Chapter 4
Sachi's breath hitched in her throat. Her legs burned as she pushes herself as hard as she could.
The ground below her rumbled, and she scrambled back as the massive black creature shrieked. Leaping from branch to branch and finally dropping across from her, its long legs spread out, and its fangs slashed open, letting out another blood curdling roar.
Sachi rolled backward, barely missing a long, pointed leg ramming into the ground. She gasped for breath, her skin burning with the many cuts and gashes she had received from the creature. They'd easily heal soon, but for now, despite the pain, Sachi had to focus on the battle, a mini quest, she had accepted after reaching level 29. It took her awhile, but she was levelling up, becoming stronger and stronger.
She was working hard, doing her best to make her skills better, practicing day in and out with her bow and arrow until her fingers became raw.
Her breath comes out shakily, her wide eyes glanced to the side, searching frankly for her bow that had been knocked out of her hand during the battle. The ground wailed once more, and Sachi narrowed her kind eyes, spinning her head around to try and catch a glimpse of the elusive beast. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she found herself drowned within the gaze of many glowing red and black slit eyes.
Sachi sprung to her feet, running to the side as the creature launched forward. Its long fangs snap at her. She winced, noticing her HP falling into the 50 percent. Urgently, she scrambled after her shield sticking out of a tree root.
Quickly, she latched it onto her right arm before spinning around and slamming it into the spider's fanged mouth. She gasped, feeling herself stumble backward, her back slamming into a tree and sending sparks of pain up her spine.
The spider was unusually large for an insect, but most bugs were in the game. It stood a few feet above her with a large round shell that hanged behind it. It was covered in hair with a single white mark on its back, its massive fangs dripped with poison and pincers snapping furiously on either sides of the shield. Its many eyes glows, while its legs scatters along the trees and roots, eager to rip apart the human that had come into its layer.
Sachi's heart pounded in her chest as she clenched her eyes tightly and pushed back against the creature. Of course, it didn't do much. Her strength was barely higher than 200. Her body just wasn't cut out for such things. Biting into her bottom lip, Sachi sucked in a breath through her nose, and a low battle cry bubbled from her lips just as she twisted her shield and lowered herself quickly, causing the spider to ram into the tree behind her. As quickly as she could, she ran from underneath the large beast, narrowly avoiding the stinger it had.
The young girl launched towards her bow, grabbing it tightly in her hand and jerking around, swinging her bow in favour of a weak attack to the spider's head as it tailed after her. She leaped to the side, her feet twisting around one and another, almost sending her to the ground. As soon as she righted herself up, she pulled back her hand and summoned one of the few arrows she had created from her storage.
Because a bow and arrow was hardly a popular weapon, meaning that hardly anybody ever used it, Sachi was able to take all the arrow-wood and stone for her arrows. Unfortunately, she wasn't very skilled at creating arrow heads, so she doesn't have many arrows. Which meant, the ones she does use, she has to make them count.
Aiming the somewhat sharp arrow at the spider, she pulled the string back and launched it. A broken sigh escaped her lips as it hit just above the spiders head. Her aim was improving at least, and her acuracy skill was slowly climbing.
The spider shook its head, its eyes twitching as it looked up at the arrow for a split second and then rounded on the girl. Its many legs slushing out while it ran towards her once more, fully intinding to sink its pincers into her soft body. At that moment, Sachi wished she had invested in more well-made armour. All she had was a leather and plated amour and leather that stretches across her chest with metal plates hidden inside the deep purple leather.
Sachi's foot hit a root behind her, sending her down to the ground. She used her hands to pull her backward as the massive creature came running, its silk black legs pinning on all sides of Sachi. Said eyes widens so much, her heart skips a beat of fear and in the heat of the moment, she grabbed ahold of one of arrows and brought it up as the spider came tumbling down. Its mouth stretched wide, its pincers snapping eagerly.
Sachi screamed, a fan digging into her skin. Her eyes crack round the edges, and with a heavy heart, she pushes the arrow up. Her ears ring from the painful wail that split from the spider, the tip of the arrow slicing through the roof of the saliva mouth. The weapon rips the soft skin plates apart as Sachi pressed it firmly upward, her arms shaking while it dug itself upward, the tip peeking out of the top of the round head.
Its long black and white legs flapping around her, struggling from the arrow ripping directly through the head, its large body shuddering and bellows ripping from it. Something warm dripped down her arms, and when Sachi looked, liquid that was similar to blood rolled from the wound she had created.
