AN: This fic or events within it is not meant to be a reflection of current events or any kind of social critique. Relatedly, also just in case, the views of the characters here does not necessarily mean they are mine or that I condone it.

By the way, SAO Alicization spoilers ahoy, mostly from the Web serial version. Finally, thanks to Fictiondevourer for beta-ing.

Chapter 36

-][-

It was the day of the Treaty signing. For Tristain and its Capital it was supposed to be a day of celebration, of bonds between new allies forged. Pubs were filled, food vendors hollered their wares, and coins and booze flowed. The Charming Fairies Inn, like many businesses, took shameless advantage of a 'special occasion' and opened outside of their usual times.

Despite that however the mood of the city was subdued, and there was an underlying apprehension that today would be Tristain's last. Outside Tristainia's walls were a veritable army, troops gathered from around the country as a show of force. Dark specks in the sky could be seen, mage-knights flew around the capital on their mounts securing a perimeter.

Moving from one table to another, Jessica hoped the festivities would not be interrupted by their more pessimistic predictions.

-][-

Klein, along with Asuna, Arguile, and other SAO players that volunteered for combat duties waited in the World Tree. They had a live feed for the Treaty signing, whereas the rest of Alfheim had a delayed one. If necessary they would teleporting in, at Kirito's discretion, if the Faction Leaders and others could not be teleported out.

It was with a grim and tense atmosphere as everyone waited.

-][-

Assembled in a courtyard within Tristainia's palace was Princess Henrietta, the Regent, and various high-profile nobles. Other countries' ambassadors were also present, although the Romalian ambassador preferred to wait at the signing hall. The Fae delegates were going to open a portal above their capital and then fly down, preventing complications such as being attacked while travelling. As one of the royal peers to Henrietta, even if Titania was going to give up that title in name, Henrietta felt it was only right that she was present to greet the faeries.

High above them, a large shimmering square appeared. Various airborne mage-knights saw the phenomenon, and sent their reports via Wind magic down to the representatives and to their superiors to notify them of the faeries' imminent arrival. Like a door openly horizontally, the shimmering receded to show who was on the other side.

From the other side of the portal, Fairy Queen Titania levitated through on butterfly-esque wings almost as large as she was. Said wings glowed luminously white, visible to all in the city that looked up. Orbs surrounded her, what was called 'cameras' that would record the Treaty for posterity. Lord Kirito floated through the portal behind her, clad in black armour almost like a shadow to the Fairy Queen.

Large white armoured figures fanned out next, what Tristainians have been briefed as the World Tree Guardians, secured the sides as the Faerie Lords progressed through. Unlike what everyone have been told however, there were several Guardians that held staves like the archetypal mage – golems weren't known to be spellcasters in Halkeginia. Bringing up the rear was General Eugene of the Salamanders, in his usual red armour and his large sword sheathed at his side. He and Lord Kirito were the only ones that bore visible weapons.

The procession of the faeries slowly flew down, to the cautious gaze of all below. To Henrietta's relief, nobody had started shooting during all that. All it took was one hot-headed attack and things would end disastrously.

As the faeries came close to landing, Princess Henrietta opened her mouth to greet them. She was interrupted by cries of warning and others pointing up, beyond and above the approaching faeries.

-][-

Another patch of shimmering appeared in the sky, stretching out horizontally across the width of the capital. Gradually, with all the impression of a dragon's jaws slowly opening up, the portal opened wider and wider.

Down below, Jessica heard shouts coming from outside the Inn, and looking out saw panicked people point up with a horrified expression. Rushing out, Jessica also looked up, and felt her heart suddenly felt like it was being caught in a vice grip.

In another patch of the sky, noticeably a darker shade of blue from what the sky above Tristain was, were hovering World Tree Guardians arranged orderly in thousands. Cyclopean eyes glowed from their visors, and synchronized as one the White Legion saluted with their weapons.

Even though the golems above them did nothing more, many accidents broke out. Terrified people tried to rush into buildings to hide from the army, while others tried to rush out to prevent being buried under rubble; because a foreign army appearing outside a city meant there would be bombardment from siege weapons, or whatever magical equivalent the faeries had. Those two sides caused many congestions at entrances into various buildings.

Jumping out of the way of others, Jessica inwardly joked morbidly that at least there wasn't a unanimous flow running away from the Charming Fairies Inn after that development.

-][-

"Ten thousand of my Guardians, as agreed in the Treaty," Titania declared, wings half-folded, having landed while everyone was momentarily shocked by the spectacle above. "To be used for defence by the Tristain's Crown. The Faerie Lords believed it was necessary to show we would uphold our end of the bargain at the start – that our promises were not empty words."

