Morningstar

Stephen found his way back to the observer's area and sighed. After his match with Hirru, he couldn't help but feel tired. The mental power it took to fight another player instead of a mob made it taxing. He wondered how many more he'd have to take part in.

That being said, he didn't regret signing up. Stephen watched from a distance as the ongoing matches continued. He pouted. A blue-haired player that looked interesting to him seemed to be losing.

"Maybe he's still got a chance," he mumbled to himself.

Stephen felt like he'd been pumped with adrenaline. He'd never played any sports or had any real competitive experience before, so this was an odd feeling. He didn't get the same exhilaration from acting. He had a lot to think about if he ever got out of the game. Steadying his breath, he took his eyes away from the matches and searched the crowd for familiarity. At first glance, he didn't recognize any names or faces; however, he noticed black hair poking out in the distance. Stephen had met her before—he was sure of it. It'd been a while, though. He moved gracefully through the crowd, excusing himself as he passed.

"Hey," Stephen tapped NIGHT's shoulder, hoping he wouldn't startle her, "if you don't remember me, I won't be too disappointed."

@NIGHT

Star was almost surprised when he felt his blade touch Hirru's side.

"Good match out there!" The hunter called out.

He'd blown away his own expectations and come out with his first, and hopefully not last, win of the tournament. He met his opponent's eyes and felt something he'd never experienced before: the joy of competition. He smiled.

"I'm glad I had the opportunity to face you. Let's do it again someday—maybe with our own gear."

He didn't bow, nor did he offer a hand shake. Were there unspoken rules involving the ending of a duel? If there were, Stephen wasn't aware of them. Instead, he gave Hirru a nod and turned toward the sidelines where the observers sat. His fight was over and for the time being, he'd wait for the next. As he left the arena, he glanced around at the other fights. There were still quite a few ongoing matches, but they seemed like they'd be ending soon. Who was his next opponent?

Morningstar - 3 [WINNER]

Hirru - 1

Hirru's attack was unexpected and Star couldn't block it quite in time. In attempt to dodge, he leaned to the right. He thought he was in the clear, for a moment, but the midway stop caused the sword to touch Star's chest. Hirru claimed a point and while it was well deserved, Star didn't like it.

"Damn," he muttered.

He'd made a mistake and it'd cost him his lead. He pushed down his sword, colliding with his opponent's. Star took the chance to back away while Hirru's blade bounced back. A close match was better, he told himself. While not daring to turn his back on Hirru, he wondered how many observers were watching their match. It made him a little excited.

He smirked. Star wanted to compliment his opponent on his skill, but decided to save the formalities for until after their fight. He breathe deeply and swiped forwards, determined to end the duel here.

Round 4: Hirru's Point
Morningstar - 2
Hirru - 1

@Hirru

Stephen, irritated, stormed out of the smith. Lyle was, without a doubt, the most unpleasant NPC that he'd met. Still, he accepted the terms presented to him. Lyle requested—or perhaps it was more of a demand—that Stephen brought back a few boar tusks from the fields. It wasn't a hard job, thankfully, so he was willing to do it.

He walked through the Town of Beginnings, smiling at strangers in passing. It wasn't quite as busy today, for some reason. Maybe it was a holiday.

When he reached the gate at the edge of town, he stopped and pulled open his friends list. It was time to call a friend.

-------------------

Joaquin showed up an hour later, his hair styled and his armor pristine. "Hey, Stephen."

"Joaquin," he swung his cloak around his body, "ready to go?"

The warrior smiled. "Always am, friend."

They took a step past the gate and entered the vast fields of the first floor. 

The door to the blacksmith creaked as Stephen pushed it open. "Excuse me?"

Inside, you could hear the clanging of metal against metal. Even from the entrance it was warm, almost uncomfortably. Stephen scanned the room, looking for Lyle, the NPC he'd been sent to speak with. Weapons lined the walls; straight swords almost like his own, katanas sharper than the horizon, and spears that made the man question his weapon choice. Lyle was obviously skilled in his craft. Even the armor looked high quality. Stephen moved his way through the store, admiring the craftsmanship while he followed the loud banging noise.

