[SP-F9] A Time To Hunt - Hot, Hot, Hot Potato! - COMPLETE!

[Brax 0]

ID 47806

Spoiler

BD 10 +2 ACC LD 2 +1 LD MoBD 8

Brax 83/84 [27 - 30 MIT] = 1 DMG EN 4/21

Fire Wolf 1  0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Fire Wolf 2 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Fire Wolf 3 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Fire Wolf 4 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

     "Teleport, Vulcan Village!"  Brax was advancing faster now, having finished hunting trips on the various floors beneath his current one quickly over the last few days.  Sometime soon, his trips would be at an end, and he could begin moving forward to a new goal: the higher floors of 11, 12, and 13, the frontlines.  But first, he would have to test himself on at the very least this final floor, the pervasive heat of Floor Nine.  Vulcan Village was a town similar in appearance to Florenthia Village, though where that settlement was at one with nature, with houses and people garbed in natural coverings made from animal hides and various plants and plant-like creatures, Vulcan was as unnatural as it got: a city of metal, suspended on iron and steel cables not over water but burning lava, which meant certain death for those that did not watch their step.  The people themselves were also clad in metal and cloth, hammering away at forges night and day to ply their fashions to the masses, robes and tunics reflecting the glow of the magma beneath.  It also felt much like Floor Seven, though instead of mountains topped with snow there were volcanos belching fire and ash.  The sky itself was thick with clouds, inky black and ominous looking as they carried darkness across the floor.  Tearing his eyes from the scene above, Brax walked out along the one path available through the stone barrier erected in protection around the town, intent on discovering for himself what the floor had to offer.

     As he exited the settlement and walked along the igneous rock beneath his feet, the charred landscape stretched out before him in desolate fashion.  Very little grew here, the plants giving rise to the belief of 'survival of the fittest', as only the most hardy of wildlife could exist in such conditions.  A little distance down the mountain, Brax ran into his first pack of beasts of the floor, some Fire Wolves that blazed with deadly inferno powers, heating the air around them to extreme temperatures.  Their eyes burned with an inward fire, as free as a mountain bird but much more deadly.  Plumbs of smoke billowed from their pores, and with a soulful roar the pack charged at the man arrayed against it.  But Brax was quicker still, his weapon glowing with an inward fire of it's own as he readied a Sword Art of his, the Explode Catapult.  He released it swiftly, and his body moved through 3 swipes of his axe, the final one sending debris catapulting all over the battlefield.  The shockwave stunned the beasts and destroyed them all at once, removing the packs' threatening countenance from the field of battle.

+4 materials

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     His first fight a success, Brax continued down the mountain all the way to the volcanic rock that was the floor of Floor Nine.  The dark stone crunched noisily beneath his armored heels as he made his way forward, his keen vision focused on his surroundings so as to better search out monsters and materials.  Though what one hoped to find in such a barren expanse, Brax could not even begin to guess.  Most of the plants were less than ideal for crafting, and the rocks, while plentiful, were not of a quality befitting armor or weapons, save in decoration.  Perhaps the message boards would have information regarding decent grinding spots?  Until then, he would keep to his path of exploration.

[Brax 0]

     The overcast sky told a story of woe, and Brax wondered idly if the clouds were natural formations, or a remnant of the Floor Boss who had been defeated here so long ago.  Climbing over rock formations that jutted from the ground like fingers reaching for the sky, it was all Brax could do not to lose his footing on the uneven terrain.  It was...quite difficult to maintain his composure in addition to wielding his weapon as he crossed the broken ground, but somehow he managed not to make a fool of himself and hang on to his dignity and axe.  Though, to be certain, since he was...primarily alone, and lacking of the necessary emotions to feel such things, he was not overly worried about his...pride.

[Brax 0]

     As he crested a hill consisting of black rock and flecks of some sort of impure gemstones glittering with a red hue in the volcanic heat, Brax saw a network of caves sprawled out before his eyes.  His sense of intrigue peaked, he thought to himself, 'I wonder where the tunnels will lead.  If nothing else, the atmosphere must be more...detailed than this...bleak wasteland around me.'  He made his way carefully to the cavernous network of passageways that would probably lead underground, to more oppressive heat, to be sure, but also to new and unexplored areas in which to train his skills.  Before he dived, though, the man opened his inventory and consumed another of his Carrot Tabs, so as to better see what the darkness underground might hide.

