[PP-NK-F1] Aincrad and Chill (Xion)

[Kasier 0]

Kasier's eyes felt droopy as she sat on the park bench. Indeed, it seemed that she would have to spend one more night in the wilderness without a place of shelter to protect her from the raging wind that occurs in the middle of the first floor. She could feel that sleep was slowly making its way upon her and she didn't appreciate the fact that she would have to sleep soon. Since she had become active as a player and a healer, she really hasn't been making that much progress. Her skills were still the same and she was still unable to heal that much health from people. Indeed, she didn't have the power and ability to go out there and kill mobs on her own either. As a newbie, she would have to try her best to become a better player so she can help those that are in need of help, those who are weaker that she... not that at the moment, anyone was weaker than her. Kasier knew that as long as she kept on going, kept on trying to become a better player, she will definitely succeed in what she wants to achieve. Kasier bent over, picked up a stone and threw it up and down as she looked at the starry sky above. The scenery in this game was absolutely astonishing. No matter how bad Kayaba, the creator of this game was, Kasier would never fail to be astonished by the perfection of this game. If only this wasn't a death jail for the players, Kasier would probably enjoy this game and its pure beauty. However, right now, she was trying and working as hard as she could to become stronger and free the players from the jail that held them within. 

[Xion 0]

Xion sighed as he walked the streets of the town of beginnings, the paved stones being barely lit up by the homely glow of street lamps. He had left a sleeping Avilon at his forge, he didn't want to wake his love at this hour so he had decided that a night time walk was in order, to clear his thoughts and allow him to reflect. It was relaxing, really, being able to just wander and think with no one to interrupt him, nothing to bother him or disturb him. It was possibly the best way to spend his time, second of course to spending time with Avi. "It's...been a long day..." he muttered to himself as he wandered, wearing his trench coat, the only thing he wore other than his armour which had the added bonus of making him look like Neo, and who didn't like Neo? "I've come so far...in such a short time...since returning I've only progressed more each day..heh" he said with a chuckle. "The old me was weak" he continued before walking by a bench on which someone was sat, the player stopping as he noticed. "What are you doing out so late...?" he asked. 

[Kasier 0]

Kasier's eyes were close to dropping entirely. Despite her day not being too eventful, the night was approaching fast and darkness soon engulfed the world of Aincrad, signaling that it was finally time to rest for the players who are unaware of the fact that night = sleep. Soon enough, she decided to drop the rock onto the ground and closed her eyes entirely until a manly voice came from above her, waking her up right as she was about to enter the world of dreams. Having just been awoken, she stared straight at the man and found that his hair was rather long for a man yet she was able to distinguish his gender by hearing his voice. At this point, the moon had already risen from the horizon. It flew high into the sky in what seemed like an instant and moonlight had replaced the sunlight that was present until what appeared to be just a few moments ago. Kasier smiled, realizing that the man had asked a question yet she had taken way too long to answer him. After rubbing her eyes, she looked up at the long-haired man before moving her mouth to speak, "Uhm, I'm sleeping here. There's really no where that I can sleep except for here... Actually, this place is quite comfortable." She lied, afraid that the man might show pity for her. Having said that, she sat up and scooted over, inviting the man to sit with her, assuming that the man wanted to sit on the bench since he asked her what she was doing there. "Hey, look at the stars, aren't they beautiful? You know, some people say that each star represents someone who has died in this world..."

[Xion 0]

Xion chuckled as the girl answered, she must have been lying he thought as he knew himself that sleeping on benches wasn't all too comfortable. "A fair a reason as any..." he said before sitting down next to her, sighing and leaning back against the bench , his hair dangling over the side of it as his slightly unkempt locks were hard to control a the best of times. He took a second to look at her, she had long black hair, red eyes that looked as if they could kill a man with a simple look, yet she acted so innocent. It was obvious that she was a lower levelled player from what she wore, although she probably wouldn't think him to be level 30 due to the fact that he wasn't wearing his armour, but even them some people in SAO were surprisingly good at deducing one's level. The girl then noted the beauty of the stars, something that Xion agreed on, although her following words were of a less uplifting sentiment. "I don't believe that...personally. But if it's true...then I want to know which one is him" he said to the girl, holding back a tear as he remembered the death of Lindow, one of the founding members of his old guild. "I wonder what the old man would have thought of us bending a knee to KOB..."

