[PP-F23] The First Sword

[Alkor 0]

Mottled and blackened, the Queen's Tower stood a silent testament to some nameless conflict. Parts of the structure were inaccessible by virtue of dilapidated floors and fallen rubble, while others were difficult to reach without a system skill that allowed free movement across harsh terrain or the ability to jump across a sizeable gap. Alkor stood in the center of the reception room with a thoughtful expression as he assessed the degree of erosion that time had inflicted. The ceiling had been torn away to reveal the sky beyond, and in the dead of night, starlight illuminated the chamber with echoes of the past. The full moon shone down and cascaded through to shimmer across a pool of rainwater that stagnated on the floor. 

Above ground, spring showers were prevalent during this season on the Twenty Third floor. The clouds had parted only an hour or so before, which left his boots saturated and he could feel the cold creeping up his ankles. Alkor interacted with one of the many torches that lined the fringes of the convocation chamber, a place that appeared to have been used for ceremony in Aincrad's early age. The runic symbols were familiar to the Elvish script indigenous to the third floor, but with differences discernable enough that he could only decipher a rough, abstract idea of the purpose. The rest, he gleaned from what he could see in front of him.

Near the very back of the chamber, a strange stone erected in the form of a crude monument stood in full view of the moon. It glimmered faintly in the pale light. The pathway there was rife with moss and rubble, but there was no apparent danger. He could feel the gravitas of the room as he approached the shrine- if that was what it was. Every step he took across loamy ground let out a soggy smack. Once he made his way onto the lowest stair his footsteps echoed loudly. The acoustics in this chamber were intense, even without the ceiling intact. it was built to carry voices across the vast distance from altar to entrance.

"What were you, I wonder?" he questioned as he made his way finally to the tall monument that rested near the rear wall. Alkor crouched and reached out to touch the stone gently. "The rumors call this place the Queen's Tower, but who was she?" he traced the rigid, uneven shape of the rock. "If this was some illustrious hall, you would have been used for Knighting heroes and naming noblemen, if the old stories and customs of the outside are applicable," he mused. "Stories like Arthur drawing the sword from the stone, or the Lady of the Lake," his voice became softer as he recalled Arthurian legend, one of the many stories from his childhood that drove him deeper into the fantasy genre.

"If there was a Queen," he asked of the stone, "would I have earned the right to be called her Knight?"

A gentle breeze answered his question without words. Night sent a chill down his spine that prompted him to turn around, and when he did the room was alive. The way light oscillated off of the pooled water caused it to dance along the walls. It was as though the room were not a ruin at all, but a banquet where unseen guests danced in his honor. He smiled softly at the thought. 

"What a silly fantasy," he chuckled softly to himself. "I'm not a Knight, or a Hero. I'm just me."

And for the very first time, when he spoke those words, Thom found himself quietly at peace with them.

Alkor level 51

1050/1050 HP 115/115 EN

15 DMG/12 MIT/3 EVA/4 ACC/24 BLT

Blightsteel t3 Demonic CS [2Damage/1Blight/1Cursed]

Cowl of the Wandering Warrior t2 Perfect Light Armor [3 Evasion] 

Eye of Osiris t1 Perfect Trinket [3 Accuracy]

r5 Curved Sword 

r3 Light Armor

Athletics

Precision

r3 Finesse

r3 Fighter Familiar

Survival

Extended Mod Limit

[NIGHT 0]

Muddied water. Patches of dirt and grass. Her strides were quick as she crossed them, her destination the dilapidated building struck somewhere on the surface of the twenty third. She cursed inwardly when stepping on a puddle, the sponge of her sneakers soaking up stagnant slush. Her speed only slowed as she neared the sanctuary, wondering if she'd gotten the co-ordinates right. NIGHT didn't see he quarry anywhere.

She'd paused once she heard footsteps, only a few paces away from the the hall's interior. Ah, there Alkor was, then -- she knew once she'd spotted the figure and his cursor advancing up the stairs at the center, pushed back at the end of the room. She'd hastened herself, from nature to a small platform of rubble and dry stone, gathering her urgency as though she'd been late for something.

Then he spoke. And she stopped herself from progressing forward.

--So he had been speaking to himself as of late.

NIGHT was quiet as she shifted, slow, trying not to catch his attention in his privacy. She wondered if it was a thing of normalcy, for Alkor, for anyone. She contemplated realistically if she should give that technique a shot, too. The conversation -- it was with no one in plain sight, she could tell that much. And his questions... they burned into her working memory, as she stayed to the side of the entrance and listened.

Her back rested against tarnished brick, aged and mossy as the man tattled off his queries. To himself, then? She hadn't heard a second voice thus far. Rhetorical questions. What was the point of them posed aloud if he were meant to answer it alone?

 

Stories about knights and heroes and noblemen and customs.

She hadn't the context of this location without investigating further, but perhaps he'd been imploring about the insights of its history. He must've been. There were always players interested in game lore amongst the public. Aincrad was different from the books the authors on the first drafted for others. One could literally step into a dream, a realm of their choice. Words on pages came alive with their technology; scents described were realized, the air changed as necessary, and all that was left for players to fill in the gaps were their own reflections of their environment. The onus was on the audience, now, when they put themselves into the story. Inserted themselves into a fiction made whole.

There'd been a pause in his words. It gave her time to think and ponder, to acclimatize herself with the silence.

The player's voice was hushed when he spoke again. But the chamber carried his curiosity forward, as though it had decided that it had been a message specifically crafted for her. "If there was a Queen, would I have earned the right to be called her Knight?"

For a moment NIGHT stiffened -- that it felt incredibly invasive for her to have heard this comment out of all the others, for one. Something tugged at the framework of her mind when she heard it, felt incredibly invasive to her for him to have made the query at all, for another. But it wasn't Alkor's fault that he had an eavesdropper.

The woman's eyes shifted from a point on the horizon to the floor. In silence, in a petite sort of abstract horror, the musing lingered in her mind.

