[PP-NK-F8] Mats for Days? <<Earning a Living>> (Baldur)

[Creius 0]

((Just a warning xD I've been missing a lot recently for some reason. The BD: 2 is loving me right now. I hope you like what I did with the mob, thought it was interesting. Keep in mind, I added three after the first attack, thought it would be more dramatic that way ^.~ Hope that I can actually can do that o.o And that the stats look right to you, should be lootable.))

After a momentary lack of sight, Nathan teleported into the town of Florenthia. The entire town reminded him a bit of a bird's nest, nestled into the branches of a high trees with a massive drop below. Cautiously at first and then with more resolve, he stepped deeper into the town and looked around. He had come to the floor because he had not visited it yet and he needed something to do so, like he often did, he came to see if he could farm some materials here to show the tailor NPC his progress in his profession. It killed two birds with one stone, a seemingly unsettling metaphor when perched high in a tree as a bird. On one hand, it killed his boredom; and on the other, it helped him progress a bit. It was tiresome work, though. Not because it was difficult; rather, because it was tedious and sometimes more boring than being bored. He did not have much of an option, though. Instead of sitting there and continually whining about it he began walking through the town, looking for some way to get to the marshy depths below.

Finally, Nathan made his way out of Florenthia, reaching the outskirts of the tree not too long after he had arrived on the floor. As he transversed the large branches and long suspension bridges, he searched for a mob which he could fight. He felt like he was a misstep from death and that constant thought kept his awareness rather high. Every sign of movement was noticed and every step thought out to avoid falling into the dark waters below that held unknown horrors. While he was transversing a rather thick branch he heard a loud rustling from the branches above him and looked up to see a dark shape falling from the leaves to the branch that he sat on. A large serpent-like creature resided on the branch in front of him, looking at him squarely while it hissed.

Spoiler

Creius:  HP: 72/76  ENG: 17/19  DMG: 6  Mit: 25  EVA: 1        ID#64164   BD: 2   CD:6 (+1 ENG)

??????:  HP: ???/???  ENG: ??/??  DMG: ??  Mit: ??  ACC: ?

Baby Basilisk:  HP: 60/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                           ID#64164  MD: 6 (7-1)    Base 27 - Mit 25 = 2 DMG to Creius + 2 DMG of Poison
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only)  

Baby Basilisk (x3):  HP: 60/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                    Joined after Roll
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only)

Nathan felt fear start to wash over him as he looked into the serpent's yellow eyes and his body began to go cold. It took all his strength to tear his eyes away and almost immediately warmth washed over him. He felt like he had not been able to breathe and all the air in the world had just reentered his lungs. Before he was able to recuperate completely he heard a loud hiss and looked back at his enemy, making sure to avoid eye contact this time, and saw it was slithering towards him at a quick pace. Caught off-balance by the sudden and rapid attack, Nathan took a few steps back then remembered the steep drop beneath him and cast a quick glance behind him. He was safe from the fall but not from the attack. There was a sharp pressure in his arm, a short cry of pain from his lips, and a quick glance at the serpent which had just attached itself to his left forearm. A burning pain began to build up in his arm and Nathan realized that the serpent had to be venomous. Quickly, Nathan did all he could to dislodge the serpent. At first, Nathan swung Bloodletter at the snake but missed the writhing body of the serpent. After that he shook his arms about and, finally, launched the snake off his arm. The burning pain persisted as the poison reached his bloodstream, his health bar dropping still.

The serpent landed with a thud on the branch and hissed loudly at the player, slithering forwards slowly. There were more noises from the branches above and three more of the same serpents landed on the branch, hissing loudly as the siblings ganged up on the player whom had entered their domain. Nathan looked between the four enemies, wondering just what kind of mess he had gotten himself into.

Edited July 19, 2016 by Creius

[Baldur 0]

Baldur felt comfortable on floor 7... or floor 8, whichever one this was. He had spent a lot of his time at the lower levels exploring the branches of these giant trees with his friends and allies. All of whom had now far surpassed him in levels. They had discovered their first dungeon here, even if they had been too scared to enter into it. As far as the floors went, this was also one of the better ones to explore for materials... not the least of which was due to the fact that it wasn't a swamp, or a rain forest, or a frozen tundra, or had that beautiful, wonderful breeze and the smell of trees. How could someone catch that scent so perfectly in digital form?

There were days he could forget that he was in a dream.

Today, however, would not be that day.

