It was supposed to be an adventure. Adventuring into a dark cave, trying to retrieve an important item. It sounded just like the stories the adults told them. Although their reasons were a little more childish and there was no one to save, it was still an adventure they were all excited to discover and experience. They even found a beautiful blue rose sword, stuck in a block of ice. It was such a mystery that sent giddy shivers down their spine.

But it all fell apart when they got lost and found themselves at the edge of the cave. Instead of an exit that should be their way home, it was an exit towards the dark territory. A forbidden place that no one should ever cross. There they witnessed a battle between an esteemed Integrity Knight and a creature from the dark territory. The winner of the battle was the Knight who flew away on their dragon, while the loser was the dark creature who fell just a few meters infront of them.

They were struck by horror at what they saw. It was their first they seeing blood. What's more, the creature that looks awfully like a human was dying right infront of them.

They didn't know what to do. Their pure hearts told them to help it, but the law states they were forbidden from crossing the border.

The boys among the group of three agreed to go back but the girl for some reason was stuck in place. She could not bare to turn her eyes away. Unlike her best friends, she was allowed to learn various of thing. That includes healing arts. Magic that should be used to help those in need, and healed the injured. She has the ability to help, so unlike her other friends, it was harder for her to ignore the dying creature.

Subconsciously, she reached out towards it. The boys immediately knew what she was about to do and reached towards her in a panic. At their sudden touch, she was startled out of her trance and was shocked her own actions. Unfortunately, that caused her to lose her footing.

Before they knew it, the girl was falling and one of her best friend pulled her towards him in a panic as he shielded her from the fall. They all collapsed in a heap, groans of pain echoes within the cave. Everything moved so fast that they took a moment to process what had happened.

"Are you guys okay?" The boy with black hair was the first one to recover, rubbing his head in search for a bump. However, he froze at what he saw infront him.

"Ye-yeah, I'm fine," The girl who was in the protective arms of her friend replied shakily. She could not believe she almost crossed over to the dark territory. She raised her eyes from her friend's chest to look up at his face. "You can let go of me now, Eugeo." Her body stilled when she saw the terrified look on his face. An apology was at the tip of her tongue but before it was uttered, her other friend grabbed her hand.

"Eugeo!" The black haired boy cried out in alarm as he grabbed onto both of his friends' arm and pulled them towards him. His chest was beating rapidly under his ribs.

The reason was because...Eugeo's head slightly touched the border of the dark territory.

The boy with flax-brown hair stared at the floor, his body trembling like a leaf. "I-it's going to be fine, right?" He turned wide terrified eyes towards his black haired friend who pursed his lips as the sight of his face. Fear was taking over his body so he must have looked awful to them. "Ki-Kirito, I didn't go over, right?" He looked at his friend pleadingly.

The dark-haired boy, Kirito turned his gaze from Eugeo to the border, face pinched in stress and fear. "No...Your head merely touched it..." He uttered slowly. Although he wanted to believe that nothing was wrong, the sinking feeling in his stomach says otherwise.

"Guy," Alice alarmed voice immediately caught their attention. Her eyes shifted from Eugeo to Kirito in concern and panic. "What's going on? What happened?"

At the look of her confused face, Eugeo froze. He swiftly turned towards Kirito, and his partner and friend knew his silent question.

Did she touched the border as well?

Kirito shook his head with a sad smile. Relief washed over Eugeo like a crashing wave when he saw it. His raging heart that has been beating under his chest like it was about to burst, lessened as he began to calm.

"Guys?" The girl watched as her friend's expression turns from fear, concern and finally relief and acceptance. She was confused by the changes of his expressions, but it was not long before she knows the reason for it.

Alice's eyes caught something floating at the top of the cave. The boys followed her gaze. Exasperation took over Kirito when he saw what his friend had found. Eugeo who was beside him watched on in fear and acceptance.Kirito placed a protective hand on their shoulders, staring at the thing that appeared with disdain.

It was a face. A human genderless face with unknown age. It hard for them to tell whether it was male or female, old or young from its features. Both of it's eyes were open but no light shines upon them as it is filled with a deep void. Just at the sight, they knew it was inhuman. No matter how human-like they seem.

[Circular unit detected. ID tracing...]

They all froze as it began to speak through the violet membrane. Words uttered in their Sacred language.

[Coordinate fixed. Report complete.]

As suddenly as it appeared, it vanished into thin air. Leaving an ominous feeling behind at the words it left. They didn't know what the words meant -- maybe except for Alice -- but the event was so bizarre that it left a scar on their hearts. There was no way they would ever be able to sleep that night. It will be filled with restless energy and nightmare.

