Hael

The tides were beginning to shift, to ways unforeseen, but it was enough to keep his resilience steady. Fueled by the blue haired captain's words, he narrowed his eyes at the opponents. They were meddlesome, but of little consequence if he could keep his pace and health up. Health, in fact, was not the main issue here. The issue was a mixture of his poor luck, among other factors that strained his odds. But if a pretty lady believed in him, why couldn't he?

The teenager was met with two rampaging boars who had collided into him from both sides. He fell back, dagger flying out of his hand. Before the others could come to chain the attack, he scampered back to his feet. He knelt down and swiped his dagger back into hold. He panted, a bit of his stamina depleting. No rest for the wicked. He squared his shoulders and continued on with the brawl.

Surrounded by all four that wouldn't budge, he was beginning to grow bored. "Ugh, can't you just loot them for me?!" He called out across the field. "It's never gonna end."

The woman across the field, who was reading a book on the grass, waggled a finger. "Nuh-uh. This is all on you. The criteria makes sure of it." She set the book down on her lap. "Just breathe. You're gonna get what you need with a little time, hon."

He let out an exasperated sigh and faced the boars. "Alright, I'm just gonna have at em'." Without a sword art in his name, he could only do so much. The boy repeated the old monotonous slide and stab movement. His best could only swipe at thin air. He was resilient when the enemy came back to retort. He took the brunt of one hit, to whom his immolation decimated.

Party:

Hael | HP: 61/80 | EN: 4/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:
[0,0] Boar Pup 11: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 12: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 13: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 14: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3

"Roger that!" He watched the silver haired male step out of bounds once the boars were decimated. He shot him a thumbs up and moved  onward. It was a game of waiting and patience, with the odds in their favor, however not without one brutal fight to secure what they were here for. He narrowed his eyes, gathering his resilience.

Another, full pack spawned. Hael rolled his eyes. Those boars would not give him a break, would they? He soothed the nape of his neck and rolled his shoulders. At least he had gathered one singular tusk so far. That was progress if all else was tedious.

He moved to attack, when all three had attempted to bag on him simultaneously. He'd evaded only one, the other two boars teaming up to butt him from both sides. They paid the price, each one decimated to smoke. He marked one target in particular to aggravate. 

Hael's nerves worked up at this rate. The battle was long, and arduous, but he would have anything over a situation where their lives were in danger. One boar was eliminated from the fray, in a display of brute strength. Hael clapped his hands. "Nice one, Val!" He pointed his dagger at one boar who was kicking dust in his face. He turned the other way and coughed up the sand. "Geez, did ya have to do that?" His eyes burned and he blinked heavily. He evaded the cloud of dust, moving to strike. There was nothing there, however.

The sly bastards had trotted off in favor of harassing the silver haired man instead. Agitation built up within the boy. He whistled at them to get their attention. Hopefully they would take the bait. Unwavering, they marched their tiny, stubby limbs over to the other side of the ring. He trailed behind them, with a stare reminiscent of a hawk.

Attacking Boar Pup #5: [ ID: 171818 / BD: 4 / MISS ]

Party:

Valentine | HP: 17/20 | EN: 5/6 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2

Hael | HP: 70/80 | EN: 5/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:

[0,1] Boar Pup 5: 4/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 6: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 7: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 8: 0/5 HP | DMG: 3

Finally, the rock had been reduced to rubble by their mighty captain. Hael watched in awe at the man's solid form, moving with fluidity. He mimicked his movements on the side, poor in comparison yet fueled by drive. He was awestruck. He would have loved to have the man teach him the ropes of proper combat. Running amok with a dagger and aiming listlessly could only get him so far. Pieces of the rock flew his way and he evaded them. "Woah, that was awesome cap!" He turned to him. "Thanks a bunch. I hope I can be that epic one day." He scratched his face, noticing the paint that was once tattooed on his face smudging. "Hey, think I broke the curse."

And with that, the small group headed back to the hut, to approach the old man. He'd hand him the skill with a bow and offer a towel to wipe off the markings on the boys face. 

