It's a brisk summer morning.
As I gaze out my window at the clear blue sky, I stretch my arms wide.
Then, I flop down on my bed with plans to idle away my day.
There isn't much summer vacation left.
Also, the Bushin Festival primaries start next week, so I gotta run through some scenarios at some point.
However, the fact remains that people can't go on living if they don't carve out time for lazing.
Okay, I might have just made that up.
It's still true for me, though.
"Hey, Cid! I've got big news, so open up!"
Suddenly, Skel starts banging on my door and shouting.
As two people grow familiar with each other, they will inevitably end up annoying each other. Why is it that people seek out the company of others, knowing it brings such grief? These are the kinds of questions I'm forced to confront during one of the few summer vacation mornings I have left.
Honestly, I'm kinda digging it. It feels like I'm one of those masterminds who always keep others at arm's length.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."
I unlock the door and greet Skel.
"Look, it's a wanted poster for President Rose. Ten million zeni if she's captured alive and half a million for useful information on her."
"Huh." I take the poster from Skel and glance at it.
"Let's go catch her."
"Wait, why?"
'''Cause l'm broke." Skel's expression is one of abject desperation.
"Didn't you say you had some match that was guaranteed to go a certain way?"
"I don't wanna talk about it."
"Weren't you gonna make bank off that?"
"Shut up. Look, I don't wanna get into the details, but l'm broke. Which means I need money."
"I see."
"C'mon, man. You gotta help me."
"I don't wanna. Do it yourself."
"Wait. Think about it. It's way better for two people to search than just one. Our odds of finding her will double."
"I mean..."
As Skel shakes me by the collar, I rapidly lose interest.
After all, I already decided I supported Rose embracing her rebellious spirit and stabbing her fiancé. Always nice to see some enthusiasm, that's what I say.
In other words, I'm pretty much rooting for Rose to escape.
"I'm begging you here!"
Skel is bowing his head in a rare display of supplication.
Right as I start to say, "Yeah, but..," the dorm supervisor's head pops in. "Cid, your sister is here to see you."
"My who?"
"Your sister. She's waiting out front for you, so you'd best not keep her there long."
After relaying the information, the supervisor leaves.
"Claire, huh…? I guess she's back."
I've got a bad feeling about this.
In the space of an instant, I weigh which of my two options sounds like a bigger pain.
"All right, let's begin Operation: Capture Rose!"
"I knew I could count on you, Cid! This is why you're such a great friend!"
I grab Skel by the scruff of the neck and open the window.
"Wait, Cid! What are you doing?"
"There's no time. We gotta take the window."
"Huh? Wait, what are you talking about?! Wait! No! Hey!!"
"Onward!"
And with that, I leap.
<<•>>
"Iris says she's grateful for your information and she looks forward to working with you again."
"It's an honor," says Beta as she watches Alexia walk in front of her.
Alexia carries a magic lamp, and the two of them descend a dark set of spiral stairs.
They've already come a decent way down. The air is damp and nippy, reminding them that they're underground.
"It's probably safe to assume that Perv Asshat is connected to the Cult," says Alexia.
"Agreed," replies Beta.
"The problem is we don't have any proof."
"That it is. And this is a matter of national and religious significance, so normal evidence won't be enough."
"Don't I know it. My father made it abundantly clear — if we want to link the Cult of Diablos to the Holy Teachings, we need something that'll convince both the masses and our neighboring countries."
"And if we're pegged as heretics, we're done for."
"It's not like every follower of the Holy Teachings is involved with the Cult. It's probably just a few members of their top brass."
"That's what makes this such a mess."
"Preach."
Their footsteps echo through the stairwell.
"My father has a long-standing policy of not getting into fights with the Holy Teachings. I wonder what he plans to do about the Cult of Diablos."
"He's going to keep ignoring them, I suspect."
"Keep ignoring them...?"
The sound of Alexia's footsteps skips a beat.
"Just a baseless theory of mine. Please forget I said anything."
"...Well, I can let it drop for now. My sister said something that caught my attention, by the way. She said that King Oriana seemed kind of hollow."
"Hollow, huh...?"
"It was my first time meeting him, so I wouldn't know the difference. He also smelled sort of sweet, though."
A sweet aroma — Beta knows exactly what drug can cause that.
"It seems we might already be too late..."
