Chapter Twelve

The Castle of Darkness

Beginning A/N:

Hello there, I've been getting another rash of guest reviews again… but this time, they're not hateful!

So, a little bit of explanations dedicated to the guest reviewer named o-o. First, Rita really does have white hair in real life. She has something called albinism, which causes lack of pigment in hair, skin, and eye color. Because of the countless blood vessels in her eyes, which all humans have, and the fact that she has no pigment, her eyes are red, which means that her red eyes aren't there just because this is an anime FanFiction.

Next, we have the reason that Rita and Aria, the sisters of the group, don't go leveling together. Let's just say… they don't get along very well. That'll be expanded on in later chapters.

Without further ado, have a fun read, everyone!

"After that, he simply stated, 'You lose' and retracted his scythes. He went over to my sword and tossed it back to me. He told me I did better than expected, and said that he'd make his lackeys stop PKing for a while and move his base of operations elsewhere.

"He told me his name was Yami, and he left."

"But there wasn't anything there when I found you… they couldn't have moved entire walls that quickly, could they?" Asuna stated, perplexed.

What?!

For a week now, I've been searching tirelessly for this mysterious group's base of operations. I gained three levels in the process, as well as achieving three-quarters mastery of [[Dual Wield]]. I had no idea who this group was, but I knew their objectives couldn't be anything good. That wasn't the true reason for my search, though.

I have to find that man!

I don't know why I wanted to find him. Was it to unravel his secrets, or was it simply for… revenge?

I had gotten into fights with all my friends over this, and I still had yet to make up with them, or even tell them the reason why I broke contact.

I'm sorry guys, but I don't want any of you to get hurt because you were with me.

I had leveled up my [[Hiding Skill]] to the point that I could have it on for days on end, and when I did, I was completely off the map. No one could find me. But I liked it like that.

I was currently living at a shop in the city, taking refuge in an NPC's guest room unlocked by a quest.

I had already completed the quest to get a house on this floor, but everyone knew I lived there, so I only went there when I absolutely needed to. Even then, I only went there on the darkest of nights.

Tonight was one of those nights.

As I went through the city under cover of darkness, I noticed some information brokers out on the streets, haggling with customers for information.

Even this late at night?

When I arrived at the front yard of my house, I saw the only friend I hadn't fought with yet.

Argo.

I had scheduled to meet with her tonight to ask for information. She didn't know what I was going to ask about… or so I thought.

"So, Ki-Bou, you've got everyone pretty mad at you. Don't worry, I understand you."

"No you don't," I said, getting agitated.

"You're looking for the hideout of the [[Phantom Reapers]], aren't you?"

How did she?!

The ruthless PKing guild had made itself known as the [[Phantom Reapers]] to those who fought them and lived, which currently numbered less than ten. I was apparently the first person in the game to fight one of them and live.

Still, anyone who did live never told anyone without the knowledge that they'd keep it a secret. Thus, no one really knew about them but the ones who had seen them up close and lived… and their closest friends. It was just that traumatizing.

"Does that mean that you've seen them?" I asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, and I number as the ninth person to fight them and live." Downtrodden, she continued, "Don't worry though, I'm just fine…"

"Something really bad happened, I can tell," I said, seeing through her lie immediately.

"All right… I'll tell you, free of charge."

If it's free of charge, then it must be something really bad… and she wants me to do something about it.

"All right, let's hear it."

"I was partying with Asuna, Rita, Kamiko, Cirdan and Aria to search for their base, and… we found it."

I hope this isn't going where I think it's going.

"They surrounded us. We tried to fight, but… there were just too many of them. They slowly overpowered us with sheer numbers, and just when we were all about to collapse, the crowd parted to reveal a man in a white cloak using a scythe. He used some kind of sleep fragrance, and put everyone to sleep other than me and Cirdan, who had been leveling up our [[Status Resistance]] skills. We ran away as fast as we could, but Cirdan got caught. I'm the only one who got away. *Sniff* I don't even know if the others survived or not!" Argo said sadly, bursting into tears.

I wrapped her in a tight embrace, soothing her as best as I knew how. "Shhh… it'll be okay… I'll find those bastards and get our friends back. I promise."

