Fandom Moonlit Crusade

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

The central park, a masterpiece in the middle of this grand city. Decorated by a various plants and towering trees, as well as a number of public art pieces, the park in its entirety is a sight to behold.

Originally intended to be a refuge of peace and quiet for those stressed by their daily lives, the park has now become a famous spot to hang out and relax, not only for those stressed out, but for everyone.

But tonight, the park seems to be lacking visitors, compared to the usual. Despite it being Friday, there's nothing but a countable few in sight, and even then, they are starting to leave. Among the few park visitors is our protagonist, a young student whose semester break is just a week from now. On the eastern side of the park, seated on a bench.

They are emptily gazing upon the plants, swaying to the mercy of the cold night's breeze. It could be easily assumed that they are spacing out.

What is our protagonist's gender?

MALE

FEMALE

What is our protagonist's name?

(DEFAULT NAME)

WRITE-IN.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

Alton de Lune. That is the name of this story's protagonist - a young lad whose simple life is about to get dragged into an extremely messed-up side of the world.

After a short while, he finally snapped out of the trance. Finally realizing that he had wasted a decent amount of time sitting down in the park, he took a look on his wristwatch.

9:43​

It's already late. He decided that it would be best to head back home, and so, he picked up your bag, and rose from the seat. Fortunately, his home isn't too far from the park, so wouldn't need to waste your money on getting a cab. And so, he walked. Down the path where he stood upon, which would lead to the roads beyond the central park.

As he followed the path, he suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to gaze upon the sky and stare at the moon. And so, as if compelled by fate itself, Alton did.

He could not believe what he saw.

The night sky was lit up...

by a blue moon.​

He always thought that such a phenomena wasn't real. That it simply was a form of speech, a term of fantasy used for idioms and whatnot.

And yet here it was, basking him in its mysterious light - the blue moon.

He slowly begin to lose track of what he was doing, as he gazed in awe at the astral body.

That was, until he heard a loud scream echo from the east, dispelling him from the trance he was were unintentionally placing himself into.

What will Alton do?

Investigate where the scream came from.

Ignore it and go home.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

Alton's curiosity forced him to decide on investigating where the scream came from.

He headed towards the east, ignoring the signs that say "keep off the grass", and trampled upon the green earth as he ran. Until Alton saw a trail of blood leading to a dark portion of park, and followed it out of the same reason - sheer curiosity.

As he continued to follow the blood trail, the drops of crimson liquid slowly grew in size up until they became puddles. After a few minutes of tracking, Alton began to hear noises coming from an isolated corner, just a sharp turn from his current displacement.

Instinctively, he leaned against the wall, and sneakily moved nearer, inch by inch until he stopped at a point where he can somewhat hear the noises more clearly.

"Where is it, mage?", a deep, menacing voice spoke.

"I-I don't know! I swear!", a trembling voice replied.

Curious yet again, Alton decided to take a sneak peek at the said corner.

A bad idea. Definitely, a bad idea.

"Then you are of no use to me.", the menacing voice said.

Alton caught a glimpse of the source of this voice - a man dressed in a formal suit, with a red scarf hanging upon his shoulders.

But more importantly, he had witnessed a what seems to be a wounded salary man get slain by a strange long-haired man clad in rugged clothing. The strange-clothed man moved so quick, that he couldn't even tell what happened.

Alton could only see that he went to the wounded salary man in the blink of an eye, and stab him in the chest with a sword, then return to the side of the man in the suit.

Alton was left speechless in fear. Quickly taking a step back, he unexpectedly crushed a dead leaf, and the crunching noise made the two remaining men turn their attention towards him.

Upon feeling the murderous intent in their gaze, Alton immediately ran away, as fast as he could. Not towards the direction of his home, but to the center of the park. If he remembered it correctly, a police outpost is stationed there. Hopefully, the officers there wouldn't be absent in this situation.

Unfortunately, he was panicking as he ran, causing him to trip on a surfaced tree root.

As Alton fell to the ground, he begin to think that this is where he was going to die. He turned to look at the blue moon once more, strangely captivated by its mystical appearance.

"If I'm to die here, then...", he mumbled to himself.

After a second, Alton turned his gaze to the path before him, where the expected death would come.

From the distance, Alton could see the strange clothed man rushing towards him with his sword in two hands. By the look of it, he would not survive this.

Alton would have accepted such ill fate. But after being compelled by a strange force, he chose to go against fate itself.

What will Alton's next action be?

"I will not die here!"

"I refuse to perish!"

Scream loudly and furiously.

Call for help.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

Alton desperately called for help. "Someone please-", he shouted to the top of his lungs, hoping that the sheer volume of his voice would be enough to gain attention.

Unfortunately, there was no response. And if there was any coming, it was already too late. The strange-clothed man already drew near, and there was no way Alton could outrun him. Inevitable, his death was.

Or should be.

In the blink of an eye, the ground where he laid upon glowed brightly, and strange images of moving circles with intricate designs appeared before him. Then, a blinding light flashed before him, followed by the deafening noise of steel clashing against each other.

As Alton's sight finally came to, after such a confusing display of light works, he saw a woman. Right before him, clad in armor shining beneath the moonlight, and her red silken cape swayed under the mercy of the cold night's wind, just like her dark blonde hair. She could be seen holding off the attack that was supposed to end Alton's life, with a sword that had a long red cloth tied upon its handle.

After a moment of struggle between blades, the strange-clothed man grunted, then returned back to where he came from, leaving only Alton and the mysterious armored woman alone.

