Ashrah

PLACEHOLDER.

"Ought to call it a graveyard, not a garden," Ishmael mused. "I don't see any signs of life other than us. Nothing's growing."

Whatever light filtered through the immortal storm bounded off the statuesque wolf Birdie appraised, and for a moment it did seem to stare at her. When that instant passed, Arc blinked. There was life here, once. It would be in their best interest to remember that. 

That meant it wasn't impossible for there to be life here now. 

When she returned to his side, Arc gave her a quick pat on the shoulder. "We've got this," he smiled. Did they really? Arc couldn't be sure, but he wasn't about to lose his cool and compromise the already fragile morale of the group.

The frosty maelstrom overhead writhed as a stray wind blew across the field, and Arc raised a hand to shield his eyes. A massive figure loomed in the distance, its gray only a slight contrast from the backdrop. He bit into his lip thoughtfully.

"We should press forward," he suggested. "I doubt we'll find the answers this close to the entrance."

The minimap showed that they had a ways to go before they ran out of area to explore, but there was no specific quest marker. That meant they were on their own. Cardinal wouldn't help them with this one.

"Well, that's just great..." he muttered.

"What are you on about?" Corvo asked, his eyebrow quirked.

"No quest marker," Arc explained.

"Ahhhhhh, I see." The readhead raised his middle fingers to the sky and proclaimed, "right back at'cha, Aincrad."

Tobias let out a quiet laugh as he offered Ava his hand and headed off in the direction of the giant shadow.

Soon, they would know what lurked beneath the fields of ice...

Quote

To: @Birdie

Hey, it's getting on toward Christmas Eve, so I figured I'd do something special for you. I found out they're serving hot cocoa, sugar cookies, and all sorts of fun stuff down on the fourth floor in celebration. Looks like we're going to be able to celebrate something after all- if you're interested, that is. I'll be sticking here for a few hours and having a drink or two, so show up if you want to.

-Tobias

As he finished typing out the message, Tobias glanced up at the work that had been put in decorating the hall for the festivities. Granted it was a bit early, the youth still managed to convince the NPCs that this was a custom where he came from, and it would draw in a crowd. Garland and sugarplums hung overhead, and stockings flecked the staircase that led up to the second floor. The fireplace was lit and warm, and they were offering hot cocoa to passers by for a meager amount of Col.

The tables were decorated with various ornaments and figures that depicted some famous ballet, mice embroiled at war with little wooden men. Holly and white/red tablecloths added to the decor, and just above the door hung mistletoe, which careful eyes would allow one to deftly dodge.

Tobias sat next to the flame in an old rocker, eyes closed. This reminded him of life back when his grandpa was around, when they'd all come together as a family and spend Christmas together. It was definitely a different world, Aincrad. He glanced over to the festive tree that he'd conned them into setting up, nestled in the corner near the stairs. Presents sat beneath it in a seasonable fashion, in hopes that people would feel the spirit when they entered.

"I really went all out," he muttered.

He held the present for Ava in his lap, wondering if she'd decide to join him. "I didn't give her too much warning," he reflected. "I can give it to her later, probably."

Arc and Ishmael were first off the ship as Corvo and Birdie lagged a bit behind. The two had an exchange that Tobias couldn't quite make out, but it seemed that Ava had a few choice words for the firebrand that he did not enjoy. Corvo shrugged haplessly, in the trademark sort of way that said he couldn't be touched- and perhaps he could not, at least, not in that insane place where he deigned to let his mind dwell. It was better no one tried to reach him there, lest they end up hopelessly lost.

"Hey, hey," Corvo shook his head, "that'll do, lass. Ain't no reason to get pissy," He threw up his hands in surrender and trod off the ship in the wake of his friends. He made some sort of comment to Arc, who shot him a venomous look. The blue haired spearman said nothing, however. Once he was sure that Ava was off the ship safely, he directed his attention toward their new location.

It was every bit the myth they imagined. "Would you look at that?" Corvo marveled. Light flooded the crystalline corridor that stretched out ahead of them, refracted off jagged and smooth ice. The cold was offset by a strange sensation that flooded the area. "It's like somethin' out of a dream..."

Tobias knelt close to one of the nearest ice sculptures, and he tilted his head. "I see," he muttered. His fingers grazed over sheet ice and the youth inspected the crystal. "It looks like the whole world is frozen, and not just in the "it's cold and water freezes" kind of way."

"That's descript," Ish quipped.

"What I mean," Arc stood upright, "is that even the plants have turned to ice. The ground itself has grown cold and bare. It's a dead world."

Tobias took a few steps back and summoned his spear to hand. "I don't like it," he announced.

"You're right," Corvo agreed. "Let's be ready for anything."

"Finally, something we agree on," Ishmael laughed.

