Lilly nodded at Bachus as he revealed his disintention of dying. Something everyone else had grasped a week in, but she was happy to see him again, even if she remembered that time she had broken down in front of him.
"Ahh, and here I thought you realized there is no Brooding skill in this game for you to grind. And then sparks subtly flew between him and someone else, someone he must have known from long before. They both spoke of someone called 'Karen' who had obviously died in one of the boss fights, and while the first man blamed Bachus, it was clearly not his fault. And then Bachus rushed forward and grabbed the other man's armour. Lilly understood that motion with a shirt, but with armour, there was really nothing to grab.

Still, Lilly decided she needed to sort this out before it got to much worse, and so walked over to the two and placed a massive gauntlet on each of their heads - glad she was of considerable size in the Real World, and wasn't screwed over several feet when everyone turned into what they where really meant to look - and grinned again.
"If you two are going to fight, and hold grudges, then there will be no one left to remember Karen, because you'll both die in a Boss Room. Not dying, and finishing the Game should be more important than arguing about your version of what happened nearly three dozen floors ago. Imagine how your friend would feel, knowing she is the source of such Cohesion-breaking tension" She spoke, looking at Bachus and the other guy in equal amounts.

Ryan simply ignored the armor-grabbing, as it was almost a useless thing to do in a place where so many would stop them from actually trying to kill each other. He stood there, stone-faced, listening to Bachus's explanation of what happened. All this time, Ryan hadn't actually gotten Bachus's side of it, and that was all he really wanted. He wanted to be sure Bachus hadn't let Karen die without trying to stop it, at least. When Bachus removed his hand, Ryan was about to speak, but suddenly someone else attempted to break up the fight.

Ryan raised an eyebrow at the woman. "I wasn't trying to start a fight, I was trying to get answers, that's it. He answered my question, and after the answer he gave, I trust him to help us stay alive." He looked to Bachus, tightening his grip on his axe, "Karen started working with this guy basically day one, and I can't say I didn't have my doubts about him... I still do... But I trust him enough to not let it happen again. I trust him to think of how others feel about their friends dying, their loved ones, their family... And I trust him to fight alongside me, in my party if the other party members agree and so does he." He looked to Bachus, "Because he feels the pain of loss, and it seems he wouldn't wish it on even his worst enemy."

"It's true, I can vouch for him..." A raspy voice beckoned from somewhere in the rafters of the room. Cash dropped down from the rafters, barely making a sound as his feet planted firmly on the cold ground. His legs straightened as he stood up straight, now being at eye level with everyone else. "I remember. The first boss fight, when Karen passed, I remember it." Cash added. Cash stood there looking at the three people, his eyes constantly switching from Ryan to Bachus. "I watched Karen die in Bachus' arms, it wasn't his fault. I meant to tell you earlier, but the matter never got brought up. To be frank, I almost forgot about it till I seen Bachus' face again." Cash cross his arms. Cash stood looking at the two. He stood there in brilliant black leather armor, that had cloth lining underneath. The leather is enhanced to be able to withstand stronger blows, it also provides a few points to Cash's hiding skill.

Cash flipped the thin brown hood that was on his armor, revealing his face to others. He looked back at the three, "It's looks like everything is already settled here, we should see what these buffoons have for a plan so far..."Cash said with a slight chuckle. He contradicted himself, and instead of going over to the arguing guild leaders, he lept back up into the rafters and listened attentively.

Floor 50

The faint clicking sounds from kitty-heels was heard when a slight figure dashed towards the war meeting for the fiftieth floor. She was late. Faeron had made the mistake to go out for a last-minute training session, only to lose track of the time. "Excuse me!" she whispered as she slid her way to the front lines. Of course, the two leaders were arguing over some petty topic and the others looked absolutely uninterested. She stood next to Raven, setting her spear down as she glanced around the room.

Her affable nature made it easy for her to bond with other people. Yet, over the past few months, Faeron started to notice familiar faces disappear, which only drove her to train even harder. At times, she would wonder where the "key" player was, and if they were willing to sacrifice their life for the greater good. It would be easier that way - to not go through another 50 floors of death. However, she kept that opinion to herself, refusing to let her friends think wrongly of her.