A cry of pain caught Baldur's ears just as he had closed his eyes to enjoy the breeze. Glancing around, it took him a moment to orient himself. He couldn't see any players, or any mobs in the area; but once his sense of his surroundings kicked in, he realized that more than any other floor, this one was vertical. Glancing up and down, Baldur caught sight of a player a few levels below him up against a couple of mobs he was too far away to target. He was also too far from any other stairs or ladders.

This is bad.

Walking up to the edge of the platform he was on, Baldur put his feet over the edge.

This could end really badly.

He had managed to not experiment with falling damage yet in Sword Art Online. Partly because he was terrified of heights, though that seemed to bother him a little bit less in the digital world. Taking a deep breath, Baldur pushed off from the level he was on and a moment later thudded onto the level below him. Without giving much more of a pause, he took the landing with mostly bent knees, but saw a tick of his health disappear before he pushed off towards the next branch. This was was a bit trickier, since the branch he'd be heading to was far more narrow than the broad walkway Baldur had been on.

This has always worked in other games. Baldur prayed silently that it would work in this one as well.

As Baldur fell between levels, he assumed the position required for his <<Charge>> skill, and the moment he felt the familiar tugging sensation of the system assist, Baldur released the maneuver and suddenly his direction changed mid-air. It was a feat that would have been impossible in the real world. A person couldn't just suddenly change direction in mid-air, but Baldur relied on this technique in order to ensure that he landed on the platform where desired, rather than missing it entirely as he might have.

"Get down!" Baldur called out to the player he was intervening with. As Baldur drew his katana, blue light erupted from the saya at his side as the blade was exposed. The black and red blade made by Oikawa cut an azure semi-circle into the air which tore through all four of the <<Baby Basilisk>>, causing them to shatter into a hundred tiny polygons.

Baldur stopped as his move came to an end, the blade held out in front of him where the slash had ended and he looked around.

"Was that all of them? I thought they came in larger packs?"

---

Spoiler

Creius:  HP: 72/76  ENG: 17/19  DMG: 6  Mit: 25  EVA: 1        ID#64164   BD: 2   CD:6 (+1 ENG)

Baldur:  HP: 120/120  ENG: 18/30  DMG: 12  Mit: 54  ACC: 3
[ID: 64172 BD: 6+3 (hit) LD: 11+3=14 (Mat & Col reward) <<Gen Getsu>> 12 (Base) + 2 (charge) x 6 = 84 - 15 (Mit) = 69 DMG (AoE)

Baby Basilisk:  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                           ID#64164  MD: 6 (7-1)    Base 27 - Mit 25 = 2 DMG to Creius + 2 DMG of Poison
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only)   Drops 1 Mat & 300 Col

Baby Basilisk (x3):  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                    Joined after Roll
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only)  Drops 1 Mat & 300 Col

Baby Basilisk (x3):  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                    Joined after Roll
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only) Drops 1 Mat & 300 Col

Baby Basilisk (x3):  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                    Joined after Roll
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only) Drops 1 Mat & 300 Col

 

Edited July 19, 2016 by Baldur

[Creius 0]

Nathan watched as the serpents came towards him, his eyes glancing between them as he tried to figure out which one he should attack. Maybe he could land an AoE attack, that was if he could land an attack if any. Right as he was about to charge forwards and into the mobs he heard a shout from above him. Without looking, Nathan hit the ground and saw a flash of blue light. Picking himself up he saw another player and a brilliant display of pixels that represented where the snakes had been just moments before. Nathan looked over the newcomer, noting the katana held at ready in their hands and just how easily they had taken out the serpents. They were stronger than him, much stronger. He only could hope that was not an issue. "Thanks for that, they caught me a bit off-guard." Nathan looked up and around the branches which they had come from and shrugged. This was his first time coming to the floor, he was not entirely sure what he was really up against but it could not be that bad. He brought his eyes to the player who had taken care of his little problem. "You can go along now, I am sure I can handle these beasts on my own." Nathan took two steps forward and slipped on the side of the branch, almost toppling over but catching himself before he did fall. Already this floor was proving to be one of his least favourites. With a sigh he stood up straight and headed up the branch, where it was a bit wider, and took a small breath. He was uncertain how much he liked these heights on such uncertain ground but he would have to muscle through it. There was a quick glance up at the tree, curious how many more snakes there might be, and then Nathan hit the base of the tree with as much force as he could muster, causing the leaves above to shake a bit. It was not much but it was enough to answer their question. There were loud hisses from the branches above and the sound of scales scrapping across the wood of the tree. Not too long after, four new serpents, all of similar sizes to the previous ones, fell down and landed on the branch with a thud. "Well, I guess that answers our question. Must be a nest up there." After that, Nathan focused on the enemies and played with his grip on Bloodletter, getting ready to make an attack.

