Climb: The Floor 1 Boss

Various guilds have gotten together, led by the Scale Emblem Alliance, with plans to raid the first boss of the Tower. Formerly, it was always possible to open the doors and scout inside, and report on what is there. As such, the first team moves in, in order to get scouting under way.

But the plan goes awry.

Warning: As the boss system right now is a heavy weight on the system, and we are still balancing things out, we will be using Concept Roll based combat for this go around. Folk will be given 2 Evasion/Shield Failures during this battle, and a 3rd one if they wish to wager a Memory to stay in the battle.

Liminality
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

The first tower of Aincrad seems warmer than the cold outside. Yet, there are definitely winds blowing across the broad grass plains and through the forest regions of the First Floor. For many, the pale white cylinder has been an obvious sign of where to go. But the monster battles on approach have been rough. But with the Scale Emblem Alliance leading the way, there is finally a proper route decided.

An early scout team consisting of various Alliance members is launched out to investigate the first boss, and confirm nothing has changed since the expansion's release. With the Cursed Wave rolling over the world, the rules have changed, and care is being taken. Even with resurrection confirmed, there's still a nervous energy amongst the Adventurers, especially since there is notable pain associated with 'death', even if it is not as severe as it might have been in the real world.

Before the players, there's a pair of absolutely /massive/ gates that look like they do not belong to anything humanity could have ever created. These gates make even Gilgamesh's palace gates look like a catflap. It takes significant strength from those present, and multiple people working together, to even get them to start budging. There's the loud sound of the door achingly opening, revealing the insides.

Within, is a massive dance-hall like chamber. Beautiful pale pillars line all around the circle. This could clearly serve as a massive ballroom, with such beautiful patterns on the ground. There's multiple /enormous/ chandeliers in the air, lighting up the chamber. There's even stained glass windows that seem to light this place in all kinds of colors.

Normally, the boss should be standing at the very center. Those who'd passed through here would also realize this place looks exactly the same as it had before. But... there appears to be no boss. Just an empty chamber, so enormous that it'd take some time to explore it.
Xander
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    One of the Scale Empire Alliance members that is here today is one Xander Scaleharth. A Salamander Rune Knight, that once use to be one of those top raiders, but now, after the expansion, that honor is nothing more but faded history.

If anything, Xander has quickly learned a few things about this world so far. The Landers seem to be maybe becoming more human, but the monsters. Oh the Monsters. They were learning. They were learning and could no longer be taken lightly. For all he knew, none of their experience may even come into play here.

    The game has changed.
        The monsters all might be learning.
            And nothing may ever be the same.

    When they arrived at the massive doors, he is one of the members that steps up to help push, unless someone takes over the yell of cadence to help unite everyone when to push and to keep their back into it; He would take that honor to do just that. That military bark was clear to anyone who may have served or been anywhere near a military base. He wasn't even trying to hide it right now.

Once the doors were open, Xander stared into the massive halls. "... Where is it.." He murmured softly. His golden, fiery draconic eyes scanning the room. He drew out his weapon and shield. His eyes went over to the others, those that he knows had done this hundred times before, "This isn't right. It should /be/ here." His sword points to where the boss should be.

This realization was followed by a quiet masked angered, "Shit." As if knowing or perhaps realizing that his fear might be real. "This can't be because I..."
    The game has changed.
        The rules have changed.
            He shouldn't have let him go...
Gwen
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Gwen was wary about the tower, still, it was good to keep some decent relations with Scale after all right? Also, there might be things of use in here. She's up at the front given she's one of the tanks for this force of fighters. She takes a moment as she looks over the doors which she'll move to grip and help anyone else trying to get them open. What is amazing to her there is no way on Earth she could have done something like this. Even then it takes a bit to get it open and she looks around for a moment the room isn't changed it's empty where is the boss.

"I don't like this, keep frosty and for God's sake remember to look up."

with that Gwen does so making sure there's nothing up in the rafters above her.

"Where is the boss?"

She keeps moving, shield and sword at the ready as she does so.
Kita
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It is only recently that Kita had joined the numbers of the Scale Emblem Alliance. Perhaps it was due to Xander's suggestion that she might find allies there, or the fact that Misa had been so instrumental in starting the Lost Adventurers Network. However, a huge part of it has to do with the fact that her girlfriend had joined with the Odysseia Knights.

For all those reasons, the gothically dressed Imp has joined the journey into the Tower. Her role as a mage has her staying near the back of those gathered, more than happy to allow those with more physical prowess to take the lead. She carries with her a book with runic symbols on the cover, which must act as her weapon. She opens it now and again along the journey, as if re-familiarizing herself with her spell kit.

Arriving at the door, Kita pushes her glasses up on her nose, blinking at the sheer size of the entrance. She doesn't move to help with the door. Instead, she simply moves along with the flow of the others, making sure to remain somewhat back amongst the battle party. "Maybe there is some kind of trigger for the boss spawn?" She suggests, "Or it's a trap. Equal odds it's a trap." She shifts a bit closer to Gwen, because being close to a Tank seems like a good idea.
Zorin
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In among the Aincrad Liberation Front soldiers can be found Zorin. Sporting full set of heavy armour, a large kite shield, and a heavy mace-like scepter with a red ruby embedded in it he looks everything the tank that he is.

With grim narrowed brow he scans the area, "(What is going on? Here is the boss?)" he wonders to himself, and then to a few of the shuffling ALF soldiers near him he says, "Hold formation! We don't know what to expect." He raises his shield infront of him to take on a more prepared look.

He gazes around the enormous room, trying to recall his time pre-apoc in the tower. He never did spend a lot of time here, more focused on solo-grinding in different areas around Yamato. Now though, the tower seemed to be the way to freedom, or at least some answers. They had to climb it, a lot was on the line.
Amalthea
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    "So this is it? An empty room?"
    The door opens and Amalthea frowns, taking up a spot beside Gwen, with her shield at the ready, sword already drawn.
    "There's no possible way it could be that *easy*." The old Paladin mutters, eyes narrowing as she surveys the chamber.
    "I don't like one lick of this, either." She agrees, fingers curling tightly around the hilt of her blade as she takes a forward position as per Misa's orders.
Nureha
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Nureha has come in her unremarkable adventurer's garb, with a few minor additions.

A dark short jacket with long sleeves protecting her arms with gloves and pants for walking a GREAT many stairs in. She comes with a group of Plant Hwyaden as well, some of them breaking off to blend with the other guilds while several stay close to her.

She looks around, patiently waiting while the doors are opened. When they step inside, she eyes the glittering but empty chamber with veiled suspicion, keeping her guard close as they search through the enormous space.
Count V
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Count V is a cautious player, and he's occupied the middle-rear lines of the advancing parties more or less the entire time. He's not a front-lines man, but he can take a hit better than the squishiest of them out here. Even so, this is relatively uncharted territory, and the consequences of death are both disturbing and still only lightly explored. He's not willing to take a lot of risks.

He's not nearly robust enough to help take point on opening the doors, so he hangs back while they're being handled.

"The altered environment inside is pretty interesting, don't you think?" He asks Nureha. There aren't a lot of other people he recognizes here, just yet-- maybe a few of the other Ezzo Vets, but even those are slim pickings in terms of the crowd around them.

But he is listening to the shot-callers quite attentively. When Misa issues instructions, his relaxed attitude becomes more attentive and at-the-ready, his staff raised in preparation for issuing buffs-- or debuffs.

Kaydon
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Kaydon doesn't really have much interest in 'beating the game', but he does have an interest in getting paid and, to a lesser extent, making sure folks remember Silver Sword as the raiding guild they once were.

He's with the group, of course. Weapon drawn, the empty room is a surprise because he's done this boss many times before the reset, "Bet they added a cutscene where the boss shows up in order to add dramatic tension."
Kirito
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Tower Aincrad.

A tale as old as time for Kirito. The Black Swordsmen is present in this gathering of Scale Emblem Alliance members and like-minded allies alike. Twin blades on his back and his coat trailing behind him as he walked. As people go to push open that door, Kirito takes a deep breath like he sees a ghost of the past. "Once more." and he moves to the door, providing enough physical force to help those doors open successfully.

But now he's looking around. "Don't make any reckless moves. The Boss could be anywhere. Keep an eye on your health and use everything at your disposal as wisely as possible." He starts looking around for where the boss might be...
Nureha
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"It's unsettling how easy it is to become unfamiliar with these layouts."

Nureha gives Count V an easy smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes even as she paces next to him in an easy-going and languid fashion, letting others and the guard around her do the lion's share of the overt worrying.
Count V
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    "It's not easy..."
        "Being out of control, is it?" Count V responds to Nureha.

Mizuki
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    Aincrad.

    Mizuki hadn't actually faced this boss before, though she'd visited the tower -- she had only been on this server a few days when the Apocalypse happened. Nearly all *her* dungeon experience is back in FM World. Will she ever see those places again...?

    Since the Apocalypse, she's only visited the Tower at all a few times; a few looks around the entrance and a trip to Tolbana and back. For a Scale Emblem Alliance member, she's... well, partly been taking time to acclimate to her new situation, and partly been running around gathering resources and investigating. But that still counts as contributing, right? Heck, her and Wisteria's recent discovery that gear maintenance matters will probably save the Aincrad Liberation Front a fair bit of resources, right?

    It's not that she doesn't want to escape sooner, she just finds grinding boring -- and already spent a fair bit of time grinding in the week after the apocalypse just to try and get her first few levels. But when the call goes out to confront the floor boss? Heck yeah, she's got to be present for that!

    She's also got some new armor for this fight, which noone but Wisteria has actually seen before: Gone is the pirate armor set (though she sometimes still wears the cloak for warmth), as it's been replaced with a proper ninja armor set, a midnight-purple gi with purple belt and wrappings around her forearms, and an overly-long, bright red scarf that somehow doesn't get caught on things or trip her up.

    The catgirl contributes to pushing the door open without issue, and faces... nothing.

    She immediately looks up. Everyone remembers the first boss from Ocarina of Time, right? But on the ceiling are only chandeliers.

    So she looks around, trying not to stray too far from the entrance as she looks for any dark alcoves the boss could hide in and sniffs for any unusual smells.
Nureha
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Nureha's smile dials down in intensity and isn't nearly as friendly, though it might be aimed at the situation rather than at them. "I think we all have problems with that, from time to time. What matters is that we face things together."

She gestures to the enormous surroundings. "I doubt it's anything we can't handle just yet."
Wisteria
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    The Scale's job is to kick this tower and shake a way home free. Who does better kicking than a Bunbun? Wisteria has come to scout, who knows when a shadows skills will be needed. She can map, she can buff, she can DPS when needed. All these phrases she has really learned since the wave.

    The albino werefang didn't care about the GAME before she got trapped here, and now it's her life. She is throwing the considerable dedication and drive of a nationally ranked Kendoka directly into her life as a Knight. She walks slowly, hands on katana, red eyes scanning, long ears swiveling like the dishes on a listening station in a battle zone. "Mizuki-chi, don't let your guard down, I wana go find real food when we're done, not worry for a full day to make sure you respawn okay?" she says quietly to her felid friend.

    She's dressed as usual in her onna-bugeisha garb with her namesake purple flowers on the fabric.
Count V
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"The path to 'being in control' begins with 'not being in control', Guild Master." Count V says, raising his free hand to tug at his hair where his braid has been snipped away by some attack or another, "Sometimes you need to get a bit scuffed up along the way. We'll be fine."

"It is a fundamental truth that people need each other, and it is also a fundamental truth that we seek to control our environment. Personally..." He gestures with his staff around them, "I think this is a p r e t t y good start. Among other things, of course."

The Diviner spares a glance to wink at Nureha, before going back to waiting as if for a starter signal to fire.

Gwen
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Gwen keeps looking around she is looking up as she calls out.

"Call out if spot something."

She'll fire of a quick message to Nureha and Count V. <<Ever Raided the tower before?>>
Nureha
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<< We have people who have and I've seen raiding content, but not much of it inside the tower itself. >>

Nureha eyes Count V, resisting the impulse to roll her eyes and instead giving them an encouraging smile. It was helpful advice after all. She inclines her head then raises a hand to her ear. <<We'll have to rely on Scale's intelligence for now, as well as the limited information we have ourselves.>>
Count V
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<< This is my first time here. Don't worry too much. I understand the principles of this sort of endeavor and when to withdraw. Just be aware that strategic withdrawal and cautious play are a part of my play style. >> Count V responds to Gwen. If he catches that Nureha wasn't altogether sincere in her reaction, it doesn't show.

