[SP-F1] Secret Medicine of the Forest [Finished]

[Guest]

When he initiated the quest, Alkor turned his gaze away from the NPC as he spoke. Some rhetoric about someone in need of an item that could only be found on a rarely appearing mob on the outskirts of the first floor, in the forest. He said almost literally nothing about the strength or relative weakness of the creature and the surrounding areas, but when the quest appeared in his log, Alkor could see it was safe for him to do alone at his current level.

He turned on his heel without engaging the old man, swiping his hand through the air in front of him and toggled the map, scouring for the quest indicator. Several kilometers away, by his best guess, the blip appeared in an area he had not yet discovered. The data was available now, due to the higher tiered players uploading it in the city, but Alkor refused to take that data. The experience of learning it for himself helped him gain a sense of accomplishment.

Alkor drifted out from the safe zone wordlessly, headed intently toward the indicated spot on his minimap.

[Guest]

His first few steps out of the city took him into the outdoor air, and a breeze that felt beyond real washed over him. Alkor's brown eyes wavered in the false sunlight. He swept the messy hair from his face with a deft motion, and toggled his menu closed. The sword he started the game with slid quickly into his hand, and he stepped uncertainly off of the beaten path.

This quest took him far and away from the familiar, and thrust him into the heart of danger. Away from places where he knew people, and to somewhere that no one could save him if he blundered. It was a mixed filling, the one in his heart, somewhere between fear and excitement. Each step took him out of his shell.

Rustling in the wind, the trees of his destination sang a gentle song. He knew that as soon as he got inside, there would most likely be monsters. It was imperative that he be ready for them. With a look of determination in his gaze, Alkor trekked forward in spite of his inhibitions. There's only one way to get stronger, and that's by going outside my comfort zone. Time to get to it.

[Guest]

Like a goddess' garden, the flowers and various flora sprang up from the forest floor all around him. Sunlight filtered through the treetops bathed the deceptively gentle looking mobs in an almost innocent light, but Alkor knew better than to trust what his eyes were telling him. He kept his guard up, careful of each step. One of these creatures had the item he needed, but it wouldn't be any of the ones he encountered upon first entering.

No, nothing was that easy. For the sake of assessing their strength, though, Alkor readied his blade, and he charged the nearest "Little Nepent" to him. His blade sliced clean through the air, toward the quirky little plant creature, and it reeled from the damage. It gave a pitiful shriek, then coiled up into what Alkor gleaned to be an attack position.

-Alkor deals two damage, base 1 +1 for skill (one handed straight swords)

Alkor (11/11)

Little Nepent (3/5)

[Guest]

The creature lashed back toward him with what appeared to be thorny vines; Alkor felt his entire body brace, but he threw himself backward out of reflex. It was less effective than it would have been if he'd had any sort of training in this skill for evasion, but it helped to amplify the block he was attempting. A full on strike from those thorns would do a number on his HP... literally.

While it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, Alkor failed to deflect the full damage of his opponent's strike. The thorny appendage scraped across his highly defined, albeit pixel-formed flesh, and left two distinct red marks. His HP meter dropped several points.

Alkor (9/11)

Little Nepent (3/5)

[Guest]

He answered quickly with an attack of his own, slicing methodically toward the bulk of the forestral monster's body. The blade hissed a silent threat in the air as it zoomed toward it's mark, Alkor's face a mask of determination. The beast rocked from the force of the hit, slinking back from the obvious hazard to its health.

Nubile in swordsmanship though he was, Alkor gripped his blade with an unspoken expertise, invigorated by the success of his attacks, as well as by the weakened state of his opponent. It was almost like the first time he had passed a test in the real world. All the time he'd spent, all the effort, it had all culminated to this point.

The floral creature withered, though it remained alive. It seemed to want nothing more to do with the fight, though it did not retreat in the proper sense.

Alkor (9/11)

Little Nepent(1/5)

[Guest]

He danced backward, away from the retaliation of his opponent. His body turned in response to the simple thought Block! Alkor was fascinated how quickly his mind and body synchronized to the game's system. The more he gained experience, it seemed, the more his character knew what to do.

At the same time, however, he made a critical misstep. The creature moved with unexpected haste, and Alkor felt his eyes widen in shock. The vines whipped across his body in a powerful strike, doing extra damage than it would have normally. He backed up with a shake tearing through his body than dropped him to one knee.

He braced against his sword, now dug into the ground, and grit his teeth. As he slowly recovered, the weakened mob seemed to mock him with its sickeningly cute dance.

Alkor (6/11)

Little Nepent (1/5)

[Guest]

With a slow step forward, Alkor towered over the small, woodland creature like a titan. He brought the blade round in a vicious slice, intent on ending the creature with a look of callous dismissal. When his blade slid over top of the Nepent's head, narrowly missing the finishing blow, the swordsman grit his teeth in frustration. He tore the blade back, intent on blocking the return blow, and braced for impact.

