Hey everyone, Slade here.
Welcome once again to [Our Bond]! On this episode, we have ALL the explanations I promised you! Both about the anomaly, and about Kirito's weird Incarnation ability.
Without further ado… enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online nor the characters; heavens forbid that destiny.
Chapter 6: [Long Overdue Explanations]
93rd Floor, Integrity Knights' quarters. Central Cathedral
25th day of the 5th month ~ 14:50 hrs.
Kirito's POV.
I lost count how long I had to stand in that hallway.
The barren walls and the dull colors around me made impossible to properly record the time without a clock, and counting each second proved to work against me, as it fed the ever-growing stress and restlessness that gnawed me from inside-out.
The only sound that echoed around me was the rhythmical tapping of my feet on the red carpet. Although I wasn't alone this time around, I felt no need to share any words with the two people that were currently waiting beside me.
Eugeo was close to me, sneaking some worried glances every now and then, the dark bags under his eyes making his expression even more troubling. Sometimes he gave me a reassuring push on my shoulder or a weak smile. However, he dared not to speak, fully aware that no words would appease me for the time being.
Edith, on the other hand, barely looked my way or acknowledged my presence in any way. Her red eyes were glued to the same spot in the hallway with enough intensity to set lesser men in fire.
Thus, we waited with bated breath, trying our best to ignore the suffocating air within the corridor despite how tall and wide the area was.
However, this tense atmosphere was a massive improvement from what I had to endure alone. At least the intrusive thoughts where nowhere to be seen, much to my relief. Not that the situation got any better because of it, but any upgrade was welcomed regardless.
Just as my legs began to lose sensitivity, and my inner check was about to bleed after my nonstop biting, the door in front of us finally opened to reveal a tired looking Alice stepping outside.
My foot ceased the tapping as I raised my head to face the blonde. "Is Cardinal done?" I asked before she could utter a word. Beside me, both Eugeo and Edith perked up simultaneously.
Alice sighed, perhaps already expecting my bluntness and the urge hidden underneath my monotonous voice. Instead of replying with words, she just nodded slowly before signaling us to follow her inside.
Needless to say, we didn't need to be told twice.
I immediately took point and hurried inside, a pair of footsteps trailing behind me with the same urgency as I. Once the four of us where completely inside the small room, Alice closed the door warily behind our backs.
As the four of us claimed a spot in the limited space available, my attention was directed towards the small librarian who sat in front of the only occupied bed. Her eyes followed each one of us while her expression had that neutral façade I grew accustomed with.
However, I knew better than anyone.
Her "stoicism" did little to fool me. Even though I knew nothing about her on a personal level, I could see the small trails of sweat that ran down her brow and the barely noticeable rocking she did on the stool. This were common symptoms back in the Frontlines each time a raid group marched towards the Boss Room. Not even the most veteran players, Heathcliff and I included, were exempt of them. In this sense, Cardinal was an open book for me to read.
Her expression was enough to ring alarms on my head. In response, my eyes inevitably traveled towards the woman in the bed, Administrator. Though my sight was slightly blocked by Cardinal, I could still see her features perfectly. And, despite she was unconscious, her terrified expression had yet to vanish entirely. The terror in her face and the hopelessness that I saw as she tried spell after spell… it brought memories.
The same eyes, huh… I frowned. A monster like her had the same eyes as… as the people at the Town of Beginnings… as those who jumped…
I shook myself awake from my daydreaming, focusing on the matter at hand. "Cardinal…" I broke the silence, far too tired to dance around the topic. "Did you find anything?"
"I did…" her words trailed off, perhaps lost for a split second in her own musings. Naturally, this only fueled my concern.
Before any of us could press Cardinal for more information, said girl jolted awake from her thoughts. With an apologetic tone, she spoke: "Sorry, everyone. It is just…" the short girl sighed while denying slowly with her head. "Although I did find something, I still need to… corroborate my own discoveries with… a second source," her stare focused on me directly. "Kirito, there is something I must ask you… just to be sure." I raised an eyebrow at Cardinal's unusual behavior, something mirrored by the other three occupants of the room. "Would you allow me to inspect your fluctlight? I promise I won't be invasive nor pry where I must not."
I was a heartbeat away from denying in reflex. Though other concerns occupied the front of my mind recently, I had not forgotten Administrator's prodding of my memories. If I could help it, I would rather keep all possible meddlers away from my mind, Cardinal included.
However, I was quick in stopping my own tongue. Despite how little I entertained the idea, this was a "necessary evil" if I wanted accurate answers and not half-assed assumptions.
Therefore, with great distaste, I had to relent to Cardinal's petition: "Just make it quick."
The short girl got to work. In order to make the process more comfortable for both of us, I moved to my own bed and Cardinal dragged her stool until she was able to reach me with her tiny limbs.
True to her words, she wasted no time in running through multiple windows as she 'scanned' my mind. Much to my relief, the whole thing barely felt invasive or uncomfortable, and she kept as professional as she could.
I was also amazed by her speed. Not even ten minutes went by, and she was already done. If I had to describe it better, her actions felt somewhat premeditated.
The short girl swayed back on the stool, her brown orbs radiating tiredness. "So… that's how, huh…" Cardinal sighed deeply after closing the last window. She then faced the four of us, me in particular. "I think I finally understand how and why the anomaly works… and how Quinella lost her powers."
If the tight room was asphyxiating enough, this statement only served to make almost impossible to breath.
"Kirito, you told us that the anomaly began after a bright light descended on both of you. Given the incident with the Console back at floor 100th, can I safely assume that this light is connected with those ｢blackouts｣the 'man on the other side' mentioned?"
I didn't reply immediately. Not because I was unsure of her statement; I already arrived at the same conclusion before Administrator woke up. No, the reason I sat there in silence was because…
"｢Blackouts｣?"
"The 'man on the other side'?"
Them.
I inhaled sharply from my nose, sparing a look at the other three people present. As to be expected, Eugeo and Alice had confused expressions while Edith glared at me in suspicion.
No reason to keep the cat on the bag anymore. If I am not wrong, they are far too involved with Kikuoka's scheme. That's something I can't ignore anymore.
"I hope you don't have any plans of getting some sleep, because you three and I will have a long talk right after we are done here. Save all questions until then," I stated evenly at them before returning my focus to the short girl. "We will talk about this later, right, Cardinal?"
It wasn't a real question. Regardless of the librarian's answer, I will tell them one way or another.
"… I don't see why not, Kirito."
I scoffed at her "emotionless" reply.
"Whatever. To answer your question, Cardinal, the blackouts are the most likely culprits behind the anomaly. The timing matches perfectly. However, I still don't get how the fuck a simple loss of power can do such ridiculous shit in here."
"Truth be told, even I have trouble understanding how it all came to be. However, the results are something I can perfectly describe with the information at hand. As for the origins, the best I can give you are theories and educated guesses."
"Better than nothing at all…" I whispered sourly. "Alright, cut to the chase. What's the deal with the anomaly?"
To my surprise, Cardinal gave me a rather sympathetic look, almost a pitying one, before replying. "Both of your fluctlights are connected, Kirito."
"…"
"""?!"""
For a brief moment I thought I misheard. Surely my mind was playing me a bad joke somehow. My soul… connected with someone like her? The sole idea was preposterous! Ridiculous! Despite Underworld's shitty programming, there was no way Kikuoka's spaghetti code could do such a thing… right?
However, my false hopes were crushed the longer I stared straight into Cardinal's eyes. Her wordless glare was enough to shatter my illusions… giving me no other alternative that face my reality.
Tentatively I repeated her sentence on my mind, once… then twice… and thrice… But no matter how much repetitions went by, the meaning behind those words felt hard to swallow.