The woman, then, turned to face Alton and offered him her hand to help him up. Still in awe and confusion, Alton took the hand, stood up, and took a number of steps back. He was awed at the woman's appearance, gleaming of elegance and fortitude. Yet at the same time, he was confused as to how and why she appeared.

But before he could speak, the woman let out her voice. "I, Bradamante, have answered your call." She thrust her sword onto the ground, breaking the tiles of the park's walkway. Her eyes glared at him.

How will Alton react?

Ask what just happened.

Try to think it's all just a dream.

Run away.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

With all the strange things that had happened to Alton, his mind had been boggled to the point that he doubts whether these occurrences are real or not at all. Thus, hoping to free himself from insanity before his mind goes deep into it, the young man decided to test the waters and find out what was reality, and what was not.

Alton stepped closer towards the armored woman, and slowly raised his arm, with his hand heading to the direction of her face. And in time, he finally did what he thought of doing.

He poked her cheek.

His index finger touched the woman's face, and was slowly and gently pressed unto her polished skin. The sensation it gave, was unfortunately, too real. Alton felt, through his finger, the unexpected smoothness and definition of her skin - like a gentle sheep's fur that had gone through countless shearing, and yet remains to be as polished as ever.

It stayed there for a few seconds, until the woman jumped back and shouted at Alton.

"W-what are you doing?!", she said. Her hands were firmly grasped at her sword, but it was left sheathed upon the ground. The woman, who called herself Bradamante, seems to have been flustered by Alton's action. "You can't just go around touching a woman's face like that!"

What will Alton do?

Apologize.

Justify his action.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

Seeing the woman's reaction, Alton backed up a few steps and raised both his hands, gesturing that he means no harm with what he had done. Him poking her cheek might have been a bit out of the line. Perhaps he could have just talked to her or made a more appropriate approach, but what's done is done.

"I didn't mean to startle you.", he said. "I was just trying to see if you were real. If any of this was real, and I wasn't simply losing my sanity."

The woman, Bradamante, removed her hand on the sword's handle, and eased her posture. She seems to have calmed down slightly. "I am real.", she said. "You should already know that, as someone who had summoned a Grand Familiar."

"What?", Alton replied.

"A Grand Familiar. That's what I am., she looked at Alton with doubtful eyes. "You're a mage, and yet you do not know this?"

How will Alton respond?

"What are you talking about?"

"No, I'm not a mage. Just a student."

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

After hearing Bradamante's words, Alton decided to make sense of all the things that had transpired, hoping that it would clear out a lot for him, despite not knowing anything about the subject.

She referred to him as a mage, just like the man with the red scarf did to that poor salary man. That along, she also said that she was a Grand Familiar, summoned supposedly by a mage. In that case, then it would be only safe to assume that the rugged man who wielded a sword is a Grand Familiar as well. Obviously, the one who had summoned him would be the man with the scarf.

But certain things simply don't add up.

How is he a mage, when he knows nothing of magic at all? Not even the simple tricks that street magicians use, let alone magic of those fantasy stories. And what exactly is a Grand Familiar? Of course, the reason for the rugged man to kill him was quite obvious, as he had bore witness to something that he shouldn't have seen in the first place.

In the midst of his thinking, Bradamante looked at Alton as if she'd figured something out.

"You don't know a thing about what I just said, don't you?", she asked.

Knowing that trying to beat around the bush would only waste both of their time, Alton decided to give a straight answer.

"Yes. I'm not mage, either. I'm just a regular student."

Bradamte sighed. "You're a mage, for only one of such could summon a Grand Familiar. Perhaps you were simply unaware of it, until now." She, then lifted her sword from the ground. "I would help you understand the things you've yet to know, but I think it would be best if we discuss this at a more comfortable location."

"Right.", Alton replied.

What will Alton do next?

Invite her to his home.

Invite her to a fast food store.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

Alton invited Bradamante to continue their conversation on this concerning matter on a different location - namely a fast food store called "WcDonald's". It got quite famous during its launch and has kept its fame throughout the passage of time.

After a lengthy talk about what "WcDonald's" is and what fast food stores are, Bradamante was finally convinced to try out the taste of their food services. Although throughout their travel to the said place, Bradamante kept spouting about the excellence of certain exquisite, authentic French restaurants - most of which have died out to the competition ages ago.

Surprising as it is, Bradamante did not seem to be astonished by the environment of the current era, despite looking and acting like a person from ancient times. Though there were certain things that she was quite curious about.

Finally, after minutes of walking, the two finally arrived at the aforementioned fast food store. Since it was late at night, there was very few people dining in it, which only made things better. Bradamante patiently waited for Alton until he came back with the food he had bought for the two of them.

"What is this?", she asked Alton, holding up a WcDonald's classic - the Thiccburger.

Alton promptly responded by telling her what it is - a burger, and revealing to her exactly what a burger is.

"Interesting.", she said, as she inspected every corner the delicacy she held. She took a bite of it soon after, and complimented it. "This has a fine taste. Now I understand why people like such an establishment."

A few moments of munching down food after, Bradamante asked Alton an unexpected question, after hearing numerous murmurs behind the two. "What is this 'cosplay' they are talking about, and why does it concern me?"

What will Alton do next?

Explain what cosplay is.

Tell her to not mind it.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

Alton explained to Bradamante what cosplay is, but did not go further into greater detail. He only told her what is necessary for her to understand what it meant, and that it is already part of human culture in the current times.

Bradamante nodded her head. "Then it would be preferable for me to acquire the appropriate set of clothing." Alton agreed with her statement, and offered his help in her search for clothes, only because he was curious as to how Bradamante would look like outside of that armor she wore. Of course, Bradamante politely agreed.

