Astra

Astra accepts Seeker's Attire and Seeker's Blade from @Wulfrin "Thanks for everything! I'll put them to good use." Astra receives: Seeker's Attire | T2 Perfect Light Armor | ID 244193 | MIT 2 | REC 1 Desc. A lightly armored checkered coat over a white turtleneck and some slim black pants. Seeker's Blade | T2 Perfect Straight Sword | ID 244194 | DMG 2 | BLD 1 Desc. A light and elegant one-handed sword. It's blade is silvered for felling dangerous beasts.

Astra watched as Ciela slashed at the Sand Shark, it was an elegant slash, but she still looked menacing surrounded by an aura of thorns. Even in the heat of the battle, Astra couldn't help but cheer on his friends: "Nice, Ciela! We've got this." Actually, come to think of it, during his time in Aincrad and around Ciela and Wulfrin, this could've been the first time that Astra saw his friend, older sister figure, and landlord, in battle. She was certainly no slouch, and carried herself like the best of the best tanks out there. She was multifaceted, and that was impressive. Next it seeme

Total Word Count: 4,731 words 4,731 / 10 = 473.1 Astra: 473 x 1 = 473 x 0.7 = 331 + 1,500 = 1,831 Wulfrin: 473 x 6 = 2,838 x 0.7 = 1,986 1986 x 0.15 = 297 Rewards: Wulfrin receives Exp: 1,986 Col: 297 Astra receives Exp: 1,831 Col: 400 Additional Quest Rewards: -Concentration unlocked for Astra Thread summary: Astra fights himself, spooky.

Astra nodded towards the Gemini as it faded into the shadows, sharing in his sentiment that they never cross blades again. It appeared as though the training that Wulfrin had mentioned was now over, and Astra could leave this jungle feeling stronger and with more resolve than what he came with. On the thought of Wulfrin, Astra thought back to Wulfrin's Gemini, and his ability to take the faces of others as a disguise. It was eerily similar to the Gemini's of the jungles. Was Wulfrin bonded to one who had escaped? These thoughts entertained Astra's mind as he made his way back to the tele

Astra was slightly taken aback when the Gemini had placed its hand on his shoulder, but he understood the gesture after a moment. To think that their purpose was to test the players, and death was a part of that sacrifice. Just another mysterious trial created by Cardinal to either push the players forward, or humble them if they aren't ready. There was a slight sense of pride within Astra like the Gemini had suggested, for he had shown restraint. In truth, Astra isn't quite the type for merciless killing, especially of anyone who's defenseless. Killing is an act done out of necessity fo

"Then why is it that you try to break the spirits of those you take the face of?" Astra thought back to the fight, and the memories it had conjured. All of that emotion and intensity, just from fighting a visage of himself. There was probably a bit to unpack there, but maybe now wasn't the time. "If your strength is tied to ours, isn't it more beneficial if we all stay alive?" For a moment Astra would've felt a bit foolish for trying to talk down what some would see as a mob, but it was clear that the Gemini were more than an average mob. Out of all the fights Astra had exper

Astra listened intently to The Gemini as it had spoken about its origins, and where it seemingly belonged. If they really were an evolved NPC, that would be incredibly impressive, but could make sense as to why they're a threat to the system. Astra couldn't help but feel for their plight. "I'm sorry that you've lost so many, and that you don't have anywhere else to go." He looked down towards the ground, and thought about Wulfrin's warning before he came to this Floor. The warning that the floor would play tricks on you. Was The Gemini the one playing tricks on Astra? Or was the sy

Astra caught his breath as he watched The Gemini make its way towards the small pond. He watched the figure stare at its own reflection, and it seemed as if it portrayed a profound sadness. The swordsman sheathed his sword in the belt on the side of his hip, and took some steps closer to the figure. Astra couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain at The Gemini's musing. Why would the system want to eradicate them? What exactly are they, and what function do they serve? He couldn't help but harp on these questions. There was a time where he knew a potential similar feeling, a feeling of

