Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online. I write this for your enjoyment only. This fic takes place after the first half of the Alicization arc so I suggest you not read any further if you have not seen the anime past episode 24 or read the LNs past volume 14 if you want to avoid spoilers. This story is also slightly AU-ish with differences from the original; please refer to the footnotes at the end. That said, enjoy and please review!

To Protect You

Kirito took a deep breath before putting as much strength as he could muster into his frail arms to maneuver his wheelchair off the main Rulid forest road and onto a hidden path that would eventually lead him into the clearing of the Gigas Cedar. Or more accurately, what was left of it. It was still early morning, about the time Alice left the house to run her errands and Kirito knew she wouldn't be back to take him out until past noon after they've had lunch. Not like he ate much nowadays; Kirito's appetite was almost non-existent ever since coming to Rulid. Even after waking up from his vegetable state, he ate only enough to stay alive, functional, and somewhat healthy.

Until now, Kirito, had never gone outside unaccompanied by his caretaker. Today would be the first time because there was something he felt he needed to do that would require total solitude. And so, Kirito waited until Alice left for the village before sneaking out of the house by himself to come to this hidden forest road where he was certain he would be alone, especially with the trees providing cover. In addition to the his and Eugeo's swords at his side, Kirito also had a tall walking stick given to him by Garitta that had been carved from the wood of the Gigas Cedar. True to its name, the monster tree had been so sturdy that were it not for Eugeo and his use of the Blue Rose sword, it would have taken at least another nine-hundred years and eighteen more generations of carvers to cut it down.

But now that the Gigas Cedar had been fallen and some of it taken apart by Garitta using tools he created from Eugeo's dragonbone axe, anything made or carved from its wood was also unbelievably durable. This included the new walking stick Kirito now had in his possession. When he had given it to him, Garitta assured Kirito that he could put as much of his weight onto the stick as he needed without fear of it breaking or cracking. And that's exactly Kirito intended on doing right now: to see if he can slowly force his legs to support and move his body again.

All right, let's see how I do with this… Kirito thought as he took his walking stick and plunged it into the ground in front of him. He knew that before he can even think of walking, he had to be able to stand first. And since falling into his current physical state, Kirito never realized how something that used to be so simple to most able-bodied people could now be so challenging for him. He knew it was possible for him to stand and walk because he was not actually paralyzed; the muscles in his legs and hips were merely weakened as a result of his battle with Quinella in addition to whatever happened to his body in the real world.

As he slowly forced himself to stand, Kirito stumbled for a moment but refused to give up. Back home, it was routine for Alice, often with Selka's help, to perform leg exercises on Kirito every day as he laid in bed or on the sofa to prevent the muscles from atrophying. *1* And unlike himself until recently, both sisters had faith and hope that he would be able to walk again one day. The thought of Alice and Selka's painstaking efforts to help him was enough to motivate Kirito to keep trying since he did not want all their hard work to be for nothing.

After five whole minutes and nearly falling back into his wheelchair twice, Kirito finally managed what took normal people only about a second or so to do: stand up. With the walking stick's aid, he was able to remain in a standing position and took a moment to wipe the sweat off his brow with his sleeve, something he was certain Alice would reprimand him for if she saw it. To appease his caretaker, Kirito made it a habit to keep a handkerchief on him at all times. But he was often too lazy to take it out of his pocket to use when needed unless he was in Alice's presence.

Trying not to think about Alice's not so-positive reaction should she see him wipe his sweaty brow with his sleeve instead of a handkerchief, Kirito took the next step. Literally. Though it had been many years since he learned how to stand and walk properly for the first time as a toddler and had no memory of it, Kirito could not help but wonder if he struggled with both back then as he was now.

