Yuuki Residence, Setagaya, Tokyo, June 14, 2024
Asuna thought she would have answers once she finally conquered her fear and returned to the virtual world, it sounded so simple and straightforward at the time. Now, Asuna only found herself scratching her head and asking more questions as she wrung her head upon awakening in her bed.
One minute she thought this would all be a walk in the park, that things would just come naturally as it all clicked into place, the powerful warrior she was in Aincrad returning in full force. In a way, that did happen, but now she realized things were running far deeper than she thought.
On top of Stand users running free in Alfheim, the Valkyries' existence in the game proved that something wasn't right. It made sense to keep things on the down low, but the Stands she encountered in Aincrad hurt you in a way that nothing in the virtual world could. The fact that the RECT opted to maintain the existence of the Stand in ALO only confused her further in that regard.
If Sugou was behind it, she could only imagine what he had planned, and if he had Kazuto and Josuke, it sent chills down her spine to imagine what could possibly be happening to them amidst all this madness.
Would the World Tree really hold her answers? Would the survivors truly be there?
Whatever she would find, she could only hope Leafa and Recon would be able to cover her back-
"Asuna?"
"Hm?"
Perking up at the calling of her name, Asuna tilted her eyes up from the table as she left her state of deep thought.
"You alright?"
Asuna faced her brother's eyes as he set down his fork, her father and mother both turning their heads away from their food and onto her, leaving Asuna to glance back and forth anxiously.
"You haven't touched your food. Is everything alright?" Her father asked, a worried expression written across his features.
"I… was just spacing out. I'm fine."
Asuna mumbled under her breath as she poked her fork through another piece of beef, avoiding eye contact while eating quietly. Her parents raised an eyebrow at her response, leaving Koichirou to furrow his own, gears spinning in his head.
"Anything to do with the new Amusphere you got?" He prodded, shifting his eyes to meet her widening ones, much to his newly found satisfaction.
"Trying out ALfheim Online, huh? What did you think? Anything like you remember from SAO?" Koichirou asked, peppering Asuna with questions as she could only giggle nervously at the sudden onslaught.
"W-well, it's quite different… still working out the flight system, met a couple of friends… Overall, I think it's going pretty well." Asuna smiled softly as she thought back to her return to virtual reality, taking up her sword once more and meeting two new friends in the form of Leafa and Recon. Even if the situation was grim, she was glad to feel like she was finally on the right track once more.
"Sounds… crazy. Well, if you're smiling again, that's all I need. Think you'll be down to play with me some time? It'll be fun to finally play video games with my little sister, huh?" Koichirou laughed, leading Asuna to blush, but not before a frown found its way on her face.
"I-I don't think I could for now… I think it'll be better if I did this alone… until I got a better grasp on VR." Asuna stammered out, causing Koichirou's grin to falter glumly as he sank back into his chair.
Asuna echoed Jotaro's words in her brain, about the importance of secrecy. With the high possibility of RECT being directly involved in the plot and her father and brother directly working within the company, she couldn't spare any chances that she could be exposed, lest her chance to see Kirito and Josuke again be lost forever. A possibility she couldn't afford.
That didn't mean it didn't sting any less to see Koichirou appear so let down by her refusal.
"Y-yeah, I get it. Besides, got little time to spare with all the stuff to do at the office. Dunno when we'll get time to spare, you know?" Her brother slumped down into his seat, leading Asuna's heart to clench at the sight.
"Koichi, that doesn't-"
"If you have time to discuss games, don't you think it'd be better spent worrying about more pressing matters?"
Speaking up was, unsurprisingly, her mother Kyouko. She directed a stern glare to Asuna and Koichirou alike, silencing both siblings.
"Mother…"
"Asuna, if this is what you require to move past the time you spent in that dreadful game, then I'll overlook it. However, don't forget where your priorities lie, young lady. You're two years behind all your classmates, and from what I hear, they're transferring all the child survivors to some makeshift school elsewhere in the city. You'll have to work hard to play catch-up, you should understand that."
Asuna blinked at her words, recalling the details of her education that were revealed to her following her emergence from SAO. It disappointed her that she wouldn't be rejoining her friends at her old school, but another part of her was positively giddy to be potentially reunited with her comrades and friends from Sword Art Online.
The possibility that she could meet Silica, Lisbeth, Okuyasu, and many other survivors once more excited her immensely, but her mother, ever the pragmatic woman, saw the unfamiliar change as one to be wary of.
"Of course, Mother… it's just… a complicated process. I won't forget my studies, I promise." Asuna mumbled in response as she turned her eyes back down to her plate, prompting a huff from her mother.
"Games shouldn't complicate your priorities, you know. Whatever you went through, in the end it was all still a game, wasn't it? If you're still this hung up over it, then-"
"You weren't there."
Kyouko's eyes narrowed at Asuna's retort, while her Shouzou and Koichirou flinched from her sudden shift in tone.
"Excuse me?"
"I watched men and women die. Driven insane. Giving in to their inner evil. Losing their very will to live."
Asuna's voice dropped an octave as she stared firmly down, her memories flooding back full force, scenes from her nightmares rushing back into her mind as she felt her heart drum like thunder.
"Asuna, what are you-"
"You have no idea just what I saw in that game… and I pray that nobody else does." Asuna directed a pair of harsh eyes her mother's way as she then rose from her seat and placed her palms flat and firm against the tabletop.
Then she proceeded to spin on her heel and walk out the dining room, her parents' indignant faces invisible to her as she turned her gaze to the stairs.
"Asuna! Come back here!" She heard her mother's voice call out loudly, but she didn't care anymore.
"I lost my appetite."
That was her last word before storming up the stairs and slamming the door behind her, leaning against the wood and sliding her back down until she was sitting against the floor of her room, tucking her legs to her torso as her mind brewed with bitter thoughts.
She knew her parents meant well, she knew they understood she was going through a rocky road to recovery, but there were times that it was clear they had a difficult time sympathizing with her, the distance between them only growing larger with her harrowing experiences in the death game.
She had seen things, done things that nobody should have shared. It was a burden that she would bear whether she liked it or not, and it was one that her parents could never understand the weight of. On one hand, she was satisfied that they didn't share her nightmares, but that didn't curb any of the frustration she felt.
Her difficulty getting back on track in her daily life.
The nightmares that never seemed to let up.
Her longing to see her friends once again.
All of it never seemed to stop coming at her, and she only felt more tired each minute she dwelled on these plights. Turning her head up, she faced the bed, then the nightstand where her Amusphere was charging, ready to go for another round. Picking herself back onto her feet, Asuna slowly walked over to her bed and clutched the rig as she studied its surface, thinking back to that new world she got to see.
Alfheim was absolutely beautiful, very much like Aincrad was, but entirely different in its own way. She remembered the two curious and friendly fairies she met there, the absolutely liberating sensation of flying through the night sky, speeding along the high winds and leaving her fear far below her.
Then she turned her mind to her mission, to reach the tree and find answers to this mystery. With her head clear, Asuna let out a breath and climbed onto her bed, fastening the Amusphere over her eyes as her thoughts drifted back to her mother's words.
"You wouldn't understand. You wouldn't understand at all."
Lying down, she faced the ceiling and closed her eyes.
"LINK START!"
ALO Magic:
RUNIC: Aria of the Nine Realms. The arcane cipher of Midgard, runes are the most widespread of all magic in Alfheim. Runes can be collected and combined to form complex spells of all varieties and effects, from single-rune charms to complete songs and incantations. While anyone can use them, those who master the runes unlock an entire realm's breadth of magic.
Element: Varied
Specialization: Varied
Affinity: Pookas
The Four Leaf Clover (Sylvaine), ALfheim Online (Domain: Sylphs) June 14th, 2024
When she opened her eyes, Asuna looked around to find herself exactly where she was standing before logging off the night before.
The tavern now lit up with the light of the sun, rays of warmth pouring in through the windows. Some guests were up and about, seated at the bar and the various tables as the staff tended to them. Outside, she could already hear the city's life pouring through the streets as the crowds of players flowed through the roads like a thriving river.
Eyeing her hand, clad in the default green tunic, she still found it a strange feeling to be in an entirely new body, to become someone beyond anything possible in the real world. She had a taste of it in Aincrad, but in the end she was still "Asuna" through those two years.
