Climb: The Floor 3 Boss

Departing from Zumfit with advice from the Elders, Scale Emblem continues on their coarse to get out of this world and try to get home. With their people well over the level of the 3rd floor by now, they intend to push straight through and bum-rush the boss with extra forces, holding the information they need to take down Nerius the Evil Treant.

Liminality
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Kizmel has delivered the team to the massive tree that reaches all the way into the Skies of this particular floor. The dark skinned Pooka offers her farewell, but refuses to go inside. Notably though, there's something strange sitting at the edge of the Tower. A cart seems to have been moved here, containing a sizable amount of Potions and Antidotes. Enough for a raid party like this. On asking around, nobody knows how it got here though.

Provided by Prophylaxis, there is also the 'Vaccine' to deal with the Spores that are likely to get released by the dangerous Boss of the Third Floor.

The enormous vine-covered wall require a significant amount of people to push open this time, revealing a rather unique looking inner chamber. If one can call it that. It's filled with dead steel-like trees, pale ground that looks like all the nutrients have been removed from it, and generally just feels... dead.

Aside from the ENORMOUS black tree at its center, which seems to sway to an invisible wind. As usual, it is too far in for people to attack it from the edge of the door. And entry is required. No doubt those doors will shut behind them the moment they get close enough to trigger the enemy's Threat.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Amalthea is here.
    She would not miss this for the world right now, after putting in the time and effort with several others to learn so much about this boss as humanly possible. With a word of thanks to Kizmel she waves the dusky-skinned Pooka off at the girl's farewell. The sight of the cart earns a baffled frown, but she won't be one to look a gift horse in the mouth as she helps herself to a potion and an antidote.
    "Alright everyone, here's the deal. We're facing a treant. A giant evil tree." The old Paladin calls for attention as she strides to the head of the group into tanking position. "The Landers of Zumfit have been kind enough to tell us what they know, and we've come up with quite a bit. Firstly they gave us a rhyme to work with. We believe the rhyme is key to a boss mechanic." She says clearing her throat.

    "There was a magician from Orth
    Who frequently brought magic fore
    On each Treant fighting day
    The magician would say
    'Darnit, I missed its Spore producing Core!'"

    She pauses here, looking sheepish at even reciting such a limerick, rubbing at the back of her neck for a beat before she regains her composure.
    "Fact of the matter is, when we find that core I want everyone in the raid do to their damnedest to go for it."
    "Thanks to Rylen Corvus we've found that the core may very well be in the roots so be prepared for that possibility. Also, the treant apparently has an HP drain mechanic. Doctor Prophylaxis has developed countermeasures for this, he says that for best effect to drink a dose before the fight, please see him for a dose if you have not already."
    That all said she takes a breath and draws her sword. "Any questions? Comments? If not, then everyone just do your best tonight. If you need to back out now or during the battle, for any reason, no one will hold it against you."
    A slow breath and once the viny doors are open she stares down the dark tree within.
    "We all ready?"
Tenix
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Well this is new!

Tenix hadn't made a trip into the tower since the Apocalypse had happened, but she had heard that some FIRE was needed inside thanks to someone researching it or something or other. Point is, if fire is needed, firebird has come to provide! ... She's aware she isnt the only one that can use it, but hey, the more the merrier, right?

    So, here she is, following through the tower to this great chamber with a cart full of potions and other things? Huh. She's on approach when Amalthea begins to explain the raid and promptly freezes, turns, and tunes in to hear all the juicy info and lore. ... Ha! She was right. The cart -is- important, so once she gives a wave and calls that she's "Ready!" she bounces over for the doctor's dose. VACCINES WORK YO. "One, please!"
Reika
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Reika shows up to the appointed place as well, she was there for the meeting of elders, and she's usually part of the fight for the floors. Everyone's doing their part until they figure out what's the deal with this place. Once they figure out if there is a way out of the game or not, well they can start thinking if they'd like to stay or go. Right now though, there's only one option, and it's forward.

She nods to Amalthea's question "All set. Do you think that Fire is preferred here?" She wonders if there's some elemental weakness to aim for here, strategically. Not that she has a big variety, but never hurts to check for options.
Rylen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

This is the first time that Rylen has faced off against a floor boss since the Apocalypse. He had been part of raiding parties once or twice before then, but this has an entirely different feeling to it. It feels more... real.

The Pooka Beastmaster has traveled here along with some of the warriors from Scale Emblem, despite his role as a Mentor for Crescent Moon. He has been offering words of support, making sure to keep spirits up, always quick with a smile and ready to lend a hand with whatever the team has need of.

At the moment, he stands with a team of figthers, which a certain Salamander just so happens to be part of. He has tried to strike up conversation with Xander a time or two during the journey, but mostly left him to be his usual, serious self in advance of the fight.

At Amalthea's acknowledgement, he gives a sort of lazy salute, grinning like the showman he is. He gives an appreciative bow towards the woman, a silent sort of thanks for the fact that she has made sure /everyone/ knows the latest intel for the fight. His silver eyes flash to Xander at that, giving the Salamander a look, brows raised.

He has a sense of excitement, causing him to bounce on the balls of his feet. "Ready as I'll ever be." He claps one fist into an open palm, giving a few quick air-punches, trying to loosen himself up ahead of the fight.
Prophylaxis
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Prophylaxis has indeed provided a vast number of (admittedly experimental) vaccines for the raid to use. "Everyone gets one," he reminds them, and casts a suspicious glance over at the wheelbarrow full of potions. He certainly didn't bring anything of the sort here. Perhaps this is why there's been a sudden rise in potion prices? But one large batch of curatives alone couldn't possibly be the only reason...

Well, they can deal with it later at least.

"As far as we know, fire will help," the doctor answers, but then shrugs helplessly, "Of course, who knows if it'll just piss the thing off and engage a Rage mechanic. We also think that Earth might be useful in exposing its poisonous fungal core, if said core is underground. I'm betting that doing that will give us better drops though. But who knows!"

It's not like any of them have ever run this before!!
Merek
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Merek walks along with the party of adventurers, well the whole little army which was brought, then he nods a bit while he moves to collect one of those potions from Prophylaxis. Then he drinks that, while he seems to consider, nodding. "Alright, I'm ready." He came to protect the people, he does not have as much interest as a lot of people in fighting the boss, though he seems to admit to himself that the Wave presents opportunity for answers.
Syx
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Syx hasn't come to one of these things before, he's been..Busy. Frankly he didn't think they would actually be able to successfully do it, but the fact that they've successfully done it twice has got his attention, and now the wrestler has shown up.

Of course he's doing his best to act cool, like he knows what he's getting into. Of course he sees that there are several folks who have been in these before, so they should totally be the ones taking the lead.

He wanders over towards Prophylaxis, and grabs one of the vaccines, "Thanks doc. You're the bomb."

He downs the drink, makes a face because it tastes terrible, and then moves to get into position. He takes a moment to take his vest off, barring his chest.

Armor is for nerds.
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Gwen thanks Kizmel as she finishes guiding the raid to the boss. She fully understands why she does not come with them. She will take the vaccine that is offered which should help against the spores. Gwen knows the core has to be taken out, however. She's a tank so DPS is not her main skill or focus. She will have to protect those going after the core, right? She has to wonder is this mass buy of pots what raised the price? She doesn't know but will stock up.

With that handled she'll turn to Amalthea for a moment as she speaks and she listens.

"So we'll need to hack and burn our way to the core while we keep the monsters off those going for it?"

She gives the far ol...experienced tank a look for a moment.

"Ready here."
Vertina
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Vertina may not seem like much of a thinker... But as an athelete that could of gone pro at one time had life not happened, she knows it's important to have a good game plan and is listening as intently as anyone else. As Amalthea is explaining she's ticking off her clawed fingertips. "Burn it with fire, find the core, destroy it. Got it." She tilts her head to the side. "I do know a few Earth techniques, I can try to bust up the ground around it if you'd think that would help with the roots. Or anything within them."

She pauses a moment to adjust the straps around her wrists and the palms of her hands. Feeling a need to invest in some manner of weaponry after the tourney she was wearing a simple pair of spiked knuckle guards. If they proved effective, maybe she'd look into something more personalized. For now, it would at least hopefully help her punch wood without splinter issues.

"Well then." She grabs one of the doses. Holds it up like it was a drink to toast rather than medicine. "To victory!" And gulps it down before following the rest of the crew into the den of the warped woodland fiend.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Joining the raid is another of S.E.A.'s tanks, the dark scaled Salamander with draconic feiry-golden eyes. As he approaches the group, he listens to what Amalthea has to say, remaining silent the entire time.

He looks over at the cart, before making sure to take a vial of this anti-toxin, which seems to be the smart move to make considering that if there is poison about, last thing a tank needs is their HP to be drained by an outside force /while/ dealing with damage from the boss as well.

    Xander goes to assist with opening the door as well, putting everything he has into it; At least if those who want him to help with opening the massive damn thing. Once they see the boss and the tree in the far back, he tilts his head ever faintly. Trying to think back on he original raid and /if/ this has changed any.

Not that it matters too much, it was clear what needed to be done. Use fire attacks to burn away much of the tree and earth to dig up the roots to find the core. Fire, well, fire was something that this Salamander didn't have short supply of.

    His eyes look over to Amalthea, then he says respectfully to her, "Amalthea, ma'am. Let me know when you are ready for us to take positions and where on the floor you like for us to go. I'll be assisting in the tanking like always, unless you desire my fire arts to be used else-wise... Ma'am."

