The Tri-Blade Alliance

Chapter 18: Recovery

A/N: I'm just gonna level with you all: I honestly did not think this story would get so far, and in a relatively short time window. Also, I bet most of you didn't expect that ending.

S/N: Disclaimer: We don't own SAO.

(x)

I died. That was the first thought that came to Shadow's head when he opened his eyes. He couldn't move; couldn't speak. And still, he managed to register that he was floating in a black void, his coat moving about despite the lack of wind. He held his hand up to the nonexistent sky and laughed to himself. Well, at least we'll be together again. He closed his eyes and waited for the microwave signal to fry his brain.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Ze―

Shadow gasped as he opened his eyes.

(x)

10…

9…

8…

"SHADOW!" Skye and Eros were among the first to yell out the mercenary's name as he shattered into a million pieces. They both collapsed to the floor and began sobbing silently.

"Klein!" Kirito called to Klein urgently. "Do you still…?"

Klein blinked twice, then snapped out of his stupor. "Oh, yeah! Everybody, move outta the way!"

6…

5…

4...

Once everyone moved, Klein opened his menu and selected a shortcut.

In his hand was the Divine Stone of Returning Soul. He held it in front of him.

3…

2...

"Revive...Shadow!" The stone glowed white and shattered into sparkling dust. The dust moved over to where Shadow had died, and began forming a shape of a humanoid on all fours.

1…

Ze―

The dust solidified and Shadow reappeared.

(x)

Shadow gasped for breath before he took in his surroundings. He was...in the room where he fought the Court Jester. Why am I back here? he questioned. He heard the sound of people talking and looked up to see everyone who was there when he "died".

"Shadow!" Skye yelled as she ran forward. She hugged him while he was on the floor. Shadow comfortingly patted her back, causing her to hug him even more. "Are you okay?!"

"I'll manage," Shadow choked out. Hearing his strained tone, Skye pulled back, and gasped in shock when she saw Shadow's appearance. His (visible) skin was pale, his lips were blue, and his breath was coming out in the form of mist, despite the warm temperature of the room. "Let me tell you, dying like that is not something you want to go through twice." Solar walked forward and helped Shadow up, who nodded in thanks. Shadow looked to the crowd. "So, who should I thank for bringing me back?"

Everyone pointed towards Kirito and Klein, who smiled sheepishly. "We can't clear this game without you. We could, but that's not the point," Kirito said.

"You're one of the best fighters we have!" Klein chipped in with a thumbs up.

Shadow chuckled. "Thanks, guys. I knew I could count on you." Shadow walked towards the door. To those who knew Shadow, they could see a slight limp in his walk, and he was shaking slightly while he stood still. Without a word or sound, Shadow pushed the door open.

Floor 68: Open!

Everyone cheered for the mercenary, running past him and offering him various forms of praise. Once everyone except Solar and the Tri-Bladers, Bella, Kirito, and company left, Shadow looked to them. "I don't think I'll be able to help out with the next few floors, though," he told Solar.

Solar waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

"Just get better soon," Eros said, hugging the mercenary, but not as tightly as Skye did. Shadow gently patted her back.

"Thanks. And I don't know if Kirito told you, but I joined the front lines."

Everyone turned to Kirito accusingly, who shrugged sheepishly. "When were you going to tell us?" Asuna crossed her arms and asked.

"Obviously before he died. Besides, it slipped my mind," Kirito replied.

"I'll see you all later," Shadow said, walking to the door. He was stopped, however, when Bella moved in front of him. "What now?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"Will you be okay?"

"...Reaper's Touch is not like other poisons. I won't be of much help for a while. Now, let me leave. I'm crashing in the nearest inn."

(x)

3 Days Later...

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Liz asked in concern as she and Agil tended to Shadow.

"Not really," Shadow responded before doubling over in pain. Agil knelt next to Shadow and patted his back while Shadow doubled over.

"How did you die?" Agil asked once the pain subsided.

"Reaper's Touch." Agil and Liz winced and shook their heads.

"Not good," they both said.

"Yeah, I know. Reaper's Touch is the worst kind of poison: not only does it ignore whatever armor you wear, but it also kills you slowly. It's most potent during battle―the exertion speeds up the effects and it doesn't reveal itself until it's too late. It also spreads and kills indiscriminately―which is why I stopped Solar from healing me."

