Okay, yeah, I know. Just let me put this one up. I found this sitting on my desktop and decided to put it up (It's almost a year old). Just to let you know, This story is just an SAO version with my original story and is a bit confusing. And...well, sad. Um...enjoy? :D

The Two Swordmasters

The thumbtack picture on the wall swayed gently in the wind as a breeze swept through an empty, untouched room. The photo was old and the edges were yellowing with age. In the photo was a picture of two children about the age of eleven. The child on the left was a boy with black hair and eyes. A smudge of red on the photo covered nearly a half of his body. He was standing next to a girl with hazel eyes and silky honey colored hair that fell to her upper back. The boy had a bright grin on his face with his arms crossed. The girl had gentle smile on her thin lips. She wore a shirt that was twice her size and a pair of jeans that were held up by a rope. The boy wore a sleeveless shirt that was once a t-shirt and his shorts fell past his knees.

Anyone would wonder who these children were. To many, they were just children living in a poor place. But to those who knew them, or have heard them talk, they knew otherwise.

._._._._._.

"Kirito!"

A black-haired teen turned around and saw his friend, Lisbeth, running toward him. He dropped the axe in his hand next to the beaten tree stump he had used. With the back of his hand, he wiped the sweat off his forehead and gave Lisbeth a wary smile.

"Ah, Lis," the teen, Kirito, said. "Perfect timing. I need someone to help me carry all the firewood back to the village."

Lisbeth skidded to a halt in front of Kirito. "We can do that later! There's something more important and The Elder wants us to gather at the plaza."

Kirito gave her a confused look. "Why…?"

His friend just grabbed his wrist and began to drag him to the plaza. "The Knights of the Blood Oath are headed this way."

Realization dawned on Kirito. For seven years, he and Lisbeth had trained under warriors, learning how to fight to protect their small village. And now the day has finally come. It was time for Kirito to show his loyalty to his village.

By the time the two reached the plaza, it was crowded with others; all with men, women, and teens with the ability to fight. At the center stood an old, short woman standing on top of a stage. She had a fiery expression in her eyes and her gaze swept across the flood of people. Everyone silenced when she raised her staff high above her head, demanding attention.

"My people," she began, her voice loud and clear with wisdom, "today is the day we must stand! The Knights of the Blood Oath from the Shadowlands is almost upon us. Soon we will stand and fight against them. They cannot take our land away from us for we have been here generations upon generations! Tonight they plan to attack us as we rest. Take the children to the underground area and prepare for battle! We shall not let them take another child away from us! We will stand together and fight!"

Everyone cheered and yelled their determination. Lisbeth joined the yells with her own. Kirito, however, did not join. Silent and unnoticed, he slipped away from the plaza and made quick haste to his home. When he arrived, no one was there to greet him since his "mother" was at the meeting.

He shut the door behind him and headed to his room. In one of the many papers scattered around, there was a single photo of a boy and a girl. It was taken about seven years ago. Kirito reached down and picked it up. He didn't bother to look at the boy since that was him, and focused on the little girl. The Elder at the plaza said that they won't let another child be taken away.

His back fell against the wall as memories of seven years ago came back to him. That girl was one of the few that actually spoken to him when he first arrived in the village. She was the only one able to beat him in a mock battle, always giving him an embarrassing defeat. Not only that, she shared a similar past. Both of them came to the village with no memory of who they were or they are. All they ever knew was their names and their ages.

"Asuna." Kirito muttered as memories of the day the Knights of the Blood Oath's leader, Heathcliff, took her away. He subconsciously wrapped his fingers around a tear shaped crystal pendant that hung around his neck. "I promise to give this back to you one day."

._._._._._.

Night fell quickly and the children were safely hidden underground. Kirito made his way to report to the Elder. The old woman looked up when he entered her office room. He immediately bowed.

"Lady Ellonie, the children are safe. Lisbeth and Agil are watching them." Kirito reported. The Elder, Lady Ellonie, nodded her approval.

"Good, I want you in the front lines. Be one of the first to battle." she said, turning her head away. Kirito couldn't help but feel like she decided to send him to his death. Out of fear of being punished harshly, he raised from his bow and turned to leave.

"Wait, Kirito." called Lady Ellonie. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her as the old woman began to speak.

"Please, promise me that you will not die. I do not want you dying on this battle." she said. She got up from her desk and took Kirito's hands into hers. "After all, you are my child."

Kirito held back a snort, and gave the Elder a gentle smile as he pulled his hands away. "I promise that I won't die...Mother."

He turned around again when he heard Lady Ellonie make a satisfied noise, leaving her office.

._._._._._.

One hour later, the battle against the Knights of the Blood Oath suddenly began. It caught Kirito by surprise when an arrow laced in fire embedded itself into the wall a hairs' length away from his head. His cry of shock was the one that began to battle. The Knights dressed in white and red raided into the village in shocking numbers. Sounds of metal against metal rang through the air, mixing in with the battle cries and the dying screams of defeat.

Kirito did his best fending off those who came close to killing him and saving some of his friends at the last second. Even though he was trained to kill, he never went for the killing blow. Kirito trained himself to protect, not kill. None of the so-called Knights could keep up with his fast slashes and jabs with his dual sword style. Those who met him ended up running away or receiving injuries that rendered them useless.

But Kirito was like any other human being. He still got hurt. He wasn't an invincible fighter, or a cold fighter, just a teenager close to his adult years with high hopes to find his friend again. What he didn't expect though was to meet his best friend here of all places.

