|Sword Art Online, Floor 70, Town of Shiva|
|June. 30th 9:30|
Bright and early, Nagi had plans to meet up with Mito and Daora the next town over, needing some help with a key part to their quest, against Daora's insistence they could handle themselves. However, before Nagi planned to join them around lunch, a different message had come up later last night from Lux, according to Fynch, that is.
"You want to clear a dungeon?" The news was a surprise to Nagi, as well as Argo and Fynch alongside him.
"Quite the jump in difficulty, I'll say," Fynch concurred, standing before Lux who smiled slightly, toying with a strand of hair.
"I know its a lot to ask, Fynch said as much last night, but I... its important, there's a material only found in a certain dungeon, but I know I can't safely navigate it alone," She waved her hands just as quickly. "I-I don't want to take up more of your time, all of you already done so much for me these last two days. But, if we find the drop I need, I heard the material can be a useful crafting item, if that's helps at all, so you'll at least get something out of it."
"What's the item that's caught yer eyE? Dependin' on what it is, we'll consideR," Argo cut in, keeping things professional before Nagi outwardly agreed. She didn't mind helping out, but they also didn't have time to be dungeon delving all morning either.
Nodding, Lux opened her menu, materializing something from her inventory. Within her palm dropped a single, glowing, amber core, like those found in most mobs on this floor, only smaller, the boys leaning in to marvel at its faint, glowing texture.
"They're called Fey Gatestones, and can only be found in one dungeon on this floor, according to the Dungeon Duo's intel in your guidebook, Argo," Lux explained, the boys now turning their heads back to the broker who didn't seem phased at all, blinking once with her arms crossed.
"Heard of 'em, rare finds as they spawn on the ground, no particular spot but they say the bottom-most layer is where S an' S found theirS," Argo studied the item in Lux's hand, then gave a small nod, outstretching her hand. "Alright, got a deal, we get a cut of the stones, how many you neeD?"
"About three more like this," Lux winced, but relaxed as Argo nodded, keeping her hand outstretched.
"Then we'll take an added threE," It'll make up for any extended time down in the dungeon if they offer them to Mito. Both girls shook on it, settling the arrangement.
"Okay, I guess we'll follow your lead, Lux," Nagi declared, gesturing for her to take charge. "We'll help for as long as we can, but once we need to go, we'll come back to help finish your search, if needed."
"I can stay behind if you guys have to shoot, got teleport crystals if things get hairy, always prepared," Fynch declared, holding up a crystal in each hand.
"Really? Thanks," Even if she seemed relieved to have their aid, something was... off. The scent of anxiety was surrounding her, and she looked to be under some stress too.
"Is everything okay? You looked a little anxious," Nagi asked, seeing her shake her head, trying to save face.
"I'm okay, I just don't want to fail, that's all," She wasn't entirely lying, and it seemed enough to convince Nagi, for now. "No one would get hurt, it'll be okay..." Is all she could keep telling herself, unable to look any of them in the eye.
|Floor 70, The Timelost Oasis|
|June. 30th 10:41|
To the south-east of town, just on the edge of the Shattered Corridor, if players followed a wayward path made from polished, untouched stone, they'd come to the edge of an earthly maw torn open in the land, within it, the crumbling remains of a temple could be seen poking out of the crater now buried atop the structure. Only, at the end of the path sat a wide, circular rift, through its veil, the shimmering image of a ziggurat was visible above ground by a few meters, completely untouched.
Heading through the rift, brought players into the dungeon's public instance, the forest surrounding it an invisible barrier, but the temple now fully accessible from the top. Inside, the walls were carved of light grey stone, lit with goblet swaying between decorative archways. The halls were long and winding, heading deeper underground, through long stairwells, chambers meant as gathering halls or other community rooms, completely unscathed, but shrouded by a dark gloom where the light couldn't reach.
Fynch was pushed back through the doorway by the fist of the monster roughly six foot tall. It was a brass golem with a body solely made from a decorative clock, its arms made from barrel-like shapes and reinforced panels, the legs much the same as the hands spun around, briefly revealing the green core within its body as it spun its left arm up and around for a sharp uppercut, throwing his greatsword high, but leaving itself open.
"Switch!" Fynch hollered in time for Lux to close in, thrusting the tip of her sword through the gaps in the spinning clock hands, piercing the core that flashed and turned red, the arms popping off whilst it stumbled back, only for some electrical current to drag and snap the limbs back into place, quickly coming back online, health regenerating into the red.
Lux didn't call to switch, twirling her blade into a pirouette to counter a sudden charge, using its own momentum to dive back toward Fynch, the hall was narrow, leaving little room to evade. The Ancient Guardian suddenly spun both arms and slammed the ground like a gorilla, leaping high to bring it arms down for an explosive shockwave, damaging them both and throwing them back down the hall, straight past the archways Argo and Nagi hid behind to avoid the blast.
