Bahr

Bahr walked alongside the swordsman, studying him as his eyes darted frantically around the square. He cocked his head as he examined Koga, noting the unease and anxiousness the youth hid behind his hardened facade. He may not have flinched physically when Bahr approached, but it was clear that he was out of his comfort zone.

Curious.

Blue hues ignited beneath Koga's feet, briefly illuminating his figure before dissipating once more. An activation of some sort of skill, surely. And judging by the stiffness of his stance, a defensive one, at that. He aimed to punish Bahr for attacking him, though Bahr hadn't an inkling of how, exactly. He supposed there was only one way to find out.

The attack was a simple one, as it wasn't meant to deal much damage on its own, particularly. It was the seed that it planted that Bahr was after. Flashy antics were only useful insofar as they mitigated risk. Without knowing what the swordsman was capable of, Bahr was as risk averse as one could imagine. He rose his sword, lined its tip up with Koga's spine between the shoulder blades, and thrusted. 

But the attack didn't go quite as planned. Koga's body moved with impossibly quick reactivity as though carried through the motions by the system itself, turning before Forgotten King's Spite made its mark. The steel of their blades hissed as they glided across one another, Bahr's strike diverting from its original course and sinking into Koga's hip. Bahr's frame would dissolve back into existence as the sword sank through his adversary's skin and bone, fractals cascading away and revealing him in bits and pieces. No sooner had Bahr been revealed than he found Koga's elbow smashed against his mask.

He staggered back for a moment, his HUD breedling as an icon by his health bar heralded a "stunned" status. It seemed that Koga had a trick or two up his sleeve, but the damage had been done. He'd be feeling it by now. Black sludge pumping through his veins, visibly pulsing beneath his scorched and blistered skin. That same blood pouring from the wound in his hip in a viscous obsidian ooze. It was working through him now, as intended, and Bahr would have smirked were his rigid body capable in that moment.

As it turned out, the Kingslayer had his own tricks.

A deep hum resonated briefly before culminating in a bassy pulse, Bahr's body emitting a luminescent multicolored flash. All at once, the light and noise ceased. Bahr straightened his posture and rolled his neck, seemingly uncaring of his stance or how open he might be to a more thorough counterattack. Once he felt more comfortable, his frame would begin to distort once more. But this time, rather than disappearing, he would remain distorted - a blob of polygonal fractals with no particular form or shape. A perpetually undulating mass of glitchiness, only resembling Bahr's original frame in the loosest sense possible.

It wouldn't be impossible for Koga to land a strike now, but it would be more difficult. It was time to measure just how skilled the swordsman was.

Rolling.

Bahr stood with an open stance, steadying his breathing as the clock counted down.

3.

He crouched slightly, bending at the knees but keeping his shoulders square. He leaned forward with anticipation, arms hanging loosely off to either side as he sized up his mark.

2.

Fingers tightened around the hilt of Forgotten King's Spite. Bahr's view narrowed down into a razor focus. All that existed now was him and his opponent.

1.

This was it.

Fight!

In a blistering display of agility, Bahr closed the distance between himself and his adversary in the blink of an eye. He reared back his weapon as though to chop with it, then let it fall. But, before it met with its mark, Bahr abruptly canceled the attack and dashed backward. As he sailed back through the air, his figure would seemingly dissolve into a mesh of triangular panels obscuring his frame. They folded, and overlapped, and splintered until nothing remained. Where Bahr had once been, now the man would see nothing.

A feint attack, he'd heard it called. An opportunity to gauge the reflexes and habits of one's opponent. And from where Bahr now stood, he had a bird's eye view of how Koga would react to the situation. So long as he wasn't spotted, there would be plenty to glean from the youth's next actions.
 

Rolling.

Things were going well so far. More or less according to Bahr's estimations. If they could keep things going at this pace, it was unlikely the frostbitten warrior would last longer than the next few attacks. A shame for extrapolating more info, but something told Bahr that they weren't going to be getting much out of him anyway.

As the NPC reeled from Morningstar's attack, Bahr sailed in for a follow up. He arched his arm back and high above his head, threatening to bring Forgotten King's Spite down on the man's head. Predictably, he raised his shield as though to block Bahr's strike, but would not find anything colliding with the hunk of metal. As Forgotten King's Spite came down, it would seemingly evaporate into thin air. Instead, the soldier would feel a sharp pain in his side as Dawn's Demise found its mark, gripped tightly in Bahr's other hand. A counterattack would be attempted by the knight, but the man in all his ailments was slow and clumsy. Bahr very cavalierly took a step back, putting just enough distance between himself and swordsman to avoid the blow.

