Toshiyan walked down the cramped dark alleyway, alongside other members of the Knights of the Blood Oath, a great guild of Aincrad, and great other swordsmen and women. He looked around, he saw many with beads of sweat on their heads, they look as if they would slice at anything that jumped out at them. Whereas others trudged along more tired than anything else, some having no idea how dangerous this would be. All that anyone knew was that they had one purpose, dissolve the murder guild by the name of Laughing Coffin.
They have no idea why they're here. Toshiyan thought. Perhaps that's for the best. Who knows, hopefully this will end quickly. But if they resort to violence, which they probably will, then how many more people will die at my hand? He pushed the guilt away and kept walking. However, it kept creeping back to him like a spider. Most of these people would leave if they know what I did, maybe I killed a friend or a family member of theirs. Maybe they would draw their weapons in this very cavern and kill me if they knew. My skills and stats have caused much death, I have no excuse, maybe that would be fair.
His thoughts were interrupted by a hand on his shoulder, he turned to face a girl his age named Asuna looking at him. "It's not your fault, we'll get your sister back, promise." she whispered. She then smiled and walked ahead.
How is it that she knows exactly what I am thinking! How can she be so forgiving to a person that is not deserving. She always knows what to say to make me feel better. How can she be so strong, not just in stats, but emotionally? She helps others and cares for me. She would lay down her life for anyone here and not bat an eyelash, especially for her in-game boyfriend, Kirito.
I guess Kirito is similar to Asuna in a lot of ways. He is strong, and is the best swordsman I know. He is so well known around Aincrad that people call him The Black swordsman, which is because he uses only one sword and no shield. He helped structure this raid and gather others to arms. He is honest and comforting with others. I stand no chance for Asuna compared to him. She loves him more than me as well. If he makes him more happy than me, than that is ok; she deserves better than me.
Toshiyan was interrupted when the parade stopped and someone got up to speak. "If the tip we got was good, then the should be nearby Laughing Coffin's base, but before we charge in, keep one thing in mind; those guys are red players. Once the battle start, they won't think twice about killing anyone of us. Don't you hesitate, if you do, then you're dead."
You should listen to him. Toshiyan thought. I would know.
"We do have 2 things going for us though," the man continued. "We outnumber them and we have higher skill who knows, maybe they will surrender peacefully; a guy can dream, can't he?" I doubt it. If there is anything that I had learned here, peace is not on their vocabulary.
"Look out!" said a member of the crowd. Toshiyan looked up quickly and saw members of laughing coffin jump down from above, unsheathing their swords. Toshiyan quickly reached for his daggers and gripped them tightly. He then charged with amazing speed into the oncoming horde. He singled out a single lone member and lunged at him, dodging the murderer's first attack, and narrowly cut him with his 2 daggers. That's 2 hits, did that do it? The red player turned and prepared another attack. I guess not. He dodged his attack and weaved underneath him again, this time slicing more deeply with his daggers. That should do it. He was right, the man then collapsed, unable to move. He groaned in pain and Toshiyan jumped over him and kept searching for the passage he was looking for.
He continued to weave and slice through enemies, not killing them. Instead he just let them sit and have his daggers paralysis keep them down. Where is it?! I don't have much time, I need to get to the dungeon and free her as soon as possible. The higher-ups probably know that I tipped them off about their base's location. They will probably get there first. I need help!
"Kirito!" He shouted at the swordsman who just slashed another Laughing Coffin member. "Come on!"
He beckoned him down the path that led to the internal structure of the base. "Hurry up!" Kirito looked at him directly and was about to go toward him, but then stopped, then turned, looked at something and ran away. "Fine," Toshiyan said bitterly, sheathing his daggers "I'll do it myself."
He lunged into the empty corridors of laughing coffins base, searching desperately to find the dungeon's hallway. He was so busy that he didn't notice a shadow leap out at him. He cried out as he crumpled to the ground unable to move. The figure showed himself and smiled. "I figured you might show up here sooner or later, Electric assassin."
"I can't believe you had to cowardly hide and poison me in order to subdue me, Poison serpent."
