[SP-F21] Perfect Game: The Lightbringer vs The Forgotten Time King

[Morningstar 0]

# disregard the order of many of the roll ids in this thread - my damage stat was horribly incorrect and broke combat. had to fix it by adding more combat rounds with new stats. see rolls posts 6-9 for these posts.

A thousand tiny pebbles and crumbling rocks fell from the roof of the tunnel, blocking his escape. He activated his Night Vision skill, a green overlay encompassing his eyesight and allowing him to see through the shadows. The gnarl of a long-dead soldier echoed through the cavern, followed by that of its companions. It was always from one fight to another without a chance to catch a breath. The greatsword was so heavy in his hands, so powerful. He charged forwards like a bolt of lightning, fingers tight around the hilt of his blade, and swept through the disfigured and undead corpses. Their bodies were ripped rather than sliced, each of them now in two halves. Before he could blink they were gone, blue shards floating in their wake. The tip of his sword had nicked the edge of the cave wall. It was too narrow to fight with a weapon so large and yet he found himself out of alternatives. It rumbled around him and more boulders began to drop behind him. He cursed, sliding his weapon onto his back and kicking himself into overdrive. 

Two more of the undead climbed out from the floor ahead of him. They brandished chipped curved swords, even deadlier in their damaged states. Without interrupting his sprint, he plowed through them, his fists nesting themselves in their rib cages, crushing their brittle bones. They flew backwards and all he heard was the thud of their bodies hitting the ground as he left them in his dust. The burn in his calves was unbearable but he pushed on. The falling rocks had caught up to him and Charge was cooling down. He hesitated to look behind, afraid that whatever he saw would be his final view.

A trickle of light beamed in through a peephole in the wall straight ahead. There was also a sharp right turn. Left with two options, both equally unpredictable, he chose the former. Gradually, he increased his speed, pushing his muscles and mind to the limit. He counted down from fifteen.

Three. Two. One.

Charge was activated and he shot forward in a crimson flash, turning his body so that the brunt of the damage was absorbed by his shoulder. He crashed through the thin wall and found himself falling on the other side. A panicked shout escaped his lips as he scrambled to grab hold of something sturdy; however, there was nothing to grab. Face down, he dropped, the air slamming into his front side with enormous pressure.

This was the end, he thought. Fall damage would be what killed him, what stopped his story before it could even unfold. He shut his eyes as he approached the bottom, awaiting destiny.

[ lv. 32  ->   l. 32 / p. 0 ] MORNINGSTAR | HP: 805/805 | EN: 102/102 | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)   Hide contents notes. used the following consumables: 1x bento: + 105 HP 1x bingsu: + 60 MIT 1x smores: + 1 EVA 1x liquor of light: + 3 DMG   Hide contents equipped royal greatsword DMG III armor of fallen radiance  MIT III lexa's light ACC III battle-ready inventory (1x) Teleport Crystal skills.   Hide contents mod count: 3/5 2HSS | RANK 5/5 precision, stamina, ferocity shift: tech HEAVY ARMOR | RANK 5/5 impetus, iron skin COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 5/5 night vision, detect ENERGIST CHARGE extra SURVIVAL buffs.   Hide contents statue n/a consumables  n/a paragon n/a arts.   Hide contents en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x11 -> x14 TECH-A | x16 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x16 | DELAY TECH-D | x16 | SHATTER misc.   Hide contents Rested | -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat. Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down). Filling | Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30. Tasty | Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread. Relaxed | Increases out-of-combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Basic Training | +5% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post. gathering n/a

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

He came to shortly after, dazed and confused from his less-than-happy landing. He was covered in dust and dull shards of stone. He glanced up at his health bar. It was a hopeful sight. It had fallen into the double digits but at least he was alive.

He could see again—without the use of Night Vision, that is. He disabled the skill, lifting himself from the earthy rubble. He had left quite an impact when he hit the ground. A small crater covered the spot he stood in and he theorized that it was caused by the high velocity he had been moving at. He stretched his sore body and allowed his health to begin regenerating. The area was wide, ovular, and open. There were no monsters in sight; however, there was a pathway on the side opposite to him. It was wider than the previous cavern he had spelunked and because of that, he had a feeling it would be safer. The more room he had to swing his weapon, the more comfortable he felt. He was not ready to switch over to hand-to-hand combat, not in a place so full of risk.