Erika looked nothing like her, with short blonde hair and elvish ears.
So why?
Why did she still feel the heaviness in her heart?
As she sat at the bar, eyes downcast and tracing the wooden tabletop, her mind couldn't stop lingering on the argument she had with her family. Her brother's awkward attempts to rebuild bridges, her mother's words.
She knew they were trying to help in their own way, but on top of not being able to open up to them, as well as them not sharing her experiences, there was simply too great a wall between them that seemed to grow and grow with each attempt to tear it down.
For all her thoughts of Aincrad changing her into a stronger person, Asuna could only think of how much weaker she felt.
The woman who led armies and was hailed as among the strongest warriors to roam the death game, now reduced to a meek girl, shaken to the core by a few fleeting words from her mother.
It was at times like this, after she felt her life was weighing down on her shoulders, when she awoke from the nightmares that she could do nothing but curl inwards and pray.
"Kazuto… what should I do..?"
"Mommy, is everything alright?"
Asuna shifted as a small voice spoke up softly, sitting up to allow the tiny pixie to flutter out of her pocket and stand atop the bar counter, wide silver eyes peering up to meet her own, studying her face with a concerned expression.
"You're distraught… Are you sad about something, Mommy? Do you… want to talk about it?" Yui asked, tilting her head.
Asuna chuckled as she faced her daughter, patting her head in affection. Though the little girl appeared innocent and childlike, she held an empathy unlike any person she could ever dream of. There was no hiding your feelings from Yui, it was the way she was programmed. Even now, she was reminded that Yui was originally created for the purpose of mental health support, signs of which were obvious even in Aincrad when she read the people around her like books without even remembering her own identity.
Smiling at Yui's considerate tone, Asuna sighed. "I'm okay, Yui. I just… need some time to breathe."
Asuna watched the pixie curiously raise an eyebrow, as if she was running her response through her brain tenfold.
"If you say so… but if there's anything you need to let out, please remember I'm always here to lend an ear!" Yui smiled, her voice brimming with care and compassion, easing Asuna's heart as she giggled.
A moment later, the door opened to welcome a new patron, Asuna turning her eyes to the entrance to meet two fairies facing back her way with smiles on their faces.
"Well, well… you're here early, aren't you?" Leafa smirked as she strode over to Asuna's side at the bar, Recon in tow behind her.
"Hello, Leafa, Recon. It's nice to see you again! Still, I might be early, but what have you been up to out in the city?" Asuna smiled back, as Leafa opened her mouth to reply.
"Well-"
"Leafa couldn't wait to meet up, so we decided to check in early. Picked me up at the inn, then we went window shopping for gear!"
"H-hey! What's the deal, running your mouth like that!" Leafa moaned, miffed at being interrupted by Recon who snickered under his breath at Leafa puffing her flushing cheeks.
At Recon's words, Asuna proceeded to put a finger to her chin.
"Gear, huh? Now that you mention it, I might need to update my loadout. Can't do much with default gear, right?" She muttered, eyeing the rusty sword sheathed at her hip.
"True… you might have been able to get the jump on those Salamanders the other night, but I don't see that flimsy stick getting you very far in the long run." Leafa hummed with a nod, as she then turned with a gesture of her hand.
"C'mon, I know a good shop that's got everything you need! While I'm at it, I'll show you around a bit!" Leafa waved a hand, sauntering out the door as Recon and Asuna could only follow.
Asuna watched the ponytailed fairy shove the door wide open as she turned to Recon, leaning in closer.
"She's quite… lively, huh?"
Recon nodded with a sigh. "Yep. A bit more than usual now, but I guess that's one of her best qualities. You can count on Leafa to always have her heart on her sleeve."
"Hmm." Asuna nodded, her thoughts drifting back to Kazuto and Josuke, their images blurring over Leafa's. It was a spirit like theirs that she found could light the darkest hours, to soothe the storms in your mind. Right now, she couldn't help but think it was nice to find a friend much like the duo she loved so dearly.
Outside, the trio wandered out into the streets of Sylvaine, Asuna soaking in the sights of the bustling city at the peak of the day. The sun shone like a jewel in the sky above, the massive spires towering over the city casting long, vast shadows over the streets below. Crowds of people swarmed the streets, going about their day and conversation condensing in the air, making the city truly come alive, as Asuna squinted her eyes to catch sights of groups of fairies flying above in the skies and off the towers.
Some players shot odd looks at Recon, the golden Pooka mostly ignoring them, but aware of their wariness. He was no Salamander, but a non-Sylph in the capital was bound to attract attention. Despite this, Asuna watched as Leafa huffed a breath of annoyance, clearly no stranger to this behavior, but not tolerant of it at all.
"Leafa, it's-"
"Let's just keep going."
The group eventually made it to the store, as Asuna picked out the gear she wished to use. Singling out a set of armor and a weapon, she tried it on, replacing her default gear.
Instead of opting for plated or metal armor, Asuna's choice in gear instead consisted of a sleek, long-sleeved green tunic with a long, white and green open skirt, opening down the middle to make space for her legs to move. Overall, attire well-suited for maximum mobility and agility. Perfect for the Lightning Flash.
And of course, Asuna instantly pointed for the finest quality rapier she could afford, forgoing her decrepit default weapon to unsheathe the new weapon. The sword emerged cleanly with minimal resistance, Asuna marveling at the gleam of the razor's edge. Performing a few practice swings, calling back on her muscle memory to roughly reenact Aincrad's Sword Skills, Asuna's arm danced as the blade sliced through the air with deadly grace and blinding speed. Humming with a smiling nod, Asuna sheathed the weapon and dropped a bag of Yrd at the counter, satisfied.
Their next move was to head for the center of the city, towards the massive spire that towered over all the others, fairies flying onto and off the top and gathering around the entrance at ground level.
"This is the Tower of the Wind. We'll take off from the top, the higher altitude should help us cover more ground for the journey." Leafa explained as they reached the entrance, revealing a wide interior, filled with fairies going about their day, either chatting in the common area or at the various booths about the space.
"Well, then! Let's get going!"
"Leafa."
A voice cut through the bustle of the crowds as Leafa immediately stopped in her step, turning with a strained smile on her face to meet the eyes of the intruder, a tall Sylph shadowed by two other players. Wearing a long cape and golden circlet, Asuna could tell from this and his tone of voice that he was a player with some status. She remembered players with such airs in Aincrad, using their rank to hide their ugliness, bringing to mind men like Kuradeel and Kibaou.
From the way Leafa's face fell upon seeing him and the man's air, Asuna could already feel a sense of dread from him.
"Sigurd. What's up?" Leafa greeted the man, as curt as she could with an impartial face, already reacting to the tension building.
"Is it true that you're leaving the party? Why didn't you notify us about this?" Sigurd asked with a stern tone, much to Leafa's annoyed face as her lips shifted into a frown.
"You said I could be flexible with my time, didn't you? That I'd be able to join when I had time and that I could leave whenever I wanted?" Leafa asked, indignant as Sigurd groaned with a shake of his head.
"That's true, but things have changed. You can't just leave when you're one of our most prominent members, you understand that, right?"
"It's not that big a deal! Me doing my own thing for a bit won't affect your reputation-" Leafa began to rebut before Sigurd raised his voice.
"It absolutely will, and you're being selfish and ignorant. You're the star of our party, and the longer you keep associating with Recon, you'll only put the rest of us down! All I'm doing is trying to keep us together, but you always have to make things hard!" Sigurd threw back, directing a derogatory eye in the direction of the Pooka, who glared back.
Asuna watched the pair argue, and then moved forward to address Sigurd, much to his surprise.
"You shouldn't treat your party members like items. You should respect their wishes, even if you disagree. We all disagree from time to time, but you're gaslighting her. It's disgusting." Asuna spoke with a firm voice, her stance tall and stonelike.
Leafa watched the shift in Asuna's air as she conducted her presence to match Sigurd's authority, if not completely overshadow his. This was the appearance of a woman who led armies and controlled warriors to serve her whim. Asuna called upon her experience leading the frontlines of Aincrad, commanding the greatest guild in the iron castle.
A single pompous player was nothing in the face of the Lightning Flash.
