Elora

A curtain of darkness descended before her as something reached out to envelop her hands. Elora whimpered, her body flinching in response to its touch. The cold contact of leather gloves soon faded as a halo of heat arose in its stead. Recognizing the presence of a familiar soul, the mirage of previous days began to dissipate. At first, she couldn't make out Freyd's words, only the gentle rhythm of his voice. Fingers slowly curled and probed to explore the creases of steady palms as sensation bled back into her rigid muscles.

"...All I've ever wanted was to be with you...", he calmly reassured.

Drawing closer to him felt like returning home, at least, how she had always imagined that moment would feel. Knees practically buckled beneath her as Róisín collapsed into his arms. Burying her face far into his shoulder, she began to cry. Her chest swelled and sank in sporadic convulsions as choked sobs escaped from her lips. Nails dug and intertwined with the fabric of his cowl in desperate search of an emotional anchor.

Even now, she couldn't believe herself, hated the way she crumbled under the slightest kindness.

A ragged scream expressed as a stifled wail.

She shook angrily, bitterly while the waves of hurt raged through her, battered her core. Why does it always end this way?, she thought as the pain persisted, Why do I always hurt someone else? Why do always hurt myself? For as long as she could remember, it had seemed easier that way. What else could she possibly be in control of? Every venomous word, every failed relationship -- it had to be because of her. 

Reason fizzled away as her attention was brought to the impression of a pin. The Shadowed Rose...a testament of their commitment to one another...Warm, precious memories of their earliest encounters radiated serenely as she traced the shape with unfurling fingers. I knew so little, and even then...Freyd still believed in me..., she fondly reflected. Trickling tears began to subside in the wake of every selfless action and caring reminder that crossed her mind. Róisín wasn't sure she could ever make sense of why. Maybe some day, the answer would appear, just as unexpectedly as the love she had been shown.

Steadiness seemed to return to Elora's breath as she shamefully peeled back from Freyd, her eyes evading his gaze. "I'm really sorry...", she faintly said, "I wasn't expecting that...and I didn't know how to react...I thought...it must have been -- that you were just messing with me..." She seemed to deflate at saying that. "I didn't mean to hurt you, and I really love you, I just don't know what to say..."

Stray tears escaped from the corners of her eyes as Elora quickly raised a sleeve to press them away. 

Watching Freyd leave her felt like a dream. Where had the warmth of the summer rays gone? Her skin felt cold, her senses cauterized. Sounds and motions played out before her as Elora withdrew into herself. Somehow, her mind simultaneously felt as if it was completely frozen and rushing at a thousand meters per second. Thoughts were fleeting and unsubstantial, her conscious unable to string together any clear form of reason. Racing breath seemed to slip in her lungs as her heart pounded erratically in her chest. 

She tried to will herself to act, to force out any semblance of internal guidance. Instead, a familiar numbness had begun to creep over her, immobilizing every intention. Before Elora knew how to escape, her mind had became a spectator, her heart the captive audience. Once recognizable shapes morphed into shadows as her vision became transfixed on something distant. It was as if she had just plummeted into sleep. No, was starting to wake from...

The impressions of distant memories began to dapple her clouded awareness. Dunned by the haze of time, their imagery remained obscure; the emotions anchored to them potent by comparison. Behind a veil of regret, Elora could hear the once-loving voice of the one she'd hurt, the one she had lost. Gnarled, messy, dangerous feelings gouged through her, threatened to overwhelm what little she remained in control of. There was no place for her here. Róisín was a destructive existence, a maelstrom of envy and anger too difficult to contain.

A reflective gleam shown from Elora's trembling wrist as her bracelet seemed to unlatched itself and tumble to the ground. Borris, although inanimate in appearance, was keen on recognizing when his companion's vital organs had surpassed their usual cadence. The small familiar paused for a moment, as if to regard her, before taking off through the grass. A large magnetic headstone rolled ferociously ahead as several polarized pebbles snaked behind in a chain. Faint rustling proceeded his arrival to Freyd's boot, where the creature promptly reassembled into its typical golem-like shape.

A pair of misshapen fists raised high into the air before reigning down on the leathery shoe. As mighty as his efforts were, Borris was still infinitesimally smaller than his human counterparts. What may have sounded like a war drum to him would be little more than curious thrumming to towering ears. Still, he stubbornly persisted, throwing every ounce of his weight at Freyd in an effort to alert him.

Róisín's body began to shake even harder as hot, terrified tears streamed from the corners of her eyes. Time continued to spin around her as Freyd seemed to drift away. For as much as she wanted to mend everything she'd destroyed, her body remained incapable. Everything she'd done, everything she was, was beyond what she could handle in this moment. 

