I wake up feeling great, and I've got the sweet darkspider silk robe I picked up last night to thank for it. I take a moment to appreciate the way it glitters in the morning light, then head over to the academy a bit earlier than usual.
It's been a while since the last time I went to school solo.
Skel and Po always like to get there at the last possible minute, but going to school early every now and then has its appeal, too. You get to see all sorts of new faces, and basking in the sunlight as you head through the gates feels great...
"…This sucks."
"What are you doing here, Fido?"
"What are you doing here, Alexia?"
When I walk through the gates, I find Alexia standing there.
"You should be a little happier getting to see me first thing in the morning."
"Gosh, gee, I'm so happy."
"Well, I should hope so."
"Anyways, later."
I powerwalk away, but Alexia quickly catches up. "Hold on, don't you go running off on me."
"Why'd you follow me?"
"When people run away from me, it makes me want to chase them."
"What are you, a beast of prey?"
"Isn't it an honor getting to walk to school with me?"
"..."
"Why'd you go quiet?"
"I was just thinking about how happy-go-lucky you are."
"Not nearly as much as you."
We continue bantering as we walk, then we spot a crowd gathered in front of the school building.
I can hear the students murmuring to each other.
"H-he's dead…!"
"Who would do something so brutal?"
"Hey, stay back! No one gets closer until the Knight Order gets here!"
Alexia and I exchange a glance.
"Sounds like they found a body!" I tell her.
"We need to go see what's going on."
We don't tend to get much excitement at the academy, and it's been forever since there was a cool surprise like this. It's no wonder my heart begins pounding with anticipation. I push through the crowd, eyes glimmering. I wonder whose corpse it is.
When I get to the front, my disappointment is immeasurable.
"Oh, it's this guy."
It's the dude I kicked off the roof and left behind last night. I completely forgot about him.
"That's horrible...," Alexia mutters. "What kind of person goes and impales someone on a statue's sword? It's like a public execution."
"It was probably just an accident."
"Obviously it wasn't. When someone gets murdered like that, it means the killer did it for a reason."
"Uh, I guess..."
Alexia stares earnestly at the corpse. "I wonder who he was. It doesn't look like he's affiliated with the school."
"I bet he was a burglar."
"He isn't with the Knight Order, either.
He must have been some sort of intruder."
"Pretty sure he's a burglar."
"Could he be a member of the Cult? Either that, or…?"
"I gotta say, he reeeeeally looks like a burglar."
"Be quiet, you. He's obviously not a burglar."
"Yes, ma'am."
Eh, so it goes. The other students look like they're enjoying themselves, and if I think about it, that was basically my goal all along.
"That's so scary... Did the you-know-who org kill him?"
"They still haven't found those missing students, right?"
"And there was that thing with the magic yesterday, too. It feels like it's all connected."
Aw, look at 'em. They're having the time of their lives.
All that really happened was a cat and a dog getting into a fight and a burglar falling to his death. As the instigator for all that, it warms my heart seeing the other students get so excited about it.
Oh man, if I waited until night and dressed up as Shadow, that'd give them even more to talk about.
"What's with the creepy smile?" Alexia asks me.
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."
Her red eyes peer at me with suspicion.
Then someone comes over and starts talking to us. "Could I have a moment, you two?"
It's a hot dude with dark-green hair—Isaac.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Isaac. How dare you miss class yesterday?"
"You're...Cid, right? I had some business I needed to attend to. Did something happen?"
"We had a pop quiz."
"I see. And what else?"
"Nah, that was about it."
"Then I'm not sure I see the problem. In any case, school has been canceled today."
"Oh, huh."
"This is a horrible tragedy. The academy and the Knight Order will be launching an investigation, so they've ordered everyone to stay away from the crime scene. The perpetrator behind this monstrous act might still be around, so be careful. Make sure you don't leave your dorms."
"Uh-huh, uh-huh."
Alexia gives me a look. "That means you, Fido. It's dangerous."
"Yeah, I got it—"
All of a sudden, something snaps around my neck.
