Deserun, Merriheim.
3rd Ryzul, 1092.
Cool breeze from the newly formed river streamed over Merriheim, fluttering gently, the sashes of a beautiful halben. She smiled as she tugged loose strands of hair behind her ear. "You're Kashi, right?"
Kashi's brows furrowed even deeper. He recognized that smirk. It was one that conveyed confidence and dominance. This woman, however she was, was directly challenging him. "Maybe. Who's asking?"
The halben's smirk widened in apparent amusement. "Who, indeed? That's a good question." She adjusted her grip on her relatively small staff – a fusion of wood headed by a dark green orb gripped by three 'claws'. "You're leaner than I expected," she remarked.
Kashi had no desire to fall for her obvious taunts, but he equipped his bow and arrows just in case. Against a mage, he was relatively naked otherwise. Even more, he could not readily discern her elemental attribute. He had not faced enough foes to gain a significant resistance to magic, let alone individual elements. "What's it to you?"
The mage's eyes narrowed. "No~thing. Just wanted to test you for a bit."
Kashi's muscles tensed. "What do you me—" BZZZT! He just barely dove out of the way as an arc of green electricity smashed into the earth. He rolled to his knees, noting the charred earth from the corner of his eyes. "A little rough for a test, wouldn't you say?" He remarked as he sized her up.
The girl held an approving smile. "Good reaction. The rumors might hold some grain of truth, after all." Sparked by her mana, the staff's orb was now a bright jade...
Jade ?
Jade!
Her mannerisms, the words she'd used as a greeting... Kashi's eyes widened as recognition dawned. "Jade!?"
She smiled. "You finally recognize me. A bit faster than I'd hoped, though."
Kashi rose to full height, muscles relaxing. "That was a bit harsh as a joke."
"Who said I was joking?" Jade chuckled and then winked.
Bzzt!
Kashi frantically backpedaled as arcs of electricity smashed the ground before him without pause. He back-flipped onto the top of the fountain, then jumped as the edifice exploded beneath him. Spin, kick!
The fragments burst out of the dust and charged the surprised mage. But the arcs of electricity reduced them to dust. Seven arrows tore through, faster, and deadlier with Drill activated.
Jade, however, showed absolutely no sign of panic. She fell to a knee and slammed her staff into the ground, shaft burying into the earth. A burst of green electricity supercharged the air around her, then burst out. The arrows shattered against the protective shield's greater force.
The doors to the mansion burst open as the remaining dust settled.
The dueling pair locked gazes through spraying waters, each planning their next course of action.
"Kashi!" Lunette called.
"Kash!" Hektor screamed once he'd gathered the situation. His charge was stopped by the daeben's raised hand.
"I've got this," Kashi said.
"Sure about that?" Jade taunted as she rose to her feet. Her staff remained planted in the ground sustaining the translucent gas-like dome shield. "Shouldn't really stand near water, you know?"
Arcs of electricity shot out of the fountain's streams.
Kashi expertly meandered through, as if he'd been expecting the skill. The waters exploded as he tore through, five arrows ahead of him, then another seven after he passed.
The first five ruptured a small tear in the shield, which another five zoomed through before it could close up. Kashi followed suit, the shield unable to keep living things from entering.
"[Dren]!" Automated arcs shot down four arrows, the staff their source. Jade winced and backpedaled as the last grazed her left arm. "[Self Charge]."
Kashi blocked the next automated stream with his bow, wincing as it shattered. He ducked right then accelerated, bypassing two more streams. He grinned up at Jade as he entered her space. He delivered a swift punch!
BZZT!
Kashi's eyes widened. His fist stopped a millimeter short of contact, held in place by a thin but substantially charged force.
Jade's grin was pure evil. "Got you now!" She gripped his hand before he could retreat. "[Enhanced Shock]!"
Kashi screamed as his body was assaulted by steady electric streams. His veins burned, his eyes felt like they'd explode from the immense pain.
