Episode 74 - The Tower
Front Line Floor 63
June 23 - Year 2
Bladescape was going to visit Lobelia to try and sort out how to organize their rooms. It had to be fair, but she wasn’t going to spoil the surprise of the castle. They would find out after the merger what they had acquired for the new Wondercolts.
At their new, personal teleport plaza, she called out the order to go to Ronbaru. It wasn't too far of a walk to the outskirts where the Geigi Clan had their home. She found it rather easily. It wasn't fancy, and for 40 players, it was tight quarters. They would be enjoying the extra space the castle would provide.
Lobelia took Bladescape to her room, the only private place they could talk. She was one of five not sharing a room. Kamishi wasn't because there was an odd number of men in the guild, and his informal rank meant he was the one given that honor over the others. Shikiku was also without a partner. She was well respected as well, informally ranked as their second. She had been left free since they also had an uneven number of female players. The other two had been paired with the recently departed players. They also passed an empty room where they held their vigil for the dead. Pictures of each member were tacked on the outside door frame.
"I didn't realize you had more than the three the other day," Bladescape quietly said as she sat on the bed. Lobelia joined her since there was nowhere else to sit.
"We have lost 9 in total," Lobelia solemnly replied. "My cofounder perished back on the 17th Floor, leaving me alone to lead. Since then, it has fallen to me and Shikiku to hold to our vision. If we had not found Kamishi and his friends when we did, we never would have survived as a guild."
"We never talked about your history," Bladescape said. "It was tough enough asking you to join us, and even if we came up with a new guild, we were talking about losing at least one guild name and a lot of energy spent on it. The name was important. And, honestly, I fear hearing those stories of your history."
"And I fear telling them," Lobelia said, barely speaking above a whisper as she fought for control. "But yes, yes we have already been through a merger. It was one that only three of us were present for. What has always mattered was how we were on the outside. Our actions speak for themselves."
"That is absolutely why we are doing this merger," Bladescape said, putting her hand on Lobelia's shoulder. "Your actions speak for themselves. And now, we have a place that will allow us to create a memorial for them. A more fitting one than pictures on a door frame. In the garden we can build a marker, something traditional, for them."
"I wish we could build a small, but proper, shrine."
"I don't want to spoil anything," Bladescape said, unable to resist giving a sly grin. Lobelia smiled back as things shifted to a positive light. "But we will have room for it. No one will need to double up in the rooms. Ever. I don't think I would ever want to control a guild so large we would need to double up.
"And that is why I came. When the 11 Wondercolts first bought our HQ, we had to decide who got what room. We had 12 to choose from. I had always been the leader, but it became official then. They put me in what became Room 1, because it was one of the six with a view of the city and the closest to the stairs. Knightstar and Backbreaker were chosen to make a council and given Rooms 2 & 3 for the same reason. After that, I made sure things were as equal as possible, so lots were drawn and the others chose based on their order.
"We want to move into the new place tomorrow so that we can help you all move in, but I don't believe that our members should get to pick first. This new HQ is for all of us. We got it with all of us in mind."
"Your kindness and generosity are appreciated," Lobelia replied with a soft smile. "I want you all moved in ahead of time too, because we will need the help. I have been working on a plan for our induction ceremony." Lobelia pulled up her menu and pulled out a scroll. "Here, this is a copy for you to see. I was going to message you tomorrow. I still want to polish a few areas, but it is mostly finished. And here is a list of our members and their current Levels and Skill Levels."
Bladescape took both, putting the member details in her menu, but skimming the ceremony. She grinned. "I like it. This has power and meaning to it. This ceremony will make this guild stronger than all of you just hitting the screen when it pops up."
"Thank you," Lobelia said with a smile. "Honor, beauty, tradition, and ceremony are all things I highly value for their artistry.”
“We need some of that artistry,” Bladescape chuckled. “While still maintaining that focused, free, attitude.”
“We will find a good balance,” Lobelia assured Bladescape. “However, for the reason you came, do what you need to do for the rooms. I trust that you will organize them well."
"They sort of are already organized," Bladescape explained. "There is a whole dormitory full of rooms, but the main building also has residential rooms on the second floor and the third. And one in the tower."
"How many?"
"12 on the second, 5 on the third."
"I gather that it is designed to place precedence to the individuals in charge by their assigned floor in the main building?"
"Yes," Bladescape nodded. "This headquarters was designed for a large guild. The second floor should be for officers and the Third floor is the council."
"And the tower?" Lobelia asked.
