Floor 20 - Chapter 3 - Consciences & Conspiracies
That time had changed the dynamic of the fight, as Rain and Liten rushed in, only for Liten to take a serious hit, damaging her armour, whilst Rain clashed with the mace user, spitting Russian curses at him, as she held him off solo. That situation could only last for so long, and the now solo combatant that she now was, would be outmatched before too long if things continued to go downhill...
''You'll pay for that. I will make you pay for that!'' She spat, her swords barely holding the mace away from her...
''It's cute, she actually thinks she has a chance to fight us.'' A fifth figure emerged from the shadows. A familiar voice accompanying it, and the chain mail hood identifying them positively... Morte. The incendiary member of the guilds back on the third floor, the bastard who'd murdered a child in front of them for no reason, and one who'd nearly started a war. Rain reasoned that she probably shouldn't have been surprised about this, but the less rational side of her demanded his head... Had she not been fighting back that thirst for vengeance, she'd have launched her own attack on the apparent leader of the group.
''Johnny, patch him up. The boss wanted him alive, remember... or did that get lost in the expanse of your skull too?'' He walked over to Jet, and picked his face up out of the mud. ''Sorry about him, I really am. You just can't get the staff these days, can you?'' As he went to continue his monologue, a very large blade flew past his head...
''Get. Off. Him.'' An absolutely enraged Strea stood there, emanating an aura of anger and sadism. Enough so, that even she stood away from her, not knowing how messy this was about to get...
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''Oh look, if it isn't... who are you again?'' Morte rolled his eyes, as Strea stared him down, a rage burning behind her eyes...
''You'd better hope your god's feeling particularly merciful today... because I'm not. You hurt my brother, and my friends. Prepare to die horribly, screaming for your gods...'' Koharu looked over to see the woman she'd started to see as a friend, if a bit of a strange one admittedly, stood there with a vicious smirk on her face. The smirk of someone with no restraints now...on most days, she'd have suggested Strea was running her mouth a little bit, to scare them off, but today... no. Stood in front of her wasn't a woman willing to stand down, and before a blade had even been swung, Morte had made his first mistake... he underestimated her.
''Whatever. Johnny, XaXa, kill her. She isn't necessary for the boss's plan.'' The murderer shrugged as if ordering an execution was nothing unusual to him.
The first attacker, Johnny, lunged towards her, a new dagger out. No doubt poisoned, given how easily he'd taken down the others. She used her blade to deflect every strike with relative ease, and waited as he began thrusting the dagger towards her. One thrust was badly overextended, and Strea capitalised on that. She grabbed her attacker's arm, pulling the dagger from his hand, and stabbing it through their arm - through flesh, muscle and bone, like a hot knife through butter.
Surprisingly, Johnny screamed in agony, before Strea spun him round, and threw him in and out, like some kind of demented yo-yo, taking out the two goons who'd rather stupidly tried to get involved. The second attacker, XaXa, attempted to charge her, but Strea pulled her new meat shield in front of her, and threw him forward, his ally's estoc going straight through him, earning yet another scream. Strea retrieved her brother's sword from the floor, and slammed it through the incredibly unfortunate would be assassins, impaling both, before removing it rapidly, before they were kicked out of the way, Strea's boot slamming into Johnny's lower spine, and inflicting a paralysis effect on him.
''Human kebab. Serves one right.'' She quipped, as XaXa pulled his injured ally off his sword, and dragged him out of the way. Morte looked back towards Strea, who was giving him a very unnerving smile. She'd have almost suggested it were a flirtatious smile, had it not been on the person who'd just nearly killed two of his allies...
''Dammit! Let's go... leave the dead weights here! You won't survive next time, mark my words!'' Strea mockingly blew a kiss towards them as they retreated like the yellow streaked cowards they were.
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After a few seconds of almost complete silence, Strea raced over to her brother, and forced a potion down his throat. The potions tasted absolutely vile, and made even the specific type of cough medicine their parents had insisted on taste nice, but that was neither here nor there. ''cough, cough, cough... bleurgh. Strea?''
''Don't you ever do that again. You nearly died, and... I nearly...'' She froze up, the adrenaline from her fight having worn off, no doubt. He was only barely conscious for it, but describing it as a fight was being charitable. A perhaps more accurate term would've been bloodbath, had SAO modelled blood realistically... ''Oh god... I was trying to kill them. I wanted them dead, and...'' The tears in her eyes began to flood out, a sight that he hadn't seen in a long, long time. The last time he'd seen her like this was when he was still in a pushchair, and even then, it'd been his mom who told him about it. She never had, and he couldn't blame her... ''Oh god, I'm... I swear, I'm not one of them! I didn't...''
