[F24-PP] Reading Between The Lines

[Eruda 0]

Hand on the front door, Rai says his last words before a crushing of something and a flash of blue light coming from the room in her peripheral. A small whine, he was gone. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, as she opens the door and heads out. Her wolf scampering behind her, kicking rocks as her feet find each step. -But I don't want to live in any world that your not in...- a furry snout finds her hand. Biting her bottom lip, that feeling of Rai's soft lips against hers. Her heart began to pound faster in her chest. Where that hand was placed upon her skin, it burned for more. Her path finds a teleportation pad. "Floor 24' she says almost blankly as she shimmers into nothing and then somewhere... A flash of like brings her to a town that she had only been a hand full of times. The last time was a family vacation hold up, It was a bit awkward to say the least. 

"Why do I always put my foot in my mouth, why can't I just be normal." Thinking about that conversation that got seemingly no where. "I said some things and my actions were unjust, and then I just fucked it all up..." -it could have been something great but I had to say the wrong thing and make everything awkward.- "All I did was ask him to come, and then everything went down hill..." head back, eyes closed, a whinny grunt of annoyance comes from her mouth. "I wish there was a damn manual for this relationship thing. I feel like I am doing everything wrong Raserei." Her wolf just looks up at her, almost like she was a bit crazy, but it was nice to have a furry friend to just talk at, even if there was no chance of a response. 

Maybe she just didn't understand, which made her say things that made Rai angry. With her maybe, but how was she suppose to create a bond with the man she fell in love with if he barely gave her the time of day to do so. She hoped to god that her actions didn't make Rai want her out of the house. Eruda had worked so hard to get to this point and now because of mouth, it felt like it was all just going to crumble in a single wrong instance. Eruda eventually lost track of time and winds up at that grove with out realizing it. Glancing to a patch of herbs, "What do I do now..." she didn't want to lose Rai and somewhere along than thin line she knew he felt the same, but she was digging her own grave...

Spoiler

Eruda, The Blazing Lily
Level: 31
Paragon Level: 50
HP: 880/880
EN: 100/100

Stats:
Damage: 8
Mitigation: 179
Battle Healing: 48
Loot Dice: 2
BRN: 56
BRN IMMUNE
FL. AURA: 16
FL. THRN: 8
REC: 8
TAUNT
THRNS: 72

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Consuming Pyre - Surt T4: (Burn 2, Taunt)
Armor: Reinforced Plate - Lily T4 Demonic: Flame Aura 2, Flameproof, Recovery 1
Misc: Stalwart Defender T4 Demonic: (Thorns 2, Recovery 1, Flame Thorns 1)

Skills:
Curved Sword R5
Heavy Armor R5
Battle Healing R5
Fighting Spirit
Howl
Searching R2

Inactive Mods:
Night Vision

Addons:
Iron Skin
Focus
Rampart
Stamina

Active Extra Skills:
Block R5
Concentration
Survival

Housing Buffs:
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

[Sam 0]

A jerk of her HUD, a pull of her map. Trying to pinpoint the location of this female that just up and decided that is was okay to fuck with fate beyond recognition. Anger and sadness alike ran through those makeshift veins. Ones that the cardinal or Kayaba forced into this game from the brain functions of that head piece that was not aloud to come off. What happens if they were forced off, there had to be a reason why they were not back in the real world yet. Could it be that they had tried this tactic with a few kids and they were lost in pure nothingness so they stopped trying to remove the nerve gear. Everything was just pissing Sam off right now. That determination to find those answers that Freyd and Freya have yet to find amongst her own would be very helpful right about now. The fact that these dead souls just happened upon this Morrighan... Nisahime or whatever the hell her name was, it was none of her damn business. Simmone's brother, her savior and Freya's? Now Eruda's and Freya's sister. Sam didn't believe in fate. Shit didn't just happen just because, but this was starting to get really weird. 

This marker led her to floor 24, she was determined to get answers, she refused to be in the dark again. She refused to let herself go back into that selfless angry person, that was too much on the board. There was too much at risk to just sit around and let this white hair female do whatever the hell she wanted to. The entire Firm Anima guild has worked so hard to get to where they were now, to just have it all fall into a ditch... Sam was not going to let that happen... This girl could be a threat or she could be purely just a human messing with something that isn't hers. Sam was going to figure it out.

Running toward that marker and then randomly stopping, it would vanish, then reappear somewhere else... That in itself was weird. Was her HUD broken, did she bang on it one too many times and cause it to malfunction. Glancing around furiously trying to pin her down...