"Right," Bladescape chuckled. "The tower's top two floors were set up for living quarters. But what matters with it is that you can actually stand on the top of the tower, and have a great view."
"The answer is simple, at least in my eyes," Lobelia stated. "Kiefer, he is our training officer, correct?"
"Yes," Bladescape nodded. "We had him as our first, non-councilor officer, but I did give the training orders for the new Wondercolts to him and Backbreaker."
"Then you, as our Kaisho, shall take the tower," Lobelia declared. "I know you want it. You are specifically avoiding it and I can see the desire in your eyes."
"I have been," Bladescape admitted. "I dashed through it to try to get on the top, I didn't want to take or build my hopes. You will understand more when you see the place. I don't want to spoil it, because it is that awesome."
Lobelia giggled. "I can tell. I look forward to finding out. But please, take the tower as our Kaisho."
"I will," Bladescape said, unable to stop smiling like a kid on Christmas Morning.
Lobelia continued. "I recommend we organize our Council rooms by our seat positions and then give Kiefer the one on the end. Shikiku, as our council's member representative, should hold the closest room to the stairs on the second floor. We don't want the regular members to go to the third floor, and they should have restricted access to the second floor. We want them to be able to use the chain of command in order to keep order. That is why we have the structure we are developing. I am sure you can come up with a fair disbursement. Also to consider is that our officers are not set outside of Kiefer. Some of the other original Wondercolts may be named as officers."
"Those are wise words," Bladescape replied. “The third floor has a lounge for us and a private meeting room too. Likewise, the second floor has a lounge for the officers. And moving anyone from the barracks to the main building will be easy enough.”
"I know we are joining you, and I know that you are welcoming us in as equals, which we appreciate, but know this, I trust you. We all trust you. I know that however you set up our Headquarters, it will be fair.
“I have another question though. It sounds like the barracks is a separate building. Where is the kitchen?”
“It is in the main building,” Sunset replied.
“AFCK is our Itamae, our head chef. Since she will be in charge of the kitchen, it makes sense that she is given a room closest to the kitchen. She may not be leading a squad into battle, but it is an officer role, even if it isn’t a military officer name.”
"I will do as you suggested," Bladescape said with a smile as she stood up. "It feels weird taking direct action. I have...had problems in the past with control."
"But those problems forged you into the amazing person behind the player I know as Bladescape,” Lobelia said. “They have set you up to become the Leader of the Wondercolts, and soon, the fully realized Kaisho of one of the strongest guilds in the game. We will stay on the front lines because of you and your friends. We have come to follow you. Do not forget your inner strength and the fire that burns in your soul. It is clear and brilliant, bathing us all in a warm glow that is comforting and illuminates the path ahead for us."
"You are wise," Bladescape said, bowing low at the waist. "Having you on our council will be a great honor. You know more about life than I do."
"I have lived a few more years than you," Lobelia admitted. "And yes, I have studied the art of being human. It brought with it wisdom, but you have something I am now gaining, strong friendship. You have learned that lesson, and I look forward to learning it from you. Together, we will be a force to be reckoned with. The entire front line will be in awe of us until the end of this wicked game."
Bladescape's heart stopped beating. She had a question she wanted to ask, but she was afraid to reveal it. Lobelia's smile was soothing, enough so that she risked it. "You have lost friends, I haven't. At least not in death. Is it weird that I have an enjoyment for all of this, despite it being a prison where our very lives are at stake?"
"Stay brave, my Kaisho," Lobelia kindly replied. "There are those who lost sight of what this is, a game, and they cower in fear. Others have come to see it as a way of life, something to endure, and they make a living off what they can. The smith who made Harmonic Salvation, and the craftsman who made your armor are some of the greatest of those who endure. But then there are those, like you, who are radiant lights because they see this as it is, a game. As evil as most of us find it, you find comfort in the stats and levels that this world provides. You use it to excel. You actually play the game. But you will suffer for it, because once this is over, it will all go away. You will never get to live as such ever again, for good or bad. It will be a haunting memory, a shadow of a past life you can never touch. But it is you, the few true players of Sword Art Online, who will conquer this game. And it is you who inspire the rest of us to be the best players we can be. And your friends will be there to help you stay steady in a world without SAO.
"But what are your downcast eyes for? I saw the bright light I sparked dim and be shielded by you yourself."