Behind an anvil, he found a stern, bearded man. He dropped his hammer on the center of a blade, shaping it. "Hello," he gave the wall a knock, "I'm Mornin-"

"What do you want? I'm busy." Lyle continued to work, not acknowledging Stephen.

"Zackariah sent me. He said you've been speaking with Dorian and I came to ask if you've been borrowing money from him."

"Ridiculous," Lyle muttered, slamming down once more on the metal, "you want to talk? You'll have to pay for it."

Hirru's attitude suddenly changed and Morningstar took notice. It seemed like his verdant-haired opponent needed to find his bearings and now that he'd found them, he was ready to attack. Star was up a point but wasn't quite in the clear yet. He stepped backwards, his anxiety disappearing. There was power in Hirru's step as he lunged at Star. The tip of Hirru's blade nearly touched his shoulder but Star swiped his own sword left, blocking the attack. They clashed their blades for a moment before disengaging.

"Too close," Morningstar caught his breath, quickly imagining his next play.

Some matches seemed to be coming to a close around them. Star forced himself to focus on his own, worried that he might attack recklessly to avoid prolonging their duel. Without much hesitation, he dashed forwards, closing the gap between the two swordsmen. He swung his blade deep, aiming for Hirru's waist.

-----

Morningstar - 1

Hirru - 0

@Hirru

Other duels had already begun around Morningstar. He gave his training sword a swung, getting used to it's weight. It was lighter than his straight sword. His first opponent, and hopefully not his last, was a green-haired gentleman who went by the name "Hirru". 

"It's nice to meet you," he leaned on his sword, it's point touching the floor, "you can call me Star."

Star's nerves were building up. He wasn't unconfident in himself, but Hirru looked like he'd been in a fight or two before. Star tried focusing on having a good time rather than the outcome, but truthfully he wanted to win; to prove himself. His sword flipped around and he changed his stance in preparation for the duel. How did these things normally start? Was he supposed to bow or something? He glanced around, but didn't see anything helpful. Cheers came booming from players in the stands, although Morningstar couldn't who they were directed to. They weren't meant for him, at least. He shrugged, giving his opponent a sportsmanlike grin.

"Best of luck, okay?" He lunged forwards, beginning the fight.

@Hirru

Morningstar had never been to the 24th floor; it was above his skill level. He'd heard stories of the sandy beaches and coral reefs, but his low stats and fear of sea serpents caused him to stay far away. What better chance to take a look, he thought, than a Valentines Day tournament. The sea breeze pushed back his hood, revealing dirty blonde hair and a pair of golden eyes.

"Will you be taking part in the tournament today?" A voice asked.

The boat rocked slowly. Star met the gaze of Takumi, the one paddling it.

"You know," Morningstar smiled, "I think I will be."

He was excited to meet the rest of the competitors. Most of Star's time that wasn't spent philosophizing with Elwood was spent alone. He hadn't found the opportunity to experience one-on-one combat with another player before. Boars were fun and all, but they didn't have brains. Small fish swam alongside the boat and Star caught a warm expression on Takumi's face. He, much like other NPCs, was lifelike.

"Baldur-shisho's island is just up ahead. We'll be arriving soon," Takumi dug his paddle into the water.

Star stared out into the horizon. "The other players—are they strong?"

"I'd say so. Having second thoughts?"

"Not at all," Star reached out, letting his hand glide across the water.