Health drained from the enemy's health bar like the color drained from his face. He wasn't making it out of this, and now he knew it. The meter plunged as though in free fall, stopped just short of full depletion and leaving a sliver of red behind. "Last chance," Bahr suggested as he rested his blade against his shoulder. "You can tell us what you know, or you can face the gallows."

The warrior looked up at the pair of Players thought twists of obsidian hair, humor evident in his expression as he forced a crooked smile through the grimace that had hung over his visage ever since Bahr's most recent strike. "Nothing would make me happier."

"A challenge?" Bahr repeated, incredulity written across his visage. But before he could inquire further, a panel populated that answered all of his questions for him. A duel, sanctioned by the system, to prove his mettle against the warrior that stood before him. Crimson orbs flickered upward toward the youth again, illuminated with an azure undertone from the luminescent screen that hovered just below. They were focused and methodical, inspecting the man for any hints of ill-will. Bahr had heard tales, however tall, of other Players manipulating the dueling system to kill others. As Bahr hadn't yet had the opportunity to measure his strength against the other Players in Aincrad, it was difficult to gauge whether or not a squabble like this would put him at risk. Then again, this could be the perfect opportunity to unearth that very information.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

"Fifty percent. No additional buffs but our skills and our gear. Is this acceptable to you? It's not like you have anything to lose if I come out on top."

He listened carefully as the stranger - dubbed "Koga" by the panel - explained the terms of the duel. Though, Bahr could read for himself. He hadn't mentioned anything that Bahr hadn't expected upon simply looking at the screen. Though, no items or buffs was an important distinction. How comfortable had Bahr become using those in his ventures? Had he come to rely on them too heavily? He was about to find out.

He tapped accept. The panel dismissed itself, and a countdown began. Without a word, Bahr's hand rose to grasp the hilt of his blade, slowly unsheathing it as the seconds slipped away. The mask he'd had adorned since the beginning unveiled itself, unfolding into view only polygonal fractal at a time until it masked the entirety of his face. Once it had finished, a bassy hum and pulse of orange signified his readiness.

There need not be words now. It was time for action.

Amid the aftermath of the battle, Bahr's sharp eyes scanned the debris-strewn chamber. As he surveyed the wreckage caused by the tower's collapse, his attention was drawn to a glimmer of metallic sheen amidst the rubble. Approaching cautiously, Bahr soon uncovered the source of the glint. A chest, ornate and adorned with intricate carvings, had tumbled down to the bottom of the tower when the floor gave way. It lay there, miraculously intact while everything around it was damaged and tattered.

Curiosity piqued, Bahr knelt down and examined the chest. It appeared to be ancient, with elaborate designs etched into its surface. He ran his fingers along the cold metal, feeling the texture of the engravings. It was clear that this was no ordinary treasure chest; it had an aura of significance. Intrigued and cautious, Bahr carefully opened the chest, revealing its contents. What lay within, he could not have anticipated. A singular sword, almost nondescript in its darkness, save for a scale pattern which mimicked the dragon he'd just slain.

As the wounded dragon let out a final, earth-shaking roar of agony, Bahr seized the opportunity. With his blade infused with holy energy, he delivered a devastating blow to the creature's heart. The radiant power coursed through the dragon's dark scales, illuminating them with a brilliant, divine light. The black dragon's body convulsed one last time, and then it fell, its massive form crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. Its eyes, once filled with fury and menace, dimmed and lost their luster. Then, its entire frame evaporated into countless polygonal shards.

The battle had come to an end.

Bahr, breathing heavily and covered in burns from the dragon's fire, stood victorious over the fallen beast. The tower's dark and oppressive atmosphere was contrasted by the radiant light still emanating from his blade. The battle was won, and Bahr had emerged triumphant. The dragon, once a fearsome adversary, was now scattered to the winds, its threat extinguished.

As the black dragon descended with menacing grace, its eyes locked onto Bahr, who was still reeling from the fall. With a deafening roar, the dragon unleashed another searing blast of fire from its gaping maw. The scorching flames engulfed Bahr, igniting his armor and causing searing pain to shoot through his body.

Bahr gritted his teeth and summoned every ounce of his willpower to push through the agony. With sheer determination, he managed to struggle to his feet, his body smoldering from the dragon's fiery assault. The swordsman knew that he couldn't afford to falter now, not with the wounded dragon landing in front of him.

In a split-second decision, Bahr lashed out with his blade, the dark energy crackling as it struck the dragon's scaled hide. The timing was perfect, and his attack landed just as the dragon's massive form made contact with the ground. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the creature's body, and it let out a deafening roar of pain.

