Chapter 10: A Year in Aincrad, A Day in Hell Pt.2
The world of Sword Art Online is a vast one, and with a limited number of players inhabiting a game that was originally designed for dozens of thousands (before Kayaba revealed his true intentions, of course) one can spend days in an uninhabited wilderness of Aincrad without running into another player. These extended periods of solitude which solo players such as myself face will, on occasion, be broken up by awkward encounters: namely one lone wolf smacking straight into another. Plenty of times I have carelessly waltzed into a fellow beater or solo player in what I had believed to be a deserted training ground, and although it is rare that one of these encounters turns into a full-blown battle, we always have had to shuffle past one and another, their eyes fixed on my colour cursor the entire time.
I imagine that if I had run into Jade by accident, instead of leaping in to save her, things would have gone the same way: a deadly silence would have descended like a meat cleaver, and we would have parted without exchanging a word. Now I find myself wishing we had scurried around each other in the darkness rather than finding ourselves in this current situation.
Both our rag-tag group of mercenaries and misfits and the gigantic clearing group before us do not say a word, the only sound being the lively background music that a nearby NPC orchestra is blasting.
I stare up at the imposing figure in front of me, but the blade she wields once again receives my undivided attention when it moves a half inch closer to my skin. The brilliant and elegant rapier still hangs before me, ready to pierce through my skull with a simple thrust of the user's wrist.
I have to say something...If I don't speak soon, it is all too likely my journey will meet its end here.
The words that reach me are not those that will save me. "Uh...hi" I let out meekly, and I see a member of the KoB with dark red hair and a beard chuckle loudly. By the time I realize how pathetic I must sound, it's too late.
'Smooth, Klaes.' Although everyone present remains silent, I can almost hear Jade behind me thinking these words. As I stare up at «The Flash», I curse myself for not making a stronger first impression. Her blade is still at my neck.
I quickly scan the front-liners with my eyes, being careful not to turn my head. Members of the DDA, KoB, and multiple solo players are present, but I don't recognize any of my friends from my times as a front liner. While some are looking in puzzlement at me, all looks of stunned recognition seem to be directed at Furinkazan, the front-line guild that has just showed up with an Orange in tow..
Damn it. I had left the front-line a few floors after the disaster on the 25h floor, when the Aincrad Liberation Corps took major losses in the boss fight. No doubt I hadn't been the only one to leave the clearing group after Kibaou, ALC's leader at the time, blundered and got dozens killed, but I didn't expect that all my acquaintances would have also left.
Maybe they had their reasons, too.
With no one in the crowd to back me up, all I can do is wait for the sub-leader of the Knights of Blood to speak. Her firm gaze stays locked on mine, and I mask my fear with a firm, strong impression. With my pathetic outburst earlier, it'll be harder to play tough guy, but I don't really have a choice, do I? This girl holds god-like status in this game, and I'm a mere criminal in SAO. If I don't hold my ground, I'll lose everything in an instant.
I can't let that happen.
After what seems like an eternity, the goddess before me sends down a decree of sorts.
"You don't belong here." She states, her voice firm and her face stern.
That's an understatement, I'm afraid. Indeed, the looks I am getting from the clearers behind her are screaming anything but acceptance, and the general feeling that is vibrating from the crowd before me makes the hairs on my back stand on end.
I am a sheep that has wandered into a slaughterhouse. The fact that I'm still alive is what makes me out of place. This is every orange player's worst nightmare, multiplied by a thousand. If I'm not killed on the spot, I'll be sent to The Army's Black Iron Castle on the First Floor, which boils down to spending the rest of my time in Aincrad locked in a tiny cell.
Unsure of what to do, I say nothing, and stare up at the sub-leader. The light brown eyes of the rapier-wielder dig into my soul, and I suppress the urge to flinch and instead return her glare. It takes only a split second, but Asuna's eyebrow twitches slightly in what appears to be frustration. In that second, what has been staring me in the face the entire time hits me, and fortunately, it is not Asuna or her razor sharp blade.
No–it's something that should have been obvious the moment the silence set in.
These guilds have never dealt with an Orange player before.
Due to the nature of orange-green relations, a high-level green player could slaughter a criminal without batting an eyelid, and take no punishment for it. Orange players, such as myself, are fully aware of this, and this threat, combined with the fact that the Army patrols the lower floors, leads the majority of criminal players to hang around the middle floors. where the chances of running into a power-leveller are less likely. In a world where stats define everything, fighting a clearer as an orange can spell instant death. The only reason I had been climbing to the front-line in the first place is that I knew Mors was less likely to follow me up there, although he's not exactly a major concern anymore.