Something was definitely wrong, but they were helpless to change it.

Not wanting to stay in the cave for any number of time, Kirito and Eugeo pulled the shocked girl from her fallen position and began to support her back to the exit of the cage.

Alice turned wide disbelieving eyes towards her friend. "Eugeo... I-I'm --"

Eugeo shook his head, cutting her from the words she was about to uttered. If she said those words, it would make it feel more real. The boy can't afford to stop now, one shocked person was enough. Kirito can't carry them both back home.

"It's nothing, Alice." Eugeo uttered the words. However, it was more to himself then his friend. He focused on his steps rather than what happened inside the cave.

"Yeah, everything will be fine!" Kirito said with false bravado. As he had expected, his friends' tension began to lessen. The boy knew that his friends sometimes looked towards him for direction, so if he acted like nothing was wrong then they would follow suit. However, inside he felt something different entirely. He was scared for his friend. Whatever that thing that appeared before them was, it's purpose was to break them apart.

No matter. He would not allow anything to happen to his friends.

Everything was a blur when they got back to the village. They sent each other off with goodbyes, treating the previous event as though it had never happened. But once they finished dinner and went to bed, sleep did not embrace either one of them. In the end, they stayed up all night in worry and fear until their body and mind finally submitted to their exhaustion and fell into slumber.

Unfortunately for Eugeo, he was woken up quite roughly by his father. The poor boy jolted from his rest as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Blearily, he stared up at his father, confused by the anger and dissapointment on his face.

"Father?"

Eugeo was startled out of his half asleep mind when his father grabbed his shoulder roughly. He winched at the pain, looking at his father in confusion and fear.

"What did you do, Eugeo?"

Eugeo flinched back at the tone of his voice. It was harsh and filled with disappointment. Something that was sadly not out of place when his father talks to him.

"Wh-what so you mean, father?" He bit his lips when it began to tremble in anxiety. If he had did something wrong then there was only one thing that comes to mind. The thought sent a shiver down his spine as his eyes dropped onto his lap in guilt and fear. His father must've noticed his expression as the hand on his shoulder tightened to the point Eugeo was sure it will leave a bruise.

"Eugeo --"

The door to his room opened with a resounding boom, cutting off his father mid sentence.

Eugeo's head jerked upwards as he stared at the person that had forced themselves into his room. His stomach fall into the pit of acid when he found a knight wearing silver armour making his way towards him.

An integrity knight.

"Pardon my intrusion," His voice was deep and booming, he walked with purpose and confidence that not even half of the human population ever got to achieve. It is proof of his high status and authority. "But I must make haste and bring the criminal to Cathedral immediately."

Eugeo clutched the quilt under his hands, willing his body to stop trembling in fear as the knight stood before him in his large silver armour and commanding presence.

His father released him and quickly side step without hesitation to allow the knight to reach his son. "Ah, y-yes, Sir Integrity Knight..." He said as he bowed his head in submissiveness.

A stab of betrayal, disappointment and hurt pierced through Eugeo's heart at the sight of his father's willingness to hand over his son like a criminal without a hint of hesitation. It just goes to show how much his family no longer see him as family the moment his calling was to chop down a tree. But knowing and seeing it first hand was an entirely different experience. It broke the thin line of confidence he had on his family love towards him.

…Now he knows how much he means to them.

Eugeo gasped in surprise when he felt cold metal warped around his thin wrist as he was pulled out of his bed forcefully. His legs was still twisted around his quilt, causing him to tumble down in his haste to find his balance. He bit back a pained scream when he hit the floor, his shoulders twisted in a very painful angle that caused him to whimper in pain.

"Come, child. Your interrogation, followed by execution awaits."

Fear and horror filled his heart ones he processed what the man had just said. As fear took over him, his body instinctively struggle to get out of his captor's grip. However, he was too weak and small to do anything noteworthy. So a single pull of his arm was enough to halt his struggle as white bubbles of pain began to explode in front of his eyes.

He swore he felt his shoulder popped, unable to withstand the rough manhandled of the knight. His body slumped down like a broken puppet, trying his best to breath through the pain that burns his arm.

In the end, he was carried like a sack of potato. He felt like he was no longer being treated like a human being, but a criminal that deserves his punishment for breaking the Taboo Index.

He suppressed the urge to cry. He felt like his treatment was unfair. He did nothing wrong. It was merely a touch, not further than that. So why was he being taken in as a criminal. More than that, he was being executed. It does not make sense. He did nothing wrong!

He bit his lip in frustration and fear to the point that it ripped and bleed through it. It's not fair!

