Birdie

The weakest Elite fell to Macradon's Calamity Disaster, knocking the enemy numbers to three in favour of four. She hadn't a mind to spare focus on his loot menu, however, as the remaining undead rose from their temporary graves and stumbled to two legs. "Aye!" Over Radiation's timer had barely ticked over as she pulled one arm back and the other forwards, and the system's assistance guided Birdie as she pushed against the ground with all her might. Slash, stab, twirl, jab, the pattern repeated thrice as the closest Vagabond's health grew lesser and lesser and as it endured its last few pixels, the penultimate poke would drain its final slither, rendering the monster dead. A frenzied growl preceded its shattering to thousands of tiny fragments, and her attention was stolen on one thing solely; the loot menu.

I didn't get one...? Her eyebrows pulled inwards. She'd wait to the fight's end to confer with the Knight but if his luck proved greater than hers, it would be a tough pill to swallow. Two more attempts presented themselves at present, and as she gazed out at the mobs and then to the red-clad player, she hated herself for hoping his attack mightn't kill them outright. "A-all yours!"

- Attack Roll -
ID: 87236 
BD: 2+3+1=6, Hit! (Concentration activated - 5 post cooldown)
MD: 1, Miss!
Sword art used: Over Radiation - (12+6)*14=252 DMG

- Loot Roll -
ID: 87237
LD: 12
CD: 8 - Rare Armor, 2,034 Col

- Health List -
[3]<Birdie>            700/700  HP ||  43 MIT ||  18 DMG ||   46/70  NRG (-13 NRG, +1 NRG)
[4]<Macradon>         1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT ||  19 DMG ||   98/134 NRG

Elite Undead Vagabond  246/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                 
Elite Undead Vagabond  246/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                 
Elite Undead Vagabond   -6/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                 (-252 HP)                     
Elite Undead Spearhead -34/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                 

- Acquired Loot -
4,068 Col
1 x Perfect Consumable
1 x Rare Armor

@Macradon

As the lone player approached a three-way junction - one path going Southeast, one leading further up the Northern trail and another stretching back to <<Kachirho>>  - she came to a slow and gradual stop, knowing better than to press on and risk triggering the Quest. The gloomy forest proved safer to travel than expected, though she'd trouble to decide whether luck was on her side or if mob spawns were more generous on the dimly-lit trails.

As her glowing eyes came across a wide tree stump, lit up by rays of light beaming through the forest canopy, she trekked across twigs and dried leaves, taking brief respite upon the forest's holy furniture. A wispy astral wolf-dog traced a circle in the grass and plopped onto its stomach beside her, tongue hanging loosely from its snout.

A jolly smile tugged at her cheeks, and she switched focus to the messaging window. Not long before, the party of one painstakingly pinned a parchment to all 21 announcement boards, each reading the same message:

Quote

Looking for a party to take on Witch of the West: The Lion's Courage. No stat requirements, Rank 5 weapon/support skill recommended.

Message Birdie if you're interested. I'll be waiting up the path from Kachihro (15th floor), look for the blue-clad fencer and a ghost wolf.

- Birdie

This message will disappear in 29:59 minutes

1

The level-35 fencer hadn't much confidence that many would take her up on the offer. If there were willing participants, however, she greatly doubted their interests to be anything short of cooperative. PK'ers had no way of reading the announcements, save for a green middle man, but she had travelled alone enough times to know they seldom bother with small fry. Should the situation call for such extremes, she'd an escape plan of fleeing through the gloomy woods and losing them with her trained agility, but it wasn't a possibility she'd willingly entertain. Rather than dwelling on the unsettling, she went ahead and poked the Inbox folder, checking to see whose interest she might have garnered - if any.

@Macradon @Kasier @Hidden

A ruckus grew from behind and Birdie spun in an instant, spotting the two other Elite Undead mobs. Though only a keen observation, she noted the ratio of enemies as three-to-one in favour of the Vagabonds and wondered if it bore any importance - not likely,  she surmised. When she turned back, the Knight was halfway through pulling off crowd control to group the mobs together, and a half-offended eyebrow raise came upon her. She gave the Knight a gruff "Got it!" and stood her ground with Tempest Fleuret, armed and ready to follow up. An AoE Sword Art struck the Undead and forced all four to the ground, and her eyes flicked to the man, chin dipping into a nod.

