[SP-F3] Elven Interactions

[Reusririasuir 0]

It's so peaceful here. Standing out on this dirt road, seeing the occasional horse-pulled cart go by, I can't help but feel relaxed. Walking, eyes cast on the area ahead, Reus could see Delilah Village slowly looming larger and larger. Well...larger and larger wasn't exactly the right set of words, as no part of Delilah was 'large'. It may be the 'largest' settlement on Floor Three, but it was far from being of an intimidating size. In fact, Delilah looked reminiscent of a country village. The homes and buildings were all given a fair distance from one another, and simple flower arrangements dotted the window-sills.

 

Reus continued walking towards the village, aware that his stomach was starting to make some prrretty loud noises. Oh man, I'm so hungry! I thought that breakfast was going to hold me over longer then this. Of course, Reus had also thought he wasn't going to have spent as much time getting through the second floor dungeon as he had. It was supposedly 'cleared' but that didn't stop all the encounters. He wasn't set too far off schedule, but the dungeon had slowed him down more then he would have liked.

 

Still, any frustration he had was lifted as Reus walked along the dirt, country road while gazing out at the fields of dandelions. I remember a walk just like this. My old friend used to live out in the country, and when we were younger, we'd go walking along the dirt road to go too...go too...

 

Reus couldn't remember. In fact, he was remembering less and less of his previous life. Living in the here and now did that to a person. Reu decided he just wouldn't worry about it, and instead would worry about finding a place to eat some lunch. Let's see what kind of food this village has!

[Reusririasuir 0]

Reus sat at a table with a plate of what looked suspiciously like chicken-fried steak with steaming hot asparagus. Certainly a classic, southern meal he remembered from back home very clearly. When he had been looking over the menu he had to do a double-take because he couldn't believe that he had really seen it. Placing his order, Reu again drifted off to thoughts of growing up back home. And yet, having it here in front of him, Reus found he could not enjoy his meal.

 

It was the ears. The ears on the waitress who brought him his lunch. They were...elven. Reus hated Elves. He felt they were an over-used cliche, an easy cop-out for when game designers wanted something players 'would like'. "Oooooh, let's make them elves! Players always love elves!", is exactly how he imagined the game designers' conversations going. It felt so cheap as a mechanic, but really...it just felt SO overplayed.

 

Reu sighed and tried to put it out of his mind. Someone had made the decision to put them on this floor. He may not like it, but he'd live with it. Especially since this was the first floor he had seen a real country meal. Somethings just are, and somethings you just let be.

[Reusririasuir 0]

Reus had left the village and headed out into the fields. He had just gotten to floor three and wanted to explore a bit, and he also had an itch to find something to kill. He knew the forest nearby would have some enemies, but he also knew about the darkness penalty, information gleaned from the Players Guide, and so he thought it best he didn't go off in that direction quite yet.

 

Mentally, he made a note that he really needed to hurry and pick-up the Night Vision skill. The problem is right now he also wanted to focus on some of his other skills, like search & detect & combat healing, or actually start giving himself ranks in the One Handed Long-Sword skill. Frustrated at how difficult this game felt at times, Reus decided he would look into whether he wanted to up his versatility or his damage output once he got back into town. Sometimes, he wondered if he shouldn't just play a tank and join a guild. Take blows, give blows...it all seemed much easier then trying to play solo.

 

At the same time, Reus wasn't looking for 'easy', nor was he looking to be involved in all the guild politics that would inevitably come up. At the moment he just wanted to become strong as a solo adventurer. He liked knowing that when he finished his build, he would be just as comfortable digging up treasure from the depths of the dungeons, as he would be standing on the front-line in a boss fight. Reu knew their was no 'perfect build', but if all went according to plan, he would end up with a build he would be very, very happy with.

[Reusririasuir 0]

After walking a fair bit, Reus finally saw what he was wanting. There, amid the flowers stood an enemy combatant. His info scan read 'Elven Swordsmen'. Smiling, Reus readied his own blade. Pointing his own blade at the enemy, Reus readied himself and waited as the enemy elf drew his weapon, and did the same.

