One week later, the 95th Floor.
Seven days have passed since the Pontifex was finally defeated. In the aftermath, I collapsed for a few hours due to my wounds, but thanks to my dedicated nurse and favorite Integrity Knight, I was brought back to good health. In the meantime, we learned that Medina lost most of her memories from her past, only remembering things of the last two years. She remembers the death of her father since she's thought about it multiple times, though the exact feelings and memories around that time are gone.
Once Alice cut the Cathedral Cedar, reports of strange flowers died out within a day, and the ACTF took care of any lingering beasts. With the empires cleared of the threat, the ACTF considered the mission a success and unofficially disbanded. Bercouli, however, now petitions the rulers of the four kingdoms to add more forces to rebuild the Imperial Knights for the incoming threat, The Dark Territory. With the Pontifex officially announced as departed, he believes the forces beyond the End Mountains will now mobilize greater than ever, now that I warned him and the Integrity Knights of the incoming war.
Speaking of a Pontifex, "Cardinal, I am here."
The little woman turns and bows to me. "Hello, Jaymes. I hear you've been granted a new title, though I'm sure it'll make the empires unhappy, Hero-King."
I sigh and shrug. "Truth be told, I rather stay away from royalty."
She chuckles. "Yes, that doesn't suit you, being in their company. Your mannerisms are rude enough as is." She turns away and looks to the outside, smiling contently. "Quinella is gone, and Kirito has changed my mind about my other goal. My time in this world is no longer necessary. So may I ask a favor before I go."
"You may?"
"May I know your true desire for this world?"
"My true desire…" I look outside, seeing the radiant rays of Solus bear down on the capital and the visible stretch of land made by Terraria to the north. "Well, my end goal is the same. I must take Alice to the World's End Altar. I will fight the Dark Territory as I originally set out to. But now… My true desire is the prosperity of the Underworld. I don't fight for my own goals, but for the goals of the people of this world. Medina, Eydis, Alice… I want to save their world first."
"That's good to hear. Now don't you have some people to talk to?"
I nod. "Yeah. It's about time I report in." I turn to Cardinal and bow to her. "I never thought, with all that's happened with the Cardinal System in my life I'll ever say this, but… Thank you, Cardinal. Not just for aiding me, but for Kirito as well."
Cardinal smiles and wacks me on the head with her staff. "You're welcome. Now go." Grumbling something quite inappropriate, I walk towards the doors Cardinal forms for me. "Oh, and Jaymes?"
"Yeah."
Out of thin air she takes hold of a wrapped sword and a rolled parchment and hands them to me via telekinesis. "Your sword order and an additional gift for the restored Lady Orthinanos. Take care of her and of Lady Eydis. I'm leaving this world in your hands, after all."
"I will try my best."
"And one more thing… The warrior, she wasn't someone who just was 'sent' by Lunaria in the night. She was Lunaria herself." With this new information, I nod and enter the doorway, not looking back as I leave Cardinal for the very last time.
"Quite the eventful month you've had down there, Jaymes. But it sounds like everything is under control now. Instability of the world has lessened quite a bit."
"But do you believe you can restore Kirigaya's self-image?"
I sigh. "I don't know, but I'll try before I send him away with Alice… Where's Asuna?"
"She's in the STL Bay right now. She's being prepped to enter the Underworld, but it may be another hour or two on our end. Possibly when the Final Load Test begins."
"Okay… Kikuoka, before I go, I must ask you another question. Who else, before today, has entered the Underworld besides me, Rath employees, and Kazuto?"
Unexpectedly, he answers immediately. "You'll know the answer soon enough, when Asuna arrives. I rather you see who it is for yourself, as originally planned."
Well, I guess I got no choice but to wait. "Fine. I think that's everything. Wait, the intruders?"
Higa answers that one. "Assume they'll eventually enter the Underworld, but I wouldn't be alarmed. It will be a miracle if they find out who and where Alice is. Yet… Don't assume they'll enter within the Human Empire."
"Is it possible...those accounts are not locked?"
"I didn't want to say this in front of the women, but possibly so. But even then, there are other high-level accounts associated with the other side. Just be wary."
"I will. Hardin out."
Later, Central Cathedral Grounds
"Are you sure you want me to watch over Kirito?" Alice turns to me as I wheel Kirito alongside Eydis and Medina. With the story being that the Pontifex died before the now named 'Clamp Crisis', Alice feared that the news that Kirito was responsible for the Pontifex's fall would put him in danger, so I asked her to take him to Rulid for the time being.
"Yeah. He'll be safer with you and Selka than with me."
"Well, I'm almost prepared." I take that as a gesture to say goodbye for the time being. Allowing the girls to talk to each other, I pull Kirito over for some privacy and kneel down. I have no clue what else I can say to Kirito, I've said all I had to...and to be honest, I don't know if my words can reach him. But I promised I'd try once.
