2 The mysterious old man

Once Kirito woke up from his long sleep, he realized he was still in a cell, however, this time he wasn't alone. Someone in the very far corner was with him as well.

"You are finally awake?" the man said

Kirito ignored him and acted as if he didn't hear him. The mysterious man then walked towards Cretus and sat next to him. He had a dirty brown cloak, ripped pants, and had no sandles. He looked like the normal old fool that wanders around the street in search of problems.

"Well, how about you tell me about your story. What crime did you commit to appear in the high prison district?" the man told Kirito in a gentle tone.

"I return you the question, old man."

The man simply looked at the ceiling and smiled

"What is it that I said is making you so happy?" Kirito asked angrily

"If' t be true thee doth not understand mine own silence, how shall thee understand mine own words?" the man said

Kirito started to lose patience and replied "What the fuck are you mumbling old fool?"

"If 't be true truly thou art innocent, thee shall not kicketh the bucket here, and thee shall liveth to becometh a legend" the Old man continued mumbling.

"Old man! I don't have time to listen to your stupid quotes that make no sense!" Kirito shouted out, "Do you not see we are going to die here! So stop wasting my fucking time and leave me alone!"

Suddenly, Kirito heard footsteps heading towards him, and he saw two samurais both holding buckets in which one contains a load of rice and the other water.

"Wake up ya bastards, you got some food and water here." The samurai with the bucket of rice said "You sure are lucky you have a generous emperor governing this place because others would have placed changes on your hands and hang you right above everyone as an example of what happens to sneaky bastards who try to go against the law"

Kirito after letting the samurai speak walked towards him and held the bars which separated him and the samurai.

"If the emperor you talk about is as merciful as you say, please convince him to get an audience with me, for I am innocent, I was only a witness of the tragic death of the barman," Kirito said in a serious tone

"I could if I wanted to, but it must be a lot of work and if things do not go well, emperor Shikadai could kill me instantly freezing me forever" the Samurai replied

Kirito astonishingly looked at the samurai, "What do you mean, freeze you forever?

Lord Shikadai's glorious power is ice. Many emperors, ninjas, high ranked samurai and monsters have powers. It depends, some have wood, some have the power of fire, some have spiders, some have tigers, and others have water or ice. You can have power based on your animal relation or your elemental relation.

Kirito was more astonished than ever. He never heard of such odd magic powers in his entire life. He never left the village, so he could never discover the wonders of the outside world, so learning that emperors had such immense powers made him even more scared of them.

"So, everything is over," Kirito said in a desperate tone, "I will die by the hands of a God... *mumbling* What will mother think of me when she will see my dead body?"

"She sure won't be too happy!" the samurai shouted out with a smile on his face

After the londal guard said that, they both starting laughing out loud.

This infuriated Kirito tried to reach for the samurai and knock his head on the gate of the cell. The samurai was completely out cold and the second one stabbed Kirito so that he could help his comrade up.

"You can say goodbye to your meal you fucking bitch!" the samurai said

He then left with his comrade and the buckets of water and rice. Kirito who was already injured quite badly in the leg, shoulder, and forehead now had a big wound right under his armpit.

"That was very brave of you young man, but it was very stupid as well. I know that they were not very nice concerning your mother, but you have to learn how to control yourself..." the man said

Kirito painfully tried to sit down next to the mysterious man, "Who are you to start giving me lessons. You are just an old fool who knows nothing, so shut up if you don't mind."

"I do not think that is the way to talk to your elder's young man," the man told Kirito

Kirito laughed despite the pain at what the man said while he smiled at Kirito.

"Why are you smiling now... oh let me guess, I won't understand," Kirito said with one of his eyes closed.

"You are the one who does not want to understand, I am smiling because I see hope" the man

"Whatever old man..."

Suddenly the mysterious man went to the corner in which he was when Kirito first woke up and pulled out a magic potion.

"What are you doing over there," Kirito asked as he coughed in pain.

"Well clearly if I don't do anything now, you will die here." the man said.

The mysterious man then walked towards Cretus and crouched right next to him

"Drink this boy."

"How can I trust you?"

The Mysterious man smiled and said, "listen to your heart and decide whether you can trust me or not."

"Argh," Kirito grunted in pain, "I am drinking it because I have no other option, and not because I listened to my heart."

Kirito then drunk the potion with the help of the mysterious man and suddenly, all his injuries started to heal.

"Old man, where on earth did you find that potion," Kirito said in amazement when checking if his wounds were still there.

"Some things are just bound to stay a secret young boy."

"You sure are a mystery aren't you?" Kirito said while looking at the man

"Does that disturb you in any way?"

"It is not my choice but yours, however, I would want to know how you got into prison when you are such a lovable person?" Kirito asked

"I am here to help you." the man answered simply

Kirito for the hundredth time was astonished by such a response.

Kirito didn't get what the man told him, but before he could ask, he started to hear footsteps. This time, more than 5 samurai came to the cell and opened the cell gate. A crecher (Emperor's loyal counsellor) came inside the cell.

"It is time for you to pay for your actions," The crecher said, "I am sure our lord will find something to do with you, maybe slave, or servant..."

"Are you going to let your emperor torture an already old and defenceless man?"

"What old man are you talking about?" the crecher asked.

Kirito looked around him just to find out that there was no one in the cell. Was he hallucinating since then? Was he just talking to an illusion since the beginning?

'Was I hallucinating? Impossible, if I was, I would still be severely injured and on the verge of death. There must be another explanation...' Kirito thought

"What the fuck are you doing over there?" the Crecher asked, "I don't have time for this, our lord granted you an audience to defend yourself. Be lucky that our lord is so clement towards while the act you committed is unforgivable."

"I didn't kill that man," Kirito said

"Oh of course you didn't! Do you have any proof?"

Kirito stayed silent because although he knew the truth, he couldn't blame anyone here for thinking he was the murderer. If only he had bad proof, he would be able to show everyone, unfortunately.

"That's what I thought," the crecher said smiling, "Put him in chains and bring him to the lord's palace. You must be the luckiest human alive at the moment because you are going to meet the emperor..."