Aincrad: The Return
An offer you can't refuse!
Harry Potter stood before the corpse of his fathers last remaining friend. Beside him lay the corpse of his young wife. He sobbed softly, his heart felt so heavy and hopeless. He thought of young Teddy. He knew what it was like to not have parents. However the little boy had his grandparents, that he was thankful for.
Harry looked up from the pair spotting the Weasleys mourning their brother/son. He locked eyes with Hermione and motioned for her to come with him. She nodded softly before patting Ron on the back whispering to him. The red head merely nodded, she gave him a half hug before moving to join Harry.
When she joined him he took her hand and lead her outside. They walked in silence for a while before the reached the courtyard. He brought them to a stop before looking up at the night sky.
Hermione who'd been silently following him spoke up. "What is it Harry?"
"It's really over isn't it?" he asked turning to face her.
Hermione shrugged. "I hope so Harry, I really do."
Harry nodded slowly building up some courage. Hermione noticed the conflicted expression on his face. "I love you Hermione." He said quietly.
Hermione smiled happily as she embraced the younger boy. "I love you too." she whispered as they separated. Her smile faded as she noticed his frustrated expression.
Harry looked down at his shoes for a moment. "I'm in love with you Hermione." he said softly before looking up to see her reaction. His heart dropped when he heard her sob. He averted his gaze before he could see her face.
"Why now Harry? Why?" she asked her voice cracking.
"You know why Hermione." he answered quietly. "You where already a target just because you're a muggleborn and my best friend." Harry sighed. "If we became a couple I shutter to think what he would have done. That monster might not feel love, but he knows how to use it as a weapon. If he'd he'd..." he sobbed for a moment lost in so many nightmares he'd had the last year. "If you died I don't know what I would have done."
She understood what he was saying, but she could help but hate him for it. She'd loved him for years, but was simply to afraid to be rejected by him. When he started dating Ginny the year before she buried it hoping to snuff it out. It worked for the most part, it hurt like hell but there it is. It flared again after Ron abandoned them a few months ago. She hadn't the heart to bury it again. His sobbed broke her from her inaction. She took him in her arms as he finished speaking. "Damn you... Damn you for making me wait so long." she whispered into his ear. Harry took her hand squeezing it softly before breaking apart.
Harry laughed softly while he cleaned his face. "I'm afraid I'm doomed to be quite the cry baby for the foreseeable future."
Hermione nodded "Me too." she added before leaning in and kissing him on the lips. Harry deepened the kiss after a moment. Hermione was momentarily shocked at how amazingly good of a kisser he was. When they broke from the kiss Hermione smiled teasingly. "Should I thank Ginny for teaching you to kiss?
Harry laughed smiling brightly. "Well as long as your pleased."
Hermione smiled for a moment before it faded some. "Did you love her?"
Harry nodded. "In a way I do, not romantically. It wasn't what you would consider a healthy relationship. She wanted to date The Harry Potter, and I was the lustful teenage boy." He told her honestly. He was afraid she would be angry, but the truth was better than a lie.
She smiled at him placing a kiss on his forehead. Harry felt relief wash over him as she did so. They sat there holding hands in a comfortable silence that followed. They kissed once, twice, and a third time before Harry started to make his way back to the castle bringing Hermione with him.
"It will be dawn soon lets head up to the tower and get some sleep okay?" he said placing his arm around her shoulder.
"Sounds good." she replied punctuation it with a yawn.
Harry smile and lead her back toward the entrance hall. Both of them failed to notice the cloaked figure in the shadows. The figure drew their wand and whispered the incantation of a piercing spell. Harry picked up on the incantation in the deathly silence of early morning. He looked toward the sound only to see an azure spell speeding toward Hermione.
His battle trained mind quickly began to take in the situation. It was to late to cast the counter curse, or a proper shield. The spell was cast waist level so ducking was out of the question and going prone would just as likely get you hit on the way down. The wall on his right made dodging that way impossible. The only real option was to push Hermione out of the way, and let the spell pass between them. With a plan of attack chosen he moved to action. He surprised Hermione by pushing her hard toward the left. She panicked and took hold of him pulling him in front of the spell. He lost his footing as the spell pierced his side tearing thru muscle and his internal organs. Before exploding out the other side in a crimson mist. He fell to his knee's in shock before collapsing to the ground.