Jet pulled his sister into a hug. ''Gabby, you saved us there. You aren't one of them. Please stop... else you'll make me start!'' Jet laughed mirthlessly, as Strea continued to sob into his shoulder. Aincrad, for all it's realism, hadn't done a particularly good job on capturing how people looked when crying, and despite having only started about ten seconds ago, Strea looked more like she'd been at it for hours. ''Sis, seriously though, you saved us there. We kind of owe you one...''
''You're okay with being indebted to a monster...?''
''Oh give it a rest, Strea.'' The long suffering Klein walked up behind them, and helped Strea back onto her feet. ''I wasn't there, but everyone gets angry at times, and you didn't kill anyone. Your cursor's still green, see?'' Strea looked up, and took multiple deep breaths, as Klein carried on. ''You let yourself go a little, but if you hadn't... whose to say it wouldn't have been worse? You did what you had to, right?''
''Yeah, I-I guess.'' She stammered, before another unlikely event occurred... she blushed.
Strea, of all people, blushed...
What the hell was today turning into, he briefly wondered to himself, before looking over the group. Rain was helping Phillia up from her brief time unconscious, whilst Sanya helped Liten up, before he noticed Koharu sat off to one side, staring into space. ''Ko?''
''You could've died.'' He wasn't sure if she was aware of it, but the tone of her voice was more than enough to make Jet feel guilty without resorting to yelling and violence. Sometimes, hearing things put bluntly like that made you feel the most guilt, it seemed. ''I couldn't do anything, and...'' Koharu began to tear up ''... go be with them. Not this dead weight.''
''Koharu, you are not a dead weight... you are my girlfriend, and I told you way back when, that I'll always fight for you. If the choice came between my life, and your safety, then it wouldn't even be a choice to me.''
Angrily, she snapped at him. ''No! Stop talking like that! You make it sound like I can't fend for myself-'' He went to object, before she raised a finger to him ''-and before you say anything, I know that isn't how you meant it, but it's how it sounds! It's how it feels to me! I'm an adult, damn it, so stop acting like you need to protect me! We're partners, first and foremost, so that works both ways. You don't want me to be at risk, so imagine how I feel when I see you throwing yourself at an enemy, with no concern for your own safety!''
Taken aback by her sudden outburst at him, Jet struggled to form a cohesive response. ''Koharu, I...''
''Just... why are you still with me? I'm not as strong as everyone else, I'm not as skilled, so therefore, I need protecting? Because that's all I am, little weak old me!'' The snort of derision at the end of that was more than enough to tell him she was angry at herself too; not just him.
''Because I love you. I guess that all of that knight in shining armour crap comes across a bit patronising, so I'll knock it on the head. But, why I'm still with you? You're you. You aren't pretending to be someone you aren't.'' He admitted, looking down into the dirt.
''I d-don't...?''
''Koharu, a lot of how I act... that's not how I was. I wasn't strong, I certainly wasn't fast, or athletic, and honestly, I kept quiet, often when I should've shouted the loudest. But you? You're kind, you don't have a vicious bone in you, and you keep me on the straight and narrow. Even tiny little things about you, like that little tune you hum occasionally, the way you sometimes skip around like no one's watching you, and there's just too many to list, really, but they're the reason I fell for you. Not because you're the strongest, the fastest etcetera, but because you're honest.'' He looked back up towards her, noticing tears forming in her eyes, and handed her a handkerchief as he carried on. ''Thing is, I think you think that you have to be the best at everything, and you don't. Even if you are only a good all-rounder, that's still good! There's a reason the phrase ''jack of all trades'' is used for that type of thing!''
''I let you get hurt... I'm a terrible partner for that...'' She wiped her eyes.
''Oh sod off, are you.'' Before he could even think, those words left his mouth. Despite the overly blunt way of phrasing it, he was right. He was absolutely fed up of this; the self loathing, the putting herself down and thinking she was the dead weight of the group. ''Since the day we met, you've been by my side, and you've never once failed as a partner. You kept me going when things got tough, and... and you always have my back, even when I don't really deserve it, and even if- especially if I do something stupid.'' He could feel the eyes of everyone around him turning to focus on them, but he'd decided that was a later problem, not a now problem... ''What I'm trying to say, in my own way, is that I don't want you to think I ever look down on you, because it really is the other way round most of the time. You're the person I look up to most, and yeah, I'm not ashamed to admit that's why I fell in love with you, and... no amount of doubt in my mind will ever change that!''
''If only Mom and Dad could hear you...'' Strea teased, having returned to her normal self, somewhat.
