Telrenya

Name: Finder's Feather
Your Profession: Artisan
Your Rank: 2
Roll ID: 95911
Roll Result: 12
Item Type: Trinket
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: +3 LD
Description: [Image]
Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/15070-f3-artisan-r1-crystal-clear/?do=findComment&comment=540079

"Nnnngh, finally!" Telrenya let out a small groan that was followed by a sigh of relief. It had taken enough in terms of time and resources, but her persistence finally paid off in the form of a item of the highest quality her Artisan skill would allow. She held up the charm in front of her face, smile wide as she used an opposite finger to twirl the dangling silver feather a couple of times. Deciding she was, in fact, happy with the item, Telrenya dragged her free hand through the air to summon her menus and compose a quick message to @Benjamin Bookworm. Informing him that the item he had requested was ready to pick up, she placed the charm on the counter before turning her attention to tidying up the small shop so she could call it a day.

Available for pickup: Finder's Feather

ID#: 95910 | CD: 1- Critical Fail
ID#: 95911 | CD: 12 - Perfect item

"Hmm~" Another soft, contended hum sounded from the girl's throat as she stared out over the entirety of the floor, feeling Jomei's presence immediately beside her as she continued to hold onto his hand. The breeze that rolled through the skies lightly ruffled her blonde curls, and their ends slid across her shoulders as she turned to face the Irishman once his attention was drawn by a particular area.

She followed his gaze, easily spotting what she could only describe as the remnants of a large city in the distance. Some of the tallest buildings were noticeably fallen or eroded enough to see from the peak of the watchtower, though Telrenya had no way of telling if the area was at all populated. The thought urged her to voice her curiosity. "Ooh, that's perfect! It looks big enough to get lost in. I wonder if we'll find any NPCs still living there. Or players. Or maybe monsters?" She laughed as her string of thoughts came to an end.

Things were going beyond smoothly. At least so far. Telrenya took a moment after her initial assault against the two patrolling antmen, and the other players made quick work of one. As Ryo called for a speedy end to the last, in fear of reinforcements arriving, the masked woman prepared another chain of attacks. She strode forward with a quickened pace, the tip of her rapier easily finding its mark. Though she didn't have the power behind her flurry of strikes to finish the monster off, her attack left its health well into the red. Still, its attention seemed to turn not to her, but rather behind her, locking its gaze onto the sandy blonde.

The girl would wait until the beast was felled and then battlefield went silent again to relax her shoulders. Spencer had addressed her just before those last two warriors had appeared, and she didn't want to shrug off or ignore the man's question. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have a confident answer to offer him. When idle chatter from the other players in their dungeon delving party allowed for enough noise for Telrenya's lowered voice to only reach Spencer's ears, she would try her best regardless. "Not...exactly." Defeat was clear in her hushed voice. "But I... I really don't think I can keep this up much longer."

Telrenya's expression was bright as greetings were exchanged between the pair of couples. She had heard stories--even seen a picture of the players together with their old friend Lowenthal, and so she was finally glad to be meeting people that Jomei was close to. 'Come to think of it... I wonder if I should introduce Jomei to Embers.' The thought was fleeting as she recalled perhaps the only friend she had outside of the Holy Dragon Alliance. Immediately after picturing the redhead and her fiery, protective personality, she remembered why she had been dodging Embers' questions whenever she mentioned her curiosity surrounding her boyfriend.

Quickly shelving the thought, she let out a giggle at the jests over the title of 'best couple' before nodding in agreement with Piera's next sentiment. "Definitely. We should all go out together sometime, I'd love to get to know you both better." She spoke honestly.

It wasn't long before the older couple dismissed themselves and she was left alone with the Irishman at her side once again. A wider smile worked its way over her features, and the blonde slipped away from the gentle hold of his hand to reposition herself in front of the masked ginger. "Well, now that it's just us," Telrenya brought one arm across her body, dipping forward in a small but exaggerated bow of sorts. "Might I be able to share a dance with you, kind sir?" She couldn't keep a straight face with her choice of words, ending with another small giggle.

