I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.
New Mission
Michael took a sip from his coffee and looked at the news feed regarding ALfheim Online. Instantly, coffee sprayed out of his mouth.
"Excaliber?" Michael gaped, scanning the article before sighing. "Oh. They only know where it is. I was worried for a second there. I bet Kirito's going after it today then. Alright. I'm game."
Just then, his phone rang and he picked it up.
"Hello Kirito," Michael grinned. "When are we going after Excaliber?"
"In a little bit," Kirito said. "A while back, me and Sugu found something that can get us to the dungeon. However, it can only carry seven people. And you make eight."
"I take it we can't fly there?" Michael guessed.
"No," Kirito confirmed.
"We'll figure it out," Michael said. "I'll see you at Agil's."
"Okay," Kirito said hanging up.
Michael smirked and counted their friends. If he was eight, that meant one of the others was staying behind. Most likely it was Agil since Agil had to run his shop. Which meant that Shino would be going.
Michael logged onto his computer and then onto ALfheim Online, flying to Agil's shop and finding that everyone but Sinon was present. Asuna and Leafa left to restock on potions while Lisbeth began to work on everyone's weapons, restoring and strengthening them. As she worked, Sinon arrived and added her bow to the pile. Then, she sat down beside Michael and Michael grinned.
"You know, there's something I've been wanting to try," Michael smirked.
"What?" Sinon asked, no one else paying attention due to talking to Klein about his job.
Michael reached up and began to scratch the top of Sinon's head. She scowled at him.
"What do you think you'rrrrrrrrrrrr-" Sinon covered her mouth, silencing the unintentional purr.
Everyone stared at her for a moment before bursting into fits of laughted, Lisbeth falling to the floor and Silica following a moment later. Sinon's face turned crimson and Michael forced himself to stop, grinning apologetically.
"Sorry," Michael apologized. "I didn't think you'd actually purr."
"I hate you you jerrrrrrk," Sinon tried to say angrilly but it was ruined by another purr.
Michael snorted and covered his mouth, fighting the laughing fits as Kirito and the others began to laugh anew, causing Sinon's face to grow even more red.
"S-So Kirito," Michael spoke up deciding to change the subject for Sinon's sake. "What do I get for helping you get Excaliber?"
"What?" Kirito asked, stopping laughing instantly and the others stopping a moment later.
"I want the Soul Blade Kagetsuchi," Klein spoke up.
"But that dungeon is freakin' hot!" Kirito complained.
"And this dungeon is freakin' cold," Klein said.
"Then I want something too," Sinon stated. "The Shining Bow of Shekhinah."
"You've had your avatar for a week and you're already thirsting for legendary weapons?" Kirito gaped.
"She aims high," Michael shrugged. "She is dating me after all."
"We all have to settle for disappintment sometimes I suppose," Sinon smirked.
"Ouch," Michael said a the others laughed.
"We're back!" Leafa announced as she and Asuna walked in and began laying out potions.
"You say one word about it and you die," Sinon warned, glaring at all of them, especially Michael.
"While we were out, we gathered some information," Yui reported flying up and landing on Kirito's head. "It doesn't seem like anyone has made it to the dungeon yet. Actually, it seems like they found a separate quest to acquire it."
"Really?" Kirito blinked.
"Yes, but this quest seems pretty nasty," Asuna stated. "Rather than an errand or protection mission, it seems like a slaughter-type mission where you have to mow down monsters."
"That seems strange," Kirito said. "I could understand if it would help you reach the dungeon but..."
"I'll bet it's a bloodbath," Michael said.
"Yes," Asuna nodded.
"I'm done!" Lisbeth announced passing out the weapons. "And I made you a special surprise Michael. I think you might recognize it."
Michael raised an eyebrow as Lisbeth went into her menu. Then, a white, cross-shaped tower shield with a red cross inside it appeared in her hand and she held it out.
"Liberator," he blinked taking the shield.
"It's only a shield but I figured your Elucidator was strong enough that you wouldn't care," Lisbeth stated.
"Not in the slightest," Michael grinned. "Thanks."
"Alright, we should get going," Kirito said.
He left, leading them all to a hidden door with stairs leading downward. They began to run down the steps and after about a straight minute, it got old.
"How many steps are there?" Lisbeth complained.