"The Cult's definitely making their move, and given the way my father is handling things, our country is bound to be next..."
The two go silent as they continue their descent.
"We're here." There's a large pit with a ladder right in front of where Alexia's stopped. "It's one of the subterranean tunnels that run beneath the capital. You've heard of these, right?"
"I have, in fact. The tunnels were built beneath the entire capital so the royal family could escape in a pinch."
"Exactly. Many of the maps, keys, and ciphers went missing, so now it's basically just a labyrinth."
"So why come here?"
"To get rid of you." Alexia grabs the sword hanging from her waist and... laughs. "Just kidding. Nothing shakes you, does it?"
"Eep! Please don't kill me...!"
"There's a good chance Rose used these tunnels to make her escape."
Beta feels a little upset at having her brilliant performance ignored.
"I'm going to go look for her." Alexia grabs the ladder, prepared to immediately head down.
"Um, would you mind waiting a moment?"
"Why?"
"Have you told anyone where you're going?"
"Of course not. They would have tried to stop me."
"You say it's like a labyrinth down there. Are you confident you'll be able to find your way back out?"
"Oh, that's easy. I'll just come back the way I came."
"Um, I'm not quite sure how to put this politely, but could you find it in yourself not to drag me into danger on ill-conceived whims?"
"Nope."
The two of them glare at each other for a few beats.
"If you have complaints, you're free to leave."
With that, Alexia leaves Beta there and begins descending the ladder on her own.
Beta strongly considers taking her up on that offer, but she can't let Alexia die just yet.
"Protecting her is part of your job, too, Beta," she mutters quietly, then follows the princess down.
<<•>>
It's early in the morning, and I'm walking around the capital.
Skel ran off somewhere, saying he was gonna gather information.
In this world, people get to work as soon as the sun rises.
The main drag is already up and at 'em.
I said l'd help him search for Rose, but I'm not planning on taking this very seriously. I still want her to make it out safely, but pretending to look for her seems like a decent way to idle the day away.
I do kinda want to find out what provoked her rebellious spirit enough to end up stabbing her fiancé, though. If possible, l'd like to ask her about it in person.
One way or another, I'll be happy as long as I can kill some time.
Rage tends to dwindle as the hours and days wear on, and my sister definitely needs some time to cool off.
As those thoughts float through my mind, I hear the sound of a piano coming from somewhere.
"Mmm..."
To tell you the truth, I'm pretty decent at playing the piano.
Back in my previous world, I practiced it so I could become a better shadowbroker. Okay, sorry, that's a lie. My parents forced me to learn as part of my educational regimen.
My motivation was pretty much nil, as I would have much rather been spending my time training to become a mastermind than practicing the piano. That desire, however, was no match for the almighty educational regimen.
Even so, while my piano lessons may have commenced under protest, I started hating it less and less as I kept it up.
After all, just knowing you're good at piano fills people's heads with all sorts of preconceived notions.
When he gets home, he'll be super-busy practicing, they all think.
I kept my social commitments to an absolute minimum so I could become a shadowbroker, so that false assumption came in real handy.
Also, I realized that piano fit the aesthetic.
A mastermind playing piano under the moonlight... Sounds nice, right?
You make them think you aren't just strong but cultured, too.
It's so good...
When I realized that, I started taking my practice seriously.
My top priority was still my training, but I just couldn't get the image out of my mind of me playing the piano to set the mood before a big battle.
Because of that, I ended up getting pretty decent at it, if I do say so myself.
"Not bad, not bad...," I murmur.
Whoever's playing right now is pretty decent themselves.
Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 14, the "Moonlight Sonata," huh...?
I'm a big fan of this piece. In fact, it's my favorite-the composition gives off the best vibe for a budding mastermind.
Even though I'm pretty sure I could take them in a "Moonlight Sonata" contest, the current instrumentalist's rendition has a unique flair.
"This is pretty good... It's like I can see the moonbeams in my mind... Even though it's morning..."
As I do my whole shtick to get myself in the mood, I finally realize something.
Isn't it weird for someone in this world to be playing one of Beethoven's pieces?
A serious look crosses my face as I wade through the crowd and head in the direction of the music.
I'm gonna be honest.
I have a pretty good idea of what's going on.
I'm not an idiot, after all.
I can hear the tune coming from the café on the first floor of one of the capital's foremost hotels.
Security is so strict, the riffraff can't so much as get in the door, but they recognize me and wave me through.
