Enryu

He watched as three of those four pups diverted their attention to Freyd, and Charrlarr. It's enough to bring a smile to his face, the way that he charges in there, cleaving through the entirety of them in one fell swoop. Reduced to nothing more than data, and EXP, those boars fall, leaving only one remaining. Enryu turns his head just as it charges in! "Tch!" a grunt of desperation as Enryu narrowly evades that devastating blow.

Just like a matador egging on a bull, this was something like a game, and that boar - a bull, enraged at the mere sight of this young adventurer. Another charge, and this time, it was clear that boar aimed to knock him on his rear, but Enryu's blade rears back and adopts an emerald green glow, just like snake venom, except this was much sharper, and just as deadly. It's a power source, sucking in energy, just until that vibrant glow looks as if it were about to explode.

A crescent swing to the body of that boar leaves it stumbling backwards, just before exploding into data fragmentation, just as its family before.

"That's what I'm talking about!"

But his smile is waning, completely vanishing at the sight of an empty loot screen.

"Wha .."

He reads over the menu time and time again, but these meals make no sense to him. Why would you put a banana on a piece of meat? He chalked it up to just being a cultural thing, but the more he read this thing over, the worse it got. There's a sickening sensation in the back of his gut, telling him that he just might not find anything to eat here. His stomach growls at him like a mangy mutt waiting to be fed, and so his curiosity gets the better of him. He glances up from his menu and scans the room, trying to get a better idea at what the -- pause.

On the far end of the room, he notices a hooded figure who just can't keep their eyes off of him. It's unsettling, but he figured it would be best to just ignore it for now. A hand is raised to call over a waitress, but after a few moments, he realizes that nobody was going to come to his aid. He almost forgot that these places were automated now. Dang. He gives the menu another glance over, but still, this feeling of dread looms over him like a dark cloud. Another glance up confirms that this person was still eyeballing him. Was that a smirk?

What did this person want?

There's a restaurant off to the side - or, something like that. It's closer to a shack that sells food, but the various aromas it offered are enough to attract the young adventurer on an empty stomach. The entry way is large, and carved from wood, undoubtedly a result of every man in this town being at least six feet tall. Upon entering this establishment, the mood would instantly change. The melodramatic setting of the outside world was immediately washed out as these men chanted a local ditty, over, and over again. Their high spirits lifted him up, though, despite whether or not these people be NPCs or players. Suddenly, he turns to the right --

There's an empty table.

"I guess I'll seat myself," he says. He pulls out a chair for himself, and not even a moment later, a beautifully tan waitress comes and drops out a crudely drawn menu. "Enjoy!"

Before Charrlarr could even finish that first sentence, Enryu is already kicking off the ground in a blitzing sprint!.. He's let the adrenaline get the best of him, and standing still just wasn't something he could bare anything longer. A leap into the air casts a foreboding shadow down upon these four, and just like the setting sun, his blade befalls them like a bad omen. Tempered steel digging deep into digital flesh, exposing their graphical innards as if meant to cleave it entirely into two separate pieces. Bacon. It seems he lacks the damage though, watching that HP bar drop to nearly half.

Now he's surrounded.

He frantically looks around, switching targets as he readies from them to retaliate. His guard as raised, and now all he can do is shout, "Charrlarr!" a cry for help. "Cleave them!" A glance over the shoulder switches from Charrlarr to Freyd. In that moment, he felt as if for the first time his life were actually in danger.

Even if it wasn't.

Upon emerging from that dreaded maze of forest and fauna, his eyes light up like that of a star on Christmas Day. The look of pure joy that you see on a child's face when he believes that Santa is truly coming that night - the fact that this settlement was really there, in front of him - it meant the world. A few staggered steps bring him closer, until a full out sprint has him running for the village gate. He had brought enough supplies for the journey, but one mishaps after another left him starving, and willing to eat pretty much anything this place had available.

"FINALLY!"

