[PT][F/05][PP]Sandstorm Waltz

Oscar · July 11

Oscar had, generally, the same mind as Abellio. The look the two exchanged said it all. Whatever Lysette had weighing on her, running the ones was definitely helping. Or, at least, providing some much-needed catharsis. Besides, they needed to wait for the boss to do the thing before Oscar could do anything to it. So Lysette was free to do as she pleased as far as using the creature as a punching bag was concerned. Besides, it was a thing of beauty to behold. She must have had some real life experience because there was no way a new player could move like that without it. The elegance made more sense with her. More natural. Less brute-forced like Oscar's. His born from the fact that he wouldn't be put on his ass by anyone - even this game's poor facsimile of physics. His ego took a hit, for sure. But he'd take that blow on the chin every time. It wasn't a competition and even if it were, Oscar couldn't say that he would win it.

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 933/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Lysette · July 11

Lydia couldn’t help but think that every kick she landed was a blow to the people that never - not one time - held her best interests at heart. Each blow was an act of a rebellion. A clear ‘fuck you’ to her hangers-on. For the first time in her life, she felt that she had real control. It was intoxicating. That rush of adrenaline that honed her senses to a razor’s edge. The trembling of her fingers - not from fear but of excitement. When was the last time she had been excited about something anyway? Stood her ground instead of just passively letting people use her? Were her talents - her passions - even her own? When you took away her singing and her acting and her dancing, who was she really?

Questions for later. She had courage enough to face the fangs and claws of Terra Firma, but she lacked the courage to face her own demons. But every blow, every last-second dodge that required almost superhuman dexterity, was another means of keeping those demons in check. For now, that would do.

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 933/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Abellio · July 11

Abellio had crossed over to stand closer to Oscar. It was a bit boring being in the outfield. And boredom would lead to errors. He knew himself well enough to know that if all he had to do was stand there and twiddle his thumbs, he would find a way to fuck it all up. Standing next to his friend, Abellio ducked as Terra Firma got away from Lysette just long enough to take a chomp out of Oscar. Despite the ring of teeth marks in his chest, all Oscar did was bring his knee up to the creature's jaw and send it somersaulting backwards toward Lysette.

"So uh... What's up with that, you think?"

He didn't even spare a thought for Oscar's health bar. He'd seen the man take a massive spear to the chest and then almost immediately regenerate back to full health. So he expected much the same here.

"Bawling to balling like this is kinda wild. Givin' me whiplash."

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 778/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Terra Firma Attack vs Oscar | ID: 247562 | BD: 10, Deal 155 DMG

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Oscar · July 11

Oscar brought his hand up to his shoulder after he'd kicked Terra Firma away and dusted his leathers off with the back of his hand. He could only shrug at Abellio's question. He remembered that when he'd first got started, he was much the same. Terrified until the rush kicked in. He would refrain from commenting on what he thought. It was a heavy thing, having parents that didn't care about you. Or, only cared about parts of you. They would emphasize those, neglect the whole. And it would fuck you up for years, well into adulthood.

"I can speculate," Oscar said with a shrug. "But out of respect, I'm not going to. All I can say is that for some people, getting into a fight in this game is like flipping a switch. There's a rush. Something about taking control back, I guess. It happened with me, too. Sometimes you just get sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 832/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Lysette · July 11

Lydia's foot collided with Terra Firma's spine as Oscar kicked hit back towards her. The concentrated force of the impact caused wind to rip out in all directions, kicking up a small dust devil. Terra Firma was sent flying head over tail over Lydia's back, collapsing to the ground in a heap. She wheeled around and dropped down low. She kicked off the ground, sending more sand ripping out in all directions. But before she could land her blow, the creature dove under the sand. Probably to get away from the punishment that she had subjected it to. Lydia stopped cold and looked around. Suddenly the ground at her feet was unstable. She began to lose her balance as the sand began to shift downward like water in a drain. It was a futile effort. Heels did not mix well with sand on a good day. As those jagged rows of teeth began to appear from the golden grains, surrounding her feet as they sank into the sand, Lydia's heart jumped into her throat.

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 832/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Abellio · July 11

Abellio watched as Lydia fell into Terra Firma's trap. He was about rush in when he felt a burst of wind to his right. He looked over and saw that Oscar was gone. Turning his attention back to Lysette, he saw that in the time it took him to even process what had happened, Oscar had rushed to her aid. There was never a more clear difference in their skills than that very moment. Not only had he recognized the problem, but he'd thrown himself into the fire before Abellio could even twitch. The man's arm had looped around Lysette's waist, just as Abellio did. With insane speed, he snatched her out of the quicksand and placed her onto firmer ground. But that only put him in the way of the attack. Terra Firma burst from the ground and swiped at Oscar. The blow dropped his health lower, leaving red gashes across Oscar's chest.

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 677/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Terra Firma Attack vs Oscar
ID: 247563 | BD: 10, deal 155 DMG

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Oscar · July 11

Oscar's reprisal came swiftly. Holding Lysette in one hand, he dropped his sword into the sand. The blade stuck fast, standing straight up as Oscar cocked back his fist. Before the boss even had the chance to dive back underground, Oscar delivered a sharp downward spike with his hand. He landed a telling blow, slamming the beast into the ground with enough force to cause the sand to tremble. The burst of dust and sand caused his weapon to shoot upward into the air. In one fluid motion, he caught the weapon. Spinning it over the back of his hand, he released Lysette and took a step back. If he had been scared, he didn't show it. Merely cracking a smile as he made his retreat. It was best to learn such things with training wheels rather than risk it all on one attack.

"I hope we've learned that heels in sand are not a good idea."

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 731/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Lysette · July 11

Just when Lydia thought it was all over, Oscar had been there to literally pull her out of harm's way. She could only watch on as the creature cut into Oscar with claws intended for her. First it had been Abellio, now Oscar. She hadn't been paying close enough attention. Wildly swinging, losing herself in the adrenaline and the catharsis of the moment. But more importantly, she found that she had more insight into the type of person Oscar was. She thought he was just a playboy. But all the playboys she knew wouldn't have jumped in like that. Or, if they did, they would have complained the entire time. Lambasted her for her foolishness. Made her feel small for needing help. But all Oscar did was act, then retreat. Though he did take a jab at her, it was an obvious one. The entire thing wouldn't have been a problem if she'd worn more sensible footwear.

"Y-yeah," she said softly. "Thank you."

It was about all that she trusted herself to say as she tried to parse out the whirlwind of feelings. Her face felt hot, but not from the desert heat. Beneath the kindness and the playful jabs, Oscar was a hard man. She felt it. Every muscle had been taut. He played it cool, casually pulling her to safety. But no one would be so tense if they weren't worried. And no one wouldn't be that tense if they weren't incredibly concerned. She looked at him - really examined him as he walked backwards to join Abellio. There was a glint in his eye. A vulnerability in his cool and collected armor.

He was faking.

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 731/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Abellio · July 11

"Dude that was insane," Abellio said.

Oscar never failed to amaze him. He just had a mind for combat. Though, that was to be expected given the man was Level Fucktillion and had several raids under his belt. Those Frontliners were clearly made of nails if Oscar was any measure. Abellio had to wonder where Oscar placed amongst them.

