Episode 47 — Ragnarök
Thirteenth Day in the Month of Ash Tree (October 13) in the Year of the Dragon
Floor 39
Konpeito hummed as she walked. Since there were players around, she wasn’t allowed to skip or twirl her axe. She had to settle with humming. She slipped her recorder crystal out of its pouch and spun, taking a few quick pictures in the process. It was an inconspicuous way to snap the shots she loved getting.
Everyone on this raid was documented for her Journal of the Fallen, if it came to that unfortunate conclusion. Everyone was going to die, that was a fact of life. They shouldn't let it hold them back or cause them to abandon all rationale. Fun, living in the moment, impacting those around you, that was what living was. The boss raids were not always fun, but they served a greater purpose, impacting a whole lot of lives!
Konpeito was excited for this raid. The Thirty-Ninth Floor had been the British Isles of the 9th Century, not that most players would recognize it. Not even Knightstar seemed to notice. It was a niche moment in history few people studied.
The floor was split between the Anglo-Saxons from the Kingdom of Northumbria and the Vikings who would conquer parts of the isle for a time. The city closest to the boss Labyrinth was Dyflinn, which was old Norse for Dublin, Ireland, which the Vikings helped build as a modern city. Well, modern for the 9th Century.
The floor was also dropping some major hints about what the boss room held. Sure, the raid party knew what they were getting into. They had run a scouting mission and were well prepared, but Konpeito still didn’t think Loptur was dead. If he was going to show up again, now was the time. If he showed up, it would mean Ragnarök was here. Only a handful of the raiders today were in the fight against Loptur.
This raid was interesting for another reason. The Wondercolts were missing their usual member, Malus, who had been present at the battle against Loptur, as well as every other boss fight. Today's baddy didn't require slow, unmoving tanks. They needed lightning fast attackers who could quickly dish out smaller amounts of damage at a high rate of speed. All five of her friends were damage dealers: Bladescape, Thunder, Natora, and Kiefer. Kirito, the Black Swordsman, was joining their team to make six. For the raid he was an honorary Wondercolt, at least to Konpeito. Since Malus wasn’t needed, she had left the night before to go fishing somewhere. She would be back when the boss was killed and they could do their usual ceremonial toast!
The others ahead of them stopped walking because they were finally at the boss chamber. It hadn’t taken too long to return to where they had already been. Everyone started ensuring they were ready and in their groups. Konpeito looked at the door. She recognized parts of it!
"VALHALLA!" Konpeito exclaimed.
Heathcliff's sword was raised up and he looked like he was about to speak, but it was Asuna who did and she didn't look happy. "What?" Asuna growled.
"The door says Valhalla," Konpeito explained.
"There’s no writing on it," Asuna stated.
"Well, duh," Konpeito said, rolling her eyes. "But it also doesn't have a mouth to say something. It does have the symbol for Valhalla at the very top, in the center, above the doors. The keystone has the carved Valknut symbol, three triangles interwoven to create nine triangles, one for each world realm in Norse mythology. It also is the symbol for death.
"Also on the door is Gungnir, Odin's spear; Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor except it's upside down. Interestingly enough, it bears a squared off version of the swastika on the head that symbolizes the life forces: power, holiness, prosperity, continuity, luck, and fire; each side of the doorframe has the Web of Wyrd symmetrically carved on it, which is the symbol for fate, how the past, present, and future are interwoven and affect each other; I see a stylized circular version of Yggdrasill, the great tree, with its branches circling around to become the roots; Huginn And Muninn, the two ravens, are facing each other. Other things are on it as well.
"I'm telling you, it's Ragnarök! Loptur will return."
"Last time she was correct," Asuna stated as she looked at Heathcliff. "The change happened at the very end, well past what a scouting party would be able to discover."
"There is no way to prepare for it, correct?" Heathcliff asked Asuna.
"Correct," Asuna nodded. "At least we know this time that there is the possibility of a radical change."
Heathcliff looked at Konpeito. "Wondercolt, pay attention to the battle. Watch for any changes so you can give us the best warning possible. For the rest of us, we shall proceed as planned. If this boss fight truly is the fate of the gods, then we shall strike them down. We shall be their fate as we cut loose another chain preventing our liberation!"
Konpeito smiled as his short speech got a thunderous applause from the players. She would be ready. For now, she was happy with the pictures she had snuck of Heathcliff and Asuna standing side-by-side in front of a boss chamber door.
