Chapter 46

The moment they hit the concrete floor of the tunnel, Argo let Jayce go and opened her menu. Her hands flew across the holographic keyboard as she sent a message to an unknown contact. Without her support Jayce stumbled forward and fell to his knees. He slowly set Rose's body down looking over her body. She had multiple injuries that seemed mostly minor, but the large glowing wound on her chest was the worst. She didn't seem to be breathing or even alive which only cause more confusion. NPC's still looked alive and breathed like real people, but whenever any living creature died it shattered and disappeared. None of the assassins or Rose had done so, their bodies remaining behind.

"You have five minutes, maybe one or two more, but that's it. Stay here and wait for my contact to arrive. They will have your antidote and don't worry about the cost I will handle it. I'm going back in for Miss White you do what you can for her." Argo closed the menu and turned back towards the stairs that would lead back down to the tavern.

"She's dead Argo, what do you want me to do?" The girl stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

"Katie was dead too wasn't she? Did you give up on her so easily?" She turned and ran down the stairs leaving him alone. He had forgotten that he had told her the story of his sister and mother. The reasons why he had been so afraid and the source of his pain. For the briefest of moments he hated Argo for using his sister like this, but she was right. He never gave up on Katie, and he wouldn't give up now.

Jayce moved around to the side of Rose and tilted her head back leaning down so his ear was near her mouth. He felt no air coming out and he sat up placing a palm a few inches above her sternum. His other hand clasped over the top of his palm and he began pushing rapidly. After thirty compressions he pinched her nose shut and covered her mouth with his own breathing into her lungs twice. He listened for breath and when he heard nothing again he repeated the process again.

Anyone watching would think the scene looked ridiculous. Not only was this a video game, but the woman was an NPC. Performing CPR in the SAO was a pointless endeavor. When someone died they disappeared and that was it. No dramatic death sequence or final words as their heart finally stopped. A brief flash of light followed by the shattering of their bodies was death in SAO. Nevertheless, Rose's body was still here and logic didn't matter anymore.

"Breathe!" Jayce shouted down at her in between breaths before going back to pumping her chest. Around the tenth compression he had an idea and quickly pulled a vial off his belt. He opened the top and slowly tilted the vial towards the woman's lips. Once the liquid had been poured into her throat he massaged her neck slowly to help it down into her body.

"Jayce!" Argo reappeared at the top of the stairs looking panicked as he returned to compressing Rose's chest.

"Where's Jemza?"

"The door…it won't open!"

Jemza slid on her knees bending backwards as the sword cut through the air above her face. She twisted and pushed up with her legs spinning back to her feet in time to slash her dagger low, parrying another strike from Kurt. More of the ceiling had collapsed nearby making them both stumble. Even off balance Jemza used to opportunity to launch herself towards the man letting her dagger tip lead the way. The weapon cut across his thigh and he stared down at the wound in disbelief while they both found their footing.

"You have spirit, I'll give you that." Kurt gave a laugh while he spoke and with good reason. His first health bar hadn't even reached halfway while Jemza was still below half from the initial explosion and the light hit he managed on her. The last potion she had was slowly ticking her health up, but a clean hit from the man would finish her.

"You love the sound of your voice don't you?" Jemza spat back circling the man slowly. His mouth split into a grin and he shrugged nonchalantly.

"I suppose I do." The moment his sentence ended he exploded forward, his sword cutting through the air faster than Jemza could see. The only course she had was to dive aside. If she couldn't see his attack then she couldn't parry properly and as an agility based character she worked better dodging rather than parrying.

"Ah!" Halfway through her dive, a hand wrapped around her arm and threw her to the ground with a crash. Kurt had moved far faster than she originally thought and caught her midair. As her back hit the wood she threw her arm forward with the dagger defensively, but Kurt was already atop her grabbing her wrist and pinning it to the ground.

