Disclaimer: SAO and is subsequent characters are owned to their respected parties. PlainStoryTeller's fanfiction "A Second Chance" and its subsequent characters belong to him.
I had also created drawing of my two main characters and hosted them on DeviantArt! Here they are!
Bellona: art/Objective-Reality-Bellona-364466831?q=gallery%3Agrayjedi-productions&qo=1
Vega: art/Objective-Reality-Vega-364467490?q=gallery%3Agrayjedi-productions&qo=0
(Opening Theme is Endless Tears by Ayane)
1300 Hours – April 8th, 2024 – Aincrad 50th Floor – Vega's Weapon Laundering
Bellona groaned loudly as she continued to stare at the ceiling. For two days, she had been doing nothing but sleeping and sitting on the couching trying to find ways to entertain herself. Just like on any previous time, the more inactivity she had, the more agitated she became. The black-haired woman raised her hand in the air as she started tracing circles above her head, as the emptiness in her chest continued to widen. It ate away at her head's thoughts as feelings of the past started to return; things that were better left dead and buried.
But unlike when she was fighting alone, the emptiness had grown at a slower pace. From several minutes to several hours, the feeling in her chest had grinded slowly away at her mental health. Bellona had checked on herself during the times when she needed this emptiness to ebb away.
It was lunchtime and Vega took a break from manning her store in front for a light Japanese curry. Well, the Aincrad equivalent for curry in any case. The mercenary looked over at the coffee table, seeing her own plate barely touched by the other woman's "hard work" at making it. Again, Bellona continued to groan loudly, turning her body around on the couch.
"Are you alright? You have been like that for the past day…" Vega asked, still eating her curry.
Bellona had buried her face in the couch when she replied. The redhead did not understand her words as she moved closer asking again, "What is wrong?" Turning around, Bellona stared at Vega saying, "May we go on another hunting quest?"
Vega sighed as she placed her hands on her hips. "Is fighting the only thing that will satisfy you?"
The mercenary simply gave her warden a glare as she threw her head back against the couch's arm rest.
"Is there anything else to do in this world?" She huffed, closing her eyes.
"Enjoy it perhaps?" Vega said, pulling over another chair she had bought a day ago.
"No." the black haired girl said, crossing her arms.
"Why not? We have been here for at least two years, and we are nearly three fourths done. It should only take a few more months, maybe even a year and a half to finish this game."
"I have nothing to say on that matter. The frontline players are all destined to die."
The shopkeeper's eyes widened as she looked at the mercenary as she tried to ignore her captor. "That... That's rather dark of you to say."
"And?"
"Bu-but… But why?"
"It is simply because of this world." Bellona lifted herself off the arm rest as she leaned back into the sofa, her dark eyes piercing at Vega.
"Because it is simply virtual reality?"
"Almost. This world functions on numbers. Limits. Rules that are not really meant for a true reality. In a world where numbers mean everything to a person. Their strength, their virtue, their livelihood." The woman leaned her head to the side as she used her hand to prompt it up. "Tell me. As a merchant yourself, you must be quite accomplished with these numbers that define yourself. What are you, six hundred? Five hundred?"
Vega looked saddened as Bellona continued, "It matters not. The definitive reality in this is that numbers mean everything. Never believe a person that says that it does not matter, because they themselves are probably powerful enough already."
"These numbers… are what made people die when this game first started. How can you value a person's life with numbers, huh? How much willpower can you put into person that will make them persevere and live? Thing is you cannot, which is why this game removed that idea itself. If this was not a death-game, then sure fine. But now, it has been reality for two years. And you know what? We have not changed appearances for those two years. Our bodies continue to be in their two years earlier stage."
"This world is nothing but a broken mirror image of that world, and yet we are facing problems far worse than what is going outside. Guilds like the 'Laughing Coffin', 'Titan's Hand', 'Wings of Liberty', they kill not because of material gain. No, they kill because they can and for the euphoria of a game's villain. They know the consequences of this game, and yet they do it because it is fun to do. And you know what? Who is going to stop them? Take any Aincrad Liberation Force player or someone in the Frontlines and have them faceoff against any member of those guilds and it will be a slaughter because those guilds are fighting people who are less predictable than the AI-controlled monsters. Whether it is the first or the hundred floor of Aincrad: Numbers. Mean. Everything."