Pictures of members of the assault team were not the only things she took. Plenty of other players were recorded doing all sorts of things, many of them normal, daily activities. Konpeito also loved to snap action shots of the Wondercolts in action and the scenery they passed by. She would never endanger her friends or anyone to get a picture, but she was good at sneaking them when they thought she wasn't paying attention. Konpeito didn't have a skill that improved her sight and she wasn't as sharp as Doombunny, but her eyes were still sharper than most. It was part of wanting to have as much fun as possible. If she couldn’t see the best things, she couldn’t maximize her fun!
Heathcliff opened the boss room and confidently strode in. Konpeito wanted to skip because the boss room mimicked a field. The floor looked like a lush carpet of grass and the walls danced with scenery painted onto the smooth stones. Konpeito was in Vigrid, the legendary plain where the final battle would take place.
Muspel The Black Giant was a ginormous boss who held a golden sword in his right hand, which wasn’t right. Surtr, while leading the Sons of Muspel, was supposed to have a flaming sword that shone brighter than the sun. Muspelheim was the name of the realm which the fire giant Surtr protects and leaves only so he can destroy the other realms with fire. Making a flaming sword brighter than the sun might be too difficult for the game, but the giant had flaming eyes and was snorting fire as the raiders formed up. Unlike most giants, Muspel was supposed to be quick enough to make tanks useless.
Konpeito didn't even blink and he was halfway across the room. A split second later he attacked the first raiders, sending them flying with several quick cuts and slashes. Heathcliff and his usual squad were targeted next and Konpeito watched as most of them also went flying. Heathcliff simply sidestepped the attack and struck back with great reflexes. Despite the pressure, he was calm.
The baddy noticed her watching, locking eyes with Konpeito. She raised her axe in defiance of his gaze. He launched himself at her, going for the kill. Konpeito just stayed still. Kirito got in between them, blocking the boss' sword with his own, but suffering pretty bad damage. The boss' next cut was determined to hit her. Bladescape intercepted it, as Konpeito expected, but she was tossed back from the weight in the attack.
The boss wouldn't be denied and the third slash came at Konpeito's chest height. It was a simple thing to jump, like the people who did the high jump, flopping over the bar, only in this case, she didn't have to sprint and the bar was razor sharp. She cleared the sword and put a hand down, using it to turn the flop into a cartwheel. Konpeito came out of it, triggering a sword skill that cut the big bad giant's leg.
Natora, Thunder, and Kiefer got good hits in after she did. It forced the giant to choose a new target, but Konpeito had locked eyes with him before retreating. He would be back. He was coming straight for her. The others needed to be eliminated, but she was his real target. That would make it hard for her to do as Heathcliff wanted and watch out for signs of Ragnarök.
Konpeito put it out of her mind for now. She had to put up with the fire giant first. The rest of the evil beasts to come could be dealt with when they arrived. She knew Loptur would be coming.
The boss only attacked one or two other parties before coming back at Konpeito. She ducked and dodged, striking when she could and letting Kirito or Bladescape block the other times. Kiefer, Natora, and Thunder dealt more damage than she did, but that was okay. Konpeito knew she was playing the more important role by having the boss's attention.
Asuna ran up to them after the boss had left. "That's five times he has come for you," Asuna stated. "Two parties haven't been attacked yet. What's going on?"
"The boss is targeting Konpeito," Bladescape answered. "I don't know why. I don't have an explanation, unless we agree that she is right."
Asuna let out a sigh, "Then we watch for signs of change."
Konpeito readied her axe. The fire giant came again. Asuna fought with them until it left again and she ran back to her party to report to Heathcliff.
The boss was getting annoying, constantly coming for her. It was no longer fun trying to dodge everything. She wished she had a spear and shield to meet him head on like a proper Viking.
They finally got two of the four health bars eliminated. Muspel The Black Giant jumped back, away from everyone and opened his jaw. From it he spit liquid fire. The entire room was set ablaze. It no longer looked like a green field. Instead, it was an ashen wasteland. Even the scenery on the walls was changed to match. Everyone got burned. Many received a lasting burn status that constantly removed HP. Konpeito didn't have the effect, but everyone else in her party did. Antidote crystals didn't negate it. They had to put up with the five-minute burning damage and constantly down health potions to counter the HP loss.
Now the boss room looked like Ragnarök. The fun was just getting started. Konpeito couldn't help but grin with excitement as the baddy, who was supposed to be named Surtr, looked at her and raised his sword. It was now flaming like it should be.
