The sky was endless, stretching as far as the eye could see and beyond. A few avians fluttered around, their calls tinny and quiet against the infinite backdrop of blue. Clouds hung weightless in the air in every size and shape imaginable. Gale winds buffeted this way and that, breezes with enormous force behind every blow.
In this sky, a gigantic bronze citadel. Vaguely conical, the castle floated in the sky, suspended as if by magic. The plating shined as natural light glanced off of it. As the clouds brushed against the metal skin of the stronghold, they dissipated as they made contact with the sun-heated material.
Perhaps, if one listened closely, they could only hear the birds calling, far off in the distance.
Somewhere in the massive structure, there was a room. A high, arched room that was as silent as a tomb. The serene darkness quietly shaded most of the area, shying away from the sole source of light: a skylight set high in the roof above.
In that solitary ray of light, one could observe a large, black stone tablet. The uneven shadows across the surface of the monument indicated words on it.
The entire tablet was covered with words. Neatly lined, neatly ordered. Ten thousand of them, of all lengths and meanings.
A small sound disturbed the gentle peace within the room. Slowly, smoothly, a chip of the tablet fell away. Dust crumbled as something was steadily carved into the block by unseen hands or tools. Almost inaudible, "scrtches" echoed in the elevated, curved dome of the room.
When the silence was complete again, there was a new line on the tablet, running through one of the words, as well as a short description next to it. It was not an irregular occurrence, as one might guess when viewing the tens upon hundreds of other lines and notes.
With that, not a sound could be heard. No movement could be sensed, as if the place had been frozen in history.
The time was 10:39, «Month of the Fir», year 2023, «Aincrad Standard Time». In reality, December 2022.
One month since the floating castle of Aincrad because the stage for a death game.
Over 2000 had died.
Chapter 5: Concerto of Sword
A large stone cylinder towered over the first floor of Aincrad, casting a long shadow that stretched a fourth of the way across the floor. An imposing structure, it rose high into the air, appearing to meld with the heavens. Of course, what it had really done was meld with the bottom of the second floor, which appeared to look like a clear blue sky.
That cylinder housed the labyrinth of the first floor, the first obstacle towards clearing the game. A multi-story dungeon full of puzzles, monsters, and traps. A white tower of death.
Close to the base of the cylinder, the town of «Tolbana» sat with it's signature windmills turning in the breeze. While only two hundred meters in diameter, and leaning towards the smaller side compared to other villages, it nevertheless was a hub of activity as being the main base for those venturing into the labyrinth.
Of course, being so close to the entryway to the first floor, the mobs that roamed around the area were considerably higher-leveled. Stronger than those around Starting City, «Wolves» prowled the area, sniffing around for their next meal. Their weak but quick attacks had a much higher chance to critical than that of the other mobs, due to the «Sharpness» value of their claws and teeth.
Much more dangerous, however, were the few «Ruin Kobold Troopers» that could be rarely seen next to the dungeon entrance. It was a humanoid, red-skinned lizard-man type of a monster, and was the first kind in the game that carried an actual weapon. In addition, it could utilize «Sword Skills», making it a formidable foe.
The first group of unlucky players who had faced one had been severely beaten, completely unused to dealing with a humanoid enemy. One of them had died holding back the monster so the others could escape. Right on cue, the «Monument of Life» in the «Black Iron Castle» recorded his heroic demise, with the inscription, Monster: «Ruin Kobold Trooper», one of the first players to have died in a different way than Suicide.
However, as some people caught on and learned how to counter enemy «Sword Skills», either through the «Ruin Kobold Troopers» or through «Inner-Area Dueling», the danger the Troopers posed was greatly diminished, though still an enemy not to be underestimated.
They were armed with a variety of weapons, randomly selected when they respawned. The one Kirito was engaging right now attacked with a longsword. With a shrieking cry, the Trooper executed an overhand cut in what appeared to be the overhand «1-H Sword» skill «Helm Splitter».
Kirito swung his «Anneal Blade» instantly and parried the blow, knocking it off course. Adjusting his stance minimally, he lashed out in a backhanded «Horizontal», catching the off-guard «Ruin Kobold Trooper» in the chest area, dealing a large amount of damage.
Angrily, the lizard brought his sword to bear again, charging at him and attacking with a «Slant» attack. With ease, Kirito ducked underneath the blow and activated «Vertical», slicing upwards with the blade and killing the Trooper. The air rang with the sound of the explosion.
Without a pause to consider the exp and col he had earned, he whipped around and leaped at the wolves engaging Mane and Sirius. Steel flashed in the morning sun as the «Anneal Blade» flew into battle, chunking massive amounts of health from the «Wolf» mobs. While their offensive capabilities were quite substantial, «Wolves» had little to no defensive instincts or armaments at all.
The three of them made quick work of the group. Compared to the «Ruin Kobold Trooper» Kirito had fought earlier, the «Wolves» were a cakewalk. None of them had sustained more than 10% damage.
Letting out a pent-up breath, Kirito slotted the «Anneal Blade» into the sheath on his back. Turning away from the evaporating particles, he looked at both Mane and Sirius, his focus causing the system to show their cursors and health bars.
Mane holstered Historica on a sheath mounted on her belt. Some time ago, she had moved the sheath to her belt after claiming her back "itched" because of the scabbard. She unconsciously brushed the hair out of her face, then stretched. "Ahhhhh..."
Sirius calmly flicked a nonexistent speck of dirt off of his sword before returning it to his sheath. His silver hair shined brightly in the light, and he stared off into the distance before glancing back at the other two.
One month had passed since the start of this death game, Sword Art Online. One month had passed since they were all trapped in this unreal situation of doom. One month had passed since they were told, the only way to return to reality was to clear the game.
And in that month, only a few players had actually become serious about trying to clear the game. Perhaps around a hundred fifty to two hundred were active in the towering dungeon in front of them. The rest were huddled in Starting City, in fear, or out in the wilds alone.
Those who bravely explored the labyrinth were usually all around the level five to seven range. That in and of itself was a notable achievement, compared to the majority of the players, who still were level one, and due to the fact that they managed this without dying once. Someone at level eight would be admired by his comrades for being an exceptional player.
Kirito nonchalantly checked his screen, viewing his stats for the uptenth time. It was a small habit of his, ever since he had started to play MMORPGs.