Liminality
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

The team slowly makes their way inside from the massive front doors. It's a slow procession. The Adventurers are no fools, they smell a trap. Enough of them pile in slowly. Weapons at the ready, keeping their eyes peeled. It's a good few minutes of this procession slowly making their way inside. It's obvious that the chandeliers are a danger of course. No doubt it's hiding up there. That much almost seems obvious. Yet, those peering above seem to have no luck finding the monster. The pillars are enormous enough that they could hide it...

People slowly adjust their angles, remaining in tight defensive groups. There's a constant call out. But nobody is spotting anything...

Except at the last second. Mizuki and Amalthea spot the sudden darkness on the side of two of the Stained Glass panes! There's a sudden rumble in the air, before those shadows suddenly grow, blotting out the light through those windows! /Massive/ shards of glass shatter, flying everywhere. Debris cutting towards the Adventurers, as the two massive forms appear. A red massive Kobold that is about as big as a nice house in Japan. On the other side, a blue Kobold, similarly sized. The red one bears a massive blade, the blue one carries a sling, and has a pouch filled with rocks!

As they enter right behind them, they each flying-kick the doors, forcibly shutting them behind the scouting party with some ease, before the Blue one throws a massive boulder with its sling for the players, aiming to bowl them over and threatening to cut their HPs by a third right away if they don't get out of the way in time. Luckily, Mizuki and Amalthea have time to get out of the way.

Boss Battle OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRoaF1wtcOE
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Crystal blue eyes dart left. Right. There's something not right about this. Something is off. Something is just... Plain *wrong* here.
    There can't simply be no boss, that's not how this works right?
    Amalthea is not the most seasoned gamer, but even she knows when there's supposed to be a grande encounter agains something big.
    And then she sees it.
    Something in the...
    "--THE STAINED GLASS!"
    Amalthea's voice carries in a shout as she tries to warn the others. But then there's glass everywhere-- and the group is beset by red and blue kobolds. Except far too large to be normal kobolds.
    Amalthea's body moves before she can think, hurling herself to one side in a tumbling roll before she returns to her feet, armor rattling as she takes on a readied position, as she rushes the red kobold to try and get its attention with a series of quick sword swipes.
Nureha
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The trap is sprung.

There is a roar of broken glass and the shouts and chaos of adventurers startling to action, debris flying everywhere as the two giant Kobolds land. There is a secondary shockwave as the house-sized monsters kick closed the door, the air whipping Nureha's hair around her shoulders and back as she leans into the wind, staff held in front of her as she mouths a few simple words in a quick cadence.

She dovetails into a much stronger Hymn as the giant boss creatures move on the offensive, her form blurring and then reappearing with a short series of crackling flashes like the breaking of light bulbs. She raises a hand to her ear, giving her suggestions to her guard and those who came with her as they scatter before the boulder slung in their direction.

<<I suggest we focus our attention on the Ranged attacker while others more suited to the direct approach handle the one in red.>>

She starts with something simple, at first, conserving her resources should the situation turn sour. Another short Hymn as she opens up a number of menu windows, keeping them in front of her and watching their Health and Reserves as she points towards the blue house sized Boss and summons a small series of Shocks. Nothing grand in and of itself, but something to needle and distract it from properly targeting.
Kirito
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"Here they come!"

Kirito announces as the Kobold leaders arrive. He immediatley recognizes Illfang, though Sickfang is a new sight. Narrowing his eyes, Kirito manages to bring his swords together in an 'X' formation to deflect the slingshot that comes his way. "The blue one was not there before! Be careful!"

Then its counterattack. "Play to their weaknesses!" he calls out, also suggesting that anybody who has divination or 'scan' capabilities to try and see what weaknesses they may have. But he's going after Illfang, his old enemy. He charges his sword with elemental affinity, attempting to blast a large pillar of earth at Illfang.
Count V
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<< Incoming, column-based mechanical hazard! >> Count V calls, reflexively enough that it's easy to tell he's used to this sort of thing. They're in a first-time encounter, so he can't be more specific than that. In the future, he would surely have a more specific term for what just happened. He darts towards the side of the boulder, casting a spell on himself as he goes, "Energy Coat!"

He manages to skirt the edge of the effect, not quite fully evading the force of the boulder-- but the flickering field of energy that momentarily surrounds him soaks almost all of the damage up, leaving him down only a negligible amount of HP.

Immediately upon getting to safe footing again, Count V turns his staff towards Nureha and calls, "Shadow Edge!"

There is a momentary pulse of deep purple light in his eyes, reflected in the eye of his staff. A bolt of darkness strikes Nureha, bolstering her next few attacks with bonus Dark damage. As Nureha has prioritized the Blue Slinger Kobold, this effect will naturally be applied there.

Xander
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    Xander can't seem to find where the bosses are, but he stands on ready. His eyes darting here and there. The equals of everyone calling out has him on edge.

His teeth grit tightly, as he closes his eyes for only a moment. Just a moment. Push it away. Keep it together. Just. Keep. It. Together.

    That was about the time the glass shatters and his eyes go wide, "You sons of a---!!" His attention turns quickly and uses his shield to take the hit, sliding back from the force. "It might be wise to have ranged on ranged!!" He yells out as a suggestion, however the ranged unites would need a tank, which means his life could be difficult, but he /has/ ranged moves.

"Going after the Blue one!" He calls out, as he moves forward, sword and shield in hand. His steps propel him toward the enemy. His hand tight, yet loose on the sword to not choke it. He roars out at the blue Kobald, "Hey! Ugly! Eyes on me!" Before slinging a fireball as his sword lights up red with runes, right at the Blue Kobold.
Wisteria
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    Wisteria has been expecting trouble, and it only takes that first sound of shattering glass. With a flick of one hand to draw the rune and a quick recitation, the stone floor lifts and flings the Bunbun girl in a high graceful arc over the boulder. The fight is here, the fights are what she is here for, and her lips pull back in a grin that even before she came here was feared through highschools across Japan. Here on the other hand, that grin is filled with ragged razor triangles of shark like teeth in uneven overlapped rows.

    The Caerbannog girl lands with a clack of zeta and slides into her stance, then with a cry she's making the shuffling run that has taken her most of her life to master 'just so', her grip tightens and then she's drawing. An iaitsu strike with her katana, a wave of dark energy sent out to slash towards Sickfang, her follow up swing sending a second arc in an X at him. Then her blade is being put away as her shuffling run continues.
Kita
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As the group starts to spread out with their given orders, Kita is careful not to end up completely isolated. Careful footsteps as she closes the spellbook, still holding it at the ready as her eyes begin to sweep the chamber. Before the Apocalypse, she hadn't been a raider, so this is likely the first time she has ever encountered a boss room.

So, it is quite unexpected when the monsters appear, shattering the window. There is a moment where Kita absolutely freezes in place. The sound of breaking glass. Her mind ends up somewhere else, another place and time. It's by some sheer force of luck that someone else, in their attempts to get to cover, manages to nudge her enough to break that moment of shock. "Shit."

Kita quickly makes a few motions with her fingers in the air, causing a rune circle to appear beneath her, spinning. She vanishes, then reappears a short distance away, looking back with relief as glass rains down onto where she had just been standing.

With no interest in getting up close and personal with the melee Kobald, Kita turns her attention towards the one that seems to have ranged attacks. She opens her spellbook, turning towards it and making another series of complex hand movements. Another runic circle forms, this time in front of her. A small fire lizard appears from the glow, spitting a spout of flame in the direction of the BLUE kobald.
Kaydon
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The gnoll were fang seems to not see anything until it's nearly too late. When the call out about the glass comes, he turns in time to see Sickfang burst through, and hurl the boulder. He dives to the side, rolling out of the way of the giant rock, and comes back up to his feet, dropping into his two handed combat stance, blade resting over his left elbow as he stares down the massive boss.

That Blue Kobold was not here before. Which means it should be the primary target, because otherwise they need to spend time learning its mechanics as well as dealing with the one they already know how to fight.

Kaydon rushes forward, dropping his blade towards the ground for a moment before rising upwards with the massive two handed weapon, driving it in an upwards slash to try to carve a chunk out of the boss' HP bar.
Zorin
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Cries go up as the twin bosses appear, and a bolder is flung towards the adventurers. Zorin was caught by surprise, but reacts quickly enough to turn as the bolders bounces along as adventurers jump out of the way or shield themselves. "Brace!" he calls out to the other front-line ALF soldiers and tilts his shield.

As the bolder reaches him he tries to thrust upward to push the bolder up and over to continue on. He was fortunate as it had bounced once just before reaching him, but still he was driven down to one knee.

After it was past he calls out, "We need to get to the front and hold them." And starts to sprint forward while also pointing his scepter at the RED boss and shooting a flame dart to try draw its attention.
Mizuki
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    "Look out! The stained glass windows!" Mizuki just has time to run out of the way of the attack herself. "There's TWO of them?" A bit further away from the battle, she glances as the raid group divides itself up. Sickfang looks like he needs more attention! She dives into the fray, running behind Wisteria, until she stops. "Wis, boost!" She times it not to interfere with the sword skill, leaping onto the bunny's shoulders and then leaping through the air with the skill of a ninja and the might of a were fang, twisting in midair just so so that she can come down on Sickfang's other side, trying to stick her daggers into his back and rake with her hindclaws!
Gwen
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Gwen is trying to keep alert she does not like this she does not like this at all. Something has changed, in the back of her mind she wonders is this a game any more? Or is it something else? She does not know. Then it comes she caught off guard even being alert as she could be? She reacts quickly enough to get her shield up in time thanks to the warning from those who were more alert. She's forced back a bit but can plant her feet on the ground and it's time to get to work against this boss. She takes note of the red one which is more up close and personal seeming.

She closes in on Red Kobold rapidly, it's not fast enough to get to melee range so as she closes she chants a spell causing a white sphere of light to appear at the feet of the Red Kobold and it explodes.

"HOLY!"

She moves in intending to get in it and calls out

"YOU WANT SOME OF THIS BIG GUY?! COME AND GET IT!"
Shiroe
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    Shiroe finds himself among the back row of the forces of the scouting team. The goal was rather simple, investigate the boss along with any potential weak points, and before taking too many casualties make sure everyone evacuated. Even more so that would be a priority not just because of the unsettling feeling of death, but also meant that for twenty-four hours the groups would be at a loss of numbers in the player base. That in and of itself could be an issue if somehow there were some sort of time implementation that was implemented later on. Though it becomes apparent quite quickly that the enemy boss that should be at the center of the floor wasn't present. That was already a bad sign. A hand goes to his ear as he makes a note to all those who had been designated as raid leaders. Making sure that those that weren't in formation already made sure that they're parties were preparing for the worst.

    There was definitely a sense of foreboding as the groups continued to keep up their guard. People continuing to give call outs but no avail as to where the boss was as of yet until...

    Lurking shadows take form, glass shatters and rains down amongst the group, the sounds of panic and surprise come over the parties before they take the necessary steps needed to handle the situation. Being in the back row, Shiroe has enough time to work with his group to avoid the two giant kobolds as they flying kick into the doors but...

    <<All raid leaders abort operation! Be sure to conserve MP and make sure that tanks are handling aggro! Healers be sure to keep distance! This isn't a scouting mission anymore!>>

    The game had changed. Literally, with no way out of the boss room the group was going to have to fight with what they had on hand. Was the Scouting group prepared for that? did they bring enough healers? Enough tanks? Do they have enough DPS and items to last against TWO bosses?! They were going to have to figure it out as they were already being attacked. The giant boulder gets flung at them by the Blue Kobold and Shiroe finds himself putting up an evasion spell to move out of the way. He finds himself still caught up in the after shock, but as far as HP was concerned he hadn't drop.

    The parties had seemed thankfully to be successful in avoiding the first strike, but now the question was how would they counter. <<All raid leaders are to follow Takeyama's orders! Even if you're not using Divination or Scan, I want everyone keeping track of what spells they're using! The quicker we find out what they're weak against the sooner we push the offensive!>>

    While this was no longer a scouting mission the goal was still the same acquiring information. So if that was the case, rather than start directly damaging them, Shiroe did what Enchanters did best.

    ELECTRICAL FUZZ!

