Chapter Fifteen: That Story Closes
PoH's laughter could not be stopped. Even PoH could not stop himself from laughing for he was feeling all the power there was in the world.
Whilst his Death Army massacred what was left of the Human Empire's, whilst his own troops slaughtered each other, whilst the spent lives of those Fluctlights were transformed into Dark Resources, his power was growing ever more intensely.
A great whirlpool of Dark Power descended from the heavens onto him, granting him all the strength he would need to dominate the battlefield for as long as he wanted.
Finally tired of this senseless cackle, PoH raised his sword and prepared to end it all for Alice.
Tired and beaten, she lay on the ground without much more resistance. There was nothing more she could do. Unarmed, thoroughly exhausted and near lethally wounded, she simply closed her eyes. Her life no longer depended on her, if death was to come, then so be it.
However, as her vision darkened, she realized something.
Is this…the scent of roses?
Alice opened her eyes to see a faint, pure-white mist slowly spreading across the battlefield. It was icy and sweet.
She was not the only one to recognize the change. The undead soldiers stopped their assault, narrowly preventing the forty or so soldiers from destruction for one more moment. PoH also noticed it. He looked around and witnessed an azure glow floating all about. The scorching sensations his dark powers generated ebbed as the freezing scents surrounded him.
"Hmm…" PoH was at first surprised, not understanding why his soldiers halted. He contemplated for a short while before understanding the meaning, "Ha ha ha ha ha!"
The murderous man quickly stepped away from Alice as he threw his great sword to the air, then catching it as he prepared himself for the one thing he had been craving for. His cranked form jumped crazily towards his target.
At a distance, now directly in front of PoH, he saw the man he had wished to encounter for what felt like eternity – Kirito.
The Black Swordsman lay on the ground almost exactly the same as before, but now, the broken Blue Rose Sword was held and it impaled the ground.
An inaudibly soft voice commanded:
"Enhance Armament."
In an instant, the soft azure glow exploded into a gargantuan storm. Originating from Kirito's position, an overwhelming blue light drew a circle around the young knight before blowing past all that was present.
Vibrant freezing noises were the first indicators of Kirito's might. Soon, ice materialized and covered the entire area with icicles. In no time, all the undead soldiers that were moments ago still a life-threatening danger to the Human Empire Army were bounded by blue, icy vines. Shrouds of freezing crystals rose from the ground and imprisoned all the figures; they had no way to resist. Yet, they did not suffer. The ice merely shackled them, but no pain could have been dealt to them.
Meanwhile, PoH, though still smirking, was not exempted from the power of the Blue Rose Sword. A pool of spikey peduncle made entirely out of ice surrounded the man, before PoH could even react, the arctic plants struck, first chaining and immobilizing him before the peduncle grew past his knees, his body and his head, locking him completely in ice.
Apart from the knights, Alice, Asuna and the imperial army, every moving thing on the field had been frozen without a fight. An armada bred from hell frozen over as countless crystals in an open field…this was beyond even the scale of the goddesses' Sacred Arts.
"This is…" Ronye whispered, flabbergasted.
"…a Perfect Weapon Control Art!" Liena finished as she too stared in shock.
"Kirito…" both Alice and Asuna said as they covered their mouth with awe.
The two women slowly walked towards the man still lying on the ground. To Asuna, it was merely a span of twenty Mels or so, but to Alice, it was a distance across galaxies. To Asuna, it was a meager twenty seconds or so, but to Alice, it was tens of thousands of centuries. After all this time, the prophesy was finally being fulfilled. But before either could reach the black-haired knight, the ice incarcerating PoH shivered.
Asuna looked towards that direction in horror, but again, it was too late.
With a wide grin, PoH broke his subzero cage before saying out loud, "I've waited for you for so long…now let's dance!"
With his spirits now completely lifted, PoH charged towards Kirito without pause.
"Oh no!" Liena cried as it was plain to see Kirito had yet to recover enough to fight. Regardless, she ran to intercept, only for PoH to stop dead in his tracks before letting lose all the excess Dark Power he had in the Mate-Chopper sword, creating an obsidian wind to blow Liena clean away.
Liena screamed in pain, her sword broke into pieces as she tried to protect herself. As she was flung backwards, she landed directly on Asuna; and it became evident that PoH had just changed targets.
The former chief of the Laughing Coffin wasted no time in Asuna's shock to leap towards them, at that point, all they could do was close their eyes and hope the blow wouldn't be lethal. The darkness-engulfed cleaver swung down at them, and it stopped.
Asuna opened her eyes in surprise to see what was happening. She realized it was not just PoH's blade that stopped. The soldiers around her stopped, Liena, who was lying beside her, was motionless, she did not even blink; everything and anything that existed in Underworld ground to a halt.
Time stopped.
Then, she felt her weight being lifted. A sudden force wrapped itself around her waist, but it was a gentle, caring force. It was applied so gently as if the user was doing his utter best to protect her. Asuna looked up and she cried.
She saw Kirito's handsome face. It was Kirito who had wrapped his left hand around her and was now gently carrying her away from the trajectory of PoH's sword.
"Kirito…"
"Asuna…" The Black Swordsman replied softly, giving her the smile she had missed for so long.
"Kirito…"
The world was still frozen in time, but Asuna could converse with him. She lay on the ground with Kirito's arm around her; he looked down at her, a spectrum of emotions was displayed on his face. It was the reunion of a couple separated by time and dimensions. It was the return of Asuna's great love. It was the beginning of a new chapter.
