"Changing into a blade without a command? Unexpected. But you won't best me. Now we usher in the end. Let the festivities begin! Huh, strange. It seems Herysrian's way of speaking transferred."

Through hot tears I lift my head towards Quinella, feeling my rage overcome me as I stand up. "You want a fight, Quinella, you got one. But not with the Lord of Knights!" I swing the blade outward, and at the same time, my body changes. A red, slightly armored tunic over a long black shirt, brown gauntlets at the ends of my arms, my legs covered by black pants and leather boots. And I'm sure my enraged red irises are present. "You have now picked a fight with the Crimson Warrior… HAAA!"

Now that the fight is equal, we engage each other and clash our swords. Due to my injuries, Quinella initially takes control, but I push her back with a spinning kick to her bosom. In her retreat she takes flight, throwing Sacred Arts at me before returning to the ground. She pins my blade down and backhands me, but it doesn't stun me long enough to block her following attack and flip back. Spitting out blood, I grit my teeth and chase after her as she hovers again. Eventually she manages to knock me down with a Luminous beam attack, but I get back on my feet before she can strike with her sword. In the same move, I harden my fist and punch her in the gut and send a shocking punch to her face. Angered, she comes at me with a sword skill, but I dodge it and we resume a normal clash of blades.

After a while she tries to fly again, but I boost myself above her and knock her down. Once she gets up, Quinella directs a gale of wind at me, then I feel my legs bound by Umbral ropes. I break the bindings but Quinella did that just to distract me as she burns my hand, forcing me to drop Medina's sword. She tries to take advantage, but I grab her sword arm and wrench her own Orthinanos blade from her. Both swordless, we immediately attack with Sacred Arts. Once it is seen neither of us is gaining the upper hand, we call our swords back to us and stand our ground.

"Such resistance from the lord knight and the defect."

"I think Medina has proven she's no defect."

"Fine. I admit I may need to keep a margin of safety. Generate Gate to Real World!" She extends her sword arm, and at the tip of her sword forms a black hole. She chuckles at my surprised look. "The reason I made this space and blade wasn't because the irregular boy defeated me once. It was to escape from this walled garden without relying on his help."

This 'he' again... "You're using the Orthinanos modules to connect this world to the Real World!"

"I'll be going now. Until we meet again, boy."

I hold my sword up. "You're going nowhere, Quinella!" Not of my calling, a red energy field bursts from my sword. As I charge my attack, red flowers start appearing around me. This is the same phenomenon I saw when Medina killed Hersyrian. Her own Perfect Weapon Control.

"Jaymes, this is my final wish… Remember me. I'm sure we'll meet again someday…"

For some reason, I feel as if she's standing right beside me, controlling the actions of this blade. "You'll live on in my memory, Medina! You'll bloom there like the lycoris! Now together!" I honestly don't know if we're saying it simultaneously, but I pretend as if we're doing so. "Enhance Armament! Lycoris! Rain down and smite my foes!" I run forward and thrust my sword out, missing Quinella, but she was never my intended target. Instead, I strike her sword, breaking it apart to the gems that forged it.

"Thank you, our successor, bearer of our blood"

"The gate to the other world!"

As the gate to my world vanishes, I turn away from the vanishing Orthinanos jewels to Quinella, smirking. "I told you that you're facing the Crimson Warrior, and he delivers on his promises."

"Do you mean to challenge the conqueror of this world as a defect? I will never be defeated by a defective blade! I will live on in this world, and control everything! For my control is love!"

"Conqueror of this world, huh? Nice title...and fitting for you. To defeat the conqueror makes me a hero, and to defeat the ruler makes me a king, correct? So with this flame that is the will of the Orthinanos, Medina, and all who suffered at your hand, Quinella, I relieve you of that post. Fall to ashes, Administrator!" I strike her through her body, hearing her cries as the deep red flames scorch her body and the platform. Quinella disappears, and despite the adversity, I stand victorious and close my eyes.


"Medina!"

She looks at me with a pained smile as I try to heal her. "It's no use. You can't save me."

"What are you saying? I WILL save you! You can't die! We...would fight and live forever! When we get back, I'll tell everyone how cool you were while they fawn over us."

"Heh… I really can't stand you. You've grown more annoying with each passing day… Jaymes...it's so cold. Will you...take my hand?" I take her hand, holding it tight. "I couldn't even clear my family's name. I should have tried harder."

"You can still do it. You've done plenty now."

