Memories of Fated

Chapter Ten - Lukes Death

POV: Ito Tsubaki

In that instant, everything stops, but everything is slow and fast all at the same time. My brain can't comprehend this, deaths in a virtual world. Deaths that could have been prevented if I had just been...been...I don't know what I could have done to stop this.

But I should have done something.

Sachi raises her rapier against the red glow of the boss's sword but green one intercepts it as a loud clang echoed off his hammer. The guy who stood up for the beta testers stands between them and I breath all the tension out of my chest.

Then everyone rushes, like at the beginning when we were all full of hope and possibilities.

"We will hold them off until you recover" his deep voice booms as he sprints towards everyone else. Each player attacks fiercely.

All of a sudden the beast jumps, knocking them to the ground and sending a gust of air my way. I can do this. I grip my sword one last time.

I can be our hope.

"Watch out!" Tachi is up again before I can tell him to stay, to recover. The two figures, one a boy clothes in black and the other a malicious beast meet in the middle, as Tachi screams "I'll get you first"

A warning and a promise to everyone. This was his kill. Everyone had better back off. So, for a reason I could not say, I watched as Tachi took the blow of his triangular sword.

Like arguing cats, they fight with tooth and nail and sword. A huge crash resonates against the marble floor as they come crashing down, Tachi rolling as he lands, nimble and ready.

"Sachi!" Still running as he shouts, "One last hit, we will do it together"

"Roger!" Her voice is livelier now, like that cape had covered her now sparkling personality, suppressed it.

"We are still here you know!" Kyo drawls as he begins to join them. I reach out, shaking my head.

"He asked for Asuna to do it," I say lowly, so no one could hear "maybe we should stay out of it."

I expect a reaction but Kyo stays silent as he stands as still as death beside me, ready to spring into action at any moment.

They are living flames as they run, Sachi the bright and burning fire and Tachi the blackened ashes. One cannot exist without the other.

It is like the sentinels, the way they will slay this thing, the endless Patten now drawn into each of our brains. Slashing and slicing, with the roars of pain defining in the echoing cold tomb.

Until Tachi lands a strike that slices, almost cutting the boss in half. For Luke. For those 2000 people who have shattered. For all those who are still intact. That's why he fights.

In a burst of light, the boss is gone shattered into wherever they disappear to, disposal like dolls.

There is no sound other than heavy breathing, caught by shock and frozen from fear.

And then the screams begin.

Not in fear or desperate need. But the screams for triumph, the screams your lips can only create when they are glad they can still move, still release the breaths from your lungs.

A faint smile dances on my lips before everything really sets in. Then the smiles twists and turns as the cheers of everyone erupted all at once. Like the music to it's dancing

The cry of the living.

The congratulations in front of me are something I never thought I would be so grateful for, so happy about.

"Hey, good work" I lift my fist to Kyo's shoulder, punching him lightly.

"Ouch!" He smiles too, not his infamous one, the one that makes girl's legs turn into jelly but one of true happiness. "That hurt!"

"You don't feel pain in a game, silly!" I turn walking over to Tachi's crouched form.

"You did well too" giving him an equally light punch on top of his midnight black hair.

I brush the white notification as it pops up aside, walking over to Sachi giving her a slight nudge as well. "Hey, well done!" She glances as me carefully. "Sachi, right?"

She nods before I say "I am Yira, hope we can be friends" she smiles a little at that and I feel her cold shell starting to break.

"This victory belongs to you," the dark-toned man says. I wish I knew his name, I must have turned my brain off when he introduced himself. Now I wished I hadn't.

"No..." He mummers but I can barely hear him as congratulations and clapping is pushed on him.

"Why?" It is the player with the spiky hair, his name eludes me as well, lingering at the back of the group.

"Why did you let Luke die?"