Chapter 7

After a month into the live version of Sword Art Online the death toll was nearing the two thousand mark. All perished on the first floor of the virtual world known as Aincrad. In that time, Jemza had never seen another player die. She had typically hunted in areas less travelled not only to avoid competing for creature spawns, but also circumventing the possibility of watching someone succumb to this world.

For a week she remained indoors in the Town of Beginnings. Aincrad's lowest level where everyone currently lived was the largest in terms of land. It spread out in a ten kilometer diameter with each floor above it gradually decreasing in size. The hundredth floor was basically one large castle creating the tip. One of the most awe inspiring sights of Aincrad was standing on the edge of the world from any floor. Open sky as far as you could see stretched beyond the borders of each floor. This was because Aincrad and the entirety of its hundred floors floated high in the clouds.

The Town of Beginnings was near the edge of the first floor and during the first few weeks of imprisonment many people who disbelieved the developer's threats sought to find a different way out. They refused to accept the rules put in place instead choosing to take matters in to their own hands. Others couldn't handle the mental strain of being held prisoner in the game and went insane. Jemza hid in a room so she wouldn't have to watch these people leap from the side of Aincrad in an act of suicide.

When reality settled in and the player base left behind after the beta testers and strong willed individuals left she began her own journey into the wild of Aincrad. She wasn't new to MMO games and found that after the initial fear of combat she could control it and harness it into strength. Aincrad might be a game of death, but so was the real world. Perhaps, living here in Aincrad wasn't so bad after all. She began to enjoy the game for what it was rather than letting the fear of death control her. Unnecessary risks were of course avoided, but controlled steady hunting gave her the confidence to smile.

If she could get stronger, slowly, over time then it was possible that being trapped in this world was a good thing. By now almost a month later she barely thought of the real world. She didn't fight so she could clear the game and escape this prison. No, she fought because in a sense this prison was her freedom. It wasn't like anyone cared if she came back alive.

Growing little by little through safe and controlled hunting. So, why was she leaping high into the air with a dagger pulled back in the beginning motion of a sword skill? Why was she screaming hard enough to make her throat hurt? Most important of all, why did she feel nothing but hate as her body hurtled towards the Little Nepenthes? Every semblance of rationality evaporated from her mind as blue lights sparkled around the blade of her Moonlit Silver Dagger reaching down around her hand and forearm.

"Guwaaaaah!" An equally intense roar emitted from the mouth of the creature as she collided with the bell shaped torso slamming her dagger into the soft textured skin. As her feet hit the side she kicked hard propelling her upwards while still shoving the blade of her dagger into its body. With a wet tearing sound, she flew high into the air, her dagger slicing the creature from its midsection all the way to the top of the sprout of leaves on the head. She rolled once in the air landing on her feet in a crouch behind the Little Nepenthes just in time for it to shatter into fragments.

Ignoring the window that appeared showing her experience gain, col, and items she spun running towards the tree where Jayce landed. Only now did she see his health level stopped near the 10% section. She slid along the dirt on her knees grabbing him by the shoulders and forcefully rolling him over. The Anti-Harassment System would probably give him a window asking to push her away, but as he tipped onto his side nothing appeared, nor was she thrown back.

In his hand was a small empty vial she recognized. It had been one of the enhanced healing potions created with the Amberthorn from last night. He must of drank it as soon as he hit the tree offsetting the damage just fast enough to leave him deep in the blinking red zone. His hood had fallen off his head revealing his short brown hair. With his head free from the cloak's confines she could see all of him for the first time.

Most of the population of SAO was within the 16 to 20 age range. He looked older, perhaps his mid-twenties. His face looked tired, like he had travelled for years without rest. In his current state she saw something in his eyes as they blinked back at her. Somewhere behind the orbs that stared back at her was a great void. She couldn't explain the feeling, but the man lying before her was missing something. Or to be more precise, had lost something.

With a shaking hand he reached back and pulled the hood back up over his head. His other hand dropped the empty glass vial to the ground. Jayce's body righted itself until his back was leaning against the trunk of the tree he had impacted against. The minutes passed by as the two stared at each other in silence. Both their chests rose and fell rapidly waiting for the adrenaline to wear off.

"I want to yell at you." Jemza was the first to break the silence clutching her hands against the fabric of her pants.

"Yeah." His voice matched the shakiness his hands exhibited. It was strained, scared, but also relieved.

"I messed up…so…so I should yell at you for diving in recklessly like that." His hood bobbed once as she spoke.

"Yeah…"

"I mean, you all but said you were too scared to leave the Town of Beginnings. You…you asked me to help not the other way around. I was stupid and careless so there's no reason for you to do what you did." Only now did she realize her own hands were shaking violently.

"Ye…"

"Don't just say yeah!" Jemza yelled, but not out of real anger. The adrenaline was wearing off, but in its place the gravity of what had just happened began to sink in. She opened and closed her hands along the edges of the black pants she wore and bit her lower lip.

"Last night, I gained two levels." She looked up as he spoke steadying her breath.

"Right."

"I chose Hiding as my third skill. The only thing I hadn't chosen was where to put the six stat points I gained."

In SAO there were only two stats that you could increase after gaining a level. Three points were allocated for a player to choose between either Strength or Agility. Strength allowed the use of heavier, high end weapons. It also dictated damage, carrying capacity, climbing, and various other things. Agility on the other hand provided increased reflexes, faster movement speed, accuracy, and the such.

