[OP - F01] Link Re-Start

[Bahr 0]

Spoiler

STATS

LEVEL - 32
PARAGON LEVEL - 50
HP - 880
EN - 122
DMG - 20
MIT - 78
ACC - 4
EVA - 3
STEALTH - 4
FALLEN - 8
BLEED - 48
BURN - 56
BLIGHT - 32 | (-20)
BH - 44
HB - 17

SKILLS

COMBAT SKILLS
» BATTLE HEALING R5
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ WHILE IN COMBAT, USER HEALS FOR 5% (44 HP) OF THEIR MAX HP EACH TURN
» ENERGIST
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +20 EN

EXTRA SKILLS
» CONCENTRATION
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ GAIN ABSOLUTE ACCURACY ON NEXT ATTACK
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 5 TURNS
» DISGUISE
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN
     ➥ MINOR CRITICALS DO NOT AUTOHIT DURING DURATION
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 5 TURNS
» MEDITATION
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ RECOVER AN ADDITIONAL 16 ENERGY
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
» FORGOTTEN KING'S AUTHORITY
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ DISPEL ANY DISABLING EFFECTS ON THE USER
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 7 TURNS
          ➥ COST: 5 EN
» PHOTOSYNTHESIZE
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ IMPROVE THE EFFECTS OF ANY HEALING THE USER DOES (DISREGARDING PASSIVE) UNTIL START OF NEXT TURN BY 20%
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 5 TURNS
          ➥ COST: 5 EN
» ASSAULT MODE
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ SWITCH ACCURACY AND EVASION VALUES UNTIL START OF NEXT TURN
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 4 TURNS
          ➥ COST: 5 EN
» FROZEN HIDE
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ APPLY ONE SLOT OF FROST AURA AND ONE SLOT OF FROST THORNS EQUAL TO TIER OF USER UNTIL START OF NEXT TURN
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 4 TURNS
          ➥ COST: 5 EN
» HIDING R5
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +5 STEALTH

COMBAT MASTERY
» DAMAGE R3
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +12 DMG

WEAPON SKILLS
» STRAIGHT SWORD R5
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +7 DMG WHEN STRAIGHT SWORD IS EQUIPPED
          ➥ STAMINA ADDON: REDUCES EN EXPENDITURE OF ALL ATTACKS BY 2
          ➥ PRECISION ADDON: +1 ACC
          ➥ FOCUS ADDON: REDUCES CRITICAL HIT AND DOT THRESHOLDS BY 1

ARMOR SKILLS
» LIGHT ARMOR R5
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +30 MIT
     ➥ -2 STEALTH
          ➥ RESOLVE ADDON: +1 ACC AND +40 HP WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR

COMBAT SHIFT
» ST SPECIALIST
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ ST-I, ST-II, AND ST-B ENHANCED
          ➥ +3 TO MULTIPLIERS
          ➥ +2 TO EN EXPENDITURE

MODS
» BATTLE HEALING MOD: EMERGENCY RECOVERY
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ NON-FATAL DAMAGE THAT LEAVES USER BELOW 25% OF THEIR MAX HP ACTIVATES A 10% OF MAX HP REPLENISHMENT AFTER ATTACK RESOLVES
     ➥ CANNOT APPLY MORE THAN ONCE PER THREAD
» HIDING MOD: UNTRACEABLE
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ NEGATES THE EFFECTS OF TRACKING SKILL AGAINST THE USER
» HIDING MOD: BLINDSIDE
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 STEALTH
     ➥ NATURAL BD ROLLS OF 9-10 REDUCE TARGET'S ACC BY -1 WHEN ATTACKING FROM STEALTH
» HIDING MOD: VANISH
     ➥ POST/FREE ACTION
     ➥ ALLOWS USER TO ENTER STEALTH DURING COMBAT
          ➥ CAN ACTIVATE AS REACTIVE FREE ACTION UPON COMPLETING LAST HIT AGAINST A FOE
          ➥ COST: 5 EN
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
               ➥ COOLDOWN BEGINS UPON EXITING STEALTH
» HIDING MOD: SURPRISE ATTACK (TRICKSTER)
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ ATTACKS MADE FROM STEALTH CANNOT MISS
     ➥ ATTACKS MADE FROM STEALTH REDUCE FINAL DMG BY 50% AND AUTOMATICALLY APPLY ALL STATUS EFFECTS
          ➥ COST: 8 EN

EQUIPMENT

WEAPON
» [EQUIPPED] "FORGOTTEN KING'S SPITE" - STRAIGHT SWORD (T4 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ FALLEN
          ➥ +8 TO BASE DAMAGE ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 6-8
     ➥ BLEED
          ➥ DEALS 48 UNMITIGATABLE DMG FOR TWO TURNS ON NATURAL CRITICAL HITS
     ➥ BURN
          ➥ DEALS 56 UNMITIGATABLE DMG FOR TWO TURNS ON NATURAL CRITICAL HITS
     ➥ BLIGHT
          ➥ DEALS 32 UNMITIGATABLE DMG FOR TWO TURNS ON NATURAL CRITICAL HITS
          ➥ BLIGHT-AFFLICTED TARGETS SUFFER -20 MIT PENALTY DURING STATUS DURATION

ARMOR
» [EQUIPPED] "BLOODSTAINED COAT" - LIGHT ARMOR (T4 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +48 MIT
     ➥ +1 EVA
     ➥ HOLY BLESSING
          ➥ AFTER TAKING DAMAGE, USER HEALS 2% (17 HP) OF MAX HP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FOLLOWING TURN

