Hello everyone! Thank you for the support you guys have given me. It gives me the warm fuzzies inside. So without further ado, happy reading!
Chapter 2: Start the Fire
January 15, 2023
Aincrad – Floor 11
"It's been two hours already. I'm getting worried," the boy next to Makoto said. He shifted his eyes towards the young boy and shrugged. The boy, Rembrandt, squirmed in the scale armor he wore. The pair sat on a mound of rubble of what used to be a stone pillar. White marble bricks were laid out in the wet grass in front of them, leading to the mouth of an ancient temple ruin, where Suzu and her team had ventured. The soft glow of a nearby fireplace lit up the forest clearing they were in. The crackling of the fire echoed in the otherwise silent forest.
Off to their right, another member of the Gilded Eagles threw her arms up into the air with a holler. She collected the cards from the stone slab in front of her and began distributing them between herself and the last two members of their group, Micaela and Proctor.
"They're fine, Rembrandt. I'm looking at their health right now. Green across the board," Makoto said. He kept his eyes on the four health bars underneath his. Each one belonged to the four original members of the Gilded Eagles. It was Suzu's idea to form a party of five and leave one person behind so that they could keep an eye on their status and charge in with reinforcements if the need arose.
"I know…I just…it's nerve wracking to be sitting here waiting while Sybelle and the others are down there," Rembrandt pointed at the ground beneath them. Makoto pulled himself up and offered his hand to Rembrandt. The young boy took it and pulled himself up, following behind Makoto as they both sat down in front of the fire.
"Yeah, I felt that way too when I first came out here. Don't worry, you learn to trust in them," he said. Makoto grabbed a nearby stick and stoked the raging the fire. The intense glow lit up both their faces.
Makoto spared a glance at Rembrandt to see if his words held their intended effect. He was one of the Gilded Eagles' newest recruits, having joined two weeks ago. His boyish looks and small stature clearly gave away his young age.
"I guess…" he muttered. An arm covered by a long pink sleeve and a steel plated gauntlet wrapped itself around his neck. The girl the arm belonged to snickered.
"Aww…is wittle Wembwandt scawed fow Sabine?" she said with a laugh. Makoto frowned a pointed a finger at the girl.
"Aren't you supposed to be playing cards? Lay off him, Cerise," he said. Cerise was one of the first people recruited into the guild. She had flowing caramel hair that complimented the light freckles on her face. She also wore the sturdiest steel plated armor thanks to her skill as a blacksmith. Even the halberd strapped to her back was of her own making.
"Whatever you say, Saito. But I get the feeling Wembwandt has a crush on our second-in-command," she said with a knowing grin. Rembrandt's ears turned hot as he tried to sputter out an excuse. His fumbling only made Cerise laugh even harder. She slapped him on the back before walking off with her hands on her sides.
"She's been hanging around Kreuger too much," Makoto said, though he couldn't deny Cerise's assumptions. Sabine was very attractive and probably had her share of admirers in both the game and in real life.
He opened his menu and tapped his inventory. He grimaced when he caught sight of the ring around his finger. He still wasn't the least bit comfortable with being married to his sister, but it was practical from time to time. He briefly checked their shared inventory. Nothing new was added aside from some materials and a couple of healing potions. Makoto scrolled lower and tapped one of the items. A hot piece of cinnamon bread materialized in his palm. Makoto broke it in half and held out the other piece to Rembrandt.
"She has a point though…I am a little scared. I mean, why are we all the way out here in the first place?" Rembrandt asked him. Makoto stayed silent, but that was an answer in of itself. Rembrandt took a careful bite of his bread. The sweet, sugary taste filled his palate, "You don't know either?"
"I wish I did. Truth be told, I haven't the slightest clue. Sybelle just said we needed to come here as soon as possible. Well here we are, waiting for her to finish whatever she's doing down there," Makoto said. He gorged himself on his bread. Rembrandt stared down his piece and took another bite.
"Why did she need the entire guild if she was only going to go in with the lieutenants?" he asked. Makoto shrugged. Even if he was Suzu's brother, he knew just about as much as the new recruits did.
"Maybe…no…forget it," he said.
