Sword Art Online: The Silver Swordsman
Hey! Its been a while, I know. My beta, CsillaDream has my upmost respect. Thank you all for reading this and hope that it continues to be good.
It's been four hours. Four agonizingly long hours of walking, killing the occasional monster, and eating a little bread. My map says we were on the right side of the dungeon, went into the trap on the left side, and now we are about four inches -about forty yards- from the middle of the map.
"DRAKE!" I looked over to Sapphire, who was scowling.
"I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes now! Look," She pointed forward and I saw a small curled-up object.
I pulled out my sword, "Well, what are we waiting for? Lets go!" and started running towards the 'object'. When we got about three yards away, we saw what it was: a little girl, no more than seven, with olive-colored hair and wore a chest plate over top a dress. She looked up, ebony eyes wide with fear, before her small body started to scoot back.
"No! G-go away!" Her voice was hoarse and scratchy.
I sheathed my sword, put my hands up and opened my menu with my right hand -the little girl pushed herself up as far as she could against the wall. A spherical bottle with clear liquid appeared in my free hand before I set it on the floor and rolled it over to her. She picked it up and drank the contents.
"Drake? What was that?" I smiled at Sapphire's question.
"No use for an empty bottle other than to hold water." (1) She smiled before we noticed the little girl had stood up and walked over to me. She put the bottle in my hands and scurried back a couple of feet causing Sapphire smiled again before kneeling down.
"Hey, whats your name?"
The girl stared at us for awhile before finally speaking: "A-Aki…"
Sapphire held out her hand, "What a pretty name! I'm Sapphire and he's Drake," I held my hand out next; Aki held her hand out and put hers on top of Sapphire's.
"Why are you so deep in a dungeon without anyone to watch over you?" She looked down as I knelt down and we waited. Small droplets of liquid splashed on the rough floor beneath Aki before she finally looked up, a few tears going down her face.
"M-monsters attack my papa and mama… They told me to run. I ran as hard as I could, but I need to see if they were okay… I saw flashes of light and they… T-t-t-they were gone," She started to sob, tears flowing freely. Sapphire took her into her arms. Holding the small girl as she mourned.
I patted her on the back. I stood up and used my search skill: "No mobs around… Hey, Aki, do you have a map?" She nodded.
"Well… Can you let me see it?" She opened her own menu and flipped the screen so I could see as I opened my map then copied the info.
"How about we get out of this place and get a room, now that we can get out," Aki nodded.
"Um...?" I looked down and smiled.
"No need for formalities. Just call me Drake. What is it?" She blushed.
"C-can you carry me?" I nodded. I bend down so she could climb on. Sapphire lifted her and she wrapped her arms around my neck. I sent my map data to Sapphire and we were on our way.
A hour later, we were finally out of the dungeon; THE SKY! I missed it! We sprinted to the nearest town before I let Aki down.
"Do you have any friends who might take you in, now that your parents are…" Sapphire punched my arm while Aki shook her head.
"Mama and Papa never talked to people, it was all about getting strength to protect me." I sighed.
"I'll get two rooms. You and Sapphire will share one and I will use mine for Aries and his group, to talk about some stuff." They nodded.
A hour after that, Aries punched my chest the moment I opened the door, "What the frick man?!" I rubbed the spot, cringing slightly under the touch.
"It was either you get crushed or we fight the monsters ourselves. I knew that you would be crushed before we got out, that's why I pushed you," He sat on the couch while Jesus put his arm around my shoulder.
"He's just mad that he couldn't help you... By the way, PIMP coat?" I smiled.
"Heck yeah! Sapphire got blue armor. I still think that's too big of a coincidence, but then we found this little girl, named Aki. A lot of the monsters were cleaned out even where we were then we got out and that leads us to now. So... I guess we're done?" Aries got up and opened the door before leaving without another word.
"Well… I guess you guys should go with him. See you later," The group left to follow their leader and I fell onto the bed, hat will tomorrow bring?" I muttered until I drifted off completely.
The next day I was woken to the sun beaming through my window and a knock at the door, sitting up, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes before shuffling across the floor. Opening revealed, Aki, in an emerald-colored dress, and Sapphire, in a ruby top with jeans; the latter holding the former's hand.
