Chapter 10: Assault

Floor 79 - Gräfrath - 15th December 2024

Dust. Wind. The houses flew by as a blur in his vision as Kirito raced past them and his head filled with memories of chasing down alchemical ingredients in the valley on the 69th floor. Only this time he was running for life!

The group rushed down the ruined streets like the ground was falling away behind them. Pursuing them at an incredible rate were hundreds of Jikiniki, and they were almost exactly as horrific as Kirito had guessed they would be. They were tall slender creatures, humanoid in stance but thats where the similarities ended. Their heads were mutated with large pointed jaws with rows of dagger teeth that snapped and held an unnatural and hideous grin. Their skin was like a grey death shroud, barely hidden under black plates of light-weight armour. They were armed with a vicious array of weapons: axes, scimitars, swords, spears, flails, maces and mauls. If that wasn't bad enough their hands and feet were huge and equipped with savage talons. All of these things only assisted the group with their speedy retreat.

"We need to get onto the wall!" Shouted Ichiro.

"Then up we go!" Replied Nobuo.

He leapt up from the street onto the roof tops of the cramped houses and sprang along making for the wall. Kirito followed suit and up onto the tiled roof tops, sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Easy for some!" Ichiro called after him in anger. "Klein go, I'll find a way through the streets!"

"You can't jump that?" Klein asked.

"Do I look like a fucking ballerina?! Shut up and jump!" He replied.

"Screw that, we go for the stairs together!" He shouted back.

Ichiro nodded and increased his speed, the pair ran through the streets ducking down slim alley ways heading towards the wall. The Jikiniki were flooding through the ruins all around them, Ichiro turned a blind bend and came face to face with one that snarled and raised up its great axe. Klein drew his katana swiftly and executed a strike to knock it off balance. Ichiro delivered a powerful side kick that catapulted it into the decaying wall of a nearby house and they pushed on through the alley ways.

"They're everywhere!" Shouted Klein.

"This way!" Ichiro said as he shoulder barged through a door of a house.

Klein followed him into a dirty kitchen and he made a run through an open arch into an empty room where they saw a large bay window next to the house's front door. Ichiro snatched up an old table and threw it across the back door to stop the Jikiniki as they came after them.

Klein began fumbling with the front door to try and open it, but the wood was old and stiff and he only managed to drag it open a small crack.

"I can't get this door-." Klein was cut off as the giant frame of Ichiro leapt and smashed out of the window leaving Klein standing alone in the room. "Open." And he followed him out onto the street dragging the giant off the ground and running for the wall.

Kirito had never run so fast in his life, the sound of the Jikiniki writhing in the streets below was like the sound of lava: burning and with the promise of death.

They reached the wall and started running towards the stairs they had come down previously, Kirito sprinted alongside Nobuo, but as they made their way they heard the sound of something fire behind them. Then flying over head came a huge chunk of rock, it smashed into one of the abandoned guard tower's and sent a shower of dust, splinters and stone everywhere. The pair suddenly halted as they found the ruined remains of the tower were now blocking their path.

"We jump?" Nobuo suggested.

"Yeah, but we've lost Ichiro and Klein." Said Kirito.

"No, there they are!" Nobuo said pointing down into the street below them.

Jikiniki were starting to climb onto the wall around them, and the pair propelled themselves up and over the wreckage and continued running. More rocks came flying over head, crashing into the houses around them. Kirito saw some Jikiniki were beginning to out flank them on both sides of the wall and were climbing up to attack them. As they ran, Klein leapt onto the parapet wall and drew his katana, and sent a barrage of attacks at them before continuing to run along its edge. Ichiro came alongside from a stairwell swiftly followed by more Jikiniki.

"Took your time!" Shouted Nobuo.

"You know I can't jump for shit!" Snapped Ichiro as he ran past him to back up Klein.

"Kirito take the front! I'll follow." Shouted Nobuo taking up his spear as more of the beasts came onto the wall behind them.

Kirito drew his twin blades and chased after Ichiro and Klein, Nobuo battled off their pursuers and followed up the rear. Ichiro kept sprinting at full speed until another huge rock swooped over head nearly knocking them all from the wall and exploding into the streets below. Klein fell from the parapet and into Ichiro's legs.

"Come on Klein, no lying down on the job!" Shouted Ichiro hauling him to his feet.

They were about to continue when a huge group Jikiniki climbed onto the wall in front of them and charged them with a blood curdling scream.