Among other things, was left unsaid. As a general rule, anything from the faeries would be of a higher quality, and that included their soldiers. That amount of Guardians alone would have been more than a match of the forces that was arrayed at Tristainia, despite being outnumbered. Not to mention that was only the contingent Titania was willing to part with, given to Tristain – the World Tree Guardians have been described as 'numberless' before, and Henrietta was sure there were many more kept in reserve and not shown. Additionally, it was telling that each Faction's own forces were nowhere in sight – often, it was the attack that one didn't see coming that was the more dangerous one.

The demonstration also showed many other things, for example such a force could be dropped over any city that Titania wished to. Even if that was a difficult feat that required much effort and planning, an army that could bypass the burdens of travel and defences organized against them was an undeniable advantage; and to err on the side of caution, Henrietta believed given the prowess of the faeries' magic it would be mistaken to think the faeries could only accomplish that sparingly.

"Welcome to our humble abode, Your Majesty," Henrietta said with a slight nod, cutting through the tension from all sides and glad her voice did not crack. "I was not aware the situation changed and required Alfheim to bring a small army."

"'Bring' is not quite correct – the Guardians remain close to the World Tree, and are not here," Titania corrected. "The only thing above Tristainia is a portal, and nothing more.

"Nevertheless, I understand this is not in the spirit of our promises in what Alfheim would bring to this Treaty. For your peace of mind the portal will be dismissed."

With an offhand gesture from Titania, the gigantic portal above them grinded shut. Henrietta had a mind to order forces into the city calming the masses down, but thought there were mage-knights and guards that should be doing that already. And it would not do to indirectly insult the Fairy Queen like she brought trouble into Tristain, no matter how accurate it might be.

Nonetheless, the message – one of many – was received loud and clear. If anything happens to us, there is a literal army ready to bear down on you. Play nice, and we will too. You don't want to see us not playing nice. After the debacle with the botched binding earlier, Henrietta could understand that Alfheim wanted to give clear threats instead of implied ones. A quick glance at Lady Sakuya from Henrietta saw the Sylph Lord averting her gaze – the kinder Faerie Lord was likely outvoted.

"Let us continue on inside," Henrietta stated, almost as much to her subjects than to the faeries. Nobody that had more honour than sense was allowed to welcome the faeries, with maybe the only exception being Duchess Valliere in her mage-knight armour. Standing orders to mage-knights were to prevent nobles from suiciding themselves against the Fae at the Treaty, by tackling them if they had to. Hopefully Titania's demonstration was enough to convince everyone starting a war there was not in anyone's interest.

-][-

Even before she landed, Titania had her sensors to scan as far as she could in all directions. She wanted to see trouble before it happened, and the two administrator console cards embedded in her body ensured she had the range to at least scan all of the palace. Every individual, animal, even insect down to ants was taken account of – with Cardinal's revival such feats was possible, if one was willing to expend the processing power. Given that it was a one-off occasion Titania deigned to 'splurge' her power, especially if it could avoid future problems. Having to create a portal the size of the city was costly, but better to make it once and never have to again, than needing to make several such portals to ferry troops and protect Faction Capitals under attack.

From her searching, it was unsurprising that she found complications. Of course things never go right.

Three players in ambush. Bombs only just set up in various places, having taken advantage from the portals distracting the guards. Their movements were swift and decisive.

Titania was tempted to emulate rage for a fleeting instant – that same shock she hoped to delay Tristainians from attacking, allowing them to see the Guardians meant no harm, was being used for another purpose. She did not mind if war did break out, but Titania much preferred it to have happened when she wasn't at ground zero and didn't have to spend energy protecting herself.

Who is it that would attack? Looking up the names of the players using Titania's administrator privileges, she soon had her answer:

PoH.

XaXa.

Johnny Black.

Titania inwardly frowned, trying to remember why these names she had never heard off sounded familiar. Then, Titania remembered that was how it felt whenever Asuna's memories interfered – she had honestly almost forgotten, having spent subjectively at least months of her time with her own thinking rightly as an AI's mental process should be, managing through many problems at once. Nevertheless, the memories helped.

Laughing Coffin. Red Guild. PKers.

Murderers.

For a split second Titania paused, which was probably comparable to entire minutes for humans. Then, her mind did several things at once.

One strand of her thought to check the list of Sword Art Online players that she never bothered to look at, having left that to Yui. After confirming yes, those names were on the list, Titania sent a scathing report to Yui asking how MHCP-001 had never caught 'problematic elements' in her diagnosis of the SAO players – even as Titania suspected it was contamination from SAO's Cardinal, that as a program originating from there Yui was somewhat desensitized from the darker side of human thought. That Yui broke down after two years exposed to those would not have helped.

