Locked Doors (Lessa) [PP-F8] [Complete]

[Zelrius 0]

"And all the morons and idioits I've ever met have been lower levels. Your "inspiring" players are probably just Social outcasts with some sob story behind their being here. Look, I am not trying to degrade others. The point I am trying to ask I cannot explain properly in words. For that I apologize," He took a deep breath and looked at her, Back to creases of thought he was searching for something else to say, though Zelrius wasn't sure why he had an urge to keep talking to her.

 

(I'll just let you respond to that before I jump the gun and switch subjects.)

[Lessa 1]

Not trying to degrade anyone? Lessa fought to keep from snorting. For someone who insisted he was not speaking ill of anyone, he was doing an excellent job of doing just that. But as she watched him struggle to explain himself, she wondered if maybe he truly was trying to clean up his act. The brief moment of genuine kindness that she had witnessed before made her wonder. And if anyone could break his walls, she could. She had always had a way of bringing out the best in people.

"You're fine," she replied simply. Waving her hand through the darkness, she added, "you have nothing to apologize for. Sometimes, it is tough to put our thoughts into words. Besides, you can always try again later." Booming thunder echoed through the cave. "We'll probably be here for a while."

[Zelrius 0]

As the thunder boomed outside then echoed throughout the cave, Zelrius let out a sigh. The boy had many teleport crystals, and if he wanted to leave, He Could. Zelrius looked down the cave and then onto his minimap. There were still a few places he hadn't been to, and was quite bored. Drawing his twinfire sword, Zelrius merely gazed on silently down the darkness of the cave. They were going to be here a bit longer, She was certainly right about that. Since that fact was true, Zelrius decided he'd use this chance to learn more about the Guild World, and Other people. "You being the Leader of the Guardians of Aincrad, any news on the subject of Guild Politics?" Though his sentence didn't stop there, His curiosity out powered his ego, And the questions kept going "Or have you met anyone interesting in your Shop? Is there anything new with the other Players?"

[Lessa 1]

His insistent questioning may not have bothered her, had they been on a different topic. But the issue of interactions with other players only worked to bring the young woman down. There was a silence between them as she searched for the words. Her entire demeanor grew somber, and anyone who took a moment to peer through the darkness would make out the frown on her lips.

 

"I know very little of what is going on," she confessed. "Truthfully, I've detached myself from the people around me. I've done some work with lower leveled players, but as for the front lines..." Her voice grew distant as her gaze dropped to the ground below. "I need to get back into it. But it has been difficult." A short, humorless laugh filled the darkness. "I've had a lot dumped on me the past month. Of course, I'm not the only person with problems, especially here in Aincrad. We are all stuck in less than pleasant situations. But I've had a lot of-" she struggled to find the appropriate word, before settling on "-drama." 

 

Lessa heaved a small sigh. "Surely, that isn't the answer you were looking for though."

[Zelrius 0]

Zelrius's eager questioning mood left him instantly when she said what was said. A frown of his own formed on his face and a little bit of him wished he had never asked. The Blood Buccaneer wasn't sure why but he felt he had to return a response and explain his questioning "Oh, I am sorry. I didn't mean to rouse any hateful memories you may have or anything, It's just-" His voice losing all hints of egotism at this point, letting out a sigh, Zelrius realized he'd come this far minus will keep going "It's just that when you're someone like me, Who is a reknowned player killer, a High leveled player, and an asshole, It's kind of hard to make friends. And while it is hard to make consistent friends, it is hard to keep them as well. So I split myself off from most everyone else. Which is why I had developed the Arrogance, to have something to blame my solo play on. And while it's been rewarding being a solo player (The Loot and Col are fantastic) I, Zelrius, wish that I could hear the news or make a few jokes every now and then." It was at the point he was talking about his arrogance that the boy's voice waivered and the slight sniffling started. The original Zelrius was lost at this point.

[Lessa 1]

His words left her with none of her own. Now plunged into silence as heavy as the darkness that surrounded them, Lessa searched desperately for something to tell the man. In an instant, he had revealed his true colors to her. True, she had suspected such emotions lurked below the hardened surface, and that his arrogance was merely a facade. But watching him place all of his cards on the table this way had more of an effect on her than the blonde had originally anticipated. "You don't need to apologize," she began. The least she could do was assure him that he had done nothing wrong by inquiring about the state of the game. "You had no idea."