"Are all the Frontliners as good as you?"

Oscar shook his head. "Most are better, actually. I'm firmly middle-of-the-pack."

Abellio tilted his head to look up at the man, an expression of pure incredulity on his face. No way Oscar was just average. It blew his mind to think that there were people better. But he couldn't argue with Oscar's own admission.

"That's crazy, man. I can't believe it. So you all do this crazy shit on the regular."

Oscar merely shrugged. "Oh, nah. If we're talking style, I'm my own Beast."

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 731/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Terra Firma Attack vs Oscar | ID: 247564 | BD: 7+1-3, miss

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Oscar · July 11

Abellio being awestruck did little to help soothe Oscar's ego. He should have seen that maneuver coming - handled it before things even got so close. It wasn't enough that she was out of harm's way. It should have never been a question of safety in the first place. Mentally, he kicked himself. Self-flagellated over his own stupidity, his lack of care or attention. He had promised a perfectly safe engagement once before and had been made the liar then. So why did he expect that this would be any different? And then he met Lysette's gaze. And there was something in that moment of weakness, where he was analyzing his own actions and pointing out where he should have performed differently that his mask slipped. Less than a second, simply a glimmer in his eye.

But that was all it took. She'd seen, and he knew it.

All these years cultivating his persona evaporated in an instant.

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 785/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Lysette · July 11

What was she to do in this situation? She'd seen Oscar, shields down. Lydia had so many questions. They buzzed around in her head like an angry swarm of hornets. She needed to know why he put on like this. He hid a burning sun beneath a cold, steely exterior and she couldn't fathom why anyone would do that. Wasn't the point to be kind?

Abellio wore his heart on his sleeve. He was like a puppy. Eager to help, eager to please. But puppies were also naive. They didn't know how evil people could be. And it was there that she found her answer.

Oscar and Lysette had similar understandings. Perhaps not experiences, but they'd reached the same conclusion. People will gladly fuck you over without a second thought. You had to keep your guard up at all times. But it was nice that Oscar had found a way to not completely give up on everyone. Even through the ice, she could still feel the warmth.

So she would do nothing. Say nothing.

Lydia owed him that much, at least.

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 785/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Abellio · July 11

Abellio wasn’t sure what they were waiting around for, but the heat was starting to get to him. He wondered why Oscar wasn’t just killing the thing. Abellio remembered that he had mentioned trying to get an Extra Skill and failing repeatedly. Sure they had met the requirement by now. But the he saw Terra Firm begin to turn red. Veins bulged with power, black eyes turned crimson. And he realized that this was what they had been waiting for.

The creature shot off like an arrow towards Oscar, kicking up dust in its wake. Before Abellio could even process what was happening, it had sank its jaws into Oscar’s shoulder. The forward momentum carried his friend off into the middle distance, colliding with a sand dune and bursting through it. It was as if the fight had just now begun. Oscar and Terra Firma clashed. He couldn’t see it, but he could feel it.

Each time they collided, the ground beneath his feet shuddered. He could almost make out, through the haze of heat, two blurs dancing with one another. Over the land and in the air. Each time they slammed into one another, another tremor.

Another quake.

And each was an example of what it meant for someone on Oscar’s level to take a fight seriously.

How would Abellio even reach those heights?

Spoiler

Oscar | HP: 558/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 664/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4

Terra Firma Attack vs Oscar | ID: 247565 | BD: 8+1, hit | LD: 12 - Assault Mode | Deal 227 DMG

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Oscar · July 11

Gears upshifted in less than the time it took him to blink.

Oscar was forced backward, caught in Terra Firma’s jaws like a wounded doe. He felt his back collide with something hard, looked up to see an entire sand dune blown into the air. Sand struck his body in thick globs, feeling more as bullets than as sand. He finally wrenched himself free, rolling and skidding over the sand like he’d just thrown himself from a car.

It was disorienting. Everything was a blur, blues and golds flashing across his vision almost instantly. Nearly simultaneously. Somehow, he managed to get his feet under him, but the momentum didn’t stall. There was little friction to be had over the sand. And no sooner had he got his balance back did the boss burst from the sand to attempt to land another blow. He couldn’t afford to get hit. Not when the boss was in this state. It’s attacks shredded right through his armor. Letting this thing get the better of him would not only be an embarrassing way to go out, but it would also lead to significant collateral damage.

Three lives lost instead of his stupid one.

He moved his weapon around his body, blocking the attack from the creature’s claws. That was the brakes. The downward spike drove Oscar deep into the sand, causing a wave to blast out in all directions. He might have been in a crater, but at least he could plant his feet. Parry the blow. But the riposte was a pipe dream. The creature dove into the sand once more. Oscar had little sense of direction, but he took a stab in the dark that it was heading for his two low-level companions.

He took off like a rocket, speed aiding him in climbing the wall of the crater he found himself stuck in. Oscar located Terra Firma’s fin, on a collision course right for Abellio and Lysette. He poured on more speed, intercepting the boss’s path. The effort was rewarded with another blow. Another parry. The ground shook beneath their feet. The wind shear generated from their colliding offense and defense sent sand flying in all directions.

Terra Firma disengaged.

Oscar gave chase.

They matched blades, claw and katana. In their wake a cloud of sand had formed. It loomed over them like a thunderhead embracing the ground. As the sandstorm summoned by their deadly waltz passed over him, Oscar lost his vision. Was forced to operate off of instinct alone. It became less a battle of Player and NPC and more a clash of two predators. Each vying for dominance, each throwing their all into the primal urge to live to see another day.

Divine Rancor responded to its master’s quickening pulse. The blade slowly came to life, white light rippling down the blade. Within the darkness of the sandstorm, only his blade could be seen. Moving through the air like a whip with such speed that the single line seemed to multiply. Lines branching off from the origin, forking off exponentially. Each parry made the weapon shine - a burst of light that could be seen even outside of the squall.

Lightning to the thunderous quakes.

Their battle carried them almost the entire length and breadth of the floor. The small storm that followed in their wake had morphed into a true disaster. Weather fluctuated, the ground shook. Where seconds had passed between clashes, now there was almost no time between. What had once been small intermittent shocks had transformed into one seemingly long, protracted quake. Oscar didn’t fight in the moment, but the moment before the moment. That time between heartbeats, between the second hand of the clock moved from one notch to the other.

And much like his footing, he couldn’t find traction. He could parry. But he could not riposte. There was no way to move forward. Wind was no longer the consequence of movement. There was a point where you ceased to be an object and simply became energy. An exothermic reaction. Heat. Change. Every dash generated so much heat that the sand behind him melted, cooling almost instantly into glass. Deep crystal scars over the surface of the desert.

Cardinal would not abide that. Such changes would be immediately rectified. It had learned, from Sundered Spire. It would not make the same mistake.

Millions of crystal shards joined the sandstorm as Cardinal deleted Oscar’s edits to its masterpiece.

At these speeds and with this little time to react, the battle would be decided by who made the error first.

Oscar, however, had the ability to feint. The ability to think beyond his raw programming.

