Eugeo watched Kirito purse his lips in worry, then eventually decided it was time to say it.
“It’s no good, Kirito. She’s losing too much blood.”
Kirito hung his head for a little while, then rasped, “I know…but if we keep trying to think of an idea…we’re sure to find a way. C’mon, Eugeo, help me.”
Eugeo was struck by his powerlessness, and it particularly reminded him of how he had felt two days ago when he’d been unable to prevent the evil acts that befell Ronie and Tiese.
But no matter how hard he thought about it, there simply wasn’t any way to call back the life that was vanishing before their eyes. For a moment, he even considered healing the four other knights instead for extra help, but they clearly didn’t have the time for that. If either Kirito or Eugeo stopped healing her, Fanatio’s life would run out within a matter of seconds. And even if they continued, the only difference was that the moment would arrive in a few minutes instead.
Eugeo summoned his determination and told his partner, “Kirito, when we escaped from the underground cells, you said that we needed to be prepared to kill any enemy who came across our path if we wanted to keep going. That’s the mindset you had going into this battle, right? You knew that one side would live and the other would die when you used that attack? At the very least, I don’t think Fanatio had any hesitation. It looked like she was risking her entire life. And I think you know, too, Kirito…that this isn’t the point where we can go easy on the enemy out of concern for them and actually win.”
Ultimately, that was what it meant to use a real sword on someone else, not a wooden one. It was a lesson Eugeo had learned through personal experience; cutting off Humbert’s arm had left his hands trembling, his eye in agony, and the pit of his stomach frozen with fear.
He’d always assumed that his black-haired partner had understood these things for ages, ever since they met in the forest of Rulid.
Kirito clenched his teeth and shook his head. “I know…I know. She and I fought our hardest…It was a true duel, one where either of us could have won. But…she’ll be gone if she dies! She lived for over a century…worrying, loving, agonizing…and I can’t just erase that soul of hers. I mean…if I die, I just…”
“Huh…?”
“If I die, I just”…what? Everyone was beckoned up to Stacia’s side and disappeared when their life ran out. Kirito might be mysterious in many ways, but he was still human and subject to that universal rule.
But Eugeo’s moment of confusion was cut short when Kirito abruptly looked up and shouted, “Can you hear me, Commander?! Your vice officer is going to die! Or prime senator, whatever that is! If any of you can hear me, come down and help her!!”
His voice echoed faintly off the distant ceiling and died out meekly. But he kept shouting.
“Anyone…I know more of you Integrity Knights are up there! Come and save your companion! Priests, monks…somebody come!!”
Up above, the disfigured representation of the three gods simply stared down at them in silence. No one was coming—not even the slightest breeze stirred the air.
Back on the floor, the color continued draining from Fanatio’s hair and skin. Her life was down to a hundred, or maybe fifty. Eugeo considered suggesting that they observe a moment of silence for Vice Commander Fanatio Synthesis Two as her soul departed for the heavens, but Kirito wouldn’t stop screaming.
“Please…someone! If you’re watching, help us! Oh…Cardinal! Come quick, Cardi…”
He abruptly fell silent, as though the words caught in his throat. Eugeo looked over at him, and he was surprised to see in his face a transformation from astonishment to hesitation, and then to determination.
“H-hey…what is it?”
But Kirito didn’t answer. He stuck his hand through the collar of his black shirt—and pulled out a small bronze dagger hanging from a thin chain.
“Kirito!” Eugeo shouted on impulse. “You know that’s—!”
Eugeo had one around his neck, too. Of course he wouldn’t forget the daggers Cardinal had given them before they left the Great Library. The daggers had no attack capability, but the target of the blade would be temporarily connected to Cardinal. They were their ultimate weapons. Eugeo would use his on Alice—and Kirito, on Administrator.
“You can’t do that, Kirito! Cardinal said there were no extras after these! It’s for the battle against Administrator…”
“I know that…” Kirito groaned. “But I can save her with this. I can’t have the one thing that will help her right here and simply choose not to use it…I can’t just assign a priority order to people’s lives like that.”
He stared down at the dagger in his hand, equal parts pained and determined. Then he quickly but carefully stuck it into Fanatio’s left hand, which was relatively unscathed.
Instantly, the blade and the chain shone bright.
Before there was time to draw a breath, the dagger dissolved into numerous little strings of purple light. On closer look, the strings were actually lines of the sacred runes that appeared on Stacia Windows. The fine little lines of text broke free and swooped through the air, then vanished into spots all over Fanatio.
The dagger vanished completely, and purple light enveloped the Integrity Knight’s body. Eyes bulging at this astonishing phenomenon, Eugeo belatedly noticed that the blood oozing from the wound in her upper torso was totally dry now.
“Kirito…”
Eugeo was going to point this out, but a voice from nowhere cut him off.
“Good grief. I should have known with you.”
Kirito’s face shot upward. “Cardinal…is that you?!”
“Time is short. Don’t ask the obvious.”
That combination of sweet voice and irritated tone could only belong to the previous pontifex they’d met in the Great Library.
“Cardinal…I’m sorry…I—,” Kirito stammered.
“Don’t apologize to me now,” she snapped, cutting him off. “Given what I’ve seen of how you fight, I had an inkling that this might happen. I understand the situation—I will heal Fanatio Synthesis Two. But I will have to bring her here, as full recovery will take some time.”
The purple light covering Fanatio’s body flashed brighter. Eugeo had to shut his eyes, and by the time it was safe to look again, the Integrity Knight was completely gone—and to his surprise, so was the pool of blood on the floor.
There were a few of the little strings of sacred text still floating in the air. They blinked in synchronization with the sound of Cardinal’s voice, which was getting quieter.