Telrenya

"This. Place. Is awful." Telrenya grumbled to herself. She had been wandering inside of the ever-shifting landscapes of Tartarus for half an hour now, still empty-handed in regards to finding the lair of the banshee that the old woman she had spoken to instructed her to search for. She was only thankful that the number of monsters and other traps she had encountered in the run-down prison of the tenth floor were minimal. Though, that was not to say the ones that she had weren't more treacherous than she had expected. Not to mention rather annoying.

Telrenya caught sight of her avatar's arm glowing a soft, pulsating blue as her gloved hand trailed along the side of the passageway she walked down. The girl scoffed lightly, "Well, do you have any better ideas?" Her mouth turned down into a pout behind the silvered mask she wore. Telrenya was speaking to the ethereal familiar that hid itself away 'inside' of her, as per usual. "Couldn't you like, go through the walls and scout around for me? Oh, wait a second,"

Something grabbed the girl's attention away from her complaints, and she jogged over to a thin metal level sticking out from the side of the wall in between a pair of abandoned jail cells. Without much thought, she pulled down on the handle, fingers mentally crossed as she hoped for it to reveal what she had been looking for--or at least maybe something nice to make al of her time spent more worth it. Instead, she let out a short scream as the stone floor of the labyrinth's second floor crumbled beneath her feet. She hit the smoothed smooth stone, her curled body continuing down the pitch-black, slide-like tunnel while her arms hovered instictively over her face. Moments later, she was falling again as the tunnel reached its end. Telrenya had essentially been evicted from Tartarus, crashing into a heavily-armored player just as soon as Hestia was about to enter herself. "Ugh... I take it back, it's absolutely the worst." She grumbled underneath her breath before she had realized what--or rather, whom--she had landed on top of.

"O-oh gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" She momentarily forgot about her discomfort as she worked to pick herself up off of the other player.

ID#: 98030 | LD: 7 - nothing

With a tiny sigh of relief, Telrenya was allowed a moment's respite from Varalys' sights. She hadn't yet seen how much damage the final dragon knight was capable of, and she wasn't eager to find out. She twisted her blade in her right hand as Jomei took his turn to riddle the knight's armor with a whole new set of gashes and stab wounds, preparing herself for the next opportunity she would get to do the same in just seconds.

"Thank you~!" She called out past Varalys' form with an upbeat tone. The knight was stumbling backwards yet again, and towards her this time. With a steady exhale, Telrenya shot forward to meet her target with the tip of her rapier once more. The same successive strikes of her most powerful attack ran through the pitch black armor to force Varalys' health even lower. Well into the yellow, it took only a second to drift into the a dangerous red. And as the fourteenth thrust of the brilliantly glowing blade sliced through the center of the knight's chest, Varalys let out a powerful shout in a language neither of them were able to understand. Curses, maybe? Telrenya hadn't paid attention to catch any real meaning behind them.

The imposing figure that had stood between them vanished in a burst of glimmering shards, and the blonde was left standing across from Jomei in the stillness of the empty castle. After a second of silence, the familiar dialogue window that informed them of a completed quest appeared in front of each of them, and a wide grin broke out over the girl's face. Dismissing the menu and sliding her rapier back to its sheathe, she rushed forward and threw her arms around the Irishman, bubbling with excited laughter. "We did it! We really did it!" She exclaimed into the man's chest.

Though their moment of victory would be short-lived. The ground beneath their feet shook, suddenly and violently. The fires in the mounted pyres around the room seemed to grow in the intensity that they burned, the yellow tint of brimstone taking over and filling the room with an eerie glow. Telrenya turned slightly in Jomei's arms, eyes running over the length of the room with newfound concern. "What...what's going on?"

@Jomei

ID#: 98025 | BD: 8(+4)(-3)=7 - Hit!
(13 base) x (14 sword art) = (182 DMG) - (80 MIT) = 102 DMG

• [2] Telrenya: 720/720 HP | 47/72 EN | 13 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [3] Jomei: 1270/1270 HP | 120/139 EN | 18 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Varalys the World’s End: 0/650 HP | 250 DMG | 5 ACC | 3 EVA | 80 MIT
  • <<Dragon’s Judgment>>: Natural MD 9-10 causes a symbol of a dragon to appear over his target's chest. The player is frozen in place and loses all Evasion properties for one turn.
  • <<Dragon’s Ascent>>: LD 15+ heals Varalys for 25 HP and raises his base DMG by 10.
  • <<Dragon’s Last Roar>>: Upon hitting 0 HP, Varalys shouts in dragon tongue. Brimstone rains from the sky while the castle itself begins to crumble. Players take 4 posts each to escape the building and rolls on each. CD 1-8 results in 100 unmitigatable damage.

ID#: 98029 | LD: 14 | CD: 6 - 1950 col, (1) T1 material, Rare weapon acquired

Telrenya swallowed down her apprehension, right hand crossing her body to wrap its fingers around the hilt of Celestial Dawn at her hip. Drawing her weapon, it took only seconds for the battle to begin. Jomei sprung into action, circling around the right side of the room with impressive speed. Not wasting a moment, Telrenya leaned forward to do the same, mirroring his movements just a few steps behind as she ran around the left side. The corner of her mouth hooked into a tiny smirk. Although their opponents was heavily armored, his trident was currently locked in a failed attempt to keep the Irishman at bay at his back. Before Varalys had the chance to bring the weapon fully forward to deal with the second of his attackers, the tip of Telrenya's rapier had already plunged deep into the center of the boss' chest.

