Oath of Rebellion

by Solid Shark

Tired of spending a life studying to reach an empty future, Asuna enters Sword Art Online, a world of swords and airships, to gain some measure of freedom. When she is trapped, she throws herself into building a new life for herself, as far from what her parents intended as she can. Meeting a dark swordsman sets her on a new course, in Aincrad's skies...

14. Chapter XIV: I Want Family

Chapter XIV: "I Want Family"

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December 15th, 2032

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After Moondancer departed, Kizmel did what she could to aid Tilnel in her duties. She briefly considered suggesting her sister take the day off, but ultimately held her tongue; as dedicated as Kizmel was to her role as a Knight, Tilnel was equally committed to the path of the herbalist. It would be an insult to suggest she shirk her responsibilities, no matter her own losses.

Besides which, Kizmel thought, helping her sister limp around the camp, if I know her, she would rather work than think right now. The Holy Trees know I've been in that position myself. She'd only just been knighted when their father died in battle, after all, and her own way of coping had been to throw herself into learning her new duties.

Though she hadn't done so on a wounded leg, as Tilnel was insisting upon doing. After a month fighting alongside Swordmasters, and acquiring a measure of their abilities herself, Kizmel had forgotten that even in the transitory world, her people did not heal as fast as those summoned warriors, or the Integrity Knights. Tilnel's leg would be well in a day or two, not healed in moments.

That Tilnel insisted on going to the wounded, rather than having them all brought to the healers' tent, she did not question. If motion kept her distracted, so much the better.

There was no question Tilnel was needed. Both of the marionettes assisting the healers had died in the Forest Elf attack, and the camp's surgeon was comatose after coming too close to a cannon blast. Their other herbalist had outright lost a leg, which would take a week to regrow even with the best of the transitory world's medicines. For the time being, grieving or not, Tilnel was all the camp had to turn to.

So Kizmel helped her sister limp around the camp, and as necessary acted as a nurse. The Forest Elf attack had been brief but brutal; she soon learned half of the marionette armsmen had been killed in the bombardment, along with three knights. Most of the survivors were wounded, to one degree or another. It was a stark reminder of the kind of battles the Trifoliate Knights usually fought, so different from the small skirmishes of a typical Pagoda Knights mission.

Tilnel was very quiet for most of it, only asking her patients about their injuries, and occasionally requesting some implement or medicine from Kizmel. Otherwise she worked in silence, and Kizmel's heart ached. Her vibrant, mischievous sister was a shell of her normal self.

Just when Kizmel was wondering how to break the ice, as she helped set a delirious knight's broken leg, Tilnel finally spoke. "I should thank your friends, when they return," she said quietly, expertly tying the splint; she flinched slightly when the transitory world's system automatically straightened it, but moved on to the man's other wounds without remarking on it. "Had you arrived any later, none of us would've survived."

"They do have a knack for arriving at the right moment," Kizmel said, releasing the knight's leg with what she hoped was a discreet sigh of relief. "Had they been any later, I would've died the night we met, as well—" She broke off, cursing herself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…."

"It's… alright." Carefully pouring a potion into the feverish knight's mouth, Tilnel took a deep, shuddering breath, but her hands never twitched. "I'm grateful, Kizmel. That they did save you." She glanced back, and if there were tears shimmering in her eyes, the faint smile on her lips was genuine. "You didn't tell Commander Savrak why they helped you. Does this other world know of the Last Alliance?"

"They've heard the name, but in a different context." Remembering Kirito's surprising grasp of Sindarin, Kizmel made a mental note to check the Royal Archives when she had the chance, and see if "Tolkien" had been a Lost Child at some point. "Actually," she continued with a wry smile, "their intervention was entirely by accident. They'd been fleeing a riot in Origia, intending to throw themselves into gaining the resources they needed to survive Kayaba's trap. Kirito in particular was quite shocked, not having expected to see me until… well, here. Sandoria."

That drew a sharp look from Tilnel, prompting Kizmel to realize she hadn't explained the "beta test" in the meeting with Savrak, either. As they moved on to treat an armsmen whose face had been badly burned by the blast that had destroyed the Commander's tent, she laid it out as best she could.

Tilnel seemed to grasp it about as well as Kizmel did, yet at the end of the explanation she was still frowning. "Three months ago, you hadn't yet been approached for this mission," she pointed out, settling down on a blasted stump to rest her leg. "How could you have dreams of this 'beta test'?"

"That, I do not know," Kizmel admitted, easing to the ground at her side. "But…." She hesitated, glancing around. No one seemed to be in earshot, at least. Most of the armsmen were helping put the camp to rights, and those on guard duty were focused on the main gates and the gap where the wall had been blown down. To be sure, the Axiom Church obviously already knew, but this was still something she did not think Kirito would appreciate becoming common knowledge.

"But?" Tilnel prompted.

…Kirito will probably forgive me for confiding in my sister, she decided, and nodded to herself. "Kirito is a Lost Child of Vector," she said, so softly only Tilnel would hear it. "He has a connection to our world already. Perhaps, when Kayaba began his 'test', that connection… I don't know, resonated somehow?" She shrugged helplessly. "Though why that would connect with me, I couldn't guess…."

To her surprise, Tilnel let out a giggle. When she glanced over, eyebrows raised, her sister coughed into her hand. "Sorry. It's just unusual to see you so lost for words, Kizmel. And… I can't help but think this is like the old stories you used to read. You know, the romantic sagas…."

"Those old sagas always had an explanation, however 'romantic'," Kizmel pointed out quickly. And I am not telling her I still have a copy of The Saga of Beren and Luthien under my cot aboard Moondancer. "And I remind you, it's hardly been just the two of us this past month. Asuna has been along the entire time, as well."

"Mm." Tilnel lifted one eyebrow, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "And the dark star? Whether your human friends realize it or not, that's no small gift. Not in this day and age."

"It's easier than you would think, with Moondancer's twin cores," Kizmel said firmly, pointedly turning away. "And it was the only gift I could think of that measured up to naming Asuna as my squire." She was not going to admit how flustered Tilnel was making her. Though now I wonder if I should ease off on Kirito and Asuna, if this is how they feel when I tease them.

"Oh, I'm sure." Her sister's smile widened, but then—to Kizmel's relief—she seemed to decide to let it go. "Well, then. For being named a squire to be such a gift, Asuna must be quite an… unusual human. Please, tell me about her." She glanced around, and shifted her leg. "While we work, that is. I'd rather not lay about while everyone else is working."

Kizmel agreed, and helped Tilnel over to where a replacement was being set up for the Commander's tent. "Neither of them have spoken much of their lives in their world," she began. "But I know that much as Kirito is seeking something here, Asuna is running away from something there. She also has a very strong sense of honor, and a love of stories of chivalry…."

---

The day passed, as the two sisters worked to repair the damage done to the camp and to its denizens. Above all, Tilnel wanted to keep busy, to have something to occupy herself besides her grief. Even with her dark suspicions about what might've happened in the month since Moonshadow set out, finding her fears half-realized was still a bitter blow.

Despite the circumstances, Tilnel did enjoy the chance to catch up with Kizmel, after a month of silence and worry. To learn of the strange new allies her sister had acquired since Kayaba's sick game began. Against all odds, Kizmel had found people she could call "friend", and that was a relief indeed.

Even if they were humans. Tilnel wasn't the historian her sister fancied herself as, but she'd heard enough of the Last Alliance from Kizmel's tales to know that, Quinella and Kayaba aside, not all humans were to be shunned.

Eventually, though, they ran out of work to do. Or rather, Commander Savrak ordered Tilnel to rest, and charged Kizmel with ensuring it. Reluctantly leaving reconstruction of the wall—what could be done of it, anyway, before fresh wood could be obtained; at Savrak's request, she sent a message to Kirito asking Moondancer pick some up before returning—to a pair of Trifoliate Knights and a work crew of marionettes, the sisters made their way to the edge of a pond on the far end of the camp.

In the true Aincrad, this place was a graveyard for those who fell in the line of duty and could not be returned to Lyusula. In the transitory world, it was just a solemn, empty place.

Sitting on the ground by the pond, Tilnel wrapped her arms around her knees, drawing them up to her chin. "…There isn't even a body to bury," she whispered, staring into the still pond. "This world… it's so much crueler than our own."

"It is," Kizmel agreed, settling down by her side. "Death is death, even within the spell, yet its lack of substance makes everything more difficult." She looked down at the ground, face taut. "I'm sorry, Tilnel. I'm so sorry."

The herbalist shook her head. "It's not your fault, Kizmel." She meant it, too. For all that Kizmel had never approved of Valak, Tilnel knew her sister would've fought to the last to protect him, if only for her sake. "And I… I couldn't take it. If you'd died there, too." She took a deep, shuddering breath, feeling the tears she'd desperately held back all day welling up again. "If only… his death had meant something."

Not that she was sure it would've dulled the pain. Their marriage had been a short one, but Tilnel had loved the rough-edged Valak deeply. Losing him would've been like a knife in her heart regardless. But losing him to a crash, without ever a chance to face his killers… it's too cruel.

"Why did we come here?" Tilnel asked thickly. "Why did we choose to come to this empty world? Kayaba promised us aid from his world, if we met him halfway. But all we've gotten here is death. Why…?"

For a long moment, Kizmel was silent. Then, hand sliding over to rest on Tilnel's, the Knight began, "We had to take a chance, Tilnel. The Wolkenritter are long gone. The Crimson Knights fallen. Kales'Oh cares only for the forests. And with the World Gates sealed, the Axiom Church has cut off our sacred duty. It might be a year, it might be a century, but sooner or later, Quinella would come for us directly. The Integrity Knights grow in power every year. We need the Swordmasters, Sister."

"But we don't have them," Tilnel said bitterly. "You said yourself: they're trapped here. They may aid us in breaking Kayaba's trap, but in the end all they want is to go home, not to defeat the Axiom Church. Can you say even your friends would make such a choice?"