Is this a collar?
"There we go. I finally caught you."
I turn around and see Claire smiling from ear to ear.
"H-hey there, Sis. Long time no see."
"It really has, hasn't it? Since before winter break, as I recall."
"Th-that sounds about right."
Shit. I let my guard down.
I knew running into my sister would be a headache, so I've been actively trying to avoid it.
"U-um, Claire, that collar…," Alexia starts.
"What about it?" Claire replies.
"That's your collar?"
"Yep. I left it in my room, but for some reason, the Knight Order had it. You have no idea how hard it was to get it back."
"I-I see. And what do you use it for?"
"What do you mean? Isn't it obvious?"
Claire smiles as she gives it a rattly tug.
"I, uh, I guess it is... I suppose dogs do need collars, don't they?"
"Exactly. See, you get it."
"Just for the record, I'm not a dog," I interject.
"Of course you are, Fido."
"I swear, Cid, you say the strangest things. Now, come along, Fido. Err, I mean, Cid."
Claire pulls the chain and begins dragging me off in front of a crowd of onlookers.
When in the world did she and Alexia start hitting it off?
<<•>>
"How dare you break your promise to me?"
"Ah-ha-ha..."
My sister's dragged me to her room and is sitting mounted on top of me.
"And you even lied to me, too."
"When you say 'lied,' which lie would that be?"
"Excuse me? Which lie?"
My neck lets out a loud creeeeeeak as she squeezes down on it.
Looks like I just dug my own grave.
The thing is, I can't even count how many times I've lied to her, and I have no idea which promise she's talking about.
"Th-that hurts, Sis..."
It doesn't actually, though.
"You're not suggesting you lied to me about other things, too, are you?"
"I didn't, I promise."
I totally did.
"For real?"
"Yeah, for real."
She brings her face in so close, our noses are nearly touching, and peers into my eyes. "You have clear eyes. That's the sign of an honest heart. I guess you're telling the truth."
You need to get your vision checked, Sis.
"You should know that when you lie to me, I always figure you out. Why did you even tell it in the first place?"
"Ah, right. That lie. The one about the you-know-what."
"Yeah, the lie you told me about Nina."
"About Nina?"
Huh?
I don't think I ever lied to her about Nina.
"You haven't forgotten, have you?"
"Of course not. You're talking about the thing with Nina. Look, it's hard to explain in just a few words, but there were extenuating circumstances..."
"Sigh... You probably said it without thinking because you wanted to impress me, didn't you?"
"Yeah, that. Totally."
"I can see right through you, you know."
"I'm sorry I did it."
"Very well. I forgive you. But just this once."
With that, the conversation comes to an end.
Or rather, it should, but Claire keeps on staring at me.
"Sis, you're kinda heavy. Were you planning on getting off me at some—? Hrk!"
M-my neck...
"I'm sorry, Cid, did you say something?"
"I—I was just saying how light you are, Sis, and how you're the prettiest person around!"
"Well, that makes sense. It is true, after all."
"Yeah, so true."
"Hee-hee. You keep getting older, but you'll always just be Cid. I hope you never have to change. I…"
Dunno why, but Claire starts getting serious all of a sudden.
"Sis?"
"I won't back down from any enemy, no matter how strong they are. Not if fighting them will let you stay just the way you are."
"Uh..."
Methinks a certain someone's symptoms might be getting worse.
"Look, Cid, I need you to listen close. Right now, the academy is in the wicked clutches of a powerful organization."
"Ah, so that's the scenario we're working with?"
"Don't. If I tell you any details, you'll be in danger. Don't look at me like that. I can't say any more."
"Yeah, okay,"
"I'm going to solve the academy's mysteries. I have a plan. It's dangerous, but...I'm doing this for you, so I know I can be strong."
"Yeah, good luck."
"Make sure you watch your back, Cid. You might get targeted for being my brother. But I'm going to do my best to take down the bad guys."
"Yeah, go get 'em."
