Needle In The Haystack [Mission/Indar]

It was a very pleasant, quiet afternoon, most citizens of Nox Animus were enjoying the fine weather, but a few like Hana, who had piles of paper stacked up on their desks, well... Let's just say that it wasn't exactly a pleasant day for them,

Snap! Hana groaned. She'd snapped her pencil. Again. Tossing the broken piece of wood into the nearby trash bin, she reached into her drawer for another one. This sucked. A lot. Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. It was all she had been doing for the past few hours. She'd been doing this for many years, but every time she did, she always found it frustrating and exhausting. She didn't particularly like reading the reports of the idiots who screwed up in their assignments. This year however, was the worst. She had already been pissed enough that a new shipment of weapons had yet to arrive, and Asarael had constantly been annoying her for the entire day. Any more and-

"Why not go on a job? With that blonde, dimwit red teammate of yours?" Asarael suggested, and she immediately got up, slamming both hands on her desk. That was it! A job!

After finding a suitable job, she sent a messenger to look for Indar, wherever he was, with the slip of paper containing the contents of the job and a note that told him to meet her at the end of the ship that once had railings, but somehow disappeared. "That's your handiwork, kiddo, and probably his as well." Asarael remarked, but recieved no response.

Hana had not waited for more than 10 minutes before her blonde teammate came, panting. She arched an eyebrow upon seeing Indar, who, unlike most of the time, was on time for once. "For once, you're not late." she remarked, somewhat impressed. "Either way, I assume you've read the info, and you know what's to be done?" she asked in a serious tone.

Whilst waiting for his answer, Hana took the opportunity to study a map of the Cursed Labds, as well as planning out some plans, should they ever need to engage in combat. "Just a warning kid, some labyrinths have guardians. Plus, not many have made it out alive of this one. Are you sure you want to go?" he asked, seeming worried. Hana sighed. What was he so worried about? She was a wizard, wasn't she? Surely she'd be able to hold her own against whatever guardian monsters lurking within the labyrinth. Plus, like he said, he said Some labyrinths. The one they'd be venturing into might not have any monsters. A reason as to why those that went in never came back out might be because they got lost, or there were traps inside that somehow got them killed. Wild animals may also have somehow wandered in, and attacked them as well. There were just so many possibilities.

... But in a world of magic, monsters did exist. Hana knew that, and she also knew from the stories she'd heard and read as a child, about creatures that guarded labyrinths, monsters roaming around the labyrinths to keep intruders out and away from any valuable treasure or artifact, so perhaps it would be wise if she warned Indar first, to make sure that he was prepared for any encounters with monsters or enemies. "By the way, the labyrinth can be a dangerous place. There's a fifty-fifty chance that we could run into some enemies. If you wish to back out now, I won't blame you." she informed him.

Eyeing Indar, who was panting, it was painfully obvious to Hana that her blonde, quirky teammate was out of shape. Perhaps he hadn't been getting out of his house lately, since she hardly saw him at the guild hall. She wondered if his current physical condition would slow down his speed, as well as affect his fighting capabilities. Hopefully not.

Hana sighed, slightly disappointed when she heard that he 'sort of' read the information, although to be honest, she pretty much expected that to happen. Strangely enough, she knew him better than the rest of her teammates. It might've been because of the talk they had at the hospital the other day. Hana felt her cheeks heat up at the thought of it. She'd humiliated herself right in front of a random man she knew little of. That, or she paid too much attention to him than she did with others. Even with Alexander, she only knew little about him, other than his amazing cooking skills and some other things that most people knew. Hana frowned at the thought of Alexander. She hadn't spoken to him for a while, nor had she seen him. Perhaps he was too busy with paperwork. Hana repressed a shudder at the thought of paperwork. She still remembered that avalanche of papers she had to complete once, many years ago when some junior member screwed up loads of reports. That was a nightmare she'd never want to experience again.

