Morningstar

Returning to darkness, Morningstar could hear the voices of Reyna and Koko mixing in with the heavy drips of water that fell from the ceiling. It was difficult to tell, but he thought they were to his left He traversed the pitch-black cave, avoiding puddles and weaving around spiked rocks when he could. His eyes were beginning to adjust to the lighting, or the lack thereof, and he caught a glimpse of what he thought was Reyna sticking out from behind a rock. With some speed in his step, he jogged in their direction. A screech from the void caught his attention. A large shape glided throug

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Morningstar noticed a bit of colour trickle into her pale cheeks. She broke their eye contact, looking back at the path, so he did the same. Reyna's question came expectedly. He wouldn't have taken her if he wasn't one hundred percent sure that he could protect her. The blonde left that part out, returning a half-truth. "It wouldn't have been much fun to go alone. Besides," Morningstar chuckled, "I don't have many friends." The path split off to the right and, according to his map, turning would lead them to their destination. Guiding Reyna along, he motioned for them to follow the n

Bahr's exit from the shadows had provided Morningstar with the perfect opportunity to reset the tempo of the fight. Backing away, the blonde watched as the knight burned from Bahr's blade. It was quite an extraordinary weapon. Using their short burst of words to his advantage, Morningstar re-engaged, a green blaze of light crackling along his blade. He activated Shatter once more but, this time, the soldier had no chance to block it. The edge of the blade dropped down, sliding from the soldier's right shoulder to his lower abdomen. Morningstar's sword retreated for a moment before he swun

Morningstar felt a twinge at his waist where his sword was secured. He agreed to Bahr's plan, watching as the man entered the shadows. His attention shifted to Levi, whose body shook from behind him. He'd be okay. Like Bahr had said, they would protect him. "We won't take too long," Morningstar flashed a smile. Levi nodded, preparing his slingshot and hiding within the trees. The blonde gazed out at the lone soldier, who chewed on his dinner with animosity. His frostbitten hands looked dead and his face was no better. His hand touched the hilt of his blade and with a ring, Meteor was

He was familiar with the twisted wastelands and what they lead to. What once was a forest was now dead, left behind to rot after countless wars. It was clear from the man's expression that he believed that his wife was in danger. Morningstar gazed down at the man, pitying him. "What's your name?" The blonde asked. The question appeared to surprise the man. It was as if he had expected Morningstar to ignore him like all the rest. "Tythen. My name is Tythen." Tythen's hood had dropped a bit, revealing more of his face. Concern had weathered him. The elves were a race that, by defi

From Levi's explanation, it was difficult to tell what they would be up against. That being said, it interested Morningstar. He glanced back at Bahr. It was unlikely that the man knew anything about the fourth floor and Morningstar was not familiar with much outside of Snowfall. "Let's accept it," he said, swiping open his inventory and finding his equipment. Meteor appeared at his waist with a golden glow and his armor switched out with his regular clothing beneath his cloak. His amber eyes fixed on the white-haired NPC. "We would appreciate it if you would lead the way. Even if it is st

Battered and dreary, the twenty-third floor was a place of war. The two tribes of dark elves that called it home lived in constant conflict. The lands were bleak and the settlements unwelcoming. Morningstar avoided it for those reasons. Notes of an eerie piano played in his head as he treaded through the city known as Kalanaes. He could not put his finger on where he had heard the strange song but it was ingrained in his mind so deeply, you would think he had composed it himself. Gloomy scowls were plastered on the faces of the city's inhabitants. It was obvious to Morningstar that he was

The festival reminded him of Christmas, although it was not the right time of year for that sort of celebration. The warm sun solstice, as the villagers called it, had arrived after two hundred years. Bahr asked him a question that puzzled him. Did he look two hundred years old? "No, I didn't even realize this festival existed," he replied, scanning the stalls around them. There weren't any games he'd played before, actually. It was like they were specific to the festival, aside from a game involving tossing snowballs into a hole that resembled a sandbag throwing game that he'd playe

