Hello there and thanks for showing interest in this brand new project called SAO: A Different Story. This is a collaborative project of 6 different authors (the names will be in the post-chapter A/N), and we hope that you like it. This story will be quite long, since it'll not only feature the events of Aincrad, but also the events of ALO and GGO as well, and maybe even more after that. Since it's a huge story, be warned that some OC's will be most likely an important part of it in the future. We hope to be able to update every 2 or 3 weeks if possible, and if you did like it, leave us a review with an idea/critic about it.

Disclaimer: I do not own SAO, nor any of it characters or plot.

Enjoy!

He had lost…

Kirito, the Black Swordsman, the Twin Blade Swordsman, the first self-proclaimed beater, was kneeling on the floor with tears flowing down his cheeks; he had been beaten in the only possible way that he would consider even worse than death.

Asuna, the Flash, the woman he loved more than any other, his beloved wife, was lying on his arms as her HP was slowly falling, all because of an attack that was meant for him.

In the end, his stubbornness in thinking he was able to win against Heathcliff had brought his worst nightmare into reality. Heathcliff was the final boss in this death game; there was no way he could have won with his current strength, it was insane to think that he ever could. He should have known better, they still had a long way to go; a quarter of the tower still remained between them and their freedom. But now, after witnessing such a defeat, most had lost any hope of continuing on.

Everyone looked on, stunned beyond belief…

Heathcliff showed no emotion whatsoever; he merely stood there, observing the fallen couple, like one might study a pair of insects beneath his boot. After a couple seconds, he began to speak.

"Do you see now? You can't win against me; now is not the time. The only thing you have gained from this foolishness was her death. That is proof enough that you won't be able to win." Heathcliff said as he turned around. "Perhaps…" he made a slight pause "Perhaps by the time you get to the 100th floor you'll be able to beat me, and avenge your beloved wife." He closed his eyes as his body started to glow radiantly. "I look forward to seeing if you can survive long enough to fight me… Kirito-kun." With those last words he disappeared in a blinding flash of light. As the light began to dissipate, the other players throughout the room slowly regained their ability to move once more.

Time froze up for Kirito while he tried to process those words. Kayaba was right; the fight was hopeless from the start, and his foolishness had only resulted in Asuna's pointless death. Death here, in this mental prison, meant death in the real world. The damned torture device known as Nerve Gear would destroy her brain with a concentrated blast of radiation in a matter of moments, and Kirito was unable to do anything to prevent it

Kirito lost his ability to think straight as every memory of him and Asuna together suddenly flared into his mind, relentlessly playing over and over again. He didn't know how he could live without her; she had become his entire world, the sole reason that he had to continue on and complete the game. Without her...

He was lost.

Everything faded from his view, enveloping him in a darkness so deep and black that not even the purest of light could penetrate it; the only one that could was quickly fading from existence before his eyes.

"I was stubborn. If I had waited… she could've been here with me. I'm such an idiot. I've killed so many people... The Black Cats... Sachi... those members from Laughing Coffin... Kuradeel... and now I've killed Asuna. This all happened because I was stubborn and didn't think before acting." He muttered as he pounded his fist into the ground with as much strength as he could muster, tears streaming down his face, and screams of despair echoing throughout the room.

Images of his 'victims' started to surround him, their eyes silently accusing him, asking him why them, why they had to die. He collapsed onto the cold stone floor, not even bothering in getting up, as his thoughts continued to go down this dark path.

"So, this is it. She's gone because of my stubbornness. I shouldn't have faced him here." he said bitterly "What was I thinking…? Just one person against the final boss... I knew it wasn't possible, but I was too prideful to step down. I thought I could win, win and save her… save everyone from this… to finally beat this twisted death game and become some hero, but in the end I just became the fool who failed to protect the life of even a single person… and I lost everything." He blinked as his tears stung his eyes and continued to stream down his face. "She's gone now. Asuna is gone…" His voice became barely above a whisper. "I have no reason to continue in this death game... Maybe I just have to accept my fate... maybe I should just… end it here and now. But, would my death... be enough to atone for her death?"

