Elysion
Gamer
This life will burn out someday, even if you try to cling to it
Posts: 10
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Post by Elysion on Dec 28, 2008 1:26:56 GMT -5
In a land void of life, a rare zephyr whispered to the brawler, warning her to turn back, warning her of the treacherous sand storm approaching, but these caution quickly fell deaf to stubborn ears. Quickly, they were hauled away by the harsh winds of the desert. Perhaps it was just the wind, but Elysion swore she heard the very desert howl, its voice carried by the gale. But that was ridiculous. Quickly shaking such improbable thoughts from her head, she trudges on.
Crystals began to cut into her skin again, leaving her wounds to bleed for a mere second before they were blown away by the merciless gust of wind. Her grip on Mjolnir begins to tighten as if her life depended on it. Every step was weighed down by the weapon, reminding her of her depleting health, cruelly and slowly taken away by each dot of sand in the desert. It made her worry. If it wasn't for the crystal heart, Elysion would've remained in her urban comfort with a mug of rum. She kept a potion bottle at bay, prepared to consume it the moment she finds her destination.
Yes, the crystal heart that apparently belongs to a rumored creature, a Titan formed from the very element of this here desert, was what made Elysion set off on this self-declared quest. Reports stated that it was last spotted north of the Crystal Desert, said to have been dwelling in the under grounds of ruin. If Elysion could so much as lay her hands on just one of those crystal hearts, she would've struck a fortune. But these were just rumors passed down from one drunk ambitious warrior to another, so on what basis do our brawler have to risk her life in search of a boss rank monster? Nothing but pure curiosity. Impulsive and stupid curiosity.
She should've hired a party of some sorts, but not wanting to have to break the heart into a dozen tiny pieces, Elysion went against the idea. Going solo was always her style after all. Pulling her manteau close, the brawler turned her face away from being directly exposed to the opposing wind and continued to push forward, eager to cross the desert.
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Queen
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Post by Queen on Dec 28, 2008 15:01:04 GMT -5
A sandstorm... Queen thought, feeling a light breeze rising above the scorching golden sands. She was all too used to the treacherous weather of the Crystal Desert now, for after all, it was the perfect hunting ground for dragon knights. Vast, empty, and full of land-dwelling creatures that could do naught in front of her majestic dragon. But today, she was in the desert for some other purpose.
And she came prepared. Feeling the wind pick up, she produced an enchanted cloak from her inventory, and draped it over herself. That should protect her from the sand storm. As for Fafnir, she didn't have to worry about. After all, those measly crystal were hardly sharp enough to cut through the scales of a mighty gold, king of all elemental dragons.
There was no other player nearby, which was just perfect. She didn't need anyone to be stealing her kill. She had came without a party, which was rare, but necessary. After all, the quest required her to slay all four Guardian Golems by herself, having a party member would only complicate things... Her plan was simple. Charge into the underground ruin, swerve around until she finds the Guardian Golems, snipe them, and quickly get out before the Boss notices her. If the rumored crystal titan corners her alone...she shuddered at the consequence.
The storm was really picking up now, blocking out sounds of Devourers burrowing from the storm, Sand Worms jumping in and out of the sand, and all other nonsensical noises. She kept her periphery vision on the turbulent sand below just in case; it would be highly unwise to be caught off guard by a stray Stinger or the likes. Then, something else caught her attention. There was another player trudging along in the sand. And, judging from how the girl was shielding herself from the storm, she came unprotected.
"What are you doing?" She shouted, dropping some attitude. "You are going to be killed by the Sand Storm!" Naturally, as a high level player, Queen took it upon herself to warn less experienced individuals (or just plain stubborn ones) of the dangers of the desert. If Elysion thought the storm was bad right now, she really wouldn't want to see what it would be like a few minutes later.
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Elysion
Gamer
This life will burn out someday, even if you try to cling to it
Posts: 10
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Post by Elysion on Dec 28, 2008 20:16:48 GMT -5
The sweltering heat didn't help. One would think a shimmering plain like this would feel cold, but that wasn't even remotely closed. Heat waves attacked the lone player in time with the wind, burning into her skin with every gust. Thank heavens Elysion was dressed down, so it wasn't as horrible as it would've been if she wore a full warrior set. Otherwise, she would've been roasting right now.
The wind picks up again, strong enough to blow down a house, but not enough to overcome Mjolnir. Elysion drops the giant hammer to the ground and kept an intense grip on it to keep herself from flying away to nowhere. She didn't need to get lost involuntarily (but who's ever willing anyway), especially without her weapon. Keeping her head shunned from the direction the wind blew, the brawler kept her eyes squinted to save her vision from being scarred. In a distance, she manages to catch a glimpse of a moving shadow.