As the group stalked through the passage, myriad sounds like ice cracking and a cold wind blowing in the distance echoed all around them. Arc shifted uncomfortably. The pathway stretched onward for a time, then opened into...

"Oh, holy hell," Corvo whispered.

The massive field of white went on seemingly forever. Flowers formed of frost and trees that would never blossom again littered the wonderland. The sky was eternally gray, locked behind a haze of snowfall. It was not the fourth floor as they recalled, ravaged at times by blizzard and calm in the next instant. This was a steady, drab, morose snow that held the world hostage.

In that effort, though, it managed beauty.

Giant creatures frozen over forever in their last moments decorated the wastes. Once, they might have been horrifying and worthy of fear from the players. Now as Tobias looked into their lifeless eyes, they stared back with a plea for freedom that they would never find.

"This feels wrong," the spearman murmured.

"What's the story, I wonder?" Corvo placed a hand to one of the beasts, chilled to the touch. "Why would the world just... stop?"

"I feel like we'll have to press on to find the answers," Tobias wagered. He glanced over and offered a faint smile to Ava. "What do you think about all this?"

Thread Complete!

Arc gains 4 SP

200 Gold

The Matriarch's Stinger

He replaced the weapon at his back and turned toward Urbus. "Alright," he resolved. "Time to get back."

Midday had come and gone as the quest crawled by, one insect after the next keeping his attention until sunset was finally upon him. Arc glanced out at the horizon and pursed his lips. 

He struck off without another word, thoughts on just how much stronger he had grown. It was not much, but the difference would be noticeable in the coming conflicts. Arc cast a long shadow over the forested area, then strode through the plains of the second floor intently. As the sun dropped behind the edge of the landscape, he smiled to himself.

Eventually, he would get used to this. He hated that idea. He hated that he felt remotely like this world would become normal to him, and the other would be little more than a memory. Though he was sure many people already felt that way, or were starting to feel that way, this was the first time he had actually felt like he had been robbed of something.

Maybe it was better, trying to think about it less?

Nah. Deal with problems as they come up, Tobes.

"Yeah, he's a little over the top. Theater kid," Tobias explained. "But he's... not always like this? I want to say he's-"

"Living in his own little world," Ishmael explained. "This here's a kid who doesn't quite accept that he's trapped in a video game. To Corvo, this is like a bad joke that won't stop getting told everywhere he goes. He's not a gamer like the rest of us- for him, this was supposed to be something to pass the time."

"I think what Cans is trying to say," Arc interpreted, "is that this insanity is a mental response to trauma. A coping mechanism."

"You make it sound like he's having a psychotic episode," Canaan turned to glance at Corvo, then shook his head. "Nevermind. Point taken."

Corvo, meanwhile, had thrown his arms out wide and taken up a position at the bow of the ship, staring out over oblivion. "NEEEEEEAR... FAAAAAR... WHEREVERRRRR YOU AREEEEE..."

"Riiiiight..." Tobias turned back to Ava, shook his head, and winced. "I really hope he calms down at some point. It's hard to handle him like this." The admission probably let on more than the Spearman had initially said. He didn't like seeing one of his good friends this way, but he was at least glad the redhead hadn't killed himself.

When the Assassin had gotten his fix of reenacting some B movie from the 1990s, he responded with a pained expression to Ava's verbal fencing. Hand over his heart, the youth sagged to the deck. "Augh," he rasped, "she got me. Cut me to the quick, lads. I... I don't think I'll make it-"

Ishmael gave Corvo a swift kick in the pants. "You'll be fine, asshat."

Arc shifted gears. "I'm all for pressing forward. The Spearman pointed out toward the castle, where they would inevitably land. "Nothing like an adventure, right?" He smiled sidelong at the girl, remembering what they had said, back between Taft and the Town of Beginnings.

They'd go together.

Corvo rubbed at the seat of his pants with an obvious look of chagrin. "Okay, okay," he groaned, "I'll try to play nice. Jeez." The Assassin lit up his pipe and glanced to Birdie, puffing at the device gingerly.

"Whatever you're thinking about saying," Tobias warned, "don't."

"Awwwww," Corvo whined.

The captain cut in as the ship banked hard to one side, and they began to float slowly back toward Aincrad. "Alright lads," he nodded slightly to Birdie, "lass. It falls to you. Find that blade and make sure this place is safe from the evils that would use that dark power."

Corvo grinned broadly with excitement.

Ishmael folded his arms and stared intently at the frozen floor ahead.

Arc swiped open his menu and double checked his items. "Looks like we're set," he told the group. "Everyone ready?"

He glanced to Ava as the others chimed in with their affirmations. "For what it's worth," Corvo muttered in her ear, "he's damn terrible with girls, so you must be somethin' special."

