Chapter 4 Red Nosed Reindeer
"On Floor 11 Taft Sora and Kirito were with a group of players they rescued called The Moonlit Black Cats. They made a toast for their safety and to the players that saved their lives. There was Keita the leader of the guild, he has short brown hair and brown eyes and was dressed in light, brown clothing with a metal chest guard, metal shoulder armor on both his shoulders, metal bracers on both of his arms. He also wore black, fingerless gloves that extended to his forearm and dark boots. Keita's trousers are of a paler shade of brown than his top. Keita's weapon of choice was a two-handed staff.
"Then there's Sachi who wears shoulder-length, has black hair and a small mole right under the corner of her right eye. She wore a light blue tunic with a chest guard, a knee-length short skirt and grayish boots. In battle, her weapon was a two-handed long spear. Although she temporarily tried out wielding a sword and shield to help Tetsuo span a tank monsters, she eventually had to switch back to using a spear due to her fear of fighting monsters at close range.
"There's also Tetsuo a mace user and the only front line attacker in his guild's formation. Besides his mace, he also used a small kite shield in his left hand. He wears a set of black armor, consisting of a chest and shoulder plates. Underneath the armor, he wore a purple tunic.
They have Sasamaru who has brown, curly hair and green eyes. He was mostly dressed in light, green clothing with light metal armor plates on his chest and his left shoulder. Sasamaru also wore brown, leather gauntlets, dark boots and a blue cap. Sasamaru's weapon of choice is a spear.
There's also Ducker who wears a dark yellow cloak, yellow top with a light metal chest plate, brown pants and boots, black fingerless gloves, and a gray beanie. Ducker had blue eyes and dark yellow hair. Ducker's weapon of choice was a dagger.
"Here's to us, The Moonlit Black Cats! Cheers everyone!" Ducker said. "Cheers!" the guild said. "I got another, cheers to the guys who saved our lives! To Sora! To Kirito!" Ducker said. "To Sora! To Kirito!" the guild said.
"Thanks guys." Sora said.
"Uhh… cheers guys." Kirito said.
The players thanked Sora and Kirito for saving them especially Sachi. But when Keita asked what level they were at they said they were at level 20, even though they were really at level 40. "Really you two are at our level and you two still fight on your own that's amazing!" Keita complemented.
"Thanks, but it's nothing to get all worked up for." Sora said.
"Exactly, and fighting on our own means were always hunting enemies out in the boonies it's not very efficient." Kirito said.
"Oh right. Well in that case I'd hate to spring this on you here but if you'd like we'd love to have you in our guild. Our mace welder Tetsuo, is the only one we can put up front right now. Then we got Sachi, I was thinking of her switching to sword and shield, that way she can fight on the frontlines. But the thing is she said she's not sure she can handle it. Maybe you guys can teach her a thing or two." Keita said.
"Oh come on I'm not that useless. Seriously you can't just put me up front and expect me to know what to do I'd be terrified." Sachi said.
"It's no big deal just hide behind your shield." Tetsuo said.
"Yeah right, ever since I can remember you've always been a scaredy cat." Sasamaru said.
Sachi just pouted at those comments and the rest of the guild just laughed it off. Sora liked how they interacted with each other as friends than teammates. It reminded him of his friends Donald and Goofy when ever those guys were together as a team.
"We always joke around like that, see in real life we all go to the same High School and members of the computer club. But if you're worried about fitting in with us don't, as far as I'm concerned your already part of our guild. Right guys?" Keita said.
The rest of the guild nodded in agreement and Sora and Kirito was about to make their decision.
"I'll do it" Kirito said.
"Yeah me to" Sora said.
The rest of the guild cheered for the newest members of their guild and partied on for the rest of the night.
The next day on Floor 20 of the Sunilt Forest, the guild was fighting a giant praying mantis with several shadow heartless next to it. Sora handled the heartless with the shooting star keyblade, while everyone else handled the praying mantis. The guild was making good damage to it, but Sachi was afraid she was just hiding behind her shield from its attacks.
"Sachi! Get back I got this!" Kirito said taking out one of its arms.
But then a few heartless jumped out to attack Kirito, but Sora's keyblade shined a light blue this time because of the change of keyblade, as he unleashed a new sword skill that he does in real life, strike raid. As his keyblade shined light blue and purple color as he threw it towards the heartless taking them all out.