THREAD COMPLETE

Hael (Party Leader) - 3 SP ( 1 quest, 1 page, 1 bonus ),  << Martial Arts >>

Vera - 3 SP ( 1 quest, 1 page, 1 bonus )

Valentine -  3 SP ( 1 quest, 1 page, 1 bonus ), 400 COL, 1 T1 mat

Kiluia - 2 SP ( 1 page, 1 bonus )

Before the hoard emptied out, one rouge boar went charging at him. He fell back with a winded oof, flames licking off him and onto the mob. In a transfer of heat, the poor thing ignited in flames. With a shrill shriek, it materialized into a wisp of smoke. Good riddance.

More boars spawned into view, this time a full pack of them. The brunette gulped. They'd circled around them like a pack of wolves, scuffing their hooves at a display of intimidation. Hael snorted. "Oh yeah?" He circled around, looking for a victim to tag. There to his right was the runt of the pack, an easy pickin'. He flung his knife at one, watching the blade catch on the boar's hide. The grind was not over yet, but they were not outnumbered with their newfound aid. The potions ascertained the outcome would go smoothly. He made note to thank the blue haired beauty later.

LOOTING Boar Pup #3 [ ID: 171767 / LD: 2 / NONE ]

Attacking Boar Pup #5: [ ID: 171770 / BD: 8 / HIT / DMG: 1 ]

Party:

Valentine | HP: 20/20 | EN: 5/6 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2

Hael | HP: 70/80 | EN: 6/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:
[0,2] Boar Pup 3: 0/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 4: 0/5 HP | DMG: 3

[0,1] Boar Pup 5: 4/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 6: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 7: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 8: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3

Hael surveyed the field, boar pup after another crawling into the fray. They were no longer outmatched with the aid of someone on standby, so the brunette gained confidence through the fact they would make it out alive with all the tusks they need. A thin sheen of sweat formed over his brow upon deep concentration over the pack. The boars seemed to have some intellectual understanding of each other, given from the way they'd teamed up against Val before. Clever little things. Hael would remain vigilant, although at this point, he was hoping to get hit. At the rate they were going, he did not wish to exhaust his energy. The aid of immolation would kill the thing in one fine sweep, and the rest would be history. He refocused on the two frolicking about and they'd turned their attention to him. Two hogs attempted to ambush from both sides, to which he deflected with a mere side sweep.

ID: 171688 / BD: 10 [ CRIT 2] / DMG: 3

Party:

Valentine | HP: 20/20 | EN: 4/6 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2

Hael | HP: 73/80 | EN: 6/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:
[0,2] Boar Pup 3: 1/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 4: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3

The tides had turned in their favor, momentarily. Hael watched the boar charge for Val, only to be impaled and decimated. He cheered him on and turned his attention to the only remaining mob out there. One lone boar scuffed its hooves against the grass, charging up for a rampage. Not on the boy's watch. He flipped his dagger and trained his aim at the pig. Once it stepped into range, he swooped down to puncture its hide. With a squeal, the hog thrashed about. Like music to his ears, he thought, at the excitement of finally hitting the thing for once. He hummed a chipper tune and watched the other boars  phase into range. It was like a neverending chain, a few at a time until they'd secured their goal. It was far out of sight, but they could power through this. He cracked his knuckles and surveyed the field.

ID: 171684 / BD: 7 [ HIT ]

Party:

Valentine | HP: 20/20 | EN: 4/6 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2

Hael | HP: 73/80 | EN: 6/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:
[0,0] Boar Pup 3: 4/5 HP | DMG: 3

"Bye bud!" Hael shot a thumbs up to Val and returned to the rock. The woman, as petite as she was, managed to strike hard enough for the rock to register. He stared in mild amusement and carried on to his task. Kiluia, with a single, effortless strike, sent a chunk of rubble falling down their way. The boy dodged out of range and whistled. "Nice one, cap. Teach me that trick when this is over with." He beamed, however the markings on his face served to make his smile more squirrel-like with the swirls enhancing his smile.