---------------

Baldur's island was welcoming. Morningstar crossed the bridge leading to the estate, admiring the architecture while he walked. It almost reminded him of home—or at least the temporary home he'd been staying in before entering the game. Eventually, he found himself outside of the dojo. Inside, unfamiliar faces chatted amongst themselves. They all seemed to know each other. Star, noticing the attires of other players, switched out his cloak for something more formal and then adjusted his hair before taking a step forward. Searching for the host, he focused more on the names above the heads of the players than their actual faces. Star had never met Baldur and had no idea what he looked like. He saw a variety of names he didn't recognize—Jomei, Calrex, Griswold, and more. In the midst of the crowd, he found Baldur crowded by players. Stephen felt uncomfortable interrupting, but did so anyways.

"Hi, I'm competing today. Takumi mentioned coming to you for my equipment."

Morningstar's Outfit

Morningstar's Stats

Current Level: 4
Current SP: 13
Link to SP Tracking: Morningstar's Character Sheet
Item Upgrades: N/A

Stephen's joy did not last. The name shook him to his core. Thoughts of the past flooded back to him and he remembered the sight of a well-kempt blonde stabbing a blade through Lexa's back. Atlas said nothing, only watching for a reaction from the swordsman. It was almost as if the Titan pitied him. Stephen wasn't that naïve.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Don't trust Atlas. He's good with words when he needs to be," Helios opened a map showing a vast mountain range.

"He's known as a Titan for a reason," Stephen chuckled.

Helios smirked in agreement, pointing out the best route to the temple. It wasn't an easy trip no matter which path you took; however, the raven-haired swordsman had paved a relatively safe way for Stephen. Helios warned him that Olympian Guardians had been spotted before the temple, but provided a solution to them as well.

"I found a tunnel," Helios explained, "that takes you beneath the temple. There's a passage inside that will take you straight to Atlas."

Stephen smiled. "I appreciate all of the work you've done for me. Your scouting is the only reason this is possible."

"It's my pleasure. Besides, I want to see Cain go down as much as you do."

He placed a dagger on the table. It was Cain's once, taken by Helios in a duel. The blade was a gift from Atlas himself after Cain, like many before him, completed the Titan's quest. Stephen picked up the dagger, running his fingers over it's silver face. The blue jewels looked dull in the low light of the room.

"Upon completing his quest, Atlas will grant you a prize of your choosing. The limits of the quest aren't known, although it's true that you can't bring back the dead or escape the game. You'll need to be careful what you choose, since if you pick something beyond his ability you'll get nothing at all," Helios sat down and leaned into a wooden chair.

Stephen passed his friend, stopping at the window of the inn. He stared out, watching the busy players rushing through the streets of the Town of Beginnings. Helios toyed with a pendant, his eyes scanning the holographic map floating above the table. They stayed silent for some time, until the atmosphere became too tense to bear.

"What did you ask for?" Stephen asked, his eyes still focused on the town.

Helios didn't emote. "I asked for my brother back. That's how I discovered that even after doing this quest, the dead stay dead. If I hadn't told you, would you have tried asking Atlas to bring back Lexa?"

Stephen turned to face Helios. "Yeah. I would have."

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Atlas, son of Iapetus," Stephen stared up at the Titan with ferocity in his eyes, "I'd like to take on your quest."

Morningstar eyed the details of the tournament. "What've I got to lose?"

(count me in chief)

                                                                                                                   Floor 17
                                                                                        Somewhere deep in the mountains

"You should not be here," a voice boomed.

Stephen dropped the hood of his cloak, revealing his face to the giant. "You're Atlas, correct?"

For a moment, the giant stared as if he were deciding how to structure his response. From head to toe, he was dressed in armor resembling that of an ancient Spartan. The giant knelt, pinned to the ground by a space-like orb twice his size. Stephen knew what it was.

"I am Atlas, yes. These mountains are treacherous, boy. I'm surprised you were able to find your way."

"I had a map," Stephen stepped towards Atlas carefully.

Atlas laughed, causing the temple to shake. Even trapped under the orb, the Titan was dangerous. Stephen's blade clung to his waist and he kept his hand nearby. He stopped in front of the behemoth, his body steady.

"What do you want?" Atlas wasted no time.

"Knowledge," Stephen replied, swiping open his menu.

