The Day the World was Painted Red

Grief and Hatred

Kirito POV

Kirito had a very troubled sleep. He fell asleep after an hour of staring at the fireplace at his room. He wasn't in his bed he was at a corner of the room simply... staring. Lifeless, beaten, remorseful. He didn't feel the need to eat or to move. He just looked at it. The fire was blue. It felt like he was watching his friend's souls and it hurt to remember. He didn't understand why this happened. What did he do wrong? What could he have done differently? Leave asuna and her troops to die? He didn't understand it. He didn't understand it at all. He fell asleep. The dream brought back to surface a culmination of his sorrows. When he got notified of the deaths of everyone that he had befriended by Klein, when his grandfather made his sister swear to practice kendo in order for Kirito to resume his life without being subjected to his grandfather's abuse but worst of all when he got notified of the death of Leafa and Silica broke.

He woke up sweaty and shouting. He had reached his limit, he burst into crying, silent held back but still crying. At that point Lisbeth entered the room slowly with grace but restraint showing. She was trying to hide how much she wanted to ease his pain, to give him a shoulder to cry on, to tell him that he wasn't alone, trying not to show the pity and grief she sympathized. She wanted to look dignified to the people she admired.

Kirito tried to wipe the tears and recollect himself. He stood up straightened his posture and equipped his trademark black coat. It gently settled on his shoulders. When he wore it he felt his responsibilities weighing on him, not allowing him to act selfishly. Like the coat wrapped up the steaming hot ball of emotions he had and hid it. Even if only temporarily. He took the most dignified face he could.

'Why are you here?' He asked in a flat tone

'Asuna asked me to get you! The generals await you Kirito.' She answered in a calm collected voice

'Oh yeah you were friends with her weren't you?' He said absentmindedly. Then he looked her in the eyes with a clearer head as the drowsiness had receded. 'What time is it?' He asked a bit more politely

'10:00 o'clock. You should hurry they have been waiting for 2 hours now. The leaders of the moonlight cats are starting to get annoyed and Hithcliff is about ready to take the helm of the strategy meeting while Pontifex Maximus is expertly spreading his ideals about humans that choose non-human classes being eccentric psychos.' She said calmly yet with a grain of worry and detest.

Damn, he had overslept. That alone made him lose face, nevermind leaving people bearing a grudge against him, especially the moonlight cats and Pontifex Maximus, in a room that decisions of vital importance are made sounds like a bad idea.

'Understood I will be on my way please inform everyone.' he formally requested

'As you wish' and with that she turned around and left

Kirito thought about it, did he have the right to propose strategic attacks when his strategy had already taken so many lives. He felt inadequate but that's not something you show to an army right before a big battle, especially him. Although he was one of the many leaders he was the host, the founder of the alliance and most powerful player in it. He could not show his feelings of inadequacy. He put on his ring that allowed free teleportation inside guild ground (courtesy of the new updates) and chose to make up for his late coming with an impressive entrance so he just chose to teleport on his ''throne'' inside the meeting room.

He got disintegrated and reintegrated in a flash and he was now watching all the generals assembled. He rested his head on his fist and took his time to analyze everyone present.