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This castle really is the pillar of perfection...from the outside at least.

Aincrad...still seems like a dream after so long.

The Castle stood amidst the clouds as a shining beacon of golden sunlight, seemingly suspended on endless expanses of sky and air. As the sun descended in the sky, one would think that it was almost a marvel, if it had been just a normal, floating castle. However, it was so much more. It was both our home and our nightmare...our life and our prison.

I can't remember the last time I stood here at this ledge on floor one. The wind seemed to softly whisper through the air like a calm swishing tide that just rolled onto the beach. After what I have been through, I've almost forgotten to notice how beautiful this world is. I've not had time for that though...nothing but survival matters here now, especially after all this time. As I leaned on the ledge, the small rays of sunlight bounced off the small, golden spikes of my hair and made me glance downward for a moment to shield my eyes. I don't really know why I'm here. I should be in a thousand other places right now, but I decided to come here to this ledge. Curious.

You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you that we've all been trapped in this world for an entire year? It even sounds ridiculous even when I say it...but the dark places of this world and the horrors that me and everyone else here faces daily tell me it's not ridiculous. That's not even the worst part. The worst part is that this world shouldn't technically be real...it's a virtual video game world.

It's quite amazing that games have developed to the point where they can simulate everything about life. In addition, all you need to play is the Nerve-Gear Helmet-a fancy name for the helmet technology that stimulates the five sense areas of the brain that's used to play virtual reality games like this. It's what makes these massive multiplayer games so real. That's old news though...buried in a year of pain and misery. See, the creator of the game and the headgear technology, Doctor Kayaba, removed the ability to log out of the game on release day. The lucky 10,000 people that had gotten a copy of the game had now turned out to be not so lucky...me included.

I don't know if it is Kayaba's personal desire to fulfill some dark dream or an obsession he has to control everything and feel like a God, but he trapped us here with no way out. Not only can we not log out...but this game might as well be real life. There is no such thing as re-spawns or restarts, he removed that function. He also rigged the headgear to fry our brains if we die in the game or if we are forcibly disconnected from the real world. Therefore, if we die...we're done.

I guess there is one glimmer of hope. I would surmise that it is now only a sliver of hope, but if the players trapped here get to level 100 and clear the game...we all get to go home. I'm not so much focused on that big goal right now, though. A lot has happened in a year. It wasn't all bad. I used to be part of something special. A group of players dedicated to helping each other. It gave me hope when I thought there was none. I truly understood what it was like to have "brothers and sisters" to watch my back. However...as everything else in this game seems to follow, they're gone now. Most of them anyway...only two others and I survived that day. We were the Moonlit Black Cats. A small guild compared to most, but we were family...

It is...hard for me to remember. Doing so almost makes my eyes run like rivers. To think it was only a couple of months ago...

Sorry...anyway, we were a guild of seven. I won't go into detail about most of them, but they were good people. Instead of just telling you all this...I guess I could show you. I don't know if I have the will to show you...but I will try.

As I said...it was three months ago in October...we were talking...

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"I don't know what the big deal is, Keita; I mean we have been practicing for months...we could probably move up in floors soon." Tetsuo smiled as he brushed his brown hair out of his face.

"I think you might be drinking too much Tetsuo..." Keita smiled and put his arm around the young boy and ruffled his brown hair. "What do you think Sas? We ready to go up ha-ha!"

Sasmaru slid his scarf off and scoffed playfully. "I have to agree with you, Kei; I think that might be a little presumptuous..."

Tetsuo growled a bit. "Always ganging up on the small one huh?"

"I completely agree...I don't feel confident as a front line fighter...especially if we moved up the floors." The small, shy voice of Sachi squeaked out as the ebony-haired girl sat on the bench of the inn.

"Hah I think you're doing fine, Sachi, especially with Kirito teaching you. He's like a god at swordsmanship... I'm surprised you're worried."

Sachi chuckled softly and glanced over to the young teen sitting in the corner of the room adored in his black clothes. Kirito managed a small smile as he puffed out a sigh and scratched his dark hair. "He-eh...I'm just happy to help that's all...,"his voice bordered on a whisper.

"Well you've done more than help. I am glad you are part of the family. I don't think we would be here if it weren't for you, pal. It just makes me happy to see all of us together. I personally can't thank you enough, Kirito..." My eyes glimmered as I slid my boots off the table and raised a glass of juice towards the quiet teen. "To Kirito!"

