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Sword Art Online: Past of Ashes |
Floor 35, August 1st, 2023
“Burning Stike!”
Gawn smashed a goblins head with Mace of Victory.
Gawn: “That was the last one.”
The prisoned players saw a young player had just killed several monsters, accompanied by two more. He smashed the lock of the door with his axe, breaking it, entering the cell were some players were. A girl stood up, Gawn saw in her clothes, upon her left arm, The Wings of Freedom, the symbol of Pendragon Court, other of the clearing guilds. She spoke with plain voice.
“Who're you?”
“We're the Royal Knights. We've come to set you free.” Gawn answers
“Impossible, how did you manage to enter?” She asks.
“Your guild isn't the only one with high level players. But now is not the time to for conversation.” Bors says
Gawn turned and talked to his teammates.
“Elicia, see the ones on the other cells free. Bors, search for the keys for their shackles.”
Elicia went to the other cells breaking the lock, with her Katana.
“They're on the on the table near the floor.”
Gawn: “what of the weapons?”
“On the armory, near the entrance of the dungeon. But it is kept by locked key. ”
Bors: “I'll handle that.”
Bors grabbed the keys and tossing them to Gawn. He ran to the entrance while grabbing Vulcanus Wrath to open the door by smashing it. Gawn got near them and used the keys to free them from the shackles. Other girl member of Pendragon Court got up as she spoke.
“Do you have a plan? At least.”
He continued to free the others on the cell.
“No I don't. I'm just here to free you.”
Kana: “what kind of leader're you then?!”
Gawn stopped liberating the prisoners and got up. He did not like what the girl had just told him, and looked seriously.
Gawn: “Girls what're your names?”
“Diana.”
“Kana.”
Gawn: “If you are the two higher levels of this room, I'd need your aid to get all out from here.”
Kana: “I'm sorry.”
Gawn: “See yourselves to weapons.”
Diana: “Yes.”
Diana began to walk to the Armory, while Kana continued looking Gawn who went back to what he was doing.
Kana: “Move legs, sis.”
Gawn: “I'm not the leader of the Royal Knights that is why..."
Kana: “what?”
Gawn: “I follow Galant.”
---
Galant jumped avoiding an attack form the sub-boss right in front of him.
Thollbrad: “Galant, you seem to have learned a few things since we last meet each other.”
Galant once gain attacked him, while his girlfriend and best friend face two Orcs and the same time, difficult battle.
A simple way to define an orc: imagining a Goblin using steroids. They were much larger, stronger, taller and of higher level than them.
Guinevere and Lance continued to attack them, yet while being outnumbered, they soon began to lose their HP while Galant fought at equal level with Cerdic’s right hand man. Galant thought is his two teammates. They were powerful but could just face an Orc at the time. His distraction cost him, as he was briefly hit by the back of Thollbrad’s axe, sending him to the wall and leaving a hole similar to a crater upon it. And then felt to the floor.
“It seems the leader of the Royal Knights will fall!”
Galant got up and smiled to his enemy.
Galant: “Not today.”
Galant used Stardust Slasher tow times, hitting two of the Orcs that were attacking Lance and Guinevere, who felt back next to him.
“Leave thought the hole. I will hold them back for as long as I am able.”
Guinevere looked at him for a brief second totally disapproving his idea.
Guinevere: “No, I stay by your side.”
Galant: “GO!!!”
Guinevere: “Galant no…”
Galant: “Lance.”
Reluctantly, Lance grabbed Guinevere by her back, and while she screamed, he jumped to the hole. They two felt down rapidly, en the end they smashed in the floor of the dungeon. Elicia rushed to help them.
Elicia: “Are you two okay?”
Lance: “I just need a potion, Eli. I will be all right.”
Gawn got near the team.
Gawn: “Where's Galant?”
Guinevere: “Lance left him to die on the room upwards.”
She still hadn't got up. She was on the floor with her body on the ground and tears on her eyes.
Lance: “I but did as commanded. I DID NOT WISH THIS!”
