ACT I

ELF WAR

Chapter 9: Down The River

They glided steadily along the river.

The paddles splashed gently in the water, propelling them at a steady pace. Kayaba couldn't still believe how everything he remembered about the Fourth Floor was different than what he was seeing now.

There were trees along the sides where there should only be barren cliffs. The canyon, modeled after the famous one in the United States, was a flowing band of azure, snaking into the distance. Aquatic monsters, harmless but plentiful, swam lazily alongside their boats.

It was quite a surprise for him when they had found the boats next to the pier the moment they exited the entrance to the Fourth Floor, and when he realized that the floor had been filled with rivers.

Kayaba took it in stride, however, even when Kirito was obviously flabbergasted at the changes. It was just one of the many things he had learned to deal with since the Third Floor.

"Do you think the Teleport Gate has been activated?" Yuna asked, paddling together with Nautilus. She had immediately taken a liking to their current situation and was the first one to jump into the boat.

"Possibly," Kayaba answered. "It's been nearly twenty minutes since we've set foot into this floor." Doubtless, Kibaou and Lind should be reaching Rova soon, if they hadn't already.

A few minutes of tranquil silence passed. Then Yuna glanced at the boat ahead of them. "Kizmel seems quiet. I wonder why?"

Kayaba followed her gaze. Indeed, the dark elf knight had grown silent for the past ten minutes despite Asuna's obvious attempt at a conversation. Kayaba could only see Kizmel's flowing purple cape, but her stiff back hinted at some inner turmoil.

"Maybe she's worried about her friends here," Nautilus suggested. "She said it's been a month since they lost contact with the upper floors, right?"

"Yes," Yuna said. In a softer tone, she added, "We should hurry and clear the other floors soon. Both for our sake and theirs."

"To do that, we must deliver the Jade Key to Yofel Castle first," Kayaba said.

The river branched in two directions some ways south. The terrain may have drastically changed, but the layout was still the same as far as Kayaba could tell. To the left, the river would take them to Yofel Castle. Meanwhile, the right one led to the lair of the field boss and the passage connecting the northern area to the south.

Kizmel pointed to the left and they glided into that direction. They had just reached the mouth of the branching river when Kirito's boat abruptly stopped.

"Uh…" Kayaba heard him say, scratching his head in bewilderment. The flowing current carried the second boat forward, passing the lead one until it also froze in the water.

"A bug?" Nautilis said, glancing back at Kayaba. On the other boat, Kirito, Asuna, and Kizmel were in deep conversation.

Kayaba looked around and noted how the river was still rushing. Even their boats were swaying with the current, though they remained stuck on the spot. He stared ahead, frowning.

"Nautilus, can you put the paddle forward?"

"Like this?" the boy said as he obeyed, extending the paddle like a spear. Immediately, it met resistance.

"A barrier," Kayaba said. He craned his head upwards, but couldn't discern anything. An invisible barrier.

"Not just any barrier," Kizmel said, balancing gracefully on her feet as she stood. She touched the air in front of her, but just like Nautilus's paddle, her hands met an invisible wall. "This is a charm meant to deter intruders. Yofel Castle is sealed."

Kayaba met Kirito's gaze, who shrugged helplessly. This was yet another change they hadn't expected, much less knew what to do about.

"How do we bypass this barrier?" Asuna asked with a frown, poking the barrier with the tip of her rapier.

Kizmel sat down, her expression contemplative. She ran a hand along the boat's hull. "I've heard tales of this before. Apparently, only boats and ships crafted from a certain tree could pass through this barrier."

A new quest? Kayaba glanced at Kirito again and saw him accepting a confirmation from a quest window. "What kind of tree?" Kayaba prompted when everyone else saw the notification.

"Avaril trees," Kizmel answered. "They grow south, at the Bear Forest." She pointed to the river on the right. "But even if we fell one, I don't know how to properly build a boat. Neither do we have the right tools."

"We can build a raft," Kirito suggested. Asuna swiveled around to face him and slapped his arm. "Hey!"

"I'm not going to cross a river on a raft," she snapped. She turned to face Kizmel, who was smiling. "Maybe we can ask around at the town? There should be a shipwright who could help us."

She nodded, though the reluctance in her face was evident. "Let's do that. But I'll have to stay behind. Your kind might not—"

"No, it's fine," Kayaba interrupted her. They looked to him immediately. He continued, "You've helped us defeat the Guardian. I don't believe humans will harm you for that."