Keita and Sachi both burst out laughing and messily raised their glasses as well. "Always the one for kind flattery aren't you, royal blue."

"Hah...you know my eyes aren't that blue, but thanks for the nickname. It is the truth though...my toast."

Kirito smiled at me and nodded. "Thanks Mark...that is sweet of you. I'm honored that you think so highly of me. I wouldn't change anything I've done for our...family."

I chuckled and smiled sweetly at him as I sipped my juice and leaned back in my table chair. "So...how is the Guild House coming, Keita?"

"I should be able to purchase it tomorrow...I'll be going into town to make the deal, so I shouldn't be long."

Ducker, the orange-clothed "treasure hunter" of the group, grunted. "Hmm...guess we'll have to find something to do tomorrow then while you're gone."

"Or you could just hang out here..." Keita frowned a bit and took some dishes to the sink to wash them.

"Well...whatever we do, let's get a good night sleep then." I smiled at the group and slowly got up and stretched, using my black shirt to rub my eyes. I picked up my plate that held remnants of a desert, walked over to Kirito, and held the plate out to him, looking down and smiling. "Would you like the rest of my muffin, Kirito?"

His eyes stared at the pastry and then up at me and his mouth curled into a playful smile, "I'd love the rest. Thanks...," he quickly took it and began to nibble on it.

"Well...I'm going to get some sleep, good night guys!" I gave a kind wave and walked toward the bedrooms.

"Good night!" Most of the members shouted back.

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I slowly yawed and blinked my eyes open to see Ducker standing over me. "GAH!" I jolted up and hit my head on the wall. "Ducker...Ouch...! What the heck are you doing in my room...?"

"Eh...sorry Mark, I just wanted to see you. Oh...I can see why Sachi calls you royal blue...your eyes are really blue in the mornings."

I couldn't help let a chuckle out with a few puffs of spit. "Um thanks...hahaha. I-Is there any reason for your morning stalking?" I asked as I rubbed my sore head.

"Oh! I'm not stalking...well, I guess I kind of am... I just wanted to ask you some stuff about you. Just curious I guess..."

I scooted back to lean against the wall and ruffed my hand through my hair. "Oh well...what about me?"

"Well...you've been a part of our little family for about a month and so I just was wondering what your life was like in the real world...before this all happened?"

I looked at him for a moment, a bit somber, and smiled. "Sure. Well, I was going to school as a junior at the time and just living life I guess. From what I've garnered from Kirito, I've experienced some of the same things as he has. I didn't have many friends, even at my school. I guess I just didn't put off that vibe heh. As most of us here, I was big into games. For me, they were an escape to a better world. It's somewhat funny saying that now. It turns out that SAO wasn't really an escape after all."

His eyes gleamed as he listened. "Well...you have friends now! Moreover, I think Kirito really admires you."

"Hah! Why would he admire me? I mean...that's a nice thing to say, but he just joined the guild a few weeks ago, I don't think he knows me very well." I scratch the back of my head and puff out a breath of air.

Ducker playfully punched me in the arm, making me yelp out and glare at him. "Don't say that...despite his "new" status, you yourself are quite new, and believe me, you're amazing as well. I've never seen someone with a higher ranged throwing skill like you have, and you're kind to everyone too. I think Kirito knows you more than you give him credit for."

"Well thanks, Ducker. I look up to him you know? He just has this confidence about him, despite his reserved nature. I don't know how I know, but I know if anyone is going to survive this game, he will."

"I'd place my money on the both of you, not just him ha-ha."

I return the punch and laugh, making his black beanie fall off his bronze head from the force of the punch. "Look who's the flattering one now, huh?"

Ducker laughed and picked his hat up. "Yeah...well Tetsuo and I think we should go to a dungeon today, you know, make some extra money while Keita is gone at the market. Sound good?"

I turned my head a little. "Uh, well if you guys want, but maybe we should stay here?"

"Nah, come on it'll be fun. With you two, what have we to fear?" Ducker slid off my bed and bolted out the room before I could say anything.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed with a sly smile. "Little devil..." I slowly slid off my bed and walked to the window, grabbing my clothes on the window's bench and slipping them on. I first slipped on my black shirt and my similarly colored pants before I tied my red sash buckle around my waist and pulled on my boots. As I was adjusting my hair in the mirror to be more manageable and spiky, I smiled. I had to hand it to SAO; most of us looked pretty beast with our armor, designs, and clothing. I grabbed my dark maroon long-coat and put my arms through it before finally selecting both my long sword and my two stacks of short-ranged blades in my character inventory, making them appear on my back and on both my sides respectively. I flicked a short blade in the air and clicked my tongue at my reflection before walking out of the room towards the kitchen area.