Faeron was significantly stronger and prided herself to be an expert sear wielder, but she chose to stay humble about it. There was certainly enough people that could kick her butt, like Cash, Raven, or Ryan...Her equipment was the same silver light plate and she still wore the same lavender cloak. Her spear was now longer and heavier from her first one, a dark grey color with a larger blade on the top and a smaller matching one on the bottom.

As the events unfolded in front of her, a flash of relief crossed Faeron's face. The tension had seemed to wane off, especially when Ryan had started to... warm up to Bachus? She looked up at the rafters, flashing Cash a huge grin and a silent "thank you" before turning her attention to the matters at hand. She then proceeded to go to the guild leaders (who were now centimeters away from ripping each others throats out) and politely asked them if they had plan. However, Faeron was...ignored, similar to the previous meetings. She stepped back before looking back at Ryan, throwing up her hands in annoyance.

"Somebody knock some sense into 'em," she exasperatedly asked before walking back to stand next to Raven.

ReivaX sat in the back of the room simply listening to the discussion, which seemed to be more of an argument of power, of what was to be done about the upcoming boss fight. He sighed to himself, folding his arms at his chest as the heavy breath left his lungs. "It's the same damn thing every boss fight... The guild leaders argue about who is going to lead and how their lead will stop people from dying, yet the result stays the same... Why can't they just learn t work together?" ReivaX hung his head as he said spoke to himself under his breath. The constant bickering between guild leaders was getting them nowhere, even more so when they ignored or disregarded any and all other opinions on the matter. It was truly becoming very annoying to sit around and try to maintain a calm attentive demeanor. He lifted his head to see a figure fall from the rafters above, he recognized who's figure it was after the boy removed his hood. It was Cash, the boy who he'd saved from Pk'ers once. As the war meeting was going next to nowhere ReivaX decided he would see how Cash had been these past few months. ReivaX shifted past the small crowd of people between them, only to see that Cash had gone back up in the rafters as he made his way to him.

ReivaX looked up in the rafters as he stood underneath him. Sending a wave to Cash with a friendly smile, he pulled back a hood of his own to reveal his face in case the hood had been hiding his identity. "Hey... uh... Cash I think it was?" The sound of uncertainty lingering in his voice, hopping that he didn't mistake his name after all this time. Thinking it would be easier to talk to him if they were talking face to face at the same height level, ReivaX used his acrobatics skill to leap into the rafters near Cash. Landing atop the rafters, crouched with one knee closer to his chest than the other, he extended his hand out towards cash for a handshake. "How have you been? I know its been months since we last encountered one another." It was clear that the past year in the game changed ReivaX's personality, he was no longer as withdrawn and shy as he once was; he'd learned to be able to communicate with others due to having to take on parties here and there for certain quests and activities. Before Cash could even respond and answer the previous question, ReivaX was already saying something else to him. "Well it seems you've become rather adept with that hiding skill of yours, I don't think anyone even knew you were up here till you dropped down."

Bachus nodded in appreciation to Ryan. "Karen will always be with me, and I fully intend to attend her funeral in our world." He dropped his head a little. "We'll finish the game." He forced a small smile across his face, before taking a step forward and offering Ryan his hand. "I've been hiding for a little bit too long, dont you think? I'm not weak, I am strong... and I will use my strength to get home." He left his hand gestured for Ryan to shake. In his mind he was thinking to himself. 'Karen... I haven't forgotten you, we'll meet again someday.' He could picture her.

Just has had spoken, one of the guild leaders slammed a knife into the table. "Oh my god... you're right... thats all we have to do!" They had finally come up with a decent enough plan to reduce casualties. defensive positioning to eye up the boss, before attacking its main weaknesses in one go.

Raven watched all the exchanges and smiled at Faeron when she came back from trying to get the two head guilds from going at each others throats. Stepping up and giving her a hug and stepping back again, he shrugs. "I've spent most of the meeting fighting to get them to stay on topic. Surprised they haven't drawn weapons." Movement towards Cash drew Raven's eye and he subconsciously reached over his shoulder for his sword hilt as he turned towards, the hands lowering when he realized it was the player who'd helped Cash escape some PKers a few months back. Of course, he was sure that Faeron had noticed where his hand went.

