Asuna
The fight against the Gleam Eyes went very bad all too quickly.
As soon as Primus gave the command, the large minotaur swung its giant blade while Asuna and Kirito were processing Primus' speech. It hit them both hard, and since the Soul Translators don't mask pain, she felt every firing nociceptor as she flew from the ninety-fifth floor to Centoria. The only reason she's alive is that she used the force of wind elements against the ground to change her trajectory and land on her feet and knees.
She's either in the western or northern city, and she has no idea where Kirito is, only that he was hit in a different direction...and now that she has some time to reflect on Primus' words...the Integrity Knights were just turned into minions, and on both sides of the Eastern Gate. She knows the Dark Territory is under attack, and now the new development is chaotic on both sides. How is Jaymes acting? Will he protect his new home or join Asuna and Kirito against Primus?
The dimness of the candlelit street darkens as a shadow covers her, leading to an unnatural crash a few mels in front of her. Hearing the screams of civilians and the few soldiers that direct them, Asuna looks up and straightens up while the snarling bull-human hybrid flashes its blue eyes down on her. "...The one time Kirito isn't chased down, it's now." Asuna points her sword at the ground, using the goddess's ability to manipulate the earth to split the ground underneath Gleam Eyes' feet. With a confused grunt and wail, the monster slips into the gap. Feeling relieved, she waves her sword again to close the gap and crush the beast.
For a moment, she believed she felt some resistance but chalked it up to the slight headache she was experiencing. But as she continues, the strain doesn't increase-but the gap isn't closing as smoothly as it should. "Ughhhh...come onnnn!"
"GRAAAAARGHHHH!"
Is... Is Gleam Eyes still alive, not descending into the depths, and pushing against the closure? Yes, it is, reappearing with a great leap into the air. As it flies, it eyes Asuna and twirls, swinging its huge sword in a spin. She backsteps in time to avoid the sword's sharp edge but not the flying debris. Dropping back farther to get some breathing room, the young woman cycles through memories of her battle with Kirito, Jaymes, Fuurinkazan, and the Aincrad Liberation Army against the monster.
None of them are helpful.
Meanwhile, she hears a few more distance roars...those have to be the minions and other apostles. Those are more important and vastly more dangerous than The Gleam Eyes. One, the minotaur is focused solely on Asuna, and the Guardian Army could assist her if need be. The minions will hunt down all humans they encounter, and no one except those without the Seal of the Right Eye can fight them. That's not even one percent of the population of Centoria. She has to inform the soldiers. "Hey! Spread the word across any soldiers you find! Do not try to fight the minions. The Integrity Knights are inside! Defend if you must, but do not attack! Ignore all other monsters as well! Continue evacuation efforts!"
The soldiers didn't need any other explanation. They understand the Taboo Index forbids hurting another human without just cause. She doesn't know if defending oneself is just cause in Administrator's system, but if a duel doesn't disobey the Index, defending one's life shouldn't either. They receive her orders well and continue evacuation efforts with haste.
"Now, as for you... You're mine, Gleam Eyes." Gleam Eyes responds with a snarl and charges Asuna. She lowers her stance and parries the monster's slice with the sword skill Linear. Her opponent stumbles slightly, enough for Asuna to strafe to her left and stab at the level of Gleam Eyes' right knee. It roars in pain, swiping its clawed off-hand at her. She leans back, low enough to avoid the pointed ends of the fingers, and in the same motion, rises back up and slashes the hand.
If Asuna could see Gleam Eyes' life points like a typical HUD, she's suspect she's only done about five percent of damage. She knows there's little shot of her defeating it all by herself. She just needs to hold out until Kirito can find and join her.
That was the plan until a crash from behind catches her attention...and the sounds of a hundred feet. She doesn't hear the screams as her head whips around, her pupils dilating in disbelief. Those feet belong to a large skeletal centipede-like creature, its skull facing Asuna with blood-red eyes. Every limb, from its two arms to the numerous legs and even its short ribs, pointed at the end, spells death at every angle.
