Underworld “Run Yui, run!” Yelled Kirito, a dark coloured hair Japanese boy, beside him was Eugeo, Kirito’s best partner throughout life. He was a light golden haired boy with dark blue eyes and a pale face. As for Yui, she was a cute little girl with golden hair and a innocent looking face. The three of them were running through a cursed land, where everything no matter and object or living being, it will be turn into moss with in a second of standing still. The moss covered everything. The three of them have to keep moving or else the cursed moss will start growing on their shoes. But that wasn’t the worse, they were getting chased by a monster called Arthro Skeleton, a giant skeleton centipede with a half human body in the front. Its two long hands had long turned into sharp bone blades, and in its tiny mind there was only one thought, Kill! Kill! Kill! Yui was beginning to lose pace, for her small foot could not keep up with the two super fit teenager who had been training for two long years. Many times she tripped and fell, and many times she got picked up by Kirito. eventually they stopped in front of a thousand feet deep valley with nowhere to go and no enough time to plan another root. “What are we going to do?!!” called Eugeo over the rowing wind, “We are doomed!” “There is on time to lose, either we jump or we get tear into little pieces by that bloody Arthro Skeleton.” called back Yui. Not a soul moved. The skeleton was moving fast, the once distant sound of clattering sound of bones had now began to shock the ground. “That enormous monster, doesnt it ever get tired?” said Kirito who was pulling out his l.v 46 jet black sword “Kyokujitsu Heijin” - Blade of the Rising Sun, but before he could reach it, the ground cracked beneath! “We are all going to die!” screamed Eugeo “We are doo……” but the force of the wind shut him up before he could wail out some more of his disappearing words. “It’s a strange feeling knowing you are going to die any second now.” Thought Kirito calmly. He was surprised at the peacefulness that surrounded him. “why am I so calm all of a sudden, I should be screaming mad like Eugeo.” Just before he could think more, he hit the bottom where those hard unforgiving rock were. But the rocks were not hard and unforgiving, it was of a jelly like substance. It was transparent blue, Kirito guessed that this must used to be water, and sense the curse were unable to turn it into moss it made it into this condensed version. The contact only lasted a few seconds, where they were stretched face down at the substance. Then, they were shot off like a bullet retracing the root they came, past the dumb founded Arthro Skeleton and out of sight. “AAAAIIIIEEEEE!!!!” “AHHHHHHHH!!!” screamed the boys together. Dropping was one thing, but getting slingshot up faster than sound was another. The three of them were somersaulting through the air. They all fainted into unconsciousness due to the high air pressure. When they awake, they found themselves lying on a flowery bed. Eugeo was the first one to sat up, he looked around and found nothing but flower. ”The Garden……” Breathed Yui, “ The only floor in Dark Territory where there are flowers, it is the only place that has not been corrupted. “So this is how you get to this hidden level.” exclaimed Kirito. “We will be safe here for the time being.” “Yay, I really hope so. Just think about what had happened to us back then, we could have died.” “Quit your moaning!” said Yui and Kirito simultaneously. They made a basic small campsite and the two boys went hunting for food. A few hours later they came back with two rabbits - the legendary S class meat. “Where did you find that?” asked Yui, her mouth dripping with saliva. “There are thousands of them in the distant forest, we just caught two.” said Eugeo with pride. “Yui, what’s your level in cooking?” “Oh, I mastered it last week.” “Great! Lets roast these rabbits, I’m starving.” Twenty minutes later two steaming hot roasted rabbits were laid in front of them. In the middle of eating Yui suddenly asked, “How did you guys find me, and how did you guys get the permission enter the Dark Territory?” “A… it’s a long story.” replied Kirito, ”let me start from the beginning. It all began six years ago.” Kirito started. Kirito and Eugeo was doing their Sacred Task as Woodcutters in Ruild Village which is located edge of what is known as the Norlangarth North Empire. The tree they were cutting were not a normal one, several generations and more than three hundred years of diligent daily chopping using the equally tough Dragon Bone Axe. At