Guinevere: “And still you left your best friend to die on the room??!!”
Gawn: “There's no time to discuss this! We must be ready for battle. Lance, you're at command now.”
Lance: “Is everybody ready?”
Kana: “We are!”
Lance: “Then the attack starts right now. Royal Knights on me, the rest be right behind us. Get ready for blood, battle and vengeance.”
The Players ran to the bridge connecting the two parts of the facility. All of them, with weapons on their hands ready to escape the castle at any cost. Upon way, other Sub-boss appeared. He had a silver and crimson armor, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He carried a sword on the right side of his armor, and a knife on his right boot.
“You are not going anywhere, players.”
Lance: “Hagen.”
Bors rushed to him, smashing his body to the wall and holding him back.
Bors: “GO! I'LL TAKE CARE OF HIM.
The rest of the guild rushed to the bridge and went to the door.
Hagen: “You stupid human, you think you will hold me back!??!?!?”
He began to elbow and knee the Knight. Bors strength lasted until all the players had passed. He felt to his knees. Hagen looked at him and smiled. He drew his sword and prepared to stab him. Bors drew his knuckle dusters and blocked the downwards slash, and punched the sub-boss on the stomach.
“That is the best you can do?”
Bors fisted him on the face. Hagen responded with a powerful kick to the chest, sending Bors several meter from him.
“It seems you aren't as weak as you seem human! Let's see what you capable of!”
Bors: “You'll see it right now!”
Bors sheathed back his knuckle dusters and drew Vulcanus Wrath, clashing against Hagen.
---
Meanwhile, the players were in front of the door.
Lance: “Gawn, explosives! Let's breach this god damned door!”
Gawn registered his menu and took out some explosives. He gave some to Guinevere who helped him.
Gawn: “It’s done!”
Lance: “At your mark. PLAYERS GET READY!”
Gawn pushed the button blowing the door, and sending its parts to the entrance of the facility. On the other side, the goblins were on formation in front of the door, about to engage battle with the prisoners and the ones who had come to free them. The huge explosion sent several of them to the air, other being smashed by the pieces of the door.
And so the player entered into a salvage display of anger and vengeance. Lance of the front stepped on the face of a Goblin on the floor, killing it and advanced leading the player to battle. Then continued his race and slashed other right on the face, while Elicia, Gawn, and Guinevere followed him on battle ramming through what was left of the frontline of the monsters.
Gawn rammed his axe to a goblin smashing its face. Right on his back Kana killed other thanks to her swiftness and agility.
Gawn: “I think this compensates your slip of the tongue, little girl.”
Kana: “LITTLE GIRL?!”
Gawn: “LOOK OUT!”
Gawn saw an archer from the wall, about to shoot her. Gawn threw his axe to it, the arrow was still shoot, but to other goblin instead.
“You still owe me one.”
He laughed as they two continued to fight the remaining monsters.
Elicia sliced the throat of other goblin, as she fought near Lance, who using Raijin no Seiken, Killed two goblins at once. Elicia, managed to cut a goblin’s hand, it then rammed to her with the intention of choking, her. She could not slice it with her katana which fell to the ground after the hit of the monster. He drew her Knife, and stabbed it right on the lower side of the jaw, as the weapon came out of its head, covered in red. Lance approached her ad got her up.
Lance: “You're alright?”
Elicia: “I am. I can continue.”
Guinevere: “You should take more care of her Lance.”
Guinevere sliced in half a Goblin with Stardust slashed, and continued her all out rampage, killing several monsters, born out of a raging state.
Lance: “ADVANCE AND KILL! THIS FIGHT'S OURS!”
---
Hagen’s sword and Vulcanus Wrath crossed in an unstoppable clash of energies. Hagen slashed twice on a row, which Bors parried using the handle of the hammer, blocking it several times, and kicking Hagen on the chest. Bors continued his assault once again, as he grabbed Mjolnir used “Great Slam” on the floor, to destabilize Hagen and the rammed both hammers at the same time downwards, at which Hagen blocked them. He slashed to his left, as the three weapons slipped from her and land felt to the floor.
