Chapter Four:
Damian Wayne in the World of Swords
(Author's Note: We now step backwards in time to when eleven-year-old Damian Wayne is only mere moments away from logging into the Sword Art Online servers for its official launch.)
1
The biological heir to the Wayne fortune lay stretched comfortably across his large bed awaiting the official launch of Sword Art Online. After an hour of preparation, Damian's NerveGear helmet was now finally connected, calibrated and ready to go. There was nothing left to do except wait, and perhaps reflect upon the questionable process by which he had obtained this futuristic technology…
Hacking into his father's account and then using Wayne Industries to import the NerveGear equipment along with a copy of Sword Art Online had perhaps been overstepping his bounds, but the boy fully expected that his father would understand his reasons.
And if Wayne Industries were to acquire the Argus Corporation, this firsthand product knowledge of a virtual world would prove invaluable. Besides, Damian considered it his filial duty to exploit any potential vulnerabilities within Wayne Industries security system, if only to make it stronger.
He made a mental note to report those network exploits to his father once he returned from his trip to Japan.
Hours before, Damian had locked himself into his room and had then spent the time researching the game's strategies, maps and monsters, learning all that he could from what the Beta-testers had previously shared online before performing the numerous biometric calibrations his NerveGear equipment required.
He was thankful the game was robust enough to instantly translate his English thoughts into fluent Japanese speech - as his Japanese was still far from perfect. Damian was quite sure he'd be the only person in America playing during the game's official launch and perhaps the only non-Japanese player. The first ten thousand advance copies had been restricted to a Japanese audience and had literally sold out within moments…
With his single copy, he could be the envy of every gamer in America.
But whatever fictitious excitement the game provided could never compare to the thrill he felt as the newest Robin to his father's Batman. No, he simply wanted to feel this technology in action, to see how realistic a virtual world could be and to take part in this technical revolution in order to guide Wayne Industries towards the future.
To young Damian Wayne, this wasn't about fun, this was simply research.
Not only was he the sole heir to the world's deadliest collection of spies and assassins known as the League of Shadows, Damian Wayne was also the heir-apparent of one of this country's largest industrial conglomerates; Wayne Industries. While his father had done well to steer the company through the events of the previous two decades, a new future was dawning upon them and its first rays of its light were shining across the Land of the Rising Sun…
As the NerveGear's clock turned over from 12:59 PM Japanese Standard Time to 13:00, Damian's thoughts snapped back to the present as he calmly spoke the "Link Start" command which would begin his login process. Beyond those two simple worlds, every other screen was now being controlled by his thoughts.
How strange that the graphics actually seemed to appear in his mind... He only needed to consciously think of his selection and it was immediately selected… This was the future of the graphical user interface… Data instantly controlled by the user's thoughts… A human mind with direct access to servers moving at the speed of thought…
In the character generation screen, Damian selected a male character, much like himself except older. He saw no reason to come up with an exotic name so he simply chose his own…
'Damian'.
For his initial two skill slots he selected 'One-Handed Curved Blade' and 'Hiding'. Having been trained as a professional assassin since the age of three, he saw no reason to deviate from the ambush tactics of his youth.
Also, from what he had read online, the One-Handed Curved Blade skill could later be upgraded to the Extra skill of 'Katana' which was his favourite type of sword. There was supposedly also a 'Martial Arts' skill in the Beta test that could be unlocked with a quest later on.
Otherwise, player stats were incredibly straightforward, limited only to Strength and Agility. He had always favoured speed over strength so he maxed his Agility. Levelling up provided more opportunities to increase his strength should he require it.
And that was it.
The final bright screen said 'Welcome to Sword Art Online' and then…
Damian was suddenly immersed in a spinning kaleidoscope of colours as though he were travelling through the halls of a modern art museum at hyperspace speeds until it all became dark.
Because his eyes were closed, weren't they?
Slowly, he opened his eyes to find himself standing in a large pillared atrium with a white terracotta brick floor, surrounded by lush green shrubs as though he were in some fragrant Renaissance courtyard near the Mediterranean Sea.
Amazing, he could actually feel the warm air on his face and smell the juniper in the air.
This was Aincrad!