@Jomei

Seeing the emotion in Jomei's face caused Telrenya's shoulders to shudder with a fresh wave of tears. He seemed at as much of a loss as she for a moment, practically still in disbelief. She didn't have any excuses. She told herself that she felt terrible for going behind the man's back, deceiving him, and pretending like nothing was out of the ordinary. And yet she continued to do so for days, weeks, without a clear end in sight. If she really felt bad, she would have come clean the first time. Or better yet, she wouldn't have been dumb enough to go through with it in the first place.

But something sparked inside of her. Just the tiniest flicker of resistance that kept her from crumpling to the cobblestone floor. Maybe it was a bit of leftover anger towards the cheeky redhead that misplaced itself into the topic at hand. Maybe it was a defense mechanism to keep herself from breaking down completely. Either way, the grip on the sides of her skirt tightened and Telrenya's jaw clenched a bit while she tried to fight the flowing tears. "Am I wrong?!" She challenged.

The girl had raised her voice without meaning to as she directed back to a piece of her earlier explanation. But she was growing too heated too quickly to catch herself. "I assumed Ruby would too, but can you say that you wouldn't take more risks if I was there in harm's way with you?" Her voice still cracked and struggled to remain clear, but she didn't pause to fully compose herself. "With people like Death Adder running around in those boss fights?!"

Just the thought of the blue-eyed devil set off a chain reaction. Telrenya's chin dropped, and her volume finally dropped as she aired something she recalled hearing from the man himself, though not as Telrenya. "What about you? You've--you've kept secrets too, right? You were really going to go after him, weren't you? Without telling anyone, you were going to go off and fight him alone, just like--" She stopped herself with wide eyes. A hand released its grip on her clothing and shot to her mouth as her gaze instinctively pulled back up to Jomei's.

No, no, no no no. This wasn't happening. She was still asleep in her shop, passed out from exhaustion and having a really, really bad dream. It had to be. But the way her heart throbbed with an intense pain as she saw Jomei's eyes lock with hers was too real. "Ni--...J-Jomei..." The tiny voice she used could only find his name, though their company caused her to reflexively grasp at the one meant for his avatar. Her vision blurred as her month-long facade came crashing down around her. There was no anger left in her small frame for the snickering redhead, as she was filled to the brim with fear, and sadness, and regret.

When Erin was jerked forward yet again, he was almost prepared for the verbal onslaught. Almost. He had dealt with other men before, partners who were furious with him after finding his arm around what they thought was their 'special person'. But their rage had always masked heartbreak. They were lashing out at him when it was their former lover who had been unfaithful in reality. Very rarely did Erin go to such lengths to pursue a woman who hadn't willingly thrown themselves at him. And never had he seen the wrath of a man to whom her devotion had not wavered.

As the redhead was half-forcibly dismissed, the two were left alone in deafening silence. The early-morning Delilahn street was quiet and undisturbed even after their small scuffle. Though the heat in the air had died down, Telrenya's brimming tears overflowed as she faced the Irishman. Her heart was twisting in knots alongside her stomach, his broken questions replaying back in her mind. "Ni-ick, I--" She choked in a weak voice before trying to swallow down the massive lump that resided in her throat. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to... I mean, I wanted to tell you, I-I just," She couldn't detangle her thoughts in time before they tried to leave her mouth, and the girl gripped lightly onto the fabric of her skirt, taking a sharp, shuddering breath as she desperately tried to explain herself.

"I-I've been leveling on my own. After...After you and Ruby went to the boss fight. I wanted to go, too. I-I wanted to get stronger and fight with you."

Then why keep it a secret?

"If--I thought if you guys knew, you would just be in more d-danger trying to keep me safe. I-if I was someone else, then...then that wouldn't happen."

What kind of reasoning is that?

"It was stupid! A-after the dragon hunting quests, I-I was going to stop. It--it hurt too much to keep lying to you..."

Now you're going to play the victim?

Everything she said as she rambled and stammered out her explanations sounded idiotic, and a voice in the back of her head was quick to point it out.

If Telrenya's body could have grown any more rigid, it would have the moment Jomei glowing fist collided with Erin's chin. The blonde had given a small, hesitant nod when the Irishman had turned to address her, a ripple of relief running over her at his presence. But more overpowering than how grateful she felt for his intevention was the panic that still coursed through her. She no longer had to worry about the redhead looming over her, but now he was face to face with the one person she hadn't wanted to involve in any of this. With Erin's short remark, Telrenya forced a half-step forward. "W-wait," The meek word would never reach them as a fire was quick to ignite in the air.