Kizmel's silence was telling. Tilnel felt a pang of regret, not having meant to hurt her sister. But it was hard. So hard, knowing her husband had died without a fight, and for nothing.

She was about to apologize, if only to break the uncomfortable silence, when Kizmel spoke again. "I don't know what the future will hold, Tilnel," she said slowly. "Truthfully, I fear the idea of forcing Kirito and Asuna to fight our battles. Yet they both have reasons of their own to be here. And… time will tell. None of them will be the same people they were when they came to this world, soon enough…. I'm sorry, excuse me for a moment."

Tilnel blinked at the way Kizmel suddenly put a hand to her ear and started muttering to herself. Oh, she realized, a moment later. Kizmel has some measure of the Swordmasters' powers herself now, doesn't she? Her friends must've called her.

After a few moments of quiet murmurs, Kizmel lowered her hand. "That was Asuna," she announced. "Moondancer is coming back, along with Moonshadow." Standing, she drew a reluctant Tilnel to her feet as well. "Come, Sister. Not all is lost, at least."

Puzzled, Tilnel allowed herself to be lead to the camp's landing field. Shortly after arrival, Moonshadow's bulk emerged from the fog, trailed by the sleeker form of Moondancer. The two airships gently settled to the ground, and Moonshadow's hatch quickly opened.

Tilnel expected Captain Emlas to emerge first. Instead, a yip heralded a furrier passenger hurtling toward the ground. Startled, she reflexively knelt and opened her arms, catching the very happy wolf. "Cavall?" she whispered, embracing Valak's partner. "Cavall… you're alive…?"

Most animals in the transitory world were marionettes. The wolves of the Pagoda Knights Brigade were not. Taken into the spell-world much as the Knights themselves, they were every bit as real—and in danger—as their handlers. Tilnel had assumed that Cavall had died with Valak, with him not having accompanied Kizmel.

"We asked that Captain Emlas take care of him," Kizmel explained, with a sad smile, even as Savrak directed his men to take the wood coming down off the two airships. "Our ship is too small for such a rowdy beast. …He wouldn't be here, any more than I, had Kirito and Asuna not helped us finish off the Forest Elves on Einsla."

Burying her face in Cavall's fur, Tilnel let her tears fall free. I haven't lost everything. Kizmel is alive, and Cavall… and we still have a mission to complete, don't we? Kizmel's mission, and Valak's. If a pair of humans have done this much for us already… I have to trust them, don't I?

Looking up at her sister through the blur of tears, Tilnel said, "I believe I'd like to get to know your new friends, Sister. They sound like wonderful people."

"They are," Kizmel said, with quiet pride. Tilnel followed her gaze to Moondancer, blinking back her tears. To the young human girl in the armor of a Pagoda Knight's squire, and the dark youth with the long coat and the shining gem on his chest. "They are my precious friends, who have fought by my side against the most terrible foes. I believe you'll like them, Tilnel. Although…." She paused, one hand going up to rest on her right breast. "I would suggest beginning with Asuna. Kirito…."

Rubbing her hands through an enthusiastic Cavall's fur, Tilnel looked at her sister curiously. "Yes?"

"Kirito is… very shy," her sister said at last, watching the Swordmaster in black with an odd expression. "And… complicated. It's difficult to reach through his walls." She seemed to ponder something, before giving a slow nod. "Get to know Asuna, and I believe you'll find it easier to get to know Kirito. Or perhaps better said, easier for him to get to know you."

Hm. Well, Kizmel had mentioned the youth was a Lost Child. That was bound to be complicated. "Is that how you reached him?" she asked curiously. "Through Asuna?"

A faint smirk flitted across Kizmel's face. "Not exactly," she murmured. "Not exactly…."

---

"I'm sorry, Commander. We… we were too late."

Commander Savrak took the Trifoliate Knight emblem from Asuna's trembling hand, and stared at it inscrutably. Wordlessly, he circled back around his desk, and sat down heavily, leaving her and Kirito to wait in tense suspense. Having only briefly interacted with him that morning, neither of them had any idea how he'd take the news.

Especially given the detail Kizmel had provided them with, when she'd brought them to the Commander's makeshift replacement tent. The scout they'd found in the cave full of spiders, only to watch him die before their eyes, was Savrak's own cousin, not just another subordinate. Also, to judge from Tilnel's wince, one of the "real" Dark Elves, not a regular NPC.

Nervous as Asuna was to face the Commander herself, knowing that, neither she nor Kirito had questioned Kizmel waiting outside with Tilnel. The loss of family was too raw for them to want to witness Savrak's reaction.

Lit by nothing but a lantern, Savrak's face was eerily still for a long moment. Finally, he sighed heavily, gently set the emblem down on his desk, and leaned back in his chair. "I was afraid of that. My cousin was very good at what he did, but he never did know when to back off. Sooner or later…." He shook his head. "Never mind. What happened? Exactly?"

Kirito started to speak up, but Asuna gave a quick, minute shake of her head. Though they had shared the quest, she was the Pagoda Knight Squire. If she wanted to live the part, she needed to act it, and that meant the report was her duty. "We found him deep in a cave of spiders," she began, forcing herself to remain calm under Savrak's intense gaze. "Most of the monsters had been cleared out by the time we arrived, but he was surrounded in the deepest chamber when we found him, already injured…."

She described the situation as best she could remember, with Kirito quietly filling in a few details she'd managed to miss in the confusion. About how the cave was mostly empty, with even its treasure looted, and how the scout's last words had been cryptic at best. Reluctantly, knowing how it likely looked to the already-skeptical Trifoliate Commander, she even detailed the Legend Braves' departure just as they were arriving.

"Poisoned, and rambling about a Dark Elf camp at Sandoria's Spirit Tree…." Savrak idly toyed with the emblem on his desk, frowning deeply. "…I see."

See what? Only with difficulty did Asuna keep her mouth shut. Savrak wasn't in her chain of command, to hear Kizmel tell it, but coming across as insubordinate was probably a bad idea anyway.

To her surprise, the Commander's lips quirked in a very small, very brief smile. "If it will put your minds at ease, Squire, Captain, I believe your report. After the times Dame Kizmel reports you could've harmed our cause and did not, murdering one scout would be an oddly petty action. As to his final words, now that Moonshadow has returned, we can easily look into the details ourselves. I believe you've acted with honor and honesty, and between that and bringing wood to repair our camp, I will grant you leave to stay here as needed."

She tried to stifle her sigh of relief, and forced herself not to elbow Kirito when he didn't do as good a job of hiding his. Savrak's mouth twitched again—but his expression quickly turned to a frown again, and Asuna realized the quest hadn't registered as complete.

"You, I believe," he said slowly. "That being said…. Using spiders to do their dirty work would be just like Kales'Oh, and I'm told these 'Legend Braves' are in league with them. Can you be certain they didn't lure them to my scout?"

Asuna started, eyes widening. The possibility hadn't even occurred to her. That the Forest Elves used such tactics, she'd known since the mission to steal a core crystal from them. That Swordmasters might was a new thought to her. Kirito, though, grimaced; she was reminded then that he knew gamers far better than she did.

"I thought of that," her dark partner admitted, lowering his head. "The scout didn't say anything about encountering any humans—I know he didn't have much time to say anything, but I figured he would've been more hostile to us if he had—but I can't deny the possibility. It's… not an uncommon trick, in the games we thought this would be like."

"Hm." For a long, silent moment, Savrak only looked at him. Then, finally, he nodded slowly. "Fair enough, Captain. If half of what Dame Kizmel has told me of your circumstances is true, you can hardly be blamed for the actions of another faction of Swordmasters. Your honesty does you credit. Therefore." He opened a desk drawer and began to rummage around. "You saved my camp, and brought back word of my wayward cousin, as well as what report he could pass along. I noticed your grapnel was broken on your arrival, so you may take this as a reward for your aid."

The device Savrak set on the desktop resembled the wrist grapnel Kirito had been wearing since the day the death game began—and which, stressed by being used to escape the burning Icarus' Lament, had snapped when he swung in to rescue Savrak—but with a noticeably different projectile. Rather than the simple anchor design of the grapnel, this device ended in a three-pronged claw, which Asuna had to admit looked like it would provide a surer grip.

"A clawshot," Savrak explained, as Kirito gingerly picked it up. "Used by daredevils, mostly. This one was provided as equipment for Dame Kizmel's team of Pagoda Knights, should they prove to need it." He smiled; a real, if sardonic, smile this time. "Given that you seem to be neck-deep in her mission now, I believe it's entirely appropriate to pass it on to you. Though if I may give you some advice to go with your new toy… if you're going to be working with us long-term, you may wish to obtain a sword not likely to offend my people on sight."

[Locate Dark Elf Scout And Report: Complete].

---

On exiting the Commander's tent—leaving a very pensive Savrak; Asuna suspected they weren't meant to see the look that came over his face just as they turned away—the two humans were met by the Dark Elf sisters and tamed wolf. "I see you survived your first official report to an officer, my Squire," Kizmel commented, with a small grin. The mirth quickly faded, though, replaced with a more serious expression. "…How did the Commander take it? I admit, I don't know him very well."

"He didn't blame us, and he's giving the Legend Braves the benefit of the doubt. I think." Asuna shrugged, only then feeling the tension ease out of her shoulders. "Since we're not too sure about the Braves, I can't exactly blame him for being skeptical."

"Yeah." Kirito's voice was quiet; when she glanced at him, she saw an odd shadow in his eyes, and was abruptly reminded she didn't really know him that well yet. When he noticed her gaze, though, he only gave a brief shake of his head. "We've got good reason to think they're being idiots, if nothing else. I'm not surprised he's keeping his cards close to his chest."