"Heh, sorry for that, still kinda jumpy. Ran into a PKer who'd struck out on his own." His armor had change enough to really make a difference when he walked into the room. It was still light metal armor, he couldn't take hits like Ryan, but it was effective. There were little spikes that came up a couple inches on the shoulders then flared back and the tops of the knee on his leggings were pointed, making kneeing in combat even more effective. The color scheme, black and red, made him all the more intimidating when paired with his Dark Knightesque helmet, which he currently wasn't wearing. His sword was a rarer one, known as Dividendo Mortem, though he hadn't found any secret abilities in it. He went to continue speaking when a fist slammed on the table.

"Oh my god... you're right... that's all we have to do!" Raven looked towards the pair who were finally in agreement, though Raven wasn't. It was the same plan they employed in every fight, only with Defenders also pulling the boss's aggro from the Attackers. Lazy bastards... Still, it was a step in the right direction.

A toothy smile crept across his face when he'd heard the voice beckon from below. Cash hadn't forgotten that day in the fields of floor 4, nor had he forgotten the boy who saved him. He debated hopping down and joining the crowed of front liners, but he didn't have to. ReivaX made his way up into the rafters in front of Cash. Although it was nice seeing him again, the man who save his life, Cash bowed his head with a frown. He should be grateful, but instead he felt ashamed, ashamed he never even tried to repay ReivaX for what he risked in order to save him. Ashamed that in the past year, all Cash could do for him was say thanks. Now, months later, an apology was brewing inside cash, ready to be let out. Before he could speak, however, ReivaX had already brought up another thing.

My hiding skill, huh? I bet if I had these skills when we were on the fourth floor, ReivaX wouldn't have had to risk his life...Maybe...Just maybe... Cash thought, unaware how long he was paused for. Cash looked up at ReivaX revealing his face to him from under the dark hood. "Yeah..." He let out, "I've been working on it the most, this and my medicine mixing. Potions and Poisons are very helpful in and outside of combat." Cash added, his mind slowly letting go of the apology he was meaning to give. "What about you huh? The famous curved sword user, been farming your skills lately?"

Ryan nodded to Bachus, shaking his hand. "Welcome back to the frontlines." He turned, walking back to his allies, nodding to Faeron as he noticed that she had just arrived. "Sorry, I was busy saying something to Bachus. Remember, the guy from the first floor that basically disappeared after that first boss fight?" He glanced back at him, "The one who has absolutely no idea how to fight a boss anymore because it's been so long" he said with a smirk, hoping Bachus had heard it so that he might see that he was joking around, and overall basically willing to accept him as a friend.

Ryan jumped slightly at the sound of the supposed decision being made. He glanced over at the few leaders who seemed to be repeating themselves about the plan to ensure that they're all agreeing to it. "They fight so much that I'm not surprised they lose so many people... They can't trust each other to save their own lives, which is actually what's happening..." He sighed to himself before looking back to a few of his allies, "Are you guys ready for this? I'm counting on you guys to deal some serious damage out there so I don't need to guard you from too much."

Thessalia's attention was briefly drawn from the stagnating 'discussion' in front of her and toward a subdued outburst not far from here - not that it was rare for rival guilds to get into each other's hairs or even just personal grudges to spill over in such high-tension situations. What caught her attention, however, was whom it involved - one of them was a barely even familiar face whilst the other was the de-facto leader of Spero, one of the top five frontline guilds and by far the smallest yet one of the most efficient. It came as a small surprise to see one of their members, who usually were quite level-headed in the face of Boss Fights, to get into into someone else's face like they were now. Though Thessalia highly doubted anything would happen in such a large crowd, her hand still rested upon the grip of her curved sword - only for the situation to clear itself after just another few moments.

