There was no time to waste.
Kizmel sprinted down the hallway, dead set on reaching the viscount's office as soon as possible. There wasn't any indication that an attack was imminent, granted, but this was still information that the viscount needed to know. Castle Yofel's defenses would need to be prepared. Scouts deployed. Troops and guardsmen trained. Were this information to come from anyone else, Kizmel might have been skeptical, but it came from someone she trusted with her life. Asuna and the rest of Kirito's guild had been nothing but supportive and reliable since the day she met them, so their information was good, albeit very concerning.
The Forest Elves were preparing for war.
In recent years, there had been minor skirmishes between her people and their rivals, the Forest Elves, but never had it ever resulted in all-out war. Between her encounter with them on the 3rd floor regarding the Jade Key and the fact that they were being given war vessels financed or backed by the Fallen? War was all but certain, and Castle Yofel was remote enough to warrant concern.
As she rounded the corner of the hallway, she nearly collided with a young Dark Elf. He looked to be a new recruit, given the overwhelmed expression on his face and how he was visibly shaking.
"Knight Kizmel!" The young elf exclaimed. "Thank Lyusula I found you. Our sentries report a small fleet of Forest Elf ships rapidly approaching!"
Kizmel's brow furrowed. Of course they would attack now, just as she'd received word of the danger. It seemed fate wouldn't even allow her the chance to inform her superior first.
"Has viscount Yofilis been informed?" Kizmel calmly, but quickly asked. "How many vessels?"
"Yes, ma'am. He was the first person I went to." The young elf said, gulping down air in between words. Apparently he'd been running quite some time to raise the alarm. Commendable. "Our sentries report a half dozen ships, each fully armed and manned. We estimate a full contingent of the enemy."
"Fetch as many soldiers and guardsmen as you can muster and have them meet me in the courtyard." Kizmel ordered, prompting the younger elf to resume his sprint through the castle. She turned around as Asuna and the other girls caught up, looking winded but not exhausted. "The Forest Elves are here. I need to coordinate the defenses while we still have time."
"We'll go with you, Kizmel." Asuna said with a determined nod. "We'll assist in any way we can."
Kizmel let a small smile cross her lips before a look of determination took over her features. The generosity of her human friends knew no limits, it seemed. She wondered if the day would ever come when she could truly pay them back their kindness. With a curt nod of her head, Kizmel led the girls down into the courtyard. Already a few dozen soldiers and guardsmen were assembled, all looking expectantly towards Kizmel.
"Prepare the defenses! Form ranks!" Kizmel shouted while drawing her sword and shield. She looked up at a nearby guard tower, locking eyes with the sentry posted atop it. "How close, soldier?"
"They're nearing the docks now, ma'am!" The sentry said, an odd mix of panic and determination clear in his voice. "Probably five minutes away at most!"
"Not a lot of time." Kizmel said with a grimace. "Prepare to engage!"
Kizmel was about to join the front line herself when she heard the voice of a familiar fencer behind her. Kizmel looked over her shoulder to see her five human friends standing in a circle, weapons drawn.
"Sinon, we need you up high. Get up on one of the towers, call out patterns and do what you can to pick off stragglers." Asuna said, pointing up towards the nearest guard tower. "Yuna, Silica. Stay in the backline and ambush any that slip past the front line. Have Pina help heal any injured if you can."
Sinon ran off and started ascending the closest guard tower, stowing her bow on her back while doing so. Yuna and Silica both ran off towards where the troops were gathered, the latter's feathered dragon looking surprisingly determined despite its small and (absolutely adorable) stature. Asuna turned to Liz, the last of the Renegades present.
"Liz, you and I are going to join the front line, at least until - " Asuna started to say before she was cut off by the rumble of footsteps behind them all.
"What the hell happened?!" Kirito shouted out, coming to a stop before the fencer. Behind him, the male members of the Renegades similarly came to a halt.
"I think we triggered the quest by accident." Asuna said, looking either embarrassed or ashamed; Kizmel wasn't quite sure which. "As soon as we told Kizmel what we knew about the Forest Elves, it started."
Again, this mention of a quest. How does one "trigger" a quest? If we survive this, I will have to ask them about that. There's still so much I have to learn about them.
