Chapter 2

Christmas 2022, Floor 26

Kirito sat on a bench watching other players laugh and enjoy the sight of the massive Christmas Tree in the center of the town, the lights decorating the square and surrounding buildings, and all the special items being sold at a limited holiday rate. He couldn't enjoy it though, not with the guilt weighing him down. If he had only told the Moonlight Black Cats the truth. If only he had made sure they were better prepared. Maybe they would be here laughing and enjoying the holiday with him. But they weren't here. They were dead because of him.

Because he had wanted, for just a moment, to feel like he had friends again.

"Get that sad look off your face, Kirito," came a familiar voice from behind him. "Christmas is a time for good cheer."

Kirito refused to watch as Galahad came around the bench to sit beside him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Galahad had changed armor again, just as Kirito had since last he saw him. He looked dressed for winter. Kirito could make out what appeared to be a men's kimono in green with red and gold accents, hidden under a hooded, white suede jacket that stretched all the way to Galahad's feet, and seemed to be lined with black tipped ermine fur. The jacket was a masterpiece of work, obviously custom made at no small expense. It looked incredibly warm and comfortable, not to mention making Galahad seem even more attractive and unattainable than ever.

"I'm not feeling very cheerful," he whispered.

Galahad hummed softly and leaned back, looking up at the lights stretching out above them from one building to the next in a pattern that formed a great big star. "I'm told I'm a good listener if you want to talk."

"No thanks."

A moment of silence stretched between them before Galahad's gentle voice came back to him. "You can't blame yourself for their death, Kirito."

He flinched, turning to look at the slightly older teen. Galahad had those serious eyes again, the ones that said he had seen more than anyone else here. Things more terrifying than the potential that he might die in this virtual world. Kirito wanted to scream that Galahad didn't know what he was talking about, but the look in those eyes said that Galahad did know. That he had suffered the loss of others and blamed himself.

Kirito looked away, clenching his fists around his newest black jacket.

"There's a special event boss, 'Nicholas the Renegade,' who is supposed to appear tonight under a fir tree somewhere. The leading guilds are searching everywhere for it. Running about like chickens with their heads cut off." Galahad stood up. "I think you should join me in the search for this boss."

"Why? No one can come back to life here."

Galahad hummed again, as if he knew something that Kirito didn't. "And yet there is a rumor that says if you beat Nicholas the Renegade he will drop an item that can revive a dead player."

Kirito swallowed thickly, hands shaking. "I can do it alone."

"You can. But it's always better to have a friend on hand."

Kirito stood up and walked off, knowing that Galahad would follow even if Kirito didn't want him to. He called up his menu as he walked, replacing his normal coat with the longer black winter coat, and placing his sword over his shoulder.

Galahad smiled at him, that fake joyous smile that Kirito had once thought was real, but now knew better. The manic twinkling in those green eyes and the warm smile were just a mask for a man as lonely and desperate to get home as Kirito was. Kirito used a cold facade in place of the happy smile that Galahad did, but neither seemed to be working for them. They kept finding themselves in situations where people praised them for their skill and asked for their friendship, when a part of them both wanted simply to be alone.

"Fine," he said to the night air.

Galahad chuckled. "We'll win and you can have the item."

Kirito looked at the green eyed beauty as they ran through the thick snow. "You don't have anyone you want to bring back?"

Galahad gave him another of those all too knowing looks. "Death isn't as final as you think."

For a weird moment Kirito had the strangest thought that Galahad knew from experience. That the other man might have died. But that was shook his head. It was more likely that Galahad was simply one of those people who believe in life after death or reincarnation. Though even that didn't quite feel like the right answer. Kirito sighed quietly. He wasn't sure he would ever truely understand Galahad.

A flash of light off to the side drew them to a stop as a party of six players appeared to their right. Kirito blinked, his guard dropping slightly at the familiar sight of Klein in his samurai-like armor.

"What's up," Klein called out.

"You followed me too," Kirito stated in a monotone voice.

"Of course," Klein said, shuffling his feet in the snow. "You're after the revival item, aren't ya?"

"Yeah," replied Kirito.

Klein sighed dramatically. "Don't be risking your life over what might be a bogus rumor. You can't be messing around! This game is for real! Once your HP hits zero, that's it. In the real world-"

"Shut up," Kirito said, cutting him off.

"I'm trying to get you to stop with all your stupid soloing," Klein yelled, obviously upset over the possible loss of Kirito's life.

"I'm not soloing right now, am I," he said waving a hand in Galahad's direction.

Galahad smiled and winked at Klein, making a couple of his party sigh in delight and look momentarily as if they would fall over in a faint. "Hello again, Mr. Samurai."

Klein blushed and Kirito wondered what exactly had happened when these two had first met that would cause Klein to blush quite that red.

"Why are you helping him with this," Klein demanded.

"Because it's better than sitting back and doing nothing while he goes off on his own anyway." Galahad shrugged. "I'll protect him form his own foolish guilt."

