Three golden rings descended in an orderly fashion placing the Heavy Axe into The World for the first time. Torque's eyes greeted harshly by the mid-day sun that bore down upon the root town. The sound of water in motion coasting by his ears as it mixed with the shouts and cries of the marketplace that was out of sight. He then casting his vision downwards admiring his appearance for the first time. His robes seem to catch his excitement and billowed around him gently exposing and hiding his armor like a seducing mistress.

He took his first step forward, the rustle of metal and leather greeted his ears as his armor shifted with him. Then another step until the Heavy Axe picked up the pace into a slow walk as he moved away from the entrance. Vlad's mind gave a cry of rebellion as Torque moved, it was not used to his new-found height and size. The rattle of his armor while first being obtrusive took on its own rhythm that meshed with the ambience's of the water and townsfolk. As Torque moved through the crowds of people it was as if he was a boulder in a stream, the people finding it easier to simply flow around him then contend for his place. He made his way to what seemed to be a good central point of the root town, stopping his movements on top of a bridge that offered a good view of the marketplace.

He rested his arms on the railing as he scanned the area. A number of shops dotted his vision with individual players spreading between the shops with their own intent of business. It formed an chaotic companion to the steady consistency of the background that made up the rest of the town. With shops and items in mind, Torque brought up the menu to examine what he was wearing. It seemed to be a basic set of items, and noticing for the first time that he had an weapon strapped to his side. Torque brought the weapon to eye level to examine it closer. It featured a handle made from dark brown hardwood while accompanying it was a razor sharp edge on its steel blade. Looking around he tried to spot other Heavy Axe's in order to compare his weapon. It seemed that the more elder Heavy Axe's carried a two handed axe vastly larger than the small weapon he was equipped with. Everyone has to starts somewhere he mused to himself. The rest of his equipment was fairly basic, and while Torque appearing to be dress in heavy armor would be durable as the lightest class until he was able to earn some heavier equipment.

Now that he had a good sense of his gear Torque moved his examination to his skills. Listing them off in his mind he would have one physical skill as well as two magical, while finally having one magic spell to heal. He let out a stifled groan as he compared the skill cost to his own SP. He would only get one cast of any of them before he would be drained empty, and would have to wait for it to recharge completely before being able to cast again.

He let the status windows fade into nothingness once again as he returned his vision to the canal below. “Hey! It isn't polite to ignore people.” A female face screamed as it invaded his vision sending him recoiling backwards stumbling to regain his balance. She was at least a foot shorter than himself dressed in a kimono that featured a blue and white pattern. Her black hair tumbling over her shoulders as she gave Torque a rather angry glare. “So?” She questioned impatiently tapping her staff on the cobblestone road.

“I am sorry,” Torque glance at the display window for the name indication of the player. “I am sorry Veraa,” Torque tried to calm the rather angered girl before she had the chance to shout at him again. “But I honestly don't know what you asked. I was preoccupied wi..”

“I asked if you wanted to go to a field in a party...but it seems like your armor isn't the only thing about you that is thick.” She responded cutting him off in a sassy tone.

At least she wasn't screaming anymore Torque sighed inwardly to himself. “I would be happy to join a party with you, but I am afraid I am just starting out and most likely can't help much.” He offered his answer with a following warning. She tapped her foot thinking over the response as Torque looked over his new possible party mate. Her kimono was a base of blue with the pattern of white suns twirling across the material as it clung tightly to her curves. Tanned legs flowed out from beneath the garment to bleach wood sandals that sat loosely around her feet. Her black hair lay resting peacefully upon her shoulders waiting for the breeze to come and give it the energy to move. A silver hairpin kept her bangs hanging to the side of her face and out of way of her judging eyes.

Catching the watchful glare of Torque's own eyes she responded, “I am fairly new myself and while being in a party with you isn't building my confidence it's still better than being by myself. So with that decided, I know your not doing anything already since you've been staring at the water for god knows how long.” She was right in that regard, he didn't really know what to do after looking over his equipment. A ringing noise sounded as he was greeted with a opening window for a party invite. Accepting it, he turned back to find Veraa already hurrying off towards the area that he entered from. “Hurry up and follow, I don't have all day!” She shouted from the distance. Torque shook his head, and proceeded to hurry after her trying to not get to far behind in the crowded streets.