That said, he does ignite his sword on fire, giving it a spin, before it extinguishes itself. Yeah, Xander was ready for this; Even if he wasn't showing any great outer emotion.
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Goldenblade is, as usual, somewhere near the middle of the crowd. Not eager enough to be in the front, but not complacent enough to be left far back. She listens up to Amalthea's explanation, and the odd limerick, to which she can only shrug. She'll step up to Doc P for a dose of the juice. "Got fire," she agrees, but can only shrug about earth. I do what I can do." She'll take her preventative and go over to stand ready with the others in this pretty big crowd. She was supposed to follow someone here, but she can't find them now, as much as she looks around. Well, it doesn't look like they're turning anyone away. She sort of invited herself along, but no one's complained yet.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    It's boss time!

    Of course Mizuki's here! Not just because it's practically an obligation for the Odysseia Knights, or because it might be one step closer to getting out, but also because every boss battle is a mix of excitement and getting to feel like she really matters.

    At the moment she's wearing a brown hooded cloak that better blends in with the forest, but she's got her ninja outfit on underneath. As they make their way through the forest, she observes, "It's incredible that people have lived their whole lives here for hundreds of years... I guess that was kinda the normal human state before mass transportation, though..." then she shakes her head. "Ugh, this place is getting to me. Talking like this place 'existed' before the Apocalypse..."

    She holds a poker face as Amalthea recites the limerick. "Shoot the core for massive damage, we got it." She helps open the door like before, and then: "Yep, that's an obvious boss room..." she takes Prophy's vaccine and one of the provided antidote potions, but she still has most of the ones Uta made so long ago, so she won't hog the supply here.

    "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's do it!" She raises a fist in the air. "One floor closer!"
Yuuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Yuuki has finally managed to join the those on the front line in their push against a floor boss. Previous factors had prevented her from being there for the first two. But she made sure that she'd be able to make it for this one, avoiding any complications that might have prevented her.

    Although, truth be told, there's likely nothing in this world that could have prevented Yuuki from coming to THIS floor boss fight.

    Yuuki is uncharacteristically quiet as the group makes its way towards the massive tree. Her expression is quite restrained too, her pace sedate as she walks. It's definitely not fear, the Champion Gladiator Imp looking as solid as rock. But there's definitely something on her mind.

    Yuuki pockets some potions and antidotes from the cart into her inventory, only partially paying attention to Amalthea as she lays out the information about the boss. She finally moves over to join those at the entrance to the boss room, downing her own preventative potion before drawing her sword and nodding briefly, "Ready."

    The large doors are pushed open, revealing the dead interior. And at the center, that massive tree.

    Yuuki looks at it for a moment, before murmuring to herself, "It's different than I remember..."
Atif
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    "Wait wait wait waaaaaaaaaiiiiit!"

    Who could possibly be yelling at an entire raid group to wait up, and for what possible reason?

    The answer to the first question becomes clear enough to whomever looks to the general direction the group came from. Something red, trailed behind by a golden line, flies through the air. Not by any power of flight of it's own, mind, but rather as if it was flung off of something else. Leaped, even?

    Rather than landing on his feet, though, the Salamaner that lands in misjudges the trajectory just enough that the bundle of red scales and hair ends up smacking right onto the ground and bouncing forward a few times. But in spite of that, he ends up rolling over mid-bounce and eventually landing into a crouch just a pace or so behind the rearmost members of the group.

    And lo, there's the sight of someone who definitely no one in the raiding group would ever remember even being in the vicinity of the tower before pants there, in place. If sweat was rendered, he would be utterly and completely *drenched*.

    "Am... oh sheesh... Am I late? I just decided to come along...."

    Did... did he run all the way from wherever he was to the tower, and then *up* the tower?

    "...And I might have gotten lost a couple times..."

    WHAT.

    THere's not much time for introductions or explanations for why he's only just *now* decided to get in on this tower-climbing thing, since everyone's more or less already making their way through the doors. So the red-scaled and -haired Salamander quickly forces himself up, to gather some antidote at the mysterious shopping cart and... a vaccine?! The surprise in his face should be enough judge that he must have missed that part of the informational briefing. Consider that the penalty of being a latecomer.
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

As the team proceeds further in, and have set up their battle times, the Team Leaders motion for the forces to move into the Threat Range of the massive Treant. The intial sign that they've been noticed is this low and hollow creaking from the tree, while the gates start to close behind them. Eventually leading to that tell-tale CLUNK of the gates shutting fully. No more escape for Atif or anyone else who've joined this mission.

Before them, the massive treant awaits. And it isn't waiting on the team to act. There's a light that begins to rise around it. An enormous green 'disk' coming to life around it that quickly expands, a second, then a third follow - creating inner circles. The green light begins to spin, and the team immediately will notice that the earth begins to shake.

The dead trees all around them begin to creak creepily, followed by a violent showing of Thorns being fired around like shotgun fire! They are not direct minions to engage with, but rather highly effective spells for the shield team to deal with while the rest of the team figures out what their first step will be!

While the ground continues to tremble... and cracks in the ground begin to move their way.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Atif's voice does get Xander to look over at the other Salamander and rumbles lowly, "Atif!" he barks over at the younger red-scaled Salamander. "Focus on fire attacks! Got it? Good!" That was-- the only advice the dark scaled tank was going to give.

That is about when things /happen/. The Salamander's eyes go wide before he roars out, "Everyone! Look out!" But it may be /far/ to late for that.

The thorns come and the ground quivers. The dark scaled Salamander quickly raises up his shield, to block several of the shots coming in, along with using his sword to knock away several more to the ground.

That is when Xander goes in with a roar. He charges in and runes light up on his sword as he flings out an orb of fire for the massive Treant!
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

As the attacks come, Goldenblade quickly springs into action, preemtively changing her course and bearing as the initial attacks pour in, and she's just ahead of several, narrowly avoiding them. She smiles as the battle is quickly joined, and everyone's doing everything, far too much for an individual to keep track of. Well, too much for her to keep track of. She needs to focus, herself, and she does, hammering away at the treant, missing for quite some time that pretty much everyone else has shifted to attacking the core. "Ah, crap," she says, and looks around. She will just have to shift over to the core, when she can back away from the main boss, which now seems to be just a damage absorber to spend the party's time and energy. She didn't realize how it would play out, it seems.
Merek
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Merek looks to the incoming ground which shimmers before him, then he's knocked back even while his HP Bar begins to lower, his gaze focused upon the fight. When Prophylaxis manages to expose the Core, there's a nod to the man, while he begins to maneuver and lifts up a hand to cast a firebolt at the core. The man swings upon the hip while he draws the Shadow Eclipse, "Focus on the Core, we all need to work together! We can't focus between both!"
    The man then will shift a bit while he nods to the party, "I don't really know what will happen if we're killed, I don't want anyone to get killed. If that happens to me, well. I'll send you my friend list. Make sure all of them know that I went into it fighting!"
Yuuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    The doors slam shut. Yuuki grips her sword just a little bit tighter as she watches the large tree begin to act. They've definitely drawn its attention, simply by stepping in. And the light forming on the ground shows that it's starting its attack. Although it's not what Yuuki was expecting.

    Just as the larger shower of thorns are about to fire, a soft aura of light covers Yuuki's body. The Imp then moves, starting to run, though not in any particular direction. The thorns fire off, blasting large areas of the room. But Yuuki weaves her way between the blasts, avoiding them with precise and speedy movements.

    Yuuki keeps up her fast movements to avoid the attacks, but doesn't move to strike back. Not yet. Not until the core is revealed. Yes, she payed attention to the information provided!

    And it's Prophylaxis that manages to reveal the core. Go Doc! As the throbbing red orb is revealed, Yuuki redirects her movement in its direction.

    Within just a few seconds, Yuuki manages to reach the boss weak point. She leaps into the air, reversing her grip on her sword as she does before she plummets down, bringing the point down towards the CORE to try and stab it. As she lands, she quickly leaps backwards away from the core in case of counterattack, unleashing a parting slash on the way.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Alright. It looks like everyone is ready.R    Amalthea takes a slow, steeling, breath as she tightens the grip on her sword and slings her shield onto her left arm.
    "Fire should definitely help." She agrees with Prophylaxis' assessment, dipping her head in an appreciative nod Rylen's way as she makes her way inwards.
    "Gwen, Xander, you're both with me, if at any time I start tanking the floor, one of you pick up main tank duties." She says, "I know you've got my back either way."
    "The preventative will keep the boss' HP drain from affecting you, but if it uses any other kind of poison, keep your antidotes close."
    Prophylaxis really came in clutch here.
    But as the group proceeds inside, not everything goes so smoothly.
    "It's attacking- tanks brace!" She shouts while weathering the assault that comes and the shaking earth.
    "Earth magic users, do your thing! Either expose that core or get us solid ground again!"
    And then... Then Prophylaxis exposes the core.
    "All fire on that core NOW!" Amalthea orders as she rushes the treant, sword in hand.
    Dragging the tip of her blade along the ground, eyes locked on the glowing orb revealed beneath the tree.
    This... This is when her sword CATCHES ON FIRE as she chants her attack.

    "Smoldering flames far below, punish the wicked and deliver your judgment! TWIN DRAGONS!"

    And she lunges forward, blazing sword lashing repeatedly at the red pulsing orb.
Tenix
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    In the process of grabbing some healing potions from the cart, Tenix blinks as suddenly there is STUFF on the floor. "HEY! Where's the pull timer!? she calls out, only for her answer to come in the form of a flurry of thorns coming at her from... every direction?! The potions are put away and the firebird throws both her arms out, calling up a blazing shield, but it isn't soon enough. She gets blasted and is sent soaring, landing, tumbling, rolling a few moments until she comes to a stop on her chest. "Uuugh, what the heck.." she mutters, starting to slowly push herself up.