The idiom visibly puzzled Tilnel. When Kizmel whispered something in her ear, though—leaving Asuna wondering when the Knight had learned it; probably Argo, she figured—she nodded somberly. "He just lost his cousin. Commander Savrak isn't one to show his grief to strangers, let alone humans. If he's allowing you to stay, though, he at least genuinely trusts you, to a degree. He's not the sort to allow anyone he thought a danger to remain in the camp, especially not after the losses we suffered this morning."

It was Asuna's turn to nod. What little she'd seen of Savrak so far reminded her of Captain Emlas. Not quite as grumpy, but definitely at least as determined to do his duty. She wondered if it was a common trait among the Dark Elves. I hope so. I want to believe that the Code of Chivalry is real here. I want to believe in something… better.

"Well, if the formalities are over with, I suggest we move on to other matters," Kizmel said, breaking into her thoughts. "Shall we start by visiting the blacksmith? Your Squire's Rapier is a fine weapon for its purpose, Asuna, but by the rules of this world it's no better than the blade you received when we arrived on Niian. I believe we can do better here." She shot an apologetic look at Kirito. "I wish we could manage something for you as well, Kirito, but given the nature of your sword…."

"Steel. Yeah." He waved it off, managing a rueful smile. "It's okay, the Anneal Blade should last me until sometime on the next island." The dark swordsman turned away, toward Moondancer. "You guys go ahead and take care of that. I've been meaning to do some training anyway. Especially now that I've got this," he added, raising the clawshot. "I think it works a bit differently from my old grapnel, and I don't want to find out in the middle of a fight."

"…That young man is very troubled, isn't he?" Tilnel murmured, as they watched Kirito's black coat fade into the shadows. "Much as he tries to hide it."

"You don't know the half of it," Asuna said with feeling. Not that I'm in any position to talk. Deliberately turning away from her partner, giving him the space he so obviously wanted, she turned her attention to Kizmel. "Right. Blacksmith. I almost hate to give up my first sword as an official squire, but needs must, I guess."

Crossing the camp was an interesting experience, in its own way. Asuna's prior exposure to Dark Elves other than Kizmel had been just crew of Moonshadow—who, as sailors, were apparently considered somewhat odd by other elves—and Moondancer's brief visit to the port on Niian, which had been met with suspicion and some hostility. The Trifoliate Knights of Commander Savrak's camp, she quickly found, were a very different proposition.

The first thing she noticed was that they largely lacked the inter-service tension Kizmel had previously implied. Though she was an apprentice of the Pagoda Knights, squire to a full Knight of that brigade and accompanied by an herbalist of same, she was met more with curiosity than anything else. One Trifoliate Knight, limping on a heavily-banded leg as he helped put up a new tent on a scorched spot of ground, even spared the three of them a respectful nod.

Well, she mused, as they meandered at the slow pace mandated by Tilnel's own injury, we did show up stopping a Forest Elf attack. That was probably a better first impression than the port had. While they'd participated in stopping a Minotaur attack there, it was also true that the port likely would've managed perfectly well on their own. Being bombarded was something else entirely.

"Had your ship not arrived when you did," Tilnel said quietly, apparently noticing Asuna's curious glance, "no one here would've survived. You're not completely trusted yet, but our people are not ungrateful." She quirked a small smile—the first Asuna had seen from Kizmel's twin, faint as it was. "And you brought my sister back here safe and sound, as well as Cavall." She reached down to pat the wolf's head; he reacted more like a dog than a wolf, to Asuna's amusement and Kizmel's obvious exasperation. "In addition to my personal gratitude, those who stop to think will recognize the significance. They may not know the full extent of her mission, but they know it's important."

Need to know. Asuna reminded herself. Given Kizmel hadn't even told her and Kirito what was going on until after she was officially made a squire, it was likely far from common knowledge among the other Knight Brigades. I'd better ask Kizmel later who I'm allowed to talk to about it, and how much.

That was for later, though. In the moment, she was more interested in getting an impression of Tilnel. Very nearly Kizmel's double, it was still surprisingly easy to tell them apart. In addition to Tilnel having much longer hair, Asuna noticed the herbalist's arms and legs lacked the toned muscle of the Knight; though by no means a weakling, Tilnel was obviously not accustomed to the rigors of battle.

How much her attitude differed was harder to say. Kizmel had described her sister as a mischievous tomboy; the Tilnel Asuna met now was very quiet and melancholy, making occasional interjections when Kizmel began to explain the layout of the camp but otherwise letting her elder sister do the talking. Half her attention was constantly on Cavall, who was never more than a meter or so from her side. She did just find out her husband is dead, after all. …I hope she'll be all right. I don't know what I'd do, in her place.

Probably exactly what Tilnel had been doing all day, to hear Kizmel tell it: focusing on her job as much as physically possible. After all, Asuna and Kirito had done much the same thing to keep their minds off the reality of the death game, the first couple of weeks.

"Truth be told," Kizmel said presently, as they passed a group of armsmen sitting down for a meal heated by a large, glowing stone, "as long as you're with the Pagoda Knights, you're not too likely to have to worry too much about what the Trifoliate Knights are doing." She quirked a small smile, glancing back toward the Commander's tent. "Given the nature of our missions, most often you need only be polite and stay out of the way. If ever you're subject to their orders beyond that, the situation is dire indeed… ah, here we are."

"Here" was a squat brick forge, toward one edge of the camp. Asuna was used to the fantasy stereotype of blacksmiths being stout, musclebound types, often dwarves; this being a Dark Elf camp, of course, the forge was instead attended by a tall, slender man. With impractically long dark hair tied back, all that really marked him as a blacksmith were his black leather apron, tough gloves, and heavy smithing hammer.

He noticed their approach, but only gave them a brief glance and a snort before turning back hammering at… something. Slightly unnerved, Asuna glanced at her companions for help, or at least introductions, but only received a ghost of a smile from Tilnel and a smirk from Kizmel. "Now this," the Knight murmured, "is one of your responsibilities, my Squire."

Oh, great. Figure it out for myself time, huh? Kirito-kun's rubbing off on her…. Fine!

Squaring her shoulders, Asuna cleared her throat. "Excuse me. May I ask you to forge a sword for me?"

The blacksmith's eyes flicked toward her for a second. Then he snorted again, and resuming hammering. Despite the apparent dismissal, though, a menu obediently popped up, just like for any NPC shop. Quickly navigating through it, Asuna chose one option in particular, and then carefully drew her Squire's Rapier. The blade had only been hers for a short time, and she'd only used it to kill a handful of spiders and walking trees, yet she still felt an odd weight at what she was about to do.

"Please convert this to ingots, as material for the new sword."

She expected another snort, but instead the blacksmith carefully set aside the item he'd been working on—some kind of spearhead, she thought—and took the rapier from her. Examining it, he gave a slow nod, and set it in the strange blue-green flames of his forge with a gentleness that belied his unfriendly attitude. The flames promptly surged higher, and the sword turned from a silvery sheen to a bright red in the heat.

Before long, the weapon that first marked her as a Squire of the Pagoda Knights Brigade seemed to melt, losing its form, and shrinking. In maybe a minute, the once-proud rapier was gone, replaced by an ingot about twenty centimeters long, which the blacksmith carefully pulled from the forge.

Realizing he was waiting expectantly, Asuna hurriedly dove back into the shop menu, selecting [Rapier] from the options. She added a few materials she'd picked up during Moondancer's journey, some things Kirito had told her would strengthen a forged blade, and soon the blacksmith was back at work.

First there was the wait for the materials to melt together, joining with the ingot born of the Squire's Rapier's death to form something new. Then, when it was hot enough—Asuna had no idea how to judge, but the smith obviously did—the blacksmith took it from the forge and set it on the anvil, and promptly brought his hammer down on it.

Kirito had told her, during an idle moment in the day's questing, that a weapon akin to the Squire's Rapier would've taken about twenty strikes of the hammer to forge. By the time the Dark Elf blacksmith was done hammering away at the ingot, he'd gone past that; by the time he hit thirty, Kizmel took a sharp breath, and by the thirty-fifth, Asuna found herself holding her own breath.

At the fortieth strike of the hammer, the ingot glowed, seemed to flow, and stretched out into a new shape. In seconds, a long, thin sword lay on the anvil: silvery like the blade it replaced, but with faint, swirling patterns of deep blue, and a more ornate hilt. The blacksmith set aside his hammer, lifted the new rapier in one hand, and traced the blade with one gloved finger.

"…Good sword," he remarked, surprising Asuna with his first actual words. Nodding to himself, he reached for a rack beside his forge, one holding a wide variety of scabbards, and picked one. Sheathing the rapier in lacquered black, he handed it over.

Asuna took it, and bowed. "Thank you very much."

Her thanks prompted only another grunt, as the blacksmith returned to whatever he'd been doing before. She couldn't help a grin at the reaction, even as she hooked the new sword to her belt. Drawing it, she tapped the hilt, bringing up its status menu. Chivalric Rapier, she read silently. A good name, for a good sword. …I'll be sure to treasure it.

As she and her twin elven companions turned away from the cantankerous man, she shot a wry look at Kizmel. "You did that on purpose!"

"I was curious as to how you would handle him, yes," the Knight admitted with an unrepentant smile. "Master Landeren is a… mm, prickly man, but he does excellent work. I'm pleased you were not too put off by his demeanor."

"He's worse, this past month," Tilnel put in, with another of those haunted smiles. "I think he takes personal offense at the spell-world's Mystic Scribing interfering with his craft. Had he known the details of how this world works, he might never have volunteered for it."

"Likely not," Kizmel agreed, laughing lightly. "Though he did seem oddly insistent, from what I recall…. I doubt anyone understands him, really." She clapped Asuna on the shoulder. "Come, my Squire. Shall we see what your new blade is made of, before we put aside the day's labors?"

Suddenly excited at the prospect of seeing the Chivalric Rapier in action, even if just against wooden dummies, Asuna grinned. "Let's!"