Asuna stroke his slender face weakly. "You came back…"
"Yes, I did." He closed in and whispered to her, tears rolling down both their cheeks. "Yes, I did."
"I've missed you, we've all missed you."
"I've missed you too, Asuna. I never stopped wanting to see you."
The resting goddess looked into Kirito's eyes. They were strong and reassuring. They were the source of her power. She had to but stare into them and know the savior had come forth as prophesized. But they were also different…older. The pair of eyes before her shone in a different shade than the ones that had captured her heart in Aincrad. The long journey Kirito had embarked on was reflected there.
"Kirito…you're different." Asuna whispered, tenderly, but also understandingly. "Your eyes, your soul and your heart…you have changed, haven't you."
"Yes. So much has happened, so much have I experienced…I…am older, and I am different." Kirito swayed his eyes away, slightly guilty. "I found it. It is here in Underworld that I have found my…"
"Purpose?" Asuna finished the sentence for him. "Found something that you have been looking for all your life?"
"You still know me better than anyone." Kirito teased with a smile. "Yes…the true future of the virtual world, the new form of humanity I have always dreamt of. Underworld is a reality beyond even Aincrad. This is the goal I have been searching for since I dived into the Floating Castle. This is what The Seed was all about. And I…"
"It's all right, Kirito, I know." Asuna gave him a smile. "I know…Your mind tells you this is where your future lies, where your pure passion for alternate realities burns. After Underworld, you can never let go. Tell me though, honestly." She gently cupped his face and turned it towards her. "What does your heart say? Does your heart also yearn to stay in Underworld, rather than coming back with me?"
Kirito's eyes widened. "You already know?"
"Of course I do." Asuna grinned. "No matter what happens, I'll always be that Asuna the Flash who has been supporting you since Aincrad. I know…"
"Then this story of yours truly closes?" She grimaced slightly. "And Underworld is your next and final?"
"I'm sorry…" Kirito said softly, but without hesitation. "I truly am. I have to do right by you, by her…so I have to say it loudly and clearly. Yes. For me, Aincrad and Alfheim are the past. There, I have always been the 'Kirito', an assumed identity. It was merely a pseudonym for a world that we all know was fictitious. The memories, the experiences we made there were real, yes, but it was not a life. Our love there was every bit as true as anything here in Underworld, and I'll always treasure it. But the Kirito that fell into that love is not the same as the Kirito I am now. I'm sorry Asuna, but to anyone else, or even you, Underworld will always be foreign, but here, I was born as nothing more or less than Kirito. This is the true me and this is truly my home."
"I see." Asuna looked sincerely into his eyes despite an acute pain in her heart. Drops of tears rolled down her cheeks as she realized she would have to let go. The man she fell in love with was truly different. There was no point for either of them to go on.
Kirito's heart broke as he realized he was the cause for her pain. Even though he knew his feelings were no longer the same, Asuna would always have a sacred place in his heart.
"Hey, now, don't cry." She wiped the tears forming in Kirito's eyes. "Somehow, we would always go on a different path. Where else could be better than having you save me again?" She giggled after letting out an accepting sigh. "Would you be surprised if I tell you how proud I am of you? Back in Aincrad, even in the Real World or Alfheim, you have always been a little repressed, a little awkward. If it hadn't been for Kuradeel almost killing me, you would never have confessed. Your emotions were always so sealed and secret. But here, you have grown, Kirito. Your mentor Liena told me a lot about you, and so did your student Ronye. That you have grown as a person did not go unnoticed, Kirito. The way they describe you being a calm, friendly and kindhearted man is the way I have always thought you should be. It was Underworld, not me that made you so. That's why, I understand, truly and sincerely…And we both know there is someone else who made you grow more than anything, and loved this world more completely than ever, isn't there?"
The two old partners both turned their gaze to a gorgeous knight standing still just about ten Mels away. Alice Synthesis Thirty, the Priestess of Light, the true, human flame that ignited Kirito's destiny.
"Will you tell her, Kirito?"
"I will…but I don't know how…"
"Heh, don't worry, Kirito, you'll find a way."
"Ha, I guess so." The Black Swordsman laughed a little. "Thank you, Asuna, truly, for being with me all this time, for understanding, for everything."
"Yeah…I owe you my thanks too, from Aincrad to the Real World, even here…from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Kirito."
Asuna's body began to shine. It was in a manner similar to the way she first dived into Underworld. Her connection was destabilizing, she would have to go soon.
"Asuna, tell Yui, tell our daughter, I love her and I've missed her."
"Of course. Should I also tell her you will be back?"
"Yes. I will return. Somehow, someway, I will come back and I will see the both of you happy."
"Goodbye, Kirito." Asuna whispered as she began to fade. "Please save this world…and please be happy."
An alabaster light slowly engulfed the world around Kirito. He witnessed it ascend to the heavens and sighed.
Then a loud crash.
PoH's gigantic cleaver turned rocks into dusts as it hit the spot where Asuna was lying earlier. He growled at the sight of his failure, but it did not matter to him, for he had acquired a new target – the limping Alice that was only a few Mels away.
Her face twisted in a panic. She had been so distracted that she failed to observe her surroundings properly, and now she had to pay the price.
Clang!