"But enough of that. You need to learn about yourself - about mages.", she immediately changed her tone, as she pushed the tray containing the leftovers of their consumed food to the side of the table. "As your Grand Familiar, I shall answer your questions to the best of my knowledge."

Alton paused for a short moment, unable to respond immediately. There were so many questions in his mind, and only so little time to tackle them. He still has to attend his classes tomorrow, and it has already gotten quite late. Still, he needs to know these. For all he knows, the near-death encounter he had earlier will not be its last.

And that by itself, makes this chance to gain some answers, extremely crucial to his survival.

What will Alton ask about?

Mages.

Grand Familiars.

Bonus: Question to Bradamante

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (EVENING)

BLANCRETE CENTRAL PARK​

Alton decided to ask about mages, since it was the topic that concerned him directly.

"Mages?", Bradamante said. "While I do know a fair share of information about them, I will have to say that I am not an expert regarding such a matter. Still, I will impart unto you what I know to the best that I can."

Silence filled the air for a short moment. Alton started at Bradamante, patiently waiting for her next words. After a few moments, she finally began to talk once more.

"Mages have been among society, far before I can even remember. They can be anyone - a simple peasant boy, an old war veteran, a rich noble, and the like. But what separated them from the rest of society is that they are able to wield a mysterious art that we have called 'magic'.", she said. "But I'm not talking about simple magic tricks that performers and showmen utilize, rather 'real magic'. Things like turning stone into gold, water into wine, and other feats that would rather seem impossible to us. With their aid, humanity was at its peak. Nations grew and prospered, without much consequences."

Suddenly, Bradamante's tone turned grim. "But all that changed when religion came unto the scene. Seeing that their capabilities would otherwise invalidate certain teachings and lore of various religions, mages were branded as heretics, and were hunted down like criminals. Ever since then, mages were a rare sight and they no longer worked with society, rather, they hid from it and separated their work from the world's eyes."

Slowly realizing the heavy atmosphere that this discussion brought, Alton decided to lighten up things a bit. Hence, he instead, asked Bradamante a question that was far different from the current topic. He asked where she originated from.

Bradamante paused for a short moment, and stared at Alton in a surprised look. Perhaps she was not expecting such a question to arise, or perhaps she was simply found Alton to be quite slow to ask for something so very obvious. Nevertheless, she answered his question.

"I come from Francia!", she said proudly.

"France?", Alton made sure he was right about his assumption, after all, there was no 'Francia' in the current time.

"Oui! You may call it France now, but it was Francia to me.", she smiled. "Ah, how I wish I could see its beauty once more."

It seems that Bradamante misses her home. Perhaps she had been away for too long, and cannot return due to certain circumstances. But it was getting far too late. Soon enough, the sun would rise, and Alton will be force to take an absence from school. And he didn't plan on doing that, hence, he decided to let Bradmante know that it was time to go.

Bradamante looked out the window to take a glimpse at the sky. "Indeed. Let us take our leave.", she said.

The two left the store shortly after, and Alton took a look at his wristwatch.

00:14​

It was already too late. It was now past midnight. But there's still hope. If Alton could somehow reach his home before the sun rises, he could still take a short nap and rush to school as soon as he wakes and finishes his mourning routine.

Hence, he ran as fast as he could. Until he arrived at his home.

What is Alton's home?

A small-sized modern house.

A decent condominium unit.

An apartment unit.

A regular dormitory.

Write-in.

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (MIDNIGHT)

Alton's Apartment​

Alton's home was an apartment unit, a few blocks away from the Blancrete Central Park, which allows him an easy access to various routes to the different areas around the place, since the said park lies at the center of the city. It was just another usual apartment, boarding various kinds of people - working adults, retirees, and even students like him. His unit was third from the left on the first floor.

He, then headed towards the door, only to stop before it after noticing a strange feeling as if he was being followed.
Immediately turning around, Alton found out that he was indeed being followed. And what he saw was no other than the woman from before - Bradamante.

She stood a few meters before him, then walked without any hesitation.

"Why are you following me?", he said. By the looks on his face, it would seem that he didn't really expect her to continue going with him.

Bradamante replied plainly. "As your Grand Familiar, it is my duty to keep you safe.".

"Uhh...", Alton said, contemplating on his choice of words. "I am pretty sure I'm safe by now."

"How so? Did you make sure that you are not being tracked? Did you make sure to hide your personal information?"

A back and forth argument went for a few minutes between the two, until Alton realized that he could not convince Bradamante to leave him alone, and simply gave in to her persistence. After finally 'agreeing' to Bradamante's so-called duty, the two entered Alton's apartment unit.

It was quite simple, really. The place was clean, and the various things he had were organized. There's not really much to say to it. The necessary appliances were functional and well-conditioned. For a student of his age, it is pretty impressive, but for a regular person, it's not really note-worthy.

Bradamante halted as Alton continued to walk towards his room. "I shall remain here.", she said.

Alton turned and gave her a thumbs up, then he entered his room. Without any hesitation, he dropped down onto his bed, and buried his face into a soft pillow before letting out a long sigh. This day was tiring to say the least. His time spent in school earlier was already exhausting, but the encounter he had this evening was something else. He could have died back there if it wasn't for Bradamante.

Coming to think of it, he realized that he hasn't really thanked her for saving his life. Even though she continues to blabber about being his 'Grand Familiar' and her duties as one, he still felt the obligation to thank her - just like the ordinary guy.

But was he, really? Is he just an ordinary guy, like everyone else? Or is he really a mage, just as Bradamante had said.

Alton rolled around, now facing the ceiling. He pondered upon the events that transpired, and the reality behind their meanings. Perhaps the term 'once in a blue moon' finally makes sense now.

