Astra

Kumatetsu began to tower over the battlefield, the shadow cast from his form looming over both Astra and Wulfrin. Naturally, the best was enraged, aggression seeping out of all its pours, pouring its rage into every major swing of its claws. Astra danced around the battlefield, leaping out of the way of some attacks, attempting to block others with his sword. He should've anticipated a phase 2, and the heightened strength that came with it. However, he remained undeterred. The two swordsman were this close to fully depleting the beasts' healthbar. "Alright, time to finish this." Hi

Astra lied on the ground, eyes fixed on silver starlight. The chiming chirps of frogs and cicadas, nestled in the forests, filled his ears. Amidst night's oratorio his favorite instrument was the soft sounds of Bliss' breaths. Her head nestled gently against his chest, a smooth and dainty hand resting on his abdomen, the warmth she radiated...It all felt foreign to him, yet there was no sense of fear in the unfamiliar, instead it was welcome. His whole body felt warm, his heart thumping to a measured rhythm. This warmth...Have I felt a feeling like this before? These feelings of de

"Keep the pressure on!" Got it. Kumatetsu began to become more erratic with its movements as Astra and his master chipped away it's health. The beast swiped it's claws in a frenzy, throwing it's massive body at almost any position the two found themselves in. Astra leapt out of the way of its attacks, waiting for the perfect opening to strike again. Kumatetsu's fury was palpable as it narrowly missed the combatants. Eventually it would have to tire itself out or make a miscalculated attack, leaving itself exposed once more. Turning it's attention back to Astra, Kumatetsu barreled fo

There was a moment where Astra thought he saw Wulfrin's eye twitch, and that moment was when the raven haired player had questioned Ciela's cooking. Oh no, here it comes. Bracing for the worst, he was immediately filled with relief when his master spoke again. Wulfrin was firm in his delivery, yet still calm and clearly demonstrating that they meant no harm. The ball was in the black-clad player's court now. Would she stubbornly persist with her interrogation and suspicions? Surprisingly, it seemed like Wulfrin's words had finally gotten through to her. Astra didn't expect an apology from her

When the makeshift cross had fallen apart, Astra had seemingly snapped out of his trance, and was brought back to reality. It was a simple mistake, but even he should've known better than to interact with the resting places of the dead - especially those that seem cursed. Astra looked towards the looming ghost that had appeared with a sheepish demeanor, his embarrassment for waking the ghost ever apparent on his face. What else has he fixed? He just got here! Before Astra could even offer to try and help with his mistake, his mentor was already on it - using his inclination for cra

As the two began to learn each other’s cadence, it was as if everyone else at the masquerade ball had disappeared. He could no longer hear the sounds of shuffling feet, and their well dressed forms began to disappear. Instead of sultry pop music, Astra began to hear orchestral instruments, coalescing into symphonic swell. In this moment, it was just him and his enigmatic dance partner. There was a certain amount of vulnerability that he was displaying, even in a simple dance with a stranger, but for once he didn’t feel afraid. The dance started off cordial and simple, but the more Astra

Thanks so much!

"W-what? Stalkers is a bit harsh I think..." As much as the two of them followed with the best of intentions, Astra had to admit that she did have a point. He'd probably feel similarly if he noticed two people tailing him, you could never be too cautious in the floating castle. Her body language was closed off to the two of them, and it seemed that even though him and Wulfrin were telling the truth, they weren't making much progress. She did seem somewhat skittish, looking over her shoulders as they spoke, dark eyes darting back and forth. Was there something she was running from, or was

Nursing his drink on the outskirts of the dance floor, Astra watched as masked dancers moved in unison. They were trading exchanges with one another, moving in unison to a symphony of strings. Some even seemed to be in their own world with their partner, possibly emboldened by the masks they wore. This was more than a pre-teen dance in a high school gymnasium. Though this environment was unfamiliar to Astra, it was somewhat comforting. Why couldn’t he feel the same as those around him, taking off their 9-5 masks and immersing themselves in the moment? The closer his glass was to being empty, t

It had been quite some time since Astra was in a cemetery, not since he was a child. He made it a point to try and avoid them ever since, not due to the fear of ghosts or disturbing the dead - but because the memories were too harrowing. His master was right, they must've taken a wrong turn somewhere on Floor 28, and found themselves here of all places. Unease and discomfort sat heavy in Astra's stomach, and his heart rate seemed to pick up a few beats. An air of mysterious history hung over the graveyard, and that was evident from the stark warped gravestones, neatly aligned and seeming

Which mask will you don today? Is it his again? Perhaps it’s time to tell us what you’re hiding behind that smile, young Pierrot. Show us who you really are. That is…If there is a “you.” Where do they end, and where do you begin? Where do I begin? It started with a curious invitation. Elegant, adorned with gold - yet filled with intrigue. A masquerade ball, hosted by one of the most charismatic yet enigmatic people in Aincrad. At first thought, an event like this seemed as if it was out of Astra’s league. Something for debutants, people with decorum. That wasn’t him i

The nod from Wulfrin was all Astra needed to start the assault against Kumatetsu. Astra leapt into the boss arena with poise, quickly transitioning into a dash towards the large ursine. Kumatetsu was roused from its slumber the moment the swordsman clad in white entered the battlefield, quickly pulling itself up, and letting out a deep guttural roar. The roar that came from Kumatetsu seemed the rumble the earth beneath their feet, but Astra continued his advance undeterred. As he neared Kumatetsu, Astra began to initiate a sword art. The steel of his blade began to glow a bright blue, wi

This would mark the first time since being bound to Aincrad that Astra would take on a "trailing mission". Though, this was in no way an official quest. Following Wulfrin through the alleyways and streets of the Town of Beginnings, Astra couldn't help but wonder why that player had run. Did him and Wulfrin look intimidating or frightening? Wulfrin maybe. He looked like he had a tough demeanor at times, but Astra? Maybe it should be considered a compliment. Huh, maybe I do look kinda tough. Nice. The duo of master and pupil waited outside of Zachariah's shop for the raven haired player to

Astra watched as Dorian gave his usual spiel, feeling kind of bad for the young woman ahead of them. He knew from first hand experience that Dorian could be a bit much, and it would be hard to turn down his request. There was a moment where Astra wondered if he should step in, but decided to keep a bit of distance with Wulfrin to see how she interacted with the NPC herself. "Good ol' Dorian, always catching people off guard for the debts..." The mannerisms of the girl speaking with Dorian seemed almost skittish, as if she was incredibly weary of her surroundings. Hoping that she didn't t

Wulfrin had confirmed what Astra had seen, the flames were emanating from him and not just his blade. Likening it to the way the shadows clung to him made sense, and Astra was able to pick up on it once it was pointed out. For all the time they spent with one another, Astra still couldn't help but feel that there was an air of mystery that hung about Wulfrin. Though, it could be supposed that it would be that way for a lot of the players trapped in Aincrad. The floating castle was changing people daily, and even if it could be surmounted to Cardinal's actions, there was a lot that remained une