the moment only one quarter has been chopped down. ( In this world, everybody had been chosen for a Sacred Task, a task you have to keep doing until it is complete, otherwise your children will continue it. ) In order to expand the fields and pastures, the Gigas Cedar must be cut down in order to enter the forest behind it. But it would be another 900 years before anybody could enter the forest. Just as they, Kirito and Eugeo finished the morning task - chop 50 times each, Yui the village chiefs daughter who was known as the child genius in her task as Sacred Art. This art could allow you to heal people all the way to changing the weather, Yui who was the same age as Kirito and Eugeo, could already predict weather and perform high leveled healing. It was already noon so Yui brought lunches for the boys. As they were eating, Eugeo asked a harmless enough question which changed the life of all of them. The question was how to make their food last longer. It became a quest to search for something that will keep their bentro cool - searching summer ice. ( Everything in this world had something called “Life” which is durability. It can be seen through a window called Stacia Window the most basic of Sacred Art. It can be opened by drawing a snake like pattern in the air in front of an item. For example, the tree Gigas Cedar has a stunning number of 503,579 “Life” in total it will not increase. But as for humans and animals, their “Life” are like hit points in games, it will extend while growing up and start dropping from a curtain ago.) Anyway, the three good friends who grew up together chose one sunny Sunday and sat of before lunch in search of the summer ice. They were well aware that they were about to break one of the most forbidden Taboo Index rules set by the Axiom Church - never to venture across the Mountain of the Edge to Dark Territory. The three of them set off like Princess with her two servants, Yui walking proudly in the front and the two boy following close behind on both sides. “ Dam, we are so strued if we get caught.” Moaning Eugeo. “We are not crossing the mountain, we are just going inside to grab some ice.” said Yui in her sweetest voice which instantly shut Eugeo up. It was very pleasant, the three of them talking and laughing, they did not even knowtist the Northern Pass as they walked over it, a place where the village banned children to venture alone. It was summer, so there were no snow. But the lake near the mountain range was as cold as ice. “Well, that was quick” said Kirito, “where was the Northern Pass?” Eugeo answered him by drawing a simple sun clock on the ground. “Wow, we had been walking for three hours and didn’t even feel tired.” Meanwhile, Yui was laying out the lunches she bought with her. “That still tasted very nice even after the long walk” “Yay, I think the idea of putting ice on the food was right, It can slow down the dropping of “life” Responded Yui. “What, let me go and wash my face and hands first.” said Kirito, but as soon as he touches the water he jumped up and exclaimed, “ My God! That water is freezing!” The two couldn’t hold back and laugh at him. “Guys, we better hurry up.” said Kirito embarrassed, “all else we will still get ground at for going home so late.” The inside of the great mountain was a nature maze, in the middle were a white dragon which grades the mountain stopping humans from going into Dark Territory also stopping the creature from it getting into the human world. It also grades a mountain of gold, diamonds and the “Aoi Bara Ken” Blue Rose Sword. The entrance was quite a sight, it opens out like a monsters mouth with sharp long icicles sticking out from every direction, they were as hard as steel and as sharp as a samurai sword. Every hour and then freezing cold wind would get blown out by the mighty white dragon. At least that was what it meant to be like in the books. But now they were staring at a giant hole with most of its ice poles broken and melted. Only light streams of cold wind running out of the entrance. Even so it was enough to made them hurrying to put on their furry coat. As Eugeo was staring at the holo darkness he remembered something important, “Kirito, did you bring your lamps?” “...No…” answered Kirito who was also staring into the darkness of the cave. Even from this close to the openings not a single stream of light shine through. “R…… Really, you two……” While Eugeo was thinking how many times he had heard that amazed voice today, he looked toward the faintly shining golden hair. Yui looked at her sides a few times before thrusting her