Dazia

                              Dazia had conversation to make with a player who was willing to hear her out. All she needed to do was pick the location. Not many people visited the ninth floor, due to its perpetually hostile environment, so to Dazia, it had its advantages. Thus, it was back to Yogan village in the ninth floor for her.

                      Once Dazia reached the ninth floor, along with the player who she'd brought with her for the discussion at hand, she knew she'd need to speak. "I'm sure you may have questions," She began. She didn't know why this player wanted to hear her out, and she didn't know if this player understood why she'd chosen this floor to speak in. "If you have any, it would be best to ask them now." She decided. Answering these questions will give the discussion a fair start. Where exactly it goes will depend on the questions asked. Hopefully, nothing goes south from here.

Stats and Equipment:

                           Well, this was a room, all right.
                 It looked like some kind of hall, decorated only by glowing blue crystals along the walls and some strange decor in the corners. This decor looked like plants with flowers not fully blooming, but they were made of stone and completely white. It was very odd, seeing things like this.

             Dazia began to explore the next few rooms of this floor, and found evidence of activity. "Vigilon, over here." She spoke as she gestured for him to head over to her. "See that over there?" She asked, pointing towards an open book with a quill pen and a bottle of ink, atop a desk in this room, which seemed to be a study of sorts.

                She would slowly walk over to the desk, looking around for anything that might be hiding in case it was a trap. The book, quill, and ink were all normally colored, so they stuck out like a sore thumb in this abnormally white room. The ink bottle...it was fresh. Someone's been here, be it a player or an NPC. Either way, this book might be able to provide clues as to what was going on here.

Vigilon: HP 518/760 | EN 110/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

Dazia: HP 604/660 | EN 84/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

                         Dazia was growing tired of the shifting rooms. She didn't care what they were, or what purpose they served. She'd already had enough surprises from the place, and if this was where a missing person was stuck, there better be a spot that doesn't change, otherwise, finding the Sky Swords Guild's "Nightingale" would basically be a goose chase due to the entire place being inexplicable.

                          Out of all the things in the tower, all being the same damn color, a porcelain white, there was but one thing that stood out within that one empty room, the statue that seemed to align its gaze to Dazia as she made her way up with all due haste. Where would this lead? She didn't know what would happen next, but at this rate she was hoping she'd get lucky, after what the two players had been through so far. "This had all better be worth the trouble..." Dazia muttered under her breath, before reaching the next story to reveal a room that didn't shift.

Vigilon: HP 478/760 | EN 78/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

Dazia: HP 564/660 | EN 65/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

                      A pedestal...with slots shaped and sized like tokens...like that one token that appeared in her inventory when the two left the room. She held the blue token in her hand, staring at it for a short moment, thinking it over, before placing the token in.

                   The pedestal plunged into the floor, and Vigilon wondered if this was really the right decision.

            The ground shook, something was happening. "We need to get up the tower! Now!" Dazia commanded. She then began making her way up the spiral staircase, under the assumption that this must have been the tower of the citadel. She gestured for Vigilon to follow as she did so, and then the two players soon found themselves in another room.

                           This other room had a spiral staircase as well, but the contents of the room currently did not concern Dazia, for she was only concerned about reaching the top. Six stories later, the two come across a seemingly empty room with some strange statue in the middle. Dazia could have sworn it looked towards her as she made for the room's staircase...

Vigilon: HP 438/760 | EN 77/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

Dazia: HP 524/660 | EN 64/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

                   Dazia watched as the monster took advantage of its form, wrapping itself around Vigilon's weapon and flailing him about. Dazia closed the distance while it was distracted, and attacked when it was finished flailing her ally about.

              The monster fully collapsed within itself, before becoming a singularity that shattered. The battle was finally over. "Finally...damn thing was more trouble than it was worth..." She remarked. "I'm starting to wonder if we should keep exploring, I don't want to encounter more of these nuisances. The fact that this one was nearly a legitimate threat to you is actually kind of concerning..." She added. She didn't want to admit that she was starting to get worried, but treating it like it calls for caution might be a better way to put it. She made her way to the end of the room, and she gestured for Vigilon to follow.
               When the two players opened the door, light shone, making it impossible to see for a short moment. When the light faded, The two players could see an open archway to a large room with a spiral staircase, right in the middle of an even larger room. "...This might lead somewhere important. If we're going to find anything worth investigating, it's probably in there." She thought aloud. "We might need to proceed with caution, any of those...things... could be lurking about."

ID# 218274 BD: 6+3-3=6(hit)

ST-I: 23x12-50=226 damage to Memory Wraith 3

ID# 218276 CD: 9, LD: 7+2=9(4000 Col, 4 Materials, <<T4 Rare Trinket>>)

[3]Vigilon: HP 398/760 | EN 76/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

[0]Dazia: HP 484/660 | EN 63/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

Memory Wraith 3: HP 0/1000, 150 DMG, 50 MIT, 3 ACC, 3 EVA | Sneak Attack: Memory Wraith 3 attacks first when combat starts. This first attack deals an additional 70 DMG if it hits.

                        Words were no longer needed. There was just the battle.

             However...Vigilon's attack not only dropped the monster's HP into the red, but revealed it for what it was. The eyes of the false Lupix glowed a different color, something was breaking down as it had a frustrated expression on its face. "FINE THEN! If you want to stop playing about, be my guest! Let's end this!"