"Siccing the guild leader on me? That's a damn fine welcome." Even after the devastating blow left him clutching his jaw from the unpleasant feedback, Erin managed to choke out another jabbing remark. He hadn't the time for his grimace to fade before a hand took in a fistful of his collar and he was yanked back upwards with a small grunt. Erin glared back at the ginger with the discomfort of the assault still clear in his expression. A short silence hung in the air at Jomei's command, Erin's eyes only growing sharper before the redhead finally came to a realization.

"Wait, h-hold on!" Telrenya tried again, finally moving herself a bit closer. She needed to stop this, she needed to somehow get them away from each other and get things back to normal. She was so close to putting all of this behind her, so why did something like this have to happen now?

"No, y'know what?" Erin lifted a hand to grip Jomei's, wrenching the Irishman's grip from his collar. "Fine. F*ck it, I'm done. She isn't worth it." Erin scowled at the two, and his choice of words caused Telrenya's heart to skip a single beat. The blonde stuttered out a small, confused reply to which the man brushed off as he opened his menus. "No, f*ck this. Get someone else to play in your little masquerade" He repeated with a flat tone. With a few swift movements, Erin made the selection to leave the Holy Dragon Alliance.

Telrenya was silent for a moment, the weight of his words and action sinking in. Panic continued to grip at her, squeezing tightly enough for something to snap inside of the normally-timid girl. "You said you would help me!" Her hands dropped into small fists at her side as she stared with angry tears welling at the corners of her eyes. Erin's cold gaze was quick to turn on the girl, and as he dismissed his menu he slid a hand back into his pocket. "Uh-uh sweetheart. I didn't sign up for being a punching bag." That sickening smirk couldn't seem to stop from crawling back onto his face. "But hey, if you get dumped over all this, I might still be willing to give you a shoulder to cry on." His words weren't nearly as suggestive as his tone, which only caused the blonde to bristle with more anger.

"I--I trusted you on this!" Her emotional state left for a poor choice of words that continued to spill, "I tried not to bother you with it. I trusted you, so why would you keep--"

"Bullsh*t!" Erin cut her off with his own raised voice. "Don't preach to me, princess. You're just as selfish as I am, and it looks like we both got caught." His chuckle held a hint of bitterness. The moment that Telrenya tried to refute his words, the man shot right back at the riled girl, soon lifting his free hand to jab a pointed finger in the Irishman's direction. "Save it! If you're gonna try to gush about 'trust and honesty', why don't you tell him who the real Erin is?!"

Telrenya's heart beat a little faster in her chest, apprehension gripping her tightly as her arms did their best to hold themselves in front of her chest--an unconscious attempt at a barrier between the two players. The small gesture did her no good, however, as Erin's piercing gaze nearly sent a shiver down her spine. "E-Erin, I d-don't--" The blonde couldn't stop her nervous stammering. She was confused, and growing more scared than anything by the little space Erin allowed her between them.

As if coming to her rescue, something jerked the redhead away from her. Telrenya's eyes could hardly go wider when she quickly recognized Jomei's frame, his face wearing an expression she rarely saw. The man that had stood over her stumbled back as he was shoved away, and his brows were quick to narrow as he started with a growl of his own. "Yo, mind your own business!" Emerald eyes ran over the Irishman standing across from him as he regained his posture, and he studied the man after his short outburst.

The familiar guild emblem and Jomei's reaction were all Erin needed to draw a conclusion. A sadistic smirk formed as the corner of his mouth hooked, and the redhead shifted his weight while a hand slid back into his pocket. "Oof, well this is awkward." Emerald eyes drifted back to Telrenya, still pressed up against the door of her Artisan shop before shifting back towards Jomei. "Listen gingersnap, I know she's a real busy woman, but we've got some unfinished business." His insinuating words were practically dripping with venom before they served to try and brush Jomei away.

Telrenya finally awoke to the sound of a sharp knocking against the door of her shop. She let out a small groan as her eyes fluttered open, brows immediately narrowing when she was met with the bright sunlight that was pouring into the room. She blinked a few times, mind hazy from the lingering cloud of sleep that she tried to shake away as she picked her head up from the arm that it had rested on. She sat up at her workbench, slowly at first, until she realized where she was. After a quick glance to the corner of her field of vision, she then also realized when she was. Eyes widened slightly at the realization that she'd managed to fall asleep in her shop of all places, and she quickly rose to her feet. Her own gloved hands caught her attention, and yet another realization hit her that caused the woman to hurriedly open her menus to swap out her equipment.