"Thanks Sora!" Kirito complemented.
"No prob!" Sora responded.
"Tetsuo switch out!" Kirito said.
"Got it!" Tetsuo said as he swung his mace at the praying mantis and destroyed it, even leveling up to level 23.
After that the players were in field resting Sora, Kirito and Keita were lying down on the grass and Keita was reading the latest info on what was going on in S.A.O.
"The assault team made it through to floor 28. That's amazing!" Keita said.
"Cool that means we're one step closer to clearing the game!" Sora said.
"I know! Hey guys what the heck does the assault team have that we don't?" Keita asked.
"Well they have access to information, with that they can find the easiest way to gain exp and they don't share that information with anyone." Kirito explained.
"(Sighs) Yeah you're probably right, but I think what really sets them apart is will power." Keita said.
"What do you mean will power?" Sora asked.
"I mean that they have the will to stick up for their friends, or any player for that matter. Truth is I'd like to think we have the same kind of drive, even though we still need their protection. That said, our first priority is looking out for each other, but someday if get strong enough we'll join the elites in the assault team." Keita said.
"I see that's a good goal." Kirito said.
"Hey leader… give me some love!" Ducker said as he playfully put Keita in a headlock.
"So you really think we'll be as strong as the Holy Dragon Alliance? Or The Knights of the Blood Oath?" Tetsuo asked.
"Yeah what if I do? There's nothing wrong with setting our sights high, but we have to be level 30 first." Keita said.
"That's impossible!" Sachi replied.
'I like the way that Keita thinks, if the Black Cats can level if fast and get to the frontlines, his ideals can change the elitist attitude of the assault team' Kirito thought to himself.
Sora looked at the Black Cats and thought about what he said about having willpower to protect his friends. Sora liked to believe he had the same willpower to, protecting his friends both here and in the real world.
Back in the Taft Keita rounded up everyone to tell them some exciting news. " I have an announcement to make. After our latest hunt in the field we have 200,000 coal." Keita said. Everyone else in the guild was excited by this news.
"Buying a house of our own doesn't seem like a pipe dream anymore." Tetsuo said.
"I know! We should upgrade Sachi's equipment!" Sasamaru said.
"Hey that's a great idea!" Tetsuo said.
"No thanks, I'm fine with what I have." Sachi said.
"Aww come on, you know it's not fair to have Sora and Kirito out front forever." Tetsuo said.
"I'm sorry." Sachi said feeling guilty.
"Hey it's alright I don't mind." Sora said.
"Yeah, I'm cool with it too." Kirito said.
"Thanks guys. Sachi, I know switching jobs isn't easy, but seriously you're almost there. You can do it I know it!" Keita said with full confidence.
Even though Keita believed in her, Sachi barely had any confidence when it came to her fighting skills. After awhile everyone went to their rooms to sleep but Sora and Kirito decided to go outside. But Sora decided to ask Kirito a question that he wanted an answer.
"Hey Kirito can I ask you something?" Sora asked.
"Sure what's up" Kirito said.
"Why can't the Moonlit Black Cats know what level we're at?" Sora asked.
Kirito hesitated a little when Sora asked him that but gave him an answer anyway.
"Well… After what happened in floor 1, the players aren't exactly friendly towards us. I guess it feels nice being in a guild that trusts me and if we tell them what level we're at they probably won't want us around." Kirito explained he knew it wasn't right but deep down inside him he felt that this was the only way.
Sora thought about what he said, after they were known as a "hacker" and "beater" the players haven't been kind towards them at all. But the Moonlight Black Cats trust them, they care about them. But, what if Kirito told Keita the truth about his level? Would he and the others have accepted it or not? Sora deep down was afraid of losing the trust and friendship of the Moonlight Black Cats if they'd learned the truth about them.
"Well…I know the players haven't been really kind towards us. But these guys aren't like the ones who hate us. They accepted us when we saved them and believed we were already one of them, even though we barely knew them. I just, don't like lying to them when they've been so welcoming to us.." Sora said.
"I understand, but this guild isn't like many of the ones that look at us. But would that change once they find out how high our levels are? Kirito asked.
"There our friends, I'm sure they'll understand." Sora said sounding cheerful about it.
"Well.. we'll tell them... sometime..," Kirito said sounding a little more open to it but still a little hesitant.
"Good." Sora said.
