Author's note:

Happy New year all!

A day or two late depending on timezone, but oh well. Please enjoy a reasonably sized chapter. It may be a little rushed, but I think there are a couple good sections in here.

Chapter 36: Memories of the Past

PoH:

"Was this your goal…?"

Crouched on a decrepit rooftop, the hooded figure wasn't worried about anyone overhearing him. In the dead of night, every single resident of the maze district known as Daedalus street had their gaze fixed on a singular section.

There, deep within the confusing labyrinth, the city burned. Wood and stone alike melted beneath the fiery capability of inferno stones. The water that had come had been too little, too late. Thick plumes of black smoke rose, choking the sky and blocking the full moon. In the dead of night, they combined for an eerie sight. It was destruction on a scale PoH had never seen before in his life.

The boots of the man next to him crunched slightly upon the loose rubble of the poorly constructed building that they stood upon. PoH's knowledge from a more advanced society told him a lot of the problems here were from a lack of waterproofing and draining capabilities. The rain slowly eroded their roofs to the point where nothing was salvageable in this district for the poor.

"In a way," the deity answered pleasantly. "Parts went well, others did not. It should end up in a wash, however."

"Huh." PoH grunted as another thick plume of smoke was released into the air, accompanied by a massive fire succumbing to a torrent of water. "Water Witch survived though."

"If I cared, I would have sent a more elite squad to deal with her." The deity snorted, "5A was a reckless incompetent. I'm more than glad to be rid of him."

"Hmm, I wonder…" Muttering out loud, PoH was privy to the man's condition. Rather than the disgust or pity that it evoked from most that knew, PoH simply laughed. It felt right to see a Japanese man suffer in that way. To have his manhood stripped from him.

As silence lapsed, PoH cast his eye once more over the destruction that had been inflicted to the city. This had been by far the largest conflict so far; likely to produce the most casualties so far as well. All of which spoke to how thoroughly the god responsible for these machinations had planned.

Yet, to PoH's more astute eyes, this didn't resemble a victory at all. This battle had occurred in by far the most disposable area of the city. With each clash their losses far outpaced the adventurers'. More than that, their supply of non-renewable items shrunk. Magic swords that weren't sold anymore, Items – mainly inferno stones – from the depths that weren't harvested in this era. Their inventory and allies were drawing dangerously thin.

"You plan to continue luring them into the dungeon?" PoH asked. It had been the original endgame for this all. All the ruckus on the surface merely serving as a distraction. "I think the resources expended have surpassed your expectations."

"Not at all," the god smirked, his words conciliatory. Perhaps he recognized the true purpose of PoH's mission there. The possibility that the god was aware didn't alarm PoH at all. The seasoned assassin was confident in his capacity for survival.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, never fear. Many things have lined up as I've predicted. In three days, the sun will rise upon a different world. An era where death once more runs wild upon this realm."

Suddenly, the god's eyes clouded over, a truth in his expression that even his most trusted familia members, if any existed, rarely saw.

"So few of them understand what I desire. Not just what I desire, what the world desires. Ouranos hides the truth from the world. How indolent and lazy Zeus and Hera grew in their power. How the dungeon reacted to the death of each of its gods."

"Its gods?" PoH was so surprised by the revelation that he blinked and turned to stare at the god. As he had grown more comfortable with the world, PoH, like its inhabitants, had learned that the gods refused to tell anyone the secrets of the dungeon. Even his own roguish deity and the asshole beside him refused to share for some reason. These words were probably the closest a mortal had ever been to hearing the truth.

"Hehe, take that how you will," the god winked conspiratorially. The dark purple hair that concealed half his face shifting just long for PoH to catch the expression. "It is unimportant besides the simple face that they are returning. The second coming! The time the monsters will strike back against a weakened band of adventurers! It will be glorious… Everything that fool Erebus feared and more will come true with a vengeance!"

"…That isn't what you promised," PoH muttered darkly, shifting slightly in his crouch. Narrowing his eyes at the god, PoH began to wonder whether his instincts were right. If he could pursue his original goal of killing the Japanese in this world more effectively on his own.

"Ehh?" The god smiled, turning his dark eyes onto to PoH's. Only his long exposure to the cruelty of man stopped him from shivering beneath the gaze. "I promised your familia that obstacles to its pursuit would be removed. Knossos will remain safe in its impenetrability. Orario itself however…"

"Tsk, I think we have our answer on whether we should help." Getting up, PoH tightened his cloak around himself. As he rose, full darkness came over the city. The fires had finally been extinguished and the smoke completely blocked the moon. Only the pale glow of lanterns in the distance provided any light. It was PoH's enhanced status that enabled him the darkvision to move unimpeded.

"Are you suuuure about that?" the god hissed seductively. "I don't think you'd ever give up a chance to witness such a slaughter. Your goals may have been one-dimensional like mine when you started… But like me they evolved, have they not?"

"…I have no idea what you mean." Muttering gruffly, PoH jumped from the roof, his dark ensemble fluttering behind him.

As he ran for the nearby entrance back into the fortress they called Knossos, PoH couldn't escape the words. Your goals have evolved. No, all he had to do was kill Japanese… That was it… Right?

Fleeing underground, PoH couldn't escape from the memories that flowed through his head.

*Many years ago*

"…Father." Vassago's young voice was stiff with teenage rebellion as he greeted the estranged man. The speech and the words he had prepared flowed readily through his mind, waiting for the proper opportunity to unleash them.

Vassago had been abandoned with a mother that despised him. His very name itself was another word for devil that wasn't illegal to give a child. Yet, Vassago had survived that all and was well on his way to becoming a man. He didn't need his rich Japanese father showing back up to offer his love now.

Opening his mouth to begin delivering this speech, Vassago was cut off by his father speaking first. "Your half-brother is sick."

"…Sick?"

"In short, he needs a kidney transplant." The older man continued, rolling over the conversation. "There are no suitable donors available right now. That is why, I have come to offer you a deal."

"Me?"

"Yes, you are compatible with him. Either donate the organ, or I'll cut off the support I send your mother."

"Wha!?" Stunned, Vassago could do little more than gape. His hands were clenched in fists of rage. This wasn't fair. It was blackmail. Yet his father's hard black eyes already bespoke to a man that knew this and didn't care. Vassago was an unseemly black spot upon his otherwise spotless record.

"So?"

"…" Vassago let the silence stretch a few seconds longer. It was pointless to resist, however. His father had made the one ultimatum that Vassago couldn't ignore. For while his mother despised him, he could not bring himself to feel the same. "You have a deal."

"Good."

Closing his eyes, Vassago felt shame course through him as his Father strode away without another word. The first time they'd seen each other, and this was the result. Vassago wasn't surprised, instead, he felt his heart close down for the last time as any remaining doubts were expunged: The Japanese deserved death.

Aisha:

"That boy really is something… stupid." Special.

Despite her harsh criticism of him, the amazon warrior still felt her hand reaching unconsciously to her side. The site of the blow he had delivered to bring her down. The same place where Aisha had applied half of the elixir he had given her. The first half given to him by help of that girl that had shown up out of nowhere.

For some reason, as Aisha touched the skin that was slowly piecing itself back together, she thought it felt warmer than usual. Potions were never cold, but the strange pulsing warmth was unusual.

Walking slowly, Aisha was in no rush. According to her internal clock, the ceremony should have occurred about when Kirito was getting healed. That meant none of them would be in time to change the fate of the stupid fox.

