3rd Person POV
[Koharu, Asuna, and Maverick are looking for the start of the quest Argo told them about. A sound is heard]
Koharu: Wait. Maverick. Do you hear that?
[The sound continues]
Koharu: There's someone fighting nearby!
[The three see two elves fighting]
???: Hyah!
???: Hraah!
Koharu: Are those elves? They look just like NPCs. Just like players, even.
Maverick: Look at those pointy ears!
[Asuna elbows Maverick]
Koharu: There are quest markers above both of them, huh. I guess they really aren't players. But we can only side with one, hmm...
Koharu: Maverick, I want to help that lady elf there. Is that okay?
Maverick: Of course!
Asuna: Of course he'd pick the girl.
Maverick: Whatever! Let's go save our damsel in distress!
Koharu: She just seems so lifelike. We can't just let her die out here. Let's go!
[The other elf is about to attack the lady elf]
???: This will be your end!
[Maverick stops the blade just in time sending the other elf back]
Koharu: Not so fast!
???: Foolish children of man! You dare draw blades against the Forest Elves and conspire with the Dark Elves?
Lady Elf: The Forest Elves are my sworn enemies! Do not hinder my efforts, menfolk! Begone from this forest.
Maverick: That isn't nice.
Koharu: We will do no such thing! You dare hurt a lady and call yourself a man? You should be ashamed!
Asuna: She's all about equality, huh?
Maverick: Your new opponents are right here!
Lady Elf: Be gone I say! I will end this one if it costs me my very life...!
Maverick: Sorry. It isn't going to work that way.
Koharu: We'll have no such thing! We're taking on this battle now. You just fall back, okay?
???: Fools. If you wish to aid the Dark Elves then you will meet your ends at my blade.
Maverick: You want them? You go through me!
Asuna: You won't be taking us down!
Koharu: I know Argo told us we didn't really need to fight but I want to save this lady! Maverick...
[Koharu and Asuna notice that Maverick is already fighting]
Koharu/Asuna: I hate it when he does that.
[Maverick easily defeats the other elf]
Maverick: Man. That was boring.
Lady Elf: How could warriros of man overcome a dexterous Forest Elf like that...? Are you without harm?
Maverick: That was nothing.
Lady Elf: Indeed...? Mayhaps the manfolk can raise true warriors yet.
Maverick: Excuse me!
[Koharu and Asuna elbow Maverick]
Lady Elf: I must offer my gratitude. With your aid the key remains safe with me. You have done me a great favor. Now warriors, I must ask by what you call yourselves. Your names?
Koharu: I'm Koharu. This is Maverick.
Asuna: You forgot someone.
Koharu: Oh! That's Asuna!
Lady Elf: Koharu, Maverick, and Asuna is it? The tongues of menfolk work in strange ways. You can call me Kizmel.
Maverick: Nice to meet you, pretty lady!
[Koharu and Asuna slap Maverick]
Maverick: Ow!
Kizmel: Our Commander will certainly reward you for your deeds here. Allow me to show you back to camp.
Koharu: Hey, Kizmel? What's this key you're talking about anyway?
Kizmel: Yes...I suppose I might tell you. This key is a sacred relic from long past, spoken of my people, the people of Lyusla.
Maverick: You say our language is weird.
[Asuna raises her hand]
Maverick: Sorry. Continue. Lysula was it?
Kizmel: Others tend to call us Dark Elves. But that is merely a term to describe our race. My people were born to life from the sacred Lysula tree. We take pride in this, and hence call ourselves the people of Lyusula. Indeed, this matters not to you menfolk. You may call us as you wish.
Koharu: Sorry, but thanks. "Lyusula" does have a nice ring to it, though. Sounds like some sort of nocturne.
Kizmel: Is Noctunre a kingdom of man?
Koharu: It's a type of music you might play on a piano - er, on an instrument. I learned them as a kid. Back in real - Back at home I often played them.
Asuna: Smooth.
Koharu: Shut up.
Kizmel: So you're not merely a warrior but a master of music as well. It is a great honor to be compared to the songs of a master.
Maverick: I play instruments.
[Silence]
Maverick: I just wanted to be included.
Koharu: Hey, uhh...Kizmel, are you really an NPC - Were you really born here in Aincrad?
Kizmel: I was. Though I was born far after the time of the Great Separation. We are born on this separated islands, and destined to die here. No one doubts this. Yet the Forest Elves think otherwise...Why is that?
Koharu: Kizmel, youi're much easier to talk with than other NP - other people from Aincrad. I'm surprised how much like us you seem.
Kizmel: Hmm, yes. You warriors of man hail from lands beyond don't you?
Maverick: Uh...
Kizmel: I am unfamiliar with the names of your kingdoms, but yes. Mankind cast their last and greatest spell to summon in warriors from far beyond. And now you are all forced to fight to unite the fortress in the sky as one...That is why you do not mix well here, yes? Yet with you here before me now, I do not see how you differ much in matters of language or custom from the people of Aincrad. I too find surprise in how markedly easy it I to sit here and speak with manfolk from far away lands.
Maverick: (So that's the lore behind all of this, huh?)
Koharu: (The way she changes things up to match what we say, it's like she's not an NPC at all...) You sure know a lot of folklore, Kizmel. This sacred relic key though, is it to the holy lands of the sacred Lyusula tree?
Kizmel: That...I am afraid I cannot speak of.
Maverick: Is it a secret?
Kizmel: That is part of the matter...But more over, it is not for a mere knight such as myself to know. All knowledge of it is passed down only within the royal family. Those of us below them know only that it is the key to sancutaury, And that sanctuary must never be opened. That is all...
Koharu: Never meant to be opened, huh...Sounds like pandora's box or something.
Maverick: It was a jar. The Forest Elves want the key to do just that?
Kizmel: Precisiely. And we must prevent that no matter the cost. I have been taked with the responsibility of bringing the key to a safe location up above and am in the midst of taking it back to camp. The Forest Elf ambushed me along the road and almost had me...And there will surely be others following. I mustn't stay here long.
Koharu: Is there any way we could help? Would be better to have numbers, right?
Kizmel: Do you wish to aid our cause? If so...I can leave the Jade Key in your hands.
Maverick: You sure?
Kizmel: You came to my aid with no question of my cause. This is a trust won in earnest. I will lead the Forest Elves away from the camp. You must go in my wake to deliver the Jade Key to the Commander. I was meant to meet the Commander beyond the Spider Queen Cave. You would do well to that the byway.
Maverick: Is it safe?
Kizmel: The byway is protected by the magic of we forest dwellers. The path itself will only reveal itself to those with the Jade Key. But still...The monsters are not affected by our magic. You would do well to take caution. Now then, until our paths cross again.
Koahru: Got it! You be careful too, Kizmel.
[Kizmel leaves]
Asuna: "Spider Queen Cave"...It sounds like a giant spider lives there. We can't get past without beating it, can we...? Don't you dare leave me alone with it, Maverick!
Koharu: Me either!
Maverick: Aren't you warriors?
Asuna: We're delicate girls.
Maverick: Where is the delicate part?
[Maverick is slapped so hard that the sound made an echo]
Maverick: Not a fan of spiders?
Koharu: Is anyone really fond of bugs with lots of legs?