From it, he equipped a dagger embedded with blue jewels. It's blade was short, straight, and sharp. Stephen wasn't a blacksmith, but he could tell the metal was hard to come by. He held it up with both hands for Atlas to see.

The Titan's eyes grew. "Where did you find that?"

"A friend gave it to me," Stephen lowered the dagger, "the original owner of this dagger came here once, didn't he?"

Silence filled the air. Atlas' brows furrowed. Stephen felt an immense pressure in the air, as if gravity had begun fighting against him. He told himself to stay calm; he knew Atlas couldn't touch him.

"That man," Atlas paused, "came here a long time ago. He fooled me and took that blade as his prize."

Stephen almost felt a bit of joy rush through him. After what had felt like an eternity, he'd found a lead on Lexa's killer.

Stephen cleared his throat. "What was his name?"

Atlas frowned. "Cain."

COMPLETE

+4 SP
+400 Col
+5x Tier One Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP)
+1x Tier One Damage Potion. (+1 Damage)
+1x Tier One Over-Health Potion (+50 Temp. HP)

Eventually, Stephen found himself in front of the palace. It was much darker inside than it was outside. As he stepped in, he noticed that the air felt colder as well.

He stepped up to the monument of life. The names of both the dead and the living looked down upon him. His eyes traced the names of many players who he did not know. It didn't take long to find Helios' name once he'd reached the H's. It was crossed out. Beneath it was a date, a time, and a cause of death.

"Fall damage," Stephen winced. He lifted his hood, as if attempting to hide his emotions from anyone who may have been watching.

According to the monument, Helios had died a few weeks prior. Stephen moved along down the list until he found the L's. Lexa's name was crossed out as well; however, her cause was not fall damage. Stephen gently touched his hand to the stone tablet.

"Player-Killed by Cain," it read.

Stephen turned away from the monument. A few tears fell down his face. It was time for some rest.

Before heading back to the inn, Stephen wanted to stop at the Monument of Life. He dragged his tired body through the streets of the Town of Beginnings. The Black Iron Palace looked massive, even in the distance. He wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived. Sunlight beamed on him as he strafed through crowds of players. A young woman smiled at him as he passed and he tried his best to return one of his own, but even that took more energy than he could sacrifice.

Part of Stephen knew that going to the monument wouldn't do him any good. Logically, he should have gone straight to his room at the inn for some rest. He adjusted his cloak. For Helios' sake, he felt the need to confirm whether or not the man was dead.

Maybe he's alive. He could've accidentally deleted you when he was clearing out his friends list. Rushing to conclusions doesn't help anyone.

Stephen recalled a temple he'd found on the fourth floor.

It was covered and show and shrouded in darkness. Stone, cracked and crumbling, made up most of the structure. It seemed old to Stephen—although he knew it looked that way intentionally. There were mobs inside, but no quests that he had heard of that involved the temple. He hadn't been the first to discover it; however, it was possible there were similar places out there that remained unknown.

He'd also met a man there.

"What was his name again? Helios? I wonder how he's doing."

It had only been months since their encounter, but it felt like longer. He sat back up and opened his friends list. It was short, so finding specific players had never been an issue.

Helios' name was gone.

Stephen stared for a moment, feeling disheartened. He hoped that Helios had simply removed him from his friends list. The other option was much darker. He let out a sigh. The noirette had saved his life in the cold, forgotten temple. With a flash of green light, the monsters that threatened Stephen's life had shattered. 

"What was he doing there? He never did say."

Stephen reached the edge of the town. His fatigue was finally setting in. It was early; however, the fields had already become occupied by players. He wouldn't be able to start a guild alone. Stephen wasn't even sure where to start.

"Guild's have logos, right?" He summoned a notebook from his inventory. "I suppose I'll start there."

