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Lucive

"This is the true game of life~"

0 · 664 views · located in LAIOS

a character in “Welcome to LAIOS Part II”, as played by Miss Echo

Description

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Real Age:
22
Occupation:
College Student, Apparel Industry Management
Gender:
Male
Orientation:
Pansexual
Appearance:
At about 5’8”, Allen boasts a body type that is neither completely unfit, nor muscular to the point of being intimidating- instead holding a balance between the two, settled somewhere in the range of lean muscle built up by fairly regular exercise. Jet black hair rolls neatly to his chin, and his eyes- icy blue in color- and pale skin hint at a European ancestry. Allen’s features are well-defined, with a smooth, angled jawline, and pointed chin. His care for his appearance shows, as the man tends to keep himself decently groomed and dressed with style in mind.
Reason for playing LAIOS:
Well, you could only really hear the name of some up-and-coming video game a few times around before getting a little curious. LAIOS had completely enraptured the population of his college, and, not wanting to be left out, he went out and bought himself a copy with his savings. It was the lack of complete and utter responsibility, as well as the many features that the game allowed, that kept Allen’s attention long enough for him to have been trapped inside.
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Avatar Sex:
Male
Level at Start of Roleplay:
81
Race:
Human
Element:
N/A
Class:
Dual Swordsman
Role:
Second in Command
Occupation:

Guild:
Phoenix Blight
Hex code: #151B54

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In Game Appearance
Being of the human race, Lucive hasn’t developed many tell-tale signs of the change in level between his creation and now- no markings, no ear growth, nothing. What he did develop, however, were the muscles necessary for dual-wielding. Most of this definition is evenly-distributed about his body, what with movement and strength being key elements of his playstyle. Lucive stands at about 6’0” even, with waves of blond hair surrounding his face and brushing his jaw- a deliberate choice to contrast against his real life counterpart’s black. His eyes, however, perfectly match Allen’s, being pale blue and an almond shape. Being a rather vain being, Lucive’s face was also crafted with his player in mind; smooth, angular jawline; thin, soft lips; pointed nose.

Being a Designer, Lucive’s out-of-combat wardrobe tends to differ vastly from one point in time to the next, ranging from more dark, charming ensembles, to brighter colors and more casual wear. When planning to leave town for whatever reason- either travel or combat- he sticks to the more constant outfit...albeit with just as much flair as one would expect from the Second in Command. His armor is leather in craft, and dyed a deep green color- which, when combined with the royal blue of the cloak worn above it, gives him the impression of a peacock. Said cloak is composed of intricate, showy patterns and details woven in by his own hand, and something that he is very much proud of. Lucive wears both leather gloves and boots, and his breeches are of an earthy color. His swords tend to kept at his waist for easy access, beneath his cloak. The customary tattoo of the Phoenix is placed upon his collarbone, giving him ample reason to show it off- although he doesn’t need one otherwise, really.



Skills:
Rapid Combo - Skill allows the player to hit an enemy in rapid succession and finish with a flourish. A high speed is required for this skill and is available for dual-swords, scythe, and archers.

Sliding Dash - Allows player to target an enemy and rapidly run to the target with a strong first move. Not available for mage, priest, and defender.

Sewing - This skill allows you to make your own clothing. The higher the skill, the more money you can obtain from selling your wares. Lucive has raised this skill to level 84, allowing him to create a variety of wares and add in intricate designs in his creations.

Silver Tongue - Silver Tongue is the ability to talk your way out of trouble and swindle merchants into giving you an item for less gold. The higher the level, the more persuasive you are and most would consider you quite the charmer. Lucive has raised this skill to level 80, making him much more of a smooth-talker than those below his level, and capable of swindling merchants a fair deal.


Enhancements:
Gloves: Charm counter to make attacker fall in love and stop attacking.
Body Armor: Regenerates 7 points of health every 8 seconds, Physical damage reduced by 22%.
Leg Armor: Stamina speed increased by 42%.
Blades: His two blades each have different enchantments. The first carries a Paralyses counter, immobilizing the target, while the other has a Poison counter.
Boots: Regeneration of stamina cut by 35%.


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Likes:
Pineapple
Good-humored players
Sewing
Games



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[font=harrington]Dislikes:
Taking things seriously
Getting figured out
Boredom



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Strengths:
High speed and strength
Naturally charismatic
Talented in reading people and observing surroundings
Lying



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Weakness:
Personality: While charming and clever, Lucive is a very difficult person to make care about something or someone. He keeps his cards close to his chest, and tends to be extremely flippant and aloof in regards to the individual.
Long-ranged attacks
Magic specialized in restricting movement
[font=garamond]Lack of defense



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Fears:
Losing himself completely to the game
Discovering that his sister had ended up trapped, as well
Being made mute



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Personality:
Impish ღ Charismatic ღ Cunning ღ Amorous

Those who know both Allen outside of the game and Lucive within would be hard-pressed to find much difference between the two. Both are a bit of a tease, confident and assertive in their personality to the point of being obnoxious. Both are coquettish and light-humored, and both find amusement in pushing others’ buttons. What sets them apart, however, is the fact that the flesh-and-blood counterpart is more inclined to act somewhat maturely- given his status as a college student and an aspiring fashion designer, one would need to have at least some of a head on his shoulders, after all. While Allen enjoys a good night out at a club to hang loose once in awhile, and can be painfully immature at times, he’s still collected enough for someone his age.

Lucive, however, does not have the restrictions that real life, budgets, and responsibilities placed upon his shoulders outside of the game. His hedonistic tendencies are able to fully surface in such a world without any real consequence (asides from the sudden threat of dying and ending up who-knew-how), giving birth to an individual both coquettish and nigh-careless in nature. Where the more honorable flirts of LAIOS might back off on their teasing upon seeing their targets uncomfortable, Lucive does not- especially in the face of someone who dislikes him. Depending on how the person reacts to his antics, the man very well might press on in making suggestive comments, rolling right into the point of draping himself over whoever he is pestering until they snap- and then continuing right on in order to draw further reaction. Nevertheless, Lucive has his own set of odd morals, preferring not to pester someone to the point of becoming truly upset, and switching into “harmless casanova-wannabe” territory as long as he is not encouraged. Asides from his flirtatious behavior, the dual-wielder tends to be very over-dramatic and theatrical in regards to how he reacts to things, using exaggerated comparisons and doing most things with a certain flair. Lucive is very much cocky and prideful in his mannerisms, albeit exaggerated to the point of coming off as entertaining- so long as any surrounding audience holds a good sense of humor, of course.

Given many aspects of his personality, Lucive seems like very much an odd choice in Second in Command of any guild, especially one so influential. His demeanor gives off the impression of one unwilling to handle such responsibility, much less show enough potential to even earn that responsibility in the first place. However, Allen’s desire to achieve his goals manifests in his avatar in an attitude one would hardly expect from such a light-hearted young man- namely, an “ends justifying the means” style of thinking. Lucive is shockingly shrewd and intelligence when not putting up any fronts, and is capable of incredible strategy and manipulation. He can act in a very cool-headed and collected manner, although his true forte is reading people- something that, when combined with his own sway, can be used to plant a steady hatred of the guildmaster that trapped them within the hearts of many.