"Celestial Wind!" Kirito shouted and released one of his dual blade combos as he leapt and somersaulted over Ichiro and Klein. It was a forwards propelling eight combo sword skill.

His swords were like the ceaseless force of a storm as he poured his rage into the attack, they could not stand in his way, nothing was left but a sparkling trail of pixels. He lead the way to the stair case as the cliff rose up in front of them. The way back up looked even more precarious than when they had come down it.

"Go!" Shouted Kirito as he waved Klein and Ichiro up.

Before they could start their ascent more boulders came flying through the air crashing into the cliff face around them. Huge chunks of the stairs were broken away and came hurtling down around them.

"Fuck, what do we do now?" Shouted Klein.

"Climb!" Shouted Ichiro, he grabbed Klein and with a great shout hurled him up over a gap in the stairs to a safer section, before taking a running jump up and barely catching onto the ledge himself.

Klein helped him up and they continued to climb the stairs as the rock bombardment continued. Kirito turned to see Nobuo leading a huge wave of Jikiniki behind him, their weapons swiping for his back and teeth snapping at his heels.

"What are you doing?!" He shouted.

Kirito suddenly snapped to attention and began jumping up the gaps in the stairs, he jumped over several small holes before making the home stretch. Ichiro and Klein were waving frantically at him but he barely had enough time to react as another huge chunk of earth smashed against the cliff taking out a huge part of the stairs. Nobuo arrived next to Kirito panting out of breath and in shock at the massive gap they had to clear. Kirito looked at him and they nodded together, sheathing their weapons, before both leaping the gap with a shout. They both grabbed onto a ledge and Nobuo dug his armoured feet into the rock as a foot hold, but Kirito struggled for grip as the cliff crumbled away under him.

Nobuo reached down and hauled him up and onto the ledge to safety before his own grips gave away, their was a flashing moment as time seemed to screech to a halt and Nobuo felt himself falling backwards, like a tower that slowly begins to topple. Kirito unthinkingly grasped over the side of the ledge and caught his hand and held him dangling over the edge of oblivion. Nobuo looked up and smiled in gratitude and Kirito dragged up to safety.

"Thank god you guys are ok!" Shouted Ichiro and he grabbed them both back away from the cliff and into the square.

Klein was sitting down breathing heavily, Nobuo was resting with his hands on his knees as Ichiro watched from their vantage point. Kirito walked closer to the edge and gazed out towards the cathedral. The ground was alive with movement, the air buzzing with noise from below as the Jikiniki surged towards the cliff like ants pouring out of a nest.

"I was not expecting it to escalate so fast." Stammered Klein in-between breaths.

"These things are no joke, not overly powerful but and every time one goes down three more take its place." Said Nobuo.

"The power of the swarm." Said Kirito. "Their strength is in numbers and speed, they are already moving their biggest weapons forwards."

"We need to get back to a safe area before the place gets over run." Nobuo said.

Klein rose to took out a teleport crystal and held it to the sky calling the name of the town but nothing happened.

"Why is it whenever I'm on an adventure with you guys: my teleport crystals never fucking work!?" He shouted.

"So the siege makes the entire open world a trap. Nothing like playing on the highest difficulty setting huh?" Ichiro said with a slight smirk.

"Oh yes Ichiro, nothing like increased chances of death and dismemberment to really enhance the gaming experience! Perhaps you could write up a sterling review when we get back to the real world!" Klein moaned sarcastically .

"I have actually been keeping a detailed journal for that purpose." Ichiro said with a smile.

"Come on you guys, we have some ground to cover. Let's move." Kirito said.

Just as Kirito started leading them they heard the sound of metal clanking against the stone cobbles, he turned to see a metal grappling hook that was being dragged to an anchor. Then hundreds more along the cliff side came flying up as the Jikiniki were starting to push forward. Kirito looked back to the group, eyes wide.

"Run."

The crack like distant thunder would echo behind them, chasing them swiftly before smashing into the ground like a falling comet as the group charged through the ruined city towards the home town. It was like nothing any of them had ever experienced in the game, the whole floor was a battle zone, writhing with mobs and danger at every corner. Kirito dived out of the way as another projectile of rock exploded into the street beside them, he flew through the cloud of dust and on with the others close behind.

They couldn't stop going, to stop would be to die, nothing but running would save them now. Another rock flew by overhead and smashed into a tall block of a building and caused it to start falling. It seemed like a great tree of stone slowly plunging to the floor.

"Keep running!" Shouted Kirito.

