Freyd

Grabbing Calas' hand on the backswing, he wrenched and twisted her wrist causing the criminal captain to cry out in pain.  A blade fallen from her grasp met his foot and was launched into a nearby sentry, splitting him through the middle and spilling his motes all over the stained and worn deck boards.  She tried to spin and met his knee with her gut, fresh of the spin of its projectile launch.  Delicately coifed hair splayed forth, with a fair share of spittle.  Freyd was in a frenzy.

Her lone remaining aide came to the rescue, or tried, but found his spear deflected by a palm and repurposed to a dirtier business.

"Uuurk..."  Ignoble last words.  

"Playing with fire, captain.  You just got burned."  

"No!"  The guardsman's screamed, steeped in anguish and surprise, did nothing to prevent his leader from literally falling to pieces.  Tugging forward on the spear now sitting in vacated space was all it took to throw its holder off balance and send him reeling over the edge. 

"Someone below was about to get a very nasty surprise."

More pirates surged to fill the void crafted by the Whisper's handiwork, skewering his fellow captain and drawing a look of concern.  "Kat!  Stay with me!  And Ryland, if you say one goddamn word, I swear by Kayaba's infernal fluffy slippers that I WILL END YOU."  

Whether confused by the reference, or just getting the gist, the dockmaster's jaw snapped shut.  He simply gulped and nodded, racing along towards a widening horizon of empty, open sky.

"Use a healing potion if you've got one, Kat.  I'll tag you with another crystal in a minute.  And maybe skip the fighting while you're at it, at least until you heal.  I can take a few stabs if I have to." Hatchets flew by along with a javelin or two, several dozen cutlasses brandishing themselves at their heels as they ran like mad towards the skiff that they hoped was still there.

This is getting completely out of control...

***

Freyd's Turn:

Loot:

Mobs' Turn:

"Anytime, Zee.  You were trouncing badass mobs while I was still wearing my starter diapers.  It would be my pleasure to assist."

Cerberus sought to use their discussion to its advantage, clearly not having watched enough anime to appreciate how much dialogue during combat was accepted social norm.  Some even argued that it made them fight better.  

"Ah, okay then," he replied, silently scolding himself for his assumptions about spare weapons. "No worries.  We'll manage just fine, so long as we're clever and careful.  Morningstar's got the geist."  Following their other companion's lead, he gauged the remaining life on each health bar and adjusted his tactics accordingly, clipping his assigned head, but not quite by enough.

"Dangit!  Looks like I'll be making basic attacks on mine to get it where it needs to be.  Didn't want to chance overshooting the goal. A badly timed crit or DoT proc could ruin our efforts.  Better to lowball you attacks."

***

"Itzal I recall only vaguely.  We were in the raid against Shadow the Malevolent together, clearing the way to floor 26.  Beatbox... I've heard the name, but always got him confused with Beat, who hung around with Shield.  Can't say that we ever met.  Same with Kaiser."  Scratching at the back of his cowl as if to pry something loose from his memory, Freyd couldn't manage to find anything more.  "Nothing's coming back about Itzal's guild.  I just vaguely recall that we had the same look - like we went to the same tailor or something."  He shrugged, not being able to find anything more.  "I can give them a ping via Tracking, if you'd like.  Itzal was the spoopy type and might not show up, but the others could.  It's your call."  Freezing mid-step, Freyd felt like his brain had possibly missed a step. 

"All of that said, it might just be easier to message them directly, especially if they were once your guildmates."

Resuming pace as they entered the derelict town's either gates, the Whisper seemed to muse for a moment.

"I've been out in the field a lot lately, so haven't been checking in much, but there are often several members around.  We're primarily a crafting guild, so there are always a few working at some project or other, or trying to blow the place up with some secret pancake syrup that somehow required black powder."  Rolling his eyes, he still couldn't believe someone had actually fallen for that.

"Uh-huh," Freyd replied, deadpan and staring directly at Nari, clearly not believing a word of her denial, no matter how hard she seemed to be trying to convince herself.  The point had been called out.  What she chose to do with it was up to her, but, based on what dots he'd managed to connect from past observations, there was clearly more history at play than was being admitted.  Pushing any further would only insult Nari, and that wasn't his goal or desirable in any way.  She needs to face this in her own time.

"Yeah.  Alright.  You called my bluff.  Here I was going to manipulate this whole thing to pick up Wulfrin's share, but you all decided to be generous, fair and decent human beings.  How dare you."  Eyeing the last remaining mob, the Whisper's left brow twitched along with the wry curling of his lips.  "Guess that leaves me with only one option."

Snapping his fingers, each of the other players shadows immediately swarmed their owners, wrapping themselves like cold, smothering blankets around their heads and faces with the sheer gripping power of terrified cats.  Something popped in their midst, showering them all with a wave of glistening fractals that none of them could see.  Sight restored an instant later, Freyd was nonchalantly picking something out of his teeth, with his other hand stuffed into an undisclosed pocket.  The dregs of the last looter were still drifting down amongst them.

"Oh, gee... now I guess we'll just never know?  Shame.  Guess that I means I'll have to buy for everyone."  Grinning like a certified madman, he slapped Wulfrin on the back adding strangely appropriate last words.