But when the two players walked into the wolf plains they saw Klein and his guild (the Furrinkazan guild) taking out a pack of wolves. But this time Klein had on a red robe and black armor resembling those of a samurai including a katana, along with his guild members.
"Hey Sora! Kirito what's up!? The trash mobs all yours guys!" Klein said.
"Hey Klein! It's been a while since we last saw each other!" Sora said very happy to know that his friend Klein was still alive.
"It has! So you two doing some late night leveling or something? What's up with that icon(the symbol of a crescent moon and a black cat.) Did you two join a guild?" Klein asked.
"Yeah, guess you could say that." Kirito said.
"It's all clear we can move on!" One of the members of the Furrinkazan guild said.
With that Sora and Kirito started to walk away.
"See ya." Kirito said.
"Well se you later." Sora said.
"Yeah see ya." Klein said.
Then the two players were walking until both players saw a message icon in front of them. They clicked on it and they saw a message from Keita.
"It's Keita, Sachi went out somewhere and hasn't come back yet. We're heading to the dungeon now, please let me know if you find anything out."
"Oh boy… I hope she's okay." Sora said sounding worried about Sachi.
"Me too. But I have an idea." Kirito said as he opened his main menu and used his seek enemy track launch sword skill, to see Sachi's footprints near the town.
"I know where she is follow me!" Kirito said.
"Alright." Sora said.
Kirito and Sora followed the footprints and found Sachi under a bridge in the town.
"Sachi!" Kirito said.
"Kirito… Sora…" Sachi said.
"Everyone's worried about you." Sora said.
"Oh… Hey guys." Sachi said.
"Yeah?" Kirito asked.
"What's up?" Sora asked.
"We should… run away." Sachi said.
"Run away? From what?" Kirito asked.
"From this town, from the monsters, from the Moonlight Black Cats and from Sword Art Online to." Sachi said.
Sora and Kirito were shocked about this. "Wait! Are you talking about suicide?!" Sora asked worried about Sachi.
"That's not such a bad idea." Sachi said.
Sora and Kirito were surprised that she would think about this, they knew she was afraid but not to a point where she would talk like this.
"Sorry. No, if I had the guts to die I wouldn't be hiding in town where it's safe would I? But really, why do we have to die if it's just a stupid game? What's the point of going through this!?" Sachi asked.
"Yeah, there is no point I guess." Kirito said.
"I, I'm so scared of dying in here." Sachi said sounding very worried about her life.
Sora and Kirito looked in shock, they didn't realize how big her fear was in this game. Sora knew what it's like to be that afraid, when he first wielded the keyblade.
"I didn't know it was that bad for you." Sora said with empathy for Sachi, knowing what it means to fear for your life.
"I'm so scared, I haven't been able to sleep lately." Sachi said.
"You're not going to die." Kirito said.
"Really? How can you be so sure?" Sachi asked not really sure if she'll live.
"For one the Black Cats are a strong guild and if we stay together we can overcome anything." Sora said with confidence.
"He's right. Besides you got me, Sora and Tetsuo up front, so there's no reason to be on the front lines with us." Kirito added on with the same confidence.
"You honestly don't think I'll die? Will I make it back to the real world?" Sachi asked sounding a little more cheerful.
"Of course! We'll clear this game and make it to the real world!" Sora said.
After the talk Sachi was a lot happier and they all went back to the Taft to get some sleep. When they got there Sora and Kirito got in their beds in the room to sleep, but then they heard a knock on their door.
"Come in." Kirito said.
Then Sachi came in with a pillow in her arms.
"I'm sorry, I can't seem to get to sleep." Sachi said.
"Well, you can sleep with us if you'd like." Kirito said.
"Yeah, we don't mind." Sora said.
"Thanks guys." Sachi said with a nice warm smile.
After that the three players went to sleep, Sora slept in his own bed but Sachi went in the bed with Kirito.
'If me and Sora stay in this guild she'll be safe, and we'll all make it back to the real world. There must be a lot of players who are scared of dying. But still, they laugh and cry and try to live the best they can. I never thought of it like that before.' Kirito thought to himself.
"Kirito." Sachi said.
"It's okay. I promise you're going to survive." Kirito said.
Sachi smiled at that and then fell asleep.
'And no matter what, I promise to protect all of you.' Kirito said to himself.
