Her Mission To Save Them All || Sword Art Online Fanfic

Chapter 42

Thank you to graveyardfeels77, TheVirus890  Bezerker324 and LittlePureWolf for their continual support!

POV: Kayoko

The world seems to tilt as I pull upwards, using the beams holding each building as leverage. Then I start to run. Village flying past me, I feel a smile draw onto my face. These last two days seem to fly off me like droplets of water each time I push the fibres in my avatar to run faster. 

In the distance, I fix my eyes on the hill that borders the town from the rest of the level, the grey town rooftops blending into green seconds later.

I follow the path, swinging my sword at an enemy; watching my level counter turn slowly upwards towards that almost unattainable level makes the scenes of the past come rushing back. I have walked through many paths that blend back to green so many times, they all begin to look the same. 

There's always one small tweak between each one, one tiny detail that separates it from the rest. Sometimes it's flowers, others tall towering trees. I wonder the path until I see it; one small crowing hill in the centre of all the forest, one low tree standing proudly in its centre.  

Swiftly, I hike the hill before coming the base of the oak. With a swipe, I activate the 'clime' skill and scale the straight middle using the rough bark before hauling myself up the wood splits into branches. 

Between its limbs, I crouch down, peaking between the abundance of leaves. I guess this is as good a place as any.  In the menu, my fingers reach for a familiar face on the icon, pulling up the chat Kyo and I share. 

My fingers hover, but in the end, I type something short, all the millions of feelings I want to say in two words.

 "I'm sorry."

In the corner, I watch as the three dots on the side dance as Kyo types, "You do it often anyway, I'm used to it."

The shame pulses within me. I rush to type a message, but I find I hit the backspace more than I actually type the words. Another apology just feels hollow, insincere. In truth, I remember the words he said to me before: 

"You do not apologise for something you did right." 

My eyes soften as the words translate to text. "It's because I love you that I do it."

At first, I think it's just the voice in my head, so familiar to me, I don't question it. Then I turn my head, my hair snagging on the branches to meet his face.

My eyes widden with impossibility, hand flying to my lips. I scan every inch and it's the same; the smile, the dimples, the exact shade of his hair, of his skin. 

It's a perfect recreation.  

"It's because I love you that I don't want you to go alone." He says, hand braced against the tree trunk as he stands of the branch opposite my own. 

"Kyo," I lean forward as much as my position will allow me as I hiss, "What are you doing here?"

His smile is radiant, innocent. "To see you of course." 

"You can't be here!" I struggle to keep my voice low and level. "What if someone sees us?"

"Screw everyone else." He waves his hand as he leaps, the branch shuddering as he lands. Sitting down next to me, he takes my hand, and for the first time, I can tell he is real.