How could she forget this creature? She was the first to spot it all those years ago in the dungeon room. It killed twenty-four players, fourteen just mere hours before SAO ended. It was the final boss of their run of SAO, not including Heathcliff: the guardian of the seventy-fifth floor, The Skull Reaper.
Like their forms in SAO, Gleam Eyes and Skull Reaper are acting irregularly. Despite the people around them both running for their lives in fear, they have only one target on their minds: Asuna. Trapped between both monsters, Asuna has to make a quick decision. Unfortunately, neither entity is interested in giving her that chance as they charge toward her.
An idea pops into her head. She points her blade at Skull Reaper and swings it upward. The road underneath the center of its body is upheaved with great force, causing the Reaper to grunt as the lower half of its body is sent flipping over. Tapping the ground underneath her feet, she utilizes it as a spring to send her airborne and out the way of the falling skeleton. Gleam Eyes, however, is not so lucky.
Mid-flight, Asuna watches as the flipped Skull Reaper's lower half slams down on Gleam Eyes' entire body. She can't help but feel proud of that plan, but she doesn't spare a moment to think of the next step. She disabled both Gleam Eyes and the Skull Reaper for the moment, but they're far from defeated. Less importantly, she's worried about the destruction she just caused. The road is severely damaged, the buildings around the bosses are mostly destroyed, and if there was any human life in there... No, she cannot think like this. If it weren't for the evacuation leading people out of the city, she'd try to lead Gleam Eyes and Skull Reaper out of Centoria.
Landing with wind elements again, Asuna takes a deep breath and reassesses the situation in her mind. Integrity-Knight made minions, Ancient Apostles rising from her past...and she's sure, wherever Kirito is, he's in a similar situation. Same for Jaymes and Obsidia.
"roooOOOOOAAAAAAhhhhhhh!" Gleam Eyes managed to crawl out from under the writhing centipede, and it is angry. Locking eyes with Asuna, it sheathes its sword on its back and gets on all fours. With another grunt, it begins its charge towards Asuna. She prepares another sword skill to counter when she hears another cacophony of shouting, but instead of fear, this time it's filled with courage and thrills. Those sounds become armored humans, and they all pass by her with swords, bows, lances, and axes.
"Hey, look, a boss!"
"Wonder what loot it'll drop!"
"Let's beat it and find out!"
Asuna gasps as she realizes that these are not people of the Underworld but wayfarers created by data of players from the Seed Nexus. Medina's otherworld forces have arrived to aid in the fight, and unlike the Underworlders, they're not bound to the Seal of the Right Eye. That means they can fight the minions as well as the apostles.
With skills from the archers, Gleam Eyes' charge is impeded. It cries out as it stumbles to the ground in a daze, allowing the melee wayfarers to charge in to attack. Skull Reaper made its way back to its feet, distracted by the wayfarers coming its way. So Primus did not solely designate the Apostles to attack Asuna and the boys, but anyone who was not of this world.
She hates to do it, but she must abandon the wayfarers for now. Her eyes turn back to the tower in the center of the city. Her mind focused on the man who was taking residence at its peak. If wayfarers reinforce Kirito, he will make the top of the Central Cathedral his next target. Jaymes is certainly already there, waiting for them.
Yet she doesn't get far when a flash of light is seen in her peripheral vision. She dodges it at the last second but falls to the ground, then starts to roll as flaming projectiles are shot her way. Once she gets back to her knees, Asuna draws her sword and glances in the direction she believes both the light and the flames to come from, then curses her luck. She landed in North Centoria, and two of the five knights they learned were here are now walking down the street, weapons drawn.