Level Nine, «Strength» twenty, «Agility» twenty, and «Vitality» five. Skills, let me see... «1-H Sword» 87, «Searching» 96...
And of course... Mane is the same. Perhaps «Skill Level» would be a little different... but mostly identical.
"Kirito-kun, I have enough «Wolf Claws» to enhance Historica now... with a success rate of 75%." Mane toted out, checking her inventory.
In response, Sirius pinched his thumb and index finger together and drew out the menu, tapping his item storage after in one fluid movement. He frowned thoughtfully, then said, "I have enough for a 95% enhancement on this «Anneal Blade». Shall we go back?"
Mane and Kirito each took a moment to think about it, then both nodded in confirmation. They had all spent the morning farming up a storm, anyways. Perhaps now would be a good time to take a break, enhance their weapons, and sell the excess.
Luckily, as Kirito didn't feel like slaying any more monsters at that point, no monsters showed up on the way back to the village, «Tolbana». Maybe other players had already cleared them out, maybe the RNG goddess was smiling upon them, but the trio made it back to the entrance of the town without incident.
The town was quite a bustling place; at least, it was more lively than Starting City, which currently was in a state of depression. At least here, this village was a gathering of hope, hope that the game could be cleared. That was why people were there.
«Tolbana», despite being small, was a veritable self-supporting town. It contained three inns, several bars and restaurants, a blacksmith, an apothecary, and the rest of the village consisted of NPC houses, many of which supplied quests with hefty rewards. The center of «Tolbana» was defined by its main plaza, known as «Fountain Square», a popular meeting place which also included an ampitheatre. In other words, the town was the perfect place for the maze clearers to use as a base.
As such, the streets were full of clearers going to and from the large cylinder in the distance. The air, however, was filled with a slightly tense atmosphere. The only sounds were of boots clanking on the hard stone walkways and the NPCs going about their daily business. The players never made a sound, kept their conversation to a minimum, or conversed in hushed voices.
Kirito relaxed as the small notice popped up in his vision, informing him he was arriving in «Tolbana» and that the town was under the protection of the «Area Protection Code».
Their arrival at the village was noticed, but not remarked on. Mane drew some attention, being an attractive young girl, but her two silent companions deterred any sort of move. Some eyed the sword at her hip; however, no comments were passed.
Another reason why the three drew eyes was because they were all wearing various shades of black and white, including their hair. Sirius and Kirito both wore black, while Mane's armor was customized white. Sirius' silver hair swung gently behind him, while Kirito and Mane's raven hair gleamed slightly in the light.
As it was noon, many of the clearers were heading back into town for their midday meal. Some snippets of conversation floated by, mostly about what kind of food the players wanted to eat. Kirito's stomach rumbled as well; he ruefully remembered the buttered bread he had eaten for breakfast. He could still taste its creamy goodness.
But, their goal, at least for now, wasn't lunch. He motioned for Mane and Sirius to follow, then detached himself from the crowd, heading towards the western side of the town.
The already vague sounds dimmed to nothing as they moved away from the bulk of the village's occupants. Sirius sighed, for no apparent reason, while Mane took Kirito's arm and leaned on his shoulder. Kirito glanced at her before returning his attention back to the path.
In the silence, their even breathing could be heard. Kirito walked the way they had traveled many times before, without any hesitation.
It was very likely that, in the month that had passed, they had become one of the highest leveled players in Aincrad. All three of them were at level nine, certainly higher than most of the clearers who showed off their level seven and eight status. Even in a game of life and death, some players never lost their gaming pride.
They usually traveled in companionable silence, allowing their actions to take the place of their words. Mane always spoke the most, always making sure their HP was safe, their armor wasn't crooked, their weapons ready. Always caring in her own childishly innocent way.
Sirius and Kirito, on the other hand, nearly never spoke a word, unless it was absolutely necessary. They preferred silent communication, always sharing thoughts with a glance, or trading congratulations with a fistbump. In a way, they mirrored each other, silent boys who knew each other well.
Sirius had only raised an eyebrow when had Kirito mentioned to him about Mane's memory loss. As if unsurprised, he proceeded to lecture Mane about the real world, describing things such as cars and electricity in great detail. She had always listened in rapt attention, eyes shining as the mind behind them dreamed in the land of imagination and words. After a while, Kirito also joined in.
Those were one of the only times they spoke for such a long time. Yet, by the end of it, they were all completely silent, as reminiscing about the real world was too painful for Kirito and Sirius. Mane had worn a wandering expression on her face, but she did see the longing the two boys had. She didn't ask for any more stories after that.
Kirito vaguely thought about that day as he stepped through the alley, then shook himself back down to earth as they emerged into a more open street on the west side of «Tolbana». He quickly searched his memory and guided them towards the small side street that housed the village blacksmith.
Once a player gathered the necessary items, which different in quality and quantity from weapon to weapon, they could bring them and the weapon to a blacksmith for «Weapon Enhancement» to power up their weapons with one of five attributes; «Sharpness», «Quickness», «Accuracy», «Heaviness», and «Durability». Durability was the only one not directly pertaining to combat as well as not counting towards the «Enhancement Limit», as it basically determined the «Life» of the weapon. The other four directly affected combat with said weapon and attempts were limited by the «Enhancement Limit».
Over the course of the month, all three of them had gathered enough reagents to enhance their weapons several times over. Kirito's «Anneal Blade» had already been enhanced to a +6. If he tapped on the weapon and selected its properties window, it would read: "Sharpness +3, Quickness +3". The blade therefore had a higher piercing potential as well as ease of swing. It was a superb weapon, considering that they were still on the first floor, as well as the fact that it still had four enhancement slots open, meaning it had never experienced a failed enhancement before.
Sirius' «Anneal Blade», which they were going to enhance, was currently at a +5 value, distributed into Accuracy +3 and Sharpness +2. Just like Kirito's, the blade had also never suffered failure. Sirius planned to place the last point into sharpness, and with luck, it would become an «Anneal Blade +6 (A3S3)».
Since it was pretty tiring for merchants to rattle out, "Accuracy plus three, quickness plus two..." over and over again, the unofficial abbreviation for weapon enhancements shortened each category to the first letter of its name, followed by the number of enhancements into said category. Thus, Kirito's weapon would be known as an «Anneal Blade +6 (S3Q3)».