Rushing the golem, Nagi clutched Divine Sakura, he kicked off his feet into a spin over a heavy clap from both hands, unleashing a single cleave of blooming petals and rushing currents, tearing across both the Guardian's arms at the elbow joint, severing them with a secondary slash. Coming to land, Argo timed her jump well, using his back to vault and draw Acute Vault through with her left, skewering the core just as the hour hand flew by, hearing the crystal crack and eventually shatter.
The Guardian wobbled, tipping back and allowing the broker to roll into her landing, the golem shattering at her back in spectacular fashion, giving them a quick tip of her cowl.
"Nice hit," Nagi winked to her, turning back to Lux and Fynch. "You two alright?"
"Took the hit and can keep on truckin'." Fynch raised a fist, smiling to Lux who quickly regained hers.
"Ye-yeah, all good here," But it was apparent she was still feeling off, not nearly as reactive as before, but it wasn't enough to warrant turning back.
"You sure you're doing okay? We can take a break if you need it," Fynch offered, their group now in a gathering hall, rectangular in structure with three other corridors leading away.
"No... I'm okay, really," She just had to focus, they weren't far now. Offering him a sweet smile, she leaning against an old, grand table. "I'm sorry for dragging you all down here, I've been even less helpful than usual."
"Hey now, we can handle the weight, and look, we've gotten this far and you've still been more than helpful, right boss?" Fynch looked to Nagi who turned away from Argo plundering a chest hidden in a corner behind a pillar to give a supportive expression.
"We did agree to come here, and we knew it wouldn't be easy looking for these rare items, but we've got half of what we need, even if we have to cut our time short, we'll just come back to gather the rest, so its no harm done," Nagi winced and whispered. "Argo doesn't like pending payments past a full day."
"Heard thaT," She hummed from directly behind her partner, giving a smug grin. "So long as we're given our fair share before day's end, no skin off my nosE. And ya don't peg me as the type to up and bail on a transactioN."
"No, never!" Lux shook her head quickly, but relaxed when Argo snickered.
"Nyehehe, then ya got nothin' to worry yer pretty lil' head oveR," She wore a sweet smile of a teenage girl, but it all masked the scary business woman behind those greedy eyes.
"Come on, we're halfway there, so we can't stop now," Nagi gave some encouragement, turning to the nearest exit to the room.
"Right, okay..." Keeping her voice quiet, Lux hopped off the table to follow. But the deeper they traversed, the worst her stomach felt.
|June. 30th 11:13|
Reaching the transition stage of the Oasis, true to its name, the walls became cracked with vines and tiny streams, the halls and rooms were uneven and dotted with sudden drops into deeper levels below, sometimes they were simply death pits meant to be avoided at all cost. Monsters started to show up in groups frequently, coupled with traps.
Another cluster of Living Lightning released a collective nova of ionic energy, their neon blue arcs singing Nagi's cloth armour and haori, but he powered through with a rampant set of twisting arcs, completing Conflagration with a dazzling splash of water, dispersing the elementals. Through them, two Leapers charged, narrowly avoiding falling off a chasm to the far left of the chamber, Argo rolling to deliver a Skewer straight to the first one's side, tearing bits of gravel and dust from its body.
It stumbled and eventually fell into the pit below, the darkness swallowing it whole as the other merely slashed at the open air, its spear scraping across the floor when its body lurched under the combined strike from Lux and Fynch, each scarring the chassis, flinging the body into the left-hand wall, even as its core turned green, it plummeted with its companion, out of sight, out of mind.
Each took a moment to catch their breaths, healing if needed. No one said a word, deciding to stay on the move, Nagi taking the closest doorway beside Argo whilst their HP slowly rose back into the green. Lux had kept track of their supplies, everyone still had more than enough healing items on-hand, they've been cautious not to be drawn into unwanted battles. Even if something were to happen now, they'd be okay.
Thunk
"Lux?" Fynch turned his head slowly as hers lowered to where her left foot had mysteriously sank a few inches, lifting her sole as the stone popped back up. Both looked to each other worryingly. "Uh no-"
"Woah!" Nagi leapt in shock when the doorway behind him and Argo slammed shut, same with another door to the far right of the room Lux and Fynch were still in, only leaving the way they came.
"Ah, why'd it have to be area denial traps?" Fynch slumped with a heavy sigh. "Well, better than actual, 'possible-death' traps."
"Nagi, Argo!?" Lux called to, but no sound came from the other side, likely silencing any form of communication. Her hands slid off the stone surface, closing her eyes in guilt. "I should've looked where I was going... it's my fault..."
"Nah, if anyone's to blame, its me, I should've checked the room too, despite there being mobs," Fynch gave a relaxed expression, lightly tapping the side of his head. "I mean, hey, I'm the trap detector, sorta slacking on my part- we'll get back to them, or vice versa, just gotta find a workaround, no biggie."
Even if he said all this, Lux couldn't form a confident smile like his. "I shouldn't have asked you come here, any of you, but I couldn't..." She couldn't stand it, but what choice did she have. They had to be watching, or, or if she came out with all of them... what if there was more she wasn't aware of? Was there any way out of this for them? What if... if they...
