If you came to the story here, but haven't read Ch. 13 (doing a double upload today) I suggest you go back first. If you're coming from Ch. 13, keep right on.


Lockiss Rocks, Norlangarth

"Indeed. I know everything about House Orthinanos. By the order of the Pontifex, I served House Orthinanos for many years. Come, savior! Let us return Her Excellence to life!"

While I (and the rest of the group, including Sortiliena, Tiese, and Ronie, who I successfully told the truth before we headed out from Centoria) are stupified by the man's claim, Medina looks at this Hersyrian in confusion. "Isn't she sleeping? What's this about resurrection?"

"No. Her Excellence has been killed. Her corpse lies unreachable on the top floor." What? No… Cardinal said her body became the Cathedral Cedar!

Medina turns her glare to the Integrity Knights. "But the Integrity Knights didn't say anything."

"You," I call out, hoping to drive the focus back on Hersyrian, not his truthful accusations. "What do you want?"

"How pitiful," Hersyrian says to Medina. "Surely your ancestors look upon you with grief."

"Why would they?"

"You collude with felons and believe their lies spread in the name of the Church."

"The Anti-Cedar Task Force is harboring felons?"

"Allow me to answer your question... The one who killed the Pontifex is none other than the one known as Kirito."

I am so ready to throw myself on this man. "How dare you!"

"Lies," Medina shouts. "Kirito would never kill the Pontifex! He never met her!"

Hersyrian chuckles. "Now that you are here, I need not worry any longer! I knew House Orthinanos would someday lead the people as the right hand of the Pontifex! The time has come for you to fulfill the prophecy! I implore you to take my hand!"

"I will!" I swing my sword for Hersyrian's hand, but he retracts it before I could sever it. In doing so, I cause him to step away from Medina and I stand between her and him. "Don't you dare lay a hand on her."

"And you lie," she retorts. "Am I supposed to believe you so easily? Bercouli himself entrusted me with the extermination of these beasts. The one who uses lies to mislead the Axiom Church is none other than you!"

"Hahahaha! Such noble eloquence… You remind me of Miriam Orthinanos, the fifth head."

Medina gasps. "How do you know that name? Even within our house, there is scarce record of it!

"It is as I said, I know everything about House Orthinanos."

"I've never heard of a 'Senate Representative' before," Alice comments.

"Yeah," Eydis pitches in, "and we had to deal with that idiot Chudelkin. Yet we never seen or heard of you."

"Aren't you the one assuming false titles here?"

Hersyrian glares at the knights. "Haha! You've gotten quite cocky for puppets! I will withdraw for now. You will find yourself on the correct path in time. I'll be seeing you again… My savior. System Call: Generate Umbral Element! Form Mist Shape! Discharge!"


"Alice, Eydis, are you sure there's no such position as a Senate Representative?"

Alice shrugs. "As far as I know, it does not. So he's lying, or…"

"Or he was created by a Clamp like the giants. But he looks like a normal human."

"Even more, he said he wanted to resurrect the Pontifex. If he was from a Clamp, there's no chance he would know of that, right?"

I have to agree with Sortiliena. We're dealing with someone who knows more than we do… I turn my head in the direction of the Cathedral Cedar, tightening my lips. Kirito apparently didn't finish the job, however possible that is. Then again...I know a dead man who has immortalized himself, so it doesn't surprise me too much, but then what is the Cathedral Cedar?

And Medina… I lower my sight to her as the girl talks to herself. She's in shock to the revelations, and I don't know if I should further her shock. Yet… "Jaymes. I want to ask you something."

I close my eyes and sigh. "Go ahead."

"Kirito wasn't really the one who killed the Pontifex, was he? He and Eugeo...never saw her before the Cedar appeared?"

"...It's true."

Medina's eyes widens in shock. "I can't believe he would do such a thing! He must be lying! He even called defective Orthinanos his 'savior'!"

"It's true."

"What?"

"It's true. Kirito slayed the Pontifex, and Eugeo died in that fight."

