As shadow swallowed the room behind her, she ran. She scanned the corridor ahead for an exit. The darkness gained ground. A spec of light at the end of the hallway beckoned to her. Tantalizingly close. Agonizingly far. Her legs ached. How long had she been running? How long could she keep going?

But then salvation came. Not in distant light, but a panel of the wall that pushed inward and swung open. She dove inside. The relentless shadow obliterated the hallway in her wake.

Inside, she saw the rest of her guild, gathered around a treasure chest. The sight drew a sigh of relief from her. As she drew closer, the youngest member of the group fiddled with the lock. He'd done this a dozen times before, his skill always equal to the task.

Until now.

The entrance slammed shut behind her, blood-red light smothered everything. The squeal of an alarm gave way to the snarls of monsters, a horrific symphony that echoed around the chamber. The creatures emerged from all sides. The smaller ones brandished clubs and axes. The larger ones needed nothing more than stone limbs, each one larger than any member of the guild.

In an instant, they were overrun. Her lance hung limp, useless as chaos swirled around her. Even though she longed to fight, her arms refused to cooperate. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, frozen as her friends tried to fight back. Their strikes didn't phase the mob. Their levels were too low to present the slightest threat.

One by one, the beasts struck.

One by one, they cried out.

One by one, they disappeared in a flash of light and a mist of pixels.

And then, only she remained.

One of the golems approached first. It lifted the concrete slab of an arm high in the air. She stared, waiting for the killing blow.

I don't want to die here.

She rolled away from the strike. A club swung at her head. Somehow, she batted it away with her spear. If she died here, no one would know their story. No one would remember them. She needed to fight for all of them! To survive! To tell their families-

A blade bit into her back between the shoulder blades.

She pitched forward. Her health bar drained With it, any glimmer of hope. The world around her turned gray. As her vision blurred, the door swung open. A blurry figured called out, reached for her. His words, and her own, melted into the chaos around her. The last sight was the feet of the monsters that had slain them.

Then everything went black and a dull tone echoed in her ears. Three words appeared in block letters that dominated her field of view.

YOU ARE DEAD

Sachiko Hojo awoke violently, almost tumbling off the paper-thin mattress. Sunlight filtered through the curtains and fell across her face, washing out her vision.

Bright light, instead of darkness. Thank goodness. Still a dream.

The sounds of shouting vendors, clanking armor, and several dozen conversations accompanied the sun's rays, blending into a low hum as much a part of the audio landscape as the background loop that ran under it. That music track's current mix, bright violins with a harpsichord accompanied, confirmed her worst fears; It was almost noon.

She'd done it again.

That explained the strobe of the message icon. Along with a friend request she assumed was either a misfire or spam, she was greeted by fourteen messages from her guild. Every day, they met at the same cafe. Almost every day, she slept through multiple alarms and missed the meet-ups entirely. Somehow, they still put up with her. For now.

She'd rarely slept well in the real world, a dozen anxious thoughts keeping her from precious rest. The nightmares in Aincrad added a new dimension to the problem. Sleep meant she might experience that same horrific dream again. She'd never told any of the others about it. They were already frustrated by her lack of reliability, the way every battle terrified her. Being so deeply affected by a dream might give them the impetus to finally cut ties with her.

She dutifully read each message in turn. They ranged from sympathy to snark, but she picked each one apart. Could she find evidence of their growing annoyance? Each one contained a plethora of warning signs, at least in her eyes. The leader of their guild sent only a single message. She wasn't surprised that it was both the longest and the most helpful.

Sachi,

Since your punctuality is every bit as reliable in Aincrad as it was at school, I took notes from our meeting. We agreed to sell off most of the loot from yesterday since we don't need a lot of the gear. I heard back from the info broker, though. She doesn't have a clue about the book you found! Imagine that. Not a clue as to what language it's written in, either. I figure it's got to be a quest key of some sort. The broker wanted to buy it. Offered a lot of money! But we think you should hang onto it for now. Maybe there will be a clue when we clear this floor?

Speaking of, the broker also told me the labyrinth here on the fifth floor is about forty percent mapped. The monsters are challenging but nothing outrageous so far. If we can get another level or two, it might be worth trying our luck against them to see if we can finally join the clearing group. Now that the Moonlit Black Cats are an official guild, I want to take the next step and help out.