"We'll be crushed!" Klein shouted back.

"I got it!" Ichiro leapt with all his might to meet the falling chunk of building and powered up a huge attack, he smashed through the stone with a flurry of fists and the debris spread apart to clear a path for them.

Jikiniki were catching up to them at an alarming rate, like water they flowed through every opening towards the town, their eyes burning with hatred. The group kept pressing on, faster and faster, there was a bone chilling screech and a huge pack of the monsters burst out of a building to their right.

"Shit they're on our flank!" Shouted Ichiro.

Nobuo ducked right and lined up a shot.

"You'll get stuck in cool down!" Kirito shouted.

The Jikiniki turned and targeted them and were soon closing off their escape.

"No choice!" Nobuo replied. "Infinity!"

The blue light blurred across their path and shattered through the Jikiniki clearing the path, Nobuo was propelled far ahead and the group sprinted to catch up. More Jikiniki followed and started heading for Nobuo when Kirito and the others smashed through the back of them. Nobuo's cool down ended and they were off once more.

"I can see the town." Said Klein.

The great walls had started to appear through the ruins and they picked up the pace again to make it. They saw another group of players approaching the gates, it was the Army players Yulier had sent out. Several men were being carried by their comrades, and Kirito then saw to the far right that more Jikiniki were flooding from that direction.

"They're coming from over there too!?" He shouted.

"They've spread out their line from the cliff," Ichiro pointed out to the horizon as they ran. "So they can have a wider assault line."

"Or there's another hole somewhere in that direction!" Klein shouted.

"No time to debate that, those Army guys need help and the gates aren't open." Said Nobuo.

"I'll get the gates!" Shouted Ichiro and he charged on towards them.

Kirito took the lead to the Army players striking out at the Jikiniki that were attacking their rear, Nobuo leapt into the fray beside him roaring a fierce battle cry. Klein drew his katana and cleaved through one of them from its shoulder to its hip before following up with a lighting fast cut to take its head clean off.

"Get to the gate, we'll cover you!" He said.

The Army players gratefully carried their wounded back with Klein watching them, Kirito and Nobuo cleared through more of the mobs but they kept flooding forwards eager for the fight. Kirito launched into a double thrust combo which then followed up by sweeping both blades out low in a wide circle cutting several Jikiniki as they went. Nobuo vaulted over his swords to follow up with a multi thrust attack of his own that picked them all off leaving nothing but falling pixels in the wind. Still more charged them, fearless and headstrong. Kirito and Nobuo dropped back and made for safety.

Ichiro helped the gates open faster and the whole group shuffled inside before Ichiro shut them and quickly hefted the metal bar into place.

"What the hell is going on!?" Shouted Yulier coming down from the wall.

"Captain, the Jikiniki have taken control of the entire floor and are assaulting the town, we've lost two of our party on the way." Replied one of the Army players.

"Get the wounded back, we need to retreat to the safe houses." Yulia replied.

"No!" Sagarni marched towards the gate with her KoB party. "We must hold the town against the mobs, this is what we came to see and we have to hold."

"Sagarni, there are no where near enough players to handle this." Shouted Kirito rushing into the conversation.

"Ah so you're back, I wouldn't be surprised if you caused this mess. It doesn't matter, Roland's orders stated to hold the town, we hold."

"It's suicide Sagarni, there must be hundreds if not thousands of Jikiniki out there, not to mention the bombardment this place is going to start taking once their catapults come into range." Kirito retorted.

There was a loud bang against the gate that made everyone jump, and players were calling from the walls as the tops of ladders started to appear. The square was getting crowded with players, some injured, some battle ready, some just plain confused.

"We need to get the wounded out, they will be no good on the walls." Said Yulia.

Nobuo approached Kirito's side"We can hold the walls, not indefinitely, but long enough for them to retreat." He whispered.

"Then what? We run the rest of the way back to the palace, how many will get injured in the process?" Kirito said.

Another loud bang rang out from the gate.

"More will die if we have to retreat with the wounded, a rear guard holding the walls will last better than one trying to defend them through the streets." Nobuo replied.

Kirito weighed the option quickly in his mind as Sagarni and Yulia battled it out with words.

"Fine. Everyone, get your strongest fighters to the walls and hold against the ladders!" Kirito shouted out the orders and players took notice, gathering up equipment and taking to the walls.

"Kirito!?" Yulia protested.

"We can't hold the wall completely, but we will hold until the wounded are out. Take two parties and get them all either into the tavern or back up to the palace." Kirito said.