It really was as though his physical body was in the Town of Beginnings! When he stepped forward, he felt his weight push upon the stones and the soft feel of his leather boots push back against the soles of his feet. Swiping his two fingers across the air in front of him brought up his menu screen to confirm this was a game…
Simply astonishing! Any misgivings he once had about this technology suddenly vanished before its amazing renderings. Truly this was the future of human interaction where one person's imagination became another's reality...
The dream of storytellers since the dawn of time.
Looking around, Damian found he was literally surrounded by hundreds of other excited players who were also rife with enthusiasm, while even more new players were constantly being teleported into existence with every passing second. To his far left he spied the Black Iron Palace which was rumoured to contain a prison while to his right he saw the atrium's high arching exit leading to the seemingly endless stalls of Non-Player-Character merchants who were already busy engaging other players in selling their wares in open markets along the sunlit streets.
It was beyond these stalls that lay his destination; the grassy wilderness of the West Field.
The young assassin had been itching to try out the combat system, if only to see how close it was to actual kenjutsu. As the game's name inferred, sword fighting was indeed an art and Damian was its master. His father Bruce Wayne had long since forbidden him from taking lives with that deadly art, but in this virtual world he was now free to engage his martial talents with nothing holding him back.
A chance to cut loose… literally.
The eager Damian avoided the crowded shops and stalls, making his way directly to the West Field where he noticed a few other players had the same idea, trying to master their sword skills against the frequent wild boars that consistently spawned on these grassy plains. As monsters went, he'd read that these Frenzy Boars were actually quite easy, a beginner's challenge to allow novice players to become accustomed to the game's combat system.
He was surprised when it took him a full thirty-six strikes combined with skilful dodging (which had still resulted in him taking a hit) to actually defeat one of these monstrous pigs… Falling to his knees as the animal exploded into a thousand bright digital polygons before creating a floating screen which listed his experience and treasure rewards.
The fight had actually left him breathless... And that was supposed to be a beginner's challenge?!... What sort of insane game was this?!
"You're not using your sword skill, dummy" said an unseen female voice from just behind him.
Damian spun around to see a hooded young woman with painted-on red cat whiskers drawn across her cheeks now standing directly behind him. She had light, shoulder-length auburn/blonde hair poking out from beneath the dark hood and pale brown/golden eyes that were brimming with mischief.
He also happened to notice that she had a pair of claws hanging at her left side, a traditional Ninja weapon which gave her the appearance of a spy rather than a warrior.
No wonder she'd been so sneaky…
"I just used more sword skills than you'll ever know!" he snapped back at her, still winded from his battle with the incredibly robust boar.
"Your game sword skill, stupid. You need to engage a skill before you strike in order to inflict damage on your target."
"And how exactly would I do that?"
Damian didn't like the sly smile that slowly spread across the character's mouth as she pensively stroked her chin with her thumb.
"Old habits die hard… Let's see now, you just made 30 Col from your first kill so I figure I'll let you off easy… Let's say 300 Col."
'Col' was the universal currency in the Sword Art Online game. Since he'd avoided the shops, Damian still had his beginning allotment of coins, more than enough to pay her fee. He quickly opened his menu, transferring the 300 Col to this player when he noticed that her name was Argo.
"Alright... So how do I use my game sword skill?"
"Damian, huh? Cool name… Now pay attention. You have to move your weapon into a ready-to-strike position, and then pause until the game engages the attack skill you've selected before you strike. Once the skill is engaged, go for it...
"I admit… The whole process is meant to look over-the-top and dramatic... That's why most of your blows were ineffective before. You were dancing around and poking the Frenzy Boar but not actually engaging the system… With your current stats, that won't do much of anything…
"But this is important to remember; once you initiate an attack, you're locked in… Kind of like autopilot where the attack's going to happen whether you want it to or not… You've got the One-Handed Curved Blade skill and the Reaver attack, right?"
"Yes."
The cat-like Argo then nodded to another boar thirty feet away.
"Alright then, why don't you try it with that snorting fellow over there? Their weak point is on the back of their head by the way. Aim for that if you can."
Damian picked himself up and stood, suspecting he was dealing with a seasoned player.