Another knock at the door. It took the girl a second to notice it was not the first attempt at getting the shopkeeper's attention, and so after hastily dismissing the effects of the midnight black hair dye and jade green lenses, and donning the white button-up, charcoal grey blazer, and dark peach skirt that was accompanied by the many star-themed accessories in the outfit she had received from Ruby, Telrenya took quick steps to the door. Pulling open the barrier separating her shop from the streets of Delilah, the blonde blinked in surprise at the smirking face that awaited her on the other side.

"Long time no see, princess." Erin stood with hands slid into his pockets. Telrenya could only stammer out the man's name in reply, taking a step forward and closing the door to her shop behind her.

"A-actually, I'm in a really big hurry right now, so," She hadn't gotten more of an excuse out with the step she took to the side when the redhead's palm crashed into the doorframe beside her head, causing the woman to flinch and freeze in place.

"Listen, sweetheart. I know you've been having fun with your whole charades thing," His smirk had disappeared as he stared down at the girl. "but I didn't sign up to be your little messenger for free. And I have been very patient for a very long time." Erin drew himself closer, causing Telrenya to drift back until the few inches of space between her and the closed door were gone, and her shoulderblades pressed up against it. The redhead reached his free hand forward, taking the trapped girl's chin with his thumb and lifting her head with the curve of his index's knuckle.

She almost stopped along the familiar path to her shop in order to ask herself what she was doing. Why was she here, trudging through the streets of Delilah rather than making her way back to her home in Taft? Telrenya pushed open the oaken door of Crystal Clear, letting it swing shut behind her. With the light of the virtual sun that hung over the Elven city pouring through the large glass pane at the front of the building, she didn't bother to turn on the lights overhead. She sat herself down, nearly crashing against the workbench as her torso leaned over the flat surface. Raven curls spilled out from the sides of her hood on onto the wooden tabletop as she finally allowed herself time to catch her breath.

Telrenya's lids slid closed as her shoulders bobbed with each breath and she played the scene from the edge of the volcano back in her mind. Jomei had called her Erin, even after the mask had been knocked away. Did that mean he hadn't seen her face? Was she just overreacting, and everything would smooth itself over on its own? She tried to continue calming herself and focused for several long moments on each deep, steadying breath that flowed through her.

'What do I do now? This wasn't how 'Erin' was supposed to disappear...' The troubled thoughts were quick to return. Maybe she could just get a new mask. She could apologize for running off, they could meet up for whatever castle they were supposed to visit on the tenth floor, and then Erin could vanish like she had decided earlier that morning. The girl's arm dragged across the table. Though her eyes were still closed, the practiced motion of her hand elicited a soft chiming sound to signal the opening of her menus. She needed to change her clothes, and dismiss the effects that changed the colors of her hair and irises, and make her way back home before it got late. If she just worked extra hard to make it seem like nothing was out of the ordinary today, maybe everything really would be okay.

But the blanket of exhaustion was a heavy weight that draped over her slumped frame. With the combination of felling two more dragons and fleeing the scene of the volcano's peak, it was only seconds later that Telrenya drifted off into much-needed sleep.

Telrenya didn't stop running until she reached the edge of the volcanic city. Her artificial lungs burned with each breath of hot air, and after the combined exertion of the long sprint as well as taking down both the sapphire and ruby dragons, it was only the adrenaline coursing through her that kept her going the rest of the way to the teleport gate. She hadn't heard a voice or footsteps behind her to indicate Jomei had been following her, and she was at first nervous to cast any more than a quick glance over her shoulder once she'd entered the invisible barrier of the safe zone.

She was quick to call out the name of the third floor settlement once she was able to teleport from the plaza at the center of Yogan Village. Her avatar was quick to vanish in a ball of blue light, and soon her surroundings changed dramatically. Ashen skies were replaced with bright blue, sundown still hours away. The flat-topped stone buildings that made up the shops and inns of floor nine became close-sitting cottages decorated with brightly-colored flowers while the Elven folk populated the cobblestone streets of Delilah. Telrenya looked positively out of place, a trio of bright red gashes still lingering across her cheek as her health had yet to fully regenerate. Her breathing was still heavy as she pushed herself to walk the familiar path from the main plaza to her Artisan shop.

