War For Underworld

Rescue Mission

Two and a half hours earlier, Ronie

As Primus exits the dungeon and the wall closes behind him, Tiese's head collapses against Ronie's shoulder. "Shimosaki will be okay…right…?"

"Of course. He's a valuable hostage. They won't harm him."

"…Yeah... Thank you, goblins."

While she's thankful the goblins protected Tsukigake, truthfully, Ronie's worried about Shimosaki, but there are more things at stake. If what Primus told them is complete truth, Medina, Mia, and Ilia have already sprung a trap. Too late to warn them. But Jaymes... If Noxium is manipulating his memories, what memories of his are being warped? What do the First Children have planned with that? And there's one question she should've asked, the purpose Primus has for Falchion. Just before Asuna saved her, Medina, and Jaymes, Ilia said that Primus had partially spoken the command for Perfect Weapon Control. Far as Ronie knows about Divine Objects, Primus cannot use Perfect Weapon Control without much training and forming a bond of sorts with the sword. If Divine Objects have some sentience of their own, Falchion wouldn't easily betray its master, right?

The only way she'll understand is if she makes the same connection with the Moonbeam Sword, now elsewhere in the mansion.

"…They didn't find the little dragon."

"Thank you so much." In the meantime, Tsukigake squeezes through the bars again and waddles over to Ronie's cell, trying to rejoin her master. Ronie holds her at bay. "Tsukigake, please. Take the hallway up to the surface and find a way to get to the north gate of Centoria…If the guards notice you, they'll take you back to the cathedral."

The orders are difficult to give the young Tsukigake. It'll be a ten kilor trek back to North Centoria's gate from Lake Norkia, so add more distance when including the distance from the mansion to the lake... Tsukigake's life will take a hit if she makes it to the city at all. But Tsukigake need only make it to the gate, for the guards know that the dragons belong to the warriors within Central Cathedral.

Tsukigake chirps, assuring her master she can complete the task, and runs down the corridor to the north, the way they came. Ronie drops to the floor and clasps her hand in prayer. "I'm so sorry…Please pull through, Tsukigake."

The fate of the empire and the dark realm-of Jaymes, Kirito, and Asuna-rests in that dragon's hands.

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Asuna, present time...

Kirito and Asuna had managed to convince the council that there might be a possibility the hostage goblins were no longer within South Centoria, or in certain parts of Centoria at all. The knights present made several arguments against it. Entokia informed them that to pass through the Season Gates within the Everlasting Walls requires a pass made only by the pontifex herself, so they couldn't be faked by any means now that the process to forge them is lost. Of course, there's a one-day certificate, and it could be so they were faked just like the order of transfer they learned about earlier in the morning.

Fanatio decreed to start the search within the city immediately, and the former private holdings starting tomorrow morning. Once she left the meeting, Kirito took the opportunity to "ask" Entokia, Nergius, Renly, and the artician Ayuha's permission to leave the cathedral and look for his former disciples at Lake Norkia. Asuna understood why Kirito was their teacher and they were once around Jaymes. They're hard workers, but the behavior of the boys they picked up might get them into trouble.