However, I'm a little concerned about our balance. Tetsuo's the only one who can tank for us right now. If we can't eventually recruit someone else to the party, it might be time to consider some changes.

There it was, she knew it.

But no, the message continued:

Are you absolutely committed to the spear? I think you'd be great with a sword and shield. Nothing's set in stone yet, but I'd like you to think about it.

As we were wrapping up, we met another player who's a few levels higher than us. She's found a good spot to the north where we can farm monsters and grind to level up. She's been helping newbies since the first floor, so we're going to head out with her in a little bit. We might already be on our way, but I've given your info to her. Expect a friend request soon! Catch up with you can.

Hope to see you soon. I think we'd all appreciate having someone else Ducker can target with all his, well, Ducker-ness.

- Keita

Keita never changed, real world or virtual. Everything got the same laser focus, whether it was his long-term career plans to become a doctor, the computer club he'd organized, or putting together guilds in the video games they played together. Sasamaru teased that he put too much effort into video games, to the point they almost stopped being fun.

Well, none of them complained now.

Keita's message also explained the mysterious friend request. She opened it, stared at the unfamiliar name for a few seconds, then opened her map instead of responding. Keita and the other were at the edge of town, moving to the north. She debated sending a message telling them to wait, but she still needed to restock healing pots and status crystals after yesterday. No sense making them wait for her.

It also meant she'd spend less time around a stranger. The thought of those judging eyes made her stomach churn, more terrifying than the undead monsters that roamed the fifth floor. If she caught up to them later, she wouldn't have to spend time around the outsider, waiting to say or do the wrong them.

Those thoughts kept her sitting at the edge staring into the middle distance long after she'd closed her menu. Mustering the energy to stand up took a few minutes, and even then she just paced the small room a few times. Gear. She needed to equip her gear. Her finger hovered over the menu for precious seconds before selecting a piece. Delay. Equip. Delay. Equip. That done, she stepped to the door, curled her fingers around the handle and took a deep breath.

Beyond that door stood other rooms. The lobby. The tavern. By now, they'd be packed. Packed with complete strangers. And with them? The ever-present threat one might try to strike up a conversation.

You can do this, Sachi.

All the same, it was a few deep breaths later before she flung the door open and abandoned the safety of her room.

Keita chose their inn for all the right reasons. Affordable rates. Plentiful rooms. Steps away from the main streets of Karluin. The tavern, open into the early morning hours, made the best food they'd found in Aincrad. Every manner of shop you needed was nearby.

For Sachi at least, the number of rooms also gave the inn a major downside; most were occupied. That meant Sachi went through a roller coaster of anxiety each day as she braved the lobby. She cursed her nightmares and her alarm yet again. Navigating the maze of strangers was easier with Sasamaru or Tetsuo to hide behind.

The lunch crowd had arrived early at the Angry Bugbear, raucous laughter echoing through the lobby as she skirted past. She chanced a look at the tavern, then turned away when she saw how many wore green cloaks or sashes. Some players made her more anxious than others, and anyone wearing the color of the Aincrad Liberation Squad topped that list.

And in looking away from them, she stared right into their handiwork on the opposite wall. Sachi grimaced at the line of posters tacked there.

REMEMBER, one of them proclaimed in bold block letters, REPORT ALL BETA TESTERS! Contact this floor's ALS liaison about suspected beta testers, cheaters, or orange players.

Smaller print offered advice on how to spot a beta tester (encyclopedic knowledge of new floor or skills, a tendency to find hidden items, fraternizing with known beta testers), how they would endanger other players and, of course, a missive recommending they join the Army, as they'd come to be known.

They'd approached Keita a few times before, but he'd been resolute in the Moonlit Black Cats remaining their own guild. Privately, he admitted to the others he wanted no part in expanding Kibaou's power base in the game. They'd heard rumors of how he'd effectively turned the first floor into his own personal fiefdom and had designs on expanding that sphere of influence.

