The Tri-Blade Alliance
Chapter 24: A Much Needed Break
A/N: This chapter―and the next one―are both two-parters. Yay.
S/N: You know the disclaimer already.
(x)
May 21, 2024
"You alright, man?" Solar's best friend asked in concern when he gave a yawn, one that lasted longer than usual for him.
"Yeah," the leader replied. "Just tired."
"All the stress getting to you?" Skye asked from his right.
"Wh-what?"
"Is all the stress of being the leader catching up with you?"
"..."
"Answer the question, Solar," Arctic and Skye stated.
"Yes."
The leader's two friends looked towards each other, then back to Solar. "Vacation," they both said with a snap of their fingers.
(x)
"So you're...taking a vacation?" the elite Tri-Bladers simultaneously asked their leader.
"Yep. All the stress finally caught up to me."
"But what about the floor boss?"
"You'll have to do that without me."
"Like how we did everything else without Arctic?"
"Being Solar's favorite will not save you from fighting me."
"That a challenge?"
"Guys!" Solar put his hands up to stop Pearce and Arctic from getting any closer to each other. "Calm down," he told Arctic. "And that was uncalled for," he scolded Pearce.
"Sorry, boss."
"Now, I'm going on a vacation with Akira, and you can tell everyone else."
"Good call," Cupid said. "Too much stress will hinder you, and in this game, any hindrance will result in your death."
"Thanks for putting that image in our heads, Cupid," Skye grumbled. Cupid smiled and gave a thumbs up.
(x)
Later...
"Solar went on a vacation?" Asuna asked the Tri-Bladers. When they nodded, she said, "Finally!" while throwing her hands up in the air. "He really needed a break."
"We can all agree on that. Is the meeting being held here?" Arctic asked the K.O.B.''s vice commander.
"Yeah," she affirmed. "And Heathcliff's gonna be here this time."
"May I ask why?"
Asuna pulled the original leader aside and whispered, "Our guys don't trust you."
"As expected. Shall we start the meeting, then?"
"Yes." She pulled away from Arctic and stood up straight as she walked to the round table. "Let's start. What do we know?"
(x)
"Where are we going?" Akira asked her boyfriend once the Tri-Blade Alliance's base disappeared from their view.
"We," Solar stated as he put an arm around Akira, who leaned into the hold, "are going to a beach house on Floor 35 that I rented out for a month."
"Sounds cozy," Akira said, smiling at her boyfriend.
"It is, believe me."
"What'll we do there?"
"Whatever we want," he said, looking down to his beaming girlfriend.
(x)
"Everyone, please pay attention," Skye pleaded, her words falling on deaf ears as nobody paid attention.
Kirito sighed in exasperation. "What now, O fearless leader?" he asked Asuna.
"Thinking," she replied through gritted teeth. Even Heathcliff was getting annoyed at the lack of attention his men showed.
Everyone didn't pay attention or even look at Arctic as he stepped. Taking the opportunity, the former mercenary's eyes blackened as he snapped his fingers. This action caused all of the lights in the room to be blown out.
"I have your attention now?" he asked darkly.
"Y-yes, sir!" all of the soldiers said in terror.
"Good. And for the record, don't ever call me sir; it makes me feel like I'm better than you. We're all equals here." After saying this, Arctic's eyes returned to their normal vibrant blue shade.
"Interesting," Heathcliff said with a smile.
"What is?" Asuna asked her commander in confusion.
"How easily a mercenary can get the attention of an army."
"To be fair, sir, he's done that since day one."
"Now," Arctic stated, leaning over slightly to look at the map. "Based on the info that was so kindly given to us by Argo…"
"Yo!" Argo's voice rang out from somewhere in the dark room.
"I'm confident that I've heard of this boss before. And I know a lot about him. If any of you watched Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works or Fate/Zero, kudos to you.
"His name is The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh. Like in the anime, he'll have a unique sword skill that'll allow him to launch a whole lotta blades at us. Normally, your shields will be destroyed by the sheer number of blades he'll launch in one minute. But luckily for you all, I have the four sets of armor recommended to fight him with."
"And they are?" Kirito asked his friend.
"The Mistral Set, the Queen Knight's Armor, the Holy Armor, and the Dragonhide Set. Normally, those sets are total shit, but their shields have an extremely high durability. I managed to get 3 of each set. Now, I propose this: we get twelve of the best tanks on the front lines, and give them the set they want, as long as they wear it."
"If that's the case," Heathcliff stated, walking up to Arctic, "couldn't we just equip the shields?"
Arctic shook his head. "That won't work. The defense boost will only work if the entire set is equipped. And if we're going to practice any strategy proposed, we can't use the armor. We'll have to use our current shields to practice our strategies."
"How do you know this?" Asuna asked the hero. "The beta testers didn't know this. So how do you know?"
Arctic merely smiled and tapped his temple with his finger. "I'm a beta tester, remember? And I did my homework."
"Impressive," Heathcliff said while smiling. "Arctic, while you provide the necessary items, leave the making of this strategy to the Blood Oath."