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History:
When LAIOS first came out, Allen had little interest in the wonderful world of virtual reality. While he was no stranger to video games, and had been the one to get his younger sibling into her casual love of playing in the first place, there was a handful of factors that caused his lack of interest. There was the fact that he was a rather poor college student, for one, and going out to buy a game that had a chance of ending up being terrible at the cost of his food budget was not very appealing. A lack of time to actually play was another, and then the fact that he already had a decent collection of games brought from his home. It seemed like a risk too large to take, really, so Allen had kept from buying for some time…

That was, until he found that everyone would not shut up about the game. His roommates would constantly hook themselves up as soon as they got back to the dorm, and it seemed that most of his friends- and even the campus, really- was hooked, given how much they talked about it. So, tired of being left out of the loop, Allen saved up enough money to purchase himself a set and sat down to play. It didn’t take long for him to develop an interest in the world of LAIOS. While there was the matter of it being a stress provider, there was also the fact that it allowed him to let loose in a world akin to his own. Much like other basic MMOs, it let you do the basics of going on adventures, fighting monsters, and so on- although, unlike others, it was very realistic, and let one engage in whatever their heart desired with little worldly consequence.

And that meant whatever their heart desired.

In the skin of Lucive, Allen could go out drinking with friends, without having to confront hangovers and the loss of money the next day. While growing in strength was fun, everything provided amusement to the man, and he drank it all in- the people, the places, the sensations...all of it. When the game shut down, however, it quickly became clear that this was no longer just a fun little place to joke around- people were dying from the looks of it, and Lucive wanted no part of becoming just some taken username. Determined to escape no matter the cost, he took upon the mission of finding the identity of the Game Master, and found soon enough that the goals of the Phoenix Blight aligned with his own interests. Being a strong member with an array of talents at his disposal, Lucive jumped on the position below the founder of the guild as soon as possible, and took care to seal his position there. While still somewhat of a hedonist, Lucive became less of a reckless player, and more of someone who, while ditzy, was at least very capable in his position.

These days, the Second in Command entertains himself with making and selling outfits- something he had always wanted to do in life- spending time with fellow LAIOS players, and assisting his leader from the comfort of the shadows.

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Face Claims:
Varied
Kou Mukami - Diabolik Lovers

CS Design:
© By: FaddedFox ©
Played By:
By: Miss Echo

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So begins...

Lucive's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Lucive
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Occupation:
Tailor

Guild:
Phoenix Blight

Level:
81

Hex Code:
#151B54

Location:
Phoenix Blight Guildhall → Vael







The fresh taste of peppermint spread out along his tongue, coating it, scenting his breath delightfully. He had to admit; while being stuck in this game really was a bother, at least the food was just as good as in life. Closing his eyes, Lucive kicked back further in his seat, legs crossed casually upon the tabletop as he nibbled on the side of his candy cane. Today had been a good day, to say the least. Given the holidays, as well as the accompanying events, most didn’t even think of accepting any new missions- especially from him, of all people- and, really, that suited him just splendidly. Christmas was always about spending time with family and sharing presents and relaxing from the turmoil of everyday life, and, considering that he had none of the first within the game and little interest in participating in the second, Lucive was contented to settle for the third.

Of course, however, knowing his guild and guild master, he probably wouldn’t have all that much time for leisure, but there was no point in not enjoying what time he had.

“Excuse me?” In spite of the quietness of the voice, it managed to catch his attention, prompting him to crack open an eye and peer down at its owner. Just had to go and jinx it, didn’t you, Lucive? The person at the front was a young one from the looks of it- a boy, with spring green hair and an uncertain expression. Opening the other eye, the Second in Command slid his boots from the desk, scooted forward, and, placing his chin upon his hand, gave the youth a comfortable grin.

“Hello there, sweetheart.” As soon as the words left his lips, Lucive watched the boy begin to shuffle nervously, already made uncomfortable from one reason or another. “What can I do you for this fine afternoon~?”

“I...well, um…” So shy, the blond mused, lip quirking further at the thought. “Someone...told me that I was supposed to get my new jacket from you…? They- they said you were going to put in the symbol for me.” Blinking, Greenhead peered up at Lucive, a quizzical look now clear on his face. “Um, I mean- you’re Lucive, right? The- the second?”

Lucive only smiled at first, leaning back once again and slipping the cane back into his mouth. “The one and only.” The child seemed a bit flustered at that, as if he hadn’t been expecting the man to be the right one. This, however, the Second didn’t watch with such close attention- by now, his eyes had drifted onto one of the male combatants of the Blight. Taking a moment to make sure that the man had glanced over his way, Lucive wrapped his lips about the end of his candy cane, suckling in a rather...suggestive manner and gazing at the other with a half-lidded look.

The man rolled his eyes and kept walking.

Greenie had been shocked into silence.

Chuckling to himself, Lucive pushed the cane into a position so as to not interfere with his speech and turned back towards his company. “You said you were here for a jacket, right?” The boy took a moment, as if completely dumbfounded, before nodding in response. With a flash of teeth, Lucive dove under the desk, and, after rummaging about for a few moments, brought up a small, dark red jacket, with the bright orange of the Phoenix emblazoned upon its breast. Brightly, the male folded the cloth up before handing it over, watching as Greenie took it hesitantly, mumbled a soft thanks, then hurried off to do whatever the kid planned to do this holiday season. Lucive chuckled again at the sight, gave a cheerful “Merry Christmas” and slight wave at the boy’s back, and then proceeded to rise from his desk and saunter outside. While that had been quite fun, he supposed that keeping himself cooped up within the hall wasn’t the best way to spend his time. After all, he was no secretary…

...Although that would be a good idea for a new outfit. Would most likely be more popular with the ladies...Mentally, Lucive tacked that onto his to-do list. He’d have to do that after the holidays, he mused, potentially around Valentine’s Day. After all, it was around this time that more festive types of outfits were in popularity, and he wouldn’t want to get swept into obscurity by other tailors when so much profit was available…

Where was he?

Ah, yes; getting some fresh air.

Stepping into the brisk winter air, Lucive gave a brief shiver before sighing and glancing about him. By now, the beach city was practically unrecognizable- something that fit Christmas season quite well, he supposed. He exhaled, watching the steam drift off for a few moments, before raising his hands high above his hands and stretching.

Now, all that was left was to find the perfect target to bother.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: ArcticFire Character Portrait: Minuet Character Portrait: Granite Character Portrait: Lucive Character Portrait: Man-O-War
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Occupation:
Chef

Guild:
None

Level:
117

Hex Code:
#05B8CC

Location:
Vael - Outside the Gold Gallion




Arctic resisted the urge to smile back at the other player as a fake smile fixed itself to his face. Perhaps it would fool others, but not her. Despite being one to avoid people, she knew the look he had on his face. It was the same look she'd seen and practiced in the mirror some days. It was a smile that was meant not only to fool the world, but in some cases the one who wore it. There had been plenty of days where she'd feigned happiness despite feeling like she was losing her sanity. Staring at different shades of colours for hours on end can do that to someone, even if they love what they do.

