May 29, 2017 19:05:46 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 15:40:36 GMT -5
toast likes this
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 15:40:36 GMT -5
They had made it.
She had always known they would, of course, but the fact that they had taken on the massive beast and won had left her practically vibrating with pride and joy. She had proven herself, and maybe she could even actually do this. She could truly be the hero she had always wanted to be, and help so many. The win had only fed Lethe's delusions of grandeur, and the loot hadn't been bad either.
In fact, she was holding the wolf pup now, her favorite out of all of the rewards, laughing as it tried to lick at her face. She'd always wanted a dog, and there was something so comforting about holding something warm and soft that wouldn't hurt her. She hadn't even realized how starved for contact she'd become. Not to say that her friend wasn't enough to have around, of course not! It was just that the longer they went on in this game, the more unbearable it became to know that even when someone was touching her, they weren't really.
It was all the motivation she needed to at least try again, if she could.
1/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 29, 2017 15:56:48 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 15:56:24 GMT -5
toast likes this
Post by noir on May 29, 2017 15:56:24 GMT -5
it hadn't even been a day since their last encounter with a floor boss. as expected, lethe was enthusiastic about her accomplishment. she was more than prepared to go again especially with how handsomely they were rewarded. as for richard, he had no interest in the loot and with no weapon drop, it felt like a load of rubbish. it was only after digging through it that he managed to pick up an epic trinket. one that should prove useful for their second attempt at opening the second floor for the lazy insects.
the boy sighed lightly, looking over at his woman. in her arms held a tiny wolf pup that scar had dropped and ever since she had gotten it, she refused to let it down. under normal circumstances, he wouldn't allow such things. however, he turned a blind eye to it when he was reminded that the pup was fabricated. it wasn't living and therefore, he did not care about it.
"are you ready?" he asked, moving towards the familiar entrance without hesitation. his apprehension from the first time had melted away. he was at ease now that lethe proved herself worthy of him. their entire time in the first dungeon, he received no damage. he was sure that this woman would die for him if he asked her too.
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May 29, 2017 19:05:01 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 16:18:02 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 16:18:02 GMT -5
"mhm!" she answered, as cheerful as could be. it was such a relief that he hadn't turned out to be angry with her after all once the boss had died. nothing could keep the pep out of her step except the knowledge that once they got into a fight, she'd have to put the wolf pup down. that thought really, truly did make her very sad.
but it was only temporary! they'd just have to beat the dungeon again and she'd be reunited with her new friend! her only other friend in all of gargantua.
she was ready to fight again, and she even felt as though she'd learned some things from the last boss fight. when noir moved forward, she sped up to keep pace with him, her arms still full and the puppy making cute whining noises as she approached to walk side by side. the thing shivered a little in her arms, ears pinning back. aw, the poor thing was cold! "should we go the same way again? oh-" she blinked, looking forward to see the door wasn't there anymore. it seemed the dungeon had changed since yesterday.
"um, silly me ..." she said apologetically, looking up ahead. "i guess we have to go a different way." it was probably a stupid idea to try their luck the exact same way, anyway.
2/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 29, 2017 16:29:42 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 29, 2017 16:29:42 GMT -5
insufferable runt, richard thought bitterly, hands shoved deep in his pockets. the puppy had been fine prior to the dungeon. upon returning, it started to cry out in a pitch so high it was a wonder how he could manage. he wished for the young dog to be strangled within the dungeon just so he could have some peace. it was wishful thinking at best knowing well that pets could not die in battle. if only, he breathed out slowly, calming his temper.
his expression twisted when the first room had changed from the last time they were there. the hallway ahead of them was gone and the door that he found last time was also no where to be found. instead, they were to walk down a straight path lit by the torches on the walls; a common theme he found. with no where else left to turn, he begrudgingly allowed himself to walk into the trap. it was only a matter of time before something sprung up at them.
his eyes turned to look down at the whimpering dog still shivering from the temperature. it was ludicrous. it was practically raised in this very environment and now it couldn't handle it? he stopped in his tracks to remove his jacket. he didn't need it with the trinket he wore around his neck. "here, cover it up," he said tossing the jacket over to lethe.