"You could die to," Klein thinned, pulling at his hair. "What is wrong with you two!"

"All of you seem so troubled by death, as if he won't come for us all eventually."

The other players turned to look at Galahad, in shock. The playfully flirtatious look on the bishonen's face had been replaced by an all too-knowing, all too-calm look. Like Kirito, Klein found himself wondering just what the foreigner knew about death in the game that they didn't. Wanting to cut the conversation off before they got too sidetracked Klein started talking to Kirito again, "Just join us. Whoever gets it to drop the revival item keeps it, no hard feelings. That's fair. Isn't it?"

Kirito turned away, looking back into the dark snow covered forest. "Then there'd be no point." He reached up, hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "I have to do this myself."

"But Galahad's with you," thinned Klein.

Galahad smiled again. "I told him he could keep the item even if I got it to drop."

The other players gave the pretty foreigner shocked looks, as if they couldn't imagine why he would simply give the item up, despite the fact they agreed to do almost the same thing. Before Klein could protest any further dozen of lights filled the clearing as a larger party of front liners appeared in the clearing.

"I guess you were being followed too, Klein."

Klein and his party jumped back, forming a crescent shaped defense with Kirito and Galahad against the Holy Dragon Alliance. "It looks that way, doesn't it," Klein responded sarcastically.

"Damn," one of his friends muttered.

"They'll do anything, no matter how risky, for a rare item," another said.

"What do we do," they asked Klein.

"You bastards," Kirito cursed the grinning soldiers.

Klein sharpened up his stance, calling over his shoulder to Kirito and Galahad, "Get out of here! We'll hold them off!"

"No way," Kirito said, the grief clouding his eyes momentarily forgotten at the sight of so many other players watching Klein and his friends like a snake watched an injured baby bird.

"Leave him to us," Klein demanded. "We can hold them off! Get going!"

"Kirito," Galahad said, tugging lightly on his shoulder. "Klein isn't going to die today. I can promise you that."

Klein smirked. "I'm glad you're so sure of my skills, pretty boy!"

Galahad smirked, tugging Kirito into the woods. "Don't get cocky, Mr. Samurai!"

Galahad and Kirito ran as fast as they could, Galahad seeming to almost float over the snow, his long coat streaming out around him. Behind them they could hear the clash of swords as the fight between Klein's party and the Holy Dragon Alliance began. Ahead of them was a bright blue-white glow, beckoning them closer.

"We're almost there," shouted Galahad as they ran past the last few trees.

Kirito gasped as they slid into the snowy clearing where the massive glowing fir tree was waiting. As they came to a stop before it the crisp sound of a massive ringing bell filled the air. Followed quickly by the higher pitched sound of jingle bells.

"Jump back," commanded Galahad as they caught sight of Nicholas the Renegade dropping out of the sky.

"Merlin's frozen tits," Galahad cursed. "That thing is just plain creepy!"

Quietly, Kirito agreed. The bugged eyed, blue skinned, super-sized Santa was certainly creepy. Nightmare worthy even. But Kirito had no time hesitate. Screaming he charged forward in a berserker like rage.

= = = SAO = = = HP = = =

Five Minutes Later

Klein looked up as Kirito and Galahad walked back in to the clearing where he and his party were resting after the battle with the Holy dragon Alliance. Klein almost wanted to cry as he realized the two were uninjured and clutched in Kirito's hand was a small blue and gold bobble.

"Kirito! Hey," he called out happily. His voice trailed off slowly as he caught sight of Galahad shaking his head from behind Kirito. Looking closer he caught sight of the blank stare in Kirito's eyes, as if he was blind to everything around him. "Kirito," he asked softly, gently, like you would a wounded animal.

Kirito came to a stop a few feet away, and tossed the item at Klein, who fumbled to grab it. "That's the revival item."

Klein pocked the item so that the information window would pop up, his team members inching closer to look over his shoulder.

"Let's see," he mumbled mostly to himself. "Must be administered to the affected player…within ten seconds?" Klein looked up at Kirito in shock, understanding now why Kirito looked so depressed.

"If someone dies in front of you one day…make sure you use it." With that Kirito turned and walked away.

Klein looked at Galahad who was watching Kirito with an understanding, but grim, look. "I'll keep an eye on him. Don't you worry."

"Kirito," Klein called out to the retreating figure. "I don't care how you do it, just stay alive to the end." Klein looked back at the item in his hand, sobbing softly as the two knights walked back to town.

Galahad smiled over his shoulder at Klein one last time before they vanished from his sight and continued out of the forest onto the path leading back to the towns, and the small inn that Kirito had been living in. The place was clean and warm, but empty. There was no decoration, nothing to make it feel welcoming. Galahad hated it immediately.

"Why are you here," Kirito whispered as he stumbled towards the desk, dropping heavily into the wooden chair in front of it.