I grew up with a kid named Johnathon. His uncle was my sister's godfather, and we went to school together for 12 years. He was a good kid, for the most part- a little bit of a jerk when we were younger, but I never really got along with most folks anyway. John started getting chill around ninth grade, after he lost a ton of weight and got into music.

He had a talent, and his dream was to start his own band. So he did. He put out little snippets here and there, and even sent me some while I was going through a rough time after leaving college, and my grandfather's death. What I didn't know was that John was an addict.

A few months ago, I saw on Facebook that John had ODed. I wasn't sure what to make of it. All of our mutual friends were devastated. His family was torn to their knees by the loss. I didn't have any words for it. This guy I'd known forever, dead in the blink of an eye. It makes you look at life differently, though not necessarily through a volatile lens. I don't have the same levels of attachment most people do, and so I come off as mechanical a lot of the time when it comes to emotions and dealing with them. Maybe it seems cold, or callous, or inhuman, but for me the experience is less about what I feel and more about what I observe.

My observations about the life and death of my friend are as follows: John led a relatively good life, and he had happy times; but everyone inevitably has sad times as well. I probably didn't get to see many of his because he put on a brave face. I didn't even know the guy was on drugs. But he made other people's lives better. In doing that, I think John found some measure of solace in life. The drugs took him from this world early- hell, we were both only 28. That's a somber thought, but it can happen any time, to anyone.

To me, that uncertainty is what gives life meaning. John isn't here anymore, but in many ways, the rest of us are. We get called out of this life at a precise time for a precise reason. Whether you believe in a god or gods, or you think that we're cosmic dust waiting to scatter back to nothingness, you have a time that you'll never really know until it comes. Instead of looking for it or dreading it, I live. Maybe that's simple, and maybe I'm generalizing, but it makes sense to me.

We've all been afflicted with some level of depression, some of us more than others. How we deal with it is relative to who we are. It doesn't make you any less of a person.

Whatever it takes to help you find peace, chase after it.

Whatever brings you happiness, seize it.

Whatever fills your life with meaning, surround yourself with it.

This existence is too fragile and short not to be enjoyed.

@Beatbox

"Psh," the blue haired man waved off the comment with a laugh, "I needed a change of pace, I guess. Either way," he directed his attention to Keres for a moment as she addressed him as 'Master'. Was this one of those kink things? He didn't take Domarus for the kind of guy who bought into that stuff, though he could have been wrong. The idea of being leader or having dominance seemed like it could become attractive, though it had never appealed to Tobias. "You can just call me Arc," he told her, "Keres." He said her name without the honorific, the same way he preferred to be called. "If not, you're welcome to call me 'Merc.' I don't mind being called by my job title."

He didn't bow to her, since she seemed to prefer the idea of not being treated with any kind of respect. He understood that. He didn't consider himself worthy of respect, so it wasn't a stretch for him to believe someone else felt similarly. He respected everyone else, and treating her this way in itself was a kind of respect, even if it was just respecting her wishes.

After a moment, Arc stood upright and rested his spear across both shoulders, wrists draped over the haft. "I'm not quite to the Grandmaster point with my weapon yet," Arc confessed, "I put some points into my armor skill and picked up the Athletics mob. The boost in damage and HP is pretty significant. I'll be putting the points into the weapon skill from now on until it's maxed out, though."

His eyes moved to the familiar, and he tilted his head. "Nice pet you got," he commented, "I'm not really interested in having one myself, but I can see the allure." The way the Dragon looked at him was intriguing to say the least. It didn't hold him in contempt, but it didn't want to show him deference, either. The man shrugged. "Sounds like a utility thing, the extra damage."

He trudged off slightly behind of the other two after Domarus decided they would follow along with the quest. No reason to continue the arbitrary parts of the conversation. "I remember you asked me one time," he called over to the behemoth man as they walked, "what it is I fight for. I gotta ask- what about you?"

"He's a good kid," Tobias explained as Corvo sneered up at the captain and waved his middle finger toward the NPC. "He's much more reserved than this. He decided that people he meets in Aincrad don't need to know him for him. So it's just me and Cans what gets to talk to Ev as Ev. As a favor to me, he's... toned it down a bit."

That was still a stretch. Judging by Corvo's attitude, and the captain swatting at him dismissively, if Arc hadn't been there, Birdie would have seen a very different person. 

"He's still kind of a dick," Ishmael cut in, "but he's the kind of dick you don't really hate? I guess?"

Corvo spat. "You two suck at playing up my good points," he called back. "Tell her I'm hot, and I have a huge-"

"Ego," Tobias interjected quickly. "He also has a massive ego."

"I was going for something else!" Corvo yelled.

"Trust me," Ishmael said. "We know."

As Ava approached the captain and spoke to him in a most respectful way, the one eyed barnacle of a man peered down at her. "Well, of course, you can keep any o' the loot what ye can carry, lass," the NPC told her, "but I'd like the sword to be cleansed or destroyed, if at all possible."

