Tyonis

After several long minutes, nothing seemed to change. Tyonis cracked one eye open to see the Gemini staring back at him, arms folded. There was a look of exasperation on his doppleganger's face and Tyonis soon mimicked it. The Gemini came over and sat cross-legged next to him.

"Focus on everything but the water. You need to block out all other distractions. Listen for the jungle around. Spread your senses beyond the immediate to find the truth hiding beneath. You must Concentrate, hence the name of the Skill, Tyonis." The Gemini reprimanded in a condescending tone that sounded exactly how another Soldier would.

Tyonis scowled but tried again. He honestly wasn't sure how he was suppose to go about this. SAO amplified everything. He had superhuman speed and strength - he was fairly sure he also had superhuman sight and hearing. How was he suppose to just tune all of that out. Why couldn't Kayaba just program the Skill right into the damn quest rewards?!

"A wise choice. A Soldier does not fight the ghosts he cannot see or touch, but instead focuses on the enemy he can defeat." The Gemini said with a chuckle and if Tyonis' eyes narrowed any more, they'd be slits. That was an obvious reference to his real life occupation. Was the video game AI adapting to what he'd said to other Players like Neo and Spencer? Would the NPCs interact with him differently now? Too many questions and not enough answers. And he had a sinking suspicion that the Gemini was not programmed to give out any of them.

Sionyt led Tyonis to what looked to be a waterfall in the middle of the jungle. Strangely enough, they ran into no monsters on the way over. Tyonis assumed it was because this was a scripted event of some kind.

"This is the perfect place. Sit at the bottom of the waterfall and clear your mind." At this new set of instructions, Tyonis raised a brow.

"What is this? The Karate Kid: Aincrad Addition?" Tyonis mumbled but did as he was told.
 

Tyonis' eyes widened when the NPC casually mentioned something he shouldn't have. "How do you know about my profession?" Tyonis prodded, eyes narrowed. 

"You have fought for many years, have you not? It is how you are so skilled. How you are able to maintain such discipline despite being dragged to the brink. How you were able to judge exactly where your limits lie and how best to exploit them."

"Answer the question," Tyonis interrupted. 

Rather than comply, the Gemini simply continued to grin. "Do you wish to learn this Skill or not? Time is of the essence and I must needs leave soon." The NPC warned. Tyonis replied with an aggravated sigh and nodded. He needed to get something out of this encounter. If the NPCs weren't going to reveal SAO's hidden workings, then he needed to settle for something within his capability.

"Fine. We'll play it your way. Teach me this Skill and we can both be rid of each other."

Tyonis continued to breathe heavily. He needed to rein in his battle-high and focus in on the task. He used the quest prompt to do so, reading it three times over to ensure he wasn't mistaken. The adrenaline haze made it difficult to process complex concepts aside from those related to Fight or Flight. 

"So, Human, will you strike me down and grant me a warrior's death?" The Gemini prompted. Tyonis wasn't sure how many times he was asked, honestly. But it was about time he answered, regardless.

"I.." Tyonis paused for the longest time. "I will let you live, Sionyt. I won't kill a man who can't fight back like this." He answered with growing confidence. As if to emphasize, Tyonis twirled his spear and slid it across his back.

The Gemini stared up at him for awhile then smiled ruefully. It was a familiar expression. One Tyonis himself wore whenever he came to a realization he should have much earlier.

"Of course. I was stupid to even bother asking. I am you, after all." Slowly, the Gemini came to a stand. "As promised, I will teach you a secret technique, one that will be useful for a warrior like you. Focus and self-control even in the heat of battle. I shall teach you the Skill known as Concentration."

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Tyonis saw his life flash before his eyes in both the literal and figurative sense. He was already preparing to do everything in his ability to block as the Gemini switched the grip on its spear to that of a long-staff. Tyonis had used this attack multiple times, and among the Rank 1 | 2H Assault Spear Sword Skills, Heft was the one that was most effective in 1 on 1 combat. But Tyonis hadn't expected an NPC to use a Sword Skill, much less his favorite one. He already abandoned the idea of padding his HP with another potion. He wouldn't finish drinking it in time. He'd have to simply pray his current HP was high enough to withstand the blow.

"Take this, my mightiest blow!" Sionyt roared as he closed the distance and swung. A deep maroon glow covered the spear and Tyonis realized that this must be what it feels like to stand at the receiving end of a Sword Skill. He hadn't felt an adrenaline rush like this one since his last combat deployment to the Middle East.