PoH's blade once more hit a tough surface. A deafening ringing blew past Alice but she was unharmed. The Mate-Chopper shivered as if it had cut into an invisible barrier in the air, stopping it from moving even a single inch more towards the blonde knight. Alice ought to have died right then and there, but something had literally just dismissed death from touching her.
The barrier gradually became translucent. A soft golden shade could be seen as PoH continued his effort. But it was to no avail. He lifted his blade and struck again. This time, Alice stared wide-eyed as she saw something glowing. Its shape becoming more defined as seconds passed, it was certain a hand with outstretched fingers was supporting that barrier. It was a right hand.
Then Alice heard noises. They were quiet noises of a pair of boot slightly scratching the ground. She turned her gaze right naturally and her mind went blank.
Kirito stood up from his kneeling position and he walked. The Black Swordsman was finally awake and was treading towards her.
His empty right sleeve gently swayed in the cold wind. That was what Alice thought. But she was to be proven wrong. Bit by bit, it was filling out, a golden light as stunning as the barrier before her was shooting out from his sleeve. When it finally made contact with the illusionary hand supporting the barrier, it materialized.
Then a blast.
The moment Kirito's healed hand actually touched the barrier, a thunder rumbled, radiant explosions burst out and knocked PoH far, far back.
Alice looked up. She could only see the back of Kirito's regenerated form, but it was so powerful. An aureate glow glittered from his great coat and he looked nothing less than majestic.
She then saw bangs of unkempt hair turning towards her as a pair of onyx pupils, dark like the night sky, looked into her. There was a smile; it was sweet, reassuring but also shy.
The past six months had not been kind to Alice, she had been exiled and she was fearful for their lives, but no matter what hardship she had had to endure, the memory of Kirito's gentle strength and the hope for his return had been the pillars of her soul. Every day and every night, she prayed not for herself but for him. Most of the time, she did not even pray for the prophesized savior, she only prayed for the man named Kirito. She wished that she could see him stand up one more time because somehow his strength made her feel safe, no, not somehow, now she knew, she wanted only to see him because she loved him. Her prayer was finally answered.
For the first time in her life, Alice's eyes were swollen and flooded with happiness. She cried and cried until she finally muttered:
"Welcome back, Kirito."
As if to confirm how authentic this reality was, Kirito's voice emerged.
"I'm back, Alice."
Liena and Ronye also called out his name. After giving them a nod and another smile, he faced forward once more; his eyes cold and unrelenting.
Some twenty Mels away, PoH sprung up effortlessly like a tilting doll as if gravity did not apply to him.
"So, you're finally awake, huh? Seriously, you are the best, Kirito."
The whirlpool in the clouds continued to pour Dark Resources onto him as blackish lightnings struck his blade repeatedly. The murdering cleaver Kirito had once dealt with in Aincrad had grown so large at this point it was like an oversized machete. One direct hit could rip a man to shards.
Kirito did not falter. He marched forth. He stretched his healed right hand and with a whooshing sound, the hefty Night Sky Sword flew straight into its master's grip. It was like a new god had descended. After an infinite wait, Alice and the rest could at last witness the famed Dual-Wielder Kirito. The Black Swordsman revered in Aincrad and Alfheim now truly set foot in Underworld.
"All right, let's pick up where we left off. We've got unfinished business from Aincrad. The next chapter of 'Show time'!"
For an instant, there was no movement. Alice and the Human Empire Army were all frozen figuratively in suspense and the undead were frozen literally in ice. Kirito and PoH stared at one another in silence, neither moving first. The only sound there was, was the casual blowing breeze and the small hissing at the tip of the broken Blue Rose Sword. Kirito gripped it tightly; the diamond aura permeating cold winds that maintained the icy incarceration.
Before Alice could even register, a spark gushed out in front of Kirito. PoH was striking so fast his onslaught forward went unnoticed. The only person quick enough to react was Kirito himself. PoH's thrust was met with a heavy counterattack. It was not nearly sufficient to push him back, but at least it managed to deflect the blade. Kirito retreated to regain balance. PoH charged. The brief exchange so far did not favor the Black Swordsman. Kirito had twice swung his beloved Night Sky Sword high to get an advantage and twice had PoH vanquished his offense. Then he attacked.
The machete of murder plunged down and a loud metallic screech nearly deafened Kirito. PoH towered over him. His feet sought support from the rough, sandy ground but he was being pushed back inch by inch nonetheless.
"Come on. You better not let me down, you hear?"
PoH snarled before he raised his sword for a high attack. Kirito brought his sword up for defense, but he did not realize PoH's attack was a ruse until it was too late. Kirito's raised balance made it easy to kick him off his feet. His legs buckled as the murderer bashed them with all his strength and Kirito stumbled onto the harsh ground. Less than one tenth of a second before the machete beheaded him, he sprang upwards and tried to distance himself from his would-be killer.
The momentum was too great for even Kirito himself to stop. He kept sliding backwards as he placed his sword before his chest as a guarding stance. Had he not done so, PoH's blitzing blade would have struck him already. His drift backwards went on as the murderer continued his relentless charge. Every half a second did PoH's sword crash ever more powerfully into Kirito's. This battle was increasingly one-sided.
"I've been waiting almost two years for this day!"
PoH extended his left hand and grabbed Kirito's collar. The younger man did not have time to react before his opponent flung him at least ten Mels away.
