Hey everyone this is a Sword Art Online Story co-authored by yours truly and Glimpse the Hedgehog again. We're really into this anime and we just had to write something for it. So I hope you enjoy this as much as you did with Destiny's Bond. Thanks and here's the story. -Cara

Prologue:

Freedom. The word rolls off the tongue beautifully. It's an ideal only few people in this world truly have these days. We're all caged in one way or another. Not really free from our fears, our faults, or ourselves. But freedom can be found. It can be brought about to those who are enlightened and forgive. Those who love and cherish and hope. But it can also be taken away. By those who hate, kill and lie. Those who bury the freedom with pain and darkness. People like Teru and Haru. They've never been free but they've tasted freedom and it haunts them. Freedom is their captor and their savior. It's what will bring about the change in them so they can escape this world and become free once and for all.

Chapter 1

Deep within the fifth floors dungeon, a battle was raging. People were fighting against a horde of monsters to gain entry to a giant black door. These people were fighting in a virtual world called Sword Art Online, a MMORPG where if you die, you die in the real world as well and the only way to escape was to beat the game. The captive players were fighting against a mob of wolves and bats as they tried to get closer to the gate.

Teru was standing by the door her arms crossed and black cloak covering her face and body. She watched the people around her waiting for her moment to strike. Fighting for their lives were twenty other people. Most of them guys. They were split into two groups. Offensive and defensive. They had already killed half the monsters but lost half the amount of people there. No one seemed to notice her there doing nothing yet.

She scanned the field and noticed a person dressed in black fighting on his own. He wielded a long sword and was fighting expertly against the monsters. Across from him another person was fighting by himself. He had light blonde hair that was almost to his shoulders and he wielded a long sword as well. He wore a white coat with a grey armor plate underneath it, a black shirt under the armor, black pants, and black shoes.

Both guys intrigued her. She watched for a while. Then saw a wolf charge up behind the blonde guy. Teru moved with lightning speed and unsheathed her sword. She used a skill and her sword glowed blue. She slashed the underbelly of the wolf. It shattered into fragments and disappeared. Teru landed on her feet gracefully and put her sword away.

The blonde haired boy noticed her but focused on his fight. He readied his sword skill and his sword started to glow gold. He slashed the head of a wolf and it shattered into fragments as well. He turned around to face the girl and gave her a big grin and thumbs up."Thanks for the save, but we're not done yet!" The boy rushed back in to help the black haired person, but before he made it to him he turned around and said "My name is Haru, come find me if we make it through this alive!" With that, he ran to the black haired person and helped him to fight off some wolves and bats around him.

"This is pointless." Teru muttered to herself. She pulled up her screen and scrolled through her sword skills. She hit a choice and her sword changed. It turned into a set of throwing stars. Teru aimed and threw them and hit five wolves. Each wolf shattered and disappeared. Teru got them all back and threw again. She hit the bats by the black haired boy and they shattered. Soon she had picked off the last of the monsters leaving everyone else standing perplexed.

Everyone was silent until Haru whistled his approval. "Nice work there girl, that was some impressive throwing." Haru walked up to her and gave her a pat on the back but that just earned him a glare from her. Haru ignored it and moved towards the gate." All right, let's see what this boss has got. Would you like to do the honors Kirito?" Haru was looking towards the black haired person he was helping and he only sighed in agreement as he walked up to the door and pushed it open. Everyone walked into the pitch black room and waited for something to happen. Everyone had there weapons draw, whereas Haru, decided to keep it sheathed until the boss showed up.

Teru stepped inside the room. She knew this level quite well. "Control your fears don't let them control you." As she said that aloud everyone began dropping. They fell asleep as they hit the ground. The blonde boy looked around confused. "What's going on here?" "It's fine just let the dream take you and remember it's only a dream." The black hair boy said as he sat down and started meditating until he was snoring. Teru leaned against the wall and fell into sleep. Fear 1: fear of being alone. Teru was standing in darkness all by herself. Teru grinned. "If only this were real." She murmured. Teru ripped the black curtain away from the wall and revealed light. She stepped through it and landed in a tiny box. Fear 2: fear of confinement. Teru covered her ears with her hands and screamed. The glass box shattered into fragments. "To easy." She stepped out and fell through a black hole. She was now standing in a room with two doors in front of her. One door said Death. The other door said Freedom. Fear 3: fear of trust. Teru knew the choice though. She ran at the door marked Death and fell through it. She opened her eyes back in the boss's cave. She looked around seeing who was still sleeping and who was gone. Teru saw someone scream in their sleep and suddenly burst into fragments. Some were still dreaming like the blonde boy. The only other one awake was the black haired boy. He looked back at Teru. "Beta tester right?" He asked. Teru nodded.

"Same thing for me." Kirito readied his sword again and looked around."My name is Kirito." Teru drew her sword and stood a little bit away from Kirito.

