Chapter 5- Crimson
In this chapter Mikael and his team reach the location of Crimson but are confronted by Mammoth who refuses to let them pass without a fight while we find out what had happened to Sinon after Retribution sent her away. While Arita finds out something about Mikael and Retribution that puts his sense of justice
The Hunter
We seemed to have walked through the ruins for a while before Philia said "Let's just admit it, the tip wasn't true there is no player here called Crimson. We should probably head back into the city and see if those other groups have found a way to get onto Ragnarok." I hated to admit it but I began to believe that Philia was right since I didn't want to realise that other players would get to Retribution before I did. "Just a few more minutes Philia, I'm sure that this player must be around here somewhere" I replied. "Mikael we don't have long the sun is about to set and the nearest log off point is in the city" Philia told me. "I know Philia but I don't want this journey to be pointless" I responded. "I know Mikael but if we stay out any longer more player are bound to show up looking for you" Philia said to me. I sighed and was about to respond when Strea called out "We got company." Both me and Philia looked up to see a cloaked figure standing atop one of the pillars. "What are you doing here" the cloaked figured asked us. His voice was deep from the sounds of it but I couldn't tell if he or she was using a item to manipulate their voices. I couldn't tell if the player was female or male as the cloak hid their figure. None of us answer their question so they demanded "I ask again what are you doing here." "We are here to see Crimson if she is here" I responded. "She is here" they replied. "Can we see her then" I asked them. "No you cannot" they told me. "Why not" I asked them.
"Because Crimson doesn't what to see any players who wished to see her just to get access to Ragnarok" they told us. "I'm sorry but I have to get access to Ragnarok with or without Crimson help" I replied. "Well that unfortunate because Crimson is the only player who can get into Ragnarok" they told me. "Well then look like I just need to get her to tell me how to gain access" I told them. "Well then it seems the time for talk is now over" they said as they threw of the cloak revealing themselves to us. They turned out to be a man who looked to be in his thirties as he had grey hair and brown eyes. He had a scar across his eye. He was dress up in brown armour with ammo pack on his back that was attracted to his duel Gatling guns that he was now wielding. He soon jumped down from the pillar he was stood on. When he landed we were hit by a gust of wind that knocked Strea and Philia down. "Now before we fight, may I ask your name as I would like to know who it is I am fighting" he asked me. I drew my blades as I responded "My name is Mikael; I take it you are Mammoth." "Mikael so you're the player that guy is after and you are right in assuming I am Mammoth" he replied with a smile on his face. We all then charged at him as he pointed both of the Gatling guns at us. When the bullet lines appeared, Kirito and Strea dodged to the left while Philia dodged to the right. I jumped up into the air as the bullet came flying towards me. I smiled as I now had an advantage against him until I saw that he moved his other Gatling gun at me. It was then that I thought 'He didn't fire both of them he only fired one. He figured out that we would dodge out of the way of his first Gatling gun so he is now trying to take us out with the second one.
The bullet lines quickly appear give me no time to dodged as the bullets came flying. 'Damn it there no time, they will hit me even if I use Ascension but maybe with Ascension I could make sure it doesn't affect me badly.' I thought about time slowing down as the familiar blue glow covered the area. Everything around me slowed down as I moved myself slightly higher so that the bullets would hit my left leg but wouldn't take it off. The bullet circle was on my angle as I moved to the right so it would only cover half my angle when all of the sudden a green glow appeared covering the trajectory of the bullets which resulted in them speeding up and hitting my leg before I moved my leg. I was hit by a large amount of pain as the bullets took my foot. I moved towards him as I activated my blades and came at him. I landed behind him and severed the connection between his duel Gatling guns and the ammo pack which would result in him being unable to reload them and was now stuck using whatever bullets remained in them. I swiftly ducked behind cover as he puts his gun behind him and pulled out two plasma blades. I tried to figure out a strategy as Philia and Kirito charged at him to fight him. As they did that Strea came over to me while I tried to figure out what that green glow was as I didn't recall any of the journals from my parents saying there was a way to counter Ascension.
I wondered if it might have been a unique skill but then cancelled that idea since this wasn't Sword Art Online and it was hardly likely that a unique skill could bypass Ascension. Once I was done with my thoughts Strea had reached me. "Hey you okay Mikael" Strea asked me. "Yeah I was luck it wasn't one of my arms or even my chest" I told her as I put my blades away and got out my rifle. "Yeah that was fortunate but without your foot you won't be able to move" Strea replied. It was true since it would take up to 5 hours to regain any limbs I lost. "Damn it, I won't be able to get a clear shot on him with all these ruins" I responded as I watched Philia and Kirito fight against Mammoth. While I was watching that I suddenly felt something on my leg which was badly damaged. I turned around to see that Strea had her arms on my legs as she covered it in a purple glow. 'What is she doing' I wondered as I watched. All of the sudden the foot that was shot of had grown back catching me completely off guard. "How did you do that" I asked her. She looked at me and said "You're not the only one with secrets." Once my foot was back I turned back to Mammoth knocked Philia and Kirito back. "So what's the plan then" Strea asked me as Mammoth looked around for us. "Right I need you to stay here a distract with the sniper rifle. The first shot will have proved a distraction but the second shot will alert him where you are. So make sure he doesn't locate you. While he is distracted I will use it to take out his blades and Gatling guns. Ready" I explained to her. Strea nodded in response as I handed her Sinon's sniper.