With Sora, he looked over with Kirito and Sachi and smiled. 'I don't remember the last time I've seen Kirito so relaxed ever since it's been announced this game is a death game. I'm happy he's able to be around players who see him as a friend besides just me. And as a team I know we can make it to the real world.' Sora said to himself as he drifted off to sleep.
The next day the Moonlight Black Cats were about to buy themselves a house. They met at a teleport waypoint as Keita left to get the house keys.
"Okay I'm heading out! Teleport Town of Beginnings!" Keita said as he teleported away to the Town of Beginnings.
"Can you believe it! Who knew buying a house would be so exciting!" Sasamaru said in excitement.
"Dude you sound like an old man." Ducker said and the others laughed at joke. Even Kirito smiled a little bit.
"Hey while Keita's buying the house what do you guys say we go out and raise some extra cash." Tetsuo said.
"Oh then we can buy furniture!" Sachi said.
"Come on! Let's go to a dungeon on a higher floor." Ducker said.
"We should stick with our usual hunting spots." Kirito said.
"Yeah, we can get just enough from those spots already." Sora said.
"But up there we could make more and faster." Sasamaru said.
"Yeah and at our levels, we don't have anything to worry about." Ducker said.
Sora and Kirito we're worried, they could handle but could the rest of the guild handle it. But they decided to go Floor 27 into the dungeon anyway.
"See guys, I told you this is going to be cake! We might even reach the front lines sooner." Sasamaru said.
"Yeah! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Ducker said.
They continued to walk through the dungeon, when Ducker pressed on one of the walls and unlocked a hidden door. Then when they players went in the room they spotted a treasure chest, Kirito tried to warn them not to open it, but it's to late. Ducker opened the chest and the entire room flashed red, the door closed on them and monsters called Mineral Elementals and Dark Dwarf Miners.
" It's a trap guys! Hurry let's get outta here!" Kirito shouted.
"Teleport Taft! Wha… Teleport Taft!" Ducker shouted raising his teleport crystal.
"We can't use our crystals!" Sachi said.
"They're probably being blocked by the walls." Kirito said.
Then the players fought the monsters in the room, but Ducker got surrounded by a group of Dark Dwarf Miners and they stabbed him with their pickaxes, until he disappeared.
"NO DUCKER!" Sora shouted terrified of what just happened.
The battle still continued but then Tetsuo got hit from one of the Mineral Elementals and disappeared as well.
"TETSUO! WHY YOU!" Sasamaru said charging at the Mineral Elemental that killed Tetsuo, but he didn't even put a scratch on it. But then the same Mineral Elemental that killed Tetsuo killed Sasamaru.
"SASAMARU! THAT DOES IT!" Sora said fueled by anger he violently slashed his keyblade at the Mineral Elemental that killed Tetsuo and Sasamaru and destroyed.
He violently destroyed the monsters appearing in the room not realizing his eyes were turning a red and yellow color. Kirito was also violently attacking the monsters in the room growing angry at them for taking the lives of 3 of their friends. Sachi was struggling with the monsters and they started surrounding her.
"Sora! Kirito!" Sachi said.
"Sachi!" Sora and Kirito said trying to get to Sachi in time.
But they were to late, they tried rushing to save Sachi but a single slash from the Mineral Elemental killed her and she disappeared. Then Sora finally reached his breaking point, he dropped his keyblade fell on his knees, holding his hands on his head screaming at the top of lungs.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sora exclaimed as he broke down in tears on all fours.
"Sora!" Kirito shouted fighting through monsters to reach to Sora.
"They're gone… Sachi, Sasamaru, Tetsuo, Ducker. Gone forever. What do we do?!" Sora said breaking down in tears.
"Sora, I know what you're saying but right now we need to get going." Kirito said, trying to fight off the monsters closing in on them.
"But… I promised… to keep them safe. That we'd all make it back. But it happened again…" Sora said still crying.
"Sora… this isn't on you!(grrr) I told us (grunts) to keep our levels a secret!(grunts) But right now (grr) I need you!" Kirito said, still fighting the monsters while trying to reach through to Sora.
But as Sora was still crying, his sadness for his friends deaths turned into anger as his red eyes flashed as he got up and looked at the monsters fighting Kirito.
"You all killed them… and I'll make you pay…" Sora said and his eyes flashed red.