I step inside just as the woman with hair the color of a clear lake is finishing her performance.
"Epsilon..."
She's wearing a sleeveless dress, but it covers just enough of her chest to hide the slime. As expected.
Her legs are clad in tights to avoid showing her skin, and the fact that her shoes have insoles to make her taller is well concealed.
Her work is perfect.
When I approach her, she seems to notice me.
Epsilon bows to the customers, then leads me into a side room.
She closes the door and smiles.
"Did you listen to my performance, my lord? How embarrassing..."
Her face reddens a little, and she looks at me with puppy-dog eyes. That isn't enough to fool me.
"Epsilon, that was the 'Moonlight Sonata, right?"
"Yes, it's my favorite out of all the many pieces you taught me."
"Really? It's my favorite, too."
It's not like I meant to teach her, but it's always kind of gratifying when you discover someone else likes the same things as you.
"Thanks to you, my lord, l've been able to develop a number of powerful connections as both a pianist and a composer."
"Wait, a composer…?"
"Of course. 'Moonlight Sonata," 'Turkish March,' 'Minute Waltz'..."
Epsilon goes on to boast about how she put out a number of famous modern and historic pieces, gained popularity among the aristocratic class, won various awards, and was invited to migrate to some artistic-minded nation.
Sorry, Beethoven, Chopin...and all you other famous composers.
In this world, all the credit for your work went to Epsilon.
"...And my last concert was received wonderfully. The next job I'm heading for is in the Oriana Kingdom. As you're well aware, there's a lot to be done there..."
"Right, 'cause they value the arts."
"That they do... And this time, in particular, there's a very important job I have to take care of there." Epsilon smiles bewitchingly.
"Well, go break a leg."
"I'll try my best to complete my job successfully and give a performance worthy of your sublime compositions, my lord."
Epsilon gives me a graceful bow.
"Oh, right, apropos of nothing, but do you have any idea where Princess Rose is?"
"Princess Rose, you say. Beta was in charge of that incident, but as far as what I know goes...I did hear she'd fled underground, beneath the capital. You could try asking Beta for more specifics..."
"Oh, no worries. That's plenty to go off of." If I'm lucky enough to run into Rose, maybe I'll get a chance to chat with her. "Thanks. Uh..."
As I look at Epsilon's smile, I try to think of what to say to thank her.
I was super-happy when she said she liked the "Moonlight Sonata," so she'll probably feel the same way if I say something she wants to hear, too. "Your figure looks great, as always."
"O-oh, no-no-no, i-it really doesn't! I'm still working on it...!"
Unable to keep looking at Epsilon's face, I turn my attention to the scenery outside the window.
This is how the world goes round, I think as I gaze at the endless blue summer sky.
<<•>>
Rose walks down the dark underground tunnel.
Blood is still trickling from the wound she sustained on her back during her escape. The cut isn't deep, but it definitely isn't shallow, either.
It should have been treated immediately, but Rose's pursuers haven't given her time to indulge in such luxuries.
Instead, she's focusing her magic on the wound to prevent it from getting any worse.
As time presses on, though, the pain grows and her stamina dwindles.
Her breathing is shallow.
As she keeps an eye out for her assailants, her mind keeps racing.
What had been the right thing for her to do?
What would have brought about the best outcome?
The questions spiral around in her mind, but no answers seem forthcoming.
Stabbing Perv, her fiancé, had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. She hadn't done it impulsively, though. She'd used the limited time she had to figure out her best option, then acted on it...or at least, she'd tried to.
But she'd failed.
Perv had survived, and she had to flee.
However, it was only a failure in hindsight.
She'd misjudged Perv's skill, but the choice to eliminate him hadn't been wrong in and of itself.
In fact, she'd had no choice. The moment she'd seen her father's — King Oriana's — lifeless eyes, she knew she had to get rid of Perv. In her estimation, all the rumors — Perv's connection to the Cult and the empty puppet that was left of her father — had changed to fact.
That was why she'd drawn her blade.
Had she been overly impulsive?
Had she acted in haste?
Could she really say she hadn't been spurred on by impatience and rage?
Rose had thought she was making the rational choice.
She hadn't wanted to rely on Alexia and Natsume. After all, the Oriana Kingdom had to resolve the matter internally. That had only been a hunch, but Rose had been confident in it.