The problem I am faced with now, although still grim, has become slightly clearer. The reason the front-liners aren't stacking me or arresting me this very moment is because the vast majority of them probably don't know what to do, Asuna «The Flash» included. As they'll have spent all their time fighting boss monsters and levelling, they'll have had very few player versus player battles, outside of duels. I look to the Heaven Splitter, which still lies a few inches away from my hand, at my side. The rapier thrusts forward, stopping right before my neck as a warning. I look up into the front-liner's eyes and although they are filled to the brim with determination and strength, I see a small sliver of warmth. It's the same thing I saw in Jade's eyes that day. Or at least, I think it is.
Hope it is.
I can do it. I look at my blade again. Even if it happens that the sub-leader of KoB is not ready to kill me, I cannot speak for the rest of the clearers, or even her guild. But if I move fast enough...
In one swift motion, I swat her blade to the side with my heavily armoured left hand, reach out and grab the Heaven Splitter with my right, and roll towards my companions. As I get to my feet, I twist around, raising my blade up into a battle stance. As rapiers are thrust type weapons, and I have hit it from the side, I take minimal damage even though her weapon is obviously high grade.
Jade wordlessly unsheathes her bright red blade, the runic patterns across it lighting up blue as she points it towards the clearers. Although there is no magic in Sword Art Online, it certainly does have an unnerving effect, despite its user being clad in bright white armour which makes her look like an angel in contrast to the demonic blade.
Jade looking angelic is a wolf in sheep's clothing... I keep this thought to myself, of course, as she's currently risking her life to back me up. Insulting the generous is pure folly in Aincrad, especially in situations like these where kindness, compassion, and sympathy are the only things standing between you and certain death. Although Furinkazan do not step forward, I hear the sound of over ten weapons being drawn behind me. Without a doubt, the red-haired Katana user is on my side.
Thank you, Klein.
The sub-leader of the KoB has maintained her composure, but I can see her face is twitching in what seems to be a mixture of anger, confusion, and frustration. Behind her, almost all the front-liners have also drawn their weapons, the only exceptions being a few that are grimacing–likely friends of Klein– and a one handed swordsman dressed in black who is sitting atop a vendor stall looking gloomy. An army of the highest grade weapons I've ever seen are now pointed directly at Jade, Furinkazan and I, but I can't help but grinning slightly. In this situation, either we win or everyone loses.
It's all down to how she reacts, now... If I was alone, I'd be screwed. I would either be stacked by the front-liners and die without dishing out a single hit, or be restrained and launched through a corridor into a jail cell on the first floor. Either way, the clearers could have done as they wished with no need to worry about the consequences.
However, this is not the case, given that I have Furinkazan and Jade standing by my side and seemingly ready to fight. Even if Klein is bluffing and decides to step back if they charge, the chance that he won't is stopping Asuna from giving the order to attack. They can hit me all they like, but if they attack Furinkazan or Jade, who are all green players, they'll receive Orange status temporarily. If anyone dies in the fight, the victors will be cursed with orange and lose their ability to front-line, as they'll be blocked from most towns . Aradu is the first orange-friendly city found until now, and there's no telling how long it'll be before another shows up. Additionally, if this does become an all out battle between the clearing group and ourselves, they'll no doubt lose all of Furinkazan and many of their own men will also die in the ensuing carnage.
Basically, she can't afford to attack. If my hunch about her is correct, and if the rumours about her only focus being on clearing the game are true, «The Flash» will not attack. I look at Jade, and she nods back at me in understanding.
Silence continues to cling to the air like a plague, and I tighten my grip on the Heaven Splitter.
Come on, back off already.
Unfortunately, it isn't the sub-leader of the Knights of Blood who breaks the silence.
"He's an orange, let's get him already!" A heavily armoured tank-type player bursts through the crowd. He's wearing deep, dark purple armour and a full helmet that covers his face. He pushes past the crowd, lifting his two-handed sword above his head. There's a flash of light, and in the next second he stops dead in his tracks.
"...woah." Despite myself, I let out a small gasp, and I hear Jade do the same.
In front of the player, who had been charging with such might only an instant ago, a rapier hangs lightly in front of his neck. The tank stands there, frozen at the sight of the blade in front of him and the ocean-blue jewel at its hilt.
"...her nickname suits her." Jade says, her jaw still hanging a few inches off the ground. I can't help but agree with her, «The Flash» had certainly earned her name. The rapier had moved so quickly I hadn't even seen its path. It was as if it had just materialized in front of the ruffian. I realize that if she had wanted to kill me when I made my retreat, she could have done it with ease. This thought sends a chill running down my back, but it's also reassuring.
If she didn't stab then, that means...
"You can't do this, I'm not even in your guil-" the armoured man protests, but he is swiftly cut off by Asuna.
"Think, you idiot. If you charge them now and we all get caught up in a fight, how many of us will die? How many more will get stuck with Orange status? Do you think we stand a chance at escaping this world if that happens?"Asuna, although she has the figure and voice of a girl in her late teens, speaks with absolute authority.
