Chapter 11

Authors Note: Hey guys…It's been a while. Like I said in the last Author's Note, my computer started hating me, but I think I've fixed the problem, so my writing might speed back up. Anyway, this is a relatively short chapter, just because I needed some cool stuff to fill in the gaps 'till the next story bit. Also, when this story is done (which is a LONG time away, but it will eventually happen) I will be doing a poll, so you guys can vote on which story I should start next, from my small cache of half-started stories.

May 13th 2024

I sprinted hard through the city, dodging crowds that aimlessly walked around. After nearly catching my scythe on a bench, I opened my menu, dissolving the weapon as I kept running. 'I have to make it,' I thought as I felt the weight disappear from my back. 'He wouldn't really…' I shook my head. 'His wife died. I can't hope to predict what he'd do.'

A man named Alex had witnessed his wife's death at the hand of the floor 62 mini-boss. He'd teleported back to town immediately, and I'd done so after the battle. I heard that he was lurking around the edge of the floor. If he was planning to jump, I had to talk him out of it…or, at least, take his will.

I skidded to a stop, my eyes flicking around the deserted park, searching for his mass of black hair. I saw him leaning over a bench near the edge, and took a few steps closer, stopping about a meter away. "Alex?" I said tentatively. He didn't respond. "Alex. Can you please step away from the edge?" He still didn't respond. I took a step towards him and he finally turned, brandishing his trademark foot and a half long dagger.

"Keep away!" he shouted, lunging at me, a wild look in his eyes. I sidestepped the stab, grabbing his wrist to keep the blade away from me. It was a safe zone, but there was a fair chance that the knock back effect might glitch and sent me off the edge. "Leave me alone!"

"I just want to talk, Alex. That's all." He released the dagger, and I dropped his wrist. He clutched his head, sitting down at the bench.

"Why can't you people leave me alone?"

"I'm the only one here, Alex," I said, sitting down next to him, staying on the other side of the bench. "I just want to know how you're doing."

"My wife died!" he shouted.

"I know," I said quietly. "That's why I'm here."

"She…She was all I had…"

"I'm not going to pretend I know what you're going through. But if you just-."

"NO!" He shouted this, slamming his hands onto the bench. "She! Was all! I had!"

"Alex, I need you to calm down."

"What do you know?! You're just…A monster!" I flinched. People usually regressed to their base senses when they're in panic or grief, and all he could see was a demon. Taking a shaky breath as I dragged the hood off my head.

"Look at me. I'm just a guy." He turned to look at me, his eyes still wide with fear. "I have a family in the real world, and a wife in this one that I love very much. If I lost her, you and I would be in very similar situations."

"But you haven't," he said, his eyes flicking back to the ground.

"That's not the point-."

"No! You still have her! You still have a family! I HAVE NOTHING LEFT!" He leapt forward to his feet, launching himself off the edge. I'd expected this when he started shouting, and ran after him, grabbing his ankle before it slipped over the edge. He shook with a sob, his head rising up to look me in the eye. His face twisted in anger and desperation as he shouted. "Why can't you let me die?!"

His words struck me. I felt that I had to save him, simply because he was a person who I thought really wanted to live, and would realize this once he calmed down. But…This guy had nothing left. He had no family left in the real world, and just watched the woman he loved die. He literally had nothing left to live for, and prolonging his agony…would just be cruel. I did something I never thought I'd have it in me to do.

I dropped him.

His foot slipped through my fingers, and his body rushed through the air. His body flipped, and I saw his face one last time. The guy was falling to his death. Most people, even during suicide, scream, yell, or even flail involuntarily. But this guy was still, the most serene look on his face. His eyes cracked open one last time before he died. They locked with mine. And he smiled…Before exploding into polygons.

Lisbeth's P.O.V.

I was finishing up my last project when I heard the bell ring. It was after hours, so it was either Asuna or Seth. I left the forge, wiping my hands on my apron, and entered the shop. I looked up to see Seth was standing in the middle of the shop, holding himself up on the counter. "Seth?" I asked. "Are you okay?" No response. This wasn't good. "Seth?" I asked again, walking out from behind the counter. "Talk to me, please?"

