|Feb. 4th, 09:48|
|Sword Art Online, Floor 16, Wolfsbane Thicket|
Given the unnatural daylight cycle of floor sixteen, rather, the lack thereof, as the whole world was bathed in constant nightfall. Stars and a large crescent moon were all the sky offered in terms of light, alongside a purplish-blue haze that stained the clouds, giving the whole floor an ethereal ambiance.
One of the floor's closest forests to the main town around the east was Wolfsbane Thicket. The trees were a light shade of slate grey, the leaves a dark blue pigment while most of the grass was a darker tint too. The most distinct feature, much like the name, were the bundles of vibrant violet flowers blooming from in and around the roots of trees, Wolfsbane.
The gentle ambiance of this slumbering world was rudely intruded upon as two leather boots struck the ground running. A player in a light blue hood with a silvery-white embroilment around the hem continued to pace themselves, mindful of how long the Sprint skill would allow them to maintain a top speed before gradually returning to an average pace.
They used the trees to throw off whoever was chasing them, their heavy pants growing louder as they leapt over a fallen tree and onto an old dirt road belonging to a forest village. It was barren and in ruins, some of the houses lopsided with decay; stands and wagons crumbling at the sides as they took a hesitant look over their shoulder to ensure their distance was good.
Stumbling out from an alleyway, a person in a water-themed haori shook their head clear of cobwebs and dust, sharply turning to the approaching footsteps. Nagi blinked, unable to get a word in as the other player snapped their head forward, gasping as their foot caught on a piece of wood, colliding with Nagi as both recoiled.
He stumbled backward, rolling once in a daze as the person rolled, gripping the ground to launch themselves into a desperate attack, their hood down to reveal their dandelion locks and beautiful blue eyes lost in a panic. Philia drew her trusty Swordbeaker, lunging at Nagi without a single ounce of consideration.
He yelped in fright, drawing Nevermore immediately to deflect her slant, she flicked it upright in her hand, slashing in a criss-cross against his katana angrily. If she landed a single blow, her cursor would turn orange, and what's worse, he had no idea why she was like this, if he had to hazard a guess, she was running on fear and adrenaline and his appearance hadn't registered in her eyes yet.
"Philia!" He yelled, drawing his blade forward to lock between the teeth of her dagger, only then did her eyes come back into focus, and that feral expression dissolved into aghast. "Calm down, it's me!"
"...Na...gi?" Slowly, the gears turned in her head, and her sturdy resistance fell as she stumbled back. "Oh God - I'm so sorry, I-"
"It's okay, I'm just glad your cursor hasn't changed," He sighed with relief, lowering his sword before a frown fixed itself to his lips. "Philia, you-" His throat clamped shut, and his hand reached out to yank her shoulder, drawing her against his body as he swayed, slashing the air behind her.
*Ting-Ting!*
Two silver curved hexagonal picks with a thin blade, a deadly weapon from the Fallen Elves, used solely by the PKers lurking in Aincrad, a Spine of Shmargor. The level two paralysis was deadly for most players who had no antidotes that could cure level two, the items of which were still very rare.
"I-It's him...!" Philia's dry voice trembled as Nagi placed himself in front of her. Her level was still six below his own, she was a treasure hunter after all.
"You deflected them in this lighting? You must be a Frontrunner, am I wrong?" The somewhat charismatic drawl emerged from the thicket, stepping out into the moonlight for all to see. His right hand clasping three more picks between his fingers idly.
His cursor was a deep orange. Wearing a black tricorn, a gray duster coat, a pair of brown leather boots, a pair of black gauntlets with golden ornaments, and a reddish bandana covering his face. In his left hand was a peculiar weapon, a long handle the length of his forearm, and folded against it was a straight blade of equal size, serrated teeth lined the edges with a clean point roughly three inches long.
"Come on now, let's have a wee chat, eh?" He cocked his head with a shrug as Nagi held Nevermore parallel to his right temple, blade-tip forward.
The door to a bland stone brick building swung wide as Nagi stepped forward with another yawn, despite SAO not draining stamina, leaving you sore in the morning, mental fatigue ate away at the body that way. Sword skills require concentration, your mind running constantly in battle, and performing everyday tasks, it can be exhausting.
