[SP-F22] - Gemini Bound - Chapter 1

[Freyd 0]

"Why did you do that to Quip!?  Freyd!  How could you?!"  Anguish poured out of the slight youth that emerged from the low hanging fog that had grown around the clearing.  It reminded him of the same thick soup that forever clung to the grounds of his shop.  Naturally, Quip's brother Dingo had to be next.  The boy had basically become Freyd's apprentice, taking on many of the more mundane duties of a merchant's trade.  He was a good kid, but fragile in spirit as much as build.  Backstabbing his sister had not doubt pulled him to the forefront of Freyd's remaining memories.

"You know why, Ding.  Because she was a lie, like you are.  And neither of you would abide living a lie after what you suffered through."  It was true.  The loss of their sister had fractured both Quip and Dingo's spirits so badly, that he wasn't sure whether they could be mended.  Freyd knew what it was like to be broken, and had taken them in, hoping that time could solve what he could not.  

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:47/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Tempest (x8 AoE Stun +8 for hits): 16 EN – (Rested, Finesse 3) = 12 EN

BD: 9 (Crit +1, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (248 + 36 bleed = 284) damage to False Gemini #73.  Stunned.
BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (256 + 36 bleed = 292) damage to False Gemini #74.  Stunned.
BD: 7 + 4 = 11 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #75.  Stunned.
BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (256 + 36 bleed = 292) damage to False Gemini #76.  Stunned.

False Gemini #73 | HP: 116 | DMG: 150 (400 - 284) (36 bleed. 1/2) Stunned.
False Gemini #74 | HP: 108 | DMG: 150 (400 - 292) (36 bleed. 1/2) Stunned.
False Gemini #75 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #76 | HP: 108 | DMG: 150 (400 - 292) (36 bleed. 1/2) Stunned.

[Freyd 0]

Four copies of the boy's sword, held by four different yet identical hands clashed with Freyd's blade.  He was an able apprentice, but a terrible fighter.  That, at least, seemed to have carried through into the nightmare.  

"You keep betraying us!  Why!!!"

That one almost stung, but Freyd had already resolved himself to seeing the boy as just another illusory mob trying to tear away at this determination.  Far better exemplars had already tried and failed.  

"Go be with your sister, Ding.  It's okay."  The softness in his voice was disturbing when paired with how swiftly he cut the boy down.  Freyd knew he was wounding his darkened soul further with each such strike.  That was surely his Gemini's plan: to turn true Freyd into a shell so weakened that he could never contain it again.  It really should have known better.  He did it as swiftly and painlessly as he could, letting himself feel nothing as each child-like figure fell.

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:32/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Calamity Disaster (x12 AoE + 8 for hits): 20 EN - (Rested, Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 15 EN

BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (384 + 36 bleed = 420) damage to False Gemini #73.
BD: 7 + 4 = 11 (hit).  Freyd deals (288 + 36 bleed = 324) damage to False Gemini #74.  
BD: 2 + 4 = 6 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #75.  
BD: 3 + 4 = 7 (hit).  Freyd deals (288 + 36 bleed = 324) damage to False Gemini #76.  

False Gemini #73 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (116 - 420) (36 bleed. 1/2) 
False Gemini #74 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (108 - 324) (36 bleed. 2/2) 
False Gemini #75 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #76 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (108 - 324) (36 bleed. 2/2) 

Spoiler

Loot for False Gemini #73 (ID 167591 - LD: 9 + 10 = 19; CD 1):

2,640 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
4x T3 materials (odd CD & LD)
1x Perfect Consumable [167591a]
1x Rare Trinket [167591b]

Loot for False Gemini #74 (ID 167592 - LD: 12 + 10 = 22; CD 9):

5,720 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even LD + [5*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd CD)
1x Perfect Trinket [167592]

Loot for False Gemini #75 (ID 167593 - LD: 12 + 10 = 22; CD 1):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even LD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd CD)
1x Perfect Armor/Shield [167593a]
1x Perfect Weapon [167593b]

Loot for False Gemini #76 (ID 167594 - LD: 14 + 10 = 24; CD 9):

6,160 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even LD + [6*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd CD)
1x Perfect Consumable [167594]
 

[Freyd 0]

His hand was shaking.  Why was his hand shaking?  All he had done was what was necessary.  It was all he had ever done. 

And where has that left you?

