By the light of the moon

by Hipster1776

You want action? check. You want romance? check. You want watermelons? Check! Follow Thomas O'Connor an American naval brat living in Japan as he realizes that he and his alter ego in ALO, Valentine the lunar knight, are actually one in the same. Watch as he discovers a secret that shakes his confidence and has him questioning his value for love. Buckle up kids. P.S i don't own SAO

Chapter I

(December 29th 2025)

I woke up to a loud banging on my door,

"Thomas O'Conner!" my stepmom yelled through the door, "if you don't get up right this minute I'm going in there! I will NOT let you be late for the last bus into the city!"

"Alright, alright, alright I'm up, do not come in here." I moaned. I heard her stomp away in what I guessed where her four inch high heels that make her and even 5'8. I rolled over onto my back and just laid there for like another five minutes until I actually got up. When I finally got out of bed I turned on my light and went to go take a shower. As I opened my bedroom door I felt the cold of the house rush into my room. I immediately started shivering I don't know why my dad likes to keep it at 65 freaking degrees when she knows I sleep in only my gym shorts so I rushed down the hall to the bathroom and closed the door. I turned on the shower to hot and got in. I started singing some Taylor Swift (yes Taylor Swift, don't judge me) when again my stepmom yells through the door, (she has like no since of boundaries)

"You better hurry up in there!" she yelled. She really gets on my nerves sometimes…well all the time. I got out after like 15 minutes and looked in the mirror while I dried off. I looked at my blonde hair sighing because my stepmom made me cut it so now instead of it coming down to my shoulders it stopped halfway down my neck and swept over my eyebrows but it looked good so I couldn't complain. I braced myself for the cold as I opened the bathroom door and ran for my room so I could get dressed. I started to put on my uniform for school, but then I remembered I wasn't in school anymore. I dressed in my usual blue jeans with a purple v-neck and my black slip on shoes. I grabbed my bag and went to go get breakfast.

As I walked into the kitchen I saw my stepmom with her raven black hair in a pant-suit drinking coffee and reading the news paper. Ever since my parents got divorced I've been kinda depressed and only my mom noticed it, the bad part about that was she was still state side while I lived with my father and his new fiance, who was the assistant to some big Japanese entrepreneur, and was the stereotypical Japanese mom wanting her child to focus on academics. Luckily though I found something to distract myself with…VRMMO's. I was always into RPG's but VRMMO's allowed me to fully disappear from this world and live an entirely different one in a different world it was a dream come true. I digress though, I poured myself a cup of coffee as my stepmom, ok well my almost stepmom started talking about how I was coming to stay at her apartment in Tokyo for the winter since my dad was going out to sea on tour (he's in the navy just as an fyi) and was getting his appartment fumigated but I wasn't really paying attention. I was not looking forward to it but luckily I knew that she would be working most of the time so I won't have to see her that often.

"Hello? Hello!? Earth to Thomas!" she almost shouted at me.

"Wait what?" I must've spaced out for a bit that happens to me sometimes…well a lot actually but not in school…ok most of the time in school.

"You really need to stop spacing out so much," she sighed "I was asking if you were packed and ready to go?"

"Yea I am."

"Ok that's good but remember that I won't be there until dinner ok?" she asked me.

"Yea, whatever." I knew she would be but the whole time she would be at home she would still be working and wouldn't talk much which was fine by me I just wanted to play some ALfheim and hang out with friends. I knew she was slightly irritated by my attitude but I didn't have time to apologize because I almost late for school. So I threw my stuff in the back of her car and gave her a hug which was kinda funny considering I'm around 6'1 and she's 5'8 with heels on. I then took off for school as she got in her little Prius and drove away. It took me about 10 minutes to catch up to the bus which sucked, the worst part is that I'm 17 with a license but my dad still won't let me get a car so whenever I woke up late and had someplace to be I had to run to catch the bus. When I got on I I went straight to the back and sat down in a seat, put in my headphones and drowned everyone out as I pulled out a tablet and started to read this week's edition of MMO today. I was halfway through when I caught something in the corner of my eye…a girl was running trying to catch up to the bus. I don't know why but for some reason I wanted to help her. So I got up and went up to the bus driver.

"Um excuse me sir but um there's a girl trying to catch up with the bus. Do you think you could maybe stop and let her on?" I asked a little shy and worried that he was going to yell at me. All he did was inaudibly mutter something that I figured was probably very inappropriate and pulled the bus over and let her on. The moment he stopped the bus I went back to my seat and watched as the girl got on the bus. She was pretty cute with her medium length brown hair, she wasn't like supermodel pretty but that kind of pretty where she doesn't need to try to be pretty and is amazing looking. As she talked to the bus driver he thrust his thumb backwards towards me and she glanced back in my direction and looked back at the bus driver who I assumed was getting really irritated and yelled at her. She stepped away from him and got a scared look on her face and started to walk in my direction. When she got close I saw her eyes up close, they were an amazing green color not like super bright neon green but more like an emerald green. Next thing I know this extremely pretty girl sits down next to me, of all people, and starts talking to me.

"So umm I hear you're the guy who told the bus driver to stop for me?" she asked.

"Um yea that was me." I was utterly confused I mean no one on the bus let alone a really pretty girl talked to me or even sat next to me, but for some reason she seemed eerily familiar to me.

"Thank you for that I'm usually not late for anything but my alarm didn't go off this morning," she said with a kinda embarrassed smile on her face, "Anyways my name is Naomi, what's yours?" she seemed nice enough so I went ahead and told her.

"I'm Thomas nice to meet you." I said trying not to sound at all nervous I mean she was really pretty.

"Nice to meet you Thomas," she said smiling with a super cute smile that just made me melt, "Are reading this week's issue of MMO today?" she asked glancing down at my tablet.

"Uh um yea." I said looking down embarrassed while thinking that my chances with her were down the drain now.

"Hey no need to be embarrassed," she started, "I read it last night. So don't worry about hiding your nerdiness from me." I was shocked and I couldn't speak because I have never meet a girl who played a VRMMO I mean I knew there were some but I never meet one in person. "Hello? Are you still here?" she asked me slightly laughing.

"What? Oh yea sorry about that." Man was I embarrassed now I spaced out while talking to this super pretty girl.

"So which MMO do you play?" she asked me again I was super surprised.

"Um well I play Gungale online but I prefer playing ALfheim online." Here we go she was either going to laugh at me for playing a game where you're a fairy or she was about to go super girly on me.

"Really?" she asked, I braced myself for being made fun of, "Me too! I absolutely love ALO I mean it's always been my dream to fly and in there I can!"

"That's awesome!" I was so relieved that she wasn't making fun of me for it I immediately said something that I thought I would get laughed at for after I said it, "We should totally meet up in game and hang out." Words back in mouth please! I prepared myself for the worst.

"That'd be cool what's your handle?" she asked. I was so shocked I couldn't speak for a second. I mean she didn't laugh at me, she didn't say no or even look at me differently.

"Valentine," I said trying to hold in my surprise, "What's yours?" right as I asked though the bus pulled up to a drop off point.

"Sorry but I have to hurry to my house, but I'll message you on where to meet up at six o'clock ok?" she said as she got up to leave. Before I could say anything she was already off the bus. I simply sighed as I got up and got off the bus when we got to my stop.

I went up to my stepmom's place and dropped my stuff on the bed and decided that I was hungry. As I walked around I found this little mom and pop style coffee café so I went in. It was nice and cozy I liked it. I ordered myself a coffee and a cinnamon scone and sat down for a bit. I lost track of how long I sat there it was just so peaceful and serene. When I checked my watch I saw that it was 5:00 so I quickly went back to my soon to be stepmom's house and quickly hooked up my Amuspehre rig. I took off my shoes, jacket and shirt before sliding it over my head. I turned it on and the boot up sequence engaged.

3…2…1…

"LINK START!"

Chapter II

I blinked a couple times until my view came into focus. I did a quick look around and saw that I was in a pretty nice room lying on a really comfortable bed. Since the light wasn't on I couldn't make out any specific details about the room itself or who was in the bed next to me. I quickly got up and went to the restroom, when I got in there I closed the door and turned on the light. I did this just to remind myself what I looked like. In the mirror I saw a slightly shorter than my actually self figure with about the same thin yet somewhat muscular build like that of a gymnast. I saw my black hair (the signature of the Spirggans, which is the race I am) in the same style as my actually hair, swept over my eyebrows from the right going towards the left. My face was slightly thin and I'm not ashamed to say this pretty good looking especially with my dark, black eyes that looked like they embodied the beauty that resides in chaos (don't judge me I take a creative writing class in school so I say shit like that get over it). I stepped back into the room and turned on the light before reequipping my armor and weapons. When I turned the light I figured out where I was pretty fast. Most of the room was decorated in mostly greens and the figure lying in the bed had extremely long dark green hair.

"Again? Really?" I sighed to myself. I was in the palace in the capital of Sylph territory, Sylvain and that figure in the bed was the leader of the Sylphs…Lady Sakuya. I quickly put my armor on before she woke up. My armor consists of a long black coat with a silver embroidery that comes down to my ankles, a chestplate underneath that which is made of a black metal with a silver crescent moon in the center and a silver edging that only covers my ribcage and sits atop of a black v-neck like what I would wear IRL. On my hands I have fingerless black gloves that are kinda bland I'll admit, on my shoulders I had pauldrons that were a mix of a black metal and silver that each are shaped like the visage of a wolf. I had long black slacks that were tucked into a pair of black combat boots on my legs. Around my neck I had a scarf that included a hood and a bandit like mask that covered my face up to the bridge of my nose with the ends of the scarf being over both my shoulder.

"This feels better." I said to myself after all my armor was equipped. Most people say be comfortable in your own skin but to me being my avatar, Valentine the lunar knight (I'll explain later), was so much more comfortable to me. I mean everything that I want to do but am scared to, he can do it without having any fears of being rejected and hurt like I do…he is the improved version of me, but I digress. Before I left, I made sure I equipped my weapons and when I did I felt complete. There are two black leather belts connected with a silver buckle that cross one another, each with a scabbard that sat on the back of my hip. I reached behind myself underneath my jacket and grabbed two short swords and drew them to be in front of me. I smiled as I saw my two most prized possessions…the twin fangs of Fenris, 100% identical in every way. The handles are wrapped in black leather similar to that of my belts with silver hand guards in the shape of crescent moons. The blades are the length of my forearms and are a silver color. For the first half of them the back side is straight while the front slightly curves in but at the half way mark the front curves out and the back curves in with it until the tip. I spun them around my fingers before replacing them into their scabbards.