Her shallow breaths were growing more apparent in the silence, Fynch studied the area, nothing was around for now, so he sheathed his greatsword back on its latches. "There's... more to this than just item gathering... something's been bothering you, since yesterday, right?" Her voice caught sharply in her throat, turning away from him to look at the chasm. "Hey, not my place to pry, you got your own issues I'm sure, but... if something's wrong, I can offer an ear? Just to take your mind off some of the weight."
Only the flicker and crackle from the goblets gave off any sound, and the occasional trickle of water. Lux squeezed her biceps tightly, she was terrified, for Nagi and Argo, and for the person stuck with her, the worst person in this world. "Why... why are you so nice to me? I'm a horrible person, I can't even do anything right without someone else doing all the work for me, I've gotten people hurt just for being too afraid to do anything about it." Tears began to well up in her eyes, sniffling a little.
"E-ever since I ran into you, all you and Nagi, Argo, Artorias; all of you are so kind, supportive, and it only makes me feel worse, I hate it, because I feel horrible using you," In just two days, Lux felt something she hadn't in a long time. Genuine happiness, she didn't need to worry about what she said or how she acted. "I wish you never met me..."
It was hard for Fynch to understand what others go through sometimes, everyone had their demons, their own wars to fight, some worse, more complex than others. He envied those that could form the bridges needed to reach those people, or attempt to stand on equal footing with them. But with Lux... it was different this time, and in compelled him to come and stand beside her, their shoulders only a few inches apart, staring around at the lit wall and the looming pitfall below.
"I used to be an orange player way back when," That got quite the head turn from her, making him chuckle. "Yeah, not what you'd expect to hear, huh? I don't consider it something sensitive to hide, so it always gives people one heck of a reaction, hahaha... we didn't kill anyone, just rough them up, take what we needed and disappeared, quick and clean. Myself, our pragmatic leader, Harriet, and Arawn, very eccentric that one,"
His lips tugged into a small frown, staring deeply into that darkness, the same that masked Darkdrinker Keep back then. "Then we took a deal, people started getting hurt, and... some didn't come back at all. It wasn't just to save our necks, now, we had played a part in the deaths of good folks trying to get by too. And when a group of Frontrunners got wrapped up in the middle, I thought to myself, 'this is it, I go into this room, and I'll be locked up or worse', and I honestly accepted that, I couldn't stand by and watch what Arawn and Harriet were doing anymore. Someone had to say 'No',"
Slowly, Lux saw his smile return, a glow to his eyes she had never seen before illuminated in the shadows. "Imagine my surprise, even disbelief, that this Frontrunner not only helped me put a stop to my old party's scheme, but... eventually took me in, looked at me as their equal, one of their own. They took in a person people would scorn or demand their head for the lives lost, even indirectly... he took that risk on me, risked being my friend. He saved me."
"Fynch..." Lux began, unable to find the words when he turned to her, patting her shoulder for a second.
"I ain't like Nagi, but, doesn't mean I can't try to live by what he's done for me, look past the mistakes and see what a person's really worth, a lot of folks out there deserve a second chance. And I bet, if someone like you feels as much guilt as you do over what you've done, then to me, you're more than worthy of that chance too." He gave a quick wink. "Swear on my life."
He was just like her, she never bore the same cursor as him, but what Lux had done, she felt just like any other orange player. Would he really accept her? But, Nagi did for him, despite what Fynch had done, Nagi saw to the person Fynch was, what he wanted to do right, rather than just the faults along the way. It made her heart twist, that knife digging deeper and deeper into her body, so much so, she clutched a hand over her chest, tears remained in her eyes.
Fynch broke away from his old life, but Lux? She couldn't even bear to say it aloud, her legs were like lead, her chest stung and tore at her body. Fear kept her secrets held down.
All she could manage was a teary smile, sniffing back her tears slightly. "Thank you, Fynch... and I'm sorry for this. Please... just survive."
"Huh?" Caught up in the moment, no matter how high his Detection was, he couldn't feel the presence slither up behind him like a viper.
Something struck him hard and fast, and it was enough force to send him hurdling off the edge, straight into the chasm below with a startled yell, the light dimming by the second. "WoooaaaAAAH!"
"See ya, old friend..." Even amidst his screams, Fynch's ears caught wind of that voice, one that still haunted him to this day.
The same that coerced Harriet to take innocent lives.
"I'm so sorry, Fynch..." Was the last he heard, swallowed up by the darkness.
|June. 30th 11:17|
"Okay, have we passed that pillar before?" Nagi pointed out to their right, having walked through the same crossroads twice now.
"Ugh, the layout's all jumbled up, trap must've rearranged some routeS," Meaning, for the time being, Silent and Sakura's map data was useless less they found an unaffected path forward.
A minor setback, but one that brought a small laugh to Nagi's lips. "Heh, we always seem to wind up in these complications, huh?"