Quip and Dingo had suffered a tragic loss, but found new purpose in its aftermath.  They seemed content now. Wasn't that a good and desirable outcome?  Wasn't it the right choice?  He still couldn't actually rationalize why he had run after them in the first place.  They were complete strangers to him at the time, and yet he'd run off like a lunatic to help them after Quaestor told him about them.  It wasn't like him to be impulsive - look impulsive, sure, but not actually BE impulsive.  

Are we cracking?  Perhaps these are just microfractures.  It has been a long time now.  

Freyd closed his eyes to shut out these insidious doubts.  He knew that they were mere fabrications, forged by the Gemini to fool and weaken him.

***

Freyd rests (EN recovery 1/2)

[Freyd 0]

The hollow in his heart had been pulsing of late.  That tiny fragment of humanity had been suppressed long ago, this mighty shell constructed like a protective fortress around that weakness, both to protect and contain it within.  It had lain dormant since his arrival in Aincrad - over two years now.  These symptoms had only started appearing once he'd left the Town of Beginnings. 

Could we return?  No.  Too late for that.  We're never doing that again.

Was this fracture what had let the Gemini out in the first place - and act that should have been impossible?

Lock everything down.  FEEL NOTHING.  Be resolved.

It wasn't working, and for one simple reason: Freyd was actually growing as a person.  So long as that continued, the machine that his id had spawned to defend him would continue to lose strength.  It's control would slip, little by little, and fall to the relentless advance of a child's feelings.  It was time to restart feelings that had vanished when he was but twelve years old.

***

Rest 2/2.  Full energy restored.

[Freyd 0]

"Whatcha doing, mister?"

Freyd looked up, taking his hands from his face.  He hadn't even realized that he had brought them there.  The pulse of... something... in his head was aching terribly.  Who was this new voice?  He didn't recognize it.  How was this possible?  He was in his own head, wasn't he?

"Are you okay?"  A girl, in her mid-teens by the look of her - was kneeling a few yards away.  She had long, braided golden hair and deep green eyes, but a rounder, less careworn face than her sister.  The resemblance to Quip was instantly recognizable.  This had to be Maeve.  He carried a picture of the three of them, as a reminder of the potential of family.  Why did he do that?  And this girl had died before he ever met Quip and Dingo.  What was happening here?

"Maeve?"

She frowned.

"I know you.  You're the one who told us about that chest.  The one that got me killed.  And it was others just like you who send my brother and sister hurtling towards their own graves in grief."

Anger marred her gentle features.  Her image shivered and reformed as four copies, each wielding a wickedly curved blade.

"YOU WILL PAY!"

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:88/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Tempest (x8 AoE Stun +8 for hits): 16 EN – (Rested, Finesse 3) = 12 EN

BD: 2 + 4 = 6 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #77.  Stunned.
BD: 4 + 4 = 8 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #78.  Stunned.
BD: 2 + 4 = 6 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #79.  Stunned.
BD: 7 + 4 = 11 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #80.  Stunned.

False Gemini #77 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #78 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #79 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #80 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.

[Freyd 0]

"NO!!!"  Freyd lashed out and struck the girl's images with unexpected fury.  She shattered immediately.  It took him a moment to realize that there was no substance to her in his memories.  He had never met her, heard her voice, or seen anything more than the picture he carried.  She was a ghost before he even knew her name.  Why did that frustrate him so?  Why had her accusation found purchase?  He could not have done either of those things.  He felt stretched... thin... raw.  Like an exposed nerve.  Damned clever Gemini.  They had figured it out with Asmura, and now they were stabbing deep and deliberately, looking to cripple and maim.

It's not happening!  We will not allow...

"Of course it's happening, Freyd.  How could it not?"  His portly neighbour was here.  Quaestor was his name.  Freyd knew only fragments from his past.  He had been a front liner, but had chosen to step back from that life after some unspoken tragedy had taken its toll.  He was literally Freyd's bartender, running a small restaurant across from the monastery where he lived.  The two of them had shared many stories.  This was not good.

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:73/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Calamity Disaster (x12 AoE + 8 for hits): 20 EN - (Rested, Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 15 EN

BD: 3 + 4 = 7 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #77.  
BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #78.  
BD: 3 + 4 = 7 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #79.  
BD: 8 + 4 = 12 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #80.  