"Time to go," I nodded before we left the hotel and went in search for a orphanage of some sorts. We had made our way back to the starter town, taking the shorter of roads and avoiding monsters almost entirely, but it was noon already and we had yet to find the orphanage.
"Lets go to a cafe or something for lunch," I suggested and the two girls nodded in agreement.
When we got there, I ordered a sandwich and some tea, the girls ordered some soup and water; we were just chatting when…
"Alright guild!" It was a child's voice and after a short announcement from him, a few cheers came from throughout the room. In the corner, by the stove, a group of kids stood around what looked like a twelve year old, but the rest were between the ages of seven and ten.
"Alright! Show your levels! The strongest come with me and we fight for the children!" They cheered again and I looked over to Aki, she seemed to be watching them with some level of interest. I glanced over to Sapphire, who looked at me and nodded in approval, before getting up and walking over to the childish bunch.
"Hey," They all looked over at me at the same time when I greeted them; kinda creepy.
The twelve year old, who had made the announcement, walked up to me confidentially: "What do you want?" Snotty tone, kinda mean towards older people I guess, lets just hope this works.
Pushing forward with my decision, "Hey uh... we were in the dungeon yesterday and found that little girl over there... and we're wondering what's your guys'... deal?" It came out far more awkward than I wanted it to.
The kid puffed out his chest, "We are Kid Revolution! We are going to level up and take care for the younger players that can't care for themselves! We will protect all the children and make those who want to stronger! You need to show that you are trustworthy if we are to trust you." I sweat-dropped; of course it was something like that.
"Um... what does Aki joining your group have to do with me?"
The kid grunted in response before actually answering me: "Well, we aren't going to do something for a weakling! SHOW YOUR POWER IN A DUEL!"
I sighed as the challenge window popped up before me, "You know what? I accept! If I win, you treat the older people with more respect and take in Aki, but if you win, you get my coat" He smirked and put out his hand.
"DEAL!"
"Hey, what level are you?"
"Level 7... almost 8." A anger mark formed on my head.
"Even the kid is a higher level than me," I grumbled while Sapphire started to laugh and Aki giggled behind me.
I hit accept and we moved outside as he drew a knife.
'A knife. really?' He got into stance; meanwhile, I stood in one spot, watching his every move. The moment the timer hit zero, he charged, doing a simple stab that I sidestepped away from then tripped him. He landed on his face, but jumped right back up moments later. He wiped his face and tried to cut me again, but I dodged once more.
"For a knife user, you're pretty slow" I noted out loud as he grunted, trying to take at least a point of HP off of me; "Word of advice, if you're going to use a knife, focus mostly on speed. Otherwise..." I continued as I pulled out my sword, spun while ducking under his swing and sliced his chest - he fell back on his butt, HP already at about 50%.
"You'll lose," My sword glistened in the sunlight as I moved it closer to his throat, his eyes grew wide with fear, "Please forgive me! I'm sorry! I'll do anything for you!" The kid immediately begging for his life causing a sweat-drop to formed on my head; did his attitude just do a complete '180'?
"I forgive you... just forfeit already," He moved to his menu and did so before he held out his knife towards me.
"H-here! Take my knife!" I took it, feeling its weight.
'Hmm… I remember someone saying something from the beta about duel wielding with a knife…' I ruffled the kid's hair, "Thanks bud! But for you," I opened my menu, taking out a sword, "this" It was a long, two handed sword.
"With your strength, I would say this would be a good weapon choice for you" He took the blade -and immediately it shrunk a little to fit his size (2)- before he held it up, eyes glinting with excitement.
"Now, what's your name?" He clenched his hand and let the sword go down, touching the ground.
"My name is… Alexandra..." Sapphire and most everyone there took one moment to think about it.
"Why does your avatar's have a girl's name? You know that, right?" I couldn't help but ask as he laughed nervously.
"W-well, this was supposed to be my sister's avatar... She couldn't play and so she asked me to play her character... She was a beta tester called Alexandra," I clapped my hands together.
"I KNEW HER! Well, she was on a game I play before this, Shadows of the Dead. Epic game and we tag-teamed three bosses... we died each time but hey, who cares" Alexandra put his hand up in a fist.
"How do you know she was going to play this and that she was a beta tester?"
