Nari-Lanreth

"Hey are you, like, okay?  You totally look spooked," Nari heard the voice, and felt her gaze shift from the floor beneath her own feet, to the floor beneath the feet of this...girl?...who was leading her deeper into the filled room. Nari felt her body unwillingly follow - unable to stop herself from being pulled in, yet still rigid. 'Are you okay?'

The thought bounced through her head. She didn't feel okay. Her heart raced, her eyes were wide, her muscles tense. She could feel the world spinning as the girl dragged her further into the room. She tried to resist - if only for the briefest moment - but her body wouldn't respond. As she felt the tears welling up in the corner of her eyes, she knew that she needed to do something, anything. She could feel the gaze of the other girl upon her, likely wondering what was wrong with this fear-frozen oddity.

"I...I'm fine. I think - this may be the wrong house. I don't think -" Nari's voice cut off as she tried to come up with an excuse, any excuse to excuse her from this nightmare. She hadn't expected so many people. 'At a Christmas party. Did I truly think this through before coming here?"

"I think I forgot my oven. I mean my house. I mean. I forgot my house in the oven." Face going redder, Nari began trying to tug her arm away, desperately trying to direct herself back to the door and out into the open air. "I'm stifled. It's stifling. We should all go outside. Do you feel stifled?!"

Bowing her head, she shot a glance upwards at the woman who held a hand on her, trying to lead her inwards. Nari had to admit, she was not the most unattractive individual - even with the Christmas outfit she was wearing. The red seemed to fit her appearance perfectly, and Nari felt a pang of jealousy, before realising that most of the people in here were similarly dressed. Looking down at her own outfit, she wondered again if she had truly thought this through.

@Astreya

Wandering into the small shop, Nari will start a bit at the tinkling of the bell. Glancing around, she'll take in the splendour of the wares on display, noting the organisation of the shop itself. Taking a few moments to glance about the shelves, she'll eventually set her eyes upon a golden arrowed pin, the limited light glinting off it as if calling out to her. 

Pointing to the single piece, she'll look around and softly say, "Excuse me, would it be possible to purchase one of these lovely pieces? If there's any available, that is..." Taking in the remainder of the stock, she'll notice for the first time a small box - similar in design to something she herself used to own. 

"Oh, and one of these too! I love these!"

Arrowhead Brooch | TIER 1 PERFECT TRINKET; 500 col | #185464

music box. | TIER 1 PERFECT TRINKET; 500 col | #203088

@NIGHT

Walking up to the front of the house, Nari felt a moment of hesitation. The request seemed to go out to everyone in Aincrad, which she knew meant there could be a collection of people here. But as she glanced up at the front of the building, she figured it couldn’t be that many people. 

Bracing herself, she walked up the steps to the front door, knocking softly before testing the door. The door itself popped open with a click, allowing the light to spill out from inside. 

‘Here goes nothing.’ Nari thought, pulling her shoulders up and back. The dress she had chosen to wear in lieu of her normal armour shimmered in the light – the combination of dark purple and a light violet glittering slightly. It left her shoulders bare – something she disliked – but fell down around her ankles, flowing smoothly as she walked. She had decided to keep her longsword clipped to her belt, the weight of it comforting to her.

“Uhm… hell-“ Nari came to a sudden stop as she started to enter the small area, noticing a collection of individuals. Most seemed locked in conversation, but a couple seemed to glance her way – including what appeared to be a man in a Santa suit.

Facing going bright red, Nari felt her eyes go wide, before she dropped her gaze to the ground, her hands flashing to clasp together in front of her. Frozen in place, she remained in the doorway, unable to move or speak as her heart raced.

Nari's Outfit (See notes above image) 

Stats

Nari’s eyes go wide as she realises – not only do two of these people know each other, but they’re expecting her to introduce herself, and maybe more beyond that. She feels her heart begin to thud quickly as her mind begins turning.

Still staring at the ground, her right hand tight on the pommel of the sword sheathed on her same hip, Nari opens her mouth to speak, giving her head a slight bow as she does so.

“My name is… my name is Nari-Lanreth! But… you can call me Nari!” She visibly winces as she practically shouts the words. Attempting to recover, she’ll raise her gaze to the doorway, taking in the other lady leaning against the frame. Beyond the frame, the mess of the alchemist shop will loom in her vision.

