Progressive Factor

Until the Fourth Floor, Farewell

With a deadline of five pm on December 20th, about forty hours at the time, our heroes delivered the required item to the commander upon their return to the dark elf camp and got straight to work on the next set of quests of the campaign.

Quest seven, "Butterfly Collection,'' had the group of five chasing after a giant butterfly that the enemy faction used as a form of reconnaissance. While no one had the Throwing Knife skill, thanks to Koharu's ability to throw stones with "scary accuracy," as noted by Kirito, they were able to take down the butterfly. The eighth quest, "The Western Spirit Tree," was a mission to deliver the Jade Key secretly from the outpost to the fourth floor via a spirit tree the elves use to move between floors. Along with three soldiers, the party of five traveled to the western edge of the forest, only to be ambushed by a group of Unknown Marauders. They managed to defeat three of the ambushers, but the fourth and last member threw a smoke bomb and swiped the Jade Key.

The ninth quest, "Pursuit," was just as named--they pursued the thief. Kirito, thinking the quest would last well into the night as it did in the beta, was proven wrong as Kizmel was able to point out the "Shining Signal"--a glowing liquid a soldier hit the thief with that left a trail in the woods--, with ease, reducing their pursuit to two hours.

Returning and reporting to the base commander, the party took a short break to eat and rest, then headed out for the final quest of the floor, "Retrieving the Key." It took them within a large dungeon, more than enough to complete at the moment, so to end the day, they cleared the first level and defeated its arachnid boss.

By eleven pm, the group returned to camp. This time, to Kirito and Jaymes' amusement, Kizmel barged in on the girls while bathing, which was filled with shrieks, splashes, and laughter from within, and sighs, frowns, and powerful restraint from the boys playing guard. The following day, they tuned up their weapons at the scoffing blacksmith, restocked on supplies, and headed out back to the underground dungeon.

While the dungeon had its fair share of insects and animals to kill or be killed, the masked thief's base was finally found at the dungeon's bottom. It was revealed that the group were elves, too, though not of the dark or forest variety. The skin was rotten-like in color and demonic in features, and their cursors identified them as Fallen Elf Warriors. Kirito, Asuna, Jaymes, and Koharu had to fight them off as well as their commander. Thanks to them being at the floor's limit for level and the human girls' powerful weapons, the enemies were defeated without much issue. The Jade Key back in hand, they set out to the western tree to end the campaign, and for the time being, their time with Kizmel.

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"Sadly, only the people of Lyusula are permitted to pass through the spirit tree's gate..." Kizmel stares at the fifteen-foot-wide tree with an enormous hole in its trunk. Only Kirito knew certainly what the moment would entail, but all four players knew this would happen as they joined their elven companion, as Asuna's behest, from the Fallen Elf dungeon to the spirit tree.

"I see," Asuna says after several moments of silence.

"Yes."

"We just finally got to know each other, too," Koharu says, looking dismayed by the coming separation. "But I guess this is all for the key, huh?"

The knight pivoted on her heel and faced the two girls behind her, embracing them both to their surprise. "After I lost my sister a month ago, I was waiting to find my place to die. When I crossed blades with the white knight of Kales'Oh, I thought I was going to see my sister again. But...you four appeared and saved me. She must have guided you to my side."

"We'll see you again, won't we?" Asuna murmured into Kizmel's hair. The elf nodded vigorously.

"Absolutely. The Holy Tree will guide us together." Kizmel squeezed one more time before releasing the girls. Next, she turned to Kirito. He expected a less physical farewell, but just like the girls, she enveloped him in a hug. "The next time we meet, Kirito, I will tell you more of my dreams," she whispered to him.