Morningstar

Gold struck black, sparks flying from both blades. Morningstar was not accustomed to being last to attack. It made sense that the Gemini would make the first move, however. They were the same person, after all. Meteor struck Morningstar in the arm through an open piece of his armor. He winced. "Lucky shot," Morningstar smirked. "We'll see," the Gemini replied. "Did I mention that I like the new haircut? It feels good to wear it short again." "You're the first to notice," Morningstar ran his hand through his messy locks. "That's gotta sting," the Gemini laughed, charging in

"You're a good guy, Stephen Star. Treat yourself like one," the Gemini said, standing up. "Come on, let's duel." Morningstar jolted up. "What, now?" "Well, I don't mean next week. Get up, we could die of heart failure at any moment. Let's live while we have the chance." He couldn't help but chuckle, picturing what the fight would look like from the outside. It sounded ridiculous but, then again, so did the rest of it. He got up, dusting the dirt off his cloak and unequipping it. He asked his copy for the rules, to which the Gemini answered that there were none. It was to be a st

The conversation moved on and Morningstar's tears dried up. They continued on a positive note, discussing what was going good for them. He told the Gemini how much he liked his new house, as well as his shop in the forest. He explained that nobody really came by and how that was okay because he didn't really want to work anyways. They recounted their brief time as a member of Team Freyd during the boss raid on the twenty-seventh floor. They had many new friends now and were pleasantly surprised by it. "I mean, you play for long enough and you're bound to meet people eventually," Morningst

Morningstar felt the need to cry; but, something in the pond would not allow it. Not even a lone tear touched his cheek. Instead, he said nothing, dropping to his back and staring up at the canopy of leaves. He saw a colourful bird fly overhead, as well as a snake wrapping itself around a long tree branch. The Gemini repeated the question, fishing for an answer. "Because I never lived up to their expectations," Morningstar finally said. The Gemini was unconvinced. "Is that it?" Morningstar hesitated. "We left on bad terms. The next morning, they would have found me hooked up to

The hummingbird flew back to the pond. It had left after Morningstar's abrupt outburst but now, things were silent. He had sat back down, next to the Gemini, and looked into the water. Normally, he would have been sad to see that there were no fish swimming in it; however, the pond lulled him into a state of acceptance. He was at peace. He wondered if that was why the clone had led him there. "Yeah, that's about right." "What, you can read my mind now?" "No, I was just thinking the same thing." "What's the difference?" Neither of them could contain themselves. Simultan

Once Morningstar had calmed down, the Gemini started again. "I thought Halador told you to toss that sword." Morningstar scoffed. "What do you know about it?" "What don't I know about it? Not gonna heed his warning?" The Gemini asked. Star sighed. "I don't know," he said, withdrawing his blade to inspect it. "It's a good, strong weapon. It was also a gift." "Nobody really remembers the gifts they give." "I know you don't really believe that." "Yeah, well. I think it's at least worth considering switching to something else. There's plenty of fish in the sea, as the

"Have you even processed any of it, mate? And I don't just mean the fact that you're stuck in the game. I mean Lexa—and Elwood, too," he added. "The man died a few feet from you in the middle of his own living room and now you can't even think about him without wanting to throw yourself off a cliff." "Stop." "It wasn't your fault. He had a brain tumor. He had no chance to survive, but he lived a damn good life and a long one at that! And Lexa, the poor girl, went in died in a cave that you knew you should have stayed far away from. But that wasn't your fault either. She knew the risk

"Gross. We're still wearing this set? It makes us look so glum." "Don't say us. You're not me." "Really, Stephen? What do I need to do to prove it? Ugh, alright, fine. Your birthday is May 21, your favorite colour is red, and when you were a kid you broke your wrist doing a stunt for an action movie that nobody ever watched." There was a pause while Morningstar tried to understand the situation. He put away his weapon, both confused and convinced, and moved to the pond. "Well, there isn't a soul I'd tell that last one to, so you must be the real deal. But, seriously, what the he