He was the human element. The superior one. For all of the creature's super sonic posturing, it would be the one to lose this clash. There was no question.

Terra Firma burst from the sands, bringing its jaw down tight over Oscar’s chest. He let it. Made no effort to duck or dodge. His body would be the trap. His flesh would lock the fangs into him. His arm coiled around the beast’s neck, holding it fast. He didn’t let it go. His grip tightened. All he needed to focus on was one final blow.

He brandished Divine Rancor skyward. The weapon’s glow intensified, a veritable sun at the heart of the sandstorm. A bolt of lightning struck the blade and in the next instant Oscar switched his grip. He thrust downward, jamming his blade right between Terra Firma’s eyes. In a burst of white light, the pair were engulfed. The sun expanded outward, then burst into a supernova. Heat and the screaming light of creation detonating. Consuming.

The sandstorm melted.

Each grain became like glass.

What was once a dark oppression upon the floor now fell like snow from the heavens. Light crystalline shards, barely perceptible to the naked eye in individually coated the ground.

But Cardinal would not abide that.

Cardinal would correct.

But for a few, beautiful moments, it was as if snow had blessed the scorching sands.

Spoiler

Post Action -> AOE-I vs Terra Firma
Free Action -> Rhino's Horn
Free Action -> Crystal of Divine Light

ID: 247566 | BD: 9

29 + 1(Crit) + 16 (Holy) + 3 (Horn) + 8 (Crystal) = 57 * 15 = 855
855 - 150/2 (Phase) = 780 DMG

Oscar | HP: 558/980 | EN: 115/130 | DMG: 29 | MIT:147 | ACC:6 | PHASE | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:54 | REC: 4 | HLY: 16 | BLI: 32/-20 | LD: 5
Lysette | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 1 | EVA:2
Abellio | HP: 300/300 | EN: 48/48 | DMG: 13 | MIT:40 | BH:3

~~Os5, Ly0, Ab2 Terra Firma | HP: 0/950 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4~~

Edited July 13 by Oscar

Lysette · July 11

Lydia didn’t know what was going on. All she knew was that the ground was shaking. The sandstorm was consuming. Abellio had rushed to her side, covered her shrinking frame with his body. She hadn’t even made a sound, hadn’t indicated her fear or lack of knowing. But he had simply acted. What was even happening?

Was this Oscar’s doing?

The tremors had intensified, the ground beneath them roiling and raging. The air stung her skin. She had the presence of mind to check her health bar. No damage, but it certainly didn’t feel that way. Was Abellio hurting too? Had had to have been. She suddenly felt guilty that the man felt the need to protect her. That Oscar was doing all of this to protect them. And she was curled up in a ball.

Useless Lydia, of course.

She couldn’t even boil water. Couldn’t even iron her clothes. How the fuck did she even think she could help these two with a boss fight?

It had all been performative. A good feeling in the moment.

But now that moment was over. Reality caught up. And the reality was, she just wasn’t good enough.

Soon the tremors stopped. The stinging ceased. Her eyes fluttered open, looking at the thin layer of white that clung to the sands. Snow? She reached down, her fingers sinking into the grains and letting it seep out from between her fingers.

Glass.

“Are you guys alright?”

Oscar’s voice. Had he won? Just what had happened?

Abellio’s frame shifted, his weight disappearing from her shoulders. Lydia rose to her feet after him, turning her gaze towards Oscar.

He was a mess.

Jagged scars dotted his frame, deep gashes and teeth marks. He was breathing heavy, his weapon hanging limply at his side. The blade was glowing, but it was losing radiance by the second. Oscar flopped back into the sand, looking up at the sky as the grains fell all around him.

“Good,” he said with a resigned tone and a ghost of a smile on his face. “I had no idea that thing could do all of that. I would never have brought you two along.”

It clicked then.

Her initial judgement was confirmed incorrect.

Whatever he was, it was followed by an asterisk. All of that. More than that.

He would make a star explode, make it snow in the desert.

All to protect the life of someone he barely knew.

Thread Summary

Oscar | [Word Count: 9584/5 = 1916.8] * [True Tier: 10] * [Group Factor: 1] = 19168 EXP, Laurel Wreath: 2875 col, 1 Mon
Abellio | [Word Count: 9584/5 = 1916.8] * [True Tier: 2] * [Group Factor: 1] = 3834 + 2500 = 6334 EXP, 5000 col, 1 Mon
Lysette | [Word Count: 9584/5 = 1916.8] * [True Tier: 1] * [Group Factor: 1] = 1917 + 2500 = 4417 EXP, 5000 col, 1 Mon

All Terra Firma Scales go to Oscar

Spoiler

It was a warm spring day, just as it always was. Floor One never changed. The same people, the same fixtures.

Like Lydia.

Adjusting to life in Aincrad had been a challenge. She had gone from the top of the world to the ditch. That might have bothered some people, but without the oppressive presence of her hangers-on, she had found freedom in her captivity. From late morning to early afternoon, she could be found before the fountain in the central plaza. She practiced her art for all to see, upturned hat some small distance away where her admirers could drop a few bits of Col if they so chose. It wasn't much, but it kept her fed. Kept her booked at the inn. Threadbare sheets be damned, she wouldn't trade her newfound freedom for the world.

What was done in private could now be put on full display.

Her first love, her true passion. Poetry in physical form.

Lysette could enthrall the masses, Lydia merely wished for a humble and quiet existence.

But it carried with it a sort of guilt. That she could be doing more. That she had some sort of responsibility. All these years she had found comfort in her routine, hearing the of the rumors of the Frontlines and their desperate struggle to see them all home. The thought of being locked in mortal combat with some monster, only to lose her life because she wasn't skilled enough or leveled up enough terrified her.

But being at odds with herself was nothing new.

And, it wasn't enough to make her brave the dangers.

Lydia finally wrapped up her daily performance, smiling lightly at the scattered applause from those who had stopped to watch. As she stooped down to collect her earnings for the day, she saw a small lick of flame out of the periphery of her vision.

"Heya! Wanna do a quest?"

Lydia jumped at the question. She swiveled her head around, looking up at the man who had just suddenly appeared from nothing. Abellio. Or so the letters above his head spelled out. She met his gaze and immediately felt disarmed. They were bright orange, wide and welcoming. Her eyes moved down his body, over his open shirt and down his torso. She paused, admiring the inkwork that framed his lean midriff.

The lie that she would tell herself if anyone called her out on her gaze lingering just a bit too long.

She knew what he was about at a glance. But where others slithered their way into her life, coiling around her as another set of chains, he was just… open. Abellio was warm and welcoming and sincere. He reminded her of the bright sun on a summer’s day, shining and nurturing and scorching.

“Uh, you good?”

Lydia jumped again, her eyes snapping back up to meet Abellio’s gaze. “Y-yeah, sorry. I zoned out there. It’s been a long day.” She offered him a slight smile, while in her mind she berated herself.

Lie better, Lydia!

If Abellio noticed anything, he had the decency not to call her out for it. Instead, he repeated his query:

“You wanna do a quest?”