Telrenya's gloved hand was glued to the side of her face, holding the tingling skin of her jaw and cheek. It wasn't the dragon's heavy swipe that had her stunned--mechanically or otherwise. There were very few times that she willingly removed her mask when playing as Erin, and now it was as if her greatest nightmare when taking on this quest chain with Jomei was seconds away from playing out. She hadn't registered the flash of light, nor the familiar sound that played when something expired in the virtual world. She was only snapped back to reality when she heard Jomei's voice full of concern beside her, and the girl tore her eyes away from the bubbling lava that had devoured her mask. Instead, she turned her face further away from him in reaction. Her hand served to work as a barrier of sorts, concealing the side of her face that was closest to him, but as the seconds ticked by her mind stuttered and stalled.

She wanted to say something. Even a hurried apology would have been better than nothing. But her voice failed her just the same as her legs when she first pushed herself to her feet. The woman had tried to carry herself back the way they'd come, but her knees buckled a step and a half after turning her back on the ginger and she crashed back to the ground. Without wasting a second, she tried again, more successfully this time, and she broke out into a run around the mouth of the volcano towards the path that would ultimately lead her back to Yogan.

Telrenya kept St. Andrew's Bane unsheathed and held at her side after the last of the warriors had been defeated. The woman let out a soft sigh, the puff of air hitting the inside of her mask as her shoulders dropped. 'Not bad at all.' She thought, keeping the affirmation to herself. Despite 'Erin' being part of the guild, she didn't need to be drawing any attention to herself.

The group of six continued to traverse the winding tunnels that made up the dungeon in the same formation Ryo had earlier called for, leaving Spencer and Telrenya at the back of the group. They went a surprising amount of time without encountering any more monsters, though the loot and experience they had gained thus far only proved that the expedition was going to be well worth it. 'We really would've been in over our heads without them, huh Willow?'

Several minutes later, with light conversation being the main source of noise to fill the dimly-lit underground spaces, Telrenya perked when another set of footsteps reached her ear. The woman turned, spotting a pair of soldiers marching towards them after turning a corner they had passed by moments earlier. "Behind us!" She called to the rest of the group. "Ready, Spencer?" Telrenya lowered herself closer to the ground before activating her charge skill. Taking the lead in their formation, she rushed forward to the left-most warrior to unleash another fourteen-hit combo.

She felt the familiar hold of Jomei's hand over hers as she was brought around in a small spin. The hems of her white dress and maroon skirt flared slightly with the motion, and Telrenya let out a shy, breathy chuckle as she turned back to face him. The first and only dance she'd shared with the Irishman was quick to come to mind--with music he had composed and recorded filling the bedroom of their Taft home, their novice waltz was a fond memory to say the least. She wasn't sure which feeling was stronger: the nervous embarrassment at the thought of dancing in such a large ballroom surrounded by so many people, or the longing to create another special memory with the man at her side through another dance in a more extravagant setting.

"A contest?" She echoed with curiosity at Jomei's mention, and she followed alongside him to approach an appropriately-dressed NPC. She smiled warmly, the expression soon turning to a short giggle with his playful attitude. Her hesitance faded with her date's gentle encouragement, and the blonde gave a nod as well. "Sure, that actually sounds fun. Does that give me a free pass to try and embarrass you more?" She teased.

[ Telrenya has entered the Best Couple Contest with Jomei ]

Moments later, the couple made their way to meet another. Despite all the masks and formal attire, Telrenya had an inkling of who the players underneath might be. As the brunette woman turned her attention on her, Telrenya took a second to absorb her words before a short laughter broke. She had brought up a free hand to cover her outburst, then bringing it back to her side to pinch at the fabric of her dress. One foot slid behind the other and she lowered into a small curtsy towards the players across from her. "Not at all. I'm Telrenya, or just Tel. Nice to meet you." The exposed half of her face smiled brightly.