    Taking in the battlefield, she can see the massive treant, but inbetween the time she was struck and when she started getting up, someone revealed the weakpoint alreday. Wow. Good stuff. That puts a little more pep in her step as she rises. "Alright, FINE! STUPID TREE!" she barks, already with an idea in mind. "TIME FOR FIRE!" she calls, clearly getting into the battle-vibe as she incants quickly, "There'snotimeforarecalincantationFIREBALL!" Both arms are thrown forward, the massive sphere appears... and then winks right back out."

        Blink. Blink.

"OH COME ON!! This is NOT THE TIME FOR THIS! I'M IN MY ELEMENT FOR ONCE!"
Rylen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Stepping into the chamber, the thrill of the fight seems to flow like electricity through Rylen. He can feel the thud of his heartbeat in his ears. It's the sort of feeling that brings back to other fights, other competitions, but his hawk-like gray eyes seem intense and focused on the boss.

What he doesn't expect is the powerful attack from out of the gate. Thorns slice across the room, and despite his best efforts to defend himself, keeping his feet quick, a hint of air magic visible along his feet, a pair of the thorns still slice by his chest, leaving two large gashes behind them. The wounds glow faintly, causing him to grit his teeth, raising one hand to touch over the wounds.

Seeing the others surge into the fight, he doesn't immediately move to join them. Despite the fact that he plays as a martial artist, Rylen only occassionally fights in melee range. Instead, he seems to stomp one foot downward, hands clenched into fists. He turns his eyes towards the core, making a series of hard movements, which pull some of the cracking earth up around him.

Thrusting his hands outward, he sends a boulder sailing towards the CORE, though rather than striking home, it ends up knocked off-course by one of the wide, sweeping arms of the Treant, clearly protecting it. "Damnit." He curses.
Vertina
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Vertina glances over her shoulder at the familiar voice. She did not expect Atif to show up, considering he didn't express much interest in the Tower before. But hey, all the help they can get. "Fancy seeing you here." The doors thunk shut, and she turns her attention forward as the creaking and groaning fill the room.

And like that the Salamander is sprinting across the chamber. Seems she got some impression of what was going to happen, as she boosts her speed to the point that she's a scaley blurr as she hops and weaves through the barrage of thorns from the sides of the chamber. Zig and zag and waiting for the right moment to come...

Which does when the SECRET TARGET is tore from the ground trying to protect it, courtesy of the Good Country Doctor. She skids to a stop in a safe spot between the Thorn firing ranges, a few flames swirling up from her feet as she does and consolidating into a spherical shape. "Game time, people. There's the goal. Go big or eat turf!"

The forming ball of pyrokinetic energy bounces off her knee, putting it high enough into the air for her to spin around and slam her foot into it. "PYRO STRIKER!" Kicking the fireball into the glowing core. Go go Shaolin Soccer Style!
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    It begins. What's with the disks? Mizuki shifts her stance, ready to move... and then the trees animate. Of course they do! Thorns start shooting around -- Mizuki does some hand signs to encase herself in stoneskin, the thorns bouncing harmlessly off! In the meantime, the core has been exposed! Mizuki leaps dramatically to get in front of the crowd enough for a clearer shot, and the casting rune rings appear around her in the air. "Stripawaythegroundwithglisteningblades! Frost Diver!" She lands in a superhero pose, punching the ground, and ice magic travels along the ground in front of her, growing spikes as it travels towards the core! ...But, well, there are treants in the way! Hopefully the magic will at least unroot one or two of them, right?
Prophylaxis
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Prophylaxis casts a concerned look Yuuki-wards as the champion makes her... uncharacteristically stoic entrance. Is everything okay? Is it just... nerves? "We'll be fine," he says, clasping the swordswoman's shoulder as she passes. "Just do what comes naturally and tear this tree a new asshole, and we'll be fine. Right?"

Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the tree will have other plans for them. It isn't even a second after they come into range that the treant begins its onslaught. Prophylaxis makes a noise of surprise and quickly raises a shield spell-- but too late. Thorns rain down and tear into his robes, carving angry red damage distortions across his body. "Damn. Already...!? Of course this thing would open with a big raid-wide spell. But...!"

Its core isn't exposed. That's a problem that needs to be addressed. According to what they'd learned from the villagers...

Fissures race toward the party. Prophylaxis roars and strikes the earth with the haft of his staff. The ground rumbles, but not in a way that the treant will appreciate. Earth shifts and moves as pillars of platonically perfect basalt lance up from under the evil tree, lifting it up by its roots to expose its fetid heart...!

"Everyone, go! Hit the core while I've got it out!"
Syx
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

It seems Syx wasn't ready for the shotgun blast of thorns that explodes out as soon as the group starts the fight. The tanks must not have been ready for it either.

Well this hurts worse than that time he did a thumb tack spot with Alpha at Wrestle Kingdom.

So they should be using fire attacks, right? Okay he can do that. Syx slams his arm down across the thorns to knock them off of his bare chest, and then spots the core.

Okay now that it's been revealed, he needs to hit it. And hit it he shall, as he runs across the field towards the core, leaping into the air as he gets close, flames engulfing his right hand as he throws a Superman Punch into the core, then upon landing, swings around to land a spinning heel kick into the core as well, his foot engulfing itself in flames as well.
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Things get creepy for Gwen the deeper and deeper they go. Something isn't right here it's not looking too good as she notices the dead trees and then comes the attacks. She triggers a newly unlocked tanking ability but her repelling shield is overwhelmed in short order and Gwens' messed up pretty badly. It's a good thing she's a tank a DPS or healer would have been messed up even worse. She's not looking too hot, something really does not want those who wish to leave? To get out she muses, but what is it? The old man from the day she arrived looms in her mind.

She tries to track where Goldenblade and has a good idea, good the 'newbie' was holding her own.

Gwen gets the call from Almalthea and follows her in, as the old Paladin makes her move and gives the order to strike on the core? The magic comes, which is not something Gwen was expecting at all here.

She grins and follows it up with her own assault going close into the core and hacking at it with her sword.
Atif
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    "Xander!" Atif promptly calls back to the darker-scaled Salamander iwth a rapid nod of his head. "Right! Fire! I have fire!" He's... nervous. He hasn't done any kind of raiding since the apocalypse hit, or anyhting else that involved numbers such as these. He does his very best not to let it show past the trademark smile, however.

    Vertina gets a quick little sheepish smile from him too, and a hand raised to wiggle fingers in a wave. "Yes, well-- hello!"

    Once inside, Atif gives a looooong stare at the... tree. Treant? Vaguely bemused.

    "Huh, you guys really weren't kidding about there being a tr-WAH!"

    His own distraction almost leaves him taking the sudden assault of a massive green disk by too much of a surprise. But thankfully, he manages to duck his head down out of the way just in time (even if he ends with a couple of red strands of heir getting cut shorter by an inch or so).

    Thankfully, he doesn't have to spend too much time figuring out what's going on in the middle of the chaos. THere's people who know the situation with the tower much better than him giving directions. And thus, Amalthea's rallying call brings him yelling out, "Roger that!" before he flicks a look to his side, at Vertina channeling a football of fire. "...Well. I'll be going ahead."

    One kick at the ground sends the Red Salamander with the golden scarf flying forward, in a wild sprint towards the core. One fist raised up, clenched tight on a collision course--

    "...Eh? AH! YABE!"

    His trajectory is interrupted by a wide motion from the Treant, though, and Atif is forced to leaning off to the side, and then bending his body waaaay back to avoid a hit. The bend turns to sending him flipping backwards, and continuing his retreat with a few backward hops after landing on his feet again. "...Okay so it's not gonna be that easy..."
Reika
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Reika got her antidote as well, wouldn't want to be caught without it really. She then follows out to the area... which is rather dark and omnious really. The gate closing isn't making it feel more safe either, mind you. "Well, here we- GAAAAH!" The earth shakes and splits open, before she coudl react really, and she falls down the hole made under her.

But fortunately she's pretty nimble, and she flips as she's falling, finding catch on the rocky side so she can bounce herself back up and out of the hole, landing down with her swords out. "That was mean, it's payback!" She was told that the Core was the target, so that's what she's going for. She doesn't have fire attacks though, so she goes for stabbity on the core. She unleases dark energies, as she jumps and brings the two swords down pointy end first "Twin Darkness!"
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

The battle begins, and immediately people are taking heavy hits to their health! The healers are trying their best to keep up, while the tanks take up position at the caster flanks to ensure the worst continue continue to happen. But it's clear that the Treat is something nasty to deal with! That's to be expected of a Floor Boss!

Prophylaxis and Reika work quickly on getting the Core Exposed. Thanks to the work of Amalthea and Rylen and co, they have enough information to speed up this battle significantly. The earth splits, ripping apart and being kept apart by stone columns and spears! The Treant slightly lifted, with its roots parted!

This reveals a throbbing crimson orb right beneath its roots. It pulses with light, amidst its fleshy and mycelium mass! The moment the first crimson blast comes from Xander, the team quickly figures out it won't be /that/ easy though, as a barrier flickers to life around it the moment that orb hits! Merek's Fireball chases it moments later, weakening that Core!

Goldenblade in the meantime, charges at the Treant, as enormous branches come down in an attempt to smack her away! Still, her attempts are keeping it from putting up a screen to defend the Core - protecting Yuuki as she jumps into the trench created along the roots of the Treant.

Down in the trench, Yuuki moves forward and brings her blade down towards the Core. She hits the Barrier, and even goes down a little bit. There's a rectangular pattern to the Field that is Attenuating her attempt to breach towards the Core itself - slowly weakining. She can even push off against the barrier if she wants to.

Amalthea soon joins right besides Yuuki, carving against the pulsing field - soon joined by Reika. It flickers, pushing her away. Rippling as the flames seek to reach the Red Core, while a white Mycelium skull-like mass, with a long downward 'nose' portion', shifts around the red core and stares at them... then seems to start SCREAMING! Causing a kinetic pulse to slam into the Melee people!

