After the bright light had gone away, Kirito, Yui, and I found ourselves in a futuristic corridor.
U/N: This doesn't look like it's part of the game.
Kirito: Yui? Do you know where we are?
Yui: I don't know. There is no mapping data here.
Kirito: Then what about Asuna?
Yui: Yes. She is very close. This way!
She stood up and started to run down the hallway to which we followed her. She had stooped a little bit after and made a hole through the wall and continued down yet another hallway. When we hit a dead end, the three of us tried to push on it like it was a door and sure enough it opened and we were outside on the branches of the tree. We were looking down at Alfhiem from above.
Kirito: Is this the top of the world tree?
U/N: Pretty sure it is. But I heard there was supposed to be some sort of floating city up here.
Kirito: I agree. There was never any "Grand Quest."
Yui tugged on Kirito's coat, snapping him out of thought.
Kirito: Yeah. We need to get Asuna out of here first.
He started looking at something so I traced where he was looking and saw the golden bird cage from the pictures that were taken. Kirito took ahold of Yui's hand and ran up the path to it and I followed behind them. Getting closer we made out the silhouette of an individual, Asuna, and seeing that only made Kirito and Yui run faster to get to her.
"Something isn't right.... This feels like a trap"
Akira had whispered to me.
U/N: 'I know. But we need to get to her out of here.'
I mentally said back.
By the time we had reached the caged door, it was sunset and we saw Asuna with her head down on some kind of bed.
Yui: Mommy!
She lifted her head off of the rest and looked toward us.
Asuna: Yui.
Yui used a code to open the gate and she had already ran in to give her a reunion hug. Kirito looked at me and I nodded to him.
Asuna: Kirito.
She wiped away the tears from her cheeks.
Kirito: Hey, sorry I took so long.
They lightly pressed their foreheads together and smiled.
Kirito: Asuna, There is someone else here too.
Asuna: Someone? Who?
I walked over and waved my hand.
U/N: Hey, Red Riding Hood.
Her eyes widened at me.
Asuna: U/N?
The only thing I could do was give a sincere smile and nod to her reply.
U/N: Hope your ready to go home.
She nods back.
Kirito: Yui, can you log Asuna out from here.
Yui shook her head.
Yui: No I can't. Her user is locked by very confusing codes. The only way I can log her out is with a system terminal.
Asuna: I saw one in the lab..
I caught on to something strange so I turn around and quickly draw my sword but after I did that, the gravity felt way heavier than what it did before. And it only got worse until we were on our knees.
Yui: Mommy. Daddy. Uncle U/N. Be careful, something bad is coming.
She then disappeared in red smoke, like she was blocked out.
Kirito: Asuna.
He tried reaching his hand over while I tried to stand up but another surge kicked us back down.
??: Well well well. I never expected to see a pair of cockroaches in my little birds cage.
Kirito: You gotta be kidding.... Sugou?
U/N: You... you know him?
The figure standing next to Kirito revealed himself. He was wearing green royal attire along with a crown to match with his cosplay routine. He waved his finger around.
Sugou: Ah ah. I'd prefer you not use that name in this world. Call me His Highness, The Fairy King Oberon!
He kicked Kirito down.
U/N: Ha! Pathetic name.
He looked over at me who was on one knee and still struggling to get up.
Oberon: And who might you be.
U/N: Oh I go by many names. Ass Kicker, Kicker of Asses. Slayer of Shitheads. But you can call me, U/N, The Phoenix swordsman.
His eyes looked shocked. I just almost gotten up, but got kicked onto my back.
Oberon: U/N. But I thought you went down with SAO.
U/N: Well you learn something new everyday. Now, can you promptly fuck off so I can get my friends outta here.
Oberon: I'm sorry, but I just can't allow that to happen. One reason being your trapped by this new gravity spell that is coming out in the next update.
He stepped on my arm.
Oberon: What do you think. Think the players would go for it.
U/N: Oh I don't know. Maybe if you get that disgusting ass foot away from me and let me kick your ass, then maybe I'll leave a one star review.
Oberon: Has your mom ever told you that words can't hurt you little brat.
He kicked me in the face. He heard some grunting and saw that Kirito had almost gotten up too. Sugou or Oberon went over and once again kicked over Kirito.
Oberon: As for you Kirigaya. Or do you prefer Kirito. How did you two manage to get up here?
He picked up Kirito's sword and looked at it.
Oberon: I saw a strange program running just now. Was that it?
Kirito was blunt and activated his wings as he said.
Kirito: I flew up here, with my wings.
U/N: We totally didn't do that but okay.
Kirito: Shut it U/N.
Oberon: It doesn't matter. If you don't wanna talk, that fine. I'll just go ask your mind instead.
Kirito: What?