He landed on his knees painfully and was just quick enough to halt the thick machete from cutting into his throat. Scorching sparks rained down as two impossibly sturdy blades fought a tug of war. The two weapons screamed in extreme force while their masters stared into one another. PoH's colossal sword and his clearly larger build made Kirito's kneeling position remarkably pathetic. If only Kirito could muster all his strength into countering PoH. But that did not seem likely; his left hand and half of his concentration was on the broken, therefore unusable, Blue Rose Sword. In contrast, PoH was weighing his entire body and mind into the machete. It was fortunate enough that Kirito had not lost.
"Just throw away that crappy fucking sword and use your left hand. Those guys you froze killed a ton of your comrades."
"I know how you do things." Kirito countered with a strained expression, hand trembling with effort. "Turning people on each other, sowing the seeds of hatred and inciting the next battle. We may have fallen for that in Aincrad, but I won't let you get away with it in this world. No way."
"Oh yeah? What's your plan, then? Once the ice melts, those zombies are going to massacre all your precious friends. The only way you can stop that is to kill 'em first. Go on, just give the damn order. Slaughter them to the last man."
Kirito gritted his teeth in exertion but he refused to take the devil's bait. If he killed the undead outright, the negative Life would no doubt fill the area with Dark Resources again. With the number of undead he had frozen, that would grant PoH so much power Kirito would truly be outmatched. The Mate-Chopper would absorb all those resources and make PoH literally a walking devil. He knew that, PoH knew that, it was merely a play on his mind. This meant that Kirito could never let go of the Blue Rose Sword, but that was a dead loop as it once again led back to him not having enough strength to fully fight PoH.
"Well, if you want to be stubborn and die, that's fine." The murderer smirked as he continued to push. "You can rest easy. After I kill you, I will slaughter every one of those dancing clowns behind you. Flash is gone, damn shame, but no matter. That pretty blonde girl over there? Let me guess, she's the new deal. Don't worry, you will see her all chopped up in the afterlife."
Ronye and Tiese screamed as PoH's vast blade sank closer and closer to Kirito's throat. Alice struggled to stand up, compelled by every instinct to help Kirito, but she was too weak. A voice whispered by her ear. She could not tell if it actually spoke or if it was an illusion, yet she was certain she heard it.
"He'll be the one to decide the course of the coming war…"
Kirito will be the one to decide the course of this war…this was the prophecy…
Alice said softly. "Fear not. Kirito will be fine. He won't lose. He will never lose a fight against someone as low as him."
There was nothing else they could do. If they interfere now, it would only serve as distraction. No…it was time to believe in Kirito, and they believed. Faith was all they could provide Kirito with.
Yet, faith was not really a weapon to be used in a sword fight, certainly not the case for Kirito. The murderer's machete had reached him despite all the belief Alice could grant. At last, scarlet trailed down Kirito's neck as the cold metal made contact. It was the moment of judgement.
Please…help Kirito…
Tiese prayed silently as she grabbed the Blue Rose Sword's scabbard near her chest.
Then she saw it. After a breeze gently blew her hair outward, a figure all too familiar was standing in front of her. And she beamed with tears rolling down.
PoH was grinning with a sadistic laughter as he finally saw blood. One more push and his arch-nemesis would be undone. Only a slight thrust forward and Kirito's head would be freed from his body.
Then why? He had thrusted and shoved and pushed, yet his blade did not move forward. It was as though the hilt on Kirito's sword had now a new strength holding it. How was that possible? He only saw the Black Swordsman's single hand on it, but the countering force suggested there was another's strength.
The Night Sky Sword pushed back.
"How are you…?" PoH asked with disbelief.
This development did not just shock PoH. It shocked Kirito as well. He could not believe it. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. Was his sword pushing back on its own?
No. It was not pushing back on its own. Trailing down his sword to find the source of its power, Kirito saw a pair of shining, translucent hands. They were covering his right one and holding on tightly to push PoH back.
"Let's do this, Kirito!"
Tears found their way to Kirito's eyes before he smiled.
"Eugeo…"
With the strength of the two most amazing swordsmen in the Empire's history, Kirito yelled with a fervor he had never before mustered and stood up. PoH could not withstand the might and took a step backward.
Kirito did not stop, he continued on and on until with another war cry, he crashed his sword in the middle of that machete and sent PoH flying away.
The Black Swordsman aimed the fragmented Blue Rose Sword straight at PoH. Then, he raised it to the skies.
"Release Recollection!"
A bluish tornado ten times as powerful as the one witnessed earlier was generated, accompanying it was a light blinding enough even PoH had to cover his own eyes.
Ice sprouted upward from the shattered sword as freezing vines once more enveloped the crystal prisons the undead were confined within. Countless roses grew from those vines, they were so beautiful and so delicate it was as if they were chiseled from pure diamond.
When the sounds of growth finally halted and the field was embellished with clean white roses, another azure brightness burst from the ice Kirito wielded. Thousands of silvery Triangles must have been played as the said ice broke and the restored, shining Blue Rose Sword emerged.
Alice looked around only to see the crystal confinements being dissolved into mists. They were aureate and they mixed with the older blue ones.
"Sacred Resources?"
Prior to their dissolution, the hateful features of the undead disappeared. They were lost souls forcibly summoned to kill for the Dark God and the Prince of Hell, now, Kirito was sending them to an overdue rest. They suffered no more and their golden pervasion gradually ascended to the skies.