Tenix' spell seems to be disrupted by the sudden screaming pulse coming from this strange red core at the center of this enormous Yggdrasil-like tree. And Rylen's attempt to throw a stone at it is disrupted by this same unexpected form of retaliation, flinging the stone back towards him!

Vertina manages to kick it away however - using her flame power to envelop Rylen's stone, turning it into a lava-like mass that fires straight into the barrier, causing it to shudder! Mizuki joins in with a ripple of Frost Diver - causing a sudden steam-explosion as Heat and Cold make contact!

Syx bursts through the steam-explosion and slams into that same Attenuating Field barrier, trying to get through. It feels weakened now! Gwen joins in, sinking her blade a bit further. The tip of it reaching the core. There's this sickening cracking sound, like a moist jawbreaker being slowly cracked a bit, before the field re-engages and pushes Gwen away! Atif being touched by the same shockwave.

Right before the Treant lifts all of its branches in the air... and then suddenly starts forming black flowers all over its crown - before sending a sickening PUFF of blackness out into the chambers! Dangerous pollen and fungus begins to rain upon the chamber, and people see their HUD suddenly fill with a little notification:

IMMUNE!
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Xander see's the exposed core, he also took notice that till that core is down the Tree won't take any damage. This causes him to growl with some frustration.

Thankfully as the spores come, he notes the Immune and goes to make his move for the Core. His sword lights up on fire, as he goes to swing his blade in an uppercut fashion.

A wave of fire swing across the floor, moving directly for the Core in hopes that it makes a grand explosive impact.
Rylen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

With his feet firmly planted in the attempt to summon up his earth magic, Rylen can't quite switch fast enough to avoid his own attack tossed back at him. However, an avenging angel appears in the form of Vertina. "My thanks!" He calls out to the other martial artist.

As the boss starts to emote what is clearly a special attack, Rylen raises an arm in front of himself in an attempt to ward it off. Then, the green notification comes up on his screen. "Wooo!" The sound of joy is likely not expected in the heat of battle, but he raises a fist skyward, obviously pleased that all the investigations and hard work had paid off when it comes to this boss fight. Maybe he isn't the most serious of fighters, but sometimes it's the work ahead of time that matters.

"Seems like I might need a little help getting up-close and personal with the core." He crouches down, placing a hand onto the ground. Where the earth already is cracked open, it falls away. From the chasm, a boney, pale hand crawls upward. Eventually, an undead girl stands before him, wearing what looks to be Adventurer's armor, her head tipped forward, dark hair obscuring her face.

"I need your help." He asks as he looks up towards her, then raises a hand, pointing a finger at the CORE. The undead creature seems to shudder as it moves, turning to face the targeted enemy. She lets out an unearthly banshee scream, then charges forward, drawing a sword that looks as if it were forged out of the claw of some long-dead monster, moving with speed that seems unlike most zombies, she plunges the weapon down towards the CORE in one powerful thrust, then seems to vanish into dust.

Rylen makes no comment as to his unusual ally, and just slowly stands, a sad smile on his features.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    That scream... It's intense and Amalthea grunts, face scrunching into an enduring look as she's nearly blown back by the force of the terrible sound, boots digging twin trenches into the ground as she stumbles back. But just as quick she regains her footing and lunges back in.
    "Now! Don't let up, keep wailing on it!" She calls out to the others, raising her blade. Though the flames go out, the blade comes aglow with a holy light.

    "How short sweet life, but do not mourn, from ash to ash and dust to dust... BURY! ENLIGHTENED STRIKE!"

    And so she lays down the holy smiting.
Reika
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Reika's attack seem to have some effect at least "It looks like it's working!" She encourages the others, although the spore's counter attack is worrying... seeing the "immune" message pop in her visual is reassuring. Looks like it wasn't in vain at least! With that, they can attack some more.

If there wasn't a pesky Treant that interfered at least, and pushed her away from the core "Hey! That wasn't nice at all!" She swings at air as a result, her Gale of Swords doing about as much as a breeze instead. SUffice to say, the core is undamanged from her contribution here.
Yuuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Yuuki kicks off the barrier she encountered, landing on the ground again and skidding to a halt. She returns her sword around to the right direction once more. That barrier is hard to penetrate. But as she watches others attacking it, Yuuki gets the feeling that it is losing strength. Which makes sense. Seems like the kind of mechanic appropriate for a boss fight. Still, they need to deal with this core quickly, before the main boss itself wipes them out.

    And precisely on cue, the treant boss proceeds to start moving, lifting its branches up. Yuuki steadies herself, readying to dodge. But then those flowers unleash a blast of pollen that rains on the whole group. Yuuki's not dodging this one!

    Thankfully she doesn't has to, as Yuuki briefly blinks in surprise at the immunity notification. Oh. So THAT's what the vaccine was for. Another one for the Doc!

    Able to focus on offense once again, Yuuki sees that the others appear to have the core up against the wall, so to speak. So she turns her attention to the big tree itself. Yuuki runs, quickly closing the distance to the giant wooden boss. As she does so, flames flare up around her blade. With a battle cry, Yuuki dives in, starting to whack away at the TREANT with her flame covered sword. She expects this thing to have a lot of HP, so this could take a while!
Vertina
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

That's what we want to see -- teamwork! Everyone on the field doing their part. That's the way to victory!

Vertina will marvel at how well that guy is pulling off Syx later. Someone must be a really big fan to go that far into impersonating the famous wrestler. (she's in for a surprise later!)

The treant wastes no time in expressing it's aggrivation at them already discovering it's weakpoint, and spits something even worse than allegries into the air from it's black blooms... Or at least it would of been worse, if it hadn't been for the Doctor's vaccination. The Immune message flickering gives her reason to smirk a little, but doesn't distract from the matter at hand.

It does let her run straight into the descending cloud of black to get closer to the fight though, hiphopping across the broken portions of the ground with little difficulty, before leaping off at the end, both to clear the other people already in melee, and to line up her attack.

"DRAGON AUGER!" Her feet are still aflame from the football maneuver, turning her spinning dive kick into a fiery drill-like attack as she drops on the Core. She's hoping a move that does several chips of damage in it's hits will punch through that protective field faster.
Tenix
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Well this is nuts! That core is all red, screamy and ... REALLY FAMILIAR FEELING. Tenix isn't going to put much more thought into it, but there is a particular song playing in the back of her mind that isn't exactly ETO's BGM music. Not in the least. The tune leads to a thought, and the thought leads to the reason she has one particular off-color spell in her library. "Oh! IDEA! Big idea! Hey fire folk, hit it hard after this!"

    There's a strange BLUE glow that ripples across this FIREbird, but then? It happens again.

        Slowest. Blink. Ever.

    "OH COME ON I EVEN CHECKED THE CALENDAR. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING TODAY!"
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Goldenblade has realized she's not attacking the main, vulnerable core. And she's about to go join in that dogpile, but then she realizes that the treant seems stunned and is not counterattacking, and, well, maybe her going to town on the main core caused that? Or maybe it did't, but the party seems to have the core under control, so she will turn her attention back to the main body, where she finds the bark worse than the bite. Her solution? Kill it with FIRE!

Flames spring out along her blade as she goes to town, slashing and hacking with both blades at once, facing the tree down like a chipper-shredder from hell. Or so she imagines it's view of her. Fire and steel cut into its bark, sending splinters all around, or so she imagines things going, though it's a bit different in the virtual world. The shortcuts are strange and seem random to her. No wounds, just glowing red lines, but she's got to wash or she gets stinky. What a thing to simulate!
Prophylaxis
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Thaaaat was a scream. Fungal cores, regardless of how creepy and supernatural and VAGUELY REMINISCENT OF SOMETHING THAT HE MIGHT HAVE SEEN BEFORE they might be, should not be screaming. The noise is piercing, splitting through his skull like an axe blade chopping straight down into his forehead. It's /awful./

But what makes it better is seeing all that terrible, toxic pollen and sporulation pour down...

...And having that bright green IMMUNE! message pop up.

"Hah!" Prophylaxis laughs, grinning from ear to ear. "Hahahahahah! Behold, treant! THE POWER OF MEDICAL SCIENCE! GET!" Flame alights on his fingertips. The doctor sweeps his arms out at the evil tree and the mass of vegetation surrounding them at all sides. "BUUUURNT!" Bolts of golden-orange flame erupt from his hands like embers from an erupting volcano...!

He may be... venting a little bit.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    It's got some kind of forcefield?! That rock bounces back and forth before exploding in what was honestly a damn cool-looking sequence! And yet it's just a random/procedural outcome of game rules. Isn't ETO such an amazing game? Aside from trapping them all inside it...

    The tree SCREAMS, and launches spores... which, thankfully, everyone is immunized against!

    "...It's an angel." Mizuki grins. "I'll just have to use the heat knife!" She throws off her cloak and draws one of her daggers, making the hand seals to charge it with dark magic, then charges, with both hands on the dagger, trying to put all her were fang strength behind piercing through whatever gets in the way, whether it's the forcefield or the core itself... if she can drive the knife in, will it split open a weakpoint? Once she's pushed it in as far as she can, she raises her feet with claws out for minor damage before using them to leap away from the core, twisting dramatically in the air before landing away from the tree!
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Well information and logistics are paramount in warfare after all. This is a war against the tower. The preparation with the aid of the floor three lander population saved the entire raid a lot of suffering and woe. She sees the Immune message pop up as the horrible cloud of spores is let loose by the Trent. She hears the call to smite? Oh, she can totally start smiting things, so she's going to. Gwen will get back into the trench and start to chant.