"Well...this is it for now. You're going to be with Alice and Selka for the time being. Do me a favor, help Alice figure out who she needs to be in this new world. As for yourself… I don't know what you went through besides the logs, but I know whatever ate you up was something big. We've been through it once with Sword Art Online, and now here. If it is forgiveness you're looking for, honestly I'm not the one to give it to you. But It'd be nice if you can forgive me one day. Until then… Don't give Alice any trouble." I place a hand on his knee and start to rise, but before I get halfway up, I feel a hand over my own. Kirito's hand...on mine. I look to his face, and I gasp as it looks like he wants to say something, but I know he can't. This is the first time he's really reacted to me… I think I may have gotten to him a little. I don't truly know what it means, but I think he just granted my wish.
"See you, my friend. Stay cool, Kirito." Taking a breath, I take my hand away before I get too emotional. Alice comes over and takes Kirito's body while I fold his wheelchair and place it in a pouch hanging off a dragon. Alice settles them both on the dragon's back. "Alright. Off we go. I wish you three well."
Eydis nods. "Be safe and take care, Alice."
"And take care of Kirito as well."
"Alice… Next time we meet, I wish to see both your eyes." Alice smiles weakly at me and snaps her reins. Her dragon takes flight, and they're soon off to the north, becoming a shrinking dot in the sky. Exhaling lightly, I turn to Medina. "Are we ready?"
The redhead girl nods. "I'm ready when you are."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay," Eydis says with a pint of sadness. "It's going to get somewhat boring and quiet with everyone gone."
Medina. "I've regained my family's honor, so it is time I return home. As for this one, he's just tagging along to be annoying."
"Hey, you told me I'm coming."
"I don't remember."
"Don't use your partial amnesia as an excuse when you're wrong!"
Eydis chuckles at our banter and then hugs us both. "I'm going to miss you both. I'll try to take time to come visit your home, Medina, but if not… We'll meet back on the battlefield, fighting the Dark Territory." She steps back and looks to Medina. "Seems we both got something out of this that we were missing before. Take care, Lady Orthinanos...and don't let Sir Orthinanos run too wild, he has his reckless tendencies."
"I'll keep him in--Wait, wait, wait, Sir Orthinanos? Eydis!"
"Hee hee!" She turns to me and nods. "Keep the good lady safe and happy. Keep your skills up too, no telling how much we may depend on the Hero-King of the Human Empire."
"I will. And take care of yourself, Eydis--Gah!" Eydis throws herself on me quite suddenly, and though she hides her face from Medina by using mine, I can fully feel a wet tear between our cheeks.
"Thank you for helping me find Mary. This is all I can do to repay you...and show my heart." Her "payment" goes as quickly as it comes as she departs from my arms and turns around. "Now go, both of you, before I start begging. No little tenth generations, okay, Mr. Mage Knight?" My hand lingers over my right cheek, but I'm interrupted by Medina pulling on my cape. Understanding, we wave farewell to Eydis as the spell teleports us away from the Central Cathedral and the capital.
"Don't hesitate, don't hesitate, I got the feeling that no pain was insurmountable..." Eydis sits in the garden on the 70th Floor of the cathedral alone, singing a song she once heard and liked. Her armor is set aside so she can feel liked in her only place of serenity, though most of the things that made it so are gone. Alice would use her sword to create a osmanthus tree here, but without Alice, it's just a garden. Ah, how she misses Alice so already… Maybe she should sneak away some time later and fly to Rulid. Maybe along the way, make a pit stop to Uetra Valley and visit Medina and… Jaymes.
Her pulse quickens a bit at the thought of him, but what is she to do? He's long gone with Medina, and sure, she joked about them two, but she believes that neither of them like the other in that way, and Medina knows the truth. If only she had been more insistent Jaymes sticks around, and not just barely peck him on the cheek… She groans to herself. Maybe her feelings did get to him, maybe they didn't. "Even if we get separated, we have our feelings that we've connected together. So don't be afraid, don't be afraid, because whatever darkness you're been swallowed into, time and again, I'll hold out my hand to you…"
Uetra Valley
Medina holds the parchment Cardinal wrote the spellwords on and turns to me. "You ready?"
I nod and hold my hand out to the land around the Orthinanos homestead. If this works, Orthinanos land will become fertile beyond the lycoris garden. If not… Well, I trust Cardinal enough to not believe the alternative. "Ready. System Call: Region ID: N-4. Coordinates J-10-2020. Terrestrial Modification. Incorporate Life into Area." I fire the command into the sky, and watch as the ball of light bursts into a rain of Sacred Power.
After the shower completely disappears, I inspect a sample of soil with the Stacia Window. And there it is, 'Fertile Land' in the title. I look to Medina, smiling. "You did it. Your people can finally live a good life on good land." Medina gasps and turns around to her mother and other people on the land, nodding my answer to them.
As I stand up, Medina faces me again and raises an eyebrow. "Wait a minute, I didn't do anything. You and Cardinal did this."
"True, but all of this is because of you. I played my part though."
Medina faces the lycoris garden, a distance away but visible nonetheless. "My hope. That's what I wanted to tell you back then. That you, just like the lycoris, represents my hope."
