|Sword Art Online, Floor 60, Town of Solaris|
|Feb. 18th 19:10|
Evening was harder to tell on this floor than others, the sky almost never changed, the same, dark hue hung over an eerie, starlit ceiling that not even the sunlight from beyond Aincrad could breech. Solaris remained that bastion of light, and home to most of the Frontrunners who chose to stay on the floor rather than return to their guilds. Whilst members of large and small guilds passed down the streets, a small restaurant with an outside seating area was taken up by a few, high-profile guild leaders.
Heathcliff set his mug down, stretching out the silence a bit longer. "Thank you for the update, all of you have been a tremendous aid towards this ritual site, although, I find it alarming that a campaign that's spanned numerous floors would become intertwined with the main questline of the current floor,"
"It's not the first time this has happened," Ran spoke up, arms crossed on the table. "The Path of Divine Sakura has broken many of the rules we've seen with campaigns of similar size; naturally, ones like the Elf War provided optional information concerning the main floor boss, but this one's directly affected them in the past,"
"The 4th boss became a completely different monster, and Danuja became the floor boss on the 30th floor," Klein added, leaning back into his chair. "It's honestly been a pain at times, but this is giving me 'end of the game' vibes,"
Nagi agreed, addressing Heathcliff. "Everything we've learned about the campaign's story has led to the fall of the Abyss, even the bosses our two parties fought today used similar mechanics or elements we've previously seen," There was a good chance they'd see almost all the mechanics and debuffs previously dealt with on this floor, which only made it paramount that this information was shared to any unsuspecting players.
"I see, then Kirito is the last to acquire what we need to breach the barrier? Our plans for tomorrow are still on track if he's to succeed," Heathcliff didn't seem all that phased, but the scent Nagi received was one of peculiar interest, Heathcliff gave off the energy of a man who had a plan, no matter the circumstances, calm under pressure. But there was no mistaking his desire to unravel mysteries and the unknown.
"What was the plan if, y'know, we couldn't get all the items we need for Isshi's spell?" Yuuki waved an arm as if she were in a classroom.
"Actually... I never knew there was one until Argo told me," Nagi inquired, sharing his cousins piqued curiosity.
"If all else failed, there were tunnels and passages that cut under the crater's circumference, by navigating those, we'd end up within the ritual's staging grounds," Heathcliff revealed, taking a sip from his now empty mug, his features stern. "We had trouble dealing with the monsters that roamed the caverns, it appears that while an effective plan, it would require a great force of numerous parties to breach and be ready for the battle thereafter,"
"It was all a gamble then, doesn't help we're against the clock," Klein craned his head back, looking to the glowing hue over Solaris's natural walls. "That place has started gettin' brighter since mid-afternoon, whole thing has lots of players worried something big, like with the 50th's field boss, is about to go down,"
"Things will if we don't act as soon as we've gathered all key items together," Ran affirmed, but her brow furrowed. "Magic... I mean, I know there's monsters and items that can use magic, but actual spell-craft wasn't what I expected to see in SAO outside of those examples,"
"Sure threw me through a loop after what Kirito taught me at the start of this mess," Klein chuckled a bit, swirling the liquid in his mug. "Guess not adding magic for us to use was a good decision, sure comes as a surprise now,"
Despite all this, Nagi looked lost in thought, something Heathcliff took notice of. "You seem troubled by this,"
Perking up, Nagi shook his head with a small smile. "No, it's nothing, I was going to say, 'this doesn't feel like the end of this quest', but it's pretty obvious now where the true heart of the Abyss will be," He spared a glance to the faint, dark line in the distance, marking the towering Labyrinth beyond. "Once we stop whatever Danuja is planning once and for all, we're ending this questline," 'It was almost over', is what Nagi kept to himself, ignoring the tension in his chest.
"Heck yeah, we'll break through whatever stands in our way!" Yuuki cheered, raising her hand in Nagi's.
"Amen," Ran giggled a bit as she tipped her mug with Klein's.
Enjoying this light-hearted banter, Heathcliff took a stand with a faint smile. "Then I'll leave you to the rest of your night, thank you for the drink, I'll see all of you on the frontlines tomorrow,"
"Have a good night, sir," Nagi waved curtly, Heathcliff returning it as he left their table and faded in with the players and NPCs.
"Guess there's not much to do than to wait... ugh, what a drag..." Yuuki slumped forward with her arms stretched across the table. "I guess we got the easier end of this mess, Asuna and Kirito get to have the lengthy story for this floor,"
"Last I heard from Argo, they're in a place called the Inverted Spire, must be a dungeon cause I haven't been able to text them," Nagi pointed out, given how long since their last message, the small group of three were in that dungeon for nearly two hours. "Hopefully, they'll be fine,"
"If it's those three, they'll be more than alright, I even had Sachi tag along so they're guaranteed to come back with the last item we need," Klein held no doubts, nor did any of the others that unanimously hummed in agreement.
Leaning his cheek into one hand, Nagi eyed the others. "Guess we'll wait here for them, everyone else deserves to rest and prep for tomorrow,"
"No rest for the wicked, am I right?" Ran smirked a little.