"Alex is dead," he muttered. I gasped softly. Alex was a good man, and he came in my shop often. We weren't exactly friends, but we knew each other. But that wasn't what was messing him up. This was proved a second later. "He fell off Aincrad."

"He killed himself?" I asked incredulously.

"Jamie died in the mini-boss fight." I lowered my head, clenching my fists. Jamie and I were friends, and knowing I'd never see her smile again hurt deeply.

"Did you get his will?"

"No. He said he had no family left, nothing to pass on."

"That's a first." Suddenly, he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around me, and tugging me tightly to his chest. He placed his chin on my shoulder, and took a shaky breath. I felt something wet touch my shoulder. 'Is…Is he crying?' Seth never cried. At least, I'd never seen it. Even with the emotion overclock software, that amplified feelings and displayed them on your face, he kept his emotions in line. But this…This had really gotten to him. "That's not all, is it?" I asked softly.

"I dropped him." The words hung in the air for a long, tense moment. "I caught him…and then I dropped him. He…He had nothing left, and I just…" I felt so bad for him. Why did he always have to keep it all inside? 'I'm his wife. He should be able to open up around me.'

"It's okay to cry," I said. Almost immediately, I was released as he collapsed against the counter, letting out sobs. He buried his face in his hands and let out whimpers in between quick raspy breaths. I crouched down next to him, wrapping my arms around his neck, placing my head on his shoulder, and waited for the end as I let my own tears stream down my face.

(X)

Seth's P.O.V.

May 15th 2024

I walked along the path, following close behind the clearing group as we approached the boss room. I tightened my bandanna as Heathcliff gave his motivational speech, and went over strategy one more time. All I heard was, "And the Reaper will keep its agro. Won't you?" he called to the back where I was standing, where I gave a short, curt nod. How the hell was I supposed to keep its agro? Well, that remained to be seen. The doors opened…And revealed the boss.

The boss was a giant orc, but unlike others on this floor who had axes or maces, heavy weapons like that, this one had gloves with blades on the knuckles. Wolverine claws. I ran in, activating disguise and growing to its height. I slashed my scythe across its chest, instantly drawing its attention, before I realized a problem.

A scythe is a long range weapon, lots of sweeping and spinning. If I wanted to keep its agro, I'd need to make lots of quick strikes, something I can't do with a scythe. I'd also need to stay close. If I backed up to use my scythe effectively, I might lose its agro. I can't equip any other items while in Disguise…So I did what anyone would do in my situation. I dropped my scythe and punched that fat bastard in the face.

Sword Art Online has several Martial Arts skills that are all unlocked from the beginning, and get stronger as you level up and use them more. Once, while extremely bored, I spent an entire weekend leveling up the unarmed combat skill, raising it up to where I could do some decent damage. But I didn't need to do damage, I just needed to be fast. And the best part about unarmed skills? There's no cooldown time.

My fist clocked into the orc's face, driving it to the side, and it immediately retaliated with swipes that I ducked under, letting off a few punches into its stomach. It tried to uppercut me, and I stepped back, getting back in the second it was clear. I still couldn't afford to get too far away.

I raised my hands into the martial arts stance that I was most comfortable with, weight on my left foot which was in front, hands loose and at the ready in front of my chest. It punched at me, and I sidestepped, using a two hit skill to knock its head back. It rushed forward, claws outstretched towards my chest. I ducked to the left, rushing forward with a hard punch to the gut. It roared as one of Heathcliff's skills made it's health enter the red. "I'm sorry," my voice boomed around the boss room. I grabbed the side of its head, slamming it into the wall. "I was aiming for your balls." I stepped back, and spun, kicking it in the side of the head. I rushed to the side, scooping up my scythe, and rushing back to the boss.

It was recovering from the quick flurry of strikes, and immediately focused back on me, rushing forward. I spun, driving the blade down straight through the top of its head. The tip of the blade came out of its groin, and the boss shattered into pieces. I turned back to the cheering assault team. "Too bad," I muttered, though it was still broadcast to everyone in the room. "I couldn't think of any more good dick jokes." I shrunk, and allowed myself a public smile before raising the bandanna.