False Gemini #77 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288)
False Gemini #78 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288)
False Gemini #79 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288)
False Gemini #80 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288)

Spoiler

Loot for False Gemini #77 (ID 167604 - LD: 5 + 10 = 15; CD 9):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
4x T3 materials (odd CD & LD)
1x Rare Armor/Shield [167604]

Loot for False Gemini #78 (ID 167605 - LD: 3 + 10 = 13; CD 1):

2,640 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
4x T3 materials (odd CD & LD)
1x Rare Trinket [167605]

Loot for False Gemini #79 (ID 167606 - LD: 15 + 10 = 25; CD 2):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even CD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd LD)
2x Perfect Consumables [167606a] [167606b]
2x Perfect Armor/Shield [167606c] [167606d]

Loot for False Gemini #80 (ID 167607 - LD: 10 + 10 = 20; CD 7):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even LD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd CD)
1x Perfect Armor/Shield [167607a]
1x Perfect Trinket [167607b]
 

[Freyd 0]

"They dragged you into this mess?"

"Not really, my friend.  You did that just by being here."  

They were suddenly back in Quaestor's bar, as steaming cup of coffer resting on the highly polished oak before him, his foot resting comfortably on the brass rail hovering inches above the floor.  How many hours had they spent in exactly this situation, Freyd sharing his latest exploits and Quaestor conscientiously avoiding revealing any details of his own.  

"Do we really need to do this?"  Freyd groaned, tempted by the exquisite scent of the coffee teasing him from mere inches away.

"Of course not.  You could end this at any time by choosing to give up and walk away."  Quaestor's bushy beard and mustache twitched in the way that it did when he was smiling.  His thick forearms steadfastly polishing a glass mug that had probably never been used.  The man had clearly established his shop in the same place as Freyd for the same reason - to be left alone.

"Yeah.  Not happening."

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:33/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Tempest (x8 AoE Stun +6 for hits): 14 EN – (Rested, Finesse 3) = 10 EN

BD: 5 + 4 = 9 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #81.  Stunned.
BD: 1 (miss).  Freyd misses False Gemini #82.
BD: 4 + 4 = 8 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #83.  Stunned.
BD: 2 + 4 = 6 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #84.  Stunned.

MD: 3 - 4 = -1 (miss).  False Gemini misses Freyd.

False Gemini #81 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #82 | HP: 400 | DMG: 150 
False Gemini #83 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #84 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.

[Freyd 0]

"We both already knew that."  Quaestor's mirth was clearly visible.  

"I'd really rather not have to face off against you, old friend, but if it's what needs to happen."  Freyd tossed a handful of col on the bar, stretched and then pulled himself slow off the stool and brought his sword up into a guard.

Quaestor, meanwhile, split into four duplicates of himself.  Each was clad in the most resplendent armor Freyd had ever seen, wielding a massive two-handed axe that seemed to shine with celestial light.  Who the heck was this guy before he retired?!  That thought gave Freyd the angle he needed to win this fight.  This establishment was the very symbol of Quaestor's salvation.

Swinging Grief's Harbinger down with as much force as he could muster, Freyd utterly destroyed the bar itself, sending all of its content sprawling outward like a bizarre form of shrapnel.  Destroying the very thing that had kept Quaestor from total meltdown was enough to shatter whatever strength he had for the battle.  His extra copies and epic equipment were shredded away in the blast, leaving only a poor broken man in their wake.

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:943/1030 | EN:18/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Calamity Disaster (x12 AoE + 8 for hits): 20 EN - (Rested, Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 15 EN

BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #81.
BD: 3 + 4 = 7 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #82.  
BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (384 + 36 bleed = 420) damage to False Gemini #83.  
BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (384 + 36 bleed = 420) damage to False Gemini #84.  

MD: 9 (crit 1).  False Gemini #82 deals (151 - 64 = 87) damage to Freyd

False Gemini #81 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #82 | HP: 112 | DMG: 150 (400 - 288)
False Gemini #83 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 420)  (36 bleed, 1/2) 
False Gemini #84 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 420)  (36 bleed, 1/2)

Spoiler

Loot for False Gemini #81 (ID 167617 - LD: 20 + 10 = 30; CD 2):

4,400 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [4*hp] from even CD & LD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x Perfect Consumables [167617a] [167617b]
2x Perfect Armor/Shield [167617c] [167617d]

Loot for False Gemini #83 (ID 167618 - LD: 2 + 10 = 12; CD 11):

