Literally wrote this chapter today because I realized earlier that, in this tale, Medina gets a final moment with Jaymes but Eydis, the other main girl in this story, really doesn't have one on the same scale, not in a while. Alicization Rising Steel is no help here (but it is a big help in the next one) so I looked around the side stuff of Lycoris and found one from Fanatio. Actually, two, but I liked this one better. So here is that moment before we head to the final fights. Enjoy.
Centoria, the next day
"The frozen west, huh?" I sigh and look towards Bercouli as he walks away from Eydis, Alice, and me. "I wonder just how cold it is." All I can think about is the few floors on Aincrad, Jotunheim in ALO, and the White Frontier in GGO, and each and every one of those places were realistically cold. Japan is not a cold place, and I lived in a relatively similar environment in the USA. I'm not built for the cold. Why did a beast have to be there? "Oh man… This sucks."
Eydis nods. "Hopefully it won't take us long, and if it does...we could snuggle close to keep each other warm."
"I have heard there's a blizzard up there right now, so be careful, both of you."
I smile appreciatively, but underneath that smile is pure jealousy. "Thanks, Alice. Hopefully the Cathedral doesn't finish descending while we're gone."
Eydis giggles. "It'll be just the two of us. I look forward to it!"
"...Just the two of you?"
"I'm simply stating the facts. Is there something wrong, Cutie?"
Alice nods. "You seem to be a little too eager, Eydis. Aren't you uncomfortable, Jaymes?"
I shake my head, but in reality, I'm barely paying attention to the pair as I look at the map of the realm. "I'm fine being alone with Eydis. I began things that way, and I was alone with Medina the last three days."
"Hmm, you're not even paying attention. You're just as bad. Like Lady Fanatio, if you fail to speak clearly, she will take advantage of it."
"Alice...hmph! What do you know? Jaymes, are you ready to go? We can take Kirimai to our destination."
That gains my attention. In the month I've been with the knights, I haven't rode their dragons, due to my teleportation ability aiding us for long-distance travels and my own ability to fly as well. "Can she handle two of us?"
Eydis nods. "Yeah. I'll even let you direct her."
Say no more. I turn to Alice, who looks at me with great annoyance, but I don't know the reason why. I haven't done anything, I think. "We'll see you later, Alice."
Hours later, Snild Snow Fields, Wesdarath
We hop off Kirimai and land in the snow, and the entire fall down, my bones couldn't stop shaking in place. As soon as my feet touch the snow, I cast an art to heat the air around me, but even with that, the frigid mistress known as Mother Nature still breathes her icy breath on me. "It's s-so cold… Can magical beasts even survive in this climate?"
"Hee hee! You clearly haven't trained enough if this bothers you."
"I don't think training helps with this." I turn to Eydis, who looks the complete opposite of her words. "Are you really okay, Eydis?"
"Of course I'm cold, but Integrity Knights aren't that fragile. Besides, I think we'll be out of here in a moment." Eydis points to her left, her finger targeting a large tiger-like beast with white fur, perfect for blending in with the environment. "There it is. Let's go!"
I nod. "Yeah, let's get this over with and head back quick."
"Careful! It's about to use an ice attack!" I head Eydis' warning too late as the tiger opens its mouth and fires shards of ice at me. I create a glass barrier at the last second, blocking some of the ice, but two or three manage to scrape against me, chilling my muscles and causing me to fall. "Jaymes! Are you okay?"
No, I'm not. "Yeah, I'm fine. It didn't do that much damage." At that moment, as if it took offense to my words, the monster roars and charges towards me. The ice, while it didn't damage me much, affected my body by slowing my reflexes, a standard of ice status effects. I can't dodge or defend myself in time!
"Jaymes!" Eydis lands in front of me, and then the world in front of me becomes dark. Next thing I visibly see is the beast's body exploding with dark power and Eydis on the other side, her sword flickering with a purple aura. She finishes it off in one blow… Guess that's the Knight of the Abyss' power for you. "Phew. Jaymes, are you injured?"