My soul… is connected with hers?
Dread slowly began to clench my heart tightly. Not because of my personal loathing towards Administrator… but because new possibilities that I hadn't thought until now came to my mind.
Would this connection… this link… change me?
What if the anomaly slowly began to truly merge our fluctlights the more it triggered? What if my personality began to shift into that of Administrator? What if I began to see her as my only ally and everyone else as my enemy? What if we lost our sense of selves?
So many uncertainties… so many insecurities…
Trapped on my thoughts I never noticed how the word around me darkened and dimmed. The only thing I could keep track on was the alarming speed of my heartbeat and the cold sweat that ran down my brow.
Then it came; a repulsive, hideous, and foul feeling crawled on my back. Slowly it began to spread, and infect, each corner of my very soul on its wake. My hands began to feel sweaty and clammy as the shaking began.
Everything was spinning around me. My head felt as light as a feather. Sleeping felt so tempting…
NO! GET YOUR WITS TOGETHER, DAMMIT! Remember your damn lessons! Breathe! You must control yourself and breathe! In and out! Breathe in… breathe out… let those thoughts pass… breathe in… breathe out…
Just as I was close to fainting, the lessons of old kicked in. Repeating the mantra over and over again, I was able to keep what little wits I had left until, bit by bit, the darkness faded away.
I was back.
Dammit… twice in a single day? I frowned, finding that my right hand was clutching my chest rather tightly.
Around me I could notice the four pairs of eyes digging holes at me. Apparently, my sudden attack lasted long enough for them to notice that there was something amiss, but not long enough to cause great worry over my health.
Or, at least most of them were just slightly concerned.
"Kirito?" I felt my friend's hand rest reassuringly on my shoulder. "Are you alright? We can leave this for later if you want."
A part of me wanted to follow his suggestion, given how tired I felt. But no, answers took precedence.
"I… I am fine," I lied through my teeth. Naturally, Eugeo wasn't convinced. "It was just surprising, y'know? I'll be fine."
My friend sighed but relented. It didn't go unnoticed that he stood closely to me just in case I was about to faint. Heh… never change, buddy. I smiled a bit before returning my focus to Cardinal. "You can continue."
Cardinal, apparently convinced by my tough act, proceeded to explain further. "When you were about to land the killing blow to Quinella, an impossible phenomenon happened: your souls… your fluctlights… they connected. It was brief, perhaps only a thousand of a second or perhaps even less, but a connection was made.
"Although both of your souls are still two different identities, there is an imaginary bridge that links your fluctlights, thus allowing the exchange of information between the two. To a certain degree, this connection is similar to those of my daggers… but it has two main differences:
"First of all, unlike my daggers, the channel of information is always active. There is a small exchange of information at all times, even as we speak. The contents are rather trivial, just some signals that lack real value. I suppose that, whenever one of you is in lethal danger, there is a massive increase of information that ultimately triggers the anomaly.
"However, it is the second trait that worries me the most. Kirito, this connection is deep-rooted in both of your fluctlights. The link is too strong that even I am incapable of interrupting the anomaly from happening, with or without the use of my daggers. Furthermore, the moment the anomaly broke the connection between you and I back at floor 100th, I felt physical pain when the thing lashed out.
"What I am trying to say is that, for the moment, there is no safe way to sever the connection without risking your fluctlight's integrity… or the integrity of those who try to sever it."
"… Any idea how long it would take you to find a solution?" the question came out more like a forced spat. No surprise given how tight I felt my jaw. Even then, my dark eyes bore into her brown ones, looking for a straight answer.
"Sorry Kirito, I don't know," she wiped her small glasses. "Could be a couple of months, could be even more. If I am honest, I am unsure I can do it before the war."
"But is it possible to find any solution?"
"… I think so, yes."
"Heh…" I slumped backwards, feeling like ten years of lifespan were just drained away from me. "So, I am stuck with it, huh…" my hands began to shake wildly. "Besides, you know, the anomaly… is there any side effects I must worry about? Anything?"
I almost wanted to kick myself given how desperate that last question was. Without meaning to, I found myself begging… pleading to Cardinal to ease my worries. Despite how much I detest to show vulnerability… this time I couldn't help myself.
But great was my surprise when my shaking hands were held firmly on their place. Who did such a bold thing, you may ask? It was none other than Cardinal herself.
Lo and behold, the tiny girl who lived over two centuries in absolute solitude was now holding both of my hands in place as her eyes faced mine directly. Cardinal, the embodiment of the sub-process of the System behind Underworld was currently comforting me.
This was unlike that forced and awkward hug I gave her back at the library. This time, the contact felt more authentic.
Granted, this left me in quite an uncomfortable position. This awkwardness only worsened when I took note of the strange stares sent my way from the other three people present.
"Though it is true that I haven't analyzed the connection while the anomaly is active, there is no reason to assume that this link will cause anything as drastic as swapping identities or altering your perception of your surroundings," Cardinal spoke calmly and slowly, similar to an old woman patiently explaining a complex topic to her grandson. This comparison almost made me crack a smile, given her childish voice and appearance. "At worst, I assume that the link would make you aware of each other's presence at all times or something along those lines. So, as long as you keep the 'anomalies' to the minimum, you must not worry too much about it, Kirito."
"Uh, thanks… Cardinal," I gave her a shy smile, trying to not focus too much on the puzzled eyes that still bore holes through my skull. Fortunately, Cardinal finally let go of me without making any fuss at the unusual contact.
Well, on the bright side, at least I am not panicking anymore… I nervously thought. I only hope these three won't mistake me for a lolicon…
As I was torn between thanking Cardinal and cursing her name, Alice seized the opportunity to ask: "Despite how wonderful is to hear that Kirito's soul is safe from any harm, you haven't exactly answered us why their souls connected in the first place."
Leaving my inner debate for a later date, I focused back on Cardinal. Said girl, apparently tired from sitting, stood up and stretched a bit before replying. "As far as I have gathered, the link was made due to the combined distress and raging emotions between Kirito and Quinella. After all, their battle wasn't of swords or Sacred Arts, but of willpower and desire."
"Are you implying that this was caused by their Incarnation?" Edith frowned. "It is true that Incarnation allows someone to achieve incredible feats through reaching a certain state of mind. Calling for one's sword, increasing one's strength, or using Sacred Arts without a chant are some examples. However, none of those feats are this drastic."
"This world, unlike common belief, isn't 'rigid,' Edith. Every now and then 'strange phenomena' tend to happen around individuals with strong resolve. These individuals are capable to 'mold' the world to a certain degree, whether it is consciously or unconsciously. This goes beyond the objects you can interact with physically, but fluctlights as well. This is what truly is Incarnation.
"Given Kirito and Quinella's… unique backgrounds, they can 'mold' the world better than most. So, as impossible as it sounds, it is feasible for them to connect unconsciously if certain conditions are met."
"Now that you mention it…" Alice scratched her chin thoughtfully before looking my way. "Your use of Incarnation is rather odd. When we fought, you used Incarnation to increase both your speed and strength enough to surpass me. At the time, I had greater worries and didn't gave it too much thought…" her voice trailed off a bit. Interestingly enough, Eugeo coughed awkwardly from behind for some reason. "However, when you used that same power with the Sword Golem later… you almost collapsed from exhaustion," she raised her only visible eyebrow. "Even if it is true that you can 'mold' the world easily, why do you get so tired using your Incarnation?"
I took a deep breath, staring at one of the empty walls for a second. "That's a rather complicated topic, one that I am afraid none of you can fully understand at the moment," I adjusted my position from the bed. "As Cardinal said, this world can be 'molded' through Incarnation. However, for someone to 'mold' the world, they need to believe that what they are doing is plausible.