Tracking Morrighan

Spoiler

Sam,
Level: 31
Paragon Level: 42
HP: 780/780
EN: 96/96

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 20
Evasion: 3
Accuracy: 2
Loot Dice: 4
BLD: 48
ENV.O: 32
FRSTB: 40
REC: 8
STK: 40

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Analyst's Harvester - Lethargy (THBA-T4-Demonic): Envenom 1, Bleed 1, Frostbite 1, Static 1
Armor: Acolyte's Light (T4-Perfect-Cloth Armor): Evasion 1, Recovery 2
Misc: Gold Promise - Din's Flame (T1/Perfect):Accuracy 1, Evasion 2

Skills:
Axe R5
Cloth Armor R5
Searching R4
Quick Change

Active Mods:
Vanish
Surprise Attack (Trickster)
Tracking
Athletics
Blindside

Addons:
Ferocity
Stamina
Precision

Active Extra Skills:
Hiding R5
Concentration

Battle Ready Inventory:
Oracle's Watch - Inquiry (THBA-T4-Demonic): Absolute Accuracy, Accuracy 2, Phase x1
Sapphire Ring - Nayru: Prosperity 3 x

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (-): +1 Rank to the - skill.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [(Potted Tanabata)]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

[Freya 0]

"OMG Sam we have been at this for days," saying toward Freyd, while they watched Sam's blip jump from floor to floor. Taking a sip of that fresh coffee. No sleep for days, nothing but coffee to keep the brain running... Both Freya and Freyd were at about 10 cups by now over the course of 2 days. It was exhausting doing a stakeout for this long and have nothing happen. She realized right then that she had been gone for days, Gaius had been taking care of Ko and Borris and she completely forgot. "SHIT," Freya blurts out and opens her HUD quickly. Gaius was linked to her favorites for easy access. Pushing a message through quickly, hoping that it made some resemblance of sense. 

To: Gaius From: Freya I'm really, really sorry, I have been tracking Sam. She might be getting into something that could get her sent to her grave. Wanted to make sure that it doesn't turn out that way. Please join me and Freyd, I want to see you...

With that message send realizing that she mentioned Freyd, a deep breath. At that point she might have been digging her own grave. She really hoped that Gaius didn't think anything weird, but she told Gaius that she would start involving him in this sorta stuff. No matter are weird or fucked up it gets, he would know what was going on. The only thing that she wished was that she had told him sooner. They had yet to have that conversation they said they were going to have. They had both fallen asleep, this was just adding to the fire and she really didn't like that feeling. Sending Gaius the location of where they were holding up, it was a real beauty here. Even from the last time she was here, she didn't really pay attention till now. (Floor 24 Main town by the teleportation pad.)

Glancing to Sam's icon again, it was going in circles... "Why does it seem like Sam is just walking in circles. We have been to 7 floors now..." She says to Freyd who managed to stay on this stakeout with her.

Spoiler

Freya,
Level: 31
Paragon Level: 50
HP: 820/820
EN: 120/120

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 20
Evasion: 3
Accuracy: 4
Battle Healing: 45
Loot Dice: 6
AA
BLD: 48
PHASE
REC: 4
V.O.: 90

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Final Calamity - Remorse (T4/Demonic/2HBA): Absolute Accuracy, Vampiric Offensive 1, Bleed 1, Phase
Armor: Dark Embrace - Sacrifice (T4/Perfect/Light Armor): Evasion 2, Recovery 1
Misc: Ebon Band - Truth (Tierless/Perfect/Trinket): Accuracy 3

Skills:
Axe R5
Cloth Armor R5
Charge
Energist
Searching R5
Battle Healing R5

Active Mods:
Athletics
Tracking
Night Vision

Addons:
Nimble
Stamina
Precision
Ferocity

Active Extra Skills:
Concentration
Survival

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal x1
Crystal of Divine Light [201986b] x1

Housing Buffs:
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

 

[Freyd 0]

"The man's going to start to think we have something going on the side.  You know that right?" Blue eyes wrapped in creased weariness stared sympathetically at her from behind a steaming mug that he'd partially hoped would iron out the growing number of wrinkles in his brow, or else at least this tangled mess of interconnected tales.  "Gaius has come a long way, but this sort of thing is exactly the type to set him off, and probably with good cause."  He nabbed another honey bun from the package laying open between them.  Freya seemed to have an endless supply of the things and it made her happy that he liked them, so he made a show of it.  Progress.  Empathy, of a sort.  Awareness of the plights of others.  Still weird.  Life was so much simpler when all he had to do was smite things in the proper order.  Now... relationship.  Ugh...

Sparing a moment for a bite, he turned his hand and rubbed a knuckle against his forehead, wondering if the game actually had a tolerance limit on caffeine, or if the excess of people doing what people do was starting to get to him.  