Silence hung between the two players as Vega lifted her head to see Bellona's eyes. They were burning orange with something dark, an emotion filling with something that she could not correlate.
"Is there someone that you can say this about?"
"I'm quite sure that this name has been floating around since the twenty sixth floor. The Crimson Paladin, the Man of Legend, Heathcliff."
1500 Hours – February 14, 2024 – Aincrad 35th Floor – Mishe
A lone dark blue figure continued to walk through the cobblestone streets as NPCs edged away from the person. Its left arm clamped on an eighteen inch diameter buckler shield. It had a basket weaving pattern, emblazed black, red and white.
Lifting the visor resting in front of her eyes, feminine-looking eyes scanned the area as the NPCs continued to give her space. Despite the characteristic female look, her pupils seemed to blend in with her irises, creating two black orbs centered in the white sockets.
"Huh…" She breathed out, as the woman flicked the dark blue cape behind her. Slightly tattered and covered with holes, the warrior knight continued whatever path she intended. Despite NPCs not gaining further intelligence with rumors and names with the player community, they seemed to know who this person was. The Cobalt Mercenary, Bellona.
The armored woman's Listening skill pinged as she turned to see two white armored figures hiding in the alleyway from the main street. Growling Bellona withdrew her sword, the Phoebe as marched her way towards the hiding players.
"State your business…" She muttered, just barely enough for her followers to hear. The two players brushed themselves away from the building. They wore white armor with red highlights. Carrying weapons close to their theme, Bellona huffed to herself. Knights of the Blood, the guild leading the frontlines now.
"We have orders from our Guild Commander, Heathcliff, to request your audience."
The black-haired woman considered her opinions around. She looked back at the two with the same intense and distant face. "Request denied."
The two soldiers stood as Bellona shifted her feet and started to leave them. "You are denying the strongest players in the game?"
"I care less about such things. He does not concern me." She continued down the street as they gave light pursuit.
"He won't allow us to return until we present you to him. Those were his orders."
The woman turned back to them, her eyes even more glazed than usual. "Make it worth my while. What were his direct orders? Or did you just give you a basic thing to do?"
"We are not allowed to speak of our orders beyond what is needed." Interjected one of the white knights.
Bellona grunted as she stopped and turned back to her followers. "How do I know that you are not just other 'Red Players' looking to hunt me?"
The other soldier blinked his eyes as he started to feel a chill down his body at the mercenary's cold exterior. "I can promise you that we are fellow players fighting to break out of this death game."
"Is that not the point of this game?" Bellona said, still unconvinced. "As I stated before, make it worth my while."
1600 Hours – Aincrad 39th Floor – Knights of the Blood Headquarters Gates
The Cobalt Mercenary stood at the steel grey gates before the castle of the KoB headquarters. She instinctively reflected her fingers as she wrapped them around the longsword hung by its scabbard at her waist. The cold and hard feel of leather cooled her fingers as she continued to head into the castle, already given directions by the two soldiers that had escorted her here.
The indoors of the castle were empty as with marble floors in diamond patterns, resembling royalty of some kind. Corinthian columns stretched down from the ceiling and touched the ground, their color the same as the floor. Still, the woman continued on her way towards the Great Hall of the castle as she observed the rest of the castle. Beyond the grand entrance, there was nothing greatly out of place for a person in grandeur.
Eventually, Bellona had found her way to the Great Hall as she pushed against the large doors. The loud creaking of the doors hinges echoed throughout the castle as she saw a lone figure standing in middle of the room. Covered in bright red armor, was a knight. Over his shoulders fluttered a white cape. Carrying a tower shield in his left hand and a late medieval sword in the other, the knight's cool gaze spotted her. "Ah. I was wondering when you were coming, if at all." He said, his voice level and calm.
It was the "Man of Legend", Heathcliff.
"I had gone over my other options. This took some persuading by your fellow knights." The woman replied, starting her walk over to him. Her hand wrapped around her weapon once more.
The man raised an amused eyebrow. "Oh? And what did they say?"
"I am not allowed to speak of what we had talked about."
Heathcliff raised another eyebrow as he opened his menu. A few seconds later, a duel message appeared before Bellona's eyes. "You may use any technique that you had gained throughout this world, as I will be doing the same. With my own unique skill."
Bellona looked once more at the duel message as she tapped the "Accept" tab. A countdown appeared just above their heads as she withdrew her sword. "That name of yours…" She said in a low growl.
