Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 #1 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) Spoiler LEVEL: 25 HP: 500 / ENERGY: 50 EVA: 3 / MIT: 5 / ACC: 3 / DMG: 9 LD Bonus: +3 HOME BUFFS » RESTED ➥ -1 EN FOR THE FIRST TWO TURNS OF COMBAT » RELAXED ➥ +5 TO OUT OF COMBAT HP REGENERATION ➥ FULL ENERGY REGENERATION AFTER TWO POSTS OUT OF COMBAT SKILLS COMBAT » DISGUISE [EXTRA SKILL] ➥ FREE ACTION ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS ➥ +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN WEAPON SKILLS » TWO-HANDED WEAPONS R5 ➥ +7 DMG WHEN TWO-HANDED WEAPON IS EQUIPPED ARMOR SKILLS » LIGHT ARMOR R1 ➥ +5 MIT WHEN LIGHT ARMOR IS EQUIPPED SWORD ARTS » [X2 AOE] BLAST ➥ 2 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE » [X2] STRAIGHT ➥ 2 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X3] SCOOPED ➥ 3 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X4 STUN] LIGHTNING ➥ 7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X4] CYCLONE ➥ 4 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X5] BACK RUSH ➥ 5 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X6 STUN] FIGHT BLADE ➥ 9 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X7] ASTRAL HELL ➥ 7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X8 AOE STUN] TEMPEST ➥ 8 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE » [X12] CALAMITOUS TRAGEDY ➥ 12 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X13] GALAXY DESTROYER ➥ 13 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE » [X12 AOE] CALAMITY DISASTER ➥ 13 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE INVENTORY ARMOR » [EQUIPPED] COAT OF THE BLOODEDGE ➥ +3 EVA CLOTHING » [EQUIPPED] GLOVES OF CAERUS ➥ +3 LD WEAPONS » [EQUIPPED] "MINOR OCULUS" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (RARE) ➥ +1 DMG ➥ BLEED FAMILIAR » [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS R3 ➥ +3 ACC BATTLE READY ITEMS » T1 POTION OF UNCOMMON QUALITY (3) ➥ HEALS 40 HP Bahr simply blinked when he stumbled upon it. Nestled within the thick forests of the eleventh floor was a lush garden, similar in many ways to the garden that Bahr had found on the first floor what seemed like eons ago. When he had found that one, he had invited Kityuisa, but things quickly got... awkward between them. They straightened things, had a laugh, and seemed to carry on without much issue. It had ultimately been a very good day. Since then, though, it seemed that they had drifted apart a bit. They actually hadn't talked in days. He hadn't even had the opportunity to show her the new guest house he had set up specifically for her yet. He stared at her name on his friend list, wondering if he should invite her or not. In the end, he dismissed the panel and wandered into the garden alone. She was probably busy with friends and didn't have time for galavanting around another garden awkwardly with Bahr. He wandered in and immediately scooped up two flowers that looked good, stuffing them into his inventory. Spoiler ID: 120257 LD: 14+3=17 (2) T2 Materials acquired Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #2 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) Perhaps it was because he had revealed to her that he was one of the infamous Green "PKers" that wandered around Aincrad, unassuming due to their normally colored cursor but secretly harboring the darkest of secrets. The ultimate taboo among the players of SAO - killing another player. Everyone knew that once you did that, there was no going back. Bahr had only managed to keep his cursor green through a loophole that protected a player's cursor from changing when fighting an orange player. She had seemed to accept it at the time, but Bahr should have known better. You don't just hear that your friend literally murdered someone and take it that lightly. Looking back on it, it was obvious that it would change their friendship forever. Lately Bahr was feeling more alone than ever, and ultimately it was his fault. He somberly bent over and scooped up another pair of flowers, stuffing them into his inventory as he contemplated the consequences of his actions. Spoiler ID: 120258 LD: 13+3=16 (2) T2 Materials acquired (4) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #3 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) Could he really be upset about being alone now, after two years of enduring solitude before finally wandering outside the walls of the Town of Beginnings? It was what he deserved. Actually, he deserved worse. Prison seemed fitting. Perhaps he should have just accepted his fate when the gang of bandits captured him the week before. They may have been criminals, but Bahr wasn't any better. He had felt compelled to fight, though. He wanted to. It was the only thing that gave him any sense of solace these days. Fitting for a murderer, he supposed. Wasn't it telling that combat was the only thing filling the hole in his life left behind by his friends? He had bought a house, but it was empty. He had opened a shop, but had no customers. He could either twiddle his thumbs all day or slay monsters, and he reveled in the latter. He bent down, scooping up another two flowers as he lamented his situation. Spoiler ID: 120259 LD: 16+3=19 (2) T2 Materials acquired (6) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #4 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) It was always like this, too. When he wasn't fighting, he was fighting this bizarre internal battle against himself. It was like his mind could never find peace. While fighting was truly the only time these thoughts left him. He was allowed to be in the moment. He was obligated to be in the moment. His life depended on it. Then again, was a life like his worth fighting for? It certainly didn't feel like it, but he couldn't stop fighting. He wouldn't stop fighting. He scooped up another pair of flowers, bringing them to his nose and giving them a whiff before stashing them away in his inventory. Even the arome of rich flowers didn't bring him any sort of joy or comfort any longer. Perhaps it was his mental state, but there was more to it as well. He was tired. So very, very tired. Tired of constantly being at war with himself. Tired of his entire existence being simulated. Tired of all of it. Spoiler ID: 120260 LD: 19+3=22 (2) T2 Materials acquired (8) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #5 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) At the rate things were going, it was likely that Bahr would give up before he even reached the frontlines. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Even in his darkest hour, finding his friend was always at the forefront of his mind. If he gave up, he wouldn't have any chance of figuring out what happened to her. He thought back to his experience with Aphrodite, and how she had promised that the loom she provided would bring a level of success to his shop that would lead him to the truth about her. But who was she to make such promises? Who gave her such authority? It had seemed legit at the time, because he was on Mt Olympia and she was a goddess and all, but in the end she was just a simulation. How much could she possibly know? Evidently her supposition had been false as well, given that even though he was now crafting far better equipment, business still hadn't picked up. He plucked another flower and stashed it in his inventory. Spoiler ID: 120261 LD: 10+3=13 (1) T2 Materials acquired (9) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #6 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) The more he thought about it, the more he came to the conclusion that everything that fake goddess had said to him was completely false. He was lonely. He was tired. His business was still failing. And he didn't feel any closer to accomplishing his goals than he did in the first place. Sure, he had gained levels but was he actually closer to his goal than he had been before? Nearly everyone he had come across absolutely dwarfed him in strength, and rightfully so. They all had years of experience on Bahr. In the end, it was his fault for lacking behind for so long. He should have known after the first few days that his friend wasn't coming. He scooped up another flower and stashed it away in his inventory. If he was just spinning his wheels, what was he even doing here? How was stuffing flowers into the armor he crafted going to help him, or anyone else for that matter? If he had no customers, he wasn't really contributing. And even if he got better gear, the grind to the top was still long and arduous. It could be years before he reached the point he needed to. Spoiler ID: 120262 LD: 9+3=12 (1) T2 Materials acquired (10) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #7 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) Curses. Why was this so difficult? Why couldn't he just venture forth and do it without constantly questioning himself? Why couldn't he forgive himself for the death of his friend? Why couldn't he forgive himself for anything? It was like he was trapped in this perpetual loop of self sabotage, his sanity plummeting down a hill like a sled on a crisp winter morning. He felt like it was only a matter of time before glass of the bottle he was suppressing his emotions in began to crack and overflow. It was her. She was the only thing driving him. No matter how hopeless it seemed, no matter how long he had to wait, and no matter how much hardship he experienced, he couldn't afford to give up. No matter how much he wanted to. It was her. It was always her. At the same time as it was his driving force, it was also his anchor. He couldn't move on emotionally or mentally until he found out what happened to her. He plucked two more flowers, stashing them in his inventory. Spoiler ID: 120270 LD: 14+3=17 (2) T2 Materials acquired (12) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #8 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) Yes, she was an anchor. She weighed him down, held him back. No matter how much it hurt to admit it, it was the truth. It was because of her that he couldn't love or graciously accept the affection of another woman. It was because of her that he felt stuck in the past, struggling to form new bonds and connect with other people. It was because of her that he perpetually tormented himself, second guessing every move and his aptitude to actually progress and do the right thing. It was all because of her. But she was also his light. She was the reason he got out of bed in the morning. She was the reason he wanted to be the best man he could be. She was his everything. What else could push him through the monotony of everyday life? What else could force him to press on when all he wanted to do was give up? What else inspired him to rise above his more horrific instincts and remain virtuous in the face of so much abject horror? He plucked two more flowers. Spoiler ID: 120272 LD: 12+3=15 (2) T2 Materials acquired (14) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #9 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) For better or worse, he was here now. He couldn't continue to sit here and feel sorry for himself forever. But how could he move past this roadblock? He understoof that the only thing standing in his path was himself, but that didn't make overcoming the obstacle any easier. He knew himself. He was stubborn, rash and didn't like change. That's why he was fighting himself so viciously. On the one hand, he stubbornly clung to his anguish. On the other hand, he so desperately wanted to escape it. It was unhealthy, living this way. His sleep had suffered. His wit depleted. He found himself becoming forgetful at some points, and numb at others. He was losing some of the parts of him that he felt made him human. How else could one get through things like this but by blocking themselves off? By bottling up every last drop of emotion and refusing to acknowledge it. He plucked another two flowers and stashed them away in his