Abyss of the Shrine Maiden

Friends and Rivals

Koharu

Three hours after first stepping foot on the Elionward Dominion, Koharu's group of fourteen find themselves jump-dashing over scattered floating islands through the remains of a fortress. Whatever the floor was to be, it never completely formed into the disc-shaped landscape she's used to. Based on the teleporter they activated and used to get here, it seems they'll have to ascend the shattered floor.

It's a pain to jump-dash, so as her feet hit solid ground just beside the Unguis Peak's exiting teleporter, Koharu prays the next section of the dominion's map is one landmass. Despite her former athleticism, she was never good at the long jump when it came to physicals. Then Agil, the bigger members of their group, Agil, Klein, Alice, and Strea (in terms of equipment type for the girls), they're moving fine, so she doesn't have a reason to complain.

Getting her bearings, Koharu jogs up to the people present on the island, which is the two boys, Asuna, Premiere, Leafa, SIlica, and Sinon. Leafa's holding an object in her hand, handing it to her brother. "It's the mask Tia was wearing!"

"Oh no," Silica squeals in worry. "You don't think she--?"

"This can't be happening…"

"Tia."

Kirito takes the mask from his sister. "Don't worry, Silica. It's not as bad as you fear. The rumor that NPCs drop items--let alone rare ones--when they're killed is a total lie. Althought there are NPCs that drop event-specific items. Premiere and Tia probably aren't configured that way, at the very least."

"Right," Jaymes confirms. "Remember they were integral to the grand quest Origin was supposed to have."

"Considering they don't have any sort of setting profile after all," Sinon reminds them.

"RIght. Her mask probably just came off in battle, and she never bothered to pick it up."

"Not to mention her mask would have disappeared if the worst had happened," Asuna adds on. "It still being here says otherwise. And it would probably return to Tia even if one of us picked it up. I don't think we can claim it."

"If that were possible, everyone would run around hunting NPCs for their equipment, Though the fact it hasn't returned to her yet tells me she dropped it recently."

Silica perks up. "So she must be close by!"

Leafa sighs in relief. "I'm glad she's alive."

"Whoa, whoa, let's not get too complacent now," Lisbeth warns. "She's still way ahead of us, fighting ll by herself."

"Liz is right," Koharu cosigns and faces the teleporter. "Let's go!"

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Her prayers are answered, though in an unexpected fashion. Her group arrives at the front of a large fortress, its walls so high she has to fully extend her neck and squint her eyes to see the top. Three paths lay before them, to the south, east, and west. The southern pathway is blocked by a huge gate, while the eastern pathway is blocked by a barrier. Beyond the sigil is a large head made in the shape of a snake.

"'The Ouroboros Corridors, named after the symbol of eternity, are the plans that sustain our civilization. A vast defense system has been installed to protect them. Take extreme caution near them when they are active.'" Jaymes sighs after reading the nearby inscription to the sigil and looks at Koharu with a wry smirk. "For being the ruins of ancient civilizations, we sure do encounter a lot of these things."