Mane's weapon, Historica, had been a huge pain to upgrade. The requirements were outrageously high, with outrageously low success rates, probably to offset its unlimited potential. They had, luckily, managed to successfully enhance the darn thing four times, with one failure. The points were currently specced into +2 Heaviness and +2 Quickness, suggesting a light and speedy kind of weapon. In effect, «Historica +4 (Q2H2)». The intricate hilt shined in the noon light.
The chance of success was also determined by the «Blacksmithing» skill level of the blacksmith. Currently, in this kind of situation, almost nobody would be wasting time training up a skill that had no relation to active combat, and so player blacksmiths were out of the picture. That left the NPC blacksmiths in each village. The one residing in «Tolbana» was currently the only available one with the highest skill level, so it was to him Kirito looked to for weapon enhancement.
In fact, every upgrade for all three of their weapons had been done by that same blacksmith, the one they were visiting now. Kirito rounded the corner and there it was, situated in a normal-looking house. The only signs that it housed a blacksmith was the wooden plaque next to the door that bore a carved picture of a hammer and anvil, and the large chimney poking out of the roof of the house. Glancing behind him to make sure his companions were following, he pushed open the door and walked inside.
The living was simply but neatly furnished. He walked over to a door set in the side of the wall, and opened it into the main smithy. This room felt like an American garage in the real world; slightly low ceiling, no windows, light provided by candles, stone walls to prevent fires. Blacksmith tools were everywhere, and several racks along the side of the wall displayed newly-made swords, ready to be shipped to the town armory.
The blacksmith, a portly man with quite a large beard, gave the impression of a "dwarf" character. A hammer laid in his grasp, and he repeatedly brought it down, grunting every time, onto a red hot piece of metal lying on the anvil. Clangs rang throughout the room.
There was another player, a cloaked figure, in the room. Standing near the blacksmith and intently watching his work, the player glanced up as Kirito, Mane, and Sirius entered. The shadows cast by the fire in the forge flickered across his face for a moment; then the player glanced back down at the sword the blacksmith was working on, which Kirito presumed to belong to him.
Silently, Kirito and Sirius waited a certain distance away, respecting the other player's privacy. They watched the metal on the anvil get hit once, then twice, then the material shone a bright white, reshaping itself into a weapon. When the light faded, Kirito instantly recognized it as a «Rapier» type weapon, a sword more suited for thrusts and piercing attacks rather than slices, due to the fact that it's blade was duller, but the tip was keener. Kirito thought it might be an «Edge Foil», a relatively sturdy type of rapier that had, as it's name suggested, sharp edges as well as tip, making it a good all-around sword.
The player walked over and dropped a bag of coins into the blacksmith's open hand before accepting the «Edge Foil» from him. Sheathing it into a scabbard on his belt, the player turned to leave.
"Whoa, so cool!"
Mane's eyes were shining, her voice excited. Kirito gritted his teeth as he tried to hold her back, but she tore herself from his grip and rushed over to the other player, who had frozen in shock.
Kirito remembered this had been the first time Mane had seen a weapon be forged. When enhancement was successful, the weapon simply glowed a soft color before fading. Perhaps she had a right to be excited.
But invading another person's privacy was a big no-no. Kirito sighed and watched as Mane started waving her arms energetically, babbling about how cool the new weapon looked. The cloaked player stood stunned, completely confused.
"Hey, can I watch you use that sword? It looks really neat. I bet you'll look really pretty!"
Kirito had quickly learned not to cross Mane when she wanted something or felt excited. Last time he had declined Mane a second helping of food, saying that she was eating too much. Oh boy, he had nightmares for days after that.
He grimaced at the memory. Glancing at Sirius, who shrugged with a helpless expression on his face, Kirito sighed. There was nothing they could do...
Approaching Mane and the cloaked player, he rubbed his head and apologized. "Sorry man... Um, could you just go along with her for a while? ...There's nothing we can do." He grimly smiled.
The player looked up, enough for the dim light to reveal his... no, her face. Kirito blinked as he realized that he was a she. Egg-shaped head, chestnut hair parted to either side. The hair looked to be quite long, disappearing into the folds of her cloak.
What Kirito noticed, though, were the eyes. A light brown, perhaps hazelnut. But what was important was the light in them; or, rather, the absence thereof. Eyes without light, without life.
Mane tilted her head, also noticing the eyes.
"O, hi, you're a girl! …ehh, what's wrong?"
An awkward silence fell on the room. Sirius' eyes narrowed as he noticed the lifeless orbs as well. He stepped a few paces forward, next to Kirito, and glared at her warily.
Mane reached up and suddenly pushed the hood off, startling the girl into stepping back. Her hair swished gently with the movement, and her eyes widened. Though, the darkness in them didn't change.
"She's pretty! ...But... she looks... empty."
Mane's voice echoed to Kirito within the confines of his mind. Out loud, Mane squealed, "You're so cute!"
Kirito had gotten used to these brief moments of clarity by now, but he still wondered how they had come about. He was beginning to think that he was actually hearing Mane's thoughts. In addition, he suspected they weren't random occurrences.
He concentrated on the girl.
She... does look hollow...
The deadpan expression, replacing the slight shock the girl had worn when her hood had been removed, and the fell orbs that hung in it. She simply looked dumbly at Mane, who was busy examining her features with a shining eye.
I've seen these eyes before...
On every single player in Starting City. On some of the those clearing the dungeon. And most importantly... on the face of the silver-haired boy beside him.
Those are the eyes...
"Of someone who has given up."
Completing his thought, Mane's voice felt sorrowful. He glanced at her, her face holding a tinge of confusion as she stared into the girl's eyes, under the guise of examining her eye color.
"Her eyes have no hope." Mane thought.
Kirito focused more closely on the girl, bringing out the HP bar and cursor. Of course, the cursor was a green color, denoting her as a player.
What was curious, however, was the level of her HP bar. A sickly yellow, almost hitting the red zone. Hovering at around 30%.
While damage was prevented in the presence of the «Area Protection Code», pre-sustained damage was still kept even as the player entered the protected boundaries. Players naturally regenerated health just as bodies in real life healed themselves over time, but at an extremely slow pace. Resting at an inn would restore a player's health to full by the time they woke up, and of course, potions also healed the player.
