[SP-F2] The Steel of Ice (Feeding the Enemy)

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan waked the streets of the second floor, his shoulders low and his glare full of hate at anything. It had barely been a week since the Fall of the Ascendants and the overwhelming dread was slowly becoming hate for those who had caused it. He would tear down everything of their's just like they had did him. Chaos had left him without a guild, without a familiar, without a hope to hold onto. The one thing he had left;however, was a next move. Chaos had merely swooped in with one powerful move and took his queen. With Itzal having been nowhere to be seen, he couldn't rely on the help of most of his allies. While most of his pieces still intact, they were too far out to be of any assistance to the king piece. While that didn't leave him with many options it still left Jonathan with the next move. While he didn't have any insight on where the enemy might be hiding, he did however know of someone that was rather suspicious during the fall. 

'Careful Chaos. You might've taken everything from me, but now I have nothing to lose. Nothing can be held against me'

[Morgenstern 1]

Frigid's Appearance
 

Spoiler

As he looked back to his friend list to find the location of the man was now just outside the town. Moving quickly and abruptly, Jonathan would sprint forward until he caught sight of the man. The man was alone, staring off into the distance of the mountain ranges. This man was a part of the Ascendants, the only player under the training of Orik. Jonathan had never really gotten to see the progress of the boy, but instead he just knew that Orik never intervened in the training, never spoke unless the boy became in trouble. For that reason alone, he knew the man was most likely stronger than any of Jonathan's apprentices. The boy was basically a solo player. 

Jonathan stepped forward towards the boy, unsheathing his weapon in case of anything. He knew that it wasn't the best way to approach somenoe when they might be your ally, but Jonathan didn't care. He just needed answers. "Frigid!" he called out, the boy jumping from the sudden call of his name. The white haired player turned. With a hand on his sheathed sword, he looked to Jonathan. "Some part of me knew that you would be coming for me eventually..." 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan didn't smile to the man at all as he spoke. "You have much to speak for, and whether or not you are innocent depends on what I believe. If you are working with the enemy, I will cut you down" Jonathan said plainly. He stepped within ten feet of the man, and Frigid laughed. "Cut me down? Like you would turn your blade on someone that wasn't going to kill anyone. You've always been the carefree bloke that pisses off around the frontlines. You don't have the guts to-" The blond lashed forward, faking a slash with his weapon before bringing a kick that would send the man sprawling to the ground. "I understand this is naturally how you talk, but piss me off right now and I might just slash you to pieces to relieve stress. You are as cold as your name implies, but right now my anger burns bright" 

Jonathan stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Tell me what you know about the fall. Orik prepared you for something. You had a teleport crystal at the ready"

[Morgenstern 1]

Frigid looked back to him rather smugly. "Just angry that my leader was actually prepared for something that came up and you weren't?" Jonathan seethed with rage. "Many Ascendant apprentices lost their lives that day and your 'leader' turned on us as soon as Chaos and the others arrived. Obviously, he knew something about the attack. I need to know everything I can." Frigid would chuckle once more, his hand removing itself from the hilt of his weapon. "Looks like you are really grasping at straws here.... Orik really liked the rest of you, but he had to follow strict orders. However, he and I were close and he couldn't risk the potential that I could die". Moving swifter than Jonathan could react to, Frigid pulled out his icy blue sword, striking Jonathan's and sending it sprawling into the dirt. "Orik never trained me how to be a tank, he taught me how to survive on my own. Fighting by myself I never got the chance to become a tank" 