"Nope!" Klein and Yuuki raised their mugs together, laughing.
The weight of two questlines didn't feel all that suffocating with an atmosphere like this, Nagi simply got up to get them another round of drinks to pass the time, he'd bring all of their guild here after they beat Danuja. On that certainty, his determination for tomorrow grew even stronger.
|Floor 60, Edge of the Eye|
|Feb. 19th 10:34|
The sky surrounding the crater was now a swirling maelstrom of black clouds and iridescent lightning, creating a webbing of light that brought nothing short of dread, the winds howled like phantoms, kicking up dust clouds from the black desert as many stood by a makeshift camp formed as the questline's base of operations. Guardsmen watching the perimeter, while most eyes were trained on what lay at the jagged, titanic crags that surrounded the crash site.
Between two 'tusks' of stone that cast long, black shadows over the ravines and sands was the sight of a towering wall, sealed with a strange series of symbols and magic circles, intricate and far beyond human comprehension, magics left from long before Aincrad, remnants of its world below. And swarming with an army of Corrupted, but not just them. The ashen and cindered Scorched from the 10th floor's House Flame patrolled the wall alongside the swamp-ridden shinobi of House Dusk, and a more familiar, frozen garbs of the Frostbitten of House Winter.
Argo lowered her binoculars, her lips pursed slightly with a knit brow. "Seems the floor's pullin' out all the stops today, got all our ol' baddies back for a final rounD,"
"Every House that had fallen to the Abyss' influence have been gathered," Shirayuki spoke with remorse, though her resolve was steady. "Like Hotaru, there is no reverting what's been done,"
"Remorseful, are we?" Artorias quirked a brow at the shinobi who shook her head with a faint smile.
"It is hard not to be, this was how they were designed, but I can't help but feel for their lives that were only made to be pawns for a greater power, both in this story, and this world," Shirayuki gestured to herself. "I am fortunate to have been given the choice to break free of such a fate,"
That had the brunette frown slightly. "And... the end of this world in the near future doesn't bother you?" In the end, Artorias would clear this game like all those gathered today, but Shirayuki knew what would come to pass, to accept death was inevitable for her was concerning.
But the shinobi chuckled, patting the top of his head. "You have a good heart, Knight Artorias, but I have made peace with my fate, so long as I may change the fates of others, my life is fulfilled,"
"Then its best we settle this for all their sakes, regardless of how they were designed," Nagi commented, smiling between the two as Shirayuki nodded once, Artorias raising a thumb as Nagi came to stand beside Argo who continued to eye the wall with her binoculars with silent consideration.
"Crazy to believe its nearly over, this whole campaigN," Argo ended up speaking before Nagi could get a word in, lowering her binoculars to eye Nagi behind her hood. "How ya feelin' about all thiS?"
"Honestly? Tense," He leaned his hands onto the small, rundown wall, left behind to be worn down by the desert. "I mean, we've followed this path since the 4th floor, to think it's all about to come to an end, it's a little scary... to know it'll be over,"
It was the main driving force for Nagi aside from clearing the game. Through the Path of Divine Sakura, he met so many people; Klein, Shirayuki, Artorias, Daora, Mito, and so many more. His guild formed by those bonds to the present, deep down, this questline had a role to play in many of the memories he held dear. But no story lasts forever, it was time for this one to come to a close.
Opening his eyes, he glanced down to find Argo resting her hand against his, hidden by her cloak and his haori, wearing a small, confident grin. "Ya done good, NagI," She patted his palm for good measure, watching his whole body relax slowly. "After this, we've got a lot more mysteries to solve up above, so don't go losin' yer motivation on me noW. What's a girl like me to do without good companY?" She gave him a faux pout, her lips curling quickly when Nagi laughed.
"Probably lose your mind whilst extorting people, I imagine," He snickered, listening to her own laugh bubble up from her chest.
"Nyahahaha, ya got me there, HerO!"
Entranced by one another, neither realized they were being watched until a person let out a soft giggle. Both jumped as Isshi stared between them, having appeared on the wall to their left, legs crossed as the two tried and failed to put on a poker face.
"Oh, don't mind me, young love is such a pleasant sight, to freely express yourselves warms my heart," Isshi leaned closer with slanted eyes as Nagi slowly leaned back with a tinge of pink to his face. "You make quite the handsome face when you laugh, hm~"
"Th-thank you?" He didn't know how to take that, clearing his throat. "So-so is everything ready?"
Isshi relented, grabbing Artorias's and Shirayuki's attention. "The counter-ritual is prepared, you may gather for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, don't keep a lovely lady waiting~" With a silent hop, she glided overhead and landed on the sandy cobblestone path without so much as a sound.
Soon, everyone gathered to a large, open space of sandstone, a scarce few pillars topples and standing to mark out the area far too warped by time to recognize the original purpose of. Small, brass bowls contained cursed flames, their sickly green hue casting unsettling shadows onto the dark ruins. Heathcliff and KoB stood by with Lind and the DDA, as well as Kibaou and the Army. Yuuki and Ran gathered around with their guild, as well as Klein's and Nagi's, the aforementioned two leaders walking towards the open space with Isshi.