"No, thanks to you. I owe you one, Eydis."
She smiles as I stand up and heal my wounds. "Really? I'm glad."
I nod and look at the Dark Slash Sword still in her hand. "The power of darkness from your Dark Slash Sword sure does a lot of damage. But that effect, with the area turning dark and stuff… That's only happened once before, when you struck Hersyrian back east."
"Well, yes, but that's how it works. That darkness can affect my allies, too, so I try not to let the darkness grow by utilizing it quickly as I've done before. Besides that, I can control whether my sword passes through inorganic objects… But it hasn't beaten certain people yet."
"Heh, I'd like to meet those people. They must be impressive swordsmen."
"Hee hee, then go find a wheelchair and go look in a mirror."
"Hahaha… Ha, ah, achoooo!" My sneeze is so strong I embarrassingly fall back on my butt. Eydis takes joy in it as she offers her hand to me.
"Hehehe, are you alright? Maybe you caught a cold?"
"Maybe. It's cold here, and that stupid ice attack…"
Eydis removes her gauntlet and holds her hand up to my forehead. "Yeah, you're warm. Well, I don't want to exhaust Kirimai as she has to hold two humans, and you may not get better before we return. Let's rest up a bit first. You should warm up before you get sicker."
"If you say so, Nurse Eydis."
"...That sounds so embarrassing, don't say it again."
"This cave should shelter us from the wind, so it'll be at least a little warmer."
"Achoo! Yeah, sounds good."
Eydis places the gathered wood on the ground and assembles it before holding her hands on top of the pile. "Generate Thermal Element… If I generate some heat and do this… There, we got a campfire. Less destructive in the making than you shooting a flame at it."
I frown at her as I sit by the fire. "If you have a problem with how I do things, then how about you shove your opinion up your ah… Ah… Achoo!"
Eydis laughs again as she checks my temperature again. "Hmm… You don't seem very well. Can't even finish your insults, either. You leave me no choice… I'll have to warm you up." Eydis rises up and, to my sudden shock, begins to take off her armor. Keep in mind, last time this happened between us, we were in the spring to the east. She doesn't get fully unclothed, thankfully (but why would I think she would in this place?) but she doesn't stop there. Before I realize it, I'm stripped of my own armor and tunic, leaving me in a black shirt. Eydis then wraps us both in our capes and sits beside me, snuggling close as her head rests on my shoulder, her chest to my right side, and our legs comfortably interconnected.
How all this happened without me saying or doing anything betrays me. "Huh? Whaaaat? What are you doing?"
"I'm sitting close to you to warm you up, of course. Human skin is the best for that."
I sigh. "Yeah, I've been there, done that...but why am I covering you?"
"Because it is more comfortable for me to lean against you than the other way around. Or are you thinking just because you're unwell I'll let you rest against me? Pervert."
"Once again, the pervert here is the one calling another a pervert." Eydis' breasts are not as big as others, but they're enough for me to feel them on my chest. Hell, the image is still fresh in my head...and now everything is becoming uncomfortable.
"Is something wrong?"
"Uh...um...well…"
"Hmm, I bet you weren't like this with Medina the last three days, huh?"
So this is what that's about. "I feel like you're just toying with me. You do know...nevermind."
"Hmm? So you aren't denying it?"
"Nothing happened between me and Medina! I don't… We just went around to check on the wayfarers. A few heart to hearts, but nothing more."
"Boring. She's such a cute girl, and you did nothing but talk?" Am I speaking to the female version of Klein of all people? Then again… I said the same thing to Kirito for half the time we were in Sword Art Online, I know the same was said of me, but… Eydis looks up at me with curious red eyes. "Hey, I'm just messing with you. I honestly want to help you warm like you have to me."
