No one's POV

Somewhere far off, Zora heard what sounded like a bell ringing. No sooner had he'd dreaming brain processed that than something prodded his shoulder. Zora wriggled deeper into the blankets and groaned.

Zora: Urr, ten minutes...just five more minutes...

Selka: No. Wake up.

Zora: Three...just three minnis...

The prodding continued, sending a signal of confusion through the sleep clouding Zora's brain. His sister, Suguha, wouldn't wake him up in such a timid way. She'd scream at him, pull his hair, pinch his nose, or even use the cruel nuclear option: yanking the covers off the bed.

Zora: Sugu? Oh yeah...

At last Zora remembered that he wasn't in the real world or Alfheim, and Zora popped his head out from under the blankets. Through parted eyelids, he saw Selka, already in her nun's habit. The apprentice sister looked at him in exasperation.

Selka: Would you get up already? It's 5:30. All the children have risen and washed up. If you don't hurry, you'll be late for worship.

Zora: Okay, I'm getting up...

Zora sat up slowly, lamenting the loss of the bed's warmth and the comfort of peaceful sleep. Just as he remembered it from last night, he was in the guest room on the second floor of the church in Rulid. Or within the Underworld created by the Soul Translator. His odd experience would not end as a brief one-night dream, it seemed.

Zora: So it's a dream, but it wasn't a dream.

Selka: What was that?

Selka asked, catching the statement Zora hadn't meant to say out loud. He quickly shook his head in a mild panic.

Zora: N-nothing. I'll just change and get ready. In the chapel downstairs, right?

Selka: Yes. You might be our guest and a lost child of Vecta, but if you're going to sleep in the church, you must pray to Stacia. Sister Azalia always says, even a cup of water contains the goddess's blessing and must be appreciated...

Zora slipped quickly out of bed before her lecture could start dragging on. He lifted the hem of the thin shirt they gave him as nightwear, and this time it was Selka who called out in a panic.

Selka: Hey! Uh, y-you only have twenty minutes, so don't be late! Make sure you wash your face at the well outside!

She trotted off and quickly opened the door to disappear through it.

Zora(mind): Yeah, that wasn't the reaction of an NPC...

Zora took off the shirt and reached for his starter equipment the blue tunic draped over the back of the chair. Out of curiosity, he lifted it to his nose but didn't smell any sweat. Surely they weren't simulating the bacteria that produced odors. Perhaps the measure of item degradation, like when something gets filthy or starts fraying, was summarized by the durability counter they called life.

(Timeskip)

After breakfast and prayers, the children engaged in their chores like cleaning and laundry, and Selka went with Sister Azalia into the study to practice and learn about the sacred arts. Feeling guilty that he was getting free food and board, Zora left through the large front doors of the church and headed to the middle of the square right out front to wait for Eugeo.

Within a few minutes, a familiar head of flaxen yellow hair appeared through the vanishing mist of the morning. Moments later, the bells atop the church pealed a simple but beautiful melody.

Zora: Oh...now I get it.

Eugeo looked at Zora in surprise as he approached.

Eugeo: Good morning, Zora. What do you get now?

Zora: Morning, Eugeo. Well...I just now realized the bells play a different melody for each hour. So that's how the people of the village know what time it is.

Eugeo: Of course. It plays each of the twelve verses of the hymn 'By the Light of Solus.' And simple chimes mark each half hour. Unfortunately, the sound doesn't carry all the way to the Gigas Cedar, so I have to estimate the time by the angle of Solus.

Zora: I see...So there are no clocks in this world.

Eugeo looked confused.

Eugeo: Kloks...? What is that?

Zora panicked, having not realized that even the word itself was foreign here.

Zora: Uh, a clock is...a round board with numbers on it, with metal hands that spin around to tell you what time it is...

To his surprise, Eugeo's face lit up with delight.

Eugeo: Oh, yes! I read about that in a storybook once. Long, long ago, a Divine Object of Time-Telling stood in the middle of the capital. But because the people spent so much time gazing at it rather than working, the gods destroyed it with a lightning bolt. Since then, the only thing that tells humanity the time is the bells.

Zora: Ohh...Yeah, I get that. Sometimes you can't help but keep an eye on the time toward the end of class.

He said carelessly, forgetting where he was again. Fortunately, Eugeo understood Zora's meaning this time.

Eugeo: Ha-ha-ha, indeed! When I had to study at the church, I kept my ears open for the lunch bells.

He glanced away, and Zora followed his gaze up to the church's bell tower. Gleaming bells of all sizes hung in a circular window on every side. Yet Zora didn't see anyone in the tower, despite the fact that the bells had just rung.

Zora: How...do they ring the bells?

Eugeo: You really have forgotten everything, haven't you?

Eugeo said, half- dismayed and half-amused. He cleared his throat.

Eugeo: No one rings them at all. It's the only divine object in the village. They play the hymn on their own, at the exact same times, every single day. Of course, Rulid's isn't the only one. There's another in Zakkaria, and in the other villages and towns, too...Oh, although I guess that's not the only one now...

Zora lifted an eyebrow in surprise. It was quite uncharacteristic of helpful Eugeo to trail off like that. But then he clapped, intent on changing the topic.

Eugeo: Well, I've got to get to work. What will you do today, Zora?

Zora: Umm...

Zora(mind): I wanted to go searching all over the village, but snooping around by myself was likely to get me into trouble. If I needed an idea of who might be an observer, I could ask Eugeo if anyone was out of the house a lot—and if I was going to lure Eugeo into this insane plan to travel to the capital, I'd need to learn a bit more about his Calling first.

Zora:...If you don't mind, I'd like to help out with your work again today.

Eugeo: Of course, I'd love that. I had a feeling you'd say so; look, I brought twice the bread money today just in case.

He pulled two small copper coins from his trousers and jangled them in his palm.

Zora: Ohh, no, I feel bad. I couldn't.

Zora protested, but Eugeo just shrugged and smiled.

Eugeo: Don't worry about it. All the payment I get from the village hall each month just piles up without anything meaningful to spend it on.

Zora(mind): 🤩 🤑 Oooh, perfect, that means a good stock of money for the trip to the city,

Zora thought with a wicked grin.

(Timeskip)

Eugeo and Zora took turns desperately swinging the Dragonbone Ax, until the sun he called Solus reached the sky directly overhead.

Zora(mind): There's still a lot about this world I don't understand, and to get to the central city, I'm definitely going to need Eugeo's help. But to release Eugeo from his Calling... I guess we're going to have to chop this tree down first?

Eugeo: What's wrong? Why the serious face?

Zora: Uh...nothing...

Zora tried desperately to catch the tail of the slippery thought before it left Zora's mind but was left with nothing but the irritating fugue of knowing that he'd just been thinking about something very important. He had no choice but to shrug it off and assume that if it was that important, it would occur to him again later.

Zora: Thanks for the food, Eugeo.

Eugeo: Sorry it's the same thing as yesterday.

Zora: Don't worry about it.

Zora opened wide and bit down. The flavor was good—but the chewiness was a bit off the scale. Eugeo shared his opinion, scowling as he worked his jaw. For several minutes they silently chewed away at their first rolls of bread, then shared an awkward smile when they finished together. Eugeo took a mouthful of siral water and gazed into the distance.

Eugeo: I wish you'd taste the pie Alice made. The crust was crispy, and the insides were packed with juicy bits...With a cup of fresh milk, you couldn't imagine anything better...

Zora: So Alice's Calling is bakery?

Eugeo: Nah. Back at those days she was studying Sacred Art at the church. She was the greatest prodigy this village ever had. She could cast all kinds of spell when she was ten years old.

Zora: Whoa... Then...what about Selka, the girl studying at the church now?

Eugeo: Ah...After the Integrity Knight took Alice away, Sister Azalia was very depressed. She said she'd never take another apprentice, but Elder Gasfut convinced her that the teaching must go on, and so two years ago, she finally took in Selka as her new apprentice. She's Alice's little sister.

Zora: Her sister...Ohh...

That was funny, because if anything, Selka seemed like the bossy-older- sister type.

Zora(mind): If she was that girl's sister, then Alice must've been quite the busybody getting into everyone's business. She would have made a great team with Eugeo.

Zora glanced over at Eugeo and saw that he was pensive.

Eugeo: We're five years apart, so in fact, I haven't spent much time with Selka. On the occasions when I would visit Alice's home, Selka was usually hiding shyly behind her mother or grandmother...Her father, Gasfut; the other adults; and even Sister Azalia are all hoping that as Alice's sister, Selka will display the same talent for the sacred arts...but...

Zora: But Selka isn't quite the genius her sister was?

Eugeo grimaced a bit and shook his head.

Eugeo: I wouldn't say that. Everyone is poor at their Calling right after they receive it. It took me over three years to learn how to swing the ax properly. No matter what Calling you have, if you treat it seriously, you can master it eventually, like the adults do. But in Selka's case...I think she's trying a little too hard for someone just twelve years old...

Zora: Trying too hard?

Eugeo: When Alice started studying the sacred arts, she wasn't actually living in the church. She studied in the mornings, brought me my lunch at noon, and helped around the house in the afternoon. But Selka left home, saying it wouldn't give her enough time to study. On the other hand, that was around the time that Jana and Arug came to the church, too, which was a little more than Sister Azalia could handle.

Zora thought of Selka, diligently watching after the younger children. It didn't seem like she was having that hard of a time with it, but doing a full day's study on top of taking care of six children had to be quite difficult for a girl only twelve years old.

Zora: I see what you mean...And now they've got a 'lost child of Vecta' to add to the mix. I'd better be careful not to make extra trouble for Selka. Oh, and did you say that the kids aside from Selka living at the church lost their parents? Both parents? How are there six orphans in such a peaceful village?

Eugeo glanced down at the moss at his feet, distress palpable in his features.

Eugeo: Three years ago...there was a plague in the village. It hadn't swept through for over a century, they said, and it ultimately took the lives of over twenty villagers—adults and children. No matter how hard Sister Azalia and Miss Ivenda the herbs master tried, there was no help for those whose fever got bad enough. The children at the church lost their parents to the disease.

The revelation stunned Zora to the core.

Zora(mind): An epidemic? But this is a virtual world. There can't be actual germs or viruses here. Which means those who died of disease were meant to do so by the person or system in charge of managing this world. But why? Perhaps it was an intentional strain placed upon the village in the form of a natural disaster, but what was it meant to simulate? Once again, it all came down to the same question: What was the reason this world existed?

Eugeo: It's not just the plague. A number of strange things have happened recently. Villagers attacked by wandering long-clawed bears and packs of black wolves, crops that refuse to bloom...Some months, the regular caravan from Zakkaria never shows up. They say it's because bands of goblins are attacking the road far to the south of us.

Zora: Wh-what? But wait...what did you say about goblins earlier? That the knights guard the border...

Eugeo: Of course. If the descendants of darkness approach the End Mountains, an Integrity Knight will defeat them at once. They have to—they're much, much worse than Alice, who merely brushed the ground of that place.

Zora: Eugeo...

Zora was surprised to hear a note of angry chagrin in Eugeo's normally placid voice, but a wan smile replaced it at once.

Eugeo:...Which is why I think it's all just rumor. Still, it's true that there's been a rush of new graves out behind the church in the last few years. Grandpa says times like this come around.

Zora heard a little voice alerting him that this was the opportunity to ask one of those questions he'd been wondering.

Zora: Say, Eugeo...Are there sacred arts that can, you know...bring people back to life?

Zora asked, expecting yet another of his wide-eyed stares, but to his surprise, Eugeo merely bit his lip and bobbed his head vaguely.

Eugeo: I don't think many of the villagers know...but Alice once told me that among the highest sacred arts is the ability to increase life itself.

Zora: Increase...life?

Eugeo: Yeah. We cannot increase the life of all people and things, including you and me, as you know. So a person's life grows and grows as we go from baby to child to adult, and in most cases, it maxes out at age twenty-five. After that point, it slowly drops, and at around seventy to eighty years of age, we are called back to Stacia's side. You remember all that, right?

Zora: Y-yeah.

It was all new to him, of course, but Zora put on an understanding face. What Eugeo said was essentially that one's max HP increased or decreased by age.

Eugeo: But when you get sick or hurt, your life drops by a lot. Depending on the depth of the injury, it could lead right to death, which is why we use sacred arts and herbs to heal. In doing so, life can be restored, but never above the proper total. You cannot make the elderly as strong as their youthful peak with herbs or heal grievous wounds...

Zora: But you're saying there are arts that can do this?

Eugeo: Alice said she was surprised to read that in an old book at the church. When she asked Sister Azalia about it, the sister was ferociously stern, took the book away, and told her to forget what she'd read...So I don't know any more than that, but I'm sure that it's only usable by the highest priests of the Axiom Church. It works not on wounds or illnesses but on a person's life itself...from what she said. But I couldn't begin to guess how the arts themselves work, of course.

Zora: Ohh...high priests, huh? So it's not like any old priest in the church can perform those sacred arts.

Eugeo: Of course not. The arts get their strength from the sacred power that Solus and Terraria and the like pour into the air and earth. The bigger the art, the more sacred power necessary. Manipulating human life is a tremendous art, so it might require more power than can be gathered from this entire forest. You won't find a single person able to wield so much power in all of Zakkaria, I bet.

Eugeo paused there, then continued in a quieter voice.

Eugeo: Plus...if Sister Azalia could do such a thing, she would never have allowed those parents and children to lose their loved ones to disease.

Zora: Good point...

That suggested that if Zora died on the spot, he would not be resurrected at a church altar to the sonorous tones of a pipe organ. Death would most likely result in Zora waking up in the STL in real life. If it didn't work like that, Zora had a problem. The STL didn't have the ability to destroy the user's fluctlight, unlike the NerveGear.

But Zora preferred to save the "death as escape" option for desperate times. His expectation that this was the Underworld was not yet confirmed, and even if he knew that for a fact, there was a little voice deep down in his soul that warned it might not be best to disengage before he discovered the purpose of this living simulation.

If only Zora could instantly teleport to the capital, charge into this Axiom Church place, and grill the high priests for the answers. The lack of a teleportation feature was a major setback in terms of playability. Even SAO had teleport gates in almost every town.

It was an issue that Zora might complain about to the administrators, if this were a regular VRMMO. But without that capability, Zora just had to do his best within the confines of the system. The same way he racked his brain to figure out the best way to defeat bosses back in the old Aincrad.

Zora finished his second piece of bread and lifted Eugeo's canteen to his mouth, looking up at the impossibly massive trunk overhead.

Eugeo's assistance was vital to reach the city. But he was too responsible to abandon his Calling, not to mention that the Taboo Index no doubt forbade it. That left one choice: figure out how to deal with this monstrous tree. For his part, Eugeo was getting to his feet, patting his trousers clean.

Eugeo: Well, let's get started on the afternoon work. I'll go first—hand me the ax?

Zora: Sure..

Zora leaned and grab the middle of the ax handle next to him so he could put it into Eugeo's outstretched hand. A bolt of lightning blasted through Zora's head. The thing that had wriggled from his grasp before was back, and this time Zora squeezed tight and pulled, ensuring it did not slip away again.

Eugeo said it himself. A normal ax would easily chip on the tree, which was why they'd spent such an extravagant amount shipping this ax from the big city.

So what if they used an even stronger ax? One with a higher strength requirement, with even greater attack and durability?

Zora: H-hey, Eugeo. Are there any stronger axes than this in the village? Or if not here, then in Zakkaria...? It's been three centuries since you got this ax, right?

But he merely shook his head.

Eugeo: Of course not. Dragon bones are the greatest possible material for a weapon. It's even harder than Damascus steel from the south and Tamahagane steel from the east. To get something stronger than this, you'd need an Integrity Knight's...divine weapon...

His voice slowed and trailed off. Zora looked at him with equal parts patience and curiosity. Five seconds later, he spoke again softly, reaching blindly for his conclusion.

Eugeo:...There's...no ax...but there is...a sword.

Zora: Sword...?

Eugeo: Do you remember when I said there was another divine object in the village, aside from the Bells of Time-Tolling?

Zora: Er...yeah.

Eugeo: It's actually quite close...And I'm the only one in the village who knows about it. I've kept it hidden for six whole years...Do you want to see it, Zora?

Zora: O-of course! Please, please show it to me!

Eugeo mulled it over a bit more and eventually decided he would do it. He handed Zora back the ax.

Eugeo: Why don't you get started on this, then? I'll go get it, but it might take me a little while.

Zora: Is it kept far away?

Eugeo: No, it's in the storage shed right over there. It's just...very heavy.

Sure enough, when he came back after Zora finished a full set of fifty swings, Eugeo's forehead was glistening with sweat.

Zora: H-hey, you all right?

Zora asked, but all Eugeo could do was nod weakly and toss what he carried over his shoulder onto the ground. It landed with a loud, heavy thud and sank deep into the carpet of moss. Eugeo sat down, panting heavily, and Zora rushed to give him the siral water before he turned to look at what Eugeo had brought. Zora quickly recognized the object—it was the narrow, nearly four-feet-long leather container he'd seen on the storage shed's floor when Eugeo put away the ax yesterday.

Zora: Can I open it up?

Eugeo: Y-yeah...Just...be careful. If you drop it on your foot...you'll get worse than a scrape.

Zora reached out for it. The jolt of surprise he got was backbreaking—literally. If this was the real world, Zora probably would have popped a vertebra out of alignment, such was the weight of the leather case. He pulled with both hands, but it resisted his force as if it were nailed right into the ground.

Zora: Hungh...!

Zora heard his joints creaking, but he did manage to lift the object. He rotated it ninety degrees to bring the part tied with string to the top, then set the bottom end onto the ground. With his left hand desperately holding it upright, he unwound the string with his right, and tugged down the leather wrapping. It revealed a breathtakingly beautiful longsword.

The handle was finely decorated platinum, the grip neatly wrapped white leather. The knuckle guard was carved to look like leaves and vines. It wasn't hard to figure out what plant they were meant to represent. On the upper part of the handle and the white leather scabbard were decorative roses sparkling with blue jewels.

It gave off the impression of being quite old, but there was no grime or dirt on it at all. The austere grace and beauty of the sword told Zora that it had simply been sleeping for a very, very long time without a master.

Zora: What's this...?

Eugeo's panting was under control at last, and he looked at the sword with both nostalgia and bitter sadness.

Eugeo: The Blue Rose Sword. I don't know if that's its actual name, but it's what they call it in the fairy tale.

Zora: Fairy tale...?

Eugeo: Every kid in Rulid knows it...every adult, too. Among the first inhabitants who founded this village three hundred years ago was a swordsman named Bercouli. There are plenty of stories about his adventures, but one of the most famous is called 'Bercouli and the Northern White Dragon'...

His gaze traveled someplace far off, and emotion entered his voice.

