Hey everyone! Welcome back for another chapter of Sword Art Online: Alicization - The Fourteenth Knight! I am very happy to see that you guys are enjoying the story so far and I am also very excited to present the next chapter of the story. After a long wait, we finally get to see what happened after that crazy cliffhanger from the last chapter. I also mentioned that Chapter 4 served as the conclusion for the first act of the story, which leads us to the second act which will take us to a completely new direction for the story. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and before I let you read this new chapter, all rights go to Reki Kawahara, while I just own my OCs. Let's go!

CHAPTER 5: The Farmer

Flashes of blue and white appeared in Adam's memories as he began to remember the night he unleashed the power of his Divine Object. However, those memories were faded in vision as he soon recalled the moment his sword betrayed him and sent bolts of lighting across him and Hiroshi's bodies. With lightning dancing across his body, Adam relived the pain as he roared at the top of his lungs while his vision was nearly lost from all the light that scattered across him. Like knives impairing every nerve in his body, no one could endure such misery as he was helpless to stop it from continuing further. All he could remember was pain before darkness fell upon him and Hiroshi. It felt cold, like the frost of the mountains from the north, as the knight was reminded of when both he and his dragon fell from the sky.

The moments that followed shortly after are bitter and intense as the young knight felt the blistering winds batter against his burnt body while he and his dragon descended towards the ground. Using whatever strength he had left, Adam pulls his dragon upward to safety, only to crash through several trees. Despite not being able to see well, the knight could still make out figures and did his best to shield himself from the oncoming branches that shredded through his skin like paper. He could also sense that his dragon was in pain from slamming through countless trees before a moment of silence fell upon them both.

Gliding over a grassy plain, Adam felt the wind rushing against him begin to calm down for a moment, only to hear the thundering sound of Hiroshi dragging his body. Across the green grass, as if he was in an earthquake, Adam's world shook from side to side, and back and fourth while he watched his dragon tear through the plains. What felt like minutes of cutting through the field, was only seconds as his world spun out of control when the force of the crash-landing was large enough to stop Hiroshi from his tracks, and send Adam flying further from his friend. He watched his blurred world spiral out of control as he flew across the field with his belongings, including his sword. He lands on the green grass and begins to roll away from his friend before hearing the sound of several bones cracking across his body.

Memories scented with the smell of grass and dirt rushed into his mind as Adam finally recalled the moment for when he came to halt and rolled onto his back. Images of the black night sky came before the knight began to remember the sound of a high pitch noise that rang in both of his hears. Despite that, Adam was still able to hear the subtle hum of his sword as it flew towards him and landed right beside the fallen knight. Had he had rolled just a few feet further he would have been impaled by his own blade.

The young knight soon looks toward his dragon, who is nothing but a red spot in his eyes and tries to reach out to his dying friend. Before he could say a word Adam hears the muffled sound of a horse crying in fear as it came to a halt and kicked its feet in front of Hiroshi before the Integrity Knight saw figure run towards him. Despite the cover of darkness, Adam could only make out small details on the one who came to his aid as certain features highlighted his memory.

He was an older gentleman who had the elements of a long lived life as he saw that there was barely any hair on the top of his head. Any hair that was left was left on him, held onto the side of his face and was slowly becoming gray. His stature was small, but then again anyone standing next to Adam was considered small. He also carried a large gut, and wore glasses that were in the shape of squares, perhaps it was one of the effects of growing old. Despite that he was still strong enough to drag Adam's body from the wreckage. Adam's memories began to fade to black as he looked at the face of this Good Samaritan but only hears muffled sounds coming from his mouth before the knight passed out from all the pain.

Suddenly new memories began to rush through the injured knight's mind as he shortly began to relive the moments that occurred after his accident. He begins to feel himself floating above the ground as he soon discovered that he was lying on top of a moving carriage. As he looked up at the clear night sky, he could not see the shining stars for his vision only allowed him to see nothing but darkness. However, with every crack, bump, and rock on the road, he feels sharp pain sting across his body. The journey to safety proved to be long one as he began to smell the scent of freshly grown crops. He could sees the aroma of green vegetables sprouting out of the ground. Exhausted from the long trip, Adam passes out once again.