                  The monster became translucent, before collapsing into its cloak, now it had many cloaks, all shifting between black and white, while the glowing red eyes could be seen from this strange, unnatural being. Dazia grabbed her blade and attempted to strike from behind, but with a swift, circular movement, it deflected Dazia's blade and returned to trying to face Vigilon. "Take it down!" Dazia called out, in case he was capable of dealing the final hit.

                    Only thing that Dazia failed to understand...what did it have to gain from this? Of course, she didn't care about this question, so the answer wouldn't matter either.

ID# 218272 BD: 5+3-3=5(miss)

[3]Vigilon: HP 470/760 | EN 74/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

[0]Dazia: HP 484/660 | EN 71/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

Memory Wraith 3: HP 46/1000, 150 DMG, 50 MIT, 3 ACC, 3 EVA | Sneak Attack: Memory Wraith 3 attacks first when combat starts. This first attack deals an additional 70 DMG if it hits.

           Based on Crozeph's response, it didn't seem like he'd done anything stupid just yet, but he was definitely plotting something stupid. As long as Dazia had a clear path to the target, Crozeph should also be given a chance to let loose once the two players were inside the city borders. At this rate, there was no escaping trouble, so she could only hope that he put whatever he was thinking into action once chaos strikes the city. If anything, he was likely to draw attention, and if that didn't stop Dazia, it would mean less enemies focused on her, allowing her to reach the target with ease...

                  "It seems we've got a plan, then." Dazia began. "All I will need to know now, is...who is my Target?" She asked. 

      "...That would be their Queen." One treant answered. Dazia had her answer. Now she had a plan to follow.
                     Split off from the treants to avoid being seen with them. Enter the city from the side, just before the attack, and there should be little trouble. Infiltrate the heart of the settlement, and defeat the Target. Simple enough, or at least it seemed that way. Given that this was a quest, there was likely to be something different that Dazia might not yet know.

                "Are we all ready to move?" One treant asked. "Is there anything left that any of us here should know?" Dazia added, just in case.

                     The agreement was held on both ends. Night's informant would have the information requested, and Dazia would acquire a weapon with Devastating Power. This was exactly what she needed, now if she could get the rest of her equipment in line, she would have less to fear...and it will be her enemies that experience fear instead.

-Recieved Adjudicator

                                  Night unleashed her sword art against the center head, and Vigilon proceeded to finish it off with an attack laced with his weapon's fallen energy. Dazia checked her inventory for anything different once the Target shattered. Two items were found. One was a Cerberus Etching, and the other...

          <<Earthen Sun Key>>

     Dazia pulled the key out, and held it in her hand. The key's top was shaped similarly to an artistic design of the sun, made from metal black and reflective as obsidian, and a fire opal within the top's center. She stuffed it back into her inventory, and Vigilon would look to the two players with a smile, thanking them for their help. Dazia remembered that she had a question to answer.

               Dazia slowly turned her head to look over to Night, and she was hesitant to speak. "...I'll need to take some time to think about today's events." She decided. "To me, this was hardly a taste of what's to come. While I could easily be wrong, something like this...and what I remembered..." She continued, remembering the battle that seemed so ridiculously hopeless, as well as the one she realized she wasn't ready for. Would it be different this time around, or was there more to this whole thing than she thought? She shook her head. "There's a chance, but I wouldn't count on it. Regardless of whichever decision I make, however, I'll be willing to tell your informant what I know."
                      The assassin looked to Vigilon. "I have some things to mull over, so I don't think I have any spare time for any extra activities. In fact, I should be going now." She answered, pulling up her menu and leaving the party. Before she left, she decided to give the two players each a set of words. To Vigilon, she would repress a smirk from under her cowl. "Vigilon...I don't know how you or Princess would feel about it, but...maybe...you could think about giving Koharu a chance?"
                        Seven steps later and she stops. She removed her cowl, and looked to Night. "Night...I hope we meet again...preferably...perhaps...as allies on even footing." She uttered out, before suddenly running off. She'd already spent too long in this floor, she needed a breather elsewhere.

                       Before Dazia and the third head could clash, Night finished off the third head. Dazia would have preferred to kill it herself, but she would give a nod of appreciation to Night nonetheless. She then looked to see Vigilon try a similar tactic as before, but he clearly didn't notice the environment rumbling from the force of combat, the consequences of a giant three headed canine moving about in a cavern, one made from volcanic stone in which some were still burning or laced with embers. Stones and stalactites began to fall from above, one of which landed directly in front of Vigilon.
                                          Dazia shook her head at the resulting collision. She readied her weapon as she decided to use the top of the fallen stalactite as a place to activate her sword art from. "Fine, I'll do it myself."
                                       It was simple yet effective, and the first head cried out as Dazia unleashed her sword art upon it. Now only the center head remained. It looked to the fallen heads, then glared at the trio of players, and snarled. One of them was a mere nuisance, but the other two had slain its fellow heads. Either the center head would also fall, or it would bring vengeance for itself. Regardless, neither side had any intention of losing.

ID# 214172 BD: 10(Critical, +2 Base DMG), CD: 9(ST-B available!)