He had given up. There was no reason to go on living, go on fighting, if he could not be with his beloved. He then saw a black blade abandoned on the floor; it was his sword, Elucidator. A single thought suddenly consumed him.

"Here is my chance. I could get it and try to beat the game... or…I could end my journey right here and now." He got up and picked up the sword, his mind now made up. "I guess this is the end. It's my entire fault after all. If I wasn't so stubborn... all of those people would be alive. I killed them, not only in this game, but in real life... all of the families I've ruined... I'm a murderer... nothing but a damn killer." He then prepared to stab himself with the sword. "I'm so sorry Asuna... I couldn't fulfill my promise to you after all... I will see you soon." He started to lunge the sword in at his chest, but before he could impale himself, a familiar voice echoed throughout the boss chamber.

"Kirito, catch!"

Kirito opened his eyes. He was back at the boss room. Asuna was still there, but her body was quickly becoming engulfed in a brilliant light.

Acting purely on instincts now, he turned to face the direction where the voice was coming, his face devoid of emotion, and his eyes dull.

"What…?"

A small bluish item was flying in his direction, and after a few blinks he recognized the item that was hurtling in his direction. The «Divine Stone of Returning Soul», the very same item he fought to find almost a year ago during the Christmas event quest. His heart was suddenly filled with a hope that he had not felt in a while; he still had a chance to save her!

Due to the nature of the item, he was unable to use it for his original intent, which was to revive Sachi, and so he gave it to Klein on the condition that he use it on the first person that he saw dying. The item was only capable of reviving someone a maximum of 10 seconds after their death, so it wasn't possible to him to use it to bring back Sachi. And it now seemed that fate had given him the chance to use it and save his beloved Asuna's life. The miracle item was now within his grasp; he instinctively reached out and caught it. He wasted no time in activating it, immediately shouting out.

"Revive Asuna!"

The stone started to emit a soft blue glow, and less than a second later it exploded into thousands of glittering shards, nearly identical to the ones that were floating up from Asuna's body. In that same moment, the light that was engulfing Asuna's body slowly started to fade, and her HP started to recover as the rays of light faded.

When the light finally disappeared and her HP was completely restored, Kirito shut his eyes and breathed out in relief and embraced her now unconscious body.

"Thank goodness you're ok… I'm so glad…" he whispered to her limp form as tears of joy started to cascade down his cheeks.

Kirito was in a state of pure relief, to still be able to be so close to the person he loves. In that moment nothing else mattered to him, not the game, not even Kayaba Akihiko, he only cared about holding Asuna safely in his arms, so that none could separate them.

He embraced her a bit more strongly. In that moment she woke up, and gently placed her right hand against his left cheek.

"It's okay now. You don't need to cry… Kirito-kun…" she whispered in his ear.

Kirito elicited a small gasp and opened his eyes, gazing into her hazel orbs for a while before slowly nodding to her. Everyone else in the room watched the reunited couple for a few moments, and then, one by one, started exiting the boss chamber. Totally ignoring the new unlocked floor, which didn't seem to be important anymore, everyone just seemed to want to go tell the other players about what had happened here.

After a while, everyone had left the room, leaving only Kirito and Asuna, who still locked in their embrace, neither wanting to release the other just yet, and Klein, who remained sitting on the floor, looking down with a saddened but relieved expression on his face. He then got up and slowly walked towards the couple, stopping a few meters from them.

"Kirito…" Klein clenched his fists in frustration. "You… you idiot! Why did you even try to fight him?! It was obvious that it was impossible. What were―" Before he could finish his sentence, Kirito interrupted him.

"Klein…" Kirito said in a low voice.

Klein unclenched his fists, and after a few moments he continued.

"Sorry… I… I just didn't want to see you die…" he looked to the side trying to hide some tears that just started falling "Is there… is there anything I can do to help?"

He waited a few moments, but Kirito didn't seem to hear him speak. As he was turning around, he heard Kirito's voice once again.

"Klein…" he said louder than before.

