SAO FB: Scars

Gone

Kato was sprawled on the cold concrete floor. Kureha stared at the pillar and saw a shadow grow from the base. She reached over Kato's arm and grabbed the Glock 34 and drew the knife resting on her harness. While Kato struggled to pick himself off the floor, Kureha shakily aimed her pistol toward the shadows.

"Come out and fight," Kureha spoke bravely. "Kato told me everything about you."

A faint whistle filled the arena. The hairs on the back of Kureha's neck raised. She lowered herself and jabbed a medical syringe into Kato's shoulder. She heard the wind whoosh behind her. She instinctively aimed her pistol toward the sound. The lights in the arena kept the edges of the arena and pillars in near pitch-black darkness.

"Did he really tell you everything?" A voice bellowed. "Because you can always tell the truth, but not the full 9 yards."

The clanging sound of metal sounded behind her. She turned around and shot one pistol round into the dark. The brass jacket of the bullet sparked and ricocheted off of the concrete pillar. The voice tsk-tsked at the futile attempt.

"And you, Takamine Momiji think you can beat his greatest enemy?" the voice taunted. "Do you really think that you can fight me?"

Kureha's muscles froze and her aim became shakier. The person has connected the bridge between her life and her virtual life. She started to wonder how they knew about her personal information. All gaming companies had made larger attempts to keep a player's personal information confidential after the Death Gun Incident. Had Taipan returned to finish what Itsuki started all those years ago? The whistling became louder and it was harder for the duo to think.

"Did he tell you about how he willingly went back to SAO?"

"What do you mean? I thought you couldn't log out?"

"He's supposed to be dead. Back on floor 25!"

A shadow lunged toward her. She saw the glint of a metal dagger, but it had a crescent shape instead of a cleaver. The cloaked figure slashed toward Kureha. Kureha raised a knife to challenge him but something pushed her forward and under the strike. She looked down and saw Kato tackling her to the ground. She took a little bit of damage but Kato told her to switch out. The hooded player stood in the center of the arena. The steel absorbed all the light and appeared as a void. Kato reached over to Kureha and grabbed the pistol from her hands.

"So the prodigal son returns. He's back. That's the man I want to see," the figure stated.

Kato reloaded his pistol and raised his blade. He replied, "If this is the person you want to see, then come and have it."

"I missed the fun of prey fighting back," Lobo spoke. "Makes it more fun for me."

The figure charged toward Kato. Kato shot at him a few times before holstering the gun and taking the charge head-on. Kato slid and tackled his feet but Lobo managed to recover quickly and attacked his arm. The tip of his sickle scratched the uniform. The patch dropped from the uniform and shattered into blue crystals. A red scratch mark lined the original location of the patch. The figure reached over to the pommel of the sickle and tapped it. A faint bell sounded in the arena. Kureha glanced at Kato and found him wincing in pain while laying on his back.

"Fear," Lobo said. "I love it."

Lobo glanced at Kureha and gave a devilish smile. He lowered the sickle and brought the blade's edge to Kato's neck. Lobo kneeled next to him and brought the sickle even closer. Kato's eyes widened as he feared losing his memories.

"But I know this isn't the real you. Yeah. I saw you on floor 74. You risked your life to save someone else you didn't even know," he continued. "Let's see if we can find that fire inside of you."