    Shiroe's staff raised towards the Red Kobold as he discharged several small sparks towards its face. With how little damage his spells had, if he wasted even one spell using a spell type that was ineffective it'd be a waste. With that in mind the only thing he could think to do was try to make sure everyone had their chance to get their strikes in and help them avoid being striked back at as best he could!
Liminality
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The massive Red Kobold lets out a mighty road as the first stone of its ally fails to catch anyone. The shout is /so/ strong, that it pushes some of those approaching it back for a moment before they can actually resume their assault. It then brings down its blade as Amalthea comes to it, bringing it down with such fierceness that Amalthea's strike is halted for a moment, before she can let it slide off of her blade and cut at its leg, before it moves out of her way. It is /surprisingly/ fast for how big the thing is.

Kirito's Earth strike rattles the thing the moment it lands, causing it the stagger for a moment. This helps boost Amalthea as she catches up for the rest of her strikes, enhanced by Misa's supportive magics. A flame dart follows right over Amalthea's shoulders, thanks to Zorin, interupting one of its strikes, and allowing tanks to get into a proper position.

Gwen rushes in, attempting to blast the red one with her Holy ability, but it surprises her with a sudden jump forward, slamming into her shield after her Holy spell merely hit the ground.

The Blue Kobold adjusts itself, loading another massive stone as the Adventurers turn on it, seemingly under the impression that it is the weaker target. Kita's spout of flame is interupted by a stone being held in front of itself with its now free hand, though some of it licks at its body and HP bar! Xander's Fireball slams into the same stone moments later, causing it to release it and for it to fall to the floor. It uses this to take some cover from the bun's iaitsu strike, but the first one slices through the rock, causing it to shatter into light as its Integrity falls below 0, and the second cut slames into its leg! This gives Kaydon enough time to get in position close to its other leg, slicing into that as well! Count V's Shadow Edge enhances Nureha moments later, right before her shocks land, zapping the thing and causing it to shiver and shake for a moment...

The both Kobolds however, manage to get /just/ enough of a respite to go on the offensive. The Blue one clearly is missing its first bar of health by now, but it suddenly brings out a /second sling/ and begins to whirlwind them like one might spin a spear, mowing those that get close to it away, before it throws the massive stones in a fierce arc across the battlefield.

The red one on the other hand, suddenly jumps along the walls, into the rafters, to the chandeliers, and then HEWS one of the chandeliers apart, causing it to fall straight down towards some of the Adventurers!
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Well she's glad she's not along with Amlthera here and Kita at her back. That's some good news at least and Count V seems to have done his homeworld.

<<Good to hear Count V>>

The boss is faster than she thought it would be and it gets clear a counter-attack. Gwen brings ho he shiel and triggers another ability as she does so.

She brings up her shield in an attempt to block it. There's a clash of steel on steel sparks form off her shield but the towering woman has held fast for the moment. There's some wireframe damage for a moment but Gwen is still in the fight.

"That's the best you can do?"

She'll close in now launching into a powerful slashing strike at the Red Kobold as she tries to keep its attention on her and off her allies.

"HOWLING SLASH!"

She's trying to keep tabs on Kita and her other allies in this mess.
Nureha
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Nureha nods in acknowledgement as the buff flickers to life in front of her eyes. 'Shadow Edge' is worked into her schedule as her eyes flick from screen to screen while at the same time her fingernails dig into her palm, the vague and distant pain focusing her attention.

"..Ranged DPS, please pull back to max range."

She scrolls through another menu, eying the numbers. "Melee DPS, circle from the opposite side from RED, if you would. Target remains on BLUE. Yes. I understand. We'll make due with the resources we have. Tanks, pair up with healers and brace. We're going to get pushback."

She continues to give these short suggestions as she stays back from the main thrust of the combat. She eyes the chandeliers speculatively, tilting her head to one side and tail swishing to the left and right with a steady metronomic action while she bites the side of her mouth speculatively.

She hums three tuneless notes deep in her throat and prepares for the next surge. She reads the information coming back -- and makes her decisions.

"SPLIT." The Plant Hywaden forces snap in half, some goes towards the left wall and the rest towards the right as the chandelier comes CRASHING down amongst them with a sound like a skyscraper crumbling, metal and glass and crystal all at once fighting for domninance.

..They do so in time to prevent the majority of the hitbox, though a few pick up minor wounds from the flying debris. They get no respite because Nureha snaps out another command. "DOWN." which, like they had been electrocuted, the group dives for cover from the fierce arc of the stones. Several of them SMASH only a foot or two from an errant tank or healer and somewhere, a very toy-like squeaky noise emits from a young woman with red hair who has a stone nearly crush her nose as she rolls away from it. Still. The group manages to fold itself back together.

However.. there is an issue. This reaction was a result of insufficient pressure. She ticks off the Raid Leaders in her head, reaching out to them as she spawns and dismisses other menu windows.

"Count V, Mizuki, Kaydon, Xander and Kita, I suggest for our continued safety that you stay on BLUE target."

She contacts Shiroe through the friends list, sending him a quick message. All business. "I suggest we pool our resources and level out the pressure before they escalate or enrage. I am assigning Count V, Mizuki, Kaydon, Xander and Kita to BLUE target. I suggest coordinating with Misa to keep RED busy while we focus fire."
Kirito
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Kirito manages to get a strike in before he calls out.

"SWITCH!"

and he moves out of the way for others to get their hits in, landing on the ground just as Amalthea, Misa, and Zorin before he manages to find his footing. Of course, as soon as he does so, Illfang the Red manages to drop a chandelier on all of them. But Kirito manages to move out of the way with a timed Lightningstep ability.

Safely away with a thunderous boom, he positions himself for a Heartseeker attack on the RED ONE.

"Shiroe! Help coordinate our efforts while activiating your debuffs on the enemy. Don't try and focus on both, there's enough of us here to carry the load. We can handle Illfang, target Sickfang! I know nothing about him. He wasn't in SAO either!" he tries to warn.

"Amalthea, Misa, Zorin -- continue totarget Illfang. We can keep him at bay and away from the other team." he tries to do some coordinating himself as he lunges back at the Red one.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Xander watches as the Blue Kobald's rock breaks into pieces and grins a little as the humanoid staggers back. ".. Is that it? Is that your weakness?"

There wasn't enough time for him to think on it, as he made himself ready for the next attack, he continued to move toward the Blue Kobald. However he wasn't ready, at least not footing wise, for when the sling is swung around.

It slams /hard/ into his shield and sends him reeling back. Just enough time to watch the stone go flying and the other Kobold going crazy and bring down a chandelier, "...Tsk!"

    Xander turns his eyes back on the Blue however, as Amalthea is over there with the Red. The Salamander is quick to correct himself, even with the damage to his health and some damage marked on his arm from the 'bruising' of the blow. Though he had other scrapes, that was honestly ignoring as he just moves right back in.

The Rune Knight's blade catches the glimpse of light as he charges in and with a leap attempts to bring the blade down on the Blue Kobold with a hard downward slash.
Kaydon
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Those are some big ass boulders. Kaydon brings his sword up in front of himself, and blocks the boulder with the blade, pushing it away from himself and re-directing it.

Well that was closer than he would have liked. Still, when he gets a raid chat message to keep focus on Blue he does so, keeping his eyes on the big guy. "Alright you ugly son of a bitch, lets ride."

He drives forward again, swapping weapons to his one-handed blade in his main hand, while his off hand grabs a knife, but not one that's ever been seen in the game before. This knife is the one that he made himself, and is a black bladed KA-BAR knife with the USMC logo engraved into the handle. He drives forward with both weapons, leaping up and bringing the attack downward this time, trying to drag both the sword and the knife through the boss' back with the attack.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Musical notes swirling about her, Amalthea spares a glance over her shoulder Misa's way. In the heat of battle the nod of appreciation is almost imperceptible as the old Paladin settles to focus on her duty first and give thanks for the support later.
    After the victory she can do that.
    Assuming they do win...
    But there's no use dwelling on what ifs as the aged adventurer readies for reprisal.
    "The blue one's new?" She asks of Kirito, as she fights by his side. "Done this before eh?"
    It's a question that comes breathlessly as she braces for reprisal.
    And boy does it come for her.
    Briefly, Amelia Theodore curses under her breath as the blow against her shield is so hard she's left briefly seeing stars.
    But she rallies. And she rallies quickly, spamming every single Taunt skill she has as soon as they pop off cooldown, blade singing in her hand as she keeps aiming to hack into the RED KOBOLD'S legs.
    "Damn, this isn't going easy." She mutters before assenting to further orders to take on Illfang. "Right, I'll stick on the red bastard here until one of us drops, either him or me!"
Kita
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

For someone inexperienced in raiding, Kita seems to be managing to hold her own. The black mage keeps close to Gwen, though leaving enough space that she doens't interfere with the tank. It's a balance, as she is also trying to not end up too close to either of the boss monsters. This leaves her just below the chandelier when it falls. She crouches, causing a yellow summoning symbol to appear beneath her. The next moment, a tiny wind elemental forms, looking confused. Kita just grabs it, causing it to expell air, sending her backwards out of harm's way.

When she finally lands, it's a fair distance away from Gwen. "I'll be okay." She shouts. A moment later, the commands filter into her ears. Stay on blue. Right. "I'm going to go help Xander." She gives a quick, almost cocky salute to Gwen, "Kick some ass!" She cheers her on, then races to get closer to those taking on the ranged kobald.

"Still alive?" She quips at Xander, making light of the Salamander's missing health. Then again, there is a glint of real concern there. The two might not really be on the best of terms, but they can at least be allies. "Let's light him up."

Kita's eyes glow faintly red as she starts to murmur a string of what sounds like nonsense words, but is one of the various forms of in-game spellcasting. Another glowing circle appears, this time beneath her. At the end of her chanting, she extends her hand forward. "Fireball!" A massive burst of fire extends from her palm, shooting out towards the BLUE KOBOLD.
Count V
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0



<< Falling debris mechanic, wide splash damage probable. >> Count V advises, scampering out of the way from one of the falling chandeliers and surrounding himself with a shield of rapidly spinning wind with a shout of, "Aero!"

It strikes V as likely that he can't actually tell the difference between what was a damage template and what /is/ a regular attack anymore with this bunch. The system isn't quite so transparent as before about things like that, and trying to operate using the menu system is cumbersome.

When he comes to a rest again, Count V is breathing quite carefully to some internalized rhythm that /must/ be practiced. He stands at the edge of the other Plant Hwyaden members, holding for an opportunity to buff an attacker headed towards BLUE-- or at least to give them a clearer in, depending on particulars.

"Electric Fuzz!" V calls after a moment's waiting, thrusting his staff towards the Blue Kobold. A flash of aggravating light dances around the giant, crackling and popping and attempting to disrupt its ability to attack or defend itself.
Zorin
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Zorin glares at the Red Kobold as is jumps away just as he gets into position, although his displeasure is only momentary as he looks up in horror as the chandelier starts to come down. "By the Burning One's Blade" he curses and he tries to consider options that could help. He was limited, it was too large an area.

Gritting his teeth he raised his shield and focused as the image of a shield made of light appears just above his own extended shield, providing a degree of protection to a few of the other front liners as they scramble away from the falling chandelier as is smashes into the floor.

Then Kirito is suddenly in between the tanks and the Red Kobold and charges forward. Zorin then calls out, "You heard him! Lets keep Illfang off the others!" and he then moves forward once again as he considers his options. This Kobold was enormous, but if they could hinder its movement then they could control it much more easily.

Charging in at a near sprint he uses his heavily weighted mace-like scepter to swing at the RED KOBOLD's ankle as it glows with a red light as he uses an Arte to enhance his blow.
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    When the feline foot lands on her shoulder she gives a bunnyhop, her Were Fang strength sending her and Mizuki up so that the feline can then jump even higher to get over the boss. It's easy to tell the two have been grinding together alot given the ease with which they play off each other. Wisteria seeing that second black wave cut into the giant Kobold and grins more fiercely (if that's possible for a Caerbannog).

    Zanshin, just being trapped in a video game in a fight against giants isn't enough to make a champion forget her basics. Sickfang goes into this flailing rage, and she sketches a rune with one hand and her shuffling run turns into a high bunny leap, then she leaps again and again. Each time her zeta comes down to tap on a rune that flares with air magic propelling her in a bouncing arc around the giant blue kobold. She comes in from the side, drawing and using her downward momentum and magic she never had in any kendo match to attempt a massive Men Uchi against the boss' head. Green serpents of earth magic wrapping her arms and granting her muscles the strength she'll need for this. "Fierceness of Earth!" she announces as she plumets like an albino meteor.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    One health bar down! Three to go! She's too busy to smile or think about it, but in this moment, Mizuki is happy.