 

"You know," came her soft, hesitant voice through the inky dark of the cave, "you can change. This arrogance, well, you've already admitted that it isn't becoming. That it isn't really who you are." There was a crisp sigh, and then, "I won't pretend that I know who you really are, because I don't. I haven't really had that pleasure." The smile she offered him was subtle, but genuine. And when she spoke again, there was a strange mixture of sadness and admiration in her tone. "But its like my Dad always told me. You can't complain unless you're doing something to change your situation. If you're unhappy, do something about it."

[Zelrius 0]

Zelrius drew his Twinfire sword in the darkness, well tired of it. He held it out to see Lessa fully. He looked into her eyes, then the look turned more into a glare. He had already said the wrong things at the wrong times to the wrong person. Stabbing the Twinfire sword out and stopping it just inches away from her Zelrius thought to himself. All he had to do was plunge the sword further, and she would be ignited into the blue and red flames, And this entire conversation would be forgotten, lost forever. Zelrius turned the blade in his hand a couple of times before speaking this outloud. "I was a fool. I opened up to someone and I shouldn't have. I have strength, Therefore I am entitled to Arrogance. And you have seen weakness. I should, and am seriously contemplating, turning you into points of data and memories right here." Zelrius finished with a grunt, jabbing the Flaming sword slightly closer to Lessa.

[Lessa 1]

It was like deja vu.

 

The fire in his eyes. The hardening of his features. The hasty reconstruction of the walls he had almost let fall for her. The way she turned from a confidant to an enemy in an instant. She was reliving the hell that Alkor had put her through for a second time. He had wanted to end her once as well. He had decided that it would be easier to take her life than admit that, just maybe, he possessed the ability to actually open up to someone. That had been the last time she saw him before he removed her from his friends list. It was a bit poetic, actually; he had killed her without ever drawing his blade.

 

Now here she stood, facing a similar fate. He was broken, yes. But aren't we all? demanded a voice in the back of her mind. We're all a bit screwed up, but that does not give anyone the right to treat another human being this way.

 

As she drew her sword, she thought of Alkor.

 

"So you want to kill me?" the young woman spat, tightening the hold on her pink weapon. "Fine. You can try. And hell, considering your high level, you'll probably make easy work of me. But hey, maybe this is the end of the line for me. Maybe I was never meant to leave this cave at all."

 

Blue pools narrowed as she lifted her own sword to mirror his. "But at least allow me to re-equip my armor, so that I can die an honorable death."

[Zelrius 0]

Zelrius stepped back, Look of utter hatred in his eyes. He pulled out that same Paralyze potion from earlier, and Explained his having it out. "Very well, Sheath your Sword, and equip your armor. Redraw your sword when you are ready to fight. The Potion here will not be apart of our battle. I simply have it out so that you cannot pull a Teleport crystal out and run away." He continued to glare on, intent of Murder deep set in his sky blue eyes. The Fire's glow certainly didn't make his contorted face of anger and bloodlust look human at all. Zelrius had a little voice though. Some where in the back of his mind this voice continued to whisper quietly not to kill her.

[Lessa 1]

Head dipped slightly, blonde hair falling into blue eyes as the girl took a step back from Zelrius. In a slow, deliberate motion, she slid Hell Rose back into its sheath. Her gaze never wavered from the man, especially after he brought out the potion for the second time. Her jaw worked as she studied him, doing her best to determine if this bluff was worth calling. Would he actually run her through with the twin-colored blade?

 

Perhaps the more important question was whether or not she would mind. It would be wrong to assume Lessa had a death wish, or that she did not desire to live any longer. But a raw, animalistic need bubbled up deep within her, one that demanded she finally stand her ground. Alyssa never would have given in so easily, so why the hell did Lessa insist on doing so? Her face, flushed with new-found anger, hardened as she regarded the other player with disdain. Her mind was made up, and there was no turning back.