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May 29, 2017 19:04:25 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 16:41:18 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 16:41:18 GMT -5
aw, he had always been so sweet. lethe smiled as she took his jacket, wrapping the shaking wolf pup in it. "that's so thoughtful of you," she said gratefully, but for some reason the pet only seemed to shake harder. she frowned, not knowing enough about dogs to understand. didn't they have all this fur to keep them from the cold? if only she knew something who understood dog behavior, but that had never really been the case. noir was very smart, but animals had never seemed to interest him as far as she could tell.
she would have assumed it was hungry, but nothing actually needed to eat here.
at least it quieted when she started petting it repeatedly, sliding a hand over the top of the canine's head as gently as she could think to, glancing up the lit pathway. remembering why they were there, she gained a hop to her step again as she went on just slightly ahead of him. after all, she was the defender and it was her job. this was probably where it would be smart to shove the wolf pup in her inventory and be on guard, but ... she didn't want to, and noir hadn't advised her to, so she decided it would be okay to put that off for just a little while longer.
she looked up ahead through the lit ice cave, relieved that she could actually see where she was headed this time around. she frowned, though, not seeing any immediate monsters to have to fight. well, they must just be further ahead. that, or it was a puzzle. her heart sank at the thought.
3/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 29, 2017 16:51:43 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 29, 2017 16:51:43 GMT -5
richard looked away as if he were shy about the comment from lethe. truth was, he was deep in thought. he couldn't tell how long they have been walking, but it was most likely only two minutes at best. two minutes without anything trying to kill them? his brows furrowed, mumbling to himself under his breath. he was grateful that lethe had finally shut the dog up for him to think without interruptions. still, as hard as he thought, the cave was unassuming and felt safe to walk through so far. he wondered if they should let their guard down and walk without paranoia.
the male's eyes trailed up at the defender, watching her walk ahead. good. she was still in his sights and not far from him if anything should happen. he looked down at the paved stone walkway, noticing inscriptions carved deep in the surface. did they mean something? or simply put there for in the name of art?
no good, he decided.
he needed to clear his mind of all the unnecessary analysis if they were going to do nothing for him. a distraction was what he needed. clearing his throat, he supposed it would be a good time to talk to lethe. it was always a good idea to check on the conditions of your possessions.
"did you give him a name?"
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May 29, 2017 19:04:11 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 17:11:54 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 17:11:54 GMT -5
"oh-" she missed a step, slipping some in the snow and ice with a squelsh like noise as he broke the silence to ask her a question. she blushed, embarassed and not just from the slip. "i'm trying to think of a good one, but i can't." she admitted quickly, not even considering keeping her failure from him. she looked down for a moment, shoulders dropping as she felt the warmth of the creature bloom against her chest where she held it. just as quickly, she looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "maybe you can help me come up with one later?"
just as soon as she said it, she stopped. just walking, she could have sworn her eyes were playing tricks on her, but with her eyes locked on her friend she saw something out of the corner of her eye, up ahead. she jerked her head to try to lock her eyes at the spot, but ... it was the same as the rest of the hallway, nothing out of the ordinary. the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, but that happened sometimes and she ignored it.
this time, though, even she knew that something was wrong.
she stopped in her tracks, dumbly staring at the spot. she squinted, noticing that it seemed to not match up along some edges ... maybe it was a glitch? she was probably just seeing things. without thinking, she inched closer towards what she was or wasn't seeing, trying to get a better look without bothering noir about it yet.
4/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 29, 2017 17:38:23 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 29, 2017 17:38:23 GMT -5
richard winced when lethe had fallen into the mixture of ice and snow, not knowing what to do with her. he reached out a hand to offer her some help on getting up on her feet. his hand curled in front of his mouth as he bent over, a fake soft laugh escaping from it. clumsy girl, he thought. his face brightened to assure the girl that he was not upset with her mistake -- this time. he was not an unfair guy and if she performed well, he would show her leniency. plus, he had to admit that slipping was trivial to him.