I saw Sachi and Sasamaru sitting together talking while Tetsuo was lying down on the padded bench by the window. I waved to them as I walked into the kitchen. "Morning guys, I hope all of you slept well."

"Oh hey, Mark! I know I did." Tetsuo smiled at me and groaned with a stretch.

"Great!" I waved my hand in the air, making my game interface come up. I scrolled through the menu, clicked some buttons, and finally selected some items that made two rolls of bread appear on the table with some warm cream glazed on the top. Sitting down at the table, I bit into one of the rolls and sighed happily.

"Looks like a good way to start the day." Kirito walked in the room dressed in his full attire: black long coat, straps, and weapons on his being. He smiled faintly and his black eyes seemed to gleam as he looked around the room and then back at me.

"Yeah...I thought so too. You want the second roll?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks for offering though, Mark. So, Ducker, what's this about a dungeon?"

The hat-wearing teen came around the kitchen corner and grinned. "I figured we could go to the labyrinth on floor 27."

"Isn't that a little high for us?" Tetsuo frowned.

"Well I guess a little, but come on, we have Mark and Kirito with us, and so I think we'd be fine. We could really make Keita proud if we got some good items for the guild."

Sachi came around Kirito from the hallway and quietly interrupted. "I...I don't know about this...you guys know how I feel about taking risks..."

"Well if you guys are okay with it, I don't mind."

"Good, see...Sasamaru is with me!"

Both Tetsuo and Kirito sighed. "Fine...I guess."

I gulped my last bit of cream roll down and pushed up on the table. "Well...let's get going before it gets too late. Just remember, no unnecessary risks."

"Well come on then." Ducker stood in the middle of the room and held out a cyan-colored crystal. After a few moments, all of us were gathered around Ducker and touching him. "Teleport: Floor 27" A circular sphere of energy enveloped each of us as the crystal disappeared. The light illuminated our bodies to the point of blinding us, before we all disappeared in a flash of energy.

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"Aaaaaahhhh!" Tetsuo screamed as he sliced two skeletons in half in a brilliant streak of light from his weapon, making the two explode and phase out of the area.

"Nice one, bud!" Sasamaru smiled and kicked another skeleton off the ledge of the labyrinth. "I think that's all of them.

The rest of us sighed and regrouped to where Tetsuo and Sasamaru were standing. "That was the fifth group we ran into...so much for easy picking." I wiped my brow and twirled my obsidian blade behind me a few times.

"Guys...two more skeletons!" Sachi yelped and looked in front of the group.

"I got these." Kirito smirked and started running at the mobs full speed with his knight sword brandished diagonally by his side. He roared and twirled his blade around his head, slashing both skeletons with his glowing blade right in their skulls, causing them both to disintegrate.

Sachi cheered and ran up to Kirito, hugging him. "Wow that was amazing!"

The rest of us came up to see the glowing sparkles of the skeletons fading into dust. "She's right, that was something ha-ha." Tetsuo patted Kirito on the back.

"It was nothing, guys. Thanks." He sheathed his sword and his face lit up slightly.

I leaned on my sword and looked around the dark corridors of the dungeon, keeping my eye out for appearing mobs, before turning back to the group. "Heh, looks like we're in the clear for now."

"Hey guys...look at this, there's a secret door here! See the outline of the blue markings?" Ducker reached out and placed his palm against the wall, right over the blue sigil. The sign lit up with several electrifying sounds, as the wall parted into double doors that opened into a large room lined with crystal panels. In the middle of the room, a large, mahogany chest sat on an elevated panel. Ducker's face lit up as he saw it. "Guys! Treasure!" He rushed into the room and bolted towards the chest.

"No wait, Ducker!" Kirito called out and rushed after him as all of us followed.

"Stop it's probably a..."

Ducker flew the top of the chest open with a smile on his face, only to see that the chest was empty. For a moment, he looked confused until a deafening alarm sounded out all around the pale blue room, reverberating around all the crystal walls turning all the walls of surfaces red, and slamming the entrance to the "treasure room".