"Come on pal.  It's not every day you get your dungeon cherry popped when the mobs came that close to popping you instead.  Lessons learned, eh?"

***

Loot Spectral Looter 6: ID #221427 | LD: 1+10+2=13 | CD: 7
+4 materials (+4 CD/LD odd)
7200 col (HP[1200]*6 - incl. +3 Prosperity)
T4 Rare Weapon 221427a
T4 Uncommon Consumable 221427b

Loot Summary:

Thread Closing:

Wulfrin receives:

2,646 EXP (Word Count [12868/10*2*0.5] + Quest [1000] + Dungeon [360])
158,200 col (2 page [800] + Loot [75900 from Freyd] + Quest [2000] + Dungeon [79500])
16 Materials (Dungeon [16])
Kumatetsu Key
T4  Perfect Weapons 221320a
T4  Perfect Weapons 221320b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221320c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221320d

Nari receives:

11,634 EXP (Word Count [12868/10*10*0.5] + Quest [1000] + Dungeon [4200])
87,845 col (2 page [0] + Loot [4600] + Quest [2000] + Dungeon [79500] + 15% P5 Reward [1745])
24 Materials (Loot [8] + Dungeon [16])
Kumatetsu Key
1 Gleaming Scale
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 219838
Random Dungeon Map 219906
T4 Rare Trinket 220347

Morningstar receives:

4,567 EXP (Word Count [12868/10*5*0.5] + Quest [n/a] + Dungeon [1350])
104,185 col (2 page [0] +  Loot [24000] + Quest [n/a] + Dungeon [79500] + 15% P5 Reward [685])
26 Materials (Loot [10] + Dungeon [16])
T4 Uncommon Consumable 220708
T4 Uncommon Consumable 221339a
T4 Perfect Consumable 221338a
T4 Perfect Consumable 221338b
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 221158
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221338c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221338d
T4 Rare Weapon 221339a

Freyd receives:

21883 EXP (Word Count [12868/10*16*0.5] + Quest [n/a] + Dungeon [9600] + 10% for Mega Slime Farm)
82,782 col (2 page [0] + Loot [Given to Wulfrin] + Quest [n/a] + Dungeon [79500] + 15% P5 Reward [3282])
38 Materials (Loot [22] + Dungeon [16])
T4 Rare Trinket 219915
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 219916
T4 Rare Trinket 219917
T4 Perfect Consumable 219994a
T4 Perfect Consumable 219994b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219994c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 219994d
T4 Rare Consumable 220527a
T4 Rare Armor/Shield 220527b
T4 Perfect Consumable 220708a
T4 Perfect Consumable 220708b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 220708c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 220708d
T4 Rare Trinket 220709
T4 Perfect Weapon 220710a
T4 Perfect Weapon 220710b
T4 Perfect Weapon 220710c
T4 Rare Weapon 221427a
T4 Uncommon Consumable 221427b

"Guild?"  That one piqued his curiosity especially.  There had been so many since the game first loaded, but he knew little about most of them.  "Which one were you in?  Maybe I recognize it, or could point you towards some of its old members.  Tracking has its uses, after all."  They were already within sights of the walls of Fortaleza, feeble as they might be.  Parched and sun-bleached, the packed earthen ramparts were literally baked to the point of crumbling and resembled little more than berms after so much deterioration.

"My own guild has also gone largely dormant lately."  It was a difficult admission, mostly to his own ears, but Firm Anima's members had scattered each to deal with their own long overdue affairs.  Should something threaten the whole, they would surely resurface.  "I guess they're all a little like the moon: sometimes full and sometimes nearly vanished, but ready to rebuild."

Freyd had listened intently as Zandra referenced olden times, some pre-dating his own rise and involvement in the mainstream of Aincrad's daily affairs.  Realization dawned that he was now the one referencing names that newcomers no longer recognized and tales they had never heard.  Congratulations, Freyd, you've become a veteran and joined the ranks of the 'old men' to which you once aspired. It didn't feel like the accomplishment he imagined it to be, but then it likely never could have.  Here, on the other side of the fence, grass was still just grass.  Its colour never changed.  Zandra and Morningstar deftly dealt with the remaining hounds.  It would take long for their master to follow in the wake of his fallen kin.

"I'm..." he paused, pondering how best to declare his role.  "What is today?  Tuesday?  I think I'm a tank on Tuesdays.  Mostly DPS on other days ending in 'Y', but don't ever ask me to heal something.  I just throw crystals at people until they quit whining and get back on their feet."  It was mostly jest, but the best jokes always have some basis in truth.  Freyd wasn't a particularly effective tank, just a passable one when bad guys needed something agile and annoying between them and the rest of the group.  Not at all like the greats of yesterday.  "And, you're not wrong, Zandra.  The meta has changed.  We need to change with it.  Let me know if I can help with that in any way, for the sake of an old friend."  Thunderous footsteps paired with triple-echoed baying soon broke up their conversation, putting them all back on alter.

"You've definitely got the legs for it," Freyd added, replying to Star's boast.  "Just don't ever underestimate what you can achieve with clever application of the Disguise skill."  Giving his blonde companion a quick wink, Freyd dove into a nearby plume of sulfurous fumes and vanished from sight.  