[Kasier 0]

Kasier stared straight at the sky above. Her eyes switching from one part of the sky to the other, checking out every single white light in the single, imagining each one to be a player that had passed away. Each player had their own personalities, had their own motives to survive, and their own love towards something else. Yet when one dies, their death seems so insignificant. If Kasier was to ask anyone about her past friends, they would probably have shrugged and walked away. Death in this game was common, too common that it was horrifying. Kasier allowed her long, black silky hair to dangle upon the chair as her ears jerked up upon hearing the man's speaking voice once more. His tone changed suddenly and no longer was he speaking in a buff, muscular voice but now it appears that he was saddened by memories. It was obvious that the man was haunted by the death of someone else and his experience within the game was horrifyingly dull and long. The man didn't look like a high leveled player... But he spoke with wisdom. Enough that Kasier respected him well. The man sounded like he was on the verge of tears and well, Kasier didn't want someone crying next to her if she could help it. "Yeah... If it is true though... I wish my friends up there are getting comfortable in the night sky... The old man? Seems like this man was important to you. Tell me about him." She said in the calmest voice that she could muster with her eyes gently staring at the man. Her face filled with curiosity but not stubbornness for a good story. 

[Xion 0]

Xion sighed as the girl asked him about who he was speaking of. His death wasn't pleasant to remember, but he couldn't blame the girl for being curious, he had only himself to blame for being too weak to handle the fact that his friend was gone."His name was Lindow...a good friend of mine and of many others. Almost a year ago now we banded together, around five or six of us to create a guild known as the crimson blades. Of which I was the second in command, and he a respected member of the leading council..." Xion told her, trying not to get emotional while reminiscing about the old days. How he missed them so. "This was back in the guild's infancy, when we were still relatively small and only had a few members to our name. Lindow had gone into a cave in the fourth floor I believe, although I am not certain. In order to hunt for materials and grow in strength...it was in that cave that he met his end at the hand of some mobs. I regret the fact that I, as the guild's tank was not there to protect him in his final hours...at least we gave him a good send off as they say" he said, staring up into the night sky. 

[Kasier 0]

After the male player finished his story about how his dear friend died to a mob in the caves of the fourth floor... It only scares Kasier more about what is out there on the fields where players are not protected by the safety of the safe zone. "Well, I'm sure that he is spending his time looking down on you from up above, sir." Kasier said, not knowing the player's name but feeling obvious sadness from the man's expression. "Anyway... My name is Kasier... I'm your typical newbie who wants to get big. Uhm. What's your name?" Kasier asked, curious as to the man's username so she might have a possibility of adding yet another name onto her friend list. However, hearing the man's story about the death of his dear friend caused Kasier to want to tell her own story as well. And without hesitation, her mouth began to move as she told the story of her friends under the night sky in which she was sure her friends were watching her from. "Well. I guess I have had a similar experience as you. At the beginning of the game, I hid in an inn by myself for the longest time because I was too scared to come out in fear of what might kill me in the fields and in the towns. However, my friends were much more braver than me. If they were a bit lucky, they would probably be one of the best frontline team that Aincrad has ever seen. But because they went into a camp of bandits carelessly, they were killed... and I feel like if I had been grinding to become stronger... Then they might have been alive to this point." Indeed, Kasier had wept quite a bit after hearing the news of her friends but afterwards, she whipped off her tears and decided that she would become stronger so that no one would die if she could help it. "Basically... I want you to know that I know how you feel."

[Xion 0]

"It's not likely...but if he is, then I hope he's looking at me with a smile on his face" Xion said in response to what the girl said before she revealed her name to be Kasier, which made Xion smile as he thought it had a nice ring to it. "My name is Xion...I may not look it with just this coat on but I'm actually level 30, so if you ever need any help message me..." he said to the girl with a smile before she went into detail, telling the story of the death of some of her friends. Theirs stories weren't all too different, his and hers, even though he knew that low level players falling prey to enemies by underestimating them or overestimating themselves he found it funny how similar the tales were. "I am sorry that you lost your friends and probably had to go through more pain than I did. But trust me, don't blame yourself. The best thing you can do to honour their memory is to make yourself stronger, become better, succeed where they failed to do so and make them proud...It may sound far fetched but not too long ago I wasn't much stronger than you, small, weak, unable to compete with anyone. But now I have over 100 mitigation and health, nothing short of a rank 5 sword art will put a dent in me. It can be done..." 