Kayaba still couldn't discern what game Cardinal was playing at, but he was certain that Kizmel would play a vital role. Besides, showing her to other players would increase chances that they would join the dark elves.

"I'm not sure." She fidgeted nervously where she sat, the first time Kayaba had seen her looked flustered.

Asuna touched Kizmel gently on her shoulder, smiling. "It's fine. We're here if something happens. Besides, you said you wanted to learn more about how we live."

"I do." After a minute of silence, Kizmel nodded at last. "All right. I'll leave everything to you and Kirito, and to Master Heathcliff."

The journey to Rovia was swift and uneventful, and soon the town came into view.

Asuna and Yuna gasped, and Kizmel stared in wordless amazement. Even the boys were speechless.

Originally a desert town, Kayaba had designed Rovia with Middle Eastern architecture in mind. But now it had transformed to match the floor's terrain and topography.

What was once a town of baked clay was now a little Venice. Waterways and canals had replaced dirt roads, bordered by arching bridges at each district. Elegant gondolas glided smoothly along the waters and underneath the bridges. Most could hold two people, but some were large enough to carry a full party.

"I didn't know that humans could build such beautiful settlements," Kizmel said. "Is it really all right for me to be here?"

"Yes," Kayaba answered as they paddled to the nearest pier. "No one would mind."

They disembarked at a stone quay that jutted out from the pier, sitting next to a row of other gondolas. As Nautilus clambered out last, Kayaba looked around. There were not a lot of players around, probably because the Floor hadn't been open that long. Still, the NPCs milled about.

He approached one hammering on a broken gondola. A quick look at the bearded man's head showed a yellow exclamation point. "Excuse me," Kayaba enunciated clearly, "are you perhaps a shipwright?"

The NPC turned to him with a frown, his eyes looking dull and lifeless, so unlike Kizmel's. "Yes," he said gruffly in a manner that was obviously mechanical. "How may I be of help?"

"We need a gondola crafted from Avaril timber. Do you build one?"

"I'm afraid you'll need to find a better shipwright that. Romolo in the Market District will be your best bet, though I heard he's retired. Now leave me in peace." With a grunt, the NPC returned to his monotonous work.

"You have my gratitude," Kayaba said. When he rejoined the others, Kizmel eyed her fellow NPC with distaste. "How rude," she muttered.

Ignoring her comment, Kayaba gestured at the flight of stairs leading to the center of the town. "Romolo in the Market District could help us. He's retired, or so that man has said. But it's the best lead we have so far."

The Market District bustled with activity, both in land and on the adjacent canal. There were more players browsing the various stalls lining the sidewalks and underneath the bridge, where boats covered with roof replaced their land-based counterparts.

Kizmel was quiet as they walked toward a line of shops on the left, though Kayaba noticed the wonder in her eyes. Soon Asuna and Yuna roped her into a conversation, describing the items displayed on the stalls. Her interest, though reserved, was evident in her tone.

After asking around, they arrived at a shop tucked in a corner of the main street. A sign bearing the mark of a hammer overlapping a boat swayed from the gentle breeze. The glass door gave them a view of the small but plush interior, empty of any customers.

"It looks expensive," Kirito said. "Is this really the right shop?"

"If it is expensive, then it is the right one," Asuna said flatly. She pushed open the door and entered. "Excuse me?"

They followed her inside.

It was indeed expensive, or so thought Kayaba as he scanned the products displayed: furnitures mostly, with the occasional wood carvings here and there. All of them were crafted from Legendary-class materials.

The counter was polished Teika Wood, engraved with twisting vines and trees. To the left was a door of the same material and design, from which a man emerged. He grunted upon seeing them, his wintry mustache twitching as he spoke.

"Who are ye?" he said in a gruff tone. He moved behind the counter, planting his scarred fingers on the smooth surface.

Kayaba glanced at Kirito who cleared his throat. "Are you Romolo?"

"Aye. What do ye want?"

He spoke like a sailor, and was probably one before he became a shipwright. As Kirito conversed with Romolo, Kayaba watched Kizmel, noting her curious expression. So far, her only interaction with fellow NPCs was from the dark elven camp on the Third Floor. He wondered what she was thinking now that she'd seen another NPC aside from her kin.

"What kind of boat do ye need?" Romolo asked.

Driven by curiosity, Kayaba turned to Kizmel. "Kizmel, why don't you tell him what we need?"