“Do we just… go in and talk –“ Nari’s voice will stop as she turns to look at the man who declared himself Bismuth. “Did you say we volunteered to help? We did no such thing! You… you just pulled us down the road to here!”

A dangerous flare will appear in Nari’s eyes, burning brighter as her scowl deepens. “And did you call me a cutie and a maiden?!”

Nari wanders into what appears to be a shop - at least, it's labelled as one on the sign outside. Glancing around the store, she notices nothing that immediately stands out as impressive. In fact, if she hadn’t seen the open door and the sign on the exterior, she wouldn’t even have been aware that this was little more than a well maintained shack.

Annoyed that she was being so pessimistic, she shook her head. ‘It could use a bit of fixing up, but it’s not a junk shop, that’s for sure.’

"Uhm...hello? I...need help identifying some things..." She waits, wondering if anyone will respond to her, or if this store is actually even open for business. Placing the collection of items on the counter, she'll look around before calling out again. "Hello...?"

Thread Summary

Nari-Lanreth:

• 1,066 EXP total
• 400 col
• <<Blacksmith>> Profession
• Successfully Crafted Item (Lanreth's Defender)
• Standard <<Blacksmith>> Shop
• (5) Tier 1 Crafting Materials

Tier 1 Perfect Consumable (1) | [203123]
Tier 1 Rare Trinket (1) | [203123]
Tier 1 Rare Weapon (1) | [203149]
Tier 1 Uncommon Consumable (1) | [203149]

Nari watched again as the materials glowed, shining brightly for a moment before exploding into a collection of shards before falling to the ground and disappearing. Nari sighed inwardly, frustration and despair beginning to rise within her. She wondered – just for a moment – if maybe this was beyond her.

“Bad luck on that one! Maybe try the next!” The voice of the blacksmith said again, his voice identical to the last time he had spoken. Nari shot the man a dark glance before pulling out the next set of materials, laying them on the anvil and taking a deep breath.

‘They wouldn’t offer this quest if one couldn’t do it. It may not be for everyone, but I’m sure I can do this. I will do this. I won’t let this game beat me.’ Nari steadied herself, taking the hammer in two hands and raising it above her head. Taking a deep breath, she brought the image of the shield to mind again, focusing on every detail of it, including the howling red wolf imagery that she bore on her current shield.

Nari felt a moment of pride as the materials glowed, slowly taking form before shifting into the shape of a shield. Nari gasped in surprise, before turning to smile at the blacksmith. The man smiled back, before nodding to the item she had just completed.

"Not that it's worth much," The blacksmith announces with a grin, "but that item's got my seal of approval. Good luck with your own smithy!"

ID203153 | CD: 10 | Crafting Shield | Success! (Uncommon Shield)

Nari stared and watched in excitement as the materials began to glow as the hammer struck them, her face lighting up in a smile. She saw the glow begin to take shape, and then just as quickly shatter into a collection of shards, bursting into the air before disappearing before her eyes.

“Bad luck on that one! Maybe try the next!” The voice of the blacksmith shook her from her shocked reserve. Shaking her mind clear, she picked up the hammer again, placing the next set of materials on the anvil.

Focusing the image in her mind again, she brought the hammer up above her head, pausing mid air to ensure her aim was true. Closing her eyes briefly, Nari ensured the image of the shield was strong in the fore front of her mind’s eye – the edges of the shield, the curve of it’s face, and the minor imperfections that one could expect from such a newly crafted piece.

‘I can do this. I can make this.’ Nari thought to herself, urging the hammer to believe her. Bringing it down, she watched as the hammer struck the materials, causing them to glow brightly.

ID203152 | CD: 2 | Crafting Shield | Fail (Materials Lost)

It didn’t take long for Nari to find her way back to the blacksmith’s shop, the path well set in her memory. Entering the forge, she found the man who had offered to teach her still hammering away at his anvil, a new piece being crafted under his capable hands.

“Hi…I’m, uhm, I’m back.” Nari’s voice squeaked as she spoke, barely making a sound above the rhythmic hammering. A small pause was the only announcement that the blacksmith had heard her.

“Welcome back! Can I help you with something?” The blacksmith smiled at her as he continued to hammer the piece on the anvil beneath him.

“Uhm, yes. You – you said that you would teach me…to make things?” Nari bowed slightly towards the blacksmith, before remembering that the NPC likely wouldn’t register such movements. Standing straight again, she waited for the NPC to direct her further.