Lydia blinked twice in quick succession. She’d hoped that she had misheard him the first time. Of course she didn’t want to do a quest! That was far too dangerous! But she couldn’t say that to him. Not in that way. The way he looked at her, wide-eyed with that goofy grin plastered on his face, stopped the words dead in her throat. As he waited for her answer, he bounced up and down on his feet. She thought it was kind of cute how he seemed to just vibrate with energy.

“Uh… Sure?”

She didn’t sound certain. But Abellio didn’t care.

“Awesome,” he exclaimed as he grabbed her by the wrist and excitedly began marching deeper into the town. “I’m super low level too so let’s go get us a carry!”

Lydia didn’t even have time to protest. She merely clung to her days earnings as Abellio took them down a labyrinth of streets and alleys. She had never been to this side of town before. It seemed incredibly sketchy. Were she wandering the streets alone, she would have definitely given this area a wide berth. Wouldn’t even have looked at it. There were too many blind turns. Too many crevices to hide people with ill intent. But Abellio didn’t seem bothered.

He wasn’t… stupid was he?

But a man like him could probably handle most bad actors. He didn’t strike her as the violent sort, but he did strike her as the type to throw down if he needed to.

“Where are we going?”

Her voice was weaker than she would have liked. But she was so far out of her comfort zone, she couldn’t even see the light anymore.

“Oh, I know a guy,” Abellio said. “Totally owes me a solid. Figure he can help us out!”

That wasn’t at all a helpful answer. Eventually, they came to a pair of run-down buildings. One with a glass door and the other with a wide glass window. Abellio tugged her towards the former, throwing open the door and pulling her inside.

“OSCAR MY MAN! I NEED HELP WITH A QUEST!”

The inside did not match the outside. The raggedy exterior definitely covered the gem within. The floors of black and white checkerboard, polished to a shine. The red leather booths, stools assembled before a bar that reminded her of the golden age of Rock n’ Roll. There was even an old-timey jukebox in the corner blasting Highway to Hell. People often liked to depict heaven as a diner and maybe they were right.

To her, this could very well be heaven.

She saw movement through the window behind the counter. A man who made even Abellio look small stepped out of the back. He was a different sort. The man was ice. Honed to a razor’s edge. He walked across the polished floors with a grace a man that size had no right to have. Everything about him was sharp. Rigid. And there was an intensity in his eyes that she couldn’t possibly imagine how it got there.

“Abellio,” he said simply. The calm in response to Abellio’s explosive bellowing made her blood run cold. Imperious, as if questioning why the two of them had the audacity to invade his domain. His eyes cut through them like a panther looking for the right opportunity to strike. Her hand moved up, as she stepped ever so slightly behind her new companion. She was about to tug at his sleeve when Oscar’s icy mask finally cracked.

His neutral expression morphed into a genuine smile. It wasn’t bright and warm, but it was sincere. The man relaxed too, leaning back against the bar and propping himself up on his elbows. He nodded to Lydia, finally injecting some warmth into his steely gaze. “Who’s your friend? She’s cute.”

“I dunno. She looked bored so I invited on a Quest and here we are!”

Silence hung heavy for a long while. Had his motivations really been so simple? She was beginning to be convinced that he was actually stupid. But she didn’t have time to send her mind down that path.

Oscar had started laughing.

A doubled-over, cackle. His eyes squeezed shut as the sound rebounded off the walls, drowning out the music in the corner. For a moment, she almost thought he was going to fall to his knees. The cackling finally gave way to a small fit of giggles as he corrected his posture at the last moment, swiping at the corners of his eyes with his fingers.

“Oh my god, you must be so freaked out…,” Oscar trailed off, focusing his eyes just above her head. “...Lysette. Shit. Abellio, you can’t just grab random women off the street and bring them to some hole in the wall in the slums. It’s fucking creepy, man.”

“Oh fuck you!” Abellio had suddenly stiffened up. His tone was defensive with a small flash of anger appearing on his face. “You got women hanging all over you literally all the time.”

Oscar shook his head, that smile never fading from his face. “Oh yeah, I hit ‘em with a ‘wanna do a quest’ and then drag them out to the least romantic place I can think of. Fuck off man. At least they know what they’re signing up for.”

Oh. He was a player. She should have known. No man looked like that and didn’t use it to his advantage. Lysette suddenly found herself doubting the quality of company that Abellio kept. And, by extension, Abellio. She slowly stepped back, reaching towards the door. As her fingers coiled around the handle she paused. If she left now, she would have to brave those winding alleyways alone. And she wasn’t entirely sure that she knew the way back.

“Apologies for my friend, Lysette,” Oscar said suddenly. “He uh… Ain’t a big picture sort of guy. I thought he might’ve found a girlfriend or something. You hungry?”

Lydia’s eyes flicked over to Oscar’s, narrowing to a steely glare. She didn’t trust him. And she was incredibly uncomfortable. In a strange place with two strange men. Lydia was the odd one out. And the current topic didn’t help at all to alleviate that discomfort. She had been lured in quite enough by smiles and warmth. It could turn cold on a dime. But what other choice did she have?

“A little,” she said quietly. “I was about to get dinner when Abellio dragged me here.”

Oscar nodded, pushing himself up off the counter and moving towards the back. “Well he brought you to the right place for that. Oscar, Grandmaster Cook of the Frontlines at your service. What do you feel like?”

Was that his game then? Get into a girl’s pants through their stomach? Fuck it, then. If this was going to go south, she was going to get a nice meal out of it. “Fish and chips, please.”

Oscar turned back around, scrutinizing her face for a moment. His smile turned into a slight grin. “I didn’t want to assume with that accent,” he said. “But you got it. The usual, Abellio?”

Abellio raised both fists straight up into the air. “Jalapeno burger!”

“Right,” Oscar said as he shook his head. “The usual.”

Despite her misgivings, Lydia took a seat at the counter. Abellio followed suit, bouncing in his seat like a hyperactive puppy. She took a look around the diner, at the chrome trim and how meticulously clean everything was kept. Through the window, she could see Oscar hard at work manning the fryer. Even those vats of boiling oil were clean and sanitized. There were so many contradictions that she didn’t know what to make of the man now.

He was brazenly open about his conquests. But at the same time, everything about his restaurant was so meticulously kept. Wouldn’t a skeezeball be consistent in their own life? She turned to Abellio. She could almost see the waves of energy rippling off of him as he waved to and fro in his stool.

“So who is this guy,” she whispered as she leaned over. She didn’t really trust either of them, but Abellio was the closest thing to a lifeline she had.

“Oh, Oscar’s one of the Frontliners. He’s a fuckin’ badass. Saved me from some guys that were baiting people into getting killed by a high level boss. Took that thing’s spear to the chest like it was nothing.”

Lydia tilted her head to the side, slowly looking towards the back of the house where Oscar. Her eyes bored into his back for a moment until she noticed that Abellio had stopped vibrating. His back had suddenly stiffened and he swiveled his head to look down at her.

“He was right though. I’m not exactly a big picture dude. I didn’t realize it coulda come off as creepy,” Abellio said. “I just sorta do things, y’know? I hope you’re not uncomfy. Really. I can totally walk you back to the square if you’d like to go your own way.”

