[SP-F2] The Lion Within [Complete]

[Guest]

In the fields outside Urbus, Alkor stood with both eyes closed. The breeze moved gently through his hair, and the distant roar of the creatures he was on the hunt for carried like whispers on the wind. He made no move for his weapon; Alkor knew that the beasts wouldn't be anywhere near him, not just now. The area just outside the city was relatively safe when compared to the areas beyond where he could see now.

He wore a black top, now, replacing the garment that had been destroyed. It was loose fitting and the collar was open, revealing his chest. The wind felt soothing against his skin. "Now," he said quietly, cycling through his menu in an almost idle manner. "It's time to go, I think."

Alkor took off at a quick but comfortable pace. He knew it was going to be tough- lions usually hunted in packs. There would be more than one mob in almost every encounter. He needed this training, though. Alkor needed to make his damage the best it could possibly be.

[Guest]

The midday sun beat down on the field as Alkor steadied his blade and faced the two <> that eyed him menacingly. From what he remembered of the creatures from school, the females did the majority of their hunting and that made them much more dangerous (generally.) Still, he knew that the males were considered dangerous in their own right, so he wouldn't consider any of these mobs any less dangerous than the others. Not until he had assessed them for himself.

The first lioness jumped at him without any warning, and Alkor hefted his blade awkwardly to rebuff the strike. His eyes widened and he winced involuntarily. "Gah!" He let out a sound of surprise as one of the matriarchs landed on his sword and held on like, trying to drive him down onto his back. "They're tough," he hissed through gritted teeth.

She clawed away a single HP, which was something of a relief. If they had been any stronger than that, Alkor would have been in for a great deal of trouble. He forced her back with a great effort, keeping his blade up defensively.

Alkor 14/15

Plains Lioness 1 10/10

Plains Lioness 2 10/10

[Guest]

"No you don't," he retorted absently when the second beast lunged at him. Alkor ripped his blade up and into the path of the creature's gaping maw, intent on wedging the weapon between its teeth to prevent it from clamping down on him with them. His weapon ripped into into the meaty jaws of the lioness, who let out a whimper of terror mixed with pain as the weapon came too close for comfort, slicing clean into sinew and breaking her focus from the attack.

The creature's weight sank down on top of him, but Alkor fell to his back and kicked it over him and to the ground, breaking free from the deadlock that would have otherwise raged on. He whipped his weapon around as he rose up on his haunches and readied himself to block an attack from the other lioness.

Alkor deals 6 damage (3 super critical + 1 weapon + 2 skill)

Alkor 14/15

Plains Lioness 1 10/10

Plains Lioness 2 4/10

[Guest]

When the beast lunged this time, Alkor was more prepared. He knew the pattern, now- one, then the other, in an attempt to take the player off their guard. It was a simple, yet dangerously efficient strategy, and if not for his strength now, he might have been in some trouble. He kept his eyes on the lioness that had attacked first, and when she moved, he moved in time with her.

He found out quickly that he needed to be faster than that to match her pace. His weapon barely did the job of blocking a strike, and her claws swiped across his leg with three red lines that made him narrow his eyes to slits. If he could help it, he'd make the lioness pay for that. Something about these mobs made his blood boil.

Alkor 13/15

Plains Lioness 1 10/10

Plains Lioness 2 4/10

[Guest]

The second lioness hobbled toward him, still proverbial licking her wounds from the last go around. When she came at Alkor, she did so in the shadow of the first lion; they were getting quicker and more cunning, and Alkor felt his blood go from a boil to frigid. An adaptable AI, he observed. They really did want to make this the most dangerous game ever.

She got her revenge, though. In lieu of a bite attack, the second beast swiped at his leg menacingly and scored a cheap, albeit nasty hit. Alkor growled his discontent, having not managed to bring his blade around in time to block. He would need to work on his agility, if he were going to get stronger and survive.

Alkor 12/15

Plains Lioness 1 10/10

Plains Lioness 2 4/10

[Guest]

In the first opportunity he'd had since encountering the beasts, Alkor rushed forward toward the second lion and seized his chance. His blade swam through the air with monstrous grace and toward the mob, seeking to skewer her right in the center. He felt a massive weight dragging him down from behind, and the first lioness pressed him down like the huntress she was.

Alkor fought to twist in the air and managed to land on his back, all the while feeling the impact through his entire body. "Get..." he hissed as he wrestled with the beast and tried in vain to feed her the business end of his blade. "...off!!"

Somehow, he beat her back, albeit without dealing any damage. He knew better than to give chase, though, and kept his attention focused now on the second lion. He wouldn't give her the opportunity to hit him off his guard again.

Alkor 11/15

Plains Lioness 1 10/10

Plains Lioness 2 4/10

[Guest]

She circled and Alkor followed. His amber eyes flickered every so often, waiting for the attack he knew was coming. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he almost worried that the lioness was occupying his attention while her ally came around for a sneak attack, but on the second floor, he doubted very much that would happen. Mobs wouldn't start getting that crafty for a while, yet.

Finally came the lunge, and he braced with his blade at the ready. She toppled his defense with an ease he couldn't quite understand; his blade did not damage her, but the sheer force from her tackle sent him writhing. He almost cursed aloud. "It's not going to get any easier," he reminded himself.