“Ah, yes. Do you have the materials ready?” The blacksmith stopped hammering, stepping aside and allowing Nari to step forward. Raising her right hand to bring up the menu, she pulled the required materials from her storage, readying herself.

The blacksmith seemed to nod, and began directing her quickly through the steps required. Nari honed in on his voice, focusing on everything the man was telling her, ensuring that everything was stored in her memory.

Just as quickly as he had started, he seemed to finish his explanation. Holding out the hammer, he directed Nari towards the anvil. Placing the collection of materials, Nari picked up the hammer and focus on what she wanted to create – calling forth the image of her shield into her mind. Raising the hammer, she paused, focusing the image in her mind, before bringing the hammer down on the anvil in a precise strike.

ID203151 | CD: 3 | Crafting Shield | Fail (Lose Materials)

Nari spent some time browsing the area, glancing around the few holes and deep grass areas that she could find. Her search, however, was all in vain and eventually she found herself simply following through the movements as she regained her strength.

Once her small area near the fight had been thoroughly scoured without success, Nari took some time to lay down in the grass, placing her blade back in its sheath and laying her shield on the ground nearby. Placing her hands behind her head, Nari spent some time staring up into the sky, watching as the clouds slowly drifted by. Her mind drifted to the start of this death game, to the moments that she had first entered into Sword Art Online – at first, it had been so fun. But then came the announcement – the announcement that Akihiko Kayaba had created this game with the intent of trapping everyone inside, and that if you died in the game – everything would end, including your life in the real world.

As the clouds passed by and she thought back to everything that had occurred, Nari felt herself drifting off. As her eyes slowly closed, the lull of sleep calling to her, she felt her body jolt – the sound of a boar grunting nearby causing her tiredness to fade away immediately. Standing and brushing herself off, she collected her shield before giving one final glance around the plains. Content with what had occurred thus far, she turned and made her way back towards the entry to the Town of Beginnings, ready to complete this troublesome quest.

Collapsing to the ground in exhaustion, Nari let her mind replay over the fight. The dancing of blade and boar pulsing through her mind as she reviewed everything. She saw in her mind’s eye as she twirled and lashed out with the blade, many of her wild strikes going wide, but those few she took time to truly focus on and follow through with – those few that had the precision of a true swordswoman – those were the ones that struck true.

As she knelt on the ground, she felt the exhaustion coursing over her body. She knew that it would be dangerous to try and fight anything else immediately after such a long altercation. Turning her attention to the ground around her, she remembered the after-effects of the last encounter.

‘I have what I was sent out to get…but more is sometimes better, right?’ Shrugging to herself, Nari began scouring the area for any further materials that could be used in the quest she was involved with currently.

ID203150 | LD: 12 | Material Search | Failure! (5/5)

Standing her ground this time, Nari waited for the boar to close the distance before lashing out with her sword. As she pushed the tip of the blade outwards and down towards the boar, it suddenly leapt high into the air, soaring over the head of Nari and landing behind her with a crashing sound.

Quickly spinning around, Nari brought her shield before her in order to protect herself from the attack she knew was coming. The weight of the boar slammed into her as it charged again, but this time Nari was prepared. Tilting the shield out from herself, she forced the boar off to her right and away from herself.

‘This is going on far too long. I need to end this, before I’m too exhausted to properly defend myself.’ The thought flitted through her mind, and she felt the tiredness beginning to truly take hold. Gritting her teeth, Nari forced herself back into the fight.

As she strode forward, Nari lashed out with her blade, attempting to slash the face of the boar while keeping her shield between her and the creature in front of her. It proved far harder than Nari expected, and she wasn’t able to bring the blade down enough to slash it as she hoped, however the strike and the position of the shield forced the boar to pull back on it’s attack as well – something that Nari was content with.

‘A fair trade, this time. We both walk away unscathed, which I think we can both say is acceptable.’ Nari shook her head, trying to drive away the distracting voice. She knew that she couldn’t let her guard slip, especially now. She could already feel herself becoming exhausted from the constant shifting and moving, and the adrenaline that had been keeping her going would only last so long.

Knowing that this needed to end soon, Nari raised her blade back into her ready position – levelling it across the top of her shield in preparation to strike out at the beast.