"But– "
"But what?" Her voice and rage pierce through the air and the two-handed swordsman flinches, but does not move an inch. Audacious and arrogant as he is, I have to give him credit for his bravery: I'm sure if I was confronted in this way by a girl such as her, I'd cower back and curl up into a ball, then cry myself to sleep.
Suddenly Jade's glowering face comes to my mind, packed with memories of the last few days.
Actually, maybe not.
Regardless, I make a mental note to never get on «The Flash»'s bad side. One domineering ball of rage and relentlessness disguised by undeniable beauty is more than enough for me, although I have to admit Jade has been surprisingly kind and helpful at times.
If only more often.
As if she hears my internal plea, Jade steps forward, raising her blade. "You heard the woman, back off" she sneers as she points her blade at the knight, who still stands a few feet away from us.
If it weren't for his charge beforehand and his obvious hatred of me, I would be feeling sorry for him right around now. As brave as a man may be, when faced with an angered sub-leader of a top guild and a sneering Jade, he may as well be standing before two harpies who are desperate to rip him apart. He lowers his blade, and takes a slow step back.
Retreat, a wise choice indeed.
Jade turns her head towards me and gives a slight smile. I nod, half in gratitude and half to deflect any wrath left in her as far away from me as possible. As high level as many male players may be, an angry Jade will always strike more fear into my heart. At least in regular battles it is a physical duel, which is a lot easier to manage than a constant barrage of verbal abuse.
Asuna spins around, sighing deeply. The girl who is practically worshipped on the lower and middle floors speaks again.
"We won't fight you, but we will ask you to leave." Asuna's voice is firm, her countenance stern. She doesn't let a shred of uncertainty edge into her words, and I am beginning to understand why she's the battle coordinator for the boss fights. "I realize part of your group is a front-line guild, but orange players cannot be allowed near the clearing group. The safety of the players and the completion of each floor take top priority, and I can't let the whims of a single party get in the way of that. For that reason, the 'Orange' has to go." Asuna points her blade slightly towards me, but there is no malice in her eyes.
Ah. It is now clear to me that behind her words lie no hate. She simply desires to clear the game in the most efficient way possible. If I were in any other situation, I would respect her wishes, but this time I can't.
I open my mouth to protest, but before I can Argo startles me, by leaping down from a building above. The Rat had left the rest of us outside the gates, and I had completely forgotten that she had arrived in Aradu before us. What could she possibly do, though? One of Asuna's eyebrows rise in curiosity, and I can't blame her. Information brokers usually just observe, after all.
The Rat stands, her metal claws raking the ground as she pushes herself up. For an instant, she looks far more like a cat than a rat as she lazily stretches, almost yawning. She smiles, and then asks for the impossible: "My deep apologies for not warning you earlier, Asuna-san, but we do indeed have business in this citY. I'm afraid you're going to have to let him gO." I cannot see her face as her back is turned to me, but I can imagine she is grinning. She almost always is.
"And what might that be?" Asuna asks, understandably suspicious. A front-line guild composed of players that resemble bandits, an information broker aptly nicknamed The Rat, and an orange player are not a group to inspire trust. Ironic as it might seem, from her perspective Jade probably looks like the only sane person in our group..
"As a matter of a fact, we're here for a certain quesT." It seems Argo was expecting such suspicion from Asuna, as she answers the sub-leader instantly. Asuna keeps a straight face, but a few of the clearers behind her fail to hide their curiosity at the mention of a quest. I even see one at the very back let out a sigh of relief.
What's up with this ?
"Is it the quest that will re-open the door to the dungeon?" A voice from slightly above the crowd rings out; its owner is the clearer sitting on a vendor stall. His dark black hair covers most of his face, but from the facial features that can be seen he looks to be around seventeen or eighteen; his figure is shrouded by a worn-down, dark-blue trench-coat, on his feet he wears boots the colour of midnight with spurs at the back. Despite his dark and gloomy look, I'm relieved to see his blade is still sheathed.
"Yes." Argo nods slowly, and I'm surprised to hear a tinge of sadness in her voice.
"If that's the case..." The swordsman jumps down from the stall and draws his longsword. I feel Jade tense up next to me, but for some reason I get a strange feeling from this swordsman. I put my hand on her shoulder without thinking, and I thank lady fortune that she lowers her blade instead of questioning my actions. Perhaps in threatening situations Jade is easier to deal with.
I need to get into battles more often, if that's the case.
The swordsman walks towards us, his blade hanging casually at his side and his shield hand empty. No one follows him or tries to stop him, but there are loud murmurs from the group of clearers behind him.
Strange. I only don't use a shield because of my little trick. Jade has probably sacrificed the use of one because her side-step style combat would be slowed by carrying a shield. But for a front liner to not use one seems off... Just as this thought crosses my mind, I begin to recognize the swordsman before us.