Kirito spared Sachi and Asuna a glance beside him, then held out the final key item to their side of the questline. It was a long staff made from white bone and chitin, wrapped with old, tattered cloth from each of the fallen Houses. Wedged into two thorns at the top of the staff was a black, semi-opaque crystal that let off a faint, black miasma.
Taking the offered staff, Isshi gave a thankful nod, turning to Klein and Nagi who each held out the other quest items. The Aureus Core and Vortex Fragment. "The Abyss draws strength from control, to exsert ones will onto reality and shape it according to ones desires. This is how it corrupts, through temptation of another's desires, if your spirit is weak, it will cloud and consume you. So we will exsert our own control over itself,"
"What does that mean?" Klein asked as Isshi eyed the two curiously.
"I can perform a ritual using the two relics of darkness you have gathered, and imbue one temporarily with the same powers the Abyss has bestowed on its disciples; you will turn the enemies greatest defence against them," Isshi revealed, leaving a questionable tension in the air.
Various voices began to rise and speak, uncertainty and suspicion on what this would mean for one of them. They would be thrust into the very power that has twisted and warped the land around them, and to those that have seen the Abyss at work, they knew the kind of unholy strength it possessed.
"Y'know, we could've used this lovely little titbit... a DAY ago!" Artorias understandably exclaimed. "I had a feeling this was gonna involve using their power in some way, but this is a herculean leap towards that end,"
"What would happen to the person who's chosen?" Mito asked, rubbing her arm anxiously.
"You must exhibit a will over the darkness, resist its influence and take hold of its benefits," Isshi shook her head solemnly. "There is no other way, time is limited, you mortals will not get another chance for a direct method, and I cannot replicate the spell more than once,"
"Will whoever steps into this come back from such a state?" Heathcliff questioned the winter spirit who looked at him evenly.
"Does it matter if they do?" No one knew what would happen if they let their time run out, what would change on this floor, or existing floors. It was an uncertain gamble they couldn't allow themselves to bet on.
"Fine then, I'll tear this power right from its own hands!" Daora stomped forward only for Shirayuki to raise her arm wide to stop him.
"No, allow me, there is far less risk if I fail," She offered without a hint of hesitation.
"No way, what if you end up like Hotaru did? You couldn't come back from this," Klein interjected, shaking his head in disbelief. "Not a chance, I ain't about to put this on your shoulders,"
"Klein, you needn't feel worried for me, you know that," Shirayuki smiled softly, knowing her comrades feared she would die like her sister, a part of her did hold a pang of fear concerning that, but she'd gamble her life regardless.
"There's no tellin' what'll happen if ya succeed or not, and I don't feel right lettin' ya take the fall if we mess this up, ShirA," Argo protested herself, her arms crossed. "What ya thinkin', Kii-boU?"
The Black Swordsman raised his head, removing his hand from his chin. "Honestly, it's a risk no matter who we choose, we have a safer option but that means mapping and fighting our way through a maze of tunnels. That'll kill our time, and we've already put too much into this ritual to fall back on that now without it being too close to the wire,"
"Kirito, you're not thinking of..." Sachi trailed off, biting her lip at the insinuation that Kirito would attempt the ritual himself.
He offered a relaxed smile. "Nah, after all, its you guys that've been at this quest longer than anyone, so its your call, Klein, Nagi," Kirito glanced back at the other guilds and their leaders. "Anyone else object to that?"
"Not like any of us know half of what this 'darkness' is all about, you wanna play lab rat, go right ahead!" Kibaou threw his arm forward for them to hurry along.
"As you say, Kirito, this joint quest has been there's much longer than any of us knew about, so I'm fine with their decision," Lind replied calmly, awaiting their choice.
Heathcliff didn't say a word, nodding once to Asuna who briefly appeared worried but smiled and placed a hand to her heart, giving Klein and Nagi a firm look to decide amongst themselves.
"You already know our answer, so don't go getting possessed or something!" Yuuki winked as Ran flicked her forehead. "Ow, hey!"
"But seriously, be careful, whoever you choose," Ran was far more serious, her hands held tightly together.
"Guess its on us again, buddy, so, what'll it be?" Klein asked, chuckling a bit with his hands held wide. "I'm up for it if you want? But I know that look of yours," Nagi's eyes widened, and before he could speak, Klein wrapped an arm around his shoulders, knuckling the young teen's chest. "You got spirit, and that's all you need to pull through, so go on, dive headfirst into this and take the reins,"
"Klein..." Nagi couldn't find the words to describe it, how Klein put so much faith in his abilities, there wasn't room for doubt in his voice, he believed in Nagi to get the job done.
And he would without question.
Pulling away, Nagi met the teasing smile on Isshi's face, as if the spirit had already known the outcome, and maybe she did given her age and experience. Taking both relics, Nagi held them out for her. "I'll do it, I'll turn its own power against it,"
"Hm... so bold that it borders on recklessness, hmhmhm, gives me chills..." Cooing slightly, Isshi took the Core and Fragment, gesturing with the staff for Nagi to stand in the middle. Isshi then placed the two items down, clasping the staff in both hands.