Exiting Babel, Aisha audibly gasped. "What… is this?" Smoke was coursing thickly through the night sky. Even from Babel, Aisha could clearly see the flames engulfing a portion of the city. "That can't be…"

Startled by the level of destruction, Aisha began to run. Her still healing leg ached each time it was forced against the unyielding ground. Still, Aisha just bit her lip and ran. Her mind was whirring a hundred miles an hour. However, like a proper leader, Aisha refrained from making any rash decisions. She needed more information.

Her cool headedness paid off as she got closer to her own familia's headquarters, it was clear that it wasn't her home on fire. The burning was further south, somewhere within the heart of Daedalus street. "What the hell is happening?"

Cursing her lack of information, Aisha turned her gaze back onto her path back to Belit babbity. "Oh my…" Wincing, Aisha's heart went out to the poor members of her familia that had obviously suffered in this fight.

The warrior in her flared with anger, promising revenge onto those that would trample on her home and the people she was responsible for. However, the person in her wondered if they didn't deserve this. A just punishment for those that would dare sacrifice an innocent to fulfill a goddess' selfish wish.

"Aisha, Aisha!" A pitiful voice cried out.

Shocked once again, Aisha couldn't believe the man's appearance. "G-Georgiou? What the hell happened to you?"

"T-That bitch turned into a demon!" He cried falling to his knees in front of her. His hands clawed at Aisha's veiled legs. For someone who had rarely greeted her with anything other than a sneer, his behaviour had done a 180. "H-Her blade, it drained everyone of energy. She was a walking corpse!"

"W-Who!?" Aisha asked. "Did they leave? It everyone safe?"

"I-I think so…"

"Then stand up." Aisha spoke strongly. "If you still have the energy to complain, you have the strength to help your comrades. I need to find Ishtar."

Shaking of the remnants of his contact, Aisha dashed through the open double doors. Their surfaces were scarred and pocked with burns and slashes. Past the entranceway, signs of battle disappeared momentarily. It seemed clear that they had gotten through the door.

"Did they get help from other familias?" Aisha muttered to herself. This level of resistance seemed impossible for only a dozen people to produce.

Quickly climbing the grand staircase, Aisha froze at the entrance to Ishtar's chambers. A large portion of the familia had gathered in the large room. Amazons stood shoulder to shoulder around the perimeter while a singular adventurer stood tall in the center of the room.

Staring down the adventurer was an irate Ishtar. The goddess' pipe lay in pieces at her feet. Aisha felt the chill down her spine that Ishtar had conditioned into her. Aisha wanted to run, to hide from this terror. Ishtar loved that pipe, for her to break it…

Finding Sharay in the group, Aisha locked in on the dagger in her hands. The killing stone that had been attached to it was in pieces. Also… the fox wasn't here. They rescued her!? Frozen in place, no one had appeared to have seen Aisha yet.

"Bring it out." Ishtar's cold voice rang through the room. The veil of control was very close to breaking.

The two male servants that had been kneeling by her feet rushed forward. Almost to the bed, they dropped down to the floor and threw back a luxuriant rug. With that gone, they pulled on a pair of handles and grunted. Slowly, a thick sheet of wood rose from the floor. Standing almost three metres when fully erected, it clicked into place. Most of the exterior amazons muttered with confusion. They had never seen this before.

But Aisha had.

She knew what it meant.

Her foot took a hesitant step back. Run. It was the only thought in her mind. Flee before Ishtar knew she was here. Deal the consequences of what went down here tomorrow.

"Lena…" Muttering the poor girl's name, Aisha closed her eyes. She was always so driven, but innocent. It seemed impossible to describe a prostitute with the word, but if any of them were, it was Lena. She tried too hard to make everyone smile. Her tenacity and drive to improve had allowed her to hit level two in only two years.

Opening her eyes, Aisha pushed her foot forward through the grip of terror Ishtar had inscribed on her heart. She had no idea what had happened, but Aisha refused to allow Lena to face this punishment.

"What is the meaning of this!?"

"Aisha!" Ishtar whirled to face her. "Where were you!? Where were the other elites!?"

Standing straight up, Aisha glanced around the room at the others with a frown. "I had assumed Lena and Samira would have told you. I pursued the captain of Hestia familia with the Berbera in tow. I faced him alone in dungeon. The others should have returned over an hour ago."

"Hmm… I see. Is the boy dead at least?" Ishtar asked expectantly.

"…No," Aisha was forced to admit. "He surprised me with a magic sword. I injured him and stopped him from helping here, however. I determined it a suitable trade."

"…" Ishtar didn't immediately reply, but her face was still tense. It seemed that she found no fault in Aisha's actions as she turned back around to stare at Lena. "So at least not everyone betrayed me," the goddess spat. "Do you want to say what you did!?"

"I allowed the white-haired kid to take Haruhime away."

What!?

Lena's confident voice rang through Aisha's head. Each impossible syllable hit her like a brick. Her breathing stopped as she gaped at the girl who had made the decision.

"THAT FOX IS MINE!" Ishtar exploded, slamming her foot down upon her broken pipe. The force breaking it even further. The shards flying through the air were almost comical.

No one laughed.

Even as the usual haughty goddess of beauty was reduced to a raging mess. Slowly Ishtar straightened. "It isn't just me you failed Lena… You will realize that by their own hands."

The girl tried so hard to keep a straight face. Aisha's heart broke a little as she watched Lena's soft black eyes swim with apprehension.

"Hands on the board," Ishtar ordered.

"No…"

Aisha's voice cracked, but it didn't change anything. Lena followed the directions and did as Ishtar requested. A moment later, the seemingly ordinary wood pulsed with magical energy. A set of mithril cuffs lashed out and tied her wrists to the board.

"W-What?" For the first time, Lena spoke an unrequested word as the building fear proved too much for her restraint.

The metal cuffs started moving. Rising up, and closer together, they lifted Lena's arms above her head until she hung on tiptoes, her wrists digging painfully into the metal.

"You, bring it here. You strip her."

""Yes Goddess.""

The servants obeyed the terse instructions. The one on the right brought a whip that had been tucked into the side of the magical item. The other grabbed Lena's long hair and tossed it over her shoulders so it all hung in front of her. Then, without a thought, he yanked at the piece of orange fabric, tearing it from her body. The entirety of Lena's sun-kissed skin was exposed. It was smooth and flawless, like a child's. The only imperfections were from the straining around her shoulders as she struggled to stand.

Ishtar slowly unfolded the whip. It was shorter than most, but also heavier. The final half a metre was a thick leather that would tear the skin off even an upper-level adventurer. The level two Lena would be totally at the user's mercy.

However, she didn't use it, merely held it out to the side. "Aisha."

"No… I can't…"

Stumbling back a step, the time Aisha was dreading had finally arrived.

Ishtar whirled around, her eyes blazing with fury still. She would not calm down until she saw blood and heard the screams of her children that had failed her. "What did you say!?"

Stopping her retreat, Aisha drew herself up and swallowed once. "I am the captain of this familia. I should be the one getting punished. Allow me to change positions with Lena."

"You should know," Ishtar smirked, her eyes ruthless, "that once a victim is attached, they can't be released until their blood sates the board."

Aisha's hands shook from the memories. She instinctively touched her wrists where a paper-thin scar still existed if one looked close enough. It had been light in comparison to Ishtar's conditioning, but still a haunting memory. Aisha shuddered to consider how Lena would look coming out of this.