Telrenya was already lightly panting behind the thin metal of her mask when they reached their destination, the combination of the physical exertion from the climb and the rising arid temperatures as they drew closer to the exposed pools of lava. Finally on even enough terrain, the woman followed suit to draw her own weapon as they faced the molten hatchling.

She had to force her eyes to keep from darting to the side and taking in the unnerving sight of the active volcano. She swallowed, locking her sights on the ruby dragon in flight before Jomei sped from her side to attack the monster head-on. Inhaling a deep breath of hot air through her nostrils, the woman steeled herself and turned before forcing her feet to carry her forward. She picked up speed, breaking into a run as she circled around the opposite side to pincer the beast. Mirroring Jomei's assault, Telrenya lunged forward with a barrage of fourteen strikes.

As St. Andrew's Bane drew out of Smaug's body with the conclusion of her attack, the small dragon was quick to lash out in retaliation. Its tail whipped towards Jomei before its wide claw sliced through the air towards Telrenya. Her eyes widened for a split second before she felt the force of the dragon's talons raking across her face. The sharp tips hooked under the silver plate of her mask, prying the item loose as the skin of her left jaw and cheek was marked with a fresh set of gashes. The force of the blow knocked the girl to the side, causing her to fall to her knees as she faced the open edge of the volcano. She could only watch with wide eyes as the metal accessory fell through the air and dropped into the bubbling magma below, her mind left blank and failing to process the turn of events.

ID#: 95640 | BD: 5(+4)(-3)=6
(12 base) + (3 charge) = (15 DMG) x (14 sword art) = (210 DMG) - (75 MIT) = 135 DMG

Jomei: 1250/1250 HP | 137/137 EN | 17 DMG | 52 MIT | 4 EVA | 4 ACC | 2 Savvy | B.Healing 
Telrenya: 720/720 HP | 57/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT

Smaug: 132/500 HP | 150 DMG | 75 MIT | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 24 Burn

Telrenya straightened up, bringing the blade of her rapier to her side with the conclusion of her attack. With Dagahra's health left in the red, she fully expected the Irishman's next attack to finish it off. Shifting her weight to one side, she was caught nearly as off-guard as Jomei when the sapphire dragon slipped to the side to evade his strike.

"Oh no you don't...!" She muttered, lowering her stance again. She pulled the hilt of her blade close to her side before hastily moving forward to drive the steel into the dragon once more. Another flurry of strikes and the monster finally glowed with a bright light before it shattered completely.

Now finally able to relax, Telrenya dropped her blade to her side once more until she pulled it across to return the weapon to its scabbard. Her head turned back to Jomei as he lifted himself back up, catching the crimson hue on his cheeks. She had to work hard to suppress a giggle from bubbling up through her chest, though she closed the remaining distance between with a small sigh. "Okay, just one more to go."

ID#: 95634 | BD: 7(+4)(-2)=9 - Hit! Over Radiation (x13) Active
(12 base) x (14 sword art) = (168 DMG) - (70 MIT) = 98 DMG

Jomei: 1150/1230 HP | 126/135 EN | 17 DMG | 52 MIT | 4 EVA | 4 ACC | 2 Savvy | B.Healing 
Telrenya: 700/700 HP | 45/70 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT

Dagahra: 0/450 HP | 130 DMG | 70 MIT | 3 ACC | 2 EVA

Thread Complete!

• Telrenya: +3 SP, +650 col
• Jomei: +3 SP, +650 col

Something about lakes just seemed to make Telrenya terribly uneasy. She kept a nervous hand wrapped loosely around the hilt of St. Andrew's Bane at her side as they approached, and it didn't take long for her to spot the ripples in the water's surface where Dagahra shot through the lake. Jomei readied himself and Telrenya did the same, drawing her blade as her eyes followed the silhouette of the dragon hatchling before it broke the surface.

Telrenya sidestepped, circling around as Jomei took the first attack. As the light of his empowered attack faded and Dagahra bolted forward to knock the Irishman off his feet, she initiated her attack. Pushing herself forward, she charged at the winged beast. With an identical number of strikes, the tip of her rapier drove into Dagahra's body, wings, and tail. The hatchling let out another pained cry as the beating of its wings faltered, causing it to crash to the ground at the lake's edge.