At the sound of "GO!" Bellona charged straight at the Crimson Paladin as he blocked with his own shield. The weight that she had pressed against the shield made Heathcliff grit his teeth as he pushed back, throwing her weight to the side. The two faced off again as Heathcliff took the initiative as horizontally slashed at Bellona. The attack was quick as it cut into the armor, draining minimal health as she retaliated with a returning vertical slash at Heathcliff's open defenses. The two backed off again as the black haired woman continued to have the same look on her face.
"Why have you not said a single thing?" Her opponent said as he moved in again, unleashing a system-guided barrage of attacks. The glowing weapon hacked and slashed at Bellona as she blocked and parried the attacks as she raised her own weapon in defense. The Crimson Paladin tipped his tower shield as he bashed Bellona's stomach with the bottom tip of his shield. The power of the attack scrapped against her armor. Bellona's face remained eerily calm as she pushed Heathcliff back.
Bellona twisted the hilt and pulled it down for her "Buster Sword". The massive five foot sword materialized as the blade took the same rough shape and color as its usual form. Heathcliff raised an eyebrow as he said, "So this is why you have the name 'Buster Blader'…" A small grin sprouted from his mouth as both contenders charged in. Bellona swung her sword, its weight and length seemingly not an issue. Heathcliff raised his shield as the force from the attack shoved him to the side, dragging him with the blade.
The woman continued her momentum with the blade as she rested the blade in one hand to the side of her body, her cape flapping to the side. She slowly started to back up as Heathcliff raised his shield up in defense. Hop lunging forward, Bellona performed a vertical slash as Heathcliff blocked the downwards strike only to find Bellona resting the blade in a slant to the ground. Her legs bend and ready, she rose up and charged into Heathcliff as she forced him further back.
Annoyed, the paladin scrapped off the woman as he stabbed into the back of her, once again her armor absorbing a majority of the hit. He performed a twin strike with his sword and shield combo at her back as the red gashes appeared. The woman did not even grunt as she swung her blade parallel to the floor. The man jumped back from the massive edge of the blade as Bellona stood up once more. Again, she whipped her sword to one hand on her opposite side as he strafed around her opponent.
The brown haired man charged in as he swung against her blade as Bellona defiantly raised her blade to block the incoming attacks. Heathcliff continued to have a cool demeanor as he rapidly slashed against the woman who used her armor at the fullest to bounce off hits. An opening from the bombardment of hits allowed Bellona to lower her shoulder and bash into Heathcliff's body, pushing him back. The push caught him off guard as Bellona struck at his stomach with the hilt of her blade, knocking him further back as she swung her weapon at chest level to the left. The man reacted as he barely raised his own weapons to deflect the hit. Again, Bellona slashed, this time the opposite way.
With her opponent's defenses in disarray, she leveled her buster sword parallel to the ground as she lunged in. Time seemed to pause as Heathcliff's shield and sword deflected the hit, leaving Bellona open in the lunge. The man cracked his elbow into the center of her spine as she crumpled on the ground. Still her HP was just above the yellow mark as she quickly spun her legs around, forcing Heathcliff to back off more.
Rising again, she grabbed her weapon as she charged at the man, leaping and vertically slashing at the man's so-called 'Impenetrable defenses'. Heathcliff's eyes dulled and slanted as he scrapped his shield against the blade, sparks flying off their respected tools from the hit. With her falling momentum, Heathcliff knocked away her weapon as he stabbed at her body at the same time she raised her open hand to deliver a heavy punch to Heathcliff's face.
Once more, time seemed to slow as Heathcliff tilted his head to the side, effectively evading the hit at the same time he stabbed cleanly through Bellona's armored stomach.
With the sound of the "Victory" chime, the duel was over. Heathcliff had won.
No breath of pain, worry or anything came from Bellona's mouth as she pulled away from Heathcliff's blade. The red shards of data sparked leaked out from the wound as Bellona picked up her sword again. Twisting the hilt back, the weapon reverted back to its original form.
"You had fought… Strangely." Heathcliff commented as he sheathed his blade into the top of his tower shield. "Do you not fear death?"
The woman slowly rose her head to the ceiling, mouthing a few words. "Is your internet connection lagging Ms. Cobalt Mercenary?" He asked, a confused tone in his voice.
"Still nothing…" She muttered to herself before leveling her eyes, in this case visor, at him. "I fought as I usually do."