Sora charged at the enemies destroying the monsters, but as he fought Sora's feet and legs started growing up to his hip. Kirito watched in horror as he watched the darkness creep up his arms and saw his change of eye color.
"Sora… what are you really?" Kirito said quietly.
When the darkness reached Sora's hands and arms, he's able to kill the monsters by just a hit from his hands. Soon there was only one Mineral Elemental in the room, and the darkness creeped up to his face turning his hair black, white patterns appeared on his pants and jacket meaning he was in his drive form, Rage Form. He dropped his keyblade as he tore the last Mineral Elemental limb from limb. Kirito watched in horror at Sora's new appearance, and how he killed the last monster in the room.
"Sora… is that you?" Kirito asked quietly, worried for his friend.
But Sora didn't answer, instead he picked up his keyblade and it turned black, then Sora started attacking Kirito. Since the two were on the same level, Kirito was able to keep up with his attacks in swordplay. But because of Sora's new form that helped in his punching, kicking and speed Sora was able to overpower Kirito, and his health bar went into the red.
"(Huff,Huff,Huff) Man your good. Sora… please… don't… this isn't you. I know you can fight this… you're my friend.. I believe in you, like you believed in me…" Kirito said with a small smile on his face. Sora listened to it and held his words, then he dropped his keyblade and held his hands to his head trying to break out of his Rage Form. Then, as he faced Kirito his eyes returned to his ocean blue color.
"Ki… Kirito?" Sora asked as the rest of his body and keyblade returned to normal.
"Sora! You're alright!" Kirito said very happy that Sora's back to normal.
"I'm fine. But the Moonlight Black Cats however is a different story." Sora said still sounding sad about what happened.
Back in the castle of Radiant Garden, Ansem the Wise and his apprentices were horrified at what they just witnessed. "How could that be possible?…"Even asked.
"I thought Sora couldn't use any magic in that world" Ienzo said.
"He shouldn't be able to. But, there have been instances when the heart and will of a person is capable of rejecting the rules of a data world. When Roxas was in the virtual Twilight Town, Roxas was able to reject the time stopping once because of his friendship with Hayner, Pence and Olette. It seems Sora unlocked his Rage Form the same way, after the deaths of his friends." Ansem said.
"So you're saying Sora's heart is starting to resist the code of Sword Art Online?" Even said.
"Sora views the world and people in it to be real, like Roxas did in the Virtual Twilight Town. When Sora's friends were killed he When Sora's friends were killed, he truly made a connection with them. That's probably why when he felt sad and angry, the emotions he felt completely rejected the code of the game, he turned into his Rage Form." Ansem explained.
"I just hope Sora will be able to control it. The point of the exam is to test if Sora is capable of controlling the darkness inside him." Even said, sounding concerned for Sora.
"I'm sure he will. Besides he's not alone Kirito is with him." Ienzo said.
"Well, those two are strong, they'll get through it together." Ansem said.
A few months after the death of the Moonlight Black Cats on Christmas Eve on Floor 49 in Mugien, Sora and Kirito were sitting on a bench when a info broker dressed in a robe approached them.
"I hear someone's taking risks with their level raising." Info broker said.
"You got any new info for us or what?" Kirito asked.
"Nothing worth charging you two money for." Info Broker answered.
"You're giving info brokers a bad name you know that?" Sora asked.
"Hey, this wasn't in the beta test it's a first time event, how am I supposed to know it's gonna happen? All I know is that tonight of Christmas Eve, the event boss is gonna appear. He's called Nicholas the Renegade, and he's gonna show up under a Fir tree somewhere. The major guild are looking everywhere for the the tree as we speak. You two wouldn't happen to know where it is would you?" Info Broker asked.
"Maybe…" Kirito said.
"Are you two planning to fight it on your own?" Info Broker asked.
But the two didn't answer and walked back to the Taft to prepare for the fight. 'In this world the dead can never return to life. But we heard a rumor, if you defeat a boss called Nicolas the Renegade it'll drop an item that can revive a dead a dead player. After The Moonlight Black Cats died, I actually felt like using the power of waking to bring them back. But I can't use magic in this world, and even if I could I'll break a taboo of nature again. I wouldn't mind of course, but I promised my self and my friends I wouldn't use that power that way again. But lucky for us, we found an alternate way to bring one our friends back. When we learned of the revival item, we decided to use it to bring back Sachi. That way we'll find out what she said, even if it isn't what we want to hear. Sora and Kirito said to themselves.