"Fanatio, Deusolbert..." The humanoid minions don't respond to their names, but their weapons rise, pointed in her direction. She hears the mechanized sound and the appearance of the holographic panels from Deusolbert's Conflaguration Bow. She's stunned by the fact, despite given their new forms, that the knights still can perform Perfect Weapon Control (hell, even weaponize the Divine Objects in general) that her body freezes in place. Deusolbert's body becomes entrapped in flames as Fanatio's Heaven Piercing Sword is held skyward, illuminating the dark sky with a beam of light.
Both knights attack at once that Asuna cannot make a move. She can't escape Fanatio's beam of light, but if she could, there's no escape from the flames Deusolbert casts. Either way, her body will be melted or roasted to her death. Still, she doesn't give up. Once more, she calls on Stacia's power, rising slates of concrete between her and the two powers encroaching upon her. It's futile as Fanatio's beam easily vaporizes the slates.
Closing her eyes, Asuna takes a deep breath and stands tall. She's fought hard tonight between Eva, the Ancient Apostles, and now these minions. Exhausted beyond relief, at least she accepts her fate on her feet.
Yet the light nor the flames ever reach her.
Asuna open her eyes, seeing a silhouette project a barrier around them. Without looking for the detail of her savior, she grips her sword and shoots out the barrier, leaping up upon a nearby roof and jumping from roof to roof back to Fanatio and Deusolbert's position. Once she's close to them, she jumps down and over the large, winged knight-minions, then slashes at the back of their legs. They fall with paired grunts, then Asuna manipulates the ground to bury the knights' bodies, leaving their snarling heads uncovered.
With a great sigh, she drops to a knee, taking deep breaths. The air in the northern city is filled with roars and shouts that she filters out in place of the footsteps approaching her. The figure drops to his knees and looks to the sky, looking quite tired as well. Despite her better self, she scoffs and slugs the figure's shoulder. "Thank you, Jaymes. But don't think I owe you for saving me."
"Oh, I wouldn't dare think it."
"Where's Kirito?"
"In the eastern city fighting a fish and a giant bug. I came from the north, so you were closer." He looks at the two knights, the pair trying to escape their earthly prisons. "So it happened here too. Sheyta and Eydis were turned as well. How did he do it?"
"The Piety Module, of course. I think he said something about it before all this happened. It is the only difference between them and a normal Underworlder." She rises to her feet and turns to her right, eyeing the white tower. "Primus is up there."
"...We need to face him now. The longer we prolong this...and we can't fight forever, nor can the wayfarers. I didn't get a chance to recharge. Medina's weak as is. Putting this much strain on her Fluctlight might kill her. Yet, it is the same result if we suffer a long fight against him. If I had Falchion, I could do something about the knights, maybe-"
"That's it!"
"What?"
"If you can get-" Asuna is interrupted by the sudden return of Gleam Eyes, the large minotaur slashing through the northern city without care. Though its face is clouded by debris, they can see its red eyes flash as it spots them.
"...Gleam Eyes? Really?"
"Yeah." Asuna picks up her sword, then glances at Jaymes, who holds his shield forward...with no sword, or one's that visible. "Where is your sword?"
"Well, I didn't want to keep using Bercouli's, and Primus has Falchion, remember?"
"No, he doesn't, not anymore."
Jaymes shrugs as he takes his stance. "Well, I didn't know that, okay? It doesn't matter. Here it comes!" They prepare themselves as Gleam Eyes sprints towards them with its giant sword. After a moment, however, they're distracted by a strange scent, that of roses, and a slight chill in the air from behind.
"Enhance Armament." On those words, ice skittles across the ground, forming thorns that wrap around and encapsulate Gleam Eyes. It goes beyond Gleam Eyes as if the entire northern city is under an ice storm. Asuna and Jaymes relax, then turn around to the source of the power.
"Good, you're okay."
"Had to steal our thunder, huh?"
"Nice to see you too." Kirito steps forward, keeping his swords in his hands as he looks at the frozen beast. "I used the power around the entire city of Centoria from here. I'm unsure how long the ice will hold the knights and the apostles. Primus' Incarnation may be empowering them. Jaymes, you need to recover Falchion."
