Jaymes
"Haa… Haa…" I lift my right hand towards my head, feeling blood seep from a nearby wound, Dammit. I underestimated Kayode and slipped into a protective nature, taking what could have been a fatal blow to Ronie to my right sword. Medina is...somewhere in this room, so the only fighters against the empress standing are Ronie and Tiese. Damn it, if I didn't let Sortiliena talk me into this, if I kept my mind about them not being ready for something like this yet…
Maybe Medina and I could have taken Kayode better by ourselves, but the empress is skilled herself. Two, four, it wouldn't matter. If she's fighting us off now, the alternative possibility would have the same result, if not worse. Yet, if I could just get one opening.
"Oh, you poor girls. Squirming and whimpering like puppies who lost their parents. You're right to be afraid of the death I will execute to you. Your friends who protected you will watch as you are taken from them as they took my Alaud from me!"
The girls are quite afraid, and as powerful as I am with the Sacred Arts, I cannot speed the recovery of my shoulder, at least to a point I can move it proficiently. That will take a minute, and in that time, either Ronie and Tiese will be dead or they will fight to the death.
"And you, Jaymes, you've fought two years in fear of death, a sword waiting to break from its string and claim you as a fallen player of SAO. You bravely fought over seventy boss fights as players fell around you, but you didn't let that break you. And when the final boss came, you broke free of your fear and stabbed him in the chest! If this was her… If this was Koharu all over again, would you let her succumb to her fear, or would you tell her what to do?"
"Tiese… Ronie… You are strong…" They both look at me as I point at them then towards me. "You are stronger than me and Medina, than Kirito and Eugeo. I'm bleeding and can't raise my sword, Medina has fallen as well, Kirito is a soulless husk, and Eugeo is dead!"
"What are you…"
"But you two are standing. At this moment, you are the strongest here. So stop looking like untrained squires and face Kayode. Kirito and Eugeo did not sacrifice their freedom, Sortiliena did not waste her breath, and us two did not hurt ourselves just to let this empress win and let you die. Ronie, Tiese, fight and honor those who trained you!"
Tiese is first to react the way I intended, harsh as my speech was. Her body stops shaking, her face drops all show of fear, and her sword is held bravely towards Kayode. "Ronie...we are strong. Maybe not individually, but together...together we can win, as Kirito, Eugeo, and Jaymes have taught us!"
"R-Right!" Ronie takes the fight to Kayode first, and the fight is night and day. Ronie manages to let loose a sword skill that takes Kayode off guard momentarily. "Tiese, switch!" Tiese comes up and spin-kicks Kayode in her chest and face, a dirty move she definitely learned from yours truly. Kayode angrily shakes her head and reengages the girls, but now they hold their own. Just in time too, for I finally lock eyes with Medina, hiding on the entrance side of the room. Nodding to her, I test my shoulder and grab my sword. This will have to do...and so will my Perfect Weapon Control.
"The sacred stones of the Underworld that bind and blaze this sword to my fate…"
"Girls, switch, then return!" Tiese and Ronie step back as Medina twirls her body and strikes with a flaming sword art. With Kayode taken off guard, she's unprepared for Tiese's Vertical Square, breaking the empress' guard in four hits. Ronie follows up with Vorpal Strike thrust attack, staggering Kayode and giving me the opening I need.
"Awaken and give me the power to defeat the echoes of evil and trail a path of radiance for good!" I hold my sword skyward and watch as the seven stones glow at once, illuminating the blade with holy light. I face Kayode and her face of fear, knowing the battle is over. "Enhance Armament: Empowered Falchion!" As quick as light, I fly towards Kayode and barely penetrate her in the chest, leting the power of my sword enter her instead of running her through.
"It's over, Your Majesty." I retract my blade and let Kayode fall to her knees. With my sword drained of all sacred power, the light disappears and I sheath it, facing the MVPs of today's fight. "You two did good. Sortiliena was right, I have been holding you both back in fear of what could happen. How, when Kirito wakes up, can I explain how I let his apprentices die under my watch? I've been through this before...now I know you two are better than you look."
Ronie blushes and looks away. "Thank you, Jaymes. We will get better and better."
Tiese smiles proudly. "So Liena convinced you to let us come, hmm? How much did you argue back?"
I sigh and fold my arms. "She was convincing, that's all. Don't read into it." Letting the girls have their moment, I walk over to Medina's side as she stands over the defeated Kayode, who speaks to herself.