"If this is linked at all to the fourth floor's winter," Arc mused, "the sword being removed might allow for incremental springtime, or a flash event where it melts for a short stint. Like... that old Zelda game with the masks, or Narnia."

He blushed and looked away. "N-not that I read a lot or spend lots of time playing video games," he stammered.

"No," Corvo laughed, "your VR boyfriend is totally not a loser."

"Piss off, Corvo."

"Well, it looks like you've made some serious strides in the fashion department," Arc commented from his perch on a rock not far from Domarus. The man asked him to come along for a quest, and the fifth floor was already where the Spearman called home- his Tailoring shop was in Armadillo, some several minutes from where they were. His own attire was a bit more Spartan- not detailed and metallic, rather cloth and stitches that allowed unencumbered movement and quickened response time. Domarus traded that agility for defense, and while that was a great strategy in its own right, it was a matter of preference.

Repeat Offender rested along his shoulder and thigh, its blunt end half buried in the sands. His blue hair was tossed by the dry wind as he smiled over at Keres, amused by her choice of outfit. Apparently the Maid look was very "in" right now. "Good to see you're doing well, Miss Keres," he greeted kindly. "And you too, Dom. It's been a while since we went out questing together. I can see you've gained a great deal of confidence and figured out which way you want to go with your skills. That's great."

He had been a much more closed off man, then. Drinking his laments at that table with Domarus, the two shared a deep and thoughtful conversation that left Arc with a few questions about this man's intentions. Whatever answers were to be found, he didn't mind so much anymore. Arc wasn't nearly as paranoid as he once was. He didn't mind helping Dom out when the man asked for it.

His thoughts drifted for a moment to Corvo and Ishmael, both of whom had taken off for the first floor in an effort to drum up some new blood. Even if it wasn't the same, their little crew was back in action.

"Field boss, right?" he asked, fingers sliding deftly through the air to access the menu. "Any idea where to start looking?"

This was it

Every attack up to this point had culminated in a joint effort to bring down the tyrant of the Wind Wasps. One strike after the next bled together to give rise to a greater opportunity. Now, as the opponent broke from their deadly embrace and rushed at him, Arc activated his Sword Skill. The two handed sword glowed a vibrant blue color as it radiated with his willpower, and he brought the blade along into a powerful sweep.

The Queen burst into a thousand fragments and washed away on the wind, leaving Tobias to fall to one knee as he caught his breath. The experience welled up in his chest and filtered into his parameters. He felt his digital body growing stronger, faster. He looked at the message that popped up on his HUD that said "congratulations" and named the item that had dropped. It appeared to be a temporary weapon enhancement, but more importantly, the significant amount of SP caught his eye.

"Well, well, well," he murmured. "Looks like I hit the level up."

Arc picked himself up and rushed toward the field boss, still reeling from his impact. The adrenaline that pressed his avatar forward was not suppressed by the NerveGear, rather it was allowed freedom to flow as normal and the experience that went to his brain was one of genuine fight or flight. Aincrad, Sword Art Online- everyone he met, every battle he fought, all of them were just as though he were in his own body, doing it with his own two hands. These battles only confirmed for him that when he took his first steps back in the real world after escaping from this prison, he would be a stronger man for it.

His body lurched to one side and the other as he picked up speed, and the wasp managed to right itself just before he made contact. The stinger caught him again, but this time he had his blade ready. The weapon sank deep into the Wind Wasp Queen as she protested his efforts with all of her might. She filled him with all the venom she could muster as he held his bastard sword steady, bleeding her of the life that she struggled to maintain hold of.

Several more hits would come and go between them, but one of the two would fall. That was certain now. Arc was stronger, faster, and had more experience in combat than he had been when he started playing the game. He was developing into a capable combatant, and his ability to persist under even these circumstances gave him hope.

Soon, this battle would be over.

Arc: 352/355 HP 19/34 E

Wind Wasp Queen: 22/50 HP

As if to answer all riddles, the ship sputtered to life. The faint crawl of its behemoth form through the clouds was deceptively gentle. The familiar fourth floor flitted fast from them. "Looks like we're gonna find out," Tobias muttered to himself. 

They cut a swath through winter's veil as the airship revolved around Aincrad slowly, and Corvo smiled. "This ship's the only way to get to a right special zone," he explained. "Word is, someone scouted ahead and did some digging into the lore behind it all, and we're looking at a treasure left behind by the gods."

"What he means is," Ishmael interjected, "if the stories are true, there's a magical weapon here that's guarded by some really powerful, ancient forces. Something dredged up from before the Great Separation."

"You mean the myth behind the creation of Aincrad?" Tobias seemed skeptical. "Thom used to go on and on about that before the game went live, but I never thought there was anything to it."