"Because despite it all, I do think of you as a friend." Galahad closed the door behind him, opening his menu and selecting his coat and weapons to return to storage. "I do understand Kirito. I've watched friends die before my eyes, and not just in SAO."

Kirito looked up sharply at that. "You have?"

Galahad sat lightly on the edge of the bed, his kimono slipping open just enough to flash Kirito a long strip of pale thigh. "When I was thirteen my school held an international tournament between us and two of our sister schools. It was supposed to be something challenging and fun. But it turned out to be a nightmare."

Galahad licked his lips and took a steadying breath. "I wasn't old enough to participate but someone, I didn't know who then, had put my name in and I was forced to participate even though the other three were already chosen and had four extra years of training that I didn't have." Galahad shook his head. "It turned out to be far more dangerous than I could imagine and I nearly lost friends over it. My best friend Ron, got so mad at me thinking I had entered in my own name, but then he didn't know how to apologize after seeing me nearly caught on fire in the first test."

Kirito gasped. "They set you on fire!"

"Not intentionally, but they knew it was a possibility."

"Thats…" Kirito stuttered to a halt, not sure what to say.

"It only got worse from there. We had to rescue friends from drowning in a freezing cold lake in the Scottish highlands. That was pretty unpleasant." Galahad shook his head, trying to force away the more painful memories. "But the worst was yet to come. The final challenge was a maze filled with all kinds of traps. Only one of the traps had been rigged and the other chosen contestant from my school, Cedric, and I got there at the same time. We ended up kidnapped from the maze under the watchful gaze of the entire student body, a bloody minister, and all the teachers."

Kirito went to interrupt again, but Galahad held up a hand, asking him to refrain.

"We were taken to a graveyard miles away from the school where the man who murdered my parents was waiting. He didn't want Cedric, just me." Galahad swallowed thickly. "He told his minion to 'kill the spare' and before either of us could react, the man had killed Cedric. He died right in front of me."

"You made it out though," Kirito said softly.

"By sheer dumb luck." Galahad. shook his head and looked up at Kirito. "So you can see that I understand what it feels like to blame yourself for someone else death."

"But it wasn't your fault," Kirito cried jumping to his feet, dropping his hands onto Galahad's shoulders. "That man! It's his fault not yours!"

Galahad smiled softly and placed his hand over Kirito's. "Just like the death of your party wasn't your fault either."

Kirito flinched.

"If anyone is to blame, it Akihito Kayaba. He set this all in motion."

"But-"

"Did you run them through on your sword," asked Galahad.

"No," Kirito replied confused.

"Then you aren't at fault," Galahad said flatly.

Kirito sighed, but before he could say anything else a glowing ball appeared in front of him, chiming softly. Startled he tapped it, surprised at the notice that appeared in front of him.

GIFT BOX: from SACHI

"Sachi," he whispered sadly.

Ignoring Galahad's presence next to him, Kirito tapped the message box to accept, leaning back as it transformed into a four-sided diamond shape. Tapping the small dot at the top if the front panel he watched in silent amazement as it lit up from within. The dark, almost black shape suddenly glowing a bright teal, with bubbling yellow light inside.

A soft voice began speaking suddenly, causing tears to well up in Kirito's eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Kirito. By the time you hear this, I'll probably be dead. How can I explain this…Let's see. To tell you the truth, I never really wanted to leave the Town of Beginnings. And I knew if I fought with an attitude like that I would end up dying some day. But that's not anyone's fault. That's something I have to deal with. Kirito, ever since that night you found me you kept telling me I wasn't going to die. No matter what. But what if I got killed anyway? I knew that if I died, you'd blame yourself. That's why…I decided to record this for you. By the way, I know how powerful you really are! Sorry. I sorta peeked when you weren't looking. I wondered why you weren't telling the truth about what level player you really were. I wondered why you decided to fight with us. I never figured it out though. You know what, when I found out how strong you were…I don't know, it made me so happy! I felt relieved. So even if I die, promise me you'll go on living. Okay, Kirito? Stay alive so that you can see the end of this world and find out why it was created. Find out why a weakling like me ended up here. Find out the reason you and I met. Please. That's what I wish. Looks like I still have time…so…Seeing how it's Christmas and everything, I'll sing you a song, okay?"

Kirito sobbed and leaned back into Galahad's comforting shoulder as the message continued with Sachi softly humming Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

"Anyway, Kirito. I'm so gad I met you! And that I could be with you, even for a little while. Thank you. Goodbye."

The message diamond glowed brighter for a second before the light vanished and it dropped to the floor by their feet.

Kirito was sobbing louder now, all the grief and pain he had been trying to shut away forced out into the open. Galahad simply wrapped Kirito up in his arms, pulling them both back onto the bed, one hand running gently through Kirito's hair. He was talking, whispering something in a soothing voice, but Kirito was too far gone in his tears, to make the words out, and eventually he cried himself to sleep in the other man's arms.