Celestial Dawn's golden blade gave off an almost blinding white light that flashed with each of fourteen powerful slashes and stabs across the knight's front. The final strike, Telrenya dragged the edge of her blade upwards from one corner of Varalys' torso to the opposite. As her body twisted slightly with the wide diagonal cut, the knight's balance was broken and he stumbled backwards, a faint light from two glowing eyes locking on her behind his helm. With the falter in their opponent's guard, Telrenya called out to her partner in order for him to push the offensive, "Nick, switch!"

ID#: 98023 | BD: 10 - Critical Hit! Over Radiation (x14) +charge Active
(13 base) + (2 critical) + (3 charge) = (18 DMG) x (14 sword art) = (252 DMG) - (80 MIT) = 172 DMG

• [2] Telrenya: 720/720 HP | 59/72 EN | 13 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [1] Jomei: 1270/1270 HP | 129/139 EN | 18 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Varalys the World’s End: 261/650 HP | 250 DMG | 5 ACC | 3 EVA | 80 MIT
  • <<Dragon’s Judgment>>: Natural MD 9-10 causes a symbol of a dragon to appear over his target's chest. The player is frozen in place and loses all Evasion properties for one turn.
  • <<Dragon’s Ascent>>: LD 15+ heals Varalys for 25 HP and raises his base DMG by 10.
  • <<Dragon’s Last Roar>>: Upon hitting 0 HP, Varalys shouts in dragon tongue. Brimstone rains from the sky while the castle itself begins to crumble. Players take 4 posts each to escape the building and rolls on each. CD 1-8 results in 100 unmitigatable damage.

It would have been a lie had Telrenya tried to claim the thought of marriage hadn't crossed her mind at some point throughout their relationship. Though it had only been a few months' time since they became an official couple, the trials and tribulations they had face in that span had only strengthened their bond and brought them closer. Even so, Telrenya had only regarded such thoughts as girlish fantasies, telling herself it was far too soon or that she just didn't know if she was ready for such a thing. Sure, the game had a marriage system that they could easily benefit from the mechanics of, but for the couple it would mean so much more. And to know that Jomei had been wanting to take such a meaningful step forward in their relationship made Telrenya's heart feel as though it might burst.

He lifted her hand, and the woman's gaze fell as he carefully placed the ring upon her finger. Her eyes began to sparkle as brightly as the gemstones affixed to the rose gold band. "Nick, it's...simply beautiful." She breathed out, lifting her chin after a few seconds to look back into the man's eyes, just in time to catch a signature wink that had her already-pounding heart gently fluttering. She smiled warmly as she felt his palm then rest upon her cheek, and it persisted as she returned his kiss. Before they had parted, a soft blue light gradually appeared between the two lovers. Telrenya had only noticed Willow's round head poking out from the center of her chest after Jomei's attention turned to his own inventory for a moment. "H-hey!" Her eyes met the familiar's bright white ovals as they stared up at her, and the blonde quickly grew flustered under the wisp's curious gaze. "Willow, c'mon, you're embarrassing me." She whispered, and they gave in to her urging after a moment or two, emerging from her avatar completely and looping back over her shoulder in a fluid motion.

Jomei held out a crystal, gently urging the girl to take it. Her brows turned up just slightly, but one look at his face and she could hardly refuse his request. She wore a smile of slight defeat, and accepted the blue crystal before slipping it into a pocket where Cardinal then registered it to her inventory. Their attention then turned back to the large set of doors that had been standing in front of them all the while. She laughed softly, and the corner of her mouth picked up into a small smirk as she returned his sideways glance. "Ready for anything, darling."

The newly-engaged couple moved forward, each of them pushing into one of the ornate doors that made up the room's entrance. The rounded room that they walked into was brightly lit by the ten mounted pyres spread evenly along the walls. They burned brightly, the normal orange flames accompanied by the dancing bright yellow of brimstone. On the other side of the room from which they entered stood an imposing suit of blackened armor to tower over the two players. Behind the figure, a pair of scaled black dragon wings sported sharpened talons at their tips, and whether it was the figures helmet or perhaps protruding directly from the monster's skull, two large, twisted horns rose above his head. There stood Varalys, the name of the final challenge hovering above his form with a set of two health bars hovering alongside his armored shoulder. In his hands, the polearm of an impressive trident was gripped tightly, and the whole suit of metal shifted as he registered the players. Doors swinging shut of their own accord behind them, the World Ender stood and took on a fighting stance, ready to face the couple across from him.

• [0] Telrenya: 720/720 HP | 72/72 EN | 13 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [0] Jomei: 1270/1270 HP | 139/139 EN | 18 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Varalys the World’s End: 650/650 HP | 250 DMG | 5 ACC | 3 EVA | 80 MIT
  • <<Dragon’s Judgment>>: Natural MD 9-10 causes a symbol of a dragon to appear over his target's chest. The player is frozen in place and loses all Evasion properties for one turn.
  • <<Dragon’s Ascent>>: LD 15+ heals Varalys for 25 HP and raises his base DMG by 10.
  • <<Dragon’s Last Roar>>: Upon hitting 0 HP, Varalys shouts in dragon tongue. Brimstone rains from the sky while the castle itself begins to crumble. Players take 4 posts each to escape the building and rolls on each. CD 1-8 results in 100 unmitigatable damage.

Telrenya swallowed as she took in the sight of the large metal double-doors at the end of the hallway. She was nervous. Incredibly so. But they hadn't come all this way to back down from the final challenge that these quests held, and so she did her best to steel herself for whatever might lay beyond. A giant dragon, or even another army of knights--as long as Jomei was by her side, she reminded herself that the two of them could surely take on anything this world tried to throw at them.