Was that a mirage?
Mirages don't ask questions, the brawler noticed. She could hear a faint call trying to challenge the roar of the desert's storm, details were all drowned and Elysion could barely make out what the woman was saying. Or at least she thinks it's a woman. Something about the storm... and getting killed. Once again, another warning of the threatening weather. As appreciative of the concern as she was, she was confident that the dwelling monsters was something she could handle.
"What?" She shouts back, raising her voice above the noise. Normally she would ignore questions like these and pretend to be 'away' from the game, but that will be a pretty stupid thing to do in a place like this. What does she look like she's trying to do anyway? Enjoy a breeze? Elysion shook sand away from her face and picked up Mjolnir once more. "Trying to outlive this storm, what do you think I'm doing?!"
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Queen
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Guild Master of The Kingdom
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Post by Queen on Dec 28, 2008 21:09:59 GMT -5
Tugging on Fafnir's reins, Queen directed the dragon to sweep down lower. She could tell that Fafnir was having to exert more force than usual to overcome the biting wind and mentally thanked god that she had picked a Gold as her ride. If she had chosen a Red...who known where they would have been blown now. Brushing back a loose strand of hair whipped about by the wind, she flattened herself against her dragon, clenching onto the reins tightly as Fafnir began his descend.
Now at a lower attitude, she could make out more details about that shadowy figure. The player seemed like a brawler of some type, and judging from that gigantic hammer, a Berserker perhaps? A second glance at Elysion’s armor erased that notion. Those were definitely not lv70 armor. But that piece of information only increased her respect for the small looking warrior. That was a mighty fine weapon for a mere brawler to wield. It testifies to the strength of the warrior, but the issue remained. Regardless of how strong Elysion is, it’s utter foolhardiness to stay in a storm without protection.
But any sympathy or respect Queen might have had for the brawler vanished at that cheeky reply. What a stubborn little... She contemplated just hurrying ahead. Let that idiot perish in the storm then, but her conscience simply could not allow her to do something like that.
With an aggravated sigh, she pulled on Fafnir's reins again, directing him to land a few yards away from Elysion. "Where are you going exactly? The storm is going to get worse. If we are going approximately the same direction, I could give you a ride..." Her mind screamed at her at the outrageous suggestion. Why in the world should she help a perfect stranger? But her upbringing all but drilled into her the merit and necessity of helping others in need. It's true that she might have spurned the Christian background, she still couldn't help but follow it's precepts from time to time.
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Elysion
Gamer
This life will burn out someday, even if you try to cling to it
Posts: 10
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Post by Elysion on Dec 28, 2008 22:38:42 GMT -5
A dragon. Now how could she have missed that? Blaming it all on the storm, Elysion dismissed her queries. The heat must be getting to her as well. Watching the creature descend, she instinctively moved away from her position. As a soloist, she wasn't the type to encounter the dragon class often in her trainings and quests, and she shouldn't either. The brawler wouldn't be able to escape a battle with them unscathed let alone win. But she had no business with dragons whatsoever, so let's leave her experience with these legends as nil.
Elysion squinted even more, tilting her head from side to side just wanting to catch a better look of the rider. Though, her intentions were quickly interrupted by the intimidating close-up of the golden scaled beast. Taken aback, she distanced herself from the duo once more. She didn't move too far however, and was still granted a glimpse of shining armor. More importantly, the impressive blade behind its user caught her attention. A warrior, no... a... Knight? Digging through her memory bank, it finally struck her that the rider was a Dragon Knight, which explains so much. The brawler mentally kicked herself in the head for being ignorant and missing the gigantic clue in front of her - the dragon.
Now in the presence of a Dragon Knight, Elysion feels her self-esteem wavering. They were at least level 70, a considerably high level if anything. If she wasn't so lazy, perhaps she would be a Berserker of equal ranks by now, but it wasn't the right time or place to go whining about her own incompetency. Readjusting her hold on Mjolnir, she strains her ears to pick up what the other was saying again.
Ooh, a ride. That was indeed an offer worth considering, and Elysion really wanted to be out of this storm as fast as possible. Another grain of sand grazes past her skin, this time making her frown with much irritation. All the more to leave this place ASAP. This leads her back to the quest at hand, where she needed to find the ruins, and that although not very high in level but still very dangerous Titan. The storm was beginning to become stronger as they wasted more time here. Rash but not suicidal, Elysion decides to accept depending on the answer. Quickly, she spoke again.
"Do you know of the ruins where the Titan dwells?"
