The following is a non-profit fan-based creative work. Sword Art Online is owned by ASCII Media Works, Yen Press, and Reki Kawahara. Please support the official releases.

From the start, there was no way anybody could call Heathcliff's – no, Kayaba Akihiko's – invitation to a duel with Kirito a fair challenge. Kirito was a easily the second strongest players in the game, but he was facing the strongest, and the creator of the very system Kirito was relying on. What chance did he have? Kirito was burdened with our hopes, our expectations; win and we go free, die and we're deprived a hero. Kayaba didn't have that burden. He could fight with his mind at ease.

It seemed to the rest of us that Kirito's dual-wielding had made him invincible, but we'd all forgotten that Kayaba was dual-wielding as well. His shield was a weapon. Mankind has known for centuries that few things ruin a person's day like a flat, heavy sheet of metal crashing into their face. Kirito's only "advantage" was lost before the fight even began.

Kirito never stood a chance. I realized that within seconds, and Kayaba must have realized it before the fight even began. Kirito must have too... His final words could be seen as nothing but a goodbye...



Kayaba hadn't invited Kirito to a duel.

It was a public execution.

A little over two dozen players were pinned to the ground of the innermost room of the seventy-fifth floor labyrinth. Razler was one of the many, watching helpless as the two men squared off against one another. His guildmates, his sister - they were all held to the ground as well by the system's paralysis, just as helpless to move or interfere as he as. There they were, the "Black Swordsman" in his longcoat, both swords in hand, and the "Paladin" in his red plate armor, his great sword and shield held ready.

Razler's heart pounded as he watched them stare at one another. This fight would decide everything...

"KIRITO!"

Asuna's scream shook Razler to his core. Somehow, it told him that this was the last time he'd ever see Kirito alive. As if Asuna's final cry was the signal the two had been waiting for, they launched at one another. Like Razler predicted, like he'd seen dozens of times, Kirito went in on Kayaba like a man on the verge of losing control. He was a whirl of swords, one striking after the other in a furious dance that few could follow.

But Kayaba could follow it.

Kirito's first blow was parried, his second blocked by the shield. As was the next, and the next. Razler could only watch helplessly, his body forced down by the paralysis effect, as Kirito continued with his strategy that wasn't working. The extreme weight of Kirito's blades made his swings go wide after a block; momentum was carrying them too far. Razler had heard a time or two that Kirito had a penchant for heavy swords, and it confused him. He'd tried numerous weapon types in his time in Aincrad, and he preferred his edged weapons light and his blunt weapons heavy. Kirito's style relied on speed, not force. He wasn't swinging hammers...

And sure enough, Kirito's guard eventually went wide, and Kayaba's blade moved in for the kill. Breath caught in Razler's throat, but Kirito ducked the blow and leaped behind Kayaba. Razler's heart missed a beat – this had to be it! – but no, Kayaba turned and blocked Kirito's strike in a single motion. The extreme effort involved in getting behind his foe had cost Kirito the opportunity for a more elegant strike, leaving his attack easily blocked even for a surprised enemy.

Razler watched on, his breath ragged. It couldn't end like this! Was this really how it was going to be!? He still owed Kirito, but he couldn't do anything but watch him face his death? Teeth gnashed, he struggled to move, he strained with every fiber of his being to at least get onto his knees.

But he couldn't do it...

The missed attack seemed to be the turning point. Kirito's face contorted in anger, an his attacks became even more furious. He was a hurricane of steel, attacking relentlessly, but his attacks hit nothing but Kayaba's shield. Razler's heart beat more furiously in his chest, and his eyes widened. Kirito was losing it, he was resorting to his usual tactic of attacking relentlessly, heedless of the risk he was putting himself in. That worked on monsters, but Kayaba could think...

Who could expect a sixteen year-old not to buckle under the pressure he was facing?

Kayaba struck suddenly, and Hinoka gasped. So lost was he in his attacks, Kirito barely avoided it in time. The blade grazed his cheek, leaving a cut of red hexagons on his virtual skn. Razler breathed a sigh of relief, but he realized a second later that Kirito hadn't narrowly avoided disaster; he'd been goaded into it. Kirito's blades glowed blue, the sure sign that he'd activated a sword skill.

"NO!" Razler screamed, though pointlessly. There was no stopping it now. The system was a cold thing.

Kirito launched into "The Eclipse", a dizzying twenty-seven-strike combo. This was a skill that could slay dozens of normal enemies at once by overwhelming them with a storm of strikes that would overpower their simple defenses. But not Kayaba. The "Strongest Man" stood firm and stoically blocked every blow with his kite shield, the trusted instrument that had seen him through so much. His expression was that of total focus, with not even the smallest sign of strain. There was no way he'd take even a single blow...

Razler squeezed his eyes tight, knowing what the outcome was going to be. He'd seen Kirito use the combo a few times in the battle with The Skull Reaper, but he always announced his intentions beforehand so somebody else would be ready to switch in with him once it was over. That skill was powerful, but it left him immobile and vulnerable for two or three crucial seconds when it ended. Kayaba would know it. There was no way he wouldn't.

A cry of pain, Asuna screaming a wordless howl of remorse.

Razler forced himself to look at the fight, and his gut tightened. Kayaba's sword was plunged deep into Kirito's torso, up halfway to the hilt. Kirito's health bar – which had been in the yellow since the fight began – rapidly dwindled down to nothing.

"Everyone... sorry..."

Kirito's body shattered into hexagons.

