The best run we'll never see again

I find a Red Chest on Floor 1, right out the gate. My first thought was "Wow, is this gonna be that run. The run that has Kingshook and sub 9's Ch 1, sub 1's Legendary Fragments?"

Lo, and behold; the feared Kingshook sound echoes through the tower immediately upon unlocking the chest. My heart is racing because now it's do or die, this run can never be replicated.

Some shaky starts in the frame perfect throws department (and my negligence in elasto-ing my way through the tower instead of item hopping like a smart person) led me to some time loss in Ground Floor, but quickly revived in a smart and decisive "Let's not go for Path of Exiles this time" at the top of Hatchery 1. Zardo would not find ways to slow me down, not when I have full courage in my Hatchery navigation.

Hatchery proved time effective. I saved time if I got Soul Crossing or Zardo's Gallery, but I was not faster than a Fatal Flight zip. Either way, Conservatory reared its head with a flood, and a Path of Exiles near the top. To take on Conservatory and chance not getting the 1/3 time loss was not worth it, so ventured into the Red Door did I.
Alas, the worst sound to ever be concocted in these dire times... the dreaded washed up synth begins to call me to the GAME stand as I await a 1 minute time loss in the garish gallery. But not to be feared! The prizes were apt enough, between a spear and a hadou orb. This would require a very fortunate Zardoland 4 to give me the prize I seek in saving 30 or so seconds there.

I move forward through heart, breakneck pace that would burn up even the foulest of lava drips. Uneventful, as expected.

Then the sweet chime of the ruins ice graced my ears, as I also sensed a Strange Feeling. Zardo was not happy with my victory in his parlor, and as such he was out to damage all hope of achieving my Ch 1 world record. And so begins the sad tale of a man with 16 berries, who found himself on the wrong side of a climb beneath the breadth of the icicle of doom...

BUT our tale does not end here! Our hook nestled into the belly of the ice from whence I fell, and a Witch greeted me happily at my feet, and I briefly replenished my inventory to procure my prized possession and carry this mission forward post-haste.

It was after the Ruins that I made a fruitful decision; the time loss was far too steep to salvage the world record amidst Chapter 1 speedruns, so a Floatless (but not Flightless) Ascension was not frugal to my true goal at this stage; the Legend Fragments.
The float was simple, and met with another Zardo who posed no threats, and I made my way to Krystelle's Battlegrounds. Her weeding process would not find success with this climber, for the deck was severely stacked, and lady luck spread her smile upon me.

After an uneventful Statue Room and internal debate on whether zipping being valid in the coming years of the speedrun community, I decided the short term record outweighed the long term zip annihilation, so post haste I steadied my balloon and shot to victory, in Zardo's Tower.

My fresh talents with the Kingshook made for a very fast and very fruitful Segmentation Plant, as the berries and grapples led to a very promising future for this, the untouchable record pace I was achieving.

Thanks to Zardo's gracious prizes, a corrode was all that remained to seal the fate of the pillar that protects the precious Fragment that basked in the glow of night. I was now fully stocked and ripe with Jump Potions to make Volt Caves a similar success story.

But alas, the Volt Caves do prove to be of a testy nature, and some uneasiness I felt adrift in the air, I met with an unfortunate tussle with a brash Beeble. My brother and my friend, Kombi, whom I had not visited during this incursion, patiently bobbed in his safe spot, while I quickly regrouped my nerves and pressed onward. It would not be long before a poorly thrown Grappler would take my life for a turn, and it wouldn't be the last time. With my shocked body tumbling below, and no revives remaining to cushion my ascent, I pressed quickly to the left, to meet a kindly Witch who once more gave hope to a tumbling descent. I recuperated and exited the foul cave.
With a box handy, I was most assuredly to reach the heights of Zardoland's Entrance without a problem, but my amassment of Jump Potions bade me a fine ascent to that balcony on high. A few shaky and timid jumps led me to abuse more than expected 15 jumps, and nerves had me nearly pinned for failure, but I prevailed.

Amidst Zardoland 2, a quiet and boring hop towards the wall led me to the top and to a hidden entrance that held home to yet another Legend Fragment; the Brutal Boiler.

With a spellgate forbidding my revives and potions, I stocked up on 3 of my remaining 5 Jump Potions to prepare for a careful and standard navigation of this hell. At this moment, it is hard to bear witness to the horrors that follow; but alas, all good stories must come to an end. My winchshot was procured on the second floor ceiling, but my retraction and re-firing of the fated Grappler did not cooperate, and I felt to a most gruesome death which completely ignored the reflex to jump and winch to salvage the run.

And so our tale ends as all tales do, with heartbreak and misery. But fear not, because in the time it took for this graphic novel  to even encode itself, I found new hope in a less generous Tower, but all the more rich in grace and strength. This ends the fated "Uncontested World Record" via Red Chest Kingshook, but it will not be the last time I reach the Forbidden Lair of the White Queen, for that fate is merely an hour away...