Sword Art Online: Alicization - The Fourteenth Knight

by TheLastSurvivor14

Set during the events of Sword Art Online: Alicization, Adam Synthesis Fourteen is a young knight who is gifted in the art of combat, but his anger hinders him from becoming a better knight. Going a journey of self discovery, Adam will have to face his inner demons if he is going to save the people he cares about as war wages between the Human Empire and the Dark Territory.

13. Chapter 13

Hello everyone! Welcome back for another chapter of Sword Art Online: Alicization - The Fourteenth Knight! This is the chapter that I have been very excited for but also very terrified at the same time because this is what Adam's journey has led to. At the same time because this is meant as the climax of the story, I wanted it to be big, grand and epic. In doing so this is probably the largest single chapter that I have ever written. Without going into any spoilers, I will say that this is probably the most dramatic and most action packed chapter that I have ever written.

CHAPTER 13: The Fourteenth Knight

With the battle still raging on, Adam looked around and saw how both sides were fighting their heart outs. Aaron, held his ground as he and several soldiers from the company fought against dark soldiers. But as the fighting continued, Adam looked around and saw the countless bodies that lied on the floor while their blood soaked through the already red soil. The young knight breathed heavily for he was victorious as was standing over his opponent, and yet something was wrong.

Before he could make any decision, he heard a sound unlike any other. The skies bellowed out a screeching noise as the red skies glowed, and streams of glowing red light began to descend down. The streams burned a flame once they touched the hard soil as countless red beams began to land around them.

This commotion caused the battle to stop as both sides starred at one other as if they had the answer to this weird anomaly. Even Adam noticed the young female knight stand beside him as her eyes widened with curiosity. One thing was for sure, this event, whether good or bad, it caused a temporary cease fire between both sides. Adam briefly looked at the knight but still maintiained contact with beams of light appearing before them. "Is this your doing?"

"No." She responded with a voice that sounded much more gentle. Perhaps her helmet made her voice sound much deeper that almost made her sound like a young man. "This is something beyond our knowing."

The two watched the glow from the red beams increase more and more before everyone began to see something appear before them, From the red beams of light, figures took shape in forms that were all too familiar to them. Soldiers dressed in crimson red armor appeared from the glowing beams. Their bodies were tall, while their knight armor looked heavy as they all rose up and walked toward them. But even though their armor was identical to one another, with not a single solder standing out from the crowd, their weapons were what made them unique. While some carried swords, others carried spears, axes, spears, and even bow and arrows. In just a few moments the beams of red light ceased and what was brought to this world was an army that clearly outnumbered both of their forces and cheered for the coming battle.

Both the Fourteenth Company and the remaining human forces from the Dark Territory stood still as they watched the last of the crimson soldiers descend from the sky. In a moment of confusion, both forces looked at one another before looking at the new army that had arrived. It would seem that this sudden arrival was enough to stop the chaos that was unfolding between the two opposing sides. But while the two remaining armies stood still, the crimson knights ceased this moment of opportunity.

In an instant, one of the crimson knights rushed to a nearby soldier from the Dark Territory and sliced him in half with his long sword. Another knight rushed towards a young woman from the Fourteenth Company and thrusted his spear into her. Blood sprayed from her back before the young woman was slowly lifted up and slid down the spear while the crimson knights cheered. Both Adam and the Dark Knight were in shock as they watched their soldiers pay the ultimate price for their hesitation while blood was spilt on the already soaked ground beneath them.

Not a moment later, the invading knights stormed the front, attacking both armies. A single man from the Fourteenth rushed into the fray to avenge his fallen sister as he forced his spear into the soldier that killed the young woman. He watched the soldier drop his spear before disappearing in a cloud of sparks. The young man then noticed how one soldier was raising his axe towards him and blocks the blow with his shield. But in this moment, one of the red knights saw an opening and thrusted his sword into the young man's exposed neck, causing him to drop both his spear and shield to try to stop the bleeding. However, with no weapon to defend himself, the young man soon realized that he was surrounded by red knights before being impaled by several swords and spears.

At the same time, a human soldier form the Dark Territory engaged one of these invaders in a sword duel. While the soldier was able to block several attacks from the crimson knight, his opponent was far larger and stood no chance when the knight used all his strength to knock the soldier flat on his back. The young man watched in fear as he saw the knight bring a sword down to his gut. But before the blade could pierce through him, a sword was able to block the attack from going any further. The soldier looked up and saw a red cape flow in the wind with such elegance before realizing that it was Adam who had saved him.

The young Integrity Knight used his own sword to disarm the invading knight as he watched the blade fly into the distance. Not a moment later, Adam slashed his sword across the invader's neck before the head came completely off. Another invader had come to avenge the fallen, but the Fourteenth Knight wasted no moment in getting the red knight across the belly before dropping his axe. Adam looked behind and saw a charging knight coming straight for him and grabbed hold of the falling axe before throwing it directly at the invader's helmet. Killing him instantly.

In the midst of the chaos, Aaron held his ground using only a sword and shield to fend off against these invaders. The soldier blocked an oncoming attack with his shield before diagonally slashing across an invader's face. Despite killing one, two more took his place as Aaron noticed that two more red knights were charging toward him. Using whatever strength he had, the soldier slammed his shield to knock one of his attackers on his back before using his sword block an oncoming blow from a spear. With one invader on the ground, and another on the ropes, Aaron needed to finish the fight as soon as possible as he quickly cut the spear in two before cutting the man in two. H then focused his attention on the soldier from the ground and quickly stabbed him through the gut before he could get up.

But while Aaron was doing his best to fend off from the invaders, he failed to notice one soldier was aiming a bow and arrow t his back. The red knight releases his grip on the bow string and watches the arrow soar through the battle, hoping that it would make its mark on Aaron's exposed chest. Those hopes were swept away as the Dark Knight rushed in to fight and deflected the oncoming arrow with her sword. Aaron heard a sound ringing in his ears as he turned to see the Dark Knight standing between him and certain death. The young Dark Knight acts quick and grabs hold of a fallen spear and throws it directly at the invader before he could draw another arrow.

"Thank you." Aaron said while trying to catch his breath from all the commotion. "I'll watch your back from here on out."

"I'll hold you to it!" The Dark Knight said before she leapt back into the chaos with only her sword. The two warriors stood beside one another before they engaged themselves with several oncoming invaders. While the knight used her sword skills to her advantage, Aaron used his shield as the two battled several red knights. If the Dark Knight was using her sword to kill several invaders, Aaron would often use his shield to protect her from any oncoming attacks. It was a perfect balance of offense and defense. With one warrior solely forced on making the killer blow, the other would focus on practicing her from any unexpected attacks. The invaders stood no chance against this deadly alliance as several more red knights were killed in this chaos. Before they knew it, both Aaron and the Dark Knight were several corpses before the two watched their bodies disappear.

Several soldiers from both the Dark Territory and from the Fourteenth company noticed how their commanding officers were helping one another in this unprecedented struggle. It didn't take long for them to realize that in order to survive this whole ordeal, they were going to have to work together. Sworn enemies, in a battle against an unknown enemy, now become allies as every man and women rallied behind one another to defeat these invaders. Adam watched as several members of the company stand side by side with soldier from the Dark Territory. At the beginning of this battle, it was a battle colored in black and white until these red knights invaded their home. Now the battle was clear as both sides wished to defend their home against those who wish to plunder it.

While at first the invaders were able to pick apart the two opposing forces, once the company and the dark soldiers formed an alliance, the numbers were balanced. The remaining men of the Fourteenth Company used their shields to their advantage as they protected both the women from the company and the human soldiers from the dark territory. The women worked hand in hand with the soldiers as they aided their new allies with their sword skills. The crimson knights soon felt the tide of the battle shift once their enemies united against them.

