[SP-F1] No Pain? No Problem!

[Esper 0]

It was morning, Esper assumed, as a pestering light had been prodding at her eyes for a while now. Gross. Es was never a morning person, not in real life, and not here either. Her senses slowly gained themselves, refreshed and rested. Only, where was she resting? In worries of this specific question, Esper's eyes widened, though wincing not a moment after due to the blinding sunlight. Shielding her face with her left arm, she sat up, leaning on her left elbow as she lazily looked around. She was....in a bed of grass. Where, she didn't exactly know. "Wh..." Was all the noise she made, before her eyes rested on a very familiar object. The capital. The Town of Beginnings. But...why did it look so small? It was far away..............What?! Esper began to panick, little moans of fright escaping quite pathetically. How in the hell did she get so far away from the safe-zone? She woud ask herself this as she stood up, her gaze darting in a few directions, so not to assume safe....But she was alone. Unbothered, and as far as she could see, undetected. "How did I.....?" Nevermind that. She didn't know. Maybe she just got exhausted while she was walking, and collapsed. Ah, but maybe this wasn't a bad thing after all. She had planned to search for materials sooner or later, when she mustered up enough courage to leave the capital. Maybe this was a sign. A push. "Alright then. Well played, game. Creepy, but well played." With but a short sigh, she kicked a little grass from under her feet, and turned away from the capital. It was time to gather some materials! They might not be of value to her at the particular moment, but she could use it to barter, at the very least, depending on the vendor. So, she began to pursue, and hoped for luck. It didn't take but a minute or so to find material, but upon closer examination, she realized that it was corrupt. She received nothing.

ID# 66134 results: LD: 9 - Failure

No materials found

Edited August 18, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

"My luck better improve, or this is gonna be one heck of a time...." She mumbled, tossing the tainted ore aside. She should have doubted a piece of ore, just lying around. It was most likely tossed out by another player that noticed the same flaws. A bit far away from the nearest safe-zone, albeit.

But since she was alone now, maybe she had time to spend on her thoughts. There were so many, after all. And none organized, like they used to be. She was a mess on the inside, again, and it didn't seem to be getting better. She was locked here, along with everyone else, forced to survive, or die. Living contently was a ways off for her, especially at such a low level. Es considered this, thinking it may be healthy for her to reflect on her choices at such an early time in the game, and plan for choices not yet made. "What's this....More ore?" She was boggled. Another piece, just laying in the grass, leaning up against a tree that was tall and wilted. It wasn't even jutting out of the dirt, so this struck an odd feeling. But was it usable? She took a closer look at it's surface, tapping it with her knuckle. It sounded dense, and looked fine. "Looks good to me."

ID# 66135 results: LD: 16 - Success

+1 MAT

Edited August 18, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

As seconds became minutes, and the only thing filling the empty silence being the crisp sound of the grass foiling under her feet, Esper sought out her own thoughts, on hopes of achieving peace of mind, if even possible.

......What am I really doing here? Is there a purpose for any of us, or were we just set up like pawns, to be disposed under the whim of a madman. It's so hard to tell. I hate not having the answers.....Of course, to some this isn't a terrible fate. It's a gift, and a clean slate. But what of those who had someone to live for? Would they die, never seeing their loved ones again? Would their loved ones be devastated, their hopes destroyed? Hundreds have died already, and the number keeps climbing by the minute.......Will I be one of them? This question loomed over her for a little while, as she eventually stopped, drawing an end to her venture into the thicket of woods. Now, she looked with her eyes, silently surveying the area, amongst the ominous silence that followed. Alas, nothing came of interest, and nothing of use was discovered. It was time to keep looking.

ID# 66150 results: LD: 6 = Failure

No Materials Found

Edited August 18, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

From a distanced view, Esper could see the flaws on the ore, not to mention that it was really small, like a fragment. So she left it be, and continued walking. Her arms folded across her chest, like they usually did when she wasn't doing anything, and her head was tilted skyward. The light that seeped between the leaves of the trees were dazzling and harsh, forcing her to look away not long after, but she exhaled, a soft sigh whisping from her chest. Her pace was beginning to slow. Maybe she was going too far out? Kasier did in fact mention how dangerous the forests were to travel, especially alone. Even more so at a beginner's level. It was time to turn back, and stick to the outskirts. Only, almost as soon as she turned around, something caught her eye. It was mobile, and swift. It was...a critter. Something that classified as a material, no doubt, and what was more, she wasn't noticed by the little thing.  Esper parted her mouth gently, inhaling and exhaling slowly, before her right hand gripped the hilt of her sword... However, the critter was nimble and alert, and the mere second it took for her to draw the iron from its scabbard, it darted deeper into the forest, leaving a small trail of dust in it's path.