Using his new walking stick as a crutch, Kirito slowly placed one foot in front of the other and tried to move away from his wheelchair. Although he had long since left his lone wolf days behind him after escaping the virtual world of Aincrad with Asuna years ago, it was times like this that Kirito truly preferred to be alone. He was not even twenty years old yet he moved almost like a frail human of ninety as he attempted to walk again for the first time in almost four months. And no matter how difficult it was, Kirito was determined to do it since him being able to at least walk on his own would be one less burden to Alice. But since this was his first attempt, Kirito also knew he had to try not to push his body too hard if he didn't want to make himself worse. The fact that he was able to even stand on his first try without falling was already a miracle in and of itself.

As he kept his breathing slow and even, Kirito slowly took a few steps while trying his best to keep his balance as well as a tight grip on his walking stick because he knew that if he did fall, it would be monstrously difficult to get up again. Especially since there was no one out here to help him.

Unfortunately, when he heard the sound of a twig snapping behind him, Kirito realized that falling was the least of his worries.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" he asked coldly without turning around.

"Now is that any way to talk to an old friend, Kirito?" a young, but gruff male voice answered.

Looking over his shoulder, Kirito saw a young man who appeared to be in his late teens or early twenties with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Although he had not seen him since he left Rulid with Eugeo almost three years ago, Kirito still recognize the smug look Zink gave him when he bluntly (and rudely) expressed his doubts about him being able to even lift a sword.

"We are not friends, Zink…" Kirito sneered. "Get lost."

"Get lost?" Zink laughed. "Now that sure sounds funny coming from some stranger who shows up in these parts from out of nowhere not once, but twice!"

"And so what if I am?" Kirito challenged. "This is a public road, isn't it? There's nothing that says law-abiding people can't use it, even if they're foreigners."

"Law-abiding?" Zink mocked as he slowly approached Kirito like a predator stalking its prey. "Wow, you really don't get out much nowadays, do you, Kirito? Did you think Rulid so backwards that we didn't hear news of a guy who's wanted for murdering a noble as well as the Pontifex herself?"

Before Kirito could respond, Zink swiftly kicked his walking stick away, causing him to cry out as he collapsed to the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kirito demanded, even as he found himself lying on his stomach and sprawled across the grassy road. Kirito barely had enough time to rise to his knees when Zink bent over and grabbed him by the throat in a painful, crushing grip.

"I thought you looked familiar when that blonde girl claiming to be the village chief's long-lost daughter showed up in Rulid passing you off as her disabled husband. But you two aren't really married, are you? Who is that girl, really? And why have you come to the village together?"

Kirito glared at Zink as he tried unsuccessfully to pry the older boy's fingers away from his throat. Had he possessed even a fraction of the strength he did before, Kirito could have easily subdued this arrogant bastard with his bare hands, no sword needed. But now, he was struggling to breathe and speak with Zink's tight grip on his throat, a grip he could not even budge, let alone break.

"That's none of your fucking business!" Kirito hissed through clenched teeth.

"Maybe not. I'm not really interested in who that girl is or your relationship to her. What I can use, however, is some of that reward money."

"What reward money?"

"Wow, you really are a dimwit, aren't you? It's not everyday someone violates the Taboo Index by committing a murder and breaking out of prison to escape justice. I don't know how you managed it, Kirito; you must have the devil's own luck. That's why no one in Rulid has turned you in so far. Because you don't exactly match the church's description of a phenomenal rogue swordsman and no one in the village has even bothered to remember you. But I did. I could never forget those freakish slanted eyes of yours or that cursed sword style you taught to Eugeo so that he could beat me for the right to compete in the Zakkaria Swordfighting Tournament first." *2*

So that's what this is about… Kirito thought. Zink wasn't interested in the reward money for his head as much as he wanted revenge for his humiliating defeat in that sword duel with Eugeo, whom he had always deemed inferior and looked down upon, in front of the entire village. A defeat that would not have been possible if Kirito himself had not instructed Eugeo on the Aincrad style of sword fighting.

"Seriously, Zink. I thought you would've gotten over that by now. Turning me in to the church now won't change anything; it was your own damn fault for underestimating Eugeo and always looking down on him."

