Musa & Maehwa Awakened

23 November 2016 14:00

 

 

Greetings Adventurers,

 

The wait is over, check out the combat trailer for Musa and Maehwa below with their glorious awakening weapons!

 

Behold the prowess of Musa wielding his Crescent Blade and Maehwa’s rhythmic, splendid moves in sync with her Kerispear. We would like to share the stories behind their Awakening with you, if you want to know more keep reading.

 

 

 

◈ Awakened Musa Becomes a Martial God

 

In a humble village in the Far Orient, a boy was born and his birth was announced with the majestic roar of a tiger at dawn. The villagers took this as a good sign, happily expecting that the boy would do something great for the town one day.

 

The boy grew up quickly, with the expectations of the villagers and the death of his father shaping his growth he soon developed a gift for the martial arts. His specialty was swiftly using a blade to detect the opponent's weakness and crush it in an instant. The highlight of any day for the boy was hearing that a master martial artist had arrived in town just so he could challenge the master. As years passed the boy never lost a single fight, which earned him a great reputation but planted the seed of arrogance in him.

 

His only dream was to join the "Western Frontiers," a guild of the best martial artists, only open for the winner of the kingdom's decennial "Grand Tournament" which was held in the capital. Neither the villagers or the young man had any doubt he was going to out-shine all others in the next Grand Tournament.

 

The year of another Grand Tournament arrived; everyone in the kingdom was ready to enjoy the festival and greet the new Martial God. As everyone expected, the young man made it to the final round, but he was not the star of the show. The focus was on an old master who had nonchalantly defeated other masters from all over the continent with his gigantic crescent blade.

 

As the final round began the entire continent was watching the young man and the old master's duel. After a heated offensive and defensive battle, the young man instinctively felt his impending defeat for the first time. He threw a desperate last blow without much expectation, and something unexpected happened. The old master started vomiting blood, and the young man did not miss that weak moment.

 

The young man claimed the new title of the Martial God after winning the Grand Tournament, and finally joined the Western Frontiers. He had just achieved his childhood dream, but he did not feel as if he had earned it, instead he felt enraged. The cheers of the audience should have been solely for him, but they all went to the old master who tried his best until the very end. For someone like the young man who believed there was no one above him, it was unbearable. Blaming everything on the old master, the young man set out to search for him.

 

The old man was living in a cave deep in a mountain. After finding the cave, the young man challenged the old master again. This time the duel was very different and the young man was unable to beat the old master. Despite being defeated the young man did not give in, and repeatedly challenged the old master as soon as he finished recovering.

 

After each duel, the old master would look down at the young man and say, "Walking the path of the martial arts means walking the path of endless innovation. Let everything flow naturally, and your fate will reach the ultimate will someday..."

 

It took thirteen hundred and eight days for the young man to finally defeat the old master. A once arrogant young man found humility and felt in joyous experience of victory. The countless days of challenging this old master had been an opportunity to reflect on his ways and repent. The victorious young man expressed his admiration of the old master by bowing nine times every three steps, asking to be the master's apprentice. The old man accordingly congratulated the young man, and accepted his request.

 

This new-found happiness did not last long, however. The old man's health quickly diminished, and the young man eventually had to bury the old man master. This was very difficult time for the young man who had spent so much of his time with the master and was now all alone. That's when the young man found a letter titled "Martial God Secrets" and his teacher's will.

 

The legendary "Martial God" Haeam, was supposedly assassinated during the power struggle. He was well known after he had climbed to the top rank of the entire Western Frontiers with nothing more than his single crescent blade. The teacher’s will explained that the master was his father who disappeared from after begetting the young man. Upon recalling the old master's kind eyes, the young man could not control the flow of tears.

 

After holding a funeral for Haeam, the young man returned to the Western Union to defeat his father's old nemesis one by one, and he also succeeded in claiming the Crescent Blade, his father's weapon, a national treasure, and the symbol of the top of Western Frontiers, which he dedicated to his father at his grave.

He, at the same time, promised to never open the secret letter until he fully understands his late father's teachings.

 

After climbing the Western Frontiers' hierarchy, he pursued politics like his father did, he was his father's son after all. The trickery and wiles of the political world put his life in jeopardy time and time again. Many times he barely survived until he boarded a ship bound to the West with the Martial God's secret and a blade with him.

 

After another close brush with death, the young man decided to forget everything and focus on his path of martial arts. No one could surpass his skills in the kingdom so he knew he would have to find stronger opponents.

 

He somehow had a feeling that at the end of his path, when he reached the closest to the Haeam's secret and his own enlightenment, he would become the true Martial God.

 

 

 

◈ Maehwa’s Blue Crescent Flame

 

In the capital city of a faraway Oriental kingdom was a notorious little girl, she was well known for her mischievous ways. One day an army officer noticed her talent in fighting, and decided to adopt her. Through rigorous training and education in her new home, the girl grew up to be an elegant young lady as if she had been born to that family from the beginning. Only one thing stuck with her as she went from the notorious little girl to the elegant young lady, her only dream was to join the "Order of the Apricot."

 

Apricot was the name of the beautiful valley full of apricot flowers in winter, and it was also the name of the order of young martial artists. the Order of the Apricot motivated members greatly with the hope of climbing the social ladder and honing their own skills. The girl started training in the order a year after she decided to join it.

 

The girl never flinched from her work once she joined the order, it was full of great warriors from all walks of life and she was determined to be one of them. A year later, the girl graduated from her apprenticeship, and the following year she became eligible for being elected as the "Maehwa," the leader of female warriors. While she was elated by her own success, an old woman visited and told the girl unbelievable things:

She told her that a cold but beautiful flame, called the Crescent Petal, lives on the tip of the spear wielded by an enlightened warrior, and that there is no enemy you cannot defeat if you are with the Crescent Petal. This was considered a legend since nobody was able to achieve this state since Bihwasun founded the order, but only the leader of the order can fully understand and investigate the existence of such secret. The dreamy story made the girl's heart race, she was thrilled to have a new goal.

