Part 12

*In the Depths of Palm*

"Thanks again, Shiro, like really just be careful out there," said Marielle through the friends list telepathic link.

"I will talk to you later," said Shiro ending the call.

"I see you didn't tell her we used griffins to get ahead on this," questioned Naotsugu.

"No, I didn't,"

"I'm not surprised,"

They continued to walk in the giant labyrinth.

*Flash to Crestmoon alliance guild master's room*

"So tell me, how do you suppose Shiro and his party are going to cross the channel?" asked Henrietta.

"Don't know. He said something about figuring it out once they got there," said Marielle.

"They probably have some super-secret special plan. It seems there isn't a situation he can't figure out if you give him the time to do it, but why would someone with his talents, I mean, why would he, refuse to join a guild,"

"Well, I'm sure he has a good reason,"

"Um, excuse me," someone asked.

"Oh, what is it, Liliana,"

"Marielle, the rest of our members are here,"

They walked down the hall.

"Okay, did everyone come,"

"About sixty percent or so no reply from ten percent didn't answer, and thirty percent refused," said the tall blunette.

*scene changes to another room*

"Ah well, yea, our guild master is coming pretty soon. Sorry about that, and hang on a little longer," the brown fox hybrid stated.

Some of the people in the room seemed genuinely pissed.

*In one of the larger guilds*

"Woodstock W from Glendale is there along with Akaneya Ichimonjinoskue from Radio market, and they're not the only ones. Along with them, several guild masters of the smaller guilds have gotten together in the Crescent Moon Alliances Hall," said Takayama Misa.

"Is that right?" Questioned Krusty, the guild master of D.D.DD.

"Yes, and also, Shiro from the Debauchery Tea Party is on the move and is currently leading a small group to Susukino,"

"Susukino?"

"Is something wrong,"

"No, don't worry about it. Is there anything else I should know,"

"Ah, it would see Akio the maelstrom is with him,"

"Wait, Akio is with them, then whatever Shiro has planned must be considered interesting,"

*Back to the Depths of Palm *

"Whoa," shouted Naotsugu, flailing his arms in panic as the ground beneath him crumbled.

Akio luckily got behind him and grabbed him before he fell.

"Thanks, Akio. Wait, wasn't this bridge in the game,"

Akio nodded but kept quiet as he looked around.

"Yea," replied Shiro.

"Was it always falling apart," asked Naotsugu.

"Naotsugu, Akatsuki stop," shouted Shiro as Akio had already stepped back.

One of the stabilizers for the bridge had begun to break under their feet.

"Give me a break," said Naotsugu nervously.

"We're going to have to find another way; let's backtrack one at a time," Shiro paused as he saw the ground under Akatsuki splinter, "Akatsuki."

Shiro ran forward, but the ground underneath him gave way, and he fell.

"Milord," Akatsuki screamed, watching in horror as Shiro fell.

Akatsuki squirmed in panic, with Naotsugu holding onto her tight.

"Know would be a good time to call your wind spirit Akio," said Naotsugu.

"Already on it," said Akio reading out the spell to call his wind spirit, "Tuuletar goddess of wind answer my call and aid me in support and battle,"

A pale woman appeared with floating light blue hair and a womanly figure.

"Master Akio, what do you need from me," the wind goddess asked.

"Tuuletar, my friend Shiro has fallen. Can you detect signs of life down there,"

"I can, Master. He has fallen into a river. I have put an air bubble around his mouth and nose so he will not drown,"

"Good, now we need to get down there,"

"Akio, I have an idea,"

"What is it, Akatsuki,"

"Why not get your wind spirit Tuuletar to create a wind platform and operate it as an elevator and work it at 100 times its normal speed to get down there quickly,"

"Wait, you'll also have to consider the wind pressure going down and make sure there is proper air circulating so we can breathe," said Naotsugu adding his two cents.

"Tuuletar, do you believe you can do that,"

"Of course, master, it should be easy considering how much time and effort you put into creating me," said Tuuletar happily.