Jade's sinister grin maintained despite the overt nature of the pain she was causing to a supposed friend. "Give up."
Kashi gritted his teeth as he too grabbed onto her hands and held her there. "No..."
"Sure about that?"
Kashi suppressed a yell as he was assaulted with double the voltage. His hair stood on end, blood seeping from its roots, as from his nostrils. Despite this, he managed a triumphant smirk. "This is my win."
"Wha—" B.A.M.! Jade screamed as a pair of arrows crashed into her back with a force that sent her flying over Kashi. The shock broke off her attack, and Kashi swiftly slammed her onto the ground face first.
Kashi straddled her back and locked both arms behind her. He bent low and whispered with a triumphant smirk, "Give up?"
Jade growled, but ultimately her shoulders slumped. "Fine, I give up. Now get off me."
Kashi did as asked, pulling out the arrows as he did so. "You okay?"
Jade dusted herself as she got to her feet. "You slammed me face-first into the ground and shot two arrows into my back. What do you think?" Her words, though cynical, were delivered with the brightest smile. "How'd you even do that?"
"Do what?" Kashi asked as he picked up her staff. He carefully examined the weapon.
"Shoot those arrows. Didn't see you do that."
"Ah," Kashi mumbled. He cast her a familiar smirk. "Don't want to tell. Would spoil the fun."
Jade pouted, not liking her own words and mannerisms thrown back in her face. "Fine, fine, I lost, so guess I can't complain." She walked over and grabbed his arm.
"What're—" Kashi stopped, stunned by the rapid rate at which his injuries healed. His H.P. maxed within seconds, and he was left staring. "You're a healer?"
"Not necessarily," Jade corrected as she released his arm. "My class is Mage of Restoration. I call it Restorer, though"
"Restorer? What's that?" Syèl cut in their middle, causing Jade to jump. "Kash, you know her?"
Kashi nodded. "That's Jade."
Syèl eyed the mage.
"Hello, Syèl," Jade greeted.
"Seriously? You're Jade!?" Jade exclaimed, voice rising with laughter. "You look nothing like your real self!"
Jade shook her head. "I'd say it's you two who look too much like their real selves. Did you guys even bother with the Character Creator menu?"
"Hey, I'm a halben, he's a daeben, and our hairstyles are different. At least we bothered with the thing. You should check out—"
"Shoko," Jadeinterrupted.
"Yes, Shoko. Wait, what?"
Jade brushed past him as she ran to the swordswoman, eyes gleaming. "Fuck, you're even more badass in person!" Jade cooed as she rounded the older girl. "Where'd you get this concept? You buy or make your clothes? How'd you get the sword?"
Shoko struggled to answer her questions, even as the rest of the Maggots joined them. "Elena, how about you introduce yourself," she offered, glad for the distraction.
Jade's brows furrowed in momentary confusion, then widened with amusement as she remembered. "Ah, bout that," she started sheepishly. "Name's still, Jade. I kinda, sorta, lied?" She said, pitch rising humorously at the end.
"Haa?"
"Figured," Kashi mumbled.
"Hi," Lunette greeted, with a polite bow. "My name's Lunette. It's a pleasure to meet you, Jade-san."
Jade released Shoko and pounced on the songstress. "You're Lunette? Syèl over there told me a bunch about you. Is it true you're bonded with a god? How'd you swing that? Also," She drew close to her ear and whispered, "You and Kashi a thing or what?"
Lunette chuckled as she shook her head. "Yes, I am bonded with Suvron, but it was Kashi who the original bond. He just transferred it to me. And no, we're not a 'thing' as you put it."
"Hmm~" Jade regarded her with apt interest, and mocking curiosity. "Sure about tha—Ow!"
Kashi smiled apologetically at Lunette as he held down Jade's head. "Sorry 'bout that. She has no concept of personal space."