"I'm fine, miss, I just have a melancholy looking face," he said with a shrug. Arctic was about to respond when she was caught off guard by a rattling noise coming from nearby. She looked near them and quickly saw Luka.

As Luka had approached, Kuro turned to stare down the smaller animal. The tiger didn't know for certain what it was about this little creature, after all he himself was just coding as well, but he didn't like it. He let out a low growl as it approached. In turn, it made a rattling sound back at him as it took a defensive stance. Kuro growled at it again, ready to attack it. He did not like this little animal and was set on killing it, even if that wasn't what his master wanted. It let out a screech before darting towards the player that his master had run into. Kuro paced unsteadily behind Arctic, waiting for Luka to come down off of Granite's shoulder. The instant he did, the black tiger would be ready to devour the little fox like animal.

While this seemed like awhile for Kuro, it was only a few moments for Arctic. Before she realized what was happening, Luka had approached her pet, rattled at it, let out a bark, and then proceeded to climb the player she had just run into. The fox girl examined the creature as it sat, perched on the male's shoulder. It was rather adorable, but she could tell from Kuro's growls and unsteadiness that he didn't like it. As it sat, still in a defensive position, it continued to rattle its quills. Arctic wonder exactly what monster species this was. She knew she had seen a few before, but couldn't identify it by name. Augur would know, but she hadn't seen Augur in over a month. He'd basically dropped off the face of LAIOS-- not that she hadn't done pretty much the same.

The little creature's master approached, swiftly stepping around Arctic in a bid to get to her pet. Kuro let out another growl, agitated that this animal's master had come to its rescue. Knowing that he shouldn't attack a player, he laid down in the snow in defeat. He made it a point to set his gaze towards the opposite side of the street, like a moody child that hadn't gotten the toy they anted for Christmas. The small animal swiftly jumped onto the girl's shoulders. She looked at Arctic and Granite, clearly anxious. She offered an apology and wished them happy holidays before scurrying into the tavern. Granite let her know that she was alright and wished her a happy holidays as well. The fox girl couldn't help but think to herself that this was definitely not a happy holiday. A happy holiday would be sitting at the dinner table with her family.

Arctic looked back at the player she'd been talking to. He seemed to have a knack for attracting girls, though he seemed like he didn't want any attention. He seemed to have similar thoughts on his mind, commenting that something like that has never happened to him before. "Maybe I should find another place to stand," he suggested. ArcticFire couldn't help but smile at this comment. It would seem that standing outside of taverns was dangerous for one's health. "Anyway, name's Granite, sorry for obstructing your path." He offered a hand to her.

She shook his hand, hoping she wasn't squeezing too hard. Sometimes she forgot that she was stronger due to her class. "I'm ArcticFire. Or just Arctic," she told Granite. She looked behind her at Kuro, still laying on the ground in defeat. She gestured to him. "And this is Kuro." She looked back at Granite, again noticing his amber eyes. She smiled kindly at him as she briefly pondered his name. Granite-- like the rock. It was definitely a name she hadn't heard before. "You don't need to apologize, Granite. I should have been looking where I was going." Kuro made a noise that was a mix between a whine and a purr, as if to agree.






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Occupation:
Blacksmith

Guild:
Phoenix Blight

Level:
82

Hex Code:
#5190ED

Location:
Vael - Streets/Market by the Shore




The Mission Impossible theme song was playing in Man-O-War's head as he did a series of elaborate turns and kicks. To anyone who didn't know him, they probably thought he was insane. That wasn't too far from the truth, but there was a method to the madness... Ok, maybe there wasn't right now. War disliked the cold, preferring sunny or even rainy weather. He was someone who needed the outdoor temperature to be between about 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit for him to feel comfortable. Being in a town full of snow did not satisfy that requirement. Despite his dislike of snow, he was able to put a positive spin on it by pretending he was a ninja sneaking through the streets. Of course, there really wasn't a way for a man with iridescent hair, a colourful wardrobe, and a bright pink hammer strapped to his back to sneak through a town filled with white snow.

War continued down the street, enjoying the puzzled looks he got from others. It was as if they'd never seen a dwarf modeled after a jellyfish doing fancy spins and kicks down the street and through the snow before. Some people just hadn't lived their life enough he supposed. He briefly wondered what Lucive was doing, but figured his trusted Second in Command was making clothes. Technically, there had been no training scheduled for today due to the holidays. But a number of Phoenix Blight members had requested a training or field grinding session for preparation for the up coming event.

War himself was excited, looking forward to taking out the holiday monsters with his hammer. The second part of the event sounded fun as well, though he was also assuming that the boss wouldn't actually kill anyone. If it did, he would do his best to get other players out of harms way. He planned on participating in both events and was hopeful that he could come out on top. He didn't know what he would do with a dragon egg should he win it, but he could figure that out later. There were Beast Tamers in the guild that might be interested and if not, he could always sell it.

Continuing on his mission of checking in with the guild members in Vael, he approached a younger girl with long, black hair. Dots of white snow dotted her hair and he could tell that she was cold. He stopped showing off his moves and began walking like a regular player. Well this is no fun, he thought to himself as he caught up to the girl. He tapped her on the shoulder before matching his pace to hers. "Hello Anna," he greeted her happily. She was the same height as him, which was rare for most of the people he talked to. He had gotten used to other players towering over him, but he didn't mind it. They might be taller than him, but were they as awesome as him? He certainly doubted it.

"Hello War," she said, a small smile forming on her lips. "Did you need something from me?"

He nodded. "I was wondering if you planned on participating in either of the events coming up. I also wanted to know if you think we should hold a last minute training or field session to prepare." An NPC child threw a snowball at him, prompting him to scowl at the child. He was not in the mood for a snowball fight.

Anna let out a "hmmm" as they continued to walk. After the two had walked for about a minute, she finally responded. "I don't think I'll participate in the event. I don't think I'm high enough level," she told him, referring to the fact that she was level 50. She was fairly new to the guild and thus hadn't leveled as high as some of the longer members. "I think I'll just stay inside and watch from my window. But if others are going to participate, let them know my house is always open. A training session sounds like a good idea though. Of course, my opinion doesn't matter since I won't be doing the event."

She turned to walk away from him, but the dwarf stopped her with a firm grasp on her shoulder. "Hey, don't say that. Your opinion matters. If it didn't matter, then why would I take time out of my day to ask you what you thought?" He smiled at her and removed his hand from her shoulder. "Have a good day, Anna. Be safe." "You too," she said quickly before leaving to talk to a merchant.

