Halkegenia Online Chapter 5 – Part 2
The water spread across Asuna's skin before making tracks down her cheek and falling to her bare shoulders with a soft -pat, pat, pat- It was the only noise as she sat quietly, allowing Caramella to work.
Though her hands had been washed clean, Asuna could still feel the pulsing hotness running down her fingers to her wrist. She had told Arguile that she was prepared to kill in order to protect others, and she had been, but the thought of taking a life, even the life of a person like that, would linger with her. And she was certain that she had killed him, really killed him, she had been certain from the moment the blade plunged into his chest. The sickening noise, the inconsistent pressure as the blade went through the layers of skin, and muscle, and vital tissue. And most of all, the trembling in the hilt of the knife as it lay imbedded in its former owner in his last moments. It was all too grizzly to be a game, nobody would play it, nobody sane anyway. Which made this impossible place reality.
Kimura had confirmed Asuna's impossible assessment after looking over the village and the bodies of the three slain men. The slug had dispassionately noted the incredible level of detail while probing clinically at the fatal wounds on each of the cadavers and looking over the wrecked village. Though he could offer no explanation for what had happened or how. It had become the focus of Asuna's thoughts over the past hours. It seemed likely that the server crash that Asuna and Kimura had experienced, and which had released the other three hundred odd SAO players from their forced state of unconsciousness, had in actuality been the event that had transported them to this world and made their virtual bodies real. In which case, there was hope that the World Tree was also now in this world along with the rest of ALfheim. 'And Kirito.' Asuna prayed. It was such a selfish thing to want, but even so, she fervently hoped it was true. No, she believed it to be true, she had to. That belief was the only thing she had.
As the night had gone on, they had moved the others into the town. Exposing themselves by making camp in the settlement had been a difficult decision. On one hand it would be shocking for the former SAO players who had been hoping for rescue, on the other, they couldn't hide something like this from them for long. In addition, Asuna had realized that the hunger and thirst they had been feeling were no longer simple immersion effects, but a reminder of something far more fundamental to their continued survival. Though there was little food to be had in the town, there was at least a well from which to draw water, and shelter from the surprisingly cold night air.
Asuna was brought back to the present by a soft pressure at the side of her head. "Thank you, Caramella-san." She said softly.
"It's nothing." The older woman said as she blotted out the blood that had dried in Asuna's hair with a damp rag. Fortunately, the bludgeoning Asuna had received did not seem to have done any permanent damage. Arguile, who had IRL first aid experience, had looked her over thoroughly and confirmed no serious trauma. The man had declared it a miracle given that, from evidence found at the scene, it appeared she had been struck with a blacksmith's hammer.
"Personally, I keep my hair short to avoid stuff like this." The tomboyish sword and shield user continued. "But yours is so pretty. It would be a shame to cut it." Caramella leaned back and gently brushed Asuna's hair back into place. "All done."
The two women had taken refuge in a small cell located in the church at the center of the village. The room had probably been a confessional of some sort. Spartanly furnished with only a narrow bench and a small desk. Sanctity had offered this place no protection. It had been looted like the rest of the village. But here at least, the apparent austerity of the Church had saved it to an extent.
"Look, Asuna-sama, are you alright?" Caramella asked awkwardly. "I know you have Guile-kun to talk to about all of this stuff. He was in your guild after all. But if you ever need to talk to a girl . . ." Caramella rubbed at the back of her head, "I guess what I'm saying is, I'm here too if you need me, okay?"
Asuna nodded absently. Like she was thinking of something else. "How is Kino doing?"
"Guile-kun is looking him over right now." Caramella replied and smiled kindly. "I swear, that kid's Luck must be a totally broken stat." Kino had still been conscious when they found him, though in obvious pain. His heavy winter grade jacket has seen better days, with a huge wad of its down stuffing blasted out by the handgun. Fortunately, the bullet had been partially deflected by one of Kino's knives before punching into a metal breastplate at an angle and grazing along his ribs. He would be sore for a while, but he had escaped serious injury.
Sore, Asuna thought, she was sore right now. Pain was an almost alien feeling after two long years in Aincrad. That wasn't to say it hadn't existed, usually tricks of the mind or glitches in the crime prevention code, such as hugging someone too tightly and the pressure being interpreted by the brain as painful. But it had been nothing like this. Asuna's head still throbbed from earlier. Arguile thought it might be a mild concussion, which was why he had suggested she find someplace quiet to rest. But Asuna was sick of sitting still. She made to stand, despite Caramella's concerned protests.
"Hey now, Guile-kun is going to yell at me if I just let you run around without being sure you're alright!" Caramella warned.
