Swords of the Soul

75th Confession: Is It You?

It's November 7th, 2024. I'm on Floor 55; Grandzam. Know what's there?
Our Guild HQ. Yes.
It was time for the boss.
Heathcliff filled me in on how ten players reached the middle of the bossroom, and how they became trapped. With the largest group we couod have assembled, we began to group in a plaza. Arriving on Floor 75 with Heathcliff at my side, I began to recognize players. For example, Agil and Klein. I remember Agil for always being around him and Kirito. I remember Klein for him hitting on me once. Man, if he only knew.
If he'd tried to date me, he could've been arrested.
...
It's best we say nothing to him for now about that.
Everyone turned to stare at us as I walked among the armoured Knights of the Blood Oath and Commander Heathcliff. I closed my eyes, feeling uneasy. A nudge in my right arm made me open them. I looked at Heathcliff to see him glancing at me from the corner of his eye. He was wondering if I was alright.
However, I would need to fight wether I was or not. We stopped at an arch and Heayhcliff held up a large Teleportation Crystal. "Corridor: open." He said, and thr crystal began to glow. It shattered and the area before us began to ripple. He turned to look at everyone behind us, smiling. "Here we go." He walked through, and I followed. "You'll be fine, Shiramane." There it was; his pet name pronunciation for me. I felt slightly happy from that. I nodded in response.
We walked towards a door, equipping our best gear. I had on my uniform, strongest armor I'd ever had, actually. I had a different sword, however; this one white and grey, as thick as the two Kirito weilded. Heathcliff checked if everyone was ready, and gave a debreif.
"For our day of liberation!!" He yelled and everyone cheered. I bit my lip and prepared to grab my sword. He turned and pushed the door open with his white gloved hand, and we all ran in at Heathcliff's command.
I ran after them, holding my sword tight. Reaching the middle of the room, we stopped.
Silence.
Nothing.
It was empty.
Asuna let out a yell. "Up there!" We looked up to see the Boss, and my heart finally stopped in its tracks. It was the Skull Reaper. I'd had nightmares about it before and told my father each time about it. He had comforted me, and told me ot was alright.
This now... was this a test? A trial from Akihiko to see how strong I've become?
If so... I won't fail it. I won't die! Amd neither will Kirito, Asuna, Klein or Agil! Or the one I must protect.
Voices began to muffle as players already started to die, a one hit kill from the boss. Heathcliff ran forward, myself at his side. Together, we blocked an attack, saving a fellow player. I met his eyes and jumped back. "For freedom!!" I yelled.
Everything seemed to become distant then. I began to think more of my past.
Together, Kirito, Asuna, Heathcliff and I blocked an attack strongly together.
The battle had finally begun.
I stuck near Heathcliff's side the entire battle. At one point his gloved hand grabbed my collar and pulled me out of the way of an attack. That gloved hand... I'd imagined holding it many times, wanting Heathcliff to be my father instead of Akihiko.

Mary... are you happy?

Continuing to fight made me feel alive.

Lewin... are you happy?

Rushing forwards, I screamed fiercely, attacking the Boss's sides.

Markal... are you happy, Sir?

Heathcliff and I parried an attack together. A perfect team.

Alixen... are you happy?

The battle began to die down the Boss's health reaching it's end. I poured my heart and soul into everything I had, into my sword, into this battle!

Diabel...

I yelled loudly, rushing forwards with everyone for the final few blows.

Are you happy?

For a split second, everything stopped, and I saw Diabel's smiling face, head framed with soft blue hair. His smile was directed at me, and he knew. He knew who I was. He'd always knew. And he knew that, now, I knew. And always would.
The Boss screeched and shattered, blue shards flying through my hair. I fell over a few feet from Heathcliff, gasping. My hearing began to return.
"How many did we lose...?" I heard Klein ask.
"Fourteen of us died," Kirito's response was grim.
I paled, sweat almost present on my face. Fourteen... I couldn't believe it. Everyone around me couldn't either.
"We still have tenty-five more Floors of this..." Klein said with disbelief.
"We'll never make it... will we?" Agil wheezed.
I rolled onto my back and sat up, looking up at Heathcliff. He stood tall among us. I thought it wise to check his HP.
52%
Impossible... he really was strong. He really was a legend.
It suddenly dawned on me.