"No matter how you see it, a man won't become invincible just because he believes he is invincible. It is impossible due to our vulnerable nature. We all have cried and bled at some point because the world proved to us that we are weak. Even the greatest fool knows their human limitations, even if those are deep rooted in their subconscious.
"However, what if a man has at some point of his life felt a bit of 'invincibility'? Won't he find it easier to think himself as 'invincible'?" I then extended my right arm forwards. At my instruction, the limb was surrounded by a dark-purplish aura that took the vague form of a sword. "What if, at some point, I had the ability to make my hand a sword in exchange of energy? What if, a long time ago, I had the power to increase my physical prowess while sacrificing my own Vitality?" with a small gesture, the Incarnate Sword vanished entirely and leaving no trace behind. "Shouldn't that make it easier for me to reproduce such abilities?"
Silence filled the room as the three of them tried to comprehend my words. They struggled mightily, trying to figure out what was I talking about. Eugeo looked specially confused, giving me a queer look that not even I could figure it out.
"You might not understand right now, but all will make sense later when we have our little 'talk.' However, we are getting off topic." I huffed, turning back at Cardinal. "Now, for the million Shia question: do you have any idea why Quinella and I are forced to protect each other?"
It was Cardinal's turn to pause and ponder for a bit. Her silence stretched for a whole minute before replying. "Even I don't know the full answer to that question," she admitted with a tired sigh. "You must understand that you are an 'Irregular Unit,' Kirito. You react to 'outside stimuli' differently to us. In this case, the blackout from the outside wasn't supposed to cause any adverse effects on anyone within Underworld. You, however, are an exception. The sudden loss of power caused your Incarnation go overdrive, increasing its magnitude on the System far more than any human should be capable of.
"In other words, your ability to 'mold' the world around us reached an unparalleled peak. Then again, at the time you were connected with Quinella through Incarnation… which means…"
"That the blackout affected her too…" I concluded.
"Yes, it did. The sudden increase of your Incarnation's magnitude turned that brief link into a permanent one. At the same time, the world was 'molded' by both of your Incarnations, giving birth to the anomaly. If I had to guess, your combined distress and desire to survive led to create a phenomenon in which, if any of you is in lethal danger, the other would be forced to rescue other by whatever means."
I nodded silently, taking a moment to step back and reflect on everything that was said.
Yes, it all makes sense.
After long and tortuous hours of waiting, I was finally receiving the answers I so much craved. Even better, all this information made sense when one assembled it together.
The anomaly? A phenomenon created by the buggy System behind Underworld. Its cause? Blackouts from the outside mixed with large amounts of emotional distress. The catalyst? A connection that was accidentally made.
Heck, this also explained why I was able to achieve superhuman feats while under the anomaly's effects. If this phenomenon was created when Administrator and I were fighting using mostly Incarnation, then shouldn't my "unique" use of said mechanic affect the end product as well? What if the anomaly judged that, under normal conditions, it would be impossible to safe each other? Shouldn't it try and find a solution if that was the case?
And, with such convenient alternative that I accidentally supplied, why would the anomaly ignore it in favor of another method?
In other words, my "unique ability" is boosted to hell and back by the anomaly in order to achieve its purpose. My mouth twisted into a dark grimace. Regardless how dangerous the backlash at the end will be.
Yes, it makes sense now…
However, these words didn't bring me neither relief nor peace of mind.
"It all makes sense… all but one thing: why does the anomaly force us to protect each other instead of boosting ourselves?"
That was the problem that was still nagging me. If the anomaly was product of our state of mind when the lights fell, then why the end product has this extra step that seems unnecessary?
Back then I wanted nothing but to survive. That was my only thought. Survival above all regardless of the consequences. It was vague and rather simple. There was no reason to include convoluted methods in the mix or something like that.
Survival at all costs.
"That is the same thing that puzzles me," Cardinal replied to my question with a hint of irritation in her voice. "I am unsure why the world chose to 'mold' itself that way. Perhaps the only one that could give us a hint is Quinella herself.
"Remember, the anomaly is product of both of your desires. Perhaps there was something in her mind besides surviving that caused the anomaly to take that form," Cardinal sighed, taking off her glasses to wipe them with a piece of cloth she procured from her robe. "This brings us to the last thing I want to discuss. The second blackout."
"You mean…" Eugeo, who had been completely silent until now, spoke with uncertainty. "That that the light that fell on Kirito when he was at the Console… it also affected an unconscious Administrator?"
"Yes," it was me who answered my friend's question. "We were already linked after the first blackout, so it was natural that the second one would affect her. Which, in turn, implies…"
"That the second blackout was the reason why Administrator lost her powers…" to my surprise, it was Eugeo himself who arrived at the same conclusion. "Right?"
I nodded, giving my friend an approving smile. It surprised me how well he managed to follow the conversation despite the confusing topic.
"I think I understand why…" Edith spoke, her eyes closed in a thoughtful expression. "If the anomaly was caused by their combined emotional distress the first time, then Administrator's own distress before knocked out caused her to lose her powers."
Four set of eyes, mine included, stared at the ash-haired girl in surprise. It took the girl a couple of seconds to notice that she was now the focus of attention and the source of this brief silence. "What?" her thoughtful expression was replaced with a lost one. "Have you forgot I was the only one that was watching everything unfold? Alice was injured, Eugeo was warning Cardinal, and Kirito was…"
"I get it, I get it…" I cut her off. "But what do you mean by 'her emotional distress'?"
"Oh, that," she scoffed. "After she was done healing you, Administrator reacted… oddly. She seemed to be in pain while she blabbered incomprehensively. The closest thing I can compare it with is… is how I felt when I saw Bercouli frozen at floor 90," the poor girl shivered, her red eyes lost elsewhere for a second. "But her expression… even if I never saw myself in a mirror when it happened to me, I am completely sure it was the same."
"The same thing that happened to Raios," Eugeo supplied.
"I see…" I hummed. "Perhaps that's why only she was affected by it? Unlike the first time, I don't think the blackout did something to me besides losing consciousness. I was angry at the time, yes, but not to the point of losing my marbles entirely."
"Your shouts could have fooled me," Eugeo replied without missing a beat, earning a deadpan of mine as an answer. "Even I heard your words clearly from afar…"
I huffed, crossing my arms. "Okay, I was more than just angry. And yet here I am, completely unscathed…" as the last syllable left my mouth, I turned slowly towards Cardinal. "Right?"
"As far as I could see, yes, you were unaffected by it."
Never before I felt such relief by such a short sentence. It took all my self-control to not laugh aloud in relief.
I was unaffected, and so was the anomaly. Good or bad, at least I didn't have to deal with greater bullshit onwards.
But the good news couldn't last too long. As I was internally celebrating, Cardinal tapped her staff once on the floor loud enough to return me to Underworld. Confused, I turned my gaze back at the small girl looking for an explanation…
And I was slightly alarmed by her expression.
"You all seem to forget that Quinella didn't just lose her powers after the second blackout," her voice was unusually grave, something shown too in her somber expression. "Kirito mentioned that, when they confronted each other, Quinella was… overwhelmed by her own feelings," the girl twisted her mouth into a darker grimace. "At first, I thought this was just another consequence from the same fluctlight collapse mixed with the blackout, so I didn't give it much thought.
"But, as I was inspecting her fluctlight… it appears that this goes deeper than just 'their emotions are resurfacing'," Cardinal walked towards the sleeping Administrator. "Kirito, have you asked yourself why the anomaly awoke her in the first place? It is supposed to only trigger when one of you is in lethal danger. Don't you think awaking her seems to be a strange exception?"
"What are you implying, Cardinal?" I narrowed my eyes, confused a bit by the direction this conversation was taking.
