Chapter 18: Shivan's Return
Shivan ran through the forest. Twigs snapped underfoot as he mercilessly pushed his limits - and as he did so, he thought, how could I? His breath was short. His feet were tiring. And yet, he was within a virtual world without such feelings. Could it be.?
He looked at Heraii. The fire had died and the blade had become plain once again. Could it be that it was the cause of his sudden burst of realization? Could the .hack commands control more than they were supposed to?
It couldn't be. Shivan locked those thoughts in his mind and concluded that it was just his imagination as he burst from the trees and into the clearing. Many of the YSBers were still there, chatting amongst themselves and having a good time. Shivan stood there, watching.
After awhile, Burgess approached him.
"Hey, where ya been?"
"No where," Shivan lied.
".Logged out?"
"Er. Yeah."
"What's that?"
Burgess pointed at Heraii. Shivan hid it behind his back.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" he cried.
"That's my phrase buddy," Burgess said, walking closer and pulling Shivan's hand forward, unveiling Heraii. Its blade glistened in the sunlight. And Shivan felt its warmth.
"Huh." Burgess said, grasping Shivan's hand and holding it up, so that the light shined brighter on the sword. In one motion he pulled it by the blade - and recoiled as his hand was cut. Blood dripped from the edge of the sword as it dropped to the ground and Burgess gasped quietly. He had felt pain.
"What the **** is this thing?" he asked. Shivan picked it up.
"Don't tell anyone," he said, "but Ramza gave it to me. It's supposed to screw with the system. But. I think it's more powerful than I thought."
"Got'cha," Burgess said. Then he turned and shouted, "HEY EVERYBODY! SHIVAN'S GOT THIS NEAT -"
He was cut off as Shivan smote him with Heraii, knocking him to the ground.
"Ah-hem," Shivan said, all eyes upon him, "what Burgess meant to say is that I've got this neat plan." He sheathed his sword and strode towards the stage and climbed atop it, turning to his fellow YSBers.
Crazyace, an overflowing mug of beer bouncing in his hand, shouted, "Do j00 like hot sweaty buttsecks?" before collapsing.
And with that, Shivan began.
Shivan ran through the forest. Twigs snapped underfoot as he mercilessly pushed his limits - and as he did so, he thought, how could I? His breath was short. His feet were tiring. And yet, he was within a virtual world without such feelings. Could it be.?
He looked at Heraii. The fire had died and the blade had become plain once again. Could it be that it was the cause of his sudden burst of realization? Could the .hack commands control more than they were supposed to?
It couldn't be. Shivan locked those thoughts in his mind and concluded that it was just his imagination as he burst from the trees and into the clearing. Many of the YSBers were still there, chatting amongst themselves and having a good time. Shivan stood there, watching.
After awhile, Burgess approached him.
"Hey, where ya been?"
"No where," Shivan lied.
".Logged out?"
"Er. Yeah."
"What's that?"
Burgess pointed at Heraii. Shivan hid it behind his back.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" he cried.
"That's my phrase buddy," Burgess said, walking closer and pulling Shivan's hand forward, unveiling Heraii. Its blade glistened in the sunlight. And Shivan felt its warmth.
"Huh." Burgess said, grasping Shivan's hand and holding it up, so that the light shined brighter on the sword. In one motion he pulled it by the blade - and recoiled as his hand was cut. Blood dripped from the edge of the sword as it dropped to the ground and Burgess gasped quietly. He had felt pain.
"What the **** is this thing?" he asked. Shivan picked it up.
"Don't tell anyone," he said, "but Ramza gave it to me. It's supposed to screw with the system. But. I think it's more powerful than I thought."
"Got'cha," Burgess said. Then he turned and shouted, "HEY EVERYBODY! SHIVAN'S GOT THIS NEAT -"
He was cut off as Shivan smote him with Heraii, knocking him to the ground.
"Ah-hem," Shivan said, all eyes upon him, "what Burgess meant to say is that I've got this neat plan." He sheathed his sword and strode towards the stage and climbed atop it, turning to his fellow YSBers.
Crazyace, an overflowing mug of beer bouncing in his hand, shouted, "Do j00 like hot sweaty buttsecks?" before collapsing.
And with that, Shivan began.