Several attacks were blocked by the shields of the company before the invaders felt their bodies get impaled by several swords and spears. While some of the dark soldiers blocked attacks made by the red knights, the women of the company ambushed them with several strikes to the body, killing them. Soon enough, several invaders began to realize that they were outmatched when swords of black and white began to cut them down.

In the midst of the battle, Adam had managed to cut his way through several soldiers. With his quick reflexes, the young knight had managed to avoid several blow from the invaders while at the same time striking in their exposed areas. Focusing on one obstacle at a time, Adam did not realize it but he had managed to cut through five invaders. The knight looked back and saw the work he had done with the first knight getting his throat slit, the second invader losing an arm while his third victim was gutted across the belly. At the same time, he watched the fourth invader be diagonally cut across the chest while his fifth and final opponent was impaled through the chest. The Integrity Knight watched all five invaders disappear in the blink of an eye before he looked across the battle and spotted his friend.

Across the battlefield, both Aaron and the Dark Knight worked hand in hand with one another as they fought off several crimson knights. While Aaron used his shield to block several attacks, the Dark Knight used her sword to land the final blow. Their dance had managed to kill any invader that came near them until Aaron noticed that there were several archers aiming their arrows at them. The soldier grabbed the knight by the soldier and pulled her in close before the invaders fired their red arrows. From behind his shield Aaron watched several red arrow tips breach his shield while the remaining arrows bounced off.

Once the wave of arrows had passed, Aaron peeked over his shield and saw his captain cut through the archers that had fired upon him and his ally. Before the archers could pull out another arrow, Adam began to cut through them with ease. Not a single archer was able to pull out their secondary weapon as they were cut to ribbons by Adam and his sword. In just a few moments, the Fourteenth Knight had managed to reach both his friend and ally. Aaron watched his captain work toward him while the fighting still continued. "What took you so long?"

"Nice to see you too Aaron." Adam replied. "Good to see that you're making friends."

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" The Dark Knight asked.

"No but I think I have a good idea of who's behind it." Adam responded. "This may be hard to believe but Vecta is not from this world and I assume the these soldiers were sent under his command."

"What?"

"I don't know much but from what I was told that if Vecta gets his hands on Alice Synthesis 30, then our entire world will be erased from existence."

Upon hearing the Integrity Knight's words, the Dark Knight had trouble in seeing the truth. However after coming into contact with these invaders, she saw no other reason to disprove that accusation. Right now, she needed to make a decision. "If that is the case, for the sake of our home, you can consider me as your ally."

"Very well." Adam shook the Dark Knight's hand. "I am Adam."

"Sylvie."

"I see you've already met my second in command."

"He has been a great help to me."

"Hey guys?" Aaron asked as he thrusted his sword into the chest of one of the invaders, before slamming his shield against another invader. "Am I interrupting?"

Without a second thought, both the Integrity and Dark Knight rushed to Aaron's aid. The soldier watched a flash of silver and black run past him as they began to cut down the crimson knights that stood before them. The invaders didn't stand a chance once Adam and Sylvie joined forces against a common enemy.

In the midst of the battle, while Adam ran towards a group of red knights, Sylvie ran behind the Integrity Knight before she leapt off his back to jump over the wall of blood red armor. The invaders were caught off guard as they did not know on which knight to focus their attention on. Their stupidity cost them their lives as Adam took advantage of the moment and sliced the first knight's head clean off before Sylvie landed behind the remaining two warriors. Using her size and speed to her advantage, the Dark Knight thrusted her sword into the joints within the red armor. The knights yelled in pain as their bodies were being punctured in multiple areas such as beneath the arms, and behind the knees before Sylvie decapitated them quickly.

Adam watched his new ally dispose the knights quickly, not knowing that there was an crimson knight ready to cleave him in half with a sharp battle axe. Sylvie quickly noticed this and leapt behind Adam to stop the oncoming attack. The Integrity Knight watched small sparks fly past his eyes when he saw the Dark Knight lock blades with one of the invaders. Acting on her feet, Sylvie disarms the knight by using her weight and momentum to flip backwards, kicking the axe out of the invader's hand. Adam took advantage of the opportunity and grabbed hold of the flying axe before slamming it directly in the middle of the invaders helmet while he let out a blood curdling roar. The last thing the crimson knight saw was his own axe splitting his world in two.

Among the chaos, Aaron thrusted his sword into one of the red warriors before he saw a cloud of sparks poof all around Adam and Sylvie. Within just a few moments, the two knights had become a formidable force. The two knights watched their enemies disappear all around them before more red knights began to focus their attention on them. Aaron watched the two knights become almost completely surrounded by the invaders.

While the remaining members of the Fourteenth Company and the Dark Army handled the last of the crimson knights, Both Adam and Sylvie saw that they were completely surrounded by the red knights. The two looked all around and saw how several knights were carrying the same sort of weapons. While some carried only swords, others carried identical spears, and some carried axes. Even though the battle was raging on, the two knights of light and dark felt a small moment of silence. Both the Integrity and Dark Knight controlled their breathing while sweat poured down their faces before they tightened their grip on their weapons. The two waited to see who would make the first move. They waited while they watched their enemy tightly grip their weapons. They waited to see who would be the first to die.

Both the Dark and Integrity Knight had their backs against each other while they readied themselves for the coming fight. As they took their stance with Sylvie laying her sword beside her right leg and Adam resting his sword on his folded right arm, they felt the tension rise. A small drop of sweat formed a trail across Adam's forehead before it fell off the edge of his nose and splashed on the ground. Without a second's hesitation the invaders attacked all once with four attacking Adam and four attacking Sylvie as well.

Adam blocked the first oncoming strike with his sword before he kicked the first knight down with his iron boot. He watched the crimson knight fall onto of the the charging knights before another group came at him. Using all his strength, the Fourteenth Knight rammed into the charging crowd before tossing several invaders over his shoulder. The warriors were caught off guard at the fact that despite all that's happened this Integrity knight still had some strength left in him. Once the invaders fell onto the ground, the young knight wasted no time in disposing them as he thrusted his blade into each and every one of them.

At the same time, Sylvie used her agility to her advantage as she flipped over the charging knights and stabbed several of them in the neck. Before she landed, she looked out and saw how there was still one remaining night left and quickly twisted her body in order to decapitate the invader while in mid air. Several more knights charged at her before she quickly netted them from beneath. The invaders were not prepared against this knight who quickly danced her way through the charging crowds, cutting each invader down piece by piece.

But with more knights being slain, more began to grow bold as the invading army began to send in larger numbers against the two. Adam watched a group of crimson knights use their long spears against him. While the young knight was able to cut several of them in half before disposing the warriors behind them, the Integrity Knight needed to catch his breath, which became the moment these warriors were waiting for. Several spears were thrusted against the knight and were lodged deep within his chest plate. Before the spear tips could go in any deeper and pierce his flesh, the Fourteenth Knight cuts the spears and swats them way. However he felt a sharp pain in his back as he had noticed that several invaders behind him had thrusted their spears behind him, tearing his red cape into shreds and heavily denting his armor. The knight uses his left arm to break the spears in two as he let out a loud roar. Sylvie turned around and saw how Adam held his ground against the invading knights. Using shear strength and brute force, the crimson knights experienced first hand of Adam Synthesis Fourteen's raw savagery.

Swinging wildly, with no restraint, the Fourteenth Knight cut his way through the crowds of charging knights as if they were were trees. With so many knights in front of him, the Integrity Knight used his own body as a weapon, slamming his metal gauntlets along the side of several helmets from the invaders. Like a wild animal, Adam cared not of the dangers for with every strike that came upon him, he unleashed his full strength on those who harmed him. Limbs flew in the air as Adam chopped off several arms and legs, as well as severed heads from the invaders. The young knight continued on despite several pieces of his armor and cape being torn off.