Sigurd flinched from her approach, before gritting his teeth and reaching for the sword at his hilt. "You dare lecture me? Who the hell-"
"Move."
Another voice growled from behind Sigurd, causing him to turn furiously behind him with his sword drawn.
"WHO DARES-"
"I SAID MOVE."
Cue a hand latching onto Sigurd's face, gripping with an iron hold before forcefully throwing him to land in a heap to the side. Sigurd then rose to his feet, angry and fuming at the player that shoved him, only to meet her eyes and blanche white.
"Get out of my sight, and I might consider forgiving you."
Sigurd eyed the newcomer for a few brief seconds and then sheathed his sword, motioning for the other members of his party to join him. As Sigurd grumbled curses and walked out with his clique, Asuna eyed the stranger dressed in green and black, armor over her arms and legs, while leaving her midriff and thighs bare with a short tunic and skirt.
However, it did little to distract her eyes from her hair. Long and wavy strands ran from her scalp and reached past her hips, rolling like ocean waves as they flowed in the wind, colored a beautiful iridescent green gradient from a dark black at her roots to a bright glowing green at their ends.
However, as Asuna met her eyes, she flinched as they swirled with frightening rage, like a volcano that threatened to boil over and explode at the slightest provocation.
As they shared eye contact, the woman strode over closer, only for Leafa to step in between her and Asuna, her posture firm and her eyes unafraid. Unlike with Sigurd, Leafa was completely unshaken by her presence, which greatly intrigued Asuna.
"Annie."
The girl's eyes eased their violent aura as she faced Leafa, but her furrowed brow refused to shift, the tension not easing in the slightest.
"Leafa."
The pair stood silent as the crowd around them could only gawk, unable to break the tension for fear of things erupting out of control. Asuna froze as the two girls stared each other down, refusing to flinch. Soon, Leafa spoke first, not an ounce of hesitation in her voice.
"So, guess I should thank you for getting Sigurd off my back, huh?" She smiled.
"You know what happens to those who stand between me and Recon." Annie frowned, making her reply as if it were a painfully obvious answer.
"Yeah, you and me both." Leafa laughed, but Annie's face didn't change.
"That goes for you, too."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Leafa turned to meet her eyes incredulously.
"He's playing a lot more with you now, Sugu. These days, it's excuses, excuses from you both. I need to study this, I already made plans, that. I don't understand it. Is there something you're not telling me?" Annie asked Leafa, her tone darkening as she leaned in closer to the blonde Sylph, her stare drilling into Leafa's soul.
"Yuka, I didn't do anything. It's all up to Recon how he wants to spend his time. I respect his choices, so why don't you?" Leafa shot back, unintimidated and standing her ground with equal vigor.
"I overheard what Sigurd was whining about. Recon never told me anything about going along with you to become a Rogue. You never told me. Aren't you my best friend? I trust you more than any other woman, and you're just going to betray that?" Annie growled, her hair rippling behind her like living tendrils, but Leafa refused to budge.
"Trust goes both ways, girl! If you can't trust me to be your friend, then what did it mean between us in the first place? How much do you trust Recon, then?" Leafa planted her feet in the ground, the tension building as the two women stood firmly, their stares clashing with each other.
"Don't you lecture me…" Annie's eye twitched, her voice simmering with anger.
"Don't do something we'll both regret!" Leafa frowned, her hand reaching for her katana.
"Mommy, we have to do something! Nothing good can come from this!" Yui frantically screamed as quietly as she could into Asuna's ear as she watched the exchange escalate further, every part of the tiny pixie firing off warning signs within her as the emotional turmoil emenating from both Sylphs brewed and threatened to boil over.
Asuna then moved, stepping up to Leafa and placing a hand on her shoulder, surprising the two of them.
"I'm sorry, but we don't have time for this. Let's go, Leafa." Asuna began to usher the shocked Leafa away but before Annie responded.
"This doesn't involve you. Get away from her!" Annie snarled, causing Asuna to flinch from her overwhelming aura, but she refused to lose her footing and stood tall.
"I asked her and Recon to help me. They did nothing wrong, so let us go!" Asuna then forcefully moved the three of them away, leaving Annie alone in the open area, surrounded by terrified spectators on the sidelines.
"Erika-" Leafa began, interrupted as Asuna grabbed her arm in one hand, and Recon's in the other, the boy speechless and unable to mutter a sound.
"Let's go. We're wasting time." Asuna huffed as she stepped into the elevator, watching Annie's incredulous glare burning a hole into her skull, her hair snaking ominously behind her back as her eyes swirled like a raging storm.
"Don't think you can just run away from this! You hear me, Suguha?!"
Annie's furious voice was the last thing they heard before the elevator doors closed, bringing them up the shaft to reach the flight platform atop the tower. The entire journey up, the trio were silent, unable to say a word in the wake of the unbearably tense situation not even a few seconds before.
It was Asuna who spoke up first, unable to bear the silence any longer. "Who… was that?"
Leafa blinked a couple times in Asuna's direction and then sighed, a melancholic expression on her face. "The man with the circlet was Sigurd. He's a high-ranking player in the city and he works directly under Sakuya, the Lady of the Sylphs. He's also the leader of this party I'm in, and I guess all that authority gets to his head sometimes. Glad you stepped in, Erika."
Asuna nodded, but turned to Leafa once more only to find her staring back at her.
"But you want to know about Annie, huh? Right. She's a… childhood friend. Known her for years, and she's always been… intense. She's stubborn, got a temper, but she's passionate. She's had my back all the way since kindergarten, and if she's gonna keep ignoring me, then I can't stop trying to get through to her. I just hope she doesn't do anything stupid." Leafa explained, her eyes downcast, Recon catching on and shuffling closer.
"I'm… sorry. I should've said something…" Recon mumbled, leading Leafa to ruffle his hair with her hand, causing him to groan.
"See what I mean? If you don't speak up, then she'll never simmer down. You gotta promise me, you'll talk to her. Got it, Koichi?" Leafa smiled as she turned to the nervous Pooka.
"Koichi?" Asuna muttered under her breath, recognizing the name.
"I-I'll… try."
Weapon Showcase:
Lv. 20 Rapier: Fragarach – A blade that strikes true and only true, this sword cleaves a straight path through the veil and remains unerring in the face of any obstacle that bars its path. Should the path ahead darken, the blade will ensure the truth is revealed.
Special: The Answerer: Every consecutive hit landed increases Damage, Critical Chance and Speed by 2%. A total of 100% increase in stats can be achieved this way. Immediately loses all boosts once an attack misses, is blocked/parried, or the user is damaged.
Enchantment: +0
Attack: 200 (D)
Magic: 300 (C)
Mana: 250 (C)
Speed: 450 (A)
Durability: 150 (D)
Range: 2m (B)
Precision: 90% (S)
Rank: Rare (B)
Selling Price: 3,200 Yrd
Owner: Erika
The Tower of the Wind (Sylvaine), ALfheim Online (Domain: Sylphs) June 14th, 2024
"Whoa…"
Asuna stood in awe at the sight before her once the three of them exited the elevator.
The sun cast a blanket of light over the vast lands far below, an ocean of green sweeping the valley all around them. Asuna remembered how the floors of Aincrad each offered a wide circle of land, each a different environment, biomes changing with each ascent, from snowy glaciers to muddy rainforest, there was always some anticipation in beating a Floor Boss and imagining what they would see next.
However, none of the floors ever spread past the horizon quite like Alfheim.
The clouds casted massive shadows over the land, hovering past as the winds carried them over the sky. The city below felt so small beneath them, the fairies walking the streets tiny like ants in the face of the overwhelming view of the landscape.
"It's beautiful…" Asuna gasped, prompting Leafa to laugh wistfully.
"I know, right? The sky feels so close, it's almost like you could just reach out and touch it." Leafa breathed out in awe, her hand reaching out as if to pluck a cloud right out of the sky, then turning to Asuna.
"Well then, wanna give it a try? Never gonna know unless you spread your wings." Leafa smiled as her wings shimmered out from her back, the Sylph taking to the sky and soaring off the tower.
Asuna watched the girl fly off, then nudged Recon on his arm with a smile on her own face. "C'mon, let's catch up!"
The three then moved off, leaving the platform and venturing amongst the clouds. Asuna felt the rush of adrenaline fill her once more, her veins rushing and her heart thundering as the wind blew against her face, whipping her hair and skirt in the wind.