Oberon: Oh please. You don't really think I set thing entire thing up for fun, did you? I have three hundred players from SAO under my thumb now thanks to their dedicated cooperation, the technology that I developed can gain total control of a persons emotions and thought is already 80 percent complete. I'm about to do what no one else has, gaining the total control of the human soul. The power of a god. And soon, that power will be mine! I mean, c'mon, thank god for virtual reality.
He started laughing like a minicanal megalomaniac.
Kirito: Sugou!
Asuna: Your never going to get away with this. You hear me monster?
Oberon: Oh? And who do you think is going to stop me. A god? There are no gods in this world. Except for yours truly! I know, what not before I start tinkering with your souls. Why not have a fun party.
Chains came falling down and landed in front of Asuna. Oberon stuck Kirito's sword in the ground and began to put cuffs that were attached to it, onto Asuna. He looked at Kirito with a perverted grin and pointed his finger up and along with that motion, Asuna was forced off the ground while Sugou just stared at her.
Oberon: Yes!
The ground shook and Asuna flinched at that sudden move.
Oberon: Thats what I like to see, You can't get NPC women to make faces like that.
He starts to sniff her hair and other features and Kirito get furious.
Kirito: Sugou!
That gained his attention so he picked up his sword.
Oberon: Oh, give me a break. Why don't you sit there and grovel like a good little doggy.
He stabbed his sword into his back and then he grabbed my own sword and plunged it into my chest. It stung but it didn't hurt.
Asuna: Kirito!
Oberon: System command, set the pain absorber from lv 10 to 8.
In very short time, that "sting" turned into something a little bit more painful but tolerable for me. To Kirito, he defiantly felt that.
Oberon: Don't worry, I gradually lower it so you both would have something to look forward to. By the way, once it drops below lv 3, it'll start to affect your physical body. As for you.
He goes back over to Asuna and traces his fingers from her stomach up to her chest area.
Kirito: Stop it! Sugou!
Asuna: It's all right Kirito. What ever he does, he is not really hurting me.
Oberon only laughed some more.
Oberon: I was wondering when you would say that. How long will you pride last? Thirty minutes? An hour? Let us see how long you can hang on to it.
Oberon Tore off the top part of Asuna's clothing and I could only watch as the red ribbon was falling down gave me a flashback.
--Memory-Fragment--
I was walking back from a successful solo dungeon raid, to which I got some good drops and a decent amount of COL. I was planning on getting an Inn for the night, that is until I heard screaming. I quickly ran to where the sound was coming from and in a alleyway, a girl who looked to be in her teens was getting raped by a Laughing Coffin member. I drew my Black Phoenix Sword and cut off the guys head, quickly ending his existence. I went over to the girl, who looked so very traumatized, was covering herself and I grabbed a blanket from my inventory. However, before I could react, she grabbed one of my quick access serrated knives and slit her own throat, ending her own life. All I could do is hold her before she shattered into the millions of blue crystals that signified death. From that moment on I realized that I'M NO HERO...
--Memory-Fragment-Decoded--
??: U/N. What are you doing? Get up.
U/N: Why should I?
In some sort of mental plane of existence a figure revealed itself to be Kayaba.
U/N: Kayaba.
Kayaba: Because your friends need you. And since when have I heard The Phoenix Swordsman give up without a fight.
U/N: There isn't a fight. I'm not a hero. Every time I tried to save someone, they end up dying.
Kayaba: That isn't true. You have saved them from what could've been more suffering. Now I know your not out yet Y/N, now get up.
I came too and the red ribbon was almost to the ground, I looked over at Oberon who was about to violate Asuna and my anger broke free and I summoned Akira.
Before he had the chance to touch her, Akira stepped in the way of the two and started snarling with anger. Oberon scrambled back at the sight of a fiery wolf who wasn't supposed to be there. There was a clanking sound to be heard in the room and Oberon looks toward the sound and saw me who had gotten up and my sword fell to the ground which caused the sound. He walked towards me while trying to maintain his king like attitude.
Oberon: Hmmm. It seems like there are some bugs and codes that are out of place.
He tried to backhand me, but I caught his wrist.
U/N: System login: ID Heathcliff.
Now the system was under my control.
Oberon: What? Whose ID are you using!?
U/N: System command: Enable administrator privileges, set ID Oberon to lv 1.
Oberon: Huh? An ID that outranks mine.
I disabled the gravity spell and Kirito got up and ran over to Asuna.
Oberon: I'm supposed to be this worlds ruler, its god.
U/N: The title doesn't belong to you Oberon, you stole it. Everything, including its people. Your nothing but a pathetic waste a data in this world. Your the dirt I walk upon.
Oberon: Y-you little punk. How dare you speak to me like that. System command: Generate object ID Excalibur.
Nothing happened since I took away his admin commands.