"Bring it, jötunn!" Konpeito exclaimed as she raised her axe. "Try and cut me down. I'll cleave the Ragna from the Rök and hit you with my Rock Candy Smash before you burn the entire world!"
The boss charged her with the same lightning speed. She had a split second to skip out of the way of his sword and cut him with her axe. As soon as the cut was made, she let go with her right hand and triggered a martial arts sword skill. Her first glowed pink as she released it, driving her fist into his leg, right above the knee where the pressure point was.
Konpeito spun out of the attack, sliding to a stop a little bit away as the delay kicked in. She didn't get far enough away before the delay hit. Chaining two attacks meant a longer pause and she wasn't sure if she would be released in time. That was a problem.
He whipped around to attack her as the fire that was his eyes raged even more. She was still stuck in the delay as he brought his sword down on her. She couldn't even raise her axe to block it.
THUD!
The sword was stopped and Konpeito realized someone had extended their shield over her head to stop her from dying. White and red players flowed around her, led by Asuna, as they launched the first counter attack after being burned. The one shielding her was Heathcliff.
"Thanks!" Konpeito exclaimed as she was released. "I didn't expect to go down before the end of Ragnarök. Unless we are not the Einherjar, but the gods themselves. If we are the gods, then you would be Odin, leading us from Sleipnir and welding the spear Gungnir." Konpeito looked at his sword and shrugged. "Close enough. You might not have his golden radiance, but you have his wisdom and strength."
"And what of you, Candy Girl?" Heathcliff asked. "She who fights with an axe?"
Konpeito shrugged. "All of the gods use swords or spears, except for Thor who will wield the hammer, Mjölnir. Maybe I represent Freyr, who wields an inferior weapon because he gave his good one up to marry his wife. Without it, during Ragnarök, he faces Surtr with an antler and they each kill the other. I have little doubt that Loki will arrive and he may well be my real enemy. If that’s the case, I would be Heimdall, but they also kill each other."
"What happens to Odin?" Heathcliff asked.
"He dies, killed by Fenrir, the giant wolf," Konpeito explained. "Fenrir is killed by Odin's son, Vidar. Thor goes to battle the giant snake, Jörmungandr. In the end, he will kill the serpent, but die from the snake's venom. The whole event leaves most gods dead."
"That’s the odd thing," Heathcliff said. "Gods are not supposed to die."
"Maybe not, but they do in Norse mythology," Konpeito stated. "But plenty here isn't right. I'm certain the story is correct, but the details aren’t. Loptur, the god of mischief, is best known by his other translated name, Loki. Muspel The Black Giant is supposed to be Surtr, who will lead the Sons of Muspel, other fire giants from Muspelheim. I can't track or predict the changes made to the original lore. Only so much is correct, but this is a game. The designers changed stuff to make the world of Aincrad their own and the story ours. That doesn't leave us with any answers."
The boss came back at them. This time, Konpeito wasn't alone. Heathcliff's party and the Wondercolts, both the full members and the honorary one, stood beside her. They blocked seven cuts from the boss' sword and Konpeito joined the ones striking back at him.
He stumbled back as everyone reset, forming up around Konpeito since he was primarily after her. They all still had the burning effect. The boss came again, ignoring the other parties and was repelled by her friends and allies. His third health bar would not withstand another assault, yet he readied himself for it anyway.
Heathcliff blocked the first slash and Natora drove her spear home. The second strike was blocked by another shield user in white while Thunder unleashed what she had. Konpeito stayed still to not get in their way. The third attack was blocked by another KoB member while Asuna and Kiefer struck. The fourth was handled by Kirito's sword while Bladescape and two other KoB members struck. The fifth was blocked by another raider in white and Godfree led the counter attack. The sixth stroke was blocked by Heathcliff and Konpeito skipped forward.
She was the last one to strike, unleashing a seven hit combo. She was all ready to yell "timber" as the boss stumbled back, but his third health bar had a sliver of health in it. Also, he wasn't going to fall. Konpeito was stuck in her delay, as was everyone else.
Except for Heathcliff. He didn't miss the opportunity to step forward and knock the last of the health off the boss' third HP bar. The strike caused the black giant to backpedal and drop his sword.
He began to glow as everyone was released from their delays. They all quickly topped off their HP. Muspel's black skin began to brighten, turning from charcoal into an ember. An ember that quickly engulfed the giant and then exploded. It erupted like a volcano, spewing flames into the ceiling and bathing everyone in intense heat. When it was done, the boss was a pillar of ash.