She was afraid. Paralyzed. Unable to control herself. 

A complete sensory overload -- an emotional shutdown, was the only way to spare them from a rising, ruthless tidal wave. Freyd didn't deserve that, Elora hadn't deserved that, her mom hadn't deserved that. 

Looking through Freyd, she pleaded, "Don't go...", to the memory on the other side.

A distracted right hand dropped drastically toward her chest, as if her heart had doubled its weight in only a second. Perhaps her body was acting on instinct, piloting limbs in rapid response to a potential cardiac arrest. Breath siphoned from Elora's lungs before her mind could even grasp the meaning of what Freyd had suggested. M-married -- we should get married -- he wants to...get married? With me?, the speculation began. Her bright blue eyes remained interlocked, transfixed by his. Too many heartbeats. Too many sounds. The silence between them stretched on.

He's not -- He means -- It's because -- 

She had misunderstood.

A raspy wheeze forced itself out of her throat. With eyes squeezed tightly shut, Elora's head swung back, her hands soaring to cover her face. After a few more moments of erratic, asphyxiating giggling noises, she managed to steady herself. Fingers timidly spread and peeled away from her face, which burned like a furnace underneath. She was already anticipating his laughter, the lighthearted teasing at her mistake. It wasn't the first time a joke like this had gone over her head. She had always been bad at reading the room and deciphering a punchline before it was moot.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."

Blurry eyes blinked to refocus on his as a hefty exhale escaped her diaphragm. Shaky hands followed suit, smearing unbidden tears from the corners of her vision. With any luck, they would serve as reinforcement to her belated amusement. 

An eventual clarity dispelled any lingering shock, allowing Elora to fully recognize Freyd's flushed expression.

"You're -- serious --", she stuttered as realization finally set in. Pupils dilated in surprise before darting in search of an answer. "I --", came the frazzled response, "Do you want to -- I'm not -- Do you think we're ready --?"

A barrage of questions outpaced her speech, curtailing the conversation. There was so much more she wanted to say, more she needed to express.

The cicadas continued their chorus as the world froze before her.

Cutlery clattered in the wake of her movement as arms sprang outward to sling around his shoulders. Jubilant heartbeats outpaced precious seconds until the space between them was little more than a sliver. For as perceptive as The Whisper could be, Elora was surprised to see his reflexes lag in such capacity. Gravity towed his gaze down to her draping form as she stared affectionately up at him. In the twisting sunbeams, her eyes seemed to shimmer with a luster of serenity. 

"You're too special to me", she uttered with dueling intention. A curled hand came to gentle rest on his cheek, tracing the jawline to cusp his chin. Whatever worry had crossed her expression was quickly usurped by something softer, an air of contentment. "I'm glad that, despite everything we've been through, we were able to make it this far..." Pain seeped into those words as her speech trailed off, her mind swelling with several alternative endings that either of them could have met. She likely didn't know the half of them. With a steady exhale, she warded the trepidation away. "I couldn't have ever imagined meeting someone here, falling in love, building a home..." The corners of her smile creased slyly, pushing rosy cheeks upwards as eyes narrowed in pursuit.

Elora's thumb pressed into rough skin, guiding Freyd's face to meet with her parting lips. She kissed him gently as her breath held in anticipation. An orchestra of rustling leaves and whirring insects seemed to crescendo as evanescent sensations reclaimed center stage. Filtering rays followed their performance like spotlights, their heat incubating Elora's scalp like the watchful eyes of a critical audience. 

Blissful surrender thrust back into sudden awareness as her assuredness began to falter. Drifting back from their kiss, Elora's face appeared beat as an Irishman on tropical holiday. Or perhaps an apple, because that sounds a little more romantic.

Fingers retreated to fidget with clothing, hair, and whatever else they could find as her mind sputtered. "Umm...I forgot what else I was going to say --", she admitted with a quiet squeal of embarrassment.

A playful glare greeted his remark about her Irish upbringing. "No", she sang back with a stifled wheeze, "If this were an Irish tradition, you'd be outmatched." Chopsticks retreated as her fingers fell from the accusatory gesture. "I'm afraid I can't educate you until we're gone.", came a wistful reminder, "No way to have a proper drink until then." He'd have to trust that her liver was as iron-clad as the challenge suggested.

A halo of warmth guided her resurrected imagination back to the present moment. Ruddy knuckles charted the impressions of a callused hand as it brushed and curled around her own. With fingers splayed, her digits danced around until some of his own were successfully ensnared by their reach. There was something simple yet serendipitous about the way their bodies interlocked like reunited puzzle pieces. The thought pervaded, extrapolating to new destinations, strengthening a desire for further exploration.