He recalled the two mobs he had encountered and left alive before nearly falling to his doom. They had not followed him out, so he assumed the boulders had crushed them. Good riddance, he thought. A faint sound pinged in his ear. It was a notification alerting him of incoming messages.

joaquin: yo, stephen. everything good?
joaquin: you were in the middle of a message and then you stopped typing
joaquin: hello ???
joaquin: 12 minutes to respond before i come down there

Clearly he had not been knocked out for long, as the message had been sent only eight minutes ago. He groaned, whipping up a speedy response. His whole body ached and he was exhausted.

morningstar: yeah, i’m all good. ran into some trouble but should be fine from here on out. i’ve got a tp crystal for if things go south

He left it brief and to the point, avoiding any details about the fall and his extreme amount of missing health. The less Joaquin knew, the better. His friend was quite a bit more experienced than he was and his level was leagues higher. Still, he wanted to avoid dragging him down to the twenty-first floor, especially if it endangered him. Morningstar could handle himself.

Or maybe that was arrogance. He had nearly died, of course. He climbed over a short ledge, proceeding to the tunnel ahead, hoping it would lead him out of the labyrinth of a cave system.

The Grand Necropolis proved to be a difficult location to find on his own, even with his minimap. The quest had not given him a waypoint or anything to track. He was on his own. Another notification appeared. He opened the message, a bit of a smile trickling onto his face.

joaquin: don’t die out there, big man. need ya

Damn straight. Morningstar stepped into the wide tunnel, enabling his Night Vision once more. He followed it with Detect, scanning the environment for any hidden traps or monsters lurking behind the walls. There was nothing to be found.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Things were mostly silent, apart from the sporadic dripping of water from a stalactite above. His health had already grown to a safe spot. If push came to shove, he felt ready to partake in combat again. The tunnel was eerie, not unlike other parts of the Twenty-First Floor. He found the whole place to be dreadful, with two exceptions being the hot springs and the waterfalls. Even The Geode Cache, as beautiful as the crystals looked, was claustrophobic and full of obnoxious monsters. His last run-in with crystalline monoliths nearly killed him and the party he was with when one of them mistakenly damaged a crystal. He preferred open spaces, particularly warm ones like Raitoborou Bay. The thought of it made him homesick. He imagined himself knee-deep in the crystal ocean, his toes digging into the sand while waves of serenity washed over him. Ever since moving into the property he had purchased, he had noticed himself being more calm. On the days when he felt the opposite, he found it easy to return to the beach in his memories. It had an incredible effect on the blonde, who was once crippled by feelings of inadequacy and guilt.

His path continued down a steep hill, full of spiky stalagmites threatening to impale him. Every step he took felt like it would be his last as he maneuvered down the rocks. His heavy armor made it difficult to scale things. It was the one downside of switching over, he found. Morningstar was once so agile, so athletic. Now, he was shackled down by plates of metal.

Of course, they had saved him time and again. His Armor of Fallen Radiance was crafted well and he was thankful for its strong enhancements. The blades of his enemies merely bounced off of him, leaving minimal damage with each strike. He found himself capable of entering fights that, in the past, would have killed him. To him, the sacrifice of speed and stealth for mitigation was worth it.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar’s breathing would have made you think he had just ran a marathon. Perhaps it was the stress combined with the weight of his equipment. Still, he made it past the jungle gym of spikes and proceeded onwards to the end of the tunnel.

His vision returned to normal as he gazed upon the sunken graveyard. He had researched the floor’s history before accepting the quest, intent on fully understanding what he was getting himself into.

It began with war. It was a brutal and long sequence of battles, he had read, between the dragons and humankind. Led by a fierce and courageous king, humanity pushed back against the dragons. According to the book he had picked up from a tiny store in Charko, the king was defeated in battle and his body lost to time.

Then, countless years after the war, he returned and slew those he once called allies. The quest referred to him as The Forgotten Time King but in the book, the author called him The Betrayer. He scanned the area for monsters once more and, after confirming the lack thereof, he walked towards the entrance to the necropolis. The pathway through was twisted and distorted. Morningstar couldn’t put a finger on why that would be the case. It was unsettling.