Morningstar stepped into the clearing, dropping his hood, hoping the stranger would do the same. He recognized the voice but from where, he was unsure. "You wanted me to follow you, then?" He asked. The player finally turned. "Yes." "Who are you?" Their hood came down and Morningstar's jaw dropped. His sword shot from its sheath. Then, he picked a new question. "What are you?" The player laughed. "What do you mean 'what'? I'm you, Stephen!" Morningstar was stunned. There were few players alive who knew his real name. Not only that but the man that stood across from cle

Village turned to jungle and still, Morningstar pursued the stranger. There was something off about them. Maybe it was the way that they walked without turning to look around a single time. Maybe it was the fact that they knew the jungle like the back of their hand, needing no maps or guides to trek through its density. Wrapped in a cloak of his own, he maintained his secrecy, persistent yet wary of what was to come. His hand stayed close to his sword. They came to a clearing after some time. It was a pretty spot, one of the few places on their path that allowed light to enter through the

And himself, he would find. He knelt over a railing made from a Wimba tree, paying little attention to his surroundings. Another player, dressed in a black cloak, stepped up beside him. Morningstar glanced to his left, still leaning against the wooden railing. The player did not look at him, their head pointed straight towards the waterfall. Their face was shrouded behind their hood; Morningstar could not get a good luck underneath it. "Can I help you?" Morningstar asked a bit too aggressively. Silently, the stranger turned away. Morningstar raised an eyebrow, looking behind hi

Morningstar had spent the afternoon in Krycim, a village plentiful with natural beauty and with a miniscule population. There couldn't have been more than one-hundred villagers in the whole place and all of them were women. It wasn't comparable to the settlements on other floors. The NPCs lived in two completely different worlds. That wasn't to say Morningstar didn't like Krycim. He found it pleasant, if nothing else. It was quiet and the villagers didn't bother him. In fact, unless he engaged them, they wouldn't speak to him at all. The last time he had visited the Town of Beginnings, he

the end Morningstar receives: 5,022 EXP (Word Count [9367/10*5*1] + Field Boss [100] + 5% Advanced Training [239]) 53,815 col (2 pages [800] + Loot [52,262] + 15% P5 Reward [753]) 10 Materials (Dungeon [112] + Loot [6]) 1 T1 Consumable | Matriarch's Stinger T4 Rare Armor/Shield 218669 T4 Rare Trinket 219096a T4 Perfect Consumable 219096b T4 Perfect Weapon 219144a T4 Perfect Weapon 219144b T4 Perfect Weapon 219144c T4 Perfect Consumable 219145a T4 Rare Trinket 219145b T4 Rare Trinket 219146 T4 Rare Weapon 219147a T4 Uncommon Consumable 219147b T4 Rare Con

Oh, shit, the box was opening. Morningstar ignored the words of the Cinnabar pair, too focused on what they had set loose on the world. "Those were players, right? Not NPCs? And they dropped a fire elemental on us? Kind of rude, don't you think?" Cinders spurted from the bird's huge body, singing the grass below. Its wings launched them into the air with each flap as well. One landed on Morningstar's armor, charring the metal. He wiped off the ember with his glove and his blade emerged from its scabbard. "Probably best to warm up before the raid starts, right?" He said to Freyd, the

Skill(s) Being Dropped: Heavy Armor (R1-5), Searching (R5) Mod(s)/Addon(s)/Shift(s) Being Dropped: Impetus, Iron Skin SP Incurred Towards Limit: 38 SP Refunded: 48 Cost: 48,000