And politically, at least, she'd been right.
Her gambit had ended in failure because of it, but it was still Rose's mistake and the Oriana Kingdom's problem. The Midgar Kingdom still hadn't gotten wrapped up in the mess. She'd subconsciously dodged the worst-case scenario.
It was just a matter of time, though, before that came to pass, too.
The words Perv yelled after her as she'd fled echo within her ears.
"Turn yourself in before the Bushin Festival ends! Or I'll make King Oriana kill one of the other guests of honor!"
If King Oriana really did kill another dignitary like Perv said...it would mean war. Rose isn't sure how serious he was about that, but it's possible the Cult only sees King Oriana as a minor pawn.
And if that's the case...
Rose grinds her teeth. Her face contorts in anguish.
Her father is no brilliant leader, and Oriana is no vast kingdom.
To her, though, they're the only father and motherland she has.
All she wanted was to protect them.
But that desire led to impatience.
Rose slams her fist against the tunnel wall.
At the end of the day, she let her emotions get the better of her and acted impulsively. She'd thought she could just kill Perv and fix everything, but that had been naive.
Perv was nothing more than a sacrificial pawn. She should have realized how deep the Cult's roots ran throughout Oriana and that killing him wouldn't accomplish anything.
There has to be some other option...some magical action she can take that would fix everything...
Rose slumps onto the damp ground.
Implausible scenarios dance through her mind, taunting her. If only she'd done something cleverer and everything had lined up neatly...
But now, it's all over. She isn't even sure why she's fleeing.
What good would escaping do her?
What would it change?
Shouldn't she turn herself in?
Yeah...that'd be for the best.
"I see... All I have to do is turn myself in."
She still doesn't know what the optimal course had been then. However, her best option now is simple.
By turning herself in, she can at least prevent a war.
Thinking that makes her feel a little better. At the same time, she's assailed with sorrow and grief, as though she's lost something precious to her.
Rose pulls the Tuna King wrapper from her pocket. She ate the sandwich long ago, but it still smells faintly of bread.
It reminds her of a certain boy with black hair.
He's almost certainly heard what's happened by now. She wonders what he thinks of it.
Is he worried about her?
Does he still believe in her?
Is he perhaps...searching for her himself?
If she'd been able to kill Perv and bring the king back to his senses... If a future existed where everything had gone right... Would she have been able to marry him and live out her life by his side?
That is, no doubt, what she's been dreaming of.
"I'm sorry..." Rose chokes out the words.
A single tear rolls down her cheek.
Her actions had shattered that picturesque dream into pieces.
Rose delicately folds up the Tuna King wrapper and puts it in her skirt pocket.
She thinks of it almost as her dream's last remaining fragment.
"Ow...!"
A sharp pain runs through her chest. When she parts her clothes to look at it, she finds a series of dark bruises.
It's a symptom of the possession. The bruises only appeared recently.
Rose hangs her head and lets out an empty laugh. Her dream was never destined to come to fruition.
Suddenly, a small noise reaches Rose's ears.
Is it her pursuers' footsteps?
No — it's too gentle, too lovely to be footsteps. When she strains her ear, she recognizes it as a piano.
"'Moonlight Sonata'...?"
She's well versed in music, so she's familiar with the piece. The composition received unusually high praise, even in Oriana, a kingdom of the arts, and now she can hear it coming from the end of the tunnel.
"It's beautiful..."
It's as though the "Moonlight Sonata" is all there is.
The performance is polished to a profound degree of perfection, almost as though the pianist's entire life was spent building up to this one piece.
Rose follows the music toward the source as if a ray of moonlight is beckoning her.
The tunnels are referred to as the capital's underground labyrinth, but they feel less like a labyrinth and more like ruins. The walls are made of sturdy stone and covered in carvings and ancient glyphs.
Each has a number of doors in it, but the majority of them don't open. Maybe they need keys, or perhaps some mechanism inside the ruins is stuck.
Rose can hear herself getting closer to the piano.
When she turns the corner, she discovers a massive, dilapidated door.
The noise is coming from beyond it.
When she slips through one of the door's large holes, she finally reaches the source of the music.
She's in a cathedral filled with fantastical light. On the wall, there's a set of stained-glass windows depicting the heroes and a dismembered demon.
Light rains down from beyond the stained glass.
It's all centered on a grand piano.
"Shadow..."