Astra watched as his doppleganger seemingly regained its footing after his sword art. The cloaked figure bearing his face seemingly stared through Astra's sky blue eyes and deep into the elegy of his soul. Through gritted teeth, the figure responded to his questions. For a moment, Astra was taken aback. Was he truly fighting a losing battle? Was there some truth carried along with The Gemini's words? As he took a moment to ponder the question, Astra never removed his sight from the Gemini, as there was uncertainty on if the creature would strike again. The white-haired youth took a sm

The novice swordsman watched as more hooded figures appeared, seemingly blocking all exits. Amidst the cloaked figures Astra could see the visage of his mentor, Wulfrin. Was it really him? There were no player indicators...What exactly was going on here? The uncertainty of the whole situation made Astra's chest tighten. Suddenly, with no time for him to defend himself, Astra felt a searing pain across his back, sending him forward a few steps. He grit his teeth throughout the pain, and spun around on his heels to meet his attacker. The figure who had attacked him with a blade was no long

As Astra arrived at the destination from which he heard the screams, he froze when he saw the body lying before him. His eyes darted from the body, the gouges, the wounds, to the paw prints. He could feel his chest begin to tighten, and the breath almost escape his lungs. There was a feeling he couldn't shake...He'd seen this before. This was familiar, but why? How? Why here? As another flash of lightning lit up the clearing, Astra grasped his head with his free hand. This...It can't be. It's just like... Then he heard the voice come from behind. It had a familiar cadence, but it felt detached

As Astra walked through the desert with his companions (notably two of his favorite companions) he nodded along to Wulfrin's instruction. When they arrived at the perimeter of the arena, Astra got himself into position and readied himself for the fight ahead. This was Terra-Firma's younger sibling, so the fight was a little less daunting, but it was dangerous nonetheless. The young swordsman unsheathed the new blade lent to him by Wulfrin, and readied it. When the jaws of the bear trap snapped closed, that was the signal that it was time for action. Out of the corner of his eye Astra wat

Though he was often unsure about the amount of help he could provide, Astra rarely ever turned down one of Wulfrin's training regimens. He had confidence in the group he would be with, which in turn gave him more confidence, feeling like he'd be able to contribute to the cause. This was a call to action from the frontlines, as it seemed the next raid was looming at a close distance. One day, Astra was hoping to be on those same frontlines himself. This was just another stepping stone in his journey. The novice freelancer made his way to floor 5, a floor he'd only been to one other time s

Astra accepts Blighted Fang from @Wulfrin "Thanks so much!" Astra receives: x1 Blighted Fang | [Fusion ID #219398b] | TIER 1 PERFECT STRAIGHT SWORD | DMG, KEEN, BLIGHT [desc.]: A longsword crafted from metal coated in the sap of a blighted maple tree. Its necromantic properties leave lasting wounds that are hard to recover from.

The longer he spent in the jungle, the more he began to feel...Constricted. It was as if something was wrapping itself around his throat, making its way to his heart and his brain, and wrapping its tendrils around them as well. His legs began to feel slightly heavy, and his movement began to slow. Even if his instincts were screaming at him to turn around and make his way back to Krycim, he would grit his teeth and keep trudging forward. With each step, fragments and images of memories came flooding into his head. He was suddenly standing in the Town of Beginnings again, right on the fir

Astra took his steps into the jungle biome of Floor 6, with Wulfrin's words reverberating in his head. He was here to continue his training, hone his virtues, and meditate on them, something that Wulfrin suggested to him in prior teachings. With the dangerous situations he's found himself in, the white haired youth could use some time to clear his head and gather his thoughts. Luckily for him in most of those situations he had friends with him to guide him, protect him, and vice versa. Astra felt that someone could only ever be as strong as the good company they keep. For now, he was alone. Ma

Astra nodded along as Wulfrin explained the next steps, giving him a thumbs up to show that he understood. "AOE attacks, got it. Let's do this!" The blade of Astra's sword began to glow a brilliant azure, with trails of particles that looked like stars as he made his way to the wolves. He positioned himself so the wolves were almost in a line right in front of him, so he could leap forward and perform quick slashes to injure them. He performed his move, with both of his hands on the handle of his sword, and attempted to slash at all four of the wolves. He landed on the other side of the