"Good bye darling." I said to Sakuya as I walked over to the window and stood on the window sill. No, lady Sakuya is not my in game girlfriend or wife just so you know. I looked back because I heard her start to wake up and as I saw her eyes start to flutter I leaned forwards and fell out the window. As I fell I start spinning and I was falling head first towards the ground but I wasn't afraid. When I was about half way down I pulled my knees to my chest and managed to turn myself to having my back towards the ground. I then extended my legs to push off the side of the palace. I was about 20 meters away from the ground when I rotated my body to where I had my stomach facing the ground. I fell for another few seconds before I sprouted my wings and took off flying towards the forest…I was only five meters from hitting the ground. I opened my messages while I was flying to see where she wanted to meet me at, she did message me and just told me to meet her by the side of a lake not too far from Sylvain.

"Hmmmm, it's only 5:50." I noticed. I still had ten minutes before we were supposed to meet. As I flew over there I started to wonder what race she was. Was she a Slyph? A Cat Sith? Perhaps an Undine? Or maybe even a Spriggan? Then a terrifying thought entered my mind…what if she was a Salamander? I got my mind off it by staring at the beautiful serenity that is the moon before I drove myself insane. I was almost there I heard an almost blood curdling scream coming from the forest. At first I figured someone was caught off guard by a monster but something just felt…off. So I quickly checked my map and saw five players near me. I checked the time too…5:55 I still had five minutes so I went to check out where the scream came from.

I landed just outside a clearing and ducked down behind a bush. In the middle of the clearing I saw four players in a square like surrounding formation around a single Undine girl. She had on thigh high blue stockings and blue boots that came half way up her calves. She wore a mini skirt that covered the top of her stockings that was white with a blue border on it, covering the back of that though she had a sort of long half skirt that came down to her calves and had the same coloration. She had on a sleeveless shirt that curved inwards at the shoulders and came down to the top of her skirt with the same coloration but with two blue parallel lines that ran down the middle of the shirt. On her right arm she had a glove that came up to her elbow but on her hand it was the opposite of mine, with the fingers covered but the palm and back of the hand were exposed. Her left arm was the only part of her that had proper armor on it with a very simple gauntlet and shoulder pad that were the color of iron. She also wore a scabbard on her hip from the curve of it I figured it was a cutlass, an easy weapon to wield that is extremely deadly in the hands of a master. She had long blue hair that came down to the center of her back and piercing blue eyes and her face…was eerily familiar but I couldn't place where I saw it before.

My attention then focused on the four guys surrounding her. They were all wearing red heavy armor and were equipped with lances and large tower shields.

"Salamanders…" I silently cursed to myself. The salamanders are one of the strongest races this may not be easy.

"Check what we have here boys." One of them, the leader I assumed, said with a smugness in his voice that made my skin crawl.

"Ok girly," the second one said chuckling, "just go ahead and drop everything you have including your armor and weapons." From that one comment I decided he would die first.

"Maybe we can some fun with her before we leave then what do you think guys?" the third one said with such lust in his voice that my stomach did backflips. That bastard immediately jumped to the top of my kill list.

"Guys do you really think this is fair?" the last one asked, "I mean there are four of us and only one of her." I would give him a chance to live…but the rest would die. While they bickered among themselves I quietly cast two different yet great illusion spells.

"Really? Four Salamander soldiers against one poor Undine girl?" I suddenly appeared up in a tree and at the sound of my voice all four of them turned towards me. "I mean that just doesn't seem fair."

"Yeah, well neither does one Spriggan against four Salamanders!" shouted the leader, "And you don't like the black swordsman to me!"

"No, it's not fair and you're right I'm not him." I replied with.

"But maybe two of me would make it a fair fight." A second me appeared in the tree directly across from the first one and they all turned to look at that one.

"Or perhaps three?" a third me showed up at the foot of yet another tree and again they all looked towards this new development.

"Maybe four would even it out." A fourth me popped up hanging upside down from another tree. They were extremely confused and were constantly looking around at all four of me.

"I hate illusion magic." The leader growled. Right before he could shout out any sort of commands there was a rush of wind followed by a cry of pain. The bastard who I put first on my kill list fell to his knees and dropped both his shield and lance so he could put both arms against his stomach. As he removed his arms from his stomach, he revealed a large gash that went from side to side…in an instant his avatar shattered leaving behind only the fire that is known as his remain light. The remaining three all looked around and saw that none of me had moved from their positions.

"What the h-." The second one on my kill list was cut short by a rush of wind that cut his throat and reduced him to nothing but his remain light. The other two were now frightened, I could tell by the sound of their armor shaking. When they went to look at the multiple me's…the all disappeared. I walked out of the brush from in front of them while dispelling my moonshade lurk (invisibility) spell. Both of my swords were drawn and had the blood of two Salamanders on them.

"You were right," I said directing it towards the leader, "I'm not the black swordsman and I may not be as strong as he his…but I am ten times scarier." Right after I said that the leader charged me head on. I smiled. I could tell he was right handed and was aiming for my right side so to counter I sidestepped calmly to his left and stuck my foot out and tripped him causing him to land face first on the ground. I know it's not very honorable but while he was on the ground I buried both my blades hilt deep into his back causing him to turn into a remain light. I looked at the fourth one and saw him readying himself so with blinding speed I raced over to him and put my right blade underneath his chin and against his neck.

"Your choice," I told him, "you can either leave or you can die." I saw the fear in his eyes he really didn't want to die but he was hesitating for some reason. His eyes darted back and forth between me and the leader's remain light. Now I know why he was hesitating. As soon as the last remain light disappeared he gave me his answer.

"I'll leave," he said with a newly discovered calm in his voice, "I apologize for my friends. They can be idiots sometimes."

"Smart choice," I told him while I pulled my blade away from his throat, "but I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." I thrust my chin towards the girl.

"Fine," he sighed, "I apologize for both my friends and me ma'am we were assholes…I'm sorry. Can I leave now?"

"Yes, yes you can." I told him. He then sprouted his wings and took off most likely back to the Salamander capital. I looked around to see if there was anything else nearby then I went to make sure the girl was ok.

Chapter III

As I walked over to her I could tell that she was frightened and who could blame her? I mean she just watched me slaughter three Salamanders, the supposed strongest race in the game, without them even putting up a fight who wouldn't be terrified? But I knew that I had to make her feel safe so I took off my mask and my hood to show her that I wasn't a terrifying creature.

"I'm so sorry about that," I said trying to make her feel better, "in my opinion they had it coming." I was trying to be that perfect balance of charming and sincere. She had her head buried in her hands but she looked up at me and again I got the feeling that I knew her but I couldn't put my finger on it. I extended my hand and wiped a tear off her face. Now this really bugged me, where do I know her from?

"Its fine I think they did too," she said with a small laugh that showed that she was no longer scared, "I think I was scared because I thought you were about to kill me." I started to laugh very loud.

"I would never do that," I told reassuringly, "I mean not only is that rude and messed up but it also is very dishonorable."

"Really?" she said quizzically, "why would that be?"

"Well you were paralyzed with fear," I explained, "and after you watched me kill all of them you would have no chance of fighting back and there is no honor in a victory won that way." She smiled a chuckled a little bit…this girl was super pretty. I got nervous about the time so I quickly checked it and noticed that I was five minutes late for meeting up with Naomi but I couldn't just leave this girl here by herself but then she said something…

"I was supposed to meet someone around here," she said looking around, "but it seems like he's late…oh well what's your name?" it was her…it was Naomi. I was so happy that she wasn't a Salamander and instead of telling her it's me I decided to have some fun myself.

"I will tell you but on one condition." I told her hoping she would bite.

"Ok what's the condition?" she asked raising an eyebrow. I smirked because this could one of two ways…either very well or… I get slapped.

"Well considering this is a sort of a 'knight saves the princess' type of situation," I started, "I would like to know your name and I would like a kiss." I braced myself for what came next.

"Well I guess you did kinda deserve it, so here you go." she told me right before she kissed on the cheek; I kinda hoped it was going to be on the lips but I'll take what I can get. "And," she said, "My name is Belix it's a combination of the French words, bel and paix which mean beauty and peace."

"That's pretty cool," I said with a big ol' grin on my face, "My name is well…I guess it depends on who you ask to most people I'm known as the lunar knight, thanks to my chestplate and my swords, to the members of my guild I'm known as the Alpha and to my friends…" I paused for suspense, "Valentine is my name." right after I said my name I saw her cover her mouth with both hands out of pure shock. I tried so hard to hold back a laugh but it didn't really work. She slapped me on the arm but I couldn't stop laughing.

"That's not funny!" she told me with an angry expression on her face and her hands on her hip.

"I'm sorry," I said still laughing, "but it kinda is if you look at it from my point of view." I did feel kinda bad just because I scared her so I figured I'd make it up to her, "Hey, I am really sorry," I said wiping away a tear of laughter from my face, "how I buy you a drink to make up for it?"

"That's the least you can do for me," She said crossing her arms, "But first answer a couple questions for me."

"Ok fair enough," I said shrugging, "But can we talk while we walk? I kinda need to pick something up then we were going to go get drinks remember?"

"Sure I guess we can." she replied.

"Sweet, follow me," I told her as I sprouted my wings and started flying towards the north east. She followed me no question but I had to slow down a little bit so she fall too far behind. "So what questions do you have?"

"Ok well first of all," she started, "Why did you say your guild calls you the 'alpha'?"

"Well," I started, "My guild is called the Pack of Fenris. If you don't know your Norse mythology, Fenris is the wolf child of the god of mischief Loki and is supposed to devour Odin at Ragnarok," I looked at her and saw that scared look creep back on her face, "Wait! Don't worry we're not about bringing about Ragnarok, we actually are keeping the chains on Fenris we call ourselves his pack only because it's cool to us. Any ways I'm the guild master but since we call ourselves a pack and not a guild I'm called the alpha like the leader of a wolf pack."

