This chapter is starting from when Takumi died, but FlameofHeaven never joined and Dark never became a disciple. Also, It is short.

Dark and his party get some shocking news.

Chapter 1 Online

Had I heard him right? Did he say that Takumi had been defeated, and half of the Knights along with him? There was no way that it was true…right? I stood there in shock until Sienna tapped my shoulder.

"Dark, are you okay?"

I snapped from my daze "I'm fine…Doran, help me get him into the inn." I motioned for him to come over. He walked over as I lifted the Knight's upper body up and Doran picked up his lower body and we brought him into the inn.

The five of us sat by the Knight as he lies unconscious.

"Do you think it's true?" Lea asked "That half of the Knights were beaten in battle?"

"It's possible." Doran responded.

"It's true." I responded "The wounds he arrived with, the panic in his voice. No one is invincible."

"But Takumi wasn't one to be taken down so easily. He wasn't the leader of the strongest guild." Doran said.

"It's like Dark said, No one is invincible. No matter how strong you are, there's always a chance of being killed, just like in the real world." Sienna said

"At least in the real world it's an accident or sickness!" I shouted angrily "Here…you get slaughtered by monsters created by a psychopath. Akihiko Kayaba." I said surprising myself with my anger, I took a deep breath to calm myself "Which is exactly why we need to get out of here, with the lease amount of deaths possible."

"But we can't rush into things either." Sienna said "Or that will cause more innocent people to die."

"Yeah...careful and quick. That's what we need to be." A groan escaped the Knight and we turned to him as he opened his eyes.

"W-where am I?" He muttered.

"You're in an inn." I told him.

He sat up and looked at me "Dark...Takumi was killed..."

"I know, you said it in town...and half of the Knights as well, correct?"

He nodded "Yes..."

"Did Asuna suffer the same fate?"

He shook his head this time "No. Takumi told her to leave with the rest of the Knights..." he paused and looked at me "You know that Takumi considered you his equal?"

I had a feeling I knew where this was going "I never knew that. I thought he considered me an enemy if anything, not his equal."

"Dark...you're just as strong, if not stronger, then Takumi..."

"You have something to ask. Ask it." Here it comes...

"Will you become the new leader of the Knights Of The Blood Oath?!" There it is.

"No." I answer firmly and quickly, not surprised by his question.

"Why not? We need a new leader to help us avenge Takumi!"

"A boss monster is the enemy that did it, am I right?"

"Yes you are. We only have about half of our members so, please!"

"I already said no. I'm not a guild type of person. I'm not the type of person that could lead a guild."

The Knight looked slightly mad "Fine...just so you know, me and the rest of the Knights decided after Takumi was defeated...We'll going to go and defeat the boss today."

"Do you have a death wish?" I asked looking him in the eyes "That boss already killed Takumi and half of your force, if you guys go and die, the Knights will be non-existent!"

"Our minds are made up. We're going to kill that monster today!" He said getting to his feet and leaving the room.

"Come on." I said taking a teleport crystal out, to return to the house.

We walk in and Doran starts right away.

"Dark, we can't just let them-"

"Doran, there's nothing we can do. If the five of us go and try and help, we'll be killed instantly. I don't like not helping, but I'm not going to risk my life when there is no chance of winning."

"You're just a coward!" Angelica shouted at me "I can't believe how you are acting now! Whenever someone else was in trouble you tried to help, but now you are letting them throw their lifes away?!"

"There's going to be anywhere from 20-40 people there...us five won't make a difference."

"Dark...we should at least try." Sienna said.

"I agree." Lea said.

"This is suicide. If we go to the boss room we will die."

Sienna glared at me "I can't believe you!" She said suddenly angry "You just finished saying in the inn that we had to have the least deaths possible but now you are letting them go to a boss that might kill them!"

"Sienna!" I shout back "Can't you understand I don't want to help them, because in the end it will just lead to more pointless deaths. Our deaths!"

Sienna rose her arm and slapped me across the face "If you come to your senses you know where we will be! Come on." She said taking a teleport crystal out. I shook my head.

"Once you realize it's death awaiting you, I hope you will have the sense to run." I said walking upstairs, and into my room.

Time had passed, maybe half an hour. They were most likely at the boss room at the moment...or possibly dead...but I still couldn't understand why they didn't realize that the boss that killed at least half of the Knights, and Takumi, isn't to be taken lightly. They should have stayed and we could have been able to get more people with us.

"Dammit..." I muttered "Should I have gone too? I won't be able to forgive myself if they die..." I sat up on my bed as a message appeared. I looked at it for a moment, then realizing it might be from one of my party I tapped it and it opened. But it wasn't from any of them...it was from someone else, someone I didn't expect.

-Meanwhile at the battle-

The boss was a Golem made of different stones, gems and minerals, and it's body seemed unable to be pierced, and it didn't help that it had 2 foot boulder-type minions that had enough force to take someone down. Angelica was using her taunt to take the attacks but even with that if no damage could be dealt to it, Angelica would have to stop it at some time. Sienna and Doran were trying to find a weak point, but couldn't find anything, and the longer they looked the more people were in danger and 3 Knights had already fallen.

"This isn't going to work..." Sienna said as she got back to Lea and Doran "It's defence is to strong and it has no visible weak points..."

Doran called to the remaining Knights "We need to retreat! It's too strong!"

One of the Knights called back "We're not leaving until we avenge our leader!" The boss doors opened and from the open doors a wave of fire came and knocked the Golem off balance. A man walked into the room. And Sienna smiled as she saw him.

"Dark!"

He smiled and walked past them "From this point on retreating is not an option." He rose his sword "And the reason why is because the first order from the new leader of The Knights Of The Blood Oath, is to avenge Takumi!"

Chapter 1 Offline

Sorry if this chapter is...unlike others...It's been a while since I wrote Sword Art chapters, but I'll get back to my normal typing style within time. One more thing, I consider this my 'canon' continuation because this is the first way I decided to continue and are fully my ideas.