The boulder was decimated to two measly HP. "C'mon Hael, you got this," he mumbled under his breath. He grounded his feet into the soil, concentrated all his power into a punch, and sent a small pebble rolling off the mass. The strike managed to register. "Hey, I did it!" He turned back to the pretty lady. "Think you can finish it off?"

ID: 171679 / BD:4+2 = 6 [ HIT ]

Players:

Kiluia 1090/1090 HP | 108/109 EN | 19 DMG | 79 MIT | 2 EVA | 2 ACC | KEEN| AA |BLD 36| REC

Hael | HP: 80/80 | EN: 7/8 | DMG: 1

Vera | HP: 100/100 | EN: 9/10 | DMG: 1

Enemy:
Boulder 7/50 HP | -2 EVA

His muscles were taut from stress as he kept an eye out on the boars and their aid incoming. Surely enough, like divine intervention, a slender, blue haired woman stepped into the fray. She wore an ornate garb and carried a regal air to her gait. He thought to ogle for a second, however for once, he had his priorities in line. She took charge of the escalation Hael started with a calm tone. The man across the field seemed at full health, but she could not speak for the situation beforehand. With a few swift taps, Hael and Val received a package of goodies. Immolation? Hael cocked a brow and pulled it out of his inventory to down anyways.

"Pop one of those and if you're hit, that bad boy's going down," she explained, calmly.

The fluid was like fiery habanero, it had a kick. Hael scrunched his nose in offense. "Woah, that's got a taste to it." He turned around to Val. "You good?"

Haine crossed her arms and surveyed the playing field. "You guys fight, I'll stay back her just in case. Keep going!" She sent them a quick nod.

The boy was as unseasoned as they came, panic overtaking him at the state of the field. He could not focus with three, then two boars attacking them at the same time. With the amount his abilities ranged, he could do nothing of use. The heavy hitter here was Val, and he was struggling too. Further more, the sight of the man's health dwindling one point after the other set the boy on a flight of frenzy. He dropped his attention from the boars in order to check with him. Sensing the shift in mood, Val spoke, and Hael understood his orders. "Sure thing!" He pumped his fist in an attempt to stay upbeat. As long as he could give Val the chance to heal, they would be fine.

He watched Val type a quick SOS to Firm Anima. Help would be here soon, that he ascertained. All that was left now was to stay vigilant. For him and his comrade, and their future as kickass warriors. The legacy would not end here.

Quote

HELP NEEDFS ASAP

FLOOR 2, BOARS, COME NOW

ATTACKING BOAR #2 | ID: 171628 / BD: 8 [ HIT ]

Party:

Valentine | HP: 20/20 | EN: 4/6 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2

Hael | HP: 76/80 | EN: 5/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:
[0,1] Boar Pup 2: 4/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 3: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3

Hael was beginning to feel anxious, however he knew very well that he would have attempted something like this himself. Maybe with some buffs, solo, but he was counting that the two of them could find strength in numbers. He believed in the other, perhaps he was just having a rough day. The brunette pumped his fist in encouragement, only to have the other boar ram into him. He fell back on his rump, winded. Another boar charging at him prompted a swift move to his feet in order to evade its tusks.

He turned to face Valentine and lent an ear for his strategy.  "Alright. That one over there, right?"  He pointed a slender finger at the boar, who was scuffing the ground with its hooves. He flipped his dagger and sped towards the culprit, however he lost footing on a small rock and fell face flat. Ah, such finesse.

ATTACKING BOAR #2 | ID: 171616 / BD: 3 [ MISS ]

Party:

Valentine | HP: 20/20 | EN: 4/6 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2

Hael | HP: 76/80 | EN: 5/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:

[0,1] Boar Pup 1: 4/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 2: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 3: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3

He had not noticed the other's appearance, too enveloped in his horse play with the boar. A mop of silver hair appeared at the edge of his periphery. Hael grinned at his comrade, Val. "Hey, just gettin' started here." He pointed his dagger at the boar whose tusks were wedged into the tree stump. Their chance at idle chit chat was short lived, when two boars phased into range out of thin air. Hael's brow arched at the sudden intrusion. Oh well, a typical jumpscare. He wasn't keen on those.

