CHAPTER 21.2 - Lake

"Good job gang. Cheers!" The two of them cheers, when they arrived at the Usco Village and stopped at the Balsa-like logs restaurant "Now we're finally halfway through the fourth floor" Kirito said

"Yes, it's our fastest pace yet"

"Huh? Really?" Kirito started counting start from the they that the 3rd floor cleared "It's true today is the twenty-fourth, so it's only been three days"

"Would you get it together? You're too young to be losing your memory" Asuna said

"At any rate, after we've eaten we should do more quests to the others don't pass us by," He said

"No need to rush that much" Asuna said "I don't know about Agil-San, but the rest of the players will be in the main town"

"Oh?" Kirito look at Asuna in confused

"You didn't get the invitation, Kirito-Kun?"

"Wh-What do you mean? Invitation for what?" Kirito asks panicking

"Today is December twenty-fourth. The two guilds are holding a joint Christmas celebration" Asuna was still hesitant to say this to Kirito

"Hu? What?! What's with that!" Kirito shouted and stand up

"S-some people did say should invite you too, okay?" Asuna was trying to explain to him what happen to remember the words that Kibaou said when she suggested inviting Kirito-Kun: "Why we should put up money to feed that jerk who keeps stealing the last hit bonus every boss fight. That's what he said"

"D-Did they not invite you either?" Kirito asks to hope that they did not invite Asuna too

"They've said I could come by myself if I wanted. But I got a lot of good wishes from various people" Asuna explain

"Well, what does the solo player want out of Christmas anyway," He said forgot about Asuna's with him

"OHH? So you're a solo player now, Kirito-Kun?" Asuna gave him 'What do you think on me?' look

"Er! No! T-That's not what I mean I-" Kirito tried to explain but Asuna started laughing

"HAHAHA I'm just kidding" Kirito stiff looking at Asuna she was more beautiful when she was laughing

"Say Asuna, why not back to the main Town, don't worry about me, I was never planning to go" Kirito scratched his head and smiled, he will understand if Asuna leave and attend the Christmas celebration

"I'm not really one for big blowing parties anyway," Asuna said

"In that case, uh should we have one here?" Kirito suggested

"No- who cares? I don't have anything for it" Asuna said he feels something wet dropped on her checks so she touches her face "What was that?" She looks at her hands it was wet "A water drop?" She looks at the sky and is shocked seeing what happens "Huh? No way! Is that snow?!" Good thing that their table was outside "Oh geez, I was trying to stay away from town so I wouldn't think about it, but isn't fair"

"Hey, Asuna! It's not something physical but there is a present I'd like to give you" Kirito smiled at her he knows that Asuna like his present for her

"To give me? We'll, I don't have anything for you in return, okay?" Asuna said wondering what present was Kirito would give

"That's fin! Let's go!" Kirito grabbed her in the wrist

"Ah! H-Hey! Don't pull so hard!" She complains. They started to sail "It's foggy; it is safe to take the boat out this?" Asuna rolled her eyes around but she couldn't see anything because of the fog

"It's fine. Don't you remember this fog?" Kirito was smiling, Asuna was thinking about where their encounter this kind of fog and suddenly remembered the Dark elves camp on the 3rd floor. And she saw a castle in front of her "It's the dark elf stronghold! And it's more beautiful than any castle I've seen in the real world" she said in an excited voice "Even more than theme park castle! Thank you Kirito-Kun!" She hugged him that make him blushed

"This is only half of my present, through. Let's go"

The castle called Yofel is an instanced dark elves base on the 4th floor of aincrad. The castle is controlled by Viscount Leyshren Zed Yofilis. The Yofel Castle was located in the middle of a great circular lake several times larger than the Caldera Lake where the floor field boss Biceps Archelon resided. The castle looked like a fearsome and grand fortress with four towers of differing heights standing over the roof of the building, each one waving a triangular pennant that featured a crossed horn and scimitar on a black field – the Dark Elf Flag. The fortress was walled with white stone, its steep angle roof gray slate tile. Orange light spilled from its countless arched windows. The building itself was completely isolated from the surrounding land, and several large black gondolas were moored at the long pier straight outside the front gate. The highest towers had to be about fifty meters tall. A massive gate of dark and gleaming plates of thick metal blocks the path to the castle from the pier, and two Dark Elves who are heavily armed by Elvish standards guard it on either side.

The entrance to the castle leads to a front garden, which leads to the main hall that a marble fountain filled with glittering water at its center. Beyond the fountain were a grand staircase and wide hallways extending to the left and right. The castle was laid out in such a way that the main building connected to four main towers in the shape of a rectangle with one open side. The right side of the castle was a station for soldiers, while the left side housed the castle's inhabitants and servants. The Castle also had a central courtyard. If the players manage to save the dark elf at the beginning of the Quest, the courtyard consists of a cobblestone pathway and a thorny maze that leads to a beautiful garden surrounding a stunning conifer with brick flower planters and bronze benches alternating around the tree. But if the players did not manage to save the dark elf, the players would find a dusty stone path with a single, dried, dead tree in the middle instead of a thorny hedge maze and garden. If you look inside the Castle's dining hall is located on the second door of the west wing. Additionally, the second floor also includes a ten-man barracks, where the players may be housed during their stay if they did not save the dark elf at the beginning of the campaign quest. Alternatively, the players may be hosed in the officer's room on the fourth floor of the east wing if they do rescue the Dark Elf.

"Oh! It's lovely on the inside too" Asuna said looking at the fountain in the center "Is this the other half that you saying?"

"Not yet," Kirito said and hold Asuna's hand and started to run "C'mon this way" Kirito opened a door to the central courtyard "Here's the other half" Asuna look inside and she saw someone who was looking at the sky

"E-Emilia!" She runs towards her and hugged her "Emilia! I missed you so much!"

"Asuna.." Emilia was happy seeing Asuna "And you to Kirito"

"It's a good thing to see you again, Emilia" Kirito greeted her

"I'm impressed you knew I would be here," Emilia said while patting Asuna's head

"I guess I just, a good hunch," Kirito said, however, he had a feeling about it too during Beta testing

"You're sharp instincts Kirito" Emilia was amazed "This castle has Jupiter trees which is my favorite. I often find myself coming here" They look at the top of the Jupiter tree