TRINKET
» [EQUIPPED] "EAGLE'S EYE" - TRINKET (T1 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +2 EVA
     ➥ +2 ACC

FAMILIAR
» [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS - RENDING FAMILIAR FAMILIAR
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ USER AND FAMILIAR ATTACK IN TANDEM, DEALING REND [28 UNMITIGATABLE DMG] TO THE TARGET THAT LASTS 2 TURNS
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 5 TURNS

Sunken within himself, submerged beneath the tumultuous ferocity of his own subconscious, Bahr had lost touch with any perception of reality - real or virtual. Shapes and hues, sounds and scents, the steady march of time, even physical touch was beyond his perception. He was similarly hollowed of conscious thought in this senseless state, drifting endlessly in a state devoid of ego or separation between 'him' and 'the other.' Just as a rock didn't know it was a rock, and a tree didn't know it was a tree, Bahr didn't know who or what he was. Just another bundle of rendered particles, intermixing with other particles, each individually making up the macro scale of the environment within which he resided. There was no telling how long he had been here like this. He hadn't given it much thought. Couldn't have given it any thought. But as time took its toll, and the days turned to weeks, and the weeks to months, even this mindless husk would begin to feel disturbed by the true nature of its reality.

Snippets of consciousness gradually slipped from the aether back into the Zeitgeist. It started with sound. Horrific, stomach-churning noises. Scratching. Gnawing. Scuttling. The rapping of exoskeleton appendages against some sort of solid surface. He could hear them. Whatever they were. Moving, hissing, feasting. On what, he had no idea. Even still, without the use of his other faculties, the grim nature of the situation didn't dawn upon him by sound alone.

Next came smell. A grotesque amalgamation of the most vile and putrid odors known to man. As unrelenting as it was thick and pervasive, seemingly permeating his every pore and soaking into his very being. It would be nauseating, if he knew what that meant. Unpleasant, though, he could understand by now. Taste came along shortly thereafter, only intensifying the discomfort brought upon him by his returning sense of smell. Now, not only could he smell the horror of his environment, he could taste it.

Later on, sight returned. Though, he didn't notice so at first. There was admittedly a difference between seeing darkness and seeing nothing at all, but that difference was difficult to discern in his current state of mind. Blackness surrounded him, preventing him from examining the creatures he was certain surrounded him. To make matters worse, there was no variety of perspective to behold. His eyes seemed affixed in one position, lazily opened, peering directly forward into the shadows. Not that he had the wherewithall to adjust his view, anyway. He hadn't the slightest inkling that his eyes were the reason that he could see, or that he even had eyes. Only that he could see.

Weeks into this gradual revival, the sensation of touch suddenly scorched from his core outward, lighting his nerves ablaze and imposing their jarring influence upon his psyche. The shock was enough to awaken his mind, snapping him from whatever trance-like state he'd found himself in before. All at once, the senses clicked together into a single, coherent system, and the being that was Bahr was officially reborn. He felt them crawling on him; the nameless, faceless creatures that had haunted his other senses for what felt like eons. Their insidious influence was all that he knew, and while before he'd been remarkably indifferent toward them, his newfound consciousness made way for a single, passionate emotion.

Raw, unbridled fear. 

Where in the fuck was he? What were these things? And why was it that he still couldn't move? Not so much as a flicker of the eyes, or the slight curl of a finger could be managed. Despite all senses having returned, he still found himself utterly and completely paralyzed. Was he even sure that he could move, if he wanted to? Had he ever moved before? How did he know he wasn't just another rock, or tree, or inanimate object? Maybe his existence was some freak accident, a glitch of nature which gave rise to the horrifying reality he now suffered. He didn't even know what he was. Would he be forced to endure this for all eternity?

Only trusting his instincts would help. Slowly, the cacophony of voices that filled his mind made way for a single one. The one that felt the most familiar. The one that felt most like 'him.' How can I even be sure that this is me? he wondered, stopping himself almost immediately afterward at the absurdity of his own inquiry. Instincts. Right... So, what was it that his instincts were telling him to do?

On my authority...

...
 

Forgotten King's Authority activated.

In a blinding flash, Bahr's entire body lit up, illuminating the cavernous space he'd spent untold lengths of time hidden within. Likewise, the creatures he'd come to know as the only other living beings in existence were revealed through the dazzling burst of light, hissing as they receded from the harsh disruption to their natural habitat. Hideous, multi-legged creatures with no faces, and no other defining characteristics. Rotten to the core, unsettling in every possible way. Blights upon reality. Monsters that needed to be exterminated.

Whatever that light had been, it made him mobile. Though stiff, he was eventually able to sit up, and then even stand, though his shaky legs and even shakier equilibrium threatened to seat him once again at any given moment. As he struggled to his feet, he could hear the monsters scuttling about him. Encroaching, hissing, threatening. He could feel their malice crawling up his spine. Instinctively, he reached for his blade, its sheath sliding with a familiar shwing as it loosed its deadly weapon from its clutches. 

Feels light, he caught himself thinking, without really even knowing what that meant, or what he was comparing it to.