Yulia bit back her words and nodded, then called for her troops to aid the wounded.

"Klein, help Yulia get them out, I need you to send us a signal once they are clear so we can begin to pull everyone back from the wall smoothly." Kirito said.

"I will go!" Klein said and he went after Yulia.

"Sagarni-" Kirito began.

"I don't take orders from you. I will take the wall on the right flank with my squad, stay out of my way." She snapped, and with a flurry of her cape, she was off to the wall.

"I guess that leaves us on the left flank." Nobuo said.

There was another earth shuddering bang and the metal drop bar holding the gate shut cracked in two and began to fall out of its hooks, Ichiro leapt towards the gate held it shut as another bang came against it causing him to growl with effort.

"We need to act now! Get to the walls!" Kirito shouted.

"Ichiro, will you be ok?" Nobuo called to his brother as he headed for the stairs.

"They would have better luck moving a mountain!" Ichiro called back as another bang came against the gate.

Kirito arrived on the walls into the fray, there were a total of ten parties of Army players, seven covering the left flank and three on the right with Sagarni and her KoB sqaud. There were also a few scattered groups of NPC town guards fighting the monsters, however they proved to be as useful as a lead kite against the Jikiniki and were mercilessly cut down. Sagarni began using them as cannon fodder against the Jikiniki before attacking them whilst they were distracted. The Jikiniki were horrific in battle, killing the NPC's like voracious animals. Kirito then looked out into the city, the whole place was a heaving mass of creatures crushing to get into the city, like the spilt contents of hell itself. Kirito grit his teeth against the fear, and a hand tugged on his shoulder

"Kirito, lets go!" Shouted Nobuo.

Kirito nodded and let out a monstrous battle cry cutting a Jikiniki across the face as it came up a ladder before he kicked it back from the wall sending several more of the monsters screaming to their end. He leapt in with a party of Army players striking and commanding the line, keeping them strong and making sure they covered the wall effectively. They took from his leadership and fought bravely against the assault. They switched in and out, shields taking the strikes followed by a swift wave of attacks from swords and spears. The Jikiniki were assaulting in a spearhead formation against the gate but some had circled wide to other sections of the wall. Nobuo launched himself into a set of combos as a line of Jikiniki came charging along the wall to their left, swiftly striking out at their weapons to deflect and following up with deadly counters. Kirito saw that he kept going and going, chaining his combo's together so they flowed out of his spear in a never ending torrent, the concentration was clear on Nobuo's face as he kept going down the wall before clearing them all out. He passed a ladder and a Jikiniki leapt in behind him and struck his back with its blade and caused him to stop dead still on the wall.

"Nobuo!" Kirito shouted leaping to his aid and carving the Jikiniki into pixels.

"Thanks for that, he snuck up on me!" Nobuo said as his built up cool down ended.

"We need to make sure the ladders get knocked down to keep them off the walls." Kirito said and he sent the order down the line.

They could see a huge crowd of Jikiniki were massed at the gate with a battering ram and more crashes could be heard from below, Ichiro's shouts of effort echoed through the streets with them.

"We also need to send some help to Ichiro, he wont be able to take much more of that." Said Nobuo.

"Here, my party will go!" Said a squad captain who over heard them.

"My thanks!" Called Nobuo and he covered them as they ran down the stairs to the gates.

Ichiro stood strong, sweat running from his bulging face, the gates shook again with another loud crash and he screamed back in defiance.

The army squad stood in awe, unsure how to help him. Another crash came again the gate and Ichiro screamed again, this time the strain could be heard in his voice.

"Pile in!" Shouted the captain.

All six members of the party crowded in around Ichiro adding their strength to the gates, much to Ichiro's surprise, but then he began to laugh.

"Yes, altogether now! They will not move us!" He shouted and they all called out in agreement.

Kirito sliced through a Jikiniki's throat with a spinning cut, then brought his other blade overhead onto the skull of another as it came to the top of a ladder. Nobuo sent a thrust attack from his spear and impaled one through the chest as it tried to climb over the wall, he ripped the weapon free before side kicking it back and down to its death. The Army players held firm, and Sagarni appeared to be holding the right flank with the other Army squads too. Kirito looked into the square for Klein, they were in the process of getting the final group of wounded out and were heading for the palace.

"The tavern must be full..." He muttered to himself.