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Queen
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Post by Queen on Dec 29, 2008 13:19:20 GMT -5
Forget approximately the same direction, why, the other player was going exactly where she was going! That however, was not necessarily a good thing. Her sapphire eyes narrowed marginally, and a hint of defensiveness was visible in them.
"I do know where those ruins are at...in fact, they are my destination," she said, slowly, watching for any changes of expression on the brawler's face. "But if you intend to slay any of the four guardian golems, I'm afraid to inform you that I've received the same quest." Her unspoken words were obvious. If Elysion threatened her quest. Well, forget her good nature then. There's no way she would be giving a competitor a ride.
Meanwhile, Fafnir shifted impatiently behind her. Shaking himself slowly of the obtrusive sand, he straightened up and let out a majestic roar. Queen patted her pet soothingly, urging it to be more patient.
OCC: Pardon the shortness. I'm out of things to say...>.>
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Elysion
Gamer
This life will burn out someday, even if you try to cling to it
Posts: 10
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Post by Elysion on Dec 30, 2008 5:10:04 GMT -5
"You do? That's fantastic!" She was glad that the Dragon Knight and her were both heading the same direction and even to the same location, but it did not take a genius to notice those narrowed eyes coming her way. That changes things. Elysion met those defensive gems with her own, hers almost a glare when she felt as though she was being wrongly accused of something she had not done, but they immediately soften.
"Four guardian go- No." She answers bluntly with a shake of the head once she recalls what they were - something she has no interest in. "I'm on a hunt for the Boss, the Titan itself. I do hope you've not taken on that quest as well, it will be quite troublesome for me if so..."
Her balance shook when the dragon roared impatiently. Elysion understood and gave Queen's pet a sympathetic look. She too was feeling quite restless, and it only got worse by the look of the sandstorm. From afar, a wave of sand were coming their way, spelling nothing but trouble. "Pardon me, but if your offer is still up, I'd suggest we get a move on. Otherwise, I will have to take my leave first." She said while pointing to the wave, "I'm afraid the storm won't wait."
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Queen
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Post by Queen on Dec 30, 2008 11:32:42 GMT -5
When the other player's eyes turned defensive as well, Queen thought that her unfortunate suspicions had been met. She was about to sigh and leave when the brawler quickly denied her allegations. Queen blinked. She's not hunting the guardian golems? Then what is she...
Her questions were quickly answered. Sapphires widened as the brawler stated her quest. Queen could hardly believe her eyes. This small looking brawler (in comparison to her own height anyway), was on a quest to hunt the titan himself? From the rumors she's heard. The titan was at last lv75, if not higher. But then again, players exaggerate. "Wow...that's a pretty hard quest you've embarked on," she remarked. "But that's perfect. You go for your Boss and don't touch my golems, and I'll return the favor. Deal?"
Then, easing the tension in the air with a smile, she leaped back a step and patted the broad back of Fafnir. "It's all settled then. I'll give you a choice. Behind me or in front of me?" She eyed the horizon as well. "But think fast; that storm's getting closer~" There was an almost excited tone in her voice. Some might call her crazy, but Queen delights in riding just ahead of sand storm. It was such a thrill.
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Elysion
Gamer
This life will burn out someday, even if you try to cling to it
Posts: 10
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Post by Elysion on Dec 30, 2008 14:12:43 GMT -5
"Yes, the many crazy things I tend to do..." Elysion smiled at Queen's remark. True, she was no match for the rumored to be powerful Titan, but that doesn't mean she couldn't try. Why else would she be lugging a sack of potions around anyway... But back to the situation at hand. What the Knight had clarified was a perfect win-win situation, and giving no reason for her to say otherwise, the brawler nodded. "Deal."
Now that that was over with, they had another problem at hand. The damned sand storm and for some reason she can't grasp, her position on the ride. But whatever. She brushed aside her hair which was being ruffled up by the wind and held them behind her ear, "I'd take the front!" She announced with a childish smile and closed the distance with the dragon. Always having loved being in front-view seats, she didn't want to miss out by being obstructed with the Knight's towering height. And oh how Elysion loved being airborne and going directly against the wind. Though perhaps not much of being chased by a storm...
"Hope your friend there don't mind our weight." 'Our' referring to her and her weapon. Even if that was a dragon of impressionable size, Mjolnir also had an impressionable weight that should not be underestimated. But said weight will appear to be doubtful by what the brawler was about do next. Adjusting her steel companion on her shoulders, Elysion kicked herself off the ground, carrying the weapon along with her as though it was a mere stick.
Having excellent control, Elysion made sure not to plop down on the dragon when she landed. Now seated securely with her hammer placed horizontally across her lap, she tilted her head back at Queen, though her sights were mostly on the storm behind them. "Shall we?"