Kirito and Alice stood beside each other, staring at the dragon infront of them in horror. Kirito had woken up earlier than usual, unable to have a good nights rest. Wanting to be productive, he decided to start his work early. So he made his way towards Eugeo's house, in hopes that his best friend would join him. On the way he met up with Alice, who has always been an early bird. They both agreed to go to Eugeo's place together.

But that's when everything falls apart. Alice thought that it was going to rain, but when they looked up at the sky, they found a familiar dragon landing at the center of the village. Dread and fear dropped on their respective heart as they watched the situation further regress down the God Vactor's home.

They quickly made their way towards Eugeo's house but they were unable to go further by the amount of people blocking their way. In the end they waited near the dragon, anxious to see what was about to happen.

Alice was the first one to spot their friend, gasping in horror at the sight of their friend being carried by the integrity knight like a sack of potato. Kirito followed her gaze and the grip he had on his bone axe tightened.

"Eugeo..." Alice's voice was so quiet and fragile as she watched her friend being carried to the center of the village. Allowing everyone to witness his arrest. Her heart squeezed in pain when she saw the visible distress in her best friend's face. She wanted to run towards him so badly that it was taking all her might to not do so at that very moment.

Unfortunately, her self restraint shattered when she saw the pained look on her best friend's face. She bolted towards his side and kneeled. She heard surprised and fearful shout, but she ignored everything around her in favour of examining his injuries. She tried to touch his shoulder and immediately regretted her action when he flinched. His whimper of pain sent the dread in her stomach to fall like lead.

"Alice!"

Kirito's call caught her attention. Their eyes met and he looked above her, she followed his gaze and gasped in fear when the large integrity knight loomed over them. She winched in shock when he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from her injured friend. She tried to struggle, but what can a small girl like her do against a person as powerful as an Integrity Knight, the pinnacle of human's strength.

"No, Alice!!" Kirito was about to sprint towards his friends when another, louder voice drowned his yell of desperation.

"Sir Integrity Knight!" The chief village walked forward, head held high -- concealing the fear under his guise as village chief -- and approached the person in armour. "I'm sorry for my daughter's careless actions, she is merely worried about her friend." He glance towards his daughter for only a second, not allowing any weakness to be shown.

The knight paused for a moment before releasing Alice's arm. The sudden lost of support caused her to stumble and fell to the ground. Kirito held himself back, waiting and watching what the knight would do next. He cannot risk injuring his friend even further by his reckless actions.

"Very well, I will dismiss the girl's rude actions. However, ensure that something so disrespectful to not occur again."

The village chief bowed as he grabbed his daughter by the shoulders and pushed her away. Alice tried to escape his hold but he held firm.

"Father, Eugeo --"

"Silence, child." He hissed with a glare, immediately shutting his eldest daughter's protest. He turned back to the Knight and looked at the whimpering boy beside him in pity. His heart squeezed at the sight, uncomfortable with the way the knight was treating the child.

"Sir Integrity Knight," The village chief set his hands in front of his body according to Axiom's Church etiquette. "I serve as the village chief of Rulid, Schuberg is my name."

The integrity knight lifted his fist to his chest to return Schuberg's gesture."Overseeing the Norlangarth North Castle, Integrity Knight of the Axiom Church, Deusolbert Synthesis Seven."

Kirito and Alice cringe back at the sound of the knight's voice. With the iron helmet, his voice echoes like a dragon's roar within a cave. They can tell alot about the knight's personality just by hearing the way he speak. A no-nonsense attitude that does not tolerate any foolery.

"It is an honour to meet one such as yourself in our humble village," Schuberg's tone was soft, respectful and careful, choosing his words wisely in the presence of this otherworldly being. "However, may I ask what the child has done that is so sinful for an Integrity Knight to personally arrest him?"

The movement of the knight's helmet was the only indication that he was listening to the man as he answered with that monotonous voice of his. "Eugeo, Son of Orik has committed a taboo. The taboo index, first chapter, third passage, eleventh paragraph, trespassing the Dark Territory," The pause in his speech only caused the people to hold their breath as they wait for the child's verdict. "Due to the offense he has caused towards the taboo clause, I have come to arrest him for interrogation, followed by his execution."

The words rang in Kirito's and Alice's mind as their heart began to pump erratically within their chest. They both turned to stare at their fallen friend and found that his eyes has lost the childish shine they both love and adore.

Kirito's grip on his bone axe tightened while Alice's frown deepened at the injustice that has fallen on their best friend. They turned as one to look at Alice's father, believing that he would defend Eugeo like he would defend Alice. It was not a secret that the village chief adores the trio of friends, fond of their company whenever they came to play together. However, instead of a look of determination, he had a look of grief and defeat. It was a look of a man who has witnessed a young death.