---

Blue light flared to life, bringing the sword into stark relief and illuminating the landing clearing. It held for a moment, pulsing—and then slashed down at an angle, the Slant skill whistling through the air. Hitting nothing, the Anneal Blade held that position for a fraction of a second, before drawing back and blazing bright again. Another pause, as its wielder judged the angle, and then it came down again, this time a perfectly straight line toward the ground.

If Kirito's eyes had been physical, the Vertical coming so quickly after the Slant would've dazzled them. In SAO, it took brighter light than that to overwhelm sight, even in twilight. As he practiced his Sword Skills, he could still clearly see the goings-on of the Dark Elf camp, like the myriad armsmen rebuilding the half-wrecked outer wall. Like the Knights overseeing them, and occasionally casting inscrutable looks at Moondancer.

He tried to ignore those, bringing his Anneal Blade up again, this time parallel to the ground. It wasn't just that he was a human, someone only vaguely trusted after the actions of Quinella and Kayaba, that made the Dark Elves keep a wide berth, he knew. The way one of the Trifoliate Knights visibly flinched when his Horizontal flashed out told the tale: his use of a steel sword, a weapon of Cold Iron, made them warier still.

Not a problem Asuna was having, at least. Between skills, Kirito could see Asuna walking with Kizmel and Tilnel, heading to the camp's blacksmith. Clad in the armor of a Pagoda Knight apprentice, complete with a mythril sword, she seemed to be regarded more as a curiosity than a potential threat. Her, he suspected the Trifoliate Knights didn't quite know what to think of, between her friendship with Kizmel and conversational Sindarin.

She's already winning them over, he mused, swinging his sword up to his shoulder for a Sonic Leap's pre-motion. Whatever problems she's got back home, her social stats are way higher than mine. And… she's found something she can do. A path she can take.

The Sonic Leap took him halfway across the landing area, almost reaching Moonshadow. The airship's crew, still repairing the minor damage from the morning's battle, barely spared him a glance; they, at least, were used to him by now.

It's funny. I'm the one who knew this world, but Asuna's the one who's fitting in better. What am I even doing?

A glance back toward the middle of the camp was just in time to catch Asuna looking quite taken aback by the blacksmith. Judging from her quick exchange with Kizmel, and a stifled laugh from Tilnel, it was more the smith's fault than hers. He made a mental note to ask her about that later. As with most things to do with the Elf War, it looked like the camp was a lot more complex than it had been in the beta.

Well, I know one thing I'm doing, he thought grimly, sheathing his sword. If I'm going to find out what's going on with Alice—if I'm going to save her—then I need to be better. Stronger. I need to overcome him. If he's become an Integrity Knight, but remembers me, he's going to be standing in my way at every step.

That was why, as Asuna was introduced to the environment she'd be working within as a squire of the Pagoda Knights, Kirito stuck close to the ship. Practicing every One-Handed Sword skill he'd yet learned, and now moving on to the newest addition to his moveset. Tengu disturbed him in ways he didn't quite understand, but he thought the masked man was right about one thing: if he was going to defeat Eugeo Synthesis Thirty-Two, he needed every trick he could get his hands on.

So Kirito's right hand flattened to a knife edge, and he jabbed it out in the quick Martial Arts skill Flash Blow. The instant he'd recovered from that, he launched himself into the backflip-kick of the Crescent Moon—and if he imagined his boot hitting Eugeo in the chin, he wasn't going to apologize for it. For one thing, it was better than the other thoughts this kind of kata brought to mind.

Bad enough to think of his days in the family dojo, under his grandfather's stern, never-satisfied eye. Worse to remember the last day he'd spent there, the day after Alice had been taken away in the "dreamworld", and how his grandfather had attacked him for abandoning the way of the sword. They'd never spoken again, after that. After what Kirito had learned that evening, the final blow in a traumatic day.

Worst of all was remembering Suguha, the way she'd rescued him from their grandfather's wrath, and how she'd gone on to train like this every day. He couldn't help but wonder if she knew he'd watched her, those years, even as he drifted away. That he'd been proud of her, when she started winning competitions, even if he could never bring himself to say so.

Executing the rapid one-two combo of the Double Punch, Kirito tried to focus on the memory of Eugeo as an Integrity Knight, standing between him and the mystery that was Alice Synthesis Thirty. It was much, much safer than remembering Suguha. Rage, he'd learned years before, wasn't exactly healthy, but it was more productive than pain.

Besides, he thought, switching back to his sword to go through the whole routine again, I need to think about him. About all of this. I tried to bury all this, after that day. It was the only way I could stay sane. But… if everything from my dreams being here is because Kayaba got to my therapy records, bringing it all back is important. If this is real, then I need all of it. Every detail I ever learned, the years I came here in my dreams. Every scrap of legend.

So while Asuna went about the camp with Kizmel and Tilnel, and the local Knights and armsmen set about fixing everything up, Kirito practiced. His sword flashed, a lethal dance with an imaginary sparring partner. His fists and feet lashed out, pummeling a memory brought back to life. He did everything he could to ingrain it all into his reflexes, studying every motion the system assist took him through. Because Sword Skills were powerful, but they were also predictable, and trapped the user in motion.

If he was going to become a Swordmaster, not just a player—the legendary summoned warrior who could outmatch even an Integrity Knight—Kirito had to know, in his bones, how to fight. If that meant throwing away six years' progress in moving past his "dreams"….

Then that's what I'll do. To save Alice… and to see Suguha again. I screwed up everything, six years ago. In both worlds.

Kirito was just raising his left arm toward Moondancer's rail, preparing to test his new "clawshot" and how it would expand his options in battle, when a weight landed on his shoulder. "Kirito."

Startled, he accidentally triggered the clawshot early, sending it whizzing pointlessly somewhere above his target. At the same moment, he tried to turn to see who'd spoken, and nearly tied himself up in the clawshot's cable when the two actions conflicted. Flailing to keep his balance, he lost his grip on the Anneal Blade in the process, and in the end tangled himself up in his own coat.

Strong arms caught his before he could fall, and when the world steadied again Kirito found himself looking into violet eyes. Kizmel's violet eyes, glinting with amused exasperation, as she helped him regain his footing. "Kirito," she said again, shaking her head. "I was going to suggest you rest, but I believe my point has been made without need for words, don't you?"

"What?" He blinked, twitching his wrist to recall the clawshot. "No, I'm fine," he said, glancing around to try and figure out where his sword had landed. "Besides, you know our bodies don't get tired in this world, Kizmel. If you hadn't grabbed me out of nowhere—"

"I called out to you three times. You didn't notice. And while your body may not feel fatigue, you know as well as I that the mind is another matter." She lightly picked up the Anneal Blade, held it near the tip, and thumped him on the shoulder—nearly causing him lose his balance again, despite the gentleness of the blow. When he caught himself, she handed him the sword properly, and arched one eyebrow. "As I said, I believe I've made my point. You do know you've been practicing for over three hours now?"

What? Kirito glanced up at the clock on his HUD, and blinked again. She was right, and now that she mentioned it, he abruptly realized he was soaked with sweat. At the start of the death game, no such mechanic had existed—while sweat was simulated, it was never a lasting effect—but sometime in the past couple of weeks persistent sweat and dirt had become a thing in SAO. After hours of kata on top of the day's questing, he was covered in grime.

The elf girl watched the realization come over him, and smirked. "There, you see? Now come, Kirito. Put aside the sword for the night, and freshen up. A warrior needs rest as much as he needs training."

Fatigue dropping on him like a load of bricks now that he'd noticed it, Kirito could only sheathe his sword and follow her, pulled along by her gentle but firm grip on his arm. Broken out of his focus on training, he could smell roasting meat, and his stomach began to growl. When was the last time I ate, anyway?

It took him a minute to realize that Kizmel wasn't leading him to the dining tent, but past it. All the way to the far edge of the camp, in fact, to a tent with steam gently rising through an opening in the top. It took him a few seconds more to figure out what it was, and then he tried to dig in his heels. "Wait, Kizmel," he protested, futilely trying to pull away from the hand on his wrist. "This is a bit much—!"

The look Kizmel threw over her shoulder had none of the mischief or teasing he might've expected, only mild exasperation. "Kirito. We are comrades in battle. Friends. We help each other. Right now, I don't trust you not to slip and drown if left to yourself. And you are not going to bed tonight without washing up."

---

Kizmel had said before that Dark Elves took baths very seriously. Kirito could believe it, given that even the bathing tent in a camp far from any of their cities was surprisingly large. Large enough for a pair of proper bathing stools—oddly very similar to Japanese styles—along with a carved wooden tub big enough for two or three people to bathe without feeling crowded.

That it had no barrier closing it in besides a simple tent flap was more than a little concerning, especially since it was quite clear it wasn't gender-segregated. Kirito would've been uneasy from that fact alone, even with Kizmel's assurance that no one was likely to have need of it for some time yet. That he was dealing with empirical evidence of that lack of segregation made it much worse.

I'll have to make sure Asuna knows about this place later, he thought, determinedly focusing on the most practical matters he could. As much as she loves baths, she'll definitely want to try it out when she's done trying out her new sword. Just… later. Without mentioning the details.

Like the fact that, even as he sat one of the stools, protected by nothing more than a towel around his waist, Kizmel sat behind him, also wearing only a towel. She was gently but efficiently scrubbing at his back with a brush, and as good as her technique was, the circumstances made it really hard for him to relax.

Gradually, though, he did find the tension easing out of his taut muscles. Even as she hummed a tune to herself, one he thought he almost recognized from somewhere, the elf girl was being purely clinical about the whole thing, with none of the teasing he'd gotten used to from her. Her demeanor was calm, matter-of-fact, as if washing a guy's back in the bath really was just routine under battlefield conditions. It still felt strange, but her straightforward manner was oddly contagious.