No sooner had the Whisper vanished to his shadows than a giant pair of charcoal-coloured paws broke through the wall of smoke obscuring the far side of the narrow gorge in which they'd found themselves.  Cerberus - the bigger, meaner incarnation of the tri-headed doggo - quickly followed, with all three maws dripping liquid fire, growling synchronously as they approached.

"I call heads!"

The call came from it flank, causing all three sets of Cerberus' eyes to shift and turn, one of them getting a knee under its chin for its trouble.  

"Gotta watch our damage output on this one, or we'll blow the secret code.  Try to knock it down to just under a quarter of its health bar and watch our for those fallen procs, Zandra.  You might want to swap to another weapon if you have one."

***

A sullen, empty smile lined Freyd's face with weariness as he heard Kyoto repeat an all-too-familiar story.  

"I've heard a similar story from more players than I could have ever imagined," he added with regret.  "We so many people miserable in our other world?  Is that why people were so eager to enter this one, only to fall into Kayaba's trap?"  Sighing at the lines of thinking that inevitably followed.  "Whatever you do, Kyot0, don't let it get you down, okay?  That's more important than you can possibly imagine - the need to feel like you have purpose and belonging.  We're all going to need that same sense if we're going to work together to climb out of this pit.  And, maybe, we need to bring a little of that spirit back with us to liven up the place we're trying to get back to?"

What had been done to the players stuck in this murder game was monstrous, but perhaps his companion had clued into an overlooked silver lining. 

"Hardship can bring out the very worst in people, but also the very best.  Given the options, wouldn't the latter be a better choice?"

Banter and pleasantries were freely exchanged as the trio made their way from the bar to the fiery pits of hell that served as Cerberus' personal kennel.  Pools of molten flame provided the pulsing, red ambience where light was otherwise snuffed by the plumes of thick smoke rising from all points to blot out the sun and keep its cheerful rays firmly off the unhallowed ground.  Morningstar and Zandra swapped tales with each other most of the way along while he did his scouting thing, chiming in on occasion to confirm that he was indeed listening.

"...but who really knows why he wore the dress?  Dude certainly enjoyed provoking reactions, and that alone might have done it. At least he had the legs to pull it off, y'know?"  Shadows moved wrongly in their periphery, signaling the presence of prowlers.

"Ah.  The welcoming committee has found us."  Only then did Freyd recall the flames licking the blade of Zandra's scythe.  "Huh... let me know how that works for you down here.  I can't say that I've ever actually tested whether these things are actually fireproof.  Cuz, when you think about it."  He gestured to the entirety of their surroundings.  

By the time the others looked back his way, the spoopy nutjob was already smashing his fist into the face of the nearest hell hound, splashing with a crackling of frost that instantly began to boil and hiss upon application.  Two more emerged from the soot-stained air to received similarly loving treatment, less the polar dip, yet still joyfully delivered enough to send their health bars spiralling.

"Softened'em up," Freyd called back.  "Why not show us how not-dead you are, Zandra?"

***

"Settled?"  Something in Nari's tone didn't sound right, which should have been especially off for a performer.  "Wait a sec... this wouldn't have anything to do with a certain black-haired swordwoman we both know who chucks debuff crystals around like they are going out of style?"  He knew that his armored companion would know who he meant. Enough dots had been dropped to connect a potential pattern, the first few links of which had formed during their chat near Ellesmora.  Would she have taken on an entire profession in order to please a friend?  Freyd knew the answer before the thought had even fully formed.

"You might want to steer clear of the Forest of Memories," he added towards Wulfrin, preferring to steer the conversation in a new direction.  "That place has... issues."  Quickly noting the warrior's haggard appearance as his energy reserved waned.  "These should be about the last of them."  One more joined the battle out of the darkness, just to make a liar out of him. 

"Dangit.  I think I see daylight up the tunnel to the right.  If we make our way there, we should be able to get clear and go grab drinks somewhere to put this all behind us."

Hoping to help Nari get beyond her apparent guilt and pre-occupation, something other than combat would clearly be required.  

"I know a good steakhouse in Urbus.  Last hit picks up the tab?"

***

Loot Spectral Looter 8, ID #221319 | LD: 17+10=27 | CD: 2
+2 materials (+2 LD odd)
9600 col (HP[1200]*8 - incl. +2 CD even, +3 Prosperity)
T4 Perfect Consumable 221319a
T4 Perfect Consumable 221319b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221319c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221319d

Loot Summary:

Not quite ready to let Abdullah realize he still lived, but also unwilling to spoil Ciela's maximum moxy moment, Freyd chose to play coy and follow along with a minor unanticipated twist.  By the time the beaded curtain plied its way over them, the Whisper's appearance had been completely transformed.  No longer the spoopy, brooding figure most commonly familiar among the residents of Fortaleza, Ciela now dragged behind her an elegant courtesan in a loosely fitted black kimono.  Sporting barely coifed indigo hair and hauntingly pale blue eyes over the most demure of smiles, it was an appearance he reserved for the most provocative occasions. 