hand into her pinafore pocket and pulled something thin and long out. It was the ear of grass she had picked up when they started their adventure. She held the grass in her right hand, with her left palm supporting its tip, Yui closed her eyes. Her small lips moved, a strange ritual verse in sacred words that Eugeo didn’t know started playing in the air. Finally her left hand quickly sliced the complex symbol, a pale soft light lit at the swelled round tip of the ear. The light then increased its intensity immediately, and kept the darkness of the cave away at the considerably distance. “Ooo.” “Wow……” Kirito and Eugeo unintentionally let out sounds of amazement at the same time. Even though they already knew Yui had been studying the sacred arts, they almost never had a chance to see it with their eyes. According to Sister Azariya’s teachings, all the rituals which had their sources of power from the god of life Stacia, the sun god Solus or the earth god Terraria —— except the dark arts which were used by the servants of the god of darkness Vector —— existed to protect the order and tranquility of the world, so they should not be used indiscriminately. The sacred arts were used by the Sister and her pupil only when the medicinal plants in the village were unable to cure the sick or injured. As Eugeo understood this well, he turned to Yui, who held the ear of grass lit in a strange color, and inadvertently asked, “Ah, Yui…… using the arts like that, is that alright? Wouldn’t you get punished for it……?” “Hmph, if just this much would get me punished, I would have been hit by lightning ten times already.” “…………” After saying that, Yui thrust the shining grass in her right hand toward Eugeo with a smile. He received it without thinking before ‘Hiee’, and realized, “I-I’m first!?” “Of course, or would you let the weak girl walk in front? Eugeo is in front of me, Kirito is behind. Don’t waste anymore time, let’s hurry up and move.” “Y-Yes.” He was stunned by her imposing manner, turned and fearfully proceeded into the cave. The flat shelf of rock seemed to steadily continue extending. The walls were illuminated in a bluish grey as if they were wet. Occasionally, he was worried by the small rustling movements in the dim part where the light didn’t reach. However, no matter where he focused his eyes, he couldn’t find anything resembling ice at all. While there were pointed grey things which looked like icicles hanging on the ceiling, he knew they were rock just at a glance. After walking for several more minutes, Eugeo called out to Kirito behind him, “Hey…… certainly, you said there should be icicles once we entered the cave, right?” “I said something like that.” “You did!” As he approached his partner who averted his eyes feigning ignorance, Yui used her right hand to stop Eugeo and whispered, “Hey, bring the light a bit closer.” “……?” Eugeo brought the ear of grass near Yui’s face. She rounded her lips before blowing a deep breath toward the light. “Ah……” “Look, you see it right? Our breath turns white, like in winter.” “Wow, really. And I have been thinking that it has been cold for a while now……” Ignoring Kirito’s complaint, Eugeo nodded alongside Yui. “Even though it is summer outside, it’s winter inside this cave. Surely there is ice here.” “Yeah, let’s check a bit further. ” Eugeo turned his body, he had the feeling that the cave wall was getting wider little by little as they went deeper, he returned to his cautious movements while advancing. What they heard, aside from the faint sound of their leather boots rubbing the rock, was only the sound from the flowing stream of groundwater. Even though they had approached its source, the flow hadn’t weakened at all. “……If we had a boat, going back would be quite easy.” Kirito who carelessly said that from behind, Eugeo rebuked him with “Don’t talk so loudly.” As they had already entered further than they had planned, of course, what came to his mind was…... “......Hey, if the white dragon really comes out, what should we do?” Yui whispered as if she could read Eugeo’s mind. “Of course…… what else, but to run……” The answer to the whispered question was overlapped by Kirito’s reckless voice, “It’s alright. The white dragon chased Bercouli because he stole its treasured sword, didn’t he? It sure wouldn’t mind us taking icicles. Hmm, but if possible I’d want to peel a scale from it though……” “Oi, what are you thinking about, Kirito?” “That is, if we go back with a proof that we have seen the real dragon, Davide and his gang would die from jealousy.” “Don’t joke! I’ll tell you now, if you get chased by a dragon, we will just leave you and run away.” “Oi, your voice is too loud, Eugeo.” “That’s because Kirito said something strange……” Suddenly his foot made an odd noise, and Eugeo stopped talking. it was the sound of something breaking under his foot. He put the light in his right hand closer to his right foot in a hurry before muttering one word out of his mouth . “Ice…...” Yui and Kirito bent down to look, Eugeo moved his toe off the spot. The water accumulated on the rock had turned into a thin ice spreading over its smooth grey surface. He stretched his fingers to pick up a piece of the thin transparent sheet. After putting it in his palm for a few seconds, it melted into water droplets, the three looked at each other and smiled. “This is ice, no doubt about it. There is sure to be a lot more up ahead.” Eugeo said while illuminating his surroundings, a great deal of blue light bounced off the similarly frozen water. And it sank into the pitch black darkness of the cave, deep within…… “Ah…… somehow, there’s a lot of light there.” It was just as Yui said, Eugeo moved his right hand, from the countless spots of light, he could see them flicker and blink palely. As he had completely forgotten about the white dragon, he half trotted in that direction. Based on the time they took, it seemed they had proceeded about a hundred meter deeper. Suddenly, the left and right walls ended. The scene in front of them made their mouth drop two meters. It was hard to believe they were in an underground cave, as it was an extraordinary huge open space. Its size was certainly a few times larger than the village square in front of the church. The curved wall, which almost surrounded the entire environment, no longer looked like the wet grey wall they saw until now, but was covered in a transparent, thick, light blue layer. Then, after looking at the floor’s surface, Eugeo understood, “I see, so this is the source of the Ruhr river.” He thought to himself, it was a huge pond, no, a lake would be more suitable. However, the water’s surface didn’t shake in the slightest. It was frozen firmly all the way, from the bank to the middle. Among the trail of white haze over the lake, strangely shaped columns protruded out, their height easily exceeded the height of the three children. They were angular hexagonal columns ending in a tapered tip. It was like the crystal of raw ore that Garitta showed Eugeo before. However, these were much bigger, and far more beautiful. The numerous transparent thick blue columns absorbed the sacred light from the ear of grass Eugeo was holding, before releasing it in six directions, which were also reflected further, illuminating the entire vast dome. The numbers of the columns increased as it approached the center of the lake, and became fully obstructed at the very center. It was ice. The surrounding wall, the lake below the feet, the strange hexagonal columns, everything was made out of ice. The blue wall stretched up vertically, and closed up together at a far height, looked like a chapel’s dome. The three forgot the cold which pierced their skin, stood still for several minutes while exhaling misty breath. Before long, Yui faintly said in a trembling voice, “……With this much ice, we could cool the food of the entire village.” “Or rather, it could even turn the village into mid winter for a while. Well, let’s go check inside.” As soon as Kirito spoke, he advanced several steps before putting his foot on the ice lake. He gradually put his body weight on it, and eventually stepped on it with both feet, there was not a sound of the thick ice cracking. He’s always like this. Even though Eugeo had the duty to object to his partner’s recklessness, this time his curiosity was superior. “But if there really is a white dragon inside, I still want to peek at it no matter what.” Holding the sacred light higher, Eugeo and Yui chased after Kirito. Cautiously avoiding making loud footsteps, they moved from one shadow of the huge icicle to another with the center of the lake as their destination. “This is great, if we see the real dragon, this time a story about us would continue for many hundred of years, wouldn’t it? And if, just if, we could do what Bernoulli couldn’t…… by bringing anything from the dragon’s treasure hoard back with us, wouldn’t the village chief reconsider our Sacred Task……?” “Mugu.” As Eugeo was expanding his day dreaming while still walking, his nose bumped into the back of Kirito’s head, who had suddenly stopped; with his face in a frown, “Oi Kirito, don’t suddenly stop like that.” However, there was no reply from his partner. Instead, a low groan came out, “……What’s that……” “Eh……?” “Just exactly what is that!” Eugeo tilted his head at the same time as Alice beside him, and looked forward from Kirito’s side. “Just what are you talking abo……” Yui, who saw the same thing as Eugeo couldn’t finish her words. It was a mountain of bones. All of them were bones made out of blue ice. They shone rigidly as if they were crystal sculptures. Every single one of them was big, the various shape of bones stacked on top of each other, made a mountain higher than the height of the three children. On top of it, was a huge lump which told them who this grave belonged to. A skull, Eugeo could understand with just a glance. Its empty eye sockets, elongated nostrils. The horns stretched out from the back, the countless number of sword-like fangs lined up on the overhung jawbone. “The white dragon’s…… bones?” Yui whispered in a low voice. “It’s already dead……?” “Ah…… But, its death is not due to natural causes.” The answer came from Kirito who had regained his composure, Eugeo rarely saw his partner like this, as Kirito was always painted by various other emotions. Kirito moved a few more steps, from his feet, he picked up a huge talon which seemed to have come from the dragon’s front feet. “Look…… there are a lot of wounds here, the tip was also neatly cut off.“It fought against something……? But, a living thing which could kill a dragon……” The same question Yui asked floated in Eugeo’s mind. Speaking of the «Northern White Dragon», it’s the one that lived in various places at the Mountain range at the Edge, which encloses the entire world, protecting the Human World from the forces of darkness, it’s the world’s strongest protector. What kind of living thing could kill something like that……? “Fighting with animals or other dragons shouldn’t give these kind of wounds.” Kirito said while stroking his thumb over the blue talon. “Eh……? Then, what……” “These are the sword wounds. What killed this dragon was —— human.” “B-But…… well, even Bernoulli, the hero who won the tournament in the capital still couldn’t do it and had to run away. It’s absurd, even the swordsmen from everywhere……” Speaking until that point, Alice seemed to notice something and sank into silence. A moment of silence fell onto the ice lake which was now turned into a huge tomb. A few seconds later, a whisper filled with fear flowed from her small lips, “……The Integrity Knight……? The Integrity Knight from the Axiom Church killed the white dragon……? ( An Integrity Knight, the ultimate embodiment of law and order, and also the symbol of goodness. Also it is the protector of the Human World ) killed the white dragon. That kind of story was, in the eleven years that Eugeo had lived, never thought of, so he didn’t think he could accept it easily. After suffering from the question he couldn’t swallow or chew for a while, he sent a glance beside him, requesting an answer from his partner. “……I don’t understand.” However, Kirito’s mutter was also painted in great confusion. “Maybe…… it’s possible that the Land of darkness also has a very strong knight, and that knight killed the white dragon…… But, if that’s true, it’s odd that until now there’s not even once that the forces of darkness had crossed past the Mountain range at the Edge. At least, this isn’t the act of a thief though……” After he finished speaking, Kirito stepped towards the dragon’s remains and gently put the talon back on the mountain of bones. Next, he dragged something long out of the bottom of the bone mountain. “Uo…… This is a heavy sword……” he showed it to Eugeo and Yui After he staggered as he dragged it for about a meter. It was a long sword, With a sliver grip and a scabbard made of white leather - the dragon’s skin. Its rain guard was decorated by an inlaid delicate blue rose, with just a glance, they understood that it had a much higher value than any sword in the village. “Ah…… This is probably……” Yui said as she looked at it, Kirito nodded at her, “yeah. The Blue Rose that Bernoulli tried to steal under the belly of the sleeping dragon. I wonder why the person who killed the dragon didn’t take it.” He bowed while talking, and lifted the grip off the ground with both of his hands, however, even with his utmost strength, he only managed to lift it up a mere ten centimeter off the floor. “……Too heavy!” Kirito separated his hands as he yelled, the long sword dropped to the ice floor again with a heavy sound. A small crack could be seen on the thick ice, the sword seemed to have an unimaginable weight despite its