As she made haste for the Spearhead Undead, the tip of her blade glowed an iridescent blue. She reared back her right arm and unleashed hell with the left, performing a flurry of thrusts and jabs and twirls and swirls until the final stab pierced the fallen Undead. A timer icon flashed on her display as the Sword Art cool down initiated, though her damage was high enough to knock one target into the lower orange zone. "The Spearhead's on one hit!"

- Attack Roll -
ID: 87218 
BD: 10+3=13, Critical Hit!
MD: 8-3=5, Miss!
Sword art used: Over Radiation - (12+6+2)*14=280 DMG

- Health List -
[2]<Birdie>*            700/700 HP ||  43 MIT ||  18 DMG ||  58/70  NRG (-13 NRG, +1 NRG)
[2]<Macradon>         1355/1355 HP || 155 MIT ||  19 DMG || 115/134 NRG

Elite Undead Vagabond  486/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                          <Stunned>
Elite Undead Vagabond  486/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                          <Stunned>
Elite Undead Vagabond  486/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                          <Stunned>
Elite Undead Spearhead 206/678 HP  ||   0 MIT || 201 DMG                (-280 HP) <Stunned>*

@Macradon

A muffled voice called from the South-west and she swung her eyes yonder, to a man clad head-to-toe in heavy armour. Bearing the red on white of the Knights of the Blood, an ally during her time in Celestial Ascendants and on numerous occasions elsewhere, she was obliged to take his green cursor at face value and nodded briskly. "U-understood!" If more Elite Undead were marching their way then she knew base damage wasn't going to cut it, and her window screen flashed open in an instant. Summoning both a damage potion and her familiar, an <<Ethereal Canine>> appeared before Birdie as she guzzled the little bottle's contents.

Both Undead swung lazily for the Scout but she'd already dashed away, closing the gap between herself and the Knight. She grew curious of the man's identity but all talk could wait until the enemies had perished and the skin was still on their backs. Gliding across the ruined dirt to a sudden halt, she stood with her back facing the heavy clad player. "These bastards will put up one hell of a fight all grouped up, hope you know how to use that sword." Peering at him over the shoulder, she switched focus to the two enemies ahead, threatening them with her nimble Tempest Fleuret - even if appearances could rattle their nerves, the 5'2" fencer wasn't an imposing sight. "How many are we talking, Knight?"

<<Potion of Vicious Dragon-fang>> consumed

-----

Birdie - HP: 700/700 - EN: 70/70

Macrodon - HP: ???/??? - EN: ??/??

Elite Undead Vagabond - HP: 678/678 - DMG: 201
Elite Undead Vagabond - HP: 678/678 - DMG: 201
Elite Undead Vagabond - HP: 678/678 - DMG: 201
Elite Undead Spearhead - HP: 678/678 - DMG: 201

@Macradon

"Okay. These past two days have been... not very kind, let's say, but I'm feeling it this time!"

The blue-clad Artisan sat still at her table, Crafting Hammer in hand and head held high. Her words held truth - in the past twenty-six crafting attempts if she'd recalled correctly, not a single perfect item had been bestowed upon her by the lords of probability. It was shameful for such a practised craftsperson to fail at their craft, and she only thanked the non-existent Gods of Aincrad that her doors hadn't been open for the public to bear witness.

Today would be better, she told herself, hammer in hand and crafting window open. Like most other days, she'd selected the standard preset for random item crafting: tier two, lucky charm-type items, with intended results set to anything she thought of in the moment. Hopefully, her next ten attempts wouldn't end in such failure.

As the lone player trekked through a barren forest, hand firmly wrapped around the cold steel of her Fleuret, she squinted her blue eyes. She had ventured far out into the wilderness in search of Elite Undead, a class of Living Dead mobs with a supposed chance of dropping unique metal-type materials. When used to craft a piece of equipment, if the rumours held true, an outcome of Uncommon quality or more was guaranteed. Additionally, each item was said to have a unique identifier - a number ID which cut off at 99 - so they were assumed to be in limited supply. The party responsible for such a discovery reported finding 23 before returning to the fields, and curious minds flocked like sheep behind them.