Caught between the gradually-easing awkwardness of the situation and the fact that the scrubbing honestly felt good, Kirito said at length, "So, uh… why? Why this, I mean?" And why isn't there some kind of system message coming up, I was sure there was something about an anti-harassment code in the manual. Supposed to protect NPCs from perverted players, right?

"Because we're friends," Kizmel replied, as if it was obvious. "And," she added, voice turning more somber, "because you need the company, Kirito."

He started. "How did you…?"

"I haven't forgotten that first night, my friend." The brush moved steadily back and forth, attacking the grime from the morning's battle, a day of foraging in the woods, and martial arts practice. "And… I understand what it is, to be alone. My sister and I lost our parents long ago. Until Tilnel met Valak, all we had was each other." The brush's rhythm was almost hypnotic, steady despite the melancholy in Kizmel's voice. "And we have never been completely cut off from our own people."

She understood. Some of the chill in Kirito's bones eased at that thought, just a little. Even if she didn't know just how alienated he really was, even in his own world, she understood. …He wasn't used to that.

"Having a path in life helps," Kizmel continued, brush scrubbing down from his shoulder toward the middle of his back. "I know that from experience, and I've done my best to help Asuna, however little I can. Her, I could offer the chance to become a knight, even should she find another way someday. You… truthfully, Kirito, I'm not certain what I can do. Save be here, when I can, and fight by your side."

"It helps," he said honestly, looking up to the alien stars, and leaning back into the brush, just a little. "I… haven't known where I stood with people. For a long time. Knowing I can rely on your and Asuna… it helps." He reached up to touch the dark star he still wore around his neck, and focused on the phantom heartbeats in his right chest. "Even if I don't understand—eep!"

The brush had paused, and suddenly Kirito felt fingers directly on his back. Smooth, warm fingers, tracing a line from his right shoulder down toward his left hip. The totally unexpected physical contact left him frozen in place, hardly daring to breathe.

"Did you know you have a scar here, Kirito?" Kizmel murmured, fingers gently running up and down that line. "A battle scar… you've said you were not truly warriors in your world, so how…? Ah." Her breath tickled his back, making him shiver. "The transitory world has evolved again, I see. This must be from our battle with the Wild Hunt. When you took a blow meant for me."

Now SAO's even giving us scars? What's going on… focus. That must be from the Captain. If anything would scar, I guess that would.

Kizmel's fingers halted, but didn't leave his back. "You are a reckless fool," she whispered. "Every battle you've fought, you have been far too reckless…. Why? As much as I appreciate it, as your comrade and as your friend… why? You have no true stake here, you should only care about returning alive to your own world. To your own family. Why risk so much, when you could retreat, and fight another day?"

Kirito could've asked her the same question, given the situation she'd been in when he and Asuna met her. He knew what her answer would've been, though. Kizmel was a Knight. It was her duty. He wasn't. He was anything but a knight in shining armor, and he knew it.

He also didn't really want to talk about it. He'd never explained it to anyone, not in six years. But she deserves an answer. If we're friends, she has a right to know.

"Because…." Kirito drew a deep, steadying breath, trying to ignore the way the motion pressed Kizmel's entire hand against his back. "Because six years ago, I lost Alice. My best friend. And I turned Eugeo, and everyone else in the village, against me."

"That wasn't your fault—"

"If wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been there," he reminded her. "Eugeo's right about that much…. It wasn't just that, though. Not just Aincrad." Now he focused on the feeling her hand on his back, using it as a buffer against painful memories. "I… didn't take what happened very well. And I was having a lot of trouble figuring out what was real, and what wasn't. The day after, in my world…. It's a long story. Short version is, I did something my family really didn't like, and they didn't take it well." Understatement. "And then, that same night, I found something else that made me question… well, everything." He gripped the dark star, focusing on the not-quite-physical warmth to ground himself in the otherworld of Aincrad, a reminder of the now. "I'm sorry, I know that's vague, but I…."

"Shh." Kizmel's fingers resumed tracing the scar on his back, making him shiver. "I understand how matters of family can cut to the heart, and are not spoken of so easily. Indeed, I myself nearly caused quite the rift in my own family, when Tilnel grew close to Valak. I… disapproved. Strongly." She chuckled; a rueful sound, almost mocking. "In hindsight, besides his rough habits, I suppose I was afraid he would take my sister away from me, when she was all I had left. Had I been a child still, I might have done things that would've been… difficult to atone for."

Kirito winced. Difficult to atone for. That's one way of putting it. "Kizmel… what I did was—"

"Stop." Those tracing fingers were joined by those of her other hand, and shifted to lightly kneading the tense muscles of his back. "We are friends, Kirito, yet we've known each other barely a month. I would like to hear your troubles, and Asuna's, but not like this. I would have you tell me out of trust, not guilt. I would have you tell me because you feel enough at ease—just as I would confide in the two of you, when the time is right."

He glanced over his shoulder, surprised, and found her looking back at him with melancholy shadows in her eyes. "Kizmel…?"

"We all have our demons, my friend," Kizmel said softly. "Some of mine you know. Some you suspect, but do not yet believe. Some, even I cannot speak of easily yet." Unexpectedly, she learned forward, hugging him from behind; he—mostly—stifled his yelp, suddenly grateful for just how thick her towel was. "We all have our demons," she repeated, breath tickling his shoulder. "For now, all I wish is for us to have the chance to know each other better. All three of us. For the day when we can know each other, and our worlds, well enough to face our demons together."

"…I'd like that," Kirito got out, hand slipping from the dark star gem to brush the dusky hand on his chest. "You and Asuna… you're all I have, right now." The words came more easily than he expected, maybe because of the strange intimacy of the moment. "That's… why I fight so hard, Kizmel. I can't… I can't lose you guys, too."

That was what it all came down to. After six years of closing himself off from family, of not daring to even try to make friends, Asuna and Kizmel had managed to slip in through the cracks. Maybe seeing Alice again had weakened his defenses; maybe the strange sharing of feelings in awakening the core crystals had something to do with it. Maybe it was as simple as fighting for their lives together. Whatever it was, they'd cracked his detachment, and he was terrified of losing either of them as he had Alice.

Kizmel breathed against his back, a damp warmth that made him shiver again. "Then I shall repay your efforts with my own. As urgent as my mission is, casting aside my honor as a Knight—as a friend—would leave me unfit to pursue it." She held him a moment longer, and then finally pulled back. Retrieving the brush, she returned to carefully, efficiently scrubbing his back. "For tonight, my friend," she said, tone lightening, "let us simply strive to be more comfortable with each other. I expect you'll scrub my back in turn?" She smirked. "Then, perhaps, we can convince Asuna to participate next time."

Briefly picturing the idea, Kirito gulped. "That… might be harder than fighting a walking forest. While it's on fire."

The elf girl chuckled. "Yes, Asuna mentioned something about that earlier. Now that's a tale I would like to hear now, Kirito. If only so that I know what not to allow you to do this time. Birunam is one of Kayaba's creations, not something from the true Aincrad. There must be some other way than starting a forest fire."

---

There may be hope for Asuna yet, Kizmel mused, around an hour after she and Kirito had finished in the bath. I had feared she would make something of a fuss, realizing what happened. Or perhaps I've been unfair to her to begin with? Even now, I don't entirely understand humans.

Asuna had noticed the two of them exiting the bathing tent, as she and Tilnel had been on their way to it themselves. The musketeer had looked at them sharply, but after a brief examination had only snorted in exasperation. Kizmel suspected her friend and squire had drawn the appropriate conclusion: that if anything inappropriate had occurred, Kirito would not have been capable of coherent speech.

Brave in battle to the point of recklessness, utterly hopeless with women, she thought, glancing over at the dark swordsman. All joking aside, I do hope to help him overcome that one day.

For the moment, Moondancer's crew and Tilnel had settled around a fire, by the camp's landing field. All of them were exhausted by the day's events, yet none of them were quite ready to sleep. Tilnel, leaning against Kizmel's left shoulder, was pensively stroking Cavall's fur, the wolf curled up almost in her lap. Asuna was happily examining her new rapier; Kirito had checked its numerical stats, and in a mix of obvious envy and unease immediately advised her to conceal its potential from other Swordmasters, at least for the time being. The musketeer had agreed, yet Kizmel couldn't really blame her for being more focused on its sentimental worth: the first weapon forged for her, as an apprentice in the Pagoda Knights.

Kirito himself was simply staring into the fire, absently rubbing his dark star gem with one thumb. Kizmel wasn't surprised, given that next to Tilnel, he'd suffered the greatest shock of any of them in the past couple of days. And as a Lost Child of Vector, he certainly had more trauma associated with this world than Asuna has yet experienced.

After some minutes of simply enjoying the fire in silence, it was Asuna who first spoke up. "So… do you think Commander Savrak is going to ask us to investigate that Dark Elf camp the scout mentioned? I'm kind of surprised we haven't heard anything yet."

"I doubt it," Kizmel answered, after only a moment's thought. "There seems to be something odd afoot within the Trifoliate Knights themselves, and none of the Brigades are fond of bringing others into their own affairs." She couldn't help a wry smile. "Truth be told, I would hardly wish to risk the loss of face for the Pagoda Knights, were our positions reversed."

"That," Tilnel said quietly, nodding against her shoulder, "and the scout was Commander Savrak's cousin. You may not know this yet, Asuna, but our people take family very seriously." Scratching Cavall behind the ears, she stared into the fire. "If anything, I think the remaining Knights here will have trouble keeping him from setting out himself."

"That, too." Especially if he has any of the suspicions I do. Unfounded, I'm certain, and yet…. Kizmel wasn't ready to speak of it even to Asuna or Kirito, not without a good deal more evidence—it was, at best, just a stray thought, not even enough to be called a suspicion—but she found it worrisome that the scout had not found any trace of the Forest Elves. Nor, for that matter, mentioned the Fallen, or hostile Swordmasters.