Turning its allure against the foppish mobster the moment he soured at Ciela's silent rebuttal, Lady Freyd was already making eyes to distract and entice.  No words were spoken, only a gaze held and the very briefest of exhales granted through an achingly slow parting of pale, slender lips.  Wulfrin might have heard Abdullah's jaw shatter when it hit the floor, a lingering glance hinting empty promises as Ciela dragged his latest obsession from the room.  The novice player's head and heart were likely still pre-occupied by overwhelming anxiety.  Strands of twilight swung like a curtain to conceal her features once more, perfectly timed to tease out a fading wink that vanished with another clattering of beads.

Restored to his original appearance, Freyd acted as though nothing strange had happened, nodding sympathetically at Ciela's exasperations.  Sparing Wulfrin a bemused look that silently spoke to what had just transpired, Freyd kept the motives behind this particular game to himself.

"Yes, well done, Ciela," he applauded, reclaiming his hand and stuffing both of his back into a pair of invisible pockets. "Let me know if you two feel like hitting up another quest anytime soon. You've both shown a lot of promise today, and should be proud."  Someone sounded a gong nearby, signaling the cresting of the sun and marking midday for all of the sandy town's residents.  By the time they both looked back, Freyd has simply disappeared.

***

Thread Closing:

Wulfrin receives:

880 EXP (Word Count [6501/10*2*0.6] + Quest [n/a] + Field Bosses [100])
7,800 col (1 page [200] + Loot [7600 from Freyd])
1x Terra Firma Scale (T3 - Unique Consumable - Gain additional Mitigation equal to one T3 slot of the Mitigation Enhancement. This can exceed Mitigation Enhancement caps. The effect lasts one thread.)

Knightessciela receives:

2,990 EXP (Word Count [6501/10*1*0.6] + Quest [2500] + Field Bosses [100])
5,200 col (1 page [200] + Quest [5000])
1x Terra Firma Scale (T3 - Unique Consumable - Gain additional Mitigation equal to one T3 slot of the Mitigation Enhancement. This can exceed Mitigation Enhancement caps. The effect lasts one thread.)

Freyd receives:

6m340 EXP (Word Count [6501/10*16*0.6] + Quest [n/a] + Field Bosses [100])
936 col (1 page [0] + Loot [7600 given to Wulfrin] + 15% P5 Reward [936])
2 Materials (Loot [2])
1x Terra Firma Scale (T3 - Unique Consumable - Gain additional Mitigation equal to one T3 slot of the Mitigation Enhancement. This can exceed Mitigation Enhancement caps. The effect lasts one thread.)
T4 Rare Trinket 220964

Note: Assault Mode extra skill was not unlocked.

"Not sure that I'd call it manners when people queue to kill you just because there isn't enough space for them to all try at the same time!"  Bending backwards to a seemingly impossible angle, Freyd dodged a few deft and ambitious strikes while they scrambled to get away from the gaggle of goons that was already closing in.

"Calas, you harlot, selling your soul for a bit of col.  Why not just butter yourself up and bend over for a fat, hairy fu--- URK"

Yanking on the dockmaster's collar to keep him from getting skewered, Freyd tossed him down the dock in the hopes of fending off the closing enemy.  Unfortunately, Ryland's words had earned the guards' ire, not appreciating the suggestion and intending to demonstrate their displeasure using the pointy ends of their blades.

"BRING IT, DOILIES!  Maybe her lady-ship will let you suckle her teat more once you've done her bidding.  Be mindful not to choke on your collars, dogs!"

"Shut it, Ryland.  You're not helping matters in the slightest.  Now RUN!"  A few quick parries and strikes of his own downed one of the guards, but it was all Freyd could manage not to get tramples and knocked over the edge as the swarm of angry mobs bore down on their loudmouth antagonist.  "You're going to get us all killed, you rabid wombat and keep moving!"

"Uh... Kat... can I explain later?!  Maybe after we get away from the murder wave bearing down on us?"

***

Loot Corrupt Dock Guard 2: ID #221328 | LD: 9+10=19 | CD: 5
+4 materials (+4 CD/LD odd)
1800 col (HP[600]*3)
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221328a
T4 Perfect Trinket 221328b

Racing towards the beast from its left flank, Freyd planted one foot hard into the slippery sand.  Creating a fulcrum, he pivoted up and over the beast's head launched by his own momentum.  Sparing only a moment to snare it by the jowls of its giant toothy maw, he used his own momentum to yank as hard as he possibly could.  The point was to flip and fling the thing over his head and let it smear itself all over the sands.  But, fate being what it is, his handwraps screeched as their bindings loosened enough to let loose the void contained within.  Instead of snaring the creature, Freyd's hands peeled open its hood like it was a potato, wrenching all of the 'skin' from atop its head and melting what should have been its brain by the passage of his fingertips.  Landing with still-catlike grace on the far side of it, Freyd's cowl kinked in a hound-like manner as he wondered what had happened. The rest of the mob's body seized, jerked, twitched, then slumped into the sand and disintegrated into a pile of find glass dust that melted seamlessly into the landscape in an instant.

"Huh," he added, surprised by the turn of events.  "Not really what I was going for, but I suppose it worked all the same?"  A stunned look still on his face, the Whisper just smirked, shrugged his shoulders and stuffed his lethal fingers back into cosy hoodie pockets.  "So, um... right then.  I guess this means we're done?  Who votes we send Ciela in to talk to Abdullah?"  Freyd and all three of their shadows instantly raised their hands.