"What? What's wrong?" Rembrandt asked. Makoto casted his eyes upwards. A faint scowl broke through his features.
"It might be because she's worried about the Duskfall Barons," Makoto said. Rembrandt gulped. His hands shivered on their own. Makoto noticed his unease and patted him on the back, "Don't worry. They haven't done anything. They won't do anything. They'll just stomp their feet and cry a little, but they're not stupid enough to try anything."
Rembrandt visibly brightened at his words. Makoto gave him an assured nod. Since his sister was gone along with her lieutenants, it fell to him to watch over the recruits. He had to keep morale up by any means necessary.
Cerise came up from behind and wrapped an arm around the both of them. Her predatory smirk reduced Rembrandt's smile to pieces. Her voice turned ominous. She exchanged glances between the two of them and pulled them toward her.
"But you know…the Barons HAVE been sneaking around as of late. And Sybelle has been asking everyone to stay on the lookout for them. Me thinks there's something brewing between our two guilds," she said.
"That's enough, Cerise. Yeah, we've had a couple of fights with them. But they weren't physical. Nobody's been hurt yet. The Barons can't afford the orange cursor over their heads. They'd have the entire player-base kicking down their door," Makoto said. Cerise rolled her eyes and disappeared again. Makoto made sure she wasn't itching to come back and turned to Rembrandt.
"Nothing's going to happen. Promise," he said. Rembrandt gave him a slow nod. He stood up and walked away towards the mouth of the temple. Makoto eyed the roaring fire. He wasn't entirely sure if he believed in his own words. But he had to say it for their sake. In truth, the Barons were becoming more aggressive. What began as simple insults escalated to weapons being drawn.
The Gilded Eagles and the Duskfall Barons had been feuding over items and grinding spots for nearly a month. At first it was minor disagreements being ended with a compromise, but now the Barons were demanding more than they deserved, sometimes sinking to insults and threats of violence against them. The incessant hostility from the Barons had put everyone on edge. Suzu suffered from the worst of it. She was constantly on edge just on the chance that the Barons would show themselves.
Makoto had hoped for a peaceful resolution between their two guilds. But every time he suggested as much to either Suzu or the Barons, he was quickly shot down. If things continued, he was worried that words would soon give way to weapons.
Makoto pulled out his steel broadsword. The hilt's golden basket design was a snug fit over his hand. The sword was a gift from his sister after he formally joined the Gilded Eagles. He also considered it a graduation present for finally being able to take care of himself in this world even if he was still considered under leveled.
"I don't want it to come to that. I'm stronger now…I finally think I can do this," Makoto whispered to himself. He told himself that every night since he left the suffocating safety of his room. It was a weird thing to do, but it worked.
A rustling noise broke the quiet. Makoto acted on instinct, pointing his sword at the source of the noise. He could barely make out something moving in the forest. The other members noticed the noise too and froze on the spot. Makoto narrowed his eyes and stood up. Keeping his blade leveled, he turned to the recruits and held up an open palm. The recruits nodded and pulled out their weapons, staying in place.
Makoto approached the tree-line. He didn't see the red cursor that signaled a monster or any that would signal another player. He narrowed his eyes and slowly entered the forest. The thick foliage made it difficult to move. Each step was met with uneven terrain and loose dirt. Makoto slid down a steep hill and stopped at the sound of leaves being crushed. It was closer than before.
Makoto's palms were sweating. He steadied his breathing and stopped next to a tree, "H-Hello?"
A pair of hands grabbed him by the shoulders. Makoto flailed his sword wildly but felt a strong kick knock his sword out of his hand. Makoto barely caught a glimpse of his attacker before he was shoved against the tree trunk and had a hand pressed against his mouth.
It was a girl he didn't recognize. Her short black hair had two locks tied with thin white ribbons on either side of her face. She wore a green jacket and steel breastplate with a high red collar and red armbands. The detached leggings she wore were the same color of her jacket and ended at her steel plated boots which were stepping on his sword, keeping it out of his reach.
The girl pressed a finger against her lips. Her dark eyes scanned the area around them before landing back on him, "Don't move."