Hermione watched in horror as he was struck. Understanding to late why he had pushed her. She took action and not a moment to late. Two spells struck her shield nearly shattering it. She cast a red flare out over the school grounds hoping for help.
"Run Hermione!" Harry gasped out.
Hermione ignored his plea as she turned her wand on their attacker. The battle raged for nearly a minute, before help arrived in the form of an hand full of staff members and aurors. She had been on the defensive the entire time. Never given the option of attack whom ever it was they where very good. When the Auror's arrived she collapsed on the floor next to Harry. She turned to him and began to sob uncontrollably. She scooted over placing his head on her lap. She sobbed and stroked his raven hair as the Auror's forced the shadowy figure to retreat.
Minerva looked down at the sobbing girl with tears in her eyes. She bent down taking both the girls hands in hers. "He is gone dear, you need to let go. You need to rest and he needs to be taken care of."
Hermione didn't respond she continued stroking his hair lovingly.
"I'm so sorry." Minerva said as she drew her wand "Stupify!"
Harry awoke in the a misty nothingness once again nude. He paid it no mind as he waited for something to happen. A moment of silence passed and then another, and another. Before a creature akin to a dementor appeared before him.
"Well if it isn't the Master of death." Death stated dryly in a deep gravely voice.
Harry gave the odd creature a quick glance. Its cloak shimmered like his, and the skeleton underneath was the whitest thing he'd seen in since last spring. Instead of a scythe he held an elaborate bone clipboard with a massive stack of paper or so it seemed.
"I guess you could call me that, but it isn't what I wanted." he replied.
Death sighed. "I'm willing to make you an offer young sir. If you offer me the hallows freely I will give you a second chance at life, and happiness."
Harry looked at death sceptically. "What is your offer?"
Harry was quite sure that death was giving him a predatory smile as he continued. " If you willingly handover the hallows. I'll allow you and your lover the chance to live again. Consider it a test of your strength and your determination. If you pass you will return to the living at the age you are now. With all the knowledge and skill your education has provided so far. If you do survive I strongly suggest you stay where you are when you wake. There will be nothing left for you in England.
Harry's heart bottomed out when he mentioned Hermione. "How does she die?" He asked.
Death's gravelly voiced filled the misty void as he answered. "The man who murdered you. Will try again shortly, and this time he will succeed."
"How can I say no. I'll take your offer, and I'll willingly hand over the Hallows." As he spoke of the Hallows they appeared to him.
Harry took the resurrection stone and handed it to death. Death took it and placed it at the center of the clip on his clipboard. It fit perfectly and made the ornate bone work look even more elegant. Next was the elder wand. Death opened his cloak where Harry noticed a missing rib. Death placed the wand in his ribcage. As it slipped into position it transformed into bone forming a rib. Harry held the invisibility cloak in his hand for a moment. He recalled a day where he and Hermione used it to avoid Ron in fourth year. Death waited patiantly before the boy reluctantly handed the cloak over to him. Death took the offered cloak and merged it with his.
Death looked at the boy with honest respect. "Rest for now young hero, for you shall be tested, tried, and if you succeed rewarded with true life. If you fail rest well knowing that you tried your hardest and did your best."
Harry felt oddly contented as he slid into an unending darkness.
November 6th 2022 1305pm Aincrad 1st floor
In a flash of blue light Harry Potter appeared in a world. Real or virtual for the first time in twenty four years. He looked around for a moment in wonder. He was in the middle of a massive town square. With more people than he cared to count. He felt more than saw the brown haired rocket that slammed into him. He nearly lost his balance, but he embraced Hermione all the same. He pulled away and looked at her. She was wearing what looked like red dyed leather armor with a pole arm holstered on her back. He couldn't help but smile. She looked just as he remembered her.
"It's so good to see you again." He stated with a glowing smile.
"Shut up and kiss me!" She growled pulling him into a kiss. It didn't quite feel right but he kissed her back full force. "If you die on me again, I'll haunt you for the rest of your miserable existence."
Harry smiled just pleased to see her again. Threw up his arms in surrender before turning around and taking in the rest of the view. Hermione satisfied did much the same.