Another strand went over all cached data the consoles had on Laughing Coffin's movements, who they met, what they had said in range of the Medallions. Said strand branched out, tagging many more players that Laughing Coffin had contacted and worked backwards. Many had slipped through the gaps after the Transition, but it was only then Titania understood what it meant. Discontentment led to even a few elected officials taking part in the upcoming farce, some of them preparing to issue statements in their official capacity to undermine their Leaders. In disgust, Titania mentally sent out the orders to Asuna and everyone else that had the authority to do so to capture the insurgents.

Asuna, Kirito, Laughing Coffin, even the rest of the Alfheim Online players… Who Titania was supposed to protect was part of the problem. Other than the Void and Brimir, the biggest troubles Alfheim had originated in themselves.

Given the situation, Titania felt she was justified in responding with "Never Again."

-][-

"Kirito," Titania said, having stopped moving less than a third of a way out of the courtyard. To Kirito and everyone else, it was frightening in that it was the flattest tone they had ever heard from her.

"Assassins. Deal with them."

-][-

While not as on edge as Tristain, Arrun was also tense in that maybe the locals would use an important occasion as a distraction to launch an attack. One only had to look at history, or even just a gamer's nature really, to figure that out.

Thus, when a building – several buildings, actually – blew up in Arrun, response was swift and people immediately began to pick through the rubble. That the feed to the Treaty signing shorted out for everyone with a 'Technical Difficulties' sign was expected by most, hardly anyone was optimistic enough to believe things would turn out perfectly.

At the World Tree's base, a newly revived Sigurd howled and pushed away an attendant, half mad with rage.

-][-

"It's Showtime."

-][-

A few explosions rang out, causing shouts of alarm. Mage-knights instantly convened around people of influence, and World Tree Guardians readied their weapons. Spectral figures, appeared out of thin air, trying to stab Kirito and Eugene with an estoc.

Kirito's two blades was drawn, one parrying the blow and the other swiftly bisecting the assailant, while Eugene's Gram simply phased through the estoc and cut down his enemy.

The Shadow Clones couldn't have distracted the two of them for more than a few seconds – but in that time they weren't slinging spells to help others, and that was distraction enough.

-][-

The Elite Guardians began to cut down the few shadows that appeared in front of them easily, and then their eyes flared green. Many of the shadows vanished with their anti-stealth magic, barring one real faerie surrounded by glyphs that slipped through the perimeter and attempted to cut down the Faction Leaders themselves.

Sakuya brought up one hand, ready to throw an incantation-less Razor Wind at the attacker, despite knowing that her arm could not make it in time or move out of the way fast enough. An explosion rang out, and the Sylph Leader was knocked back by the force behind it. Sakuya involuntarily flinched slightly at the nearness of noise, and when her eyes opened from the momentary blink she found Mortimer behind the rough push. With one hand reached out to blast her away even as his other hand was wreathed in flames, took the attack meant for her.

Mortimer might have been faster than Sakuya, but he was still nowhere near as physically fast as the Spriggan with a rapier-like weapon. Before Mortimer could blast the assailant away and give them some more room for spells, he was stabbed eight times for his trouble. Twice each in the heart and throat, and once in each shoulder and eye, Mortimer's body fell into Remain Light form soon after the Spriggan's spell completed and shot him as an orb of darkness.

Sasaki's hand shot forward, wordless Dispel by that point second nature to the Imp Leader, and removed the Devour status the Spriggan slapped onto Mortimer. Curses that could send a Remain Light right to respawn point without giving it a chance to be revived should not work with the presence of a high-tier Ring of Life, but Sasaki didn't want to take any chances.

Before the Spriggan could do more however, a spear snaked past Mortimer to stab at the assassin's heart. The dark-clad faerie hopped back even as Morgiana advanced, in her hand a conjured shadow weapon that was practically her namesake in Alfheim Online. The Serpent variant of the Shadow Spear failed to connect however, at the last moment parried by the rogue Spriggan.

"Did you really think we weren't prepared for a fight when we came here?" Morgiana asked rhetorically as the assassin retreated. At the back of the group Alicia had a vial of Sap of the World Tree ready to revive anyone that did die again after the Ring of Life saved them.

Further banter was interrupted when on the other end of the Leaders Rufus glowed, having activated his best gear. Golden power armour enveloped the Leprechaun Leader in his entirety, with his Power Fists disproportionately large compared to normal hands. With a casual hand Rufus blocked an attack that went after Simon from another spectral figure, Reflecting it back to destroy the copy. Rufus then sped fast enough at the Spriggan assassin avoided only the physical fist but not the energy field around it.