Hagen: “Way better that I expected human.”
He then punched Bors on the face. The knight felt to the ground.
“But not enough.”
He fisted him once more, but Bors avoided it, and grabbed his arm and casted several punches to his face, getting the crown out of his head.
Bors: “So I can say of you.”
Hagen kicked Bors on the stomach once, partly liberating his arm, but Bors once again grabbed it. The sub-boss once again kicked him. Bors managed to grab his kick and throw them both to the ground. They two got up.
Hagen grabbed his knife on his boot
Hagen: “Let's see what you can do against this!”
Bors grabbed his knifed knuckle dusters.
Bors: “Tch...”
Hagen kicked Bors two times as he raised bout arms in guard position to block both strikes. He attempted to stab Bors on the face, but he eluded to the right, as Hagen sliced to the right, he once again avoided. Hagen the drove a circular kicked to Bors face, what lowered him to his right knee. As Hagen once again used the same move, Bors parried and even, sliced part of his leg armor. Bors continued his attack using “Garuru Fist” and then “Grey Fist”, dealing significant damage, but he was countered by a side kick to the stomach, and then a frontal one to the chest leaving his back clashing with the wall. Hagen tried to finish him by stabbing but Bors managed to block it, but the blade was in front of his eye, as it about to pierce through it.
Hagen: “It’s over boy, accept it, you're not a better fighter that me!”
Bors was losing his straight by the clash of powers, as the blade got near to his eyes second by second.
“Die, die, die, DIE!”
A golden slash hit Hagen, he partiality lost his strength, as two more collided with his body. Hagen turned while a scorching fist rammed to his face and was kicked to the void.
“He's my master, idiot.”
Bors looked to him, it was Galant.
Bors: “You're dead? How it is possible...”
Galant: “There's no time for this...We've got a battle to win.”
Galant grabbed the shield from his back; Bors grabbed his two hammers and rushed alongside s to battle.
Galant saw a girl archer being several outmatched by Gobins, He rushed to help her jumping and ramming the edge of his shield to a Goblin he then slashed one through the throat with Balmung, as he blocked the attacks of other with his shield. He the stabbed through the belly and sliced throw out the chest, killing it. He then turned to the girl.
Galant: “you should get up to the walls. That way it will be much simpler to shot the Goblins.
The girl was magnified be the appearance of a warrior, and blushed as he spoke to her. She remained still, like frozen, by couple of seconds.
“I'll accompany you! C'mon!”
Diana: “Okey...”
Galant guided the girl through the stairs, as Bors accompanied him helping to clear the way of monsters. He saw the field of battle that most of the monsters had been killed remaining a few number of them.
As on the way, a goblin prepared to attack Galant, a spear pierced thought his face. It felt to the ground and shattered into polygons. It was Gungir, Percival’s spear. They looked in front of them; there was Tristan and Percival, alongside Fuurinkazan.
Percival: “We thought you might need aid.”
Galant: “Good work, to all of you. Bors, Percival and I shall be back to battle. Fuurinkazan, can you cover Tristan, and this girl.”
Klein: “It’s done!”
Galant: “Great. Let’s go!”
Galant jumped from the wall to the battle as Percival and Bors followed them. Sliced in half the face of a goblin as he felt he then proceeded to find Guinevere. Bors and Percival accompanied him.
Lance beheaded a monster and then used Ryu-ken, piercing other in half.
Lance: “There're few left. CONTINUE!”
Elicia used Sujin so Seiken, amputating the legs of a monster and the stabbing thought the back the chest of a monster, as Gawn stroked both weapons on the body of a goblin and Kana stabbed another. Guinevere stabbed a monster, and then removed Leavatein. She spined around on the ground avoiding a spear. She jumped on the spear, breaking it, and stabbed to monster in the eye.
She was kicked by other, falling to the ground as the Goblin was ready to smash her with the sword, other pierced though the face of the monster, shattering polygons revealing, the killer:Galant. Guinevere shocked by the sight as she got up and hugged Galant.
