[PP-F1] The Gemmed Rabbit

[Lycan 0]

((Manta & Calrex))

It had already been a few weeks in the game and each day started to feel more and more natural to Lycan. The warm sunlight, the gentle breeze, the sweet aroma of the wild flower fields to the west, everything started to feel like like living in a new city in the real world. Often, the youth would find himself stretched out on a bench in the town square, simply enjoying the day and the fact he was still alive. It was on one such day that he overheard a couple of frontliners discussing preparations for the upcoming boss battle on the thirteenth floor. He heard them discussing material gathering and rare crafting ingredients to help bolster their gear. Apparently, a creature existed on the first floor which yielded a special drop sought by jewelers and alchemists alike.

The Philosopher's Fragment.

Supposedly, to the northeast of the Starting City, just to the east of the Tower Dungeon and south of the rolling hills of the map's edge, sat a small forest grove. Through it ran a small stream that pooled in the center before flowing off the map's edge. There, on a very rare and unpredictable spawn timer, a monster could be found by the name of "The Gemmed Rabbit". From what Lycan gathered, the rabbit was pure white, the size of one of the starting boars, and had a small crimson gem fixed in the center of its forehead like a third eye. Once slayed, the gem would be given to the final strike player. That gem was the sought after Philosopher's Fragment. Luckily, the frontliners seemed to get an important message and ran back to the warp gate.

This meant opportunity for Lycan, however, he knew he couldn't make the journey alone. Not at his level, even with the brand new armor he received from Ariel.

Lycan also didn't want to share this information with just anyone, he needed to find just two people. No more, no less, and they would have to be players willing to help a fledgling player out of the kindness of their hearts. Even if he didn't strike the final blow, Lycan would still have the opportunity to learn how Sword Arts worked by watching. Hopefully, he'd pick up on a few other tricks on the way.

So, with a goal in mind, Lycan took to the town square, seeking out idle players with just the right qualities about them. Qualities that would hopefully help him on this adventure without finding a blade in his back. His eyes fell on one such player, and with a tap on their shoulder, he tried to get their attention.

"Hello there!" he greeted, "My name is Lycan, I'm kinda new at all this and was kinda sorta hoping you might have a little time on your hands to help me out..? I heard of this cool place that might be worth your while...?"

His words left his mouth with just the right tone of innocence, sincerity, and a dash of 'pretty please with a cherry on top' begging. 

[Calrex 0]

"Alright...that about wraps things up..."

After spending a good chunk of his day on the first floor Calrex gave a small sigh as he entered back through the gates leading into the Starting City. Just as it was when he first started in SAO, the first floor still seemed to be the most populated of all the levels in terms of both players and NPCs. Even with the fact there were likely more interesting themed floors higher up, something about the settlement seemed to keeping calling people, himself included back.

Glancing upwards he made note that his familiar blue peregrine falcon, Roc, had also passed through and was now hovering high overhead, "We should be good for now Roc, go ahead and take a rest."

Hearing his partner's order the bird of prey vanished into thin air as he dematerialized. With that the bluenette looked forward and began to make his way further back into the exit plaza, "I guess it's getting close to time for everyone to start gathering and getting ready for the floor raid. Might as well..."

Before he could finish speaking to himself Calrex felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning round he looked to see a young man, probably only a few years younger than he was, standing before him. Not a second after he began to speak, requesting his assistance in exploring some "cool" place he had found. He also made note of the rise in tone the white-haired person used at the end of his last sentence, something which he had not heard used with anyone he had met in the past, at least within the game.

"Well...I guess I've still got some time before I need to get back to the thirteenth floor. Might as well lend a hand."

Giving a friendly smile the bluenette gave a nod, "Sure thing, it sounds like something I can help out with. However, if we're going to be traveling together introductions are in order. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Calrex."

[Lycan 0]

"Thank you! Nice to meet you Calrex," Lycan offered a warm smile and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm Lycan, but friends call me Lye for short."

Lycan found one of the two he needed, but that still begged the question of who would be next to assemble with this rag-tag party? Then, like a gem catching a thief's eye, a girl with flowing white hair crossed Lyan's gaze. He watched her pass over Clarex's shoulder and rather rudely brushed past his new acquaintance.