Even more infuriating were the wanted posters plastered on either side. They were in every town, covering every free surface Army members could find. They warned of the five conspirators who (allegedly) tried to murder the clearing group. Argo, the devious beta tester and the ring leader of the plot. Hippolyta, her bodyguard and enforcer. Asuna, the cold-blooded assassin. Diavel, the smooth talking strategist. Sachi hadn't met any of those four but refused to believe the posters.

Because she had met the person on the fifth poster. A person who'd saved their lives without sparing a thought for her own safety and escorted them back to town. Someone who'd shown them nothing but kindness and empathy. Doraku was no murderer. Sachi felt comfortable around her, and she rarely felt comfortable about anyone. If the other four were with Doraku, they weren't enemies of the players either.

As she pressed forward, Sachi felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. Then her whole body started to tense, legs tight, ready to bolt for freedom. She knew the feeling all too well; someone was watching her. She glanced at the tavern. At the corner of her vision, one of the strangers stood out. Someone in black and purple armor, unlike any she'd seen before.

She turned to face them but saw only empty space.

Maybe Keita was right. The game was making her paranoid.

She stepped out of the inn and veered onto the main street of Karluin. She knew the way to their regular item vendor by heart, thank goodness. That meant she could keep her head down and avoid eye contact with anyone she didn't know. Or, heaven forbid, someone she barely knew. She remembered when Keita first talked her into online gaming. It would be easier to make friends there, he insisted. That never panned out. She was lucky just to hang onto Keita and the others from the computer club.

And once they escaped the game... she still hadn't told them. She didn't have the heart to.

Of course, that would only matter if they escaped the game.

The thought floated to the surface and she hugged her arms tight against her body. Keita longed to join the clearing group... he always wanted to make a difference. Once he'd proved himself as a fighter, he could gain influence. Do something about the Army. Make a difference for the players.

But Sachi hated the thought. Her hands shook when they faced regular monsters and wanted to flee when they encountered the more dangerous mobs. She replayed every near-miss as she lay in bed, wondering if tomorrow would be the day her luck ran out. The thought of facing off against a boss, an actual boss monster? She'd probably barely be able to move, let alone-

She never noticed the other girl. Sachi's shoulder hit her hard, not enough to knock her over, but enough to prompt a system warning. She'd been too distracted with everything else. The girl probably thought she'd hit her on purpose! She worked through excuses, unable to even look up, cheeks burning like fire. She'd probably yell at her no matter what she said.

"I-I'm terribly sorry," she said, her voice low, quavering. "I wasn't paying attention. I didn't mean anything by it, I swear!"

"No harm, no foul, am I right?"

Not what she expected. Not the answer, nor the bright cheery tone she spoke with. "Um... r-right."

"You don't look okay, though."

"I'm fine."

"Oh yeah. That sounded convincing."

Sachi finally lifted her head to face the other girl, shocked to see she was smiling. A smile that had the same devious edge as Ducker's, sure, but a smile nonetheless. The mischief extended to her ruby-colored eyes, framed by a face full of freckles and a shock of bright pink hair. Cheerfulness came off her in waves, almost enough to make Sachi nauseous.

"We're all in this together," the bright girl said. "What's going on?"

"I'm, um, just trying to meet up with my friends. I need some items first. That's all."

The girl leaned in close, like she wanted to tell a secret. "And where are these friends of yours?"

"Just outside of town." That she kept answering surprised Sachi. Something about the girl compelled her to keep answering, despite her anxiety. "They're meeting up with a player who's going to help us raise our levels."

"Oh really?" The girl quirked an eyebrow. "What a coincidence! I was looking for someone who was doing that very thing. Do you know their name?"

"Oh. Goodness. I can't remember." She paused, thinking back to the friend request. "I think it was... Rosalia?"

For an instant, the smile faded, replaced by a furrowed brow. But the grin returned with a vengeance as she cheerily announced, "That's her, all right! Maybe we can meet up with them together."

"Well, um. You see..."

"You know the old saying. It's dangerous to go alone! It'll just be temporary, and a whole lot safer than running by ourselves."

Sachi swallowed. This girl definitely reminded her of Ducker. "I'm... not going to be able to say no, am I?"

"You catch on fast." The girl jutted a hand out at her. "Name's Lisbeth!"

"S-Sachi," she replied with a weak handshake.