That seemed to startle the dark elf as much as it did the others. Hesitance flashed in Kizmel's eyes, but it quickly vanished as she stepped forward with a respectful dip of her head. "I am Kizmel. We'd like to have a sea vessel crafted from Avaril timber."

Romolo grunted. "I'm retired, but if ye gather all th' materials I need, I'll build you one."

He listed off the materials, most of which could be found near the southern area. When he finished, he said, "Bring thos' t' me and at least 5.000 Cor. Then we have a deal." Then he returned to the adjacent room.

As soon as they had exited the shop, Kirito grumbled, "I knew it's going to be expensive. And that's just for one gondola!"

"If the finished product is good, I don't see why we can't spend that much," Asuna said. "We'll split up the costs anyway, right?" She looked at each of them in turn with a smile that brook no argument. Her gaze lingered on Kirito longer.

"Fine," he muttered.

Kayaba was surprised that Kizmel agreed to pool her own contribution, though it wasn't uncommon for NPCs to have some Cor in their inventory. Still, 5,000 was a bit much; it could purchase a single set of high-quality gear.

An idea struck him. "Instead of gathering these materials, why don't we give Romolo the best ones this floor could offer?"

At their blank expressions, except for Kirito whose face morphed into realization, Kayaba explained that the materials were mid-level quality, which would explain why Romolo's service fee was high.

"We could also give him more than he requested," Kirito said after Kayaba finished speaking. "That might lower the cost even more."

Kayaba nodded. "Exactly. Not to mention increasing the chances of getting a better item."

"I like the idea," Asuna said with a frown, "but where and how do we get these high-quality materials?"

"We can find them in the same area as the ones in the list," Kirito answered. "But to get them, we need to be at higher levels." At that, he stared at Kizmel, as did everyone else.

Kayaba smiled, even as the dark elf looked at them in confusion. "Now then, let's begin."

###

It was a thirty-minute trip by foot to the Bear Forest, where they could find all of the materials in one spot.

Kizmel didn't seem to be surprised at some of the game mechanics, like the items they acquired every time they killed a monster. It was simply magic to her, a phenomena that was the foundation of Aincrad, and one that she had grown accustomed to.

As the sandy terrain gave way to mosses and shrubs, the party entered the Bear Forest with vigilance. Though Kizmel was high-leveled, the bear-type monsters were still dangerous if encountered in groups. Worse if they encountered the Magnatherium.

Still, they needed the high-quality items, so Asuna suggested that they search for the strongest monster. It wasn't long before they reached a grove of trees, towing over the others, their barks a silver sheen.

"Avaril trees," Kizmel said.

Nautilus gazed at the gigantic trees, frowning. "We found it. But how do we chop it down?"

"You'll need the Lumber skill for better chances of getting a lot of the cores," Kayaba said. "However, the axes we bought should suffice. We only need twenty."

They set about chopping the first tree while Kizmel stood guard. With five of them, it only took ten minutes to feel one tree. As it toppled to the ground before vanishing into motes of blue light, Kirito frowned. "You guys got anything?"

Kayaba, Nautilus, and Yuna shook their heads. Asuna tapped on a notificatin window. "I got one Avaril Core," she said.

"Just one?" Kirito groaned. "It took us ten minutes for that!"

"Which means it'll take at least three hours to get everything," Nautilus said. "Not counting the other materials."

"I wonder…" Kayaba looked around. From what he remembered, the Magnatherium should be in the same area. He scanned the trees until he saw the marks. "Kirito, take a look." He pointed to a tree eight yards to the left.

Its moonlight bark was broken by a four-pronged gash three yards across. Claw marks.

Kirito glanced briefly at it, then turned to him. "Too dangerous." His expression was serious.

His shoulders rising and falling, Kayaba said, "At this point, we'll have to take the risk. Other players would be here soon. We might not have the chance to do this efficiently if that happens."

"What are you two talking about?" Asuna inquired. Gathering everyone around, including Kizmel, Kirito explained the plan. When he finished, he shook his head.

"I wouldn't recomm—"

"Let's do it!" Asuna said with a grin. The boy stared at her, aghast.

"Why do you want the items badly?" he demanded. Asuna stared as if he'd grown another head.

"They are high-quality items," she pointed out. "Would you rather pay a thousand Cor just for a boat we won't likely use in the next floors?"

Kirito shifted uneasily. "Well, no. But it's still too dangerous."

"The XP and loot we'll get should compensate for that."