"It's a trap!" Tetsuo shouted with fear.

Immediately after the alarm sounded, walls and doorways opened up on all sides of the room, allowing giant, bulky dwarves with gleaming red eyes and elemental-like rock creatures to surround the room. There had to be at least twenty already surrounding us.

"These monsters are way too high!" Sasamaru saw their life counters and levels and took out a blue crystal, pointing it to the sky. "Teleport: Floor 11" Nothing happened. "W-What's going on!?"

"It must be a new trap...anti-crystal area!" I shouted and brandished my sword in front of me with a look of terror on my face.

The first rock monster in front of us roared and went in for an attack. "Hold the line!" Tetsuo and Sasamaru jumped in with their swords and started hacking at anything they could reach. Kirito expelled an inhuman roar and ran at dwarf after dwarf after elemental; slashing, hacking, and obliterating anything in his path, his sword ringing with power ups and charging attacks of light.

I dodged two swords, sliced the virtual heads off two dwarves near me, and yelped as I rolled out of the way of a flying axe. I sheathed my sword for a moment and growled, my hands drawing multiple blades off my side, twirling them in mini-cyclones of metal. I grunted and started hurling electrifying and exploding short blades at the dwarves and elemental monsters, making over a dozen of them explode and shatter into virtual memory.

Sachi twirled her bo-staff as fast as she could, parrying axe and swords and jumping out of the way of more elementals and dwarves that were swarming into the room. "Tetsuo watch out!"

Tetsuo slashed two more dwarves before looking towards Sachi shortly, turning around just in time to be impaled by an elemental spear. He screamed and felt another sword penetrate his chest, and another and another...

"TETSUO!" I froze in my place as I shouted and felt my stomach drop at the sight of him being impaled repeatedly.

Kirito turned and saw this and roared, trying to fight through a half-a-dozen dwarves to get to him, but Tetsuo's HP finally expired and he exploded in a flurry of blinding sparks and virtual energy. Kirito's black eyes were wide with shock as he knocked two more dwarves out of the way and stabbed an elemental in the stomach, making it fall apart.

Seconds afterward, Sasamaru felt his neck being grabbed by a scythe that pulled him down to the ground where he was stabbed and skewered with all manner of weapons until he disintegrated as well. I screamed and threw four more blades and sliced two elementals apart. I couldn't think straight, my heart was pounding, and I was only running on adrenaline and anger now, nothing else.

Kirito continued his impressive flurry of death and metal as he flipped around the room and ran dozen of dwarves in with his blade. He slashed at anything that was in his reach, using all attack styles or sword skills he knew. As he obliterated the west wall's mob group, a high, terrified voice shot through the air that felt like it was a sword impaling him in the chest.

"KIRITO! P...Please help me!" Sachi cried as she parried two spear attacks.

Kirito's resolve broke for a moment as he saw an entire group surrounding Sachi. He shot through two dwarves and tried to fight his way toward her, despite feeling several slashes and cuts inflicted upon him by the dungeon forces.

"Ducker, watch out!" I kicked him out of the way just as a dark dwarf hurled a giant battle-axe at us. Unfortunately, it still slashed through his orange shirt and sliced through his waist, throwing him against the north wall. I quickly selected two items from my inventory and threw both of them at the approaching mobs, causing a big explosion to erupt into fire and electricity. I ran to Ducker's side and cradled him as he was whimpering on the floor.

"M...Mark...ah! Uh...I...it hurts so bad...why does it hurt like this..." He cried in my arms as my eyes watered up. I looked around and saw Kirito continuing to try to get to Sachi.

"M...mark...you have to close the chest...maybe that'll stop them from this endless spawning..." I slowly nodded and slid my long sword out, holding a throwing blade in my other hand. I exhaled heavily and grunted, bolting towards the center of the room and flipping over a group of mobs. My maroon cloak swirled in the air as I threw my two blades into the skulls of nearby dwarves and charged up my long sword with a power strike, bringing it straight through the chests of two rock elementals. I slid to the chest and quickly closed it.

Kirito screamed aloud as he saw one of the dwarves slice his sword across Sachi's back. She whimpered almost hopelessly and flew into the air as another sword slice came down on her back. She hit the floor with a loud thud and tried to mouth something at Kirito. I didn't have the time to react to this. The spawning had stopped, but there was still over fifteen mobs surrounding us. I slid my hand in front of me, going into my inventory and selecting an item called "Whip of the Reaper". A black and gold whip appeared in my hand, and I started twirling it around and flinging the mobs beside me into the farthest wall. I could see the outline of the door again and I screamed at Kirito with no success. I pushed myself up and quickly flung my whip towards Kirito.

