Torn Between Worlds

Chapter 2: Exploration

*In the real world*

Holding onto my son's hand as he laid on his hospital bed in a comatose state, I began to think about the past.

All the countless hours, even days, Mark and I spent arguing, neglecting our son for the silliest of reasons, we could've been using that time to grow as a family. Now our son despises us. Please come back to us Delsin. Please come home.

"Are you, Angela Kane?" a man asked me.

"I am. Who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Seijiro Kikuoka, I'm the head of an organization known as Rath. If at all possible, I would like a minute of your time," he requested.

"Very well," I said before he sat down in front of me.

"Never thought I'd meet the infamous renegade knight, Mordred," he stated looking at my son.

"What do you mean infamous?" I asked him.

"Back during S.A.O's beta period, two player distinguished themselves from the rest. Codenames: Mordred and Kirito. Real names Delsin Kane and Kazuto Kirigaya. I'm simply here to give you peace of mind. If Kazuto and Delsin are with each other then they'll be fine," he assured me.

"That brings me much relief that someone is watching out for my son," I smiled.

"That's not to say Mordred can't handle himself, in the beta he killed the floor 5 boss single handedly, with nothing more than a broken longsword," he told me. "It broke during the fight," he added.

"I figured as much. Is there any way I can watch my son?" I asked him.

"I'll see what I can do," he told me before handing me a tablet.

Watching him mess around with some wires, the screen turned on and I was looking inside of a tavern. Using my finger to move the camera around, I think I saw Delsin at one of the tables. Zooming in it was him. Listening into his conversation, I wanted to know how he was holding up.

"All in all not a bad first day," my son told the person in front of him.

"Yeah, now we have to take care of the real pain in the butt, finding the boss room," his friend stated.

"It's likely Kiyaba switched everything up, so we can only use our knowledge of the schematics of the beta dungeons only so far, same with the bosses too," my son told his friend. "So you seem pretty eager Kirito, something on your mind?" he asked him.

"I just want to beat this game and see my family again. Don't you?" he asked my son.

"Me? Nah. I've grown sick and tired of their useless banter, they never really ever gave a damn about me, it was all about the money to them. They just gave me what I wanted cause it shut me up. Well now I'm where I belong," my son told his friend.

"So if you die in Aincrad?" Kirito asked him.

"I'd be dying a happy man with no regrets," my son told him. "But I don't plan on dying any time soon," he added. "Well I'm gonna turn in for the night. Night Kirito," my son told his friend getting up from the table.

"Night Mordred," Kirito responded before I followed my son's avatar into a room.

As I was about to shut the tablet off, my son spoke again.

"Mom, dad, wherever you two are right now. I hope you're doing alright in your world, because I'm doing just fine in mine," he smiled as he changed out of his gear into normal clothing.

Turning the tablet off, I kissed my son on his forhead, before placing the blankets over his body. Leaving his hospital room, I returned home where Mark was doing his work, placing the tablet in front of him, I played the last few minutes of Delsin's activity.