Morningstar took a moment to listen to the men talk back and forth. Already, they had found comfort among each other. He grinned at Alkor, whose attention had moved to Morningstar. The group piqued his interest; he wanted to see how where it would take him. "Dragon Adventure it is," the blonde said. Like clockwork, a notification screen popped up in front of him. It hovered a few inches from his face, offering him the chance to accept the quest. Without hesitation, he pressed the large, blue circle on the left side of the box. Quest <<Dia

The massive tree loomed over the party, casting an eerie shadow. The top of the tree peaked above the clouds, making it impossible to see where it ended. Morningstar scanned the base of the tree from a distance before moving up for a closer inspection. Dark brown bark covered the entire tree like scales on a dragon. In some spots, he noticed sap that had solidified in the form of droplets running down the base. His fingers danced along the side of the tree, avoiding the sticky spots. It was rough and yet awfully soft for a tree of that size. Tapping his fingertips against the bark, he came acr

Morningstar fell back into the battered green grass. He gazed up at the sky, noticing the orange and pink shades. The sun was setting. Somehow, he always completed his quests at sunset. It never happened during the night nor during the afternoon. It was at sunset every time. He bent his arms, placing them beneath his head. He had a bit of time before heading back to town was necessary. No monsters would bother him so close to the place that the Monkey King once called home. A yawn escaped his mouth and he shut his eyes. He wondered where he would go next. The ninth floor was so close

The villagers, alongside Sewallus and Remington, parted ways with Morningstar. They walked off into the forest, leaving the blonde to himself. He dropped back down into the grass and stared out at the battlefield. The silence that he had found was beautiful. Not even a bird chirped near it. It was the calm after the storm that was the duel versus the great Monkey King. Perfectly tranquil. Morningstar gave the sword art another try. He activated Shatter, using up the last of his energy. Meteor became green instead of gold and he thought back to the moment he had met Sewallus. Morningstar h

"I have one last gift for you," Sewallus said, "to thank you for your assistance with the Monkey King. I would not have been able to do it without you, my friend." Morningstar nodded, allowing the man to continue. Sewallus mentioned a sword art called Shatter and the image of the guard's axe glowing green returned to his mind. At the time, Morningstar had been unsure of what it was but after the explanation from Sewallus, it made sense. It was a special sword art that only the guard himself could teach. And he wanted to pass it on to Morningstar. Sewallus lifted his axe and with

A menu opened in front of Morningstar's eyes, acknowledging that he had defeated the Monkey King. His quest had been completed and slaying the enemy had given him rewards. A combination of col, materials, and a trinket of some sort were sent to his inventory. He swiped the menu away. Exhaustion had kicked in. He was about ready to drop to the soft but battered grass and take a nap; however, Sewallus' call forced him to stay awake. "Morningstar," he began as the blonde trekked over to the group of NPCs, "thank you for your help today. You've made all of Florenthia proud." Remingt

Morningstar grinned back at Sewallus, who seemed to be cutting himself out from underneath the log. Standing up, the blonde could see that the Monkey King was out of options. Now completely unparalyzed, the beast began to charge towards him. It was slower than he had been in the beginning and due to its injuries, Morningstar had no trouble predicting its attack pattern. It swung its remaining fist at him, missing each time. He swiped Meteor in a horizontal arc, this time with a different sword art. The glow was still golden; however, it was a lighter ability. A swift cut that took less energy

With one last futile attempt to change the tide of battle, the Monkey King wrapped its enormous hand around the base of a tree, ripping it from the dirt. He roared out, tossing the trunk towards Sewallus as if it were a javelin. Morningstar heard gasps from the crowd. He was as surprised as they were. Neither of the warriors had expected such an attack. He lifted his blade but knew there was nothing he could do. His armor protected him, but the tree slammed directly into Sewallus, putting him out of commission. Morningstar gritted his teeth but suddenly realized that a separate tree was b