"It's fine. I can't just sit around." Asuna said softly, "Just walk with me in case I get dizzy."
Caramella relented and followed Asuna closely out of the small cell and down a narrow hallway that deposited them along the side of the church nave. There wasn't enough space inside of the building for all of the three hundred former SAO players to take refuge, but they had been able to bring the weaker members of their party inside while the front liners and some of the higher middle tier members had taken up shifts standing sentry among the ruined buildings of the town.
The pews were filled up with the gathered survivors, some were dosing, fatigue finally demanding that they sleep. Others milled about anxiously. At the front of the room, a stained glass window presided over an alter. It was very reminiscent of a Christian church, but the Asuna didn't recognize any of the symbols that adorned the walls. Nishida, Baku, Kino and Arguile were all gathered before the Altar, conversing in heated tones.
"Asuna-sama!" Arguile said, startled by her arrival. "You should still be resting, your injuries . . ."
"Aren't important right now." Asuna said. "If it become a problem I'll go lay down."
Arguile regarded her carefully and then nodded, "Very well, Asuna-sama."
"Kino, how are you holding up?" Asuna asked quickly. Beneath his damaged jacket and breast plate, the knife wielder wore a dark flannel shirt, Asuna could see the crudely applied dressing poking out through the hole left by the bullet.
The boy straightened up and then winced, "I've felt better." Kino admitted and then smiled bravely, "But this is nothing to worry about." He gently probed his left side with two fingers. "And what about you, Asuna-sama?"
Asuna glanced to her shoulder where Caramella had treated her own graze. The bullet had barely creased the skin, but it had still drawn blood. If Asuna had been even a little bit further away it would have punched clean into her shoulder. Working her arm up and down she felt the stinging intensify but it didn't seem like it would restrict her movement. "It's fine." She decided. Kino looked startled by the frankness of her comment but nodded quickly. "And the woman, how is she?" Asuna asked softly.
Nishida and Arguile exchanged glances. "We've made her comfortable." Nishida said with a note of concern, "She should pull through, though there are signs of a struggle all over her body. She must have tried to resist them."
"They didn't . . ." Asuna began, feeling sick.
"No," Arguile said quickly, "At least, we don't think so. She was saved that, at least. She hasn't regained consciousness yet, but hopefully she will soon."
"And the other one?" Asuna asked, her tone becoming entirely indifferent.
"Still out cold." Arguile said. "Caramella-san really did a number on him."
The shield and sword user shrugged, "Any reason we haven't already fed his ass to Escargot-san?" She asked.
"Information." Asuna said, "When I was creeping up on them, they talked like they were part of a larger force. We need to find out how much larger and which direction they went so we can avoid them. We also need to know where we are."
"Definitely not ALfheim." Baku muttered quietly from Nishida's side. They were all silent for a moment. The former SAO players were taking the news about as well as to be expected. Most couldn't quite believe that this could be reality, it was too horrible to contemplate. Others had already begun to recover, viewing their new circumstances as being no different than those they had faced in SAO. They were all demoralized, having entertained the hope of rescue.
"This probably isn't the time, but have you given any thought to what we will do with that man when we've finished with him?" Arguile asked.
Asuna shook her head, it was an unpleasant question, and one she had carefully avoided asking herself. "We'll have to wait and see what he tells us. He may be worth bringing along as a prisoner, like Kimura, otherwise . . ."
The former SAO players all nodded solemnly. "We'll at least make it quick, if it comes to that." Arguile assured.
"He doesn't exactly deserve quick." Caramella replied, voice dripping with disgust.
"It's not him I'd be doing it for." Arguile snapped, silencing his partner. Caramella cast her eyes down, looking chastised by the remark.
In either case, there was little more for them to do until the woman or her surviving attacker regained consciousness. The more adventurous former players had asked for permission to pick through the remains of the town and nearby manor. Asuna had felt a little shocked at the irreverence, but at the same time, the people who had lived here weren't coming back, or rather, weren't going to need their worldly possessions any longer.
The search proved a mixed success, turning up precious little of any use. Some tools, a few article of clothing, and the occasional untouched satchel or canvas bag. About the only thing that had been in higher demand than things to steal were things to cart it all away in. The effects of the four bandits had been the biggest windfall. Aside from their weapons, which were being carefully inspected, they had gathered a good deal of loot in a nearby cottage, including several trunks full of clothing, most likely raided from the manor, a smaller trunk filled with silverware and pieces of gold and silver jewelry, and a small chest that contained a coat of arms and accompanying silver ring inscribed with what might have been a family crest.