"Do it Aisha."

"W-What?" Pulling her gaze from the goddess, Aisha stared flabbergasted at Lena. Even in such a strenuous position, her voice had remained hard. "You can't beat her charm… So, I thought it impossible. But I've seen the truth!

"That boy that rescued Haruhime resisted her charm. He beat you, Ishtar. Your tyrannical rule on our familia will end!"

He did what!?

"Shut up whelp! You should be grateful to have my falna! I will be queen of Orario!"

Aisha said nothing as the whip was pressed into her hand. Stepping up behind Lena, the outcome was obvious. But perhaps… there was a bright light at the end of their journey still. He had rescued Haruhime… But could he rescue them all?

"Se weyga."

Uttering the two words in a foreign language. The soft words floated through the anxious room. As they heard it, some of the amazons gasped, but all of their eyes shone with admiration. Then, as one, they roared the words Aisha had bestowed upon Lena.

"SE WEYGA!"

A shared remnant of their past, the language of the amazons floated through the air. Ishtar beside Aisha looked around in confusion, not understanding. For all the attributes the goddess shared with them, she wasn't an amazon.

The whip rose and descended with all of Aisha's level four strength behind it – she couldn't afford to hold back or Ishtar would make her do it again. The leather flayed the skin with vicious intent. A long streak, covering almost her entire back was raw and bleeding. The pain would have sent an average person into unending screams. Lena barely shook. Her head raised high against the pain.

Yes, she was the spitting image of what Aisha and the others had dubbed her: The Victor. The ceremony would continue according to Ishtar's instructions, but it was Lena who emerged victorious.

Kirito:

Standing by the window on the ground floor, Kirito stood and watched as the sun illuminated the smoke choked sky. Despite everything that had happened last night, Kirito didn't feel sore or tired, merely worried.

His stomach was a ball of nerves that had prevented him from better any real sleep. Even with his injuries and the need for sleep, Kirito found it elusive. Most of which probably came from the empty state of the house.

The comforting, open space that had felt so warm and welcoming only days earlier, now felt desolate. It was strange, there were more people here than had been for a long time. But in their new living situation, it was the emptiest it had ever been.

Sighing, Kirito traced the rough wood under his fingers. The old, slightly splintering wood reminded Kirito of the church's origins and the authenticity of the world. Under his sensitive touch, he could make out the feel and direction of the grain easily. It was an interesting juxtaposition that Kirito struggled to wrap his head around. As his status grew, he became both more sensitive to the world and more resistant to it.

He could easily sense the direction of even a slight breeze in the air. Yet, at the same time, he could stand easily in the face of a gale and feel none of its ferocious strength. Yet, Kirito knew that these thoughts were only a temporary distraction from the issues that were coming.

In the next few seconds, the front door opened, and a haggard looking Hestia entered. Lili whom followed behind her looked scarcely better. "How did it go?"

"See for yourself," Hestia replied gruffly, collapsing into a nearby chair. She didn't even bother trying to support herself and let her body crash against the table.

Walking over to her, Kirito left a comforting touch upon her shoulder before grabbing the document she had placed. In a few terse moments, Kirito read the incredibly short guild document. At the bottom, a pair of signatures were written.

Offender: Hestia

Guild Official: Royman Mardeel

"T-This is…"

"Sorry Kirito," Lili apologized on behalf of the goddess of the familia. "We thought you would want to go anyway…"

"I-I see…" The contents were short and brief. The original penalty for attacking another familia would have payment for all damages incurred plus 50% of all familia assets. There was no way they would be able to pay that. It would force them to sell their home and all gear. It would cripple them forever, forcing them out of Orario.

Which was why the condition agreed upon was the only way out. It was almost blackmail, but from a different perspective, they were getting off easy for the damage they were responsible for. "Accompany the mission setting out tomorrow headed by Ganesha familia, eh…"

"All familia members level three and up are required to go…" Lili muttered darkly.

"So just me," Kirito nodded. "I agree. The rest of you should stay here."

"You should know the girls will never agree to that," Hestia muttered from the table.

"Haha…" Laughing weakly, Kirito agreed silently with his god's foresight. He doubted that Leafa and Silica would stay behind. He would have said the same about Strea until yesterday happened. Kirito wasn't exactly sure what went down there, but he had seen the girl only once last night. She was a mess of dried blood and tattered clothing. Ignoring Kirito's entreaties, she had retreated to her room with sunken eyes. She hadn't emerged since.

A moment later, Lili sighed heavily, her gaze being inexorably drawn to the east side of the building. Her whole demeanour was one of exhaustion and sadness. In her eyes though, a fierce longing still lingered. Like small flames that refused to die regardless of the storms that pelted them.

"Hey," smiling at her, Kirito tried to put some warmth in the expression. "He'll be fine. Bell will be back before you know it."

"I hope so…" Lili muttered. "But what if they go after him? We saw more than one amazon staking out house as we came back…"

"Hmm…" Muttering, Kirito lowered his gaze. If he was being honest, he was completely lost. He had no idea what would happen at this point. Ishtar familia was still alive and in mostly complete condition. Kirito assumed much had transpired he hadn't heard the full results of, but every single one of their executive members were still alive. Those alone could wipe out their familia. "We have to allow Bell, Haruhime, and Mikoto to complete their journey alone. I doubt adventurers only used to the city would be able to easily track them anyway."

"Grr…"

Kirito was sympathetic of Lili's plight. He felt the same everyday, unsure when he would get to see Asuna again, simply praying that it would be soon. That she was doing well and safe. Especially in light of their recent skirmishes with evilus. "Did you complete what I asked?"

Lili grunted at the forced change in topic. "Only one of them. I suppose we need to talk about that…"

"About what?" Growing worried, Kirito turned and frowned at Lili. The little Prum girl was still just staring off in the distance.

"We tracked down the renart that helped you out yesterday easily enough, but…"

"Miach familia slammed the door on us!" Hestia yelled, breaking into the conversation. Lifting herself off the table she threw her arms in the air in an exaggerated motion. Kirito was glad she was wearing things more put together than her old rags – he didn't think the ragged thing would have been able to contain her.

"True," Lili nodded. "Nazha bounded over the counter, grabbed us around the waist and tossed us out without a word…"

"…They're probably being watched," Kirito hypothesized. Trying to go through the options in his head, he found it unlikely that the familia would turn on them without a single word otherwise.

"Lili isn't sure," the girl admitted. "But… things were frantic last night… Did anyone see Yuna and Nautilus?"

"You think they're dead?" Hestia gaped.

"No…" Kirito interjected. His stomach sank with the realization Lili's words had revealed. "They've been taken hostage."

The three of them shivered in unison. The pair of adventurers may get a swift introduction to hell on earth. Their fates must have depended upon the ardor with which Miach familia performed their tasks.

"We should go to the guild!" Hestia insisted, standing up.

"Go to the guild with what?" A fourth voice asked.

Kirito's head whipped the right where the window he had been staring out of earlier was open. A moment later, it closed again, the invisible presence inside the church.

"Argo…"

"Nice to see ya, Kii-bou!" The girl greeted him with her usual wink as she appeared from nothingness. Then, uncharacteristically, it fell. An unusual grim expression settling over her. "But seriously, what was that about the guild?"