"Excuse me, come again?"
"Nothing at all."
The two stood in silence as the time passed. The noises from the other players in the guild reached their location; it was too quiet in the Great Hall. Bellona flicked her cape to the side as she finally said. "I had wondered a thing for such a long time…"
Heathcliff frowned as he listened in. "Why would a Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game have a total endgame ending? In an MMO, there really isn't much end game content besides PvP. Yet this game… Was meant to be played for a long time after its release. Players were to continue this audacious task of fighting all one hundred levels to beat the game. Odd concept I guess, something different, something new to drag players into this game."
"Games like this. They have a designated hero. The one person to be the inspiration to help other players to fight and complete this task. From what I had experienced in this world… There are no such things as 'heroes'. No matter how much people are wanting to help accomplish a goal, they will always had ulterior motives. I was foolish to believe that all people are willing to help each other to finish a single goal. This world is fair? Strange… As in the real world, life isn't fair."
"People like you and me. We had gained extraordinary powers… But why? What made us gain these weapons? Are we to be the heroes to lead this game? I don't believe so. We were granted these things on numbers alone. Calculated numbers that give people strength and hope in this world."
Bellona slowly turned her body away from Heathcliff as she tilted her head back towards him. "But heroes have their flaws. They have weaknesses that people are going to exploit and use against them."
The Crimson Paladin stepped forward as he demanded in a low tone, "What exactly are you implying?"
"Impenetrable defense…" She said in an impassive voice, her voice increasing an inflection of anger. "A near perfect body, shining armor, a voice of reason, laissez faire towards the affairs of the guilds, sincere and thoughtful … In other words, a perfect person. A 'Hero'."
"Things seem to be heading your way quite well for you Heathcliff. Surviving against the boss on the fifty floor. Solo. For ten minutes straight. Never dropping into the yellow zone of HP while other members of the line called for reinforcements. I wonder, why hasn't anybody questioned this?"
Heathcliff's face was passive and controlled as Bellona breathed in. "Why? Because people need something to look up to. Something to believe in, to take their mind off the consequences of this game. They WANT something larger than life. They need something… Someone to put their faith into. And that person is you. The 'Invincible Hero'. A superman." Bellona's stance changed as she brushed out her legs in fighting position.
"This would not happen in the real world. People this altruistic? Not possible. Everything has a cause and effect consequence and everybody wants a gain. Supermen do not exist because they are the ones that die first. The self-sacrificing people that are willing to put their lives on the line just to save the few. That does not exist. You cannot save everybody nor can you see what their true intentions are." Bellona slowly started to head towards the exit of the Great Hall. "My personal feelings about this are unnecessary. I care not for who you are… Farewell."
-.-.-
Kayaba Akihiko, the true identity of username "Heathcliff", blinked a few times as he watched the player known as the "Cobalt Mercenary" leave the Great Hall.
So this is what the Cardinal System has chosen. The player with the highest Valence. Out of the numerous Unique Sword Skills that my colleagues and I had integrated into this world, she was the one chosen to be the wielder of the Buster Sword, the Sasaki Kojirou to Dual Blades Miyamoto Musashi.
Akihiko slowly turned to the opposite exit of the Great Hall as his slow footsteps echoed around the room, the steel boots clacking against the marble and cobblestone floors.
And yet, when I see through the data streams… I see an empty void. A virtual black hole of data being pulled into her avatar. The System should have corrected that issue, but here she stood. A cipher of data. Perhaps the rules of this world are not as concrete as I intended, much like the prototype data "Firefly".
Present Day – 1400 Hours
"Wow. So you DID face off against Heathcliff. Just after that other duel against that one girl… Sachi was it? The leader of the New Black Cats of the Full Moon?" Vega said as Bellona finished her tale.
The raven-haired woman huffed and said. "Not my concern to familiar with every single event that the top players do. If I was hired to do a hit on the guild, then it would be my concern, but for now, I could care less."
"Did you ever have hits on other guilds?"
"Yes. There are not many large guilds that I am aware of that I had not hunted one of their players. It could range from top guilds to other players that just want to teach a lesson to another."
"Do you usually kill these targets?"
"If I am paid for it, then yes."
Author's Additional Notes(!): I had based the moves that Bellona uses on Siegfried Schtauffen from Soul Calibur V. The anime physics really do annoy me, but I guess since that it is virtual reality it is somewhat justified.