He whipped around, observing Val in his element. He charged up his sword art and Hael cheered him on from the sidelines. His smile faded into a frown as the other missed. "Aww, poo." He followed up with a jab of his blade at the butt of the pup who had just broken free of the tree's hold. One measly damage, but he could hold his own.

ATTACKING BOAR #1 | ID: 171601 / BD: 7 [ HIT ]

Party:

Valentine | HP: 20/20 | EN: 4/6 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2

Hael | HP: 80/80 | EN: 7/8 | DMG: 1

Enemy:

[0,1] Boar Pup 1: 4/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 2: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3
[0,0] Boar Pup 3: 5/5 HP | DMG: 3

The shadowed figure revealed itself as Valentine. Honey eyes went bright in recognition of the only person familiar in this group. "Oh, hey!" He waved at him. It was impolite to ignore his captain, so he moved forward to him. "Alright, Kil! I like your style." A boyish grin overtook his features. "Show me what you've got." A bold word coming from him, but a jest in all good fun. He looked over his shoulder at the stoic woman, her name tag reading Vera. She toyed with the hem of her sleeve, seemingly aloof. Something about her aura seemed intimidating, he would want to stay in her good graces. So, he didn't bother chatting her up some more.

Kiluia went in for the rock, with a degree of finesse that only a trained player could harness. He gaped in awe. "Woah, how'd ya do that arm thing? Lemme try." He approached the boulder and cracked his knuckles. He gathered all his might into one hit, only to swing at the air. "Seriously? So anticlimactic."

He bounced back again, however, with an impact.

Hael received the party request mid battle and hit accept. Fired, up, all he had left to do was wait. He stepped out into the open, observing his surroundings. Boars trotted about in the distance, players like little dots on the horizon at battle. He whistled a quick tune and flipped his dagger, snatching it in mid air. He held the weapon in front of him and pointed straight at the boar. "I choose you!" he started, a play at his favorite game.

It was less of a serious fight than a game to him, as he provoked the hog. He kicked a rock and snatched it into his fist, plonking the top of the mob's head. It snorted, shaking its head. He let out a hearty laugh and dodged its charge, circling around. "Come at me." He was unaware of anyone approaching nearby. He continued to horse around, letting the hog chase after him. He could barely outrun the creature, but it was a piece of cake to dodge. A step to the side, and the thing went head first into a tree. Hael snorted back.

Hael set out for another quest that morning. Without a day to rest, he was on the road the day after first lessons. Yesterday's ramen was glorious, he would reward himself for another day of work with yet another meal to pig out on. Today's craving? A bowl of Katsudon. He could never prepare the meat as tender as the shop down the alley. He would be sure to pry for the chef's secret recipe come evening.

With yesterday's events fresh in mind, his thoughts wandered to the other adventurer, Val. A green dot on his friends list signified the other was up and about, on the same floor in fact. He pulled up his menu and sent a quick text.

Quote

To: Valentine

From: Hael

Hey Val! It's Hael, remember? I'm doing second lessons right now. Farming for boar tusks, you know where I'll be.

He made his way to the hunting ground near the Town of Beginnings. A plain, open pasture, near identical to the one he'd traveled before. He withdrew his puny hunting knife. The dumbest thing he'd do in his life, underequipped against a pack of boars. Oh well, no rest for the wicked.

Hael practically salivated on the way to the shop, ramen the prevalent thought in mind. With the quest nearing completion, all he could think of were the rewards. He tallied it up in his head, today's work would reap benefit. He could go for some more quests, for picking daisies wasn't the most strenuous task out there. He'd just have to ask Val what his plans were from that point on.