"No kiddiN'," Argo rolled her eyes lightly.
The pair continued to study their surroundings, strange thing was, the monsters were scarce within the winding corridors, but they didn't pay it any mind. Reaching a doorway, they stepped through to a large, hexagonal-shaped chamber, the floor uneven, no two bricks beneath their feet sitting smoothly together. And three other doorways presented themselves. And not a single foe to be seen.
Argo was about to comment on it when Nagi gasped sharply, like someone had thrown a punch to his gut. "...Fynch...!"
She too looked, and was left feeling ice cold when his health plummeted dramatically in a flash, entering the red in the blink of an eye, thankfully, the gauge didn't fall further. But the most harrowing sight was Lux, her name and gauge all vanished without a trace. Both immediately were on edge, but they couldn't turn back, their route was cut off; did Fynch trigger a trap? What about Lux? Was she already...?
"This waY!" Argo immediately ran for the furthest doorway, she'd find them the shortest route based on speculation. She had the map data, all she had to do was predict how the doors in various areas would shut and rearrange the layout, but most paths would remain the same-
"Argo!" Grabbing the hem of her cloak, Nagi threw her behind him with all his strength, barely managing to raise Divine Sakura in time, flicking sharply for its scabbard to catch the throwing pick that clattered to the floor. His loss of posture threw him off-balance, stumbling toward the center with Argo shielded behind him. In an instant, the scent made his nose crinkle in disgust. "You..."
"Thought I had you, you definitely have some unique skill or something to react like that," Stepped seemingly out of the shadows, their Stealth skill doing no good. Wolfram's distain could be heard through his helmet, clutching that scorched old sword in his right, blocking the way out. "In a hurry, are we?"
"Out of the way!" Nagi drew his katana, he didn't have time to deal with Wolfram, but now the pieces fell into place fairly quickly. "What happened to Fynch and Lux?"
"And why should I tell you? Don't assume everyone will just give up their plans because you're waving a weapon at them," Wolfram gave a disgruntled snort, running the tip of his blade sharply into the cobblestone below, releasing a sharp, metallic cry.
"Ya planned to deal with us when we got split, use the confusion of not knowin' what's happened on their end to bait uS," Argo cut through his cryptic wording, enough for Wolfram to shift in annoyance. Her own lips tugged into a deep scowl. "Already gave us everythin' we need to hear to get the gist of thingS."
"You really are a little rat, no wonder so many envy or wish you dead, I had hoped to do it myself when you came running directly at me," Wolfram bemoaned, twisting his weapon through the cracks in the floor. "But knowing neither of you will live to tell of it, hell, that'll be enough for me."
In their haste to leave and locate Fynch and Lux, they had walked straight into another trap, one that had already been triggered the second Wolfram's sword had struck the unstable terrain at their feet. Listening close, faint cracking could be heard, some of the bricks shifting ever-so-slightly against one another.
"Good riddance to you both, 'Shinobi' 'Rat'," Sneering, Wolfram wrenched his sword free, and the whole floor warped downward, the ground coming out from under them before they had the chance to move for another exit point. "I'll send your friends to you eventually."
"YaaaaaAAAHH!" Throwing himself upright, Nagi had no way of telling when they'd hit the bottom, or if either of them would survive. No, he couldn't panic, he and Argo have been in a situation like this before! Gliding toward her, Argo's hand already caught his forearm, pulling herself into his chest before flipping under his arm to clutch his back tightly, the wind howling in their ears in the dark.
That was fine, Nagi didn't need to see to know how close the walls were! So he drew Divine Sakura, its soft, pink glow of cherry blossoms and the sparkle of water weaving around them, thrusting hard and fast, Ripple Thrust burying its length through the nearest wall, tearing a deep incision through the stone surface, their decent was fast, at any moment, they'd smash into the floor that could only a few meters away.
His weapon began to slow their descent, pushing his feet out to kick the wall, flying across until the two of them grunted, smacking into the adjacent wall, this time, Argo wrapped her legs around his stomach, digging her claws through the wall to stall their momentum further, sparks lighting up their panicked, desperate faces.
Eventually, her weapons and their combined weight, threw them back, and into a gloomy room, both tumbling across the damp floor in a heap, their HP dropping by around 30%. Both came to land atop the other, Argo luckily on top, and neither able to catch their breaths for a moment, the shock still running its course like a shot of adrenaline.
"Are... we..." Nagi tried to speak between sharp gasps.
"Think... we... arE!" Argo was much the same, her hands shakily pushing up, but her legs remained like jelly, laying in Nagi's lap. They needed a sit-rep and fast.
Peering up, a great, black void greeted them, no sign of where they fell in visible view. As for their new location, it was by far the deepest level of the dungeon. The stone was a mossy green, cracked and damp, what light that's provided came from a few goblets mounted on the walls of the rectangular room. Tall walls, and a single, black-stone door shut a few feet away from them, marked with a deep, red crystal in its center.