Kirito and Alice did not hesitate to move after witnessing such a face. They knew now that the adults would not help them. They've seen their faces, shocked, grief and even disgust and horror. They didn't care. They do not have the courage to help a child who was unjustly accused of breaking a taboo when in reality, he was just protecting his friend.

Eugeo raised his head when he heard the sounds of running. He felt his eyes burn at the sight of his best friends standing infront of him protectively. At the back of his mind, he found it a little funny. Here are his two best friends protecting him from people triple their sizes. They don't have the strength to stop whatever was coming and yet they still stood by his side. The action warmed his freezing heart, allowing a small smile to take over his face. He knew it was a useless gesture, but he appreciate the fact that someone still cares for him.

Something he desperately needed after his family has abandoned him.

"Stop! He didn't do it on purpose!" Alice shouted, desperate to defend her friend. "We fell and he protected me!"

"Alice..."

Kirito raised his axe, trying to use the weapon as an intimidation factor. "It wasn't his intention to cross to the Dark Territory! It was an accident. He didn't even cross it, it was only a touch! An inch at best!"

"Kirito..."

The mutters began to grow in volume among the villagers. Eugeo wanted to close his ears, trying to silent the noises but his arm was in too much pain and the energy he had gained by sleeping evaporated after his first meeting with the Knight. He was so tired...

"Is there any need for further act?"

Both of his best friends' body froze at the words. He can see their tension surrounding them, arms shaking and eyes widening in horror and disbelief. Eugeo was not as shock as them because his first encounter with the Knight has taught him that the taboo index is absolute. No matter how small, if the act has been breeched into the realm of taboo, then you are considered a criminal.

He did not however expect them to say such things afterwards. But he should have known better. This is Kirito and Alice. The most courageous, loyal, and sometimes reckless and stupid people he knows.

"Then we also committed the same sin! We were with him at that place! So take us with you too!"

Eugeo stared at his friend in disbelief, a sinking feeling in his stomach that made him want to vomit. The thought of his friends being arrested because they wanted to be with him sent a wave of dizziness through him. No. He can't allow that.

Alice was about to add her own two cent but Eugeo beat her to it. He cannot allow them to sacrifice their freedom for him. They were usually the ones to take the lead and he follows, happy to just be by their side. But this time, it is his turn to take the lead. He will protect them. No matter what the cost.

"N-no, don't listen to them..." Alice's mouth clicked shut as she stared at him with wide eyes. Eugeo slowly began to raise from his fallen position. He turned his back towards his friends and stared up at the knight. "They have nothing to do with this. It is only my sin to bare." He fisted his hands, trying to hide the tremble from his friends and the knight. He was so, so afraid. But he cannot allow his friends to sacrifice themselves. Even if he were to be gone, they will still have each other. They can live a fulfilling life for his share as well.

"Eugeo!"

Alice's cries were drowned out by the loud voice of the knight. His body gesture indicating that he has tolerated enough and wants to finish his duty quickly."An order to the village chief, bind the criminal."

Schuberg approached the knight slowly, ignoring his daughter's pleading look and received the restraining tool with barely concealed trembling hands. With a heavy feet and hurtful gaze, he made his way towards Eugeo.

Eugeo did not struggle. He smiled at the village chief, reassuring him that he has accepted his fate. He was glad that he could prevent something more tragic from happening. Afterall, if he had not grabbed Alice in time, she would have been in the place he was standing right now. Her father binding his own child, sending her to her own execution. That scenario was even more tragic than Eugeo's current situation.

Because he knew how much the village chief love his daughter, his pride and joy along with his youngest. Alice was beloved by all and alot of grief will wash over the village if she we're taken instead. At least in Eugeo's situation, he knew his family would not miss him. Infact, they would be glad that they were no longer feeding an extra mouth. Not alot of people will grief over his loss. Only four people will ever feel anything and that's a good thing. The less trouble he can cause to others, the better. So it was a better scenario for him to be gone instead of Alice.

His pain means nothing at the thought of losing his best friends. He can endure it. He will endure it, for the sake of his friends.

Eugeo was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a loud yell. He turned and found Kirito running towards the knight with his axe held high. Alice on the other hand was rushing towards him, her dress fluttering behind her as she tried to stop her father from completing his restrain. However, just as quickly as they had began to take actions, their body was flung back into the crowd. Thrown by an invisible force.

