Progressive Factor II: Lacrimosa Of A Reaper

An Aincrad Christmas, Part Four

Kizmel leads Kirito, Asuna, Mito, Koharu, and Jaymes, now in a change of clothes, to the fifth floor of Yofel Castle. To the right of the stairs is a large door with two armed guards positioned in front of them, but Kizmel causes them to back away with a glance. Jaymes couldn't see her face, but one of the guards looked frightened.

They enter a large, dark office, crossing the room towards a polished blackwood desk. At the desk sits a silhouette that not even the lone candle could illuminate. What it did illuminate were parchment and an ink bottle. Beyond the light, the only visible thing is a cursor that reads Yofilis: Dark Elven Viscount.

"What the heck is a viscount?" Kirito murmurs.

"A type of rank," Jaymes whispers back. "If I remember correctly, it's above a baron but not as high as an earl or lord."

"Viscount Yofilis," Kizmel addresses with the fist-to-breast salute, "pardon my interruption. I have an urgent matter that requires your attention."

"...Before I hear your report, may I ask why you have five humans with you, Kizmel?"

Jaymes couldn't tell the identity of the viscount with the voice. It sounds like it could belong to a man or woman, old or young. Instead, he steps forward and salutes the viscount as Kizmel did, then places the parchment the commander gave him on the desk. The viscount's hand enters the light and retrieves the scroll. It unravels from its seal at the touch of the finger-like magic.

"...Ahh, I see, you are the ones who helped us recover the first key. I suppose it wouldn't do to feed you to the lake fish, then." The viscount puts the scroll away in a desk drawer, and when the hand returns, it drops five silver rings in my cupped hands. They're marked with the horn and scimitar, the symbol of the Dark Elf. "Wear those, and you will not be harried by the soldiers of Lyusula. Assuming you do not betray our patronage, of course."

"Y-Yessir." Shaken by the warning (or the certain consequence behind the warning), Jaymes backs up quickly and hands the others their rings. Like other RPGs, SAO allows only two rings to be equipped despite the avatar having all ten digits. He places the marked ring on his left hand, the right occupied by a plus one defense ring he got on the first floor as loot from a dungeon.

"So, Kizmel. What is this report you have?"

"My lord, according to these five human warriors, our sword foe, General N'ltzahh of the Fallen Elves, is on this floor."

Either this viscount is slow of hearing or purposely has delayed movements. Their hand taps the desk, creating a rattling sound that echoes off the office's wall. "Ahh. This is indeed important tidings. What is that villain plotting this time?"

While Kizmel explains the Fallen Elves' construction and their goal to gain the Jade Key, Jaymes feels a small hand enter his own. He looks to his right, seeing Koharu stare straight ahead. She doesn't look afraid or anything but possibly unnerved a bit. She isn't the only one; even he's far from calm.

"I see...and do you know the number of ships the Fallen are building?" Yofilis asks Kizmel, who turns to Kirito. Mito, Koharu, and Jaymes never got a good look of the warehouse, so they cannot say. Kirito looks at Asuna, and they do some mental calculations before the swordsman answers.

"I believe they are building at least ten ships capable of transporting ten soldiers each."

That hand raps the desk again. "...Hmm. We have eight ten-man ships at the castle. And they will attack with more than that?"