ID#: 95616 | BD: 4(+4)(-2)=6 - Hit!
(12 base) + (3 charge) = (15 DMG) x (14 sword art) = (210 DMG) - (70 MIT) = 140 DMG

Jomei: 1150/1230 HP | 125/135 EN | 17 DMG | 52 MIT | 4 EVA | 4 ACC | 2 Savvy | B.Healing 
Telrenya: 700/700 HP | 57/70 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT

Dagahra: 72/450 HP | 130 DMG | 70 MIT | 3 ACC | 2 EVA

Though she wanted to enjoy the gentle melody that Jomei's lute sang, Telrenya's attention was elsewhere. Namely on the soft blue wisp that hovered and danced at the Irishman's back. The girl felt her heart jump in her chest at the thought that the man might spot and recognize Willow among the other wisps, and she drew a few inches closer at the man's back as she tried to retrieve the creature. As she feared--and should have known--her attempts to touch the spirit, let alone take hold of it and hide it from view, were in vain. When Jomei's song came to an end and the passive monsters gradually lost interest in the man, Telrenya took a hurried step back and her hands shot behind her back.

After Jomei turned to face her and Willow thankfully vanished from his view she let out a tiny chuckle that she could only hope wasn't as forced or nervous as she actually felt. "N-no no, that was really great." She said while wishing she could have more thoroughly enjoyed the experience without the distractions. It took a few seconds, but her shoulders gradually fell as she followed Jomei away from the grove. She wanted to continue with another comment on the interaction with the wisps, if only to fill the silence, but a sight on the horizon caught her eye and caused the girl to perk up slightly. "Ah, there!" She extended her arm to point a gloved finger. In the distance, just as she had managed to remember, the sparkling reflection of sunlight caught in the surface of a lake was visible through the trees.

Telrenya shifted uncomfortably, taking slow steps forward and past the trees to leave her inside of the grove among the many wisps. She tried to simply enjoy the sight of the spirits in the scattered rays of light that broke through the gaps in the canopy above, but the unease in the pit of her stomach was hard to ignore. She considered reaching out to one of the closest-hovering wisps before she remembered her last interaction with the creatures. Would it be better to try and touch one to make it seem like she'd never seen them before? Now she was second-guessing every move, and it was only a matter of time before it would start driving her crazy.

Before she had made a decision one way or the other, the wisp's bright oval eyes turned from her and locked onto the ginger a few paces away, causing Telrenya to do the same. She had only just spotted the curve of the wooden instrument's base past his frame when the first few notes of his lute reached her ears. 'Ah, I know that song...' She thought as she listened.

But as Telrenya wasn't the only one to recognize the melody, a familiar blue ball of light appeared at the center of her chest. Willow's form seemed to emerge from the girl's avatar, and her eyes widened slightly as the tamed wisp hurried to make their way to the source of the music that always seemed to draw their attention. Feeling a quick rush of panic, Telrenya extended her hands as if to clasp them around the familiar, but Willow's ethereal body simply slipped through her fingers. She bit her lip as she realized there was no stopping the creature from joining the other curious wisps that danced around the performer, and quickly retracted her hands to her chest as it grew a bit tighter with apprehension.

Her skin and clothing was still coated with a generous amount of soot that would likely cling to her until enough time eventually passed to return her avatar back to normal. Telrenya wondered for a moment if she might end up getting home in time to take a shower and rid herself of the ash and dirt early, having finally given up on trying to dust off any more of the persistent stains from her clothing.

She watched as the bomb familiar reformed himself, flinching slightly as it came back just as grumpy with her before Ruby placed herself in between them. "O-oh, Ruby it's okay." She started with a small chuckle to shake her nerves. "I shouldn't be going around poking people's familiars." Her shoulders relaxed a bit, and she cast a sidelong glance at the closed doors of the tavern with a small sigh. "Well, I guess we can catch up while we actually take on this quest. Do you know what we need to do?" She prompted with a small smile.

Jomei's expression, and the deep blush on his cheeks as he turned around to face her, were all Telrenya could ask for from her little stunt. Despite the feeling of her heart pounding in her chest at how far from her comfort zone she had stepped, she couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from stretching into a wide, mischeivous grin as the Irishman recognized her. "Hehe, gotcha~" She reveled in her playful tease a moment longer until his compliment reached her ears. The exposed skin on her cheeks took on a faint pink hue of her own as a bashfulness finally took over her.