Her head snapped around to look at the creature's HP bar and gasped at seeing it run into red. With determined eyes, she twists her arm, the one that wasn't beginning to burn and pulled another arrow from her storage.
She twisted the weapon between her fingers and stabbed it with great force into the side of the spider's head. Her fingers clenches around the thin body of the arrow, her nails piercing into the soft skin of her palm as she twists the arrow. As soon as it sliced through the flesh, she ripped it out and then repeated the action over and over again. Her eyes shifts to the arrow still wedged through the bottom of the spider's head.
Sachi reached for it and grasped the end part. She grips it tightly and yanks harshly on it, freeing it from the cocoon of hair and flesh. Her arms shake and the creature shrieks, its legs pounding against the dirt. It's HP dropping quickly, with every stab Sachi declivous. The spider sways, tumbling backward.
Pressing her hand against the pulsing wound of her arm, she could feel the poison running up her veins, and when she checks her HP bar, it pulses with a sickly yellow color. Inch by inch, her health was falling.
She still had a few hours before the poisons takes all her health, but she'll have pay a visit to the poison hut after, which meant all her winnings down the drain. With a tired sigh, she turned her eyes to the spider, smiling a little as she noticed its health bar flashing blood red. One more good hit!
Ignoring the pain in her arm, she pulls another arrowing. She grips tightly and launches, pulling her sharp arrow above her head. With a loud battle cry, she brings it full force down upon the spider's head, hitting the mark directly, and ripping the sharp point into the already shown wound.
The spider convulses, all eight legs freezes in place, before its large body trembles away from Sachi. It sways on the spot, and dropping onto its side, it bursts into black and yellow shards.
Congratulation! Silk Quest Cleared!
Sachi lets out a shaky breath, her legs twitches, and she slowly falls to her knees. They hit the ground and sent dirt up around her. The familiar pressure flittered around her chest, and her eyelids flickered, opening her storage with uncontrolled shaking hand. Her half-lidded, lavender eyes scan the few items she had won, Sachi wasn't brave enough to go on treasure hunts, instead she accepted request to get her items.
She wasn't bothered with rare items, only collecting common items she needed to survive. It didn't take her long to find the paper bag, an item she bought for a few credits, and pulled it out. Breathing deeply into it with her eyes closed. Her throat twitching and burning, her chest shuddered for mere seconds.
Oddly, Sachi noticed her asthma was a lot easier to handle in the game than in real life. Sachi briefly wondered why that was before noticing two items awaiting for her where the mini-boss had been defeated. With shaky legs, she got to her feet and walked towards the glowing items.
The spider's poison-dipping pincers, tied together by a white ribbon and a single, long leg shell. Carefully, Sachi touched both items and transported both into her storage. A small message appeared in front of her.
'Spider shell. Good for making custom shields and weapons. Spider fangs. Good for potions.'
It wasn't just those items she received either. She surprisingly levelled up to 30. Her heart pounded within her chest and she opened her menu and looked at her stats. A smile gracefully appeared across her face. She had levelled up! She couldn't believe it, and after a few seconds, she let out a heavy heart hum. All her skills have also increased 40 points and she had received more credits for clearing the quest. This quest was definitely worth it.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she scans around the area. The trees were massive, with thick branches and even thicker bunches of leaves. The spider's silk hung from above like banners. She swallows a thick lump and walks towards a thick line of spider's web stitched together, wrapped around a root. Sachi crouches down and carefully uses one of her arrow-heads to free it from the root.
"Spider s-silk is stronger than i-iron...very valuable…" she muttered to herself.
She smiled as she placed the good roll of spider silk into her storage, moving to store more just in case. There were two types of spiders in Sword Art Online, neither one the players would try to clear. A massive spider that would try to rip the player's stomach open or a herd of man-sized spiders. It was the only way the player could receive spider silk, shell or fangs, which is why they're so valuable, only the bravest and strongest players went after the insects.
Sachi didn't even know what possessed her to accept the quest, but she was glad she did. After having quite a few ropes of the silk, she shakily left the lair of the spider. She could almost hear the quest restart, and the massive beast awaiting for the next challenger.
The quicker she gets back to the town, the faster she could buy an antidote for the poison inside her. She might even be able to trade one of the many spider silk rolls she now possesses for a bottle of the antidote.
Summoning her bow out, Sachi ran her eyes along the damage of the cheap wood. It wasn't too bad, she noted to herself. There's some cracks, but nothing too bad. With a soft hum, Sachi lowered her bow and looked up at the moon filled sky. She wondered if one day, she would be able to do bow and arrow combos to pepper the enemy, before the enemy could react.