He sketched many different shapes and symbols, although none of them carried any meaning. Stephen wondered if Lexa had any ideas of her own. If so, she hadn't left them with him. The sounds of clashing swords and joyful laughs filled the man's ears as he drew. The grass was soft. The wind was warm. These moments of peace felt few and far between.

Who would he ask to join his guild? What would they set out to accomplish? Stephen tapped his virtual pencil against the notebook. He'd never thought about what he wanted from his life in Aincrad. The frontlines seemed so far away; almost unreachable. Perhaps, for the time being, there was a different purpose that he could serve. Stephen thought about the parts of the world he hadn't yet seen. Were there any parts left unexplored? The higher the floor, the more mystery there seemed to be.

His back touched the green grass and he closed his eyes, allowing his thoughts to drift.

"If you're interested in joining, I'm sure we could put in a good word for you," Grace smiled.

Stephen imagined himself wearing Chronicle's insignia; a white wolf. He imagined joining Joaquin's squad and taking on quests with a party rather than alone. He imagined having a place to call home. It sounded nice. He wondered what Lexa would think. He knew that if he asked, she would have joined him; however, the dream of their own guild never would have left her mind.

"I appreciate the offer," he took turns making eye contact with the four, "but I don't think I'd be able to commit to Chronicle right now."

"It's no big deal, Stephen. We don't need to be guildmates to be friends," Joaquin grinned.

A faint glow above Katar's hands formed into a guitar. "Do you play?" He asked, handing it to Stephen.

"Once in a while," Stephen gave it a strum.

They played until dawn, but it didn't feel like time had passed at all. When they finished, they decided that they'd meet again soon. Stephen and the Chronicle members parted ways with smiles on their faces. He looked up at the sky.

"We never did decide on a name, did we Lexa?"

"It's nice to meet you all," Stephen smiled, taking a seat in between Grace and Simon.

Joaquin fiddled with his diamond-embellished flute. He looked around at his group. "Stephen and I met on set a few years back," a couple chuckled amongst themselves as they walked down the quiet street, "it's not the most beautiful story ever, but we met at the snack table."

Stephen laughed along with Joaquin's friends. His dad had been friends with the film's director and, if he were to guess, brought Stephen along to show off. Stephen was his supposed to be his father's acting prodigy, after all. Joaquin was different, he remembered. A polar opposite, in the sense that his parents had tried to push him away from acting. The thought of it must have scared them; however, Stephen couldn't be sure. They tried not to talk about their families if they could help it.

---------

"Try these," Joaquin pointed towards a plate that held a number of cookies.

"What's in them?"

"No idea, but they taste good."

Stephen shrugged and picked up a cookie. He took a bite and an overflowing feeling of joy crept up on him. Peppermint, he had decided, was the taste he was getting. Two thin chocolate cookies sandwiched together with a layer of peppermint cream in the middle.

"Not bad," Stephen replied, wiping any excess chocolate off of his face with his sleeve, "I still think I prefer the cake though." The two shared a laugh and continued discussing desserts. They went along the entire table, taste testing everything that looked appetizing to them.

Eventually, they had completed their quest to find the best tasting dessert. "What was your favorite?" Joaquin asked.

"The raspberry cheesecake. You?"

"Tiramisu."

"You guys eat well here," Stephen smiled, "Most of the sets I've been to have pretty boring options for food."

"It's not normally like this," Joaquin watched as a few new people stepped up to the table, "I think it's somebody's birthday today. I'm Joaquin, by the way. I don't think I ever introduced myself."

"Stephen. Nice to meet you."

---------

"So you're in a guild now? Is it just you four?" Stephen felt a sudden rush of cold wind blow past them. The weather was changing.

"No, we'd never make it alone," he chuckled, "this is just my squad. The guild's pretty big. It's called 'Chronicle,' maybe you've heard of it?"

Stephen shook his head. He wasn't familiar with many guilds, unfortunately. He'd never put much thought into joining one—not since Lexa had brought up the idea so long ago. Joaquin described Chronicle as accepting. They had allowed him and his three friends to join despite the fact that they were under leveled. Chronicle gave them a home and helped them grow. It made Stephen regret that he and Lexa had never started their guild. He remembered Elwood's words.