"You have no idea how good it feels to have an excuse to go God Mode," Rufus boomed through his enchanted helmet. "One down, two to go-"

Rufus' words petered out when the Spriggan didn't get reduced into a Remain Light as he was blown backwards and his torso disintegrated, merely turning the tone of one for a second – and the reason was quickly apparent when broken pieces of a ring could be seen on the ground. Unlike the items created by high tier crafters or Titania, low quality Rings of Life were one-use, expensive consumables.

The Spriggan didn't have time to gloat however, when Sakuya's Razor Wind came at him along with a barrage of spells from Rufus' armour. He dodged by a hair's breadth as where he stood and several metres surrounding it was turned into a crater, and the Faction Leaders continued to rain spells at him to take him down.

-][-

Another spectral figure moved faster than mage-knights could react, cutting down several before narrowly missing Duke Guldenhorf, only taking one of his arms. Before the spectral figure could do more however, an Air Bullet pulverized the upper torso of the attacker.

That attack left Karin "The Tempest" with her swordwand pointed at where one enemy was, and unable to completely move away in that instant when a black-clad faerie appeared seemingly out of thin air and struck at her.

"Get away from my wife," Duke Valliere growled, and a Water Whip slammed the Imp away. If it was a human taking the blow his chest would have been caved in, but faeries were made of sturdier stuff. The Imp wheezed as he rolled and got back up, healing potion from a vial quickly went down his throat.

"It's just a tiny cut," Karin seethed – she wasn't going to be taken down that easily. And with two Square class mages, even a single faerie would have trouble against them.

The Imp's eyes, the only thing that was visible from the black sack-like mask he wore, crinkled – underneath that mask Karin could imagine a vile smile. As if to prove her wrong, the Imp gestured once with his evil-looking ritual dagger.

Having contact with Karin's blood, even if it was from a inconsequential wound, was enough for the Imp to lay a Blood Price Curse – especially when Halkeginians didn't have an trained Resilience against Alfheim status effects. The Imp's spell was fuelled by Karin's Willpower instead of his own, doing a minor amount of damage to her HP through her blood as the medium, and struck at the Duke.

Karin felt her heart clench, and blood tore out of her throat, creating a critical wound that was nowhere near where the cut was. Karin stumbled, trying to not choke from all the blood, even as the Duke was impaled by thin, dark spires that rose out of his own shadow.

Sniggering, the Imp bent the spilled blood to his will, intent on finishing off the Vallieres. He got blasted away by an incantation-less Tempest, slamming into the palace walls like a cannonball – Karin was only wounded, not incapacitated. The walls cracked, and through the dust that was thrown up the Imp's Remain Light could be seen.

Further actions against the assassins was interrupted then, however.

-][-

"Stop," a deep voice called out, distorted by the Sound Amplifier embedded in his mask. Princess Henrietta had a rectangular dagger held to her throat, while the Regent and mage-knights around her was immolated. "Stop fighting, or the Princess dies-"

The assassin's speech faltered however, when white light flashed all around the courtyard. Wounds were healed, from Duchess Valliere's ripped throat to the still-burning form of Cardinal Mazarin – though those already dead remained so. Johnny Black and the members of Laughing Coffin were not healed, but the Imp assassin didn't need Titania's healing to return to corporeal form. Like XaXa, he also had a low quality Ring of Life.

"I suggest you let the Princess go," Titania said clinically, as everyone paused at the sight of the standoff. "There may yet be leniency if you do so, Laughing Coffin."

Kirito froze at the mention of that name. His gaze glanced at the forearm holding the dagger to Princess Henrietta's, then at the other assassins'. All of the three possessed a tattoo of a thick-lipped face in front of a coffin.

"You're ruining my show, Titania," the Salamander that took the Princess hostage complained. With all attention on him, he didn't need to talk loud enough to deafen his captive – besides, he wanted the Princess to be able to hear this exchange. "I wanted to have a dramatic reveal for who we are. Don't you care if she dies?"

"Even if you slit her throat I can heal her instantly – Princess Henrietta will not die," Titania said without inflection. "I do not know what possessed you to believe you could accomplish anything here, but your actions are meaningless. You are surrounded on all sides, and your comrades in Alfheim are being apprehended even as we speak. Their attempts to get their duplicitous word out on the message boards and elsewhere while the broadcast is interrupted are silenced and scrubbed. Surrender, and you will be captured painlessly."

The Salamander assassin tilted his head back and cackled uproariously. There were many that was tempted to attack then and there, though they did not want to risk Princess Henrietta even with Titania's promise of healing. The most potent combatants of both sides were present, from Kirito in his Runebound armour to Rufus' own cascading power, and the assassin ignored them all.

"You jest, O Fairy Queen," the assassin snorted. "I am Vassago, known to those from Aincrad as the Prince of Hell. There is no salvation for us from the moment we are dragged into this new world with the rest of you, we have killed far too many 'innocents' for leniency. No, what awaits us is torture unimaginable, and never being able to see the light of day would be the least of what is going to happen to us."

"Is he always this mouthy?" Rufus asked, not at all impressed. "Can we kill this shitty roleplayer already?"

"Feel free," Titania said uncaringly. "I am just waiting for someone to do the deed. He lost all credence as a hostage taker willing to kill when Princess Henrietta was not beheaded as soon as I healed everyone."

Rufus' spell to attack was forestalled when PoH's blade pressed slightly into Henrietta's neck, leading blood to drip down slightly and a pained squeak from the Princess.

"So callous," PoH commented, seeing Rufus hesitate at Henrietta's expression. "See this, people of Tristain? Even for allied partners they care nothing for you, if it benefits them they're willing to hurt you even if it's avoidable."

"Tell us something everyone don't already know," Eugene said shortly. "We lost all pretence of goodwill as soon as they attacked Gatan. This Treaty is for coexistence first and foremost, being friendly if it comes to that happens later."

"So you say," PoH smirked. "Behind all that bluster, when it comes down to it you all are weak. None of you can kill, even Goldilocks there, except Kirito. But you said you want something new? Well, alright:

"Why hasn't anyone asked why Titania didn't just smite me herself?"

Everyone paused, and looked briefly at Titania. There was no emotion in her electric-blue eyes.

"Or better, ask why she allowed all this to happen," PoH half-shrugged, removing his dagger from directly touching Henrietta's neck. "She knew everything that we have planned, and claimed to shut them all down. Why, then, haven't we been stopped before things got to this point?"

"The Denizens of Alfheim are under the Faction Leaders' authority," Titania replied. "Unless someone endangers Alfheim as a whole, I do not wish to interfere. Also, I only found out of your treachery when you came within my senses – and it took less time than taking a breath for me to send the commands to stop your schemes."

"You mean attacking the Treaty isn't something serious enough?" Sakuya said incredulously.

"Well, yeah," Rufus nodded. "What's Tristain going to do about this, declare war? They'll just be bitch-slapped by our forces – hell, as I am now I can bitch-slap every mage not on our side here at Tristainia. A certain little girl that shall go unnamed here is more of a threat to Alfheim than these jokers are."

"Oh, if only things are as simple as pure laziness on Titania's part," PoH said melodramatically. "It's not just that Titania doesn't want to – she can't. If she's willing to risk the Princess dying, why didn't she kill off my associates?"

Tilting his head once at XaXa and Johnny Black, PoH continued: "There is exactly zero additional risk for you guys in killing them, it won't make me want to kill the Princess more than I am now. I'll wager that Titania can't have a direct hand in things – am wagering on that, in fact. That's why she has proxies like Kirito here."

"In one of my previous discussions, someone told me being merciful is not a weakness," Titania intoned. "A view that many, including myself, do not share. Though you mistake prudence and responsibility with mercy. Were I to 'smite' you personally, it would be akin to setting the building on fire to get rid of the fleas. Horribly inefficient use of power, and I will have to heal more than just the Princess. Proxies are not necessary, merely convenient – though in this case, if they can't resolve this with the minimum aggravation they wished, I may have to step in after all."

"Yes, because killing the other side's leader is such a great way to show we are peaceful," PoH chuckled. "Even if they get better afterwards. Humour me, and you may yet get the Princess back without more pain."

"That won't happen," both Kirito and Titania replied. Glancing at each other, Titania continued. "Laughing Coffin has never let someone go free willingly, after they were done forcing them through whatever sick amusement they planned. If uninterrupted, they always kill off the remaining survivor. The Princess is as good as dead."

"So you say," PoH challenged. "It's your word against mine, 'Your Majesty', and your credibility has taken a few hits. Alfheim has allowed me and my friends to roam free and conspire – and what's to say you didn't have a hand in funding us, leading to what happened today?

"Then again, you can't attack me, can you?" PoH taunted. "Not once have the World Tree raised a hand against us 'faeries'. That the Faction Leaders had the Guardians' help laying down martial law didn't count. I pose no danger to you or to Alfheim, do you have the justification to kill me? Because face it, there's no way Kirito or others here can do me in before I take the Princess down with me."

"Again, the Princess can be healed," Titania said impatiently. "There is nothing permanent you can do to her. Kirito, are you going to deal with them?"

The Black Swordsman hesitated, trying to find a way to both get Henrietta out and defeat Laughing Coffin. His inaction, along with other players', was enough to make up Titania's mind. It did not look like Tristain's side was willing to intervene either, having deemed it too risky.