One-handed sword style, no shield.
Worn-down, dark clothing.
A solo player.
Could it be?
Asuna, the sub-leader of KoB, is staring at him as he closes the last few inches of the gap between our party and the clearers. Her face is contorted, as if she is feeling angry and sad, no –nostalgic - at the same time. Her face resumes its normal sternness when he turns to face the front-liners.
"...In that case, I say we let them finish the quest."
Asuna frowns at the swordsman, but to my surprise her voice doesn't sound angry. "Kirito, I'm afraid this doesn't concern you. You're a solo player, after all."
"Yeah, regardless of your reputation as a front-liner, it's the leading clearing guild that decides what to do in these situations, 'Swordsman'." The red-haired KoB member adds, putting extra emphasis on Swordsman. At this, I finally recognize the mysterious figure before me.
The Black Swordsman. I had run into him in a dungeon once before, but I had only started hearing rumours about him a few weeks later. His names included the "Atomic Beater" and "Solo Kirito", and although he had been the first beater and one of the most hated players early on in the game, he has since apparently played a major role in just about every boss fight. According to the information brokers, he is a ruthless fighter and can only be matched by a select few from the clearing group. Asuna, I assume, is one of those players. This stand-off is an argument between giants: two of Sword Art Online's top five players, one basking in fame, one shrouded in infamy and both now standing on different sides of a dividing line.
Damn...
"Don't be arrogant. It concerns everyone, not just the KoB." Asuna reels back slightly at the Swordsman's harsh tone, and I see the red-haired Knight of Blood's brow furrow in anger.
"Sub-leader, aren't you the one always saying that 'clearing comes first'? 'Move towards the next floor without hesitation', you said." The Black Swordsman presses onward, either oblivious or indifferent to the mob of outraged Knights of Blood that have gathered behind their sub-leader.
"I-"Surprisingly, Asuna's words catch in her mouth for a second, and although I may be imagining it, «The Flash» seems hurt. Before I can even register that expression in my mind, she is back to her usual, stern self.
I look over at Jade, and see that she too noticed this quick change in her composure. I gesture over at the two of them by pointing with my head, and she nods, as if to say "Yeah, I noticed."
I can't tell exactly what it is, and the details are unreadable, but one thing is for sure.
Somehow, somewhere along the way, those two have history.
The notion that two front-liners with completely different reputations would have some shared past is amusing, but now is probably not the best time to ask, as Asuna is finally - after much thought - giving her answer.
"Loo-"
"You have a day, but there will be other conditions." A man in dark-red armour with a white shield steps forward and the crowd's whispering becomes louder. Asuna bows her head slightly in what seems to be respect, and even the Black Swordsman lowers his blade in surprise.
"Wow." Is all I hear Klein say.
"Oh?" Argo seems slightly surprised.
"Impossible..." I mutter, earning me a confused look from Jade. However, when she looks back again, I see her freeze in realization.
It's him.
The Paladin, the leader of the Knights of Blood, and without a shadow of a doubt the strongest player in the game. Heathcliff. The man's aura alone is suffocating, and the only thing that's stopping me from gaping in awe is the cursor above my head that doesn't allow me to show a shred of weakness.
As the Living Legend speaks his voice booms; "So you are the group that has taken up the anniversary quest." He looks over us quickly, and I sense him pause for a millisecond at my gauntlet. Heathcliff looks up again at the thirteen of us, who have fallen silent in his presence. "Good luck!" He smiles slightly, as if looking down at a group of children. For some reason, none of us feel the need to be offended.
"Out of curiosity, how many have been trappeD?" Argo asks.
"Ten got trapped inside, but they all teleported out in time." Heathcliff answers without hesitation.
"Leader, are you sure that we should be telling them this?" Asuna's worry is clear, but she sighs in resignation when the Red Knight simply nods at her.
"The doors to the next floor have closed by themselves, and I believe your quest will open the doors again. For this reason and this reason only, we will allow you to remain on the front-lines. Of course, there will be certain conditions I'll have to set, due to the orange player you bring with you. I wish you the best of luck." The Paladin nods at me as he says the last phrase, and for some reason I feel a shiver run down my spine.
He must have truly great information brokers to know about the orange part of this quest.
"Ohhhh Klaes!" She yells out, a mix of joy and pain filling her beautiful voice.
"Jade..." I softly, seductively, whisper her name.
"Klaes! Klaees!" Jade's sweet cries ring out into the desert air "I think I'm going to c-"
"RIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH! SHUT UP!" A high, shrill voice drowns out her words; causing Jade and I to howl with laughter.
"Oh c'mon, can't we have a little fun?" Jade inquires, spinning the object around her neck with her fingers. The crystals that Jade and I are wearing as necklaces are lit up, a clear sign that everything we are saying is being put on record.
"No." The voice, stern as ever, replies.