"Taking the normal route would take two hours to get to Jotunheim," Kirito stated. "This path takes only five minutes. Instead of complaining about the steps you should be thanking be for showing you this rad shortcut."
"Yeah yeah, it's still a pain in the butt," Sinon stated.
"I got your pain in the butt," Kirito grinned, reaching for her tail.
Michael grabbed his wrist, stopping him from doing it.
"What?" Kirito asked.
"Juat truat me," Michael said. "Don't."
"Why?" Kirito asked.
Michael sighed and whispered, "It's the same as grabbing her butt."
Kirito's face darkened and he nodded, backing away from Sinon a bit. Michael snorted and moved to run beside her and she glanced over at him, giving him a thankful look.
"I see a light!" Silica finally cheered.
The slowed to a walk, stepping out onto a platform on the side of a stalaktite over Jotunheim. Jotunheim was a massive plain of rolling hills of ice and snow drifts. There were broken stone spires sticking up every so often and there was a massive chasm in the distance above, directly over the chasm was a single, inverted pyramid that was either a light-colored stone or ice. Around the pyramid were enormous roots, covering everything as far as Michael could see. Just before the roots was a layer of frost that had the apearance of clouds.
"I'm guessing the pyramid," Michael said pointing and looking to Kirito, who nodded.
"How do we get up there? Sinon asked.
Leafa whistled and a moment later there was a sound like an elephant, except distorted. They all looked down and a creature with six wings, a white body, tentacles below its body, and a strangely shaped elephant-like head called again as it flew up level with the platform.
"What is that?" Klein shouted backing away.
"He's an herbivore," Kirito promised as the creature, which Yui called Tonky, reached its trunk up and placed it on Klein's head, pressing down slighty.
"I think he wants us to get on his back," Michael grinned.
Tonkey removed his trunk, making the same sound as before. Everyone began climbing on, Kirito pushing Klein, but Tonkey backed away from the ledge before Michael could get on.
"What gives?" Michael asked.
"He can only carry seven," Kirito stated.
Tonkey looked down and called out. After a moment, there was a second, higher-pitched response and Tonkey called again, seeming agitated.
Michael looked down and could just barely see a second of Tonkey's species being attacked by a massive greyish brown thing that looked like a giant.
"You want me to save that one," Michael summarized.
Tonkey made his usual noise and Michael drew his sword and shield, leaning forward then plummeting off the ledge at the giant. As he fell, he realized there were dozens of the elephant creatures being attacked by giants, and also by players. The creature below him was being assaulted by a mix of Undines and Salamanders. Michael angled his body at the giant and when he reached it, he slashed it down the front, making it stagger away and stopping an attack.
Michael then spun, throwing a healing crystal at the elephant thing and healing it.
"Who the hell are you!?" One of the Salamanders demanded.
"I'm the guy who's not letting you kill this thing," Michael stated.
An Undine fired a lightning bolt at him and he rolled aside, the lightning bolt blasting the giant instead. When Michael stood, he spun, his shield smashing a spear before his Elucidator slashed the player, killing him. The Undine revived the player instantly and Michael spun holding his sword out. It glowed blue for a moment before he rocketted forward, blasting through the Undine, killing them. He spun, leaping at the other three Undines, who were all wielding katanas, and slashed at one. He blocked it, and another slashed at Michael. Michael blocked it with his shield and grinned. He pivoted and the katana on his shield stabbed into the third Undine as the first Undine's katana stabbed the second. Then, Michael stepped out of the way of a Salamander's spear and it impLed the Undine.
"Damnit!" the Salamander swore just before Michael slashed it.
Then, he ducked as the giant's sword flashed over him, mowing down the last few Salamanders. Michael turned toward it and ginned.
"You're a big bastard aren't you?" Michael grinned. "Aught to be fun."
The giant pulled its arm back and an arrow stuck into its shoulder, making it stop and look up. Tonkey was about a hundred meters away and Sinon was already readying another arrow. The giant roared and the arrow went down its throat. Michael grinned and sprinted forward, readying his OSS. Attack after attack tore into the giant, dropping its health rapidly. After the final hit, the giant picked Michael up, a sliver of health left but just enough to survive. Just as the giant was about to eat Michael, the elephant creature Michael had protected crashed into the giant, freeing Michael. The giant roared, driving two of its four swords into the creature, nearly killing it. Then, Michael blasted through the giant's abdomen and it shattered. Asuna instantly healed the creature and it reached down, using one of its tentacles to lift Michael onto its back. Then, it flew up next to Tonkey.
