Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

The Echo

I remembered many of the days going by in a blur. A lot can happen in 2 years after all. After that battle, I stopped fighting for awhile. Something within me was missing. I couldn't get the thought of Crysta out of my head. She haunted me like a plague and I couldn't shake the feeling. It was torture on my mind and my soul. I just wanted it to stop. When I realized I had to get back to SAO again, I was certainly prepared. But, I was only one person. Just me alone. It was lonely. Even still, I had to press on. The sadness in my heart felt like fuel for something greater, but I couldn't tell what. My thoughts were scattered and my heart was dark. I was lost. Nevertheless, I pushed myself forward. I payed no mind to what was in front of me or what was happening around me. All I could think of was Crysta and my other dead allies. It was almost as if my eyes were glazed over as I replayed their deaths in my head. I couldn't help but feel sorrow. It invaded my chest like a virus. I could not rid the feeling of sadness. In all honesty, I carried out the rest of the game like that. I didn't want others making me care like Crysta did.

"That's why you were like that when you met me? Because of the death of your friends?" Liz asked.

"Yes. My dissociative fugue made it hard to speak with anyone, including you." I admitted.

"So when did you meet me? Come on! I'm dying to know!" Liz was practically begging.

"If it'll lighten the mood, I met you on floor 35." I tried to stay positive.

"Yeah, I remember! I based myself there in the city to get more business!" Liz cheered.

"You've told this story already." Kirito pointed out.

"Obviously! But I wanna hear it from K's perspective!" Liz looked at me longingly.

"Before I came to you, I needed to retrieve the correct crystal to repair my blade. Upon retrieving it, I was ambushed by the Holy Dragon Alliance." I began.

Before me on a pedestal was a smaller purple crystal that resembled my sword. This must be the right kind, I thought, perhaps belonging to a smaller species of dragon. I gripped the prism in my hand and analyzed it closely.

"Well, well, well. A solo player. Who would've thought that the one retrieving the rare item for us, was all on his own. A pity. No one will be here to see you die." A helmetless leader stood out from his heavily armoured soldier squadron.

"You're making a grave mistake." I warned them, seeing that they were blocking my only exit.

I didn't want to kill other fellow players of the game, but if they were trying to kill me, I would not let them win. Rare item or not, this was about survival.

"Oh? How so? We'd only be killing you. What's one less player in SAO gonna do? There's already countless dead. Besides, it's survival of the fittest!" He shouted and drew his great sword.

He had a dumb smirk on his face as if he were going to enjoy killing me. I gripped the handle of my sword but didn't take it off my back. I awaited for them to attack first, knowing very well my options were limited. I tried to calm myself and imagine them as mobs in the game. It worked for a moment, but the disguises faded away. I shook off my morality and prepared to fight for my life. If they were willing to kill me over an item in a video game,

"So be it." I spoke out loud.

The leader charged me with a war cry only to be swiftly cut down by my crystal blade. His soldiers froze as he fell to his knees. He choked and his body exploded into shards. They all looked at me as I readied my sword.

"Who's next?" I asked.

One yelled and charged as did the rest of the group. A furious battle took place in that room and I fought as hard as I could to stay alive. They broke my armour and cut the bottom of my cloak with their numbers but this only enraged me more as I valued the work of my friend, Hayden. I cut down countless soldiers and blocked others attacks, finishing the last one as I watched a few others running for their lives. I decided to spare them, giving them the option their leader never gave me. I began to walk away when I heard a soldier crying on the ground. He began to crawl away until I kicked him to his back.