''It wasn't that inspiring!'' Jet retorted, before looking back to Koharu, who was now looking at her messages. He couldn't tell what she was reading, but the way she inhaled and exhaled audibly made him sure that it was something important...
Jet felt Koharu's hand on his arm, and he turned back to face her in surprise. ''Koharu?''
Emboldened by Jet's speech earlier, something else had awoken inside Koharu. ''Is it... is it okay if I take the lead?''
Jet seemed genuinely surprised at the request, but felt now was as good of a chance as any to help her confidence. Plus, after earlier, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't still shook up by the ambush, and the feeling of guilt over leading them into it. ''Sure. As long as Rain and Phillia are fine with it too, it's not like I'm really our leader anyway, so...'' the two girls signalled their agreement, ''After you, noble leader!''
''Please don't call me that...'' Perhaps she did understand why he hated Phillia's teasing now. It really didn't fit anyone that didn't have an ego the size of a small country...
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Reaching the dungeon's entrance, the three groups had fully reformed into one, now under Koharu's leadership, and a brief overview of the situation they'd faced was quickly given to everyone present. The idea of red players like that was already a terrifying one, but that idea, combined with the knowledge that they now had a target painted on their backs...
Well, she had a feeling she'd be a lot more careful from now on. They'd have to be.
Once they'd entered the dungeon, the push through it had been surprisingly quick, even by their standards - the group having pushed through in just short of an hour, with surprisingly little heavy resistance. She supposed it helped having a group of eighteen players, all working in concert, rather than the usual splintered and slightly disjointed arrangement that the Assault Team was. ''Okay, we're nearly at the last chamber. Everyone take a short rest, and check your stocks.''
Klein spoke for his guild, ''We're good, Koharu. Ready to go as long as you guys are!''
''We're all ready too.'' Agil called for his group.
''I suppose I'm ready to confront my own actions, yes.'' Sanya commented, checking her equipment and equipping a different sword. A long, black katana style blade, though with small bumps along the rear of the blade, and an odd red glow around it. She wondered why the blade looked familiar, but the look she noticed between Klein and Strea raised a few questions - it wasn't the same blade as the Demonblade... was it?
Though, she remembered it had been mentioned that the Demonblade wasn't unique either, so perhaps it was just a weapon that gave off a similar air to it.
''Well, let's not disappoint, shall we?''
''Well then... allons-y!'' Koharu called out, using one of her boyfriend's war cries as the chamber door opened, and she gave a massive grin towards Jet, who looked bemusedly at his her...
''Having fun, are we?'' Jet teased, as she pouted towards him.
''I've always wanted to do the war cry!''
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Storming into the chamber, one thing was immediately obvious. The slight omission that, for a boss room, made it unbeatable... there wasn't actually a boss there.
''People actually came?!'' In the almost a year that Jet had known Lind, he'd always been calm and collected, except for the few occasions when he'd been beyond fuming... usually at Kibaou, really, but to see him almost tackling the first person he saw, that was weird...
''Shiva!'' The armour clad girl raced forward at speeds that even Jet would've struggled to keep up with, and tackled her ''friend'' with enough force that he was genuinely concerned about them dropping off the side of the arena. Still though, it made for a nice reunion and a nice heart warming moment, after the... mess that had been the rest of the day. Even Sanya, stood as far to the side as she could whilst she made sure everyone paid more attention to them than her, seemed to have a genuine smile on her face; an almost unsettling image to Jet, who'd never seen her with an expression that wasn't a scowl on her face...
''Okay, seriously, where is this boss? All I can hear is that damn-'' crreeakk. That was enough of a noise to get a few more people's attention, but not everyone.
''Aww...'' Koharu began to feel fuzzy inside, as did almost everyone there, with the exception of the three who'd noticed the ceiling moving...
''Uhh, guys and girls?'' Klein attempted to raise the issue...
''Don't ruin the moment...'' ...but was quickly shut down by Strea.
''Yeah, but...'' He pressed on ahead.
Sanya snapped back at the samurai. ''Can you not allow for one moment of peace?!''
From behind the group, Jet rolled his eyes, and decided to take the blame for whatever came next. ''Bigger problem! The ceiling's coming down, and has been for the past two minutes!''
''Bozhe moi! Why did you not tell us!'' Sanya yelled in frustration at the boys, and Rain to a much lesser extent.
''We've been trying to!'' Rain shouted. Suddenly, Strea regretted hushing the boys and looked up. That ceiling was definitely lower now... and what were those crystal deposits that were... moving. Oh, this couldn't be good news, she thought...
''Then try harder next time! I take back any niceties I said about you earlier...'' Her eyes were glaring daggers at Jet, but he didn't notice; instead he looked up, and noticed one of the deposits casting a shadow on the floor around Sanya. Without thinking, he lunged forward, and threw the icy witch to the ground, as a crystal slammed down where she'd been standing. ''Yes... well, perhaps not all of them. Thank you.''