    Someone's shouting orders, but she heard her name on blue, so she's good. The red one's not down its first bar yet. Ah well, if they take out blue first, they can concentrate fire, right?

    But as she clings to the boss, those slings (he has two now?!) swing every which way, trying to knock her off! She flips over, hanging onto the boss by her toe claws, and holds up her daggers in a deflect position. A glancing blow that STILL would probably have sent her flying is deflected, and she grunts as she's pressed against the boss's back.

    Keep going. She has to keep going! And as long as she's here clinging to the boss...

    Mizuki grips her daggers tightly and STABS behind her, 'above' (below) her head as hard as she can, then releases her claws and flips over again, shifting her grip midway to try and hang from Sickfang's back by her daggers. "RrrrrrrRRRRRRGH!" With a grunt of effort, she throws all her strength into pulling the daggers apart from eachother, trying to tear a great rent in Sickfang's back!
Shiroe
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    The assault on the Red Kobold seems to be enough to throw it off as the frontliners of the group begin to stagger the it. Though as far as damage went...Not so well. Kirito, Misa and Amalthea prove to be capable of holding it at bay, and Zorin's spell proves to help interrupt it as well but even with all of that along with Gwen's Holy Ability and Shiroe's debuff they don't seem to put a dent into the beast.

    It's a relief to see on the other side that The Blue Kobold is able to take a blow. Shiroe finds himself trying to keep track of all the variables of the fight. Who was losing HP, who was using the most mana, who was acting as Tank, DPS, and Support for both groups. There was obviously so many variables and the first thing he takes note of is the first big hit on their side, "Xander, you alri- Gaaaah!"

    Too much time observing and not enough observing gets him caught in the landing of the Red Kobold has it slams into the ground as it brings down one of the chandeliers. He finds himself losing a decent chunk of his HP now... But gets himself as quickly back into formation as he can. It's only then does he receive the contact from Nureha. As she gives the idea of command he finds himself interjecting,

    <<Fine, but if you can you might want to switch with someone else. You've already used a decent amount of MP already. We'll want someone from your side acting capable of being able to SWITCH at any moment. If everyone on your side already has then just join up with me! Misa, Same with everyone dealing with the red group. Whoever has the most MP on that side have them bring up with us. We'll split up into three groups! One group each to handle both bosses, then the third group like Nureha's suggested to act as a Switch if we have one of them staggered! Switch group will act depending on the scenario but if only one boss needs extra DPS will attempt to use small level spells unless absolutely necessary. If both require addtional pushes you're free to use your MP as needed.>>

    The goal was simple. Try to avoid over extending as many resources as possible. If the two groups could handle the offensive on their own it saved the Switch group from wasting MP when it might be needed later. If it was one, they could each try to take a swing and then leave it to the last attack of the Switch group to finish it off if need be. If the worst happen and both needed it well...Hopefully the fact that they were conserving MP meant they could provide those additional attacks.

    So with that in mind, he sees that the first Kobold to get dealt their blow this time is the Red, and Nureha's additonal attack provides the extra touch that was needed. If that was the case it meant that Shiroe and one more person could conserve their offensive spells to a certain degree.

    ZAP!

    The small bolts were weak, but a rather conservative spell which was fine at the moment. All they needed was to make sure they continued at this pace. If they did so..."We'll win..."
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

As the Red skinned 'Illfang The Kobold Lord' comes back down, the thing crushes down to the ground, bringing him back into a position where the team can re-engage on him. Kirito dives in low and slices right for its chest, carving a notable hole in its chest for a moment before the call to switch! Its massive chopping blade comes down, but is deflected by Gwen's shield - covering Kirito and enabling her to slice into its belly in retaliation. Amalthea rushes in to cut at its legs, chopping a fierce crimson line along it as she sneaks in between, only then having to avoid being hit by a rapid tail-strike. But Zorin intercepts it, slamming their flail against its knee and causing it to stutter its step. Misa manages to help Zorin with a second strike by buffing him, causing the second flail strike against its legs to temporarily cripple it and 'shatter' its first HP bar.

Kaydon manages to work his way around the Blue Kobold while it is busy with defending against Kita's sudden Fireball, trying to whirlwind it, only failing to absorb the entire blow. Scorching bites rush across its body, right before Kaydon stabs his two blades into it. The creature immediately rolls back onto its back, threatening to crush Kaydon if he doesn't get out of there fast. The moment it finishes its roll, the Electrical Fuzz hits the creature. It looks confused at what that ability might even do, but he finds out quickly as Wisteria manages to get in through a blindspot caused by this, and strikes it from above. A /long/ red line just /carves/ along its body from top to bottom, and lingers for a while, only for it to swing one of its flails at her body and threatening to crush her into the ground. But it's interupted by the sudden burst of dark energy coming from Nureha, slamming into its head and knocking it back, shattering its second HP bar!

There's a roar from both of the enemies at the fact that they appear to be getting defeated. The blue one's eyes suddenly flash PURPLE, where-as the red one's eyes remain as is. Illfang begins to rush through the player lines, avoiding the shielders and going right for their squishies, bringing fierce blows towards them, aiming to cut them apart right there and then.

At the same time, the blue one drops both of its massive flails - too large for players to do anything with - and grabs for something on its back. Out come two massive daggers. It ducks down a bit, and then suddenly rushes for the front line, aiming to hook these sword-breaker looking blades around their shields and use the second blades to cut into them. Its tail keeps swinging around, using this to keep others away from itself. It seems to be having a bit of trouble finding his targets now however, due to the Zap interfering with its movements.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Xander really didn't have time to acknowledge Kita, but he did give her a passing smirk. His focus seems to be trying to fully on what he needed to do.

Xander misses with his sword and growls lowly in frustration. Words were failing him right now. He takes a slight step back as he notices the Blue Kobolds eye change and manages to bark out, "Enrage! Careful!" Just in time to watch the Blue one change weapons.

    This time the Salamander makes ready for it. His shield slams into the Kobold and while he lets the Kobold throw his shield into the air, he slides himself under the blade's swing.

His eyes watch as that massive blade swings just inches from his nose, before he comes back up on his feet. He looks to where his shield goes and heads for a dash there as, his sword lights up with runes.

Xander then swings the blade as he turns his body, his tail following his motion as he sends out a line of flame like a massive flying whip right for the Kobold, as he lands down and picks up his shield once more.
Kirito
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Kirito looks at Zorin with a smile. It felt...strange to be the leader of the group...or at least try to be. Though his attention does fall upon Amalthea as she asks him her questions. "Yeah. Wasn't in the ETO opening or in SAO. I have no clue as to its combat tactics or strategy, but it seems to be switching up. For now, focus on the Red one." he tells her, before he rushes forward, slicing with a perfect Heartseeker technique and getting saved from counterattack.

But as Illfang starts to charge, Kirito immediately uses his speed to his advantage to get out of the way. "Get out of the way! Shields might have a hard time!" He notices Sickfang draw his sword breakers. "Those are swordbreakers!" he calls out, but he's too distracted with Illfang to provide anything else.

"Same tactic! Cover each other's backs. We've almost got him!" He suddenly charges forward again, summoning a white light to his blades as he leaps at Illfang the RED, ensuring he announces "SWITCH!" before and after his strike as if to call on someone to strike next.
Zorin
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Zorin suddenly hears a chant, somehow clear regardless of the noise of the battle, and his armour begins to glow with a fair light as he feels empowered. He briefly turns to look back and see the Major, Misa, issuing out orders and working to support and buff troops. He nods in her directly briefly in thanks before turning his attention back the boss. Just in time as moves to intercept a powerful tailstrike.

What normally would have knocked him off his feet, turns into a decisive block with the help of Misa's buff. Grinning he is able to land an addition blow against Illfang's knee.

And that's when it all goes to hell as Illfang proceeds to use its large size to rush right over and past Zorin and the other tanks. After a few choice curses he shouts to the nearby ALF tanks with him, "We need to draw aggro! Get Illfang off the back line!"

Trying to act quickly Zorin points his ruby scepter towards the boss and lets off another Flame Dart at range, hoping to at least distract the RED KOBOLD to some degree.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    That would've been REAL COOL if it worked -- but as Mizuki flips over, the daggers slide out, and she falls to the ground. She doesn't even have time to think as, instinctively, her body twists in the air to land on all fours.

    Right. Cat.

    Sickfang comes for her; She couldn't see his eyes, but the weapon switch is enough telegraphing -- She stands on one leg and forms a hand seal, and suddenly water picks her up and moves her, perpendicularly out of Sickfang's way!

    The ninja cat turns as Sickfang rushes down the ranks swinging at the others. That means his back is still to her; it seems she hasn't pulled too much aggro yet! She concentrates and inhales, feeling a warmth inside her chest, then opens her mouth -- flames collect around the edge of her muzzle, then condense into a ball of orange energy, which suddenly fires a thin line of intense orange light across the room, surfaces igniting where it sweeps across them! Hopefully her aim is on target to hit SICKFANG and not her fellow players! She fires a second line of light before the energy dissipates!
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Zanshin is most easy to lose when you land a perfect strike, what diferentiates a champion from a runner up is never losing zanshin. Wisteria is a champion, when her zeta clack to the stones, she makes a fast shuffle back and then her blade is moving, up and right the blade catches one of those falling flails and slides it to the side with the residual strength from her spell. "You okay up there Mizuki-chi?" she shouts to her friend even as her sword is returned to the guard posistion.

    She grins again when she notices that Miz isn't hurt and then she's doing another shuffle charge, ducking and dodging that lashing tail. "Power of darkness fill my blade! CORRUPT!" she says as she makes an upsweeping slice, the blade tip nearly touching the stones before moving up in a flashing stroke. Dark energies crackling down the blade to try and infest that hamstringing strike.
Kita
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

The sight of the blue Kobold switching to melee weapons has Kita's eyes widening ever so slightly. There is a reason that she chose to be a ranged DPS rather than someone who gets up close and personal. Her breathing quickens ever so slightly, the first sign of panic starting to rise up. Luckily, she is very, very good at hiding her inner feelings. "So it changes weapons. Just what we need. More complications."

There's no time to be bothered by Xander's lack of real acknowledgement, as the boss sweeps her way. Rather than trying to evade, Kita simply raises a shield of glowing runes which seems to catch the daggers as they blow past. It causes her to skid back ever so slightly, but the magic seems to hold.

Drawing magic back inwards, the girl's fingers begin to show a different sort of flames. It is fire turned dark, licking at the edge of her fingers. Moving her hands together, she seems to gather the magical energy into a condensed form, writhing in front of her. A few more nonsense words leave her lips, sounding alien in her voice, then her eyes snap to focus.

The energy shoots out, splitting into three orbs which circle around, impacting into the BLUE KOBOLD one after the other.
Count V
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0



"Yeah!" Count V exclaims, more to himself than anyone else, when his Electrical Fuzz has the expected and desired effect. More quietly, certainly happily, he repeats, "Electric Fuzz."

This is an instant before Ilfang breaks battle lines entirely and just goes hard in towards the mid-to-rear-lines. Realizing that this is going to involve a lot of template attacks that will impact other people adjacent to him, he darts away from the incoming blade towards the 'rear' -- they're the rear line, so the rear is open space for them. In a mild change for this battle at least, he predicts the path well and manages to skirt the edge of damage /or/ drawing attacks towards others expertly.

<< We've got a phase change on Blue. By the way... Should we try to even up their HP Values? I know it's a bit premature, but I'm worried about phase changes resulting from a disparity. >>

Slightly perturbed by the glow to Sickfang's eye, V temporary adjusts tack. He fishes a coin out of a pocket in his robe, places it against his his thumb, and flicks it with surprising force towards Sickfang.

Nureha
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Nureha takes several steps back, her former location crated by one of BLUE's whirling stones.

The fight continues, with a more even distribution applying pressure on both bosses at once as well as keeping them mostly separated. The battleground shifts and Nureha relocates to another part of it, staying at the edges but dancing ever so slightly on the edge of the line of combat as though trying to bait out a response.. or give herself ample time to react to another sudden surge of action.

<<Oh. That's an excellent idea.>> she says in response to Shiroe's plan for three groups. <<I love that such strong, confident raid leaders are in command of this expedition. We wouldn't know whatever to do otherwise. I'll briefly absent myself to conserve energy and relay your instructions to the group>>

Nureha does exactly what she says, falling back but not QUITE managing to get back into position before something raiders the world over have learned to fear.