He does not stop at the entrance, nor do these guards make any attempt to stop him. They were just like the rest - programmed to stand there and ward away any monsters that venture too close. They never did much good, honestly. The monsters had preprogrammed paths that they seemed to walk. If anything, they were purely aesthetic.

Women walk with children. The men are shirtless, and riddled in tattoos. Food is transported by cart, and water, by jugs held above the head.

It was interesting to see how the different floors all seemed to have their own culture, and feel. It was like a surprise every time he entered a new one, but a gargle in his gut has him focused on one thing only, and that was food.

As the skies darkens, he realizes just how truly terrifying the nighttime can be. It wouldn't be long before the very ground beneath him became a black blur, and his hands invisible to even himself. A lingering sense of dread follows him, wherever he may step, that is, until -- "What is that?" the young adventurer asks himself. It seems like a faint illumination in the distance, like fire, wavering in the nighttime breeze. A few more steps bring him closer, and that light multiples. His first thought is some kind of insect mating ground, but it soon becomes clear that these are in fact fires, lit by a civilization. Life. An overwhelming sense of joy overcomes the man, and he immediately makes a break for it!

A dash through foliage and the vines of vicious deterrents leave his body cut and bruised, but he continues to press on. He had been searching for this place - or any, really, during his entire time on the floor. As he nears, he hopes his suspicions are right, and that this should be none of than the city of «Krycim» located in the center of Floor 6. A major settlement, home to hundreds of Amazonian villagers in this dense forest biome.

"I see it!"

A push through this layer of leaves bring him out unto an open field, the final stretch of land between him and this settlement.

This trek across the Amazonian replica of Floor 6 was long and arduous, enough to make him fully believe that callouses grew on the bottom of his feet. The gear he had on was not appropriate for this kind of adventurer, but it wasn't exactly an option for him to change right here and now, nor did he have anything else worth putting on. All of these thoughts and more swarm his head like a plague in an attempt to deter him. His will is strong, so he shakes these thoughts right out of his head, and presses on, despite the circumstances he found himself in. "I can't give up now," says the voice in his head. "Not when I've already come this far. Not when I'm this close."

The map leads him to a fork in the road, split by a great tree that towers above the rest. It blocks his path, so he must decide, but this decision comes from a quick glance to the map. He finds himself, places a finger on his location, and ultimately comes up with a plan, saying, "Left. If the map looks right, I'll continue on. If not -- well," the answer was obvious. He'd have to double back if the information on his map was deemed inaccurate. Damn locals.

I hope this is right.

Enryu had been traveling for days - no, weeks, it seems, traversing lush greenery like obstacles under this sweltering heat. All sense of direction is lost under the shade of these huicungo trees, and their leaves which seem to span endlessly across the sky like dark, green clouds. A glance up is enough to make out roughly what time it was -- "Noon," he whispers to himself. He knew he had to keep moving out of fear of another ambush. Those Kobold Riders knew the landscape much better than he did, coupled with the natural instinct of a hungry panther - they made for a terrifying duo. The occasional glance is tossed over his shoulder from time to time again.

This sucks.

A sigh of desperation escapes his lips as he trudges through knee-high muddy water, and what he can only assume to be more poisonous plants. He's padded in thick gear though, so the foliage is the least of his worries. A brush against the leg brings him nothing more than displeasure, and mild discomfort.

It wouldn't be long before he decides to pull out his map again, mentally retracing his steps as a finger slides across it's worn surface. It's an old map, one he's gathered from a run-in with the local Amazonian. He follows a road up north, and then takes a mental note of the twists and turns coming up ahead. It was as if this place were a maze, designed to never be beaten. Still, he holds his head up high and whispers, "Almost there," with a hint of hesitation. ".. I hope."

Immolation Potion Consumed!

Lost in the jungle.