 

A cold that licked at her strands as she was waiting for him to finish felt like an invitation, intentional, the gust specifically from Cardinal itself. Then came a chuckle, the best she could make out from within, words murmured in finality. NIGHT peered around the corner she was set behind, giving the man some pause to see if he'd continue his little speech to himself.

There was nothing left, she imagined, after the count of five. And so she finally let herself in, hands tucked away in her pockets, as though she'd only taken a stroll to fall into place by Alkor's side. Past the flooded floor that she detested, up the shoddy layers that brought her up towards the stone, she looked upon it with strained indifference, temper woven into the corners and lines etched on her face.

If she'd said nothing, it was in expectance that there be other parties to have shown up first.

That, and it was always delightful when her presence was met with surprise, had she been quiet enough to startle others in the first place.

	| NIGHT   | HP: 1690/1690 | EN: 181/181    | ACC: 5 | DMG: 19 | EVA: 4 | MIT: 79 | BH: 79    | PRLYZ: 1 | ABS. ACC | LD: 5    | Stealth Detection: 5 | Stealth Rating: 7
[Examine]  | equipment Cosmic Devourer -- [ Paralyze I | Natural successful attack rolls of 9-10 remove the enemy’s action on their next turn. Paralyzed opponents lose any evasion properties. ] -- [ Absolute Accuracy | +1 ACC. Attack rolls of 1 no longer automatically miss. ] -- [ Accuracy I | +1 ACC. ] Reinforced Black Tracksuit -- [ Mitigation I | +54 MIT. ] -- [ Evasion I | +1 EVA. ] Silver Crescent Necklace -- [ Accuracy II | +2 ACC ] -- [ Evasion II | +2 EVA ]  | battle-ready inventory - - - - - - - - -  | skills Skills Mod Count: 8/8 Two-Handed Straight Sword | Passive | RANK 5/5 > Ferocity, Precision, Finesse Light Armor | Passive | RANK 5/5  > Athletics, Sprint&Acrobatics Searching | Passive | RANK 4+1/5 Hiding | Passive | RANK 5/5 > Blindside, Vanish, Surprise Attack: Trickster Extended Mod Limit | Passive | RANK 3/3  Battle Healing | Passive | RANK 5/5 Energist | Passive Quick Change | Active Charge | Active | RANK 5/5 Extended Weight Limit | Passive   Extra Survival | Passive  Concentration | Active -- CD: 3 Familiar Mastery: Fighter | Passive | RANK 3/3  | consumed buffs Spoiler Bialas Statue | +TAUNT Mothra Statue | +1 EN Recovery Tanos Statue | +15 MIT Mōretsuna Statue | +50 HP Yamato-no-Orochi Statue | +1 LD Kumatetsu Statue | +1 DMG - - - - - -  | misc. buffs Spoiler Dimensional Backpack, Item Stash, Extended Weight Limit | +5 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat.  Relaxed | +(5 * Tier) HP per out-of-combat post. Full energy restoration occurs after two turns out of combat. Squeaky Clean | -25% DoT damage taken from the first DoT applied to this player in a thread. Skylight: Searching | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cooldown of 30 days to reassign. Multipurpose | +1 LD/Prosperity/Stealth/Detection to one post per thread. Can be applied after a roll. Filling | +1 T1 slot to a food consumed by this player in a thread. Can exceed Cook enhancement caps. Col Deposit | +5% col from loot-minimum mobs, +10% col from treasure chests.

[ChaseR 0]

Two days before, he was confronting a group with the attitude of a brick wall. Refusing to listen, holding its ground and being dumb as a stump. A day ago, he was helping someone out. Now, he was wandering about one of his least favorite floors. A dull one, with dark skies and a murky atmosphere. Since there was still time before the boss fight, he might as well explore Aincrad and make sure he's been familiarized with as much of it as possible. Right?

"Anything to break out of that stupid cycle of vitriol and whatever else it's supposed to be.". Even if he didn't like being here, he could even use this change of pace as an excuse to bring back new information to type in his small library database or whatever it is. No matter how far in he went, how much he moved around, how he looked for anything, there wasn't much of note- muck left and right, a dull floor with nothing but plain fields and monsters all over. There was some place near him that seemed interesting, but he truthfully cared little for it. Some tower, destroyed and abandoned. If monsters had flooded it, he wouldn't be surprised. He wasn't looking for a fight though, so it was best to just let it be. The bluehead was here to observe, nothing else. And that he did. He found himself a nice spot near a very small ledge, sitting down and letting his legs swing. "I wish I could talk to Lily somehow.". Times like these were rough when you were mostly alone. Tired. Bored. But the only reason he was confining himself to these thoughts was because he needed to address them. Nothing more. Nothing less. "As ugly as this place is, it makes me feel... nostalgic."

Spoiler

Name: ChaseR
Level: 84
HP: 1710/1710
EN: 168/168

Stats:
Damage: 20
Mitigation: 43
Evasion: 3
Accuracy: 3
BH:85
VAMP DEF:85
PARA:1
HLY:12
HLY BLS:16
LD:5

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: <<Fragmented Blade>> (T3/Perfect/2HSS): PARA I, HOLY II
Armor: <<Azure Overcoat>> (T2/Perfect/Light Armor): V.DEF I, HBS I, MIT I
Misc: <<Chained Bracelet>> (T2/Demonic/Trinket): EVA II, ACC II

Skills:
Two-Handed Straight Sword [Rank 5]
Light Armor [Rank 5]
Battle Healing [Rank 5]
Searching [Rank 4]
Charge [Rank 5]
Hiding [Rank 5]
Parry [Obtained]
Extended Mod Limit [Obtained]
Fighting Spirit [Obtained]
Howl [Obtained]
Extended Weight Limit [Obtained]

Extra Skills:
Familiar Mastery: Fighter
Survival
Disguise
Meditation

Mods:
2HSS Finesse [R3]
Precision
Athletics
Sprint & Acrobatics
Ferocity
Focused Howl
Surprise Attack (Assassin)
Vanish