More Jikiniki were pressing up against the walls, their war cries like a chaotic chorus of death that struck fear into the hearts of the defenders. Kirito still held strong and rallied the other players to keep up the fight.

"What the fuck!?" Nobuo shouted.

There was a massive commotion from the right flank as Sagarni and her whole squad were fleeing from the wall and back through the square, and soon the remaining Army fighters were being over run. Nobuo sprinted from the left flank and sprang into the air.

"Infinity!" He cried and skyrocketed across the gate, smashing into the ranks of Jikiniki to the aid of the other players.

"Dear god, what the hell is going on!" Cried one of the Army players by Kirito.

"Hold the line, the wounded aren't clear yet!" Kirito shouted trying to hold morale. "We are stronger than her!" And he plunged his blade through the gaping mouth of a Jikiniki as it cleared the wall.

Then came the crack like distant thunder again, and floating through the air like an ominous cloud came a huge boulder that flew overhead and crashed into a house in the town. The Jikiniki on the right flank were rushing over against the smaller party holding the wall, Nobuo struck out in rage at the mobs holding the players together.

"Stay together! We have to stay as one!" He cried.

More catapults fired and the bombardment smashed into a section of the wall kicking up a huge cloud of dust and stone, Nobuo dragged a player to their feet and pulled them back into line again.

Kirito was fighting like a demon, his swords whirled around him at mystifying speed tearing the Jikiniki out of his path. He shouted out orders uniting the Army players around him. Together they fought and turned away the ladders but the Jikiniki kept climbing and forcing their way through. Despite their ferocity, they could not hold against the assault much longer.

"Kirito!" Nobuo screamed over the battle from the right flank, pointing with his spear into the square.

Klein was waving frantically for attention and signalling for them to fall back.

It's time!

"All squads peal off, down into the square!" Kirito shouted.

One by one the parties of fighters fell back from the wall each covering the other as they fled, Kirito was the last down the stairs and met with Nobuo and the other parties in the square.

"Get to the palace, now!" Kirito called and the players started running for their lives as Jikiniki finished slaying the last of the NPC town guards on the walls.

"Ichiro, we need to fall back!" Nobuo called.

"All right! Drop back, all of you!" Ichiro shouted at the other Army players.

"What about you!?" Shouted the captain.

"You go first!" Ichiro replied.

The squad fell back and started running then Ichiro took one last crash by himself before turning and urging his legs into a run as the gates burst open and the Jikiniki erupted through in a heap of teeth and weapons. Kirito, Ichiro and Nobuo were the last to leave following up the last of the Army players, rushing through the streets to get to the palace. Another house exploded as a flaming boulder fell from the sky and two army players fell from the shock, Kirito and Nobuo dragged them to their feet but one of them collapsed again utterly exhausted.

"I've got you!" Cried Ichiro snatching him from the ground and hefting him over his shoulder.

Kirito jumped behind striking at a Jikiniki as it charged their rear.

"Keep going!" He shouted and they pressed on.

Their breaths were quick and frantic, their legs were burning from all the running and fighting. The palace came into view and Klein was stood at the door beckoning them desperately with Yulier. The Jikiniki were snapping at their heels, Ichiro took a slash across the back they were so close and he screamed out the last of his energy to get to the doors. They were the last to reach them and all three piled through in a dive to safety.

The Jikiniki stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they were clear, as if they had lost all trace of their targets they halted staring vacantly with their red eyes. They were a frightening sight to behold, just standing there passively. Like an army of undead that had finally finished killing everything. Kirito stared back at them as they turned and began to slowly fall back out of the city, and a notification shot up in front of everyone.

'The city has fallen, all shops will be closed for a period of 24 hours and any NPC's who have been killed will be re-spawned within seven days. Do not despair, keep fighting the good fight!'

Kirito lay back out of breath, but relieved.

"Cradoe!" Shouted one of the Army players.

The captain of the squad that went to help Ichiro was knelt down by a player, the player that Ichiro had been carrying over his shoulder. Ichiro stood next to them looking down with a grave expression. Kirito saw the players health fall slowly to zero and he whispered something to his captain before evaporating into light.

"What...happened?" Kirito asked as he struggled back up to his feet.

"Just as we were running in, I got struck across the back by one of those creatures...He took most of the damage because he was over my shoulder." Ichiro replied.

His face was fixed still like a statue, but Kirito could see in his eyes that he was hurting. Nobuo came and stood at his brothers shoulder, his helmet in his hands, he too looked on in sadness as the captain of the squad stayed kneeling for some time.

