Snow

Snow nodded and followed Shield's lead. The rope bridge and the cavern both made her nervous. In fact, her presence in the wild of the upper floors made her nervous. Yet, with Shield's company, it helped keep her from losing her cool.

He seems nice. Maybe a little too casual, but nice. Snow thought to herself with a stifled giggle.

When they arrived at the underground lake, she couldn't help but feel awe stricken. Placid, clear, and completely serene. Snow deduced that it must also be near some form of lava flow deeper down because the cavern felt several degrees warmer than the underground tunnels prior. It was comfortable. Without much ceremony, Shield cast his line and pulled a beast of a fish from the depths. Snow's lips parted in shock at its size.

"I bet," she agreed to Shield's comment about its quality. Snow couldn't help herself and ran her lithe fingers across its thick scales. Not a single sign of scarring or deformation. There must be plenty of food and no predators for something like this to be common down here.

"Wow. This place is amazing, Shield." Snow turned to the lake and wandered along its shore. Several outcrops of crystals stood and glowed with an eerie light. Mushrooms without stems lined the walls like little sconces and flooded the secluded lake with an array of colored brightness. Too absorbed in its beauty, Snow forgot they were here for ingredients and materials.

She paused. The hand that ran along one of the glowing mushrooms fell to her side and she turned to the older gentleman.

"Tell me more about your guild." The request came with a puzzled look on her face. "Tell me about the front lines."

@Shield

Sent to @Kasumi:

So beautiful! Thank you! I'll pay you back one day, I promise!

As Snow struggled to find more materials for the quest at hand, she felt Galilea's hand on her shoulder. A wave of goosebumps washed over her and her body stiffened. The words she spoke also hit Snow in an unexpected way. She felt a faint smile form on her lips -- a genuine smile. Snow nodded.

It felt good for her to hear those words. Since leaving the halfway house for non-combative players, no one truly heard Snow. They offered pity, cold shoulders, or stories that would tear her personal experience asunder. It was subtle, but the words were just right.

The stiffness melted from her as Galilea continued and shared her stories outside the game. Again, Snow felt grateful. Players never openly shared that information as if they were all still in denial. The blonde could tell her company surpassed Snow in maturity, but it was something refreshing and needed.

"Yeah," Snow laughed and with authenticity. "I guess that's one thing to be glad about. At least we got trapped inside something we liked instead of some horror survival game."

She shook her head and giggled again.

"Well, it sounds like you and I might have actually met one way or another. I'm glad to have your company now, and I'm sure I would have been glad to be a part of your team on the outside too. If I ever made it out of art school that is..." Snow chuckled, feeling much more lively.

The man walked up to Snow and slugged her in the shoulder. The force knocked her back a step but hardly shaved a mark off her health. He had a point. Her arms fell slack and head hung. To think so many died that she wasn't memorable. To think her room mate, the only real friend she had while abroad in Japan, didn't leave an impression.

He did.

Despite how many times Snow read Last_Chance's messages in her inbox, it didn't mean others cared as much. Everyone knew as these front liners fought, the less and less there were. A year ago? There were likely hundreds on the front lines. How could Snow expect him to remember?

"I- I..." Snow's feet carried her back to Calrex. Close enough for her to press her head against his chest. "I'm sorry..."

The girl raised her hand and pounded the butt of her spear and the ball of her fist against his chest. The force of it palled in comparison to a nudge, but happened to be just on top of a damage marker from earlier. The damage from her spear and light tap exploded the duel announcement into a massive <<Congratulations!!!>> with Snow's name as the victor.

She felt nothing like one.

She heard him say it. He said her name. Snow froze. Her eyes widened their gaze at the ground and it felt as though all the other ambient noise fell away. The streams of tears from her cheeks seemed to pause and she looked up. The way he stood there. The way his expression lacked confusion, lacked irritation, and lacked the interest to continue fighting, Snow felt conflicted.

She felt happy, sad, and still angry. Even though he said her name, it sounded as though it were the first time. Her chest heaved both from the effort she put into the fight and the screaming she had done.