Spoiler

Creius:  HP: 72/76  ENG: 17/19  DMG: 6  Mit: 25  EVA: 1        ID#64280   BD: 2

Baldur:  HP: 120/120  ENG: 18/30  DMG: 12  Mit: 54  ACC: 3

Baby Basilisk (x4):  HP: 60/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                      ID#64280  MD: 4 (5-1)   
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only)

Nathan charged forward, still slightly worried about his footing. The branch might have been a bit thicker but that sharp drop still worried him. This extreme caution and worry worked against him because he worked against the sword art system, the bloodred hue that Bloodletter had adopted fizzling out as the sword art was abandoned, which resulted in a weak attack that merely swung through the middle of the beasts instead of releasing the AoE attack that Nathan had intended. Awkwardly, Nathan stood in the middle of the beasts then dove out of the group into safety just as they all slithered rapidly to where he had been standing. They fangs dripped with venom as they hissed at him, slithering forwards to him.

Edited July 20, 2016 by Creius

[Baldur 0]

When this player stood up and said that he could handle himself from here on out and that Baldur could leave, he gave the boy an uncertain look, but he would not help someone that didn't want it. Quickly sheathing his katana, Baldur looked around. He could have sworn that whenever he had seen the Baby Basilisk before, they had been in a larger pack. Watching silently, Baldur saw the player move over to the tree where he could get better footing, before kicking the tree as hard as he could.

Wordlessly, Baldur swayed with the branch as it shook under the weight of the players kick; not hard enough to cause him to lose balance, but enough to make Baldur notice it. A heartbeat longer and more of the snake-like creatures dropped from the branches up above.

"Well, I guess that answers our question. Must be a nest up there."

Baldur turned around to face the player and the mobs. Our question, he says now? Baldur considered a more sarcastic remark, but those never translated well, and it would do him nor this new snake slaying partner any good. He saw the player charge forward and attempt to activate a sword art, probably an AoE, and then for some reason just before it activated, he lost it and crashed in among the group of <<Baby Basilisk>>.

Baldur hesitated, and for that he wasn't proud. It had only been a moment, but some part of him had considered the sink or swim approach. The player had clearly expressed to Baldur that he wasn't needed; this player was just fine on his own. But then, in his mind's eye, he saw Lessa again. Her golden hair standing over them as she had heaved her massive two-hand sword and pointed the tip at him. She had gone from menacing to friend, and then to a lifelong companion.

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm actually here farming materials, so I'll take these."

Baldur crouched for only a moment, he had been executing <<charge>> maneuvers as his signature style since before anyone else and he was well practiced at knowing the exact moment the skill would activate. This would mean that he could begin his attack in a moment's notice, even at short range. Quickly spinning into <<Gen Getsu>> Baldur once again drew his blade and slashed in a single motion as he tore the mobs into so many polygons it looked like it was snowing bits of rainbow around them.

"But since you found them, I'll split the materials with you half and half, how's that?"

Baldur whipped the blade to his side as if he were flicking invisible blood from the blade and then sheathed it once more.

"I am called Baldur, by the way."

---

Spoiler

 

Creius:  HP: 72/76  ENG: 17/19  DMG: 6  Mit: 25  EVA: 1        

Baldur:  HP: 120/120  ENG: 18/30  DMG: 12  Mit: 54  ACC: 3
[ID: 64484 BD: 7+3 (hit) LD: 5+3=8 (Mats only) <<Gen Getsu>> 12 (Base) + 2 (charge) x 6 = 84 - 15 (Mit) = 69 DMG (AoE)

Baby Basilisk:  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                           
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only)   Drops 1 Mat 

Baby Basilisk :  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                    
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only)  Drops 1 Mat 

Baby Basilisk :  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                    
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only) Drops 1 Mat 

Baby Basilisk :  HP: 0/60  DMG: 27  Mit: 15                    
           Special: (Poison: 4 DMG for 2 turns on crits. 2 DMG on regular hits for that turn only) Drops 1 Mat 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2016 by Baldur

[Creius 0]

