[F24 - SP] Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

[Bahr 0]

Spoiler

STATS
LEVEL - 50
HP - 1030
EN - 100
DMG - 19
MIT - 79
ACC - 3
EVA - 4
FALLEN - 12
BLEED - 36

HOME BUFFS
» RESTED
     ➥ -1 EN FOR THE FIRST TWO TURNS OF COMBAT
» RELAXED
     ➥ +10 TO OUT OF COMBAT HP REGENERATION
     ➥ FULL ENERGY REGENERATION AFTER TWO POSTS OUT OF COMBAT

SKILLS

COMBAT SKILLS
» PARRY
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ REDUCE FINAL DAMAGE OF NEXT ATTACK AGAINST YOU BY 50% (ROUNDED DOWN) AND NEGATES STUN/PARALYSIS EFFECT OF THAT ATTACK
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 2 TURNS

EXTRA SKILLS
» DISGUISE
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
» MEDITATION
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ RECOVER AN ADDITIONAL 15 ENERGY - GETTING HIT BY AN ATTACK BEFORE YOUR NEXT TURN REDUCES ADDITIONAL ENERGY RECOVERY TO 9
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS

WEAPON SKILLS
» TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD R5
     ➥ +7 DMG WHEN TWO-HANDED WEAPON IS EQUIPPED

ARMOR SKILLS
» LIGHT ARMOR R5
     ➥ +25 MIT

MODS
» LIGHT ARMOR MOD: ATHLETICS
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 DMG WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
     ➥ +30 HP WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
» LIGHT ARMOR MOD: SPRINT & ACROBATICS
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 EVA WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
» PARRY MOD: JUSTIFIED RIPOSTE
     ➥ POST ACTION: COMBINE WITH PARRY
     ➥ SUCCESSFUL PARRY STUNS OPPONENT
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
» WEAPON MOD: PRECISION
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 ACC
» WEAPON MOD: TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD FEROCITY
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 DMG WHEN USING 2HSS SWORD ARTS

EQUIPMENT

WEAPON
» [EQUIPPED] "DAWN'S DEMISE" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (T3 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ FALLEN 2
          ➥ +12 TO BASE DAMAGE ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 6-8
     ➥ PHASE
          ➥ IGNORES 50% OF MIT ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 9 OR HIGHER
     ➥ BLEED 1
          ➥ 36 DMG INFLICTED FOR 2 TURNS ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 9 OR HIGHER

ARMOR
» [EQUIPPED] "BLOODSTAINED COAT" - LIGHT ARMOR (T3 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +54 MIT
     ➥ +1 EVA
     ➥ FIREPROOF

TRINKET
» [EQUIPPED] "EAGLE'S EYE" - TRINKET (T1 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +2 EVA
     ➥ +2 ACC

FAMILIAR
» [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS R3
     ➥ +9 DMG

When the light is running low
And the shadows start to grow
And the places that you know
Cut away the afterglow
There's a light inside your soul
Slowly shrinking in the cold
From the truth, deep down you know
And yet darker we will go

FLOOR 6

How long had it been since Bahr had ventured out this way? He'd never been a fan of areas such as this. The over-vegetated expanse was difficult to traverse, hot, sticky. And though they didn't exist in the literal sense, Bahr could swear he heard the buzzing of mosquitoes fluttering about, and feel the sensation of them crawling over his skin before plunging their grotesque needles into his flesh. There were worse things than the jungle, but at that moment, Bahr couldn't think of any.

Despite being at odds with the terrain, Bahr had come there for a very specific utility that the sixth floor offered. The Waterfall of the Sage. The legends were true; those who visited the elusive landmark and meditated beneath its deluge would be granted inner peace. It was something the traveler needed to work for, however. If you want peace, prepare for war.

At long last, he had reached the fabled spot. His eyes instantly locked onto the rock he had seated himself upon all that time ago, when he had first endured the mental gauntlet of Calming the Soul. He'd woken up from his trance refreshed, but stiff and hungry. The food he'd eaten on the way there had prepared him for one of these outcomes, but there was unfortunately nothing that could be done about the stiffness. The process wasn't quick, and it was sure to be even more grueling this time than it had been the first.

The quest itself was unrepeatable, but that wasn't going to stop Bahr from attempting to glean some inner enlightenment a second time. He needed it. He'd thought he had put his demons to rest the first time, but he'd gone about it all wrong. They still plagued his every thought, emotion, and action. He felt shackled to the ground, the arms of the dead having crashed through its surface and clung to his ankles, holding him in place. Each step forward was only made by dragging the weight of his past along with him. And after so long, it had exhausted him.

He couldn't sleep. He had to force himself to eat. The darkness that hung beneath his eyes served as an outward expression of his grief and inner turmoil. How it had gotten to this point, he was unsure. But it was time to bring it to an end. 

ULTRA PROSPEROUS HOT DOG CONSUMED (+3 PROSPERITY)
ULTRA LUCKY HOT DOG CONSUMED (+3 LD)
MEGA SLIME FARM USED

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1030/1030 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

 

[Bahr 0]

He slowly approached the smooth stone and assumed the position, cross-legged with his palms against his knees. With a calm sigh, he closed his eyes and allowed his muscles to relinquish their grip on his tendons. The spray from the falling water against the back of his neck felt cool and soothing, a welcome reprieve from the unrelenting heat of the the sixth floor. It clung to his skin and pooled, the tiny molecules of moisture pooling into larger droplets that ran behind the collar of his coat and down his back. It was too humid for it to evaporate, and Bahr new that by the time he had finished, he would be soaked. It was a small price to pay for wringing himself free of the box he'd trapped himself in. 