She had just started to close the remaining distance between them and the intimidating entrance when a hand clasped around her wrist. Telrenya blinked in surprise at the Irishman's sudden call for pause, but quickly turned to face him with an inquisitive expression. She swallowed again, first thinking that he was offering a kind of pep talk similar to the mental one she'd tried to give herself just a minute ago. She nodded in nervous agreement at the thought that whatever they would face on the other side of those doors certainly wasn't going to be easy. But then he continued. He seemed nervous, moreso than she would have expected from the man who was usually quick to flash her a confident smirk in such a scenario, and Telrenya's expression shifted in slight concern. Their eyes locked, and she listened to each of his heartfelt words, the warmth and weight behind them carefully wrapping around her chest. She gradually took on a smile that paired with a soft blush, feeling a touch of embarrassment from his meaningful sentiments.

And then her eyes fell on the small black box that he retrieved from his inventory, and the ring that he revealed from it after he had dropped to one knee. Her mind seemed to falter for a second, as if she knew exactly what was happening but also didn't understand it at the same time. When the question reached her ears, Estelle's hand automatically moved to hover its fingers over her lips. With wide eyes, the woman was suddenly hit by a rush of overwhelming emotion. Her mouth opened, but no sound escaped her for a moment. "Nick," She managed his name in little more than a whisper. "I-- You--!" Her breath and voice caught in her throat as the tears made themselves visible at the corners of her brown eyes. Her other hand joined the first, only partially covering the warm smile that took over her features. The girl seemed to finally realize she hadn't properly responded to the man that had just proposed to her. Again, she tried to speak and failed for a second, and so Telrenya nodded for a second until she had found her voice again. "Yes! Yes, of course Nick, I--" She was cut off by her own breathy laughter, and her feet carried her the short distance to him. She reached forward to take Jomei's face in her hands and leaned forward to bring their lips together in a passionate kiss, serving both to solidify her answer as well as release a portion of the overpowering emotions she felt.

Breaking away after several long seconds, Telrenya laughed softly again, sliding her palms away from Jomei's cheeks in order to wipe away the small pools of moisture from the edges of her eyes. "Ohh my gosh, I must look like a mess right now." She half-joked in an attempt to calm herself down. She looked back up to the Irishman moments later, still beaming with excitement. "I... I had no idea you were planning anything like this..." She admitted shyly, the color on her cheeks burning more intensely. "But, I... I feel the same way. You've done so much for me and, well, I've managed to change for the better ever since I met you. With all of your encouragement, and care..." Her shoulders raised with a widening smile as she reaffirmed her response. "I really do want to stay by your side. Taking on quests. Getting into trouble," She chuckled, "and...everything else."

Telrenya: 708/720 HP | 72/72 EN
[3/3 Energy Recovered]

The sound of her name, paired with the concern and regret in Jomei's voice, snapped her attention back on him. "Nick..." Her brows were turned up in her own concern, voice small as she took a step closer to the man and placed her right hand gently against his arm. She took on a reassuring smile, wanting to keep the man from being too hard on himself over the whole ordeal. Her eyes closed for a moment and she shook her head softly before returning her gaze to meet his. "Don't be sorry. I got caught up in the fight, too." She admitted, the rush of an exciting battle between just the first Forgotten or two coming back to her. "If there didn't end up being so many of them, it would've been a lot cooler." The small chuckle she let out held a hint of nervousness before she would pull herself back on track.

She brightened a bit when Jomei's expression shifted, and the cheek that his hand then rested on burned a soft pink with his compliment. Her free hand pulled up and rested atop his for a moment, leaning into his touch slightly before he would eventually pull away. She picked herself up to the balls of her feet, pushing forward to plant a short kiss against his cheek. "Mm, I'm glad too. And as long as we're a bit more careful with monsters around, I'm sure it'll be fine." She kept her optimism high. "If we're lucky, maybe we can find a happy medium between one bad guy, and a whole army." She chuckled.

Their attention would turn to their surroundings, and she silently agreed with how unsettling the moss-ridden slabs of stone felt at the sight of them. She looked back to the top of the staircase where Jomei pointed out the lack of an obvious exit, then began to drift around the overgrown remains of the cathedral in search of some kind of clue or path they might unveil. Past the scattered tombstones, against what remained of the back wall of the building, Telrenya would eventually pull back at a tattered, dusty marroon cloth that hung down from a tall mantle. "Woah..." She breathed out after revealing the stone surface underneath. A small mural looked to be painted over the bricks, worn with time but still clear enough to make out its details. "Nick, take a look at this." She called over her shoulder, pulling back the worn material further to give both of them a clearer view. An earthen-toned figure was depicted, the upper half of her profile stretching nearly the entire height of the wall. Hair that resembles long vines flowed freely behind her, with a multitude of autumn-colored leaves covering her body in the shape of a simple garment. An outstretched hand reached across the stone bricks, where an index finger pointed down at two much smaller figures--a person, and an animal. Perhaps the latter was a deer, or some other kind of horned beast, but Telrenya couldn't quite make out that much detail. She studied the painting for several long seconds before her eyes drifted back to Jomei. "What do you think all this is?"

"Phew," She brought the tip of Celestial Dawn to its scabbard at her hip, sheathing the weapon away now that the threats had been reduced to pixels and faded away. Ruby caught the girl's attention as she continued on, and a slight heat burned at Telrenya's cheeks with a faint blush. She unconsciously brought up a hand to scratch lightly against the skin with her index finger, looking away with a shyness that crept into her voice. "Heh, aww, Ruby..." She mumbled at the woman's heartfelt compliments. Her hand fell back to her side just as the rosette stepped forward to pull her into a tight embrace.

She let out her own chuckle, bringing her arms around the rosette's slender frame to return the hug. "Don't go crying on me or anything," She jested, though she knew that she would likely be brought to tears of her own if her friend were to get so emotional over such a thing. After pulling away from Ruby, she flashed the martial artist a smile. "I'm just trying to catch up to you guys, really." She admitted with a half-smile and a tiny shrug, referring to both Ruby and Jomei, as the members of the Holy Dragon Alliance that represented them at the last boss battle.