"Oh well that's pretty cool," she said but I could tell there were still questions on her mind, "Just a couple more questions, like the lunar knight really? That's your nickname?"

"I didn't choose it," I sighed, "thanks to the hand guards on my swords and the design on my chestplate." I closed my eyes and looked down.

"Oh my bad," she said kinda chuckling to herself, "One more question…Who's the black swordsman?"

"The black swordsman…you really don't know?" I asked her. She just shook her head 'no'. "Huh, ok then. Well he is a player who is a Spriggan and basically is the strongest player in the game. You know who Eugene is right?" she shook her head 'yes'. "Well he beat Eugene in a one and one duel so I heard. He was actually the one who inspired me to use two weapons at once and trust me it's not that easy."

"Wow," she said with this wide eyed look, "But why did they compare you to him?"

"Well," I started, "I guess it's because we both are Spriggans and use two weapons but from what I hear I use WAY more illusions than he does."

"Oh ok," she said as if my answer satisfied her. Dear lord was she pretty, I mean by now night had fallen in game and the moon light just made her ten times more beautiful…I may be the lunar knight but she should be called the lunar angel with how beautiful she was. "So where exactly are we going?" she said snapping me back to reality.

"Huh what?" I asked feeling slightly embarrassed.

"I asked where are we going?" she said with a slight chuckle in her voice as if my spacing out was cute or something. It kinda made me blush in all honesty.

"Oh I'm taking you to a friend's blacksmith shop in Leprechaun territory." I replied while rubbing the back of my head. I was really failing at my flirt game this time, maybe it's because I knew her in reality but that's the whole point of being Valentine…a brave charming hero who always gets the girl he wants. He is supposed to be the exact opposite of me because in real life if I tried to flirt…I would get laughed out of the room. The next few minutes were spent in awkward silence as we flew but that all ended as soon as we got to my friend's blacksmith shop. It was situated by a lake with a long cobblestone road leading up to it. The whole shop looked like a big E but with a curved back and the whole thing was made of a red brick. The front part just looked like a big cottage but the curve was slightly different because it had three big chimneys, two on the ends and a third one in the middle.

As we started to walk up to the shop, I saw two players walking towards us away from the shop. One was a female Pooka and from what I could tell the other player was her boyfriend from the way she was hanging on him despite the fact that he was a Slyph. He had a spear over his shoulder when I got close enough to look at I could sure tell that he just got that from the shop, I mean it was clean and the tip was a very runic style which is what my friend prefers. Right as we were about to pass them, I heard him start talking.

"This spear is great but that guy seemed a little I don't know…crazy?" he said looking at his girlfriend. She just smiled and nodded her head 'yes'.

"Huh just a little crazy," I muttered to myself, "That must have been their first visit to his shop." I slightly chuckled to myself.

"What's so funny?" Belix asked.

"Oh not much just remembering stuff." I said as we reached the door. I reached for the handle which was in the shape of a bull's head with a ring in its nose. As I grabbed it I hesitated from opening it and gave Belix a piece of advice, "When we first go in there stay behind me and don't make any sudden noises or sudden moves, Got it?"

"Wait, what?" she asked all sorts of confused.

"Did you hear what that guy who passed us said?" I asked her. She replied with a nod that said 'yes'. "Well that's an understatement I mean I've known him for awhile now and I know that he should be declared legally insane."

"Oooookay then." She said with slight skepticism.

"Just trust me on this ok?" I said as I opened the door. Right before I got in the door a long brown object imbedded itself into the door post right in front of me.

"DAMMIT JAVIER!" I heard get yelled from the inside. "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO FIX THE SIGHT IT STILL IS GOING A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT!"

"Wha-wha-what was that?!" Belix asked me frightened.

"That," I answered sighing, "That was one of the best blacksmiths in ALfheim…Kore."

Chapter IV

As we walked in Kore was still yelling about how his crossbow was still firing a little to the right, which I am personally thankful for. Looking around you would think that this was just your average blacksmith shop and, for the most part you'd be right it really is. Minus the fact that if you go into the workshop, which first of all no one is allowed into and second of all was the giant curved part of the shop, you'd find three massive forges all going at temperatures that would make a Salamander sweat. Behind the counter I saw a short Leprechaun standing there flailing his arms about, he was wearing a red long sleeve tunic that had a gray blacksmith's apron over top of it. His paints were the same color as his apron and he had black leather gloves and boots on. His hair was very Einstein-esque gray hair and a scraggly gray beard. His eyes were silver but had this wild, crazed look in them.

"Ummm quick question," Belix said, "Who is Javier? And where is he? I only see the three of us in here?" She asked with a very puzzled look on her face.

"Oh Javier is his well…his assistant." I replied with.

"But where is he?" she asked again.

"Oh you'll see." I said slightly chuckling. Kore turned away and started walking towards a workbench off to the left. Behind the counter was, I kid you not, a watermelon with a face carved out of it.

"I still don't get it," she said even more confused than before, "All I see is a watermelon."

"Yep." I replied.

"Wait so the watermelon is…" she asked very concerned.

"Yep." I replied again.

"And its name is…" she started

"Javier, yes." I finished her final sentence. Her facial expression was a blend of concerned and confused, and well… who could blame her? We walked over to the workbench and she stayed behind me the whole way over there. "Thank Javier for me since he didn't fix the sight." I said directed towards Kore. He stopped working and turned towards me.

"Valentine!" he said with some surprise, "I didn't hear you come in."

"Well obviously not," I said 'as a matter of fact'-ly, "Or else you wouldn't have been trying out the crossbow and almost shoot me in the face."

"Oh well," he shrugged, "your reflexes are fast enough you could've caught it before it hit you." He started to walk over to his over workbench on the right of the counter. "So who's the girl?"

"Oh right I haven't introduced you two," I said kinda embarrassed that I was being somewhat rude about that part. "Her name is Belix, she is an Undine healer."

"Uh, so is she your latest con…" he started but was cut off when I threw one of my swords at him from across the room and it embedded itself into the wall next to him. "Let me guess you want me to sharpen it?" he asked as he pulled it out of the wall, it was quickly replaced by the second one.

"That one too please," I said as he pulled that one out, "so how long do you think it'll take for both?"

"What did you do to these!?" he asked almost angrily. "I mean there at like 25% durability!"

"Well considering that it's been almost a week since I've been in here," I started, "And a little while ago I did just cut four Salamander a-holes to ribbons, their condition isn't a surprise to me but you didn't answer my question."

"What question?" he looked at me quizzically.

"How long will it take to fix those?" I asked again slightly agitated because he always does this. "I'm going hunting soon for some meat for tomorrow."

"Oh right that is tomorrow isn't it…" he mumbled. "Well I think the best thing to do right now is use the other sword I know you still have with you and I'll give these back in perfect condition tomorrow."

"Ugh fine, but don't forget you said you'd go with them in the dungeon ok?" I reminded him.

"Umm excuse me," Belix squeaked, I almost forgot she was there (oops). "But what are you guys talking about?"

"Oh right I didn't tell you," I said pretty shocked with myself. "Tomorrow is the initiation into the guild for new recruits. That reminds me, Kore did you finish the new armor for them?"

"Wait, are you part of the guild?" She asked.

"Of course I am! I'm said one of the founding members!" Kore replied kinda insulted that she asked.

"Kore take it easy she was just a little confused," I said in an attempt to calm him down, "In any case did you finish the armor?"

"Yea I did," he said with a very gruff, "And I finished that special item you ordered…I'm guessing it was for her?"

"Yea and thanks for reminding me." Right after I said that I swiped open my inventory menu. I quickly equipped my spare weapon that I always carry as a backup. It was a long sword that was about four feet long including an eight inch handle wrapped in black leather with a full moon pommel, yet another reason why I'm called the Lunar Knight. The hand guard was that of a silver wolf head facing upward with its mouth opened and a single edged dark silver blade reminiscent of the twin fangs coming out of it…this was the legendary blade Fenrir. The blade was forged from a meteorite that supposedly came from the moon thus the metal was named moonstone. As I held it memories from years ago came flooding back into my head. "Oh hey Belix can I borrow you cutlass real fast?" I quickly asked so I didn't cry.

"Uh sure but why?" she asked as she pulled it from its scabbard and handed it over to me. It was a simple weapon with a curved steel blade and a brown leather wrapped handle with no hand guard.

"You don't have any emotional attachment to this sword right?" I asked as I held it in my left hand testing the weight.

"Umm no it's just a sword I bought at a store why?" she asked getting a little irritated by my lack of an answer.

"You'll see." I replied as I laid the blade flat side down on a table with about half the blade hanging off the table. I raised Fenrir up and brought the blade down on hers with all my strength. Fenrir cut right through like a hot knife through butter…she wasn't very happy with this spectacle. "Now before you freak out…" I started before she cut in.

"WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO THAT!?" she demanded to know while grabbing the collar of my shirt and pulling me closer as if to smack me. All I did to safe myself from being hurt was point over to Kore who was holding a cutlass in his hand. The blade itself was very pirate-esque by being somewhat straight at the bottom then curving at the top. The handle wrapped in a black leather much like my weapons. The hand guard was pretty large covering the whole back of your hand and half of your fingers; it had a wave/oceanic pattern covering the silver hand guard. She let go of me and walked over to Kore, well stomped would probably be a better way to describe how she moved. She picked up the sword and gave it a couple swings to test how good the blade was. I stood there for a couple seconds expecting her to charge me with the blade but she simply put it in its scabbard and put that on her hip. I let out a sigh of relief.

"So now that you have a better weapon how about you come hunting with me?" I asked with some caution.

"Why do you want me to go hunting with you?" she said with her nose in the air.

"Well," I started while rubbing the back of my neck, "I don't necessarily need you there mostly I'll be hunting deer and elk but the area I'm going to an area with a good amount of gnoll hunting parties and in case I have to fight one I'd like to have a healer on my side."