His eyes slowly closed, as his consciousness drifted away.

But even his dreams were not safe from the blue moon's influence.

What is Alton dreaming of?

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 13 - 17 (MIDNIGHT)

Alton's Apartment​

The dream was beyond strange. It felt more like a memory rather than a dream. Alton saw through the eyes of a seemingly ordinary man, employed under one of the various booming corporations of the city.

He witnessed and experienced the difficulties of an average worker's life - the struggles one has to face in the competitive world of business, the creeping psychological and emotional stress forced upon by society, the problem of money, and a whole lot more.

Sometime deep into this memory-like dream, he found 'himself' in the same place he once was before - the Blancrete Central Park. What's more strange was it was more or less the same time during his encounter.

The dream continued to get even stranger. The blue moon was there as well, but the man didn't seem to be captivated by it - he only gazed once, then never again. He walked around the park for about two or three times, until he decided to take a rest near a lamppost.

It was then that 'he' heard a familiar voice.

"Good evening.", it said.

The man looked onto the source of the voice - a man who wore a red scarf.

"Good evening.", 'he' replied.

The man with the red scarf suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder, and rushed closer. "I'd like to ask you a question, mage."

Surprised, 'he' immediately shoved the man away and ran to the north. As he did, he began to mutter words that not even Alton could comprehend. His hands glowed dimly in a green color. As he ran, he took short stops to rest himself, as it seems that he is not used to much physical activity.

But 'his' mistake was taking a turn deeper into the forest-y part of the park. For it was there where he bumped onto a rugged-looking man. This man wore a strange clothing that consisted of metal armor and various blue-colored cloths. Upon bumping onto him, the rugged man punched him in the gut, sending him down to the ground, and unconscious.

The next moment the man woke up, he was sitting down on the ground at the corner of a dark alley-like corner. There, the two men - the one with the red scarf, and the one dressed in a rugged fashion, stood before him. The man with the red scarf took a step forward. But most of all, both of his legs were lacerated.

"Now, now.", he said. "It's quite rude to leave me hanging like that. Let's start over again. I will ask you a question, and you will answer. Yes?"

The man was shivering. He seemed to want to fight back despite his situation, but all that faded away the moment the rugged man drew out a sword from thin air, and began to sharpen its blade with a rock, right in front of him. "Y-yes., he said with much hesitation.

"Good.", the man continued, then took a step back. "You're a mage, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Then you are part of the Association. Right?"

The man fell silent, but he was still shivering quite a bit. His eyes could clearly show a message that said 'please don't do this'. But the man with the red scarf looked disappointed by such.

"No answer, huh.", he sighed, then snapped his finger. In a quick moment, the rugged man pierced the edge of his sword onto the poor man's side, and caused blood to gush out of the wound. After doing so, he kicked his face, then stepped to the side. The man, obviously, screamed in pain.

"Let me ask again. Are you part of the Association?"

"Y-yes.", the man replied, tears rolling down his face, his hands trying to stop the bleeding. "P-please let me go. I'm just an ordinary m-m-mage. I-I don't know any-anything important."

The man with the red scarf sighed again. "Do you know where the nearest main office is?"

'He' really didn't want to answer. His mouth remained shut, but the tears that dripped down from his eyes clearly showed the opposite. If he said something about it, he would be punished by the Mages' Association. If he didn't he'd most likely be killed here.

"P-please...I-I don't know where it is!", he chose to lie.

The man with the scarf apparently, disliked this. He stomped the ground, and kicked the man's wound, causing him to scream yet again with pain. "Where is it, mage?"

"I-I don't know! I swear!"

The man sighed. "Then you are of no use to me."

In that very moment, as the man's chest was pierced by the blade, Alton woke up from his dream, with a very loud shout. As if he was the one who had been stabbed.

Hearing this, Bradamante rushed into his room, bursting through the door with her arms ready for a fight. Upon seeing nothing, she immediately sheathed her sword and turned her gaze to Alton.

"What is it? Why did you scream?", she asked.

What shall Alton say?

"Just a bad dream."

"It's nothing."

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Alton's Apartment​

"Just a bad dream.", Alton said. "Don't worry about it."

Bradamante nodded, then turned away. Before heading outside of Alton's room, she spoke once more. "Please try to save your screams for dire situations." She left without even giving him a chance to reply.

Alton groaned and placed his palm on his face. For a short while, he contemplated on his decision. Maybe bringing her into his house was a mistake. He didn't even know her and yet he felt as if she was truly trustworthy. Things might just get worse with her living under the same roof as him. But all was too late - he can only do with what he currently has.

Thus, Alton tried to do his regular morning routine with Bradamante's presence in his home. Though it felt quite uncomfortable, everything seemed to go pretty well. Bradamante was even using his television, although she watched mostly french channels.

Once finished, Alton called her attention. "Bradamante."

"Yes?", she replied.

"Let's go.", he said.

"Very well.", she turned off the television and rose from her seat. After grabbing her sheathed sword from the wall, she headed towards the door. "Where shall we head to?"

Where will they go?

A nearby mall - to find Bradamante some better clothes to avoid drawing attention.

The Central Park - to investigate some possible clues about last night's events.

Yet another fast food store - to get some breakfast.

Alton's school - to fetch some things Alton unintentionally left behind.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Lobby, First Floor, Liberty Square​

And so the two were off - heading towards a nearby mall named 'Liberty Square'. It's not large, nor is it too small, its size lies somewhere in the middle, presumably on a moderate scale. The name of the mall has no relation to the city's history, and as stated by the owners - they just picked a random word and went with it.