Asuna had looked over some of the clothing, her need for something other than the princess garb Sugou had designed for her overcoming her discomfort at searching through another person's belongings. Frustratingly, even if she had found something that would fit, her wings made wearing normal clothing almost impossible.
The solution came in the form of a demure little seamstress named Maki, one of the town players in their group, who had offered to take a shot at altering some of the clothes to fit Asuna's unique form. Asuna had been unsure at first, sewing, like cooking, was very different and much more complicated IRL than it had been in SAO. Maki confessed she had no real world experience, but even so, the girl had seemed strangely confident as she picked through what was available and held it up to the former KoB sub commander for comparison.
After cannibalizing a dress, and finding an appropriate blouse, the girl had worked through the night with salvaged sewing supplies found among the clothing, working with hardly any hesitation, as if guided by strange instincts. By early morning, her efforts had produced a functional knee length skirt and a blouse and vest combination that reminded Asuna a great deal of her SAO starting outfit. The most drastic alteration had been the slits cut into the back of the blouse and vest to accommodate her wings. For the time being, Maki had altered the blouse so that the slits would hang shut over the stems of her wings, but she promised to come up with a more permanent solution when there was time and she had better supplies.
Despite the girl's apologies, Asuna had been pleased with the results. It went a long way to making her feel less like Sugou's doll, even if she couldn't do anything about the most prominent alteration he had made to her body. She wondered idly if the wings could be cut off, they looked fragile and weren't really attached to her body so much as suspended flush with the skin. Though, they had proven surprisingly durable so far. Would it hurt? She could certainly feel them. No, Asuna shook her head, that was an option of last resort.
It was while she was regarding herself in a broken mirror, Maki making some final adjustments to her skirt, that Nishida had burst in.
"Asuna-san!" Nishida said urgently. "She's awake! Come quickly."
Asuna glanced down to Maki. "I'm not quite done yet, but it'll do for right now." The girl said.
Nishida led Asuna to the back of the church where a door opened into a small cooking space and attached bedroom. No doubt the residence of the Church priest. As soon as Asuna entered through the doorway, the voices from within became clear.
"We're not going to hurt you." She heard Caramella say, followed by a shout of surprise and the sound of something hard striking a wall. Asuna rushed into the small bedroom, a space barely bigger than the confessional, furnished with only a small cot, a chair, and a trunk, to find Caramella and Kino backed into one corner of the room and the woman from the night before, now alert, pressed into the corner of the cot, a salvaged blanket wrapped around herself.
"What's going on in here?" Asuna demanded.
"She just started screaming and throwing stuff at us!" Caramella said, waving at the wall where a wooden cup lay broken. Asuna glanced over to the woman who if anything, was trying even harder to press herself into the corner.
"We didn't do anything." Kino said. "She started waking up so Nishida went to find you. She seemed okay at first, but the second she got a good look at Caramella she completely freaked out."
Asuna sighed softly, Kino and Caramella had been here to avoid something like that, neither of them cut particularly intimidating figures, Kino least of all without his heavy jacket and scarf. She turned to the frightened woman and did her best to smile kindly.
"Excuse me. Do you understand me?" Asuna asked. Likely a stupid question given that the men from earlier had been easy enough to understand. Though Asuna couldn't fathom why such ruffians would be speaking Japanese.
The woman nodded slowly. She was younger than Asuna had first thought, with the blood and grime wiped away, she looked to be no older than her late twenties. Large brown eyes watched Asuna as she took a careful step forward and gestured to herself. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to help."
The woman was looking past Asuna now, no, not quite, Asuna followed her gaze past her shoulder to the milky translucence of one of her wings. She shifted uncomfortably, tensing her shoulders in an effort to hide them from view.
"W-who are you?" The woman rasped softly.
"My name is Asuna, the boy over there is Kino-san, and that woman is Caramella-san." Asuna explained gently. "And this man is Nishida-san. Don't worry, your safe now."
"How can I be safe." The woman whispered softly. "You're Elves, aren't you?"
"Eh? I thought Escargot-san called us Faeries." Caramella said.
"No, those men also called me an Elf." Asuna observed. "We must resemble them, the ears I guess." Asuna put a hand to the tip of one long ear, lost briefly in thought.
"So this world has elves?" Nishida asked. "Stranger, and stranger." The elderly man shook his head.
The woman glanced from Caramella to Asuna. "Faeries?" She asked, "Is that why you have wings?"
"Well, Asuna-sama is the only one here with wings." Caramella said, trying to replicate Asuna's gentle tones. "But we're definitely not Elves, or at least, I don't think we are."