"Now what'll you do?" Kurt laughed again and dropped his sword so that he could use his main hand to grasp around her neck. She thrashed her legs and tried to buck him off, but his grip tightened and he pulled her head up and slammed it down hard causing black spots to appear in her vision.

"No!" Terror now began to fill Jemza's mind as Kurt slowly crushed her throat. She felt her body being pushed along the ground and only now realized he was sliding her towards a large swath of fire. Her eyes widened and she kicked again trying to free herself.

"Shhhh…it's alright. It'll be over soon. You like fire don't you? Of course you do, everyone likes fire. Man's greatest invention." Kurt inched her closer, bashing her head once more as she struggled. Most of the strength had gone out of her body from her head being hit. The fire was dangerously close now and the heat was almost unbearable.

"Stop…" Her fists bounced off his arms weakly and he lifted her a third time before shoving her down into the ground. Her arms went slack, the dagger falling from her grasp.

"If you had just been obedient this wouldn't have happened. Now you'll pay the price for what you've done." Kurt laughed and Jemza's whole body shook with fear. She had heard those words before. In her eyes, Kurt was no longer atop her, but Shinji Hasegawa. She was back in her bed pinned down by the boys while he tortured her. That night was replaying over again almost exactly as it had before. She was too weak to fight against Shinji and so he stabbed her, punched her, and ultimately left her for dead. This was no different as Kurt grabbed her by the front of her armor and lifted her onto her knees.

She couldn't see the burning tavern anymore. All she saw was the church that she grew up in doused in flames. The screams of children nearby who would die in those flames because of what Shinji did. She was too weak to save herself, so what chance did they have? It didn't matter that her health bar had dipped into the red. Shinji was going to kill her this time. There wouldn't be a miraculous escape like before. At least Argo and Jayce got Rose out.

"I would give anything for my husband. Even my life if it brought him back." After Jayce, Argo, and Jemza explained everything to Rose, she had remained in the office with the redhead to talk more.

"I can't imagine that pain." Jemza leaned on Rose's desk lowering her head.

"I pray you never have to. Jayce is very much like my husband. He may not look it, but there is a strong will inside him. A determination that seems to have a limitless supply of fuel. My husband was the same and only after he was gone did I understand what that fuel was." Rose came around the desk and sat on the edge near Jemza.

"What was it?" Rose smiled and ran a hand through Jemza's hair.

"Me. Everything my husband did, he did for me. I never truly understood how he could be so determined to succeed. What could drive a man to such lengths regardless of the risk involved? The answer, was me."

"Then…" Jemza tried to formulate a response, but the words failed to materialize in her head. Rose chuckled and removed her hand from Jemza's hair.

"After he was gone not only did I understand, but I also found that my own strength and desires were fueled by him. My husband is dead, but he lives inside me, just as Jayce lives inside you and you inside him. Death does not snuff that flame out. I know he understands just how lucky he is to have you, but what about you? Have you realized just how equally lucky you are?" Jemza looked up at the woman sitting before her. Up until last night Jemza hadn't realized it, but now?

"I do, and I won't let it go." Rose smirked and hopped of the desk, taking a knee beside Jemza.

"Why?"

"Because I need him."

"And?" Jemza took a deep breath and turned towards Rose.

"Because he needs me."

Jemza's eyes flashed open and her hands wrapped around Kurt's wrists as he held her precariously over the fire. Rika wasn't strong enough to stop Shinji all those years ago. Rika wasn't a fighter and so she had become a victim. Kurt's eyes widened as she tore his hands free from her neck slowly pulling them apart. Rika was weak…but Jemza wasn't.

"You killed her! Jemza slammed her forehead into Kurt's face staggering him back. One of his hands broke free and he balled his fist, sending it towards her face. Jemza turned and lifted her arm so that it hooked over his fist. She leapt up, using his arm momentum to pull her body up off the ground and spun her legs up around his neck. Her weight pulled him down onto his back and she wrenched his arm hard between her legs until a loud cracking noise echoed followed by Kurt's voice screaming in pain.