She looked over her shoulder as the town of Sylvaine shrank with every second they moved further and further away. Most of all, she felt all the weight on her heart evaporate, this liberating sensation filling her with a sense of encapsulating peace, closing her eyes as she allowed herself to relax.
"You feel it too, huh?"
Asuna opened her eyes as Leafa flew just ahead of her, flying backwards as she faced Asuna. The blonde's long ponytail whipped with the wind, snaking like a tail as her golden strands danced through the air. Leafa then zoomed ahead, rising into the air and reaching past the clouds, speeding like a rocket off to grace the heavens above.
Asuna then gasped as Leafa rose to meet the eye of the sun, then dispelled her wings, allowing herself to plummet to the ground, her body in complete freefall as she dove. Her arms stretched out as her back faced the ground, as if about to dive into water. With closed eyes and a serene smile on her face, Leafa summoned her wings once more.
Stretching them out, Leafa changed direction and flew just above ground level, streaking just above the surface of a lake, the draft from the sheer speed of her flight causing the water to part in her wake, disturbing a flock of birds resting on the water's surface. Laughing as she flew, Leafa flew alongside the birds as they scattered in the wind, the blonde fairy then finally rising to rejoin the other fairies.
Asuna could only stare in wide-eyed awe as Leafa cocked her head, amused at her reaction. Meanwhile, Recon could only smile and laugh all the while along with his friend. Leafa then sighed and stared up at the sky.
"Up here, it's like all your problems are far below, where they'll never reach up to drag you down again. Up here, it's like I'm finally able to come up for air. I'm finally…"
"...free…" Asuna finished, Leafa turning to her and smiling.
"See? I knew it! You and I, we're not so different!" Leafa laughed, with Asuna smiling, but pondering her words at the same time.
"You laugh… but your heart is heavy… Leafa…?"
Leafa's face changed as she eyed Yui, peeking from Asuna's pocket and staring at her directly. Asuna's eyes moved from the tiny pixie, to Leafa, her eyes dimming as she sighed, Recon raising an eyebrow.
"Whenever I spread my wings, it's like all my problems fade away, the sadness in my heart vanishes for those precious moments… Then… I wake up, and it all comes rushing back. I had a feeling… that you know what that feels like." Leafa said, her voice solemn and soft.
Asuna paused as she studied the girl beside her, remembering her face that night they first met, when she agreed to help her. She could see it, that familiar sadness and longing, a cloud behind her eyes that she could see reflected in her own. It was at the sight of this sorrow that brought to her mind a single question: Why?
Asuna remembered that sorrow well, it was a miasma that permeated the survivors of Sword Art Online, a desire to return to a time before, a regret that consumed their conscience and would never let go no matter how hard they tried.
She had seen it reflected in this way from foot soldiers on the frontlines to her dearest friends, especially Kirito. He had loved this virtual world more than any other player she had ever known, but even he held regret and grief for those he lost, and it ran so deep it refused to release its stranglehold on him even after he rose to become one of the strongest players in the game.
She couldn't believe it, it shocked her, but Asuna could see it once again here, in a different world entirely. It was then that her mind began to run and turn.
"It's the feeling of overwhelming… helplessness. Like you could try and try, run in any direction, but nothing you do can change anything. You feel… completely aimless. Adrift. Like you're just…" Asuna muttered, spilling her mind out as Leafa's eyes grew heavy, her own mind racing.
"...floating…"
Asuna turned at the mention of the word, the blonde fairy turning with a hollow smile, her eyes shining as if she'd just had some incredible epiphany, opening her eyes for the first time in a long while.
"You know… it never occurred to me, but I wonder… is there a real difference between floating and flying?" Leafa mumbled, her eyes staring up to the clouds, her mind adrift as Asuna hummed in response.
"I feel… I've had my share of both… You?"
Leafa sighed, her face down.
"I feel like… I've been floating aimlessly ever since… I lost someone close to me. Like I had nothing left to move towards. Everything out of my hands… everything just so… frustrating. I could do anything, anything at all to fix what I lost… to get it back, but I didn't even know where to turn. I can barely even feel free here to play with my best friends."
"Leafa…" Recon flew up between them as he placed a hand on Leafa's shoulder, comforting her.
"Sigurd… he's so quick to tie me down, to berate me when I just want to do my own thing… Annie… I just wish she'd listen to reason and trust us. Even here… among the clouds… I feel like I haven't really flown anywhere to begin with. What's the point in having wings if I don't know where to go?" Leafa breathed out, only for Recon to place his hands on her shoulders, stopping the group in mid-air as they were face-to-face.
"And yet… here you are now. I don't know what that feels like, to lose someone and lose your way… but the Leafa I know isn't gonna let that stop her. Am I right?" Recon smiled, facing his friend as her eyes shone in response.
"Recon's right. You can't let the world get to you, I know for sure. Once you have your eyes on the road, the only thing left to do is run! You chose to come along and help me get to the World Tree, even though we just met. I can't thank you enough for that, and if I were to guess, looks like you're finally flying for real! Besides, who's to say you can't fly with someone beside you anyway?" Asuna added as Leafa laughed, her mood lifting.
"Yeah… thanks, you guys. Now let's keep going! If we can make it to Legrue, we'll have a straight line to Alne!" Leafa then said, recovering as her eyes brightened once more, the Sylph speeding ahead towards the other side of the forest.
Recon and Asuna were then left by themselves as they watched Leafa laugh, gaining speed ahead of them. The Pooka then turned his head to Asuna with an appreciative nod.
"Hey… thanks, Erika."
Asuna smiled, nodding in return. "Hey, it's alright. She was right on the dot when she said I wasn't so different from her."
Recon hummed, but then shook his head in reply. "That may be right, but we both saw it when we first met, you didn't hesitate or appear lost at all despite that dimness in your eyes. You were so dead set on getting to Yggdrasil that it threw us both for a loop, made quite the impression on Leafa. Ever since she lost her brother, it's almost like she'd gone blind. Nowhere to see, nowhere to go. It's like you've finally given her a chance to come up for air."
Asuna's ears perked up at Recon's words, and then giggled in return. "Yeah… I know that feeling. If the World Tree has my answers, I'll finally come up for air… Also… your real name's Koichi, isn't it?"
"Y-you… heard that, huh?" Recon's face lit up with a blush as he faced her directly, only for her to put a hand to her mouth as she giggled more.
"My brother's name is Koichirou, but I call him Koichi! I thought it was a funny coincidence!" Asuna laughed jovially as Recon's face flushed, looking away.
"You don't say, huh? That's funny!" Recon then laughed along as well, the pair sharing in their joy as they flew above the forest.
"Yeah, he's actually the one who got me into games. I borrowed a console from him and I've been into VR gaming ever since." Asuna smiled, her thoughts turning to her brother. She remembered how despite how busy he was recently, they shared a close bond all through their childhood, and even now at home.
"Cool! Does he play ALO, by any chance? I'd love to meet him." Koichi smiled, but before Asuna could say anything, she stopped herself.
Her mind drifted back to the argument at the dinner table, when she stormed off to her room against her parent's wishes just before logging on today. She remembered rebuffing Koichirou's offer to play with him, saddening him with her hesitations. She desired to reconnect with him, but the secretive nature of her presence in ALO forbade her from bringing him along to the rescue operation.
"N-no… I'm not sure he does. I… haven't been very nice to him lately, but what I need to do is too important to ignore. Maybe I'll invite him to play with me later down the line…" Asuna mumbled under her breath, her sorrow clouding her mind as Recon tilted his head in response.
"You know… I bet Leafa would have been overjoyed to invite her brother to play this game. She really regrets not getting close to him, and I'm sure it's the same on your end. Birds of a feather, you really are." Recon sighed, Asuna's eyes widening.
"Yeah. I really do. It's insane…" Asuna mumbled, but Recon chuckled after, drawing her eye.
"Talk to him, Erika. I'm positive things'll turn out well for you two. After all, you're family. Nothing can take that away."
Asuna's eyes sparkled in awe of the Pooka's words, overcome with a feeling of warmth within her. Placing a hand over her heart, Asuna smiled brightly.
"I will. Thank you, Recon."