Medina lowers her head away from me as I step in front of her. "No."

"The Pontifex had a plan that threatened the Human Empire, and she couldn't be swayed from it. So Kirito and Eugeo fought their way to the Pontifex and struck her down."

"How could he kill an absolute being like her?"

"Medina," Alice speaks up, "it's complicated, but I swear to you on my name as an Integrity Knight, Kirito acted in order to protect the people."

"Killing the Pontifex or anyone is a crime, yet you did it to protect people? Why? I don't understand! Who and what is right?"

Cardinal's belief that the realm couldn't handle the idea the Pontifex is dead is definitely correct, supporting my reason for not telling Medina. The only reason the others are fine is because I carefully told them the truth, starting with what Administrator planned on doing, but Medina's condition goes beyond adherence to the leader of the empire. She believed the Pontifex could restore her family's name through service, and now to have that ripped away...is tearing her fluctlight apart. "Medina, don't think about it now! I swear I'll explain everything once we're back in Centoria, but first, we have to find and save those kids!"

That calms her down a bit. "You… You promise?"

"On Matthew's name, I swear it."

"...Okay."

"Then let's follow Deusolbert. To the castle."


Our trip to the secret entrance leads us to a well in a ruined village. Taking a dip in the dried well took us to a beast-filled underground cavern, but the seven of us ventured through without much trouble. After flipping the switch to open the passage into the castle, we quickly find two weird facts about the castle.

One, it looks to be largely vacated despite the outward appearance, Not only is the lack of security appalling, but it is dark and. Granted, we are still near the secret passage, yet it doesn't comfort me one bit. Two, the first human we meet is not a guard nor royalty, but dressed as a servant.

"You! What are you doing in here?"

I fold my arms and lean on my left leg. "Same question to you."

"I am a servant of House Orecyan charged with caring for this place. Ugh, you damned worthless guards. I told you not to let anyone through."

Eydis steps forwards. "Orecyan? There's a carriage here, isn't there? There were some missing kids inside. I do recall it being against the Taboo Index to kidnap people."

"Against the Taboo Index? What are you talking about? I only followed my liege's orders. It was all for the sake for the imperial family."

"Your liege," Alice inquires. "The empress? But she's in the capital, not here."

The servant laughs. "You are right to have doubts. But it matters not to me. Serving the most exalted and graceful of leaders is all I need… Oh, Zappas! What perfect timing! Please deal with these pests." To our right comes a lady in a red and black attire, but what puts me on edge is her pale blonde hair, her blood red eyes, and her greyish skin.

"My, my. What are we doing here? You will receive my liege's teachings and become perfect little emperors. You don't have time to waste playing in a place like this."

"Teachings? What are you talking about?"

"Now, now, Grand Chamberlain Zappas will escort you. Let's hurry back to Her Majesty. Offer yourself to her and walk the path to becoming great emperors. Come, boys and girls."

Zappas isn't listening to us and it doesn't seem she will do so. I don't understand much about what she's saying either. But if she's offering to take us to Her Majesty, this might get us some answers without much fighting. "Oh, I just can't wait to be king. Okay, let's--"

Alice suddenly interrupts. "You! Where are the children? We came here in search of the missing children. Tell us where they are!"

"Alice!"

Zappas shakes her head with a sigh. "Another botched specimen."

Alice ignores me in place of Zappas. "Botched? That's quite the rude way to refer to me."

"My liege lost her son, but not hope. She is working hard to raise a new emperor. But not all of these children have blood of the caliber required. It's to be expected that there will be some failures. It seems locking them in the dungeon and punishing them doesn't work. Yet she is filled with love. She takes even such children under her wing. That's why I must dirty my hands for the glory of my liege the empress." Zappas draws her sword, preparing for battle.

"I doubt she's going to answer us," Alice says with a sigh as she takes hold of the Osmanthus Sword.