"And Klein revived you, right?" Liz asked, taking note of Shadow's appearance. His lips were no longer blue, but the chillingly pale skin, the shakes and the misty breath were present.

"Yeah. Thank God for him."

Before the conversation could be continued further, everyone heard a knock at Liz's door. The blacksmith went to open the door. "Asuna? What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Liz. Is Shadow here?"

"Why're you asking?"

"I have something to help him recover from the effects of the poison."

"Really? Come on in." The two men heard a pair of footsteps enter the shop. "In the back," they heard Liz tell Asuna.

Shadow didn't bother getting up when Asuna entered. "Agil," the vice commander nodded to the shopkeep, who returned the nod. "Shadow," Asuna said, looking at the mercenary.

"Asuna. Why are you here?"

"I told Liz I had something to help you recover."

"Did Dagger give it to you?"

"Yep." She took out a bottle full of blue liquid.

"Did she charge you?"

"What do you think? You know she was there with Ren and the others. All I had to do was give her your name, and she reduced the price to 500,000 Col."

"Sounds like her. Alright," he said, finally sitting up to face Asuna. "It's for the Reaper's Touch, right?"

The vice commander nodded. "Be careful," she said while handing the front line fighter the potion, "it's really bitter."

"You know what they say, Asuna." The mercenary opened the bottle and got ready to drink. "The better the medicine, the worse the taste. And do I drink the whole bottle?"

"Considering how much of the poison that got into you? Yeah."

"Alright." Shadow drained the bottle and grimaced. "You weren't kidding. This tastes awful."

"How do you feel?"

"I think it worked," Liz said, bending down to see Shadow's complexion. "You look better." He did; his skin returned to its normal coloration, he stopped shaking, and his breathing was normal.

"I feel better," Shadow answered, looking down at his fist and clenching it. He looked back up and told Asuna, "Thanks."

"No problem. But you should probably wait the week out, to make sure you fully recover."

"Guess I'll spend the next four days at my tree."

"No, you won't."

"My rock, then?"

"No. Just stay somewhere that's not an inn. Or depressing. Or outdoors."

(x)

Floor 52: Gothamopolis

The Tri-Blade Alliance Guild House

"You...want Shadow to stay here?" was Solar's first question when Shadow and Asuna told him the situation.

"Only for the next four days," Asuna reassured the guild leader. "He's fully recovered, but I think it's best he doesn't do anything he would normally do in his line of work until the week passes."

Solar was silent, thinking for a moment. Finally, he turned to the mercenary, who looked about ready to leave. "Skye will take you to your room." Shadow nodded and walked inside. Solar gently pulled Asuna by the arm, dragging her away from the door. "Why are you doing this for him?" Solar asked in a hushed tone.

"Why, Solar," Asuna put a hand on her chest in an offended fashion, and responded in the same tone as Solar. "Are you asking me why I care about Shadow's health?"

"No, I'm asking why you care about Shadow's health! Last I checked, you couldn't trust him to be in the same room as Silica's dragon!"

"That was before I saw things his way. A Hero's End...whatever he became during his fight with The Court Jester...it changed the way I saw him."

"Pray tell, how did it change?"

"I saw what he was going through―the burden he carries. It's a hell of a lot more than what a normal human being can handle. And don't forget that he's not much older than we are."

"...You win. I was already gonna let him stay, but this cinches it."

Asuna smiled and broke away from Solar. "See you on the front lines!" Asuna said, waving as she left.

(x)

(A/N: I'm not writing down what happens during the next four days, because then it'll get too boring.)

Four Days Later…

"Thanks for your help, Sir Shadow," Pearce said, lowering his bow. Shadow nodded in response.

The two players were doing a little bit of target practice, and Shadow surprised Pearce when he hit all of the targets accurately, and with his throwing knives.

"No trouble. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading back inside." The mercenary was about to head inside, when…

"Isn't today the last day of your recovery?" The Silent Savior turned to face the Advent Archer.

"Yeah. So?"

"I just wanted to make sure. And thanks."

"For what?"

"You took the time out of your recovery to help me―and everyone else in the guild―get stronger."