 

Three years had passed since the girl joined the Order of the Apricot, and the continent was once again swept by the craze of war. After going through the brutal war and peer competition, the girl lost the pure values such as creativity and friendship, which she had in the beginning. She was being assimilated into the fame culture of the order, only seeking techniques and fame without any respect for life. She would do anything for her career. As she climbed up the hierarchy, the sacrifice of the colleagues and subordinates was taken for granted, and the same went for civilian sacrifices.

 

With every victory, there was an enormous amount of damage. As she returned triumphantly, she went straight back to the Apricot Valley not even thinking for a second about paying a visit to her step parents who wholeheartedly raised and took care of her. Her mind was devastated from the war and had no room for such emotions, she could only eagerly await her promotion at the time.

 

A month after the end of the war, the girl finally became the leader of the order.

She was the youngest and the first female leader in the order's history. As soon as the ceremony was concluded, she went into the deepest cave in the valley to check the "secret" of the order. An old spear and a secret note were located in the cave. After verifying the old woman's story as true, the joyous girl wasted no time to start learning the secrets. After a year of training, there was still no sign of flame on the girl's spear.

 

The news of her step-parents' passing found a way to her the next year, but she did not care, only focusing on the secret of the Crescent Petal. Her martial arts were simply not advancing at all, and that was when she started having nightmares. Every night she had to confront the sacrificed colleagues, subordinates, innocent civilians, and the contenders from her time in the war.

 

It had been five years since the girl discovered the secret note, now the brilliant and confident girl was gone, and on the leader's throne was sitting a worn-out and exhausted woman. Countless hours of training contributed nothing to acquire the flame. She was still suffering from nightmares. Finally, she decided to start over, and went back to the cave she found the secret note in. The old woman who told the story of the Crescent Petal was waiting for the girl.

 

As soon as she spotted the girl, the old woman dashed with a spear. Startled, the girl responded with her spear. As the tips of both spears touched, a blue flame emerged from the old woman's spear. It was the Crescent Petal, the girl's ultimate dream. The old woman's every single move was scolding the girl for her stubbornness and obsession. Confronted by the sight of her dream, the girl responded to the old woman's attack, trying her best to defeat her.

 

After a while, a silence fell between them, and the old woman introduced herself as Bihwasun, the founder of the Order of the Apricot. Bihwasun told the girl to constantly empty and fill yourself with new arts, just like how flowing water never stops. The talk did not last long, and the endless offense and defense continued into the night.

 

At dawn after the moonset, the winner was decided. It was the girl's first loss, the kind she has never had in her life. She had no energy to even move a finger, but she felt reborn. She felt like she could understand at least a gist of what Bihwasun meant.

 

The girl resigned from the leader position the next day, and left the valley with minimal luggage. She had no idea where and when the journey was going to end. All she needed was the teaching of Bihwasun in her heart.

"Never stop emptying and filling yourself with new arts. The Crescent Petal will answer your call when your shell breaks."

 

 

◈ Musa Awakening Skills

 

Musa’s awakening skills focus on heavy slashes and strikes.

 

While swiftly moving to confuse and disorient the enemies, just like he always does, the new skills will bring heavier weight into your combat routine.

The following are some of the prominent Awakening skills:

 

 Crust Crusher

A magnificent areal skill. Musa fully charges his Crescent Blade with his energy and strikes the ground. The targets will fall down on the ground greatly damaged, and an additional attack is also available.

 

 Projection

Musa realizes the energy of the Crescent Blade and projects it forward, instantly pushing the target.

 

 Below the Belt

Musa brandishes the Crescent Blade. Slightly moving forward, he aims at the target’s lower body. The target will fall down, and an additional attack is available.

 

 One Step Back

Musa jumps backward and brandishes the Crescent Blade ahead. It reduces damage on Musa’s part while attacking the target.

 

 Musa’s Spirit

Musa instantly exudes powerful energy to stun the targets around him. This skill can be performed instantly, and it makes a wonderful bridge in combos.

◈ Maehwa Awakening Skills

 

Maehwa specializes in fatal stabbing attacks when the target is caught off-guard.

With the new Kerispear, you can attack multiple targets within range at a single blow.

You can still fully take advantage of Maehwa’s swift movement while experiencing much heavier and more powerful attacks with the Kerispear.

 

The following are some of the prominent Awakening skills:

 

 Royal Rage

This skill can be activated during Full Moon Wall. Maehwa will use the enemy’s motion and power to perform a counter attack.

 

 Petal Drill

Maehwa quickly moves forward and performs a powerful stab.

 

 Sticky Snowflake

Gather frosty energy to shoot snowflakes ahead, slowing down the targets in both attack and movement.

 

 Frost Pillars

Load the energy of the Kerispear onto icy waves and throw it at the target.

 

 Petal Bloom

Gather the energy of the Kerispear and stab the target in front of you to inflict great damage.

 

 Flow: Cloud Stab

Swiftly and powerfully stab with the Kerispear to attack an airborne target.

◈ Awakening Quest

 

The awakening quests for Musa and Maehwa start with revisiting their pasts after losing memory.

 

Their forgotten past begins to surface as they talk to Chief Igor Bartali, a well-traveled man, and their awakening lores begin.

 

There are seven main quests, which include 3 ordeal quests. Retrieve the secret by finishing all the quests to unlock your awakening weapon and skills.

I hope you all enjoy the long-awaited awakenings.

Black Desert Online Team