Floor Fifteen was cleared in the early hour of 1AM on February 4th, as such, it left much of the Frontrunners to call it a night before tackling the new floor from the eastern starting town of Hollowsprings. With an eternal night basking over the floor, the town reflected that.
Stone brick housing with many buildings structured to be tall with narrow, triangular roofs with dark blue tiles. Various towers jutted up around the border of the town's wall, overlooking a large lake in the shape of a crescent, to the northeast of the town was the nearest forest, a large grove of dark trees.
A black iron lamppost with an oil lantern fixed to the top constantly illuminated the roads, a few players were mingled with NPCs, starting the day dark and early. However, while inspecting his equipment, and applying his haori and katana again, Nagi noticed a message had appeared no more than five minutes ago.
|SOS Message|
|NE. Wolf Forest. Orange|
|~Philia|
It was an unexpected message from the joyful treasure hunter of Floor Five, Philia didn't come near the newest floors due to her level gap, if she was up here it meant she had a Hiding Skill that could warrant the risk. The real question was why she sent an SOS. And with vague instructions too.
There wasn't much to go on, but Nagi's morning drowsiness had all but vanished, his feet stomping down the roads of town at a breakneck speed. His fingers moved fast across his messages, he didn't pay much attention as he zipped by players, NPC, and hopped onto the rooftops to cut back on time.
In the end, Nagi had stumbled upon a derelict village, from there, it was by chance he crashed into Philia, nearly had her slit his throat, and avoided being paralyzed. His edge didn't move, aimed to immobilize the orange player pursuing Philia. "Who are you?"
"Hm?" He leaned forward, pale green eyes widening with a shocked laugh. "Is... is that really the Shinobi of the frontlines? Ohohoho, if I knew I'd have your audience, I'd have chosen a much better stage for us," He placed a hand on his chest in mock embarrassment. "Alas, this is how we meet, though the setting does seem fitting, no?"
He cleared his throat, putting his picks away to tip his hat at Nagi. "My dear friend, you may refer to me as Arawn, the Hunter, the prowler," He then pointed at Nagi still glaring at him. "You gotta love the titles people give you. 'Water Shinobi', 'Katana Master', heh, The Lap Dog of a Rat."
Nagi's grip tightened. But Arawn placed a hand on his hip, weapon hung limply between his fingers. "So then, how many of your party are in town? All four? Perhaps the Beater?"
"I'm not telling you!" Nagi barked.
"Hey, if you're willing to cough up the answer, I'll consider letting you go, oh..." He raised a finger. "But the girl stays, I... really can't let her live, not that she's seen anything she shouldn't have, rather... it bothers me when my prey slips away," He narrowed his eyes. "You understand, don't you? Your run-in with that other katana user on Floor Five, yeah?"
That caused Nagi's eyes to lose focus, lowering his guard slightly. How did this guy who about that incident? Only Nagi himself, Argo, and Artorias knew of it. Unless this guy was that accomplice? But from how that man spoke that day, he didn't seem overly keen on the PKers either. Then how?
Arawn scratched his neck, a bemused stare was sent their way. "Well, if you're not going to cough up anything but that stupid look on your face, nor give up the girl..." He flicked his weapon into his right hand, the moonlight catching its rugged texture. "...guess I'll kill ya both."
The wind blew past Arawn, his weapon struck down across Nagi's guarding posture, he doubled back, sparks flying as he spun around, slamming the strange weapon down on Nagi's sword. The teeth caught against the katana, making no effort to budge as Philia removed herself from the battlefield.
Arawn was thrown back by a fountain of water, Waterfall breaking the hold as Arawn lunged through, his arm craned back as a dull throb erupted across Nagi's stomach. Arawn thrust his arm forward, and to Nagi's shocked state, he found the blade of the odd weapon had extended outward, closing the gap as a crooked spearhead.
"A trick weapon!?" He knew Daora had one, but they were a very niche weapon subcategory, that folded state couldn't perform sword skills so the use of an off-hand weapon was optional, but as a spear - A green pigment overtook the spear's blade.
The edge of the spear plunged further against Nagi's stomach, stabbing a second time with a burst of emerald light as his toes dragged across the dirt. His health fell slightly but not into the yellow, the damage of the attack must've been reduced since it had already punctured his body. Arawn charged again, slowly, another emerald skill manifested, this time, Nagi dove into the charge, blade drawn to his hip.