 

Reu and the Elven Swordsmen charged towards each other. Reus felt the dandelions brushing against his leg, he felt the cool breeze on his skin, felt his blade's grip in his hand, and he felt himself lower-down at the knees, avoiding the quick horizontal attack by the curved-sword wielding Swordsmen. Swinging his own blade around from the right in a similar horizontal attack, he was surprised when the Elf reacted with a quickness and actually ducked under the counter attack. They had both dodged in an extremely similar manner, Reu smirked and thought to himself, this is getting interesting.

 

ID 12138 BD 3 MD 6 - 2 evasion = 4

 

Reu HP 15 / 15

Elven Swordsmen HP 9 / 9

[Reusririasuir 0]

Reu decided that with an opponent this quick, that he would need to try something...unconventional. This time he moved in on the elvish monster and just before getting into sword-range, did a full front-flip leading into a heavy strike downwards. Luckily, the elven warrior again attacked with a horizontal slash, if it had been vertical Reu would have been split open wide, but in this case, Reu jumped the entire attack, and felt his own steel deliver into the opponent. He smiled as he saw blood squirt from the wound. Suddenly before taking a step back, the elf swung his sword up, Reu raised his own. The elf hadn't attacked again necessarily, simply locked blades so Reu wouldn't be able to back up and create distance. This fight had moved into close-quarters.

 

 

ID 12139 BD 8 MD 1

 

Reu HP 15 / 15

Elven Swordsmen HP 7 / 9 (-2)

[Reusririasuir 0]

Their blades entwined, each pushing with an equal amount of force into each other, Reu began stepping and rotating left. The Elf did the same. Neither swordsmen was going to give an inch it seemed. Smart too, because here an inch is all one would need. Suddenly Reu had an idea. He quickly gave the elf the inch he was looking for, and as the Elf attacked with the predictable attack of a small forward thrust, Reu simply leaned farther right and let the blade whizz inches from his head. It was close, but it wasn't close enough. With his opponent having taken the bait, Reu launched a small forward thrust of his own, only because the Elf had commited to its attack on Reu, it wasn't able to dodge in the same manner Reu had. Reu's blade struck the Elf's face, true to its' target.

 

ID 12140 BD 6, MD 6 - 2 evasion = 4

 

Reu HP 15 / 15

Elven Swordsmen HP 5 / 9 (-2)

[Reusririasuir 0]

Enraged, the elven warrior launched into a frenzied attack against Reu, not allowing Reu any opportunity to counter-attack. The elven warrior pressed forward, and pressed forward more still. He was determined to find a way around Reu's blocking. Left slash, Left-Vertical slash, left-rising slash, as Reu blocked each attack in kind, the elf simply continued to press . Finally, after several moments of blazingly fast strikes, the elf managed to find an attack through the defensive sword techniques of Reu. The attack was driven by anger, and pain, and an intent to harm Reu; which it did. Reu was not prepared for the jolt of pain from the blow. He had been so focused on just trying to survive the onslaught, that when the attack finally got through, it caught him completely unprepared and did major damage.

 

ID 12141 BD 2 MD 10

 

Reu HP 11 / 15 (-4)

Elven Swordsmen HP 5 / 9 (-2)

[Reusririasuir 0]

Left utterly reeling from the attack, Reu was still unprepared when the elf's next frenzied assault came. Quickly the elf advanced through the dandelions, while Reu backed up much slower then the elf was advancing. Reu was attempting to control the battle-space by refusing to give ground however, the elf was also doing his best to impose his will. Once again, during the frenzied attack Reu did his best to block each attack, but was unable to find a counter-attack opportunity; and once again, with enough attacks, the elf found his way through Reu's blocking skills and ripped his sword into him.

 

Darn him, his attack pattern with that curved sword is just so unlike anything else I've dealt with at this range. He doesn't thrust, he doesn't make slashes the same way I do, his attacks are much quicker and his body movements prior to his attack are much smaller. I'll figure this out. I just need to keep defending until I find my attack opportunity, or until I create one.

 

ID 12142 BD 5 MD 10

 

Reu HP 7 / 15 (-4)

Elven Swordsmen HP 5 / 9 

[Reusririasuir 0]

Again, Reu found himself fighting off a series of intensive attacks from the swordsmen. The problem wasn't that Reu couldn't see his attack, it was that this warrior didn't want to allow him to attack. Backpedaling remained his best option. He slowly moved his left foot back, and then moved his right. One foot at a time. Once again, the elven warrior slipped a blow around Reu's attempt to block. Reu could see his opponent smile with malice as he ripped his blade into Reu. Reu attempted a feeble counter-attack but was unsuccessful.