4,400 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even LD + [2*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd CD)
1x Rare Armor/Shield [167618]

Loot for False Gemini #84 (ID 167619 - LD: 17 + 10 = 27; CD 12):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even CD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd LD)
[F22] Map of Intermediate Dungeon [167619]
 

[Freyd 0]

"You had to do it, didn't you?"  Quaestor's voice burbled through heaving sobs, the man's massive shoulders shaking, his hands on his thighs as he kneeled behind what was left of his precious life-saving dream.  His palms were open, facing upwards, as if still trying to grasp some fleeting notion of what he had lost.  Freyd had never learned the truth about whatever trauma had caused the man to give up on the front lines, but it was clear that he was barely a shadow of himself as a result of it.

"Like you said: we both already knew that.  That doesn't mean I don't regret it."

Quaestor lowered his head, completely and utterly defeated.

"Finish it."

Freyd hesitated, calculating the added weight this would bring.  He didn't want to.  It's only an illusions.  No.  It's a choice.

He brought his sword down, shattering the image into a thousand different shards, instant feeling the added strain.

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:943/1030 | EN:10/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Calamitous Tragedy (x12)): 12 EN - (Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 8 EN

BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (384 + 36 bleed = 420) damage to False Gemini #82. 

False Gemini #82 | HP: 112 | DMG: 150 (112 - 420) (36 bleed, 1/2)

Spoiler

Loot for False Gemini #82 (ID 167621 - LD: 3 + 10 = 13; CD 8):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even CD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd LD)
1x Rare Weapon [167621a]
1x Uncommon Consumable [167621b]
 

[Freyd 0]

The bar vanished around him, along with the last traces of yet another dissipating friend.  Freyd looked down to find his hands shaking.  Damn.  They're getting to me.

The Forest of Memories restored itself around him, trees now full of leaves and pulsing with life.  It was warm.  Birds sang all around and small animals scampered to and fro in large numbers.  It was meant to be summer.  Why did he feel so cold inside?  His concept of self was being repeatedly inverted, then spun around and turned outward again.  It was extremely disorienting, and even cold, reasoning Freyd was struggling to keep his wits firmly about him.  

Maybe that's because you rely on them too much.  You haven't let yourself learn what it means to actually feel... anything.

The reasoning was simple: feelings were an inconsistent and unreliable distraction.  They were best disregarded.  There was no point in learning... so said his armor.

***

Freyd rests (EN recovery 1/2)

Freyd regains 60hp

Spoiler

LD: 19 + 10 = 29.  Advanced Sub-dungeon found. 

Loot

Used Blank T3 dungeon map to record: Advanced dungeon map #167622.

[Freyd 0]

But doubt was nibbling at that armor.  Freyd had spent so long living only in his own mind, and now had experiences beyond that for comparison.  It was a whole new, unfamiliar world, and some... thing... inside him longed to explore it.  

NO!  That way leads to pain.  It leads to confusion and lack of focus.  It is fraught with distractions!  RESOLVE!  We must remain on task.

Perhaps.  Freyd started walking through the woods again.  Had he been standing and fighting in the same place this whole time?  No wonder he didn't seem to be getting anywhere.  It was time to move on.  He needed to find his Gemini... find himself.

Therein lays the greatest peril.  Be wary.  They will appeal to your heart instead of your head.  Passion is a lie, and they will seek to ensnare yours in lieu of reason.

"I am ready."

No, dear Freyd, you most certainly are not.

***

Rest 2/2.  Full energy restored.

Regain 60hp.  Full hp restored.

[Freyd 0]

"You're gonna beat on me too, aren't you?  Why not.  Everyone else always has."

Elora.

She stood before him, spear in hand, but balancing between the fingers of her hands, both fidgeting nervously in front of her.  Who else should appear at a moment of doubt?  

Is that what this is?  Are we accepting that?

"You always struggle with confidence, don't you?"

She blushed, shrinking inwards.  She was a kind soul, but uncertain and insecure.  She was as likely to shut down as to explode if you prodded her, intentionally or otherwise.  There was something ineffably human and real about the woman.  It could be infuriating.  She was so irrational at times.  And yet, he'd felt compelled to keep helping her, despite these challenges.  He'd previously dismissed his actions as investment in a future ally, and she did seem to be growing gradually in prowess and confidence.  There was more too it, though.  Did he simply enjoy her company - her zeal and zaniness? 