This girl's HP was still at thirty percent, an area considered "extremely dangerous" by most players. Actually, people called it "borderline suicidal" to walk around with such low health. She should have immediately went to an inn or healed herself up with potions...
The cloak, he noted, was almost completely tattered below the waist, signalling a large loss in «Durability». If it had deteriorated over by time, the cloak would have been worn. This cloak had been sliced, several strips of cloth fluttering with the movement, which showed this girl had been in combat for a pretty long time, and that she had taken some pretty dangerous hits, if the positions of the tears were anything to judge by.
"...are you okay?" asked Kirito.
The girl looked at him. "What...?"
Her voice was barely audible, soft as if she hadn't used it since the game had started.
"Your HP is in the danger zone, and your cloak looks to be highly worn out. Your eyes look as if you've given up."
The girl finally appeared to shake off her reverie, and sighed. "So?"
"...you should replenish your hit points. You could die if you went into the dungeon like that.
"So what?"
Kirito and Mane both blinked. Sirius slowly let out a breath through his nose.
"...dying? Loss of life? Eternal oblivion? Um, I think it's best if you try to avoid that."
"We'll all die in the end anyways." The girl shrugged Mane off. "The only difference is time."
Kirito had never seen this kind of mentality before. Half the people who had died so far had jumped off the edge of Aincrad, committing suicide, but that was with the hope of returning to reality. Those who died to monsters without proper information wanted to clear the game, also with the goal of going home.
He hadn't actually met someone who just didn't care about their life.
"One month has passed... Two thousand are dead." She continued with that dead tone of hers. "The first floor has not been completed. It's impossible. You're all fools to think we have a chance."
Mane had fallen silent, staring at her with an unreadable expression. Kirito inwardly grimaced.
"It's only a matter of the present or the future. Everyone is going to die."
"You're wrong."
Sirius stepped forward. Kirito looked dumbly at him, but the silver-haired boy ignored it, staring with hard eyes at the girl.
"So you're saying we should all just go kill ourselves, because we're going to die anyways." Sirius said through gritted teeth.
"...we have no hope. It's all useless. Unnecessary."
Sirius walked up to her and quietly stood there. Icy calm radiated from his being. Kirito and Mane shivered.
"No hope." Sirius hissed almost inaudibly. "Useless. Unnecessary? What is life to you?"
The girl stayed silent.
"We should just throw away our lives, eh? Well, then, why are you buying another weapon? Shouldn't you just be one of those people who just... jump?"
She slowly opened her mouth, paused for a moment, then whispered, "I... I'm going to die. I know that... I don't want to be useless. I'll... kill as many of them as I can before that happens."
"Death is certain, eh. Maybe that's true for you, a person with no hope." Sirius turned. "I'm not going to die. I'll fight for my freedom."
He walked over to the blacksmith, halted, then sighed without turning around. "Do what you want."
Sirius silently motioned for the blacksmith to enhance his «Anneal Blade», pulling out the reagents in one big bag and setting them onto the anvil while murmuring, "Sharpness". The blacksmith nodded and reached out to the forge in the corner of the room, tapping it and setting the enhancement property to the requested attribute, before taking the bag from the anvil and tossing it into the forge along with Sirius' blade, shutting the door after it.
The girl still stood in the middle of the room, appearing slightly shell-shocked. Mane gently poked her, with no response. She gently tugged her to the side of the room. Kirito watched them for a moment, then sighed.
This may be my fault...
Large rings resounded through the air as the blacksmith brought his hammer down upon the glowing blade. Smash, smash, smash clanged in Kirito's ears. The hammer blows lasted for some measure of time, before the «Anneal Blade» flashed once.
Kirito watched carefully as the weapon settled, then determined it to be a success. Sirius accepted the sword and dropped a pouch of col into the blacksmith's hand before sheathing the sword on his back. He glumly nodded to Kirito and Mane, who got up to enhance Historica.
The black-haired swordsman walked over and sat down next to the girl, albeit some distance away. He glanced over at her, watching her watch the floor.
Sirius' shadow, cast by the flames in the furnace, loomed over her as he stood in front of her. She looked up, with the same dead eyes.
He asked softly, "Why don't you believe we can do it?"
The girl didn't respond, silent for a good few seconds. It was plain in the air that her answer was, "I don't know."
Sirius sighed again, then murmured, "If you're just going to go just throw your life away... no, don't. Life is... a very precious thing. A friend of mine taught me that..."
There was a flash from behind them, and they turned to look at a triumphant Mane holding up her «Historica +5 (Q3H2)». With a rasp of steel, she slotted it into the scabbard on her belt, then paid the blacksmith. The man humbly received the money and went back to his work.
Walking over to them, Mane clapped her hands together happily. "Yay! It worked!"
Kirito half-smiled. "Congrats, Mane." Uh, I'm hungry...
"I'm hungry."
Suddenly, both he and Mane's stomachs rumbled. They glanced at each other for a moment, before Mane sheepishly rubbed her head. "Um... Kirito-kun, can we eat?"
"Pleaaaase?"
"Uh, sure... Sirius?"
"It's alright. I'm fine either way" Sirius quietly said, not taking his eyes away from the girl, who sat awkwardly on the bench beside the wall. "..."
He whirled around and stomped out the door. Kirito looked between the two for a second, then bit his lip and followed Sirius out.
Kirito squinted as the light from outside shined into his face, temporarily blinded after the serene darkness of the blacksmith's shop. Sirius was waiting for him, leaning against a wall, staring at the floor.
"Sirius?"
Sirius didn't respond at first. Then, quietly: "That girl. She reminds me of So... back then."
Kirito tilted his head.
"Makoto. One of my friends. He never gave up. He always told us never to give up. And she really reminds me of..." He shook his head. "I wonder, if I could... maybe have done more." Sirius lapsed into silence.
Kirito awkwardly hung there, not knowing what to do. Comforting others wasn't one of his strong points. He hesitated.
"She'll be fine... I think, I can tell she's pretty strong, to have gathered enough materials to forge an «Edge Foil»… Everyone will be freed. Don't worry. The game... the game will be cleared. I promise."
It wasn't a well thought out response. Kirito winced at his dismal social skills.
Yet, it seemed to help. The corner of Sirius' mouth twitched upwards. "Well, then, she'll be okay... I hope. The game shall be cleared?"
"I... yes."