The idea that his death had somehow been related to the other Trifoliate Knights' camp was, of course, absurd. It would still have been very surprising if the idea didn't at least cross Savrak's mind.

"Then I guess we're at loose ends for a bit," Asuna said, before the silence could drag on again. "Well, I certainly understand the Commander taking family personally…." There was a clear ache in her voice at that, and one of the extra heartbeats in Kizmel's chest skipped a little, but the chestnut-haired girl quickly spoke again. "Back to regular questing and clearing, huh?" She shook her head, smiling ruefully. "It's been awhile since we did much of that. Say, Kirito-kun? I've been wondering. What's keeping players from just skipping exploring the Islands altogether, and just flying straight to each Skywall Tower?"

Kirito glanced up from the fire, visibly pulled back to the here-and-now. "Huh? Oh… well, you wouldn't have seen this yet, but later Islands have defenses around the Towers. Anti-aircraft cannons, magic weather-control machines, that sort of thing. Stuff you have to take care of on foot before you risk bringing airships close. The beta didn't have them until the Fourth Island, Fortuna, probably because nobody was expected to have airships like Liberator yet."

"More or less that," Kizmel confirmed, thinking back to long-ago briefings she'd received on the Human Empire's activities. "To put it in 'local' terms, if you will, the Axiom Church never saw any reason to fear uprising this far out. What rebellions have occurred, have been deeper into the Archipelago, in places with greater resources. Once the Crimson Knights and Wolkenritter were… removed… Quinella and her Integrity Knights saw little reason to concern themselves with the outer rim."

Thinking it over from the Swordmasters' point of view, she had to admit Kayaba was clever. Whatever he was really trying to do, he'd very neatly come up with storytelling explanations to allay any suspicions the Swordmasters might have about the true nature of the world in which they'd been trapped. Had Kirito not been a Lost Child, she suspected even he and Asuna would've been much slower to even contemplate the idea that more was afoot than mere mechanical illusions.

Conversation lapsed, and even the hustle and bustle of the Trifoliate Knights' camp began to die down. With the outer wall mostly repaired and temporary tents set up to replace the sturdier ones destroyed in the morning's attack, the surviving Knights and armsmen were settling in for ordinary watch rotation. Kizmel honestly doubted anything more would happen for the time being in any case; even if the Forest Elves did have a camp somewhere on Sandoria, they were likely still trying to determine exactly what had happened to two scout ships Moondancer had shot down.

When the silence began to turn oppressive again, Kizmel took it on herself to break it. "So, then. Commander Savrak may ask our aid again later, but for now, it appears we may concentrate our efforts on making for the Skywall Tower. Kirito, you've already spoken of the Field Boss here. What other foes might we expect to impede us?"

The dark swordsman stared back into the fire; she was pleased to see, though, that his pensiveness was more a focus on the topic at hand than the brooding it had been earlier. "Well, I think I may have mentioned a wyvern's nest before. It's on the direct route from Koriki to the Skywall Tower; you can fly around it, but if you don't know it's there, well, I remember seeing one airship get swarmed and go down during the beta. Then there's the spiders. Sure, they've got their cave, but they also like to hunt pretty far afield. Basically, Sandoria is where SAO starts encouraging people to use airships and on-foot travel. Carefully…."

---

Long into the night, Asuna found herself still awake, staring at the deckhead in Moondancer's cramped crew cabin. From the feel of the heartbeats accompanying her own—Kizmel's deep and slow, Kirito's faster yet not as fast as usual—she was pretty sure her companions were asleep. Kizmel, reunited with her sister, clearly had a huge weight off her shoulders. Kirito, she suspected, was simply still exhausted.

Though Kizmel probably didn't help, she thought wryly, remembering seeing the two of them come out of the bathing tent together. If I know Kirito-kun, that was probably about as stressful as the fighting. Even if Kizmel—finally—seems to have backed off on teasing us.

In that moment, sleepless in the dark of night, Asuna almost wished for some of that teasing. Starting the day with saving the camp, and watching Tilnel learn her husband was dead, was bad enough. Watching the scout—Commander Savrak's cousin—die right in front of them had been heart-twisting in another way. The whole day, "family" had been practically thrown in her face. Constantly.

At that very moment, Kizmel was sleeping in a tent in the camp, keeping her sister company. Asuna didn't begrudge that at all, yet at the same time she couldn't help feeling envious. Her elven friend had family at hand. Family she could absolutely count on not to betray her. Family that wasn't constrained by a controlling, dominating matriarch.

Moondancer's cabin feeling strangely empty with only the two humans didn't help. It was the very first night, in the month since Kayaba sprang his trap, that it had been only the two of them. Not that Asuna was at all worried that Kirito might try anything. On that, she'd come to trust him in her very soul. Turning to look at his sleeping face, there was no doubt in her mind that even if she climbed right into his cot with him, he wouldn't do anything she didn't want him to.

It's just… a little lonelier right now. It feels like it's always been the three of us. I've only known them a month, but they've both been a part of my life as long as I've Swordmaster—Squire—Asuna. Since Yuuki Asuna died, and the new "me" was born.

Asuna tried not to think too hard on it. Not when Kizmel's own sister really did need her. Just as she tried not to think too hard about Tilnel's loss. Knowing that Tilnel had been married, happily, to a man she chose and who had been good to her—no matter Kizmel's evident dislike—was something she was finding hard to process. Intellectually, she knew that was perfectly normal. In her heart, she found it bewildering. It wasn't an option she'd ever expected to have in her own life.

The reality that had been fast approaching, as of the day everything changed, had been one of pure dread.

Don't think about it, she ordered herself sternly. It doesn't even matter unless you survive this world. Whatever this world really is. And if… if things go right, then as bad as this death game is, it can save me.

Looking once more at Kirito's calm, safe, sleeping face, Asuna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Focusing deliberately on the heartbeats accompanying her own, she emptied her mind, and deliberately ignored the prickling in her eyes.

Family. I want… family. A real family….

---

December 16th, 2032

---

Keeping lookout while her guildmaster tried to make a business transaction without being noticed was yet another new experience for Silica. While Kibaou spoke quietly—well, as quietly as he ever managed—with the armored engineer at Koriki's aerodrome, she kept her head on a swivel and tried not to look too conspicuous while she was at it. She was pretty sure she failed at that.

If nothing else, the spiky-haired Kibaou was one of the most recognized figures among the frontline raiders. He was having an animated conversation with an engineer in full armor, who also happened to be the first Swordmaster engineer, as far as anyone knew. A short girl with a very shiny knife playing bodyguard probably stood out like nobody else.

On the other hand, Silica thought, casting a nervous glance at the parked Liberator and hoping Lind didn't pick right then to stop by and check in with Captain Coper, it was a familiar kind of new. Even before she'd been recruited into the ALF, tales had already spread of the rivalry between that guild and Lind's Dragon Knights Brigade. Skulking around to avoid a scene between them was pretty ordinary guild politics.

A lot more normal than what brought us here, she thought, one hand straying to the brand new dagger riding her left hip. That SAO was so much like my dreams was weird enough. Meeting Larasa here, him recognizing me… I don't know what's going on anymore. She turned her gaze toward the road leading into Koriki proper, and the steady stream of tourist players still going back and forth. There hadn't been any sign of the DKB since the ALF had returned from the Dark Elf camp; if anything, that made her more nervous that they'd shown at any moment. Running into him gave us the quest we needed, but still….

It had also gotten her the new knife, a gift from Larasa as a "token of their alliance". Joe had started to throw a fit, ranting about "unfair advantages" and "beta testers", but to Silica's surprise Kibaou had shut him down hard. The knife wasn't important, the guildmaster had said bluntly. The quest was. Risking quest progression in a fight over who got a quest weapon wasn't going to happen.

Silica was relieved by that. She would've been more relieved if Larasa hadn't whispered to her that they needed to talk, when there was time. Which there wouldn't be, at least until the ALF returned with their half of the materials. It would've been too suspicious for her to sneak away any sooner than that.

As it was, apparently the quest going so well—so far—had given her a boost with Kibaou himself. When the guild returned to the aerodrome, she was the only member the guildmaster had brought with him to talk to the engineer. When Silica had daringly asked why, he'd only rolled his eyes and muttered something about Joe not knowing how to keep his mouth shut when it counted.

Between the fact that Kibaou was apparently trying to keep the DKB from finding out exactly what they were up to, and the fact that she was pretty sure the engineer was working from beta knowledge—and that Kibaou knew it, too—she wasn't too surprised. Not that she was going to complain, since if anything she had a bigger secret than the engineer.

"All right," she heard the engineer say, in a voice quavering enough to make Silica feel like a courageous heroine, "eight cannons, two engines, and the mechanical systems to go with?" He nodded to himself, armor clanking. "It'll take a couple of days to put that much together, especially with the material needs, but I can do it."

"'Sokay," Kibaou said gruffly. "It'll take at least that long ta get everythin' ready on our end, anyway."

"A-alright, then." The engineer brought up a trade window, carefully inputting figures; oddly, his armored fingers seemed to have some trouble touching the ephemeral keys. Silica wondered if Kibaou's furtiveness was making him nervous. "W-what about installation?"

"That, we got covered. Just need the parts." Kibaou accepted the trade, turning over a substantial amount of the guild's saved-up Cor. "Thanks much! We'll be back in a coupla days."

"I'll contact you when it's ready," the engineer told him, bowing sharply. "Stay safe!"

Something about the engineer's behavior plucked at Silica's nerves, but before she could really chase it down, she spotted a familiar streak of blue walking along the road from Koriki. "Guildmaster," she whispered, "the DKB is heading this way."

"Good thing we're done here, then." Kibaou spun on his heel and stomped toward Liberator, glaring at the ship as if he was inspecting the still-unfinished repairs to the stern. "C'mon, Silica. We'll look at this bucket o' bolts fer a couple minutes, then walk all casual-like back ta town." His mouth quirked in a quickly-suppressed smile. "Maybe yell at Lind a bit on the way out, just ta throw him off."