That may not have seemed like the best way to comfort someone, but with Argo, it worked like a charm.

"Thank you, Ki-Bou…" Argo sniffled, coming out of her depression.

"All right, do you want to come with?" I asked warily.

I'm not sure if I want her to come with me, but we both need people to watch our backs. They're probably looking to come back and eliminate us as it is.

We left my house, Argo leading us into the night.

(Yami)

I emerged from the shadows that the streetlight cast on his house, clapping my hands as I watched them leave.

"Yeah, that's right, Kirito." I whispered. "Go. Go right into my master's arms."

(Kirito)

We had been walking for hours, longer perhaps. I began to count the times we passed by different kinds of trees… and stopped when I reached the twenty-fifth.

Argo, however, didn't seem to be bored in the least.

Suddenly, a serious look came across her face, and she pointed to a cave just to our left.

"That's the cave we found them in. They should be in the deepest part of the cave," she said, suddenly holding back tears.

This is so unlike her.

"It'll be okay, don't worry. Now, let's go!"

We raced through the cave, reaching the bottom quickly due to our movement speed bonuses. When we got as deep as we could go, I noticed something… off… about Argo's expression. She was crying silently. I then realized that there was no hideout of any kind in the depths of the cave. She had set me up.

"What's going on, Argo? Why did you deceive me?"

Someone in a cloak as black as night walked out from behind her, laughing eerily. "It took you this long to figure it out? You're a fool, Kirito… well, I guess you always have been."

That voice… it's—

"Yamiko! Why are you here?!" I shouted in disbelief.

"Well, I'm here to eliminate the biggest threat we have to our organization, the [[Black Beater]] and [[First Champion]], that's all."

"Look, I don't know what all this champion stuff is, but I can't let you kill anyone else! I know that we were friends once, but if you kill anyone else, then I'll stop you in any way I can!" I yelled furiously at the girl standing in front of me.

"Oh? I don't remember ever having a friend. If we really were friends once, would you go as far as to kill me?"

I flinched back in shock. That's right! I can't kill her! She was my first crush!

"I propose a challenge. If you can defeat me in a duel, then I'll disband my guild. If you lose, however, then you will join me. If you decline, then Argo here will pay the price right here in front of you."

I have a feeling that she's the 'Master' that the scythe guy was talking about. But… I can't back down now! I've gotten so much stronger over the past week! I'll win for sure!

"I accept your challenge!" I yelled, going into my menu to equip my two fully-upgraded additions to my equipment folder.

Once fully equipped, I held the [[Peat-Soaked Fang]] in my right hand, and the [[Cronus' Sword]] in my left. I glared at Yamiko with all the anger I could muster.

Can I really fight her?

Yamiko threw off her cloak, revealing her shoulder-length white hair, deep violet eyes, and a figure that most girls dream of having.

So, she changed her look?

On her back was a double-bladed staff, which she promptly took off of her back, and…

"[[Weapon Merge: Disconnect]]!"

What the hell?! It's the same technique… HE used!

She disconnected the staff at the center, the two halves looking like two longswords. She charged at me with blinding speed, just barely giving me time to block.

CLASH, CLASH, CLASH!

This is turning out the same as before, but even more intense! I have to find an opening!

It was then that I found the opening I'd been looking for.

When she strikes upward, she leaves her legs completely unguarded for just a split second!

CLASH, CLASH, CLASH!

We kept on swinging, sparks flying with each clash we made. Then, I finally got the chance I was waiting for.

When she struck upward, I kicked her hard in the shins, sending her reeling backwards.

I smirked, activating one of my newly acquired skills, a fifteen-hit combo known as [[Shine Circular]].

Left, right, double diagonal up-

The first three hits made perfect contact.

My player cursor turned orange. I remembered my fight with Yami.

"{{System Influence: Orange Override}}!"

Does that mean that he was protecting me from becoming an orange player? But that means… Yamiko was leading me into a trap! She wanted me to become an orange player!

My vision was overcome by a deep crimson, and I could even feel my eyes turn red.

After that, Yamiko began to block all of the strikes with perfect ease.