ID# 66151 results: LD: 9 = Failure

No Materials Found

 

Edited August 18, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

"Khh, this really is as hard as she said it was. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places." Solely said to herself to put a little distance between silence and insanity, Esper made her leave of the tall, looking trees and foliage. And since she had nobody to talk to, she considered singing to herself. Singing was always something she could rely on when she felt alone, or upset, or even happy. Singing could fit anything, anywhere, at any time, really. Of course, this was only half true, but that's precisely how she chose to see it. Like so, the tanned girl pondered for a moment, her eyes flicking up at the trees again. "Maybe just a little humming to start things off, then..." 

She could feel herself nearing the exit, even though the clearing was nowhere in sight yet. Quietly, though gradually increasing in volume, she would hum, the melodic caress seeming to keep her content, and unwary. Through this, she was interrupted when she saw a strange, pink, shiny crystal on the ground. Weird enough, the grass from an inch radius around it was dead and wilted to nothing. Almost gave it a volatile aura. Mildly frightened by the questionable exterior, Es decided to leave it be, and continue her grueling walk. When would she get out?...It seemed to be taking a long time.

ID# 66153 results: LD: 7 = Failure

No Materials Found

Edited August 18, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

"I hope I'm not lost. This forest may as well be a maze..." Esper had made turns here and there that she hadn't been too confident on, so the question was bound to surface eventually. Was she lost? Rather, the question was easier than she gave it credit for. If she wasn't sure where she was going, then she was lost. Simple as that. A slight thought of what could happen in a place like this made her stomach turn upside-down, so she did her best to get rid of the nauseous ideas. She would instead focus herself on getting out of the forest, by any means of direction. She would get out sooner or later, she figured. Sooner would have been nicer. Of course, she had to search for materials along the way, or the entire trip would have been for naught. It would've been completely useless! "Tch. This is one hell of a morning. Good grief, I wake up in a place I didn't go to sleep in...or did I? Nn, that's besides the point! And now I'm lost! What else could possibly g-"  She cut her sentence short, as she trampled on something rather hard. She wasn't paying attention, obviously, but she lifted her foot to find a shiny object, purple in color, more or less. "What's this?" She questioned, brushing the clay stuck to it's exterior, a tread of her own boot etched into it's exterior. "Whatever it is, it's worth something..."

ID# 66178 results: LD: 17 = Success!

+1 MAT

Edited August 18, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

Pocketing her find, Esper looked in either direction, and gathered herself to her feet, to continue the walk that sapped at her energy. Her legs were aching, a feeling she was familiar with, and certainly used to. Doesn't make it any less miserable, though. Thus, she walked, her hands tucked into the pockets of her pants, which were roomy enough that she could bury almost half of her arm inside of it. Roomy, indeed. Her gaze flicked towards everything that moved so much as a sublte inch, as her boredom began to seize over. She was never accustomed to boredom, and isolation wasn't something she enjoyed either. She almost regretted ever taking this trip alone. There was no one to talk to but herself, and she knew her, and what she was doing or going through. There wasn't hardly anything she didn't know, which made it, boring. Boring, and more bored things that promoted the boredom that she herself was locked with. "Am I that boring? Hnn, I miss Itzal. Kasier, too. Somebody..." She had to be able to endure things that consumed time, she reminded herself. Life was a game of waiting. And during the wait, your life doesn't get put on pause, but rather withers while you sit and watch. Kind of depressing when she thought about it that way. She tended to be optimistic, but for some reason, her thoughts had led her in the opposite direction. "I'll find what I need, and then things'll go on like they should. This is merely a hurdle. I need things, so I have to get things to give things to get the things I need! Or something."

ID# 66179 results: LD: 6 = Failure

No Materials Found

Edited August 18, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

Step after another, Esper carried herself through the beaten paths that lie ahead of her, within the forest. The forest of silence, would've been a suitable name. There was no noise emitted by anything, save for the leaves and twigs that snapped and crunched under her boots. The crickets fell silent, wildlife was nowhere to be seen. It was eerie in it's own mysterious way. It chilled her to the bone, a rather easy thing to do when her barriers were down, and she was vulnerable. "Ehh, it's creepy out here.." She murmured, crossing her arms, but in such a was as to hold her arms, like someone normally might when they were freezing. As for Esper, it was so she felt safe. Her voice trembled, and her heart didn't slow. The bad feeling was already present.

But the walk seemed to bring her somewhere after all. It was a clearing in the underbrush of low lying bushes, and what sat in the middle, was a small patch of flowers. They were rather large, and white. A small, yellow tint blotched it's exterior, creating an artistic appearance. What was more, the patch was tended with an opening in the trees above, the sun shining exclusively in the area they were thriving. ".....Woah." Esper took a cautious step forward, but nothing happened. It sure looked like a trap. But upon closer examination, all it yielded was materials, in the form of the white flowers. There were roughly six or seven of them, but she picked a liking towards the smallest one, the most delicate, and perfect one. "You'll be alright, no one's taking anything from you. Not at the moment, at least."