Maybe she would be able to one day, use her bow on horseback? She wondered if she'd be able to do all those tricks she remembered seeing on her television back in the real world. Would she be able to shoot more than twenty at a time? Sachi's lips twitched as she breathed in deeply, smiling a little while she thought of those action packed movies. It would be amazing if she could really do all that.
Shaking her head, Sachi pulled herself towards the entrance of the town. Smiling weakly to herself, her ears flushed upon hearing the familiar music and chatter fill her eyes. The IA's of Sword Art Online sure were interesting. With a small hiss, Sachi forced herself to walk straight towards the potion hut, making a B line towards the building near the center of town.
It didn't take her long, and just as she expected, the potion dealer had jumped at the chance of having the spider silk. She didn't show the AI, the spider fangs she had. Sachi was saving them in case something else comes up. She brushes her deep raven hair out of her face while turning over the bottle in her hands, watching the yellow liquid spray up the inside of the glass.
She breathes in sharply and tips the bottle to her lips, allowing the liquid to enter her body. Sachi looks at her HP bar and sighs in relief, seeing the pulsing yellow light fade away as her health regenerates. She smiles and glances at the bottle, putting the hatch back on and safety stored it away for later.
Even though she was fully healed, her body burned with the need to rest. Her eyes stung and twitched with the need to sleep. A soft yawn escaped her pale lips, and she moves towards the town's Inn.
The town's Inn is so much better than the Inn from the first floor. Sachi paused in front of it with a gentle gasp of air, admiring the style. Silk white paint with black, crisscross patterns crawl up the sides with a wide, blackish roof. The tiles spread out beautifully. Wide windows with warm glowing light shined from within, and white curtains could be seen framing the inside of the building. It reminded her of those old London buildings, she had learnt about in her History lessons. Sachi had been to London a number of times, perks of having a mixture of races in her blood, her father being American and her mother being Asian. She inherited her mother's soft, silky, raven hair but her father gentle eyes.
Pushing her dark hairs out of her face, Sachi's eyes slid shut briefly and slowly walks towards it. Fully intended to go straight up to her room, her neatly made bed awaiting for her, maybe she'll try and carve good, pointed arrow heads before sleeping and work on her carving skills. She knew it was difficult to curve through stone, but damn, her fingers had bled for the first few weeks. At least she was somewhat decent at the skill.
When Sachi first entered the game, she was a petite girl with short, raven hair that reached below her jaw, but now her hair was almost shoulder length. She was still a petite girl, with her not working so much in close combat and preferring to work on distant combat.
She had long since discarded her beginner outfit, and now wore a light blue tunic underneath her chest armour, a knee-length short skirt and greyish boots. All of the items she has, she had bought cheap. Why should she spend the little credits she has on something she doesn't need, quite yet.
Hiccupping lowly, Sachi entered the warm and homey Inn. Automatically being overwhelmed of something that reminded her of her home. It's a great Inn, for floor 24. Her eyes roamed around the opening, the flower imprinted walls with the freshly cleaned oak walls. The clerk of the Inn is a kind, plump woman with a red, round face. Soft, dark hair curled around her face with a button up nose. She greeted Sachi as she entered the Inn, to which Sachi returned with a gentle smile and a swift nod of the head.
Floor 24. Sachi had heard the front lines had recently cleared floor 25. She wondered what the other floors would be like. Sachi wasn't quite ready to explore the next five floors yet, maybe tomorrow she'll return to floor 16. Her favorite so far, it was such a beautiful place with lush air and gentle creatures hiding out. It was also a perfect place to train, to level up.
Sachi smiles to herself, climbing the steps and opening her menu. Her warm, lavender eyes look over her level, humming to herself as she stared at 3 and 0. She had really levelled up in the last few days. She was getting better, and that pleased her so much. Her heart beats excitedly in her chest. She never thought for a million years she would have gotten herself this high. She wasn't as high as the ones on the front line, but she was slowly and surely making her way up. Last she heard, the ones on the front line was just about entering the 40s. Roughly two or three of the best fighters were level 41 already.
One thing she kept hearing about was the Black Swordsman. The first thought that past her mind was the odd, raven haired male she had met all those months ago. The one who had protected her during the first boss fight, during her very first real fight. She knew the other players had dubbed him as the Black Swordsman, but Sachi wasn't sure if the title really suited him as she hadn't seen him since he walked through the door.