Soon, new images began to crowd Adam's mind. He remembers seeing a bright flash of light as he watches several figures examine him. Aside from the short, round, and aged farmer, he sees a silhouette of a slightly taller silhouette who was much more skinny than the farmer but seemed to be the same age as him. He carried the same tools that a doctor would carry, and slowly realized that he was under the care of a trained doctor. Exhausted, confused, and still in shock from the crash, he watches the man lift his arms and legs while at the same time, speaking to the farmer. While he was unable to understand what they were saying, Adam soon experienced stinging pain as he felt the doctor and farmer realign his broken bones.

Like daggers being plunged into his body the knight was soon reminded of the pain he experienced. The memories that flooded his mind were images that were as sharp as knives as he felt the farmer realign his right leg while the doctor did his best realigned his broken left arm. In an instant Adam cried out in pain while the two good men did their work. But out of sheer instinct, the knight reaches out to the nearby doctor and grabs his throat. Gasping for air, the doctor tried to free himself from Adam's grip but was unable to match the Integrity Knight's hold. This moment triggered Adam's old memories of the battles he had fought, for they were a reminder of his fight the enemies that surrounded him in order to survive. But this was not a battlefield, this was the home of a farmer.

Unable to determine what was real and what was fiction, Adam hears several cries echoing all around him before he felt the warmth of a woman's hands against his head. The knight widen's his eyes as all the screaming and shouting is silenced by a gentle voice. Adam loosens his grip as his fighting spirit calms down, allowing him to release his grip on the good doctor. The young knight soon begins to lie down as he looks up and sees a silhouette of a young girl. While he could not see her distance features, he was only able to see that this girl had short hair that sat above her slim shoulders. Despite not being able to see, the soothing voice that echoed in Adam's mind, he sees an aura of warm light surround the girl. Her voice was so beautiful that it calms the conflicted knight before Adam soon passes out once more.

As dawn approached, Adam begins to feel the warmth of the sun kiss the side of his face as it reminded him of his room back at the cathedral. He always loved mornings but yet he never liked sleeping long enough for the sun to wake him up, which led to him doing his best to wake before the rising sun. However, due to all the events that occurred in recent times, the pain and suffering managed to put Adam into a deep sleep where he felt the morning sun shine on his face. Realizing what he had just recently gone through, the knight opens his eyes in a moment of fear as they quickly opened. Blinded by the light he uses his right hand to cover the sun's morning glow as he quickly turned his head and saw a figure standing far from him.

With his vision still impaired, Adam could only see a blurry image of a small round figure who's back was turned towards him. He quickly realized that it was the farmer standing in the same room as him. With his back towards Adam, the Farmer gazes into a mirror as he gently, but ever so quickly, shave any unwanted facial hair that was growing on his aged skin. Adam moves his arm and unknowing spills a cup of water onto the floor. Without moving a muscle, the farmer looks in the mirror and sees a reflection of Adam struggling to get out of bed. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Adam hears the farmer's voice and soon lies back onto the bed and sees how badly damaged his body was from the crash. The knight looked down and saw how his left arm was wrapped in bandages while his right leg was completely encased in a cast. From there Adam also noticed how his chest was also wrapped in gauze as he quickly felt pain throughout his body. He aches in pain and uses his one good arm to cover his ribs that were stinging from the inside. Grinding his teeth, Adam was quickly reminded of the night he had endured when he lost control of his Divine Object. The soon sparked a fear of urgency as the knight quickly looked around for his gear. His concerns were quickly put to rest when he saw his sword and armor siting in the opposite corner of the room.

As the young knight sighed in relief he saw the Farmer quickly approach him with a new cup of water. "Here, drink, and try not to spill this one."

"Thank you." Adam said as he gently tried to drink his water while lying in bed. But this proved to be quite challenging as he accidentally felt a large gush of water go down the wrong pipe, causing the knight to choke and cough uncontrollably. The Farmer removes the cup from Adam's hand before reaching for an object that was strange to the knight's eyes.

"You may want to try these on." The Farmer said as he handed Adam a pair of glasses. "After what happened when we were patching you up, the doctor suggested that you may be suffering from poor eyesight and advised me to offer you those."

"Do you think these will work?" Adam asked.