"The aye's have it," he declared swiftly turning, a giant grin on his face, ready to lead them back to town.

***

"Don't sell yourself short, Morningstar - you're absolutely smokin'.  Nari's completing killing it with the whole Death thing.  Meanwhile, Kat... well, let's just say that Famine is also leaving us parched?"  He was grinning with every word, but his cowl's extension had swallowed the entirety of what little was normally showing of his face.  Watching Nari and Star wade into the first wave of blighted minions, Freyd followed in soon after and leaving Katoka to mop up from range.  

Unlike his predecessor, Freyd was never one for the frenzied rage of the warmonger, his feasting focusing instead on the cold, ruthless calculus of utter annihilation.  Plunging his blade's nothingness first into the more wounded of the two staggered abominations popped it like an overinflated balloon.  Motes, instantly spraying wide in all directions, covered his approach upon the second.  A deep slice met with grunting satisfaction as the Whisper cleaved half of his enemy aside like it was made of tissue.  Wrath's action mirrored his thoughts, dancing among the shadows cast by the dying light of his previous kill, wheeling on the spot like the flicking of a blackened flame. Blade extended like a shadow's longing, he drove it through the second blight and drank in its nothingness to claim it for himself.  The void was ever hungry.

"MOAR!" Freyd barked, seething without realizing it.  "Katoka.  Find us another pair.  These lot were lightweights."  Like the darkened barrel of a primed and loaded canon, the cowl swiveled in search of other targets, eager to continue the fray... no, spread it.  Tension spread down his back in anticipation while some fledgling thing withered within him, crying out in feeble protest onlyto be  silenced by the dominance of war unleashed.  

Something is very wrong...

Montjoy felt the cold growing within his caster, his old counterpart renewed and invigorated by the donned persona.  It had lain in wait, coiled and dormant, but seizing immediately upon its moment.  Freyd had just given his dark heart what it most desired, and his conscience feared what would be done with it.  Anyone who oddly found themselves staring at the ground in such an awkward moment would find the Whisper's shadow staring up at him with a palpable air of concern.

***

Loot Blightbound Monstrosity 1: ID #221164 | LD: 2+7=9 | CD: 4
14000 col (HP[2000]*7 - incl. +4 CD/LD even)
T4 Uncommon Consumable 221164

Loot Blightbound Monstrosity 1: ID #221165 | LD: 20+7=27 | CD: 2
14000 col (HP[2000]*7 - incl. +4 CD/LD even)
T4 Perfect Consumable 221165a
T4 Perfect Consumable 221165b
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221165c
T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 221165d

Noting the descriptions and saving them to his mental roster, Freyd nodded as Xlear outlined some of their notable traits.  "So, fairly typical guys, by the sounds of it.  I'll let some friends know to keep an eye out for them.  Hopefully, we'll have you all back together soon enough."  As Xlear set himself about the task of gathering whatever he could for Zackariah, Freyd found himself a familiar spot next to a nearby bubbling brook and pulled out the gaudiest looking fishing rod, complete with green-headed mallard grip.  It looked like it had just fallen out of the 1950s and would probably disrupt digital technology just by its mere presence.

"Don't mind me," the Whisper added, by way of explanation.  "The quest won't allow others to help you, other than just moral support.  So... I'll just be over here fishing."  Casting a reel out into open water.  "Any other questions that I can answer?  This bit can take a little while to get through."

Something about Xclear's story still didn't add up in the back of Freyd's mind, and he was starting to get concerned that the man's companions might have fallen prey to misfortune.  The cloak and dagger guy was potentially worrisome, but given his own appearance he was hardly in a position to judge.

"What are their names, again?  You mentioned Genma and Haruto.  Were there any others?  I have some pretty mad tracking skills and might be able to confirm their whereabouts.  In the meantime, why not just get this task done and put a little more EXP under your belt?  It can only help you help them, when the time comes, right?"  Motioning towards the fields in the distance, Freyd stared wistfully while recalling the sheer number of times he had sat around doing this very same thing with so many other players taking their very first steps outside of the Town of Beginnings.

"There's nothing more we can do for them at the moment.  Maybe if you tell me a little more about them, I'll be able to find them more quickly and effectively?"

"Just keep focused," Freyd offered to Ciela.  "As much as we like to blame ourselves for poor results, the outcomes of our choices are subject to the rules of the system.  Chance and preparations are both real factors.  Don't contort yourself trying to kick your own backside.  Just accept it and move on to the next decision.  Otherwise, you become the obstacle to your own success."  Blinking twice, Freyd realized how much he sounded like some sort of animated fortune cookie and turned to rush into the fray.  Despite Ciela having missed, her movements encircled the mob and improved their overall chances against it.  

Rushing forward while it was still dazed, Freyd managed to clock it about the head a few times before summersaulting back to maintain their surround.  Nowhere near as sturdy as Terra Firma, this mob was still durable and resilient, soon shaking off the status effect.  Thrashing about in a ravenous frenzy, it would use that unpredictable rage to its advantage.

'Snag it while you can.  We can't afford to let it go deep."