"We have reason to believe that a couple members of Miach familia were taken prisoner last night." Kirito confided. "I need you to get in contact with Rain and Philia, ask them if they've heard anything."

"I'm assuming I won't be getting paid for this either?" Argo joked, the words sounded forced.

Smiling at her, Kirito ruffled her hair gently. The contact only seemed to worsen Argo's mood as she withered beneath his touch. "I don't blame you for any of this Argo, I hope you know that."

"That makes one of us Kii-bou…" Argo said, sitting on the table as she did so. "Hermes' games have gone to far for my liking. Also… While this is important, there's something else. The guild has begun giving out missions for tomorrow. The adventurers are to accompany Ganesha familia into the dungeon to hunt the evilus base."

"That's why…" Kirito breathed. Thinking on the information, Kirito's face scrunched in discontentment. "But… a base in the dungeon? How? Even the eighteenth floor Rivira isn't that safe."

"I'm not sure how much you know, but every floor beneath the eighteenth was sections of it that haven't been mapped. The percentage missing increases as you go deeper. There are probably safe rooms on the edges where they hide out."

"But even safe rooms," Kirito protested, "aren't really all that safe…"

"Depends on the type," Argo answered mysteriously. "Anyhoo, is that visit all you need?"

"Not quite." Kirito answered. "I need you to deliver letters to both Take Mikezuchi and Lizbeth of Hephaestus familia. If you can't find her, the goddess of the forge will work."

"…Got it."

With a mumbled spell, Argo turned invisible and slid out the window again. The brief incursion over as Hestia familia was alone again.

"I never did like that girl…" Hestia muttered. "Now I must say that I rather wish I could rescue her from Hermes.

"Lili must agree with Hestia," Lili frowned, conveying her disappointment in the god. "She has done a lot for us lately. She saved you in the dungeon then she was the one that got Bell and them out of the city."

"…I know." Kirito stole a glance at one of the empty chairs. Instead, he started pacing. His guilt and responsibilities were pushing at him from all sides. "One week." Kirito growled, "is that too much too ask for? Just one small break between all this mayhem…"

The girls could only support him with their pitying glances.

Bell:

"We've come a long way…"

Bell's gaze, which had so long been magnetically drawn to the east, now drew him the other direction. There, just on the Western horizon was Orario's famous wall. The magnificent tower of Babel barely visible above that. The grasslands to the east of Orario had given way to the mountains. Entering the first ridges, their altitude was what brought Orario back into view.

The scene tugged at Bell's heartstrings. It had only been a matter of months since he had last viewed the city from the outside as he sauntered toward it. Filled with motivation and an unwavering hate of monsters. Now, Bell left it behind for an indeterminate amount of time because of the golden-haired fox girl that struggled to keep up.

Haruhime was still wearing the red kimono – imported form the far east – that she was supposed to have been sacrificed in. While it looked comfortable, it wasn't good cross-country clothing. Before too long, they'd have to find a town and try to purchase some other provisions.

"Are you alright, Miss Haruhime?" Mikoto asked from the back, "you've been growing slower and slower."

To Bell's surprise, the girl didn't reply. Instead, she glanced once up at Bell than tracked his gaze back to the west, where Orario sat.

"Haruhime?"

"Why?" The fox girl finally spoke, her voice hard. "Why do we have to run away?"

"Please," Mikoto insisted. "Amaterasu will hide you in her familia back in the far east. It may not be the luxury you are used but…"

"Luxury?" Haruhime's voice carried a strong irony in it.

Mikoto froze awkwardly, perhaps realizing that the girl she had known before was not the same one she was trying to escort back home. "I-I meant…"

"I'm not a child anymore!"

"Err…" Bell scratched his head. He didn't know what to do. Haruhime was almost crying as she glared at Mikoto with fire in her eyes. A recently awoken desire.

"I-I just want you to be safe…"

"Safe!?" The fox-girl screamed, "I spent most of my life safer than almost anyone. Safe and miserable!" With each sentence, Haruhime bared down more on a retreating Mikoto. "I've had enough of safe! I want to live again!"

Descending back down to the two women, Bell placed a hand on Haurhime's shoulder. "Hey, there's a spot we can make camp just over there. Why don't we sit down and eat lunch while we discuss our options?"

"…As you say Master Bell."

Instantly, her demeanour changed. The Fox girl that had been adamantly standing up to Mikoto was a distant afterthought as she played with her hair. Biting her lip, Haruhime followed after Bell placidly, her tail wagging slowly from side-to-side.

Lunch was muted by the tense atmosphere that remained from Haruhime's outburst. Mikoto kept stealing glances at the renart before looking away in confusion. As if she was trying to align the image of the girl in her mind with the one in front of her.

Camping on a section of barren rocks, the sitting was uncomfortable. Hard, jagged pieces dug into Bell's backside as he divvied up the rations. They had been fortunate enough to encounter a merchant on the road that sold them some provisions. Digging into the apple, Bell knew that by tomorrow, they'd have to start scavenging for food. It would be hard, but he figured that two seasoned adventurers would be able to manage.

"Thank you master Bell…"

"D-Don't mention it!" The boy responded, waving a hand in front of his face. "Actually… This isn't even my money…" With no money, Bell had simply found a purse of coins thrust into his hands and the warning that there wasn't much there. The long journey ahead would be a hard one.

Kind of…

Munching on the apple, Bell couldn't help but feel like he had failed. Haruhime wasn't dead but… His heart yearned for the city. How many months would this trip take? How much would change by the time he got back?

As these thoughts ran through his head, Bell looked up from the ground to find Haruhime's gaze on him. The adoration in it from earlier had faded. Right now, she seemed expectant. Almost hoping he would say something.

"Umm… W-What was your favorite part of the far east, Miss Haruhime?"

"Huh? Ohh… I guess that would have been playing with Mikoto and the others."

"That was ours as well," Mikoto added on wistfully. "I don't know if we ever told you, but that was the reason Take gave us our falna. It was so we could rescue you from the manor and let you play."

"Hehe, yes, you all did tell," Haruhime giggled, a nostalgic note in her voice. "Ah, how easily I can remember the pure joy of running through the open fields under the sakura blossoms. You were my heroes, freeing me from my prison each night…"

Haruhime's notes ended on an abrupt ending. Bell knew he wasn't very good at picking up on social cues, but this one seemed obvious.

"Yes!" Mikoto continued oblivious. "We can do so once again! As many times as you want."

"…" Bell winced from Haruhime's painful silence.

"Is something wrong? Don't you want to see the cherry blossoms in bloom once more?"

"I do… And I know I have no right to make any further requests… But!"

Looking into Haurhime's pleading golden eyes, Bell was transfixed. He felt the words he'd said to her less than twenty-four hours ago return like shackles upon his mind, weighting him down.

I'll save you.

I want to be your hero.

"I want to live with everyone in Orario!"

Impossible.

I can't do that.

Ishtar rejected Hestia's offers.

"H-Haruhime!" Mikoto shouted. "P-Please be reasonable. "They'll hunt you down and force you to go through the ceremony!"

"No!" The girl rejected, shaking her head. "Stop pretending like you still know me! I'm a prostitute now! I've given my body to countless men to make their dreams come true!"

"Eurgh!?" Mikoto recoiled, her hand falling still by her side.

"Yet Bell still… You still…"

As Haruhime collapsed to her knees in front of him, Bell couldn't avert his gaze this time. In her, he found the resolve and ideal that had let him save her. It wasn't just the right thing to do, she deserved to be saved.

