AC Online (An SAO fanfic)

5) Secret To Floor 5

Chapter 5 - Secret to Floor 5 {Sparrow}

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I checked my map and looked at the crossroad before us. "If I'm reading this right, and I'm fairly sure I am, then we should go to the left. It loops around but is otherwise a straight shot, however it looks like there's a lake or something in the way that I'm not sure if we can cross. The other is longer and goes through a cave." I said, closing my menu.

"Shorter and may have to turn around or longer and guarantee we'll get there? I say we take the cave." Rusty said.

"Actually, there was one part the path disappeared there too, so I don't know if we can go that way either." I amended.

"Then let's go by way of the lake. The less time we spend in the open the better." Madero said. I nodded and we started down the left path. There were no monsters, surprisingly, but something did feel off. I paused when I heard whispering from the woods on my right.

"Hey, everything okay?" Rusty asked.

"Ya. I just thought I heard something." I smiled at him and ran the few steps to catch up.

"Heard what?" Madero asked.

"Whispering." I said.

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I ran ahead a couple of steps and jumped up onto the cement railing of the black cement bridge. I walked along, dark gray water on one side and the bridge on other. "Watch yourself, Sparrow. We don't know what's in the water." Madero warned. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm being careful." I said. Something a little off in the water caught my eye. I scanned the water with my eyes, trying to see what was there, but nothing else moved. I turned forward as the bridge started to bulge then exploded up. I fell off the wall and landed on the bridge, only to slide towards the rising scaled tail of whatever had shattered the bridge. A roar echoed from behind me and I glanced back to see a huge snake's head.

Madero swore and drew his sword with Rusty following suit, neither noticing my predicament. I stopped a foot from the edge and the snakes tail smashed back into the water, breaking the supports below me. I dropped down, hitting the water with the pieces of bridge.

For a moment I hovered in the water and opened my eyes. Things were moving around me, of which I couldn't identify. Something flashed by and I saw there was a white 'X' on the light gray serpent's back. I drew my sword and swam down towards it. I shifted and thrust the sword down, cutting along one line of the 'X'. Dark gray blood came out, clouding the water.

Before I got the other side something hit me and lifted me up out of the water. I stayed on my knees, balancing on whatever it was with my sword flat against my hand and the fan of the serpent's tail, my current ride. The snake roared and flicked his tail. I went flying slide ways and landed on my feet on the bridge, only to stumble forward and end up on my knees at the boy's feet.

"Hi." I said.

"What happened?" Rusty asked, pulling me up while Madero stood between us and the snake, his sword up to block.

"I went swimming with a sea snake." I answered as I fixed my outfit.

"Alright. Lets get it." Madero said. I nodded and shifted my grip. There was a pause while the snake just looked at us, then it opened its mouth and out came a torrent of fire.

Rusty jumped forward and blocked the fire with his shield while Madero and I huddled behind him. "Um, I suggest we go through the caves." I said. Madero and Rusty nodded and we hastily retreated.