"There's still time to change that, friend."

"C'mon man, we've got plenty of room in the guild. It'd be like old times; Stephen and Joaquin against the world!"

"I already told you, I'm not interested in a guild right now. Besides, we don't need to be guildmates to hang out," Stephen replied.

Stephen, accompanied by his old friend, Joaquin, wandered through the streets of Delilah. It had been three weeks since they'd reunited and so far, Joaquin and his guild had tried recruiting him seven times. They didn't know how to take "no" for an answer.

"What can I do to change your mind? We can offer free equipment."

"I don't want your gear man, I want to take on some quests."

"Sounds good! If you join us, we'll take you on some quests on the higher floors."

"Not what I meant."

The night sky was as beautiful as ever. Shimmering stars made the moon look a little bit less lonely. Stephen loved the night time because town's were often empty. There were no big groups of players funneling through the tiny streets, so he could explore without any interruptions. Tonight, Stephen was searching for a shop that held a quest, or so he'd been told. The owner's would craft armor if you brought them specific materials and while he did not necessarily need the gear, there was no harm in taking the quest.

"Any chance you actually know where the shop is?" Stephen inquired.

"I'm about sixty percent sure I do. I think you go straight through the market area and then take a right," Joaquin replied. "Unfortunately for you, I've got a meeting pretty soon. Let me know if you need a hand with anything."

The pair bid each other goodbye and eventually, Stephen made it to the spot where the shop was supposed to be.

"Nice. It's not here."

@Rosary

The night sky was lit up by what seemed like billions of stars. Streets that were so often full of people were nearly empty. The musicians that he had seen earlier were still playing their songs. As he walked past them, one stopped playing his instrument.

"No way. Stephen Star?" The man called out to him.

Stephen spun around, assuming it was someone random who happened to remember his face. Upon further examination, however, he realized that wasn't the case.

"Joaquin?" He asked, starting to walk up to the man.

"Man, you're in here too? Small world. I haven't seen you since—"

"Since we were like, seventeen?"

"Yeah!"

Joaquin Hernandez was one of the few real friends that Stephen had growing up. They'd met on the set of Joaquin's debut film. He couldn't remember why he was there or how they'd come into contact; it just happened.

"I can't believe I forgot you moved to Japan," Stephen grinned, "Of all people, I never expected to find you in here"

"Same to you. These are a few of my guildmates," Joaquin gestured.

The three other players smiled and introduced themselves. They sat in a circle, instruments still in hand. To Joaquin's left was a kid named Simon. I say "kid" because he looked like he was about fifteen years old. He wore light blue robes and had hair similar to Stephen's.

In front of Joaquin was Grace, a woman with beautiful blonde hair. At her waist was a dagger with a glowing gem of some sort. It's brightness was distracting, but it added a flare to the weapon that suited it. On top of that, she was visibly confident; Stephen could see it from eye contact alone. She almost reminded him of Lexa.

An older man with dark, charcoal hair sat to Joaquin's right. He was still strumming on his guitar quietly, listening to the conversation play out. His name was Katar.

Finally, there was Joaquin, the handsome Spanish man from Stephen's past. One of his best friends. He wore light armor, much like Simon, but more minimal. His hair was darker than Stephens and quite a bit shorter as well. Stephen recalled a time where the man would keep his head shaved. That appeared to have changed.

"Sit with us, man. We'd love to have you."

Stephen returned a grin and dropped the apples into the pot once more. This time, he took extra care when stirring. He glanced over slightly to see how the alchemist's face. He looked pleased so far.

"Like this?" Stephen asked.

"Yes, continue to do that and it should work this time," Zackariah said.

The colour of the liquid began to change from clear to a light, almost muted pink. So far so good, Stephen thought, no explosion yet. For a couple more minutes, he continued to stir at a slow pace until eventually, Zackariah said it was ready.