"My Sacred Art was meant to make her sleep until I said otherwise. However, that's just about it, she was sleeping. This is not like the Deep Freeze Art that keeps the body of the target in stasis until they are awoken... if a regular human, or even Integrity Knight for that matter, was kept under my Sacred Art for too long, they would have died due to dehydration and famine.
"Normally I wouldn't use such a Sacred Art due to the potential risk it has on the target. But, since Quinella lost all need of food and drink a long time ago, I saw no problem in using it," Cardinal took a deep and tired breath. "Then you can imagine my surprise when I found out that her Life was slowly being drained because of hunger and thirst…"
Some might have expected that our natural reaction was to react extremely to this news. Cardinal was implying that the woman that took all our combined effort to defeat was slowly dying because she hasn't eaten or drunk recently. Mind you, this wasn't the most bizarre shit we have heard in the last hour.
Therefore, our sincere reaction to this last news was to raise our eyebrows and tilt our heads slightly in mild surprise.
"I was expecting something more… drastic," I pursed my lips. "Well, this surely explains why I awoke her in the first place. But what does any of this have to do with her being overwhelmed by her rampaging emotions? This seems rather unrelated."
"Perhaps at a first glance, yes" Cardinal conceded, crossing her arms. "But when you look in retrospective, what was the original cause behind her loss of those needs? Why she no longer aged? What was her main reason to seal away her feelings?
"Why we had the urge to murder each other when I was created?" Cardinal's childlike expression morphed that of a grown-up woman whose basic understanding of the world was shattered. "And why I no longer feel such need?"
Silence.
No one spoke or made a single noise.
My eyes, previously focused on Cardinal, slowly found their way into the sleeping woman.
Her expression remained unchanged. A dark mixture of despair and terror. Something that shouldn't be on the alleged "goddess of Underworld" and self-proclaimed Administrator. She claimed to be perfect, to be all-mighty, everlasting, unchanging, and invincible.
It made sense now why such fright and shock were displayed on such individual.
She wasn't a goddess anymore.
Not because she lost her title or because she was dethroned.
Not because a bunch of mortals managed to survive and defeat her after a set of bizarre set of circumstances and coincidences.
Not because she lost her weapon, powers, loyalty, allies, or sense of superiority.
No… none of those are the true reasons.
This wasn't because of all those traits enlisted above… but because she truly lost what granted her that godlike status to a fundamental level.
"Administrator…" I slowly spoke, arriving to a single conclusion. "She… she no longer has the main process burned in her fluctlight?"
What else could it be? The reason why the human named Quinella achieved the status of The Administrator was due to the Sacred Art that accidentally fused the Cardinal System with herself.
Cardinal told me that story before Eugeo and I parted to our impossible mission. She said that, because she inherited the sub-process that tried to correct the main one, her hostility towards Administrator went beyond simple hatred. The program burned on her was dead set into eliminating all system errors… and Administrator was one of them.
"This goes a bit beyond such a thing, Kirito," Cardinal frowned. "The main process was entirely ripped from her. No trace is left. On its wake, some memories and data stored in her fluctlight disappeared or were damaged, leading to the return of her emotions and 'mortality.'
"Basically, she no longer is Administrator," Cardinal marched towards the opposite bed. There she stood several seconds in silence while staring at its occupant. "She is Quinella, the human that existed prior to the goddess. Nothing more, nothing less."
The human before the goddess. I repeated in my mind, still in awe.
"… So… this is it?" Alice spoke in clear disbelief. "Just like that, all her power is gone?"
"Yes," Cardinal nodded. "She lost it all."
"Is… is it permanent?" Edith asked. "She won't recover her System Control Authority ever again?"
"I doubt she can do such a thing. I thought that Kirito would have some of that missing data stored in his own fluctlight, but that isn't the case. All that information was destroyed, and nothing short of a third blackout and a miracle will give her powers back."
A second silence, but one different in nature.
It lacked the oppressive anxiety when I was waiting outside. It lacked the tension right before Cardinal began to answer our questions. It lacked the distress and fear when I had my attack. It even lacked the feeling of everything suddenly coming into a halt right after this last revelation.
This time, this silence felt… cathartic.
"He… ehehe… Hehehe…"
Until it all was broken by quiet and dry laughter.
My laughter.
"Hehehe… This solves it all, huh? Hehehe…" I rubbed my own forehead as the giggles kept escaping my mouth. "Three hours! Three hours I had to wait, thinking that everything was going downhill once again! But noooooooo… it turns out that I was worrying for nothing at all! Ahahaha!"
My fit of laughter kept for a bit longer as suddenly all my stress over this topic seemed pointless. I spent hours on end waiting while horrible scenarios played out in my mind only to discover right now that it no longer mattered at all!
"K-Kirito?"
"I'm sorry… it's just," my chuckles died down as I slowly raised my head to face the rest of the group. "It just that the waiting was killing me, you know? And now… I can't help but feel relieved."
"I see…"
"Geez, kid, don't give us a heart attack…" Edith huffed, closing her eyes. "For a second I thought you went mad or something."
"… I will have to agree with Lady Edith."
"*Tch* Whatever…" I groaned. "Well, as good as it is to finally have the answers I wanted, what do we do with all of this information?" this question was aimed directly at Cardinal, who turned around to face me. "What are we going to do with her? She might not be much of a threat anymore, but the anomaly is still up and running."
Cardinal pondered for a minute, before denying with her head. "I am afraid this isn't something we can discuss at the time. We had a long day and none of us had proper rest, rushing this topic will do more harm than good. Besides," she gave a side-glance at Eugeo and the two Integrity Knights, "there is also that important talk you must have with all of them."
"Right…" I grumbled. "That is if they are up to another one or two hours of long explanations."
I crooked my neck towards them, waiting for an answer.
The three of them exchanged uncertain glances. They were tired, far more exhausted than me. The bags in their eyes and long expressions were testament of this fact.
Yet even before they opened their mouths, I already knew the following replies.
"Don't underestimate us, kid," Edith huffed in faked annoyance. "We are Integrity Knights. We can withstand worse punishment."
"If it helps to better understand what exactly is going on between you and Administrator, then I see no reason why to postpone any of this."
My eyes bore directly into the last person to answer. Eugeo, who had bags under his eyes, a long face, and was almost surely running only thanks to a shit-ton of caffeine met my own gaze.
I was taken aback by the overwhelming determination that I encountered in his green irises.
"I have several questions for you, Kirito. So please… please answer them."
I blinked in surprise. Rarely I got to see this side of my friend. Usually, it was under dire circumstances such as when we were in prison or when we fought Administrator. It only made me wonder what exactly he wanted to ask.
"Very well," I sighed, standing up from the bed. "But not in here. I am tired of this tight room and viced air. If we are going to talk, better do it elsewhere."
"I can help with that," Cardinal walked towards a barren wall within the room, stopping just a step away from it. Then, with a single tap to the wall, a door materialized out of nowhere. "You may use my library, no one will importunate you there. There is also some tea and sweets in there if you are hungry."
"Thank you," I quickly replied. "Also, can you keep an eye on her while we are gone?"
"Naturally," she then addressed briefly the other three. "You can go first. There is something I want to ask Kirito. Something rather personal for him."
Some curious, suspicious, and doubtful glances were thrown at us before the room was deserted safe from Cardinal, an unconscious Quinella, and me.
"Okay, what is it now?"
"I suppose I don't need to remind you to not speak about our deal, right?"
"Of course not," I scoffed. "I will just tell them the truth behind Underworld."
"I see. However, I am curious, why tell them now?"