Silica surprised herself with a giggle, and quickly forced it down, glancing around nervously to make sure no one—especially Lind—heard it. "So, um, you think this will work out?"

"Cap'n Coper an' th' Braves both say he does good work," the spiky-haired man replied with a shrug. "Right now, we gotta take a leap o' faith."

Don't I know it! Still…. "Where do you think he's even going to get that much mythril, anyway?"

"Don't know, not gonna ask." He glanced back at her, a rueful twinkle in his eye. "I know, I know! Prolly beta stuff. Well, I still think the betas did us dirty, but after that crazy burning airship, an' what happened ta th' ninja…. Gotta swallow my pride, jus' a little. Just don't tell anybody I said that!"

"I won't," she promised, hand once again touching her Mythril Dagger. "I… know what's at stake here."

Kibaou looked at her again, both the twinkle and the affected glare fading from his expression. "Seems like ya do," he said after a moment. "If ya had anything ta do with the beta… nah, never mind." He abruptly reached out to ruffle her hair, startling a squeak out of her. "Stick we me, kid. We're goin' places, an' we'll show Lind and Blackie who Diavel's real heirs are!"

Silica blushed, but said nothing. I just hope this works out. This is so weird, and—

"And just where have you been?!" Lind bellowed, stalking over to them. "By the terms of our agreement, you had no business taking Liberator on a joyride! What do you have to say for yourself now, Kibaou?!"

"Our 'agreement' is about who gets her permanently!" Kibaou snapped back, suddenly back to his usual, loud self. "You wanna hitch a ride somewhere yerself, go right ahead! Just bring 'er back by morning, like we did!"

"Why, you—!"

And that can wait until later, Silica thought, carefully backing away from the argument. Backing away, and trying not to laugh. Oh, Larasa would love to see this!

---

Standing at the edge of lowered door into Centoria Cathedral's Dragon Landing Field, the wind gently ruffling her long, blonde braid, Alice looked out over the city. Centoria City, the capital of the Human Empire, and the metropolis that dominated the bulk of Central Island. A vast circle surrounding Centoria Cathedral, guarded by a grand wall and divided into four sections, it was home to twenty thousand people, and represented everything the Integrity Knights existed to protected.

Well, not really twenty thousand people, she thought, her Synthesis-sharp eyes picking out the unnaturally regular patterns of most of the city's population even from her height. The vast majority of them are merely the marionettes of Kayaba's spell-world. Nonetheless, it's real enough to remind me of why I am here.

After the interminable infighting of the remnants of the Nine Kingdoms in the turmoil caused by the Great Separation, the Axiom Church had finally risen to provide a core of stability. The Pontifex had called the first Integrity Knights from the Sacred Realm to bring order, relegating the squabbling nobles to local governors allowed no more military power than needed to fend off monsters. An arrangement that Alice knew was necessary, having read the histories, yet it did have drawbacks.

No one anticipated the summoning of the Swordmasters. No one foresaw a sorcerer from another realm with the power to reach beyond the Pontifex's seals on the World Gates. And now… now, the Integrity Knights are all that stand between the Swordmasters and anarchy.

Alice had seen the state of the First Island, after the first Skywall Tower had been conquered. The Swordmasters had seemingly been content to leave Origia and the outlying settlements in peace, more interested in pressing onward. Yet even if conquest was not their goal, their actions were poised to destroy the hard-won order of the Human Empire, and the Pax Cathedra with it.

And it may simply be that, lacking the numbers to both hold territory and advance, they simply intend to wait on occupation until they've carved out a larger foothold. Certainly there are those among the nobility who would break free and ally with the Swordmasters, had they the chance.

So far, it was all confined to the spell-world. Alice was less than confident it would remain that way, given what she knew of Kayaba's spell. There could, she knew, all too easily come a time when the true Centoria City and the thousands of real people living in it were caught up in war. She prayed it never came to that.

The heavy clicking of claws and a low crooning distracted her from her grim thoughts, and she turned to find Amayori walking up to her side. "Yes, yes, I'm all right, Amayori," she said, unable to hold back a smile at her dragon's antics. "I know. You're impatient to get going as well, aren't you?"

Like her, her dragon hated being cooped up too long in Centoria Cathedral. They both craved the open sky. After just a single day's rest, Alice wanted nothing more than to be out and about once again.

"You need not be impatient any longer, Dame Alice," a muffled voice called out, accompanied by clanking footsteps. "All has been prepared. Are you ready to depart?"

Alice quickly straightened, raising a gauntleted fist to her chest in salute. "I am, Sir Fanatio," she said. Gesturing to the pack strapped behind Amayori's saddle, she added, "I have more than enough supplies to last until I reach one of the outlying towns. From there, I'm to buy supplies locally, as needed, yes?"

"Correct."

Clad in a suit of silver and purple armor, face hidden behind a winged, birdlike helmet, Fanatio Synthesis Two strode to the Dragon Landing Field's edge. A tall, proud Knight, Alice was unsure anyone besides herself and probably Sir Bercouli knew a woman's face lay behind that grim visage. Even she had never learned why Fanatio preferred to conceal herself, and was not witless enough to ask directly.

After all, Alice did know what happened during the Four Emperors Rebellion. She'd seen with her own eyes the melted remains of the Western Imperial Palace. Bercouli was known to be the most dangerous Integrity Knight in single combat. Fanatio was very possibly the most personally destructive.

The four silent Knights that remained at the inner edge of the Landing Field only added point to it. Everyone knew the Four Whirling Blades were very lethal themselves, and deeply devoted to their master.

"As much as it pains us all," Fanatio continued, birdlike gaze sweeping over the bustling city below, "for now observation is best. We still don't know exactly what the Swordmasters are capable of. So long as they seem intent on simply pressing on, the Pontifex has agreed we can take the risk of allowing them control of the outlying islands… for the time being."

Alice nodded, grimacing. One thing the Swordmasters did have going for them was sheer numbers, and as unimpressive as Diavel had turned out to be, Kirito and his companions were another matter. There was no way to tell how many of the thousands of summoned warriors had their potential, and until they did know, rash moves were clearly unwise. She didn't like it, but she understood it.

Fanatio turned away from the city, settling her visor on Alice. "These are your final instructions, Dame Alice: observe, but remain concealed as long as possible. Many of the traps awaiting the Swordmasters are of Kayaba's design in any case; we lose nothing by allowing the Swordmasters to conquer them, and may gain much by watching—learning both of them, and of the sorcerer's own methods. Regardless of the final fate of the Swordmasters, never forget that Kayaba has also marked himself our enemy."

"I won't," Alice replied sourly, remembering a self-immolating airship.

There might've been just the faintest sound of a chuckle behind that ominous helmet. Then Fanatio was stepping closer, holding out a chain, a shining diamond pendant hanging from it. "Take this. The Pontifex devised it after examining Diavel. So long as you wear it, it will fool the spell and trick Swordmaster sight into believing you to be one of their own. With so many of them, they're unlikely to notice one more."

The younger Knight took it, and carefully hung it around her neck. "I would think an invading army would have some way of recognizing one another," she said dubiously. "More than just the spell-sight."

"You would think so. If this were an invading army." Fanatio shook her head, disbelief plain even through her helmet. "Diavel remains oddly resistant, but Her Excellency has learned at least one thing from him: the Swordmasters are but a rabble of civilians tricked into believing they would be participating in nothing but a mechanical game."

Hand on the spell-fooling pendant, Alice blinked. "…What?"

"Preposterous, isn't it?" Fanatio huffed a breath, turning back to look at the Skywall separating Central Island from the rest of the Archipelago. "And yet it would explain much, including the suicidal behavior you observed in the first days of the spell-world." Her voice hardened. "It also makes your mission all the more crucial. If mere 'players' can rise to the level of their frontline raiders, we may be dealing with dangerous people indeed."

Alice nodded slowly. An invading army could be prepared for easily enough, in a way. Armies had uniform standards, or they were not armies at all. Thousands of randomly-chosen people granted powers with the potential to reach the strength of Integrity Knights? How can we predict that? Yes, better to observe as early as possible, even if it means allowing them minor victories for now. They're nowhere near reaching the true Aincrad yet. We have time.

"One caveat," Fanatio said, breaking into Alice's thoughts. "They will reach the Fourth Island soon, and Fortuna's defenses appear to have been merged with the ordinary Skywall in Kayaba's spell-world. As complete as the spell's facsimile is, the Citadel of the Apostates is most likely duplicated, as well."

The blonde Knight inhaled sharply. She'd barely heard whispers of the Citadel of the Apostates, the long-abandoned capitol of the Dominus Nocte. It was one of the very few places in the Archipelago even Integrity Knights were usually forbidden to tread, for reasons known only to the Highest Administrator herself. The entire Fourth Island was normally sealed behind the strongest protections the Axiom Church knew, just to keep the Citadel untouched.

All she'd ever heard of it herself was that Sir Bercouli had, centuries before, personally killed Count Falhari there. Even with the Lord of the Night having been betrayed from within, it had reputedly been one of the most difficult battles the Commander of the Integrity Knights had ever fought. Supposedly, no one had set foot inside the Citadel since.

"You have been granted special dispensation to enter the Citadel, if necessary," Fanatio said quietly, voice pitched to only barely carry over the sound of the wind. "Fortunately Falhari is long dead, and Archduke Janos longer still. Nevertheless, something sleeps inside the Citadel of the Apostates, something which no one is allowed to touch. If the need arises, drive the Swordmasters away from it, and don't linger there yourself."

"I understand," Alice said, swallowing. The Dominus Nocte were the one thing the Axiom Church regarded as more dangerous than the Wolkenritter, before the Swordmasters' arrival. Supposedly only a few remained alive in the modern day. Anything they might've left "sleeping" in their old Citadel, she had no interest in confronting whatsoever.