"You bastard! You've got to be kidding me!" PoH shrieked, furious as his perfect trap for Kirito came unraveled. He raised his Mate-Chopper again, thrusting right in the midst of the golden Sacred Resources.
"No! Not again!" Alice shouted in fear. She knew exactly what PoH was planning to do. With Sacred Resources now overflowing, his life-absorbing weapon would be a conduit for PoH to grow more dreadfully strong than ever. If the power of those five thousand undead were taken by the murderer, was it even realistic anymore to fight him?
Alice's faith in Kirito was almost shaken until he saw his calm, unmoved face. He was not remotely concerned. He was so at peace as though he had already seen the outcome of this battle.
Then Alice realized something. The shiny spots that illuminated the battlefield completely ignored PoH's machete. Not a single drop of it was absorbed into his murder weapon.
Alice clasped her hands at her armor as she contemplated the meaning.
I see…so that is why…These warm powers I had met earlier in the ravine really are just plain, human souls. All that mattered to them, to us, be it that they come from the Dark Territory or the Human Empire…all we have ever desired was peace. No soul ever wants to kill each other. Kirito had brought them their rest…They would not be enslaved by that murderer again…
When all the golden power had risen to the skies, they congregated into a giant spot of light that dispersed the dark clouds covering the battlefield. And then they shone. It was a source so bright and warm it surpassed even Solus. A sun despite manmade was shining a power ten times that of the goddess's.
Kirito raised his Night Sky Sword and now both his weapons were pointing to the sky.
"Release Recollection."
As commanded, the burning disc overhead extended its power. Golden rivers streamed down until they reached the black sword Kirito was holding. They flowed agilely inside almost as if they were returning home.
"Damn it!" PoH ranted. He flailed his Mate-Chopper and attempted to intercept those light. It was to no avail, he could not even make a dent in their direction.
"Eugeo once told me." Ronye recounted softly. "Kirito's black sword used to be a huge black cedar tree in the far north of the Human Empire."
"I see!" Liena answered quickly. "That's why his sword can absorb those Sacred Resources."
She was correct.
After all, those lives were not spilled with a murderous sword. PoH's sword sucked up the energies released by hateful slayings. He could only take lives and enslave them. But the golden powers in the skies were released gently by the Blue Rose Sword. Turning into the sun, they were then accepted warmly by the wooden Night Sky Sword. Lives that were sent to an eternal rest peacefully were the nature of this earth – they were one with the sun and they were one with the land. Kirito's swords perfectly recreated the cycle of life. He was the very manifestation of Underworld itself.
So much power had been poured into that black sword it was now shining gold itself. When the last of those Sacred Resources had been fused within, Kirito's own hands shone. The embracing might not only restored any damage the sword had taken, its master also enjoyed its regenerative ability.
First, the slight cut on Kirito's throat healed. The crimson line swiftly closed without even a scar. His body, weakened by months of inertia, slowly became strong. His lost muscles now regained as the hot sensations traveled around his form. A light burst from his hands. A pair of dark, fingerless gloves appeared as the black and gold uniform was gradually covered with a familiar leather coat. The military boots he was standing in then hissed before they too turned into a nostalgic pair Kirito had worn long ago.
What stood there was no longer Elite Disciple Kirito, it was Dual Wielder Kirito exactly as he had looked back in Aincrad. The full might of the Black Swordsman as promised had finally returned.
What better way is there to end this than the Aincrad way?
"You really are the best, Kirito. You are the only one who's made me want to kill of my own free will this much." PoH said calmly, facing Kirito. Without the dark clouds and any potential victim, his life would soon be over due to the injuries Alice had dealt him, but he did not falter a bit. "It's a shame to end this now, but I guess I couldn't ask for a better stage."
Whatever he was thinking, it clearly was no longer logical. He did not try to preserve his life by holding in what remained of the Dark Resources he had. Instead, he let it all out. The holes puncturing his body released a mist of darkness; he was going to burn all his life and power in this final showdown.
"Now, let's have some fun, Black Swordsman."
"Yea, let's end this."
PoH thrusted his machete forward, awaiting the battle. Kirito took the stance that fitted his two swords best, one in front and one behind, securing his flanks and prepared to properly close the Aincrad story.
Two vast storms exploded. One swirling with death and darkness and one growing with fire and life, the two expanded uncontrollably until the perimeters made contact. Thunders sounded and suddenly, the two orbs disappeared.
The two nemeses took the cue and charged. PoH's thick blade crashed into the Night Sky Sword, but he could no longer push Kirito back as easily. Smoothly gliding past the murder tool, Kirito's black blade turned around and made room enough for its azure counterpart to swing towards PoH. The murderer retracted before slashing to his right. Kirito leaped backwards. Two more collisions created burning sparks again. Kirito deflected the attacks but he spun around for more favorable terrain.
PoH immediately gave chase. He hopped onto a small hill nearby as he kept up with the speedy Black Swordsman. Deciding it was good enough a window, PoH jumped and exchanged two slashes with Kirito. It was then Kirito's turn to seek support from the giant rock. He jumped upwards before shooting forward against his foe.
"Burst Element!"
Crimson spots headed for PoH. He deflected most of them with his machete, but he missed a single one. It did not hit him. It was not meant to. The blistering Sacred Art flared up as it punched the rocky ground, dust clouds then surrounded PoH.