He's the one playing "Moonlight Sonata" in the abandoned cathedral.
Rose closes her eyes and takes in the beautiful melody.
Shadow's "Moonlight Sonata" is different from all the other renditions Rose has ever heard.
The composition is the same, but thanks to the instrumentalist, the tone is different.
Shadow's "Moonlight Sonata" is one of darkness.
The deep, permeating darkness of the night with a single ray of light shining through it.
Perhaps that ray is coming from the moon, or perhaps...
The piece reaches its conclusion before Rose can come up with an answer.
She takes in the music's final reverberations, then claps.
Her solo applause echoes through the cathedral.
Shadow, of course, hears it. He rises from his seat and replies with an elegant bow.
"Shadow, that was..."
When Rose gets to that point in her sentence, though, she realizes that she doesn't know what to say next. She just knows she has to say something or Shadow will leave.
"That was, without a doubt, the finest rendition of 'Moonlight Sonata' I've ever heard. Um..."
Rose finds herself wondering what she's trying to get at.
This isn't what she needs to ask him.
"What have you wrought…?" Shadow's voice echoes like it's coming from the abyss itself.
"What…?" Rose thinks for a moment, then understands. He's asking why she did what she did. "I..." She casts her gaze down, then chokes out the words. "I just wanted to protect everyone... I wanted to reach a happier future... But I couldn't make that happen…!"
"Is this where it ends...?"
"What...?"
"Is this where your fight ends...?"
"It's not like...I wanted it to end here..."
Rose clenches her fists.
She wanted to make things better. She still does, even now. But there's nothing left that she can do.
"If you have the will to fight...then I shall bestow it upon you," says Shadow. Bluish-purple magic gathers atop his palm. "I shall grant you power..."
"Power…?"
The bluish-purple magic flares, casting its radiance over the entire cathedral. The air trembles from the magic's density.
"Will I be able to change the future...with your powers?"
"That depends on you."
Rose suddenly realizes she's drawn to the magic. If she was as strong as Shadow...she'd be able to change everything.
If she had power...then there were things she'd still be able to do. Things that, as a princess of the Oriana Kingdom, she had to do.
Light returns to her eyes.
"I want it... I want power..."
"Very well..."
And the bluish-purple magic bursts.
It makes a beeline for Rose, then plunges into her chest and body.
The power's warmth suppresses her raging magic and settles it. It was heavy and uncontrollable a moment ago, but now she can command it with ease.
"It's amazing..."
Her voice is full of sincerity.
So this is Shadow's magic...
This is the world he sees...
"Revolt... And prove to me...that you have the strength to fight alongside me."
She suddenly realizes she can't see where Shadow's gone.
His voice is the only thing left of him still in the cathedral.
"Remember... True strength comes not from power but from the way you live your life..."
And with that, Shadow's presence vanishes completely.
Rose finds herself alone in the cathedral.
She can hear her pursuers' footsteps. She can sense the subtle movements in the air.
Unprecedented amounts of magic are churning within her body.
She had been prepared to let them catch her, but with this power...she still has a hand to play.
Rose draws her rapier and stares at the broken door.
A group clad all in black bursts through it... and blood fills the air.
They die before they can even perceive Rose's blade.
Having drenched the cathedral in blood, Rose stows her rapier and closes her eyes.
This must be how Shadow has fought against the Cult. Unseen and unceasing.
Rose is reminded of Shadow's rendition of "Moonlight Sonata."
She feels as though she finally understands what the sole ray of light amid the darkness means.
Perhaps the light is Shadow himself.
He isn't the darkness but the light standing against it.
That's how Rose sees it, at least.
<<•>>
"If we keep rolling out this string, we'll be able to find our way back just fine."
Alexia strides forward through the underground labyrinth.
"I can only hope you're right about that,"
replies Beta from behind her. She yawns.
"Wait, did you just yawn?"
"Why would I do that? I will say, though, it's already been more than half a day. Would you consider turning back? It seems most unlikely that she's even down here."
"Maybe you're right. I was pretty confident in my source, though..."
"Once we get back, we can try digging around for information again."
Their footsteps echo through the lamplit tunnel.
It continues on monotonously.
Suddenly, Beta senses a powerful burst of magic and stops in her tracks.
Alexia stops a beat slower and whirls around.
"Just now... someone was using magic. And a lot of it..."