"Ehheheh," Telrenya let out a small laugh that was laced with exaggerated nervousness as she played along with his teasing. "Yeahh, about that..." She let the sentence hang as it obviously had no conclusion to come. For the first time in a long while, Telrenya's guilt, regret, and the other sour feelings that had built up over the past month were forgotten about. Or rather, they had finally begun to fade away.

The couple separated in order to face each other, and she took on another smile when he confirmed his willingness to help her train further. Her chin dropped and head tilted to one side slightly when he made mention of her adventures in disguise, and once again she wondered if and when she should offer more details about all of the things she had done while taking on the false name. Luckily, before she could dwell on the topic, Jomei held out a hand and urged them in the direction of the next challenge that awaited them.

Fingers interlocking with the Irishman's, Telrenya took careful steps up the large spiral staircase that circled the edge of the room. The colored stats in the corner of her vision gradually recovered with time, and the higher they climbed the more curious the girl grew. The sight of the dark stone ceiling above that would become a new floor had her mind busy, wondering what lay in wait ahead of them. As they breached the surface of the next story in the castle, chocolate eyes were quick to move around the room. Close to identical as the room below them, save for the pedestals that had housed the nine Dragon Knights, there was no lack in other decorations. More tapestries hung and lined the walls, this time displaying impressive landscapes of Aincrad's first ten floors, the dragons absent from their weave. With no threat of danger able to be seen, Telrenya's eyes widened, and she allowed herself to become lost in the massive portraits. Another grand chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, providing them with a fresh light source. And to the side, a faint flicker eventually caught the girl's attention. A wide hallway stood, lined with torches and leading to an ornate castle door, to which Telrenya presumed would hold their next, and possibly final, challenge. "These are beautiful..." Glad for the tranquil setting that would allow them to regain the last of their energy, the blonde's shoulders relaxed and she turned her attention first to Jomei, then back to the picturesque tapestries along the stone walls with a warm smile on her face.

Telrenya: 678/720 HP | 6/72 EN
[2/3 Energy Recovered]

'Guild Mom'. Where had she heard that before? Telrenya took a moment to think, and then as she saw Kimi approach the group she remembered seeing the red-headed girl in her Artisan shop on the third floor. Her blush persisted as she recalled the girl addressing her as such out of nowhere in the past, something she had practically forgotten about by now. "O-oh, right." She chuckled softly.

"Ah, hi Ruby." She greeted the rosette with a bright smile once she had announced her arrival. "Sorry we didn't hang out much at the dance. Your dress looks amazing, though." She offered both a quick apology and a compliment to the woman.

As Jomei moved to have a word with their host, Telrenya figured now would be the perfect time to introduce herself more properly to those members of the guild she hadn't yet gotten to know. Moving herself towards Kimi and Hestia, her shoulders picked up with a bright smile. "Hi Kimi, and you're Hestia, right?" She asked for confirmation, giving a nod of her head in greeting. "I'm Telrenya, nice to actually meet you."

The oppressive weight of Smaug's rapier was gone in an instant, allowing the girl to breathe a sigh of relief. Her shoulders fell along with her weapon that dropped back down to her side, and her chest rose and fell in a heavier pattern than normal as the continuous gauntlet of battles caught up with her. Still, on the heels of her feeling of accomplishment, Telrenya couldn't help her brows from dropping slightly in confusion. She followed Jomei's gaze onto the staircase that wrapped around the outside of the circular room, frowning slightly at the realization that there was more to come before they could call the quest chain complete.

"Mm, alright." She agreed with a nod, welcoming the idea of a rest for both her and her energy bar's sakes. She felt the weight of his hand on her shoulder just before she was pulled into the Irishman's arms. Telrenya giggled as Jomei's excitement infected her, and she pulled her hands up, trailing over his back beneath the cloak that fell over his shoulders until her arms had wrapped tightly around him in return. "I might've learned a thing or two while I was out, uhh... 'gathering materials'." Her words were teasing and guilty, her tone playful and shy all at once. She was working to forgive herself for the lies that she'd told and the danger she'd put herself in while wondering if and when she should tell Jomei in more detail about the progress she'd made, along with all the trouble she'd gotten herself into.

After a few seconds of simply enjoying their closeness, Telrenya took on another smile and spoke up in a small voice. "And... I was serious about learning more, from you."

Used:

• (2) [Quest Item] T1 Health Potion - +80 HP
• [Quest Item] T1 Damage Potion - +1 DMG

Telrenya: 648/720 HP | 5/72 EN
[1/3 Energy Recovered]

With the party recovering, Telrenya's eyes drifted over to Spencer after he moved a bit closer to her. Behind the mask, chocolate brown eyes studied his profile, her brows knitting with concern the longer she stared at her friend's reddened face. She frowned, knowing for a fact that something was wrong, but being unable to determine the cause behind it. Was he feeling out of place? She remembered how down the man had been feeling after their encounter with the player killer Death_Adder. Seeing yourself as weak, unable to contribute, and simply comparing yourself to others--she knew those feelings, and had seen just how hard they had hit Spencer in the past. The girl leaned a couple of inches to the side, offering the tall man a gentle nudge of his arm with her elbow. "Hey," She started in a voice barely above a whisper, soft and encouraging. "Let's hang out again sometime, just the two of us." Her tone did its best to carry the unseen smile that she wore. "Maybe do a quest, or...just get some ice cream?" She let out a small, breathy chuckle.

Just a few seconds later, and Hestia spoke a name that naturally drew her attention. Realizing that the 'her' that stood in front of them was not actually the subject of conversation. "Oh, uh," She started, and luckily Ryo interjected to save her from stumbling over her response. She still hesitated a second, but then gave a small nod. "Yeah, the only people I really know are Spencer and Jevi." She replied.