inventory. Spoiler ID: 120275 LD: 15+3=18 (2) T2 Materials acquired (16) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 28, 2019 Author #10 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) What a wild ride of emotions. It all started with him feeling alone. Where had the rest come from? Perhaps it was finally happening, what he had been fearing for weeks now. The overflow. Bahr knew that even he could not stave off the power of emotion forever. Eventually he would be forced to confront what he was feeling, for better or worse. There was ultimately no avoiding it. He hoped he could keep bottling everything up until he complete his mission, but obviously that wasn't going to happen. He needed to deal with it here and now, in the solitude of this beautiful garden, surrounded by the the bounty of the land. It was strange to do so, though. He wasn't accustomed to actually confronting his emotions at this point. For years he had pushed them off, ignored them, or straight up dismissed them. To sit here now and be forced to face all of it all at once... it was overwhelming. Spoiler ID: 120276 LD: 8+3=11 (1) T2 Materials acquired (17) T2 Materials so far Edited July 28, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #11 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) There was one solution Bahr had thought of. To never run. Ever. No matter how bad things got, Bahr would never run. From here until the end. If he continued fighting no matter what, he would either die trying or get to his goal faster. Either way, he was getting what he wanted. Release from the hell that had enraptured his mind, tainting every action and inaction with a salty tinge that threatened his very sanity. A single tear fell from his cheek as he thought about it, falling onto one of the two flowers he had picked up. He stashed them into his inventory, wiping the wet streak from his face. It was good that nobody was here to witness it. How sad was it that he was willing to die to rid himself of these feelings, but too cowardly to commit the act himself? He was disgusted with himself. Spoiler ID: 120277 LD: 18+3=21 (2) T2 Materials acquired (19) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #12 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) Yes. He was disgusted with himself. More tears from from his eyes, cascading down his cheeks and promptly falling to the soft soil below. He was disgusting. He had killed his best friend. He had lost the other. And he wanted to die if it meant avoiding the truth of it all. His father would be ashamed of him for being so cowardly, but he couldn't help it. None of the players could. This game had become their new reality, an inescapable prison that threatened their lives at every turn. Those who had originally sworn to protect the weak now extorted them for everything they had. Children shambled about aimlessly and without motive, the light stolen from their eyes. The ones who actually drove the frontlines had lost untold pieces of themselves and ceased to be human in the capacity that they were before. Those who dared try to take their sanity back were shunned by all of the community as traitors to their cause. Spoiler ID: 120278 LD: 16+3=19 (2) T2 Materials acquired (21) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #13 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) All of it was so evilly, disgustingly hopeless. When Bahr finally caught his second wind and burgeoned out from the Town of Beginnings, he felt like he could conquer the world. It honestly seemed like he could push back against all of the darkness and win. But it was consuming him, like epoxy. He'd been trying to keep his head above it, but the waves were getting choppy now. If this was how he felt after so little time, how much worse would it get? How much of his humanity would he have to lose to push on? Would he even be the same person that we was now? Except, he was already a much different person than he was in the real world. He didn't even feel like Apollo anymore. Now he was Bahr. It was his new identity. When thinking of himself, the name Apollo usually didn't even enter his mind. It was always Bahr. Spoiler ID: 120279 LD: 2+3=5 Material search failed (21) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #14 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) Who was Apollo, anyways? Not much different from Bahr. Less clumsy, though. He was seriously beginning to believe he had a faulty Nerve Gear rig. One major difference between Apollo and Bahr was the quality of their happiness. Apollo had pretty much always been happy. He had never had a reason not to be. He had friends, close friends, and lived a relatively easy life. There was nothing to complain about, and even if there was, he could easily power through it because he knew there was a light at the other end of the tunnel. Whereas Bahr was riddled with sadness, anxiety, apathy, and a myriad of other negative emotions that followed him around like a dark cloud perpetually raining on him. Today said cloud had apparently decided to jolt him with electricity and wake something even more depressing from within him. Or rather, kill a part of him. Whatever part had been allowing him to make it this far without breaking down. He picked up another flower. Spoiler ID: 120280 LD: 8+3=11 (1) T2 Material acquired (22) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #15 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) No, something new had awakened as well. It was roiling and hot, a sensation that seemed to burn its way through every one of his nerve endings and shock his system into stiffness. Something that he had known so far only in the heat of battle. Anger. Chagrin. He was mad at himself for being weak. Mad at himself for his inaction. Mad at Kayaba for trapping him and his friends in this death game. Mad at the world for being such a horrible, unfair, cesspool of inadequacy and heartache. How dare the creator of this world allow people