"Did you..." her softly accented voice carried quietly over the hushed crowd. "Do you not remember her?"

Despite the lull in her rage, Snow's grip on her weapon remained. She didn't know what to do but already, even if he didn't know her, Snow started to feel heard. She started to feel acknowledged.

"Why don't you say something?!"

Even the crowd fell to whispers. The excitement of a fight dwindled into questions and somber reflection. One figure in dark clothing clutched to a bag of col as though he bet money on the outcome. Overall, the crowd saw the duel for what it was: an outlet. Veteran players shook their heads or hung them low as they walked away. Players that made the first floor their home without ever taking arms watched in silence.

"Please..." Her voice sounded desperate yet her body still acted out of anger for her loss.

The system possessed her yet again, and she swung her spear in wide, sweeping arcs designed for multiple foes, not one. Her spear's tip carved deep red gashes across Calrex's avatar. Again, pixels of red poured from the cuts and pooled to the streets below. Despite her successful blows, the blonde hung her head. The blue hue of her weapon faded, her shoulders slumped, and tears shattered into dazzling light against her feet.

His silence angered her further. Knelt and eyes closed, Calrex stood as an immovable object to Snow. Without the perameters set for this duel, and even with these perameters set, he likely saw this as a joke. He weathered her ire as a courtesy and all she could do was scream.

"Say something damn it!" She shouted.

The tip of her spear slammed into his chest. <<Mighty Charge>> embodied her anger and carried her opponent off his feet. In a trail of glowing blue, she charged him into the archway of the central plaza's gate and pinned him against it. 

"Say something!!!" Tears ran down Snow's face. A wrenching pain in her chest knew he truly wasn't to blame. She knew that if he was present, they all would have worked together. Daire often talked about the comradery of the front liners in her letters. 

"I hate you!" Snow screamed. The last of her <<Mighty Charge>> arched Calrex over her head and slammed him into the ground with tremendous force. The spray of red polygons indicated the depth of the wound and her foe's almost unnoticeable decline of HP over time.

She had no choice but to listen to him chastise her. To his credit, Snow only recently joined the fight. She lacked the focus and conviction of a true front liner. Her experiences palled in comparison to hers, but the way he spoke...

"You've never experienced loss..." she hissed through her teeth, her body immobile.

Her eyes met his with ferocity. It was him. To admit that he didn't even remember Daire boiled Snow's blood. The quiet, pacifist girl felt nothing but anger. She wanted to blame him, to hate him. How could he not remember someone who died? He was a hero for Aincrad. Did they not know who perished beside them? Were they simply looking for gear as if this were a game?

Snow dug her nails into the shaft of her spear. In the numbness of Calrex's attack, she felt a slight tug of Cardinal. Her sword art began to catch and Sif's Needle took on a soft hue of blue, much lighter than her counterpart. While still knelt, the blade of her weapon swept along the cobblestones and into both of his knees. The light of <<Twin Thrust>> shattered as the assistance of Cardinal came to a close.

Snow slammed the butt of her weapon into the ground and used it as an anchor to rise to her feel. The shine in her crystalline blue eyes hinted at the tears she held back.

"I am focused." Snow spat. "More than I have ever been. I don't care who wins. I just care that you remember the name, Last_Chance."

The blonde rose her weapon high, prepared to strike. The players gathered around them held their breath.

The minute her duel had been accepted, Snow felt the tug of Cardinal in her entire body. She knew right at the start, she wanted to see him unable to move. She wanted him on his knees, and the spear locked in her hands felt eager to heed her desires. The grip of the system pulled Snow toward her target and she felt justice favored her.

That was until the tingling numbness of a front line player's might blacked out all feeling in her side. Then the other side. Immediate paralysis gripped her whole body as the force of his hand met the crook of her neck and dropped Snow to her knees.

The players in the plaza gave a wide birth to the two. Looks of shock, smiles, and whispers surrounded them. Snow clenched her teeth, eyes firmly locked on Calrex but unable to move. Players asked why the legendary Ultramarine Knight would strike a girl. They asked why a duel had been accepted. Who issued it? What was happening?