"Iai!" A wave of seawater carved the air, missing Arawn as his skill forced him to leap into the motion, plunging the spear down with a brilliant glow at the tip of the spear. It was a one-hit skill, Sonic Charge. The spear struck against Nagi's right shoulder as his own post motion faded away in time to slash at Arawn's forearm, the orange player retreating as three picks left his coat.
Deflecting them in his pursuit, Nagi parried an oncoming slash, followed by a thrust that he bent his blade to guard his left side, the hunter skating past before twirling inhumanly quick to stab at Nagi's back, or it would've, had the raven-brunette not expected as much and used Crescent Moon to throw himself into a large backflip, kicking the back of Arawn's shoulders as his balance tumbled.
With Ichimonji, metal rang as the folded spear blocked the full strength of the attack, but Nagi wasn't done yet, his proficiency with the one-hit vertical slam had increased since floor thirteen. Battling monsters with thick armor meant he needed a skill with considerable strength when his allies weren't able to. With that, Ichimonji erupted in an arc of deep blue water.
Arawn's eyes widened, thrown across the ruined village by a secondary slam, leaving a deep gash through the ground, and a small cut between his shoulder and neck. Shaking himself from his post-motion, Nagi readied his blade, both his and Arawn's health were nearing the yellow by now.
Philia was still standing behind him, if not for her level, the two of them could take the orange player, but Nagi wouldn't risk her life for an advantage. "I can do it, I can fight an orange player," Before, he merely got lucky, the mystery man of floor five had a partner, and judging by Philia's reaction, as well as Arawn's personality, the orange player had no back-up. "I can do this until I find a way to detain him."
"Hahaha, such desperation, all with that stupid look!" Arawn taunted, even as the visage of a water dragon enclosed Nagi's blade and body. "What? Think you're this girl's hero? Come on then, I'll show you how outclassed you are, brat." His eyes took on a scarlet glint.
"Hyrrraaah!" Letting out a roar of defiance, Nagi swept his whole body into a spin, slashing down on the trick spear. The teeth of the weathered weapon were dripping with a red vapor. As the first stroke passed, Nagi spun on the ball of his heel, sweeping from below with a streak of water.
*Crrrck!*
A stinging sensation split down Nagi's right thigh, cutting off the Dance of the Water Dragon as a minor stun effect of the skill, and the pulsing feeling in his leg threw him through a nearby building's hollow wall. Planks and plaster showered his body, and a new icon appeared under his health, a red border flashing against his declining health. The image of three blood droplets appeared.
"Bleed!?" The ominous spear prodded through the hole, slashing at Nagi's cheek as his sword held back the worst of the lunge, then came another, then another straight after. "His speed and reaction time's increased, what's going on!?"
"Hehehahaha!" Arawn dove around Nagi's Ripple Thrust, bringing an emerald foot against the shinobi's lower back, tossing him out the doorway and onto the streets where Philia stared on in shock, her hand trembling against her dagger. She wanted to help but paused as Nagi shot his hand out to stop her, spinning around onto one knee, blade risen.
"Like that, Hero? Sorry, sorry, I really shouldn't blame ya for not knowin'," Arawn mused, stepping out into the moonlight, his eyes glowing red like the trick weapon that he ran his fingertips down its face. "Sword Eater has a lovely little trait, once I do enough damage, my next attack can inflict Bleed Level Two, pretty neat, right?" Nagi's eyes widened momentarily. Watching the orange player's eyes widen in delight. "As for my stat increase? Well, that's a secret."
During his monologue, Nagi's health was nearing 50%, this bleed was deadly, and he didn't carry any level two antidotes since he used them all up since floor fifteen, this was a dangerous situation. A rapid sweep through the street, dirt, and water slashed through the sky as two rotating arcs slammed against Arawn's spear, he gave it a twirl and slashed upright, drawing it back just as quickly for another two-hit Twin Thrust.
To catch the orange player by surprise, Nagi's foot rang against the spear, canceling the blow with Uchikesu, thrusting Nevermore with Striking Wave, the blade quickly pivoting upright, plunging through Arawn's thick coat, and against his shoulder. He grunted, eyes beginning to lose their glow as his hands flashed.