While larger malls exist around the city, Liberty Square tends to keep up with the various competition due to its location - it lies at the center of a populated residential area, and it has a wide array of brands and shops. It's designed to appeal to the masses, so there's very little exquisite brands and the layout of the establishment is not so intricate.

Finally, when the two arrived there, they entered without hesitation. Fortunately, it was still quite early, so the place is still quite vacant despite it being a weekend. This made things much better to them - there won't be much of a difficulty in roaming around and finding Bradamante a suitable set of clothes, and she won't be attracting much attention, as opposed to crowded areas.

The two stopped for a short moment at the lobby.

"Bradamante.", Alton called.

"Yes?", she faced him.

"What kind of clothes do you prefer?", he asked. He's not really proficient in this kind of thing, but he has to do it anyway since Bradamante is so adamant on staying by his side to 'guard' him from possible perils and whatnot.

"Simple and functional clothes will suffice.", she answered. But judging by the short pause she had before speaking, it would seem that she prefers something else.

"Okay.", Alton said. "Let's go find you some clothes."

Where shall they buy clothes?

Forever 17 - A steadily rising clothing brand, associated with a certain idol.

UniBlo - A general clothing brand with occasional seasonal items.

Suprem - A clothing brand hyped up by the consumers. Not really that 'excellent'.

Arvin Krein - A brand known for quality formal clothes.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Boius Uitton outlet, Third Floor, Liberty Square​

Alton, suddenly realizing that Bradamante seemed to be quite unsatisfied with mere simple clothing, he decided to take her somewhere she'd probably have a more suitable choice of clothing. Thus, he had her follow him to the third floor - where a certain outlet of the brand 'Boius Uitton' was located.

Getting her there wasn't much of a problem. Rather, it was her general curiosity on the various things that Alton could barely explain given the time intervals of her many inquiries - things such as what escalators are, why people prefer to use elevators instead of the stairs, and a lot more. That and her endless comments of how terrible and lazy humanity has become after the passage of time, as if she'd been here ages ago.

Finally, after a short while, the two arrived at their destination - the Bouis Uitton outlet. Upon entering it, Bradamantes slightly widened, and a tiny smile formed upon her face. It took only a second for her to fix her composure.

An attendee of the store apparently has noticed the two, but more specifically, Bradamante, and was captivated by her innate grace and elegance. This said attendant rushed towards them and introduced herself.

"Hello, how may I help you?", she said.

"Ah, right.", Alton said. "Could you please assist her in choosing some clothes? I'm not really good at picking women's clothing."

"It would be my honor!", she said, then took Bradamante. Alton proceeded to take a seat, and watched from a distance as the two browsed around the store for her clothes. It would seem that the two are getting along quite well, judging by their facial expressions - the attendant likes Bradamante's overall looks and personality, and Brdamante seems to be enjoying her time with a fellow female.

Soon enough, Alton was invited to check out Bradamante's choices of outfit. She would exit the dressing room with a different outfit, and reveal her new look to Alton, then upon receiving feedback, she would then return back to the dressing room and change to a new outfit.

Apparently, whatever she wore, be it casual or formal, with intricate designs or not, one thing was for certain - she looked undeniably spectacular. For that reason alone, Alton decided to buy all that she chose. But she chose to wore one in order to meld within society - and that was the one that made her look much like him, a student.

As the two left the store, Bradamante paused for a short moment, and turned towards Alton. "Thank you.", she replied.

What will Alton say?

"No problem."

"You're welcome."

"No need to thank me."

"Think of it as payment for saving me."

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Lobby, First Floor, Liberty Square​

"They look good on you anyway.", Alton said. "So, no need to thank me."

A momentary awkward silence occurred between the two.

Perhaps Alton found his response to be quite embarrassing, perhaps Bradamante was not expecting such a compliment. Or maybe they simply had nothing else to discuss.

This silence continued to act as an invisible barrier between the two as they walked side by side at the mall, headed towards the exit, since their task here is done - to get Bradamante some modern clothing.

But that was broken the very moment the two set foot upon the lobby of the mall, located on the first floor.

A strange ominous feeling filled the air, as the scenery was slowly deformed. People began to randomly disappear as if they were holograms, the floor tiles changed colors and textures without a pattern with some even being lifted off the ground and leaving the bare marble floor opened. Doors opened and closed until most of them were jammed or broken. Various fragile objects broke themselves through different means - falling, getting smashed, or simply shattering, then fixing themselves, only to repeat the same process over and over again. The walls began to crack and different-colored liquids poured out of those.

The two stopped in their tracks.

Alton began to look around, but he didn't seem afraid - only confused and surprised.
Bradamante took on a guarding stance, as her clothes glowed and changed back into her armor, with her sword appearing into her gripped hand.

A voice rang, and echoed repeatedly from various points of this new dimension. "I never thought I'd find such easy prey here.", it said.

How will Alton be during such a time?

Cautious.

Brave.

Inquisitive.

Tactful.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Distorted Lobby​

"Bradamante.", Alton called his Grand Familiar.

Bradamante, hearing her name, immediately turned her attention to Alton. She raised her sword a bit higher, in a slanting direction - covering approximately more than half of the openings that could be exploited to strike the two of them.

"My apologies.", she said. "I have no ability to track mana unlike other Grand Familiars, I cannot see where this assailant lies."

Alton acknowledged her words, and why she was somehow disappointed with herself. If she could not find their enemy, if the voice is one, then she could not perform her duty as a Grand Familiar - which is currently to protect him from harm. By now, Alton knows that Bradamante takes things such as duties very seriously.

"Don't worry about it.", Alton said, trying to make her lighten up a bit.