Identifications Item #211012c Item #211018b

2.18.2024 IDENTIFICATIONS EXP: ((3*3)+2)*8+(5*2)=98 COST: 3040*8=24320 col

Exhaustion came quickly, overtaking his body. Morningstar dropped but never felt the hardness of the floor. His friends had been quicker, catching him before he could crash. They sat him up, forcing health potions down his throat, and waited for his injuries to heal. King Halador of the Mountains had fallen. His final words were cryptic and without guidance. They spent some time scouring the castle, only to find nothing. Rather than return to Urbus on foot, they decided to use crystals. They stood in a dark alley somewhere in the city. Morningstar handed over the totem to Willow, who

Then, Earthshaker disintegrated. Morningstar gasped, his hand reaching for the gaping hole in his torso. His grip loosened, causing the Soulcursed Blade to slide out of Halador's chest. It clanged to the floor. This was it. Morningstar expected a final combination of attacks. Halador would reequip his lance and finish what he had started. One of the others would be forced to take his place in the duel, or they'd try to save him and end up dying alongside him in the process. But the attacks never came. Instead, Halador clapped. The dragons roared, flying away from the castle. The fig

"Halador," Morningstar's grip loosened, "who is it that you fight for? We saw no one else here. What about your people?" Halador's stern expression turned warm. "My kingdom spans from here to the edge of the mountains. My 'people,' as you put it, include all of the creatures that call them home. I fight for them. It is my duty to ensure that they are looked after and that their king remains worthy of the title." Morningstar nodded. Halador engaged, twisting his spear as he thrust towards his opponent. It caught Star off guard. His eyes widened as he watched the tip of the lance ram t

In response to the grave warning, Morningstar kicked up the blade and resumed the duel. His fighting was unclean and choppy; the pain in his head had weakened him significantly. Halador was also staggered, however, from both the stab wound and Star's static. In their weakened states, they remained even adversaries. The Lightbringer and the King of the Mountains danced, their blades flashing in the dim light of the throne room. Their clash of wills echoed in the enclosed space, sparks flying from metal. Tension hung heavy in the air as they circled each other, the outcome of their duel uncertai

In a flash, Halador pressed forward, creating a shallow fissure with sheer force. Earthshaker's tip scraped Morningstar's neck but missed any lethal spots. The Lightbringer clashed against it with reverberation and electricity bounced up its body. The static shocked Halador, breaking his poise. Morningstar took the opportunity to attack once more. He lunged, his blade breaking through the armor that covered the king's stomach. The Soulcursed Blade screamed in a high pitch that only Morningstar and Halador could hear. The blonde withdrew it from the king's body and dropped it to the ground

He raced towards Halador intent on testing the king's true power. There was something the old man had not advertised but was keen on using. He sliced and slashed until finally, another tile flew up. This time, Morningstar was ready. He smacked it out of the way, his gauntlet cracking it in half. The king reared back. Moments before the blade could touch him, rocks tore from the ground, ripping up the floor and forming around Halador. A tough shell, even harder than the elder rock dragon's scales, encased him, making it impossible to touch him. Spikes emerged from Granite Shield, stab

With a sigh, Halador focused. He charged forwards, his spear pointed at Morningstar's chest. The blonde lifted his blade just in time to adjust its angle. It left a dent in his shoulder plating but he had avoided being impaled. With the spear out of the way, Morningstar was free to strike back. His blade poised for Halador's throat, he stabbed; however, instead, he connected with a slab of marble. It shattered, dampening the blow and allowing Halador to block with his arm. Morningstar stared with wild eyes. They split apart. A perfect square was missing from the floor exactly where they h

Without stopping to think, Morningstar reentered the Earthshaker's range. He deflected a hefty swing, his riposte cleaving the plating on Halador's leg. It was the king who backed up now, without even looking at his new wound. "You fight well, swordsman," he said with a smirk. "What might your name be?" "Morningstar," the blonde replied. Behind them, the others whispered, plotting to enter the fight as well. Halador caught them. "You may take your turns if young Morningstar fails to defeat me. Until then, please be patient. Lily and Wilfred are hungry and tend not to care for ru