Disclaimer: I don't own .Hack and its characters. Don't sue me because of what I write.

Chapter 5: Balmung strikes, and Helba's offer

The mysterious angel figure descended upon Jon and friends, with his sword ready to strike. He quickly slashed at Jasmine, but nearly missed because she jumped to the side. He landed and stood with his back facing the group, they all had their weapons drawn and stood to defend any attack.

"What the hell is your problem Balmung," Jon screamed at the angel," Why are you attacking us?" "The only people who break through the protection that was set are people who have those strange bracelets that have been banned by the system administrators," Balmung then charged at Kelly and David. His first strike killed David instantly. David's body fell and was completely silent, "I must destroy all people who use the evil bracelet." Lan then charged at Balmung and swung her axe as hard as she could. The attack was stopped easily by smacking the axe away with his sword. He then struck the axe and beat it away from Lan's hands. He prepared to deal his deathblow when suddenly; a small fire stuck his hands. He was then blown back by Kelly's wind attack. Seeing who was doing this, Balmung charged at the mage with sword in hand. Jasmine and Jon stood in front of her as human shields, but Balmung's attack shattered Jasmine's blades. He then spun and sliced at Jasmine's neck. Right before the sword hit its mark, there was a deafening clang. Jon had stopped Balmung from attacking. Balmung's sword flew upward into the sky and hit the floor not far from him. Jon stood in shock that he had actually knocked away his sword. This was his mistake, because Balmung quickly retrieved his sword, and then attacked the closest target to him. Kelly healed the wounded while Jon attempted to hold Balmung at bay. Their swords clanged and they came face to face.

"You have no reason to fight us," Jon attempting to calm him down," We didn't open up the server. A twin blade in red did."

Balmung didn't want to here anything anyone had to say, he broke the deadlock and sliced Jon in the chest. Jon was severely injured in began bleeding from his wound. He looked at Balmung before clasping on the ground. Jasmine without any weapons went to begin healing Jon and try to revive David. Balmung continued his assault this time on the only one left that pose any real threat to him, Lan. She had just got to her axe and started charging toward Balmung again. Balmung quickly took flight, making it impossible for anyone to launch any melee attacks. Balmung then started using skills resembling water attacks, whirlpools started appearing underneath Kelly and Lan. The whirlpools then froze and giant icicles then shoot up into their bodies. This instantly killed Lan by one icicle jutting into her back and going through her body. The ice melted and then Lan's body lay motionless. Jasmine looked in horror as the ice melted, leaving Kelly seriously hurt and with cuts all over her body. She had finished healing Jon and he had started rising to his feet. There was still a scar from where Balmung had sliced him, but it had at least stopped bleeding. He ran to where Lan had died and grabbed her ax. He couldn't hold both his sword and the axe but, he thought of something else he could do with it. He handed Jasmine his sword.

"My sword is strong enough that it won't be broken if stuck. Use it while I use Lan's ax." "What should I be doing," Kelly asked him. "If you've got a reviving skill then use it, if not then concentrate on keeping me and Jasmine alive while attacking Balmung when you can." "But while he's in the air you can't touch him with any weapon." "Fine then, you two use your strongest magic skills on him while I keep you two alive, and seeing that he's using water and ice, don't use water skills." "Gotcha," Jasmine and Kelly started aiming their skills to the sky.

Balmung started throwing ice blocks toward Jon but, as the blocks almost hit, Jon turned and took the blow head on. After the ice was gone Jon had seemed fine like nothing hit him at all. There were some cuts but very minor, and they seemed like scratches to him. Balmung then summoned a giant whirlwind of ice, and after it subsided, Jon stood there, more energized then before. Balmung was then hit with many fireballs, and boulders. The skills were starting to take their effect on Balmung as he looked a little worn out. He landed in front of Jon and continued his melee attacks against him. Once again Balmung was hit again with fireballs and boulders. He stopped looking at Jon and charged at Jasmine and Kelly. Even though he looked weakened, he was as fast as ever. He was a blue and white blur. He would have gotten Jasmine, had it not been for the sword she was borrowing from Jon. Jasmine couldn't hold it well, but she managed to keep it in the way of Balmung's blade. She kept up with him for a while, but he was eventually to fast for her, and knocked the sword away from her. He pulled her close, embracing her even and stabbed her in the stomach with his sword. Blood gushed from her wound, and Jasmine died soon after Balmung removed his sword from the wound. Now it was only Jon, Kelly, and Balmung standing on the small bridge that led to the rest of the city. Everyone else was dead and there was no way to revive them.

