Circe

Circe prowled through the plains, her senses sharp, eyes scanning for movement. The quiet stretched around her until she finally spotted a lone wolf patrolling the edge of a nearby rocky hill. Its fur was scruffy, and its ears twitched as it moved cautiously, clearly unaware of her presence. A grin tugged at Circe’s lips. “Perfect,” she whispered, reaching for her throwing knife. She crouched low, creeping closer for a better angle. With her energy bar full and her frustration bubbling beneath the surface, she didn’t waste time hesitating. Taking a deep breath, she aimed for the wolf

Circe moved to another patch of foliage, still riding the high from her last successful find. Kneeling down, she began her search again, her fingers brushing through the dirt, but this time, there was no familiar shimmer, no hint of a crystal hidden beneath the leaves. She sighed in frustration as her hands came up empty once more. "Of course," she muttered, standing up and brushing the dirt off her knees. She glanced around at the barren plains. The last spot hadn’t yielded anything, and the grind was starting to wear on her. Her eyes drifted to the corner of her UI, where her energ

Circe’s breath was shallow, the intense heat making it hard to focus, but she remained sharp. Omen’s words cut through the chaos, grounding her in their plan. Her health bar was dropping, but the strategy was still in play. They had this under control.. Just a little more. Her eyes flickered to the Hellhound Omen had nearly finished off. Its snarling was more desperate now, the once-fierce creature on the verge of breaking down into fractals. Without hesitation, she shot it forward, her dagger gleaming in the glow of the cavern as it drove into the Hellhound’s side with a swift thud.

Circe saw the Hellhounds weaving in and out of Omen’s reach, their pack tactics making it difficult for him to land a clean hit. She could tell it was starting to frustrate him, but his precision was still intact—he’d managed to chip away at their health, leaving them vulnerable. Now it was time for her to finish what they started. Focusing on the closest Hellhound, Circe gathered what little energy she had left. With a swift, practiced motion, she hurled a dagger at the creature, and as it soared through the air, she followed up with a rapid flick of her wrist, sending another knife righ

The moment Omen’s roar shook the cavern, Circe felt a surge of adrenaline rush through her. The Hellhounds snarled and circled, their attention entirely fixated on Omen as he drew their aggro with his thunderous howl. This was her moment. Without hesitation, she leaped into action, her hands moving swiftly to draw her daggers. A gleam of firelight caught the edges of the blades as she spun in a deadly arc, hurling a barrage of knives at the Hellhounds. Her movements were quick, precise, and vicious—she wasn’t holding back this time. The daggers cut through the air, striking true, embeddin

Thank you! Circe accepts :3

Freyd’s demeanor was easygoing, offering the same friendliness to both her and Omen, but Circe couldn't help but feel a little disconnected. She accepted his thanks for the offer with a brief nod, half-smirking at his olive joke. “I’ll see what I can do,” she replied dryly, but there was a hint of warmth in her voice, despite her typically aloof demeanor. The thunder rumbling in the distance, paired with Freyd’s reminder about the respawn timer, pulled her back into focus. She didn’t like lingering in places where bosses could suddenly reappear. As they started moving back toward the wa

After a few moments of waiting, Circe felt her energy bar beginning to replenish. Kneeling beside the same patch of foliage, she took a deep breath and focused, her fingers moving deftly through the grass and leaves. As she sifted through the underbrush, she felt a familiar shimmer beneath the dirt—a soft glow that sent a rush of excitement through her. “There you are!” she exclaimed, digging deeper with eager hands. After a bit of careful tugging, she finally freed a small, radiant crystal from the ground. It pulsed with a vibrant light, the blue hue matching the one she’d found earlier

Circe took a moment to catch her breath, glancing around the now-quiet plains. The boars had long since scattered. However, the absence of any other creatures made her realize it was a good time to gather while she waited for her energy bar to recharge. She turned her attention to the nearby foliage, hoping to find more materials or at least something useful. She approached a patch of wildflowers, crouching down to sift through the dense grass and underbrush. “Let’s see what you’ve got for me,” she murmured, fingers probing the ground. She pushed aside some leaves, searching for any