Frigid would move in front of Jonathan's weapon, preventing access to the Curved Sword. "Hope you got another one in your inventory. If you can beat me in a real quick fight, I'll start talking" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan nodded. "You've always been the first to jump into a battle haven't you. Fine. However, once we are done here, you will tell me every piece of information you have got" Jonathan scrolled through his inventory, unequipping both his sword and shield, equipping a weapon that not one person had seen him use yet. As he clicked the button, a long back sword would appear in his hand. "You will now face an unfinished Judgement" Judgement was his fake name while he wore his black armor, the name of the two-handed sword in his hands, and what he sought to reap. Frigid's eyes would widen with confusion. "Since when did you use a-" Jonathan leapt forward, swinging the massive weapon at his opponent. The other player would attempt to block it, but only get pushed several feet backward from the force of the blow. "I haven't mastered this weapon yet, but I will give my everything to defeat you!" Jonathan had to know everything about when he lost everything. If fighting an old apprentice would give him more information, then he would commit. He would bring Frigid to the verge of death. 

[Morgenstern 1]

Frigid was shocked at the tow-handed weapon in his hands. "I never knew you were training at all in that weapon. Interesting.... Does anyone else know about this weapon?" Jonatha kicked off the ground, striking with a long horizontal blow. Frigid was smarter this time, stepping back from the attack this time before moving in with several thrusts of his blue bladed longsword. Jonathan leapt back quickly, holding his weapon close to try to block the attacks. While he managed to blow a few,several of them penetrated through, leaving a cold numbess where they hit. Jonathan had a disadvantage currently when it came to speed, but he was still a tank and could battle with attrition. Frigid would attack in a downward slice, Jonathan blocking the blow with the left Bialas binding. He would then swing his weapon with all of his might, the weapon slamming into Frigid's side. The man would be knocked away several meetings, him falling to the ground and rolling. 

Jonathan reattached the weapon to his back and walked forward. "I'll be given answers now, or else i'm going to take you back to the town over there and keep striking. You won't die, but I'm sure it will be quite scary"  Frigid chuckled. "You wouldn't. You've always been the one too afraid to ever even consider taking a l-" Jonathan slammed his foot into the man's face, sending him sprawling. "You don't understand. I will get what I want, no matter what it takes to get it" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Frigid stood, a bit dazed from begin slammed around. "Alright, a deal is a deal then!" Jonathan would smile. "Good. Now, what did you know about the attack before it happened?" Frigid would shake his head and hastily reply, "Nothing. Orik handed me the teleport crystal the day before the meeting, and he said for me to use it when he told me to". Jonathan would scratch his face with his left hand. "So then, exactly what do you know about the attack?" Frigid would frown and turn his head away. "I was told to teleport to the ninth floor, where then Orik met me in the town a few hours after. He said the Ascendants had been broken apart with several of them dead. He told me the deaths were accidental, but the entire incident was planned. His boss, Chaos is bringing in a new generation of frontliners that will work better together and actually be reliable to get us out of here. After last boss fight, its clear that you guys don't have anything under control"  

Jonathan would nod. "So it was entirely Chaos, and Orik was some sort of spy or something" Frigid would nod. 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan would begin to step away. "Well Frigid. Thanks for telling me. I'd say I'll see you around, but I really don't want to. Your face is just another reminder of how I've failed. There was something going on right under my nose, and I didn't notice. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go find a familiar. Chaos ensured that I didn't have one so it would set me back for a bit" Jonathan would open his inventory and retrade weapons, and take pull out an item to increase his Luck. With his sword, Bindings, and Finding Stone equipped, he would begin to eat the consumable that would increase his luck even further. 'Chaos, you are going to pay for this. I won't rest until I've found you. If you want to take out the frontliners by sending us into a dissaray, then you're going to have to do more than break up the Ascendants' 

Jonathan would just begin to move into the direction of the crystal caves when Frigid spoke. "Wait! I know one more thing. I don't know where to find Chaos, but I do know of someone who might be able to help. There is a woman that lives on the twelfth floor. Orik told me that he and her used to be good friends until Chaos's old guild broke apart. She can tell you more I think. Look for a woman named Tessa" Jonathan would nod. 