Sitting upright himself, Nagi's left hand came to wrap around Argo's back, for a split second, he almost lost her, coupled with the revelation Laughing Coffin were behind this didn't make his frantic heart calm any quicker. Taking out two health pots, he handed one to her. "W-we're okay, we just need to find our way back..." Glancing at their party, Fynch's HP remained the same, but he was alive. "Fynch is alive, if I had to guess, he was thrown into the chasm."
"Meaning that door will opeN," Argo gestured to with a nod, downing her potion fast and tossing it aside. She tried to stand only to nearly fall until Nagi knelt and caught her arms, feeling them trembling. All she do was fix him a weak smirk. "Guess my legs aren't in the mood yeT."
"Let's take a minute while everything's quiet, let our bodies adjust." Setting her down slowly, their hands remained joined, relying on the other to quell their nerves.
They said nothing, focused solely on each other. Nagi took in Argo's now frazzled hair, her hood down after the fall, those whiskers darker in the setting, but her golden-brown eyes remained the same, glimmering jewels in the gloomy room.
Argo did what she did best, studying every facet of what's in front of her. Nagi's skin was a little pale after the fall, lips stuck in a tiny frown, he was thinking deeply by how they pursed slightly. His hair was always messy, but it did stand up a little more from the updraft of their fall, leaving his smooth, onyx eyes in clear view.
Slowly, the panic settled to a dull worry, enough to stop their limbs from shaking and refusing to cooperate. Helping each other to their feet, both took note of the door, heading over to inspect it when something shifted behind them, their blood running cold as they turned to the sound of stone grinding against itself.
Four hidden doors opened up in the walls, leading to dead end rooms, but what emerged were several monsters from each doorway. Time Leapers, Living Lightning, and another common type of foe; undead in nature, but their leather barding was covered in bioluminescent moss and leaves, branches sticking out from between their armour that remained in perfect preservation. Their half skeletal faces marked with glowing, blue eyes. Timelost Adventurers.
All with levels that varied from 110 to 112. But within seconds, a small army had formed on the opposite of the room, which spanned roughly the same length of twenty-four meters, or the size of a tennis court. So it didn't take the first batch to turn their heads to the helpless players, slowly shambling toward them.
"Use a teleport crystal," It put Fynch and Lux at risk, but they couldn't fight through this many enemies. He reached for one, just as Argo spoke up, his hand frozen against the cold, blue mineral between his fingers.
"No lucK," She said what he couldn't bring himself to say, the words rolling off her tongue like hot lead. "Anti-Crystal ZonE."
"What about the door?" Nagi murmured, slowly backing towards their only means of escape.
She had her hands pressed to its surface, but the more she pushed and inspected the etched stone and its carvings, the quicker her heart sunk into the pit of her stomach. "I...I can't find a way to open it, I-I need timE!"
That he most certainly can do, brandishing Divine Sakura. "Then I'll double whatever you need," And not a moment too soon, hearing and seeing the teleporting Leaper on his right lunge with their spear cast in gold.
Twisting on a heel, Nagi swung hard, Serpent Slash tearing through the creature in a flash, sending it flying to the ground. An Adventurer charged, their own katana bathed in red for Ripple Thrust, Nagi countered with Uchikesu, disabling the skill for his own thrust, the rippling wave piercing its skull, blinding it to an Ichimonji soon after, splitting the head in two, using the downward momentum to duck under the twin spear thrusts from the first monster.
Sliding on his knees, a riptide of water tore up both mobs, ending with a final cleave from Whirlwind Slash to send the undead's head flying, whilst disabling the Leaper for him to deliver a quick slash to its red core, destroying it too. But no sooner did Nagi accomplish this, three Living Lightning unleashed jolts of electricity to strike him directly, one of which missed, his muscles almost going completely limp in the process.
Holding strong, he managed to roll backward from another teleporting Leaper, sword swung in a flurry with Horizontal Square just shy of Nagi's face, nicking his haori that curled around his frame as he spun like a Top, delivering a winding current of slashes, Conflagration a burning rapid of water, extinguishing the elementals and leaving the others briefly stunned, granting his body time to leave post-motion, striking back with an immediate Solstice Haze, twin, crescent arcs sweeping two Leapers, bodies of brass and stone crumbling, unveiling their green cores.
After dealing with them again, Nagi had some breathing room to down another health pot, while the monsters went down easily, their attacks still dealt damage worthy of avoiding if possible. "How's it look, Argo?" He called over a shoulder, receiving no response, leaping back toward her to evade another horizontal line of lightning from two elementals, electrifying the tip of his tongue. "Argo!?"
"I... I can't... I can't open iT..." Her voice was faint, fingers creased against the stone door that may as well be a thick wall of concrete for all she cared. Both her palms were shaking, unable to lift her head. "There ain't a key, or hidden lever, if there even is one in the rooM... we're stuck down here, till either we fulfil some requirement... or we don't at alL."