"The doctor did say that he performed a Sacred Arts ritual on these glasses, so they should adjust to your eyes." The farmer mentioned. "He also said that you should wear them until your vision fully heals."

Adam slid on his new pair of glasses as his blurry vision started to become crystal clear. He soon began to see all the details of the room he laid in. The walls were made of wood that were stacked on top of one another while a window sat beside him that shined brightly because of the sun. Adam looked across the small room and saw a mirror that sat above a small sink that was made of fine material that would not rust or age. Adam looked at the bed he slept in and saw how. The mattress was white with the stains of dirt, mud, grass, and blood - probably caused by himself.

Suddenly Adam begins to remember what caused his temporary blindness as he quickly remembers the lightning that came from his sword. Because he had no control of his Divine Object, Adam allowed his weapon to discharge bolts of lightning in a fit of rage before being struck down by his own blade. As he remembers the lightning that surged throughout his body, the knight soon begins to get a headache and places his hand on his head. After suffering from a minor headache, Adam looks over to the farmer, "What happened?"

"Not too long ago, you crashed several miles away from this farm - my farm." The Farmer clarified. "I brought you here where I had a doctor took a look at you. According to him, you were lucky to even make it through the journey. You not only suffered from a broken arm and leg, you also had several cracked ribs. We did our best to rest your bones and clean your wounds while you passed out from all the pain."

"And how long was I asleep?" Adam asked.

"You've been unconscious for about a week." When Adam heard the Farmer's words, Adam did his best to get out of bed, but the pain was too much for him to bare as he ached in pain while the old man held him onto the bed. "Easy! You need to settle down! Be grateful that you're still breathing."

As Adam struggled, he refused to hear the Farmer's words while he did his best to try to get out of bed. He knew that he needed to report back to the Axiom Church as soon as possible. But his bones were not strong enough to carry him, as he quickly collapsed back onto the bed. While he ached in pain, at the corner of his eyes, he saw two children peeking their heads into the room. While he couldn't get a good luck at them, he did see how one of them was pretty little girl who had a look of confusion on her face while her brother shared the same look as well wen they saw Adam struggling to get out of bed. The two only peaked inside the room before quickly running away before the Farmer could see them.

"You need time to heal." The Farmer said as he refused to let this knight stand and hurt himself even more. He sternly placed his hand on Adam's chest and gently pushed him back into bed. "Which means for the time being, you will live on this farm as my guest. My family and I will do our best to make sure your wounds heal and once you are strong enough to ride, you and your dragon can leave."

"Very well then, thank you." The Knight said, as he was exhausted from the struggle. While Adam breathed heavily as he finally admitted defeat, he suddenly was reminded of Hiroshi. A shock of fear went down his spine as he quickly remembered about his friends condition "Wait? Hiroshi! Have you seen my dragon?"

The Farmer rests his calm hand on Adam's shoulder. "It's okay, your dragon is fine. He's being held up in the barn."

"I need to see him. Let me see him."

"I'm afraid I can't. You're not strong enough. You wouldn't make it past this room, much less than the barn."

"Let me check on my dragon, and I will give you my word that I will return back to this room and remain here in order to recover." Adam pleaded as he was desperate to see what kind of condition Hiroshi was currently in. Despite his injuries, Adam still had his fighting spirit and was willing to do anything to see his friend. With a look of desperation the Integrity Knight looks up at the Farmer and practically begs. "Please."

"Very well then." The Farmer spoke as he gave a heavy sigh and got up to leave the room in order to retrieve something. While Adam struggled to sit upright on the bed, the Farmer returned back into the room with a wooden crutch. "I had hoped to have make to of these before you woke up, but wood carving is not my profession so I hope that this will help you at least stand and slightly move around quickly."

"Thank you, I'm sure it will do just fine." Adam said as he grabbed onto the crutch before the Farmer hoisted him up out of the bed. A small amount of pain surged through the knights body as he was lifted out of the bed, but the pain would be worth it, if it meant seeing Hiroshi. With his crutch under his right arm, and his broken left arm being gently held by the farmer, Adam limped out of the room to see his friend.

As he walked past the wooden door frame, the young knight began to see how well crafted this house was. As he placed his feet onto the solid floor, Adam noticed how it was so smooth that he even had trouble standing upright as he would sometimes lose his balance and slip. He looks to the right and sees a hallway where several doors have been closed, that led to an open doorway at the end. Perhaps these doors led to different rooms. He looks to the left and carefully walks down along the hallway across the wooden floor until he comes to a large living room that also served as a dining room.