"Is it over?" A raider asked.
"Keep your guard up!" Asuna ordered. "This isn't over. There was still one more health bar and the congratulations weren't given."
Konpeito flipped her axe up onto her shoulders, hanging her arms off it as she waited. It was as good of a place as any for it as the boss cooled down from his temper tantrum. How he would emerge would say a lot.
The ash finally crumbled as it hardened to stone. In the midst of the falling debris stood a tall man with red hair and a full, red beard. A sword was on his left hip and he was wearing traditional Norse armor with red and brown colors. Saying he was handsome was putting it lightly.
"Told you!" Konpeito exclaimed with a grin. She popped her axe off her shoulders and caught it. "That would be the handsome trickster himself at the heart of it all, Loki."
The boss gave a sly smile to Konpeito and then pounced. His speed was faster than Thunderborne. Konpeito barely swung her axe up in time to stop his thin Viking sword. Konpeito shoved him away from her and he flipped a few times, getting the distance he wanted. His single health bar had not been dented.
"Now what?" Asuna asked.
"Duh," Konpeito said, rolling her eyes at Asuna. She could be so uptight and overthink things. Also she often missed a lot of the fun to be had. "We kill Loki and clear this floor boss!"
"We don't know what he is capable of!" Asuna fired back.
"Uses a sword," Konpeito said, starting the list. "Is a trickster. Is fast and agile. Has one health bar. His sword is named Laevateinn. I expect he will use all available one-handed sword skill combinations no matter what skill level they require, and maybe some specific to him. Last time he was a nuisance, putting players to sleep with mistletoe. Now he can and will kill us."
"We need more shields," someone said.
Outside of the attack on Konpeito, Loki was biding his time in the center of the room, sword drawn and ready to go as he looked at the raiders who surrounded him.
"No, we don't," Konpeito said, focusing on Loki. She had relaxed her axe by resting it against her shoulder. "Kirito fights with just a sword. He never uses a shield or anything else. If he can, so can you. And so can Loki."
"At least one of you is worthy of residing in Valhalla," Loki goaded.
That got a reaction out of a DDA member who lashed out from behind Loki. Loki didn't appear to see it coming. At the last moment, he spun, unleashed Vertical Square. The raider staggered back and was healed by his quick-thinking friends before his health was fully gone. However, he was left paralyzed and a crystal didn’t fix that effect.
"Is there none among you who thinks he, or she, can beat me in a proper fight, one on one?" Loki asked.
No one answered. Konpeito shook her head. They were all so used to fighting together in a boss raid, they didn't see it as it was, a duel. Duels were taboo in SAO because of the death game scenario. Plus, Loki was the god of mischief. He was both harmless and evil. His slide from mischief to insanity was an interesting one. The other players needed to have the confidence to take him on. After all, he only had one health bar, just like they did.
Kirito stepped forward with his sword on his shoulder, ready to trigger a skill. Loki smiled and raised his sword. After a respectable pause, they charged each other. The clash of swords was furious and fast. Kirito was very good, the best reaction time out of any of the players on the Assault Team. Loki's sword glowed red and he triggered what was known as Quadruple Pain, a rapier exclusive Sword Skill. He could use both and probably curved sword skills too. Kirito blocked the first two but not the last two. He fell to the ground as a paralyzing effect took over. Loki didn't pounce on him. He merely shook his head at Kirito, disappointed at his performance. Bladescape and Klein independently rushed out from where they were and helped each other drag Kirito out of the way.
Konpeito didn't know if she could beat Loki. His sword was quick. One bad move and that paralyzing effect would be problematic.
Heathcliff strode forward and raised his sword, shield forward. They charged each other and Loki attempted to skip around his shield at the last moment. Heathcliff was fast, turning with him and preventing him from getting behind Heathcliff. The Commander fell into the trap, ending up spinning in a circle as Loki was content to run around him. How Heathcliff was still standing after all that spinning, Konpeito wasn't sure, but his strike at Loki was enough to stop the game and he was still on both of his feet. Loki didn't care and his sword glowed red. He rammed his sword into Heathcliff's shield and the Commander staggered back as the same paralyzing effect set in.
The KoB rushed Loki, abandoning his single combat challenge. One by one they fell, each being paralyzed like Heathcliff was. Asuna lasted the longest of them and entered a duel of swords, similar to what Kirito's attempt had been. She too was felled.