He finally caught up to her at the chaos gate, its golden rings humming as a blue energy wavered within its confines. “I hope you don't slow me down during the trip, I do have other things to do today.” Torque could only imagine she had a list of people to punish with her proximity beside him. She glanced backwards as Torque finally stood next to her. “Ready or not!”

Bursting Passed Over Fiery Sand

The rings descended upon Torque plucking him from the area and throwing him in motion to the next, to Vlad; it was just another loading screen.

Torque stood a white and black speck in the endless sea of sand. A warm breeze gently tugged at his robes and hair causing them to waver indecisively with the top layer of sand that patrolled this wasteland. His shadow stretched out across many lengths caused by the lazy sun on the horizon. The cry of a bird could be heard across the rolling hills but time soon showed that the music of the desert were composed by the sand and the wind alone. It would have been rather peacefully if it were not for...

“Gah! I am going to get sand everywhere, its already getting between my toes.” Veraa broke the silence. “Lets just hurry to the dungeon before I have to spend all evening in this dump.” Torque gave out a short sigh but she was already out of earshot making haste over the dunes towards some unknown destination. Torque followed but soon found that trying to match her speed was futile at best. The lighter Wavemaster could simply skip up and down the hills with little regard compared to him who if took the same care would eat a face full of sand. She slowed to a halt at the next hill surprisingly not screaming back to him to catch up. As Torque rose to the crest of the hill he could see why, a twirling golden aura sat spinning ahead of them by several yards. “That's a monster portal, it shouldn't be anything we can't handle hopefully.” Veraa said raising her staff up before gesturing for the Heavy Axe to move ahead. Torque moved forward his hatchet in hand, its blade catching the sun sending pockets of light skittering across the ground.

The portal seeming to sense this change and swung a finally rotation before emitting a resounding crash as three goblins took its place. Their heads were no more than a foot above Torque's waist while their bodies were slim as if they hadn't eaten for weeks. For what menacing quality they lacked in those regards they made up for it with their faces alone. Each of the goblins wore a mad grin as if they waited their lives for this moment. Their black and rotten teeth gnawing at the air as if trying to foreshadow a feast of bones. Blood red eyes waved back and forth between Torque and Veraa as if they couldn't decided who would be more fun to play with. They each clutched a knife made wood and sharpened bone for their crude weapon of choice. They began to split apart from another slowly encircling the party. Battle Mode On.

“Juk Rom” Veraa shouted out. A twisting and violent wind stirred the sand beneath one of the goblins before erupting into a whirlwind of leaves and dust. The whirlwind stirring the battlefield into a small sandstorm blurring vision as it picked up the nearest goblins spinning him several times in its vortex before tossing him out as if even it could not stand his presence. Torque blinded by the swirling sand had no time to react as one of the goblins had taken the chance to come charging forward driving its blade into Torque waist causing his hitpoints to drop rapidly. He swung in retaliation for the strike but was too slow to catch the more agile goblin before it slipped backwards out of his reach. The magic dissipated as quickly as it began causing the view to clear revealing each of the goblins. One damaged goblin lay on its back about fifteen feet from Torque while his last aggressor was only a few feet from him waving its bloodied dagger wildly. A quick glance behind him would reveal that the final goblin made its way to Veraa who was desperately trying to parry its assault. He would have to at least deal with the one nearest before retreating back to help her.

Letting out a roar as he charged forward his boots kicking up a cloud of dust as he closed the small gap between them. He swung his weapon in a wide arc as a feint, his left hand ready. The goblin reactively ducking the head level swing soon founds its face caught by Torque's gauntleted hand. Carrying his momentum forward for a few steps more before transferring the energy of his charge into the creatures skull as he drove it into the ground. A cloud of dust rose from the impact where the goblin lay stunned. “Now for my vengeance beast!” Torque cried out as he swung his hatchet downwards cutting into the goblin's chest with a sickening crackle of ribs. The monster giving a single twitch before it began to blacken and wisp away into code.