"Where is it?"
"It fell off the ninety-fifth floor, so it must be somewhere around the northern side of it... Ronie and Tiese might know where it is."
"Good, because I have a plan of sorts," Asuna announces. "Jaymes, can you create resources?"
He crosses his arms. "Well, it's not 'creating,' more like 'converting.' You know, like the law of conservation of matter. Why?"
Kirito nods his head in understanding. "I used light elements to save the goblins earlier using resources from the sun. So if you can do that, I can do what I did to save the knights."
"I see..." He raises his right wrist, stepping away. "Ronie, Tiese, if you two can hear me now, I need the both of you to search for Falchion..." In the meantime, Asuna looks at Kirito, then to Gleam Eyes. The ice around him begins to crack, much like it did when PoH broke free during the Otherworlder War. Kirito sighs tiredly and prepares himself.
"Now, this time, we do this together."
Asuna smirks as she takes her stance. "Well, unless you got another bag of secret tricks, we fight and win together. But this time, I'm getting the last attack."
"You can get the second to last attack, Asuna," Jaymes says with a challenging smile upon his return. "Then again, as long as you don't, Kirito, it doesn't matter."
"In that case, I'll do my best."
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Asuna, Kirito, and Jaymes turn their attention to the Gleam Eyes as it breaks through its icy cage. It roars and stretches its limbs out, incinerating the area with a great blast as a fiery aura surrounds it. Jaymes holds his shield forward, creating a city-wall-like projection between the trio, the two trapped minions behind them, and the scorching flames that sizzle and flare up in the air.
When the area attack stops, Jaymes lowers the barrier. With a grand grin, he lowers his shield and raises his sword. "High risk, high thrill, heartless game."
"Jaymes, Asuna, let's go!" As Gleam Eyes snorting form appears through the surrounding blazing debris, Kirito flies out first. Gleam Eyes lunges forward to meet him, engaging in a three-sword clash broken up by the flying Jaymes. He bashes his shield down on the snort of the minotaur. Asuna leaps in the air, aiming for Gleam Eyes' chest and thrusting down. She misses as the beast rolls out the way.
Back on its feet, Gleam Eyes grab its sword and swing it at Jaymes, swatting the emperor like a fly in the direction of the great cathedral. Kirito keeps his worries down and attacks the right leg of the minotaur. It grunts angrily as it temporarily takes a knee and performs an overhead slash at Kirito. The dual swordsman blocks and counters with an all-element summoning beam attack. Gleam Eyes growls as the beams strike at different parts of its body, then howls as Asuna impales its right foot with a concrete pillar using her godly power.
If they can take out both legs, they can immobilize Gleam Eyes. "Asuna! Get the other-wooooaaah!" Grabbed by his leg mid-air, Kirito is spun around and thrown hard to the ground. Before he can recover, he feels a half-human-sized knee rammed into his liver and abdomen, further knocking him across the damaged North Centoria.
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"Kirito, Lady Asuna."
"Ronie, we don't have time! Help me!"
Ronie turns away from the distant fight between one of the Ancient Apostles and the otherworld warriors, her attention now on Tiese and the downed Jaymes. She leaps down and helps pick up a large stone slab off the red-robed warrior, holding it long enough for her friend to pull him out. Whatever hit he took knocked him halfway unconscious and wounded him severely. No, she's seen him hit hard before by both man and beast; not all these wounds are fresh. Whatever he got from fighting Kirito over an hour ago, then Noxium and Stella from less than thirty minutes up until a couple of minutes ago, he hasn't fully healed those wounds.
It's probably worse than that. Knowing his ability, he more than likely expended resources he could use and his stamina as a power source for his spells in the Dark Territory but hasn't had ample time to recover. Meanwhile, Asuna may have fought as long as Jaymes did, even longer perhaps, but she's in the resource-plenty Human Empire; Kirito hasn't fought as hard or long as the other two. If Jaymes, in his condition, keeps on fighting, not even the strongest Incarnation in the world can stop what could result-his death.
