Progressive Factor II: Lacrimosa Of A Reaper

Deadly Interference

That's the present for Mito. Her thoughts linger between how Asuna and Koharu, who knew nothing of this, might explode at Jaymes and Kirito once the paralysis wears off to how they'll spend the night again in Stachion. In the boys' and Mito's defense, they just wanted the other girls to experience what they did in the beta, so some surprises are best left hidden. They're not in any real danger.

"Bree-hee-hee!"

That was a horse's whinny. The carriage stops abruptly, still in the wilderness, based on the sound the wheels make on the dirt road. This...did not happen before, if Mito remembers correctly. Mito's ears become her brain's total focus as she listens for what goes on outside the sack.

"Who goes there?! I am Cylon, lord of Stachion!" Cylon's line is followed by the sound of metal against metal and the tipping of the carriage. The bag rolls out to the grass, its opening slightly parting, giving Mito and the others some view of what's happening.

Cylon and the large man are fighting a pair of bandits. The former pair have yellow cursors over their heads, while the black-hooded bandits bear orange cursors. Yes, this event did not happen in the beta. Mito was transported back to Stachion. It's unusual for a quest to change this way, but as they've learned, beta knowledge is not always reliable...

No, it is very uncommon for a quest to change, especially one as long as the Curse of Stachion, to be modified. Any gamer worth their salt knows that. And something else is wrong...and once Mito realizes it, her breath hitches.

NPCs have yellow cursors. Enemy mobs have red cursors. Players have green cursors...unless they're coded as criminals, in which they obtain a semi-permanent orange cursor. The bandits fighting the NPCs are criminal players.

And just as she reaches that conclusion, Mito watches as the player battling Cylon cuts him down ruthlessly with a sword skill. For a moment, the force of the attack pulls away the hood of the cloak, revealing a tattered coif with silver chains. Internally, Mito grits her teeth at the reappearance of the player who she first encountered in the catacombs of Kurlain - Morte.

How did Morte and his companion find them? Is it a coincidence...or were they stalked?

If the former is true, then that makes sense. Kirito and Koharu revealed that Morte was a beta tester and had done something similar in interfering with the Elf War quest on the third floor. Assuming he knows of the "Curse of Stachion" quest, the bigger question is whether he's specifically after Mito and her party or just whoever came in and out of Pithagrus' home successfully first.

And will he kill them?

"Killing a lord is a grave and terrible crime!" Cylon shouts, his body lying against the carriage bed, pointing his hand at a stalking Morte. "You will never be allowed in Stachion—or through the gates of any other town again!" This does not affect Morte as he switches from sword to axe with the Quick Change ability and slams it down on Cylon's head with a smile.

Cylon's HP empties out, and the deceased lord of Stachion tumbles out of the carriage bed, bouncing near the bag before coming to a still. His body lights up blue before shattering into hundreds of shards, replaced by numerous items. Gold and silver coins littered the ground, but Morte ignored them for the bag.

"Hey, if you're done with the old man, help me out! This fat-ass is pretty high-level!" That voice, the nimbleness, and the dagger the second cloaked figure's wielding elicit a mental growl for Mito. That must be Morte's partner, who was also in the catacombs and who Jaymes initially called out to be Joe, a member of Kibaou's ALS. There's been no proof since they have never seen his name, but the coincidences are numerous. If they're here...could their boss be here too, the man in the black poncho who attacked the boys the previous night?