Okay, this is where the story really begins. Sorry for dragging it until now.

HOPE YOU ENJOY READING IT!

DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN SWORD ART ONLINE.

CHAPTER 2

CHAOS

Asuna landed with her face down in the middle of some tropical forest in Aincrad. What is this place? Where am I?

Even though she had made it to the 75th floor in SAO, she had never come across a dungeon like this. It was eerie and portentous. Asuna had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen. She just couldn't transpire what it would be.

Where are the others? Why am I alone? Yet another problem. She was all alone in this place. Her guild members were not there with her. Can it get any worse? With this thought Asuna started walking through the forest.

"Oy Liz! Get up! Stop sleeping and get up, all ready!" Klein was trying to shake Liz out of her slumber. How could she become unconscious due to a simple teleportation? Stupid Blacksmith. Who asked her to come? Should have stayed in the smelter.

Liz slowly opened her to find the form of the redheaded Salamander's figure staring at her. It was Klein. As Liz got up to her feet, she looked around and found herself in a dark canyon. The sky was probably set to the night setting, so it was pitch dark. Thanks to Klein's spell, the adjacent area was illuminated to an extent.

"What happened? Didn't we all warp together? Where are the others?"

Klein scratched his head helplessly as he had no answer to her questions.

As soon as Lyfa, Agil and Sinon, warped into the dungeon, they had encountered powerful NPCs. Mummies. What kind of setting was that? Neither ALO nor SAO had such monsters. Not that they knew off. With great difficulty and thanks to some great sword fighting from Lyfa-chan, they managed to survive.

This was Sinon's first official battle in New Aincrad, and she seemed a bit off pace. Lyfa and Agil were not surprised though. For a person who was a master at using guns to blow away her opponents, sword fighting was pretty difficult. But she was improving with every hit.

"Agil, Sinon, where the hell are we?"

Lyfa looked around at the two of them. The look on their faces said it all. They have no clue as well.

Luckily for Asuna, somehow, Yui came flying to her. Asuna felt happy that she at least had her daughter for company, in this god forsaken forest. For such a huge forest, it was ominoulsy silent. Not a sound. The only sound she could hear was of her breath, her footsteps, and the fluttering of Yui's tiny wings.

"Where am I, Yui?"

"One second Mama. Let me check."

"We are in a certain dungeon inside New Aincrad…..The protocols around this dungeon are complex. I am not able to reference them. Sorry Mama."

Yui's pixie face dropped down because of her inability to help her mother.

"It's alright Yui. We'll find our way out."

On hearing these comforting words, Yui's face once again lit up.

"Mama! Why don't you check the location of others using your tracker. Their position should be displayed there. You can then message them and we all can meet up at a certain point."

It was a good idea. Yes. Yui is right. This could work.

As she opened her menu and scrolled to the 'Friends' tab, she could see three pointers in the map. They were not far away. From her experience, she judged that they would be some 10 miles north-east from where she currently stood.

But then a chill ran down her spine. What about the other two? It has only been a few minutes. Are they….Are they dead…Already? Asuna shook off that thought from her mind. She believed in her friends and she knew they were still alive, even if the map suggested otherwise.

The three people on the map were moving as well. They were headed towards Asuna. Asuna decided to move in their direction to rendezvous with them as soon as possible.

But just when she was about to head for them, she heard a twig creek behind her. As she turned around, she heard slight footsteps. It was not heavy. There was no flutter of wings.

Someone is hiding here. Asuna scrutinized her surroundings with an intense look. She could not see anything unusual. Of course, magic, would enable, people to hide and conceal them. And the forest setting would only help their cause. But Asuna could not shake off the situation at hand. It had to be handled.

Once again she heard some footsteps behind her back and Yui shouted, "Mama behind you!"

Asuna quickly turned around to find a Spriggan fly towards grasping a long sword in his hand. The sword quickly turned red and let out a hissing sound. A Sword skill.

Asuna ducked to avoid the attack and instantly unsheathed her rapier and attacked the Spriggan. The force of Asuna's attack sent the Spriggan flying . Before the Spriggan could regain composure, Asuna was at him again, relentlessly attacking him. A six hit combo, reduced the Spriggan's HP to the red level. Asuna was about to go for the kill, when a homing spell, aimed right at her head, came towards her. Even though Lightning Flash Asuna had lightning fast reflexes, there was no time for her to react. In the blink of an eye, the attack hit her and she fell to the ground.

Shockingly the pain which Asuna felt was excruciating. It was too real. She remembered once that Sugou had reduced the pain absorber back in ALO, on top of the world tree. Even in tormenting pain, Asuna saw right through it. Someone has reduced the Pain Absorber level. But who would do that? Why do such a thing? The stipulations itself seem harsh and now the pain. My day just keeps getting worse.

"Mama, are you alright?" Yui asked in a very disturbed voice.

Asuna didn't know what to say. Her mind was flooded with thoughts. Who had attacked her and where was this person?

Instantly, almost out of nowhere, she could see a tall figure slowly walking towards her. Asuna tried her best to move, but she just could not. Her whole body felt numb and she couldn't move an inch. Maybe it is because of the spell.

The tall figure was that of a Salamander. He looked large and imposing. He was wearing a mask and only his eyes were visible. His eyes had an evil glint to them. Something about those eyes told Asuna that this person was evil and just as his gaze fell upon Asuna and they made eye contact, Asuna instantly looked away, horrified.

Asuna's eyes fell upon his hands. She swore her heart almost stopped beating for a split second. A chill ran down her spine and she started sweating. Even though this was only virtual reality, the engines and protocols running, simulated these feelings and they were very much real. Too real. She suddenly felt as if she was drowning in a pool of pain and fear.

That symbol… Asuna swallowed as her mind processed what she had just seen…. The Laughing Coffin…

Yui could only look on helplessly. Tears fell from her eyes on seeing her mother in pain and distress.

The Salamander walked to Asuna and stamped her mid-section with his feet. Asuna felt the force crushing her. The pain was just too much to bear. He, then unsheathed his sword.

As he raised the sword, to deliver the killing blow, Asuna could only think about one thing.

As the sword descended, Asuna turned away and closed her eyes.

Sorry, Kirito-kun.

A/N : As always thanks for reading and was there anything wrong in this chapter? If you thought so, then do let me know.

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