Enrage

The next commands are lost in a haze of brief chaos as the blue one smashes forwards towards the front lines. And like all commanders, getting tunnel vision is a sure fire way to get somebody killed.

The red kobold rushes through the tank line, punching through long enough to target the squishy in it's path. Nureha doesn't have time to react, or time to put together a defense and crumples like a paper sack in a pool of clothes some distance away, only grazed by the hit but sent sprawling by it. Hair pools over one eye as she looks up, then pulls herself to her feet with the staff making the slightest 'clack' unheard in the tulmult. She licked her lips, rolling her shoulders and stretching out her neck like a woman's who has stepped out of a languid bath rather than been punched by a forceful charge across the room.

Without missing a beat, her ear flicks once before she continues speaking, always couched in suggestions rather than orders. Always but not QUITE keeping ahead of what they were already planning to do themselves. " You are all doing very well. Just keep calm and we'll get through this. Wisteria, Mizuki, good pressure. I see your stubbornness is doing you credit this time, Xander. Good work. Just a little over-extended there, Kita. Try to time it a titch earlier."

Talk. In that light, conversational tone. She just keeps.. talking. It doesn't feel distracting because she emphasizes certain KEY words in the same way she barked commands. It's a soothing patter.

It's quite violently different from her actions though as she throws out a hand and snaps.

Frost Shock

in an ever-so-faintly unsettling Cheerful Singsong. The temperature plummets, ice forming on the armor and scales of the RED Kobold attempting to make it easier for others to get a telling strike in.
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Enrage? She hears the warning from Blue Team about that, she keeps that in mind that Red might end up having that. She's trying to keep tabs on the Red Kobold as the fight continues on she's able to keep from getting hit again her Shield is up and she intercepts once more. The force does push her back a bit but her shield holds for the moment.

"Come on keep it up!"

Progress is being made as the battle rage on she's sees the flow of people moving about and then something happens with the Blue One switches weapons.

"Damn."

She weaves in and out and moves in on the Red Kobold again, she has some memories of fighting the SAO version long ago but she knows that could get her killed. So she just acts off on reflex she moves in to get close and lets her actual training do the rest. She then brings her blades in trying to just impale the Red Kobold Leader.

"Over here you want me? Come get it!"
Kaydon
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

With the strike coming down across the BLUE kobold, leaving bright red streaks from both weapons. The knife is proving quite effective. Kaydon will have to look into forging himself a better sword now.

But he has to keep his mind focused on the battle, not wanting to let things get out of hand.

A new command, this time to fall back and play switch. He can do that. But first he needs to avoid being crushed to death. He dives to the side, rolling over on one of his shoulders and coming back up into a crouch.

He swaps weapons again, switching back to the two handed sword, and quickly scans between both bosses, looking at HP bars. They're winning. But don't get cocky. The mechanics might change once they reach a certain HP. Speaking of which, the blue one does exactly that, charging into the frontline.

Seeing that Amalthea has opted to hold back and he gives her a faint grin, before he rushes forward, towards the lines that the blue monster is crashing into.

He jumps up into the air, and lands on Xander's shield, "Launch!"

Using it as a springboard, he drives upwards, aiming to crash into the underside of Sickfang's head and drive his two handed blade into the big kobold's small brain. It's not a huge target so this may be harder than it looks.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    It's a deadly dance as soon as Illfang lands again. Amalthea goes for the legs only to have her head near taken off by a flailing tail.
    "Thanks, Zorin!" She calls out to the youth when his attack staggers the beast enough to throw off its aim.
    She's doing her best to hold the red bastard's attention, but at the same time she is paying attention; she is listening.
    It's not easy to be situationally aware for one battle, let alone two raging simultaneously, but... Shiroe states it may be necessary to trade places at some point in time. But for the time being her focus is on Illfang as Kirito says.
    And then Illfang busts through the shield line.
    "God -damn it-." The old woman growls as she holds back for a moment, only for Kaydon to catch her eye.
    "Go for it." She says, watching him springboard into Sickfang. That still leaves Illfang as she stops holding back now.
    Flipping the sword in her hand, she grips the weapon by its blade... As she rushes the big red bastard and intends to clobber and smite the everliving tar out of him with the blunt end of her sword's pommel and crossguard.
    "DID I SAY YOU COULD ATTACK THESE FINE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN?" She shouts.
    "NO. YOU PAY ATTENTION TO *ME*!"
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Kirito rushes in as the Red one aims for the weaker ones. One of his blows hard enough to cause it to stagger for a moment and unable to reach Shiroe - but is unable to prevent him from reaching one of his other allies. At his call to SWITCH, Zorin jumps in, flame darting the creating in the back and halting another attempt at taking down their healers - who are doing their best to keep up with the demand of this battle. Misa's sudden Curse upon the enormous thing lowers its ability to keep up with some of the damage coming in. Nureha soon blasts it with a second debuff, the Frost Shock causing the red Kobold to suddenly slow down just a bit, enough for some of the rest to get out of the way...

Amalthea rushes the red one, catching its attention once more as she pummel-strikes it right in the spine, causing it to fall forward and drop its chopping weapon, as well as another bar of HP.

Xander just barely manages to avoid another cutting blow, right before retaliating and getting a nasty whip of fire into the blue Kobold's body, grabbing at its blades and halting its attack on one of his allies. Mizuki's orange lit Firebolt follows moment's later. The hero's spell igniting right underneath the blue being and blasting it up and off of one of the tanks. Only moments later, as it comes back down, Wisteria cuts right into its leg and can use the fall for extra effect, causing Sickfang to fall down for a moment.

Kita attempts to make use of this obvious moment of weakness, splitting and impacting into the blue Kobold, but it seems to be able to use its blades to halt some of the damage of her strikes, lowering their effectiveness! But not a second later, the red lining on its daggers causes one of them to break, as Count V makes use of this momentary weakness and uses his coin to shatter the massive blade's metal!

With the blade gone, it uses its other one in an attempt to intercept Kaydon bouncing off of Xander's shield, but fails to quite catch him! The big blade carves into its head, causing it to screetch in pain and grab for its head. It's on its last HP bar!

The Blue Kobold's purple eyes suddenly shine, and it throws away its remaining dagger. And instead, it grabs for the last weapons near its back. Two, absolutely enormous, Huuma Shuriken the size of its own arms. It blocks a blow coming in for it, and then begins to spin them, causing a massive red-glowing hurricane to blow through the area in a spin-circle that requires people to move with the Kobold or back up as fast as possible. But the moment this is done, it throws one of Shruriken out, causing them to spin in the air and causing a constant and seemingly permanent threat in the form of a red glowing damaging TWISTER!

The red one's eyes then turn to purple, as it too berserks in that moment! It switches to an absolutely massive sword, and suddenly swings it down, causing three enormous lines of fire to blast forward across the lines, aiming to swallow up the allied forces!
Shiroe
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    A new formation comes into play as the groups proceed on the difficult task of trying to min-maxtheir attacks. Though for those that would end up becoming Switchers not only did they have to be proficient attackers, but those had enough oomph and MP left inorder to provide those last few pushes if they were needed. He continues to analyze the players so far. What amount of MP they had left, their health values, how their potential party dynamics would change should they leave. It was all factors he needed to take into account before...

    The sounds of both Kobolds roar in unison, and this time Shiroe works off the rust in his defense as Illfang comes for the rear guard. Wind envelops his form as he presses off the floor. There's not even a sound as he springs back. His lithe frame moving in ways that an Enchanter obviously shouldn't be capable of thanks to the spell as he and most of the others avoid the rough of it.<<Amalthea, I'm having you fall back from the front! Kaydon you too! I want you both ready to pounce on these guys if they need to get staggered. If it's one unit play off one another to see if skill has to be used. If both, just focus on getting the hit in no matter what!>> This would either go really well or really poorly. But at the very least if they did end up failing...If this fails, they can blame it on the strategist...

    Nureha, Misa, Sickfang's HP looks like it's about ready. We'll start throwing everything at Sickfang till he's down. Everyone else who isn't stunned from a skill, can refocus on Ill afterwards. We'll just need to be careful if we end up going into another phase when we bring him down...>>

    The fight continues and it seems like both are just at that tipping point but just not there yet....If that was the case, it was time for them to go to work.

    <<Ama! You're up! Focus on Illfang! Kaydon, you be ready to attack either->> Shiroe gets interrupted as he sees Kaydon use Xander's shield to propel himself into Sickfang. It's a bit impromptu, but Shiroe's definitely not gonna to complain about a solid hit like that. "That just leaves..." Illfang.

    To which Amalthea already heads out, her sword in hand making use of that pommel and guard to follow-up and direct its attention towards it. Giving Shiroe plenty of time to provide Illfang with a Zap spell as well to disorient it.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    'I see your stubbornness is doing you credit this time, Xander. Good work' Rings in Xander's ear as he makes ready for the next attack to come. He only cuts a glance to where Nureha is, but like even with Kita there isn't too much being said from the Rune Knight Tank.

When Kaydon comes running up and yell's out, 'Launch!' He realizes quickly what the Were Fang wants to and gives the guy and good shove in the air with his shield, helping with his springboard carry.

    Then as the spinning vortex happens, Xander refuses to move. He refuses to lose his ground. "Like hell..." His shield cast gold runes around its metal edge before he slams it into the ground, as massive rock ledge rises from the ground acting as buffer to the damaging wind, though he isn't sure how long it will hold.

"You want to play." He snarls out, his words low, "... lets play..."

    "Kita!" Xander tries to call over to her, "If you have enough MP! Add To!" Add to what? Why was his words seeming unfocused. Broken. That is a mystery for another day!

Then he whispers something and his sword starts to glow bright rid, igniting into flames as the runes burn brightly. He then rises up the sword and swings it toward the Kobold.

The flames roar over the edge of the slowly tearing away rocky protection, as it starts to spin in the opposite direction, flames burning hotter and brighter as he tries to channel it, creating a vortex of Fire that rises like a massive pillar against the cyclone of wind created by the Blue Kobold.
Kirito
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Kirito seems to smile in pure pride at the teamwork on display against the Red Kobald. He's not paying close enough attention to the blue one, but he manages to save Shiroe from getting run the hell over or at least buy him time from getting hit. With everyone else attacking it, Kirito take sa moment to prep his next skill.

Suddenly, however, the Red Kobald draws a giant sword. "Wait a second...thats not like the beta." he narrows his eyes before he calls out to Red Team. "Thats not a Talwar! THATS A NODACHI!" He has no idea how to fight this thing like that, but he charges forward. "Move!" he calls out as the attack is coming, but Kirito is fast enough to use a bubble-technique to try and block it, but the fire breaks through and gets to him, knocking him to the ground.

A section of his HP is now gone.

But he manages to stand up all the same, charging both of his blades with a technique, his blades glowing green for a moment as he leaps at Illfang, intending to damage him enough to completely bisect him as a finish. "Flower Cut!" He shouts loudly, trying to strike hard enough to help take this thing down.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Yeah! They're pouring on the damage, a quick glance indicates two more healthbars down! "Yeah!" Mizuki cheers. "Keep it up, and Blue won't even know what hit him!"

    But both bosses are shifting their patterns -- blue is spinning up a hurricane, while red is preparing to swing that giant sword. Mizuki sheaths her daggers and crouches in a horse stance with her side turned to Sickfang, and stomps her foot, then with her fingers held together and thumb tucked in on each hand, makes a diagonal upwards thrust in Blue's direction! A split-second later, a pillar of rock extrudes from the ground at an angle, flinging her over sword and hurricane alike!

    In the air, Mizuki takes a deep breath and spreads out her limbs as she falls towards Sickfang, trying to land on his upper body and dig in her claws!

    But the claws are just for purchase, not for damage. For that, she looks right at SICKFANG's little kobold head and breathes out a gout of intense magical flame, aiming to engulf it and make the last thing it sees flames instead of her allies' incoming attacks!
Zorin
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Illfang's eyes turn purple and a massive sword appears, followed by the Kobold smashing it down and waves of fire roll out.

Already running forward, trying to get into melee range of the Kobold boss and hold the aggro, Zorin sees that one of the waves of flame is coming in his direction. Sliding to an abrupt stop and slamming his shield against the ground his eyes glow with a golden light before flames spread out from his own shield, extending out and creating a half dome of flame around himself.

Then calling out to those few nearby, "Quickly, get behind me!" And after only a moment later the flames of the boss's attack reach him. Waves of heat can be felt, but the flames roll over and past Zorin and any who gathered behind him.