In a slow circuit around Nagi, Isshi muttered incomprehensible words as she carved runes into the stone and sand, marking them as black sigils with a faint, white glow emanating from the carvings. Nagi let his body relax, though a fit of nerves gathered in his stomach, looking around at everyone who stood by, watching and observing with various forms of unease and anticipation. Magic, for the first time, would be in the hands of a player.
Once complete, Isshi locked eyes with the anxious shinobi. "Do not be afraid. When thrust into this void, embrace it, circumvent its might with your own,"
"..." Inhaling through the nose, Nagi steeled himself. "...Okay,"
Confirming this, Isshi slammed the staff down, and each of the symbols turned a flaming emerald, lines connecting and encircling each one with the other, quickly forming a web of spell-craft around Nagi as the heat rose from the tips of his toes to the top of his head, like he had been placed into a boiling lake.
"I invoke the rite to separate desire from temptation. Thou shall devour the vile and twisted. Thou shall embrace ascendancy and consume all with a devouring blade," Isshi enacted, the flames grew hotter, becoming a pyre that engulfed Nagi who felt weightless, his vision starting to blur from the intense glare and heat. "Allow thee to take what is require. Let the words in their throat be truth, like the weapon in their fist!"
And the lights went out.
The flames that surrounded Nagi were gone, only a black void and the urns of flames providing any sense of his surroundings. Looking around, it didn't take him long to realize where he was, this was the heart of the Abyss, its domain surrounding him on all sides. Letting out a shaky breath, Nagi concentrated on the flames, feeling the cold air circulating, allowing his body to relax and try to 'embrace' the darkness by letting down his walls. At least, he thinks that's how this works.
"Maybe there's a prompt?" He thought, considering what words would trigger a reaction, if one would occur. Maybe he had to follow the flames? But they only extended a few meters as they did outside the spell.
"You came... We are surprised..." Turning his head with a stern expression, Nagi met the curious gaze of himself. "We must admit, to see you here was unexpected... you heeded our call... congratulations,"
"Even though I'm only here to take what we need to stop you," Nagi shot back, the entity walking around him slowly, shifting to appear like Kirito, speaking in a distortion of his voice. "Get out, whatever you have to say, I'm not listening,"
"But you do... you hear... you fear what you cannot understand... you desire truth, we can provide the answer," The Entity offered with a tempting tone, its hooks digging into Nagi's ears as it became Hotaru. "The light you've followed and protected... it led House Sun to ruin... it abandoned them, left them for dead... but in darkness, there is strength,"
"Is that what you said to Danuja? To everything you've done, you corrupted and twisted beyond recognition," Nagi raised his voice, his features creased in anger. "You're no benevolent God, you're a parasite,"
So when he turned to greet its false face, his heart almost stopped when seeing Argo grin back at him. "Then why hide the truth from them? Of what you truly are?" That made Nagi step back. He knew it was taunting him, that's all this was - it craned his neck to one side. "Your scarred heart layered in guilt, grief, loss... we can take it all away,"
It knew... how can some quest A.I know... then it dawned on Nagi like a ton of bricks slamming into his head. The Nervegear scanned the brain, including memory, it knew exactly what Nagi - no, what Kaito was.
"No more death will follow you... only the strength to shield that which you hold dear... to take away all that pain, to make you a God." The Entity offered its hand using Argo's, leaving Nagi unaware to the thousands of gnarled, mangled hands that swayed from above, crawling from below to snuff out the remaining light, slowly enveloping him in darkness.
...
...
...
"Do not listen to such nonsense," Raising his head, Nagi felt a hand on his right shoulder, the other raising his hand to rest on NightSky's pommel. For a moment, he swore he heard Shirayuki's cool voice whisper softly.
"Silence! You insolent speck!" For the first time since hearing this overwhelming presence, Nagi felt its voice sharpen like a thousand knives, it grew deeper, a single voice overpowering the collective murmurs.
"Do not lose yourself to your demons. I do not know of them, and it is not my place to pry, so all I will say is this. You are strong, and you must not fall, for their sakes, and your own. It fears you, the power you now wield." Shirayuki's tone was firm, uplifting in the dark, giving Nagi steady ground.
Taking a step forward, Nagi's breathing hissed between his teeth. "Thanks, Shirayuki..." Even outside this dangerous spell, she was willing to risk her life for his, how could he let her down now? Raising his head, Nagi glowered back at the visage of himself, a harsh, biting cold swirling around him and his blade. "Get... Out... Of My... Head!" Drawing his katana, it drew the full force of the sea across the gulf of darkness, just as the final flame went out, the torrent carried through, slashing through the Entity as its distorted like a reflection rippling in the waves.
"You seek annihilation!? Come..." The entity beckoned, its voice distorting in a low, deep growl. "And be destroyed!"
The world came crashing back to Nagi, the black desert, the many players that had gathered to bare witness to the ritual and the raid to follow. And as those flames settled, the staff shattering in Isshi's hands as the two relics followed suit, all peered at the scorched ritual site at what lowered a rime-gleamed blade, dragging a chilling mist behind it.
As many stood, gobsmacked and gasping, Isshi wore a wide grin. "How do you feel, mortal?"
