Hello everyone and thank you for reading my first attempt at a written work. Also do not feel the need to provide feedback; however, I won't stop you if you feel the need to.
The following story is the brainchild of too much free time, and my near hero-worship level respect for Artorias. Have you ever been so bad ass that just from being mentioned in the original campaign you got an entire DLC named after you?
If the answer is yes, please send me the description so that I may proceed to give a fuck. I should warn supplies are limited. Oh would you look at that... the last fuck I had to give is gone.
Anyway it's not in the crossover section just because I feel like it doesn't really have enough elements of DS to warrant it.
Inspiration for names have come from a variety of different works, but that is about as far as I plan on going with that.
Something to get out of the way now is that all names will be first then last. My reason being if I barely can handle the grammatical nuances of my first language there is no way in hell that I'm going to for a language I don't even speak.
For simplicity's sake if I do something against what the cannon has dictated or change details about something, please tell me as I do not know everything there is to know about the series. Also it will be mainly focused on the points of the anime.
Nine out of ten times though, just accept it as me take some creative freedoms and move on. If it really bothers you... I don't really know hot to fix it so sorry.
I will occasionally throw in some common phrases and names that sound like they would fit. If there is any confusion, message me and I will do my best to correct it.
The names are from a pre-existing work and cyber cookie to you if you know it. If you don't... well Google that bitch.
To grammar Nazi's: I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you're looking for acknowledgment I can tell you that I don't have any respect for you or your grammar skills. But what I have are a very particular set of review and private message management options; options I have acquired over a very long career. Options that make me a nightmare for grammar nazis like you. If you let my grammatical errors go, that will be the end of it. I will not flame you, I will not delete your comments. But if you don't, I will flame you, I will delete your comments, and I will block you.
And to conclude I don't own anything obviously. If someone could explain why we need to do disclaimers anyway, that'd be cool.
The Abyss Walker
Chapter 1
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
The two met in a clash of cold steel and flesh. One was a horrid beast, deprived of any humanity. The other was a ruthless and cold warrior. These titans of combat had already been at it for the better part of 5 minutes, but neither refused to give in.
The guardian of the sanctuary would not let this... human... defile it's land. Blade met flesh yet again as the warrior landed two successive hits before having to roll away. Irritation was all the monster could as he charged yet again.
It was annoyingly repetitive. Two to three hits then getting out of the way of whatever barrage the beast unleashed. As the battle took it's toll, victory was in sight. Rolling over the arc of lightning, a blackened blade struck true.
It was not to be however, as the scorpion like tail finally scored a large hit. The force of the blow was enough to send him flying backwards where his spirit left his body.
You Died
"God dammit!" came the cry from Sakamoto. This was the fifth time the guardian had bested him and he needed a break. New Game plus seven was ballbusting even for the most experienced of Dark Soul vets and a juice break was just what he needed.
A large yawn could be heard and he stretched his stiff muscles. Jumping from the bed to the floor, he began his trek to the kitchen.
Along the way he couldn't help but look at the family photo's hanging along the wall.
Some where all of them together. Other marked special events in their life. His parents getting married, pictures of the kids first day of school, Hiromi graduating from college. Little things.
Sakamoto Shinonome was a 14 year old boy living with his two sisters. Nano was the oldest of the trio at the age of 16 while Hiromi was the baby of the trio at the age of eight.
Their parents were happily married but since this an anime based fan fiction they will probably play no significant role and be practically non existent. For now they are known as mom and dad.
Opening the fridge revealed that all the snacks and drinks had been recently labeled with a Property of Hakase sticker.
A smile broke out on his face and he couldn't help but chuckle. Hiromi was a genius and would only answer to Hakase. Even going so far as to introduce herself as Hakase Shinonome.
For all her smarts, however, she was still just a little girl and fell victim to the same traps. Like how he bribed her with bunt cake to make his Nerve Gear backwards compatible with old PC games. Just another weird aspect of their ordinary life.
In true Sakamoto fashion, he completely ignored it and grabbed a small box of strawberry juice. Sure it would bring the wrath of the brat, but that was a problem for future Sakamoto. Now was time for the present, and the present was delicious.
The vibrating in his pants brought him out of his musings as he checked the his message
It's just got in. Better hurry if
you want me to save you one.
They won't be here for long.
-KK
"Huh..."
"Oh crap there here. I don't have time to lose."
The only evidence of there being a person in the kitchen was a vaguely human shaped dust cloud the lingered in place.
