Meanwhile, in Centoria, thirty minutes earlier
Asuna's eyes remain on the sky outside the window, zoned in on a tiny silver speck until it vanishes beyond the clouds. Once it's gone, she releases the breath she's held for what seems like the entirety of the last ten minutes.
When they entered the Cloudtop Garden, they were greeted with the sight of Selka and two knights situated underneath an osmanthus tree. All three figures were frozen in place by the Deep Freeze art just as Kirito told Alice upon his revival in the real world. But even he was shocked as Asuna was by the identity of the two knights with Selka: Ronie Arabel and Tiese Schtrinen, the ancestors of Laurannei Arabel and Stica Schtrinen.
Then another surprise hit them: Alice, who knows how to undo the petrification, couldn't undo it on the three women. She tried thrice on each of them, to no avail before remembering that she and Jaymes once failed before when trying to revive the petrified knights in the cathedral after the Clamp Crisis. Kirito was unwilling to use Incarnation, fearing his imagination might not be suitable for unfreezing someone, and Eolyne has never seen the art in person before today.
Then they encountered one of the last vestiges of the old era of the Underworld; the platform operator who once took Kirito and his partner Eugeo from the fiftieth floor to the eightieth, and the hidden occupant of the upper levels of Central Cathedral. With her is a creature called Natsu, a long-eared brown wetrat. After greeting Alice, Asuna, and Kirito, she invited them to enjoy cofil tea with her.
She had more than enough supplies for her, conveniently enough for seven people and a couple more. As she presented the tea, she told them that the brew is called the Moonlit Evening, a creation of the Star Queen, and grown exclusively on the ninety-fifth floor, the Morning Star Lookout.
While she believed Jaymes was telling the truth about their roles after the Otherworld War, it was the name of the brew that solidified that truth. The operator, who'll later introduce herself as Airy Trume, said that the name came from a tanka the Star Queen loved. Asuna would go on to recite the poem, finally getting Kirito to confess that he believes that he and Asuna were once the Star King and Queen, and furthermore that Jaymes was once the Dark Territory's emperor...but don't count on their memory.
Airy would go ahead and explain her story. In the year 441, sixty years after the Otherworld War and the rise of the Unifcation Council, the Integrity Order of Knights was disbanded and replaced by the Pilothood. The knights wer given a choice between living their lives, transferring to the new order, or the Deep Freeze art. Some transfered, some lived their lives, and others were frozen. Selka, the second commander of the sacred artificer's brigade, just happened to be the first request. She and the first commander, Ayuha Furia, spent decades deciphering the lost art of Administrator, the basis provided in part by the Crimson Emperor's knowledge. Knights Ronie Arabel and Tiese Schtrinen joined her as so Selka wouldn't feel lonely in the new era.
Decades later, in the year 475, Knight Commander Fanatio would begin her eternal slumber. In 478, Star King Kirito and Star Queen Asuna abicated the throne to the Unification Council, and two years later, the Stellar Unification Council took over. From that point on, the eightieth floor upwards was sealed, accessible to the king, queen, emperor, and Airy. From 480 until 550, the king and queen enjoyed their lives until they disappeared. It would be Airy who told the Unification Council and the emperor that the king and queen had passed on, then remained here the past thirty years in preparation for their inevitable return.
In the meantime, she's only left the upper levels twice; once to inform the Unification Council and the emperor and empress presonally of the king and queen's disappearance, and the second time seventeen years ago after the emperor's disappearance, in which she carried out a secret task for the empress while she settled matters in the dark realm.
After hearing that story, Asuna felt apologetic for leaving Airy alone, but the girl dismissed it, saying this was her choice.
From Eolyne, they'd learn Airy was the first yardmaster of the Integrity Pilothood, and her efforts lead to the devolopment and dedployment of dragoncrafts three decades faster than expected. But that'll be it about AIry, for Kirito refocused the topic on the Deep Freeze art. Airy responded that, while she could perform the art, the spellwords are sealed and kept in a chest on the planet Admina.
Kirito and Eolyne departed for the planet just ten minutes ago on the X'rphan Mk. 13. Asuna and Alice had given Kirito the 'Strange Fist Shout, Run and Report' to warn him to be careful. The men promptly left, and the women took themselves down to the nintieth floor, the Great Baths.
"So they've gone," says Alice. She briefly closes her eyes in quiet prayer, then sinks into the hot, clear water.