"I'm sorry for dumping all this on you. And I'm sorry for not being able to tell you any of the important bits. But I'm doing this to protect you. I know this is selfish of me, but I want you to understand that."
"Yeah, I get it."
"And also...if I don't make it back... If I die—"
Midway through her teary speech, she abruptly glares at a patch of empty air.
"I'm sorry, Aurora, but this is kind of emotional, so would you mind being quiet? Huh, what? I'm embarrassing myself, so I should just drop it? How exactly am I embarrassing?"
I look up with a deadpan expression on my face, and our eyes meet.
"Sis..."
"O-oh, that was, um, um, um, nothing! Just talking to myself!"
"Sis, I get it."
"Cid...you do? You get that there's an important reason I'm doing all this?"
"Yeah, of course."
You're a budding teenage edgelord.
"Thank you, Cid. I don't deserve a brother as good as you. And if..if I don't make it—if I die..." Big tears go rolling down her cheeks.
"You'll be fine, Sis. You definitely won't die."
"Oh, Cid!! I'll definitely make it back!! I definitely, definitely will!!"
"Sounds good."
She hugs me so tight, I'm afraid my spine will snap.
I hope she grows out of this soon.
<<•>>
I wait and wait, and finally, nighttime arrives.
I sneak out of my dorm and stand silently atop the school roof like usual.
The campus is on high alert, the dorm's exits are under tight surveillance, and the students are restless. Who knew that a little old night burglar would cause such a stir? It's thrilling, how fresh this all feels.
Back in my old world, I was the kind of guy who got super excited every time a typhoon rolled in. Wind and rain buffeting the classroom, the sky getting dark in the middle of the day—it doesn't get better than that. It always felt like something big was about to happen. It never did, but still.
After going through all that myself, I feel like I have a responsibility to make something big actually happen this time. The students are sick and tired of their ordinary lives. They're desperate for something to shatter the monotony.
"How do I want to play this..."
We've got four missing students, a cat-slash-dogfight, a burglar falling to his death from the roof... What would be a revolutionary way of tying it all together?
"I could make a huge magic circle, chant some sort of invocation... Nah, too plain. Hmm?"
At some point while I was busy brainstorming, my surroundings got covered in white fog.
"Hey, this happened yesterday, too...This is some weird weather we're having."
Eventually, my vision goes completely white, and I find myself in a white space that seems to go on forever.
"Hmm? What's going on?"
This is some fantasy stuff. I've been teleported somewhere completely different. And if I remember correctly, the same thing happened back at the Sanctuary...
"Who are you?" comes a voice.
It's a girl standing in the white space. She's a little younger than me, and she's wearing an all-white dress. Her eyes are a gorgeous shade of violet.
"Hey there," I reply. "Long time no see."
Her age has changed, but l'd recognize her anywhere. It's Violet.
"Who are you? A new researcher?" she asks.
"Wait, do you not remember me?"
"I-I don't know you."
"Oh yeah, that's right. You did mention something about your memories."
"Stay back..."
The young Violet seems guarded.
"Hey, there's no need to be scared. I'm not exactly a good guy, but I'm definitely not some dastardly bad guy."
"Wh-what are you doing here?"
"I dunno. One minute I wasn't here, the next minute I was. What about you?"
"I...I... Unghhhhh..." She clutches her head and groans.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm... Why...? AhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
She claws at her head and screams.
It looks like she's in pain.
"You don't have to make yourself remember if you don't wanna. I forget stuff all the time. I wanna be able to focus on what really matters, so I go ahead and forget stuff that doesn't in order to save memory space in my brain."
"I-I... No... Stop it, make it stop... NooooOOOOOOO!!"
As she screams, she starts releasing tremendous amounts of magic.
"Careful there. Like I said, you don't gotta remember if you don't want to."
I fend off Violet's magical outbursts and walk toward her.
"STAY AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!"
"What's up with this magic?"
I gotta say, I'm shocked. Adult Violet was incredible, too, but this is on a whole different level. Still, deflecting magic attacks this straightforward is a breeze. I walk forward, shifting their vectors before grabbing hold of her.