"Still too dangerous."

"Fine. You stay behind while we take care of it, party leader."

Her biting words surprised even Kayaba, but he concealed his reaction in a face of neutrality. He could understand Asuna's eagerness; 5,000 Cor, though divided between five of them, was still an exorbitant price for a quest itemmthat they wouldn't use for long.

Kirito seemed to deflate at Asuna's words. He held up his hands in forced agreement. "All right, all right. We'll go lure this bear."

Despite his audible grumbling, Asuna beamed. "Great! Now, how do we find it?"

No sooner had the question left her mouth that a roar echoed to the east, followed by tremors shaking the ground. All of them glanced in that direction, weapons ready, as a dark mass hurled from within the forest.

"Well," Kayaba said as he took his spot in front of the party, the rest forming a loose semi-circle behind him, "it seems that the target has found us first."

###

Two hours later, they found themselves back in Romolo's shop.

The fight with the Magnatherium hadn't been easy, but everyone agreed, including a begrudging Kirito, that was faster than chopping down each Avaril tree. The mini-boss's claws were sharp enough to chop down the massive trees with a single swipe, and as they lured it to do the work for them, it took longer to kill the monster than the time it had spent clearing the area of Avaril trees.

In the end, the exploit gave them twice the amount they needed as well as high-quality hides and other materials. Asuna was grinning the entire way back to Rovia.

Romolo accepted the items without a word and, as expected, didn't charge for a service fee. Before he began his work, however, he handed Kirito a scroll, telling him to design the gondola.

Asuna's eyes lit up at that, as did Yuna's. Dragging a bewildered Kizmel in the corner, they started outlining the blueprint for the gondola.

"Why aren't we included?" Nautilus muttered. Kirito shook his head slowly, his flat stare boring through the corner where the girls clustered in hushed conversation.

"I have no idea." They both sighed.

Kayaba smiled faintly at that. He was no professional artist, but he had designed some of the major towns himself first before letting the rest of the design team refined them. And while it was a painstaking job, he couldn't deny the satisfaction of creating something with his own hands and his mind.

For the girls, he surmised that it was like a mini-game for them, and one where they could let their creativity flow.

Soon Asuna and the other girls returned from their brainstorming session. The fencer handed Romolo the scroll with a pleased expression. After a brief glanced at the design, the shipwright nodded and said, "Meet me by the docks in three hours."

Then he returned to the room he had emerged from—what Kayaba presumed to be Romolo's workshop—and locked the door with a click.

Three hours was a long time wait. So at Asuna's suggestion, they decided to search for a nice inn where they could eat and gather information regarding the various quests around Rovia.

As they strolled outside, Kayaba noticed that there were more players than when they had first reached the town. Many gave curious stares directed toward Kizmel, though none were hostile, thankfully.

"News of your deeds must have already spread, Kizmel," Kayaba said, glancing at her.

The dark elf seemed uncomfortable at the attention, but she remained composed and even smiled faintly. "News travel quite fast among humans?"

"Very," Kirito said. "Especially where we came from."

"Interesting. Perhaps someday I can visit your homeland."

Kizmel was at the front and quite ahead of Asuna, so she didn't see the meaningful look that Asuna had sent them. Kirito looked troubled, as did Nautilus and Yuna, but Kayaba maintained an expression of neutrality.

Part of the reason he wanted Kizmel to come was to see how she would react when exposed to other environments of the game as well as the other NPCs. He wanted to know how her algorithm would interpret the new sights and sounds, and the dialogue prompts other NPCs possessed.

So far, Kizmel had displayed a level of independence that should be beyond her coding. It placed her very near the MHCPs range of autonomy, and Kayaba wondered what had changed. And why.

There was no answering that mystery yet. And by the time they reached the Blue Coral inn, Kizmel's comment was largely forgotten. Asuna eagerly pushed the glass doors and entered, pausing to admire the sight.

The ground floor was an open air restaurant, exposing customers to the flowing canal next to the inn. Gondolas glided along the waters, and occasionally, players would disembark at the Blue Coral's pier. The tables and chairs were polished oak, and a brass chandelier hung by the domed ceiling, suffusing the room with warm glow from its many candles.

The restaurant was quite crowded now that it was afternoon, though none paid them much attention despite Kizmel's presence. After some search, the party took one of the tables by the waterfront, offering them a view of the east side of Rovia.

When they had taken their seats, Asuna asked Kizmel, "So, what do you want to eat?"