"They've gone... Hey, Alice, did you sense something strange earlier, too?"
"Hm? Oh, yes." Turning her head back to the windows that line the walls and even the ceiling, her eyes linger to the east, her sight far before the fartest reaches of the Human Empire. In that direction is the Dark Territory, specifically the capital Obsidia. Right now, Jaymes and Kureha are on that side of the world. Asuna, too, looks that way.
While they were in the Cloudtop Garden, Asuna felt a sudden prickling on her neck and subconsciously turned to the east. She didn't notice if Kirito or Alice did the same, for it only occured once but lasted for a minute. Her concern for it was partially why she warned Kirito to be careful. Something tells her Jaymes and Kureha are fine now that the sensation is gone, but without being able to communicate, it simply makes her worry.
"Eydis is in trouble, that I can feel," Alice murmurs, "But there's nothing to do about it over her. He'll protect her, I know."
To the world, Eydis is the Empress of the Dark Territory. But to Alice, she's a senior knight, a close friend, and a sister figure. It makes sense that Alice would worry about her, even if she can do nothing about it. "Yeah. And on Admina, Jaymes and Kirito will be fine..."
"You truly believe it is wise to leave them to their own devices?"
Asuna never answers that question with words, but as she glances in the direction of a race between Laurannei and Stice, a faint smile graces her face. No, she definitely doesn't think it wise to leave them alone...but she also knows they'll be fine as long as they're together. At the same time, Asuna bears another thought to herself, that she must protect this world so that, one day, beings of the real world and the Underworld are considered equal human beings.
As Asuna Yuuki and as Stacia, Goddess of Creation, that is her sworn duty.
Kureha, present time
The Chaos Drake, the darkest object in the partly cloudy sky of Obsidia, becomes a memory as it zips towards the atmosphere. It becomes hard to follow the exhaust trail left behind as residuals of the heat elements or the light emitted from the exhaust port at this point, yet Kureha doesn't turn away from the window.
Had not she placed the weight of the Dark Territory's safety off of him, she would have gone with him to Admina. To ride upon that powerful craft, see Cardina from outer space, and arrive on Admina...it sounds fun. But they're not here for fun, and he has his daughter and Medina's descendant with him. They'll protect him as their predecessors have, and vice versa.
Still...
"'Of all the people I've met in my life in the other world, of all the comrades I've struggled alongside, not many, if any, mean more to me than the first friend I ever had. And that's why I name this group of warriors who act solely on the orders of the emperor and empress after that friend, for your loyalty and service will be equal to hers.'" Kureha looks away from the window to her left, where the empress sits at her desk. The two women are alone in the empress' quarters. The Supreme Commander, the Knight Commander, the archmage, and the other young knights are finalizing preparations for the chase after the Cult of Primus, while Eydis and Kureha settle on a concrete plan.
Feeling embarrassed, Kureha pulls away from the window back to the desk. "He said that?"
"Word for word. I've heard many things about his friends, but beside Kirito and Asuna, he only spoke more about you. I figured it would be Koharu who I'd meet when Jaymes returned to Obsidia, not you."
"I'm...sorry?" Kureha doesn't know how to explain why she's here instead of Koharu, other than that's how it's to be. While Jaymes did promise his partner to bring her to the Underworld again, the situation calls for that to be held off, per Jaymes' decision. The only reason Kirito and Asuna are involved is because Kikuoka asked the former and agreed to the latter.
Eydis chuckles, and waves off the apology. "No need. I figure you're the second best person I can meet. After all, I'm sure you have the same questions Koharu would have, and I think you can answer mine all the same. Like I said, I'd like to get to know you and the Jaymes I don't know. The same goes for you, right?"
"...No." Whether Eydis is genuine in wanting to exhange information about their common denominator or drawing Kureha into that cliche war between girls, Kureha has no interest in participating. She avoids it enough in the real world, she won't partake in it in the simulated world. Even if she did, Eydis has beaten all of them. Koharu, Rika, and Momiji might have held strong places at different parts of Joshua's life to the point he feels guilty about it, but neither has a grip on his soul like the woman across from her. One hundred and eighty-seven years together is impossible to beat.
Eydis seems disappointed by that. "Oh... I see. Strictly business, then."
"N-no, it's not that. It's just..."