"Hmm well when you put it that way." She said shrugging.

"Awesome!" I said with a little more enthusiasm than necessary. I quickly opened up my menu and invited her into a party. It took her a second to reply but she did agree and I felt instantly happy. "Oh and I'm sorry about breaking your sword it was suppose to just be a joke at the time."

"Oh it's ok I was just surprised." She said loosening up a little bit. We said goodbye to Kore before we left to go hunting.

"Oh Javier...you're the only one who i can understand." I heard Kore say to his watermelon as we left...I had to hold in laughter.

The flight over to where we were going wasn't very long since I knew a short cut. When we got there I quickly cast a moonshade lurk spell on both of us since even the smallest to sights can cause a deer to take off running. However the moment I attacked one the rest would scatter luckily moving fast wasn't an issue with me. I threw back on my hood and my mask quickly before I moved in for the kill. I put one hand up and counted down from three before we struck. Once I put down my last finger we rushed forward and in an instant took down easily four stags before they realized what was going on. They started to scatter but we took down another five before they were gone. However there was one little mistake, Belix started to charge towards a doe but I quickly got between her and it. "What the hell! I had that one!" she said angrily as the doe got away.

"We only kill stags got it?" I said with a seriousness in my voice that only those under my command in the guild have heard. She just nodded her head 'yes' with a meek look on her face. As we stood there looking at how much meat we got from that one hunt I noticed something disturbing. "We're being watched." I said looking around and noticing ten pairs of glowing eyes surrounding us.

"By who or what?" she asked slightly scared.

"Gnolls." I said quietly while cursing to myself that I was so stupid to not notice it before. We were followed here. They ran out as fast as they could and quickly surrounded us. I leveled Fenrir to the one right in front of me. Gnolls are idiotic creatures that like to hunt intelligent creatures only because they scream more, they look like hyenas that stand on their rear legs and wield a hand ax and a shield. Granted somehow these idiots managed to catch me off guard which is NOT something that I'll admit later. The one right in front of me lunged forward and had its head quickly severed in half by Fenrir. Another two rushed me from both sides but I quickly did a circle sweep with my blade and cut them both in half. One managed to get me with its ax from behind but that was a mistake it quickly paid for. The hit had made me snap and I flipped Fenrir around to where I was holding the blade backwards and ran the little shit through. A fifth one hesitated from attacking but it got the same treatment as its friends. I rushed him and cleaved him in half from top to bottom. I took a second to catch my breath then quickly turned around to see Belix surrounded by five of them. "BELIX!"

Chapter V

As soon as I saw that she was surrounded I started to run over to her but wasn't fast enough to stop the first attack. However she was. The gnoll that was right behind her had jumped into the air and was coming right down on top of her but it didn't connect. She side stepped to the right and swung her sword upwards catching the gnoll right in the gut. Then she started chanting a spell that I had never heard before, probably a water spell and it was. All of a sudden water had leapt from the river next to us and into her and in the form of whip which she used with amazing finesse. She wrapped it around a second gnoll and threw him into one of his buddies; they both went into the river. Then she snapped it straight and used it to pierce a fourth one right in the belly. The fifth one was quickly disarmed by her whip and the severed in half by her sword from top to bottom.

"Damn." I said as I stood still just in shock from the amazing spectacle I had just witnessed. I mean I knew she was good but I didn't know that she was that good. As I walked over to her, she let go of the whip thus dispelling it and put her sword back in its scabbard. "So," I started, "How long have you been hiding how good you really are from me?"

"Well I wasn't really hiding it," she said kinda embarrassed, "I just never got the chance to show you how good I am."

"This is true," I said shrugging, "But that only makes me more certain that I want to ask this question."

"What do you mean?" she said very curious.

"Well," I started, "We usually accept people in groups of five into the pack and this latest group is only four. So I was wondering if you'd like to join?"

"Really? You want me to join the pack?" she asked with a little bit of shock in her voice.

"Yea of course," I stated, "Actually that's why I brought you out here, to see how good you really are."

"So this was just a test?" she asked with a little anger in her voice.

"Of course I got all the meat we need for tomorrow yesterday," I said with a slight chuckle in my voice, "If it helps you passed."

"That doesn't really help." She said still a little angry with me.

"Oh well," I said rubbing my neck, "What do you say though; you want to join the pack?"

"Sure but on one condition." She replied.

"Ok what's your condition?" I said while I swiped open my menu so I could send a message to Kore telling him to make her a pair of pauldrons.

"You buy me lunch tomorrow IRL." She said with a smile on her face that made it impossible to say no.

"You want to go on a date with me?" I said with all my real life nervousness coming through.

"Of course I do dummy," she said laughing to herself, "I mean I know Valentine and now I want to know you I want to know Thomas O'Conner."

"Uh ok then," I said pretty embarrassed now, "There's this nice little café by where I'm staying for the winter in Tokyo."

"That's awesome I'm also in Tokyo!" she said super excited, "Do you have a phone?"

"Uh yea." I said still not over how much of a surprise this was.

"Here let me message you my number and you can text me the address of that café." She said while swiping open her menu. First she friended me then sent me a message with her number.

"Ok awesome," I said checking the time it was about 9:55, "Hey let's get to a town I have to log out my stepmom will be home soon and she's bringing dinner back."

"Ok." She said with this adorable smile on her face that just made me melt. We quickly flew to a town in neutral territory mostly because my house was all the way in Spriggan territory. We checked into an inn, said good night and logged off.

As I blinked my eyes open everything came into focus. I took off my amusphere rig and sat up on my bed rubbing my eyes. After a few minutes of just sitting there I realized what just happened…A girl asked me out on a date. I was so happy that I started dancing right there in my room but stopped when I heard the door open.

"Hello? Thomas?" my stepmom called from the living room.

"I'm in my room." I replied as I pulled out my phone. I quickly put Naomi in my phone as a new contact and shot her a text with the address of the little café I found earlier. I went out to find my stepmom with some food, we ate dinner I told what I did that day and about Naomi and how I had a date the next day.

"That's nice." She said while checking her phone. Why did I expect her to pay attention but oh well I didn't really care I was just too excited by tomorrow. After dinner I cleaned up and then went back to my room took off my shirt and changed into my gym shorts so I could go to sleep. As I laid there in bed all I could think about was my date tomorrow. Though soon sleep caught up to me and I fell asleep.

(December 30th 2025)

I woke up to my stepmom banging on my door to see if I was awake.

"Thomas you awake yet?" She asked politely not that she cared about politeness because if she did she would've only knocked at a reasonable volume.

"I am now." I mumbled from my pillow but luckily she heard me.

"Ok well," she started, "I'm going to work and I won't be home till late tonight like 11 or midnight so get yourself something to eat for dinner. I left some more money on the counter for your date I'll see you tonight try not to burn the place down." I then heard her walk out the door. I was awake but it took me like another five to ten minutes to get up. I went through my normal routine like I do everyday including taking a shower and drinking a cup of coffee to make sure that I was actually awake. As I ate breakfast I turned on some AC/DC to listen to. I looked at the time and noticed it actually took me like two hours to get out of bed since my stepmom left at eight in the morning and it was now ten. I just shrugged it off and kept eating. Then I realized something. I couldn't believe that I had forgotten about my date with Naomi today. I knew that I still had about two hours before we were supposed to meet up but I was still super excited and nervous at the exact same time. I was so nervous that I started getting ready right then.

"Aw crap now which shirt?" I asked myself right when Shoot to Thrill started playing. It took me a good hour to decide what I was going to wear. I ended up deciding on a white v-neck with a black vest, blue jeans and my favorite red high tops. I then took off to the café and got there about 30 minutes early so I got us a good table. I got some dirty looks from the other customers because I was tapping my foot constantly out of nervousness but then she walked in. She was wearing a black skirt that came down to her knew and a blue t-shirt with a black cardigan over it. Her black hair came down to her shoulders like a waterfall made of the night sky and her green eyes shone like the purest of emeralds. She was built not like a supermodel but perfectly not being overweight but not super skinny…she was just so beautiful.

"Um hi Naomi." I said while standing up so I could pull out a chair for her. She sat down and just smiled at me. That smile…I know I've only known Naomi for like two days but I felt like I've seen that smile somewhere else.

"Hi Thomas how are you today?" she asked with a smile on her face that made every nerve I had just disappear and instantly calmed me.

"I'm doing pretty well just like you know super nervous," I said with a slight chuckle in my voice, "How about you? How are you Naomi?"

"The same," she said still smiling, "You know I woke up at like eight this morning and it took me like two hours to decide what to wear."

"Wow," I said with a slight laugh thrown in to try to break the tension, "If it's any consolation you look great."

"Thanks," she said slightly blushing. She quickly picked up a menu to try to hide it. "So um what's good here?"

"Umm I'm not sure what's good food wise but I know their coffee is pretty bomb." I said glancing at my menu. She decided to get a BLT and I decided to get steak sandwich. We talked for awhile before our food got there and we learned a lot about each other; like I learned that her sister died awhile back and she learned that I have two older brothers both who live in the States. For the whole time we were there I didn't even think of ALO at all until she brought it up.

"So about the recruit induction or whatever tonight," she started as she covered the crumbs of her BLT with a napkin. "Like when is it? I also heard you talk about a dungeon crawl?"

"What? Oh yea!" I remembered as I finished off my steak sandwich. "Umm you need to meet Kore and the other recruits at the dungeon that'll be your final test to see how well you work in a party I'll give you the details of where in game and you guys need to meet there at five or six this afternoon, from there you'll be lead right into the initiation ceremony."

"Ok but who are the other recruits?" she asked with good reason to.

"Well there are four others," I started trying to remember them right then, "Two of them are brothers, their names are Tyrin and Tywin they're Gnomes who have a mace and shield both operate as tanks. Then there is Flutty, she is a Cat Sith beast tamer with bow and her pet is a small faerie dragon by the name of Squizard. Finally you'll be partnered with an Imp named Sylan he is an expert at dark magic and is equipped with a scimitar."

"Oh ok have they worked together before?" she inquired.

"Only the brothers." I replied while sipping my coffee.

"Ok well I guess I'll see you tonight." She said while getting up.