Slowly but surely, Bahr began to feel himself drifting away. The black against the back of his eyelids shifted and changed becoming darker still. Deeper. Before long, Bahr recognized that he was staring beyond them into the abyss. He blinked and shifted his eyes, peering through the never ending expanse. Complete and utter nothingness. He couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. Not even his labored breath or the thudding of his heart remained. He remembered it being much the same the first time he had experienced it. This time, however, there was something different about it. More sinister, more exasperating, more uneasy. There wasn't the falling sensation of before, or the realization that he was plunging into the black. There wasn't the malevolent shadow spirit 'guiding' his way. There were no doors, no light, nothing.

Nothing.

A sudden violent jolt, followed by a searing, all encompassing pain. Real pain. Not the bizarre vibrating numbness that accompanied the wounds inflicted in Aincrad. Actual pain. The sensation permeated his every nerve, lighting them ablaze as he screamed out in agony. But nothing came out. The silence was too powerful for any noise to infiltrate, so palpable that it even lacked the silence itself. Complete nothingness.

All at once, everything ended. All of it. Through the void, he began to hear quiet murmurs. Small at first, but gradually picking up in volume. They were too muffled to make out any of the words, but Bahr could recognize the voice.

Mom?

[Bahr 0]

FLOOR 24

Turbulent fluctuations ripped Bahr away from the sound, and finally he saw something. A flush of colors, every single type and hue. Some he'd never even imagined, and couldn't possibly wrap his head around. The deafening silence was replaced by a tumultuous uproar; a cacophonous shriek of noises he couldn't make heads or tails of. It pierced through his every pore, threatening to pull his body to pieces in every direction until...

His eyes snapped open. He was completely soaked to the core, but it wasn't a consequence of the soothing mist the Waterfall of the Sage offered him. It was oily, sticky. Sweat. How long had he been out? It was dark, so dark he could barely see anything. But as he squinted to adjust his pupils to the dull light that existed, he came to realize he had not come out of the trance in the same place he had started it. He was inside of a cave of some sort, only barely illuminated by the soft blue glow emitted by the monolithic runes that were scattered about. He hastily opened his menu with a swipe of his finger, navigating to the floor information.

Floor 24.

How? How had he ended up on Floor 24? It didn't even look like it. The Floor 24 that Bahr knew was a massive, all encompassing lake with small islands connected by impossible thin bridges. He'd never heard of a cave like this, and to the best of his knowledge, Conciliator had never turned up any information on it either. 

After a few confused blinks, he dismissed the windows and surveyed his surroundings with a bit more scrutiny. He was sat atop a smooth stone not unlike the last one, surrounded by a calm pool of water. There was the same rushing of water that he had heard at the Waterfall of the Sage, but it reverberated against the stony walls of the cavern, amplifying the sound. Slowly, he rose to his feet, joints creaking in protest as they groaned and snapped. His eyes shifted to a corridor that led out of the chamber, seemingly the only way to escape the corner of Aincrad he'd wound up.

With a deep breath, he took a step forward. 

♫♪♫♩♬

[Bahr 0]

How long had he been walking the length of the corridor? An hour? Maybe two? Time felt different here. Along with map details being obscured, the clock in the corner of his HUD was displaying bizarre things like 98:62. 76:12. 12:85. It was different every time he glanced at it, but never quite correct. 

The echoed thuds of his footfall gradually dissolved into the background as he slowed to a halt. The air was vibrating with intensity here, and Bahr felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise against the moisture that still clung there. As though on cue, three figures began to melt into existence, oozing into the hallway from between the cracks in the walls. The grotesque collections of muck eventually began to culminate into their final shapes. 

MISERY. ANGUISH. REPENTANCE.

What Bahr saw could only be described as demons. Actual demons, not in the metaphorical sense. Sharp horns sprouted from their bulbous heads, attached to long slender necks that sprouted out from spindly pale bodies coated in dried and hardened blood. The stench of death filled the corridor, forcing Bahr to bring one of his sleeves up as a mask for his nose. His other hand instinctively reached behind him and grabbed hold of the hilt of Dawn's Demise. The moment he touched it, he could feel the raw power it offered, creeping up his fingers and into his arm. It was actually his first time ever using the blade, and the sensation of simply touching it was still intimidating. Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, he set his jaw and drew his blade.

All at once, they closed in, crude scythes flashing into existence between their balled fists. When the first one lunged forward, it was easy enough to sidestep. The tip of the scythe's blade became buried within the wall behind Bahr, limiting his evasive options by the time the second weapon came flying in. He held up his Dawn's Demise just in time to deflect the attack, this weapon's blade becoming buried on Bahr's adjacent side. The third blade came in pointed right between his eyes, and only barely did he manage to cock his head to the side to avoid it.

In unison, all three of the demons shrieked at him. Unable to escape the uproar from within the cage the scythes had created, Bahr instead poured crimson energy into his blade and let it rip forth, putting an abrupt end to the cacophony as all three demons were thrown backward along with their weapons, grunting in an unflattering manner as their backs met with the adjacent wall. Bahr let loose a breath that he had been holding back and returned his sleeve to his nostrils, a vain attempt to assuage the putrid stench that permeated the cavern.
 