He saw a large dining table sitting at the center of the room. It had five chairs that were well carved from an excellent craftsman. But Adam couldn't help but notice that there were several plates with half eaten meals on the table. Bits of crumbs, and leftover bread remained on two of the dishes while small drops of milk sat beside the cups. This led the knight to believe that only children could make such a mess. Perhaps the children who caused this were the ones he caught a glimpse of when he first woke up from his long sleep.

Alongside the dining table was a fireplace made of stone. Its rock vent towered the room as it shot straight up through the second floor of the house. Adam looked to the right and saw how there were stairs leading to a large loft on the second floor that served as an entry way to what looked like the doors to the master bedroom. While the Farmer guided him towards the front door, Adam looked back and saw the kitchen of the house. He saw the shells of several cracked eggs that sat near the stove while the sink had one dish sitting inside while the another dish was wiped clean and sitting on a small rack. After seeing that there were four dishes, the knight made the assumption that there were four people currently occupying this house.

As Adam walked outside the house, his vision was blinded by the sun as it was rising to it's peak. The knight covers his eyes with one of his arms and his sight begins to adjust to daylight. It had been so long since he had seen daylight, not since his final morning at the Axiom Church before he was sent to the Western Boarder, that evening. Being unconscious for a week began to take its toll on him, as Adam was reminded of his long awaited hunger. Oh how he was craving for a large meal as he walked down the steps of the house and smelled the vast food that was growing from out of the ground.

Sitting beside the right of the house was a small garden that was lush and abundant as there were vegetables growing out of the dirt that looked soft and fertile. Adam recognized the smell of tomatoes, onions, peppers and carrots that were ripe for the picking. He also saw how the garden was fenced and was well protected against any small animal that would try to steal any of these hard grown vegetables. Adam also looked to his left and saw a large tree cast a shadow near the house. He recognized the color the fruit that was growing on the branches and saw how there were crisp red apples growing on each branch. Oh how an apple sounded good right about now, as Adam's stomach began to growl.

The farmer continues to escort Adam to the barn which was only a five minute walk from the house. But because of his injuries, five minutes might as well have been five hours as Adam slowly walked toward the barn where Hiroshi was being kept. But as he walked toward the wooden house, Adam noticed how there were large fields of dirt that were fenced off. Within them were rows and rows of green stems with healthy leaves growing out. With this field, it looked like it was enough to feed a small town.

Adam then looked at the barn and saw how there were several animals locked up in several pens set up to enclose some of the animals. The knight saw how there were about four cows locked up in their own pen while the horses were tied to their posts. He also saw a small house that reeked the smell of chickens. After seeing this man's farm, he began to wonder who this farmer was. "So what kind of farmer are you?"

"I'm a potato farmer." The Farmer said. "This farm has been with my family for generations. My father grew potatoes, and his father grew potatoes. For decades my family has been the Arbane's main supply of potatoes."

"Arbane? Is that the name of the town?"

"Yes, we live just on the outskirts, but my family has been growing and selling potatoes to the good people of the town."

"But I also saw that you were growing other food near your house?"

"We try to sell other foods to the people but it's mostly our potatoes that often sell the most."

"Well you have plenty of them, I'll give you that." Adam said. "But how are you able to maintain them without getting picked off by small animals."

Oh over the past years, my family has come up with several ways to ward off any critters." The Farmer said. "We mostly have been using homemade pesticides to keep the animals and insects away."

"Pesticides? Wouldn't that make your potatoes dangerous to eat?"

"Like I said, we've had plenty of time to come up with solutions that will keep away critters and won't damage the vegetables." The farmer said as the two approached the front doors of the barn. "We're here."

The farmer uses one hand to open one of the large wooden doors before Adam uses his one good arm to open the other. To his relief, the young knight saw his dragon sleeping soundly inside the barn. The Farmer was not joking, this barn had seen better years as the wood was beginning to crack on some of the walls while the beams that were supporting the upper level of the barn were fairly new. It seems that the Farmer has been doing all that he could to preserve something that has been in his family for years. This is something that Adam admired. He knows the duties that one must take to keep something you love from falling into ruin, just like how he felt when he swore to the Pontifex that he would do anything to keep this kingdom from falling into chaos. But those can only be done if he is strong enough to carry them out, and at the moment, he was not.