On pure reaction, Bahr swung the blade in a wide arc in front of him, the metal combusting and catching ablaze as it divided the air it cut through. The brief light once again spurred the angered beasts into instinctively receding from him, hissing menacingly as they dipped back into the shadows beyond the flame's influence. There were too many of them. Even the freshly born Bahr could see that. And while his instincts told him to escape at any cost, he couldn't discern an exit strategy from what little he'd seen of the cave so far. He swung the sword again, and again, each small blaze illuminating the space and pushing the blackness back a bit further. 

While he couldn't make out an exit, what he did notice was the creatures were less and less dissuaded from approaching with each ignition of the blade. They encircled him from all sides, each brief interlude of light revealing their position to be closer and closer to his. Backed into an unfamiliar corner with 'fight' or 'die' being seemingly his only two options, he instinctively sprang for the former. He lunged forward, blade vibrating with crimson intensity as a high-pitched whine pierced through the noise of the monsters' relentless hissing. In a wide arc, the weapon tore through a collection of the hapless vermin like a hot knife through butter. He would see the creatures reel back and pause, their silhouettes adopting an azure glow before bursting into clouds of crystalline mist. 

Faster than Bahr's brain could make sense of what it was witnessing, he felt his body pivot and let loose another strike at the mobs who had lunged toward his back after his previous attack. The blade adopted the same glow, emitted the same high-pitched whine, and dispatched the airborne collection of foes in much the same manner as the first. And as their bodies disintegrated, Bahr's didn't stop. Through pure instinct and panic alone, he loosed an incredible volley of strikes at a pace that surprised even himself, countless of the insect-like creature's bursting into azure dust with each slice of his greedy blade. 

Eventually, the onslaught started to become too much for him, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he couldn't keep up any longer. There was a seemingly limitless supply of the monsters that assaulted him, with no clear end to their rage in sight. As an evasive measure, he leapt backward, over a mob that had lunged at him from behind, grabbing the creature by one of its appendages and slamming it into a nearby wall. It dissolved, same as the others before it, but not before knocking loose a rock that clattered from the roof of the cavern, down the slope of rubble from whence it came, before resting on the floor.

Through the cavity left in its absence, light shone through. I small, solitary pillar of illumination. But enough to show Bahr that there was indeed a way out. And, more importantly, shed light upon his adversaries without needing to spark the air with the use of his sword. He dove headlong back into the horde, this time focusing on turning the beasts into kinetic weapons as opposed to simply dicing them up, grabbing and hurtling as many of them toward the same wall as before. With his remaining time to avoid certain death still evaporating, and the light-exposing cavity ever widening as more and more rocks tumbled from its maw, Bahr seized his opportunity. A full on body check into the wall, with enough inertia to break through and emerge into whatever lie beyond.

Had he the time to marvel at the exquisite wonder that awaited him outside the confines of his prison, he most certainly would have. Lush, rolling fields. Endless azure sky. Fluffy white and goldenrod clouds that filled the expanse. Vegetation. Fauna. Space. Everything he had no idea even existed, yet felt like home anyhow. And as the fresh air filled his nostrils, and the cool breeze washed over his frame, for an instant he nearly forgot about the harrowing experience he'd just escaped.

Only, he hadn't escaped. While it was true he'd been freed from the cavern, so too had his pursuers, who even as the realization dawned on him were scuttling out of the hole like a colony of ants ready to protect their hill. Without a second thought, Bahr swung the blade at the stone directly above the entrance, aiming to free more rock to fill the cavity and lock them inside. But rather than sink its teeth into the material and cut it loose, it simply bounced back with a harsh twang that reverberated through his core, and a populated sign that heralded the stone's immortal status.

Then how in the hell did the cave-in happen in the first place!? he chided internally, redirecting his ire to the first wave of monsters that had emerged from the cave and dispatching them with a swipe of his blade. Now able to clearly see them in the plain daylight, Bahr was free to pursue more direct avenues of aggression, such as running straight up to and punting one of the creatures back toward the wall. Miraculously, as it made contact, it loosed some of the rocks from above and collapsed the cavity that had been created, crushing any scuttlers that were attempting to escape their prison before them could break free. A few stragglers remained, but were cleaned up quickly, Spite ripping through them in a matter of seconds now that their brethren were locked away and unable to support them.

When it was all finally over, he collapsed backward into the lush grass, his sword falling to the wayside as he let its hilt slip from his grasp. He heaved heavy breaths, half of relief, half of residual terror. And as the calm finally sank in, he found his mind returning to the questions he'd neglected to answer, or even ask, since he'd woken up. Who was he? What was he? Try as he might, he couldn't rationalize any of it. The only memories he had were of his senses returning one by one, that cave, those horrible monsters, and his escape. Nothing else existed.
 

Your location data is now visible to other Players.

The sign populated out of nowhere, prompting a flinch from Bahr, who swiftly sat up and swatted the menu away before he'd fully read it. Now in an upright position, he allowed his eyes to drift to his body. His feet, legs, torso, arms and hands. Fingers. Fingernails. Immaculate detail he was unaware existed until that very moment. Though, none of it looked familiar. And as those eyes drifted over the fields, he could see others in the distance who shared these features. Arms, legs, hands. Heads, which he hadn't seen yet. Bodies, just like his. Which meant, he must have had a head, too. Why couldn't he see it?

He shook his head, leaning back into the grass and rubbing his temples. Just... what in the hell had happened?

