The sound of boars and giant wasps turning into a million pixels had become a regular occurrence for Inferno. Unfortunately, boring fetch quests and escort missions had also become a common occurrence. The swordsman had found himself escorting an NPC through the forest of floor one. His wife and child were missing, and it was his job to ensure their safety.
"We must save my family!" The NPC yelled out. Inferno groaned; he must have heard that exact phrase twenty-five times now. And every time, it somehow got more irritating. It was midday as the sun shone down on floor one. The foliage radiated beauty from the luscious green. Yet Inferno could not enjoy any of it as he was currently fending off several attacking boars.
Though the monotonous nature of it all was starting to take its toll, Inferno was getting sloppy, evident by one of the boars getting a hit on him. In anger, a sword swung down and sliced the boar in half before the pixels exploded.
"We have saved my family!" The NPC cheered. After a small amount of time, the two finally made it. As the NPC ran towards his wife and two children, Inferno couldn't help but smile. However, that turned to anger when he noticed the reward.
"Seriously? Fifty EXP and one-hundred Cor? I could have gotten that much from farming! I'm going to be level three forever." The teen cursed out loud as he headed back.
Almost a month had passed since the launch of Sword Art Online. In that time, two thousand people had died. Most had been killed on the battlefield; whether that had been stumbling onto a boss too powerful or not knowing battle tactics was unknown. However, one thing that was for sure, the rest were by suicide. The swordsman cast his mind to those poor souls. What were they thinking during their final moments? Did they leave anyone behind? Yet the one question that stuck with him the most was why? Why did they do it? All this pain and suffering was too much. Ren didn't trust people, but he wouldn't wish any harm on anyone either.
Ren slithered back to the small town where Klien's group were currently staying. They had been at this place for three days now. While there weren't as many quests as the larger towns, it wasn't very populated either. Meaning they could complete more quests. The town could only be described as a mix between old wild west and fantasy. While the houses were typical sixteenth-century, the town was laid out like an old western, with straight paths roads and an inn right in the centre.
While this was a video game, everyone still got tired and needed to sleep. Inns were scattered throughout the floors for a small fee every night. Or alternately, someone could purchase a house for a more significant price. The higher the floor, the more lucrative the place. Nobody was willing to buy a house on the first floor. Inferno made his way to the room where they were all staying. The door creaked open as he noticed both Blaze and Thunderbolt sitting on their respective beds. The room was barebones, with only four beds and a window to boot.
"Look, I'm just saying that we wouldn't hold it against you... Oh, welcome back; got a good reward?" Inferno sat on his bed, his anger failing to subside.
"I swear to God, how many escort missions can one game have!" Inferno ranted. "And no, I didn't." Inferno slumped next to his brother, who patted him on the back in sympathy.
"When you've got an MMORPG with one hundred floors, there's bound to be repeated missions." Blaze joked. "Still, you might be in for a treat. Thunderbolt and I came across a potentially lucrative quest."
"And I say it's a bad idea." Thunderbolt chimed in. Blaze and Inferno were still impressed how Kayaba added a language filter onto the game. While Thunderbolt herself couldn't speak Japanese, the game's system, dubbed Cardinal, automatically translated into the language setting the user had chosen. "The quest states to head to the Aincrad waterfall. It doesn't say what we'll be doing there. I don't like heading into unknowns, especially when your life is on the line."
"It's a quest for three to four players. The three of us should be more than enough to handle it."
"I'm with Blaze; it could just be a tailing or fetch quest for all we know." The younger brother added.
"Why would you need three to four people?" The female player
"It could be a puzzle that requires multiple people." The elder brother argued. Who earned a sigh from the white-haired swordswoman.
"And once again, you are both running on assumptions. Don't you understand the gravity of the situation? If our HP reaches zero, we die. I'm the one who's been in cases like this before, and let me tell you, it's awful." The two brothers looked up, noting what she had just said.
"What do you mean you've been in situations like this?" Inferno's tone was much more curious now. Thunderbolt cursed under her breath, knowing she spilt too many beans.
"I was ex-military. I had to deal with my fair share of domestic terrorism, and let me tell you, and it wasn't pretty." Thunderbolt argued. The two brothers looked at her, intrigued.
"Wow, think that's the first thing you've ever told us about yourself. Regardless, I think it's a risk worth taking." Blaze argued. Thunderbolt's face turned from slight annoyance to full-on irritation. She stood up, coming face to face with the older brother.
"Did you not listen to a word I just said?"
"Listen, whether that be slaying monsters or completing quests, the higher a level, the more EXP is rewarded. If we continue completing low-level quests, then we'll never get anywhere." Thunderbolt was unrelenting; she stood her ground while her compatriot took a step back. "I'm not saying we should start taking quests five levels above what we're currently at. But if we don't take some small risks, then we won't be getting out anytime soon." Thunderbolt continued to stare toward a quickly uncomfortable Blaze until she took a step back and sighed.
"I swear you guys are even dumber than Klein. Alright, I'm in." The two brothers cheered. Inferno now stood up, high fiving his brother. "On one condition!" The two brothers stood as their palms connected, slowly turning their faces to the female player. "I'm taking the lead on this one. You do what I say when I say it. Are we clear?" The two eyes staring at both men felt like they were staring directly into their souls.
"Yes, ma'am." The two brothers simultaneously squealed.
.
The three were walking down the path towards the waterfall. It was narrow but just wide enough for them all. It was now late afternoon. The wind was starting to pick up. The leafless trees stood firm as each blade of grass were pushed forward. Inferno felt confident as he strolled down the path. As they got further along, however, the three spotted a man standing in the middle of the road. The man was in his late thirties. He had a tall and skinny build, with rusted armour on top. He had long brown hair in a ponytail and carried a sword and shield. The stranger wiggled his head and smiled as he walked towards the party.
"Good evening; by chance, are you three attempting the mysterious quest?" The stranger questioned the group. Ren readied his sword as Thunderbolt took a step forward.
"We are. I assume you want to team up?" The swordswoman responded.
"Indeed I do. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Heathcliff; it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Thunderbolt. These are my associates, Blaze and Inferno." The white-haired gamer pointed towards the brothers.
"A pleasure." Heathcliff bowed his head towards the two. Both brothers followed suit, though Ren did so reluctantly.
"Alright, let's get going." Ren heard this and suddenly rushed to Thunderbolt's side.
"Hang on, weren't you the one who said not to take unnecessary risks? We don't know anything about him." Thunderbolt chuckled as she turned towards him.
"Firstly, Heathcliff here could have ambushed us at any point yet didn't. Secondly, this early on in the game, there's no advantage to taking someone's loot. It'll all be worthless in three floors anyway. Thirdly we outnumber him three to one, and with roughly the same stats, he'll be at a huge disadvantage. And lastly, the quest says three or four people. We get as many as possible to minimise the risk." Thunderbolt listed, who sent an invite to the older gentleman.
"I understand your scepticism, but I assure you, I mean you no harm." Heathcliff assured the party as he accepted the request.
"Well, you don't seem so bad; it's nice to meet you." Blaze welcomed the older gentleman. The two shook hands, much to Inferno's disgust. Heathcliff extended his hand to Inferno, who refused to shake it. "What have I told you about being polite?"
"It's quite alright." Heathcliff replied, withdrawing his hand. "Being vigilant is never a bad trait to have." Thunderbolt led the way, with Heathcliff and Blaze behind her, followed by Inferno. As they continued, Heathcliff and Blaze were finding conversing easy. Much to Inferno's disgust.
"So, are you a solo player then?" Blaze questioned the shield user.
"For the time being. However, once we get to the tenth floor, that's when I'll be able to form my guild. A guild where honourable knights from all over the world will band together to escape this world."
"Honourable heh?" Inferno chimed in, earning a look from everyone. "That's amusing; in the story, Heathcliff gave up everything he cherished for his selfish desires. He was far from honourable." Inferno spotted his brother glaring at him. Heathcliff, though, was entirely composed despite the interrogation.
"True, he wasn't a knight in shining armour. Still, Heathcliff's drive to fulfil his ambitions, recognising the ramifications of his efforts, is something to admire." The brown-haired man explained himself, yet Inferno wasn't convinced. Something about Heathcliff rubbed him the wrong way.