The murderer tsked in disdain as his vision blurred, he brandished his weapon in the air, one, to disperse the dust, and two, to try and hit the lurking Black Swordsman. Kirito cut through the screen suddenly from behind him. A second before his strike landed, he fell victim to a powerful kick to his abdomen. Kirito quickly recovered. When he stood up, PoH was coming straight for him.
The giant machete was glowing in a scarlet shade. As PoH continued in his trajectory, his body split in three. It was a cliché but useful after-image technique Kirito was all too familiar with.
A swing to his left and one of them disappeared. Another swing to the right and the second one was destroyed. But before the illusionary smoke of that image dissipated, the real one jumped forth and Kirito barely managed to deflect his thrust.
There was perhaps one tenth of an instant when they stood still, exactly across each other. The scarlet glow of the machete intensified, then it went for Kirito's head. The Night Sky Sword shone in its own crimson shade. Unlike its foe, it was a flaming red instead of a blood-soaked red.
Then the two blades touched. The tips of both weapons were sharp enough to cut through rock without pressure applied, so when strength so great was utilized, the result was an earth-shaking shockwave. Burning with Incarnation, lightnings too were produced between the locked blades. Both opponents poured every last ounce of their power into the struggle and eventually, Kirito's boots were forced back.
PoH smirked at the sight. His vast machete was pushing against Kirito's sword. But that seemingly advantageous development came at a cost, a dear one. His machete had long since used up its absorbed power, yet Kirito's Night Sky Sword was filled to the brim with Sacred Resources. When it came to a war of attrition, it was obvious who would win. PoH's blood lust had blinded him while Kirito was using it to his advantage.
The Mate-Chopper cracked. It was a small fissure at the tip, but then sounds of breaking grew and grew until the trails of fracture spread across the entire weapon.
Aureate shade shot from Kirito's eyes. His entire body was generating a might PoH could not comprehend. The battle was nearing its end not merely because the sheer difference in Sacred Resources. Kirito's Incarnation was only growing stronger as Eugeo – his brother could be felt next to him. And then his eyes landed onto a distant figure – Integrity Knight Alice. The sight reminded him of why he fought, why he even woke up at all. Kirito's power compounded until nothing could hold it in anymore.
Crack!
The machete broke. It was turned into uncountable pieces of shards after one last push from Kirito. He did not end it there. The Black Swordsman yelled at the top of his lung as he spun around and the Blue Rose Sword too sprang into action. It maneuvered swiftly until it had cut off both of PoH's hands.
The excess energy from that attack burst out into a colossal pillar of light. A gust of wind accompanying an explosion followed and the Human Empire Army behind them was nearly pushed onto their back.
At length, the smoke dispersed alongside the conflagration. A squashy sound opened the stage and down poured the last of PoH's blood from his severed limps.
Kirito's sword was situated exactly in the middle of PoH's trunk. That alone probably did not injure him again for that was the spot Alice had cut open earlier. Still, the murderer coughed up blood. He no longer enjoyed the protection of his Mate-Chopper.
"Impressive. That's more like it." PoH grinned. "But it's not over yet. Even after I leave this world, I'll keep coming after you." His taunt turned into a threat. "Until I've slit yours and the Flash's and that Alice's throats and ripped out your hearts, I'll just keep coming."
"No. It is over." Kirito declared in no uncertain terms. The sword still impaling the murderer shone for a second. "You will never leave Underworld."
He then swiftly pulled the sword out and turned away from his former nemesis.
PoH's face twisted in laughter. The infamous leer flashed across his face. But it did not sound like a laugh.
It was a creak.
He was not laughing anymore. At least he could not. That laugh fixed onto his face as his expression turned rigid. The feared murderer now turned fearful as he witnessed his body and legs also cemented. His black poncho gained a dark brown shade as his form slowly expanded. His powerful feet extended and flattened until they appeared as roots. Creaking noises became more frequent as PoH looked more vegetal than human.
"Some three hundred years ago, Her Holiness planted a demon tree in the Rulid Village." Kirito went on as he addressed the Administrator's title properly for the first time. "That unfellable tree became this sword. I just sent its memory into your body."
PoH's body had all but lost its human characteristics. The two twisting legs had lumped into one giant mass, slowly spreading into the scarred earth. Once a muscular body, it thickened until a bark with clear scaly signs emerged. PoH's messy hair grew green as they became misshape branches. Eventually, his face, terrified for the first time, exacted into ghastly tree holes.
"I don't know how many years or decades it will take before this curse subsides, but you better pray it's not too long."
Kirito turned back one last time to give it a disgusted look. It was an ugly, twisted cedar tree. "Someday, when pioneers build a village around here, maybe some kids will chop you down with an axe."
The Black Swordsman then paid it no more mind and slowly walked towards the gathered Human Empire Army. He lifted his Night Sky Sword and gold once more shot from its blade.
"System Call. Transfer Durability, Right to Area."
They were one with the sun, they were one with the land; aureate mists were released from the black sword and floated to the skies.
A hissing sound descended.
It was raining.
Drops of light fell onto the wounded and spent soldiers. It was a magnificent feeling. Their tired bodies regained strength as the divine shower brushed gently. Those who endured red lines of trauma witnessed in wide eyes their bodies healing. There were those who lost their eyes, there were those who had their limps hacked off, and there were those whose breaths were almost stopped; they all healed.