Irrational.

No.  Real.

"Quit being a jerk!  If you're gonna stab me then just get it over with!"  The look of hurt and betrayal sent pangs through him that shouldn't have been possible.  Freyd hefted his blade slowly and ominously, as if taking the swing would have irreparable consequences.   Watching her staring up at him with those big green eyes... he wasn't sure he could do it.

But we can.

And the blade came down.

Vanity Tag: @Elora

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:88/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Tempest (x8 AoE Stun +8 for hits): 16 EN – (Rested, Finesse 3) = 12 EN

BD: 7 + 4 = 11 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #85.  Stunned.
BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #86.  Stunned.
BD: 7 + 4 = 11 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #87.  Stunned.
BD: 3 + 4 = 7 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #88.  Stunned.

False Gemini #85 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #86 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #87 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #88 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.

[Freyd 0]

When had he closed his eyes?  These were just duplicates - just mobs with illusory skin.  What did it matter who they look like?  Their entire purpose for existence was to get under your skin and sting you where your feelings were most raw and vulnerable.

We should be immune to this nonsense!

What would it make us if we were?  Who would the monsters truly be?  

"I hate feeling nothing.  It makes me wonder if I have become little more than a mob myself."  His voice was flat, as if it lacked even the ability to evoke or emote any passion.  "I'm as sundered as the Spire, aren't I?"

"Yes, Freyd."  Four wounded and bloodied Eloras surrounded him.  Blood should have been impossible too, under the guise of this system.  "You are broken."  Their eyes glowed red with the same malevolence he had seen in those of his own Gemini and Cardinal's pawns.

"You will always be broken and weak.  I hate yo-"

Raaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhh...

Their images shattered as he struck again.  Their brilliant green motes washed over him like the splatter that had been on their flesh and clothing not a moment earlier.  Somehow, the ears had remained intact as they flew by, taunting him.

The fracture grows.

Vanity Tag: @Elora

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:73/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Calamity Disaster (x12 AoE + 8 for hits): 20 EN - (Rested, Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 15 EN

BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #85.  
BD: 7 + 4 = 11 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #86.  
BD: 4 + 4 = 8 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #87.  
BD: 4 + 4 = 8 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #88.  

False Gemini #85 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #86 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #87 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #88 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 

Spoiler

Loot for False Gemini #85 (ID 167631 - LD: 15 + 10 = 25; CD 1):

2,640 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
4x T3 materials (odd CD & LD)
2x Perfect Consumables [167631a] [167631b]
2x Perfect Armor/Shield [167631c] [167631d]

Loot for False Gemini #86 (ID 167632 - LD: 18 + 10 = 28; CD 5):

6,600 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even LD + [7*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd CD)
3x Perfect Weapons [167632a] [167632b] [167632c]

Loot for False Gemini #87 (ID 167633 - LD: 3 + 10 = 13; CD 8):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even CD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd LD)
1x Rare Weapon [167633a]
1x Uncommon Consumable [167633b]

Loot for False Gemini #88 (ID 167634 - LD: 3 + 10 = 13; CD 2):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even CD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd LD)
1x Rare Trinket [167634]
 

[Freyd 0]

Freyd turned, ready to storm off and put the scene behind him, only to run right into what felt like a solid concrete wall.  Stumbling backwards, then falling onto his backside, he looked up to see a man in gleaming golden plate armor, and a laughingly impractical plumed helmet.  There was no faceplate.  Freyd instantly recognized the hulking figure and his drilling stare.

"MARV!?   What the hell?"

The titanic guardsman glared down at him, his jaw set and steely eyes judging Freyd every error in judgment.  There were so many.  

"How the hell are you even here?  And what gives?  Now's really not a good..."

The very ideal of stoicism, Marv had never moved from his place by the main gates at the Town of Beginnings.  His only actions were to yawn periodically.  But now, he reached out with the massive metal mittens that passed for his hands and pointed, guiding Freyd's gaze to the spot where the last Elora fell.  Something shone on the ground, reflecting the staggered beams of sunlight that danced across the forest floor as the wind danced in the trees above.

Freyd wandered over and kneeled to collect the object: a tarnished copper necklace in the shape of a rose.  It was so heavily oxidized that it had turned completely green.  Even picking it up as gently as he could he felt like his rage overpowered it too. The thing turned to dust in his hand, blowing away on the wind.