Battle Ready Inventory:
Imugi's Inspiration (Mass HP Recovery)*1
Insta-Life ++ (T2/Perfect/HP REC III)*1
Woodland Armor (T3/Perfect) MIT III (1/3)*1
Gugnir's Shard (T3/Instant/HP REC III)*5
Obtained via Item Stash (Housing)
Obtained via Dimensional Backpack

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill.
Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild:
Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread

Wedding Ring:

 

[Alkor 0]

The moonlight came to life in an instant. As nature filled the room with dazzling flickers that twisted and twirled, Alkor only just saw NIGHT take a place beside him. Had she heard him speak? Perhaps, but if she had, she kept it to herself. Instead of focusing on how such an intimate and reflective monolog may have been embarrassing, he chose to remain level headed and exist in the moment. This scenery was far too beautiful to allow trivial things to sully it.

The music that seemed almost soothingly calm and fitting for a ruined world changed around them. A feeling of warmth welled up in his chest as the room flourished, now golden like a ballroom. It was like the clock had turned back its hands and for a moment, they stood in the past. Translucent reflections of long lost elves bowed and curtseyed to one another, sharing the time honored tradition of a ceremonial dance. Several feet in front of them, a breathtakingly beautiful woman in lavish finery presided over the venue.

Alkor took a step forward to get a better look at her. Her face was etched with a smile so bright, he thought that she might have lit up the room all by herself. Her clothes were elegant, pure white, and unsullied by those countless epochs that separated them. He found himself unable to speak, even as her phantasmal gaze turned toward him.

The swordsman felt his breath catch in his throat. Could she see him? Could he reach out and touch her? Even if he wanted to, the youth found himself unable to move at all. He was paralyzed by the magic of a scene unlike anything he could have imagined.

In the next heartbeat, she looked away, and her smile was almost sad. As with all things, the dance came to an end. The elves all took up spots along the hall like sentries, standing vigil over the path from the entrance to the regal woman at the back of the room. Her lips moved, but no words came from them.

"They were holding some sort of ceremony," he heard himself mumble, awestruck. 

[NIGHT 0]

A ceremony.

Alkor's monologue rang back in her mind. Stories about knights and heroes and noblemen and customs -- did he know, then, that their environment would shift as such in their presence? He was captivated, moved by the sight of royalty. And had NIGHT not had previous training in someone else's stead, she might've fallen fallible to wordlessness by accident, too. There was something admirable about her joy, the stranger, something familiar that the player opted to overlook.

The room, the scene, the ball of sorts was beautiful, the way the environment shifted ahead of them only sent a thrumming to her throat in enticement, in interest. It would be a shame had its magic gone shimmering away just because she'd let out a word out of place.

She made her peace with the quiet, offering her companion a hum an affirmation alongside a nod. NIGHT resumed her vigilance, tracking the woman in white -- her observance felt too natural, the player entirely comfortable with the act. She only spared the figure a few moments of respite from her gaze the moment the other elves in the room parted, fleeting to the sides of the room. When they were at attention, NIGHT could almost map out a red carpet where their target might've been sauntering down in the future.

The noble stopped to speak instead, but nothing was ever exchanged. So they were not entirely privvy to the secrets of this dream, then. NIGHT glanced about the room in her wait, if only to catch sight of any secrets their presentation held for them.

[ChaseR 0]

Nothing to do but to relax. A sigh. The boy's fingers slid down across the air, letting his menu appear and looking through it before he ended up on the friends list. He thought to check how everyone was doing. Mari was all over Aincrad, as per usual, Shay too, and... There were two actually very close together- to him and probably themselves. Chase got up and dusted himself, looking at the tower again and taking his blade out.

"... So they must have killed everything already.", he assumed and began to head right on over. He didn't have a clue what the two of them were doing there- were they farming monsters together for SP and items, or was it something else they were up to? He'd find out soon enough. Not that he'd follow them around and try to be sneaky, but instead he'd show up. As soon as he would reach the tower of course. It was a few good minutes of a hike down, but with a stance cautious as ever, he eventually ended up before the tall structure and let out a deep exhale before he began to climb up its interior. He climbed and climbed, seeing rubble all over the place yet no monsters guarding it. Odd as that was, what met his eyes once he was at the top was even more out of the ordinary. "... The hell's going on?", he (probably) interrupted, looking at NIGHT and then over at Alkor as he sheathed his sword once more. 

[Starla 0]

     Starla looked around the 23rd floor, taking in the floor for all of its gloomy glory. It had an air which made Starla want to leave, but she knew that NIGHT was somewhere here on this floor. As she made her way around the floor, she saw all kinds of monsters which she knew she had to avoid like the plague. If she was caught, she was surely going to be killed. It was risky, but she felt that this floor was calling to her. Something about this floor, she knew in her heart would remind her of her home. The feeling that welled up inside of her was burning a hole in her soul. Maybe it was fear, but she felt it inside of her being that this was intuition screaming that she needed to be here.

     Starla looked at her friend's list and selected NIGHT, trying to find exactly where she was. As her dot showed up on her map, she headed in her direction without missing a beat. She made her way through many muddy puddles and avoided the gaze on monsters that made her soul quake, but she was determined. She felt she was lucky to avoid many of the monsters in the area, but this was something Starla had confidence in. She hadn't built into the stealthier part of her build yet, but if she hoped to survive as a stealthy character, she also needed immense luck. It invigorated her and in the distance, she saw a dilapidated building. It seemed that that was where NIGHT was. As she approached, she suddenly found herself freezing.

     She thought she heard a melody playing inside her ear as she approached the building and a golden glow shone faintly from the entrance, enticing her to enter. Starla stared at the entrance for a moment before the music dissipated. Was it just her imagination? The glow, however, did not fade. Starla crept forward, wary that some sort of monster might be beckoning her into her demise. But as she got closer, she heard a familiar voice. It wasn't long since the last time she had heard it. The one who had saved Koga before... Who was it again? Starla wracked her brain for the answer and the letter A popped into her mind. She knew his name started with an A.