"They who dwell aloft have spoken. Let their words echo in your empty soul. Ruination is come!"

She lets off a blast of holy magic right into the core, and she bets the thing won't' like it at all.
Syx
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

The shirtless Salamander strikes home with his punch and kick only to find the field protecting the core. Others begin to attack as well, so he leaps upwards, opting to strike out at the tree this time instead.

"Come on you big ugly son of a bitch!" He points at the tree with one hand, indicating his intention to inflict inconceivable damage to the boss. He rushes forward again, opting for a different tactic this time.

Again he takes to the air, using one of the tanks as a springboard in order to launch himself up high. He wheels around in midair and angles himself downwards, shooting down in a flash, his right hand formed into a knife edge as he tries to strike the tree's vital points. The hits to the core should be weaking the tree itself, he hopes.
Merek
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Merek looks to the Core when it looks like the party has that well in hand. Seeing people come around into the Treant, he nods a bit while he takes both hands of his, maneuvering forward a bit with the Shadow Eclipse placed upon his back. A flame begins to wreathe along his fists, while he offers a shout to the skies, "Ragnarok's WISDOM!" Then he begins to place both hands together.
    Eventually, when it's charged up, he takes off into the tree and swings a fist with the power of the sun within that hand. A flame begins to appear while it shimmers a wave striking into the boss while it sweeps along, a rare attack that few people actually use, the difficult to master energy put into the hand of an Adventurer.
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Xander sends a wild ripple of flame forward, forcing the remaining team at the barrier to step away for a moment. The gulf of flame blasting against it, licking at the bottom of the Treant's roots! Following right after the sudden back-flash of flame comes the ghastly hit from the undead female conjured forth by Rylen. Her blade slamming into the barrier, making this shark 'KA-REEEEEEEEE!' sound upon impact, causing a literal crack to appear in the barrier for a moment, before the summon is cast away into a shade.

The shade flickers away more quickly as Amalthea's light flares across her blade like she's some kind of Saber class Servant bearing some kind of Saber made out of Light. There's that cracking 'KA-KLUUURK' sound as her blade comes down upon the barrier, before there's that loud 'SCREEEE' as she's pushed back! It's a frustrating thing, dealing with a barrier such as this! But she can see that the light of the core is waning! It's weakening!

Vertina follows up! Amalthea is forced to step aside and release her blade for a moment, as the fulminating kick drills into the barrier - with her very own light-powered blade already partially within! Kicking it deeper! The flames and light leaking towards the core! Another crack shows - red blood like substance leaking from the thing while that white mask begins to show cracks as well!

Another Screetch casts out - right as Mizuki moves forward. Their blade barely reaches the barrier in the mist of that violent sonic attack - ripping at her clothes, moving her hair. She reaches the barrier and stuffs in that blade, slowly carving into it while Amalthea and Vertina are pushed away due to their positioning. Gwen's holy Smite suddenly surging through the area and connecting with Mizuki's dagger, empowering it and causing the barrier to begin to snap and break around that dagger!

Right as various trees all around the battlefield suddenly seize up. A sudden earthquake follows, followed by trees growing all around the battlefield, made out of this disgusting lumpy red mass - one of them slamming Tenix up into the air and sending her flying, due to the sudden velocity pressing up from beneath her! Yuuki in the meantime, uses the sonic power to propel herself up to join the topside battle.

The Treant begins to reach down, but Goldenblade doesn't allow it to reach to its roots. Cutting violently into its old black branches - ripping them apart. Each slice takes a lot out of her though, as those branches are like steel! A rather sharp spear-like branch is about to get to Goldenblade from her flanks, when Prophylaxis blasts up an enormous volcano-like spout of flame, burning a hole and causing the remainder of the branch to 'politely tap' against her armor.

Another root is about to spear Prophylaxis, as Yuuki comes up top, cutting the branches, before ripping into some of its further descending branches with flame blades - lowering its ability to focus. Syx then touches her shoulder, setting their boot on it and springboarding off of Yuuki towards some of the higher up branches that seem to be glowing with green energy - no doubt the casting points - before coming down with their hand in a knife-formation, burning and carving away at the casting branches and ripping into its trunk!

That green shimmering casting circle at the top suddenly lets out this loud screech that seems to prepend a sudden flux of energy... as the red 'trees' that ruptured all over the battlefield suddenly DETONATE into a red blood-like substance that engulfs the field! There's a few safe areas with enough rock to climb upon, but there's other team mates who are not as lucky, as the thing behind the barrier begins ITS assault instead of the Treant's.

The red substance sears like acid to any who touch it for too long, quickly draining health away. The splatter of it even reaching near the core itself, like acid rain coming down upon the Adventurers!
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Xander moves quickly as trees explode from the ground. As the acid blood rain falls down he uses his shield. Runes light up as he tries to extend the barrier for an extra protection. He can hear this hiss from his boots as some of it makes contact and even the acid trying to eat away at his old shield.

However even with the red mist and swirling pools of red, his draconic eyes locked onto the core. Its HP was low. They /nearly/ had it down. He was going to take down that core. One way or another!

Thus the Salamander charges in full-bore, his sword lights up on fire once more. He leaps into the air and with a battle cry, attempts to drive that flaming blade right into the very Core of the treant!
Rylen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

The sudden explosion of the red trees causes Rylen to leap backwards, drawing away his connection with the earth along with it. Splashes of the red liquid threaten to fall a little too close, causing a bit of fancy footwork, backing him closer to the edge of the arena. It's not a good defensive position to be in, but he does manage to extend his hands, trying to pull some energy from the dead ground around them.

Vines begin to creep up out of the ground, but it seems that the taint of this place is enough that the moment they rise up to try and wrap around the core, they wither away again, falling as dead limbs around it. "Right... probably not the best choice in abilities." Rylen smirks to himself, breathing a bit heavier as he shakes his head. When it comes to fighting, he is a bit of a one-trick performer, usually only having earth magic to call upon.

Luckily, the others happen to have better luck at dealing with the core than he is having. All the better, as it's the team effort that matters. So, he just raises an arm and cheers the others on, "Kick it's ass!"
Merek
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Merek steps back from the fight with the Treant when it's been punched properly, then he takes a moment to look up to those explosions that send waves along to the party. The blast strikes the man, knocking him back along the floor of that arena, the HP Bar beginning to shimmer away. All he can do is think, that he wants to protect people, to defend all he can. Even if he can't protect himself that well.
    The man stands up while he looks to the core, the Magic Knight nodding a bit, then he begins to lift up Shadow Eclipse, "Alright. You will serve me, we will protect the people, Adventurers, Landers. Doesn't matter." A charge then while he swings about with the magical dark blade, which launches the man right into the Core with the shadow strikes that arc in little well made pattern.
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Amalthea is going to have to personally thank Prophylaxis after the battle. Seeing that IMMUNE status is an amazing thrill of a feeling. But for all she tries to get through to that core she has to step aside to let others swing in.
    Grunting as she backs up a pace and waits for a moment to strike, the old Paladin flips the sword in her hand to grip it by the blade. Raising her shield she hunkers behind it, the concussive force of the trees all around her explode and splash everything in caustic red acid, splashing her shield and armor.
    Before she turns her attention back on the core.
    "We have this! Bring it down!" Shouted as she starts wailing away with the blunt pommel and crossguard, battering at it kind of ineffectively.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Mizuki stabs the AT field, wind and sonic attacks dramatically blowing her hair and long red scarf, and tearing at her clothes. The clothing damage just makes her look badass!

    She leaps away, but not far enough to get away from the RAINING ACID BLOOD (sap?) "Agh, come on!" she sees her health bar dropping. She leaps to one of the safe spots with a stone catapult, but the damage is done.

ut the boss's healthbar is even lower. They're SO CLOSE.

SHOOT                                                                            
                           THE                                                    
                                                        CORE                      

    Mizuki takes a deep breath, and warmth starts to radiate off her, her amber fur moving like flames. She turns towards the core and opens her mouth wide; a point of orange light appearing inside her mouth and growing as bits of energy appear around her and then drift into the light, moving like sparks or embers. And then A BEAM OF ORANGE LIGHT SHOOTS AT THE CORE and where it hits explodes a FIREBALL!

    Wisps of smoke curl from Mizuki's muzzle as she recovers, her breathing unsteady and coughing for a moment. That felt /weird/. But it looked awesome, right?!
Tenix
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Poor Tenix is just having a really. Bad. Night. Her Frost Shock cast is sent wide as she goes soaring through the air from a shockwave from the trees. At least she manages to land without a whole ton of fall damage. "Uuuuugh. What is going -on- today?" she grumps as she eyes the core again. And then the acidic floor. She leaps, flashes out of sight, and lands atop one of the rocks. "Ok, cool. No damage. Good good good," she muses before pulling out her sword. The ruby in the blade gets tapped which sets the whole thing on fire. "Alright. Seriously. Time to put an end to this, right?!" THROW. Swing and a miss. And its in the acid. ... The avian just takes a seat on top of the rock. "I need to find a swordsmith.. Meh."
Atif
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Explosions of red spores and mist flow out to cover the battlefield. Atif's face pales (darker skin nonwithstanding) from the sight, even if most people seem to have things under control, and getting up to safety. The Red Salamander is ready to get into motion and bounce up out of the way, too-- but at the last second? At the last second, he makes a split-second judgement call, and sends himself rolling over to Prophylaxis instead.

    One leg reaches out over to wrap around the Good Doctor and pull him along with him into the roll-- and slipped down over on top of the Salamander's feet when Atif, himself, ends on his back, using his own body as a spring now.

    "UP YOU GO!"

    A spring that uncoils to kick Prophylaxis UP towards high ground -- just before the red mist overtakes the ground. And Atif.