The boy grunted, the package heavy in his arms. He squared his shoulders to support the weight. A simple stroll to the other side of town revealed the blacksmith, Lyle Tealeaf. Yet another shop with a  kitschy interior and an old man, he was beginning to catch the trend. He dropped off the package, feeling an instant weight off his shoulders. Quest prompt exchanged and rewards given, he watched the quest name mark out on his HUD. A sense of accomplishment washed over him.

THREAD COMPLETE

Valentine - 4 SP (2 quest, 1 page, 1 bonus), x5 T1 Rare HP Potion, x1 T1 Uncommon DMG Potion, x1 T1 Special Over-Health Potion + 200 COL

Hael - 4 SP (2 quest, 1 page, 1 bonus), x5 T1 Rare HP Potion, x1 T1 Uncommon DMG Potion, x1 T1 Special Over-Health Potion + 200 COL

Herbs gathered, the duo made way for Zakariah's shop. The walk was a quiet yet peaceful one. Time went by in a flash, with the shop less than a mile away from the outskirt. 

The two arrived at the shop, a cozy wooden building akin to a holistic lab. Assortments of herbs and vials rest in jars on the countertop, little bots and beakers stewing away. His eyes lit up at the prospect of partaking in the craft. The instructions, as it turned out, were underwhelmingly mundane. He frowned, throwing together herbs in a pot. He watched, chin propped on palm as a bright blue bled into the water.  He stirred consistently with a silver rod, watching the ingredients melt away. The end result, much to his surprise, was a sparkling, thick liquid. Zakariah patted his shoulder for a job well done and seized the potion.

A hefty package dropped into his arms, a parcel for Lyle Tealeaf. He moved to leave, and much to his surprise, his party member was waiting for him. Hael rushed to open the door for him and slipped by. On the way to the shop, Hael cleared his throat and spoke. "This wasn't so hard. I wish there was more quests this laid back." He continued his rambles. "I'm gonna take this col and eat some ramen." He salivated at the mention of it.

The first arrival was a petite redhead. A little girl? Definitely not the tough guy he called for. She was adorable, like his pseudo sister Maris. He parted his lips to speak, until she beat him to the chase. Her tone was rich and naturally deeper, definitely one that belonged to a woman. He furrowed a brow in confusion. "U-uh, glad you made it. You're in my moral support squad, I gueess?" He gave her a once over. Her demeanor seemed aloof, judging from the blank expression on her face and the way she folded her arms against her chest. Hopefully she wouldn't be the token party pooper.

He whistled, turning his head towards the gigantic boulder beyond. Something moved in the shadows, a silver haired figure that he could not distinguish from the shadows. "Hey! Are you the kickass-" he moved closer, however something else distracted him. Yet another figure appeared. Brown locks whipped around to a man, decked to the nines in expensive battle garb. He could see from the sheer stockiness of his arms that he had serious muscle.

Bingo, that was the dude.

"Yeah, that'll be me. I'm gonna fight with you too. - Actually, why don't we all pitch in for the experience?" He brought forth a good point. Even a small hit on the boulder could reap them some benefit for their efforts.

Hael noted the man's calmer, quieter demeanor. He seemed friendly despite his lack of words. "You're done already?" He waved his four herbs. "I have one more. Wait for me!" He pumped his fist for motivation and scurried off for new ground. He remained in close range to the other, digging around. He hurried, lest he was left behind. Questing out on his lonesome was a drag. Even if Val didn't say much, he could work with it. Company in and of itself kept him up to pep. His ticket to success was just around the corner. He all but stepped over the herb he was searching for. A quick backtrack lead him back to it. One swift swipe, and his inventory registered five herbs. A heavy sigh escaped him.

Turning to the silver haired man, he nodded. "Ready when you are." The next step as a trip back to town. He assumed they'd be put to work shortly.