     Starla peeked around the corner of the entrance. She saw the A person and NIGHT inside the room with a blue-haired person she hadn't seen before behind them. But that was all irrelevant before the woman who stood at the back of the room. She was adorned with an outfit so pure white, it was almost blinding. Starla felt herself become entranced at the sight of the woman, her silent beauty beckoning her forward. Starla felt herself relax as she entered the room, a small smile adorning her lips. She stood up straight, wanting to blend in with the rest of the people at this event. Even though it was an illusion of sorts, Starla could feel herself melding into the atmosphere. This. This was what had her soul burning. Starla thought back to the grand galas, parties, and award ceremonies she had attended. Although this one was probably more akin to the Renaissance or even before that than she was accustomed to, the air still tasted the same. A crisp, exciting air filled with a slightly sweet aroma to it. Although there was no noise, she almost instinctively heard the buzzing of people gossiping about the woman in the back of the room. Starla was sure if this gathering was real, it would've been quite the spectacle. Her eyes practically sparkled as she fell to her knees, an audible thump resounding. "Wow."

Spoiler

Starla

Level: 8
HP: 160/160
EP: 16/16
DMG: 5
MIT: 5
EVA: 3
ACC: 3

Equipment:
Celestial Body (LA/Perfect/T1) EVA III
Black Star (Dagger/Perfect/T1) DMG III
Gold Ring (Accessory/Perfect/T1) ACC III

Skills:
Light Armor Rank I
OH Dagger Rank I

Battle Ready Inventory:
x5 Starter Healing Potions

 

[Alkor 0]

Authority cascaded over the ruin as her ancient, unknown words reverberated. Though he could not hear them, their weight bore down on him like the entire world fell on his shoulders. If he measured all the burdens he'd taken on in his life, they could never equate to this feeling. Instead of fatigue or fear though, there was an elation in his heart.

Invisible flames burned away the part of him covered in scars, cutting away the pain and dark thoughts that lingered there and shackled him to the past. In that moment, he felt like he could walk forever in the heat and never be burned. ...the hells going on?

For a moment, the fog lifted. Alkor saw beyond the illusion that played out in cinematic realism around them. Chase was here too. "I don't know what prompted it," he drawled, "but it's some kind of system event. I think we're watching something that happened here, long ago."

They watched as a fully armored man walked down the aisleway. When he reached the woman at the end, he drew his blade and offered it up to her, knelt before her in supplication. "...it's a Knighting ceremony," he murmured, breathless.

Wow.

Alkor turned his gaze toward the voice, and Starla was there with them now watching the strange figures marching to the soundless rhythm. The girl fell to her knees in amazement, the same way that what he saw robbed him of words. They were all effected to different degrees. Even ChaseR was confused, but fascinated. 

When the beautiful woman took the blade in hand, the room glowed faintly. The moonlight that swirled through the room now concentrated on the armored man, and as the sword touched one shoulder, then the other, the world spun. More accurately, Alkor's world spun. There was something intoxicating about the display, something that called out to him even as it wove a mythical tapestry for the others.

Her lips parted a handful more times in the next heartbeat, and when the blade tapped his helmet, the man rose once more. 

He rose a Knight.

Alkor started to speak, but he was interrupted. His eyes were drawn to a window that appeared in front of him, across his HUD. The words stole the breath from his lungs. Was this some kind of joke?

 

 

He swiped open his menu and typed off a message, quickly as he could with his hand shaking. Lessa couldn't miss this- she had to see it, even if she only saw the tail end. It was unlike anything they had experienced in the game, something uplifting and phenomenal to watch- and if this quest was to be believed, it wasn't something she should miss.

"...guys, are you seeing this?" he asked quietly.

 

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga
Level: 43
Health: 880
Energy: 86
DMG: 16 // EVA: 2  // MIT: 25 // ACC: 4
BRN: 24 // BLT: 24 // FALN: 4 // REGN: 10

Skills
>> Katana V
     // Ferocity
     // Precision
>> Light Armor V
     // Athletics

Extra Skills
>> Familiar Master: Fighter III
>> Survival

Inventory
>> T2 Demonic Katana <<Tsuki no Hikari>> [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Fallen]
>> T1 Perfect Necklace <<White Owl Necklace>> [Accuracy // Accuracy // Accuracy]
>> T2 Perfect Light Armor <<Shadow Chance Coat>> [Evasion // Evasion // Regen]

Battle-Ready Inventory
---

Buffs
>> <<Well Rested>> -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.
>> <<Squeaky Clean>> The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down).
>> <<Relaxed>> Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

If blood flowed in Aincrad, Koga would be covered it. His sword. His hands. His face. He would be bathed in it. But wounds did not bleed in Sword Art Online, so as Koga quietly sheathed his weapon, his last enemy bursting into crimson vertices, the white light of the moon washed over him, as if to cleanse him of his guilt. But such light did not pierce the skin the same way a blade did.

Koga looked up at the pale circle, hanging in the sky and smiling down at him. He'd almost forgotten. When was the last time he'd thought about them, Tsuki and Hikaru? When he'd visited the monument? Too long. He'd done them a disservice. He looked away, and instead towards the Queen's Tower, his destination.

Inside, the halls were silent, save for the quiet steps of the swordsman's boots. Strange as it was, Koga found himself untroubled by that fact. Mobs didn't conduct carefully planned ambushes, and players made more noise than they thought.

"...guys, are you seeing this?"

The voice echoed down the hall just Koga turned the corner. Immediately, Koga's hand went to his sword as he crept towards the noise. A familiar group of figures caused Koga to pause and hide himself carefully in the shadows only to observe. What were they all doing out here anyways? A quest?