Nagi rose to his full height, his armour and gi shrouded in reflective, dark blue ice, his haori torn as its decorative Great Wave took on more of a bluish tone, the shades dipping into the black. His armour plating reinforced by thick plates of ice, his face covered by a helmet of rime with a jagged crown, two piercing, neon-blue eyes flashing into existence. His entire body exhibiting a chilling mist that formed frost at his feet, he had become a living blizzard.
He opened and closed his hands, feeling the pressing cold over his skin, yet, it didn't draw a shiver, in fact, all he felt was raw power concentrated like a thin veil over his entire body, there were faint whispers, but Nagi kept them drowned out by his curiosity and wonder.
"...Stronger," His voice whistled like an echo on the wind, raising a thumb to his friends. "Ready to break down a few walls?"
That broke the tension, Daora and Artorias laughing. "Damn, had us worried there, boss! Talk about doubling down on the edginess, fitting, love the colour pallet, brings out the 'cold dark abyss' vibe," He winked with a thumbs up.
"You look stronger, hahahaha, I wanna try this too!" Daora beamed.
"It's a one-time thing, remember?" Mito rolled her eyes but smiled with great relief, hand to her chest. "Seriously, don't scare us like that, you froze up completely for a moment there..."
"Not in the humorous sense eitheR," Argo clicked her tongue, rapping a knuckle of his chest, just feeling the hairs on her arm stand upright. "Ya sure look the part of a demon now, HerO,"
"That feels like an oxymoron," Nagi's eyes shut with a nervous laugh, looking to Klein who offered a fist for him to bump.
Instantly, Klein's body shivered and leapt back, "Yah, holy crap, that's cold!"
"He is covered in ice, you know?" Kirito stated the obvious.
"I know that, but Argo touched him without issue!" Klein shot back, not realizing the Rat was shivering under her cloak from just a small tap of her knuckle.
"You are now imbued with the power of darkness, it won't last forever, so you mustn't waste time, any of you," Isshi gestured to the crater. "Go, use their stolen power to break through the barriers protecting this cursed place."
"Hate to be the downer here, but even with this power-up, there's gotta be nearly three times as many mobs between us and the center of the crater," Yuuki pointed out, crossing her arms. "They can just keep throwing bodies at us to wear Nagi down,"
"She's right, there's gotta be a way to get Nagi through without interruption," Asuna concurred, rubbing her chin. "Commander?"
But Heathcliff's eyes were to the distant sky, squinted at something he could barely make out. A few others stopped murmuring, now feeling a sudden drop in temperature, even the wind picked up sharply, none of it came from Nagi.
"What's that?" "Sounds like... singing?" "Why'd it get so cold? We're in a desert!"
"Up there, look!" Mito pointed to the clouds that dispersed, a large creature descending in a low arc towards them.
"Whatever it is, it's heading straight for us!" Kibaou exclaimed.
"Ah, I was wondering when she'd show up, hehe," Isshi giggled, leaving a few bewildered.
"Huh?" Was the collection question as a great gust of ice-cold wind blew across the sands, coming to hover above the Frontrunners who shielded their faces from the sudden surge of wind and sand.
Blinking, Shirayuki's eyes grew as wide as plates. "It is you! Today truly is a blessing!" She hollered.
With a wide stretch of her glimmering wings, Velkhana unleashed a powerful, almost triumphant roar as she came to land before them with her posture proud and dignified. her cursor yellow, just like Shirayuki's and Isshi's. She regarded those new before eyeing Nagi sharply, folding her wings to look down at him.
"Nice of you to join us, Velk," Isshi smiled, stroking the Iceborne dragon's right foreleg. "You didn't think I'd come without a few surprises of my own, no? Velkhana is a proud dragon, so it stands to reason she desires revenge for being corrupted herself," Velkhana then exhaled sharply, creating a cluster of ice that nearly knocked Daora over.
"Hrm... I have to work alongside a dragon... I like it! Now we're talking!" Daora cackled, waving his arms. "With this, we'll tear through their army like its nothing but air!"
"I gotta say, I don't think I'm gonna get used to this stuff when you're around," Kirito laughed, nudging Nagi's shoulder without even shuddering.
"Well, I do have to keep up with your achievements somehow, don't I?" Nagi joked back, turning to address the whole group. "Like Ms Isshi said, we don't have time to dwell on this, right now, we have our one chance to break through to the ritual site! Me and Velkhana will break down any wall that's in our way, the rest of you fight with everything you've got!"
He wasn't in a position to make commands, but given his role in the mission, it seemed justified. And no one objected, Kibaou turning on his heel with his arms crossed firmly. "Well!? Clean the wax outta yer ears and get movin'! We ain't got all day to be gawking cause someone's got a new fashion trend, move it or else!"
"You heard him, all members of DDA, mobilize and converge on the wall!" Lind threw his arm wide.
"Same goes for all of KoB's members, form into your parties and advance to provide support to the frontlines!" Heathcliff declared.
"RIGHT!" The desert thundered with confirmation and battle cries.
"Make a good show of it, Boss, give 'em something to be envious of," Artorias winked in passing, meeting up with Yuuki and the other Sleeping Knights.