"Got it," Arctic nodded. "Now, can those tanks please walk up here?"
From the darkness of the room, six Blood Oath tanks and six Tri-Blade tanks walked up to Arctic. He promptly transferred the armor sets they asked for. "Don't wear those just yet," he instructed. "Like I said, they have shit durability."
"Wait, then how can we do this without anyone dying?" Eros asked in concern.
"We'll find a way. We'll attack the boss in a month."
"We don't have Solar with us," Pearce pointed out, causing everyone to murmur in agreement.
"No, you don't," Arctic agreed. He smiled. "You have me instead."
(x)
"Agh!" Solar held his chest in pain as he and Akira walked through the woods of Floor 35, drawing concern from his girlfriend as he stumbled a bit.
"Something wrong?" Akira asked, scared for her boyfriend, as she steadied him.
"Nothing. Just felt my pride take a heavy hit."
Akira glared at Solar, then smacked him on the arm. "Don't do that!"
"Sorry. Here we are!" Solar gestured to the house in front of them. The sight of it made Akira lose her breath because of the beauty.
It was a simple wooden house, but it was the way the lake behind it shimmered as the rays of Aincrad's sun bounced off the virtual lake. You couldn't even tell that it was made of ones and zeroes. "Wow," Akira breathlessly said.
"I know. And we got this at a good price, too. Only a million Col," Solar informed as he draped his arm over her shoulder.
"Even more wow. Let's go inside. I wanna see what they have in there."
"Why not?" The couple walked over to the house, and Solar held the door open for his lady. The inside was way roomier than the house's outside appearance would have you think. "Damn. I made a good investment." Solar chuckled.
"Yes, you did, sweetie. Now let's go check out the bedroom."
(x)
After the meeting...
"What color were you?"
"Blue. Then black. And blue again."
"You know that's not what I meant." This little conversation was being carried out by the Advent Archer and the Silent Savior.
"I know. Just wanted to screw with you."
"So, what color was your icon?"
"Let me explain something first." Arctic sat down on a nearby chair, with Pearce following his example. "You know the way icon colors work, right?"
Pearce scoffed. "Who doesn't? If you don't kill anybody, and fight for good, you're green; if you kill someone, anyone, you're orange for a certain amount of time; if you kill people over and over and enjoy it, you're a red player, or a PKer.
"And since you, as Shadow, killed a lot of people, yet you fought for good, what color were you?"
"...Like you said, as Shadow, I killed. A lot. So I should've been red. But I never killed often, making me orange. And I only killed PKers or orange players." The storyteller chuckled. "I was the only yellow player in SAO."
"What color are you now?"
"You can't tell?"
"I know you're green, now. I just wanted to see if you know."
"Yeah, I know." The two sat in silence for a couple of minutes, trying to find something else to talk about. Finally, Arctic spoke up. "What was that? Back at the base?"
"I don't follow."
"When Solar said that you guys had to do the boss without him, you attacked me verbally. Remember now?"
"Oh. That. Sorry, by the way."
"I've already forgiven you, Pearce. But I need to know: why?"
"What do you mean 'why'? Like, why did I attack you?" Arctic nodded. "It's because I was so angry at you. Granted, I never knew you till now, and all I had to go on was all the praise and tales of heroics the other elites told me about you. And I learned that you were the former leader, and when you revealed yourself as Shadow, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't shed tears for you, because I never knew you. Solar brought me in after you left."
"Is that why you listen to him above all?"
"Yeah. He gave me a chance to prove myself. We're getting off-topic. I was just so mad that, in all your glory, you found it so easy to lie to the ones you knew, the people who loved you."
"It wasn't easy, Pearce. Believe me, it wasn't."
"If you say so. You understand now, right?"
"Yeah. I do. Now let me ask you something, and I want you to think long and hard about your response before you tell me."
"I'm listening."
"Good. Now, when we clear this game, and trust me, we will clear it, the majority of the guild will stop playing VRMMOs. There are some people that won't, like me, Solar, Skye, Kirito, and everyone else we know. But I'm not sure about you. So I ask you: are your loyalties to the guild, and will you stop playing VRMMOs? Or are your loyalties to Solar, and will he see you in the next game we all play after SAO? Like I said, think about your answer. Get back to me soon." The mercenary turned and left, leaving the archer stunned, and trying to formulate a response.
(x)
"YOU!" Arctic looked down from his tree in annoyance to see a very familiar face.
"What, Kibaou?" he demanded, jumping down to fully face the player.
"People've been sayin' you're back on the front lines! Am I wrong?"
"Nope. Got a problem?"
"Why, yes, I do, actually!"
"Why?"
"I never trusted you, as Arctic or as Shadow; you being a murderous mercenary just cinches it."
"And pray tell, exactly what will you do about it? Fight me? You remember what happened to the last guy who tried to fight me?"
"That's the reason why I'm here! He was one of the best!"
"He was orange!"
"So you say! We didn't see that! All we saw was you killing a good guy!"
"Good by your piece of shit standards!"