Shadow Cutter: 30x12-75=285 Damage to Cerberus, Inferno's Rage(Head #1)

Thorns Damage: Dazia takes 50 Damage

[0] NIGHT | HP: 873/1242 | EN: 131/146 | DMG: 27 | ACC: 6 | EVA: 6 | BH+HB: 122 | HLY/FLN: 16 | TAUNT | [CONCENTRATION (2/3)] | [BURN: 56 (1/3)]
[0] Dazia | HP: 632/782 | EN: 34/86 | DMG: 28 | MIT: 104 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | FLN: 8
[0] Vigilon | HP: 822/897| EN: 83/112 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 4 | BLI: 32, -20 MIT | FLN: 16 

Cerberus, Inferno's Rage (Head #1) HP: 0/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2
Cerberus, Inferno's Rage (Head #2) HP: 650/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2
Cerberus, Inferno's Rage (Head #3) HP: 0/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2

           Dazia had gone on ahead, hoping to scout out and see who she was up against next. Just like last time, the monster the players were after was right here in the innermost area of the cavern. "Target sighted." Dazia thought, as her gaze took in the sight of the beast. This one was stronger, all right...now all she needed was the right timing. Cerberus stopped, its three heads began sniffing the air around, as if noticing that someone was nearby. Before they could spot Dazia, however, Night arrived and caught the Target's attention with her attack. On top of this, Vigilon also attempted to make an attack, but was sorely unprepared for a smarter Cerberus. Dazia shook her head. "Pathetic." She muttered under her breath.
                                    Time to get that key.
                           Dazia lunged from her cover, activating her sword art and cleaving at one of the monster's heads with considerable force. Infernal Crescent, like many of Dazia's Sword Arts, often brought plenty of pain to her enemies, aside from players, who could only feel a tingling sensation, if not phantom pain from the initial hit. The head that Dazia struck let out a deep yelp as Dazia damaged it. Dazia landed on her feet, then she and the head she attacked would proceed to give each other burning glares. Two sets of eyes, burning with fire and hate, one infernal red, and one hellish blue, staring burning daggers at each other, unwilling to show any fear.

(Used Surprise Attack: Assassin)

ID# 214125 BD: 10(Critical, +2 Base DMG)

Infernal Crescent: 34x15-75=435 Damage to Cerberus, Inferno's Rage(Head #3)

Thorns Damage: Dazia takes 50 damage

[2,0,0] NIGHT | HP: 837/1242 | EN: 144/146 | DMG: 27 | ACC: 6 | EVA: 6 | BH+HB: 122 | HLY/FLN: 16 | TAUNT | [CONCENTRATION (1/3)] | [BURN: 56 (0/3)]
[0,0,2] Dazia | HP: 682/782 | EN: 42/86 | DMG: 28 | MIT: 104 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | FLN: 8
[0,0,0] Vigilon | HP: 822/897| EN: 81/112 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 4 | BLI: 32, -20 MIT | FLN: 16 

Cerberus, Inferno's Rage (Head #1) HP: 80/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2
Cerberus, Inferno's Rage (Head #2) HP: 650/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2
Cerberus, Inferno's Rage (Head #3) HP: 215/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2

      Night's attack missed, and Vigilon saw fit to finish off the last Infernal Hellhound at Night's request. Dazia waited to see if any more Infernal Hellhounds would show up...

         But nobody came.

   "Seems that was all of them." Dazia observed. "If this is anything like the progression of the weaker Cerberus's quest, the Target should be just up ahead, deeper into the cavern." These Hellhounds seemed tougher than Dazia expected, not that any of them managed to deal any damage except through what must have been thorns damage. In terms of damage taken, the Hellhounds were slain as easily as anticipated. Dazia would proceed to blend into the shadows, she wanted to see if she could wait for another chance to execute another surprise attack. Who knows, maybe if she gets the chance she could try to see if Fallen won't trigger. Only one way to find out, of course, but Dazia would wait until the target was in range with its three gazes initially looking towards someone else...

ID# 213917 LD: 13+5=18(succeeded against passive stealth detection)

               Once again, Night was in agreement with Dazia. While her words were taken literally rather than figuratively, Dazia's point had gotten across. Vigilon asked for more details, and Night took back the necessity of joining the raid, offering an alternative in case Dazia would remain averse to joining the raid after seeing how she fares against this greater Cerberus. "...It's true, Vigilon. I don't know what you thought of the frontliners during those days, but they definitely weren't what you think they might be. That black haired Tank you spoke with, who also addressed the players who gathered...Hestia, was it? She was killed in that fight against Artamiel. The nature of the event allowed her to come back for some damn reason, but the fact remains that her HP was reduced to zero. I saw the fight from the courtyard. Ever since the boss we ended up fighting forced me to flee with a teleport crystal, I was stuck watching the frontliners almost halfway wipe, with plenty of damage on them all to boot." She revealed, from what she remembered, her arms crossed as she remembered how they clearly weren't ready, and would have been crippled as a group if the unexpected nature of the event did not bring back the fallen. "When the boss was 'defeated', its HP bars corrected. All that effort, just to take down only a sliver of its actual HP. They were never meant to win that fight, they never could." She added. "As I said before, it was something else that removed the boss, tearing open a rift into somewhere, throwing the boss into it, then closing the rift and disappearing." 
              She then looked to Vigilon. "I don't know if you know this Hestia, but since you talked with her, I feel like you should know, it was she who wanted to lie about the frailty of the frontliners." Dazia took a deep breath, and continued. "She told a player named Baldur to keep the events of the fight under wraps, that as far as they were concerned, no one had died. She wanted the frontliners to be seen as 'the shining beacons of hope for people', that they couldn't do that if people knew they were killable by bosses and the like. She wanted to be seen as invincible so that people would put their hope in her." She added. "Pshh, only a woman who can't have or bring hope would do such a thing. She wanted to remove reality from the picture to be seen as unstoppable and loved by all. If she were to have her way like that, she'd not only put herself at risk, but she'd drag the playerbase down with her. She should have stayed dead." She remarked, nearly growling with that last sentence. She then took one more deep breath. She couldn't overdo it unless only enemies were around, and the fury that always boiled within her was starting to leak out. She had to stop talking.

