~Notes~
ToaLP takes place in a MapleStory world hundreds of years from the time we play in now. All the Balrogs have been eliminated from the world in a global effort to create a safer world. However, soon afterwards through experimental testing, a new breed of monsters referred to as The Paradox were created. You’ll learn a lot more about them later. Anyway, through a political schism a huge, evil empire called Myougun Empire was born. They harnessed the use of these monsters and began terrorizing the world with them.
ToaLP features a young assassin named Kunai who lost his entire family in a huge tragedy. It details his journey to seek understanding and redemption in the world, as well as revenge on the Myougun Empire.

Now finally, without further ado, I present to you Tales of a Lost Phoneme.

Tales of a Lost Phoneme

DISCLAIMER: All characteristics used in this work of fiction attributing to the online MMORPG known as MapleStory belong solely to Nexon Corporation and Wizet. In no way do I as the author claim any affiliation with Nexon, Wizet, and/or MapleStory except as a player. All characters, names, locations, and so forth named in this story that do not appear in the game MapleStory belong solely to me. Any distribution of this work of fiction either on or off the Internet is strictly forbidden without verbal or written consent from I, AznRiceFan, the author.

RATING: Rated PG 13 for violence, minor sexual references, inappropriate references, swearing.

GENRE: Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance, Comedy

Tales of the Lost Phoneme – RIFT Productions

Prologue

A young assassin, dressed in a Dark Scorpio set kneels down at an altar, tears rolling down his cheeks under the guise of his Dark Identity.

He is kneeling in a large rocky chamber, miles underground. A certain blue aura hovers around him, like a fog in the lightless chamber far from home. In front of him is an ancient altar, cracked and broken, littered with debris. He kneels directly in front of a large set of gravestones.

He wipes some of the tears from his face, choking slightly. He sniffs and raises his head, staring blankly at the dozens of gravestones in front of him.

[Kunai – approx. 7x Assassin]

Suddenly there is a loud rumble behind him. The assassin rises to his feet inquisitively, staring into the darkness behind him. There is another rumble, followed by a roar.

A girl with long black hair wearing a Dark Anakarune set suddenly flies into the air, her Thorns flying into the air after her. She lands in a heap on the floor in front of the assassin.

He gazes down at her perplexedly, momentarily shocked. Suddenly there is another roar and the doors into the chamber explode open as a large Taurospear tumbles into the room.

The assassin draws a breath in surprise but immediately reacts, leaping into the air as a staff of lightening falls at his feet. He draws a Steely and sends it flying into the Taurospear’s eye.

A burst of flame suddenly erupts in the darkness, illuminating the dark chamber. A slightly older man clad in ordinary civilian’s clothes and a white headband leaps in between the assassin and Taurospear, wielding a flaming sword.

He dodges a bolt of lightening with ease and leaps into the air, cutting down the Taurospear with one swift horizontal strike. He lands and glances momentarily back at the assassin.

“There’s a ****load more of them. I can’t hold them off forever. Take the girl, she was injured passing through. I’ll hold them off as long as I can, Kunai!” He runs forward, through the entrance into the chamber and disappears with a burst of flame.

[Uchida Ryuu – approx. 9x Hybrid Fire Mage / Crusader]

Kunai glances down at the unconscious girl. He bends down and slowly picks her up perplexedly. As he does so, her eyes flitter open momentarily. Kunai’s eyes widen suddenly as he stares into her eyes. “Two pupils!”