***

Still eyeing the gator suspiciously, Freyd still found it unfathomable that every desert scene in every online game somehow felt the need to reference Texan/American cowboy culture in some way, this time adding a bonus touch of Florida man for giggles.  That  immediately led to the image of Bedouins with Stetsons on their heads materializing in his mind and the entire thought exercise was instantly flushed as utterly ridiculous and wrong.  Best to just accept the oddity and move on.

"You're not gonna drink that are you," he asked Star, deadpan, glaring at the bottled golden shower with disgust.  "Honestly, you have no idea where any of that has been, and most likely don't want to."

Banter interrupted, it took Freyd a moment to recognize the figure who'd approached them.  Morning was already doing his nice-guy thing when her identity finally dawned.  

"Zandra?!"  His eyes nearly bulged out of his cowl.  "Good grief.  You're still alive?"  Scrunching his face up a bit to remember, he vaguely recalled seeing the scythe-wielding healer-maniac on the far side of the last raid, helping out NIGHT's group.  

"Oh, uh, right.  Introductions.  Good, good.  Glad that's taken care of.  Zandra's been at the top of her game since I was a Wulfrin-scale pup," he added, speaking to Morningstar, whose manners were so much better than his own.  "Glad to have you with us.  It feels like it's been a while since we did something like this."  He wasn't even sure they ever had, despite being on the same field against several different raid bosses.

"So, we're going after full doggo, aiming for the bonus prize?  Fair enough.  That'll mean holding back on the throttle so that we don't overrun the target.  Guess I'll be tanking then.  Please help yourselves to the buff, if you're interested," he added, pushing the bizarre Gugnir artifact forward for his companions to partake.

"There's always the baby shark training program," Freyd replied with a chuckle.  "Actually, it might be a good fit in this case.  I usually avoid it since most people that I bring along on this thing are so low level, but Ciela already has some meat on her bones."  Glancing back at his companions and realizing that they would have no idea what he meant, begged for the provision of additional details.  "Err... field boss?  Every floor... okay, more like 'most floors' have a commonly respawning field boss.  They spawn out in the wilds and often drop unique consumables.  Some are useful, others less so, but it's still a good experience."  Rubbing his chin, his gaze turning to the northern horizon, both other players would watch as his eyes filled with inky darkness until they turned solid black.

"It's not far."  By his tone, it was as if he could see the beast though how remained a mystery.  "Be prepared.  This one will be more of a group effort.  Just being near a field boss can mess with your stats, especially on lower floors.  You'll likely notice it too, Wulfrin, just by being near it.  Don't worry about holding back on this one, but let me get in the last shot so I can hold its aggro."  Instructions given, the Whisper stuffed his hands into a pair of well-concealed hoodie pockets and casually strode out into the desert.  "Time to see what you can do, Ciela."

It didn't take long to reach their destination.  Out in the open sands, vast dunes stretched high into the air, but also provided no cover whatsoever.  With the sun near its zenith, the heat was utterly oppressive.  Freyd didn't seem to mind it much, despite being covered head to toe in black, offering a smile to his companions as sweat poured down their respective faces.  

"This should be the place.  Oh, and heads up," he added, pointing immediately behind them.

***

Freyd uses Tracking on Sand Shark (Floor 5 field boss).

Freyd loved the ninth floor, but post-apocalyptic landscapes were kind of his thing. Sure, he might have setup his shop on thirteen on the expectation that the zombie-infested devastation would actually keep people away, but it was also part pf the charm.  Nine was famous, in his books, for adding smoky flavour to any meals crafted within its bounds, and he occasionally popped by Yōgan Village to check out the barbeque stands in case there were any special deals on.

Wandering by the mission board, he spotted Morningstar's request and couldn't help laughing aloud.

"What the heck is a 'dabloon'?  Sounds like something Macradon would come up with."  Still shaking his head, chuckling at the notion, he wandered over to the only true bar establishment in town, wondering what the tiny, sizzling pile of multi-coloured sludge baking itself onto the surface of the central plaza was all about.

"Hey, Tech-boi!  How do you not have this sword art unlocked already?  Forget about however many heads Cerberus might have.  That sounds like a real problem in need of fixing.  Nice gator, by the way."

***

Note: CS (Shades of the Gemini) is in use.  If any other player objects to this, please state in first post and it will be considered inactive.

Freyd consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (6/6) - takes 1 portion [filled], shares rest with party
Armageddon Juice (Potion) | Damage 3 | 197181
Super-Duper Anti Snake Sauce (Salve) | Antidote 2 | 179928
Madlad Muffin | Tierless Rare Meal | EVA 2 | 216704
Stalwart's Stew | T4 Perfect Meal | MIT 3 | 215313a

Freyd | HP: 1160/1160 | EN: 154/154 | DMG: 24 | MIT: 105 | EVA: 6 | ACC: 7 (incl. AA) | BH: 63 | LD: 6 | FRSTB: 40 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 127 | V.O.: 127 | DOTE: 2/2

"People are weird," Freyd added, shrugging his shoulders.  "Without knowing more about your friends, it's tough to offer any kind of meaningful opinion.  What was your relationship with them?  Did you know them outside the game or meet them in here?  Everyone has had to find a way to deal with the trauma of being trapped in here."  He paused, suddenly, as if the obvious had just slapped him upside the head.  "Have you tried messaging them and just asking them where they are?  If they are your friends, shouldn't they want to hook back up and help you catch up with the rest of them?"