Nathan stumbled backwards after his dodge and watched the momentary hesitation from the other player. Fair enough, he was certain he could defeat these mobs on his own. This was not out of his realm. Then there was a bright light as the player chose to charge forwards and cut all four of the serpents with another AoE attack. The health bars of the four beasts sank from the one attack and they all shattered into pixels before his eyes. Nathan could not help but sigh softly as he watched all four of those potential materials of his get transferred to another's inventory. He was not able to one shot these beasts, he knew that much, but he was capable of defeating them if given the time to do so. If this guy stuck around, Nathan was almost sure he would not get any materials himself since this player was far more capable than him. Those thoughts, coupled with the fact that the player offered to give half the materials he had just earned to him, made him feel a bit too weak. This, of course, only fueled the yearning fire that pushed him towards getting stronger. "Yeah, that will work. Thanks for taking care of them. You did it a lot faster than I could have... My name is Creius. It is a pleasure to meet you, Baldur." Nathan looked around the branches, sheathing Bloodletter when nothing immediately jumped out at him. "So, will you be sticking around and taking all of the materials that I am hunting for with your superior strength? I will acquiesce this location to be your hunting grounds if you so wish. I can always go find some place else." Nathan was more wishing to be at peace than anything while he hunted for materials. He was used to being alone and that was where he was most comfortable. Plus, he did not really know this guy besides that he had jumped into a fight that Nathan had started and ended it just as quickly, thus robbing Nathan of the chance to fight for himself. He was not entirely sure whether he wanted to be around this guy or not, especially since he was a lot stronger than Nathan. That itself pushed Nathan towards being less inclined to trust him. Various suspicious thoughts filled Nathan's mind as he examined the player across from him, wondering just what Baldur's motive for jumping into Nathan's fight was. If he had truly just been looking for materials he easily could have gone somewhere else and left Nathan alone. And Nathan believed himself to be right, that he could have handled those creatures himself, so there had been no reason to "save" Nathan. There was just a big "Why?" floating around Nathan's mind and when it came in regards to other humans, it was always a dubious "Why?".

[Baldur 0]

Baldur reached into his pack where the items would be 'stored' once he had picked them up. Pulling out four mats, he handed them over to the player names Creius.

"So, will you be sticking around and taking all of the materials that I am hunting for with your superior strength? I will acquiesce this location to be your hunting grounds if you so wish. I can always go find some place else."

Baldur tilted his head. Something about their interactions had gone awry. He had thought that by making them suggestion of sharing the materials, he could help the player save some face. Instead, it seemed they had started somewhere confrontational.

"There's no need to go somewhere else. If we team up, then we'll split the materials automatically. It should help you get some decent xp and loot, as well as going a bit faster."

Baldur let the statement hang for a moment before he opened up the menu again and invited Creius to join his party.

"Farming materials can be a very boring job, but it something I need to do a lot... I'd much rather have some company, and it helps to increase both of our safety factor."

Baldur reached into his pouch again, and pulled out a <<Teleport Crystal>> "Here, in case you don't have one already, keep this. This floor is worse than any other if you get split up from the party. This'll let you get back to the main settlement."

"How about it, wanna team up and farm all the mats from this floor we can?"

[Creius 0]

Nathan watched as the player pulled out a bundle of materials, presumably part of his rewards from the monsters he had killed. There was an obvious hesitation as Nathan debated on what to do, the party invite window popping up in front of him not proving to facilitate his decision. Help was always nice, but he was in the middle of a dangerous place with a potentially dangerous person. He knew little about this player besides the fact that he could defeat a group of enemies in one attack when it would have taken himself a few to take out all four. Distrust had always been a huge part of his life and in fact had saved him a few times before so his mind went back and forth as it tried to outweigh his personality with reason and facts. What the player said was true enough, if Nathan tagged along he was certain to get more materials. Of course, that would be if he were actually doing anything for the party. It seemed like this player did not need Nathan's help and that, in fact, Nathan might just be a pity case. Pride was not a particularly important matter to Nathan but what entailed being a pity case did. The player was obviously stronger than him, possibly even capable of killing him in one shot, which would be why he would "protect" Nathan. That was the risk that was hardest to get over. Could he trust this stranger with his life? Even though the player was green, that did not mean he was trustworthy. He knew that player killer guilds had incorporated green players to act as bait for their victims.