There was no telling how many drops would be left, but the level-35 fencer was among the first to buy the information. Word spread not long after but she'd bought at least ten minutes of uninterrupted farming, and she intended to make use of that time to rack up as many as possible. Stumbling out from the lifeless forest and into a widened clearing on the hillside, she kept still. The mellow brown fog in the distance obscured much of the world, leaving only a curved plain of dead and purple grass visible to the eye. By a small school of graves stood an idle figure, sickly grey hair flowing in the calm winds yet the rest of its figure eerily still. Her approach was quiet and contained, the heels of her boots never moving further than six inches from each other. The enemy's cursor was a relatively light shade of red - it couldn't have been more than her own level, she thought. <<Elite Undead Vagabond>> appeared above its head as she moved within thirty yards, and a smile tugged at her cheeks as she pulled at her weapon's hilt.

"H-huh?"

The Vagabond's head turned freely like an owl, dead white eyes facing the blue-haired woman as its body followed suit. A low groan from the South impulsed her to spin around with a start, and a second Elite Undead mob - a Spearhead - blocked her only exit path. Like a deer in headlights, every muscle in the woman's body tensed up as she froze, and rationale was slow to take the reigns. She swung Tempest Fleuret one way and looked the other, sandwiched between two enemies of equally terrifying strength. Of course it was a trap, "Damn it!"

-----

Combat Stats:

Birdie - HP: 700/700 - EN: 70/70

Elite Undead Vagabond - HP: 678/678 - DMG: 201

Elite Undead Spearhead - HP: 678/678 - DMG: 201

@Macradon

"Mhm, it's what every sane player wants. Then you have some groups like Laughing Coffin and Black Adder doing everything in their power to halt that progression...It makes me sick just thinking about them." She could rant for days about the PK'ing groups, those who seemed to enjoy a life of confinement in SAO's floating castle of Aincrad. What's worse, Birdie thought, they were the types who'd be locked up in real life if it weren't for the death game and its lack of laws outside of the safe zones. It was wholly illegal to kill another player but with such a union of like-minded murderers and lawbreakers running rampant, those who did shine orange had a place they'd be welcomed with open arms.

"O-oh, oh! I-I'm sorry for making assumptions, I just assumed... A-anyway, that's awesome too! The front lines are in need of support types, no doubt, and I'm sure they'll like the fact that you can take care of yourself. Break some legs out there! And uh... heal some too, I suppose." She beamed a grin once more, stopping before the Eastern gates of the <<Town of Beginnings>>. "Looks like we're here- thanks for agreeing to this. Are you free anytime soon for the next quest?"

@Ruby

As the blonde dispelled any notion that Birdie caused her harm, the bluenette briefly closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. No materials appeared in the immediate area, much to the scout's disappointment, though the wind did seem to pick up for a moment leading a chill to run through her spine- she was more than ready to return to <<Town of Beginnigns>> now. Ruby mentioning the third tier caused Birdie to nonchalantly look over, nodding in realisation. "Oh! Right, I totally forgot that you're actually kinda close to 50. So you plan to join the front runners too?" At that point, most players over the mid-thirty milestone were intent on joining SAO's clearing faction, nobody who trained that hard was playing to settle down and live peacefully. "You'll be an awesome DPS, I know it. Maybe you can give me some tips when I catch up?" she said with a small laugh, swinging her eyes around to the unassuming road ahead.

@Ruby

"A-ah, I'm sorry I asked..." She averted her gaze, knowing better than to breach that particular topic again. Not so long ago, Birdie bore witness to the blonde's breakdown due to reminiscing on losing equipment at the hands of her old friends, and it wasn't the bluebird's goal to make a new friend feel upset. "In that case, we'll just have to toughen up a little!" She beamed, leaning forwards to initiate the short haul back to town. "We still have a bunch of quests to go and I'm sure we won't finish them all back-to-back, so that leaves tons of room for levelling up before the last one is due. I'm nearly Level 35 at the moment, but if we play our cards right, I'm sure we can go up five levels each at least." Although she felt bad for it, the bluenette had checked over all of Ruby's stats she could see in the friend menu. Only seven levels separated them, though the power divide was bound to grow as Ruby gathered more equipment.

