Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

Hellish Hurricane

The next morning for me was... slow. Even when I laid awake, I refused to move. All was quiet in the castle for a time. We all slept or perhaps thought it would be best to let the others sleep. In any case, the gentle morning catered to our previous night of drinking. The sacred silence was suddenly broken by a startling slam of the front double doors. My eyes immediately shot open, but not because I was now fully awake. It was because I was furious.

"Your majesty, something urgent has come up and it mustn't wait." A voice stammered.

"You could have let me sleep?" I growled seriously, sitting on the edge off my bed now.

"I apologize my king, but these are pressing matt-"

"Anything pressing can come to me when I'm awake." I told him sternly.

"Well it seems you're awake now, my liege." The messenger replied.

I stood up and scoffed, approaching him slowly as he began to explain the issues in the kingdom. He continued talking but I didn't listen. What this player didn't understand is that he interrupted my precious slumber. As I neared closer, my height showed as he looked up into my enraged eyes. The player started to trail off when he realized how close I was getting.

"Leave my home!" I shouted and in that same instance, Fenrir hopped up and roared really loud like a Lion.

This struck instant fear into the messenger boy as he turned to run for the double doors. He tripped but quickly got to his feet again and left the castle. I turned to Fenrir who looked back at me.

"Good boy." I pet his head and turn back to the bed to see Sinon awake.

"What was that about?" She asked tired.

"Some issue in the kingdom. I'll deal with it later." I shook it off.

"Jeez, what the hells all the yelling about??" Liz woke up with one eye closed from the bright light.

"Is no one gonna talk about the roar?!" Kirito was baffled.

"Wait, what roar? Was there yelling? Did I miss something?" Asuna rubbed her tired eyes.

"Are you kidding? How did you not hear it?" Sugu commented.

"Someone woke me up... and I lost my temper." I told them, still not being in the best mood.

"Come on now." Sinon rose from the bed and went to comfort me but the ground shook beneath us for a moment.

"What was that??" Sugu asked first.

"Sounds like it came from outside." I turned to the double doors and moved to them quickly.

I yanked open both doors and stepped out to see smoke and fire in town square. I angrily stormed down the stone steps until I was moving along the path. With my friends behind me, we went to investigate the chaos. Not soon after I arrived, I laid my eyes upon a black cloak and familiar split sword. I gridded my teeth without even double checking.

"Death Fang." I growled.

He turned and his red glowing eyes met mine. He didn't blink as I peeked at his destruction. The fire was coming from a cloth that usually rested on the top of street vendors run by NPCs. I analyzed closer and saw the outline of a body beneath the collapsed wood.

"You could have just knocked. Instead you've involved the lives of my people." I looked back into his blank stare.

"Lives have to be lost. Otherwise, where's the fun?" He tilted his head.

"I am in no mood for your childish games, Death Fang. You persist too long after your own defeat. Perhaps I shall strike you down where you stand." I told him seriously.