 

Eyes flitted from the man, to her menu, and then back to Zelrius once more. As the HUD vanished, a ribbon of light and color began to swirl about her entire frame. When it molded into the shapes of her curves, and finally fizzled out, her entire wardrobe had changed. The recently donned jeans and blouse were replaced by her familiar silver boots, black leggings, and loose pink skirt. Over her torso rest a well-worn silver breastplate, engraved with a fine rose pattern. Both hands were nestled deep inside matching gauntlets.

 

A cold breeze whipped through the cave, spurred by the storm raging outside. It unsettled her hair and her skirt, but Lessa stood firm. She drew her sword a second time.

[Zelrius 0]

Zelrius smiled, putting away the Paralysis potion. He then followed her suit, Changing from his White and yellow tuxedo into his armor. His twinfire sword drawn in his left hand, was now pointed to the ground. His white gloves that donned the Blood Buccaneers tuxedo had been replaced by his bare hands, something that he did not do often. Zelrius's Tie and Dress shirt were replaced by a iron colored chestplate, adorned with the little pinpricks along it that signaled the chestplate had the Thorns enhancement. Over that iron and cactus like needles, A dark blue duster rested, the kind that made his own body feel lighter, therefore allowing him to move more evasively and attack with a little more precision. Zelrius took a step back, All arrogance had fully returned, He was more then happy to fight another player, especially A guild leader. Zelrius stood back and called out to her "Your move."

 

Zelrius 79/79

 

Lessa 44/44

[Lessa 1]

The moment the man's attire changed, Lessa's mind began to race, collecting as much information as possible about Zel's fighting style. The duster that materialized across his shoulders closely resembled a few that she had come in contact with previously. It told her that this was a player who preferred speed and agility over a hard hit. Of course, it would be naive to assume that her strikes would rattle him the way they might have if they were closer in level. That was the determining factor, and one Lessa simply could not ignore. His thirty-three put her eighteen to shame, and she needed to incorporate that into every single move she made. His health would surely be through the roof, and it might take a while for her to chip away at it. Blue eyes narrowed through the inky darkness. I have all the time in the world.

 

When he moved the ball back into her court, she eyed him warily. The blonde recognized the many factors working against her before she made her first move. Zelrius was undoubtedly a far more experienced player, but there were other things that she would need to work around as well. For one thing, the aforementioned darkness would make each attack, and each defensive maneuver, a bit more difficult. Then there was also the close quarters, allowing the pair little room for their skirmish. The space that they were allowed was covered in everything from tiny pebbles to large, jagged rocks, making their environment an equally dangerous opponent. Not to mention the fact that the monsters Zelrius had put down could respawn at any moment. Finally, the wind that tore through the small cave was only growing colder, as the weather outside became more severe. It felt more like a scene from a horror movie than what might be Lessa's final resting place.

 

"No," she replied in a cool voice. "I insist." The girl recognized that his speed would allow him to easily dance around any attack she threw at him were she to go first. She would be better off following up immediately after his move, perhaps catching him off-guard.

 

{[6184] Battle: 1. No damage dealt.}

 

Zelrius 79/79

Lessa 44/44

[Zelrius 0]

Zelrius didn't reply in words when Lessa told him to go. He only smirked, examined the area, and was gone. Zelrius's agility was long practiced and was further more used more against players then anything else. The only failing factor in this was the Darkness, As soon as he had gotten to moving rather quickly, His accuracy dropped, Significantly.  He stopped moving aound to stop and once more look for Lessa. He had found her silhouette quiet a bit a way from where he had guessed she was. Zelrius kicked a rock and sheathed his Twinfire Sword, Knowing that the light would hurt him more then help him. The Blood Buccaneer was not exactly sure what he was doing at that moment.  

 

(--OOC I feel so bad, You post so long and mine are like a measly 6 lines.)

 

(Battle: 2 Miss)

[Lessa 1]

Though she could not see him through the heavy cloak of darkness, she felt him. The woman sensed his presence, and felt the rush of air as he sped by her. Even without a sense of sight, Lessa recognized how quickly the Blood Buccaneer moved. It gave credit to the creeping doubt in the back of her mind, and her pink claymore dipped the slightest bit. His first attack had missed, that much was true. But would he miss next time? Such an experienced player would surely learn from his mistakes, and where would she be then? Scattered fragments of data, strewn about the dirty cave floor?