Sewallus stood back, watching the ape inch its way closer and closer to him. He smashed his axe into the ground, howling one last time. The Monkey King roared back, albeit with less rage and energy than before. It was weak and nearing death. The bleed that Meteor had inflicted was crippling it. It was unavoidable. Morningstar stopped rushing. He slowed down, giving himself a chance to rest. By chance, he looked off towards the tree line. There were a group of people, that he assumed were villagers, watching from a safe distance. Two of them wore the same guards armor as Sewallus. There we

Moving up to the front counter, Morningstar smiled. "Thanks, Rebekah. These look great." He picked up his caribou stew and California roll, giving the fiery-haired girl a wave as he left the café. Snow kissed his hair when he stepped outside. The wind had picked up quite a bit since he had stepped foot in the shop. It was freezing now, more so than usual. He found his way to the teleporter, grinning at a familiar NPC in passing. He considered where he would go next. The eighth floor was calling his name; he felt like he needed more forest in his life. +1 Caribou Stew (PRO 2, EVA 1)

Morningstar was getting better. His mind was still a sorrowing mess but each passing day brought progress. Sometimes, late at night, he would find himself trapped in an unending thought loop. Images of a quiet living room and a guildhall full of mournful faces played on repeat. During the afternoon, however, he felt okay. Not quite good, but okay. He found himself spending more time in forests and other quiet places than in cities. It had been a few days since he had last been in a safezone at all. The business and commotion were tiring; they overwhelmed him. The wilderness was, for him,

She hesitated at first but Morningstar didn't blame her. He had asked a question that, for most, was tricky to answer. Everyone had a backstory and not everyone was proud of it. Reyna's explanation was well put. Morningstar understood where she was coming from, wanting to return to the real world, to her own life. The frontlines existed for that very reason. Even still, there was no telling when they would get the chance to go back. The blonde's eyes widened at her final sentence. Alive. It was an oddly accurate way of describing his ability to carry on in a world so different f

Elwood's House - Floor 22 A clock ticked impatiently in Elwood’s living room. A few words crossed Morningstar’s mind. Discomfort. Uncertainty. Acrimony. His call had been sudden; they hadn’t spoken in what felt like weeks. His idle thoughts wandered restlessly. The quiet of the room made them all the louder. Rain tapped rhythmically on the window. The moon was high but a ceiling light kept it from going dark. He had always hated lights like it. The yellow glow was tiring on the eyes and it always looked unnatural. It only worsened his already uncomfortable state. Periodically, lightn

Remiel had a spark in him that Morningstar admired; a drive to prove himself. Morningstar believed that it was foolish to assume that because he had a sword, the boy would be safe outside the walls of the Town of Beginnings. That being said, he had courage. The glimmer of someone who had grown tired of the comfort bestowed by a safezone twinkled in his amethyst eyes. The boy's movements were methodical. His posture, the way he shook Alkor's hand. It was as if he were trying his hardest to be the man he wanted to be—or, as he put it, the knight he wanted to be. Their grips were released an

The Monkey King was still. It could only watch as Morningstar approached. He aimed for its left side with the intent of slashing through it. Relief washed over him as he inched closer and closer, realizing that they would be okay. In the beginning, he had been uncertain. At the very least, he was worried about Sewallus being unable to withstand the powerful blows from the beast. He had performed better than Morningstar had expected, however. The blonde flew towards the monster, leaping up to reach its waist. Meteor cut through, leaving a near-fatal blow and applying its bleed effect. He l

That being said, the fight was still the most challenging that Morningstar had ever taken part in. If this was the ability of a simple field boss, then what did a real boss look like. He imagined a creature ten times the size with the ability to hold its own against dozens of teams. He was no where near ready for anything that powerful. He sighed, a grin forming on his face. "It won't be stunned for much longer. Let's get another hit or two in before it starts moving again." "I'm tired of chasing it around. You're right," Sewallus admitted, "let's finish this." "I have a feeling