@Ruby

"A girl's gotta hope," Birdie replied, wearing the same old smile if a bit less enthused than before. Earning a brief lesson on dragons and the correlation between growth stages and their tendency to be a pain, Birdie couldn't say she was all that surprised. "Mmm... I suppose you're right. Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up that they'll all be this easy," she joked, a short laugh escaping her throat. "There's no doubt the last boss will be pretty troublesome. If it's so strong that we can't take it out ourselves... do you think there's anyone else who would have gotten that far?" Despite instilling the idea that they'd do it together, that didn't necessarily mean without the aid of others. The blonde's last comment breezed over Birdie's mind and she gave a simple smile instead, turning back to the path they'd followed. Materials sprouted by a nearby tree and she made haste to retrieve them, briefly pardoning herself from Ruby before returning.

-----

ID# 87137 - LD: 19+3 | Found 4 <<T1 Mats>>

Loot:

• 12 <<T1 Mats>>

@Ruby

She nodded, smiling. "I hope it's a cave full of unclaimed treasure and gold, what I wouldn't do with all that Col..."

Birdie blinked twice, once as Ruby strolled up casually to the dragon and again as the woman socked its frail form. To see an innocent creature succumb to such harm tugged at her heartstrings, though Rhaegal's adorable attempts at a fierce roar did suggest it intended to kill them both. "I guess, can't say it feels right to kill such a harmless little thing... didn't you think it was going to be, I dunno, bigger?"

Contrary to her merciful words, Birdie followed up with a swift Quadruple Pain - a thrusting art that automatically struck the target's limbs four times - and the baby dragon flopped helplessly to the floor, smashing into thousands of tiny digital fragments. A 'Congratulations!' window appeared before both players, highlighting the fact they'd completed the quest criteria. The bluenette sighed, "Talk about easy. Nice moves by the way! I don't think I've seen that Sword Art before... uh, Fist Art?" she half-asked, half-corrected herself.

-----

ID: 87131 - BD: 2+3+1 (Concentration used)

Sword Art Used: Quadruple Pain [Damage: 12*4=48-25=23]

Birdie - HP: 680/680 - EN: 64/68

Ruby - HP: 840/840 - EN: 67/84

Rhaegal, the Emerald Hatchling - HP: -8/125 - MIT: 25 - DMG: 50

@Ruby

The projects... did not go so well. Though one or two produced satisfactory results, no creation brought with it the much-desired Perfect property, and at that, she classed the session as a failure. Perhaps they would make her some coin once sold off to a merchant - if she could find one willing enough to buy them.

This time around, she'd opted for the usual category of daily crafting, tier two lucky charms that she might be able to salvage an equip or two from. Her true intention was to level up her profession, of course, in hopes of reaching the fabled Rank 10 which few if any dedicated craftspersons ever achieved. She wouldn't be the first nor the second, nor likely one of the first ten to reach such a height, but it was a long-term goal to slowly chip away at whilst not out mob slaying and earning experience points. Striking hammer on metal materials, she began.

"... huh."

Birdie turned her back on the muddy hill. She'd taken the safest approach, slowly and carefully climbing up the steep muddied hill to massively lower any risk of falling face-first into the dirt. To her surprise, the cautious move paid off massively, and a twinkle of light appeared on the ground not so far away signalling some materials were nearby. Accepting the earth's gift in earnest, she wore a smile for the first time since arriving on the dreaded twlefth floor and finally crossed into the town of <<Lazarus>>, where the quest giver had sent her on the venture in the first place. Despite knowing the NPC had nothing to do with her misfortune, she felt bitterness towards them and barely spoke during the exchange. With the quest handed in and the experience points hers, she released a sigh and headed straight towards the teleportation gate, knowing there was nothing else for her there. Good riddance.

-----

ID# 87119 - LD: 13+3 - CD: 11 | Found 4 <<Clumped Moss>> [T2 Mats] (32 total)

Loot:

• 10,584 Col
• 3 Crocodile skin [T2 Mats]
• 32 Clumped Moss [T2 Mats]
• 1 Rare Weapon

One final objective stood in Birdie's way; A steep, muddy hill with no sign of a traversable ramp or alternative means of getting around it. She huffed, knowing full well something like this was going to separate her from completing the quest and going home. She cursed the game's director and the Cardinal system for making her go so far out into the murky water, wading ankle-deep through dirt and muck to slay a beast which had barely lasted two full Sword Arts before falling to her weapon. Though the trip there and back brought with it a bountiful selection of materials - rugged crocodile skin and clumps of moss - she felt as if gratefulness was an inappropriate response to such hospitality.