He followed it straight to a large, open space with large golden lights sparkling from the ceiling. It was less of a cemetery and more of a tomb. None but the king slumbered there, his undead followers scattered elsewhere. He made it approximately halfway to the enormous headstone before a rumbling stopped him in his tracks. The lid of the grave began to shift and Morningstar could make out large, grizzled fingers emerging from the darkness.

The king had awoken.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

  

the lightbringer vs the forgotten time king

“Who… approaches?” The Forgotten Time King paused between words, a subtle rasp to his voice. “What is thy business… with this place?”

Morningstar lacked a response. Without a thought, the Royal Greatsword on his back was drawn. The king lifted himself from his place of rest and, upon seeing who faced him, a sound of admiration rose from his withered tongue.

“Ah, an adversary? A challenger?”

He was tall, the Forgotten Time King. He stood at a whopping eight feet or perhaps more and held a great spear of incredible length. It was a dull gold with a beautiful design, unfitting of such a hideous wielder. Its point was obviously sharp despite the age of the weapon. The king stepped down a short set of stairs, eagerly walking towards the Lightbringer. He stopped for a short moment and turned around.

“There was a time when I sat upon a throne,” he pointed to the back wall, where he had risen, “right there. I once led legions.”

Silence overtook the room, his monologue interrupted by a deep breath. He faced Morningstar once again.

“So be it. Fall, like those who came before.”

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Those were the final words they shared before clashing. Morningstar initiated, despite his immediate disadvantages. Quickly, he closed the gap between them, conserving as much energy as possible and striking the king with a heavy blow from his greatsword. He toppled back from the force; however, the attack was no real threat to the Betrayer.

He found his ground, sturdy once more, and retaliated with a dozen quick stabs. Morningstar weaved through them, weary from his journey but still speedy enough to duck and dodge the tip of the king’s spear. The last strike moved at a greater quickness than the rest and it managed to knock Morningstar on his shoulder. It was not fatal and did not pierce his thick armor but still made a dent to his health pool.

The blonde retreated to a safer distance, where he believed the spear would not reach. Its length made it dangerous but if he could stay outside of its range then the king would be forced to take aggro and move towards him.

Fight or die, he repeated in his head. The words rang clear, a remembrance of his past endeavors. The Forgotten Time King was in a different league than all of the monsters he had challenged before—but, at the same time, he was no different from any of them. He was a monster and monsters could be killed.

Spoiler

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 805/805 | EN: 102/102 | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 3,000/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 711/805 | EN: 90/102 (-12) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2,684/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213704 | BD: 2+4 = 6 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 26*16 = 416-100 = 316 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213704 | MD: 9 | 276-182 = 94 Damage

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Shimmering gold enveloped his blade as he activated a sword art. He dashed, gritting his teeth as they traded blows once more. The Forgotten Time King slammed into the same shoulder as before, interrupting his attack, but the Lightbringer countered with a fearsome blow to his leg. His slash forced the king to kneel, although it took mere seconds for him to regain his strength and return to the duel. 

He twirled the great spear, sweeping an incredible distance in front of himself. Morningstar’s eyes grew wide. He was out of position. There was no possible way for him to dodge the incoming attack. He braced, lifting his arms to stomach level. It crashed into him and he blocked it using the flat end of the blade. Two royal weapons met with a thundering clang. It vibrated through the Lightbringer’s body but he held his ground.

With an echoing roar, they matched each other's moves. Each time one aimed a strike, the other opposed with a well-placed block. From an outsider's perspective, they were a blur. Flashes of gold and red exploded with every attack. To Morningstar, however, things moved far slower. He could see every shift the old king made and he thought it likely that his ancient highness’ experience was the same.

Well-matched was an apt way of describing the battle. It was rare for either of the two to land a hit and when they did, it was nothing worrisome. He spared a second to glance at his health bar. Six hundred and eighteen health points remained, a meager seventy-seven percent of the total. Meanwhile, the quest boss was in the low two thousand range. There was plenty of fight left in him.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 618/805 | EN: 82/102 (+4) (-12) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2,366/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213703 | BD: 4+4 = 8 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 26*16 = 416-100 = 316 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213703 | MD: 9 | 276-182 = 94

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Don’t die out there, big man. Need ya.

He almost let out a laugh, recalling Joaquin’s message. How many times had he heard him say that exact string of words before? A whisper escaped him, directed not at the Forgotten Time King but at Joaquin, who would hear none of it.

“I’ll try my best, brother.”

The king jolted at Morningstar, his spear missing its mark and sticking into the stone floor. The blonde used this as an opportunity to move closer. He flanked from the left, dragging his hefty sword behind him, and swung with a grunt. Three of the king’s fingers fell to the floor, crumbling away. Finally, the Lightbringer dealt a relevant amount of damage. Even if it was as little as a few extremities, it was something. The king roared out, ripping his spear from the ground, twirling it above his head, and bringing down on his adversary.

His attempt at evasion was slow. Morningstar felt the tip of the spear cut the right side of his chest, straight through his armor and touching his virtual skin. The red trail it left was long and stung, albeit in a dull way and not as extreme as a real spear would have felt.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 524/805 | EN: 73/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 2,018/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213705 | BD: 10 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 28*16 = 448-100 = 348 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213703 | MD: 9 | 276-182 = 94

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

His muscle memory kicked in and a sword art bloomed green from the hilt to the tip of his blade. He lunged, stabbing the giant through the gut. Red pixels formed around the entry wound. They both stood still, breathing heavily. The longer the fight dragged out, the more disadvantageous it became for Morningstar, who was already much smaller and weaker than the Forgotten Time King.

His arms ached. His mind screamed. The wounds he had received wept pixelated streams of red. His health bar began to dwindle; five hundred and twenty-four hit points remained. He thought of Joaquin and of how he might handle the situation if put in Morningstar’s shoes. With his skills as a swordsman, perhaps the fight would have ended by now. Then, his thoughts raced to Elwood, a man he missed. A man far worthier of the title “King” than the towering demon that stood idle before the blonde.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 524/805 | EN: 73/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 1,700/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213706 | BD: 8+4 = 12 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 26*16 = 418-100 = 318 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213706 | MD: 3+3 = 6-1 = 5 | Miss

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar twisted his blade and the Forgotten Time King screamed a concoction of agony and animosity. He ripped his sword from the belly of his opponent and dodged a flurry of quick jabs from the king’s spear. He was fatigued but stayed firm on his feet. The king’s movements slowed by a significant amount. The blow to his stomach had an effect on him, despite his ancient, undying body.

The king cried out. His roar was draught by fury, inextinguishable but for the death of his enemy. The swordsman was shocked by his power despite the damage he had taken. He had found himself a fearsome opponent. A part of him (small, yet existing) wondered if victory was a possible outcome after all. The spear ripped upwards. Dry air pushed his hair back and tossed dust in his face. The spear’s blade was cold against his peach skin. It slid across, burning slightly, and then his vision faltered. From his left eye, there was nothing but darkness. The Forgotten Time King had blinded him.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 431/805 | EN: 64/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 1,382/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213591 | BD: 5+4 = 9 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 26*16 = 418-100 = 318 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213591 | MD: 8+3 = 11-1 = 10 | 275-182 = 93

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Confused by the sudden darkness, he stumbled about. His remaining eye watched up at the giant king, who approached slowly, a villainous grin upon his twisted face. He felt the spot where his left eye once was. Would it heal? Was this blindness permanent? He had never encountered an injury like this before. His heart was on the verge of exploding from the consternation.

He swung his sword belligerently, grazing the Forgotten Time King. Not even a flinch. Then, in a single swooping motion, the king impaled Morningstar with his spear.

His screams bounced from wall to wall but were limited to the confines of the necropolis that bound the two warriors. With his good eye, he stared at the depleting health bar.

“No,” he trailed off, seeing the number drop rapidly.

And in the background, watching him die, was the face of the woman he loved, still haunting him after all that time. Lexa’s eyes were calm and blue, as he remembered them. She stared at him and he stared back, starstruck by his hallucination.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 338/805 | EN: 55/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 1,050/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213595 | BD: 5+4 = 9 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 27*16 = 432-100 = 332 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213595 | MD: 6+3 = 9-1 = 8 | 275-182 = 93

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

He smiled. Perfection. It was unexplainable; how could she always be glowing? Even in a place as dark and decrepit as the Grand Necropolis, she was stunning. A hand reached out to him and he desperately wanted to take hold of it.

But she was out of reach—he was pinned down by the golden spear of the king, he could not go to her. It was cruel.

“I’m so sorry,” he told Lexa, a stream of tears running along his cheek.