"It could have been Princess Rose."
"Wait, did you notice it before I did?"
"Only by chance. And the only magic I can perform myself is defensive."
"Well, if you say so. We should hurry."
The two of them rush toward the magic.
After passing through a massive, broken door, they find themselves in an old cathedral.
"Rose..."
Rose is standing there with her eyes closed.
Strewn at her feet are a group of corpses all clad in black. Seeing that Rose is clearly different than normal, Alexia stops in her tracks.
"Alexia, is that you...?" Rose slowly opens her eyes.
"What is with your magic...?"
"I've obtained power...and now, I have to follow through on my beliefs."
With that, Rose strides past Alexia.
"W-wait! What's going on?! Why did you stab your fiancé?!"
Rose looks over her shoulder. "Alexia...!'m sorry. I don't want to get you wrapped up in this." She gazes at her as though something is too bright.
"Please tell me why! At the very least! If you don't, I won't know what's going on!"
"If I tell you, you'll be part of it."
Alexia returns Rose's look with a glare. "Back at the Sanctuary...we were all powerless. We were just there, spectating. We didn't even know who was in the right and who was in the wrong. We only knew that if we stayed in the dark, we'd eventually lose everything we held dear... That's why we got together and talked. We agreed we'd protect that stuff together, the three of us."
As Rose listens to Alexia's speech, she looks as though she's gazing at something distant and hazy.
"I believed in what we said that day, so why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I'm just a spectator, too?"
"I'm sorry..."
"Answer me!"
Rose offers Alexia a sad smile. "It's too late for me to go back. That's why...l'm jealous of you."
"I don't follow. You're jealous of an ignorant spectator?"
"That's not what I mean. I've already lost so much, and l'm sure l'll lose even more. People will disavow me, call me evil."
"What are you planning on doing...?"
"I'm sorry... I have to go."
Rose makes to leave, but Alexia clicks her tongue to halt her in her tracks.
"Stop right there."
With that, Alexia draws her sword. "Enough of this. I'll just make you listen by force. I'm no spectator."
Rose draws her rapier in kind.
The two of them stare at each other. Alexia's red eyes are filled with rage, Rose's honey eyes with a deep sadness.
The tip of Rose's rapier twitches.
Then, they move in unison.
Their reactions are simultaneous, their speed is identical, and their overall skill is a perfect match.
For an instant, surprise colors Rose's face.
She's supposed to be the strongest dark knight in the academy. There's supposed to be a definitive gap between her skill and Alexia's. That was true when she enrolled, at least.
In that tiny time frame, though, Alexia's sword work has progressed so rapidly, it's nigh unrecognizable. It bears a striking resemblance to the style of a certain man.
That's right, Alexia's technique...is Shadow's.
The two blades collide.
Magic explodes, covering the cathedral.
The two of them are evenly matched, yet the result is clear.
Alexia's sword goes flying into the air, and Rose strikes her in the chin with her rapier's hilt.
Alexia crumples.
Rose simply has more magic.
If Alexia's magic had been on the same level...who can say how the fight would have gone?
"I'm sorry."
Rose apologizes to Alexia one last time, then stands to leave.
That's when she notices Natsume.
Oddly, Natsume has been completely outside of Rose's view.
"Miss Natsume... I'm sorry, but I have to go."
"I won't try to stop you. I don't have the right."
Natsume's expression is impossible to read.
Rose remembers Natsume as having been a much softer person than this.
"But...l will say that this is a surprise. Even idiots have their worries, I see. We may have come from different countries, belonged to different organizations, possessed different dispositions, and held different beliefs. Nevertheless, we were all working toward the same goal. Maybe this alliance of ours wasn't so bad after all..."
"Miss Natsume...?"
"Godspeed. Someday, our paths will cross again... Until then, I have a little more babysitting to do."
With that, Natsume kneels and starts tending to Alexia.
"Miss Natsume, who are...?"
"You'd best be on your way. She's only fainted, so she'll be up any minute now."
Natsume grins impishly.
There are so many things Rose wants to ask her.
It's clear, though, that neither of them has any intention of saying more.
"Farewell..." Rose turns, then vanishes.
Natsume lays Alexia's head on her lap and sighs.
"Is this what you've chosen, Master Shadow...?"
The stained-glass depiction of the three heroes and the demon's tragic form seems as though it's hinting at something.