Turning Torque found that his partner was sorely pressed with the interest of both remaining goblins focus on her. She was bleeding heavily while both of the goblins pressed in around her, driven to a frenzy by the chance at a kill. “Repth!” Torque cried out, as he gestured towards his partner. A wave of light washing over her as her wounds were mended. Now I'm empty, Torque noted to himself as the battle would finish long before his SP returned to full. The goblins in reaction screamed as if Torque had taken away a prize from them. They turned and charged towards the already wounded Heavy Axe hoping to finish him off now that their old prey had recovered. Torque readied his axe as the first of the two goblins came rushing in, catching the blade of the first goblin with his own he deflected it aside to the left. Stepping in with his now lowered right arm he delivered a blow to the creature's forehead striking with his elbow. Now that his right arm was coiled to his left he swung at the second incoming goblin with a backhanded blow with all of his might. The blade first meeting resistance as it hit the goblin's arm but this passed as the blade provided to be much stronger than the malnourished limb. The blade moved upwards while Torque sidestepped the now dearmed goblin in order to bring his blade down upon the final goblin who stood with a confused look on its face as the axe descended into its skull. Battle Mode Off.

The remaining corpses soon blacken and slowly began to fade as Torque sheath his bloodied weapon. He let out a long breath trying to calm himself as he took a seat on a nearby rock.

-

Vlad's hands were a death grip on the controller, as he gasped for breath under the VR helmet. The combat had been so real, as if Torque's motion were the embodiment of his own thoughts. He dropped the controller to his lap as he stretched and clenched his hands. Letting out his own long breath, he picked the controller back up. This wasn't over, and it was starting get fun.

-

“You coming?” She was already on the next hill shouting back at him. Torque stood and bushed some of the sand off his robes and armor as he followed after her once again.

“You ever thought of waiting?” He shouted out as he climbed yet another hill after his elusive companion. If she heard it, she made no notice of the remark. They moved on for a few more minutes before something unusual came onto the mini map. They were heading in the direction of it as far as he could tell. “What's that ahead?” Torque asked.

“That's the dungeon, that's why we are here.” She seemed rather joyous at the fact she would be able able to get out of the sandy environment. Torque switched to a light jog in fear of being left behind by his partner as she moved more quickly towards the entrance. He passed over final hill cursing its name before taking a good look at the entrance to the dungeon. A massive skull rising out of the ground, its mouth open with a tunnel inside leading to darkness. The body of the beast lay in ruins around the skull providing the eerie feeling of an animal graveyard. Torque moved down the hill as swiftly as possible, partly sliding between his strides. He could see Veraa ahead, waiting at the entrance with an impatient look on her face. “Remember that concept of I don't have all day?” She shouted as he approached. Torque almost accustom to the react gave a wave of his arm in show that he was sorry. She turned to entered, and he followed.

Loading...

Loading Complete.....

He loaded faster than his partner but at first sight of the dungeon he knew she would not be happy. If the bad qualities of the outside were sand and more sand then this place made it look like a paradise. A flesh wall dungeon, how uninviting. The dungeon seemed to pulse and move as if it was part of a living creature. A fist sized wad of what seemed to be saliva dropped from the roof of the dungeon a few feet in front of Torque. Shaking his head, he waited for his partner to finish loading.

“Ewwwwwww.....” She screamed, nearly hit by one of the falling drops of saliva as she finished loading. “This dungeon is plenty o' nasty.” She carefully made her way forward with more attention to the roof than where she was walking. “Since it is only a level one dungeon, this shouldn't take too long. Thank goodness.” Torque could handle not taking to long in a place like this. They walked quietly through the first room, and then the second. It seemed like the dungeon was nearly devoid of life other than the fact of being living itself. Entering into the third room they were greeted by the turning golden gates, soon flashing and depositing two swordmanoids in the center of the room.