Man-O-War looked around, realizing he had ninja kicked and walked his way to the stores by the beach in Vael. He sighed, wishing the town was its sandy, tropical self. He could use a nice relaxing swim. However, he was pretty sure jumping into the ocean right now would not be fun unless someone set him on fire first. And he really didn't want to be set on fire. He looked around at the merchants, thinking if he needed to buy anything. He already had a good amount of potions, a few regular food items, and the candy canes he'd been given by the blasted but very generous Game Master. Curse the Game Master, trying to buy him over with sweets. It would take a lot more than that to win War over! Of course, if the Game Master gave him a bunch of jellyfish to be his minions, he wouldn't mind. He couldn't help but wonder if jellyfish minions actually existed in LAIOS.

Focus! he told himself in his head. The little dwarf made his way over to the side of one of the merchants stalls before opening up the messaging system. He was guessing that Lucive wasn't busy and if he was, oh well. How would you feel about leading a training or field grinding session today? A lot of the members in Vael want to warm up for the events coming up tonight. After sending the message he closed out of the feature and for the hell of it, started ninja kicking and spinning down the street again. There were only a few other members he needed to contact, so he wasn't in too much of a rush.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: ArcticFire Character Portrait: Minuet Character Portrait: Lucive Character Portrait: Seraph Character Portrait: Augur
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Occupation:
Tailor

Guild:
None

Level:
200 (appears 80)

Hex Code:
#388E8E

Location:
Vael




Seraph... was bored. Playing around in the middle of the town was fun for a while but now Seraph found himself with nothing to do. Many of his friends were online of course and he could go and visit them but they were all with other people. Almost everyone he knew was in the tavern at Vael. He would go inside and greet everyone and give them their presents but ArcticFire was standing right in front of the tavern. He wouldn't be able to sneak past her and the tiger. He didn't really want to talk to ArcticFire. Out of the Betas that had attacked him, Seraph only ever talked to Cain now. Besides Nightingale of course. Augur and ArcticFire... hated him. He knew they did not approve of what he had done and he was sure if they could, they'd attack him again. They were much stronger now. Sure Seraph's level was still beyond theirs but that didn't matter. He was an NPC. Players could attack NPCS in town and kill them. NPCS could not do the same to players in town and that included him. He didn't want to hurt them either though. They may hate him, but he didn't hate them. He missed them. He had always had good and interesting conversations with all of the betas. He still found it quite tragic that he had to delete so many of them. Nightingale always said it was their fault for attacking, but it didn't make him feel any better. To him, it was like he had killed his best friends.

Seraph sighed to himself and raised his hands up to the sky, palms facing him, and watched as the snow glittered around his gloved fingers. The snow was cold and wet but like everything in LAIOS, he loved it. He smiled softly and sat down on a bench in the town, a good distance away from the center where the tavern was. He didn't want ArcticFox to spot him, but he still wanted to stay in town. He brought his knees up to his chest to keep warm and did what he did best; observe. A lot of people were here in Vael for the event. It brought a smile to Seraph's lips. They were enjoying themselves and they were preparing for the event! Some talked about it in excited whispers. They speculated what the monsters would look like and what their behaviors would be. Would they simply attack whoever was near like they did in the field or would they only engage if they were attacked first? Would they also be Christmas themed? And what of the Boss at the end? Others discussed the prizes and what they would do with them if they won. And he noted that many were nibbling on the candy canes he had given everyone. Most seemed to like that added bonus. Maybe he should add more seasonal candies and treats to the tavern menu.

There were others however that were not as pleased. It was good to get positive and negative feedback but knowing players were uhappy was never fun. Those that were less than pleased talked about their families on the outside and wishing that they were out there with them and enjoying a feast. Others were worried that their family was giving up on them and what happened if players died? Was it really an actual death that greeted them or an out of the game? Seraph didn't really understand why these players were constantly dreaming of this 'other world'. He provided them with everything they needed here. Seraph put so much effort into ensuring they were happy and they had want for nothing. And why were they so concerned about death in LAIOS? Nightingale said that people died in the other place to so wasn't it the same? Why would people want to return there where they had to struggle? Was the GM of the other world any different than him? And why did so many people want to kill him? He tried very hard for them! A little pout curved his lips and darkened his face. The poor thing didn't truly understand what the 'other world', reality, was. How could he when for him this was reality? Other worlds and other realities were games just like this one, only his was better. In his opinion of course. Nightingale always laughed when he talked about 'reality' as if it were another game and she'd try and correct him, but as of yet, she wasn't getting through to him.

Then Seraph felt something. He cocked his head to the side and perked up where he was sitting. It was almost like a break in code. It made a blurring cross his vision and he heard the crackling in the programming as it tried to correct itself. A glitch. There was a glitch in town and it felt close by. Why wast there a glitch here? He had ensured that everything in the town was glitch-free for the event. It would not do to have bad programming messing up the graphics or lagging players. And a boss or other creature couldn't have extended life or not appear on screen. The programming had passed his screening. Was this something that was introduced into the town from outside? Why hadn't he noticed it up until now? Seraph's eyes narrowed as numbers began to flit past his vision as he tried to find the source of the glitch. And then the trace vanished. He frowned. This was a very strange glitch. He could still hear the static so it hadn't left.

The GM got up from the bench then and started to move around the town as he tried to spot the glitch manually. He followed the sound to the center of the town and peeked around the Christmas tree. He carefully scanned the area and felt the traces of the glitch here but it was gone now. He couldn't find the sound anymore either. Had it been killed by the guards of the town? He hummed out his breath in exasperation. Now that he was closer to where it had spawned from he realized he recognized this stray code. He had sensed this glitch before and just like last time, it had manged to get away from him. One of these days he was going to get that elusive glitch. He shook his head and turned away from the center of town again. He was tired of observing now. He wanted to interact but ArcticFire was still near the tavern and Augur was in town to near some shops. He had to be very careful not to run into them.

He scanned his friend list and saw that Lucive had finally left this guild's base. And he was alone! Perfect. He'd go interact with him. He was a fellow tailor and always fun to hang around though he did have an odd taste in clothes and games sometimes. It was fun though and Seraph always found himself laughing in his presence. He should have been more wary of the second in command of the guild that wanted him dead, but he liked Lucive. Nightingale always commented that he liked to play with fire considering he had Lucive and Man-O-War as friends, but he didn't see it that way. It was sad and risky, yes, but he didn't really have to fear Lucive or Man-O-War. They were both nice and too low a level to really hurt him. Besides, they didn't know he was the GM.