"These meetings are always a bit of a waste, pushing jigsaw people together to speculate about things with little to no factual information.  But, they serve as a gauge for who might participate and in what capacity."

"Yeah --", she sputtered momentarily, "I'm sure they're helpful in some ways -- to newer fighters, at least." Elora gave pause, realizing her contradiction. "It was overwhelming to me, but it was great to see you and Kat there. I think it made me feel...less like I didn't belong." Free hand fidgeted with the folds of their blanket as she made an effort to steady her thoughts. "It's a lot of bureaucracy, but I'm sure it's well-intentioned, even if its a chore for everyone else." 

She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as serious eyes reinforced her intentions, "If you need me, tell me. I don't want any of you doing this without enough bodies."

Chopsticks pinched and delivered multiple pieces of sushi to her mouth at a surprising speed. However intent on listening, Elora wouldn't pass up the opportunity to begin their meal. Plump grains of sweet rice rolled across her tongue as subsequent bites broke apart the fatty fish. Intermittent sips of a cold cider cut crispy through the aftertaste, perfectly cleansing her palette for sharp slices of cheese. She'd never get tired of having ready access to such a wide variety of flavors and cuisines.

For a moment, she lifted her palm and rested the set of chopsticks across her right cheek, fawning at his progress. "Can't believe that only yesterday you looked like a preacher about to give mass. Now look at you...", she sighed reverentially. "--You've gotten so strong.", she quickly continued, "Well, to me, you've always been strong, but...you know --" Flustered eyes darted away as she fidgeted toward another appetizer. Somehow, it was still so easy to get this way around him. Maybe it was because he was so quiet -- or because she talked too much. Either way...

"How're the raid preparations going", she asked on a less awkward note.

She spared no hesitation in conjuring a checkered blanket and billowing it out to cover a small swath of grass. Its quilted fabric had barely made contact with the ground before plates and glasses descended upon it. With an eager hand, Elora portioned out a little of everything. Smells of fresh bread intertwined with tart, fruity pastries and -- hunks of raw fish?

"Oh, have you gone fishing recently?", she asked as the buttery slices found their way onto a dish. Despite seeing each other on near-daily basis, both afforded ample time apart to continue pursuing their respective hobbies. Perhaps 'hijinks' was a word better suited. Elora explored the Aincradian wilds in search of rare materials and helpful potion ingredients. Freyd, on the other hand, frequently assisted new players with leveling up their early-game stats. Once in awhile, she could have sworn he'd left the house in something more colorful. It wasn't always easy to catch him out the door. His steps, like his appearance, were but an aid for a propensity toward aloofness.

Looking at him now, it seemed impossible to imagine him in anything light or vibrant. His clothing and armor had always been...

Elora froze, her eyes narrowing as she leaned toward his chest. "You're wearing new armor--!", she gasped after a moment of inspection, "Wow, it looks so good! You look so good!" A dozen questions darted across her mind as she anticipated his reaction.

Scents of the Wild: Part I

Grass crinkled and compressed under Elora's heels as the elven player bobbed toward an eventual destination. An azure tote held loosely in her hand swung to and fro like a pendulum as it counteracted every excitable step. Stuffed with an assortment of snacks and pastries, she was fairly certain the load could double as a makeshift bludgeon should the need arise. Today's events, however, called for something far less violent. At least, so she'd hoped.

Another tug of anticipation towed the treasures of her second hand further forward. Although Freyd had suggested this prospective outing, he seemed much more hesitant to match her pace now that a ravenous stomached demanded additional haste.

Gusts of warm spring air coursed between the bending cottonwood trees, combing and twisting through the vegetation below like an invisible river. Ferns and flowers dipped in the breeze as if bowing to welcome the christened warriors. After a short journey from their home in Urbus, the two of them had entered the forest.

"Does this seem like the right place?", Elora asked. Cordial tone was betrayed by her expression, which appeared as if it would welcome no other answer.

***

Elora | HP: 720/720 | EN: 106/106 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 78 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 5 | BH: 36 | LD: 2 | AA | BLGT: 32 | FLN: 8 | REC: 8 | STK: 40
 

Elora walked alongside her weary friend, flashing a sympathetic smile as she joked at her own expense. It was difficult to know what to do in these moments. For as much as Elora understood emotions, allowed them to flow through her, she struggled with digesting those of others. Perhaps that wasn't it. Emotions were easy to detect and to recognize. Determining a way to channel them was a far greater task.