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Queen
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Post by Queen on Dec 30, 2008 15:03:54 GMT -5
"Excellent." As the brawler accepted her offer, all traces of defensiveness faded at once from Queen's eyes. It was the type of person she was. She would befriend anyone, but should anything or anyone get in her way... But luckily, there was no need for that today. A low chuckle constituted her response to the enthusiastic reply, and she patted the space before her. "Saddle up then."
She took no heed to Elysion's warning about "their" weight, not quite sure what the girl was referring too. After all, Elysion seemed more than slender. But as the brawler leaped onto Fafnir, she could physically feel the torso of her Gold sinking into the sand by a few centimeters. Sapphire widened as she scanned Elysion again. Where is she hiding all that weight... And then, her eyes settled on the gigantic hammer. "That's a pretty heavy weapon you got there...it's pretty impressive that you can haul it around so easily." Her own blade, Ragnarok, was hardly light either. But the hefty buster sword pales in comparison to Mjolnir.
"And we shall~" Jerking on Fafnir's reins, she ordered the dragon to take flight. The Gold snorted, not at all liking the new addition on his back, but obediently stretched out his wings. With a few mighty heaves, Fafnir took to the skies, stirring up a tornado of sand in his wake. "Lean forward," Queen instructed, teaching the brawler how to best minimize wind resistance and aid the dragon's flight. Not that Fafnir need any help. The sky was his element, The king of all elemental dragons, the majestic gold, soared beautifully, his mighty wingspan beating the wind to submission.
Just behind him, the sandstorm was approaching. Like a wall encroaching upon the sandy desert, it hauled forth its terrific height and chased the dragon and its riders. The sheer wind velocity of the storm can be felt even from behind. But Fafnir was faster. With both of his wings vigorously applying themselves, he pulled ahead of the storm in a matter of seconds. She knew it was a wise decision to tame a gold.
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Elysion
Gamer
This life will burn out someday, even if you try to cling to it
Posts: 10
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Post by Elysion on Dec 31, 2008 16:27:24 GMT -5
"Easy? Heck no... this baby is a pain to do anything with, to be honest." The brawler laughed while patting the cold surface of her weapon. Modest as always she is. It may not seem like much from that instant display she had done earlier, but if Elysion had to exert more force to use Mjolnir, she'll see to a couple hours of rest and muscle aches developing. Even dragging the large object around can be a hassle, almost like attempting to pull an obese and stubborn mule by the tail... not that she had ever tried...
Smirking at the snort, she was amused by the dragon's attitude. Maybe she should get a pet as well, just to see how domesticated monsters would behave. But her musings were inevitably interrupted as the dragon took flight, sending Elysion falling back slightly in surprise. That was completely the opposite of what Queen had instructed, but gaining composure quickly, she eventually did as told.
Going a little further down than needed, the brawler had much interest in the world now beneath them, a chill running through her body each time she catches sight of the distance between them and the earth. Not even jumping off a cliff with Mjolnir pulling her down rapidly was as thrilling. Then again, she was normally too preoccupied with smashing up monsters than enjoying the kick of potential suicide.
"Amazing!" Elysion cried, her voice overpowering the roaring of the sandstorm and wind. "We're actually losing the storm! At this rate we can..." The brawler's eyes widened when she noticed a wavering form in the distance. She squinted her eyes and placed the side of her hand against her forehead. "I think that's it..." She pointed at the hazy form of an abandoned and run down settlement, most of its architecture buried in sand by now. Excitement in her voice, she shouted again, "The ruins!"
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Queen
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Post by Queen on Dec 31, 2008 16:49:19 GMT -5
Queen merely chuckled at the modest response. While that hammer did look quite heavy, she had no doubt Elysion could wield it adequately, else the brawler would have trashed the thing a long time ago. As soon as the ascent started however, she quickly closed her mouth. Swallowing a mouthful of dusty sand isn't fun. She knows from experience.
"Hey!" Despite her caution, she still couldn't help but protest when Elysion suddenly fell backwards, colliding into herself. The sudden movement caused the dragon rider to lean backwards as well, resulting in a sudden jerk on Fafnir's reins. The dragon, though confused by the sudden direction, started to dive. Good thing for the two riders, Queen recovered in time to maneuver the reins again, urging the Gold to fly uninterrupted. As Fafnir pulled once more to a horizontal position, Queen let out a breath of relief. Of course, a glare was directed the brawler's direction.