Seraph turned around and quickly headed towards the entrance of the Phoenix Blight guild hall. When he saw the man in question, a bright smile touched his lips and he waved at the man exuberantly. "Lucive!" he called, "Lucive! Merry Christmas!" Seraph jumped the last bit of distance between him and Lucive and beamed up at the taller man. "Are you busy today? If you are free I figured we might be able to hang out a bit. I have a present for you!" Seraph reached into his inventory before he extended a square box covered in blue wrapping paper and a silver bow. Since Lucive was a tailor like him, Seraph didn't make him any clothes. What would be the point in that? He did know Lucive liked pineapples though so he had purchased a pineapple cake for the man to enjoy.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Goliath Character Portrait: Accido Character Portrait: ArcticFire Character Portrait: Psychedemo Character Portrait: Cain Character Portrait: Shade_Strider
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Occupation:
Alchemist // Tailor
Guild:
None// None
Level:
182 // 200
Hex Code:
#00008B // #388E8E
Location:
Vael Town




Seraph was probably the person most excited for the event even though he wasn't going to be down in the town actively participating. This was his first real event and he wanted everyone to enjoy it, even those that weren't taking part in the battles. It was almost time! The Game Master was grinning ear to ear as he peered down at the town from his perch on the balcony of a random house. He didn't have the high level of the acrobat skill to get up here but he was the game master so he had a few cheats he could utilize when needed; Like getting to places he shouldn't be able to. He wanted to be able to watch everything happen as they unfolded for the event and a high perch was the most advantageous. He smiled to himself and leaned against the balcony as he stared down at the center of town. Those that were going to participate were already gathering in anticipation. Some players had locked their doors and shut off the lights but he could see a few staring out their windows, interested in seeing what was going to occur.

"I thought I might find you here, Seraph," said a voice behind him.

Seraph sat up and looked behind him to see his favorite person in the world; Nightingale. She was the reason why he had locked the game the first time after all. He waved excitedly at her and rolled onto his heels and then back to his tip-toes. "Nightingale! I thought you weren't going to come into town because of the other betas that gathered. They are all here. But do you like what I have planned for the event?"

"Neither of us should be here and I advised you not to come, but I knew you'd come anyway. You never listen. And of course I liked the event. You did a good job," Nightingale answered with a small smile. Seraph really was like a child, her precious baby. She had to protect him should the other betas spot Seraph and turn their attentions away from the event and try a full on attack on Seraph. They would all have higher levels this time around and unlike Seraph, she couldn't see what level they were. It worried her a bit but Seraph was Seraph. He was still the Game Master and there was no way he'd be able to resist coming to the center of the activity in the game. She knew first hand how much he loved his players and everything he did was for them to enjoy. Who wouldn't want to see the results of their efforts?

"I had to come. Tonight is the event! I want to watch everyone. I want to know what I can improve on next time. I have already gotten a lot of feedback! I went a little overboard with decorations it seems," he chuckled and raised a hand to rub the back of his head. "And that is not fair, Nightingale. I do listen. I just decide not to follow your caution," he answered. He had to make sure everything was running smoothly after all.

The archer walked over to Seraph and reached out a hand to ruffle his hair then. She couldn't help the grin that played on her rosy lips when the boy blushed and tried to dislodge her hand. "Nightingale!" he called out exasperated and took a step back to try and fix his hair. He hated it when she did that. Nightingale on the other hand loved watching him get flustered. He was just too adorable. The Game Master huffed and crossed his arms. He glanced back at the center of the town. "It is almost time." Seraph took in a deep breath and closed his eyes to center himself a moment before he completely turned his back on his companion. When he opened his eyes, his once expressive gaze were blank, code rapidly flitting through the blue hues. It was time to send out the message that would initiate the countdown.

╚═╣Good evening all players, this is your Game Master. The first half of the event will be initiated shortly after this message. I hope you all have a happy holiday and enjoy the event. Before they spawn, here is some extra information for you. The monsters that will be appearing do not have a predetermined level. The level of the strongest player in your team will be determining the level of the monster for that party. This means that if the highest party member is level 100, the monsters will also be level 100. This is a feature set to give each group a fighting chance and the most exp. If someone joins your battle, the monster level will not change and both parties will get half of the exp. The party or soloist that kills the most monsters will be determined at the end of the event. Thank you for your patronage and enjoy the event!

--Game Master Time stamp December 24 11:58pm.
╠═╝

Once the message had been sent out, Seraph blinked four times before his personality reemerged and he twirled in a circle and stopped to face Nightingale. He clasped his hands behind him and leaned against the balcony. "Will you be joining the event?" he asked her then.

Nightingale placed a hand on her hip and gave a nod. "Yeah. I think I will. This event is a good way to level up. I won't miss the chance. Meeting the other betas however will be quite the inconvenience. Good thing I have a few things to help disguise myself unless they directly come in contact with me," she mused. At least the betas wouldn't be able to attack her in town since she to was a PC. If they saw her here though, they'd immediately seek Seraph out. She had to stay on guard. "I guess I'll change," she mused and started to leaf through her equipment to pick out the best equipment for this event. She quickly put on her dark blue light armor with the crimson trimmings. A cape hung behind her and she tugged at her finger-less gloves to check the fit though she didn't need to and tapped her boots on the ground. It was a little cold for such a thin outfit but it was a game. She wouldn't freeze to death and it was only a little nippy. She equipped her second choice bow and arrows and caressed the pale blue feathers. She would use her rare item but if the betas saw it, they would recognize who she was immediately. She didn't need to use it. Lastly, she equipped her head gear that looked more like a winged masquerade mask that covered her entire face. Like the rest of her current outfit, it was a baby blue with red trimmings and the feathers themselves looked like they were dipped in blood. It might not look like much, but the outfit was reinforced with a variety of enhancements. That was one thing she loved about the game; you could wear clothing like this and still be well protected if you knew where to purchase and who to ask to craft them for you. Nightingale then hung her hair up in a messy pony tail and smiled at Seraph.

"Well, time to join the fray. I'll talk to you after the event, Seraph. I look forward to seeing what you have come up with."

Seraph beamed at her and gave her a wave. "Enjoy the event!" Nightingale used her acrobat skill to hurry away from the current balcony and took up her place instead on top of the tavern of Vael and readied herself.

7...6...5...4...3...2...1... The clock struck midnight and a firecracker shot up into the air from the center of town and exploded above the area as the bells rang. The sky was illuminated with red and silver lights from the fire cracker. Almost instantly, monsters began to spawn in the town all around the people standing there. Of course, they were all Christmas themed. There were tiny Santa Elves running about, Polar bears with ribbons and bells, China dolls and jack-in-the-boxes hopping about, and growly snowman clawing with their stick arms and angry expressions. At fist, they didn't attack anyone but after they finished spawning, they went after who ever was closest. Nightingale was quick to target one of the toy wolves with her arrow and took in a steadying breath before letting her arrows fly. The wolf howled and turned in her direction but using her rapid shot she was able to get some good hits in and the wolf couldn't reach her where she was so she had pretty easy pickings. She didn't want to win the event. She just wanted to gain experience so being solo made her a bit slow, but that didn't matter. She had a goal and wouldn't waver.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: ArcticFire Character Portrait: Cain Character Portrait: Lucive Character Portrait: Wachter Character Portrait: Seraph Character Portrait: Man-O-War
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Occupation:
Chef

Guild:
None

Level:
117

Hex Code:
#05B8CC

Location:
Vael




”And so it begins,” Arctic mumbled as she drew Piàn from its sheath. It was nearly time for the event to begin. Despite being on the edge of town players had gathered on the streets in anticipation. She couldn’t help but be annoyed by all of them.