"You tried to kill my friends!" She lifted a boot and kicked it into the side of Kurt's head as he clutched at his broken arm. He scrambled to his hands and knees, but Jemza was already behind him and placed a knee against the small of his back while grabbing his hair. She picked up her dagger nearby and flipped it through her fingers, driving it up into the armpit of his good arm. His howls of pain did nothing to stop her from ripping the blade free and piercing it into the back of his legs one after the other. She had crippled his limbs and she pushed his face down into the wooden planks of the floor.

"You were going to kill Jayce!" She rolled the man over roughly and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He stared up at her stupidly from the damage she had inflicted. Jemza held the dagger over him, but then slid it back into the sheath on her hip.

"Uuuhn…" Kurt mumbled through the Stun as Jemza lifted him higher and slid his body back a few inches.

"Now, I'm going to kill you. You like fire don't you? Of course you do? Everyone likes fire." Once more Kurt screamed as Jemza shoved his head into the inferno. His body convulsed, but she pushed with all her strength forcing him deeper into the flames. Ten seconds was all it took until his body stopped moving beneath her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she pushed herself up off his body. She used her foot to push the body the rest of the way into the fire and stood watching as it burned.

"That's for you Himeko." Jemza turned and looked around as more beams fell from the ceiling. She couldn't even see the door anymore; the flames had grown so high. A wall nearby was clear from flames and she stumbled over falling onto her rear next to it. She leaned against the wall taking as deep a breath as she could against the smoke. She managed a smile while looking down at her clothes which were now covered in burns and ash. She laughed just thinking what her hair must look like.

"I did it Jayce. Did you see me?" She asked out loud watching the fires close in around her. He had to be safe by now. With Kurt dead they were safe and no one would come after them. A swell of pride filled her and she closed her eyes content with what had happened.

"I saw ye." Her eyes opened as a figure tumbled through the fires. Wrapped in a thick black cloth, Luna Duskmantle threw the tapestry aside and dropped next to Jemza. The white haired girl could only stare at the woman.

"H…how?"

"Got meself trapped under a beam. Can't see anything in this fire and the smoke is too thick. I saw ye fight and turn the tables of that bastard just as I freed me legs. Good on you lass. Now, come on let's get you home." Luna pulled Jemza to her feet and retrieved the singed tapestry.

"We can't…the fire, it's too much." Jemza looked at the woman who patted her cheek.

"This'll get you through. That way lass and you'll find the door. Be quick about it to yea?" Jemza shook her head swiftly.

"No, we both…"

"Hey! Don't ye be worrying about me. Yer man's waiting for you out there. Ye got a responsibility to get to him. I have a responsibility to get to me own." Jemza followed her gaze towards another large section of fire and cringed.

"Roland? I didn't know you two…"

"I said don't ye be worrying about me. You done right by us tonight lass. Done right by ever one of us. You go now and get back to Jayce. Ye give him a big kiss and tell him it's from me. Ye can see a right funny face if ye do." Jemza wanted to laugh with her, but she could tell that Luna was hiding the pain inside. If Jemza had to guess, Roland was already dead. Jemza gritted her teeth and quickly pulled Luna close hugging her tight.

"Ok, go find him and bring him out we'll be waiting." Jemza lied and Luna knew it, but the woman smiled patting her cheek once more.

"Aye, we'll be out shortly. Yer one pretty lass Miss Jemza. Pretty inside and out." Jemza wrapped the cloth around her body tightly with the help of Luna and with one last look back dove through the fires ahead. Just like Luna said the door came into view and Jemza quickly threw the burning cloth aside before the fires could reach her body. She grasped the handle and looked back towards where Luna had been and closed her eyes.

"Goodbye, and thank you." She opened the door and left the tavern to collapse under the weight of the fires.