Flashback
After Sora and Kirito left the dungeon on Floor 27, they teleported to the Town of Beginnings and found Keita with the house keys. They told him the truth of what happened, and their true levels and abilities.
"You're a Hacker and a Beater! You two had no right to be with us!" Keita exclaimed. With that he dropped the keys, walked off the edge of Aincrad and jumped off committing suicide.
"KEITA!" Sora shouted horrified that his friend committed suicide.
"Sora… I'm sorry. I've caused you nothing but trouble since we teamed up." Kirito said filled with remorse.
"What are you talking about?" Sora asked.
"I told you to keep our levels a secret from them, now the both of us have to pay the price for it." Kirito said.
"I could have told them to you know. So if you're to blame then so am I." Sora said.
"But it was my idea. Listen, I appreciate you staying with me, but this is proof I'm meant to remain a solo player." Kirito said sounding very sad.
"I stayed with you because you're my friend, through the good and through the bad times, you'll always be my friend." Sora said.
"But why do you still think of me as a friend? I caused our friends to die and caused you to turn into that black monster!" Kirito exclaimed.
"It's because of everything we've been through together. We've been there for each other ever since we both logged in. And as for what you saw me turn into…(Sora hesitates a little bit but decided to go ahead and tell him) I was emotional when our friends were killed, but the real reason I got extremely emotional then… was because I've experienced something that already." Sora said, sounding sad when he reminded himself at what happened in the Keyblade Graveyard, when he witnessed all of his friends get killed. Even though he brought them back with the power of waking it was a still traumatic experience.
"Oh… you must have been through a lot. I'm sorry." Kirito said feeling sorry for Sora.
"Yeah, we're the last survivors of the Moonlight Black Cats if you leave me alone, i'll have no one else here. I can't lose one more friend." Sora said on the brink of tears.
Kirito thought about this, he was a solo player but he liked teaming up with Sora when they left the Town of Beginnings. When they became known as the Hacker and the Beater, the players weren't all that nice to them. They could only rely on each other for support, and when they met the Moonlight Black Cats they were in a team that accepted them. But now that they're gone they're on their own again, he can look after himself and he knows Sora can to. But after listening to Sora's story and seeing him in his Rage Form, his emotional state isn't that great. What if he left Sora and he turned into his Rage Form again and he isn't there, the other players will see him as a monster instead of a Hacker.
"Well… I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. And we do make a great team, so I'll stay." Kirito said.
"Thanks Kirito." Sora said, with tears of joy hearing they were still going to be a team.
"Great… Well let's go." Kirito said. He didn't admit it but he's glad they're still a team to.
Present Time
Sora and Kirito ran through the snowy Forest Maze on Floor 35 to that Fir tree where the boss is hiding, but then Klein and his guild showed up behind them
"What's up?" Klein asked.
"You followed us?" Kirito asked.
"Of course, you two are after the revival item aren't you" Klein asked.
"So what if we are?" Sora asked.
"You guys shouldn't be risking your lives for a rumor that could be bogus. Seriously you two can't be messing around in this death game. Once your HP hits zero that's it, in the real world your game gets fried…" Klein said but was interrupted by Kirito who didn't care.
"Shut up…"Kirito said.
"I'm trying to stop you two from this stupid idea of yours! Come on join up with us. Who ever drops the revival item gets to keep it, that's fair right?" Klein asked.
"Sorry but that's not an option. We're doing this on our own." Sora said, determined to get the item.
"But think about what you guys are doing, it's suicide and I can't let you two die like that! Come on!" Klein exclaimed.
"But before the two players could respond, an army of players with heavy metal armor with silver and blue colors.
"I guess you were followed to, huh Klein?" Kirito asked.
"Looks like it." Klein said.
"It's the Holy Dragon Alliance!" One member of the Furrinkazan Guild said.
"They'll do anything for a rare item, no matter how shady!" Another member of the Furrinkazan Guild said.
"What do we do?" Another member of the Furrinkazan Guild asked.
"You've gotta be kidding me…" Sora said.
"Screw these guys! Get outta here you two." Klein said.
"No way!" Kirito said.
"Leave them to us! We can hold them off get going!" Klein said.
"Alright be careful!" Sora said, and the two players left for the Fir tree leaving Klein and his guild to face off against the Holy Dragon Alliance.
