The Last One Standing

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Ch 5

Midori Kirigaya was sitting in her living room in front of her blank tv with a flat box on the end table beside her. It had been eight months since the beginning of the death game and she had yet to fully convince herself to go through with it.

Like Kayaba told the players in the game there would be live streaming of the individual players broadcast from the servers of SAO. The VR section of the defense ministry discovered the video stream about three months ago but there was a catch. The catch was that the video format could only be viewed within the virtual world from a game that was run by the cardinal operating system that ran SAO. Today was the launch day of a new game for virtual reality called Alfhiem Online. Midori wanted to see how her children were doing but didn't want to be lost to the world that had claimed Kazuto and Suguha. She had to admit that Kayaba was brilliant with more than just programming because he had guaranteed that at least one more VRMMO would be created after what he had pulled.

"I might as well get this over with." Midori said in resignation as she spent a little time to set up the Amusphere that had been made with fail safes that weren't in the nervegear to prevent more victims like those in SAO. She didn't read the users guide at this time because she had already perused the entire book some days ago. "Link Start." She said as her perception of the outside world ceased. Whether she liked or not she wanted to know how her children were doing. She had already lost her husband in a plane crash a few months ago. She didn't want to lose Kazuto and Suguha as well or at least come closer to their deaths.

OOooOO

Agil stood looking on in amusement as he looked back and forth between the two verbal combatants.

"You went and broke another one of my swords, again?" An Irritated Lizbeth yelled standing in their guilds inopportune meeting place that was Agil's merchant shop on the 50th floor.

"I can't help it if there isn't a sword in existence in this game that can match the Elucidator." Kirito said calmly.

"Fine then. How about we get Argo in on this discussion to find out where we can find the strongest materials and I'll forge you a sword so strong that you'll want a second one to replace that black monstrosity.

"I can deal." Kirito said as he opened up his menu and sent a message off to Argo to come up to Agil's shop.

OOooOO

"Explain to me how I let you talk me into this?" Liz asked as she followed Kirito through the frozen wasteland that was the newly opened 55th floor holding the insulated cloak Kirito made sure she had around her body.

"Well according to Argo's information the material we're after is from the dragon field boss on this floor. That and you wouldn't hear of me leaving you behind." Kirito said before mumbling. "Front-line hopeful fanatic."

"I heard that." Liz yelled as she ran to keep up with him. 'He acted like I was his long lost girlfriend or something when we met in the then guild hall on the 20th floor. What is up with this guy? Although he is nice.' Liz thought as she gave Kirito a sidelong glance noticing the large crystals standing like so many trees. "It's beautiful." Liz said breathlessly earning a smile from Kirito that just as quickly vanished.

"Liz now would be a good time to get back." Kirito said as he reached to pull out Elucidator.

"But I can help." Liz protested holding her mace tighter.

"Do as I say." Kirito yelled looking back at her with a look that broached no argument.

Reluctantly Liz hid behind a stand of crystals as a roar was heard.

'Is he insane? He's going to fight the dragon by himself. I know that I'm insane but this is just going too far.' Liz thought as she watched the dragon fly up above the crystal forest and prepared a breath attack that it unleashed on Kirito causing Liz to cry out in fear.

"Just who is he?" Liz said to herself as the snow that was kicked up dispersed revealing Kirito standing unscathed.

Kirito jumped into the air as the dragon charged him landing on its arm and running up the arm he hacked off the arm falling back to the ground.

"Hey quit playing around and kill it already." Liz called irritated as she left cover.

Hearing her break cover Kirito turned with a look of horror on his face as he yelled. "Don't come out yet."

"Huh?" Lizbeth asked confused before she heard the dragon roar and watched a wall of ice headed her way causing her to freeze in shock and fear because she hadn't expected to draw agro.

The wall of ice pushed Liz back a good hundred plus feet. She felt relief as the breath attack fizzled out. Then she realized that she was over a pit. 'Oh crap.' She thought as gravity took over and she started falling and screaming.

Without even thinking of the consequences Kirito abandoned his attack and launched himself off the edge of the pit. "I'm coming Liz." He yelled as he fell after praying that he would be able to catch her. Partway down he felt something somehow empower him allowing him to cover the distance between him and Liz. Grabbing a hold of her Kirito placed himself between her and the ground at the bottom of the pit. "I'll always protect you." He quietly said before they hit the ground.

OOooOO

Liz slowly regained consciousness after being knocked out during their landing. She looked around groggily mumbling. "I'm alive. I can't believe I'm alive." Unsteadily she stood and more or less fell on Kirito whom was still unconscious at her feet.

"Well it appears we made it." Kirito stated after awakening from Lizbeth landing on him causing her to go red with embarrassment.

OOooOO

Elsewhere in a little known corner of Alfhiem another pink haired girl sighed in relief that the two people she was watching survived.

OOooOO

The pair were laying on the bottom of the pit they found themselves in after Kirito made a few attempts to run up the wall but never making it passed halfway.

"You know Kirito you're something of an enigma." Liz said laughing as she looked toward the black haired youth. "Ever since I've met you you've shifted back and forth between being overly affectionate and at other times cold and calculating when it's unnecessary to be so. Almost like you're holding yourself back from something."

Kirito stared toward the rim of the pit for a few minutes. Liz was beginning to worry that he wasn't going to answer. "Before I can truly answer that I'm going to have to tell you a story."