"You..." the word slipped past Snow's lips, her body unable to move. "Why didn't you protect her?!"

Despite her anger, Snow immediately saw the gap between them. Doubt filled her mind, but her bottled fury needed reprieve. Despite the outcome, Snow needed the catharsis she felt in this moment.

Blue hair. Snow saw the man with blue hair. A falcon dove from overhead in the high noon sky (or at least how players perceived it along the bottom of the second floor's base). For a moment, the other players in the central plaza of the first floor seemed as though they froze. Snow's gaze locked on him.

"...Calrex. He saved my life, Snow. He has got to be top five if not the highest level player here. Honestly, that last floor boss would have killed me if it weren't for him. Can I tell you a secret? He's kind of cute... Maybe if I work up the courage, I could see if he'd be willing to take me out on a date? Anyway, hope you're doing good on the first floor. If you need anything, let me know.

Hope to get out of here soon.

Love, 

Last_Chance"

The last message she received from Daire played in her head.

"Calrex," Snow uttered. Her hair stood on end. The nails of her fingertips dug into her palms. She felt her vision turn a hue of red and summoned an array of menus.

Armor. Weapons. Skills. Most importantly, Snow targeted the bluenette and began to compile a single request. With a press of the accept icon, a window flew over to the man across the plaza.

<<Duel Challenge>>

Snow challenges you to a duel. Reason: You let Daire die. I will not forgive you. This duel is for her, accept or be labeled a coward.

Conditions are as follows: ....

To Simonne:

This is amazing! You're so kind! This will make everything so much easier! I've only seem one this beautiful back in Kyoto!

Sent to @Raidou:

Thank you so very much! I really appreciate the help! I promise to repay your kindness one day!

<<Friend Request from Snow>>

Sent to @Gaius:

These looks delicious! Thanks! I'll have to send you some sushi when I get better at it!

<<Friend Request from Snow>>

Sent to @Shiina:

Such a pretty song! Thank you so much! I can't wait to play it while I'm outside. Maybe the birds will join in! 

<<Friend Request from Snow>>

Sent to @Simmone:

I have absolutely no words. This is more than enough to get my sushi bar up and running! You'll have to come by and try some. On the house! Bring some of the others from Firm Anima!

<<Friend Request from Snow>>

The girl parted through the thicket of forest and an opening forced her to squint in the sunlight. Cracked and marbled stone struggled to stand. Vines, trees, weather, and roots worked their way into any exposed crack. She assumed that prior to nature's wrath, here stood a magnificent temple to some important figure. Instead, the stained remains of crumbling ivory accented the various hues of green around them. Confident she arrived at her destination, Snow drew Sif's Needle from her back and breached into the opening. 

Her back shivered as a scream she could only assume was someone dying echoed from the dark depths of some nearby vines. Hesitant, she approached. Besides the pitch black beneath the woven vines, Snow saw several stairs that lead to the depths of the ruins. Another curdling shrill echoed from the depths and put Snow's blonde strands on end.

What was that?! She thought.

Her teeth bit into tender lips and the grip on her spear tightened. Curiousity and the urge to help the distressed elf overtook her common sense to go back home. She took a deep breath and began sawing at the thick vines barring her entrance.

The thickets of the forest hardly bothered her. Snow found a sense of calm in raw, undisturbed nature. Even when things lunged from the dark to attack her, Snow felt at peace in the fight. They looked for food, survival, and safety just as much as her. If she could spare them, she would, but games rarely allowed player antagonists to live. In this game, monsters wanted blood, nothing more. Snow noticed recently that the higher she moved in the floors, the more complex the AI became. She watched monsters that usually just spawned to attack or be attacked take movement patterns to and from certain key areas. For example, she followed a trio of massive bees to their hive to harvest its honey. They attacked her once, but only because she was caught trying to steal what they worked so hard for.

To hear a rumor of screaming in the woods, if it wasn't players, could it be monsters?