"She's going in circles because that's how Nisa-Morrigha-whoever operates.  Nothing is direct.  It's all tangled between so many interwoven threads that only a spider seamstress could ever hope to figure it out."  He paused to stare at his own, black, spindly fingers.  "Yeah, okay, so it may be bothering me too." A stretch and groan followed.

"Sam might be chasing Nisa, which is like running after scared chickens scattering every which way.  Whereas Morrighan is a will'o'the'wisp, leading your to your doom/fate/proctologist checkup."

He scrunched up his face when she looked at him.  "I'm tired.  Just roll with it."  Pressing his wrists into his eyes, as if to stave off any variety of psychological ailments, he threw caution to the wind.  "We could simply use a crystal to catch up with her.  I know where she is.  That's not the hard part.  She's just been leading Sam around by the nose to see what will happen.  What do you think?  Because, otherwise, I may just go take a nap while this particular cat continues to play with this particular mouse."

***

Freyd | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 142/142 | DMG: 24 | MIT: 78 | ACC: 5 | BH: 59 | LD: 5 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8

Full Stats:

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadow
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 102
HP: 1080/1080
EN: 142/142

Stats:
Damage: 24
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 5
Battle Healing: 59
Loot Dice: 5
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
PARA IMMUNE
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Samael's Pride (T4 MA | Holy 2 | Fallen 2)
Armor: Fallen Angel Garb (T4 LA | Mit 2 | Rec 2)
Misc: The Shadowed Rose (T3 Trinket - ACC 3 | Para Imm)

Custom Skill:


Skills:
Martial Arts R5
Battle Healing R5
Light Armor R5
Searching R4
Charge
Energist
Quick Change
Extended Mod Limit

Active Mods:
Night Vision
Tracking
Meticulous
Untraceable

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Precision
Resolve
Reveal
Stamina

Active Extra Skills:
Disguise
Survival
Forgotten King’s Authority
Hiding R5

Inactive Extra Skills:
Meditation
Brawler
Photosynthesize

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystals x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7
Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable) x1
Rhino's Horn (Reusable) x1
Hmr.Pk: The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic WH, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off)) x1

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread

Wedding Ring:

 

[Eruda 0]

Getting to her knees, a small glow of herbs at her disposal. Maybe Rai was right, maybe she didn't need to know everything. She just needed to trust in the fact that he is doing whatever he is doing for the right reasons. After everything that has happened and everything that they have been through, what he has done for this guild and her alone. It has all been proven that he is in the right. The fact that he has killed people, it didn't matter to Eruda, simply because she knows and believes that he wouldn't do so without a good reason. The entire conversation in the floor raid, the words spoken just moments ago, she knew that she could trust this man with her whole heart, maybe that was all she needed.

There was still one thing that was bothering her though. From everything said, he was ready to die, a tank to protect everything and everyone, it was what she lived for these days. For family, guild mates and Aincrad players alike. She would help protect everyone who was worth saving in this hell, but for Raidou it seemed different. It was this but much more extreme. Eruda had accepted death, she knew that being a frontline off tank, it was something that would have to be an option. This was all fine, if she had to die to keep her companions living, to give them a chance to get out of this game, then she wouldn't wave off from that path simply because it was the right thing to do. She wouldn't let this path that she has taken, waste the time with her loved ones though. If this was the only life she was going to get, she wouldn't let it go to the grave without trying to do everything that she wanted and dreamed of first.

Instead of trying to learn all of Raidou's deep dark secrets, maybe this was what she needed to have Raidou understand. That there was more to life that just battle and death. A deep, slow breath of recognition was given before she was forced forward to the ground with a body on the floor next to her. Glancing over to see a raven haired girl flat on her face. "Sam, what are you doing here," very curious, she didn't tell anyone else where she was going... 

[Sam 0]

As she traveled between floors, it was starting to get a bit irritating. Finding herself running around in circles almost, chasing this blip of Morrighan. In all honestly, it was hard to do just that. Every time she would get to where it was, she would glance around and it would vanish. Moments later it would show up and a completely different place on a very different floor. Who the hell was this person and how was she traveling so fast. It was starting to piss her off. Arriving on floor 24, she moves to the blip, double checking her map to make sure it was here and running as fast as she could toward it. After a long travel across a bridge of sorts, not really sure of the content of this passing, she was really just making sure that she didn't end up in the water. 

