COMPLETE [SP-F1] Adagio <<Earning a Living>>

[Icarus 0]

It was difficult to think for yourself when you have spent as much time living for others as Icarus has.  Since the day the world of Aincrad became a prison for all those players unfortunate enough to get confined within it, he had done his best to keep peace and order within the Town of Beginnings while helping those who could not care for themselves.  It was his hands that fed the mouths of orphans their daily bread and it was his time that was spent traveling to neighboring towns on supply runs, yet he never complained.  The general consensus among the player populace was that the only way to free themselves of Kayaba's control was to adventure, grow strong, and reach the top of the castle; however, in doing so, the young and incapable were left behind.  In good conscience, Icarus--no, Soren--could not leave them in the overwhelming chaos that ensued as a result of the revelation that they were doomed to live in a death game, at least not without lending them a guiding hand first.

Time had passed and the Town of Beginnings progressed as any civilization would.  The citizens banded together to tackle their shared goals head on, using the economy generated by their specialized shops to supply the adventurers with much needed essentials, as well as the needy who couldn't quite manage on their own.  For the most part, the low level players and the children were self-sufficient and as they became such, they had less of a need for Icarus and his services.  This left the tall man with unnatural blue hair bearing less responsibilities on his shoulders and more free time on his hands which was problematic for someone who was now used to carrying the burden of others.  Fortunately, Icarus had the foresight to see that the day when he was not needed anymore was coming and coming soon, allowing him the opportunity to take baby steps in the direction of living for himself.

He would become an adventurer, that much he knew but first, something small.  First, he would find a hobby, a way to earn a living.

Edited February 21, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

There was one thing in life that he enjoyed more than the books that whisked him away from Geilund and that was music.  There wasn't an instrument on the face of the Earth that he did not appreciate and while he did try many of them out for himself, there were only a couple that truly called to him. The one that called him back time and time again was the piano.  Soren loved the smooth feeling of those pale keys sliding against the pads of his fingertips and the absence of resistance offered underneath the attention of his fingers.  He loved the feeling of the music resonating through him with every drop of the hammer; a chord within him was struck each time one was on the piano.

Whether he knew it or not, his mind was made up before the question was every asked.  He would become a performer and play again of his own accord, not by the urging of the Lord and Lady Grann.

There was a store on the first floor that he passed often on his daily errands.  Within this store, as could be seen through the wide panoramic window, was a fine grand piano that drew his attention for a lingering moment or two every time his path took him by.  Although, he didn't pay much mind to the shop itself, he did recollect that it was where many others had gone to undertake their profession quest.  It seemed logical that his next step would be to visit that particular shop and see what it had to offer.

[Icarus 0]

He was able to see the grand piano in the window long before he made it to the doorstep of the music shop.  Even though the store was his destination, he couldn't help but stand outside for a moment to peer upon the enormous instrument with rising interest; the phantom feeling of ivories swelling in the lengths of his slender fingers.  Nodding in self-acceptance of his decision, Icarus peeled away from the showcased piano and journeyed through the threshold of the shop in no more than a few quick strides.  A bell jingled above his head as he slipped into the establishment, whereupon he quietly shifted his spring-colored gaze from one side of the shop to the other in search of an attendant.  There was no one;  owner, fellow patron, it didn't matter, he was the only soul visible upon the showroom floor.

"Hello?  Is anyone there?" he said firmly.  His voice carried well in the expansive room, reverberating soundly off the various instruments lining the walls.  The last of his hands remaining upon the still opened door slipped away, allowing the entrance to finally swing to a close, though the sound of the wooden construct settling into its jamb was nothing compared to the assertiveness of his words.

Icarus stepped further into the musician's shop with his head craned outward, looking around corners and down corridors in the least intrusive manner he could muster.  Perhaps the owner had stepped out for a moment?  When his long legged movements came to a halt, he had landed himself directly next to the glorious grand he had been eyeballing since the beginning of his time in Aincrad.  By its own accord, his large, bare hand stretched out and affectionately came to rest upon the nearly flawless surface of the piano's top board, which in turn caused a delicate smile to twist his soft lips.