"You...You look amazing," She returned in a smaller voice, her grin having faded into a shy smile as she tilted her chin to look up at the masked man. She nearly couldn't hold her gaze as she remembered his earlier surprise for her. "And, thank you so much for the flowers. They're gorgeous, Nick." She lowered her volume so as not to share his name with unwelcome ears, but perked up a bit after their sweet exchange. A woman with raven hair made herself visible on the other side of the Irishman, offering him a quick pat on the back. The blonde's attention was quickly grabbed by the player wearing a black-and-gold lioness mask, and before she had discerned who it was hiding underneath, Hestia's comment about rings reached her ears. Her blush deepened with a short stint of embarrassment, but she was lost for words at the stranger's teasing.

Shortly after recovering, Telrenya turned her attention to the other side of the massive ballroom. "This is so nice, a masquerade ball," She let out a small giggle, "I've always wanted to do something like this. It's even better than I imagined."

@Jomei

Telrenya's thoughts were only slightly straightened out when Jomei gave her a new topic to focus on: leadership. She found herself listening to him intently as he went on to explain his own worries and responsibilities with being the guild's leader, and shortly thereafter the woman felt a gnawing mixture of guilt and concern. "N-no, it's okay." She stammered back after his apology. She had been so focused on this silly disguise and keeping secrets that she hadn't been there to help Jomei with anything when it came to their guild. They had already gained...how many was it, four real new members since the Holy Dragon Alliance had formed? Had Jomei been the one to go out and recruit them all on his own?

The Irishman's hushed call snapped Telrenya back to attention, and her chin turned to spot the cleared area nestled in the forest that he drew closer to. As her eyes fell on the same scene as his, her heart simultaneously lifted and sank. After several moments' hesitation she stepped closer, if only out of necessity. Her eyes passed over each of the floating wisps, the same as they had on her first and only visit to the spirited grove. "Looks like the reunion came a little sooner than I expected..." The words meant for her familiar carried on her breath, the sound unable to make it past the metal of her mask, "Stay put for me, okay?"

She gave another nod, this time one he was more likely to see as Jomei turned to face her more directly. She took the lead as he prompted, her mind working in the silence as her feet carried her in the familiar direction of Ruby's alchemy shop. 'I have to make sure not to actually go to her shop... I wonder if I can managed to find my way without seeing it.' She bit down gently at the inside of her cheek as she thought. And as the train in her mind pushed forward, she felt a moment's hesitation. 'Shoot, I don't think I actually saw the edge of that lake until I was already in that grove where I found Willow...'

Her mind was terribly busy, wondering if she should try to avoid the area the same as Ruby's shop, and curious as to whether or not she'd still be able to properly lead them if she did. But even with her head running through options and pretend scenarios, her feet managed to guide her through the forests. The girl broke off from her usual route towards their rosette guildmate, and she moved in a direction that she hoped would lead her to intersect with the path she had previously taken. "Aahh, why does it feel so easy to get lost...?" She let the complaint out in a low mumble.

No sooner had her flurry of attacks against the warrior ended, Telrenya found the four hulking creatures turning in her direction. She felt a quick chill run down her spine as each of their sights were set on her in unison, but the girl stayed quick on her feet. The first spearhead that was thrust towards her met with the thin blade of her rapier, the sparks that the clashing metal gave off paling in comparison to the light from the flickering flames that nearly engulfed it. With a twist of her wrist the attack was deflected to one side, only to be replaced with another spear tip. She turned out of its path just in time, and regained her footing in order to dash backwards before the remaining two sliced through the air where her avatar had just been standing.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she lowered her body towards the ground in a readied stance, gloved fingertips barely grazing the tunnel floor. Kimi felled one of the warriors with another sweeping area attack. Ryo cut down another just a second later. The ball of her back foot pressed into the tightly-packed dirt as she pushed herself forward for another attack, and St. Andrew's Bane gave off an identical glow. Another combination of fourteen strikes and only one ant man remained. Telrenya quickly turned, backpedaling a couple of steps to leave her standing beside Spencer, rapier still held at the ready in front of her. "Be careful, it looks like our party is on a separate hate table." She spoke in a low, hurried voice to the sandy blonde aside her. "If you swing at that one, I think it'll go for you this time." She offered the quick words of caution to her friend.