"Oh ok well talk to you later than." I said smiling yet slightly disappointed but you know what…I was excited to her in ALO again.

Chapter VI

Man was I on top of the world! I mean this amazing girl not only plays the game I love but went out with me and is now joining my guild. As I was flying over neutral territory I let out a shout of pure happiness, yes I was back in ALO. As I was flying I ended up hitting my altitude limit and ended up falling towards the ground, but I didn't care I was way too happy. Eventually I got a message from Kore telling me that my swords were repaired. I quickly caught myself from falling and hitting the ground and took off towards his shop. Luckily I wasn't that far away and when I got there I just flew right in.

"How's my favorite blacksmith?" I asked as I landed right next to him which startled him to the point of swinging his ax at me.

"What the hell Valentine?!" he said catching his breath, "You know I hate it when you sneak up on me like that!"

"Aw come on Kore," I said chuckling, "Forge yourself a sense of humor you psycho." I said as I patted him on the back.

"Well…maybe you should…Shut up!" he said failing at a good comeback. I started laughing hysterically which fortunately helped him loosen up a little bit. He returned my swords, I thanked him for that and patted him on the back right before I left.

"Oh yea," I said remembering something important, "Don't forget the dungeon crawl your taking the recruits on later at 6 o'clock."

"Yea yea yea, I didn't forget." He replied with a slight hesitation stating that he did in fact forget.

"Right after you clear it take them straight to the hall got it?" I inquired just to make sure that he knew. He nodded his head 'yes' I said good bye and left towards Spriggan territory but I saw something interesting on my way there: a group of seven fairies all flying towards Yggdrasil City. I don't know why I was so intrigued by this, but I started to follow them. I hugged the tree tops and stayed a little behind them so I wouldn't be noticed I also had put my hood and mask on. I couldn't really make out what races they were but only two of them were the same race I could tell that much. As they neared the city I slowed down even more and dove under the tops of the trees and watched them from behind a bush. As they landed I was able to make out the races: a Spriggan, a Leprechaun, a Sylph, an Undine, a Salamander and a Cat Sith.

"Wait," I told myself, "where is the seventh one?" Right in that moment I heard someone start coming up behind me I could tell that they were trying to remain stealthy but it wasn't fooling me. "You may as well just stop trying," I said stopping whoever it was right in their tracks, "Obviously you're very sneaky I mean you almost snuck up on me but you made the mistake of not watching where you stepped…you snapped a twig," I heard mumbling coming from whoever was behind me basically cursing themselves for being so stupid, "So who are you?" for the next few seconds there was only silence then they replied,

"Turn around first," they said in a very calm voice that obviously belonged to a girl, before she said anything else I heard the string on a bow get pulled back "Turn around or get an arrow in the back of your head." From her tone I could tell that she wasn't bluffing so I turned around but I didn't stay still I rushed towards her and put one of my blades under her chin before she could let her arrow fly.

"Well I turned around," I said with a smirk that she couldn't see with my mask on, "Now put down the bow or lose your throat." She put her arrow back in its quiver and lowered her bow. Right when she did this I put my blade away and stood up from the crouching position I was in and helped her up from hers.

"Fine," she sighed, "I guess I need to tell you my name its Sinon, what's yours?" I looked her up and down, she was a Cat Sith with blue hair and a green coat with a white chestplate, I figured I could trust her.

"Valentine," I said as I pulled back my hood and down my mask, "So what's with your group?"

"Why do you want to know?"She asked as a response to my question.

"Well," I started, "You were in a group of six different fairies minus the other Cat Sith. Obviously the seven of you aren't in a guild together since you don't have a guild symbol above your health bar. So tell me what's the deal with your group?"

"Hm you're pretty smart," this girl named Sinon noticed, "Well if you really must know we're just friends who all like to hang out and play together." I studied her for a couple seconds and then I decided that she was telling the truth and that she was really pretty but she seemed like if I tried to flirt with her right now she would shoot me with her bow.

"Fair enough," I said shrugging, "Well I should be going." I started to walk past her but she grabbed my arm and pulled me back with such force that we ended up with our faces two inches apart and I felt this instant connection and from her expression…she did too.

"Umm wait," she said backing up while trying to hide the fact that she was blushing, "How about you come meet my friends." I was caught a bit off guard by this but I'll never say no to a pretty girl which may be my downfall.

"Uh sure." I felt this tightness in my chest that I haven't felt for a long time not since…Ruby. We walked down to the city together in awkward silence after a while we came to this small little blacksmith shop.

"Hey guys." Sinon said as she opened the door. When the door was fully opened I saw everyone in there and they all looked like good friends. They were all standing around a table eating and drinking, I was right about the races earlier and I was glad I was…I mean there was another Spriggan here.

"Hey Sinon where'd you go and who's your new friend?" Said the Spriggan as he turned around once I saw his face I knew…I had to get out of there.

"Remember how I said I felt like we were being followed?" Sinon started, "Well it turns out we were by this guy his name is Valentine," she then gestured to me, "Valentine let me introduce you to everyone: the Spriggan is Kirito, the Sylph is his sister Leafa, the other Cat Sith is Silica and her pet is called Pina, the Leprechaun over there is Lisbeth, the blue haired Undine is Asuna and the scruffy looking Salamander is Klein." She said gesturing to each on as she introduced them. I recognized all of them except for Leafa.

"Hi everyone," I said kinda embarrassed, and right when I said that Asuna spun on a dime and look at me with an expression that made it seem like she saw a ghost. It shocked literally everyone including me but I figured I'd have some fun with this. "Wow no offense ma'am but you moved like a flash of lightning."After that comment I felt the tension increase by tenfold. Everyone just stood there for a minute not saying a single word, "well obviously I've made things awkward so I should be going." I said as I turned to leave but right as I turned towards the door Kirito was in front of me blocking the door.

"You're not going anywhere," he said with a stern expression on his face, "Not until you give us some answers."

"Look I didn't mean to make things awkward but please move." I said trying to be polite.

"No." he replied.

"Look either move or I'll remove you." I said trying to be threatening.

"No." he replied once more. Immediately after his response I reached for my sword on my right side but I felt someone come and take both my blades from me. I turned around to see Sinon holding both my swords close to her chest in order to keep them from me.

"Hmm fine." I said slightly irritated. I swiped open my inventory menu and equipped Fenrir and pointed it right at Kirito's chest. Off to my right I heard Lisbeth gasp after seeing my sword. I stood there for like two or three minutes before I sighed and lowered Fenrir cause realized I'm not getting out of this anytime soon. "What do you want to know?"

"First of all," Kirito started, "Who are you really and how do you know Asuna's nickname and why did Liz freak out when you drew your sword?"

"Well," I started, "My name is and was Valentine and I have always been the alpha of the pack of Fenris even before I played ALO. I'll tell you right now even though I love suspense…I am an SAO survivor. And Liz freaked out because she forged the original version of this blade which is known as Fenrir. Asuna recognized me because well…that's a long story." As I spoke I walked over to Sinon and gestured for my swords, she hesitated but she did give them back. I sat down before I continued, "My guild, The Pack of Fenris, was present in SAO but before floor 70 they were wiped out by Laughing Coffin." At this point I started to tear up, I felt a hand grab my shoulder and when I looked up I saw Sinon standing beside me. I don't know why but that made me feel better. "In game I was actually married to this girl, her name was Ruby, she was actually the second in command for the pack I guess you could call her the beta. When I found her after reading a note that was left at the guild hall by a member of Laughing Coffin named X, I got a poisoned dart thrown into my shoulder and became paralyzed. I had to sit there as he stabbed her through the stomach with his dagger. His words have etched themselves into my brain 'Are you scared?' and in that one moment I was because I watched her die when I could've saved her if I wasn't paralyzed. I then went to Heathcliff demanding the Knights of the Blood Oath help hunt them down. He told me of a plan already in action and I could accompany them on their crusade on one condition…I join the knights. I had no choice but to join." I turned to Asuna, "Asuna you were the one person I respected in that guild. When we went to the base of Laughing Coffin I saw him…I saw X and I was filled with so much rage that I snapped I killed him out of pure rage I remember I looked him in the eyes and asked him the one question he asked me… 'Are you scared?' I was also there on floor 75 when you beat Heatcliff Kirito."

"Yui," Kirito said, I looked around and didn't anyone else in the room besides all of us already, "Is he telling the truth?" then all of a sudden from his shirt pocket came a little, and by little I mean like the size of my palm, girl dressed in pink with black hair.

"Yes he is daddy," the tiny girl whose name is apparently Yui, "I recognize his player data from SAO, and I remember all the big emotional changes he is talking about."

"So I'm guessing that's more than just a navigation pixie?" I asked while looking back at the ground.

"Yea it's a long story," Kirito replied "But out of curiosity why did you decide to reform the pack and why are you dual wielding when you have a legendary weapon?"

"Well," I sighed, "I figured restoring the guild would be a good way to honor the fallen members and I guess I use dual weapons because you inspired me Kirito."

"Bullshit." I hear Klein say from behind me. Everyone in the room turned to face him.

"What did you say?" I said while standing up with my fists clenched at my sides.

"I said bullshit," Klein repeated, "If you truly wanted to honor them you'd let them rest and forgive yourself. That's why you reformed the guild you feel like you're responsible for their deaths," Klein was really starting to piss me off, "And I think you decided to not use your sword for the sole purpose of hiding from who you really are." Then he drew his katana, "I challenge you to a duel but on one condition…you have to use your sword Fenrir."

"Fine," I said as I drew Fenrir, "I'll prove I'm not hiding from who I really am." All of us walk outside and as soon as we do, Klein and I face each other. He swipes open his menu and challenges me to a one-hit duel. I accept. As the countdown started he just held his blade with both hands in front of him. I held Fenrir in my right hand down by my left hip with my left hand resting on the flat of the blade. I don't know why what Klein said to me was getting on my nerves…was it because he's right? No he's not right he was just trying to get into my head and weaken my resolve but…why don't I use Fenrir more? I mean if I'm not hiding from who I am why am I not embracing it? I remember that the only thing I loved more than my sword was Ruby. That's when I realized it…I actually was running away from who I was. In this new world no one knew me so I recreated myself but as an entirely different person not as me. Right in the middle of my self-discovery I heard the duel horn go off and I looked up to see Klein charging me. I smiled and rushed him for a minute straight we were exchanging and blocking each other's hits not a single person getting the advantage. With all my might I pushed him back and jumped back myself.