"To be fair, you're the ones who forced us to wear these recording crystals..." I shrug innocently, and a slight tsk sound comes from the voice's owner, in contrast to the hearty laughter that begins beside Jade.
Although Heathcliff's decision to record everything Jade and I say whilst in Aradu to have evidence of any crimes we commit (Furinkazan and Argo were exempt, as they are already trusted) may have seemed like a good idea at the time, it has backfired..
The Knights of Blood in particular are probably regretting this decision. For the past ten minutes, Jade and I have been saying everything possible to make the recordings absolutely absurd. It has taken talk of alien species, a short recital of the end of MacBeth and finally obscenity to get our supervisor to break down, but it's been worth it.
"You're wearing those for the safety of our players as well as to make sure that no-one who harasses the two of you goes unpunished. So please, stop making fools of yourselves.." The voice is irritated, but behind a layer of anger lies a slightly pleading tone.
Obviously, she isn't aware that begging will get nowhere with Jade.
"Hmmm?" Jade murmurs as if she really does plan to stop, but I know better. There is always calm before the storm.
The owner of said voice, one of two bodyguards assigned to us, is covering her scarlet face with her hands, no doubt thinking "Why am I on guard duty?". Indeed, as reasonable as Heathcliff's request to assign guards to us first seemed, we were surprised when he chose his sub-leader as one of them. The other guard, the large red-headed man named Godfree, was another unexpected choice considering he is the Vanguard commander of the KoB.
When Heathcliff was questioned on these choices by a bewildered Asuna, he had stated matter-of-factly: "There'll be no boss fight until they move on with the quest, I can guarantee that."
Although no one really knows who the Paladin gets his information from, he certainly does seem to have spot on knowledge on the world of Sword Art Online. Nothing has happened, and the doors to the next floor remain closed.
How does he know so much?...
As any beater, beta tester, or player who despises these two groups will tell you, knowledge in Aincrad means power. Knowing where to hunt, what attacks a boss monster has, and how often an item drops, can mean the difference between an extremely successful player and a dead one. The first month of the death game, in which two thousand players met their end, is proof of this.
This statement however, leads to a paradox. If knowledge is power, and power determines success in SAO, how has Godfree made it this far? The man is certainly enthusiastic, easy-going, and lively, but considering that he has yet to stop guffawing at Asuna's outburst, he is without a shadow of a doubt a bit of a dunce.
Five minutes later and Godfree, to Asuna's disdain and the amusement of bystanders, still shows no sign of stopping.
Okay, he's dim-witted for sure. But I can't help smiling at this hearty figure, and the fact that he has survived this long means that Aincrad perhaps is a more forgiving world than I had thought.
"I guess Luck really is a legitimate parameter, eh?" My remark does not fall on deaf ears, and Jade chuckles.
"Yeah, it would explain how you've gotten this far, would it not?" Jade teases.
That's not what I meant...
But you know that, of course.
"Maybe, but I wouldn't count myself too lucky. I'm stuck with you, after all." At my witty response, Jade frowns angrily, but nods her head as if to say "Well played."
It's the usual kind of crap we give each other, but with Jade hiding her irritation for once, it's far more enjoyable.
Or perhaps she's usually like this?
Perhaps it's my colour cursor that causes her mood swings. When she forgets that I'm orange, she treats me like I'm a human being. .
At least, I hope that's it. A problem that can be fixed is not a problem at all.
Godfree has finally stopped laughing, but now Asuna, the proud sub-leader is simply shaking her head and sighing in frustration. Her face, now devoid of all the embarrassment from earlier, is back to its normal sternness. It seems the only thing that can break her out of her "serious" state is to fluster her out of it one way or another. She isn't the only person who's got it, but she's a textbook case of "clearing obsession". As of right now, all that matters to this girl is when they'll get to the next floor, which is probably why she is so rough with other players.
The image of The Black Swordsman standing against her, and the words he said, re-enter my mind.
I guess she's not the only one with level-obsession.
As a matter of a fact, it is due to the Black Swordsman, Kirito himself, that Jade and I are standing around like fools in the middle of a plaza in Aradu. It's also because of him that we're lounging around idly with two bodyguards beside us, instead of marching into the Sand Stone Palace like we should be. The Palace itself, and the quest flag behind it that would finally rid me of my Orange status lie at the northern side of this plaza, but I dare not enter it without the support of Furinkazan, and Argo would never forgive me if I just paraded in there without her. Unfortunately, Jade and I are the only ones ready to move out: Kirito walked off right after Heathcliff gave his decree, and Argo and Klein swiftly apologized before bolting after him with worried looks in their eyes.
In this world, everyone has their own issues. This thought does not strike me as strange.
What does strike me as strange is Jade's sudden silence. I turn to look at her, and almost reel back in shock.
Fear is not the right word for her expression.
Neither is resentment, in all honesty.