-OOF- her foot catches something and she falls flat on her face. "Ouch" she says before quickly lifting her HUD map and finding the blip vanish once again. "DAMN IT," saying as she hears another voice right next to her. Turning and sitting up, she sees Eruda... "Oh uh hi," she says closing her HUD's map for only a moment. She had not a clue where she was, glancing around, she could have sworn there was a blip her but all there was, was Eruda. Opening her HUD again quickly, the thing pops back up in a completely different location. An angry grunt before getting to her feet. "This Morrighan chick is hard to come by, I've been tracking her for days and feel like I've gotten no where." Glancing to Eruda with a brow rose, "What are you doing here?" A pause before shaking her head, "Never mind, gotta go find this chick..." Sam began to move, Eruda quickly gets to her feet and softly grabs Sam's arm. They meet eyes as Eruda says "You will not find her if she doesn't want to found, Sam." A calm and collected voice. It was the vibe that Eruda had gotten the last time that she and Nisa had truly spoken. "Oh, I will find her, no matter what," pulling her arm away with a small glare. Sam seemed very off. Eruda began to think about what was bothering her and why it was so important to find Morrighan. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by Sam

[Freya 0]

Glancing to Freyd with a confused looks trying not to laugh. "That is why I invited him. So that he can see that there is nothing going on, I really don't need him thinking anything weird like that. Plus, I told him that I would start inviting him on stuff like this." Her eyes narrow just a bit before continuing. "I have been leaving him out of everything thinking that he didn't want to be involved in shit like this, but a conversation the other day has proved me to be very wrong. If me and Gaius are to be wed, there needs to be trust between us at every turn." Eyes look up to Freyd, meeting his very tired eyes. "You are my best friend and Gaius is my true love, I do not want to lose either of you." Saying with a smile and a sigh. 

Listening to what Freyd says about knowing where Nisa is, she just shakes her head. "You didn't bother to open with this information," she honestly didn't expect anything less though. Freyd was a really smart dude. Of course he knew, "Okay, let's go fetch the Sam. I think I am done watching her run around like a chicken with her head cut off."

Following Sam's icon as she realized it had stopped. A bit of confusion rolls over her face as the duo continues to walk toward it. "You will not find her if she doesn't want to found, Sam." Walking into a conversation that seemed to be ending. "You know I was thinking the same thing," a smirk aimed toward Freyd behind her. "Freyd knows the way, you can stop aimlessly walking around now." "Wait were you following me," Sam gives Freya a glare. "Yes, we were, because once again a stupid decision. You can go and have your little talk with Nisa, but you will not be going alone. You can come if you's like," That last was suggested toward her sister. There was something off about her too, that frown of hers suggested that something had happened and she would figure that out later if it became a problem here. 

Another quick open of her HUD to let Gaius know where they were. "We can wait here for a moment, I need to get a reply from Gaius before we move to much, give him a chance to come if he wants to." Freya would sit on the ground as everyone around them looks so tall standing there. Pulling out the stash of honey buns to share with the rest of the group. Taking a sip of her coffee as she waits. 

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by Freya

[Gaius 0]

"Here." Gaius remarks with a bit of wind taken out of his sails, having legged some serious ass from floor 7 up here. That was his reply to the circumstance, he wasn't full of total shit when he said what he did. The dragoon expected Freya and Freyd, slightly Sam. But the blonde tank, not in the slightest. "Another family get together or somethin'?" The dude choked out the words, before folding over and clutching his kneecaps. Familiars were stuck at home, stuck in the bathroom. Couldn't really give them free reign of the place. Else he'd have a sea of broken eggshells all over the tavern. Raising up and swallowing any bit of outrage, he'd look to the others with an expectant look. Someone had some answers to give him, what the hell even was this? What were they doing for the better part of a few days, and why were they tracking Sam? Glancing over, it appeared as though 'quest complete' because she was right there.

?

Spoiler

Gaius, The Fulminating Storm
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 31
HP: 820/820
EN: 114/114

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 50
Battle Healing: 41
Loot Dice: 3
BLD: 48
FLN: 16
H.M.: 6

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Eye of the Gale - Brionac [T4/Demonic/2HAS] - Fallen 2, Bleed 2 (8-10)
Armor: Dragoon's Mantle - Fervor [Heavy] (T3/Perfect) 1 Recovery, 2 Heavy Momentum
Misc: Boar Hide Belt [Trinket] (T1/Perfect) [+3 Loot Dice]

Custom Skill:


Skills:
Polearm R5
Heavy Armor R5
Charge
Energist
Fighting Spirit
Battle Healing R5

Active Mods:
Impetus
Energize

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Stamina
Iron Skin
Hyperactive

Active Extra Skills:
First Aid R3

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal x1
Bird Seed (T2/Rare/Snack) Vitality 2 [166403a] [166403b] [166403c] [166403d] [166403e] [166651a] [166651b] [166651c] [166651d] [166651e] x1
Crystal of Divine Light [201986a] x1

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor []: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by Gaius

[Freya 0]

