Episode One: The World of Swords
It was a large open area. Stone brick extended past the curved walls, intricate pillars adding extra flair. Directly ahead was a large black palace. It was imposing, but not intimidating. Across from that was a path that led to a small lake with several islands.
All around me were flashes of blue light. People in varying colored armor appear in its place. Each displayed a degree of awe and excitement. Jumping in place, running around, staring up at the sky.
I was not unlike these people. Had anyone been looking at me, they'd see a similar expression of disbelief. However, it wouldn't be for the reason they're thinking.
I'm… in SAO?!
My gaze flickered to the top left, catching sight of the familiar user interface. Next to the obvious green health bar was a name.
Kirito
My eyebrows scrunched together as I looked side to side, taking in the boisterous surroundings. Then, down to my hands, covered in leather fingerless gloves. Taking one of those hands, I pinched my cheek.
There was a numb, pressure-like sensation. Almost like pain, but not quite there.
Maybe I'm lucid dreaming…
This was always the trouble with dreams. I could never be sure if I was awake or not when dreaming. And the physical sensations, or lack thereof, from SAO made it hard to tell if it was real.
Taking in a deep breath, I stretched my arms up. Did jumping jacks. Touched my toes. Fell on my back. It was all muted. The little aches and pains from the real world weren't being transmitted to my mind. Temperature was almost static, sans the slight warmth from the sun.
Running my hand through my hair, I tapped my foot on the ground, completely stumped.
What should I do now? I could treat this as though it's real… but I could also wait it out.
Indecision paralyzed me.
X X X
I found myself running through the town, knowing the fastest way to the front gates like the back of my… Hold up!
Skidding to a stop, I froze in place, trying to gather my bearings.
My mouth wordlessly hung open, a chill creeping up my spine. Players walked past me, some awkwardly bumping into me. Stepping aside, I found a nearby alleyway.
Once I was completely alone, I pinched the bridge of my nose.
Okay, that was confusing. One moment, I'm standing in the middle of the plaza. Next thing I know, I'm heading toward the front gate of the city.
Placing my fingers on the alleyway wall, I slowly dragged them down. The texture was rough and cool. Each little indent and bump registering against my skin. Taking my hand away, I rubbed my fingers together. Not a speck of dust or dirt remained.
Damn it… I still can't tell if this is a dream or not.
"Oi! Hey, you!" A voice called out to me, breaking me from my thoughts. I took a breath and held back a flinch, slowly turning around.
Red hair, bandana, starting gear and scruffy hair on the chin: this could only be one person.
Quickly looking over him, I hesitantly responded. "Yeah?"
"You move like you've been here before; you were in the beta test, weren't you?" The player gasped between breaths, hands on his thighs.
Listening carefully to his words, I mulled over the ramifications of his following me.
This seems straight out of the show. He must've been following me before I came to my senses. Is this intentional?
"I suppose." I gave a weak affirmation.
Standing to his full height, Klein vigorously motioned with his arms, taking a step forward. "This is my first day in the game. Could you show me the basics?"
A second step later, and the player grabbed my shoulder.
"Uh." Standing there, I wasn't given a chance to formulate a proper response.
"I'm begging you!" Already, Klein was clapping his hands together. And as quickly as his begging started, did he switch gears, throwing up a thumbs up. "I'm Klein, nice to meet you."
Standing there, completely baffled, I glanced at the user name in the corner of my vision.
Like I could show him the basics. I'm just as new to this as he is!
"Well… I could give a tip or two. And I'm-" Subtly rolling my eyes, I held back a sigh. "Kirito."
X X X
Watching Klein get knocked back by the bull had been funny the first couple times, but now it was a little tiring. If anything, it reminded me of how I would generally play platformers. Trying to accomplish moves way outside my skill level and dying as a result.
Blinking, I staggered back, a pit forming in my stomach.
What the hell. It happened again! I was just in that dingy alley with Klein. Why are we suddenly in a field?
The red haired player rolled around, clutching his stomach in imagined pain. It was a bit strange, since the pain dampeners were on full blast, as I tested a couple minutes ago.
Making up my mind, I decided to save us some time. "Klein, you're not in any pain."
The future katana wielder tilted his head up at me, grimacing. "What are you talking about, of course-"
"Oh. Sorry, habit." Klein got up off the ground and dusted himself off. Surprisingly enough, some of the grass actually stuck to him.
We stood there in silence, until I realized that Klein was waiting for my input. Internally grimacing, I tried to recall what Kirito might've said in the show.
"So, you should have a sword skill. To activate it, you need to hold your body in a particular position. Sort of like a charging phase." Swiping the air, I quickly navigated the menu and equipped a one handed beginner's sword.
Holding the sword in hand, I blanched.
Did I really just do that?
