Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

Artisan of Annihilation

The rapid winds rushed by around me as the spire sped past with my quick descent. From my feet immediately to my knee, I landed hard with a fist to the ground. Underneath my knuckles a purple indicator popped up with a little sound. 'Immortal object' it read. I heard the spires doors open behind me and I turned to meet Kitara and May as they reached the exit.

"Woah! Hey, K! How'd you get down here? Where's Hayden?" Kitara smiled and looked around.

A faint scream could be heard nearing closer and closer until Hayden fell flat on his head. His ass stuck straight up in the air towards all three of us as he grunted painfully.

"Right there." I said.

"K!!" Fukaziroh beckoned us.

"Let's move." I ordered as I rushed towards her.

"Right!" May and Kitara both replied.

I faintly felt as if their loyalty had imprinted on me. Hayden hopped up and followed suit as we picked up Fuka to leave the spire.

"You got em' right? They disappeared on the scan but that was before the explosion." Fuka asked.

"They're gone. Kitara cleared them out like a minesweeper." I commended.

"Oh come on, there's no need for praise." Kitara shrugged it off.

"Don't sell yourself short." I assured.

"He's right, Kitara! You're amazing and I believe you can absolutely make it to number o-" A bullet went straight thru the back of May's neck and she began to fall.

"Sniper! Top spire!" Hayden yelled as I knelt and caught her softly.

I angrily drew my Deagle and fired a few precise bullets up at the exploded room of the spire. My team around me also drew their guns and fired upon the broken window to confirm the kill. I looked upon May's closed eyes as she lay and could tell that she was already gone. I set her head down gently and folded her hands together peacefully on her chest. Even though she lay in the middle of the open plaza, at least she lay in peace.

"Hi Fen Kos Dahmaan." I stroked May's black hair as she lay to rest.

"We need to move." I stood up and looked ahead.

"What?! But May, she's-"

"There's nothing we can do for her now, Kitara. The only way out is through." I began to lead the way.

"But we can't just-"

"I know it feels wrong to leave her like this but we don't have any other choice. We need to press forward." I assured her.

"I can't just ignore the deaths of my closest friends!" Kitara yelled as I turned my back to go.

"You can mourn them later. We have our own lives to think about right now." I led the way and she hesitantly followed the team.

It was mostly uneventful for our excursion to the next location but as the game neared a close, the more skillful players remained. Back into the neon city we went, checking our corners and traversing together as we had our guns at the ready. We came to a small plaza square surrounded by buildings and scanned around the area. It was unbelievably quiet and I thought we were safe until Hayden called out loudly.

"Contact! Second floor balcony!" He shouted and fired his AK-74u up at his target.

The rest of us snapped to attention but the enemy player had already dipped back.

"Dammit! I just missed him!" Hayden took out his empty magazine and tossed it aggressively to the ground.

"I'll smoke him out. Everyone else cut him off at the street. I'll lead him straight to you." I ordered.