The sound of rocks falling and crumbling echoed throughout the distorted lobby, causing the atmosphere to become more tense. Bradamante and Alton both inched closer to each other, whilst they scanned their surroundings only to find nothing but more messed-up things.

Then, all of a sudden, a giant wall emerged from the ground, knocking away the two and separating them in a solid barrier that seemed rather impossible to climb over.

From the other side of the wall, Bradamante could be heard yelling, accompanied by noises that resembled steel clashing against stone.

On the other hand, Alton leaned against the wall, searching for any sign of impending danger in his now isolated area. Without Bradamante, he was helpless - he didn't know any kind of magic that mages would use, nor did he know how to fight those that are able to use such mystical arts. His chance of survival is rather quite low.

The voice spoke once more, only this time, it was quite obvious that it came from Alton's side. "Don't worry about her, she won't get past that enchanted wall.", it said.

How will Alton respond?

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Distorted Lobby​

"Who's there?", Alton shouted.

The voice laughed. "What makes you think I'm going to answer that question?", with footsteps suddenly sounding closer and closer every passing moment.

"It never hurt to ask.", Alton replied with a soft chuckle. For some reason, he was acting quite calm despite the situation he is in.

"Instead of trembling in fear and begging for your life, you decide to talk.", the voice said.

Finally, the source is revealed after a few seconds. A slightly older man dressed in green-tinted clothing. In left arm was a serrated dagger, gripped tightly on the handle. His eyes seemed empty, but even from afar, one could feel the murderous intent that emanated from him.

"You intrigue me.", the man smiled like a mad dog ready to unleash its fangs.

Alton clenched his fists. Now he saw the real threat. This man fully intended on ending his life.

He had just gone through a near-death encounter, and now, it would seem as if such misfortune would befall him. But Alton's will prevailed and remained firm. He still has much to do, and much to see. A lot more things to experience, and to learn more about this new aspect of the world he has been dragged into.

Alton glared at the man, as the man stared at him.

Silence filled the air as the two remained still. A stalemate that could break at any moment, which would decide the fate of one other. Who will live? Who will fall?

The man puffs, then charges forward.

What will Alton do?

Attempt to dodge.

Fight head on.

Stall for Bradamante's help.

Try to use magic.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Distorted Lobby​

Alton decided that it would be best to wait for Bradamante to arrive. Even though the man had already told him that it would be impossible for her to break through the wall, he still had faith that she will overcome such an obstacle.

But the matter at hand still remains unresolved - the man is charging towards him, and he is by no means fit to fight him. Unable to dodge the incoming attack, Alton tried his best to mitigate the damage he should receive by moving as fast as he can.

The attack that was once targeting his chest struck his left arm. The blade of the serrated dagger pierced through his flesh like it was thin paper. Alton screamed in pain as the man dragged the blade out of his left arm, causing blood to gush out of the incised wound.

Stained by the blood of his victim, the man laughed maniacally. "Yes! Scream! Shout! Beg for your life, mage!"

Taking the moment of opportunity, Alton immediately ran away from the man, still keeping close with the wall. Once at a decent distance, he tore a piece of cloth from his shirt, and wrapped it tightly around the wound, aiming to stop it from bleeding. Though not very effective, it worked. Still, he kept applying pressure on it via his free arm.

The man, upon noticing that his victim is attempting to leave, turned his gaze upon Alton and started to rush towards his location. The knife he held was now covered in blood, with tiny bits of his victim's flesh clinging onto the shard edges of its blade. Once the man caught up with Alton, he immediately attacked him with his knife.

However, Alton was ready for it this time - he dodged the attack just by the edge of his hair, and managed to retaliate by tackling the man like a rugby player, and smashing his back against the wall. The man, in turn grunted in pain, and smiled like a lunatic.

"You really are interesting!", the man said, as he raised his dagger, aiming to strike once more.

Alton saw it coming, and immediately backed off, dodging the man's assault in the process. Just a second after it, Alton did not hesitate to tackle the man against the wall once again, causing him to drop the bloodied knife on the floor. Once out of his hand, Alton immediately took the chance to grab the weapon, and take a cautious step backward.

"What do you want from me?", Alton asked loudly, the knife pointed towards the man.

The man chuckled. "First, I just wanted to kill some mage to get through the day. But now..."

Alton tightened his grip on the knife as the man took a step forward.

"...now I want to enjoy this encounter!", the man yelled with a maniacal look on his face, as he charged towards Alton.

Alton, with the weapon, decided to brave in. He rushed towards the man, and attempted to strike with the knife. Unfortunately, the man dodged it, causing Alton to lodge the knife into the wall and keep it stuck there. Without a weapon, Alton immediately tried to back off, but the man was quicker than him.

In mere seconds, Alton was tackled to the ground, and the man glared at him with a crazy look - enough to send chills up his spine. The man laughed maniacally as he pinned down Alton.

It seems that he cannot fight his way out of this situation, and Bradamante may not arrive at all. Perhaps his luck had run out from his near-death encounter last night, and it truly was his time to depart this world.

What will Alton do?

Give up.

Keep struggling.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Distorted Lobby​

But Alton was never one to resign to fate. He always had the burning desire to overcome the overwhelming odds and reach the end of the line. Thus, instead of accepting the misfortune that should fall upon him, he fought back.

Still pinned down by the man in green clothing, he struggled - trying to break free from the man's clutches by moving vigorously and repeatedly. Of course, to the man, keeping Alton restrained became harder due to hi struggling. Both grunted as their actions clashed against each other.

And in the heat of the moment, a familiar figure burst through the wall, leaving a large and crumbling hole upon it. Bradamante had gotten through.