"So you're the last ones alive, you and your friends have been quite a challenge," Balmung sounding cocky yet surprised at the same time," I haven't this much trouble in a fight since the virus has started corrupting certain monsters in this game.

The ghosts of Jon and Kelly's fallen friends rose from their bodies and they called out to them. This infuriated Jon, and he started to make a kamikaze charge at Balmung with Lan's ax raised high above his head. Right before he could hit Balmung with it, he threw the ax at Balmung and it only sailed by as Balmung easily avoided the ax. Kelly summoned a strong wind to blow Jon's sword toward him. The two weapons sailed by Balmung and he just jumped over them. As Jon's sword came back to him, he grabbed it and prepared to strike. Balmung held his ground until his body burst into flames, because Kelly was still attacking him. This threw off Balmung's concentration for only a second but it was all that was needed. Jon's sword cut through Balmung's armor and had made a cut into his side. Balmung reeled back from pain but regained his composure, but blood could be seen running down his leg. He charged at Jon and Jon stood still with his sword ready to defend any attack. As he reached Jon, Balmung side- stepped and sliced him in the back. The attack was devastating, and Jon was bleeding badly from the X shaped wound. He was able to stand and his knees wobbled a lot, like he was going to fall over. Balmung then charged at Kelly, but was stopped short by and earth attack by Jon. Balmung was surrounded by rocks and wasn't able to move anywhere. It only took about one minute for Balmung to break free of his stone cage, and continue toward Kelly. As he was about to swing his sword, he was frozen in place. At that moment, someone appeared. It was a woman in white who carried a strange wand with two rings around the top of it. She had long, blonde hair and most of her face was covered by a mask of some sort. She approached Balmung and then Jon.

"You are a very foolish boy for challenging Balmung you know that," said the ominous woman. "Who...are...you," Jon asked. "You can barely stand, yet you still wish to know who I am and why am I here," the woman said," To calm you, I'll tell you who I am. I am Helba, the one you've been searching for, for the last three months. I am here because I wanted to see if you had what it takes to make a difference in this game."

Jon could barely make out what she was saying and noticed behind her that Balmung and Kelly were reviving his friends. Helba then healed Jon enough so that he could stand upright easily.

"Fear not for your friends, they are being taken care of," Helba acting too calm for Jon to feel secure," I am here, so what is it you wanted to know from me?" "My friends and I came here to ask you why you have been stalking us since we started playing this game." "I sensed you had something special in you and acquiring the bracelet, and your little showdown with Balmung here proved you do." "So, what do you want with me and my friends?" "I want you to help me destroy the virus that has corrupted 'The World'." "Why should we help you at all," Jasmine getting back to her feet," You just sent angel boy here to kill each of us." "She didn't intentionally send me here to kill you," Balmung looking angrily at Helba," she only told me that he people that were responsible for the virus would come here." "Oh did I really say that," Helba giving an evil grin, but really able to tell if it was evil because of her mask," I'm so sorry to deceive you like that." "Enough of this," Balmung storming away toward the chaos gate," I won't be used as someone's hit man." He stormed away, and disappeared through the chaos gate.

"What was that about," David asked Lan. "Who knows, maybe Balmung fought us because we looked suspicious as we came through the gate," Lan equally surprised as anyone else. "He fought you because I told him the person responsible for the virus would be," Helba said," I thought Kite would show up but you five coming was even better." "Better how," Jasmine obviously pissed off," So you could a bird's eye view of us getting the shit kicked out of us?" "No, the fight showed you me that you five can work together efficiently, and that you have something that I can't put my finger on at this moment." "So, why are you watching us constantly," Jon asked, and what do you want from us?" "What I want is for you to help destroy the virus that plagues this world." "What makes you think that we would just follow you without question?" "Because I can tell you how get those comatose players out of their comas." "I think my friends and I need to think about this," Kelly told Helba," We'll get back to you before we'll willing go along with your plan." "Very well contact me when you have made up your minds," Helba floated away.

Kelly and her friends logged off and decided to talk about the incident at school. They needed to decide on whether to call Kite, follow Helba, or try to search out Balmung once again. Balmung would be the last option being that he didn't listen to them the first time.

Chapter 5 End

A/N: I know Balmung kicks my team's ass, and without much effort put into it. I will have my revenge on Balmung in later chapters. Please r&r my work so I know to continue posting this story.