"Well then, S-Sachi. Let's go find your friends!"

Rosalia.

Lisbeth fought back panic and fury when Sachi first mentioned the name, but tension radiated from her neck and shoulders, snaking across her entire body as they wove their way through the streets of Karluin. Two weeks. Two weeks since Brave Phantasia assisted in the capture of an orange guild known as Titan's Hand and sent them to the prison in Black Iron Palace. Well, most of them. The ringleader escaped and, given that she'd never taken an active role in their crimes, she could freely hide within towns.

That shouldn't have been a problem, given Mortimer's admin account. But only a day after her escape, someone had scrambled her info, masking her from the guild. As far as they knew, only one other player in the game could pull off that feat. And if Rosalia had now forged an alliance with them? Sachi's friends were in grave danger.

She tried to keep the panic out of her voice. "Have they moved at all?"

"No. Not at all." The whimper of Sachi's reply told her she'd failed.

"But they're still on the map?"

Still on the map. There was only one way to interpret that question. She could see panic hit the other girl like a gut punch, her eyes wide at the question.

"Y-Yes."

Seven lives. Brave Phantasia saved their fellows players numerous times, defending them from monsters spawned in-game, as well as those hooked up to NerveGears. Titan's Hand had been the rare exception. That's why Mortimer was fanatical about bringing their final member to justice. Their success was probably the very reason the Charnel Hounds targeted Titan's Hand for recruitment. Perhaps Rosalia alone had passed their test.

Lisbeth broke into a sprint as she stepped beyond the town's perimeter, Sachi fast on her heels. She was a lot like a lot of Sword Art Online players Lisbeth had encountered during the six months of Brave Phantasia's existence. Timid, uncertain, utterly terrified. Admittedly, the dark-haired girl was an extreme case in all those regards. Once they dealt with Rosalia, if she and her guild agreed to join Brave Phantasia, she'd make it her mission to bring the girl out of her shell.

Because, despite her fear, she didn't hesitate to follow Lisbeth if it meant saving her friends. She had more to offer than she realized.

They'd gone only a few yards when a pair of skeletal monsters spawned in front of them. Their bones clacked as they slammed together, rusted armor over their rib cages and jagged swords dangling from their hands. Their teeth chattered as they let out a rattling war cry and stalked forward.

Good thing Asuna's not here, Lisbeth thought. Then again, with the task the fencer got volunteered for, she might have even welcomed a fight against the undead. Lisbeth gritted her teeth and drew the mace strapped to her back. She couldn't afford to hold back. She let loose with a powerful swing and the first crumbled to a pile of bones before exploding.

The second swung its sword, but she parried the blow away with her shield. With the monster staggered, Lisbeth triggered the Strike Heart skill. The three-hit combo easily eliminated the second monster.

And, judging from the shocked look on Sachi's face, blew whatever was left of her cover.

"How-"

"I'll answer any questions you have once we find your friends," Lisbeth said, sprinting once more. "Where are they now?"

Sachi guided them on a winding path until they finally reached a small hill. According to the other girl, her friends were in a clearing just behind it. They hadn't moved at all since she first located them back in Karluin. Still on the map. There was hope.

As Sachi started up the hill, Lisbeth caught her arm.

"We need to be careful." The blacksmith bit her lip. "And promise me, no matter what happens, you won't charge in."

Sachi was silent at first, as though she had trouble getting the words out. "I... I need to know what's going on. Are they in danger?"

Lisbeth closed her eyes, steadying herself. No time to sugarcoat things. "I don't know for sure, but they probably are. I have allies on the way, but they might not get here in time. If they don't, I'll need you to stay back while I figure out exactly the situation and come up with a plan. If it comes down to it... I need to focus on saving your friends. I can't afford to protect you at the same time."

The poor girl trembled so badly, Lisbeth feared her armor might fall to pieces around her. Well. She'd need an upgrade after all this anyway.

"I promise," she finally said.

Lisbeth nodded and the two crept their way up the hill, finding shelter behind a tall rock at the top.

The valley below contained a small thicket of trees. Four players clustered together in front of it. Sachi's guild, no doubt. One look told Lisbeth why they hadn't moved; they couldn't. The paralysis toxin, the signature of the Charnel Hounds.