Edited August 19, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

A short distance from the flower patch by now, the dark toned girl walked leisurely along the dirtied, old path laid out before her. It would appear that this used to be a route through the green of the forest, but now, it was neglected and overgrown. Vines of many dull colors sprawled out across the ground, reaching as far as their scrawny fingers could reach. The dirt was riddled with small weeds, decayed and wilted. There were large mushrooms looming over her head, growing enormously on the trees supporting it's weight. But that was just visual. The smell was stale and earthy, and often odd scented. It seemed as if a miasma was looming off of certain objects, the intensity fortunately light, and uneffective. And the sounds, the sound of her boots, squishing into the soft clay, and decomposed leaves. The occasional call of a bird, or trill of an insect. No one noise was constant, which made silence a majority of the atmosphere. But Esper minded it little. Nothing seemed to bother her, or even acknowledge her presence. Sure, it looked like a mushy, swampy wasteland, but it was an overall content walk. Even if she wasn't certain where she was going. She wasn't without something to gain here, either. She was searching for materials, and she was finding them. Her luck wasn't terrible either, especially when the forest's condition was in question. The mushrooms, when they were small enough, and easy to reach, made for a perfect material, as she found, placing one into her inventory.

 

ID# 66259 results: LD: 17 = Success!

+1 MAT

Edited August 21, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

However, despite the feeling of security, she was alone. Esper wasn't the kind of person that enjoyed being alone. She could do it for any amount of time, sure, but the longer she was without someone to communicate with, the less she felt human. Talking and relating to someone that would listen to her, as she would to them, was one of the more effective ways she felt her humanity. In silence, with only herself to reason with, and communicate with, she felt distanced, and empty. She never really could keep herself distracted either. Even on certain occasions when she tried to talk with herself, her conscious just wouldn't have it. She convinced herself rather easily that it was nutty and stupid. As such, the silence was like her prison. She couldn't be truly happy without someone that wasn't, her. Maybe there was more than one reason that applied to that problem. But she wasn't yet open to that consideration.

So she walked, taking the windy, untraveled road, not stopping for more than a minute inbetween. She didn't rest. She didn't get distracted. She just walked, leaving treads in the muddy carpet of clay under her feet. The trees were no less thicker and closely placed than when she entered the woods, and it was difficult to see past them, without only seeing more behind those. If she was going to get out, then..maybe she needed a higher view. The thought came to her, her eyes widening with a new sense of purpose. She nearly quit what she was doing on the spot, but yanked the root from the ground, checking for signs of corruption in it's data. Not the slightest trace. It was a usable material.

ID# 66260 results: LD: 16 = Success!

+1 MAT

Edited August 21, 2016 by Esper

[Esper 0]

With this possibility now in mind, Esper stood up, a new look of determination in her eyes. Climbing a tree shouldn't be too hard. It's just what she did on lonely days in the backyard as a kid. Of course, the tree she climbed was done so many times that she had every nook mapped out for durability. Not to mention that she had help from her father. The bleach-blonde tilted her head upwards, looking to the branches and branches of thick leaves covering the sky like a dome. And without but a second glance, she walked up to the tree, and found spots where the bark of the tree jutted out just enough for her to get her slender fingers inside, hoisting herself little by little, up the thick trunk of the tree. This process took a while, perhaps a half hour of climbing twenty four feet of wood. She ended up without any leverage now. She clung, letting out growls of withering effort, as her eyes stormed the surroundings for an alternative. A branch! It was three to four feet behind her, but if she gave herself a good launch, she could reach it. 

Her fingers began to give. She had to act now. Esper strained, her teeth gritted, her eyes displaying a sense of dread as she looked down to her feet, tuning out the height, doing her best to climb the last foot of space between her hands, then turned her head to the branch. And she let go, putting her legs on overdrive as she launched herself onto the thick branch, the impact hitting her chest as she grabbed onto it, pulling herself up. Relief surged over her. Climbing was the hard part. Getting down wouldn't be a challenge. And now, through a patch into leaves at the very top of the rather high rise tree, Esper could see everything. The capital, closer than she expected, the valleys that lead to other parts of land, even dark, wilted wastelands. A small sigh escaped from her chest as she looked unto it's beauty, pulling a leaf from the little, frail branches that hung in front of her. It was a material, so it said. But it went from green to black, a second after being pulled, crumbling in her palm within a matter of a blink. It disappeared then, the shattered remnants of what used to be, vanishing.

 ID# 66299 results: LD: 13 = Failure

Edited August 22, 2016 by Esper