"i could try," he answered, "but as you know...I've never had a pet myself." his smile was gentle, but faded immediately. he could see that she was not looking at him, rather, behind him. richard spun around, heart beating against his chest as the memories flooded him. he could remember the last time he had turned his back on an opponent. it nearly costed him his life if not for his beloved. his eyes darted all over the room to lock onto what lethe had seen.
what he found was nothing; absolutely nothing.
his mouth slanted in thought, his hand swiping for his knife. lethe was a dull girl, but one who did not lie. she could not lie to him. in the odd sense of the word, he trusted her and was on his guard; sure that it was a monster. "what did you see?" he asked in a quiet hush.
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May 29, 2017 19:04:00 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 17:50:34 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 17:50:34 GMT -5
lethe was grateful to her friend who had helped her up, but for once her focus was absent from him when he spoke. it only took a second for the realization that she'd ignored him to jolt through her like a shock, as she glanced quickly over her shoulder and away from where she'd been looking. "what- oh, um." she hesitated. she was probably being stupid again ...
"it was probably nothing-"
she wasn't able to finish her sentence before the hand wrapped around her throat, cold and like the time she'd fallen chin first in an ice rink. she dropped the wolf pup, her heart skipping a beat at the thought of noir's jacket, but her hands were scrambling up as the arm made of ice materialized down to some lizardian creature. weaponless, she began kicking as she was lifted up from the ground, gauntlet covered hands scrambling for a way to pry fingers from around her throat.
5/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 29, 2017 18:01:58 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 29, 2017 18:01:58 GMT -5
his heart caught in his throat when he turned back to see a hand around lethe's neck. without warning, richard had picked up his jacket from the ground and threw it over lethe's face, obstructing her vision. it was for the best. his disciplined nature was switched off along with his self control. he didn't care about anything else with his mind clouded by rage and his eyes seeing nothing but crimson. flashing his knife, richard casted fear into the lizard, rendering it immobile.
even if it was camoflagued, it was easy to tell that it stood behind lethe, it's filthy claws wrapped around her thin neck. "don't take it off until i say you can," richard ordered in a voice so cool it was chilling. slashing the lizard quickly three times, the male succeeded in creating a bond with it. now, they were going to dance together in this hell created by the antagonist class until it would inevitably die to his hands.
richard's smile twisted upwards as he held his knife with two hands, stabbing it into himself. his smile widened into a grin when the lizard started to shriek. it's hold on lethe loosened immediately to grab at it's stomach, the very place that richard had stabbed himself. oh, he wasn't done yet. not close.
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May 29, 2017 19:03:16 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 18:13:28 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 18:13:28 GMT -5
she was fighting so hard, but then something draped over her face and everything went black. for a moment, she panicked, thinking everything was over as her vision had clouded. it was over, she had almost thought, her feet going limp for a moment as she gave in. it was then that she heard his voice. she couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe, but she could hear him and that meant she was still alive.
he was still talking to her, so she was going to be okay.
she started kicking again, but only ever connected with air. every small gasp of breath she attempted smelled like him. with no sight to tell her what was happening, she only heard the wolf pup's sharp crying return a second before the creature holding onto her screamed and she fell, stumbling to her feet as she gasped an inhale. immediately, her hands raised to pull off his jacket, but she froze inches away from touching it.
he'd told her not to, and so she didn't.
instead, she stood where she was, frightened and unaware of what was happening. she listened as best as she could, but she didn't know what could be happening except that they were fighting. "be careful-" she called out, fingers itching before she balled them into fists to keep herself from disappointing him. it was so hard. she just wanted him to be okay, that was her job, that was what she was supposed to do-
6/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 29, 2017 18:26:30 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 29, 2017 18:26:30 GMT -5
Richard didn't even need to hold his breath when Lethe's hand moved to uncover her face. He knew that she would stop and she did. Good girl, he crooned internally, eyes half-lidded as he looked over her. Her health did not drop as much as he had thought at least, not as much as the monster before him. The lizard was keeled over in the snow, spasming from each cut, each stab, and each movement of his knife buried in his skin. It was dying, but slowly and painfully. He wondered if that was enough punishment for the pitiful creature.