Eydis nods. "We'll just have to take her down." Sighing myself, I eye Ronie and Tiese and gesture to the butler, asking them to take him away. I want to question him once we dispose of Zappas and after I talk to Alice.

"Those who escape Her Majesty's control are beyond salvation. They are not human. I will dispose of them at once!" Zappas dashes forward, heading for Alice, but Eydis quickly intercepts and parries Zappas' sword. In one swing, Eydis activates her Enhance Armament and cuts through Zappas' sword, inflicting a wound on the grand chamberlain. Zappas, disarmed and hurt, is then knocked against the wall by Sortiliena, dropping on the ground in quick defeat. "Your… Majesty…"

As Zappas drops dead and combusts into atmospheric sacred power, the three girls in front of me sheathe their blades. The blonde one stares at the yellow particles evaporating in front of her. "I'm shocked she would try to kill us without even responding."

"No, she did not," I say sharply, causing Alice to face. "She was going to escort us to the empress, which would have sufficed in our mission for the time being, but you got in the way."

"Jaymes."

"No," I say as I hold a finger towards Eydis. "No, she needs to hear this. I've done things your way, Alice, but your way has made things more complicated. Because of you, because you didn't want to 'abuse' your authority, we couldn't save the children when we knew where they were all collected. I don't know how the Integrity Knights do things, but I am the leader here, as you, Medina, and Eydis chose when we started this. You don't have to agree with me, but don't overstep. If you wouldn't do it to Bercouli, don't do it to me, Alice."

Alice looks to retort, but bows her head in regret. "I… I am sorry if I caused you trouble. I didn't mean to."

Sighing, I realize I may have been too harsh. "Next time, just go along with what we're doing, and if you got a way that may work, offer it up before you enact it. Doing things on our own is not how a team works. We're all frustrated about the kids… Yet, saying all that, thanks to you move, we learned something. For her, the empress is more important than the Axiom Church or the Taboo Index."

"You k-k-killed her! You...killed a human!" Oh, so the servant does know of the Taboo Index? How ironic. You've violated the Taboo Index! The Integrity Knights will…"

Eydis angrily eyes the nobleman. "I am Eydis Synthesis Ten, this is Alice Synthesis Thirty, Integrity Knights of the Axiom Church."

"Integrity Knights? You?"

Alice nods. "Yes. As stated earlier, we have come in search of the missing children. Tell us what you know."

The man bows at the feet of the Integrity Knights. "I… I have been charged with caring for this place by the imperial family. One day I met the empress and Grand Chamberlain Zappas here in the old castle. Her Majesty said she would bring children for the imperial family."

"So it was Norlangarth's empress, right," Sortiliena asks.

"No. I did meet the empress at the old castle, but it wasn't the current one."

"So was it the previous empress?"

"No. I thought it was strange. However, I could not doubt Her Majesty. But why would she...to the castle? No, why was...alive…" The Orecyan servant balls up, unable to comprehend whatever is going on. "It's strange... Strange… Why? Why? WHY? HOW?"

"Don't think about it," Eydis commands.

"But I doubted the actions of an Integrity Knight."

"Let him go," I tell the knights. "We don't want him losing it like the giants." As Eydis and Alice release the man, I turn to Medina, Ronie, and Tiese. "The Clamp Core is here somewhere. This empress and Zappas seems to be the result of it. Ronie, Tiese, Liena, you'll go with Alice. Find and take care of it. The three of us will confront the empress and figure out where the children are."


"What the hell?" Eydis, Medina, and I enter the throne room, coming across an uncomfortable sight. Several kids, boys and girls, lay motionless across the carpet leading to the throne. They all have the same noticeable feature of pink hair and the same clothing. As we walk down, I notice the empress on the throne caressing one of the lost children. Seeing them in this condition boils my blood, but compared to Eydis, my anger is but ice.

"The children… What… What have you done to the children?"

The pink-haired woman eyes us coldly with her dark-blue eyes. "What is all this commotion?" She sets the child on the floor and sits comfortably in her throne, crossing her legs under her black dress. "You do not belong here. How did you find yourself here and for what? Well, never mind. My spirits are high today. Go. That is your only choice."