Spoiler

Encounter: MISERY
HP: 1000
DMG: 150

Encounter: ANGUISH
HP: 1000
DMG: 150

Encounter: REPENTANCE
HP: 1000
DMG: 150

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1030/1030 | EN: 100-17=83/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

MISERY: HP: 1000-228=772/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132070 | BD: 5+3=8, Hit for 19x12=228 DMG | MD: 3, Miss | -2 EN
ANGUISH: HP: 1000-228=772/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132071 | BD: 4+3=7, Hit for 19x12=228 DMG | MD: 3, Miss | -2 EN
REPENTANCE: HP: 1000-228=772/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132072 | BD: 4+3=7, Hit for 19x12=228 DMG | MD: 8-4=4, Miss | -2 EN
-17 ENERGY TOTAL ("RESTED" HOUSE BUFF REDUCES ENERGY COST BY 1)

♫♪♫♩♬

[Bahr 0]

Bahr new better than to idle, especially against mobs like this. His best bet was to go on the offensive while they were all still doubled back. Dawn's Demise illuminated with more scarlet light, and Bahr dashed forth. In a somewhat clumsy motion, he raked the sword across his enemies, feeling a surge of power rush through blade and taint the crimson glow black just before striking the final target. Its health bar in particular plummeted, while the others continued to steadily fall. One had even been inflicted by Bleed. Perfect.

This small victory was short lived, however, as Bahr suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He looked down to find one of the scythes buried into his lower abdomen, searing pain radiating from the location it had pierced. Actual pain, just has he had experienced during the trance. Try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to back away from the weapon. It was taking everything he had just to remain standing as his legs began to buckle beneath him.

"What... the hell is this..?" 

As the blade was slowly removed, something didn't look right about it. It was wet. Blood. The thin red glowing line that typically accompanied a fresh wound in Aincrad was absent. It was a real wound. Bahr's eyes flickered up to his opponents to inspect their bodies, finding that they too were lacking the gridded gashes he had become so accustomed to. Instead, thick obsidian tar leaked from their fresh wounds, slowly dribbling down their bodies much like molasses would. It was truly a horrifying sight.

Instinctively, Bahr took a few steps backward, his free hand finding his wound and gripping it. Blood poured from it like juice squeezed from an orange, soaking Bahr's glove through to his hand as the waves of pain and nausea persisted. Something was definitely wrong about all of this.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1030-72=958/1030 | EN: 83+1-17=67/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

MISERY: HP: 772-240-36=496/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132077 | BD: 9, Crit for 20x12=240 DMG | BLEED INFLICTED | BLEED INFLICTS 36 DMG | MD: 9, Crit for 151-79=72 DMG | -2 EN
ANGUISH: HP: 772-228=544/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132078 | BD: 5+3=8, Hit for 19x12=228 DMG | MD: 6-4=2, Miss | -2 EN
REPENTANCE: HP: 772-372=400/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132079 | BD: 7 | FALLEN ACTIVATED | Hit for 31x12=372 DMG | MD: 8-4=4, Miss | -2 EN
-17 ENERGY TOTAL ("RESTED" HOUSE BUFF REDUCES ENERGY COST BY 1)

♫♪♫♩♬

[Bahr 0]

He had to fight it. Whether this was real or not, he hadn't the authority to say. But whether or not he could die, that possibility definitely still existed. 

Fight...

The arm that carried Dawn's Demise was shaking in stubborn opposition to Bahr's every desire for it to stop. The demons rose to their feet.

Fight...

It wouldn't stop shaking. His entire body was quivering, and his eyes swam around in their sockets. It was difficult to discern exactly what was happening, but he could feel the demons slowly shambling toward him.

Fight!

Finally, his body stopped its pathetic convulsions and shot forward, determined cry escaping Bahr's lips as he swung his blade in a wide, clumsy arc. Miraculously, all three of the demons got caught in the attack, flying back toward the wall and smashing against it with a violent thud! The black viscous liquid that poured from their wounds now coated Bahr's blade, but he paid it no mind. The only thing he could afford to think about in that moment was surviving.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 958/1030 | EN: 67+1-18=50/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

MISERY: HP: 496-228-36=232/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132080 | BD: 4+3=7, Hit for 19x12=228 DMG | BLEED INFLICTS 36 DMG | BLEED EXPIRES | MD: 4, Miss | -2 EN 
ANGUISH: HP: 544-372=172/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132081 | BD: 6 | FALLEN ACTIVATED | Hit for 31x12=372 DMG | MD: 7-4=3, Miss | -2 EN
REPENTANCE: HP: 400-240-36=124/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132082 | BD: 9, Crit for 20x12=240 DMG | BLEED INFLICTED | BLEED INFLICTS 36 DMG | MD: 2, Miss | -2 EN
-18 ENERGY TOTAL 

♫♪♫♩♬

[Bahr 0]

The carnage unfolding before him would have twisted the innards of a base man into a hard knot. But Bahr was hardly even paying attention. Every atom in his body screamed for him to continue fighting. To keep the pressure on. Kill or be killed. His eyes flickered up to his health bar for the first time since he had taken his injury, only to realize that he'd hardly lost any HP at all.