"Hey! Hands off the merchandise!"

[Icarus 0]

The muscles in his arm instantly tensed up as his entire body leapt a foot upon being hit with an unexpected shout.  Icarus nearly lost his balance as he stumbled a step back but he regained his composure before he toppled over into any one of the priceless instruments.  He was not used to being subjected to a jump scare; at least, not since he was a child, when he would run around the estate with his younger siblings and play hide and seek.  It took a moment but once his heart stopped threatening to explode through his rib cage, he turned to face the unknown voice that had so boisterously yelled at him.

"I apologize.  I didn't think anyone was here.  I announced my arrival upon entering," Icarus said calmly.  His assailant turned out to be a short, bald man with a beard the color of muddy snow.  He was stout in stature, bore a low center of gravity and looked as if he spent most of his days sitting inside rather than out traversing on the streets.  "I'm here to learn the Performer profession and possibly take this piano along with me."  He gestured toward the piano he was caught investigating earlier.

"Ah, you're a piano man, huh?  A tickler of the ivories?  A maestro of the black and white?" the man who Icarus assumed was the owner said rather gregariously.

I guess?  He wanted to respond but refrained.  Instead, he nodded in confirmation.

"Are you the quest giver then?  I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with how this works; do you just grant me the privileges or..?"

"No!  Dear gods no, boy!  I'm just the purveyor of all these fine instruments; I run the shop.  You can find the old hag NPC in the back, rambling about the birds.  Always rambling about the birds.  No, you go talk to her and once you've completed her quest, you come back to me and maybe we can strike up a deal.  You got that?" the haggard man responded.  Icarus should have known that the man wasn't the teacher that he sought just by the look of his gnarled, stiff hands.  Those fingers hadn't been warmed up a day in their life.

Icarus nodded and bent into a short, respective bow before the shopkeeper.  "I'll be back, then."

He then followed the owner's instructions and started down a long hallway that led into the back of the building.

[Icarus 0]

The old floorboards creaked underneath the weight of his footsteps and did so no matter what kind of care he took with his walking; it was like they were simply designed to make noise regardless of who was creeping on them.  At the end of the hallway was a low doorway which Icarus had to bend at the knee to slip under but after he did so, he was greeted with the pleasant sight of an elderly lady sitting in a rocking chair beside a beautiful, finely crafted violin.  It looked just as well taken care of as any one of the violins found within the Grann estate.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Soren said as he stood to his full height within the small room. His attention was stripped away from the string instrument and delivered to the lady who was to serve as his profession quest giver.  She turned her head to the sound of his voice and it was then, when he could get a full look of her face, that this woman was designed to be blind.  Despite this creation before him being an NPC, his heart sunk a little; it was never easy coming across the less fortunate, whether or not they were works of fiction.  A gentle smile rolled up her wrinkled lips as she looked up in his general direction.

"Ah, you must be the one who's going to bring me the sweet song of the birds?  Have you ever heard a chorus of birds singing?  There is nothing like it."  Her voice was shaky with age but there was a happiness in it that Soren could only hope to match some day.  He reciprocated the smile as he dropped to one knee beside her chair and took up her age-worn hand with a firm, comforting grip between the clasp of his two own.

"Yes," he said quietly but repeated his affirmation with a little more clarity next.  "Yes, I'll make sure the birds sing their best for you."

"Ohhh, thank you so much," she said, that same happiness clinging to her vocals.  "You'll find the melody that you seek by the brook located in the Northeast section of Floor One.  Here, take this recording box with you, it'll help you capture voice of the red-breasted songstress."  The woman extended her free hand; a little crystal shaped music box contained within her palm.  Soren squeezed her hand one last time before taking the song box, standing, and then finally leaving the room.

 

[Icarus 0]

Icarus gave one last look to the beautiful ebony grand before he exited the store entirely; the door once again jingling behind him as he departed.  It was only after he had left the building that he looked down upon the small little recording box palmed in his hand.  There really wasn't much too it but that didn't mean he had the faintest clue on how to use it.  Either way, he deposited it into his inventory and started off toward the East entrance of the Town of Beginnings.