"Just leave the rabble to us, we'll clear the path from below!" Daora offered, marching with Destroyer drawn high. "Let's tear them apart!"
"Be safe," Mito gave a firm, reassuring look, tapping Soul Fang off NightSky in passing.
Argo stood by for a moment, watching Nagi's glowing eyes for the longest time. She looked like she needed to say something but shrugged a small sigh. "Nah, ya just do what you gotta dO,"
Now, it was only Isshi, Velkhana, and Shirayuki. Looking to the latter, Nagi gestured to Velkhana. "Care to join me?"
Her expression shifted to one of surprise. "You... wish to fly on the back of Velkhana?"
"Yeah, if... that's okay with her?" Nagi glanced at Isshi who raised a thumb.
"Wouldn't be here otherwise, you both were ones that aided in setting her free, I think she'd be honoured to fight alongside you for a change, right, Velk?" Isshi patted the dragon's side as she fanned her wings wide, then lowered down to their height.
"Thank you, Velkhana," Bowing his head to the proud dragon, Nagi leapt onto her back, using the ridges on her neck to hold himself steady, the system actively adjusting his body for him to balance on the back of the dragon perfectly. Leaning over, Nagi offered Shirayuki a hand. "Let's tear down Danuja's plans once and for all, together!"
That was all she needed to hear, grasping his ice-cold hand tightly. "I would be honoured, my friend," Hoisted up onto the back of the regal elder dragon, Velkhana rose to her full height, and in a flash and drop in temperature, her whole body erupted with the defining, frost armour that enhanced her radiant appearance as the true ruler of the winter.
"Hahahaha, amazing... such a beautiful creature and I'm riding on the back of her!" Shirayuki actually sounded a little giddy, drawing her own blade as Isshi waved them off.
Sitting upright, Nagi held his frostbitten NightSky forward, straight towards the wall. "On this day, we're putting an end to this corruption! Velk... roar,"
Throwing herself back on her hindlegs, a great plume of ice and snow expelled from the Iceborne Wyvern, throwing her head back as she took flight above the raid party.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"
The wind was cold and harsh, surrounding Velkhana in a veil of winter as various projectiles from below pelted her rime armour and glistening scales. Riding atop her back, Shirayuki held onto Nagi's shoulders, even though it made her hands shiver, not once did she feel the dark ice that had crystalize over his form infect her. It was a biting chill, but it didn't harm her.
"Velk, clear the path below for the others, then we'll take to the barrier!" Nagi called over the howling winds, feeling Velkhana's body dip sharply with a growl.
Velkhana swooped low, reeling back her neck to unleash a vertical spray of freezing mist that instantly formed rows of crumbling ice, obliterating numerous Corrupted standing in her wake. She flew sideways, thrusting her tail through the midsection of a Mantis as its pincers bounced off the thick, blue ice that made up her tail. Dragging it skyward, Velk flicked and sent its body crashing into two Golems, roaring angrily as she took to the sky again.
"I can see the seal," Shirayuki gestured ahead to the veil of orange light that closed off the valley ahead, and a massive, intricate symbol formed with a series of complex, jagged runes etched into various circles, glowing a sickly green, like cursed flames. Just the sight of it made even Nagi shiver, they were experiencing everything the Abyss had to throw at them, now it was their turn. "It appears even the skies are unsafe,"
True to her word, a swarm of winged Corrupted Wyrms closed in from the crags of the valley, already spitting volleys of cursed flames, shrieking at their approach. Nagi stood up carefully on Velkhana's back, using her neck as a support before Shirayuki stood behind him. "Shirayuki?" His glowing eyes blinked up at her, seeing the flare in her eyes.
"Focus your strength into taking down the veil, I shall ward off these beasts alongside Velkhana!" Drawing several kunai, she balanced herself perfectly and with a flick of her wrist, sent several blades sailing through the dark sky, piercing the wind membrane of three Wyrms. "Velkhana!"
Heeding her call, the elder dragon swept her head sideways, spraying a gust of pure cold, freezing the Wyrms that foolishly made contact with the breath attack, their bodies hurdling towards the ground, shattering into thousands of pieces. Seeing as they had it handled, Nagi eyed the seal, feeling the darkness covering his body resonate, like pins and needles crawling from head-to-toe.
"Velkhana, barrel through, straight for the veil!" Nagi ushered, brandishing NightSky as a deep blue vapour rolled off its blade.
With reckless abandon, Velkhana flew forward, crashing through Wyrms as Shirayuki threw more explosive kunai, disorientating the horde that flew in from their flanks. Once close, Velkhana swung herself to the left sharply, flinging Nagi forward as he entered freefall, arcing his body. Instead of the usual riptide that accompanied his haori's special effect, instead, he became enshrouded by a swirling blizzard of ice and snow, it wasn't cold, it was a lack of motion that froze the light of his sword skill, it was a wonderous and frightening power.
Deciding to accompany the fitting change in aesthetic, a smirk pulled at his cheeks under his frozen mouth guard. "Dance of the Ice Dragon!" Plunging his blade through the veil, Nagi carved down the length of the seal diagonally, cleaving through in three, heavy carves, leaving behind a jagged row of ice crystals that burst with the final, fourth slant.