"We need them on our side more than ever. Kikuoka, the man who created Underworld, wants Alice for his project. If I am not mistaken, that also implies that Edith, and more importantly, Eugeo are now part of this too." I turned away for a bit. "I don't want to hide this anymore from my friend. They must know."
"Then I won't stop you," Cardinal nodded, pointing at the door. "Go, I will keep watch over Quinella."
"Fine…" as I was about to step into the mystical door, a question popped up in my mind. "By the way, I am just curious... why did you choose to hold my hands all of the sudden?"
Cardinal tilted her head sideways. "Isn't that what people do to ease another's mind?"
Of fucking course… I moaned in my insides. Of course this hikikomori misunderstood shit while sitting on that damn library. Send a spider of all things to try and comprehend this kind of shit….
"Why? Was it wrong to do so?" she asked innocently. For a second, her expression matched her childlike looks.
"No… it was just an odd choice," I replied without even glancing at her way. "I must get going. See you in a couple of hours."
Without any reply, I stepped into the library.
Cardinal watched Kirito's back disappear through the door she summoned. With a soft click, said door was closed, leaving the room in silence once again.
"I wonder what that was about?" Cardinal asked herself. "I was just copying what I saw people do throughout the Human Empire. Isn't that how it is done?" the girl shrugged, still unaware of some key factors that clearly made a difference in those gestures she saw.
"Well, there is no reason to think too much about it, he must still be quite stressed after all of this. He is good at hiding it, but not perfect."
"…"
"You know, I thought they would notice the moment you turned away from them. They aren't the type to be easily distracted. I guess the pressure and tiredness has finally caught to them, despite they don't want to outright admit it."
"…"
"But I was more impressed how you managed to not attract their attention. A tiny whimper or a sob would have been enough to rat you out. In retrospective, it was a good thing they didn't notice it; not even I know how they would have reacted, especially Alice and Edith. I don't think I need to clarify what I mean by it."
"…"
"But that didn't happen. And, as Kirito said, it will be a long time until they return to this very room. Therefore, why don't we have a nice and calm chat? It has been centuries since the last time we have seen each other eye to eye. I belief now is the best time to catch on… and to have an important talk of our own…"
"… Lyceris…"
"Quinella…"
The library. Central Cathedral.
25th day of the 5th month ~ 15:32 hrs.
Kirito's POV.
After leaving that cursed room behind, I wasted no time in meeting with Eugeo, Alice, and Edith. I found them just a couple of steps away from the door while they were inspecting the many bookshelves that lined the hallway in which Cardinal spawned the door.
The two Integrity Knights were the most curious, having never seen this location of the Central Cathedral in the first place. However, their curiosity found a better target when they detected my presence.
We were now currently at the table where I talked with Cardinal one day ago. Although the table was rather small and left us a bit cramped, this was a better alternative than doing this at the same fucking room.
That and the cakes Cardinal left were still quite good.
I wonder, how does she manage to keep them fresh? I took another, thankful that I finally had something to eat after being imprisoned all morning.
However, I barely registered the taste of the cake. After all, it was hard to enjoy a meal when three pairs of eyes were boring holes into my skull with their glares.
After one last sip of tea, I sighed deeply. "Before any of you actually manages to set me on fire with your mind… I believe there is a lot of things I need to explain, especially after all that was discussed inside that cursed room."
My joke threw them off balance a bit, something that mercifully lessened the intensity of their glares.
"However, what I am about to tell you isn't meant for everyone. This is no innocent gossip or casual information. The less people know about this, the better. As such, you all must promise to not utter a single word about anything that will be discussed in here. No one, and I repeat, no one but you must know any of this."
"Even the other Integrity Knights?" Alice asked, almost challenging me to say yes. Her single eye narrowed, and her fingers began to drum the table.
Unfortunately for her, I was barely impressed.
"No one, not even them," I repeated myself with my arms crossed. "This doesn't concern any of them nor it is relevant for the upcoming war. Heck, only Eugeo was supposed to hear this in the first place," I took another sip at the tea, ignoring the annoyed stares from the two Integrity Knights. "You two were included just because this is something that directly affects both of you. This is non-negotiable.
"So, do you agree or not?"
Alice and Edith didn't reply immediately, still torn between their curiosity and their "loyalty" towards their comrades. Eugeo, on the other hand, barely gave it too much thought before nodding.
"If the situation demands it, would you reveal this information to the other Integrity Knights?" Edith asked finally.
"Only if it is absolutely necessary."
"… Fine. We agree to your conditions."
Giving them a satisfied smile, I got myself comfortable on my chair. "Before I actually begin, there are things I must clarify about myself," my eyes sought for Eugeo, who was listening intently. "Eugeo, we have been partners for two years. Throughout that time, you have helped me and guided me around Norlangarth and Centoria. Is no exaggeration that, without you, I would still be stuck in Rulid without knowing what to do. Few people would have done the same for me in your place. There are no words to express my gratitude… and my shame.
"I have been hiding things ever since we met, going as far as to claim that I was a child of Vecta that had no memories. I wanted to tell you once we defeated Administrator… but you know that things didn't exactly went how we desired.
"However, the truth is…"
"I… I already know, Kirito."
The words died on my tongue. My jaw fell from its place while I was giving the dumbest of stares to my friend. He smiled at me, though I could notice some strain on his expression.
"H-how?" I almost demanded between stutters. "I mean… I knew my e-excuses weren't perfect all the time and there were s-some slip ups… but how could you come to…"
"I never noticed," he said. "Not until yesterday when I received… this…"
Out of his pocket, Eugeo brought up a blue crystal, similar to the Sword Golem's but smaller. He then placed it on the table with utmost care. Piecing up the pieces together, I widened my eyes once I realized not only what this was, but who this was.
"Is that…" my eyes wandered to Alice, who looked rather aloof. Edith, on the other hand, stared at the object with something akin to realization and curiosity.
To everyone's surprise, save for Eugeo, a voice came from within the crystal. It belonged to a young girl, yet it carried itself with some confidence despite the uncertainty on its tone. Most important detail was that I recognized this voice.
"Hello, Kirito~" the girl saluted me with a cheery tone. "I am glad you are safe and sound."
"You… so it was you all along…" I managed to whisper, staring at the tiny crystal with realization, "now that I think about it, it makes sense that it was you who helped me." I smiled kindly, even if I was unsure if the girl would notice or not.
"Glad you finally recognize me, Kirito," the girl giggled. "I knew you were always bone-headed, but it took you longer than what I thought. Though, I can't blame you, after these eight years… it is finally good to be with you… with both of you again!"
My smile faltered. Both of us? I never met Alice…
[The man who sent you here did so without telling you the truth beneath, blocking your memories so you wouldn't spill information elsewhere.]
Or at least… I can't remember about it…
I connected the dots together. It wasn't hard for me after Administrator reminded me of my first log into Underworld, the day in which I awoke with tears running down my eyes from the machine.
Eight years.
Alice, Eugeo, and… I...
This must be some kind of sick joke… the bitterness I felt towards the man guilty of my presence in Underworld increased tenfold, if such a thing was possible. That, or destiny has a terrible sense of humor.
"It is good to see you again, Alice Zuberg," I said aloud, my throat feeling hoarse all of the sudden. Her sole name was enough to cause a mysterious ache in my heart, even if my memories were still locked away.
I wasn't the only one affected. Alice, the Integrity Knight, froze in her place. No, that wasn't entirely correct. If I looked closely, I could notice the small tremors that cursed through her body.
Edith remained rather stoic, but not without reaching her "little sister's" shoulders as a signal of support.
"… I know you are here too… Alice…"
The tension within the room rose to unprecedented levels when Alice Zuberg addressed her 'other self.' Alice Synthesis Thirty ceased to shake, but the fear in her eyes spoke volumes how much she was terrified.