A yawn comes up as Freya sits there waiting. The silence was a bit defining but she assumed that they were most all just to tired to speak. Hearing a family voice behind her, glancing over her shoulder to find Gaius. "Not this time," getting to her feet, she walks to him. She was a bit surprised that he actually showed, without a message to respond, something about that was comforting. Freya was still a bit hesitant to involve Gaius, but she told him she would try harder. A small sigh, "For the better part of 4 days, we have been investigating a female named Nisa a white haired woman, she calls herself fate. This woman has come into contact with a hand full of our guild and a lot of weird shit has come up while doing so." Glancing to Freyd, who she knew didn't like this from the beginning, but she had to start involving him. It was the right thing to do in her mind. The last thing that she actually told Gaius was when she wasn't in control of Tuatha but at the time she didn't know anything she knew now. 

Without recapping the entire investigation, she would get him up to date back at home when sleep was given. "That thing that was going on me a while back, this Nisa person is connected with it. Sam here wants answers, as do we, but she wanted to have more of a direct approach. We have been following Sam, who has been following Nisa, which has gotten no where. Freyd knows where we might be able to find her though." Softly interlocking her right hand with Gaius's "I am sorry that I have kept you out of the loop for so long, as this is me trying now." Meeting his eyes with apologetic notion, without looking to Freyd, "Lead the way." She was still not sure she wanted to involve Gaius because she didn't want him to think she was a wack job or crazy, but this adventure would hopefully explain most of what was going on with Freya. 

[Freyd 0]

His face set back to its default, inscrutable mask as he watched Freya speak to Sam and Eruda.  This mess was taking a toll on his guildmates, and he didn't like it.  But they deserved his trust and an opportunity to sort out the individual struggles. 

Freyd?  Is this really you?  

Montjoy's tone straddled admiration and concern, and received no response.

"Fair warning to all," Freyd began, all humour fading from his voice as fatigue was suppressed by the primacy of pending peril.  "This place we're going to plays by its own rules.  The best way to describe it is as an unfinished space between the defined layers of Aincrad.  I've only perceived it as an endless open colonnade, but haven't really explored it at length.  Things are wonky there.  Pain suppression doesn't function, and there were glitches that prowled the place like mobs, looking to leech identity by ripping your skin off and absorbing it for themselves."  A quick scan of widening eyes confirmed that he had their attention.

"Time's also funny in there, and not in a good way.  Some of you may know Quaestor, the old frontliner who owns the diner across from my shop.  He lost his wife and close friends long ago, thinking them dead.  They weren't, but had fallen in between floors instead.  When we managed to get them out, they thought they'd lost twenty minutes, but it had been years out here in the... real fake world?"  He shook is cowl, starting to lose track of his own wandering tale.  "The point is: don't get separated; don't get face-melted; and don't get stuck.  If anything happens, the only other way out I know of is to kill one of the biggest, baddest glitches, and they're not fun to tango with."

Sparing a moment, he glanced at the panting Gaius.

"Glad you made it, Gaius.  We could use your help."

Without waiting for a reply, Freyd smashed the crystal he'd been toying with in his hands during his pre-flight rant.  "Anyone who wants to talk to the crazy lady, please take the train on track..."  That last bit got cut off at the end.

[Eruda 0]

Listen to everyone speak, Eruda gets to her feet. So this is what her sister has been up too. She sort of thought somewhere along that line when that meeting had transpired and those questions that were being asked came to light. Sam was thinking straight forward and seemed to be desperate on only one topic, it made sense why Sam tripped over her now. Hearing that this place they were going to, the time was different and the fact that people had gotten lost, her HUD opens quickly. Regardless of the disagreement that Raidou and Eruda just had, it wouldn't stop her from keeping him in the loop. 

To: Raidou From: Eruda A group of Firm Anima is going into a place that might be hard to get out of. Not sure where it will put us, but the time is weird there, this coming from Freyd. Me, Freyd, Sam, Freya and Gaius... If you do not hear from us in a while, please come find us. We are going after Morrighan...

She remembers what Rai told her, to not get into it... She was already in it though. She made a contract with this woman and even though she didn't know exactly what that meant, everything that was wrong with Eruda was fixed in an instant. How could she just ignore that. This woman stopped Eruda from having another mental shut down. She just felt scared most of the time, but let her emotions lead the way. Now, she is guided by the truth, no negative thoughts have crossed her mind and she has only been thinking about the could be's and what is. Rai has shown Eruda that true love is possible, but Nisa. She has shown Eruda that if having faith, anything can happen. It has opened a whole new realm of possibilities and she just needed to convince her guild mates that Nisa was the best offer, maybe the only option for the true outcome to unfold. Eruda right then sends that message.