"We tracked the missing children to here. We will not accept your excuses."

"Of course you will," the standing empress says. "Because I am Kayode Norlangarth, fourth empress of the northern empire… "Oh, Alaud. Why are there so few children as perfect as you?"

I nod. "For a long-dead queen...she got a good body." Medina and Eydis face me and I quickly change mind and subject. So this Kayode, she is behind everything. The Orecyan's kidnappings. The children, different as they are, bearing the same features and converting to puppets. And who is this Alaud? "What did you do to the real children?"

"Did you not hear me? I believe I told you to leave my presence."

"Sorry, but I have a hard time listening to what women with pink hair say to me." Good going with the self burn, Joshua… Oh that really hurt to admit out loud, considering the two girls I'm torn between both have pink-haired avatars.

Kayode grits her teeth and eyes the doors of the room. "Zappas! Zappas! Remove these intruders at once!"

I believe we got rid of Zappas. Shame. "We aren't going anywhere until our questions are answered."

"I have spoken, yet you continue your insulting behavior!"

"Byproduct of hanging with defiant swordsmen and bossy vice-captains. Anything more?"

Kayode sighs. "I suppose this is a chance to show my pure and infallible kindness. Very well. I grant you the right to speak with me."

"Then let me ask you a question. Why did you kidnap the children?"

"Kidnap? Whatever do you mean? I simply collected children worthy of being my heir and raised them. However, all were found to be lacking and are in the midst of being punished. Flawed as they are, they are my children. I shall not abandon them."

"What about their real parents?"

"Real parents? There are none other than I. I shall not abide further jests!"

"Then who is the Alaud you spoke of? One of the kids you stole?"

That angers Kayode. "Insolent child! You would dare insult my Alaud? He is nothing like any of them! He is so much more than they could ever be! I nurtured Alaud in my own belly, brought him into this world, screaming and crying! Ohh, my beloved Alaud…"

So she has...well, in her original life, had a son. But that doesn't make sense. "Where is he, then? Why kidnap other people's children if you have your own? Why use Zappas and the other nobles to groom Norlangarthian children if--"

"Is there no end to your insipidity? You dare claim to know better than his mother?"

"Then where is he?"

"I can't yet… Zappas has searched the entire castle, but cannot find him. Oh, my beautiful Alaud! Where have you gone off to? All I wish...is to raise him into a man worthy of the throne… You worthless ruffians! Search for Alaud with Zappas! Should you find him, you will be handsomely rewarded."

I sigh. It's a dead end search, but maybe we can turn this in our favor. "Fine. If we find him, you will release the other children to their parents."

"Suit yourself. And you better find him. He is my dearest, dearest little boy."

I nod and lead the girls towards the doors quietly. Once the doors shut, it doesn't take long for Medina to voice her mind. "None of that makes sense, Are you sure we should be making deals with someone like her?"

I shrug. "It protects the kids for now. We just need to find this Alaud and get this over with. Alice and the others should have found the Core by now."

Eydis nods. "Then where should we start?"

"Assuming he's real, there may be imperial records that mention Alaud. Let's search for a library."


"Jaymes, check this out."

Eydis hands me a red book and points to a passage. "'Alaud is at the center of the succession dispute after Empress Kayode's death.' Hold on, what is this book?"

"A journal written by Grand Chamberlain Zappas. I just happened to flip to it. I wonder what it means."

When we met Zappas, I recall her skin color throwing me off. I've played many games by now, nevermind the intake of other forms of media, and a common way to indicate the state of a character is the condition of their skin color. Kayode has a similar pale grey coloration, and this book says she died. Orecyan's words… He remarked that he found it strange the empress was alive.

I spot Medina approaching us and think on the matter openly. "Medina, what is the number of the current ruler of Norlangarth?"

"Hmm, I believe either the eighth or the ninth. Why?"