While Nathan was thinking, the player spoke again and mentioned how farming was boring and by being together it would go smoother and with less risk. Then, along with the materials, a teleport crystal appeared in the player's hand. He had one already but having more than one might prepare him for a fight later on. The slight hesitation continued then Nathan confirmed all the windows that had popped up by now, the materials and crystal disappearing into his inventory as well as an indicator on his HUD showing the player's name and health. Baldur was indeed many levels higher than him which did not assuage Nathan's worries. He had a crystal at ready, though. He calmed his disquiet mind with the hope that if anything were to happen between them, Nathan could teleport out of the place before all hell broke loose. It was just barely enough.

Nathan looked around the jungle floor, in search for an area to move on to. "Where shall we go? It seems you know this floor better than I do, my first time here. You probably know better places to farm than I could find by just wandering." Nathan looked over at Baldur and waited for a reply, still studying him slightly after they had made a party together and obviously still not entirely trusting him. 

[Baldur 0]

Spoiler

Baldur could see the hesitation in the other player's actions. He wanted to reassure him that Baldur was safe and only looking for more friends, but he wasn't sure how he could do that. He had tried his best, so perhaps for now only actions could be enough. Ultimately he was wise not to trust Baldur, not because he wasn't trustworthy, but because this was a dangerous world and trust was earned.

"When you're down here on these branches, it can be a bit dangerous, even if spawn rate is good. I like to stick to the outskirts of the city where there are still bridges. Follow me."

Baldur then led the way, occasionally looking over his shoulder to make sure Creius was still following him.

Finally, after climbing a few levels in the trees, they came across the edge of town. A network of giant platforms attached to the trees and long rope-bridges spanning the gap. This was a route Baldur knew well, having traveled it with friends before. He knew what to expect in this area a bit more than where he had found Creius. It was more natural and peaceful out that way, but also more dangerous. This part of the giant forest floor was more predictable in this direction.

"There's an array of mobs out here, but if we stick mostly to the platforms we should only come across the <<Forest Stalkers>> which are a panther like creature. If you let me go in first and hit, then you should be safe. If you have a safeguard potion and feel you want to use it, that would be a good idea in case I miss, but that doesn't happen too often."

Turning to one such platform, Baldur walks out halfway across the bridge. It sways under them, but not wildly. From his position they could see the mobs on the far platform. There, the <<Forest Stalkers>> lingered about in packs of four.

"I still need a bit until my energy recovers." he smiled appologetically. It was an issue he was trying to work out still himself. He hated being so hampered by his energy as to be constantly running out.

(2 of 3 rounds out of combat)

Edited July 28, 2016 by Baldur

[Creius 0]

Nathan hesitated as Baldur began walking away but took the first step which lead to the next. After that, it was just a matter of momentum keeping him moving. He followed Baldur up the various steps to the new platforms, noticing the quick glances in his direction. It was not like Nathan was going to flee at this point, there was not really anywhere he could go but forward. If Baldur turned out to hold evil intent then there was nothing Nathan could do but deal with him as best as he could. The edge of the town came into view as they crossed the platforms and a large network of the bridges and platforms came up before them. The sounds of battles in the distance reached his ears, indicating to Nathan that this was the usual farming spot for the floor. Then Baldur began talking to Nathan, informing him of their intended target. He also mentioned the safety measure of the Safeguard Potion but that was not something Nathan had acquired yet. "I do not have such potions on me at the moment. I am certain I will be fine, though. I have made my way through tough situations before and hopefully I have a bit of help this time." Nathan followed Baldur out onto the bridge with a slightly less hesitation than the previous one, stepping nimbly as it swayed beneath them and was not surprised at all to see the groups of mobs dotting the various platforms, some of which were being battled by other players. Nathan brought his attention to the platform in front of them and saw the aforementioned <<Forest Stalkers>> lounging about on the wood, just waiting for their next victim. Nathan brought his eyes back to Baldur as he saw the apologetic smile. Nathan shrugged slightly, indicating his understanding. He drew Bloodletter and checked the blade as he waited for the go ahead. On his HUD he saw that his own energy and health levels were completely full once more so he was as ready as he could be.

(Third post out of combat, energy replenished)

[Baldur 0]

(Round 3 of 3 out of combat and back to full energy/Inset time-lapse)

The shadows grew long before Baldur put away his sword and, out of habit, wiped the back of his right hand against his forehead as if to wipe away sweat that wasn't there. They had not had much luck with drops from the mobs on this section of the floor, which to Baldur's gaming superstitions meant that this area had been farmed too much by other players.

