This chapter wasn't supposed to be this long. But I just couldn't stop at the end of the Chudelkin fight after so many short chapters. Anyway, enjoy :)

Chapter 30

Overcoming the Flames

I panted as I climbed the steps to the ninety-ninth floor, my arms ready to give out. Alice's breathing matched my own's heaviness, her eye screwed up in pain. "We're almost there…" I said between breaths, looking at her Life which was still slowly decreasing. It had taken five minutes to walk up here, my body screaming at me to stop. Or maybe the memory was still lingering, telling me to let her die. Yet I carried on.

As I reached the final floor before my goal, I realised how cold the air was. My breath became a misty cloud as it exited my lungs. The whole floor was covered in a layer of blue ice. I looked around, seeing the shattered remains of an icicle.

I made my way over the ice carefully. The metal disk refused to descend. I let out a sigh of frustration before putting Alice on my back. I aimed my hand up. "System Call. Generate Thermal Element. Discharge." Five balls of light left my fingers, exploding the entrance open. I gripped Alice tight as I leapt up, grabbing the edge. I managed to lift myself into the hundredth floor where…

"Who dares enter the glorious Pontifex's chambers and interrupts us!?" The shrill voice of Chudelkin rang throughout the room. He was standing on his head, his eyes blackened from being burnt out from what it looked like.

A massive fire golem stood in the centre of the room, lighting the room in an orange glow. The floor where it stood was blackened with soot. I saw Kirito and his companion, their clothing burnt and faces ashen. This fight obviously wasn't going in their favour.

"A-Alice…" The flaxen haired boy reached towards the golden knight on my back, which only added to the guilt I felt. The pain in his eyes told me that she must've been someone he was close to.

I walked towards Administrator, who was floating in the air, her clothing completely disappeared, leaving her body completely exposed. I led Alice down in front of her, ignoring Chudelkin's protests and the heat from the golem. "Please…save her…"

Administrator look down at me, amused. "You accessed the Memory Release on your own."

"I don't care!" I yelled. My voice echoed throughout the room. "Just please…save her… I can't watch someone die by my hand again…"

She raised a hand, and then flicked her wrist. Alice's body rose slightly before flying across the room, slamming against the wall. I looked at the limp body in horror. "There's nothing I can do for that defective knight."

"Please!" I begged. "I've seen you do things other consider to be the impossible! Just heal her, or something!"

A fist of flame hit me, the fire licking my skin and leaving burn marks. I slid across the floor, rolling a few times before I hit the wall.

"How dare you question her majestic Pontifex!" Chudelkin screamed from his handstand. "With her Eminence's permission, I would wipe this stain off the floor! I will throw him from the ninety-fifth floor and watch him splat against the gardens below! I will-"

"That's enough Chudelkin." Administrator said softly. She was glancing at the other two rebels, making sure they were staying put. She descended to the ground, smiling a little. "Tell me Light, how am I supposed to save something that's already dead?"

"What are you…?"

"Your sword contained two Memories. One from the core component that your sword was made from, and a memory of your own." She giggled. "The two are perfect for each other. The Obsidian Nightshade flower, a plant so poisonous that the Assassin's Guild of the Dark Territory would've made a toxin that killed a Colossal Land Dragon in an hour. And the memory containing a lust for revenge that would rival that of Emperor Vecta. Both combine to form an Incarnation of death the moment the blade touches the skin of another living being. Unfortunately, your own desire to protect seems to have dulled the poison quite a bit."

"What the hell do you mean 'unfortunately'?" I wondered if the venom had somehow laced my words. "She's dying!"

"Yes, it's unfortunate that we're losing sweet Alice…" Administrator turned on her heel. "But with weapons like your own from the plain of Infinity, I would have no need for the Knights. Even my own plan is worthless against the weapons from there." Something about her tone of voice seemed like she was just casting aside a piece of trash rather than letting a person die, which hurt even more.

"And how do you plan to get those weapons?" Kirito spoke up. He had rose to his feet, clutching his arm. "Infinity isn't somewhere you can just travel to."

"I'm not going to Infinity. I'm pulling Infinity here." Administrator cast a look back at me. "He's your proof. All it requires is the right System Command."

I clenched my fists, not in anger, but in fear. "You can't…there's nothing to pull…"

"Then by all means, explain how you and that sword came here."

I shook my head. "There's only the nothingness of the black hole…" I sucked in a breath. "I'm the only thing that survived…"

Administrator laughed. "Oh but there is something there. Or at least someone." She sat on an invisible chair and crossed her leg over the other. "Chudelkin, I grow tired of these games. Kill them."

"My pleasure your Eminence!"

The fire golem took a step forwards, a pillar of flame erupting around the area it stepped upon. I looked over at Kirito and his companion, who were barely standing. Chudelkin looked delighted as he prepared for the kill. Administrator showed no interest in interfering. I finally looked at Alice.

Her sapphire eye stared back.