I turn my head away and smile. "That's nice. I almost feel like ruining the moment."
"Well don't. You got other days to do so and annoy me, but not right now… Although, that might depend on what happened to my gift to you. What you do to the flower?"
I knew I was forgetting something. "Here." I reach out from under my cape and hand Medina the sheathed blade Cardinal gave me. "I had Cardinal make this sword for you from the lycoris flower. It's an exact replica of the one you had before. Now you carry the hope of the Orthinanos, from all generations, with you."
After inspecting it with wet eyes, Medina sheathes the sword and attaches it to her waist. She says nothing afterwards, so I reach up and lift her chin. "You okay?" Medina looks up at me and raises her arms up. Before I can say anything, she envelopes me in a tight hug that probably squeezes a bit of my Life away.
"I'm sorry," she says after she lets go. "I know that...one day, when this is all over, you'll return to your world. But..."
"Forever."
"Huh?"
"'So I want to swear to you here, in this place where I rejected you… I'll never turn my back on you again. I want to continue walking this path with you...forever, if I can.' I remember responding, 'I solemnly swear that I, Jaymes, will never turn my back again on Medina Orthinanos for as long as we live, and I will continue to walk this path with her...forever, if she doesn't throw me off a cliff first.' Or did you forget? I meant it. That's why I'm here now, and I'll be here after we defeat the Dark Territory. A promise is a promise, no matter how it is executed. Plus it would be rude to steal a kiss and turn tail."
"You remember that?" Medina blushes and looks to the evening sun. "I hate you so much! But think nothing more of it, idiot! That was just a thank you and all! At best, you're my annoying best friend!"
I look in the direction of the Central Cathedral. "I know. It would be horrible to fall in love with me anyway. Because, one day, once again, I'm afraid that ghost that plagues me will appear in my sleep."
"Then pray to Lady Lunaria that you sleep with blissful dreams instead of nightmares." Medina steps forward, folding her hands behind her back as she starts to sing softly. "You can work it out, Scarlet. It's yours to give, one life to live, complete. It's up to you, don't ever give in to defeat. Shine like the starlight. You shine so bright, you're such a sight to see. But when you fall, all that you leave behind, in time, your legacy…"
My longest SAO story is over. But the stories in the Underworld are not.
For Alicization: Lycoris, the big story DLC is coming in a few months, and as I did with Fatal Bullet's DLC, I may write the story. I didn't do Hollow Realization's because I haven't played it, but maybe I'll get to it one day. It would be nice to return to Ainground... Or back to Alfheim, and write an arc I skipped... Or maybe even Aincrad, the one we all know and love. I did start reading SAO Progressive, after all...
Future stuff aside, War of Underworld is next, of course. And I tell you...it was hard to decide how to advance into it. I had two routes in my mind, and I kept going back and forth on them until I finally decided to go with my original plan. The alternate plan was for Kureha to join as Lunaria (an actual goddess in the Underworld, but not used by anyone. So it's free for me, hehe) but it felt out of place to have her join alongside Asuna, and I didn't (at the time) know when Sinon and Leafa arrived as their respective goddesses. So I scraped that idea. Besides, the vice-captain has her spotlight elsewhere in the next story.
So who is Lunaria?
About two hours later, Ocean Turtle
"Asuna. It's time."
"Okay." Asuna picks herself up and walks in between Kirito and Jaymes. Grabbing her phone, she opens the ALO group chat that pretty much consists of everyone in the group and quickly types a message. "Everyone, I'm going to the Underworld, too. I'll be coming back with Kirito and Jaymes, no matter what, so don't worry." Message sent, Asuna walks over to the last Soul Translator and sits on it, letting Nurse Aki place an IV in her arm.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes. Anytime you're ready, please." Asuna turns away to the boys one last time, firm in her determination. "Joshua, Kazuto… We're coming to save you."
At the same time, Rath Roppongi Branch...
She sits on the STL as the doctor hooks her up to an IV line. She looks down to the two other empty STL machines. No one else is entering besides her and Asuna, as of right now. Their official mission is simple: FInd the Fluctlight named Alice, escort her across the Dark Territory to the World's End Altar, and send her to the Sub Control Room on the Ocean Turtle. However, the two girls have their personal objectives as well: Find Jaymes, help Kirito, and bring everyone home safely.
"Jaymes, Kirito, Asuna and I are coming. Just hold on a moment longer...and we'll be back together again."
"Lunaria, as you know, has the ability to manipulate the Fluctlights' thought processes. But using the ability excessively can wear you out, especially with the load the system is taking. So are you ready, Miss Hanao? Sure you're feeling okay and up for this? I rather make sure your brain can handle this, but it is your call."
"It's been two years and too long. I'm ready to see my friends again." With a determined look set on her face, Koharu Hanao faces the doctor and nods. "I'm fine and I'm ready."
Asuna, the returned Koharu, and their friends join Jaymes, Alice, and the Human Empire against the Dark Territory in the next story, War of Underworld.
