Sword Art Online Fanfiction: A Young Hero Named Sorukun Episode 0 - Prologue Part I
My name is Sorukun..and if anyone finds my journal that was lost or somehow appeared out of nowhere, it means that I may have failed at protecting my homeland, and fulfilling my companion's promises I made to them. But before I begin my tale of my last adventure, I'll explain how it all began, even the never-ending war against the Fallen Gods in a place called Grand Gaia...
In my world, I was just a normal guy with blue eyes, blonde hair, and my height being 5'6. I lived in a small, quiet town called Elgaia, where Summoners like me spend their time crafting potions and creating spheres to help us on our journey. Back then, I was a broadsword wielder and even though I may be rusty at parrying and predicting my enemy's attacks, I gradually improved my errors overtime, almost pushing myself to the limit in training and battles, making my companions worry, though it makes me more concerned than I was before. I also forgot to mention that I was sixteen years old at that time and for some reason, when my birthday comes up, my age stays the same, like I'm..immortal to aging or something odd like that. Some say it's a blessing from the gods, but others say it's both a blessing and a curse. It didn't bother me, though, but..it's a scary thought.
After years of practicing and honing my skills, I thought I was finished with training. That was, until I meet a few other Summoners that somehow know me, and I wasn't the talkative type of guy, but I do get along with them. Once they finished introducing themselves to me, there was one person that looks way different than the others. Standing in the distance, she's like the most cheerful person that I've ever encountered. She walked up to me and told me her name is Tilith, and she's been helping me getting used to this world called Grand Gaia, but she taught me one important rule that will always be in my head that I can't seem to forget, like a..promise: To gain one's trust, you must prove it to them, like your life is on the line. Then, they will begin to slowly trust you overtime. Even if it's your enemy, you must not hesitate, expose any weaknesses, and always keep your guard up. Your eyes don't lie, young Summoner. I know when the time comes, you'll do anything to make sure Grand Gaia is safe under your hands. You'll understand soon, but for now... Your new adventure awaits you. I wonder what she meant by that, but I had to find out for myself.
After encountering Tilith, the war broke out with the Fallen Gods years later. Those fiends destroyed almost everything in their path without anyone to stop them. I almost got myself killed by their wrath in a blind rage, but I can't just stand there and let them be, so I had to gear up as much as I can in Elgaia and began running towards the battlefield. During the fight in the battlefield, I took down any enemy I see without hesitation, clearing a path for my companions to march onward, but when I reached the tower of the first Fallen God, Creator Maxwell, I managed to defeat her at the cost of casualties and badly damaged wounds on my body. We retreated back to the safe zone to report the defeat of Maxwell to Karl, but the war keeps on going without rest. Unable for me to move out on the battlefield, I was ordered by Grahdens to stay back and let my wounds heal, which will take weeks. Deep inside me, I want to keep on going, even though I look badly wounded, but..I can't tell myself to say no to them. Weeks had passed, and my wounds are almost healed, but I feel like waiting it out when I was wounded is costing me precious time to protect the world from the Fallen Gods, so I had to make a hurry and find the next Fallen God I have to slay.
During the fight with Cardes the Malevolent inside a cave, my right arm was cut off by one of his disciples in a blind eye. I couldn't react quick enough because I was too fixated on Cardes, and once I noticed my arm was sliced clean, my eyes widened in fear. It was the most painful experience I have ever witnessed in my life, as I screamed in pain. I had to dodge as many attacks as I can in order to survive, while waiting for backup. With my breath almost out due to excessive bleeding on my amputated right arm, I was rescued by one of my comrades and I was rushed to the nearest medical tent to be patched up and regain the blood that I lost. After losing my right arm from Cardes's disciples, I was in the verge of tears and agony, I thought I was done for and I couldn't do anything else to prevent my right arm from being lost. If only I was aware of my surroundings, I would've finished Cardes in one piece. That's when I brainstormed a weapon that can not only replace my right arm, but also protect others from danger: The Armblade.
I begin looking for the required materials to make this new weapon, and it's been almost a month since my raid against Cardes the Malevolent went south for me. I searched for any blacksmiths that are still alive during the war to help me forge such a weapon to speed up the process, and I was lucky enough to find them. Weeks later, and the armblade was successfully forged with magnesium alloy, equipped with a short (yet sharp), hidden blade that only the wielder can reveal it. I did mention that my right arm was lost forever, so they managed to add in a mechanical arm to the weapon, making its use very convenient for me. It's also designed to be very durable of defending strong physical attacks, even powerful magic. I showed my new weapon to Karl, Seria, and Grahdens afterwards, and they seem shocked. When they ask me to demonstrate it, I equipped my new weapon for a test run and practiced guarding against certain attacks with them, facing several errors along the way. After finishing my training, I went back to fight Cardes the Malevolent once more, and managed to defeat him with a few wounds on my body (with help from Karl, Seria, and Grahdens, of course.).