Nari watched as her blade swiped over the boar’s ducking head, missing it by a large distance. Everything seemed to continue moving slowly, until her blade cleared the other side, and she felt herself twirling away. She closed her eyes until she felt her stance steady, opening them only to find the boar a few steps beyond where she had once stood. Had her momentum not carried her through, she knew that she would have been wide open for a strike from the boar, with no means of defending herself.

‘Careful, now.’ The voice in her head reminded her. She sneered at the sarcastic tone, but knew that it was right. She couldn’t take foolish risks, no matter the payoff. Not here, not with what was on the line. There was no reward if the payoff was giving up everything.

Readying herself, she raised her shield and levelled the blade in her standard prepared stance. The point glittered softly in the sunlight, calling towards the boar – or at least in Nari’s mind. Grim-faced once more, she shuffled forward towards the boar, preparing to end this as quickly as possible.

Nari felt her blade connect with the boar at the same instant as the boar slammed into her, pushing her stance backwards and causing her shield to fold inwards. The shift in balance allowed the boar to slip passed the meagre defences that the shield provided, its tusk managing to slice across the side of her face as it pulled it’s face up and backwards.

Screaming as she did so, she pushed outwards with the shield with all her might, forcing the creature away from her and clearing some space between the two of them. Wasting no time, Nari swung her body outwards and around, bringing her sword around in a wide arc in an attempt to catch the boar by surprise.

‘Caution only gets you so far. No willingness to take a leap of faith, and one will forever wonder what could have been, what might have been, if they’d only just taken that first step.’ The voice in her head was calm and collected, as her scream pierced the otherwise empty fields around her, everything seemed to move in slow motion, as if these final moments were being slowed down so she wouldn’t miss a single piece.

Cursing herself as she rolled to the side, Nari quickly gained her feet again, bringing her sword back down to bare. Her strike had gone wide as she underestimated the speed burst on the boar as it closed in, causing a wide opening for the boar to slam into her and knock her to the side. She hadn’t expected such a large, heavy creature to be able to suddenly put on a burst of speed in its charge, right towards the tail end.

‘Making assumptions like that is dangerous. I need to make sure to be more cautious going forwards.’ Her expression taking on a grim appearance, Nari gave the boar a quick salute with the tip of her sword, before carefully approaching it again with a modicum of more respect than she had mere moments ago. ‘You won’t get the better of me, this time. I know what you’re capable of now, I won’t be surprised by you anymore.’

As her first strike landed, barely glancing across the boar’s hind, Nari adjusted herself to allow the creature’s counter attack to pass by harmlessly, the slight ting sound as it struck the shield ringing softly in her ears. Everything felt right to her, the weight of the blade in her hand, the quick movements and reactions, even the sound of frustration from the boar as its own attempts to harm her failed.

‘This. This is where I belong. Not pawing through some field looking for things growing, or hidden in some tiny hole. Standing with blade in hand, bearing down on my target, throwing it all on the line. This is who I am meant to be.’ Grin growing wide upon her face once more, Nari leapt forward to meet her adversary, her blade drawing high and swinging downwards as the beast closed in, aiming for the weak point at the forefront of its neck.

Nari gave a heavy sigh as she stood up again. Her quick search through the fields nearby revealing nothing further, and she was starting to think that maybe defeating these boars was the key.

She turned to survey the area. Around her a number of boars roamed, most by themselves, but a few close enough that attacking one might pull the other in.

‘It seems I’m back to action.’ Nari smiled at the thought. The exhilaration started to return to her, she stepped forward, beginning a path towards a lone target nearby.

Eyeing the beasts in the fields, she picked out one that stood off by itself – a little bit further out, and requiring her to traverse around some others that didn’t meet her careful considerations – but far safer than the others that could present a problem if nearby boars were pulled in by the commotion.

“Right, you’re mine.” Levelling her sword, Nari advances towards the boar, readying herself for another bout of combat.

Nari stared in shock as she lifted up the small item listed as a material. She couldn’t believe that after all that, she had finally found something. A smile slipped across her face, the left corner of her mouth pulling outwards in a bare hint of happiness.

‘That’s right. I got this.’ The early frustration subsided, her enthusiasm at success taking over as she glanced about for more materials. ‘I can do this. I can do this.’

Lunging into a frantic search, Nari began shuffling through the grasses, looking for any signs of further materials to be found. Using her sword and shield, she pulled aside the thigh high grasses and underbrush, determined that she would find something here.