"Yeah…?" Klein replied.

"Please… go on and open the door to the next floor."

Klein widened his eyes a bit, but in the end he turned back into the door's direction and slowly walked up to it, and moments before he could touch it, he paused, and said.

"Thank you…" with a slight pause he added "Don't give up."

Kirito's eyes widened slightly, slightly nodding to him. Klein, not wanting to delay it any longer, touched the door and it swung open, the hinges groaning in protest as the massive doors parted. He then grabbed a teleport crystal from his pouch and teleported back to «Collinia», leaving Kirito and Asuna alone in the massive, empty chamber. Kirito was still embraced with Asuna, and both remained quiet for a little while. It was with great reluctance that Asuna then broke the silence.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" she said with a sad tone.

After a few seconds, Kirito replied. "Don't be… it was my fault. If I wasn't so―" before he could finish Asuna interrupted him.

"It's not your fault. You were only trying to free us from this death game." she said, trying to calm him down.

"Still… I should've known that… that… I wasn't able to―" he was then interrupted once again.

"Remember… Remember our promise? We promised that we would protect each other, no matter what. I protected you… and then you protected me." She gave a small pause, slightly undoing their embrace, and gave Kirito a tender, passionate kiss. With that single, simple act, Asuna had completely shattered any doubts that Kirito might have had. After a few moments they separated their lips, Asuna spoke again, her voice firm yet kind. "That's the proof that I'm still here… stop blaming yourself… everything's okay now…"

They stayed in silence for a little longer, and then Kirito nodded to her while they both got up.

"Let's go home." Asuna said with a small smile gracing her lips.

Kirito nodded once again, and they both finally removed themselves from the embrace. They slowly made their way through the first set of doors, taking them out of the anti-crystal zone and allowing them to teleport back to «Coral Village». Taking one last sidelong glance at each other, they grasped each other's hand and activated their crystals; both were unsure of what they would face in the future but they knew one thing for certain: whatever it was, they would face it, together.

The «Scarlet Jade Castle» is just like its name described, a castle made completely out of scarlet-colored stones, with little black metal details at the doors and windows, and ruby gems carved to form complex motifs. Combined with the vast blue sky full of floating white clouds, and dozens of different types of red flowers surrounding it, it is truly a sight to behold.

The castle is truly massive, and takes up about half of the 100th floor area. Deep within the castle's interior, sitting upon an ancient throne of scarlet stone, is a man in wearing a blood red armor, his face illuminated from a floating screen. On the screen's display are two people, a boy and a girl, locked in a desperate embrace. The man noticed, upon closer examination, tears cascading down the boy's face as he held the girl's body, which seemed to be unconscious.

Upon watching such a scene, a smirk slowly came across his face. That smirk didn't last long, however, as a few seconds later, the man raised his eyebrow in surprise when he noticed that the girl was starting to awaken, seemingly unharmed. The two figures on the floating display began talking and, although he could not hear the actual words, due the couple's hushed tones, the man could tell that they were emotionally charged, if the boy's continued sobs were any indication.

"Most impressive." the man said with a grin growing back on his face.

After some seconds watching the couple's conversation, the girl broke slightly away from the embrace, and leaned in to press her lips to her companion's, and so they stayed that way for several moments. Feeling that he had seen enough of it, the man waved his right arm and the screen disappeared, leaving the couple to their privacy. He then joined his hand in front of his mouth, with a thinking expression.

"It seems I have underestimated you, Black Swordsman. Even when I think I've managed to defeat you, you still manage to surprise me..." Kayaba Akihiko said amusedly. "Fine… perhaps you will be powerful enough to become the hero to defeat me some day. Very well, I shall wait until then… Kirito-kun."

A/N: Hope you've liked it, and hope to see your review soon enough. For more info about the members of this project, and the story itself, please check my profile, and if you have any doubts, feel free to send me a PM.

The other authors that are working into this are: KingOgnik, Izraill, Akinos, TheGlaceonFanatic and 9 Tailed Death God, go check their profiles out sometime.

Until next time!