Snow thought about what the source might be as she journeyed deeper. A part of her instincts believed she should have brought along someone from her friends list, but she held onto the idea that doing so would be a bother. If she was going to get stronger, she felt she would need to earn it. 

Snow heard a rumor in town on the third floor. Supposedly, wails of pain or fear constantly rang out from the Forest of Wavering Mist nearby Flora. According to what she heard, these screams had to do with two guardian monsters of a secret tomb. Those she heard complain of the screams either lived close enough to hear it nightly, or felt it was due to the players that lost their lives fighting the guardians. The young blonde hoped the rumors would cease and some stronger player would handle the problem but she caught wind of the story nearly every week.

Finally, she decided maybe she could lend a hand.

"It happened again..." sighed an NPC with deep bags under its eyes. "Every night, the wailing."

"Hey there," Snow interrupted. "Sorry to interrupt but I couldn't help but notice there seems to be a problem?"

The weary elf looked to her and nodded.

"Every night, all I hear is screams coming from the forest. I can't sleep. It's driving me mad!"

"I'm sorry to hear that," she stated sincerely. "Maybe I can help?"

"You can try." The xenophobic friend chimed in. The weary elf turned to his companion.

"At this point, I'll take what I can get." He turned back to Snow. "Head to the East. I'm sure its coming from there. Used to be a some ruins there, but the forest all but took it over."

Snow nodded. "I'll go take a look. If I find anything, I'll let you know."

"Whatever. I just want the screaming to stop..."

The blonde nodded again and departed to the south, gear equipped and ready for whatever she might face.

Snow felt embarrassed. She took many risks between Mari, venturing out this far, and making bold statements. She nearly pulled her hand back before the redhead placed her hand in Snow's. It was a fantasy. Believing she could find another Daire. There was one and she was gone. 

"Jacob's Ladder," she repeated, her mind adrift in her thoughts of regret. The name sounded familiar.

"No," she shook her head and pulled her hand away into her lap beneath the kotatsu. "It's okay. It was silly. I just felt..."

What did I feel? This isn't how I help people. God, Alyssa... What did you expect her to say? Stupid. Just stupid.

"It's nothing really." Snow smiled, her expression painted but believable. "Let's just pretend that didn't happen, I feel embarrassed. I don't even know you."

Snow looked down to the kotatsu, to the tea. A bite of silence strummed her anxiety. She looked outside, then scooted herself out from beneath the table.

"It's coming down real hard out there. I should probably head out before it gets bad."

@Mari

Conclusion:

Mission Failed.

+1 SP Regular
+1 SP Quarantine
+1 SP via Yui's Grace 3/5

+850 col
+2 T1 Materials

Snow sifted through the foliage, looking for more materials that stood out to her. The plants closest seemed normal, just background data. She looked a bit further away but didn't spy anything noticeable. She sighed. At least the weather was nice. 

"Well," Snow began. "I always loved creating. I loved concepts, backgrounds, world building. My favorite was two dimensional sketch and concept."

She thought of Daire. How she loved three dimensional art. How the two of them made a good team. Snow's concepts became real in Daire's rendering programs. Snow smiled.

"My room mate did some work for the studio that helped build some of the things in this game. Sometimes the colors and shapes used remind me of the things she worked on at home." Snow laughed at the memory, but staggered on finding her breath. 

"I uh..." She laughed again, but it sounded pained. The next few words hung on the tip of her tongue but she bit them in place. "Never mind."

"What about you, Galilea? What did you like to do before SAO?"

Snow placed her basket and the two materials she had found into her inventory. As she followed Shield, he elaborated on his guild. When he mentioned strife on the front lines, she remembered reading about some problems Daire complained about on the higher floors. Some of the names mentioned came up in her letters. Snow nodded as he came up to speed and they arrived at the central gate. Shield spoke the key words and light flooded her vision. When it dissipated, the scenery changed completely. For starters, darkness prevailed over light with no sky in sight. Faint glows provided adequate vision inside what looked like a massive cavern. Large, luminous mushrooms hung overhead and buildings were constructed underneath or inside their stems.