Edited March 15, 2021 by Koga

[NIGHT 0]

'Long ago'. Only if they were fools enough to believe it. But there were even worse players out there that believed in worse things, and so NIGHT let her gripe go, gaze sweeping across the ceremony once she acknowledged ChaseR's presence with a nod and a grunt.

Knightship -- funny, how language would play on words. Despite her grievances with the pun, she watched in great interest, light flickering from one piece of metal to the next. Almost like a blessing transferred from one medium to another, the glint of white bounced across blade to armor to blade once again. And the chanting, the decrees of creed and code and loyalty, spilling from the lips of royalty unheard.

She felt it, the singe of an edge upon her shoulders, the shimmer of steel upon steel as the sword slid across the honored warrior. She tasted it, even, as the woman babbled, and NIGHT found herself echoing sentiments of servitude in her head, in her heart.

A secret wish. She'd murmured it. Her on her knees. The knight as he rose.

NIGHT's eyes shifted just as the chiming of bells called for Alkor's attention. A message -- no, but that wasn't what stole her sights. The offer granted to the other player was... intriguing. Vague. Though there were some of their desires imbued into the memory, a sour taste melted at the back of her tongue, wondering what Cardinal had intended for them upon their acceptance.

On her glance back to the recently bestowed, she caught sight of a familiar star, and it ate away at her vulnerability. But neither of them had addressed each other yet, and so NIGHT watched, quiet and cold, wondering how many others would make their way here to grace the procession with their presence.

[ChaseR 0]

The whole scene that unraveled still felt off to Chase. Another person came in the form of Starla, looking over his shoulder at her with a confused expression and then back at Alkor to see a HUD having emerged before him, with a yes or no option. He walked over and read it, his eyes narrowing as he turned to NIGHT. "Get near the white haired one. This might be a trap.", he advised his companion and took his own sword out carefully, keeping a battle-ready stance as if to deflect any attack that came.

"Kayaba never forced danger upon us. He's gone that low already either way, so what's stopping this from being a trap?", he finished his trail of thoughts in the back of his mind, looking at Alkor and trying his best to stay as unfazed by the scene as possible. "It's a high floor. If this is a trap, some will need to teleport out. I'll do my best to protect you all though.", the bluehead quickly declared his intent, knowing that whatever the blonde did, he'd stick by his side. Kind of ironic, considering they just watched a knighting ceremony. "It can't have been something that happened in the past if Aincrad didn't exist before the game was made. This feels like an event quest that could go horribly wrong.". No matter how much he tried to squeeze some explanation for this scene, nothing came out. No NPC had told him about anything similar to this, and he didn't remember any players mentioning events similar to what was playing out before them either. 

[Lessa 1]

"Floor twenty three?" Lessa eyed the message dubiously, then lifted her gaze to scan her surroundings. Crumbling ruins, riotous vegetation, death and decay, check check check. Yep, she was definitely in the right place. But why would Alkor summon her to a place like this? The twenty third floor was among her least favorite in Aincrad, and surely she had expressed that to him. Granted, it wasn't desert bad (no sand in nooks and crannies), but it certainly wasn't her top pick. Of all of the floors he might have chosen, he chose elf hell. I just hope I don't have to go underground, she thought with a groan. They're super mean down there.

Lessa identified her friend with the help of her map, then began begrudgingly trudging toward him. The issue had to be pressing, or else Alkor never would have reached out. Despite their closeness, he had never exactly been the "lets grab hot cocoas and gossip" type. Furthermore, if he went with a floor as barren as the twenty third, the thing he needed to show her was likely location-bound. A quest, maybe? It had only been a week or so since they had taken down the Monkey King together, so it certainly wasn't out of the question. She wished he'd been a little more specific in his message.

A cool breeze swept across the desolate land, but it was not the weather that sent a shiver up her spine. I've been here before. "The Queen's Tower," she heard herself whisper, voice as reverent as a prayer uttered in a silent church. This was where she had rescued the Fonsa, and the first adventure she had taken with Oliver. Instinctively, the Guardian reached back to brush her fingertips along the hilt of her sword. The simple gesture not only assured her the weapon was ready, but also that she had the power to wield it at a moment's notice. Should she wander across any beast men, she would be prepared. But what if it was another dying woman she found?

Breathing deeply, she expelled the visual from her mind, and focused instead on location Alkor. It appeared that he was actually within the ruins themselves, somewhere she herself had never actually ventured. Were he working his way through the <<Search and Rescue>> quest, she may have to decline his request for help; the first time had made her queasy enough. Yet when she finally picked her way across the rubble, and located her missing friend, he was not alone.

"Oh," Lessa murmured, taken aback by the small group. They faced away from her, their backs turned, and attention elsewhere. When no one turned to look at her, she added hastily. "Hey NIGHT, and Chase, and Koga, and I'm afraid I don't know you, but-" Wait. The one figure in the room whom she did not know remained on her knees, gazing up at something Lessa couldn't see well from her position in the room. Only once she drew closer, rounding the corner that obstructed her view, did she understand exactly what it was Alkor had wanted her to see. "She's beautiful," was the first thing she could manage.

Spoiler

Name: Lessa
Level: 63
HP: 1350/1350
EN: 126/126

Stats:
Damage: 19
Mitigation: 126
Evasion: -1
Accuracy: 3
BH:40
THRNS:54
H.M.:1
REC:1

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Arcturus (T3/Perfect/2HSS): Damage 3
Armor: Galaxy Armor (T3/Perfect/Heavy Armor): Thorns 2, Heavy Momentum 1
Misc: Neutron Star Necklace (T3/Perfect/Jewelry): Accuracy 2, Recovery 1

Skills:
2H Straight Sword [Rank 5]
Heavy Armor [Rank 5]
Howl [Obtained]
Fishing [Obtained]
Parry [Obtained]
Battle Healing [Rank 3]