"I've already sent Sinon up into a tower, and Yuna and Silica are going to support the backline with Pina." Asuna informed her leader.
"Good call." Kirito said with a nod, and Kizmel found herself agreeing with him. Based on what she'd been told, Asuna was a meager student before she came to Aincrad, but here she was displaying incredible aptitude when it came to strategy and battle tactics. Kirito chose his vice-leader well.
Kirito turned to Kizmel, looking her in the eye. "Kizmel, can your people hold the line here?"
Kizmel gave a fierce smile, the kind that inspired allies and struck fear into her foes. "To our last, but it sounds as if you have a plan?"
"Kind of. More of a gamble than anything else." Kirito admitted while sheepishly scratching at his neck. He looked towards the others. "In case it doesn't work, I need the rest of you to help reinforce the Dark Elves. Stick together. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Kirito then started to run off, but not towards the front line, which struck Kizmel as odd. What sort of plan did he have that would involve running away before the battle even started? Kizmel had no doubt that whatever he had planned would prove vital in the battle to come, but it all seemed strange. Another thing she would have to ask the beta tester about when this was all over. This beta tester clairvoyance was an enigma, indeed.
Kirito ran a short while before abruptly stopping and looking back over his shoulder. "Actually, Geeou, I could use you with me. Something tells me I'll need the help."
The flaxen-haired swordsman nodded and quickly dashed off to join his leader, leaving Kizmel alone with Asuna, Liz, Leonn, and Nautilus. Kizmel searched their faces for some sort of assurance of confidence that they knew what their leader was planning, but found only mildly confused expressions. She would have laughed at the irony were they not about to run into battle.
"The enemy approaches!" One of the Dark Elf shieldbearers cried out, drawing their attention to the front. "Brace!"
A crash and clatter of steel rang out at the mouth of the courtyard as the Forest Elf forces collided with the Dark Elf shield wall. The shield wall began to buckle under the pressure, but ultimately held firm as Forest Elven spears and swords lashed out between the cracks, seeking to poke through and weaken the defenders. Cries, grunts, and yells were heard as the two opposing forces pushed against one another in a desperate bid for dominance. Pina could be seen flying back and forth behind the front line, spraying out a fine healing mist to keep the shield wall in fighting condition.
Despite the wall's best efforts, though, three of the more nimble Forest Elves managed to leap overhead and land behind the shieldbearers. They each brandished a pair of daggers and made to backstab the front line.
"Let's go!" Asuna shouted out as she charged forth, rapier drawn and poised to strike. Kizmel and the other Renegades quickly made to follow, but simply couldn't keep up with the fencer's sheer speed. Within moments, Asuna had engaged with one of the infiltrators, expertly landing thrust after thrust while dodging the dagger strikes.
Liz and Nautilus were next to arrive, the former drawing one of the assassin's attention while the latter lashed out with his longsword when the opportunity presented itself. While it was clear that the two weren't particularly coordinated or used to each other's fighting styles, they still worked together well enough. Kizmel smirked as she remembered the combination move Liz and Leonn executed last time she saw them. That sort of synergy was hard to come by.
Speaking of the maul wielder, he and Kizmel were the last to catch up. Knowing their role in all of this, the two squared off with the third assassin. Kizmel sprinted up and purposefully placed herself right in the infiltrator's direct line of sight, brandishing her sword and shield while doing so.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise." The assassin remarked, twirling his daggers absent-mindedly as he stared her down. "Pagoda Knight Kizmel herself, in the flesh. I should count myself lucky to have such esteemed prey."
"Count yourself lucky your death will be quick and merciful." Kizmel retorted, a snarl forming on her lips. "I knew you Forest Elves were dishonorable, but to work with the Fallen? Despicable."
"That's rich, coming from you." The assassin said with a sneer. "You scum have already allied yourselves with the humans, so we're simply evening the score."
"At least the humans behave with honor and dignity." Kizmel said, her snarl slowly turning to a smile. "The same cannot be said for you."