Panting after the excursion, Zorin rises to his feet. Some small fires are still burning around him, though they seems to be quickly extinguishing without much of a fuel source. "(How can I hold the aggro?)" Zorin wonders, not much else seemed to matter at the moment. Narrowing his eyes, he continued to run forward. Delivering another melee strike to the RED KOBOLD's legs should both hinder it and hopefully put him in a position to quickly react to any attacks coming.

Charging forward his scepter again glows with a red light as he closes in on the boss.
Kita
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

"Right!" Kita calls out to Nureha. There is still a lot that she needs to learn about raid-style fighting. You would think that the Kobolds would be slow, due to their size, but experience is demonstrating to the contrary. She shakes her arms, the dark energy still clinging to her fingertips.

It's at that moment when Xander's voice catches her attention. Well, at least he still remembers her name, that's something. It takes only a split second for her to realize what he's looking for. Rather than trying to dismiss the dark energy currently flaring through her, Kita lets it build. Beneath her, another of those rune circles forms, licking at her feet with that black fire.

"Come forth!" There is a strange, creeling roar as a skeletal creature that resembles a dinosaur emerges from the flames. It stalks forward, then spews more of those dark flames, trying to give that extra bit of magical potency that Xander's spell so clearly needs at the moment, the backlash of magical energies flowing out towards the BLUE KOBOLD.
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Even perfect zanshin can't protect from an overwhelming strike, at seeing the change and the massive blades slicing through the air Wisteria snaps energy coat into place with a word and gesture. Then the blade slams right through the spell intended to deflect MUCH smaller projectiles. The lance of muted pain and flash of a red line running through the Samurai indicates she should work harder on getting the materials for her armor.

    Pain is fleeting and her hitpoints still look okay. That wall of spinning metal might be a problem, instead she takes a different stance than her usual martial attack stance. Her katana is calmly sheathed, and both hands go to work drawing runes. "Earth and darkness come to my call, bind this foe and sap his strength." she finishes the glowing work and slams her power into it. "Thorn Bind Hostage!" She sends the mass of entangling entropic vines shooting from the floor to target and try entangling SickFang from below.
Count V
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0



Count V manages to get out of the way of the shuriken attack from Sickfang, /and/ dance out of the way of the persistent twister, but by the time he does so he's panting with weariness. If it was a rote pattern he'd be able to regulate it better, but this isn't a fight he learned-- and from the sounds of it, even if he had he wouldn't know all of it. He hasn't had to deal with this sort of fight in real time prior to now, and while his actual resources are only moderately taxed, there's an awful lot of energy that goes into every single one of these maneuvers he's making.

So when the enormous line of fire blasts down towards him--

"Flame Wall!" V has to summon up a tight, circular shield in order to protect himself from the blast. He's sooty and rather frazzled-looking in the aftermath, but perfectly intact.

Tucking his staff underneath his arm, Count V takes aim at Sickfang and shuts one eye, making a finger-gun motion at him. His open eye gleams ominous purple a second time, as a sphere of 'mana blue' energy builds at his fingertip. A moment later the purple begins to flow down V's arm, coalescing into a swirling, spinning bullet of deep blue and purple.

"Sinister Derringer!" Count V declares, a lance of like-colored power drilling through the air towards the Blue Kobold.

Nureha
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Ah. Exhilaration.

Nureha continues to smile like the cat who has cornered a particularly feisty mouse as she listens to Shiroe over the link. She nods once, acknowledging the message before passing on the information to the rest of the teams.

Then things start to get a little spicy.

The Death-Throe Phase starts for BLUE while RED moves into Enrage. This puts them both firmly in the next phase of the raider's lament.

Pissy Boss Mode.

Nureha continues to talk through the chaos, in a low and soothing drone that nevertheless seems to carry JUST enough information, complement, minor correction to nudge the groups as they first scramble to survive the pushback of the RED and BLUE kobolds, then re-group to form their counterattack groupings.

When the wild twister smashes down near her group, she throws out a hand, shielding them with energy that bites back, flashes of fire pulsing out from every hit as they dive for safety. She backs up quickly before burying herself back in information control, keeping an eye on MP useage, pressure and skill concentrations as well as the switch team who will be crucial should there be another phase after the first has been downed.

"May I suggest that we lay in some preparations for the possibility of a Pair Revive Tactic? We still have the resources to continue to push equally and your arrangement is keeping us together. I say.. what's sauce for the goose is same for the gander. It's a pity to lose another grand chandelier, though."

There is nothing worse than a damage tornado.. except maybe a fire tornado..

Don't even talk about sharks.

"Good timing, Mizuki. It can't hit what it can't see. Kaydon, that was quite the risk.. I want you to take some more. " One entire part of the boss chamber was on fire. "Xander. Miss Kita. I want both of you to pull back. We've still got the upper hand in momentum, so take a moment to collect yourselves."
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Gwen knows she's got to keep Illfang under control as the rest of the raid, for the most part, is trying to take out Sickfang.

<<Shirope I'll keep trying to hold Illfang as best I can.>>

The attack comes again she's back in the fight though she's not had much luck getting past the defences of the Red Kobold for the moment. Steel meets steel and she does feel alive right now. Maybe more so than in her entire life as the battle rages on. The big guy's eye turn purple and comes the massive blade. Kirito shouts out a warning she too is aware that wasn't normal either, she's got enough time to cast earth cradle and move as fast s she can she's just able to protect herself from a glancing hit. She's not floored but she's felt that one.

She comes out till alive and in the fight and she'll just try to get in under the Red Kobold's guard she strikes with everything she has in a powerful strike for the huge beats midsection.

"Hey did I tell you could do that? I didn't!"

Good they haven't lost anyone yet a testament to the raid leaders planning at this point she thinks.



<<Nureha how are things on your end?>>
Nureha
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

<<About as well as can be expected, considering the situation. Be careful. Red will be entering Last phase quite shortly, and very violently, I assume. >>

Nureha has inscribed runes in a rough half-circle around herself. Soon, Spears of Ice are raining down on the battlefield, plunging towards the BLUE Kobold.
Shiroe
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    "Eyes open!" It's the quickest warning he can give as he sees that not only Sickfang's gone into another phase change with those Shuriken. They come about with such force and speed that anyone likely caught in the strike was bound to get hit with a rather nasty blow. Plus the fact they also needed to be vigilant of a possible attack from Illfang that might pincer them? It was a rough ask. Shiroe prepares as best he can. "Tanks! Get ready! Support keep your distance!" He finds himself spewing more orders in the chaos, trying to somehow keep his voice concise, clear, and as calm as possible while still retaining the ability to break the noise of shuriken being thrown, fire blasts, spells, and everything else that was happening. It wasn't just a battle against the Kobolds he was facing, it was one against the entire battlefield itself. That in and of itself was what was a truly difficult challenge. But even before that they needed to focus on avoiding those Shuriken. Shiroe provides a flame shield inorder to try and mitigate some of the damage that the Tanks providing defense for their group would take, hoping to buy the rear guard enough time to get themselves out of range of the assault. He somehow manages to get back as well before the shuriken reaches him, but trulyfully he has no idea how.

    Thankfully he wasn't in the line of fire of...The line of fire so is one of the few who doesn't bother himself with it immediately as he redirects his attention to the battlefield. Damage and mana, debuffs, buffs, and cool down times. He was sure when this fight was over he was going to need a break. Though even if they were starting to bring the HP of the both of them down, communication was starting to dwindle. Even now Shiroe was finding himself being attacked by the different inputs of all the players trying to relay information his way. The first thing he finds himself responding to is Gwen, "Understood. Keep him stalled, but if he starts going into a phase change watch yourselves. We'll try to deal with Sickfang as quick as we can."

    That's when he overhears something from amongst Nureha's group. "Right, at the moment we still have a few tanks and the like keeping Illfang's attention, but I doubt they'll be doing enough DPS to actually damage him. Hopefully, that'll still be enough that if there is a Pair Revive Tactic, we can keep it from triggering. Otherwise, the result is gonna be the same as if we didn't end up putting enough damage on Sickfang in the first place."

    Now all they needed to do was wait and see what would happen from here, he'd start bringing Ama and Kaydon into the call next, <<I want both of you ready to Follow up on Sickfang, don't bother holding back this time. We're ending him before he get throw out his next attack.>>

    Those are the last things as Shiroe prepares a Fierceness of Earth. He was fully intending to provide either Kaydon or Ama the finishing blow if they needed that extra oomph in their strike to make sure that they took down the blue kobold.
Kaydon
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

The blow from Kaydon's blade strikes home, and he watches that health bar drop off, leaving just one more remaining. He drops himself down to the ground and gets ready for the next attack, only for the boss to change tactics again. Kaydon brings his sword up and uses it to deflect a blow from that shuriken, but it knocks him backwards out of range of the blue kobold.

He holds his position for the moment, he's clearly looking for an opening, but like last time, he'll wait for Shiroe's cue in order to strike, in case the Villain wants him to change targets.

But he doesn't, and in fact, is now providing a buff. Perfect. Kaydon rises up, and he spots his opening. It's small, but it's there.

Plus it'll be ironic when he busts this move out.

The were fang charges forward, pushing through the front line, and then drops down to his knees. He slides under the shuriken, letting himself be battered by the winds, though instead of fighting against them, channeling them into his own blade.

"GALE OF SWORDS!"

He launches upwards, sending out his own tornado strike back into the boss' face, intent on canceling out the kobold's and bringing the fierceness of the winds to bear on him.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    No sooner than Shiroe tells her to fall back from the front, Amalthea shifts her tactics. Letting Zorin and Gwen take the role of tank, fully, she focuses on throwing in as much DPS as she can wherever she's needed.
    Needless to say, seeing Illfang take a fall like that after she beats on him like he stole something is... Satisfying. But there's little time to revel in small victories when that wall of flame rushes out. Hunkering behind her shield, it glows with a golden light as she backs off again and readies to throw in another assault where needed.
    Shiroe says to follow up on Sickfang--
    But it looks like Kaydon has that handled. She'll let the young man shine, it is not her place to take his spotlight in this moment. Her focus returns to Illfang.
    Amalthea snorts once and tests her footing; scuffing the ground once with her boot before she holds her shield in front of her...
    She takes off at a sprint.
    Going full tilt, she bull-rushes the red bastard at her top speed, fully intent to crash right into him at top force, shield-first with bone-jarring force.
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Kirito warns that the Red boss is behaving unlike its former counterparts, wielding a different blade type with completely different abilities - confusing people and ruining previously set strategies to deal with this enemy. Another change that had come with the Apocalypse? Another effect of the Cursed Wave? Or merely an expansion pack addition that would have ensured the players would get a proper difficult battle to deal with? It certainly seems to be leaning that way, as Zorin tries to hold its Aggro, taking a fierce flame beam his way, and is blown away - unable to reach its legs this time.

Gwen rushes in, halting Red's continues fierce assault, using her shield to the best of her abilities while the rest is trying to switch on and deal with Blue! Amalthea joins in with Gwen, slamming her shield right into its face - causing Illfang to stagger and wobble back.

Xander throws the massive blazing pillar at the wind pillar... which absorbs it and turns into a /raging fire wind pillar/, which continues to seek after his allies. Kita tries to aid Xander at the same time to perhaps overcome the raging pillar, but it seems the boss' control is too powerful for them to take back hold of it!

Wisteria and Mizuki however, break through! Mizuki's blazing wave of fire blinds to Blue Kobold for a moment at the same time that Wisteria unleashes her Thorn Bind Hostage. The multiple ticks on the Thorn Bind immediately ticking for each second of flame, right before it detonates and releases the Sickfang!

Just in time for it to jump out of the way of Count V's Sinister Derringer attack, avoiding another hit on its HP, and immediately throwing its Fuuma Shuriken for him, trying to cut him down! But Misa gets in front of him, in the midst of her own cast, the blade cutting against the pole of her weapon, forcing her a few steps back, before her streams of darkness are cast forth and the Fuuma is returned to the Kobold at the same time. It manages to catch its weapon, but is unable to respond in time for that attack - which impacts right onto its head and drops its HP again!

This moment is what Shiroe and Kaydon were waiting on. Shiroe buffs Kaydon as he rushes forwards, dropping to his knees and sliding under another throw of one of those enormous Fuuma Shuriken, the winds cutting at his body, before launching upwards, tornado striking and hewing through its body, ripping it apart and causing its HP to finally drop to red... no... zero...

As it shatters into many pearls of light.