Edited March 14, 2022 by Bahr

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar’s fixation with insignificant things was not something he ever considered to be unhealthy. By no means did he view himself as a philosopher; however, he relished the act of thought. The seed that was an individual idea or belief could, with time, develop into a theory. Theories lead to innovations and innovations to more ideas. An endless cycle of thinking and learning.

That’s not to say all of Morningstar’s thoughts were rational. He basked in the sun’s angelic glow as he so often did on his days off. The existence of it puzzled him. If there was a sun, as well as other stars, then what about planets? Asteroids? Hell, how much of outer space, if any, had been included in the game? More accurately, he wanted to know what would happen if he flew into the sky and never stopped. He flopped back, shutting his eyes to block out the brightness. He yearned for it; the chance to see outside of the steel cage that contained him.

Periodically, he pulled bits of grass out from the ground and tossed them into the air. Time seemed to slow down as the pieces floated back to him. The words of a friend echoed in his head like a harsh melody. He tried desperately to escape them but they always returned. A recurring nightmare.

“I have a brain tumor, Star.”

What would happen if he flew into the sky and never stopped?

"Doctor told me I had two years to live but it’s been nine and I’m still kicking.”

Would he escape or crash back down?

“Do you see why I’m scared?”

The bits of grass landed on Morningstar’s chest. He jolted up and, in frustration, tossed a handful that he had ripped from the ground. It moved a few feet at most. The fields were chartreuse in the sun’s illumination. He stared, wide-eyed, at nothing in particular. While he sat still, his mind ran circles around the tune that looped in his head. It was a grave concerto; him versus his thoughts.

Perhaps his fixation was not always healthy after all.

Morningstar questioned Elwood’s decision to break the news so late into their friendship. On the contrary, part of him wished that he had never been told at all. He wiped his eyes with the side of his hand, tears beginning to form.

He hated crying. The vulnerability of it made him uncomfortable even in the absence of spectators. Despite being alone, he forced back the urge to let out his emotions. He swished his hand lethargically and a screen opened in front of his face. His fingers danced over it until eventually, he reached his friends list. Elwood’s name was there and his location was still available. Morningstar was unsure of what he would do if it were to disappear.

A barrage of noise to his left startled him, silencing his thoughts. Shades of blue floated upwards, signifying the death of something—a mob, he assumed. A player dropped to the ground next to it. Morningstar didn’t move at first. Instead, he observed from his seated position. He half expected the player to die but after a minute his body was still there. Morningstar lifted himself from his sorrowful state, beginning to jog towards the scene. It was possible that he could lend a hand.

“Everything okay?” He asked the stranger.

Spoiler

Morningstar | Lv. 16 | HP: 320/320 | EN: 50/50 | DMG: 11 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 24

Gear:

• Beginner's Straight Sword | Uncommon
  +1 DMG
• Beginner's Light Armor | Uncommon
  +9 MIT
• Lexa's Light | Perfect
  +3 ACC

Skills:

• Two-Handed Straight Sword | Rank 5 | Precision | Stamina | Ferocity
  +9 DMG
  +1 ACC
  -2 ENG per attack
• Light Armor | Rank 3
  +15 MIT
  -1 Stealth

Combat Shift:

• TECH Specialist
  +4 to multipliers
  +3 to ENG cost

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by Morningstar

[Bahr 0]

"Everything okay?"

Somehow, Bahr had completely neglected the clomping of the approaching stranger's feet against the soil. The intrusion of his voice zapped through Bahr's senses like a jolt of electricity, spurring him to spring to his feet and leap away. His body, having seemingly acted of its own accord during the whole ordeal, also managed to snag hold of is idle sword in the grass when he rose from his prone position. He rose the tip of Forgotten King's Spite toward the mysterious fellow, less a threat than a promise that he would feel its wrath should he not obey the following command.

"Not another step!" he bellowed, his voice's baritone doing well to mask the pants-shitting fear he was experiencing. So far, the only living creatures he'd come into contact with had tried to eat him alive. How was he to expect that this thing wouldn't do the same?

Crimson hues darted frantically across the fellow's figure, coming to rest against the namesake hovering idly above his head. Morningstar. The fuck is a Morningstar? There was a number next to it. Sixteen. Not a threat, he heard his inner voice say. But how did he know that?

"W-who are you? What are you?" he stammered, demanding the man somehow make sense of the situation for him. When met with the man's puzzled gaze, he shook the sword. "Answer me!"

[Morningstar 0]

The suddenness of the situation frightened Morningstar. His hand dipped low to the hilt of his blade but he did not draw it. He stared down the length of the stranger's sword, holding his hand out as if to say 'hold on a minute'. He listened to the man's request—actually, it was more of an order—and stopped in his tracks.

Was this a mistake? Had he been fooled by a lone Player Killer? His eyes darted up to the man's cursor to confirm its colour. It was green. Could it have been a misunderstanding? Internally, he told himself to calm down. Adrenaline had taken control by this point and it took everything he had to hold back his panic.

"W-who are you? What are you?"

What was he? The question confused Morningstar. He stared at the man, a puzzled expression plastered on his face. He had a name but beyond that, he was just another person. He took a second to come up with a response but was quickly interrupted.

"Answer me!"

"What the hell am I supposed to say to that—a human?" he shouted back. "My name is Morningstar and I mean no harm."

[Bahr 0]

"What the hell am I supposed to say to that—a human?"

Human.