The black dragon, though injured and enraged, had managed to spread its massive wings. With a powerful stroke, it began to slow its descent, gliding gracefully through the crumbling tower. The creature's sharp eyes remained fixed on the paralyzed swordsman, and it seized the opportunity to close the distance between them.

Bahr, still stunned from the fall, struggled to move or regain his bearings. He watched in grim realization as the dragon approached, its enormous wingspan casting a shadow over him. The situation seemed dire, and he knew that he had to act quickly to avoid becoming an easy target for the vengeful beast. The swordsman faced a perilous predicament, with the wounded dragon descending upon him. Time was running out, and he needed to find a way to turn the tide of the battle once more.

Bahr's relentless assault continued as he drove his blade, infused with dark energy, into the dragon's wounded side once more. The malevolent power coursed through the creature's body, eliciting another agonizing roar that reverberated through the tower.

But in its fury and desperation, the black dragon resorted to a drastic measure. With a thunderous stomp of its massive clawed foot, it brought its full weight down upon the already weakened floor. The stone beneath its feet shattered, and the tower's structure crumbled under the immense force. As the floor collapsed, Bahr was sent hurtling downward, debris and dust swirling around him. The world seemed to spin as he plummeted through the dark abyss of the tower's interior. His mind raced, and his instincts kicked in as he desperately sought a way to regain control.

The situation had taken a dire turn. Bahr had been cast into the depths of the tower, separated from the wounded dragon above, and after a moment a thunderous THUD brought his descent to an abrupt end.

Bahr, caught in the shockwave of the dragon's attack, was momentarily disoriented. He stumbled but quickly regained his footing, his white hair now dusted with soot. He knew that he had to press his advantage, for the dragon's injuries were beginning to take their toll.

Bahr readied himself for the next round of combat. The outcome of this epic battle hung in the balance, and Bahr was determined to emerge victorious. He pressed forward, his blade soaked with dark energy, and sliced through the air once more. With a precise strike, he targeted the dragon's wounded flank, unleashing the malevolent power upon the beast. The dark energy sizzled as it met the dragon's scales, causing the creature to convulse in agony once more.

The dragon's roar filled the tower, its pain and fury echoing off the stone walls. It tried to lash out with a swipe of its massive claw, but its movements were sluggish and uncoordinated, a testament to the injuries it had sustained. Bahr, ever the agile swordsman, deftly evaded the dragon's attack, rolling to the side and narrowly avoiding the deadly claw.

Despite the close call, he knew that he couldn't afford to stay down. The dragon, though weakened, was far from finished, and it would seize any opportunity to strike back. The dragon's fiery breath was a reminder of its formidable power. Bahr, undeterred by the flames, prepared to resume the fight, determination burning in his amber eyes.

Bahr, fueled by his unyielding resolve, swiftly recovered and closed the distance once more. His blade, now crackling with holy energy, sliced through the air with precision. It struck the black dragon's flank, and the burst of divine power seared through its scales. The creature let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing in agony as it was struck once again by the potent holy energy.

The dragon, now wounded and enraged, responded with a thunderous stomp of its massive clawed feet. The stone floor of the tower quaked under the force of the impact, sending cracks spidering out from the epicenter. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the battlefield.

It was a critical opening, and Bahr didn't hesitate. With all the strength and skill he could muster, he launched a series of rapid strikes at the dragon's vulnerable spots. His blade cut through scales, flesh, and bone, each hit delivering a crippling blow. The dragon let out a deafening roar, its anguish echoing through the night.

But Bahr didn't relent. He knew that this was his chance to turn the tide of battle. With a final, powerful swing, he swung toward the dragon's head once more, and... Missed.

How could he miss? It was right there!

In a desperate bid to defend itself, the creature summoned reserves of its power from within its torso. With a deafening roar, it unleashed a torrent of searing, black flames from its gaping maw, directing the fiery inferno straight at Bahr. The scorching heat washed over him, and the intensity of the fire threatened to sear his armor and flesh. Bahr gritted his teeth and rolled across the stone floor, extinguishing smoldering embers on his clothing.

The dragon's fury was palpable as it roared in frustration, its massive form causing tremors in the stone beneath. Bahr knew that he couldn't afford to relent, for every moment of respite only allowed the wounded beast to recover. The battle had reached a critical juncture, where each strike and dodge carried the weight of destiny, and the outcome remained uncertain. Bahr, his senses honed by the intensity of the battle, seized an opportunity. As the black dragon reeled from its missed bite, he closed the distance with breathtaking speed. His blade, shimmering with moonlight, found its mark once again, this time striking the creature's head with a resounding impact.