[3/3 to full energy]

Telrenya blinked before she could recover from his playful jab with a smirk of her own, chin tilting slightly upwards as she wouldn't let him get away with such a tease as he usually would. "Try me." She taunted the man, breaking her confident appearance a few seconds later with a small chuckle that she couldn't manage to hold back.

Her eyes would then lock on the deep vermilion and obsidian of Smaug's helmet, her heart beating just a bit faster as their final opponent stood before them. Jomei engaged the other rapier-wielder, leaving Telrenya to circle around the edge of their duel as thin blades clashed. "Got it!" She called back, pushing herself forward. Though she thought she had a clear shot at the Ruby Knight, their armored foe surprised her when he whipped around, steel swinging around to intercept her own.

Her task became incredibly more difficult, now having to work to slip past Smaug's defense without letting the knight get his own strikes in. Her eyes widened when the sword she fought against raised high in the air, and the blonde placed the heel of her palm on the flat of her blade as she brought it over her head to block the attack. As steel once again crashed against golden steel, Telrenya gave a couple of inches with the force behind the knight's swing, wincing slightly. "D-don't got it..." She stammered out as she struggled to keep the opposing rapier at bay.

ID#: 97498 | BD: 1 - Critical fail! | MD: 4(+2)(-4)=2 - Miss!

• [0] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 4/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [1] Jomei: 1270/1270 HP | 72/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Smaug the Dragon Knight: 42/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
   

She was losing track of how many times her heart must have skipped a beat in a single day. Telrenya was able to let out a small breath of relief as Jomei narrowly escaped the weight of Dagahra's warhammer. She nodded again when his eyes landed on her, readying her blade to take on their eighth opponent. She took on another small smile, "I'll follow your lead."

The woman lowered her stance the slightest bit, crossing her left foot over her right as she began to circle around the knight during Jomei's initiation. Slow steps, as she prepared to dash in herself. But then she blinked in surprise, taken aback by the Irishman's movements. He mirrored her earlier technique, forest-green cloak following after him as he slid beneath the Sapphire Knight and placed himself at its back. The blonde faltered, once again only brought back to reality with Jomei's playful words, and a fresh tint of scarlet dusted her cheeks before she let out a small laugh. "Hmm, if it's you, I don't mind." She joked back with the man before leaning forward into a dash towards the armored body that separated them. She flourished her rapier and dropped its blade at her side, gaining the full momentum of her charge until she was close enough to draw it back. The same as the last knight, Telrenya lunged forward to thrust Celestial Dawn through Dagahra's chest, removing what little remained of his health until he, too, broke into tiny shards of light.

With only one knight remaining, Telrenya straightened her spine with another confident smile. Despite the critical level of her energy bar, the duo had managed to handle each challenge more easily and fluidly than the last. She dropped her blade back to her side before tacking on an afterthought from his earlier comment. "Then in exchange, you have to teach me some of your cool moves so I can borrow them from you." The smile stretched until it broke into a small grin.

ID#: 97493 | BD: 5(+4)(-2)=7 - Hit! Neutron (x5) +charge Active | MD: 5(+2)(-4)=3 - Miss!
(12 base) x (8 sword art) = (96 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 46 DMG

• [0] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 5/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [2] Jomei: 1256/1270 HP | 81/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Dagahra the Dragon Knight: 0/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
• Smaug the Dragon Knight: 300/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
   

Telrenya gave an understanding nod. As much as she didn't want to step out of the fray and have Jomei cover for her on his own, it was a much better alternative to her being unable to deal any damage. 'Just three more...' She reminded herself, tightening her grip on the hilt of her rapier.

Jomei took the lead to engage the fist-fighting knight, and the blonde watched diligently as each of his precise strikes landed whilst the duelist evaded each heavy punch that was thrown at him. Her focus had nearly drifted away from her own role in combat as the scene played out, but on his cue she snapped back to attention. "Right!" She called back in acknowledgement. As the girl broke into a run, her eyes found the health bar that hovered beside Draigoch's armored frame. There was so little remaining due to the critical strikes Jomei had landed on the monster, and it caused the corner of Telrenya's mouth to pick up into a tiny, confident smirk. "Maybe I can hold out a little longer, then..." She mumbled under her breath during her approach. Her attack was swift and simple. Pulling back her right arm, her rapier's golden blade glowed a bright white before plunging into Draigoch's ribs, easily piercing through the dull-red armor with the power behind it. The attack was enough to knock the last of the knight's hit points away, leaving his form to falter and shatter.

ID#: 97481 | BD: 5(+4)(-2)=7 - Hit! Neutron (x5) +charge Active | MD: 5(+2)(-4)=3 - Miss!
(12 base) x (8 sword art) = (96 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 46 DMG

• [1] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 9/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [2] Jomei: 1218/1270 HP | 90/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Draigoch the Dragon Knight: 0/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
• Dagahra the Dragon Knight: 300/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
   

With his loving hold on her tightening, Telrenya enjoyed the closeness before his gentle encouragement reached her ear. She hummed softly, letting the words that tried to combat her shy nature sink in before they were followed up by different ones that did quite the opposite, causing her face to flush. "N-Nick!?" She turned her head towards him with a hushed exclamation of his name, half of her mind busy wondering what exactly he meant by the playful words, and the other half working on its own to take the liberty of filling in some blanks.

Her cheeks returning to their normal color was a slow and gradual process after she had turned to face him. A small, peaceful smile curled the corners of her mouth and her lids slid closed while she tried to listen to the faint, rhythmic beating behind the man's chest over the slow melodies of music that filled the dance floor. "I'm glad." She spoke softly when Jomei responded positively to the sentiment of staying together, and going on more adventures in the future.