"Miss! Miss!" Lycan chanted, waving her down. "I'm looking for one more person to join our party! Are you free? Please, it'll be worth your while!"

Not forgetting about his acquaintance, Lycan looked back to Clarex and gestured him over, hoping the girl would take him more seriously if someone in better gear was beside him.

[Amira 0]

Manta had been attempting to walk past Calrex without him noticing her, when her foot caught on a crack in the pavement and she ended  up bumping into him as she passed. She didn't know what it was with him, but things always just seemed to be boring when he was around, probably because of the fact that he was the highest level player that she knew of and could take down most field bosses solo with ease. Before she could even apologize and speed walk out of there, a boy with white hair, who she hadn't noticed before, started waving at her. She sighed. She liked helping people, but lately she just wanted some time to herself. Maybe it was because of that deal she had made with Ebony, which hadn't been completed yet. Her friends promise to get her that unique that had been eating at her, and she just wanted some certainty about it. She felt as though she might as well pass the time doing whatever it was this guy needed, even if it involved another boring adventure with Calrex. "Sorry Cal. And sure. I'm Manta, and you are?"

[Calrex 0]

"Huh?"

It seemed that one of his acquaintances, Manta, was actually right behind him and accidentally bumped him as the young man introduced himself as Lycan, "As in the supernatural being? Huh, that's certainly different from other names I've heard so far."

"Lye it is then. Most of my friends tend to call me Cal for short, although one occasionally calls me Rex, heh. In any case..."

Right as he was about to continue the bluenette turned as he followed the white-haired boy over to Manta as he inquired if she could also tag along in the outing, "No worries Manta, and it sounds like we've got a decent sized party then"

Swiping on his menu the Ultramarine Knight prepared his gear, making sure everything he would need for combat was at the ready before facing their team leader, "Alright then Lye, lead the way."

[Lycan 0]

Lycan smiled and gave a semi formal bow to the young lady.

"Thank you!" he chimed. "My name is Lycan, but you can call me Lye for short."

He smiled to the two of them and took a brief moment to admire their gear. Compared to his own, Lycan felt inadequate, even with the Blood Wolves' Cloak he received from Ariel. Lycan nodded, opened his menu, and deftly navigated to the party window.

"Clarex..." he muttered to himself as he typed the name, "and Manta..."

Sure enough, both player names came up on his hud. He selected them and hit "Send Party Request". No less than a blink of an eye, two new windows appeared in front of his new colleagues. As he waited, he switched subwindows to the floor map for level one and placed a marker on their destination. A small nav point faintly appeared on the horizon.

"Sweet," Lycan smiled. "It's a little far, but I think we can beeline there without having to cut down too many mobs. You guys look like you can handle it, but I'm pretty spent after a few boars or a single wolf. Once we get to the edge of that forest, I'll tell you what we're looking for."

Then, he lowered his tone and eyed around for any suspicious onlookers.

"I don't want to say anything here in case someone hears."

[Amira 0]

Manta raised an eyebrow as Lycan wouldn't tell them exactly what they were looking for. It sounded like the perfect set up for an ambush of some kind. If it was a set up, they had definitely chosen the wrong people for it. It'd probably take twenty of the average player to take down Calrex, and Manta could one hit kill almost anyone. She'd keep that in the back of her mind as they headed wherever he was leading them. "In that case lets get going." She said to the white haired man before giving Calrex a look meant to warn him of possible danger. She tapped the accept button on her screen as she turned back to him. "Lead the way." She said.

[Calrex 0]

Accepting the party request Calrex gave a small glance at the two names that appeared below his own on the top left section of his HUD. Letting Lycan take point he made note of the warning glance Manta gave him, giving a simple nod to acknowledge it. He had been through and forced into enough traps by the system and other players that he could guess if someone was setting up an ambush or not. Unfortunately, with the loss of his <<Reveal>> skill he couldn't preemptively prepare for said attacks because he couldn't see-through the landscape like in the past. However, they were only going a short distance, seemingly to get out of earshot of any potential eavesdroppers, before the white-haired player would reveal the information he had.

Glancing up the bluenette confirmed Roc was following overhead as the blue peregrine falcon materialized in the sky. "So Lycan, how did you obtain this information? Was it from an info broker?"