"If the Denizens can't kill, that is what the Guardians are for – so they don't have to," Titania said neutrally. "Now, attack-"

PoH's dagger began to give up wisps of grey mist, and Titania's sensors that was linked to the emotional observation of the players picked up a spike in hatred coming from the Salamander assailant.

"Now, I wouldn't say there's nothing permanent I can do to her," PoH said silkily. "You recognize this, don't you? Anyone that was there at Heathcliff's fall would."

"What are you talking about?" Titania questioned. That things began to approach the pure nonsense Titania faced in Asuna's mindscape was reason enough to delay Laughing Coffin's demise.

"Aincrad's survivors gossip as well, you know," PoH said conversationally. "Not to mention what my comrades picked up. At the final battle, Asuna broke free of Heathcliff's spell through sheer willpower. Kirito came back from the dead – as a human as we all was back then – in order to stab Heathcliff and end his game.

"That got me thinking, and the message boards were very helpful in providing other evidence, such as being able to learn new spells that's supposed to be beyond our level – that with enough will, enough feelings, we can bend the rules of magic – of just how everything worked with us. How it works, I don't give a damn, as long as it works. And I've got plenty of feelings.

"All of my Hate," PoH hissed through clenched teeth, and the wisps around the dagger solidified into a larger blade of energy around it. "Magic can't heal wounds from hatred. Spells might be able to heal the flesh, but the wounds touch much deeper. Sigurd was kind enough to volunteer to be tested on to prove my theory."

"Sigurd?" Sakuya asked, but was forced aside.

"Now, Titania," PoH said smugly, "Let's try this again: do you think your proxies can finish me off without dragging the Princess down? Permanently?"

"You seem like you want to be smote," Titania observed. The wonders of faster thinking that allowed her time to come to the conclusion neigh-instantly. "I do not believe giving you what you want is a good thing."

"Oh believe me, I've got what I wanted right here, this entire situation," PoH laughed, slightly unhinged. "Watching as all this crap about Peace crash and burn. And if you're trying to wait me out, forget it – killers such as ourselves can be quite obsessed, and I'd kill the Princess before I lose focus. Tick tock, Titania."

What the entire series of events taught Titania was that being miserly about power tend to come back and bite her. Killing all of Laughing Coffin off when they appeared, before they pulled out a trump card, would have avoided all that in hindsight. Making a note that if she needed to ensure a ready reserve of power, they she would find alternative ways to collect energy other than waiting for the World Tree's roots to absorb them. Titania decided to end it, personally.

"You know, if it helps, I'll get rid of what's holding you back," PoH called out, and a screen appeared in front of him. Verbally going through several commands and confirming his decision, his Medallion crumbled. The rest of Laughing Coffin followed suit.

"I'm casting off the shackles you put upon us mortals, Titania," PoH shouted. "I forego all benefits, rights and responsibilities as a Denizen of Alfheim, for my freedom. 'Don't like the game, don't play, nobody's forcing you to stay' – I'm opting out. There are no strings on me-"

Titania struck.

Laughing Coffin might have been banking on that the Medallion and whatever safety it afforded them from Titania as players she's supposed to protect was outweighed by whatever backdoors she could have – but they would have been mistaken. Titania didn't need the Medallion when fundamentally, they were all players and she still was the GM.

And, barring non-existent higher authority than Titania within the system of Alfheim, the power to Ban players fell to her. Ironically, if PoH did not pull out the same kind of abilities Asuna had in her mindscape – bringing it into reality – Titania might not have deemed him dangerous enough to require complete elimination. Imagining what such abilities could do against her, and against Yui, made Titania feel cold. If it was anything like the Void, where it could cause damage that couldn't be blocked and maybe irreparable damage, then such users need to disappear.

When everything was data, after a player was banned the account vanishes. What happens then if that account was a fundamental part of a player's existence when they were in Halkeginia? When the player account was tied inexorably to the revival process, when the player did not have an existing physical body outside the 'game'? Titania didn't know, but she felt no guilt in consigning PoH to oblivion. XaXa and Johnny Black needed to disappear with their leader, they could have been taught by PoH.

PoH screamed as the Ban occurred, his attention wavering and his dagger returned to normal. Princess Henrietta's throat was slit regardless, but it was healed immediately by Titania and Duke Valliere swiftly used a Water tendril to pull her away from the attacker. XaXa and Johnny Black fared no better, and all three members of Laughing Coffin broke down into Remain Lights, and then began to disperse faster than normal. On reflex of seeing a Remain Light many Leaders reached for their Sap of the World Tree, but it didn't look like it would work even if the Leaders decided to save them.

"You told us we could escape!" XaXa screamed. "That they wouldn't risk the Princess as we flew-!"