"I wanted to stay with you all. Everyone is so kind... So warm. If my father knew that I made friends, he'd be so surprised...so happy. I wonder if he would praise me like you do, Jaymes. I wonder if...he'd approve of you…"

"He would… Besides, it's not over! Stand up and walk into the future with us!" Tears start to run from my eyes as the familiarity of the situation catches up to me. "Please...please don't leave me alone! Not again! You...are a savior to me as well."

"That makes me so happy. But I poured my blood and soul into this blade. I can't turn back."

"Cardinal may be able to do something. Just hold on a little longer!"

"I'm sorry… I don't think I can… Jaymes, use my blade and yours to make the blazing lycoris bloom. Save the people of this world."

"You're supposed to do it with me. We're… We're the Blades of Orthinanos!"

"You always believed in me. So much that I couldn't stand it. You and Kirito both have. Thank you. But I used up all of my strength… I'm sorry."

"Medina…"

"Jaymes...Ever since we met, you've been my savior."

"No, I…"

"Yes, you have! You lit the dark path I was on. In all my life...you were the only light. I think...no, I know… I..." Using whatever strength remains, Medina rises up and kisses me. but it only for a moment before her head goes limp in my arms. "Jaymes… I'm so glad… I met you…"


"Medina… It's over."

"So it is." I open my eyes and turn my head, seeing a man around my age stand in the center. He wears a red and white attire with a cape flowing on his back. His red hair and blue eyes is trademark of his family, the one he began. "It's nice to see you again, Jaymes."

"Matthew."

"Our time grows short, but I want to say thank you. For watching over my daughter, for leading her down the right path, and for avenging our family. For that, I'm eternally grateful."

I look at the sword that became Medina, gazing at it sorrowfully. "I should be thanking you. If you didn't call her, I would be dead… But I couldn't save her."

Matthew chuckles and picks something up from the ground. "Not true. Her fluctlight remains."

I drop my jaw. "It does… The sword! Like how that prince's fluctlight was attached to the necklace, she's attached to the sword?"

"Yes. The fifth-head, Miriam Orthinanos, asked me to relay all of this to you. The same way the Pontifex was successfully brought back can indeed be done with Medina, but you must hurry before her fluctlight completely vanishes. And you're going to need this." He throws whatever he picked to me, which turns out to be one of the gems of the Orthinanos. "That belongs to her as well. Now listen carefully...and save Medina, my old friend…"


Back in the cathedral

"Jaymes! Are you okay?"

"What the hell are you wearing?"

"Your wounds…"

"Where's Medina?"

"What happened in there?"

I hold my hand up to ward off any more questions, then begin to explain all that happened in the Main Visualizer, specifically the last part I just learned. "From what her ancestors told me, the body of the fifth head still remains in the Central Cathedral, frozen in stasis. Medina's soul, her fluctlight, is in the sword. if we can find it before Medina's fluctlight vanishes, we can save her."

Cardinal takes hold of the blade and confirms my words. "Yes, Medina's will and soul still lives in the sword. And her ancestors are right to hurry you, it is barely holding on as is. As for the gem, it contains the Reserve Forces Module and the memories linked to it. I knew I sensed fluctlights when Quinella made the sword, yet this of the five gems, this one doesn't contain one."

"And the memory data," Alice asks.

"The module is powered by the memories and love of House Orthinanos… Jaymes, where is the body of the fifth head?"

"In the White Prison. I don't recall passing through there."

Cardinal sighs. "That is just like Administrator… As for Medina's fluctlight, it is heavily damaged. Its practically inconceivable it is still holding on. An Incarnation is keeping her fluctlight from breaking down entirely. Jaymes, your memories and bond with the blade allowed you to use Perfect Weapon Control, and it is most likely, along with her ancestors' will, that's keeping it that way. Her ancestor's body was most likely kept as a vessel for the module."

"The Pontifex did say the fifth head was nearly perfect," Eydis recalls.

"So she stored a body in case the lineage died out," Sortiliena deduces. "That's...vile."

"Yes, but recall this gem has no fluctlight, which even a suspended body can't live without."

"So she made that one module into a gem separate from the body and soul?"

I agree with Alice's hypothesis. "That's amazing, if it wasn't used for such evil. But it might be the key to saving Medina. That means...we'll have to overwrite Miriam's fluctlight with Medina's. Cardinal, is that even possible?"

"Reviving the damaged fluctlight requires an intact fluctlight and a physical body. In essence, we can copy her soul. It worked once before Jaymes. You're looking at that result, so it can happen again. But are you sure you want to do this?"