After two Fallen Gods are defeated, we ventured onto the next area, where we encountered Zevalhua, the third Fallen God. The fight with her was very intense, as I was captured by her when I had to find some items to craft some potions and antidotes, and the three had to rush in to save me. During the battle in an abandoned tower, she almost used me as a shield to guard Karl's axe when he lunged towards her, but Seria managed to save me from her grip. I was almost out of breath from Zevalhua's grip, and I was going to pass out, but Grahdens patched me up with a potion and we managed to get the final hit on Zevalhua. After we defeated her, the whole place is about to collapse, and while we were escaping, I got pummeled down by a fallen debris and Karl tried to save me. The debris was too strong for him to push and I know we don't have enough time to get me out of it fast, but he had to attack it in order to get me free. And he did got me out of it, only leaving my fractured right leg in the process, so he had to piggy back me up and moved carefully, as Seria and Grahdens were shouting at Karl to hurry up. I thought it was the end of me if they haven't slayed Zevalhua, but the war is nowhere near over...
Months have passed after the fall of Zevalhua, and after I finished healing my wounds and managed to walk again, I was tasked to find the last Fallen God named Alfa Dilith. However, they told me that he is very dangerous and I have to take caution when facing him, because other Summoners tried to stop his rampage as best as they can, but it wasn't enough to take him down. I asked the three to lend me a hand to beat Alfa Dilith down, but when I look at their faces, they seem tired and wounded. I wanted to stay back and help them heal, but they told me I must end the war with the Fallen Gods once and for all. I try not to tear up and argue with them, but I understand the risks they're going through for me, and I want to return the favor once I made it out in one piece. They nodded and wished me luck, while smiling at me, as I headed towards the last area to where the last Fallen God is hiding. Hours have passed, and I have managed to reach the abandoned palace that was destroyed, and that's when I feel an ominous aura overwhelming me. Then, I heard a maniacal laugh from behind and a sword being taken out. I grit my teeth and dodged to the right, as the blade almost slashed me clean by no other than Alfa Dilith. I parried and counterattacked him as much as I can, until I managed to get a hit on one of his weak points. The battle was excruciating long, but knowing that my life is on the line and time is wasting away, I had to act quick. Before Alfa Dilith performs one of his deadliest attacks, I fully sprint towards him and lunge as high as I can, pointing my Armblade straight towards his heart, and took him down. He felt the blade piercing through his heart, as he lets out his final scream and disappeared slowly. After watching him fade away into nothing, I thought the war was finally over at last, but... I think that's the moment I let my guard down. The whole area turned black, as I tried to look around for a way out, but I got knocked down on the ground out of nowhere. I tried getting back up and dash out of there, but I'm being held down by a powerful spell. I hear rumors that nobody has ever made it out of there alive, and I knew Alfa Dilith was faking his death the moment I saw a glimpse of his face. I tried to struggle myself out of his spell that binded both of my arms and legs, making my body lying upwards. That's when I saw a black figure standing right next to me with an evil smile, while holding a large blade, pointing to my right eye. I clenched my teeth and close my eyes as tight as I can, yelling at the figure to let me go, as I felt my eyes being opened in a full force, and it begins to move the blade straight into my right eye at a fast speed. I begin to scream painfully, hoping that the nightmare I'm experiencing will be over, until I eventually passed out..
Moments later after what I just witnessed, I woke up slowly, feeling a drop of blood from my right eye, and a stinging sensation from it, as I cover it with my right hand. It seems that my right eye got stabbed multiple times before I passed out, but, I don't want anyone to experience that ever... I stand up, feeling that the mysterious spell that was holding me down expired, and take a look around the ruined palace, until I see a journal and pencil appeared out of nowhere on the ground. I walk towards it out of curiosity, and decided to pick it up, but it only showed me ineligible writing and dried blood tainting it. I think to myself: If this book can help me find the answers I'm seeking for, maybe it'll explain why the dark figure I've encountered stabbed me in the eye. I don't know what secrets it'll reveal for me, but I need to find out ASAP...
As soon as I write down my name on the blank page, it suddenly opened a portal to a different world, leaving me confused and concerned. While the portal I will enter is unknown to anyone, there won't be coming back until I figure out what secrets this journal holds for me. I hear dangers about entering unknown portals from Grahdens, and one of those warnings can vary from severe to fatal. I wanted to enter the portal and see where it'll take me, but... I don't want to leave my hometown just yet. I have to go in prepared and ask Tilith about it... ~End of Prologue Part I~