The wolf lunged at Circe, jaws snapping dangerously close, but she sidestepped at the last moment. The beast's teeth grazed the air where she had just stood, and Circe quickly regained her footing. “Not today, furball,” she growled, her hand already reaching for another knife. With a quick flick of her wrist, she launched it at the wolf. The blade found its mark, sinking deep into the wolf’s side. The creature let out a pained howl, staggering as it struggled to remain upright. Circe took a step back, watching as the wolf's snarls faded into desperate whimpers. The ferocity in its e

Circe crouched low, moving silently through the tall grass as she crept closer to the boars. Her eyes stayed locked on the biggest one, its tusks gleaming in the afternoon sun. But before she could make her move, a rustling sound came from the nearby brush. Circe froze, her muscles tensing as a bulky wolf emerged from the shadows. Its fur was matted, its eyes focused on the same group of boars she’d been stalking. Circe watched in surprise as the wolf darted forward, pouncing on the smallest boar with brutal efficiency. The boar squealed in panic, but it was no match for the wolf, which

Circe trudges to the next waypoint, the rocky terrain slowly wearing on her nerves. She kneels beside another patch of thick brush, her fingers moving through the leaves, searching for the familiar glow of a material. But after several minutes of rummaging, her hands come up empty once again. A frustrated sigh escapes her lips. "Seriously? Nothing again?" She stands, brushing dirt off her hands and pants, her gaze drifting across the open plains. In the distance, a group of low-level boars snuffle through the grass, oblivious to her presence. She crosses her arms, narrowing her eyes at th

Circe approaches the next waypoint, a dense brush nestled between some jagged rocks. She narrows her eyes, hoping this spot will yield better results. Kneeling beside the bush, she pushes aside the branches and begins sifting through the leaves and dirt, fingers searching for the telltale glow of another crystal. Minutes pass, and her hands come up empty. She leans in closer, parting the thick leaves, frustration slowly bubbling up. "Come on, there's gotta be something here," she mutters, her patience thinning. After another few moments of fruitless searching, she slumps back on her

Circe trudges through the dry grass, her boots crunching with each step as she approaches a rocky outcrop. This one looks more promising than the last, and as she kneels beside it, her eyes catch the faint shimmer of something embedded in the stone. She brushes her fingers over the surface, feeling the smooth edge of a crystal hidden beneath the dirt. "Finally," she mutters with a small smirk, digging into the earth. After a bit of effort, she pries the crystal loose, holding it up to the light. The faint blue glow pulses in her hand, casting soft shadows on her face. "One down," she says

Circe crouches down beside a thick, thorny bush, her HUD highlighting it as the next potential spot to loot materials. She brushes aside a few leaves, careful not to prick her fingers on the sharp edges, and peers into the undergrowth. For a moment, she expects to see the faint glow of the materials she needs, but there’s nothing. Just dirt and a few scraggly roots twisting through the ground. She frowns, pushing deeper into the bush, rustling the branches. "Come on, it said there’d be some here," she mutters, her fingers scraping through the soil. But after a few more moments of searchin

Circe leaned forward, listening intently as Omen laid out his revised plan. Her initial surprise faded, replaced by a look of understanding. He wasn’t talking recklessly; he’d thought this through, and the logic behind it was starting to click in her mind. “Taking them all out at once…” she repeated, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. It was a bold strategy, but it made sense in the twisted way these floors worked. Fighting the Hellhounds in waves had stretched them too thin, not because the creatures were too tough but because the environment was working against them. The heat was the

With a quick nod, Circe accepts the quest, and the notification pops up in her UI, marking the plains outside the town as her destination. As she steps back out into the street, she glances at the glowing markers on her map. "Simple enough," she mutters, adjusting the straps of her gear before heading off in the direction of the low-level plains. The air feels lighter as she leaves the town behind, the hum of the bustling streets fading into the calm, open fields ahead. She scans the area, noting the familiar sight of low-level creatures—boars and small critters roaming aimlessly. "I coul