‘And if that doesn’t work, well…’ Her smile spread as she glanced at the blade in her hand. The weight of it, the very feel on her fingers, reassured her. Turning her attention back to the fields around her, a single thought crossed her mind; ‘One way or another, I’ll  get what I need.’

ID203135 | LD: 10 | Material Search | Failure!  (1/5)

Nari sighed, releasing the breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding towards the end of that fight. The whole encounter had felt… exhilarating.

‘This is virtual reality? This is… so much beyond what I expected. It feels almost… real.’ She felt the giddiness in her body as she replayed the encounter in her mind. The way her body had moved, reacted to her expectations and the actions of the boar. It was so much more than she had ever expected. ‘Sure, there’s drawbacks, but… wow.’

Nari glanced down at her sword, the flat of the blade reflecting the sunlight softly. She felt a flush of strength as she studied the weapon, remembering what she had just done with it. ‘I can be strong here.’

Nari shook herself as she remembered that she still had materials to collect. Glancing at the rewards from the encounter, she felt her enthusiasm dip as she realised she’d gained nothing that she needed.

“Oh come on… there has to be something here…” Nari cursed as she began prodding the ground, looking for anything that could be useful to finish this damned quest.

 ID203134 | LD: 17 + 0 | Material Search | Successful!  (1/5)

Nari less than willingly allowed herself to be dragged by this new face down the street. She still wasn't sure if she trusted these two - especially the rigid one who seemed intent on making progress difficult - but both seemed familiar with the area. 

'At least they can show me where this shop is, and then I can -'  Her thought was cut off by the appearance of another individual. She seemed younger than Nari, and yet somehow bristled with confidence.

Keeping her head tucked, Nari carefully listened to the banter between this NIGHT and the one named Koga. She couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of jealousy at their clear comradery. 'They seem... Friendly?' 

"Uhm... I'm sorry to interrupt... Do... Do you all know each other?" Keeping her eyes downward and her chin tucked, Nari felt herself blush at the uncertainty in her voice. She didn't like the hesitation, the lack of confidence, and she subconsciously gripped her sword's pommel with her right hand, the shield clanking softly against the scabbard as she adjusted her weight. 

As the boar strode towards her, Nari unleashed her strike, realising at the last moment that she had over stepped her reach. As the boar slammed into her, Nari felt her body thrown slightly as the creature managed to get past her defences. Spinning to mitigate the majority of the impact, she turned to face the creature, drawing her sword and shield in close.

In the corner of her eye, she saw the health bar slip slightly as it adjusted itself for the hit she had taken. Cursing herself for her lack of caution, she dropped into a ready stance again, preparing to meet the creature in what she hoped would be their final connections.

‘I will not lose here. Not after coming so close.’ She thought to herself as the Boar pawed the ground. ‘Come to me, and let us see who stands beyond the clash of blade and bone. My journey is only just beginning.’

A glimpse of a smile spread across Nari’s face as her blade sliced open the right hind of the boar. The creature let out a slight roar as its momentum was thrown off, causing it to once again glance off her shield and away from her.

“That’s right, you walking meal, you’re not the most dangerous thing out here.” Nari leaned back, placing her weight on her right leg as she leaned into her shield, readying herself for another strike at the wild boar. She glanced over its body, looking for a weak spot, before deciding that striking straight for its neck would be best.

“Let’s end this quickly, for both our sakes. What do you say to that, Boar?” Nari asked, getting only another roar in response. As the creature rushed towards her, head lowering as it brought its tusks forward in order to piece her, she felt her pulse even out – a calm, controlled state taking over her body, far different from the anxious, scattered mess she had been in town. ‘Now, now I show you who I truly am.’

Raising her shield before her, Nari managed to block the incoming strike of the boar, deflecting it off to the side and pushing her out of its path. Surprised at her own reactions, Nari raises her sword again, this time lining the length of the blade along the top edge of her shield.

“Right, going to make it difficult, are we?” She murmurs as she waits for the boar to close the distance again. She paused, allowing it to come within mere steps of her before lunging forwards again, driving the blade towards the unprotected flank of the creature.

‘I don’t care what happens here, I won’t go into the darkness alone. Not this time, not ever.’ Nari’s voice echoes in her head as she watches her blade slowly cover the distance between her and the beast she was locked in combat with now. ‘I will not fear death, nor allow its frigid grasp to hold back my blade. I am stronger than that, and I shall show you my strength before this night ends!’