Game Over: A Sword Art Online Story

Chapter 19

"The sunset's beautiful!" Mei exclaimed.

"It is, right?" I agreed. Mei and I were sitting beside a tree, looking at the sunset.

"Nikki, I never got to thank you properly for chasing off that guild. You saved me," Mei said.

"It was no problem. I did what I had to do," I replied.

We sat in silence, then after a few moments, Mei said, "My guild always came to watch these sunsets. Every single day. I was wondering if we could do the same."

I looked at her and said, "Of course! Besides, it will be a good way to end the day. I'll tell Reo soon."

"Thanks, Nikki...for everything," Mei replied.

I smiled and we continued to watch the beautiful sunset go down. This moment I would cherish forever.

The duel ended, with Kriyos as the winner. I went to Mei and kept shaking her, begging her to wake up. 

"Mei, come on!! Please!!" I begged. Tears were welling up in my eyes and soon the waterworks began. 

I sobbed so hard that my vision became blurry. Reo ran to my side and put a hand on my shoulder. Mei rolled over, her back on the ground.

"Nikki..." she said, weakly. I looked at her and held her hand. "Mei, don't go..." I choked out.

"This was meant to be. You...stop Kriyos...and be happy with Reo..." Mei rasped.

She looked to the sky and said, "My guild...they're here. I'm ready, Kai."

"No! Mei, no! Please!" I begged. 

Mei put her hand on mine and said, "Go on without me...thank you...for everything..."

And in that moment, Mei went limp and died. Then she started to vanish into tiny particles. "Mei?" I weakly asked.

There was no answer. "Mei? Please, come on! Don't go! Don't leave!" I yelled. 

Reo softly said, "Nikki...I'm so sorry." He hugged me and we sat there together.

I turned to see Kriyos smiling maliciously. My breathing intensified and I stood up. 

"YOU!! YOU DID THIS!" I screamed. I drew my sword out and charged at him. Some of the members protected him, but I swung my sword down on them, not even caring if they were killed or not. I was going to kill Kriyos. That was the only thing on my mind.

Kriyos blocked my first move, but I was quick enough to make the second move. I tripped him and starting swinging my sword down with such rage. He screamed in pain as his HP bar went to the red zone. He looked at me with madness in his eyes.

I held my sword up and said, "For Mei."

Then I swung it down and finished him. He gasped as the sword went through his black heart. He slowly went limp and died. Then, like Mei, he vanished. I watched until every single particle from him disappeared. Finally, he was gone.

I turned to look at the other Sun Shadow members and they slowly backed away from me. Then they started to flee. I was going to run for them, but Reo stopped me and said, "Let them go. They already know that you're a force not to be reckoned with."

I hesitated, but gave in. We decided to go home and rest, so we got our teleportation crystals and went to our house. Once we got there and sat down, I started thinking about Mei. She died saving me...I didn't know she cared that much about me.

I sighed and told Reo, "Let's hold a small funeral for her."

Reo looked at me and nodded sadly.

Since Mei died, her inventory was passed to us, so we managed to get some things she always had on her. We went to a river not too far from our house and we built a small basket and decorated it with flowers. Reo put her cloak inside it and I put her dagger in. 

We closed the basket and carried it to the river. We then let it sit on the river and soon enough, the river's flow carried it downstream until we couldn't see it anymore.

Reo and I stood close to each other and stood there for a few moments, then Reo said, "Let's head back now."

I followed him and as I was walking, I looked back to the river and smiled. 

Thank you, Mei...for everything.