Breathing a small sigh of relief, she brought her focus back to the two guild leaders - who, in the mean time, had somehow managed to reach an epiphany in the form of the exact same tactic that they used every time; go in defensively until the attack patterns were known and then go for the weaknesses thereof. However, who would go on to take over the tanking and who'd be the main attack group always seemed to draw the same bickering between them; even with everyone's lives on the line. Seeing as it was the standard plan, Thessalia already knew her own place - taking care of adds and, if there were none or they were all killed, support the attack on the boss.

With the strategy now clear, Thessalia stepped back from the table and into the masses that were gathered until she reached the wall of the room that the meeting was being held in; opening her inventory as she did so. Going through a mental checklist, she made sure that everything was ready for the upcoming fight - gear in top condition with a backup weapon, plenty of healing potions and crystals, a teleport crystal or three just to be safe and enough food and drink for three days; her usual assortment of fighting utensils and one that she maintained meticulously, seeing as it was her life-line in this world - and thus leaving her to always make sure she was always more than prepared at any time.

Satisfied with the result of her quick checkup, Thessalia looked up again - and saw that the usual group-making had begun. Naturally, those of the same guilds stuck together, forming either focused attack, defense or support squads or mixed groups that could be used flexibly according to how the fight developed; the larger guilds usually also providing most of the fighting force. Of course, there was safety in such numbers - yet Thessalia still remained a solo player and, as such, was usually forcibly stuck together with whoever got left over in the group-making process; usually leading to a group of individuals that all had a different role in the battle and thus was in name only and to make up the numbers of the raid group.

Suppressing yet another sigh at those thoughts, Thessalia simply raised her hand as one of the Guild Leaders spoke up, asking anyone who remained without a group to step forth so they could fill up the remaining squads. Stepping forth to the table, the leader was adding the members of the guilds that were participating to the large Boss Fight Raid Group as well as the few solo players as they made themselves known, too. "Oh, you're still alive?" the Leader asked, his tone making his distaste for solo players noticeable. Rather than even answer, Thessalia simply remained silent as she accepted the party invite before stepping back.

It was to be expected, really - these days, frontline solo players really were a minority; the opinion on them being rather divided. A large portion - mostly those from large guilds - saw them as a nuisance; indecisive and selfish players that were hoarding resources that should be put toward furthering guilds', and therefore the players as a whole's, advancement. Others, meanwhile, simply saw them as fellow players; neither better or worse than any other, just making their way through Aincrad to the best of their abilities. Some even considered them to be heroes to stand alone on the harsh frontlines - the latter being restricted mostly to the lower floors or those with personal grudges against larger guilds. To Thessalia meanwhile, being a solo players was simply what she was - nothing more, nothing less.

ReivaX nodded his head with a smile on his face as he listened to what Cash was saying. Potions and Poisons... That caught his ear, he never thought of mixing to craft potions and poisons, the benefits it supplied was useful. Before long, Cash was asking him the same thing. Despite having been asked, ReivaX balled his fist and brought it to his mouth, fighting to hold back his laughter. He fell into a sitting position on the rafter he was crouched on. "No no no..." He said once he had overcome his urge to laugh, waving his hands in front of his face. "You flatter me too much, I'm not famous... Although I have been grinding between dungeons along with some questing here and there. As for skills though, my acrobatics and one-handed curved blade skill have come a long way. In fact I just unlocked a new skill due to one-handed curved blade skill, I haven't used that new skill at all yet." Reivax said, bringing his hand to his head, letting out another friendly smile.

The voice rang out clearly in the room, they'd finally come up with a suitable plan. ReivaX looked over his down over his shoulder at those below them. "I guess they figured out what's going on down there." He brought his eyes back to Cash, not really sure what to say from there. He knew this would be another hard boss fight, until now he wasn't all that nervous, but this was common to him. To get nervous once the plan has been figured out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he hung his head slightly. "Alright." He said placing his hands on his thighs and opening his eyes.

Bachus clasped a hand on Ryan's shoulder. "mhm." He grunted. "I have no intention of fighting with the squads anymore." He paused for a moment, as people looked at him as though he were a coward. He opened his menu and equipped a bulky set of armour, purple in colour, spike from the shoulders. "I plan on tanking." He grinned as though he'd won an award or something. "Being a solo player surprisingly helps you increase specific levels much more quickly." He also equipped a massive two handed blade, as it appeared on his back. "My two handed and heavy armouring abilities have both increased dramatically." He paused before making sure Ryan was still listening. "Eh. I was looking at the front liner stats for players in the book of truth. It seems that statistically, me and you are the best tankers on the front lines, in terms of sheer power and damage absorbing anyway."