[Lycan 0]

Lycan smiled and nodded to the two. Then, he began for the gate. He wove through crowded streets, back alleys, and the occasional shortcut through the Inn. While he may not have much experience in the field, the Town of Beginnings had become like the back of his hand. While not impressive compared to older players, Lycan still knew a few routes that would slip the mind of even the most seasoned player.

"Actually, I overheard two players talk about it. They looked like they had some really nice gear, like yours. I assume they must have been on of the front-liners," he spoke as they made way to the exit. "I do know an information broker, but I haven't verified it with him yet. I'm sure we're fine though."

Finally, they arrived at the North Gate. Lycan stared at the glowing blue border marking the end of the safe zone and took a moment to remember Sampson, the first player he witnessed die. The young player took a breath and clenched his fists before crossing over.

"Before we venture too far," Lycan began, turning to his party members, "I want you both to know I'm not very experienced out here. I took some kendo back in high school, and practiced some martial arts at home, but I don't quite understand the battle mechanics very well. Please don't think less of me! I'm a quick learner!"

[Amira 0]

Manta nodded and followed Calrex and Lycan as they made their way through the town towards the gat, until they finally stopped just inside of the town. She smiled at the man. "Just because they have good gear doesn't make them front liners, just saying." She replied, her mind analyzing the new information that she had been given. If she believed him, it could be possible that he was unwittingly walking into a trap, and leading them with him. Either that or they were racing another group of players for whatever it was they were looking for. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure we'll be fine." She said to him, not voicing her thoughts.

[Calrex 0]

Calrex gave a nod, "That is true. Gear doesn't mean everything in our situation. It is possible they had simply stocked enough col or were donated it by some other players who had some gear they were not planning on using. In any case don't worry too badly about only having real-life experience. I was surprised how well the game seemed to work with the skills I practiced outside of the game. The main thing you might have some trouble with is that the game can sometimes take a bit of time for calibrate to your movements, so some attacks most fall a bit off of the mark."

[Lycan 0]

"Well, I'm sure I'll get some practice with it today. The place we're going is a good ways down the field. We're looking for a stream inside a small grove. The stream should lead to a watering hole where this target is supposed to be," Lycan informed the two. "I feel pretty good about it. These guys I heard it from mentioned something about getting ready for the 14th floor before they ran off."

Lycan nodded to the two and began to venture north. This day, the sun of the floor's ceiling hung high and central in the sky. The warm rays beat down on swaying blades of grass as a gentle breeze rolled across the plains. A menagerie of both hostile and non-hostile creatures idly roamed the fields. Occasionally, the bright blue flash of a new re-spawn light the field and added to the count of potential foes.

Then, as though luck decided to test the boy, a flash of blue halted the boy in his tracks. When his eyes adjusted, a snarling wolf bared teeth and crouched low at Lycan.

"Holy!" Lycan began to swear before his body compelled itself into action.

The boy startled, scrambling to reach for his blade. He went to pull it from its sheath to attack but pulled too fast and at such an angle that the blade jammed on the draw. Lycan's grip slid off the handle and threw off his sense of balance. Before he could correct, he fell on his tailbone. Whether by luck of chance or the aid of his gifted gear, the wolf's ravenous slash only nicked across Lycan's cheek. He winced at the pain and watched the bar of his health tick down by one point.

((OOC: Let me know if I'm doing this right. Still a novice here.))

Spoiler

 ID# 48912 results: -- Battle: 1 -- Craft: 1 -- Loot: 14 -- MOB: 8 --

Feral Wolf: -- 8/8HP -- 3DMG -- 2MIT --

Lycan: -- 11/12 HP -- 2/3 EN --

Combat Order:
[0H] Lycan
Wolf (Attacking Lycan)
[0H] Manta
[0H] Calrex

 

Edited February 22, 2016 by Lycan

[Amira 0]

Manta glanced around the fields as they walked, marveling at how active the mobs were that day. A party must be out hunting for mats nearby for so many mobs to be respawning so quickly. She gripped her rapier a little more tightly as they walked, not wanting to let any harm come to Lycan. She wasn't going to let anyone die under her watch. The sudden spawn f the wolf in front of them startled her a bit, and she watched as it lashed out at Lycan. It was a weak mob, but it could pose a threat for the white haired man. She stepped in and poked the wolf gently in the side with her rapier, watching with satisfaction as it burst into pixels.