Eventually, after the couple had spent a generous amount of time enjoying their shared dances, Telrenya pulled away again, tilting her chin upwards to offer her date another warm smile. "Hmm, is there anything else you want to do before it's over?" She asked with a curious hum, mulling over the same question for herself.

"Right!" Crouched low to the ground after coming out of her roll to the side, Telrenya reacted quickly to the Irishman's call. Pushing against the stone floor to stand herself up, the blonde leaned forward to close the remaining distance between herself and the whip-wielding knight. With Enywas' vine-like weapon curled around Oathkeeper's steel blade, there was nothing stopping Telrenya's assault. The Jade Knight certainly tried, however, pulling one arm away from the fighting grip she held on the handle of her whip to try and deflect the woman's first thrust of her rapier with the silvered armor strapped to her forearm.

The attempt was successful at first, sparks of light flying through the air where the two metals clashed. Telrenya's blade was knocked aside and cut through the empty air behind Enywas. The girl's brows narrowed and she continued her momentum with another step forward on her left, turning her foot and pulling her right elbow back. With fluid movements, she turned her shoulders along with the rest of her body, spinning around with another step out and swung the pommel of her sword at the back of the knight's head. Enywas jerked forward with the force of the blow, loosening her grip on the whip that then fell to the stone floor. Pulling back again, Telrenya continued with four consecutive, empowered thrusts to deplete what remained of her health.

With the sixth knight defeated, both her body and the length of her weapon shattering into pieces, a long breath escaped the girl. She flashed Jomei another quick smile before the familiar, foreboding sound of heavy boots against the ground signaled their next opponent's arrival. Turning to face the Jasper Knight, Telrenya's brows knit. "I've only got enough for one more good attack..." She said in a small voice.

ID#: 97447 | BD: 7(+4)(-2)=9 - Hit! Penetrate (x8) Active
(12 base) x (8 sword art) = (96 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 46 DMG

ID#: 97448 | MD: 6(+2)(-4)=4 - Miss!

• [0] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 13/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [1] Jomei: 1180/1270 HP | 89/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Enywas the Dragon Knight: 0/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
• Draigoch the Dragon Knight: 300/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
   

A faint pink tint was still dusting Telrenya's cheeks in the midst of battle. She had jumped slightly at the unexpected feeling of Ruby's hand tapping against her backside, though she tried to remind herself that she really shouldn't expect much different from the outspoken healer. Trying not to focus on the lingering embarrassment, Telrenya kept her attention focused on the opponents in front of them. With one bandit down, the woman brought up an arm to shield her face from the edge of Purobolos' radius of explosion, more specks of soot still managing to cling to her already-dirtied skin and clothes. "Nice one, Ruby!" She called out with a small grin as she watched the rosette follow-up with a single fist driven through another thief.

She leaned her body over into a sprinter's stance as she locked eyes onto her next target--a bandit who had set his sights on the healer after a short coughing fit from the gas he inhaled. "Right behind you," She shot forward with the activation of another charge, golden blade glowing brightly. An identical attack--fourteen swift strikes throughout the bandit's torso--and a third thief was no more. Telrenya's confidence peaked at how easily they were cutting, or punching, their enemies down, and she turned back to Ruby. "Hehe, we really do make a great team, huh?"

Combat Rolls:

Combat Stats:

Thief Sword Arts:

"Yes!" Telrenya's voice and eyes both were filled with excitement, giving a short cheer at their successful manuever. With the many shards of light fading from view, she was able to meet Jomei's eyes across from her and felt her smile naturally grow wider to pair with a faint pink hue on her cheeks. Their shared moment was short-lived, and Telreyna was quickly jolted to attention with the sight of the thick cord that wrapped around her lover's neck. Much to her relief, the man reacted quickly to free himself, going so far as to deliver a line of banter to the newest of the knights.

She felt a bit of tension release from her shoulders with Enywas' attack falling short, but she hesitated before she would ready her rapier again. She had never fought anything that wielded a vine whip before. She didn't know what to expect, and that left her nervous. She took a couple of small steps forward until she stood beside Jomei, swallowing her apprehension. "Alright, round six?" She used her own words to urge away her hesitation. She was still nervous about her waning energy, and how they might make it through the remaining four knights, but at least they had managed to keep their health bars stable after the first few attacks. They were getting used to the knights and fighting against them, and that was a good sign, she told herself.

She gave a sideways glance to Jomei, almost trying to read the man's thoughts as to how they might work to coordinate their attacks against their next opponent. Eyes turning back on Enywas, Telrenya dipped her chin forward and began her approach. The girl hadn't gotten halfways to closing the distance, however, when the knight, now recovered from her small stumble, drew back her arm to throw the length of her whip forward at the girl. A sharp crack rang out against the walls while Telrenya narrowly managed to dodge the corded weapon that snapped against the stone where her feet had been. The blonde braced herself as she tumbled to the side, rolling out of the way of the strike and picking herself up just as quickly.

ID#: 97287 | BD: 2(+4)(-2)=4 - Miss!

• [0] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 20/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [0] Jomei: 1156/1270 HP | 98/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Enywas the Dragon Knight: 300/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
   

With the back-to-back battles, Telrenya's breathing had grown a bit heavier. She took half a step back from where Icefyre's frame had stood in between the two players moments ago, bringing her blade down to her side. "Hehe, no way!" She shot back with a moment of persisting confidence. A quick reference to her vitals, and the level of her energy bar caused a lapse in that confidence. "A-Although, my energy might disagree..." She tacked on weakly, not wanting to give her partner any misleading information. "I think I can only manage a couple more attacks like that..." She admitted.