The Red Boss doesn't seem to react to this at first, beyond the fact that it continues to Berserk through the region. It flame-blasts another group of allies, before it turns, and slows for a moment... and then... jumps.

It jumps, and begins to jump against the walls. Against the chandeliers. Cutting the Chandeliers down, cutting at the walls, creating a constant hazard zone - while coming down at random angles and cutting for the raiding party.
Nureha
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Chaos.

Sometimes she can navigate through it, but the group around her starts to fray at the edges and she starts to lose control of the rolling cadence of actions she predicts the boss will take.

Blue does go down.. but with it, Red goes completely bug-house nuts. The entire battlefield becomes a razor lined field of broken glass and twisted metal, the giant house-sized thing moving with extra-ordinary speed from dead angles they cannot protect against.

Her group starts to fall, one by one and then three at once, taking the direct hit of a dead angle slash.

Failure.

They had it and a shining, inspiring victory slipped from her fingers because she didn't see far enough. Didn't react fast enough.

Weak.

Gods Damnit it Touko, you are so weak. Gods above, we prayed. We prayed for better than you.

Nureha is one of the few survivors of her group, red lines marring one entire side of her body from exploding shrapnel. She pulls her clothes, fidgeting with them, her eyes downcast. Her hands grip the staff until her knuckles are white, ears and tail flat. "..Kami preserve this wayward spirit. Let all eyes see the truth. Let all hands pierce the darkness. Let all minds clear from the chaos."

A purple design appears over her face, her eyes glowing purple for a moment before she points at Kaydon, giving them a buff to their accuracy before she hammers the 'Recall' command, retreating from the battle. She sends out a message to Court V and any other Plant Hwyaden members still alive that they should do the same, caution being the way of such things.
Kita
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

It is the second time Kita has called on her dark magic, and the second time that the effect has not been quite what she intended. "Shit." She curses, feeling the after effects that come with that particular skill tree. The flames linger along her form, not completely expelled with the casting. Which might explain why neither spell had hit the mark.

She can hear Nureha calling her back, and Kita is already moving when the Kobold begins to jump. She can feel the moment that the blade slices into her back. The black mage falters, dropping to one knee, a large gash showing in red glow across her back. Gritting her teeth, she forces herself back to her feet. There is no easy mode of retreat with the boss jumping around so quickly.

"I'll try to slow him down." She flips her spellbook open, fingers mapping runes in the air. Large spires of plantlife swell up from the ground. They merge with the spell being cast by Shiroe, creating a trap for the boss.

That is when Kita takes a second hit. The blow impacts hard, sending her sprawling onto the ground. There is a half second, just long enough for a breath, where it seems like she might not move again. Then, with a gasping breath, she grits out, "I'm out. Sorry." Her hitpoints hover right at the edge, blinking red, so she punches Recall, retreating from the fight.
Kirito
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

It seems almost everyone takes a hit from the Red Kobald, with Kirito getting knocked straight to the ground during the takedown. Though Kirito stands back to his feet, growling as he notices his health bar. 10.

Not good. He knows what happened to the people who have 'died'.

So he calls out. "Those too low on health, fall back now! Everyone else, attack with everything you have! Don't hold back at all and don't give the boss a moment to breath. Switch mentality! GO!"

Kirito prepares two abilities simultaneously, the first is a ranged attack with his left-handed sword, flames expelling from his blade's tip and smashing into Illfang. The next is a dark-attribute skill, Arcane Shot. Though he's using it as a melee skill for detonation damage.

As others get into battle and get their hits in, Kirito leaps forward, aiming to strike Illfang from one corner of his body to the other, roaring as he does so, pouring everything he has into one more hi from him.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Sickfang is dead and that just leaves Illfang. ... Illfang, who makes himself a nonstop HAZARD, leaping about and dropping things on the group.
    Amalthea braces with her shield only to look up and scowl.

    "ANCHOR HOWL!"

    Her shout is loud and defiant, an aura of light suffusing her body and shield as she does her best to protect herself and others from the debris, only to look up.
    "Ah hell." The old adventurer grouses as a chandelier lands on her with crushing force.
    It takes her a few seconds to crawl out from under the wreckage, scrambling free with a snarl, frustration burning in her eyes as she lunges, shield swinging out in a violent blow, followed up by raising her blade, holding the sword aloft it glows with a white light as she hacks and cleaves and smites, wild and furious; beyond words, beyond tactics, just straight up righteous fury.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Things go sideways quickly. The fire is consumed and Xander couldn't get control of it back, even with Kita's help. "Kita!" He calls over to, "RUN!" But perhaps the call was too late. Thankfully the rest of the team takes down the Blue Kobold.

That leads the red one who starts to cause massive issues. Xander attempts to get over to assist, but as debry comes crashing down he has to use his shield to knock it away and skids back on his feet. He grits his teeth, his vision getting a little blurry, but he shakes his head.

    Focus.
    Breathe.
    Control.

    Xander goes to move in, his boots hitting the ground. His eyes watching where the Kobold goes, trying to find the pattern in his moves. Then with a warcry of a roar, his sword glows gold as runes light up along the blade, and as he comes down to the ground, he slams the blade into the floor below.

The magic traces along the ground, before it explodes up with an Earth Pillar in attempt to interrupt the Kobold's movements. It was maybe enough to buy time, before the next assault came. Maybe enough time for people to escape. To do, what he couldn't do for his brothers in the real world so long ago. To give his team mates-- a chance to escape.

    Then as the next wave comes, Xander continues to march on. He uses his shield once more. The blow slams him back, shattering his shield as the condition goes zero, but he keeps moving on.

This time the Salamander goes from a walk, to a run, he waits to see where the Kobold will end up, as he goes by, he uses his magic to raise earth shielding help people get out. Give them more time to escape.

He then waits for it, his sword becoming a bright red. Blazing with fire, as the runes ignite. He waits for it. That opening. As soon as his team mates give it to him, he sends out the sword like a whip once more, aiming for the creatures neck, "FALL!!!" He roars out with everything he has and pulls just as equally to help bring down the boss, turning his back away as he does, before going down on a knee.
Zorin
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Despite Zorin's effort another wave of fire from the Kobold Boss knocks him back through the air. Land hard and sliding across the ground. Climbing to his feel he grimaces in pain. "(This isn't working. Illfang is too maneuverable.)" As he runs back to position he watches is despair as the Kobold again launches up into the air and off walls.

But then the Blue Kobold shatters into motes of light. They were doing it! They were so close!

Finally, deciding on a course of action, Zorin runs to be near the healers in an attempt to protect them from damage. If he can't keep the boss focus on him, at least he can be there for those who need it.

Chandeliers start to fall, screams can be heard as not everyone is able to get out of the way. "(Faster. I have to get there faster!)" Zorin screams at himself in his own mind. Working to get into position.

Then the RED KOBOLD lands again for another attack. An opportunity! While still running Zorin utters a chant to the Burning One and suddenly stands still as he aims his scepter at the boss. A beam of concentrated light shoots out from the scepter towards the boss.

And then a moment later a chandelier crashes down on Zorin, exploding into fragments. Crying in pain, Zorin is driven to the ground, his HP extremely low. This was not looking good.

This was it, no more. Zorin slowly climbs to his feet, the wreckage of chandielers all around. No more running. One last gambit. Watching as the Kobold jumped around he focused on its trajectory through the air and then cast a Flame Wall directly in its path as it came down for another attack.
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Gwen has been taking a hell of a lot of punishment from the Red Kobold, and it's pretty damn brutal. She's caught again and again and even as she gathers light about her and lets loose with Anchor Howl?

"ANCHOR HOWL!!" The Boss keeps coming it slams into her again and again. The wireframe damage becomes more and more visible until Gwen almost looks like some kind of horror movie monster herself. She'll start chanting to cast a spell. She forms a pillar of Earth trying to take the boss down.

The Pillar of Earth just isn't enough this time to do much if anything to the boss.

Then comes it's next attack Gwen's shield can't take anymore and it shatters into motes of light as it's durability gives out and Gwen? Well, it's bad very bad she's pounded into the ground and goes skidding back a good way. The towering woman is down, or so it seems. She comes too with like five HP left, the healers are overtaxed there will be no getting her healed up in time. She'll follow the order to withdraw and will move to get the hell out of the boss room, though she'll not go too far, it should still leash right?
Count V
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0



Sometimes, the final stretch of mechanics are what really get you. Count V prepares to use one of his numerous shield options to deal with the incoming shuriken-- and misses it by half-a-moment. The colossal weapon tears through his midsection, a line of white spreading out from the point of impact. His HP disappears by a third, and he tumbles backwards into the wall with a pronounced cry of surprise and pain. He's fine. He knows he's fine. He's got some buffer HP to work with--

Then the next round of mechanics come. V knows they're coming, can see they're coming, and there's nothing he can do about it because the 'real exertion' of the experience and the shock of being brutalized a moment ago makes him too slow to react. He gets up and starts moving just in time to be caught in one of the chandeliers falling.

His HP bar is flashing, and his whole body throws off motes of light as he's caught underneath one of the chandeliers. He doesn't manage to join in on the fighting-- when he does feebly act it is merely to do maintenance healing on those around him.

It's not enough, though.

By the time he's up again, Count V's first thought is of retreat. Nureha disappears in short order-- and her /orders/ on the subject appear as well. He stares at them for a moment. That's the correct thing to do. That's the 'hard mode' strategy in a nutshell. Learn the fight, practice, come back another day. That's the way of things, but... They're so close. So close he can taste it. His eyes flick to his MP gauge. There's just enough left to do the force multiplier thing.

Count V's wings, luminous with fragmentation from damage, spread out to their full span. He raises his winged, eyed staff and calls, "NIGHTMARE SPHERE!"

The ominous bolt of power descends across the boss room near enough to Illfang as to make no difference whether it strikes quite home or not. It expands outwards rapidly, occupying a wide sphere of space in which every force in the world is working against its target-- and to a lesser extent, for those who fight beside it.

His MP gauge flashes empty, and his HP gauge continues to blink in dire warning.

Kaydon
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Frankly Kaydon can't believe that even worked as he manages to carve through the blue kobold's health, his tornado doing exactly what he intended it to do, and sending the beast into sparkles and bubbles and everything else. But the fight's not over yet.

He turns around to see the pissed off red one, clearly another mechanic for when one or the other is defeated. He moves to defend himself but catches a hit from one of the falling chandeliers. Not willing to let that stop him, however, he manages to evade another strike from the boss, and then return in kind.

He drives forward, aiming to lash out into the red kobold with his blade, forcing it to wither under his strikes. His weapon flashes as he strikes, one after another and then a third. Then he leaps backwards, putting distance between himself and the boss in case this fails, throwing a wave of kunai in a cone in front of him as he retreats, "BURST SHOT!" With the distance between himself and the boss, now he can steel himself against any more incoming attacks, though with the withering attacks from his fellow raid members, that seems unlikely!
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Mizuki clings to Sickfang as the attacks come in -- as long as she's there, after all, she can't be hit by the whirling fire! She looks briefly worried as that last health bar takes agonizingly long to reach zero... Didn't Shiroe, who is apparently one of their tacticians, say to concentrate fire?? But then Sickfang shatters into polygons (no pair revive mechanic! Yes!) and she falls out of the air, shouting, "One down! Let's finish this, Scales!"

    That leaves ONE giant kobold to fight! A giant kobold who goes berserk! She uses air magic to triple-jump out of the way of the flame and return fire in kind, but then he starts bouncing off the walls and cutting down more chandeliers! Suddenly EVERYwhere is dangerous! "Stone's embrace, protect me! Stoneskin!" The stone armor forms and clings to her body, but she is ON FIRE -- not literally -- and leaps through the chaos like a ninja, even using the chandeliers as stepping stones in mid-air to avoid attacks!

    Mizuki draws a pair of kunai and waits for an opportunity... and gets one after she leaps off a chandelier just before Sickfang bounces off a wall. As she falls, she aims at where SICKFANG's going to be and flings one kunai, then the other, with deadly force! "OWARI DA!"
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Wisteria watches SickFang drift away in motes of light. Zanshin has her turning to face IllFang only to find a foot decending from the celing. She tucks into a roll and just gets out from under it, instead being kicked into one of the pillars. The impact and muted pain driving the breath from her. She growls as she comes to her feet. "Two can play this game Kobold!" she shouts something she never would have expected to say in all her life... when did she even learn that word? This world is just seeping in through the cracks around the edges. It's like living in another country the language just sort of starts slipping into your speaking patterns. She waits until it's braced on the wall ready for another diving strike and she stomps. Her large bunbun foot slamming into the ground with a clack of zeta on stone, and then a racing green energy explodes from the impact. The ground shaking hard enough to rattle the wall. She stomps again to disrupt it's grip on the wall.