Snapping back to reality, she realized that she'd remained silent for quite a while, and that Indar was expecting an answer to a question he had just asked. Clearing her throat, she held the map in front of his face. "We set off for the Cursed Lands, where the Labryinth of Mystery is. I've checked and confirmed that the Noximus will be passing over the outskirts of the Cursed Lands in a few minutes. That's when we leave. Any questions?"

She nodded her head in agreement. "Indeed, it does help. We don't have to worry about breaking anything, other than the ground." And probably whoever was unfortunate enough to be directly beneath them when they jumped off and landed. Asarael snickered. "Maybe it's because you're so heavy." he mocked, attempting to imply that she was fat. However, Hana took little offense to that, not giving a damn about what he said. Asarael pouted childishly, although he fully knew Hana wouldn't be able to see him.

Hana walked closer to the edge of the Noximus, but froze just as Indar had asked about her brother, yet again reminding her of their coincidental meeting at the hospital. Her face turned slightly red again, and she was thankful that he couldn't see her face at all. Composing herself, she attempted to repress the blush on her face, before speaking. "He seems to be doing well. He enjoyed that conversation with you. The doctors say he's stable, for now. I trust thy you haven't told anyone about it?" she said, leaning slightly over the edge to get a good look. "And we should be passing by the outskirts right about... Now." and without warning, she let herself fall right off the edge, assuming that Indar would be following as well.

Once both the metal slayers had landed on the outskirts of the cursed lands, Hana took the time to once more study the map. She hadn't been to the cursed lands before, and she barely knew what kind of creatures inhabited the place. The least she could do was to study the landscape and memorize whatever she could about it, even if they weren't going to be going to anywhere else other than the labryinth. Although, she doubted they'd have to worry about getting out of the labryinth. Their keen sense of smell should be able to lead them out... Hopefully.

"Shall we head off?"

Hana was relieved to hear that Indar hadn't spoken to anyone about that humiliating moment in the hospital. She'd be a laughing stock if he ever did. "I'm glad to hear that you haven't told anyone. Thank you." Folding up the map neatly, the pink haired girl kept it before looking towards the supposed direction. She then looked up at where the sun was, shielding her eyes with her hand. "From the looks of it, it's a little past noon. We should reach there in at most an hour or so, depending on our pace. Let's go." and with that, their journey towards the Labyrinth began.

As they ran through the forest full of old, withering trees, Hana could help but wonder if the Cursed Lands had always been like this. It could've been a place full of life and beauty, thousands of flowers blooming everywhere, trees to provide shade from the blasted heat that radiated from the sun. What a paradise it could have been. Then again, she wasn't here for sightseeing, nor had she been paid to daydream. As much as she would have liked to fantasize about how beautiful the cursed lands could've been, she had to focus on the mission. Returning her focus to the mission, she began to think of an easier way to navigate through the labyrinth and find the artifact, instead of getting lost in it and probably never get out again. Splitting up would allow them to cover more ground, and one of them would have a chance of finding the artifact, but as mentioned, the labyrinth could be teeming with monsters or enemies, and that could risk getting both of them killed eventually. Busting through the walls didn't sound like a bad idea, but... That would more or less ruin the whole point of having to go through a labyrinth.

I suppose staying together would be the best and safest way... she thought.

Finally deciding that sticking together would be the most favorable option, Hana's thoughts went to what Indar had told her, that he would never break a promise to a friend as good as her, and even her, who did not like anything related to heat, felt warmth inside her, and she liked it.

Upon their arrival at the entrance of the labyrinth, Hana found herself dreading their quest for the mythical weapon. The labyrinth was dark. Very dark, and it just so happened that Hana, who was known as one of the most cold-hearted and deadly member in both Nox Animus and her organization, Serpentine, was afraid of the dark. But, this would not seem to bother her at all on the outside. The many years of training she had had helped quite a lot, for she always had that facade on that masked all her fear and emotions.

