.hack//SIGN Fan Fiction / .hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//Legend Of Twilight Bracelet Fan Fiction ❯ Episode One- .hack//Destiny ❯ The Knights ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter ten- The Knights - The World

 

Sircosgi and Pai logged into Mac Anu at the same time. Sircosgi rattled off a Party Mail to Casper, but found she was off-line. The two waited at the Chaos Gate until Badger and Joker gated in. The four decided to start roaming the Root Town and search for anything suspicious. They paired off into teams of two, one being Badger and Pai, the other being Joker and Sircosgi. That way they had one Wave-Master in each group.

 

Pai and Badger found themselves in a small back alleyway, and looking for anything that seemed out of place. They only found two characters doing some dealing. They wandered the streets, finding only the normal happenings, well, happening.

 

Joker and Sircosgi had no better luck. They had thought they found something when they found a character with, well, rabbit ears. After chasing the character down and finding the ears to be a rare item, they hid in an alley from the woman's fury.

 

Beaten and slightly bruised, the group united again.

"Find anything?" Joker asked the others.

"No. You?" Badger said, somewhat dejected. Sircosgi shook his head.

"The same. Do you think we should-"

"No. We shouldn't try to contact them. It would be a waste of time." Badger said. "Besides, remember what happened last time?"

"Oh." There was a loud noise from the central square of Mac Anu. "What the hell was that?" Sircosgi roared. The four ran to the origin of the noise, only to find a group, dressed as knights. A woman was standing on a pedestal, addressing the group.

"As of noon today, the CC Corporation has established that we, the Maroon Knights, are the officially SANCTIONED patrol. So, if you will check the BBS, you will find the rules, and what regulations we have put into place. Watch out hackers, and characters with altered data. WE WILL FIND YOU! WE WILL DELETE YOU! So, if you turn yourself in now, we may allow you to continue play, just not with the same data. UNDERSTOOD? I am Lady Celeste, and I am the leader of the knights. I will try to be what Lady Subaru and Lady Kamui once were. You WILL be seeing us!" She spun off of her soapbox and walked into what appeared to be the knights' main office.

"I don't like it. It's like the CC Corps is after us. Remember what Helba said? She altered our data! If we are caught, it could mean-"

"Eternal destruction. Yes, Pai, we know." Joker said.

"HEY!" Sircosgi shouted. "I have a great idea! I got it from Celeste. Why don't we post on the boards about the Epitaph of Twilight? See if we can get anything."

"I like it!" Badger said.

"It won't work probably. Think about the vast numbers of mail that the board receives on a DAILY basis." Joker said.

"I hate it!" Badger said, somewhat jokingly.

"That is true," Pai said, "but we have to take that chance. Listen, we need to learn more! We don't know how much time we have left."

"What if we are caught?" Badger asked. "Now that there are the knights, we do risk an investigation. Plus the guy earlier today who interviewed us: he knew we had altered characters. But how?"

"There are so many questions. But, you know what? We also need to try to have fun. Let's go do a dungeon and level up a bit? Sound good? Afterwards, we can discuss it. But, for now, we need to relax a bit." Dan said.

 

"Jeez, the knights are out in full force!" Sircosgi exclaimed. There were at least three knights roaming the field, and one that was supposedly in the dungeon said a couple of passer-byers.

"You know something? I really like this non-chaos-warping thing. I can warp straight to any field. Any dungeon. In fact, I wanna get the Gott statue." Jas said, joking around.

"Shush! Here comes one!" Badger said. The four talked over nonsense items as the knight approached the party. Joker came up with a topic.

"So, what about Mrs. D? Why did she pick the play to be You Can't Take it With You this time, even though the title should be It Can't Come With You! I was sure she was going something like Charlie Brown or something by Tim Kell-" The knight was now standing in front of the group.

"Greetings. I am Maroon Knight Paul. I am here to serve the world, and rid it of all rule-abusing players. Have you heard or seen anything unusual?"

"Um, no sir, I am afraid I haven't." Joker said. The group nodded agreement.

"Very well. You will be sure to contact us if you see anything?"

"Of course!" Badger said amiably. "Oh, by the way sir, someone mentioned something called the Epitaph of Twilight? Is that a special item, or document of sorts?" Maroon Knight Paul fidgeted.

"No, not that I know of. Maybe you should post on the board to find out! Well, I have to make my rounds. I am here to serve!" With that, he walked off.

"Jeez, cut the strings puppet. Oh, good job Joker, especially with that joke!" Pai said.

"SEE! That is three against two. We post on the boards!" Badger said with a smile.

 

"Oh-My-Freaking-Goodness!" Badger exclaimed. They were on the lowest level of the dungeon, and it appeared that they wouldn't make it to the next room. The group had leveled up considerably, but one can only take so much Mad Grass and Valkries before you get seriously injured.

"VAK ROM!" Badger shouted, sending an explosion towards a Bee Army. "HAH!"

"REVOLVER!" Pai cried out, taking out a Mad Grass.

"ION STRIKE!" Sircosgi cried out holding a scroll. The group finished and stayed in the room for a second, catching up on Magic Points and breath.

"How many more rooms?" Joker asked.

"I dunno. Fairy Orb!" Sircosgi looked at the results. "Heh, there is one more room. Then, the Gott Statue!"

"Oh, faboo."

 

The group was standing in front of the Gott Statue, deciding who should open it.

"Okay, let's not play the straws game!"

"No, Bubblegum Bubblegum!"