”Wow...” snow commented. This was her first time this high.

She turned her attention to the players nearby. The armor and gear they wore seemed much more ornate and lustrous compared to hers. She felt out of place.

”Well, where to Shield?”

A guild...

Snow's attention focused to the corner of her peripherals where her name and health belonged. Beside it, nothing stood. A faint memory of a white and red shield from the Knights of Blood Oath lingered. While the prospect of premium fish enticed her, the wound of her past guild stung from the fresh salt cast unknowingly upon it. The expression wore on her sleeve.

"Um..." Her tone came soft and low as she hesitated.

I'm not ready. She thought. Helping out front line warriors? People that may have known Daire? What if I grow too attached... What if I lose more of them?

The blonde pondered. Her mind failed to give attention to the growing silence between them. She could only focus on the feeling of tightness in her chest. From her inward reflection, she felt a small lifeline come level to her depths. She took a breath. Snow resolved to leave the first floor and become what she felt she lost: a pillar of support. That form of strength required sacrifice and selflessness.

Her upturned brows lowered, posture straightened, and Snow nodded.

"Yes." The word came from her lips with determination. "Let's go. I could use the materials, and I want to help the front lines."

For Daire. For Opal. For everyone. Snow knew she needed to take big steps to close the gap. She didn't know Shield. She never traveled to the twenty first floor. Everything about this decision made the girl nervous. Despite the overwhelming instincts to stay safe, the girl's grip tightened and her mind committed to her decision.

Snow knelt down to some cabbage that caught her attention. In Japan, cabbage was a staple. From salads, to spring rolls, wraps, etc. cabbage added a nice crunch and cheap to boot; perfect for starving art students. Two of the heads in front of her looked just perfect for the picking and she swiped a menu to check. Perfect. A few selections and the vegetables vanished from the ground and appeared in her basket.

No sooner had she dismissed the last of the prompts, a deep, male voice spoke out to her. Her blue eyes looked up to the man's messy hair and mature, angular jaw.

"Oh," she caught herself utter. "Uh, for myself."

Snow felt warmth gather in her cheeks. She stood up abruptly and dusted off the dirt from her armored knees.

"I'm Snow." Her accent subtly shone through her few words and she bowed curtly as she became accustomed to in Japan. "Nice to meet you Shield."

Snow looked to the contents of her basket.

"I run a small sushi shop on the fourth floor. I'm almost out of ingredients. So, I'm just looking to restock." She looked back to the tall, dark stranger. "Are you gathering as well?"

"I mean, it does make for a good laugh when I fall, but rude..." The blonde laughed a little at her own horrible joke.

She looked to the window as the powder fell. She felt comfortable, happy even. Even though Mari wasn't who she thought she was, in this moment, Snow felt as though everything was okay. Things were normal and tomorrow would be just another day. She knew that wasn't the case, but she let herself be swept away in the feeling.

"Mari," Snow began in her light, foreign accent. "If you'll let me, I'll keep it all from crumbling."

She turned to the redhead with a rosy hue in her cheeks and serenity glowing off her smile.

"Let me do what I can to help you. Let me be a pillar. I lost mine, but I know how important it is to have one." Snow placed her hand on the table palm up. "I don't know you. I just met you, but I feel you deserve to smile and laugh just like everyone else."

From the outside looking in, Snow realized how asinine she must look offering something she knew all well she had no right to promise. Each encounter with a lower level beast put Snow in the jaws of fate. However, her chest swelled with a determination and passion. She felt lost but believed her purpose now laid in what she once had. She wanted to be a pillar of support for anyone that needed it. She'd stumble, she'd fall, she'd get back up and try again.

"And if you fall, let me help you get back up."

Snow tugged at the straps of her armor. Her proficiency with heavy armor helped with the discomfort of wearing bulky plate on top of thick cloth and mesh, but still felt far less comfortable than casual attire. Yet, outside the city walls, such simple clothes meant asking for misfortune. Comfort aside, Snow needed some materials for her restaurant and a new <<Garden>> she heard of from local players boasted better odds of bringing home a decent haul.

