The Reward
The Jewel rolled along Silver Knight's fingers, bending and staining the light crimson, as he sat in his chamber brooding. Suddenly, a knock at his door brought him back to the World. Silver Knight hid the Jewel and said, "Enter."
Blade, the new knight, entered. "Sir," he said, "There's a Sly to see you."
Silver Knight grinned and said, "Send him in."
With that Sly entered and Blade disappeared behind the door. Sly stood nervously, shifting his weight from his left to his right. Silver Knight went to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping his rhythmic neurosis. "Tell me," said Silver Knight, "Is it done?"
Sly licked his lips and looked at Silver Knight as if he was lost. "Yes," he said nodding.
"Excellent," said Silver Knight.
Sly smiled in relief. "They said they want to meet with you. In the Snow Blizzard server, in two days time."
"Good, good," said Silver Knight as he paced his chamber. "Tell me, do they suspect anything?"
"No," said Sly quickly.
"Even better. This is too perfect, Sly. Tell me, does anyone else know of the Jewels?"
"Nope, just you and me."
"How did you get your hands on them?"
"I knew an old Administrator from Fragments. We traded and I reprogram them. They're one of a kind," he said with a boast of pride.
Silver Knight grinned in kind. "So," began Sly once more. "I was wondering if I could get the reward, you know for Jinx and Looper right now, because everything is set up and…"
"Of course," said Silver Knight approaching him slowly, one hand on his sword. "You earned it."
Several minutes later Silver Knight emerged from behind the door. He began to walk down the hall, and Blade came to his side. "What did he want, Sir?"
"Oh, him," said Silver Knight in passing. "He wanted to join the Knights, but I said he wasn't the type. Took it rather hard, and logged out all of the sudden."
Silver Knight grinned and fingered the Jewel that now impregnated his blade. With this object he would rule the World, and hand down justice like a god. And like a god, he would reshape this World into his own image. An image where outlaws and hackers did not belong, where only the righteous as he would exist. He would be judge, jury, and executioner, for only one such as he could carry the burden of this new World, a burden that would become lighter after the trash of the old was shrugged off.
Later that day, Silver Knight had it leaked that Subaru, along with Crim, had quit the game for good. The news spread like wild fire throughout the World. Later, Silver Knight declared himself leader of the Crimson Knights, and that by twilight, he would address the players of the World at Mac Anu's square, the largest gathering area for the World's players. And thus, the opportunity that Jinx, Looper, and the company that serendipity had partnered them with, emerged.
"It's a logistical nightmare," said Crim. He and the rest of the crew were huddled around an old table in Looper and Jinx's hideout. A map of Mac Anu was spread out upon the table, and the group was trying to figure the best way to attack Silver Knight at his pronouncement to the World. "First off, we're talking about the biggest Root Town in the World. Second, there's only one main road into the square, which is going to be heavily guarded by the Knights."
"What about the alleys?" asked Subaru.
"A maze more complicated than any dungeon. One wrong turn and God knows where we'll end up. Plus no alley leads directly into the square."
"Rooftops?" asked Sora.
"I thought about that, but the problem is the canals. It would work once we got to the square's island, but we would have to cross at least two bridges, which are of course gonna be under watch."
Crim paused for a bit and rubbed his knotted brow. "And that's just getting to the square. From what I heard, almost everyone in the World is gonna show up for this thing. We're talking about a crowd that could be several hundred thousand, maybe even a million strong. Getting to Silver Knight is gonna be a miracle."
"Why are we even attacking him at the square? Can't we just wait till he tries to ambush Jinx and Looper?" asked BT.
"No," said Subaru. "It has to be this way. We have to expose him. We have to show the World what kind of a tyrant he truly is."
Looper looked at Jinx, and she nodded, knowing they had the solution. "There is one way," said Looper.
The group turned to Looper and Jinx who had been silent this whole time. Jinx crouched and pointed at the bottom of the table, "Through here."
Everyone crouched with her, perplexed. "There's an underground passage through Mac Anu. It should take us to the square."