It had taken Freyd longer to piece that one together than it should have, but relationship counselling was about as far possible from being counted as one of his strengths.  It felt weird, even uncomfortable, offering such opinions, as he had such limited experience on such topics.  Too much the loner, he admitted to himself.

"Zackariah's shop is just up ahead.  He'll want you to go collect some herbs for him.  Don't worry, he's a good and decent man."  Gesturing Xclear forward, Freyd fell into step behind him.  It was his companions' quest, after all, and he wasn't about to mess it up for him.

This was a test, in Freyd's mind.  Would the mob get the better of him a second time, or would he maneuver into better results.  Some would argue that repetition with expectation of difference was a definition for madness.  Perhaps.  He chose, instead, to treat it as an exemplar of hope.  Few ever saw his actions for what they were, which was fine.  Randomness served him for many purposes, most of them quite deliberate, but it was often more convenient to let people simply think him odd and to play the fool.

And so it was that Freyd stood completely still, choosing to test a theory as he stared down a slowly rousing array of teeth propelled by two tons of muscle in the form of a viciously angry mob.  While it frenzied, ploughing through the silty surface in a bee line, the Whisper waited.  When it crested up and into the air, ready to dive bomb him like a crashing meteor, the Whisper waited.  When its maw closed upon him, thinking it was about to win, the Whisper smiled.  Chaos turned to stillness for one moment of pure patient perfection as Freyd's hands, pressed palm-to-palm, slid against each other like the arms of a pair of scissors pin-wheeling open.  Like black blades, sharpened upon the reverse, they sliced the sand shark in half in a single clean, precisely practiced kata followed only by the sickening twin thuds of two halves of a formerly imposing predator skidding on the sands and dissolving as though the surface was a cheese grater.  By the time they stopped, only two smears of orange pixels sinking into stained sands remained.

Freyd's hands completed their motion by pressing together once more, closing the breach in space that had been temporarily opened.  The whole thing looked and felt more like a tai-chi routine than a martial arts attack - too slow and too calm for the violence they had just witnessed.

"Heh." Freyd exhaled softly, releasing a pensive breath.  "Well, that certainly beats getting chomped in half.  Is everyone else alright?"

***

Loot Terra Firma: ID #220964 | LD: 11+7=18 | CD: 12
+2 materials (+2 LD odd)
7600 col (HP[950]*8 - incl. +2 CD even, +3 from roll)
T4 Rare Trinket 220964

Resigning himself to the unfamiliar role of obedient bloodhount, Freyd focused solely on the task at hand: leading them to Alvion to do whatever was going to need doing next.  Standing silently aside as Vigilon and Krysta bantered, he simply led the way only to once again encounter Alvion and his Cinnabon Menace (tm).  Watching the two bumbling knights unleash another pair of elementals, Freyd smiled slightly as he pictured the whole lot having giant twirled mustachios.  Outrageously ornate top hats worn on top of their helmets might also have worked.  

Watching Morningstar spring into action, Freyd quickly followed.  These things had to be dealt with, ideally swiftly.  Slamming both mobs with hefty blows, both flaring bright with pulses of heavenly light, the two mobs recoiled under the players' assault, struggling to do much more than singe the Whisper's whiskers.  Giving himself over to the fray, Freyd aggressively pressed the mobs back, wondering if there might be some way to return them to their containers. 

"If those two yahoos pulled it off, there must be a way to push these thing back into their box!"

***

"Well then," he added, smiling as Ciela blushed a little at not yet having opened her shop.  "Please be sure to let me know when you have.  I'll be glad to support a new business.  In the meantime, I'll be sure to let Freya know that you like her cooking."

Watching Wulfrin wander over to Abdullah's abode, Freyd tugged down his cowl a little tighter, preferring to keep himself concealed a while longer.  

"Abdullah's a mob boss, in every sense of the word.  He's a jerk, a killer, and also quite accustomed to sending NPC minions to do his bidding.  Simply put: he's a threat.  I prod him on principle, just to see if I can prompt him to grow beyond his programming.  While we can actually account for a bit of progress on that front, none of it is really positive.   I can only hope that a mob can learn this lesson better than most humans, or we risk feeding yet another petty tyrant and megalomaniac."  Freyd's words carried an unusual tone of disappointment as he spoke, as if he'd truly hoped to be able to redeem the mob's honour and poor behaviour.  A familiar quest prompt appeared and Wulfrin re-emerged with a dour expression on his face.

"So, I can assume that went about as well as usual?"  A smirk and shaking head signaled more disappointment, but only in Abdullah.  "Alright.  Let's do this thing.  Terra Firma typically spawns in a sandy basin not far from here, about a mile outside of Fortaleza.  It's fast.  I mean, REALLY fast.  Almost too much for its own good.  It's probably one of the hardest mobs to hit I have ever encountered in the game, but that speed undermines its own accuracy.  Let me go in first and piss it off a little.  You'll be safe if you stay on the rock wall surrounding the basin."