Sylvie, not wanting to be outdone by an Integrity Knight charged into the chaos as she maneuvered her way through the crowds of men while severing each of them in half. The Dark Knight leapt in the air and sliced her way across the small battlefield as more limbs were tossed into the air. Despite being from the Dark Territory, Sylvie maintained her ferocity as she channeled her anger to the tip of her sword that pierced the bodies of countless invaders. Soon enough the charging crowds began to dwindle until the Dark Knight noticed several archers being aimed at her and Adam.

"Adam!" She shouted to which the Integrity Knight noticed the archers that were pulling their bows back with red arrows. Thinking on their feet, the two knights grabbed two nearby invaders and pulled them close before Adam and Sylvie pressed their backs against one another. Arrows flew, and screams of pain could be heard once the two crimson knights realized that they were being used as human shields. Before the archers could draw their next set of arrows, both the Integrity and Dark Knight rushed through the ranks and cut the last of the archers piece by piece. With the battle slowly coming to an end, Adam took a moment to catch his breath and looked at Sylvie with relief knowing that this conflict was drawing to a closure. That is until he noticed something large was approaching them.

From behind Sylvie was a crimson knight unlike any other, who was far larger than the ones they had fought and carried a war hammer of great size. Adam did not have time to think as he pushed the Dark Knight out of the way while he felt the full force of the invader's swing hit his sword. The young knight could hear a humming sound ringing in his ears as he watched his sword fly out of his hands and disappear in the crowd of red soldiers. The Integrity Knight could not hold it in as he let out a cough of blood leave his mouth before he soared away from the battle.

"Captain!" Aaron shouted as he watched his friend fly above the crowds and soar away from the conflict. The soldier rushed to his captain's aid but saw how he and his fellow soldiers were being overwhelmed by the red knights. With their most valued piece off the board, Aaron and the remaining forces held their ground against these invaders.

As Adam flew away from the battle, he felt a sense of deja vu for this had been the second time where a warrior was strong enough to send Adam flying across the sky - the first time being attacked by a rampaging giant. But after flew away from the battle field for a brief moment, his sword felt vertically in the midst of the chaos and pierced through the blood soaked soil. Adam's moment of disbelief came to an end as he crashed on the hard soil that was reduced to a small crater around him.

Upon seeing her ally disappear from her eyes, Sylvie suddenly realized that she was surrounded by crimson knights. Despite being far more skilled than the enemy, she was outnumbered for with every knight she killed, another had managed to land a blow on her. Pieces of her black cape were town off while several spears took off bits of her armor. The Dark Knight soon unleashed her inner rage as she clawed her way through the battlefield with her sword and small daggers. But her attempts were in vain as she came across the knight that sent Adam flying. Any attempt on this giant invader was useless as he was able to bare through the pain.

As Sylvie watched the invader ready his hammer, the Dark Knight was able to quickly dodge the attack in order to launch an attack of her own. She watched the hammer fall beside her and sink into the ground before she ran towards the towering enemy. However, the invader anticipated this as he abandoned his weapon and used his large hands on Sylvie and grabbed her by the throat. Using all his strength, he lifted the Dark Knight in the air and watched the young girl gasp for air before he slammed his fist into her face over and over. Sylvie heard a loud ringing noise come from inside her head as she dropped her weapons before being thrown against a large rock.

"Sylvie!" Aaron shouted while he tried to cut through several knights to reach his friend. But the crowd of invaders was to strong for this single soldier to push through as Aaron helplessly watched the large crimson knight grab hold of the Dark Knight's sword. Sylvie's world could be seen in red as her eyes were soaked with blood. She looked up and saw the invader carry her own sword and thrust it down upon her. Never in her entire life did she think that she would be killed by her very own weapon. Using whatever strength she had left, the Dark Knight grabbed hold of the sword with both hands as blood began to fall from her hands and down the blade.

After somehow serving a devastating blow, Adam looked forward and saw the chaos unfold before him. He watched his second in command struggle to survive against these invaders while also noticing that Sylvie was on the near brink of death as she watched her own sword slide closer into piercing her chest. With his vision spinning in all different directions, Adam reached for his sword beside him and quickly realized that his weapon was lost in all the chaos. The Integrity Knight reached out his hand as he was helpless to save his friends. No. Not like this.

With his left hand fully extended, the Fourteenth Knight closed his eyes and focused his attention as he took a deep breath before small sparks of electricity formed at the end of his finger tips. His sword, that was far deep in all the madness that unfolded, began to move on its own as it quickly began to wiggle itself out of the hard soil. It didn't take long for the earth to release its grip before the sword flew from out of the ground and soured through the chaos. Everyone was struck with conferment as they saw a sword fly through the sky on its own, searching for its owner. The crimson knights curiosity soon turned to fear as they saw the blade spin in a circular direction cutting off the heads of several invaders.

As Sylvie struggled for dear life, with her own sword starting to pierce through the chest plate of her armor, the red knight looked up and before he knew it, the last thing he saw was a silver sword fly beneath his chin before his head cut clean off. Shocked and confused, the Dark Knight regained her strength as she watched the sword fly away from the battlefield and into the hands of Adam Synthesis 14. The young knight could not believe her eyes for this Integrity Knight performed an Incarnate Arms spell perfectly. She watched Adam stand up on his two feet before watching the knight grab the flying sword from out of the air by the leather grip with his left hand. Sylvie and everyone on the battlefield looked at the Integrity Knight with awe. "Unbelievable."

Once the crimson knights saw the Integrity Knight achieve a power none of them expected, all their attention was focused on Adam. Every invader completely disregarded the remaining forces of the Dark Territory and the Fourteenth Company, as they ran across the red dried valley to kill the most dangerous person on the field. In the midst of the commotion, Aaron ran to Sylvie's aid and picked her off the ground while her remaining soldiers helped as well. All watched the army of invaders run to one single man.

Adam slowly began to regain his strength as he moved his legs slowly across the red soil before he then ran into the fray. The red knights watched the Integrity Knight throw his sword at the crowd and all watched the blade fly through the crowd, cutting all those who stood in its path. Adam formed a fist with his left hand and suddenly the sword stopped in its tracks before Adam threw a punch at a single crimson knight. Suddenly the blade quickly spun in a circular motion and all watched the sword suddenly become a saw as it began to tear through the invaders with ease.

While his sword was cutting down all who stood before it, the Integrity Knight used his fists to deal with those who harmed him and his friends. While the invaders believed that they could handle an unarmed knight, their beliefs were shattered as Adam used their own weapons against them. If a crimson knight thrusted his spear to the Integrity Knight, Adam would redirect the attack to an invader standing by before his sword would kill the attacking invader. The young knight then reached out his hand and waited for his sword to return to him as a soldier charged at him with an axe. The blade soared close to him and cut through the charging knight's hands before Adam held onto the blade tightly. In an instant Adam used his tool to block several oncoming attacks before he slashed several enemies.

With a small opening between him and the invaders, Adam believed that it was time for all to know why he named his sword The Storm Blade. Aaron and Sylvie watched as storm clouds began to form in the sky as Adam held his sword to the sky with bolts of lightning forming at the tip. The Invaders stopped in their tracks when they saw the Integrity Knight raise his sword but quickly charged at him. Their hesitation would be there downfall as Adam looked at the charging forces and spoke only two words. "Enhance Armorment!"

In the blink of an eye, the sky cracked with bolts of lightning coming from the heavens as Adam redirected the lighting towards the charging invaders. The crimson knights screamed in pain as they dropped their weapons and were reduced to ash from the amount of heat and electricity Adam unleashed upon them. Those that were fortunate enough to avoid the attack, watched their comrades explode from intense amount of voltage that came from the attack. It was then that Adam realized that with all the remaining forces focused on him, he knew how to end this battle quickly. "Hiroshi! Burn them!"

