Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #1 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) Necryptonix glared up at the mountain. Why here? Whose idea was this? The mountain didn't respond to her bitter thoughts. She had heard from a fellow player that there was an NPC who gives a quest for a new skill, but the first hurdle was reaching the NPC. And a hurdle it was. The mountain loomed into the virtual clouds, the peak barely visible. Nix sighed and uncrossed her arms. Any chance to get stronger was a chance she was willing to take now, but if she had known the damn thing was this high up, she might have thought better of it. Well, it's too late now. I didn't walk all the way out here to just stare at it and go home. "Why do I feel like you're mocking me?" Necryptonix gave the summit a last dark look before stepping onto the path she hoped would lead her to the top. "If this path stops half way up and forces me to climb and then fall to my death, I swear to god I'm haunting this place for eternity...." ------------- She had been hiking up the mountain for hours, and she was finally starting to feel like she was making progress, when her foot slipped on some loose rocks and sent her pitching forward, arms windmilling to try and keep her balance. But she failed, stumbling forward and hitting the ground hard, inches from falling off the side of the mountain. She laid still for a few moments, calming her racing heart and mentally beating her head against the ground for her clumsiness. "I would never be able to explain dying like this to my family..." Edited January 11, 2017 by Necryptonix added a cool title Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #2 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 "You wouldn't be able to." the blonde haired player said from behind a tree from the area a player had been climbing upwards, he knew it was a beginner player, she didn't seem to have any equipment much at all and her weapon even looked like a beginner weapon. He leaned downwards and offered her a hand upwards back on her feet, while doing so he opened his inventory and pulled out one of the water's that was in his inventory and offering it to her, "Here, I know climbing this mountain is no easy task. Drink up, buttercup." he said with a smile and a chuckle. "By the way, the name's Beatbox. Sentinel of the Celestial Ascendants, and Secondary DPS in my group of the front lines, its a pleasure to be in your presence." he said with the most sincere voice he could as he wanted to be polite to newbies, and the players that had locked themselves away or failed to get their EXP on the first day of the death games. @Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #3 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 She looked up in horror at the other player, cheeks flaring red as she realized he must have seen her spectacular show of clumsiness. And on top of that, it looks like he's already pitying me. Great. But she took his hand and let him help her up, taking a moment to brush herself off. She looked at the water he offered, tempted, but steeled herself and straightened her shoulders, trying to appear as composed as she could. "I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn't have anything to give you in return. I can't accept that. " She was a little thrown off by the sincerity in his tone, but continued, "I wouldn't want to trouble a higher level player like you obviously are." She gestured at his gear with a shrug and a slight smile, trying her best to make herself appear as non-threatening as possible. Out in the middle of no where like this, it would be no trouble for a pk-curious player to push her off the edge. She had to be sure she developed a rapport with this guy before she turned her back. "My name's Necryptonix, by the way. And thanks, for helping me up....you didn't see me fall, did you?" She peered up at the taller player hopefully. Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #4 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Beatbox smiled and said "Nah sure ya can! I have plenty of these and it would go to waste if they just sit in my inventory all the time. Go on take it!" he said with a warm smile, "I am not that high, I just am high enough to join the front lines is all, there are plenty of players that are higher than me in every way possible." he chuckled. She seemed rather nervous and was talking very nervously, he giggled when she had asked if he saw her fail or not he chuckled and said "Don't worry about it Necryptonix, we all have our failures from time to time, it happens to the best of us." he gave her a wink with a chuckle, "I assume you are here to take the Breaking the Unbreakable quest?" he said with a smile as his fox familiar Ocarina had appeared over his shoulder and looking at the new player sniffing in her direction to be sure she is friendly. "By the way, would you be insulted if I called you Tonix?" he asked questioning if he could since her name is almost a mouth-full. @Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #5 