Chapter 1

Recollection

October 30, 380 HE

I shot awake in a room I did not recognize. Where am I? I thought. The room was bare, save the bed that i lay on and a door on the other side of the room. I stood up, metal clanking around me. I looked down. I was still in my armor. What made me sleep in my armor? I racked my brain, trying to remember. Then it all came back to me in one great rush.

August 30,189 HE

I stood in front of the Prime Senator Chudelkin, not believing what I had just heard. "Forgive me, Prime Senator. But could you repeat what you just said?" I asked him. The Prime Senator looked at me coldly. "Are you having trouble hearing me, Number 3?" He said. "No, Prime Senator. I heard you perfectly. I just wanted to hear what you said one more time, if that is possible?" I asked. The Prime Minister grinned malevolently. "The Pontifex would like you to gather three-hundered citizens in Centoria so she can put forward her plans to defend the Human Realm from the Dark Territory for when they invade." He replied. I nodded in acknowledgment. "Very well. If it is what the Pontifex wants. Then I will do her bidding, on the condition that none of them are to be harmed." The Prime Minister nodded solemnly. I turned and left.

Two weeks later

I gathered all the Centorian citizens the Pontifex needed for her plans to protect the Empire and was ordered to her chambers so that I could receive a reward. I entered the Pontifex's chambers on the flotation disc and knelt by her bedside. "You asked to see me, your Eminence?" I said. Words like melted honey replied from behind the drapes that surrounded her bed. "Yes, my child. For the task of which I asked you to perform was completed far quicker than I thought" She said. I kept my head down and remained in a kneeling position. "As a reward for your services, I offer you your own Divine Weapon." She announced.

My head shot up, shocked. The drapes on one side of the bed was open and the Pontifex was looking upon me with warm, kind eyes. She was holding something in her hands. An eight foot long spear of a radiant blue from the base to its blade tip. It pulsed with energy. The Pontifex offered it to me. I took it from her as if it was made of brittle glass, thinking it might shatter at any moment. I was overwhelmed. My very own Divine Weapon. As the spear made contact with my skin, I felt an electrical current course through me. Raw and unbridled. "Thank you, My Lady." I bowed my head in gratitude.

The Pontifex continued with her honeyed words. "I created this spear from the untamable lightning from the highest peak of The End Mountains. Its name is Thunder-cracker. Use it well." She told me. I took my eyes away from the weapon." If I may ask, my lady. What became of the Centorian's I brought for you?" I asked. The Pontifex's eyes turned cold, but not her expression and her voice remained the same. "It is not of your concern, my dear Integrity Knight. They have been put to good use in the defense of the Empire." She replied. I bowed my head, "Please, I would like to know." I asked. She frowned. "Very well, if you must know. I turned them into the swords you see around you, all for the purpose of the protection of the people." She said.

What? I thought. My hands tightened around thunder-cracker and sparks shot across its length. I acted without thinking. I lurched to my feet and with a great roar, swung my spear at the Pontifex and a coil of thunder arced from its tip. The Pontifex blocked the strike somehow and with a flick of her hand, I was thrown to the far side of the room. "Insolence, you dare strike at me?" She yelled. At that moment, the Prime Senator appeared on the floatation disc. "Your Eminence, are you all right? I heard a..." He came up short, seeing me on the floor and the Pontifex's drapes burning at the hems.

"What is going on here, Your Eminence? What has this Knight done"? He yelled. The Pontifex turned to the Prime Senator. "Number 3 attempted to strike me after learning of the fate of the people he brought to me, his emotions have gotten the better of him. I think it's about time for him to be reprocessed." She told him. Prime Senator was startled at first and then smiled mischievously. "I couldn't agree more, Your Eminence. I will see to it personally." He declared. The Pontifex returned to her bed and repaired the damage. "I shall leave it to you then, Chudelkin." And the drapes closed.

Prime Senator Chudelkin marched over to where I lay with that smile not leaving his lips. "Oh someone has been very naughty. Why would you go and do a thing like attacking her Eminence for, Number 3?" He asked. The Prime Senator shook his head and tutted. I clenched my teeth and glared at him. "It is of no matter after all. you will be reprocessed anyway, my dear. And you will be back to your normal self in no time." He told me. He cracked his knuckles and pointed at me. "System call, Deep freeze, Integrator unit I.D 003 (Zero Zero Three). And that was the last thing I remembered.

Authors Note:

This is my first fan fic story, so I hope you enjoyed it. I plan on writing a few more chapters up to the moment Bercouli, Kirito and Alice split off from the main army with the Supply Unit. So that my story syncs up with the original timeline.