Hello everyone. I decided to simply continue on with this current story and attach all subsequent arcs here. I think it would be best to keep it all together. Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as it unfolds.
Sword Art Online
Growing Shadows
Prologue
December 14th, 2022
"Do you have everything ready?" Across the room a young woman stood in front of a mirror while reaching behind her head pulling her white hair into a ponytail. She slid a hair tie down her hand so that it wrapped tightly around the hair holding it in place.
"I think so, we can always come back if there's something down here we need." Answering her question, the man opened his system menu and began scrolling through his inventory.
"You're sure about the timing for today?" The woman in front of the mirror turned around facing the third and final person in the room who was sprawled out on the bed.
"Don't you worry Miss White; my contacts are there right now. They don't know how to fail." She ended with a wide smile, her curly hair bobbing around as she rolled onto her stomach.
"Where did Rose say she would be meeting us again?" A black studded cloak materialized over the man's back as he walked towards his partner by the mirror. She tapped her chin a few times in response trying to recall the information they had been told days ago.
"Zumfut I believe. She said there was a safe house there we could work out of."
"Ah, Zumfut is the main city of the third floor. That would make sense that the quests progressed through there." The girl on the bed pushed her body upwards with a swift motion so that she now sat on the edge, her legs dangling over the side.
"You said that floor is home to elves? They are at war with each other right?" A matching black cloak appeared over the white haired woman's shoulders as she approached the bed.
"That's correct. Most of the floor is comprised of a dangerous forest. An eerie mist appears that makes navigation extremely difficult. It's advised to remain on the paths. The third floor is what most beta testers believed to be the first quest line that encompasses multiple floors. This of course was before you both caused the anomaly with your Thieves Guild line. Players can side with either faction and follow the quests until the end." The two listening to the girl on the bed looked at each other for a few moments.
"We should probably avoid that at least until we see how Rose wants to proceed. For all we know the quests involved with her will bring us to one or both of the factions respectively." Brown curls mostly hidden under the hood of a brown cloak jostled slightly as the girl nodded in response.
"I believe that would be the wisest course too. You will report any further developments with the Thieves Guild to me right?"
"We will. When would you like to meet? How much time do you need?" After tapping a button a long bladed dagger came into view on the woman's hip while a sword attached onto her partners belt next to her.
"A few days at least is what I'm thinking. I will message you both once I have the initial work for the strategy guide complete. I do most of the writing in the field as I complete the quests. The front line group will be picking up steam so I will have to be on my toes." With a final push the girl hopped off the bed and walked towards the door.
"Hey, Argo?" She stopped at looked back at the man who called out to her.
"Yes, Jayce?"
"Be careful alright?" For a brief moment she wanted to respond with a lighthearted joke, but after the last week she knew he was genuinely concerned. Both he and his partner had become part of her life now. A mutual relationship where they fed her information about the unique quest line they had uncovered and in return she would share information about the world and events happening. More than that, they had become friends.
"I will Jayce, don't worry. Good luck up there. I'll see you both in a few days." Argo waved a hand and opened the door. She slipped out and let the door close behind her.
"She's a beta tester and arguably the most capable player in the game. She'll be fine." Jayce felt a hand rest on his shoulder and he forced a grim smile in return.
"I know, it's just…I don't know Jemza it's hard to explain. She's always…" Jayce trailed off not sure of the wording he should use to describe the conflicting feelings he had about watching Argo leave.
"Alone. She's a solo player and our friend so it's natural for you to worry." He nodded in response to Jemza. She was completely right and the fact that Argo played alone left him with a constant fear. For all her annoying tendencies, Jayce had come to like Argo's company. Not knowing if she was alright was hard to get used to.
"If anyone will survive this game, it's her." Jayce said it out loud hoping it would help crush the doubt in his mind. They had their own tasks ahead that would be no less dangerous than what Argo set out to do.
"So will we. So, perk up and let's go eat. We should be ready to move once it opens." Her arms wrapped around his neck and he reached up holding one of her hands, squeezing it tightly.
"Alright, let's go."
The pair exited the room a few minutes behind Argo and shut the door. They made their way downstairs and out onto the busy streets of Urbus. After a quick bite to eat and a final resupply run they would wait. According to the information Argo provided today would be the day. After almost a week since the battle in the Infiltrators Den they would be able to see Rose again and begin working on tracking down the next person responsible for her husband's death. If Argo was right then today would be the beginning of that search.
There was no reason to doubt her. Argo was always reliable when it came to information. So, the two ate, shopped, and waited. Waited in the central plaza of Urbus where the portal that for now only allowed travel back to floor one. In a short time, the front line players who now battled for not only their own lives, but the lives of all those trapped in Aincrad would open the third floor.