Krysta

"I....I-I...I have been doing fine, I suppose...I am looking for Alanin, an informant who I have heard knows the locations of respawning quest bosses." Alanin would chuckle and say, "The informant you seek stands before you. I am actually retired in terms of being an informant, but I'm still willing to do favors for a friend...so, you wish to know about the respawning quest bosses of Aincrad's first tier, you say? Well, there are about five of them in all. The Wasp Queen, Avalanche, The Sand Shark, Byakko, and Amphis Serpens. The wasp queen appears on the second floor, Avalanche on this one, The Sand Shark is found on the fifth floor, Byakko sometimes appears in the sixth floor, and the Amphis Serpens can be sighted in the seventh floor." Krysta listened carefully to the retired informant's words. "I have already fought the Wasp Queen, but I have yet to vanquish the other bosses. In terms of floor order, Avalanche would be next, right?"

Krysta wandered through the town of Snowfrost, searching for the Hearth and Harrow. When she stumbled upon it, she entered the building. She would ask player and NPC alike, "Pardon me, but have you seen a player named Alanin?" One player would point her in a direction that lead her to some seating where one player was...and the sight of this player shocked her. "N-no, it cannot be! How...? Why...? I... I can't..." She was completely dumbfounded upon seeing who this was. She knew him. "L-leon?? Is..is that you??" The player would turn around, and indeed, it was her friend from the real world, Leon. "Yes, Jewel, it is I. I honestly never expected to see you here...but since you are, may I ask how you have been?" Krysta was still in her state of utter surprise, and Yolviinsil would peek over to the player from Krysta's shoulder, looking at him shyly.

Alanin:

Krysta had been hearing of powerful bosses that would prove to be a challenge to tier one players. It seemed that the Wasp Queen was not the only one. It was high time that Krysta battled these monstrosities, and gained some experience. She would need this strength to battle stronger foes as she made her exploits in Aincrad. She heard of an informant for hire over in the fourth floor, and was hoping to see if he knew anything about the bosses. "It is time to fight these monstrosities, and rise in my level. I have been in need of some real training, and these bosses will do just fine. I wonder, aside from the informant, is there anyone else I might encounter along the way?" She needed to find this informant first, to pinpoint the bosses' locations. Last she heard, the player was seen in the Hearth and Harrow.

Stats and equipment:

Krysta would hear Vigilon's story, where it seemed that he felt that he didn't have any other choice. Krysta would continue her story. "Nihilita grew envious of me, so she wanted me to think lowly of myself. I killed her, before I could realize she was self-tormented. Anidaxta was also self-tormented, but instead of trying to demean me, she saw me like herself, anxious and alone, so she took her suffering out on me. I was able to make her passing be one of peace...then there was...Arakkia, that terrible arachnid horror! She hated the kind of hero I was becoming, and wanted me to stop. With my mother's words giving me enough courage to fight, I defeated her, and when she shrunk, I stepped on her. Then there was Kytras, who claimed to be my inner darkness. She wanted me to 'rejoin her'. When I stood against her, I stood with a valid point, and a stigma. The darkness isn't evil itself, but evil hides within darkness for most of it's days. In the end, we opened each others' hearts, and she returned to me."

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The opposing party attacked with full force, especially Kusera. Laida, who had sustained the least damage, proceeded to attack Kyoji with Merciless Fury. Petastora would use a Mass HP Recovery Crystal to heal the party, and then attack Kusera directly with Dimension Stampede. Kusera noticed the energy of Auranika's weapon, the energy of the Holy Damage enhancement. It seemed to Petastora that Auranika had managed to get her hands on a weapon identified by a merchant. Whatever the case, Kusera would notice it, and then begin to try messing with Auranika's mind with some discouraging words of question.