That seemed to set the assassin off as he quickly lunged forward with his lead dagger, aiming for Kizmel's throat. She'd anticipated the strike, even if it was faster than she expected, but she blocked it with her shield nonetheless. She lashed out with her sword and soon enough, the two elves were caught up in a dance of death, performed with steel and grit instead of grace and elegance. Each sought out every opening, every opportunity they could get their hands on. The assassin was naturally more limber and quick, which forced Kizmel to fight defensively, but nevertheless she was able to fend off the rapid strikes. Unfortunately, that left her unable to counterattack and gain the upper hand.
"I must say, you are quite quick for a Pagoda Knight." The assassin remarked, seemingly impressed with how long she'd lasted against the constant assault. Even throughout his constant onslaught of thrusts and stabs, the Forest Elf still found the time to sarcastically throw verbal jabs in. He was toying with her. "I wonder though, how long can you - OOF!"
A comically large maul head made contact with the Forest Elf's ribcage, knocking the wind out of the assassin and sending him hurtling to the side and into a nearby wall. Kizmel looked over and gave an appreciative nod to Leonn, who hoisted his weapon back onto his shoulder.
"Sorry that took so long." Leonn apologized. "He was right on top of you the entire time. Couldn't get a good angle on him without hitting you too. You good?"
"Yes, though I must admit he was quicker than I anticipated." Kizmel said with an exhausted huff. Leonn's intervention couldn't have come at a better time; she wasn't sure how much longer she would have lasted against such a quick foe. "Time to finish this."
"You got it." Leonn said as he looked toward the Forest Elf assassin rapidly returning to the fight.
It seemed the assassin didn't take kindly to the interruption, as his gaze was focused entirely on the maul wielder. Kizmel felt a surge of protectiveness wash over her. Leonn was a close ally, and one she was fortunate enough to call a friend. She didn't doubt his prowess in combat, but she'd seen enough of his fighting style to know that he wouldn't be able to handle such a nimble opponent. She'd already lost one band of compatriots to the Forest Elves, and she was not about to let history repeat itself. Quickly, she ran forward and interposed herself between Leonn and the assassin, ready to block the inevitable thrust of his dagger.
"Cowardly swine!" The assassin cried out. "To interrupt a perfectly honorable duel! I shall cut you down like the pig you - "
A burst of light rocketed downward from on high, slamming into the assassin and instantly causing him to shatter. Kizmel shot her gaze upward to see Sinon, her bow raised and pointed down towards where the Forest Elf had been.
"You couldn't have killed him before he called me a pig?" Leonn shouted up at Sinon.
Kizmel saw a faint smirk on the archer's lips before it quickly vanished. Sinon seemed to have caught sight of something, as her eyes shot over towards the shield wall that was still holding the rest of the Forest Elf forces at bay.
"The shield wall's about to break!" Sinon shouted out, garnering the attention of everyone in the backline. "Get ready!"
Kizmel looked over. Indeed, the shield wall, which had done a spectacular job thus far at keeping the enemy back, was now beginning to buckle under the constant pressure. Her sharp Elven eyes immediately spotted the weak link; it happened to be the very same recruit from the hallway who'd warned her of the attack. While he was almost certainly a capable fighter - else he wouldn't have been stationed here - his inexperience was beginning to show itself as he started succumbing to his injuries. With a cry of pain and exhaustion, the recruit fell backwards.
Then the floodgates opened.
Almost immediately, the enemy began to pour through the opening in the shield wall. Kizmel could only watch in horror as several of the encroaching Forest Elves stabbed downward onto the fallen recruit as they ran through, finishing him off with a sickening air-splitting shatter. Within moments, what had started as an organized shielded defense devolved into an all-out melee. The front line and back line dissolved entirely as combatants from both sides found themselves entangled in a frenzied free-for-all. It was becoming decidedly more difficult to discern friend from foe, and Kizmel found herself on more than one occasion having to stop or divert her sword swing from accidentally striking one of her own allies.
To Kizmel's surprise, it seemed the Renegades were having next to no difficulty adapting. Already, the six humans had split themselves up into two teams of three as they roamed the battlefield, carving their way effortlessly through the swarm of Forest Elves.
Asuna was leading Yuna and Silica on a dash through the battle, using their speed and agility to make quick strikes against Forest Elves. While they didn't stick around long enough to properly engage the enemy, the momentary distraction their attacks provided allowed the Dark Elf soldiers the opportunity to go on the offensive. Even little Pina was using her quick and limber body to dart back and forth to heal allies or distract foes.