Her face was contorted in so much pain, but she was conscious. Her hand reached towards her golden sword. I shook my head at her. Despite her pain, she was still trying to fight.

"Protect her…"

I rose to my feet, aiming my hand towards the towering flaming giant. "System Call. Generate Cryogenic Element." I pinched my fingers together, dragging the elements into a thin, blade-like curve in front of me. "Discharge." The blade of ice flew through the sky, stabbing into the fire golem's right shoulder. It stumbled back, the ice cutting across its right arm and freezing. "Burst." The ice exploded, then entire right arm shattering.

Chudelkin squealed in anger. "Thirty-two, what do you think you're doing!? Lie down and accept your death!" The fire golem quickly grew back it's arm as quickly as it lost it. It would take multiple Sacred Arts in unison to take this enemy down, something we didn't have.

I glanced at Kirito, my only hope to avoid a fiery death. He was getting into a stance, ready to strike. I didn't know what he could do from that distance, but I trusted he knew what he was doing. I could see his mouth moving, most likely giving instructions to his companion.

The blue clad boy stabbed his sword into the ground. "Release Recollection!" His blade, misty with the heat, unleashed a storm of ice that wrapped around the golem. Its entire body was frozen in a prison of ice. I looked in shock at the Art. That's what's responsible for the ice downstairs.

"Light, shatter!" Kirito's cry came.

I nodded, copying the same motion as earlier. My blade of ice stabbed into the icy prison, becoming one with it. "Burst!"

The entire golem exploded, chunks of ice being thrown all over the room. I raised an arm to shield myself from the shards of ice. There stood no remains of the giant anywhere.

So why is he still smiling?

Chudelkin let out a low, mocking laugh. "You fools!" He spun around on his head. The ice scattered around the room began to float and consolidate where the golem once stood. The ice began to melt, becoming a ball of flame.

In the end, even that wasn't enough… I collapsed to my knees, not knowing what to do.

An ear-piercing roar came from where Kirito stood. I looked over to see him clad in a black long coat, his blade enveloped in a scarlet red. He threw his arm forwards, and his sword, which was aimed right at Chudelkin, extended across half the length of the room. The blade pierced the side of the clown's body, spraying blood across the room. His anguished howls of pain filled the air, replacing the roar that was unleashed from Kirito's lungs. As the blade retracted, Chudelkin collapsed to the ground, leaving behind the echo of his pain.

I stared at Kirito as the black coat faded, leaving him in his previous clothing. His blade had returned to its previous size. He used it as a crutch to hold himself up. His companion grabbed his arm, to which he gave a small smile. "I'm okay Eugeo."

"Well, that was boring." Administrator had a cold smile on her face. She casually flicked her wrist, which caused Chudelkin's body to fly across the room, splatting against the wall and leaving a massive bloodstain on the wall. "What an eyesore." She turned her attention to Kirito. "Amazing. In all my years of living, not one Real Worlder has visited my world, and in the same week, I find two right in front of me. And both are rebelling against me."

Kirito's companion, who I assumed was called Eugeo, looked at Kirito with questioning eyes. Kirito's look of guilt must've confirmed it for him, as that confusion was replaced with shock.

"I'm not rebelling." I said simply. "I just don't want anyone to die…"

"Chudelkin over there tells a different tale." Administrator pointed out.

As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Even if I didn't kill him directly, I was still complicit in his death. And yet, I didn't seem to care as much as I did when I poisoned Alice. Was it simply because he opposed me? Or that I didn't care about him?

"Ms Quinella…" Kirito said, his voice sounding on the brink of exhaustion.

Administrator laughed at the mention of that name, though there was no joy behind it. "You've been listening to that little brat in the library, haven't you?" She leaned back on her invisible chair, twirling her hair around her finger.

Kirito gave a tired smile. "She's told me all about your past, how you rose to your status now, and how you've been side stepping the Taboo Index all your life."

Administrator, or rather Quinella, looked amused. "Stories, like the ones in the library." She let the strand of hair fall back into place. "Here's a story that I'm interested in, as you seem to remember which world you came from." She gave me a sideways glance, a reminder of my lost memories. "What reason do you and him have for stumbling into my world?"

"Before we start talking about the past, can we deal with the issue right in front of us?" Eugeo interrupted, his gaze on Alice. She was still trying to reach for her sword. "Alice is dying!" His voice sounded desperate. As much as I wanted to know about my past, I agreed with Eugeo. I walked over to her, opening her Stacia Window. Only a quarter of her Life remained…

Quinella still didn't make a move. "You can't save her. She's been touched by the poison from the Obsidian Nightshade flower. There's no point in trying to stop the spread of the poison. You'd just be wasting your time."

"You don't know that!" Eugeo yelled at her.