"NO!!!"  His eyes turned back to Marv, practically spewing bile in anger.  "Am I not allowed to feel even a single thing?!  EVER?  Is that really too much to ask?"

You know the answer to that.

Marv's stoic silence confirmed his thoughts.  Freyd, irrationally, lashed out.

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:61/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Tempest (x8 AoE Stun +8 for hits): 16 EN – (Rested, Finesse 3) = 12 EN

BD: 5 + 4 = 9 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #89.  Stunned.
BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (256 + 36 bleed = 292) damage to False Gemini #90.  Stunned.
BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (256 + 36 bleed = 292) damage to False Gemini #91.  Stunned.
BD: 4 + 4 = 8 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #92.  Stunned.

False Gemini #89 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #90 | HP: 108 | DMG: 150 (400 - 292) (36 bleed, 1/2) Stunned.
False Gemini #91 | HP: 108 | DMG: 150 (400 - 292) (36 bleed, 1/2) Stunned.
False Gemini #92 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.

[Freyd 0]

Bit by bit, chip by chip, chunk by chunk, Freyd battered and hacked at the giant metal figure before him.  Marv seemed to become more and more a statue the harder he struck.  It was like watching Persi dissolve the boulder all over again, except this time he was breaking down the very walls that he had erected.

"I won't be sealed off any longer, Marv!  I won't simply be this unfeeling, calculating machine any more!  I will live and choose when I want to feel!"

Marv's stern eyes stared at him, unaffected while all of his forms were cut to pieces around him.  His rage finally spent, Freyd looked around him at the strewn debris that had once been his confidant.  His breathing slowed.  Picking up one of the severed statue heads, he patted it softly on the helm.

"I think I owe you a coffee, Marv.  Thanks for letting me get that out.  I needed it more than I realized."

He dropped the thing into the grass as it began to dissolve, turning away as he walked towards the heart of the wood.  Behind him, and looking the other way, Marv's face slowly changed to express a grim but contented smile of someone who had managed to reach a friend in need.
 

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:46/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Calamity Disaster (x12 AoE + 8 for hits): 20 EN - (Rested, Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 15 EN

BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #89.  
BD: 4 + 4 = 8 (hit).  Freyd deals (288 + 36 bleed = 324) damage to False Gemini #91.  
BD: 3 + 4 = 7 (hit).  Freyd deals (288 + 36 bleed = 324) damage to False Gemini #92.  
BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #93.  

False Gemini #89 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #90 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (108 - 324) (36 bleed, 2/2) 
False Gemini #91 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (108 - 324) (36 bleed, 2/2) 
False Gemini #92 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 

Spoiler

Loot for False Gemini #89 (ID 167643 - LD: 11 + 10 = 21; CD 11):

4,840 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [5*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
4x T3 materials (odd CD & LD)
1x Perfect Trinket [167643]

Loot for False Gemini #90 (ID 167644 - LD: 2 + 10 = 12; CD 10):

5,280 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [4*hp] from even CD & LD + [2*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
1x Rare Armor/Shield [167644]

Loot for False Gemini #91 (ID 167645 - LD: 12 + 10 = 22; CD 6):

4,400 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [4*hp] from even CD & LD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
1x Perfect Armor/Shield [167645a]
2x Perfect Consumables [167645b] [167645c]

Loot for False Gemini #92 (ID 167646 - LD: 14 + 10 = 24; CD 6):

7,480 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [4*hp] from even CD & LD + [7*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
3x Perfect Weapons [167646a] [167646b] [167646c]
 

[Freyd 0]

Freyd slumped against a nearby tree, sliding down the trunk until he was seated on its roots.  He felt utterly mentally drained.  While the Gemini waged war externally, his inner selves were conflicted over too many lingering issues.  Discord was spreading, making it hard to focus.  What did he want, anymore?  What were his goals?  Was escape from Aincrad really enough, even if it was just for everyone else?  That was his goal for everyone else, but what about himself?  

"I want to feel human again."  He'd actually managed to say it out loud.  The internal conflict raged eternally, but the small voice inside his heart had struggled for over a decade to give them voice.

That will less loose the monster again.  You cannot control it.  This is necessary.

He placed his head in his hands, his mind threatening to split itself in two over this ceaseless conflict.

"No.  You're not listening.  I choose to feel human again.  It is not negotiable." 

Unacceptable.  We are resolved.