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) It would be rude to refuse a second time, wouldn't it? Resigned, she nodded and took the water from the other player, buying herself a few extra moments to think when she took a sip. She smirked when he laughed, and replied "Yeah, I guess there are worse first impressions than a face plant, huh?" She decided not to expand upon that joke, unsure yet what kind of things this guy would find amusing. There's a fine line between funny and disturbing, after all. Her brows raise in surprise when he mentions the quest, and she nods. "Yup, that was the plan, assuming this god-forsaken mountain doesn't kill me first. It's made a few valiant attempts at it." She glared down at the ground and nudged it with her boot. "You know, it's one thing to make us die if we get killed in the game, it's a whole other thing to make the terrain as violent as the monsters are. That's just sadistic. And you can call me Nix, I know the full name is a mouthful. Sorry 'bout that." She gave the fox familiar a surprised look, and offered her hand for it to sniff, hoping that that was the polite thing to do here like it was in the real world when meeting new pets. "I don't suppose you know how much farther I have to go until I reach the NPC's house, do you?" Edited January 10, 2017 by Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #6 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Beatbox looked the other direction as she had took a sip from the water and talk to him for a few moments, Beatbox chuckled and said to her "Alrighty then Nix, the old man's house shouldn't be too far from here, it's not that long of a walk." he looked to see that she had also been extending her hand outwards for his fox to sniff her hand, in which Ocarina did and licked her fingers then to the top of her hand, Beatbox chuckled and said "Alrighty now Ocarina, we're not here to give her a bath now." as he patted the top of the top of his familiars head. He pointed in the direction in which it lies and said out to her "the Old Man's house is that direction, follow me madam I'll show the way." he said politely and with a bow as he walked forward "The mobs here sure seem intimidating don't they here?" he asked her with a smile "Once you've grown a lot in levels these mobs become a joke to beat, not even a challenge for you. That means at a later level you can absolutely feel safe at a low level and especially not die, should you do it though? the answer is blunt, no." he said as looked forward with a grin. "I certainly wish day by day I could just take a break from this nonsense, it adds on to the depression I have now. Here's a tip for you Nix as you grow in levels... don't lose who you are and what your goals are... its the mistake I've made." he said without much emotion. @Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #7 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Nix smiled at the fox and chuckled, wiping her hand off on her pants before following close behind the blonde boy. Her eyes widened a bit in surprise as he spoke, shocked at how honest and open he was being. That's an awfully personal thing to say to a stranger, dude....She had to agree though, she had already heard the stories of players going off their hinges. Having the power of life and death in in your hands will do that to a person, I suppose... "Well, you don't have to worry about me. I'm as bull-headed as a - well, a bull. I don't change too easily." She looked at Beatbox out of the corner of her eye. "And no one can blame you for being depressed, in a hellhole like this. Assuming we got out of here someday, it'll be a wonder if every single player doesn't need years of therapy." She shrugged, stepping carefully over the rocky terrain, watching her feet to keep from tripping a second time. When she looked up again, she noted a hut-shaped object in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief. "You must be brave to have taken the risks of leveling up at all, even more so to be on the frontlines. You'll get past this too, I'm sure." She continued staring straight ahead, a small smile raising the corners of her mouth. "What were you doing out here, anyway? This isn't exactly a cultural center." Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #8 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 "I'm pretty sure everyone in the front lines is going to need therapy by the end of this." he chuckled before he kept walking forward, he knew he had probably said and done the wrong things to greet her, but it was fine... he wasn't too worried about first impressions, everyone can get the wrong idea about someone on the first time talking to each other. He looked back in the corner of his eyes then looked back forward with a slight smile and said "Brave? No, just willing to push myself to my limits to get everyone out of here, because I am willing to give up my own life to make sure everyone makes it out of here safe." he moved his head over to the left showing a smile before looking back forward "I needed additional