"Well, I'm sorry about the poor results of our farming expedition this time around, but I'll probably be doing the same thing again soon."

The blue garbed gaijin samurai turned to head back towards the main settlement of the floor.

"Would you be interested in getting a drink back in town? My treat." He made sure that Creius was following him as he began to climb a rope ladder to ascend another level from where they currently were.

"I spend most days alone right now, trying to gather up materials and experience so that I can rejoin the frontline." Pausing as he pulled himself up onto the next platform he turned around to give Creius a hand up as well, "And honestly it can get a bit lonely, which is why I try to work in groups as much as possible." He gave Creius a friendly smile and then began a slow pace back towards the gates of the town hanging in one of the giant trees.

[Creius 0]

Nathan turned towards the blue-clad warrior and returned Bloodletter into its dark leather sheath, a little sour at the fact that their luck had not really shone that day. But that was just a simple factor of a game, he knew, so the slight irritation passed quickly. It was getting dark and Nathan could sense that the samurai was done for the day. Nathan's drive to succeed was pushing him to go deeper into the floor and slay mobs until he had won but the rational side of his brain that kept him in check noted that the darkness and the uncertain terrain of the forest could lead to a nasty fall.

 "Do not worry yourself. There is always tomorrow and may tomorrow bear better luck."

Nathan followed after Baldur and looked up at the ladder, shaking away the last vestiges of that desire to turn back and risk his life. He grabbed hold of a rung of the rope ladder and started climbing up.

"No, I am not too big of a drinker. It can dull the senses." Plus there was that slight distrust of the man who was significantly more powerful than Nathan himself. He pulled himself over the top of the ledge and picked himself up. "Thanks for the offer, though. I think I am more apt for a warm meal before a cool night under the stars on the third floor more than anything else." Nathan followed after Baldur towards the gate of Florenthia and looked at the warrior.

Nathan was not quite of the similar mindset that Baldur was conveying at the moment, returning the smile with his ever persistent blank look. "I am more comfortable alone than with others, honestly. I have enjoyed my personal struggle as I try and reach the frontlines. I would have to say that in a world like this, loneliness is not necessarily a bad thing." The final statement was said calmly and matter-of-factly, as though this statement were the most valid one in the world. Nathan realized this was not the mindset of many but it was his, whether others agreed with it or not.

[Baldur 0]

Baldur smiled when the man had taken his offer of drinks to be one of alcohol, though the drinks the NPCs served did nothing to dull the senses as the same drink might outside of the nervegear. Still, the man the right of it. This game could instill a tremendous amount of caution on a player, and it was well deserved. Baldur himself had become too casual, too... uncautious to outsiders, especially orange players, since he had ascended so much in levels. It would do for him to have a bit more caution. 

"No, I don't mean that kind of drink. You see, there is an old saying among military men, and that is that food and rest are just as much weapons, and the body needs to be cared for as you would a rifle, or in our case swords."

He gestured to the village as they came upon the gates.

"You need to rest so that you can be ready for whatever the game throws at us. We don't feel fatigue here the same as we would in the real world, but our minds can get worn down, and our spirits can dull without rest and relaxation. We can begin to forget who we are and what we're fighting for, and instead throw ourselves headlong into danger that should be avoided were our wits sharp and cautious."

He put his hand on Creius' shoulder in a friendly manner, though only for a moment before letting the younger player go.

"Not only that, but allies are important if you want to get to the frontline. Allies, and eventually guild-members. The floor boss fights are not so simple that we can operate as we do trying to level up, and those in good parties or guilds will always be a step ahead because they can reach the best dungeons for leveling."

He grave Creius a friendly smile.

"I'm not saying all of this to pressure you to join me... more... just trying to pass on advice that I found to be hard won."

[Creius 0]

Nathan nodded slightly to Baldur's words concerning rest and food. "That is very much a statement I can agree with. I have seen many the men ruined just because they did not stop to take a breath or sleep. It is a balance that we all must find in ourselves, possibly one of the most crucial ones in my opinion. I make that I am personally ready to make a split-second decision because my life very well may depend on it. If only everyone could realize this then you would not see so many deaths, especially in a scenario like this game." The words petered out as the left his mouth, images of the many late night farming expeditions gone wrong he had witnessed while resting out in the fields.