As the open doors let in the sunlight, Adam begin to see Hiroshi's red eyelids begin to squint as the large dragon moaned, not wanting to wake up. Soon enough the large creature opens his eyes and for the first time in so long, Adam was able to see Hiroshi's blue eyes. A sigh of relief and excitement left Adam's mouth as both he and his friend stared one another. The knight limps his way over to his dragon as he saw his friend lift his head and allowed Adam to pet the top of his head. To cheer his friend up, Adam remembers a pleasurable spot that Hiroshi loved that sat right beneath his powerful jaw. Adam smiles and rubs his friend their as his started to hear his dragon chuffle eagerly.

"Yeah? You missed me? I sure missed you." Adam while he petted his dragon. But as he was coddling his old friend he noticed how one of his wings was wrapped in bandages while his right arm was also wrapped in the same manner as well. A look of concern falls upon his face as he turns to the Farmer for answers. "What happened to him."

"After you were taken in, I and several other farmers did our best to bring your friend here as safely as possible. Surprisingly, your dragon didn't put up much of a fight. Maybe it was because of his words." The Farmer said, which reminded Adam of the horrible night both he and Hiroshi went through when they were struck by Adam's Divine Object and fell out of the sky. He recalls hearing several cracking noises when the two of them flew through several trees before their crash landing. Maybe it was the trees that broke one of Hiroshi's wings and it was the crash itself that fractured one of his arms. "We had the doctor take a look at him and it looked like your friend suffered only a broken arm and wing. It will take some time to heal but he'll be back on his feet sooner than later."

"Thank you." Adam said. "Words cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to you."

"There's no need." The Farmer said before changing the subject. "I needed to make some stables anyway. And with your friend resting in the barn, it seemed like the best time to start on that project. No need to lose one of my cows. The chickens are already terrified as it is."

"You don't have to worry about Hiroshi. He's a pescatarian." Adam said. "From a young age, we Integrity Knights train our dragons the moment they hatch, and while some enjoy the taste of meat, I trained Hiroshi to only eat fish. He won't harm any of your animals or anyone of your house so long as he is not provoked."

"Well that's good to hear." The Farmer said. "I'll be sure to stock up on fish the next time I head into town. He's already taken out a large chunk of the pantry."

Adam smirked and laughed a little as he gave Hiroshi one last pet on the head before leaving. As the Farmer closed the doors to the barn, Adam forgot to notice how there was no lock. It seems that no one would be foolish enough to try to steel a dragon. Even if a lock was placed on the door, to Hiroshi, the chains would only feel like strings as they would not be able to hold back a fully grown dragon. With the doors to the barn closed, Adam waits for the Farmer to walk beside him. He looks at him and is ready to return back to his room as promised. "Again, I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing."

"As I mentioned before, there is no need to." The Farmer said as he took hold of Adam's arms and helped him walk back to the house.

"I never got your name." Adam stated as he at least wanted to know the name of the man who saved his life.

"My name is Henry." The Farmer said while the two walked past to potato fields to get back to the house.

"Nice to meet you Henry." Adam responded in a polite tone. "I am Adam Synthesis Fourteen."

"An Integrity Knight? I kind of figured that out the moment I saw you and your dragon. But it's good to finally know your name."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but I have a distinct memory of someone else helping you with the doctor. Do you happen to know who that was?"

"Yes." Henry responded. "That was my daughter, Hannah. She's currently not here at the moment and I feel that you may not see her until tomorrow. Right now, you need to rest."

As the sun reached its peak, Adam had finally reached the house. For the duration of the day, the young knight spent the rest of his day in his small room. To make sure that he would not be disturbed and would heal properly, Henry closed the door after Adam lied on his bed.

Alongside the bed, was a small dresser that had a plate with some food sitting on top of it. The plate had several slices of bread while it also had a fresh red apple sitting beside them. Henry's family also made sure that Adam received plenty of water as there were a few cups of water sitting on the dresser. Adam ate his fill as he enjoyed every bite of the food he was given. It was good that know one was watching him because he ate like an animal when he consumed every slice of bread and the red apple as well.

