Sword Art Online - Burst

When night falls

"Ahh," Tye said, stretching. "I think I'm gonna log off, we've been playing for a few hours, and I'm starting to get tired."

"Yeah," Sora agreed. "I think I will too, I'm getting hungry."

So they pulled down their menu and clicked to their settings. I waved them goodbye, but they didn't leave.

"Guys, are you going to log off?" I ask.

"Th-there's no log out button.." Tye tried to say.

"Possibly a glitch or a bug." Sora tried to make everything sound fine.

I pull down my menu and look for myself. They were right, the log out button was missing. My heart began to race, not knowing what to think.

"Yes," we all hear in a faint voice. "the log out button is gone."

We all turn to where the voice was leaking from, curious who was spying on us. A shadow began to step out, and as the closer they came, the shadow grew more colour.

It stepped out until it was visible to us, it had a tattered brown coat, and dark, brown hair. It was small.

"What do you want?" Tye asked, preparing for any sneak attack.

"I don't want anything," it said in a deep husky voice, "I wander over here every evening."

"Why?" Sora asked.

"Probably because I have no party or guild, and probably because it's a habit, and I like the view here."

We all wondered who this person was, then I saw the name above it. It's name claimed to be Humphrey.

"Humphrey," I begin, "I'm having trouble thinking, and I hope you don't mine me asking. What gender are you?"

"I have no gender," it begins, "I am gender less." It said in its deep voice.

It had an upper turned lip, hairy legs and a face of a thief, looking around, curious.

Gender or looks didn't matter. It's how it knew why the button was missing. So I ask,

"Humphrey, do you know why the button is missing?" I ask.

"Obviously," it said, "sword art online was created to trick players into thinking this game was safe, it is only a feature that the log out button is missing." It told us.

"But during the beta test, there was a log out button." I informed Humphrey.

"In the beta test, there was indeed a log out button, but they only added it in to ensure no one knew what was to come." Humphrey said, staring into the sun set.

*********************************

We walked to the teleportation altar on floor 2, walking past most of the untouched ugly sections of the map.

We were trying to spot any new players willing to join our guild, Knights of the Green Terror. Humphrey was added, mostly because of the information it had, while Sora was setting up a desk for advertisement.

Tye and I were farming some mobs, hoping to find players in the open. Humphrey begged to help Tye and I, so we took him with us.

We wandered into one of the swamp like sections of the map, hoping to find tougher mobs there.

"So Humphrey," I ask as we explored the swamp. "what happens if we die, will we still respawn?"

"Definitely not. The game was also made to be a realistic action mmo, but became too realistic. So now, if you die in this game," I was shaking to hear the next words. "you die in real life."

I stood still, heart racing, and I couldn't move. My throat went dry, and I saw Tye do the same.

"Are you guys alright?" Humphrey asked."

"I-I-I can't- believe th- this.." Tye said, swallowing heavily to try and moisten his throat.

"Same.." I say.

Surprisingly, Humphrey wasn't shocked of the news, and if he had no emotion, like an NPC.

The ground shook and I snatched back my soul and looked around.

"Be careful guys, really." We were ensured not to die anymore.

We all watched as two green antenna like figures tower the trees. Next we saw tattered clothes hanging over a massive green figure. Two eyes appeared in the gaps of a tree, and then we realised who it was.

Shrek.

"Why is shrek in this game?!" Tye asked, laughing and terrified at the same time.

Humphrey instantly opened his menu and equipped his sword. It had a dark blue handle of bandages wrapped around it, and had a glowing green blade. It was labeled 'The Shrekinator'

Really? Tye and I think at the exact same time. He must know a trick to renaming his blades.

"Don't just stand there, let's fight!" Humphrey orders us.

We opened our inventory and take our pick, my tattered lights bane and Tye's Iron sword. We ran up screaming, with one wish, not to die.

"Shrek" Humphrey said, "only comes out at night. He is a mini boss, be cautious, because if you die here, you die in real life."

Humphrey shocked us even more. Then it got me thinking, is he joking all about this? Is the log out button only a minor bug? Can we trust him? I'm not so sure if adding him was the best idea.

But if Tye is fine with it, I guess I should try harder to accept him.

A roar then a stomp, the shrek was huge! The Shrekinator started to glow all over, and Humphrey lashed forward.

The war has begun.

*********************************
Hey guys, Matt here.
This might have been a bit between each chapter, but I will try to improve!
What do you think of Humphrey?
Do you think he is good or evil?
Is he lying to Tye and Phill?
Leave your thoughts in the comments and I will choose some of your ideas to be in the next chapter!

Cyas.