The blow hammered into his chest, gouging out huge chunks of his digital flesh. He was sure he'd have died instantly if this were real. Thankfully, the shock was more out of instinctual fear than pain. A small mercy Kayaba granted his victims.

As the Sword Skill finished and the glow faded, the Gemini was frozen in an all-too familiar Post-Motion. A second past before Sionyt fell to one knee, panting heavily. Tyonis could only heave deeply as the adrenaline coursed through his system.

"Victory... is yours," the Gemini managed between wretched gasps.

Word Count: 275

Tyonis had to refrain from instinctively drinking a potion as his HP continued to drop. He would be teasing death with this game of chance. He could tell from earlier that the Gemini grew stronger and it happened right after he drank the last HP potion. He'd have to ration out his potions at this point. He really didn't want to see how much stronger the Gemini could get. A quick scan at his own HP bar set him at just above 50%. The Gemini was clear in the red. It wouldn't be long now. All he had to do was survive the next attack and he'd win.

"You've endured well. But this little contest is not yet over. Steel yourself for this game's final play!"

Tyonis set his feet and lowered his stance. He took a deep, calming breath. And, when he opened his eyes, he glared daggers at his doppleganger, daring the monster to attack.

Word Count: 157

Tyonis clicked his tongue in annoyance as his doppleganger wore his sly smirk a little too well for his liking. 'Yeah, teach me to put a boot in my mouth. Or in this case, 5 feet of spear,' Tyonis lamented internally. He threw aside the empty potion bottle, not paying any attention to it as it shattered into countless polygons. Sionyt, however, thought it another taunt and attacked again. 

"Holy hell, am I always this bloodthirsty?! No wonder everyone's so damn cautious around me!" He exclaimed as his doppleganger cut a huge swathe across his chest with a two-handed, horizontal swing. Once more, Tyonis saw a chunk of his HP vanish in an instant along with his own digital flesh. A quick glance at Sionyt's HP told him that he was a little under half. The Gemini's smirk twisted into a scowl as it readied its spear for another attack.

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Tyonis rarely felt immense fear for his own life. Even on the battlefield, he had some modicum of self-control because he convinced himself that, through rigorous training, he could influence the outcome of even the most hopeless of situations. But when Tyonis dodged Sionyt's attack, he could easily tell that, had that struck him, he would have lost a good chunk of his HP. 'Oh, holy [censored]. This will be very, VERY close,' Tyonis gritted his teeth and set his feet to receive Sionyt's next attack. But the NPC simply inched forward.

"What's the matter? Isn't this a test? You've got to hit me first," Tyonis goaded. Sionyt seemed to take the insult badly and lunged forward in a burst of movement that Tyonis almost missed. He was fairly sure his natural kinetic vision wouldn't have been able to keep up, but SAO's impossible Skill Assist System must have been working overtime. He barely managed to avoid being impaled through the heart, but Sionyt's spear bit deep into his abdomen and Tyonis saw his HP plummet like a rock thrown into a lake. With a gasp, he opened his Battle Inventory and chugged one of his prepared potions.

Word Count: 183
 

The NPC soon flagged him down once Tyonis was out of earshot of any other NPCs or Players. Like Hestia said, it invited him out into the wilderness, eager for a duel. The offer of being taught a new skill was a pleasant surprise. Hestia hadn't mentioned that part. He'd owe her twice over, now. The hooded NPC guided him to a quiet break in the jungle, about ten minutes away from the safe zone. At this point, Tyonis was fully expecting an ambush, so he drew his spear and rested it over his shoulder.

"Ah, thanks for coming all this way. Allow me to introduce myself: my name is... Sionyt." In a dramatic fashion reserved only for cartoon villains, the NPC stripped off his cape to reveal a mirror image of Tyonis. He raised a single brow in response. 

"The whole 'doppleganger with my name spelled backwards' routine, eh?" Tyonis taunted as Sionyt inched forward to attack. 'So far, so good,' Tyonis thought as he readied his spear in a defensive posture. 'Hestia said to let him attack me - the best way to do this is to weather his blows and spam whatever healing items I've got stocked up.'

Suddenly a Quest Prompt called The Gemini appeared on his screen and Sionyt lunged in to strike!