"No-"

"HALT!" The group started and turned around at the unexpected command. There, standing behind them, were Paul and another knight. They were dragging another player in tow.

"We have information concerning you as insurgents. The Epitaph of Twilight is an outlaw's document. So, we must insist on taking you in for questioning." The other player, a girl, squirmed. "NO FIDGETING!"

"And, pray tell, how are you going to do this?" Sircosgi asked calmly.

"We wish for you to come in peace, but if we must we will take you in by force." Paul said, no longer the kind gentleman.

"Well, can we get the Gott Statue before you haul us off?" Joker asked.

"Of course." Said Knight number two.

"Really?" Jas asked.

"Of course not!" Paul exclaimed.

"Oh, well in that case," Sircosgi readied himself, "I am afraid we don't have the time to do so. It just isn't convenient for us to stop in right now. However, if you can schedu-"

"You will come in NOW along with this other player. She will be deleted. You may be let off with a warning. But, in any case, you will be coming in."

"NO! We have no time! We must hurry!" Joker said.

"Well, then, prepare yourself for battle!" Paul said. The knights, putting the girl into stasis, charged towards the two. The two wavemasters were shoved to a side, considered too weak by their fellow players. Pai and Joker both faced the Knights head on. Badger gave periodic healing magic, while Sircosgi went to try and get the girl out of stasis.

"What is your name?" He asked the Twin Bladed woman.

"I am called Kahlan." She had a white dress, with long brown hair, and green eyes. The only marking on her body was a triangle on her forehead.

"Why are you in trouble?" Sircosgi asked.

"I, I don't know." She said, hiding something.

"Damn. I can't get this undone. Is there anything that may work?"

Meanwhile, the two heavy blades were matching blows with the two axe-wielders. It was going good, until the Knights started tripping the other two up.

"HEY! That isn't chivalrous!" Joker cried when knocked off of her feet.

"So what?" The knight started to hold her down. Joker started to scream. Badger made an unexpected magic attack, not on the knight, but on Joker. She was knocked into the air, and the knight skidded down to where Sircosgi was. Paul was slowly gaining on Pai. He felt his back hit the wall.

"Oh crap."

 

What happened next not one person could explain at the time. It did become a legendary event. Some say that the gods themselves walked into the dungeon. Some say that a virus took over the dungeon. But, not one person knew the truth.

However, five did.

It started when Joker hit the ground. Too hurt to help, she gazed up at Paul grinning at Pai. To her left the two wavemasters were defending themselves against a much stronger axe wielder. In her despair, she shed a tear. When she realized this, she was flabbergasted.

"This, this world, you can't cry." The tear hit the ground, making a loud musical note, one that stopped the action. Everyone looked over to where Joker was lying on the ground.

Where the tear had hit the ground lay a necklace with an amber stone set in the middle. In the middle of the amber was the tear, crystallized. Joker looked at it, and picked it up. All other action ceased. She put it on, and her health was suddenly back, and she felt better. She checked to see what was different, and found a new skill on her lists.

"Possess?" The knights had regained their composure.

"Illegal item!" Cried Paul as he, along with the other knight, raced towards her. She began to panic.

"What to do, what to do? Oh, lets try this!" She grabbed the crystal and pointed a finger towards Paul.

"Possess!" An amber light shot forth from her finger, and went straight through Paul. It lifted him into the air, and rings surrounded him. He started to scream. Suddenly the rings disappeared, and he floated back to the ground. He dropped to his knees, panting. His teammate stopped dead in his tracks.

"Paul? Paul?" He cried, shaking Paul's shoulders. Paul stood up. "Oh, thank-" Paul approached Joker, slowly, as in reverence.

"What can I do for you?" He asked, bowed on one knee. Joker was shocked. The others were gaping. Kahlan looked confused. Joker seized her wits.

"Kill him." She said, pointing towards the other knight.

"Yes, milady." With that, he charged towards the other knight with great speed.

"No, PAUL! It's me, Ed! NO! STOP!" He screamed, but nothing stopped Paul's charge. With a swipe, the knight lay on the floor, fading into zeros and ones. Paul wiped his axe and approached Joker again.

"What can I do for you?" Kahlan realized something. Joker was thinking.

"I don't kno-"

"Tell him to free me!" Kahlan said, butting in.

"Very well." Joker said, with no objections rising from her team. "FREE HER!" With a wave of his hand, Kahlan was able to move again. As she rubbed her wrists, she heard Paul go back.

"What can I do for you?" Joker looked at him. She had decided on what to do, and needed no more counsel. She muttered one word.

"Give the following message to Lady Celeste," Joker said, venom in her speech. “Tell her to give up her search for us. If she continues to hunt us, then she will face the consequences.” Paul nodded and gated out.

"WHY the HELL did you let him go?" Sircosgi demanded.

"I don't know!" Joker said.

"Well, let's get this stupid item before we do anything else. You there," he spoke now to Kahlan, "you come here." Kahlan slowly walked towards the group.

"Um, yes sir?" Sircosgi softened his features.

"Are you okay?" She nodded. "Very good. You are free to go." She nodded and turned.

"I have seen so many things today. Call me sometime!" She said before using a sprite ocarina.

"Jeez, people hand out their member address like it is nothing!" Badger said.

"Okay folks. Log off, and you two come over to my house. We will talk there." Sircosgi said.

"What about the Gott-"

"Taken care of. Let's go before the admins come!" Pai ran and got the treasure, and the four logged out of The World, back to reality.