The sight conjured a memory of wild, dead eyes in the darkness. A figure moving closer. The point of a knife, shining in the darkness.

A little stab here...

A quick cut there...

Before you know it, she's gone.

The sing-songy rhythm made her shudder. She closed her eyes, but that only put the tip of the dagger in front of her eyes once again, those eyes and a sick grin floating behind it like a specter. Bile rose at the back of her throat as his voice echoed in her mind.

You know, I've always wondered what would happen if I took someone's eyes...

She drove fingernails hard into her palm, tugging her back to reality. He wasn't there. The two men who stood in front of the party wore nondescript masks, not the burlap sack design he favored. She didn't recognize the swords they held, huge blades that looked more like meat cleavers than traditional blades. They'd graduated from Anneal Blades, even for new recruits like these. Between them stood a woman with blood-red hair, wielding a nasty looking jagged lance. She'd seen images of Rosalia before, but none captured the abject cruelty in her sneer.

"I'm running out of patience, little kitties," she said. "If you want to live, you know what you need to do."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The boy in front of the group said, words dripping with defiance. The leader of Sachi's guild, no doubt.

Poor Sachi. She spared a glance in her direction and saw the girl with a hand clasped over her mouth, terror etched in her face. However, the exchange below gave Lisbeth a modicum of relief. Rosalia wanted something. That detail could buy them some time.

Please let it enough, she thought.

"The grimoire is clearly of no use to you. Why not hand it over? I promise I'll let you live if you cooperate."

"You tricked us once, why would we trust you now, you crazy bi-"

"Ducker!" the guild leader chided.

"Ah, the defiant hero spiel. The last guild I wiped out played the same tiresome game to the very end." Rosalia put a hand on her hip. "Which means there can be only one reason you haven't surrendered the grimoire."

Something on the leader's face must have given it away, as Rosalia laughed. A cruel, hollow sound, cold as a winter morning. It echoed through the valley as she strode forward and stopped in front of the frozen leader, trailing her fingers along the neck and chin.

"It's with the late one, isn't it?" She took a step back and leaned on her spear. "Oh, this is delicious. So I merely find this... oh, what was her name again? Sachi, wasn't it? I can tell her a sob story about an ambush. I can blame some PK guild, maybe those fugitives everyone's looking for. I'll gain her trust, and the grimoire will be mine."

"She won't trust you," one of the other members of the guild said.

"Oh, I'm very good at my job. I hooked the four of you easily, didn't I? The only real question left is how long I'll play with my prey. The look of pain on their faces are so much more delectable when you've taken your time to reel them in. But don't worry. Eventually... she'll join the four of you."

Lisbeth looked to her side. Sachi had started to stand, spear at the ready.

Beside them, the grass rustled as something breezed past.

Lisbeth breathed a sigh of relief. Just in time. She grabbed Sachi's shoulder.

"Wait."

"But my friends-"

"Those masked guys are probably three times your level, and their weapons are high level... They might even be hacked, for all we know."

"But they're going to die!"

Sachi picked a lousy time to finally raise her voice.

"Who the hell's up there?"

Rosalia and the two Charnel Hounds turned their attention to the top of the hill. They stood up, and one of the party gasped.

"Sachi, run!"

Rosalia laughed once again. "Thank you so much for pointing her out. You two, finish the riff-raff and scour their inventory. I'll deal with the girl and her interloping friend."

She started up the hill. The two Charnel Hounds advanced on the frozen party.

"One problem,"

Everyone stopped. The voice had come from nowhere.

"Which one of you has the swordswoman?"

A figure materialized between the Charnel Hounds and their targets, wearing purple armor and wielding an ebony sword. A new mask, purple and black trimmed with gold highlights, obscured her face. Lisbeth imagined the grin on it all the same.

"Doraku!" Sachi exclaimed.

As usual, Yuuki's reputation preceded her.

And then a second figure materialized beside her, pulling down the hood of a cloak. She stood taller than Yuuki, her armor the color of a starless night. She brought her shield to bear against the Charnel Hounds.

"Betcha these two have pretty high levels, Kizmel."

"I know not what you mean by high levels."

"They might be tough."

