[SP-F9] Burn it down

[Alkor 0]

Guardian of Fire

The trek from Vulcan was a grueling one. If not for the Extra Skill [Survival], Alkor would have never weathered the hellish heat indigenous to the ninth floor. He almost forgot how awful it was, despite nearly dying against the Hydra and being burned by the Twinfire Phoenix. He decided that in order to grow stronger, he would face this floor again- but this time, he was stronger, and this time, he would measure his merit alone, not as part of a group.

Every cog in a machine had to turn for the process to move smoothly. Alkor had to ensure that by the time he reached the Frontlines again, he was strong enough to stand there. No one made concessions for a damage dealer. Everyone placed an emphasis on tanks and healers, and the DPS was expected to keep up or fall behind. That suited him fine.

Alkor stopped near the mouth of a cave, and the deep, putrid, sulfuric breath of the cavern made his eyes water. This had to be the place that the Brokers told him about. It was hotter by far than the daytime high of Floor 9. Inside the real test awaited. Alkor would face multiple enemies, and if he endured it, he would walk out even stronger.

But he had to endure it, first. 

Alkor level 42

HP: 460/460 | EN: 84/84 | DMG: 14 | MIT: 48 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | BLI: 24

Equipment:

T2 Demonic CS [Blightsteel] 2 DMG 1 BLI CRS, T2 Perfect LA 2 MIT 1 EVA, T2 Trinket  Eye of Osiris 3 ACC

Skills:

[Curved Sword] R5

[Light Armor] R3

Mods:

[Athletics] Light Armor

[Ferocity] Curved Sword

[Precision] Curved Sword

Extra skills:

[Fighter] familiar, R3

[Survival]

 

[Alkor 0]

The cavern was massive as he entered, not offering any respite. What should have been cool, cavern air felt more like dry, hot breath on his face. He recoiled from the stench of brimstone as he rounded a corner and faced down molten magma seeping out through cracks. Steam billowed up from around the pressurized rock as it rapidly cooled off, only to crack again as the heat of the cavern condensed around it. 

More cracks would open at random, albeit never enough to swallow a Player whole. The danger lay in the steam venting directly onto a Player and burning them, but he was fully aware and able to plot a general idea of where they were opening. It would be a simple matter to avoid them.

What concerned him were the creatures he was supposed to slay. Hell hounds, demonic beasts that thrived on flame and favored the taste of flesh. Every growl he heard, he had to second guess whether it was the heat and rocks reacting to one another, or something far less benevolent.

[Alkor 0]

The snarl that came before the attack caused Alkor to twist around rapidly, and he was able to get his blade in the way of the attack. When the Hellhound pounced with all four legs out and claws extended, he caught the beast on the flat of his blade. "Quick little guy," he grunted. "But not all that smart. If you'd came in a pack, you might have managed to do some real damage." He pushed heavily off of the beast and took a step back to disengage. 

It thrashed in the air and sprawled as it hit the rocky ground. With a whimper and a yelp, the creature fought its way back to its feet and glowed at the swordsman. Alkor kept his guard up and his stance low, and when the Hellhound began to circle him like prey, he circled with it. 

with a loud bark, it pounced once more, and Alkor fended it off with a deft stroke from the pommel of his blade. Easy enough. The creatures here weren't altogether strong, but they were agile. They were dangerous enough that he could gain something from facing them. He could feel that just from watching one.

Alkor: 860/860 | 84/84 | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

30 HP | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Edited October 8, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Once more, it let out a curdling bark before it lunged at him. Alkor charged one of his weakest Sword Arts- the creature appeared to lack any kind of carapace for defense, and it was lithe besides. It didn't appear able to take any sort of heavy damage.

This time instead of batting the beast aside, when it came into contact he slammed the curved blade upward through its torso and carved a straight line on the diagonal. It swiped at him angrily, clearly suffering from a wound that nearly depleted all of its HP.

Alkor noted the drop in his own health but largely ignored it. The damage was far too small to give him any type of worry about actual death. The Hellhound hit the floor and whined, then let out a lengthy howl. 

With his heightened sense of hearing, Alkor was able to get out of the way just in time. Another hound lunged at him from behind and landed between him and the first. It growled at him territorially, as if defending a member of its pack.