Zink gave Kirito a hateful glare for his barb, one they both knew was right on the mark, and tightened his grip on the younger boy's throat, causing him to choke.

"You're right. Turning you in won't change anything but it would sure as hell make me feel better while fattening my purse too. To tell the truth, I've been wanting to get my revenge on Eugeo for a long time but since that little bastard is dead, you'll have to do!" *3*

Just as Kirito felt himself about to pass out from lack of oxygen, he suddenly heard Zink cry out as though someone was tearing him away, forcing him to release his hold on Kirito's throat. As he coughed and struggled to get air back into his lungs, Kirito heard the sound of a body, possibly Zink's, being slammed hard against a nearby tree.

"What the…?" Zink sputtered as he looked around in bewilderment but could see no one else in the area but Kirito.

"Does it make you feel good attacking someone who cannot defend himself, Zink? If so, you're even worse than I remember…"

At the sound of the mysterious voice but with the speaker nowhere in sight, Zink went deathly pale from fright as he struggled to free himself from an assailant he could not see. His efforts were futile, however. For whatever was pinning him against the tree was monstrously strong.

"Wh…who's there?!" he demanded.

"Someone who will not allow you to harm Kirito. I will tell you only once: never come near him again or you'll have me to deal with…"

What's going on? Kirito thought as tried to make out what was happening. It sounded like Zink was talking to someone but Kirito could not be sure because his vision was still blurry from being choked and deprived of oxygen just moments earlier. He also couldn't hear anyone but Zink himself and thought the older boy must be hallucinating and talking to someone who wasn't there.

The next thing Kirito knew, he heard the sound of a body sliding to the ground and scuffling of feet as though someone was fleeing in terror and by the time his vision cleared, it was all over and he found himself alone on the forest road again.

Under normal circumstances, Kirito would have wanted to know what just happened. However, he realized that he had a bigger problem at hand since he was sprawled on the ground with no way to get back up now that his walking stick had been kicked several yards away.

"Oh crap…" Kirito muttered. Though his situation looked grim, he did not wish to remain where he was and hope that someone would find him. With great effort, Kirito managed to prop himself on his elbows with the intent of crawling to his walking stick while thankful that no one was around to witness the degrading position he was in.

Unfortunately, even crawling was difficult for Kirito now that Zink's assault had weakened him further; the most he could manage to move was a few inches before he ran out of energy and collapsed again.

It looks like I've hit rock bottom… Kirito thought sadly as he rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes, fighting back tears. How far I've fallen from where I used to be. Now my only hope is for someone to find me before I die out here and my corpse becomes food for the animals…

No sooner did he finish the thought, Kirito felt himself being slowly turned over and gently lifted off the ground, as if into somebody's arms.

Someone he couldn't see.

Kirito gasped and was about to demand to know who was picking him up when he thought he heard a gentle voice inside his mind like the time he tried to cut himself with the fruit knife he was using to peel apples.

"Don't worry, Kirito, I'm here for you. I will always be here to protect you when you need me. Now sleep…"

Frightened, the boy was about to protest when he felt his eyelids growing heavy before he finally fell into a deep sleep…

SSSSSS

"Selka, are you sure he's here?" Alice asked worriedly as she followed her younger sister into the clearing of the Gigas Cedar.

"Yes, that's where the note said he would be", Selka answered. "Somebody knocked on the village church's door hard and left this note out front."

"Who was it?"

"I have no idea. When I answered the door, I only saw this note pinned to the front of it. But there was no one there."

Alice was about to remark on how strange that was when she heard her younger sister gasp.

"Look, there he is, Alice!"

Looking towards the direction Selka was pointing, Alice's eyes widened when she saw Kirito lying on the stump of the Gigas Cedar. His wheelchair and the two swords he kept with him as well as his new walking stick were also nearby.

"Oh my god, how did he get here? Is he all right?" Alice demanded to no one in particular as she approached the giant tree stump to take a closer look at Kirito, who appeared to be fast asleep but with some bruising around his neck and throat as if someone had tried to strangle him not too long ago.