A deafening silence filled the room, disturbed only by the constant buzz emanating from the Living Lightning, or the shambling motions of golem and/or undead. Nagi glanced to the horde, more had already taken the place of those slain, what had he killed? Six so far? About three times that amount was closing in gradually like the coming tide.
"That crystal fixed to the door... maybe... maybe we have to kill a certain amount?" Nagi knew it was a fleeting, desperation that drove him to this conclusion, but also a logical assumption. "There's plenty of pitfalls meant to kill a player, but ones like these? There's a method to escape, otherwise, how would we still be alive?"
"Nagi..." Argo went to say but found his hand offered to her, and a scared but unmistakable smile of hope taking over his lips.
"Only one way to know for sure, right? You're not one to call it quits when things get tough," He encouraged her to stand. "We can do this, Hosaka."
Now, how could a girl refuse such an offer like that on a silver platter? It earned him a short-lived laugh, her fingers curled against his. "Is this tryin' to be supportive or sexy in this dire situatioN?"
"I take both compliments." He laughed, it wasn't his intention with her latter assumption but he wouldn't complain. Now, both had their weapons drawn, against what seemed like an unbeatable horde. Like they hadn't heard that before. "Ready?"
"Bet I can cut down more than you, KaitO," She smirked back.
Kicking off with Frenzy, Argo tore through the first line of elementals, disrupting them long enough for Nagi to cleave through with a single, Iai slash, sheathing Divine Sakura for an advancing slash of petals, into two rising, diagonal strikes, the updraft of blossoms consuming any caught in their wake, weakening most for Argo to sweep through unseen, her claws gouging out thin chunks from their backs, temporarily disabling several Leapers for her to double back, destroying or setting others back to a red core, a wave of polygons creating a blinding veil for her to go undetected.
A surging dragon tore through an Adventurer, the second and third rotations allowing Nagi to climb, using the teleporting Leapers to vault above the small army below, tanking bolts of lightning directly to deliver a final slash, Dance of the Water Dragon ripping through the Leapers again and two Living Lightning entities, their static trickling across his Gi, driving his weapon through the descending Leapers, reducing them to shards, feeling Argo vault from his back to dive atop the heads of the monsters, ripping and tearing in a flurry of amber lacerations.
Pulling her arms back, she plunged through the core of a Leaper, twirling over its shoulder to strike with a left-handed horizontal, ignoring the polearms abrading her back and sides for a right-handed cleave, repeating the action to push the surrounding foes back again into a final, sweeping left, tearing through armour and cogs. Nagi took a sword to his shoulder for her, as well as a spear to the left thigh, blade erupting in a raging cascade.
Jumping sideways, his body was whipped into what would've been a vertical slash now turned horizontal, Rising Sun sawing through the group surrounding them, several cores turning to red or shattered, lighting erupting in the air, damaging both of them and nearby Adventurers that still had an arm left to carry their unblemished weapons.
Twenty had fallen in the space of six minutes.
Another ten in half the time.
Fifteen in twelve minutes.
It became a constant wave of scattering shards of blue glass, the ringing of sword skills becoming white noise in their ears, and a constant, sweet taste of potions numbing their tongues.
An aquatic thrust pulled an Adventurer off their feet, Divine Sakura jutting up sharply, splitting it in two when Nagi felt a spear tear down his back, followed by a shield cracking against his chest, nearly knocking the wind from his sails, rolling to avoid a hammer's repeated slams. Argo was covered in glowing wounds, her right eye blinded by a sneaky Leaper that charged immediately after teleporting behind her, their dagger clipping her face, but so did her claws, skewering their head on its ends, allowing her to plunge her right through its blood-red core.
Using Kick-Step, Nagi avoided another sweeping greatsword, rolling to the opposite end of the kill box, Argo stumbling back herself, simply dousing the contents of a health pot atop her head, Nagi doing the same. But the monsters kept coming, endlessly rising from beyond their sights.
"How many... now?" Nagi coughed, his body still covered in wounds, their Greater Health Potions had run dry ages ago, Hi-Health pots not long after that. Only a handful of regular ones between them, unable to heal to full, even with Battle Healing carrying their work, they were being worn down to the bone. "I counted... about sixty on my end... give or take ten."
"About half that for mE," Argo rasped, pulling herself to her feet. She glanced at Nagi, his gauge was hovering around 75%, hers slightly above. Giving a dry chuckle, she held up one finger. "Got one left in the tanK."
"That so...? Same, funny enough." Nagi panted, the two giving a faint laugh together. They were on the brink of death, but their enemy had barely broken a sweat. That had to be a cruel joke of the Cardinal System, toying with their hope, their lives. A pang of guilt dug at Nagi's chest. "Guess my theory on the door was a bust, sorry for that."
"Nah, didn't want to be the pessimisT," Argo admitted, removing her cloak, now back in her inventory, she could use the hypothetical mobility right now. Funny enough, Nagi did the same without even looking her way, it had been a long time since he last went without that decorative effect to his sword skills. "Wow, must be crazy if ya removed iT."