 

ID 12143 BD 4 CD 10 MD 10

 

Reu HP 4 / 15 (-4 + 1 Battle Healing)

Elven Swordsmen HP 5 / 9 

[Reusririasuir 0]

Reu glanced up at his health bar...less than 1/3 left, this is getting ugly. I need to do something, NOW. Reu immediately stepped back, ducked under the incoming strike, and then turned his blade on his opponent. He delivered a three-strike combo to the enemy swordsmen, and watched his blade as the elf quickly blocked the first two blows, but failed to stop the third. The blade ripped into the warrior, and cut him deeply. Reu heard cries of unintelligible sing-song elvish errupt from his opponent. Reu didn't waste any time, he immediately began his next attack...

 

ID 12144 BD 7 MD 6 - 2 evasion = 4

 

Reu HP 4 / 15 

Elven Swordsmen HP 3 / 9 (-2)

[Reusririasuir 0]

The elf, for all his injuries, still didn't back down, and charged, meeting Reu half-way. It was here that the two exchanged another frenzied attack directed at each other. Up slash, vertical cutting slash, diagonal block...the two were matched and of equal skill, neither managed to strike their opponent in their respective assaults. All around them was silence, it seemed the only sound was of their clanging blades in the open field.

 

ID 12145 BD 2 MD 1

 

Reu HP 4 / 15 

Elven Swordsmen HP 3 / 9

[Reusririasuir 0]

Standing toe-to-toe and blade-to-blade the two warriors looked each other in the eyes. The elf stared into Reu's determined soul, while Reu stared into the mechanically empty eyes of an NPC. What's the matter! Can't Figure Me Out!! Instead of circling, this time Reus stepped back, and performed another front-flip attack. It was an insane idea, trying it this close to his opponent and with his health as low as it is, but Reu always liked a little bit of crazy when he was on the cusp of death. His front-flip slash attack again found its' marked, but the elf had also been able to land a blow in retaliation. Reu stepped back, letting his battle healing do its' work, while he again looked for another opportunity to attack his opponent and end this fight.

 

ID 12146 BD 8 CD 10 MD 8

 

Reu HP 3 / 15 (-2 + 1 battle healing) 

Elven Swordsmen HP 1 / 9 (-2)

[Reusririasuir 0]

Glancing at his HP once more, Reu noted that he was within one critical hit of death. He toyed with the idea of using his health potion, but decided to trust his gut that he wouldn't need it. Reu stepped in, swinging his sword down he could hear it scratch the ground, finally raising the blade up into a vertical slash, he ripped his opponent across the face, and watched the Elven Swordsmens HP drop to zero.

 

Reu took a look around as he slowly caught his breath from that furious battle. Blood covered daffodils, he quietly lamented to himself. He moved to the elven warrior's fallen body hoping to find some col, but unfortunately only found one material, Elven Ears. ...What the heck am I supposed to do with THESE?! *sigh* I'm sure someone will buy them from me.

 

ID 12147 BD 9 LD 8 MD 3

Reu HP 3 / 15 

Elven Swordsmen HP 0 / 9 (-3)

 

1 Material Gained, Elven Ears.

[Reusririasuir 0]

Reu pulled up his map, trying to decide what he should do next. He hadn't planned on taking so much damage in that sword-fight, but that elf was extremely strong. Looking over the map, he decided the best course of action would be to return to Delilah Village. It wasn't exactly going to be easy going back, but in his current condition it would be easier then trying to go anywhere else. Reu put away his sword, and took one more look around at the meadow.

 

A short distance away, the daffodils suddenly moved. Glancing up at his HP, Reu activated his search and detection skill and took a closer look at the movement. Exhaling a deep sigh and walking towards the area where the daffodils were moving, Reu looked more closely at what he just found. Laying in the daffodils, peering up at him, was a young Elven girl.

 

Wanting to keep the girl calm, Reu showed his empty palms and said in a soothing voice, "Easy now, I'm not going to hurt you. Why don't you tell me what you're doing way out here?". At the same time, he looked out over the field searching for any more enemies, but at the moment, the field didn't appear to contain anything except flowers.

