Welcome to Battles Beneath the Stars, a webserial styled like the guide and script of a non existent fighting game. If you’re new to this story, be sure to start at the prologue, from there each character’s story branches into its own version of events, so you won’t need to read anyone else’s story to follow this one. And if you just want other parts of the newsletter you can adjust which segments you receive here.
This is the start of Eamon’s story, the current king of the kingdom of Lunis, here to prove himself as well as find the previous now immortal king and his friends.
| Prologue/Introduction | | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |
Open on Grand Festival Hub
Eamon is on screen, with him is Nevan, a human noble with long hair.
Eamon: After all these years of bureaucracy it’ll be nice to finally fight a real battle.
Nevan: So long as you win Your Majesty. If you lose to any of the foreign rulers, or the former King Fintan, that could spell trouble back in Lunis.
Eamon: And that can be avoided if I simply don’t lose. Compared to everything that comes with running a kingdom this is a nice break, even if it had to be here of all places.
Nevan: I know you fight better while calm, but please don’t be too at ease Your Majesty. Your first opponent is none other than Nisha, a dragon. Even if she has to keep to a mortal form she has a clear advantage, it won’t be easy.
Eamon: I heard she’s only entering because she was asked and doesn’t care much for winning. And I think you misunderstand me.
Eamon: I know full well what losing here can do to my reputation, especially if it’s to King Fintan. But a fight is simple, either you win or you don’t. If my best isn’t enough then that’s simply that, and I can fix it by becoming stronger.
Eamon: Economics are nowhere near as simple, it takes far more than practice and training to create prosperity, too many possibilities to make contingencies for every single one.
Nevan: Still, there’s danger even outside the arena here.
Nevan looks around him, then walks closer to Eamon.
Nevan: The dragon of fire could ruin your reign the way he did King Fintan’s, devoid of thought or intention.
Eamon: I won’t ask you to be anywhere near Aodh, but we both know things would be less stable if he hadn’t been the one to force me on the throne. There could have easily been a succession war without him.
Nevan looks around himself again.
Nevan: The Bloody Day also wouldn’t have happened without him. Despite putting you on the throne he’s wronged you as much as anyone else Your Majesty.
Eamon: It’s not as simple as that. We’ll speak more on this later, after my match.
Exploration Start
Now is your chance to get a feel for Eamon’s moveset. His gimmick is that his attacks, while sporting decent range, are most powerful up close. The area to explore has some platforms to help you play around with movement.
You do have a basic projectile where you send out a copy of your sword, but it won’t win any projectile wars against characters focused on long range combat, it exists to help you get close.
While you don’t need to worry about making good use of them yet, you might want to play around with his super moves now. Sunset Sword is a larger and slower version of your projectile, slow enough for you to walk behind to cover an approach.
Infernal Vortex is your other super, where Eamon does a spin attack that surrounds himself with flames and draws any enemies caught in it right up close. The range is short but extends just past where your attacks are most effective.
Also while you practice, there are some NPCs you can eavesdrop on for more info. It’s always a good idea to look for them in each chapter.
Curious Lunan Merchant: I wonder how King Eamon must feel being here. His grandfather was a slave from this island, and tightlipped about life here I hear.
Haunted Lunan Noble: Every time I think I’ve forgotten the Bloody Day it comes back, like a stubborn stain. This is our chance to show we’ve recovered from it, I can’t keep thinking of it.
Cautious Dravalan Noble It’s rare for there to be someone living who can be called a former king. I hope the presence of a former Lunan king doesn’t plunge their kingdom back into chaos.
When you’re ready, keep going until you walk off-screen.
Exploration End
Transition to Layered Forest
The stage has two layers to it, the forest floor and the cavern below it. A massive tree rises from the cavern and pierces through the ground, bisecting the top level of the stage. In the cavern there is a long main platform where the fighters start, there are no walls, so ring outs can happen.
Eamon: Hello Nisha. Do you know where Ciara or Aodh is?
Nisha: Ciara is attempting to get Aodh and Fintan to reconcile. Though Aodh is intent on avoiding you, her, and Fintan. I thought coming here meant he was willing to take responsibility, but I thought incorrectly.
Eamon: I see… That frustrates me.
Eamon: (Even now when we’re at the same event he can’t bother to give me at least an indirect message. How did my favorite uncle become such a deadbeat?)
Nisha: It frustrates us all.
Nisha: But I know you have another reason to be here too. I promised Hákon I’d make a genuine effort in this tournament, so don’t hold back. You never know who might be hiding amongst the audience.
Eamon: Then let’s begin.
Battle Start
Nisha doesn’t do well at close range, which is where you excel, so close the distance right away. The stage is big so she’ll likely fall back, but you can push her to the edge.
While she has a typical projectile to keep you away with, her real trick is the chandelier she can put in the air, which will crash down on you if you walk under it. You can jump up and attack it directly to neutralize it.
Since this is the very first fight things are simple, you won’t have to deal with anything too complicated or worry too much about mistakes. This is practically just a test of if you know how to deal with projectiles and obstacles, if you do you’ll win quickly.
Battle End
Eamon and Nisha are back at round start positions.
Nisha: That wasn’t terrible, but I’m glad you’re the one moving forward to the next round. I won’t swear loyalty to any faction, but I hope this tournament does you no lasting harm.
Eamon: Thank you.
Transition to Grand Festival Hub
Standing on screen is Ciara, a human woman in plain light grey clothing, her short hair mostly covered by her hat.
Eamon walks on-screen.
Eamon: Aunt Ciara, it’s good to see you after all this time.
Ciara: King Eamon, it’s a pleasure.
Eamon: You could have had that pleasure in all the years it’s been since last time.
Ciara: I can’t bear to go back, there isn’t a place for me there. But I kept track of news from Lunis in case trouble arose for you. You’ve become a good king.
Eamon: I offered you a place.
Ciara: You’ve grown to look more like your father now. An unchanging immortal like me shouldn’t be getting in your way. Sometimes I even regret writing that account and making so many things public.
Ciara: But while we’re here, away from Lunis and your court, I did want to see you again. And Aodh, and Fintan.
Eamon: I’ve also been looking for them. Why don’t you stick with me? I promise you being seen with a friend of Fintan would only benefit my reputation, not harm it.
Ciara: I suppose you’d know more than me about that now.
Chapter END
Note from the Author: This story has quite a few elements that I’ve been eager to show to readers, it got me excited about the Lunan characters all over again. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
| Prologue/Introduction | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |