Chapter 6- Ragnarok
I apologise for the wait on this chapter as my computer crashed so I lost the original version of this and word stopped working so I was forced to use another program to write this. In this chapter the Black Knights join up with Mikael and Kirito as well as we learn a bit more about Crimson. While this goes on Retribution prepares the welcoming party for Mikael.
The Hunter
We continued to walk through the ruins as Crimson was leading us somewhere. I remained suspicion of Crimson since I was still trying to figure out how exactly Mammoth was able to counter act Ascension. It didn't help that we were positioned between the two of them which meant that at any point they could attack us and we wouldn't have any chance to dodge it. My mind was distracted as I was also trying to figure out how exactly Strea healed me since it seemed almost as if she was using part of the system to do so. I recalled that an AI could do that since that was what Yui was capable as she was designed to do that but it was almost impossible for an AI to develop it own personality and Yui was only able to do it due to what was going on at the time and Zeon had a personality as it was a copy of a real person mind. We soon approached a small cabin that would have only two rooms to it. Crimson unlocked the door and walked inside as Strea, Philia and Kirito followed her. I turned around and noticed that Mammoth was walking away. "Aren't you going to come in as well" I asked him. "No Crimson didn't invite me inside so I am not allowed to enter" he told me. "Okay what are you going to do then" I said to him.
"I will keep look out and get everything ready for you. Mikael this is your only warning. Crimson has allowed you to use her method to gain access to Ragnarok but I swear if anything happen to her while I am getting it ready I will kill you where you stand do you understand" he replied. "I understand, Mammoth" I responded. "The name is Damien" he told me before walking off. Once Damien had disappeared, I turned my attention back to the cabin and walked inside. I saw that Strea, Philia and Kirito were sitting on the coach's while Crimson was in her little kitchen area preparing something. I couldn't fully see what it was so I decided to sit down next to Kirito. We waited for a few minute before Crimson came towards us carrying a tray that had tea and biscuits on it. "Here you go help yourselves" she told us as both Strea and Kirito immediately dived in while me and Philia picked up our cups and took a sip from it just in case she put something in it to poison us or paralysis us. Crimson then picked her cup as well before she said "So you want to gain access to Ragnarok." "Yes we do since I believe that is where the person we are hunting is" I told her. "Okay but before I let you use my method I wanted to every starting with who are you" she asked me. "Well my name is Sliver" I told her hoping to hide who I was to her. "Nice try tell me the truth no lies" she responded. "Wait how could you tell that I was lying" I asked her.
"Well I saw you fight with Mammoth and I saw that little secret of yours. Their is also the fact that most player in this game would have given up when Mammoth pulls out his guns yet you didn't which showed me that you were determined to gain access to Ragnarok which mean you have a reason to get their which is different to all the other players. Their also my ability which allows me to see the real identity of a player and you look just like someone from my past" Crimson explained to me. I was shocked she was able to see ascension as well as what I really look like. While this shocked me it also had me interested since I wanted to know if she could see me use it does that me she knows about it and if she does, does she know my parents as well as the people who killed them. "What secret" Philia asked me. "It nothing" I replied. "Nothing you say. What you have is not nothing and can be very dangerous" Crimson said. "Okay Mikael I want to know what this secret of yours is or you will be going to Ragnarok without me" Philia told me. "Wait Mikael. Your name wouldn't happen to be Mikael Shizuka" Crimson asked me. "Yeah it is" I responded. I was about to say something to Philia to get her to calm down when Crimson got up all of the sudden and hugged me.
We were caught off guard by her action as she then said "It really is you isn't Mikael." "Yeah my name is Mikael" I told her as I saw that Philia, Strea and Kirito were just as surprise as I was as Philia mouthed "Do you know her" to which I responded "No." "Oh I am so glad to meet you again Mikael. It been a while since I last saw you on the date of your parents accident" she told me which shocked me even more. "Wait you knew my parents" I asked her while I looked over at Kirito who reaction was the same as mine. "Oh you really don't remember me, Mikael" she said. "I';m sorry but I don't remember you" I replied.
"That is understand able as I was a lot younger we met and you were only a toddler. But allow me to explain as my name is Cynthia Nanami I was your mother's assistant when she was alive. I met you and your brother when your parents brought the two of you into work. I worked on Project Ascension as well as worked along side a person called Hacker. After you parent's death I began to look into as I believed that it wasn't an accident but after 5 year I found nothing so I started to do some research of my own on something I called Project Accelerate a mean to counter Ascension. So that my story Mikael" she told us. "Wow I am surprised" I replied. "I know it hard to believe Mikael but it the truth" she told me. "I know since I met Hacker and I know about Project Ascension" I replied. "Wait Hacker is still alive" she responded. "Yeah he is, in fact I helped him finish Project Ascension" I told her. "Wow so it was Ascension you were using. Wait what happened to your brother Kazuto since the last I heard about you two were adopted by your aunts" she asked me. "Well he is here with me" I replied gesturing towards Kirito. "Kazuto why is your avatar a girl" she asked him. "Well when I lasted transferred my avatar to this game it was turned into a girl so now this is what my avatar looks like in this game" he told her. "I see that would make sense since the system recognise used accounts and so will use the avatar they had last time" she explained. "Um sorry to interrupt but what exactly is going on" Philia asked me as it seem she did not have a clue what is going on. "Well you see" I was about to say when all of the sudden Mammoth came charging in. "Crimson it seem we have company" he told Crimson. "Okay by why are you telling me this if they are coming" she asked him. "Because they seem to be transferring from another game" he replied.
"I see" she responded before getting up and following Mammoth outside. "After this problem is dealt with you better have explantation for what is going on" Philia said to me before she and Strea went outside. "Transferred" Kirito said before looking at me. "Yo don't thing it them do you brother" he asked me. "Probably after all I did find away to make that possible with Zeon and Alicia as well as" I was about say another name but stop myself since that was a surprise for Sinon. "I see, well theirs only one way to find out" he said before walking outside . I soon followed but my mind remind on the other AI as I thought 'Don't worry Kasai I will bring back your mother soon.'
The Knights
The Knights continued to follow the AI's to a door that they hadn't seen before in Black Castle. "When was this room created" Asuna asked the AI's. "Around the time Black Castle was expanded it was just that Mikael kept it hidden as he was doing something in there" Zeon replied. "What was he doing in their" Klein asked. "He was working on something for Sinon, but I'm not exactly allowed to say" Zeon responded before glaring at Yui as if to say don't say anything if you detect it. He then unlocked the door as they then walked into a dark room which had code running all over the room and a single large platform. "Hey this look similar to room where Kirito and Sugu fought" Asuna said. "It should since that was a system room where a GM has direct access to the whole system. Now could you please all step out to the platform so I can transferrer you over to GGO. They then all stepped on the platform as the AI's had menu screens and the began pressing different options as the teleport platform began to glow. "Okay you about receive a message of the transfer if you press yes then you will be transferred over to GGO and if you press no then you will remain here" he told them. Soon after that the Black Knights always saw a message appear on screen saying 'You are about to transfer your avatar to a game called Gun Gale Online. Once transferred you will spawn near the player known as Mikael. Do you agree?' The Black knights all then pressed the yes button before they were then consumed by a bright light. "Good Luck" Zeon said as they disappeared. "Are you sure that was a good idea" Alicia asked him. "It was the best idea at the time" Zeon replied. "Uncle Zeon, Aunt Alicia you are here" a voice said. Both AI's turn around to see a small girl standing there. She looked to be about six years old. She wore a blue dress with a black scarf. She had black hair with a ice blue bang and sky blue eyes. "Hey Kasai how have you been" Zeon asked her. She rushed over to the AI and hugged him. "I have been good. Daddy told me he was going to introduced me to Mommy today but he seem to have gone off somewhere" she replied. "Ah you see Kasai, I have to tell you something. You see your mommy has been kidnapped by a bad man" he told the little one who was shocked. "What mommy's been kidnapped then where Daddy" she asked him. "Don't worry your daddy has gone to save her with help of his friend so you will be able to meet her soon" he told her. She then smiled before skipping out of the room. "I don't know why you treat her like she is a child after all she just as capable as you and me" Alicia asked Zeon.
"Because that what Mikael asked us to do" Zeon told her. "Still don't understand why Mikael created her since he has us. Why create another AI if you have two that are capable of doing almost anything" Alicia said to him. "Well that's just it. We won't understand as we aren't human and there is a very slim chance of us becoming like Yui" Zeon said before disappearing. Alicia soon disappeared soon after.
The Hunter
We soon all stood outside as a crack appeared in the sky above us. "Mammoth any idea what game they are coming from" Crimson asked him. "From what accelerating is telling me they were able to get into this game through a system teleport done by AI which allowed them to get here through the SEED. But other than that I got nothing" Mammoth told her. Both me and Kirito looked at each at the mention of the word 'SEED' as we knew that meant Alfhiem. Suddenly we saw eight people fall from the sky. We all walked to where they had landed and saw that it was two men and six females. Although their avatar were different I could tell it was the Black Knights as Agil stood out since he was the tallest, while Klein still had his bandanna and Liz had her pink hair. "Who are you people" Crimson asked them. They soon all turned towards us and recognised me but not Kirito as his avatar was female. "It okay Crimson they am friend. What are you doing" I asked them. "We heard what was going on and about Sinon so Zeon teleport us here to help you, Wheres Kirito" Yuuki told me before looking around. I then looked at Kirito and said "Do you want to explain to them Kirito." Yuuki and Amy both were shock when I called the girl next.
"Wait that Kirito" Yuuki asked. "Yeah when Kirito transferred his avatar it was changed to a girl. It surprised us when we saw him in Bullet of Bullets" Asuna told her. "Oh" Yuuki said. "Okay Mikael explain just exactly is going on" Philia asked me. "Okay allow me to explain" I told her. (1 hour later after explain all that had happened in SAO: Tales from the Coffin and SAO: Redemption) "And that my whole story" I ended on. "So that why you know these people as well as Crimson. It also explains what going on now and why you are trying to take down this Retribution guy" Strea responded. I looked at Philia who seem to glare at me. "Look Philia I'm sorry but their were thing about me that I didn't want you to know about but that wasn't because I wanted to but it was because if you were to learn about what I was like in the past you may not have wanted to help me. So if you want to leave I won't hold anything against you" I told her. "Look Mikael I am only to say this once so listen. I will help you save your girlfriend and get rid of retribution but have that I don't want to see you again. Do we have a deal" she replied.
"Okay we have a deal" I responded. "That good to hear as the teleport is now ready to be used" Mammoth told me. "Okay lets get going then" I told everyone. They all nodded in response as we began to follow Mammoth while Crimson wondered off somewhere. We approached a massive portal that was white in the centre with black all around it. "Okay all you have to do is step through and you will be in Ragnorak. Once you have enter the portal will close so it a one way trip" Mammoth told us as we stepped towards it. "Wait Mikael" Crimson shouted as she came running towards us. "Before you enter Ragnorak I want you to take you with this" she told me before handing me something covered in cloth. I unwrapped the cloth to find a white long blade that shared a similar design to Kirito's elucidator. "What this for" I asked Crimson. "This is Code Breaker. It has the ability to cut right through game data basically destroying anything you come into conflict with. Ragnorak is a harsh map so you will need a weapon this powerful to survive" Crimson told me. "Thank you Crimson" I replied as equipped the blade and hugged her.
"It okay I am just paying back what I owed your parents" She replied before leaning into my ear to whisper "This is a piece of advise, be careful with how you use Ascension as this game is being monitored by Anomaly for some reason and if they find out about you then you won't be safe anymore." Okay Crimson, I hope to see you again some time" I whispered before facing back to the portal. "Okay is everyone ready to go" I asked everyone. "Yep" they all replied as they each stepped into the portal. I was the last one to enter the portal as I thought "Don't worry Sinon I will be there soon.'
The Prey
'So it seems like my game can finally get under way as my opponent has finally enter Ragnorak' I thought to myself as I saw an anomaly appear on the map of Ragnorak. I opened a chat to one of the people who helped me capture those who participated in Bullet of Bullets. "Pride are you their" I asked him. "Yes sir I am, what can we do for you" he replied. "It seems my rival has enter Ragnorak so I need you and your team to search Ragnorak for him and bring him back. Remember
you are allowed to take out any player that isn't him, understand" I told him. "Understood sir, we will leave immediately" he said before hanging up on me. 'It was strange as after what happened in Alfhiem I was sure that no one would be willing to help me but then all of a sudden someone got in contact with me and offer the service of a team of seven to help me. So who was I to turn them down. Mikael I seem the fun is about to begin' I thought as I continued to look at the map which show the location of all the player which was only eight at the moment.
End of Chapter 6, I apologise for the wait but I was stuck with writers block when it came to Crimson as I didn't exactly know how to connect her to Ascension as well as I had problem with time as I was busy with my exams but don't worry I will post the next chapter as soon as possible. In the next chapter Mikael and the Black Knights encounter the first member of this mysterious team as well as Mikael learns about Strea secret while Sinon get a hold of some new weapons while Arita gains access to Ragnorak through the help of the cloaked figure. Also the next story after this is called SAO: Ragnorak- After complete a quest, Mikael and Kirito release that the grand quest Ragnorak has begun and if nobody beat it then that will be the end of Alfhiem online. Now the Black Knight begin the quest to beat Ragnorak and if they lose then they will lose Alfhiem Online forever.