Broken. (SAO fanfiction)

Chapter six

As her body broke into tiny game pixels I couldn't help but let out a traumatizing scream. I saw her just...disappear like that. Was she attacked too? What happened to her? Or...was she killed? I shook the thought away, but I felt my heart pounding in my chest. It felt as if my own soul had been stolen away from my body forcibly. I just stood there, howling and screaming Asuna's name, but found myself dead exhausted, slumping over, falling into a slumber that didn't mean anything.

I woke up to the land that we had been walking in the day before, but to the harsh reality that I was alone but actually alive after that surprise attack in the nighttime. With one more day of my life gone, as well as my friends and as well as my love... I shook the memory away, stumbling into a limply walk as I staggered through the lonesome terrain. I kept looking at Garin's map, but I couldn't focus on my route at all.
"A...su...na..." I stuttered to myself as I perambulated dejectedly through the rocky land waiting for me to end up somewhere. There was no way she was gone...was there? Was there...?

I opened my eyes in a jolt of speed, finding myself staring up at a blank wooden roof that was over my head. I was sweating as well a breathing heavily. I felt my hand being warmed as I rolled over to see her there next to me, clasping it tightly. She was wearing the same fluffy turtleneck she used to wear all the time on floor 22. Her silky golden hair shimmered, fragments of light pouring through the window onto it.
"Kirito..." she said "are you okay?"
"H-huh... w-what?" I stuttered, sitting upwards. I looked at her. A mix of confusion and relief filled my mind as I saw her worried expression.
"B-but the wolves..." was all I could get out.
"We got past them, remember?" Asuna smiled "it's okay, they're gone now, were in the next town over."
"Th-that was miles away." I stammered quietly.
"Well, we're here aren't we, so don't complain!" Asuna said. "After the attack we got separated, don't you remember? I'm here now though, so it's okay."
"Y-yeah..." I said slowly. "Yeah. Everything's okay." Was that whole thing a dream. It couldn't have been. It felt way too... real. I rubbed my head trying to get a grip on my thoughts. Asuna looked at me carefully but didn't say anything until I had calmed down.
           "I just...don't get it...you...you died."
           "It was a dream Kirito." Asuna replied simply "I'm okay, you're still just tired."
           "I-it wasn't a dream!" I stammered. "H-how did this all happen, how did I-"
            "I found you passed out with your hunger and health bar pretty low, so I just...picked you up....and we eventually got here, it wasn't as far away as it seemed on the map." I sighed. Knowing she probably was right. This world does so much to you. It's probably changed me too much. To think I thought she would actually leave me. I got up and quickly hugged her tightly as she and I walked slowly down the stairs into a neatly decorated room. There, were about three or four people crowded in the middle of it, murmuring loudly.
"But didn't you hear?" I could hear from the huddle.
"It couldn't have been true, though!"
"The game is specifically designed so the Virus cannot be attracted out of territory!"
"Not unless it has the perfect vessel."
I looked at Asuna who seemed to be getting a grip on the conversation. She cleared her throat, getting the people's attention. She looked directly at the older man in the middle.
"Fujio!" She said. He turned to look at her.
"Oh, h-hello Asuna."
"What's going on..?"
The old man hesitated before answering.
"Aaaah... well there was news down in the city this morning." He said in his crackly voice. "Th-the Virus escaped last night. It must have found someone worth possessing."
"I'm sorry-what?" I piped up.
"I suggest you don't hurry on your journey so quick, my dear." Fujio said, laying a hand on Asuna's shoulder. Asuna glanced at me with a worried look on her face.
"We...only have five days, Asuna...before..." I stuttered, a lump in my throat.
"I-I know Kirito." Asuna said compassionately. She waited for a moment in thought and turned to Fujio again.
"Is there any news on where it is now?" She asked. Fujio turned to look at his companions, then stopped for a moment, looking at her.
"Well y-yes but..." he paused again. He pointed at something on Asuna's shirt, that I realized then, was actually stained with a red mark. Asuna ripped up the sleeve to reveal her skin that was now covered with the same symbol. It appeared in a way to make it seem like  someone were drawing on her slowly. Out of nowhere, Asuna's health bar was going down by the minute.
           "Wh-what's going on??" Asuna screamed in fear as she watched the red line crawl down to her wrist.
            "C-calm down!" I tried to console her, my eyes locked on their symbol as it dragged back up to her elbow pit.
            "Kirito!" Asuna squealed again. She closed her eyes as slowly the movement decreased and paused. I waited for a moment to make sure it was all over. Fujio looked down at her in deep despair.
"The mark!" He gasped out. "It can't be!"
"What? What's wrong with her?!" I demanded.
"I'm not quite able to comprehend it...but...Asuna, were you touched by the Virus?"
I looked at Asuna who had a look of fear that spread across her face.
"But...a young girl like her can't have been the reason for the Virus's escape..." a middle aged woman in the group piped up.
"Why not?" Another man said
"It took a young girl too..." Fujio said solemnly. "It's lucky for you that you made it my dear."
"I-I don't understand!" Asuna stuttered nervously. "What's happened to me?"
"Quick, you must hurry, hurry up and out of this village!" Fujio ordered harshly. "Don't turn back, the quicker this thing is rid of the safer we all will be!"