 

ID# 171313 Battle: 2 (+4) [hit]

14×2= 28

Mob: 8 [hit]

50-48= 2 

Alkor: 858/860 (-2) | 82/84 (-2) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound 1: 2/30 HP | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound 2: 30/30 HP | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

 

Edited October 8, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Their speed increased with their numbers, and Alkor could sense the change in their rhythm. As he rushed to change his tempo to accommodate, the creatures capitalized in order to make themselves a more difficult target. He swiped at the first with a weak attack, with the intention of breaking their numbers in one short attack.

He was foiled entirely by the attack that came from the second, narrowly missing his sword arm. When Alkor had enough time to assess the distance between them, he realized that he had wholly misjudged their ability to move, and their reflexes.

It was a mistake he would endeavor not to repeat. 

Turning about on his heel, the swordsman placed himself directly between the two circling hellhounds now, his attention split perfectly between them. It only took a single misstep on their end for him to kill one or the other, and so, he was sure that they were going to be just as careful as he was from that point forward.

171387 Mob: 2 [miss]

171386 Mob: 6 (-1) [miss]

ID# 171385 Battle: 1 [miss]

Alkor: 858/860 | 81/84 (-2) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound 1: 2/30 HP | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound 2: 30/30 HP | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Edited October 9, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Before he eliminated the creature, it latched on to his arm tightly. It's jaws did nothing in terms of pain, but he watched his health bar steadily decline, much more than it had from the first attack. The beast must have scored a critical hit. He grimaced as he swung his blade and caught the creature across the abdomen, brutally scattering the last of its hit points to the winds.

He let out a growl as the other Hellhound came at him and rebuffed it with a punch. Lacking the martial arts skill, it did not translate to any damage, but the impact forced it back onto the defensive. Luckily the system accounted for some amount of realism, or he would have been in trouble. Alkor situated himself, with one enemy taken care of the other would pose far less of a threat to his well-being. And these Hellhounds weren't even the worst thing on the agenda for this quest, from what he had gathered.

That only brought him more excitement as he turned to face his enemy once more, his tenacity growing with every growl and gripe from the beast. He had no idea how many of these things he would have to kill before the big bad showed up, but they didn't take much to smack down. He was thankful for that, at least.

171641	4	4	1	5	Alkor		Hellhound 2 attacks	2020-10-09 20:58:19
171640	1	3	7	9	Alkor		Hellhound 1 attacks	2020-10-09 20:58:03
171639	8	1	20	8	Alkor		Regular attack against Hellhound 1	2020-10-09 20:57:48

 

Alkor: 831/860 (-27) | 80/84 (-2) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound 1: 0/30 HP (-14) | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound 2: 30/30 HP | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Edited October 10, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

The Hellhound hissed and spat in rage at the loss of its broodmate. Alkor hopped backward and out of the way as quickly as he could manage, low to the ground and narrowly missing one of the hissing geysers that threatened to sear through his health bar if he was careless. He felt the heat, if not the perspiration that should have been there. His gaze snapped one way, then the other as his memories raced backward, to the time when he had been on the Frontline, one of the Players that others looked to in order to clear the way. This was a far cry from that.

He didn't feel the weight bearing down on him, now. He felt only the tinge of response that his HUD gave when he took a hit. He looked down to see the Hellhound latched on to his leg, ferociously slinging it around and trying to rip it clean off. As clarity returned, Alkor slapped the creature away with the business end of his blade and sent it reeling.

"Focus," he reminded himself. "Remember why you're here."

As if by magic, Alkor shook his head and gripped his sword tighter, ready. When the limping hellhound finally found its footing, it started to build up to speed, racing around Alkor. He kept his eyes on the creature, but he was wary. At any time, another could jump out to surprise him and capitalize on the distraction. They had already shown prowess in pack tactics.

ID# 172287  Battle: 6

ID# 172288 MOB: 7

Alkor: 829/860 (-2) | 79/84 (-2) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound 2: 16/30 HP (-14) | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Edited October 13, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Alkor ran forward suddenly, his blade at the ready. Startled, the Hellhound gave a yelp and twisted its body to meet him. Unable to respond quickly enough to stop the blade, the creature was taken off guard and the blade rent it in two pieces. Data spiraled toward the cave ceiling as the Swordsman stood himself upright and sheathed his weapon. It was time he got a better look around. How many more of the Hellhounds were there, and were they all ambush encounters? Or would he find something waiting for him just down the path?