The dark elf appeared to ponder the question seriously before answering, "I guess I'll have a trout or any kind of fish they offer here." She grimaced slightly. "The forest around the camp doesn't offer any fish, and I'm tired of the deer and fowls we often hunt."

Nautilus and Yuna both chose fish as well, while Kayaba ordered a stew he remembered designing. On the other hand, Kirito opened his menu while saying, "Asuna, can you check if the chefs here accept custom orders?"

The girl frowned. "What for?"

"For this." With the press of a virtual button, a lump of red meat appeared on the table. It only took Kayaba a second to recognize it as Magnatherium meat.

The lump of red flesh probably weighed at least five pounds, glistening with fat and spanning at least two feet wide, its irregular lump landing on the hard wood with a loud thump. The customers on adjacent tables glanced at the sound, their expressions soon turning into shock and envy.

Kayaba glanced at Kirito with raised eyebrows, but he only smirked and said, "I guess this is our reward for all the hard work we did."

"Can we eat all of this?" Kizmel said in awe. Nautilus murmured his assent, while Yuna counted.

"There's six of us. This looks like it could feed twice that!"

"Then we'll just get seconds," Asuna said cheerfully, eyeing the meat with something close to ravenous hunger. She raised her hand, calling for the serving maid. A short moment later and a menu appeared. Her eyebrows shot upwards so fast that Kayaba thought it was a glitch, then Asuna rotated the menu so they could all see it.

The price for a stew was 5,000 Cor.

"That much for this?" Kirito exclaimed. "It costs as much as a gondola!"

"It's a rare drop, Kirito," Kayaba reminded. "And if we include the chef's skill level, the price is reasonable." He knew some items on the higher floors fetched for ten times that amount, especially the rare Ragout Rabbit Meat.

"Well, if it tastes good…" Yuna said uncertainly.

Asuna grinned. "It's worth the price."

"I'm not paying for this," Kirito grumbled, crossing his arms with a huff.

"Then don't pay and don't eat," Asuna snapped.

"I'm the one who got the item!"

"You're the one who offered it!"

"Why don't we just sell it?" Kirito suggested, an attempt to placate the fencer. "It could fetch for—"

"And who would pay for it?" Asuna pointed out. "I doubt if anyone has their Cooking skill high enough to cook this. Neither do I think anyone would buy it at such a price."

"That's exactly my point," Kirito said, exasperated.

"Then why did you offer it in the first place?"

"I thought it's going to be cheap!"

"You thought a rare item drop is going to be cheap?"

At their bickering, the other customers was started to pay more attention. At this rate, Kayaba realized, another player would simply buy the meat and have it cooked for their party.

Kizmel leaned toward him and whispered, "Do they usually argue like this?"

Kayaba shrugged. "I guess, judging by the frequency of it. We didn't really know them much until we met on the third floor."

"Ah."

Still, their heated discussion was starting to worsen, and it wouldn't be long before the inn's NPCs threw them out for causing such a commotion. Something had to be done.

Kayaba cleared his throat, and they glanced at him. "If it's all right with Kirito, I'll just pay for his share of the meal," he said. Smiling, he added, "As a loan, of course."

"That's even worse," the boy grumbled. "Fine. I'm paying. But this better be worth it."

The table was silent while they waited for the food to arrive. But it was not long when the maidservant returned pushing a cart laden with food, and in the center of it was a large golden pot.

When the plates and food was served, they stared at the covered pot for several seconds. Finally, Asuna reached out and uncovered the lid.

Everyone except for Kayaba gasped. The aroma was just as he had expected, sweet and flavorful, with the pungent smell of herbs and seasonings blending together. For him, it was a scent he had already smelled a dozen times during SAO's development stage. But for the others, it was probably unlike anything they had smelled before.

They had ordered different food to their liking, but the Magnatherium Stew was the first dish to be fully consumed to the last morsel. And by the end of it, satisfaction filled their faces.

"I think I can die now," Kirito groaned. He ate enough for at least two people. "That was the best stew I've eaten in years!"

Asuna smirked in triumph. "And who said he didn't want to pay for it?"

"Right. Sorry," Kirito muttered. "Maybe we can hunt the bear again?"

"No," came the collective reply. Kayaba remained silent, savoring the tea that came with their food.

"It was delicious, Kirito, but I'm not certain if the risk of fighting that monstrous bear is worth the taste," Kizmel said. "Although perhaps it's not just the taste. I feel stronger for some reason."