"This isn't good…", Selka said grimly after checking Kirito's pulse as well as to see if he was still breathing. Which, he thankfully was. "Even though Kirito's life doesn't seem to be in any danger, he's clearly been assaulted just recently. We need to get him back to the house and put him to bed before we can treat those bruises."

"You're right", Alice agreed. "Help me get him back into his wheelchair and we'll talk when we get home."

"Of course."

SSSSSS

"All right, who do you think did this?" Alice asked Selka quietly as she watched her sister used a Sacred Art spell to heal the bruises around Kirito's neck and throat while she herself changed him into some new clothes to replace the ones that got dirty when he fell to the ground earlier. As soon as they took Kirito back home, the Zuberg sisters put him to bed to clean and search his body for other possible injuries. Asides from the ones around his neck, Kirito also had some other minor bruises from his fall but nothing serious.

"I'm not sure… but I can guess", Selka answered in a low voice and she tried to avoid meeting her older sister's eyes. "Not long before the note appeared on the front door of the church, I've heard some of the villagers say they saw Zink running from the forest looking as though he'd seen a ghost…"

Alice raised a brow. "Who's Zink? And why would he want to attack Kirito, if he did?"

"It's… a long story…"

"I'm not going anywhere, Selka. If you know of anyone who may want to harm Kirito, you need to tell me" Alice insisted.

Selka took a deep breath before beginning. "I think I may be the only one other than Zink who remembers Kirito when he showed up in this village three years ago. I don't know how they managed it, but Kirito was the one who helped Eugeo finally cut down the Gigas Cedar, thus freeing Eugeo from his old calling and giving him the right to choose another."

"He chose to be a swordsman."

"Yes… and Kirito was his instructor. He taught Eugeo an unusual but potent sword fighting style that enabled him to defeat Zink when the latter challenged him for the right to be the first person from this village to compete in the Zakkaria Swordfighting Tournament."

"And for that petty reason, Zink tried to kill Kirito? Are you serious, Selka?" Alice asked incredulously.

Selka shook her head. "It wasn't a petty reason to him, Alice. Zink has always looked down on Eugeo and couldn't stand the possibility in being surpassed in swordsmanship by him. He challenged Eugeo to a duel in front of the whole village to prove he was better but because of Kirito's tutelage, Eugeo defeated Zink easily. I can only imagine how utterly humiliating it was for him because he's held a grudge against the both of them ever since."

"Still, this is unacceptable", Alice insisted. "We need to report this to father and the village authorities."

Selka shook her head fiercely at her sister's suggestion. "No, Alice. I strongly advise against that."

"Why?"

"Zink's father is the village captain of the guard. If we make such an accusation against him, people are going to want to know what motive he would have to attack Kirito. If we reported Zink's assault to father and the village authorities, we risk exposing Kirito's true identity and putting him in even more danger since he is still wanted by the Axiom Church for violating the Taboo Index and has a reward being offered for his head."

"So, what are we going to do?" Alice asked. "If what you say is true, what's to stop this Zink from going after Kirito again? Asides from his grudge, he also has that reward money as a motive."

"I don't think its likely Zink will go after Kirito again…"

"And why is that?"

"Well, when Zink returned to the village, he looked scared out of his wits. I think that someone saved Kirito from him in the forest and whoever it was must have terrified Zink. I also think that he or she may be the same person who left that note on the church door as well."

"That is strange…" Alice admitted. "I suppose we should be grateful. One thing I am sure of is that we cannot let Kirito go off on his own like that again. I wish he had not left the house alone without telling me."

"I agree. But I think I understand why Kirito wanted to be alone."

"Why?"

"Well, judging from the fact that he took his new walking stick with him, I believe that Kirito wanted to see if he can force himself to stand and walk again" Selka answered.