The dragon's eyes, once filled with malice and rage, now briefly registered shock and pain. The impact surged through its massive form, causing it to convulse and tremble. For a fleeting moment, the creature was stunned, its movements slowed and uncoordinated.

As the battle atop the dark castle's tower continued, Bahr found himself on the precipice of exhaustion, but his determination burned brighter than ever. With grim resolve, he summoned another wellspring of power, this time channeling holy energy into his blade. The contrast between the darkness that shrouded the castle and the radiant energy of his attack was stark. His blade, now infused with the divine power, struck true once more. It sliced through the dragon's scales, releasing a burst of holy energy that seared the creature's flesh. The black dragon recoiled in agony, its roars echoing across the desolate landscape. It was a blow that resonated with a righteous fury, as if the heavens themselves had intervened in this clash of titans.

However, the dragon was far from defeated. With renewed determination, it lunged at Bahr, jaws gaping wide to deliver a crushing bite. But Bahr, with the reflexes of a seasoned warrior, managed to evade the deadly assault. He rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the dragon's snapping maw, and found himself back on his feet.

With a fluid, almost ethereal grace, Bahr continued to press his advantage. His blade, imbued with crackling dark energy, struck once more. The blade sliced through the dragon's thick scales, eliciting another anguished roar from the beast. Dark tendrils of energy snaked through the wound, sapping the creature's strength and causing it to stagger. Bahr's relentless assault was taking its toll, and the dragon's movements grew increasingly erratic.

But the black dragon, driven by sheer rage and desperation, unleashed a devastating counterattack. With a swift, thunderous sweep of its massive tail, it struck Bahr with bone-crushing force. The impact sent the swordsman hurtling through the air, crashing into the stone parapet of the tower. Bahr grimaced, his white hair matted with sweat as he struggled to his feet. The dragon, wounded and furious, advanced on him with bared fangs and claws that gleamed like obsidian.

It was a testament to the sheer resilience of the swordsman that he managed to stand once more, his determination unbroken even in the face of such overwhelming power.

The black dragon, unaware of the impending threat, let out a guttural roar that shook the tower's foundations. It was a cry of dominance, a declaration of its unassailable power. Little did it know that its arrogance would be its downfall. With a fluid motion, Bahr struck. His blade, infused with deadly toxins, found its mark as it sliced through the dragon's scales. A surge of venom coursed through the creature's veins, and its roar turned into a deafening, pained howl that reverberated through the castle's spires.

While the beast was stunned, Bahr used the opportunity to shift his fighting style, swapping to a weapon more suited to the straightforward battle he would face ahead. Forgotten King's Spite evaporated and was just as quickly replaced with Dawn's Demise, which immediately hummed with a sickening hue before being brought down on its foe in a follow up attack. The beast again roared, the tower almost swaying as it finally took to its feet.

In the heart of a desolate, moonlit night, atop a tower that seemed to pierce the very heavens, Bahr stood shrouded in invisibility. His presence, obscured by arcane magic, allowed him to survey the scene with an air of predatory patience. The tower, constructed from the same eerie black bricks as the rest of the castle, seemed to merge seamlessly with the obsidian-colored sky. His yellow eyes, like burning embers amidst the shadows, fixed upon the immense, coiled form of a giant black dragon. Its scales, as dark as the abyss, glistened menacingly under the cold moonlight. The creature exuded an aura of malevolence, a sentinel guarding the secrets of the castle.

With a swift, practiced motion, Bahr withdrew a gleaming blade coated with potent poisons from its sheath. The blade seemed to absorb the surrounding darkness, its edge sharpened by the anticipation of the impending battle. Every inch of his tall, broad-shouldered frame radiated readiness and determination. As he gathered his focus, Bahr's presence shifted from the realm of invisibility to the material world. He emerged like a specter from the darkness, a silent predator stalking its prey. With the grace of a seasoned swordsman, he closed the distance between himself and the colossal beast.

As he ascended the staircase, he found himself silently marveling over the masonry that must have gone into making a place like this possible. He also wondered if it was indeed capable of holding up the weight of a massive dragon. Would it be waiting for him at the top, anyway? Or would it be summoned as a prompt once he reached the top? At any rate, currently, his Spidey senses weren't tingling. He didn't feel any sort of lingering threat ahead. He didn't feel threatened. And if the worst mobs around these parts were like the one he'd so effortlessly dispatched on his way in, he suspected that the dragon may not actually be it was all cracked up to be.