"We'll try to explain as best we can, but could you tell us your name?" Asuna asked.
The woman glanced between them nervously, she seemed afraid to take her eyes from any of them for more than a moment. "My name? I'm Millia Win . . . Millia Winfield."
"It's nice to meet you, Millia-san." Asuna said reassuringly. "Are you able to remember what happened, I know it's probably frightening." Asuna urged. "But we need to know who those men from last night were."
"Those men?" Millia said hollowly, "Th-They told me they were a patrol from the rebel army. They said they were supposed to help keep order." Millia shuddered, "I believed them, I . . . they . . ." The woman began to whimper softly.
Asuna sat down on the edge of the cot and reached out to stroke the woman's hair. "It's alright now, they won't ever hurt you again." Her voice darkened, "We made sure of that."
Millia for her part, simply sat trembling for a time. She accepted a cup of water, sipping it slowly while continuing to watch them all. Asuna thought it was tagic that she could go through something so terrible and then be unable trust the people who were trying to help her. Finally Millia spoke again. "You killed those men, didn't you?"
Kino and Asuna both stiffened while Caramella merely looked away uncomfortably. "We defended ourselves." Asuna said softly.
Millia nodded, "You saved me, didn't you?" She looked up at Caramella, "I remember your face now, you carried me here?"
Caramella looked sheepish, "Well, we weren't going to leave an injured person out in the cold like that."
"I see. Then . . . Thank you for your kindness." Millia said, bowing her head graciously. "I apologize for my poor acceptance of your hospitality."
"It's quite alright Millia-san. But if you don't mind us asking." Nishida suddenly spoke up, "What did you mean when you called us Elves?"
"Yeah," Caramella added, "You mean like tall, blonde, pointy eared guys with bows?"
Millia looked startled, "Bows? No, Elves fight with magic and weapons beyond the ken of man. You truly do not know?"
Asuna looked to her companions, "We're not from around her." She offered with a small smile. What was this place? Elves, and magic? Asuna was sure that this was real, and yet. "You mean real magic?" Asuna asked.
Millia blinked quickly, "Is there some other kind?" She said as if finding the question ridiculous.
"Like Asuna-san said, we're not from around here." Nishida said. "Ah, perhaps you could explain to us where here is."
"Here?" Millia asked, "Why, you are in Albion, the White Isle. How could you not know? No, a silly question, if you have never even heard of Elves. You are serious though?" Millia seemed unable to believe them. "Then perhaps you are Faeries as you say?" She didn't seem to believe it, but rather was giving them the benefit of the doubt.
"We didn't say it, Escargot did." Caramella huffed.
"Then what would you prefer I call you?" Millia asked.
"Faerie is as good a name as any." Asuna decided reluctantly, besides, it seemed to make Millia more comfortable, allowing her to slot them neatly into her world. "Now, Millia-san, could you tell us a little more about Albion?"
"A-alright." She said hesitantly. "I suppose I can do that much."
And so she did. Millia told them about the White Isle, a floating continent that hung in skies above the sea and drifted along the coastline of the landmass of Halkegenia on a world with two moons. She told them about Reconquista, the rebel faction that sought to take control of the White Isle as the first step towards their eventual goal of launching a crusade to retake the Holy Land, and the embattled Royalists who were pushed further back every day. At some point, Arguile arrived and began to listen to Millia's story. From time to time, one of the Faeries would interrupt and ask for clarification. Like a teacher speaking to a young child, she patiently explained what she meant when she used the terms Commoner and Noble, what a windstone was, and why Elves were to be feared.
When pressed about what had happened with the "rebel soldiers" the night before, Millia had looked away. "My family . . . We were Royalists serving the Windsor family. I was a tutor for the Count's youngest daughter. My duties were to school her in magic and etiquette. When Reconquista reached us, I was urged by the other staff to escape. I took what belongings I could carry and ran. By luck, I ended up behind the advancing army. I thought I'd be safe if I could make it to a city and disappear into the crowds.
I took shelter in this town last night and ran into those men. They claimed to be a patrol keeping order behind the front, they seemed so welcoming. I should have know better, but they offered me something to eat. It must have been drugged. I tried to fight back, but they overpowered me. That's the last thing I remember clearly before the shouting, then I remember being carried and waking here."
"It must have been quite an ordeal," Nishida said, empathizing with the young woman. While there circumstances were different, they could all related to the anxiety of the life or death situations that Millia had experienced over the past days.
"Thank you again for your kindness, but I must ask what you plan to do with me." The fear from before had returned, though carefully hidden, to Millia's voice.