Krysta would be a bit surprised to hear Vigilon admit that not only had he done the quest, he killed all of his inner demons. "You mean...?" Vigilon also admitted that his inner demons still exist within him, despite that he killed them all in the quest. She would stop him with her arm, and she would hug him. "I cannot believe you had to go through that... I had taken the quest as well, but I proceeded a bit differently than you. I learned to forgive Anidaxta, and accept Kytras. I killed the other two mercilessly, thinking they wanted only to harm me. What did your inner demons want of you? Alex...they aren't all bad. I learned that before the quest ended."

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Petastora would listen to the unfolding conversation, and would intervene when Auranika and Kusera revealed their levels. "In that case, Kusera, I will have my aim particularly for you, for I, too, am level fifty." Laida kept her hands on her spear and her shield. She would be able to handle this, and Petastora could keep the trio in the fight if things got rough.

Krysta wanted to speak with Vigilon as the two players made their way to the area. "So, Alex, have...have you done a quest that began in the Waterfall of the sage? You say that you are finding yourself, so do you think the waterfall's quest might help somehow?" She wondered if she should speak of her experience with the quest that took place at the waterfall. Perhaps she might speak about Kytras...

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The mysterious player in white would accept the pleasantries with Laida, and give away the usernames of the trio. The white player was Kyoji, the player from before was Curfaella, "The Cursed One", and the third player was Kusera, "The Fallen One". Such dark titles... "Pleasure to meet you, Kyoji, as well as you, Curfaella. I am Petastora. May I ask, Kusera, why you and your ally bear such titles full of dread? When did you become, as you say, a 'fallen husk'? Did something happen to you?" Petastora was actually concerned about Kusera, for it seemed he might not be the friendliest one around. Auranika would reveal what the three were originally going to do, and Kusera laughed, noting it as a coincidence. He proceeded to challenge the trio to a three-on-three duel. Since he sent the requests, the trio would be free to select half-loss at Auranika's discretion. Laida smiled, and pulled out her one-handed spear. "I'm in! let's go for a nice half-loss fight! It'll be good practice!"

The other Krysta would wave her hand, and a door of light would appear. "For now, you must return to Aincrad. Your journey is far from over. We will be here when you need solace." Krysta would enter the door, and awaken back at the Waterfall of the sage. Krysta could hardly believe a thing. Was the other Krysta she saw back there trying to mess with her head, or present a mystery in regards to her personality? Nevertheless, it was done. The quest complete notification would appear, proving that it all happened. Krysta would get up, kind of dazed. "It all...what...how..." It all came back to her so fast. She remembered what she had done in the Cardinal's interpretation of her mind. "We can do great things together, for the greater good, Kytras..." She would say. After that, she would leave the waterfall, for it was time she returned to the settlement. This was, by far, the craziest thing she had ever done in all of SAO.

Summary:

Krysta receives: 5 SP(3 Pages completed, completed quest), and 1200 col

Krysta has unlocked the skill <<Meditation>>

This other Krysta wore a regal-looking white battledress, with blue being the secondary color of this tasteful, elegant outfit. She also wore a silver circlet with Aquamarines, Amethysts, and a single diamond on her head. She looked like...oh, not again. "This. Is getting. Ridiculous." She thought. "Even the Cardinal sees me as a Princess! WHY?" The other Krysta sighed, as if she heard. "It is nothing demeaning. You were interpreted in this manner for a reason. Granted, Dazia seemed to speak of it in a demeaning manner, but did anyone who wasn't your enemy consider you this way?" The other Krysta had quite a valid point. There were others who saw her this way. Was it her personality? ...Krysta would have to admit to herself that this was indeed how not one, not two, but how many saw her. Back in the real world, many would think positively of her, to an extent. She remembered how many young men wanted to start a relationship with her, but all failed, due to not truly loving her heart. Like a few she had heard of, they saw her as a prize to be won, even though she wasn't. Even some people who weren't like this...saw her like this, but in a different light. She remembered how one of her friends once described her, saying that he thought she was a fairytale maiden born in the modern age.

...Was this truly how many saw her? ...Did Vigilon think the same? "I...so it's true. They saw me like that, and...that somehow became how the Cardinal envisioned my mind? How does that happen?" The other Krysta smiled and said, "That is for us to figure out...another time."