"Then why don't you show me how it's done first?"
"Not my style... I'm just a casual observer here… Go on, he's waiting for you, champ."
This time, it only took him two strikes to defeat the tusked creature before it exploded into glittering, digital specks. And his instructor had been correct; the system actually had taken over his attack sequence once it had been initiated. But even more disconcerting was the fact that there seemed to be an unavoidable pause after the Reaver attack had completed which had left him momentarily vulnerable…
Argo grinned as he returned before she offered some additional advice.
"If you're going to be using Single Curved Blade, you should really put some points into your strength as well, especially at lower levels. Those extra few points of damage and the boost in Hit Points can make all the difference down here. Killing an enemy with a single blow means he won't have the opportunity to counterattack while you're stuck waiting around after a full-on attack like Reaver."
"Is the Reaver attack the reason why I was frozen in place afterwards?"
"Sort of… The game uses an attack sequence which has to run its course before you can make your next move. Most players call it 'lag'. Boars are pretty stupid so they'll always charge straight on. As long as you've engaged your skill correctly, you should strike first and disrupt the Boar's charge, stunning it for the entire attack sequence so there will be no chance for a counterattack…
"That's why these Frenzy Boars are considered easy pickings... But be careful young grasshopper, monsters get a lot tougher and smarter as the game goes on… They'll actually start analyzing your attack patterns and come up with their own strategies, including swarming in groups, using feints, dodging your first attack and even trying to disarm you…
"That's why most players join guilds…
"They can also 'Switch' with other members after an attack. The idea is that the second player's attack keeps the monster occupied while the first player waits out the sequence lag. Then the third player attacks to protect the second player and so on. By employing this continuous attack strategy, it keeps the monster off-balanced and the players safe… And also prevents them from messing up one another's skill combos at higher levels."
"You mean the two, three and four-hit combo attacks that come later on?"
"Exactly… Although I have it from a good source that it goes all the way up to a twenty-hit combo attack eventually... Anyways, if you're into that kind of thing and really wanted to max your agility to focus on those crazy attack combos, you should pick the 'Rapier' or 'Dagger' skill… The 'Single Curved Blade' skill is fine, but it requires a balance of your strength and agility stats…
"Of course, the other advantage is that it will allow you to use a shield instead of a pure agility defence…
"One final word of advice, Damian... Once we get past level two, stats won't matter as much as magical and crafted items. That's when you're going to want to have a big stack of coin to buy yourself something good... Magical drops are like gold here, but most of the time it's not actually something that you have the skill set to use, so players wind up selling them… For a small fee, I can point you in the direction of the shop who currently has the best prices for what you want to buy… Or is willing to pay top dollar for your own magical stuff... All part of being an Information Broker, my friend."
Once it became obvious he was dealing with an experienced player, Damian peered at this girl with a newfound respect.
"Were you a Beta-tester?"
"Heh… Name's Argo… Trust me, it takes everyone awhile to figure out how things work around here… But it really is an amazing place… Have lots of fun and be sure to take the time to look around… I'm actually off to go do some sightseeing myself... Good luck, Damian."
"Good luck to you as well, Argo."
In a system where events and damage amounts were randomly generated by computers, it seemed appropriate to wish someone 'good luck'. And although Damian should have been offended that this experienced player had charged him for what seemed like an elementary bit of advice, the fact remained that she had saved him significant time and frustration.
As he watched her walk away, it was difficult to fault her entrepreneurial spirit. After all, his father employed a small army of consultants in the real world as a necessary cost of doing business.
So why shouldn't he?
One thing that was different here though was fighting… This combat system was most decidedly not like the techniques he'd mastered. Once the system had engaged a skill it really was like you were on autopilot, with no backing out until the attack sequence had run its course. But as Argo had explained, in a game environment like Sword Art Online where glorified over-the-top attacks were designed to make the players appear as bigger-than-life heroes it made sense.
With that in mind, he killed nine more boars.
Afterwards, as Damian sat by himself on a grassy knoll, he had to admit that even in this short amount of time, he was growing accustomed to life in someone else's fantasy world. He felt the gentle breeze rustling in his dark, cropped hair while his fingers wove themselves into soft tufts of grass. Even the sun-drenched, fragrant smells of the countryside were carried on the light wind and filled his nostrils.