Watching Freyd vanish into the portal looking door, looking back to the others now. She holds out a hand to Sam and she looked like she was about ready to just run away. Hesitantly, Sam grabs Eruda's arm as they walk into the unknown together.

[Gaius 0]

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Gaius scratches the back of his head, a struggled bit of breathing slowly stabilizing itself. He'd convinced himself that the dream was nothing more than an imaginary bit of fuckery of a tired mind. Turning his attentions from Freya and listening to Freyd's quick description of whatever the hell this was, it started to ring a bell. About as weird as Val-Halla. "Well, fuck it. I'm here now, count me in." Staring into the realm of madness, this black portal that seemed to offer no view as what may be hiding on the other side.

It scared even him.

Looking back toward Freya. "Guess we're doin' this." He'd promise he'd follow her anywhere, but this wasn't really what he imagined. He meant to like the grocery store or floor 9. Not actually a portal to some place that was bugged out and could very well get them both killed. But, Freya clearly didn't invite him along if she thought he'd stop her. Taking a sharp breath, he leaps in with his eyes closed and a handful of Freya's. There was no turning back now.

[Nisahime 0]

Flower petals scatter down like gently drifting rain, disappearing into grass as if finding its way into water. The faint scent of them, sweet to the tongue. All skills seem to fade, and with it suits of armor are simply not present. Gone, as if they were fake, imaginary. As was the whole of Aincrad. The players respective plight had seemed to fade away with them. A waning bit of time from before, seemed reset. A morning sun hung there in the blue sky above, not a single cloud. Maps on player's HUD's were distorted and fogged, looking like static on a TV screen. The crunch of footsteps as they moved through the grass, feeling like outsiders and yet welcome. As they would turn to look at one another, their appearances would reflect not the selves they held within Aincrad. No, but the ones that they bore before being trapped within the realms of Tir Na Nog.

A single sourceless sentence. "I was wondering when you would heed my call, but I must admit, Raven of Sin. It was amusing watching you run around in circles looking for a door you could not open." The players within would recognize it immediately as one that had graced their dreams. What was this place? Who was she really? That was the question. Sat carelessly as those pink petals rush down past her shoulders, a woman that only two: The messenger's had ever seen. A long gown of white, and a long tapestry of black hair that flowed for far too long.

"Welcome to the World that Never was. Do you enjoy my dream?"

Spoiler Morrighan, The Hand of Fate Level: 32 Paragon Level: 6 HP: 660/660 EN: 84/84 Stats: Damage: 1 Equipped Gear: Weapon: ~Error~ Armor: ~Error~ Misc: ~Error~ Custom Skill: ~ Out of Resources, End Command ~ Active Extra Skills: Concentration

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by Nisahime

[Sam 0]

Silence fell heavy in this room. It was nothing like Freyd had described. She could feel the light on her skin, almost like a warmth of the sun was hitting her directly. The petals fell with grace from this tree on the green filled ground. For a moment she even forgot why she was here. Shaking her head, she takes her hand back from Eruda and placed it on her other arm. The description that was gave nor the female that was seen in her dreams looked like Nisa. This must of been Morrighan or as Freyd put it, her true form. Fingers slowly curling against her skin as her nails, she did this for control. It helped her stay focused amongst other things and she was not about to put her team mates in danger. Sam's eyes widen as she felt, actually felt some pain in this notion. She continued, though. How was this even possible, what was this place?

Confusion swept over her and she had so many questions, but she couldn't find words to ask them. Something nudged her forward, turning to see Eruda's outreached arm. Taking a deep breath, she decides to start with the basics, the beginning. "Who are you outside this world, are you even human..." Everything that this person was able to do with whom was supposed to be dead, she would think this chick to be a robot or something. None of it made sense.

Edited February 9, 2022 by Sam

[Freyd 0]

A young man stepped into the clearing from the void, a pair of simple wire-frame glasses perched beneath a dark mop of hair.  They framed a long narrow face that seemed totally unsurprised and at ease with their surroundings.  He had soft blue eyes tinted towards the grey of the ocean beneath an overcast sky, surveying the tree and people gathered at the edge of this peculiar space.  His clothes were plain and casual.  A charcoal hoody cast over an old worn t-shirt with some obscure gaming logo sat on a tall, lanky frame that lacked the perpetual tension that governed his counterpart's digital existence.  The hood, conspicuously, rested on his shoulders.  There was no need for it here.

Hands slung into pockets, he stood in a relaxed pose as one might if they were sitting in their own living room at home.  A smile and nod were offered to their hostess, seeming strangely familiar with her, and her odd mannerisms.  