"Akihiko was serious- and I mean dead serious- about Sword Art Online. This project was his lifelong dream. Of course he used as much of the mythology as he could. Cardinal only expands on what he wrote into the code." Corvo seemed empassioned by the whole ordeal, his face lit up with excitement. 

"Yeah,"  Arc turned to Birdie with a bemused smirk. "He's just about always that colorful. You get used to it. Well, we all did." 

"What's all this?" A grizzled, dark haired man creaked across the deck toward them, a lone eye trained on the group. He tugged at an eyepatch as he got close enough to reach out and touch them. "Stowaways on my ship?"

Arc blinked. "Welp. This'll be good."

"Greetings, good cap'n!" Corvo hailed with a grandiose motion of his hands. The older man studied him in silence. "We happened upon your ship over on yonder-"

"Since you're here," the captain continued. Tobias tried not to laugh as Corvo's pontificating was cut short. "I figure I'll let you know what you're in for. This ship is bound for the Garden of the Gods. Once upon a time, it was the Eden of the lower world. Every flower, fruit, and fauna the world over existed there."

Tobias nodded, but he said nothing. The man took it as the okay to continue.

"When the Castle took to the skies, it culminated with the frozen world you see here. Only frigid reminders of time immemorial." He pointed toward the castle, specifically the fourth floor, which was all they could see from where they were. "I've been looking for a crew to help me uncover the treasures of the garden."

Finally, he spoke up. "What are we going to find there?"

"The desolate, empty world is home only to the Frost Giants. Creatures devoid of kindness who steal all warmth from the world and leave ice in their wake." The captain frowned. "What I hope to find is a sword. Their King's sword, which is what curses the garden. I hoped to bring spring back to the frozen wastes of this land, ravaged as it is by this eternal winter."

Tobias looked to Ava and took a step closer to her. Corvo shouted out loud. "AWWWWWRIIIIIIGHT! SOUNDS LIKE A FLIPPIN' ADVENTURE!"

Solo time.

"Nihilism  is a really fun way to go through life," Corvo remarked in a deadpan as he emptied out the contents of his pipe. The assassin had slipped into the Town of Beginnings without a sound and made his way into the gathering with every intention of finding another info broker. They frequented places where people gathered, because that was the best place to ply their trade. When he overheard someone commenting about the lack of intrinsic value in life, he had no choice but to offer sardonic commentary. He dismissed the smoking device into his inventory and glanced around, aware of any shift characters that might slink past. "Me? I like to value things. Women, drinks, fights- it's all more fun when they mean something."

Of course, he knew that the other person probably had other things to do than get into existential debate with him. He only went on about his beliefs for self-gratification; after all, who cares what other people think? He took a seat next to the blonde haired woman, Lessa, and crossed his legs like a true boss. Corvo the Killer was never anything short of a lady-killer. "How about you, blondie?" he asked with a wink. "How'd you like it if I added some value to your life?"

"Oh Jesus Christ," Arc groaned loudly as he flanked his volatile friend into the plaza. "Is that really how you want to start a conversation with someone you don't even know?"

"At least I can start a conversation, unlike you or Alkor." Corvo laughed. "You two idiots could stare for hours at someone without a word. Is that how you would start a conversation? Noooooooo! You wouldn't even start one."

"I'm really sorry about this, Lessa," he apologized. His blue hair and open chest outfit were starkly contrasted to what she would remember from their last meeting, but his name and voice pattern, even his eyes remained the same. She'd easily recognize him. "Corvo's- he's a strange one."

"Oh, you know her? Man, Arc, you're really getting good at this ladies man thing. Teach me your ways!"

"Shut up, Corvo." Arc took a step forward toward the two people conversing. "Sorry about my friend, he's really horrible at talking to people."

"Says the guy who can't talk to people at all."

"Go smoke another pipe," the blue haired spearman spat at his friend. "Anyway, my name's Arc. Hope ya'll are enjoying this nice day."

@Wolfie @Lessa

Corvo gave a nod when she exchanged pleasantries with him, and replied: "likewise." He gulped down another toxic breath and sent the smog billowing out from his nostrils as the girl turned her attention to Ishmael.

"Yeah," Canaan nodded, "he's my brother, and it doesn't surprise me that he totally forgot to mention he had a brother," he said with all the salt Birdie hadn't added to Tobias' helping of her words. "He's kind of an airhead when it comes to other people, and things he probably should have said."

"Eheheh..." Tobias could only blush as he glanced around and looked everywhere but toward his brother. "Oops?"

"Yeah, oops, you jackass." Canaan shook his head. "Well, he does have a few redeeming qualities. He makes the best cakes in the western hemisphere."

Tobias blinked. "And...?"

"That's pretty much it," Canaan shrugged.

"Thanks."