"Oh, that's it!" Kibaou was about to draw his blade, until he felt a sudden drop of temperature in the air behind him.
"Now, now," Arctic's voice sang behind him in the same malicious tone he adopted when he killed the lancer-in-question. "Aren't we all friends here?"
"Wh-what are you?!" Kibaou demanded through his fear.
"Just a Shadow. A murderous mercenary. And if you ever want to talk, just remember…"
Kibaou shivered as he felt a sharp and cold object trail its way up his neck.
"There's never a body in SAO," Arctic said in a soft coo, directly into Kibaou's ear. "So, watch what you say. And leave. Now."
Once Arctic left his side, Kibaou turned and ran the other way like a bat out of hell.
"Never liked that guy," Arctic said in his normal tone as he jumped back up to his tree.
(x)
"Whatcha thinking about?" Akira asked her boyfriend as he leaned over the balcony, deep in thought.
"Just about what happened to Arctic, y'know," Solar replied. "And about how much of a spark he and Takano had before...that."
"Oh. If I were you, I'd try not to think about that too much. It makes me worry." Akira rested her head on Solar's shoulder, who pulled her in closer in response.
"About what, Aki?"
"About everything. About Arctic. About the guild. About everyone still alive and trapped in this damn game. About us." That last part was whispered, yet Solar still managed to hear her.
"What do you mean, 'about us'?"
"I mean I'm worried that what happened to those two will happen to us. That one of us will die, and the other will be put through the same thing Arctic had to go through."
"Stop." Akira tried to talk again, but Solar turned to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Just stop. Don't say that. I won't let it happen." Not again, the leader thought as he blinked back some tears.
"But what if we can't help it? Life has a way of working things out the way it has planned for us." Akira placed her hands on his chest as she looked up at him.
"Then life must've been smiling at me when we met." Akira stared into his blood-red eyes, a comforting sight for her. She was detecting any trace of a lie in his eyes, and was relieved when she found none. "Can we stop this talking now? I'm getting depressed as hell."
"Not until I hear you say it." Akira rested her head on Solar's chest, who tightened his embrace.
"Say what?"
"You know what, you big dummy."
"I know." Solar sighed in mock annoyance , then cleared his throat. "Akira, I love you. I love you with every bit of my soul, virtual and IRL. I promise that when we get out, you will be the first person I look for, because after spending so much time with you, I can't imagine a life without you. Your beauty, spirit, innocence, and overall optimism and love for life caused these feelings I have for you. You filled a void that I didn't even know existed, because I spent all my life with everything I ever needed." Solar stared into Akira's watery eyes as he finished, "I swear, on my life, that I will not let you die; that I will not let you go; that I will never leave you. You have my heart, soul, and my blade at your side. I love you, Akira. Now and forever."
"Solar…" Akira had begun crying silent tears, but maintained a genuine smile. She stood up straighter to kiss him, a kiss he returned.
When they pulled back, Solar smiled. "That just told me that you feel the same way."
"I thought it went without saying." The two remained in their hugging position for a couple more minutes. "Let's go back inside."
"Sure. Whatever you want, sweetie."
(x)
"Arctic!" Ah, Goddammit.
"What?" he asked, completely annoyed with the repeated intrusions of his privacy. He lost that, however, when he saw Asuna and the K.O.B. at the base of his tree. He jumped down and asked, "What, Asuna?" with more respect.
"We came up with a strategy," she told him with a smile.
"You couldn't tell any of the Tri-Bladers why, exactly?" He looked away from her and finally noticed all of the Blood Oath members with their weapons out, excluding Heathcliff. "Asuna?" he asked, his voice dropping to just above a whisper as he put a hand on his sword. "Are you ambushing me?" he continued in his dangerous tone.
"What? No, no!" She waved her hands at him to show she wasn't lying. "We came up with a strategy…"
"But?"
"But nobody trusts you. They want to see if you're ready first."
"...You're only alive because you don't annoy me. Now, please explain."
"I proposed to the commander that I'd duel you, and if you managed to block all my attacks in a way only you can, then you're ready." She stepped back while speaking and drew her blade.
"Sure. And if I have to duel you with the Darkness Blade, the most I can do―"Asuna rushed him while he was talking and charged up a sword skill.
When she attacked, she was surprised―and impressed―to see Arctic block all of her strikes effortlessly, before ending the assault by thrusting his right hand down and grabbing the blade, stopping it mere inches from his leg.
"―is fight without charging a sword skill," he continued, looking into Asuna's aghast eyes as if nothing had happened. "That fair for you?"
"..." Asuna said nothing as she pulled her blade out of Arctic's now loose grip and sheathed it. She walked away, passing Heathcliff and the soldiers. "He's ready," she curtly stated while walking away, her pride slightly damaged by the "duel" that took place.
"Excellent," Heathcliff said while smiling. He walked towards Arctic, the latter having sheathed his sword. Motioning for everyone else to lower their weapons, which they did, he pulled out a Mirage Sphere and activated it. "Now, here's what we planned..." he stared.
(x)
S/N: Till next time!
A/N: Read and Review!