"Teru." She replied bluntly. She and Kirito waited until the remaining players woke up and readied themselves again. They all got into their parties and covered different spots in the room. Haru stayed back and leaned against a wall while everyone else remained tense. One minute later, Haru rushed towards the group he was closest to and knocked them all out of the way as a giant bat swooped down at them. It attempted to slash at them with its wings but Haru blocked it with his own sword skill, knocking it off balance.

"Now, while it's guard is down!" The closest group to Haru rushed forward and attacked the bat. The last one to attack was a girl with long hair who wielded a rapier. She made multiple thrusts and pushed the bat, now known as Dragvich the dream vampire, back a bit. It let out a loud screech and put some of the players to sleep, leaving them vulnerable. Dragvich was going to bite down on a sleeping group when Kirito intervened and blocked the attack.

"Asuna now!" Kirito called out to the girl with the rapier. She rushed forward and stabbed into Dragvichs back four times, making it screech in pain and fly into the air.

Teru leaped into the air using a skill and then her sword was in her hands again. She came down on the bat slicing it's head clean off. It shattered and Teru landed back down next to the other girl. Asuna sighed in relief that everyone was okay. "You did good." Asuna said. "I don't take praise kindly." Teru said harshly. Asuna frowned wondering why this girl was so cold. Suddenly everyone was teleported to floor 6. They were in a town. Everyone split off into groups and then parted ways. They went to get food, rest and new supplies. Teru now stood by a fountain with the two boys on her left and the girl on her right.

They all remained quiet but the silence was broken by Haru. "Well since that's been taken care, how about me and miss sociable here go and get something to eat, while you two go and do your own thing?" Haru didn't wait for a response as he grabbed Teru by her arm and dragged her away, despite her protests, leaving Kirito and Asuna by themselves. When they weren't looking Haru jumped into an alley with Teru and peeked around the corner to see what they were doing. While he was watching though, Teru punched the side of his head, making him squat down and hold his head in pain, even though he couldn't really feel any pain, but he didn't remember that. "What the hell was that for!?" Haru hissed through gritted teeth. Teru just turned her back to him and crossed her arms.

"That was for dragging me away like that." She turned her head toward him and glared at him again. He held his hands up to show he wasn't going to argue.

"Sorry but I wanted to give those two some alone time. So what's your name, I don't think I caught it?"

"How is giving them alone time spying on them secretly? And I don't think I have to tell you that kind of information." Teru snapped.

"To answer your first question, I want to see what happens and nothing will happen if we were there. Now a response to your answer to my question, I guess that's fair...Teru." Haru now had a confident smirk plastered on his face.

Teru raised her eyebrow un-amused. "So you see my name in the corner next to my stats so can everyone you should've done so in the first place. And why am I with you then? I have things better to do than watch a failed romance."

"First off, I didn't look up at the corner, you would have to be in my party for that, I heard you tell Kirito your name. I woke up a few seconds right after you guys woke up. Secondly, I owe you one for helping me out back there, when I was fighting the wolves. Thirdly, it's not a failed romance...yet," Haru looked around the corner again and saw that they were both gone." Ah man, they're gone!" Haru sighed and crossed his arms in disappointment.

"Whatever. I'm leaving now unless you have something else you want to ramble about." Teru said not giving him an option and already walking away.

"Hey wait up!" Haru ran after her to catch up and started walking next to her." You know you could act a little more friendly. We're all stuck here and could die in battle so it'd be a good idea to make some allies and increase your chances of survival. Don't you agree?" Haru got in front of her to bar her path so she would answer him.

"I'm a solo player. I don't need anyone until the floors number in the twenties." Teru said walking faster to get away from him.

"What a coincidence, so am I...sometimes. But I still need to pay you back." Haru placed his hand underneath his chin and thought as he walked with Teru. Finally, he placed his fist into the palm of his hand and stood in front of her again. "I know! I'll buy you any new pieces of equipment you want! How does that sound?"

Teru laughed. "You don't owe me anything. Besides I have all the equipment I need until the 8th floor."

"Well at least I made you laugh. Well then...How about an all you can eat meal?"

"I'm not hungry and I laughed because you're an idiot." Teru said.

"The laugh still counts and I'm not giving up until I pay you back" Haru stopped in front of her and crossed his arms with a serious look on his face.

Teru gave him a dark look. "If you don't stand aside I'll kill you right now. Pay me back by letting me not take your life got it."

Haru backed up a little bit and looked a little shocked by what she said until he got an idea. "How about this, you and me have a duel. If I can keep my health bar from going yellow, then you and me team up for a little while. If I can't keep my health from getting to the yellow, then I will leave you alone...for now anyways." Haru swung his hand down to bring out his menu and sent a request for a duel to Teru.

Teru thought it over. "...Fine." She pulled down her menu and clicked accept on the duel.

"Alright then." Haru drew his long sword and Teru did the same. Everyone who was nearby backed up and cleared the path so they wouldn't get in the way. The counter was almost at zero. It would begin in 3...2...1! Begin!