Sword Art Online: Alicization

The Seal Of The Right Eye

*Let's Continue Where We Left Off*

"Speak. Howevere, if there's any trace if deceit in your words, I will slay you on the spot." Alice said

"That's fine. If your decision to slay me is your own. The reason I say that is because there's an order inside you that yiu're not aware was put there by someone else. You Integrity Knights were summoned from the heavens to maintain order and justice by the surrogate of the gods, Administrator, the pontifex of the Axiom Church, or so you believe. But... Alice, you don't remember who gave birth to you, or where you were raised."

"I was told it's because the moment Integrity Knights are called here, the goddes Stacia seals our memories of the heavens."

"It's true that your memories have ben sealed. It wasn't the goddes Stacia who did that, but the pontifex herself. And it's not your memories of the heavens that were sealed, but of having been born and raised as a human child in this world. Your real name is Alice Zuberg. You were born and raised in a small village in the northern hinterlands called Rulid. And when you were eleven, you went to explore the cave through the End Mountains and ended up barely cossijg the boundary between the Human Empire and the Dark Territory. In other words, the taboo you violated was "trespassing into the Dark Territory." Kirito explaning

"Alice Zuberg. That's my name? Rulid... The End Mountains... I can't remember any of it."

"Don't force yourself to remember. You'll end uo like Eldrie."

"Why would you say that now? I... want to know everything."

"Your father is Rulid's village elder, and hus name Gasuft Zuberg. Unfortunately, I don't kniw your mother's name, but like I said before, you have a younger sister. Her name is Selka."

"Selka."

"She's been worried about you ever since you were taken away by the Church. When you were living in Rulid, I'm told you were called a prodigy of the sacred arts. And she's working hard to become a good Sister, to follow in her older sister's footsteps."

"You told me something. That you and Sonic planned this rebellion in order to correct the pontifex's wrongs and to protect the human world." Alice said

"Yeah. That's right."

"Yet it's a fact that the pontifex's primary order to ue Integrity Knights is to defend an invasion from the Dark Territory. Even if you managed to defeat every Integrity Knight, as well as slay the pontifex herself, then who would be left to protect the Human Empire?"

"Then let ask you this. If you Integrity Knights counter at full strength, do you really believe that you can definitely repulse the entire Dark Territory forces?"

*Flashback*

"Prime Seantor. Can you have a serious talk with the pontifex soon? The Dark Territory is steadily building up its forces. There's a limit to how much we can fight back if we're the only-"

"Like I said! It's yout job as Integrity Knights to do somethimg about it! Geez, you never shut up! You just need to do a you're told! Seriously!"

*End Of Flaschback*

"It's true that Uncle... that his Eminence, Knight Commander Berocouli, seemed to have the same doubts. But even so, it's also a fact thyat aside from ourselves, no other battle-ready force exists in the Human Empire."

"But that's a situation of Administartor's own making. The pontifex feared the emergence of a force in the Human Empire greater than her own absolute power. So she allowed the high-ranking nobles, who should reach for their swords first if war breaks out, to lead indolent, lavosh lives, and as a result, their souls were corrupted. But that doesn't mean it's too late. Befroe the Dark Forces close in, if we can raise the largest possible army within the Human Empire-"

"There's no way we can do such a thing! You just said it yourself. How corrupt the nobles of this world have become!"

"Yeah, that's true. But not everyone is like that. Among the lower-ranking nobles and commoners, there are a lot of people who ant to protect this world."

"Commoners?"

"That's right. If we distribute the huge stash of weapons stored inside this tower, and then teach them the same real sword skills and sacred arts you'll have been refining, it wouldn't be impossible to raise a solid army within a year. But the way things are, that can't be made a reality. Because an army whose loyalty to her can't be forced is just as terrifying to Administrator as the forces of darkness. In other words, there's only one conclusion. Our only option is to crush the pontifex's absolute rule, maximize what little time we have left, and then bulld up a defensive force that can counter the imminent invasion."

"That there are minions of darkness here... That fact aline is irrefutable proof that the pontifex is deceiving us, her loyal servants."

A long moment of slience.

"Will I get to see her? If I agree to help you and Sonic, and regain my sealed memories, will I get to see Selk?.. my younger sister again?"

Kirito and Sonic both looked at each other and the two nodded.

