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.
After the semi finals it’s time for the grand finals, Walakea vs Erlingr. Walakea is set to return to Hirzen rather than the library with Nisha and Tetlacatl, and if he wins Erlingr will be a free man. But is that what everyone wants?
| Prologue/Introduction | | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |
Open on Grand Festival Hub
Walakea and Tetlacatl are hitting a ball back and forth while Nisha watches. Tetlacatl jumps and kicks the ball while it is in mid-air, sending it down and bouncing off the ground over Walakea’s head. Nisha catches it.
Nisha: Were you trying to hit him? You said this was a warm up that wouldn’t involve getting hurt.
Walakea: With a move like that I think you could have done well in the tournament yourself.
Tetlacatl: Maybe I’ll try it another time. Also of course I wasn’t trying to hit you, that hit did exactly what it was supposed to. I wasn’t expecting Nisha to catch it though, it was going to land at her feet.
Nisha: That’s an impressive hit.
Tetlacatl: Thank you. Anyway, this is the sort of match Walakea has been waiting for, and it’s the grand finals too, you should come in ready for anything.
Nisha: Yes, everything ends here.
Walakea: And I’ll end it in first place.
Exploration Start
All that’s left is the final battle, so you just have a simple walk forward. Instead of eavesdropping you can get some last conversations in with the supporting cast.
Nisha: I don’t want you to leave.
Walakea: Are you okay? That’s unusually direct for you.
Nisha: Every word of advice on the topic I know of, written or spoken, says it’s best to share feelings before it’s too late. And you always say I should be more impulsive. I’ll be fine if you leave, it’s your decision, but I won’t like it.
Walakea: You’ll have Tetlacatl and others back home, you won’t need to worry about being on your own.
Nisha: I am aware of that. But I’ll still miss you.
Keone: Are you sure of yourself?
Walakea: I’m not losing to anyone from Brytholm.
Keone: I don’t mean that. When you left, part of your reasoning was to avoid getting in my way. You knew you were stubborn and things would be stagnant if you stayed around, you would have sabotaged the building of that road.
Keone: What exactly has you changing your mind so completely? You were the one telling me the isles weren’t all bad not long ago. Now your stubborn and xenophobic side has returned.
Walakea: Defeating Quiahuitl didn’t do anything to bring back what Tetlacatl lost, not even overthrowing would do it. He wouldn’t recognize his birthplace. I’m worried by that.
Keone: For you to be a record of history like you planned, things have to change from how they are now. Don’t turn against your own wisdom in trusting the next generation.
Walakea: How exactly will defeating this Erlingr free him? I thought these people clung to their gladiators.
Tetlacatl: It took a bit of scheming, but right now Hákon has a bet with Erlingr’s master where if you win he’s freed.
Walakea: What did Hákon have to risk?
Tetlacatl: A hefty sum of money. I don’t like that those things are considered equivalent enough to be wagered against each other. But Erlingr’s master was on quite the losing streak gambling when he made the deal, so he might not have had a clear head.
Walakea: I see, those dice of yours did their usual mischief. Gambling is a poison, but at least you used it for a good end.
Tetlacatl: Sometimes not playing fair is the right thing. But I don’t think you’ll need any cheating to win this.
Keep going and you’ll begin the final battle.
Exploration End
Transition to Arena
Erlingr is standing in position, Walakea walks on-screen and takes his round start position.
Erlingr: I’m aware of the deals that have been made around me. Don’t expect me to hand you a victory.
Erlingr: I don’t need the condescension of foreigners. Especially from the Hirzeni. Even a thrall has some honor, to not resort to killing.
Walakea: Don’t speak of the honor of your people when your forefathers abandoned all of that to assault mine, yours killed plenty. But that’s the past, this is now.
Walakea: I don’t intend to become your friend, but you’re only my enemy in this arena. It’s best to help someone when you can, even if they’re stubborn and foolish. But first, I’ll prove whose tradition of martial arts has become stronger.
Battle Start
You come into this battle with a full bar of meter, so you can go all out from the start. However Erlingr also starts with full meter and will immediately use his A Thousand Punches super. You might be tempted to try and interrupt its long wind up, don’t, it can’t be disrupted and or blocked, hold off on your aggression at first.
The stage is the same as it was against Hákon, but now you’ll both be jumping around the platforms while they’re active. Try not to be above Erlingr when you can, or you’ll get hit by an anti air like his second super Phantom Upper.
Erlingr has a second meter you need to keep an eye on, once it fills up, which will happen through attacks and a special meditation move, he’ll automatically enter an empowered state until the meter drains. Play keep away during this, he’ll be back to normal soon enough.
Of course you have plenty of strong options yourself. If you keep on point with your metal ball projectiles Erlingr won’t have the space to use his meditation move, and you can also punish him for being on a platform above you with a super.
It might take a little bit for you to get a chance to go on the offensive, but once you do take it and go all out. Keep that up and you’ll bring this story to a triumphant close.
Battle End
The two fighters exchange attacks that send each other in opposite directions. Walakea jumps up, summons a metal ball, and copies the move Tetlacatl used earlier, knocking Erlingr out.
Walakea: Oh, that might have been too strong of a hit.
Walakea: Perhaps I let the ancestral grudges guide me to the point of forgetting my own sense of direction.
Walakea walks over to Erlingr and reaches down to help him.
Erlingr: I don’t need your help.
Walakea: Then get up. I’m not walking out with you on the ground.
A moment passes. Erlingr takes Walakea’s offered tentacle and rises up.
Erlingr: Thank you. But don’t praise yourself too much for this.
Walakea: You’re a free man now, maybe you should use that freedom to travel and reconsider what you’ve been loyal to.
Transition to Grand Festival Hub
Nisha, Tetlacatl, and Keone are waiting for Walakea as he walks on-screen.
Nisha: Congratulations Walakea.
Tetlacatl: How does it feel to be the champion?
Walakea: It feels revitalizing and tiring at the same time. I realized some things as I landed that final attack.
Walakea: That move was something I couldn’t have done without both of you. My fighting style is Hirzeni, but you both had your own influence on it., and that was why I won.
Walakea: If I went back to Hirzen and fixated on keeping it pure, I wouldn’t have a chance to develop that further.
Walakea: I don’t need to be a watch dog for Hirzen. If we succeed in making the library a gathering place for people all over the world what emerges is bound to be something that will benefit us all. So let’s go home, to the library.
Nisha: I’m relieved to hear that.
Tetlacatl: You know we’ll have some time before we begin the school, and being here does have me curious about your old village…
Walakea: Then we can go visit Keone sometime. And you can bring your books.
Story END
Note from the Author: That’s the final chapter of the final story, but there’s still one more chapter for the project as a whole to wrap everything up, not just Walakea’s story. Please look forward to it.
| Prologue/Introduction | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |