Kenshin and Alphard had decided to skip Heathcliffe’s normally rousing speech for this Boss Fight. They each had their own ways of preparing for the impending combat. Kenshin warmed up with a few stretches and slow, easy kata. He moved smoothly and easily between stances; his katana moving in glittering, deadly arcs. As he did this, Alphard equipped all of her heavy armor and materialized her one-handed scythe in her right hand with a huge tower shield on her left. The woman squatted against one wall and meditated on what had transpired lately. Shortly after joining Kenshin’s team, he and Alphard went on a quest suggested by Fitch. It was called the <<Karma Recovery Quest>> and, by completing it, Alphard was able to revert her previously orange Icon (leftover from her initial blunders when entering the game) to its rightful Green. The team had warmed up to Alphard rather slowly, mostly because of her orange Icon, but they seemed to be accepting her more readily now. In other news, Kenshin had finally grown a pair and asked Alphard out. The two were now officially a couple, nigh inseparable by the power of mortal hands. Alphard had never been so happy in her life. And yet… For some reason, she still couldn’t shake the overwhelming bouts of rage and despair that came over her from time to time. Kenshin was truly the rock at which she could set her back in this, though. He seemed to always know exactly what to say and do. He said nothing in response when she unjustly turned her rage on him; only suggesting that perhaps they ought to go hunting to blow off some steam. She really didn’t deserve his love or affection, but he still provided it with all his heart. Alphard let loose a heavy sigh and leaned her head back against the wall, a single tear running down her face.

Kenshin noticed his girlfriend’s advanced state of distress and realized he had to go console her. He came over and carefully removed her helmet. Kneeling in front of her, he looked deep into her eyes. “You know we’re gonna be fine, right? We are going to enter battle with the best warriors in the game. Along with all of them, we can beat any monster this demented game can throw at us. Besides… you’ve got me too.” This last was said with a slight, wry smile. When Alphard gave no response, Kenshin leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips. He became acutely aware of what he had hidden in his inventory away from where the others would notice it when he brought his window up. The knowledge of the one simple band of forged metal was nearly a physical weight pressing down on him. “I’ll not let anything harm us, love.” 

Only then did Alphard look up at Kenshin, a sad smile showing behind the tears. “I know we’ll be fine physically, Kenshin, but what about when all of this is all over? Where will we be then? After all of the raw emotion of this place, how are we ever supposed to function in normal society? Will we ever be able to hold jobs, or even finish school?”

A small laugh slipped from Kenshin and broke the pall that had fallen over the two. “I don’t know about you, but I know exactly where I’ll be after this all ends. I’ll be right where I am now: at your side, no matter what the cost. Now c’mon, looks like Mr. Heathcliffe is finished talking. We’re probably going to move into the Boss area now.” Sure enough, the gathered crowd had finished cheering and was starting to flood into the room beyond. Alphard took Kenshin’s offered hand and hauled herself to her feet. The pair unlimbered their weapons and followed the amassed warriors, staying mainly to the outside edge of the left flank. Before too long, they encountered the first enemies of the Boss area. Living skeletons bearing crude and damaged weapons, numbering about twenty in all, burst out of the shadows and set upon the amassed players. Alphard reacted instantly by charging shieldfirst into the fray, bulling two skeletons over and beheading another with a precisely timed backhand stroke of her scythe. Then Kenshin was at her side. He singled out the enemy with the most health and activated the Sword Art [i]Ukifune[/i] which knocked his target high into the air. During his attack cooldown, Alphard dashed forward and unleashed a Sword Art of her own, delivering a high downward slash which dragged the beast back into attacking range. Kenshin slid in and finished it off with [i]Iai[/i], a lightning-fast horizontal stroke which neatly bisected the enemy. The young lovers disengaged momentarily and stood back-to-back, each covering the other and absolutely decimating the enemy.