[PT-PP-F04] Firelight

[Mari 1]

“I’m…so tired…” 

Her boots dragged in the snow, leaving deep footprints behind her. It didn’t matter. She was safe, and the oncoming storm that night would wash away her tracks with a fresh layer. Mari lifted an arm to rub her shoulder as she rolled it back. It was sore, her whole back was. Mari let out a yawn, pausing to glance at the treeline by her house, noticing movement. An errant pack of wolves, perhaps.  The woman shifted direction to head toward it, with her arm outstretched she’d summon her halberd, the axe glimmering with the faint glow of heat as embers danced off its blade.

Mari’s home…a stone cottage a good half hour away from Snowfrost village, nestled away in a forest of birch trees, and sitting against one of the many frozen lakes that scattered the 4th floor. It was so easy to get lost on this floor, but it was one of the reasons Mari had her home here. The chance to be disturbed few and far between.

Most of the time Mari was left well enough alone, but once every other week or so…she had to clear out the mobs around her house. To keep it safe. The last thing she needed was a pack of wolves fighting over scraps of meat in the dead of night, waking her up.

Out here… it was quiet, peaceful - and in the twilit amber glow of the setting sun, the snowy floor was almost comforting. Almost. It didn’t beat a warm fire. It didn’t beat the embrace of her husband nestled against her at night. Still..

She supposed she’d make quick work of this pack, and return home.

 

 

 

 

@Aeva

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CS SQUABBLE UP IN EFFECT!

PT SYSTEM ENGAGED

REMOVING
-REFUNDING RENDING FAMILIAR (TEMP) 10
-REFUNDING CHARGE  (TEMP) 10

ADDING
Biting Cost: 20 SP Passive Effect: Player gains +2 Base Damage
Remaining SP - 0 
 

---

LEVEL LOCK SYSTEM ENGAGED
Level: 31
Paragon: 0
Tier: 4
True Tier: 15

Consumed
Regretful Memories - Draught of the Pink PK'er (Gungir's - DMG 3 | MITI 1 [Crate - 245931]) {Mari} [1/6]

 

Mari | HP: 680/680 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 26 | MIT:143 | ACC:4+1 (AA) | AA  | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:37 | BRN: 56 | ENV-O: 32 | PARA-V | LD:5 | True Tier 15
 

Spoiler

 

"Name: Mari
True Tier: 15
Level: 31
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 680/680
EN: 100/100

Stats:
Damage: 24
Mitigation: 143
Accuracy: 4
Battle Healing: 37
Loot Die: 5
AA 
FL.AURA: 8
BRN: 56
ENV-O: 32
PARA-V

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Paralytic Contagion | T4 | Absolute ACC I | Paralytic Venom I | Envenom OFF I | BRN I
Armor/Trinket: 
  - WILDFIRE | 251266 | T4 PERFECT HEAVY ARMOR | FLAME AURA | MIT 3
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Concerto Fiamma | 251265 | PERFECT TRINKET |  FIREPROOF | ACC III

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - Rending Familiar

Custom Skill:
  - Squabble Up

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Charge
  - Charge
  - Energist
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Polearm R5
  - Searching R5

Extra Skills:
  - Survival
  - Hiding R5
  - Disguise

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
  - Focus
  - Iron Skin
  - Precision
  - Reveal
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Detect
  - Impetus
  - Night Vision
  - Tracking
  - Untraceable

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Teleport Crystal x5

Housing Buffs:
  - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Storage): +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
  - Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
  - Master Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Ornate Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts.
  - Mega Slime Farm: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
 - Alchemist[2332exp] R8
Gathering Profession:
 - Cooking[561exp] R6"         

 

 

[Aeva 0]

Lots of snow. Reminded her of home. 

The setting sun brought with it a near ethereal glow as twilight began to cover the land,  a foreboding storm on the opposite horizon shadowing the fading light and leaving a warning for things to come. Yet what was that saying? The quiet before the storm? And it was quiet, for now. 