"He said... thank you for saving me." He said, looking up the giant figure of Ichiro.

"But...I couldn't..." Ichiro stammered.

"You were a true hero, regardless. I am Captain Azure, you have my deepest thanks and the thanks of my squad." He said standing, his eyes welling up with tears. He bowed and the others members of his squad bowed too.

Yulier approached and dismissed the units to go and rest, the group also stopped where they were and sat by the entrance to the palace, consumed by the events they had witnessed. Kirito looked around him, Klein was off tending to the wounded with Yulier, Ichiro was sat cross legged staring at the floor in thought and Nobuo was leaning against his brother looking out the entrance into the streets. Time slinked by, Kirito hadn't noticed when it had become night through all the chaos, nor had he realised how tired he was. His arms felt like they were made of iron and his legs felt like they weren't functional, as if someone had replaced them with sacks of coal. The trip out to the fissure with Raziel had turned into a nightmare battle beyond comprehension, the DDA players were all gone with their armour left as tokens to death, and now more army player's had passed on. Kirito thought how lucky they had been that only so few had died through the whole battle, but it didn't take the edge off the grief. Nobuo suddenly sat up straight as he saw a large group of players coming up the street, KoB players.

The group wearily stood up to see that Sagarni was coming, but behind her were several other members of the KoB's high council, including Asuna. And Roland. Klein came over to them and patted Kirito on the shoulder.

"Whats going on?" He asked.

"It's Sagarni... She must've sent a message out for the KoB to send help." Said Kirito, but as he did he heard the venomous witch shout out his name.

She stood at the gates of the palace with a furious glare in her eyes as the rest of the KoB started to follow up. Kirito saw Asuna and smiled with relief at her, she also smiled at him although he could see the concern in her eyes.

"Kirito! We need to talk now!" Sagarni ordered.

"Not now Sagarni, people have died." Kirito replied.

"More insubordinate behaviour? You will tell me what on earth happened out there, now!" She shouted.

"Sagarni, this can wait." Kirito said again, his voice firmer than before.

"It was an order, Kirito!" She shouted.

"I said no!" Kirito returned, his anguish slipping out as rage.

"Kirito!" She shouted again.

"Enough you wretched cowherd!" Shouted Kirito storming out from the Palace doors.

Sagarni had no time to move as the blade of his sword was shoved under her chin and held in place, the other KoB members reached for their weapons."It was the Army who defended the wall, and who lead the retreat to help save the lives of the wounded. You fled before we were ready, when it suited you, even when it was YOU who demanded we defend the walls! Make no mistake that if this town was still a war zone, I would cut you out of this existence!" His words reverberated through the streets around them.

Sagarni stood petrified for a moment before gradually stepping back from the sword's point.

"Please, there is no need for such heavy handed words." Said Roland.

He came up the steps of the palace as smooth as oil and dismissed Sagarni as she moved back. Kirito kept his sword high, his dark eyes remaining fixed on Roland.

"Kirito, it's ok." Said Nobuo who came out to stand by him, and he put his hand on Kirito's shoulder who slowly lowered his sword.

"See, we can be civil after all." Roland said.

"Tell that to your entourage, they seem a little on edge." Nobuo replied.

Roland nodded and the KoB members sheathed their weapons, Asuna then came up the stairs to join them.

"Kirito, are you ok? What happened here?" She asked.

"It's a long story, but for starters..." He paused a moment collecting himself. "I can confirm that the Divine Dragon Alliance has indeed been destroyed by the Laughing Coffin."

"You are sure?" Roland asked.

"There is compelling evidence." Kirito replied. "We were almost able to rescue some of the last survivors, but due to complications they were taken by the Coffin and we were left to deal with the unique problem of this floor."

"I don't understand." Said Asuna.

"The floor is one giant battle field, this town just got assaulted by a horde of creatures that nearly killed everyone." Nobuo said, Ichiro came out as well to stand by his brother.

"Ah, the so called Children of Aincrad. It is good to finally meet you." Said Roland.

"Wish we could say the same..." Nobuo replied.

"Indeed." Ichiro added.

"What are you two doing here?" Asuna asked, looking at Nobuo with a curious anger.

Roland waved his hand in frustration, "No need to care why they are here, what happened to the other, red player?" Roland asked, with the faintest grin appearing on his face.

"I don't know who you're talking about." Said Kirito.

"Come now Kirito, you really think I wasn't keeping tabs on your investigation? Where is the one called Raziel?" He asked.