It wasn't long before he was passing by the stationary guards protecting the entrance.  He offered them a wave as he phased out of the safe zone and onto the dirt path that led out of town and into the rolling grasslands that existed beyond.  Unfortunately for him, he hadn't done much exploring during his time in Aincrad; once he found out the best path to take on his errands, he stuck to it to make his daily chores efficient and reliable.  Being out, on his own, was an entirely new experience for Icarus; it was like he was truly starting the game.  There was no one asking him to make a supply trip to Floor Two; no one asking him to deliver new clothes to the Church; no one asking him to... do anything, he was simply leading his virtual life through decisions of his own.

It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time.  He could only imagine what was in store for him.

Invigorated, his feet guided him down the left fork of a split path and started him on his travel to the Northeast.

[Icarus 0]

His casual gait slowed to a crawl before coming to a complete stop as his eyes, seemingly brighter than before considering the reflection of never ending grasslands bouncing off his irises, focused upon a nestled pack of boars just off the path ahead.  Soren remained stoic as he targeted through the ensemble of wild swine, examining their health pools and basic attributes while simultaneously considering the various options on how he should proceed.  He had heard of the dangers of low level combat from many of the adventures that had filtered through the Town of Beginnings; there had been many, many deaths in the first couple of months due to the carelessness of overzealous fighters too eager to get a leg up on their competition.

He preferred to avoid a fate similar to that one yet knew that if he wanted to become stronger, he had to be subjected to the trial of combat.  The benefit he did have on his side was knowledge and foresight.  Before he had taken a single step outside of the Town of Beginnings, he made sure to procure a set of equipment from a local blacksmith.  It may not have been the best gear but it certainly would provide him with the defensive and offensive stats necessary to keep ahead of the dangers present on the First Floor.

After a moment of consideration, Soren nodded and with an untrained, clumsy flick of his wrist, he opened up his inventory.  Tap, tap, tap; he went through select pieces of equipment, adding them to his avatar one by one until he had donned the battered, muted grey breastplate and helmet and received their much needed bonuses.  Finally, within the grip of his free hand, a massive two-handed sword materialized; its name was Alondite and it was heavy.  "Oof!" he exclaimed as the tip of the double-edged blade dropped into the earth beneath his feet.  It was only with the strength of both arms that he was able to lift the dangerous steel out of its new home in the dirt-laden path he had been traveling on and into a battle ready stance.

Soren couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.  He felt like an inexperienced young boy who had finally managed to get the girl of his desires alone: awkward and clueless.

[Icarus 0]

The sword felt complete foreign in his hands.  Soren was many things but a warrior was not one of them.  Not yet, at least.  His fingers repeatedly gripped and released the beautiful golden handle of Alondite, exercising the weight of the weapon within his hands and the proper hold he needed to keep in order to properly wield the blade.  Is there some sort of technique to this kind of thing?  Or do I just swing wildly and hope something gets in the way of the sharp edge?

His thoughts were insincere, of course.  Soren knew there was an art to sword fighting but anything more than that was a guess.  Until he became familiar with the weapon, he would simply have to stick with the novice tactic of swinging and praying.

Eyelids fell shut as he did his best to block out the noises of nature filling his ears, choosing to focus in on the simple, haughty grunts of the single boar wading through the waist-height grass ahead.  When those emerald eyes opened again, there was a focus swirling within them that had rarely made an appearance since the Day of Reckoning; Icarus was serious.  He, too, snorted out a held breath through his flared nostrils before he started toward the unsuspecting boar, his pace slow and deliberate.  A few steps in and his speed picked up, his booted feet kicking back loose dirt on the trail as he developed a slow jog, which in turn shifted into a full on sprint.

At some point, the boar seemed to catch on to his intentions and locked its beady black eyes right onto Soren as he dashed forward.  Its thin tail lifted into the air, the fluff of stringy brown hair at the end swaying back and forth as it started to methodically kick its feet in place; the boar was obviously gearing up for a charge.

