but she tried not concentrate on the feeling. "Our target mobs aren't very strong- they're about level-25 actually, so it shouldn't take long to clear them out. We'll be more than fine if we stick to the plan." Birdie stood awkwardly as if wondering what else to say, but a shrug would soon roll off her shoulders as she continued behind the Knight.

Thanks to Mac's Tracking mod, they would be well on their way to the North Tower and the Flying Monkeys that protected it. Trees would grow thin and scarce as they drew towards the edge of the forest and grey clouds appeared through the deteriorating canopy of leaves, giving them a view of the gloomy skies above. A great stone structure emerged up ahead; four round towers of differing heights that each spanned fifty feet across. Small windows dotted the height of each with gentle fires illuminating within, and four <<Super Flying Monkeys>> were posted by the entranceway, denying entry to all those who tried. The mobs hadn't yet noticed the approaching players, meaning they could use it to their advantage. "Perfect, all four. Is everybody still clear on the plan?" she asked, taking a step towards the flying beasts.

@Hidden @Macradon @Kasier

"Grrhhh! W-what!" The player's fists balled up after Mac burst into maniacal laughter, frustrated by the red knight's reaction. Confused looks were shared by all, and even Birdie upturned an eyebrow as Macradon's gaze met hers. Before she nor the annoying player nor the other two could inquire what on Earth he was talking about, however, two figures shifted in the treeline behind the party, their stealh ratings reduced to zero in an instant. Eyes wide as saucers, the rowdy axe wielder could only babble incoherent words and syllables, though his gibberish speech was cut off by a harsh- "Silence!"

"Excellent detective work, Sir Knight. I admit your insistence on this... man, being a pawn of mine is quite amusing!" The cloaked figure cackled, "But Dear God, you overstate his intelligence."

A green cursor would show above his head but only the contours of his cheekbones were visible. Another player moved behind him, wearing a leather mask to match the orange cursor floating above. "It appears I have your attention, however! Tell me, how much do you know about our little... scheme? That the information was a sham? "What we intended to do-" His arm shifted beneath his cloak, revealing a dark red One-Handed Battle Axe. The other figure gripped a dagger, pointing it towards the three party members. "-with those that fell for it?"

Birdie tightly gripped her weapon, gazing uneasily between Mac and the cloaked figure. She couldn't decide whether or not the annoying player was part of his ploy, though it seemed like that was the least of their worries.

@Macradon

Out-of-combat NRG regen: 3 of 3

The door slammed shut behind Birdie as she entered Shadowed Wares, nothing but pitch-black darkness consuming her view. Flickering lights found her attention nearby, gently illuminating various wares which were being displayed on the shelves. Hmm... this place is true to its name, I suppose. A dimly lit counter came into view, alerting her to the presence of the merchant stood behind it. The cloak seemed familiar at a glance, and as the bluenette drew closer, she recognised the shopkeep's tone and inflexion from somewhere else. A random encounter out in the wilderness? A recent quest...?

"Hidden?" Birdie asked, standing before the counter with eyes fixed on the cloaked figure. "Great to see you again. This is a very, uhm... thematic place you have here." She attempted a smile, swiftly getting down to business. "I'm looking for some things, sorry about the long list: 3 [T3] Blank Dungeon Maps, 3 Golden Keys, 3 [T2] Blank Dungeon Maps, 3 [T1] Blank Dungeon Maps, 3 Teleportation Crystals, and a Dimensional Backpack." She paused to catch a breath, giving the merchant enough time to calculate the costs. "Would that be alright?"