So, here's the real ending to Elswords' Art Online. Hope everyone is satisifed with this because I'm honestly running out of ways to parallel this with SAO. Sorry for the extremely long wait.
I was lying on the ground of Feita's Altar of Dedication, about to be torn to shreds by Berthe. I clutched Keira's staff in my left hand and used it to support myself. I reached for Conwell, who I kept on my back at all times. I drew one of his swords and ran at Berthe. I slashed off his tail and smacked him in the chest. He gave off a final howl of pain, and I began to die. What always fooled me in the game before the adaptation was that the characters actually died slowly once their health drains to zero.
I felt my eyes close one final time. I soon heard Keira's voice calling to me, feeling as though I were sitting, and the sun on my face. I opened my eyes to see I was leaning on Keira's shoulder on a platform faraway from Lurensia. From where we were, we could see the floating continent crumbling to dust.
"It's a shame, isn't it? That all of the potential was snuffed out in ine moment."
I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a woman in a white lab-coat.
"You must be wondering why you're here. I brang the two of you here because the two of you worked the hardest. You've both gone through so much drama, despite how close you two are. That is why I, -omitted-, have brought you two to this platform from Lurensia." I soon noticed that her feet were a bit faded. I finally made the connection & found out why the continent was crumbling away.
"You were Awakened Karis, weren't you?" I questioned.
Keira looked at me and then the woman in confusion.
"Very perceptive of you, -omitted-. I was Awakened Karis, but I was beaten by other people. As you can tell by you're seeing me and yet you were beaten by Berthe." She began to be blown away by the wind at our altitude.
"So, with these words, I congratulate you on being the 'Glitcher'. (Alright, forget Preacher. Doesn't sound good cuz I don't preach about anything.)" With that, Keira and I were left on the platform, watching Lurensia crumble into the void.
Keira and I kissed again, marking our 1000th in the 3 years we were in the game. We rested against each other, waiting for our death counter to finish counting down.
"Mike, I want you to know my name so that if we do meet IRL, you'll know it's me."
She leaned towards my ear and whispered her name into it. I whispered my real name into her ear afterwards.
Everything went black and what I felt changed again. I could feel a hospital gown, the Head-Gear, and a hospital bed's mattress. I opened my eyes and looked through the glass in front of my eyes. I sat up slowly, feeling my muscles ache from the atrophy that had developed. I disconnected the wires from my Head-Gear and got out of my bed. I supported myself with my IV bag & stand. I went into the hall and began walking to the nurses' station.
All I could say at that moment was -omitted-.
That was how I left EAO alive, with a possible girlfriend, and more fire in my belly than ever before.