Like two combatants in an arena, battling to see which one would be leaving on their own two (or four, in case of the boar) feet, Soren and the boar rushed at one another.  It was a scene reminiscent of a joust; they both met in the middle of their stride and attacked at once.  Soren swung his sword in a wide, horizontal arc while the boar charged headlong right into the iron-caged gut of his armor.  Crack!  They collided and the force of the boar's headbutt knocked the avatar Icarus off-kilter, leaving him to struggle with keeping his balance until he finally lost the fight and toppled over into the grass.

Did I even hit the beast?  I could have sworn..

Soren watched from his downed position as the answer to his question came about.  The boar, with a neon orange split running lengthwise down its side, immediately separated into thousands of polygonal pixels.  The explosion of colors quickly dissipated into the ether.

Spoiler

ID# 48543 | BD: 7 (Hit) | MD: 10 (Crit +1)

Icarus: 7/8 HP  2/2 EN
Boar: 0/4 HP

Loot: +1 Material gained.

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

"Hah."  A sharp breath in the form of a laugh was expelled from him.  Soren didn't realize he had been holding his breath the whole time.  After that first little chortle slipped past his lips, another followed and then another, until he was in practically cackling with full-blown laughter.  He was exhilarated.  For the first time since his death sentence had been issued, he felt alive.  The thrill of combat and the implied danger associated with it had done wonders for the usually stone cold paragon of sobriety.  Soren could feel the simulated adrenaline rushing from one end of his body to the other, warming him all over.

Is this adrenaline real?  Is my heart actually beating faster?  I mean, it's logical.  I wonder how my body is responding in the real world.

He imagined it was exhibiting behaviors similar to those that regularly accompanied these particular chemical reactions.  When his laughter died out, after the final "aw, man" passed his lips, Soren grabbed a hold of Alondite's handle and used it as a prop to elevate his large body to its feet.

As he found his footing, he heard the soft call of a sweet-voiced bird nearby.  Immediately, his eyes searched the area for the source of the song and when he found it, he quietly approached it.  A lone tree stood erect in the grasslands, several yards out from where the green fields melded into the deep forest just up the road.  It was in this tree that he found a solitary bird, blue in color, hanging on the length of an outstretched branch, peacefully singing its personal song.

A blue robin?  A bluejay?  He couldn't tell but taking the opportunity, he retrieved the songbox from his inventory and held it up into the air before him.  As if it knew, the crystallized box illuminated a dull glow and pulsed in coordination with the blue bird's tune.  As the bird stopped, so did the mysterious box's aura cease.  Soren didn't know what that meant but he could only assume he had successfully gathered more material for his future profession.

Spoiler

ID# 48546 | LD: 20
Loot: +1 material gathered.
Total: +2 materials.

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

The box in his hand had become dormant once again.  Accessing his menu, and then inventory, he stowed the music box before turning to face the forest on the path ahead.  Soren was very uncertain about what he would encounter in the darkness of that forest, the one that was overly populated with thick, thoroughly aged trees.  If he wasn't so used to the terrifying woodlands that made up a good portion of the German wilderness, he might have been intimidated by just the look of the environment before him.

He wouldn't find anything out about the forest by just staring at it from the outside; he needed to get in there and see for himself what he was up against.  Soren made the trek back to the path through the tall grass and no more than one foot back on the path, he heard the feral squeal of a boar coming from behind him.  Sadly, his first instinct was to take out his recording box once again and try to capture the sound of the beast, which would have proved rather costly if he had actually followed through with the action.

Instead, when he turned about upon his dug in heel, he was shocked to see the boar was already charging him.  Soren had very little time to prepare Alondite before the boar gored him into next week.  The next few moments blew by him in a flash and what occurred was still a little blurry in his mind.  Somehow, whether he was hanging onto the rush of adrenaline from before or not, he managed to brandish his sword and strike the assaulting monster with a great and accurate fury.  Yes, he was on the receiving end of a good lick, too, but seeing that enormous orange gash bisecting the animal completely was a true wonder.