A maiden with hair nearly as white as the snow around her crouched near the trunk of a large pine tree, intently staring at something near its base. Aeva had only been awake for a short time now, trying her best to get back into the feel of her old body. Yet things were still off. Her movements were slow and cautious, though with every one of them she felt delayed. As if her body was still reacting to her brain’s commands at a later rate. Perhaps a lingering effect of her.. unfortunate absence. However, thanks to the efforts of the Red Healer, she was at least assured that these effects were temporary. She’d get her rhythm back soon; she just needed to keep her body moving. And to take her medicine. 

The medicine didn’t taste very good.

The girl’s brows furrowed as if she could sense the bitterness just by thinking about it, but she remained focused on her current task, looking at something with renewed intent. She had come out here for a walk, after leaving the floor’s main town and looking for places to explore! It had been a rather beautiful day for the most part, and Aeva needed to take her mind off things. What was better than a nature walk? She loved hiking in the real world, so why would it be any different in the digital world? For a time, Aeva’s plan was working, getting to see the floor in all its splendour and becoming distracted by its artificial beauty as she walked beneath the pines. It was so quiet and serene within the pale groves, and the golden glow of twilight only enhanced this factor. For a time, Aeva was beginning to forget she was in a game at all. And in her temporary moment of peace, she saw something she did not expect beneath a massive tree. 

Everything was almost perfect, and then she remembered. 

Before she could even register what was happening, an echoing howl erupted from the darkening forest, and Aeva’s ruby gaze turned in horror to see a large pack of rabid-looking wolves stalking the trees around her. No good, she was surrounded! In her bliss, had they snuck up on her? Barking and growling filled the woods, and Aeva began to tremble in fear, her eyes glued to the digital red glare of the approaching mobs. The only thing she could do now was turn her back toward the pack and keep her body covering the base of the trunk. If she couldn’t protect herself, she’d try and protect it at least.

Aeva | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1

Edited yesterday at 04:25 AM by Aeva

[Mari 1]

Following the sounds of breaking twigs and the low growls of an errant pack of wolves Mari shifted quietly into the treeline. She didn’t like fighting in the densely packed birch forests. It didn’t allow her a lot of movement. Then, there it was. Four of them, but their attention was elsewhere.

“What the-”

Mari saw the woman, hair blending into the snow, crouched by a tree trunk. Completely oblivious to the snarling and snapping happening around her. Is she fucking daft?

A sprint forward, Mari unceremoniously pushed the woman aside, just in time. A wolves jaw came snapping down just where she was seconds ago. Mari’s weapon cleaved right into the wolves underbelly, and it exploded in a reign of fire and ash. Then, a low swing and her blade arc’d upwards to catch the underbellies of its companions as they leapt at Mari, a weak attempt to catch her off guard.

"You gotta be more careful." Mari chastised, as she turned to check on the silver haired woman. Embers rained down around her, little flecks of fire and ash the only remnants of the wolf pack that had been so ready to eat the other.

Mari paused, seeing her sprawled out in the snow. Her limbs seemed to shake, and she moved as though her entire body was heavy. “You…” Mari sighed as she opened up her inventory and tossed a heavy blanket at her, believing the woman was simply too cold to move around properly. “I take it you don’t have the survival skill…” Mari mumbled as she dropped her weapon. It clattered soundlessly into the snow. Then Mari knelt down and began to brush the snow off the womans shoulders. Despite her abrasive tone Mari’s actions were calm, cautious. Gentle. Almost like a mother doting on her daughter.

“What were you trying to do?” Mari asked, a little exasperated. Then a lift of her eyes to shift over the fields. Silence, they were safe. At least from the wolves.

“I’m Mari. By the way.”