 

 

ID 12148 LD 13

 

Reu HP 4 / 15 (+1 Out of Combat Healing)

[Reusririasuir 0]

The small elven girl looked up with large, slanted eyes. They had a dirty yellow color, and a depth to them that was remarkable. Speaking slowly and in a sing-song voice, she told Reu how she had been kidnapped from "a nearby camp, just inside The Forest of Wavering Mist". She continued on, with a tale highlighting a savage war between two elven clans and how she had been kidnapped, and taken prison by this warrior elf from the enemy clan. He was in the process of taking her back to her village, when Reu had so valiantly intervened. She discussed how she was eternally grateful for being set free from his clutches, and now would make her way back to her village.

 

"I know it will be a perilous trip, but I will be brave and make the journey home. Thank you so much for your help kind swordsman."

 

Reu sighed. He couldn't just let this little elven girl try and make it home on her own; the fields were dangerous enough, more so if their were other enemy elven warriors running around. He had always been a big softie inside. Alright then, he decided. Let's get her home.

 

"Listen...elf...the journey is dangerous, I will see you home safely. Their are monsters in these fields and once in the Forests of Wavering Mists, things can be exceptionally deadly. *sigh* So, if I'm taking you all the way home, what should I call you?"

 

"Oh thank you! You may call me Mirluka!"

 

--Suddenly an accept quest prompt appeared. An Escort Type quest, labeled simply as 'Escort Mirluka Home'. Reu was surprised, he had extended his invitation simply out of kindness, he hadn't been expecting this npc elf to be a quest-giver. He accepted the quest and then pulled up the map. A new location had been marked, The Elven Village Oaxaca. Setting his course, he was fairly certain he knew the way. He had been to the Forest of Wavering Mist before, to help some friends navigate a labyrinth and defeat a Minotaur. Readying himself, Reu double-checked his gear and was now ready to go.

 

"Swordsman! Please allow me to heal you. I have a small healing poultice which will heal your wounds fully."

 

"Mirluka, please, thank you. And call me Reu." Reu was grateful for the health boost, he had been messed up pretty bad by that swordsmen, and this would give him more breathing room. "Ok Mirluka, let's set off. I'm fairly familiar with the area so we should be able to find our way without too much trouble, I hope."

 

"Ok, thank you swordsman!"

 

Reu sighed, "Reu.", he corrected her. With that, the two set-off, moving across the field of daffodils.

 

Reu 15 / 15 HP (Mirluka Healing)

[Reusririasuir 0]

They two continued traveling, coming upon a small stone foot-bridge across a stream. The water on the fourth floor was a crystal blue, see-through straight to the bottom. Reu looked at the water, and at the fish swimming underneath the surface. Taking a look out over the field, doing a search, it seemed they were alone for now. Knowing that it was going to be a long trek, and that it was almost noon, Reu decided to halt the two of them at the stream. He was going to fill up on water, and do a bit of fishing, seeing if he couldn't wrangle some lunch for the two of them. He was still a novice fisherman, but this stream was one of the easier ones in Aincrad and it held a nice variety of fish, and so he was excited to see what he could snag.

 

Walking up to the edge of the bridge, Reu took a seat. He didn't have any of his fishing gear with him, all of which was back at his fishing stand, but he felt confident he would do alright here. He brought Mirluka next to him and went through the motions of showing her how to bait and tackle a fishing lure; it was nice having someone to show, even if that someone was just an NPC. Finally, after the bait was ready, Reu reached out and cast his line out with a quick *ziiiinccht*.

[Reusririasuir 0]

ID 14423 LD 11 + 1 Search = 12

1 EXP Gained

1 Mat Lost.

 

His first attempt at catching a fish lead to only a small, rotting, dead fish. Deciding it wasn't safe for consumption, Reu threw it back so it would decompose naturally in the stream, and return to nature. No point in getting either of them sick after-all. Eventually the fish would return to the soil, and overtime, that would help strengthen the ecosystem of the stream, and keep things balanced. It was very important that as a fisherman, he didn't disturb the balance of the ecosystem by taking too much. This was a populated stream however, and he felt he could fish he a few times without much worry.