    There's a lot of sickened coughing and hacking that can be heard from down below, and once the mist dissipates, Atif himself can be seen doubled over, clutching at his chest.
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Goldenblade looks over as the fight continues, with the blooms popping up and people struggling to hurt the core, itself already so injured, she shifts the focus of her attack in a last-ditch effort to DPS it down. She dances around the red tree things popping up, she doesn't quite understand them as other than 'a bad thing', but avoiding them seems to work for now. A lunge, striking fiercely with precise blows, one after another, each one doing a tiny sliver of damage, but the slivers adding up as she shifts and stabs. "Keep on it, it's on the ropes," she calls, encouraging more attacks on the core. It's all about speed for her, and she focuses on that, blazing strikes from every angle. She hasn't even noted the IMMUNE flag, though she's grateful to not be lying on the ground dead, or waking up in a church someplace. But she doesn't have the attention in this fight to spare for things that work correctly and don't require her to do things. It's complicated enough as it is!
Syx
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

The core is exposed, and it's taking a ton of damage. Syx needs to knock this thing out, and he knows now is the time to do it.

Being IMMUNE allows him to fight his way through the spore cloud and get in range to unleash his ULTIMATE ATTACK.

Without warning, the crazy wrestler begins to scale the tree itself, scrambling up the side of the boss while avoiding being hit by it. He grabs hold of various handholds, swinging around until he's high enough above the core to do something very stupid.

He rises up on a branch, and raises both hands to the sky, pointing upwards with both hands, before he looks down at the core and points to it, before leaping through the air shifting position in midair to aim his elbow for the center of the core.
Vertina
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Vertina leaps off after the end of her attack, backflipping away to land in a near perfect three point stance. Yes, that landing pose. You know the one.
Her other hand is used to give a salute to Amalthea for the assist with the sword.

But the Boss is doing it's damnest to make up for it's main mechanic having been neutralized, spouting deadly trees that erupt with acidic splashes splaying about as they explode. Vertina kicks up from her position, flames erupting around her as she does. The blazing aura engulfs her as she strikes a pose and clenches her fists. The acid splatters against it, only to vaporize into acrid smelling smoke as the Salamander's fiery spirit manifests through elemental prowess to shield her from it. "You're not gonna stop us now.." She shifts her stand, a foot sparking embers along the ground as she sweeps it back, legs flex, and the flames roar around her. Her pigtails flutter from the streams of hot air rising around her. "We're climbing this Tower..."

That's when she flicks her tail for balance and releases some of the building pyrotechnics from her palms as she snaps her arms back to improvise enough rocket-like thrust to launch herself back at the Core the treant is so desperately trying to protect. "And there is nothing you or any other Boss is going to do to stop us!"

In a blaze of glory the martial artist, empowered by flame and adrenaline alike, hurtles towards the Core. The base technique, it's the same as others have already used tonight.

" RAGNAROK'S WISDOM! "

The difference is that Vertina flips mid-air as she cries out the name, and instead of a fist it's her foot that comes slamming down in a glorious blaze of a devestating meteor kick that would make any tokusatsu hero proud.
Prophylaxis
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Perhaps he should have held off on setting things quite so on fire. Maybe if he did, the treant would not have seen fit to reciprocate with a great deal of its own terrible, burning feeling-inducing awfulness. Prophylaxis recoils with a yelp as that awful, soupy, crimson /stuff/ floods the arena. He is, of course, a mage-type. A person of the magery variety. He does not do things like 'tank' and he certainly doesn't like to evade. Doing so means he has to leave his leylines, you see, and interrupting his casts means he drops Enochian.

Wait. No. Wrong game.

Still, he struggles to build himself a mound of earth to escape the rising tide, but the stone itself is being worn away by the crimson flood. A moment before his footing is lost, someone /grabs him!?/ "What the heck--"

There's a sound that goes *SPROING* as Prophylaxis is summarily hurled onto the high ground. "Wh-- thanks!??!" He guesses!? It's all a bit disorienting, but he's glad not to be trapped in awful fog.

Still, when it clears... He frowns at Atif and tosses the salamander a potion.

...Before turning to summon a roiling thrush of thorny vines to try and bind the core in place! But it is, as it turns out, a futile gesture. The core's barrier seems resistant to efforts made to debuff it, and regardless of his prodigious magical mastery, Prophylaxis' spell cannot seem to find purchase...!
Yuuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Yuuki's head quickly turns as a tree expodes. And another. And another. Geeze, it's like a freaking battlefield here! Yuuki is off and running once more, weaving around the detonating trees and avoiding any significant contact with the acidic substance produced by their explosions. Although Yuuki's HP is still up in the green, she knows that some of the others here aren't doing quite as well. They need to finish this quickly or they're going to start dropping like flies!

    Yuuki quickly alters her course, making her way back towards that core. If it really is the boss's weakpoint then if they destroy it, they might just destroy the tree too.

    Yuuki reaches the part of the ground that has been dug up to reach the glowing red orb. She leaps from rock to rock down into the trench, before hitting ground once more and charging towards the orb. She sweeps her sword out to the side, the blade beginning to glow with light as she prepares a Sword Arte.

    Just as Yuuki is about to reach the core, she lets out a battle cry and leaps forward, stretching her sword arm out in front of her. She reaches the core within a moment, trying to drive that blade through the core's defenses and as deeply into it as she can go.
Reika
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Reika's sixth sense tells her of the 'floor is lava' that is incoming. Or at least, that's what she thinks it is, it could just be game design too. Making a spout of water appear out of nowhere, she uses it as a foothold to slide away, on top of the nearby rocks, out of harm's reach, as the red explosions fill the area below. "Phew, it's getting desperate! We're on the right track!"

Jumping along each rock, the mean treant that blocked her way before is almost ignore, a footnoe here as she elegantly flips over it, and unleashes another series of dark slices toward the Core. It's harder than before, but she manages to get the weak part enough, enough to wittle it down along with the others. Team effort!
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Good news so far they haven't lost anyone in the primary team yet as far as Gwen can tell. The bad news is the boss is still going her smite did a pretty damn good job all thing consider but something happens. There are an earthquake and Gwen has to dread what's going on.

"A phase change?!"

She cries out as she now attempts to engage what's coming after her the good news is she's fast enough to keep away from the horrible red stuff and not get melted. The bad news is as she attempts to cast Earth Pillar she's forced to dodge breaking her cast bar and leaving her unable to act offensively for a moment.

"Keep pushing don't let up on the Core!"
Liminality
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Rylen's roots climb up along the core, trying to wring away at its body. They manage to bypass the barrier, but the red 'goop' coming out of its body sears away at the branches. Still, they dillute its energy and begin to weaken the core itself. Merek rushes for the core, after being cast out before, and slams the shadowy black blade into the barrier! It cracks a little. But at the same time, he'll notice that the dark energies of the blade suddenly begin to blow back into his own body. He'll notice a few cracks appearing across his arms that ripple towards his face, almost like they are 'cracking' his skin. It's like a mirror slowly cracking outwards from a hole that has been made. Except, there is no hole. Only that blade he is holding. And the black 'cracks' across his appearance are not disappearing.

Amalthea pushes Merek to the side as she rushes in, slamming the butt of her blade down against the barrier... only for a loud reaching SCREEEEEEEEEE! To sound, as a pale red beam slams against her chest and sends her back out from the hole, into the sea of red!

The red beams start to slime around the barrier, casting at people who get too close. There's time to avoid them, or shield them, as each is prepended with a loud 'Screee', but plenty are not so lucky. There's screams from members of their party all around. But nobody is dying! The healers are keeping up their job.

An Orange beam wells up from Mizuki's position, blasting back one of the beams of red and slamming violently into the barrier - causing it to ripple like an earthquake's effect on a window. Cracks appear again. Deeper this time. That sickening 'click-craaack' getting louder, before it abates and quickly re-energizes the shield!

Tenix tries to reach, but she's blasted away as well before she gets close - right into the path for Amalthea to catch her at the bottom of that arc!

Atif is having their own adventure, being troubled by the black goo - but helping the Doctor remain out of the red acid. Goldenblade moves past Atif and rushes back into the core, past the cloud of orange left in the wake of Mizuki's attack, and rips her blade into the barrier! Slicing into it and causing a small gap to appear!

Syx comes down, slamming his elbow right in the path of Goldenblade's attack. And while the core is more burried under the trunk of the tree than Syx had estimated, he manages to reach the back of Goldenblade's blade like that, and helps slam it in deeper! The screetching sound of the barrier straining getting louder and louder!

A sonic blast then booms out, sending Syx, Goldenblade and the rest out... only for Vertina to move back in! Goldenblade's weapon remains, right as Vertina comes in with that flaming kick, slamming against the barrier just above the blade - causing the barrier to further shudder and crack! The white 'mask' upon the red core tilts and almost seems to stare at her with anger.

Prophylaxis' thorns then join in, growing near the core. Melting away the very same way as Rylen's before. But some of the thorn-binding vines grap onto Goldenblade's sword, pulling it towards the core through the barrier itself!

Yuuki reaches the core again, slamming her own sword into the barrier! And with that other sword right there, grips Goldenblade's weapon as well. Two-handing swords, pushing into the core. Every push anyone is making seems to be aimed at making that deepest of blades make their way. That tip of the blade cracking into the red core. Already, the white mask has snapped partially, the nose falling off...

Reika slices at the barrier, before she joins in with her other hand to help PUSH Yuuki forward! Gwen steps in right behind them, sending up stone columns to halt the red acidic blood from getting through, as it starts to seem like it's a whole /SEA/ of red out there!

Vertina's blazing attack falters, and she drops to the ground, helping together with Reika to push Yuuki! No doubt there's some hot blooded screaming happening as the blade begins to dig deeper into the core!

