Do You Know?
She watched him closely. He only had one blade visible, and his boots made him sound clumsy, but she knew all too well how dangerous he could be.
"You are not welcome here," she said, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the hilt of her rapier. "Only Knights of the Blood Oath can walk these grounds."
He smiled, but it wasn't the loving smile she had loved a year ago.
"There's no such things as boundaries in a game," he said.
"You're wrong," she replied. "It's only a game if you can end it." He laughed.
"You can end it," he said, slowly revealing his long, black sword, once used for justice. Asuna drew her rapier and held it outwards in a defensive stance. He lunged.
She blocked his attacks using her speed, but Kirito was incredible at adapting. He would soon catch up to her and she knew it. If he brought out Dark Repulsor, she would have no chance. He slashed as he backed her into a corner. She would die in that corner. She turned around and ran up the wall and back -flipped over him. She swung her sword and cut his shoulder on her way down. He stumbled, but he didn't hesitate.
In a swift move, he swept her feet out from under her. She landed on her back. He leaned over her, but she kicked him in the chest with both feet and kipped up. She had lost her sword so she pulled out her emergency dagger. She took several steps back and flipped the dagger until she was holding the blade.
Dark Repulsor appeared. It glowed threateningly. If it wasn't game, she would be feeling sweat rolling down her face. Her heart hammered. It was now or never. He would beat her to her sword, but she may be fast enough to hit him with her knife.
"Give me your best shot," he said lowly. They watched each other for what felt like forever. This was the moment she would either win or die. They both knew it. She took a deep breath and threw her dagger. It flew like a missile. It was the fastest attack she had ever managed. Kirito couldn't block it. No, he wasn't trying to. He moved enough so the dagger would hit him where it wouldn't kill him and then he was inches from her face, his swords at her neck.
She could feel the cold metal on her cheek.
"How does it feel?" he asked.
"I wouldn't know," she said, her hands shaking. The blade stuck out from his chest and it must've hurt, but she couldn't see any proof on his face.
"You wouldn't know?" he whispered. He stepped away, but she knew he was coiled for an attack despite his appearance. "YOU WOULDN'T KNOW?!"
He swung with a speed she hadn't seen him use before and the tip of his blade slashed her bicep as she dove for her sword. She gasped as she hit the ground, but she pushed the pain aside as her fingers wrapped around smooth metal.
"You should know!" he yelled. He swung again. She blocked it, but the impact hurt her shoulder.
"She died at your hand!" he screamed, his voice breaking. His heavy blade flew with dizzying speed and sliced her stomach. She fell to the ground. The pixelated sunlight was blocked by Kirito's dual blades. They came down before Asuna could dodge and she was pinned to the ground with a pain she had never felt before.
"Is this what it felt like?" he asked.
"You know Yuki wouldn't approve of what you've done," Asuna whispered painfully.
"YOU DON'T SPEAK HER NAME. You know nothing about her," he said.
"I was her mother," Asuna groaned.
"A mother would never kill her child," Kirito whispered.
"Not unless she deserved it," Asuna said before her head rolled across the floor. In the game, there was no blood on his sword, but he could imagine the machines that kept her alive until know screeching at her demise. The hurt he felt didn't subside with Asuna's essence dissolving, and he didn't feel peace.
He only knew that the daughter he loved and the woman he thought he loved were both gone now and he didn't know what to do.
So, he began walking. Maybe somewhere along the way he would find another broken soul, but until then… he would wander a road as dark as his sword, and just as dangerous.