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Tyonis took a breath as his Energy creeped up just barely enough for him to use Heft one more time. He charged and assumed the <<Pre-Motion>> stance then swung, only for his attack to bounce off the creature's hide a second time. Tyonis ground his teeth in frustration at how useless he'd become in a matter of moments. Asakku's voice cut through the din of anger, however. He had to remain calm. Statistically speaking, the two of them were in practically no danger, and the monster's HP bar was all but non-existent. One or two more rounds wouldn't be a problem. With that in mind, he managed to relax somewhat. He took a few steps back in order to start regaining some much needed Energy.

"Sorry, @Asakku you're right. Anger isn't going to fix this situation. I'll be completely honest: I'm relying entirely on you at this point, so kick its ass and takes its name for me," he nodded with a self-appreciating grin. 

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Tyonis arrived on the 6th Floor with little fanfare. He spent a few moments readjusting the new armor. He'd received the item from a woman on the lower floors who sought to assist some of the weaker Players with advancing. Tyonis promised the woman, @Hestia, that he would someday return the favor and grow strong enough to fight alongside her at the Frontlines and advance toward the end of this deathgame. At that time, he would return the Ruby Armor back to her as proof of his commitment. She had given him a bit of advice - there was a quest here on the 6th Floor that would serve as a great testing ground for his new gear. All he had to do was walk around and wait for an NPC to come find him. His equipment would mark him as noteworthy, and he would be invited into a secret duel to test his strength.

Normally, Tyonis would have instantly thought the whole thing an elaborate trap, but Tyonis had nothing worth taking save his life, and though there were individuals who truly enjoyed murder and mayhem, Hestia did not seem like the type. Still, he was cautious and purchased a Teleport Crystal and some potions to fall back on, just in case.

'So, I just... walk around and look confident, huh?' Tyonis scanned the crowds until he noticed a hooded man approach him. It was a noticeable thing, since everyone else was an Amazonian NPC. 'Mm. Well, in for a penny, I guess,' Tyonis shrugged and continued walking down a random path as the NPC stalked him.

Combat Stats:

I accept the items!

The feeling of utter helplessness was something Tyonis was unaccustomed to. He was a Soldier in the real world, and as a Soldier, you always had options. Here in SAO, he could do nothing but watch Asakku engage the Variant Nepent while he waited for his Energy to regen. He bit his lip hard, and if it were his actual body, he would have sheered off a decent part of his flesh from the pressure. He had to absolutely swallow his pride and shake his head.

"Negative, @Asakku," the words came out clipped and laced with an absolute level of malice that would make someone's blood freeze if they weren't conditions to resist it. "I have 1 Energy left. My normal attacks won't be able to do any damage to it. I'll have to wait just a bit longer to see if I can't cut through its skin with a Sword Skill!" He explained. He tried to get the Variant Nepent's attention but it was completely focused on Asakku. He couldn't make a more direct attempt - if the system interpreted his actions as an Attack, he would lose the Energy he was trying to save in the first place. He had to grit his teeth and watch his partner get attacked while he stood and waited. To watch while your companions fought for their lives was the greatest insult to any Soldier - to everything he'd built himself up to be. The very thought was almost enough to make him puke in self-loathing.

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'Oh [censored] me. I really need to learn to pace myself better!' Tyonis cursed inwardly as he prepared the <<Pre-Motion>> for the <<Heft Sword>> Skill. He switched his grip to hold his spear like a one-sided long-staff and chambered his arms back for a full swing. The Skill Assist System recognized the motion and his weapon began to glow. He swung at the Variant Nepent, though the spear's tip bounced off the creature's hide, dealing superficial damage and no provided no actual impact to the monster's HP bar. Worse still, Tyonis was completely drained of Energy now and frozen in the Sword Skill's <<Post-Motion>>.

'I should have waited at least a few more seconds to regenerate more Energy,' he was brought out of his musings as the Variant Nepent dismissed him as a non-threat and instead focused on Asakku. "[censored]! @Asakku, DODGE!" He warned as the Variant Nepent maneuvered around him and engaged Asakku, landing a solid blow on his partner.

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To say Tyonis was off put by Tsu's strange method of healing was an understatement. If he hadn't seen Tsu and Neo's queer handshake, he would have flinched away from Tsu's attempt at using her tongue to heal him. He half-expected his arm to fall off and was treated to the very strange sensation of having a long tongue run across an open wound. Thankfully, it lasted but a moment. When Tsu croaked something at him, Tyonis just shot her a deadpan expression in reply.