Just as Kirito got to Sachi and grabbed her, my whip wrapped around Kirito's waist and flung him and the attached Sachi straight towards the door. They hit the wall and the doors flung open, letting them roll onto the floor outside. The mobs were regrouping and running towards me, so I ran as hard as I could towards Ducker and picked him up. Despite bolting towards the door as fast as I could, three dwarves were twirling their axes right behind me. I managed to pull a flask from my inventory and smash it on my long sword. "Hang on, Ducker!" I flung my whip at the doorframe and used it to pull us into the air towards the opening. The dwarves jumped to try to catch us, but fell on the floor just short. As Ducker and I thudded onto the floor, I threw my giant sword into the mob group, and kicked the double doors closed just as the melting potion made my sword explode and fly into the mob group. I felt my muscles give out and I fell onto the ground by the wounded Ducker.

I don't know how long I was out: a second, a minute, or maybe an hour. I don't know. All I remember is I heard Kirito's soft voice screaming and painfully trying to coax something from someone. I slowly turned on my side and saw him kneeling over Sachi's quickly disintegrating body.

"S...Sachi...please, please don't die, please! Oh gosh...this...this is all my fault...you can't...you can't die!" He couldn't stop panting and letting tears run all over his face.

Sachi seemed strangely calm as she began fading. She softly touched Kirito's face and smiled. "Not...your...fault. I've...always...loved you." She grunted as her HP reached zero and she started disappearing. "Wait for...Christmas package...not your f...fault..." Her avatar finally exploded into sparks, causing Kirito to scream in rage and try to grab her.

By this time, I had dragged the wounded Ducker over to Kirito and hugged the screaming and crying teen from behind. "Kirito! I'm sorry...she's gone! We have to go...before more mobs come...Kirito can you hear me! I'm sorry bud...we have to..." I cried a bit, but Kirito didn't seem to hear me. I painfully pulled out a blue crystal and wrapped my hand around Kirito's neck whilst reaching out and touching Ducker's chest. "Teleport: Floor 11, Taft Inn!" The three of us lit up in a bright, blue light and vanished.

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Within seconds, all three of us had thudded onto the floor of our inn's front room and rolled around a bit. At first, none of us wanted to move as we just sat there and emptily stared forward. I could hear a few short sniffs from Kirito as he laid there. I saw that Kirito's HP counter and mine were both well below half, and that Ducker's was quickly declining below ours. I grunted and rolled onto my knees as I held a small, green crystal to his chest. "Heal." Small energy disappeared into Duckers chest and he passed out with a sigh.

I got up with a few yelps of pain and saw Kirito slowly pushing himself up and limping towards his room. I turned and picked up Ducker in my arms and carried him to the padded couch by the window, laying him down and making sure his life counter was stable. The young, dark teen was gone when I turned around again. I quickly walked across the room and arrived at Kirito's room a moment later. Slowly, I nudged the door open and saw him kneeling beside the bed with his head in the sheets just balling and crying. My heart dropped and I slowly walked in and knelt behind him, hugging him from behind.

He shivered and turned his head a bit. "G...go away please....," he growled out through his cries.

"Kirito...this wasn't your fault...please don't blame yourself. I'm so sorry that this happened..." I sniffed and tried to hold him.

He growled and shoved me off him to the ground. "I said go! L...leave me..."

I cringed and sniffed again as I slowly pushed myself off the ground and walked out of the room, wiping my eyes and going to the kitchen table. I stared at the wood of the table for a long time, and let drops of tears splash onto the rough surface, my eyes staring into the jagged reflections of the pools they made. What could I have done better? Why did this have to happen to us...? M-Maybe it's my fault...I was a higher level than most of them...I should have been able to protect them.

At first, I didn't hear the soft beeping coming from my game interface, but after a few moments, I wiped another tear off my cheek and pushed the blinking red button. 'Message from Keita: Read or Save?'

Keita...oh gosh...how will he react to this...will he blame us...