Polygons spread to the sky in all directions where the boar had keeled over.  Soren stood triumphant on the beaten path, surprised that he was still on his feet to accept the loot prompt that appeared before him.  There was nothing but elation and exuberance in way he accepted the loot and turned to continue on the path with Alondite hoisted over his plated shoulder.

Spoiler

ID# 48555 | BD: 10 (Crit +2) | MD: 9 (Crit +1)

Icarus: 7/8 HP 2/2 EN
Boar: -2/4 HP

Loot: +1 material obtained.
Total: +3 materials.

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

His desire to practice the basic mechanics of combat struggled with his obligation to complete the profession quest he had signed up for.  Even though there was debate whether or not NPCs could be counted among the living players, Soren had promised the elderly lady that he would acquire the song she longed for and his once his word was given, it might as well have been chiseled in stone.

Fortunately for him, or unfortunately depending on how you looked at it, he wasn't given a choice on exercising his limited knowledge of combat.  Out through the thick brush that made up the perimeter of the forest, a pack of brown-furred timber wolves scampered out.  Their fanged teeth were already bared and judging by how their bodies shook with the ferocity of their growling, they meant business.  Icarus lowered his broadsword from his shoulder and brought it before him defensively, gripping its handle tightly within the clammy grip of his bare hands.

One, two.. damn, five?!  I think I'm in trouble..

Soren's inward monologue wasn't very inspiring but at least he wasn't kidding himself in the slightest.  Looking among the deadly beasts as they crept forward from the treeline and into the grass, he could only assume they were lured here by the sounds of his combat with the boars.  He refused to believe that they had such an enormous aggro radius.  For whatever reason, he assumed that because they were traveling in a pack, they might have had an alpha wolf among them that he could cut off from the rest and assert his Darwinian dominance.  However, after going over their similar movements and mannerisms, he couldn't tell them apart from one another.  Was this the Cardinal system at work?  Or was there more to come?

Regardless, his tactic was sound.  Soren charged forward at the wolf closest to him; his feet pounding hard against the dirt road before quieting once he transferred to the grass.  As soon as he was close enough, which still allowed a pretty good distance to separate the two thanks to the length of his weapon and the reach of his arms, he dropped Alondite down with all the finesse of a guillotine.  The first wolf didn't stand a chance and succumbed to the pixelated dispersal that the boars before him had.

It was the four that remained that he needed to be weary of.  As one, they assaulted him, quickly switching their positions in the tall grass until they had fanned out and covered him from all sides.  Helpless to their advances, they charged and pounced in unison, attacking him with clawed paws and vicious bites; all of which left glowing blue gash marks against the surface of his cosmetically battered armor.  Surprisingly enough, their attacks seemed to be their undoing as the thorns enhancement that enchanted his armor activated and dealt back their damage to them and more.  One after another, they exploded in a shower of pixels, making it appear as if fireworks were going off right from his equipment.

His amazement at the situation did little to dull the already muted pain which registered completely as the battle ended.  It was entirely bearable but certainly remained in a game as a reminder that there were consequences to fighting.

Spoiler

ID# 48621 | BD: 8 | LD: 4 | MD: 8

Wolfpack combined damage: 5 HP
Icarus single target damage @Wolf1: 5 - 1 = 4 HP
Icarus thorns damage: 18 HP to all

Icarus;  HP 2/8 | EN: 2/2
Pack Wolf 1: 0/4 HP
Pack Wolf 2: -14/4 HP
Pack Wolf 3: -14/4 HP
Pack Wolf 4: -14/4 HP
Pack Wolf 5: -14/4 HP

Loot: +5 Materials obtained
Total: +8 Materials

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

He now knew why so many others stressed the importance of being geared and properly leveled before venturing outside the Town of Beginnings.  Right there, he would have been dead and there wasn't a thing he could have done about it.  Those wolves were intent on sparing Aincrad the burden of another pair of feet walking its world.  Certainly Cardinal would run more efficiently if there was less data to constantly populate.  That was all it amounted to - all he amounted to - was the processing of data.