Further words were cut off as even the Remain Lights was gone.

-][-

Recriminations shot left and right in the aftermath, starting at a trickle before being blown into loud arguments.

"You should have better control over your people-"

"Hypocrisy, it's not like Tristain's nobles are responsible for all of Foquet's crimes-"

Tensions and emotions were high. Arguments flared about whose fault it ultimately was.

"This was what Laughing Coffin would have wanted-!"

"Everyone, please calm down-!"

Sakuya and Princess Henrietta tried to pacify the aggressors, with no success.

Kirito looked anxiously at Titania, who watched at the entire thing passively. Whatever she thought, her expression betrayed none of it.

"-if we are going to die, we might as well go down fighting!"

"Do you want to die?" Rufus' amplified voice overrode Marquis Egiyon's less loud one. "Each one of them is equivalent to an Elite of our Factions, and with just the three of them they made a mockery of us. In the Leprechauns alone I have five hundred Elites of such skill. If you want to martyr yourself and Tristain that badly, that can be arranged."

"For all your powers you have no resolve," the Marquis retorted fiercely. "If even just you had fought to kill, before they reached us they would have all died! Tristain does not fear cowards which is only all talk. When I return to my holdings, I will rally my own forces and I will prove just what kind of farce Tristain have been afraid of all this time-!"

"Is that a declaration of war?" Titania asked, her voice cutting across all arguments.

"No!" Princess Henrietta exclaimed. "Of course not!"

"Yes!" Marquis Egiyon shouted instead. "I grow tired of being afraid! Of Firstborns taking what rightfully belonged to the children of Brimir! All this talk of unbeatable doll soldiers and Greater Spirits at your beck and call are falsities! You yourself hide behind your pawns, and once we're done with them we're removing you next!"

Shit.

Before Kirito could say anything, Titania blazed with incandescent white light. An intense aura poured out of her, flooding the senses of every magically capable individual. If a normal mage was sparks, then Titania was a burning star, fuelled by the energies gathered by the World Tree.

"You mistake Alfheim's prudence for weakness," Titania declared. "As suggested, if you wish to die, I shall oblige you."

Kirito managed to cast his Runebound armour's Shield just fast enough to intercept a large beam of light coming from Titania, which would have vaporized the disrespectful Marquis. Unlike the players that was marginally her responsibility, Titania had no excuse to restrain from attacking the Tristainians personally.

"Kirito," Titania said without emotion. "Cease interfering. If they declared war, they are threats."

"Please stop, Titania," Kirito all but begged. "These are things said in the heat of the moment, they're not serious…"

"They are serious," Titania intoned. "Do you take me for a fool? I might not 'get' subtlety, but this is not subtle. This noble meant every word he said. He, and all that would oppose Alfheim, dies."

The Marquis' face was ashen, as he finally understood reports of Alfheim and faeries' power were not exaggerations. Against all common sense of Halkeginia, beings of such power did exist. Nevertheless he stayed standing, facing his death despite trembling.

Before Titania could attack again, with Kirito's Shield on cooldown, Princess Henrietta stepped forward.

"Princess?!" Cardinal Mazarin choked at her suicidal move.

"Please forgive him, Your Majesty," Henrietta bowed. "He has erred, and insulted you. But please, for the sake of this alliance, stay your hand."

"Why should I?"

"Because the Marquis is Tristain's responsibility," Henrietta said unflinchingly, looking right into Titania's shining blue eyes. "Like Alfheim is yours. I swear, upon the honour of the Tristain Crown, that we would not tolerate unprovoked attacks against our ally. Even if I have to borrow your Guardians to deliver my judgment."

"If such things should happen again?"

"Then I have no excuse," Henrietta said plainly. "End the threat, and then myself for failing to keep my promise. But please, give Peace a chance. I beg of you."

Titania made no move, while the rest of the courtyard waited with bated breath. Finally, Titania toned down her light until it no longer hurt when looking at her directly.

"From one caretaker to another, I acknowledge your bravery and conviction," Titania said as she levitated upwards. "No one else has to die this day. But It remains necessary that nobles of Tristain understands just what they would be facing if they attack Alfheim."

-][-

Jessica helped the rest of the Inn's girls tidying up the place, after the short-lived panic from the visage of the faeries' flying army. Whatever festive mood there was, however, have been shattered, and every customer who was still at the Inn nursed their drinks nervously.

It couldn't have been more than an hour since the last disturbance before yet another one occurred:

"Is the room suddenly getting hotter?" One of the girls asked nervously. The room's temperature went up noticeably, and even before hearing the panic outside Jessica could have guessed there was yet more complications.

"Stay inside," Jessica advised her colleagues, then moved outside even as her father tried to keep their patrons calm. What she found once there was not the reappearance of the airborne army, but something much worse.