"Hmm for someone who's trying not be himself you're pretty strong." Klein goaded me with. I smiled.

"I'm no longer hiding Klein," I said with a smile on my face, "I am who I am. I'm Valentine: alpha of the pack, a member of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and this is my sword Fenrir and it is an extension of my own will."

"Finally you accepted it." Klein said right before he rushed me. I smiled and charged right at him. He was going for an overhead swing and left his sides wide open, so I sidestepped to the left and swung Fenrir in a horizontal arc. I twisted as I caught him right in the side and sent him forwards and personally slide backwards with my right arm straightened with Fenrir pointing behind me and my left hand's fingers dragging across the ground. I stood up from my crouching position and looked at Fenrir.

"Thank you old friend." I whispered to my sword. I looked up and saw Klein laying face down on the ground so I went over to him and helped him up. "Thank you Klein."

"For what? Getting my ass kicked?" he asked while rubbing his back right where I hit him.

"For being such an a-hole that you made me see clearly and realize I was kidding myself with who I am," I said very 'as a matter of fact'-ly. "I finally realized I need to bury past and move on but not forget what made me…me."

"Well I'm glad I could help." He said with a note of embarrassment because I just kicked his ass with no problem. We all laughed and I friended everybody in ALO and even gave Kirito, Klein and Sinon my number. Right after I friended them I got a message from Kore that read:

'Come to the dungeon NOW! We have a big problem'

Chapter VII

I quickly went to the dungeon we use to test our recruits strength. On my way there I got another message from Kore saying head straight for the boss room. When I got there I had to stop flying and start running since the dungeon is underground. As I started running a few of the monsters they had already killed were coming back to life so I had to cut my way through mostly goblins which was usual for this dungeon. It took me easily four minutes to get to the boss room and right outside were the recruits and Kore.

"What took you so long?" Kore demanded to know as he tried to get up from the sitting position he was in, "Javier was getting worried!" he shouted while shoving his watermelon in my face.

"Sorry I was in Yggdrasil City," I explained as I looked around and saw everyone still alive. I saw two Gnomes sitting back to back both were wearing brown plate armor with a matching shield and a heavy mace however they were wearing opposite shoulder pads, these were Tyrin and Tywin. Over by Kore was a small girl dressed in a dark purple cropped jacket with almost black colored armor under it with the same color greaves she had short blonde hair with two cat ears poking out from the top of her hair and a small pink and blue dragon at her side this was Flutty and her pet Squizard. Making sure everyone was ok was Belix who I was glad to see alive but at the same time felt guilty because I felt something when I was near Sinon earlier. Finally right in front of the door was and Imp with dark purple armor without shoulders or gauntlets yet he did have greaves and a purple leather wrap around his waist that came down past his knees and his name was Sylan. All of them looked like they were exhausted. "What happened?" I asked Kore.

"I don't know how," he started while he caught his breath, "but the boss is different."

"What do you mean different?" I asked being utterly confused.

"I mean it's no longer a land drake." He said with a scared look on his face. At first I was slightly angry because I thought he was being a freaking idiot but I had to see what he meant so I waited for them all to regain their health and mana before I had them add me to the party and once everyone was ready I opened the door to the boss room.

"I can't see," Turned out to be the collective opinion of everyone in the group minus me and Sylan who actually flew up a little bit due to being the only one of us who could fly underground. I have night vision but couldn't see that far in the cave there was something unnatural about this darkness. I was doing a quick survey of the room when my eyes fell on Flutty and I saw her ears twitching and she was looking around scared.

"So wha—." Kore went to ask but was stopped by me shushing him and putting one finger up. I could tell that slightly irritated him but I couldn't pay attention to him right then. I focused my ears and started to hear a hissing that sounded more reptilian than that of a land drake.

"Unnatural darkness…hissing…reptile." I started to gather my thoughts. Once I came up with what I thought it could be I became instantly terrified but I didn't show it. "Ok, here's the plan," I started, "Flutty stay back as soon as I dispel this darkness fire as many arrows as you can into this thing. Tyrin, Tywin I need both of you up front tanking and getting this things attention. Sylan you know more than just dark magic spells right?"

"Yea why?" he replied to my question which I will admit was a little weird.

"If I'm right on what this thing is it'll be immune to dark magic," I explained, "hit it with anything but dark magic. Belix buff the brothers and stay back and heal us until I say otherwise. Kore you go right around the brothers I'll go left. Everyone understand the plan?" I heard a collective 'yes' from everyone except for Kore.

"We're going to die." Kore said with such a monotone voice.

"You can't die," I said trying to break the tension, "What would happen to poor Javier?"

"You're right," Kore sighed, "he is the best assistant I've ever had…he doesn't talk back." I had to hold in my laughter due to that last statement. I chanted the first high level spell I ever learned called dispel. As soon as the darkness disappeared we saw the creature that had created it.

"Damn I hate it when I'm right," I whispered to myself. This creature was easily 5 meters long with purple scales down its whole body including its eight legs, four on each side. Its massive jaw had fangs protruding from the bottom and it had sickly green eyes that almost made me vomit. "No one look it in the eyes! Attack!" I shouted as loud as I could. At first the plan went off without a hitch with the brothers taking all the agro, me and Kore getting in close and nailing it from the sides as many times as we could and with Sylan and Flutty providing amazing support with spells and arrows and Belix kept us all from dying I know we were going to win.

"Well this is easy." I heard Sylan say from up above us right as we decreased its health down to half. Not a second after he said that I noticed a green gas start coming out of this thing's mouth. I silently cursed him for his remark.

"Quick everyone get back!" I ordered. I saw the brothers turn and run as fast as they could. I looked towards Kore who turned back to go save Javier. I got a burst of speed and threw him (while he was holding Javier) over my shoulder and ran up the cave wall in an arc towards the group. I threw him towards the brothers and yelled catch. I then jumped off the wall and thought to myself…now who's going to catch me. Right at that moment I felt someone put their arms right under mine and stop my fall.

"So umm you ok?" Sylan asked as he descended holding me in his arms.

"Yea I am," I replied, "thanks for the assist." Right when Sylan and I landed, I smacked him upside the head. "Why in God's name would you say that?!"

"What is that stuff?" Flutty asked. I looked towards the beast still a little upset at Sylan and saw the fumes spreading all around it, the smell was that of rotten eggs that were left out in the sun.

"It's a poisonous gas," I said silently cursing to myself for not seeing this coming. I was trying to think of a way to get past this as fast as I could, then… I realized it's a gas. "Hey Sylan do you know any fire spells? Even low level ones could work."

"Uh Yea why?" he asked very quizzically while rubbing his head right where I smacked him.

"Trust me on this," I said hoping they would, "cast a fire spell right at the gas and everyone else…turn around and Kore put Javier away." Everyone did as I said, including Kore thankfully, and Sylan sighed as he cast a fireball right at the gas. Right after he did that, a massive explosion happened behind us. I turned around and smiled when I noticed its health was down to a quarter. I smiled because my idiotic plan had worked. "Hit it with everything you got right now!" I shouted. The brothers took off first; they both activated a fire skill on their maces and just went to town on its face. Kore came up from the right side with his ax encased in stone and brought it down on this thing's eye. Flutty sprinted up the wall behind her and let five ice arrows fly right into its back.

Belix was a blur of movement on its left side constantly stabbing it with a blade that wrapped with lightning. Sylan went vertical to catch Flutty and cast more spell at it. I rushed it much like I did Klein earlier that day but as I moved my left hand down the blade of Fenrir, as I did I activated a divine skill and the blade became shrouded in a white light. I leapt in the air when I was three meters away from its jaw; I landed right on its head. I flipped Fenrir around to where I was holding it backwards and then I put my left hand on the pommel and brought the blade down into this creature's skull. "For Fenris!" I shouted as my blade went in like a hot knife through butter. I twisted the blade as I watched its health deplete to zero. Right when it died I jumped to the ground and luckily landed on my feet.

"So now that we killed it," Flutty started, "what was that thing?"

"Wow you're an inquisitive one aren't you?" I said slightly chucking. "Well it was a monster known as a basilisk."

"WHAT?!" Kore shouted, "You mean you let us fight a freaking basilisk?!"

"Yea," I replied, "but hey I had it under control."

"So you mean you knew that fire tactic would work?" Sylan asked with his arms crossed.

"Well no," I admitted while rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment, "I was playing a hunch."

"You're more insane than me," Kore said as he burst into laughter, "And my assistant is a freaking watermelon!" we all had a good laugh at that and then we all went to leave the dungeon. "Wait a second, how did a basilisk even get in there?"

"I think in leveled dungeons the boss may change if you're too high of a level." I replied with the best reason I could come up with.

"Also where are the mask and the dual blades?" He inquired, after noticing that I only used Fenrir in that fight.

"The mask is gone because I'm done hiding," I explained, "And the blades you'll see later at the initiation of the recruits." He just looked at me weird but didn't question it any further.

"Umm excuse me," Flutty said kinda shyly, "but um what are we to expect at the ceremony tonight?"

"Nothing too crazy," I revealed, "Just me making a speech and a toast to all of you plus that's where you going to receive your new armor."

"Ok so we're not going to drink wolf blood?" she questioned. I burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry about laughing but not unless you want to," I stated, "we are not a cult; we are a family and when you're welcomed in you can't leave, well not easily." That answer seemed to settle her down some no matter how mob-esque it sounded. "Ok," I said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Let's go back to the guild hall."