"Don't want it to get destroyed," He said it as though they had a chance of escaping this, just that overly-positive outlook of his, he assumed. It was strange though, his body was shaken with fear, but it didn't weigh him down like times before. No, it was always there, but those times he had Argo nearby. Something about being close to her made his body move against his instincts, for better or for worse.
"Say, Hero, just to clear the air while I can, I, uH..." Sparing her a look, a rarity appeared, a look of confusion, or bashfulness appeared on her face, matched only by the warm smile that started to take shape. "Well... when we met, I, uh... I just saw yer generosity as something to use, if I couldn't make it far in the Beta, then this guy had what it takeS. Yer my bettin' horse to the top of any and all intel I could finD,"
Staring at her claws strapped to her hands, chipped and worn by constant battle, to the glowing wounds on either arm, then to the guy that had completely changed her life. "But ya changed how I think, I'm a business woman first, but I started lookin' past numbers and profit, an' I think that's what had my mindset change completely when we wound up in this death gamE. Since then, every floor, every moment we climbed through the hurdleS..."
She closed her eyes for a second, love and happiness emanating from her face, and filling her scent with the sweetest tinge. "Has been the best moments of my life, so thanks for that, Kaito KonnO."
By now, the mobs were only about six meters away, having gathered to fill the gaps in their army, marching toward the final steps a Frontrunner and Info Broker would take. Argo opened her eyes, and was met with a soft, accepting look on Nagi's face, hand already tightly locked in her own, hers gripping even tighter.
Suddenly, she let out a surprised yelp, pulled closer to him and those eyes she had a hard time looking away from, something burned within them, a finality left unsaid. "I promised that we'd clear this game, we'd both survive, and I'd take you on a date in the real world. And I will fight until I cannot move an inch more to keep it," It was a vow he etched into his heart, and one he'd die to keep. A small chuckle caught up to him, but he never left her eyes. "Because you're everything to me, Hosaka Tomo."
Both golden eyes widened a little, squeezing his hand as much as she could, hearing the rumbling march of the enemy drawing near. And she'd be lying if she said his little declaration didn't excite her heart. "Oh, I swear, we make it through this, he is so getting laiD." She instead stepped back, her hand tensing when they stepped past each other, giving each other a high five, followed by a low five, standing shoulder-to-shoulder. "Feelin' is mutual theN."
"Agreed." Nagi smiled, clasping Divine Sakura, its power threatening to erupt from the scabbard like a dam.
The horde seemed endless, and along with it came this wave of coolness. It didn't chill their bones, it didn't even draw a tear or the image of horror. No, it filled them with a strength, a death-defying will. A final, pyrrhic advance.
"Tenryu No Mai!" Right off the rip, Nagi finally unsheathed Divine Sakura, its first, three strikes came crashing down like a titan's hand, sweeping the horde multiple times over in a prismatic spectrum. the first of several stars etched in a cascade of flowers, obliterating stone, lightning and core alike in its sparkling display.
Through every sweeping arc, a tracing flow of deep amber bled into the bodies from behind. Argo taking a step forward, hands tucked under each other, extending her claws to nearly three times their length. With a display like Nagi's, she couldn't withhold her outcry. "Esoteric SkilL! Hati's RequieM!"
Her arms swung in two colliding, horizontal slashes, inflicting Slowness and Bleed amongst the crowd, then back again for a sharp clap, mincing all those unable to escape the skills that met in the middle. Then, she spun forward with surprising momentum, completely two, massive, omnidirectional slashes twice, splashing amber fragments amidst the pearlescent pink.
Triggering an Infinity Moment annihilated a vast majority of their foes, however, those fortunate to have escaped, appeared behind them both, unable to move for a split second, force to take slashes and stabs to their defenceless bodies. Nagi was the first to move, twisting to drive the full length of his katana through the chest of a Leaper, using to bounce off his feet and thrust a glowing foot through the chest of an Adventurer, sending them hurdling into the wall, twisting to remove Divine Sakura, striking down the exposed core and quickly blocking a web of lightning from above.
Argo twirled to her feet, sweeping an ocean blue foot to crashed through a Living Lightning straight into the side of a Leaper, but their spear managed to strip through her collarbone before it was sent flying. Landing, she drove Acute Vault high, catching another elemental, using it to pounce and lacerate the back of another Adventurer advancing on Nagi, himself cleave the air above her head using Iai, relieving a Leaper of their weapon.
Both downed their last health pot, Nagi around 62%, Argo around 55%. Backs crossed, an Ichimonji in bright orange clashing with the harsh, violet Cutter behind it. Nagi heaved a heavy breath, swinging back weakly to parry another ax, ducking under a lumbering scimitar, striking it with an Embracer to the chest of the monster. Argo slid past him, narrowly evading two lightning strikes, swivelling into Nagi's back, her chest struck with a shallow Slant that burned across her clothing.