The guilt had never gone away—not really. He doubted it ever would, no matter how many times he bathed in the oceans of the Twenty-Fourth Floor. He could not save Lexa, he could not save Elwood, and now, he could not save himself.

He struck the shaft of the spear with his blade. Then, he did it again, and again, and again until, eventually, it cracked under the greatsword’s weight. It turned to blue, just as so many of Morningstar’s enemies had before it. The Forgotten Time King gazed down, his expression devoid of emotion.

True neutrality.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 338/805 | EN: 46/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 732/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213597 | BD: 4+4 = 8 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 26*16 = 418-100 = 318 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213597 | MD: 2+3 = 5-1 = 4 | Miss

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The blurry image of Lexa remained in the distance, watching him as he fought to stand, ignoring the damage he had taken and brandishing his sword once more. He struck the king once, his energy reaching rock bottom. Then, he did it a second time.

The weaponless king was powerless now. Attempts at throwing punches were made but they all ended in failure. Morningstar would sidestep each jab, countering with a shallow stab.

He hoped that Lexa did not hate him if that was something she was still capable of. He had failed her and it had cost her the rest of her life. She was deserving of so much more. He met her gaze one more time before swinging at the Forgotten Time King. This time, he caused his enemy to reel backward. He was winning—soon, the fight would end and he could take the woman’s hand and move on.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 338/805 | EN: 37/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 26 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 414/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213600 | BD: 4+4 = 8 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 26*16 = 418-100 = 318 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213600 | MD: 2+3 = 5-1 = 4 | Miss

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

“Keep going, Stephen,” she called.

He jumped at the sound. It had not occurred to him that he was forgetting her voice. The three words were all it took to bring it back. His sword arced low, illuminating the room with its golden glow, and took off the king's arm. He groaned in agony at the loss. Once more, Morningstar had caused him to kneel. This time, however, he would not stand again. The duel had reached its finale, both sides inflicted with serious injuries. 

He kept his remaining eye trained on the Forgotten Time King, taking in the moment that would be his opponent’s last. With victory so close, how could it be that he felt so numb? His eye trailed down to his own stab wound, which was located on his chest. Had the spear been left any longer, it would surely have killed him. He could not allow it; he was not yet ready to go.

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 338/805 | EN: 28/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 38 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 66/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213601 | BD: 10+4 = 14 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 28*16 = 448-100 = 348 Damage

The Forgotten Time King's attack
ID213601 | MD: 2+3 = 5-1 = 4 | Miss

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Slowly, he lifted his blade. The Forgotten Time King raised his head to meet his killer’s gaze. Then, the Lightbringer brought down justice upon him, turning him to a flurry of cobalt. The old king was dead. He turned to Lexa, softening as he fixed his gaze on her smiling face. He hobbled towards her one injured step at a time. Before he could get close enough to touch her, he dropped to the ground.

She was gone. 

He no longer wept for her, for his tears had run dry. He rolled onto his back, staring up at where she once was. Then, he apologized out loud.

“I’m sorry, Lex. I wish things had been different,” he muttered, his voice low and full of exhaustion, “I wish I could have protected you. I wish you could see our house. It’s on Raitoborou Bay. I know you always wanted it to be on the Fourth Floor but it’s way too cold. Sorry about that.”

“I’m also sorry about the guild. I never did get around to starting it. It wouldn’t be the same without you. I don’t care what Elwood used to say, I’m no leader—not like you were.”

There were too many things for him to apologize for, so he finished with a goodbye.

“See you soon—but," Morningstar paused, "not too soon.”

Spoiler

PARTY
Morningstar | HP: 338/805 | EN: 19/102 (+4) (-13) | DMG: 25 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 182 | LD: 5 | Stealth Rating: -5 | EN Cost: +1 (+0 on first 2 turns)

ENEMIES
The Forgotten Time King | HP: 0/3,000 | DMG: 275 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3

ACTIONS
Morningstar's attack
ID213602 | BD: 3+4 = 7 | <<TECH-D vs. The Forgotten Time King>> | 26*16 = 418-100 = 318 Damage

LOOTING
ID213604 | LD: 17+5 = 22 | CD: 2
+ 15,000 col
+ 2 materials
+ 1 Perfect Armor
+ 1 Perfect Weapon

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Over his head, a prompt appeared. It congratulated him for defeating his opponent, the Forgotten Time King, and announced that he had received a skill as a reward. Forgotten King’s Authority. All he could do was stare at the translucent system window. The duel had taken a lot out of him, more than ever before. His health bar read three hundred and thirty-eight. Forty-two percent of his max health points. He had come close to death for the first time in a very long while. He exhaled, realizing that he had been holding his breath, and swiped open his menu. He scrolled through his friends list in search of Joaquin’s name and then sent a quick update.

morningstar: quest complete.