Why was it all like this? Krysta did not understand.

The symbolic sights would then be absorbed into the figure, one by one. The figure would name each one. "Priceless Heart, Noble Family, Undying Legacy, True Identity. All of them were properly recovered. You have done well, and you exceeded my expectations regarding Kytras." Krysta would now recognize the voice. It was unmistakable. "Y-you're-!" The figure's white glow would cease, and the figure appeared as a young woman in rather nice-looking robes. The robes were hooded, but the figure took the robe off, revealing her to be...Krysta. Yes, she appeared as Krysta, but with a seemingly different air about her. She seemed to be glowing with light, and looking brave and confident, not to mention sweet and kind. "Jewel Alice Verity. Your full name, is it not? The meaning of the name Jewel is 'Precious stone', and the meaning of the name Alice is, 'of a noble kin'. Of course, whether the meaning of the middle name truly is of merit remains but a mystery to us."

Kytras would point her blade at the cloud monstrosity. "It is true. You stand no chance against us both, Typhor." The cloud creature, apparently known as Typhor, would screech out in frustration. Krysta still held out her blade, and light burst forth from her. Shadows would burst forth from Kytras, and the combined impact of light and darkness would one-shot Typhor, destroying the creature. The beast dissipated, and everything would return to normal...for an empty town, that is. Krysta would look back to Kytras, who would smirk, and melt into the shadows, disappearing. Krysta would look over to the strange figure, now completely white. The figure seemed to have been cured. In place of the fourth door, there was a circle of silver, with an amethyst gemstone inside. Truth and Identity. The centerpiece crystal, the family portrait, the book being written, and the silver circle with the amethyst, all began to move in a circle around Krysta and the figure.

Light would begin returning to the room. The glowing lights would also glow a bright blue, bringing even more light to the room. Suddenly, everything began to shake. No, the ground was shaking. Krysta looked to her left and right, and she would look back to where she entered the room from. Indeed, there was another diamond arch with a crystalline door, and it shone more brilliantly than ever. She would open the door, and return to the fountain plaza in the settlement. She would look up and see the clouds condensing. The clouds took a form, a great and terrible form. The formation of clouds sparked with lightning, and screeched at Krysta. The winds blew, the cloud creature's thunder roared. The monstrosity would condense even further, and dive for Krysta. She would hold out her blade. "Light and darkness have reunited. We shall vanquish you together!" Then suddenly, dark shadows rose up from the ground, and took the form of...wait, it was Kytras! 

Kytras sighed. "I should have expected this from you...well? What are you waiting for? Kill me." Krysta raised her weapon, ready to do it....but she closed her eyes and lowered her weapon. "I...I can't do it! I look upon you now, and I see myself! I cannot kill you, for in doing so, I would only tear myself in two!" Kytras got up slowly, with a shocked expression on her face. "W-what are you going to do, then?" Krysta took a deep breath. "I shall vanquish our true enemy, the wall that separates us, which I built around our hearts." She would raise her weapon, and gesture to Kytras to raise her own. "You shall allow your heart to be opened, and in turn, I will do the same. It may not be what you hoped for, but I am willing to accept you as a part of me once more." Kytras positioned her blade, aiming it towards Krysta's heart, and Krysta would aim her own weapon at Kytras's heart. "On three. One, two...three!" The two would thrust their blades into each other, and Krysta didn't even feel a tingle. Kytras's HP would drop to zero, but she had a smile on her face. "Thank you...for accepting me. I shall be here whenever you need me." Kytras shattered, but the glowing shards would be absorbed into Krysta's heart, rather than dissipate.