"You aren't soiled." Bell spoke firmly. "Also… I agree. I said I would be your hero. I want you to live together with everyone… As a member of Hestia familia!"

"Bell…"

"How!?" Mikoto screamed at them, pulling at her hair. The girl looked frantic as everything she had resigned herself to fell apart. "How do you plan on doing this!?"

"Umm…" As Bell struggled to answer, it was Haruhime who rose and smiled benevolently at them.

"A war game."

"W-What?"

"It is a trick that Ishtar has employed more than once to defeat her opponents." Haruhime explained strongly.

"I know what it is…" Bell trailed off, looking to Mikoto in hopes that she would explain the obvious second part.

"We can't win it." She filled in dully.

"You're wrong!" She exclaimed. "Aisha will help! Just make sure it's a duel!"

Bell was hesitant, but before Haruhime's gleaming eyes, he could do nothing more than sigh and nod. As he did so, the force that kept him looking back to the west faded.

He had a goal again. Bell's heart lit anew with the flame of determination. His role in rescuing her wouldn't be finished until Haruhime was capable of living wherever she wanted.

"T-This is madness…"

"Mikoto…" Addressing her, Bell turned his rubellite eyes on her. "Did you honestly want to return to the far east and live there? I know you said you would stay there and live with Haruhime, but is that honestly what you wanted?"

"No… Obviously not…" As she spoke, the girl's extreme resilience finally cracked a shred, tears leaking out. "I-I just wanted you to be safe Haruhime. To see you smile happily, like you did when we were children…"

"Hehe, I understand Mikoto. But this way… We can smile with everyone!"

"…Yes!"

Finally, a little hesitant, the two girls embraced. The childhood friends reunited once again. Watching the precious scene of a shrine maiden and her ninja, Bell couldn't help but smile. He hadn't finished protecting Haruhime yet. That would only happen when she could live wherever she chose in peace.

Haruhime:

*Three years ago*

"Hey Aisha, can't we go?" Tugging at the older woman's arm, Haruhime looked up at her with pleading eyes. Her immaculate golden tail swished side-to-side slowly. Its momentum was being restrained by the girl's willpower. She wanted to look more mature in front of the older amazon. Convince her that Haruhime would behave if Aisha agreed to the request.

"Well…" The wavering reply told Haruhime that she almost had her.

Gleaming up at her, Haruhime couldn't restrain her tail anymore as it picked up speed. "I'll be on my best behaviour! Ishtar complimented me, you know? She said I should get to enjoy being a woman before I… Umm…"

Haruhime struggled phrasing it with her young words. She knew the fate that awaited her eventually, but for know it felt like a distant future. Ishtar familia had saved her from those thugs and Aisha was always making sure Haruhime was comfortable.

"That doesn't mean what you think it means…" Aisha answered in a pained voice.

Frowning, Haruhime lost some of her energy. "Why can't we go!?" She demanded. "I've done everything Ishtar asked me to! You too Aisha!"

"Urgh…" Haruhime saw within Aisha's violet eyes the last emotion she was expecting, fear. Her irises quivered with it. "…You're right. It's better to ask forgiveness than permission, right?"

"…Right?" Haruhime agreed uncertainly, tilting her head to the right.

"Although… If that frog beats me up, I'm taking it out on you!" Aisha warned. The amazon had just finished ranking up to level three. As such, she was one of the most prominent members of the familia. However, the level five captain and level four subcommander were beyond her.

"G-Got it!"

"Hmm, what to do…"

Ducking her head, Haruhime stood still as Aisha took laps around her. The gaze analyzing her completely.

"You'll never pass as a man unfortunately," Aisha muttered. "Whatever, just wear this cloak and keep your tail contained and the hood up!"

"B-But I won't be able to see anything with the hood up!" Haruhime whined. Her young voice reaching octaves painful to Aisha's ears.

"Keep it on until everyone is watching the show, got it?" Aisha muttered. "Now… Let's go."

"Yeah!" Skipping happily along behind, Haruhime knew better than to ignore Aisha's providence. She knew firsthand how hard Aisha's hand could hit. Unconsciously, Haruhime's hand drifted to her backside and rubbed a spot, as if she could still feel the past's pain.

"Good," Aisha said, looking at Haruhime from the peripheries of her vision. "Remember that pain and today will proceed smoothly."

Nodding eagerly to please, Haruhime walked somewhat staggered as she struggled to keep her tail contained. Her hood was constantly moments away from falling back to reveal her fox ears. The white cloak was held tight around her body. Aisha, as usual, wore not much in terms of clothing. The eighteen-year-old amazon was nearing the end of another growth spurt. It left her taller than almost everyone that walked the streets – Even the men.

The pair made an odd duo as they walked down the street. Like a pair of mismatched sisters, Aisha hovered over Haruhime, protecting the young and vulnerable girl from any whom would encroach upon her. Not that Aisha expected any to attempt something so foolish. It was the anniversary of the slaying after all.

The second of the monster gods, Behemoth, had been felled on this day twelve years ago. A dozen years had ticked by in a strange peace. In that time, the tendencies of Zeus and Hera familia members had grown erratic. They could quickly change from observant police to absent gods. At seemingly a whim, the adventurer you would see walking the streets every day would become a hermit and disappear into the dungeon for months on end.

It was enough to make the familias more dedicated to preserving the peace – Ganesha and Astraea – distinctly on edge. Moreso because the entire force of their familia would struggle to stop a single member of Zeus or Hera familias.

"He'll be doing it today, right Aisha?" Haruhime asked expectantly.

"Yes, I would assume so," the woman answered good naturedly. It was a struggle for her not to ruffle the girl's hair. Instead, Aisha contented herself with pulling the hood back up. Haruhime didn't notice Aisha's indecision.

The man in question was a legendary warrior. Haruhime had heard stories of him, but despite having been in Orario for a couple years now, had not even caught a glimpse. Many rumours said that he was sick. Haruhime didn't believe them. She knew that the hero who had slain such a terrifying monster wouldn't succumb to a normal illness.

Continuing to pick her way forward, Haruhime and Aisha wove their way closer to the coliseum. The city was filled to the brim. Every single person Haruhime saw was smiling with anticipation for the upcoming event. Bands and bards lined the edges filling the air with songs. All the while, street performers and shops fought for space, selling whatever goods or performing their tricks that they possessed. It was a rambunctious, gaudy display. Pure, unadulterated chaos; Haruhime loved every moment of it.

More than once, Aisha was forced to pull up the hood and smack her tail back under the cloak. The efforts were most likely pointless. No one was scanning for a renart. All sorts of demihumans, elves, and dwarves were mixing about in a conglomeration of ecstatic fervor.

"That's it! It's there!" Bouncing on her feet, Haruhime pointed at the second tallest building in the city as she bounced on her feet.

"I see it," Aisha assured the girl. "Let's hurry up or we won't get a seat.

Worried by the words, Haruhime rushed forward, dashing around the older citizens with the other children. I'm a woman now though… Still, Ishtar's words didn't slow Haruhime;s gait. For the first time in her life, she'd get to see a real hero. Not just a story in her books, but a person who had faced the horrors of the dungeon's abyss and survived.