Arguile gave the woman a concerned look. "We would like for you to come with us, at least for a time. This country is clearly too dangerous for a young woman to be wondering alone."
Millia's expression grew pained. "Do not misunderstand, I am grateful to you all for saving me. But Reconquista, with your appearance, even if you are not truly elves, it is what they'll think to call you, and use it to whip the people into a frenzy. If I was found with you, they would accuse me of consorting with Elves. The things they would do to me . . ." The woman shuddered softly. "Please, just let me go. The only thing I ask for is that if you have found a silver ring, it was an heirloom of the Windsor family. You can take the rest, I'm sure you can make use of it somehow. But let me go."
"I'm sorry Millia-san, but that isn't possible for now." Asuna spoke up suddenly. The others looked to her but no one raised a voice in dissent, they needed what Millia knew, and far better to get it from a source that was less inclined to lie. "We have to make sure our own people are safe first and that means we need your help for now. We'll protect you, and I promise that if anything happens, we'll get you away. Nobody will ever know that you were with us."
Millia looked at her with disbelief before shaking her head. "That's really no different than making me you prisoner, isn't it?"
"Maybe, but you'll be taken care of." Asuna said. "And I promise we'll release you someplace safe."
"There's no place that is safe for me, not anymore." Millia whispered.
There was a knock at the door and a head appeared in the doorway, it was Baku. "Asuna-sama, Arguile-san, I thought you two should know, the other one is awake."
Asuna's face became a mask once more. "Very well. Caramella, can you continue to watch after Millia for now?"
The former army knight gave a forced smile, "But I'd much rather go with you Asuna-sama and get reacquainted with Mister Scumbag-san."
"Don't you mean reacquaint him with your fists?" Kino said.
"That's exactly why you should stay here. We need him in one piece, for now." Asuna turned and departed, Arguile following her from the room.
"This is all, quite a lot to take in." Arguile observed.
"You're right." Asuna agreed. It was too strange to believe, but the facts could not be denied. They were in another world. And not just a virtual one, a real, tangible, living place. But what did that mean? And how had it happened? And most importantly, could they get back?
The man that Caramella had taken to calling Scumbag-san, the former Raspy Voice, had been detained in a horse shed near the Church. In a twist of irony, his fellow prisoner had become his warden. Kimura had stood watch on the man through the night. The former researcher transformed into a slug type monster was taking his new circumstances disturbingly well, waving a tentacle in welcome to Asuna and Arguile.
"Good morning, Asuna-sama, Arguile-san." Kimura said in his soft voice. "The Prisoner has woken up." Kimura gestured with one tentacle to the man laying tied up in the corner of the shed. Raspy Voice had seen better days, and very likely decades given the condition of his face. It was rather miraculous that Caramella hadn't killed him with her bare hands. The man's face was a black a blue mess, and what Asuna could see of his upper torso through the rips in his clothing was just as bad.
The man sat up as they approached, squinting through a black eye. "And who be you lot?" He said, his voice growing slurred.
"That would be our line." Arguile said coldly.
"Eh? A pair of Elves, or 'alf Elves I reckon. Seems we really stepped init." The man snickered darkly. "I 'magine you wanna piece o' me for last night?"
"You seem awfully brave for someone facing Elves." Asuna observed coldly.
"Aye, after last night, I'm dead anyway, caught by you lot. May as well admire my executioners." The man leered at Asuna and then started to laugh hysterically, the action causing him to hack and cough.
Asuna had to give the man credit, from what Millia had said about Elves, he was either brave, or an idiot. If there was to be any hope of getting information out of him, she would have to loosen his tongue. Raspy Voice found his fun cut short as a slender blade sliced bare centimeters from his left ear. The expression on Asuna's face had become one of cold disgust.
The man eyed the blade and then looked to Asuna. "Aye? So is that 'ow it's going to be?"
"In all honesty, you sicken me." Asuna said to the man. "This world would be a better place without you in it." Asuna shrugged, "But maybe we can make a deal."
"Asuna-sama?" Arguile asked.
"A deal eh?" The man suddenly had become very business like.
"That woman you were . . . with. She died before we could get any anything out of her." Asuna said dispassionately. Beside her, Arguile betrayed only a small widening of the eyes. Fortunately, Raspy Voice was too focused on Asuna to notice. "There's lots we need to know." Asuna continued. "Tell us everything you can and in exchange, we'll spare your life."
The man seemed to by weighing Asuna's words. Finally, he asked, "Just who are you lot?"
Silhouetted by the morning sun, his captor spoke. "We're the Knights of Blood."