Sachi had heard that he was one of the three to reach level 41 already. She wouldn't be surprised if he was the second one, as the first one belonged to leader of Knights of the Blood Oath, who she heard was leading the front lines proudly.
Shaking the thought off, she easily opened the door to her room and stepped in. She yawns as she catches her bed, awaiting for her, calling out to her suggestively. Sachi wanted so badly to jump into the blankets and sleep for months, but fought against it. Instead, she pulled off her bow and placed it onto the neatly made white bed. The short, raven haired female moved to stand to the window, peering through the window. She sighed to herself, watching the AI's and players even walking about below. Sachi chews the inside of her cheek and snorts to herself, pushing her dark hair out of her face.
'Sword Art Online…it's so similar to home and yet…not…' Sachi thought.
She sighs deeply and rubs her elbows, turning from the scenery. She pulls her menu open and scans for the items to create more arrow heads. Her fingers had turned a soft shade of pink as she tightly wrapped blisters, making sure all the tiny wounds were concealed.
"Finally," Sachi smiles weakly to herself.
Sachi stretched her arms out and peering at the arrowheads stacked up. Each one was slightly better than the one she had made before. Reasonably sharper with somewhat good symbols carved into the sides. Sachi was actually pretty proud with what she had created. Carefully, she picked up one of the arrowheads that the giant spider had crushed and sighed deeply under her breath, staring at the small stone with cracks appearing through it. What's she supposed to do with these?
"M-Maybe I could make…smaller arrows?" she wondered to herself, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
Sachi shuffled tiredly, her wide, lavender eyes sparkle brightly as she took in her bed and fell face first onto the warm cushions. Sachi sighed as she turned onto her back and stared up quite blankly ahead of herself.
"Diavel-kun…What am I supposed to do now?" she breathed out, using her hand to push the dark hair out of her face.
She chewed her bottom lip and wheezing softly, she shuddered on the bed. She was alone in this game, but seriously, what's she supposed to do? She wondered what would have happened if she was stronger, faster and braver. Could she have been able to help him, prevent him from being killed? Would he be here with her, right now? Her face heated up quickly, her lips twisted together, and her eyes clenched shut, feeling hot water beginning to build at the corner of her eyes, dripping from her long eyelashes. Her chest tightened, and a sensation similar to burning flared through her chest, making her body shudder. Her throat felt as if it was tightening, almost like her lungs were being crushed.
"D-Diavel-kun."
When the next day came rather quickly, in Sachi's option, she found herself exiting the Inn. Just as she did every morning on this floor. Briefly, she scanned around herself, while dusting her skirt off and opening her menu. Every morning, there was always two or three new quests in her menu. Her soft eyes scan the words and sighed to herself, pushing her hair behind her ear. A new quest appeared within her menu, a quest that was placed in floor 16 but could only be gained on floor 29. A smile appeared across her face, and shrugged to herself.
"A-Accept." She inhales deeply, quickly selecting the glowing green 'accept' on the screen in front of her.
"C-Clear the ant c-coven…" She read out loud to herself, sniffling while she walked through the town.
She had heard about the ant coven, back when she was on floor 16. Not just any player could enter the ant coven, they had been be a higher level. Sachi smiles to herself, realizing she had finally reached that level, and the thought made her stomach burn with warmth. She was getting stronger, little by little, and she couldn't help but smile widely. Sachi shifted her weight from one foot to the other, and turned to find the gate out of this level. It should be pretty simple.
Thankfully, it didn't take long for Sachi to return to floor 16. As she stepped through the gates, the familiar large white door, her eyes shifts and a gush of familiar fresh air swirl past her face. Her short raven hair being fluttered around her round face, causing her cheeks flush a deep red shade. Slowly, she tilts her head while her eyes rolls across the lands laid out in front of her. Sachi sighed to herself, she tended to return to the lower floors quite a lot. Especially floors 10 to 20. They tend to have very good health items, as well as great fields to level up her skills.
Ant coven. Sachi's heart pounded within her chest and her hands began to sweat. Her breath hitched as she slowly began to walk towards the area that held the Ant coven. She had heard that hardly anybody had cleared it, and she was starting have second thoughts about this. Sachi gently rubbed the palm of her hand into the side of her head, puffing out her cheeks as she came to stand in front of the entries to the ant hill. Her knees trembled, and her shoulders hunched up as fear began to bite within her veins, zipping through her muscles.
"I…I c-could die…" she murmured to herself, pressing her hands together hunching over. "I might e-even die."