"The blessing and curse of being the childhood friend, isn't it? Or just a close friend at that." Eydis nods her head, then focuses her attention on the map of the Dark Territory. The Human Empire lies within the middle as a blank circle, so the only features are that of Eydis' kingdom. "In the last two of my three hundred years, I've learned plenty about the heart. How at times, it can be what drives us forward, what keeps us moving. At other times, it is our own enemy. I know that well enough that. I lost friends in the Otherworld War. Commander Bercouli, Eldrie, Alice, all dear to me. It took years for me to recover from the loss of Alice, and I subconciously blamed Jaymes for it to the point I hated and betrayed him. Ironic, given that I love him and wished to remain at his side when he asked me to, huh?"
"Following the heart is natural, even in the real world. I've done it many times, and yes, it can become one's worst enemy."
"So believe me when I say that the worst cases are when it involves someone close to you. Alice was that to me. The only time I've seen Jaymes truly angry is when it came to Kirito and Asuna, same for them. But in terms of the game of love, I've seen the curse play out. Medina, for example, was definitely closer to Jaymes than I was. No, I'll admit she was his perfect match. But she lost. She took that rejection much better than I handled the two of them simply being friends. His apprentice Mia had a childhood friend she would successful win the game with, but it took a while since he was a dolt and she dedicated herself to her emperor. And even now, though Sylvie thinks I was unaware before, I have known for a while she bears feelings for young Log. I figure it is reciprocated, given how he acted unknowingly in the presence of the emperor."
"Why are you saying all this to me?"
"Because I've only observed the curse. You participate in it. And now that...death is possibly close at hand, I don't want Sylvie to lose at life. But she doesn't want me to know, and she hasn't accepted Jaymes as her father. I can only turn to someone she kinda likes and who I can trust." Eydis raises her head up to Kureha, eyes full of sincerity. "We only know each other through Jaymes' stories, but you fought in defense of my kingdom and are here with me to continue defending it. Call it idiotic, but I trust you Kuruha more so than the people I surround myself with daily. So I rather not have an relationship between empress and otherworlder, but between Eydis and Momiji."
"Mom... Geez." Of course he'd spill Kureha's real name to Eydis, and combined with Eydis' smile, somehow that effectively breaks down Kureha's resistance. She sighs, curses Jaymes under her breath, then glances back at Eydis. "Fine...but be prepared to lost respect for your emperor. Before we talk on more pleasant manners, let's talk about what we know about the cult."
"Agreed."
Kureha looks to the side of the map. Several markers, made in the shape of the pawn pieces of a chess game, are organized there, colored black and white. She gathers three black ones, placing one on the city of Obsidia and two to the west of the capital. "The spearwoman who poisoned you...the berserker who I fought...and the archer who was with him... You say this cult was once ran by an overseer? Something about this rings a bell."
"How so? Besides their affiliation and possible targeting of the Gladius Filius, there's nothing that is familiar about this to me. They didn't display these abilities back then."
"Hmm..." True, that doesn't sound like much, but something about this irks Kureha. It must be a real world connection, but what is it? "...Describe the Gladius Filius to me once again."
"It is the sword of Primus, created as a copy of Falchion, and has the power to change the world to the beholder's desire. Or Primus' desire so far."
A powerful item that can change the world at one's whim...three powerful beings of specialized classes, and someone watching over them... It couldn't be. "The mage spoke a prayer before the half-giant fought me. Did the spearwoman say something similar?"
"Yes, though it was more of a chant to me. 'As one of the seven, I humbly accept the will of First Son. His power makes me the master of the spear, and my mastery will create my fate. I accept the call of the Gladius Filius, and will be pierce all my enemies to invoke its will.'"
"'As one of the seven, I humbly accept the will of the First Son. His power makes me invincible, and my invincibility will create my fate. I accept the call of the Gladius Filius, and will destroy all in my path to invoke its will.'"
Seven chosen warriors...one to oversee them all...their fates...the powerful abilities demonstrated...and the will of the Gladius Filius. It all connects in the most impossible way possible. "Eydis, we're in trouble."
"How much trouble?"
Not caring about the troubles of using Incarnation, Kureha taps each of the markers, changing them into figures. The one over Obsidia becomes a person holding a lance; one of the paired pieces becomes a bowman aiming at their target; the last becomes a large, muscled figure with an irregular weapon. She gathers five more markers and shapes them too; an mage, a swordsman, a horseman, an assassin, and a chalice that she places in the center of the seven warrors.
"A story from our world has become reality in yours, manifesting as this iteration of the Cult of Primus. If things are as they are in the story... We're in much more than either of us thinks..."