Dropping down on earth was not just Kirito's power, Alice's tears also dropped. Unlike her efforts the past six months, these tears in rain were not futile. Her own body growing stronger and stronger as her injuries were washed away without a mark, Alice finally burst into an irrepressible sob.
What would he do now?
There was a terrible urge in his body. Kirito wanted to leap towards Alice and hold her in his arms. He wanted to comfort her the way he did at the Central Cathedral. He wanted to wipe the tears from her eyes, slowly patting her golden hair as he confessed every buried feeling he had for her.
When Kirito had just risen from his six-month slumber, he had thought of so many things he should ask Alice.
Are you well? Was it tough to take care of me? How can I ever repay you? Can you tell me what happened during our time together? Did you like Rulid?
Those were awkward and perhaps silly questions, but they were his true feelings. Those were questions the young knight would never ask anyone, but Kirito wanted to ask her.
He had thought of so many things he should say to Alice.
I cannot thank you enough for caring for me. I would never have survived without you. You are the one that convinced me to truly protect this world. Even though you may not know it, you are what I have been searching for my whole life. You are my dream came true.
Even an "I love…"
Instead, his mind went blank.
The moment Alice stepped towards him, all the millions of questions and words in his mind disappeared without a trace. His mouth gaped open as he tried to mutter, but not a syllable escaped.
All he could do was stare. Alice's image grew larger as she came closer, and the feeling of warmth in his heart exploded with the wildest abandon. But he also saw something else. Across the stunning knight's golden armors, hints of cracks were everywhere. Although he had healed her with the sacred rain, it was clear how much Alice had suffered during the time he was lying in a daze.
There was only one thing he could say to Alice. There were many other things to say and ask, but this had to come first.
Kirito dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
"I have to ask…no, I have to beg your forgiveness." He said with his eyes closed.
Alice covered her mouth in shock, and so did everyone else, but she opted not to interrupt.
"I…That monster, he came from my world, and it was because of some accursed bad blood between us that he was so unhinged. And if I had woken up earlier…if only I had the courage to wake up…none of this would have happened…Because of me, you have all suffered so much, it was because of me, you had to go through so much pain, Alice. I…"
If kneeling there was the Dual Wielder Kirito of Aincrad, he would not have said these. And even if he did, he would not continue, after revealing so much of his suppressed feelings, he would have run away to avoid any deeper look into his heart. He wanted no one to know so much about himself, he never did. But this was not that man, and Alice was not anyone else. So he continued.
"I had the audacity to say this world is my home, yet it was me who has put it through all these…I had the audacity to promise, promise to protect you, Alice, yet it was me who has done just the opposite."
The whole field was silent. The cheered hero would not accept his laurel wreath; instead, he groveled like a sinner and was ready to accept any punishment.
Kirito did not look up. He still feared a chastisement for what he had accused himself of, he still feared the same curses he had heard when the ten thousand others had called him a Beater. That fear was all that lingered from his Aincrad days, but despite all his effort, Kirito was not strong enough to cast it away.
He did not hear any imprecation. He heard only small rustles of Alice's dress on the ground before feeling a tender squeeze on his hands.
"Kirito…even if you did forget, I didn't. The only reason you weren't awake earlier was because you were protecting us. It was because you fought Her Holiness that you were injured. You fought her to save us all. And if putting us through those challenges was a crime…" Alice shook her head. "Then what terrible sin have we committed against you, Kirito? You were living a normal life in Rulid, but by your great kindness, you decided to save us. Your brother died and you were chained in the abyss for half a year. How is the pain we burdened onto you any less than the one we received? You have saved me so, so many times, only just now did you manage to do it all over again. Kirito, please…"
Alice did not say anything more. She needed not.
Kirito raised his head to meet her beautiful eyes. As long as those pure, innocent eyes would look into his own without judgement, he himself would also be innocent. Wordless as she might be, Alice had already exonerated him.
He had not looked into those eyes so intently since that time at the Central Cathedral. And once more, Kirito was lost inside them. How he wished he would never have to tear his gaze away and how he wished they could stay forever like that looking gently at one another.
It was a comfortable feeling. The eyes Alice was looking into were not the same chasm that had accompanied her for the past six months, instead, they were soft and forbearing. Even though she was only touching his hands, it had felt very much like a long, warm hug. Alice remembered how she would snuggle against his chest every night. It took unfathomable amount of restraint to not cast away her dignity and jumped into his arms again.
Neither was willing to move away. They were both aware their held hands lingered more than what those of simple comrades should. They were both aware the way they looked into each other's eyes was beyond friendship. The battle was not over yet, but perhaps they could enjoy the company just a little longer. They did not wish to be selfish, but surely sparing themselves just a few more moments could not be blamed. They could not live only for themselves yet, but surely one tiny more delay could not hurt.
Eventually, Kirito sighed and stood up. He smiled down at Alice before helping her to her feet. She had judged him innocent and he had helped her rise.
The moment Kirito finally projected his sight away from his most trusted partner, he was stunned.
With Renly, Liena and his students in the lead, the surviving soldiers took their helmet off before kneeling in formation. They pressed a fist to their chest and bowed in salute.
"I knew it from the moment I first met him, that he and those two swords would save us all."
Renly whispered softly as he put his reassuring arms around Tiese. The scarlet-haired girl nodded. She smiled appreciatively and returned the gesture.