"Heya, Morry.  It took a while, but looks like you've finally managed to get a good chunk of them here.  I was wondering how long he could hold his curiosity at bay and keep them away from this place, and you."

Turning, the man offered the others a warm smile and bid them move forward, out of the darkness and shadows.  Meanwhile, cast from his feet and away from the central light of the space, a darker, edgier figure strained against its bindings, but with futility.  The balance had shifted.

 

[Freya 0]

Freyja knew exactly what dream Morrighan was talking about. Did everyone in the guild have something similar. The ones that she knew of was Sam and Raidou, of course her but that was a given. Glancing to Gaius with curious eyes, for some reason she felt comfortable here. It was like everything that was overwhelming her at the moment which was not a lot, was just gone. Since that last dream she had, she had been working on her family. Getting closer to them and causing that flame to spark ever so slightly. She knew that it was not going to happen over night, but she was making progress which was the main point. This included Gaius, too, he was going to officially be part of the family soon and she wanted to make sure they everything was well between them before that time would come. It really was a working progress. Gaius just looked completely confused, holding that hand now with both of hers, "You wouldn't be the first to have such a dream she speaks of, if you did." Freya right then realized that all those doubts that Freya and Freyd were having were completely gone. How was this possible...

Glancing to Freyd now, something was much different, and the way that he spoke. "Takeshi?" Saying this in almost a question. She would recognize this character from the platinum mirror in Simmonè's shop. It was only a split second that she would see this figure and that tone of his was most definitely not one of Freyd's. Interesting... 

She knew now that this was not the void realm that Freyd would speak of, no monsters or darkness, it was quite the opposite. So if this was not the void, then this must be Morrighans world. As she said, the World That Never Was. If this was her world that means the others that joined her oh so long ago could be here too, right? "Will the others be present as well." This was spoken directly to Morrighan with a soft voice. Main she wanted to see the one family member that she was robbed to know. That flame of hers was starting to manifest slowly and she was hoping that seeing her younger sister that was no longer of the other world, would strike something clean. She was hoping that Gaius could meet Tuatha as well. The thing that made her seem crazy when they first met. To Freya is was important for Gaius to know what made her who she was today. No secrets between her and the man she loved.

[Eruda 0]

Watching everyone, Freya and Takeshi, is what Freya called him. That was a new one for her, but the appearance would speak loudly to that different name. This man no longer looked like Freyd. Freya seemed comfortable with the situation. This made her think that after everything that her sister had gone through, had already had a conversation with Morrighan in her other form maybe. Gaius and Sam, however, were a mixture of feeling, Sam only pulled her claws out when she was nervous or scared. This was something that Eruda had noticed a few times while under that sorta pressure. Gaius was aimlessly looking so confused. He would understand soon enough. Eruda felt almost at home here, even though this was the first time she had ever been here, she would expect nothing less from Morrighan.

Stepping forward to hold Samantha's hand, the one that was clawing at her arm. "There is no need for that," glancing at the others for a moment before turning back to Morrighan. "I am sure that you know we have been investigating you. Only facts will change the minds of Firm Anima. Proof, if you will, they do not want to walk into a trap and you," glancing to Freya then to the Takeshi figure, eyes following back to Morrighan, "Are the unknown variable. From what you have told me, they can't simply just blindly believe in Fate. Some need more, more that just a promise of their own controlled path. They need proof that you will not just end us the first chance you get. They need to know that you are on our side as a whole, when it comes that time." A deep breath before glancing to the others, they were are staring at her. This was a different side of her, one of reason, her voice that she was hiding in the back of her head but couldn't fully grasp it till now. 

Eruda chose this path, to believe in Fate even though it was very much of the unknown. Things in her life, the people she has crossed paths with, people that she has formed bonds with. The path that she has chosen to walk down, one of protection and guidance to her family, which included Firm Anima, and anyone else who were willing to take it. She wouldn't stand down, she was in it all for the long run. If she could get her mates here and Morrighan could do the rest, that would be enough, at least for now. 

That voice that she heard when she was with Raidou, that static with fire blending within one another, was that Morrighan proving a point or was that true Fate in the works... That was the only thing that she was really wondering right now. It was something that she rather not mention in front of the others, mainly because it was so new. Eruda would stand there waiting and holding Sam's hand for pure comfort, letting her know that she didn't need to be afraid.

[Nisahime 0]

A rather elegant raise, black hair cascading down in fine strands as she starts to move. "Thank you for leading them here, my messengers." Soft patters, as grass bends under foot. Bare feet on turf as that white dress pours and tussles it in her wake. As she'd walk, you'd find her image shift and change, as if an answer to a question. One of blonde hair, short and within a mere instant it was back to the woman. It suspended belief, as it happened between a blink of an eye. As if it never happened at all.