''You're welcome.'' He really couldn't pin this girl down sometimes. Did she hate him, did she just have a really bizarre way of showing affection, or did she even know how she felt, let alone everyone else. Admittedly, now wasn't really the time to think about that, as the crystals had began to levitate, and shift towards the centre of the room. ''We should be on guard though... Koharu?''
''Those crystals... they're the boss!'' The crystals began to form a humanoid figure, with a health bar and target marker appearing... Blueite Golem. A crystalline goliath, towering easily ten foot into the air, with hovering crystals for limbs, and one single protrusion in it's torso - its eye. ''Oh yeah, that makes sense. Bigger they are, the harder they fall...''
''Be that as it may... can I just say one thing?'' The leader of the DKB looked towards Koharu.
''Go for it, Lind.'' She replied.
''What on earth is that thing?!'' His usual calm and collected demeanour seemed to have disappeared momentarily, as he looked the boss over, and really wished he'd stayed in bed today...
Jet looked towards it, and noticed something about the floor underneath them, it had the same type of circuit patterns as the fifth floor boss room... ''Koharu, remember fighting Fuscus?'' She understood what Jet meant immediately.
''Yes, you think it'll be like that?''
''Stands to reason, right?'' No doubt about it, his entire train of logic was that both were massive golems, and capable of untold damage if left unchecked. It probably wasn't an unreasonable path to have, but it was a rather simplistic one...
Lind seemed quite frustrated, probably remembering the group's headfirst rush into that boss... ''And for those of us who weren't present for that endeavour?''
''Bloody annoying.'' Strea explained in even fewer words, making Lind's already considerable headache even worse. Hopefully, Shivata and Liten would stop for a few seconds, and he'd not have a burst blood vessel, but the way the day was going... that didn't seem likely.
''Oh fantastic...''
''Well, we know this one uses martial arts, right?'' Shivata asked, revealing some information that they wished they'd known before.
''Yes, and that it was built for the townsfolk to test their skills against, which means it's... oh. It's a glorified punching bag.'' Lind sighed as he relayed what they knew about it.
''Which'll mean it's tough as hell!''
''Then I see no better reason to commence our assault on the golem!'' Sanya began to draw her blade, before Rain held her back.
''Sanya, if they're right, we need to work together. Neither of us were on the fifth floor, so we should let those who were there take the lead for this one.'' Rain gave Koharu a look to tell her she trusted her, even if Sanya was itching for a fight...
''Ko, it's your call.'' Remembering the plan against Fuscus, she modified it quickly. If that one had a laser, then chances are, so did this one. If the group held a tight formation, they'd make an easy target for the Golem, but if they scattered around, maybe that'd keep it from focussing it's attacks on one player. It was a gamble, but...
''Jet, Liten. You're our tanks for this one. Give it all you've got, and cover as best as you can. Agil, Strea, Sanya, you're our primary attackers, hit it hard, and let us focus on keeping it's attention. Everyone else, flutter about, don't stay in one place for too long, and give it as many targets as we can. The more we can make, the less it can actually aim for! Any objections?''
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The fight against the Blueite Golem had gone surprisingly well so far, considering their plan hadn't exactly had much time to be thought through, and consisted solely of ''hit it, and don't get hit.'' whilst moving around. The laser it occasionally fired had been an unwelcome, but not unpredictable, addition to its strategy, but quick thinking (and footwork) had allowed them to whittle the boss down to it's final phase. With only a small amount of it's last health bar remaining, the Golem began lashing out with no rhyme or reason, before having to cool down... ''So, who wants to ki-''
''Eto za popytku razdavit' menya, ublyudok!'' Sanya screamed past Jet, her blade glowing and surrounded by red smoke, as she launched a rapid three hit combo on the golem... ''That's that answered, then.'' Jet deadpanned, as the golem fell to the floor, and disappeared.
''Remind me not to piss her off.'' Strea whispered to Klein, who just nodded along in agreement.
''Apologies, I lost my temper then. It shan't happen again. Now, I do believe we have a slightly more pressing matter to deal with...'' Jet snickered at the unintentional pun, before looking at the lowering ceiling, and deciding that running seemed like quite a good idea. As had Koharu, who'd already started yelling for everyone to go on ahead, with her and Jet following as rear guard...
{Author's Comments}
Very little new writing this week... very large amount of rewriting however, as I'd written this with an earlier concept in mind. Really wish I'd nailed down the concept a little more solidly before I'd put keys to document...
Still though, I think it worked out relatively well.