 

You can do this! The voice that roared from deep within her was enough to drown out the worry. You can, and you must. Though her guild had been disbanded, Lessa still felt the warrior spirit of a Guardian inside of her. A Guardian would never let a man like Zelrius behave the way he was. His arrogance, and the random bursts of anger and destruction that accompanied it were a threat to other players. It was her responsibility to squash him before he hurt anyone else.

 

Hurt anyone else the way he hurt me. The way they both hurt me.

 

"Enough," the girl hissed. Lessa did not hesitate when Zelrius sheathed his sword, and they were plunged back into darkness. The faint pink light cast by Hell Rose paled in comparison to the fire that burned in her blue eyes.

 

But the darkness proved too much for the Wild Rose, just as it had for her enemy. Lessa's heavy claymore swung with insurmountable passion, but it was not enough to land a blow in the cave without light.

 

{[6228] Battle: 4. No damage dealt.}

[Zelrius 0]

Zelrius could hear Lessa moving about trying to hit him. Much to his suprise she wasn't that far off and was being close despite the constant darkness. The Blood Buccaneer drew his twinfire sword and leaped once more through the darkness. Zelrius still cannot figure out why exactly he had gotten angry with her. It came to him That Lessa might have been an actually trustworthy person. It occured to him that this was all a mistake, and Zelrius was acting a fool. Of course, these were mere thoughts, But rage and Bloodlust still consumed him and he was more then ready to slice her till the girl was no longer. That was no longer the hard part about killing someone. At first, The most difficult part was deciding to end them, But now The hard part is realizing what that means. You rob that person and all those they know of them. Zelrius quickly swung down with his twinfire sword, Feeling contact with it, Then quickly jumping back and sheathing the Sword once more.

 

(6229 BD: 8 Hit) 

 

(I just also wanted to Clarify that I have 3 Evasion and 3 Accuracy. Please Clarify your stats)

 

Zelrius 79/79

 

Lessa 38/44 (Two BD/T Two Turns)

 

(EDIT: Just realized you have Damage Mitigation. Please edit that further if you have a higher ranked skill)

[Lessa 1]

The girl had known that the Twinfire Sword would find its mark very soon. Of course, that did not soften the blow as the the Blood Buccaneer racked his blade across her heavy armor. It tore across her breastplate with a sickening metallic hiss, and though she was protected from some of the damage, the man still took an impressive piece of her health. The blonde sucked air sharply, taking a few steps back as her health bar dipped. Clearly, the player's abilities matched his high level. Of course it does, Lessa scolded herself. What did I expect?

 

What she needed to do was regroup. The attack had unsettled her, but it had not taken her life. There was still a chance that she might come out victorious. Or, at least, stay in combat long enough for Zelrius to come to his senses. The young woman lifted her Claymore, willing her heart to stop racing so that she could concentrate. In the darkness, her other senses became hyper-aware; that meant nothing if the deafening pounding in her ears drowned out everything else.

 

Despite the emotion that pulsed through her veins, and dictated her every move, her body trembled. Never before had the player faced off against another this way. She had only dueled once, in a friendly match that had nearly ruined her. Even that had not been to the death. This was another beast entirely, and as she listened to her own breathing, barely audible over the howl of the wind, the doubt returned.

 

And as she moved to make another attack, a wave of pain washed over her entire body. A soft whimper slipped past her lips as the burn damage took its toll on her. Lessa's sword dipped, and she stumbled weakly to one side. Though she winced as she first struck the stone wall, she soon found herself using it for support.

 

{[6351] Battle: 5. No damage dealt.}

 

Zelrius 79/79

 

Lessa 36/44 (Two BD/T One Turn)

 

(( 3 damage mitigation, 2 accuracy, 1 life steal. )) 

[Zelrius 0]

(ID 6507, BD3+3 For Accuracy = 6, HIT)

 

Zelrius was angered extremely by this woman. The more he thought about it, The more stupid their little conversation seemed. Why did he open up? Why did she care? Why isn't she dead yet? Zelrius knew the answer to that final question, and though he didn't know it, The Blood Buccaneer also knew the answer to the first one as well. Zelrius drew his sword and quickly turned around lunging in the direction he last thought she was, When the Twinfire sword found something that stopped his momentum, Zelrius jumped back and sheathed the sword once again, So far, So good. 