"I see. I understand he doesn't want to be a burden to us but still…"

Before Alice could say anything else, both she and Selka heard a soft groan as the young man they were caring for slowly woke up.

"Ugh…" Kirito groaned as he slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying in his bed with Alice and Selka bending over to look at him. Out of the corner of his eye, Kirito also saw his wheelchair, swords, and walking stick in the corner of his room. "What happened?", he asked groggily. "How did I get here?"

"That's what we'd like to know. Selka and I brought you home when we found you lying on the stump of the Gigas Cedar not too long after someone left a note on the church door saying you'd be there."

"What?"

"Kirito, you were attacked by someone in the forest. That's the conclusion I came to when I saw the bruises around your neck", Selka answered. "It was Zink, wasn't it?"

Kirito stared at her and asked "How could you know that, Selka?"

"There were people who saw him running out of the forest from the direction of the road leading to the clearing of the Gigas Cedar where we found you."

"Did they see anyone else? The last thing I remember was being picked up by someone before I passed out."

"That's the strange thing", Alice began. "Zink was the only person anyone saw leave the forest. But that does not matter, Kirito. What does matter is that you're safe. And to keep it that way, you must promise me that you will not leave the house alone again, especially without telling me."

"But…"

"No buts!" Alice replied fiercely. "I know you want to walk again. And I know you want to be as independent as possible. But there is no shame in keeping yourself out of unnecessary danger or accepting the help of others when you truly need it. You know Selka and I are more than willing to help you with anything you need and that includes trying to use your legs again. So, please don't go off on your own like that again; you may not be lucky enough to have someone save you next time."

Kirito sighed in slight frustration but he knew Alice and Selka were right. Were it not for the mysterious good Samaritan who came to his rescue earlier that day, he might have ended up either dead if Zink lost his temper and decided to strangle him to death, or back at the Central Cathedral prison awaiting execution for the murder of Raios Antinous as well as the Pontifex herself. And this time, he wouldn't have Eugeo to help him break out nor the strength and means to escape alone.

"You're right, Alice", Kirito apologized. "I'm sorry I put you and Selka through all that trouble. I promise I won't leave the house alone again."

"Good", Alice replied in relief. "More importantly, how do you feel now, Kirito?"

"My neck hurts a bit but I'll live", he answered jokingly, his tone causing Selka to frown slightly.

"Kirito, what just happened to you is no laughing matter", she said sternly, making her sound more mature than her fifteen years. "I know Zink has harbored a grudge against you and Eugeo for some time. But I never thought he hated you to the point that he would do what he did today. For your own sake, its best that you do not leave the house unaccompanied by either Alice or myself. Nor should you be seen by the villagers too often because we have no idea if there's anyone else who might realize who you really are and try to turn you over to the church for that reward money."

"And what about Zink?"

"I don't think he will go after you again. Whoever saved you must have terrified him so much that he left you undisturbed in the clearing of the Gigas Cedar until we found you. But like Alice said, you may not be so lucky a second time if someone else tries to apprehend you."

"You're right, Selka. I was very lucky today. I wish I at least knew who saved me so I can thank him. Or her. By the way, do you have that note you said was pinned to the church door? Maybe that can give me a clue."

"Well, the note was very brief. All it said was that a young raven-haired man had been attacked in the forest but he was safe now and resting in the clearing of the Gigas Cedar. There was no name signed on it or anything like that. But if you insist…"

"Please, Selka. Just to sate my curiosity if nothing else."

"Very well", Selka replied as she reached into the pocket of her nun's habit, pulled out a small piece of paper, and handed it to Kirito.

After receiving the note, Kirito looked it over and was slightly disappointed to discover that it said exactly what Selka described. He thought the handwriting looked familiar but couldn't quite put a finger on who it might belong to.

"I see…" Kirito said. "Thank you. I assume you and Alice knew it was me because whoever wrote this note described my hair color."