Guinevere: “Idiot, idiot, idiot. Why you did you do it?”
Galant: “I did what had to be done. I'm sorry.”
Galant then hugged her. As tear of happiness and sadness, came out of her eyes.
Lance slices the body and the throat of a monster.
Lance: “VICTORY!”
A huge roar was made by the players. A felling of excitement. They were free, and ready for continuing their journey.
Lance looked around, and saw Galant, he ran to him. As the rest of the knights also gathered near him, glad to see that he was still alive.
Lance: “How're you...”
Galant: “Alive? I just managed to escape.”
Lance: “That means Thollbrad is dead?!”
Galant: "Not exactly..."
Galant waked to the bridge, followed by the Royal Knights as the players continued to cheer Lance as the victor of the battle. Fuuurinkazan and the two archers soon were followed them. Galant stopped. At the other side of the bridge, there were Thollbrad and Hagen, who seemed to have escalated up once again the bridge. Accompanying them, 40 Orcs, ready for battle. All the players looked at them as Al the Orcs roared, overpassing the cheers and excitement.
Thollbrad: “Well done, Royal Knights.”
Galant: “Same can't be said about you. If you dare to cross this bridge, you're dead.”
Hagen: “That stands as menace?”
Galant: “A warning. Tell something Cerdic for me, would you?”
Thollbrad: “I'm one of the leaders of Cerdic’s Army, not a messenger of a boy! And much less of a human shit.”
Hagen: “KILL THEM!”
The orcs began to advance to kill the players, ready to start other huge slaughter. Galant though it as a loss of time to even tell them not to do it. He peacefully putted his hand on the pocket, and took something it out. He pressed the button and the Colum of the bridge blew, sending all the monster of it to the river down, killing all. The bridge was reduced to nothing, forever separating the two parts of the facility. Just Thollbrad and Hagen were left alive.
"It's over..." A shadow at the back of the players said.
Thollbrad: "Nightshould!"
It was a being covered in black clothes and a mantle of the same color covered his entire body. He had his face covered with a mask and just the lower part could be seen. He had deep red eyes, foucused on Galant.
Galant replied that look with his own eyes.
Galant: "That's a player..."
Gawn: "What the hell?"
Galant: "He has a orange cursor..."
Galant keeps his eyes on the player just known as "Nightshroud", when he turns to the bosses again.
Nightshroud: "Cerdic wants you to back to the base. Forget about them...The'll die soon enough..."
Thollbrand: "Alright then..."
Galant: “Send message to Cerdic: the Royal Knights are back!”
Thollbrad and Hagen looked to him with hartred, as they left the castle.
Nightshrould remains looking at Galant, who also keeps on looking at him.
The orange player grins and leaves.
Bors: "Was that Velron?"
Galant: "I don't think so. He seemed way more powerful. The important question is, why is him at their side?"
Lance: "That's not the point right now..."
Galant then left to one of the walls upper side. His men accompanied him, alongside Kana and Diana.
Lance: “What've you done inside of command center, once we were gone?”
Galant: “I used Crescent Stardust Slasher several times, creating a square in the ceiling, part of it felt to their head’s, leaving them unable to move. I then searched for more Intel but did not find anything more. Then I went to the battle. You've made a great work leading the players, brother.”
Lance: “Thanks. I didn't know what to do. I thought you were dead. Guinevere is really mad at me.”
Galant: “I'll talk with her. But before, I'll speak to the player we're in need of more men to our army.”
Galant turned to the players.
“Hello. I'm Galant, leader of the Royal Knights, and the guild that has rescued you. Yet this battle is not to be awarded to me, but to my second in command and best friend, Lance.”
Lance presented himself at Galant side, cheers and received from the crowd as response.
“This victory's the first one by for the humansin the war against Cerdic! Yet, we were informed of the army of monsters is preparing an attack against the city of Ayres in two days the 3rd of August. You have two options: forge your own path or join with us. And together WE'LL ERASE CERDIC’S ARMY FROM THIS WORLD!”