She feels a wet heat trickle down her cheek but pays it no attention as she holds Jaymes' pale face. "Jaymes... You have to stop fighting, or you're going to die..."
Despite the distracting roars, Tiese tries to focus on healing Jaymes. "Ronie, what are we going to do? Can Kirito and Asuna take on that monster alone, plus the others in the city?"
Ronie wanted to say yes so badly, but the words escaped her. She hears the great monster's roar, and a thick purple beam comes from its mouth, matched only by the Swordsman Delegate's counterattack. Kirito eventually loses out and is sent flying back out of sight. Its attention turns to Asuna, who dodges out the way of its sword blocks before unleashing throwing pillars of earth at the monster. It cuts throw all of them in consecutive strikes, the last hit landing and hitting on Asuna hard to knock her to the ground. Gleam Eyes rushes her, but the goddess of creation rolls away and slashes at the red-eyed beast's right wrist, severing the hand from the rest of the limb and removing its sword from play.
The beast wails and shoots another purple beam at Asuna, knocking her away for the moment. Ronie watches in horror as the flames around the beast grow more intense to the point that it's hard to look at. This one, she can tell, is stronger than the Taboo Knight, quite possibly stronger than any Ancient Apostle she's seen before. This one was brought for the sole purpose of killing Kirito, Asuna, and Jaymes.
What are they going to do?
"Ronie... Falchion..."
Falchion. The sword fell from the upper levels of the cathedral and landed on the northern balcony the girls were located as the monsters appeared. Ronie had no idea what to do with it until Jaymes told her and Tiese to get as close as possible to the current battle so he could retrieve it. She hears his weak voice, her hand reaching for the golden sword dropped at her side. She looks between him and the sword, then shakes her head. "No, Jaymes, you can't. You'll die!"
"Yeah, this body will die, but I'll be fine. But I won't...see any of you again, probably. This means they're going to be pissed at me." Jaymes smiles to himself as he manages to grab onto Falchion and uses it as a lever to get to his feet. Neither girl stops him from standing, barely able as he is. "You two...stay friends with Ilia. Become excellent Integrity Knights, and live your lives to the fullest... Especially you, Ronie."
"M-me?"
He looks over his shoulder and nods. "Yeah... He'll never return your feelings. You're far from the first girl to fall from that guy. But you are his best student, someone he cares plenty for, someone that even Asuna cares for. Keep the both of them out of as much trouble as possible, 'kay? And Tiese... Eugeo is always with you, in here." He points to his heart several times. "No matter the circumstances around it, I know that you love Renly for Renly. Don't let the past hang your mind up for the future...that advice comes from experience. I've been like that, and it only leads to more pain. Move forward."
"...G-got it."
"...Anything to say to anyone else?"
"...Tell Ilia and Mia I'm proud of them. Tell Eydis we'll meet again, though she may not recognize me. And tell Medina...I'm sorry."
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I can feel my strength waning as I try to hold myself up. Yeah... I'm probably going to die, not from overusing the sacred arts, but from the pure exhaustion of my fluctlight. I didn't give my body enough time to absorb enough resources, so by the time I rushed to Centoria, I was back to using my stamina. It was low to begin with after coming from a tough fight with Noxium and overdoing it trying to save Eydis and Sheyta.
If I don't survive, I have no choice but to leave the rest to Kirito and Asuna.
I raise Falchion to eye-level, analyzing the cold steel of the blade to the stone-encrusted golden hilt. My longtime partner in this world reunited at last, and this may be our last rodeo. With a soft smile, I raise it with one hand, turning my eyes on the Gleam Eyes. As I do, I close my eyes, letting a single image shape my mind.