"Right", Alice confirmed. "And that's one of the things that has me concerned. Your black hair and grey eyes make you stand out among the locals. I'm also sure the Axiom Church included them in their description of you. And don't take this the wrong way, Kirito, I know the reason no one in the village has turned you in is because you're currently not the 'dangerous rogue swordsman' the church has described even though you have the right hair and eye color." *4*

"It's all right, I'm not offended, Alice" Kirito assured. "That's also what Zink said. The reason he knew who I really was is because of his grudge against me and Eugeo which motivated him to remember my exact appearance as well. Even if I'm not in peak physical condition anymore."

"Even so, we must use caution, Kirito. There's no guarantee that others might not figure it out even if they don't hold any personal grudges against you. That's why I think it's best that you don't interact with the villagers too often. As of now, they don't really remember you and we should keep it that way."

"I understand. And I agree. There's no need to worry since I don't really interact with anyone nowadays other than you, Selka, and old man Garitta. He does remember me but we can trust him."

"Right", Selka agreed before turning to her elder sister. "I think we should let Kirito rest now. He's had a very rough day."

"I know", Alice replied before turning back to Kirito. "Selka and I will leave you alone now. If there's anything you need, just let us now."

"Thanks, Alice. I will. By the way, Selka, do you mind if I keep this note?"

"No, not at all", she replied. "Keep it. I'll be back later to help Alice make dinner. I hope you'll be well enough to join us then."

"I think I will be. Thank you again, Selka."

The young nun smiled as she gently took her elder sister by the arm and gave it a gentle tug. Taking the hint, Alice followed Selka as she opened the door to Kirito's room and stepped outside, leaving the boy to his thoughts.

SSSSSS

Dinner and his usual bath went by quietly for Kirito, even after stressful events of the day for him and the Zuberg sisters. To avoid worrying them any further, Kirito did his best to pretend his assault by Zink never happened and insisted that they should all forget about it. Though deep down, he was actually shaken to be easily bested by a common guardsman who was at best, a rank-amateur swordsman in comparison to himself. The incident made Kirito realize that he may end up endangering Alice and Selka if others decided to go after him for the reward money offered for his head by the Axiom Church. And he knew the only way to minimize that risk was for him to stay out of the public eye as much as possible. *5*

After getting dressed for bed with Selka's help, Kirito decided it best to turn in early but still took a few moments to look over the note she gave him earlier, the note that was the only clue as to the identity of his mysterious savior from earlier that day. The brief message in and of itself did not pique Kirito's interest as much as the handwriting style in which it was written. Like the first time he looked at it, Kirito found the handwriting slightly familiar yet foreign at the same time and felt as though he might know the person to whom it belonged but wasn't sure.

However, unknown to Kirito, the person who came to his rescue as well as the writer of that very note was present and watching him as of this very moment with his ever-searching green eyes. Invisible to the eyes of his best friend, Eugeo held his spiritual breath as he watched Kirito look over the note the he wrote and pinned on the door of the village church to guide Alice and Selka to the clearing of the Gigas Cedar where he had left him after scaring his assailant away. For a moment, Eugeo worried that Kirito might recognize his handwriting, which he had taken great pains to disguise, but was relieved to see the older boy finally give up and put the note in the drawer of his night table. Eugeo knew that if Kirito could not recognize his disguised handwriting, no one could because it was Kirito himself who taught him how to read and write proficiently enough to be accepted into the Centoria Swordcraft Academy. Before meeting his best friend, the blond youth had been nearly illiterate, something that was not unusual for a humble woodcutter who had little need for being able to read and write other than to sign his name and read the Stacia Window. *6*

After putting the note away, Kirito finally turned out the light and laid down on his bed. Despite already sleeping for most of the day, he was still able to fall asleep quickly and easily and it wasn't hard for Eugeo to guess why. Even though Zink's assault on him was not enough to leave any permanent physical damage, the psychological damage was another story since it dealt a heavy blow to his already weakened confidence.

"And that's why you believe he needs you, isn't it, Eugeo?" a gentle female voice asked from out of the blue, startling the blond youth from his thoughts.