'KA.... CHLUUUUUUUNK!'

The core suddenly breaks. The mask collapses in on itself, and the blade slides that last little bit before there's a satisfying fierce collapse that sends a geyser of red out into the tree above - and pushing everyone near the core away! The barrier shatters! And the core and red sea is suddenly shattering and shimmering into light... which begins to slowly drift upwards, as the field begins to become verdant.

Green.

Remade.

The Treant's branches, though scarred now, growing a beautiful brown, green leaves blooming. The trees all around them turning into this beautiful vidic sakura forest. And the grass growing beneath their feet!

<< CONGRATULATIONS >>

Suddenly appears on everyone's hud.

Followed by something appearing in their inventories.

<< YOU GAIN: DREAD BRANCH, 1ea >>
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Goldenblade gaaahs as we're forced clear of the core, but her sword seems to have a role in this even without her holding it. She's not complaining. It's actually kind of nice here, now, and she goes to retrieve her sword, but then pauses, with second thoughts. It's just a sword, and a starter sword at that. At this point, she could make another, or buy it, and ... well, her sword there says, "I was here," quite loudly. And then there's all the old mythical monsters, where if you pull out the stake in their heart, they come back. No, she'll leave it there.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Xander ignores the loud screes, he just roars back in a primal manner. When the fight is over, he takes a few, tired staggers back and just goes to catch his breath for a moment.

Then he does a quick inspect on those around him. "Is everyone alright? We didn't lose anyone did we?" It seems like most everyone is fine and if someone does need a helping hand up, he goes to offer it.

    It is after this act does he notice the grass starting the grow, then at last his eyes take notice of the vibrance of the area. He 'ha's' softly at the beauty the area presents itself. "Well... Look at that..."

Though as he looks at everything growing into a lush, wonderous place, his eyes do fall on Merek and his brows-- knit a little. He isn't sure if he should be worried or maybe it was just some strange spell that the guy threw up on himself, so he ends up looking away and going back to check on the others.
Rylen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

There is almost a feeling of relief that comes with the monster being bested. The feeling of nature returning to balance. With Rylen's deep connection to the element of Earth, it is like feeling the area around them all take a breath for the first time in ages.

"Woo! Okay, that was bad-ass!" The Pooka clearly enjoyed the fight, despite some tense moments. His usual light-hearted grin is plastered on his face as he runs towards the others, obviously in high spirits. His eyes seem to alight with the joy of a battle well fought. Sure, he still has those slash marks on his chest, but he seems relatively unharmed, otherwise.

He tosses a salute towards Amalthea, "You have my respect, m'lady, for keeping all the intel sorted. I don't think we'd have been anywhere near as successful without it." Then, to Prophylaxis, he grins, "And that antidote? Spot on, my man." The elven male's eyes sweep over the others, giving as many as he can some look of appreciation.

For Xander, he offers just a wink. The Salamander's nearly full health-bar likely all too telling when it comes to his skill as a warrior. Something that, perhaps, he had doubted in himself, as of late.
Reika
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Reika phews as it seems that was enough to get the job done here. She smiles and reaches over to high Fize Mizuki and Gwen "Good work, another floor done. Shall we go take a peek upstairs before heading back to town?" She's sure the elders would like to know the threat is gone at least.
Vertina
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Yes, there is definately hot-blooded yelling going on, though it's being drowned out some by the Core's screaming in anger and agony. Doesn't stop Vertina from continuing to do so. Loud yelling is a kung-fu classic as well as a mantra. When her attack is done Vertina helps the others, slamming her guarded knuckles into the hilts of the swords to help everyone else push them and literally stab this boss through it's... closest thing to a heart it has.

All that matters is that it works! The core shatters, the 'mask' dies, and Vertina quickly throws up her arms to shield her face as the surge of red pushes them away!

But this time it's a surge of something other than an attack. She lowers her arms to see the boss' chamber turning green and vibrant once more.

With a cheer she throws her arms over Reika's and Yuuki's shoulders since they're still closest to her. "We did it! Beat the boss AND purified the area!"
Merek
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Merek leans back a bit from the blast when Amalthea seems to move into the fight, knocked back while he seems to notice not a red shimmer but... The cracks that begin appearing upon the skin, like something of his was being taken from him. He then looks at himself, while he thinks about it, the blade shifting away from the hand, while it begins to land upon the floor next to him.
    Still equipped upon him. This is difficult to explain to anyone looking, he seems to be looking around even amidst the shimmers of the enemies. "I don't know, I don't know, I DON'T KNOW!" he begins to exclaim to himself, he steps back while he lets out a firm cry to the skies, placing both hands to his face, his eyes panicked while the shimmers begin to mend, replacing that data, but it comes at what might be a cost. One he doesn't even know. The lines mend while he seems to feel it fade, like it were a memory. What did it all cost him to put his all into it, to protect people and to weield a weapon like that. He falls to both knees, not really able to say or do anything at all.
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Its a staggering battle the bosses clearly are getting more dangerous the full might of the raid team is brought against the Core and the Treants, it's seriously getting crazy here. She has to wonder what else is going to hit them. She does not stop her actions until she gets the CONGRATULATIONS. She will stop as they seem to have not only that but purified the area. It starts to come back to life and she'll pause at Goldenblade.

"A good call there Goldenblade, we'll get you a replacement. Time to hunt down Kaydon and make him pay up for your investment no? We also need to be ready for the wave or a lot of Landers are going to have a very bad day."
Yuuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Through combined effort, they're able to pierce the core. Yuuki included.

    The barrier shatters. The core with it. Yuuki is thrown back by the resulting red. She flips through the air, before landing on her feet and skidding backwards to a stop.

    Yuuki slowly stands straight, glancing around as the environment begins to change. Life returns. It's beautiful.

    Vertina puts an arm around Yuuki to share in the celebration. But Yuuki doesn't respond in what might be an expected manner. Instead, her sword clatters to the ground, released from her grip. The Imp herself falls to her knees, resting upon the newly grown grass.

    A quick look at her face reveals she's crying.

    A closer inspection shows neither joy at the victory, nor reverence for the beauty spawned from it. But rather sadness.
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Goldenblade nods at what Gwen says, agreeing, "It seemed appropriate." She nods about getting a replacement. "Now would be a good time," she agrees, smirking about descending on Kaydon. "Hopefully he's got that steel thing worked out. I've got a trick of my own I want to put in it, kinda like the attack that generates the fore, but in a bigger way."
Amalthea
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Well that didn't go so well.
    Okay it went well, just not for Amalthea, as she's flung back into the sea of red with a grunt.
    But when TENIX comes down, the old Paladin catches the were-fang right out of the air with an outstretched arm.
    And the core breaks... The Treant dies. ... And the forest regrows.
    Briefly, Amalthea can't help but stare at the mass of cherry blossom trees that return to life.
    "Looks like most everyone's alright." She says, a warm smile creeping to the edges of her lips as she hoists Tenix to her feet and dusts her off a bit.
    "I was an accountant before all this." She admits simply and modest to Rylen. "I'm used to keeping things in order nice and tidy-like." Before she nods, "That antidote sure was something. I don't want to think about how things could have been without it." She says, trailing off. Merek's outburst is concerning indeed, but the old Paladin can't help but wonder...
    Why is Yuuki crying?
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Mizuki unexpectedly finds herself in a beam-o-war with the tree! Damn, that AT field is tough! But it goes down again, and so at last does the core! Mizuki stares, wide eyed, as the landscape changes. Damn. That would've been a really cool-looking cinematic, but having it happen all around you in VR is something else!

    And they get... a dead branch? Mizuki has to read it like three times before she gets it right. Appraising it reveals that it's exactly what she thought it is. An item famous for its griefing potential... can they find a legitimate use for it?

    Celebrations begin. "Yeah!" she chimes in, when Rylen says that was badass. Shall they peek upstairs? She high-fives Reika. "Of course!" She heads for the stairs...

    ...But as someone mentions the next wave, she stops. Her posture slumps slightly and her ears splay. Dammit... She shakes her head. Nothing to be done for it. They should check out the next floor...

    But Merek is FLIPPING OUT. Mizuki hurries over to him to... what? She's not a healer. "Hey, what's wrong?!" she asks, concerned and alarmed.
Tenix
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    The firebird is pulled up, is dusted off, but she seems about as crestfallen as Yuuki. Well, maybe not -that- much, but with the way she's wandering for the exit, not even bothering with the sword she tossed, the typically energetic avian has clearly had the wind taken from her sails.
Syx
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

With things having finally been won, Syx kips up from the ground, landing on his feet after throwing his whole body up onto his feet.

"Hell yeah!" He throws one fist up into the air, "You stupid tree, that's what you get!"

As usual, he's not paying attention to the others that are freaking out around him, either crying or screaming.
Vertina
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Vertina blinks as Yuuki slips from her arm and drops to the ground in sadness instead. Stares for a moment. "Did I miss something?..." She looks around. "Is there another mechanic going on?" She's got no idea why people aren't celebrating other than that.
Atif
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    "Buuugh..." By the time everyone has made their final assault on the core, Atif finally lifts himself up from his knees. With a good, hearty chug taking of the potion Prophylaxis provided to him. It helps, but afterwards, there's still some idle coughing on his part.

    And in spite of that, he ends up looking at the doctor himself, and giving a sheepish smile as he asks of him, "You're alright? I didn't kick you too hard, did I?"

    Nevermind that he just ate a faceful of the spores and whatnot.

    And amidst all the celebration, Atif draws his green gaze along everyone in the raiding party. Watching over the emotions of victory among most of their faces with... a strangely rueful expression on his own features. Though the sight of Yuuki crying amongst the growing greens does bring a a concerned frown, he doesn't try to go approaching her. There's people closer to her, so he shouldn't presume to move over in their place for whatever attempt at reassurance.