He should have known better, in retrospect, than to overextend. Cockiness had set in, and Alkor was reaping the horrible fruits of his disposition.

Alkor (6/11)

Little Nepent (1/5)

[Guest]

The Nepent seized its opportunity when Alkor got too close, and the weapon sailed over its head. The diminutive creature lunged its body toward his center of mass, seeking to take him off guard and knock the wind out of him. Alkor's blade came upward to block...

...but not nearly fast enough. The beast coiled all of its sinister vines around itself in that instant, forming a spiny ball of pain that slammed directly into the swordsman's exposed gut. Alkor let out a huff as he was thrown back, his health bar taking a staggering amount of damage.

Alkor (2/11)

Little Nepent (1/5)

[Guest]

Alkor thrust his blade toward the Nepent as the creature began to unwind itself, hoping to end the battle before he could take any more damage. This had quickly turned into a near death situation, and Alkor needed to get out of it before it turned into an actual death one.

When the Nepent evaded his killing blow, Alkor twisted his body and kicked off the dirt, breaking into the fastest sprint he could muster without the skill for it. His sword slammed into sheath, and he stumbled away from the creature that had come dangerously close to ending his life. He didn't turn around until he was out of the forest, a haunted look in his eyes.

Both hands on his knees, Alkor fought for breath, despite his body not actually being taxed. There was no way he could have survived another strike, and he wasn't about to try. Instead, he dropped into a seated position in the dirt in order to rest. Swiping his fingers along to open the menu, Alkor selected his food and drink-the basic, starting items- and he began to eat.

The Nepent, he noticed in the distance, was slowly regenerating it's health. It seemed ignorant to his continued presence, just outside it's area of programmed aggression. For that, Alkor was infinitely thankful. This quest was turning out to be harder than he first thought it would be.

Nepent (5/5)

Alkor (11/11)

[Guest]

"One more time," he resolved as he rose from his after-beating meal. Alkor trod back into the forest, withdrawing his blade from its resting place. The Nepent seemed oblivious to the fact that this was the man who had brought it so close to dying the first time. Instead, it watched him inquisitively as he drew closer, and went into a defensive position as Alkor rushed forward to attempt what he had failed in doing the first time around.

[Guest]

Alkor brought the sword thundering down toward the Nepent, his body moving with a vigor he hadn't known before. His resolve was burning deep in the pit of his stomach. His desire to be rid of this creature flared through his motions, his hate poured out through his being and steeled him to his grim cause.

All of this, he sneered, for some old man's quest.

Vines whipped up to halt his blade, and Alkor grunted his surprise as his weapon stopped short. The creature looked at him almost playfully, and Alkor jerked at his blade in an attempt to free it. "Not this time," he hissed, mostly to himself. "Not. This. Time."

[Guest]

<> was all Alkor saw as his vision went red. He felt the resistance of his opponent trying to rip his weapon out of his hands, slashing at him with thorny vines all the while.

While it didn't succeed in depriving him of the weapon, the small beast did manage to get the hit in. The thorns raked Alkor's side and it let go of the blade as he backed away. The chestnut haired youth let out a snort, whipping the blade across his body to be certain of his grip on it.

Alkor (9/11)

Little Nepent (5/5)

[Guest]

In a fluid motion, Alkor struck out toward the Nepent's outstretched vines, hoping he might catch one and rend it free from the beast's body. He watched in what felt like slow motion, drawing a deep breath through his nose. When his strike missed its mark, Alkor let out a groan of irritation.

This was so much harder than it needed to be! He stumbled and turned, facing his opponent so that it couldn't take his back. The best he could do was hold out until some good luck came his way. It was a long time coming, that was for sure.

Alkor (9/11)

Little Nepent (5/5)

[Guest]

The Little Nepent withdrew its vines as if to chide him for even thinking such a thing. It whirled them around like a lasso, sending them toward Alkor in a quick, haymaker strike. When he rose his blade and intercepted the swipe, Alkor let out a visible sigh of relief. It was as if, finally, the system had given him a break. Finally, his body had started to react to things the way he needed it to.

He let out the deep breath, a smile stretching across his face, and readied for the next move.

Alkor (9/11)

Little Nepent (5/5)

[Guest]

Rebuffing the vines, Alkor took a deep step toward his opponent and sent his sword straight for the body of the flower-like entity. It seemed to squeal as he got closer, not comfortable with whatever he intended to do. It squirmed out of the way at the last second, eyeing Alkor with contempt.

Alkor (9/11)

Little Nepent (5/5)

[Guest]

Alkor followed through his attack, turning about quickly and bringing his blade around to block a quick counterattack. This was the most intense combat he had been locked in so far in Aincrad, and it felt both amazing and terrifying. When the vines came and his blade stopped them, Alkor blinked.