Kirito grit his teeth firmly in anger, he had been asked to conduct this investigation only to be watched? Raziel had been a huge liability, but he was not prepared to spill out everything he had learned to Roland, someone he didn't trust at all. Then again, the truth had to come out sooner or later, but as Kirito was considering how to explain the air began to ripple at the bottom of the stairs, and out of a corridor fell two DDA members. And a slim, grey clad ninja in a conical hat...

Floor 55 Granzam, 15th of December 2024

What a load of bullshit.

Kirito sat on a wooden bench stewing in frustration at his orders, what was worse was that Asuna had given in to Roland's demands, albeit reluctantly. Now he was stuck in the metal catacombs in the small hours of the morning, in the KoB's jail guarding his so called prisoner. Opposite him in a large cubed cell of black iron sat Raziel, the tip of his hat tilted forward completely covering his face in shadow. After he arrived through the corridor he was seized by the KoB and taken into custody, the DDA members were also taken for questioning. Everyone besides Sagarni and Yulier returned to Granzam where Raziel was swiftly tried by the council, he refused to answer any of their questions. Roland, along with a large majority of the KoB council, concluded that due to the recent escapes from the Black Prison the only safe punishment for a player like Raziel, was death. The ninja sat silently, he seemed to have lost his morbid sense of humour.

I guess a potential death sentence could do that.

There were still questions, always questions, what happened after he followed Stibnite through the portal? How did he save the last surviving DDA members? Were two that came to mind, but even Kirito wasn't truly focused on finding the answers to them. He wanted to see Asuna, he wanted to see her so bad it felt like frost on his heart, like fire behind his eyes. He rose from the bench and lightly kicked the floor.

"You seem... tense." Said Raziel, looking at him from under the rim of his hat.

"You're a massive ass, you know that right." Kirito said.

"Maybe. I did say not to get in my way."

"You left us with no leads, in the middle of a war zone, and a prisoner was killed."

"But I saved you two, by logical standards thats a good deal." Raziel countered with a smirk.

"Is death just a joke to you? Something you screw around with like an insubordinate child?" Kirito said approaching the bars to glare at him.

"No Kirito, death is indiscriminate, I laugh at it's whimsical nature to take who it pleases." Raziel replied. "But I am sorry that XaXa killed that prisoner, but had it not been for Nobuo, he would've killed a second."

Kirito held his tongue, then sighed.

"Why couldn't we have worked together on this to bring those players to justice? If death is indiscriminate why take it upon yourself to deliver it? There is no honour or sense in answering death with more death."

"One man's philosophy is another man's mystery. I see why you want to bring them to justice, I know why it's morally better to do it that way." Raziel let out a long sigh of his own. "I never wanted to be a killer, my hand was forced, again and again, all in self defence but never under the rules of the game and so I was marked. No matter how hard I tried people kept coming after me, I wasn't allowed to atone even when I wanted to. I couldn't stand it! All the abuse I took through the things I did to try and get back onto the good side of everyone, it all some how ended in the death of someone who ultimately didn't deserve it.
So I realised that I was alone, cursed, all I bring is death and I didn't want to bring death on innocent players anymore, so I went looking for the guilty. Death is indiscriminate when left up to the flawed notion of fate. But through me, it has ended the suffering of others, has made sure that some of the worst people never see the real light of day again."

Kirito slumped back onto the bench.

"And how can you be sure that all those you kill are truly guilty?" He asked.

"Because I'm not fucking stupid!" Raziel snapped.

"Perhaps, but you are an ass! You say all these things about how you only bring death, but you brought the truth to me and my friends. You acted in good faith for the most part, until it came down to the time when it really mattered. Then you followed your own personal vendetta. This 'curse' is of your own making, but it does not define who you truly are. The only person who can let you atone Raziel, is you, and I believe that you can come back."

Raziel didn't answer, his hat tilted forward and his face was hidden again.

Kirito let out another long sigh, it was going to be a horrendously long night. He heard a door at the end of the corridor open and the sound of someone walking ominously towards them.

"Ah, has the executioner arrived? " Raziel pondered.

"Not quite." Came the voice of Nobuo.

Kirito stood up in surprise. "What are you doing here? How did you get the KoB to let you in?" He asked.

"Well for starters I didn't ask them and found an alternative way in, secondly: I am here to relieve you." Nobuo replied.

"What?" Kirito said.