"Did death give you a little tutorial on this er trail of his." Hermione asked marveling at the virtual world around her.
"He gave me the basics on the ui or the user interface its based of hand movements. He also gave some tips on how to use sword skills other than that I've not a clue."
Hermione nodded. "Well join my party and lets get started. I don't know what is going on, but I doubt its good. After all many of deaths incarnations are known for trickery."
Harry simply nodded accepting the invitation. He checked his gear and saw that he had a one handed mace, a simple heater shield, and a few pieces of half mail armor. "Make sure you have your skills selected okay." he suggested as he checked his skill slots. One handed weapon, shield defense, and two free slots. He added search and listen to his active skills before closing the screen turning to Hermione. "Ready?"
Hermione nodded and pointed towards one of the avenues that lead out of the city.
3 hours later 1st Floor
Harry hunkered down as the silver wolf slammed against his shield. Once the wolf's attack stopped He activated shield slam sending the level 3 wolf of kilter giving Hermione more than enough time to slam the beast with the blunt end of her pole arm. The following shattering of pixels spelled victory and for Hermione a level up.
"Wow." Harry said as he sat down on the grass field. "Who could guess how tiring that is." he stated to himself. Hermione sat down beside him with a laugh. Harry put his arm around her giving her a quick hug before turning toward a small out cropping of building on the horizon. "I think that is a town. I say we keep at it till dusk. Then we grab a bite to eat, and hit the sack."
Hermione made a sound of agreement. "Yeah what ever death has planed we'll need to be strong or we might as well give up now."
Harry nodded in agreement before pointed about thirty meters away from them. Hermione saw the large wolf. She used the inspect ability and frown. "It is a level 2 rare wolf called Sabre" she whispered.
"You know the deal let me get his attention then you lay waste to em." Harry stated as he stood preparing his mace and shield. She gave him a quick nod and he was off.
Harry was 10 meters from the creature when it turned toward him. It moved so fast Harry hardly had time to bring his shield up. The powerful attack thru him off balance, but he quickly recovered in time to strike the creature with his mace. Hermione closed quickly she used attack after attack. Harry for his part kept the creature occupied. The battle raged back and fort for over a 3 minutes. Harry's shield took most of the damage but over the battle his hp was slowly depleting. When the creatures hp hit twenty five percent it went into a frenzy. After that Harry was on pure defense the creatures attacks came fast and at a near constant. In the end he took a risk and shield slammed the beast. It not only stunned the beast, but knocked it over. Hermione landed blow after blow, and Harry punished the beast with his mace. Finally the rare beast shattered into a thousand little pixels.
"Woo, that is some tense shit." Harry swore as he leveled up, and his hp bar filled from fifteen percent to full. He smiled when he saw the loot window open up. A single piece of plate armor with decent stats compared to what he had equipped.
Hermione pointed to a freshly re spawned group of creatures. Harry nodded making sure he had the new plate armor on. "Lets do it?"
November 6th 2022 Aincrad 1740pm
Harry and Hermione had been resting on a hill. When the comfortable silence was shattered by the tolling of a bell. Then in an flash of blue light they where teleported back to the start of the world. Harry felt very uneasy as he took Hermione's hand. The other players look just as shock if not a little excited.
"I imagine the hammer is about to drop on us." he whispered. Hermione who looked just as uneasy as he did nodded. Suddenly the ceiling just a hundred meters or so above their head turned red with warning and system announcements messages. Slowly a massive robed apparition formed on the outskirts of the square.
"Welcome to my world, dear players."
Harry stepped closer to Hermione before whispering. "Could that be death?"
"My name is Akihiko Kayaba. As of this moment I'm the only human being alive with control over this world."
"I guess not." she whispered back. Harry nodded
"You have likely noticed by now that the log-out button has disappeared from the main menu. This is not a bug. I repeat, this is not a bug-it is a feature of Sword art online. From this point onward, you will be unable to freely log-out of the game until the summit of this castle has been conquered. Furthermore, the nervegear cannot be removed or shut down via external means. If forceful means of exit are attempted..."
"Merlin." Harry cursed softly. Hermione closed her eyes and held Harry's hand tighter.
"...the high powered microwaves emitted by the NerveGear will scramble your brain and shut down your vital processes."