Seraph’s message about the monster mechanics came. She raised an eyebrow at the announcement that she’d be fighting monsters who were actually her level. Having an actual challenge would be quite nice considering she was too high level to get anything good from the normal monsters around Vael. It also meant that she would definitely not be joining a party no matter how much someone asked her. The other party members would notice the level of the monster and figure out that she was a higher level than any casual player could be. That would be very bad.

The only people she would willingly team with would be Augur and Cain. Cain wasn’t out of the question and the two might make a good team, but she had no idea where Augur was. She hadn’t seen him since that day… She smiled a bit as she thought of him. She’d had a crush on him ever since her internship, so she couldn’t help but perk up at the idea of finding him again.

However, her smile quickly faded as coding began to fill her vision. Crap, she thought as she instinctively looked at the ground to hide it from anyone who was near her. How could she have been so stupid? Of course her Beta ability would kick in for this! Seraph wasn’t changing anything, but due to him creating the event creatures new textures and colours were entering the world and subsequently letting themselves be known to her. However, she really didn’t need to know what was changing because she could (partially) see the monsters for herself. She cursed quietly, though thankfully this hadn’t been as bad as when he’d change the whole town to the Christmas theme. The amount of information that had flooded her eyes and mind was overwhelming and not something she needed to be aware of. Unfortunately for her, she was pretty sure there was no way to turn the ability off or make it selective. Woe was her.

As soon as the monsters stopped spawning, they began to attack the players. The information was still showing up in Arctic’s vision, as it couldn’t keep up with the sheer amount of monsters that had spawned. Tempted as she was to lift her gaze and fight the nearest monster, she didn’t want to risk another player seeing her. All she could do was try to speed up the process and hope Kuro could fend off a monster for a little back.

The monster closest to her was a polar bear. She could hear bells as it charged towards her. She could also hear the players and monsters around her due to her hearing. She cringed but quickly did her best to block the other players and monsters to just background noise. The sound of arrows and swords dissipated somewhat, enough that she wouldn’t be distracted by it. If someone decided to scream bloody murder however, she would definitely hear that. Perhaps she should have chosen a different race.

Kuro was doing his best to fend off the polar bear, but because it was Arctic’s level and physically larger than him, he was having a difficult time. As soon as he would land a blow the bear would swat a heavy paw at him, threatening to send him tumbling through the snow. Teeth bared, he lunged at the monster whenever the beast tried to go for his master. The result was a loss of health for the polar bear, but Kuro would eventually need Arctic’s help to take the animal down.

ArcticFire was still frozen in place however, more coding filling her vision. Good grief, did it really need to tell her about every single thing that had spawned?! Couldn’t it just say how many of each monster had spawned and where?! She resisted the urge to start yelling, instead focusing on moving the information along as quickly as it would go. It could go pretty fast, but the sheer amount of data it was giving her was the problem. She groaned when she suddenly felt herself sliding across the snow. The polar bear had landed a solid whack on her.

Now groaning from pain, Arctic stood up and held Piàn with both hands. Still partially blind, it took a large effort for her to focus her vision on it. She could hear it just fine, but vision was important too. She didn’t want to accidentally strike another player instead of the bear.

As it began to charge at her, Kuro jumped onto its back, digging his claws into the bear’s shoulders. It slowed down as it let out a roar of pain. Using the noise to determine where exactly its head was, Arctic quickly rushed at the bear using her Sliding Dash move and hit it on top of the head. Kuro continued to latch onto its back, biting its neck as Arctic slashed at it. Between the two of them the bear was downed soon after, though Arctic would have preferred it had been earlier. She was annoyed that she’d been hit right at the start of the event. That shouldn’t have happened and wouldn’t have happened if she was a regular player.

As if on cue, the coding finally stopped filling her vision and she was able to clearly see her surroundings. The fox couldn’t help but let out a large string of curse words as she began to fight the next monster.






Image




















Occupation:
Blacksmith

Guild:
Phoenix Blight

Level:
82

Hex Code:
#5190ED

Location:
Vael - Phoenix Blight Guild Hall




"Good luck everyone! Remember to fight hard, work together, and most important-- don't let your HP hit 0!" the Phoenix Blight Leader yelled to the swarm of members as they departed the guild hall. "If you need shelter feel free to stay here and if you really need help, message me or Lucive!" Hopefully neither the leader nor the second in command With that being said, the last of the guild members who were participating in the monster killing event left the hall. Man-O-War closed the door behind them, sincerely hoping none of them would end up dead. He'd helped to organize groups of players based on their strengths and weaknesses. While many friends wanted to be together, having a party of all the same class just didn’t seem like a good idea to him. With more variety in the groups, he hoped they’d be able to make up for each other’s weaknesses and be successful with the event. He was still nervous about the lower level players though. Nobody knew what level the monsters would be. They could be level 40 or they could be level 140. If the latter was the case, the lower level players were totally screwed and he could only pray they’d be smart enough to hide in a building while others killed the monster.

His mind didn't want to think about all the possibilities should he have not advised the parties. He could just imagine players being savagely attacked. Perhaps some would be saved by the members of their party, but others wouldn't be so lucky. Monsters didn't stop until you were dead, he knew that much. His usual smile shifted to a frown as he thought of his friends, long gone but not forgotten by him. The jelly let out a long sigh before realizing one of the guild members was looking at him as he leaned against the door. War immediately perked up and trotted over to the player, a 6' tall demon. The dwarf was literally dwarfed by the other player, craning his neck to address the other young man. "Did you want to talk to me, Charles?”

The red haired demon looked down at his guild leader, also noting the irony present in the two of them conversing. He couldn’t help but grin as he spoke. “So what should the rest of us do since we aren’t fighting in the event?” To War this was a somewhat inane question. He was the guild leader, sure, but he wasn’t a babysitter. He was planning on going out soon himself. He sure as hell wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to grind monsters and level up. He also wasn’t sticking around here running arts and crafts. However, War knew that he couldn’t get mad at the other player. Charles just wasn’t the most bioluminescent jellyfish in the bloom.

”Well, you guys are just going to have to stick around here because all the big bad monsters are out there,” he gestured to the door. ”But I’m sure you guys can all find something to do while the event is going on. You can talk, eat, sleep, read, make stuff. It doesn’t really matter as long as you are safe.” He gave the other player a big smile. Charles thanked him before wandering off into the building. War couldn’t help but groan. If he didn’t already have white(ish) hair he would definitely have it from the stress this guild caused him sometimes. Of course that would also require actually being in his own body, but there wasn’t much he could do about that for now. He wondered if he would be grey in real life by the end of this adventure— oh wait, he already was!