The word played through Bahr's mind on repeat like a scratched record. It sounded familiar enough. Human. He supposed it was possible that this man - and by extension, Bahr himself - were human. Human. Weird word. But it made sense. Sorta.

"My name is Morningstar and I mean no harm."

The statement seemed true enough. If anything, Bahr was the more threatening of the two in this situation. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly lowered the blade, keeping a wary eye on the stranger - er, "Morningstar" that stood before him.

"I'm..."

Who was he again? He hadn't given it much thought yet. His palm met with his forehead, fingers lacing between strands of unkempt hair as he tried to remember. 

"I don't remember. I don't know who I am."

Blood flushed his cheeks as he realized how ridiculous he must have sounded. He didn't know anything.

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar relaxed at the sight of the lowered sword. What was going on?

The distressed expression on his face, the fumble for words—he was telling the truth, it just didn't make sense. His name dangled from nothing above his head. Could he really not know his own name? It sounded absurd; he never would have believed it if he hadn't witnessed how the player acted. Morningstar lifted his hand from his blade handle.

"I guess, for starters, your name is Bahr."

Bahr's questions bothered Morningstar. Not knowing his own identity was one thing but why ask what Morningstar was? He was like a newborn baby with the reflexes of a master swordsman. His amber eyes traced over the man and a thought struck him.

Was it possible to lose memories in a video game? Within the virtual world, it seemed unlikely that an injury could cause such a thing. What about outside, though? In the real world.

"Your level's pretty high. You must know someone else in the game, right?"

It was a stupid question, he thought. If he couldn't remember himself then how could he remember his friends?

[Bahr 0]

"I guess, for starters, your name is Bahr."

Upon hearing the word 'Bahr,' snippets of audio flooded the swordsman's mind. A multilayered cacophony of voices, each whispering his name over and over. He could tell he'd heard it before, but couldn't tell where. He buried his hand further into his hair, absently grasping at it as the noise consumed him, growing ever louder until his expression had contorted into one of confusion and anguish.

"Your level's pretty high. You must know someone else in the game, right?"

Morningstar's voice broke the spell, jostling Bahr free of the ghostly murmurs. 

"Game?"

He lowered his hand and scrunched the bridge of his nose, gawking at the man with indignant confusion. The body language would suggest that Morningstar had been stupid for suggesting they were playing a game - though, it was true that Bahr didn't have any way of knowing whether it was the truth or not. 

Level?

Yet again, Bahr seemed to be at a disadvantage. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Things hadn't quite been 'right' since he'd woken up. Though, he had no memory of what 'right' was meant to feel like. Whatever was right, wrong, up or down about it, Bahr had difficulty believing that all of this was just some sort of fabrication. 

"... Okay, okay, let's say we wereplaying a game," Bahr began, "Then I suppose I would be able to do something like this, risk free." He rose the sword and placed its blade against his open palm, dashing a slice clean across it. But when the thin red line left behind didn't bleed and, even stranger, didn't hurt, even he, in this infantile state, knew that things weren't adding up.

"What... the hell?"

Again, he shot Morningstar a puzzled look. 

"I don't understand."

Edited March 17, 2022 by Bahr

[Morningstar 0]

The blade slid across the man's hand, leaving a crimson trail of pixels behind it. It was obvious that he had expected himself to bleed. Morningstar's face shifted from confusion to worry. Bahr really knew nothing. Nine years of whatever life he had lived before were gone like smoke. He cleared his throat, pondering the best place to start. The beginning, he supposed.

"This is a video game. Everyone playing is stuck here until we can beat it. You don't bleed or feel much pain but if you die within the game, it's over; you die outside too."

That was the gist of it. He left his explanation brief, hoping to avoid overloading Bahr with information. Morningstar glanced around but nobody else seemed to take notice of the situation. If they had, they didn't appear to care. He scratched his neck, unsure of where to go from here. 

Morningstar enjoyed puzzles. There was a profound satisfaction that he experienced after solving one. The harder the puzzle, the more entertainment he gained from it. This was different. It wasn't like the games he was used to. It was a possibly unsolvable mystery involving the life of another person and that overwhelmed him.

"I don't know who you are or how I can help," he began, shaking his head, "but I can try."

Every time he thought things couldn't get worse, the world proved him wrong. On top of everything, an unsolvable puzzle was thrown in his path.

"We should go somewhere else, though. A safezone, maybe."

[Bahr 0]

"This is a video game. Everyone playing is stuck here until we can beat it. You don't bleed or feel much pain but if you die within the game, it's over; you die outside too."

Preposterous. Trapped in a game? The man was clearly lying.

Yet, there were a few things that Bahr was struggling to explain. The fact that his hand did not bleed, the wall that rejected damage from his blade, slain monsters that leave no bodies, and the fact that his hand would not bleed. There was also floating, descriptive imagery around everything if he looked hard enough. Morningstar himself was titled, and even seemed to have a visible level. Apparently, Bahr had similar imagery hovering above his head, along with a strange crystal to accompany the one the man before him had adorned.
 

"I don't know who you are or how I can help, but I can try. We should go somewhere else, though. A safezone, maybe."

"Yeah... Okay."

- - -

As they wandered, Bahr could see a large civilization of some sort forming on the horizon. It seemed like a massive, walled town. He wasn't sure exactly what it was meant to be, but he surmised that that was going to be their destination. 

"So, there, then?" he inquired, pointing ahead to the Town of Beginnings. "And it's safe there?"