ID# 122908 BD: 8+2=10(hit), MD: 5(miss)

Krysta: HP 258/300, EN 0/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Kytras stepped forward to swing her weapon again, but she fell to the ground instead, for she...slipped on her puddle of tears. "One true...one false. That...is actually correct. We both came with a stigma, we both came with a truth that would be hard for the other to admit. Are you admitting it at last, now that you have me at sword-point? are you realizing it when it was almost too late? You are a slow thinker with things like this... Why? Why did you shut me out? Why did you try to hold me back all these years? Why did you want me dead? ...Well? Answer me!" Krysta took a deep breath, and would try to answer her calmly. "I did not want you to commit evil through me. I was worried that through you, I would become evil myself. Evil is the opposite of me, I wanted no part in that. Therefore, I began trying to take actions against you, hoping to suppress the evil that might come from it. I also tried to steer clear of meaningless chaos."

ID# 122907 MD: 1(Critical Miss)

[Krysta takes no action, for there was no energy]

Krysta: HP 258/300, EN 1/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Kytras felt emotion, she truly did. "What's with that shocked expression on your face? You didn't really think we beings of darkness were all heartless, did you?? WE FEEL! WE BREATHE! WE LIVE! I AM ALIVE! I EXIST BECAUSE OF YOU! ...You kill me, and you will lose yourself to a rare, self-righteous madness..." Kytras would begin attacking with a flurry of swinging strikes in her emotional rage. Krysta would block the attacks, and retaliate with the sword art known as crucifixion. Kytras's HP dropped so low, that even a normal attack could finish her. "Kytras, do not make me act in such a manner. You need to calm down! We are, both of us, right and wrong at the same time. We both had two points, but we each had one true and one false." Krysta stated, hoping to smooth things over this time, rather than end it with such a justified rage for an unjust purpose...

ID# 122906 BD: 6+2=8(hit), MD: 5(Miss)

Crucifixion: 7x6-5=37

Krysta: HP 258/300, EN 0/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Kytras swung again, managing to strike Krysta this time. "The devil may be on my shoulder more than your precious angels, but don't think for a moment that I am one of his pitiful minions!" It was clear that Krysta had enraged Kytras. "You bring in the light, and you try to shut out the darkness! Sometimes you let me in, but you never acknowledge me or thank me for my willingness to help you, even if the necessary deed is one of the ugly things that no one else will do!" Krysta raised her blade to block Kytras's next swing, and when she looked Kytras in the face, her expression of defiance was replaced with shock. Kytras...was crying. "Wha-? No way...that's...pain. Genuine, emotional pain...I never thought such pure tears could ever come from a being of darkness..." She thought. As much as she wanted to think she was hallucinating, she wasn't.

ID# 122905 MD: 7(hit)

[Krysta takes no action]

Krysta: HP 258/300, EN 6/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

It was practically the same thing, over and over. Krysta couldn't believe what she was thinking. Kytras had her points, and so did Krysta, but in the end, what was supposed to happen? The yellow border on the cursor above Kytras indicated her as the quest target! What was she going to do? "So you fear the paladins, because you believe they will take your life. You say that life exists in a gray scale, that the black and white are one, creating a balance. Is balance what you seek, or is it a ploy to come out of me and into the world around us?" Kytras swung again, and again, missed. "That is not entirely true! I need to be with you! I need you to stop shutting me out! I need you to hear me! Stop pushing me aside, stop saying I'm the devil, stop it, stop it all!!!"

ID# 122904 MD: 3(miss)

[Krysta takes no action]

Krysta: HP 266/300, EN 5/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Black and white thinking...was this truly the real inner demon? Was this the hidden true foe that Krysta must defeat? "What...is wrong with such thinking? It no longer sounds like a good thing. May I add, that perhaps the reason you see a stigma within the paladins is because you believe they would seek to end you?" Kytras couldn't deny it. She swung her blade, but she missed on purpose. "I... Black and white thinking is wrong because of a truth I learned some time ago. Black and white things don't exist in this world, nor the real world. Life is in a gray scale, a balanced scale. When people look at the comparisons of black and white, they see many things: Good and Evil, Light and Darkness, Truth and Ideals, to name a few. they must both exist for the balance of all things. If there is light, there will be darkness. If there is evil, Good will be around to challenge it. Yes, I admit it, those paladins are so self-righteous that they proclaim all forms of darkness to be evil, and even though there is evil within me, there is also good. Darkness is not evil, but evil hides within it."