Lilly saw that Bachus equip his taking stuff, and then exclaimed his was going to tank. Then, while Lilly was here, said that him and his friend where the best tanks ever.
"Well, when you are quite done off-handedly telling me I suck at tanking, you should drop down my shop sometime. I could get your gear to a much higher spec" She told him, before replacing her gear with a much more stream-lined set, her armour scale-mail rather than the large plate, and her sword much sleeker. "When we got the Tank Crisis of the 33rd floor, I have branched out and started leveling a DPS/Off-tank tree, so I could change to what was needed if we where over-booked on tanks. Seeing as the Big-Head Brigade is here, I might as well roll my other specs for a while. Makes farming easier anyway" She finished. The armour Bachus was totting was pretty cool, with the colour and the spikes. She never really bothered with astetics and just went for practicality most of the time.

"See ya' round, Cash." ReivaX said while hopping down from the rafters. His feet his the ground with a light thud like sound, he stood up straight and looked around. People seemed to be standing in the parties they'd just made for the boss fight. Each party had their own sort of strategy along with the one being discussed as the war meeting. ReivaX brought his hand to his head, a little annoyed that with himself that he wasn't paying attention to what was happening throughout the meeting. Then again he was happy that he got to talk to Cash even for a little bit after it'd been so long. Never the less, he was now in need of a party and he didn't really want to have to ask anybody to join theirs. I wonder where the party "misfit" players who are normally solo players or people who got left out while everyone else was creating parties... He thought, letting out a heavy sigh as he hung his head forward. Surely they would have room... I mean they always have room... He walked around the building looking at the parties of players hoping to spot someone he knew who might be in the same situation as he is.

"See ya." A small flick of the wrist the gestured to ReivaX's departure. Cash let out a deep sigh and he leaned backwards on one of the rafter supports. Cash didn't worry to much about what was going on in the war meeting room, he already knew which party he'd be in and this specific party already had a plan. Ryan, Raven, Faeron, and Cash, the four who've been together for over a year and have come to know each other inside and out. Cash didn't even have to fret about who he was going to partner up with because three of his closest friends would be right at his side if he needed them. If anything, Cash felt relieved. Every floor boss, Cash remembers Ryan, Raven and Faeron and he remembers that they've got his back no matter the circumstance, just ass he has theirs.

His eyes shifted across the room, a light scan that touched the skin of everyone's face, he spotted his guildmates and a few other familiar faces. The sight of them put him at ease, in a time like this, 'ease' is gold.

Cash waited for his party members to call his name out when it was time, or message him if they couldn't see him. In that short time, Cash tried to think of the boss. If we kill him...no. when we kill him, we will officially be half way through the game. This means we are that much closer to coming back to reality, that much closer to seeing everyone again...But that also means... He looked over the crowed of players with a worried face, letting hi eyes rest on the three faces of his party members. I wont have them... Air escaped Cash's lungs in the form of a sigh. I wont see them ever again. This was a common thought just before boss battles, ever since floor 32, Cash can't seem to stop fearing the worst.

He slapped his cheek, the slight sting of his dry hand helped him push the negative thoughts away. "We will win. We're going to free everyone and let people go back to their families...even if it means losing my friends." Cash whispered to himself, his hiding skill to high to allow people to hear it.

Much as she'd expected, the parties were quickly forming up; even among the few remaining solo players, given that most were at least friends with one another even if they weren't part of a guild. There was an occasional group that gave her a passing glance - but ultimately, it seemed that Thessalia was going to end up in a one-woman-party once again. Not that it was such a bad thing - she was more than used to watching her own back after a whole year of having to do so; even during Boss Fights and, with none to watch, would be free to act to the best of her solo player's abilities. Though this was no simple event boss or group of monsters - a Boss Fight was hardly something anyone would take lightly anymore.