           With the players now having reached the cavern, Night gestured to the monsters arrival, and that was the cue. Vigilon came at them up close and personal, grabbing their attention. Perfect time to make use of a surprise attack while they were distracted. Dazia's attack would be swift and deadly, killing one and severely wounding the other. Just about any attack should finish it off at this point.

Action Taken: Surprise Attack(Assassin)

ID# 213625 BD: 3

ID# 213626 BD: 2

Infernal Crescent(AoE-I): (28+4)x15-50=430 damage to Infernal Hellhounds 1 and 3!

Thorns damage: Dazia takes 50 Damage

Infernal Hell Hound#1 | HP: 20/450 | DMG: 125 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 | THORNS: 25/40 | MD9/10: +25/50 DMG | BURN ON ATTACK

Infernal Hell Hound#2 | HP: 0/450 | DMG: 125 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 | THORNS: 25/40 | MD9/10: +25/50 DMG | BURN ON ATTACK

Infernal Hell Hound#3 | HP: 0/450 | DMG: 125 | MIT: 50 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 | THORNS: 25/40 | MD9/10: +25/50 DMG | BURN ON ATTACK [T4 Blight: 2/2 turns, 32 DMG, -20 MIT]

[0]NIGHT | HP: 1242/1242 | EN: 146/146 | DMG: 27 | ACC: 6 | EVA: 6 | BH+HB: 122 | HLY/FLN: 16 
[1]Dazia | HP: 732/782 | EN: 61/86 | DMG: 28 | MIT: 104 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 6 | FLN: 8
[0]Vigilon | HP: 847/897| EN: 87/112 | DMG: 26 | MIT: 138 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 4 | BLI: 32, -20 MIT | FLN: 16 

                           If failing to get the most advantageous pricing for an item didn't hurt Dazia, she was definitely ill prepared to handle the words that came to her ears.
      "i'll consider it if you'll considering joining the raid against the floor boss."

                Dazia's expression was a blend of shock and scowl. Join the front lines? Was this woman for real?

          The memory of that day became as fresh as if it were yesterday. The day when Aincrad tested as many players as possible with an event that determined the fate of a floor. It wasn't for the faint of heart, but Dazia was ill-prepared for the battle she found herself in.

           It was unknown if either player in the present vicinity would be ready for what came next. "And why should I?" Dazia exclaimed, though her outburst had only just begun. "I don't know if you're with the frontlines, or how long you were involved if so, but the last time I saw the frontlines, they were barely surviving off of luck, cocky enough to underestimate their enemy, foolish enough to die in easily avoidable ways, and just hardly competent in general!" She claimed, based on what little she could remember from the words she heard back on that day. "I was there when a floor's entire fate was on the line, players of all available tiers were brought in to fight against the threat. I wasn't ready, so I fled by using a teleport crystal, even though it took me back to the courtyard instead of the place I'd specified, due to the ongoing fight that the frontlines were having against this 'fallen angel' that almost won its battle, I SAW PEOPLE DIE IN THAT FIGHT!" She explained. Her expression was filled with the emotions of that day. Irritation, shock from having seen the mistakes of others nearly doom the lives of people in the fight she was involved in, exasperation, disgust and aggravation as to how poorly the frontliners did, despite winning their battle. "And when they thought it was over, they'd realize that they never truly won, they had a deus ex machina save their asses, and what did they do? They played it off like they won the fight, like it was all them and that other being that saved them from the monster that would have killed them, didn't even exist! To make matters worse, some of the players, including some who had 'died' in that battle, were going to lie to the playerbase in hopes of adding to their numbers, claiming that there were no deaths and that everything was perfectly fine! Because, oh, 'the frontliners are these perfect, fearless warriors that are going to save everyone! You can be one such perfect hero too, just sign here and agree to put yourself at death's door until the reaper agrees to take you quickly!' THE MAJORITY OF THE FRONTLINERS WEREN'T BRAVE, THEY WERE ACTUALLY F**KING STUPID!!!"
                   Dazia took a few seconds to catch her breath after the climax of her rant had passed. Even so, she wasn't done. "So why should I risk my life tangling with the most dangerous bosses in the whole game? For them? Hell no." She continued. "For the weapon? That depends on the risk. For the few within this world that provide any hope for humanity? I might if I knew I was strong enough. But definitely not for them." She declared. "Let me know when or if the frontlines have become a different or better group, even if the timing is as miraculous as 'right now'."
                 Vigilon would proceed to offer his thoughts. If what he said about the teleport crystals was true, that even frontliners could escape sticky situations, than maybe this risk could be controlled enough for Dazia to tolerate the frontlines, just this once. Dazia would continue listening, and when the thoughts were over and done, Dazia would act upon her current thought process.