As though it were (virtual) muscle memory, I easily found the sword. Klein tilted his head, pausing as he picked up his sword from the grass.
"You doing alright?"
Smiling, I pushed back the sense of revulsion. "Yeah. I just forgot how weak the beginner weapons are."
"Anyway! You'll know you're doing it right when the sword glows like so." Steeling my nerves, I utilized the same unnatural digital memory, sliding my right foot behind me at a 90 degree angle. My left foot pointed forward, my left hand held in front, and my right hand behind me.
The moment I started moving I heard the sword skill begin with the 'woooo' sound. Once it reached its peak, I let the sword skill guide my movements, glowing blade cutting through the air like a shooting star across the night sky.
When the blade finished its arc, the blue afterglow fading into non-existence, I lowered the weapon. "Something like that."
My fingers twitched and I gripped the hilt tighter. On one hand, I used an actual sword skill. In a virtual world. And it was really cool!
On the other hand, I used a sword skill. Without any prior ability.
Did Kirito's skills pass onto me? That's decidedly more comforting than being puppeted by an outside force, but it still means my brain's been tampered with in some way.
"Hm…" Klein wore this expression of deep thought, gazing off to the side. Finally, some resolution filled his eyes and he held out his hand. "I think I got this!"
Without any prompting, Klein brought his blade over his shoulder, bending his knees ever so slightly. Recalling the show, I snatched a pebble off the ground and utilized a basic throwing skill, taking aim at a boar out of my aggro range.
The same whoosh could be heard as the skill activated and the pebble turned lethal projectile launched from my fingers.
Within a matter of seconds the pebble traveled to the boar and impacted its side. It was knocked back, letting out a squeal of pain. The mob's beady red eyes landed on Klein. Target acquired, the boar rushed forwards, kicking up dirt in its wake.
In the meantime, Klein wasn't slacking either. His sword was now glowing a vibrant neon yellow. He was focused entirely on the enemy, but a question left his mouth. "Is it ready? Should I do it?"
Allowing myself the barest of smirks, I lightly tapped his back. "You're ready for lift off." Klein soared through the air, his blade jerking him forward.
In just a second's time, the blade made contact with the boar and cut through its side, leaving a large glowing gash.
Before the boar reached the floor, it burst into a hundred motes of pixelated fragments, dispersing into the digital atmosphere.
Klein stared at the dead mob and the 'result' screen that showed the exp, col, and drop count. A disbelieving smile stretched across his face as he let out a shout of joy. "Alright!"
"Congrats." I gave him a slow clap, finding his excitement just a little infectious. For a moment, I was able to forget the horror of the situation. That maybe, Sword Art Online was just a fun game. A little delusion that I was experiencing.
A burst of red peaked in the corner of my view. Klein let out a noise of excitement as he tested out his sword skills. "Woah… this is awesome. And that boar! That was like, a mid level boss, right? It was tough, but not tough enough!"
"Mid level boss?" I stared at him incredulously. "Boars are on the same level as first tier mobs. Like slimes in standard RPGs."
"What? No way…" Despite his despondent response, Klein still had a goofy smile on his face, sword glowing a resplendent red. "But these skills. There's a ton of them, right? Like, blacksmithing and stuff."
"Pretty much." I shrugged, thinking back to the anime. "Blacksmithing, cooking, tailoring… Oh, but there isn't any magic or bows."
Klein's grin turned to a smirk as he considered the irony of a fantasy rpg without magic. "No magic? That's a bold decision. But if there's no bows… there's still ranged options, right? Like that thing you did with the stone."
"Yeah. There's a couple weapons specifically for throwing skills, but I don't know them off the top of my head."
With one final swing, the red headed swordsman shouted in delight. "Alright! I'm ready for the next challenge. Nothings gonna stop me now!"
"Well, if you say you're ready, then I think we have plenty of opportunity in that direction." Eyeing a singular of boar, our next fight was in sight.
X X X
The sun hung low in the sky, its warm rays scattering across the island waterfalls. Mountains and hills were bathed in an orange hue, wind gently tousling the grass.
My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the small winged creatures flying below the clouds. Klein was speaking, but his voice was but an afterthought.
It happened again.
Once was strange. Twice was suspicious. But three times? There was a pattern to these sudden jumps of perspective. It was almost like-
"And man, you must've been extra lucky. Only a thousand people got into the beta test." Klein leaned back, looking over his shoulder from a sitting position.
Clearing my throat, I nodded, glancing off into the sunset. "I guess you could say that."
A low grumbling emitted from the bandana wearing swordsman. He let out an embarrassed chuckle, holding his stomach. "Man, I'd love to keep going but all this work has got me hungry. I gotta log out."
"Hey, no need to wait on it. Just send me a friend request and get on out of here." I replied in false good spirits. Dream or not, I already knew what was happening next.