The bluenette was a little shocked by the friendly gesture and tried not to shrug the hand away. The samurai's words rung in Nathan's head and he could not help but purse his lips as he considered the samurai's words, turning them every which way as his mind analyzed them. The words made sense but it was not something that Nathan was just willing to accept. There had to be a way to train oneself to proceed on their own. If no one else had found a way he would be. He knew that he was resourceful enough if given the opportunity, it was really just a matter of pushing himself harder. Rigorous training always shone through in the end.  Nathan looked up at the samurai who stood around a head taller, returning the smile with his persistent blank look. "Well, I will persist down my path and one day I will make it on my own. I am sure of it. I believe that I can find a way to make it work. Just..." He attempted at a smile and, possibly even worse, a joking tone. "you guys try not to beat the game before I get there." It came out stiffly, betraying just how uncomfortable Nathan was with not only communicating with others but also the idea of failing the goals he had set himself.

[Baldur 0]

Baldur still wasn't quite sure what to make of Creius. He wasn't anti-social, he just seemed to  have some think barriers in the way of his interpersonal relationships... but then, being trapped in a death game while the possibility of being killed at almost any moment by other players... that probably should create some trust issues. Baldur could still remember the first time that he met an orange player. He had been quite worried himself... and that orange player had turned out to be the highest leveled player in the game at the time... before Calrex had even taken up the sword...

Baldur let out a sigh with no context for Creius. It was a sigh of exasperation as Baldur suddenly felt his age, both out of game but also within the world of SAO as well. He had taken up the blade along with Tyger when the 8th or 9th floor had been the frontline. 

"You would be surprised how many people I have had to teach to... sheath the sword, as it were... and even those of us who know to break up the combat with periods of rest need to be reminded of that, from time to time." Baldur said with a bit of a world weary smile to Creius.

He tried to force his smile to be a bit broader and more the familiar one from earlier, "And don't worry, we've still got 81 floors to go, you've got some time.... time enough to be careful, anyways."

[Creius 0]

Nathan looked over at Baldur as a sudden sigh escaped the man's mouth, a sigh that seemed tired. The sigh made Nathan wonder who this samurai, who stood in armour and armed with a katana, really was. Surely not the exact same man, but something different. Not many people would remain unchanged by coming into this world, and many of those that did would have perished long ago. It was amazing how different the two worlds were, this one and that other one that seemed so foreign, yet how similar they were. Nathan felt that it were all too true to the world that he knew, the one of corruption and death and betrayal. Nathan felt he was probably one of the few to have not have changed by coming here. He walked in silent companionship with the eastern knight, his mind jumping from thought to thought. There was a lot of work to do but, with eighty-one floors to work with, it was doable. He would be careful and plan it slowly until he could make use of his strength. But now his mind could not help but return to the real world, a topic he had yet to explore in pretty much since he had learned he was stuck here. "What do you fight for? Do you fight for the people here or something outside? Or maybe even yourself, do you just fight to survive?" There was a small laugh and Nathan turned his eyes to the samurai, looking over at the man who had shown him naught but kindness so far. "I know, that is a pretty deep question and probably too prying, but I am curious. Motives have always interested me and I can tell that the same things drive men here as out there. Greed is a big one, I see it everywhere. It has probably caused a majority of deaths in one way or another."

[Baldur 0]

Baldur contemplated Creius' question. He knew the man was asking more rhetorically, but Baldur didn't mind answering anyways... though he had to do some introspection to find the answer, and then put words to it as well. What did he fight for? Something here or outside? For himself, or to survive? It was a fair question, and yet his answer could be all of those at the same time, and that wasn't exactly the answer Creius was looking for. Did Baldur fight for something here or outside? He fought for both, his friends here and his family outside of the game who were waiting, heart broken, for him to come back. Did he fight for himself or to survive? Well, that was a bit tricky. He did fight for himself, he pushed himself to excellence. He wanted to be a contributing member of the front-line and he wanted to drive forward push their way clear of the tower, but that wasn't just for him, it wasn't just to survive. He needed to contribute. He needed to have meaning in this world, and that was the answer he sought.

"I have family outside of this game, who are probably hurting, and have at this point now given up on ever seeing me outside of my hospital bed. I have friends in the game, companions I've made who every day we linger here have a chance of dying. Then there's all the people down on the first floor, living in fear so crippling that they can't leave the safe zones."

Baldur steel blue eyes stared straight ahead.

"There's no other choice for me to but to fight, to make meaning in this world, I need to be at the front line and push forward."