These warriors stood in full plate armor from head to toe. The only indication that they were not simply machines in armor were their burning red eyes beneath their visors, that shone with hatred for all living things. They each carried a steel sword with a buckler attached to their opposing arms, they acknowledged the presence of the party by raising their swords. They were clearly not afraid, nor would they be as easy fight as the goblins. Battle Mode On.

Torque drew his hatchet and positioned himself in front of the Wavemaster, if the two close combat monsters wanted to get to her they would have to go through him. “Using your starter gear, cast on the leftmost one. Single Target.” She whispered in his ear. “Gan Zot” They shouted together in unison as a pillar of earth rose out of the ground slamming into the leftmost swordmanoid throwing him into the air. As he began to return to the ground from his arc of flight a second pillar of stone slammed into him. He lay balanced on the pillar for a few moments until he slid lifelessly off, blackening and fading away before he hit the ground. The second swordmanoid did not waste the time the party had spent casting, he charged at Torque plunging his sword into the Heavy Axe's unprotected chest. The words Critical flashed across Torque's screen as his hp dropped into an all time low. The swordmanoid was relentless in its assault, raising its sword high it slashed downwards in order to finish the warrior. It was met with the sound of clashing metal as Torque's hatchet blocked its path only a foot from its destination, the Heavy Axe now panting on his knees.

“Repth!” Veraa casted behind him. Torque's broken and battered body soon began to mend, the wounds and cuts disappearing before his eyes. Torque still pressed by the sword overhead pushed to a standing position causing the swordmanoid to retreat to a defensive stance. Torque pressed his advantage moving in with his own weapon swinging at the monster's torso only to find his blade deflected off the creature's buckler. The monster now trading blows swung its own sword knowing that Torque had few options. The clash of steel once again rang out as Torque parried the blow aside, only to receive the monster's buckler slamming into his face. Had this been a real fight, Torque was sure he would have just lost some teeth as he saw his HP bar drop. “Hey, battles are won by more doing the hitting, less of the getting hit.” Veraa explained mockingly, finishing it with a spell. “Gan Zot!” Another stone pillar emerged from the ground cause the swordmanoid to be tossed backwards, Torque already in motion as he charged around the pillar making sure to finish the fight. His axe raised high as he struck at the fallen monster who could do nothing by feebly attempting to parry his blows while it was on its back. Torque slowly pressing in with each hit until his last chop ended the misery of the already fallen monster, the axe embedded in its chest. Battle Mode Off.

Torque ripped his axe out of the now withering body of the swordmanoid once again returning it to his side. It was clear that they needed to rest from the status of both of their SPs. “I'm resting.” Veraa made it clear she had already come to the same choice. She walked around the room avoiding the pools of saliva that seemed to accumulate over the course of their stay in the room before finally rolling an egg nearby to the Heavy Axe who didn't mind sitting. After all, it was just a game and the floor was surprisingly cushy once you got used to the fact it moved once and awhile. She sat upon the egg staring at him, quiet, possibly for the first time in the journey. Torque was starting to become unnerved by the glare, he shifted in his seat as if somehow that would relief the social pressure. “Ever tried talking?” Veraa asked, while the words themselves were predictable to her nature, the tone of them was not. She was asking a sincere question.

“I am afraid that I have found it simply easier to keep quiet than try to contend with yourself for the rights to speak.” Torque responded rather bluntly.

“Oh, don't take it too hard.” Her tone was different in the conversation, a rather sweet melody now. “I am just playing the character that way, but there is no need to just put up with it.” The brat of a girl he had been dealing with was nothing more than the outlet of another. “Example, your an old man, ever thought of teaching the girl some manners?” She said with a grin on the face, Torque was sure her mind was already thinking of bitter responses for such an attempt. “So what about you?” She questioned. “Just an old man then?”

“I am hardly old.” Torque responded rather defensively. Beyond the light facial stubble and the usually facial features of a man in his late 20s, he didn't once think of himself as old.

“Well normally you would be correct but you forget that the game is populated by characters mostly in their mid-teens. On that comparison you would be old. ” Veraa now proving she was more than a snobby teen herself. “You still haven't answered my question.” She mused aloud.