Question answered immediately: he saw only one more doglike creature between him and something far more monstrous. The creature at the end of the tunnel was straight out of Olympian lore, a beast said to guard the gates of the Underworld so that none might trespass. Cerberus. Alkor took some solace in the fact that this quest was meant for Players far below his level, but being on floor 9 still gave him no small amount of uneasiness.

He should have taken it more seriously the first time. Now, with that realization hovering over him, he kept second guessing himself. Would he make the same mistakes as before? If not now, then days, months, weeks down the line? He wanted to get stronger, but he had learned that he could not handle everything on his own. He trusted others to help him, but was he prepared to face down an enemy alone? Forward, backward... which direction had he really gone?

Alkor closed his eyes.

"You think too much," he chastised himself.

 

ID# 172289 Battle: 10

Alkor: 829/860 (-2) | 79/84 (-2) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound 2: 0/30 HP (-32) | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Edited October 13, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

When he heard three more snarling sounds, Alkor realized he had made a mental misstep. He glanced around and noticed that there were three more Hellhounds waiting in the wings, all clambered up the walls and hidden from immediate view. Dammit, I should have done a better sweep of the area. They totally used the distraction to get a better opportunity. Alkor knew that creatures got smarter as they ascended the floors. He knew they hunted in packs, and they had ways of cornering unwary solo adventurers and spelling doom for their adventure. Now, he had to prove that he wasn't one of those adventurers that would easily have his name placed on the monument.

He let out a ragged breath, pulling his blade from the sheath and dropping back into a defensive stance. If he wasn't careful, they would get the better of him in a handful of movements. It was best to play it cool, at least at first, and let the monsters make the first move. He watched them drop down and heard a barking sound from behind him. The lone hellhound had seen the commotion, and it came running from afar to join the hunt.

Alkor reassessed the situation calmly. Four enemies. His health wasn't full, but he wasn't hurt enough to worry about them overwhelming him. If he was able to get them grouped up, maybe...? No. There was no chance of an AoE attack winning the day, here. He had to be smart, and he had to best them one at a time. Fortunately up to this point, he had been conserving his strength and his endurance was still bountiful. He could start swinging big volleys and attempting to kill them with the big guns, if it became necessary.

Alkor: 829/860  | 79/84  | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

[Alkor 0]

Four versus one were odds Alkor had once faced down with a wild grin on his face. He looked inward for that same confidence now.

You have this.

His eyes flickered shut for a moment, and the superheated world around him seemed to slow down almost to the point of stopping. His breathing became more even and less labored, like he was adjusted to his surroundings and he no longer struggled against the immense, sweltering breath of the cavern. It wasn't that he actually had, but in his mind for an instant, he was not there at all. What the hell-?

You keep forgetting what it is that you want to be. Remember me? The hero?

Alkor looked out at the slowly encroaching enemies, his body responding all on its own. He turned the blade around in his palm, twisting it into a reversed grip. His hips twisted first, and his torso followed through. It was simple, as if he knew all of the reactions from memory. You're afraid because you made mistakes. That's silly. Everyone makes mistakes.

His mistakes had hurt people. He had-

People get hurt. It happens. There are sacrifices to be made in war.

But he didn't-

If it stops you, this world wins. You never move forward. You won't ever get to where you need to be, let alone where you want to be.

His blade was through the throat of the closest Hellhound before he had time to formulate any kind of response. It was like his body had learned all the movements and, prior to this moment, hidden them away from him. His vision was clear, and his senses were at their pinnacle. He remembered: he was Thom, yes, but he was also Alkor

All of those things, yet...

Alkor did not define Thom. They were the same person.

You wanted to be a hero? Be a hero. That's your decision to make. But don't you dare hold yourself back because you're afraid and pretend like you'll ever be one.

 

172296	1	12	8	9	Alkor		Hellhound 4 attacks	2020-10-12 20:40:06
172295	8	7	13	2	Alkor		Hellhound 3 attacks	2020-10-12 20:39:56
172294	3	9	10	8	Alkor		Hellhound 2 attacks	2020-10-12 20:39:40
172293	3	4	4	3	Alkor		Bear Knock against Hellhound 1	2020-10-12 20:38:56

 

Alkor hits (3+4)=7

14 x 4 = 56

Alkor: 800/860 (-2)(-27) | 76/84 (-4) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound : 0/30 HP (-56)  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

 

Edited October 13, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Follow my lead.