Hael approached the hut on top of the summit, ushered in by an NPC man. He wore a simple, earth colored garb, extoling of some nonsensical rite of passage that was martial arts. Hael could have easily gone for another weapon, but something about martial arts was intriguing to him. Never in his life could he be so strong and agile, his only means of living vicariously through the dream was through this path. An impulse buy left him with a pair of unfunctional hand wraps. He could put them to use after all of this was over with. Just before he left, the man dipped his hands in a solution of red paste, holding it up to the pale boy's face. Warrior markings, as they call it. Hael cringed his head back, before reluctantly accepting the mark. Little whiskers painted his cheeks. He walked outside, far away from the NPC before he flipped open his mirror. He looked like a child with carnival paint all over his face. He flushed a fire hydrant red and attempted to wipe off the excess, however the material was made of something permanent. 

Well shit.

He spent the next few minutes, absently rubbing at the patch on his face. Nothing could get it off. He chalked it up to a test of determination. Defeat the boulder, and get rid of it. He was too absorbed in his own task to notice a few figures trekking up to the summit.

Valentine -- Val, seemed warmer now. A bit of the intimidation wore off and Hael relaxed his shoulders. A soft smile overtook his features. "Val it is." He double tasked, searching for leaves and attempting conversation simultaneously. The quest started off on a roll, the specifics were simple. Why was he getting his leaves mixed up? He peeked over to see Val calmly collecting what he needed. He seemed focused, focused enough that the boy thought he was a distraction. He hummed a chipper tune, perusing the field. He'd plucked that particular patch dry. He was forced to move to a different section.

Combat boots kicked at the soil, leading him towards another area. He flexed his fingers and began to search, to no avail. "I can't believe I'm struggling to find a leaf," he commented, with a chortle. Oh well. Good things needed at least a bit of sweat to be earned. He may have not found what he needed, but there was another fragrant herb he could use for meals.

The man seemed little of words and a bit stoic, but Hael would not give up on him. The party request meant that his company wasn't entirely intruding. He took that as his ticket to blab on. "Since we're buddies for now, I'll introduce myself." He aimed to cut the silence. "I'm Hael. Nice to meet ya..." He glanced up at the other's name bar, "Valentine." She smiled brightly, willing himself into an upbeat state of mind. The quest was going easier thanks to a twist of luck. At this rate, he could find more than he came here for. 

Hael noticed another patch of herbs nestled in the field. A particularly pesky root, he found, embedded nicely in the soil. He managed to pluck one and threw it into his stash. Four herbs, identical and recognized by his inventory. He was fortunate to have started this quest on the right foot.

His eyes lit up at the information. "Awesome! How many do you have?" He brought up two sole herbs. There were a bunch of them in hand previously, but just his luck when it turned out that none of them were of use. He adjusted his collar returned to the field. He knelt down, hand placed on the bed of greenery. He searched for anything of use, however he found some beautiful blossoms instead. He hummed in thought. Those would make a beautiful centerpiece for their dining table. Flora of vivid pink, red, and yellow were stowed away. He dusted his trousers and pushed off the ground. 

He tucked the extra herbs into his pocket for safekeeping. His luck was turning out for the best, it appeared, when another identical type resurfaced. He made haste to snatch it first, hoping the other hadn't laid eyes on it first. The wind picked up, a cool breeze brushing against his skin.

He seemed the slightest bit wired by his lonesome and a task which seemed unbearably tedious. He parted his lips to speak, only to be interrupted by a window in his periphery. He skimmed the contents with a doe eyed glance. He had not expected the gesture of kindness, but it was much appreciated. The boy accepted without second thought, a beam overtaking his features. He dropped an herb from his grasp, unbeknownst to him. "Thanks a bunch! I'm dyin' out here."

His gaze trailed off to the side, to a few stems of leaves nestled behind a rock. Curiosity beckoned him towards the source. With a swift tug, he unearthed the last tangible leaf. Excitement bubbled within as he noticed an identical pattern on the man's leaves. "I think I got one!" He stopped to ponder a moment. "It looks the same, ain't it?" He pointed at Valentine's herbs and then his small collection. "Wait - are we on the same quest?"