"Asuna!"
Clank
Sparks fly as a great sword parry a blow directed to a long haired fencer, opening a gap in the crimson king of Kights.
One with was brutally taken advantage off, as a furry of blows rain down on their once leader.
Each jab, stab, slice and cut carried the frustration, sadness, grief and hope of every one that is and was on that cursed castle.
The only and last chance of freeing 1000 innocent souls, and maybe theirs too.
After a week of endless fighting, running and dying, only two survived to journey to the throne roon.
Clang
Swords clash, pushing both figures back, creating a respite to the fight, as all involved try to cath their breath.
As the great sword wilder adjust his stance, never taking his eyes out of the madman in front of him, he gives a single word to his partner.
"Stock."
"None."
No healing items left.
This is it, in the corner of his vision he can just barely see the red of his and Asuna life bar, never daring to lose focus on the one who started all of this.
"I must say, I'm impre-
-shut it!"
He charges, not wanting to hear another monolog of the nerve gear creator.
He uses his greater reach to keep his opponent at bay, never letting him take the initiative.
He create openings for his faster party member to exploit, making their enemy choose his far stronger attacks to block with his shield while leting hers lighter ones hit with precision, weakning his armor.
Both attacked, parried, switched and covered one another with no words being needed. Since Heathcliff was reviled to be Kayaba, and subsequently killing Kirito, only the two of them stayed on the guild.
The Kights of the Blood Oath.
Their reasons may had been diferent to stay, one making an oath on her husband spilled blood. While the other had no reason to leave, why would he? After all, the less members there was, more of a share he'd gain from the guild resources.
They know each other like the palm of their hands. How they fight, how they think, how they talk, how they fuck.
That is why, when an opening presented itself to him, both knew exactly what the other was going to do.
The King of Kights (Kayaba boss name) had overextended his attack.
He let it hit him, using his left arm to block, getting it choped in the process. All for one reason only.
To trade.
Heathcliff was know as the wall, before. With expert use of his shild, nobody has ever seen him go below orange in health.
Even after Kirito did his surprise attack, and showed all the real reason for that, no one could say the then guild master didn't have a talent with a shild.
That is why, when the swordsman saw their guard not fully covering the left side, he struck.
Losing a hand, for the enemy's left arm.
Heathcliff smiles.
With that, the battle was over, for Heathcliff greatest quality was his defense, and with no more extra mob kights to cover him, his severe arm didn't had the chance to hit the ground and turn to particles.
For Asuna the flash acted faster then the gravity's pull.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
As Asuna sprinted through the blue crystal's floating around her, an inexplicable feeling took her over.
Kneeling besides the one man who stood at her side for 25 floors, one year of endless battles, comforted her as she cried, and now...
"... We did it."
Is dying by her side.
"Heh, don't cry on me now, it's me how's dying here."
He says as he rests his head on her tights.
"Please, don't say that!"
Asuna trembles as she screams.
"Your going to live! We beat the game!"
Tears slide down her cheeks, raining down on him.
"You read the message, Asuna, I'm going to bleed out long before I'm logged out."
"No! Not you too, I can't lose... I love you... please..."
Her cries, the only sound on the throne room, bounced around, echoing, creating an auditory illusion of hundreds others crying whit her.
As if all the players still trapped in the castle where mourning together.
"No."
Blue lights start forming around his edges.
"Hm?"
Only for her to focus, about to hear his last words.
"You don't love me."
And make her freeze.
"You where grieving, and lonely. I took advantage of you."
"... Don't say that..."
"You never loved me, so don't bother crying over someone like me."
"Stop."
"In fact, I don't even like you, Asuna..."
Reaching his hand on her face, he clears her tears out.
"So live, live the best life you can..."
But no matter how much he tried, the tears didn't stop.
"You fougth for freedom... don't let anyone stop you now."
And with a smile, he fills the roon, for the last time, with blue particles.
...
"Mordred."
As the light resided, Asuna raised, eyes full of tears...
"I will make they know... you, Kirito, everyone."
... and determination.
"The hero's of Aincrad."
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
As his vision clears, Mordred finds himself standing upon the clouds, with a view of the endless sky.
And there in the distance, Aincrad, the floating castle. His and many others prison, hell... home.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Says a man in a lab colt.
Standing there, bearing witness as his creation cracked and fell, pice by pice.
"Long ago, I dreamed-
-could you not?"
He turns, showing a sharp face most in the world would recognize.
"I'm sure it is a great story, the reason for all of this."
Kayaba, the man how done the imaginable, stares with an impassive face.
"But, I'm a dead man, so for whatever the reason you brought me here, spill it!"
"... Very well."
The man spends some time pondering his words, looking out at the distant castle.
"At first, my plan was to bring in the one how dealt me the finishing blow. Here, i would then grant they one wish-
Mordred prepares to interrupt, just to be silenced by a raised palm.
-except, the one who struck me down is not here, but you."
His hand goes back to his pocket, and finally turns fully to face the young man.
"So tell me, why did you not took my head of, but my arm when the opportunity presented itself?"
Silence follows. As Mordred gives the question its due respect, he walks to the edge and sits besides the standing Kayaba.
Finally, as the castle in the distance trembles and crumble.
"What is the use of being a hero, if you won't get to enjoy the benefits."
"... I see. You never planed to leave this place alive."
Watching as pices of the great structure in the sky brakes apart, as the floors he once stood shatter.
"In this three and a half years I spend here... I felt the most alive I ever did."
"In that castle, I cried, laughed, screamed, fought, killed... loved."
Kayaba stayed silent, as a small smile appeared.
"I truly lived there. I can't see myself ever being happy outside after this."
"And what about Asuna? Do you not wish to live and see her outside?"
"Please, im not letting a pretty face decide my fate."
Saying that, he raises, dusting non existing dust from his butt.
As a final thunderer sound is heard, finally, Aincrad cease to exist.
"Mordred was born in that castle, only just he die there two."
And once again, both man fall in a contemplative silence, their gaze on the spot where once stood a prison, purgatory and home.
"And what about your wish?"
Saying that, Kayaba watches as his company takes little time to think.
"Make sure every one of your subjects are properly taken care of when they wake up... Especially Asuna."
Nodding one, he accepts, as he will be able to accomplish this task easily with what he plans to do.
"Then this is a farewell. I thank you, for helping my dream come true..."
As his last words leaves him, Mordred vision darkens.
"... for that, I will always remember you, Mordred."
Until he's no longer of that world.