A chuckle escaped his lips as his eyes lingered there. By any usual measure, it barely would have constituted a scratch. It was hard to wrap his head around that, considering the unrelenting pain coursing through him. Each wave of it drew his carnal self closer and closer to the surface. If he didn't end it soon, it would be all that remained.

Another flash of red before Dawn's Demise carved into the horde again. Two of the demons met their end, health bars depleting to empty as the crimson light left their eyes. Rather than burst into pixels as they usually would, the composition of their bodies changed. Instantaneously, they turned to sand, only maintaining their original shapes for a split second before falling into piles on the floor. The final demon that remained had but a speck of red remaining in its gauge, screeching in protest to Bahr's advance as it fumbled for its weapon.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 958/1030 | EN: 50+1-18=33/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

MISERY: HP: 232-228=4/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132087 | BD: 3+3=6, Hit for 19x12=228 DMG | MD: 4, Miss | -2 EN 
ANGUISH: HP: 172-240=0/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132089 | BD: 9, Crit for 20x12=240 DMG | ANGUISH defeated | -2 EN
REPENTANCE: HP: 124-372=0/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132090 | BD: 7 | FALLEN ACTIVATED | Hit for 31x12=372 DMG | REPENTANCE defeated | -2 EN
-18 ENERGY TOTAL 

Looting
ANGUISH
ID: 132091
LD: 16+3=19 | CD: 4
16000 + 5% (Guild Bonus) = 16800 col
(1) T3 Rare Trinket [ID: 132091A]
(1) T3 Perfect Consumable [ID: 132091B]

REPENTANCE
ID: 132093
LD: 15+3=18 | CD: 3
6000 + 5% (Guild Bonus) = 6300 col
(4) T3 Materials
(1) T3 Rare Consumable [ID: 132093A]
(1) T3 Rare Weapon [IDL 132093B]

♫♪♫♩♬

[Bahr 0]

Bahr wasn't going to allow it the chance. Though he poured no energy into the blade for his next attack, a swirling black mist coated the weapon of its own accord. He jammed the tip of Dawn's Demise into the shoulder of the arm reaching for the scythe, pinning it to the wall of the cave. Seconds later, the creature dissolved, leaving nothing but a pile of sand behind.

Once it was over, the zeal finally wore off and Bahr double backward, slumping against the adjacent wall and gripping his wound. He brought the blood soaked hand up to his line of sight, barely able to make it out between the pangs of dizziness that clouded his vision. "Damn," he choked out, letting the hand fall to the floor. One moment of negligence had led to this. And it hadn't even drained his health gauge that much. If this was what this felt like, how would it feel if he took more damage down the road?

There was only one way to find out. 

Shakily, he rose to his feet, using an impression in the rocky wall to support his feeble frame as he rose. Still applying pressure to his wound, he once again began shambling through the hall, desperately yearning to escape from whatever bizarre dungeon he'd found himself in.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 958/1030 | EN: 33+1-1=33/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x1] Basic Attack, -1 EN

MISERY: HP: 4-31=0/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132094 | BD: 8 | FALLEN ACTIVATED | Hit for 31 DMG | MISERY defeated 

Looting
MISERY
ID: 132095
LD: 11+3=14 | CD: 12
16000 + 5% (Guild Bonus) = 16800 col
(2) T3 Materials
(1) T3 Rare Armor/Shield [ID: 132095]

 

[Bahr 0]

Despite everything else, it seemed that the restorative properties of Sword Art were still in full swing. He felt the gash sealing between his fingers, and the pain was gradually subsiding. He hadn't a clue what the hell was going on, but it was scaring the hell out of him. He hadn't felt actual pain in years, and this brutal reminder had shown him just how soft he'd grown. He wasn't a warrior. He wasn't going to save anyone. When it came right down to it, if the chips were on the table, all it would take was a well placed stab to bring him down.

How pitiful.

He'd created this mental image of himself as someone who was strong. Dependable. Would never back down from a fight, and wouldn't lose one, either. But it was all a farce. He could see that now. A little bit of pain, and he crumbled like a dead leaf beneath a sharp stiletto heel. It was a reminder of just how weak he could really be. How weak he was. 

As the wound closed, Bahr finally felt a bit like himself. He could stand up straight and take a full breath of air. Moving forward, he would be taking particular care not to take any more injuries to the stomach. The way it twisted his innards was something he never wished to experience again.

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 958+30=988/1030 | EN: 33+1=34/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3

 

[Bahr 0]

It was very much akin to the ways in which his mind had become twisted as of late. As though a physical projection. Everything in his life had become so topsy-turvy so quickly that he had hardly had time to blink. From alone to with a group of friends, to alone again, to meeting, to friendship, to affection. And though he wasn't alone now, it certainly felt like it. He was second place to a force far older and more powerful than he had any way of dealing with. It was only a matter of time before it swallowed him whole.

Finally. A light at the end of the tunnel. Bahr squinted to adjust to the sudden deluge of light, then blinked as the new chamber came into focus.

It wasn't a chamber at all. He was outside, atop a hill overlooking the plains of the first floor. The warm sun softly kissed his cheeks as the hushed whisper of the trees permeated the air. Lush grass tickled his ankles, and the aroma of flowers replaced the dankness of the cavern he'd just been in moments before. It wafted up from the gorgeous garden down below, neatly lined with rows of multicolored flowers.