 

Reu stayed calm, he knew that this was part of fishing. Trial and Error, sometimes you had the wrong lure, the wrong bait, sometimes it was the wrong time of day...and so he cast his line out again, and this time when he felt something at the end of his line, he reeled it in...

 

ID 14426 LD 12 + 1 Search = 13

1 EXP Gained

1 Mat Lost.

 

Disappointed, he only found another dead, rotting fish. Looking closely, he was actually pretty certain this was THE SAME dead, rotting fish from before, but either way; he returned it to the stream. Determined, he cast his line one final time, thankful that he brought fishing bait with him...

 

ID 14427 LD 20 CD 6 MD 5

2 EXP Gained

1 Mat Lost.

 

Reu couldn't believe what he just hauled in. It must have been what was killing the fish in the stream. At the end of his line was a Monster Fish. SUDDENLY THE MONSTER FISH BROKE FREE AND ATTACKED REU! 

 

Reu quickly pushed Mirluka behind him and drew out his sword. The Monster Fish in front of him was huge, and was walking on four legs, like some sort of crazed lung-fish. Reu drew out his sword and got ready to move into combat, this was more then he had bargained for, but it was certainly going to be fun. As long as he didn't end up...fish-food. Oh gawd, Reu thought, the puns. The beautiful, beautiful, fish puns.

[Reusririasuir 0]

Reu was ready for the beast. And it was a beast, it was easily the size of a small car. Not quite smart-car small, but more four-door SUV small. Either way, Reu prepped for the monster's first strike, and he also planned his counter-strike. Again, glancing behind him to make sure Mirluka had found proper cover, he was relieved to see she had found a nice outcropping of rocks to hide behind. Atleast the NPC's in this game aren't dumb; they know how to find cover and get out of the way, and that's a relief. Reu turned his attention back to the Monster Fish in front of him, it wasn't just large, it was also shiny. It's scales were oscillating between silver to hues of pinks and purples, Reu couldn't tell if it was just doing that, or if the oscillation was an effect caused by the sunlight. Either way, it was very beautiful to behold. But...I'm going to kill you.

 

As the fish charged and delivered a very swift attack, Reu brought his sword around, blocking the attack, and attempted to counter-attack which the monster fish then blocked as-well. A very even first exchange, Reu thought to himself, as he stepped back and got ready for round two.

 

Monster Fish : ID 14430 MD 5

Reu : ID 14431 BD 5

 

 

Monster Fish (Good Quality) : 10 / 10 HP

Reu : 15 / 15 HP

Mirluka (non-combat) : 12 / 12 HP

[Reusririasuir 0]

Reu decided that this time, he would attack first. After the fish blocked his return strike from the last round, Reu immediately went into another strike, this time sundering his blade deep into the monster fish. He heard the beast make a strange garbled sound, almost like it's cry was being lost in the above-water air, as if it was having trouble vocalizing the sounds of pain it wanted to emit. Reeling from the attack, the Monster Fish attempted to use it's tail in a spinning tail swipe attack, but Reu easily saw it coming and jumped above the tail, avoiding it completely.

 

Reu : ID 14433 BD 10

Monster Fish : 14434 MD 2

 

Monster Fish : 6 / 10 HP (-4) (1 + 1 weapon + 2 critical = 4)

Reu : 15 / 15 HP

Mirluka : 12 / 12 HP

[Reusririasuir 0]

The Monster Fish, stomped around and attempted to take a large bite out of Reu's side, luckily, Reu was able to get back just in time, as he watched the Monster Fish get a mouthful of air, dirt, and rocks. Attempting to swing his sword at the beast, the fish simply deftly evaded his attack, it was surprisingly mobile for being such a large creature.

 

As he missed, he glanced over his shoulder, glad to see Mirluka was safe and sound. He was doing his best to keep the battle away from her, but he didn't want to get too far away, in-case she needed his help for some reason. So far so good though. Keeping an eye on NPC's is always such a pain in the rear-end. Reu turned his attention back to the fight, ready to strike out at the Monster Fish again.

 

Monster Fish : ID 14435 MD 5

Reu : ID 14436 BD 4

 

Monster Fish : 6 / 10 HP

Reu : 15 / 15 HP

Mirluka : 12 / 12 HP