"Either someone strikes me down, or everyone dies!" Loki declared as he gingerly stepped over paralyzed KoB members. "Everyone's fates are woven together. If there is not one among you who can strike me down, then you will all perish when I defeat the last warrior among you!"
Natora tried to call out a teleport, to get them back up, but she was hit with a red bolt, thrown from his sword. She too was knocked out of the fight and they couldn't get a message out since dungeons and labyrinths blocked them. Now Loki was no longer being mischievous. He was a bad god with bad intentions and evil in his heart.
The members of Fuurinkazan who were in the raid charged him along with several others. They all quickly were paralyzed. They couldn't distract him long enough for one of the others to sneak out. He was caught and a paralyzing bolt was flicked from Loki’s sword, putting the player on the ground.
"We'll hit him together," Bladescape declared. "As Wondercolts we can take him."
"Don't you get it, Blade?" Konpeito asked. "Every time a group has tried, he uses their numbers against them. He uses their chaos against them, making them his shield as he skips through and around them, hitting who he can. The best attempts have been by a single player.”
"Then what do we do?" Kiefer asked. "I can't beat him."
"Not with that attitude," Konpeito said, rolling her eyes. "Shields are not bad unless you hide behind them. If the player cowers behind them, then it's not much different from running. Speed and agility are what’s needed."
"I guess that's me," Thunder said as the last party was paralyzed. It was just down to the Wondercolts.
Thunder headed to an open place in the chamber and Loki followed. With a flash, Thunder opened the fight. She was fast and quick, changing directions and striking from the odd angles it allowed her to use. She looked great for a while, but when she thought she had him and triggered the sword skill, Loki dodged and then ran Thunder through before the delay even hit.
Bladescape was next but she was too slow and hesitant. She was good at fighting with people, but not alone, which was ironic considering how many nights she spent alone, grinding for XP against the most profitable monsters. But Konpeito didn't blame her. After all, monsters fought differently than another player did.
Kiefer gave it his best but he was too nervous. His fight was over before it started.
Loki looked at her. "Well, we meet again," he said. "Last time you got me from behind. You changed axes."
"You changed shapes," Konpeito fired back. "I'm still wearing the cloak you wore last time."
"Yes, you are," the mischievous boss mused. "But can you beat me now? Or will I get to wear that cape once more?"
"Can I have some mistletoe?" Konpeito asked.
"Nice try, maiden, but no," he said, grinning slyly. "Are you certain you want to do this?"
"No," Konpeito admitted, shaking her head a bit. She wasn't taking her eyes off him. She wouldn't let him distract her and be caught off guard. "But it's down to just us two. I don't have an option. Either you die or my friends die. If the Valkyries choose me, I won't be around to feel bad about it, but I can't let you hurt my friends and the others in this room."
"Then prepare yourself!" Loki declared as he raised his sword.
Konpeito took a deep breath in. Thunder did so well because she relied on speed and agility, being unpredictable until she triggered a sword skill. Most of the players who fell had triggered a sword skill, making the attack predictable. The only way to beat him would be to out mischief the god of mischief. That would be very hard for her to do, especially with so much pressure riding on the outcome.
Konpeito took another deep breath in, closing her eyes as she sought out her inner laughter. She needed to find it before she fought him. She was reasonably certain that, despite his mischievous and evil nature, he would play by the rule of honor and not strike her down until she was ready to face him. He could have run around the room and hit everyone in a matter of seconds, if he really wanted to, but that was chaos without any fun.
Konpeito opened the door to her heart and stepped into the kitchen of their new home in Mishe. She pulled out the cupcakes from the oven before they began to burn, quickly frosting one so she could eat it. She left, heading out the front door in search of her inner hope and laughter.
One of the buildings had a sign saying "confidence" and another said "integrity," but neither were what she was looking for. Nothing in Mishe held that laughter. She headed for the teleport plaza and stepped on it. She called out "Sugarcane Hollow" and was teleported away from Mishe to the world of her dreams.
The teleport plaza wasn't close to the Sugar Valley, but a hike wasn't bad. She was running out of time, but there was always plenty of time in a person's mind. At least now she could skip through the sugarcane fields to the Marzipan Mountains. Inside those mountains was nestled Sugar Valley, where the good rock tolls farmed their rocks until they were filled with the delicious candy. Rock farming took a lot more care and effort than most people would guess. The rocks had to be rotated through the fields so that the candy crystals could properly form. Otherwise, it would turn into a gooey mush that was the bad kind of sour.