Spoiler Enryu | HP: 80 | EN: 8 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 | [Equipment] Beginner Short Sword | OHSS | Uncommon | T1    [ Accuracy I | +1 ACC ] Black Padded Gambeson | LA | Uncommon | T1    [ Evasion I | +1 EVA ]   [Battle-Ready Inventory] Immolation Potion | T1    When used, successful non-critical attacks against you deal 10 unmitigated damage to the attacking enemy. - - - - - - Skills Spoiler Mod Count: 1/2 One-Handed Straight Sword | Passive | RANK 1/5 Consumed Buffs Spoiler No Consumed Buffs in effect Misc. Buffs Spoiler No Misc. Buffs in effect Sword Arts Spoiler      Rank 1     Rage Spike (2 Energy +2 per enemy hit)      Strike each target in the vicinity twice in a blinding fit of uncontrolled rage. [x2 AoE]     Snake Bite (3 Energy)      The user quickly strikes the target with three brisk angled slashes. [x3]

A single step on this rickety wood flooring would be enough to send a shiver down his spine, mimicking the wail of a banshee for this entire place looks as if it hadn't been maintained in over a century, but the mood is lifted when he spots Zajcica and a shopkeeper going back and forth. It brings a smile to his face, and still, he remains on the outskirts of their conversation. His eyes gloss over these display glasses unless finally settling upon a vial, labelled 'Immolation Potion.'

"I'm goin' to need one of these," he says, and points a finger to it.

As the three of them cross the border between this town, and the wilderness, it becomes readily apparent that their task lies just beyond the end of this field. Luscious green plains are home to hundreds of procedurally generated boars, appearing only after a short respawn time. A few groups had already made headway into this quest, slashing these digital beasts into nothing more than data fragmentation. He's scanning the world despite Charrlarr's frantic debate, that is, until his eyes lay upon two separate groups. One group - a family of four boars, wander aimlessly among the meadows, picking at grass here and there, as if their only purpose were to exist for a player like him. On the other end, two boars walk hand in hand, scouting the area for any unsuspecting player who may be foolish enough to walk these parts alone.

He takes in a deep breath.

"Of course I'm nervous," is drawn out under his breath while a hand lay on the cross guard of his blade. It's slowly unsheathed, and brought into view, and even the faintest glisten of sunlight illuminates it's edges like the corona of our blinding sun. It even blinds him for a moment, so he squints, and continues to say, "But, I know standing here and feeling sorry about myself isn't going to do me any good. Sometimes, all you need to do is just take a leap of faith," and his eyes set on Charrlarr, if only for a moment. He smiles, then asks him, "Would you like to take this leap of faith with me? We could ambush the two boars on the far-end, or deal with the four just over there. Your choice. My AoE isn't the greatest, but it'll pass."

Enryu's wane smile comes to a thin-lipped shut at the mention of this creature. His confidence is dwindling, and he feels the need to ask Freyd, "Who?" as if it weren't already clear enough. "I thought we were just fighting boars, unless ..," a pause, followed by a dismissive shake of the head. In the grand scheme of things, he knew it didn't matter. This was something he needed to do, and where his own confidence falters, the beacon of hope he had only just met fills the gap. Despite Freyd's offsetting, and generally mischievous appearance, he finds solace in his company, enough to say, "Well, we should probably get going now. Like you said, he's not going to de-tusk himself," with the most smug grin he could make.

A glance towards Charrlarr aims to defuse that meltdown, offering him a bit of advice, "Just stay close to me. I'll protect you," as if such a feat were even possible.

He wasn't sure if he could even protect himself.

Nevertheless, he reaches for the door handle, and pries it open. The mahogany wood creak of old, weathered wood signals their advance into the world. It isn't long before Enryu realizes something, though. ".. I'm not sure where we're suppose to be going."

As the two of them make entry into this forge, Enryu waits, scrutinizing not only their appearance, but the way they carried themselves. One seemed to be a greenhorn, nervous when he talks, and draped in sub-par gear, though this suspicion is only confirmed once Charrlarr admits it himself. The other, a seasoned veteran retelling golden stories from a time long ago. His stride is the embodiment of confidence, and his words guide Charrlarr's eyes - the trait of a guide. A subtle head nod acknowledges the two of them, promptly after he introduces himself as, "Enryu."