          First, Dazia glared at Vigilon, then, she closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "...Fine."
       She opened her eyes, this time her gaze lacked a glare and her expression lacked a scowl. "I'll tolerate it, just this once. alright?" She decided. "If Cerberus hardly gives us any trouble, I'll go." She said, looking to Night. Then she turned back towards Vigilon. "But as long as you come and help too, you hear? Just know that I won't be in whichever party you'll be in, because I just know that you'll bring Princess along, and we both know she'll never heal me, she'd rather see me die." She added. "Is that clear?"

          With that out of the way, it was time to start the quest.
   Dazia accepted the party invite and listened to Night's advice. Vigilon nodded, and so did Dazia. "Whether its Cerberus or it's minions, they'll never know what hit them..." She noted as she began to enter stealth. All she would need was the right timing, and whatever would come out first, if they survived the other players' actions, they certainly wouldn't be ready for Dazia...

ID# 213418 LD: 19+5=24(succeeded against passive stealth detection)

                     Dazia wasn't too pleased when Vigilon admitted that he'd failed once again, though he did offer a hint as to these constant failures: Princess wasn't letting her guard down enough in terms of the situation. All it takes is a mention of her name, and Krysta's ready to fight. Is that princess really triggered by her name like this? what was up with that woman?

           Night made a trade offer as to have the weapon returned to her. Vigilon would agree, but Dazia couldn't help but be attentive to the scenario, and the offered weapon, as she started on a consumable or two. The offered weapon was far better than what Dazia currently had, and if what Vigilon had explained earlier was true, then he wouldn't be needing it anytime soon. It didn't look like Princess would ever dare use it, anyway, so what purpose would he possibly have for it? If she didn't speak now, she might never get the chance...well, no time like the present to be reckless.
            "I want it." She blurted out.

     Vigilon gave her a nearly blank stare with traces of confusion, then asked her to say it again. "You heard me." Dazia began. "Adjudicator. I want it. You can already handle yourself well with the weapon you're working on restoring, right? You'd have less use for Adjudicator at that point, it'll just be sitting there in your inventory." She explained. It would likely meet a similar fate that Oathkeeper nearly did, unless it was given to a better set of hands that needed it.
            Vigilon sighed and seemed to be in thought, before noting that it would be fine as long as Night was also fine with it. However, due to the item's tier, quality, and enhancements, it would be costly. He put the starting col offer on twenty two to twenty five col. "You don't seriously think I was born this morning, do you? Six thousand would be just fine." She shot back. Vigilon would then try to suggest a payment of a solid twenty thousand. Dazia shook her head. "If you really want more, I could offer nine thousand." She countered. Vigilon would make a stupid reference as he tried to turn the tables and try for eighteen thousand. Dazia scoffed. "Are you really going to nickel and dime me like this? No. Ten thousand." She stated. Vigilon then suggested sixteen thousand. Dazia was getting tired of this already. "Thirteen thousand, and that's my final offer." Dazia decided.
                        Vigilon decided he would be fine by this, though once again, it would only be fine as long as Night was willing to allow this. Adjudicator was originally Night's, after all, and was a necessary weapon for a coming battle she would be in.

       With all the necessary consumables taken and consumed, the platter of consumables was handed to Vigilon for him to take his pick. He took one of each, aside from one. Funny how both players didn't think they would need the protein enhancement for the coming battle. Then again, they had both taken the damage potions, so it may have once again been a decision of better safe than sorry, due to the protein enhancement's trade off of mitigation for damage. Vigilon then asked if there were any other preparations to make, other than forming a party. "I don't care who leads the party, as long as the job gets done." Dazia stated.

Consumed:

-Smores(EVA II)
-[T4]Yaki Hatahata((MIT III)
-Creme Brulee(ACC II)
-Beef Stew(Overhealth III)

         "No shit, Sherlock." Dazia remarked when Vigilon commented on her explanation of the situation to Night.

   All three players had a common enemy. This was just what Dazia needed, no sarcasm included. Night would pull out some consumables, for this would not be an easy task. Dazia knew this, otherwise she wouldn't be needing a party. Night asked about Vigilon and his equipment. Vigilon gave his explanation, including the fact that he would probably need some consumables for this coming fight. "This," Dazia began, gesturing to Vigilon, her eyes closed as her face showed, or, rather, what little her cowl let into vision, irritation. "is my idiot cousin. As I've noted before, he happens to be dating my current nemesis...speaking of which..." She then looked to Vigilon. "Have you convinced her to get over it yet, or is she still out there trying to find and kill me?" She asked, glaring at him as she did so. She was really getting tired of this whole charade.

         Vigilon drew his weapon to look at it, as if he was still studying it. This was the first time Dazia was seeing this weapon. He explained his reason for wanting to fight Cerberus, that apparently he needed a material it dropped in order to make a sacrificial item to repair it with by using the fusion process. She didn't know what stats it had, though the explanation gave her a hint as to what enhancement was missing.
              Night would offer a potion to Dazia, asking her if she would need this. "It would definitely help, I know that much." She answered, before accepting the potion. "Thanks."