To die. Sachi briefly wondered what it would be like to die within Sword Art Online. She could feel her stomach drop and coil painfully in the pit of her stomach. Her breath hitched, and her throat burned horribly. The organ in her chest shuddered almost painfully as her body twisted somewhat oddly. Death, it hung over her head like a black cloud. All it really took was a well-made sword thrusting through her chest and piercing her heart, and then, she would be gone. The world around her would fade away into blackness, with nothing. She would never see anybody ever again.
"It must be lonely to die…here…" she muttered lowly.
Her feet twisted around one another, her hands curling together. Her fingers dig into the sensitive skin stretching across her hands. Sachi wanted nothing more than to run back to Inn, to maybe rot in the very warm blankets and wait for the frontlines to clear this game, but she knew she couldn't. Sachi knew she had to try and do her best, earn those points to level up as it was very slim that the frontlines could clear Sword Art Online. She had to become stronger, so she could survive this for as long as she could.
Sachi allowed her eyes to shut briefly, her shoulders raising as she breathed in as deeply as she could, making her throat twitch at the back. 'I can do this. D-Diavel-kun.'
'Diavel-kun…please guide me through this…'
Deep in the forest, hidden somewhat underground, leading from a coven that looked as if it had been ripped out from the side of a cliff. Digging through the stones, was an entire colony of monstrous ants, all with long, green, dripping fangs and deep white and black stripes that ran across their backs. Pitch black long legs that stretched out in all directions. This was Sachi's first time entering the ant coven, and her ears automatically rang with that skittering sound of many feet hitting the rocks. She could feel the vibrations up her legs, making her weak at the knees.
Sachi suddenly felt sick, and she had to stay still for a few seconds. Before entering the Ant coven, Sachi had spent some money and traded some of the spider silk she had obtained to buy a map of the forest to find the Ant coven. She had been training so hard, and she is ready for the unexpected. She shall not falter. She won't back down. She can do this! With that thought in mind, she twisted her body and pulled her bow off her shoulder and nocked one of the sharper arrows she had created, but not before adding her shield onto her arm.
Slowly, the young woman stepped forward, moving deeper into the coven. Her heart jumped in her chest, and she could see little specks of stone falling from the rocks around her. Her large, indigo eyes skittered side to side, searching for the non-Ant demons that lived within the rocks. She could hear her heart echoing through ears, and immediately her ears picked up something crushing along behind her.
The many feet hits against the rocks and creating an echoing thud. Sachi spun on the balls of her feet. She twisted her bow and rammed it upward, and the sharp, pointed ends of her bow slashing through the air in time for a large Ant leap through the air. She gasped, and her arms shook as the bow's end ripped through the flesh, cutting the creature from its chest to its stomach before the Ant made a rather loud shriek and tumbled forward, slamming into a rock in front of her. Sachi snapped her head around in time to see it shatter into blood red glass-like shards.
'T-That…wasn't too hard…' She thought, pressing her lips firmly together and gulping while staring at the spot where the Ant had disappeared in. Her bottom lip trembled, and her hands twitches around her weapon. Her eyes quickly checked her bow, double checking that it wouldn't break if she carried on. Sachi let out a deep sigh of relief, it was nowhere close to folding, thankfully. Sachi made a mental note for maybe making another bow after this, just in case her trusty bow does break later on. Sachi winced at the mere thought of it.
Swiftly, she shook her head and turned around. Her throat became dry, and Sachi carefully began to climb over the rather large and, dark rocks, making double sure she doesn't get anything caught on the rough edges. Her nose flares as she moves through the path, her eyes flickering every direction before finally, coming to a wide opening. Immediately, Sachi came to stop, her feet pressing down firmly on the ground. The soft sound her boots made echoed through the large opening. Her wide eyes flickered around herself once more, peering through the many odd openings. Multiple shapes of stones glued together, seeming to creating something similar to corridors that dug out all around her. If Sachi wasn't careful, she could easily become lost. It reminds her greatly of an underground maze.
It was quiet. Sachi shifts her feet on the stones and inhales sharply.
'It's…t-too quiet…' Sachi realized.
Her eyes widening so much that it made the soft, sensitive skin sting as she spun around on the balls of her feet. Automatically, the thick stones underneath her began to shake, and almost in slow motion, a pair of long, dripping, green fangs erupted from behind the stones.
"A trap!" she cried out, stumbling backward and accidently dropping her bow and arrow.