Leonn, Liz, and Nautilus were taking a different approach, instead clustering together and using their sheer strength to slowly and meticulously march their way through the battle. Any Forest Elves foolish enough to engage the trio were quickly met with an unstoppable onslaught of weapon strikes, almost instantly mowing down any resistance.
It was a marvel to see.
However, that did little to stem the tide of Forest Elves, fresh off the boats and eager to spill human and Dark Elven blood. This was quickly turning into a battle of attrition, and Kizmel knew it was a battle they were slowly losing. Even with the expert assistance of her human friends, morale was undoubtedly dropping now that the shield wall was no more and the courtyard turned into a chaotic melee. Looking over to the Renegades and their tactics, Kizmel had an idea.
"Group up!" Kizmel shouted, trying to raise her voice over the cacophony of clanging steel. "We are stronger together! Together, we will beat them back!"
It took some time - longer than Kizmel would have hoped for - but the remaining Dark Elf forces began to cluster into small groups. It was helping, but not by much. For whatever reason, it was as if her fellow soldiers weren't quite sure how to react to the command, but they eventually yielded and grouped together. Kizmel ran forward and shield bashed one of the Forest Elves, sending it backward into a waiting warhammer. The owner of said warhammer, Liz, gave Kizmel a smile and a wink before rejoining her friends.
Kizmel was about to run forward when she heard something akin to a battlecry echo across the courtyard. She felt a shiver go up her spine until she realized who it belonged to.
"To me! Time to send these vile cretins back to the forests where they belong! For Castle Yofel and for the glory of Lyusula!"
"Kirito, why are we running away from the battle?"
Geeou ran alongside his onyx-haired leader as the duo sprinted through the halls of Castle Yofel. He could hear the sounds of battle raging outside, and a part of him wanted to turn back and support his friends. Kirito needed him for something, though, and he had trust in his friends outside to hold the line until they returned from doing whatever it was they were about to do.
"Because what we want isn't outside." Kirito replied as he continued down the hall.
"What do you mean?" Geeou asked as he huffed along behind. "What are we looking for?"
Kirito looked like he was about to respond when the duo literally bumped into a Dark Elf soldier, who also appeared to be in a rush but was clearly running to join the fray outside. After brief apologies on both sides, Kirito abruptly grabbed the soldier by the shoulders and looked him in the eye.
"The viscount's office." Kirito said, almost pleadingly. "Where is it?"
The elf looked flustered and baffled at the seemingly random question. "Down this hall, make a left at the end. His office will be at the end of the next hall."
"Thanks." Kirito said, releasing his hold on the elf and allowing him to resume his sprint outside. Both swordsmen then resumed their sprint down the hall according to the elf's directions.
"The viscount?" Geeou asked. Why was Kirito looking for the viscount in the middle of a battle?
"Yep." Kirito said. Geeou was about to ask for him to elaborate when his guild leader did just that. "During the beta, this quest was considered one of the hardest to finish. There's just too many Forest Elves to fight at one time. Even with Kizmel's help, it might not be enough."
"What does that have to do with the viscount?" Geeou asked, still not quite understanding the connection.
"During the beta, there was a rumor going around about a way to make the Yofel siege quest easier." Kirito explained as they rounded the corner. "I think it has something to do with the viscount."
"I'm... not following." Geeou admitted.
"Think about it. Why, during the middle of a castle siege is the leader of the castle not present?" Kirito suggested. "And why are there so many Forest Elves attacking only one side of the castle, when they could be assaulting other sides too?"
Slowly but surely, the pieces began to fit together in Geeou's mind. Attacking one side with all of your troops would force the enemy to divert all attention and resources into defending against such a focused assault. That would mean that other areas would be left vulnerable.
"... It's a distraction." Geeou said with realization. He looked towards Kirito, who offered a nod in confirmation.
"Exactly. If I'm right..." Kirito said as the duo finally reached the door to the viscount's office. Kirito abruptly kicked the door, causing it to slam inward and against the wall on the inside.