Speaking of the cave, where was it? When Bahr turned around to compare the new and old scenes, he found the surrounding area to be vacant of the cave's maw. Crossed with confusion, he swiped his finger to open up his menu and check the floor information.

Floor 24.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 988+30=1018/1030 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3

 

[Bahr 0]

Perplexity gripped his mind as he made his way down and into the field. He was absolutely certain that this was the first floor. The garden he had seen earlier was none other than the spot he and Kityuisa had perused all that time ago, collecting materials and sharing the details of their pasts with one another. It was unmistakable. More than that, there wasn't a single lake in sight. 

It was time for Bahr to start considering a reality he had been trying desperately to dismiss. That he was still in his head, and that all of this was simply an illusion. How else would the twenty-fourth floor produce terrain like this? Why else would the time information be so scattered and difficult to read? For what other reason would he feel real pain and shed real blood? 

He'd bitten off more than he could chew. And if his hunch was correct, he knew what would happen the moment he reached that garden.

"Kit," he announced as he stepped into the multicolored maze, the scent of the pastel plants filling his nostrils. At the far end sat a small woman with her back turned, long blonde hair swaying gently in the breeze. She slowly turned in response to the call, her scarlet eyes locking with his as she greeted him with a warm smile. 

"Hey, bro. What took you so long?" she inquired innocently, tilting her head to the side. She patted the spot next to her. "Don't be weird. Grab a seat."

Despite the crimson jewel rotating over her head, Bahr accepted her invitation and crouched, grabbing the spot next to her on the grass. He said nothing as she leaned her head against his shoulder, not offering so much as a flinch. It all felt so completely natural, as though he had been reunited with a long lost sister. Though he knew it was all a facade, he allowed himself to suspend that disbelief and hang onto the sensation of simply enjoying her company. A gentle breeze rolled through the valley, tickling Bahr's skin with a welcoming cool embrace that seemed to ease his weathered nerves. 

"I miss you," he finally said, cutting the long silence that had been shared between them. Without a word, she simply scooted closer to him.

"I know," she answered eventually. Slowly, thoughtfully.

"Where did you go?" he asked, his voice cracking. She shook her head slowly against his shoulder.

"I've been here the whole time."
 

Spoiler

Encounter: Hello There
HP: 1200
DMG: 200
ACC: 1
EVA: 2
Hello There gets its own roll, based on BD. On a CD of 9 or higher, Hello There will enter stealth instead of attacking, then attack the following turn. Attacks from stealth gain +50 DMG, +1 ACC, and a partial Phase at 25%.
Field condition activated at 25% or lower health.

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1018/1030 | EN: 100-2=98/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -2 EN FOR MISS
ID: 132649 | BD: 3+3-2=4, Miss

Hello There: HP: 1200/1200 | DMG: 200 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 2 
ID: 132650 | CD: 8, No stealth proc | BD: 7+1-4=4, Miss  

 

[Bahr 0]

Bahr simply shook his head, the illusion beginning to splinter and ebb away. "No," he retorted. "Ever since I split up that fight between you and Kirbs, I haven't seen either of you. And now..." Reel it in. Deep breath. "... Now her name is crossed out on the Monument. Yours isn't yet, but I can never find location data on you. I'm just worried that eventually, it will be."

Slowly, she lifted her head from his shoulder. "Yeah. I worry about that sometimes, too. I͟'l͟l ̸p̧r͞ób͟a̶b̕l̨y̛ bè de̡a̡d͘ ҉şoo͘n̡." Horrendous, distorted, overlapping sounds came from the small woman with the last sentence, prompting Bahr to snap his head to the side and take a look at her. What he saw was absolutely horrifying. Sunken, bleeding eyes. Withered skin stretched over the bones of her face as thin as a film of soap, mute gray in coloration and devoid of life. Rancid, jagged teeth where her lips should have been, blending seemlessly into the rest of the ghastly visage which was all supported by a tube-like structure that could hardly be considered a neck. 

He yelped and fell back, gracelessly kicking and skittering backward across the grass as she opened that nasty maw of hers, far wider than should have been physically possible. A cacophonous roar of laughter billowed from her lungs, the imbricating mosaic of voices staining the sky black and plunging the plains into darkness. His breath ran ragged and labored as he gazed upon the spectacle, pure fear gripping him by the throat and holding him in place. 

He needed to put and end to it.

One arm after another. One foot after another. Slowly, bit by bit, he brought himself to his feet. Nauseous with anxiety and shaking with anticipation, he slowly drew Dawn's Demise, feeling its hunger as it got a taste of the intensity that surged through the air. One step forward. Then another. The demon took no notice, continuing its wail of cackles completely unhindered. Bahr had heard enough.

One slice. Top to bottom. All the way through. The energy that ran along the sword's blade started as red, but transitioned to black by the end. Bahr didn't care. He had finally shut it up.

He took a few steps back as the creature collected itself, raising to its feet and giving him a toothy grin. A dagger appeared it its hand as it cocked its head cartoonishly to the side, staring at Bahr incredulously.