But it is not an image of my making, but of those around me, starting from that fateful day four years ago until now. The image of me that became Koharu's beloved partner, Kirito and Asuna's entrusted friend, a trusted sword and shield for Klein and Agil, an older brother to Silica, a comrade in treasure hunting with Rain, Strea, and Philia, and for Lisbeth to place her armor on. I take the image of me that's Sinon's close confidant, Kureha's childhood friend, Rei's master, and for the others, the trusted captain of Crimson Squad. I adopt the image of me, Mia's teacher, the leader of a human and demihuman society, and the love of Medina and Eydis. I take the image of me that is the hope of my father's dream and the unrealized potential that a game creator took note of in his world.
Joshua Hardin. Crimson Warrior. Lucky Red. Lord of Knights. Emperor of the Dark Territory. They all are different parts of me at different times of my life, but they meld into one being: this "Integral Factor" Kayaba spoke of. I release that image will all my willpower.
I open my eyes and am covered in my all-too-familiar red tunic and black pants, tapping my right foot to get a feel for the dark leather boots. I feel my strength return to me for this one moment, then aim my burning red eyes at the Gleam Eyes. "The sacred stones of the Underworld that bind and blaze this sword to my fate..."
As if he knows what I plan on doing, I hear Kirito's voice echo in the night sky. "Enhance Armament and Release Recollection!" The dark blade in his right hand becomes a swirl of purplish-black energy that is slammed down on the monster, then the pale-blue sword sends ropes of ice towards Gleam Eyes' limbs, binding and freezing them solid. The heavens burst open, and angels sing as the earth reinforces the ice, restricting the Gleam Eyes even further.
Now it's my turn. Falchion has to work... It has to. "Awaken and give me the power to defeat the echoes of evil and trail a path of radiance for good! Enhance Armament!" Falchion alights, and I'm thrown forward in a straight line for the uncovered torso of the monster. "Hiiiiiiyyyyyaaahhhhh!" Blade meets flesh, and Gleam Eyes trashes and howls. I hear the earth and ice breaking as his aura starts fluctuating, a sign of its will, of Primus' will to kill the three of us. I try thrusting Falchion in a bit more when several sharp sensations cause me to yelp.
It dug its left-hand nails into my abdomen, which hurts so much...but I can't give up. I fight myself to maintain my strength and consciousness as I turn to Kirito and Asuna, both of who look at me, stunned and speechless. I know I may not survive this and what'll come of it. I wish I could say otherwise, but my mind now is on the mission. "This is our one shot, Kirito! Get... Get ready!"
I turn to Gleam Eyes, frowning as I pool the rest of my will into my right arm until the entire blade is inside him. "...Release Recollection! Connect Adjacent to Like Units... Convert All to Resources!"
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Kirito
Gleam Eyes begins to flash white rapidly, with multicolored beams shooting out its mouth and eyes. With a final, defeated wail, Aincrad's seventy-fourth guardian burst into a thousand speckles of white light. That's what he can see; what he can't see is the body of his friend.
He told him not to waste time. "Asuna, find him! Quickly!" Kirito turns his attention to the dark sky and shoots up, following the trail of resources. Gleam Eyes is not the only one; in each part of the capital city, other trails are heading for the heavens. Understanding what Jaymes commanded, he linked all the Ancient Apostles together and converted their forms to resources instead of deleting them, regardless of how much Life they had.
Now it is his turn. Going as high as necessary above the apex of the cathedral, Kirito raises the Night-Sky Sword. "Release Recollection!" The blade expands to a large, blade-shape projection, quickly absorbing all the fleeting resources. Once he has accumulated them all, Kirito swings the blade in a circle above the four cities, using the resources as light elements and sprinkling them around. If it works as it did in the mansion, the minions of the Human Empire should return to normal; whatever elements don't hit a minion are directed at people. He then points east towards Obsidia and shoots elements in that direction for Eydis and Sheyta.