"So I cannot afford to die here! Alaud! Alaud! I refuse to believe you killed yourself because of me! Because of my education."
"Get your head out the past already," Medina growls. "Your son is no longer in this world!"
"Shut your mouth, damned rebel."
"Kayode… Here." I hand her the pendant, which she looks at with curiosity before it starts glowing in my hand.
"Mother…"
Kayode's eyes widen as she snatches the pendant from me. "Alaud? Is that you?"
"It's not your fault I died, Mother."
"What? You don't loathe me, then?"
"Of course not. I got close to giving up early on. But deep down, I understood. I know that you educated me so severely in order to protect me since I was the most important person in the world to you, right?"
"What other reason could I have?"
"So I wanted to give you as much love as you had given me. I trusted your love, your faith in me, and tried my best to become emperor."
"Why? Why tell me this now? Why did you not say as much in life? What did you see in that woman that you threw away your inheritance? Why did you abandon me, Alaud?"
"I just couldn't stand how my brothers treated me because I was your favorite. I fled because of them, not anything you did. But I knew you would come find me again someday, Mother. And you did just that. When you locked me in the dungeon and stripped me of my nobility, Mother… I trembled in joy at the exquisite taste of your love!"
Medina and I share a look that says all that needs to be said in this uncomfortable exchange between mother and son. It's...there's a Greek myth for this, I just refuse to say it right now.
"Why did you jump, then? I know it wasn't an accident!"
"I wanted to be your favorite for eternity. Losing me secured that spot in your heart forever. Mother, I never wanted a cheap family life with a commoner or even to be emperor. All I ever wanted was your unconditional love. And you gave me that." The pendant stops glowing, meaning Alaud is gone.
"Well...that was...something."
"That's one way to put it…"
"So my boy never hated me after all… Thank you, rebels. I will be returning to the Heavens soon with or without you."
I nod and pick up the pendant. Alaud's soul managed to cling to the pendant, awakening at the presence of Kayode. Cardinal told me how a similar event occured with Eugeo and the Blue Rose Sword. "Very well. But I have one question to ask you. Are the children in the dungeon?"
"Still no respect for royalty… Yes, they are." Kayode sighs and holds her hand towards the throne, telekinetically lifting a key and giving it to me. "This is the key to the dungeon, Finding it is up to you, though." I pocket the key, just in case Eydis and company are stuck there, and turn my back to the dying empress. However, she isn't done. "One last thing...Should we meet again in the Heavens, I could use an aide like you. You have earned it for allowing my son's voice to reach me...and you remind me of a warrior from my time. A young woman, that is...but her power, I felt its equal in your sword."
Another person with my power? Impossible in this world, unless she's an Integrity Knight. Yet, the way Kayode speaks...no, still impossible. No one else besides me, Kirito, and the Rath employees have entered this world. But that's a mystery for another day. "I...appreciate the offer and compliment."
"So long...and farewell."
Eydis
"We're too confined in this space," Alice says as she kneels and tries to gather her breath. "We can't get close and he doesn't have to hit us. Even charging him at the same time is futile."
Alice has a point, brutally emphasized in this battle. For a spot where the advantage should favor the swordswomen, Deusolbert's fire keeps them at bay and then some. There's one way they can end this fight, and that's separating the bowman from his bow. If Eydis could strike Deusolbert's right arm and make him let go of the Conflagrant Flame Bow, the fight is theirs. "Okay, then we do it."
"In here?"
"Yes. If you can cover me, I can do what I need to do." Eydis faces her companion and smirks. "Are you with me, Alice?"
Alice nods and stands up. "Always, Eydis." She faces Deusolbert as he aims at the pair. She recognizes his stance immediately as his Perfect Weapon Control. He's going for the end of this fight as well. "Deusolbert!"
"My one reason for being is to serve Her Eminence, Lady Pontifex!"
"Deusolbert, you're an incredible knight with an incredible sense of duty. Even now, you watch over Linel and Fizel! That's the kind of man you are! And I want nothing more than for you to go on back to being that man! Remember what REALLY matters to you, what you ought to protect!"
"Enough blattering, girl!"
Eydis smirks. "You haven't called me that in a while! But I'll have you know, we've both grown a lot. Alice!"