"I have to...you…"
"Mhm. I haven't spent much time with the other knights at once except when I was stationed at the cathedral. And, for the most part of the last century, it was kinda boring just being in the west overlooking some ruins. Alice helped quell some of that boredom, but it wasn't until I met you that...life became interesting. I've experienced new things as well."
"Such as?"
"Anger, like real anger… Sadness...and love."
"Love? Like for Alice?"
She purses her lips. "Well, yes, but not what I meant… Like Lady Fanatio. I've noticed she's been wearing makeup recently. I bet Kirito had something to do with that, given her feelings for Bercouli and all."
"What? Really?"
"Mhm. But he either hasn't noticed or decided not to. So she gives all her strength for him in battle. I'll never admit it to Fanatio's face, but it is inspiring how she goes along, despite the Commander's blindness. I was happy to see her remove her helmet. She's so pretty, it was a crime to hide it… I guess I'm like her in some regard. That's partially because of you in the last month."
"Eydis."
"So before our fight against the Pontifex ends, I wanted to show you my gratitude. You once told me you're always close to the one you partner with first...and I want to be the same for you. Who knows what'll happen when we face her, but no matter what, the Knight of the Abyss and her Dark Slash Sword are with the Lord of Knights and Falchion." Eydis places her head back on my shoulder, and for some instinctive reasoning, my hand reaches up and brushes her hair. She stiffens for a moment, but eventually relaxes.
"I don't know what will happen up there, but having you with me calms me. But I can't depend on you to fight the Pontifex, so just get me and Alice to her."
"Afterwards… Allow me to tell you something, okay."
I nod. "Okay."
"Anyway, this isn't enough. We need something special to warm you up."
"What are you deviously planning?"
"Hehe… Close your eyes, okay? Even I get embarrassed." I cautiously close my eyes and feel Eydis leaves my presence for a long moment, which concerns me for a while as to what she's doing. "Okay, you can open up now." I open my eyes to see Eydis back at my side, handing me a bowl filled with meat and liquid. "Help yourself. I made us some nice hot soup."
"Soup? You?"
"Yes. A nice meal is the best thing to warm someone up, don't you think? Good thing we brought cooking supplies, right?"
I nod and take the bowl. "You're oddly able to take care of people. Maybe you did so before you were an Integrity Knight with your sister?"
"I must admit, taking care of you is faintly reminiscent of such a time. Do you know girls like that in your world?"
"Kirito's girlfriend is the only one who is like that. All the others are brutes."
"Huh?" Eydis stares at me wildly. "Kirito HAS a girlfriend? He's cheating on Alice? I'm going to kill him."
"Uh, what gives you that idea? And please don't kill his girlfriend."
"Depends. What is she like?"
Asuna… What is Asuna like? "Well, I've known her for a long while. We met through Kirito, and for a long while, the three of us were a group along with another girl. I didn't like her at first, she was some prideful brat like she was the top ace at her school or something. I don't think she really liked a sarcastic asshole I was to her back then. If it wasn't for Kirito and Koharu holding us together, we definitely wouldn't have ever crossed paths, or so i think. Yet, over time, she became someone I could trust my life with and my best friend besides Kirito and another. To this day, we have our old selves popping up, but it's just to jest each other instead of out of dislike. But when it comes to a fight, she might be better than Kirito and I. She's also a great cook, which is to say… Unfortunately, I had better soups."
"Hmph. What about you?"
I slurp some of this unbelievably good soup and count the time since Rika and I broke up. "Guess it's been two months since I was in a relationship. Though it feels longer, being in this world and all, haha."
"What was she like?"
Rika… "She… She was the best of all the girls I've known in my life, and I don't say that lightly, I've known plenty of great ones. But...she saved my life on more than one occasion, even during my worst moment. She's the greatest blacksmith I've known. Swords, shields, armor, I knew her handiwork was top-notch. And as a girl… She loved to tease us boys and some of the girls, especially her 'little sister'. She knew how to cheer us up, how to talk us down, and how to motivate. I have no idea what her future aspirations are, but she's helped plenty with mine. I think she'd make a great engineer or something. Uh, those are people who...like a blacksmith, but with technology."
