[SP-F6] The War Within <<The Gemini>>

[Guest]

Alkor stared over the edge of the rock face and down toward the pool far below. There was a winding, rocky path that led to the bottom, and the waterfall that crashed there against the rock roared like a ferocious lion, never ending echoes bouncing off the cliff side.

His fingers traced the hilt of his blade, though for now he had no reason to draw it. Information dealers had pointed him to this remote area, on a floor he had yet to visit, seeking tales of another strange beast to be conquered. Alkor loved the challenge that came with facing them.

Details about the encounter were sparse, mostly limited to the manner in which to initiate it. Reportedly, players who had completed it kept the results a tightly kept secret. That made the youth that much more interested in discovering the truth.

He started down the path toward the bottom of the falls, slow steps allowing him the opportunity to right himself. "It's an exercise in meditation," he thought aloud. "That means the Cardinal system is emulating a ritualistic outlook on martial arts..."

It was a fascinating concept, and one Alkor had a great deal of respect for. "The more I delve into SAO, the more I realize that Kayaba had created a world based on what he believed was ideal." He bowed his head and sighed. "I wonder when he lost sight of that goal."

[Guest]

Each step he took drowned beneath the thundering of the falls, and his mind swam somewhere in those waters as well. His eyes traced the area, but when they found nothing, he let out a harsh, ragged sigh. It seemed too peaceful a place to drag into the drudgery of combat.

When he reached the bottom, Alkor stretched out his hand almost in an almost ritualistic manner, letting the warm water cascade over his fingertips and into his palm, then down into the basin where it would continue its life as though he had never interrupted. It was a reassuring reality- peace was everlasting, even at the heart of the most violent conflict.

With a long, deep breath, Alkor cleansed himself of the anxiety that had budded in his chest, then expelled it with a single step. The falls washed over him like a child baptized in a river. He stood with his eyes fluttering for a moment before finally sitting down.

The fear of falling over or being washed away was part of his initial thought process, but slowly, even that washed away with the river below. Alkor felt a pure connection with the living world around him, even though the world was false. This exercise was the closest to home he had come in many months.