"Heads up." Thunderbolt instructed the group. The four players drew their swords as a white message popped up.
'Objective:
Defeat the Gecko
Reward:
Five hundred Cor
Five hundred Exp'
"A boss fight thought so." Blaze muttered, looking to his brother, both nodding in unison. "Let's do this!"
"I'm with you, Blaze!" The group found themselves at the end of a cliff. The treeline had ended, turning into a wide flat green, a perfect location for a boss fight. As the squad arrived, they spotted white pixels forming in the air. Tensions were through the roof as the boss fully formed. Out stepped a green lizard with blue legs, it was roughly as tall as Inferno, yet it was the length of a large room. The creature let out a thunderous roar as a health bar appeared above it.
Inferno took a deep breath; his hands shook. Every move he made would have to be precise. The teenager looked over to his brother, who had a smile on his face. Then to Heathcliff, who had one of determination. And finally, to Thunderbolt, who surprisingly looked like she had seen a ghost. Her legs shook as she panted out loud.
"No... Not that, anything but that." She muttered under her breath. Flashbacks popped into her mind. The night that turned her life upside down. The lizard noticed her nerve faltering and utilised the opportunity to strike. Thunderbolt could only watch as its tail surged towards her. Inferno and Blaze scrambled to help her. But they were never going to reach their colleague.
Thunderbolt had resigned to her fate, but it never arrived. Heathcliff stood between her and the lizard's attack, blocking with all his might. Inferno couldn't help but smile as his guild member had survived. Blaze, meanwhile, was rushing towards the boss now. Inferno quickly followed suit.
"Right behind you!" He yelled out as they both swung their weapons, hitting their target with force. The lizard screeched in pain as it landed a hit on both men. Heathcliff then slashed at it, too, dodging before it could land a counterattack.
"Are you hurt, my dear?" Heathcliff asked the self incapacitated player. Yet Thunderbolt still couldn't speak. "It's alright; I won't pry into what this creature means to you. However, I implore you to retreat, get to a safe distance and let us handle it." Heathcliff took a second before once again swinging at the monster. It was down to seventy-five percent health.
Suddenly the creature roared, the blue sections on its skin began to illuminate. Its tongue rushed towards inferno, who grunted as he took a hit. Within a few seconds, it aimed an attack at blaze, who managed to evade it. Another few seconds passed, and this time, Heathcliff blocked an attack. Inferno readied himself to attack the creature, but Blaze stopped him.
"What are you doing?" Inferno angrily questioned his brother. This was no time to be playing games. Yet Blaze didn't seem fazed at all.
"Answer this; why didn't it attack Thunderbolt?" He asked. Inferno looked towards his sibling, unable to answer. Thunderbolt was still out in the open; she would have been the easiest target, ultimately the AI decided not to target her. "I have a theory; during that decisive stage, it only attacks those who had previously attacked it." The elder brother turned his attention to the shield user. "Heathcliff, stay back at let me attack it this go!"
"Very well!" Heathcliff answered back while taking up a more defensive stance. Blaze charged in with all his might. Inferno watched as his brother managed to take around ten percent of its health while only losing five percent of his. The creature screeched as the blue on its skin once again illuminated.
"In case I'm wrong, please make sure that you prepare yourselves." inferno and Heathcliff readied for an attack. The monster launched three attacks, this time all directed at Blaze. The swordsman blocked the first two. However, the third attack managed to land, managing to deplete twenty percent of his health.
"Blaze!" Inferno called out; the fear almost consumed him.
"Don't worry; I'm okay. Still, we now know its attack pattern." inferno's had a lighthearted tone to his voice, though when he turned to Thunderbolt, he became a lot more stern. "Can you heal us?" The swordswoman was shaking; her skin became pale. Still, she managed to throw both brothers a potion.
"Only one more." Blaze and Inferno nodded to one another, as the creature turned back to its standard form.
"Inferno, let's go!"
"Right behind you!" The younger brother yelled as the two charged into battle. Both men worked together like a professional dance pair. Their swings were elegant but full of vigour. While one attacked and attracted it, the other would stay back and wait for his opportunity. "Switch out!" While his sibling pulled out, Blaze rushed in. His skills with a blade made quick work of the monster.
"Switch!" This time it was Inferno who was on the offensive. The blade cut effortlessly through its target. Nevertheless, Blaze noticed his brother had gone on for too long. An attack was coming. "Watch out!" Blaze jumped before the ongoing attack, his HP dropping to twenty percent.
"Yu!" Inferno could only watch as his brother took the hit.
"I'm alright, and I told you, don't call me by my real name." Inferno felt a rush of relief overcome him as his sibling drank another potion. "That's the last one. So let's make it count." The two rushed behind Heathcliff as the attacks once again came flying at them. However, unlike the previous times, the creature failed to turn back. It only went and illuminated even brighter.
"Something big is coming. You three hold back!" Heathcliff ordered them, much to the shock of the party.
"Wait, are you serious? That thing still has fifteen percent health left." Inferno responded.
"Place your trust in me!" Heathcliff rushed towards the boss; it swivelled with deadly precision. All three noticed that the boss's HP had gone down to eleven percent.
"Woah." Blaze muttered to himself. Heathcliff, meanwhile, was continuing his assault. His second and third strikes did just as much damage. The creature screamed as Heathcliff launched his fourth attack. This one finally ended it, the beast turning into a million pixels—much to the bewilderment of Blaze and Inferno. A screen popped up with 'Congratulations!' five hundred Cor and EXP made their way to each member as they all increased to level four.
"How? How did you do that?"
It's quite straightforward; I noticed that Blaze struck the creature while still in its illuminated state. During which its HP plummeted. Ergo those blue patches were vulnerable points."
"That's amazing." Inferno whispered; while it wasn't what he intended, Heathcliff heard him.
"You shouldn't sell yourselves short. Blaze, that was quite the strategy you came up with. And Inferno, those moves were outstanding; by any chance, do you practice sword fighting IRL?"
"I..." Inferno stuttered; his brain was telling him not to trust Heathcliff. Yet his heart sang a different song. "I used to do Kendo."
"Hey, guys!" The three men turned around and noticed a red samurai emerge from the bushes.
"Klien?" Blaze blurted out.
"Glad I'm able to track everyone on my friend's list. Listen, the front lines..." Klein stopped as he noticed one of them kneeling on the ground. "Thunderbolt? What happened?" The group's leader rushed over to his friend, looking at her tearful eyes.
"I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead." She muttered to herself.
"Listen to me; you are not dead!" The samurai's outburst finally gained her attention. "I promise that while I'm here, neither you nor any of our team will die; you got that?" Before she could react, Klien hugged her. Although he soon pulled out when he realised what he had just done. "I just... Hugged a girl!" The group leader fell backwards, earning a chuckle from the female gamer.
"You dummy." She whispered.
"Everyone, come take a gaze at this." Heathcliff called out. The others joined his side by the cliff. A sunset view greeted them over the horizon—the waterfall gushing down and eventually off the floating castle. The grasslands shimmered in the light. The sight could only be described as a work of art.
"It's beautiful." Blaze said.
"It's something, ain't it?" Klein added before remembering the reason he came. "Right, I forgot. The front lines have found the boss room."
"Your kidding?"
"Nope. Tomorrow morning a meeting will take place. A chance for everyone to get together and discuss how to beat it."
"Well then, let's not waste any time." Inferno popped up; he turned towards Heathcliff. "You defeated the boss and saved all our lives. If it's alright with everyone else, I'd like to invite you to join our party as a full-time member.
"No objections from me." Klein said.
"Same here." Thunderbolt added. Blaze was on the verge of tears as he jokingly put his brother in a neck lock.
"Look at you making new friends. I'm so proud of you." He joked.
"Would you let go of me?" Inferno lightly growled. As the two separated.
"Your offer humbles me. However, I wish to be the commander of my guild, not a soldier in another. For that reason, I must decline."
"We understand. I hope our paths cross again." Heathcliff and Inferno shook hands as the party of four came back along the path. Leaving a smirking Heathcliff.
"Oh, I'm sure we will, Inferno."
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Reviews
Zeon Paralysis Crystal: I hope you enjoy.