The dark elf grinned. "Excellent. I have thirsted for a real challenge for some time."

Doraku tilted her head to one side, then pointed her sword at the two Charnel Hounds, who still looked utterly confused by her arrival.

"So, which one am I fighting? Leftie or rightie?"

One of the masked men answered with a charge, the cleaver high in the air. Doraku sidestepped the attack so effortlessly, it looked comical. She leaned away from a second strike, feigning a yawn.

"Gosh," Yuuki said. "You guys don't bother to develop your skill trees or learn game mechanics at all, do you?"

The second attacker ran at Kizmel, but her shield intercepted the attack. She followed up with a slash of her own. Though she missed on purpose, the strike came close enough to make the Hound panic.

As much as Lisbeth wanted to watch the pair in action, Rosalia drew closer. Apparently, she still thought victory and escape were possibilities.

"Stay behind me. She might not be as OP as the Hounds, but that spear looks high level," she whispered to Sachi before she turned her attention to Rosalia. "So, giving up your innocent act? Gonna get your hands dirty and turn your own cursor orange?"

"I don't know who you are, but you've all signed your death warrants."

Liz smirked. "Geez. All the cheating Draven does for you guys, and he can't even feed your some decent dialogue?"

"If you know who Draven is, you know why I can't fail."

"Don't worry. I hear the prison in Black Iron Palace has great security!"

"You won't get the chance to send me there!"

Rosalia thrust her spear forward. Lisbeth brought her mace to bear for a block, but the lancer pivoted, twirling the blunt edge of her spear down. It slammed hard into Lisbeth's knee. The knee buckled, and Lisbeth barely swung her mace in time to deflect a second strike.

She's actually good, Lisbeth thought. A far cry from most of the Charnel Hounds they'd faced to this point. The others had relied on brute force and trickery. If the Hounds had set their sights on skilled players and trained their members more thoroughly, they could present a bigger threat in a hurry.

Something she could worry about after she'd dealt with Rosalia.

But instead of pressing her advantage, the lancer took her focus off Lisbeth immediately.

And stalked toward Sachi.

"Don't worry," she cooed, "The rumor I've heard is that no one really dies, despite what Kayaba said. Either way, you'll be out of here faster than the rest of us."

Skilled as she was, Rosalia forgot two things. First, you never turn your back on an opponent, especially if you don't know their level and skill.

Second? Never disrespect a blacksmith.

Lisbeth charged forward with a war cry, charging a sword skill.

Rosalia spun around, a cruel smirk on her lips. Her spear glowed with a charged skill of her own.

Damn. Clever. She'd anticipated Lisbeth's next move, and now had a perfect opening to land her own strike. That would cancel her Phoenix Hammer. That skill's long cooldown would let Rosalia land a second strike.

Given her level, it might be a fatal one.

But neither of them accounted for Sachi.

The girl's strike must have been like a mosquito bite on Rosalia's back. Liz didn't even notice the health bar tick down. Still, it was an unblocked strike. Enough to cancel Rosalia's sword skill before she could use it.

And give the blacksmith the opening she needed. Lisbeth's mace swung upward, hitting dead center on the spear. It twirled out of Rosalia's hands, whistling through the air and landing in the ground a few feet away. She opened her menu to equip another weapon, but Lisbeth was faster. She dashed over and pressed her mace against Rosalia's throat.

"Give up," she said. "Unless you really want to test that theory of yours about no one really dying."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Do you want to take that chance?"

Rosalia dropped to her knees and put her hands behind her head.

Lisbeth looked to Sachi, but the other girl wasn't even watching the two of them anymore.

Below them, Yuuki flowed through the battlefield. She hadn't lifted her sword once, instead pirouetting and sidestepping the Charnel Hound's strikes with the grace of a dancer. Again and again, the Hound struck. He never came close, not once. Even after six months together, Lisbeth never tired of watching her in action. With each battle, she grew faster, more skilled, more elegant. Yuuki was art in motion, beauty in the face of chaos.

Lisbeth's lips curled into a smirk. It's a real shame Asuna isn't here to see this. She wouldn't shut up about it for a week at least.