There was no room left for him to mess up. He had too many things to worry about for a couple of lions to get in the way.

Alkor 10/15

Plains Lioness 1 10/10

Plains Lioness 2 4/10

[Guest]

Before the lioness could draw back from her attack, Alkor encroached on her and sent another strike for her unexpected body. While mobs might not have gotten more cunning, players had the benefit of being able to learn and adapt with lightning quickness. Alkor capitalized on his ingenuity with fluid and devastating skill.

Unlike his last few attempts, when Alkor sliced for her this time, the lioness rued his precision. She let out a pathetic cry as her defeated form fell to the dirt in a deject pile and her data began to scatter. The young swordsman turned his triumphant gaze to the first lioness, who growled her obvious displeasure as warning to the player.

Alkor felt his tenacity renewed, and he steeled himself for the last part of this battle.

Alkor 10/15

Plains Lioness 1 10/10

Plains Lioness 2 (Dead)

[Guest]

Slowly he stalked, blade held in a mid level guard as he stared the lioness down, her vicious growl a low and throaty thing. Alkor watched, waiting for any indication that the beast was attacking. Then, it came. Alkor threw himself forward to meet her as she pounced, his blade twisting in air and seeking her unguarded underbelly.

He missed, but she did not. Alkor felt the wound graze his back, not the strongest of attacks, but more than enough to drain HP from him. It felt as if he were being robbed, rushing beneath her and coming away unblooded. His body twisted with vigor and he hefted his blade once more.

This time, he told himself. "You're mine," he said aloud, an air of confidence and rage seething up in his chest.

Alkor 9/15

Plains Lioness 10/10

[Guest]

Colored like blood, the sky burned with a horrific light that suited the battle. Alkor could feel the heat bearing down on him like some demonic presence, jeering at him and taunting him with empty promises of failure. He rejected all of it. As the lioness turned, he made his attack.

She raked her claws in the path of his strike, throwing it wide, and Alkor gritted his teeth. He braced for the return strike that was to come next, and she did not disappoint. The lioness bit at his torso with her mighty jaws, and he watched his health fall that much more. "Come on," he said, hints of annoyance trickling into his voice. "Come ON!"

Alkor 8/15

Plains Lioness 10/10

[Guest]

Alkor twisted into a tight spin, intent on taking the creature off balance after its bite attack. It released him quickly and tried to back away, but failed to escape the path of the blade. A long line drawn in her back caused the lioness to reel in agony and limp back, away from the player.

The young swordsman stared down at his victim as though their roles had reversed, and in a way, they had. Alkor wore a malicious grin, tightening his grip on the weapon. A little at a time, he chipped away at the lioness' health. Soon enough, he would be able to make a mortal wound. Then, she would fall. Then, he could get some money, and some more experience.

Alkor 8/15

Plains Lioness 6/10

[Guest]

He followed through with a slash chained to the first in quick succession. The lioness seemed to watch helplessly as her executioner brought the blade to bear. It sank into her, a looming and thick feeling like mortality setting into the world all around Alkor. Data streams flooded from her corpse, and Alkor stood over the lioness with a grim expression on her face.

"Looks like I'm the one who's still alive," he said, his lips twisting into an unreadable expression. Both amber eyes burned with a deeper flame now, and Alkor slowly sheathed his sword. "I'll take that," he said quietly as he reached down for the small item that had been left behind by the lioness.

<> appeared in his inventory, a material meant for the tailoring profession. While it did him no good at the moment, he was sure it would come in handy later on. There was plenty of opportunity for him to have something crafted, provided he could scrounge up the right materials.

Alkor deals 6 damage (3 super critical + 1 weapon + 2 skill)

Alkor 8/15

Plains Lioness (Dead)

<> obtained.

[Guest]

He took his brief moment of respite in a tree overlooking the field, scouring the area for more targets. It was a welcome rest after that last battle, which had brought him close to half health. Alkor closed his eyes and took a few slow breaths, contemplating the last battle, considering all the tactics that the lionesses had employed. All things considered, while it wasn't above his ability to take that sort of fight on again, it wasn't something he wanted to do just now.

One more battle would be enough, he wagered, and he slipped out of the tree toward a stalking lion he'd spied from his high vantage point. The creature was smaller and decidedly weaker than the two females he had previously encountered, but it was more aware than they had been. There was no chance that he could sneak up on it.

The beast jumped from cover toward him, and Alkor slid his sword into hand with staggering quickness.

Alkor 8/15

Plains Prowler 8/8

[Guest]

They clashed with a ferocity that the first fight had not seen. Alkor and the Prowler surged toward each other with monstrous amounts of energy, each screaming their own respective battle cry. Claw met honed edge, and in a concentrated effort, Alkor overpowered the lion. It staggered backward as the blade bit into flesh and then lodged in bone, and it gave a defiant roar that shook the plains all around.

Alkor narrowed his eyes as he withdrew his blade and sank back into a defensive stance, eyes darting in every direction, seeking to discern where the next attack would come from. This was a different type of lion, probably more dangerous because it went back into stealth after becoming the victim of an attack.