Lydia exhaled softly. Maybe she was just being paranoid. And judgemental. Abellio wasn’t nearly as dumb as she had begun to think that he was. Just… impulsive. She lifted her hand, patting him on the arm as she offered the most comforting smile she could muster.

“No, it’s okay. But thank you,” she said. “I’m committed. And I’m really curious to see a Frontliner in action.”

They said curiosity killed the cat. And maybe that was true.

But Lydia couldn’t say that she wasn’t curious to know more about this ‘badass Frontliner’ preparing their dinner. She had no dreams of joining the Frontlines. It was so far beyond her reach. Hell, she had only just learned how to fold her own clothing. There was no way that she was going to be able to keep up with the people fighting the strongest monsters in the game. But that call to do something was growing stronger. Maybe not joining the Frontlines.

But something.

Before she could really wrap her mind around the impulse, Oscar had returned with their food. He placed a massive burger with a side of chips in front of Abellio and a plate of fish and chips in front of her. Her eyes went wide when she saw it. It looked like a picture from a newspaper. Curated and detailed. Almost too pretty to eat. And he even wrapped it in a newspaper. She looked up at Oscar, then back down to her food. She lifted her hands, hesitating for a moment. Fingers curled inwards as she couldn’t bring herself to ruin the sanctity of the dish.

“Can’t say I’ve ever been across the pond, but I hope it tastes like home,” he said with a chipper lilt in his voice.

Abellio was already tearing into his food. And Lydia didn’t want to be offensive.

She lifted the reached forward and chipped a corner off of one of the filets. As the food hit her tongue, she was immediately transported back to those street stalls her father used to take her to. Before the music, when she was still just a young dancer. She closed her eyes, savoring the flavors as they blossomed over her tongue. Despite herself, she let out a satisfied groan as she slumped forward.

“Oh my god,” she said breathlessly. “Reminds me of this little cart I used to visit when I was younger. Best fish and chips I ever had, but damn.” She flicked her eyes up to meet Oscar’s gaze. “You’re definitely giving that place some competition.”

Oscar gave a pleased chuckle.

“I’m down to scrap, but there’s three things I’m not man enough to fight,” he said, beginning to count them off on his fingers. “Mother nature, badass women - generally, and street food vendors in their native country. I’m just gonna lose every single time.” He gave a light shrug. “I’m cool with second place.”

Lydia tucked into her food, eating perhaps more quickly than manners dictated. But damn, she was hungry. And she hadn’t had anything nearly this good since she got here. She wasn’t eating nearly as fast as Abellio. The man was halfway through his burger. His face was flushed, his eyes were bloodshot. He was sweating profusely.

“Um,” she began, pausing to look over at him. “Are you okay?”

Abellio nodded, speaking through a full mouth. “It hurts so good!”

Oscar gave him a cutting glare, causing him to sheepishly recoil. Hell, it almost made Lydia wince. “Manners,” he said plainly.

The two of them finished their meals quickly. Oscar watched them with a soft smile on his face. A look of pride. She always heard that chefs loved it the most when people enjoyed their food. Maybe she’d not given him enough grace. But then again, she’d met enough of his type to be wary. But to his credit, he’d not given up the ghost yet. He was just there, showing them hospitality. Feeding them. All with a sweet smile on his face.

She had been drawn in before. Fooled by false sincerity. But hearing how Abellio talked about him and their history together, maybe she could give the man a chance. At least up until the point he hit on her.

“So about that Quest. I’ve got an idea. How do you two feel about deserts?”

“Oh?”

Lydia’s voice came out suddenly, a surprised chirp in response to Oscar’s words. She’d thought Abellio had some idea of what he wanted to do. But given that the red-haired man was busy horking down his food without objection, Lydia figured she’d hear Oscar out. He busied himself with opening his menu, consuming several strange objects in quick succession.

“Pretty easy quest boss on Floor Five. I’ve been trying to unlock a skill from it for a minute and haven’t been able to get it done. Figured I could give it another go. Get you guys some experience and, if we’re lucky, unlock it for you both too.”

Lydia didn’t really have much to say. Oscar might as well have been speaking a different language. She didn’t understand anything he said after ‘Floor Five.’ She wasn’t a gamer. So all this talk of experience and skills just flew straight over her head. But still, she nodded along politely since Abellio was still locked in mortal combat with his cheeseburger.

“Are you sure it would be safe for me on Floor Five?”

Oscar nodded confidently as he drained the contents of a small glass vial. “Oh absolutely. Monsters are really only going to attack me.”

Lydia tilted her head to the side, giving the man a puzzled look. “Oh? Why’s that?’

“There’s this concept called ‘Hate.’ And I’m not gonna get into the particulars but basically if I have more of it than either of you do, the monsters literally are forced to hit me. And since they can’t do any damage to me, all you guys need to do is not get any hate and…”

“There’s no danger?”

“Bingo.”

“You guys got a plan?”

Abellio had finally satiated his appetite, beaming as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He was a mess. Lydia wanted to question whether or not putting himself through such torture was actually worth it. But he still wore that goofy grin on his face. No matter how bloodshot his eyes were or how red his face got, Lydia got the impression that so long as he was smiling, he was okay. So, she nodded, quickly returning her attention to her food as Oscar caught Abellio up to speed.

“Oh, so like that first boss,” Abellio said as Oscar finished explaining the plan.

“Yeah, only this time, I need a favor. After I get Hate, I need you guys to try and hit it. You’ll be perfectly fine. One critical isn’t going to piss it off enough to turn on you.”

Lydia stopped eating on that one. Her mouth hung open, mid bite as the implications dawned on her. “I don’t even have a weapon.”

Oscar shrugged. “Kick it.”

He said it with such nonchalance that it was frustrating. Lydia hadn’t signed up for this. Hell, she hadn’t signed up for anything. The two of them were dead-set on their plan and just dragging her along for the ride. Story of her fucking life. She placed her food down on the plate, her gaze flicking up to meet Oscar’s. But as her lips parted to give a firm ‘no,’ the word died in her throat.

He was so relaxed. Like this wasn’t even a big deal. But it was. It was a huge fucking deal. Lydia had never raised her hand to anything - ever. Even when she should have.

Be a good girl. Do the right thing. Be grateful. Echoes of her parents cut through her mind. This was more of that wasn’t it? More people deciding things for her. Telling her what to do and what to wear. Who she could see. Who she was friends with. Dictating everything. Everything. Lydia had tasted freedom for the first time in her life when she became trapped here, in this game with the threat of death looming over her the second she left town.

Be fucking grateful?

As if.

“If you’re not cool with it,” Oscar began. “You don’t have to do anything. It would just speed things along.”

It was like the man was in her head, reading her mind. Did she look scared? There wasn’t a mirror anywhere - she didn’t know. She looked down at her hands still folded upon the counter. They were shaking.

Ah.

An unfamiliar feeling swelled in her chest. Burning, raging. The icy grip of fear on her heart almost hissed as it melted in the face of it. The both of them treated this as nothing more than an ordinary day. It was still infuriating.

But they had also given her a choice. Asked, offered. They didn’t command or demand. Two complete strangers gave her more consideration than her parents ever did. She felt the heat rise to her face. That stinging in her eyes. A tear fell upon the back of her hand as quiet sobs wracked her body.