The strokes felt so familiar as he went through them, like a paintbrush to the canvas. The image that played out ahead of him was even more so. There was a time, before his near-death, where he had ascended to the highest point in Aincrad. Among the strongest of Players, he thrived in dealing out damage, and his speed was nearly unparalleled. Now, Players moved that quick on principle, and he found himself struggling to keep up. 

Or, had had found himself struggling. 

In this moment, the rest of the world was slow. His body narrowly skirted the attack of the first Hellhound. The second, he put his blade through and it burst into a plume of data. It was easy enough to finish these creatures, and at a pittance of energy besides. In seconds, he went from four Hellhounds to two. He felt much less overwhelmed, but more importantly...

You can stay calm. There's no reason to react outwardly. Remember, they're all watching.

Who is? He finally managed to answer directly, with a question of his own.

The people you're trying to protect. Remember, Hero?

172452	8	7	10	9	Alkor		Hellhound 4 attacks	2020-10-13 21:41:15
172451	5	8	2	1	Alkor		Hellhound 3 attacks	2020-10-13 21:41:03
172450	2	5	13	1	Alkor		Bear Knock against Hellhound 1

 

2(+4)=6 [Hit]

Alkor: 773/860 (-27) | 76/84 (-4) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound : 0/30 HP (-56)  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Edited October 14, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Hero.

The word sent a chill down his spine as he watched yet another Hellhound scatter around him. His body moved at high speed, completely on instinct, and his blade met with the gaping maw of the final beast. They could touch him, perhaps, but they couldn't seem to do anything more. Suddenly, his growth finally struck him. Alkor had come so far from the weakness he saw in the time after the Hydra had ripped the carpet out from under him.

Alkor was far from weak. He kept moving forward. The inability to stop, the drive, the motivation to move forward: these things lit a fire in him that no amount of anxiety could put out. With that knowledge, the pride in his chest swelled. Hero, the persona he had created Alkor to fill. The name was only a façade, something that represented his true self.

He was Alkor. Alkor was Thom. The distinction was gone. 

In that moment, as he rebuffed the creature, he resolved to himself that he wouldn't hide anymore. He wouldn't shrink back from who he was, or what he would become. Bravely, boldly, and without question he would face the future and he would take a firm hold of his identity. There were people waiting for him, on the Frontlines and beyond.

 

172489	7	4	19	5	Alkor		Hellhound 4 attacks	2020-10-13 23:12:33
172488	9	5	17	8	Alkor		Bear Knock against Hellhound 3	2020-10-13 23:12:21

 

Alkor: 773/860 (-27) | 73/84 (-4) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound : 0/30 HP (-56)  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Hellhound : 30/30 HP  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0

Edited October 14, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Faced now with only a single enemy, the world seemed to speed back up. He was aware now of the Hellhound circling him, he could hear its breathing and sense its proximity to him. There was no fear, but instead, anticipation. He wanted it to attack. He wanted to show what he was capable of, and he knew exactly where to put his sword in order to put an end to the creature.

Instead, it seemed to falter. With the reality of its three friends falling to this Player with no struggle at all, the Hellhound appeared demoralized. It growled at him and its hair stood on end. Like a dog cornered, its back rose into the air, a threat of violence should Alkor continue down this path. He obliged without hesitation.

Faster than a blink, he rent the Hellhound into fragments. Red light exploded into pixels around him as the sword came to rest, and Alkor let out his baited breath. There was no question in his mind about what he had to do. The cavern was clear but for Cerberus, a three headed beast that appeared to have health bars for each head. The body could not move independent of them, perhaps? 

Only one way to find out.

 

 

Alkor: 773/860 | 70/84 (-4) | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Hellhound : 0/30 HP (-56)  | Damage per Attack: 50 (MD 9 = 75 Damage || MD 10 = 100 Damage) Mitigation: 0 

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

The stretch of solid rock between him and Cerberus looked deceptively shorter than it was. Each step brought him deeper into the mire of heat that lacked any moisture at all. The way it sapped his skin of hydration made him feel sticky, and his clothes clung tightly to his form as he moved. Alkor felt breathing becoming more difficult, the way one might experience inside of a sauna. He both loved and hated that feeling.