ID# 49031 results:

Battle: 4 (+2)=6 Hit! (12 +7= 17 DMG)

Feral Wolf: -- -9/8HP -- 3DMG -- 2MIT -- DEADED

Lycan: -- 11/12 HP -- 2/3 EN --

Manta: 144/144 EN:35/36 

Combat Order:
[0H] Lycan
Wolf (Attacking Lycan)
[0H] Manta
[0H] Calrex

Edited February 23, 2016 by Manta Gaul

[Calrex 0]

OOC: Looks like you nailed it Lycan. Nice job XD

IC:

With the battle that Lycan had been forced to engage it was just as quickly ended by Manta as she drew her blade and promptly pierced the wolf, eliminating it in a single stroke. He gave a smirk at the sight. If it was something he had noticed during his time fighting alongside the white-haired young woman, it was that she had followed a similar route to Zelrius, pooling all of her experience into dealing as much damage as possible. "Well, glad that's over alright. Lycan you alright? If you need to rest we can always break for a few seconds so that your out of combat healing can trigger."

Glancing around the Ultramarine Knight slowly drew the Grand Blade II from its sheath as he gave a calming breath. Light blue energy began to radiate from his sword as he began to prepare his <<Howl>> skill, in case any other monsters decided to show up. With the team they had at hand, he figured his role was going to be as the group's tank, while Manta functioned as the damage dealer. Lycan, being the only one with the information on the item, would be able to safely participate in combat once the Ultramarine Knight took the aggro, but before then his safety was priority.

"Alright, how much farther should we head out before you think it's safe to disclose the information?"

[Lycan 0]

"Yeah, yeah," Lycan stammered with a hint of irritation on his voice.

"Couldn't even draw my sword..." he chided inwardly.

Lycan grunted as he lifted himself from the dirt and grass. He promptly padded away the loose blades of grass and dirt which fragmented into sparkling mist upon hitting the ground. Once decently maintained, his hand drifted to the glowing scar on his face. Warm to the touch, slightly painful, and strangely damp, Lycan pulled his hand away to watch small cubic bits of red lift from his hand.

"Blood?" the teen muttered, again placing his hand against his cheek.

"No, not blood. Definitely an injury though," he mentally corrected.

Calrex's voice brought his attention back to the situation. Before he replied, Lycan drew his weapon. This time, with a slow fluid motion and successfully. He wouldn't be caught off guard again and the weight of a one handed blade wouldn't trouble him as they traveled compared to the heavy weapons.

"Let me check the marker I set," Lycan replied to Clarex.

He looked to the horizon where the tips of pine trees crested. In the midst of them, Lycan saw a white chevron shaped marker with a number present over the top. From their current distance, they could close the gap in about ten to fifteen minutes. The youth then checked the opposite direction toward the town. While the occasional player battled with the local fauna, many were clear outside of earshot with the nearest players engaged in mass harvesting.

"Let's keep moving, but here is good," Lycan nodded as he continued their previous pace.

"I heard from those two players about a monster that spawns in this clearing we're heading to. They mentioned the spawn timer is incredibly long and not guaranteed which makes this particular monster rarer than most of the other spawns on the first floor. Apparently, it drops a rare item or material called 'The Philosopher's Stone' which is nested in its head. They also mentioned its name, 'The Gemmed Rabbit'."

Lycan kept an eye on the two of them from the corner of his eyes. Still being new to this game, who was to say they wouldn't just leave him out here? He swallowed his doubt, and remembered what had happened no more than a minute ago when the fencer saved him.

"They're good people."

"I don't know how strong it is, but I can only assume that its not as easy as that wolf if the people I overheard were actually front-liners. It might even be an optional mini boss I heard this game has..."

((OOC: In fact, since I'd like to pull a loot roll off this thing, could we spawn it with the necessary HP to do so? That's be half of Calrex's HP, but only the 3DMG and plenty of MIT. A bullet sponge really. Thoughts? We can move this to PM if we want to discuss it more and I'll edit out my OOC notes once we decide.))

Edited February 24, 2016 by Lycan