Konpeito let out a content sigh as she saw the farm. Working in the west field was the family of rock trolls. They spotted her arrival and balled up, rolling over to the gate. They popped out of their rolling boulder form and greeted her.
"Hey Papa Rock and family!" Konpeito greeted them.
"What are you doing here?" Papa Rock asked. He was rather accusatory, especially for a rock. "It's not time to be sleeping."
"I'm here to find my inner laughter," Konpeito explained. "I have to if I'm to beat the boss, who is the god of mischief. My friends are counting on me. They all fell to him, but they're not dead, not yet. If I fail, we all die. It's a very serious battle, but they failed because they were too serious while he was having fun. Most people are automatically more serious than a god of mischief. If he wasn't also evil, then we'd have a lot of fun together, but he is. Now it all rides on me and I can't find my smile."
"I see," he said, grabbing a rock. "Here, try the harvest. It's still early and small, but it's fresh."
He broke the rock open and held it out for her to choose from. She made her choice and popped the small piece of rock candy into her mouth. It was blue raspberry, which was fun because there were no raspberries that were blue! Blue food coloring was used to distinguish raspberry ice pops from the other red fruits, like strawberries or cherries. The artificial raspberry flavor mimicked the wild blackcap raspberry pretty well. The side effects of blue tongues always made for a good laugh too.
"I see a little smile there," Papa Rock said in a happy tone, as rocks couldn't smile. "What is holding back Konpeito from having fun? You are the candy girl. You named yourself after not just any candy, but a confectionary that has a lot of fun in your mouth with all of its tiny bumps. It tastes good and is fun."
"It's just that soooo much is riding on me now," Konpeito explained, rocking on her heels. "The boss fights are always serious and pretty stressful. I'm not blaming Heathcliff, he brought a lot of good things to the front. He calmed things down and helped focus our efforts, but he's a downer. A very serious man. Even if he wasn't, the fights are not a place to hop around, twirl my axe, and have fun. They come with real risk."
"Is that risk different from everyday life?" Papa Rock asked.
"Absolutely!" Konpeito exclaimed. "In real life, I'm not charging into a battle where lives rely on me. Life is dangerous, we've had our issues with magic, but here we are seeking out that danger in order to destroy it. I don't do that back home. Only in here. The death part really kills the game, which might have been the point, but that's not important right now. The handsome bad boss is waiting for me to open my eyes and fight him. If I can't do it with a smile, I'll lose, hopefully chosen by the Valkyries for my effort, and my friends will die."
"Yes, those are serious things," Papa Rock agreed. "However, have you been serious about helping our Sugar Valley and the rock candy farmers who live here? Or were you having fun?"
"Uh," Konpeito said, thinking. "Both? It was serious and it was fun. If it wasn't serious, I never would have gotten it done. Or if I wasn't serious about helping you. But I was. And I did. Yes, it was fun. Learning to wield Pokkialibur and fight the evil chocolate witch and her peep army was a blast. Tiresome, but fun. Every bad guy who comes here to take your harvests is fun in some way. A serious problem, but they are candy! I love candy!"
"Yes, you do," Papa Rock said. "You also like pranks. What has this mischievous boss actually done?"
"He killed Balder by tricking his half-brother into shooting him with an arrow made of mistletoe, the only thing that could kill him," Konpeito answered. "That was his worst offense and why we have earthquakes. They had to chain him up until Ragnarök and every time poison from a snake helping keep him there hits him, the world shakes.
"On a funner note, he cut off Sif's amazing, glorious, golden hair while she was sleeping and then begged an angry Thor to let him make amends by going to the dwarfs to have it forged into a golden headdress for Sif. While there, he also challenged the dwarfs that they couldn't create anything better than what they were created as. That's where Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, came from. But in order to win the bet, Loki transformed into a fly and pestered the working dwarfs so they would fail. He finally bit one in the eye, which shortened the handle of Mjölnir, which meant the head couldn't be bigger. He slithered out of that lost bet, not paying up.
"And then, when the Gods were about to lose Freya to a master builder who was making a wall for their domain faster than they expected, they sent Loki to sabotage the building. Loki shape shifted into a mare, distracting the builder's stallion, and that's also how Odin came to possess Sleipnir, the eight-legged flying horse. Loki's done a lot of crazy things. To make the giantess, Skadi, laugh in payment for some stuff between the Aesir and her father, he does some very painful and humiliating outlandishness, which involved a goat, that I can't mention since your pebbles are around. He succeeded in making Skadi laugh." Konpeito couldn't help but smile at the thought of what Loki had to do.