The garden was located to the northwest of the Town of Beginnings. A small farmer's ranch stood in the middle of a large, flat plain. To the west, a small ridge line of rocky hills parted it from thick forest and monster infested hunting grounds. To the east, a placid lake of clear blue water reflected the sunlight that peered through the gap of Aincrad's floors. Lastly, to the south East, just off the path, a large public garden spanned outside the fence to the ranch. NPCs stood just outside in typical serf attire and talked among themselves while several players and NPCs alike stood between rows of varying vegetables, plants, herbs, and flowers. 

From her inventory, Snow summoned a small basket to her arm and removed the helmet of her <<Freya's Spite>> armor set. The freedom of long blonde locks from the helmet in the cool breeze took the stiffness right out of her shoulders. She took a breath and started down one of many rows in search for something she might find useful in her sushi restaurant. 

Snow followed the trail of stains and signs. At the end, her quarry cried out. It struggled to stand, but the damage to its body prevented most motor functions. Red polygons flaked from its wounds and the remaining sliver of its health bar slowly drained.

Snow felt pity and sadness. Even though it attacked her, she couldn’t stand to see it suffer. Data or not, the sounds of its pain and vain attempts to stand struck chords in Snow’s heart. She could see the fear in its eyes as she stood above it. Sif’s Needle raised and plunged into its chest. The bar fell to zero, the wolf fell silent, and its body shattered to dust.

A small window appeared at eye level with a list of rewards. Some money and several crafting materials punctuated her victory. Snow scoffed. It was a game, but the realism of its simulated pain made getting rewards feel wrong. Yet, it was a necessity for players to survive.

”Kill or be killed,” she stated for no one to hear.

Like a stiff wind on a hot day, relief washed over the young woman. The chord of fate relaxed away from the scissor's maw as not one, but two players swept in to her aide.

"Oh thank god," she audibly breathed. Her spear's tip slipped into the sand from the slack of her arms but only for a moment. Help arrived, but that didn't assure her safety, or theirs.

"I'm not equipped to handle something like this," Snow called to the woman that placed herself between them. She turned her attention to the second to rush into battle.

"I'm hitting it for ones at best, but I can try and keep it stunned!"

Snow turned her attention back to the beast. It writhed and squirmed, unable to attack. With enough of a window, Snow to attempted a second blow. She dug her heel into the hot powder beneath and forced herself back into the fray.

Snow charged past the swordswoman. Confidence returned to her stride as the tug of Cardinal joined hands with hers. The weight of her steps became featherlight, and she danced upon the desert sands. The weapon deftly parted the air until it struck again. This time, the two blows took the form of twin vaults. Sif's Needle pierced and impaled through the meaty trunk of the snake, scales and all. Her momentum carried her over its body whilst the weapon twisted inside and arched out in a flurry of red polygons. The young player landed and twisted her body to send her spear screaming through a higher, vertical part of the massive snake. It's shaft firmly leveraged in its body, Snow hoisted her weight atop its length, dropped, and kicked herself out with weapon in tow.

She landed beside the blonde stranger with a slight stagger and a glowing blue mist signaled the end of her sword art.

The girl caught her balance, barely. The look of shock and surprise akin to just stepping off a roller coaster painted her features. She exhaled and firmed her stance behind swordswoman.

"Whew," she sharply exhaled. 

<<Amphis Serphens>> writhed and hissed. Pixels of red ruptured from the two wounds Snow had left behind, and the bar above its head slowly drained. She felt a fleeting moment of confidence, followed by another wave of dread.

The body of the serpent blazed past the woman between them. Its wings kicked sand into a maelstrom and forced the blonde's eyes shut. Snow first felt a pressure and numbness in the mid of her chest. Second, she felt the lack of ground beneath her feet and rush of wind around her. The snake's head smashed into her in its blind charge and launched her several feet into a nearby dune.

@Lessa, @Alkor