*WHAM!*
Almost immediately, three pairs of eyes shot up and stared at Kirito and Geeou, who had now entered the room with their swords drawn. Two pairs of Fallen Elven eyes did not look pleased to see the sudden intrusion, whereas the last pair, belonging to the Dark Elf viscount himself, could not look more ecstatic. One of the Fallen Elves had a dagger pointed towards the viscount in a threatening position.
"... They snuck in behind to assassinate the viscount and take this floor's key." Kirito concluded before pointing his sword at the nearest Fallen Elf. "Release the viscount, immediately."
"Well, whaddya know?" One of the assassins chuckled out. "Looks like he was right. They're more clever than we gave 'em credit for."
"I could do for some entertainment before the main course." The assassin nearest the viscount said as he pointed his dagger away from the viscount and towards the two swordsmen. "Let's dance!"
Before he could lunge towards Kirito and Geeou, the assassin was suddenly struck from the side by a swift kick as the viscount brandished his own sword and pointed it towards his former captor. The viscount shot a smirk over towards the two swordsmen, who both looked a little shocked at the elderly elf's sudden violent outburst.
"I am not some decrepit old coot, you know." The viscount drew his sword upwards so that he was looking past its blade towards his foe. "I am a warrior through and through, and if I am to die this day let me go down fighting!"
Geeou exchanged a nod with Kirito before the two focused their attention on the first assassin nearest them. The viscount could hopefully defend himself long enough for the two of them to dispatch this first Fallen Elf. While it was tempting to split up and have one of them support the viscount, that would mean leaving the other alone to duel an incredibly nimble assassin on their own.
"Let's go, Geeou!" Kirito shouted, dashing forward to meet their elven foe. Longsword raised, the leader of the Renegades lashed out twice and aimed for the elf's head. The assassin proved too limber for that to work, unfortunately, raising his daggers to deflect the first attack and slipping past Kirito's guard to dodge the second. Kirito wheeled around to face the elf after that clever dodge, only to be met with two dagger thrusts to the stomach. Kirito visibly winced - likely out of reflex - and dodged backward to get some distance.
Geeou was not far behind him, swinging downward with his own longsword in an effort to catch the assassin off guard and overwhelm him. The assassin's eyes went wide as he hurriedly brought his own daggers up to block. Geeou's longsword crashed into the haphazard block and ultimately slid past, cutting deep into the assassin's shoulder. The assassin leapt backward and threw his dagger at Geeou, nailing him in his own shoulder. As the assassin skidded to a stop, he drew another dagger from his boot.
Unfortunately for him, disengaging from Geeou left him wide open to Kirito, who immediately took advantage of the opening and began his own assault against the elf. Soon, the assassin found himself flanked on both sides by two injured and very irritated swordsmen, each of which was relentless in his assault.
Where Kirito and Asuna were complements of one another in their combined style of combat, each covering the other's weaknesses, Kirito and Geeou were another matter entirely. Both swordsmen effectively mirrored each other's styles and strikes, almost as if the same person was fighting in two places at once. Where Kirito would block, Geeou would lunge in and strike a gash across the elf's back. When Geeou kicked out to send the assassin off-balance, Kirito was waiting with a blade poised to lash out. They might not have had the level of synchronicity that Asuna brought out of Kirito, but the flaxen-haired swordsman found himself working quite well with his leader. After a solid minute of constant fighting, Kirito and Geeou finally finished off the assassin with a satisfying crash of shattering glass. They both looked over to see the viscount similarly finishing off his captor.
Geeou wiped away a bit of virtual sweat from his forehead before raising a hand towards Kirito. "That was tough. It's like I couldn't keep pace with him, he was so fast."
"Good work, though." Kirito said with a nod, meeting Geeou's hand in a high-five. "You've definitely improved since we first met."
"You really think so?" Geeou asked, exhaustion still clear on his face.
"Definitely." Kirito said, sheathing his longsword. "You're not relying on your sword skills as much, which is a good thing."
"I'm still not at your level, though." Geeou admitted with a slight chuckle before looking toward the viscount, who had begun walking towards the pair. "Now what?"
"Now we get his help." Kirito said as he straightened to address the commanding officer of Castle Yofel. "I'm glad to see you safe, viscount."
The Dark Elf gave a slight bow of the head in reply. "Only thanks to you. I am not confident that I would have been able to fend off both assassins alone."