"L͟et's ̴b͠egįń.͟"̕

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1018/1030 | EN: 98+1-13=86/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -13 EN
ID: 132651 | BD: 7+3-2=8 | FALLEN ACTIVATED | Hit for 31x13=403 DMG

Hello There: HP: 1200-403=797/1200 | DMG: 200 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 2 
ID: 132652 | CD: 3, No stealth proc | BD: 8+1-4=5, Miss  

 

[Bahr 0]

"I really don't want to do this anymore..." he mumbled solemnly, though it only drew more tuneless giggles from the grotesque caricature of Kityuisa that stood before him. As she took a step toward him, he winced. It was unnatural, stiff, frenzied. It seemed as though every joint in her body had dislocated and reset itself with the motion, her frame cracking into and out of place as her head bobbed from one side to the other as the grin grew wider. Her dress now stained black from the blood that poured from her fresh wound, she began to blend into the surrounding darkness. The iron-soaked liquid cascaded to the grass below, pattering endlessly against it to the melody of her snapping bones. 

"͟Do̵ ̕it̶.,"̴ the voice taunted, grating against Bahr's eardrums. He just wanted it to stop.

"I can't." He couldn't. Never in his life had he come across a sight so utterly horrendous. The idea that this thing was supposed to represent one of his closest friends was one he couldn't stomach.

"̸Th̴i͏s̵ ̵is̴ w̨ha͘t̸ yo̶u ̴ca͟mè for."̀

It was true. He'd known what he was getting himself into when he returned to the Waterfall of the Sage. "I never expected this. This isn't... No. This isn't what I came for."

"͢F̴̡I̡͜G̴͟H͜T̸ ̕ÓŖ̸͜ ̕͜D̀I͜͏É̛,̧͠"̵ it commanded, the cacophonous shriek reaching a fever pitch as she raised her weapon, poised to strike. 

Fight or die.

His arms moved of their own accord, a single slash of blistering speed carving yet another crevasse into the monster's icy body. Cold, incarnadine liquid geysered from the laceration, splashing against Bahr's face and chest. He doubled back fervently, a childish cry erupting as he frantically wiped the blood from his eyes. Shaking with disgust, he peered through the curtain of red in time to see the demon's form slowly begin to meld into the black, its sinister cackle fading as it dissolved into nothingness.

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1018/1030 | EN: 86+1-13=74/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -13 EN
ID: 132669 | BD: 5+3-2=6, Hit for 19x13=247 DMG

Hello There: HP: 797-247=550/1200 | DMG: 200 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 2 
ID: 132670 | CD: 11 | STEALTH ACTIVATED

 

[Bahr 0]

No matter how fiercely he spat, the tinge of iron had stained his palette. The best he could do was wipe away as much of the blood from his visage as possible, but even then there were smudged, rust colored streaks that remained. It had saturated parts of his hair and stained them brick, the occasional droplet clinging to the end of a clump of strands before falling to the grass below. Despite the agonizing horror he found himself in, Bahr did what he could to steady his ragged breathing and out of control heart rate. If he couldn't get a grip, he would die here.

Deep breath. Another. It's not real.

Though it felt more real than anything in Aincrad ever had.

It was by the grace of something greater than himself that he managed to hear it. The faintest whisper of a blade slicing through the air behind him. He knew he couldn't react in time. His only hope was to activate Parry to soak up as much of the damage as he could. He slapped the flat side of Dawn's Demise against his back as a white hue flashed from the blade, and miraculously... the whistle of the blade stopped.

Bahr hesitantly turned, but he wished he hadn't. Merely inches from his face was her's. Those revolting eyes boring angrily down on his own, only barely visible through the shroud of darkness. That contorted, jagged smile that looked like it could cut through anything. Hot, putrid breath plumed against his neck as they locked eyes. 

He wanted to scream. He just couldn't.

An earsplitting cackle surged against him point-blank before the creature slowly backed away, its joints snapping and popping with each unnatural step backward. Bahr let loose the breath that had caught in his chest, though it didn't make him feel any better.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1018/1030 | EN: 74+1-5=70/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 | PARRY ACTIVE

Bahr used Parry: Justified Riposte, -5 EN
ID: x | BD: x

Hello There: HP: 550/1200 | DMG: 200 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 2 
ID: 132674 | BD: 6+2-4=4, Miss

 

[Bahr 0]

"You... Are the most disgusting," He took a step forward. "revolting," And another. "vile creature I have ever seen." The demon, of course, cared not, continuing to taunt Bahr with its menacing cackles as he slowly closed the distance between them. It didn't seem to have any inclination to avoid his attack, either, standing idly and hardly wincing as Dawn's Demise cleaved another laceration into it's body and released a deluge of cold blood. 

That is because it was a trap.

No sooner had Bahr delivered the damage than he found his feet affixed to the ground. No longer was the grass from before, or the plains for that matter. The pair now stood in a sea of knee-high sludge, every bit as black as the sky. Bahr couldn't tell where it ended and the tar began.

The demon's laugh was everywhere now. In front of him, behind him, above, below, inside, out. Its spindly arm shot forward with absurd speed and precision, the strike every bit as disjointed and unnatural as its every other motion. Bahr narrowly managed to put his blade between himself and the attack before it connected, the dagger scoring a deep gash against his left cheek before he managed to shove it away. 

As he felt the hot liquid begin to roll across his cheek and down his neck from the fresh wound, an attempt was made to free his legs from where they were locked. No luck. Panicked, he peered into the black in an attempt to discern the monster's figure from the rest, but it was an exercise in futility. It was only getting darker.
 

Spoiler

Field condition activated if Hello There is reduced to 25% HP or less: Tar
Player loses all evasion buffs.
-1 penalty to accuracy.