OOooOO

A boy was excited the day a new game was being launched he had already played the beta of the game and had vowed to be the first to log in at the launch time. If he wasn't the first it was a close thing to hold that honor. He had been a loner for years so was reluctant to assist the newbie that had come up to him out of the blue. He caved relatively easy as he was beginning to feel somewhat lonely and wished to impart some of his knowledge. While they were practicing the newbie tried to log out and they discovered that the log out button was missing. Shortly after, a bell tolled followed by a forced teleport to the main square where the GM told everyone that they had to beat the game or die trying. After that the boy abandoned everyone in order to beat the game because he was misguided in his resolve.

Throughout the time it took to beat the game the boy made a few friends but inevitably they died leaving him feeling guilty and remorseful that they seemed to die because they associated with him. It was not all doom and gloom for him though as he made a few friends that managed to stay alive. One reoccurring person he met at the first floor boss fight, all the way till the end of the game was a girl. A girl that he thought he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. They even got along really well after the game was beaten and got married but not before various hardships tested their resolve. They persevered and lived happily not like in a fairy tale but they made due. Then their children started turning up dead because the GM's children wanted revenge, it ended up being more than the girl could take and she went on a rampage destroying everything they held dear. The boy had to put her in a coma to stop her, he loved her dearly making him unable to kill her. He contemplated suicide because almost everything that he held dear was gone, then he was given a chance that he couldn't pass up.

After Kirito finished speaking Liz was looking at him expectantly. "And who is this boy?"

"That boy was me." Kirito said as he looked over at her. "And I've relived this game five times now. What I told you is what occurred my first time through. I've married Asuna three times and I can't look at her without seeing our children. They all survived the third time, but the kids themselves were different every time so in three lifetimes I've had 13 children in total with Asuna."

Liz looked at him skeptically as he finished his little spiel and asked the obvious question. "If she's the one that you've married previously then why have you been treating me like a lost love interest and not her?"

"Because two of the times I married Asuna you were killed. The two times that she died I married you but you never survived long enough to allow us to have more than one kid. So you and the rest of the girls are my current project. And I have the feeling that this'll be my last go around." Kirito paused for a minute looking at Liz making her self-conscious. "Let me clarify something. The reason I'm choosing you over Asuna is because unlike Asuna whom while being a good companion didn't give the same support that you did. You didn't agree with some of my ideas but never told me outright that it was a fool's errand. In my long life I've learned that for there to be a truly successful marriage you have to support each other and be there for each other. You were that for me. So seeing as I already know you, you just have to get to know me. This may be inappropriate at the moment based on what I've told you but, will you marry me?"

Liz listened with rapt attention as Kirito explained himself at his last declaration tears started tracking down her face as she worked her way out of the sleeping bag. Throwing her arms around Kirito she answered. "Yes I'll marry you. I can get to know you in time." Liz answered excitedly as she kissed Kirito.

OOooOO

"I can see why I'm allowed to observe him." The pink haired woman said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Even with the world against him he's still willing to protect those close to him.

"Yes now you should be able to see why I couldn't let anything callous happen to him or anybody in this world." A girl that had the appearance of a librarian said as she pushed her glasses up her face. "Now we should get back to your training."

"Do we have to?" The pink haired girl whined but followed anyways.

OOooOO

Liz awoke the next morning with her head across Kirito's chest smiling as she hugged him closer not wanting to move. "You know Liz we're going to want to get up to get ready to get out of here." Kirito said the humor evident in his voice.

"Don't wanna." Liz mumbled as she pushed her head harder into his chest.

"No seriously, we need to get up before the dragon gets here." Kirito said somewhat urgently as he fought his way out of her grip.

Groggily Liz stood up as Kirito ran around picking everything up before rooting around in the snow for a few minutes. "Ahah." Kirito yelled triumphantly as he picked up what looked like an ingot and stored it before picking up a few more. As the Ingots dematerialized a roar was heard drawing Lizbeth's eyes to the top of the pit. "Crap, I thought I had more time!" Kirito yelled as he ran toward Liz picking her up as the dragon came down the shaft. "Here's our ride!" He yelled as he ran up the wall carrying her before jumping onto the back of the mob. The surprised mob flew back out of the pit with Kirito clinging to its back before jumping having to release Liz in the process.

After the surprise of being picked up so unexpectedly Liz's fear changed to relief and euphoria as they fell toward the ground. "Kirito I want to say thank you for telling me so I could understand you better." Lizbeth yelled with a smile.

"What? I can't hear you?" Kirito yelled over the wind.

"I said." Liz said before laughing and bringing Kirito into a hug. "Never mind." She amended as she kissed him. Kirito returned the kiss for a short time before breaking it and landing with Liz cradled in his arms.

OOooOO

Back at Lizbeth's shop on the 48th floor Lizbeth was humming as she waited for the ingot to heat up. Giggling a little bit she pulled out the hot ingot and started hitting it with her hammer. Kirito sat watching her thinking that her mood reminded him of his aunt cooking dinner for his uncle. He found it funny that Liz hadn't had this good of a mood this early on the last times he lived through this.

"And all done." Lizbeth said cheerily as a sword formed from the ingot before turning serious. "It's called Dark Repulsor a single handed sword that should be a match for Elucidator."

Kirito picked it up and gave it a few practice swings. "Well Liz I have this to say." Kirito said with a straight face before a grin split his face. "This sword feels better than its previous versions ever were." Liz was absolutely giddy at the praise. "It feels as though you forged not only your soul into it but also your love, something that didn't occur in the previous time lines." Hearing this Liz gave him physical proof of how she was beginning to feel about him.

OOooOOooOO

Oooh interesting Kirito is an old man now.

But that's just his soul and experiences that make him old. His body still that of a teenager.

I know that Chris, and just so my readers know flames will be used to cook dinner.

Squirrel sounds good about now.

Quiet you.