 

 

---
Well Rested 1/3
Post Action | [x15] AOE-I (11 - 2 [Stamina] + 2 [Shift] + (2 * 4 Targets = 8) = 19 EN+1 Well Rested= -18 EN)
ID:256337| 9 + 5 =14  | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID:256338| 6+ 5 = 11 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID: 256339| 4+ 5 =9  | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage
ID:256340| 8+ 5 = 13 | Hit vs. Ice Wolf Dealing 390 Damage

Ice Wolf #1-4 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #1-4 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #1-4| 0/372 HP | DAM: 124
Ice Wolf #1-4 | 0/372 HP | DAM: 124

Squabble up In effect!
40,000 Col
12 materials
Perfect Trinket T4 ID: 256337, 256338, 256339, 256340

Mari | HP: 680/680 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 26 | MIT:143 | ACC:4+1 (AA) | AA  | FL.AURA: 8 | BH:37 | BRN: 56 | ENV-O: 32 | PARA-V | LD:5 | True Tier 15
Aeva | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 1

Edited yesterday at 08:06 AM by Mari

[Aeva 0]

The howling and snarling grew only more intense as the creatures stalked ever forward, assuming their prey would make a run for it and deliberately watching her movements in case Aeva bolted. Yet the girl could not bring herself to move at all. It wasn’t fear, or even the lingering effect of her paralysis, that kept her in place. It seemed to be something else entirely. Something at the base of the tree made it impossible for her to leave. Not that it would have mattered much in the end, regardless, Aeva was certainly in no condition to outrun a pack of ravenous canines even if she wanted to. Perhaps this was still part of her dream? Maybe once the wolves finally closed in, she’d wake up in her bed at her house in the real world? Maybe. Unlikely. Squeezing her ruby eyes shut, Aeva braced for the worst as she heard the wolves rapidly approaching! 

Instead of the expected sharp sting of a wolf bite Aeva suddenly felt herself being shoved by something, the girl quickly falling to one side in the snow just as the hostile mob nearly caught her! Before she even had time to witness her saviour, Aeva’s vision was filled with an array of orange and amber light as the mob exploded in fiery digital light! Her shock was directed toward an unknown woman, wielding a weapon with more control and skill than she’d ever seen from anyone, as the stranger effortlessly cut through the rest of the pack and resulting in more flaming showers of ember! Who was she? Where did she even come from? How was she so powerful?

Nearly as quickly as it began, it was over. The snow-covered grove was deathly silent for a moment as Aeva looked up with a mixture of awe and caution at a flame-haired woman, though before she could say anything, the stranger spoke up first, scolding Aeva for her air-headedness and distracted state. Aeva was about to apologize and thank the stranger for saving her life (this seemed to be happening a lot lately), but the mystery woman quickly changed her attitude. There was a sadness in her eyes that Aeva had not expected, and she expected the blanket freely given even less, jolting suddenly as it seemingly appeared out of the air and dropped on her lap. At the mention of a “survival” skill, Aeva tilted her head somewhat, assuming Mari meant basic outdoors survival knowledge. Admittedly, she didn’t. 

“I apologize.. Thank you for killing those creatures.” Aeva would finally say, pushing herself up slightly from the ground before Mari brushed the excess snow off her shoulders, instinctively clutching the blanket. When the stranger asked Aeva what she was doing, her memory quickly pinged with fear! The chaos had caused her to nearly forget! “O- Oh no, quickly!” She said in a panicked tone, turning to the base of the tree and using the blanket to cover something.

There in the shadow of the expansive branches was a small thing made of white fur, and slow breathing. “It wasn’t doing well..” She began. “The green bar above it keeps slowly draining..” Aeva had not been a gamer before diving into SAO, but even she knew what it meant. Nestled in the blanket Mari had gifted was a pale young fox, likely a passive AI creature of the floor. At some point, it had gotten injured or weakened and was left to die slowly in the dark.

“Mari,” Aeva spoke the name aloud after the woman had given it. “I don’t suppose you know how to save him?” She asked with a hopeful tone. Mari was a stranger but the woman’s demeanour made Aeva somewhat relaxed around her, combining the fact that she just saved her life, of course. She had just seen her take out a pack of beasts like it was nothing, maybe she could save this poor thing’s life? Aeva didn’t have any experience with these things. Mari seemed like someone she could trust right? The red-headed girl may not have been the first person Aeva had met since she had awoken, but she was the first to let Aeva know their name. Now that Aeva was closer she realized she did have rather pretty hair. It almost matched the pretty orange icon hovering above her head.    