Is it in a strange, eerie middle ground? No– it's a look I've never seen before from Jade, but many times in the real world.
The look a student has when a teacher is collecting unfinished homework.
The feeling that builds inside of you, growing by leeching of your very soul. A feeling of horrible anticipation, of waiting for a bill you cannot pay to arrive in the mail, of standing next to the guillotine awaiting the executioner to read out the inevitable death sentence.
Dread.
That is what she's feeling, and whilst irritation, anger, indignation, and shock all somehow suit her, , her face twisted in this new way –although I'd never admit it to her– scares me. Her eyes are wide, and when I follow them to the source of her dread, fully expecting to see a giant monster or an angry mob coming to get rid of us, I am surprised to see instead two armoured players walking in our direction. Both are wearing dark-purple armour, and I recognize the one wearing the helmet as the rash two- handed swordsman from earlier who, if not for Asuna's skill as a leader, would likely have initiated a battle that would have crippled the clearing effort. Next to him is a boy who appears to be a few years my senior. His face is stern and hard, but his light blonde hair and light green eyes, combined with his full set of heavy armour, give the impression that he is some sort of knight. This is an absurd notion, of course, as there are no classes in Sword Art Online.
Even if they are knights, they're not having the intended effect on the 'fair maidens'. Jade seems to be shrinking in an attempt to make herself smaller, and Asuna is staring at them in suspicion. Godfree, who was grinning just a few seconds ago, is staring at the two players in distaste..
"Urgh, the TKA..." I hear Asuna mumble.
What could possibly have Jade reacting like this?
Jade's hand trembles, and she slowly shifts her position so I am shielding her from the TKA's stares. Although at this point I'd usually be mentioning "damsels in distress," her facial expression tells me that this is not the best time to mess around.
Something is seriously wrong. Whatever it is, it probably has something to do with the two knights approaching us.
But what?
I can't figure it out, and only when the knight with golden hair stops a few feet in front of me does a shocking realization hit me straight in the face.
His hair, and his eyes. The number of natural blondes in Sword Art Online is extremely low, and although they're slightly different, there's a resemblance with...
"Jade, what are you doing here?" The blond-haired knight spits out her name as if it was poisonous, and his tone is harsh.
What the hell?
I feel Jade rest her forehead on my back, and I hear her sigh deeply.
"I can explain..." her voice is meek and weak, nothing like the Jade I've become used to "...brother."
Dammit Jade, why didn't you tell me about this?
It has been ten minutes since Jade's brother began talking her. The blonde knight, presumably her older brother, has positioned himself and his victim just out of my earshot.
Victim of what sort, you may ask?
Unfortunately, the type of assault he is delivering to her is no punishable crime. Even from this distance, it is clear from Jade's shrinking form that she is enduring some pretty heavy verbal abuse. Her eyes are wavering, and she is shaking from holding back tears. For a girl who's usually so calm and cold, her brother must be saying some truly cruel things indeed. If I could step forward, I would, but the two-handed swordsman from earlier stands before me, blocking the way. His dark-purple armour is boxy and slightly ugly, fitting in to the awkward "middle stage" that heavy armour goes through for mid-range quality items in most MMORPGs. This usually isn't a terrible thing, as many in this stage of SAO are stuck with such armour.. The issue is that his helmet has never left his head, giving me the urge to take a can opener and crack him open to see if there really is a person inside, or just a soul placed there due to some horrible mishap during transmuta-
You've watched too many shows, Klaes.
I sigh, feeling utterly helpless as I watch Jade flinch as her brother raises his hands in the air, berating her. Part of me now wishes that during my time in an orange guild I had trained my eavesdropping skill: if so I could listen to the conversation before me now.. If I could hear what he was saying to her...
I'd likely...
Use it to give her crap?
Tease her with it?
Agree with him and push it further?
I look at Jade, and see that tears have started to form at the edge of her eyes.
Eh, maybe not this time. Despite her ridiculous mood swings and occasional straight-out bitchery, she's stuck with me until now and she's a great—well, decent companion. I won't tell her this, of course, because her head will probably grow too big for her to get through an inn doorway if I do.. However...
Console first, tease later. Yes, that's what I would do if I could somehow hear what they were saying. I smile to myself , happy that I have finally made a decision, but the smile quickly fades as I feel the two-handed swordsman's eyes digging into my head. Well, I'm pissed off and useless right now, so I might as well mess with this guy.
"Do I have something on my face?" I know the answer to this question already, of course. This is just a subtle way of mine to tell someone to piss off and stop staring at me.
The man in the boxy armour stares me down, as if judging me. I exaggeratedly wipe my face with my hand, and pretend to inspect it. When I find nothing on my palm, I shrug and smile at him.
"You have no right to smile in this world." He looks up at my cursor, obviously talking about the condition that had brought me to Aradu in the first place.
Ugh, this crap again.