Why was she crying?

Why couldn’t she just say one word?

“Are you-”

Abellio began to speak. Oscar held up his hand to silence him. Neither man made a move or a sound. They remained still, concerned eyes falling upon her. She hated that they saw this. But she couldn’t muster the wherewithal to do anything about it. Lydia recoiled in on herself, bringing her chin and knees to her chest.

No one liked girls who cried.

They were ugly. She was ugly.

Just as she’d been during those exhausting late night rehearsals. Just as she’d been during the piercings. The tattoos. When those sleezy executives invited her to their private meetings. She sucked in a ragged breath, finally looking up from that dark space between her legs and chest. When she did, she stumbled upon Oscar’s gaze. Her dewy eyes met his own and as bad as she wanted to, she couldn’t look away.

He had knelt down behind the counter, resting his chin upon the surface. She expected to find that same look of admonition she had grown accustomed to. Failing that, the sting of correction. But instead she found that his expression had softened. No longer eagle-like. Not edged. Not sharp. Just… warmth.

Warmth and patience.

“Hey,” he said softly. “You’re clearly working through something.”

No, she just ugly-cried in front of strangers on the daily.

“You don’t need to tell us what’s up, but please know we don’t have to do this today.”

“Yeah,” Abellio chimed in. “It’s okay if you want to sit this out.”

The tears and sobs returned. She recoiled in on herself again as Abellio shot Oscar a confused glance.

But he didn’t move. He just watched and waited until Lydia had come out from her shell again.

“Shitty parents?”

She froze. How the fuck -

“Used to work with a lot of teens with bad childhoods. Noticing the signs like this was my literal profession,” Oscar continued. “Let me guess. Never were really much for letting you choose anything. So now, you’re an adult, and the mere fact that someone asked you what you wanted to do has you like this.”

“What are you? A fucking therapist?” It came out with more venom than she meant. But to his credit, it didn’t seem to bother him.

“Yes,” Oscar said with a grin. “And again, you get a say. We’re not giving, you just get it. And we’ll understand if you wanna go home, process. Whatever. But for what it’s worth, kicking the shit out of monsters in this game is very fucking therapeutic.”

Lydia sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She still wanted to say no and rush to the safety of her room at the inn. But she didn’t. She simply looked at both of them and gave a short nod.

“O-ok.”

“Well let’s get moving then,” Oscar said with a grin.

Lydia blinked, continuing to wipe her eyes on her sleeve. It was like he didn’t care that she had spent the past couple of minutes crying. She could feel both of their eyes upon her as she composed herself. Sniffling, she dried her eyes. First the right, then the left. Finally, she sat up straight and folded her hands in her lap. She inhaled sharply, then exhaled heavily. A picture of poise and grace, if perhaps a little rosy-cheeked.

But hey, at least her makeup didn’t run here.

“Let’s get moving,” she agreed, doing her best to give them both the brightest smile.

The three departed from Oscar’s shop. Though not without his insistence that she finish her food. Lydia didn’t have much of an appetite at this point, but there was something about Oscar’s tone of voice that wouldn’t accept any backtalk.

She was starting to understand exactly how he got down.

The three wound through the alley after she had finished, heading for the teleportation plaza. She’d never teleported before. Lydia had remained safely on this floor and in this town. As she stepped onto that square platform, she didn’t know what to expect. But Oscar joined her and so did Abellio.

“FORTALEZA!”

Oscar’s voice boomed through the square. Beneath her feet, inlaid runs began to shine. Light bleeding, tracing along the glyphs as the ground beneath her feet began to vibrate. Her heartbeat quickened and she looked between the two men who, again and very frustratingly, didn’t seem to be bothered by the events in the slightest. A bright flash of light overtook her senses and she found herself launched through space. The sudden acceleration twisted her stomach.

It ended as abruptly as it began. She felt the heat first. Heard the wind. The rustling of infinite grains of sand. Opening her eyes, she saw the town arrayed before her. It reminded her of Aladdin, with its brightly colored stalls and buildings bleached white by the sun and the sand. But what really struck her was the heat. It weighed down upon her shoulders, forcing the air from her lungs.

She was about to express her discontent about the heat when Oscar beat her to it.

He stepped off of the platform with the loud groan, throwing his hands up in frustration. “It’s so hot! I fucking hate coming here!”

Lydia blinked. He’d changed clothes. Gone was the white button-up and the black slacks, replaced by leather armor adorned with far too many belts. Lashed across the small of his back was a katana with a white handle. His chest was exposed. A low, plunging neckline leaving very little to the imagination. She knew that he was sharp, but she’d not realized how hard he was. He was cut. Built like the type of man that only visited in a woman’s pent-up fever dream.

Lydia’s cheeks felt flushed. She was certain she was blushing. But maybe she could play it off as a result of the heat.

Abellio, for his part, didn’t seem bothered. He was dressed for the heat, after all. The only thing he wore was a white, open short-sleeve button-up that hid even less than Oscar’s armor did. Could she even call it armor? Wasn’t the point to protect your chest?

“This way,” Oscar said as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He led them on a straight shot to the edge of town. “Talk to this guy.”

Abdullah.

“WE MUST SAVE MY FAMILY!”

What.

The man launched into a tirade about some creature that stalked the sands. It apparently hid beneath the surface, stalking its prey. The more the man spoke, the less confident Lysette was. But Oscar waited with the same nonchalance that he had shown in his restaurant. So she planted her feet and kept listening as Abdullah wove a frightening tale about the beast they were meant to slay.

It was Abellio’s turn next. He stepped up to speak to Abdullah and accept the quest.

“WE MUST SAVE MY FAMILY!”

Oh.

Abdullah launched into the same explanation. If she were being honest, it kind of killed the luster. The first time had been terrifying. The second was… less so. In fact, it made the first less terrifying. The same word-for-word explanation with zero deviation. It set her more at ease about the situation, oddly enough. Abellio couldn’t be bothered to pay attention, instead looking around at the scenery as Abdullah tried to be terrifying for the second time. Finally, the NPC finished and Oscar beckoned for the two of them to follow. Abellio was quick to respond, but Lydia less so.

She looked down at her feet, realizing that this would be the first time she ever stepped out of sanctuary since that first day. Only this time, it wasn’t to celebrate her newfound freedom. It was to throw herself against a creature’s claws and teeth and pray she survived past it.

They didn't have to travel very far. This was at least the third time that Oscar had come here. Every time, he was hoping that the boss would be cooperative and it just wasn't. It was a seemingly dead patch of desert. Some rocks scattered about, but nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing except for the bloodstains soaking into the sand. He stopped short, holding up a hand towards Lysette and Abellio. He listened to the wind, waiting patiently. The sands began to shift and a fin appeared out from beneath the golden grains. It made a beeline towards them. More specifically, towards Lysette. The creature was programmed to go after the weakest until Hate had been established. Oscar broke off into a sprint, putting distance between himself and his companions. He spun on his heels, running backwards with one eye on his newbies and one eye on the find.

"Yo! Shark cunt! Over here!"