    Either way.

    There's a few more rueful looks given to the others, before the Salamander looks down, at his own hands. Slowly curling their fingers to clenched fists, and then open again.

    Something's whispered there with a steady breath, just to himself, before he takes a single step backwards, and turns back for the door they came in from.
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    While Yuuki breaks down in tears, Xander then hears Merek scream. He raises a brow, before looking over to Rylen. He motions for the elf to come over, along with whistles over to Prophylaxis. Pointing to the doctor, then over at Merek.

The guy /might/ be having a mental break and if he was, he would need some help making sure Merek didn't hurt himself or possibly need a doctor to check him over.

The dark scaled Salamander walks over to Merek and crouches down in front of him. His draconic eyes looking at the other man, as his tail gently taps the newly grassy ground. "Hey. Merek. You okay buddy?" He tilts his head softly, "You want to go get something to drink? Maybe lay down for a bit?"
Merek
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Merek would notice that people are talking to him. Still, he seems to be a little bit perplexed about where he was at, "I... Where," he then notes the battle field. "I need to... Find a way back to the town," he mentions, the cracks shimmering while they fix themselves, with an unknown energy. It's not something people would likely know, and neither does the man of himself know what it is really. The weapon is picked up while he places that into the seal of the wrap. He then looks to Xander, he does remember him, he seems to recall the people around him. "Ya, I... Don't know, it felt like something was pulling everything I am apart, and something... Within, was piecing me back together. It was..." The man thinks about it, "That's definitely not part of the game."
Rylen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

The fact that two people are showing strange behavior in the aftermath isn't lost on Rylen. His exhuberance tempered down as he looks between the two. He has no idea about Merek's strange weapon, nor about what would bring Yuuki such sadness, so his brows just furrow slightly.

He instinctively looks to Prophylaxis, since he seems to be the resident doctor on staff, lifting a questioning brow. For now, he just folds his arms across his chest, concerned. It isn't until Xander motions him over that the follows. "Any idea what's wrong with him?" He asks.

"I can carry him if we have to..." Then the man starts speaking, so it offers some measure of relief. "Some kind of new status effect?" He asks, "Not anything I'm familiar with."
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Goldenblade is not clear what the freaking out and tears are for, herself. It looks like we won and no one got killed. That's a good thing in her book. Must be something personal, she guesses, and that ends it for her. Well, if people have issues, that's their business. She can't help, really. People crying's a kid thing, in her book. In her day, you didn't cry in public, particularly guys. Even at a funeral, you kept it to an absolute minimum. She's heard now that kids cry competitively, but perhaps the person that told her that was speaking ironically.
Gwen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Gwen looks to Goldenblade and grins "I'll send off a message to him soon." She seems concerned with some of the others and will see Tenix has been caught by Grandma Paladin and she hears the dark power she holds. An accountant? That could explain so much, she'll need to hire her later. To check her books over meanwhile in the back of her mind she should get going she could get some work on her project done before the wave hits. Then again the party has food, right?
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    "It feels like you're being pulled apart and put back together?" Mizuki's relieved he seems to be okay-ish now, at least? "...Maybe we could try asking the Landers, see if any of them have heard of such a thing...?"
Prophylaxis
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

"I'm fine," the good doctor answers, as the world fades from death to life all around him. "I'm fine, thanks for asking. Are you? You still seem to be coughing pretty hard. I might be able to whip something up for it, but it should pass on its own... too..."

He looks away. Not because of anything the Salamander did, or because of the way the terrain is transforming, but because he hears a familiar sound. Because there's someone crying-- and because he knows too well who it is.

"Yuuki--" Prophylaxis starts with a jolt into a run. He staggers to a stop, dropping to his knees fast enough to scuff them through his robes. "Yuuki, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Or..." No, her face isn't pained. Not... not physically pained, anyway. He frowns, eyes swimming to try and think of what could be wrong... And then he reaches and lightly squeezes her hands. "...Come on. Maybe we should talk somewhere a little nicer, and you can... you can talk to me, okay? It'll be alright."
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Xander shrugs softly at Rylen's question, seeming the Salamander has no clue what any of this is about. "Others have Yuuki, lets just get Merek back to town, yeah? Though I'd rather have Prophylaxis look him over, considering..." He motions to the strange energy. "None-- of that looks right."

The Salamander goes to stand up, "Though if it /was/ caused by the boss. Much like Yuuki's tears.. Then why did no one else get effected? Normally the game would cure status effects by now or even damage." This causes Xander to do another inspect on Merek.

He does catch that Prophylaxis apparently missed his whistle and like many others distracted by Yuuki. "... or we can maybe find another with medic abilities. Maybe Uta..."
Goldenblade
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Goldenblade nods to Gwen about sending off a message. "Sounds good," she agrees. She follows her glance over to Tenix and Amalthea, and hrms about accountancy. Probably a better job than bricklaying, as far as that goes, not that either really applies here. At least no one's hit her up for taxes yet. Hopefully that doesn't change.
Syx
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

"The hell is wrong with them?" Syx asks, as he sees the group seemingly focused on Yuuki and Merek instead of celebrating that they beat the boss or talking about the loot they got. What did they get anyway? He messes with his inventory for a moment, "Oh come on. A stick? This is lame. The other floors got cool stuff." He should have known they'd get something like a stick for beating up a tree.
Mizuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    Mizuki's ears rotate towards Syx, and she looks alarmed, rushing over. "Hey! Be careful with it, it's not 'just a stick!'" Of course, there are people without the appraisal skill and people who haven't played Ragnarok Online, after all. "When you break it, it summons a monster. ANY monster, from porings to powerful field bosses WAY above our level."

    It was one thing to see a Clock Tower Manager in the fields around Prontera in cutesy 2D style. Mizuki imagines that happening now, in a VRMMO, the level 90 boss monster slaughtering adventurers and landers alike, and stares into the distance past Syx.
Yuuki
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4


    It's not really clear what's got Yuuki feeling so down. Though as Prophylaxis comes over to console her and ask what's wrong, Yuuki looks at him. For a moment it's like she's not seeing him at all, but then she regains a bit of focus, saying quietly, "It's not the same..."

    Yuuki doesn't move immediately at Prophylaxis's suggestion. She sits there for a short time, during which she manages to regain some composure. Finally she wipes her eyes with one of her sleeves, before managing a small smile at Prophylaxis, "I'll be alright. I was just caught off guard a bit." It seems like some others might need the DOc's attention anyway.
Vertina
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Vertina sighs, and steps back to let the professional take care of whatever is up with Yuuki. At least the people acting odd should be in good hands. "Thanks for the antidotes, Doc. We'd been lost without that foresight." After which she walks off to let the people that know such things like medicine tend to people. She noticed Atif already ran off too, but isn't in the mood to go chasing after him just yet.

She runs her fingers through her bangs as she sighs again, the mood dampened by the after effects on others. Maybe that was a sign they need to keep up the pace on getting higher? At the least needed a better situation for unwinding after a big fight like this.

"I need a drink..." If only there was somewhere closer than going all the way back to Alne. "I'm heading back down to Tolbana." And make her own drinks if need be.
Merek
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Merek would not a little bit to the party, while he seems to think about it, looking then to the people that are still about. "I'll be alright I think," he notes, then he would begin using Xander to lean on. He's clearly fronting for the people there while he nods a bit, "I need time to process a little bit. Then, we need to prepare for the next Wave."
Xander
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

    Xander glances back over to Yuuki, then over to Rylen, then at Merek who is leaning on him. "Rylen." He says with a very serious tone. It was almost like hearing a military commander. "Help with Yuuki or the others. If nothing else, let the people of the village know this place is cleansed."

He then goes to place his arm around Merek to make sure the man is secured in his footing. "I'll get Merek down the tower." Then he nudges Merek gently. "Come on. Sooner we get you laying down the better. I'll find you a healer to check you out."
Syx
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

It's a good thing Mizuki stopped Syx when she did because he was probably about to throw the stick. He stops with the stick in his hand, and ohs, "I see." He considers, "That means I could use it to summon a monster to fight.." He gets a bit of a grin on his face, and then puts the stick away, "Okay I'll hold onto it for now."
Rylen
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

"You don't look alright, my friend... are you suu--" Then, Xander saying his name has Rylen stop mid-sentance, looking at him with one white eyebrow raised. There is a brief pause, as if the wheels were churning in the Pooka's mind, but he doesn't argue with the order.

"Yes, sir." He inclines his head, white hair falling forward. "Be safe, both of you." There's no hint of emotion there. The Beastmaster just turns and goes back towards the others. There are likely plenty of people with injuries who could use aid back to Zumfit. From there, he could speak to Kizmel and the Elders, informing them of the fact that the Beast is no longer a threat.
Prophylaxis
Aincrad Tower - -2 - 1 - 4

Prophylaxis may be the official medical go-to guy for the Scale Emblem Alliance these days, but he's also something more important. Something that takes precedence over almost all else.

He looks Yuuki in the eye, his face full of concern and... perhaps, just a little bit of subtle realization. It's not the same, is it? It isn't. But he sits with her for as long as it takes for the imp to recover some semblance of her usual, bubbly facade. Through the little smile she puts on, he can still see that tear-strewn face and it drives a thorn right into his heart. But...

With some finality, he closes his eyes and exhales a long sigh... then, nods. "...If you need someone to talk about it with..." He says, returning her smile with one of his own, "Just let me know. I'll come wherever you might be. Doctor's promise."

Online games... they can heal a heart in so many ways-- but they can't make people stop being human, can they? New memories can't necessarily replace the old so easily, and... There are people who need his help all around.

Time to get to work.