At the same time, we shouted, "Is that everything you've got?!"

Our breaths hitched in unison.

"Is that all you've got, Yamiko?" I asked while our Shinai were in a deadlock.

"I was about to ask you the same question, Kazuto!" she shouted as she pushed me back.

When we snapped out of our flashbacks, we were in the exact same deadlock as we had just seen, my swords' blue glow fading.

"Screw this! I reached my objective, so we'll call it a draw," she said, a sad look crossing her beautiful features.

"So you remembered? By the way, you looked better without the dye in your hair," I said, causing her to reel back in anger.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted, primal fury in her eyes.

She fled, other guild mates in cloaks appearing out of nowhere and falling in line behind her.

Well, I'd better go to Argo.

I ran over to her… or… where she had been.

"Argo? Where did you go? ARGO!"

Damn it, they took her! I'll DESTROY THEM!

Red filled my vision, getting darker and darker until it became completely black. The blackness consumed my sense of reason, sending the real me plummeting into the depths of my soul. Strangely, I could still sense what was around me, which I used to my full advantage.

As I ran through the cave, I found that I could move faster than ever before, even faster than Yami and Yamiko combined. Cave walls blurred by in seconds until I found myself breaking out into the forest.

In the light of the moon, I found that I could see through the blackness, as if it were a tint instead of a coat of paint.

I saw people running into the distance, quick as the wind. I wasn't about to let something as trivial as speed stop me, so I ran. I ran toward them even faster than I ran in the cave.

"What the fu—" one of the cloaked men managed to get out before I slashed him in two.

"RAAAGH!"

I screamed in bestial fury, slashing three more to pieces with an [[Impact Wave]].

Running to catch up to the remaining five and finish them off the same way, I noticed that Yami was there, the only survivor of my vicious attacks.

"Payback!"

As soon as that word slipped from my mouth, he turned around and ran to meet me, his scythes already clashing against my swords.

Snarling, Yami said, "It seems you've gotten better, [[First Champion]]. But you're still no match for me!"

"Oh really? I just went toe to toe with your master!"

"The hell are you talking about?"

"Does the name Yamiko ring a bell? The one with a [[Unique Skill]]?"

"She may have a [[Unique Skill]], but she's only my sister! My master is much stronger!" Yami yelled with contempt.

"What?!"

He used the opening created by my shock to turn to the offense, slashing with pinpoint accuracy. I could barely even block.

"I won't… let you… get in my way!" I yelled, the coloring of my vision changing yet again, this time into silver.

"What the f*** happened to your eyes?! They're f***ing silver!" Yami shouted, jumping back.

"I'll send you to hell, where you'll rot for eternity like the filth you are!" I said, my voice competing with another.

"Yami, we don't have the time to deal with him right now! Let's get out of here!" Yamiko yelled at him with a talk-back-and-you-die tone in her voice.

"Damn it! 'Til next time, [[First Champion]]!" And with that, they disappeared without a trace.

"Get back here, you cowards! I'll kill you!"

When I snapped out of my rage, I realized something. They didn't have Argo with them!

"K-Ki-Bou? Are you… are you sane again?" the voice I was looking for said from behind me.

"Argo… what the hell?! Why the hell did you do that?! I can't believe you would deceive me… and about something so important! Your deceit caused me to go into that rage, and that caused me to kill so many people!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I immediately regretted it once I saw the tears running down her face… and the uncharacteristic sobs escaping her throat.

"I'm sorry! Please, please, forgive me! I-I'm sorry!" she sobbed.

She's sincere… I can't stand to see her like that…

"I'm really mad at you right now, but… I'll try to forgive you. I'm not sure if I can fully forgive you yet, but just know that I'll never truly hate you, nor will I ever hurt you," I soothed her.

"Thank you…"

"Now, I'm sorry if it's a little too soon to talk about this, but… why did you set me up?"

"I-I don't know, I just saw someone shout some kind of system command, and then I couldn't think, I could only do as I was told. I know it's hard to believe, but I swear I'm telling the truth," Argo said, sounding less upset.

"I believe you. Was the guy who shouted the command wearing a white cloak?"

"Yeah, he was!"