As the pair entered the grandiose halls of the solitary church, her worries smalled in comparison. Polished marble floors below captured the stray rays of sunbeams refracted in stained glass windows and elaborate golden fixtures. The gentle thrum of heels against its surface did little to disturb the undulating hum of clergymen nearby. With courteous brevity, they shuffled into a long wooden pew.

"I guess I should start at the beginning huh?", her companion began. A resolute recounting of raids past divulged the details of a battle many players had waged in tandem: weighing one's duty to the player base at large with the far more intimate promise of returning home to the ones they loved. It was a plight that had always seemed so simple to Elora. To her, the wants and needs of strangers were expendable. She had no desire to fight for them, to spare them from the trails of being trapped in the tower. I know that must make me a terrible person..., she recognized more deeply. By comparison, people like Freyd and Katoka...they had an iron resolve for just sacrifice, a propensity toward doing 'the right thing'. 

"I've gotten stronger Elora.", Kat explained, "I could barely leave my room when all this first started and now look at me. I'm fighting on the frontlines. I can't just stand by while my friends and the people I care about are putting their own lives on the line!"

Elora's hands closed around her knees, her jaw set into place. What she had just described mirrored her own experiences perfectly. How could they not when the two of them had begun their journeys together? So that's the difference, now., thought Elora, We're...not new players anymore. Everyone we knew, everyone we care about...we're fighting the same enemies. The awareness had been already been there, marinading in her own subconscious. Even before she had joined their ranks, Elora had witnessed Freyd making preparations for the Frontliner excursions. Obligations had felt so far off them, like another weekday chore to shrug off. Pangs of longing for simpler days spiderwebbed from her chest as Katoka carried on with their conversation.

Her emotional reactions and secretive behavior were reverential, in a way. At the very least, Elora could understand why they had transpired. Several memories of similar outbursts streamed through her head. Each carried with them the bittersweet taste of pride and regret.  

"Worst of all, when you and Freyd would ask me how we were doing I would just... Lie. To both of you.", she choked, "I'm so sorry for lying and being a horrible friend to you. I just didn't know what to say."

The admission's sting was soon lapsed by a wave of surprise. "You're not a -- that doesn't make you a horrible friend, Kat --", she insisted with a baffled scoff. "You're the best friend I could have ever asked for -- And I, I hate to see you like this...", she trailed off with an avoidant glance. "I didn't know...I'm sorry I didn't know...I want to be the kind of friend that you can trust, even if it's hard."

Fretting blinks failed to dispel the encroaching blur as she attempted to regain her composure. "I don't know how we're supposed to do it -- it's all such horseshit. If we're putting our LIVES on the line, that's too much, but if we're sitting at home -- then we're not doing our part. Which one is it supposed to be? We can't be ruthless warriors and dependable partners."

A pathetic whirr accompanied the fatal blow. If Elora was a poet, she'd have described the sound as one of a deflating balloon. The once formidable queen quickly fell quiet, its hulking frame crumpling into a puff of confetti. "Well -- that was easy.", she remarked. It wasn't every day that players could relish in such a simple victory. Usually, these kinds of fights dragged on, costing rounds of fleeting energy and frustrating evasions. Today had been different though. Elora was glad for it.

"I killed it, Kil!", she declared with only a second spared to consider the strange phrasing. By the time she had closed the distance to her companion, he had already finished felling the rest of the worker bees. Congratulatory alerts christened the completion of their quest, bestowing each with their designated award. All that was left for the pair was to ransack the remaining hive for its valuable staple ingredient.

***

Quest no longer eligible for rewards.

Elora receives:

973 EXP (Word Count [4,638/10]*(T3)*0.7)
200 col

Kiluia receives:

973 EXP (Word Count [4,638/10]*(T3)*0.7)
200 col

Something was definitely off. If there was one thing Elora knew about Katoka, it was that her body language could be read like an open book. Normally, the small-set woman would be wobbling anxiously from side to side, or at the very least, feigning some sort of optimism as she attempted to conceal an overwhelming worry. Today, she just seemed...deflated. A vacant stare drifted among the crowds of pedestrians until eventually settling on her. She hardly seemed relieved because of it.

"Hey Elora. Thanks for c-coming out here with me...", she started before Elora knew what to say, "Sam and I broke up."

Blinks filled the vacancy of a timely response. Her mind, though quick to deliver witty retorts, sputtered as it searched for something comforting to say. The longer silence stretched on, the more impossible the task began to feel. How would anything she could possibly say or do realistically alleviate the gravity of the situation?