[Mari 1]

She shivered, from fear…from the cold. Maybe from Mari’s presence herself. None were surprising for her. What was - was how the woman scrambled out from the safe confines of the plush blanket, falling forward into the snow to clutch at something. “What the-”

Then, Mari realized what was happening. The wolf pack wasn’t just hunting the other woman. They had been tracking their prey. “Its just a-” Mari caught herself, biting her tongue. Mari didn’t really care about the creatures or NPCs of Aincard. They weren’t real. “It’s not real.” Mari said quietly. A terrible attempt to alleviate the girls trembling concerns.

Why would it matter if the little white fox lived or died?

“You were protecting it though? Using your own life?” Again, there was that tone, condescending, without meaning to be. Mari wasn’t sure how to tackle this situation. She just wanted to get home before the storm rolled in. When was the last time Mari met someone who was willing to risk their lives for a digital thing, not even a human, but a tiny trembling arctic fox.

“It’ll die in the oncoming storm.”

The woman flinched.

Damn

Mari groaned, hand slapping her face and dragging down. “You’re not gonna just leave it are you?” She grumbled under her breath. “Right. Fine.” Mari bent down, pulling a health potion from her pocket and jamming it into the tiny foxes mouth. It wasn’t cautious, nor graceful. Unlike her actions with the woman, Mari was almost a little rough with the fox. It coughed and spluttered, tiny body heaving as it struggled to drink the contents. But -its health bar stayed steady.

“Unless it's your familiar, you can’t take it back into town with you. So this is an act of futility. Really.” Mari pointed beyond the treeline, the sun was quickly setting, and snow was already falling around them. “Soon, the winds will pick up, storms comin’. It won’t survive. You won’t either if you don’t have Survival, or shelter.”

Mari stood, dusting off her hands. Hopefully that would put some sense into the other woman, make her leave the fox behind and travel back to the safety of Snowfrost.

 

[Aeva 0]

Mari’s reaction to the source of Aeva’s current anguish shouldn’t have surprised anyone, though the white-haired girl kept finding herself reminded over and over again that this world wasn’t real. Most remembered this fact due to their daily interaction with it, but for Aeva, Aincrad was still so brand new. Video games in general were, so it was incredibly easy for her to get immersed to the point of forgetting what was reality and what was fiction. Still… When she looked at that creature, lying and shivering in the snow, it stirred something in the girl. Something she didn’t fully understand. 

“I.. I didn’t know what else to do. I just wanted to give it a chance..” She replied, the confusion in Aeva’s own tone was clear as day. Mari was understandably perplexed as to why this lunatic in the forest was sacrificing themselves for the AI, but Aeva figured that conversation wasn’t best suited for the cold outdoors. Not with that storm coming. Mari noticed it too and pointed out a grim truth regarding Aeva’s charge. Dread seeded her heart as she began to face reality, but soon something brought her attention back. 

Mari posed a question, causing the girl to look back at her in hopeful curiosity. “No.. I just..” she hesitated, not having any idea where she would take this creature. Aeva didn’t even know where she was currently located at all, either. She’d gotten quite turned around during her distracted walk through the forest. Though what happened next was completely unexpected. Despite her better judgment, Mari had decided to give in to Aeva’s delusions and assist the creature. Aeva’s gaze immediately brightened as the more experienced player lowered herself and placed a vial to the fox’s mouth. The girl’s gaze watched with eager anticipation, and on instinct, Aeva let loose a sigh of relief when she saw the health bar recovering! Aeva was about to thank Mari yet again, but her saviour had more to say. 

“Familiar?” She echoed the word, not knowing what she meant by it. Either way, Mari was telling Aeva the fox wouldn’t be allowed in town, so her help was only temporary at best. Especially with he incoming storm. That’s when something crossed her mind. “I-I may know someone who could help, but.. His house is..” She’d look around in all directions. The man had saved her before; maybe he could keep this creature going, too? Would he even be at his workshop if she returned? Could she even find it again? She was very, very lost. “The red healer helped me, so maybe..?” She would mumble to herself just loud enough to hear as she continued scanning every direction for a familiar landmark.

Edited 1 hour ago by Aeva