(Again sorry for short posts, I am not good at this Combat Roleplay stuffs)

 

Zelrius 79/79

 

Lessa 27/44 (Two BD/T One Turn)

[Lessa 1]

Her sharp, startled cry of pain filled the dark cavern. Her entire frame shook under the heavy blow of the Twinfire Sword, and when her legs finally gave out underneath her, Lessa slid pitifully down the stone wall. She remained that way, on her hands and knees, for a few seconds, madly gulping in the cold air. Another crash of thunder boomed overhead, and the girl gave another, softer cry of surprise. Seriously injured by his most recent attack, her senses had gone into overdrive. The darkness seemed to suffocate her as she tried desperately to recover. She knew that she had to get up; the longer she remained on the ground, the better chance Zelrius had of striking her again. There on the ground, she was an easy, unmoving target. The level thirty three Blood Buccaneer would easily be able to land a hit on a sitting duck.

 

With a grunt of exertion, the heavily armored Lessa climbed to her feet. Chest rose and fell unsteadily beneath her breastplate, but she would not back down. Not now. She had committed herself to this battle, and if Zelrius was willing to play to the death, she needed to be willing to do the same.

 

Her pink blade sliced through the darkness. The attack was aimed where she believed Zelrius stood, and much to her surprise and delight, she made contact. At the same time, another wave of heat rolled over her, causing her to emit a panicked gasp. She stumbled backward, doing her best to stay on her feet. Whatever he had done to her was still zapping her health, but at least she had finally fought back.

 

{[6509] Battle: 7 + 2 (acc from gauntlets) - 3 (Zel's evasion) = 6. Hit. Lessa deals 7 damage - base, +1 athletics, +2 Hell Rose, +3 two-handed skill.}

 

Zelrius 72/79

 

Lessa 25/44

[Zelrius 0]

Zelrius felt her blade. And at that moment his anger was gone. Only sorrow and regret. He pulled out his blade and this time only pointed it at her, Much like he did when she first walked into the cave. Just then a flash of lighting lighting up the inside of the cave for a second, His face creased with lines of sadness. Then darkness again. Zelrius was no longer the Blood Buccaneer at that moment, No he was Zelrius, The boy from Colorado, The one who loved Video games with a passion and was more then happy to spend large amounts of saved money on them. Zelrius simply lowered his sword, and stated "This isn't me. In anyother game, I would kill those lower then me without problem, Only because it meant making my character stronger. But, We are not characters anymore. We are people, and I hadn't realized it until now. Lessa, I am sorry. I do not know what else to say. I am sorry. I am sorry."

 

(Of Course battle doesn't end until you agree, So you're free to attack)

[Lessa 1]

His words struck her with the force of his sword, and she emitted a small puff of air. What he told her left her conflicted, and even the ever-trusting Lessa found that her hold on her sword did not loosen. His confession could have easily been some twisted prank, meant to persuade her to let down her guard. She certainly would not put it past the high-level player killer, who had drawn his sword on her without rhyme or reason. In fact, the more that the player in pink reflected on the matter, the angrier she became. Zelrius had lowered his vibrant sword, but Hell Rose still glowed madly against the darkness of the cave.

 

A tense silence hung between the pair; he had said his piece, and she had nothing to offer him in return. There was a very real likelihood of this all being one big trap, and though his words were sincere, she could not bring herself to trust him. She had been too trusting for too long, and the blonde refused to go on making the same mistakes. The last time had hurt her too badly.

 

Finally, she put voice to her thoughts. "Prove it," she replied sternly. "Unequip your sword." Then, as an afterthought, "and don't you dare go for that potion." Though her body shook, her voice was strong, and her words were forceful. If he wanted her trust, he would have to earn it. He had already betrayed her once.