There was a scuffling sound behind him, and Kirito turned to see Mane tugging the girl along with her out of the blacksmith's house. An awkward expression lay on the girl's face.
"Kirito-kun!" Mane dragged the girl up to him. "Can we eat lunch together?"
"Uh, what?" Kirito vaguely responded as he watched the girl struggle futilely to free herself from Mane's iron grip. At the sight of the girl, Sirius had assumed his usual blank expression and raised an eyebrow.
"Can she come along with us? To eat." Mane's smile turned slightly upset. "She hasn't eaten in two days."
"What!?" Kirito looked at her incredulously. Sirius' eyes glinted strangely. "Two days!? What…?"
"I'll buy her some food. I want her to eat." Mane turned and glared at the girl. "You should trust life more."
The girl opened her mouth indignantly as if to say something, hesitated, then apparently decided against it. She looked down at the ground.
Now that Kirito knew she hadn't eaten for such a long time, she looked a lot thinner in his eyes. Perhaps it was just the knowledge influencing his vision, but she looked... unhealthy.
And a lot sadder.
Mane watched her for a moment before turning back to Kirito. "Let's go eat."
"Ah... uh, okay. Sirius?"
Sirius looked away and walked off. "Let's go. I'm hungry too."
Mane tore into her loaf of bread with gusto, munching loudly on her mouthful of virtual wheat as she eyed the rest of her meal with an evil eye. Flecks of food fell to the pavement before evaporating.
Sirius gently picked at his bread, quietly chewing as he glanced, from time to time, at the girl sitting next to him. Her long chestnut hair was now hidden by the hood she had pulled back up, and she silently held the loaf in front of her, taking small bites now and then.
Kirito idly tapped a jar next to him, causing a small translucent bubble to appear on his finger, which signified «Target selection mode». He moved his finger across the bread in his hand, and a thick layer of cream spread itself onto the food. He sniffed the loaf for a moment, instinctively wiping his finger on his jacket, then took a large bite.
The four of them were sitting outside the «Fountain Square» area of «Tolbana», consuming their lunches in various ways. This day, Mane felt like eating bread and they all usually ate the same thing, so they all bought some.
Several other late eaters also lounged around, munching on various foods, but the area was mostly deserted. Perhaps some players went back to their inn rooms to rest, or off to do some quick training before the meeting in the afternoon.
Kirito glanced over at the girl, before picking up the jar of cream and placing it next to her. She looked at him questioningly; he gestured, use it as you wish. She extended her arm, hesitated, then tapped the pot, causing the selection bubble to appear on her finger. Tapping again caused the cream to appear on her bread. She flinched, surprised, then took a tentative bite.
In less than half a minute the bread was gone. The girl blinked several times, apparently coming back to her senses, then looked embarrassed. She bowed her head and stared at the ground. Mane, sitting next to him, watched her with great interest.
Kirito glanced over at Mane and Sirius, who were brushing the crumbs from their faces. Suddenly conscious of him being the only one who hadn't finished yet, he ducked his head and quickly started munching on his loaf. The creamy taste spread itself throughout his mouth, courtesy of the «Taste Reproduction Engine», and Kirito temporarily lost himself in the sensation.
He vaguely slipped into a memory of a week before, the three of them eating the same cream bread they were munching on in the present. Mane just eating without a care in the world, the two boys having a staring contest while munching on their meals. It had been a fun day.
"Fwaaaahhh!" Mane stretched luxuriously, drawing all of their attentions. "Yummy. Do you feel better?"
The last part was directed at the girl. She froze for a moment as her brain registered that she was being spoken to, then looked shyly away.
"I... it tasted good."
"Of course it does! Cream is yummy! You haven't eaten in two days either." Mane looked disapprovingly at the girl. "You still look hungry. Should eat more. Come on, I'll get you some."
Mane tugged at the girl's cloak, trying to unseat her. Yet, the girl pulled back with just as much force.
"Wait, I, wait..!"
"Come on! You need to eat more! Food is good for you."
The girl struggled harder. "No, I, it's okay, I, I don't want-"
"Of course you do! I don't care what you think, you need to eat more. Eat more so you're happy."
"I don't want to feel better. I didn't come here to eat..."
Kirito paused, the last bit of bread still in his hand. Sirius looked away.
Mane tilted her head, surprised. Then concerned, she lay a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Hmh?"
The cloaked one hesitated, then closed her eyes.
"I... I will die. I'm here to kill, kill monsters. I don't want to die useless. I don't want to... lose... to this game. I'm not going to die in fear."
The words spilled out as if they had been bottled up for a long time. Kirito felt slightly amazed she had even decided to talk about it.
Mane looked childishly thoughtful for a moment. "So? You're still alive, right? You gotta eat something. Come on, I'll get you some more food."
"No!" The girl shook her head. "I-I don't want to... I'm going to die. I..."
Mane shrugged indifferently. "Well, don't die now, die later. Come on, there's this rice I really like I wanna show you."
Helpless, the girl was inevitably dragged off the bench. She looked to the two boys pleadingly for assistance, but they gave her looks that silently conveyed, "We can't do jack."
They watched as she reluctantly gave up and sullenly listened as Mane cheerfully explained how delicious the rice was, then moving on to another one of the food stalls, and explaining that one too. Kirito wryly smiled as Mane took a bowl of rice and forced the spoon into the girl's mouth.
"Mane sure looks energetic." Sirius commented.
Kirito observed them for a while more before turning back to Sirius. "Meeting's in around half an hour."
"Yeah." Sirius stood up, shifted his belt and scratched the back of his head. "Though, we still have time. Relax a bit."
"But we should be getting ready... it is the first boss fight after all..."
"Take your time, we still have thirty minutes. Let Mane have her fun." A pause. "Actually, she can help that girl... not be so... you know."
"Maybe." Kirito looked over at the two girls. Surprisingly, the cloaked girl was busy chewing on her rice, listening to Mane as she talked energetically to her. Her hands were waving to emphasize her words.
Mane always had that gift of making people relax. Probably, it was that childish innocence she always had, as a result of losing her memory... it was probably just the way she was. She never failed to calm Kirito down when he was agitated. Maybe she could help the girl, in her own way, too.
"Just relax, Kirito. You're too hasty." Sirius sat back down and leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. "We still have time. You never take a break. Don't be so tense. Let Mane help her... get better."
