Prologue: Not over yet

Floor 75 Yurinia - 7 November 2024

"Asuna, I'm sorry. You, at least, need to live." His sword skill ended, unable to break through Heathcliff's defence. The Dark Repulser's tip smashing against his shield and bursting into fragments of broken blade.

"Farewell, Kirito." Heathcliff laughed.

There was a sudden silence as he tensed, waiting for the blow to connect, one that he knew would deal a killing blow. Then his heart froze, as his love stepped in front of him.

Heathcliff's sword slashed cleanly through Asuna's chest leaving a shimmering gash in her armour and she fell back into Kirito's arms. His sword dropped as he caught her, his knees seeming to disappear from under him as he could only cradle her gently to the floor. Speechless he looked down into her eyes as she smiled back at him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Goodbye."

He held her tightly, hoping that his grip would stop her from shattering into the shining fragments of polygons that all fallen players turned to.

There was no sound, no movement. She lay in his arms, as if sleeping peacefully.

Kirito felt sick, he wasn't sure if this was happening or if he was in some sort of terrifying dream. He looked up. Next Asuna's health bar was a flashing light, an exclamation mark.

Is this a status effect? What's going on?

He looked up at Heathcliff with an overwhelming feeling of loss, rage, despair and sadness.

"That was an interesting surprise…" Heathcliff said looking down at the couple with intrigue.

"What did you do?" Kirito asked, his voice breaking under his emotions.

Heathcliff said nothing, his face blank.

"Kayaba!" Kirito screamed, his voice filled the giant hall, almost shaking the walls with his anger.

He said nothing and drew out a teleport crystal.

"No!" Kirito said.

"We'll meet again, Kirito-Kun. Maybe then you'll prove to be a better match." Heathcliff laughed and called the Ruby Palace and disappeared in a flash and all the players were freed from their paralysis. Klein rose first, fighting against the stress of being released.

"Kirito!" He called as he half stumbled across the room.

He came to a stop by his friend and knelt down looking on helplessly as Kirito held the limp frame of Asuna, tears fell from his eyes as they stared in disbelief. The remaining players in the room stood silently, struggling with the scene and the results of the battle.

Agil walked over to the group looking down with a grim expression, Klein looked up to him.

"What now?" He asked.

He shrugged. "I thought she was done for?"

"Her health is empty but there's a mark next to it." Klein replied.

Agil was about to say something when Kirito rose and carried Asuna towards the door, the other players looked on in stunned silence, disbelief in their eyes. Agil and Klein followed him, along with the members of the Fūrin Kazan guild. They would defend their friend back to the town and safety.

Kirito was lost in turmoil, the sudden surge of events and emotions had taken its toll on him. Something inside him had snapped, like a fuse had blown and things no longer worked properly. All he could do was walk. Everything was gone.

You can't leave me to fight this world alone...