Suddenly, as Haurhime was rushing for the entrance gate, a murmur ran through the crowd. A space opened up, almost around Haruhime. "Huh?" Muttering, the girl swished her head back and forth, confused about why no one was near her anymore. Even Aisha had disappeared.

"Idiot!" The aforementioned amazon darted out to Haruhime and grabbed her harshly.

"Oww! Aisha be gentle." Struggling, Haruhime freed her wrist and collapsed to the ground. Before she could stand back up, she froze. It felt as if the air around her had frozen. With shaking hands, she raised her gaze.

Standing there was a couple. Not just any couple. The strongest couple. The Son of Lightning and his Empress. The world's first and only level nines. Their very presence seemed to warp the air. Haruhime felt a reverence to them beyond even what she felt to deities. Logically, it was backwards, but it was easier to feel closer to the beings from Tenkai than the absurd pair of beings in front of her.

"O-Our apoologies…"

It was the first time Haruhime had heard Aisha speak with reverence in her voice.

"Think nothing of it," the man dismissed them with barely a glimpse, the woman didn't look at them at all.

"Ahh, aren't you a cutie. You doing all right?" The man who approached Haruhime was a white-haired god. His smile was friendly yet… there was… something in his gaze that made Haruhime reluctant to accept his hand.

"We're fine, Lord Zeus," Aisha replied coldly, Picking Haruhime up and carrying her away from the deity.

Orario's most preeminent god didn't seem offended. He just winked and kept walking. A young, white-haired boy pulling at his hand.

"Come on! We're going to miss Uncle Zard's display!"

"Seriously?" The god sighed. "I would have thought you'd seen the Predator strike enough to be bored of it…"

With that, the party disappeared, and the crowd closed back in around the two of them. The bubble that the elites of the city formed had passed by them already.

"You're a lucky girl…" Aisha muttered in her ear, setting Haruhime back down. "I've heard that they are getting anxious about the lack of progress against the dragon. They easily could have killed you by accident."

"W-What?" Haruhime was shocked by the words. "Why would they do that?"

"I don't know…" Aisha muttered. "But there are rumours… That their power is becoming uncontainable. Simple acts of frustration resulting in craters in the earth. It shouldn't be an issue but… Just in case, keep your distance at all costs."

"G-Got it…" Walking timidly along, Haruhime enjoyed her day of freedom. She didn't know at the time it would be her last.

Bell:

Bell wasn't sure why he had asked Haruhime for the story. But once he had, Mikoto and he had sat silent throughout the entire thing. She claimed it had been her happiest day in Orario.

For that to have been it… Bell struggled to cope with exactly how unpleasant Haruhime's life had become. That had most likely been the only time she had been allowed to venture outside the Ishtar familia compounds. It was too cruel a fate for a girl that loved walking around and seeing the sights.

She must have been in love with Orario from the hero tales contained in the book Dungeon Oratoria; yet, the city had treated her completely different.

"Hey, Haruhime." Mikoto asked quietly. "When you met those people… Why didn't you tell them what was happening? Beg for their assistance?"

Those were the questions Bell had wanted to ask but didn't have the courage to say. Because that whiny boy in the story, completely uncaring about his surroundings, was him. He had been in a position three tears ago to save Haruhime and had been indifferent.

Indolent, lazy.

The regular words that rose to mind when Bell thought about his past were still there. He just couldn't accept that he had wasted so many years of his life doing nothing.

"Umm, they didn't seem like people you would request help from…" Haruhime replied. "Also… I didn't want help at that time. Ishtar familia was nice until…"

Haruhime's awkward pause threatened to kill the conversation. Bell blushed and looked away. With a god obsessed with women and harems, it wasn't that Bell didn't know to what she was referring, he just wasn't comfortable with it. Maybe it was due to a lack of conversing with people his age, but Bell frequently found himself tongue-tied when talking to a cute girl near his age - of which there were plenty lately.

"It's funny," Mikoto spoke in a tone which suggested the opposite, "I think I saw that same ceremony you did… If only we had seen each other, I could have helped you earlier."

Bell had a slightly more negative take on the situation, but still, it was strange. All three of them had been watching the same show. It had been a strange mock-up of a re-living of the Behemoth fight and adventurer show match. Neither of Bell's parents took part of course. In fact, as Bell thought about it, he wasn't even sure they had watched it.

Bell frowned, trying to piece together the memories. He remembered the moment Zard cut through the magic-item monster with a single slash, but beyond that…He couldn't say.

"Is something wrong Master Bell?"

"Err, n-nothing… Actually… You said that Aisha told you that my…" How to phrase this? "Err, that is, the strongest adventurers were acting strange at that time?"

"O-Oh, yes!" Haruhime nodded quickly. "It was just rumours I'm sure to keep me away from them."

"You think she lied to you?"

"N-Not lied but…" Haruhime appeared torn between the two sides of her belief. It seemed, despite everything, she truly believed that Aisha was a good person. "She… She just didn't want me near them."

Perplexed by the extremely indecisive answer, Bell turned to Mikoto. "And you?"

"Well… To be honest, we were struggling to make ends meet at that time… You wouldn't know, but everything in the city was ridiculously expensive. Take said it had to with the valuation of goods being changed based on the top familias' strength."

"Uhh… What?" Lili would know what she's talking about. Trying to not flush in embarrassment, Bell waited for Mikoto's clarification.

"S-Sorry," Mikoto blushed, her face even redder than Bell's. "I know I'm not very good at explaining things, and this isn't even what you asked. I'm very off topic."

"Haha… Please continue…"

"W-Will do! What I'm saying is that the adventurers of those days could pull up items from the deep levels and even lower with barely any effort. By doing so, they injected so much wealth into the city that the cost of everything rose numerous times over."

"…I see." Bell was ashamed to admit that Mikoto was right. He didn't know a single thing about this. "So that's why you were unable to afford a place to live?"

"Yes," Mikoto winced. "Actually, we were finally able to rent a small apartment when Take found a job at one of the potato stands. His wages there were higher than what the six of us made in the dungeon in a day."

"Haha…" Chuckling weakly, Bell struggled to make sense of the widely different reality than what he knew. Now, a single level one adventurer could pull in more than most jobs. "A-Anyway, did you hear anything about the top adventurers at this time?"

"Not really," Mikoto sighed. "Like I said, we were simply struggling to make ends meet. However… What I did hear were mainly rumours from others. A lot of the new adventurers who prowled the upper floors with us had the same complaint. How pointless we felt.

"There was a rumour going around that the value of the stones excavated from monsters in the upper levels in an entire day were valued under a single stone from the strongest monsters in the depths."

"I-I'm sure that's not true…" Bell tried to laugh it off. At the same time though, he could understand why that would be. The stones from weak monsters were all fragments. As the size got larger, the price didn't increase linearly, but exponentially. When one took the scarcity of drop items into account… The rumour had merit.

One of the main draws to being an adventurer was the chance of making a lot of money quickly. It was the ultimate high-risk high-reward profession that drew a lot of people in for just that reason. Either they'd strike it rich or die trying. In a way, the prevalence of extremely strong adventurers would have ruined that. For them, they could produce all the materials from the dungeon at no risk. It was a side effect of his old familia's dominance that Bell hadn't considered before.

"A-Anyway, that isn't to say they resented them!" Mikoto continued. "It was just… It seemed like an impossible place to reach, a spot where your contribution from the dungeon would be worthwhile."