Kirito looked over at the silver-haired boy, who apparently had already fallen into a light slumber. He wondered for a while about Sirius' last statement. With a sigh, he got up. Perhaps a walk wouldn't be amiss.
The square was designed as a small rectangular park with a large roman-styled fountain as its centerpiece. The fountain gently gave off a shhhhh sound as the water fell from the center dish into the basin below. It was surrounded by a small patch of grass, square in shape, and then a brick walkway. Several trees and bushes grew on the grass, their leaves swaying in the wind.
At night, the lamps along the side of the square would be lit, and the fountain itself would let off an ethereal light. The soft yellow glow from the lamps gave off a calming feeling together with the white luster from the fountain.
But now, it was a little past noon, and the sunlight blazed down from the ceiling above. Kirito paced around the edge of the square, watching several players emerge from one alley and head down another. They talked in hushed voices, as if afraid to make any larger sounds.
Like the plaza in Starting City, «Tolbana's» «Fountain Square» was the center of the village, the main junction with passages spreading off in either direction. To the North, inns. The South, the road back to Starting City. The East, several houses that contained quest-giving NPCs. The West, shops and services. Players passed through the area if they had to go to anywhere in «Tolbana».
The minutes ticked by as Kirito wandered around, watching all four entrances with his enhanced senses stemming from his «Searching» skill. As time passed, several players walked into the square and headed towards the ampitheatre on the Southeast corner of the area.
He noticed Mane walking towards with a large smile on her face, the girl following behind her. Maybe it was only his imagination, but he felt she looked more normal. At least, she didn't look hollow anymore.
"I'm full." Mane proclaimed as she drew closer to Kirito. "She is too. Did you know she likes fish?"
The girl blushed and looked away. Kirito smiled slightly, a little heartened to see her acting a little bit more normal.
Then a voice said from behind him, "No, I didn't know that."
Kirito started and whirled around, hand flying to the sword on his back, before realizing it was Sirius behind him. He straightened and ruefully scratched his head.
I got distracted... tch, that could be dangerous outside of the «Area Protection Code».
Sirius shook his arm, getting his virtual blood flow going after his nap. "I set an alarm to five minutes before the meeting time. Let's go."
"...meeting?"
The girl looked questioningly at them. "What meeting?"
Sirius abruptly flung out his arm, stopping Kirito from explaining. Kirito froze, mouth still awkwardly hung open, before stepping hastily back.
"...?" Mane tilted her head. The cloaked girl blinked several times.
There was a frosty silence as Sirius stared into the girl's eyes, as if his eyes were scanners and analyzing her down to every last data particle.
He finally growled with narrowed eyes, "This meeting is not for those who have no hope."
The only noise came from the footsteps of another group of players heading towards the amphitheatre. The girl didn't move or make a sound.
"If you don't value your life, don't come with us." Sirius gritted his teeth. "I won't let you."
"Sirius?" Mane tentatively asked.
"Shush, Mane." Sirius turned back to the girl. "This meeting is for organizing the first Boss Fight. Apparently this party found the boss room already."
The girl's eyes widened.
"We are going to try and clear the game... this is not for people who don't have any hope. Like you. If you still think we're all going to die, go... don't follow us. Go away."
Kirito and Mane blinked in unison.
Go away?
"That's mean!"
Sirius hesitated, then tacked on, "Go... somewhere safe. Don't die. I don't want to see you to die."
...uh, what?
"...?"
The girl opened her mouth, then closed it. It was surprising, really; Sirius had never really shown any form of care to her at all.
With a gigantic sigh, he turned away. "Leave if you don't believe we can. If you do..."
His voice trailed off, the silver haired boy and the girl staring hard at each other. Something invisible passed between them, and Sirius walked into the amphitheater. The girl looked down at the ground, apparently thinking hard.
Mane stepped forward and placed her arm around the girl's shoulders, causing her to look up. They exchanged some quiet words, ending with Mane patting her on the back and nodding. The girls shared a quiet moment, making Kirito feel slightly awkward, then Mane got up and trotted back to him.
"She'll be alright." Mane reassured Kirito once she reached him. "Come, let's go in."
"Are you sure?" Kirito tried to look back, but Mane caught his head with her hand. She looked into his eyes.
"She's fine." Mane smiled sadly, steering Kirito towards the amphitheater. "She just needs to think for a little bit."
Kirito hesitated, then relented. "Ah... um, if you say so."
If Mane was confident, perhaps it would be okay. Though, he could feel the girl's eyes on him as he walked through the white marble columns.
«Tolbana's» auditorium was open to the air, a half-circle pit with benches elevated along the edges at different heights, like a sports stadium. Several stairways provided access to the seating and the bottom of the pit, where a raised platform for the orator resided. An old wall made up the back of the coliseum, overgrown in some places with vines and webbed with cracks in others. Two doors leading to stairs on either side at the bottom allowed easy exit and access from the pit.
The entire area was constructed from sandstone, the light beige color gleaming softly under the light. A soft murmur filled the air, coming from the multitude of people sitting on the bleachers. Players sat in small, clustered groups, quietly conversing with each other. The atmosphere was slightly tense, with hushed voices and isolated groups, as everyone here knew the importance of this meeting.
The wind rustled as Kirito stepped down the stairs, heading for the bench where he could see Sirius sitting on. The boy had his head in his hands, completely silent, sitting apart from everyone else.
Kirito sat down heavily beside him, letting out a large breath as he did so. Mane stretched for a moment, then dropped down as well. Sirius looked up for a moment, before returning his stare to the floor.
"Sirius, what's wrong?"
The boy stayed silent. Mane yawned loudly, drawing several looks, before latching on to Kirito's shoulder.
Finally: "Nothing."
Kirito frowned, but understood from his tone and body language that Sirius did not want to talk at the moment. He looked up, scanning the crowd.
Perhaps around thirty to forty-five people had joined the meeting, Kirito estimated at first glance. Most of them were together in groups of five to six, clustered in isolated islands, sitting close together but far apart from other groups. Kirito closely scrutinized each person, looking for the red hair, bandanna, and scruffy beard... nowhere to be found.
Sirius' voice suddenly echoed up, drawing Kirito's attention. "She reminds me of Soichi."
"Huh?"
"That girl... the one just now. Long brown hair. She reminds me of Soichi."
Kirito shared a look with Mane. Evidently, she was thinking the same thing.