Alkor deals 6 damage (3 super critical + 1 weapon +2 skill)

Alkor 8/15

Plains Prowler 2/8

[Guest]

From the brush, the lion threw itself at Alkor. The swordsman barely reacted in time, turning his body about face and bringing his blade high. The creature impaled itself on the defensive weapon, staring down at Alkor through empty, confused eyes as life ebbed from them. Its mouth was still ajar from where it attempted to clamp down on the unsuspecting player, and Alkor stared back into the face of danger with his own, hardened look.

"Not this time," he told the fallen enemy as it slumped to the dirt and sagged. It blew apart into small fragments, and he closed his eyes. A sigh came from his weary form. "That was easier than I thought," he said.

<> appeared in place of the Prowler's corpse, and Alkor knelt to collect them. It was strange to him that he was getting all of these drops, even though he didn't have a profession to use them. Maybe he would look into that on the side, if he got any free time.

"Don't want to let anyone know I'm thinking of going into business," he laughed quietly to himself. "I'm sure I don't want to get all that attention."

Alkor deals 5 damage (2 critical + 1 weapon +2 skill)

Alkor 8/15

Plains Prowler (Dead)

<> obtained.

[Guest]

"Whew," he vented his exhaustion loudly, "this is work."

Alkor wiped the sweat from his brow and took a seat in the middle of the plains, watching quietly as the Lions in the distance walked their daily path, oblivious to him. There was a measure of peace here, watching the world go through its motions unobstructed. He looked lazily at the items in his inventory, wondering what, if anything, he was going to end up doing with them.

A strange sound, like a low growl, rose up from the grasses behind him, and Alkor stood up straight. His eyes searched for the source, knowing another lion catching him off his guard without full HP could be catastrophic.

What he saw made him pale a bit. This lion, black as night, stared right into his soul.

Alkor readied his blade, and the creature rushed headlong at him. It's malevolent claws struck for his body, but found only air as his blade rebuffed that dangerous attack. Alkor stared intently at the creature, who stared back with abject hatred. Together, the prowled at the heart of the plains.

Alkor 8/10

Black Lion 6/10

[Guest]

This beast was one of the more difficult, albeit harder to come across mobs in the field. Alkor had come here in truth to find one, but he'd hoped to do so while he had a bit more health. Nonetheless, he shrugged it off mentally and faced the monster without backing down. Today was a day to be brave.

When the claws slashed down his torso, Alkor immediately knew it was going to be a duel to the death. His HP bar slimmed, and he stared into the abyssal creature like he would into the sky at night. They were perfect partners in this deadly dance.

Alkor 6/15

Black Lion 6/10

[Guest]

His heart raced in his chest. The sword in his hand glided through air. A menacing growl answered the faint hiss of metal as it sliced away the distance. The Lion narrowly avoided the strike, and Alkor backpedaled in an attempt to avoid taking the damage. He failed.

The beast sliced viciously at him, the return volley cutting deep into his health. Alkor let out a grunt, lifted his blade defensively, and braced against the impact. Wincing, Alkor fell to a knee, one hand touching the ground, and he let out an indignant snort.

Alkor 4/15

Black Lion 6/10

[Guest]

"It's getting close," he grated. "Too close..."

His sword whipped through air as the lion tried to overtake him in his wounded state. The beast was rebuffed by a quick motion of the player's body and sword moving in unison. Alkor straightened his back and began to let out his ragged breaths, insane eyes focused on the malevolent pride animal.

He would not fall here, not this day, or any day. Alkor raised his blade and watched the lion as it returned to its prowl, their odds evened. It was a terrifying, exciting thing. His skin shivered, and his blood boiled. Alkor tasted both victory and defeat, but could not discern which was meant for him and which was for the beast.

It chilled him. It enticed him.

Alkor 4/15

Black Lion 2/10

[Guest]

He slashed toward the creature hellbent on ending his life. They collided.

The moment lasted an eternity in one single breath. Stars were born, and they died. Civilizations rose up and conquered, waned, then fell to pieces, torn apart by time alone. Alkor held the Black Maned terror at bay with his blade, and the snarling monstrosity stared at him through feline, yellow eyes.

Hot breath hit his face, and the acrid stench made him want to vomit. Alkor pressed forward, and the beast snapped back at him. Neither side relented, neither side wanted to accept fate.

In the end, it was a single push. Hand to sword, sword to throat. The lion howled out, surprised, and fell back, clambering in a desperate attempt to evade death. Alkor towered over it as it scrambled, bringing his blade down, skewering the body in one quick and powerful motion.

His eyes were hidden in shadow as he stared down at his defeated enemy. His body was covered in sweat, for riddled with wounds. There were tatters in his garb that were new, a testament to his struggle. Alkor looked up, shouldering his weapon, and put on a satisfied smile. "Well," he said, "that was a pretty eventful day."

He made toward Urbus with haste, not stopping for anything. With his HP as low as it was, he didn't intend to let anyone slow him down. He had places to be.

Alkor 4/15

Black Lion (Dead)

-End

Alkor gains 400 Col, 2 materials, and one skill point