Lunette laughed. "No, no, it's fine. She's pretty interesting."
Jade succeeded in wrestling off Kashi's grip. "Hmph," she cursed as she matted her hair. "Just 'cause you're a little tall—"
"Fight me!" a voice declared.
Jade swallowed hard as she looked up at its source. She jumped back, so she didn't have to strain her neck so much. "Wow," she said as she pointed at him. "You're big."
Hektor paused, unsure of how to react. "...Thanks?"
Jade took a step towards, then rounded Hektor, who was dressed in a tight-fitting leather shirt and loose pants. "Whoa, haven't seen anyone this tall except on T.V."
"T.V.?"
"A thing of my world," Jade remarked distractedly. "More importantly, I'm Jade. What's your name?"
"Hektor."
Jade's eyes sparked. "Said you wanted to fight?"
"Yeah, you look strong," Hektor remarked honestly. "Haven't seen anyone give him that much trouble in a one-on-one before."
"Sure, I'll take you on," Jade agreed. "But not now. Used up too much mana in the fight. Besides," she looked pointedly at Stryke's party and the rest of the orchestra as they approached. "Seems you guys were in the middle of something."
Hektor grunted but accepted her terms nonetheless. He stepped aside as Jade introduced herself to the rest of the company, joking and laughing like she'd been part of the group since the beginning.
Syèl walked up to Kashi's side. "Amazing, isn't she?" He looked pointedly at how quickly Jade had integrated into the group.
"Think we could ever be like that?" Kashi replied. "That carefree happiness."
"Who knows?" Syèl shrugged. "They do say time heals all wounds."
"However, some leave irrevocable scars."
Syèl sighed. "You're a right bag of optimism, my friend." He shook his head. "Like I said before, I don't do philosophy. What happens, happens."
"Que Sera, Sera," Kashi said with an amused smile.
"What's that?"
"What will happen, will happen," Lunette said. "He finds it amusing because that phrase was coined by a Roman philosopher."
Syèl shook his head. "So in saying, what happens, happens—"
"You're dimwittedly admitting you do follow a common philosophy," Shoko finished as she joined them. "I would applaud the fact that you are sophisticated enough to be somewhat philosophical, but as it turns out, you were just repeating what you read in a fortune cookie." She turned from him before he could enact a rebuttal. "As for you, Kashi, you still have a lot of explaining to do." She looked around. "Where's Rider, anyway?"
"Rider's gone," Kashi answered. "Went to meet one of his friends or something."
"That dude has friends?" Syèl mocked.
"Apparently so."
"So, guys!" Jade called as she and the rest of the Maggots joined the four by the gate. "What're you all up to?"
"Not so fast, Jade," Kashi said.
"Yeah," Syèl seconded. "First, tell us what you've been up to."
"The truth this time," Shoko warned.
"Fine, fine. The truth, I promise." Jade conceded, and proceeded to narrate a brief history of her playing experience.
Jade chose halben because she wasn't well-versed in close combat, and spawned in the Imperial City. The three mage classes easiest to find were fire, ice, and white (healer). Most people had already chosen fire and ice classes, but as Jase loved being unique, she did not want the party-reliant yet somewhat rare white mage class. White mages needed to heal people to level up, which meant that a party was a must.
As such, though the spellbooks for the class were numerous and easy to find, very few people actually got the class. Those who did were mainly people creating a secondary account for when they did not feel like fighting.
To combat this, Jade spent her first full month reading as many books in the library as possible, searching for a hint, or clue to a different class. When not reading, she would go to the mage's tower as an intern, cleaning—and spying—for a moderate fee which she used to eat (Unlike Kashi; however, she regularly logged out, and also checked for information on the web). She nearly gave up several times, but as luck would have it, she also inherited her father's stubbornness.
Jade's tenacity impressed one of the senior mages who rewarded her with spell books relating to the lightning arts. A step above electric techniques in terms of ranking, this was a somewhat rare class, as unlike flame and ice, the spellbooks for this class were limited.
Rather than just 'learn' the spells, Jade read the entirety of the books back to front several times. Her father had taught her to always be thorough after all.
The lightning mage was a charming class to have as a party member, as most of its status effects stunned enemies, preventing their movements for a few seconds. As such, Jadedid not need to search for party members once she was ready to begin her adventures.
Though Jade did not plan for it, her prolonged stay in the library at level one boosted her Wisdom and Intelligence stats, which in turn, significantly increased her mana pool. This was one case where being picky had helped a ton—and her mother always complained when she was picky about food. Tsk Tsk.
Anyway, Jade leveled quickly because she joined parties twenty-thirty levels above her, hunting down beasts and completing quests, all the while pulling her own weight.
Once when Jade was playing solo (level 73 or thereabout), she came across a young priestess whose company had been waylaid by monsters. Jade immediately offered to protect her.
The priestess' quest was quite long, the duo going from as far as Garanfa to Forsfall at the other end of Mònòch. The priestess seemed quite important, as she had met with the Kings of each of these holds, though Jade was never a party to these conferences.
Not that Jade minded. The quest was quite fun as she got to visit many gothic castles, few betraying her expectations, and one so grand she had lost herself in its vast corridors. They also faced some pretty tough monsters and rouge soldiers along their travels, which allowed her to level some.
Eventually, Jade and the priestess made it to the halbens' mountain cities and it was here Jade had the most fun. She learned new lightning-based magic from the advanced mage towers and also bought her first magic staff,
An escort from Jatakem met them in Folsfall, and then the priestess (whose name she never got now that she thought about it) thanked Jade for her protection and handed her a large spellbook as a reward.
The book, however, would not open unless Jade agreed to switch classes to whatever it contained. After a short mental debate, Jade opted to change classes. After all, in L.N.E, unlike most games, skills gained could not be lost after switching classes (unless the skills belonged to a unique class like Dimension Artist or Blood Mage).
As a result, Jade wouldn't lose any of her lightning skills. She would, however, miss the bonus stats to her lightning magic from being classed as a lightning mage.
In return, however, Jade was giving the Mage of Restoration class, which, it turned out, was a pseudo-healer class. She then did some random quests to level up the class' skills, and then began her journey to meet Kashi.
Crossing from Monoch into Rosendun wasn't easy as the war had destroyed most of the safe paths through the mountains, and no one had deemed it necessary to fix the roads in the past decade. The only feasible way to Rosendun was either by taking a boat from Serisis (Country south of Imperium) or walking through Suvron's Pass in Merriheim.
Jade chose Merriheim as it was closer, and the rest, as they say, is history.
"So," Jade said without a pause, making most wonder where she got the energy from. "What're you guys up to?"
"Kashi here was about to explain what he meant by he's Razznik," Shoko replied.
Jade's eyes went wide with shocked surprise as they centered on Kashi. "You're, No, Sukki's, you, him, Razz... Aaargh, I'm confused. One of you was Razznik?"
"Was," Kashi said with a short laugh. He did not want to get into specifics in front of so many people he barely knew. "Keyword is was. Razznik died a millennia ago. Apparently, the gods decided his soul should stick around."
Those who had experienced the terror of Razznik could only stare at Kashi. They found it hard to reconcile that terrible visage of absolute power with the daeben before them. Kashi was strong and sometimes imposing, yes, but he did not have that indomitable aura that Razznik boasted even as a level one character (or so the forums claimed). That aura that did not let anyone approach out of fear.
Kashi's countenance was far more friendly in contrast. It was rare at first, but lately, the daeben was often smiling and laughing.
"You sure you're Razznik?" Stryke asked with his head cocked to one side. "I fought him, so I know. The two of you are nothing alike."
"Thanks," Kashi said with a smile. "Don't want to be anything like him."
"But—"
Ping!
Kashi raised a hand as he took out his rink. It was a call from Iason. "Hey, Ian, how's preparation's going?"
"Splendid, sir. We've gathered everything we need at Suvron's Gate. Miss Lightwood had the craftsmen waiting here. She also left some soldiers for protection. We can start at any time, but need express permission from either you or Miss Lightwood to get started."
Kashi nodded, delighted by the news. "Give me a second." He looked to his guild members. "I'll answer all questions, I promise. But now I've got to go."
"Bah, we just met, and you're already running off," Jade mock-whined. "Meh, couldn't care less. I'm more interested in the famed Kira. Where's she?"
Kashi pointed at the roof. "She doesn't like overly crowded places."
"When are you coming back?" Lunette asked. In the background, Jade scampered off to find a way onto the roof.
"Don't know really," Kashi mused. "Want to come with? It could be boring. Might as well have some com—Ow!" A well-aimed pebble bounced off his forehead and onto the floor.
He glared past Lunette at Jade, who had begun clambering up a ladder. She looked over her shoulder and mouthed, "You talk too much!"
Kashi frowned, unable to comprehend her meaning.
"Sure," Lunette agreed. "Sounds like it'll be fun. Not like I have much doi-" BANG!
This time it was Shoko who 'accidentally' slammed her sheath against the earth. She cleared her throat as she marshaled Syèl towards the gate. "Come on, we're yet to defeat that Hasusi."
Syèl groaned. "Ugh, don't remind me. That thing's breath smells like goat piss."
"How do you even know how that smells?" Stryke asked as he jogged up to them.
"Long story, kid."
"We've got ti—oof!" Stryke's wind was knocked out by a punch to the rib.
Sara blew her fists. "Stop pestering."
"I'm not! Tell her, Shadow."
"I am also interested in this story," Shadow said as he cast a glance in his sister's direction. She nodded, and he continued with the others.
"I-If, you say so, Shadow-kun," Sara murmured.
Stryke rolled his eyes. "So when he says it, it's alright. This is discrimination!" he declared, exaggeratingly raising his hands.
Craig chuckled, while Yuna mumbled something under her breath as she followed behind, the sole healer in the party of nearly fifty.
Kashi watched the party walk off. A loud yelp resembling a cry for help let him know Kira had gotten the pleasure of Jade's acquaintance. He took out a portrait of Suvron's Gate, which he held with his right hand, and then took Lunette's with his left. "[Teleport]."
Lunette marveled at the interior of Suvron's Gate, awestruck at its massive size. Unfortunately, she could not explore as much as she'd hoped as contractors were working on reconstructing the tower to suit inhabitation by humans. Luckily, Suvron had already created several demarcations, which made almost sixty floors when Kashi told her how he wished to use it.
This allowed the construction workers to focus on raising walls in appropriate places to make rooms or halls or whatever else they desired.
Lunette and Kashi had spent two days in this place, the daeben finalizing the plans for the bridge with the man named Iason. When he saw the ridiculous amount of players and residents gathered for the event, Kashi spent the first day bringing over the triplets, Lufer, and a few orchestra members.
Lunette wasn't absolutely sure what the daeben's line of reasoning was, but she knew enough to trust his crazy schemes now. When she wasn't with Kashi, she spent her time exploring the tower and chatting with the workers.
One of such workers—a man named Yeres—walked up to her. "Miss, Kashi-dono said to tell you it's time."
Lunette thanked the man and had to restrain herself from running down the stairs. She did take them two at a time, though. She reached the final landing, then quickened her pace as she walked out the south entrance. She borrowed a horse from a stable outside and then galloped for a couple of minutes along the cracked earth.
Eventually, the sound of rushing water reached her ears as she made out several rows of men kneeling at the edge of a cliff. She pulled to a stop near them and swiftly dismounted. She quickened up the slope until she met Kashi and Iason, who was watching a group of construction workers.