I nod, then look to everyone else. Eydis immediately agrees with me, and the other girls quickly follow suit. "I promised her ancestor I'll save her, no matter what, and the fifth head is giving her body to do so. Everyone here wants to do the same. So let's do this, Cardinal."

Cardinal nods. "Then there's no issue. Ronie, Tiese, and Sortiliena, once find the vessel, I'll need the three of you to help me. Alice, Eydis, and Jaymes, I know I've should have said something earlier, but you made this so important I almost forgot about it."

"What is it?"

"Worry about it later, we need the vessel first. Of course, that would be easy if I knew where the White Prison was located."

I begin to look around the room. "If it's her secret testing grounds... Is it connected up… Hey, you remember that picture book you showed me that Quinella left behind? It had a page with one blood being poured into gems?"

Cardinal nods. "You think there's a clue in there?"

"Mhm. That is like the Orthinanos' blood being converted to gems, so there must be a clue there. I would ask you to go get it, but I doubt there's time. I do remember there being a sword or something with a gem being fitted inside." I look around the root-covered walls, but notice one space that isn't entirely blocked off. I jog over to it, and sure enough, there's a sword on the wall. I take the gem in my hand, and it fits perfectly in the sword. "Here it is."

"I'll analyze it." Cardinal touches the hanging sword for a few seconds before she turns to me. "Hm. This is the way to the hidden area. Or hidden partition, I should say. The data is compressed and locked with a password. Which we don't have."

If Kirito was here, he could probably hack this time. Furthermore, the console to the outside world is covered by the roots. I have a idea, but it might not be the best idea. I step back, hand Medina's sword to Sortiliena and draw Falchion.

"Jaymes, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry, Ronie, I'm just going to try to break the wall d

own."

Cardinal understands. "I see. your Memory Release practically eliminates any data you target completely, and it's possibly not limited to organics."

"Huh?"

I explain it to the rest of the group. "You know my Memory Release can destroy anything I want to, right? So, what if I decide this wall is in my way?"

"But the cathedral is an immortal object!"

Shrugging, I face the wall and shrug. "At least we're about to find out if that's all true. Exalted Falchion! Hiyah!" It takes quite a moment, but eventually the wall crumbles. I sheathe Falchion and turn the Cardinal. "Not as easy as hacking, but it worked."

"Mhm. Not leave the rest to me and those three. You and the Integrity Knights have other business."

"What is it?"

"You certainly did defeat her consciousness, however, it still remains in the Main Visualizer."

"Lady Pontifex is alive?"

"Talk about being immortal."

I sigh. "I would think this wouldn't surprise me after all I've been through… But how is that so?"

"Removing her consciousness should have erased her existence. But memories of hers carved into this world yet remain. She must be collecting the fragments of her consciousness to revive herself."

"Her memories and will are connected to this world. They won't readily disappear."

"Fear not, Alice. Her consciousness is extremely resilent, but we have a solution in Jaymes' abilities, as demonstrated. Beating her leaves fragments in the Main Visualizer, but if you eliminate all of her at once…"

I look at Falchion, feeling my connection to the blade. "I have to fight her again. I'll remove every trace of her consciousness from this world. I won't let Eugeo, Kirito, and Medina's sacrifices be in vain."

Alice nods. "They began this fight, Eugeo and Kirito, and gave it their all. Last time, I felt like I barely did anything to support them, but this time, my blade stands against the Pontifex. And not just for the past, but the future as well."

Eydis turns her head to me, holding her right eye, newly healed apparently during my time in the Main Visualizer. "I met my sister again in the previous battle. She gave me all the motive to break the Seal of the Right Eye and push through! So Jaymes, you fulfilled your promise to me, If it wasn't for Kirito, Eugeo, and Medina, we could not have done any of it. So when we get in there, let's fight for them, for those we lost as Integrity Knights, and for the world we protect."

I nod and turn to the others. "Do all you can to bring Medina back, We'll deal with the Pontifex." I reach my left hand back and take hold of the Night-Sky Sword, the brilliant black blade glistening in my hand. I'm going to need to borrow this for a moment longer, Kirito. "Cardinal, send us to the Main Visualizer…"


"This is…"

"The Main Visualizer. It's the place where all memories lie."

"Look." I point out a glowing red ball in the center of the space, which begins to resonate and form into the Pontifex.

"My, you finally arrived!"

Eydis gasps. "Her consciousness really did come back."

"I suppose you learned nothing from your cute little friend's pointless sacrifice. That defect accomplished nothing by resisting. And you let her waste her life."