"No, no, no, no, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
"It's gonna be okay."
I hold Violet tight and pour magic into her. It's the same deal as when I'm healing the possession—the more surface area I'm covering, the more efficient it is.
"Let go of me... Let go...of me..."
"Just go ahead and forget all the stuff you don't wanna remember."
I keep pouring magic into her, and eventually, her outbursts settle down. She relaxes and goes limp.
"But…what about the things I can't forget?" she asks quietly.
"Dunno. But if you try real hard not to remember them, you'll probably forget 'em eventually."
"…But I can't."
"Well, that's a bummer. You've calmed down now, though, yeah?"
"Y…yeah."
I let go of Violet, and she hangs her head in embarrassment.
"Cool. Now, how do I get out of here?"
"You're leaving?" she says.
When I walk off, Violet pitter-patters along after me.
"Eventually, yeah. Right now, I'm trying to figure out how."
The white space seems to continue forever. There aren't any obvious exits.
"Everyone always leaves me," Violet intones.
"C'mon, I'm sure that's not true."
"They all died."
"Ah. Well, that happens sometimes."
"Are you going to die, too?"
"Nope."
I've got a good six hundred years left in me, and I'm still searching for a way to bring that number up.
"Liar."
"Yeah, maybe."
"Please don't go."
"...You know that if I find an exit, you can just come with me, right? It'd be easier if I could just blow the whole place up, but I'm sure I'll figure out something."
Last time I tried that, Adult Violet ended up disappearing, too.
"I can't leave here."
"Ah, bummer."
"Please don't go."
"…I'm sure we'll meet again."
"Liar."
"That's not a lie."
"Then...let me have that." Violet points at my pocket.
I reach in and pull out the red jewel.
"I dunno. It is mine."
"It's so warm. It makes me feel calmer."
"You know it's just a jewel, right?"
"It's not. It's something far more precious."
"It is?"
"Yeah."
Then I hear the sound of a door closing.
Violet's whole body shudders.
It's weird, 'cause this place doesn't have any doors, but I definitely just heard one.
"What the hell? Where'd she go?!"
I can hear a voice, too.
"Are you hiding somewhere?! Number—!"
"I-I have to go."
"Hey, hold on a sec."
Cracks begin splintering across the white space.
"Cut the crap already!! Don't make me hurt you again—"
"Hold on, I was gonna give you—"
I grab her hand, and the space shatters into a million tiny pieces.
"—this."
The red jewel I try to hand her tumbles through the air.
I'm back on the roof where I came from.
The white fog, the white space, and the girl in the white dress are all gone.
The jewel makes a small noise when it hits the ground, and I scoop it up and stow it back in my pocket.
"I wonder if Violet's somewhere nearby."
I cast out a wave of magic particles and probe for her presence. However, I don't find her. But I do find something...
"Are those presences Claire and Alexia?"
I wonder what they're doing down there.
<<•>>
"It's open. Come on, this way."
By moonlight, a pair of shadowy figures creeps into the library through a window.
It's Alexia and Claire.
Alexia goes in first and inexpertly surveys the scene.
Then...
"Hey, you're in the way."
"Ow!"
...Claire lands on her from above.
"What do you think you're doing? The whole plan was for me to make sure things were safe first," Alexia quietly grumbles from beneath Claire's feet.
"Dawdling puts us in more danger of getting found out than anything. Moving with haste gives the plan a fast pace."
"Oh, forget it. Just get off me already."
After shoving Claire aside, Alexia stands back up.
"Come on, Alexia, let's get moving. We need to make this work, no matter what."
"Well, someone's motivated."
"I've got a reason why I can't afford to lose. I've got somewhere I need to return to now." Claire squeezes her fists tight, eyes full of conviction.
"…I don't really follow, but it's good to hear you're motivated."
Alexia takes the lead, heading deeper into the library and unlocking a door over in the back.
"Where did you get your hands on that key?" Claire asks her.
"Being a princess has its perks."
"Nice. And this is the forbidden section?"
