Sword Apocalypse Online
Chapter 17
Sachi stabbed out with her spear, driving the weapon down into a fish monster.
"Nice," Klein told her, cutting an enemy down with a sword.
Of course, what he REALLY wanted to be using was a katana, but it was too early in the game for those to appear in shops or be a monster drop. And (so far) he hadn't found a blacksmith who could forge him one.
In another part of the floor Lizbeth the Blacksmith, who was experimenting with forging exotic weapons, sneezed.
"Catching a cold?" Aiko asked.
"Someone must be talking about me," Liz shrugged.
Back with Klein's team, they were reorganizing after wiping out the last monster. "Still wanting better gear?" Harry-one teased.
"Don't we all," Klein admitted.
"No injuries?" Hera checked, though she hadn't seen any red pixels on the guild.
"We're fine," Dynamm reported.
They were (it looked like) nearly done exploring the map to this floor of Aincrad. The boss fight was being scouted out by the two Guilds, the Aincrad Liberation Army and Dragon Knights. Klein felt a pang that his guild wasn't one of the leaders, but they WERE a small guild.
"Okay," Klein said, "let's head back to town, check into the NPC shops then check in with Thinker and Lind."
"Right," his teammates chorused.
"And maybe get a good meal," Hera noted. "One thing you can say about this game, the food at least is great."
"There is that," Silica said with a shrug.
Changing the subject Harry One noted, "I heard the boss is related to that Elf War quest that got mentioned in the Argo Guides?"
"I almost wish we had jumped in on that," Klein admitted, "I heard you could get good weapon upgrades out of it."
Dynamm pointed out, "Short of going back a floor and doing it..."
"We'd fall behind the leading parties," Hera shook her head.
"We'll manage," Klein agreed. As they entered the village he mused, "Wonder if I'll run into that cute Lux again?"
Hera casually smacked him one.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"I'm so glad you made it here," Kizmel said, the gorgeous Dark Elf pulling back from hugging Asuna.
"Me too," Asuna admitted, even as (again) she wondered at how emotive Kizmel was. HOW? It was so strange.
"You didn't have too much trouble?" Kizmel asked, gazing at her searchingly.
"Well, the Forrest Elves are tangled up with something involving the Boat Guild," Asuna admitted, "but we handled that I think..."
"They're on this floor?" Kizmel blurted, surprised.
"Guess they didn't know?" Yuuki guessed quietly.
"Yeah, that is NOT good," Argo agreed.
"We need to tell the Commander," Kizmel said firmly. She only THEN really noticed the group, "Oh, hello."
"Hi," Aiko waved.
Kizmel turned to the watching guards and said, "Raise the alarm, I'm taking these humans to the Commander."
"Yes ma'am!" one saluted.
"Might be jumping the gun a bit," Liz noted as they hurried inside.
"The Forrest Elves were probably working with the Boat Guild to build craft to attack here," Kizmel explained as they speed walked.
Argo nodded, "Agreed. Do you have enough forces here to beat them?"
"Probably no," Kizmel admitted.
Asuna jumped in, "We can help! I can organize the other guilds..."
"We should talk to the Viscount," Kizmel noted.
Liz was sort of hoping the Viscount would be a hot, tortured loner type. Maybe the sort of man who might rush ahead, dress all in black with a trench coat, and so on.
(Yuuki felt a weird chill, and was thankful Liz was mostly heterosexual.)
"Welcome to Yofel Castle," the man said, oddly staying in the shadows, "I am Viscount Vofilis."
'Why can't we see him?' Liz pouted.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Wait, the final battle ISN'T going to be an attack on the city?" Lind demanded, the leader of the Dragon Knights frowning.
"Yofel Castle...," Thinker nodded, "all right, it DOES make sense based on the Elf War route."
"We have guild members playing that route," Yulier agreed, "they concur. Though no one's had their companion be like Kizmel."
"Clearly, it's Kayaba's fault," Lind declared.
In another part of the floor, Heathcliff sneezed.
Rosalia, one of his temporary party members, noted, "You do that a LOT."
"Yeah, yeah," Agil shrugged, "watch your side! That water beast is coming back!"
Heathcliff sighed, glad he had recruited competent help.
Meanwhile, back at the meeting, Lind noted, "So we think the attack will be in a few days?"
"We have scouts watching the rivers leading into the zone where the Dark Elf Fortress is," Thinker nodded, "they'll signal us when it's time to move."
Lind scowled. While his Dragon Knights were (arguably) stronger individually, Thinker and Yulier were MUCH better organized. In the long term, that might end up being a issue.
Silica trotted in as they paused, addressing Yulier, "Ma'am, several parties in and around the Fortress want to level grind against local monsters."
Yulier looked \at Thinker, "I think it should be fine."
"Just don't do anything to annoy the Dark Elves," Thinker added.
Lind nodded, "All right, I'll get groups from the Dragon Knights out there. Are unaffiliated parties out there too?'
"Well, Asuna's Harem of course," Yulier noted, amused.
"Of course," Lind rolled his eyes.
"And Agil's tank group.. that adventurer, Heathcliff, is running with them," Thinker added.
"There's SOMETHING about that man I don't like," Yulier admitted, "I can't quite put my finger on why though."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"THIS IS THE BEST BATH EVER."
"Asuna, keep it down," Yuuki teased.
"Sorry," Asuna laughed as they relaxed in the huge heated bath.
After they briefed the Count, Kizmel had suggested they base themselves out of the Castle until the attack came. Which made sense, but Asuna was reluctant. They SHOULD be out there, finishing quests and level grinding.
Then Kizmel mentioned the BATH.
"Are all human's so obsessed by bathing?" Kizmel teased, the gorgeous Elf sinking into the water beside her.
"It's a Japanese thing," Asuna explained.
"No, it's REALLY a Asuna thing," Argo teased.
"Don't be mean," Asuna pouted.
"I've missed this," Aiko said mysteriously as she and her sister relaxed nearby.
"Missed?" Liz asked.
Aiko paused, then seemed to decide something. "Yuuki, do you mind if I tell them?" she asked.
Yuuki also looked thoughtful, but nodded.
"Huh?" Asuna blinked.
Aiko said, "You know that Yuuki and I are sisters, but the reason we were both online when this happened was because we're in the hospital."
"Oh, no," Liz breathed out.
"We use VR to have fun outside of our treatment," Yuuki added. She made a face, "We never planned on THIS happening."
"I'm so sorry," Asuna said gently.
No one wanted to ask why both were in the hospital...
To be Continued...
Notes: I am debating if I want the girls to have AIDS. It's just... a very strange disease to get, and I feel the author picked it for shock value.