"Of course. I'll have you know that I ordered a pizza for 5:30." Klein proudly proclaimed. "And no game will keep pizza time waiting!"
Letting out a breath, it slowly turned into a full blown laugh. Through my chuckling, I shook my head in agreement. "Truer words have never been spoken."
Standing to his feet, Klein dramatically swung his arm down, two fingers outstretched. The memorable jingle played and his menu opened. "Hey, Kirito? Friending aside, do you know where the logout button is? Sorry if this is a dumb question."
"No, no. Not at all. It should be at the top of the menu." For show, I opened my menu as well and opened the settings tab. Beneath options and help was a blank button with a door exit icon. "Odd. Maybe it's a bug?"
"No kidding. I bet the server people are freaking out over this. Then again, first day out of the beta and all that." Klein shakes his head in mock disappointment before he stops in place, expression stuck at a chilling smile. "Kirito, what time is it?"
Checking the in-game clock, I realized exactly what he was thinking.
"It's 5:25."
The light left Klein's eye.
"NOOOOOOoooo!" He fell to his knees, shaking his fists at the heavens. Cutting the dramatics short, he returned his attention to the menu. "Not to mention that the GM isn't responding. Isn't there another way to logout of this thing?"
Shaking my head, I idly tapped the black logout button, taking note of the slight tactile sensation. "No. That button's the only way out that I know of."
"No way, there's got to be another way out!" Klein thrust his arms to the side, doing a little pose. "Exit! Logout! Escape!"
Sighing, I could only sit down and watch. "Don't bother. There's no exit commands in SAO. And don't try taking off the helmet either. The NerveGear intercepts all transmissions to the body."
"Seriously? That's messed up. Do we have to just sit around and wait for someone to fix the bug?" Expression contorting into frustration, the red headed swordsman slumped down next to me.
"By the looks of it? Yeah." Settling my arm on my knee, I rested my chin on my palm. "I guess it could be worse."
We sat there in silence, not entirely sure where to bring the conversation. Before either of us could speak up again, the sounds of a bell echoed across the first floor.
Klein jumped to his feet, facing the direction of the noise. He was facing the Town of Beginnings. Almost dead center. "You have any idea what that's about?"
"Couldn't say…" Slowly rising to my feet, I stood beside-
A blue light overtook my vision. When it cleared, the two of us were back in the plaza outside the Black Iron Palace. Other players were experiencing a similar phenomena and chatter gradually increased with every new player.
Warning messages covered the sky, silencing the crowd. We were bathed in a crimson glow as blood seeped between the hexagonal popups. It quickly coalesced into the familiar visage of the gamemaster, sans face.
"Attention players! I welcome you to my world." His arms spread wide, asserting dominance over the 10,000 players. "I am Akihiko Kayaba and as of this moment, I am in control of this world."
However, as breathtaking as the sight was, my thoughts were already elsewhere. I'd heard the monologue before, so I wouldn't miss anything important.
More importantly, is why I'm here.
Recapping, I'd somehow ended up in the body of Kirito, with some of his digital muscle memories. Despite never having never played SAO, I was somehow almost intimately aware of the game.
So, either I was in a dream. Or I was SI'd into Kirito. And as appealing as the dream theory was, everything happening was a bit too coherent for that.
But what about the strange gaps between set pieces?
For some reason, my perspective would abruptly shift without rhyme or reason. One moment, I was standing in the plaza and the next, I was running down an alley. Talking with Klein to fighting with Klein. It was unnerving seeing the sky turn from bright blue to orange hues in the blink of an eye.
So what does it mean? Is there any pattern in the skips, or is it really random?
Before I was cut off by Klein, what was I going to compare it to?
Right! It was jump cuts. Like when you cut between scenes in a… show.
"Listen to this guy, he's gotta be nuts. Right, Kirito?" Klein nervously smiled, brows furrowed, as he glanced at me.
Frowning in turn, I kept my eyes on Kayaba. "Unfortunately, everything he says is possible. Very possible."
He audibly gulped, clenching his teeth.
Watching impassively, I soaked in the indignant murmurs and shouts of players. They grew quiet, then grew loud, then quiet again, following Kayaba's speech.
"Last, but not least, I left a little present in the storage of every player. Please, have a look."
Thoughtlessly pulling out the mirror, I watched as every player was once again enveloped in a blue glow, completely blinding my vision. Shouts of surprise and fear bounced off the walls of the plaza, creating a cacophony of sound.
Shutting my eyes, I slowly opened them, blinking rapidly as my vision returned. The little mirror in my hand showed the face of a young boy. Unremarkable in all aspects. Black hair, gray eyes, and fair skin.