Minutes ticked by in the peaceful ride, as peaceful as two riders getting chased by a desert storm anyway. When Elysion let out the excited shout, Queen looked down as well, just in time to see a hazy form emerge in the distance. A grin appeared on her face. Perfect... Now, most dragon knights would have no doubt parked their rides before the underground ruins and headed in on foot, but why would she ever subject herself to such disadvantages? With a wild glint dancing in her sapphires, Queen leaned forward and whispered into the brawler's ear, "hold on tight...", before jerking suddenly on Fafnir's ruins.
The dragon dove obediently, sheathing its wings and letting gravity take hold. The wind, pushed aside, whipped about the two riders mercilessly, sending Queen's golden mane about her like a banner of sun rays. Mere seconds later, Fafnir was yards away from the entrance, but Queen made no attempt to slow his charge. "Show 'em what you can do!" She commanded, urging her dragon forward. With her skillful manipulation of the reins and Fafnir's natural skill, the dragon and and its two riders flew directly into the underground tunnel, hardly losing and speed. Turning and twisting in the narrow corridor, Fafnir barely managed to save his wings from colliding with the stone walls around him. The roller-coaster of a ride lasted for nearly half a minute, before the trio arrived at a relatively open underground area.
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Elysion
Gamer
This life will burn out someday, even if you try to cling to it
Posts: 10
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Post by Elysion on Jan 8, 2009 13:15:05 GMT -5
Elysion had earlier scooted forward with a barely audible whimper, the glare shot towards her although not life threatening still managed to bore the slightest of guilt into the brawler. That was naturally pushed aside by the distraction of the ruins and of course, the excitement that was seeping deeper into her as they neared the site.
Hold on tight. Her brain lagged in registering that until she felt her body dive, forcing Elysion to hastily tighten her grip at whatever she could grasp from the dragon's scaly surface. She didn't want to fall into the Knight behind her again and actually incur her wrath. The young brawler really has to start paying attention to her surroundings more often as well before it costs her more than what her virtual life is worth.
Her small built fought against the wind, as if being beaten up by torrents as specks of sand grazed past her mercilessly and the wind danced madly in her hair. The journey into the undergrounds was rough but quick, taking no more than seconds before Elysion could feel her skin grow damp and her surroundings chilling and silent. She could still hear the wind in her ears though, but it was no longer as fierce as before. Nothing but weak flames lit up the tunnel they were maneuvering through, though unfortunately extinguished instantly by the movement of air caused by the Dragon.
She had barely managed to burn the directions they had taken into her mind when the ride came to a halt. Thankfully in a wide open space, giving them plenty of space to walk around despite having a dragon parked there. It was dome-shaped from the looks of it, illuminated by enchanted flames seeing as how it was hardly fazed by the arrival of the trio. The walls and ceiling were lined with crystals reflecting light brilliantly; a temptation for travelers, but the removal of any of these minerals would set off a troublesome series of traps. Lastly, half a dozen arches surrounded them; some led to treasures and others leading adventurers back to square one. The underground ruins was a maze in every sense.
The brawler leaped off her ride almost instantly, eager to take in the sight of this beautiful but dangerous abode. One can't help but wonder why this place was built to begin with, but information like these would be easily found in mundane scrolls. Picking up Mjolnir and resting it on its usual spot on Elysion's shoulder, she turned to face the knight. "I really owe you one for this ride, thank you." She says as a tremor could be felt, the sand storm now running amok through the desert above them. "I suppose we'll be parting ways here, then?"
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Queen
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Post by Queen on Jan 9, 2009 18:30:55 GMT -5
Fascinating... Sapphires eyes scanned her surroundings, filled to the brim with curiosity. Queen's been around too much; there were little she hasn't seen. But when she does manage to find something new, like these underground ruins, it captivates her attention. She studied the nearby floor and walls, and was once more thankful for the secondary profession. Why, there were traps everywhere in this dungeon! Already, she was doing calculations on the value of those crystal walls. If she could just manage to disable the traps...why, she could build a new wing to her guild hall!
It took Elysion's words to snap her out of her reveries. Queen looked at the brawler, smiled warmly, before waving away the thank you. "No big, anything for a pretty girl like you~" Really, one would think that a player would be a little less flirtatious in so dangerous a place. But not Queen. If anything, the possibility of danger thrills her. At the mentioning of splitting up, she paused momentarily, a plan striking her.
"Hmm, my dear. You claim to 'own me one' correct? Then why not pay me back right now if you would be so kind? As you know, I'm after the guards of the final Boss, and you seem to be after the Boss himself. So why don't we stick together and find those monsters. Then, I'll take the guards and you the Boss, and neither of us shall interfere the other's hunt. Interested?" It was a win-win situation in her opinion, and she even used the guilt card. Surely the brawler would accept?
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