Harry's stomach rolled violently. 'Did my deal with death cause this?' his legs gave out and he took Hermione down with him. "I am responsible for this?"
Hermione looked at him shocked that he could think such a thing. However the more she thought about it. It was what he did. If someone died during the second blood war he blamed himself. "No Harry I think this would have happened either way."
Harry had to agree with her. If this Akihiko Kayaba was an actual person it was on his head. If it was death... he would just have to accept it.
"To be more specific, the brain-frying sequence will commence upon any of the following circumstances: ten minutes of no external power:two hours of network disconnection: removal, dismantling, or destruction of the NerveGear. The authorities and media in the outside world have already announced the details of the conditions to the general public. At present the friends and family of several players have already ignored these warnings and attempted to forcefully remove their NerveGear the result being that sadly, two hundred and thirteen players have already been permanently retired from both Aincrad and the real world."
"Monster!" Hermione muttered under her breath. Harry stood ignoring his shaking limbs. He agreed with her it was a horrible situation. He looked around him and the shocked and scared faces around him. He could almost feel his hero complex demanding that he save as many as he could. How much could they do to help.
"There is no need to worry about you physical bodies back in the real world. The current state of the game and today's fatalities have been covered far and wide on television, radio, and the internet. The danger that someone will forcefully remove your NerveGear is already much diminished. The two-hour offline leeway should provide enough time for you physical bodies to be transported to hospitals and other long-term care facilities with proper security, eliminating concerns over your physical well-being. You may rest assured... and focus on conquering the game."
"That is a relief. I doubt anyone would last long without proper care." Hermione stated in a whisper that carried louder in the shocked silence than she hoped. A few people gave her an odd look before turning back to the apparition.
"However, please proceed with caution. As of the moment Sword Art Online is no longer a game to you. It is another reality. The standard means of player resurrection will no longer function as they did previously. When your hit points dwindle to zero, your avatar will be permanently deleted and the NerveGear will destroy your brain. There is only one condition through which you can be freed from this game. Simply reach the hundredth floor at the pinnacle of Aincrad and defeat the final boss who awaits you there. In that instant, all surviving player will be able to safely log out once again."
"Well I guess that is our goal." Harry remarked mostly to himself. Hermione merely squeezed his hand in support.
"This isn't a crusade you have to take on yourself Harry." she looked around the square. "I have no doubt we will have more help than ever."
Harry nodded smiling somewhat. "True enough, a nice change of pace to be sure."
They both zoned out of the speech. They had their goal, and their minds where reeling with what the future held. The apparition mention a gift and inventory so Harry checked his. Inside instead of a mirror that everyone else received. He received a note from Death 'good luck'
They watch fascinated as the mirrors transformed the majority hunky fantasy hero's into ordinary everyday people. From the elderly all the way to six or seven year old's. Hermione nearly sobbed when she noticed the looks of total horror on their little faces. Harry just got angry, so very, very angry. He had lost his childhood. Now this Kayaba bastard where ruining these babies lives. Harry didn't need to know why? To have control and be powerful. Why else would someone do such a thing.
"You are likely asking yourselves, why? Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of SAO and the NerveGear unit, do such a thing?Is it an act of terrorism? An elaborate kidnapping to extract ransom money? What I seek is neither of these things. I have no goals or justifications at the moment. In fact, this very situation was my ultimate goal. I created the Nerve Gear and SAO precisely in order to build this world and observe it. I have now achieved that aim. This concludes the tutorial phase of Sword Art Online. I Wish you the best of luck, dear players."
"We need to go back to the village. We can tag team the more powerful monster ourselves if we are cautious." Hermione offered up her suggestion.
Harry simply nodded took her hand and once the apparition vanished the barrier keeping them in vanished. They moved past the shocked crowd and had cleared the square before the outburst of disbelief and horror shook the very ground they stood on.
Hey guys! this is the AN fyi.
So yeah i love me some Sword Art Online. Since i really don't know all the story arc's. I don't feel comfortable reading or writing fan fiction for it only. So a crossover made more sense.
There will be plenty of stuff with Kirito and Asuna, and all the other main guys from the anime and light novels. Reviews are wanted and welcome fyi.
arigatou gozaimasu