"Hey, you guys! We're almost at the passage! Let's rest up for a bit!"
The duo then heard Leafa call out from ahead of them, prompting them to laugh as they descended to the forest's edge below, left to reflect on their words and spilled hearts.
ALO Races:
Cait Siths: The Forest Hunters. Guardians of the wild and avatars of nature, the Cait Siths are the masters of Vanir Magic and possess the best senses among the races, along with the ability to tame and ride monsters. Their senses also gift them an increased range for spells and arrows. A race for players seeking a summoner or ranged playstyle, approaching battle from a distance.
Magic Affinity: Vanir
Perks:
- Beast Taming
- Enhanced senses
- Increased Spell and Arrow range
- Increased Ranged Damage
Weaknesses:
- Low Health
- Decreased Melee Damage
Attack: D
Magic: B
Mana: C
Speed: A
Vitality: D
Stealth: A
Luck: B
Flight: C
Legrue Corridor, ALfheim Online (Domain: Neutral) June 14th, 2024
"Keep it up!"
The sounds of battle raged through the tunnel as the trio forged a path through the corridor. Blades clashed and struck their targets, a whirlwind of swords striking down enemy after enemy in their wake.
Asuna unleashed another barrage of stabs with her new rapier, skewering the orc in front of her tenfold like a pincushion as the apelike monster could only flail about in pain, stunned.
"Now!"
This led Leafa to jump in, her sword sheathed at her side before drawing it in the blink of an eye as the orc's head flew off its neck, severed cleanly by a blinding slash of her katana.
"Nice! Last one!" The two Sylphs then turned their attention to Recon, who blocked another hit from the final orc, pushing off and pulling a pebble from his pocket, one Asuna noted was decorated with a glowing rune. Yelling out, he tossed the pebble in the air and threw a punch with his free hand, causing his fist to smash the pebble against the orc's chest.
A split-second later, the rune flashed onto the orc's chest and exploded into a mass of glowing purple tendrils, binding the orc's limbs and preventing it from moving as it struggled to budge to no avail.
"Do it!"
Recon called out to the two swordswomen, who nodded to each other and moved in unison, speeding towards the helpless monster. Asuna reached the creature first, slamming into its chest with a running stab, driving the both of them to the wall. Yanking the blade out, Asuna swept the legs with slashes and continued to stab the abdomen multiple times, weakening the monster.
"This is the end!" Leafa yelled out as she leaped up and slashed downward, landing while taking a knee and sheathing her blade, clicking the crossguard as the upper half of the orc collapsed off of its torso, sliced in twain.
The trio took time to breathe as rewards for their kills appeared on their menus, Yrd and assorted items funneling into their inventories. Sheathing her own sword, Asuna breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to Leafa.
"So… why go through here? If I remember correctly, there should be a way through Cait Sith Territory, right?" Asuna asked.
"There is, but that's quite a long way. Legrue Corridor cuts right through the mountain range surrounding Alne, and it's the quickest way there from Sylvaine. You need to get to the World Tree as soon as possible, right?" Leafa explained, Yui piping up from Asuna's shoulder.
"She's right, mommy. If we clear this dungeon, it's a straight line to the World Tree!" She cheered, pumping her fists in determination, much to the three's amusement.
"Then let's keep going." Recon noted, retrieving another set of runes from his pocket, flicking them into the air and clapping them between his palms, releasing a loud smack that echoed off the walls and rang in their ears.
As his hands separated, a glowing orb was revealed in place of the runes, illuminating the darkness of the cavern. Asuna stared at the orb, impressed as she followed closely alongside Leafa, the Pooka leading the way.
"How'd you do that? I didn't even hear you chant a spell." Asuna asked, as Recon turned with a grin.
"Each race has special perks and weaknesses, along with affinities for certain kinds of magic. Because I'm a Pooka, I can carve runes and keep them for later use without chanting. Handy in tight pinches." Recon explained, Leafa nodding beside her.
"Yep. Sylphs like us specialize in Aesir magic and can fly better than any other race. In the air, there's no better fighter than a Sylph. Recon over here's a better spellcaster though. I'm not bad with spells but admittedly, I'm best with a sword." Leafa added, rattling her scabbard for emphasis.
"Interesting… maybe I should learn to use magic." Asuna mumbled with a finger raised to her chin.
"We'll give you pointers, don't worry about it! You may be amazing with that rapier, but you won't get far in Alfheim without using magic." Leafa laughed, but was stopped once Asuna noticed Yui emerging from her pocket.
Yui stared directly behind them down the shadows of the corridor, squinting before her eyes widened.
"Movement detected! A hundred meters down the corridor!"
Asuna watched as Yui pointed into the darkness of the cave, Leafa nodding to Recon, prompting him to prepare another rune. Leafa then walked up to Asuna, leaning in close to her ear.
"Alright. I'm gonna show you how to use magic. Recon'll light up the hallway, and you'll take out whatever's following us." Leafa whispered, leading Asuna to nod.
"Raise your hands to the target, palms out, and repeat after me: Ek skyt tuttugu smár sriða."
Asuna did as she was instructed, and as she did so, Recon threw the rune in the same direction, the pebble shattering and bursting with an explosion of light, briefly illuminating the end of the hallway in a bright flash. Surely enough, at the end of the hallway was a black bird with glowing white eyes, moving towards them slowly.
«Wind Needles» – "Ek skyt tuttugu smár sriða."
The Norse words materialized around her as she chanted, aligning and materializing light at her palms and barbs of light then shot from the circle and rocketed down the corridor towards the curious bird.
The bird screeched as the needles tore holes in its body, the creature flailing in mid-air before vanishing in a cloud of pixels.
"Damn! We gotta go!" Leafa cursed aloud, spinning on her heel along with Recon, leaving a confused Asuna to follow behind.
"What was that?!" Asuna screamed, not knowing what was going on.
"A tracking familiar. That one was a raven, a pretty high level type! We need to move, whoever sent that thing out can't be far behind!" Leafa explained as she ran, the three of them frantically running for the end of the cavern.
Eventually, Asuna caught sight of the view at the end. As the path bended to the right, she followed the coil downwards, where the path led into a massive open chamber housing a vast underground lake. Thousands of luminescent crystals lined the ceiling, illuminating the cave in addition to the city sitting in the center of the lake.
"Legrue…" Asuna muttered as she ran, Yui perking up with a smile.
"Yes, this is the mining town of Legrue. Hurry, mommy! Once you cross the bridge, you'll be safe!"
The trio then reached the bridge, a long path over the water in a straight line to the city. Checking behind them, Asuna saw no one, much to her confusion.
"Who do you think's after us?"
"Bandits, PK teams, whatever you wanna call 'em. If they managed to get ahold of a raven familiar, then they won't be a walk in the park by any means. If we wanna be safe we need to reach the city!" Leafa replied, interrupted by the noise of something moving through the air.
"Take cover!" Recon yelled out as an arrow shot over their heads and landed on the space in front of them. The trio then watched as the arrow warped and exploded into a massive wall of thorny branches, barbs elongating and sharpening as the wall grew and writhed, causing them to flinch back.
"Damn. It's a Vanir spell, high level too. We're not getting past this." Leafa growled.
"Can't we fly over it? Swim for it?" Asuna suggested as she reached for her sword.
"Only Imps can fly underground, and the lake's infested with high-level monsters that'd finish us in a blink. We're gonna have to fight our way out." Recon replied, readying a new batch of runes as an unfamiliar group of fairies reached the other side of the bridge behind them.
They numbered five in total, each appearing to be a different fairy race. Up in front were two fairies in dark colors, one a lanky man draped in a black cloak with a hood, grasping twin daggers in his hands. Beside him was an older, more built man with an eyepatch, dressed in purple and heaving a sword over his shoulder.
Behind them was a hulking fairy, decked head to toe in heavy armor and wielding a large battleaxe in both hands that sparked with electricity. Taking up the backline, they spotted two girls. One with short, blonde hair lowered a wooden bow as she bared a fanged smile, feline ears twitching atop her head. Finally, the woman in the back was draped in a blue robe and hefted a staff, siphoning an ethereal light out into her fellow party members.
"These must be Rogues. An Imp, Spriggan, Undine, Cait Sith and Leprechaun all working together couldn't be anything else. Get ready!" Leafa exclaimed as she held a hand to her katana, ready to draw on a moment's notice.