When Ava asked about the quest, Corvo hopped upright and grinned from ear to ear. "I'm  so glad you asked," the shady man responded quickly as he plucked the pipe from his teeth and gestured out, off the edge of the floating castle. "We're just in time."

Tobias glanced in the direction of the winter wind, which now blasted his face and forced him to squint just to see. "What in god's name...?"

"Ladies," Corvo made a magnanimous gesture with both hands as he indicated a small speck on the horizon. It gradually grew in size until all of them could easily make out what it was. "I give you our sweet chariot, swung low from on high."

"Sorry for all this," Tobias whispered. "He's totally full of himself."

"Ahem- our ride." Corvo repeated as the massive, airborne ship swept down and sidled up to the edge of the world. Over top of it, a quest marker glowed golden. "It's a secret quest," the man announced, "and it's allll ours."

"How the hell did you find it?" Tobias asked skeptically. Corvo was already one foot on the airship. "This seems like something people would have known about."

"Tobes, ol' buddy..." Corvo shot him a wink. "I hooked up with an info broker. Were you expecting anything else?"

"Please tell me he didn't actually sleep with someone," Tobias whispered to Canaan.

"That guy?" Ishmael grinned. "No way. He begged the girl for three hours, and she finally gave him the info with the caveat that he would never bother her again."

"Ha!" Tobias snorted loudly.

"Way to ruin the mood, Cans..." Corvo sulked as he headed for the far side of the dock, the the younger Sawyer sibling in tow. 

Arc held his hand out to Birdie. "Shall we?"

"You look nervous."

"I am nervous. She's going to meet you two." 

"Hey! I'm offended by that."

"No you're not."

"Yeah, well, I'm not, but it wasn't very nice."

"Relax, Tobes. You only have to worry about Corvo. I'll be on my best behavior."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, asshole." Corvo rolled his eyes and pulled down his scarf, promptly flipped his menu open and toggled his pipe. With a grunt, the dagger specialist gripped the apparatus between his teeth and set about lighting it up. "Seriously, though. It's not like we're going to do anything to make you look bad, man. You can relax."

"It's not that," Tobias shook his head. "It's just... you know. We've never actually done this. I've never brought a girl back to meet you guys."

"First time for everything, dude." Ishmael took a step toward his real world older brother and draped his arm over his shoulders. Tobias returned the gesture affectionately. "If she really likes you, I'm happy for you. Mom and Dad would be proud to hear it."

"Will be proud," Evan murmured as he exhaled a plume of black. "They will be proud."

Tobias studied the bleak faced assassin thoughtfully. "He's got an obsession," Canaan explained. "He doesn't like it when people make it sound like we might die in here. He always talks about things on the other side optimistically."

"And here I thought Ev was a realist," Arc gave a dry laugh. Corvo effected a half shrug. "That's good to hear. When we get back, I'll buy you a beer."

"Damn well better!" the younger man barked.

Tobias pulled away from Cans with a hand outstretched, waving. "Hey!" he called to Ava as she hailed them. The other two looked up with mild interest. The spearman looked genuinely excited. The other two exchanged smirks.

"Figured out the blue hair," Cans whispered.

"Yup," Evan agreed. He eyed the newcomer with an avian expression that seemed more hawklike than crow. "Not at all what I expected."

"You expected something?" Canaan seemed incredulous. 

"Can it, they're about to start talking. Let's pretend we're not eavesdropping."

"...what?"

As the other two men bickered back and forth, their fearless leader stepped forward toward the girl and wrapped her up in a calming hug. He whispered quietly, "don't mind these two idiots, you're safe here."

He made a sweeping gesture toward the other two, who bolted upright and acted immediately as though they were not being juveniles. "These are my two best buddies in the world, Ishmael and Corvo."

The two waved awkwardly, and Tobias went on. "Corvo here, he's a dagger user. Loves to move quick, aim for weak spots, and take down enemies. He's an Assassin, if you go by archetypes."

"So you're the lass Tobes is sweet on, eh?" Corvo leaned in and nodded sagely. "Dunno what you see in him, but hey, glad to meet you."

"Evan, this is Birdie," he introduced her by her character name- if she wanted to give her real one, that choice was hers alone to make. "And over here..."

Ishmael stood, offered his hand, and gave a smile. "It's good to meet you," he said warmly. "I never thought Tobias would bring home a decent lady."

"So you thought I'd bring home what, exactly?" He narrowed his eyes.

"My name's Canaan," he said, "real name. Canaan Sawyer. Tobias is my older brother." The elder sibling glanced at his brother with a smile.

Aincrad was a castle suspended in the sky.

It was the selling point of the game. A fantasy world torn apart in time immemorial and twisted together into an amalgamation of wars, legends, and dreams. The elves that inhabited the old world were scarce now, a dying breed with only whispers of their former power. As though it were some penance for the sin of this world's creation, magic had been stripped away from the land. In its stead, brave swordsmen picked up weapons and steeled themselves to face whatever evils came to inhabit the flying fortress' many floors.