"They always are." Her head pivoting down and bringing about an intense lock of her eyes to Freya. Lifting a hand and catching one of those falling petals, gingerly finding it's way stopped in her palm. "And why would that matter, what good would it serve? I am what I am, no more and no less. It is up to you to decide what that might be." As her gaze drifts from Freyja to Sam. Slinking further and passing by Takeshi, the truth and sliding a hand across his shoulder.

She'd look on to the group of four, that had yet to visit this place. Some peered into it, scratched it, if only for a brief moment. "Proof is not something I can provide, after all I am no longer in control of what you believe me to be. I am unknown, for that is the very definition. Elda you know better, and I do believe that some of you have your suspicions. For me to walk you into your own demise, I would need to be capable of moving your feet." A rather coy smile, one that mirrored one bore by others. Something was muddied in her, as if a sea of lingering personas were boiling and who knew what would escape. "Belief is what you hear, is what you see? As is life and a soul, they cannot be quantified or seen. Only felt."

Raising her arm, that petal takes to a bright light. A star in her grasp, and once that light clears, it is a weapon. A near shapeless thing, yet it held solidarity. As if its very existence was fleeting and destined to vanish. A yomi, the very same used to save the raven's mistress. "The question always is, do you believe what you see?"

[Freyd 0]

"Proof.  Truth.  The burden of fact as absolute.  An infinite pool of doubt.  That's why Freyd can't believe.  The requirements of faith stand opposed to his very nature.  It's why I needed you all to make it here.  Thanks for convincing him that it was necessary."  Montjoy beamed a pleasant smile at all of them.  It would have been utterly creepy on Freyd, but the subtle differences between them were enough to offset the jarring effects. 

"Oh, always with the games, Morry.  You silly white-feathered goose."  He chuckled softly, even as he nodded a greeting in her direction.  "I believe what sounds and feels right, as I suspect some of you do."   A tilt towards Eruda implied connection and agreement.  "And that includes not seeing 

"And no, Freya.  I am not Takeshi.  Not exactly, at least.  I am Montjoy, the herald of pride and humiliation alike.  You can think of me as Freyd's conscience, if you like.  Or Takeshi's.  They are one and the same, and also equally stubborn.  Thank you for bringing him to Simmone's mirror and giving me the insight I needed to finally turn the balance."  Turning to his flustered shadow, Montjoy pressed a lone finger to his lips.  "Hush you.  You've had your turn for too long already.  Time to let the boy be a boy again, and shed that silly cage you cast around him."  The shadow lacked eyes or other features of any kind, yet its glower was palpable nonetheless.

Placing a gentle hand upon Freya and Eruda's shoulders, both would notice the same long, familiar digits, but somehow less menacing in their manner.  Bridging a connection between them, a tender squeeze and simple, honest smile bade them to relax.  "I agree that Morrighan is not a threat to us, but we will struggle to get others to understand that - those whose feelings serve as either shield or are shielded.  You've given me the means to convince Freyd, just by coming here.  As to the rest..." He glanced at poor Gaius, then caught Eruda's eyes with a look of unexpected sympathy.  "We need to talk, but this is not the place."

[Sam 0]

This woman walked as those shifts of forms presented themselves in a quick, almost flash before it was Morrighan again. She saw that boy again, Tuatha. Anna too, it looked just like Eruda and Freya just a bit smaller. Did that mean that Anna was gone as well... Her gaze shifts to Eruda and Freya. Eyes right then narrow, hearing Freyd, Takeshi, Montjoy... Speaking, her captain truly was all in now, just by being in here. Was this what he was always meant to be? A shifting glare to Morrighan and she tries to pull her weapon, but nothing happens... Opening her HUD, there was nothing, the map was glitched. That pain that she forced herself to feel, there was nothing but normal here... How was that possible...

"No... no..." shaking her head, as the ground under her feet starts to become wet. "I can't, that pain... I can't..." She knows what she was told, those times that Tuatha appeared to give a word of two. He didn't regret what he did, all that time after in the real world. "All that time wasted," she collapses to her knees, holding her head. That pain held her still in place for so long, "I was afraid to leave my house, nothing was worth it enough to leave..." That something she did would go horrible wrong once more. She wanted to let go, she didn't want this pain anymore. She knew what Tuatha thought, he shouldn't even be here right now... "How is he here... I saw him die, I saw him in that coffin... How is he here..." Her cheeks were soaked with multiple feelings. Fear, sadness, regret, everything that she has held on for far too long. She couldn't push herself to make it go away. Burrowing her face in her hands now, "I don't want to feel this way anymore..." Sam felt like a broken toy right now...