The Lightning Swordsman (Book 1)

My Only Reason

Liz POV

"Mom, Dad don't go, don't leave me all alone."

"Honey we must"

"Please don't"

"Don't worry you have your brother to look after you"

"No please don't leave me"

"Goodbye...Kate"

My eyes shoot open as I launch off my bed. It was the same dream I have had for a while now. I dream of my parents leaving me, and some nights my brother too. I guess it's not all that weird, after all, they did leave me alone. They force me to have this dream.....no this nightmare to remind me. I can't move on and can't be happy like this, what will happen to me when we get out. I don't know and it scares me. Sometimes I wish I could join them.

It was 3 in the morning, no one should be up yet. I guess I could go on a walk, after all, I'm not going to be able to sleep till sunrise anyways. I change into my armour and set out. I walk in town for about 2 hours, I find walking to be helpful. After I walked the entire town I head toward the woods. Sword Art Online got one thing right, the beauty of some of its places.

The woods looked beautiful, the sun was peaking and wildlife was at its most active. The birds were chirping and the trees rustling. It was soothing to both eyes and hears. Honesty I will never feel this way in the real world, not after what has happened. I got lost in time and ended being out here for another 4 hours. The sun has praised us with its light. It was 9 now and I'd guess most players would be up at this time.

I start to head back but I noticed an unnatural movement in the bushes. At first, I ignored it but I couldn't anymore. As I go to draw my sword and face it, something springs toward me. I launch myself out of the path of someone and then hit my shoulder on a tree very hard.

"Little miss has some reflexes, I like my prey feisty." the giant man who leaped toward me says

"It's rude to sneak on a girl," I say as I draw my weapon. He seems to have caught my intentions as he draws a Longsword that size would put Punishers to shame. He had almost no armour or cloths and had a coffin tattooed on his body

"I think mines bigger than any you've seen," He says creepily

"Ha, might be bigger but can you use it," I say as I charge him.

I ran at him and start a skill that would smash almost any weapon. However my plan backfires greatly, my sword hits his and just bounces off. This leaves me open for an attack and my enemy knows it. With one of his fists, he punches me in my gut and knocks the wind out of me. This engages a paralyzing effect on my body

"Hahahaha, not talking big now are you!" He says as he starts kicking my body making the effect last even longer. He finally stopped when the effect hit 10 minutes, as it went up my health went down. I had a quarter of my health left.

"I think I'll finish you off with my sword now, I was really hoping you would put up more of a fight," He says

"Bastard," I say

"Die you, bitch!" He says as he brings his sword down. I guess my life flashed before my eyes, I saw all of my memories. Some of them wanted me to comfort death while others told me to resist it. It didn't matter now, I was going to die. The sword made it halfway down until it was stopped.

In slow motion, I could see the tip of a Longsword block the sword that was being brought down on my head. I could see more of the Longsword as it slides across the edge of the enemy's sword. Finally, the guard of the sword came into the picture and sent the opposing sword off course. This all happened in a matter of milliseconds and as the person who saved me came into view I already had known who the person who saved me was.

(U/N) had just used Bolt to save me, that's the only way a blow like that would be blocked. Time speeds up again and (U/N) crashed into a tree 10 meters away after he blocked the blow that would've killed me.

"Another joins the party, I see your speed, you must be (U/N)" the guys says

"Indeed am, you know me, so who are you" (U/N) says trying to stall for time as the cooldown for his skill is ongoing

"I'm Ryder, a member of Laughing Coffin," the big guy says

"Laughing coffin, eh, you're about to meet your match" (U/N) says finally turning around.

"We will see about that" Ryder says

(U/N) is holding his Longsword with two hands parallel to the ground and above his shoulder pointed at Ryder he then charges and jumps toward him. Ryder responds by blocking (U/N) blow and sending a punch to the gut like he did with me. (U/N) seemed to be stunned and Ryder took advantage of this. He grabbed (U/N)'s face and brought it down to his knee hitting it hard off it. This woke (U/N) up and as soon Ryder let go of him, (U/N) jumped off Ryder's chest and kicked his jaw as (U/N) did a backflip.

Once (U/N) landed, he stood there studying Ryder. (U/N) then did something I had never seen him do before. He started to rotate his Longsword as a Jedi would do to their light sabre. Ryder noticed this too and seemed to think it was a dumb move. Ryder charges (U/N) to be met with (U/N) starting to flips as the Longsword is still spinning at insane speeds.

"You want me to test a new skill on you" (U/N) asks as he continues flipping

"Throw everything you got!" Ryder yells back

(U/N) then starts to move at slightly higher speeds until it seems like he is using Bolt over and over. He then starts striking Ryder who can do nothing but guess where the next attack will be coming from. (U/N)'s Bolt skill makes it seem like he teleports to a location, but the reality is that (U/N) is just moving faster then what the eye can see. So what Ryder can see is literally nothing, all that he can see is his health going down.

Ryder starts to panic and throws his sword in every direction hoping that one will hit (U/N). He does this recklessly until he is out of stamina. Once this happens (U/N) is finally visible again, but the attacks are not over, he raises his sword and starts his skill invisible blade. Once it connects Ryder is completely helpless on the group with barely any health. (U/N) ties Ryder up for the animals to finish him off, after which he turns his attention to me

"Are you ok" (U/N) finally speaks to me

"Yea I'm good, if you had not been there I would be dead" I answer

"Yea, i'm glad I listened to my gut, I knew something was wrong. Jam wouldn't want you to go and die on us" He tells me

"Well I'm glad you listened to your gut as well, and I'm sure Jam would be glad as well," I tell him as I am still lying on the ground, "don't think of anything weird, I'm going to be like this for another 7 minutes," I tell him a bit embarrassed.

"Don't worry, I'll get you back to the guildhall" He says as he picks me up like a princess.

"You know, you're the only reason" I start to say

"Only reason?" He asks

"O it's nothing," I tell him

"Ok then, miss forgetful," he says with his usually confident smirk

If only he know he was the only reason I didn't want to die today.