A monstrous roar can be heard from the sky as the last of the invading knights saw a dragon fly from the red skies before unleashing its devastating attack. Aaron and Sylvie watched last invaders get burn to a crisp once hey were introduced to Hiroshi's flame. While some were killed instantly by the blast, others screamed in pain as they were being burned alive from the flames. Adam had intended on using Hiroshi at some point in the battle, but once the lines were broken and all hell broke loose, the armies were blended together. Had the young knight used his dragon, not only would he be rid of the enemy but there would also be collateral damage as well. The same could be said about his power. If he were to use his sacred art, Sylvie's forces and the Fourteenth Company would be harmed as well.

With the last of the invaders defeated, Sylvie and Aaron watch Adam walk through the fire his dragon have caused before he was greeted by the two. Sylvie was at a loss of words for she now understood what true power looked like. Had Adam have used his powers against her, the Dark Knight would not have stand a chance. Aaron could also not believe what had unfolded before him. The last time he saw his captain, was before he received the sword that gave him such power.

"Where did that come from?" Aaron asked.

"It's a new skill that I picked up." Adam responded. "Impressed?"

"I think you should lead off with that next time." Sylvie added.

"Sorry, but as much as I want to, it's pretty much a last resort kind of thing." Adam replied for he knew that if he used this power there's a good chance that he could cause harm to his friends. "If I'm careful though, I think I may have enough for one more chance of using it."

"Then we shall save it for when it is needed most." Sylvie replied.

Aaron then continued the conversation as he looked at the two knights. "So what now?"

"The World's Alter." Adam stated. "We might be able to catch up to everyone."

"They're too Far East." Aaron responded. "We won't be able to reach them in time."

"We have to try." Adam said.

"He's right, you'll never be able to catch them on foot." Sylvie added which made a look of concerns fall upon her ally. However before any chance was lost, the Dark Knight then came up with a solution."But there may be a way that'll help get you there faster."

"What do you mean?"

"If we head East, there's a farm where we get most of our horses. It's well hidden from people like you but commonly known to every Dark Knight."

"Can you take us there?" Adam asked, hoping that this Dark Knight would be lend him several horses. For a moment there was a brief silence until Sylvie responded with a nod. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. From the look of things there may not be enough horses for all of us, and there are some who may not be able to make the journey." Sylvie said as both Adam and Aaron looked at their remaining forces and saw that both sides suffered loss.

Adam looked at the surviving members of the Fourteenth Company and saw how drastically their numbers have dwindled. At the start of this war, the company stood strong with an even number of one hundred soldiers. When his company stood against Sylvie's forces, he had roughly seventy soldiers left. But after this chaotic conflict with the invaders, he saw that there had to be at least twenty five remaining members of the company. At least ten of them were in such bad shape that they would not be able to make the journey.

Upon her last statement, Sylvie looked to her troops and noticed that just like Adam, she also saw the casualties of this senseless violence. This morning she had over a hundred soldiers at her command. She was in charge of not just her human soldiers an knight, but she was also in charge of the last remaining goblin and orc tribes. However after this battle which first started as a an act of vengeance against Adam's forces soon turned to a fight for survival once the invaders arrived. With several of her men wounded she saw that she had at most twenty strong soldiers that were capable enough to reach the farm.

Both Adam and Sylvie saw how their past conflict had cost the lives of some of their best soldiers. Before today they saw each others as enemies fighting for control over land. However, after they came into contact with Vecta's true allies, they saw how their conflict was meaningless. Whether they liked it our not, they both shared the same world, a world that would be erased from existence if Vecta continues on his crusade to retrieve Alice. After a chaotic battle with invaders who saw joy in killing both sides, the two realized that they needed each other now more than ever.

"Everyone, listen up." Adam said out loud to both the Fourteenth Company, and Sylvie's forces. "We're going to head east to borrow several horses that'll help us catch up to those who left for the World's Alter. Those that are strong enough to stand and carry a sword may join us. Those who cannot, will head west past the Eastern Gate."

"Are you taking us as prisoners?" One soldier from the dark territory asked who suffered a severe leg injury.

"We still have doctors and mages. You tell them that Adam Synthesis Fourteen sent you and you will be treated as equals." Adam said to the soldier which surprised everyone including Sylvie. The young knight then stepped forward and stood in the middle of the crowd of dark soldiers. "Before today, I saw you as my enemy. But now I see that even though we may wear different armor, we both share the same world, we both want to save it from destruction, and that makes you my friend. I have no right to ask you this, but will you follow me?"

Upon hearing the Integrity Knight's words, every soldier from the Dark Territory stood. Those who were badly injured, still managed to summon all the strength they could to stand on their two feet. Sylvie looked to Adam and was impressed of how quickly he had gained the trust of the soldiers that were under her command. Both she and her soldiers saw truth in the knight's words. They have grown up on opposite sides of the wall, but they were still born into this world. The Dark Knight stood beside her friend and placed her hand on his shoulder. "We are with you."

Adam gave the Dark Knight a subtle nod before he turned his attention to Aaron. "Aaron, I need you to lead the wounded back to the Eastern Gate."

"But Sir I can still fight."

"I know you can, but I need you to make sure that all the wounded are treated equally." Adam explained. "When the is all over, these people will not just be our allies, they'll be our neighbors. We need to start thinking about the future, and it starts by reaching out a helping hand."

"Yes sir." Aaron said with a subtle tone of disapproval, for he would rather fight alongside his captain. Before he could ponder any thought, he felt his captain's hand be placed upon his shoulder.

"Let this be my final command as your captain, for after today, you will be in command of this company." Adam said which surprised Aaron. He had given thought to this for some time and knew that Aaron was ready. If there was anyone he could trust to look after the company, it was Aaron. "Go. Tell them our story. Let everyone know what happened on this day."

"I will." Aaron said before Adam turned away to ready the remaining soldiers for the final journey. However while the wounded began their first steps towards the Eastern Gate, Aaron called out to his friend. "Adam, godspeed."

Adam smiled and returned a friendly nod to the new captain of the Fourteenth Company before he turned away and focused his attention on the last remaining strong soldiers. He looked to Sylvie who was ready for the journey. "How far is the farm from here?"

"It's only a couple of miles northeast of here." She said. "But if you want to get there faster, we'll need to travel light."

"You heard her everyone." Adam said to the last of the Fourteenth Company. While the soldiers form the Dark Territory were equipped for running this long distance, Adam's forces were a bit on the heavier side. "Drop your shields and spears, carry only your swords. We travel light."

Even though this was easy for the few women of the company, for they only carried swords, it was the men who struggled with parting ways with their weapons. In all their time with the company, the men have trained with their primary weapon, their spear, and have trained with it in the art of combat for perfection. As for their shields, the men also saw this as their main line of protection. Going into battle without it made them almost feel naked. Still, they a short sword that would be effective on the battlefield.

While Aaron led the wounded to safety, he looked back and watched Adam and Sylvie lead their remaining forces as they quickly ran across the red wasteland. For miles, they ran on the harsh landscape of the Dark Territory. For miles, their lunges expanded and compressed inside their bodies as they tried to control their breathing while they ran continuously toward the secret barn. Despite their small wounds, every man and woman bared through the pain with every stride they took across the red soil beneath their feet.

In the red sky, Hiroshi flew above the crowd. With the wind flowing beneath his wings, the red dragon kept a watchful eye on his friend and allies. Despite having a dragon, Adam chose to run alongside the Dark Knight and the last of the soldiers. To him, Hiroshi was more than just an animal, he was friend who had a mind of his own. Adam had no right to claim the dragon as his property, for Hiroshi was a dragon capable of making his own decisions. If this dragon wanted to follow the integrity Knight into battle, then so be it. Hiroshi looked down at the group from above as their journey created a small cloud of dust that could be seen from the sky.

At the front of the group were both Adam and Sylvie. While Adam was focused on getting to those horses, Sylvie was surprised that, despite his injuries, the Integrity Knight was able to keep up with her. With parts of his armor torn off, to the point where the Dark Knight could see most of his chest, Adam continued to run. There was nothing on this earth that would break his will. Only death would stop his crusade of peace and freedom.