As Strea lined up a shot at one of the pillar near, I checked the power remaining on my blades and saw that I only had one half left. I walked quietly to a pillar nearby Mammoth as Strea got ready to take the shot. I signalled Strea to take the shot which she was quick to responded by firing the shot which caused Mammoth to look in her direction as I charged straight at him. Our blade clashed causing his to be knocked out of his hand while we were both pushed back. I quickly charged back at him as he took out his Gatling guns. In an instance my blades had pieced the centre of them. I knew that move was a risk since if he was to fire the guns would over heat and explode which would kill both of us or just one of us. "Okay Mammoth it down to you. You can choose to fire and kill the both of us or you can surrender and tell us where Crimson is" I told him. "You wouldn't be stupid enough to kill yourself" he replied. "Try me. I spent two years of my life surrounded by the threat of death as well as around people who would take a person's life without a second glance" I responded. We both stared at each other intensely before a voice spoke up. "That enough Mammoth, let them pass" the voice said causing me to look up and see someone was standing on a pillar. "But Crimson all this player wants is use you to gain access to Ragnarok" Mammoth told them. "It okay, Mammoth. I watched your fight and I noticed that this player is different from the other. Bring them to my place so I can talk to them" the player who I assumed was Crimson said before walking away.
The Judge
My team and I had been walking through the desert for a while after receiving a message that the player called Mikael was making his way to the infamous Crimson in order to gain to Ragnarok. It still felt strange to be following after a player I didn't know a single thing about and yet I was expected to bring this player to justice for a crime I wasn't even sure they committed. We took a minute to rest when all of the sudden I heard a voice say "Hey are you Arita." I looked around and saw a cloaked figure hidden behind a crumpled piece of a building. "Yes I am; may I ask who you are" I told them. They sounded masculine but their figure looked feminine so it was hard to tell if they were a boy or a girl. "That doesn't matter but I happen to have information about these players that you are hunting" they replied. "Okay and what is that information" I asked slightly curious about what this player knew. "Have you heard about a game called Sword Art Online" they asked me. I definitely knew about a game called Sword Art Online as it was all my older brother talked about when he was released from it after being stuck in it for two years. "Yes I have" I replied. "Well it turns out that these players you are hunting are from that game as well as they were a part of a player killing guild called Laughing Coffin" they told me. "Okay and who to say I believe you" I asked them but then notice that they had disappeared.
It was strange since my older brother told me that most of Laughing Coffin had been wiped out while only a few were captured by him personally. I was still trying to figure out this player Mikael as he didn't seem to be a bad person since it wasn't him who told everyone that this game was a death game. I still was one hundred percent sure that was true since player could still log out and a few of the player who were supposed to be dead had been seen in the real world. 'Is this truly a death game. Maybe you hold the answers Mikael' I thought as the rest of my team finished off their break to begin a journey to Crimson.
The Lover
I awoke on a desert without a weapon on me and completely no idea where I was. All I was able to recall being held in a cell by boyfriend's enemy Retribution. I soon recalled that I was teleported away from where it was Retribution was located. I got off the ground and begin walking knowing that my option was to located Mikael or Retribution. I looked around and began to recognise some of the area. "I'm in Ragnarok" I said out loud. I began walking in the direction of the centre city as that would most likely be the place that Retribution would hold himself up in order to wait for Mikael or someone else to find. I went to equip my sniper rifle but realised that I must have dropped it when I was abducted. I hope that who even had my rifle was using well to bring an end to Retribution twist plan and would end it soon so that I could return to the man I loved. 'Don't worry Mikael. I will make it back to you as soon as I can.
End of chapter 5- I apologise for the wait on this chapter but I was in Scotland visit family for a while so I didn't have much time to sit down and write but don't worry the next chapter will be uploaded on Tuesday or Thursday next week. In the next Chapter the Black Knights join Mikael and Kirito as well as we meet a new face as well as Crimson tell Mikael about herself before allowing him to access Ragnarok as well as Retribution send his greeting party for Mikael. Also please leave a comment saying who you would like the person under the cloak who talked to Arita be as all I know is that they were from SAO but I haven't no idea who they should be.