Descending back to the ground, Kirito searches for Asuna in the middle of the destruction. He finds her surrounded by Ronie and Tiese. Asuna has Jaymes resting his head on her knees as they all sit on the ground. He sets his feet on the ground, nods to the apprentices, then faces the red warrior. "Ah, you're still alive."
"I had a few Life points left, but Asuna became stingy and wouldn't let me die."
"He started spouting the most ridiculous stuff too, like how it'd be a heroic death. I almost allowed it, but the only person who gets to kill you is me, got it?"
"Uh-huh, you're doing a good job with this pitiful thigh pillow. What's with your legs?"
"This probably the best one you're gonna get, given your choices of women."
"...Hey, they all have great thighs... Anyway, Kirito, did you do it?"
Kirito smiles and lightly punches Jaymes' shoulder. "That's for commenting about Asuna again. And yeah. Eydis and Sheyta should be fine as well. Anyone else who was injured should be healing too."
Jaymes nods and relaxes, dropping his head on Asuna's shoulder. "Thank you.
Asuna sighs as though the world's weight is off her shoulders then glances up towards the cathedral. "It's not over, though."
"No, it isn't."
"Think he'll give us a breather?"
"Nah." Kirito stands and looks at his students. "Ronie, Tiese... I have no orders to give, to be honest. I suggest you regroup with Fanatio and Deusolbert and explain the situation to them. The three of us will deal with Primus."
Ronie nods. "Kirito, Jaymes, Lady Asuna... Be careful."
"And come back alive, all of you." Together, the two girls run off. As they disappear, Kirito sheathes his swords and helps Asuna and Jaymes to their feet. He looks at Jaymes, who holds his abdomen with a wince.
"Can you fight? Just because we can heal wounds doesn't mean you cannot feel them for a while. This isn't SAO or other games."
He nods as his outstretched hands catch Falchion and sheathe the blade on his back. "If this was SAO, we'll all be dead. Don't worry; I can fight. I fought Administrator battered like this."
"Yeah, I'll give you that. But I fought her with one arm."
"Oh, that just inspires confidence from the both of you." Asuna rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Anyway... we should head to the hundredth floor. Let's end this fight here and now." Jaymes nods and waves his hand, invoking his teleportation art.
"I'll take us to the ninety-ninth and assess our next move before we confront the bastard."
"Sounds good to me. We're going in with no plan, after all."
"Indeed... And there's no going back, you two. We have to protect the Underworld here and now."
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Medina
She can sense the feelings of the wayfarers on both sides of the mountain. Somehow, the otherworlders have won the fight against the Ancient Apostles. However, her concentration is not on the world around her but on a strange void of linear, traveling lights and encapsulating darkness. There's no temperature, sound, or sensations, just light and darkness.
Medina has been traveling this void for Stacia knows how long, but she finally found something of note. Just ahead of her is a pair of lights, one shaped in the form of a young, black-haired girl in a white dress, the other a girl with purple hair and the same color armor. They stare at three separate lights underneath her. Figuring this is who she was told to seek, Medina "swims" over to the girls and taps the younger of the pair on the shoulder. "You're Yui, aren't you?"
Startled, the girl looks at Medina in shock and fright. "Wh-who are you?"
"A friend of Kirito, Asuna, and Jaymes. But there's no time to explain." Medina reaches her hand to the young girl, making her plea. "Jaymes told me to find you; if I did, you have to help me help them."
Yui looks at the hand apprehensively, then to the purple-haired girl beside her before saying, "How... How can I help Moma, Papa, and Uncle?"
Medina turns her attention to the trio of lights Yui was watching over. She's only seen one of them, but she knows who the other two are from how Jaymes described them. "We need the goddesses back. We need Koharu, Sinon, and Leafa back by any means possible..."
Yui looks to Strea, who nods back to the smaller girl. "In that case, we can't refuse Jaymes. I cannot do so."
"Then let's try our best, Strea."