"Alright then,"

Tuuletar created the platform, and they all stepped onto it. The venue soon surrounded itself by the wind and began to drop at frightening speeds. Akatsuki and Akio were enjoying listening to Naotsugu scream in terror.

*scene change*

Shiro can be seen under the water, not panicking, but his mind was going a hundred miles a minute, not wanting to die there even if he ended up in the cathedral.

"M'lord,"

"Shiro,"

"Ah, he's coming to,"

"M'lord,"

Shiro was going through memories of the past, his lonely existence until he met the Debauchery tea party. He relives some of his favourite memories with them.

"Shiro,"

"M'lord"

Shiro strains to open his eyes, but they open up abruptly.

"Can you hear me,"

"Oh, hey, welcome back,"

"Are you alright, M'lord,"

"Thanks, Tuuletar. You can head back now,"

"You're welcome, master; please summon me again when you can," said Tuuletar as she disappeared with a bow.

"Where am I?"

"The pipsqueak got you out of there, and thankful Akio summoned Tuuletar, who placed an air bubble on you and then made us take the wind elevator of death," said Naotsugu shuddering at the last part.

"Akatsuki jumped in as soon as we landed and fished you out Naotsugu helped bring you ashore. My spirit Tuuletar got most of your stuff dry for you,"

"Don't call me a pipsqueak,"

"I see. Thank you for your help, you guys, you too, Akatsuki,"

"Me too, for thank you,"

"For what?"

"No, Ah, thank you to Naotsugu and Akio,"

"Look, before we get all mushy, we should get moving again,"

"Right," Shiro paused to start patting himself, "this is crazy. That was like a seven-story drop. I should be cold, and I'm barely hurt at all,"

"Hm, maybe you can chop that up to being in your level 90 body,"

Akatsuki nodded in agreement with Naotsugu's statement. Akio did the same.

"I mean, after all this walking, I'm hardly tired at all, so are we even close to getting outta here,"

"We ended up taking a long way, but yea were close,"

"You are good at cryptography, aren't you,"

"Scribe is my subclass. On top of that, back in the real world, I was also a cad operator,"

"That's right, he sure was,"

"CAD, what's cad,"

"Computer assisting Drafting I do it at my university. I'm an engineering student,"

"So you're a college student,"

"Well, graduate school, I'm about to get my master's, or I was,"

"Okay, so I guess that makes you and I roughly the same age,"

Naotsugu and Shiro paused and then were quite shocked by this revelation.

"Seriously,"

"Wahhh,"

"Oh, Suki, so you seem to be doing quite well for an adult," said Akio, nodding.

"Why, thank you, Akio and is it that surprising,"

"You're kidding. I mean, you look just like a little.."

Naotsugu was interrupted by a kick to the face by Akatsuki that landed him on a broken-down pole.

"M'lord…" "She's in college," "May I inflict great pain on Naotsugu's face,"

"I need you to tell me before you do it next time, okay,"

"It's your fault for being a disgusting pig,"

"Disgusting, oh I'll show you dis.."

Akatsuki interrupted him again with a good kick.

"Oowww," shouted Naotsugu as he landed on a hill of minerals.

"Milord, I think his face might need more blood,"

"Aw, come on, every single time, at least let me finish saying it,"

"You're going to make him cry, you know,"

"Milord doesn't tell me you were also thinking I was just a kid in middle school," said Akatsuki as a thick red aura surrounded her.

"Ah no, I wouldn't go that far, but I'm Ah Ah," then Shiro got lost in thought about the past of two other younger players.

*scene change*

"Milord, are you worried about something,"

"Ah, nothing, sorry,"

"That isn't true. Whenever your think about something, your forehead gets crinkly,"

"Huh,"

"Right up here, you're starting to look like an old man," said Akatsuki in between her eyebrows.

"Huh burn," laughed Naotsugu.

"What are you laughing at,"

"How could you hear me without your hearing aid,"

"Naotsugu!"