War chuckled to himself as he went to find Lucive. He didn’t have to go very far to find his loyal second in command. ”I thought us, Rakugo, and Wachter would make a good party,” he told Lucive as he opened up his friends list. He figured Lucive wouldn’t argue so without waiting for a reply, he sent a party invite to the other two players. He would have invited his good friend Seraph to join them, but it seemed that Seraph was not fighting in the events.

Yo, you’re welcome to join Lucive and I for the monster killing event that just started. There might be another player joining us to make us a full party. He wasn’t sure if the two players had met before, but he thought that the two shouldn’t clash too much. If they did, well, War would just deal with that when it happened. He absentmindedly swung his hammer like the pendulum of a clock as he waited for a response from Rakugo and Wachter.

The pre-event announcement came from the GM, announcing how the event would work. As soon as War saw that monster level was determined by the highest player in the party, his heart skipped a beat. While everyone in the guild was generally in the 60-80 level range, a few of this below 60 had wanted to participate in the event. He couldn’t remember at that very moment who was with who, but he knew there was a good chance he’d suggested a party that had a member way too low for a monster that was equal to the highest level player in that group.

As soon as the GM message was complete, War opened up his messaging system and sent a message to everyone in the guild, regardless of if they were participating or not. Ok everyone, I’m sure you got the GM’s message. Since the monster level is determined by the highest member of the party everyone needs to BE CAREFUL. If you are afraid you can’t handle a high level monster even with a party COME BACK TO THE GUILD HALL or JOIN ANOTHER PARTY. I want to see everyone back in the guild hall before the start of the next event so I know you’re all safe. War sent the message as quickly as he could so that his guild had time to read it. He was extremely anxious now, as he hadn’t been expecting this curveball. He hoped his advice made it to everyone and that they all read it. To know that he had formed a party that would potentially be the death of someone was an awful feeling.

The clock struck midnight and the event began. War just hoped that everyone outside was alright as he stood in his guild’s hall, awaiting a response from the mischievous fox and the fire demon.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Rakugo Character Portrait: Lucive Character Portrait: Man-O-War
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Occupation:
Information Broker

Guild:
None

Level:
84

Hex Code:
#9C6B98

Location:
Town of Vael




The official first event. Rakugo had to admit that he was rather excited to see what this event would be like. The Game Master seemed to really like Christmas. Everything around the world was Christmas themed. Though Vael had the most decorations and was the most festive, all of the towns Rakugo visited were similarly decorated and harbored a large tree in the middle. Rakugo could only assume that the creature for the event were also Christmas themed. He could already guess what many of the monsters were going to look like; snowmen, elves, Santa Claus, and reindeer. They seemed to come standard in games like this. He wondered how much of this was programmed into the Game Master and how much of it was the AI figure it out. Things to ponder on a rainy day.

The fox hummed lightly to himself, his vivacious tails fluttering behind him in a veil of red and white fur. He was currently crouched on the edge of his balcony. His humble abode was in the center of the town so he really got a good vantage point where he could watch the milling people. Rakugo smiled and reached up to place the white Noh theater mask with its blue lines over his face to increase the mystery of his visage. It was almost time for the event. He couldn't sit still anymore. He leaped from the balcony and landed gracefully on his feet; something that would have probably cost him a broken leg in real life. Ah, game logic. It was the best. He really wasn't all that coordinated outside of the game. Rakugo's ears twitched as the Game Master's message appeared in his line of vision.

"Ooh. Match the users level, huh? Nice touch, nice touch," Rakugo mused. He had been worried that either the monsters were going to be very weak or way too strong. Rakugo adjusted his mask and started to move through the crowd looking for a couple of friends. He would try doing this alone, but he didn't want to risk getting himself killed. There was always strength in numbers after all. He would just have to make sure whoever he joined wasn't too low a level. He didn't want to worry about a player dying on him. He wanted to have fun and help others level as well as himself. He would never increase the risk level for other players however.

Rakugo froze when he picked up a noise beside him. He turned his head slightly to see a China Doll staring at him before her cheery smile suddenly took on the appearance of an animated devil and charge at him. Well, that was oddly... cute and terrifying looking. Chucky anyone? Regardless, the monster level immediately went from 0 to 84 to match his and Rakugo crouched down to prepare himself. He grabbed the hilt of his sword and bowed his head a moment, his fox ears standing at attention as he judged how close the monster was getting. As soon as it was in range, Rakugo lunged forward and pulled his katana free and sliced through the doll. In real life the doll would have been razed, but that was not the case here. It took a few more slashes and parries before Rakugo managed to defeat the hellish doll. Rakugo smirked beneath his mask as the doll vanished and gave him his reward. One down, an army to go.

The swordsman sheathed his sword and tried to keep to the outskirts of the even then as he made his way towards one of his friends. The theatrical little information broker managed to creep up behind a certain jelly guild leader when the party invite sounded in his ears and the menu appeared in front of him. He stifled a laugh. Either Man-o-War had seen him coming or he had really good timing. Before Rakugo accepted the invite, he completed his initial objective and draped himself over the dwarf from behind. His tails fanned out behind him arched over their heads to tickle the guild leader's nose.

"Well hello, Man-o-War. Did you miss me that much?" he purred with a grin behind his mask. "We did meet last night after all, and what a night it was," he mused. He always liked to insinuate about things that may or may not have actually happened. In this case, the two had met in a business like fashion to discuss a few things. Now that he wasn't trying to be sneaky, he accepted the man's friend invite. "Can you keep up with me, Mr. Jelly?" he asked then with a teasing tone.

Rakugo pulled away from Man-O-War then to properly greet Lucive. "Why, hello there," he grinned, a hand reaching up to take the mask off while the other rested on the other man's shoulder. "I haven't seen you in a while, sexy. I am almost jealous! Who is this other player joining us? A boy toy of yours, hmm?" he asked then.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: ArcticFire Character Portrait: Cain Character Portrait: Rakugo Character Portrait: Lucive Character Portrait: Wachter Character Portrait: Man-O-War
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Occupation:
Chef

Guild:
None

Level:
117

Hex Code:
#05B8CC

Location:
Vael




Having downed that irksome polar bear monster, Arctic set her sight on one of the toy creatures. It was a rather innocent looking China Doll, smiling down at her. How is this a-- OH MY GOSH, Arctic thought as she observed the door, its face abruptly becoming demonic. Alexandra was a fan of horror movies, but it still didn't make her immune to a jump scare. The doll charged at her, prompting her to toss her sword to the side and take a diving roll towards it as the monster approached. Its attack missed as it slammed a hand down onto the ground where she had been. Grabbing Pian, Arctic rose to her feet and took a slash at the doll.

Meanwhile, Kuro clawed at the back of it. Arctic took another swing before narrowly missing the monster's hand hitting her. The monster decided to turn its attention to Kuro, who was still furiously clawing at its back. It spun around, sending the tiger flying into a pile of snow. The fox girl took another slash at the doll while it still had its back turned.