The Imp, presumably the group's leader stepped forward and tilted his head curiously without saying a word. Asuna, Recon, and Leafa stood silent, readying their weapons and poised to react in a snap. Both parties refused to break the silence as the standoff persisted, the tension between them building to a fever pitch.
Asuna could hear her heart pounding in her chest, her hand clasped firmly around the hilt of her rapier, sweat rippling down her forehead. Her body was completely rigid, eyes wide and watching for the slightest shift in stance.
Then suddenly it happened.
The Imp smirked, spread his wings, and the Spriggan vanished from view.
She blinked once, it took only a split-second, but the Spriggan bandit was already a mere arm's length away, a toothy grin flashed on his face as he swung daggers for her throat.
"C'MON!"
Any average player would be dead on the spot, but Asuna was far from average.
Within a fraction of a second, Asuna drew her rapier and clashed blades with the Spriggan, fending off a relentless barrage of swipes from the hooded fairy. Each hit was lightning fast, the dark fairy's arms blurring on top of each other in a frantic dance to overpower Asuna's airtight guard.
Leafa moved immediately, rushing for the group in the back, but was stopped as the Leprechaun player ran up to meet her, hefting his axe threateningly. Leafa gritted her teeth and jumped, drawing her blade and slamming down, a great shockwave ringing out from the impact. The Cait Sith archer then took this opening to nock another set of arrows and take aim, magical energy flaring at the arrowheads as the Undine mage chanted, preparing to cast a spell.
Then she pushed off, flipping back as the Leprechaun wound his arms back to smash his axe against the bridge. Smirking, Leafa dodged to the side and spun with her blade, slashing the Leprechaun at a joint in his armor, wounding him and causing him to stagger.
With eyes on the backline, Leafa then flinched as the Archer aimed directly at her, a volley of arrows coming her way.
"Bullseye!"
Thinking quickly, Leafa attempted to bat the first few arrows away, but was nailed in the shoulder, causing her to flinch.
"Now!"
The Undine then finished her spell and threw her arms down, a thick cloud of mist emerging from her palms and rolling down the bridge, completely covering the area. Leafa shielded her eyes and looked around frantically, losing sign of the enemy, running back to their end of the bridge.
"Leafa! Over here!" Recon called out as he tossed a rune to her, Leafa catching it and crushing it in her fist, causing her health bar to replenish. "Fylla!"
Asuna continued to clash with the Spriggan, but once the mist set in, the dark fairy smirked and pushed off, tossing a set of smoke bombs to the ground as the veil darkened and condensed into a thick black smoke.
Recon readied another illumination rune, creating another orb of light that allowed them to see a generous space around them. The trio then stood back to back, weapons poised to attack whatever came out of the darkness.
"Incoming projectiles!" Yui yelled out, pointing above them as the group scattered, dodging another set of magically enhanced arrows along with a volley of icicles that exploded against the stone floor. The group reformed, only for Asuna to barely parry a set of hidden strikes from the Spriggan, who darted in and out of the shadows without warning.
"Got a plan?" Asuna asked, her rapier raised in a stance as her eyes scanned the fog for movement.
"We need to take out the Undine in the back. So long as she keeps refueling their mana, she and that archer can keep sniping at us from a distance. After we take care of them, we can take out the other three." Leafa replied, turning to Recon, hesitation in her eyes before sighing in defeat.
"We might need Echoes for this one."
Recon's eyes widened as he heard this, nearly dropping the pebbles he was clutching in his hand as Asuna turned to face the both of them.
"Y-you're kidding! They'll dogpile me if I do, and even if we beat them, who knows what'll come after us next!" Recon screamed in panic, but Asuna nodded her head in response.
"The safe zone's right behind us, correct? If we beat these guys with your Stand, we'll retreat to the town before any of the Valkyries come for us!" Asuna noted, Recon and Leafa staring at her and then each other.
"It's worth a shot, Recon! C'mon!"
Recon paused for a moment, then looked directly at Asuna. "Whatever- No, whocever you're looking for at the World Tree… you're willing to go to any length to see them again?"
Asuna processed his question, but took no moment to hesitate in her answer.
"More than anything."
Recon heard it in her voice and reflected in her eyes. Whatever her goal was, she was willing to move mountains to see it through. With that, Recon smiled as a familiar spiritual energy enveloped his body, a verdant aura surrounding him as his Stand phased into existence beside him.
"Then c'mon. Let's make some noise!"
The form she recognized as Act 2 formed a word at its tail and flung at it the floor ahead of them, plastering the letters on the bridge as they glowed bright with energy.
*WOOSH*
The sound effect came alive, summoning a massive wind that dispersed the dense fog around them in seconds, the bandit party staring in shock at the sight of this act, their eyes then collectively moving to Recon's spirit and bulging in unison.
"Boss, that's-" The Leprechaun tank mumbled before the Imp cut him off.
"A Stand user. We hit the jackpot, guys!" His eyes flared greedily as he nodded to the Undine, who returned his gesture and chanted rapidly while raising her staff.
Asuna's eyes snapped to the enemy mage and raised her sword, ready for battle as Yui called out, pointing at the Undine. "Don't let her finish that spell!"
The three burst into action, Recon cracking another set of runes that washed light over the two Sylph swordswomen, the duo bursting off in a blast of wind, racing directly for the backline as Recon followed closely behind, aiming Echoes: Act 2 for another attack, words forming at its tail.
The Cait Sith fired another set of arrows, Asuna and Leafa nodding to each other as Leafa leaped in front, deflecting the brunt of the arrows. Asuna then moved ahead, sprinting at breakneck speed and closing the distance to the backline as the Leprechaun and Spriggan stood between her and her targets. The Spriggan rushed at her first with his daggers out, opening up with a rapid assault of wild slashes, but Asuna's battle-hardened experience and instincts didn't fail her.
Reading each strike, she perfectly deflected each hit and managed to drive her sword's tip through the hooded fairy's abdomen, causing him to cough out from the sheer force of the strike and sending him to the floor in a crumpled mess.
However, this exchange allowed the Leprechaun to finish chanting a spell of his own, right as the Undine finished hers. Asuna tried to rush through, but was knocked back as the Leprechaun slammed his axe down onto the bridge, sending a wave of electrical sparks rushing down the bridge, striking Asuna and stunning her.
Water rushed out from the lake under the bridge and rose into the air in thousands of droplets, each of them grouping together and streamlining into the shape of blades, solidifying and menacingly pointing at the three fairies, ready to fire at the caster's command.
Gritting her teeth as her body refused to move, she called out to her fellow Sylph. "Leafa!"
The ponytailed fairy used her body as a springboard and once again slammed her sword down at the Leprechaun which he blocked just like the last time. However, Leafa smirked as she pushed off and leaped ahead of him, dropping a small pebble at his feet, marked with a glowing runic letter.
"ANSUZ!"
The pebble then exploded into a ball of flame, swallowing the Leprechaun as he flew back from the force of the blast.
Now facing the backline fairies, eyes wide in surprise and fear, Leafa smiled as she drew her katana to end this. However, she now met the eyepatched Imp who flew from above while aiming his sword down at Leafa, divebombing her.
Unable to change course or react in time, Leafa's eyes widened but was further shocked as a salactite tumbled from the ceiling and on top of him, knocking him out of the sky, followed by a large number of rocks following suit, prompting the archer to curse under her breath and grab the Undine by the collar of her robe, running to safer ground.
Leafa looked up to see Echoes's signature lettering, forming a sound effect on the cave ceiling and reverberating a corresponding sound on repeat.
*RUMBLE*
The letters seemed to violently vibrate, shaking the ceiling with it as rocks from up above shook free and rained down on the bridge and stirred the lake as they splashed the water.
"Nice going, Recon!" Leafa called out as the Pooka gave a thumbs-up in reply.
However, as she was about to pursue the retreating fairies, her eyes widened to see the Spriggan up once again.
Now he was right behind Recon, but he hadn't seemed to notice. He was completely oblivious to the hooded fairy now about to drive a knife into his back.
"RECON, LOOK OUT!"
The Pooka turned his head, about to react.