"Now!" Eydis runs forward towards the flaming bow, hearing both Alice and Deusolbert release their respective arts. Alice's petals cover Eydis and clash with Deusolbert's powerful arrow, creating a dense, smoky veil that's perfect for the young woman's attack. Deusolbert can't see her, but being a master of the Umbral Arts, Eydis knows where Deusolbert is and where she needs to strike. The steel of her sword is covered with dark shadows as she mentally calls her own Perfect Weapon Control and zips out the smoke, catching Deusolbert off guard and striking his right arm. The archer grunts as the tip of Eydis' sword bypasses his armor and grazes his flesh, forcing the muscular reflex that causes him to drop his bow. She twists her body and kicks the seventh knight back against the wall, causing him to fall on his backside.
"Please, Deusolbert! Remember what you really believe in."
"Sweetie… Sweetie…"
"Someone...is shaking my shoulder…trying to wake me up… But I cannot take that hand… I will only push it away if I try… The warmth of that hand is but an illusion, my weakness. That which is lost will never come back. You cannot protect what no longer is. Reaching out my hand will only…"
"Boss!"
"Boss!"
"Are you finally awake, Boss?" Deusolbert slowly opens his eyes and gazes around. Linel and Fizel sit around him.
"Ugh, you can't die on us, Boss! We haven't made full-fledged Integrity Knights yet."
"You silly old man."
"My apologies."
"Why are you apologizing, Boss? I thought you'd chew us out."
"You strange man."
"Eydis, are you okay?"
Eydis drops her hand from her face, grunting as the pain slowly subsides. It was so excruiating and happened just as Eydis was talking to Deusolbert before the younger girls arrived. What caused it? Was it something from the battle? "Yeah… I'm… I'm fine. You?"
"Yes, I am fine."
"That's good to hear."
"I promised Eugeo that I wouldn't let harm come to Alice Zuberg's body if there was a chance to bring her back. But that opportunity died with Eugeo, but the promise remains." Eydis doesn't understand any of that, but as long as her little sister is fine, it makes no difference.
"Well, I think we finally got the Clamp Core now. Norlangarth should be Clamp-free soon enough."
"Eydis, Alice," Deusolbert walks over to them, placing his hand over his heart in an apology. "Apologies for the trouble."
"I am simply glad you are safe now. I hear you also saved Linel and Fizel."
"We hadn't fought in a while, so I'd forgotten just how strong you are."
"I should be saying that," Deusolbert rebutes. "Never did I imagine the both of you would best me together. However, it was thanks to that teamwork that I was able to return to myself. Reminds me of those boys."
Eydis chuckles. "Yeah, that's right! You lost to me and Cutie! Oh, I can't wait to tell the others, ha ha!"
"Deusolbert, may I ask you what happened in the dungeon?"
"Give me a moment, Alice." Deusolbert turns around and faces the young girls. "You stupid, bloody fools! How many tims must I tell you not to be reckless?"
Fizel is taken aback. "Wh-Why would you chew us out now and not when you first woke up?"
"You make no sense, Boss."
"I simply forgot because I had only just regained consciousness!"
"Urgh… You could've just let it go…"
Alice sighs. "You two running off is kind of how this whole thing started to begin with. How did you find Linel and Fizel?"
"After we split up, I went after them, entering through the castle's back gate. Servants were patrolling the halls, so I had to find less-guarded areas to proceed."
"And that's how you ended up in the dungeons?"
"Correct. The halls and dungeons overflowed with beasts and children bound by Clamps. Unable to kill the Clamps myself, though, I could only exterminate the beasts."
"Thanks for that," Eydis gratefully comments.
"It deeply shames me to know I could do nothing for the children."
"Do not downplay your contributions. We managed to rescue the children anyway. Right now, Jaymes and Medina confronts the one responsible for all of it.."
"You have my thanks."
"And you found Linel and Fizel after that, right," Eydis asks.
"Correct. They were unconscious in the hall with the hooded man watching over."
"Eldrie also mentioned he was attacked by a man in a hood. Can you tell us more about him?"
Deusolbert nods. "He reached out for Linel and Fizel, who were asleep, though to do what I know not."
"And then you fired your flame arrows to protect them."
"However, he deflected my arrows with a strange shield."
"What? He deflected THOSE arrows?" Eydis drops her shoulders. "Aww, if only we could have done the same."
"Indeed. He then approached me and placed me under Deep Freeze."
"Then attached you to the Clamp Core, as he did with Eldrie… Linel, Fizel, do either of you remember anything after you go to the castle?"