For a moment, his right and her left hand grazed each other, smiling faintly, the glow crackling across their weapons once more. A dividing Serpent Slash cleared the air for an Acute Vault to pull two elementals from the skies, freeing up time for a crushing wave from Rushing Water Undulation to break up the dense horde. Laceration weakened those closest and disarmed others, leaving them wide to a twin sweep from Solstice Haze cutting down all that stood in their way. Without realizing it, both had started their own, twin sword skill connect, creating a boundless constellation through the gloomy chamber.
Everything was a blur, brushing though the polygons, Nagi wasn't sure when his would be next, his health was still falling, the wounds on his body multiplying, Battle Healing just couldn't keep up, grasping at what fleeting life remained. But there, it might've been a trick of the light, or his own delusion, but he swore the door had moved, its gleaming center having risen closer to the lip of its frame.
No, no there was something there, it was... waving...
Through the commotion and chaos, a pair of bright, green eyes widened, hair thrown back when the door was unsealed. "COME ON!" Fynch screamed at the top of his lungs, hand outstretched as far as it could go.
A wave of relief crashed against Nagi, a frail gasp leaving his lips, but it was fleeting, just like this surge of unparalleled strength. "Argo!"
Weight smacked into his back, feeling limbs coil tightly around his chest, and he broke through without even a second to lose. Slashing wildly, Nagi didn't risk a single skill, running faster, pushing harder against swords, spears, and other weaponry thrown and digging into his and Argo's bodies, he let out a wordless cry, sprinting even faster with each incision inflicting his body.
Grinding his right heel forward, he drew back Divine Sakura, and unleashed his most powerful Ripple Thrust, it struck an Adventurer, yet its burning, cerulean light endured, crashing through each and every obstacle in their way. Stretching his arm the point it may pop from its socket, his body flew through the door, sword vibrating sharply against the solid surface beyond, collapsing onto his side, Argo still clutched tightly to his back, refusing to let go.
A flash of light caught the corner of their eyes, a Leaper had snuck through the moment the door slammed shut, raising their claymore in both hands. Only to lurch forward with a hollow noise, a rapier slit down the tip of the head to the groin, and a single, black blade had run through its crimson core, shattering it with a twist.
"Yeah, fuck that," Silent cursed.
"Nagi, Argo! Just sit still!" Sakura knelt at their sides, pulling out two healing crystals, chanting the word to replenish them to full, mending their many, horrible wounds, leaving two exhausted, but living players. Her head bowed, brushing the strands of hair from her face. "Thank God, w-when we got cut off, we had to double back just to reach where Fynch had fallen, a-and then find our way to you."
"How... did you two..." Nagi coughed, sitting up alongside Argo, Silent coming to help them sit and catch their breaths.
"Cause we've been following you since the start," Silent nodded over to Fynch sliding down the wall with a heavy sigh of relief. "He felt something was 'off', or whatever, and since we've mapped this place before, we'd be the best to navigate if things went south. Which they clearly did- freakin' Laughing Coffin, of all guilds to piss off, ugh, freaks me the hell out."
"Fynch... you're okay... thank goodness..." Nagi could relax a little. "Thank you... all of you."
"Problem is, boss... not everyone is accounted for," Fynch stated the obvious, the mood growing sour, Silent and Sakura both keeping silent.
"What? Wait... Lux... i-is she-" Nagi tried but Fynch shook his head, looking perturbed, hands clutched together.
"...she's alive, she was... used to spring this trap..." Just from that alone, the revelation sunk in like an anvil to water.
"Ya gonna tell me this just a sick joke, cause I'm not in the mood for 'eM." Argo warned, looking mildly cross, glaring at Fynch who couldn't meet their eyes, hanging his head in shame.
"I thought she'd been acting weird, what with her request and all, so I thought, 'better safe than sorry', got these two as our tagalongs... someone else had shoved me in, but they saw her leave with the big man himself, clear as day." Fynch relayed briefly, that coldness filling their chests.
Lux was with Laughing Coffin.
No one knew what to say for the time being, too much to absorb and discuss at once, and certainly not in a place like the bottom of a dungeon. So, Silent cleared his throat, clapping his hands sharply to cut the silence.
"Look, we'll have time to talk about this later, let's just get moving before monsters start respawning, alright?" No one voiced any arguments, and seeing as crystals worked out here, none spared even a second in grabbing a teleport crystal to warp back outside, grateful to leave this hell behind.
[To Be Continued...]
[Author's Notes]
Can't believe I made it to the 100th chapter of Misfits, the second story to ever make this far, so I'm really happy with how this turned out, the big shift concerning Lux, which'll be the catalyst to the battle to come. I love writing Fynch as this guy just trying to do right by the people around him, seeing him do the same for others now.
Now, a battle of great importance must be discussed. So, I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; and thank you for supporting Misfits up to this massive milestone! See ya in the next chapter, Misfits!
101 - Nail in the Coffin
Despite the attempted assassination, Lux's betrayal had a silver lining that could help maybe turn the tides...