Kayaba quirked an eyebrow at that and glanced at his HUD. Sure enough, there was an attack buff icon below his HP gauge.

"It's probably an effect from the bear," he said mildly. "In any case, I think we're all rested?" They nodded. "Then let's check on Romolo's progress. I believe the gondola is almost finished, if it hasn't already."

###

The Tilnel sliced along the river, propelled by five oars.

After receiving the gondola from Romolo, they had wasted no time in getting it to the water. At fifteen feet long, it was large enough to accommodate the entire party, with some room to sit comfortably.

The gondola's elegant prow glided smoothly, and at its head, as before sat Kizmel, humming an elven tune. It had been Asuna's idea to name the vessel after the dark elf knight's little sister, an act that heartened Kizmel and made her embrace the girl.

And now they were on their way to Yofel Castle to continue the Elf War quest.

The fortress rose in the distance, four stone towers surrounded by a tall wall, perched on top of a high bluff that overlooked a glittering lake. It was just as Kayaba remembered, the design at least, and he knew that the main questline involved a siege. If nothing had change, unlikely as it seemed, then the party would be hard pressed to defend it with so few of them.

He had told as much to Kirito, and the boy immediately contacted Argo for any information about Kibaou's plans. Thankfully, the Clearers had yet to decide on whether to continue helping the forest elves, though Kayaba doubted if they wouldn't; if the Fourth Floor boss had been changed as well, they would need that information.

Still, it was only the first day. The Clearers would prioritize defeating the Field Boss first. And since it was almost evening, when monsters were stronger, Kayaba was confident that no one would challenge the boss in an attempt to open the Tower Labyrinth early. Not unless the players had a death wish.

Nevertheless, it was a possibility. Morte had still yet to appear, and who knew what enticing words he would tell the clearing guilds. And if Kayaba and Kirito's theory about Morte's real intentions was correct, the PKer may just goad Kibaou and Lind to perform a suicide mission.

For their sake, and the players with them, Kayaba hoped that the two guild leaders had the sense not to trust Morte.

It was not long before they saw a dock on the beach that led up to the entrance of the castle. To Kayaba's alarm, there were already several dark elven gondolas docked on the pier as well as a squad of soldiers waiting by the shore. All wore the same purple cloak as Kizmel, and all were more heavily armed than the ones back in the camp on the Third Floor.

"They look scary," Yuna muttered, fingering the hilt of her dagger as she stared past Kizmel. The dark elf knight glanced over her shoulder briefly with a smile.

"They are Count Yofilis's guards," she said. "You have nothing to worry about." She returned her gaze to the waiting soldiers.

No one approached while they docked. But as soon as Kizmel had disembarked, the dark elf in the lead stepped forward and saluted, which Kizmel returned. "Ma'am," he said in the crisp tone of a subordinate.

"Sergeant," Kizmel said. "It's been a long time." She regarded the soldiers behind him carefully then looked around at the various fortifications that surrounded the beach. "Are we under attack?"

"Expecting one," the sergeant answered. "We received reports that the forest elves may be planning something."

By then the party had all stepped foot on the wooden planks. At their approach, the sergeant glanced warily in their direction. "You brought reinforcements, Ma'am?"

"Allies," Kizmel said, smiling as they drew near. "They've helped a lot in getting me here. As well as this." She pulled out the Jade Key from the pouch in her belt.

Kayaba did not miss the sharp gaze of one of the soldiers at the back. It vanished almost as quickly as he had noticed it, and he thought it had just been his imagination. But when he glanced at Kirito and Asuna, they too were scrutinizing the soldier intensely.

The dark elf quickly averted his gaze.

A spy, Kayaba thought grimly. They had to be careful. But the soldier didn't look like one of the forest elves, whose skins were fairer and whose hair was golden. And he didn't know of a game mechanic where a mob could disguise itself so perfectly it wouldn't look different from its surroundings. At least not on this floor, and certainly not so early in the game.

There was only one explanation, and as Kizmel began to lead them up the slope that led to the castle gates, with the guards forming a protective ring around them, a name sprang to his mind.

Fallen Elves.

Originally, this chapter would include the battle of Yofel Castle. But I decided to cut it at this point because I feel like it would bloat the chapter more than I intended. In the end, this became a transition chapter with more focus on character interactions and some worldbuilding, which I enjoyed writing.

Anyway, please Read & Review!

Until next time!