information about Martial Arts so I wanted to find the NPC to see if I could find any more information, then I had noticed you trying to climb this mountain, and well, I made sure you were in no trouble. The last thing this game needs is a player dying on us, everyone is important, even at level 1." @Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #9 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 "Ahh, I see." She stayed silent for a few moments, trying to decide what the polite thing to say was now, but drew a blank. He seems awfully humble for a high-level player, and I've never met one so happy to help before...They were approaching the hut now, close enough for Nix to see how simple it was, all alone on the mountain, looking like a fairly strong wind could knock it down to kindling. She hoped this quest didn't involve any more climbing, she had had just about enough of trekking up this empty mountain. "This NPC lives a bit of an ascetic life, huh?" She looked the place over with a critical eye, noting the almost supernatural silence around the place. "Hey, wait, how long were you watching me climb? You aren't some crazy stalker-guy, are you?" She was only half-joking, giving the blonde player a mock-suspicious look as she stopped in front of the hut, hand on the door knob. She had a thought then, and grinned as she held up the water he had given her and shook it at him. "Wait, let me guess, this is poisoned isn't it?" She gave a theatrical sigh and pushed the door open. "I knew nice guys were always too good to be true!" Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #10 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 "Well it would make more sense to have an NPC live out in the streets of a town to teach you how to use Martial Arts. Just saying." he chuckled before reaching the top of the mountain where the man lives to teach Martial Arts, he looked back at Necryptonix and gave her a smile "We're here." he looked back at the hut and back at her, he opened his eyes in shock when she had accused him of being a stalker, Beatbox had a blank face and thought to himself "Is she kidding or...?" he continued to listen to her speak and honestly didn't know what to say other than "W-wait no! I was making sure you were safe! Not for any other reasons, and if that water really was poisoned it would have killed you by now wouldn't it?" he shook his head wondering what the big ordeal was before taking a deep breath leaning at the door and said to her as he moved his head over to look at her "I'll wait out here." then looked over to the side to see the giant boulder... his old enemy. @Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #11 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Nix grinned triumphantly as she entered the hut, proud to have finally shaken the stronger player's calm shell. The grin quickly slid off her face though as she looked around, noticing only a single candle in the center of the hut, with an older man siting lotus-style in front of it, eyes closed in deep meditation. She clasped her hands behind her back and stood quietly for a few moments, trying to be polite and not interrupt the NPC, but after standing awkwardly for over a minute she decided to try approaching him. She took a few steps forward and cleared her throat. "Um, excuse me? Sir?" Nothing. Not even a twitch. Nix frowned and tried again, "Sir? I was told you have a quest I could take? For the Martial Arts skill?" As soon as her words left her mouth the NPC shot up, finger pointing accusingly at Necryptonix. "You! You think you have what it takes to be a Martial Artist?" His eyes made Nix feel like he was boring into her soul, and she leaned away. "Uh, yeah, I think so...." The NPC leapt forward then, almost bowling Nix over as he sped past her and out the door, shouting "follow me!" as he went. "Pft, as if I have a choice, old man...." She followed the man at a more sedate pace, leaving the hut and heading over to where he waited by a large boulder. Once she reached him the NPC gestured at the boulder. "To become a Martial Artist, you must prove you are worthy." He patted the boulder almost affectionately, then continued, "to become a Martial Artist, you must split this boulder in two using nothing but your fists. No weapons! Only fists! Like a true Martial Artist!" Nix's eyes opened wide with shock at his request, but before she could reply his hand shot out to hold her face still, while the other painted 3 whiskers on either side of her face. "The face paint cannot be removed until the boulder is split. Good luck!" With that, the old man hobbled over to a smaller rock and sat down to watch her. Necryptonix looked at her hands, small even as they were curled into fists, and turned to face Beatbox, a "help me" look written all over her horrified face. Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #12 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Beatbox chuckled when she had looked over in horror screaming "Help Me" he gained a smile and went over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder and said "Don't worry Nix, without me you'd probably go insane, however with me..." he said before taking a deep breath before raising a fist to the air and hitting the center of the rock with a simple hit, dealing a good chunk of its health almost a whole fifth of its health in damage. "...this'll be a piece of cake." he gave her a smile and took a step back as he looked down to see a crack forming on the boulder, he looked back up to her and said "It's your turn, show me whatcha made of!" he said with an energetic voice as he clapped his hands together essentially being a hype man to try to get some excitement flowing through her veins, get her blood pumping! @Necryptonix ----- ID: 74022 - BD: 9 Damage: 1 (base) + 1 (athletics) + 6 (familiar) + 1 (Critical Hit) = 9 Boulder: 41/50 [-9 HP] Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #13 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Necryptonix pasted on an obviously fake smile and raised her fist, looking with trepidation at the chunk Beatbox had made in the boulder. Whoever made up this quest must be laughing their heads off right about now...But at least I have help. She steeled herself and swung, but at the last moment she heard a noise from her side and instinctively turned her head to look. Doing so threw off her aim enough that her fist barely even touched the boulder and her momentum made her stumble forward a few steps. She gaped open-mouthed at the boulder. Did I just miss....a rock? Seriously?....When she looked back over at the source of the noise, she saw only the old NPC, sitting quietly and watching. Did he do that on purpose? She sighed, and gave Beatbox an apologetic look. "Apparently I'm not made of very much, sorry 'bout that." She took a step back, realizing she would probably never be able to live down failing to hit a rock. If he wasn't pitying me before, he sure as hell is now.... ---------- ID: 74038 BD: 3 [miss] Boulder: 41/50 Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #14 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Beatbox chuckled as she had missed, Beatbox shook his head and said to her "No no its okay! Everyone messes up at times, I remember my first time doing this quest... I had a bad time." he chuckled before walking up to the boulder and placed his fist on top of the boulder and took a deep breath, he raised his arm up into the air and hit the boulder once again however not in the first spot, just a little bit above it cracking it more. He took a look at its health and noticed that it was just a tad bit more above half of its HP. Beatbox took a step back and looked at Nix with a smile "Alrighty you're up Nix. Just look at the place you want to hit and you will, trust me, i've done it for the past while in the front lines." he smiled and looked to his familiar and pat his fluffy head then looked forward to see her attack. @Necryptonix ----- ID: 74043 - BD: 3+4=7 Damage: 1 (base) + 1 (athletics) + 6 (familiar) = 8 Boulder: 33/50 [-8 HP] Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #15 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Nix watched the other player's attack with more than a little envy, and shook her head with a sigh. "But Beatbox, if you miss something on the frontlines it makes sense. They move. But this?" She gestured darkly at the boulder and stepped up to it. "Can we just agree that the first try doesn't count? Call it a practice shot and forget it happened?" She shot him a hopeful glance before cocking her fist, and swinging. As she swung a slight breeze pushed a few strands of her hair into her eyes and she jerked backwards, shaking her head with a shockingly feminine squeal. Once she had gotten the hair out of her eyes and realized what had happened, she put her head in her hands to hide how beet red her face had become. "I know how bad that looked, but I swear to god I thought I saw a spider on my face. On the upside, I now know what dishonoring my family feels like." Head still in her hands she backed away from the boulder. ---------------- ID: 74044 BD: 5 [miss] Boulder: 33/50 Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #16 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Beatbox chuckled and nodded his head in agreeance saying "Sure, the first attack doesn't count.", she was a funny one, still rather clumsy... but she knows how to keep herself and another happy at least. However he was snickering when she had unleashed a very feminine squeal and moved away from the boulder claiming she saw a spider "I-it's alright, just regain your confidence and w-we'll move on." he said trying his best not to laugh as that would be very impolite to do so. He eventually got over how adorably funny it was and stood up to the boulder and hit against it once more however a little below the existing crack dealing more damage and expanding the crack farther, he looked at the boulders HP and saw it was perfectly at half HP, Beatbox smirked and took a step back for Nix to attack next. @Necryptonix ----- ID: 74045 - BD: 3+4=7 Damage: 1 (base) + 1 (athletics) + 6 (familiar) = 