"You will. But listen. I want you to hear me out. It'll be someone who's both you and not you that will see Selka. The moment you get you memory back, you'll go back to being Alice Zuberg from the Synthesis Ritual. At the same time, Integrity Knight Alice Synthesis Thirty will cease to exist."

"Do you agree with this?" Sonic said

"Selka. Selka. I can't remember. Her face or voice. But this isn't the first time I've called that name. My mouth, my throat, my heart all remember."

"Alice."

"I called it over and over. Every day, every night. Selka. Selka."

A tear roll's down Alice face.

"It's true. I have a family. A father and a mother. And a sister who's my own flesh and blood. Somewhere underneath this night sky."

Alice then start's crying as she started remembering her past. A few minutes later, she stopped crying.

"Once you told me that we Integrity Knights were created by the pontifex, I suspected that this might be the case. That I'd stolen this body from a girl named Alice Zuberg, wrongfully occupying it for the last six years. Isn't that right? I must return what I've stolen, right? I'm sure that's what Selka, her parents, your friend and you youself wish for."

"Alice."

"But there's just one... one favor I'd like to ask of you. Befire the original Alice's personality is restored to this body, will you take me to Rulid Village? And just one look while hidden is all I ask. I want you to show me Selka, my younger sister, as well as my family. If you could just grant me that, I'll be satisfied."

"Okay, We promise. We swear to you. Before we restore your memories, I'll definitely take you to Rulid Village."

"No matter what, all right?"

Alice stood up and took a deep breath.

"I've made up my mind. In order to protect the Human Empire, and those who reside in it, I, Alice Synthesis Thirty, hereby forsake my mission as an Integrity Knight and-"

Alice's eyes widen and start's shaking. Kirito and Sonic noticed.

"Alice?"

"What's wrong?"

Alice then let out a scream as he eye started freaking out.

"Alice!"

"Kirito. Sonic."

Kirito and Sonic noticed Alice right eye glowing red.

"Alice."

Alice open's her eye as it started glitching out.

"A bar code? No, nothing like that exists in this world."

"It's like my right eye is on fire. And I can see some words."

"Don't think! Empty your mind! What's happening to you is probbaly some kind of psychological barier that activates when you try to deft the Church. If you keep thinking about it, your eye's goung to burst!"

"How cruel. What a cruel thing to do. For not only my memories, but even my mind to be controlled by someone else. The one who burned this re sacred script onto my eye... was it the pontifex?" Alice said

"No, I don't think it was her. It's one of the entites who created this world and observes it from the outside. One of the gods that don't appear in the creation story."

"Gods... We Integrity Knights have fought endlessly to protect the world that the gods created, and yet they refuse to trust us? Robbing me of my memories of my family and my sister, and on top of that, placing such a seal on me to force me to obey... how dare they. I'm not a puppet! Even if I am an entity created by another, I still have a mind of my own! I want to protect this world and the people who live in it! That's the one and only mission I must carry out!"

Alice eye's started glowing more.

"Alice!"

"Please..."

Alice hug's both Kirito and Sonic.

"Kirito. Sonic. Hold me down firmly."

"Right."

"Got it."

"Pontifex Administrator, as well as you nameless gods... in order to accomplish what I must do, I will fight you!"

Her eyes started glitching more intenstly and soon... exploded.

*?*

"Eugeo. Eugeo!"

Eugeo look's back and noticed a open door. He walk's close and open's the door. He enter's and saw someone laying bed.

"You must be cold over there. Now them come here, Eugeo."

Eugeo walk's closer and the girl extend's her arms. Eugeo then sit's next to the girl amd the girl hug's him.

"Mom! Is that you, Mom?"

"That's right. I'm your mother, Eugeo."

"But where's Dad? Where did my brothers go?"

"You silly child. You killed them all, remember?"

Eugeo gasped, looked at his hands to see that they were covered in blood."

Eugeo suddenly wakes up screaming from his sleep as he was breathing hevaily.

"What happened to me? What am I doing here? Berocouli, the knight commander... I fought the hero of the old legend. And afterward, a little man named Chudelkin or something showed up. I can't remember what happened after that."

"Is this..."

"Is this the top floor of the Central Cathedral?"

Eugeo turn's and noticed someone sleeping in the bed. Eugeo stood up and walk's closer.

"If I'm on the top floor of the Cathedral, then that's..."

Eugeo then's get closer to the girl sleeping. He then extend's his arm and was about to touch the girl.