[Morningstar 0]

The Town of Beginnings—a place Morningstar had mixed feelings about. The busy streets, the loud districts. The whole town brought back memories, both good and bad. Images of the house he'd once intended on purchasing flooded his mind. He wondered if anyone had purchased it in the last year. He hadn't checked.

"Yeah, it's a safezone. Nobody can die or be injured within the walls. It's called the Town of Beginnings. It's where we all started. I've got to be honest, though, it feels weird explaining this," Morningstar said.

The tall walls loomed over the two players as they stepped through the wide gate. Even so close to the entrance, dozens stood by, idly chatting between each other. Their levels varied significantly; some were frontlines-ready and others looked as if they'd never stepped outside of the town.

"A lot of people stayed here when the game began. Dying's scary and accidents happen out there," he said, pointing behind them.

- - -

Cautiously, Morningstar pushed open the door to a café—one of the larger establishments around. The more people, he thought, the less of a chance they'd be noticed. He glanced around himself before entering, gesturing for Bahr to follow.

Uncertainty and distrust followed the blonde, even into the safezone. He'd only assumed that Bahr was telling the truth. Really, he was only half sure. If he was, then who else knew? He took a seat at an empty table in the back.

"An NPC will come around soon and take our order. You're free to order whatever you feel like off the menu—it's on me," Morningstar looked into the crowd and then back at Bahr. "Do you remember anything at all? From before we met, I mean."

[Bahr 0]

"An... NPC?"

Even Bahr found his own lack of vernacular understanding nearly laughable. Morningstar kept using words like this so flippantly. "Safezone," "NPC." Bahr felt out of the loop. But as they settled into their seats at the cafe, and the ambiance started to settle in, Bahr did feel himself slipping into a state of alert ease. He no longer felt as though his life was on the line. To the contrary, the way that Morningstar had described this place went great lengths to put Bahr's mind at ease. And, while he almost hated to admit it, he liked being around so many people.

His crimson orbs scanned the room, taking note of the various Players that inhabited the cafe. It was a stark variety. Some people looked normal - or, whatever Bahr assumed looked normal. Others looked more dramatic, or extravagant, sporting spikes or shining armor or mysterious garb. Some were serious, others more jubilant. The vast majority of them looked at ease - the same ease Bahr felt - chatting and smiling and overall having a good time. He wondered if this was how it was supposed to be, instead of a living nightmare twenty-four-seven.

His eyes flickered back to Morningstar, who didn't exactly seem to share this sense of ease. Locks of golden hair curled over furrowed brows, which framed amber eyes filled with stress and anxiety. It was clear that something was bothering the young man. But why?

"Do you remember anything at all? From before we met, I mean."

Perhaps it was that he didn't trust Bahr, or believe him. Which he supposed was understandable. After all, he had held the man at sword-point. Bahr probably wouldn't be too trusting of anyone who did the same to him.

"I remember... sounds," he began. "I heard them. Crawling, hissing. Then smell, then taste, each equally horrifying. Then sight, but I didn't know it at first. Blackness, devoid of detail or dimension. Then, I could feel them." He squinted, trying to recall more details. But, as fresh as everything was, it still felt fuzzy.

Luckily, a small woman came around to their table just in time to break the awkward silence. "Hi, welcome in! What can we get started for you?" she asked, voice fueled by simulated jubilation.

"Coffee, black," Bahr replied without skipping a bit, much to his own surprise. He shot Morningstar an inquisitive look, as though to ask, RIght? That's what I like? But it's not like he would know anyway. 

After the NPC had finished taking their orders, Bahr resumed. "I'll be frank - my knowledge of this reality begins in that cave. I don't know anything before that. As far as I'm concerned, I began there. All this talk about us being stuck playing a game or whatever sounds like nonsense, because I never started playing one. I was born here."

[Morningstar 0]

Bahr's confusion at the acronym "NPC" seemed reasonable. He'd learn soon enough, though.

The man's description of his memories were morbid. Crawling, hissing. A void-like darkness. It was perplexing, to say the least. When the server finally joined them to take orders, Morningstar was astonished to hear Bahr order a drink without hesitation. Actually, it seemed like he had shocked himself. Morningstar nodded in reaction to Bahr's expression. "I'll have the same."

Bahr's monologue continued. It only prompted more questions, however. He never started playing a game? He began in the cave? Morningstar had never heard anything like it. His thoughts rattled around like beads in a child's toy.

"I was born here."

Morningstar cast a baffled eye. The way he spoke made it sound like he was being literal; as if being born in the cave was not a metaphor for replacing old memories with new. A strange idea crossed Star's mind. Was there any possibility that Bahr was created by the game? That he was some sort of advanced NPC?

There was a way to test it. "Do this," he said, swishing his wrist. A menu opened a foot from his face, emanating blue light onto his skin. "Find your friends list."

[Bahr 0]

Bewilderment masked Bahr's visage as Morningstar's was illuminated by the translucent azure panel. It seemed that he had summoned some sort of menu, which only solidified his argument that they were in a game of some sort. How was it he had done that again? Some sort of swishing motion. Bahr warily attempted to replicate the technique, but didn't seem to have any luck. Maybe if he tried his other hand?

Jingle!

Ah. There it was. Now, he'd mentioned something about a friends list... which seemed to be one of the very first options. He tapped on it, and another panel populated.
 