Extra Skills:
Familiar: Protector
Survival

Mods:
Precision
Ferocity
Athletics
Finesse (Rank 3)
Stonewall

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal*5
Requires Extended Weight Limit 1
Requires Extended Weight Limit 2
Requires Extended Weight Limit 3
Obtained via Item Stash (Housing)
Obtained via Dimensional Backpack

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll

Guild Hall Buffs:
Helping Hand: Lowest-leveled guild member receives +2 bonus SP at the end of the thread. At least half of the thread's participants must be guild members. Limit one use per month, per character. [1/1]

Scents of the Wild:

Wedding Ring:

[Starla 0]

     Starla watched what seemed to be a knighting ceremony. It was beautiful and picturesque. Whoever had designed this event took a great amount of care to really capture a certain feeling. Maybe it was the fact that she was trapped inside this game, but the light that seemed to be emanating from the woman at the back of the room was like pure hope. Starla realized that this game was one in which kind of functioned like a knighthood. All the people inside this game worked together to accomplish a single goal. Conquering. It made Starla only reaffirm her belief the person who trapped everyone inside of this game was pure evil. However, that malevolent intention melted away at the sight of this incarnation of pure light. Starla couldn't let herself get up.

     And then there was something that came into the center of her vision. A window. Starla blinked for a moment, being brought back into reality. "Huh?" Starla looked at the window as it asked if she wanted to become a knight. The A person then asked if anyone else was seeing this. The question was ambiguous, but it was clear as day as to what he was talking about. Starla turned her gaze to the man who asked and she said, "You mean this window? I'm surprised we happened upon an event. I'm tempted to accept."

     A woman with shining hair then entered the chamber, which took Starla a bit by surprise. She addressed her and Starla stood up immediately. She brushed off some of the dust that might've been on her clothing and she looked at the woman. "Hmm." She looked the woman up and down, sizing her up. Starla was completely certain that this woman wouldn't be here unless she was close to someone on the front lines or the front lines themselves, so she smiled. "Starla. Charmed."

Edited March 17, 2021 by Starla

[Alkor 0]

Alkor was dazzled by the offer, almost as if-

It felt like Cardinal had processed his thoughts and distilled them. That was one of its functions, wasn't it? Taking thoughts, dreams, robbing them from Players in order to generate new content. The system built upon everything at its disposal to remain relevant. With that thought in mind, it did almost seem like a trap. ChaseR was wary, and that pulled at the rational part of his mind. If there were danger to come, it would pose an extreme threat to Starla. She was still low in level despite braving higher floors. The system recognized hopes and dreams, but it also recognized other things. Alkor heard the white haired girl speak up that she was tempted to accept, and his gaze moved toward her.

So, it had deemed her a candidate for a quest as well. He considered the implications in silence for a moment before his finger moved swiftly to the circle and accepted it. If the game was aware of Starla's limitations and granted her the quest, it had to be something that she could reasonably handle. The system was ultimately fair: it considered individual ability and level into things before it generated content. In the end, inadequacy on the part of a Player in completing a quest was on them- the real unfair thing about Aincrad was how it exposed them in that way, so intimately.

The window in front of Alkor dissolved instantly, and after a moment, the woman turned to smile at him. She gestured toward where the Knight had knelt moments before, beckoning him to take up his position before her. Alkor did so numbly, completely taken aback by how the Elven Queen regarded him directly. The moment he accepted the quest, something ancient and unfathomable seemed to wash over him. He knew the sensation- what it felt like to be surrounded by real, human history, and to interact with something from outside one's timeline. It felt surreal, intense, and humbling all at once.

When he took the knee, he could hear it.

Her voice was a song, a lighthearted, faint whisper on the wind that wafted through the sundered hall. The lights danced in turn, but Alkor was certain of one thing. This voice was only intended for him. The way it rang in his ears was nothing like any voice he'd ever heard call on him. It was a thought, as if it had always been part of him. 

"Brave soul," she cooed. Her hand gestured toward him. "Your journey has been long to come here before me, and you have braved many dangers. I see in your eyes the expression of one who has faced death and overcome it."

Alkor found no words. It felt like this woman could see into his soul, and with the Cardinal system entwined in this event, he was certain that at the very least she knew his mind without any effort. When he thought to speak, his attempt was abolished. The lights transformed around him, green and blue and pink and gold, the winged sprites that he could barely fathom emerged from the pools of water and the dingy moss stretched out across the floor. "Faefolk," the woman revealed with a heart-wrenching smile. He felt immense loss, like her death had been a tragedy. So the system could even simulate that feeling.

Or did this feeling belong to him?

"It is through them that you are able to see me at all," the Elven Queen explained, "and through them that my voice carries to you now, across eons. This was my home once, in a time before this world rose from the earth and joined the sky. My people have all been twisted and torn, scattered to the wind much the same as my voice. Doubtless you have seen the elves that now dwell here, confined to the darkness, afraid of the light. The light was beautiful once. Revered."

She took a step forward, and her fingers moved over his cheek. The sensation was warm, though he felt nothing tangible. "It is the light that has chosen you, Alkor," she spoke his name, and his heart skipped a beat. The golden eyed youth stared up at her, whatever she was saying only to him clearly smashing against his sensibilities. The others would see him stripped bare of his wits in that moment, doubtless something Lessa had seen before, when he was at a loss for words. Only now, he could not even find his thoughts.

"You see, a Knight cannot serve a Master who no longer exists. I am an echo. A memory. And here you are, alive. Would that we could have met directly, but I am only the conduit through which you will find your purpose."

"Purpose," he whispered. It was the very thing he had been wrestling with for months, since the moment he awoke on the ninth floor. As he confronted the demons of his past, and the pain of losing his grandmother, Alkor had struggled to feel like he had any meaning at all beyond what others gave him. Purpose. With that single word, the woman dispelled any doubts Alkor had left about this quest.

"Indeed," she smiled again. He bowed his head. "Henceforth, you will serve the Light, Alkor," she told him, "which means, you are your own master. Slave to no darkness, to no man. Your duty is to the people of Aincrad, and most importantly, to yourself. Do you accept this fate?"