Oberon: Do as I say, you piece of crap. These are gods orders to you. System, your god is ordering you to comply.
I look over at Kirito, Asuna, and my wolf, Akira.
U/N: Mind if you three wait for a bit while I take care of him. This will only take a minute.
I put my attention to Oberon.
U/N: System command: Generate object ID Excalibur.
When I said that, the legendary sword itself glided down to my hand and I grabbed it.
U/N: Huh. A command that summons a legendary weapon. Who would've thought.
I tossed it over to Oberon with ease unlike him struggling to lift it. I stomp on the handle of my sword that was on the ground and I caught it, then I pointed the sharp end to him.
U/N: It's time to finish this. The King of Thieves vs The Fallen Hero. System command: Set pain absorber to lv 0.
Oberon: No. No that.
U/N: I'm sorry. Did you just flinch, cause the other guy never flinched. You should know, Akihiko Kayaba.
Oberon: Oh my god! Kayaba? Oh I get it. That was his ID. Why, your supposed o be dead. Why do you keep getting in my way. You are always acting like your so high and mighty. Taking everything that was rightfully mine.
U/N: Sugou. It's not like your wrong. He tricked me into doing what he wanted. Though after everything that happened I never wanted to become him. Unlike you.
Oberon: Damn you. DAMN YOU!!
His tried slashing at me multiple times, but I simply parried his attacks with ease. When he tried to jab me with his blade, I moved out of the way and cut his cheek. He covered it and started wincing in pain.
U/N: Oh, I'm sorry, that must've hurt. But it's nothing compared to the way you were going to hurt Asuna. Doesn't even come close.
With little force, I cut Oberon's arm clean off. He tried to grab the wound with his left hand.
Oberon: Ow! My hand, my hand.
Next I cut off his legs at his waist, leaving his other arm, torso, and head intact. When I did this, he fell to the ground crying. I picked him up by his hair and looked at his terrified eyes before throwing him up and stabbing him in his eye after which I severed his head.
After that was over, I released Asuna from her chains and she fell into Kirito's arms. I look away as to not invade her privacy. I hear the two hug and talk but I chose not to listen in. I pulled out the admin menu to find Asuna's ID to log her out.
Asuna: Hey U/N?
I partially looked over to the pair.
Asuna: I want you to be there when I wake up as well okay? And thank you for helping Kirito.
I smiled.
U/N: Sure, and No problem. I'll have Kirito message me the location.
Kirito and Asuna hug one last time before I press the button and successfully log her out.
Kirito: Its finally over. Right U/N?
U/N: Not quite. I'm pretty sure, Kayaba has some words to say, right?
Out of thin air, Kayaba appears and floats down to us then lands.
Kayaba: It has been awhile, Kirito. U/N.
Kirito: So you are alive.
Kayaba: You could say that. Or maybe I'm not. I am more of an echo of the mind that once was Akihiko Kayaba. An afterimage per say.
Kirito: And as usual, I have no clue what your talking about.
U/N: Hey Kayaba. I wanted to thank you.
Kayaba: That isn't necessary. Even though I was close friends with your father, our relationship is not that close that favor exchanges are free. There is always a price to pay.
U/N: Alright then, what is it?
A golden transparent egg floats down to me and lands in my hands.
Kirito: Whats that?
Kayaba: The beginnings of a new world. I call it "the seed." Once it sprouts you'll know what it is. What you do with it, is completely up to you. You can delete it and forget about it. Though if you have even a little bit of fondness for the virtual world, you'll take care of it.
I look down at it and consider the choices I have.
Kayaba: I should get going. I do hope the three of us will meet again.
When he disappeared, the surrounding area turned back to normal and the first thing Kirito remembered was Yui.
Kirito: Yui, Yui. Are you ok?
She quickly appears and hugs Kirito.
Kirito: Thank god, your alright.
Yui: Of course. I stored myself in the local memory of your nerve gear. Where's mommy?
Kirito: Don't worry. U/N and I made sure she got back to the real world.
Yui: Mommy's back? Thank goodness. I'm so happy.
Kirito: I promise, we'll be back to visit real soon.
Kirito then logs out while I just sigh that it's over.
Yui: Uncle U/N?
I look down to see that Yui hasn't disappeared yet.
U/N: Yeah.
She hugs me while I stand there surprised.
Yui: Thank you for helping Daddy, and for saving Mommy.
I once again smiled at her cuteness and I pat her head.
U/N: Anytime. I gotta log out so you should retransfer your data into Kirito's nerve gear.
Yui: Okay. Bye Uncle U/N.
She then disappears and Akira walks over to me.
U/N: You did well girl.
I pat her head and scratch her ears. After that she became a cloud of fire again and fused with my armor. Then I log out.
---END---
Woooo boy. another chapter down and immediately working on the next.
Word Count: 2737.