"Our pleasure, viscount, but your men need you." Kirito said almost pleadingly. Whether the desperation was faked for the sake of the quest prompts or genuine given the stakes, Geeou didn't quite know.
"Agreed, but first I have a question for you." The viscount stated. Geeou watched a look of mild confusion etch itself upon his friend's face. "Kizmel speaks highly of you and your friends, but I must know truly why you have decided to aid us. You could easily break ties with the Dark Elves and go your own way, yet you choose to stay and fight alongside us. Why?"
The answer was simple. They wanted to clear the game, but somehow Geeou knew that answer wouldn't be sufficient for the viscount, either from an NPC behavior standpoint or a moral standpoint. Kirito looked thoughtful, clearly trying to find the best way of phrasing his answer. Finally, the black-haired swordsman responded.
"We seek to escape Aincrad and liberate the many who are unable to fight for themselves and are trapped here." Kirito explained. "When we met you, we saw that your people were just as imprisoned as we are. Call it kindred spirits, but we believe that only together can we accomplish this."
The viscount smiled at this answer and Geeou let out a sigh of relief. Bringing his sword to bear, the viscount led the two of them outside into the hall. "Then let us fight together, friends. I, Viscount Yofilis, will do what I can to fend off this cowardly attack and bring both our peoples closer to liberation!"
Geeou couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly at the overdramatic declaration, but if it meant that they'd have some help with the battle outside, he was willing to sit through the melodrama. Yofilis certainly proved his mettle in taking out an assassin by himself, when it had taken the joint teamwork of himself and Kirito to take one out themselves.
Without missing a beat, the trio ran out of the room and sprinted down the hallway. As they descended down a flight of stairs, Geeou could start to hear the sounds of battle outside much more clearly. Based on what little he was able to hear, the front line had been breached and Kizmel was trying to pick up the pieces.
In other words, time was of the essence.
Geeou looked over to Kirito, whose expression indicated he'd heard the commotion outside as well. "We need to hurry."
"We're almost there." Kirito stated, his voice firm and intense. "Get ready."
Geeou nodded and drew his longsword. He was ready to attack the first Forest Elf he saw once they joined the fray. He glanced up at his HUD to check on everyone's conditions. Fortunately, no one was in any serious danger, with Leonn having the lowest health bordering on yellow; that meant little given how absolutely beefy the maul user's health pool was.
Before he knew it, Geeou found himself, Kirito, and Yofilis in the courtyard, a chaotic melee raging forth in front of them. The Renegades were split into two teams in the battle, with the more nimble fighters performing hit-and-run tactics while the slower, more tanky fighters were methodical in demolishing any obstacles in their way. Situations like this reminded Geeou of just how diverse and well-balanced their group really was. He looked toward Yofilis as the viscount raised his sword high.
"To me! Time to send these vile cretins back to the forests where they belong! For Castle Yofel and for the glory of Lyusula!" Yofilis roared, his voice booming and echoing through the courtyard.
The effect his presence had on the battlefield was instantaneous, drawing out a fervor among the Dark Elves. Geeou glanced up at the raid name plates and saw that everyone had several combat buffs in place just from the viscount's rallying cry.
The tide immediately began to shift as the defending forces started pushing the Forest Elves out of the front gate and down towards the waterfront. Naturally, Kizmel and the Renegades were taking the lead on the counteroffensive. Liz and Leonn pushed forward with their natural defense and bulk, respectively. Geeou, Nautilus, and Kirito were right behind them taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by their tanks. Yuna, Silica, and Asuna used their speed and agility to flank the sides, and Sinon stood comfortably back to snipe any unsuspecting stragglers. While Kirito's group and Geeou's group had only been together as a guild for about a week and the overall dynamic was changing, they still worked together well enough and fought as a team.
Within minutes, the Forest Elves had been pushed back to the docks, where the few survivors scrambled back onto their ships and hurriedly left. There was a resounding cheer that echoed across the docks which quickly spread up towards the main castle proper. Geeou looked up at his HUD to see that the quest had updated, which now read [(Completed) Defend Yofel Castle.]
With the tension dying down, all nine Renegades found each other again and reunited with Kizmel.