"Hello Arctic!" an all too familiar voice called. Arctic rolled to the side, dodging another swipe of the doll's hands. "Want help? If not, too bad, you've got it!" With that being said, Cain cast a healing spell on her. She was thankful that he'd decided to help her, not that he could really go along with anyone else, but she couldn't help be feel annoyed that he hadn't showed up while that damn polar bear was attacking her.

"Thanks Cain!" she called to him as she dodged another attack. Arctic continued to alternate between dodging and hitting the monster. Kuro joined back in on the fight, pouncing on the demon doll and clawing at it. It wasn't long before the doll fell, showering Arctic with EXP and coins.

It was far from a time to celebrate, but this little reunion between her and Cain called for at least a brief hug on her part. Before they could encounter any other monsters, the arctic fox ran to the priest and gave him a hug. She pulled away quickly, not wanting to be attacked by any nearby monsters. Joining a battle ready Kuro, Arctic selected their next victim-- a snowman.






Image




















Occupation:
Blacksmith

Guild:
Phoenix Blight

Level:
82

Hex Code:
#5190ED

Location:
Vael - Phoenix Blight Guild Hall




It wasn't long after War had sent the guild his urgent message when he received a reply from Wachter. "Thanks, but I think I'll stay solo for the event. I'm sure you'll understand. Let me know if you run into any trouble though, and keep your guard up." The Jelly King didn't reply, not wanting to distract Wachter if he was already out fighting. He looked at Lucive, sitting calmly but surely ready to go out and fight. No doubt the Jelly Prince would come up with a plan on how to attack the monsters strategically. War was much more of a "let's run in and kill everything" kind of guy, but his time spent in LAIOS was opening him up to less chaotic ways to go about attacking. He knows stealth and strategy was an option, but Nathan had always been more interested in watching things go boom or doing some sort of shenanigan. The whole planning before attack was still a different experience for him.

Lost in his thoughts, War was surprised as a red tail draped itself infant of his face, tickling his nose in the process. Eight other tails soon found a place around his little dwarf body, a telltale sign that Rakugo was present. "Hello to you too," War told the kitsune as he accepted the party invite. Honestly, War had little idea what Rakugo had told him last night, given the information was always delivered in riddles. The fox had spoken of another kitsune, but that was really all War could figure out at the time. He was a little preoccupied with the upcoming event, but nonetheless enjoyed Rakugo's company and eccentricities.

Man-O-War tossed his hammer in the air and then caught it, repeating this a few times as the red fox took an interest in Lucive. They would make a spectacular pairing and War would be happy if they could just flirt with each other instead of him. He didn't swing that way, but it didn't stop either of them from subjecting him to some very awkward moments. "It's just Lucive," War told Rakugo with a grin as he walked over to the guild hall doors. "His effect on you will wear off pretty soon," he commented with a laugh as he opened the door. Had the dwarf been any taller, he would have gotten an arrow in either his head or chest. Fortunately for him, the arrow whizzed over his head before clattering to the floor. Someone needed to learn not to aim at doors.

The jelly stepped out into the monster and player filled chaos of Vael, waiting until his two companions were outside before closing the door. "Let's do this!" he cried, running and attacking the nearest level 0 monster. Its level changed to 84 to match Rakugo's. The monster, a giant toy soldier turned toward him, crossbow in hand instead of a gun. It took aim at him, but the little dwarf dodged by rolling on the ground. As Lucive began attacking the solider as well, it turned its attention to him. This gave the little dwarf enough time to launch himself into the air. With his pink hammer in hand, he gave a powerful swing as he sailed past the monster's face. Of course, he could have done the same thing at its feet, but where was the fun in that?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Accido Character Portrait: ArcticFire Character Portrait: Psychedemo Character Portrait: Cain Character Portrait: Rakugo Character Portrait: Lilac Sin
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Occupation:
Information Broker

Guild:
Knights of Lore

Level:
84

Hex Code:
#9C6B98

Location:
Town of Vael




Rakugo couldn't help but laugh. Lucive, huh? Well he was a cutie. He didn't have much time to focus on that however. His little dwarf friend was already running gun-ho out the door. Of course, his favorite jelly was always running head long into things. He would really have to watch out for him. He didn't want to turn around and find his friend dying because he couldn't keep up with him. He took most things in this world as fun and games since LAIOS was supposed to be a game, but matters like this were less silly. Stranger or no, Rakugo wanted to ensure that as many people as possible survived to reach the outside world again. The fox put a smile on his face and put the Noh mask back on before he rushed after Man-O-War and brandished his blade. "Don't leave us behind!" he called out. Of course he was the only one lagging. Lucive and Man-O-War were already fighting a Toy Soldier. Rakugo let out a battle cry as he spun, slicing at the giant toy. He was the one doing most of the damage considering his level matched the monster while the others were lower level, but with the three of them, the battle ended quickly.

Rakugo beamed as they got their exp and items. "Good job, boys. We make a good team," he mused. Rakugo took the moment to glance at everyone else in the direct vicinity. Ah, he saw that white fox again. His only clue. He was 90% sure she was a beta and he wanted to approach her and try and glean some information from her, but he could not. Not yet. This event wasn't going to be conducive for that right now. And oooh, who was the priest beside her? He remembered seeing him out and about but he hadn't really investigated him any. If he was partnering with Ms. Foxy, then he needed to be on his list to. He would get to the bottom of this. Though he liked LAIOS and all it offered, it was a game. He couldn't let appearance wipe away the memory that he was really out there, not in here. "I will find you, Game Master," he cooed to himself more than anything.

The fox's ear twitched when he heard a jingle and turned just in time to catch the massive scythe that was coming at him from a deceptively adorable rag doll. "tsk, tsk, darling. Such rude manners." Rakugo was forced on the defensive as he blocked the onslaught of rapidly moving swings. "A little help, guys?" he called to his party. He was relieved when the doll was finally stunned thanks to Man-O-War and Lucive. Rakugo coated his blade in poison then and began a flurry of attacks of his own.

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The first part of the event lasted a few hours with the monsters never pausing. They just kept spawning just when you thought the mob was thinning. There was an infinite number and the only way to escape the war zone was to hurry into the tavern or into one of the houses that covered the streets. Players and monsters were vanishing left and right. Rakugo and many of the others that were higher leveled tried to help those weaker but even they had limits. Many players were losing their footing against the mob. Thankfully however, the GM did finally allow a brief reprieve. A message went out to the players signally an hour break so people could go ahead and stock up on potions and the like. The damage had still be done however.

Lilac Sin, Psychedemo, Mononoke, Angus, Accido and Lucive were gone. Yes, even Lucive. And Rakugo blamed himself for his death. Rakugo had gone off to protect a little girl that was running from a monster and when he had turned around, he wasn't able to get to Lucive on time. He had tossed a potion only to have it touch Lucive after his HP hit zero. He was shaken about the death of his party member and could only imagine the guilt and hurt Man-O-War would be feeling right about now. Rakugo put away his sword and tore off his mask as he walked over to his friend and gripped his shoulder. "Man-O-War..." he called softly, "I... I am so sorry for your loss. I should have paid more attention to you and Lucive."