Chapter VIII

After we left the dungeon, we headed straight to the guild hall also known as the wolves' den. It was a small castle with two stone wolves standing guard on either side of the main door which was a heavy wooden door made out of a dark wood. Right when you walk in there is a large lobby with three staircases two that lead upwards and one downwards into the dining hall. The downwards staircase came onto a landing with two staircases from either side leading down to the floor of the dining hall. The dining hall itself was massive, the largest single room in the castle. Right in the center was a large stone wolf that was sitting with its front paws extended and holding itself up. On either side of the wolf there were two very long wooden tables that each were filled with plates and goblets and people. As we walked in I told the initiates to go sit at the tables. In the back of the room there was a large platform with a stone table atop it. Behind that was a large throne like chair with two smaller ones on either side with a shield bearing a Celtic stylized wolf howling at a moon hanging on the wall.

"Well this will be an initiation to remember." I said just loud enough for Kore to hear and he just looked at me with a confused expression. As me and him got up to the platform we jumped up onto it I walked right to the middle chair and noticed the one to my left was empty.

"Huh so it looks like Manny won't be joining us today." Kore stated with unfortunate certainty.

"Looks like it." I agreed with him on that. This wasn't unusual but it was bothersome. Kore just gave me a very longing and puppy dog eyed look and then looked back at the seat that belonged to the guild's third in command. "Go ahead." I sighed. He walked over and pulled Javier out of his inventory and placed it in the chair. I just sighed at his fondness for a freaking fruit. First I equipped the twin fangs and then I reached for my goblet. "Excuse me everyone." I said yet no one seemed to hear me. So I decided to do something that I knew would work. I set down my goblet cleared my throat and then I howled as loud as I could as soon as I did everyone looked at me.

"Was that really necessary?" Kore asked me as he covered his ears. I just shook my head 'yes'.

"Thank you for your attention," I started with, "Now unfortunately our third in command is not here but hey when is he?" I shrugged after that attempt of a joke. "In all seriousness though tonight we welcome five new recruits into the fold of the pack." I then gestured for Kore to rise and he starts to walk off the platform and to the brothers. "First we have Tyrin and Tywin, they are brothers both in game and in real life. They have promised to uphold the values of the pack by giving their shields to the guild now Kore will bestow upon them the pauldrons of the wolf." right then Kore pulled two sets of pauldrons both bearing the visage of the wolf and placed it on their shoulders after they had stood up. "Next we have the Cat Sith archer and beast tamer Flutty with her partner Squizard." Kore had now walked over to her she stood up kinda nervously. "She has promised to hunt for the pack and with the aid of her beast that will not be a problem for her." Kore then gave her a pair of pauldrons. "Now we have the Imp mage by the name of Sylan," Sylan stood up looking all proud of himself. "He has devoted his spells for the pack and hopefully his pride doesn't get in the way." That got a laugh from everyone but him as Kore placed the pauldrons on his shoulders. I then took a second to breathe before what I had to say next. "Now this is where things get a little more intense than before." Everyone started looking around and mumbling to themselves on what I was going to say. "Will Belix please come up here." She started to walk up but was super nervous looking.

"What the hell is going on?" she whispered to me as she walked up next to me.

"Don't worry," I started "Everyone listen I have a big announcement to make…I'm stepping down as the guild alpha." Immediately everyone started whispering and causing a small uproar. I raised my hand to quiet them all. "This here is Belix, she is an Undine healer who I trust and she will taking over as your temporary guild leader. I may return one day once I've faced my ghosts, but for now." I first removed the twin fangs from their scabbards and placed them behind the shield that was on the wall behind me. Then I removed my pauldrons and placed them on Belix's shoulders who couldn't believe what was happening right now. "Tonight we celebrate not because of me stepping down but because of our five new members. Remember the strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack. So hunt well." Right then everyone in the hall let out a loud howl all at once.

"What was that about?" Kore came up and demanded to know after the party had really started after my speech.

"Everything I had to say I said in my speech," I explained, "But don't worry I still want you to do maintenance on my gear and I'll still be around just not as part of the guild for awhile."After I spoke to Kore I went up to the roof and just stood there for awhile watching the moon rise. "I know you're there and I bet you have some questions." I said which probably caught Belix off guard since she thought she was sneaking up on me. "And just as an f-y-i don't try to sneak up on me…it won't work."

"Just one," she stated ignoring my advice, "Why me?"

"That's the only one that matters isn't it?" I said chuckling at myself just a little bit, "Well first of all you didn't come to us to join the guild I came to you, and most importantly you're humble you know how to respect power and well I trust you." She walked up to me and stood right next to me and grabbed my hand. I don't know why but I was having massive déjà vu at that moment not as in I remembered something but I got a feeling like I've been here with her before.

"I wish my sister could've been here," she said with longing in her voice, "She would've liked you."

"You talk as if she isn't alive." I noticed.

"That's because she isn't," she told me, "she died in July of 2024. You would've loved to meet her she was so big into VRMMO's." right after she said that I got this super eerie feeling and I had to ask one question to make sure.

"Your sister," I started, "What was her name?"

"Well to all her friends she went by the nickname Ruby thanks to the necklace she always wore." She explained to me. Immediately I felt pain and sadness and guilt, so much so that I let go of Belix's hand. "What's wrong Valentine?"

"Naomi," I said with a grim tone, "Did she die while playing Sword Art Online?"

"Y-yes." She said stuttering but obviously confused.

"I'm so sorry Naomi," I said on the brink of tears, "I knew your sister…you see I am an SAO survivor. In that death game I formed the pack, that's what I meant by my ghosts, but in July of 2024 a murder guild by the name of Laughing Coffin had killed them all but two…me and you sister. She and I were married in game and I would've died for her. Near the end of July I got a message from someone who I didn't know to meet them in a forest. When I got there I was greeted with a dagger thrown into my shoulder that was poisoned and paralyzed me. I then had to watch as a member of Laughing Coffin by the name of X run her through with his short sword. He left it in her so I could watch her die after he left." I couldn't hold it in anymore I started to burst into tears.

"Valentine…" Belix said with a choke in her throat I could tell that she was reaching for my hand but stopped.

"I'm sorry," I said with tears streaming down my face, "I can't be with you, it's only fair because if I am every time I look at you I'll see her. I'm sorry." Right after that I took off towards Yggdrasil City on my way there I send a message to Sinon to meet me outside of Lisbeth's shop. When I got there she was standing in the moonlight with a smile on her face that somehow eased the pain I was feeling right then.

"Hey…What's wrong?" Sinon asked right as I landed no doubt she saw that I had been crying.

"It's a long story." I then proceeded to tell her everything about how I thought I found someone to help me move on past Ruby who then turned out to be her sister and how I left the pack for the time being.

"Valentine I'm so sorry." Sinon said trying to make me feel better but it didn't really work.

"It's fine," I lied, "I guess everyone gets one shot at love and I blew mine. I fell in love with someone and then I let them die. I then swore off love until I found someone else who turned out to be their sister. I even started to feel something for you Sinon but I don't think that you felt it too. So I guess I just don't deserve love anymore." Right after I said that I saw her expression go from pity to surprise. "I'm sorry I just met you I shouldn't be putting all my problems on you…I'll be going now." I turned to leave so I could find an inn to sign out in.

"Wait." Sinon said right as she grabbed my hand and stopped me from leaving. I turned to face her and instantly I felt the same thing I felt when I first met her. Right then she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. I was caught off guard and was instantly assaulted by a barrage of emotions. I felt confused yet happy, nervous yet excited but overall I felt pure joy. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close. I don't know how long we stood there but I didn't care I was happy again for once in my life after I left that God forsaken death game I felt happy again. She pulled away and started running her fingers through my hair. "Yes you do, everyone deserves love. Especially when your name is that of the holiday of love." She said with a slight chuckle in her voice.

"Maybe you're right," I said with a smile on my face but there was one thing I had to do first. "But first I need to face my final ghost and when I do will you go on a date with me IRL?"

"Of course dumbass." She said while laughing. We kissed again and right when we did I heard a coughing come from our left by Lisbeth's shop. We both turned to see Klein standing by the door making kissing noises.

"Sinon and Valentine sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g." he teased. Sinon and I let go of each other and she started to reach for her bow. Right as she did Klein dived back into the shop and started yelling for help. "KIRITO HIDE ME!"

"WHAT WHY!?" Kirito replied to his request.

"SINON IS GOING TO KILL ME!" Klein shouted. We just started laughing at Klein's stupidity.

"Well," I said taking a break from laughing, "I have to get some dinner see you tomorrow?"

"Of course." She replied kissing me one more time before I left. I was on top of the world both in game and IRL. I signed out right there I didn't even go to an inn because I wanted to spend as little time as possible away from Sinon.

Chapter IX

I woke up with a big smile on my face. At first I was on top of the world, I mean why wouldn't I be? I found someone who had the same feelings for me that I had for them. After a few minutes of thinking that way I started to feel a little guilty because of what I did to Naomi but there was only one way to solve it. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Naomi to meet me behind the guild hall tomorrow at noon. I then went ahead and made myself some dinner watched some T.V and then I took of my shirt and went to bed. Before I fell asleep I got a text from an unknown number.

"Hey Valentine, this is Kazuto or Kirito if you'd prefer." The text read. Once I figured out who it was I saved the number.

"Oh hey Kirito and btw my name IRL is Thomas." I replied to the text.

"Oh ok," the next text from him started out with, "We were all going to meet up tomorrow and hang out until the new year you want to join?" I couldn't believe it this guy who I barely knew wanted to hang out with me. I never spoke to him in SAO but he always seemed like a cool guy.

"Sure man but I have something I need to do in ALO first." I replied.

"Ok cool and hey do you need any help with whatever you're doing?" he replied.

"Not really but if you guys want to come watch I'd be cool with that." I responded with.

"Ok what time?" he asked.

"Around noon." I answered. I didn't find out if he replied because right after I sent that text I fell asleep.

(December 31st 2025)

When I woke up the next morning I saw that I had three new texts. One was just Kirito replying 'ok' to the text I sent right before I fell asleep. Another one was from Naomi agreeing to meet up with me at noon. The third one was from an unknown number.

"Hey ;)," it started out with, "Its Shino or how you'd know me Sinon."