[Morgenstern 1]

Reaching far enough away,  he munched the last of his Angel Food bar and felt his loot stat rise. He hadn't been to the second floor in a while, and it brought back many memories of he and Itzal. He knew it was Velnia's home floor, and where he and Itzal met. Jonathan thought Itzal was another player, and accidentally confronted him. Although Itzal was more inward at the time, the two of them would travel to where Itzal had received Velnia, which at the time had been overrun by goblins. He and Itzal had cleared them out. It was a rather fun adventure, and he and Itzal managed to take on a higher ranked Goblin that had led the whole tribe of them. While several goblins were left in, they were left leaderless and to fight for themselves. He stepped to the edge of the cave,a  moist smell catching his nose. 'If Itzal and I had never met, those players wouldn't have died. More people have died just because I didn't stay in the town. It's my fault they are dead' 

The cave was lit by glowing crystals, which brought back Jonathan's memory. He moved through his inventory and pulled out the green one that he had grabbed the day he met Itzal. He originally wanted it fashioned into an item, but he liked it the way it was. 

Consumed: Angel Food Bar- +3 LD
In use: Familiar Call: +1 LD for Familiars
 

[Morgenstern 1]

He heard grunts, no doubt that of the goblins that remained. He moved through the cave, in search of the memories that he shared with Itzal. A screech was heard in the distance and immediately the cave became several degrees cooler. Frowning, Jonathan moved quickly to the next cave entrance, finding it to be blocked with a towering wall of ice crystals. "It isn't that cold for water to freeze like this. Unless there is another Goblin Shaman, than nothing could have made this!" Requipping his Two-handed sword, he would charge the weapon. A dark blue hue would take to its blade and he would slam it into the ice, the wall shattering into pieces. Stepping into the room, all he found were frozen solid goblins. 'What could have caused this?' Goblins burst into the room, seeming rather frightened. Obviously, whatever they were trying to fight completely outmatched them. When the seen him, they raised their wooden clubs, grunting for communication with each other. Jonathan would bring up his sword, shaking his head. Goblins were never smart at picking fights. 

[Morgenstern 1]