Alec
Arabelle
Cordelia
Dagger
Kityuisa
Lessa
Macradon
Morgenstern
NIGHT
Oliver
Olivia
Oscar
Solei
Yukiro

It was an admittedly a short list. Perhaps Bahr was the hermit sort before all of this.

"Alright, there. Now what?" he inquired, eyes flickering back up to the man who sat across from him. The NPC returned with their coffees, left them at either side of the table, and bowed before departing again. Bahr scooped up the mug and sipped at it thoughtfully, waiting for the man to respond.

[Morningstar 0]

It worked. The menu really worked.

Morningstar wasn't sure what he'd expected, to be fair. But this at least proved that he was a player and not some sort of anomaly in the system. On the other hand, it meant that there was still a problem to be solved. His memories truly were gone.

Bahr's question caught him off guard. He hadn't thought of a next step. It was a "choose your own adventure" book and he'd run out of choices. He lifted his mug to his mouth and took a sip. The coffee was hot. Satisfactory, he thought.

"I guess you could message somebody," Morningstar said, "although I'm not sure what good that would do. I doubt they'd be able to fix anything."

He sipped his coffee again, leaning into his seat. It was tiring, conjuring up solutions to an unsolvable puzzle. Patience was probably the key to a situation regarding memory loss. Patience and a lot of time. There was a book on the subject in his father's library that he'd always ignored. If only he'd read it all those years ago. He adjusted his posture again, straightening his back and pulling a journal and a pen from his inventory.

He flipped to an empty page near the middle of the book and thought briefly before writing anything. Then, he began. His hand danced slowly across the page as he scribbled down notes. Things about the cave, Bahr's remaining memories, and the little test that Morningstar had performed earlier.

"Truthfully," he told Bahr, his eyes still focused on the page, "I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm kind of winging it."

Edited March 20, 2022 by Morningstar

[Bahr 0]

"I guess you could message somebody, although I'm not sure what good that would do. I doubt they'd be able to fix anything."

He could message them? That was handy. Though, Morningstar was likely right. How many of these people knew what he was going through, let alone how to fix it? And even if one of them did know what to do, how was he supposed to know where to start?

His eyes returned to the list, pale blue highlighting the scarlet of his irises as they slowly panned downward. They came to a rest on a name that felt familiar, that being Lessa. He couldn't quite put a finger on why, but that name in particular resonated with him. There was a certain warmth he felt in his cheeks just seeing it on a screen. That being said, he couldn't tell who this person was truly supposed to be to him. There was no way of knowing for sure.

By the time he'd opted to dismiss the screens and deal with that quandary later, Morningstar had already retrieved a journal and a pen from... somewhere. "Truthfully," he told Bahr, "I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm kind of winging it."

Gee, that's reassuring. He hoped his face did a better job of hiding his irritation than his monologue did. Though, even in this frustrated state, he recognized that it was unfair to charge this man with the responsibility of 'fixing' him. He was just some random passerby, who didn't ask for any of this. Likely, he didn't want any of it, either.

"Are you... taking notes? On me?"

[Morningstar 0]

He stifled a chuckle. "Yeah. A little weird, I know. But then again, this whole thing is pretty weird. I just thought it might help me clear my head, you know? Remember everything better."

Remember everything better. His eyes widened when he realized what he'd said. Morningstar looked up at Bahr. "I'm assuming you were normal and didn't randomly take notes on your life," he started, "but maybe take a look at your inventory and skills. Something in there might bring back something."

It was a long shot but it was something. He was fresh out of answers. "If that doesn't work then I don't know. Maybe time will help," he said, a frown growing on his face, "or maybe the only thing you can do is move forwards and start a new life."

Defeat was bitter; he didn't want to admit it. He shut the book and it fizzled away. Morningstar's belief that he could magically fix everything was low but it felt wrong to give up and walk away.

"At the very least, if I can't help you then I can answer any questions that you have."

He tapped his fingers on the side of the mug, awaiting Bahr's response to the flood of thoughts that Morningstar had thrown at him.

[Bahr 0]

Prompted by Morningstar's suggestion, Bahr again attempted to summon the menu, fumbling just as clumsily with this attempt as he had the last. But when he finally managed to bring it up again, his eyes scanned nervously for the options that had been suggested to him. He started with skills, thumbing through all of the options and taking note of what was already unlocked.

"If I were to wager a guess," Bahr began, eyes still glued to the screen, "I'm some sort of rogue. Or not. I don't know. There's a lot of stuff in here about stealth, but I'm not really following how any of that works. Based on my muscle memory from before, I don't think I was the sort of person to shy away from direct physical confrontation."

Not having found the skills to be particularly illuminating, he moved onto the inventory. First, what was equipped. 

"I have a lot of 'Demonic' equipment. Is that supposed to be good? Or was I... evil?" His eyes settled on the currently equipped sword. "Looks like the sword I stuck in your face earlier is called 'Forgotten King's Spite.' Sounds pretty cool." He moved onto the rest of his inventory, scanning for anything that could be of use. There were a lot of odds and ends, that didn't seem to be organized in any sort of discernible fashion. Potions, crystals, keys, armors, weapons. But nothing like a journal, or notes, or anything of the sort. His eyes did settle on a particular weapon that gave him pause, however.

"... I recognize the name of this one."

He tapped on it, which populated another panel that contained additional information. 
 