After running for what seemed like all day, had only been an hour or more. Even so, the group came to a halt when they came across a small canyon. It was deep as there was only darkness that waited for them at the bottom. While everyone stopped to catch their breath, Adam watched Sylvie step closer to the canyon. He did not say a word for he was also regaining his breath that he had exhausted on the run. He only watched as the Dark Knight stepped closer to the canyon before taking a step over the ledge.

"No!" Adam shouted with an extended hand, hoping to catch his new friend, only to realize that he had been tricked. Sylvie let out a small laugh before the canyon beneath her disappeared and every man and woman of the Fourteenth Company saw a farm appear before them. "An illusion spell?"

"Yes." Sylvie responded. "We had some members of the Assassin's Guild conjure up a way to conceal this farm's location from the Human Empire."

'Very smart." Adam said as he and the remaining soldiers walked through the farm. Despite the location, this farm brought back several memories of his time with Hannah's family. He remembered the crisp smell of ripe apples falling from the trees that was planted near the house. Images of James and Freya playing in the garden appeared in his head before remembering the times they snuck out of the house to be with Hiroshi in the barn. His mind then turned towards Henry, who's generosity was what saved Adam's life.

However, no memory created such a bright light in this dark world when the Integrity Knight began to see visions of Hannah waiting under a large tree with a smile on her face. The last thing she had said to him was that she would wait under the same tree where they both said their goodbyes. Adam believed that to this day, Hannah still walks to the tree every morning and waits for him. He had no intention of dying and was ready to finish the fight. Nothing would stand between him and the woman he loved.

"What is it?" Sylvie asked, which made the Integrity Knight snap out of whatever fantasy world he was living.

"Nothing, just old memories."

"Okay? Well I'll speak with the farmer and see if we can get whatever horses are left."

"Very well." Adam said before the Dark Knight left to go retrieve their needed steeds. Upon their wait, Adam looked and saw how every man and woman in this unified group of light and dark were recovering from the run they had endured. Despite leaving behind their heavy equipment, they could not get rid of the armor they wore. While it was only chain mill, with some plates of armor, it still added additional weight and these soldiers paid the consequences by exhausting most of their energy. Despite this, Adam could feel that these warriors still had some fight in them and were willing to fight to their last breath.

After a brief moment of rest, Adam looked back and saw Sylvie walk behind him. "I spoke with the farmer, and he is willing to lend us every horse he has left."

"Thank you." Adam said. "I will be sure to send him a large amount of coin for his generosity."

Not wasting a moment, every man and woman made their way to the stables and saw that there was at least ten horses left in this barn. While Adam and Sylvie quickly mounted on their brown horses, Adam noticed how there was at least twice the amount of people compared to the number of horsed that were available. Before he and Sylvie could say anything, the soldiers of light and dark worked together as each horse carried the weight of both one dark soldier and one member of the company. Soon enough, the group charged out of the barn and into the red fields of the Dark Territory.

The unified group rode for miles. Riding across the hard soil that kicked beneath the horses' hooves, creating a large cloud of dust that Hiroshi could see from above. Their journey took them over familiar terrain for Sylvie as she noticed a large crack the group rode across that stretched to across the plains that soon became a large canyon. The group safety road around the crack while noticing the blood that stained the ground on the other side. It would seem that there was a battle shortly after Adam saw his mentor and student. Perhaps the Pugilists were able to catch up with the remaining forces and this was the aftermath.

Soon enough, the group came across a crater and noticed how the ground beneath them was all destroyed. As if something came from the heavens and rained fire upon those who were caught outside the crater itself. Both knights paid no attention as they continued east. But as they made their way east, they soon heard a sound that was all too familiar to them. The sky above them glowed red before screaming out in pain as red beams of light descended upon them. Sylvie's frustration got the best of her as she gritted her teeth in anger. "No, not again. Not while we're so close."

"It would seem that Vecta wants to make sure that no one but him makes it to the World's Alter." Adam said before the red beams of light landed several miles away from them.

"No doubt that he is sending these invaders to not only prevent us from reaching our friends, but to also send in reinforcements to head east and aid him." Sylvie said as she held the rains on her horse.

"So this is where we make our final stand?" Adam asked himself while the invading armies of Vecta began to appear in great numbers, almost the same size of the first wave of invader they fought. The Integrity Knight realized that despite his efforts, he would not be able to help Alice reach the alter with Lady Asuna. However, that would not stop him from fighting to save this world. If destroying these invaders would buy Alice and Asuna enough time to reach the alter, then Adam knew what he had to do. "So be it."

"Line up!" Sylvie shouted to the soldiers on horseback. "Form the line!"

While the large army of Invaders formed ranks, they looked across the field and saw a small band of horses form a line. They laughed at this pathetic attempt and their laughter could be heard miles across them. The unified soldiers paid no attention as they rode along side Adam and Sylvie and held their weapons tight. But despite their faces, deep down every man and woman had some fear in their souls.

Seeing that they were clearly outnumbered, Adam rode across the line of horses. "My Brothers! My Sisters! In times of uncertainty, be just! In times of sorrow, be strong! In times of crisis, be brave! Defend the innocent, even if it leads to your own death! That is our oath! Now ride with me, Knights of the Underworld! Ride with me, so that the world will see another day!"

Upon hearing Adam's words, every man and woman, including Sylvie, cheered as they held their swords high in the sky. The Knights of the Underworld caed not that they were outnumbered, for they had something that these invaders did not have - hope. While these invaders had far superior numbers, they lacked the will and discipline needed to win a fight. In the eyes of the Integrity Knight, every man and woman who had rode with him was worth more than these invaders could imagine. To Adam, he had the stronger force and was ready to fight and preserve this world.

"For the Underworld!" Adam shouted before he lead the charge against the invading armies of Vecta. Sylvie cried at the top of her lungs as she readied her sword and charged alongside the Integrity Knight. It didn't take long for the remaining riders charge against the invaders. While Adam and Sylvie were single riders on their horses, most of the horses that charge were accompanied by a soldier of the company and from the Dark Territory. With one of the riders holding the reins of the charging horse, the other readied their swords.

Hiroshi, witnessing the line of horses charge to the large crowd of crimson knights, flew close to his friend. The armies of Vecta were caught off guard when they saw a red dragon fly from the sky and descend upon the charging horses that were closing the distance between them. At first they expected to handle a small band of horse riders with ease, but once they saw a dragon fly with them into battle, their minds began to quiver with fear. The tide of the battle soon change once they realized that they were going to be fighting a dragon.

Adam raised his sword and pointed it at the wall of soldiers before Hiroshi opened his mouth and unleashed a beam of fire. In an instant, a line of crimson knights were incinerated by the dragon's flames. Screams of fear and panic were overshadowed by the screams of pain and agony. But those screams only lasted for a moment, for those soldiers died instantly from the fire.

These invaders witnessed first hand of an Integrity Knight's take on shock and awe as Adam rode through the ranks of the red invaders and slashed his sword across countless bodies. Sylvie, riding beside Adam, did not hesitate to run over several soldiers with her horse before cutting them down with her sword like unwanted weeds. The red knights that were caught off guard from the dragon's fire power, did not focus on the charging horses in front of them who were quickly ruined down and trampled by the riders of the Underworld. Countless bodies were splattered on the red soil as every man and woman riding on horseback created a large dent within the ranks of the invading army.

"Hiroshi! Let none escape!" Adam shouted to his dragon while he cut down several red knights from his horse. The red dragon took the sky as every invader watched in fear before the large animal quickly descended upon them and unleashed a fire unlike any other. A wall of flames was drawn amongst the invaders that were located in the far back, preventing them from escape. Adam wanted to make sure that not a single invader would head east. "Burn it all!"