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1018-61=957/1030 | EN: 70+1-13=58/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -13 EN
ID: 132676 | BD: 6+3-2=7 | FALLEN ACTIVATED | Hit for 31x13=403 DMG

Field condition: TAR ACTIVATED

Hello There: HP: 550-403=147/1200 | DMG: 200 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 2 
ID: 132677 | CD: 7, No stealth proc | BD: 7+1=8, Hit for 200-79=121/2=61 DMG | JUSTIFIED RIPOSTE ACTIVATED | STUN INFLICTED

 

[Bahr 0]

Though he couldn't see it, Bahr knew it was there. Stunned by his Parry. If he didn't act now, he might lose his only remaining chance to end this. Turbulent rosy energy flooded Dawn's Demise as he thrust it forward, its tip finding its place in the demon's stomach. The crimson energy remained, illuminating its horrendous visage as it slowly morphed back to the way it was before. Once again it wasn't a monster, but Kityuisa staring at him.

"W... Why..."

Bahr grimaced as his vision became cloudy. He felt disgusted with the entire situation. Disgusted with himself. When he'd undergone Calming the Soul the first time, every fight had come stocked with a lesson he was supposed to figure out. A kernel of wisdom he could carry forward. A truth about himself he'd forgotten.

"What the hell were you supposed to teach me!?" he choked, as the light left her eyes and the color drained from her face. Then, she withered. Decaying at a rapid pace before his eyes, mummifying before turning to sand and cascading away. If Bahr thought it was possible to vomit in the virtual world, he was certain he would have.

The fight finally over, he felt all of the tension in his body give way, and he fell backward into the sludge with a harsh plop. Slowly it enveloped him, but he was powerless to stop it. Inch by inch he was submerged, until the tar invaded his mouth and nostrils, forcing itself down his esophagus and into his lungs. The more he struggled, the more of it he breathed until he felt nothingness.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 957/1030 | EN: 58+1-13=46/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Field condition: TAR ACTIVE

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -13 EN
ID: 132678 | BD: 10, Crit for 21x13=273 DMG

Hello There: HP: 147-273=0/1200 | DMG: 200 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 2 | Hello There defeated

Looting
Hello There
ID: 132679
LD: 12+3=15 | CD: 12
25200 + 5% (Guild Bonus) = 26460 col
(1) T3 Rare Armor/Shield [ID: 132679]

 

[Bahr 0]

But he did feel something. He was sinking. Slowly at first. But as he concentrated on the sensation, he could tell he was accelerating. Like a brick to the bottom of a pond, he plummeted. Nausea manifested as vertigo hit, having no frame of reference amidst the black to anchor himself to as he fell faster and faster. Until finally... he broke through to the other side.

He was deposited into a snow bank with a harsh thud, desperately sucking in a raspy breath as the cold invaded his lungs and bit into his bronchioles. He placed a palm against his chest as he fell into a fit of violent coughing, bits of black staining the sheet of white as they were expelled with each barking hack. When he finally managed to regain some semblance of actual breathing, he collapsed face first into the frost, unable to will his weary muscles to support his weight any longer.

It was over. That was the silver lining, right? The fight was done. He had won.

He had won.

He didn't move for awhile. He couldn't. And even when he could again, he didn't. If that was the first stage, he didn't want to see the rest. But in the back of his mind, he knew. He was in their world now. Or was this his world? It certainly didn't feel like it.

Eventually, he pushed himself up, tar and blood stained snow clinging to his skin and armor as he managed to get his knees underneath him. He shook, casting as much of the filthy precipitation from his body as possible before raising to his feet.

The fourth floor. He knew this area. He and Kirbs had walked through these woods on their way to fight Avalanche. He shuddered as he tried to reconcile what it meant that he'd find himself in a place like this. Just as with Calming the Soul, Kit had been his first demon. Would this vision follow that trend and pit him against his fallen comrade, as well?

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 957+30=987/1030 | EN: 46+1=47/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

 

[Bahr 0]

There was still sunlight, but it was waning. Shadows cast themselves against the snow and varied pines, hugging their surfaces like the shade that started blanketing the area. With the gentle penumbra came a harsh chill, biting through Bahr's thin armor and into his flesh, straight to the bone. As his eyes perused the various muted hues, a flash of light caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. His head moved on a swivel toward the source of the light, but found nothing there but more trees. As these trees began to adopt a golden hue and Bahr could feel a buzzing at the back of his neck, he briskly turned on his heel and couldn't believe what he saw.

An orb of light, roughly the size of a basketball, hovered at eye level mere feet from him. Strands of energy swirled and oscillated around its ethereal form, slowly and deliberately. It buzzed with intensity and cast a warm glow against the surrounding area, but didn't seem at all threatening. In fact, it seemed like it was trying to... communicate. As though it had something that it needed to show Bahr. Hesitantly, the Crimson Marauder loosened his grip on the hilt of his sheathed blade and took a step forward.

"Alright, show me," he said on a whim, hoping his hunch was correct. As though pleased with his decision, the orb of light grew brighter for a moment before flickering back to its usual intensity. With that, it began shifting through the frigid space, slowly making its way further into the forest. Bahr followed.