Birdie stared at the slope, running all of the options through her mind. She could attempt to march over it and run the risk of falling face-first into the mud, get a sprinting start and leap over it whilst running the risk of falling face-first into the mud, or take it carefully and run the risk of slipping face-first into the mud. She grimaced, not appreciating her odds.

(CD: 1-6 she trips and gets muddy, 7-12 she walks away dry)

Birdie moved into position for another Sword Art and the beast hadn't any time to react; A dozen and two thrusts of Tempest Fleuret's tip pierced the Crocodile and felled the beast, causing its body to explode into thousands of tiny pieces which evaporated into thin air. The loot window popped up at chest height and she gave it a passing glance, taking note of the Col and additional material which made up the fruits of her labour. It wasn't the best reward she'd ever gotten but given the circumstances, she wasn't in the spirit of arguing and sticking around any longer than necessary.

The town of <<Lazarus>> loomed in the distance, its unappealing appearance inducing a fresh wave of disgust. She found solace in the fact that her time on the floor was almost up, for better or worse, and the welcoming embrace of anywhere else would soothe her perturbed soul.

-----

ID# 87116 - BD: 4+2

Birdie - HP: 423/680 - EN:  29/68

• Sword Art Used: Over Radiation [Damage: (12+6)*14=252]

Crocodile - HP: 0/756 - DEAD

ID# 87117 - LD: 7+3 - CD: 9

• Dropped 4,536 Col
• Dropped 1 Crocodile Skin [T2 Mats]

Loot:

• 10,584 Col
• 3 Crocodile skin [T2 Mats]
• 28 Clumped Moss [T2 Mats]
• 1 Rare Weapon

She didn't waste any time by letting the crocodile recover - as the cooldown timer for Over Radiation's usage ticked down to zero, she unleashed a back-to-back attack assault on the crocodile and dropped its health to 30%, dropping its bar in the yellow. Another 5% and it would be red, meaning another well-placed attack would kill the beast for certain. She was hoping one more would still be enough to do the job, though it was an honest gamble at the time.

The crocodile swiped toward her once more, catching the bluebird off-guard as she succumbed to another 10% hit - her health points dropped dangerously close to the yellow, a point she certainly didn't want to cross. A sense of urgency surged through her as the fight's final seconds drew nearer, and she created some space between herself and the beast to plan out another attack. Attacking from the front had resulted in a counter attack, as had the sides and back. She squinted, entertaining the thought that she simply wasn't quick enough to evade the enemy's retaliative attack... it was probably true.

-----

ID# 87113 - BD: 8+2 - MD: 9-1 (Crit)

Birdie - HP: 423/680 - EN:  42/68

• Sword Art Used: Over Radiation [Damage: (12+6)*14=252]

Crocodile - HP: 252/756 - DMG: 102

• Damage: 103

As light as a feather, Birdie waded through the water without making a single sound to alert the monster of her presence. The crocodile's back was almost entirely facing her, and she crouched in place upon reaching a satisfactory position. The place was simple; Sword Art, back off. Knowing very little should go wrong, she repeated those four words in her mind on repeat and carefully rose into a standing position, her blade pointed eagerly toward her target.

Rapier forwards and freehand backwards, a surge of light swallowed Tempest Fleuret and she charged towards the back of the beast, catching it off guard with a mighty flourish of thrusts and jabs before finishing with a step backwards - her foot caught on a vine and she toppled to the floor, leaving her wide open for the crocodile's tail swipe retaliation. A groan escaped her gritted teeth as her health was knocked down to 70%. though no great harm came to her as the monster demanded crucial seconds to regain strength.

-----

ID# 87112 - BD: 4+2 - MD: 8-1

Birdie - HP: 487/680 - EN:  55/68

• Sword Art Used: Over Radiation [Damage: (12+6)*14=252]

Crocodile - HP: 504/756 - DMG: 102

• Damage: 102

The road to Lazarus grew shorter with each step she, accompanied by the disgusting squelching of wet mud beneath her feet. Four materials had caught her attention since departing the island, the only piece of dry land she'd seen since leaving the floor's main settlement. Her unease and temperament grew worse as the minutes passed by, though she was finally on the cusp of returning to the quest NPC and reaping massive amounts of experience.