Another hot pressure dug against Nagi's stomach, and he stared down, bug-eyed at a set of black claws digging deeper into his insides, both glowing green as six thin slashes intersected over his chest, the air pressure flinging Nagi across the village. Catching himself on one of the rooftops, he ignored the fact the orange player had the Quick-Change skill and sheathed his own blade, spinning once as water pressure built up in the scabbard.
Arawn crossed his claws, prepared to brace the sword skill if only he knew what it was. "Dragon's Breath!" With a single slant through the air, the feint confused Arawn briefly, until the veins in his face bulged from the powerful roar of air force that collided with his body, mirroring the same force that sent Nagi flying.
The hunter caught himself but his health dropped halfway, but by now, the Bleed debuff was starting to flash as Nagi's health dropped closer to the red. "Guess there's nothin' to right hope about, what a letdown," Arawn mused. Their eyes met, and the raven-brunette snapped his gaze at the sight of the now glowing Sword Eater, if Nagi was struck one more time, he'd need to find a moment to heal just to withstand the Bleed's effects. "I'll make it quick, Hero."
*Bam!*
The tension quickly shifted to the right of Nagi, the loud thud came from the building behind him. No one uttered a word and another thud echoed across the village, cracks formed on the chipped, worn wood. Then another caused the wall to crease outward, bulging as a fist promptly pierced the wall, then, with a blast of wind and splinters, an entire body tore a human-sized hole through the surface.
"Hahahaha, Lord of Wolves Kushla Daora-!" Nagi couldn't help but smile with joy as an ax was hoisted toward Arawn, the wolf-headed player challenging the man. "-Is Comin' Through!"
Arawn gasped, leaping to his left as two wide pink arcs stripped away at his tailcoat, forcing him to retreat from Artorias, the redhead smirking back at the orange player. "Next time, boss, give us better numbers to work with," She stated flatly, brandishing her blade. "I almost missed out on the party."
"Our turn!" Daora growled at the PKer as Nagi sucked on a health pot, satisfied his health pool expanded slowly against the Bleed, at least until Artorias gave him an antidote. Philia smiled brightly in return, no longer hiding as she took up the vanguard ahead of Nagi.
"I'll protect you this time, as best I can that is," She was absolute on that fact, inverting her grip on her dagger. Now, three Frontrunners and one treasure hunter stood against a single orange player.
"It appears... I've entered a hornet's nest," Arawn backed away slowly, snapping his spear into a folded state to defend himself, clutching a small ball between his fingers. "'Till next we meet upon the stage, Hero!" No one could catch him before a plume of smoke suffocated the street. Daora swept with Whirlwind, but found no trace other than a disturbance in the mud, indicating the PKer fled to the rooftops and through the treeline.
"Hmph, what a wimp, he couldn't even face one of us!" Daora huffed, hands on his hips while Artorias tossed both Nagi and Philia a health and antidote pot, both level three thanks to his Mixing skill.
"Drink up, on the house," She quipped with no less of a serious expression. "What the hell was that about? One of Poncho man's goons?"
"Most likely," Nagi surmised, drinking quickly with a cough as the debuff faded. Sighing, he looked to Philia who bowed her head quickly.
"Thank you all so much! I really couldn't think of anything when that creep got the drop on me!" She explained, raising her head with a shameful look. "I should've been careful, especially coming up this high when the floor's only just open, sorry."
"The call of loot is a vicious cycle," Artorias spun her hand with a wise-like tone. "Well, you're not dead, dying, or suffering, so hey, a 'W' in our books."
"Uh, right...?" Philia smiled a little, knowing what Artorias meant, then she frowned, crossing her arms as if to protect herself. "Maybe we can chat in town? It'd make me feel a whole lot better than standing in this place."
"Yeah, I'll contact Argo, she'll want to hear about this," Nagi replied, Artorias led the way with Daora in the back to escort the two safely as they healed. But Nagi couldn't shake the fight from his head, the throwing picks, trick weapon, and its ability, not to mention the sudden spike in stats. "He wasn't lying about his goals, but there's something else, something he won't just let slip his tongue," What that 'something' was would be Nagi's biggest concern.
To Be Continued...
A new Orange Player, Philia returns, and a new mystery begins to unfold. What are Arawn's true intentions? And how will the team proceed? I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Players!
028 - Deep Slate Crypt
Returning to Hollowsprings, Argo and a friend have some troubling news, to unravel the threat behind the scenes, they must return to the scene of the crime...