Sent flying back by the force of the impact, Velkhana flew low, catching Nagi on her back again as he and Shirayuki watched the seal burst, the orange veil dissipating. Feeling a heavy pat on his back, Nagi jerked forward, seeing Shirayuki laugh. "A stunning blow! But alas, it appears one final barrier remains!"
Beyond the wall, the glow of another barrier laid ahead. Peering over Velkhana, Nagi spotted the others fighting the hordes of Corrupted below, despite their job, he shook his head. "Velkhana, let's open up the gates, double back and ram the gateway!"
"Hahaha, you appear to have taken up some of the Dragon Lord's traits!" Shirayuki teased.
"What can I say? Its effective in this case, and I feel Velkhana wants to let off some steam, right, girl?" Patting her scales, the Iceborne Wyvern snorted sharply, bowing her head once. It was impossible for Nagi to tell what a monster was thinking, but her scent hadn't changed since her abrupt arrival. She was furious, having been twisted by this force, turned against everything she stood to protect. If anyone here wished to destroy everything the Abyss has created, it was the dragon it pissed off. "Alright, Velk, tear down everything in your way, this your chance, for Isshi!"
"Raaaaaaaaaaaar!" Her voice shook the skies, creating a bombardment of ice that came down on the corrupted like frozen meteors. She turned sharply, forcing her two passengers to hold on tightly as her speed intensified.
Fanning out her wings, Velk arching into a flip, Shirayuki and Nagi yelling out of surprise as they held on for dear life, the wind prickly against their bodies. Once behind the frontlines, Velkhana kicked forward with a single burst of speed, the wind and snow forming around her lithe body like a white veil.
With the sheer size and combined velocity alone, Velkhana recoiled from the gates that buckled and bent inward from her slam, clearly, it was not enough so she growled and flew back, inhaling the very cold around her. Retching down at the gate, she spewed a concentrated beam of ice and snow, the swell of power super-freezing the air and surfaces it made contact with, accumulating pressure until it was set to implode. In a blinding blue light, a cold snap enveloped the wall, instantly freezing the dark architecture and any Corrupted nearby, leaving behind the frozen, warped gatehouse laying wide open.
A chorus of praises came from behind as they ascended, flying deeper into the jagged valley.
"Now, let us see to the final hurdle while your power lasts," Shirayuki declared, noticing how Nagi began to breathe heavily. "Are you well?"
"Ye-yeah, just... using this power once took a lot out of me," He kept his grip on NightSky as tight as possible, even freezing his fist to it for good measure. But he felt it, this boon of power wasn't something his body could handle, and in a way, magic wasn't a skill that existed for players. "I've got one more in me, m-maybe two, so its best we make it big - Velk, up!" Bloodlust quickly engulfed his nose that he barely had a chance to think.
Heeding his abrupt call, Velk cried out as her tail was clipped by a massive column of stone, only it was moving as it crashed into the side of the valley. Adjusting herself, Velkhana and the duo looked down at where the seal was this time, not on the barrier, but on the chest of a massive golem, it had to stand nearly as tall, if not taller than Fuscus for the 5th floor.
"It's nearly as big as the 50th floor boss..." Nagi breathed in complete shock.
Despite its towering form, it managed to land a solid hit on Velkhana, her tail cracked as she kept her distance from its one, mutilated arm. "If we don't clear this creature, it will bring about the deaths of many - ah!" Shirayuki hissed, patting the cursed flames off her shoulder as she flung more kunai behind her, catching a Wyrm that had snuck up on them. "It appears we've been surrounded too,"
Again, the massive golem swung at them with a deep, earthly howl, Velkhana flying around it as the Wyrms gave chase. She turned, spewing a wave of frost to catch two as three closed in. Reaching for her sword, Shirayuki slid down Velkhana's back, lunging high to sweep through with the momentum of her sword skill, cleaving through the Wyrms, using their torn bodies to vault from monster to monster, keeping herself sky bound until she rolled and skewered her sword through a crack in the golem's shoulder, heaving herself to safety.
"Shirayuki!" Nagi called to, slashing at a wyrm that got too close, allowing Velk's tail to decapitate it while he ducked under another volley of cursed blasts. "Dammit!"
Swivelling, Velkhana drew back her head for another breath attack, attempting to free the large arm, ripples of frost and ice forming over its rocky fist to no avail as it tore through the waves of ice, striking her chest and sending both the dragon and Nagi careening into the nearest cliffside. She found the strength to hover, but their backs were to a wall, the golem lumbering towards them, Shirayuki still swaying from its shoulder, unable to dent it.
It wouldn't take it long to close in and pummel them into the ground, and this dark power was starting to fade, Nagi's window was closing as his heartrate picked up. If they couldn't break the final seal, it was over, for this floor and dozens more. Looking around, he put everything he's learned from Argo into practice; she always found an angle or perspective others couldn't. Whenever she was in a pinch, she looked for a solution and survived.