Consumed one Carrot Tab (+1 BD for a thread)

Edited February 9, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 47810

Spoiler

BD 3 +3 ACC LD 3 +1 LD MoBD 9

Brax 80/84 [27 + 1crit - 30 MIT] x 4 = 4 DMG EN 4/21

Magma Elemental 1 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Magma Elemental 2 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Magma Elemental 3 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Magma Elemental 4 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

     Venturing forth, Brax found the tunnels to be both spacious and well crafted for exploration purposes.  There was a large amount of property to hunt in, and while the heat was immense under the earth, it was not unbearably so.  The heat attracted many denizens of the floor to warm themselves, and the first cave he entered was no exception.  Magma elementals rose from rivers of lava that bubbled up from beneath the ground, rocks and heat fusing together into creatures built solely for brimstone and battle.  Brax engaged them head on, his own drive burning brightly within as he advanced.  His axe at the ready, he was about to swing when the elementals began chucking molten rocks in his direction.  The heat was intense as they passed by his head, and although they failed to hit him head on, the intense temperatures managed to knock a few points off of his HP.  Reacting as quick as he could, Brax laid into them with an Explode Catapult, slicing twice into them with amazing power.  Blowing past them, he spun once and raised the Veteran's Axe over his head, bringing it down to shake the ground itself, and the ensuing shockwave caused the animated forms to scatter violently into pieces.

+4 materials

Edited February 9, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Brax inspected their remains, looking for anything that he might have missed, and finding none continued further into the bowels of the earth.  The glowing lava rivers offered decent light by which to walk, and the more even ground of the tunnels contrasted sharply with the ruinous landscape above.  It was as if the caves had been...smoothed out somehow by the intense heat and pressure, offering a clear and unobstructed road to wherever they might lead.

[Brax 0]

     The walls and floors held a polished sheen, obsidian-like in consistency and glassy to the touch.  Down here, the lava flows generated enough heat to melt anyone who was...ill prepared for the journey, and unlike the dry heat of the desert the fires raging around him was like an oven, cooking the heavily armored man with each step he took.  Hopefully, his Survival Skill would soon activate, to lessen the environmental effects he was subjected to and make future trips to the floor much more bearable.

[Brax 0]

     Crossing into the next cavern, Brax beheld what could only be described as...breathtaking, at least by those who were capable of such emotion.  The ceiling was sparkling with crystals of brilliant design, refracting the orange-reddish hue of the lava trickling through the leftmost area of the cave.  It illuminated the room with an unearthly glow, the colorful flames racing up and down the smooth obsidian walls with frenzied motions, dancing to a tune only they could hear.  Gauntleted fingers reached for shadows that moved at random, clever ghosts just out of Brax's metallic reach.  Sensing danger in the hypnotic display, the stoic readied his axe, wondering what was to come.

[Brax 0]

 

Spoiler

BD 10 +3 ACC LD 6 +1 LD MoBD 3

Brax 83/84 EN 4/21

Light Elemental 1 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Light Elemental 2 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Light Elemental 3 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Light Elemental 4 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

     His suspicions were confirmed moments later, as the shadows began to dance even more wildly and frenetically.  They swirled and shifted into technicolor patterns, finally bursting with color as they leapt from the walls and became Light Elementals, the refracted brilliance taking on coherent mass and form.  The crystals themselves must have been alive, animating the distilled beams into hard constructs.  The creatures danced just outside of range of Brax's axe, and although they flitted about and dove at him with almost preternatural speed, his armor and weapon were sufficient to ward off the attacks they lobbed against him.  Thinking quickly, Brax activated his Explode Catapult, aiming not for the light but their source, directing his blows to shake the cavern's walls, and his ending shockwave shattered the living crystals above, putting an end to the dancing displays.

+4 materials

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Broken crystals littered the ground, and Brax hurried to leave the cavern to avoid a repeat performance.  He assumed that the crystals were more than likely a respawning mob, and would return given some time.  As easy a battle the fight turned out to be, Brax did not want to give the cascading kaleidoscope another crack at him.  Looking around, he saw a branching tunnel shrouded in darkness, and with fleetness in his feet the man made his way to the next cavern and whatever lay within.

[Brax 0]

     More twisting and turning ensued, with the tunnel becoming hotter and hotter the further down he went.  Brax was indeed cooking inside of his suit of armor, beads of sweat pouring like buckets from his body and failing to evaporate due to the high humidity.  Perhaps it had been a mistake to come down here for a first trip?  'No,' thought the nascent Pactagonal Knight, 'I will not succumb to such a problem.  Like my discomfort from interrogating situations, and journeys that advance without purpose, I will find a way to overcome my inadequacies.'

[Brax 0]

     Brax shook of the heat, pausing just for a moment to open his inventory for a bottle of water and some rations.  Consuming both, he rested before the entrance to another imposing space deep within the volcanic structure where the tunnels lay.  From his vantage point, he could see bright flashing magma and a stone bridge that crossed it, but little else due to the fact that he was further back into the passageway than was desired to see the entirety of the cavern.  The bridge was of natural construction, if his eyes did not deceive him, lending to the idea that Kayaba himself or the design team built the thing for quick passage over the deadly lake of fire below.

