Chapter Two - Raiden

A tall slender young man lay in bed, contemplating everything around him. All negativities flooded around him as he reached for his new modeled VR rig. He grabbed onto it tightly, ripping it off his head, and throwing it across the room. Anger raged through him while sitting up.

He muttered to himself, "Nothing I do can bring her back!" He slammed his fist into his bed, "New Aincrad lies within Alfheim, but being the best doesn't bring her back."

The man stood up, looking down, he was wearing a dark gray short sleeve shirt and dark blue jeans. He put on his black and gray tennis shoes, grabbing a few envelopes before rushing out his door. On his way out, he slammed his door leaving his apartment complex. He looked at the position of the sun; taking in a deep breath, he rushed down the stairs with his head down.

An elderly lady greeted him, "Don't be out too late! I've read in the papers about that killer running around!"

He stopped in his stride, taking his empty hand to brush back his long black hair to look at the lady, "Yes, I hear he had been caught finally! As it turns out, he was getting his targets from a particular game."

The old lady looked confused, "A game? That's just absurd!"

He strolled in closer, getting a better look at the elder lady. She was short wearing a green dress, glasses, and what looked like slippers. She had her hair placed up in a bun and brown eyes.

He let out a sigh, "Yes… absurd… to think someone could die from a game." He began to turn away, "No matter how good your skills prove, you can't bring someone dead back to life."

The old lady had been sweeping, but she stopped to look at the man, "Yes… I'm sorry. The events that happened to you slipped my mind. I will visit her memorial soon, dear."

He turned away as he began to keep heading forward, still looking back, he said, "I'm actually heading that way!" He put up his hand to wave as he walked away.

He followed the sidewalk, taking the nearest turn to his right, his walk became a jog. After a short jog, he came across a post office. He walked to the nearest teller, handing her a few coins in exchange for a few stamps. As he neared the shipping hoppers, he was greeted by a surprised hug from his left side. Placing the mail through the slot, he looked at the woman hugging him.

She looked up at him with excitement, "Where are you heading?!"

He began to walk away towards the doors, "To be alone."

The young girl made her way in front of him, "Do you think my sister's death has only impacted your life? I miss her all the same!" She gripped tighter to his shirt, pulling herself in by laying her head on his chest as tears streamed down her cheeks.

He felt obligated to put his arm around her, "I'm sorry," he pulled her in even tighter, "there's not a day when I don't think about her. I'm an outsider of your family, but… I loved her. I played that game trying to figure out her death. I try to be the best I can… for her. I'm trying to find previous players who may have known her before her death. I feel destined to find what happened."

She grabbed a few cherry blossom petals from the nearest tree, grabbing his hand as she placed them in his palm. She looked up at him, "No, you're always welcome! Let's go see her!" A wide smile spread across her face.

They began their way to the nearby cemetery, following the path to the middle, he felt as if he walked here the first time when she passed away. They continued the path as she still had a light hold on his hand. Soon enough, they came across a tomb flourished in flowers on both sides of the tomb. The tomb read "Sakura" in translation to "cherry blossom". He knelt down, placing the handful of cherry blossoms atop of the now covered grass.

A tear ran down his cheek, "You had so much to live for." a tear rushed down his other cheek dripping from his cheek, splashing into the soil. He slammed his fist into the ground, "You must have left behind something in that damn game, but… what?" He stood up, facing towards the young girl, "I will find out her purpose in that game. I will find out what truly killed her. If I could find that damn Kayaba, I'd kill him myself."

The young girl held him into a hug, "You will find out what happened to her, but it won't cost you your life. You're strong, Takeshi."

Takeshi hugged her back, "Thank you, Kohaku," after a few brief seconds of hugging, "we should really start heading back before your family starts to worry!" He said with a smile.

They had walked towards a large building as Takeshi waved a dismiss to Kohaku, "Thank you for taking me, Takeshi!" He began heading away towards his apartment complex, dwelling through his own thoughts. He walked up his steps, entering the code to his door. He creped slowly through the door, flipping the light switch on. Looking around as if someone else had been here, he moved in, letting out a sigh, and closing the door behind him.

He treaded through his apartment towards his bed, passing where he through his VR rig in the corner of the room. He picked it up. Heading towards his bed, he placed it over his head.

"Link start!" he yelled.

Being used to the games colorful introduction as a newcomer to Alfheim, he awaited the game's loading phase. He found himself where he had previously left the game; setting against a shady tree with his knees up. Wearing no tunic as he felt it distracted him from mobility. He stood up, heading towards the nearest village inn.

Shortly after nearing the inn, without hesitation, he headed inside only to be pushed back out the door. He feel of cold, hard, and clanging armor lay before him. A Salamander fairy. He looked at the man, he seemed pretty skilled with his armor set. He had short red hair and red eyes. The man apologized as Raiden tried to persuade him into a duel. Answers for what he seek about Sakura's death is the only things that flooded his mind.

After short conversing and promise of drinks, Raiden opened up the duel menu as the man accepted. Raiden seemed to have vanished as the man, Akio, he called himself prepared for a defensive stance.

The countdown began, "I'm not actually blind, you know," Raiden said circling around Akio.

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