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 987+30=1017/1030 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

 

[Bahr 0]

By the time the orb had led him into a small clearing, it was already starting to get dark. Hints of light remained, poured out over the tips of the pines, but on ground level it was cold and shaded. The ball of light worked wonders to illuminate the area, elongated shadows of the trees that encompassed it cast into the woods beyond. It was then that the orb split into multiple pieces, complicating the shadows as the light grew and assembled itself into shapes. 

Two people. It was difficult to tell at first, because the light assembled itself very loosely. But as the crunching of snow beneath boots accentuated one of the figure's approach, the scene was set.

“Why do you hate me?” the more idle figure inquired, symphonic pulses of light radiating from the ethereal form with each syllable enunciated. “I didn’t do anything to you. Why did you have to make my life a living hell?” Bahr was beginning to recognize the voice. “I was supposed to be the happy-go-lucky one. I was supposed to make everyone happy.”

Kirbs?

”I never did anything wrong to you, so why did you make my life not worth living anymore?”

The other figure stood on silently. Bahr couldn't tell who it was meant to represent. Bahr? Someone else? What was going on here?

“I really wanted to believe you weren’t a bad person at first. I-I... I thought you weren’t what everyone was saying you were. But then, you did such... horrible things.”

No...

“Why did you leave me like this? Why didn’t you just bloody kill me from the very start?! I wouldn’t have to go through all of this torture if you hadn’t let me go so many damn times! I thought I could make it through here- through SAO while being happy. I wanted to be everyone’s sunshine. I was so wrong. So damn wrong.”

“No matter the outcome of this, my pain is going to end.”

Was this what he thought it was? As the final specks of sunlight retreated from the tops of the trees, Bahr got his answer. The golden light that represented Kirbs' form dashed forth, her spear cleaving through the snow as it worked a line toward her adversary. The other figure easily sidestepped the clumsy, emotionally charged attack and returned fire with one of its own. Its spear found itself in Kirbs' throat, shoving her back as she sputtered and hacked. Her body was stiff, unmoving. Had her opponent done something to her?

Yet again, her opponent's spear sailed forward, lodging itself into her abdomen. Bahr wanted to jump in and help. To save her. But he knew he was too late. There was nothing he could do to stop what was coming.

"I-I'm sorry."

"No you're not! Don't say that!" Bahr exclaimed in futility, knowing the apparitions would pay no heed. "You killed her! In cold blood, just like this!"

There was no response.

"Me and him- Bell. I wonder, do you even remember him?" The smallest droplets of light began cascading from her nondescript face. She was crying. 

"Bell," Pinball echoed. "I remember him now."

"You killed him on his birthday. Did you know that?"

"I didn't know that." His spear found her chest, and instantly her figured changed. A cool blue hue violated the golden light that comprised her body's form, spreading slowly from the point of insertion. "I'm sorry," he said, "I really am."

No you're not. Hot tears rolled down Bahr's cheeks as he took in the spectacle, pooling at his jawline before they fell and melded with the snow below. 

"Both of us... we were supposed to get out of here together. We planned for so much stuff to happen. We were supposed to go see my brothers again. We were supposed to go play video games together again. We were supposed to do so many things together."

"I'm happy, though, so don't worry about it. I'll finally be able to be with him again. I hope he's waiting for me."

"I understand," he whispered. "I do. I never wanted to do this. None of it. I know how you feel. I had someone like that. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her, but, uh... she probably thinks I'm a monster. Well. She's not wrong." 

"And you... you didn't deserve this."

"Then why did you do it!?" Bahr cried out in vain, falling to his knees. He was powerless to stop any of this.

"Hey Pinball?" she asked as her head tilted up to look at him, the cold blue having almost permeated her entire body. "Can you do a favor for me? You know who my friends are, right? If you don't, I just need you to tell Kityuisa, Bahr, Alec, Dustin and Sey. Tell them that I love them, and I'm sorry for not saying it sooner."

"It shouldn't have ended like this. I'm sorry. I'm..." 

"You're forgiven."

Gone.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1017+30=1030/1030 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

 

[Bahr 0]

As the light faded, Bahr felt something beneath his knees. It started as a small vibration, but quickly surged into a turbulent quake. From the snow before him it burst; Avalanche. The very same that he and Kirbs had slain together. He set his jaw as he witnessed the creature clumsily claw itself out of the snow, towering over him when it hoisted itself from its hiding place. He did not move, simply remained on his knees and looked up indignantly at the monster as Dawn's Demise flickered with the activation of a skill.

It bent over and roared at the Crimson Marauder, frigid air bursting forth from its over sized maw and straight through Bahr's armor. But he did not react. Instead, he slowly rose to his feet, unsheathing his blade with practiced diligence as his eyes remained affixed to his opponent. Why was Avalanche here? Did it even matter? He would make quick work of the beast so he could move on from this place and never look back.

When it plunged its fist into the ground next to him, Bahr didn't so much as flinch. He knew the attack wouldn't hit him. He had seen it. There was no threat here. Just an oversized buffoon in over its head.
 

Spoiler

Encounter: Pseudo-Avalanche
HP: 1000
DMG: 150

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1030/1030 | EN: 100-5=95/100 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | LD: 3 | FIREPROOF | PROSPERITY 3 

Bahr used Parry: Justified Riposte, -5 EN

Pseudo-Avalanche: HP: 1000/1000 | DMG: 150 | ID: 132899 | BD: x | MD: 7-4=3, Miss