He loved it because it felt so cleansing, like his body was releasing impurities from every pore. It felt like purification through flame, and that made him feel refreshed. At the same time, he hated it because it felt like he was constantly losing fluids, and it made him lightheaded. If he was honest, he just wanted the quest to be over so he could move on to the next thing, but for some reason, every thought racing through his head felt like it deserved to be validated.

Alkor let out a sigh. 

Maybe it was the after effects of whatever he had just experienced. A lack of thoughts, traded for an overabundance of them all at once. He didn't mind that so much. The clarity of mind that came from a moment of full on emptiness was the kind of respite he had been searching for. Alkor had found an answer to his questions entirely by accident. That was enough to give him some peace of mind.

Faced now with the enemy he had come to slay, Alkor readied his weapon and called out.

"Hey there, big guy..."

 

Alkor: 773/860 | 71/84  | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Cerberus Head 1: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn

Cerberus Head 2: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn

Cerberus Head 3: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn

Cerberus will ignore Mitigation on a natural roll of 9-10
Each head will attack independently of one another. 
Cerberus will attack once for each undefeated head.
The same roll ID can be used for each attack. 

Edited October 15, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Alkor did not wait for the enemy to strike first.

As it snapped viciously at him, one head after another, spittle sprayed from each mouth and crackled, hissed, and spat more when it sprayed across molten rock. It dissolved lightning fast into steam and he had to deftly maneuver around to miss being seared by the byproduct. He watched carefully as it moved, timed the speed at which it withdrew, and when the last of the heads began to recede, he was already on a collision course with its throat.

The swordsman ripped through with his blade and turned his body to add momentum to the stroke. With a powerful surge of strength, he tore through and send the first head of the Cerberus clattering to the floor. It was reminiscent of the eight headed serpent only in the common theme of its many heads. There was none of that power, and nowhere near the same amount of intimidation in this creature.

Instead, Alkor was the monster in this fight. Unrelenting, unforgiving, and seemingly untouchable.

172564	2	3	2	3	Alkor		Cerberus Head 3 attacks Alkor	2020-10-14 18:47:06
172563	1	2	11	1	Alkor		Cerberus Head 2 attacks Alkor	2020-10-14 18:46:51
172562	8	10	20	7	Alkor		Bear Knock against Cerberus Head 1	2020-10-14 18:46:26

 

Alkor: 773/860 | 68/84 (-4)  | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24

Cerberus Head 1: 0/30 HP (-56) Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn

Cerberus Head 2: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn

Cerberus Head 3: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn 

Edited October 15, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

It was faster than he thought. 

Alkor managed to get out of the way of the first string of bites, but the creature proved a bit craftier than he anticipated. Heat burst forth from the closest head and singed his avatar, setting a small fire to his cloak. With a sound of surprise, he threw himself out and away from the encounter to regroup. The confusion spared the Cerberus the loss of another head for the moment, but Alkor had bigger things on his hands to deal with.

The flame was bad enough that it had set the burn status on him and he was going to start losing health from it. He needed to act quickly lest it get out of hand and become more of a problem than he bargained for. Alkor knew better than to underestimate Aincrad, so he assumed a defensive position and quickly raced against the clock to determine just how bad the burn was, and if it was going to last longer than a turn or two.

172568	1	9	15	2	Alkor		Cerberus Head 3 attacks Alkor	2020-10-14 19:03:34
172567	9	4	3	9	Alkor		Cerberus Head 2 attacks Alkor	2020-10-14 19:03:21
172566	2	11	13	2	Alkor		Bear Knock against Cerberus Head 2	2020-10-14 19:03:08

 

Alkor: 692/860 (-81) | 67/84 (-2)  | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24 [Burn 0/1]

Cerberus Head 2: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn

Cerberus Head 3: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn 

Edited October 15, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

The next attack came as Alkor finally managed to douse the flames. Another burst of hot, dry air that ignited too close to his body, once again setting fire to it. In his frustration, Alkor sneered and let out a half snort, but he quickly realized the combustible attacks were relatively weak and the fire would not last long. He took immediately to the long approach, keeping to one side of the enemy so it had to turn to keep him in front of it. By doing this, he took away the ability of both heads to focus on him equally, and so, he opened up a new avenue of approach.

