I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.
Out of the Frying Pan
Michael stepped up to the edge of the volcano, glancing down at his fire resistance amulat then over at Klein.
"Ready?" Klein asked.
"Nope," Michael said jumping off the ledge and landing in front of the door.
Klein and Sinon landed behind him and Michael walked over to the door, pushing it open. Inside, everything was on fire. The floor, the walls, and the monsters. Most were burning lizards or skeletons, but there were a few floating fireballs and flaming silhouettes roaming the hallway. Michael sighed, drawing his sword as Klein did the same. They stepped into the dungeon and everything turned blood red. The door slammed shut, locking Sinon outside the dungeon and Klein and Kirito inside.
"Anti-crystal zone," Michael grumbled. "I hate this place. If the Skull Reaper shows up you're on your own."
Klein nodded and the two of them sprinted forward, slicing their way through the fire creatures quickly. After a moment, Michael slashed a fireball and it exploded, launching him into a wall. He groaned, pushing himself up and looked up as he was surrounded by fireball.
"Fuck," Michael groaned. "The fireballs explode when you slash them!"
He stood and thenturned, sprinting up the wall as the fireballs rushed at him. He leapt off the wall and landed in a roll, stopping beside Klein. He stood, equipping his bow and began to shoot the fireballs. Explosions began to go off rapidly and within a minute, a chain reaction began, clearing the room. He switched back his his sword, leaving the bow slung across his back this time, and he and Klein continued into the dungeon.
"Kinda wish Sinon had made it in here with us," Klein stated.
"Same," Michael nodded. "She'd be a lot more useful than me."
They stopped as they found themselves at a very large flaming door and stopped.
"There's no way were're there already," Michael stated.
"Can't be," Klein blinked.
Klein stepped forward, pushing the door open and they both stared in shock. There were dozens of monsters in the room and a single chest against the room that had a pair of flaming knights guarding it. Klein and Michael exchanged knowing looks and Michael sprinted into the sea of monsters as Klein sprinted for the chest. Michael activated an ice ability and tore into the monsters, masses of ice exploding up everywhere. Then, he spun, slashing the ground and a ring of ice spikes shot outward, destroying a large amount of the creatures before stopping. Michael's body froze and he cursed. The lag was worse than it should be again. After about thirty seconds, the first monster scrambled over the melting ice spikes and charged at Michael. At the last second, he was able to move again and ducked under its sword, slashing it then spinning and blocking a spear, redirecting it into another monster then slashed the first, both dying.
As Michael fought his army of monsters, Klein leapt onto the wall then over the first flaming knight. He slashed the second down the front then spun, blocking the first's sword. He shoved it upward and slashed the monster across the stomach. It shattered but the one Klein had attacked first was still alive and leapt at Klein. Klein spun, blocking its sword then shoved it upward, slashing the monster across the chest and killing it. Then, he turned to the chest and opened it. The contents flashed and disappeared and he got an alert that he had acquired a list of random potions and one pair of agility boots.
"Michael gets this garbage," Klein decided, closing the window and wading i to the much smaller sea of monsters.
Michael activated his Horizontal Square ability and shot into motion, slashing four times and sending out the four slash trails. This time, however, they were blue. When they reached the end of their reach, enormous masses of ice exploded out of them, blasting the last of the monsters. Klein walked over, sending him the contents of the chest and Michael thanked him, equipping the boots. They were black with red highlights but had higher defense and agility than his so he didn't care that they didn't match.
"Let's go," Michael sighed. "I'm groing tired of this place."
Klein nodded and they ran forward, opening the next door and running through the passages and hallways until they found the boss door. Michael pushed it open and they found themselves on a short bridge to a round platform about a hundred feet above a pool of lava.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Michael sighed. "Shall we?"
Klein nodded and the two of them walked onto the platform. The moment they were on it, the bridge collapsed and the platform began to fall. It stopped a few inches above the lava and Michael groaned, wiping sweat off his forehead.
"Now what?"
He looked to his right and his eyes widened. There was a large ramp leading up and along a hallway ahead of them. The path had stone columns supporting it, which Michael didn't really feel like pointing out the flaw in, and had a massive samurai statue at the top.
"I think we go that way," Michael stated.
Klein nodded and they walked to the ramp, starting to walk up it. Nust as they got halfway, the statue cracked, glowing orange light shining from inside. Then, it shattered and left a flaming samurai wearing a conical hat, heavy armor, and a face mask bearing a manchu mustach of flame.
"Hold travelors," the samurai ordered, holding out its sword, which actually looked a lot like Klein's. "You have fought well to get here. I congratulate your strength. However, i cannot allow you to defile this shrine any further. I must stop you here."
Michael raised his sword but instead of charge, the samurai turned and fled along the path around a corner. A moment later, a massive ball of lava on six skinny legs scurried around the corner then began to roll down the ramp at them. They turned, sprinting down the ramp then moved as far to the outside of the round platform as they could, planning to let it roll off into the lava. At the last second, it caught itself, standing as its health bars, all five of them, appeared. Michael groaned, activating an ice ability and jumping, slashing the thing on the way up. Ice blasted out of it and it roared, turning toward them.