Immediately, she tackled the man away from Alton, setting him free. She slashed towards the man with such speed that there was no way to dodge or retaliate, and it was done with great accuracy and force that it made him unable to stand, let alone recover from the wound.

Alton finally free, stood up. As Bradamante noticed this, she took a glance at him, with the edge of her sword still pointed towards the downed green-clothed man.

"You're wounded!", she said to Alton, voice evident with concern.

Alton placed his right hand over the wound on his arm. "I'm fi-", he said, only to be interrupted by Bradamante's unexpected outburst to the assailant.

"Your crime shall be punished in threefold!", she shouted, as she slashed, cutting away the green-clothed man's left arm. Then, she pierced both of the man's wounded legs with her sword rapidly, puncturing tiny holes upon his skin and causing more of his blood to spill.

Finally, she raised her sword. "Vermin such as you shall be wiped from this realm!", she shouted.

Bradamante thrust her sword downwards towards the mans forehead.

How will Alton react?

Don't stop Bradamante.

Stop Bradamante.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (MORNING)

Distorted Lobby​

"Bradamante, no!", Alton shouted as he rushed to her side, with his free arm reaching towards her, aiming to halt her from killing the green-clothed man.

Bradamante stopped the very moment Alton's hand contacted her shoulder. The tip of her blade pressed gently on the green-clothed man's skin, with a tiny drop of blood slowly seeping through the minuscule wound that was resulted by her action.

"You shouldn't kill him Bradamante.", Alton continued, now in a calmer tone. "If we get our hands unnecessarily stained by his blood, then we are no better than a murderous criminal such as him."

Bradamante's grip on her sword loosened slightly upon hearing Alton's words. She backed off, and cleansed her sword of the blood by slashing the air, letting the crimson fluid scatter into the air as droplets. She, then turned to Alton, with her head down.

"My apologies.", she said. "I've failed to protect you properly as your Grand Familiar, and I've let my emotions get a hold of me."

Alton tapped he shoulder once more. "What's in the past is in the past, Bradamante.", he said, trying to reassure her. "What matters is that we've gone through obstacle alive and well."

Bradamante nodded in silence, as her clothes reverted back into the modern clothing she wore earlier, and her sword disappeared in a quickly fading light.

The green-clothed man, still on the ground, laughed maniacally yet again, but with great difficulty. "I will...see y-you...", he said, before disappearing into a red mist which rapidly consumed the distorted area.

In mere seconds, the mist dissipated and the two were back at the lobby like nothing happened. Except Alton's wound remained and their encounter with such a dangerous person had been imprinted in history.

Alton was not dazzled at any of it. Not anymore. He had decided that this was the world he now lived in - filled with mystical nonsense that even science can't explain for him. Instead on lingering on what had occurred, Alton decided to tackle more pressing matters.

He went to the nearest clinic and had his wound properly treated with first aid. Of course, Bradamante followed him wherever he went, but she was silent the whole time - doing the opposite of what he did, reflecting on the events that transpired with the green-clothed man.

Leaving with his wound cleansed and bandaged, Alton realized that almost an entire day has passed by just like that, after he took a peek on his wristwatch. Accounting the previous events, he theorizes that their encounter with the green-clothed man was actually time-warped, or something of the sort. After all, such a deduction wouldn't be too far-fetched in a world of magic and mystery.

What will Alton do next?

Head to a diner - replenish fatigue.

Head back home - take a long rest.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (NEAR EVENING)

Alton's Apartment​

It was decided that the two are to return back to Alton's apartment - their home, perhaps not entirely for Bradamante, as she never really lived there long enough to call it her refuge.

Their travel back to their origin took a while, despite it being near their former location. During the long walk, neither of them spoke a word, nor took glances to one another. They simply walked side by side, with an awkward silence and a gloomy feeling permeating their presence.

When they arrived to their destination, the two parted ways - Alton headed to his room, and Bradamante stayed outside. From each side, there was nothing but silence. Bradamante stood with her back leaning on the wall, as she emptily gazed towards nothing. Alton sat down on the bed, staring down on the ground with his free arm massaging the skin near his treated wound.

While their relationship to each other isn't really a thing, the silence just seemed so unnatural. And it felt very uncomfortable for both of them. Both had some unspoken thoughts that they simply could not let out, and it was compromising their partnership as mage and Grand Familiar.

Alton did not want to be too intrusive with Bradamante, he's only known her for one day. Bradamante, on the other hand, is too consumed by her disappointment and regret to even commune with Alton. It was a stalemate - neither party desires to confront the other, leaving this invisible barrier between the two of them.

Soon enough, Alton's eyes closed on its own, and his mind drifted away into the subconscious.

DREAM TIME, BABY.

Write-in.

​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

PROLOGUE:
An Eerie Night​

10 - 14 - 17 (EVENING)

Alton's Dream​

In his subconscious state of mind, Alton found himself experiencing an ancient memory through the eyes of a different individual, just like his previous dream. However, this time, it had no relation to the events that had transpired today or last night.

Alton saw several hundreds of people, clashing against one another, using a mystical art that history would label as magic. Among all this chaos, he saw one thing that somewhat made it all clearer - all these people wore two kinds of clothing - either they had a dark, red-tinted cloak, or wore some kind of blue and gold silken sash. Obviously, he deduced that these showed the two sides of this magic-infested conflict.

As Alton went through the dream, the more he learned more about what is happening around him, though not in an entirely accurate sense.

The ones with the dark, red-tinted cloak desired to push what was called as the "era of magic" to greater heights,
even if the costs are too unimaginable and the risks are too heavy. The other side, the ones with the blue and gold sash, wanted to maintain the "era of magic" and keep it from declining, but in a safer and more secure approach.