Kirito found it odd that his every attack was countered when he ran into another Knight. This Knight was dressed slightly different. Their armor seemed lighter and smaller for a male, making him think that he was definitely not fighting a boy. Plus, this one is the only one still wearing a helmet. Not only that, the woman's movements nearly mirrored his own, different in a few places. Kirito jumped back and pointed his sword, Dark Repulsor, to the Knight.

"Who are you?" he yelled across to her over the battle sounds. The soldier lowered her own sword and removed her helmet. Honey colored hair fell from its confines and warm brown eyes stared back at Kirito. He recognized her immediately.

"Asuna—" Kirito began, but Asuna, the female Knight, interrupted him.

"Kirito? You actually held that for me?" she asked. Kirito blinked and pointed at the pendant around his neck.

"This?"

Asuna nodded. Kirito took it off, completely forgetting about the battle going around them. He held it out to her. "I promised, didn't I? I always keep my promi—"

Kirito didn't finish his sentence as his friend's sword stabbed into his chest, just missing his heart. The pendant slipped out of his fingers and fell to the dirt floor. Asuna had her head bowed down. He only frowned and fell when all the strength just left him. Asuna pulled her sword out and caught her fallen friend. He was still alive, but barely. Luckily for him, her sword didn't run him through.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Kazuto. But Heathcliff ordered me to. I'm really sorry." apologized Asuna frantically, grabbing her friend's hand and brought it to her chest. Kirito huffed for a moment and smiled as if he didn't feel any pain.

"Kazuto? I haven't...heard that name since...the day you were taken." he said quietly. Asuna frowned sadly.

"She changed your name?" she asked gently. Kirito closed his eyes when he felt very tired. All he wanted to do was sleep.

"Yeah, sounds different, huh?" he asked as his head rested in Asuna's arm.

"Kazuto, shut up. Don't talk. I don't want to lose you. Not again." Asuna said as she pulled him closer. "Look, I'm staying with you and I'm never going to leave again. Heathcliff will let me go now that I...did this. Please, hang on for me, okay? Live, promise me!"

She felt her tears run down her cheeks as she heard the battle around her suddenly stop. Asuna looked up and saw everyone backing away from each other. On the balcony was Lady Ellonie with a readied bow in her hands and a furious expression.

"Heathcliff!" She yelled with her strong demanding voice. Asuna watched with dread as Heathcliff walked up with a bloodied sword and shield. "Don't you think this is enough? You have killed so many of us during the years you have taken my people's children! There has been too much bloodshed, too much death... This must end!"

Heathcliff didn't flinch at her words as he smiled darkly. "Yes, you're right. There has been too much bloodshed and death. In fact, I believe we should stop this nonsense, now that her job is finished."

Asuna fought the urge to pick up her sword and kill Heathcliff right there and then as she pressed a hand over Kirito's wound. She could faintly hear his short and uneven breathing. Heathcliff raised his sword and pointed in her direction. All eyes turned to see her desperately adding pressure to the wound of the injured teen in her lap.

"Asuna...?" a voice gasped. She looked up and saw a familiar red-head with a bandana. Klein, a friend she had always relied her back on during mock battles. She cursed in her head as Heathcliff continued to speak.

"The Demon's brother is dead. Killed by the hands of his friend. It is finished." Heathcliff said with a smug smile. Lady Ellonie's eyes held several emotions; regret, disbelief, anger, misery, and grief.

"'Demon's brother? You knew-This whole time you knew? You knew?!" she growled, seething in anger and frustration. "He is not a demon's brother! Kazuto is Kirito's bother! Kirito was a human just like me; just like you, born from a human mother and father! And you have the Goddess-damn guts to call those two brothers demons?! They're my sons!"

Asuna flinched at Ellonie's tone. After all the years she had been gone, the old woman's voice was as strong as it was before, or maybe even stronger. Heathcliff's laughter echoed mockingly.

"Your sons? Kazuto has the blood of the Byakko in his veins and you're telling me that he's human? Just like Kirito ten years ago? Neither of them were truly yours sons now, were they?" Heathcliff taunted her. Ellonie's eyes flashed dangerously as Heathcliff continued with a wretching smirk. "If I recall correctly, you stole Kirito away at a very young age. You kidnapped him."

"Enough of your filthy lies!" Ellonie practically screeched. Asuna quickly ducked as an arrow soared over her head and flew at Heathcliff. The man smoothly jumped back a good seven meters. The arrow landed and a strong burst of magical energy exploded upon impact. Asuna shielded Kazuto from the small pieces of debris as best she could without removing her hand. Once the smoke cleared, Heathcliff looked up at Lady Ellonie with a wide smile.

"I would like to prolong my stay, but it seems that I have pushed my luck with you. It was nice seeing you again, Lady Ellonie." he said. He turned to Asuna, who begged Kazuto desperately to stay with her. "Welcome home, Asuna."

Shocked, her hands froze over the bloody wound and she stared at Heathcliff. There was a murderous smile on his face and Asuna responded without thinking.

"You monster." she told him bluntly. Heathcliff laughed.

"Me? I don't think you should be saying that, dear child. After all, aren't you one, too?"

This isn't a one shot! It'll be like, short. four to five chapters and that's it. But don't kill me. All the truths (and confusion) of this story will be revealed next chapter, since this one is like a prologue into the real story. And boy... I really am a horrible writer for making these characters go through so much pain...

Preview? Fine...

"Are you the Demon everyone fears?" Heathcliff asked, brandishing his sword. The boy before him sighed and shook his head as he sheathed his sword.

"Even if I answer yes or say no, are you going to kill me the same way you killed Ryoutarou?" Kirito asked as he stared at Heathcliff.

That's ALL you're getting. :D

-CloudyLightning

(P.S.: I will update today For Prince of Aincrad!)