"Kayode said she was the fourth. Assuming generations of royalty are every 30 to 40 years from one emperor to the next, Kayode to the current empress is at least 120 to 160 years ago. A story Alice heard spoke of children kidnappings about 150 years ago. But that means…" The doors to the library open, letting the rest of my team inside.

"We took care of the Clamp Core," Alice reports. "It was in the graveyard. Oh, and here's another seed."

I take the seed from Alice. "Thanks. And you said the graveyard? Good timing. Did you happen to look at the graves?"

Tiese nods. "Ronie and I did a little looking around. Why?"

"Kayode and Alaud Norlangarth. Did they have tombstones?"

The girls look at each other. "Kayode… Kayode… The fourth empress? Yes, we saw her tombstone."

"Does this have to do with the empress here at the castle," Sortiliena asks.

"Yes. And it confirms the impossible… The Clamps don't create life, but have the power of resurrection. Kayode was brought back into this world by the Clamp Core here at the castle. All the beasts associated with a Clamp we've faced were reborn."

Eydis gasps. "So the giants in Sothercrois…"

"They are from the Dark Territory, but not from this era. They breached the Southern Corridor many years ago and were defeated there."

Alice agrees. "The Corridor was repaired and the giants were revived on this side of the End Mountains. It adds up. That also explains where their memories came from, as absurd as it sounds."

"Wait," Tiese says, "is it possible to bring back someone from the dead. Because, if so…"

Knowing where she is going with that idea, I shake my head. "No. Not by normal means. And if it was possible, most likely he'd never be the Eugeo you remember him to be. Once your life hits zero, you're gone. Yet… Hersyrian believes it is possible… Administrator turned herself into the Cathedral Cedar, postponing the fading of her fluctlight. The others haven't gone that far."

"No wonder Orecyan was so perturbed," Sortiliena says. "Everything about this is insane. He forced himself to forget she's supposed to be dead.

I turn back to Ronie. "What about Alaud?"

"I don't remember seeing his tombstone."

Eydis picks up the book she found and keeps reading. "'Alaud eventually lost the battle and was stripped of his nobility and exiled.' Well, that explains why you didn't find it."

"So where did he go after that?"

Ronie's question is a good one, but I don't believe that is possible to answer. Not the way I think Kayode will find favorable (if that's possible for a dead woman), "I doubt anything in this library could tell us."

"Hold on," Medina responds. She takes a slip of paper out the book Eydis set down and holds it up. "A portrait, most likely of Alaud Norlangarth. Recognize something, Jaymes?" I analyze the portrait of the former prince and narrow my eyes at the familiar looking pendant. Where have I… I look at Medina with realization and nod knowingly.

"The old man."

Medina nods and pockets the portrait...in her bosom. "We'll use your power to return to the village and talk to him. Everyone else, keep investigating."


"Oh, you again," the elderly man says as he sees Medina and I approach. "How is your investigation?"

"It goes well," I answer, "but we're here on different business right now. Specifically, the pendant you wear."

The old man sighs. "I already told you that it was given to me when I served the royal family."

"Who gave it to you, more specifically?"

"Why does that matter?"

"We're investigating the fourth empress' son, Alaud Norlangarth," Medina explains as she takes out the portrait. "We discovered that he previously owned that pendant."

"You act like there's only one damn pendant in the whole world."

"You're right, but I'm looking at the exact same pendant in this portrait of Alaud around your neck. So please, sir. Children's lives are on the line."

The man ponders for a moment then sighs. "Fine. I'm… I'm Alaud Norlangarth's grandson. The pendant was passed from Empress Kayode to Alaud, to my father, and to me. I assume you've already heard that my grandfather was exiled. I was told he lived and died in this area, hiding his noble lineage. However, he passed away young, and my father never had the chance to know him. Until now, I obeyed his teachings and kept my bloodline a secret. Now it's your turn. Why are you looking into Alaud's history?"