It hadn't added anything to the strange rumours Haruhime had mentioned but… Bell was grateful. Yesterday had taught him something important. That while it was fine to pursue an ideal, he couldn't abandon reality to do so. The ones he had fought had been little more than the dregs of Ishtar familia. It was the sacrifices of everyone else that had removed the elites from the equation. Even one level three adventurer would have stopped him from doing anything.

Bell realized he'd been viewing his parents and their familias in much the same light. As perfect entities. Blaming their failure to survive on other familias and their infighting. Only now could Bell appreciate how hard it must have been for them. To defeat the first two of the ancient monsters and then being told you will fail if you fight the third. Bell doubted he would listen. The fact that his familia didn't go to fight it earlier was practically a miracle.

"Is something wrong master Bell?" Haruhime inquired moving closer to him. "I-If you desire, I could always rub your shoulders…"

"Haruhime!" Mikoto burst out. "Y-You can't just offer that!"

"Why not?" The girl asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "Bell saved me… the only thing I possess to pay him back is my body, if he should desire it…"

"H-Haruhime!" Mikoto shouted in a panic. Dashing over to the fox girl, Mikoto covered her mouth frantically. "Please say no more!"

"Ha…" chuckling weakly, Bell couldn't get over how good they looked together. It was a shame that circumstances had separated the friends for so long… Wait, what was that Haruhime had said…?

Before Bell could dwell on it, Mikoto was already speaking in a rapid voice, eager to change the topic.

"S-Say Bell. What were you doing around that time? You're from a farm to the west, right?"

"Err…" Bell wasn't sure what to say. Part of him wanted to tell them, but… It wasn't time. "I think… Once everyone is together again and things have settled down… I'll tell everyone."

Bell's strange words effectively killed the conversation. As things settled down, he rose to his feet. Checking to make sure everything was in order; Bell addressed the girls.

"I'm going to return to the road, see if I can find a merchant to deliver a letter for us."

Asuna:

"Coming Mother!" Bolting out of bed, Asuna rubbed her eyes to remove the last lingering spots of sleep. The clock on her desk informed her of exactly how late she was. Her 6 am wake up had blown past ages ago. It was now a whopping 6:05. A whole eighty-five minutes until she needed to catch the bus. Still, her mother insisted that Asuna get up at 6 sharp every morning.

Today was to be no different. Yet, there was something in her mind that told her the day was different. What was it again?

"Right, Onii-chan's game is releasing today…"

But…

Asuna frowned. Something didn't make sense. If the game was coming out today… Didn't that make it a weekend? Why would her mother be waking her up for school?

With her tired mind riddled with questions, Asuna left the room. No, she needed to change into her… Looking down at her body, Asuna found her hair combed and the school uniform snug around her body.

Weird…

Exiting the room, Asuna's sense of wrongness increased as the morning ticked by. Her eyes scanned distractedly over the morning news. As her mother liked to say, a proper lady needs to know the current events in the world so that they aren't left in the dark.

Yes, nothing more stimulating than world news…

Looking around the dining room, Asuna was surprised how vibrant it seemed with all four of them there. The hard oaken table was still much too large for them, but it still had a homely feel about it. Her older brother, Kouichirou, made light conversation with her father, Shouzou, who appeared more interested in munching on the bacon and buttered bread that the maid brought them. Meanwhile, her mother, Kyouko, sat perfectly straight, sipping her black coffee, looking to all the world the perfect demure wife in public.

"Yo, is something wrong little A?" Kou greeted her affectionately. "You're staring at all of us as if it is the first time you've seen us!"

"I-I… Didn't you leave on a trip?" Asuna asked. Her mind felt muddled and slow. So many inconsistencies, but she couldn't seem to grasp any of them.

"A trip?" Kou laughed. "Of course not! How could I miss the introduction of my little sister's first boyfriend? Someone has got to put him through the ringer!"

"M-My boyfriend?" That couldn't be correct, Asuna would never be allowed a boyfriend. Her parents would choose her a suitable husband one day. Yet, looking over at her mother, Kyouko only kept drinking coffee, clearly having heard nothing she disagreed with.

"What was his name again?" Her father asked. "Kiri something?"

"Kirito dad!" Kou laughed gaily. "How many times has Asuna said his name and you still don't know it?"

"I need a face to match it to…" Her father replied, abashed by his son's backtalk. "Anyway, I still have work to get to. I'll be back when…"

Boom!

With a colossal sound, Asuna wondered if a bomb went off. The house had shaken around her. Fear holding her heart in a vice, Asuna darted away from the table and out to the entrance hall. There, she found the remnants of her front door. A giant explosion had ripped away the frame and flung shrapnel everywhere.

Even worse were the figures cloaked in long black robes that flitted through the frame. Running into her house, searching for things to ransack and people to slaughter.

As Asuna watched aghast, a pair of figures stepped toward her, dragging a third form. With no warning they grabbed the person hidden behind their bodies and brought it forth.

"K-Kirito!" Screaming out his name, Asuna had no idea how she knew this person, but she did. He wasn't a school mate, or a friend of the family, but he was important. Oh, so important.

His black eyes were unfocused as they lifted him by his hair with superhuman strength. His clothes were burnt and shredded – presumably from the explosion earlier. Then, he finally saw her and smiled.

It was his last expression before the man's knife cut his throat.

"NO!" Screaming, Asuna flung a horrified hand over her mouth. The pair of figures dropped the corpse and advanced toward her.

Turning, Asuna darted away from them. She needed to get away. Away from everything. Her path carried her back into the dining room. Eyes widening, Asuna watched as her family all befell the same gruesome fate. Her father stabbed to death as he tried to resist. Kou was stabbed in the back as he tried to run to help their mother.

Kyouko was the last alive as the cloaked figures opened up a path before Asuna. She was sitting against the wall, coughing up blood from a wound to her stomach.

"Mom, Mom!" Screaming for her, Asuna grabbed unto her shoulders and shook. "D-Don't die… Not you too!"

With a jerking motion, she focussed on Asuna, her black eyes seeming to burn with the fires of Hell. "Everyone shall perish. You can't stop it."

"Gah!" Flinging herself back, Asuna fell unto her behind, or should have. Instead, she felt like she was falling forever. As if the floor had disappeared and she was now stuck in freefall. As she thought this though, her eyes burst open.

Drenched in sweat, Asuna pulled herself to her feet. Hands shaking, she scanned the room for her clock and phone. But there were none. This wasn't the old world. "R-Right…"

Stuttering to herself Asuna found the magic-stone lamp easily enough with her level three eyes and flicked it on. The light was minimal, but enough. Holding herself, Asuna sat on the blankets.

"Just a nightmare. That's all it was…"

Asuna struggled to believe the words. Her body was drenched, completely unacceptable for an elf to be seen in this condition…

Yet, that one scene would not leave her mind. How Kirito had smiled at her just as he- as he died. As if the whole thing was inevitable. That everyone Asuna had ever loved would die before her eyes before she herself met the same fate.

"It's just a nightmare… Just a nightmare!"

Despite her insistence to herself, Asuna still left the room she had to herself and tread on silent feet down the hall. Most of the familia shared rooms, but Asuna had been lucky – or rather insisted – to get one by herself.

The dark hallways were somehow both creepy and comforting at the same time. They hadn't changed, no matter how much the world outside had.

In no time, Asuna was outside the room she had searched for. Her knock on the door was soft. Even in the silence of night, the sound was unlikely to disturb anyone.