delicate appearance. “……What do we do with this?” “Can’t, can’t, even with the two of us together, it’s not possible to bring it back to the village. Even though we deal with that woodcutting axe everyday. ……Besides, there seems to be more treasure under the bones though……” “……Yeah, but don’t think about taking anything……” The two nodded at Yui’s serious tone. Even though taking a small trophy back and boasting to the other boys that they did it without waking the dragon would be a great adventure story, the act of taking treasure from this place was clearly grave robbery. Although the Taboo Index’ regulation about «Thievery» against humans wouldn’t apply to this situation, it didn’t mean they could do anything they wanted as long as it wasn’t prohibited. Eugeo looked at Kirito and Yui again before nodding. Then When Eugeo tried to pick up the sword he saw the sword’s memory of three hundred years in two seconds, after that a Stacia Window appeared. “Item name: Blue Rose Sword Type: Weapon LV: 42 Quality: Legendary Life: 74,797,251. Owner: Eugeo.” Three of them started at it with open eyes. After some time Yui broke the silence, “It seems like you have to take it…… It is your’s now.” Eugeo nodded and put it behind his back. “Let’s follow our plan, only taking the ice. If it’s just ice, even if the dragon was still alive, it would forgive us, surely.”After he said that, Eugeo walked closer to the icicles, and kicked a small ice crystal which stretched up from the base of the big icicle like a newly grown bud. Pakin, with a good sound, he picked up the broken lump before holding it out to Yui, who opened the lid of the empty wicker basket and placed the ice inside.The three concentrated on working to pack the ice fragments into the wicker basket without talking for a while. When the base of the icicle was cleared, they moved to the next column and repeated their actions. In just a few minutes, the big wicker basket was full of crystals which looked like transparent blue jewels. “Yoi……sho-tto” Yui exerted her strength to pull up the wicker basket while looking at the group of lights between her arms, “……So beautiful. Somehow, it’s such a waste to bring these back and let them all melt.” “Aren’t we bringing these back to prolong our boxed lunch?” Kirito said matter-of-factly while making a frown, Yui suddenly held out the basket to the black haired boy. “Eh? I have to carry it all the way back too?” “Isn’t it obvious? These are too heavy for me anyway.” Trying to keep them from starting their usual bickering, Eugeo hurriedly said, “I’ll help, we can take turns to carry it. Well, if we don’t go back now, we won’t reach the village before evening. Haven’t we already been in this cave for nearly an hour?” “Ah…… as I can’t see Solus, I don’t know the exact time. Is there something in the sacred arts that can tell what time it is now?” “Nope!” Yui quickly averted her face, a small exit could be seen from one side of the wide lake of ice. Next, looking around, on the opposite side was another exit. Then, she drooped her shoulders before speaking, “——Hey, which way did we come from?” Eugeo and Kirito immediately pointed to the direction they were very confident of. Of course, they pointed at different exits. There must be footprints - unfortunately, there was not a single depression on the smooth ice surface; the side where water from the lake flowed to must be the exit - unfortunately, it flowed out of both sides; the direction the skull was looking at was the exit - unfortunately, it didn’t look at either side; after all options were exchanged in vain, finally Yui started to explain something likely to be a pointer. “Look, isn’t there a frozen puddle that Eugeo stepped on and broke? If we go closer to the exit and see it, that would be the correct one.” I see, it’s as she said. As if to hide his embarrassment because he couldn’t think of it himself, Eugeo coughed, before nodding. “Alright, it’s decided, let’s go check on the nearer side.” “I think that way is correct though……” While Kirito was still grumbling in reluctance, Eugeo used his left hand to push his back while holding the ear of grass in his right hand high, and stepped into the waterway in front of him. When the ice columns that reflected the light had disappeared from their surroundings, what had been a reliable sacred light now felt very unreliable. The three increased their pace. “……Hmm, we don’t know the road back, just like the Berlin brothers in the old tale. It’d be great if we had scattered nuts on the way in, as there are no birds to eat them anyway.” Kirito’s silly talk felt somewhat feigned, So this carefree partner can feel uneasy too huh? Eugeo became slightly amused in contrast. “What are you talking about? We don’t have nuts in the first place. If you want to utilize what you have learned, how about putting your cloth at each fork we’ll run into?” “Stop it, I’ll catch a cold like that.”As Kirito imitated intentional sneezing, Yui slapped his back. “Stop talking nonsense and look at the ground carefully. If we overlook it, it’ll be troublesome…… or rather……” As she cut her speech off, she frowned before continuing, “Hey, we have walked for a while now but still can’t see the broken ice puddle…… So, it’s actually the other path?” “No, let’s go a bit more…… Ah, listen.” As Kirito suddenly put his finger to his lips, Eugeo and Yui stopped talking. They listened carefully. Certainly, there was another sound mixed in with the flow of the groundwater stream. It sounded like a melancholic whistle that raised and lowered in pitch. “Ah…… the sound of wind?”Yui murmured. Certainly, Eugeo also realized it was a sound similar to the treetops playing in the wind. “ The exit is nearby! It’s great we picked this path, let’s hurry!” As he called out in relief, he started jogging to resume advancing. “Hey, you’ll slip if you run in a place like this.” But even though she said so, Yui also increased her pace. Following them from behind was Kirito, who made a doubtful expression. “But…… does summer wind sound like this? Somehow…… it sounds like cold winter wind……” “The strong valley winds blow like that. Anyway, let’s get out of here quickly.” The light in Eugeo’s right hand swung violently as he approached the cave exit. My heart has already overflowed with the feeling of quickly going back to the village, to my home. I’m sure my family would be surprised once I show them the fragment of ice I got from Yui. But, the ice will melt quickly. Maybe it’d be better if I took an old silver coin back there…… As he thought that, he saw a small light in the darkness up ahead. “The exit!” He shouted with a smiling face, then frowned. The light became faintly reddish. They had entered the cave just around lunch, the time they spent inside was at most an hour or a little more, it seemed they had been in the underground world longer than they realized. If Solus had already started sinking to the west, and they didn’t hurriedly go back, they wouldn’t reach the village in time for dinner. Eugeo quickened his pace. The high-pitched sound of the wind echoing into the cave had already dominated the sound of the river. “Hey Eugeo, stop for a bit! This is weird, it has just been two hours at most but……” Yui who ran behind him raised her voice in anxiety. However, Eugeo didn’t stop. I’ve had had enough of this adventure. Right now, I want to be home even a moment sooner—— Turning to the right, turning to the left, and turning to the right again, finally the light fully spread in his vision. The exit was just a few mels ahead. He narrowed his eyes which had been accustomed to the dark while gradually loosening his running pace, before completely stopping. The cave ended just there. However, in front of Eugeo’s eyes wasn’t the world he knew. The whole sky was deep red. But it wasn’t the color of the setting sun. First of all, Solus couldn’t be found anywhere in the sky. Like the juice from the hanging mountain grapes that were too ripe —— or the sheep’s blood which was thrown out, only a dull, depressing red spread across his eyes. The ground was black. On the other side was the strangely steep mountain range which was dotted in front by strangely shaped rocky mountains, the water surface which could be seen here and there were stained in black with something reminiscent of ash. The skin of twisted dead trees was white like polished bone. The wind, which blew violently as if to tear everything in pieces, shook the dead treetops, causing long melancholic cries. It was without a doubt, the sound of the wind they had heard inside the cave. A place like this, a world which was forsook by gods, wasn’t the Human World Eugeo lived in. Then —— what the three were looking at, this scene was—— “Dark…… Territory……” Kirito’s hoarse voice was immediately carried off by the sound of the wind. The place where the authority of the Axiom Church couldn’t extend its reach to, the land of the devil tribes serving under the god of darkness Vector, the world which they had thought only existed inside the tales told by the village elders, was just a few steps ahead. As he thought that, the center of Eugeo’s head became freezing cold, he couldn’t do anything but to stand still. As if having touched that information for the first time in his life, the large amount of it flew into a section of his mind which had never been used before, he was no longer able to even handle thoughts of his own. “No…… don’t go any further……” Eugeo recklessly moved his stiff mouth and squeezed the words out. He spread his arms as if to prevent Kirito and Alice, who were behind him, from falling. At that time. A solid metal striking sound echoed from above, Eugeo’s body trembled in surprise. He looked up at the red sky reflexively. In the blood red background, he could see something white intertwined with something black. As they were flying at frightening heights, they were tiny little specks. It seemed their real size would be far beyond humans. While the two flying bodies were intensely switching places, they separated before approaching each other again, the moment they blended together, an intermittent metallic sound echoed. “The dragon knights……” Kirito, who was looking up at the sky beside Eugeo, whispered in a husky voice. It was as his partner said, the two fighting each other had long necks and tails, they were huge flying dragons, each with a pair of triangular wings. The body of the riders could be seen on their backs, armed with swords and shields. The one riding the white dragon was in a white silver armor, on the black dragon was a knight in jet black armor. Their swords were like that too, the beam of dazzling light from the white knight’s sword was stagnated by the miasma released from the black knight’s sword. As the two dragon knights struck each other with their swords, the sound of thunderous impact reverberated, as large amount of tiny fire particles danced in the air. “I wonder if the white one is…… the Church’s Integrity Knight……” To Yui’s mutter, Kirito nodded slightly. “Right…… The black one is the knight of the darkness’ forces, I guess…… With strength on par to the Integrity Knight’s.” “It can’t be……” Eugeo shook his head inadvertently. “The Integrity Knights are the world’s strongest. He can’t be defeated by the likes of a knight of darkness.” “I wonder about that. From the look of it, there isn’t much difference in their sword skills. Both can’t penetrate the other’s defense.” Immediately after Kirito said that. As if hearing his voice, the white knight pulled his dragon’s bridle and gained a large gap. The black dragon flapped its wings violently to shorten the distance. However, before the distance could be reduced, the white dragon turned its head sharply by bending its neck, along with an action which seemed to be gathering power. Immediately after that, while still swinging its neck, its jaws opened wide. A colorless flame gushed out in a straight line from between its fangs, and wrapped the black dragon knight entirely. The roar which dominated the sound of the wind struck Eugeo’s ears. The black dragon twisted its body in pain, shaking violently in mid air and descended. Without missing that chance, the Integrity Knight had replaced his sword with a reddish brown great bow and drew it to the limit, before releasing a long arrow. The arrow drew a faint trace of flame in the mid air, without missing, it pierced through the black knight’s chest. “Ah……” Yui raised a small voice which sounded like a shriek. As the skin of both its wings had been burnt completely, the black dragon lost its ability to fly and wriggled violently in mid air. The black knight separated from its back, and with a trail of blood, started falling straight toward the cave entrance where the three of them stood. First, the black sword stabbed upright into the gravel mixed ground, producing a dry sound. Next, at a place about ten mels away from the three of them, the knight crashed. Lastly, the black dragon crashed into the considerably far rocky mountain, it moved its long tail while crying in agony, before it stopped moving altogether. In front of the three children who were staring wordlessly, the black knight was struggling in pain, trying to raise his upper body. On the dully shining metal armor’s breastplate, the deep hole from the pierce wound could be seen. The knight’s face, which was hidden behind the thick visor, was directed straight at the three. His slightly trembling right hand stretched out as if asking for help. But immediately after that, a large amount of fresh blood gushed out of the neck of the armor, the knight then collapsed onto the ground. Part one
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:14:16 +0000
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