The question only had one answer. 

"I do."

The HUD prompted him immediately. Draw your blade. Alkor did, and a heartbeat later, he held it out toward the Queen in both hands. "Raise your head," she told him.

The faefolk spun in the air, wildly weaving their way through the other Players. Curiosity drew them closer, hovering near each of them in turn. One alighted on NIGHT's head like a child resting on a beloved parent. You're strong, lady! I wanna be like you! 

Another hovered close to Koga, aware of the darkness that clung to him. Though the others might not since it- even Alkor himself- the fairy got close enough that the man could see its face through the near-blinding light that emanated from it. Her face was sad. Take heart. The path will become clear in time. These words were for him. No one else would see her sad eyes, nor hear her voice.

One of them got close to ChaseR. If he didn't try to bat it away, it would come as close as he dared allow.

At last, one got close enough to Lessa where if she reached out, she could touch it. If she tried, it would touch down on her hand.

[Koga 0]

To the swordsman's surprise, Lessa walked into the building, and noticed him immediately. Well, he didn't exactly have the Sneak skill, so he supposed he wasn't that surprise. Even still, he was less than enthused by the fact that he'd been uncovered so quickly. Stepping from the shadows, he nodded a greeting to all present and joined the small group. Lessa was right, the woman was indeed beautiful.

As soon as Alkor bent the knee, she began to speak. A scripted event? It had to be, there was no other explanation. Koga silently took a step closer to Starla, just in case something started to go horribly wrong, as they had so often in the past. The woman stepped forward, touched Alkor's face and spoke his name, and Koga's hand drifted to his sword in response. As the man handed the Queen his sword, he almost wanted to swear at him for doing something so foolish, but the words caught in his throat. Despite his misgivings, as she ordered the brunette man to rise, he understood, she truly was recruiting him, into a higher purpose. The kind that Alkor surely needed.

The fae appeared one by one. A bright child before NIGHT, another flitted around ChaseR, another kindly drifting towards Lessa and yet another pulsed its light near Starla. Koga's own floated briefly before his face. He found he could see through the blindingly light she cast from her body to see the sadness behind her eyes, a sadness reflected in his own. She drifted to his shoulder, and whispered something in his ear. His chest tightened at the words. How did she know? Without another word, she silently sat herself on his shoulder, and watched her kin play with their chosen others.

Koga looked over at Alkor. Whatever he had just done, Koga felt he should thank him for it, and help the man see it through to the end. Another silent nod. A promise to do just that.

@NIGHT

Edited March 18, 2021 by Koga

[NIGHT 0]

Et tu, Chase? NIGHT gave him a wry tilt of her head, features pinching up at his instructions -- both the order and the person in question to guard were of unpreferred comfortability to her, the woman trying not to blame her friend for his caution. It only made sense to be wary, on guard at all times around Cardinal.

(But funny for the one who'd trust someone made with killing intent in the past...)

The player brushed her grievances aside, pacing towards Starla's side. A bow to Koga, once she'd seen him. "So this is repayment, then," she said, feeling Jack's calling at the edges of her fingertips. There wasn't a need to be at attention just yet; NIGHT would've preferred to keep her weapon's secret for as long as possible if she could help it. Especially around a newbie she was trying to protect -- or wasn't trying to impress on purpose.

Her eyes went to the woman still on her knees, trying not to match irises. "We'll be your stead. Be careful. Keep yourself safe if anything were to happen."

At Lessa's appearance, NIGHT paused, surprised, mouth agape. She calmed herself with a blink, before giving her guild leader a nod. The more allies that showed up, the easier any combat occurrences would be. Not that the player had especially thought there might've been one for this dream sequence.

Although, the relinquishing of Alkor's sword was rather suspicious, indeed...

The revelation of fae folk was also something she couldn't dismiss. In a cathedral, a sanctuary such as this, with fairies -- Titania? Was that their story's central figure for today? She knew of the trickeries, the wiles of these creatures and their malicious capabilities. It further pushed the sentiment that something might've been afoot, in the midst of the royal processions. Despite it all, however, NIGHT decided against sweeping off the one that rested upon her scalp once it had settled above her locks. Better not offend any one of them to lend reason for a commotion in the first place, she figured.

"Uh..."

It was a strange feeling to have someone resting on her head, she had to admit. Her focus dropped from its presence, back towards the knighting ceremony on Alkor's behalf. "Thanks," she mentioned, not entirely expecting a reply from Cardinal's puppet. "You'll, err-- get there, I'm sure."

[ChaseR 0]

Tiny pixies or whatever flying all over the place, as well as the ghost of a queen approaching Alkor... He didn't like this any more than he already did. Seeing him give his sword to the queen already took him by surprise. Was everybody really this charmed with the room? And then there was the blonde lady. He looked over his shoulder quickly at Lessa and offered a nod, before looking back at the queen tense as ever- and then the fairy. That tiny little-

It stayed right in front of him, almost resting on his nose, its wings fluttering to keep it in the air. The tiniest movement that'd hint at an attack and he'd swat it right out of the air. "A-Alkor, what are y-", he tried to mutter but found himself barely able to think about what he wanted to say. Staring dead in the fae's eyes, and the fae staring right back just caused him to be more nervous than anything. Complete silence. He kept that tense as ever stance with his sword ready to deflect the first attack to come their way, like a statue dropped among everyone else. "Why is she looking at me like that...", his thoughts raced as did his heart and with a gulp, he shifted his hind foot slightly, curling up his toes and gritting his teeth. "C-Cut it off, I can't see Alkor and the rest..! A-And quit staring!". If only he knew what freaked him out about this so much. How uncanny they looked? How literally in his face they were? "T-Tch."

The only thing to hear in response was a low 'huh' and the fairy just tilted her head, crossing her arms. "What's wrong?". What's wrong?! Did she know how close and personal she was, did she even see Chase's stance? "... Wh-What do you think is wrong..."