He walked over and kicked him in the gut and he gasped in pain. "How about I show you what you want, little boy." he replied with cruel pleasure. He proceeded to drag Toshiyan to a dark hallway and past many empty cells and finally dropped him on the floor. The poison serpent then walked to the nearest cell and dragged its occupant on to the floor nearby him.
"Lyn!" He cried with relief, but she was too weak to respond. "What did you do, Serpent!" He yelled with anger enveloping his words. He tried with all of his might to try to move, but the poison was still too strong.
"Relax, we only starved her a little bit." He paused letting his words sink in while smiling cruelly.
"You," Toshiyan continued to struggle. "I am going to KILL YOU!" He fought with all his strength to move and reach for his sheathed daggers, but he still couldn't move.
"I'm only kidding," The serpent continued. "She is far too pretty to try and starve off, it would break my heart to see it happen." Toshiyan tried harder and could barely move his fingers now.
"When I get my hands on you, I'll-" Serpent casually reached into his pocket and stabbed him with another concealed blade thus strengthening the poison's power. Toshiyan cried in pain.
"Stop trying so hard, you can't save her." He pulled out a real sword this time and began to raise it "All you can do now," He raised it above her fully "Is watch her DIE!" He struck it down and a red mark appeared on Lyn's side. She cringed further, and yelled in pain.
"Knock it off! You want to kill anyone, kill me, please!"
The serpent turned, smiling. "The mighty Electric assassin, begging for mercy from a lowly serpent like me. I like to see you beg, do it again." He raised his sword above Lyn and turned to face Toshiyan.
"Please, don't hurt her." He was beginning to tear up now.
"Such a pity, she was pretty." The serpent then stabbed her again only increasing her pain.
"LYN!" Toshiyan yelled. Lyn mustered her strength and looked up at her brother who also couldn't move. "I'm sorry Lyn, I wish you didn't have to get caught up in this." He said, face tearful and voice choked.
She shook her head and said with some effort. "I-, I-" Her face was full of tears.
The serpent raised his sword and swung it down for the final blow. "I do appreciate sentiment before death, it warms my heart. However," He raised his sword. "It's now time to DIE!" He swung his sword down one more time and stabbed her in the side again. Her eyes widened with pain then drooped to a close, and no sooner had she been there, then she broke into shards and floated away into the ranks of the many souls claimed by the death game.
"Well, that was dramatic," the Serpent said as he sheathed his sword. "and yet, very satisfying." The Serpent turned to Toshiyan but stayed silent and unmoving. "Ahh, has the assassin's tongue been stole-" He was stopped when Toshiyan immediately grasped his daggers, stood up and charged at the Serpent.
The battle had ended and many of the laughing coffin members had either died or been taken prisoner. Kirito had been doing a headcount of how many people there were left after the battle. "We started out with 50 of the best people I know." He said quietly to himself "Now, only 38 of them remain."
Asuna hurried over to Kirito. "Everyone is a little bit shaken, but I think that-"
She was stopped when Kirito embraced her. "I am so glad you lived, I don't know what I would do without you."
Asuna hugged him back. "I knew that I couldn't die, for both our sakes, but where is Toshiyan?"
Kirito looked down. "He's not here,"
Asuna placed her hands over her mouth. "No," She began to tear up. "All he wanted was to make things right and he is rewarded with pain and now death. That's not fair!" She buried her face in Kirito's shoulder and continued to sob.
"No, it's my fault. Its because of-" He stopped because of a hobbling figure that was coming out of the base's entrance. Asuna turned around and recognized him immediately.
"Toshiyan!" She rushed over and embraced him as well. "Where were you, did you save Lyn, where is she?" He didn't respond and continued to walk toward Kirito. "Toshiyan, where is Lyn?" Asuna asked again more inquisitively this time. He stopped, keeping his head down
"She's dead."
Asuna paled. "Toshiyan, I-"
"It's not your fault, there is only one person to blame." Toshiyan glared up at Kirito, who paled slightly at his piercing eyes. But his expression softened and he looked down again. "The only person to blame is myself."
Know this Kirito, I will cope with you now. I will let you have Asuna, but I hope you never forget this, because I hope that this experience makes you rot with guilt for eternity.