White light flooded over the Tristain palace walls. And beyond the city's walls, flames bloomed up in the sky. A firebird many times larger than the Charming Fairies Inn formed, and the air became drier than it ever got in Tristain's summers. Spells flew up sporadically towards from mages below, but the giant bird paid those no attention, the flames making up its body merely reforming after the fact.

Turning her head, Jessica found across from it, on the other side of the city, a maelstrom appeared. The winds coalesced into an emerald-green griffon just as large as the firebird. The still air became somewhat cooler, an improvement from being uncomfortably hot but not much more. Air currents began to move, and Jessica was sure the changes were happening across the entire capital. Jessica have heard the stories, but it was the first time she had ever seen them – seen elemental Spirits.

"The Phoenix of Gatan, and Simurgh of Sylvain," the winds carried the words to Jessica and everyone. "Every city of the faeries possess one such guardian. Each one capable of reshaping the land and ending nations. And like natural disasters, none of them can be negotiated with. Force them to appear, and they will eradicate the attackers to the last man.

"Alfheim's Denizens may be merciful, kind, even weak… but I am not. And I do not hesitate."

-][-

"Emotional, and short-sighted. Foolish, and arrogant. Titania continued. "Such are you humans. Incapable of discourse without force. If the thin veneer of being civilized by your standards is not going to be upheld, then it is simpler for me.

"I will finish what I came here to do, and then I am leaving. Kirito can handle the rest of the pleasantries."

Titania's crown floated off her head, twisting and morphing as she did so. When it landed in Henrietta's cupped hands, it had transformed into a bracelet set with a gem.

"I hereby declare: I forswear my title as the Fairy Queen. The only Crown in Tristain is that of Tristain's own. But, by no means, should this be taken as shirking my responsibilities. The Realm of Alfheim and the World Tree continues to take care of its Denizens. Now, and always.

"I will no longer set foot onto this land – the Faerie Lords of Alfheim speak for me. They act with my authority, under my oversight. I will overrule them only when necessary.

"Do not force me to intervene further."

With that said, Titania opened a portal and returned to the World Tree. The Phoenix and the Simurgh vanished like dust in the wind.

The Treaty signing took place soon after that, being a sombre affair.

-][-

It took until that evening for PoH to act. The events that day did what he aimed for, worsening the gap between Tristain and Alfheim, and with that done he focused on self-preservation.

Not unlike what happened to the rest of Laughing Coffin back in Aincrad, PoH hung them out to dry while he himself had an escape route. As the SAO Survivors would know, PoH was the only member there left unaccounted for when the Red Guild's base was raided, with the rest either dead or caught. Being Banned was a possible outcome, any online gamer worth their salt would know that. If that was unavoidable, then what PoH needed to do was to ensure he would 'survive' after he was Banned. It was a long shot, but it was better than nothing – hold himself together through sheer force of will.

Being players sucked into Halkeginia, PoH betted on the fact there was more than only their account's data that got transferred over. That if the system expunged their data, there would still be something left behind – and what was left would be to keep himself together. Even if he had to pioneer feats of magic and willpower unlike anyone in Aincrad or Alfheim had seen – life had dealt him a bad enough hand that he had plenty of reasons to hate and keep going. Recuperate, and then strike back when none of them would be expecting it.

Slowly, PoH pieced himself back together, looking like a ghost made of grey rags. Lines were blurry and ill-defined, but the lines were there. His self hadn't been scattered to the winds.

Trying to float away, PoH found himself stuck where he was struck down. Looking down, he found an arm grabbing the lower hem of his incorporeal being. "What…?"

More arms reached out of his shadows, until it felt like an entire wave of limbs washed over him, grabbing PoH and dragging him down. Ghostly wails closed in around him, becoming clearer the further he sank down into the earth.

"Murderer… Murderer!"

Bodiless, deranged laughter rang out, along with curses, tearful howls, and vindication. PoH struggled, but to no avail.

"Fuck you, Vassago," someone spat. Craning his neck, PoH found XaXa and Johnny Black along with him, attached to the upper most pairs of arms holding on to him.

"If we're going to the depths of hell, we're taking you with us."

"Welcome home, you bastard."

PoH screamed, for someone, anyone to help him. The mage-knights stationed around the palace paid him no mind, for they could not see the spirits of the dead. PoH brought up his hate, but that only made the spectres around him drag him down faster. These were no strangers to hate, and they have waited long enough for their killer to step into the afterlife for their revenge.

With a final cry, PoH sunk down completely below the surface.

AN: What happens to PoH is a SAO canon outcome to murderers, though that didn't happen to him in particular in Web serial version of Alicization.