ID# 122903 MD: 3(Miss)

[Krysta takes no action]

Krysta: HP 266/300, EN 4/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

"So...our thoughts are not as different as they first seemed..." Kytras swung her blade into the air as she facepalmed with her free hand. "That's part of what I've been trying to tell you! You only listen now??? We may not be one and the same, but we are part of each other!" Krysta got up, despite that her energy was too low for any good sword art. "What do you have against paladins, Kytras? They seek to end the evil for all that is good, delving into the darkness to vanquish them. Perhaps I am not the only one who has a 'stigma' against something presented here..." Kytras did not change her expression. "Hmph, they seek perfection. Do you think so black-and-white, Jewel? perhaps that is what you must bring an end to." Kytras had a mild point. The doors depicted challenges that were of significance to Krysta. What if it was the black and white itself that was the real inner demon?

ID# 122884 MD: 2(miss)

[Krysta takes no action]

Krysta: HP 266/300, EN 3/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Krysta didn't like Kytras's response. "I wasn't entirely merciless. While Nihilita and Arakkia preferred that I not proceed, Anidaxta was suffering. While I did not realize it until the end, I assure you that Anidaxta thanked me for bringing her peace..." Kytras was surprised, and she was unable to proceed with what was almost an attack in the first place. "You...saw that she was suffering? You...so there is still hope after all. I thought each and every one of them died with your hate for us. So why is Anidaxta dead, then? Is it because you thought there was no other way?" Krysta couldn't deny that possibility. "I thought I was supposed to kill them. Nihilita believed I had everything, and her hatred was fueled by envy, a reason I could not understand. Arakkia believed that those like me should not proceed with who they are..." Kytras shook her head. "Arakkia took you for a black-and-white thinking paladin, Jewel. She died with her own hatred."

ID# 122883 MD: 2(Miss)

(OOC: incorrect roll purpose within roll, selected by habit. Please disregard it, for it is just Kytras attacking this round.)

[Krysta takes no action]

Krysta: HP 266/300, EN 2/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Kytras raised her weapon. "What, do I have to pull the answer out of you?" Krysta would tug at Kytras's battledress with a sudden movement, causing Kytras to stumble and fall. "That...that won't...be necessary. She told me that you had awakened, that I had to stop you, and take back this land..." Kytras got up. "In that case...how you 'stop me' is entirely up to you...the question is, how will you 'stop me'? What did she think you intended? What did she believe needed to be done?" Krysta looked at Kytras in the face. "I have progressed through this quest by defeating the other inner demons...if you are one of them, I may be forced to defeat you, too." Kytras didn't like those words. "Oh, really, so you think that I am no different from them? I worked against them, despite what they thought! I wanted to help us both, yet you still feel the need to kill me! Were you just as merciless with those three, have you not seen what they were, or have gone through?"

ID# 122882 MD: 1(critical miss)

[Krysta takes no action, for there was no energy]

Krysta: HP 266/300, EN 1/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Krysta would attack another time, dropping Kytras's HP to the red. Kytras would retaliate with a well-placed strike. Krysta felt strain being placed upon her, she felt the weight of her weapon, she felt...fatigue. She had ran out of energy. Kytras stood up while Krysta fell to the ground, exhausted. "Look at you, you've overexerted yourself. All just to try and kill me. You cannot be just light. To be one but not the other is to reject humanity. Without the bad days, how will you appreciate the precious memories you have? Without evil, we would all be going about our days living in perfection, but since it is not so, we must live in balance, not war. You say it is your quest to kill me, right? Did she send you here? if so, what did she say? I want you to recite her request, word for word." Krysta took several breaths before speaking. "Why...why would...you...want to know?"