However…
Something… flew over his head. Nailing the Spriggan in the face, his head was clean off of his neck as his body slumped lifelessly to the ground and evaporated into a glowing silver ember.
Turning ahead, all fairies present stared in awe at the new figure that had arrived on the scene.
It resembled no race of fairy, clad head to toe in menacing black armor, a long cloak trailing behind its back. An engraved helmet in the image of a dragon masked its head, the shadowy visor betraying no sign of the being's eyes. The figure rose to its feet, raising a clawed hand as its weapon returned to its waiting grasp, a massive greatsword nearly matching its own height.
Asuna watched as a set of multiple health bars appeared beside it, accompanied by the blaring of a war horn and its name emblazoned beside it, demanding she realize that this was no ordinary foe.
«Vortigern, The Dragon King»
"That's…"
"One of the Einherjar… We're so screwed." Recon mumbled with sweat trailing down his brow.
The Dark Knight's head snapped to stare directly at the trio, then the monster released a loud roar as it charged in a mad dash for the three of them.
Thinking quickly, Asuna yelled out as her mind raced for a strategy. "Recon! You head after the archer and the mage! Get them to lower the barrier! Leafa! You and me hold this thing off until then!"
Leafa sputtered in confusion. "W-what?! We can't fight this thing, are you crazy?!"
"You're right! But if we can get to the city, it'll leave us alone, right?! C'mon!" Asuna yelled back, the two fairies having no choice but to nod and move.
"Let's hope we survive this!" Leafa growled, racing to meet the armored beast alongside Asuna.
Recon dashed ahead, trying to reach the other side of the bridge with the Einheri barring his path. The monster didn't fail to notice him as its gaze immediately snapped to the Pooka, its sword drawn back in preparation to swing.
The Knight raised its blade in both hands and gripped tight, the two Sylphs picking the tell up immediately. Asuna and Leafa faced each other and wordlessly formed an approach.
"Cover me!"
Asuna gritted her teeth and ran closer to the Dark Knight, Recon right in the Knight's face as he smashed a rune against the ground, releasing a burst of light that stunned the monster. The Knight reeled back, leaving Recon to sprint up into the cavern after the bandits.
Now alone against the two Sylphs, the Einheri turned its attention to Asuna and smashed the greatsword down, a massive shockwave blasting from the impact, a crater forming in the stone floor as Asuna kept her guard up, barely dodging the strike, relying on her blinding speed and quick reflexes to carry her body before her mind could keep up.
What she didn't expect was for the Knight to immediately move from its position without delay, releasing both hands from its heavy weapon and aiming a punch directly for her head.
Every neuron in her brain fired on all cylinders as she roughly jerked her head back to dodge, flipping back to dodge a barrage of fists aiming to bludgeon her skull into paste.
The Dark Knight was relentless, each strike aiming to kill as maddened grunts could be heard from beneath its helmet. Evading to the best of her ability, Asuna then watched as Leafa ran up behind the Knight while chanting another spell.
«Airsenal» – "Grœnn vindr vefja sverð!"
Leafa's spell then caused her katana to glow a bright green, the blade surrounded by an aura of swirling wind.
"It's on now, ugly!"
Leafa yelled a battle cry as she slashed the air before her, an arc of wind shooting out from her blade and speeding towards the Knight, slamming into its side and causing it to flinch, clearly hurt by Leafa's attack.
Turning to meet her gaze, Leafa growled and slashed several more times, firing wave upon wave of concentrated wind at the armored monster as she sprinted full tilt towards the Knight.
Undeterred and angry, the Einheri raised a hand. Leafa continued to run, mentally steeling herself for a magical attack of some kind, a projectile to stall her.
Asuna saw this gesture and her mind blanked for a brief second. Then her mind brought back a memory.
A memory of a certain someone who also used a greatsword and had no trouble using his fists as well.
Whenever he would raise his hand out, that would mean-
"LEAFA, BEHIND YOU!"
As the Knight's greatsword sped back independently, returning to its hand with Leafa directly between them, the Sylph turned for a brief moment to detect the threat and spun on her heel, the blade grazing her hair as it sped by. Now with an opening, the blonde Sylph directed one more slash in the direction of her enemy.
"TAKE THIS!"
The wind blade struck the Knight's face, knocking the creature back as pieces of its helmet were sent flying. Both fairies watched as the Knight staggered back, regaining its balance as its empty hand reached to clutch its face, now visible through the cracked helmet.
Before Asuna looked up to meet the creature's eyes, her heart was already flooded with an overwhelming sense of dread. Every nerve in her brain screamed at her to believe it wasn't true, that it was just a horribly skewed guess.
All the questions she had asked herself had come flowing back in full force like a landslide, slamming to the forefront all at once.
Why did ALO handle Stand users in this manner?
Why did they not stop at the Valkyries?
How could the SAO survivors possibly factor into this?
No…
"They fight just as well, if not better than some of the best players here, and they'd tear you apart in no time flat if you saw one. And you know the craziest bit?"
It couldn't be…
"Some people have even said they've seen them bring out Stands of their own!"
"NO! IT CAN'T BE!"
Alas…
She stared into the Knight's open face and was met with a familiar face.
Sapphire eyes swirling red with primal rage, unlike any she had ever seen, but beneath purple hair so wild and unkempt it was unrecognizable for him, his strong jawline and indigo eyes couldn't be mistaken for anyone else.
She stared directly in the eyes of her beloved comrade, JoJo the Diamond Fist.
"J-Josuke…?"
Asuna whispered, almost afraid to approach him. Hundreds of questions filled her mind.
How did he get here?
Who did this to him?
Why does he look so angry?
"GGRRRAAAAAAAGGGHHH!"
In immediate reply to her voice, Josuke's eyes narrowed as his teeth gnashed and parted to let out a furious and savage roar, unobscured by the helmet to allow Asuna to hear traces of his voice beneath his madness, cutting her deeper.
The berserker swung his blade erratically in her direction, tearing up the ground in his wake as Asuna could barely react in time to keep up, receiving hit after hit as Leafa could only scream in panic, confused as to what happened.
"Erika! ERIKA! What's going on?!"
Asuna stared at the man she once called friend, one of the people she would fight tooth and nail to see once more, now trying to slash her into ribbons. She barely had time to think, much less fight back in her shock.
"Over here! Hey, get away from her!"
Leafa ran up from behind Josuke and then drove her sword into his back, causing him to scream angrily as he turned his attention to her, diverting him away from Asuna, who crumpled to the floor, completely and utterly struck.
Watching the Sylph trade blows with Josuke, Asuna could only stare blankly with wide eyes, breathing heavily and desperately. Her mind swam with clashing emotions and thoughts as her heart ached and thundered.
Why was this happening?
Why was he attacking them?
Why?
Why?!
WHY?!
"Mommy! Calm down!"
Asuna snapped back to reality as Yui nudged her, pushing on her cheek to grab her attention. Turning to face her foster daughter, Asuna calmed herself and turned back to the berserk Josuke, parrying a strike from Leafa and clashing blades over and over again.
"Uncle's mind… it's an absolute mess. He's so angry it's blinding him, and I don't think he even recognizes us!" Yui exclaimed, distressed at what she could read from Josuke.
Asuna turned to Josuke, who threw his sword violently at Leafa, who dove to dodge the projectile and rushed him again. Her eyes widening at the sight, her mind lit up with an idea. "He still throws his sword and recalls it. He's not completely insane! Do you think there's a way to bring him back to his senses?"
Yui turned to Asuna, then to Josuke and nodded. "You have to forcefully jock his memory! Think of something that Uncle would never ignore no matter what!"
Asuna paused for a moment, and immediately lit up, standing on her feet.
Leafa parried another strike and watched Asuna cup her hands to her mouth, as if about to shout something. Perhaps call for help? Give her an important tip? What is she doing-
"JOSUKE! YOUR HAIR LOOKS LIKE SHIT!"
…
…
…
Complete silence.
*clang*
The Sylph's sword clattered to the ground unceremoniously.
Leafa paused on the spot, completely dumbfounded, not knowing how to respond.
Meanwhile, Josuke had completely stopped what he was doing and stood completely upright.
With a slow creak of his neck, his eyes snapped to Asuna, staring directly at her.
They swirled and brewed with a dark and ominous aura that consumed his entire presence, but was overflowing with his soul unlike before.