Now was not the time for reflection.  Rather, Soren made his way back onto the path and continued into the forest, pressing on despite the obstacles that had already presented themselves; however, he was moving at a pace that was much more restricting than the casual stroll he was originally traveling at.  His slow, quiet steps gave him a better opportunity to hear anything coming, as well as open his ears up to the songs and noises of the woodland animals that inhabited the forest.  In fact, there was a particularly noticeable woodpecker hammering away high up in a nearby tree that could prove to be some sort of future inspiration in the right setting that he would've liked to capture.

Regrettably, to take out his recording box, he needed to unequip his weapon to free up one of his hands which left him without a weapon to defend himself with.  By the time he went through the motions of doing such, the woodpecker had stopped and flown further into the woods, leaving Soren standing there with his arm stretched out holding onto the songbox at nothing.

Other than that, he was pleasantly surprised to see his health regen in the heads up display before him.  He had that going for him.

Spoiler

ID# 48624 | LD: 14 | Nothing found.

+3 HP out of combat regen
Icarus: 5/8 HP | 2/2 EN

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

Even though there were possible dangers lurking around every corner, Soren felt comfortable in the forest.  Woods, in general, were like a second home to him.  His father was a notorious hunter known for his love of the hunt and the taste of the game which were a few traits that he failed at instilling upon his first born son.  That being said, he still loved the woods every bit as much as his father, just for a different set of reasons, which made it entirely tolerable when he was taken across the countryside upon one of their yearly "family" hunts.  He spent a lot of time alone in the forests of Germany, catching up on new books or rereading the old favorites that he could never put down.

These woods were different than what he was used to.  The bark on the trees, the leaves that clung to the branches above, even the sounds of the birds and other critters were different but all the same, a great experience.  It was refreshing for Soren to be alone at the moment, with nothing but his thoughts and the harmony of nature, away from the commotion and bustle of the major cities.  The allure to stay longer lingered in his thoughts but as he had to keep reminding himself, he was on a quest for a reward that was equally fulfilling.

Spoiler

ID# 48625 | LD: 5 | Nothing found

+3 HP out of combat regen
Icarus: 8/8 HP | 2/2 EN

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

The limited light that filtered through the canopy of the trees was enough for him to see clearly the ongoing activities of the small animals that scampered about.  It was actually rather interesting how in-depth the system that governed Aincrad was.  Each animal seemed to run on its own without much coordination or overlap with the other critters in the area.  If there was a pattern among them, Soren couldn't see it; they appeared entirely independent of each other.

A lone wolf lingered on the road ahead.  Soren stopped and looked about the area before he considered going forward.  He didn't see any signs of any other wolves lurking nearby.

Fool me once, he mused inwardly.

He equipped Alondite and quickly set forward in a run at the wolf.  Soren made a point not to make any unnecessary noises that could possible draw the ire of lurking monsters he failed to detect.  It was clear that it was much easier for him to lift the blade into the air once and let gravity do the rest of the work which is exactly what he did when he engaged the wolf in front of him.

Just before his weapon sunk in and through the wolf, it snapped at him in retaliation and caught him properly in the thigh.  Despite how thinned out the pain was, it still made him bare his own gritted teeth in reaction.  The wolf de-materialized and left him with a loot prompt for a material as well as some col which he promptly accepted before continuing on.

Spoiler

ID# 48626 | BD: 10 (+2 Crit) | LD: 14 | MD: 9 (+1 Crit)

Icarus:  2 + 3 + 2 = 7 - 1 mit = 6 DMG
Wolf: 3 + 1 = 4 - 18 mit = 1 DMG

Icarus: 7/8 HP | 2/2 EN
Wolf: -2/4 HP | 2/2 EN

Loot: +1 Material, +20 Col
Total: 9 Materials, +20 Col

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

He had been traveling the path for a while now and patience had remained in tact.  To an adventurer who had been out in the dangerous world since the beginning might find something like this question to be trivial but for Soren, it was just a simple quest within the game; it was a journey.  As much as it was an exploration of the land, it was an exploration of himself.  What kind of adventurer would he be?  Would he remain solo and progress through the game at his own pace, taking the time to enjoy the scenery or would he find a steady group to be a part of?  Perhaps a guild?