"It's a pleasure to meet the two of you."

Lyle steps forward, disregarding the two lower levels for just a moment. His own head nod acknowledges Freyd, a regular of the shop, and replies, "Perhaps not long enough," but immediately follows that up with a hardy laugh. It shakes the foundation on this smithy, and if it lasted for even a moment longer - Enryu feared that the ceiling might just collapse on top of them. A sigh of relief.

"As I was saying, I'm running low on supplies. I need three boar tusks to finish forging this piece," he explains whilst wary eyes find Freyd once more, and ask him, "Will you be accompanying these two young lads? I'm sure they could use the help."

Enryu turns his head, and lays a hand flat on his iron cross guard, awaiting a response. "I don't mind doing this on my own, you know."

The door rings, and signals Enryu's entry into this dingy forge where the only available lighting comes from a burning hearth on the far end of the shop. At first glance, he is alone with shelves lined with wrought iron, and tempered blades who have yet to find a home. Scabbards hang from the concrete walls, more as decorative pieces, but he knew good craftsmanship when he saw it. Anything in this shop could be used to kill, and this sends a shiver down his spine.

Despite these fears, the young adventurer continues on, only until the faint silhouette of a man comes into view. Whether it be his own incoordination, or trick of the light, this silhouette fades into view much closer than he had expected, and before he knew it, a towering beast of a man is face-to-chest with him, with Enryu being the unfortunate soul whose nose finds home in that manly wilderness of chest hair. He's quick to make distance, introducing himself as, "Enryu!" a man on a mission. "I have a package for you, sir!"

He's sweating. The blacksmith eyes him up and down before letting out a hearty laugh that could shake the mountains, and this puts the mind at ease. "I know why you're here, lad," the blacksmith says. He takes hold of the package Enryu held, inspecting the contents for only a brief moment. It's a potion; hand-made. "Not the finest work, but it'll do. Say, how would you like to get your hands dirty?"

He couldn't bare the thought of denying a quest from such a person. "I'd love to," he tells him. "Good. I'm running low on materials, and I'll need you to run out and get some more for me."

His leathery hand moves to the side, and Enryu's eyes follow. He says, "You won't be alone for this one."

@Freyd - The Whisper in Shadows @Charrlarr

A short trek across town leads him to a blacksmith's shop, per Zakariah's orders. It's dubbed Lyle's Smithy and dons a burning furnace out in the front of shop. It's smouldering coal, and the black fumes effectively take out Enryu's breath. He coughs, though tries to hold it in. With one hand placed on the door, and another holding that precious potion, he enters, and to his surprise, is greeted by a stout, elderly smith with these bulging laborer's arms. The blacksmith turns to him, and introduces himself as, "Lyle. A pleasure to meet you, son."

"You're-- You're Lyle? I was expecting a gir--," he holds his tongue. "I have a package for you, sir."

It's presented to him, and the old man takes it within his grasp. One glance is all it takes for him to say, "Ah! Finally! I've been waiting days for this, that big oaf!"

And then, that's when Lyle turns back to him and asks that fateful question.

"Say, you wouldn't be able to help an old man out, would you?"

It seems that this quest was coming to a close, and Enryu hadn't really considered himself to be an emotional person, but Zakariah had left an imprint in this young adventurer - one he wouldn't soon be able to forget. Be it a piece of computer data, or something greater, this NPC had guided him in the right direction, and for that, he says, "Thank you for everything," to which Zakariah replies; "Don't thank me. You had it in yourself all along."

A smile, and a nod is all he leaves the man with. Thoughts of returning perhaps in the future cross his mind, but unfortunately, he knew that he needed to keep his eyes set on the straight ahead, for now. In order to revisit this place, he needed to survive the grueling trials that awaited him ahead, so he sets foot out of that potion seller's store without even a glance back, and heads back into the daylight. Out in the market square, a turn on the heel leaves him sprinting for the world!..

"Here I come!"