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination, which looked just as Freyd had described.  Ruddy red rock formed a natural cul-de-sac enclosed on the far end by a paid of collapsed columns that enclosed the improvised arena and kept Terra Firma contained.  A single, massive, sandy brown fin crested the silty sands just as they approached, confirming that the mob had already respawned.

"Too soon," Freyd added, flustered by how often he was having to clear this thing, yet having no viable alternative.  A quick hand gesture signaled the others to stop even as he and Persi leapt down to land with deliberately forceful impact.  Sand sharks navigated through sound, and he'd just screamed in its native tongue to garner its attention.

The beast had hardly turned when Freyd snapped his fingers and a bullet of pure void bolted from the shadows at his side to strike it like a torpedo, blasting the giant shark entirely out of the sands.  Persi had done her work well, as always.  Lancing forward the Whisper delivered his follow-up, smashing into the airborne land shark like a wrecking ball and to the tune of a screeching banshee as the wraps around his fists opened up their seals and seared the digital flesh right off it.  Dazed and twitching on the surface, Terra Firma might have blinked, wondering where the heck two freight trains had come from,.  

With a quick gesture, Freyd motioned his companions forward to try their own hands at the business.

***

"Solaris?  Good name."  Craning his neck to an awkward angle, he glanced again upon the bird as if assessing its potential.  Freyd spent more time appraising people and their regalia these days, than actual equipment.  The man's hawkish eyebrows arched, then furrowed, at Wulfrin's mention of Abdullah's goons.  "That's... interesting.  Never a good thing when a forever respawning mob starts sending his equally re-spawnable thugs after you."  Pressing two gloved fingertips to his lips, he seemed to be pondering possible options, before abruptly changing course in their conversation to focus on the other player in the room.

"Ciela?  Is that a reference to the sky, in some way?  If your preference is for violence, maybe we should just call you Stormy instead?"  Lighthearted and playful, Freyd was clearly just bantering for the sake of introductions.  "Persistence, or Persi, is actually the player in our duo and I am merely her familiar.  I'm sure she would agree."  The mongoose looked up at Ciela as she partook of the gugnir's offering, darting spasmodically across the table to nab a piece for herself and scurry beneath a nearby sofa to devour it in secluded secrecy.  Freyd just laughed as she did so. 

"So, you're a cook?  Good for you.  I may need to place some orders with you in the near future.  At the rate I go through consumables, I'll probably end up with a horrid collection of eating disorders whenever we actually get out of this place.  And my other regular suppliers would probably be grateful for a break.  Let me know where to find your shop, and I'll be sure to stop by."  His cowl perked up at the mention of honey buns. 

"Oh?  You mean these?"  He flicked a trio of them onto the table, conjuring them from thin air.  "Freya makes them - a friend and guild mate from Firm Anima.  She's got me hooked on the damned things, and it looks like I may have done the same to Wulfrin and yourself by extension.  She and Gaius have taken a break to spend some well-earned time together, but I'm sure they would be happy to share her recipe whenever they return."

"Not quite," he replied to her question about land sharks.  "We're fighting 'the' land shark.  Terra Firma is by far the largest and nastiest of the species on the floor and also one of the more agile mobs I've ever met anywhere.  Its bark is definitely not worse than its..."  He pointed at his shoulder to make his point.  "If we're going to have to chat with Abdullah, we might as well go clear the beast out again.  Ideally, that will keep it from harassing the rest of the locals for awhile."

"Too well," Freyd replied with regret, addressing Sora's last statement first.  "Persi's people can be found in the deep desert on this floor, though they are very reclusive.  It took quite a bit of persistence to find her."  Emphasis was clear, suggesting that he name might have been inspired by the same word.  "Familars can be found just about anywhere.  It depends on what you want.  If you're looking for a stoat, search the biomes where you might expect to find them in the real world, but consider any more fantastic elements that pique your interest.  An elemental stoat, for example, might be found anywhere you might find its preferred affinity.  Search the fire fields of floor thirteen, for example, or perhaps the poisonous swamps of floor twelve for a venomous variety."  Lazily flicking a finger towards the door, he conjured a second glass with ease and nudged it across the table with a casual press of black-gloved fingertips.  

"If you're looking for Abdullah, his place is across the street.  Look for the beaded curtains with the letters 'F.U.' built into their pattern.  The man is an arrogant git whose only purpose is to leech the life out of the other residents in this town and hand out a quest or two.  If it wasn't for the latter, I'd just as soon never deal with him again.  Unfortunately, there is an abnormally large and ferocious sand shark that tends to spawn near Fortaleza from time to time, devasting the lives of the already impoverished locals.  Persi and I make it a point to wander by and clear the thing out when it does, which is why we're here today."  He watched with interest as Persi slunk up Bee's arm, melting into the folds of cloth around the young woman's shoulders like she was made of liquid.  Inky shadow was more accurate, but the effect was basically the same.  Freyd imagined that her doing so would have a cooling sensation that would be most welcome in this heat, also noting that she'd never given him the same benefit.

"She must like you," he added, looking surprisingly amused.

"And, my name is Freyd, to continue with our introductions.  You're both quite welcome to come with us when we face off against Terra Firma.  Just be aware that it is a particularly nasty, deadly mob.  You'll want to let it focus its nibbles on me, unless one of you is an especially competent tank. I always prefer not to lose newly met players on my watch."