Dwelling on it, he wasn't sure a guild was fitting for him.  He had lived the most of his natural life being guided by the institution created by his parents and he didn't know if he could ever go back to following orders; Soren just wasn't built to be a follower.  There were times when it was his natural reaction to just get away and be alone, mostly when the world had become too large for him to handle.  He knew long ago that his soul was fragile and in order for it to not shatter over and over, he needed to take steps to protect its sanctity.  The solace he found in loneliness did wonders in keeping him whole.

A beam of light stretched out on the ground before him, highlighting the fallen leaves and snapped twigs that made up the bed of the forest.  The light was nothing more than an extension of the sun peeking through the edge of the forest and within.  Soren had finally reached the end of the path through the woods.

Spoiler

ID# 48629 | LD: 5 | Nothing found.

+3 HP out of combat regen
Icarus: 8/8 HP | 2/2 EN

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

As he stepped through the brush and out into the sunlit clearing, Soren was forced to raise a hand to the sky in order to shield the brilliant rays of the sun blinding him.  Even then, with the shadow of his fingers playing against his face, he kept his eyes squinted until they could properly adjust to the light but until then, he would simply enjoy the warmth of the sun heating the bare flesh of his hand and unblocked portions of his face.  Sensations such as heat and cold were prevalent in Aincrad but they weren't as detrimental to the body's functions as the true elements of the real world were.  When you were cold, you didn't need to worry so much about frostbite or losing the sensation of a limb, you just had to deal with the fact that you weren't comfortably warm.  It was a nagging annoyance, not pain.  It was even said that with enough time and focus, you could ignore the feeling entirely.

When his eyes adjusted, he was surprised to see an enormous, lone tree sprouted from the green earth no more than twenty yards ahead of him.  The tree must have been ancient by the size of it.  As big as Soren was, and as wide as his arm span stretched, he didn't stand a chance in wrapping his arms around the bulk of its barked base.  If he was lucky, he could maybe get halfway around it - even then, that would be a stretch.  The rich, brown bark of the tree's body grew tall and healthy before blossoming into a vibrant green top consisting of hundreds of thousands of leaves upon thousands of branches.  It was beautiful to look upon.

He hadn't noticed it before but upon entering the clearing, Soren was greeted with the song of a thousand birds.  Not a thousand birds each with an individual song but one song, which they all sweetly sung to perfection.  As the blue haired man approached the tree to get a better look, a wide smile helplessly split his soft lips. What an entrancing song.. is this it?  Is this what I was sent here to find?

Above all the other voices that added to the masterpiece, there was one that whistled and tweeted louder than the rest and Soren was amazed in himself for actually being able to hear it.  He circled around the tree a few times over in search of the voice that was so clearly a cut above the rest and before his ears could confirm, his eyes found her.  On a low branch in the middle of the tree sat a Robin unlike any other he had ever seen.  The red of her feathers was a scarlet that seemed to shift depending on whatever angle you looked at her but always remained a red that shimmered like it was a perfectly polished ruby.

Hurriedly, he fetched his songbox from his inventory and held it up to the birds to capture their song.

<<Ruby's Song>> obtained.

Spoiler

ID# 48630 | LD: 16 | +1 Material

Loot: +1 Material
Total: +10 Materials, +20 Col

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

Content with the fact that his quest log updated as soon as he acquired the "song of the red-breasted songstress," Soren resigned to settling down upon the ground at the base of the tree and nestling against its curved roots.  For a long time, he rested, listened to the songs of the birds, and enjoyed the warm sun beating upon him.  It was a powerful combination, one that easily lulled him into a comfort that eventually led to sleep.  This was the first truly restful sleep he had captured since Kayaba had trapped him and when he dreamed - he dreamed of music.

Several hours later, he awoke to find the sun had changed direction greatly and now he rested in the shade of the tree.  It was the cold woke him, not the passage of time; he could have slept the whole night through.  Slowly, he found his way to his feet through the use of the tree behind him, finding leverage by placing his hand against the grain of its mighty bark.  Soren gave one last look at the tree and the birds before he started off and proceeded back into the forest.  It was time to get back before any more light slipped away.