Quote

Item Name: Dawn's Demise
Item Tier: T4
Item Type: Warhammer
Item Enhancements: Holy | Holy | Fallen | Phase
Description: "Dawn is the time when nothing breathes, the hour of silence. Everything is transfixed, only the light moves."

He couldn't put his finger on exactly why, but this thing was definitely ringing a bell of some sort. And, for some reason, he could tell that it was wrong. A warhammer? He didn't seem the sort to use such a weapon. Or, at least, it didn't appeal to the current version of him at all. If he had a history with this weapon, why was it in a shape he disagreed with?

"I don't know why, exactly, but I know this item. Something's wrong with it."

Before he could elaborate, his finger touched something which caused the screens to dissipate. A moment later, the gargantuan warhammer materialized in the air between the two men, cascading into the table and shattering it instantly. It appeared that he'd summoned the weapon, and consequently destroyed a portion of the cafe in the process.

"... Not what I expected to happen."

[Morningstar 0]

"Judging by the fact that you held me at sword's point earlier, I'd agree; you were probably not one to shy away from physical confrontation," Morningstar joked, a bit of a smirk forming on his face.

He watched as Bahr scanned through his skills and items, waiting hopefully to see what he'd find. At the very least, it was good knowledge for the amnesiac to know what exactly he was carrying on him. Knowing that you have health potions could be the difference between life and death.

"Demonic is the quality of the item. Just means its good," he remarked, taking another sip from his drink.

Finally, Bahr came across something he recognized. Morningstar raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden burst of remembrance. He'd hoped the man would be able to give some information but luck wasn't on Star's side. Instead, he equipped the warhammer.

It slammed down on the table with enough force to crush it completely. The once vibrant and noisy room went dead silent. Heads turned to face the two and Morningstar tried his best to avoid the awkward eye contact he kept accidentally making. Coffee spilt across the floor before the remainder of the wood and shattered mugs disappeared.

"... Not what I expected to happen."

Morningstar met eyes with Bahr and took a breath between closed teeth. "Yeah," he said, grimacing, "They're never gonna let me back in here."

[Bahr 0]

Bahr stood, likewise making an attempt to avoid eye contact with the cafe's patrons, all of which were now silently gawking at the pair. His hands snaked their way around the shaft of the instrument of destruction, a grunt of exertion escaping the swordsman's lips as he attempted to lift whatever foul artifact had brought so much destruction and disruption to the establishment. And certainly, he could lift it. But just because he could, didn't mean he wagered that he should.

"This isn't the sort of thing I would have used," he surmised, crimson irises combing the exterior of the weapon for clues. "It's bulky, and unbalanced. Unwieldy. I don't know much yet, but I know that either this isn't mine, or something happened to it." 

His eyes returned to Morningstar, and then flickered to the agitated patrons that still all had their eyes glued to the pair. From what he could tell, they were all impatiently waiting for them to leave. Which made sense. They probably weren't welcome in a place they'd brought such undue destruction to. "Let's head outside," Bahr suggested, his eyes still ping-ponging between the various customers. "Don't think we'll get much privacy here anymore."

He summoned his menu again, this time a bit more easily than before, and tapped on a number he had seen before that was supposed to represent 'col,' which he only assumed was the currency of this world. He selected an amount of twenty-five thousand, and sent it directly to the NPC that had been assisting them previously. "My apologies," he stated, nodding toward the girl. "Hopefully this will cover everything."

As they made their way outside, Bahr fiddled with the menu again until he managed to find whatever dispelled the hammer and brought his sword back. The near weightless weapon slid into its sheath on his back, locking into place with such elegance that he'd forget it was even there after only a moment or two. When they'd distanced themselves from the cafe, he turned again toward Morningstar, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips.

"I'd like to thank you for all of your help, Morningstar," he said flatly, which may have served to dissuade the man from taking his words of appreciation at face value. "It seems I have a lot to learn about this world. If possible, I'd like to rendezvous with you again at a later date to discuss some of these things in more granular detail." He paused for a moment, then summoned his menu again, fiddling with it as he continued to speak. "If it's alright with you, I'll add you to my friends list now. That way it will be easier to get in contact in the future. For now, though, I think it would be best if I spent some time on my own and familiarized myself with the customs of this world a bit better." As he concluded, a request was shot Morningstar's way. It was up to him whether or not he'd be willing to accept it, after everything Bahr had put him through.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Bahr

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar nodded, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably while he wiped a bit of spilled coffee from his shoe. "Yeah. Probably time to get going."

He shot an apologetic smile to the NPC woman while Bahr paid for their damages. They stepped back out into the fresh afternoon air and after a bit, he could hear the café return to its usual lively atmosphere. Bahr's words sounded truthful but Morningstar couldn't help but notice a hint of frustration—or maybe it was exhaustion—in his voice. 

Truthfully, Morningstar felt the same. It had been a long day full of disorientation and futility. Nonetheless, Bahr's troubles had served as a distraction from his own and for that, he owed some gratitude. Bahr mentioned wanting to meet with the blonde again someday. "Of course," he said, scanning over the notification that had popped up in front of him. He tapped the blue circle with his index finger, accepting the friend request. Then, with a golden sheen in his eyes, he smiled tiredly at the man.

"If you need anything, just shoot me a message. Best of luck, Bahr."

REWARDS

Morningstar:
200 Col
2,520 EXP (10 * (7575 / 30) = 2,520)

Bahr:
200 Col
11,340 EXP (45 * (7575 / 30) = 11,340)