"But how?" asked Crim.
"I think I can answer that," said Bear. Everyone stood up to listen to him. "Like I said before Mac Anu was the only Root Town in Fragments. But one thing I forgot to mention that first thing you did when you logged into Fragments was to take the tutorial quest, which was a dungeon underneath Mac Anu. It must have been carried over when they brought Mac Anu over."
"You've been through these passages?" asked Mimiru.
"Aye," said Looper.
"Well, problem one solved," said Crim. "As for the square…"
"We got that one figured too," said Jinx. "You just follow our lead when we get there."
"But first things first," said Looper. "No one touches Silver Knight, understand? He's ours."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Jinx and Looper picked up their equipment. "We best be going," said Jinx.
Everyone followed them, wrapping cloaks on to hide their appearance. No one talked, no one had to, their actions would speak enough for them. Soon, they warped through the chaos gate and appeared in Mac Anu, which was bursting with players and gossip.
"I heard that Tsukasa guy's monster got her and she's in a coma."
"That's crap, she just quit."
"I got a friend in the Knights who says Silver Knight has been planning to take over for months…"
The words drifted into the group's ears as they followed Jinx and Looper as they turned into an alley and began to lift the cover of a manhole. As it was pulled from the ground, the group descended into the cave and began their trek to either victory or death.
After a while, around the seventh or eighth turn, Tsukasa gathered his courage and said, "Looper?"
Looper stopped and looked down at Tsukasa, who continued timidly. "I just wanted to thank you, and I don't think you're as bad as everyone says you are."
Looper stared down at Tsukasa, "No," he said shaking his head. "We are bad; everything they have ever said about us is true. We are murderers, thieves, and traitors. We are all manner of villain, of the purest and boldest breed. Some would even call us whores for selling our skills for money. But one thing we are not is pawns. We decided how we live and die; we are not puppets to a coward like Silver Knight, or anyone else for that matter."
Silence descended over the group as Looper glared at all of them. Jinx broke and said, "Let's move, we're almost there."
The group followed, and Tsukasa took his place in the back. "You okay?" asked BT.
"Yeah," said Tsukasa. "He seemed serious."
"Don't worry. There's an old saying, tis better to be at the right hand of the devil then in his path," she said with a grin.
"We're here," cried Jinx in the darkness. "Do as we do, and don't get in our way."
She began her ascent up the ladder and pushed the manhole cover aside. Soon the group emerged beneath the bridge that lead to the square. In the distance, Silver Knight was addressing the mob that had gathered and congested the area. "We stand at a crossroad," he began. "We can continue as we have, and allow the World to descend into corruption, becoming a haven for hackers and outlaw players..."
Looper stealthily scaled the wall and slit the neck of the Knight standing guard at the bridge. Before his companion could react, Jinx drove her staff through his torso. "What are you doing?" cried Subaru.
"Don't worry," said Jinx, showing her the Jewel that rested in her palm. "I took mine out."
"Aye," said Looper, who drew another dagger from his belt, which bore a Jewel. "This one's for Silver Knight."
"Come on," said Jinx. "And stay low."
"… Or we could take the World back. We the Knights will be the vanguard, like the head of spear that will drive through the heart of the corrupt and evil. We will reclaim the World from those who would dare corrupt it."
Jinx and Looper and the rest began making their way through the crowd, inching towards the stage. At first the crowd paid them no heed, but then when a few veterans recognized the two for who they were, panic took hold. "Dear God, it's Jinx and Looper!"
Some in the crowd turned and saw that it was indeed true. Soon the crowd parted liked the Red Sea before Moses. "Like you?" cried Looper, addressing Silver Knight.
Silver Knight stopped and looked into the crowd from atop his platform. "Who dare speaks!"
"We do," bellowed Looper. They stood before the platform, in the heart of the crowd, which circled about them.
"Hear us," began Jinx. "This man is a false prophet. He offers only lies and sows fear among you. He wants the World for himself, he wants to control you. Do not let him!"
"Silence," cried Silver Knight.