It seemed so simple, now. The creature followed an almost simple attack algorithm. It kept him at bay, and got more dangerous whenever he got close. The vines were the key to its entire strategy. This time, when they snaked toward him in tandem, Alkor brought his blade around in a devastating arc.

From below, the blade seared through both vines like a surgical knife through flesh. They glowed red at both points of impact, and the two vines that had broken free from the main body evaporated into data, showering him with yellow and blue fragments. Alkor stared down the creature with a look that said, "try it again."

The body of the creature remained for a moment, staring at him with a gaze of terror mixed with anguish. It's body melted away into the oblivion of the game's afterlife, and a message appeared in front of Alkor.

«Little Nepent's Ovule»

He blinked. The first creature he'd come across in the forest, and he had found the item as its drop. Alkor mouthed the words, "I'll be damned," and shrugged his shoulders. Well, after all of that, he could hardly deny himself a stroke of good luck. He collected the item in a hurry, and he left the forest behind him.

Alkor deals 5 damage 1 base, +2 super critical, +1(skill: single handed straight swords)

Alkor (9/11)

Little Nepent (Dead)

[Guest]

The walk back from the forest felt longer than the one going to it had. Each step felt more labored, as if completing his purpose were a burden on him. He twitched through the menu and glanced at the item thoughtfully, though it appeared to do nothing special. It was just labeled, "quest item," and it looked completely unassuming.

It was probably all in his head. The feeling of a fight that pressed him to a limit, surviving a battle that came too close to death for comfort; Alkor had tasted his first quest, and while it had been difficult, it hadn't killed him. "These quests are gonna be useful for getting stronger," Alkor reminded himself, "I've got to keep that in mind."

He figured that way, at least he could keep himself motivated. In this world, strength was everything.

[Guest]

For the most part, the walk back toward town was uneventful. He organized his inventory lazily, listening to the sound of the breeze. Alkor strained to recall the real world, yawning after a long day of training. "What time is it...?" He asked aloud, checking the time in the upper corner of his HUD.

"Whaaaa...?" Alkor blinked. "I'd normally be asleep right now, but..." With a shrug, he kept his stride. "No sense in hurrying. I can pass out when I turn in this quest."

He jerked back in surprise as a wolf snapped at him from the side. "Ack!" His sword slid free of the sheath in a quick motion, and he cleaved through the mob in a single stroke. The red line tore through the unfortunate beast, and it scattered into data.

-Alkor deals 4 damage, Super Critical 2 + base damage 1 + skill (one handed straight swords) 1

Alkor (9/11)

Wolf 1 (Dead)

Wolf 2 (4/4)

He noticed the second in the shadow of the first, and he readied his sword. "Nothing comes easy, it seems." Alkor let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his mess of hair.

[Guest]

In a quick burst, Alkor slid backward on the balls of his feet and moved his blade swiftly to intercept the second wolf's vicious maw. The instant his arm would have been caught in the vice grip of those jaws, Alkor ripped his arm backward and left the wolf with nothing to bite down on but cold, hard steel. The creature yelped as its fangs clashed against a much harder substance, and pitifully it attempted to stumble backward, away from danger.

It was too late. As the beast's mouth clamped shut, Alkor thrust his blade forward toward the jawbone of the poor wolf. The metal tore into sinew, and a strangled yelp escaped from the canine as it struggled to wrest itself free. Availed nothing by its efforts, the beast collapsed into a heap as Alkor swung his weapon through, spinning it back into a proper grip. The Wolf limped back, it's ruined jaw bleeding a data stream of red as it stared with hatred at the player.

-Alkor deals 3 Damage 1 Base +1 Critical +1 Skill: One handed straight swords.

Alkor (9/11)

Wolf 1 (Dead)

Wolf 2 (1/4)

[Guest]

In an act of defiance, the wolf let out a wicked howl and rushed toward Alkor, who braced himself for the incoming strike. Seeing an opening in the limping creature's gait, Alkor's eyes went wide and he let out a powerful war cry. The creature only matched his pitch, and their discordant song swept across the land for what felt like a hundred lifetimes.

The wolf managed to stagger past him, though the damage was already done. It had been a devastating strike, so much so that the beast had yet to fall as the system tallied up the damage done. The red gash along its being remained, though Alkor had already closed his eyes and was sheathing his sword.

A ragged breath escaped the swordsman as his enemy dispersed into nothingness, and when he opened his eyes, a message popped up that the enemy had dropped a small amount of Col, which he graciously accepted into his inventory. Any amount of money was good, especially to someone who had next to nothing.

Alkor (9/11)

Wolf 1 (Dead)

Wolf 2 (Dead)