He smiled sweetly, granting the scaled beast the release it desired. Angling the knife by his neck, Richard did one smooth slash against it. His wound gushed out pixels however, his health did not fall at all. The lizard, on the other hand, had the same effect and unlike him, it's health hemorrhaged out until it burst into pixels. That was the end of that.
Richard rubbed at his neck, feeling himself cool off now that he had rid himself of the threat to Lethe. She was still learning and while she was, he took it upon himself to guide her correctly. If an opponent was too much for her to handle, he would step in. He relaxed, removing his jacket from Lethe's face now that the battle was over.
His face was as gentle as ever.
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May 29, 2017 19:03:02 GMT -5
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May 29, 2017 18:41:20 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 18:41:20 GMT -5
she had failed him.
that was the thought in her mind as the battle raged on. the wolf pup was crying, and she worried - had she hurt him when she'd dropped the animal? that was probably all her fault, too. when everything quieted, her heart only started beating faster. she didn't know the outcome. either the monster had won, and was coming for her next, or-
she winced when the jacket was taken from over her face without warning, blinking rapidly so that she could see more clearly. before her vision even cleared, she knew it must have been him, that he was okay, and, "i'm sorry." the words bubbled out from her before she could even think of anything else. she looked to him, desperate, but his health ... was fine. he was okay. she reached out to touch him, to hug him, but stopped herself short. "i'm sorry," she just said again.
he had never been harsh with her, but then, he had never needed to be.
"it was all my fault," she started without him even needing to say anything. "i'll do better, i promise." she was supposed to be perfect, she knew that. she had probably already made so many mistakes he had had to be patient with that day, but this was a big one. she was supposed to protect him, not the other way around.
7/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 29, 2017 18:51:42 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 29, 2017 18:51:42 GMT -5
He didn't flinch when she moved to try and touch him, knowing his boundaries well. His expression softened as he embraced her in his arms. He didn't like the feelings that came with the act nor did he enjoy comforting others. It was simpy another chore he had to endure to maintain his love's mental condition. Humans were needy creatures dependent on human interaction and physical touch. Once in awhile, he caved into her needs.
Richard patted her back hoping that this was enough for her. Breaking away, his eyes shifted over to his finger, trailing down her throat from under her chin all the way down. His hand dropped to his side after that, fingers rubbing together from behind him. Rubbing away to see if his finger had picked up any dirt or grime on her. Nothing. This pleased him to know.
"There, there, Lethe. It's alright, I'm alright. Sometimes heroes need support from their loved ones it's nothing to be ashamed about," he spoke softly,"yes, do try your best in the future. you can't protect anyone if you're weak."
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May 29, 2017 19:01:50 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 29, 2017 19:01:50 GMT -5
when he held her, she knew she hadn't done as badly as she'd feared. he didn't like touch, and she'd known better than to complete the hug herself. when he allowed her that much comfort, he couldn't hate her. it wasn't perfect, but it was okay.
she wanted to be perfect for him.
she blinked a few times when he trailed a finger down her neck. it was still sore from having been strangled, and she realized he must have been making sure she was okay. "i'm fine." she said, quickly, before realizing that wasn't quite true. "i mean, i will be now." she offered up a smile, trying to assure him. that was better.
it stung when he finished speaking to her, but only because she knew she wasn't what she should be. not yet. she nodded slowly, not wanting to waste any more time, and turned to lead the rest of the way. this time, her steps were careful as she tried to keep her eye out for anything amiss in the landscape, even though she'd only caught on last time by chance. the wolf pup quickly trailed behind her, hopping through the snow between the protagonist and antagonist.
8/10 hard mode: enabled noir
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