I slowly pushed the 'read' button. 'Hey, Mark. I finally got a good deal for the Guild House. Come meet me on the terrace of Floor 16 and I'll show you. Bring whoever you want; I'm excited he-he.' I closed the message and slammed my fists on the table. I had to go...I have to tell him. Maybe I should take responsibility for this...

I pulled out a blue crystal and walked over to Ducker. "Hey, bud. I'm going to...go see Keita for a while. I don't know if I'll be back for a while or...whatever. Stay safe." I saw he was still sleeping and just shrugged and stood in the middle of the room. "Teleport...Floor 16." In a circle of blue, I vanished.

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"You're going to like it; it has a bunch of rooms and space and extra storage for everyone...w-what's wrong? You don't look well..." Keita eyed me as we talked on the terrace.

I could barely hold back tears. "I...I have to tell you something...we...we went to a dungeon when you were gone. W-wanted to impress you and get some items...things didn't go well at all."

Keita's face darkened and he glared at me. "W-what do you mean!?"

"They're dead...Sas, Tetsuo...Sachi...we ran into a trap...we couldn't teleport out and...and there was too many of them. We tried...there was too many..." I was sniffling and making little spat noises every few seconds.

"W...What?! How could you.... you be so stupid?! You just...just had to stay put for a little bit! What, you couldn't protect them?! I mean we are all around level 20 it shouldn't have been hard!" His voice changed like the turn of a knob: from shocked to angry.

"I should have been able to...I...I should have. I'm definitely higher leveled....I should have protected them better."

"What do you mean? I thought you were like 20 as well...you're a beta tester aren't you. You...you and Kirito are beta testers huh?! Well damn you! D...damn you..." He was growling and crying at the same time. He unsheathed his sword and slashed towards me, slightly cutting my arm as he leaned against the terrace railing.

I screamed a bit and grabbed my arm. "AH! Y...yes I am but...I tried everything to save them...Kirito did too. Please...don't blame him. It was an accident...a terrible accident."

"You're lucky this is a safe area, or your HP would be zero by now..."

I cradled my arm and watched him toss his sword to the ground.

Keita looked up from the ground and glared at me with a hatred that I hadn't known he possessed. "I don't want your apology! I don't want your rationales! You...you and Kirito...you brought death to our guild! W...well screw this game, this world. I'll show you an accident!" He spat at me and his face scrunched up in an agony as he nudged up against the railing and purposefully leaned back so he flipped over the rail.

"WAIT NO! Keita! NO!" I grabbed my side, rushed forward to the rail, and flicked my wrist out but...no whip. There was no whip! Why didn't I have my whip?! "KEITA!" My blood-curdling screams echoed around the terrace as I watched Keita fall through the sky and hit the clouds, disappearing from my sight. I stood staring at the sunlit cloud for what seemed like forever. Why...why would he do that...this is all...no. No!

I turned around and held my hands against my face, balling into my palms. At first, I didn't notice him there, but as I dropped my hands and looked up...no...that can't be. He was the last person I wanted to see standing there. Kirito stared at me with a look of utter horror and deep hurt, on top of the pain and sadness that was already there.

"K...Kirito...Keita just...I...it's my...where did you..." I couldn't complete any sentences as I just choked on my words. His eyes were already releasing more droplets as he turned, glancing at the railing and then turning to run.

I shot at him and grabbed his shoulder. "Wait! Kirito please...I'm sorry if you think I...please none of this is my fault. Remember what Sachi said, this isn't your fault either...please don't leave me!"

He looked back at me with hurt and tearful, black eyes. "D...Don't...just don't..." He shrugged my arm off and bolted away from me and...

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I'm sorry. I just couldn't show you anymore. I don't know if Kirito had acted like that out of self-loathing, or if he thought that it was actually my fault, but I can say that that day forever changed me. I can't even look in the mirror half the time anymore. I remember trying to run after Kirito after he left, but I never found him.

After that, I...drifted. Moving from town to two...level to level, I was just a ghost. I don't know what happened to Ducker. I hope he's safe...I should have gone back and made sure, but...I literally couldn't function for a long time after that. I refused to have contact with anyone. I was a shadow.

I know that Kirito and I were higher leveled players compared to our guild, but...I can't. I can't keep trying to rationalize my actions. I just hope he is still alive. I still think he is the hero...the savior for all of us. I'm sorry for ranting. I guess that's what letting your thoughts run does to you.