The weapon clattered on the stones as the long fangs circled around her torso, pressing on all sides of her small body. Her heart pounded as she was able to pull her arms up, pressing her shield firmly up against the Ant's wide mouth that was gaping at her. Sachi's head jolts backward, smacking painfully on the stones behind her head, causing a flare of pain along her spin. Sachi lets out a shaky gasp, her eyes clenching briefly and biting her bottom lip hard, so hard that she began to taste the bitter and icy taste of blood which nipped at her tongue. Her arms shook from the force of the Ant pressing back against her, desperately trying to get through the wooden shield. Sachi's head lifts a little, and she pushes forward with as much strength as she could muscle up.
Sachi tilts her head to the side, her large, lavender eyes flickering as she noticed another large Ant come charging up behind her. This one was a much bigger one then the one that held her in his grip. Sachi twists the shield as hard as she could and shoved it forward, bashing it forcefully against the Ant's head, causing the creature to stumble backward. She was released in the process and tumbled backward, able to roll out of the way of the other Ant that rammed straight into the other.
It hurt. It really hurt, and the sounds of the Ants come running, snarling and yipping at her did nothing to distract her from the pain that she felt as they ripped into her, using their large fangs to try and grasp her. Sachi was barely able to avoid the attacks. She could feel her skin burning as more and more Ants came running from the tunnels, circling her, surrounding her. Sachi was barely able to grab hold of her bow and arrow.
Shooting an arrow at an Ant, seeing the sharp arrow ripping through one of the large eyes, Sachi swiftly charge forth, grabbing the arrow and twisting it firmly. With her free hand, she gripped her bow and twisted it, slamming the sharp end into the Ant's side. She quickly moved out of the way from another oncoming attack and swiped her bow at one of the Ant's legs, watching as the large insect trip and roll into a few other Ants.
Sachi gasped for breath. She wasn't sure how long she was in the Ant coven. By this time, she had lost count on how many Ants she had torn down. They just kept coming, but Sachi forced her small and weak, petite body on, shooting arrows, using arrows as daggers and using her bow as another weapon. She was glad her bow had sharp edges that could surprisingly cut through many things, not as sharp as a sword though, but it was strong enough to do damage.
It became an endless cycle of blocking, slashing, charging, and, if possible, even parrying. Sachi gasped, feeling herself becoming tired. In games such as SAO, where death was permanent, it was a deadly and rookie mistake, something that Sachi had tried to deal with over and over again. First, she locked her knees together and did everything possible not to run.
Eventually, the Ants came fewer and fewer. Less of those monstrous creature came barging through the tunnels. The gut-wrenching sounds coming from the Ants that seemed to echo out in every direction had also began to fade away. Sachi could feel her heart beating painfully in her chest, and she could even hear the repeating thud filling her head. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she swirled her head around, peering left and right, searching for anything. The last Ant, the single Ant that would clear this task and give her those extra skill points which she so badly needed. Where was it? Her hands shook as she turned her head to the side, just in time to hear the familiar scatter of long, black feet hitting the rocks as the last Ant came charging through one of the tunnels to her right.
This Ant, unlike the others, was much bigger. Its fuzz was a different color to the others. Instead of the black and white stripes, this one had blood red and black stripes that seemed to stretch across its back in angry gashes. Just as the Ant barreled towards her, it shoved across the ground with its front black legs and threw itself into the dusty air. A pair of long, pale, red wings split through the flesh of the Ant's back, batting powerfully above her.
Sachi's eyes widen, her lips parting in pure shock at the Ant.
'It's…t-the Queen!' she realized.
Her legs shaking and stumbling backward when the Ant let out a powerful shriek and came after her, snapping its long, green fangs together, trying to catch Sachi between them. Thankfully, Sachi was able to roll to the side just in time. She twisted her arms and summoned another one of her somewhat powerful arrows, aiming it directly up at Queen Ant. Her stomach dropped and twisted in pure pain, making Sachi flinch. She snaps her head up as the Queen Ant makes another loud roar and charged towards her, batting its wings as it advanced towards her.
Sachi lets out a soft cry of anguish, flicking her thumb from the bow's string and releasing the arrow. The arrow ripped through the air, missing the Ant's body but impaling one of the Queen's massive wings, sending it to the ground in a powerful crash. Sachi breathed sharply through her nose, said nose flaring as she shifted on the stones.
"I'm so s-sorry." She whimpered to the Ant, watching briefly as it moved about, its health bar dropping slowly but surely.