    Then she's spotted and it's retaliation strike with it's blade is caught on a pillar of stone that leaps up to the Caerbannog's defense.

    "Do better!" she roars at it, and charges in, her hands going to her sword again. Her zeta making a 'clack clack clack' mixed with the grinding of stone. Then she's making another iaitsu strike. Ki "BLIND!". Ken the blade slashing directly from the sheath into an arc of dark energy. Tai her foot slams into the ground arresting her forward momentum as the vicious dark energy streaks for the boss' eyes and head.
Shiroe
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    <<Sickfang is down, prepare for possible phase change and prepare to have all DPS burst him down while we can>> The first boss had been handled, motes but the job wasn't done. More now than ever the boss was going into it's final phase more than likely. That which would be the most difficult to manage. That was going to prove to be more than true. At first, it didn't immediately seem to be the case. There was enough wiggle room that he finds himself able to avoid the worst of the flame blast with Aero. Yet there are clearly those that aren't as lucky from that first wave of strikes.

    He watches as a large portion of Plant Hwyaden end up becoming nothing but tombstones, and when he sees that there's a single person among them still standing he finds himself shouting out to them, and them alone. Even through trying to give orders and the like. Kirito was already dishing out order to retreat but this person's HP was so dwindled that...

    "NUREHA!!!"

     As the 'Recall' command is applied, she ends up hearing a single voice call out. A voice that in all of the chaos still calls out in concern for her and her alone. It's a voice that wasn't in her head, it was a voice in the present. Though whether she'd see the name of the person who called out in those last moments...It was hard to say when she pressed the button at just the right time.

    Unfortunately, just cause a few had retreated so far didn't mean that the others could afford to let up. Shiroe had continued to keep monitoring the situation as best as he could, but when Sickfang began to increase it's mobility, even he found himself losing track until, "AAAAaagggggh!!!!"

    The Kobold's mobility ends up allowing it to break through their crumbling defensive lines and Shiroe finds himself completely blown off his feet from just the after shock of the landing alone. He rolls and fumbles across the ground. His body cut and grazed from the attack as well as the glass littering the floor. More than half his health depleting in one go as he sees he's only got around 10% left. And yet...If I leave now we won't have enough eyes to monitor the battlefield...And if we can last just 30 more seconds... They could win. They could honestly truly win. He looked at the health of the others and how quickly they were going down. He looked at how much MP they had, he looked at the rate the boss had been attacking. Shiroe pushes up his glasses. A small gleam of light bouncing off as he stands to his feet. They could win...Cause the numbers don't lie.

     THORN BIND HOSTAGE

    The Kobold had been jumping from wall to wall, but the moment he spotted an opening, Several vines proceeded to ensnare around it's form. It's body pinned in place as it attempted to escape and resume it's attack path. <<All remaining Support are to use debuffs to reduce speed! Tanks follow in with DPS and make sure you take as much Aggro as you can! DPS This battle rides all up to you now! You'll have about 30 seconds to hit this guy with everything you got, so end this thing like the first and let's go to the Second Floor!>>

    It was perhaps a bit more enthusiastic than he was known to do but well, he was still acting as a leader and well...In a weird kind of way. It was exciting. He watched as everything fell into order. Support providing buffs and debuffs as necessary. Tanks soaking up the last of the Boss' normal attacks, and finally the DPS was dishing out their most powerful skills. And while it wouldn't be as flashy...At least he can say that when each one of those skills triggered and landed, his thorns would have provided that extra bit of damage needed. It was enough to provide the killing blow on its own. But it was enough, just enough to help the rest of the party finish the job. What better way was there for an Enchanter to fight?
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Plantlife holds down the massive Kobold as Kita brings forth her magic; weakening the last remaining boss as it goes apenuts and hard to track. Kaydon is given a buff by Nureha, just before she has to retreat alongside Kita; the wise action here, no doubt. Death isn't something folk so easily wager with, even with the promise of resurrection.

Anchor howl! Not just Gwen, but Amalthea too try to draw its attention. But it seems like the boss is ignoring whatever is most similar to a 'threat table' here. They still manage to hit their retaliatory strikes however, but they can't stop it from taking down some of their allies, and taking some serious hits. Gwen however, is forced to retreat as well.

An Earth Pillar sent by Xander slams into Red's side for a moment, granting others a moment to attack it, before the Salamander manages to get into the battle proper again and carves off Illfang's arm! Zorin continues his flame assault, blasting into Red's side, and halting its retreat with a well placed flame wall!

NIGHTMARE SPHERE! Count V's call is made very clear, catching the Kobold square in the body and forcing its arm up - almost dropping its blade. A massive 'circle' of red damage showing all over its body. An HP bar disappears. It's on its last leg! Kaydon ensures it can't react and go into its next phase like the previous one did by quickly pinning it with a Burst Shot, and Mizuki and then goes for Illfang with their Kunai, stabbing them straight in the eye with it, causing it to get the HALF BLIND status.

Wisteria continues to show that she is in fact the very model of a modern samurai-general, green energy slamming into its body, before blinding it fully, and granting it the FULL BLIND status. Misa uses this opportunity to go /all in/, the torrent of wind from her scythe casting forth and rending into the thing, its HP dropping faster, approaching red! A flash of light. The reaping blade CUTS and rips the other arm off. The Kobold is now suffering the DISARMED status. It tries to get away, but Shiroe manages to root it in place, halting its attempt at a retreat and to heal itself back up!

And in comes Kirito, rushing straight down the center of the battlefield amidst the blows. His previous long range attack having slammed into the thing's body, and with it blinded and disarmed, his feet manage to hit on its belly and allow him to make for a higher reaching jump, before bringing down his blade, carving the being in twain!

The creature twitches and shakes for just a moment... before finally...

It shatters in a pearl of light, and everyone suddenly gets a message on their UI, even those who retreated just moments ago. A single message, in a nice textbox.

                            << CONGRATULATIONS >>                            
                                    FLOOR                                    
                                      1                                      
                                   DEFEATED                                  
                                                                              
                         EXTRA OBJECTIVE COMPLETED:                          
                                * UNDERLEVELED                                

Followed by a chime, and something appearing in their inventory boxes. Something that... doesn't normally happen. There is no autolooting in Elder Tale Online.

Yet there it is...

The "First Challengers' Coin".
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    CRIT! One of her kunai hit it in the eye, lucky! Mizuki now has to focus on landing safely, but looks back up in time to see Illfang being cut to pieces!

                             << CONGRATULATIONS >>                              

    She pumps a fist in the air. "We did it! Yeah! Oh, I should have a victory pose..." She folds her arms and looks like a SERIOUS NINJA. Her scarf flutters dramatically in nonexistant wind.

    "No, that's too serious." She smiles, puts one hand on the hilt of a dagger and with the other points a thumb at herself. "My eyes may be blue, but I've got samurai spirits!" Eh, she can work on a proper victory quote later.

    But then, puzzlingly, there's an item notification. Since when does that happen? Mizuki rezzes the coin from her inventory and appraises it curiously.

    "'It is said'? By who?! Did this item even /exist/ until just now??"

    If Wis hasn't already tacklehugged her, she'll put the coin away and run up to Wis to give her a VICTORY HUG. "We did it! Our first boss!"
Xander
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Xander watches as the message comes up and he slides it away from his view as he stands up. Though what was odd, was what happened next. The coin. He gives it a look over before placing it back in his inventory.

Then the Salamander goes to make his way out. Not up to the next level, but back out to the main Floor 1. As he passes by a few who are suffering from low HP, he does some minor healing, but yet he continues on his way, leaving the celebrating to others.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    And then. Illfang falls.
    And not a moment too soon, Amalthea was getting tapped.
    The old adventurer collapses to her knees, huffing and panting, wiping at her brow with the back of her hand.
    "Jesus, Christ, it's finally done." She mutters.
    "How many floors to go, now?"
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Gwen returns when the all clearis givne it seems an emergancy line healer who was too low to make the push had patched her up a little bit and she's retuen to make sure everyone as all right. She'll lend a hand there she's grinning pretty widly here as she sees the monument and she'll go check up on Amalthea.

"99 more my friend."
Kirito
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

With one fell swoop, all landed the finishing blow, but it would appear that Kirito has landed the final shot needed to end Illfang the Kobold Lord. But to secure the dungeon was the work of all, and it was all worth it to see the <<CONGRATULATIONS>> screamed in the words above.

He seems to smile a little bit as his swordarms rest to such an extent that he kind of droops until he manages to get healed. "We won." Kirito says under his breath as he straightens out and sheathes the blades on his back. Then he sees it -- their names inscribed and their presence immortalized in the ageless stone.

He turns to look at Shiroe, Misa, Amalthea, Xander, Mizuki...those who ran and those who stayed, and he just smiled. But he does look to Amalthea with a chuckle. "99 more to go." he smiles, before he starts moving, apparently intent on pushing on towards the next floor.
Kaydon
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Once the second boss is down, and Kaydon is sure that there's no more surprise mechanics, he falls onto his back and lays there. "Ninety-nine." He replies to Amalthea, from where he's laying on the ground, "We'll need to level up, uh. A lot more..We can't keep trying to take these underleveled."
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    <<CONGRATULATIONS>> Wisteria sheaths her sword, shifts into human form and falls to her knees. "I want omelette rice." she says and flops over onto her back. "We always get omelette rice after a tourney victory." and then she's crying. The amazing vicious Were Fang samurai is just laying on the floor of the throne room bawling her red eyes out.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    "Are we there yet?" Amalthea asks sourly, in a petulant tone unbefitting her age.
Count V
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0



Count V remembers a lot of instances of not taking the risk. Of evacuating the area, regrouping, and coming back to try again. But he also remembers the rarer moments of daring. Passing words of, 'Ah, whatever, we'll figure it out as we go.' They weren't that common, but sometimes they were the only way to do things-- much to a strategist's horror, he supposes.

It's the first time he's done it this 'go' around, and it was a narrow thing.

Friend invites go out en masse in short order, before V inspects the coin that just appeared in his inventory-- and, putting it away, trails after the first person he notices dare to go check out the second floor: Misa Takayama.

Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    We did it! Our first boss! Yay? Wisteria status: Not yay! Mizuki takes a brief moment to fill the others in on the coin: "It says flipping it in the air will make Landers listen to us like a king, once."

    And then she kneels by Wis's side. "Hey. Um..." She leans over to try and hug the bawling were fang comfortingly, not sure what to say.
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

Gwen accepts the friend invite from Count V and thengets the idea fo fgire them off to anyone she does not have here. She looks at interest wih the coin she got and stores it back heading up with everyone else.
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Wisteria rolls over and burries her face against Miz's lap and wraps her arms around the other girl's waist holding tight and just crying. No trying to explain why or maybe she doesn't even understand why, but combat stress, plus home sickness, plus victory shakes, all pile in to just overwhelm and crush the teen into a blubering mess.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Mizuki pats Wis on the back awkwardly, "There, there..." and tries to shift her legs so she's sitting instead of kneeling. Floor 2 isn't going anywhere, there were caerbannog needs her now. She's not sure there's anything to say so she'll just... be here.
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Wisteria spends a good half hour or so just having a nice little freak out. She eventually stands up and wipes her eyes. "Sorry..not...not really sure why that happened." she says and tries to go back to being cool.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Mizuki has lied down and started daydreaming by then. She startles when Wis finally moves. "Eh... it's fine. I mean... maybe it's not fine, in that you don't cry if you're fine, but we're stuck in here with no psychologists, so..." she kips up.

    "So, feel up to a 'yaaay, we did it!' or would you rather just take a quiet walk up the stairs to see what's on level 2?"
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0

    Wisteria hugs tight "Come on, lets go look, then we'll find Jaz and hunt down some real food."
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 0


    Mizuki pats the bunny on the back again, then takes her hand and heads to the stairs. "Yeah, let's go see."
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 2


                                      ...                                      

    "Man, there are a lot of stairs."

                                      ...                                      

    "...That... now we have to adventure in an endless desert?? This doesn't feel like much of a reward..."
Wisteria
Aincrad Tower - 1 - 3 - 2

    Slogs up the stairs and looks around at the sandscape "Yup... desert." she says "OKay let's go find Jaz and get dinner." she says with a smile.