Then he opened his mouth and growled in a deathly voice.
"Hey, you piece of shit… what the FUCK… did you say… ABOUT MY HAIR?!"
The Stand user's energy overflowed, as a familiar Stand revealed itself, separating from Josuke's body and appearing in full.
"CRAZY DIAMOND!"
Asuna braced herself as Josuke made a mad dash over to her position, screaming bloody murder as his Stand cocked its fists back for a brutal punishment. She had committed the ultimate crime in the presence of Josuke Higashikata, and she would pay for it with her life.
"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! TAKE THAT BACK OR I'LL KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME?!"
"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA~!"
Josuke screamed, aiming his Stand's fists at Asuna, who ducked and weaved to evade his lightning-fast attacks. However, Asuna didn't fail to notice a difference in his behavior.
"This is the Josuke I remember! I just need to snap him out of his rage!"
"Josuke, it's me! Don't you remember me?!" Asuna screamed as she parried his strikes away, but to no avail.
"ARE YOU MOCKING ME?! I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE!" Josuke roared as he intensified his assault.
Yui then emerged from Asuna's pocket, clinging on for dear life.
"Mommy! You don't resemble your SAO avatar! I don't think he recognizes you! Just keep holding on!"
"Y-Yui…?"
Both Asuna and Yui turned to stare at the Stand user, who had suddenly stopped his attack and was now clutching his head in his free hand, shaking his head in a daze between heavy, labored breaths.
"Josuke?"
Asuna moved closer to Josuke, who then lifted his head and fixed his eyes on the tiny pixie.
"Yui… You're back… h-how?" The Stand user mumbled, confusion filling his voice as his eyes returned to their familiar light, Yui smiling in joy upon seeing the hero return.
"Uncle, it's me! I'm here! Mommy brought me back! She saved you, too!" Yui laughed, gesturing to Asuna as Josuke then met her eyes.
"Asuna…? Is that you?" Josuke asked with wide eyes, shock riddled over his features.
Asuna's eyes welled up with tears as she ran up to the man and hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his body and sobbing freely.
"It's me! Yes, it's me, Josuke! I finally found you!" Asuna cried out happily, laughing amidst her tears as Josuke returned her gesture, hugging her back and filling her heart with warmth.
It had been so long since she had escaped Sword Art Online, so long since she had seen Josuke or Kazuto. She had agonized for what felt like years, feeling aimless and weak for the longest time, unable to fathom a way forward. Now, she was holding her dear friend in her arms and all she felt was relief.
"What happened to you? Where's Kirito?" Asuna asked, rapidly peppering the dazed Josuke with questions.
"I-I'm not sure. Bits and pieces here and there… But… something happened. I-"
The pair then stopped in horror as a circle of light began to materialize below Josuke, his eyes widening.
"No…"
"NO! YOU CAN'T TAKE ME BACK!"
Asuna panicked at the sight of the screaming Stand user, grabbing onto his hand as she watched the limb beginning to dematerialize into a mass of pixels. He was about to be teleported away.
She had no time to think. She couldn't let her friend go this easily after fighting so hard to release him.
"Josuke! What's going on?! Don't go!" Asuna yelled, Josuke then pausing and grabbing her hand in both of his own.
"LISTEN TO ME! Get to the Tree! Climb up there and free us all! You have to stop-"
Before he could finish, Josuke was gone, leaving Asuna and Yui alone, eyes wide and completely stunned. Asuna stared at her hand, trembling at the loss of his hold on them, unable to say a word.
Having watched from a distance, Leafa finally mustered the resolve to walk up closer, concern written all over her face as she approached the prone Asuna.
"Erika…? W-what was that?"
Asuna turned to meet Leafa's eyes, and then stared back down at her open palm.
She replayed Josuke's words in her mind once more, and then clenched her fist in determination, a glare forming on her face. Rising to her feet, she faced Leafa and stood tall.
"We're going to reach the top of the World Tree. No matter what it takes."
ALO Races:
Spriggans: The Shadow Reavers. Thieves of the night and masters of trickery, the Spriggans specialize in Nifl Magic and are the fastest fairies in Alfheim. They also have a higher luck stat than the other races, but possess the lowest health and defense. A high-risk, high-reward race for players who seek treasure and loot with an evasion-heavy playstyle.
Magic Affinity: Nifl
Perks:
- High Speed
- High Luck
- Night Vision
Weaknesses:
- Low Vitality
Attack: C
Magic: C
Mana: C
Speed: S
Vitality: E
Stealth: A
Luck: A
Flight: B
Surveillance Hub (Yggdrasil), ALfheim Online (Domain: Oberon) June 14, 2024
This was completely unexpected.
"Sir, forced teleportation was successful! Subject 1 is secure!"
Throughout the length of the experiment, not once had someone been able to break past the programming he instilled, to reawaken the identity of one of the Einherjar.
"Subject is ready for reprogramming!"
He gritted his teeth in frustration, chewing on a fingernail amidst his annoyance. He cursed them all. Cursed them all to high heaven.
The subject's incompetence.
His team's slow response.
The unknown player who tore down his hard work.
His own inadequacy.
It all weighed on him, shredded him to tatters each moment he dwelled further on his own failure. He would not fail. He swore that he wouldn't falter or admit weakness for as long as he lived. He would follow through no matter the cost.
"Keep me notified on these players. I want to know everything."
For answers, no method was too extreme.
"Send a team and tell them I'll meet them at the lab. I'll have no fuck-ups next time."
To hesitate was to stagnate.
"Right away, Mr. Nobuyuki, sir!"
Otherwise, how could he even call himself a scientist?
Up Next: The World Tree!
On November 6th, 2022, Sword Art Online went live and Kirito's story began for the first time.
Crazy how we finally got to this point in time, huh? As for why I named Yukako's avatar Annie, that's a reference to Annie Wilkes from Stephen King's Misery, Araki's inspiration for Yukako's character. On another note, really sorry I put this off for this long. Had a lot of work drawing over fall, on top of Inktober stuff and beating the new God Of War game (100% by the way. I really liked this game and the one before it.) Praying I can keep this going over the winter, but until the next one, not really sure how long that'll last. Hopefully I'll be able to continue on with a more frequent pace very soon, but for now I'm gonna keep going. Hope you guys stick around, and I'll see you in the next one! Deuces.
J the Rider: Believe me, I'll stick as close as possible to the direction of the story, that much won't diverge too greatly. That being said, there will be one or two exceptions down the line, you'll understand once you see them. I won't take away anything from GGO, that much you can be guaranteed. Think of it as how I handled the end of Aincrad. I padded it out a little longer to give more time for Laughing Coffin and Kayaba to flesh out, as well as give Kirito the chance to get his own Stand. Less changing it and instead adding more extra stuff on top. As for love triangles, not to worry, that kinda stuff I don't think I'll go out of my way to worm in. As for characters who die, I'm largely in agreement with you. Those I spared had less impact on the main plot and character arcs, and I tried to make them work in the story as best I could, case in point, Diabel and Griselda. I'll do my best, but I have a general idea for the direction I want to go, and while it's flexible I can only hope you'll be satisfied once we get there. Whether you enjoy them or not, I'll be happy to have you along for the ride, my friend.
Aurum79: I will admit, I love Devil's Diamond, but Koichi's absence is notable. I know he's not part of the main crew, at least for the moment, but I'm really glad to give him and Yukako some spotlight! Hope their interactions work! As for the different races, I like how you laid out the stats for your own version, and so I have official showcase profiles for each race, some of which I've already displayed. As for the Pookas, I agree. Coming from playing a lot of TF2, there's a lot of fun in playing an "off-meta" class like Demoknight or Trolldier, and I thought making a class like that for ALO sounded really fun, where it's obviously not the most optimal, but has options and perks that make it more fun or unorthodox. Hope the Runes I had Koichi use were cool, and trust me, he's not out of tricks just yet.
TheOneDino: Thanks! I had quite a lot of fun coming up with those and I'm glad you enjoyed them! Really happy that Kirito and Josuke's relationship worked. It's such a relief to nail the most important relationship in the story. As for Kira, yeah, glad that was told well. Again, big plans. Hope it pays off.
CygnusLorman: I'll say this much, it's in the works. As for who and how, that's for later.