War For Underworld

The Lycoris Knight Versus The Knight of the Abyss

Medina

"Medina... Good luck."

"Aye." Medina hears Ilia's feet whisk away towards the town of Danacchia. She waits a moment for the apprentices to gain some distance before she makes any movement, that being to lower her sword before the rage inside her takes control. She keeps her guard up, but she wants to try to talk things out one last time. "Eydis."

"You've finally come," says the white-haired knight, her voice colder than the desert. "You let your apprentices take care of the giants themselves, despite our expectations. I hoped to draw your out in that manner, but all it took was a direct attack on them."

"Why are you targeting me?"

"Simple: It'll make the plans for the First Children much easier, and makes me feel better. If you fall...imagine how he'll feel that Kirito and Asuna didn't protect you, or even more, how he couldn't protect you. That's all he's cared about, right, protecting his dearly beloved Medina Orthinanos. Then, and only then, he will know how much I've suffered since I lost Alice."

Medina frowns, then lets out a sigh. "That's low, even for you, Eydis. I don't believe that's how you feel one bit. I do believe you're hurt, though. Alice left this world without so much as a goodbye to either of us, not that there was much time for one. I understand why you'll be angry with him and Kirito about it, believe me. But even then...would Alice approve of this behavior of you? Threatening the lives of innocents, including her own family? Siding with the enemy who seeks to demolish all we worked towards since Administrator fell? And how does any of this factor with the First Children? What does killing me and making Jaymes suffer have to do with it?"

Eydis shrugs. "That's all I know and care to tell you."

"Then explain why they need Falchion."

"I don't know. Nor do I care. But if it truly has the power to shape the world as the wielder sees fit, then if Primus desires destruction, let it come that the rays of Solus never touch the Underworld again." Eydis raises her sword up, giving it a glance. "If all the world can share in how dark my soul feels, then so be it. Will you fight against me, Medina, knowing you cannot win? I can see it in your eyes. You're delaying your anger with words. In truth, you want to kill me for what I've done to Ilia, her friend, and to Jaymes. I've seen the same look in his eyes, a world full of rage and anger. If you think you can beat me, then go ahead, try. Kill me, Medina."

Medina bites her lip, then raises her sword back up. "...I'm sorry."

"To me?"

"I was speaking to Alice about what I must do. If it means striking you down...then to protect this world, I'll do it. But even then, I'll try to save you. I do not believe you've turned against us. Not willingly, that is."

"Your sentimentality... It disgusts me." Eydis holds her hand out at Medina, but the sacred art ignores and goes beyond her. Dark tendrils snake across the sands, heading straight for the retreating Ilia. Without looking back and with a tap of her sword, the dark tendrils are stopped just halfway to their target, the resulting reaction caused by a collision with the lycoris petals formerly hidden away in the air.

Eydis clicks her tongue. "A fine move for a defect like you."

"Last we fought, I learned that you've been holding back for years. Of course, your specialty is the dark arts, so allies around you were in danger just as the enemy. I never thought I could beat you before, never had a reason to try it out. You proved it the other day. while I held back. Then you defeat Jaymes dishonorably, and that's something I cannot forgive. So whether I kill you or save you, prepare yourself, Eydis! I'm not holding anything back anymore!"