             Vigilon would pull out a weapon to offer in case either of the other two had a weapon that was found lacking. "Unless it's better than a Rare weapon with accuracy and fallen, I doubt I'd-"
                                  Dazia's answer was cut off by the recognition of the weapon. Whether or not unique items could have duplicates was unknown, though this was an MMO, but current evidence would suggest that for there to be more than one of a particular unique item would be unlikely. "Where did you find that?" She asked. Then she looked over to Night. "Night, isn't that yours? I remember seeing you using it back on floor sixteen."

Consumed:

-Liquor of Light(3 DMG)

       A restrained sigh came out of Dazia upon hearing Vigilon's answer. She wasn't mad at him, just disappointed. It could just be towards this floor only, but she was really hoping that he'd improved in the aspects of information...and intelligence. Vigilon asked Dazia how her lead was going, to which she began with a glare from under her cowl. He wasn't mocking her or anything, but the search was becoming a bit sore. "It's...not going as well as I'd hoped. it's starting to look more like a goose chase than a shrike search." She responded, the irritation clear in her voice.

               The moment she looked to the side, originally out of frustration, she noticed a familiar face waving over to her. Then came a question. "...Yes. The Obsidian Cove exists, but only the shoreline is accessible at the moment, the area proper is blocked off by a damn gate." She revealed. "I need to fight strong monsters in a volcanic environment if I hope to get the Earthen Sun key, as it's apparently a rare drop from monsters of said environment, though the chances of it dropping are better the stronger the monster in question is." She explained. "Lesser Cerberus won't do in this case, so something else..." She continued, before looking back to Vigilon. "Such as a greater Cerberus, might have better chances at dropping the damn thing." 

     She looked to a different direction, spotting a familiar but unwelcome sight to Dazia's gaze. Set upon a pole, was a poster containing a remarkably accurate drawing of Dazia, along with...

Wanted: Dazia
Guilty of four unjust Player Kills, two within duels, two outside of duels
Extremely dangerous, contact any one of the following players if you happen to find her:
Krysta, Aerigor, Axeril, Khal
 

     No mention of Oku this time, which seemed to suggest he'd seen the light and left the chase alone. The lack of the name "Derenze" was indeed her fault, however, as the monument of life could easily prove. No, the only remaining contact options were Princess and the remaining three players from that party of idiots with an ulterior motive. Most likely, it was that trio that made this poster at all. Regardless, her response to it would be the same. Remove it in any way currently preferred...
        And Dazia was in the mood to cut it down. With an irritated sigh, she knew she needed to vent. "Stand back." She warned, despite this being a safe zone, and drew her weapon. Within two seconds, there was no poster left, not a trace of it to speak of. Sheathing her weapon, she would proceed to remark, "I normally just rip these off and dispose of them later, but this goose chase has left me in a less than desirable mood. If you're hoping to fight something like Cerberus, count me in."

Midnight. Blade. Earthen Sun.

         This lead was starting to become more trouble than it was worth. First there was the Cerberus Lead, then there was that cryptic set of words that must have been left behind by a player, found shortly after assassinating Cerberus. "Midnight. Blade. Earthen Sun. 16." This brought Dazia over to floor sixteen, where she played stowaway in a quest in search of the words' meaning, obtaining a possible location, the Obsidian Cove, located elsewhere on said floor. Then there was reaching and investigating the Obsidian Cove itself, only to be blocked by a gate.

            Those code words turned out to be referring to a bunch of damn keys.

     Would Dazia ever manage to find this "Shrike" of the Sky Swords Guild? What was he even doing? The Obsidian Cove, or whatever the hell was behind that stupid gate, had better lead directly to him.

        But until then, she needed to find those keys. After exchanging with an informant, she was able to get some rumors about the keys themselves. They could be found in different floors, it didn't have to be floor sixteen. As for the Earthen Sun Key, it was a rare drop, found only as a rare drop from powerful enemies in volcanic environments, probably major enemies, quest monsters and field bosses. The stronger the monster, the more likely it was to drop a key, so assassinating lesser Cerberus over and over wasn't an option. Killing the stronger one she'd recently heard of, that one might work. Being a stronger monster, it would have a higher chance to drop the Earthen Sun Key than the lesser.

      Here, back at Knorlit Village again, and who does she find just standing there in the middle of it all? Vigilon. Again.
   It wasn't like he was expecting her, though. So as long as Princess wasn't with him, she should be fine. She walked up to him, her cowl hiding her neutral expression. "I wasn't thinking I'd see you here again." She began.  "Is there anything interesting on this floor I don't already know? My search is coming up with complications." She added, her arms crossed with irritation. "You better have something good, though I won't blame you if you don't." She thought. She knew he wasn't expecting her, so she wasn't going to get her hopes up or act like it was his fault he didn't have anything for her.

Stats and Equipment:

       Dazia shook her head, equally disgusted by the thought. "Please, he doesn't even seem like the knight type." She remarked. "Even I don't know what's up with it all." Freyd might not have been "her knight" in all of this, but he was definitely one of Krysta's two most dangerous allies at this point. Dazia didn't know, nor did she care, about Freyd's motive. "It's not like he'd have a chance with her anyway, since she's taken...by my idiot cousin, Vigilon, of all people. Seriously, I don't understand what he sees in her, but it's not like I have a chance to actually see their dynamic when she goes into hostility just on the sight of me." She added. It was all so utterly stupid. "Not like he's the knight type either, though. He's not exactly a bad person, but he's such a dumbass." She finished, exasperated over the ridiculousness of it all. And to think it all began with self-defense...