As she looked up and around the various groups, Thessalia then noticed a familiar face with a familiar expression - ReivaX, his eyes going from side to side as if in search of something. This something, knowing him from the occasional time they'd teamed up in the field or during Boss Fights in the past, was most likely the same as what she was hoping to find - a party. She thought it over for a moment - they both were at least acquainted with one another and offensive one-handed curved sword users, meaning that they'd at least be able to fulfill a similar role. With a final sigh, Thessalia ultimately decided that it would be better to have someone she at least knew in passing in the same party than stuck with a few she really only knew the faces of.

Pushing herself off the wall she'd been resting against, Thessalia stepped forward into the path that ReivaX was taking, lifting a hand in greeting - the look in her eyes, undoubtedly the same as his own, making her intentions clear before she even said a word. "Got left over again too?"

ReivaX, kept walking slowly as he looked from left to right, his eyes more focused on who was all partied apposed to where he was going. He quickly turned to the right, catching a quick glimpse of someone in his path of walking, he turned to face forward once again. Just as he noticed it was Thessalia who stepped in front of him she already had her hand out for a greeting along with a few words. A light laugh and a smile emerged from him as he shook her hand. "Yeah... pretty much what happens every time it comes to a boss fight, but I swear this time it wasn't my fault... uh... well it was, but not purposely." He said with a chuckle while his left hand moved to scratch the back of his head. ReivaX saw a familiar look on Thessalia's face, one that he had saw on her face in war meetings prior to earlier boss fights, also one he had on his face moments before running in to her. "You know... if we simply partied up we might stop running into this problem each and every boss fight. Besides its not like we don't party up almost each boss fight anyways..." He said to her jokingly, almost as if asking her to party up with him again just like he had countless times in the past with the same result. I wonder if she will party up with me and stay partied after the boss fight as well this time... I mean soloing isn't all its cracked up to be, I know that much... ReivaX thought to himself behind the ear to ear smile masking his face.

Much like Thessalia had assumed, ReivaX confirmed that he was indeed, like herself, without a party for the upcoming Boss Fight. She raised an eyebrow as he mentioned that it wasn't his fault - before he corrected himself, though she could already guess the reason thereof; it being most likely the same as her own. In his joking tone that he liked to use so often, he suggested that they party up - not that it would be the first time, seeing as they were both solo players who were loners even by those standards; this being the reason for this very dilemma every time, though the exact reason for which they were how they were might not be the same.

As she'd already considered the option before stepping forward, it didn't take Thessalia very long to give a simple nod in response to his question, opening her menu with a flick of her wrist before speaking. "I doubt we'll find any free spots anymore by now," she said whilst navigating to the party menu, listing her as the only member of Party F of the Raid Group, "and I guess we'd both rather have someone they know covering our backs, right?" she went on, giving a demonstrative look about - whilst there were many familiar faces, Thessalia hardly knew more about most of them than their faces, their preferred roles and their names and affiliated guilds, if that. Tapping a button, a prompt would appear before ReivaX, asking if he wanted to join the Raid Group Party F.

"We don't always party up, you know," she then reminded him, even if he said it in jest - though her expression dimmed for a brief moment as she remembered the last time she'd gone along with a group of three, back on Floor 45. They had been friends since the beginning and had just managed to catch up to the lead group in terms of level and equipment, if only barely and had been excited for the Boss Fight, if a little nervous - and had known none of the other frontliners, thus being only too glad to add any of the seasoned frontliners to their party. Half way into the fight, the attack pattern switch had taken them by surprise, killing one - the shock thereof throwing the others into disarray, leading to Thessalia being the only remaining member. Thinking on it, she still wondered if perhaps they would have survived if they'd taken a better teamplayer with them, someone who could have guided them instead of her - but she pushed those thoughts back with a quick shake of her head, her usual expression returning - calm yet wary, as it was nowadays.