8 Boulder: 25/50 [-8 HP] Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 10, 2017 Author #17 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) Necryptonix took a deep breath, then another, willing the heat out of her face before removing her hands. She heard Beatbox make another successful hit, and she resisted the urge to beg his forgiveness again. If she had known she was going to have so many problems doing this, she would have shooed him away so he didn't have to bear witness to her repeated failures. Granted, it would have taken her all night to complete the quest, but at least then she wouldn't feel the urge to do something crazy to salvage her reputation. She forced a calm expression onto her face before looking at Beatbox, and as seriously as she could manage, said "You have to promise me that if I still don't get a hit in this time, you won't destroy the boulder until I manage it. I won't be able to live with myself if you end up doing all the heavy lifting here." She turned back to look at the boulder and raised her fist. This time her hit connected, and even though only the tiniest chip came off, she gave a shout of triumph. "Ha! I'm not totally useless now!" Still grinning, she took a step back and bowed to Beatbox. ------------- ID: 74048 BD: 9 [Critical Hit] DMG: 1 (base) + 1 (crit) = 2 Boulder: 23/50 [-2 HP] Edited January 10, 2017 by Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 10, 2017 #18 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Beatbox chuckled once more and said "Well, honestly if it weren't for me being here, you probably would have taken ALL day to beat this thing... probably even hours!" he laughed, before bowing back and placing a hand on the boulder and perfectly hitting it in the center again hearing a crack sound coming from the boulder, he stood triumphantly as he watched the HP drop like a fly almost hitting red. He looked over to Nix and said "Being high levels has their perks, however I am not good for anything other than combat." he sighed "I probably should have taken more skills to make me more useful in other situations, buuuut I didn't." he giggled before shaking his head rambling once again before giving her an indication that she was up next to strike against the boulder. He looked towards the boulder waiting for her to strike again against it, he wondered if she could hit it again... @Necryptonix ----- ID: 74050 - BD: 10 Damage: 1 (base) + 1 (athletics) + 6 (familiar) + 2 (critical) = 10 Boulder: 13/50 [-10 HP] Link to post Share on other sites
Necryptonix 0 Posted January 11, 2017 Author #19 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) "If you weren't here, I would still be swinging away at this thing long into nightfall," she answered honestly, albeit grudgingly. "I'll say a proper thank you after it's over, I promise." She shook her head and sighed as he dealt another mortal blow to the boulder. "If you were any better at breaking rocks I'd have to wonder if you do it for fun. But hey, we need people like you if we're ever going to get out of here. You're important, don't sell yourself short. And besides, you're using your powers to help a lowly player like me, that's gotta count for something, right?" She gave him her best encouraging smile before stepping up to the boulder, making a show of rolling out her shoulders and stretching like an athlete preparing for the game of her life. She tried to crack her knuckles, but only got 2 of them to pop. "Okay boulder, prepare to get wrecked." She wound up her arm like pitcher, and swung. She hit the boulder, and watched smugly as it's HP counter dropped another point. "One damage is better than none damage!" She said simply, still grinning as she waved the other player forward. ----------- ID: 74066 BD: 6 [Hit] DMG: 1 (base) Boulder: 12/50 [-1 HP] Edited January 11, 2017 by Necryptonix Link to post Share on other sites
Beatbox 0 Posted January 11, 2017 #20 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 Beatbox shook his head and watched her strike against the boulder dealing exactly one damage to the thing chipping its health slowly piece by piece. Beatbox took a deep breath and said to her once she was finished and said "If you say so, however I am only great for dealing damage. I may be important, however to the eyes of others, purely... worthless." he growled as he punched the center of the boulder dealing more damage to the thing cracking it further down the sides hearing a "CRACK!" coming from it. He took a deep breath and shook his head "I understand what she is trying to say though, I cannot keep myself below all else like this forever cant I?" he thought to himself before looking up to Nix and he shook his hand as it tingled a bit after that hit, he didn't realize that he had struck the boulder out of anger... at least it wasn't anything above a boulder at least. @Necryptonix ----- ID: 74068 - BD: 6+4=10 (Noncritical) Damage: 1 (base) + 1 (athletics) + 6 (familiar) = 8 Boulder: 4/50 [-8 HP] Link to post Share on other sites
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