"Wow...that's...", she tried anyway, "Really shitty...What -- what even happened? Are you ok?" Obviously she's not ok! "You -- you wanna go somewhere else to talk about it?" Elora had stood from the bench, carefully guiding Katoka's shoulder with a consoling hand. Maybe somewhere more quiet..., she considered as the samurai seemed to crumple in her grasp. It was hard for Elora to understand why Kat would want to meet on this floor, what with all the people and the loud-ass ch-- Church. Don't tell me --. The muscles of her arm began to constrict with unease, unintentionally pulling Katoka closer and into a shepherding embrace. 

It would be difficult to miss the droning matriarch as she spawned beside the dwarfing nest. At first, Elora assumed the shadow that passed over her was from a cloud intercepting the sun. Only a few seconds had proven enough to prompt additional investigation. Turning her head, the amorphous peripheral mirage morphed into a wicked shape - the angular body of a wasp, and one that was pissed.

Reorienting her attention to the stronger foe, she began to shake with worry. "Yeah --", her resolve began to crack, "She's big!" With an angry whirr, the queen thrust her abdomen forward. Elora narrowly managed to flounder out of the attack's trajectory. There was little time to be spared, especially when Kil was too preoccupied with culling workers to distract the mini boss.

A clumsy flank carried her around the colony's tree in a semi circle. She hesitated for a moment, feigning uncertainty to bait the queen into another attack. The flying insect returned its attention to her, diving downward toward its target. In that instant, Elora dove behind the trunk of the tree, causing the bamboozled bee to lodge its stinger directly between the craggily bark. 

Elora let out a brief battle cry, which sounded more like a cocktail of fear, anger, and surprise all at once. A slash from her spear sent the enemy flopping to one side. Now, she need only batter it until the exp and items began to sprinkle from its dilapidated shell.

"Not yet", she started, "But I'm sure if we follow the bees, we'll have our answer." In any realistic scenario, Elora would reel at the thought of getting closer to the swarm of raging insects. But in Aincrad, uncomfortable encounters tended to be the source of any reward worth receiving. Hesitant at first, she shuffled forward, spear held diagonally across her chest.

The nearby hum of activity quickly morphed into a roaring frequency. Dozens of worker bees darted and crawled outside of a papery hive, its base woven securely to the underside of an oak branch. Normally, Elora would expect to encounter a nest no larger than half a meter in size. This monstrosity on the other hand, occupied a good chunk of space in comparison. The tree's limb was practically arching beneath the weight of it all, which was pretty much as comical as it was terrifying.

"Well", Elora began with the hesitant raising of her spear, "Only one way to draw out the queen."

She wasn't sure whether or not that was true. But when, in her entire life, would she ever have the chance to smack a hive and find out? Creeping forward at first, she lunged at the bulbous cocoon, her spear plunging straight through it like an overeager kid readying to roast a marshmallow.

Accidental blank post

Dreams fizzled into obscurity as the familiar ping unraveled scenes of taupish cliffs and rolling hills. Tired blinks ushered in the furnishings of a new environment and it became clear that she had fallen asleep within the walls of Witherwind Rest. With a sluggish huff, Elora swiped open her menu to blacklist whatever sociable lunatic was messaging her at this hour. Certainly, it was not her responsibility to mute the chime of notifications at the end of every day. 

The highlighted text trailed behind a profile photo that depicted an amorphous blob. So the slimes are soliciting players now., Elora begrudgingly assumed. Successive glances and a skimmed reading revealed the sender to be none other than her best friend, Katoka Samurai. At least, that was the last name Elora had dubbed her with since she'd never bothered to ask for a proper introduction. I won't have to guess for much longer., she reminded herself, Her and Sam are getting marr...huh --

Now that she thought about it, hadn't it been months since the two of them had last made mention of the occasion? She supposed that centerpiece selection and hors devours crafting could take a pretty chunk of time. Unless...

Elora was out the door in an instant.

---

Somewhere between her bedroom and the teleportation gate, she had managed to slap on something to wear. It wasn't until she activated the portal that she realized, Oh shit -- I never actually responded. Hastily, she typed out a reply to Kat's invitation.

Send!

Another step had carried her through the plasma and into the heart of a gleaming civilization. Bells clanged out in sharp succession as the city's central cathedral hailed the ass crack of dawn. From this angle, Elora swore that the smooth-cut marble was blown out as bright as the morning sun. She raised her arms to shield her eyes from the blinding rays, stumbling through the latest crowd of gawking onlookers. It was almost nauseating to have her senses assaulted from so many angles.