"Come in…" The elven voice on the other side murmured.

Doing just that, Asuna slid through the smallest crack possible before closing it after herself.

"Asuna?"

"Mirel…" Now that she was here, Asuna realized how stupid she was. She shouldn't have shown up unannounced in the middle of the night. What was she, a child running to her mother's arms as soon as something spooked her?

"Bad dream?" The elf asked knowingly. Her voice held in it sympathy rather than humour which Asuna was grateful for.

Unable to speak, Asuna just nodded frantically. Suddenly, she was on the verge of tears. Rushing forward, Asuna threw herself in Mirel's waiting arms. With her head pressed against the older woman's shoulder, her body shook frantically. Yet, the actual tears didn't come.

"Damn Evilus…" Mirel cursed while holding her. "To do this to one as gentle as you…"

"I-I saw them die," Asuna admitted, her voice shaking. "I can't save them. I can't…"

"Hey, don't worry about us, alright?" Mirel comforted Asuna, rubbing her back and holding her close. Everyone will look out for themselves tomorrow."

"Like how they looked out for themselves yesterday?" Asuna accused.

The words appeared to hit a mark as Mirel jumped a bit. "The trap was well set… And we… Never mind. Just come here, sleep with me. We will worry about tomorrow when it arrives."

"Okay…" Allowing herself to get moved, she felt Mirel tuck her into bed. Not once did she complain about Asuna's sweaty body, or the increased heat of two bodies.

Joining her, Mirel pulled Asuna's head unto her shoulder and stroked her hair.

Sighing, Asuna snuggled in closer to the contact. She couldn't remember the last time someone had taken care of her like this. It had to have been a decade, if not more.

Comforted by the warmth, Asuna's troubled mind found sleep once more. The heat of the fiery elf that held her kept the nightmares at bay.

Midori:

"Ms. Kirigaya…" The strained voice of her boss spoke out. "You can't honestly believe I'd publish something like this. You don't even have a source!"

"The source is me," Midori replied, but at the same time, she knew the futility of what she was trying to do. Her supervisor, and more importantly, the owners of the publishing firm would never allow an article like this to run. Still, Midori had to try. "But slander pieces are very popular nowadays! Think of the kind of attention that this would generate!"

"You can't honestly think that our firm has fallen that low!?" Her boss' replied indignantly. "I sympathize with your plight having lost both of your children, but to slander the man that was granted immediate powers from the diet in order to smoothly run the operation, well its…"

"Doesn't it strike you as odd?" Midori continued, insistent. "That they would do that for such a low-ranking government official? What madman approved this 'second wave' plan!?"

"Madman? Was your daughter not one of them? In any case, I've heard more than enough. Please see yourself out."

"…Thank you for your time." Responding with a stiff, formal salutation, Midori bowed and exited the office. She allowed herself one rub of the eyes and then set off again. Thankfully, her special privileges allowed her more flexibility in her schedule.

Exiting the office, Midori strode to her car and took off into the Tokyo traffic. It wasn't too bad at this time of day, thankfully.

Still, Midori didn't care for driving. It was time-consuming and boring. At the worst, it was nerve-wracking when she was forced to change lanes in heavy traffic.

Eventually, she arrived back at the all-too-familiar hospital and her son's room. Thankfully, he had been dressed by the time she arrived. They still fed him through a tube since he was essentially comatose, but his body was physically strong.

Which was the only reason that Kazuto could leave the bed. When she entered, the nurses were just returning him to the wheelchair.

"Thank you all for your work," Midori told them warmly. Receiving simple nods and standard replies, she resolved herself to do something for the staff once this whole thing was past.

Taking his chair, Midori returned to Suguha's room. The simple, white hallways always seemed to be too clean for Midori's tastes. They didn't seem to properly reflect the distress and trauma that were hidden behind simple doors. Trying not to dwell on it, Midori entered her daughter's room.

"You…" Muttering, Midori blinked in surprise at the figure draped across her daughter's bed. The person was a young girl that Midori was growing more familiar with. Her pale skin and long black hair were enviable. The way she gazed at Suguha however, was extremely relatable.

"Ah, Ms. Kirigaya. I didn't realize you would be here…"

"Fret not child, as I've said before, please, visit her as much as you wish."

"That's very kind of you…"

Sighing, Midori collapsed in the chair with Kazuto beside her. Taking one of his hands, she stroked it absent-mindedly, not taking out her laptop. She needed time to think.

"Is something wrong?"

In answer to Yukiko, Midori opened her mouth to give a classic adult answer. Something along the lines of 'don't worry about it'. Instead, Midori found herself with a desire to talk. Her husband had been sent to America again and was understandably hard to reach.

"I'm just worried about this whole thing…" Midori admitted to the younger girl.

Leaving Suguha for now, Yukiko turned to face Midori and sat on the edge of the bed. Her comfort perched there, evidence of how long she had spent in this room.

"Why?" Yukiko asked. "You yourself admitted that your son is stronger now than ever. Even Suguha appears to be going the same direction, although she was super healthy already…"

"I know," Midori frowned, "I think that they are fine in the other world, its this world that concerns me. What happens when they confiscate Kazuto to run tests on him? I… I don't trust that man running everything."

"T-That's…" Whatever Yukiko had initially thought, the word didn't manifest. She was staring at Kazuto's body. The boy was sitting up comfortably in the chair. His posture better now than it ever had been while he was awake. "You are probably right…"

Yukiko glanced once to the door of the room, as if making sure that they were truly alone.

"I thought Kikuoka was quite charismatic on the television. That his plans made sense but… I'm not so sure anymore."

Midori thought the confession was quite mature for a girl not even in high school. Her gaze as well continued an inner steel unlike most teenagers.

"Kikuoka was actually here moments before you arrived. He asked me about you. About whether you would be along shortly. If I knew anything about what you had been doing lately…"

"I'm not surprised…" Midori mumbled. "He asked me to write a piece for him."

"That's not the half of it!" Yukiko whispered frantically, taking continual glances back at the door. "He knew who I was as well. He seems to have some obsession with Suguha and your son. He wanted me to convince you to listen to him."

Midori nodded carefully. With her left hand currently encircled with Kazuto's, she was surprised by the warmth from it. As if he was beating back the chill that Yukiko's words had caused.

"Just to confirm, but you are the one that got my daughter a NerveGear, yes?"

"…Yes," Yukiko blushed awkwardly. "My father is facing serious repercussions at work for this… I guess you probably hate me as well…"

"No, No." Midori quickly waved off her words. "Suguha would have found some other way if you hadn't helped her. What I mean is, you have connections, yes?"

"…Not many," Yukiko denied shaking her hand. "Mostly just through my father but as I said…"

"Yes," Midori agreed. Rather than feeling discouraged however, she just continued stroking Kazuto's hands. For some reason, she got the feeling that he had been through far worse than this. It was on her to allow them time to make it back here. "I wanted to write something revealing the man's ambitions and hopefully get him replaced as head of the victim recovery unit. My boss refused to publish it however."

"So?" Yukiko snorted. "There's something called the internet, isn't there? Publish an anonymous blog. I'll do my best to back it."

"…I could get fired if I'm found out…" Midori spoke hesitantly. It was a very real possibility but at the same time… "Let's do it. I refuse to submit my children to that madman's experiments."

Pact sealed, the middle-aged mother and beautiful teenager exchanged nods of solidarity.