Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

Unforseen Deceit

I logged out of Alfheim and swapped to Vestige in a heat of uncertainty. I didn't invite anyone else, they were too busy. I planned to start a game alone with random players. I entered a different game mode to ensure my own survival without worrying too much about my death. Like usual, we were thrust inside of a chopper. I focused on my map and didn't care to see who my allies were. I marked a location with the others and glided to a familiar place. When I pulled my parachute to land however, I noticed several other parachutes as well. Some were ours, some weren't.

"Great." I thought.

I suppose a firefight it shall be. I put my skull mask over my face to ready myself and quickly landed at a gas station on one side of the street. I rushed inside for a weapon and the first thing I picked up was an MSMC Uzi type of SMG. I cocked it and readied it before continuing to quickly scan around the shop. No other guns but, I found attachments to better my weapon. I quickly crouched and attached fast mags and a long barrel. Then, I broke loose outside to the street divider. I slammed my back to it and peeked but saw no one. Suddenly, I snapped to attention when I heard a scream from one of my teammates. Only thing was, they were on the opposite side of the street to the right. I was about to ready my gun to help when I was briefly shot in the shoulder. I looked and saw a contact where I had saw no one previously and slid to cover before he could shoot me more. I healed once, hopped up and fired on him until he went down, then finished him off with the rest of my magazine.

"It's the end for me..." I heard our teammate on comms.

I swapped attention and saw the target moving towards me.

"Wait! He's going to you!" The teammate yelled, slightly confused.

I aimed and shredded him before he could get a shot on me, then fired more to clean him up. I sprinted past the stash of loot and went to revive our fallen teammate. When I turned the corner, I saw a girl. She was face down and trembling. I rushed to her side and rolled her onto her back. I rested her head on my lap as I began the revive process.

"I got you, don't worry." I assured her.

It was a girl with short black hair. She was fit but was bare without armour. Just the clothes on her back to save her from the bullets. I revived her so she was up but neither of us had any meds to up her HP. I got under her shoulder and helped her hobble towards the gas station on the other side of the street. We got to the door and I kicked it open with my heel. I heard guns get drawn and I was suddenly shot in the leg. I yelled in pain and looked in to see my other teammates.

"I thought you were an enemy." The big one said.

"No! Same team, dumbass!" I yelled.

He tried to come over to help me with the girl but I held up my hand to stop him.

"I got it." I said even with with my shot leg.

I stumbled over to the counter and sat her on top of it. She supported herself on with her hand and looked at me with a smile.

"Thank you." She nodded.

"No problem." I shook my head.

"She needs healing." I told the other teammates in the room.

"I'll help her." The big one stepped up and said.

"Can you? Can I trust you to do that after you shot me in the leg?" I asked.

"Dude, she's my friend. And I'm sorry I shot you but it's not my fault. You're wearing a skull mask." He explained.

"Yeah whatever." I smacked my shoulder into his on purpose as I walked by.