       Night noted that if Freyd or the Assassin were to try coming after Dazia again, that she could always grab her, but wouldn't be willing to help in regards to the conflict with Princess, which she considered to be harassment at this point. To Dazia, it was more like a seemingly never ending chase, but the point remained understandable. Dazia accepted the friend request that was sent to her, and gave a subtle nod. "Fair enough, I'll keep you posted if Freyd goes in pursuit of me again."

              With the quest now complete, it was time for the two players to go their separate ways. Night declared over her shoulder that she won't tell anyone that Dazia was here, then she began heading over to the settlement proper. One last nod of her head in understanding, before Dazia would vanish from view, for she was hoping to take the scenic route for the time being. Who knows, maybe she'll catch a glimpse of this "Obsidian Isle" she'll soon be investigating along the way.

      Night agreed in the aspect that it wasn't her problem. Of course, she also seemed to suggest, despite the air of indifference in her words, that there was reason to hear out Dazia's perspective on the whole ordeal, over a common suspect between the two players. Only problem was, Dazia only had one encounter with Freyd, and thus wouldn't really have much to tell about him.

         As Dazia followed Night, mentally ready to finish the quest and begin gathering intel on this "Obsidian Isle" that was mentioned earlier, she did at least have some words to spare in regards to Freyd. "As far as I know, he and the assassin were the only ones that have outsmarted me in this game. After my latest kill made out of self defense, over in the fourth floor, I began making my way over to the Starglades, a monster free environment that I was hoping to take refuge in and lay low in case Krysta began looking for me. I don't know how he guessed my course of action, nor do I have a way to outsmart that assassin." She explained. There were more details about her newer adversaries, but hopefully she could explain them clearly. "During the encounter, I heard the assassin's voice only once, yet it's as though it were a disembodied voice. Until I get the disguise skill, which the Assassin seemed to just love using, I'll have to steer clear from the fourth floor, because said Assassin seems to prefer staying in that floor only, as if it's her territory or something...and she seems dead set on killing me the first chance she gets." As discouraging as this seemed, her exterior did not show signs of being unnerved, despite the fact that she was very much unnerved and had no clue how she was going to contend with self-righteous individuals who could outsmart her. What showed on the surface instead, was irritation. "I don't know if Freyd had an extra on hand, or if he'd known, but when I brought Krysta's spy as leverage for my freedom when forced to walk into an obvious trap, he tossed the spy a teleport crystal, which the spy caught and used to escape...funny, now that I say that, I'm pretty sure it was his hands were bound, not his wrists...it's like everything me and my two allies tried was completely useless. He forced me to comply to his little game, honestly I'm lucky I even got out alive, despite the trap and confrontation happening within the floor's safe zone." 

       Dazia didn't like to admit defeat in moments like this, and to her, there was nothing worse than being helpless in a world that demanded strength for those who wanted to get anywhere. Night added that she didn't know who Krysta was, nor did she care about the feud between them, but she had a mind to listen anyway. "...Well, as I've noted before, we've basically been enemies since before we even met. In our first confrontation, she tried to attack me, but I turned the tables quickly. Nobody took any damage, which was helpful since we were literally at a seasonal event hosted by an NPC, who didn't seem to like the idea of conflict showing up. It only got more complicated from there. A draw, a loss in which I barely escaped with my life, I still have yet to actually win a fight against her, duel or otherwise, now that I say it out loud." She explained, realizing just how lucky she was to still be alive after all this. "I mainly call her Princess because she just looks like one, and comes across as one to me. Seriously, it's like she walked out of a fairytale or something and lived in our world before coming here."

      None of this, not a single bit, was anything Night would be concerned about. But if she was willing to listen, maybe speaking was for the better after all. If there was anything left to do with the quest NPC, it was likely that the two players would have returned to them at this point, most likely with the objectives complete.

      Vigilon did what he was supposed to do, which helped, as the battle was now halfway over. 

                          The false Lupix shook her head. "Clearly, you wouldn't get it." The apparition most likely still intended to kill Vigilon and Dazia, but it seemed that the apparition had an expression showing...potential regret? That didn't make sense with this situation. "You weren't there, so you wouldn't know...but even if the girl was innocent, Dazia here was completely in the wrong by murdering me! Even you should be able to understand!" She claimed.

               Dazia had grown tired of this. "I've heard more than enough, let's just get this over with, the past should remain in the past."
                   With that, Dazia prepared her weapon to make another attack, but her foe would deflect her blade and proceed to disarm her, giving itself a chance to try taking on Vigilon without having to deal with Dazia for a quick moment at the very least.

ID# 212380 BD: 1(Critical Fail)

[2]Vigilon: HP 542/760 | EN 86/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

[0]Dazia: HP 484/660 | EN 69/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

Memory Wraith 3: HP 410/1000, 150 DMG, 50 MIT, 3 ACC, 3 EVA | Sneak Attack: Memory Wraith 3 attacks first when combat starts. This first attack deals an additional 70 DMG if it hits.