But all of a sudden, his view shifted from this conflict to pure darkness. He saw nothing, and felt nothing. It was as if a portion of the dream had been kept away from him.

Then a blinding image burned before him. An inexplicable image forming a symbol that he could not completely comprehend, but he could understand the base concept.

And as if compelled by the sight of such, he spoke in an old language.

"Repellere."​

As the words left his mouth, he awakened from his dream with a loud thud.

What welcomed his sight as he rose from his bed, was Bradamante and another woman in formal clothing. Both of them were knocked against the wall, leaving them unconscious, causing cracks on its surface and making a big disorderly mess on Alton's room.

But what's more strange is that he could the same symbol he saw in his dreams marked visibly marked upon their skin, only for it to fade away into thin air.

Alton stood, confused about what may have happened, if he was the one responsible for this.

Then Bradamante awakened with a grunt, at the same time the other woman regained consciousness. She glared at Alton, then to Bradamante. "I didn't want to do it, but...", she said.

"No, don't-", Bradamante shouted, only to be restrained by a number of glowing circles that prevented her from moving, speaking, or any action that would deem her as a hindrance to what the woman was about to do.

The woman turned her gaze back to Alton. In the blink of an eye, a burst of strong wind blew towards him, knocking him down to the ground and leaving him unconscious.

PROLOGUE ENDED!The next chapter will be posted in a few hours.​

Alright, progress!

Thank you for those who had and is still participating in this QL, I really didn't expect it to go far, but here we are, ready to dive in full into the next chapter. I hope you're not getting tired of this anime-esque shit that I'm doing, and I hope to see more participants in the future.

I will be creating an extra thread soon which will contain various info that will be revealed as the story progresses. It will contain things such as Bradamante's parameters as a Grand Familiar, Alton's capabilities and a lot more!

Let me know your thoughts on the QL and the story!

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

CHAPTER 1:
Magus's Fault​

10 - 15 - 17 (DAWN)

Unknown Location​

The next time Alton opened his eyes, he found himself restrained to a chair, with his arms and legs bound by glimmering metal cuffs built-in to his seat. But he was in some strange room, where the walls were decorated with various wooden carvings - almost as if it was a museum for such artworks.

First, he tried to break free of the shackles, and as expected, he was unable. Knowing that sooner or later someone will come to him, he decided to check on his surroundings instead of wasting further effort and energy on a futile attempt to escape the bindings.

As he took a look around, he saw Bradamante, not far from his location - presumably a number of steps to the northwest. There, she stood, her hands and feet bound by chains anchored to the ground. Beneath her, specifically upon the ground she stood on, was a glowing red circle adorned by various symbols and writings - much like the one he saw when he first met her.

Once she noticed he was finally awake, she began to speak. "My apologies. I have failed to defend you, yet again.", her voice was evident with sorrow and regret, and her looks very much revealed that.

Alton would have replied, if it weren't for the sound of a door opening, and closing. After a few echoing footsteps, the woman from earlier walked right before him and pointed towards him.

"This is him.", she said.

Another person walked before him, but this time it was a tall and imposing man in a suit. He took a long look Alton, as if thoroughly analyzing his features. After a few moments, he finally spoke.

"He doesn't look much.", he said to the woman. "Are you certain that he is really a mage?"

The woman adjusted her glasses. "Yes, I'm sure of it.", she said. "He may not look like one, but he is absolutely capable of magecraft."

"Hmm.", the man said. He arced over, and looked at Alton face to face. "Sen here tells me you committed a violation against the Association's laws. Is this true?"

What will Alton say?

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Who are you, and where am I?"

Write-in.

For more info on the story, please click this link.​

 

[vRH]

Moonlit Crusade​

QUEST LOG​

CHAPTER 1:
Magus's Fault​

10 - 15 - 17 (DAWN)

Unknown Location​

"I don't know what you're talking about.", Alton said. Though what he said was true, he tried to make himself look as clueless as possible, since he is completely unsure of what his situation exactly is. And if his hunch is right, then he might be in a very dangerous one, considering that Bradamante is under some kind of magical restraint.

The tall and imposing man took a step back and fixed his posture. He glanced over at Alton, then to the woman named 'Sen', then to Bradamante. "It looks like he doesn't know.", he said. "Perhaps you may have mistaken him for someone else."

"Sir Fernand, I swear!", she tried to prove her accusation. "I'll prove it to you."

"Very well.", the man said.

The woman, named Sen, headed to Bradamante side, and placed the tips of two of her left hand's fingers on her forehead. Bradamante's eyes widened, and began to struggle. Bradamante groaned and moaned, as the woman chanted some words in a foreign language, sounding much of oriental origin. Once the woman had finished her chant, strange symbols began to form and glow on Bradamante's forehead, causing her to stop struggling and remain silent.

"Tell us of what had happened from the time you met this man, up to this very moment.", Sen said to Bradamante.

Bradamante spoke, revealing all that had transpired ever since she appeared to defend Alton from an unidentified threat. However, as such words left her mouth, her face showed that she was uncomfortable with it, angry even. It was as if she was being forced to speak, whether she wills it or not.

Once everything has been revealed, the symbols on Bradamante's forehead disappeared. She began to pant, and her eyes expressed her resent to the woman named Sen, who on the other hand, gazed to the tall and imposing man, as if proud to have proven her statement.

"Hmm. I see.", the man named Fernand nodded. He turned to Alton. "Anything you want to add to your Grand Familiar's confession?"

What will Alton do?

Say nothing, and continue to feign innocence.

Tell them about the encounter with the red-scarfed man.

Write-in.

For more info on the story, please click this link.​