Sora and Kirito made it to the Fir tree but there wasn't a boss there. But when they looked up, they saw a huge monster land right in front of them, with four health bars, it was Nicholas the Renegade. It looked like a twisted version of Santa Claus with a pale blue face and yellow-white hair. It has red, strabismic eyes, and has a spiky mustache and beard.
"Alright… you ready Kirito?" Sora asked with his keyblade in his hand.
"You bet. Let's do this." Kirito said with his sword in hand.
And with that the two players charged at the boss for the revival item. Meanwhile back in the forest, the Furrinkazan Guild was completely exhausted from holding of the Holy Dragon Alliance. They eventually gave up and left, but then Klein saw two players come to them, but they looked greatly disappointed.
"Sora! Kirito! Hey!" Klein said, overjoyed that they're still alive.
"Here…"Kirito said, throwing the revival item to Kirito.
"That's the revival item…" Sora said, sounding very disappointed about it.
So Klein clicked on the item and read something surprising about it. "Must administer to affected player… within ten seconds!" Klein exclaimed surprise at the rule of the revival item.
"If someone does in front of you someday, make sure you use it." Kirito said.
Then Sora and Kirito walked off, feeling defeated knowing their effort were all for nothing. But Klein, came and stopped the two from walking away.
"Wait Sora! Kirito! Stay alive! Alright I don't care how you do it. Just stay alive till the end!" Klein said, breaking down into tears.
"Don't worry we'll live." Sora said.
"Yeah… see ya" Kirito said.
So Sora and Kirito left the forest and back to the Taft to rest.
"(Sigh) Sorry I wasted our time trying to get that item, I just wanted to bring Sachi back and know what she said to us before she died." Kirito said.
"It's not your fault, I really wanted to see Sachi again to, but what do you mean what did she say to us?" Sora asked.
"In the battle, I saw Sachi's lips move like she was trying to tell us something but I couldn't hear anything because of the chaos." Kirito said.
"Oh… well I wonder what she said." Sora said.
"I don't know, maybe she was cursing us out for not telling the truth." Kirito said.
"We don't know that. We don't even know what she was really thinking at that time" Sora said, trying to sound optimistic about the situation.
"Well now we'll never know." Kirito said.
"But just a strange icon appeared in front of them, when Kirito clicked on it they saw a gift box from Sachi.
"Sachi…" Sora and Kirito said together.
"So they both clicked on it and then a crystal appeared in front of them. But when they pressed on it, the crystal shined brighter and they heard a recording of Sachi.
"Merry Christmas Sora, Kirito, by the time you hear this I'll probably be dead. How can I explain this? To tell you the truth I never wanted to leave the Town of Beginnings. And I knew if I fought with an attitude like that I'd up dying someday. But that's not anyone's fault, that's something I have to deal with. Guys, ever since the night you two found me you kept telling me I wouldn't die no matter what, but what if I got killed anyway? I knew that if I'd die you'd blame yourselves, that's why I decided to record this for you two. By the way I know how powerful you two are, sorry I sort of peeked at Kirito's main menu when he wasn't looking. Since you two are close are in strength I knew Sora was on the same level to. I wondered why you two weren't telling the truth what level players you two were, I wondered why you decided to fight with us, I never figured it out though. But when I did find out how strong you both are, it made me so happy I felt relieved. So even if I die, promise me you'll go on living okay you two? Stay alive so you can see the end of this world and find out why it was created. Find out why a weakling like me ended up here. Find out the reason why we met, that is my wish. Looks like I still have a little time left, so seeing how it's Christmas I'll sing you a song.(After this, she hummus the song Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Sora and Kirito hear this and begin to cry missing her even more.) Anyway guys, I'm really happy that I met you and I could be with you, even for a little while. Thank you… goodbye." Sachi said, as the recording ending the crystal went back to its dull color and fell on the ground.
"Well… at we know she wasn't cursing us out." Sora said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah…" Kirito said, still feeling sad about it.
"Cone on Kirito, even though she's gone she'll always be in our hearts. So let's keep on living to the end, for Sachi, for the Moonlight Black Cats, for our friends." Sora said with a warm smile."Yeah… let's do it…" Kirito said.
There you go the next chapter and Sora has used his rage form not anti form. But this won't be the last time Sora uses this form but let's see if he'll be able to control it.