As Circe steps into the hole-in-the-wall music shop, she's greeted by the frantic roll of a rock song. The musician soon steps into view—an enormous man with pointed white hair, who finishes the chorus before running a hand through his hair and grinning widely at her. "I take requests!" he calls out confidently. Circe smirks, approaching him. "Not here for a song," she says, "but I am looking to become a performer." The man lets out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "Not the kind of request I was expecting, but yeah, I'll help." he says. " Problem is, I've got a few more orders to f

In real life, she used to fantasize about being on stage once upon a time, screaming her lungs out with a crowd going wild. But now, here in this game, maybe she could actually make that a reality, even if it was just digital. The performer profession had caught her eye almost immediately. The idea of crafting buffs and debuffs with music felt right, but the standard bard stuff didn’t excite her. Lutes and flutes weren’t her style. She wanted something heavier, louder—something that would bring that same wild energy to her gameplay. Metal felt like the perfect fit, and if she could find a

Circe’s brow lifted slightly when the trade offer popped up in her vision, and she glanced at Omen with an amused smirk as she accepted the Accuracy consumable. "Better late than never," she said, though there was no bite to her tone. She quickly downed it, feeling the familiar boost kick in as her stats adjusted. Still crouched resting, she listened to Omen’s assessment, watching as he frowned and crossed his arms, clearly replaying the fight in his head. She could tell the loss of efficiency was eating at him. When he mentioned the need for a more aggressive strategy, she tilted he

Circe watched as Ki'Raion vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but loot and the lingering tension of battle. The fight had gone smoother than she expected, thanks to Morningstar and Freyd. She exhaled a quiet breath of relief, letting the tension in her muscles unwind. Then, a panel appeared before her, alerting her to the quest's completion. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on the notification beneath the quest rewards: <<Photosynthesize>> unlocked in skill tree. A small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Got it,” she said, glancing over at Omen.

Circe listened quietly, her eyes on Omen but her mind wandering elsewhere. Reconnecting with his kids? She couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. Omen had a life, a family—a wife who cared enough to encourage him, children he still thought about, a grandchild on the way. He had people waiting for him. Her fingers twitched in her pockets, gripping the fabric tightly. She doubted anyone even noticed she was gone, let alone missed her. The idea of having someone on the outside felt foreign to her, almost laughable. Who would care if she made it out of this? Probably no one. “Must be nic

The path out of Inferno Cavern felt longer than it had on the way in. Every step Circe took seemed to press the heat deeper into her skin, and her lungs felt like they were inhaling fire. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to push on. The distant glow of the cavern's entrance was a small beacon of hope, and it was getting closer with every step. When they finally breached the cavern’s mouth and stepped back onto the volcanic plain, the heat of the open air was almost refreshing in comparison to the suffocating oven they’d just left. Circe took a deep breath, letting the fresher air fi

Circe couldn’t help but chuckle softly at Omen’s musings. "Yeah, I doubt he's the soul-searching type," she said, her eyes tracking Pinball as he moved like a shadow around the Forgotten Time King. The boss’s attacks were heavy and erratic, but Pinball was always one step ahead, never lingering long enough for a strike to land. It was almost... artful. Despite her focus on the fight, a thought nagged at her. She realized she knew almost nothing about her current partner, Omen, despite their shared experiences and battles. Turning to him, she asked, “You know, I’ve spent quite a bit o

Circe wiped the sweat from her brow, her chest rising and falling as she felt the toll the heat was taking on her. Her energy reserves were running low—she could feel it, and the oppressive heat of the Ninth Floor wasn’t doing her any favors. Circe's lips curled in frustration, her silver eyes narrowing as she weighed her options. A more powerful strike might have done the job, but she didn’t have it in her right now. Instead, she pulled a throwing knife from her belt. With a flick of her wrist, the knife flew through the hot air and embedded itself in the Hellhound’s side. The beast yel