Until the moment they learned that they were trapped, every one of the ten thousand had been ecstatic to live that lore for themselves. Many had forgotten it over the time that had elapsed, and the few who still remembered hardly cared. SAO had become a test of endurance, seeking to determine who would live and die rather than who would ascend to take the mantle of hero. Tobias doubted that Kayaba had forgotten, though.

This world was Akihiko's dream made manifest.

Like the author of some epic fantasy, the creator of Sword Art Online scrawled every one of his childhood aspirations and breathed life into them. Down to the most seemingly insignificant pixel of his avatar, "Arc" had become one of the swordsmen who might become a legend. As the cold winds of the fourth floor blasted his face and snow alighted on his nose, he managed to smile. This quest had drawn the attention of the few Black Brothers that remained- people Tobias knew from the world outside, and had reunited with. The Healer, Ishmael, and the lithe Corvo with his devilish dagger stood with arms crossed, flanking him.

"Too bad about Alky," Corvo muttered. "The guy deserved better than to die like that."

Arc grunted. Corvo was one of the few folks who referred to Thom by his character name, rather than his real one. It was an old habit, back from the time when the socially inept swordsman was DPS for their little group. Shin- their tank- still hadn't surfaced. Tobias wasn't holding his breath for it, either. "Heard from Chis?" he asked quietly.

"Nothin', yet," the rogue picked at his teeth with a toothpick and glanced out at the sky from where he sat at the edge of the world. "Might be he took the long walk," the other man insinuated with a gesture to affirm that he meant suicide.

"Have some faith, Ev," Ishmael chided. Tobias glanced at his younger brother with a sad smile. The other man shook his head. "No one's dead til we see their name on the monument, right?"

"Let's talk about something less grim," Arc suggested.

"How about that hair of yours?" Ishmael- Canaan- jeered. "Blue? I didn't think you were into the brighter colors, bro."

"Long story," Tobias shook his head. "I had it black for a long time."

"Emo kid, just like Thom," Canaan joked lightheartedly.

"What happened?" Evan grinned. "Went out and got yer di-"

Tobias shot the crude assassin a death glare. "If you finish that sentence, I'll kick your teeth in."

"It's a chick," Ish moaned. "It's gotta be a chick."

"Definitely a chick. Good ol' Tobes has gone soft on us." Corvo winked jokingly at Arc, who brushed a lump of frigid white from his features. "So, what's she like?" he asked. "Ya'll married? Deets, mang, deets!"

"You'll get to meet her soon enough," Tobias replied curtly as he closed the menu and turned his gaze toward his two best friends. "I invited her on this quest with us."

Ishmael was a bit taller than Arc, and wore loose fitting clothes befitting of his chosen station. The gray and brown earthen tones swathed him with their moderate defense and he bore a club type weapon at his hip. Unlike many healers, though, Ish was a combat capable healer- he didn't like the archetype of relying on other people to keep him alive. Most of the Black Brotherhood preferred a soloist's style when they weren't tearing through dungeons or quests in tandem. His curious white hair and slate eyes seemed to smile when his elder brother clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm just glad to have you back, man. It's been something else, wondering if you were... y'know."

Corvo by contrast was a lanky fellow of a similar height to Arc. He wore a tight fit, sleeveless shirt and dark trousers, accented with a crimson scarf that covered up his mouth. His black hair and dark eyes nodded toward the bird that he was named for. "We've kept our distance from the front lines, trying to catch wind of your movements. We almost gave up before you put out word on the eighteenth floor, and that quest notification went out."

"Yeah. Lucky break, that." Tobias folded his arms and nodded toward the skyline. "The broker said game time 11:23 PM, right?" he asked. "Do you see the quest NPC anywhere?

"Oh," Corvo grinned, "you'll know it when you see it."

It?

"The legends tell of a place you can only reach from the Starglade," Ishmael began, "a memory of the world before Aincrad rose from the ground and took its place among the heavens-"

"The Garden of the Gods," Corvo broke in excitedly. "Home to the bards who sing tales of heroes and epic quests just waiting to be undertaken. Doesn't that sound great?"

"Right," Arc grimaced. "What does that mean? It sounds like gussied up lore to me."

Corvo just kept on grinning. Ishmael smirked to himself. Arc glanced back toward the path to where they stood. @Birdie would be joining them, soon enough.

Quote

To: Birdie

I found them.

Sorry, that sounded really ominous. My friends. They're alive. I'm meeting up with them near the edge of the Starglade, and I thought it would be really cool if you came and met them. They brought some information about a new quest with them, and they've got me real excited about it. Make sure you come kitted to fight, just in case. No telling what we'll run into. If you have any friends you want to bring along, you can.