***

Freyd rests (EN recovery 1/2)

Freyd regains 60hp

[Freyd 0]

"Damn you and damn your resolve.  I'm not sitting in the dark any longer."

Like the Gemini?  Did it not emerge precisely because of this sort of thinking?  Does it not remain a threat?  Do you not remain a threat?

"I... don't know."

Then be silent.  We will see things through.  You are not capable.

"Then I accept the risk of failure."

Accepting failure is unacceptable.  It is wasteful and irrational.  Its outcomes would be unpredictable.  Be silent.

"You cannot silence me any longer."

We can, and we will, for your own good.  Another focus must be found for humanity's passions.  We will let it channel such foolishness, freeing us to work in the shadows.

"You... sound just like Cardinal."

It is efficient and worthy of emulation.

"..."

Be silent.  The final challenges and rewards await.  We must negotiate these last encounters carefully.

Freyd had been standing idle in the clearing for several minutes, debate raging internally for dominance.  But the two perspectives vying for control could hardly be described as evenly matched, and the cold reasoning machine remained ascendant.  

***

Rest 2/2.  Full energy restored.

Regain 60hp.  Full hp restored.

[Freyd 0]

"So, you actually made it this far."  The voices echoed simultaneously from all around.  One was that of a youthful boy with a slight British accent.  The other was deep beyond reckoning  and reverberated with ominous overtones.  Billy and Cardinal had returned as one.

Only two figures emerged both identical copies of the youth Freyd knew as Billy.  The first was the merchant trainer NPC from his experiences during the Earning a Living quest. His appearance was that of an enterprising, bubbly street urching, pulling every scam and cheat necessary to try and get ahead.  He had a goofy grin with several missing teeth and a perpetual shit-eating grin on his face that made him as endearing as he was untrustworthy.  They'd had a few disputes over the business of business during their first encounter, but managed to find some common ground.

The second 'Billy' was more commonly known as Hermes, complete with toga, winged sandals and cap, plus an over-abundance of gold chains slung around his neck.  The pair of black sunglasses he wore completed the ensemble.  Save the improved personal hygiene and complete set of chompers, he looked identical to his other self.  

Notable hovering behind each was a dark shadow with glowing red eyes, moving independently of the form that had spawned them.  Cardinal - or at least the malevolent creatures he had come to recognize as its incarnation.

"Intervention is unnecessary.  Our goals are not opposed."

"Eh?  You wanna strike a deal."  The street urchin Billy seemed both confused and genuinely interested.

"Ignore him, kid.  Freyd here's a wily one.  They're always some angle at play, isn't there?"  Hermes floated up into the air, carried by the flapping of his sandals, so that he could look Freyd in the eyes.  Lifting his shades, his gleaming red eyes matched those of the two shadows and pierced into Freyd, looking for answers.

"Oh, yes.  I see.  This could be quite entertaining.  But you need to sweeten the deal."

"How?"

"I want what's left of that shriveled soul you have inside, when the deed is done."

"We have yet to establish a suitable candidate.  It could take-"

"Oh, don't worry Takeshi."  Hermes patted Freyd's face gently in a very un-reassuring manner.  "I've already got that covered."

"NOOOOOO!!!"  Freyd's facial features distorted as the telltale soul sought to fight for its survival, asserting itself long enough to venture a quick sword strike.

Vanity Tag: @Mari

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:88/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Tempest (x8 AoE Stun +8 for hits): 16 EN – (Rested, Finesse 3) = 12 EN

BD: 4 + 4 = 8 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #93.  Stunned.
BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #94.  Stunned.
BD: 8 + 4 = 12 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #95.  Stunned.
BD: 10 (Crit +2, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (256 + 36 bleed = 292) damage to False Gemini #96.  Stunned.

False Gemini #93 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #94 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #95 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #96 | HP: 108 | DMG: 150 (400 - 292) (36 bleed, 1/2) Stunned.

[Freyd 0]

The outburst was enough to catch his enemies off guard and prevent any immediate reprisal.  Sensing that time was against him, the human aspects of Freyd fought to prevent a terrifying alliance from forming against its will.  

"I will get them all out, Cardinal!  Every last one will be placed beyond your reach, and you will have failed!"

He slashed furiously, offering no reprieve as he struck with a relentless berserker rage fueled by the last inklings of passion left behind by his wayward Gemini.