Her eyes drops to her own Health bar to see it had finally dropped below the fifty zone, and she was finally out of Health items. If she makes it out, Sachi noted to herself to buy more Health items. With a stiff neck, she pulled another arrow and aimed it directly at the Ant's head, and fired. She stumbled backward from the after pack, but forced herself to move forward forcefully. She fired another arrow and another, until Sachi had the horrible realization that she had only a single arrow left.
Leaping backward, she trembled a little and bit her bottom lip. '
I have to make this one count!' she thought in determination, pulling the arrow back in her bow and gripping it as tightly as she could.
She eyed the Ant's health bar once more, seeing it had dropped into red.
'I can do this…I can…' she thought and arched back, wincing from the popping that ran up her spine.
The Queen Ant shook its head furiously, its long fangs twitching, before charging forth, head down and ready to ram into Sachi's weak happened so fast, and Sachi gasped loudly. Her back smashed into the ground, and the Queen Ant rammed into her, throwing her to the ground and trying to rip at her from above, moving much like a bloodthirsty animal. Sachi was barely was able to get her shield up in front of her in time, latching it right between the Ant's fangs. Her arms shook as the Ant struggled to get through the shield, and Sachi was thankful the shield hadn't shattered yet. The Queen shrieked loudly, pressing down with all its might, its legs making the ground shake from below her.
Sachi turned her head, her eyes widening as she saw her last arrow had snapped in two. The sharp head having rolled near a much larger boulder, while the other end had been crushed underneath one of the Queen Ant's feet. Sachi gasped deeply, her heart shuddering in her chest as she arched herself along the ground, reaching for the half of the arrow with the arrow head. Her other arm shook from the Ant above her, beginning to burn from the pressure of the Queen, almost twisting it in an odd direction.
She stretched her other arm as far as she could, her fingers stretching out widely and trying desperately to press her finger-tips into wooden stick of the arrow. Struggling to slide it towards her for what seemed like hours, she was able to twist it in the right direction and curl her fingers tightly around the arrow. As soon as she held it, she twisted her arm, and with a loud growl, she shoved it as hard as she could into the Ant's head. The Ant paused, shuddering with the arrow stuck in the side of its head. Sachi swallowed a thick lump in her throat as she gripped the arrow and ripped it back out before curling her legs up, pressing her knees into the Queen's stomach and kicking it over her. The Queen Ant flipped forward, slamming into the tunnel wall above her and giving her enough time to roll away.
With shaky, jelly-like legs, Sachi got back to her feet. Her feet seeming to twist around one another, she looks at the Queen while panting harshly. Her health bar dropping even more, she let out a soft and low curse as she sees it move into red. Danger-Danger. Sachi inhales sharply through her nose, turning her eyes onto the Queen and licks her top lip.
'I have to end this! I-I have to make this count!" she thought, ripping her teeth into the pink skin of her bottom lip.
Just as the Ant turned to face her, Sachi lunched forward, holding the arrow tightly in her hand and slamming the arrowhead straight through the Queen's head. She felt familiar green blood from the Ant erupt from the wound, dripping on her arm. Sachi eyes narrowed and yanked the arrow back out before once more ramming it through the Ant's head.
'One more hit!' she thought, puffing out her cheeks.
Her eyes flickered to the Queen's health and glared at the blood red flickering bar. Just one more hit! One more! Twisting her hands together and holding her arrow like a dagger, she let out a cry as she brought the arrow upward, slicing through the flesh of the Ant's chin. Sachi gasped, panting deeply as she stayed still, hunched over and trying to get her breath desperately.
The Queen Ant stood perfectly still, twitching, before suddenly erupting into red shards, melting away into the rock tunnels. Sachi still gasping, fell to her knees, her hands shaking, trembling uncontrollable. Her lips pressed together tightly, and her breath hitches as she tilts her head upward.
Congratulation! Ant Quest Cleared!
Sachi smiles weakly at the glowing words in her menu. She had done it! But it took so much to do it, most of her items even, and when Sachi turned to her shield, picking it up, it erupted into green shards. Sachi sighed, her eyes closing a little. Now she'd have to spend even more money to get a new one. "I l-liked that s-shield…" she pouted, and crawled towards her bow. Using it as a walk stick, she got to her feet. Her legs shook as she put all her weight onto the said bow.
She licked her top lip and smiled weakly as her skills popped up, increasing by another 200 hundred points. Her heart skipped as she levelled up again, moving from 30 to 33. Three levels! She chuckles to herself and pushes her dark, raven hair from her face.
"I l-levelled up again." She cheered to herself, forcing herself to walk forth. Her credits have increased by 200 too.