"Perfect! It is not often somebody crafts me a health potion this good. Truly excellent work!"

Stephen smiled. Maybe alchemy was the direction he'd go; profession-wise that is. Now that he thought about it, a store of his own could be nice. He'd never considered running one, but it could also double as a place for him to sleep. Inns were great and all but, actually, they sucked. He wondered what the rules for living in shops were.

"So, is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

"You've created me a wonderful potion, so I'm sorry to ask you for more help, but I do have one thing. Could you take this package to a local blacksmith by the name of Lyle Tealeaf?"

Zackariah held out an object that was wrapped up in brown paper and tied with some rope. Stephen agreed and directions appeared on his map.

"Thank you, my boy. I appreciate the work and I hope you learned something valuable today!"

With that, the brunette left the alchemist's shop and wandered back into the streets.

If this was all potion making took, it didn't seem like a tough profession. Stephen picked up the slices of apple and dropped them into the pot. Then, he began to gently stir it.

"Ah!"

A sudden puff of smoke made both Zackariah and Stephen jump. They looked into the cauldron, only to see a pool of dark, murky water. I guess that's what I get for underestimating it.

"No worries. I never expect someone to do it perfectly on their first try. Give it another shot," Zackariah said.

Stephen had no idea what he'd done wrong. There wasn't much for him to do wrong, or so he thought. Zackariah replaced the liquid and the brunette chopped another apple. He was determined to make a good potion. His gaze moved from the apple, to the cauldron, and then to the alchemist.

"So," he began, "where do the rocks come into play?"

"As long as it heals them, people don't complain about the ingredients I use," he chuckled.

Working over the cauldron was Zackariah. He immediately noticed Stephen and gestured him in.

"Ah, sorry. Just finishing up this batch of health potions. I assume you've brought back the materials I asked for?"

"Yes, I've got them," Stephen said.

"Very well, you can leave them on this table for now," he pointed towards a desk next to him. 

Stephen placed them down. It was an odd group of items for a potion; a combination of funny looking rocks and apples. He assumed it didn't matter though. Zackariah worked in silence and the brunette respected that, patiently waiting for him to complete his brew. Some time later, it was done. The alchemist poured the liquid into glass flasks and put them away in a wooden crate, which he kept safe in a cabinet near the entrance to the room.

"Shall we begin?"

Stephen nodded. Zackariah poured a clear liquid into the cauldron and then directed the man to chop up an apple. Agreeing, he picked up a knife that sat on the table and lightly tapped on the fruit. It glowed for a moment before splitting apart into six pieces. He was no cook, so it wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for what they needed it for.

"Very good. Now, you may drop it in the cauldron."

Stephen sat at the gate of Urbus, his stare locked onto the intimidating mountains ahead of him.

To put it simply, he was nervous. The quest he'd accepted was, admittedly, out of his league. The brunette was a confident guy, but even he knew when he was in over his head. He fiddled with the hilt of his sheathed sword, second thoughts clouding his mind.

Maybe this was a mistake. There are other quests I could take, I don't need to do this. I could just do an easier one.

He tried to shrug it off, but new it wouldn't be a permanent solution. Stephen knew the only way he'd get out of the situation feeling accomplished was to do the quest. His eyes followed a group of deer as they made their way down a distant mountain path. They walked slowly and without a worry. Of course, they weren't actually real. Stephen was, which meant a single mistake could cost him his life.

After minutes of standing still, Stephen opened his friends list. It was short, but normally that wouldn't bother him. His gaze fell upon Elwood, a guild leader he'd met a while back. If the man wasn't so busy, he'd have asked him. Next, a respectable swordsman who went by the name "Joaquin". According to the map, he was on the fifteenth floor and Stephen didn't think it would be worth calling him down.

"Screw it," Stephen began, "let's get this over with."

@Lessa @Rosary

(-1 Yui's Grace)