[Icarus 0]

The way back through the woods wasn't nearly as treacherous as it had been originally.  Soren took the time to calmly step and avoid any packs of wolves or random boars that he might aggro if he got too close.  A lot of this involved waiting patiently as they pathed away from the area and onward into another direction of the forest.  Though, the thought of engaging a few of the beasts in combat did pull at him, especially now that he had acquired the quest item he had been searching for.  He imagined that some of the loots that they dropped would be required for the advancement of his profession; he couldn't just rely on his natural talent, the game mainly didn't take such things into consideration.

His opportunity to flex his combat muscle came just as he was about to exit the forest in the form of a group of addled boars rummaging around the foliage at the edge of the woods.  Soren completely threw caution to the wind and charged the beasts as he withdrew his broadsword.  What he didn't account for was the fact that he would not be as successful in every battle as he had been so far and when he missed, by fault of the system, a panicking thought arose within him.

The weight of Alondite drove it into the ground where it bit into the dirt and remained as the fleet of boars battered him with brutal headbutts.  It was difficult for him to recover from considering his weapon was practically hilt-deep in the earth, leaving him defenseless against the tusked assault raining in on him.  Each hit knocked him about but it was through that hold on his sword's handle that he remained upright to endure the blows passed on to him.  Fortunately, his armor was once again on his side, reciprocating the damage of the boars back unto them five fold which proved to be much, much more than they could handle.

They exploded furiously in one round of combat, raining materials on him through the Battle Complete prompt.

Spoiler

ID# 48632 | BD: 5 (Miss) | LD: 9 | MD: 6 (Hit)

Thorns damage: 18 HP to all
Boar damage: (3 - 18) = 1*6 = 6 HP

Icarus: 2/8 HP | 2/2 EN

Addled Boar: -14/4 HP
Addled Boar: -14/4 HP
Addled Boar: -14/4 HP
Addled Boar: -14/4 HP
Addled Boar: -14/4 HP
Addled Boar: -14/4 HP

Loot: +6 Materials
Total: +16 Materials, +20 Col

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Icarus

[Icarus 0]

Soren brought Alondite up and over the crest of his armored shoulder where it comfortably sat as he carefully stepped his way out of the forest and into the grasslands.  He casually looked at the sun as it started to set behind the horizon; no longer did it shine brightly and cast glorious yellow light all around but instead burned an angry orange like a newly lit fire.  If he kept on the path and avoided all contact, it was likely he would make it back to the Town of Beginnings before the darkness of night completely swallowed the zone.

Resigning to the idea that he wouldn't be engaging any more mobs, he unequipped his sword so he wouldn't have to deal with the burden of carrying it.  After some time, he could see the walls belonging to the Town of Beginnings up ahead.  It wouldn't be long until he was back into the safety of the busy, overpopulated city.

[Icarus 0]

Fatigue started to set in as he made his final approach; his legs were weary and his feet started to drag, though he did his best to keep marching on like a true soldier.  Soren knew he was close when the worn, dirt path he had been travelling on all day gradually transformed into one paved in cobblestone.  It was only another minute before he was passing underneath the arch of the East Gate and entering into the Town of Beginnings.  It was painfully clear he was not yet conditioned to be an adventurer quite yet, though he couldn't complain too much - he was successful, after all.

Now that the sun was down and gone for the day, the lanterns lining the street were lit and bathing anyone who passed in a dull orange light.  The lamps did very little to provide clarity one would expect from a fully illuminated city.  If it wasn't for the fact that the Town of Beginnings was a safe zone, it would be considered rather spooky.  Oddly enough, as if someone had been observing, the lamps brightened and fully extended the range of their light.  Just how attuned is Cardinal?

Turning down a road, he could see the shop where he had obtained his quest down the street.  Soren headed toward it, up the stairs, and through the door.  His entrance was accompanied by the same jingle that had sounded earlier in the day.  Not seeing the store owner, he proceeded to head to the quest giver in the back.