"You didn't spend them?" Jayce shook his head at her question and her eyes widened starting to catch onto what he was getting at.

"I did…just now. All six into Agility." Jemza's mouth hung open hearing what he said. There was no going back on the choices you made with stats. For his style of play using One Handed Swords he would need high strength. Most went a 2 to 1 split between strength and agility or vice versa if using weapons like daggers or rapiers. He had dumped all of it into agility with the hopes it would give him just enough speed to reach her in time.

If he was following a standard stat allocation route, then at level 4 he would have 8 points in his strength stat and 4 in his agility. Assuming he was telling the truth, which she had no reason to doubt him after what just happened, then that meant he was still at 8 strength, but his agility jumped to 10. It would severely impact the growth of his character for the next few levels as he tried to correct his stats.

"I know we just got here and it's still not dark, but I think I want to call it for today." Jayce pushed himself up leaning against the tree to steady his legs. Pain did not exist in SAO, nor any residual physical effects after taking severe damage. The instability of his body was purely mental. He had been most afraid of dying in this game, which in terms of damage taken he had died. Without the enhanced potion created less than a day ago, a normal one would not have healed him fast enough to offset the health depletion.

Jayce pushed off the tree half walking and half stumbling past Jemza while she still stared where he had been laying. She understood why he couldn't walk since she herself had been mere seconds from death. It was likely the first time for both of them that I had been that close. She looked over her shoulder as he reached out to brace himself against any trees he passed.

He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes gripping the virtual bark of the tree next to him. All he wanted was to be back in the room he had called home for the past month in the Town of Beginnings. To just give up and remain safe where the creatures couldn't get to him. Maybe in a few weeks he could try again to push out a little further. Not as far as Horunka village, but just a little.

A gasp of fear escaped his mouth feeling something push under his right arm. Something pulled his waist at the same time. He could barely see a few strands of white hair from the corners of his hood. The pressure around his waist was strong enough to steady his body, but equally gentle. His right arm draped across Jemza's shoulders and around the back of her neck. He took a step away from the tree moving forward while she supported him.

It had taken maybe fifteen or twenty minutes to get to the forest. Returning took twice as long. A small purple screen popped up in both of their visons indicating that they had entered the Safe area of the town. Within towns your hit points would not drop even if you were cut by numerous blades. So long as you remained within these Safe zones there was no fear of death.

The pair made their way to the small building that functioned as the inn. The town had little in the way of player services, but thankfully an inn was one of them. The NPC greeted them happily regardless of their appearance. Jayce opened his menu, paying the man the required fee to stay the night without responding. This time Jemza did not scold him, but held him firmly until the NPC produced a key, handing it to Jayce. She helped walk him up the stair finding the room designated as his.

With a clicking sound Jayce unlocked the door and pushed it open. He reached a hand down and freed her hand from his waist. His right arm slid off her shoulder and he shuffled into the room without looking back. The quiet sound of the door closing behind him left her standing alone in the hallway of the inn. She couldn't blame him for being upset at her. Her carelessness had nearly cost him his life. He sacrificed his character's progression and safety for her. She turned and walked back down towards the innkeeper fighting the guilt in her mind.

"Thanks." Her voice murmured once the innkeeper provided her with a key. She leaned against the counter for a moment dipping her head low. After a long, steady breath she stood and walked back up the stairs. At their peak she not only heard, but saw Jayce's door shut as someone slipped inside quickly.

It was impossible to enter a room someone purchased without permission. The game system didn't allow it. Not even the Lock Picking skill would work on doors like this. She hesitated at the top of the stairs rolling the key in her hand through her fingers. That meant whoever entered had been let in by Jayce. She took a step forward heading for her own room, but stopped just after passing his. It wasn't her business who he met with, but an invisible force was pulling her backwards. Stuffing the key into a pocket she backpedaled and knocked on Jayce's door.

"Ah! She's a pretty one!" Jemza had to step back in surprise as a short figure appeared in the doorway. A brown cloak similar to Jayce's wrapped around her body with the hood pulled up. Brown curly hair spilled out the side of the hood framing the girl's face. A face that sported a wide grin and two cheeks, each painted with three black whiskers.

"Who…wha…" Coherent thought left Jemza's head seeing this mousy looking girl standing inside his room. Her back had been turned for no more than a few seconds as she purchased her own room. How did this girl slip passed and up into his room.

"Argo the Rat, pleased to meetcha Miss White!" The girl answered happily thrusting a hand forward.

"Miss White?" Jemza's eyes continued to stare at the girl blankly. She reached her other hand up into her hood motioning to her brown hair then pointed at Jemza's head.

"Uh, it's Jemza, my name is Jemza." She reached out shaking the girl's hand who gave a wink and spun marching back into Jayce's room. She held the door open beckoning her to follow.

"I was on my way back to the Town of Beginnings to let people know about the meeting today. You caught me just as I was passing by. Talk about luck." Argo said flopping her body down onto the couch in the room. Jayce was lying on his back staring up at the ceiling from a bed in the far corner of the room.

"How much will it cost me?" Jemza could tell his voice was still strained. She hadn't moved from the doorway. To be honest she was still trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Hmmm…it seems you've been through the ringer today. If I understand everything properly then your concern makes sense. Perhaps, instead of payment I could propose a trade?" Jayce leaned up on his elbows staring at the Rat lounging on his couch.

"What kind of trade?" Her mouth curled up into a devilish smile while her head slowly swiveled towards Jemza.

"Tell me about the hair and I'll call it even."