Sword Art Online (an SAO Fan-Fiction) *EDITED*

Sword Art Online (an SAO Fan-Fiction)

  I'd hardly been able to contain my excitement all day, and neither could my brother. It was about a video game, of course. What else would excite two young teenagers so much? It had been all we could talk about, much to our parents exasperation: "Hideko, can you stop talking about that game for one moment?" We couldn't care less, though. We'd sat through our mother's nagging, neither of us paying attention. When the clock struck the fateful hour, we both took off sprinting as fast as we could.

I turned the corner and darted up the stairs, my heart was beating so fast that I was sure it would fly out of my chest any second, from both excitement and over-exertion. Today was the day. The new video game had just come out, but it was so much more than that. It was a game where you're the player, you do everything like it's a different reality. A full dive, it was called. I'd been over the moon when I'd learned that I had been accepted as a beta tester, I played as often as I could, even making it as far as the 6th floor, the second highest player in the game.

I was out of breath when I got to my room, but I didn't stop to rest. Plopping down on my bed, I rummaged in the bedside drawer and finally pulled out the NerveGear, the system that I needed to play the game. I gave a contented sigh, and my thoughts wandered to Sword Art Online, that wonderful world I was about to enter. I strapped the NerveGear to my head and lay down. I couldn't contain my smile as I said the words: "Link Start!"

Flashing lights sped past me, so fast I was dizzy. I logged on using my old information. In the blink of an eye, I found myself in Aincrad, floor 1, right by the entrance to the Town of Beginnings. I looked down at myself. I wore a blue version of the standard female dress, and I looked nothing like my real self. Sure, the general shape of my face and eyes was the same, but the color of my eyes and my hair were different. It was just what I"d wanted: an escape from that boring realm where everything is static or random. No more boring brown hair, now I could have hair in all colors of the rainbow, I could determine my own appearance. I'd picked the most angelic build that I could, curly blonde hair, impossibly bright blue eyes. That was perfect.

Rather than going into the town square, as most of the new players would, I turned and ran into the wide fields, reveling in the joy and freedom I felt, now that I was safely in the embrace of this game I knew so well.  I was headed to a nice monster hunting spot that I was positive only I knew about, a secret area that didn't show up on the map. It took me almost half an hour,but I had finally arrived. The sight was breath-taking, as it always was. I stood on a high cliff, overlooking a sparkling crystal clear lake that glittered in the afternoon sun. Boars and other weak monsters milled around. I'd always been impressed with how a skilled programmer could make an illusion feel so real. The light breeze. The sweet smell of grass and dew. The dazzling way the light reflected off the water. It was magical.

I hunted until I could hunt no more, and when the area was clear, I sat on the edge of the cliff, admiring the view once more. I contemplated, for one insane moment, the thought of jumping off into the clear sunset lit water, of how nice it would feel. I quickly dismissed the thought as too dangerous. Even if I couldn't die, I shouldn't go seeking death. I'd just stood up to return to town when I hear it. The ominous tolling of a bell. I had hardly turned around when I felt a strange sensation build within me. There was a flash of light, then nothing.

When the white light faded and I could see again, I found myself in the town square of the Town of Beginnings. It seemed as if the entire world were packed into this single square, I could hardly even move. I heard collective gasps and screams from the people around me.  I looked up and saw that the sky had turned as red as blood. I instinctively cringed away from the ominous sight. The sky began to ooze, the the blood-like liquid congealing into a huge figure wearing a dark red robe, looming over the square. Everyone shivered as the monolith began to speak. "Attention, players. I welcome you to my world" the figure said in a booming voice that made a shiver of fear g down my spine.