Just as it arrived, a huge ball of light began to shine behind them, over Tonkey. When the light faded, it left a woman who was almost double their height. She had long blonde hair parting at the end into what almost looked like tentacles hanging down to her feet, a blue dress, had a silver ring floating around her shoulders with the front missing, making it a "C", and a silver circlet crown.
"She's gigantic," Klein breathed.
"I am the Queen of the Lake, Urd," she stated. "Oh fairies who have bonded with me kinsmen, my two younger sisters and I have a request to make of you. We ask you to save this land from the Frost Giant tribe's attack."
"Daddy, this person is an NPC," Yui stated. "But, it's strange. Unlike a normal NPC, her speech patterns don't adhere to the fixed-response routine. She's connected to a language module, which is close in scale to a core program."
"She's an AI," Michael stated. "She, along with this mission, were created by the Cardinal System to keep players entertained. Though, I don't know why it created an AI."
"In the past, Jotunheim, lime your ALfheim, once received the blessings of Yggdrasil," Urd continued. "It was covered in beautiful water and greenery. We, the Hill Giant tribe and the beasts who are our kinfolk lived in harmony. Further below Jotunheim, a world of Ice, Niflheim exists. This land is ruled by the king of the Frost Giant tribe, Thrymr, who took the 'sword that slices through all steel and trees' Excaliber, hurling it into Urd's Spring in the center of this realm. The sword severed the deepest roots of the World Tree, and in that instant, Jotunheim lost the blessings it had been receiving from Yggdrasil. The spring froze and rose to the sky with the roots."
"Explains a little," Michael mumbled to himself, glancing up at the perfect pyramid.
"The Frost Giant tribe, under Thrymr's rule, advanced on Jotunheim from Niflheim in full force, built a great number of castles and fortresses, and captured many of us from the Hill Giant tribe, imprisoning us," Urd stated. "Out of the mass of ice that had once been Urd's Spring, they built a massive castle, Thrymheim, and seized control of this land. My two sisters and I escaped to the bottom of a frozen lake, but we no longer have the power we once did. The Frost Giant tribe was not satisfied, and are trying to annihilate our kin, the beasts who've survived in this land to this day. By doing so, my power will be completely extinguished and allow Thrymheim to rise to ALfheim above it."
"W-What?" Klein gaped. "But, by doing so the city of Arun would be destroyed!"
"Thrymr's objective is to seal ALfheim on ice and snow," Urd stated. "And to attack until he reaches the top of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, in order to obtain the Golden Apple said to grow there. Frustrated by their inability to wipe out our kinfolk, Thrymr and the generals of the Frost Giant tribe have begun to use even the power of you Fairies. Luring you in with the promise of Excalibur as a reward, he is trying to make you hunt our kinfolk into extinction. However, it is impossible for Thrymr to bestow Excalibur upon others. For once Thrymheim loses Excaliber, the blessings of Yggdrasil will return to this land, and that castle will melt away."
"Huh?" Lisbeth gasped. "Y-You mean, offering Excalibur for a reward, that's all a lie? Is that type of quest even allowed?"
"Most likely, Thrymr plans to bestow the Forged Sword Caliburn, which looks exactly like Excaliber, instead," Urd said.
"Th-That's so unfair," Leafa said. "Can a king even do something so unfair?"
"That very unfairness is Thrymr's most powerful weapon," Urd stated. "However, he has made one mistake. In order to gain the Fairies support, he has sent most of the giants under his control from Thrymheim to down on the ground. At this time, the castle's defenses are thinner than they're ever been before."
Urd held out her hand an a ball of light appeared. It turned into a necklace with a glowing green stone set into a gold pendant. It floated down to Leafa who caught it.
"When this rock turns completely pitch black, our kinfolk will have been hunted to extinction," Urd stated. "And it will serve as proof that my power has vanished. Oh fairies, please infiltrate Thrymheim and extract Excalibur from its main plinth."
Just then, the words, "QUEST ACCEPTED", appeared over Urd and the words "QUEST START" appeared infront of Michael and the others.
"I'm counting on you, O fairies," Urd said.
Then, she disappeared in a flash of light and Tonkey and the other elephant thing flew them up toward Thrymheim.
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