The ingredients are placed together into a random assortment of mishmash and the such, into the mortar just as Zakariah had instructed. With this expert over his shoulder, there really should be no chance of failure, so he crunches these leaves, and shreds the petals. A tablespoon of honey is dropped into the center like some binding solution, and he stirs it all together. The earthy smells really start to come to life now. "Good," the seller comments, "Keep it going, just like that."

He is sure to correct any mistake that Enryu is foolishly enough to make, keep watch with a keen eagle eye, but these mistakes are hard to come by. It seems that he's a natural after all. "Now, just pour that out into this vial, and you should be done," says the man. It's done, just as he asked, and the solution is a mesmerizing color, something between a luminescent bulb, and the red of a rose. It's absolutely stunning, and something Enryu can confidently smile at. It's lidded, and placed into a small, cardboard box - the same box he would deliver this to Lyle in.

After a short trip, the two of them arrive back in the market center to discuss their plans. The shopkeeper goes into detail, saying, "First, we'll crumble the leaves and place them in a mortar, then we'll add a bit of honey nectar to really stick the formula together," and whilst Enryu listens, he wasn't really retaining any of the information at all. It's in one ear, and out the other with him, though, nevertheless, he says, "I've got it," with all the confidence in the world.

Zakariah leads the way and steps inside, showcasing his array of potion making equipment off on a countertop to the side. It's his own personal crafting station, but he'll allow Enryu the opportunity to use it as well, but it is he that places the petals, and stems they had previously harvested beside it. The greenery is still fresh, and fumigates a lovely, earthy aroma. "It's one of the better things about this profession," Zakariah admits. "The smell of the wilderness, always at your doorstep."

And after what seems like an eternity, the young adventure's fingers press against the final rose. It's held in his hand, and snapped from the stem, just as the rest. After a quick inspection, he deems it worthy, but what of Zakariah ..? Through squinted eyes, he scrutinizes the piece until a conclusion is made. "Perfect," he calls it. "A masterpiece."

This gets a chuckle out of Enryu, but it's quickly snuffed by a hand he brings to his mouth. "So, anyway," he begins to say, "What's left now?"

"We venture back, and craft that potion I spoke so highly of," the man responds with a smile. "And then I'll have you deliver it to one of my personal friends."

Easy enough. A sigh of relief escapes his lips, for this had been more taxing than he could ever realize. The two of them stand, and start their journey back home. The path they used to get here is the same one they use to head back.

With a pluck, and a pull flowers are ripped from their earthy bed, and inspected. Though, he seems to be going through some sort of dry spell. "Nope. Nope. Nope," he repeats, over and over again as the flowers he picks are just not anywhere near suitable enough for the Shopkeeper's potion. From a rotted tulip, to a halt-eaten lilac, it seems his luck has finally caught up to him, and on the final stretch of it all, too. Frustration is soon to set in, and his feelings start to get the better of him, but Zakariah's words bounce around in the back of his head as a constant reminder.

The need to stay calm, and stay focused. This was more than a task of picking flora from a cabin in the woods, but rather, a test to see whether your resolve could handle the trials ahead. Perseverance is key, so time and time again, through what seems like an infinite amount of failures, he preservers, just as he knew he should.

It seems the potion seller can hear a tremble in his voice, so whether it be a computer's intuition, or a programmed response, he steps closer, and kneels down to Enryu's level. With a hand placed to his shoulder, he reassures the boy, "Just follow your heart. It's scary at first, I know," followed by a pause, ".. But, everything will make sense in due time."

This hadn't been the response he expected, but, for some reason, the seller's calm words do wonders to soothe his mind, even if what he was referring to be a mystery. Still, whilst the young adventurer remain lost in thought, his hand searches. Petals are brushed against, and he seems to be feeling with his mind. It's like an auto-pilot now, until his fingers lay upon a beautiful sunflower, as yellow as they come. It's radiance seems blinding enough to snap him out of that daze.

"I know."

"It is!" shouts the man with an almost overbearing amount of enthusiasm. "This is my life, after all! I go out when I can. This forest is serene, and these colors are beautiful. If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't be doing it, son."