The goblins would charge after him, slamming their clubs at his chest. Being weak, Jonathan knew that it would be all too easy to overpower them. He cut clean through the first goblin, and caught the second one's club with his hand. "I don't understand how I had trouble with you..." He slashed through the second goblin, and the third was already retreating. "Now time to find out what all this commotion is really about" he muttered to himself. He stepped through the walkway into the next room. The room was completely coated in an icy cover. The culprit sat in the center of the room, sitting tall and proud. Jonathan stepped forward and it raised its head higher, as if daring the blond to come closer. 'It looks like a silver Velnia... I wonder if it is what caused the ice' Walking forward, closely and carefully, the small dragon stood, opening its mouth. Jonathan leapt aside as a cold air shot from the dragons mouth, the air freezing solid to create a large glacier of blue ice right where he stood. "Oh, good thing I moved huh?" The dragon would snort as if it were laughing at him. "You're an interesting creature" A low growl would emit from the dragon for a small second, as if it were displeased with the word interesting. 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan smiled at the dragon. It was perfect for a familiar. Its icy breath would provide as an excellent defense for him, and it was both speedy and durable. It was the mixture of Sol and Darksteel. The only problem so far,  it wouldn't let him get close. It seemed to be testing him by now seeing his physical capabilities. It was more curious in him than trying to keep him away. It probably had enough of the previous goblins and decided to do away with them. The dragon opened its mouth again, sending an icy mist towards Jonathan. He quickly moved, noticing that the mist didn't freeze over until the dragon closed its mouth. He also bet there was a limit to how much it could use at a time. While this was an advantage to him currently, it would be a disadvantage if another player noticed it in battle. He doubted AI's were smart enough to figure it out. "Alright, I see you now" The dragon snorted again. It must've been a laugh. Quickly, it blew a small mist into the air, and quickly closed its mouth. The mist froze in the air and the dragon turned and smacked it with its tail. Ice shards would quickly decorate his chest, portions of his HP bar dissapearing. "An offensive attack? I figured you were more on the defense side of things" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan smiled at the dragon. It was perfect for a familiar. Its icy breath would provide as an excellent defense for him, and it was both speedy and durable. It was the mixture of Sol and Darksteel. The only problem so far,  it wouldn't let him get close. It seemed to be testing him by now seeing his physical capabilities. It was more curious in him than trying to keep him away. It probably had enough of the previous goblins and decided to do away with them. The dragon opened its mouth again, sending an icy mist towards Jonathan. He quickly moved, noticing that the mist didn't freeze over until the dragon closed its mouth. He also bet there was a limit to how much it could use at a time. While this was an advantage to him currently, it would be a disadvantage if another player noticed it in battle. He doubted AI's were smart enough to figure it out. "Alright, I see you now" The dragon snorted again. It must've been a laugh. Quickly, it blew a small mist into the air, and quickly closed its mouth. The mist froze in the air and the dragon turned and smacked it with its tail. Ice shards would quickly decorate his chest, portions of his HP bar dissapearing. "An offensive attack? I figured you were more on the defense side of things" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan pulled the ice shards out from his chest, half of them vanishing before he could pull them out. "Well then, any other tricks up your sleeve?" Jonathan would leap forward, charging up the middle at his opponent. The dragon seemed to grin as he did, leaping up and talking flight. It would leap over Jonathan's head, spewing icy mist from its mouth. Jonathan grabbed his sword thrusting it upward just in time to break, he managed to break the ice as it froze around him. The dragon would pass over him, leaving him surrounded by a rink of ice. 'So it's possible to prevent yourself from getting frozen if you move fast enough and strike at the right time' Jonathan charged forward, careful not to slip on the ice. The dragon would land and turn, quickly countering his charge with a blast of ice shards placed for him to charge into and impale himself. Leaping upward, he managed to volley of the ice, hitting the ground in front of the ground, cracking the ice underneath him. "Gotcha bud" he said, poking the dragon. Before the dragon went back to being hostile, he would bring out the familiar item. 

 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan held the item, activating it as he brought it up to the dragon. "Please?" he would say as the dragon brought its nose up to it. The dragon would nod, bowing its head before munching the item from his hand, taking it down its throat. Smiling, the blond would attempt to pat the dragons head but immediately found his hand being submerged himself in a brisk cold. He would draw his hand back, bringing it into a fist to warm it up. "Well, if you are my new familiar, I guess we better start thinking of a name for you then, now don't we?" The dragon would perk his head up, flying himself out into the next cave area. Frowning, Jonathan would stand and shout, "Hey, wait up!" Giving chase, he would not find the dragon in the next room. 'It sounds like that to me that we need to learn a little more cooperation. He is completely different than the dormant and lazy turtle and I hast time. In fact, I'd say he is a mixture of Darksteel and Sol' 

106547 LD:12+6(Enhancements)+1(Call)=19 - Familiar Enhanced Found

[Morgenstern 1]

Looking for the dragon, he would find a small trail of icicles going down a slope in the cave to another area. He was glad the dragon left a trail, as there was a few different paths to choose from. He would find himself having to squeeze through a smaller area before popping into the next room. His breath would be taken away as he finally seen where the dragon was trying to lead him too. Massive crystals were found, the room lightly covered in ice. It was obvious that this was the home of the dragon. "This is nice, I guess" He would find himself climbling the crystals until he reached the highest one where the dragon was perching. "You know, I'm actually ina  pretty good mood right now. I might have used my last Loot item and Familiar Call that Itzal fetched for me, but I also have found a new familiar and know what my next move is to find Chaos. Just a little stronger, and I'll be ready. I just don't want to keep the devil waiting for too long, ya know?" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Taking a breath, he would sigh looking to the dragon. "Now that you are my familiar, I apologize for the road ahead of us. Basically, its going to be constant fighting or training until I take out an enemy of mine. Then, game over" He would chuckle at the thought. He would finally end up seeing what it was like to die in this world. Was it painful? Or was it so quick and violent that he noticed nothing. Was there an end scene? "Is there actually death when you lose, or are we just in some giant tournament where those who survive til the end are just recruited into some sort of facility" There was many possibilities, most just hopeful nonsense. Returning to his senses, he would return his focus to the dragon. "So, what should be your name? Freezy? Iceman?" The dragon would snort before taking off flight again, ramming into one of the crystals to break it with ease. It would return the broken crystal shard to him, dropping it within his hand. Jonathan frowned. "What am I supposed to do with this? Want your name to be crystal or something?" 