Soichi? Who was that?
"Soichi... I think, one... frien..."
The moment Mane tried guess, her voice faded away. Though, Kirito caught the gist of it.
Kirito took a moment to wonder, as he had many times before, why they could hear each other's thoughts from time to time. He was beginning to think it wasn't a random occurrence. Was there a pattern?
Maybe... Kirito guessed. ...I can only hear her... when we think the same thing...?
He shook his head, bringing his thoughts back down to the reality.
"Soichi was one of your friends, wasn't she? Sirius?"
Sirius shuddered visibly for a moment, then his muscles relaxed somewhat. "Yes."
Kirito stopped, suddenly not knowing what to say. Mane stayed expectantly silent.
The boy with his head in his hands finally murmured, "Soichi... they look really similar. She was the most enthusiastic out of all of us. To clear the game. Even after she cried after the tutorial. And... I see her, completely hopeless..." He sighed. "I just feel bad. Don't mind me. It will pass..."
Even more so than before, Kirito was completely at loss of words. Even Mane didn't have anything to say.
There was a tap on his shoulder, and Kirito jumped, startling Mane and alerting Sirius. All three of them turned their heads in unison.
"Hello, Kirito. Mane. Sirius."
The red-armored player standing behind them maintained his stern expression as his plate armor flashed, reflecting the sun's rays. His neatly combed back hair twitched lightly in the breeze, several solitary strands swinging back and forth with his movement.
Kirito neutrally replied, "Heathcliff", while Mane yawned loudly. Sirius turned around in his seat and straightened as the depressing air around them evaporated.
The beta player Kirito and Mane had partied with before smiled wryly at their reactions. Since then, they had met only occasionally, oftentimes completing the same quest simultaneously, unplanned. While their efficiency almost quintupled, completing quests in the quarter of a time it would have taken alone, Kirito never really felt at ease around the crimson paladin. It seemed the feeling was mutual, as there were no comments as their party disbanded afterwards.
Nevertheless, their relationship was friendly. Heathcliff had especially taken to Sirius, and the two actually opened their mouths and discussed things whenever they met, which was a little out of character for both of them.
Heathcliff slowly sat down. The sword on his back clanked against his steel plate armor as he laid the large tower shield he carried next to him. "You are here for the boss fight?"
"Yes." Kirito nodded. "I assume you are as well?"
Heathcliff opened and clenched his hand, a minor exercise. "Correct. If I remember correctly... «Illfang the Kobold Lord» is the boss."
Kirito thought for a moment before acknowledging the statement. Heathcliff nodded once again, which seemed to be his primary form of communication. Then he turned to Mane. "Hello, Mane, Sirius. How have you two been?"
Mane began prattling on about how she had successfully enhanced Historica at noon, while Sirius, who had apparently banished the thoughts of the girl to the back of his mind, and Heathcliff listened closely. She waved her arms around, emphasizing each and every word with that childish enthusiasm of hers.
"Take care of Mane. You two are more alike than you think... you rely on each other more than you think."
The memory suddenly popped to the forefront of Kirito's mind. He thought about the strangeness Heathcliff had displayed. It was a big reason Kirito could not relax around Heathcliff. It was like he had turned into something else.
But it had never happened again since that day. Always the stern, strong paladin. No sinister aura or tone. None of that scary glare... just Heathcliff. Kirito shook his noggin and pushed the memory to the back of his mind. Maybe he had just imagined that.
Kirito's eyes refocused on the three people in front of him. Mane was excitedly describing her meal with a faraway look in his eyes. Sirius and Heathcliff were ignoring her and talking seriously about stats and levels. The red paladin nodded several times while listening.
As Kirito stared at them more, the system registered his interest and the cursors and HP bars all popped out. All of them were full, at 100%, full health. All of the cursors were green, showing they were all players.
Perhaps I really did just imagine that...
"Kirito-kun?"
Kirito blinked. Mane had turned back around, pouting slightly. "They won't listen to me."
He had to smile at that. "Well, Mane... I think it's because they aren't as interested in food as you are."
"That's not possible! Food is the greatest thing in Aincrad! So many different flavors, the feeling in your mouth, it's the best thing ever! You know, the taste..."
And in the end, Kirito had to feign listening with a tired expression as Mane heaped a tirade about how wonderful the world of cuisine was upon him. A detailed description of every form of food that could be found in a first floor NPC stall.
"...delicious, with a light flavorful taste that stays in your mouth..."
Kirito felt like he was suffocating.
"...chewy and juicy, makes me happy and also-"
Then Mane abruptly stopped, causing Kirito to snap out of his reverie. He looked at her curiously, and she smiled slightly, pointing behind him.
He turned to see the cloaked girl from before awkwardly stepping down the steps into the stadium. Her eyes scanned the stadium, lighting upon Kirito and Mane, the latter of which waving at her. She stumbled down the stairs before sitting on the row of seats behind the trio, on the same level as Heathcliff. She scooched along the bench until she sat behind Sirius.
Sirius broke off his conversation and watched the girl with a completely blank expression. Kirito couldn't read his emotions at all. Heathcliff shifted aside for the moment and observed the proceedings with his never ending calm.
The girl wasted no time idling awkwardly and said to Sirius, "I want to help."
Sirius responded, a drop of sarcasm dripping from his tone, "By dying?"
"No." She paused, then jumped as Mane laid her hand on her shoulder. Blinking several times, she hesitantly continued, "I... if the game really can be cleared, then I think, maybe, I... could-"
"Enough." Sirius' hand shot out in a Stop gesture as he squeezed his eyes shut. "I only want to know one thing. Do you believe the game can be cleared, or are you still completely hopeless?"
"...I think, maybe it... maybe. Just perhaps."
Sirius didn't move for a few seconds, arm still outstretched and eyes still closed. Then with another one of his trademark sighs, he dropped his arm. "That's good enough... I suppose."
Suddenly, the low murmur of voices around them ceased, causing all five of them to look towards the podium at the bottom of the pit. A blue haired player, wearing moderately high-leveled equipment, was walking towards the center podium. Another five emerged from a side door and sat down on the closest benches.
Presumably that party of six was the group who had organized this meeting. Kirito checked the chronometer in the bottom right hand corner of his vision: 2:00 PM. Right on schedule.
