[SP-F2] God Save the Queen <<Long Live the Queen>>

[Ashrah 0]

The information broker stood with a skeptical look as Arc swayed restlessly from side to side, considering something. "The kid said his friend got attacked by this Field Boss while they were farming bees," Arc pondered aloud, "and they want for someone to kill it and collect the Stinger it drops so that they can show it to their guild as proof they killed it."

"Sounds like a dumb idea," the other man intoned flatly. "It's a boss level enemy, and you're a fairly low level. Maybe you should get some help for this one."

"Low level," Arc laughed. "I guess. But I can handle a bee on my own," he shot back with a sneer. "Or do you think I can't?"

"Hah!" the broker let out a loud guffaw at Arc's question, then eased into a hapless shrug. "Not my business to tell you what I can't do," he told Arc, "my business is telling you what you need to know. Fortunately for you, everyone knows about this boss. Nothing worth paying for."

"At least I don't have to go without dinner tonight," Arc jested mirthlessly. "You're such a good Samaritan."

"Can it, wise ass."

Arc smirked. "Alright," he said quietly as he turned from the dealer and headed toward the edge of town.

"Right," he reminded himself, "I have those potions Mari gave me..."

[Ashrah 0]

Outside Urbus, the plain seemed to stretch forever. The buzzing of occasional, hidden mobs in the grass warned Arc to stay careful. He slid the bastard sword from his back and steadied himself, vigilance evident in his mannerisms.

"He said the boss usually spawned after killing a few bees, not too far from the city," Arc muttered to himself, "maybe I should start killing and see what pops up for me."

The mobs were never far from him. Each step warned him that he grew closer to aggro radius with fervent buzzing, and he did his level best not to jump when one popped out of the underbrush.

"Ack!" he cried out when the insect stabbed at his arm with it's stinger. The red dot it left on his shoulder reminded Arc that he needed to be more careful, even as he slashed out at the bee. It stuttered in flight as Levantine tore a gash open across its abdomen.

"Heh... got you."

[iD: 22698, BD: 7, Mob: 8]

[Arc: 16/17]

[Wasp:6/10]

[Ashrah 0]

Arc turned quickly on his heel and deflected another would-be blow from the threatening stinger. He smiled at how easily it happened, how skillful his defense was getting. Time he spent with his blade and points placed toward mastery made him more agile with the heavy weapon and lessened some of the limitations that came with it.

Levantine took full advantage of its awkward size. Easy enough to hold woth a single hand but too heavy to effectively swing, the blade made the player attempting to use it work extra hard to tame its wild nature.

The dark blade glowed with radiance as he followed through his defensive motion with a brutal downward slice. The bee fell gracelessly to the dirt under the weight of his attack, and Arc released a primal roar of satisfaction.

He was becoming stronger.

[iD:23202, BD: 9, Mob: 2] (critical)

[Arc: 16/17]

[Wasp: 1/10]

[Ashrah 0]

They stared each other down over the length of his blade. Its reflective eyes seemed to regard him with frigid disinterest despite the hatred it had built toward him. With a stinger intended for his chest, the insect rattled a battlecry that shook Arc's spine.

He raced back toward his foe with Levantine evenly raised. The blade lodged in the bee's abdomen and the stinger in turn impaled Arc's chest. He stared down at the wound with wide eyes, his left eye twitching.

In the future, he would need to be more careful.

Arc let out a huff and the red marks on his body glowed with harsh light. He slung the bastard sword across his waist and surveyed the fields once more as the sun crawled across the afternoon sky. "I wonder," he muttered. "Was one enough?"

The large bee that appeared halfway across the field caught his eye. "Looks like it was enough," he said with a smirk. "Maybe there's more people out here killing today than just me."

Arc began the trek toward his quarry.

"Ah well, lucky break."

[iD: 23250, BD: 9, Mob: 9]

[Arc: 14/17]

[Wasp: Dead]

[Ashrah 0]

With a soft sigh, Arc picked himself up and slid his blade back into its sheath. "Whew," he said, wiping the digital sweat from his brow. "Alright. Now..." His stride felt slow and purposeful as he stalked forward. "Here I come."

The larger wasp flitted over the plains at the edge of the woodlands. Urbus stood almost a mile away, far enough that running would be possible, but dangerous. And there was no telling whether or not other mobs might pop up, which made that a dangerous option.

Tobias was undaunted. "Let's get this over with, he muttered as each step made him feel his lungs. Each movement rattled his body, and he tasted anticipation on his tongue. His fingers moved over the hilt of his weapon, just outside of the aggro radius.

Soon, he told himself, it would begin.