ID# 122881 BD: 8+2=10(hit), MD: 9(Critical! +1 DMG)

Crucifixion: 7x6-5=37

Krysta: HP 266/300, EN 0/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Krysta had to think about this. "Whatever do you mean? Besides, my quest requires me to defeat you!" She would attack again, and with a powerful strike, her sword art would drop Kytras's HP down to yellow, close to red. "Darkness was created, Jewel...Evil was found, evil was learned. The darkness did not know of evil once, the night was pure! The balance of good and evil, it came when it entered the picture! What do you have to say about that?" Krysta was now conflicted herself. "I- ...I...N-no...It...can't be..." Kytras lowered her weapon slightly. "How long have you lived by the stigma, Jewel? Must be many years, seeing this reaction to my words." Krysta thought about it all...it was true, day and night existed before evil did. Light...and darkness. Kytras's words were starting to make sense...and that troubled Krysta. She saw herself as one who needed to defeat evil, and bring justice, call forth the day to end the night...

ID# 122880 BD: 10(Critical, +2 Base DMG), MD: 2(miss)

Crucifixion: 9x6-5=49

Krysta: HP 275/300, EN 6/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Krysta would rush in to attack Kytras, but she deflected her attacks and with a sweeping kick, Krysta's legs were no longer on the ground, and Krysta fell on her back. Kytras would walk up to Krysta, and thrust her blade into her. "How does it feel, being struck in the heart like this? I doubt you'd care, having fallen for the lies of the stigma. The people of Earth grew to hate the darkness because evil hid within it, and then they began to associate the two with each other... Do realize that your boyfriend may walk on both paths, like I was hoping you would be fine with?" Krysta was angered by those words. "Why would he walk with the darkness? He fights for the light!" Kytras grimaced. "He fights evil specifically, fighting darkness when it turns to evil. Light is just as capable of evil as Darkness is, It is simply found with the darkness more because evil waits for the right time to strike, and what better place to hide then the darkness, which conceals those within?"

ID# 122879 BD: 1(Critical miss!), MD: 9(Critical! +1 DMG)

Krysta: HP 275/300, EN 12/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Krysta would once again deliver a powerful attack to Kytras, and receive a retaliating strike in return. "Why would I listen to your words? You speak as if you intend to guilt-trip me, and why have that expression on your face? I thought you were expecting a fight, knowing me." Kytras shook her head in dismay. "No, no, no! Darkness and evil are NOT the same! I may be more inclined to do evil than you are, but I am nowhere near less human then you are, and I will be more human than you if you kill me! It was I who told you to kill Dazia and avenge Leif, it was I who urged you teach that fool a lesson three years ago! I have spoken to you on more occasions as well! Please, do not give in to the stigma about darkness!" Krysta could not believe what she was hearing. "I have heard so many tales, partaken in quests, all to vanquish evil and drive back the darkness! Why wouldn't I fight you, knowing you are darkness? What stigma is there?"

ID# 122878 BD: 10(Critical, +2 Base DMG), MD: 6(Hit)

Crucifixion: 9x6-5=49

Krysta: HP 284/300, EN 14/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies:

Krysta would attack Kytras with the Sword Art known as Crucifixion, and Kytras would swing her blade at Krysta in retaliation. "Jewel, I do not want to do this, but I will if you force my hand! No one is without darkness, Jewel, you and your boyfriend are no different! I wanted you to rise above the creatures you allowed to torment you, then I wanted us to rejoin one another! You have been putting me aside, asking me to die, but where would you be without me?" Krysta would simply reply, "I would be doing good instead of evil. I have a distaste for it, and I will eliminate any that I can!" Kytras didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, and had a conflicted, shocked expression on her face instead. "J-Jewel, do you even hear yourself right now? You're claiming you can achieve perfection! We both know that is not possible! Light cannot exist without darkness, and darkness cannot exist without light! Paladins try to kill off their inner demons, all for the sake of perfection and duty, I know for a fact that you are not one of them! You are human, please, listen to yourself here, and heed my words as well!"

ID# 122876 BD: 10(Critical, +2 base DMG), MD: 7(Hit)

Crucifixion: 9x6-5=49

Krysta: HP 292/300, EN 20/30, | 7 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC

                         Enemies: