//------------------------------// // Episode 24 - Qalphite Queen // Story: EQG: Sword Art Online - Aincrad // by Mindrop //------------------------------// Floor 52 January 29 – Year 2 The Floor 52 Boss was another insect creature with its own army. They looked like tan-green beetles with a powerful pincer. She wasn’t, logistically, as bad as Scorpia Queen of the Arthropods. She didn’t lay eggs like the other did, but her soldiers and guardians were numerous and their shells were difficult to crack. There was also no way through to her without craving a deep path through them. The large circular cavern quickly forced the raiding party apart into their own individual squads. They were holding their own, but it was a nasty fight. You could surround one, but you had to do it quickly and kill it before the pincers of his friends came up behind it. The guardians and soldiers were mixed together. They were not the same level or using the same algorithms. The game designers were at least nice enough to make them look different. The soldiers were a bit smaller and a tan while the Guardians were a green tan with light tan legs. Astro and Thunderborne were doing a good job. They could poke holes in them quickly, but it wasn't going well. They couldn't land critical strikes, even with Armor Pierce. They mostly corralled the creatures, poking and prodding them how they needed them to go. Backbreaker and Diemond were the heavy hitters. Bladescape and Kiefer were drawing the aggro and keeping the attention of the insects while Diemond and Backbreaker proved they actually knew how to strike with their war hammer and mace. Crushing their carapace was the only way to deal critical damage. The boss battles were getting longer and longer. They were already at 45 minutes and only halfway through the blocking insects. Once they got past them, the Queen wouldn’t have much extra to give them that the soldiers and guardians didn’t already show them. The Iron Bulwark was causing a scene as she showed the Assault Team she was just as strong fighting with her hammer as she was unyielding with her shield. Backbreaker was barely even using her shield. It was partially in her way because it was so big. It was still too valuable in the fight to unequip it. A Guardian bit its pincers on Backbreaker's shield, putting it right where Backbreaker needed it. The war hammer flared red and came down on its head with a crack. Bladescape rammed her blade into the Guardian's rear. Astro and Thunderborne were on the other side and impaled it from that angle. Kiefer's katana glowed dark purple and was slashed through the insect’s leg and then the skill rammed his sword to the hilt inside the Guardian's side. Diemond was blocking them from the next incoming insect and Backbreaker made sure they could address it by landing the final blow on its head. It was slow work but they steadily ground on. Backbreaker was their big damage dealer. She was unyielding and unrelenting, just like the reputation her shield had earned her. Backbreaker was not going to let them fall. She had not been able to do much in the Floor 50 fight and all she did was hold her shield for the Floor 51 boss fight. She did what she needed to do for the good of the raiders, but Backbreaker hated not getting a few good blows in. She was going to make up for it in this battle. The next Soldier fell and they were home free. They were not the first there. Squad C, all DDA members, were harassing the Qalphite Queen. She was slow and open, but her soldiers were coming to her aid, splitting her assaulters. Bladescape, Astro, and Backbreaker focused on the Queen. The other three moved against the Guardian that was trying to save its queen by coming at them. Split, it was a lot harder to kill any of them, but they didn't back down on the Queen. Squad H, led by Agil, who had Kirito with him and a few other stragglers from other guilds in it, came in and put their weight into the attack. Bladescape was watching the Queen’s HP gauge. They were timing it to try and take the LAB, while still not letting up. They would not be caught slacking or try to snipe the LAB. Backbreaker lightly punched Bladescape to signal their move to switch in. Backbreaker was moving forward already. Bladescape followed after her. They were not the only ones moving. Backbreaker’s four combo attack didn’t look impressive, but Bladescape knew the real power behind it. Bladescape went in with Double Infinity, a 9 attack combo that traced two infinity symbols on the target in slashes and then a full stab into the center. At least two other attacks landed but the Queen didn’t go down. “RAAAAAWR!” Backbreaker screamed as she switched in, free from her delay. It was her own OSS. Her hammer slammed into the Queen, followed by a hook that brought her shield into the target for damage. The third attack was a powerful, fully body cross with her armored fist, using her Martial Art Skill. The Qalphite Queen exploded in a burst of polygons, causing two other players to go through her polygons instead of landing their hits for the kill. There were still several Soldiers and Guardians still alive. They went into a rage without their queen protecting them, but they lost most of their attack abilities and were finished quickly. As soon as the last went down, the fanfare popped up and they all saw their personal drop lists. The LAB bonus screen was on top of Backbreaker's. Backbreaker ignored it for now and addressed everyone. “That was a mighty good fight, y’all! We did it! 52 Floors conquered. And not a player lost. We are getting better!” Cheers went up and Backbreaker quickly looked at her rewards. She then looked back at her friends. They were already walking over to her. “Let’s go trigger that gate,” Backbreaker said. “I don’t like the feel of this place, even with the creatures gone.” When they hit the stairs, Bladescape spoke up. “Good job AJ. I’m happy you got it instead of them. We didn’t time it right, but what matters is the boss is done.” “You’re not mad, or jealous?” Backbreaker asked. “A little,” Bladescape shrugged. “But I got my fair chance. I didn’t have it in me to snag it. You did exactly what you needed to do. Thanks for not hesitating. And that combo looked good. Your Martial Art’s Skill has come along nicely.” “Thank you,” Backbreaker nodded. “I