After collecting all the items she had been awarded from fighting the Ants, Sachi breathed out in relief upon seeing a health item appear where the Queen Ant had been. She smiles widely as she reaches down and grabs it firmly, quickly healing herself fully. Automatically, she felt so much better and much more at ease. Sighing quietly, she straightened herself up and slides her bow onto her back, turns around and slowly walks back through the tunnels, moving towards the only tunnel that had light filling out from the small opening.
As soon as she stepped out, back into the forest, she felt the familiar, gentle breeze push her hair from her face. Her ears rang as she heard the familiar sound of Ants scattering about behind her, the coven resetting after she left, waiting for the next brave player to enter their hill.
Sachi lets out a deep hum as she quickly returned to level 16's town. Her warm, lavender eyes smoothly roam the many buildings. The first thing she'd need is to get more items, and then, maybe she'd stay in the Inn for this town. That seemed like a good idea. With that thought in mind, Sachi quickly made her way to the familiar stalls around the town, buying the potions she needed, as well a lemon bun.
Lowering herself onto one of the many short walls around the town, she pulled her knees up and held the familiar bun. The same bun she had eaten with that double black haired player all those months ago. She sighs softly as she presses her fingers into the food. Normally, she'd like to cook, test things out, such as trying to remake the sauces back home. She was doing pretty well, she liked to think. She had done pretty well at remaking mayonnaise. Sword Art Online had many herbs, and many grow back home. Sachi loved to cook, and she'd spend most of her time in the kitchen with her Mum, as she wasn't allowed outside much because of her asthma. Sachi tilted her head, her eyes flickering as she rubbed her throat.
Asthma, she hadn't had a prober asthma attack yet. Oddly enough, back home she would have only had to run a little before having an asthma attack. Maybe she really was healthier in Sword Art Online.
Humming gently, she turned a little and pulled out a familiar small pot, the cream pot. She had stumbled across a few quests that awarded cream pots. She wondered briefly if she'd ever see that boy again. She did owe him lunch, apparently. Her cheeks darkened as she thought of that moment, remembering him teasing her. Biting into the cream covered bun, Sachi tilted her head to stare up at the blue sky. "He w-was pretty much a a-asshole…huh?" she murmured to herself, giggling to herself at the words. Sniffling as she swallowed the mouthful and dusted her jean skirt off, she pushed herself forward and standing up straight.
Sachi's head lowered, her eyes flickering half-lidded. It felt horrible to be alone.
"D-Diavel-kun." She whispered under her breath and sighed as deeply as she could.
Back home, other than spending time with Diavel, she'd spend time with the people in the computer club, which was filled with just boys. It was the only club she could join. All the other clubs were too active for her, which would have resulted in her having an asthma attack.
Other than Diavel, they were close friends of hers. She spent so much time with them. They had funny nicknames, though, and they tended to call each other names such as Keita, Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and Ducker. Sachi, herself, didn't have a nickname. Not that she wasn't called by another name, it just didn't stick. She preferred her own name. Sachi wondered what they're doing now. They're most likely playing some cheap computer game with one another. Sachi just hoped they didn't buy this game. At first, she did spend a little time looking for them, but when she came up empty handed, Sachi just figured they hadn't entered the game.
"T-Thank g-god…."
"Sachi?"
Said girl blinked slowly at the familiar voice. Her head snapped up, and her mouth dropped in shock. She slowly shook her head, not believing what her ears was hearing. Her hands shook, and slowly she turned her head around, blinking her eyes even more. Her eyelashes cast dark shadows across her eye. In slow motion, she twirled on the balls of feet before gasping loudly, her body jolting backward when arms launched around her shoulders forcing her body to shake.
"W-Who…" Sachi mumbled shyly, arching her back as another body crashed into hers. More arms hug her tightly and cause her to hiccup. "W-What?" she murmured, stumbling backward from the two other people and narrowing her eyes from the glaring sunlight above her.
"Sachi! It's Sachi! She's really here!"
Shielding the sunlight from her eyes, Sachi gasped. A boy stood in front of her, roughly the same height as her with messy, dark amber hair that seemed to spike out from underneath a black hat and matching blue eyes.
"D-Ducker!" she cried out, mouth dropping before turning her attention onto the other boy who was a little taller than both of them. He had shoulder length, brown hair that laid in somewhat curls with dark green eyes, his lips pulling into a wide smile as she looked at him.
"Sasamaru!"
"W-What! You guys a-are here!"