Eugeo: To give you a basic version of the story, Bercouli went exploring in the End Mountains and wandered into the white dragon's lair, deep in a cave. The dragon, which protects the lands of humanity, was napping, thankfully, so Bercouli was going to leave at once—except he spotted a white sword among the piles of treasure that he simply had to have. He carefully picked it up without making any noise, but then blue roses grew around his feet and locked them in place. He fell over on the spot, and the dragon woke up...So goes the story.

Zora: S-so what happened next?

Eugeo laughed and said it was a long story, so he summed it up.

Eugeo; Basically, Bercouli managed to earn the dragon's forgiveness and escaped the cave with his life but no sword. The end. It's just a silly fairy tale. If only certain children weren't foolish enough to go see if it was true...

The note of deep regret in his voice filled in the story for me. He was talking about himself—and his friend Alice. No other children in the village would have the agency to do such a thing. After a long silence, Eugeo continued.

Eugeo: Six years ago, Alice and I went into the End Mountains in search of the white dragon. But there was no dragon. Only a mountain of bones with sword marks on them.

Zora: W-wait...someone killed the dragon? Who would...?

Eugeo: I don't know. But whoever it was, they had no interest in treasure. There was a huge pile of coins and riches beneath the bones. And the Blue Rose Sword, too. Of course, it was too heavy for me to bring back when I was that young...And when Alice and I turned to leave, we went out the wrong exit and wound up going down the tunnel to the land of darkness instead. The rest is as I described yesterday.

Zora: I see...

Zora looked away from Eugeo and down at the sword he held between his hands.

Zora: Then...how did the sword get here?

Eugeo: Two summers ago, I went back to the cave and took it out. But I could only carry it a few kilors for every day of rest. I hid it in the forest each time...and it took me three months to move it all the way to that shed. As for why I would do that...I'm not really sure, to be honest...

Zora: 3 months? But why would you bring it back?

Eugeo: I was hoping that I'd be able to swing that sword one day. I can't swing it at all right now, but how about you?

Zora: I'm down to try. I'm a swordsman after all.

Zora summoned his energy again and attempted to pull the sword from its scabbard. The resistance was tremendous. It felt like he was pulling a deep stake out of the ground, but once Zora had gotten it to budge, the blade flowed smoothly out of its sheath. It came free with a sweet shaaang, and his arm instantly felt like it was going to pop out of his shoulder. Zora had to drop the scabbard and use two hands to keep the sword up.

Even the leather scabbard was tremendously heavy; the prod end thudded and sank into the ground. It was a good thing it didn't crush his left foot, because it was all he could do to keep the sword aloft, and jumping back was out of the question.

Eugeo: Looks like its too heavy for you two.

Fortunately, without the scabbard, the sword was about a third lighter than before, which was just enough that he could keep it aloft. Zora's gaze was stuck on the blade before him.

Zora: It's not made of steel. What material is this?

It was a strange material. The metal was thin, not even an inch and a half across, but it glittered a faint blue in the bits of sun that came through the leaves above. It refracted the light in a way that suggested it wasn't just bouncing off the surface but collecting on the inside as well—it was mildly translucent.

Eugeo: No I don't think it's steel. It's not silver, either, nor dragon bone. And it's certainly not glass. In other words...I don't think this was crafted by human hands. Either a master of very high sacred arts made it with the power of the gods, or a god created it directly...We call such things Divine Objects. I'm certain the Blue Rose Sword is one of them.

Zora(mind): Gods.

Zora: Divine Object?

Zora had noticed mention of "Solus" and "Terraria" in Eugeo's and Selka's stories, as well as Sister Azalia's prayers, but up to this point he'd considered them nothing more than typical artifacts of fantasy storytelling and ignored them accordingly.

Eugeo: Yeah, items that were created by the Gods. We called them Divine Objects.

But the appearance of an item purportedly created by the gods might be cause to rethink that attitude.

Zora(mind):Were the gods of a virtual world the humans who managed it from the real world? Or did that refer to the main program that ran the entire simulation?

It wasn't the kind of question that could be answered just by mulling it over. Zora'd have to consider that topic part of the "central system," if he will, along with the Axiom Church. At any rate, the sword was clearly a high-priority item within the system. But was its priority higher than the Gigas Cedar? The answer would determine whether Zora could get Eugeo to go to the city with him or not.

Zora: Hey Eugeo, could you like check how much life count the Giga Cedar has now?

Eugeo: Zora...don't tell me you're going to hit the Gigas Cedar with that sword.

Zora: What other reason would I have for asking you to bring it?

Eugeo: Uhh...but...

Eugeo thought it over, clearly reluctant—Zora gave him no room to think any further.

Zora: Or is there an entry in the Taboo Index that says you can't hit the Gigas Cedar with a sword?

Eugeo: Um...well, there's no rule against that...

Zora: Or did the village elder or, um...Old Man Garitta tell you that you couldn't use anything besides the Dragonbone Ax?

Eugeo: No...not that, either...But...I feel like something like this happened once before...

Eugeo mumbled, and he got up and approached the cedar. He made the S sign and tapped the trunk, checking on the window that appeared.

Eugeo: It looks like 232,315.

Zora: Okay, keep that exact number in mind.

Eugeo: But Zora, I don't think you'll be able to swing that sword. Look, you're wobbling just trying to hold it up.

Zora: Just watch. You don't swing a heavy sword with strength. The key is how you shift your weight.

Zora drew a breath and shifted his weight to his right foot, pulling back the sword. The inertia of the blade pulled Zora's left foot off the ground. He nearly toppled back onto his rear, but as the point of the sword reached its peak, Zora struggled against it, pushing hard with his right foot to shift his weight back to the left.

Zora(mind): Back in the old SAO... As I leveled up. My strength value grew, and I went through many a wieldy heavy sword. Even if the system's foundation is different, my body movement should cary over. It's not like I'm trying to pull off a combo skill here. This is just a normal leftward slash. [Horizontal] should be enough.

As Zora did so, the rotation of his legs and hips carried through his arm to the sword, beginning its swing. The sword didn't glow or automatically speed up, but Zora's body did trace the movement for the sword skill in perfect rhythm. His left foot rocked the earth with its impact, sending the massive weight hurtling forward along its prescribed, ideal path...

But Zora's perfect execution ended there. His legs couldn't hold the weight and buckled, and the sword smacked against the bark, far from the intended target. It made an ear-piercing ringing that sent the birds above scattering in all directions. Zora didn't see them go, as he lost his handle on the grip and plunged face-first into the moss.

Eugeo: I told you so!

Zora: Damn... I think I was just a bit short on stamina. For that matter—someone was actually able to equip that monster...?

Eugeo: I told you, it's too much for us.

Zora slumped and rubbed his right wrist, turning to get the sword. Eugeo looked over his shoulder in turn. They both stopped still. The Blue Rose Sword's beautiful blade was half wedged into the Gigas Cedar's bark, hanging there in midair.

Eugeo: No way... That much, from just one strike? You actually cut into it...

Eugeo gasped, staggering to his feet. He reached out timidly, tracing the seam where sword met tree.

Eugeo: It didn't chip the blade...It really took two cens out of the Gigas Cedar...

Zora: See? It was worth trying out. That sword has more...well, attack power than the ax. Check the life of the Gigas Cedar again.

Eugeo: O-okay.

Eugeo made sigil and tapping the tree trunk. He stared eagerly at the window that appeared.

Eugeo: 232,314.

Zora: Wh-what? It only went down by one? But I cut it so deep...What does it mean? Do you have to use the ax after all...?

Eugeo: No, that's not true. You hit it in the wrong spot. If you got it inside the cut, not against the bark, it would have taken down more life, I think. You might be right that this sword can carve down the tree much faster than the Dragonbone Ax. Fast enough that I might be able to finish my Calling...But...

Zora turned to Eugeo. He was biting his lip, looking pensive.

Eugeo: But that's only if we can properly wield the sword. You hurt yourself pretty badly making just one swing, and you didn't even hit the target. At that rate, it might still be faster using the ax.

Zora: Maybe I can't do it, but what about you, Eugeo? You're stronger than I am, I think. You should try giving it a swing.

Eugeo: I can barely hold the sword let alone swing it.

Zora: Its all about technique. I can help you with that.

Eugeo: Well... Just once, then.

Zora insisted, and while Eugeo was reluctant, he did give in and admit he'd try it just once. He grabbed the handle of the Blue Rose Sword and tried wrenching it loose from the tree. When it finally came free, Eugeo's upper half swayed and the end of the sword dropped until its point hit the ground.

Eugeo: Wh-whoa! It really is too heavy. I can't do this, Zora.

Zora: I swung it; you can, too, Eugeo. The concept is the same as with the ax. Just make more use of your weight and capitalize on the momentum of your whole body, not just your arms.

Zora wasn't sure how much of that made sense to Eugeo, but thanks to his ample experience swinging the ax, Eugeo figured it out very quickly. His naive face tensed with determination, and he crouched down to lift up the sword.

He drew it back, paused, then hissed a quick breath and began a ferociously quick swing. The way his toe slid forward in a perfect line took even Zora by surprise. A vision of blue light hung in the air as the tip of the sword plunged straight for the cut in the tree.

But at the very last instant, his left foot was unable to bear all the weight. The end of the sword struck the upper side of the V-shaped cut, thudding dully. Unlike Zora, Eugeo was thrown behind. His back slammed against a thick root.

Eugeo: Urrgh...

Zora: H-hey, you okay?

Eugeo: I think I lost some life on that one.

Zora: Oh well, it was a good try. Sorry for making you go along with my weird ideas...

Eugeo: No worries, Zora. I thought it was kind of fun. Well... I'll start with 5o more strokes, lets keep working.

He began the rhythmic chopping motion. Zora looked away, walked over to where the sword lay, and caressed the sheath through the leather wrap. Zora knew he had the right idea. They could absolutely cut down the Gigas Cedar with this sword. But Eugeo was right, too; just swinging it wildly wasn't going to work.

Zora(mind): If there are swords in this world, then there ought to be people who can wield them with ease. Eugeo and I just don't fulfill the system requirement. But what are the requirements? Class? Level? Status? How on earth could I find that out?

Then Zora realized something. His mouth fell open.

Zora(mind): I couldn't believe how dense I was. I just had to look at its status window. The same way Eugeo checked the window of the bread yesterday...and the way I popped up the lamp's window in the church. Why hadn't I thought of that earlier?

Zora reached out with his left hand, made the symbol, then, after a brief moment of consideration, tapped the back of his right hand. Sure enough, a purple rectangle chimed into existence above it.

Zora(mind): There's no log out button though. Durability is the life that Eugeo mention. And object control authority, is 38. A parameter for controlling object.

A thought occurred to him, and Zora closed his own window to examine the Blue Rose Sword's instead. He loosened the end of the package, pulled the hilt out a little bit, made the sign, and tapped it.

Zora(mind): The sword is higher. I need to raise this authorities level to 45. But how? Do I have to kill monsters to get experience? But I can't catch even a shadow of a monster here in the wilderness. If I don't know how, then trying to raise my level would also just be an exercise in frustration.

Meanwhile, Eugeo finished his fifty whacks and turned to Zora, wiping away his sweat.

Eugeo: How do you feel, Zora? Can you swing the ax?

Zora: Yeah...the pain's gone.

Zora swung his legs to rock himself up to his feet and reached out for the ax. Eugeo was right; the Dragonbone Ax was almost laughably light compared to the Blue Rose Sword. All Zora could do was pray that the act of swinging the ax somehow raised that particular statistic. He clenched the handle in both hands and pulled it back for a swing.

(Timeskip)

Zora: Aaahh...Now, this is paradise...

Zora moaned, the instant he hit the hot water. A bath was just the trick after the rare experience of hard physical labor.

Zora(mind): Is there really no way for me to get to the central city? It's not like Eugeo would ever think of abandoning his Calling...The ultimate law that no dares to break...the Taboo Index, Huh? What is the Axiom Church, that made the Taboo Index in the first place? If this is some kind of simulated civilization populated by Artificial Fluctlights, any rules to inhibit the actions of the AI's would only backfire. Wait...hold on...if I remember correctly, that girl named Alice violated the Taboo Index by entering the land of Darkness. And of her own volition, too. An AI that's deviated from the system...Alice...who are you?

Meanwhile, a voice beyond the changing room door brought Zora back to his senses.

Selka: Huh? Is someone still in there?

Zora sat upright when he recognized Selka's voice.

Zora: Y-yeah, it's me—Zora. Sorry, I'm coming out.

Selka: Oh...n-no, it's fine, take your time. Just make sure you unplug the tub and put out the lamp when you're done. I'm going back to my room now... Good night.

Zora heard her start to scurry away, and an idea occurred to him.

Zora: Oh...Selka, I wanted to ask you something. Do you have any time tonight?

The footsteps stopped, replaced by a hesitant silence. Eventually she responded, just loud enough Zora me to hear.

Selka: I have...a bit of time. But the kids are already sleeping in my chamber, so I'll wait for you in your room.

She trotted off without waiting for a reply. Zora stood up in a hurry, pulled out the wooden stopper at the base of the tub, extinguished the lamp on the wall, and exited to the changing room. The water dried up without needing a towel, which helped Zora get into his clothes faster, and Zora raced down the quiet hall and up the stairs.

Selka looked up from the bed, dangling her feet, when Zora opened the door. Unlike last night, she wore a simple cotton shift with her brown hair tied in a braid. She picked up a large glass from the bedside table and offered it to Zora.

Zora: Oh, thanks.

Zora said, sitting down next to her on the bed and drinking the chilled well water. It felt like moisture was permeating my dried body from head to toe.

Zora: Ahh, nectar, nectar.

Selka: Necktar? What is that?

Selka asked, looking confused. Zora panicked, realizing that the word must not exist in this world.

Zora: Umm...it's something you say about water that's extremely delicious and feels like it's healing you...I guess.

Selka: Ohh...So like elixir, then.

Zora: Wh-what is that?

Selka: It's holy water that a monk has blessed. I've never seen it myself, but they say that drinking a little bottle of it will bring back the life decreased by injury or illness.

Zora: Ohhh...

It made him wonder how they'd lost so many people to disease if such a thing existed, but Zora decided it was probably better not to ask. At the very least, this world and the stately Axiom Church that ruled over it were not quite the benevolent paradise he first took them to be. Selka accepted the empty glass from him and prompted.

Selka: If you have more questions, make them quick. I'm only forbidden to enter the boys' room after the bath, not the guest room, but I feel like Sister Azalia will give me a scolding anyway if she finds out.

Zora: Um...sorry about that. I'll make it quick. I wanted to ask...about your sister.

Her delicate shoulders twitched under her white gown.

Selka: I don't have a sister.

Zora: Not anymore, right? Eugeo told me that you had an older sister named Alice, and—

Before Zora could finish his sentence, Selka's head jerked up, startling him.

Selka: Eugeo did? He told you about Alice? How much did he say?

Zora: Err...well...that Alice studied the sacred arts here at the church...and that an Integrity Knight took her away to some big city several years ago...

Selka:...Ahh... So Eugeo didn't forget...about Alice...

Zora: Huh...?

Selka: The people of the village—Father, Mother, Sister Azalia—none of them will ever talk about her. Her room was tidied up and emptied years ago...like she was never there to begin with. So I thought everyone had just forgotten all about her...even Eugeo...

Zora: As a matter of fact, not only does he remember her, he still seems to be quite concerned for her. So much that if he didn't have his Calling to keep him busy, he would rush down to that city to find her.

Selka was quiet for a few moments. She eventually mumbled.

Selka: I see...So the reason Eugeo doesn't smile anymore...is because of Alice.

Zora: Eugeo...doesn't smile?

Selka: Yes. When my sister was around, he was always beaming. It was hard to find him not looking happy. I was still young, so I don't remember it that well...but ever since she was taken away, I feel like I never see Eugeo smiling anymore. In fact...even on his days off, whether he stays inside or goes into the forest, he's always alone...

Zora found this statement to be a bit strange. Eugeo was rather reserved, it was true, but he didn't seem to be hiding his emotions from Zora. During their chats coming to and from the forest and on their break times, he had even laughed, and more than a few times.

Zora(mind): If he wasn't smiling around Selka or the villagers anymore, was it...out of guilt? Guilt that he was the reason beloved Alice, the future Sister at the church, was taken away, and that he hadn't been able to save her? And he could stand to be himself around only me, an outsider who didn't know what happened back then?

If that was true, Eugeo's soul could not be a simple program. He had the same level of intelligence and humanity as Zora did...He had a fluctlight. And he had lived through six whole years of self-torment.

Zora(mind): I had to go to the central city. Not just for my own sake but to get Eugeo out of this village so he could find Alice and the two could be reunited. And the Gigas Cedar had to be eliminated for that to happen...

Selka: What are you thinking?

Selka asked, rousing Zora out of his thoughts.

Zora: Oh...just thinking, like you said, Eugeo must still care a whole lot about Alice right now.

As soon as the thought tumbled out of his mouth, Selka's face seemed to warp a bit. Those clear eyebrows and big eyes clouded with loneliness.

Selka: Yes...I suppose you're right.

Her shoulders slumped. Even Zora hardly the most intuitive toward feelings, could tell what this meant.

Zora: Selka, you like Eugeo, don't you?

Selka: Wha...that's not true!

She protested hotly, then turned away, red down to her neck. She looked down for a while, and when she spoke again, her voice was suddenly tense.

Selka: I just...can't take this...Father and Mother never say it, but I can tell they always compared me to her and were disappointed. Same with the other adults. That's why I left home to live at the church. And yet...even as she teaches me the sacred arts, all Sister Azalia thinks about is how my sister learned them all on the first attempt! Eugeo doesn't treat me like them...but he avoids me. Because every time he sees me, he thinks of Alice. And that's not my fault! I...I don't even remember what she looked like anymore...

Watching the little girl tremble in her pajamas stunned Zora to his core. Somewhere in his brain, he'd told himself that this was all a simulation, and while these people might not be pure programs, they were something less than real. But sitting next to a crying twelve-year-old girl was not something he was prepared to handle. Eventually Selka rubbed the moisture out of her eyes.

Selka: I'm sorry for losing control.

Zora: N-no...it's fine. I think you should cry when you need to.

Zora gave some consolation, but as Selka wasn't spoiled by the ever- present entertainment media of twenty-first-century Japan, she smiled and took it to heart.

Selka: Yeah. You're right. I think I feel a bit better now. It's been a really long time since I cried in front of anyone.

Zora: That's really brave of you, Selka. Even at my age, I cry in front of people all the time.

Zora said, thinking of this scene and that, involving Kotone, Kazuto, Asuna and Suguha. Selka's eyes went wide.

Selka: Wait...you have your memory back, Zora?

Zora: Er...N-no, not in that sense...I guess I just feel that way...A-at any rate, I'm only me, I can't be anyone else...so you should focus only on what you can do, Selka.

Selka thought it over and took it to heart and smile at him.

Selka: You're right...Maybe I've just been averting my eyes from myself...and my sister...

The realization that he was actively trying to pull Eugeo away from this sweet, poor girl filled him with guilt. But just then, a pleasing melody came down from the bell tower above.

Selka: Oh...it's already nine. I need to get back now. Oh...what was it you wanted to ask, again?

Zora: No. I already got my answers.

Selka: Well, in that case, I'm going back to my room.

She hopped down to the floor and took a few steps to the door, then turned back.

Selka: Hey...did you hear the reason why the Integrity Knight took my sister away?

Zora: Uh...yeah. Why?

Selka: I don't know it. My parents won't say anything...and I asked Eugeo once, years ago, but he wouldn't tell me. Why was she taken?

Zora hesitated a bit, but the answer tumbled out of his mouth before he could reconsider.

Zora: Well...I think he said they went up the river to a cave that goes through the End Mountains, and then she put her hand on the ground of the land of darkness...

Selka:...I see...Past the End Mountains...

She mumbled, lost in thought. But soon she bobbed her head and chirped.

Selka: Tomorrow's a day of rest, but prayer is at the usual hour, so make sure you get up. I won't be coming to rouse you this time.

Zora: I-I'll try my best.

Selka grinned briefly, opened the door, and disappeared through it. As her tiny footsteps pattered into the distance, Zora flopped down on the bed. He was hoping to get more information on this mysterious Alice, but her sister had been too young at the time to retain much memory of her. All he had learned was just how deep Eugeo's feelings for Alice went. He shut his eyes and tried to imagine the girl named Alice.

(Timeskip)

The next morning Zora woke up immediately the moment he heard the 5:30 bell. He got up like no other and wash his face only to be confronted by Sister Azalia.

Azalia: Good morning, Zora.

Zora: Oh...good morning, Sister.

Zora bowed hastily, and she returned the gesture and said hello. The perpetual frown tightening her lips seemed especially harsh today, which raised Zora's hackles a bit.

Zora: Um...Sister...is something...?

She blinked, hesitating momentarily.

Azalia: I cannot find Selka.

Zora: Uh...

Azalia: Do you know anything about this, Zora? She seemed to have taken a liking to you...

Zora: Umm...No, I haven't heard anything. Today is a day of rest, correct? She hasn't gone back to her family?

Azalia: In the two years since Selka came to the church, she has not once returned home. Even if that was the case, I cannot believe that she would go there without attending prayer or saying anything to me. Even if there are no laws against it...

Zora: Then...maybe she's out shopping. How do you get the ingredients for breakfast every day?

Azalia: We bought two days' worth of food yesterday evening. All the stores in the village are closed today.

Zora: Oh...of course...I'm sure she had something important to do. She'll be back very soon.

Azalia: I certainly hope so...

Sister Azalia murmured, her brow furrowed with concern. She sighed tiredly.

Azalia: In that case, I will wait until midday, and then pay a visit to the village hall if she is not back yet. Forgive me for interrupting you. I must prepare for the morning prayer now.

Zora: It's all right...I'll check around the area afterward.

Zora told her as she inclined her head and left. A faint, nasty tinge of worry welled up within him as he dumped out the remaining water in the basin. Zora recalled something troublesome in his conversation with Selka last night but couldn't remember what it was.

Zora(mind): Had I said something that would prompt her to slip out of the church?

Morning prayer passed with this concern gripping his chest, and at the end of breakfast, where the children all wondered where Selka was, she still had not returned. Zora helped clean up the dishes and went out the front door of the church. And he was greeted by Eugeo at the town hall.

Eugeo: Good morning, Zora.

Zora: Morning, Eugeo.

Eugeo showed up with the same smile as ever.

Zora: You get the entire day off, right?

Eugeo: That's right. So I figured I would show you around the village today.

Zora: That'd be great, but I need you to help with something else first. Selka hasn't been seen all morning...so I thought we could go look for her...

Eugeo: What?! She walked out of the church without telling Sister Azalia first?

Zora: That's what it sounds like. Sister Azalia said it was the first time this has ever happened. Can you think of anywhere she might have gone?

Eugeo: Might have gone? I don't know... She and I haven't spoken in ages.

Zora: Last night I talked with Selka about Alice for a little bit. So I was wondering if she might be someplace that reminds her of Alice...

Only once Zora had said the words aloud did he finally, belatedly, ashamedly realize the source of his unease.

Zora: Oh no...

Eugeo: What is it, Zora?

Zora: No way...Say, Eugeo. When Selka asked you why the Integrity Knight took Alice away years ago, I hear you didn't tell her the reason. Why not?

He blinked rapidly and, after a few moments, bobbed his head.

Eugeo: That's right...she did ask that. So...why didn't I tell her? I didn't have a very solid reason...Perhaps I was just uneasy about the possibility that Selka would try to go after Alice...

Zora: That's it. I told Selka last night. I told her how Alice touched the ground of the land of darkness...She must have gone to the End Mountains.

Eugeo: What?! That's bad. We have to track her down and bring her back before the villagers realize...When did she leave?

Zora: I don't know. She was gone by the time I woke at five thirty...

Eugeo: In this season, the sky starts to lighten up around five. She couldn't walk through the forest before that point. Which means she left three hours ago。

Eugeo said, looking up at the sky.

Eugeo: When Alice and I went to the cave, it only took us about five hours to get there, and we were kids. Selka's got to be over half the way there by now. I don't know that we can overtake her in time...

Zora: Let's hurry. We'll go right now.

Eugeo: We don't have time to prepare. Fortunately the path is along the river, so we won't lack for water. Okay...it's this way.

Eugeo and Zora started walking north, just slowly enough that no passing villagers would be suspicious of us. As the shops trickled away, so did the foot traffic, and they were soon racing down the paved road.

Zora: Hey...Eugeo.

Eugeo: What?

Zora: Just to be sure...If Selka goes into the land of darkness, will the Integrity Knight immediately come to take her away?

His eyes unfocused as he consulted distant memories.

Eugeo: No...I think the Integrity Knight will fly to the village the next morning. That's what happened six years ago.

Zora: I see...Then even in a worst-case scenario, we'll still have a chance to save Selka.

Eugeo: What are you thinking, Zora?

Zora: It's simple. If we can take Selka out of the village before the end of the day, we might be able to run away from the knight.

Eugeo:...

He faced forward again, mulled it over, then muttered.

Eugeo: We can't...do that. I have my Calling...