Looking back up, ReivaX was smiling his usual wide smile - Thessalia still didn't know if he was so happy to have found a party member or if he simply was that positive by nature, though his joking mannerisms made her tend to assume the latter. Either way though, Thessalia at least was glad about the circumstances - as it meant that, even if she was proficient at it, she wouldn't have to rely solely on her own abilities throughout the Boss Fight if things took a turn for the worse whilst at the same time she knew that ReivaX knew how to handle himself, meaning there was little risk of him going off and dying before her. Essentially, they were still just two solo players who happened to party up by mutual necessity for the duration of the Boss Fight - at least, that's how Thessalia saw it.

Once the party was established, Thessalia raised her hand, lifting a single finger to make a point before speaking. "There is one party rule, though," she said, her tone quite serious. "No dying," she said, her voice gaining a faint undertone of worry, as it always did whenever she addressed anyone she'd be fighting beside during a Boss Fight - for no matter how many times she saw it happen, seeing someone die right before her weighed heavily on her even weeks, if not months, later.

YipeeXD said
Bachus clasped a hand on Ryan's shoulder. "mhm." He grunted. "I have no intention of fighting with the squads anymore." He paused for a moment, as people looked at him as though he were a coward. He opened his menu and equipped a bulky set of armour, purple in colour, spike from the shoulders. "I plan on tanking." He grinned as though he'd won an award or something. "Being a solo player surprisingly helps you increase specific levels much more quickly." He also equipped a massive two handed blade, as it appeared on his back. "My two handed and heavy armouring abilities have both increased dramatically." He paused before making sure Ryan was still listening. "Eh. I was looking at the front liner stats for players in the book of truth. It seems that statistically, me and you are the best tankers on the front lines, in terms of sheer power and damage absorbing anyway."

Ryan raised an eyebrow at Bacchus, "You plan on tanking? If you know for sure that's what you plan on doing, then just keep in mind... The same pain you felt so long ago can come back just as easily as it did the first time, maybe even easier now that you're labeling yourself a tank. You will probably feel the pressure that comes from knowing that if someone has to die, that you've made the promise that it'll be you instead of the others." He then raised a thumbs-up to him, "But you'll also know the joy of true friendship when your allies you've sworn to protect turn that promise around and save you almost as much as you expect to save them. Welcome to the frontlines... of the frontlines."

The prompt for the invite appeared before him as he stood there in front of Thessalia. With a nod he'd accept the invite and would be added to Party F of the Raid group. Bringing his hands to the back of his head with his elbows pointed into the air, a light laugh would escape his lips as he heard her say something about not always partying up together. "I know we don't always party up together, it was just a joke seeing as we do quite often when it comes to Boss Fights." He'd say to her, trying to keep the smile on his face as he saw the mood of her expression changing to that of a dimmer one. RievaX had wondered if it could be something he said that would cause her expression to change so noticeably, the smile on his face going away slightly - but not disappearing.

Before long the mask of a smile would have faded from his face completely. Despite being a rather upbeat person most of the time, ReivaX used his smile to hide the fact that he'd become increasingly more afraid of the chance that him or anyone he'd become friends with in SAO could die at a moments notice. The floors were getting harder and harder to clear and there were less and less frontliners with each passing Boss Fight. The thought that death was a real possibility that could happen at anytime in this "game" tormented him continuously, but he knew he'd have to fight to get out of this hell hole no matter what the outcome may be - even if it meant having to watch his friends die one by one or die himself, he had to fight.

As Thessalia looked back up at him, he put the wide toothed smile back on his face. A look of question soon replaced the smile on his face when he heard her say there was one party rule, One rule... I wonder what that could be? He thought to himself, only to have his question answered moments later. "No dying? Aww, damn it. That's the first thing I was going to do." The joking tone obviously present in his words, the smile on his face growing even more. He would place his hand on Thessalia's shoulder as he looked to her before speaking, "Don't worry, I don't plan on dying anytime soon, we still have to make it out of here." The tone in his voice was serious for a change and the smile no longer present as he spoke, he wanted to make it clear that he wasn't going to die on her during the Boss Fight. "That goes for you too okay? No dying... you have to make it out as well." He added, taking his hand off her shoulder and holding it at head height between them with a confident look in his eyes, he waited for her to shake his hand as if to confirm neither of them were going to die in this Raid.