        Vigilon had no clue who this Apparition had taken the form of. Which was to be expected, as he was never there that day. "She looks like Lupix, though I know for a fact that she's not." Dazia stated. The Apparition shot a quick glare towards Dazia. "And what makes you think I'm not?" She demanded, before turning her attention back to Vigilon. "Because I killed Lupix. If I didn't, an innocent player named Yinangi might not have lived to tell the tale." Dazia answered, as she held her weapon, looking for a proper opening to time her attack to as the enemy clashed with Vigilon. "Tell me, do you think a monster would save an innocent life?" Dazia questioned.

     The time to attack had come, but this was apparently expected, as the false Lupix blocked the attack with her dagger. "Killing, to save a life?" The Apparition shot back. "Bullshit." She growled. "You didn't have to keep going in that duel, but what did you do? You kept attacking. You didn't kill me because you had to, you killed me because it was easy for you."

Anguished, Dazia applied pressure and force to shove the false Lupix away. if Vigilon wasn't taking this chance now, his next attack would go just as well as the last.

ID# 212378 BD: 3+3-3=3(miss)

[1]Vigilon: HP 615/760 | EN 97/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

[0]Dazia: HP 484/660 | EN 67/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

Memory Wraith 3: HP 705/1000, 150 DMG, 50 MIT, 3 ACC, 3 EVA | Sneak Attack: Memory Wraith 3 attacks first when combat starts. This first attack deals an additional 70 DMG if it hits.

     Dazia heard something land behind her, but before she could turn around with her blade drawn, a dagger plunged into her avatar from behind. Dazia struggled to free herself from her assailant's grip as Vigilon was drawing his weapon. After struggling free, Dazia turned around to see her assailant.

      "Ugh, damn it..." Dazia muttered. "Another apparition."

        The apparition pulled off her cowl, revealing her face. Dazia knew this face, it was the second player she'd killed. "Apparition, you say? Well, that's not a very nice way to describe someone you fatally wounded." The apparition remarked. "You're gonna pay for what you did, you monster."

  Before the apparition could continue, Vigilon struck her with a sword art. The false Lupix would glare at him. "Alright...maybe you'll die first." She growled, before attacking Vigilon with her sharpened dagger. Dazia readied her sword art to attack, but for some reason, this was anticipated, for the Apparition nimbly dodged Dazia's attack.

ID# 212376 BD: 5+3-3=5(miss)

[1]Vigilon: HP 688/760 | EN 95/110 | 23 DMG | 78 MIT | 4 ACC | 2 EVA | PAR | 6 LD

[0]Dazia: HP 484/660 | EN 67/84 | 23 DMG | 44 MIT | 3 ACC | 4 EVA | 8 Fallen | 1 LD

Memory Wraith 3: HP 705/1000, 150 DMG, 50 MIT, 3 ACC, 3 EVA | Sneak Attack: Memory Wraith 3 attacks first when combat starts. This first attack deals an additional 70 DMG if it hits.

The room had literally nothing else of interest, save for a statue with some kind of token. Dazia would take the token, and the door would open.

Realizing she wasn't in the entryway, Dazia proceeded to wander cautiously, for that apparition might not have been alone. She soon noticed a familiar face, before checking above him for a non player cursor. Seeing the green player cursor, she then walked over to him.

"Apparitions." Dazia began. "If there's nothing here, they heard apparitions." She crossed her arms and looked to the side, her expression agitated. "I suppose the rumors of memories attacking players has been proven, at least. Let's move on before anything else shows up with the intent to ruin our day."

Oddly enough, it was during this moment that something was watching from higher ground. They did not remove their violet cowl, but hopefully silence was all they needed to keep from being seen.

"And an Assassin." Dazia repeated. "Both Freyd and this assassin's cursors were green, so it was likely they only hunted killers. The assassin is a greater threat, and I didn't catch their username. They always used disguise, so I know nothing of what they look like, either...but they only seem willing to remain in the fourth floor from what little I know. Freyd, however, might be willing to keep an eye out to try and find me." She explained, irritation in her expression as she realized she didn't know very much about the most dangerous of her potential assailants. "I don't know if either of them are willing to give up their green cursors to kill me, and I'm not gonna stick around to take any chances with them. As for Freyd himself, since you asked specifically, my guess is as good as yours, save for the theory that he was turned against me by Princess. I guess this because I saw both of them with her, and it became clear to me that they were on her side during a short exchange before I escaped."

Dazia's fists clenched around the oars. "Princess is another matter. Her username is Krysta, and she's been a thorn in my side ever since I first defended myself against another player...because she just so happened to be related to the very player who first tried to kill me." She added. "And every time I defend myself against a killer or would-be killer, every name I cross off the monument, just makes her want me dead that much more. Also, she refuses to listen to reason anytime I or my name is involved." She continued, her voice slowly beginning to seethe with anger as she did.

Dazia's teeth were grit, and her fists were shaking with fury. "So what if people think I might be shady? At this rate, it's the least of my worries, and both this world and the real world are overpopulated by idiots!"

Following that outburst, she then stopped, and took a deep breath. Her hands were still shaking and clenched tightly around the oars, but less intensely this time. "But it's not like it's your problem, though, is it?"