After having his fill of food, the knight spent his entire day resting on his bed as he began to reflect on how fortunate he was that this family took him in. Had Henry and his family had not taken him, then Adam would have surely died after the crash. Lying in bed also made the knight look back on the moment he lost control of his sword. Had he had been more disciplined, or had he have practiced more with his sword, his Divine Object would not have gone crazy and put him in this situation. He still remembers the flashes of light from the lightning that emitted from his sword. The next thing that followed was darkness before he recalled the events after he and his friend fell from the sky. It was something the knight would never forget, no matter how hard he tried.

With the sun setting down, Adam was given more food by Henry, and was left to eat in peace. This time he did his best to hold back his ravenous hunger as he started to eat his food. While he ate his meal, he looked around the room that was lit by a small candle that sat on the dresser. Feeling the warmth of the small flame reassured Adam that he was in good hands. However, the lowly lit room also reminded him about his quarters in the Axiom Church. He wondered how everyone else was doing. He could only imagine Deusolbert walking down the halls of the cathedral, admiring the art the church held. He also thought about Fizel continuing her studies in the libraries while also honing her skills on the training grounds. These thoughts of his mentor and student made Adam realize that he needed to send word out to the church and notify them about his current situations.

After finishing his meal, Adam looked around for something to help him write a letter to the Axiom Church. He looks at the dresser and pulls out one of the drawers closest to him, only to see a pen and a single piece of paper - it was all that he needed. He takes the them both and uses the plate help him write his letter while he sat upright on his bed. But as he sat on the mattress he wondered on what he should write this letter. Soon enough he finally comes up with the words needed to reach out to his master.

To Deusolbert Synthesis Seven of the Axiom Church.

This is Adam Synthesis Fourteen, and I write to you with great urgency. Upon my arrival at the Western Boarder of the empire, I encountered two Dark Knights from the Dark Territory. Though they were dealt with a swift end, I was betrayed by my Divine Object and paid the consequence for my lack of training. From there, both my dragon and I suffered severe wounds but were taken in by the good grace of a farmer's family. Hiroshi and I were very fortunate to have survived our injuries. With that being said, both of us are unable to travel as we are recovering on a small farm located past the town of Arbane.

I pray that this letter reaches you as fast as the dragon flies, for I hope that his message will put your minds at ease if anyone was concerned about my current whereabouts. I understand that as of right now, the Dark Territory is becoming bold once more, and the demand for more knights is growing. Should choice come down to rescuing an injured knight, or warding off the enemy from our lands, I ask that you fulfill your duties first. The safety of the people are what come first. I will remain on this farm until I have either fully recovered, or until I am rescued by a knight from the Axiom Church.

Adam Synthesis Fourteen

After writing his letter the knight places it on top of the dresser before he was finally able to rest. But as he lied on the bed, he closed his eyes but could still see images of night he fell from the sky. Even in the darkness of his eyelids, Adam could still see flashes of lightning dance around. He turns on the bed and could still hear the cries of pain from both him and Hiroshi as they were electrocuted by Adam's sword. The knight opens his eyes and stares up at the wooden sealing above him. He looks out the window next to him and sees the moon rise to the night sky before being reminded of the moment of peace he had before his Divine Object betrayed him. The knight takes a deep breath and closes his eyes with a disgruntled look. It's going to be another long night.

Alright everyone that is going to be it for this chapter. This was something that I was very excited to write because I wanted add something unique that will prove beneficial to Adam's Character Arc.

In ACT I - Student we saw Adam rise to the top of the ranks of the Axiom Church but was still brash and arrogant. However, that arc ended with the phrase, "Pride before the Fall" as we literally watched Adam fall from grace after misusing his power and not fully understanding the power he was given.

As we enter ACT II - Farmer, this is where we will start to see Adam pick up the pieces from his mess and start to rebuild himself into something better. This second act will also allow us to see more new characters as Adam recovers from his injuries.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and if you like what you saw so far, feel free to add this story to your favorites, and be sure to give it a follow. If you really enjoyed the chapter, feel free to leave a comment. I'll see you all next time with CHAPTER 6: The Girl With Blue Eyes.