"This whole guild political punishment is bullshit, I've met players like that Roland and I don't like them; and after all the crap we went through in Grath I think you have rightfully earned a break." Nobuo said with a smile. "Go be with your wife."

Kirito found himself stunned for a moment, then he smiled and began to make his way out. He then paused as he past Nobuo and punched him on the arm as if to say thanks and went off down the corridor

Nobuo smiled and took his place on the bench, looking over at Raziel.

"Aw, I'm actually moved... thats rare for me." Said Raziel.

"Is it now?" Nobuo asked rhetorically.

Raziel studied him from his shady prison, "I sense an ulterior motive to your being here."

"You know, I thought there might be. I had been pondering about things you may know about StibKnight, where he is and the Coffin. But then I realised there are more important things, Kirito should be with his wife, and you shouldn't spend your last moments tending to prying questions." Nobuo said.

"Not that I would answer them any way." Raziel smiled.

"Indeed."

"So what else is there?" Raziel asked.

"How about a little music?" Nobuo said, and he took out his bamboo flute and began playing a gentle tune that filled the cold and empty halls with a warm and pleasant sound.

"That does seem like a good thing to hear before I die." Said Raziel.

Asuna stood in the guild room she had been given. No one had been allowed to return home until the Red Player's sentence had been carried out. For all the other players like him it had been simple and they were always sent to the Black Prison, but since Coffin members had been broken free Roland seemed adamant on executing him and the majority of the council agreed. She shivered. Killing a killer doesn't make it better, especially when this one didn't appear to be directly linked to the murders of the DDA.

She sat at a dresser staring into a small mirror but not really looking at anything, she just sat there in thought.

Why did I let Roland put Kirito on guard duty?

She pondered over her decision, was it because she agreed that Kirito should keep guard? That he was best suited to it? Or was it because somewhere along the way she believed Roland's accusations that Kirito brought him here and should be responsible for him? She couldn't have done the latter, she thought; Kirito was a strong player, the strongest even. She was also desperate to see him and would have only sacrificed that if she knew it was important. So why even think that Roland was right at all? Unless maybe...

She shook her head and growled in frustration, the oiled haired, arrogant narcissist had really played a number on her with his proposal and it only made her more angry that it was making her doubt Kirito. No one should be able to get away with doing that. She needed to talk to someone about it, she wanted tell it all to Kirito, to hear his opinion on this predicament. To hear his voice. It felt like an age since they had been together, and even then it had been full of stories about the past that she had not wished to revisit. She just wanted to see him, not even talk, just to be with him. But she knew the guards at the prison wouldn't let her past, not at this hour.

She got dressed into her negligee ready for bed and realised how chilly it had gotten, she shivered once more before sitting on the soft sheets. It was so quiet in the KoB HQ, so lonely.

Asuna lay down on the cold pillow and shut out the light and all was completely dark, but almost immediately a pillar of light appeared as the door opened. She turned the light back on and was on her feet in an instant, shocked and furious that someone would try and sneak into her room. Then it all melted away.

"Kirito?" She said.

"Asuna, I'm sorry did I wake you." Kirito said.

"Kirito!" She gasped and dashed across the room landing into his arms so hard that he fell back, shutting the door and getting pinned against it.

She nuzzled her head into his shoulder and he gasped in a mixture of surprise and happiness, his arms folded her into a tight embrace and she felt his warmth against her cheek, the gentle lifting of his chest as he drew breath. It all melted away.

Then she drew back to look into his face and he gently brushed her hair away from her face and ran his fingers across her cheek and down to the tip of her chin, he leaned in and time seemed to pass by so slowly that it was unbearable. She ran her hands up around the back of his neck and pulled him into a long and passionate kiss that made her skin tingle with desire, her heart beat with elation. Kirito responded in kind, his left hand drifting to her waist and pulling her in close so their bodies pressed together whilst the other ran up her back and softly through her hair. She felt his tongue slide seductively into her mouth and her breath quickened, her excitement lifting her to her to the tips toes.

The kiss ended and she ran her hands down his chest, looking into his eyes and knowing that this was the man she wanted to be with, she took his hands and walked him back towards the bed.

"I've missed you, so much." Kirito whispered. "It's been so long, and so much has happened."

"I know," Asuna replied with a smile "but lets save those words for a new day." She said drawing him down onto the sheets and laying back. "Just be with me tonight?"

Kirito smiled, as if he knew that it was the only thing that mattered in that moment. Just to be with her, no words and no troubles. He kissed her again, and everything felt safe and warm.