P.S. I apologize in advance for Corvo's horrible behavior.

-Tobias

She did not appear to have heard him, but he made his point with no less gusto.

As the insect whipped past and made a bid for his chest, the mercenary reached deftly out and gripped her by the stinger. With alarm, the field boss pulled away and jerked skyward. Arc was pried off his feet and flung airborne, but he maintained control and composure. Her stinger caught him and he felt the heat rise through his veins where her venom raged at his health, but he felt no pain. That was good. It would only have been a distraction.

The wild warrior let his weight drag her downward as she fought against his best efforts. Arc swung to and fro in an effort to take her off balance. The Queen buzzed defiantly

When he let go, her body rocked midair. She watched him catapult from her wavering form and was helpless as he turned a somersault in the air. Arc brought his blade downward in a sinister slice, and he dragged it through her digital form with malicious intent. This fight had already proved difficult, though only because she didn't go down as easily as some of the foes he had previously faced.

When he landed, he watched as the wind wasp queen teetered toward the ground to re-orient itself.

Arc: 353/355 HP 20/34 E

Wind Wasp Queen: 29/50 HP

"Wuh, ho, wait- what?" 

Tobias stared in confusion at the message and blinked rapidly. "I thought..." Part of him was bummed out- he had wanted to do more to contribute to the quest. When he heard the other two had essentially done the whole thing alone, he felt like he'd totally failed to do anything at all. On the one hand, the fact that Ava went all out for them and collected all that stuff made him feel warm inside- it was so sweet of the girl to do that.

The other part of him felt like he'd slowed down and gone soft. "I'll just have to pick up the pace," he muttered to himself. He was still on the 18th floor, but when the girl all but brushed him off, he decided to go exploring.

@Birdie beckoned him back with a message, and he hurried along. It was a good few minutes before he made it, though.

"Hey there!" he called out with a wave, and he glanced to @Aereth. "How are things?"

He hugged her close and closed his eyes as she pulled into his chest. Tobias buried his face playfully in her hair for a moment as she spoke and pulled away after planting a gentle peck. That was more affection than he had ever shown in his life, but he was so elated he hardly recognized the goofiness of his behavior.

"For sure," he nodded as he shot her the rare double thumbs up and smiled brightly. "I can't wait to see you again!"

One could see the genuine, childlike enthusiasm when he called out the answer. It was as though he'd been given something so precious, so amazing that he didn't know how else to react.

 "I'll shoot you a message when I get to my room," he called as he turned and practically sprinted toward the center of town. "Bye for now!"

I'm gonna miss you too, buddy.

@Oikawa

"Home's home, right?" he asked as she stepped back toward her door and offered a broad smile. "It was a good night, Ava," he told her. "Thanks again for going out with me. We'll definitely do it again some time."

Tobias folded his arms low across his chest and took a deep breath- what else was there to say? So many things could have slipped free from his lips if he let them, but he had always been overly careful. He had to think about how they would be received, and how the girl would feel. For now, that the night was good and the sentiment that he wanted to go again seemed like enough. He scratched his head and considered the other words, just outside his reach.

His eyes settled on her, and the desire to say anything at all faded away. It was... nice. Just being there, in the moment with her.

But he wasn't about to leave it at awkward silence. No, Tobias was determined to keep that at bay. "I actually really like the aesthetic," he murmured after a moment. "It's not stuck out like a sore thumb, like a lot of shop owners prefer. It speaks to the... ah..." he thought for a moment "...composure and confidence of the proprietor."

Did that sound alright? Bah. It was something, anyway. "As long as you're safe, and you're happy, that's all that really matters about the place. Right?"

"For now, that's probably true," he nodded in quiet acceptance as they approached their destination. "With the system essentially changing every few minutes to accommodate new information, who knows what we might stumble on? And there's still that quest we did back on the second floor...  I haven't seen anything to follow up on that. Have you?" He smirked a bit. "There's always gonna be an adventure waiting for us, I think. We've just gotta find it, is all."

When they stopped in front of the teleport gate and Ava told him that she was headed for floor one, he nodded. "Alright then," he answered. "Teleport, Town of Beginnings." He spoke quietly, as opposed to the generic and enthusiastic yell most players gave to initiate their teleports. As they stood together bathed in the radiant light of the mechanism, he closed his eyes for half a heartbeat.

They reopened to a new, yet familiar scene. The place where every new adventurer encountered Aincrad for the first time rolled out before both of the now-seasoned players with a certain sense of welcoming. This was home to many players, and safe from powers that intended harm on them. It was the point at which all people trapped within the Death game could say they were both closest and furthest away from the real world. They came in here, but they would leave from atop the hundredth floor.

So. Far. Away.

"Ah," Arc muttered as he flipped through his HUD. "Where to?"