"That was easier than I thought." Geeou said, putting his hands on his hips.
Everyone except Kirito seemed to frown at this, with Liz choosing to voice her objection to this particular opinion. "Easy? I don't know what you and Kirito were doing, but we had to fight tooth and nail to hold the line while you two were off gallivanting through the castle."
"Indeed, this battle was hard fought." Kizmel agreed, glancing over at Liz with an appreciative smile. She looked over to Kirito and Geeou. "Nonetheless, we appreciate your efforts in bringing the viscount into the battle. It turned out to be just the morale boost we needed."
"Didn't help that there were elite npcs we had to fight." Nautilus interjected, earning the ashen-haired swordsman some panicked looks from at least half the party. "...What?"
Asuna leaned over and whispered in his ear. "We're still introducing Kizmel to gaming terms since she…you know…"
"I'm what?" Kizmel asked, her sharp elven ears clearly having picked up Asuna's warning. She looked mildly affronted by the implication.
"You're not familiar with our customs and our dialect." Leonn said, eliciting a sigh of relief from some members of the group. "We don't want to overwhelm you with some of the words and terms we use and lose you in the conversation."
"Oh." Kizmel said, looking surprised at Leonn's explanation before she smiled.. "I appreciate the consideration, but like I told Asuna, I do wish to learn more of your people and your ways. Please don't feel the need to simplify or censor yourselves for my sake."
"Well, in that case we should probably define some of those terms for you." Leonn explained. "You've heard us refer to other humans as players, yes? Well, NPC stands for 'non-player character' so we use that to refer to any non-players we encounter."
Kizmel furrowed her brow at the explanation, and looked mildly displeased. "So you call everything that is not a human an NPC then?"
"...Not exactly." Leonn tried to recover. "In hindsight, it sounds more derogatory than it actually is. There are some humans that we call NPCs as well. We use the term 'player' to describe humans who are not native to Aincrad."
"I think I understand." Kizmel said thoughtfully. "Am I to assume that 'elite' refers to the status of an individual?"
"Correct." Leonn replied. "It simply refers to an NPC that is more difficult to defeat than usual."
Geeou couldn't believe what he was hearing. Leonn was actually attempting to explain gamer terminology to an NPC. What was even more confounding was that she was understanding. He looked around to gauge his guildmates' reactions to the conversation unfolding in front of them. Yuna and Nautilus looked just as dumbfounded as he was, whereas Silica had already let her attention wander elsewhere as she played with Pina. Much to his surprise, Asuna, Sinon, Liz, and Kirito didn't look phased in the slightest. In fact, Kirito looked rather distracted as he scrolled through his menu, focused on something else.
"I see." Kizmel mumbled. "Your dialect is indeed strange, but in a way it makes sense. Thank you, Leonn."
"Of course." Leonn said with a slight bow of his head. "Anytime, Kizmel."
"Well, shall we head back to the castle?" Kizmel surveyed the group before she started walking back towards the courtyard. "I imagine you all must be tired after such an ardent defense."
"Some rest and dinner sounds good." Asuna sighed. "I've been working on a new recipe if you're all willing to test it out. I think I'm getting close to creating flavors and dishes close to Japanese cuisine."
"Ooh!" Silica exclaimed. "I wanna try!"
"I would be very interested in trying some of the food from your homeland." Kizmel said with a gleam in her eye.
It had been so long since Geeou tasted Japanese cuisine, he found himself salivating at the thought of it. He'd gotten so used to Aincrad's meaty and bready flavors that the thought of a nice bowl of noodles or sushi was almost unbearably mouth-watering.
Oh, how he missed something as simple as rice.
"O-oh, I'm flattered, Kizmel." Asuna stammered out, clearly not expecting the sudden praise and interest in her cooking. "I'm still working on it though, so it might not be exactly like Japanese food."
"Well, I'm willing to give it a try." Leonn chuckled. "I'm starving!"
As the group of ten neared the courtyard itself, they were met by Viscount Yofilis, who was accompanied by some elven soldiers. He gave a deep bow to the Renegades as they approached.
"I must thank you again for your assistance. I fear without your help, the castle might have fallen" The viscount said with a surprising amount of humility, Geeou noticed. It seemed this npc's behavior was always exaggerated one way or the other. Either incredibly confident or incredibly humble. There was no middle ground, apparently. "Please, allow us to treat you to a feast as thanks."