"She's not even the Alice you're seeking dear Eugeo." Quinella glanced up at the mural that spread across the ceiling. I looked across the beautiful illustration, where gemstones sparkled…

Thirty-one exactly…

I stared at the crystals. I knew the Integrity Knights had no memories beyond the ritual that made them Integrity Knights. However, I had assumed they were removed. But the number of crystals, with Quinella's statement about Alice, the pieces began to fall into place. The memories weren't gone, only removed.

For a second, I wondered if this was what happened to me. If someone had my memories in a crystalised form. However, once I thought about it, it seemed impossible. I was recalling more memories every day. If I had all my memories removed, then I wouldn't be remembering them so frequently. One memory seemed to be stored in the Night Shadow Blade, but even that one, I could remember deep down.

But why would you store the memories instead of deleting them? You're risking the lie you've fed the Integrity Knights. Even though it was rare, I knew Bercouli sometimes visited Quinella. Surely he had seen the crystals at some point and questioned her. But…I guess she could've removed a memory like that, like she had with all his others.

I looked back at Kirito and Eugeo, who was also staring at the ceiling. Eugeo especially had his eyes fixated on one in particular. A crystal embedded in the eye of a blue bird.

Alice looked at the same crystal. "Please…" She strained to speak. I leaned down, putting my ear next to her mouth so she didn't have to strain as much. "I can't…let her body…die…"

"I know. I'm trying…" I clenched my fists in frustration, closing my eyes to stop the tears from falling.

All of this is my fault…

A hand gripped mine. I opened my eyes to see Alice pulling my hand towards her sword. "Take it… And protect…Kirito and Eugeo…"

I looked at the sword. It shone with a magnificent glow as my hand touched it. I quickly wiped away my tears and gave her a sad smile. "I'll save you…I promise… I'll find some way."

She nodded, closing her eye and falling asleep, trying to conserve the last of her Life.

I stood up straight and pointed the sword at Quinella. She laughed a little at the gesture. "Why are you bothering? What will killing me achieve?"

"I won't let Alice die in vain…" I gripped the sword tightly. "I can't promise this won't hurt."

She grinned. "Now you'll die with the rest of these rebels."

My plan wasn't to kill her. Based on my previous conversation with Quinella just before this all happened, she valued her Fluctlight more than anything. The only way to put that in danger would be to decrease her Life to a point where she couldn't ignore it anymore, and force her to use a Healing Art. Then I could use that Art to heal Alice. It wasn't exactly a great plan, but it was the only one I could think of on such limited time.

Kirito and Eugeo didn't seem to understand my plan, but I didn't have time to pull them aside and explain it. Nevertheless, they seemed ready to fight.

Quinella raised her hand. "System Call. Generate Gate to Infinity."

Suddenly, the air in the room began to get sucked into the space where her hand was. A small hole of nothingness appeared in her palm. Everything in the room was being sucked in. I quickly dived on top of Alice, stopping her from being pulled in. The weapons on the wall were pulled towards inside, one of them cutting into the floor next to us.

Kirito and Eugeo were managing to stay on their feet, stabbing their blades into the ground. However, Eugeo's blade was barely holding itself together, the surface cracked, probably from overuse of his Memory Release. The blade shattered, and he began to be pulled in. Kirito managed to grab Eugeo's shirt, holding him in the air.

"Is this the weapon?" Quinella looked in shock. But then her shock turned to laughter. "With this, I could destroy the entire Dark Territory. Oh, the power these humans hold. To create such destruction!"

The walls of the Central Cathedral began to crack, the windows shattering. I felt several shards of glass cut into my side. Even the blood that leaked from my wounds began to get sucked in.

Out of the black hole, a hand clad in dark armour reached out. A deep, hushed whisper came from the other side. "Light…"

I know that voice… "Nightmare…"

Infinity...now a place of nothingness. Yet something still remains. A person, trapped there through their own selfish desire to destroy.

This chapter has been a while in the making. Because Alice is obviously out of commission, I can't have her distract Chudelkin. So, I had to come up with a new way of stopping him. Ice vs Fire. And it came at the sacrifice of the Blue Rose Sword. I didn't want to take away Kirito's moment of embracing his past either, so I went in with the intention of keeping that intact. As much as this is Light's version of the story, that shouldn't come at the sacrifice of the original characters. That's what I've always believed, and why it took so long for Light and Kirito to properly meet.

I think I can wrap up Human Empire in 2-3 more chapters, with an Epilogue chapter as we go into WoU. We'll finally be getting to the end of a story, but the beginning of a new one. Next chapter, we'll be switching focuses a little. Instead of starting out with Light, we'll be seeing the world through the eyes of the one who destroyed everything, and put Light in the state he is in right now...and has been manipulating certain events.

Reviews:

blackbutterfly1313: I'll always hug you whenever you want :) I'm happy Light is growing on everyone. I can't wait for the moment when he's fully restored, so I can write the true version of him.

One more chapter down. Onto the next. We're almost there. Almost to the end of Human Empire. Until next time though, Stay Cool.