I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the character.

Swarm

Michael stepped out into the cave, shielding his eyes for a moment and looking around. He was standing at the edge of a large open field and could see the World Tree directly ahead of him, nearer than he had expected when he entered the caves. He smiled, spreading his wings and taking off. He missed being able to fly. Probably not a good thing, given that he didn't want to lose grip on reality, but it was the truth. He loved flying.

"So, wonder what I can do today," Michael thought aloud as he flew.

There were several flying lizard monsters nearby that he could kill for money but for the time being, he really didn't care about them. He wanted to see what the World Tree was like. Not to become an Alf, but he had been told the fight at the base was unwinnable. And he so loved unwinnable fights, at least, in games where you were allowed to die. To be perfectly honest, he didn't care to win the fight. He just wanted to fight the guardian.

After about five minutes of flying, he stopped as dozens of Salamanders shot out of the trees below him, stopping around him. He sighed, drawing his sword as the Salamanders all drew their shields and lances.

"Why do you all have spears?" Michael asked.

"Uniformity," one stated. "We are an army after all."

Michael snorted in amusement, looking around. They all looked exactly alike, except a handful who had black masks.

"Get him," one snarled and they all charged.

Michael sighed and pun, slashing three before flying over the others and stopping as the Salamander's spears crashed together.

"Why are you all after me?" Michael demanded.

"Anyone who could take on General Eugene can't be taken on by any less than this," one of them explained as the Salamanders below Michael shot up at him. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Well sure, usually," Michael stated, slashing the first player to reach him across the chest then flying out of the way of the others.

Just as he did, a dozen fireballs flew at him from all sides. He swore, gritting his teeth as the spells blasted him. He fell, barely conscious and his body screaming in pain. He righted himself, clutching his sword tightly.

"That hurt," Michael growled. "A whole lot more than the injuries Eugene gave me. I hate burns."

He flew forward, zipping past several soldiers and attacking the closest mage. It died, along with two more before three lances impaled Michael from behind.

"Shit," Michael growled. "Today's just not my day."

He spun, throwing the players away and pulling the lances out of himself, hurling them into three more mages. Just as he finished, more fireballs shot at him. He flew upward, narrowly escaping the explosion, then spun, using his sword to deflect several lances. He slashed one of the player's throats then dropped, a fireball crashing into another player and killing several. He turned, narrowly avoiding one of the commanders' lances then slashed at him, sword sparking against the player's shield.

"I thought you were going to be a threat," the commander snickered. "Shame."

Michael slashed at him again and the Commander dodged sideways, allowing nine fireballs to blast Michael all at once. Michael crashed to the ground,groaning as his health continued to fall.

"Shit," Michael sighed. "That's disappointing."

His health hit zero and he sighed again as he burned away to a Remain Light. Then, the light faded after several moments. A moment later, he opened his eyes in the same inn he had just left. He sighed standing and opening his inventory. He still had his equipped gear and torch, but all of his money and any extra items he had gotten were gone.

"Damn," Michael sighed. "Well, at least I don't have anything to lose if I die again. Maybe they aren't waiting anymore."

He left the inn again, retracing his steps and flying toward the World tree again. Soon enough, the same group, or at least, what remained of it, met him, a group of soldiers, including the commanders, in front with their shields raised and behind them was a line of mages, the ones who had been launching fireballs at him before. There were also some more mages behind him but he wasn't sure what they were for.

"Welcome back," one of the commanders greeted. "Shall we go again?"

Michael flew forward, slashing at them only for their shields to block it. Then, fireballs appeared around the soldiers on all sides. Michael swore, flying backward and barely avoiding the blast then grinning.

"Let's test that speed of yours," Michael grinned.

He flew sideways, shooting around the soldiers and at the fire mages. They began to rapidly launch fireballs at him, forcing him to veer sideways and begin to avoid their attacks instead. He finally began to go forward again, avoiding their attacks as best he could as he shot toward them. Just as he slashed at on, a soldier appeared beside him, stabbing at him. He avoided the lance and a fireball crashed into him, blasting him away. He flipped over, stopping himself and flew at the soldiers again. Two broke ranks, hurling their lances at him and he dodged both as the two Salamanders few at him while drawing swords. He grinned, blocking a slash from the first then flipping over the second and grabbing his shield, using it to flip and kick the player away, keeping the shield. He put it on and grinned, raising it. The player that still had his shield stabbed at Michael and Michael spun out of the way, smashing the shield into the player's throat, grinning as he saw that he essentially had Holy Sword in ALfheim Online.

The player flew backward, coughing and clutching his throat as fireballs shot at Michael. He grinned, avoiding most but one was delayed and flew directly at him. He grinned, smashing the shield into the fireball. It exploded but did no damage to him. He spun, blocking the Salamander who's shield he stole using the shield then moved his shield out of the way, forcing the sword aside and slashed the player. Then, Michael flipped, flying downward as fireballs and the other Salamander with a sword followed. He swerved at the last second and the fireballs exploded, blocking the other Salamander's vision and making him crash headlong into the ground, killing him. Michael arched through the air, flying at the mages again. They began to fire at him and he avoided the fireballs, making it very close to them before raising the shield, blocking three, the blast launching the mages as well.

They all righted themselves as the other group of mages healed them. Michael narrowed his eyes, flying at the other group. The soldiers flew to intercept him but Michael spun, hurling the shield into the group and delaying them enough for him to reach the mages, quickly slaughtering them then spinning and flying over a fireball. The soldiers reached him and he swept two lances out of the way, slashing two players then flipping over another lance, slashing that player and taking his shield. He spun, knocking the other soldiers away by slamming his sword into their shields. They all were forced back and Michael put the shield on, flying at one of the soldiers. They stabbed at him and he nocked the lance aside with his shield, slashing the player then spinning and blocking both of the other spears. He shoved them aside and slashed the soldiers then dropped under a volley of fireballs, flying at the mages. They began to fire at him rapidly, staggering it for speed. He held his shield up, blocking the attacks as he flew forward, pulling his sword back. At the last second, the shield was blasted away from him and he swore, rolling out of the way of a fireball then slashing the first mage. He spun, slashing four more then grabbed a sixth and threw him into the path of a fireball, killing him. The last two turned to flee but before they could, Michael flew past, slashing both of them. Then, he shot down to the ground, stopping his descent ten feet up just as his wings ran out.

He landed on his feet, sighing and putting his sword away. He had gotten gold from all of them but that was it. Both shields he had stolen had been lost, leaving him basically exactly as he had been before they had interfered but with less money. He began to walk through the trees in the general direction of the World Tree and after roughly ten minutes he stopped, sitting down and looking up at the sky. He was starting to wish he could fly constantly. He hated walking. He looked around and felt his eyes growing heavy.

"I suppose this is as good a place as any to sleep," Michael sighed closing his eyes and drifting off.

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