Turning, Eugeo saw Cardinal approach until she was standing beside him.

"You've read my mind", he said. "I was thinking of you as well as Kirito, actually."

"I know you were. In addition to being able to go anywhere with a thought as well as hear our loved ones among the living when they think or speak of us, we can also sense when we are needed by others on the spiritual plane as well", the child-like woman replied good-naturedly.

"I guess that makes things a bit easier for me, then. I do need your help, Cardinal. I'm sure you know what happened to Kirito today."

"Yes, I do. And I must say you were quite harsh to do what you did to protect Kirito from that boy who was hurting him. When we use our minds to connect with the physical world, the results can be more powerful or intense than our mortal bodies could achieve in life. In short, you could have killed Kirito's assailant with the strength you put behind your attack since your anger towards him amplified it."

"I will do anything to protect Kirito. You know that, Cardinal", Eugeo replied quietly.

"Of course I do. You've already proven it when you gave your life for him and Alice at the Central Cathedral, Eugeo."

"But this time, I am bound by time constraints" the blond said in frustration as he clenched his fists. "I know that every physical action I take shortens the time I am permitted on the human plane. Today, I sensed that Kirito was in danger when I heard him and Zink talk about me. But I could not intervene to help Kirito until he was actually attacked and barely had enough time to save him, leave him in the clearing of the Gigas Cedar, scratch out that note from the pen and paper I managed to pull out of Zink's pocket, and pin it on the church door to ensure that Alice and Selka can find him before I was forced to leave."

"So, what are you getting at, Eugeo?", Cardinal asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"I need a way to ensure that I can stay on the human plane for as long as I need, an anchor of sorts."

"What did you have in mind?" she pressed, also knowing the answer to that inquiry as well.

Eugeo took a deep breath and answered. "I'd like you to bind my spirit to the Blue Rose sword so it can serve as my anchor to the human plane. Since Kirito always has it in his possession, it will ensure that I can always come to him when he needs me and without time restrictions. Can you do that, Cardinal?"

She smiled at him before her expression became serious. "Yes, I can. But it won't be like the time I fused your physical body to the Blue Rose sword."

"How so?"

"Because the only way it can be undone that I know of is if you returned to your original existence as a part of Kirito's fluctlight, especially if the sword is destroyed somehow. Should that happen, there is a possibility that you may lose your self-awareness and be completely absorbed back into him. You could be bound to either your sword or Kirito himself for all eternity. But you may never be free again as you are now. Are you sure you want to risk it, Eugeo?"

Eugeo was silent for a moment as he thought over Cardinal's warning. He knew that it wouldn't be long before Kirito was called into battle again and that there will be people depending on him. But until Kirito recovered from his current state and even after that, someone must protect him and ensure his survival by whatever means necessary. And while Eugeo would have loved nothing more than to stay with his beloved Alice forever, he also knew that he couldn't just abandon his best friend whom he knew also paid a heavy price for their victory against the Pontifex of the Axiom Church. While Eugeo himself was no long susceptible to physical pain, suffering, or illness upon departing his mortal body, Kirito was virtually a prisoner in his own and had a price on his head large enough to tempt nearly the entire the Human Empire into hunting him down like an animal if they knew his true condition.

And all for doing what they both knew was right.

Knowing this steeled Eugeo's resolve and he clenched his fists. "Yes", he said. "Its something that must be done. And not just for Kirito's sake, but for the sake of our world as well."

Cardinal's expression softened and for a moment, she seemed to glow with pride. "Somehow, I'd knew you say that, Eugeo. You often thought of yourself as weak when you were alive. But that was never the case. It takes a lot of strength and courage to make the choices you have and are making now. Your destiny is not just to protect Kirito but also to fight alongside him because he won't be able to save our world with his strength and power alone. Even he knows this."

"Then you'll do it? Bind my spirit to the Blue Rose sword?"