"No!" Yelled Subaru, stepping forth from the crowd. Whispers of "Lady Subaru," populated the lips of the mob. "Jinx and Looper tell the truth. Silver Knight has been collaborating with hackers to delete the profiles of outlaw players he deems undesirable for this World."
Murmurs spread amongst the crowd, who could they believe? "She lies," cried Silver Knight. "It is she who collaborates with outlaws. Look before you, she keeps company with the likes of Jinx and Looper."
"Aye," said Looper, "we may be outlaws, but you're worse. You're a tyrant, a man who wants to be a god. A man who wants to hold the World in his palm and declare what is right and what is wrong. But you have no right, nobody does, over power like that in this World!"
"We will not let you have the World for yourself," bellowed Jinx, who stood proudly next to Looper in defiance of Silver Knight and all that he represented. "The World belongs to all of us, and you will never take that!"
Silver Knight drew his sword forth, his Jewel shinned brightly in the waning sun. "Knights, attack them!"
Several of the Knights advanced forward and attacked the group and soon they where upon the group. Bear and Crim did their best to shield Subaru from the assault from her once loyal followers. Mimiru did the same for Tsukasa, while Sora dashed and slashed among the many advancing Knights, gushing with ecstasy over the battle. Suddenly, another group of Knights emerged and attacked their confederates, with cries of, "Protect Lady Subaru."
Soon a minor civil war seemed to be taking place in the middle of the crowded square, as the Knights loyal to Subaru and the Silver Knight's men clashed over the fate of the Crimson Knights. Yet, absent from this opera were its three key players, Silver Knight, Jinx and Looper.
Yet, all three were but a few yards from the battle, standing atop the platform, which seemed to be a hundred miles away because of the ragging crowd of thousands. The three put on a display of sword and skill like others staged plays.
Silver knight fought with a rage that can only be born out of lust, lust for the World, a World that would either be strangled in his fist, or let slip through his fingers Jinx and Looper temporary retreated from their battle. "What are we gonna do?" asked Looper, looking to Jinx for an answer. Jinx replied in kind, "I'll stop him from moving."
Before Looper could ask how, Jinx dashed forward, straight at Silver Knight, who brought his blade forward. Jinx, neither blocking nor parrying, impaled herself onto the blade. "Jinx!" cried Looper as he ran to her.
"Strike now!" she cried, as she wrapped her hands around the blade so Silver Knight could not withdraw it.
"No," cried Silver Knight as Looper was upon him, and drove his Jewel blade deep into his heart.
Silver Knight let go of his sword and staggered backwards, falling onto his back and slowly disappearing from this World. Looper watched as Silver Knight disintegrated, he watched to insure himself that the monster was dead, that it had not all been in vain. He wondered if Silver Knight, or someone like him, would rise again, like the dragon of ancient lore, to terrorize the World, and demand the rise of another such as himself and Jinx to slay it once more. But their story was over now, or at least soon would be.
"Looper," said Jinx. He quickly turned and kneeled before her.
"I'm here," he said.
"I know," she replied, her voice getting weak. "You always were." She smiled as her character began to warp and deteriorate, "I'm such a fool."
"It's alright," he said as he gripped the blade, that pierced her beast, tight around the handle.
"Looper…"
"Remember what the first thing I said to you in the World was?" he spoke without a trace of fear or regret. "Where you go, I go." He drew the blade forth from Jinx's chest, and without a moment of hesitation, plunged it deep into his own.
Jinx reached out and Looper held his hand as their bodies became corrupted and withered. She found comfort in watching her hand fade and wane, seemingly fusing into Looper's, becoming one in those final moments.
"No," cried Tsukasa as he ran to the platform, with the rest of the group and the remaining loyal knights, but they were too late. Yet, an odd thing happened, and in later years Tsukasa would wonder if he imagined the whole thing, but it appeared as if Looper waved to Tsukasa, as if to say good-bye. And with that final gesture Jinx and Looper's bodies drifted away, like ash in the wind, forever gone from the World, but their memory forever remaining with its players.