"Well, it looks like the meeting is starting." Mane's voice appeared in his head.
Without looking at her, he simply thought an affirmative, before concentrating on the player who was busy adjusting his equipment on the podium. Blue hair, as mentioned before. A single large sword was sheathed in a scabbard mounted on his waist. In one hand, he held a kite shield inscribed with a simple cross design. His armor looked far lighter than that Heathcliff wore, yet still quite heavy.
Kirito had seen the man before several times, once in a chance meeting out on the open field, and a few encounters in the first floor's dungeon. He was quite a strong player, and leader apparently, guiding his party with ease through the first floor.
For some reason though, Mane didn't like him all that much. He glanced at her; she was sitting with her head perched on her hand, staring at the blue haired player below with an expression of unfathomable boredom.
Noticing his look, Mane looked back up at him questioningly. Kirito shrugged in reply.
"Ah... everyone, please look this way, over here! I thank you all for coming to this meeting!"
The player's voice rang out loud and clear through the silence pervading the amphitheater. Judging by the youthful tone and pitch, he could be around seventeen years of age? Twenty at most.
The call did do it's intended purpose, drawing everyone's attention. What little chatter there had been faded away. The player waited a moment for all eyes to focus on him, then continued.
"Once again, thank you all for coming! Perhaps some of you know me, and perhaps some of you don't. In any case, my name is Diabel, and I am of the «Knight» class!"
There was a large amount of tittering among the audience at this. Some people sniggered at this, and some others cheered. One player sitting on a lower level, near the pit, called, "You mean you're a «Hero», right?"
Sword Art Online was a skill-based MMORPG game. «Class Titles» were not defined in any way in Aincrad. One could call themselves by a title of a tradeskill if they were at a high enough level in it, but nothing was definitive like in other RPG games, where an avatar had to choose their class.
In other words, Diabel's claim to be a «Knight» was not an official system-approved title. His appearance did give some backing to his claim, however, with his shiny plate armor and armaments. With his young, handsome features, he looked ever the gallant, honorable «Knight».
Not to Mane, however. She rebelliously stuck out her tongue. Kirito hurriedly moved to cover her mouth, whispering, "Stop it!"
"Well, it is up to oneself to decide what they should be called. *Ahem* Anyways, most of you should know the reason I have called you all here to «Tolbana» today. If you do not, then now, yesterday, my party and I discovered the stairs leading up to the 20th floor, and therefore the boss room."
This was already known to Kirito, but he still nevertheless felt slightly amazed. Every dungeon on Aincrad had twenty floors, and Kirito had no idea the 19th floor of the tower had already been completely mapped out. He had still been grinding exp in a nice part of the labyrinth on the 8th floor.
But still, all of his friends already knew this. Sirius and Heathcliff were unchanging, Mane was quietly snoring on Kirito's shoulder, but the cloaked girl behind them gave a start of surprise.
"One month has passed, my friends... one month." Diabel's tone turned somber. "There are thousands who still lock themselves into Starting City. They need hope. We need to give them hope, show them that the game can be cleared."
Diabel certainly was a skilled orator. He held the listeners at rapt attention, kindling the fires burning in their hearts.
"We have to show them. And tomorrow morning, if you all agree, we shall quickly find and take on the boss of the first floor. Defeat the boss, and open up passage to the second level." Diablo punched the air with his free hand. "That is our charge. As the strongest players here, we are obligated to lead the way!"
The seated players cheered, and a whole symphony of applause rang up. Whistles and wolf calls sprung up here and there among the audience. An approving air rose from the audience.
Kirito was politely clapping at a rhythmic pace, allowing exactly a half second to pass between each clap. Interestingly enough, Sirius was doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. They paused to look at each other, Kirito sniggering and the corner of Sirius' mouth twitching upwards.
Mane's eyes blinked open as she was roused by the movement of Kirito's shoulder. She grumbled quietly, "Is it over yet?"
"Almost." Kirito absently replied.
The tumult finally reached its peak, and Diabel raised his hands to calm the audience. With a determined smile, he waited for the players to settle down, then continued to speak.
"Now, since we have the time and will, shall we conduct the strategy meeting? I have here-"
"Hold on just a moment, Diabel-san."
"Huh?" Diabel blinked in surprise.
The man who had spoken stood up and jumped over the seats in front of him, quickly traversing the distance and landing on the bottom floor. With a grunt, he climbed up upon the podium.
A short, stocky male player with a strange cactus-shaped hairstyle. Judging by the distance he had traveled with each leap, he appeared to have a lot of his stats specced into «Strength». He wore a vest of low-grade scale mail over a leather shirt, with a large 1-H broadsword slung on his back.
When he spoke, his voice came out gravely and coarse, low and deep. On the opposite end of the spectrum from Diabel's friendly, lighter voice. In addition, his tone was dark, compared to Diabel's lighter demeanor.
The man gestured at himself and pointed towards the seats. Diabel's eyes followed his finger; a good ten, eleven players were standing up, making themselves known. Perhaps 25% of his total attendees, Kirito noted.
"I have something to say first. Something I need to clear up before we start."
The man rolled his neck before jerking his thumb over his shoulder and glaring at Diabel condescendingly.
"Otherwise, we will leave you petty 'knights' here to play... and all you idiots will have to find someone else to fight the boss for you." He shrugged. "Not my problem if you weaklings fail."
Author's Note:
This is half of what I've been working on. The rest of the meeting and bossfight are in the next chapter, which will be up in one to three days. Will update on my profile tomorrow which day I can get it in on. Stay tuned!
Phew, thanks to Catsy for helping me find a good place to cut the chapter in half. Would be such a pain if you guys had to read through over 25,000 words in one chapter... *shudder* do thank him for me.
Well, we see a new face. Or perhaps old. Pfeh, you guys know who she is. Who am I kidding?
Please do review. Constructive Criticism is always appreciated!
Review Answers:
Most reviews didn't have any questions, so this'll be short.
Again, I have no experience with romance. The main point of the story isn't romance, either, but friendship and perhaps psychological stuffs. But if I would think, perhaps KiritoxOC would be best for this kind of story. Sorry for all you shippers out there... but like I said, romance isn't the focal point of this story. It's the fight for freedom.
Again, thanks to my betas for looking over this, ToumaFF and Rainbowlalaland.
I do not own Sword Art Online. I only own this story and any OCs.