She pulled her hand away, keeping the other on his chest as she surveyed the area again. Makoto looked around them but didn't see what she was so worked up about, "What are you doing? What's going o-"
The girl's hand slapped against his mouth again. She glared at him and shushed him quiet. She went about searching the area. Her free hand dipped into the pouch on her belt, fishing out a throwing pick and holding it at the ready.
Then Makoto heard it. A soft hissing noise filled the air around them. The girl snapped around as a massive black spider pounced into the air. Its curved fangs dripped with poison. The name 'Burrow Black' hovered over its hairy body. The girl reacted instantly. Her pick shot out of her hand and stabbed into one of spider's many red eyes. The hand on Makoto's chest grabbed his armor and yanked them both to the ground as the spider crashed into the tree he was pressed against.
The girl rolled to her feet and threw pick after pick. Each one hit another of its eyes with perfect accuracy. The spider squealed in pain, backing itself against another tree. The girl dashed forward with her dagger in hand and stabbed through its carapace. Red polygons leaked from the wound before the spider bursted into shards of light.
Sheathing her dagger, the girl turned around to face Makoto. He picked himself off the ground and brushed the dirt from his clothes, "Uhh…thanks. I guess I should be more careful out here."
The girl crossed her arms. She kept a stoic face. Makoto rubbed the back of his head, unsure if he should say anything else. The girl came up to him and grabbed him by the collar, practically dragging him with her, "Stay out of the southern forests. Those things are everywhere and when one sees you, it'll call for more."
Makoto wringed himself out of her grip. The girl looked over her shoulder, but said nothing. Makoto raised a brow. He had no idea who this girl was, but she was obviously skilled if she could kill a giant spider with only a few well-aimed picks and a single thrust of her dagger.
"If you want to stay, fine. But don't say I didn't warn you," she said in a cold tone. Her brusque tone sent a chill down Makoto's spine. Something told him she wasn't a very approachable person.
"Don't need to tell me twice. I'm just going to be on my way," Makoto said. The girl nodded and watched him leave. Making his way back to the recruits, Makoto sighed.
I sure know how to make friends…
The sound of twigs snapping drew his attention behind him. To his surprise, the girl was following him with her arms still crossed. Makoto stopped and turned to face her, "Is…there something you want?"
The girl stopped and reached for the hilt on her belt. Her stoic face gave nothing away but what she was doing made her intent all too clear. Makoto felt his heart skip a beat. The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up. Every muscle in his body tensed up. He reached for his own sword, but his hand touched nothing but air.
Wait…what? Where's my sword?!
"You left this," she said. She pulled out his sword and held the hilt out to him. Makoto stared at it and laughed at himself.
"Oh…right. Sorry, I'm a little jumpy," Makoto took his sword back and placed it in its rightful place. He patted his scabbard and held out his hand to the girl, "My name's Saito. Thanks again for saving my skin back there."
The girl watched his hand. She took it in hers and gave it a quick shake, "Sinon."
Makoto let go of her hand. He opened his mouth to say something until a shrill cry rang through the forest.
"SAITO!"
Makoto turned around to see a sickly pale, petite girl run towards them. Her short copper hair flailed wildly. She skidded to a stop in front of them and placed her hands on her knees, panting heavily.
"Micaela? What's wrong? What happened?" he asked. The girl tried her hardest to breathe. She placed a hand on her chest and took a deep, ragged breath.
"R-Rembrandt…the B-Barons…they w-won't let him go," she said. Makoto's heart skipped a beat. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword so tight his knuckles turned white. In the back of his mind, he knew they would come, but he refused to believe it. He refused to believe they would do something to Rembrandt.
"We can't waste any time, let's go!" he said. He dashed back to the temple without waiting for a reply. He didn't even know if Micaela was following him. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, ignoring the burning of his muscles and the heaving of his chest. The Barons wouldn't do anything. They can't afford to do anything. Makoto repeated that thought to himself over and over again.
The glow of the fire they made soon came into view. Makoto slowed to a crawl and crouched down. Five players in red and black armor were standing in their campsite. Across from Makoto, near the mouth of the temple, Cerise and Proctor stood with their weapons drawn. He could tell from the looks on their faces how nervous they were.