Blessedly, the harsh strikes blended into distant echoes, until eventually, the tolls returned to a temporary rest. Silence was far from achievable as many murmurs bobbed above the static of rushing fountains. That's much better. I can't imagine a worse alarm clock., thought Elora.

Unsure of what to do with herself, the elven-eared player made way to the nearest bench. At least this way, Katoka should have an easy time finding her.

***

Elora | HP: 720/720 | EN: 106/106 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 78 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 5 | BH: 36 | LD: 2 | AA | BLGT: 32 | FLN: 8 | REC: 8 | STK: 40
 

Elora's elven ears seemed to perk up at the question. "Well, yeah --", she started with some enthusiasm, "Chemicals have always interested me." She paused momentarily before correcting her phrasing, "Chemistry, I mean -- the way that different solutions can work together to create unexpected reactions. I've...never been great at the math behind it all, but I like the experimentation."

Something appeared to cross Elora's eyes at the admission. Her attention gradually retreated inwards as ears sank back and into their usual position. Where she'd intended to retrieve an appropriate story, she instead uncovered memories of recent failures. Flunked tests and scatterbrained reports did well to remind her that she was dim outside of this world's woefully-distilled mechanics.

She did well to pry herself from the ensuing doubts, her train of thought astonishingly intact. "Huh. I guess it's not really much different than cooking. Or dating --", she joked with a deflated optimism.

Her imagination was briefly whisked away with a montage of comforting smells and tastes. Kiluia's reasoning was sound. There were few staples of home that came to her mind more readily than food. From boxty for breakfast to shepherd's pie for supper, Elora could recall the warmth of many meals she'd tried. "Your idealism is admirable", she offered sincerely, "There are few tasks more difficult than that. How do you recreate real-world dishes without their ingredients?" It seemed impossible, in her mind, to harness the taste of home without so much as a recipe.

"I don't envy you, Kil", she laughed softly as she nonetheless considered the proposed properties of a honey potion. 

“Have you met anyone that suits your fancy?” 

"Eh -?", she questioned reflexively, "Like...romantically?" 

The look on Kil's face confirmed his intention.

"I mean, yeah...plenty of people --", she answered, "Uhhhh...there was this one guy in high school. We were kind of on and off..." Elora seemed to search for something more before settling with, "He was funny, I guess." 

Her brows furrowed briefly at the assessment, rebounding to a more optimistic expression after he arrived at the compliments. Bahr seemed a more honest player than she was used to. At least, he seemed more inclined to say whatever had crossed his mind. In a world where so many strove to befriend one another and vanquish their enemies with the power of friendship, she appreciated such frankness. 

Elora appeared contemplative as the pair retraced their steps to the labyrinth's entrance. Lit by the thrumming glow from rows of reliable torches, the once-unfamiliar corners felt far less sinister than they had before. She had Bahr to thank for that. Without his patience, his willingness to wait for instruction and to take her under his wing -- well, Elora didn't want to think about where she'd have ended up. Meandering through the dungeon's passageways felt like walking through long-forgotten memories. It seemed like only recently, she had started venturing out and into the world. Those early days in Aincrad were vignetted with feelings of fear and insecurity. Change did not come easily to the girl, especially then. Hell, she'd still been carrying her first weapon until Freyd insisted she accept a replacement. 

She found humor reflecting on it all. Somehow, she'd metamorphosed into someone stronger. This interaction only reinforced a newfound sense of accomplishment. Gone were the days where she would wallow away in the Town of Beginnings. Now, she could handle herself in combat and befriend people who actually accepted her in return.

Stepping out from the maze's oppressive surroundings made the overcast sky feel uplifting by comparison. "Like seeing daybreak for the first time!", she exclaimed, hand raising instinctually to shield her eyes. 

"I see town,", remarked Bahr, "That means this is our final stop together. What do you plan to do now?"

She took a steady inhalation, giving more consideration to the question than was likely deserved. "I don't know...", she admitted honestly, "I think -- I'm ready for my first raid." In any other context, the phrasing would have sounded juvenile at best; however, in this very moment, Elora could feel the all the true weight that those words carried. Speaking them aloud felt like cinderblocks tumbling from her shoulders. She opened her mouth as if to say something else, choosing instead to close it and turn to him with a smile. "I'll tell you all about it when we see each other again."

Elora silently swooned as Kil shared his history with Haine. It was adorable to imagine how a fledgling romance to blossom into a long-term relationship. As they walked her mind began to wander, wondering whether or not she would meet someone special one day. "I can see the appeal", agreed Elora after a long pause, "Desserts are sugary and pack the most powerful punch to our tastebuds. There's few things better than cool gelato on a hot day or biting into a square of chocolate during...", she trailed off, "Anytime of day --" Nice save.

She found herself nodding along with his remarks on introductory quests. Most of them were simple, predictable in every sense. More than anything, Elora enjoyed having company to make the experience more entertaining. "I appreciate the offer to help. There really isn't any other option for me. I can't do anything outside my level, but I also won't get anywhere unless I finish these early quests. So, it's best to knock them out one at a time."

The sweet aroma of summer flowers began to saturate the air around them as the pair followed the trail ahead. With so much pollen, it was no wonder that bees and hummingbirds were abuzz. Butterflies fluttered haphazardly from stigma to stigma before being swept by a wayward gust. 

"You can use honey for desserts, can't you?", asked Elora, "I'm sure the kind from around here tastes unique to the local flowers." At a glance, those flowers were pom-pom in shape, perhaps a bit like marigolds. "I should probably get more familiar with the fauna of this world. I'll need to have more knowledge of their medical benefits in order to craft potions...."

"I didn't distinguish anything unique", started Elora, "But the way he looked...almost frozen, I wouldn't normally think anything of it, considering the climate." She knew they all had caught glimpses of it. The man, though exuding a feral vitality, appeared to inhabit a body succumb to frostbite. Pale skin mottled with bruise-like patches could be seen just beneath a pelt of frosted facial hair. "Where do you think he could have come from that was still that cold?" A timely chill directed her attention to the snowy peaks that loomed in the distance. "I agree. There's something else to come of this. With any luck, maybe Levi can help us.", she resolved with a glance in the NPC's direction.

As if on cue, the nervous boy responded, "I-I don't know anything about the man, but I know we should report what we saw here. There's an elder in town who should know what to do."

Elora turned to give her companions a knowing look. Clearly, this was a prompt that would lead them toward to their next objective, they need only accept it. "What do you say? Grab some more ale on our way through?"

Coming eye to eye with the ragged man made Elora's skin crawl. She had slaughtered beasts before and even snuffed out the lives of many elves. Never had she encountered an enemy that looked so human, yet so monstrous at the same time. Rusty streaks trickled from the mouth of the man, ensnaring the stench of something revolting within his beard. She'd barely managed to stop her fall as the butt of her spear lodged into the thawing mud. In an instant, she was cast in the other direction. Whether by instinct or force, her legs stumbled backwards, clearing a distance between the two of them.

Only a moment later, Freyd had crippled the man with a ferocious attack. "What the HELL is wrong with you?!", he yelled. Elora startled at the sound, her fingers fidgeting around her weapon as she considered whether or not to interject.

A sudden visage caught her eye from the across the encampment. With nerves still abuzz, she glanced down to Freyd, then back to the creature. Sights settled to distinguish the features of a younger lad. His hair, though a snowy white, contrasted starkly with the amalgamation of greens and browns that painted the forest behind him. The pair of piercing blue eyes had already shifted from her to Freyd. 

"Oh fuck,", Freyd exclaimed as his hands frantically betrayed their previous mission, "No... no..." 

Only the faintest whisper of regret could be heard as she hurried over to him. Without forethought, she extended both her hands outwards to capture and cradle one of his. It was impossible to tell what was running through his mind or how he would act on the emotions that overwhelmed him. Looking back to -- was it Oscar -- she could confirm that the cannibal had been defeated. One less thing to worry about. She gave the player a gracious nod before returning to console Freyd, "It's ok --what's wrong?"

"Well it's working, isn't it?", she sang back in a smarmy voice. The words streamed from her with an unbridled sincerity that she was scarce to allow. Normally, self-praising remarks hemmed the pattern of a confident disguise. Only recently had she begun to feel a genuine pride in her own abilities. It was bittersweet to question whether or not she deserved that even that.

So instead, she rushed back into the fray. With their enemy teetering on the brink of collapse, there was precious time to waste. Careful leaps around pools of lava placed her just beneath the Warden's hulking form. Eyes searching for an area to strike, Elora circled around it like a scheming predator. At last, she found an opening.

A pointed jab through the Achilles heel caused the juggernaut to collapse like an oversized jenga tower. Shrapnel clattered to the ground in a satisfying sequence as Bahr and Elora both spared a moment to admire their victory. 