A month, maybe even a week ago, these words would have deeply hurt me. I look over at Jade, who is still being lectured, and my mind wanders to Argo and Furinkazan, the other people backing me up.
I look at the armoured swordsman before me, who I feel glaring at me beneath his helmet, his very being daring me to answer.
I have twelve green players backing me up now. I can smile whenever I like.
"I will soon." is all I say.
The man fidgets at this, and then stomps his foot down, startling me slightly.
"Don't think we don't know about your little quest, Orange. Just because the system will grant you green status doesn't mean we'll accept you." His words take me off guard, but I quickly regain composure. I can't afford to take this hothead's crap.
I don't need this idiot's acceptance as long as I have a few people who trust me.
I truly believe this.
"And who the hell are you to give out acceptance?" I reply to him as if bored.
"Hah!"The man puffs out his chest beneath his armour, and then begins boasting proudly, "We are the True Knights of Aincrad, protectors of justice and a clearing guild! Standing at fifteen members, we are brothers in arms, and we will never bow to the wil-"
"Yeah, never heard of 'em.." I cut him off flatly. One thing does catch my attention, though.
Brothers in arms, huh?
"Humph." Obviously irritated, the "True Knight" continues his tirade "You scorn me? You are a criminal player, nothing more than scum. You're nothing compared to me." As dangerous as a front-liner may be, ignoring an insult from a load of scrap metal is not on my to-do list. I retaliate appropriately.
"Whatever, I would take all of that crap a lot more seriously if it wasn't coming from a tin can."
The man is visibly having trouble with restraining his anger, and I hear a sigh of relief come from Asuna when he finally takes a step back.
"Don't start a fight" I hear her say.
"Okay, mom."
Asuna grimaces.
Then, I hear the patter of footsteps. I turn to see Jade walking towards me, her brother close in tow. I'm about to speak but the brother beats me to it "You, follow me for a second." His tone is even icier than Jade's on the worst of days, and I suddenly feel slightly worried for my safety. If I didn't have the Heaven Splitter still on my back, I'd likely refuse and back away.
However, that would hardly be fair to Jade. I shrug at the intimidating soldier before me..
"Sure." I say. As I step past Jade, I see her mouth out "I'm sorry.".
The brother leads me out of her ear shot range, and then turns to me. Although it is only for a split second, I see him flick his glance up at my colour cursor, a small mistake, but it'll give me some space to work with.
"Right then, I want you to tell me–" He starts.
"Klaes." I answer before he can finish his question.
"What?" Clearly, he does not expect me to push for ground in this conversation, but taking the bull by the horns is much more comfortable than taking a horn to the multiple-body-parts. Fight hard, minimize damage. This is a basic principle in Sword Art Online.
"You were asking my name, right?" I play dumb.
"Actually–"
"Oh, how rude of me! I forgot to ask yours!" I exclaim, raising my arms to my shoulders.
"Prodotes. It's Prodotes." he replies dryly, clearly aware that I'm attempting to derail the conversation.
"Prodotes, eh? Fits you, I suppose..." I smile brightly at the man before me, doing my best to keep my composure. To my disdain, not an inch of warmth manages to sneak its way into the glacier that is his face.
Maybe I misjudged him..
"Cut the crap. Why is someone like you travelling with my sister?" His question almost sounds like a statement, an accusation. There is not a hint of curiosity in its tone, just pure menace packed within the words.
"We've made a deal with each other, as I'm sure she's told you." I answer the pseudo-question in honesty. He glares at me, his eyes turning into tiny slits. With this man standing before me, the memory of Mors appears in my mind. Prodotes' eyes and Mors', although different in appearance, are the same in nature. If eyes are windows to the soul, I'd be looking at a wasteland right around now.
Damn, this guy is nasty.
"You have no business travelling with her." The knight states opinion as fact, which irritates me enough to go on the counter-offensive.
You wouldn't really know that, now, would you?
"As far as I'm concerned, you have no business lecturing either of us. She never even mentioned having a brother, let alone you, buddy." I spit the last word out.
"You can't judge my actions, Orange."
"I don't know of your actions, 'brave sir knight', and my name is Klaes, as I've told you."
"Only humans deserve names."
"Then we are all animals. Few use their real names in Aincrad." I state.
We stare each other down, the air between us becoming no man's land as we begin to dig our mental trenches. However, halfway through preparing my next batch of verbal artillery to launch at him, the enemy pulls back with one final declaration.
"Hmmph. I suppose I'll let this one slide. Just know this, Orange: Jade doesn't belong on the front-lines. If anything happens to her here, I'll find you and I'll kill you, is that clear? There's a reason I left her on the lower floors." Before I can retort, he and the tin-can man begin walking away, and I'm forced to bite my tongue.
What a dick.