Needless to say, the head closest to him barely had time to react as he approached at top speed, bringing his weapon round and slicing upward in a clean arc. With his strength intensified once more, he cleaved through the thick hide and the neck of the beast in a single motion. The head dropped to the dirt and exploded into fragments of data. 

Alkor shifted his attention to the final head with a long breath. He had to take it slow from here. No reason to go all out. If he used his most powerful Sword Arts and finished these enemies too quickly, he would learn nothing of preserving his endurance for longer battles. That was the entire purpose of this quest for him, after all.

172576	8	9	18	6	Alkor		Cerberus Head 3 attacks Alkor	2020-10-14 19:18:49
172575	8	10	13	6	Alkor		Bear Knock against Cerberus Head 2	2020-10-14 19:18:35

 

Alkor: 655/860 (-27) (-10)  | 64/84 (-4)  | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24 [Burn 0/1] (Burn refereshed)

Cerberus Head 2: 0/30 HP (-56) Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn

Cerberus Head 3: 30/30 HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn  

Edited October 15, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

This time the flame came up head on as Alkor raced to barrel the beast over. With only one head, the Field Boss was little more than an oversized hellhound now, and that made it weak enough that Alkor had no fear of it whatsoever. His health burned more, but now he was closer to the end of the quest. He knocked the creature down and it flailed as he landed on top of it, slashing wildly and driving his blade home.

It tried in vain to kick him off, to find some way to preserve itself against imminent death, but Alkor maintained his balance and refused to be thrown aside. If he kept up the pace and used his weakest attacks, he could continue to fight against this enemy even in close quarters. And if he could fight long fights against smaller enemies, gradually he would be able to do the same against an enemy that actually posed a threat to him.

Alkor did not realize it, but he was grinning.

 

172583	2	12	5	6	Alkor		Cerberus Head 3 attacks Alkor	2020-10-14 19:29:27
Not My Roll
172581	7	5	17	9	Alkor		Rage Blow against Cerberus Head 3	2020-10-14 19:29:14

 

Alkor: 618/860 (-27) (-10)  | 64/84 (-4)  | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24 [Burn 0/1] (Burn refereshed)

Cerberus Head 3: 2/30 (-28) HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn  

Edited October 15, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Alkor drove his weapon down into the chest of the Guardian of Hell's Gates one final time. 

Blightsteel came to rest in the creature's felled form like a pedestal, staying lodged there until the final point of health drained from its bars. Alkor stood for a moment without moving, without so much as breathing. His gaze was drawn to the floor beneath him. They were dead to the last. The flames that raged on his avatar now burnt hotter than before, but he could not feel them. They were nothing next to the heat of the Twinfire Phoenix, a much more powerful field boss who's rage Alkor had endured with only a handful of HP left.

Thom had faced his fears and bested them. The Ninth floor no longer stood as a haunting echo, nor a symbol that he was weak. It was an obstacle he had overcome, just like many more that he would face in the future. The only thing left to do now was travel back to Vulcan, and from there, to an inn so he could get some proper rest.

 

 

ID# 172585 Battle: 8

Alkor: 608/860 (-10)  | 64/84 (-4)  | D: 14 | M: 48 | A: 4 | E: 1 | Bl: 24 [Burn 1/1] 

Cerberus Head 3: 0/30 (-14) HP Damage per Attack: 80 + 10 Burn Damage next turn  

Edited October 15, 2020 by Alkor

[Alkor 0]

The first night of the trek found him cooled off by the darkness. Though it was still akin to a hell on earth, the lack of sunlight was welcomed. Alkor had spent so much time in that cavern and on fire that his body wanted a nice, cold bath to cool itself off. Alkor knew it wasn't real, and yet, he was tired of burning and being on fire. He'd left marks for aesthetic purposes on his avatar, beneath the clothing to remind himself of past failures. 

Testament to his strength however, Alkor had bested the things in the past that came close to taking his life. He was proud, fiercely proud of them at the same time. There was no shame in his stride as he moved across the dried volcanic rock and ashen steppes that separated him from the Ninth floor sanctuary. At one time, he remembered, he had even chosen this to be his primary inn and resting point.

Now, he thought, he would find something more suited to his tastes: perhaps waterfront property, something to remind him of home.