"Alice! Kirito!" Eugeo instinctively tried to run towards them, but the restriction on his body prevented him from moving. His heart was beating so fast that he thought it would burst, the sight of his friend's being thrown back so far caused his heart to clench in worry to the point of pain.

He wanted to go to them, he wanted to see whether they were alright. Alice might be the healer among them but he was always the one that worries over their injuries. He would care for them if any one of them were injured and would always make sure they were safe.

Eugeo took a step forward, ignoring the heavy restriction around his body. He took another step and his body froze as pain began to shot through his mind from his left eye. His body hunched forward, confused by this sudden onslaught of pain. But he immediately raised back up when he heard Alice's whimper and Kirito's grunt of pain.

Again, his feet instinctively moved forward and he felt something wet began to flow down his right eye. He tried to blink back the wetness, but when he opened his eyes once again, he saw red.

Something was preventing him from reaching his friends. His limbs began to loose all its strength and something occurred to him at that moment. This feeling of sudden submission. This loose of control over his body. This warning within his mind, whispering words of discouragement. He felt like a puppet. A puppet being controlled by a puppeteer, just like how those performer used puppets in their mini theater.

He was a puppet.

Someone was controlling his body.

Preventing him from reaching his friends.

No, no. He needs to reach them! They're hurt!

"You two! Take the children away from the square!"

Eugeo could not hear the village chief's shout, he did not even feel the pull on his body by the man. All he saw was the people restraining his friends, pulling them away from him. And... And... They looked like they were in pain.

Eugeo ignored all the insistent warning within his mind as he took a step forward. The pain intensified but his heart hurts more then his eye. He kept on walking and stopped when he felt an iron hand on his shoulder, preventing him from moving forward. With surprising strength -- his mind only focused on tending to his injured friends -- Eugeo shrugged the hand away and kept on moving.

His eyes met Kirito and Alice, they were wide with pain, fear and sadness. He wanted to wipe those expressions off their faces. It does not fit them at all.

They were shouting something to him but he can't hear it behind the ringing in his ear. Another step and he felt something exploded.

"Eugeo!!!"

Kirito and Alice shouted in horror as they watched their friend's body slumped to the ground, one eye missing from his socket. Their struggle against the adults increased tenfold at the sight. They wanted to reach their friend. There was surely something wrong with him.

"Why are you guys not helping him?!" Kirito shouted towards the shocked crowds. No one was moving. They only observe with a hint of melancholy in their eyes.

"Please... Please, let me heal him! Father!" Alice cried, she can no longer suppress the tears. No longer caring about her appearance as they stained her face.

He father gave her a sad look as he gently carried Eugeo away and hand him over to the Knight, who tide him on a single chain.

She didn't need his sad look! She needs him to listen to her!

Their hearts fell as hope began to evaporate into dust as the Knight ignored their pleas and began to climb onto his dragon. Not a second to lose, the dragon took to the sky.

Kirito and Alice watch as their friend got carried away, dangling in the air like he was not worth being treated like a normal human being anymore.

However, before the dragon was out of sight with their prisoner, their eyes met with a single green eye. Eugeo mouthed something towards them, a gentle smile on his face. A single tear escaped his uninjured eye. His whole body was burning in pain but even then, his smile never left.

'I love you both, so much... Goodbye.'

In that moment, Kirito and Alice felt something within them shatter.

"Eugeo!!!"

Alice turned to the side instinctively and found nothing but a single man standing there holding an axe that should belong to...to...

The tears on Alice's face began to fall increasely. She clutched her heart as she wailed in pain at the loose of her best friend.

"Why...why does it hurt twice as much!"

As she wailed in heartache, the villagers watched her in pity. But they only cared for her, not the child that had been taken away.

Why...why is the world so unfair... Eugeo... Ki#!*o.

TL: Hope you guys like it! I dunno whether this is gonna be a multi chapter story yet, but we'll see how it goes. This is not my best, but I just can't wait to post it!

As you guys noticed, this is a 'What if' Eugeo and Kirito managed to pull Alice in time but Eugeo was the one that touch the boundary.

Hopefully the scenario was realistic enough.

I'm sure you noticed some differences between Alice capture and Eugeo capture. If you hadn't, the important ones are when the Integrity knight came earlier than expected, Alice wasn't as affected by the taboo index as Eugeo in the original and Eugeo managed to explode his sealing eyes (very early in the game).

It's cruel to leave it like that but we'll see how it goes. If many wants this to continue, I'll begin writing. But it won't be a fast update since its not my priority but I'll try.

So thank you for reading! Please leave a favorite, follow or commenton what you thought about the story.

Stay cool!!