"Good. Now, one more thing." Fanatio reached into her armor, and withdrew a strange crystal. Resembling a Healing Crystal, it pulsed with an inner light; even without touching it, Alice sensed a magic akin to the life force of a dragon from within it. "If you're to infiltrate the Swordmasters' activities, being accompanied by a dragon would be… counterproductive. With this crystal, you will be able to summon Amayori as needed. Otherwise, leave her in the wild as much as you can."

Alice took the crystal with mixed feelings. On the one hand, she hated leaving Amayori alone in such a way. On the other, at least this time she wouldn't be leaving her dragon behind entirely, as she had during the test of Icarus' Lament.

"That's all we can do to prepare you, Dame Alice," Fanatio said then, stepping back. "From here, you must use your own judgment. Report back should you learn anything particularly noteworthy; otherwise, prepare for a long stay in the field."

"Understood, Sir Fanatio." Alice saluted again. "I won't fail."

Moments later, as Fanatio retreated into the Cathedral and the Four Whirling Blades silently followed her, Alice mounted Amayori's back. Launching into the air—finally back on her own dragon, not riding a cursed airship nor as a passenger on Eugeo's dragon—she allowed herself one last look at the city below. That was what she was fighting to protect, no matter the cost, and if she was to be away from it for so long, she wanted to burn the sight into her mind.

Then she was looking forward, toward the far edges of the Aincrad Archipelago. Where the Swordmasters were advancing, the strange, misfit warriors, as deceived as any by Kayaba yet still the Human Empire's enemies. Where the slippery sorcerer's spell drew ever nearer to completion.

Where one madman of a swordsman taunted her, his inexplicable actions tugging at the edges of her reality.

I will protect this world, Alice Synthesis Thirty swore to herself, as Amayori's wings beat the air and they soared away from Central Island together. And you, Kirito… I will know why you confuse me!

---

December 18th, 2032

---

The sky was clear, yet Asuna's nerves crackled with anticipation as Moondancer cruised toward the northwestern edge of Sandoria. At least, she hoped it was just anticipation. She wasn't quite comfortable with the way the barometer had been twitching since morning. And this would be a really bad time for a storm.

"So, we finally have our chance to participate in battle with a 'Field Boss'," Kizmel mused, keeping a gentle hand on the wing-sail controls, nudging them with practiced ease to keep up with the air currents. "I admit, given they seem to be largely Kayaba's own inventions, I have little idea how they might work in practice."

The Squire nodded. They'd been so busy dealing with other quests that Asuna never had learned what the First Island's Field Boss even was, and they'd deliberately stayed out of the fight with the Bullbous Bow on Niian. Not having been in the beta, either, this battle would be just as new to her.

"They're easier than Skywall Tower Bosses, I can tell you that," Kirito said, giving the wheel a slight turn to port. "If you've got a smart party, you can generally take on Field Bosses with less than a full raid group. Honestly, what we're doing here is probably overkill."

"What" being flying in formation with both Captain Coper's Liberator and the Legend Braves' Durendal. It was the first time all three Swordmaster-run airships had deliberately gathered together, and Asuna wasn't sure how she felt about it. Thinking about it, it was only the second time she'd ever been part of a coordinated group of players beyond Kirito and occasionally Argo or Agil. She tried not to think about what had happened the first time.

"Probably," she repeated, focusing instead on Kirito's disquieting qualifier. "I've heard that before…. You really think it'll be okay without the ALF participating?" Kibaou had sent word that morning that his guild would be there when they could, but not to wait for them if they were late. They hadn't shown up at the Koriki Aerodrome as of the designated meeting time, so Lind had instructed Coper to lift off without them.

Asuna wasn't at all sure she agreed with that decision. Even if Kibaou, strangely, had given the instruction himself.

Kirito shrugged. "This is an airship battle. Even if swords turn out to be needed somehow, the DKB will be enough to fill Liberator's deck. If Kibaou's willing to miss out on the rewards this time, it shouldn't matter to us either way."

"Asuna is right," Kizmel remarked, tossing a teasing look in their direction. "You do say 'should' a little too often, Kirito. …Though I will admit, I can't see any flaw in your reasoning here. Even if the battle should take an unexpected turn, I cannot think of any way additional manpower will help. We would need additional ships, not swords."

Which wasn't entirely out of the question, but not too likely, either. While Asuna had noticed much more activity than before at the aerodrome, with several groups of Swordmasters gathering around airships she was reasonably sure weren't NPC-run, she couldn't see any of them being ready for a boss so soon. The three ships already in the air were the only ones with crews at all experienced in airship battles.

Liberator, as the largest and arguably toughest, led the formation, her steel hull shining in the noon light. Durendal and Moondancer herself flew on the cruiser's flanks, hanging just slightly behind. If anything strange did happen, even Coper and Lind were agreed that it was better for the armored ship to face it first.

Asuna's console chimed, and without waiting for Kirito's word, Asuna quickly accepted the hail. "This is Guildmaster Lind. As previously agreed, the DKB will be leading this battle. All ships, we're approaching the predicted aggro boundary. Activate raid chat and prepare for battle. Keep it together, and we'll get through this just fine."

"'As previously agreed'," Asuna grumbled, even as she connected Moondancer to the raid chat. "Only because Kibaou wasn't around to argue with him about it."

"Now, now, Asuna," Kizmel said, with a faint smile, as she spread the wing-sails for the expected low-speed maneuvering. "It's hardly as if we were eager to volunteer. Truthfully, I'd rather Lind than the Legend Braves, as well. In any case, Captain Coper is likely to be giving the real orders, once battle is joined."

"That's what worries me," Kirito muttered. "I just hope he's learned something from the battle with Lament…. Oh, well. Even he shouldn't be able to screw this up." There was a low rumble, and his demeanor immediately shifted to the tight, tense focus he always had in battle. "Here it comes!"

He angled Moondancer's bow down, just in time to give Asuna her first look at the one of the most insane things she'd seen yet in the already-fantastical Aincrad Archipelago. The vast forest beneath them was rippling, like a wave going through the ground, and as it passed, the trees began to move. Roots tore free from the earth, in a vast circle that gradually moved inward. Trees began to walk, but not like the Treants and the variations thereof that Asuna had seen—and fought—thus far.

Watching with a mix of fascination and crawling horror, she abruptly snapped her fingers. "Birunam? No, Birnam! Birnam Wood!"

Kirito glanced at her, face a study in confusion. "Um, what?"

"Birnam Wood," she repeated impatiently, eyes still locked on the walking forest, the gaps between trees quickly vanishing as they closed in on each other. "From Macbeth. Remember The Lord of the Rings? The Ents? Tolkien created them because he was disappointed Birnam Wood didn't literally get up and march in the play. So, 'Birunam' is based on the same thing, don't you think?"

"Oh… yeah, I guess I remember something about that. Makes sense." Kirito returned his own focus to the forest, frowning. "That doesn't explain the 'Vengeful' part, though…."

"You humans do have fascinating tales," Kizmel remarked, shaking her head at the byplay. "If ever we have the chance, we really must compare libraries… ah. It begins."

In what was possibly the most viscerally disturbing event Asuna had yet witnessed in SAO, the trees were melding together, flowing in a way that looked both real and deeply unearthly. A clearing formed below them, as the wood of the trees merged and grew upward, gradually forming into a roughly humanoid shape. As Kirito had mentioned when relating events from the beta, it was somewhere around thirty meters tall, with branches splitting off into arms and from there to rudimentary fingers.

Holes opened up, forming two "eyes" lit from within with eerie emerald fire. Another opened below them like a vast, jagged mouth—and then it howled, an indescribable noise that made Asuna want to plug her ears. On the glasswood window, five lifebars flickered into view, below a name: [Birunam The Vengeful Forest].

"Nobody panic," Lind called out, sounding not quite as calm as he was clearly trying to be. "We knew this was coming. Liberator's been equipped with Fire-elemental shells for this. Moondancer, Durendal, back us up, and this battle should be finished in time for—"

Fwoosh!

Before their startled eyes, flame erupted from Birunam's "feet", and raced up its body. Its howl took on a deeper, heavier bass tone, and soon it was completely engulfed. Engulfed, yet not losing even a single percent of HP. The name above its lifebars flickered, too, and in a moment showed something slightly different.

[Birunam The Infernal Forest].

As a not-very-knightly yelp came over the raid chat, Kizmel and Asuna slowly, in unison, turned their gazes on Kirito. "Should," Asuna said flatly. "Should. You said 'should', Kirito-kun! You jinxed us! Again!"

---

Author's Note:

---

Two updates for Oath of Rebellion in one year! Better than I managed last year; here's hoping it's far from the last.

Pacing still shot, but this was built on the chunk of the Chapter 13 rough draft that had to be split off. Hopefully the lessons I've learned in the past year will prevent a repeat, or at least make such bloat slightly less common. For the record, currently hoping to reach the Skywall Tower boss fight in Chapter 16. 17 at the latest; depends mostly on how much crucial foreshadowing I can fit in Chapter 15. This being a Field Boss, while there are some twists to it, it shouldn't take up an entire chapter by itself. …I think.

Hm… not much to say about this one, I guess? For what it's worth, alongside Chapter 15 I intend to get some serious work done on Reliable Girl. If only because I have another side project I want to start, and given that I currently have three side projects that haven't gotten any follow-up, I figure I should probably make sure people don't think none of them will ever get anywhere before I start yet another. (Ironically, the upcoming one is intended to be sufficiently episodic that even if it doesn't get a follow-up, it should stand on its own for what it's individually intended to be. Nonetheless.) I do at least have Chapter 2 started now.

So… good, bad, die in Birunam's fire? Let me know, and I'll you all in Chapter 15, or Chapter 2 of Reliable Girl. Whichever. Stay frosty! -Solid