to be so cruel. How dare the creator of this world allow so much pain and anguish to go unchecked. So much hatred and anger unchallenged. So many crimes unpunished. So many good people destroyed. How dare the creator make such a mess and leave us mortals to deal with it. And how dare Kayaba create an even worse world within it. Spoiler ID: 120281 LD: 3+3=6 Material gathering failed. (22) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #16 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) What a horrible invention. Yes, Bahr was mad. Furious. None of this was fair, and nobody was paying for it but the innocents trapped in this game. Ultimately, everything was the fault of Kayaba. People who were probably good before had been irreparably damaged by this hellhole. Once normal people turned to killers. Others reduced to dust, their families forever grieving. Some mentally scarred in ways that would never allow them to love or play or smile or connect with other people ever again. Kayaba had absolutely ruined the lives of 10000 people. Single handedly. Without remorse. Without punishment. In fact, he was probably hiding out in the game somewhere and nobody knew it. Pulling the strings of the facade that was the frontlines with nobody the wiser. Bahr hated him. With every fiber of his being, he wished for Kayaba's death. If anybody deserved it, it was that insufferable lunatic. He picked two more flowers. Spoiler ID: 120282 LD: 18+3=21 (2) T2 Materials acquired (24) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #17 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) If Bahr figured out who Kayaba was and killed him, would he die in real life just like everyone else? If Bahr found a way to reduce his HP to zero, would the game be cleared? It was an interesting thought. Defeat Kayaba and end the game before they reach the 100th floor. That would really be something. Unfortunately, it was probably impossible to determine who the literal Game Master was. It wasn't like he would walk around flaunting it in some way. No, he had probably completely disguised himself. He could be any of the 10000 players that started this game. There was really no way to tell. That wasn't going to stop Bahr from trying. He felt newly invigorated, as though he had discovered his true calling. Find Kayaba. Kill him. Clear the game. It was a monumental task, especially for one so weak as Bahr, but it could be done. It absolutely could be done. There was no reason to assume that it couldn't be. Spoiler ID: 120283 LD: 2+3=5 Material search failed (24) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #18 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) Then again, what if it was a ruse? What if, when the game was cleared, all of the Nerve Gears sent high frequency microwaves into everyone's skulls, destroying their brains? What if all of this struggle was for nothing? Were they all already dead men walking at this point? No, that was highly unlikely. As devious and evil as Kayaba was, he was honest. Nothing he had said so far had been false. The fact that everyone was still alive after having not logged out for years was proof of that. There was no way everyone could have survived so long if they weren't in hospitals and not being cared for. But how long could that go on? In the real world, Bahr's body had already suffered through two grueling years without a real meal. He was probably being tube-fed a concoction of some horrific food substitutes, if not having his nutrients delivered straight into his body by IV. He plucked two more flowers. Spoiler ID: 120284 LD: 17+3=20 (2) T2 Materials acquired (26) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #19 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) Considering they still hadn't made it to the 25th floor, the prognosis wasn't good. If they didn't find a way to push up to the higher floors quicker, everyone trapped within the game was doomed. Or, Bahr could try his hand at his new solution - finding Kayaba and slaughtering him so the game would be cleared early. Yes, that seemed like a suitable strategy. If they went on at their current pace, they wouldn't clear the game for another six years, and there was no way that Bahr was leaving this game in his 30s. To it was decided. Bahr plucked another pair of flowers, stashing them away in his inventory as he mentally vowed to find Kayaba and end this death game. To do it, he would undoubtedly need to make his way to the frontlines, where Kayaba was almost certainly lurking. Bahr assumed that if he figured it out and accused Kayaba to his face, the man would be honest enough to fess up to it. It was in his nature, and by now he was probably just itching to get it off his chest. Spoiler ID: 120285 LD: 20+3=23 (2) T2 Materials acquired (28) T2 Materials so far Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
Bahr 0 Posted July 29, 2019 Author #20 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) With a new goal in mind and all of the motivation in the world to complete his task, Bahr departed from the garden with his new materials. His destination was his shop on the first floor. He was going to put these materials to good use and start climbing the ranks even faster than before. If he kept up the pace he was going at, there was almost no telling how quickly he could climb the ladder. After all, he was already T2 after only a little more two weeks of constant work. With the same pace and thirst for power, he could go even further and even faster. Bahr had hardly even realized he had practically picked the garden clean in his emotional turmoil, leaving only scraps behind. If anyone visited the sacred place before the garden had time to replenish itself, they would certainly move on and not give it a second thought. Spoiler ID: 120286 LD: 3+3=6 Search for treasure chest failed. Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr Link to post Share on other sites
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