In the center of the campsite was Rembrandt. He was on his knees, his wrist seized by a tall woman with long blonde hair with a red streak running through it. She looked to be in her twenties, the oldest out of any of the other Barons standing around her.
A twisted grin was on her face. She turned to temple entrance and pulled Rembrandt's hand into the air. She waved it at the two recruits mockingly, "He's getting awfully squeamish. When's your leader coming out, hmm?"
When she received no answer, she merely laughed. She turned her attention to the entrance itself and cupped her hand next to her mouth, "Sybelle! Come out and plaaay!"
Makoto heard someone come up from behind him. To his surprise, it was Sinon with Micaela standing further off, shivering in fear.
"Who are they?" Sinon asked. Makoto frowned and faced the woman still toying with Rembrandt.
"The Duskfall Barons. We've been at each other's throats for weeks. They show up almost every time we're out in the field. They always get into fights with us. But…this is the first time they've gotten physical." Makoto said with worry festering in his chest. He pointed at the blonde woman, "That's Aurora. She's one of their higher-leveled players."
Aurora shrugged. She muttered something to the other Barons and nodded with the same disturbing smirk. She cracked her knuckles and grabbed Rembrandt by the wrist again.
"I guess, she's too busy. I'll just play with you until she decides to show herself," Aurora said as she looked down at Rembrandt. Her maniacal grin grew wider as she grabbed one of his fingers, "You want to know something interesting?"
Rembrandt couldn't summon the will to fight back. He couldn't look away from the madness sparkling in Aurora's icy blue eyes. Proctor and Cerise could only watch helplessly. Aurora was surrounded by five other Barons with their weapons drawn and at the ready, just daring them to try and do something.
Aurora leaned closer. She held up his finger between them, "The game slaps you with an orange cursor when you attack another player, riiiight?"
Rembrandt fumbled with his words. The lines on his forehead creased as his eyes widened. Aurora giggled. She titled her head to look at the two other recruits. She licked her full red lips and turned back to him, "Problem is…the game gets real finicky when deciding what is and isn't an attack. For example, if I stab you, sure the game picks it up and I get an orange cursor. But…if I did this!"
Aurora twisted his finger towards the back of his hand. Rembrandt's painful cries of agony shook the forest. Makoto winced and looked down at the ground. Sinon pulled her dagger out of its sheath with an angry scowl. Makoto grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to stay put.
"Don't try it," he said. Rembrandt screamed again as Aurora pulled his finger back even further.
"Don't you think it's weird? No orange cursor! No warning message! Not even a slap on the wrist! Isn't that interesting?" Aurora said. She moved even closer to Rembrandt, their faces inches apart, "You're lucky the system prevents the full dose of pain you'd usually get. Still hurts though, doesn't it? Like a knife just shy of tearing through your skin,"
Makoto opened his menu and tapped his friends list. A holographic keyboard appeared in front of him.
"What are you doing?" Sinon whispered in a harsh tone. Makoto glanced at her and sighed.
"Messaging our guild leader. If she doesn't get here in time, Aurora will-," he said. Sinon grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards her.
"Walk out in front of them," Sinon said. Makoto stared at her dumbfounded.
"Wh-what?" he asked. Sinon's hard stare never wavered.
"Get their attention. Draw them away from the temple entrance," she said. Makoto raised a brow.
"What are you getting at?' he asked. Sinon frowned. She pointed at the group of Barons. There was no way the two of them could get the upper hand on six people. There was only one thing they could do to save his guild mates.
"Walk out of the bushes with your hands up. Distract them for as long as possible," she explained. Makoto tried to ask her to be more specific, but Sinon turned and disappeared into the forest. Micaela hovered over him, holding her hands close to her chest.
"Wh-What are you going to do?" she mumbled. Makoto rubbed his forehead and rose to his feet.
"I don't have much of a choice. Micaela, stay here. Don't move a muscle," Makoto took hesitant steps into the forest clearing. Every fiber of his being tensed with every inch he walked. Immediately, one of the Barons noticed him and raised his sword at him. Aurora turned around with Rembrandt's wrist still in her hand. Her grin widened.