Iason tapped Kashi, and a smile brightened the daeben's features when he saw her. "You're finally here. Took you long enough," he joked.
Lunette shot him a glare in reply as she walked past them to the cliff's edge. A gentle breeze ruffled her hair as she gazed lovingly at the pristine waters below, beyond which a sea of red glistened on the horizon. "It's beautiful no matter how many times I see it," she whispered in awe. She turned to the daeben. "You said it's time?"
Kashi nodded, a wide toothy grin on his face. Even he could not mask his excitement. "Come on, it's dangerous over there. They're about to start."
Lunette went to his side as he nodded to Iason.
"Alright, you can start," Iason declared.
The construction workers, each with the bridge's blueprint in front of them, began their chant.
Lunette was not the only guest to the spectacle. All those who reached a level of participation in gathering materials were allowed to witness the event. The land filled with residents and players alike, repairs paused just for a moment.
Small mandalas appeared beneath each of the kneeling contractors. They expanded and absorbed each other until they formed a single mandala that encompassed the contractors.
The earth trembled with expectancy as blinding light shot up from the pentagram, then expanded, blinding everybody present.
When the onlookers cleared their sights, an angel larger than a house hovered over the contractors, six wings spread out to catch the sun's rays. The angel's face was shielded by its cowl, its garment a mixture of blue and white.
Kashi turned to Lunette and whispered, "Now."
Lunette nodded, then joined up with the orchestra. She sat at the head of a grand piano he'd fixed, fingers playing a soft tune as the first set stones hovered out of the shed and 'coagulated' at the cliff's edge.
The bridge's construction had begun.
No words accompanied this peaceful song, just the piano's beautiful voice, and the accompanying instruments. She got the crowd to hum along with her to its catchy melody, and soon the cliff was loud with excitement.
Kashi glanced from Suvron's Gate to Gerber, then rested on Lunette. She'd finished her first set and now gripped the crowd with an original song she'd titled 'Twilight Wolf,' inspired by Kashi's depiction of Kira and Hektor.
Unlike the first, this song was much darker, its opening lyrics a stream of desolate hopelessness, much like the state of Suvron's Gate before Kashi arrived. Accompanied solely by the weary sobs of her lute, the mountain's inhabitants recalled their sorrows, her voice tearing into the dark recesses of their hearts.
Diegel's pounding drums periodically reverberated through the mountain, accompanied by the dejected sighs of Iggy's violin.
Without warning, Diegel's intensity skyrocketed with the rest of the orchestra whipping the crowd into an unexpected frenzy. Like the hybrid nature of twilight, the audience found their adrenaline pumped, even as Lunette's dreary lyrics forced melancholy.
Kashi could not help but be impressed. He always knew she was good, but the ability to cause two entirely conflicting emotions to engage her listeners was something only the most talented musicians could accomplish. This could not be learned. Her songs, which were pulled from her heart and experiences... They intrigued him.
Kashi observed the crowd whose eyes had trouble peeling off Lunette to glance at the god for even a moment, even as she seamlessly switched to morale-uplifting thumping beats and major notes. This gave the audience the illusion she had saved them from their melancholy (even though she was the one who set that mood in the first place.) "Let them come, Make them stay, huh." He smiled as Lunette's eyes met his for a moment.
He was impressed by her gallantry. Here she was, in front of hundreds, easily taking complete command of their attention. He wondered where girls like her got their pluck from. Jade was the same way... Even Adachi too. Each of these girls could easily face the world as themselves, no mask needed.
What did that say about him, he wondered. In a way, he was a glorified mask himself. He looked up to see Lunette beaming at him, openly enjoying herself. He returned her smile and looked to the bridge. At the rate it was filling out, it would take a few days before construction finished.
Perfection could not be rushed.
Besides, Kashi thought as he smiled at Lunette, in that time, her name would spread further and further just like he wanted.