"That's not true," Alice firmly states. "Jaymes told me what happened here. Amid true despair, she gave her life to become a blade and lend him her strength! Together, they won and closed the gate to the other world! You died and Jaymes' life was spared, allowing him to return to the top floor! And now, the three of us have returned to finish the job! There is no such thing as a life or death without meaning!"

Quinella chuckles. "You have such a foul mouth, Alice. Anything to add, Eydis?"

"I do!" Eydis steps forward and joins Alice. "No matter how strong you may be, I'm not afraid to raise my blade against you. You have robbed me and my sister of happiness with your treachery, but no more shall sisters be ripped apart! As for me, I have a new bond, one I don't fully understand yet, but I won't let you destroy it." Eydis then turns back to me, "We promised to always stick together, no matter what happens. So we fight."

"I have to protect someone I care for, and he cared for this world enough to free it of tyranny. With this blade, he did that. So with his blade and my own, I'll free this world of your control. And you, Quinella, will be the only one who died here in the Main Visualizer, for Orthinanos lives on!"

"Is that so? Fine. Allow me to show you how truly powerless you are." Quinella fills her right hand with light that becomes a rapier. "The only thing that will be ending is your lives. Come now, if you dare!" Quinella curls up and extends her limbs, throwing a purple field of energy around her. Alice discharges a glass barrier that covers us as best she can until the energy gives out. Once that does, with a valiant yell Eydis leaps forward and begins combating Quinella. Running around to flank, I attack from behind, but Quinella blocks me with a barrier. In the same move, her fingertips glow orange and push me away with fire. Eydis uses this opportunity to cut Quinella across her right oblique, then leaps back to counter the Pontifex's next move. It leads Quinella to generate a massive ball of Umbral energy and fires it at Eydis, who barely deflects it.

Alice swoops in and takes the heat, but is driven back closer and closer to the edge of the platform. Not knowing if it is possible to fall, I form icy vines and latch them around Quinella's bond to bind her. Alice takes the opportunity to blow her former master back to the center of the platform. At once, we all discharge beams of light, which Quinella struggles to hold back with a barrier. "How dare you all stand against me… I AM THE UNDERWORLD!"


The White Prison

Ronie gasps as the four women circle around the body of Miriam Orthinanos, the fifth-generation head of the family. "She looks so much like Medina."

Sortiliena nods. "She does. Cardinal, is this going to work? How do we copy over the fluctlight from Medina's sword?"

"I will warn you. It won't be easy. This is not a simple copy operation. Overwriting a fluctlight and connecting to the body...should be impossible."

"But you have a plan," Tiese asks.

"I do. To connect Medina's damaged soul to the vessel, we must make a connection, using the sword filled with memories as a medium. First, we will merge Medina's fluctlight with that of the fifth-generation head. Then we will connect by piercing the ancestor's body. If we do that, then restore Medina's consciousness, we may be able to restore her soul. Of course, we run the risk of both fluctlights fighting for the body, and that could destroy hers."

"But there's no other way. Medina's body is gone and her memories are close to it."

"But either of the souls could emerge, and the ancestor's is in better condition."

"Indeed. to make this work, you three will need the power of Incarnation. Restoring her consciousness, repairing her soul, and transferring it to the vessel will require your memories and the will of the bloodline of Orthinanos. Of course, even with a strong will, the extent of the damage means that recovery is unlikely. The vessel has been abandoned for ages. It may fail and leave only a husk."

"Then we're wasting time," Sortiliena says. "Jaymes, Alice, and Eydis are counting on us to bring our friend back. I trust that our bonds with her are strong enough to make this work."

"Good," Cardinal replies. "Now bring me the gem and the blade... Here we go… Sortiliena."

Sortiliena holds the blade up and over Miriam's body along with Tiese and Ronie. "Come back into this world and bloom once more like the blazing lycoris!" She impales the body, and a red energy sprouts out of it.

"Lycoris?"

"Flowers are blooming from the wound!"

"Not just that…"

"The sword is being drawn in…"


Another wave of energy dives our beams back and forces us to fall. I'm disarmed and slide dangerously close to the edge, and as Quinella flies down to impale me, I strengthen my body with the Metallic Element and grab the blade before it punctures my throat. However, despite my enhanced strength, in this position, Quinella is stronger. "Nothing you do will work. Strike me down as many times you think you can, I will never be erased! I am inevitable! Yet you still resist. That girl, that irregular boy, and all of you..."