"Well…I was expecting Sybelle but this will work," she said. She took a step back, letting the other Barons move past her and raise their weapons at Makoto as he raised his arms, "So Saito, care to tell me where you fearless leader is?"
Makoto couldn't bring himself to look away from Rembrandt's terrified face. He forced himself to stay calm and spoke in a low, measured tone, "Aurora…can't say that I'm happy to see you."
"You hurt me. You also ignored my question. That'll cost him," Aurora twisted Rembrandt's finger again. She took pleasure in watching Makoto cringe and hearing Rembrandt's suffering cries. Makoto took a step closer. The blade of one of the Barons pressed against his neck. Makoto swallowed, the sharp blade digging into his flesh as he did. Aurora slid a hand underneath Rembrandt's chin and squeezed his cheeks, "I'll ask again. Where's Sybelle? There's soooo much we have to catch up on."
"Because you two got along so well back on floor eight," Makoto remarked. Aurora shrugged.
"Water under the bridge, forgive and forget, she won that duel fair and square," she said. Makoto could swear a hint of scorn was dripping from her mouth as she said those words. Movement brought his attention to the temple entrance. Sinon sneaked out of the trees and moved towards Cerise and Proctor.
"I don't know where Sybelle is. We just came out here to…see the sights," Makoto said. Aurora chuckled.
"Well you better think of something quick. This kid looks like he's about to piss himself," Aurora looked down at Rembrandt. She took another one of his fingers, playfully squeezing it, "You know, I wonder what would happen if I broke his finger like this. Do you think the game would count that?"
Makoto watched as Sinon whispered to Cerise and Proctor. Nobody else seemed to hear them as the two recruits ran into the temple. Sinon turned her attention to Makoto and she nodded. Makoto gave her a subtle nod in return.
"I think for your sake and his, you shouldn't try," Makoto said. Sinon unsheathed her dagger and calmly sneaked towards Aurora.
"Oh? And why is that? Do you think you can talk me out of doing it?" Aurora asked. Sinon came even closer, raising her dagger up to Aurora's neck. Makoto held his breath. He didn't have the slightest idea how this would turn out. All eyes were on him and Aurora was hiding behind her line of Barons with Sinon's dagger inches from her neck. This would end in a stalemate or a bloodbath. Neither were very attractive outcomes.
Makoto's eyes met Sinon's. Her calm gaze told him all he needed to know. Makoto looked up at Aurora and shrugged, "I don't have to do any talking at all."
Sinon grabbed Aurora by the chin and pressed her dagger against her neck with lightning speed. The sheer shock of Sinon's sudden appearance made Aurora's hands shoot wide open. Rembrandt felt his wrist being freed and immediately scrambled to the safety of the temple.
Aurora's bewildered expression gave way to anger. She looked at Sinon out of the corner of her eye and gritted her teeth, "You little bitch."
The five Barons noticed Sinon and turned their weapons on her. Makoto pulled out his sword and aimed it at their backs. Three of the Barons turned back to face him. Makoto steeled himself. He summoned as much strength as he could. He poured every ounce of intimidation into his voice.
"Call them off, Aurora." He said. Aurora cracked a grin and held up her hands in a shrug.
"They're choice, not mine," Aurora said. Makoto watched each of the three Barons facing him. Their expressions ranged from anger to bloodthirsty. Makoto's mind went blank. Neither side was willing to give an inch. Rembrandt was out of harm's way, but it left both him and Sinon in his place.
"Why do you want to see Sybelle so bad? I thought Barons were past the point of talking with us," Makoto said. Aurora snickered and offered token resistance against Sinon's grip, but she stayed put as if she were toying with girl holding her by the neck.
"Now that simply isn't true! Oh we Barons just love talking and having civil engagements with our fellow guilds. We just pick on the Gilded Eagles because we secretly love you guys. Oh! There I go spilling our secret," Aurora laughed. Makoto glared at her. Aurora wasn't willing to give a straight answer. He expected as much.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Sinon looked over her shoulder. A young girl with short brown hair and a scar on her left cheek was standing amongst a group of other players with their own scowls. Rembrandt was standing next to her, nursing his hand. Makoto relaxed his posture.