[Lessa 1]

When the woman moved closer to Alkor, Lessa instinctively stiffened. Beautiful or not, this was a stranger. For all they knew, the pretty lady might draw a dagger and ram it through her friend's neck. Lessa's anxiety spiked once more when the man offered his blade. Can we not give our weapons over to the people who might want to kill us? came her first thought, and she nearly drew her own in response. This chick was murmuring to him, and stroking his cheeks in a way that was more than a little weird, and now Alkor was just willfully disarming himself? Nope, don't like that.

Yet even as Lessa went to draw Scarecrow's Sickle, the faefolk pinwheeled through the damp air. She paused, and in that single beat of hesitation, a voice came to her. You needn't worry. The words, as warm as sunlight and as sweet as honey, played a sharp contrast to the crumbling ruins around them. We mean you no harm.

"That," Lessa muttered, "is exactly what someone who meant us harm would say."

Surprisingly, the fairy loosed a sound like a twinkle of distant bells. Laughter. Such suspicion from someone with a heart as large as yours. Does it come easily, this mistrust?

Lessa's lips drew into a thin line as her new acquaintance studied her. The fairy's wings, nearly translucent but for a faint pink tint, beat rapidly. With visions of the hummingbirds from home playing in her mind, Lessa shifted away, studying the other players as they interacted with their faefolk. "I guess I'm just jaded."

[Starla 0]

     Starla saw the window hovering before her and was tempted to push the "O". Before she was able, Alkor did first. He moved to the Elven Queen. Her voice was still silent for her and the rest of the others. She spoke to Alkor and knighted him in the same way which she had done the spirit before. The light pulsed for a moment as a slew of faefolk suddenly entered the room. Starla looked around, seeing that the faefolk were interacting with everyone but her and Alkor. Starla took this as a sign that it was her turn to make her way to the Elven Queen. Starla worried that maybe it was not the wisest choice, but the system would've likely told her that danger was imminent.

She pressed the accept button.

     Starla felt compelled to make her way to the Queen and she did so quickly. As she approached, she would go about the same ritual that Alkor had. She wanted to hear this woman's voice. She wanted to know what secrets she held. Who was she? Why was she someone capable of knighting others? Was she some sort of grand figure in the whole of Aincrad? Maybe she held some sort of special item which would be given, but whether that would be true was yet to be seen. Even with all the questions flooding her head, Starla focused on the interaction before her. Her presence was like that of Jupiter, pulling Starla into her massive orbit. This place was her domain, Starla could tell. She was excited to be someone who was invited to share in its possibly momentary glory.

[Alkor 0]

The blade touched Alkor, shoulder to shoulder, and then rested on the crown of his head. "Rise, First Sword," she uttered the words. In the instant that the metal touched his head, something changed. Light filtered into the Player, burning away all the doubts he had amassed. Any fear dissolved, drowned in his newfound resolve. The light quenched him in its gentle warmth, quelling the flames that burned inside of him and bringing a sense of peace as the energy cascaded over him. The others would see the change visibly, long before Alkor. His hair, once a chestnut brown color, took on some aspect of the element that irradiated him. As he rose and turned to glance over the group, Alkor was no longer a brunette, but a blonde.

"What you see as the brightest light has become part of you," her words were cryptic. The chill that ripped down his spine forced him to glance back at her, but the Queen only smiled. Alkor took a step away from the altar dumbly, and the woman turned her eyes toward Starla. The girl who accepted the quest now received the Queen's full attention, and all of the warmth that Alkor received. All that and more. "Sweet child," the woman beckoned to the girl before Starla as the lower leveled Player eagerly stepped forward. Alkor felt numb as the girl passed him, but somehow he understood that this place- at least for the moment- intended them no harm. "You have braved great danger to come here, and in this, you are worthy of the highest praise that this land has to offer; but you are not quite ready to walk this path you have chosen. With time, with patience, and with commitment, you will find the way forward. When that time comes, I will knight you proper; but for now, I do have a blessing for you."

The Queen stretched out her hands, placing them gently on either side of the girl's face. She locked eyes with Starla, unlike anything she had done with Alkor. There was an intimate silence between them, secrets that none of the others would be allowed to share in. She closed her eyes and in Starla's mind, the words took form. Many hardships await you, more than you can imagine. Darkness will doubtless cast a shadow over you. Brave the danger, fight your way to greater heights. On the wings of your efforts, rise to the challenge, and return here.

Her gaze softened as her fingers moved to Starla's forehead, and she imparted something in her mind. It manifested in the form of another HUD message.

You have been granted the rank of "Squire."

"Learn," the Queen bid her, "and grow. Make your loved ones proud. Never lose hope, or turn your eyes from the path. A true Knight may stray, but he will always find his way home." Her eyes were on Alkor as she spoke these words, and he could feel them burning deep into his soul. The swordsman felt his shoulders sag, overwhelmed by the sudden weight of her message. "Starla," the Queen spoke once more to the girl, "I will remember your name."

Alkor finally looked to the others, now aware that they were engaged with the Faefolk. What had happened to this place? Would they ever know more? He paused as he looked now to Lessa, smiling. "Hey," he greeted her, "glad you made it." Lessa still gazed in uncertainty at him as he took another step down the stairs, and he waved his hand in front of his face. "I'm fine, see? Nothing weird. Well... okay, it's a little weird, but I'm not hurt."

Lessa seemed genuinely perplexed, but before she could open her mouth to question it, the Queen was looking her way. For a moment, there was a strange silence before the window appeared in Lessa's HUD. Where before she had not seemed to qualify, suddenly when there it became clear that there was no danger and she had witnessed something unexplainable happen before her very eyes the system recognized her interest and intrigue. It asked her the same question as the other two, and offered her the chance to accept or decline the Queen's offer.

The faerie near Koga buzzed around his head, then came to rest on his shoulder. She did not speak; not unless he spoke first, but she sought to comfort him with her presence.