"You...will never understand the reason...why I never stop! Urrrghhhhhh-HA!" I push the rapier aside and retrieve the Night-Sky Sword and Falchion, swinging them against Quinella. "It's the same reason you didn't see through Medina's plan to become a blade. She sacrificed herself out of love and determination to save me and her family. It's the reason I'm here in this world, to protect someone I regard as my brother. But you, you threw emotions away. You'll never understand it. That, Quinella, was your mistake! You don't realize there are things a mere human would give their life for! It's why Kirito beat you, and why I will as well with his own power!" I break her guard and hold my blades out as they glow purple. "Fall, Quinella! Starburst Stream!"

As the final hit connects, Quinella bursts into light, but the red ball that represents her lingering consciousness returns her to normal. "Don't make me laugh. I have no desire to understand such things. Even if I can't reach the outside world, I shall reign over this one for eternity. I may have lost the Integrity Knights, but I've no need for such puppets."

Alice and Eydis steps forward and fight the Pontifex. "While you did use us, I admit that in the distant past, I loved you, Lady Pontifex."

"Why are you saying this now?"

"And not just Alice. Sheyta, Bercouli, myself… We all loved you even without the Piety Modules."

"What does it matter? Love is nothing but a signal in the fluctlight. That light is easily snuffed out. Such a feeble concept has no true value!"

"That's exactly why you didn't accept it… No, you were too afraid to accept it."

"I fear nothing. Cease this useless drivel!" Quinella smacks Alice away, grabs Eydis and throws her towards Alice. She raises her hand up and generates a gigantic fireball, tossing it at the Integrity Knights. It explodes around them, much to my shock, yet as smoke clouds their bodies, I can see a small glow of yellow light. The veil is casted aside by that light, revealing Ronie and Tiese standing in front of the alive Knights. They must have thrown up a barrier once they arrived, but their fatigue shows it was barely strong enough to hold off the Pontifex's power.

"You look like a proud master," Sortiliena voice reaches me from the side. She looks at me and smiles. "You've done well with them."

"I can see that now. You two, nice save!"

Tiese glares at the Pontifex with a fiery resolve. "We may be unable to stand against you, Lady Pontifex, but nothing in this world will stop us from protecting those we hold dear to our hearts."

"Lady Alice, Lady Eydis, are you okay?"

Alice nods. "Yes. Thank you, And I see this conversation is getting us nowhere. I will make sure you and your twisted love are put to rest forever. This is the last bit of love we can give you as the daughters you created."

Quinella laughs. "What utter nonsense! Love is control! Love is desire! I have this world at my mercy!"

"Good thing we made this decision long ago, on whether this world belongs to you or to us." Standing in the midst of the six girls, I look to the Integrity Knights and get in my stance. "Eydis, Alice… Today, we use our power to fell a goddess, and then, give you the future."

Alice holds her sword up and looks to Eydis. "Let's finish this, big sister."

"Right. Let's save the world and start our free lives. Enhance Armament!"

"Release Recollection!" Alice's petals and Eydis fly towards Quinella, but they're blocked by her barrier. Eydis tries to cut through, but it seems the Pontifex's will is impossibly stronger. I maintain my faith in them, but if I strike the barrier, I may lose my chance to hit Quinella for a while. Sortiliena, Tiese, and Ronie cannot do anymore than they have… I may have to do it.

"For House Orthinanos!" A streak of red and white shatters the barrier, allowing the osmanthus petals and Eydis' sword to score hits on the Pontifex. As she kneels down, that redhead savior turns to me. "Do it now!"

I nod and hold my sword skyward. "Come forth, Exalted Falchion!" I look at Quinella and charge forward. The tip of the Exalted Falchion glows radiantly as I thrust it and the Night-Sky Sword (for added measure) at Quinella, hearing her screams as both blades strikes her in the chest.


As her cries die down, she becomes overcome with grief. "Impossible… Why? I.. It was perfect…"

"This is the power of our will."

"Heh… What is this feeling? Why do I feel… free?"

"Your suffering has come to an end, Quinella. You're free from the need to control, from the fear of death."

As I remove both swords, Quinella steps forward, dropping her naked body onto me and holding on for dear life. "I see now… I've been set free. You set me free."

"I may have broke the chains, but it was Kirito who gave me the key. All of them who brought me here. We all set you free."

"Heh heh. Good night… Hero-King. It's time for me...to sleep and dream a beautiful dream…" Quinella bursts into polygons in my arms, and this time, for good.

"Goodbye, Quinella. I must admit, you truly were a match for me."

"Goodbye, Administrator. Our ruler...and our mother…"