That's my only conclusion regarding Prodotes, Jade's brother. I turn to face the sister, who has turned her face away. She has her own explaining to do, but considering I'm angry after talking to that guy for a mere thirty seconds, I can't imagine what she must feel like after ten minutes. Due partially to this, I decide to approach this in a more gentle fashion than I usually would.
"Jade..."
"...Yes?"
"Why didn't you say anything about him beforehand?" I keep my voice as steady as I can manage, despite the fact that I want to scream "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!?".
Jade sighs deeply, and I notice her eyes are slightly wet.
To get her like this… I surely need to find out what he said.
"I was hoping we wouldn't run into him." It's an honest answer, I'm sure of this much.
I sigh.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on with your brother, and what he said to you?"
She shakes her head from side to side. "No." This isn't the Jade I know.
"Please?" I ask. The word feels strange coming out of my mind, and I realize the last time I said please to her-or anyone, at that-was when I asked her to stick with me until I could take the quest on by myself. It feels like ages ago, considering how close I am to clearing my status now.
Jade suddenly looks up, and takes a deep breath as if she has just decided something.
"Tell you what, if we discover that the reward of the quest really is what you're looking for, I promise I'll tell you." A simple, straightforward agreement. I can't say it isn't fair, but...
"...and if it isn't what I'm looking for?" It's the logical question for me to ask.
"Then you'll never know." A cold, direct answer, completely typical of her.. However, if it turns out that going back to green isn't the reward from this quest, I'll both be stuck with orange and never know the truth behind Jade and her brother. Without thinking, I decide to speak my mind.
"That's really not fai..." I trail off and Jade cocks her head sideways, imitating a curious smile. Although her eyes are still slightly misty, I can tell that she's back to normal from the stupid grin that soon finds its way onto her face.
What was it that I had said when she asked me about my colour cursor?
I'm certain I responded to her inside that dungeon on the 41st floor... It was something along the lines of...
Oh crap .
I smack my head with my hand, cursing my own hypocrisy.
Jade's smile turns into a laugh, and I drag my hand through my hair, examining sandstone to cover my embarrassment. Her dirty blonde hair is a mess, and her eyes are still sad, but even in this state her obnoxious, laughter has a certain charm to it. I can't help but smile, despite being completely outplayed by her. Asuna and Godfree are standing awkwardly to the side, with the sub-leader typing hurriedly into her message box as she sends out what I assume to be orders.In the distance, Argo and Furinkazan can be seen approaching us. Jade sees them and grins..
"I hope they did what they could for him." I hear her say. Surprised, I realize she's talking about the Black Swordsman. From the corner of my eye, I see that Asuna has looked up from her messages, but when I furrow my brow at her in a "huh?" she hurriedly looks back down.
In all honesty, I'm surprised Jade cares. I look down at this girl, who has just been talked down by her brother. She's smiling, even waving slightly as our companions approach. I look down at the recording crystal on her neck, and I can't help but wonder what horrible words Prodotes said are contained in there. Maybe I'll never know, but whatever they were, she's not letting them get to her.
She pushes through.
The Black Swordsman's gloominess, Asuna's undoubtedly huge list of worries, Jade's abrasive brother, and my Orange curse. We are all pushing through it, living through it.
Living through grief, living through trials, living through cruelty, and Living Orange.
Aincrad is a fine mess indeed.
"Well, ready?" Argo and the others have finally reached us.
"Hell yes." I answer confidently.
As a group, we walk up the steps from the plaza, the KoB bodyguards to either side, and enter the Sand Stone Palace's throne room.
We step before the throne, and stop beside a set of floor mats that lie in front of the king, whose long white beard scratches the floor and whose turban reaches a half foot over his head. In all truth, he looks more like a sultan than a king. Next to him is the dark-haired NPC we had saved from Frost Bandits earlier, the one who had given us this quest in the first place. Of course, as NPC's run off flags and not actual memory, she doesn't run over to thank us. We all sit down on the mats, ready to trigger the quest. Jade takes a deep breath, and then, as she is the one who received the quest in the first place, speaks the command to start the quest.
The King of Aradu opens his mouth as soon as Jade finishes speaking the command.
"Ah, noble travellers, I believe you are the ones that saved my lovely daughter, correct?"
The King doesn't wait for an answer because the system has already told him that it's a yes; no verbal output will change his programmed speech, so none of us bother replying.
"I assume you've all come here for the Tournament of The Whispering Sand, our famous ritual in which we give out one pardon to victorious criminal! Orange turns green again in Aradu, they say!"
Orange turns green...
We all let out a gasp, this is exactly what I—we, have been hoping for. I can barely contain my joy, but I remain seated and await the King's next words. The King then lets out a deep sigh, and continues.
"Regretfully, the tournament has been cancelled this year."
Wait...what?
"Hmm.. It seems this quest will be more complicated than expecteD" Argo says.
This...is going to complicate things.