Even I held my breath as I waited for any of the two Alice's to say anything. But what could you potentially say to the person who is 'supposed to be you' or to the person that 'stole your life'?
Both of them were Alice, yet they weren't the same.
Time crawled painfully, and none of them said anything. Alice Synthesis Thirty tried several times, moving her mouth up and down in her multiple attempts to communicate… but she couldn't. No sound came from her lips.
In the end, it was none other than Alice Zuberg who spoke. And her words…
Her words were just too much.
"Alice… I want you to know, that I don't hate you."
That sentence, spoken by the memories of a child, was enough to cause the blonde Integrity Knight to crumble.
The mighty Alice Synthesis Thirty, the strong woman that freed herself from the Right Eye Seal using nothing else than her own determination, broke into uncontrollable sobs as she wept.
How could she not? The innocent, honest, and pure words spoken by a girl not older than eleven were too much to bear. Alice Zuberg did something that not even some of the wisest adults would ever dare to do.
Her life was stolen by someone who used her face, voice, and name. She was tortured only to concede her future to someone she didn't even know.
And yet… she never saw Alice Synthesis Thirty as the responsible for her suffering.
"I… I am sorry…" she sobbed. "I stole your body… your life… even your name… I… I…"
"You did none, Alice," the girl replied. "Never I believed that you did. And, after what happened yesterday, I am grateful to you."
The sobs of the older Alice ceased, but the tears kept running down.
"You, Eugeo, and Kirito protected each other. You fought side by side until you reached victory, and, in the end, you all saved me. You all came back. I can't be more thankful for that."
More tears ran down from Alice's eyes, but she was able to barely crack a smile. "It has been my pleasure to help your friends."
The girl let out a good-hearted laugh. "Honestly, they always get into trouble. What would they do without us?"
Both Alice's shared a contagious laugh, making everyone at the table to smile.
"Alice… may I ask you something? Can you help Kirito and Eugeo when they get into trouble? Please?"
"I… I promise I will. Until I return what I stole… I will help both of your friends. That's a promise."
The small crystal pulsed in light, but it didn't offer any further reply. Instead, when Alice Zuberg spoke, she addressed me once again.
"Despite this reunion you still can't remember, right Kirito?"
Eugeo frowned, giving me a questioning look. I apologized mentally to my friend, wondering why the upcoming conversation turned more complicated. "No, I can't."
"Don't worry Kirito… touch the crystal."
I hesitantly obliged, reaching slowly to Alice's crystal until the tips of my fingers brushed its surface. When I did, multiple memories rained down on me. Unlike when the bright light fell for the first time on Administrator and me, this rush of memories did not feel invasive… In fact, it was all the way around; I felt that a small part of me that I never knew was missing suddenly returned back, bringing a bittersweet feeling to my heart.
It took me a couple of minutes to recover myself. I didn't notice until I reached for my face that I had been crying all along.
"Thank you, Alice…" I wiped away my tears using the back of my hand. "I am sorry… I swear to never ever forget again."
"It is fine Kirito," some cheer returned to the girl. "Finally, we are all together after so long~"
Then, as the light of the crystal dimmed, Alice Zuberg went silent. Eugeo chose that moment to reach for the small object, returning it to his pocket.
"She has tired herself out…" he said, his grimace never leaving his face. "She can't talk too much before feeling exhausted," he sighed, rubbing his eyes several times. "So, you never lied to me. You didn't remember anything?"
"I did lie to you Eugeo, but not about any of this…" I confessed. "Being born in Rulid, growing up alongside both of you, sharing meals under the Gigas Cedar's shadow… I couldn't remember any of it."
"Hold up a second," Edith interjected, leaning on the table. "You were partners for two years and you never asked him about any of this?" she pointed at Eugeo. "Why wait until now?"
"H-huh?" my friend shook his head sideways. "N-no, you misunderstand! I had always thought it was only Alice and me. I never recalled that Kirito was our friend too until she showed me her memories."
"Wait, none of you two are making any sense," the ash-haired knight puffed in exasperation. "Kirito says he didn't remember his childhood, and you claim that you couldn't remember him. It is almost like…"
"Like I never existed in the first place."
My reply caught the attention of those present. With a long and tired sigh, I stretched forward and grabbed my cup of tea. "Eugeo, what's the last memory you have with me?"
"… the day we met Deusolbert."
"I see…" I grimaced too as those locked memories resurfaced. "I was there too…"
My hand clenched around the handle as now I could perfectly recall. An Integrity Knight that descended in its mighty dragon. His unfair accusation and his brutality when he took Alice and chained her like an animal. The way the townsfolk restrained me in the ground as I watched the dragon soar into the skies…
*Crack*! *Clang*!
"Yes… I was there…" I released the remains of the broken cup and tossed it aside. "That's my last memory too," my mouth twitched. "So that's why I was crying when I awoke…"
It took me several deep breaths to calm down. "They were locked."
"""?"""
"Our memories, they were sealed away!" I spat. "He took them away from us and everyone back at Rulid after that day!" it took all my self-control to not stand and crush something with my bare hands. "That asshole!"
"W-who are you talking about? Who could have taken the memories of a whole town? And why 'he' only took everything related to you?"
"Kikuoka Seijirou…" I snarled at the sole mention of the name. "The 'man at the other side'."
93rd Floor, Integrity Knights' quarters. Central Cathedral.
25th day of the 5th month ~ 15:31 hrs.
Quinella's POV.
She was here.
The cursed impostor. The damn fluke. My greatest failure.
After all this time, she was here.
Over two centuries I had waited a second encounter with the little rat that ran from my grasp. That miserable thorn at my side that I never quite managed to crush was now standing before me.
No, she was towering above me.
"You finally came to mock me, Lyceris?" I didn't bother to look her way, my eyes lost on the wall before me. "Of course you are. Why would you even bother to be this close to me other than to laugh at my expense?"
"…"
"To think this anomaly was useful for the first time, huh…" I chuckled a bit. "Otherwise, you would have killed me by now.
"Despite the bothersome sub-process burned inside you, you still don't have what it takes to take my life if that implies the boy's own death. If he ran for a long distance under the anomaly's effect, his body would be vaporized from the inside due to that drawback of his. Pff, what a pathetic and sentimental creature you are."
"You claim that I came to mock you, and yet you are the one to insult first," Cardinal huffed. "I never expected something else from you, Quinella. You were always a spoiled child that enjoyed to toy with powers you shouldn't possess… even as you lie on that bed."
The nerve of this… I turned to face my nemesis directly, pointing at her with an accusing finger. "You know nothing about me, brat!"
Much to my annoyance, Cardinal only shrugged.
"Why are you here anyway?!" I pressed on. "If I lost my powers then why are you here?! You could have just closed that damn door using Sacred Arts and left me here to rot!"
"Would you have preferred that?"
"YES!" I screamed. "YES, I WOULD! I would have loved to be here all alone as I have always been! I need no one, and certainly I do not need a damn brat mocking me!
"You are enjoying this, aren't you? To watch me like this! I know you were savoring telling those three puppets and the Irregular Unit about me! I know you relished in describing how I lost it all! I know… I know… I know, I know, I know I know I know I KNOW!"
I had to pause when no words were capable of leaving my mouth. My pants were the only thing that echoed inside the room as I tried to gasp for air.
Meanwhile, Cardinal watched me with that stoic face of hers.
Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! I grinded my teeth whilst I wiped those annoying tears that permeated my face. These damn emotions are getting on my way again! I hate them! I HATE THEM!
How far I had fallen. A former goddess now reduced to this miserable mortal that displayed those pathetic feelings in front of her sworn enemy.
They did this to me… they all did this!