If Yuuki fought with a velvet glove, Kizmel used a sledgehammer. She alternated between letting the strikes slam against her shield and batting them away with her sword. Every so often the Hound's blade found purchase but the dark elf never flinched. Three of her four health bars still intact, and the fourth had barely ticked down at all. If that didn't panic her opponent, the odd strike that came inches from his body did the trick.

As she watched, Rosalia tried to get back to her feet. Lisbeth drove a knee into her back. Damn, the show needed to end just as it was getting good.

"Hey!" she finally called out. "You two wanna finish up? We need to call our buddies to pick these three up!"

Kizmel reacted first, swatting away a strike with her shield then transitioning into a picture-perfect leg sweep. The Hound tumbled to the ground and found himself staring down the tip of Kizmel's sword.

"I have sworn on the honor of Lyusula that I will not take the life of a human," she said. "But do not test me."

Yuuki let her battle play out a little longer, dodging a few more attacks until the Hound let loose a desperate strike. Yuuki slid on her knees under the attack, then effortlessly kipped back up. Only now did she lift her sword, prompting the Hound to lift his own to block.

Oh, Lisbeth had seen this one before, and couldn't hold off a laugh. He'd played right into Yuuki's hands.

The blade arced down and slammed into the sword just above the hilt. Yuuki's ebony blade sliced through the larger sword as though it were paper. The massive blade clunked against the ground before exploding, along with the useless hilt now in his hand.

"Guess that's all for today, huh?"

The Hound lifted his hands in surrender.

The battles all finished, Lisbeth yanked Rosalia to her feet and marched her down the hill, Sachi close behind.

"Good grief, Kizmel," Lisbeth said as she approached. "I can't believe you actually him hit you. You starting to get soft?"

"The damage was minimal. Had I not, as you like to say, taken it easy on him, I might have caused serious damage."

"Just keep them alive. You can rough them up as much as you like, otherwise! It's the least these jerks deserve."

"As much as I would like to, it's better to err on the side of caution, is it not?

"Why not just tie an arm behind your back next time while you're at it?"

"That would not be advisable. Since I am trained to fight with both sword and shield, it would put me at a severe disadvantage."

"...that was a joke, Kizzie."

"Oh!" The dark elf's eyes went wide and she bowed her head. "My apologies, Lady Lisbeth. In my experience jokes elicit laughter, yet I heard none. Hence my confusion."

"If you weren't a bunch of ones and zeros," Liz muttered, "I'd think you were being a smart ass."

"Ones and zeros? I do not understand what you mean by this."

"Lisbeth, remember what Mortimer told you," Yuuki said. "We don't need the elf having an existential crisis."

"Fine." Lisbeth shoved Rosalia forward. "Keep an eye on her, would you? I need to give Sachi's friends the antidote, then message our cleaners to take care of this mess."

"Um," Sachi said. It was the only word she managed to get out.

With a sigh, Lisbeth added a thorough explanation to her to-do list.

A/N -

Whew. I actually ended up splitting Chapter 13 in two because there's so much that happens and there's a moment in Chapter 14 I reall wanted to have between two of the characters. But here we are, Sachi and the Moonlit Black Cats have finally made their appearance and will have important parts to play in everything that's to come from here. I really enjoyed trying to stretch myself creatively as I was writing the scenes from Sachi's point of view, trying to capture her anxiety as well. The Lisbeth section wasn't originally told from her POV, but there were a few things that revealed themselves in writing them that I'm glad I took a chance and gave it a try. Liz is such an underrated character and I've got some plans for her going forward as well. Also... clearly, she knows what's going on with Asuna and Yuuki, even if they themselves don't.

Hopefully the wait won't be terribly long for Chapter 14, as a chunk of it is already written. At the same time, I'm currently doing a project for National Novel Writing Month, because I apparently want to see just how fast my brain will revolt. I'm not going to lie, writing Reconfiguration has had an influence on A Lyric Like Thunder, the original book I'm working on right now. I'm sure there will be a little bit of overlap here and there... Reconfiguration has let me stretch my creative muscles and explore some stuff I would have been intimidated by earlier.

I hope you enjoy, and I hope to have the next chapter done before the month is up. SPOILERS - It's told entirely from Yuuki's point of view, so I'm pretty eager to get to work on it.