"That wasn't so bad --", she sighed contentedly before adding, "Thanks for being our damage sponge. I...would have likely been chummed by now --" 

***

Post Action: [x20] ST-B (20 EN)
Free Action: N/A

ID# 224330 | CD 1, recovery failed, +3 EN passive recovery 

ID# 224331 | BD 9+4= 13 - 3 EVA = 16 Hit | DMG: 20*22 = 440- 130 MIT = 310 DMG to Titanium Warden

MIT reduced by 50 due to Deteriorate, reduced by 20 due to Blight
 

[H: 5] Elora: HP: 620/700 | EN: 46/104 (+3)(-20) | DMG: 21 | MIT: 66 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 4 | BH: 35 | LD: 3 | AA | BLGT: 32 | FLN: 8 | REC: 3 | STK: 40
[H: 3] Bahr: HP: 738/880 | EN: 89/122 (+4-11) | DMG: 20 | MIT: 103 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | SLTH: 4 | FLN: 8 | HLY: 16 | BH: 44 | HB: 17 | PHASE

Titanium Warden: HP: 0/1250 | DMG: 200 | MIT: 200 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3 | Battle Healing: 50 | Thorns: 50 | Fireproof [BLIGHT, STATIC APPLIED]
Methodical | The <<Titanium Warden>> is in no rush, only attacking once every other turn. During the turns that it does not attack, any debuffs active on the creature are ineffective.
Magma Jolt | On attack rolls of BD 9+ and CD 9+, this boss will issue an AoE attack that fires a blast of molten steel at each player for 175 damage, ignoring 50% of Mitigation. Additional rolls for this AoE are unnecessary - it will strike each target without fail.
Deteriorate | For each critical hit dealt to this boss, its Mitigation is permanently reduced by 50.

Elora would have shaken her fist in anger if she wasn't desperately attempting to steady her beer. What were the two of them thinking, sprinting off like that and leaving her to to trail after them like some sort of hound? Dexterity failed her as she struggled to dodge thawing pitfalls and protruding conifer branches.

Finally, she escaped the evergreen canopy, stumbling onto the scene of an ensuing battle. Freyd was doing whatever he was. Meanwhile, Oscar had already begun to unsheathe his weapon of choice. Katana? Nice -- Not far off, a bear of a man had begun his feral dash toward their party. 

Elora steeled herself, rushing forward with the cry of a Valkyrie, her blood coursing with the vigor of a booze-ridden feast. Reaching over her right shoulder, she swung the spear from her back, planting her corresponding foot onto something --slippery. Momentum arched her heel clockward, causing her left arm to flail upwards for immediate counterbalance. Few falls were as heroic or as graceful as the one she'd met that day.

Raising her stein high in the air, its weight lurched down, hammering the grizzly assailant squarely in the jaw.

She practically fell over him as both their bodies teetered to one side. At least if she died now, she wouldn't have to hear about how badly she'd biffed that attack.

***

She spared no hesitation. With heels springing her forward, Elora raced toward the Warden in a zagged pattern. In a moment's notice, she had approached its faltering knee. Magma silhouetted a rippling cape as she leapt into the air. Her spear positioned for an opportunistic attack, blade plunging deeply into a gap between the armored plating. The behemoth reeled, spraying magma into Elora's sights.

Using all of her strength, she ripped the weapon from where it had been lodged. The retreat was sudden, though without second-thought. In such haste, Elora had robbed her senses of what precious time they required to prepare for the necessary fall. Legs faltered beneath her as she tumbled to the ground. Despite her tenacity, it was evident she lacked the crucial coordination oft demanded of formidable battles. 

Scrambling to her defenses, she barely managed to avoid the boss's reciprocal swings. The battlefield around her seemed a blur. Spurts of blinding heat tore through the surrounding darkness in a disorienting display. Shaking her head, Elora attempted to steady herself. It was becoming difficult as the sound of grating metal clashed viscously with the heartbeat that thrummed inside her ears.

With a ragged exhale, she willed herself to subdue the rising fear. Now was not the time to panic. It was just as Bahr had said, Only a few more hits...

***

Maybe not so boring after all, Elora assessed the unfamiliar player, He could make for good company. Following after the both of them, Elora began to pluck the smorgasbord of pastries she'd collected from the basket of her skirt. It was more than a little awkward to alternate between using her free hand to carry her stein, then bring the food to her mouth, but she was determined to make it work. Perhaps I should have finished this before we left, she thought, regarding the beer.

"So what are we actually doing?", she called out after dusting stray crumbs from her dress, "Finding Darian? Is that all we know? The guy's name?"

That reminded her, she hadn't properly introduced herself to Freyd's friend. Well now it would just be weird., she stubbornly decided. Once in awhile, she figured it best to await further context rather than make a fool of herself. It seemed there would be ample opportunity to accomplish that later, what with the landscape's precarious shifts between ice and sludge.