Eydis shrugs. "No point understand the Sacred Tongue… Do you regret it, not being with her?"
That's something I've never been asked, at least not in that way. I know why we broke up, I knew I was playing with fire while aiding Kirito during our time in Ordinal Scale, and I get Rika's perspective. I was hurt not being with her, definitely, but I don't regret taking action. But do I regret not being with her?
"With the other girls, try as I might, I can't bring myself to be alone with them in real life, and in the virtual world, it feels even more wrong. It's because, deep down, even though you said it was fine if I saw another, I cannot see anyone but you. That hasn't changed much… Yet, at the same time, I also want to move along. I just don't know what to do."
I sigh as I look at my empty bowl. "Maybe. I don't know right now. But right now, my focus is on us… And speaking of that, should we be getting back?" I look towards the opening of the cave, seeing Kirimai resting some distance away from us, and the night sky outside our abode. "Or maybe not… You're fine spending the night here?"
Eydis nods and gets into a comfortable position after finishing her bowl. "Kirimai is fed, we are fine, so I don't mind. Long as we're together...I'm happy."
"All right. I'll take first watch, you can get some rest."
"Are you sure? You've stopped sneezing a while ago." Eydis puts her hand on my forehead for the third time, and it is this time that makes me feel nervous. Yes, now that my body is well, so is my normal reaction to close contact with a cute girl. Either she doesn't take notice or ignores me in favor of my condition. "You're feeling better. So…" We lock eyes for a mere moment, but it is enough time to both of us to hopefully share the same precarious thought. If it is true, it explains Eydis' red face and sudden movement to hide face from me while still keeping bodily contact. "You sure you want to stay?"
"It's… It's colder at night, and we're tired anyway. We can head out in the morning. Alice will be ready to grill us no matter when we return."
"Hehe… Yeah… Jaymes?"
"Hmm?"
"...Thank you." I never knew what for as Eydis suddenly falls asleep. It wasn't much longer that I dropped into slumber myself. Tomorrow morning, we gathered our supplies and returned to the capital by mid-morning, only to arrive to good (or bad) news.
The top floors of the Central Cathedral have fully descended.
Alice and I cut the roots of the Cathedral Cedar, making a pathway from the outside to the armory. Once the path is clear, I look to the six others behind me. The wayfarers and the other Integrity Knights are right behind us. Cardinal is going to be so pissed when she finds out I went against her plea to wait until she reports back, but I'm done waiting. "You guys ready? Last chance to fall back."
Tiese grips her sword tightly. "I'm ready."
Sortiliena nods herself. "Ready."
"Let's do this," Ronie chants.
"And let's do this together as one," Alice adds.
Medina takes her katana in hand. "We have a world to save. Let's not make it wait any longer."
I turn to Eydis, who is silent. "Eydis?"
"The top floor… What lies in wait for us there? There's only one way to find out...so let's get a move on."
"Right." I say the motto of Crimson Squad to myself to pep myself before I look into the ruined, beast and Clamp-filled corridor of the armory. This is going to be a long trip. "Alice, are you sure climbing the outer walls is a worse way to--"
She glares at me with her single blue eye. "We are not entertaining that idea, Jaymes."
"All right then. It's time, so say a prayer for our victory. Let your voice resonate and resist destiny…" I place my hands not just on Falchion, but to the black sword strapped to my back under my cape. Be with us, Kazuto. "To the top! Let's go!"
Hersyrian looks down from the 95th Floor of the Central Cathedral, his lips stretched from ear to ear. "Hahahaha! The rats finally enter, and welcome them I shall. Everyone has played their roles perfectly in this play, but as all good things go, it must come to its end. The fateful act! The long-awaited climax! So come, self-proclaimed heroes, and let destiny bring us closer." He turns around, and his eyes flicker brightly at the sight of the woman behind him.
"Mother awaits to see all of her dear children..."
