'Well, that was the worst trip ever...' Harold thought as he and Sophia sped through the air, unable to direct where they were going. Before they had turned into a meteorite, Harold and his friends were clearing out the final boss room on the 12th floor. When the boss was defeated, a dark blue-black portal appeared and started sucking Sophia towards it. Harold had pulled Sophia to his chest in an attempt to save her, only to pull himself into the sucking vortex. His last words were to Kirito, he had yelled "Kirito, keep my friends safe!" before closing his wings around both Sophia and himself. Where ever they were, Harold knew that it wasn't SAO anymore. "Hold on, Sophia, just hold on." Harold whispered into his friend's ear before they hit solid ground. Harold slowly opened his wings and noticed a whole bunch of people staring at them. 'Great,' He thought 'More people playing a VRMMO~" He stopped mid-thought as something hit him. How in the world did they escape from SAO in the first place?! "You two alright?" Harold looked up at the armored figure, the helmet looked like some type of pokemon and it had a cloth going over the person's face. Besides that, the rest of the armor looked like something a samurai would wear, discounting the wolverine claw gloves.
"Yes, I'm fine but my friend isn't." The armored figure waved over several of of his fellow's before kneeling to get a better look at Sophia. The armored figures helped carry Sophia to the table that he hadn't seen before and put her on it, lightly. Harold noticed a cat-like woman looking over Sophia, whispering something he couldn't hear even with his kaiju hearing. "I'm Lady Sakuya of the Sylphs, may I inquire who you are?" Harold nodded his head towards the Sylph leader before answering "I am Harold Saegusa BlackHeart, but I am also known as The Forgotten Echo , Lady Sakuya." The cat woman gasped and looked up from Sophia. "You're the Forgotten Echo !? Sakuya, he's the most powerful player in all of the VRMMOs!" She squeaked as she bowed her head respectfully toward him. "Uh...I haven't even asked your name and your bowing to me?" He asked confused, making some of the armored people snorted in an attempt to hide their laughter.
Harold then sharply turned, his hearing picking up vibrations of wings. "Something is coming this way and fast." Moving to the edge of the cliff, Harold started speaking and the golden words spun around his body, then the air shimmered and solidified as it showed red armored figures flying in tight formation. "Salamanders!" He heard one of the people shout behind him, he straightened and slashed his hand through the spell. "I'll handle them, they have no idea what they are going to face." Harold turned to the table and pointed at Sophia "Please, heal her. That's all I ask of you." Sakuya nodded and turned to Sophia, raising her hand and started a healing spell. Turning back to the cliff, Harold grinned as he saw the red armor of the Salamanders glinting in the sun.
Opening his wings and launching himself into the air, Harold activated his armor's helmet since the rest of his armor was already on him since the floor 12 boss. The Salamander's were given pause when they saw the red and black armored figure blocking their way. "If you want to get to them, you'll have to go through me first." Harold said and noticed the red armored soldiers talk amongst themselves before someone charged him. Faster than the eye could see, Harold uppercutted the Salamander that charged him, cutting the soldier's health in half. "Enough." Harold heard and watched the Salamanders move out of the way for a dark red haired man. "So, Introductions, I am The Forgotten Echo and you are?" The man gave Harold a once over before answering "General Eugene and what are you? You're not one of those NPC's that battle for someone are you?"
Harold pulled out his lightsaber, activated it and pointed it at Eugene. "No, I'm not and you are interfering with a diplomatic ally talks, so I would ask you leave immediately." The Man looked at the lightsaber before pulling out his own weapon, Demonic Sword Gram, and held it in his hands. "We shall see, when I turn you into shreds." Eugene charged, swinging as he came, only for Harold to block and counter by activating his crossguard. The mini lightsaber blades caught the general off guard, allowing Harold attack and leave a gash on the man's face. Harold held his lightsaber in one hand and held his other out. Eugene charged again, but was cautious in his attacks, blocking and striking as opportunities appeared. Harold noticed this and shifted his combat style, kicking the sword out of the way and slashed is weapon across the Salamanders chest five times before the general blocked the final strike.
"Not bad, but you've wasted your sword skill." Eugene smirked only to turn to shock as Harold grinned. "Oh, that wasn't a sword skill, that was just lots of practice. This is a sword skill." Harold broke away from the crossed swords and his lightsaber began to glow bright blue. Charging at the Salamander, Harold spun around and brought his blade up at an angle, creating a blue wave of energy that cut into the general and lowering his health into the orange. "Lets change it up." Harold grinned and summoned a whip to his hand before whipping it and making electricity crackle up and down its length. "How did you get a legendary weapon!?" Harold heard one of the Salamanders shout, but he ignored the soldier and slashed the whip in an x-shape then slashing his lightsaber in a plus. He then kicked the energy towards Eugene, who couldn't block it as it surrounded him and shrank.
The Salamanders health dropped to a sliver of red before the energy prison vanished. Tossing the whip away and everyone gasped as it turned into digital polygons, Harold sped towards the general and beheaded him in one smooth move. With an explosion, General Eugene turned into a fire ball before it crashed into the ground on the cliff. "Checkmate." Harold said as he deactivated his weapon and placed it on his belt. Harold flew back to the cliff and let his helmet split in half and moved to his shoulders. Walking over to the table, Harold placed his hand on Sophia's before sitting at the table. It was a blur, General Eugene accepted that he couldn't attack and left, but not before telling Harold that when they met again, it would be a battle of legends. Harold had been introduced to Alicia Rue, leader of the Cait Sith's and one of the people that had been in the SAO Beta, but didn't enter the full game because she had gotten sick the week it had been released.
"I still can't believe that you are not a fairy..." Saluya said as she put an hand on his shoulder, giving what comfort she could to the SAO escapee. "I've had dreams about this, the fight with Eugene, this world and the magic. I also learned what I am in this world, I am a Kaiju Demon." Alicia Rue smiled as she said "That's cool, most people are only able to be one of the fairies, but very few are demons in ALO. You are the only one that is, in a sense, the king of all demons." Harold smiled, the Cait Sith's energy was infectious, as he said "Well, it helps that I am The Forgotten Echo and I have the ability to create any weapon I want. Hows Sophia doing?" That brought the happy mood of the two leaders down, Sakuya answered "Sophia is...safe for the moment, but she is in a coma. You were lucky that both of our personal guards know healing, as it is standard to be one. If you need a place to stay, you are welcome to Swilvane." Alicia Rue then added "You can stay at Freelia if you are in need as well." Harold gave the two leaders grateful looks before he pulled Sophia's body into his arms. "If its ok with you, I'll go with Lady Sakuya." Alicia just smiled as she said "That's fine, just make sure to visit me when you can, Harold."