With a half-step to the side, Telrenya caught sight of the newly-emerged Topaz Knight. The blonde smiled past the nervousness, nodding for a bit of self-assurance. "But I'll try to make them count!" She brought the heels of her boots together for a split second in a quick side-gallop to begin her approach against Tabaluga. She shifted her position to a head-on attack, her charge skill kicking in yet again to close the distance between her and their new opponent. Her blade began to glow faintly at her side, but as her eyes ran over the entirety of her target an idea suddenly came to mind. "Ready?" She called back over her shoulder, indicating her aim for his follow-up while she gave a silent, mental plea for her plan to work.

Telrenya didn't show any intent to stop herself until she was directly in front of the knight. She extended her right leg in the center of Tabaluga's widened stance, dropping the rest of her body to the ground. She pulled her arms in close, the flat of her blade hovering in front of her while she slid between the Dragon Knight's legs. Her momentum was quickly diminished, and she planted her left palm against the ground just in time to twist the rest of her body and position herself for a swift chain of attacks. Celestial Dawn had reached the peak of its brightness, and with a single lunge forward Telrenya began driving it through the back of the knight's armored frame.

@Jomei

ID#: 97266 | BD: 4(+4)(-2)=6 - Hit! Over Radiation (x14) +charge Active!
(12 base) + (3 charge) = (15 DMG) x (14 sword art) = (210 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 160 DMG

• [1] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 21/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [0] Jomei: 1142/1270 HP | 107/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal (Bleed 1/2)
   
• Tabaluga the Dragon Knight: 140/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
   

Her eyes met Jomei's for a fleeting moment and his expression infected her while she tilted her chin downward in a nod of agreement. Attention flickering back to the axe-wielding knight before them, Telrenya leaned forward into a run at the same time as the Irishman. He met Icefyre head-on, narrowly evading his heavy swings while Telrenya circled around to their opponent's back. She skidded to a stop against the stone floor, body lowered and leaning forward until the exposed fingertips of her left hand pressed against the cold ground. She held a sprinter's position for a second or two, watching the knight's movements ahead of her.

And then, over his crystal-armored shoulder, the woman's eyes widened as she saw the large red gash that formed across the length of Jomei's back while Icefyre's axe tore into his forest-green cloak. "Nick!" She called with a voice full of concern, jaw clenching immediately after. She mentally cursed herself for not acting sooner, and pushed herself forward with the sudden activation of her charge skill. She shot toward the knight, closing the distance between them in a flash, and a moment later the golden blade of her rapier was piercing through the center of the armored knight's torso. The steel slid through cleanly and buried deep before her shoulder pulled back to rip the weapon free again. Another thirteen quick, identical strikes followed suit, littering Icefyre's torso with bright red puncture wounds as his health dropped to the halfway point. "Sorry I'm late." She offered with a weak smile at the conclusion of her attack.

@Jomei

ID#: 97255 | BD: 7(+4)(-2)=9 - Hit! Over Radiation (x14) +Charge Active! | MD: 9 - Critical Hit!
(12 base) + (3 charge) = (15 DMG) x (14 sword art) = (210 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 160 DMG

• [1] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 33/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [0] Jomei: 1128/1270 HP | 106/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal
   
• Icefyre the Dragon Knight: 140/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed

Chocolate eyes went wide at the sight of the sharpened blade coming down on her. Her heart beat faster in her chest as her mind registered her newfound helplessness, and the only reaction she was left capable of was raising her arms in front of her, eyes wrenching shut as she flinched against the oncoming blow. But the sound of jarring metal replaced the weight of the spear that she had expected to collide with her frame, and Telrenya's eyes fluttered back open with the lack thereof. To her immediate relief, the sight of the Irishman's back to her as he pushed the knight back with a series of slashes and stabs gave her a brief moment of reprieve. Her chest tightened with his words before it was overtaken by the fluttering feeling that was brought with a surge of confidence. While the intensity of the battles with the steady stream of Dragon Knights still left her with a hint of nervous tension, the anxiety she had been feeling was quelled by Jomei's encouragement.

The woman rushed back into action, dashing to retrieve her rapier from the ground before doubling back and into the fray. With Ghidorah on the offensive, Telrenya circled around the two figures with hurried, running steps that carried her to the knight's flank. Her eyes darted over the monster, searching for the best places to strike as her blade glowed brightly with the beginning of her most powerful sword skill. She lunged forward, taking advantage of its focus on the ginger in order to land all fourteen blows in succession. The Quartz Knight's health bar dropped completely, and his digital frame flickered and faltered for a fraction of a second before it burst into shards of light. Telrenya let out a sigh of relief, straightening up as her eyes turned back to Jomei and a smile crept over her lips. "Thank you, Nick. That... That really helped." She admitted with a soft chuckle that hinted at her embarrassment.

Like clockwork, another set of boots hitting the floor announced the arrival of their fourth challenger, Icefyre. The Diamond Knight stood in an impressive set of white armor adorned with crystals of varying sizes and brilliance, and wasted little time in approaching the players with his blade at the ready. Telrenya filled her lungs with a new breath of air. "Alright, three down." She readied herself for the knight's assault with a newfound spark of courage.

@Jomei

ID#: 97183 | BD: 4(+4)(-2)=6 - Hit! Over Radiation (x14) Active
(12 base) x (14 sword art) = (168 DMG) - (50 MIT) = 118 DMG

ID#: 97184 | MD: 7(-4)(+2)=5 - Miss!