certainly made easier work of the quest than AFCK did.” They chuckled. Astro joined them too, remembering AFCK’s antics. Backbreaker had learned a trick to completing the quest significantly easier than the traditional way. Trembling Oxes spawned close enough to the rock that they could be baited in and tricked into running right into the rock, causing it to split in two from the force. Backbreaker just sat back and let an ox do the work. She didn’t know what skill to chose otherwise, and fishing was the only thing she wanted to do to relax, so she got herself whiskers and had it completed soon after. Backbreaker made it clear she wasn’t going to discuss it anymore. They got up to the 53 rd Floor, being the first to look at it. They made quick work of the distance to the nearest town and triggered the gate. A few minutes later the rest of the Wondercolts came through, followed by a lot more players. They toasted in a pub, as their celebration routine now dictated, but then headed home. Backbreaker had gone to her room rather quickly. Bladescape and Knightstar met outside her room and knocked. “Yeah?” Backbreaker called from inside. “It’s Knightstar and Bladescape,” Knightstar said. “Can we come in and chat for a minute?” Backbreaker opened the door, wearing just her sleepwear. She let them in and the first thing that caught both their eyes was the two sets of heavy armor on the desk. One was Backbreaker’s suit made with love by Diemond, the other was a much more regal full plate that was silver, not steel. “LAB?” Bladescape asked. “Yep,” Backbreaker nodded. “Vastly superior to Diemond’s work. She is called Plate of Veracity. I knew it was better at a quick glance, but I didn’t expect it to be that much better. Truth be told, I think we are outclassed here. Sure, our crafters are progressing well, but Rarity is too conventional. She isn’t used to being in a world with different materials. Design is not a problem, and neither is her level. But until we can start to figure out how to master the wide variety of crafting materials, well we can’t take the game to the next level. The level we need.” “I’ll poke around,” Knightstar said. “However, from what I quickly got off Kiefer, you unleashed your pent up rage in there.” “Yup!” Backbreaker said, beaming. “I feel a whole lot better, y’all.” “Good job BB,” Bladescape said again. “You rocked it. You deserve that. Like I said, I gave it my all. This wasn’t robbed from me. And you did the right thing by not hesitating.” “I was hoping it was a two handed sword, for you.” “Thanks,” Bladescape smiled. “You are a good friend. And you are balancing being a friend and making sure we clear this game really well. You always have my back, and I always will have yours.” “Of course I got your back!” “We will let you go to bed,” Knightstar said. “But you have to wear it. Diemond will understand. Maybe she can make some pieces that look just like it, using it as a template. She really is obsessed with us all looking the same.” “It’s not bad,” Backbreaker shrugged. “It is really awesome to look unified like we do.” “It is,” Bladescape chuckled. “We show up so many guilds during the strategy meetings because of it. Presence is very important.” Bladescape stepped next door to her room and entered. She always enjoyed the extra safety she felt in here. Just like she felt in her room back home. She switched to her sleepwear and hung up her armor. She put her sword on the wall where it belonged and she climbed into her soft bed. Somewhere in the real world her real body was laying down on a bed, most likely in a hospital. It would be wasting away while she was in here. They had a timer on their lives before their bodies wasted away. Few of the players probably understood that. Most were young, in high school like they were. Most had probably never spent the night in the hospital, let alone an extended stay. There was only so long medical technology could keep their bodies alive while their minds stayed so active. A year laying in bed would also mean serious rehab after this ordeal. After running and jumping in here, it would require them to slow down to a painful crawl while their physical bodies relearned how to do things. Dash, AJ, and Poly were going to have a difficult time not being able to walk back out playing sports. For now, they had no option but to push forward to bring the day of awakening as quickly as possible. Bladescape (SS): Lvl 69 – Two-Handed Sword – Search – Weapon Defense – Leather Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Sprint – Acrobatics – Blade Throwing Knightstar (TS): Lvl 60 – One-Handed Sword – Shield – Equipment Appraisal – Parry – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Search – Armor Pierce Thunderborne (RBD): Lvl 63 – Rapier – Sprint – Acrobatics – Armor Pierce – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Leather Armor – Weapon Defense – Extended Weight Carry Backbreaker (AJ): Lvl 66 – Heavy Shield – One-Handed War Hammer – Extended Weight Carry – Heavy Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Fishing – Search – Martial Arts AFCK (PP): Lvl 64 – Two-Handed Axe – Parry – Cooking – Weapon Defense – Martial Arts – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Thrown Weapon Diemond (R): Lvl 63 – Heavy Shield – Mace – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Heavy Metal Armor – Tailoring – Light Metal Armor Forging – Heavy Metal Armor Forging – Jewelry Making Doombunny (FS): Lvl 60 – One-Handed Dagger – First Aid – Hide – Search – Listening – Battle Regeneration – Fighting Spirit – Familiar Communication (Colorra) – Drug Mixing – Reveal Astro (PS): Lvl 64 – Two-Handed Spear - Purchase Negotiation – Armor Pierce – Acrobatics – First Aid – Light Metal Armor – Battle Regeneration – Weapon Defense – Parry Kiefer: Lvl 60 – One-Handed Curved Blade – Parry – Weapon Defense – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Slash Weapon Forging – Katana – Martial Arts Lessa: Lvl 60 – One-Handed Sword – Shield – Light Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Equipment Repair – Metal Equipment Repairing – Armor Pierce – Search Joltron: Lvl 62 – One handed Axe – Heavy Shield – Heavy Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Metal Refining – Blunt Weapon Forging – One Handed Weapon Creation – Two Handed Weapon Creation