"You know, I can open a Private Message chat if you just want to type out what you need to say." He suggested, having no idea what Tsu was trying to convey. It was how he overcame any major communication issue between Neo and himself, so he figured it would work with Tsu as well. He tried to follow up and finish the Wind Wasp Queen with a final thrust, but his spear bounced off the creature's carapace. 

"Tsk!" Tyonis clicked his tongue as the Wind Wasp Queen tore out another small chunk out of his digital flesh.

Word Counter: 180

Tyonis chuckled at Spencer's apt summary of how this quest was most likely going to pan out. "Well, your guess is actually 100% accurate. According to the beta tester information booklet, it is pretty much impossible to miss unless you literally close your eyes." 

Tyonis coughed and read aloud, holding the book in one hand. "There will be a single shaft of sunlight that pierces the darkness. Within that ray of hope, you, wayward newblet, will find your prize. But beware, for when you pluck the sacred stone from its holy pedestal, you will awaken its ancient guardian, which will deliver righteous retribution upon you in the form of a fist to your god-forsaken face. By the way, it will penetrate all defense and deal 50 unmitigated damage. Tis the ultimate bitch slap. Try not to get one-shot, since you'll most likely have less than 80HP at this point."

Tyonis paused and blinked owlishly at the book with a raised brow. "This book's snark is better written then most of the in-game quest text."

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Tyonis nodded gratefully at Asakku as she lunged forward, striking down one of the Nepents in a single blow. He smiled as she twirled her spear in victory. "At least you have a good taste in weapons!" Tyonis chortled as he got up and thrust his own spear straight into the final, injured Nepent. It died, raining red polygons and pixels in a fake showing of blood and gore. Tyonis stretched out his arms, trying his best to regain his energy, but even as he did so, a larger Nepent spawned from the treeline. It was the combined size of all four they'd fought and as it appeared, Tyonis' quest text updated, telling him to defeat the Nepent Variant and obtain its Ovule.

"No rest for the weary," he muttered, still on a sliver of energy. 'Damn. I might actually be useless for a bit,' he thought, frustration creeping up into his expression. He turned to Asakku. "Give me a second! I'm running on fumes. Literally!"

Word Count: 166

Tyonis nodded as Asakku dispatched one more Nepent. They were making good headway. Unfortunately, Tyonis' luck had to take a bad turn. Swung wide with his spear, missing Nepent 1 by a fraction of an inch. He clicked his tongue in annoyance as the Nepents closed in once more. Nepent 1 seemed intent on returning just a bit of the damage Tyonis had dealt it and landed a critical attack, using the opening after Tyonis over-extended his strike. He managed to recover just in time to block Nepent 2's strike, though his body still felt heavy. A quick glance at his Energy Meter told him why. He narrowed his eyes, taking a mental note to try and see if there was a skill that could help increase Energy regeneration.

"Asakku, you're up!" Tyonis called out, standing still for a moment to try and recoup some lost momentum. If he kept this pace up, he wouldn't be able to attack,  much less move or defend himself.

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Tyonis grunted at the two shapeless masses in front of him. One he'd managed to salvage, the other he'd lost for sure. With a sigh of annoyance, he watched the second attempt at Neo's rapier shatter into polygons. At the very least, he'd leveled up, which meant he could try one more time today. At least he had enough materials to work with. He wondered if Neo would be up for gathering more some time, then shook his head and returned to the forge. With a swipe of his menu, the crafting mini-game opened and he took a third and final stab at making a Rapier.

Word Count: 106
Date: 11JUL2018
ID: 102775
CD: 6 (Salvage) LD: 17 (Success)
EXP: +3

Tyonis awoke early. Ever since coming to SAO, he had needed far less sleep to function than normal. He assumed it was because his actual body was still comatose and he was used to far more rigors daily physical activity that he simply did not need to recover as long. After all, one did not get tired in SAO. It was more of a set timer than a case of physical exhaustion. Still, he donned on some casual city clothes that best resembled work-out attire and ran some laps around Athenaia to get his metaphorical blood pumping. Tyonis was a creature of habit and working out was an integral part of his life. It would be again, once he escaped from Aincrad. He couldn't afford to let his mentality waver and grow lazy.

After his workout and a meager, relaxing bath, he made for his workshop to try his hand at crafting once again. Last time, he'd failed in making a Rapier and Mace.  Hopefully today would be different.