In the distance, there were settlements magically set on top of twisting inverted spiral cones, perched high above lush green rolling hills where meadows filled with wildflowers lapped upon their emerald shores. Ancient limestone stalagmites pierced the dream-inspired landscape like old stone guardians who'd been long ago lulled to sleep by the breeze's soothing lullaby. In the wispy, cloud-filled, crimson skies above him, five small dragons lazily flew in formation towards the horizon.
With a disappointed sigh, Damian decided he should logout.
He could devote more time to this fantastic world after a few hours of sleep and a late breakfast. He'd already left Alfred a note indicating that he was not to be disturbed until 10:00 AM and he was sure to have a long day ahead of him once players began to organize themselves into guilds and explored Level One.
Opening his menu screen, Damian was stunned to see that the 'Logout' command was no longer available. Its placeholder remained, but not the actual graphic. Repeatedly pressing the spot where it should have been accomplished nothing. He scanned through various submenus for other options with no luck, eventually even shouting the word "Logout!" to the hillside around him…
Even the 'Game Master Help' option was currently disabled.
Apparently, he was stuck here.
Well, this certainly was an embarrassing glitch which would negatively affect the Argus share price. Having certain players not being able to logout would surely blemish the news surrounding Sword Art Online's eagerly anticipated launch, and most likely increase his father's bargaining leverage as well.
Still, he wanted to go home…
Damian tensed as he was suddenly surrounded by sparkling sapphire twinkles until he was engulfed in a flash of blue light, suddenly finding himself being teleported back to his original position in the large atrium within the Town of Beginnings...
To find he'd instantly joined thousands of other confused players who had also simultaneously been teleported here as well. There was a loud hum in the air as he realized that all ten thousand players must have been transported back to their starting points.
And none of them seemed to know why.
Ah, so this logout glitch must have been system-wide. Obviously, Argus had brought everyone here to address the malfunction and most likely offer some form of financial retribution by way of an apology. Now it was just a question of when the issue would be resolved…
The large church bell at the center of the courtyard suddenly rang out as the players' eyes were drawn upwards to a large red hexagonal cursor flashing high in the air above their heads with the word 'WARNING' printed ominously across it. Damian watched as this single cursor spawned hundreds more around itself, with each reading 'System Announcement' or 'WARNING' until they interlocked to block out the skies above, engulfing the scene below as well as the thousands of players in an ominous red hue.
From the lines between these hexagon cursors, a thick red liquid began to seep out, pouring downwards like a stream of blood until it congealed itself into a cradle-like pool above, crackling with tendrils of electricity.
The players gasped as this living lake of plasma began to take the shape of a sixty-foot tall man cloaked in ornate crimson robes highlighted by gold trim, the same outfit the game masters normally wore. His face was completely blacked out by darkness, as though he were the monstrous spectral phantom of a religious order long since passed from human memory.
Around him, Damian heard mutterings of 'Game Master' and 'Special Event' as players huddled closer together, unsure of what was to follow. The battle-hardened boy simply folded his arms, silently wondering how Argus was going to address its mistake and how long it would take them to fix it.
As the giant spectre raised its white-gloved hands like some empty god to speak, the crowd fell silent, waiting with baited breath until the shadowy giant's calm voice boomed out across the courtyard.
"Attention players… Welcome to my world. My name is Akihiko Kayaba… As of this moment, I am the only living person able to control this world…
"I'm sure you've already noticed that the logout button is missing from the main menu. But this is not a defect in the game… I repeat, this is not a defect in the game but rather a key feature of Sword Art Online…
"You cannot logout of SAO of your own will. And no one on the outside can shut down or remove the NerveGear. Should this be attempted, the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emit powerful microwaves destroying your brain and thus ending your life…"
Out of the corner of his eye, Damian spotted certain players attempting to leave the courtyard in fear. He watched as their efforts to escape were blocked by an invisible force field.
Obviously, they were all trapped here.