"So that guy can manipulate the command line of the [[Cardinal System]] to his will. That guy… I won't let him get away with taking our friends! Argo, are you ready?"

"Yeah!"

And we ran. Ran in the direction they fled. We ran for at least an hour before realization hit me and I slapped my forehead.

"I'm such an idiot! Argo, we can just use our [[Tracking Skills]]!"

"Good idea!"

Activating my [[Tracking Skill]], I noticed that the footprints were not on the ground, but in the trees.

Guys… don't worry, we're coming! We're coming to save you all!

(Kamiko)

They separated Rita and I from everyone else some time ago and forced us to fight legions of mobs that they forced into the room.

Activating a devastating skill - [[Critical Chain]] - I started tearing through mob after mob. [[Critical Chain]] is a four-hit combo that boosts (or lowers) your critical hit chance to 90%, and with each critical hit made, four more hits get added on, as well as another 2.5% critical hit chance. If and when you hit 100% critical hit chance, the combo stops, with a maximum of sixteen hits.

Slash left, swipe right, cleave, JAB-

My first critical hit.

Swipe left, swipe right, slash down, CLEAVE-

Another critical hit.

This continued until I had reached the maximum hit count, having destroyed every single mob in the room. However, seconds after I wiped them out, they started to respawn.

"Kamiko, I think we have to work together to keep them from re-spawning!" Rita yelled from the center of the room.

"All right! I'm under a long EE right now, so you'll have to cover me for a while!"

"Got it!"

Rita dashed over to me, defending me from even the most brutal of attacks with ease. How in the hell?!

"All right, I'm ready! Let's do that [[Team Skill]] we were talking about!"

"All right… one… two… THREE!"

We then shouted, "[[Team Skill: Invisible Shadow]]!" in unison.

I jumped directly over Rita, grabbing all of my throwing picks and sending them flying in all directions at a speed that made them ignite in a black flame. At the same time, Rita started spinning her katana around her even faster, creating shockwaves that pushed more than half of the throwing picks into the enemies out of normal range.

The shattering sound of millions of polygons of countless shapes and sizes bombarded our eardrums, signifying the simultaneous destruction of every mob in the room.

"Very good, you've passed the first test. You seem to be worthy of your titles, [[Third and Fifth Champions]], unlike that weak Dual Wielder," that same white-cloaked man said impassively.

"H-he knows?!" Rita shouted.

That damn bastard called Kiri-kun weak!

"Yes, I know about all of the champions, thanks to my master. He told me of your plans, and said to test you."

"Is your master… maybe… a GM?" Rita inquired.

"So, you're not a total airhead, [[Rita the unyielding]]. Yes, my master is a by the book GM, and you know what that means…"

"You could delete us at any moment, right? Kiri-kun said he heard you shout a System Command," I said, trying to sound unemotional but inwardly shaking in fear.

"Yes, I could, but… that wouldn't quite be fair now, would it? My master wants to give you a sporting chance, and I believe if anyone can pass this test, then you [[Champions]] have a better shot than anyone. Hell, I might even help… you know, once I've had my fun."

"And what's the test?" I queried.

"Face me, two on one. With your teamwork, clearing the task at hand should be childs' play, should it not?" the man taunted.

"All right, bring it on!"

A/N:

Dang, I didn't even know I could do that! I pulled off two chapters in two days! (Well, I wrote two chapters in two days, I just didn't publish them that fast.) Sometimes I amaze even myself.

Anyway, a lot of stuff was revealed in this chapter, huh? (Maybe too much… hmm… maybe.) I honestly don't have much to say. Then again, I did stay up all night Tuesday night/Wednesday morning writing this, so I think my brain was just fried, and I'm too lazy to find anything to explain now. It's as simple as that.

Well… I guess I should mention the cliffhanger questions, huh?

Will Kamiko and Rita be able to beat Yami before Kirito gets there to steal the glory? Where are Asuna and Cirdan? Are they even alive? If so, will they still be alive when Kirito and Argo come to save them?

Find out in the next exciting chapter of ESR!

Oh, and there's also this:

I don't own SAO or any of the characters, floors, skills, or weapons I borrow in this story!

See ya!