Bladescape wrestled with what she had just been told. Stats and levels gave her strength. A true player, it all made sense. The warning, there was no avoiding it. She was in too deep and her friends were of a much greater concern to her. She was also concerned about what the particular stat, or rather, Skill was and showing it off. Lobelia was about to be their Sansa, fourth ranked on the Council. Astro and Backbreaker already knew, so Bladescape decided Lobelia should as well.
Bladescape took a step back as she drew Harmonic Salvation from her back. "This room isn't large," Bladescape warned. "But it is enough if you stay seated. Only a few know this, but I unlocked an Extra Skill not too long ago."
Bladescape set her hands in the position of Greatsword. She took her stance and executed the powerful cut, showing off the simple wrist roll that was ultimately the most powerful force in any reality, leverage.
"Amazing," Lobelia whispered. "The fulcrum you demonstrated gives enormous power to a normal blade, and it is surprisingly quick. Add in the Sword Skills for extra power, and that is...that technique...well it must be protected. We have a user of the two-handed longsword, but they are not max yet."
"We will get them there," Bladescape said as she sheathed Harmonic Salvation. "And then I promise, I will teach them. By then, its existence will probably be known. I don't want to get swarmed by swordsmen trying to learn it. I'm not even sure of all the prerequisites required to unlock it. Knowledge is power in this game. Mapping data is one thing, but Skills, there are players who would not like me having an Extra Skill, even if I passed it on."
"We cannot avoid those people in any world or reality,” Lobelia advised. “The best we can do is be ourselves and stand our ground to them, yet never provoking them to anger. Discretion is understandable since this reality magnifies the importance of Skills, but don't let it become hoarding by not using it when you must. For our lives may depend on that Skill."
Bladescape was confident when she made the declaration. "I will not let a single player die because I didn't use all the Skills available to me."
"That," Lobelia said as her grin grew sly. "That is the Kaisho I want to follow."
"Thank you," Bladescape replied. "For all the words of wisdom, the approval for setting ourselves up in the headquarters, and for your trust. We can talk more once we are officially together as guildmates, and once we are united in our new headquarters. I enjoyed this. I want to learn more about life from you. I also don’t want to spoil the new headquarters until you see it for yourself. Those conversations care wait a few more days."
"We will," Lobelia stated with a bow. “And I wish to learn more from you. I also want to see the place for myself first. Your avoidance has me intrigued about what could be so special, that it is worth hiding.”
Bladescape was shown out and then she went back to Floor 35. She had a room to prepare. She had accumulated a lot of stuff over her time here. Too much of it was junk; forgotten pieces that were never sorted as planned. This move would be good for cleaning out the dark recesses of her menu and room's storage. A little, albeit late, spring cleaning.
A knock on the door brought her mind back to the present. "Enter," Bladescape called.
AFCK popped in. "I have dinner ready! Come on down."
"Sounds good," Bladescape said, glancing around her room.
She met them downstairs, where a relaxed dinner was underway. Everyone was tired, but feeling good. They owned a castle on a private island, a dream that would never have come true in any other reality. It had been a fun day. They would be preparing the castle for a large group of players to be residing in it and using all of it, and the biggest concerns were the social places. And they couldn't blow the surprise until it was time to show it to their new guildmates.
They were relaxing, enjoying cupcakes, when Kiefer sparked a question.
"You know," Kiefer grinned. "After we get out of here, we all need to meet up and visit this Equestria. It sounds intriguing."
"Oh no," Bladescape said, resisting a sigh. "We don't cross over or visit."
"Why not?" Kiefer pressed. "Besides, you already came over and are living here."
Bladescape groaned and crossed her arms. "I'm a complex situation that never should've happened."
"We can't cross over!" AFCK exclaimed. "Then there would be two of us, and it would be confusing. That is why Princess Twilight doesn't let us."
"So?" Kiefer asked, still pressing. "It sounds like that is something a lot more typical of there. Right?"
"Yeah," Bladescape admitted. "Slightly. But they also can be a lot more dramatic over simple stuff over there."
"Why haven't you gone before?" Less asked.
"She has!" AFCK exclaimed. "Ignoring her stealing the crown, she has gone a few times to help us know what is going on from things that accidentally went from them to us."
"Come on," Kiefer said. "It can't be that hard-"
"It's a lot more complicated than you think," Bladescape interrupted him. "On our side, the portal is public. However, it is usually closed and opens only at specific times, for a brief period. If you get caught on the other side, you have a long wait ahead of you."
"You are just making excuses; you can obviously get around that."