"Aurora came by to say hi. But she got a bit carried away with her greetings," Makoto said, pointing at Rembrandt's hand. Suzu glanced at Sinon and pointed at her with a limp finger.
"And who's this?" she asked. Makoto shrugged.
"Does it matter? She has a dagger to Aurora's throat. You always said you wanted someone to do that," Makoto replied. Aurora forced a laugh and craned her neck to see Suzu.
"Sybelle. There you are. The Big Bad Wolf and her army of cubs. We've been looking for you," she said. Suzu placed a hand on her hip with a questioning look on her face.
"What do you want, Aurora?" she asked. Aurora looked back towards Makoto and narrowed her eyes.
"It isn't a question of what I want. It's a question of what he wants," she said. Makoto felt another cold blade press into his skin. He heard someone circle around him. Suzu visibly tensed as the man came into Makoto's view. The weathered look on his face and the greying ponytail were all too familiar to all of them.
Suzu pulled out her sword, staring down the man who had her brother at the tip of his sword, "Ulrich…"
Sinon clenched her teeth. She recognized him. He was the same man that she saw talking with the cloaked figure on the second floor. Questions swirled in her mind. Her mind worked tirelessly, trying to figure out how to connect the cloaked man's orders to why Ulrich was here now. Then it hit her. It was over a month ago, but Ulrich's words rang just as clear as the day they were said.
I understand. I'll start looking immediately. If anyone has it, I'll be sure to…relieve them of it.
Dread sprouted in her chest. That had to be why he was here. What Aurora said earlier seemed to back up that theory. Ulrich wanted something from them. And it was very clear they were willing to go to excessive measures to get it.
Aurora snickered, "Well…well, well, well, well, well, looks like we're in a bit of a spot, doesn't it?"
Sinon's unconscious grip on her Aurora's neck grew tighter. Ulrich regarded each of them with the same amount of apathy. Like they were all nothing but dust to him. Finally, he stopped at Sybelle and muttered in a cold, emotionless tone, "Yours for mine."
Three simple words. But it was enough for Suzu to get the picture. Suzu came to Sinon's side and grabbed her arm, "Let her go. We don't get anything from killing her."
Sinon growled. None of it felt right. She had just enough information to know something was wrong, but not enough to know what. She wanted to press Ulrich for more information, but she lost her leverage. She didn't want Saito's life to be in danger because of her insistence.
With a reluctant huff, Sinon let Aurora go. The older woman sighed and rolled her shoulders. Ulrich grabbed Makoto by the back of his neck and nearly threw him towards Suzu. The Barons lined up next to him in smooth formation as they sheathed their weapons.
"Sybelle, I'd hate for an accident to happen between us so let me make this abundantly clear," Ulrich took a step towards her. Suzu met him at the center between their two guilds. Ulrich looked down at the shorter girl, every word coming out coarse and grave "Where is the coat?"
"Can't say that I have it. If you were hoping to snatch it out of my hands the second I came out, well…you're shit out of luck. There was nothing in there except mobs and a handful of Col. Hardly worth the effort," Suzu said. Sinon watched the two stare each other down. All this effort just for a coat? There were a handful of rare items strewn about the floors of Aincrad, but she'd never seen someone go to such lengths for one of them.
"And how do I know you're not lying to me?" Ulrich asked with the same apathetic tone. Suzu shrugged.
"You can't know. You'll just have to take my word for it. Or if you want, you can go down the temple yourself and look for it. I don't care either way," Suzu looked back at her guild then at him, "Is this all you wanted to know? 'Cause we have places to be and I don't want my time wasted."
Ulrich's intense gaze bored into her, but Suzu didn't move a muscle. She raised a brow, waiting for him to say something. Silence was all that she was given. She crossed her arms and leaned slightly forward, "If you're going to stare at me like that, at least take me out to dinner first."
Ulrich scrunched his nose at her remark. He took another step towards her, "If you say you don't have it then I'll take your word for it. But next time, it would be in your best interest to stay out of our way if you want to avoid a fight. If you don't…I hope you won't disappoint me."
