I saw her, red and white uniform blazing, as she attacked and defended herself from SABRE guard. My black uniform had allowed me to remain hidden within the shadows of the tall structure behind me. I guessed she didn't like any loose ends.

Edge had guided us here, we were supposed to be back up for Nilin's escape. We were to defend Nilin, who would still be slightly dizzy from memory loss, should anything go wrong. It was unlikely that anything would go wrong. Edge was often one step ahead of everyone. There were very few of his orders that had ever gone wrong like Nilin's capture had. He was almost like an omniscient presence who knew nearly everything.

I was supposed to be focused on the exit that was not too far ahead of me, waiting for the figure of Nilin to exit.

I couldn't. I was watching her brown hair whip around as she finally knocked the guard unconscious.

There weren't often guards lingering around here. It was too close to the Leaper Den. Too many untrained people had died far too easily because they had wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time.

I used to know all of the Errorists only a couple of months ago, but there had been an influx of them recently. They all wanted to do something, they wanted their lives to have meaning. Many had not truly understood how easily our numbers could drop until they faced death.

Their determination changed after that, because with the death of a few they saw the possibility of freeing so many more.

I didn't recognise the girl though. She must have been pretty new, but she fought as if it came naturally. Her body moved far more fluidly than many other recruits.

"I'm Asuna."

I hadn't noticed her walking up to me. My thoughts of her had caused me to lose focus.

I couldn't afford that, not while I was on a mission.

I nodded. "Kirito."

"Nilin has left. Split up and return to base," Edge's voice crackled in our ears.

We exchanged a glance and parted ways.