'That stubborn and selfish fool,' Freyd swore to himself,  'he may have doomed us just to prove some idiotic, childish point.  I am SO going to kick his ass when I find him.'

"If you find him, Takeshi.  Only if."  A final brutal strike shattered Hermes' form, Billy and their shadows having already fallen.  A deep rumbling laugh rang out around him as the Leisure Suit Larry of the Greek pantheon dissipated at his feet.  Around him, the forest had disappeared, save for a single cavernous cave mouth.  Could it actually be the route out of this hell?

Vanity Tag: @Mari

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:73/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Calamity Disaster (x12 AoE + 8 for hits): 20 EN - (Rested, Finesse 3, Turn Recovery) = 15 EN

BD: 8 + 4 = 12 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #93.  
BD: 2 + 4 = 6 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #94.  
BD: 7 + 4 = 11 (hit).  Freyd deals 288 damage to False Gemini #95.  
BD: 9 (Crit +1, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (372 + 36 bleed = 408) damage to False Gemini #96.

False Gemini #93 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #94 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288) 
False Gemini #95 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (208 - 288)  
False Gemini #96 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 (108 - 408) (36 bleed, 1/2) 

Spoiler

Loot for False Gemini #93 (ID 167655 - LD: 2 + 10 = 12; CD 1):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even LD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd CD)
1x Rare Trinket [167655]

Loot for False Gemini #94 (ID 167656 - LD: 19 + 10 = 29; CD 12):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even CD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd LD)
[F22] Map of Intermediate Dungeon [167656]

Loot for False Gemini #95 (ID 167657 - LD: 16 + 10 = 26; CD 6):

7,480 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [4*hp] from even CD & LD + [7*hp] from loot roll) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
3x Perfect Weapons [167657a] [167657b] [167657c]

Loot for False Gemini #96 (ID 167658 - LD: 17 + 10 = 27; CD 4):

3,520 col ([6*hp] base & prosperity III + [2*hp] from even CD) +10% from Col Stash & Col Deposit
2x T3 materials (odd LD)
2x Perfect Consumables [167658a] [167658b]
2x Perfect Armor/Shield [167658c] [167658d]
 

[Freyd 0]

From the mouth of cave emerged a solitary figure, shorter than himself and shimmering with an unexpected inner warmth.  

"No shit?  Orange!?  How the heck does any of that make....HNNNNG."  Freyd collapsed, grasping his head as if it would someone keep it from exploding as his other self shunted that fledging soul back into its cage.  

"Orange!  Run!  Get the hell away from me before...... AAARRrgggghhh!"  His fists slammed into the ground, the last of his control wrested from him.  A cold and calculating mien steeled itself over his face.  Freyd would wipe away any lingering traces of Takeshi Sanamoto soon enough, and apparently this woman held the key.  What little they knew about her was enough to mark her as a dangerous foe, but there were connections enough existing already to build a plan.

"You're in my way."  He spoke, bluntly raising his sword to threaten her.  

"How terrible for you," she taunted back, leaning against her spear.  "Sounds like you've got a few screws loose there, but I'm A-Freyd I left my toolkit at home."

"You forget, Mari.  In here, you're no more dangerous than the rest of these shadows.  Don't worry though.  We'll be seeing the real you, soon enough."  

Vanity Tag: @Mari

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows | HP:1030/1030 | EN:63/100 | DMG:24 | MIT:64 | EVA:4 | ACC:4 | HLY:6 | BLD:36 | LD 10 | Prosperity 3

Tempest (x8 AoE Stun +6 for hits): 14 EN – (Rested, Finesse 3) = 10 EN

BD: 9 (Crit +1, Holy 6, Bleed 36).  Freyd deals (248 + 36 bleed = 284) damage to False Gemini #97.  Stunned.
BD: 6 + 4 = 10 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #98.  Stunned.
BD: 5 + 4 = 9 (hit).  Freyd deals 192 damage to False Gemini #99.  Stunned.
BD: 1 (miss).  Freyd misses False Gemini #100.

MD: 5 - 4 = 1 (miss).  False Gemini #100 misses Freyd.

False Gemini #97 | HP: 116 | DMG: 150 (400 - 284) (36 bleed, 1/2) Stunned.
False Gemini #98 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #99 | HP: 208 | DMG: 150 (400 - 192) Stunned.
False Gemini #100 | HP: 400 | DMG: 150