[Kasier 0]

"Wow! Level 30? That's really high. Wait, are you one of the front liners? Geez, that's really impressive. I never thought that I would meet someone as high leveled as you out here!" Kasier said, surprised that a man of such high level and class was strolling around on the first floor where all the weak level one players were located. "Well, don't mind if I ever contact you when I need help with a hard quest or something. Here, I hope you don't mind me adding you as a friend." Kaiser said, opening up her menu and after clicking a few buttons, sent the friend request to Xion. Kasier was not someone who judged someone else from their appearance, especially since this was a video game and most hardcore video gamers were literally nerds with gigantic glasses hiding half of their pale face too white from lack of sunlight. She knew that even though these players didn't look like much, they were actually hardcore fighters on the front lines. This game didn't require you to be buff physically, but you must be intelligent and lucky. "Hm. I will definitely train hard and become one of the greatest healers in Aincrad so I can prevent any more people from dying in this game. I'll heal everyone and do everything to help the people in this world. I just hope that I can reach the front lines soon enough and bring my healing there as well. I'm sure that I'll make it eventually if I try my hardest! So, I hope I see you in the front lines sooner or later!" Kasier said, opening up her inventory and pulling out two bread and two glasses of water, offering one of each to Xion. "Want one?" She asked, in case the man was feeling hungry.

[Xion 0]

Xion chuckled as the girl talked, seemingly amazed by the player's level and commenting on the fact that she didn't expect to see higher levelled players on the lower floors. "Level 30 isn't really high...I know I'm strong but there are those that are much stronger than I...much, much stronger. And to be honest we're everywhere, not just the higher floors. I have a shop here so that;s why I stay down here when I have nothing to do. It's peaceful and quiet...a nice change from the front lines" he told her before the girl sent him a friend request which the blonde tank accepted quickly, it was always good to make new friends and allies, or at least that was what the player thought. Kasier then told the boy about how she was going to train to become the greatest, or at least one of the greatest healers in aincrad, something that made the player smile. "That's good...we could always use more healers as they're quite rare on the front lines as people don't seem to like the healer role..." he told her, sighing as he thought about how many damage dealers there were on the front lines when compared or healers or other support type builds. The girl then offered him some bread and a glass of water, Xion nodding and taking them before biting into the bread. "Haven't had this stuff in ages...I think I still have my starter food in the inventory"

[Kasier 0]

Kasier was glad that Xion had accepted her gift of starting bread and cup of water. It wasn’t everyday that you meet a front line player here in the lower floors and she was well aware of that fact as well. These front liners are probably really busy all the time doing their crafting and doing their grinding in order to get more experience and get stronger. Kasier respected all the front liners with all her heart because these people worked hard in order to become strong and become a hero in this world of Aincrad. Their hearts are filled with courage and determination and even if all their personalities are completely different and contradicting, they all have a common goal and common target to hit. They all fight hard against floor bosses to try and free the players from this virtual prison. What Kasier respected most about Front liners is their devotion to help players. So, one day, when Kasier reached the high tiers of Aincrad and becomes a respected healer, she’ll do all she can to keep front liners alive and help young players grow and become better players. That is her goal, to help those in need of such help.

“Hey Xion, by the way, I am planning to become a tank after I fully master all the healer skills. It’s going to take a while but eventually I’ll be able to do so and this might be the only moment that I can talk to a professional tank.” Kasier said, now, after her mind was a lot clearer, she remembered something about Xion that the NPCs and newbie players talked about a lot. Apparently, the man deals more damage when someone attacks him than actually being dealt damage.

To Kasier, deal damage indirectly is perfect. Kasier would never actually use her sword to deal damage, maybe if she was battling mobs that weren’t cute but other than that, she won’t be able to hit a mob directly using a sword but she’d be able to deal damage with the use of armor and an enhancement called thorns. Sure, she was no expert but this was basic knowledge that everyone needs to know. For now though, she needs to plan for the future and she had absolutely no idea what skills to invest in as a tank. Xion, of course, was a professional. He is perhaps the best person to talk to this about due to the fact that he is an experienced front liner who acts as a tank and protects players that stand behind him who deals damage. One day, after Kasier masters healing, she’ll work to become a tank… And indeed, she will definitely reach a goal that she set out for herself.

“So, as a master tank that is very well-known around these parts, do you think you can give me some advice on how to build a tank build?” Kasier asked, curious as to what skills Xion had invested in as a tank of the front lines.

WC - 505

Edited August 2, 2016 by Kasier