That being said, he'd had similar thoughts about the crab - both before the fight against it, and during, before it had pinned him to a rock and beaten him within an inch of his life. It was underestimating his opponent that had nearly done him in the last time, and he didn't intend to make that mistake again. This time, he would be prepared, he told himself. This time, he would take the mob out no problems. This time, no funny business.

In accordance with this, just before reaching the top, Bahr activated his Hiding ability. One panel at a time, his visage folded away into nothingness, not a trace behind for any would-be assailants to trace.
 

Truthfully, the tower was a lot more boring than he had originally anticipated. He skulked around the perimeter first, looking for any alternative entrances, or wayward mobs that would have a chance to sneak up on him from behind at a later time. Upon finding neither of these things, it seemed that the only other thing to do was to check the front door, and see what dangers awaited beyond it. He steeled himself as his hand gripped the door handle, other hand gripping the handle of his blade and holding it steady. On the other side of that door, there was no telling what there could be. For all he knew, that first Undead was merely the guardsman for an entire Undead infestation, based right in this very tower. It was possible, nay, likely that he would be assaulted upon entrance, and made to know the true meaning of suffer.

Nope. Dusty in here.

Though his disappointment was immeasurable, he at the very least had a bit more time to collect himself before moving on to the next stage. The target this time around was something a tab more fearsome than a big ass hermit crab. This time, Bahr was fighting the true stuff of legends. The flying lizards themselves.

Dragons.

He still got giddy just thinking about it. Dragons. There wasn't much he remembered from his life before Aincrad, but certain responses had just stuck. Like the positive way he reacted to the smell of coffee, or the way he felt when Lessa entered a room. Finding dragons to be bizarre and exotic seemed like second nature. And though they were apparently somewhat common in the land of Aincrad, Bahr knew deep down that that couldn't be true in real life.

Rolling.

Bahr had to blink when he rounded the corner and saw it. Standing there, tall before him on the other end of a long, narrow hallway, was none other than a tower. Now that he could see it head-on, it seemed like so obvious a location. In fact, he was certain that he'd seen pieces of it melding into the floor above during his pursuit but had simply not put two and two together. Now it lay bare before him, and all he could do was laugh. It had been right under his nose all along.

Standing in the way was a singular mob. A dainty, frail little thing. Though, to the green Player, possibly a terrifying undead entity the likes of which had previously only existed within the depth of their greatest nightmares. Not for Bahr, though, who jubilantly slashed through the little critter with a single swipe in his rush to explore the tower stretched tall ahead of him.
 

One of the exciting parts of being lost is that no one way is necessarily the "wrong" way. Especially if you're not exactly sure where the thing you're looking for actually is.

According to the quest parameters, Bahr was supposed to be searching for a tower of sorts. Which one would think would be easy, seeing as the tower would, well, tower over the walls of the labyrinth. But what the layman might not know is that the walls of the Endless Maze are tall. Like, really tall. So tall you couldn't reasonably see more than whatever slice of fake sky rested directly above your head. Were there longer columns or hallways to walk down, Bahr suspected that it wouldn't be as big of an issue, and he would more or less be able to cheat out basic navigation landmarks. But, with the way the maze was built, it was hopeless.

That was more or less why he had neglected the chalk, now that he thought of it. He had the teleport crystals, so getting out was never going to be a problem. And had assumed that, if there were towers to be found, they would be easily found due to their towering nature. But, in fact, he'd been wrong.

Shocker.

And now not only was he lost, but he didn't have any way of knowing which way he'd been so far. The walls behind each turn seemed the same as the last, and there was no realistic way of knowing whether he had actually ventured a respectable length into the maze, or if he had merely circled around the entrance dozens of times by now. At least if he could find the entrance, he could be graces with some more of the old man's chalk. Perhaps that's what he should have been doing. Or not. He didn't really know what the right move was anymore.

"Are you the one they call 'The Kingslayer'?"

The words tolled like a bell. Kingslayer. Now that was something that sounded familiar.

Slowly and silently, Bahr rose his crimson orbs from their idle gaze at the pavement to regard the stranger. A swordsman, similar to himself. There was something different about him, though. There was a sternness that crossed his vision that Bahr recognized. Someone with something to prove. What, though, Bahr could only guess. He suspected that, whatever it was, it had to do with him. What was it he had called him?

Kingslayer.

"It depends on who's asking," Bahr replied, tone as equally devoid of expression as his visage. "For what purpose do you ask, swordsman?"

It was better to play his cards close to the vest, for now. Bahr wasnt sure what the stranger wanted, nor who the Kingslayer was supposed to be. It could just as easily be him, but how could he know that for sure?

"I'm waiting."