Soon he stopped laughing, and they prepared for battle as a purple fog rolled in.

"Alright, what's this,"

"Server lag,"

"No, that isn't it. We've switched zones,"

"Milord, watch out,"

"What is that think it's blocking the stairs is that in the game,"

"Sub-species of rat-man the hub doesn't have anything on it,"

"Which means,"

"It must be one of the new Nova sphere monsters,"

"It's huge, but its level should be level 68 looks like a giant mass of debuffs,"

"Is it the reason the dungeon is falling apart,"

"Probably,"

"Then we have to make sure it doesn't collapse," said Akio.

"It is going to be a little risky, but we don't have a choice to take it out,"

"Alright, let's make this quick strategy, man,"

They all scatter and pull back.

"I got something for you, rat face," shouted Naotsugu and the Rat thing slammed its tail at him.

"Stealth Blade,"

"Cross slash,"

"No matter how good you are, fighting like this is different,"

"Crimson Moon," chanted Akio pulling out his katana.

"No kidding, you can't reproduce the size of this thing, or it's bad breath with a monitor and a set of speakers,"

"Come on, Thorn, bind hostage,"

"Nice,"

"Great,"

"Looks like it's got a high shield rating, but we still have three vines left sick him stumpy,"

"Don't call me that,"

The rat thing uses its giant paws and pushes Naotsugu into a wall.

"Let's make sure you don't miss Mind Shock,"

Add a confusion buff that lowers accuracy and agility and next amplifies the power of your team's attack power and weapons.

"Keen Edge,"

"Thanks for that. Going in one more hit, and we're done with this Assassination,"

As she said, the rat thing was finished and disappeared in bright white light.

Shiro, Akio and Naotsugu had shielded their eyes from the light with their arms. Then once they were out, they saw a beautiful horizon.

"Awesome,"

"The wind is cold,"

"Ahah, but it feels great. I think it's safe to say the hard parts behind us,"

"It's beautiful,"

"It's amazing,"

"It's quite a sight," stated Akio.

"Experiences, huh,"

"Ah,"

"When this was just a game, a lot of the players came to this spot at dawn and saw it on a monitor but now were the first ones to make it here seriously were the first adventures actually to live this,"

"Yeah, guess we are. You know Elder tales had great artwork and all, but this is something else,"

"I know it's like the first thing we've earned by winning a battle,"

"It gives you quite a surreal feeling," said Akio.

*scene changes Susukino outside the walls*

"Did you think you were getting out of Susukino that easy,"

"You've gotta be the world's biggest moron or just incredibly stupid,"

"For a big wagon, I was hoping for a better haul than this,"

"What are you standing there for,"

"Get busy, will yea,"

"I don't think I can do this,"

"Fine then you're headed for the Cathedral," stated a man that blurred into existence behind him.

"Demiqas,"

The man Demiqas hit him into a large mound of hardened dirt and snow.

"How many times do I have to tell ya do what I say or you get dealt with,"

"Don't worry; you'll come back to life. If people still get upset about Pking, then there is something wrong with them," stated the lanky elf standing by Demiqas.

"Hey, get all his gear before he disappears on us, guy," stated Demiqas.

"Right!" shouted a group of men.

"Better not drop that,"

"You heard him N.P.C.,"

"Yea, take care of our stuff,"

"Huh,"

"I see more people of the land boss think they might know anything about the guys were looking for,"

"Huh, non-player characters are crying now that wasn't part of the game before," stated Demiqas.

"I couldn't care less," said the elf shallowly.

"Hey, should we take them out, Guildmaster,"

"If you want, I don't care if they people of the land or not. They don't interest me, alright, long dark. What about the cat and the healer girl," asked Demiqas.

"I have men looking for them, nothing yet," stated LongDark.

"How long are you going to jack around? You need to be out there finding that girl and Cat freak," screamed Demiqas.

The men quickly ran back to Susukino to look for them.

"This is my world now, and anyone who defies me will pay. I'm coming to get you and your damn cat," said Demiqas with a crazed look.