"Leavingnowgottagoseeyoulater." where the only words of warning Nano got before having to dodge the human bullet.
"Lovely day we're having."
"I couldn't agree more. Would you believe that it was supposed to- do you see that?"
"Do I see whahhhhhhhhh!"
That was the unfortunate fate of two pedestrians caught off guard by the frantic boy. Two more minutes of high octane running found one young lad outside of the local game shop.
GEARBOX Games
That was the name of the local electronics establishment and occasional hang out of the Sakamoto.
It also happened to be where an old buddy of his was currently employed.
The front was crowded with eager fans awaiting the opening so they could be one of the 10000 who got to play the latest MMO... Sword Art Online.
It boasted a realistic environment with a slew of customizable traits and skills. No magic though which 'served to heighten the realism of the environment'.
*CoughBullshitCough*
Seriously, what kind of rpg didn't have magic.
Entering through the service entrance at the back allowed for bypassing the roaring masses. It was just too hot to deal with that many people.
Posters hung along the far wall, advertising the latest in entertainment, while shelves were jam packed with different games new and old.
Most of the ads centered around the Nerve Gear, a virtual reality helmet designed to bring a whole new level of immersion to the gaming world.
The middle of the shop served as a sort of advert station for new releases and pre-order incentives. They even had a poster boasting the sale of twenty copies of SAO to the first people in line.
"Ah.. Sakamoto there you are. What took you so long?" Standing behind the counter stood long time friend Kenji Kondou. Kenji and Sakamoto went way back, as far as elementary school days.
"Hey why are you still wearing that scarf, it's been like two months already. I'm sick of looking at it."
"Well too bad I happen to like this scarf." Understatement. Having come as a surprise for giving Hakase some shark chocolate behind Nano's back. The brat felt the need to think him with one of her mundane inventions, but it was just a scarf.
Not that he minded, the red accessory was just so freaking cool on him that he never took it off. His 'official' reason when confronted was that he didn't want to hurt his sister's feelings.
It even managed to defy gravity and stay upright behind him despite months of use.
"Whatever. Look here's the deal. You cover my shift, and I let you in on the extra copy of SOA we've got hidden in the back. Pretty fair don't you think."
"Yeah-yeah. Just hurry up open the store so we can get this over with." He could tell this was gonna suck hard, but the guaranteed copy of the limited game was just too much. "Hey, how come you don't want the extra copy?"
"Please, I've got better things to do than hang out online. Out there is where a man has to stake his claim and make a name for himself. We can't all be shut-ins like you." replied Kenji. Though they may have sounded spiteful, his words held no bite.
"You're only sixteen! Stop looking down on me asshole!" Let it never be said that they weren't the best of friends despite the age difference.
"Anyway I told my boss I'd work overtime so no leaving before that 'kay."
An eye twitched in response. "You are just too many different kinds of asshole." What kind of person does that kind of thing?
"Love you to. Lock up when you're done. Your shift ends at 8." And with that Kenji left to go hit on women way outside of league. It was almost pitiful really. Had he not come off as such a pervert he may have had a chance, but he was a pervert.
"Oh, by the way, I lost the game." He called from the back.
The twitching eye returned with a vengeance as Sakamoto stared at Kenji through squinted eyes.
"I'm getting real tired of your shit Kenji. And you didn't even open up the front you ass!" (For those not in the know, you just don't know. For those who do know, you to have just lost the game.)
"Okay I can do this. It's just 14 hours, I can do this." Maybe an all night Dark Souls marathon wasn't the best idea but hindsight is always twenty-twenty.
Exhausting. That was the only word to describe what he went through. The pushing and shoving. The roar of crowds. Kenji so owed him.
Still the prize was within his hands. The last copy of SAO the store had left. Now that he was home there was only three things on his mind.
First, a shower to get the smell of people off of himself.
Second, a can of Lipovitan to regain energy.
Third, to boot up the this bad boy.
Sleep was for the weak and the dead.
Twenty minutes and one energy drink later finds Sakamoto booting up his Nerve Gear.
'Hmm... The user name. How about Artorias?' Luckily it was available, so the only thing left was character creation, password, and confirmation. All of it done within mere moments.
"Link Start." and with that he left the world of the conscious and joined the thousands of other players enjoying the game.
I know you have a lot of choices when reading fanfiction and I am glad that you chose this one.
Please enjoy the rest of your day. This is GWS and I bid you all farewell.