As if the Cardinal's algorithms were purposefully trying to amuse her, a red cursor loomed in the distance. Its colour was more akin to crimson than bright red, meaning this enemy was likely stronger than the others she'd thought. In all likelihood, the monster would still be a crocodile - Everything in this swap is a crocodile - she unamusedly reminded herself. Birdie drew her blade from its scabbard and decided to take a different approach, circling around the beast to strike from behind instead of taking it head-on.

-----

ID# 87111 - LD: 14+3 | Found 4 <<Clumped Moss>> [T2 Mats] (28 total)

Loot:

• 6,048 Col
• 2 Crocodile skin [T2 Mats]
• 28 Clumped Moss [T2 Mats]
• 1 Rare Weapon

-----

Birdie - HP: 550/680 - EN: 68/68

Crocodile - HP: 756/756 - DMG: 102

Birdie gazed out into the open vastness of the eerie twelfth floor. As the faux Sun grew heavy over the horizon and a Moon began erecting in its stead, beams of light struck the grey clouds in such a way that bled holes of holy rays upon the water's surface, highlighting gentle waves which flowed carelessly in the distance.

... I hate this God damn place.

The air was depressing. The water was depressing. The land was depressing and, perhaps most taxing of all, she was depressed. It began as minor distaste toward the qualities - or therefore lack of - which the dozenth section of the hundred-level-high castle boasted. It wasn't a very nice place, nor a clean place, nor any place she would ever think to place herself by choice save for quests boasting bountiful rewards. Perhaps there were nice locations to be seen - a hidden gem, as it were - but she certainly hadn't happened upon one yet.

Amidst her thinking, she spotted a small flash of white in the distance. Materials, she thought, swiftly rising to her feet to retrieve them. The energy bar had refilled to its fullest, meaning she was free to fight once more before reaching <<Lazarus>>. In preparation for such an event, she swapped out her search gear for combat armaments once again and made way for the trail.

-----

ID# 87109 - LD: 12+3 | Found 4 <<Clumped Moss>> [T2 Mats] (24 total)

Energy Regen: 3/3

Loot:

• 6,048 Col
• 2 Crocodile skin [T2 Mats]
• 24 Clumped Moss [T2 Mats]
• 1 Rare Weapon

Another four materials, another potion from Jonathon. The blue-haired fencer trudged onto the first semblance of dry land she'd encountered for a mile; A small island, barely twenty metres in diameter. There wasn't much besides a small school of sickly trees and vines cascading from them, and a few bushes adorning the very centre of the isle. She'd decided to take temporary refuge and spare herself another minute of wading through copious amounts of muck, moss and God only knows what.

She browsed through her inventory for something to put on the ground, acting as a barrier between herself and the dirt. The only piece of fabric she'd come across was the Scouting Garbs, the old armour she wore prior to disappearing before. Her eyes fell, recalling the many good memories and bad moments it had endured with her. Without another word, she materialised it and tossed the garbs to the floor, laying them out flat. With their durability, she would have at least fifteen minutes before needing to worry about damaging them; Just enough time to recuperate. 

-----

ID# 87108 - LD: 13+7 | Found 4 <<Clumped Moss>> [T2 Mats] (20 total)

Energy Regen: 2/3

Loot:

• 6,048 Col
• 2 Crocodile skin [T2 Mats]
• 20 Clumped Moss [T2 Mats]
• 1 Rare Weapon

Seriously, who in the hell do I know that's a merchant? There has to be somebody?! Birdie racked her mind for any knowledge of an active merchant as she stumbled through the murky wastes, heel-deep in goopy dirt and God-knows-what. The twelfth floor was fast becoming her least favourite - with all the gloominess and swampy overtones, she wondered how anyone could stand such a place. Her attention was stolen by a pile of nearby materials which she promptly swept up and she hastily swapped out her combat gear for luck-enhancing gear.