"Nope. The hooded man got to us before we made it here."
"Yes, I believe he was the one who put us in the dungeon."
"But our memories only go up to the point we were placed in Deep Freeze."
"So we know nothing of how we were brought here."
Eydis folds her arms. "Why would he place you both under Deep Freeze and kidnap you?"
"All we can be certain of now is that there are powerful forces at play, here."
"You can say that again. Hey, Alice, when you cut the Core, did a seed come with it? We should give it to Jaymes."
Alice shakes her head. "Knowing now that was the core, it did not drop a seed like the one at the graveyard did."
"Then… Is it possible our hooded friend took it with him? He was the only one here."
"Yeah… But what for?"
"That's for all of us to figure out." Down the steps comes Jaymes, Medina, Sortilena, Tiese, and Ronie, four of the five back from the upper parts of the castle. "Liena told us about the kids. You can fill us in on the rest later, but we heard the last few sentences."
"It's strange, though," Medina comments, "using the Clamp to suck out the children's Life violates the Taboo index. If the hooded man is behind that, then who could he possibly be?"
"You're right," Alice says. "People can't normally murder others in this world. Not even Kirito and Jaymes are above that. So either he has no real concept of murder, or there's another reason. He may have exploited a loophole, especially with all these beasts about."
Jaymes nods. "The only one who could answer that is Kayode. We should--" Jaymes is interrupted by a distant scream. "That was Kayode!" He reaches out for Medina and Eydis, the two people closest to him, and teleports out the dungeon, rematerializing several floors up in the throne room. And there's Kayode, laying on her throne, sacred power flowing from her body. "Kayode!"
"That accursed celestial emissary… Tosses me aside...as soon as I'm of no use."
"Who is this 'celestial emissary', Kayode?"
"The children...you must save them… He said he would disposed of them as well!"
"The children are safe," Medina says.
"Oh, thank heavens… I can pass on without worry because I wished to be able to embrace them all."
Jaymes
Kayode disintergrates into yellow sparks, putting an end to her reincarnation. As the sparks evaporate in the air, I sigh and turn to Medina and Eydis. "Perverted as it was, she really did love the children."
Medina nods. "And it was the strength of her love that let her come back to life."
"Sucks we didn't even figure out who was behind Kayode and the kids, though."
Eydis pats me on the shoulder. "We got them back safely, and for now that's all that matters."
"Things wouldn't have gotten this bad if the sentries had been doing their job." Medina then says something else, but I didn't catch it.
"Medina?"
"No, it's nothing."
"In any case, we should report back to the village and return the children to their homes."
"Yeah, but not everyone was from that village. How do we get them all home?"
"Allow me to take care of that." I hear Deusolbert's voice as the rest of the group joins us in the throne room. Well, there goes that problem.
"Let us join you, Boss!"
"Yeah! You'll scare the kids away, Boss! They'll feel better with girls their age."
Deusolbert groans. "You are welcome to join me, although I resent that remark. And I must reiterate--"
"Yes we won't do anything reckless."
"There you have it. Leave the children to me."
I nod. "They're in good hands."
"Another mission accomplished," Eydis happily says. "Shall we get a move on?"
"Yeah… Actually, you all go ahead without me. I need to check up on something. I'll catch up."
Zappas' book recorded a different history than what was true, but I'm sure there has to be some truth to it all. One thing that Kayode spoke off bothered me, the presence of a warrior as strong as me. That shouldn't be possible due to Quinella's Taboo Index forbidding anyone to grow as strong as her or another Integrity Knight by extension. And even then… When I first entered the Underworld 300 years ago, I was nowhere close to as powerful as I am now. It took me some time to get to where I am. Not even Falchion, my trusty blade, is my original sword, but the one Matthew Orthinanos had forged for me during my early time in the Underworld. My original sword wouldn't be able to use Perfect Weapon Control or compliment my abilities as the Lord of Knights.
Kirito would have gone through the same thing as me. Growing in strength, forging the Night-Sky Blade, growing in power with it… Yet if what Kayode says is somewhat true, someone else from the Real World was here. Someone I don't know, and is not named Stacia, Vecta, Solus, or Terraria.
And I find only a single passage that gives me a clue. "And thus a warrior of great beauty appeared in the night, as if Lunaria herself had came to visit, and pledged her sword to defeat the magic beast in the realm..."