"The seal is on its chest, we're surrounded by cliffs... come on, what am I missing!?" Nagi punched the side of his head, peering over Velkhana's shoulder, down at the arm the golem dragged through the earth behind it. The same covered in clusters of ice... slowly, his eyes widened with a revelation. "Velkhana, when I give the word, dodge, okay?" Her head turned to eye him momentarily. Even for a monster, her eye lingered with questions, meeting his glowing gaze. "I'll give you an opening, trust me,"
Nodding once, her head faced forward, keeping her altitude. The towering golem stopped, slowly drawing back its arm as it practically shadowed them already. Every fibre of Nagi's being were on edge, if they miss this by even a second, they'd be flattened into a smear on the cliffs. Closing his eyes, Nagi listened instead to the wind, Isshi could pick up on its 'words', similar to how Nagi could read things with his nose.
The air whistled and howled, but there were distinct noises and pitches. The wind around Velkhana was a gale, gentle yet ferocious, his own was quiet with a faint hum. Even this golem moved with a slow, powerful suction of air around its arm. It grew louder and louder, so did its bloodlust as it began to close in on them. Nagi waited... it drew close enough to nearly entomb them... the rumbling of its limb made his ears twitch.
"Now!" Velk flew straight down, but Nagi pushed off her nape with the tips of his toes, just barely clipping over the lip of the golem's fist as it sunk into the cracked cliffside, bringing down a cascade of boulders and jagged edges to bury and anchor its arm. Without a second to lose, Nagi ran down its arm, leaping over a fallen slab of stone, plunging NightSky deep into one of the many fissures Velkhana's ice had wormed their way into. "Got you now! Frozen Conflagration!"
Dashing forward, Nagi tore sweeping lines through every crack in its arm, widening its wounds with each winding slash until his boots struck the base of the shoulder. With a leap, he spun around twice, a halo of dark rime freezing the air around him, broadening the wound in its joint. Pulling his head back, Nagi knew what to say, after all, Velkhana had heard them say it numerous times when they took her down before. "Velkhana, Swiiiitch!"
Falling over the shoulder, towards the pulsing rune on the golem's beating, twisted chest, Velkhana expelled a white vapour onto her own tail, reinforcing and refining its edge before she swung down in a forward roll, cleaving through the managed limb as an exhaust of astral flames spewed from the vents located on the back of the shoulder, the whole arm dislocating as it crumbled and pulled away from the rest of its body.
"Nagi, be ready!" From the opposite shoulder, Shirayuki sprung down, grabbing his outstretched arm to sling him around. With a single turn, the shinobi threw him so fast, he swore his arm almost tore off from the sheer amount of strength behind it. Keeping himself steady, Nagi drew back NightSky, the last of this borrowed power concentrated into the tip of his blade.
"Frozen Thrust!" The tip dug and squeezed through the smallest crack, pushing the humongous beast backward as a webbing of cracks formed, and with a burst of blue light and streaks of ice, Nagi felt all that resistance give way, cutting through stone like melted butter until his sword dug into the crumbling barrier, a gaping, human-sized wound through the torso of the great guardian that fell apart and shattered bit-by-bit.
His body tumbled across a stone pavement, catching himself to slide on his side, as discomforting as it may be. Shaking his head, Nagi felt his world spin for a moment, collecting himself to eye Velkhana roaring triumphantly over the falling golem, Shirayuki somewhere amidst the dust and debris.
Inspecting himself, Nagi grimaced in seeing his health had fallen below half, he almost forgot in the heat of battle. Picking a healing crystal, its soothing light restored him instantly as he took a stand at the edge of the wall overlooking the center of the ritual site, and his eyes almost couldn't believe what they were seeing.
The entire area was surrounded by the same black metal architecture that made up most of the Abyss's dungeons and other monoliths, creating a stadium-wide ring around a pit filled with a harrowing, green mist that gave of an ominous, otherworldly glow to it. Several platforms were broken up within the pit itself, all marked with dozens of circles and other complex networks of spells and runes, from above, it all came to join as one, crater-sized ritual.
And there, on the largest, center platform, was a single man; his body scarred and burned, dark blue ice crystals jutting from his skin in certain places, what remained of his war-torn barding and Gi fluttering in the winds he conjured. And a single nodachi encased in rime. His head craned to look up at Nagi, even from here, he felt those cold, empty eyes.
/Danuja, Herald of the Abyss - Lv. 92\
"Fitting it would be you again... the ritual is almost complete..." Danuja's voice was almost apathetic. "But, before that... it is time to settle the score, you and I... come, Nagi the Water Shinobi... one last time."
Even as they stood there, one consumed by darkness, Nagi's own power crumbled like an eggshell, revealing his stern frown and burning, onyx eyes as the last of the darkness left his body. At the center of this corruption, time was running out...
[To Be Continued...]
[Author's Notes]
The first, and probably the only time anyone will use magic in SAO, and its more just imbuing their weapons with magic, but still pretty cool (No pun intended). And with the build-up, we got quite the battle ahead against Danuja for possibly the final time, and with Velkhana making a return to boot.
Using the brief power of darkness itself, its time for the final battle between Nagi and Danuja! I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; see ya in the next chapter, Misfits!
084 - Tyrant Overthrown
Within the eye of the storm, Danuja awaits...