"Well, she logged on to SOTD and told me a lot about it... that she was a beta tester. She also told me a few cool facts that I have yet to even try, but she has always told the truth, so yeah" The crowed started to disperse and we went back into the cafe and moments later, Aki grabbed my hand.
"Mr. Drake?" I looked down, Aki's sweet ebony eyes already had tears threatening to run down her face.
"I don't want to go with them... can I stay with you?" I stroked her hair comfortingly.
"Sapphire and I are going to be trying to clear the game. It won't be safe and I don't think you will like being stuck in a motel room for who knows how long. So... How about you go with Alex? I'll come and visit you every day I can. How's that sound?" She looked up at me, dark eyes glinting with tears before she nodded slowly.
"T-that would be fine, I guess." She took a few steps back and looked at us; Sapphire looked like she was going to cry any minute.
"Thank you for everything Mr. Drake, Ms. Sapphire." She turned and walked up to the group of kids, who started to pat her on the back and talk with her trying to make her feel like one of them. I turned to Sapphire and we headed out before either of the girls could start crying.
A random field, a few hours later...
Sapphire did a triple hit combo and made a boar fly while I ran up and right before it landed I did a VERTICAL SLASH, destroying the pig.
"YEAH! Another pig down! Twenty more to go!" We had taken on the quest, which required you to kill 50 boars. We both had the quest for a long while and its been a continuous quest that you start the game with, so we have pooled our kills and were almost finished.
"Alright, lets go... Sapphire? You okay?" She was looking south, towards the Town of Beginnings. Towards Aki.
"Is she going to be okay? She looked so sad..." I put my arm on her shoulder.
"She will. Aki's a strong girl." Sapphire nodded, still in a daze.
"Now, monsters might attack us so lets go,"
That night, Sapphire was looking out her window; we completed the quest and got some coal before we spent it on new clothes. I got pants and she got a dress… AN EXPENSIVE DRESS! But hey, who am I to judge?
"So, I'll move to the other room. Tomorrow, we go to the dungeon." She turned, her new dress swaying in the nonexistent wind.
"Drake… Can I tell you something?" I nodded.
"Come," She sat on the bed, patting the spot beside her, I sat and she took my hand causing us both to blush at the contact.
"W-well… In the real world-"
"IRL,"
"-I was a straight B student... I was kinda popular, but always was self-cautious... I have... i-issues m-making f-friends... It was seventh grade and this boy, Toruko, was a big shot and a player. But at the time, I was a new student and didn't know. He asked me out and I thought it was love. Then the eighth grade dance came and I saw him kissing another girl... I-I was crushed and didn't trust anyone. Even now, I still have trouble. Making friends. But when I saw you, fighting that wolf, just the aura you had, I thought that you were the one. The only one that I could trust. Then you took me in, and helped me, helped Aki, and you saved Aries's life. In the real world, I didn't have a father. H-he d-died when I was four-years-old. My mom died when I was nine, leaving me in the care of my aunt and uncle, who didn't care for anything except beer and sex..." Venom dripped from her voice as silent tears slipped down her face and her body shook and her hand clenched mine in a hard grip.
"And I just… I lost everything. They took the one thing I had left from my parents. A small locket, it was silver and was shaped like a cat head. They got two on their wedding day and when my dad passed away, my mom gave it to me. Then there was a fire and my aunt took the locket with her. My uncle went through a phase and was sent to a hospital and," She let out a small sob, "I went to my grandparents. I told them what happened and they did everything they could, but I just didn't feel any love, passion, fear, hate, anger, or anything. It was all the same. Then SAO came out and I just… I felt like it might be something different. So I got my Grandma and Grandpa to get me the equipment and I dived in. When he told us that we were trapped… I almost wanted to die, but something in me… awoke. And I fought. I battled and leveled up and met you."
I closed my eyes before I spoke: "So... You've had it rough," she nodded as I continued: "Well... How about we get your feelings back?"
She turned, wiping her tears: "What?"
"I'll help you feel all those things. Fear is done, anger, now we need to do Hate Passion and... love..." We both looked away.
"W-w-well lets just go and sleep right?" I nodded and left.
1. If a player has a empty bottle, they can fill it with a liquid ranging from water to tea, but not potions unless made by the character.
2. A weapon will shrink or grow (Depending on the weapon) to fit the persons size.
Well... I hope this was good and I hoped you liked it. The next chapter will be in soonish.