Sword Art Online ALICIZATION- Reversal

Chapter 35- Haunting

Kirito merely sat in his chair, unable to move as the war was waged around him. He had awoken from passing out after instinctually slaying the goblin, yet he seemed frustrated. It was as if he was furious that he had no right arm to use to grip his sword, though a bright and passionate fire once burned within him, it had been doused months ago. Despite his broken mind and shattered soul, he still yearned to draw his sword and fulfill his duty. As Tiese looked closely at Kirito's empty eyes, she saw embers behind them. Trapped behind those eyes was a broken soul, devoid of life, that was desperately trying to rekindle its flame. She thought that Kirito looked so much like her Eugeo-senpai and the fire that was unable to burst to life was the same one she had seen in Eugeo's eyes. "Eugeo..." Tiese whispered as she looked at the Blue Rose Sword. "Kirito, Eugeo meant a lot to you, didn't he?" She asked the comatose man. "Who am I kidding, he had to have meant something to you! Otherwise you wouldn't hold onto his sword so tightly, right?" Tiese sighed and sat down, feeling helpless.

She watched as Kirito's tense body seemed to loosen up, his eyes slowly closing. The black-haired man soon fell asleep. Tiese closed her eyes and hummed a bit. Unbeknownst to her, the tune she hummed was one familiar to the Swordsman. Deep within his mind, his Fluctlight began to quiver in response to the familiar, fading tune. Kirito felt a compulsion to fight yet continuously found himself unable to fight. Although he was broken, there was still much power in him. For a moment, if one looked closely enough at his onyx orbs, one would see one man who'd stand alone against the Armies of Darkness. He radiated a soft, welcoming, and godlike energy as he slept. However, when he was awake, one would feel nothing but an aura of pain and regret. But when Incarnate arms was used, when he desperately tried to draw his sword, he released a maelstrom of cold, dark, and vicious divine energy. It was as if the pain and anger within him was attempting to lash out at the ones who endangered those around him, it was him trying to fight despite being incapable of doing so. 

Royne, however, felt differently. She didn't find his aura vicious, to her, it was an aura full of pain and regret but it also held hope. The man she had been charged by her mentor to safeguard still reeked of the empty hope that he could protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Yet still, despite the power she could clearly see in him, he had no way of controlling it. He was a broken man at this point, he was powerful but he lacked purpose. Power without purpose was practically useless.

Kirito continued to sleep, however he muttered two names in his sleep. "Al... ice.... Eu-ge-o......" he whispered, his mind still dreamed despite it's empty state. The shaking of his voice, the tension of his muscles, and the mortified look on his face showed that he was clearly having a nightmare. Forced to spend even longer in silent, unreleased, unending suffering.