'' I'd suggest sticking together and not splitting up, you never know what may be inside this labyrinth. ''

Hana nodded her head in agreement, about to answer him but before she could, the blonde had already grabbed ahold of her hand and before she knew it, she was being dragged along by Indar straight into the dark, dimly lit labyrinth. "Indar, do you even know where we are supposed to go?" she questioned, hoping he didn't freak out when he turned around to meet her gaze. Glowing red eyes in the dark did tend to scare people after all. Without any warning, Indar suddenly came to an abrupt stop in his tracks, causing the pink haired girl to walk straight into his back, with a muffled "Oomf". Being a get feet shorter than he was, Hana could only guess that he could sense whatever the heck was around the corner. This confirmed her guess of there being monsters in the labyrinth.

The member 'Hana Suzuki' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

Indar kept a hold of Hana's hand as he pulled her around the corner. To his surprise, there weren't a few entities, but instead seven from what he could feel. Five humans and two creatures. They were seemingly at a standstill, staring at each other. This wasn't normal, though, after Hana had walked into Indar's back with a thud, the men and creatures turned  to face them. They had seem to be fighting, but new opponents were probably more preferable.

The men, wielding swords had by now turned towards the two mages, looking quite maniacal, though nothing that would scare Indar. The two hulking crystal creatures were slowly pulling their attention at Indar and Hana, but slower than the men. This wasn't something Indar had expected, to be fighting regular men here. This wouldn't be half as fun, especially as these men used swords, swords which both Indar and Hana could use as a snack.

Two of the five men suddenly started charging at Indar and Hana, not waiting on their comrades. This was kinda foolish, as they didn't seem that durable to begin with. Indar quietly released Ilvren from his back. These fools didn't need to see his magic, yet that was. He readied Ilvren and said: '' Blade Storm. '' Four small daggers shot out of Ilvren's lacrima orb, that rested in the middle of the weapon. They floated on top of Indar's head, not moving in perfect silence. But with a small nod from Indar, they started to shoot out one after another, targeting the men. The first shot was dodged by both of them, but the other 3 daggers managed to strike. One landing into one of the men's leg and the other two into the other guy's shoulder and stomach. As the dagger were magical, they disappeared after a little bit, but the wounds they left were quite real.

Summary:

Hana sighed, wishing she hadn't walked into Indar. It would've been more preferable if they could sneak up on their opponents, instead of taking them on directly. Hana moved towards the side of Indar in order to get a better view, since all she could see behind him was his back.

Seven huh? I suppose it's not too much of a problem. she thought, remaining calm as two out of the five the swordsmen charged towards the duo, with crazed looks etched in their faces. She shook her head, pitying those fools. Indar was strong, perhaps even stronger than her. Plus, rushing straight into battle wasn't usually a good plan. One should always wait and observe their opponent's moves and abilities.

Crossing her arms, the pink-haired girl stood by her blonde teammate as he used his weapon, watching with interest as he sent daggers speeding towards the two swordsmen. One dagger missed, but the remaining three managed to lodge themselves right in one's leg, and another's shoulder and abdomen. Her piercing red eyes remained cold and uncaring as they grunted in pain, blood staining the clothes they wore. Then, "Twin Daggers" she whispered, and a soon as she had done that, two daggers with sharp, curved blades and handles that had finely carved designs in them materialized in both her hands, and she sped towards the two swordsmen, aiming for their vital points.

She slit one across the neck, causing him to gurgle and choke on his own blood before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. This earned Hana an enraged shout from his friend, as well as a shining blade that came towards her very swiftly. His swordsmanship was indeed remarkable, but swords stood no chance against metal god and demon slayers. She blocked his sword with both her daggers, causing the metal of both blades to rub against each other and create sparks. Growling in anger, he swung his foot towards her, and she took that blow. This sent her back a few feet. She grunted, but the pain soon subsided as she once again charged towards him, using one dagger to block his sword while stabbing the other one into his abdomen, leaping back and pulling out the daggers as well soon after.