Enryu listens, holding his head above the bed of flowers for a moment as he thinks. This story was definitely convincing, and, almost terrifying at the same time. It was hard to tell the difference between player, and NPC. This world is teeming with life, be it program, or person, and the fact that he couldn't discern the two meant that this was very real, but distractions are welcomed. It's a conflicting battle of emotions, and he wasn't able to take a side just yet. A bite on his lip helps him through this conflict, and yet again, he surveys the area for something new.

"I'm glad to hear," is his weak response.

Now, a pink camellia catches his eye in this bed of flowers. It rests, dangling precariously off the stem of a nearby lilac. The two support each other, and it's almost romantic, but Enryu has no time for romance. His finger pinches the lowest part of it's root, and gives it a tiny little tug -- just enough to unearth it from the soil. A subtle snap confirms it's fate, for the life of this flower was no more, but it lacks any noticeable imperfections, and for once, this young adventurer is confident when he turns to Zakariah. "I've got another one," he says, proud of this accomplishment. Zakariah is too, offering him a congratulatory nod of the head, as well as a, "Good job."

It's dropped into a flower basket by his side, a place where all the others go. As his search continues, he couldn't help but pry a little into this quest giver's life, or, what he could only assume to be a programmed backstory. Still, his curiosity was peaking, so he gave it a go.

"Is this a hobby of yours?"

It was a soothing lie, but the effects remain the same. Enryu takes a deep breath in, and exhales before reaching for another rose hidden in a bed of dandelions. The contrast of color catches his attention, and so he reaches -- "Hnn," and grunts, akin to a toddler trying to reach something hidden on top of a shelf. Perhaps he should have stuck with something just a bit closer, but nevertheless, he ventures out.

On the edge of his finger, he brushes against one of the petals, trying to move so precariously above this precious bed of flowers, as to not ruin any potential picks. He's nearly outstretched entirely above it, and then -- "Got it!" he shouts! Success! The prize has been retrieved, and it's void of any imperfections, at least, all that he can see. It's presented to Zakariah, same as the other, and he gives his signature nod of approval. Well done! Enryu counts in his head, "Three more," and then turns back to the task at hand.

"I can do this. . ."

Now, his sights set upon a tulip whose petals are reminiscent of the color maroon. This sun-dried flora seems to just wilt in his hand, but he doesn't notice it at first. In fact, it's color is distinguishable from rest; not as vibrant, or nearly as appealing. To his untrained eyes, this goes unnoticed, and it isn't long before he holds it in his hand. Pluck! The stem is severed from the ground, but this does nothing as it was already dead from either a lack of sunlight, or water. Nevertheless, this attempt yielded failure, and the thought of messing up something so simple is enough to send this boy into a small fit of rage. He crumbles the plant beneath his fist, on the edge of an outbreak, but the soothing words of this potion seller standing just over yonder is enough to take him back

"It's okay," he tells him. "Just try again. That one was hard to notice. It could have stumped be too."
 

A wilting rose catches his eye, but these imperfections were not as significant as the ones Zakariah had shown clear distaste for. A bent, and discolored petal. Enryu tests the water. A hand reaches out, stretching above this flowerbed as to not damage any others in the process, and eventually, his fingers pinch the sides of it. This rose is plucked from it's earthy home, and brought in close for a more in-depth inspection, but Enryu is far from expert in this field. He turns and presents it to Zakariah, asking him, "It's not perfect, but - will this do?"

It takes a few moments for the potion seller to respond, and this worries Enryu, but he ultimately accepts this flower with a nod of his head. "This will do," he says, "But, try to find one without all of these bleached spots. They dissolve a lot quicker, and so it's just a bit harder.

A lesson learned.

Enryu nods his head, then turns back to the task at hand, though not before letting out his sigh of relief. Despite this man's cheery, and outgoing demeanor, Enryu feels as if there's something amiss. This kindhearted soul did not scorn him, but rather - encouraged him. It wasn't what he was use to, but he doesn't mind it.