• [0] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 45/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [0] Jomei: 1164/1270 HP | 107/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal (-24)(+38) 
   
• Ghidorah the Dragon Knight: 0/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed
• Icefyre the Dragon Knight: 300/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed

Telrenya's fingertips grazed the stone floor as she dropped to the ground. Her chin lifted just in time to see the second knight's defeat, and the corners of her mouth pulled up in a smile when Jomei turned to face her a second later. She nodded, pushing back to her feet. "Mm, yeah." She hadn't much time to recover from the end of the fight before the sound of more metal against stone bounced off the rounded walls. She turned to see Ghidorah approach them the same as the last two knights, and the woman let out a small sigh to agree with Jomei's sentiment. "Seriously... This last challenge is a lot tougher than I thought it would be." She said, a bit of the disparagement she felt slipping through in her tone.

As the next knight ran to engage them, Telrenya gripped the hilt of her rapier a bit tighter. She took one step, and then another, increasing her pace to meet Ghidorah's charge head-on. She watched the tip of his spear carefully, following its movements while she brought her own blade forward to clash with its steel tip. Sparks flew yet again between the two figures with each clang of metal, and the blonde struggled to hold her ground against the Dragon Knight. White boots took small steps backward with the failing strength of her defense, and her reactions grew more hesitant and uncertain with each clash of blows. As the edge of her blade came down onto the handle of the knight's spear, the monster lurched back forward, overpowering the blonde and forcing the weapon back up. Her grip faltered, and Celestial Dawn was tossed a short distance behind her, hitting the ground with a ringing of metal against stone.

@Jomei

ID#: 97172 | BD: 1 - Critical Fail!

• [0] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 57/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [0] Jomei: 1150/1270 HP | 116/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal (Bleed 1/2)
   
• Ghidorah the Dragon Knight: 300/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed 

Another trading of blows between Jomei and Zylara, and Telrenya took her first opportunity to rush at their opponent once again. With the knight's health so low in the red, her brows narrowed slightly with the confident preparation of a weaker sword skill that she counted on getting the job done. The flat of her blade pulled in close to her side before she lunged forward with four consecutive thrusts at the body of their target.

But to her dismay, the knight's lance flew across his body to clash with the edge of her blade and knock it aside. Each time she pulled back for another thrust of her thin blade, the knight expertly deflected the blow, sending sparks flying with each collision of steel. It was difficult for Telrenya not to let the frustration of the battle overwhelm her--rarely, if ever, had she had trouble hitting any of the dragon hatchlings they had faced in the past, and yet now she was struggling to hold her own half of the fight against just the first two Dragon Knights. As the status effect that had lingered on her inflicted the last of its damage, she spared only a fleeting moment to glance at the empty space that had been created in her health bar.

ID#: 97086 | BD: 3(+4)(-2)=5 - Miss!

• [0] Telrenya: 538/720 HP | 58/72 EN | 12 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 59 MIT
• [0] Jomei: 1136/1270 HP | 119/139 EN | 17 DMG | 4 ACC | 4 EVA | 52 MIT | 2 Savvy | 38 B. Heal (Bleed 2/2)
   
• Zylara the Dragon Knight: 42/300 HP | 125 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA | 50 MIT | 24 Bleed

The already frantic pounding of her heart in her chest came to a momentary stop when the sensation of falling overtook her. Her hold on Jomei's hand was lost as the two players dropped alongside the pieces of broken path, and the blonde's knees buckled when she hit the lower floor, leaving her arms to catch the rest of her weight. The clang of metal rang out as her grip on Celestial Dawn had loosened as well and the golden rapier crashed to the ground a few feet away from its owner.

With ragged breaths, Telrenya pushed herself up to her knees just as Jomei appeared at her side. "Y-yeah, I'm alright. And you?" She managed to get out, her eyes quickly running over both the Irishman's damaged avatar and the pair of colored health bars that hovered in the upper corner of her vision. For a moment, only the sound of their heavy breathing bounced off of the stone structures around them. And as that moment passed, chocolate brown eyes trailed over the room while her features remained attentive. She looked up to what little remained of the walkway that they had stood upon when entering the building, then to the top of the grand staircase at the other side of the room. When no movement nor other sounds caught her attention, she spoke up again in a hopeful whisper. "Did we lose them?"

As the tension of their daring escape slowly died down and the couple were allowed precious time to catch their breath as well as regenerate their HP, Telrenya regained the ability to crack a smile. "Well... We definitely found those monsters." She chuckled softly in reference to their earlier expectations on what they might find hidden away in the ruined city. After pushing herself back up to her feet, her whole body turned as she looked over the overgrown structure they had landed in. "Is this...a church?" She thought aloud, catching sight of torn, dust-covered tapestries and sun-bleaced fragments of what used to be stained-glass windows. Her attention focused on more immediate surroundings as she turned to the side, and she faltered for a moment as she registered the large stone slabs and crosses coated in dirt and vines. "O-or a graveyard...?"

Leaning up against the rough, uneven terrain of the dirt wall, Telrenya simply waited for a few moments. She was perfectly fine with keeping to herself, but it was only a matter of time before the main tank of the group, Hestia, turned to her with a very valid question. Her lips lightly purse behind her mask and she felt a small twinge of embarrassment as she scrambled for an answer that didn't sound as foolish as the truth. "O-oh, well... I can't say that I'm a frontliner exactly. Though I hope to be one soon..." The latter sentence came out in a much smaller voice, as if she were muttering to herself in the middle of her explanation. "Uhm, anyway, I wasn't sure what this place was so I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to check it out. I'm not exactly a scout build or anything, but I've been working on keeping my defensive stats decent." The line of her gaze had drifted from Hestia to the ground in front of her feet. Despite her attempt at reasoning with her decisions, she would have simply been wrong if she tried to claim coming in here by herself wasn't a risky of dangerous choice.

Before her conversation with the raven-haired woman had progressed much further, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. Telrenya's palms pressed against the wall behind her for support, and she took half a step forward to catch herself before she had fallen off balance. A few seconds later and the quake had subsided. "W-what was that...?"

[2/3 to full energy]