Hiroshi let out a loud roar as he flew to the sky once more before diving down to the battle at great speed in order to attack the crimson knights with another beam of fire. With Adam and Sylvie's forces small and distinguishable, it would be easy enough for the dragon to continue to reign fire upon the enemy, while at the same time avoiding the knights of the Underworld. The crimson knights scrambled in fear with every pass the dragon flew, burning countless knights and reducing their numbers quickly. In a matter of moments, the dragon created a network of fires that separated the red knights, making it easy for Adam and Sylvie's forces to dispose them.

While Adam's dragon flew to safety, taking refuge in the sky above, Adam wasted no time dismembering every knight he came across. But his time on his horse came to an abrupt end when one knight charged towards him with a spear. The weapon was able to find its mark as the horse beneath him collapsed forward onto the ground, propelling the half armored knight in the air. Landing on his knees, Adam acted quick as he watched his sword fly from his grip but soon fly through the heads of several invader helmets thanks to his Incarnate Arms Spell.

The Storm Blade came to life as it spun in a circular motion and cut through the invading forces with ease. While his sword cut tts way through countless bodies, The Fourteenth Knight relied on his fists and brains as he fought his way through several crimson knights. Using his fists, he bashed through the helmets of the invaders, beating them to a bloody pulp before their bodies vanished. Using his brains, he redirected several attacks made towards him by having one knight kill another by accident. With little armor on him, the Integrity Knight fought for his life.

In the midst of the battle, a single crimson knight charged towards Sylvie and her horse with his large axe. With one great swing, the soldier chopped the animal's legs clean as if they were nothing. Sylvie, anticipating the attack, leapt off her horse as she lunged towards two red knights that carried a sword and a spear. The knight holing the spear thrusted his weapon at the flying dark knight as Sylvie reached her open hand and deflected the attack before she front flipped in front of the soldier, knocking him face first on the ground with her strong heel.

As she stood on top of the invader, the red knight carrying the sword attempted to cut her head off with a clean slash. Sylvie saw the attack coming as she flipped backwards and kicked the sword out of the soldier's hands. Before the crimson knight could put together as to what had just happened, the Dark Knight thrusted her sword into the chest of the soldier before she saw the knight that killed her horse charge towards her. Thinking on her feet, the young knight noticed the first knight she disarmed was just getting off the ground, who she then pulled close to her before seeing an axe cut his body in half. While the invader watched his axe kill his own kind, Sylvie unleashed a clean swipe across the knight's neck before his head rolled completely off.

With the battle raging on, the Knights of the Underworld fought for the preservation of their home. While the men used pure strength to carry the through the fight, the women relied on their agility to maneuver their way in the battle. One woman who originally served under Adam's command noticed a soldier who once served for the Dark Territory. She noticed how he was able to hold his ground until several he decided to take on more than he could handle. Using her elegant moves, the young woman dogged every strike and slash from the enemy as if it were a dance. Little did her enemy realize that she had chopped several invaders into bits until she reached the soldier in need.

Before he could be struck by a spear, the young woman slashed the spear in half, saving him. The young man who liked he was her age, noticed this act of defense and returned the favor by driving his sword down on the crimson knight the woman disarmed. The two soldiers who were once enemies were now allies as they worked hand in hand with one another to protect each other from the invading armies of Vecta. Those that noticed this took inspiration as several more soldiers of light and dark stood together to fight off this overwhelming enemy.

However, despite their efforts, they were still outnumbered as the dragon fire that divided the invading forces was now reducing to smoldering ash. Despite Hiroshi's attempts in reducing their large numbers, there were still more crimson knights than Adam and Sylvie's forces. The tide of the battle was slowly taking its turn as the invading knights began to slowly reduce the numbers of the Underworld Knights. While Sylvie fought her heart out, cutting down a handful of invaders with her sword, she noticed how several of her soldiers were being slaughtered by the invading knights.

While some of her forces were being cut in half by swords, giving them a quick death, others were not so fortunate. She noticed how one man who served under Adam's command was impaled by a single spear. While he watched his own blood spill out from his guts, he wasted no time in killing the invader that stabbed him before he was soon stabbed by several more spears. The young Dark Knight watched as the fighting began to take its toll on both her and Adam's soldiers.

Given how at the start of this day, both Sylvie and Adam's soldiers fought against one another. The two were at each other's throats before the invaders arrived, and the two opposing sides shifted their attention on the red knights that were slaughtering their fellow brothers and sisters. After their battle, the remainder of their soldiers endured a journey across the Dark Territory with no rest until they reached their horses to charge into battle against this next wave of invaders. In the span of a day, the Knights of the Underworld have been in a constant fight in the red soil that was soaking in the blood of the fallen brothers and sisters. They were tired and their fatigue was starting to set in the peak of this second battle against Vecta's armies.

Despite exhausting most of her energy, the Dark Knight refused to give up as she thrusted her sword into one of her enemies. In middle of the chaos, she strode across the battle with whatever strength her legs had in order to save as many of her people as possible. She charged through countless invaders as her world was red all around. She slashed her sword in many different directions, cutting any red knight she came across. "Fight! Fight to the last knight!"

Hearing Sylvie's cry, Adam noticed how there were still quite a number of invaders left. Despite his strength, he was still just one man against an army of those who wished to wipe his world from existence. The Integrity Knight looked the sky to call out his dragon. If Hiroshi could launch another borage of fire storms on these red knights, than perhaps they would just survive this. While Adam drove his sword into a nearby invader, he mustered up whatever breath he had in his lungs. "Hiroshi-"

Adam's world stopped for a brief moment as he felt his body experience pain unlike another before his body fell to the ground. He looked behind himself and noticed that a spear was thrown into his right shoulder. While he was fortunate enough that his right shoulder was covered in whatever armor was left, he still felt a great amount of pain as he screamed. However, the pain was so great that despite his open mouth, no sound was emitted as the force of the throw was able to knock the Integrity knight onto the floor. His world shook as his face fell alongside the red dirt that was stained by the blood of his fallen.

As he tried to get off the ground, he looked all around and noticed how sure enough, the Knights of the Underworld were quickly dying one by one. He looked nearby and noticed how Sylvie was moving her mouth with her eyes showing fear as she tried to reach him. The young knight soon reached behind his shoulder and yanked out the spear that struck him. Before Adam could regain his stance, another invader charged at him with a sword and locked blades with him. While Adam was able to hold his ground, the young knight was overpowered as he felt a metal boot kick him into the ground.

On the dirt once again, the Integrity Knight felt pain flow across his body as he watched the invader walk over him with his sword. In the heat of the moment, Adam reached for the spear that pierced his shoulder and thrusted it into the helmet of the soldier that kicked him down. The young knight refused to give into death as he gritted his teeth and did his best to ignore the pain that he was experiencing. But again, as he got up, he saw how every invader near him decided to take their chance in trying to land a killer blow on him.

Sylvie watched from afar as she heard Adam roar at the top of his lungs. With adrenaline coursing through him, Adam slashed and chopped through every crimson knight that dared try to kill him. But with every knight he killed, another landed another blow on him as Adam's upper armor was almost completely gone. His chest was exposed with countless scratches from the invaders before several arrows were shot directly at him. The Fourteenth Knight blocked only a few arrows, but his attempts weren't enough as his shoulders and thighs were punctured with red arrows. Exhausted and almost damaged beyond repair, Adam's world almost turned black as he nearly blacked out and fell flat on his back on the blood stained dirt beneath him.

Sylvie and the remaining Underworld Knights, watched their leader fall onto the dirt. The Dark Knight shouted to her friend as she tried to reach him while the other knights tried to rally to their Integrity Knight. Their attempt came to a halt as they were being overwhelmed by invaders. From the sky, Hiroshi's eyes widened as he witnessed his life long friend collapse from the arrows that struck him.