Geeou looked over at Asuna, who was trying her best not to look disappointed by the offer. He couldn't blame her; he was looking forward to trying her imitation Japanese food as well, but it would be rude to turn down the offer of a free meal from their Dark Elven hosts. Leonn and Silica looked similarly disappointed, but the former was doing a better job of hiding it than the latter.
"Shit." Kirito suddenly muttered before closing his menu and looking towards the viscount. "I'm afraid we'll have to pass on the offer, viscount."
"What? Why?" Geeou found himself asking aloud, much to his own surprise. Everyone else, including Kizmel and Yofilis, looked baffled that the swordsman would turn down a meal like this.
Kirito turned to the rest of the Renegades. "Argo just messaged me. The other guilds found the floor boss and are about to engage."
"What?!" The Renegades collectively shouted.
"Why would they attack now?!" Asuna practically shouted. "Why aren't they calling a meeting first?!"
"According to Argo, Kibaou and Lind pushed to go ahead and start the fight now since every other guild was already in the labyrinth with them at the time." Kirito said while gritting his teeth. "Fuurinkazan and the Braves tried to convince them to wait for us but the ALS and DKB each out-numbered and out-voted them. They had to go along with the plan just so they could help prevent anyone from dying."
"That's reckless!" Nautilus exclaimed, earning nods of agreement from Yuna and Sinon. "Gah, I say let 'em. If they think they can take it on by themselves, let them try."
"How can you say that?" Silica said, looking noticeably offended by the suggestion. "We're Clearers! We should be there with them!"
Leonn had a finger up to his chin in thought. "No, no. He's got a point."
"Not you, too." Liz grumbled, glaring up at Leonn.
"I don't like it either, but by the time we get there, it'll be over already." Leonn explained. "We're nine people. Between the ALS, the DKB, Fuurinkazan, and the Braves, we're just a drop in the bucket. That's not even counting the smaller guilds and solo players who are probably in there with them."
"Damn it." Kirito said, brow furrowed and fists clenched. "They better hope there are no special abilities that thing has."
Yofilis walked forward, grabbing everyone's attention. "I'm afraid you are correct, Kirito. Do they know about the floor guardian's ability to flood its lair?"
"Wait, what?" Sinon deadpanned. "It can flood its lair?"
"Yes, I am afraid so." Kizmel admitted, her face solemn and serious. "If you all didn't know about it, I doubt that they do or know how to counteract it."
"Kirito, we should message - " Asuna started before she was cut off by Kirito.
"Already on it." Kirito said, typing out a message. After several seconds of typing, he pressed the button to send, only for his eyes to fly wide open with anger. "Damn it! Message didn't go through. Argo probably followed them inside and they can't receive messages while in the labyrinth or the boss room."
"Shit." Leonn grumbled. "We're gonna have to go save them ourselves."
"Not alone, you're not." Kizmel said, causing all nine Renegades to stop and stare at her with looks of surprise and awe. Kizmel looked towards Yofilis and gave a stiff salute. "Requesting permission to go with our human allies to help save their comrades and vanquish the floor guardian, sir."
"Permission granted, Kizmel." Yofilis said with a nod and a salute of his own. He turned around and faced the half dozen Dark Elf soldiers who still remained in the courtyard. What the viscount said next was yet again a complete and total shock to the players present. No one could have imagined this was possible, but yet it was happening anyway. That's not to say that it was unwelcome. To the contrary, what came next was easily the best piece of news that day.
"In fact, I will go as well. Since we cannot treat them to a feast, we shall repay them as they have done for us! To battle, Dark Elves of Lyusula!" Yofilis roared. "Prepare our swiftest vessels! Tonight, we will put an end to the floor guardian's reign of terror and repay our debt to those who saved us this day!"
Geeou smiled from ear to ear, as did the rest of the Renegades. If the viscount himself was going to be helping, then the raid group was probably going to receive the same buffs that they'd seen earlier. Geeou had never fought a floor boss before, but he imagined that this, along with the information about the flooding mechanic, would mean the difference in the fight to come.
He only hoped they'd get there in time.