"No, Eugeo! Run!"

Eugeo stop's and shake's his head.

"This person is the pontifex, Administartor. If I do it now... But this is for Alice, I can't use it now."

Eugeo take's out a dagger from his pocket.

"Eugeo, run!"

The girl slowly wake's up, turn's and look's at Eugeo holding the dagger. She then rises up from the bed and yawns.

"You poor child."

"Huh? Poor?"

"That's right. So very pitiful. You're just like a withered potted flower."

"A potted... flower?"

"And you know very well yourself. How you thirst... how you starve."

"For what?"

"For love."

"Did you say love? You make it sound like I don't know what love is." Eugeo said

"That's right. You're a pitiful child who doesn't known what it's like to be loved."

"That's not true! My mom loved me. Whenever I had a nightmare and couldn't sleep, she'd hold me and sing me lullabies!"

"But was that love really meant only for you? You know it wasn't. It was what was left over from what she'd dived among your brothers."

"That's a lie! Mom loved only me."

"You wanted her to love only you. But she wouldn't do that. That's why you hated them. Your father and your older brothers who stole your mother's love."

"That's a lie! I... I don't hate my father or my brothers at all!"

"Is that true? After all, you did slash him."

"Who?"

"That red-haired girl might've been the first person who loved you and no one else. When that man tried to take her away by force and defile her, you tried to slash him. Because you hated him. Because he'd taken something that was only yours."

"You're wrong. That's not why I raised my sword against Raios!"

"But your thirst remains unquenched. No one will ever love you. They've all forgotten about you. "We don't need you anymore," they said, and discarded you."

"That's not true. That's not true. I... I haven't been discarded. That's right. It's not true. I have Alice." Eugeo said

"Is that really true? Does that girl really love only you, I wonder?"

The girl disappered.

"You've forgotten. I'll help you to remember. The real memories you've buried deep inside your heart!"

*?*

Eugeo as a child was running threw the forest.

"I haven't seen Kirito or Alice all morning. Where could they be?"

Eugeo noticed Krito and Alice having a picnic together. But Sonic nowhere in sight.

"A-"

"Hey, let's head back now. Or they'll find out." A young Kirito said

"We still have time. A little longer... just a little bit, okay?"

"That's a lie. This is all lies!"

*Back To Reality*

"See? I told you. Do you understand now? Even that girl's love doesn't belong to you alone. No. Actually, did she even have any for you from the start? But I'm different, Eugeo. I'm willing to love you. I'll give all of my love to you. Only you."

"Only me?"

The girl slowly remove's her clothes slowly in front of Eugeo.

"Now, come here, Eugeo."

She remove's her clothes, exposing herself to Eugeo.

"Now you can experience the joy of being loved to your heart's content. And if you love me, I'll return that same amount of love. The deeper your love for me, the more I'll bring you to the ultimate pleasure, one beyond your imagination!"

"Is that really what love is? Is it like money, that you use to buy things of value? Is that all there is to it?"

"Eugeo."

Eugeo turn's and saw Tiese standing there.

"That's not what it is, Eugeo!"

The two extended their arms but a force field blocked of them, Tiese then disappered in thin air.

"You're wrong, Eugeo!"

Eugeo turn's around and saw a young Alice.

"Love isn't something you can get as a reward!"

Eugeo start's walking closer to young Alice but another forced field blocked them as well and Alice disappered in thin air.

"Eugeo!"

Eugeo saw Kirito but disappered soon after. Everything came back to reality. Eugeo hold hands with the Administrator as she pull's him closer as the two started

"Don't you want it, Eugeo? To forget everything that causes you sorrow, and consome all of my love? But not yet. Didn't I tell you? First, you have to love me. Now, chant exactly what I say. Be thinking that you trust only me, and you're offering yourself to me fully. Now... First, the initial line of the sacred art."

"Please no... Eugeo... Please don't..." A voice that sounded like Sonic

"I'm sorry... Sonic..."

"System Call.'

"That's right, Now keep going. Remove Core Protection."

"Eugeo... Please..."

"Remove..."

"Was this the best thing to do?"

"Core..."

"But I don't want to be sad or in pain anymore."

"That's right. Now, come to me, Eugeo. Into me. Into eternal stasis."

"...Protection."

To Be Continue...

"Next Time: Systhesis." Kirito and Sonic as narrtors