Bladescape rolled her eyes. "Look, I go by invitation only, when it is opened. I don't just jump back and forth. We go only if invited. Besides, it takes time, and we don't exactly live life without responsibilities."
"Not even for a vacation?" Kiefer asked. "I know your other selves have to want to meet you."
"It's..." Bladescape stumbled. "It's not something we should discuss right now. Let's leave it at that. Please."
"It's not that fun over there," AFCK added.
"Pinkie!" Diemond chastised. "Drop it."
"Sorry. I was just trying to help."
"We can't let our new guildmates know about the portal and all that private stuff," Bladescape said. "Not all of them are going to understand. We got lucky all of you do. Understood?"
They all agreed and then they split to prepare or continue preparations for the move.
Bladescape (SS): Lvl 83 – Two-Handed Sword – Search – Weapon Defense – Leather Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Sprint – Acrobatics – Blade Throwing – Extended Weight Carry - Greatsword
Thunderborne (RBD): Lvl 75 – Rapier – Sprint – Acrobatics – Armor Pierce – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Leather Armor – Weapon Defense – Extended Weight Carry – Search
Backbreaker (AJ): Lvl 78 – Heavy Shield – One-Handed War Hammer – Extended Weight Carry – Heavy Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Fishing – Search – Martial Arts – Acrobatics
AFCK(PP): Lvl 75 – Two-Handed Axe – Parry – Cooking – Weapon Defense – Martial Arts – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Thrown Weapon – Musical Instrument
Diemond (R): Lvl 75 – Heavy Shield – Mace – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Heavy Metal Armor – Tailoring – Light Metal Armor Forging – Heavy Metal Armor Forging – Jewelry Making – Extended Weight Carry
Doombunny (FS): Lvl 78 – One-Handed Dagger – First Aid – Hide – Search – Listening – Battle Regeneration – Fighting Spirit – Familiar Communication (Colorra) – Drug Mixing – Reveal -- Fencing
Astro (PS): Lvl 75 – Two-Handed Spear - Purchase Negotiation – Armor Pierce – Acrobatics – First Aid – Light Metal Armor – Battle Regeneration – Weapon Defense – Parry – Extended Wight Carry
Kiefer: Lvl 73 – One-Handed Curved Blade – Parry – Weapon Defense – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Slash Weapon Forging – Katana – Martial Arts - Search - Armor Pierce
Lessa: Lvl 72 – One-Handed Sword – Shield – Light Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Equipment Repair – Metal Equipment Repairing – Armor Pierce – Search - Acrobatics
Joltron: Lvl 75 – One handed Axe – Heavy Shield – Heavy Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Metal Refining – Cooking – One Handed Weapon Creation – Two Handed Weapon Creation – Extended Weight Carry
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A nice talking chapter. Can't wait for the reveal.
Sunset stop lying about the portal. GUILT keeps you from visiting
10469424
Hahahaha.
She can have her own student that lives in the tower
Huh.. was not expecting that.. I thought she'd have the top floor in the main building
I already feel bad for her employees. The poor souls will probably never keep up with her antics
Sounds like me and my inventory 😅. I horde everything I can in about every game I play
Says the girl who's crossed over and replaced herself on the otherside
I have found no spelling errors!!😁
You know, the could proooobably entice Knightstar back if they told her she could have a crazy awesome lab on the island all to herself! Artificer is a skill, right?
10469618
Maybe? Not sure. That would depend on what you mean by Artificer?
Not bad but I do have a question, how old Lobelia is? Cause she really sounds like a normal talking Yoda and even though there is elder players in Aincrad I can't see a grandma leading a frontline guild.
10469714
Well, if I remember correctly there is no magic or range weapons other than a throwing chakra but there are other things that could be crafted... Carts, accessories, junk that people collect... Just thinking out loud.
10470066
You are correct, but I'm not following your logic train.
10469916
Eh, mid 20s? It depends on how you were raised, and who you looked up to. I have personal experience there.
It feels like something big is going to happen soon.
10470170
Oh ok, she just sounds overly vise for my tastes.
found and fix typo
10469466
Same
This was a fun read like always and I am excited to see what is next in this wonderful and beautiful story.
Someone is going to ask who didn't see my blog, so here:
Ironicly I could see Princess Celestia extending an invitation to Sunset and her guildmates when the escape/recover
I feel sorry that they've lost some of their guild in the nightmare of a game.
Thank goodness they did.
There a reason you put Sunset here over Bladescape for once?
That's the spirit!
Lessa*
At least it wasn't on Knightstar.