Archer (Klein x Reader)

Chapter 14 - Crystal Cavern

Slowly walking out of the level thirty-five's boss room in an attempt to be slightly behind Klein and his friends, you noticed that level you were now on was much like the previous level: dark and full of ores. These two levels would be heaven for a blacksmith on a higher level- and they probably were a favorite for them.

Briefly assessing your health points, you noticed it was almost in the orange. You didn't have anything to heal yourself right now though, so you would have to wait until you all reached the next town.

Sighing, you watched the group walk forward through the crystal-studded cavern and you followed far behind, with your black bow slung across your shoulders. You saw Klein turn and look for you. To signify you were fine, you quickly deactivated your stealth skill gave a small smile to him before turning it back on. He blinked and turned back around to continue walking.

You were thankful to have made it as far as you have with the guild being hidden. Klein and you have both been keeping this up for the past four months, the guild not knowing anything. It's not that you didn't want to tell the guild- you just didn't want Issin finding out you were still here. You simply assumed that he believed you ran off on your own. Every night, you would sneak into Klein's inn room through the window and stay with him to have a place to stay- unless you were in the fields, in which you would simply wait until everyone was asleep and then stay with Klein, since he always took first watch.

At this point, however, you weren't watching for predators in the new level- you were watching Issin. He was walking behind everyone else. You knew you couldn't hide forever like this, and it would be only a matter of time before they all found out. So you decided it would be best to watch Issin's behavior. If you could find his personality's quirks, it would be like a kink in a chain- a way you could take him down if one thing led to another. You only prayed that you would all get out of Sword Art Online before any of that happened. If it even did. Any power he had in here wouldn't exist in the real world.

Although, upon inspection of Issin, the only behavioral change since your imprisonment he was showing was a little irritability. You wondered if he maybe felt bad about how he acted to you that day.

Hoisting yourself up onto a large crystal on the side of the cavern, you walked a few feet above the ground along the sides of the adjacent crystals with your arms slightly held out to balance. You looked at Issin again and noticed that he was still holding his sword from the fight, which was about half an hour ago. That seemed odd to you, considering he was the only one still carrying a sword.

A bit skeptical, you removed your own sword from your inventory and walked slightly ahead of the quiet group along the crystals in order to get a better view on Issin. You watched him slightly move throughout the group as he held his sword in his right hand next to his side.

Fear jumped into your throat as he ended up behind Klein. It had been four months since his abduction of you, and he of course chose four months later to act on any feelings.

He walked normally for a couple of minutes. You bent your knees slightly and gripped your sword tightly, ready to move if he tried anything. You could feel your body quivering with fear and adrenaline as you became aware of everything around you.

Your eyes widened as he raised his sword over his left shoulder to cut Klein across the back. Launching yourself off of the low crystal precipice, you collided with his right side almost immediately, tackling him to the ground before his sword could reach Klein. This caused your stealth skill to turn itself off by default. Some of the others stopped and gasped, Klein included.

Issin then threw your body off of himself, sending you flying backwards into the cavern wall as he scrambled to his feet in front of you, sword still in hand. Pulling yourself off of the ground, you watched as he ran at you with his sword in an attempt to stab you.

You stepped on the blade of his sword and flipped over his back. Immediately turning around once your feet hit the ground, you quickly whipped your thin blade across his left arm, eliciting a virtual blood spray from his arm. He touched his arm where you cut him with his right wrist, then furrowed his brows.

Lowering your blade in the ever slightest, you noticed your player icon had changed from green to orange.

Issin then charged at you with his sword glowing. You raised your small sword in front of your body to block his large sword, but before being hit, Klein stepped in front of you and blocked Issin's attack with his own glowing katana.

Although you took no damage, Klein was knocked backwards harshly by the blow, causing him to take you out with him. You were a bit dazed and unable to move quickly from the ground on account of the impact.

"Issin stop!" you heard one of the men yell.

"This is insane!" another yelled.

"Klein," you whispered, in an attempt to make sure he was okay. You saw his head move slightly next to you.

Issin walked over to you and picked you up off the ground by your long (H/C) hair, and you winced as every follicle of your hair stung with pain. He pulled your face close to his own and you heard Klein grunt and shuffle behind you. You watched as his avatar icon transitioned from green to orange.

"So you've returned," Issin sternly said as you coldly glared at him with gritted teeth.

Regaining some of your strength, you raised your sword and sliced your own hair, allowing yourself to fall to a heap on the ground as your cut hair splintered off into iridescent pieces in his hand.

You pushed yourself off of the ground and stabilized yourself as a couple of the other guild members tried to hold Issin back, but to no avail. You swung yourself onto a low hanging crystal in an attempt to distract Issin from Klein. Quickly looking to Klein, you noticed he was now standing.

"We were friends! Why are you doing this?" he yelled to Issin.

Issin laughed lightly to Klein. You watched his every move, ready to attack if necessary.

"Can't I have a little fun with (Y/N)?" he retorted. "It isn't fair that you get her all to yourself."

You saw Klein tighten his grip on his katana at these words.

The words nearly made you sick to the stomach to hear.

"You sound like a bratty child, Issin," you said in an attempt to pull him away from Klein. You didn't want him being hurt.

Issin turned to you with a daunting smile.

"Well, if I can't have you, then no one can. It's as simple as that, (Y/N)."