Michael turned, sprinting back up the path with Klein just behind him. As they ran, the massive lava ball chased them. Michael spun, drawing his bow and firing at it but the arrows all burned away before reaching it. Michael swore, putting his bow away and drawing his sword again, using a lightning ability. He stabbed the ground, lightning racing along the ground and then up the creature's legs, making thencreature shriek in pain. Then, it curled up, rolling down to the platform where it stood, beginning to drop the fireball monsters out its bottom. Michael pulled his bow out, firing and watched as the creatures all exploded, blasting thw massive lava ball off the platform.
"Did you get it?" Klein asked.
After a moment it pulled itself out of the lava, fully healed.
"Oh shit," Michael growled. "Run."
They turned, running along the path in the direction the samurai had gone. After a bit, the sprinted into a massive coliseum where not one, but two samurai sat in thrones above them. A moment later, the ball of lava scurried in and the gate closed. Michael groaned. They had to fight it. He turned, croutching and waiting for it to move, Klein doing the same.
After a moment, it roared, stomping toward Michael. He sprinted forward, activating an ice skill and jumping, slashing the creature on the way up, then as he flipped over it. As he landed, masses of ice burst out of it and shattered before Michael darted under it, slashing again. This time, the ice went inward, blasting out the top of the creature before shattering. The creature backed away from Michael and Klein leapt into the air, slashing it and sending ice shooting across its body. Once frozen, the creature's heat shattered the ice, dealing itself a great deal of damage.
Michael shot forward, stabbing one of the creature's legs then turned and sprinted around it, removing all six. It fell to the ground and Klein sprinted forward, slashing it rapidly before Klein stabbed it, a mass of ice exploding out the far side. Both leapt back as the creature's health dropped to red. It roared as its legs regrew then stood and turned toward them.
Klein sprinted forward, slashing the creature's stomach then spun, jumping and carving it open as he jumped over it. Finally the creature shattered and Michael and Klein turned toward the two Samurai as they stood.
"Well fought, young travelers," one of them stated.
"But your fortune ends now," the other stated as they dropped to the ground.
"How do we end up in these kinds of situations?" Michael asked. "As if the Day of the Dead wasn't bad enough."
They both charged their samurai and the samurai met their charge. Michael blocked his samuri's first slash before shoving the blade upward and slashing at the samurai. The samuri flipped his sword down, blocking it then kicked at Michael. Michael avoided it and slashed at the samursi then pivoted, his sword glowing red and dragging him in a circle. The blade carved through the SMurai three times before launching him across the room. Just as it hit the wall, Klein's samurai hit next to it. Both stood, flames rolling off of their swords, then slashed. A massive wall of flames shot outward from them and Michael groaned.
Klein stepped forward, sword glowing blue. He slashed the ground and a wall of ice rose in front of them, blocking the fire. After a moment, the fire ended and the ice wall shattered. Michael sighed, setting the Elucidator across his back as it began to glow blue and Klein shiethed his sword, leaving the last inch free as he crouched, right hand gripping his sword and left gripping his sheath.
"I'm getting tired of this place," Michael growled. "Let's end this."
"Right," Klein nodded as white light began to shine from the last inch of his blade.
The two Samurai held their swords at their sides then darted forward. As they did, Michael leapt forward, jabbing his sword forward and rocketting forward. He blasted through the samurai and it was encased in a massive pillar of ice. Then, the ice shattered, taking the samurai with it. Michael looked back as Klein sped forward drawing his sword and slashing the Samurai across the chest, removing its attacking arm. Then, Klein slowed to a stop beside Michael and his samurai shattered as well.
"That was easier than I expected," Michael sighed. "So, now what?"
The center of the collesium opened and a pedastal with a katana sticking out of it rose from the hole. The katana looked just like Klein's current one but blue rather than black and with blue flames rolling along the blade.
"Impressive," Michael mused. "Play fetch."
Klein walked over, gripping the sword and pulling upward on the sword. At first, it didn't budge. But after a minute, it broke free. Klein spun it a couple times and then rested it on his shoulder.
"How's it feel to have a legendary weapon?" Michael smirked.
"Great," Klein grinned adding it to his inventory then equipping it and breaking down his old one for the materials. "Now let's go enjoy it somewhere cooler."
Michael nodded, happy to oblidge. They hurried through the door of the two they hadn't entered and soon found themselves on a much cooler side of the volcano. Michael looked around then used an ability to send a massive piller of light into the air. It faded and Michael counted down from five. When he hit zero, Sinon arrived.
"I take it you won," Sinon smirked.
"Of course," Michael smirked. "Though, I would love to not have to go back."
"Seconded," Klein groaned. "Let's head over to Agil's place to see what's going on."
"Anything to get out of here," Michael sighed.
Read and review.