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

Chapter 63

I'm pretty sure I haven't written for like four months (hahaha pun) so forgive me if this is a little rusty.  Also not me writing this during class. 

POV: Kayoko 

My heart sinks, a stone in the bottom of a river. The water rushes over me in a wave that threatens to bring me to my knees, the lack of oxygen strangling my breath.

At first, I think it can't be true. My hands reach outwards, slowly, as though in a dream. Digging my nails into the gap in the door, I try desperately to drive it apart but the surface remains the same as before - immoveable.

He's gone. Gone.

There's a hole in my chest, blood blossoming through a wound I can't possibly staunch. I'm an anchor set free, adrift in a storm and I find myself wanting to drown in it - the sorrow, the hurt. Let it wear me down and wring me dry. Let it turn me to nothing.

"Kira!" Kirito rushes beside me, his voice more panicked than I've ever heard it before and when I turn to look at him, his eyes are wide. Pleading.

"We can't do anything," I whisper, turning my head away. "The fight has started now."

His eyes glaze over, opaque like glass and tears run over them, clearing away the emotion on his face until I can see it radiant on his features. I see my mirror in them; I see the love. Seconds slip by and even though I can envision the battle of blood raging beyond the door, we only stare, silence ringing between us.

"No." Yuha's voice is strong, her eyes vivid blue like sapphires as her fingers dance along the keyboard on her arms.

"Yuha," My voice is soft, resigned. "You know as well as I do that once the boss door closes, there is no way to open it. Even you have a way to open it, we don't know what will happen. There's...there's a possibility that they'll make it out at the other end."

"You know they won't."

There's a truth to her words that I can't shake. The shapes of the vowels dig into my skin; I can feel them crawling up me, bringing dread with every touch. I don't want to lose him but even worse, even more cowardly, I don't want to see it happen before my eyes. I don't want to feel powerless as I have before - a reminder that every step I have taken, nothing has changed. Nothing has changed.

Yuha steps up and presses her palm against the door, her small figure against a towering foe and her eyes flash that bright blue. "With your unique skill, you can break through it."

"My uncle-" I breathe but the two words are a mere whisper of protest when compared to the situation in front of me. I said that I would save people; I have to save them.

"Kira," Kirito grabs my shoulders, "please."

I inhale, exhale, gather myself together, check my inventory. "I only have one sword left so I won't be able to be much use before I can find someone to give me another. I have probably about five or ten minutes you have to stall, if you count in my limit. Kirito-"

"Got it."

"Yuha, I need you to pull your magic on this one, your system commands. I want you to not hold back." I glance between the two, try to pull a brave smile on my features. "We're going to show ourselves from this point onwards."

She nods, blonde curls bobbing childishly and my heart aches for what I'm asking for her, for what I'm asking for everyone. I'm asking them to make themselves a target because if I can't find my Uncle, then he can come and find me.

My hand tightens around the hilt of the sword in my hand and I imagine a time where we pass this ordeal, a different, stronger blade under my use. Everyone is smiling and I blink my tears away.