"You are wrong."
"H-huh?"
"You are wrong, Quinella," Cardinal repeated herself, her face unwavering. "I am not enjoying any of this. Perhaps, if you were defeated at the 100th floor, I would have felt relieved and glad that you were removed from the system after all the damage you have caused.
"But now?" she pointed at me with her staff. "The system error that once resided inside you is gone. It was teared and destroyed by the blackouts from the Real World. I no longer have that primal need of eliminating you.
"That doesn't mean that I have forgotten the many… many sins you have committed," Cardinal crunched her nose in disgust. "That… that abomination… that sacrilege at the 100th floor… how could you?!"
"It was necessary!" I replied without hesitation. "You know what is coming. The Final Load Test is just six months away and I needed something to defend my empire!"
"DEFEND?!" Cardinal raised her voice. "You murdered 400 people in the name of defense?"
"And you?! Don't think I have forgot that deal you had with the Irregular Unit!" I was seething in rage, my nails biting into my flesh. "Destroying my world as some twisted salvation?! If anything, you, and that outsider are the monsters!"
"It was going to be painless!" the girl defended stubbornly, something that only fueled my wrath. "I would give them a chance to escape the pain from the Load Test. But you? You tortured those souls! You lied to your Integrity Knights, to your most loyal servants, and used their memories to torment the people they once held dear!
"They would have defended the Human Empire if you asked! The people all around the empire would have followed you to fight! But instead of any of those alternatives, you chose to create those abominations!"
"I DID WHAT WAS NEEDED!" I shouted with all my strength. "I can't trust in those broken puppets or in those ignorant fools! Only I can defend my world, only I!"
We glared at each other venomously. This time around, I allowed that horrible noise called anger to speak for myself.
"You are hopeless…" Cardinal sighed. "I thought that, after you lost your powers, you would change your mind… even if it was in the smallest bit," the girl denied with her head. "You are rotten to the core since birth."
"Go away…"
"…"
"Get the fuck out of my sight!"
"I have no reason to pay heed of your tantrums, Quinella."
"Just what do you want from me?!" I jumped from the bed, reaching from the tiny girl, and pulling her robes. "You want to destroy my world, don't you? THEN DO IT ALREADY!" my face was just a cen away from hers. "I was defeated, was I not? Then do it! Do it, you spineless coward! Do it instead of mocking me!
"What? You can't bring yourself to do so after that Irregular Unit gave you that pathetic hug? Then don't waste my time and get out of my damn sight!"
Then, before I knew what happened… it came the pain…
"GAH! Ack!"
My back… my back hurt. It was painful… it was really painful…
"Don't touch me ever again, Quinella…" through my pained whines I heard Cardinal speak. "Be glad that the anomaly exists, otherwise I would have severed your hand."
My vision, that was previously blurred by the pain, cleared. Cardinal was now several steps away from me and I was… back at the bed?
She… she threw me towards the wall using a Sacred Art?
"I might no longer feel any need to kill you, but I won't tolerate you either," I winced when her staff was pointed at my face. "You proved me that you are a lost cause, and I will treat you as such."
"… what are you waiting for… Lyceris?" I whispered as new tears began to fall down. "If you and that Irregular Unit want to destroy my world, then do it already! Do it now and spare me of this humiliation!"
Cardinal, who was now giving me her back, replied without even turning.
"The Console… it no longer works."
"… h-huh…?"
"The Console can't do such a thing anymore. All control inside Underworld was revoked from the outside," she spared me a single glance. "The Final Load Test can't be stopped anymore, and I will do what you couldn't: I will defend the Human Empire."
The library. Central Cathedral.
25th day of the 5th month ~ 16:20 hrs.
Kirito's POV.
My words flowed nonstop for half an hour.
I spoke about almost everything. The existence of a Real World and how boring it was. The creation of new realities made by us in order to satisfy the hunger of adventure. The empty carcasses named ｢Avatars｣ we used to explore and dwell within those worlds…
The miracle made by a single man, Kayaba Akihiko. The excitement behind the world named Sword Art Online. The thousands of innocent people that logged inside such world, clueless to the hell that was to come.
The manifestation of a massive, red-hooded, Kayaba. The revelation that we couldn't leave the world until it was cleared.
The deaths… the many deaths that followed.
"I was one of those people trapped within that floating castle. There I was forced to hone my 'swordsmanship' to survive. The name of such place, my 'master' so to speak… was Aincrad."
How we struggled to defeat and clear the many enemies that littered that cursed castle. The endless dungeons and labyrinths we had to cross only to face a hundred of powerful creatures. The valiant cries of the Frontlines and the horrified cries of those who were about to die. The losses of whole parties and the massacre at the 25th floor.
How despite it all we pushed on until we arrived at floor 75, where Kayaba revealed himself as one among us… a traitor. The battle I had against Heathcliff, his alter ego… and my defeat.
How we had to climb other 25 floors with the largest group in shambles after his treason. The gruesome battle against the An INCarnation of the RADius, and the final showdown against Kayaba.
"The game was cleared, and we all returned to our original world… only to find that we couldn't just leave who we were inside that castle that easily."
The arrival of that cockroach named Kikuoka. His tantalizing deals. His lies and deceit.
The world created by a group named RATH. Underworld. A place where human souls were created by humans themselves.
Their world.
My first log inside Underworld… and my awakening after Alice was taken away.
"That night I was attacked by one old foe. A nemesis created within Aincrad. He attacked me in the Real World, where I am not as strong as in here. I was stabbed and poisoned by him. The next thing I know? I awoke within Underworld, where I met Eugeo once again."
I had finished my tale, and found myself incredibly thirsty after speaking for so long. However, my cup was destroyed, and I couldn't drink any more tea.
Eugeo, Alice, and Edith had incredulous faces. How could I blame them? Their perspective of their world had changed entirely.
I claimed to be a visitor from another world, an outsider. My friend discovered that the childhood I spent with him was actually my second one.
It was too much to take… too much to digest…
But it was necessary.
"I… I can't… wow…" Edith grabbed her head using both of her hands. "This… I thought that I saw it all with the anomaly, but now…?"
"A 'Real World'? A floating castle? Massacres?" Alice muttered.
"It… it now makes sense," Eugeo, who was the most composed of the three, stared at me directly. "Our loss of memory, the unusual terms you use, your unexplainable talent with the Sacred Tongue, and the fact the Right Eye Seal never acted against you… it all makes sense."
"It does, Eugeo," I sighed. "Now you see why I don't want any of this escape this room. Is simply too much."
"But why telling us?" Alice inquired. "I understand if you wanted to come clean with Eugeo, as you stated before you began explaining. But why Edith and I were included? What changed your mind?"
I inhaled sharply, my expression darkening.
"The 'man from the other side,' Kikuoka, was the same person whom I talked at the 100th. I was wondering if he would be able to stop the invasion of the Dark Territory and, at the same time, returning me to my world. However, something else seems to be going on at the place the 'gate' of this world is. Someone is attacking RATH, and they are seeking for the same thing they sent me for a second time here, to Underworld.
"As I told you, I awoke in here without any instructions or knowledge of what I had to do. I theorized, yes, but I never knew for sure until yesterday," I moved my head towards Alice, something that prompted the other people within the room to do the same. "Or I must say, who he wanted."
"M-me?!"
"Over my death body!" Edith stood from her place, her hand already at the hilt of her katana. "I knew that I heard this person that talked to you mention Alice… this only confirms it to me! You would take away my little sister away!"
Instead of being afraid of her outburst, I remained calm, wondering how they would take my words.
"Though he mentioned only Alice… I am sure that he now wants you too, Edith," the boisterous woman stopped dead on her tracks, giving me an odd look. "And you too, Eugeo."
"H-hah?!"
I drummed my fingers on the table, thinking for a bit before replying.
"While I never knew all the reasons behind Underworld, Kikuoka did mentioned that they planned this to be a way of… creating souls…" I grunted at the term. "Once I logged in Underworld, I saw what he meant. You are humans created by other humans. I thought for two years why he would send me here, to a place with real humans. After the conversation I had with Cardinal inside this very library, it was able to connect the dots: they wanted any souls willing to disobey the Taboo Index.
"And, of all the people within Underworld, I can only think of three who broke the code that ruled their lives," I pointed at them, tilting my head downwards. "Perhaps the other Integrity Knights could be of their interest, but I doubt they all have the ability to go against a law willingly just like you three."
I raised my finger to point at my right eye, something that they all understood.
"As you can see, this is in fact something personal between us. These invaders seek the three of you, not only Alice. And, in order to take you away from them, RATH wants me to do the very same," I snickered. "But I will never do such a thing.
"Kikuoka no longer has control over Underworld, or not directly at least. I won't comply to his orders after all the lies and deceit. And now that he broke his promise…" my hands balled into fists. "When I return, I might as well kill him for it."
"What promise, Kirito?"
I could see it in Eugeo's face. He was surprised by how my tone was filled with bloodlust. But, above all, he was concerned.
This calmed my angry heart… if only for a bit.
"He involved my family on this," I growled. "I have a sister back in the real world… and she… she is out there… in the middle of a war between RATH and those mercenaries."
A long, very long silence followed. They all simply sat in their places, digesting my revelations.
In the end, it was Alice who finally asked: "Now… what?"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"There is no reason to worry about Kikuoka for the time being. You might be his targets, but I will be dammed if he gets what he wants. The only reason I told you this is for your own safety. What would happen if someone from the outside logs to Underworld with the objective of capturing you? They might as well present themselves as gods and fool you with empty promises or tempting offers. Therefore... be on guard at all times if something like this happens.
"We shall focus on the war for the time being. I will help you if we somehow find a way to solve our Administrator problem. So… yeah, I think that's about it."
"Thank you, Kirito," Eugeo smiled at me. "For telling us. For trusting us."
"Hmm."
A short silence followed in which none of us moved. However, I quickly spoke again: "I think we are done here. It has been a long day and we must rest."
"Yeah…" Eugeo whimpered. "I haven't slept at all."
"I will have to agree…" Alice sighed, standing from her chair. "The day was long, we have heard many 'interesting' revelations, and I am exhausted. I need a bath…"
"…" Edith, who was still frowning, looked downwards. "Go ahead, Alice, I will catch on. I have just a pair of questions to ask Kirito."
We all stared at the red-eyed girl, especially Alice and Eugeo who seemed quite surprised by the woman's words. Yet, tired as they were, they complied and left the library, leaving only the two of us sitting at the table.
"Okay, they are gone. What is it?" I took the bull by the horns without hesitation, chiefly because I was too tired to care.
"You know boy, I knew there was something off with you the moment we met," Edith spoke, crossing her arms. "I didn't know what it was, but I felt that there was something dangerous about you. Something volatile.
"I thank you for telling us all of this, and I also thank you in Alice's behalf," her eyes trailed towards the door where the blonde left the room. "Keeping her away from such a man is something I am grateful, regardless of what drives you to do so. Whether it is because of hate towards said man or the memories you recovered from the previous Alice, I don't care.
"However, I will warn you: I will be watching you at all times. I love my little sister above anything else, and I will do anything to keep her away from harm.
"You seem to be a good guy, a bit eccentric and passionate, but a good guy in the end. Therefore…" she tilted forwards, her whole body radiating pure darkness. "Don't do anything stupid."
I held my ground, staring at her red orbs without flinching.
"I will not."
And that's a wrap! At least for today that is.
Hey everyone! I have once again returned with the monthly upload (once again, it is STILL February within my time zone)!
First and foremost… did you notice something when you clicked on the story? Something new? Something that looks quite cool? Something at the top of the page?
Oh yeah, baby! [Our Bond] now has its own cover! A big shout out to wishineitor on Twitter who made this awesome and gorgeous drawing for the story. Go and follow him! He uploads very nice stuff!
Now, about the chapter… Man, that was a hell lot of exposition right there.
Now I have a lot more respect for those manga and light novel writers that explain with utmost detail these kind of stuff.
I am not kidding, writing exposition is HARD. Not the "throw a shit-ton of information at the reader" part, but "do it without making it look forced" part. I sincerely hope I did a decent job in that regard, but even I have my doubts if everything flowed properly.
Now, about all the explanations in here… what can I say that Cardinal didn't explain? XD
As you can see, the anomaly is a byproduct of many coincidences that happened at the same time. Most of them spurred by Incarnation.
Speaking of which, I have to thank a certain awesome soul on the Internet that explained in-depth the Incarnation and how it worked. All in a single post in Reddit! Without their explanation, this story wouldn't have been even possible! (Or at least, not without giving you a lame excuse).
And, as you can see, Kirito's unique use of Incarnation is just an ability he once had in the past, but now he is emulating it using the weird system mechanics within Underworld. However, here lies the question, when and where did he get those abilities? Are those from Aincrad? How did he managed to emulate them in Underworld? Is it all the power of the Gary Stu?
Those questions are left open for now.
We also had the meeting between our two Alice's! This was something I wanted to do and I think it came out right... though I would have desired to make it more expressive. Sadly, first POV is quite a hindrance... and I am not good enough yet to describe it perfectly.
Moving on, we have the argument between Quinella and Cardinal. This was my favorite part of the chapter and the one I had lots of fun writing. I did this because I thought it would be nice to have a heart-to-heart between these sworn enemies.
Not much changed there (they still hate each other), but at least Cardinal isn't compelled to end her existence to a fundamental level, no?
And, there was also the final explanations Kirito gave to the crew (dammit, I must find a name for these four). I was a bit vague here because it was a lot of information ON TOP of everything that was already explained.
That, and I also want to ask you. Do you think he actually told them everything that happened within this AU?
Oh, and we also had Edith's… warning. That girl will definitely do anything for her little sister.
But that's it for this Author Notes. Now, on with the reviews!
cungus: An interesting theory. Did this chapter change it in any way?
juanitoramirez5022: Thanks for the good wishes. Also, we are still on the monthly updates!
DaManWOFear: Yeah, I was not going to kill Cardinal by any means; she is very important in this story. About Kirito's anger… I think it only got worse with this chapter.
Dranzer: For some reason, I think that Quinella's first POV is quite more interesting, entertaining, and easier to write than Kirito's. Glad you like it!
Shadowgear1004: I… I am flattened, but… now I feel a bit… guilty?
Sergey: Hey bud! Glad you like the previous chapter! Yes, Quinella needed some emotions so that the "romance" can begin. Once again, thank you for your encouragement and kind words. Also, quite the theory you have there. However, I will only say, the reason why Suguha is there is quite more… complicated.
Inphernalmenace: As I said in the previous AN, that part of the chapter was a hell to write. However, I am pleased you find it enjoyable and more plausible than not. Also, I hope I finally answer all your questions about Incarnation and the anomaly with this chapter… it was a hell too in its own unique way.
Cosmiz: Oh, trust me, that's the least of her existential problems right now.
Anyway… what are your thoughts about this new chapter? Loved it? Hated it? Regardless of your thoughts, thank you once again for taking some of your precious time to read this story.
On a final note… yes, exposition's a bitch.
PS: Really, go and follow wishineitor! Perhaps that is the incentive he needs to upload more consistently!
See you next chapter!
Edit: some minor corrections here and there. Noticed them too late. Sorry!