"You smiled," Papa Rock said. "That isn't far from a laugh, not for you. The things this Loki has done, some are bad, but plenty are funny."
"Or funny what the gods wanted to do to him," Konpeito added.
"So remember the absurdities and laugh!" Papa Rock exclaimed. "Laugh at him before you strike him down. He can't laugh at himself for that which he has done, can he?"
"Not exactly," Konpeito stated. "So I do have that over him. This reminds me of what Grandma Pie taught me about laughing at things I'm afraid of, only I'm not afraid. At least not right now. Okay, a little bit of fear, I'm afraid my friends will die because I can't beat him, but it's not the same fear I had as a child, where the shadows seemed to hide creepy, dark, evil things I couldn't fight. She taught me to fight with laughter."
"She gave you great wisdom," Papa Rock said. "Always find the hope and joy in any situation. It is there, even if you have to look under every rock to find it or pull apart the clouds themselves."
"Okay, I'm ready!" Konpeito exclaimed.
Papa Rock tossed her another piece of the early harvest and Konpeito popped it in her mouth. She enjoyed the cherry flavor as she thought herself back to the boss room.
When Konpeito opened her eyes and saw the handsome trickster, she smiled. She laughed wholeheartedly at his groveling to get Skadi to laugh. Becoming a mare to stop the wall was also ridiculous. He could have done a dozen other things to distract the giant or his horse, but he chose to become a mare. She remembered the other things he did to escape punishment, like transforming into a salmon and jumping into a river.
"Come on, you mare of a stallion!" Konpeito declared. "Show me how you transformed into a falcon or salmon. Show me the greatness of your glory so that I may mock you for all of your silliness. Even your actions today are funny. On the eighth floor, they were also funny. You put most of the raiders to sleep instead of hurting them because you're a silly goose. Today you paralyzed the others, rather than kill them. That's pretty funny. Everything else goes for the kill, but you make the fight fun. Thor may not be able to crush you, but I certainly can!"
Loki growled as he charged Konpeito. She bounced her axe off her shoulder and started to twirl it. She was determined to have fun.
As Loptur came in close, Konpeito used her twirling axe to transfer her weight, pulling her into a spinning jump that dodged his sword. Konpeito transitioned into a cartwheel, avoiding his follow-up. She slid out of it, laughing at the fact that she had to cartwheel over a paralyzed Heathcliff in the process.
Loptur was just getting angry. His handsome face couldn't make up for his sour looks.
"How many times has Thor almost crushed you with his bare hands?" Konpeito asked. "And yet he now wields the weapon made by the dwarves when they won the bet you made with them?" Konpeito let out a snort as he stomped over to her. "How does that feel?" She asked.
The thrust was quick, but Konpeito rocked back onto her heels and kicked her butt backwards to avoid it. She was off balance with it still in front of her, so instead of trying to regain her balance, she fell backwards into a roll. Rolling was fun so she did it a few times, even going over a player.
Loptur got the better of her, stamping his foot down on the handle of her axe as she rolled. Konpeito let go of it, and rolled up onto her feet. She leaned against the wall, which she had ended up besides.
"Well that was fun," Konpeito stated. "You should see your face. Although if you did, knowing you, you would fall in love with your own reflection. Who knows what you would birth with yourself."
"You're without a weapon!" Loptur declared.
"So?" Konpeito asked as she lounged against the wall. "What of it?"
"How will you defeat me without a weapon?" He pressed, as he raised his sword.
"Through dance!" Konpeito stated, laughing.
The cut down was quick, slicing through the stone wall. Konpeito rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding it.
"You almost got me," she admitted. "But you missed. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades!"
"Who said that?" Loptur asked as he pulled his sword back.
"Frank Robbins," Konpeito answered. "Wait!" She exclaimed. It actually got Loptur to pause as she started to laugh. "Sorry, that's wrong. I was mixing up Frank Robinson and Marty Robbins. Robinson was a baseball player and coach, Robbins wrote trail songs and country music." She couldn't help but laugh at making such a simple mistake.
It almost was enough of a distraction for Loptur, but Konpeito expected him to take the opening. She did a 180, going from her back against the wall and flopping to having her face in the stone. Laevateinn sank deep in the stone beside her. It would have skewered her.