Zora: I didn't say you had to come with us. I'll take Selka and go on the run. This was my fault for running my mouth, anyway. It's my responsibility.

Eugeo: Zora...

Zora caught sight of the wounded expression on Eugeo's face and felt a prickle in his heart. But this was necessary to challenge Eugeo's subservient nature. Zora felt guilty using Selka's peril for his own purposes, but he needed to ascertain whether the Taboo Index was simply a list of ethical and moral taboos or if it was an absolutely enforced set of rules for the residents of this world. After a few seconds, Eugeo slowly shook his head side to side.

Eugeo: You can't...You just can't, Zora. Selka has her own Calling. Even if the knight comes to take her away, she won't agree to go with you. And I don't think it will come to that in the first place. Selka would never violate the serious taboo of setting foot in the land of darkness.

Zora: But Alice did.

Zora pointed out. Eugeo winced and bit his lip but argued more forcefully this time.

Eugeo: Alice...Alice was special. She wasn't like anyone in the village. Not like me...and not like Selka.

He picked up speed, suggesting that he wasn't going to talk about it any further. As Zora followed, a silent question echoed in his heart to that mysterious girl.

Zora(mind): Alice...who are you? A girl able to break a heavy Taboo... What sort of being is she? Is she a play tester using an STL like me? Or...

To Eugeo, Selka, and the other people of this world, the Taboo Index was clearly something they could not break, even if they wanted to—the same way that you could not break the physical laws that kept a human being from flying in the real world.

Eugeo: There it is, Zora.

Zora came to his senses and looked up. The forest was clearing out up ahead, and I could see a wall of ashy gray rock beyond it. With a last spurt of energy, they sprinted across the remaining few hundred yards and came to a stop where the ground underfoot turned from grass to gravel. Zora stared at the sight before him in shock, panting at last.

Zora: These are...the End Mountains? And just on the other side is the land of darkness...?

Eugeo: I was surprised the first time I came here, too. That the end of the world...

Zora: Was so close...

Eugeo: Let's hurry. We must've closed the gap with Selka to thirty minutes by now. If we drag her back as soon as we find her, we can still be back to the village during daylight.

Zora: Y-yeah...good point.

He was pointing ahead, where the little brook they were following got sucked into a hole in the rock face—technically, it was flowing out from there, not going in.

Zora: So that's it... Wait, Eugeo...What are we going to do about light?

Eugeo said he had it under control. He lifted a stalk of grass that he had picked up along the way. Zora wondered what he was going to do with the fuzzy cattail—until he started chanting in English.

Eugeo: System Call...

Zora(mind): System Call?!

Eugeo: Generate Luminous Element, Adhere.

The tip of the stalk of grass in Eugeo's hand started to glow. It had enough pale bluish light to illuminate a few yards ahead. He headed farther into the cave.

Zora: Eugeo, what was that?

Eugeo: A sacred art—a very easy one. I had to practice it a whole lot two years ago when I decided to come and get the Blue Rose Sword.

Zora: Sacred art...But...do you know the meaning of those words? Like system...

Eugeo: Meaning? There's no meaning; they're just spellwords. They're words you say to beseech God and receive a miraculous blessing. The higher sacred arts have many times more spellwords, I hear.

That made sense to Zora. They didn't know the meaning of the system terminology—it was all treated like mystical magic words. Still, that was a very practical spell. Whoever designed this world was clearly quite pragmatic.

Zora: Say...do you think I can do it, too?

Eugeo: It took me about two months to use this art, practicing between my work shifts every single day. According to Alice, people with the talent for it can use it in a day, and others might never be capable of it their entire lives. I don't know where your talent level lies, but I doubt you could do it right away...

Zora(mind): Did that mean that using magic—sacred arts—required some amount of skill training through repetition? If so, he was probably right that it couldn't be mastered in a day.

The wet gray walls turned right and left and seemed to continue on forever. A chilling wind assaulted Zora's skin at all times, and even with a partner at his side, the lack of any sword, or even a sturdy stick, was starting to make him feel helpless and uneasy.

Zora: Hey...are you sure Selka came down here?

Eugeo pointed the glowing cattail toward the ground at our feet.

Zora: Oh...

Within the ring of the impromptu lantern's glow was a shallow, frozen puddle. It had been stepped on in the middle, and there were cracks extending in all directions from that spot.

Zora: I see...That settles it, then. I don't know if she's reckless or fearless...

Eugeo found that statement to be curious.

Eugeo: There's nothing to be afraid of. No white dragon in this cave anymore—not even a mouse or a bat to contend with.

Zora: Oh, r-right.

Zora replied, reminding himself that there were animals in this world but no actively aggressive monsters to worry about. At the very least, he could consider this side of the End Mountains to be the equivalent of a VRMMO protected area.

Zora exhaled, trying to let the tension drain out of his spine—when from the darkness ahead came an odd sound on the breeze. They looked at each other. It sounded like the screeching of a bird or wild animal of some kind.

Zora: Hey...what was that?

Eugeo: I don't know...I've never heard that sound before...Ah!

Zora: Wh-what is it now?

Eugeo: Do you...smell something, Zora?

Zora: It smells like, burning fire.

The two of them then made their way into the cave and as their making their way through, they heard a scream coming from Selka.

Zora and Eugeo: Selka!

The two of them race even further inside and after a few minutes they made their way into a room full of ice.

Zora: Hide.

The two of them went to hide in some nearby ice and look over. They saw firewood snapped and crackled within black iron braziers. And surrounding the fires sat grouped figures, humanoid in shape but clearly neither human nor animal. There were over thirty of them. It was clearly Goblins.

Zora(mind): Goblins...

Zora and Eugeo looked over and saw Selka tied up and unconscious and Eugeo and Zora looked completely shocked.

Eugeo: Selka!

Zora: What are you doing?!

The Goblins then noticed the two of them and then looked back at them.

Goblin 1: Hey, look! Two more White lum brats just wandered in!

Goblin 2: What now? Want to capture them, too?

Suddenly, a even bigger Goblin started to walk up.

Goblin Leader: Even if we took male lums, we could never sell them. Too much trouble. Kill them here and turn them into meat!

All the Goblins then started to ready their weapons at Zora and Eugeo.

Zora: Eugeo!

Zora then looked over at Eugeo and saw he was shaking, completely and utterly terrified as the got closer to them.

Zora: Eugeo, listen to me. You have to snap out of it, EUGEO!!!