"Kirito, you alright?" Klein stepped forward, revealing a man in his early 20s. He had the same facial hair, but the length of the hair on his head was significantly shorter. The rugged charm of his avatar was gone, replaced with the scruffy mediocrity of a college student.
"I guess-" Before I could respond, Klein gasped in surprise, pointing his finger in my face.
"Who are you?!"
Deadpanning, I ran my hand down my face. "It's me, Klein. You know, the guy you just addressed?"
"Kirito…?" His eyes wavered as he dropped his hand. "But how?"
"Er-" I thought back to the anime, recalling what might've happened. "Something to do with the NerveGear scan? Probably recorded facial data and stuff."
"That's right… when I first put it on, the NerveGear had me do this calibration thing. Like, touching your body like this." He patted his arms.
Kayaba began monologuing again, so I tuned him out. I caught the end of his speech as his character model fizzled out of existence. "Players. I wish you the best of luck."
The red warnings vanished, bringing back the golden glow of the evening sky. The plaza was completely silent. Even the breathing of players was muted, most likely holding their breath. Had someone dropped a coin, I was sure all 10,000 players would've heard it.
Then, at the scream of a single player, pandemonium struck. People of all ages broke out into a run. Clambering, trying to get a sense of control and direction in the face of absurdity. I stood in place as the invisible barriers of the plaza opened. Glancing at Klein-
X X X
We stood in the middle of an alleyway, not too unlike where we first met. I was explaining my plan to Klein, stating that the best path forward would be bull rushing the nearest village to get a head start on quests.
"I want you to-" My breath caught in my throat, but I could only stand there awkwardly in silence, since there wasn't any actual breath to choke on.
"Uh, you were saying, Kirito?" Klein stared at me quizzically, listening carefully to what I had to say next.
Taking a breath, I gathered my thoughts.
So, like I thought. It really is like jump cuts. It's been a while since I last watched SAO, but I recognize each location. Every time a scene change happens in the show, I experience it myself.
And this scene… I think it's the scene where Kirito tells Klein to party up and try to get as strong as possible. Klein declines, wanting to meet up with his friends. Kirito, the loner that he is, runs off and decides to go solo. For some reason.
But seeing as I'm not Kirito, I have no reason to go full loner.
"I suppose what I'm trying to say is… We need to get together and go as far as we can, since players will swarm the fields outside the Town of Beginnings."
"I, uh, really appreciate it Kirito. But I've got these friends and we stayed up all night waiting in line to buy the game. They're back at the plaza somewhere and I can't leave them." Klein has a regretful look on his face as he glances behind him.
Confusion flashed across my face as I looked at the swordsman. "Well, yeah. We can meet up with them and make our way to the next town. Sure, it'll be tough with extra players, but you've shown some real skill."
"That's, uh, not what I mean, Kirito. I can't ask you to risk your life to take care of a bunch of strangers. Don't worry about me. Get your ass to the next village." Klein gave me a confident smile, sticking his thumb against his chest. "Really, don't worry, I'll be fine. Last game, I ran a guild, so I'm more than prepared. With the stuff you've taught me, I'll get by, no sweat."
Wait, are we even having the same conversation?
Raising my hands, I motion for a stop. "Hold on, it's alright if we need to take things slow. I really have no problem sticking around to help. Honestly, it'd probably be better-"
Mimicking my action, Klein held up a hand to cut me off. "Hey, I get it, but you don't have to hold yourself back for us. You're an experienced player. A beta player for crying out loud. So if you think you need to go to the next town, then go for it! Just remember us, is all I ask. Having the favor of future great swordsman Kirito would be a real boon, y'know." He wore a cheeky smile, completely misreading my intentions.
"No! I'm trying to tell you-"
X X X
I was running across the fields, golden in the sunlight. The sun was just over the mountains, nearly set. It sucked, really. Because I really wanted to team up with Klein. But he was right. Getting together with new people, having to protect and rely on them…
My foot caught on the ground and I tripped, falling face first onto the dirt road. "Ahgch!"
Pressed against the path, I remained motionless, a weak sigh blowing up some dust.
What the hell was that? Why was Klein so adamant on me going on my own? I know I don't have a loner vibe. Sure, I definitely could get together with friends more often, but I have way more social skills than Kirito. Unless…
The gap between. The parts that I skipped. At first, I didn't think much of it. It was far stranger to jump from scene to scene, than to think about what happened in between. But if the me in between scenes was more like the real Kirito?
Gazing out into the field, I let out yet another unmotivated sigh. There was little point in running. If my theory was correct, then the moment the next scene happened, the original Kirito would take over. Or maybe not the original Kirito. The Subconscious Kirito? Background Kirito?
Putting that aside, the next scene would happen soon. If I recalled correctly…
Wait a second. Isn't this the end of the episode? How much time passes between episode one and two?