I think I've figured out why I've come here to this ledge, though. Possibly, to admire how beautiful a view this sky is, but I think there's another reason. Eventually a shadow fades, and my shadow is fading fast. I think I understand the pain Keita felt now, at the end. I mean...they all were friends in real life as well...why he wouldn't be decimated at news like that, but...pure agony. It is something that warps the soul. Nevertheless, I think you've heard enough. I guess my thoughts and drifting ends here.

I slowly pulled myself up onto the railing and looked out to the night's sky. Looking around, all was quiet and peaceful, with a few stray clouds floating below Aincrad. I was surprised that I was the only one on this outlook. I guess this is floor 1 though, that might be it. I stared down at the sky and held onto the railing, slowly rocking back and forth, letting the wind nip at my maroon coat and hair. "I guess it's not such a bad way to go out...especially in this game." I leaned forward a bit more. "Bless you, Kirito. Save us all. Free this world. I know you're the hero I could never be."

I took a breath...then released my grip on the railing. I felt...free. The wind started blowing on my face and then, "ACK!" I felt a tight rope wrap around my neck and yank me out of my falling formation, vaulting me back over the railing and slamming me into the wall a few meters away. I groaned in pain and felt the rope slide off me. I rolled onto my stomach, held my neck a bit, and tried to push myself up quickly. I couldn't really see that well, though, only able to see dark shapes and specks of light, but I managed to sit up and try to rub my eyes. Before I could focus my sight, I felt something rush into me. It felt like a...person. Their arms wrapped around me and tackled me against the wall. I felt whoever this was pushing their head into my neck and holding me tight.

"Mark...you're not alone...please...remember your own words. I'm sorry for my actions...or for what I may have made you think. I'm here now, though. Please...believe me when I say that that is not the right way."

I heard the deep voice and still couldn't really see anything until I turned my head towards the person, brushing up against their dark hair and looking into their big eyes staring at me. I yelped at first and choked up. "K-Kirito...?"

His big eyes widened and he smiled. "Yeah it's me. I'm sorry for abandoning you. That was because of my own anguish...it wasn't because I hated you. I'm sorry. I'm here now for you..." He hugged me tighter. "I was here where you are now, a month ago at Christmas; I wanted to kill myself...especially because of Sachi. I didn't, thankfully. She had...left me a Christmas message that released itself on that day. Well...she-she told me not to be sad and to not blame myself. She said she figured she wouldn't make it in the end anyway and told me to...try to beat the game. Not a moment too soon for a message like that too, I wager. That night I would've gone on a suicide run and probably would've died. What I'm saying is...I know exactly how you're feeling and it's not your fault. I remember...you tried so hard to save everyone, like I was doing. I'm sorry I made you feel so low and treated you with pain and sadness."

I was crying and just staring at him with shock. "Kirito I-I don't know what to say..."

"Well...I'm not usually one for it, but you can hug me back heh." He smiled almost teasingly.

I laughed and wiped my face before continuing to cry and wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry for everything!"

"There is no need for apologies, Mark." He smiled again.

"Thanks..." I finally released the hug and leaned against the wall, my eyes still teary as I stared at his loving smile and wide eyes.

"I know the pain is still there...it is for me too, but I'm glad I wasn't the only one to survive that...hopefully, together, we can help each other. We might not be a guild anymore, but we can sure party together." He swiped his game interface and selected some options that finally made a window pop up to me.

'Kirito wants to add you as a friend. Accept? Decline?' I went wide-eyed and quickly pushed the accept button, making it ding and swish away.

"I should have done that a long time ago...now. What say I buy you a drink and a nice meal and we can catch up hmm? Let's honor those we've lost...and try to make it, okay?" He stood up and helped me get up off the ground.

I beamed at him. "Yes! I would love that...thank you. We will...or...at least I will try. Y-You are truly a hero, Kirito. The hero."

"Thank you, but I think you're more of a hero than me. Now, come on mister, let's get a nice meal." He put his arm around me.

We both walked down the street away from the terrace and smiled as we simply talked together, ready to tackle whatever came our way together the only way we knew how...as friends.

THE END

Wow, this was very hero worship-y. At least, that's what I felt about it. I hope that's okay. I would love to know what you felt about it, and if there is anything that I didn't cover in this story. I tried to be as thorough as I could, but keep it to where it could still be understood by the casual reader. As always, I love all of you, and I hoped you liked this story. I write these to inspire and to express. Enjoy!