"No problem." Shadow walked inside the guild's headquarters, where he walked into the room given to him. There was another room next to his, but…

"If you can help it, please don't go in there," Solar politely told him. "That's Arctic's room, and―well, you know."

I know. He's a friend, and it'd be a great disrespect if anyone slept there other than him.

On the first day of his stay here, he agreed to train Cupid in using a lance. She proved to be just as formidable as her best friend, Eros, by the end of the training.

On his second day, he spent his time fixing up his weapons.

On his third day, he simply traveled outside around the building, in the fields, and even ran into Kirito and Bella, the latter of whom having returned to her habit of shadowing the former.

Today, he spent his time practicing with Pearce.

However, whenever he wasn't doing anything, he always found himself drawn to the broadsword in the glass case outside in the main hallway. Arctic's sword, everyone told him when they caught him staring at the weapon. He didn't know why, but he always felt...something whenever he sees the weapon.

He was brought out of his musings when a knock came from the other side of the door. "It's me," Skye's voice rang out. Shadow walked up and went to open the door. "How are you feeling?" the vice commander asked with a tray full of food in her hands.

Shadow smiled. "110 percent," he replied. Skye smiled sadly and looked down. "What's wrong?" the mercenary asked, his smile gone.

"Nothing," she said in a tone that said otherwise. "It's just…" She shook her head and handed the tray to him. "I'm glad to hear you're alright," she said in her usual chipper tone.

"Thanks for letting me stay here."

"You've helped us in clearing the game on multiple occasions. The least we can do is offer you somewhere to stay, if only for a while."

Shadow was silent as Skye left. He finished eating the food she left him. Today's also the day when...He shook his head. Not now.

However, in the distance, in the nearest town, Shadow heard someone scream. He stood up and left through the window.

(x)

Being a Friday, everyone was in the fields outside the base training. Imagine their surprise when Cupid spotted Shadow jumping and landing in a crouch with a heavy thud. "What's he doing?" she asked, pointing at the mercenary.

Skye looked towards the mercenary, who made a mad dash to the town. "Where are you going?!" she shouted at Shadow as he dashed past them.

"I heard a scream within the town!" the front line fighter shouted back. "Checking it out!"

Solar and everyone else immediately dashed after the mercenary. Shadow didn't bother using his Black Star because the town was close.

He just hoped to whatever God was up there that he'll make it in time.

(x)

Shadow arrived just in time to see a guy in a cloak charge an obviously under-leveled player in a duel. The defending player screamed in terror as the attacking player prepared to make contact with his hammer.

SLASH!

The player looked at his weapon with wide eyes as the hammer's head flew off and landed next to him. He looked back to see Shadow escort the terrified player out of the area, before he turned to face the defenseless player. "What's your problem?" the mercenary growled.

"Just tryna get your attention. It worked."

"You couldn't have lit a bonfire?"

"Too much work. Besides, this is more fun."

Shadow growled, and the Tri-Blade Alliance arrived in time to see the spectacle.

"I haven't really been myself since last week, buddy. And you can ask anyone on the front lines; their answer will be the same." Shadow's eyes glowed. "You don't want to piss me off."

The unnamed player nervously raised his arms in surrender. "Hey, I'm just the messenger, pal. They've really got it in for ya."

"Who?" Shadow asked, his eyes returning to normal.

"Laughing Coffin." Shadow, and everyone else, stiffened.

"I took them down."

"You took down their leader. That doesn't necessarily mean you took down the guild. Anyways, Red-Eyed XaXa sends his regards."

"They let him take charge?"

"Hey, he's actually more effective than Jeffrey ever was. But I digress. His message is this:

"You come to Floor 22, the fields. You will come alone. And all of the murder guilds will fight you."

"That's not fair!" Solar shouted at the "messenger". "That's just―"

"When?" Shadow asked, cutting Solar off.

The "messenger" smiled. "High noon. Be there." He turned and held out a crystal. "Teleport: Cocytus!" Having done his job, "the messenger" left.

(x)

A/N: Okay, the next two chapters will be two-parters, and will be released on the same day Solar releases Chapters 9 and 10 of his RWBY story, Team JEST. Please go check it out, and give him and it all of the love you can spare.

And as always, Read and Review!