"Oh! Hey," I started the reply with, "What's up? And btw my real name is Thomas." After I sent that text I went to go take a shower and brush my teeth. Once I was finished with that I went to go make myself a cup of coffee, the whole time (minus the shower) I was texting Sinon. When I went to make some coffee I saw a note on the cupboard that read 'out of coffee sorry' no doubt that my stepmom left it but oh well. I went and changed into some clothes that weren't worn to bed. I left my house wearing a dark red thermal long sleeve, a pair of blue jeans and my red high tops plus my dark purple beanie. My first stop was at the little café by the apartment where I picked up a cappuccino to go. Next I went to the supermarket to get some coffee for the house. While I was there I picked up some things for myself including some soda and more junk food.

"You throwing a party?" the cashier asked me as I checked out.

"Naw man just needing fuel before I start hardcore gaming." I told him.

"Cool." He replied slightly chuckling at me. I left and went straight back home and put all the groceries away while listening to some AC/DC. At around 11 o'clock my stepmom came home for some reason.

"Hey Thomas." She said as if she was looking for me.

"Yea?" I responded, expecting her to tell me to clean the house or something along those lines.

"Can you come here for a second?" she asked me. So I left the kitchen and walked into the living room to see her holding a box in her hands that for some reason was wrapped. "I just wanted to apologize for how much I've been working lately I wanted to make it up to you especially since I didn't get you anything for your birthday." She told me as she handed me the box. I unwrapped it and then I noticed what was in it.

"Wow!" I said as I pulled it out. It was an attachment to the Amusphere where you could actually listen to your music in game. "How did you know I wanted this?"

"Are you kidding me?" she said laughing, "When it first came out it was all you could talk about remember?"

"Oh yea I almost forgot about that." I said laughing, "So is this why you haven't been around lately? You were working overtime to pay for this?"

"Yea I mean I thought it would get you to like me." She confessed. I laughed and went over to hug her.

"Listen the only reason I acted like I didn't was because I thought you were trying to replace my birth mom." I whispered in her ear.

"Thomas," she started, "I know that I could never do that I just wanted you to like having me around."

"Of course I do," I told her slightly chuckling, "If my dad loves you then that's enough for me just please don't be trying as hard as you have been it makes me feel awkward."

"Ok." She said and we both laughed for a good while. "Well I have to get back to work and I won't be home until tomorrow or next year." She said laughing.

"Ok," I said and then I remembered something I should ask, "Hey would it be ok if I hung out with some friends for a New Year's party?"

"Yes of course." She said with a smile.

"Awesome thanks mom, happy New Year." I said to her right as she was walking out the door. She turned back with a big smile and tears in her eyes.

"Happy New Year." She said right before she left. I smiled because I now knew that she didn't tolerate me she just wanted me to like her. I laughed to myself at that coincidence.

"Well one more thing to do." I said to myself as I went into my room hooked up the attachment to my Amusphere, took off my shirt and logged into ALO.

Chapter X

I blinked my eyes a couple times as Lisbeth's shop came into my vision. I went in to see if anyone was there and I was pleasantly surprised. Almost everyone was there excluding Klein.

"Hey guys what's up?" I asked to everyone there. As soon as I spoke everyone turned towards me and Sinon rushed me and threw her arms around me.

"So you two are?" Kirito asked with a smile on his face.

"Almost but I have one last ghost to face," I told him. I then proceeded to explain everything to them from me leaving the guild to finding out that Belix is Ruby's sister.

"Wow…That's intense." Lisbeth commented.

"Yea it kinda is," I said in response and the whole time I was talking Sinon was still hanging on me. I then noticed that it was almost noon and I needed to get to the guild hall. "Hey who all wants to come with me as I face my last ghost?"

"I'm in." Kirito said first. Asuna nodded her head 'yes'.

"Sure why not?" Leafa said in response to my question.

"I got nothing to better to do." Lisbeth said nonchalantly.

"Wow," I said as a reply to Lisbeth's response, "Thanks for that."

"Sounds like fun." Silica said with a smile on her face.

"Of course I'm going." Sinon said looking at my fondly.

"Awesome!" I said since everyone agreed to go. "Well let's go." I started to walk out the door when Kirito asked me a question.

"How are you going to face this last ghost?" he inquired.

"You'll see." I said without turning around. We all left and took off towards the guild hall, well I did and they all followed me. The whole way there Sinon was right next to me and was holding my hand. The whole way there I was nervous but Sinon's hand in mine calmed me down a little bit and that made me happy. When we finally got there we landed out front right in front of the main door. "Welcome to the wolves' den everybody." I said as they all looked at it in awe. We then all walked around to the back training area. It looked like your average medieval guard training area with straw targets for archery and spells, and straw dummies for combat training plus a large bare area for duels. As soon as we went back there I saw Belix and the other recruits.

"So why did you want to meet me?" Belix asked me with hostility in her voice.

"Nice to you too," I said trying to break the tension but obviously it didn't work very well, "Listen I know I left things on not so great terms with you last night, so here's your chance to fix it."

"What do you mean?" she asked with a coldness in her voice that almost cut right into me.

"A duel," I explained and I saw her expression go from hostile to shocked, "I said that when I look at you I see your sister, well here you go duel me and prove to me once and for all that you are not her."

"So you want me to duel you?" she asked with some skepticism in her voice.

"Yes," I said slightly hardening my voice, "now realize this isn't the duel for me to take back the guild but for us both to face a ghost."

"Fine," she said with a steely resolve, "to the death?"

"No," I laughed, "Only half way to death."

"Ok." she said now with a slight grin on her face that I could tell she was trying to fight. I swiped open the duel menu and challenged her, she quickly accepted and choose the half-life option. She drew her sword from its scabbard and held it directly in front of her while standing in a sideways stance. I drew Fenrir and held it down at my side. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a dull spoon as the duel clock was counting down. Both of us knew that this wasn't going to be an easy fight; she was fighting to prove she wasn't her sister and I was fighting to put my past behind me. Here by the light of the moon we faced our inner demons and the ghosts that wouldn't leave us alone and then…the clock reached 0 and as soon as it did she rushed me and I braced myself for the impact.

She came in with a vertical slice for my head I blocked at the last second by bringing Fenrir up over my head, flat side up and placed my left hand on the blade to give it more support. I bent my knees to absorb some of the shock and then pushed her back by throwing all my strength upwards to send her flying. She went back an easy ten feet.

"My turn." I said with a calm in my voice that has scared opponents in the past. I then rushed forwards and slashed Fenrir in a horizontal arc that she dodged by jumping back but I did catch her with the very tip of the blade. She then came at me with a thrust that would've skewered me if I was any slower but I managed to twist my body to dodge the majority of the hit but I did get nicked right on the side from her blade. We then turned to face each other and charged again. We matched blow for blow, block for block and were ultimately at a stalemate. Both of us were breathing heavily when we noticed that one more hit on either of us would end this duel, at that moment both of us got our second winds and went for the kill shot. It was one of the hardest fights in my life I would swing, she would block, she would thrust, I would parry; neither of us could get the upper hand. That was until I saw an opening. She swung for my head and ducked as I moved forward, I then took my blade and swiped at her legs and stood up at the same time to sweep them out from under her. My plan had worked. She landed flat on her back and was at less than half health.

"I did it," I mumbled as I was breathing heavily, "I beat my final ghost…Thank you old friend." I then put Fenrir away, and right then I remembered the final words that Ruby ever said to me. She told me to live a good life and that she'll always be in my heart but just because she was in there doesn't mean there isn't room for some on else. I smiled because I had let the past go but forever held her in my heart; I then went over to help Belix up. When I did I saw disappointment on her face. "Hey don't be sad you proved yourself more than I imagined you would." I reassured her.

"How do you figure that?" she asked with slight sadness in her voice.

"Well you lasted twice as long as your sister did when I dueled her." I told her.

"You dueled her in SAO?" she asked with a little shock in her voice.

"Yea I did," I told her, "she was not as strong as you but was a strong person." Belix smiled and hugged me.

"Thank you for that," she said with a catch in her throat, "Thank you for letting me prove myself."

"Of course," I said, "And now I know more than ever that I left the guild in good hands." She backed away and smiled at me while wiping tears from her eyes. "So what are you going to do for the rest of the day?"

"Probably train a little more and then spend New Year's with my parents." She told me.

"Awesome," I said, we then shook hands and parted ways. I then walked right over to Sinon and put my hand on the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss. "So Kirito," I said as I pulled away from the kiss, "Where are y'all meeting up IRL?"

"At this place called Dicey's Café," he explained, "I'll text you the address."

"Sweet thanks." I said. Right after that they all took off back to Lisbeth's shop to log out but I logged out right there at the guild hall.

I woke up from the game with a smile on my face. I had faced my final ghost and got an amazing girlfriend. I got up and quickly took a shower before I left for Dicey's. Right when I got out of the shower I got the text from Kirito telling me where it is. I then changed into my best black jeans, my red high tops and a long sleeve red button up with a black vest over that. I then quickly left to get down to Dicey's as fast as possible.

When I got there, there was a sign on the door that said 'closed for a private party'. I went in because I figured it was Kirito's party was the one it was talking about, thank God I was right. When I walked in I saw Kirito and a girl with black hair setting up everything.

"Hey guys." I said right when I saw them.

"Oh hey Valentine," Kirito said as he came over to me, "Sorry, Thomas."

"It's ok," I said while laughing.

"Ok," He said while chuckling too, "Oh this is my sister Sughua," he said gesturing to the black haired girl, "You know her better as Leafa, and this…" he said gesturing to the big guy behind the counter with two silver earrings, "This is Agil he plays a Gnome in ALO and also is an SAO survivor." He explained. I said hi to both of them and then I helped them finish setting up. Right after we were done everyone else started to show up. One girl with glasses walked in and right up to me, right there I knew that was Sinon. She introduced herself as Shino as her real life name. We all hung out, eating and partying until the last ten seconds of 2025. Right as the last seconds came up we all started counting down 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

(January 1st 2026)

We all shouted at once. I grabbed Shino and pulled her in for a kiss and Kirito did the same with Asuna. I then looked around and saw everyone smiling and having a good time. I may not be the alpha of the pack but now I have a new family.

My name is… well depends on where you see me, IRL my name is Thomas O'Conner, in ALO if you don't know me I'm the Lunar Knight if you do then my name is Valentine. This is my story.