[Morgenstern 1]

The dragon would shake his head again and he would sigh. Communication skills were still at a minimum. He would tap the crystal, pulli gup its details. It was a mineral called Celestite. Immediately, it would make sense to him. "Celestite, its the mineral that your scales are made of or at least represent. You want your name based on that" the dragon would bow his head proudly, obviously pleased with Jon's breakthrough. Or just being proud that he as covered in such a fine material. "How about Celestane?" The dragon would raise its head now, boasting itself. It thought the name was perfect. "Ah, you just think your the coolest thing. I'll call you Celes for short though,t hat sounds more like a female's name though" he would chuckle but the dragon as not amused at all. It would sly up, coming down and slamming into the crystal he stood on. The crystal would crumble, causing him to fall to the ground with a heavy thud. "Good point, but you aren't getting out of the name" He would stand up, brushing the dust off of him and his armor. 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan would begin to make his way out of the cave, following his previous actions in reverse. As he seen sunlight again, he would stretch. He would smile towards the sun. "There is a small but strange satisfaction knowing that your own journey is almost complete. Our next moves are finding the lady on Floor 12, and learning to function in battle. Neither of those should prove too difficult" Celestane tasted the new air that was outside of the cave. He reminded Jonathan of Velnia. He wouldn't be as fast as her, but he was definitely much sturdier. He wondered how a blast of Velnia's lightning and Celes's ice would mix. "Alright, I have an idea. While I know you have your own offensive style, if your main focus could be my personal defense, I feel that this could go smoothly. Instead of sending ice shards that could potentially hit me, you keep enemies off of me with walls of ice" The dragon seemed confused for a second, but then grinned. "Alrighty, try making a wall of ice to my left side as I run" he took off sprinting, slicing his weapon into the air as if he were attacking something. Celestane flew to his left side, spraying a mist of ice before quickly closing his mouth. A wall of ice would appear, coming up to his own shoulder, allowing him to see over it, but preventing movement in that way.

"It could be easily broken, but that would deflect an oncoming attack... this could be useful against Chaos" 

[Morgenstern 1]

He would stop and Celestane would perch proudly atop of his shoulder. 'This is going to make it interesting. With Chaos's hellhound, Fang, it will be a battle of fire against ice' He chuckled at the thought. He was the most uplifted now then he had been in several days. With a goal in mind and a plan of action, he was the most set on course then he had been since the Fall of the Ascendants. It wasn't an easy journey ahead of him, but at least he knew what the journey was. Most heroes of a story had no idea what they were up against, only that they needed to prevail. In the story, he believed himself to have already suffered the greatest loss, the driving factor. Now he needed to bring about the climax, save the day, and fufill his destiny. Sheathing his weapon and beginning to walk back towards the town of Rig, he would take another look at his dragon. Although he was proud and seemed to try to be a prick, Celestane was the perfect match for him. Of course, they would need to work more on combat for the next few days, and not torturing rabbits by freezing their feet into the ground. That had only happened twice on the way back to Rig. "God damn it Celes!" 

Thread Rewards
A new Familiar (For freaking vanity's sake)
1 SP