Active:
Twin Daggers

3/3 on 1 Normal enemy
2/3 on 1 Normal enemy

Hana sighed when Indar took out her opponent. She would've preferred it if he hadn't intervened. Doing so mad her feel weak and incapable, although she knew that wasn't what he intended to do. Somehow, the pink haired girl found herself trusting him more after their encounter at the hospital.

Hana snapped out of her thoughts once she remembered that there were still enemies to deal with. They'd done away with two of the swordsmen, leaving only three left for them to deal with. Her eyes stared at the rods that were growing out of Indar's back, wondering if it actually hurt for him to do that. Just as he did so, the three swordsmen sped towards them, two heading for Indar while the other one went for her instead. She held both her daggers firmly in preparation to block whatever attack he threw at her, and when he neared, both their weapons clashed together, the clanging of metal being heard as both leapt back in case the other party attacked.

The smell of blood filled the air, and Hana's eyes darted to it's source. Indar. He'd been stabbed right in the arm, and the blade had been removed so fast that Hana doubted he had enough time to grab ahold of it. Even though she was not the one in pain, her grip on the handles of her daggers tightened, as if him getting injured somehow affected her as well. Her eyes narrowed at the man who stabbed Indar, but she had to divert her attention from him when her opponent, who'd seen her distraction as an opportunity to try and land a hit on her, appeared right before her, swinging his sword down at an unbelievably fast speed. She cursed under her breath as she leapt to the side. Doing so minimize the damage to a deep cut on her arm. It wasn't fatal though, so she could worry about it later. "Geez kid, stop looking at pretty boys and pay more attention to yourself." Hana grunted, clearly insulted by Asarael's words.

The swordsman grinned, already arrogant just because he'd manage to draw blood from her when his dead comrades couldn't. He then dashed towards her once more for another attack, aiming for her chest this time. She blocked it with both daggers, both their hands shaking as they pushed their weapons against the other's, trying to overpower one another. She gritted her teeth, and so did he, before she decided to kick him in the genitals as hard as he could, causing him to stumble back as he clutched his manhood, groaning. She then used this chance to stab him in the chest with one dagger and the abdomen with another, before jumping back slightly. He'd dropped his sword in the process, and Hana picked it up. The swordsman's expressions went from angered to shocked and horrified when she began to eat his beloved weapon.

Active:
Twin Daggers

Damage:
1/3 on Normal enemy

Hana finished the sword within a few seconds, and by the time she had done so, the swordsman had turned extremely pale, finding it hard to believe that she'd eaten his sword. Tossing the hilt of his sword back down at him, and he jumped back immediately, knowing that without his sword, his chance of winning was more or less gone. She sighed. How long had this fight been dragged on for? She was taking far too long for her liking. She'd end it right here, right now.

Bending her knees slightly, she sprinted onwards him a fast as he could, slicing at wherever was unguarded as accurately and fast as she could. She didn't have to worry about getting killed anymore - not when he didn't even have a weapon to fight with. She dealt the last blow swiftly, slicing into his jugular and watching as he fell to the ground, gurgling on blood.

She dismissed her two weapons, apparently finding them of no use when it came to fighting gigantic hulking monsters. She looked towards Indar, and felt slightly... Angered, that he was injured. "Indar, you'll bleed to death if you don't attend to that wound. Do... Do you need help?" she asked, slightly hesitant as this was her first time offering help to comrades. Usually, she could care less, but perhaps changing that would be good. "Ooh, getting soft now, aren't we? she merely grunted in response to Asarael's teasing. She had little time to think of a retort as well, because as soon as Asarael had said all his nonsense, a shadow hovered above Hana, and she immediately leaped away just in time to avoid being squashed under a ridiculously huge axe. She cursed in silence, already considering herself lucky to have avoided being killed.

Cooldown:
Twin Daggers

Normal Enemies: 5/5
Strong Enemies: 0/2