Word Count: 169
Date: 11JUL2018
ID: 102768, 102769
CD: 7 (Salvage) LD: 20 (Success), 8 (Salvage) LD: 9 (Fail)
EXP: +6 Tyonis reaches Rank 2 | Blacksmith

"You know, that's a horrifically bad line to say right when we are about to enter a dark, spooky cave, right?" Tyonis highlighted as Spencer downplayed the 1st Floor's deadliness. At the idea of a pitch-black Floor, Tyonis shook his head. That would not be an enjoyable experience. He'd have to level up his detection abilities beforehand. Maybe there was a hearing skill, similar to echolocation. 

Bats greeted the pair as they ventured into the cave. Tyonis held one hand up in front of his face and ducked low to avoid them until they finally cleared out. "That was loud and annoying," Tyonis remarked, picking at his ears to emphasize. After the last bat fled, Tyonis motioned for Spencer to follow him deeper in. 

"So, I just realized that the NPC didn't give us a description of the gemstone." Tyonis sighed heavily. "But in atypical MMO fashion, it should be at the end of this cave. It doesn't look like there are any branching pathways, anyway."

Word Count: 166

As the «Post-Motion» came to an end, Tyonis continued holding his spear in a long-staff grip. He pushed himself off his knee and spun again, chambering his arms for another heavy swing. The Skill Assist System recognized the «Pre-Motion» for «Heft» once more and Tyonis' weapon began to glow. 

"EAT [censored]!" Tyonis roared as he felt his spear cleave through more digital flesh. He'd managed to time the Sword Skill to strike as the Wind Wasp Queen was recovering from her Stunned status. His spear's reach allowed Tyonis to strike the monster clear across its face. It buzzed in angry pain and rolled onto its legs and lunged at Tyonis with its mandibles. Frozen in the Sword Skill's «Post-Motion», Tyonis could do nothing but steel himself for the inevitable counter attack.

Intellectually, Tyonis knew you couldn't feel pain in SAO. But he still felt some amount of fear as a mini-van-sized wasp clamped down on his over-extended arm and bit down hard enough to puncture his arm guards.

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Tyonis was glad he got any response out of Asakku, even if it laced with snark. 'At least she's confident,' Tyonis thought with a chuckle. She seemed eager for a fight and Tyonis couldn't really reproach her for that. SAO was a combat-oriented VRMMORPG, after all. If she didn't want to impale things, he's question why she was even playing. He watched her engage first - she was wearing less armor then he, so her speed was obviously faster, though he tried to keep up. Tyonis rushed past her as she missed her attempt, her attack going just a bit wide. Maybe she wasn't used to the superhuman speed and strength the Skill Assist System granted her. Tyonis knew it took him a decent amount of time to adjust to it.

He leapt up and chambered his spear back for a powerful thrust, aiming for the center Nepent. As he came down on the Nepent, the Skill Assist System recognized his «Pre-Motion» and his spear began to glow. His arms blurred with inhuman speed and energy began to gather at the tip of his spear. He released the «Sonic Charge» Sword Art, thrusting and landing on Nepent 2, dealing Critical damage. The energy traveled outward in a circular wave and struck Nepent 1 for additional damage, though the other two were far enough away that his meager AoE skill missed them.

"Tsk." Tyonis clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was hoping he'd hit them all, at least. Trapped in the «Post-Motion», Tyonis could not move as the Nepents retaliated, though their attacks did minimal damage to his HP thanks to his armor. One of the Nepents even fell over because of the Bleed effect from his spear.

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It was easy for Tyonis to realize the girl was very nervous. 'And I thought Spencer was anti-social when we first met,' he mused with a shake of his head. He offered her a handshake with a small smile when she tried to embrace his joke with one of her own. "Yeah, that's right. They should rename the game. Since Spears are obviously the weapon of choice. It's a pleasure, Asakku. I'm Tyonis. You can call me Ty if that'd be easier for you," he offered, trying his best to break the ice. Although this girl may have had a metaphorical glacier standing between them at this point. 

When she said they could work together, Tyonis' smile widened noticeably and with a few swipes of his finger, sent her a Party Invite. "It'll be easier this way. Don't want to accidentally hit each other and go Orange."

It didn't take very long for the monsters to spawn and Tyonis twirled his spear as they approached. 

"Ready, Asakku?" He asked without turning.

Word Counter: 171