Astra watched as Wulfrin released a barrage of attacks into the Monkey King. The beast looked injured at this point, and it probably wouldn't take long before it capitulated and died. Wulfrin had let Astra know that it was his turn next, a chance to strike the beast while still reaping the benefits from Boreas' buff. The novice nodded at the shoutout, and prepared himself to attack once again. Making his way back to the Monkey King, Astra readied his sword, which had begun to radiate with light once more. He dashed in towards the legs of his enemy and tried to let off a few slashes, hopi

After Astra performed his usual clown act, he changed back into his casual clothes and began to read to the kids at the orphanage. Generally, the books he read to the children were books that they had picked out, and he didn't mind that. He would read some chapters, and let them read as well, and if they had trouble reading, he would try to teach them and coach them through it. The time had passed, but out of the corner of his eye Astra had noticed one young person who wasn't taking part in any of the activities. She seemed to be hiding around corners, and hiding in the shadows. This definitel

Astra woke up in the morning with a bit of an extra pep in his step. He went through his normal morning routine, eating a small breakfast, showering, getting ready for the day. From there he knew he was going to make his way to the orphanage on Floor 1, where he would normally spend his free time in the past, and got dressed to head there. The white haired youth was adorned in his casual outfit, a black turtlenecked shirt with some buttons on the collar, covered by a white closed vest, and some black pants. In the bag he had carried with him he had all that he needed for the day, his clown cos

There was a pretty big feeling of excitement that Astra would be opening his first chest in Aincrad. At least one that he looted himself. Still, couldn't be too cautious, even on the beginner floors. As a precautionary measure, Astra drew his sword and spun it in his hands, before tapping on the top of the chest with his blade. He waited a few seconds, and nothing seemed to happen - which is what he was hoping for. "Perfect, not a mimic!" He sheathed his sword and bent down to open the chest, lifting the top slowly. He had hoped that maybe there would be a glow or a shine coming from the

"Glad to finally put those boars to rest, and finish up that part of the quest. Thanks for all the motivation and help, you guys. I almost lost my cool in certain moments", Astra explained to his comrades as they made their way back to Lyle's shop. Wulfrin took point when it came to interacting with the curmudgeonly blacksmith, switching between the appearances of Astra and Siren. Truthfully, Astra didn't mind Wulfrin handling the talk with Lyle, as he preferred to talk to people who were a little less...Rough. The real important part was where they ended up next, and based on Wulfrin's

The journey towards the aforementioned Monkey King ended abruptly, when a roar shook through the trees and caught the attention of the adventures. In a short amount of time they found themselves on the Monkey King's turf, with the giant demonic looking ape-creature huffing and looking down upon them. It started to drag its massive clawed hands through the ground below, clearly focused on the pray in front of it. Astra found himself a bit surprised at the size of the beast, but not entirely rattled. He couldn't shake Wulfrin referring to the monster as "Donkey Kong", and that calmed Astra's ner

This was it, the fire in his heart and head started to burn with the fury of any infernal demon from the layers of hell. Astra wasn't letting this thing get away anymore. He was fed up with its evasion and guile, and there was no way he'd continue to fail to kill it. The boarlet reared on its haunches once more, squealing and focused on both Wulfrin and Astra. It kicked up some dirt and mud, and lowered its head to show its small horns. It was clearly peacocking in front of Astra, who has been tangoing with it for some time now. He wasn't going to let this baby boar showboat or get its w

The face-off between the two continued, and the tension was palpable. Siren was calculated and quick with her kills, Wulfrin didn't need to kill the boars, and yet Astra stood still facing his last boarlet. It was clear that the struggle was very real on this day, but Astra wasn't going to let that crush his mood. Once more, Astra moved in to attack the boarlet. In a quick flash...Oh man. My, oh my. Astra swung his sword once more, hoping to finally send this baby boar to hell, but alas, it was another miss. It was hard to tell why and how Astra missed. Did the boar dodge? Did Astra mist