"Yes. Now that Kirito is asleep, I want you to take your sword and place it on top of his body. Fold his hands over it and I will begin the ritual."

"Yes, Cardinal", Eugeo obeyed as he used the power of his mind and made the physical move to take his sword from Kirito's left side and place it on top of him before folding the sleeping boy's hands over it.

"Now place your own hands on top of the sword and I will do the same."

"Right."

Once both of their hands were on top of the Blue Rose sword, Eugeo watched as Cardinal closed her eyes and focused, her spirit as well as his own glowing with a soft blue light for a few brief moments before they returned to normal.

"All right, the binding is complete. Just give it a little time to go into effect since its a bit more permanent than the first one I performed for you" she said simply, prompting Eugeo to raise a brow.

"You mean, that's it?"

"Yes. As spirits, we no longer need to speak commands or spells out loud to perform them. Doing so in our minds is enough, just like making contact with the physical world. You should know this."

"Yes, I do. I used a Sacred Art spell to put Kirito to sleep after I saved him just by thinking it."

"Right. I'm sure that you've also discovered that we can speak directly into the minds of the living if we focused our thoughts enough."

"I have."

"Good. Now the last thing to do before we must depart is put your sword back at Kirito's left side. He might be confused or frightened if he wakes up and finds it on top of him" Cardinal said with a touch of humor.

Laughing softly, Eugeo obeyed again and placed his sword back where it belonged as he expressed his gratitude to the child-like woman for her help.

"Thank you, Cardinal. For doing this for me. And for Kirito."

"There's no need to thank me. You've made the right choice. I'm proud of both of you and I always will be. I must go now; performing the binding you requested has cut the time I am permitted here."

"I understand. I think I have a little time left. I'd like to stay with Kirito a little longer."

"Of course, Eugeo. Good night."

And with that, Cardinal finally vanished. Know that he would soon have to follow suit since it might take a few hours before the binding she performed goes into effect, Eugeo sat down on Kirito's bed and gently placed his hand on the older boy's cheek after brushing his dark bangs aside.

"Kirito, I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner today or you wouldn't have gotten hurt" the blond apologized sadly. "But that will soon change. I know you will do this anyway but I feel I must say it all the same: keep the Blue Rose sword with you always. This way, I can protect you without fail and fight alongside you as well when the time comes. Until then…"

Eugeo wanted to say more but upon seeing Kirito as well as the room around him slowly start to fade, he knew it had to make it quick. Bending over, the blond gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Be well, my friend, my brother, my hero…"

Footnotes:

1. Atrophy means gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect. In reference to body tissue and organs, it means to waste away. In my fic, Kirito does not want to lose the use of his legs permanently so he tries to force himself to walk to prevent his muscles from atrophying. Alice and Selka also help him with this by moving his legs everyday.

2. In the LNs and manga, there was an additional scene where Eugeo and Zink/Jink engaged in a duel after Eugeo chose his new calling to be a swordsman. I used this scene as a basis for Zink's grudge and attack on Kirito as well as portraying him a bit more malicious than he is in canon.

3. In the LNs, Zink is described to be a bit of a bully to Eugeo and was always playing mean pranks on him.

4. In the LNs, Kirito's hair and eye color is described as being extremely rare for the part of the Human Empire where he was residing and traveling. Eugeo's hair and eye color in comparison, were considered very common since the people and culture of the Underworld are depicted as being closer to Western than Eastern. Kirito's eyes are also described as being as black as his hair in the LNs but the anime depicts them as being closer to a dark, steel-grey.

5. In my fic, Kirito is wanted by the Axiom Church for violating the Taboo Index and being the first to escape from the Central Cathedral prison. He was also probably the first person in the Underworld to commit a murder even though he did not kill Quinella or Raios Antinous directly.

6. Since he was a peasant woodcutter from a country village, I assume Eugeo was close to being illiterate but I am not certain because I've never actually read the LNs, only heard people talk about them on Tumblr and other SAO fan sites.