While the Integrity Knight lied on the red soil, he looked all around as he watched his friends do their best to try to reach him. But in the process he saw more crimson knights wound and kill more of his people. He soon tried to get up as he saw a crowd of red knights slowly approach him, before they could take another step, Hiroshi landed in front of them. "Hiroshi… no…."

The dragon refused to hear the knight's words as he roared at the top of his large lungs and breathed a flame unlike any other to burn those that harmed his friend. Adam watched the red knights before him get obliterated by dragon fire. But while Hiroshi burned the enemy, Adam looked around and noticed a red knight throw his spear. The weapon flew across the air as Adam reached out his hand to try to have his sword block the attack with his spell, but it was useless. The spear hit its mark, landing directly above the dragon's right shoulder.

Hiroshi roared in anger as ceased his onslaught and focused on the soldier that attacked him. Enraged, the dragon snarled his teeth and lunged toward the crimson knight, biting him in half with his powerful jaws. Screams of shear terror could be heard as the dragon bit down on the invader. Several red knights charged in an attempt to kill the dragon that rained fire upon the. Upon hearing their screams, Hiroshi roared before he showed these soldiers the wrath of a dragon.

The invaders were not prepared for Hiroshi's anger for his skin was like iron. His teeth were swords that bit down on several crimson knights as several arms and legs were bitten clean off. His claws were spears that punctured easily through the armors of the invaders. The shock of his tail was that of a thunderbolt with every swing Hiroshi took to swat away any soldier that was foolish enough to attack him from behind. The dragon's wings were a hurricane, flapping in the air as they blew several invaders flat on their backs before his breath brought death.

But while Hiroshi expressed his anger, during the fit of range several crimson knights were able to land several blows on the beast. Bits of arrows and spear tips were found all across the dragon's body as blood began to flow down his red body. The blood dripped onto Adam who lied beneath the dragon that guarded him with his life. The Integrity Knight could not bare witness his friend suffer from blow after blow with more weapons puncturing Hiroshi's skin. "Hiroshi…save yourself…"

Despite Adam's pleas, the dragon ignored the knight's words and refused to leave his side. With whatever strength he had left, Hiroshi flapped his punctured wings while he grabbed the injured knight with his claws as he tried to make his escape with Adam. But as the animal flew in the air, the invaders took this moment to attack the dragon's belly. Spears were thrown while arrows were shot as Hirsoshi could barely fly away while carrying Adam in his arms. The Integrity Knight used his sword to try to block several weapons that flew to him and his friend. While he was able to block only a few, the invaders cheered as a couple of spears and several arrows pierced the dragon's belly.

Hiroshi roared in pain as he tried to carry his friend away from the battle, only to crash several yards away from the conflict. This was all too familiar for both the dragon and his knight as this crash landing reminded them both of the night they crashed near Henry's farm. While the dragon's body dragged across the red soil, several of the crimson knights cheered as they watched the dragon fall from the sky. Sylvie and the remaining Underworld knights fled from the battle as they rushed towards the dragon and Integrity Knight. Some of the invaders ignored them for they believed that this battle was finally over.

Before the crash, the Integrity Knight was dropped several feet away from the dragon. As the two friends lid on the crumbled dirt beneath them, ignoring the battle that faced his back, Adam rushed to Hiroshi who was bleeding on the ground. Despite his injuries, the knight ignored the pain as he summoned what ever strength he had left to reach his friend who was dying from his wounds.

"Hiroshi!" Adam shouted before he fell to his knees and cradled the dragon's large head in his arms. As he looked into the blue eyes of his friend, he saw the life within them begin to fade away while tears flowed. Both Adam and Hiroshi could feel tears swell up in both their eyes before falling alongside their faces. Denying to accept the harsh nature of this reality, Adam pleaded to his friend. "Stay with me buddy."

The Integrity Knight felt his dragon breath slowly in his arms as he looked into the blue eyes before he saw the life that Hiroshi lived. Memories began to blend with reality as Adam saw images of the time both he and his friend have spent together. He remembered being a young boy in the Axiom church who first came across several eggs that were being incubated in the Axiom Church. He recalled the moment when his mentor Deusolbert allowed him to pick one egg that he would nurture. Despite the large amount of eggs that were different colors, Adam chose an egg that was a light shade of red and it was then when the two friends first met.

For days, when Adam wasn't training, the little knight spent most of his time caring for the egg. Making sure that is was incubated, Adam spent hours upon hours for countless days on keeping the egg heated at all times. It didn't take long until the disciple felt something kick inside the egg and before he knew it, he saw a hand punch through the eggshell. Excited, Adam watched the hand hesitate to claw its way out of the egg, to which Adam responded by lending his warm finger for the hand to grab onto. Adam remembered the moment when he watched Hiroshi enter this world when he first saw those blue eyes look into his own.

Dragon's mature quickly and the bond that Adam and Hiroshi had was like that of any other Integrity Knight with their dragon. They had good days when got along with one another and they also had bad days when both their tempers rose. But while it is easy to snuff out the attitude of a teenager, it's something else for when it comes to disciplining a growing dragon. Memories of the two playing while also images of both roaring at each other played in front of Adam's eyes.

Years of Hiroshi's life flashed before their eyes as Adam did not realize that the dragon has spent a lifetime with him. Memories of joy and laughter rushed through his mind before memories of pain and suffering began to play as Adam recalled the moment when the two crashed near Hannah's home. But in their time of solitude, the two saw a life of peace when they both realized that the farm was the life that they were searching for as it showed the two what could be if they left the Axiom Church. Adam soon felt his friend breath his final breaths of air as he saw the color in his blue eyes fade to a shade of grey. In his final moments, Hiroshi let a single tear form in his eyes that stared into his friend before he closed them one last time.

"Hiroshi! Hiroshi don't leave! I still got to take you to the farm! I still got to take you home!" Adam shouted as he held the dragon's head close to his face while tears of pain and suffering poured down his face. Sylvie and the remaining Underworld Knights circled around Adam as they tried to hold back the tears from his heartbreaking moment. For those that knew him long enough, the two friends were almost inseparable as they were more like brothers. They all watched as Adam roared in pain before Hiroshi's body turned to glowing ash that gently blew into the wind.

From Adam's perspective, the world felt silent as he stared at the ground where his friend once lied. He heard nothing and felt nothing as he watched a couple of arrows pass by him while one landed in his exposed shoulder. The tears that had poured from his face were gone while the cuts across his body were still fresh as blood fell along side his body. He looked at the ground and saw shadows behind him, moving wildly with their arms flailing all over.

While Adam was still in shock as to what happened to his dragon, Sylvie and the last remaining knights held their ground as they deflected several arrows and spears that flew through the air. They surrounded the broken Integrity Knight while the invaders had their laugh as they tried to pick off the last of their remaining forces. The Dark Knight planted herself infant of Adam to try to pull him out of his mournful trance. "Adam! Snap out of it! We need you!"

The knight turned back as he saw more of his soldiers fight for their lives before they fell from the borage of arrows that penetrated their armor while the spears impaled them. With only just a handful of their strongest warriors, they were nothing compared to the large number of crimson invaders that still remain. Emotions of anger and rage began to form inside as he tightly gripped onto his sword and regained enough strength to stand up and turn towards his enemies.

The last of the Underworld Knights watched their leader walk past them and across the red dirt. The invaders threw their spears and fired their remaining arrows at the wounded Integrity Knight. Adam was not intimidated and showed no fear as he blocked every projectile that came at him. With every step he took, the more he came to realize that no matter how strong his friends were, this battle would only end with their death. The armies of Vecta would overwhelm them and would surely make their way east to stop Alice from leaving this world. In order to stop this army, he knew what had to be done. "Sylvie, get our knights as far away as possible."