Klein screamed something.

Asuna just screamed.

Some of the other players were shouting things. Razler couldn't hear any of it properly; he could only really hear a buzzing sound in his ears.

"A shame, I expected that to go on longer."

The buzz cleared. Razler shook his head, and glared at his enemy.

Kayaba. The "Living Legend", had sheathed his sword. He simply stood in the middle of the room, gazing at the spot where Kirito last stood.

"Either way, the rest of you are free to continue to the next floor. The Skull Reaper is bested and floor seventy-five is cleared."

"Bastard! You think we'll let you leave!" cried Klein.

The swordsman was struggling to get to his feet, but Kayaba's paralysis still held him in place. Razler simply clenched his fist and stared at the ground. This wasn't like in reality, where a strong enough force of will might allow one to rise. This was an online game, and to the system, being paralyzed meant you couldn't move, no matter how hard you struggled. Razler squeezed his eyes tight. Games were cold things, they were things of numbers. It didn't matter how hard a human struggled, if they didn't have the numbers, they wouldn't win.

"I will await the rest of you on the one-hundredth floor, as planned," Kayaba continued. "With the strength you have, I trust that you will reach me in time. Best of luck."

He gave a small gasp and raised his right hand, summoning a system menu. He pressed a few buttons, bringing up smaller menus, until all closed. "Asuna, as I promised Kirito, I will not allow you to take your own life for a time."

Everyone's heads turned toward Asuna. A purple window floated above her, reading, "Changed to Immortal Object".

"You won't be able to take lethal damage like this, but I've restricted your movements away from areas where enemies spawn. I'll reverse both at midnight, two weeks from now. That should give you time to grieve and think things through."

Asuna simply stared at something that only she could see, her hair tousled and her face streaked by tears. Razler couldn't tear his eyes away. At first she had struck him as fierce and hard-headed. Over time she'd calmed down, but she never lost her fiery core. But now, it almost looked like that fire had gone out.

"I believe you'll lead the Knights of the Blood admirably in my absence. You are, after all, the guildmaster now."

Razler turned to look back at Kayaba, who was gazing at her with a warm look in his eyes. Was it pride? Could this man even feel ordinary human emotion!?

Kayaba pulled a teleport crystal forth from his armor, and opened the menu once more. He pressed a few buttons, until a final, small, window appeared at the top of the others. His finger hovered over one of the two buttons on that window. "In RPGs, you know how you will often be given an overpowered ally during the early portions of the game, and then that ally will become less useful as time goes on?" Kayaba asked, his gaze fixed on the window in front of him.

"Think of me like that. Even without me, you can climb the remaining twenty-five floors. I'm certain that we'll meet again."

He pressed the button, and the numbness left Razler's limbs. Instantly, some of the players were on their feet, their weapons trained on Kayaba. Razler saw Klein and Agil among the group. Samson, Lyle, and Elise from his own guild were charging - all staring ahead at Kayaba with more hate on their faces than he'd ever remembered.

But Asuna was still on the ground, crying silently.

"SUMMER KNIGHTS, STAND DOWN!" cried Seriyuha.

Razler's guildmaster was rising slowly to her feet, her face worn and tired from the effort.

The three slowed to a stop. Elise's axe hit the ground with a thud, while Lyle turned and screamed protestations at Seriyuha.

The other players neared Kayaba, but he simply raised his crystal and cried, "Teleport, Ruby Palace!"

He disappeared in a burst of light, like all who teleported did. The players that had moved to attack him slowed to a stop, each screaming insults to the sky.

Razler moved to a sitting position, the events of the last few minutes whirling about in his mind. How had this gone on so long? Surely the administrator of Sword Art Online couldn't live a double-life as an active clearer. Wouldn't someone in the Knights of the Blood have noticed strange behavior from him? Why had Kirito accepted Kayaba's challenge?

Nothing made sense...

Razler simply shook his head as warm, strong hands grasped his shoulder. They were shaking just as badly as he was. His sister... Who else would be so close now...

"D-don't worry, w-we'll get through this. I promise..." said Hinoka.

Seriyuha was finally on her feet, calling the rest of the guild to her side. "We're going back to headquarters," she said. "Guild meeting, now."

Razler nodded. She normally called for meetings after raids, good or bad. There was no way she wouldn't call for one now... Razler plodded along behind his guildmaster, Hinoka's hands still on his shoulders. He looked around at the others as he walked past them. Klein's guildmates were trying to offer him words of consolation, but the red swordsman stood there quietly, staring at the ground. The Knights of the Blood members were either speaking quietly among themselves or trying to urge Asuna to her feet. Asuna herself was still on her hands and knees, her head bowed and her face tear-stained. Most of the other players were simply walking slowly toward the stairway leading to the seventy-sixth floor.

At the front of them all was Seriyuha, her long black hair billowing behind her. It was as if nothing had happened and she merely wanted to discuss tactics before planning the explorations of a new floor. Some strength flowed back into Razler as he looked at her, striding onward without fear, unshakable as ever.

With Seriyuha, it was as if things simply didn't touch her, no matter how bad they were. Hinoka's hands were still on his shoulder. His sister was with him, as always.

The two women were still unshakable pillars in his life, just as they'd been since that first day. That much wouldn't ever change.

Hope you enjoyed this brief prologue/teaser for my first new fanfiction in a long time! Updates will be on the first of every month. Please take some time out to review, all constructive criticism is very welcome, and thanks for taking the time to read!