Joaquin was quick to respond, probably anticipating the message. It felt good to have a friend that worried, even if only one.

joaquin: still kickin?
morningstar: damn straight.
joaquin right on. c u tmrw then.

Spoiler

Morningstar unlocks <<Forgotten King's Authority>>
+ 10,000 col

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The walk back through the caverns was too much for him at this point. Instead, Morningstar opted for a teleport crystal that he had been holding onto. He could always buy another, he decided, and he was technically near death. It seemed valid to activate.

“Teleport, Tomoika,” he muttered, utterly exhausted.

He rematerialized in a town he rarely visited. Immediately, he could feel his body start to regenerate. First, his scrapes and cuts disappeared. Then, his chest wound and eye followed suit. Seeing out of both eyes again felt like heaven.

“Thank god that wasn’t permanent,” he whispered, stepping off of the teleporter.

In his head, he struggled with the decision to stick around Floor Twenty-One or return to his Raitoborou Bay home. He swished through his inventory, passing by the items he had received alongside his new skill, and stopped on his journal. Perhaps he could find a place to sit for a while and push some thoughts out before he left.

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

He took a seat on a bench overlooking a large portion of the city. It was oddly calm for a place so busy. He was unsure whether or not he liked it. It was unlike other settlements he frequented. Everything was so… dirty. Smoky, too.

Just as he was about to whip open his journal and jot down an entry, he felt the presence of another sit down next to him. Her hair was an unforgettable crimson. He stared at her, confused. She looked over the edge, her hands folded in her lap.

"Nice view, huh?” The woman’s voice was warm, like hot cocoa.

“Best in the city,” Morningstar replied, with no real confidence in his response.

She chuckled. “I’ve come to formally invite you to a summit between guilds. My name is Willow.”

Her statement made Morningstar raise an eyebrow. “I’m not in a guild, sorry.”

“Of course,” she cleared her throat, “you’ve been invited as a solo player representative.”

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

“Why me?”

“I dunno. I’m just the messenger,” Willow smirked, handing him a written letter.

It was the second handwritten message he had received in his time in Aincrad, which was strange considering there was a built in messaging system. The two added each other to their friends lists and spoke briefly about a variety of meaningless things. Talking about them together made them feel a bit less meaningless. He held onto the letter for the entire duration of their chat, although he was tempted to open it right then and there.

“You took on that quest? Alone? Seriously?” Willow tried to hush her voice, realizing she had been shouting.

“Yep,” Morningstar admitted. “Long day, you could say.”

“Hm,” Willow stood up, dusting off her skirt. She chuckled. “You’re a reckless one.”

She was not wrong. Willow’s armor glistened in the city lights. It was silver, like his, and had a shape similar to a cross along the breastplate.

“Be there,” she said, referring to the summit, “I’ll see you around”

With a smile and a gentle wave, she teleported away.

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar opened the letter carefully, half expecting it to explode in his face and destroy the entire city of Tomoika. It did not, thankfully. It read quite formally and offered few details.

Quote

 

Dear Morningstar,

We would like to extend an invitation to meet with us at the home of Caesar, guild leader of the Black Knights of Aincrad, where we will discuss major current events. The details of the meeting will be provided upon arrival. The location is west of the Lake of Reflection on Floor Twenty-Two. A waypoint will be added to your map for guidance. Please do not bring any guests—this is a private meeting. Only guild members and those who have been invited will be offered entry into the estate.

Thank you,

The Black Knights of Aincrad
The Flame Legion
Cleric

 

He had never heard of the three guilds listed. Not that he knew many guilds, to be fair, aside from the old legends. He wondered about their strength and player count. Would this meeting be grandiose or rather small? How many other solo players had been invited? Would there be anyone he knew?

Willow would be there.

Edited July 23, 2023 by Morningstar