At the last moment, the fin swerved. The beast broke from the sands and entered into a mad dash towards Oscar.

For a moment, when Oscar ran away, she was petrified that this had all been some cruel trick. Lure her out of the Safe Zone and then abandon her after angering the enemy. But Oscar had been true to his word. And with a vulgar challenge, he had drawn the creature's attention away from them. Abdullah's description hadn't done the creature justice. It was absolutely terrifying. A massive hulking behemoth of teeth and claws. She stood stark still, unable to muster the courage even to run away.

"On you two!"

Oscar's voice cut through her fear like a hot blade. Before she even knew what she was doing, Lysette had broken off into a sprint. Not away from, but straight towards the creature. Everything was screaming at her to stop. But it was as if her body was on autopilot. Heart racing, eyes wide. Target acquired. Her feet left the ground, launched into the air by powerful legs. She sailed up and over the creature's back in an elegant somersault, only to come crashing down like an arrow and driving her heel into the beast's head. The impact drove its face into the sand. Sparing a glance at its health bar, Lydia realized that she hadn't done any damage. She was probably too weak. But she had hit it.

A wave of catharsis crashed over her.

Oscar had been right. Tensions began to release almost instantly. She looked down at her hands and her feet still standing upon the beasts head. She couldn't believe that she had pulled it off.

"JESUS TAP-DANCING CHRIST LYSETTE! WHERE THE FUCK DID THAT COME FROM?"

Abellio could only watch on in shock as Lysette threw herself at the boss. When she came screaming out of the sky like a missile and dropped onto the thing's head, Abellio couldn't believe it. Where did that come from? He'd never done anything nearly as cool before.

She swiveled her head toward him, her face a mixture of both pride and embarrassment. A faint smile graced her features, which Abellio thought was an upgrade over the tears earlier. Maybe she didn't notice the creature start to rally but he did. Taking off into a sprint, Abellio closed the gap between them. Just as Terra Firma lifted its head, snapping wildly at Lysette's legs, he'd hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her to safety. In one fluid motion, he sat her down on the ground and drove his fist into the creature's gills. It reeled from the impact, skidding across the sand and away from the two of them.

"Nice job! Just be a little more careful, yeah?"

The quality of the newbies was certainly impressive nowadays. Lysette had some moves and he would need to make a point to figure out just where she had got them from. Oscar prided himself on sweating grace and pissing excellence, but by god this girl had the potential to put him to shame. Terra Firma wheeled around, sinking its teeth into his shoulder. As per usual, Oscar shrugged it off and drove his sword straight through the beast's flank. A jagged red gash was left in the boss' model as he retreated from the pain. It gave him a moment to get his bearings.

"Hold what ya got! We don't need to kill it too quickly!"

Not that that would be a problem. The two of them wouldn't be able to overcome its durability. Twisting his wrist to adjust his grip, he reconsidered.

"Actually, get his ass. You both could use the practice."

Lydia didn't exactly need the encouragement at this point. When Oscar had said fighting could be therapeutic, he'd really undersold it. She was hot on Terra Firma's heels. Claws? The beast lashed out with its forelegs, but she nimbly ducked out of the way. Leaning backwards, those razor-sharp claws sailed overhead. This was dangerous. Not just the fighting, but the feeling. Lydia tucked into a runner's slide, slipping under the creature's belly. Using her hand as a balancing point and a brake, she pitched her hips up and drove her foot hard into Terra Firma's underside. The creature shot straight up by a foot, coming down with its legs splayed out the side as Lydia slipped past to safety.

"Oh fuck the hell yes," she whispered to herself as he tucked into a backwards handspring to get back onto her feet. She'd never been one for this kind of thrill-seeking behavior. But the adrenaline was pumping, surging through her veins. Everything was so vivid. A part of her knew that this was perfectly safe. Oscar had it handled. But those jaws and claws told her the opposite. She was in danger. Her back was to the wall. Who the fuck could have known this was what it took to make her feel alive?

He just watched. Lydia was embarrassing the thing. The way she moved, there was no wasted motion. She dodged as easily as she attacked. She wasn't doing any real damage, but that didn't matter. She was going through the motions and fucking killing them. Abellio and Oscar exchanged glances, clearly neither of them had expected this particular development. Abellio's lips parted to say something, but he thought better of it. A rare display of restraint, that. He merely shoved his hands into his pockets and watched Lysette work. It felt uncomfortable, being the calm one. But it was just like Oscar had said - she was working through some shit. Abellio wasn't about to thrust himself into the path of her therapy. So he'd watch and wait and make sure she didn't get so into it that she got herself killed. Between him and Oscar, the girl was free to use the boss as a punching bag as much as she wanted.

Oscar had, generally, the same mind as Abellio. The look the two exchanged said it all. Whatever Lysette had weighing on her, running the ones was definitely helping. Or, at least, providing some much-needed catharsis. Besides, they needed to wait for the boss to do the thing before Oscar could do anything to it. So Lysette was free to do as she pleased as far as using the creature as a punching bag was concerned. Besides, it was a thing of beauty to behold. She must have had some real life experience because there was no way a new player could move like that without it. The elegance made more sense with her. More natural. Less brute-forced like Oscar's. His born from the fact that he wouldn't be put on his ass by anyone - even this game's poor facsimile of physics. His ego took a hit, for sure. But he'd take that blow on the chin every time. It wasn't a competition and even if it were, Oscar couldn't say that he would win it.

Lydia couldn’t help but think that every kick she landed was a blow to the people that never - not one time - held her best interests at heart. Each blow was an act of a rebellion. A clear ‘fuck you’ to her hangers-on. For the first time in her life, she felt that she had real control. It was intoxicating. That rush of adrenaline that honed her senses to a razor’s edge. The trembling of her fingers - not from fear but of excitement. When was the last time she had been excited about something anyway? Stood her ground instead of just passively letting people use her? Were her talents - her passions - even her own? When you took away her singing and her acting and her dancing, who was she really?

Questions for later. She had courage enough to face the fangs and claws of Terra Firma, but she lacked the courage to face her own demons. But every blow, every last-second dodge that required almost superhuman dexterity, was another means of keeping those demons in check. For now, that would do.

Abellio had crossed over to stand closer to Oscar. It was a bit boring being in the outfield. And boredom would lead to errors. He knew himself well enough to know that if all he had to do was stand there and twiddle his thumbs, he would find a way to fuck it all up. Standing next to his friend, Abellio ducked as Terra Firma got away from Lysette just long enough to take a chomp out of Oscar. Despite the ring of teeth marks in his chest, all Oscar did was bring his knee up to the creature's jaw and send it somersaulting backwards toward Lysette.

"So uh... What's up with that, you think?"

He didn't even spare a thought for Oscar's health bar. He'd seen the man take a massive spear to the chest and then almost immediately regenerate back to full health. So he expected much the same here.

"Bawling to balling like this is kinda wild. Givin' me whiplash."

Oscar brought his hand up to his shoulder after he'd kicked Terra Firma away and dusted his leathers off with the back of his hand. He could only shrug at Abellio's question. He remembered that when he'd first got started, he was much the same. Terrified until the rush kicked in. He would refrain from commenting on what he thought. It was a heavy thing, having parents that didn't care about you. Or, only cared about parts of you. They would emphasize those, neglect the whole. And it would fuck you up for years, well into adulthood.