The ghostly Akihiko Kayaba continued…
"Unfortunately, there have already been several instances where players' friends and families have ignored this warning and attempted to forcibly remove the NerveGear… As a result, 213 players have already exited permanently, from both Aincrad and the real world…"
Damian then watched as Kayaba's massive avatar nonchalantly waved its white gloved hand to bring up dozens of holographic screens in the air surrounding it, displaying various news feeds with each detailing a player's untimely demise. If what he was saying were true, this was a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions…
"As you can see, news organizations across the world are reporting this situation concerning these multiple deaths… Thus, you can assume that the danger of a NerveGear being removed from your head has been reduced…
"So I would like you all to focus on clearing my game. But be sure to keep this in mind… There is no longer any function to revive someone within the game… The instant your Hit Points drop to zero, your avatar will vanish forever… And simultaneously, your brains will be destroyed by the NerveGear…
"The one condition for your escape is to complete this game. You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad, Floor One. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the Floor Boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the final boss on Floor One Hundred and you will clear the game…
"Now then, finally… I've provided you all with a present in your item storage… Please see for yourself."
Like all the players around him, Damian opened his inventory menu to find that a new item named 'Mirror' had indeed been deposited there. Tapping on its icon, a silver hand mirror instantly materialized into his grip as he curiously stared into its shiny reflection. After being engulfed in a bright blue light, he soon saw that it wasn't his character's older, rugged face that was being reflected back at him anymore…
It was his own!
With that revelation, the mirror exploded into prismatic sparkles as he actually felt himself shrink, quickly realizing that it was his own younger body which had now been substituted for his full-grown avatar. His mind raced back to the biometric calibrations his NerveGear equipment had required him to perform and how he'd ran his hands all over his body to establish those bodily parameters.
So that's how Kayaba had done it...
His attention was soon drawn to the startled gasps of his fellow players as they first looked upon one another and then themselves, witnessing the true player behind the character. Damian couldn't help but smirk as he noticed that certain young men had obviously been playing female characters who were still dressed in girlish revealing outfits…
The overwhelming cacophony of the players' bickering instantly ceased as Akihiko Kayaba began speaking once more.
"Right now, you must all be wondering… Why?... Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of Sword Art Online and NerveGear, do such a thing?... My goal has already been accomplished… I created Sword Art Online for one reason only…
"For you to stake your lives against my world's overwhelming perils while weaving your hearts and souls into the very fabric of Aincrad… Your passionate hearts are my sacrificial offering to systemic entropy and your passionate souls shall write the code of life itself upon my world…
"This ends the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online launch... I wish you luck, players."1
Damian watched as dark crimson smoke emerged from beneath the shadowy robes of the dark giant as a loud squelching noise droned on like an old-style modem all around them. Akihiko Kayaba disappeared into a cerise cloud of smoke as his clothing tumbled inwards, fading into digital oblivion.
The dark red dome of cursors which had enclosed them now vanished, allowing the setting sun's light to once again shine upon the almost ninety-eight hundred silent and confused players in a surreal moment of perfect quiet, as though each of them were waiting for a punch line which would never be delivered.
From beyond the courtyard, Damian heard the soft musical notes of a band of Non-Player-Characters singing and playing lutes, engaged in a happy melody in stark contrast to the shock which had gripped them all.
To the game, nothing had changed. To the Player Characters who were now trapped within that game, everything had changed.
With one single scream, the floodgates of emotion opened and everyone burst into yells of protest or wept tears of sorrow, swept up in a giant wave of hysteria as the courtyard suddenly exploded into an uproar.
For his own part, Damian Wayne realized that his life was in mortal peril not only from the game…
But from his subterfuge to play it.
It was unlikely that father would discover his covert message in time to save his own life before the unsuspecting Alfred walked in on his comatose body. And Damian knew beyond a doubt that the old servant would attempt to remove his NerveGear and revive him when he did not wake…
Thus unwittingly ending his young life.
Author's Notes:
1. Normally I would never quote directly from the original source. But in this case, Akihiko Kayaba's world-changing speech to the Sword Art Online players is an essential part to the story's plot. It encapsulates the entire drama of SAO for readers who may not be familiar with the series and sets the tone for what is to transpire within the game. To those readers who are familiar with the speech, see if you can discover what changes I've made near the end.