[Brax 0]

ID 47820

LD 6 +1 LD

     Sufficiently rejuvenated, Brax exited the tunnel and took a look around the area.  He had been correct in his musings, for peering down he saw a large pool of magma boiling and bubbling with barely restrain heat and power.  The bridge was narrow but sturdy looking, but one wrong step...and a player's game was over before one could blink.  He leaned down to pick up a rock or two, searching for a material that may prove useful, staving off the desire to walk across the less than ideal crossing, but found nothing of value.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 47821

LD 11 +1 LD

     'Without risk, there can be no reward.'  With that thought echoing inside his head, Brax stepped onto the thin walkway and began his trip across the lake of fire.  His steps were purposeful but not fast, to ensure that each move was a safe one.  To come so far, and yet fall prey to an environmental enemy?  No, that would not be the ending for Brax, not until...certain things were first accomplished.  A stone caught both his eye and foot, the precious gem causing the stoic to trip a little and kick the material into the lava below.  Brax barely caught himself in time, and watched the crafting supply disintegrate as the fires consumed it.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 47822

LD 17 +1 LD

     Getting up, Brax continued his way even more carefully than before, having seen first hand the damaging effects of the lava pooling below.  Thankfully, there were no more impromptu surprises to cause his metal clad feet to stumble.  Once he had reached the end of the bridge, Brax exhaled a sigh of relief that he did not know he had been holding in.  His body and mind relaxed just enough for him to search the area for any supplies, and a dull rock seemed to catch his gaze.  Picking it up, Brax noticed it was...much heavier than normal, and wiping the stone clean of soot and ash revealed it to be not a stone, but a rare bit of ore.  Eminently satisfied by the discovery, he pocketed the prize.

+1 material

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 47823

LD 5 +1 LD

    But another cursory glance over the area failed to produce another success, so Brax stood up and left the bridge and it's cavern behind.  Or rather, he would have if he had not been accosted by another mob standing in his way.  They appeared to be elementals of some sort, but the shadows concealed their appearance from his view.  Instead, what he most felt was...heat, extreme heat, the likes of which could and probably would melt the very flesh from his bones if not for the armor he wore.  Still, the temperature was enough to make the man...incredibly uncomfortable in his steel shell.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 47824

Spoiler

BD 8 +3 ACC LD 6 +1 LD MobD 8

Brax 80/84 [27 - 30 MIT] x 4 = 4 DMG EN 4/21

Fire Elemental 1 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Fire Elemental 2 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Fire Elemental 3 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

Fire Elemental 4 0/65 DEAD [9 x 9 Explode Catapult - 16 MIT] = 65 DMG

     The shadows parted, and from the darkness sprang forth the creatures that were generating the heat: a group of four Fire Elementals, looking as if they had just been born of perdition's flames.  Brax did not know what to make of them, the heat causing the air around them to shimmer and wink like a mirage in the desert.  He did not know if their waving forms was a tactic of distraction or a trick of the fires themselves, but either way it drew his attention long enough to allow the creatures to strike him with fireballs aplenty.  Most of the damage was absorbed by his silvery armor, but the force of the blasts pushed him back on his heels.  Brax focused his attention yet again, drawing on the power of his Carrot Tab to peer through the haze and see his enemies clearly.  A ball of light coalesced deep in each Elementals chest, possibly the animating force of the fires.  His normal attacks would be insufficient to assail the foes, so he again activated his Explode Catapult and used the final attack sequence of the slamming shockwave to strike at every glowing heart in the area.  The force of the wave did it's job, dispersing the presence and causing the fires to dry up and disappear.

+4 materials

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     Dust from the rocky ceiling fell on him as the tunnel ceased it's shaking following the use of his Explode Catapult.  Brax wondered somewhat if the force of his area attack was...too great, for while it had proven very strong and versatile in dealing with both solid strikes and it's shockwave potential, the sheer magnitude of damage the Art brought to bear...could be catastrophic if not properly utilized.  The shaking tunnel was proof positive of that inescapable fact.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

     To wit, if the tunnel was not sufficiently strong enough to survive the expended force, it could collapse on top of him and trap his body beneath the falling rubble.  Whether that would kill him or not was the question, although being trapped beneath rocks would most likely be a death sentence anyway, for out in the wilds there lived...the player killers.  Not being able to move...to defend oneself from their deadly blades...that is another way he did not wish to die.  His journeys through the floors, throughout most of Aincrad, made Brax desire a more...heroic ending, if such an ending came.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax

[Brax 0]

ID 47825

LD 20 +1 LD

     Brax shook his head; such maudlin thoughts were most unbecoming of him and his normal attitudes.  What was the point of considering death, unless one truly felt that death was around the corner?  As of yet, he had no intentions of 'kicking the bucket', so to indulge in such things was...as frivolous as idle conversation.  Checking the remains left behind by the Fire Elementals one last time yielded a pretty thing: a stone that radiated heat, an orb of metallic composition.  His system said it was a material, and so Brax inventoried the supply.  Having had enough of the tunnel network he had been crawling around, Brax began to follow the current path in search of an exit that led aboveground.

+1 material

Edited February 10, 2016 by Brax