"I can speculate," Oscar said with a shrug. "But out of respect, I'm not going to. All I can say is that for some people, getting into a fight in this game is like flipping a switch. There's a rush. Something about taking control back, I guess. It happened with me, too. Sometimes you just get sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Lydia's foot collided with Terra Firma's spine as Oscar kicked hit back towards her. The concentrated force of the impact caused wind to rip out in all directions, kicking up a small dust devil. Terra Firma was sent flying head over tail over Lydia's back, collapsing to the ground in a heap. She wheeled around and dropped down low. She kicked off the ground, sending more sand ripping out in all directions. But before she could land her blow, the creature dove under the sand. Probably to get away from the punishment that she had subjected it to. Lydia stopped cold and looked around. Suddenly the ground at her feet was unstable. She began to lose her balance as the sand began to shift downward like water in a drain. It was a futile effort. Heels did not mix well with sand on a good day. As those jagged rows of teeth began to appear from the golden grains, surrounding her feet as they sank into the sand, Lydia's heart jumped into her throat.

Abellio watched as Lydia fell into Terra Firma's trap. He was about rush in when he felt a burst of wind to his right. He looked over and saw that Oscar was gone. Turning his attention back to Lysette, he saw that in the time it took him to even process what had happened, Oscar had rushed to her aid. There was never a more clear difference in their skills than that very moment. Not only had he recognized the problem, but he'd thrown himself into the fire before Abellio could even twitch. The man's arm had looped around Lysette's waist, just as Abellio did. With insane speed, he snatched her out of the quicksand and placed her onto firmer ground. But that only put him in the way of the attack. Terra Firma burst from the ground and swiped at Oscar. The blow dropped his health lower, leaving red gashes across Oscar's chest.

Oscar's reprisal came swiftly. Holding Lysette in one hand, he dropped his sword into the sand. The blade stuck fast, standing straight up as Oscar cocked back his fist. Before the boss even had the chance to dive back underground, Oscar delivered a sharp downward spike with his hand. He landed a telling blow, slamming the beast into the ground with enough force to cause the sand to tremble. The burst of dust and sand caused his weapon to shoot upward into the air. In one fluid motion, he caught the weapon. Spinning it over the back of his hand, he released Lysette and took a step back. If he had been scared, he didn't show it. Merely cracking a smile as he made his retreat. It was best to learn such things with training wheels rather than risk it all on one attack.

"I hope we've learned that heels in sand are not a good idea."

Just when Lydia thought it was all over, Oscar had been there to literally pull her out of harm's way. She could only watch on as the creature cut into Oscar with claws intended for her. First it had been Abellio, now Oscar. She hadn't been paying close enough attention. Wildly swinging, losing herself in the adrenaline and the catharsis of the moment. But more importantly, she found that she had more insight into the type of person Oscar was. She thought he was just a playboy. But all the playboys she knew wouldn't have jumped in like that. Or, if they did, they would have complained the entire time. Lambasted her for her foolishness. Made her feel small for needing help. But all Oscar did was act, then retreat. Though he did take a jab at her, it was an obvious one. The entire thing wouldn't have been a problem if she'd worn more sensible footwear.

"Y-yeah," she said softly. "Thank you."

It was about all that she trusted herself to say as she tried to parse out the whirlwind of feelings. Her face felt hot, but not from the desert heat. Beneath the kindness and the playful jabs, Oscar was a hard man. She felt it. Every muscle had been taut. He played it cool, casually pulling her to safety. But no one would be so tense if they weren't worried. And no one wouldn't be that tense if they weren't incredibly concerned. She looked at him - really examined him as he walked backwards to join Abellio. There was a glint in his eye. A vulnerability in his cool and collected armor.

He was faking.

"Dude that was insane," Abellio said.

Oscar never failed to amaze him. He just had a mind for combat. Though, that was to be expected given the man was Level Fucktillion and had several raids under his belt. Those Frontliners were clearly made of nails if Oscar was any measure. Abellio had to wonder where Oscar placed amongst them.

"Are all the Frontliners as good as you?"

Oscar shook his head. "Most are better, actually. I'm firmly middle-of-the-pack."

Abellio tilted his head to look up at the man, an expression of pure incredulity on his face. No way Oscar was just average. It blew his mind to think that there were people better. But he couldn't argue with Oscar's own admission.

"That's crazy, man. I can't believe it. So you all do this crazy shit on the regular."

Oscar merely shrugged. "Oh, nah. If we're talking style, I'm my own Beast."

Abellio being awestruck did little to help soothe Oscar's ego. He should have seen that maneuver coming - handled it before things even got so close. It wasn't enough that she was out of harm's way. It should have never been a question of safety in the first place. Mentally, he kicked himself. Self-flagellated over his own stupidity, his lack of care or attention. He had promised a perfectly safe engagement once before and had been made the liar then. So why did he expect that this would be any different? And then he met Lysette's gaze. And there was something in that moment of weakness, where he was analyzing his own actions and pointing out where he should have performed differently that his mask slipped. Less than a second, simply a glimmer in his eye.

But that was all it took. She'd seen, and he knew it.

All these years cultivating his persona evaporated in an instant.

What was she to do in this situation? She'd seen Oscar, shields down. Lydia had so many questions. They buzzed around in her head like an angry swarm of hornets. She needed to know why he put on like this. He hid a burning sun beneath a cold, steely exterior and she couldn't fathom why anyone would do that. Wasn't the point to be kind?

Abellio wore his heart on his sleeve. He was like a puppy. Eager to help, eager to please. But puppies were also naive. They didn't know how evil people could be. And it was there that she found her answer.

Oscar and Lysette had similar understandings. Perhaps not experiences, but they'd reached the same conclusion. People will gladly fuck you over without a second thought. You had to keep your guard up at all times. But it was nice that Oscar had found a way to not completely give up on everyone. Even through the ice, she could still feel the warmth.

So she would do nothing. Say nothing.

Lydia owed him that much, at least.

Abellio wasn’t sure what they were waiting around for, but the heat was starting to get to him. He wondered why Oscar wasn’t just killing the thing. Abellio remembered that he had mentioned trying to get an Extra Skill and failing repeatedly. Sure they had met the requirement by now. But the he saw Terra Firm begin to turn red. Veins bulged with power, black eyes turned crimson. And he realized that this was what they had been waiting for.

The creature shot off like an arrow towards Oscar, kicking up dust in its wake. Before Abellio could even process what was happening, it had sank its jaws into Oscar’s shoulder. The forward momentum carried his friend off into the middle distance, colliding with a sand dune and bursting through it. It was as if the fight had just now begun. Oscar and Terra Firma clashed. He couldn’t see it, but he could feel it.

Each time they collided, the ground beneath his feet shuddered. He could almost make out, through the haze of heat, two blurs dancing with one another. Over the land and in the air. Each time they slammed into one another, another tremor.

Another quake.

And each was an example of what it meant for someone on Oscar’s level to take a fight seriously.

How would Abellio even reach that?