"But what about-"

"Right now! That's an order!" Adam shouted as he watched Sylvie grab a wounded knight and carried him to safety. With his forces escaping behind him, the Integrity Knight watched as several invaders walked toward him with their swords in hand. Sparks began to flow from the tip of his sword to his fingers as he slashed through the enemy that charged at him with ease. All watched as small bolts of lightning were beginning to emit from the Storm Blade with every strike against the invaders that were foolish enough to attack Adam.

Sylvie watched as she hobbled to safety while she carried her wounded soldier. Her eyes were mesmerized by the dancing thunderbolts that flew off the Integrity Knight's sword with every hack and slash he made against the invaders. She soon watched more lightning begin to emit off the sword while the electricity began to encircle him. It was then when she suddenly realized what was unfolding before her eyes. This was either an act of suicide or an act of heroism for the knight was giving up his own life for the sake of his Dark Knight looked across the red plains and pleaded for her friend. "Adam, no! We'll find another way!"

"Forgive me Hannah." Adam said, hoping that his words would reach the woman he loved, as he prepared to unleash one final attack against these invaders. "Release Recollection!"

Upon his final words, Adam Synthesis Fourteen unleashed his final command as the Storm Blade emitted a power unlike any other. The red clouds above them were cracked into a million pieces as lighting danced across the skies to the sound of rumbling thunder. Everyone in the valley watched as the lighting decended from the cracked heavens and fell toward the tip of Adam's sword. In the blink of an eye, the Integrity Knight was engulfed in blue lightning that surely caused the knight immense pain.

Adam roared at the top of his lungs as he felt the lighting course throughout his body. The glasses that he wore were shattered instantly from the blast while the last of his armor was obliterated, rendering him almost completely naked. With little armor protecting his body the Integrity Knight bared through the pain as he channeled all the energy that fell upon him, directly to his sword. Everyone watched as he grabbed his sword with both hands and held it to the sky. The electricity that was dancing across his body soon made its way to the steel blade while the skies above continued to pour lightning onto the sword.

While everyone was mesmerized by the spectacle, Adam continued to roar as he did his pest to close his mouth, preventing any lighting from reaching inside of him. Use all the strength that he was given since his birth, the Integrity Knight Felt the weight of his sword grow strong as he pointed the sword towards the invading armies of Vecta. With one arm channeling the lighting that fell from heaven and another arm redirecting the lightning to the tip of his sword, The Storm Blade unleashed a power unlike any other as blue lightning scattered across the red valley, tearing the hard soil into shreds as it made its way towards the crimson knights.

While the invaders held at the front were instantly obliterated, those that attempted to flee were caught in the blast. Like many hands, the lighting grabbed onto its nearest victim and soon wrapped itself around the red knights. Screams of pain and suffering could be heard as loud as the thundering skies above them. Not one invader escaped as the valley glowed blue while the sky burned bright. Sylvie and the last of her soldiers watched as the Integrity Knight channel the power of the gods towards the enemy. One by one, the invaders were reduced to ash as there bodies disappeared in the blink of an eye. Without warning the skies grew dark once more as Adam unleashed the last of his attack on the enemy that was no more before he soon collapsed.

As he lied on the floor, Adam looked up at the skies and saw the clouds dissipate, revealing a story night above him. The sound of metal boots running across the dirt could be faintly heard in his ears as he tried to keep his eyes open. Soon enough, his vision of the stars were blocked by Sylvie who looked at him with fear in her eyes. Believing that there were still enemy soldiers, the Integrity Knight knew that his time of fighting was over. He needed to know what the nature of the situation was. "Are they all gone?"

"Yes!" The Dark Knight responded with tears in her eyes. Upon looking into the eyes of Sylvie, Adam blinked and soon saw Hannah kneeling over him with her arms cradling his head. Adam reached his hand out and felt the young woman take his hand and place it on the side of her face. Feeling the warmth of a woman's face brought life into him as he stared into her eyes. "You did it! We're safe!"

"Good." Adam said, as he blinked once more and saw that Hannah was gone. He looked up to Sivlie with a smile of relief as he saw the stars above him twinkle in the sky. Every soldier, whether they were from the Human Empire or from the Dark Territory, kneeled alongside Sylvie as they gave thanks to the knight that saved their lives. The moment soon passed as the stars above them began to stretch and colors unlike any other appear in the night sky. Everyone in the underworld watched as shooting stars soar from all across began to soar East.

Far into the west, Hannah was just about to put her siblings to bed when she saw the strange and yet beautiful phenomenon unfold before her eyes. While she watched the stars head east, both James and Freya smiled with joy for what they were witnessing was something magical. Henry watched in awe for he never once saw something like this in his lifetime. The family stood outside their home as they saw a great light emit in the east.

Deep in the Dark Territory, in an ancient temple, both Deusolbert and Fizel watched as they recovered from the battle they endured against the enemy. Recovering from their fresh wounds, the two stood by one another as saw rays of light dance in the sky. The two had endured hell and had seen the darkness that threatened their very existence. Upon seeing the night sky burn bright, alongside their new allies that came to them in their time of need, they felt something gently warm their hearts for the first time - hope.

While he and his troops were recovering from the onslaught of attacks, Aaron looked up the night sky in amazement. He stood alongside his soldiers of white and black as they stared into the sky, watching all the stars soar east as if they were being summoned. For the past few days, Aaron had endured more than any man could endure in this fight against good and evil. At the start of the day he saw the Dark Territory as his enemy, but now saw them as his friends and allies who aided him in this time of struggle. The soldiers watched with a sense of relief in their eyes, believing that this struggle was coming to an end.

As he lied on the ground, struggling to keep his eyes open on the story night, Adam watched the stars fled east while colors of friendship and harmony danced across the night sky. Words could not express the shear beauty he was witnessing in his eyes. While he stared at the dancing colors and racing stars, he noticed a tear form in the corner of Sylvie's eyes before he gently brushed it away with his finger. The Integrity Knight felt a sense of hope and relief knowing that he had done his job and served his duty to the people of this world to the best of his abilities. He smiled knowing that this world live to see another day. He felt a tear fall along the side of his face, knowing that Hannah and her family will wake up to another sunrise, even it was without him. Adam soon felt the weight of his eyelids grow heavy as he watched his world fade to black before his eyes fell completely shut. "That's all that matters."

Well everyone that is it for Chapter 13! Wow, again, this was the largest chapter I have ever written. Not just for this story, but in all my years on this website, out of all the stories I have written, this single chapter was the largest chapter that I have ever made. Clocking in at just over 14K words, this chapter took a lot out of me. But even so, I am overall happy with how everything turned out.

Going into the chapter, I wanted to follow similar beats that occurred in the anime where we have to opposing forces coming together against a common enemy. And we see this with Adam and Sylvie who want to protect their troops against these invaders. At the same time, this gave the perfect opportunity to see how both Adam and Sylvie will work together as everyone gets their moment of shine in the battle while also seeing different combinations with different characters.

It's weird because originally Sylvie was never actually a part of this chapter but once we added her into the story as sort of filling in the role for a random dark knight to work with Adam, that character was supposed to die during the battle as a sort of sacrifice. But seeing that it would have been pointless to introduce a character and then kill her off. So it was decided that she would be kept in the final draft of the chapter.

With that being said, the death of Hiroshi was something that was always planned and took about two days to write. Because the situation was so dire, I wanted to show the audience that no one is safe and felt that there had to be a gut punch in the chapter. Also seeing as how Hiroshi was a big character of the story, I thought that seeing his death was like a death of a family member.

Going into the climactic moment where Adam uses his "Release Recollection" I wanted this moment to be bigger and grander than we have ever seen. Because we've all seen Adam use his "Enhance Armoment" command, I wanted this new attack to be a lot bigger than his previous fights and I wanted to show off just how powerful this knight truly is. But even though his final attack is what saves everyone, it comes at a costly price. And for those who recognize the star sequence in the final moments of the chapter, it is the moment where Kirito is fighting Gabriel in the anime. But anyway, that'll do it for this chapter, as I will see you all in the finale.