"Thank you, everyone." Kirito too bowed after he reluctantly let go of Alice. "Truly."
PoH's demise was a resounding victory. It was a quintessential battle between good and evil and one that good prevailed. However, the war was not yet over, for the greatest of evil was still lurking – Emperor Vecta A.K.A. Subtilizer.
Kirito furrowed his brows. The gentle eyes he had for Alice subsided and an angry pair took their place. He could feel the storm brewing in the far south. There was no sign of Subtilizer's evil reaching this far yet, but ever so slightly, Kirito felt a suction of light southward. The final battle lay in waiting, and every second passed it was growing hungrier. He had to go. He had to finish this if he ever wished peace to bless this land.
"His name…Vecta, right?" Kirito asked quietly. "It's hazy, but I do remember this name coming up all the time."
"Yes. If he is still strong and waiting, then he must have defeated Sinon too." Alice ventured to add. "I'm sure he is way too powerful for even a god."
"Well, when has that ever stopped me?"
"Kirito…let me come with you."
His eyes widened; gratitude and protectiveness fighting for dominance in his heart.
"Alice…"
"Kirito, I was with you at the beginning, I have to be by your side, until the very end."
Now, let's go, together. Until the very end.
That promise echoed in his mind again.
"You're sure about this?" Kirito asked as he treaded near her, barely two inches separated their faces.
"Yes I am." Alice replied calmly. "I was told through the World's End Altar one can travel to your world. If…no…when Vecta is vanquished, will you take me to your world?"
"You want to go to my world?" Kirito asked again. "Even though you are aware of the ugliness it produces?"
"No matter what that world has, it was your home before Underworld. You love this world because you have a life here, and because you have made memories here. I would also like to see that world of yours."
A true human that defied imaginations and rules. A vow was made at the Central Cathedral, it stunned Kirito and it bound his soul. It was happening again.
"All right. But if anything happens, I want you to run. If Vecta proves to be too powerful, I want you to ignore me and run towards the altar."
Alice wanted to argue, but she nodded reluctantly anyway.
She almost yelped at the sudden touch. Kirito pulled her so close, nothing separated their armored bodies, and with a blushing face, Alice realized he was embracing her.
A few noises escaped her mouth, but she was too distracted to form a coherent thought, much less a sentence.
"Alice…" Kirito looked into her eyes again. "I don't know if I can win, so I have to tell you now. Like I said, Underworld is my home, even though Aincrad is important to me too, but it is now only my past…and so is Asuna. She and I…will be walking a different path from now on, so you see…"
There was so much more he wanted to say. He did not hold onto that feeling alone. Alice looked at him, patiently yet anxiously awaiting his next word while fighting the urge to speak herself.
"So you see…there is a future…a destiny…"
"Kirito." Alice interrupted him. "Kirito…I have a great deal to say…and ask of you. Yet, I want them said when you have won this war, because I know you will win. You will, that is what my heart tells me. I have faith in you, Kirito, so please defeat that monster. Win and tell me what you wanted to say. This time, not while we stand in the midst of a scarred earth but in your world…your old home. There, you will tell me your story before all these, why you've traveled to Underworld…and more, please?"
Kirito paused for a moment, and he nodded. He cupped Alice's face gently with both his hands and pulled her closer to himself. Their foreheads touched and Kirito stopped. They shut their eyes and stayed there for what had felt like an eternity.
One last light before the hero was to face the abyss.
The two knights then opened their eyes in unison and faced south, both aware of the pressing threat.
The dragons, Amayori and Takiguri, despite never having fought side by side with the Black Swordsman, had recognized him as someone Alice trusted. The female dragon having lived next to him for half a year was acquainted with his presence and was first to offer her strength. Takiguri followed suit; the elder dragon bowed and lent Kirito his flight.
With a leap, Kirito and Alice accepted their help.
Looking up to the mounted knights, it was plain for all to see how flawless that match was.
The two most powerful warriors in the world, reunited, at long last.
Bonded by blood, the dragons could fight and fly perfectly together. Ideal partners.
Bonded by heart, Kirito and Alice could fight and think perfectly together. Ideal partners.
"Well, then." Kirito declared as the dragons began flapping their giant wings. "We're off!"
Author's Notes:
Finally. Reunited.
I have waited for so, so long until Kirito and Alice finally made it back together. It was as painful to write all the chapters prior as it was a pleasure. I really love the pairing between Kirito and Alice, so this chapter was one of the most thrilling emotional roller coasters I have ever been on. I hope you liked how the relationship with Asuna was ended. Asuna is a great character, and no doubt very important to Kirito as a person. But in all honesty (as it should be clear by now) I think Alice is a much better romantic partner, and there we go.
For Alice, this was THE prophesy fulfilled. The hero she was waiting for, the hero for Underworld but also her personal hero, is now back. And for Kirito, Alice was the defining moment for him in understanding Underworld. Hell, she was what he had been waiting for his whole life. They are perfect together. I respect the canon, but well, this is my canon now.
The next chapter will cover basically the end of the War in the anime. Is it going to be different? Hell yea. How is it going to be different? Well, you'll see. Well then, until next time! And again, please tell me what you think about this chapter.
Playlist:
"Vassago, his revenge"
"survive the swordland"
"a holy sword in his heart"
"Eugeo"
"the Blue Rose Sword Battle"
"your dream came true"
"find your sword in this land"
"if she was here #2"