A sharp whistle rang through the forest. The Barons stood straight and followed Ulrich into the woods until they disappeared from sight. Suzu kept her feet planted on the ground and looked over her shoulder with a grin, "Piece of cake."
Makoto relaxed, letting a small laugh escape his lips, "That was a little too close for comfort."
Suzu opened her menu and scrolled through her inventory. At the top of the list was the prize they came for. She spent a lot of money and time discovering its whereabouts. Part of her was worried she'd find nothing, but all her fears went unfounded. She tapped the item and read its description.
Macabre Coat
A coat birthed by unknown means. Its previous owner has been obscured by time though some speculate that there was no previous owner to begin with. When whole, it tears life asunder.
"Huh, sounds ominous," Suzu said. She equipped the coat and was immediately bathed in white light before fading. The coat was a deep shade of blue, its coattails reaching all the way to her boots. The front was open, leaving her armor in plain view. The material was smooth and cool to the touch. Two faded patterns were on the coat's wrists, but Suzu couldn't make out what it was. She reached behind her back and felt the hood hanging between her shoulders. With a satisfied smirk, she ran her fingers along the pitch-black lapels, "Not bad…not bad at all."
"That's what you came to get? You called everyone here for a coat?" Makoto asked. Suzu checked the stats of the coat and shot him a smug grin.
"Plus five to agility and strength. I'd say that's worth it," she said. She shut her menu and noticed Sinon standing off in the distance with her arms crossed. If she helped Makoto deal with their Baron problem, she was someone Suzu could trust.
Suzu approached the silent girl and held out her hand. The other members of the Gilded Eagles surrounded her, each offering their own thanks. Sinon's eyes jumped from one person to another. Seeing so many people around speaking at one her took her off-guard. The sound of someone clearing her throat brought her attention forward.
"Name's Sybelle. I'm the leader of our little entourage here. Thanks for helping us out back there," she said. Sinon gave Suzu's hand a brief shake.
"Pretty gutsy putting a knife to Aurora's neck like that. You can bet that she won't forget that any time soon, hah!" Kreuger said with a hand raised and ready to smack Sinon on the shoulder. Orwell caught his arm mid-swing and pulled it back.
"Not everyone likes your gestures of solidarity, Kreuger. I suggest you restrain yourself when you're handling matters involving strangers," Orwell said. Kreuger huffed and pulled his arm out of Orwell's grip.
"Aaaanyways, thanks for the assist. Wasn't sure what would happen if Saito were out by his lonesome. The Gilded Eagles owe you," Sybelle said. Sinon gave her a polite bow.
"Think nothing of it. If everything is fine now, I should really get going," Sinon said. Suzu nodded walked backwards while giving a wave.
"Anytime you're on floor eleven, look us up. Always good to see a friendly face," she said. She turned and led her guild back into the woods, all except for Makoto. He crossed his arms and watched Sinon carefully. There was no doubt that she could hold her own. And the fact that she didn't hesitate to hold Aurora hostage like that spoke volumes of her bravery. He wasn't anywhere close to a leadership position in the Gilded Eagles. But it didn't mean he couldn't act on their behalf.
"Hey Sinon, you handled yourself pretty well. The Gilded Eagles is still a little small compared to other guilds, but we take care of our own. So I wanted to ask if you were willing to join us. I'm sure Sybelle would be grateful for the extra help," Makoto said. Sinon paused. With a low sigh she shook her head.
"Thank you for the offer, but I'll pass. I prefer being a solo player," she said.
"I understand. Still, if you're ever in the area, feel free to swing by. As far as I'm concerned, you're a friend of the Gilded Eagles and a friend to me," Makoto said. Sinon let a small giggle leave her lips as she turned away. Makoto laughed himself.
Huh…She should smile more often…
"Well, I got to get going. See you around, Sinon," Makoto said. The two waved each other their goodbyes as they went their separate ways. Makoto hurried to catch up with his guild and stopped next to his sister.
"Good thing she was around. The Barons probably would have gotten what they wanted if she wasn't," Makoto commented. Suzu inwardly frowned. The Barons very clearly wanted the same thing she did. She was worried it would come to that. Now she had to be sure she was the first one to know about any rare items that were spread across Aincrad.