It was a mind game, and right now Vlad was the mouse to this mysterious person on the other side. He was ready to play the game but wasn't content with his role. “Aren't we prying without first bestowing the courtesy of introduction before hand?” Torqued answered.

“I thought it was courtesy to be a gentlemen to a lady.” She remarked back, now making her move.

“If I have seen a lady recently I would have know, but have encountered only a spoiled child of recent.” Torque answered, knowing that he scored a point in their verbal bout. To answer in character would prove his point but to answer out of character would explain something of the other player to him.

Veraa gave a warm smile as her reward to him for the game, but as quickly as it came it passed replaced by a frown. “Lets get moving Grandpa, I don't got all day.” The time between Vlad and the unknown person on the other side had ended. Thought they had each managed to snag pieces of information from each other in a curious fashion.

“Don't go too fast child, my bones are getting old.” Torque replied almost unable to respond without laughing. The game was quickly proving that in could be interesting in many more fashions than simply the gameplay.

The next room was a staircase room providing a way to access the lower level. Bringing forth another loading screen, Vlad once again took the time to stretch his hands which had cramped after holding the controller for so long. The load in brought another room much like how they entered, clear of any monsters, he waited for his partner to finish her load. They moved to the next room, and this one provided to be surprisingly unique compared to the rest. The room itself had walls that were much farther than any of the previously room but the only floor was a bridge between the entrance and exit door. The bridge itself seemed to be a deskinned human arm stretching out, its palm pushed flat on to the opposing wall. The doorway to exit was a hole drilled in the back of the hand. A portal sat glowing upon the arm's midpoint. Battles would have to be handled with care with nothing but a shadowy void on each side.

Once again taking the lead Torque approached cautiously towards the portal. It like the others before it gave a final swung before disappearing leaving a treasure chest sitting in its place. Torque now looked rather silly with his axe posed to strike at the wooden chest. “Well I guess thats better than a big monster coming to eat you gramps.” Veraa came up from the rear. “Now since you set off the portal it is only fair that I get to open it.” She moved in before he had time to respond.
He sheathed his weapon as she moved to open the chest. Her body blocked the view from what was inside. She seemed to stare at it for several long moments unmoving from the spot. “We are almost at the Gott statue I imagine.” She spoke out. “You can take everything from there if I get to keep this one item.” It hardly seemed unfair, as far as he knew the Gott statue contained a handful of items while the treasure chest only had one.

“I don't mind, feel free.” Torque responded. In the end, this was a deal that she wanted to make and he saw no reason to disagree with the girl. She now stood and turned with the item in hand, it was a silver and black necklace. It was hardly anything beyond the ordinary from visual inspection.

“Nothing a guy would want anyways.” She answered Torque's raised eyebrow. “As I said, it shouldn't be much further.” She put the necklace on as she walked onwards exit door. Torque followed after, his gaze on the necklace, wondering why she would so easily trade away the prize of the dungeon for it. The next room was much different than the rest of the dungeon. It featured stone walls with a magnificently carved sculpture placed in the center of the room. A treasure chest sat patiently in front of the sculpture waiting to be opened by those who made it this far. “Well here we are, but I lied about not taking anything from this room.” Veraa said turning with a smile. “You can have the chest, but I want your member address.”

Torque let out a full laugh as the girl waited for his response, he would have given it out anyways. It was nice to know that she at least had the same interest as he did in her. With a click of a button, she received the address. “Thanks. And remember...” She said holding some kind of musical instrument. “I'll call you.” A kiss was planted on his stubble before he had time to react and with that she was gone, as three rings swept her away. Leaving Torque to his thought and to the chest which at this point felt rather ignored. That was something Torque would soon fix as he moved to the Gott statue. His first prize of The World, and certainly not his last.

((OOC: My first piece and hopefully not the last like mentioned above. Amusingly enough my first impression as an author is that it is hard writing within the ruleset as I tend to be more of a freestyle writer. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it and feel free to send pm with constructive criticism. This one is ready to be graded. ))

+1 level, + Meteor Axe, x2 Stone Storm

Great first solo, just keep in mind what you and I discussed over AIM and your next should be just as good, if not better!