"This might sound insane, but...Kayode has come back to life. She's responsible for the missing children, trying to replace Alaud...or more confusingly, remake a child into Alaud as her heir. Until she has 'Alaud', she won't return the children."

"It's okay if you don't buy it," Medina says, "but it is the truth. And now that we know the truth, what do we tell Kayode? Telling her Alaud is dead is no better than saying we couldn't find him.

"I know. We may have to take her out, but the children will be in danger as well. And we haven't found Fizel and Linel yet."

"Take the pendant." The old man takes off the pendant and holds it out to me. "Show it to Kayode and she'll believe. What you say is absurd, however, Empress Kayode was well known to be a strict educator, so you got that right."

I take the pendant. "Thank you so much, sir. Come, Medina." We wave goodbye to the old man and step out to the street. As I prepare the sacred art to take us back, Medina holds my wrist. "Medina?"

"Are you sure there's no possible way to revive the dead? No art at all? Because if so, I can bring back my father!"

Suddenly, the voice of Eiji Nochizawa plays in my head, saying how he could bring Yuuna back and how I could have brought Koharu back. I feel for her, heavens know I know that if I could bring Koharu back to life, I would do it in a heartbeat. "Trust me, Medina, I know what it is like to lose someone you love. The girl I spoke of when I first told you about my past… She was special to me, more than anything and anyone else. She died right in my arms, and I was helpless to do anything about it. I've seen imitations of people who are dead, but it is not them. In my world, it is impossible to bring back the dead. It's impossible in your world as well, to my knowledge. Yet the only one who can possibly answer that is trying to revive the Pontifex…"


The Ocean Turtle, ~4-7 minutes after Jaymes entered the Underworld

"Progress report, Higa."

"Right, Mr. Kikuoka." Higa clicks a few keys on the digital keyboard before some information on Jaymes' trip in the Underworld appears. "It seems that whatever is going on down in the Underworld, Jaymes is actively teaming with the people down there to fight it. Right now, he's in the northern region."

"Has he located Alice?"

"Indeed, she's one of those people. But with no direct way to the World End's Altar...well, he has no choice but to wait until the Final Load Test."

Kikuoka sighs as he takes a seat beside Higa. Dr. Kojiro, looking from the main room to where Asuna sits with both boys in the medbay. Facing away from the medbay, she turns to the two men close by. "A question, Kikuoka."

"And it is?"

"There's no way Hardin knew the STL could possibly help Kirigaya. That a device such as the Soul Translator could rehabilitate the brain is beyond his familial expertise. Then when I think on it more, there's no you could be sure it could help him if the project only started weeks ago. Yet both of you seemed sure of it yesterday. How is that?"

Kikuoka chuckles as he faces the doctor. "Young Hardin is a smart kid. I don't know how he thought of it. Maybe it was just a hunch on his end… But as for me, I knew it could work. Kirigaya is not the only person to have been within an STL in his condition."

"What… What do you mean?"

"Before Kirito went under the first time, the Rath employees and Jaymes ventured inside. However, Jaymes was the first to stay under for hours on end. For him, it was the beginning of preparing the Underworld for what's the come, before the Axiom Church intervened. For me, it was a test. How long could a healthy mind stay safe within the STL? Given he's a SAO survivor and part of RoboTelligence, he proved to be a perfect candidate for that test. But he doesn't know of that, nor of what I've told you so far."

Kojiro narrows her eyes. "Why is that?"

"Because ever since he has returned to the real world, he has lived a horrible lie. A lie that only the people in this room, the people watching over them, and their family know about. Tell me, Dr. Kojiro, what would you do if, of the 4,000 players to die in Sword Art Online, one miraculously is alive in the world?"

"Someone...survived the impulse of the NerveGear?"

"Barely. But how do you tell the world that? Or more importantly… How do you tell that to those three people in that medbay, Jaymes especially, if that person is as good as dead? That's why I didn't say anything to him, but it is also why I pushed for him to be brought on, why I had him go find a way to save Kirito. If he can do that...he can bring her back from the dead."