I might need to pay Rune another visit…emphasis on the pay.
"Even if she wasn't…I wouldn't let it come to that. I know how to handle these idiots," Suzu said. The pair exchanged glances. Suzu gave a lame shrug, "What?"
"Don't you think it'd be a better idea to get rid of them another way? You know, instead of fighting them every single time like you always do? I'm starting to get worried that it'll get worse," Makoto said. Behind them, Cerise scoffed.
"You know that's impossible, right? Everyone is out for themselves right now, even the Aincrad Liberation Squad wants nothing to do with other people," she said. Orwell adjusted his glasses and shrugged.
"So the Gilded Eagles gather enough clout to organize an actual government. Otherwise, we're not getting anywhere in terms of a civilized society. Let's face it, at the rate we're going, we're going to be stuck in this game for a long time," Orwell said. Everyone fell silent. Makoto looked down at the ground, a slight grimace on his face.
A long time? They were going to be stuck in a game of life and death for a long time? Makoto found it hard to believe but Orwell was right. Two months had passed and they barely made it one tenth of the way through the game with over 2,000 deaths. It could take them a year or more to finally get back to the real world. A year of his life gone because of Kayaba's twisted fantasies.
What would happen then? His school life, his friends in the real world, his future were all lost to him with every day that passed. Kayaba disrupted the lives of ten thousand people for who knows what. That simple fact was enough for Makoto to resent him. Kayaba singlehandedly killed thousands of people for his amusement. Makoto could never forgive him for that.
"We won't." All eyes turned to Suzu as she said those words. The look of determination on her face was unmistakable. The flaming intensity in her eyes looked at each member of the Gilded Eagles before she stopped at her brother, "I give you my word that I'll do everything in my power to get you all home. All I need from you guys is to keep fighting with everything you have to the bitter end. We won't let this game beat us, no matter what. I'll give up every piece of myself before I let that happen."
Everyone exchanged glances with one another. Sabine smiled and gave Suzu a gracious nod. Kreuger crossed his arms and gave another of his trademark bellowing laughs. Makoto could see all the other members lift their heads high and patting one another on the shoulder. A proud feeling rose up in his chest. His own little sister was taking up a lot of responsibility. She wasn't afraid to take charge and take care of people she never met before. He couldn't help but admire her for that.
Makoto felt his own resolve cement itself. If his sister was willing to lay her life down for others, he wouldn't hesitate anymore. He wasn't going to cower in his room anymore. He had a duty as a person and a brother to take care of people. Even if he was weaker than she was, he would put in everything he had. It would have been an insult to those who had died to do anything less.
To the bitter end, huh? As long as I'm still alive, I won't let it get that far.
...
"They have it," Ulrich said. Both of them stared out over the glistening lake. A cold wind swept over the forest, but neither man shivered. The cloaked figure next to him placed a hand over his eyes and sighed. A sadistic grin spread over his face.
"I figured as much. Sybelle you nosy little girl." The figure said. He pulled his hand away and faced Ulrich. The shining in his eyes pierced through the darkness that shrouded his face, "She has a brother...doesn't she?"
Ulrich nodded. The figure tapped a finger against his cold lips and pulled out a dagger from his belt, "Such a lethal weapon, her brother. He may not even realize it. So, I suppose the only honorable thing to do is to show him. Show him he's nothing but a weapon to use against her. A weapon against the Big Bad Wolf."
The figure pressed the knife's blade against Ulrich's stomach. Ulrich didn't flinch.
"A twist of the knife is all it will take. The girl's bonds will be her undoing. Make sure of it. I want her groveling at my feet for forgiveness," the figure said. Ulrich gave him a respectful bow.
"As you command," he said. The figure sheathed his dagger and nodded. He pushed past Ulrich and cupped his cheeks as he walked away. The games were just starting and he could feel his body overflowing with excitement. He was so happy he could almost explode. All he needed to do was knock down one piece and the rest would follow.
"Ahhh...attachments are such poison."
Fun fact: I tried to base Sinon's physical description off her appearance in the Hollow Fragment game. Also a fun fact, it was admittedly pretty hard to describe.