Konpeito kicked off the wall with her palms as she took a step back. It put her side by side with Loptur. He never had a chance to react with his sword still in the wall as she grabbed the back of his neck and slammed his handsome bearded face into the stones, pinning him there.
"You know, you have plenty of fun, we could have been friends and had plenty of laughs together,” Konpeito commented. “But ultimately you threatened my friends and everyone in this chamber. We can't lose to you or any other boss. While the others may not be able to laugh at you, I can. They also need weapons to fight, most of them, but I don't. Pies make just as good of a projectile weapon as bullets, especially in the hands of clowns."
Konpeito let go and took a step back. Loptur pulled his sword free and turned to face her. "I won't fall to a weaponless maiden!" He triggered a sword skill Konpeito had never seen before. The powerful thrust rocketed towards her as she imagined his scary face painted like a clown.
That made her smile as she stepped forward, throwing a punch directly at the thrust. It was a martial arts sword skill and it knocked the sword from its path. She continued with her forward momentum, spinning into another punch, her patented "Rock Candy Smash," which landed in the boss' gut. He doubled over, dropping his sword. He still had half his HP left.
She put her foot on the handle of Laevateinn, rolling it onto her toe before popping it up and catching it. She slashed him from his neck to his hip in one smooth stroke. He fell to his knees, HP depleted.
"How?" Loptur asked.
"I'm Konpeito," she stated. "But you probably know me as Heimdall."
Konpeito slid the sword into her belt as he shattered. She walked over to her axe and picked it up as everyone was released from the paralysis effect. The congratulations music played as the room changed from the burned valley to a stone hall.
She got Laevateinn as a drop. She didn't know if it was a good sword or not, but it was a great memento to keep. It also wasn't the LAB, which obviously went to her too. The LAB was Gjallarhorn. It was an instrument which Konpeito could play. It was a “flute” made out of an ox horn. The gilded horn had pictures of the Norse sagas engraved on it. When played by a bard, it tripled the buffs given to those within range. Konpeito had to get that bard skill. She would do that when she hit level sixty, but first she had to complete the quest which unlocked the skill. She had plenty of time to do that before she hit sixty.
"Well done, Wondercolt," Heathcliff said as he stood up. "I wasn't able to see what you did."
"No one was," Konpeito stated. "We were out of view of everyone. I beat him with laughter and by having more fun than the god of mischief could. Unfortunately, the flames of Muspelheim extinguished the lives of four players. Fallon of Gael was the first to fall in battle. Also lost were three from Meigibu: Tasfi, Marta, and Alita.
"Sé mo laoch mo Ghile Mear, Ghile Mear ‘sa seal faoi chumha,‘S Éire go léir faoi chlócaibh dubha; Suan ná séan ní bhfuaireas féin, Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo Ghile Mear.
"He's my champion, my Gallant Darling; Gallant Darling for a while under sorrow, And Ireland completely under black cloaks; I have found neither rest nor fortune; Since my Gallant Darling went far away."
BLADESCAPE: Level 63 — Two-Handed Sword — Searching — Weapon Defense — Leather Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Sprint — Blade Throwing — Extended Weight Carry
NATORA: Level 59 — Two-Handed Spear — Purchase Negotiations — Sales Negotiation — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Acrobatics
KNIGHTSTAR: Level 57 — One-Handed Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Equipment Appraisal — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Acrobatics — Extended Weight Carry
MALUS: Level 60 — One-Handed War Hammer — Greatshield — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Extended Weight Carry — Battle Regeneration — Fishing — Search — Martial Arts
THUNDERBORNE: Level 59 — Rapier — Sprint — Acrobatics — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Armor Pierce
KONPEITO: Level 59 — Two-Handed Axe — Cooking — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — Martial Arts — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Music — Blade Throwing
DIEMOND: Level 59 — Mace — Greatshield — Sewing — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Light Metal Armor Forging — Heavy Metal Armor Forging
DOOMBUNNY: Level 57 — One-Handed Dagger — Hide — Fighting Spirit — Blade Throwing — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Familiar Cooperation — Mixing — Search
KIEFER: Level 57 — One-Handed Curved Sword — Slash Weapon Forging — Light Metal Armor — Weapon Defense — First Aid — Katana — Battle Regeneration — Slash Weapon Forging
SORYUTO: Level 56 — One-Handed Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Music — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Fighting Spirit — Armor Pierce
REISENKI: Level 58 — One-Handed Axe — Greatshield — Heavy Metal Armor — Equipment Repair — Metal Equipment Repair — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Cooking