Sword Heroes(Sword Art Online: Instagram Edition)

Chapter 9

"New information about the 10 players. It's been a week since the players awoke and they all still experience amnesia. It has been learned that the game reset their memories of the game. And it can't be recovered. Five players made it to the real world perfectly okay while the five in the game are trying to get back to normal. The players, shown here, may have a second chance to beat this game for everyone. The players families are going to leave them a message which will be sent into the game one at a time. This is your evening news, I'm Amanda Ty. Good Night."

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I wake up the next morning, sighing as a notification appears in my face. I sit up, hair a mess, clothes messy, and dark circles. I rub my eyes as I begin to read the notification. "Message from creator... Who...?" I yawn. I open it, only for a gem the fly out and hit my face. I groan as the notification vanishes. I glance at the gem, now laying in my lap. I press the button attached to it. A video begins buffering. My eyes widen once it begins playing.

"Hi Lily. It's us. Mom, Dad and Drake." My mom smiles. My eyes begin watering. "We've missed you... We spent your birthday here in the hospital with you." She continues. "We want you to come back safe. We don't wanna walk in this room to you not breathing." A tear slips down her cheek. "Do your best alright? You've been doing pretty well." My dad says, a smile forced on his face as tears fall. "Hey... Ever since the day of the hospital incident... We thought you'd be back. But when I came in here one day... And you were just... Here... Your headset not glowing red... Something in me died a little. It meant I wasn't gonna see you awake again for awhile... Please get back soon." Drake smiles, tears falling down his cheeks. I hold my pillow over my mouth the silence the sobs. "Well we'll let Mamoru talk now... We love you." My mom says standing up with the other two, exiting the room. There's silence for a few minutes. Then I see him. Mamoru sits down in front of the camera. "Hey...." He smiles. He flips his black hair out of his face. "All I can really do to help you is sit here and hope. When you come back... We're going to do so much. I'll do anything you want. I just need to know you're safe. Please Lily.... I just want to hold you and know you're okay. I'm gonna be waiting." His purple eyes, filling with tears. It's so rare for him to cry. He looks like he's depressed. I can see it in his eyes. They're clouded with sadness. He smiles a little. "You're probably just examining me huh? Sorry... I've been lost without you here..." He chuckles with a sad tone. "Well... I guess it's time to end this. I love you Lily..." He waves, tears falling more rapid. The video ends.

I just sit there, sobbing into the pillow. I hold the gem close to my chest." Yo! Lily!" I hear a knock at the door. "What's going on? We heard voices... You okay there?" Simple asks. I keep quiet, trying to contain sobs. "Lily..." Swift opens the door. I look up at them, hugging the gem closer to me. "Lily what's wrong!" Simple hugs me. He pets my head as I stop crying. I hold the gem to them. "Watch it..." I say. The two look at each other. They sit with me on my bed, pressing the button on the gem. They watch the video in shock and horror. I cover my ears so I won't have to hear the video again. "Lily we..." Swift begins. "I'm so sorry..." She looks away. We hear crying from the other room.

We rush out of the room only to find Cheesy crying in the living room. "Cheesy what's wrong-" Simple begins. I hold up my gem and Simple becomes quiet. Swift goes to comfort Cheesy as I sigh. "So everyone is getting one..." I say sitting on the floor. I turn the TV to see battles being broadcasted live. "It's that guy again... Ryu..." I growl staring at the screen. The girl he's fighting is struggling to battle him. I clench the rug below me as Athena and Mary walk in. "Good Morning..." Mary yawns. "What are you watching...?" Athena sits down next to me. "Those duels they record for entertainment." I say. "I've heard they broadcast those to the real world." Mary says from the kitchen. "What...?" I begin. "Yeah... The real world is watching it as we speak." Mary replies, grabbing the cereal from her inventory. My eyes widen as I look at the group. "Should we enter?" I ask. "What?!" Everyone in the room yells at me. "I mean... We can get a message out to the real world. Our families." I say. "They treat the sword battles like sports in the real world. I've heard rumors that the players enlisted are announced on the news, like they would for football teams." Mary shoves a spoonful of cereal in her mouth as she joins Swift and Cheesy on the couch. "Lily no we're not going there..." Athena says. "But... We need to! We need to enter!" I shake her. "Lily why...?" Mary asks. "She got a video from her family. It really broke her..." Simple says. "Alright... What's the prize for this tournament?" Athena looks at the screen just in time to see a girl with dark brown hair and blue streak come out. "Raptor...?" She begins, walking up to the screen. "Holy hell... No way." Mary says. "I've heard the prize is 10,000 coins." Cheesy, who has finally calmed down, replies. "Then let's go!" I jump up, pressing my outfit in my menu. "Lily..." Swift says. "Come on! I'll enter. You guys don't have to! Plus... This could help me train.... Since... You know.." I begin. They get the hint of my in game amnesia. "Alright fine." Simple says. "Let's wake up Mango and Anna... And get the others." Swift sighs, switching into her gear. A smile forms on my face.