Birdie huffed. She was letting her thoughts run away as per usual. Then again, there was very little else to think about; Her only goal at present was to grow stronger, and she was returning directly from a quest to do just that. She hadn't heard much from the Ascendants other than what the few people she'd spoken to have told her, and it wasn't anything remarkable in the first place. Another guild seemed to have cropped up in the shape of Emerald Harbingers, a group of players which had a seemingly all-around purpose. Atzo, their leader, was nice enough, but she wasn't in a good place to think about leaving 'solo-playership' - not yet.

-----

ID# 87086 - LD: 19+3 | Found 4 <<Clumped Moss>> [T2 Mats] (16 total)

Energy Regen: 1/3

Loot:

• 6,048 Col
• 2 Crocodile skin [T2 Mats]
• 16 Clumped Moss [T2 Mats]
• 1 Rare Weapon

As luck would have it, whilst Birdie headed back to @Ruby's side, another four materials presented themselves a little further along the path. She wouldn't need to move away or deviate from the trail to retrieve them, and she happily bagged all four up.

Ruby's initial reply gained an eye roll and a casual smile from Birdie, and she nodded in acknowledgement as the woman mentioned quests and gaining more skills. "I see, it does feel like quests are the best way to gain experience points. I'm kinda in the same boat, I've been knocking a few out here and there... it's just really slow going, ya know?" Birdie sighed, swinging her eyes to the path ahead. "But hey- at least we can do this questline together! I hear not many people have gotten that far into it yet. Maybe nobody's finished it before... wonder what the reward is for reaching the end?"

Birdie stopped suddenly, her vision focused on a small green blob in the distance. The woman placed a hand on Tempest Fleuret's hilt as she spoke, "Hey, can you see that...? Think it's our objective?"

-----

ID# 87095 - LD: 20+3 | Found 4 [T1 Mats]

Loot:

• 8 [T2 Mats]

~~~~~

Birdie - HP: 680/680 - EN: 68/68

Ruby - HP: ???/??? - EN: ??/??

Rhaegal, the Emerald Hatchling - HP: 125/125 - MIT: 25 - DMG: 50

She turned on the balls of her feet and jumped away from the Crocodile, gaining some much-needed distance to think of another approach. Attacking from the beast's front had earned her a chomp on the leg, as did approaching from the side. Moving in from behind would require to sneak up a target, though it would take a lot of time and patience to pull off such a move... rather than allowing her mind to deviate, she shook those distracting thoughts from her mind and returned to the battle at hand.

The battle ended in victory. Birdie reared Tempest Fleuret for another attack and struck the target before it could strike her; Another reckless move, but the risk was at least calculated. Another loot window popped up with the same amount of Col and an unidentified rare weapon this time around, meaning she'd need to take it a to a merchant... I don't know a single merchant...

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ID# 87093 - BD: 7+2

Birdie - HP: 550/680 - EN: 16/68

• Sword Art Used: Over Radiation [Damage: (12+6)*14=252]

Crocodile - HP: 0/504 - DEAD

ID# 87115 - LD: 8+3 - CD: 4

• Dropped  3,024 Col
• Dropped 1 Rare Weapon

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Loot:

• 6,048 Col
• 2 Crocodile skin [T2 Mats]
• 12 Clumped Moss [T2 Mats]
• 1 Rare Weapon

Within the murky waters, yet another Crocodile made its debut, a teensy bit smaller this time around. Its size likely didn't play a factor in its health points, however, and she raised Tempest Fleuret in the appropriate position - blade held hip-height and angled to the left, free hand neatly folded backwards - and darted toward her enemy at light speed. A sudden urge of uncertainty overwhelmed her as she approached her enemy but thankfully the system had detected her faltering and allowed Birdie to strike the target just barely with all fourteen hits, at the expense of activating Concentration and inducing its lengthy cooldown timer.

Although she thought her angle to the beast was better this time around, its mighty jaws managed to snap at her leg and drain another 10% of her health bar; She was sitting at 80% health after just one and a half enemies. T-this isn't good...

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ID# 87091 - BD: 3+2+1 (Concentration used) - MB: 10-1 (Crit)

Birdie - HP: 550/680 - EN: 29/68 - Conc.:  5 posts left

• Sword Art Used: Over Radiation [Damage: (12+6)*14=252]

Crocodile - HP: 252/504 - DMG: 102

• Damage: 102+2