Inside, the room is lined with tall bookshelves.
"No, this is just a storeroom. The forbidden section is farther back."
Alexia walks over to one of the bookshelves.
"That thing is massive," Claire remarks. "Is that ancient script?"
"This bookshelf is a magical artifact, and one of the stories my father read to me as a child had the incantation for it."
"The what?"
Alexia takes a deep breath. "Bippity boppity, open sesame!"
The ensuing silence is deafening.
"Please stop screwing around."
"I-I'm not screwing around! I'm being serious here! The incantation is supposed to open it up!"
"This is ridiculous."
"I might've gotten the chant wrong. Could it have been 'schlongity dongity'—?"
The moment the words leave her mouth, the bookshelf loudly rumbles open.
"Wait... that actually worked?"
"Looks like it was supposed to be schlongity!" Alexia says with a smug grin.
"Surely it was the first one, and it just took a while 'cause it's so old?"
The two of them head through the open bookcase.
""Whoa...""
When they enter the forbidden sec-tion, they let out cries of amazement. There's a gorgeous chandelier lighting up the towering bookcases within, and while the books they house are old and weathered, that only serves to give them more character.
"So how do we tell what book is about the academy's history?" Claire asks.
She traces her gaze across the seemingly endless array of book spines. If they have to go through them one by one, they'll end up burning through the whole night.
"We pray," Alexia says.
"This is no time to be messing with me."
"I'm not, I swear! We just have to do this..." Alexia begins waving her arms by the side of her head like a lunatic.
"What in the world do you think you're doing?"
"Building the mood. Academy history book, academy history book, academy history book... Schlongity dongity!"
"This is ridiculous."
The next moment, however, a ray of light shoots out, and a book comes soaring down. It comes to a stop in front of Alexia's face, then opens to its first page all on its own.
"You've got to be kidding me..."
"See? I told you."
"What a stupid artifact. I have half a mind to just smash the thing."
"Please don't. It's so cute and so helpful."
Claire frowns in annoyance. "So what's it say in the book?"
"I dunno. I can't read it."
"Let's see here... Ah, ancient script again."
"I can read simple stuff, but this is a bit beyond me. What about you?"
"I just know the basics, myself. It's not a very popular subject. Pretty much only the science-track kids take it."
"Yeah, figures."
"So what do we do?"
"I think this calls for... Schlongity dongity, please translate for us!" Alexia cries out in a cutesy voice and makes a heart shape with her hands.
"Ew, don't be weird. There's no way that'd ever work."
"We won't know until we try. Who knows what sort of handy functions it has?"
A creepy voice echoes out from the forbidden section. "Y-y-you want a translation, do you? Hurr-hurr-hurr..."
"Wait—it talks?!"
"Who's there?"
Claire and Alexia look around, but they're the only ones there.
"I-I-I'm the spirit of the forbidden stacks. I—I can translate for you."
"Well, hey, that's the academy's prized artifact for you."
"Ugh... It sounds like a total fatso."
"C'mon, Claire, don't be mean."
"Snff... N-now I don't feel like translating anymore..."
"Look, it's sulking."
"All right, all right! I'm sorry."
"Mr. Forbidden Stacks, would you pleeease translate for us?"
"Hunf, hunf, hunf... I-I'll do my best! Wh-what part do you want done?"
"Well, we were hoping to figure out where Diablos's right arm is sealed."
"O-o-oh, it's beneath the school. Down in the underground ruins."
"Uh...okay, then. That was easy..."
"I'm surprised at how competent it is."
The floating forbidden book's pages turn, and the translated text glows in midair before it.
"O-once upon a time, Diablos fought the heroes here. Its arm got cut off and sealed away here. A bunch of other stuff happened, and now the area is in ruins."
"What kind of other stuff?"
"Apparently, people fought over the arm. The book doesn't have many details, but it ended with the underground ruins getting hidden away."
"How do we get into the ruins?"
"Th-there's a sealed church somewhere on campus. All you have to do is go there."
"And where exactly is 'somewhere'?"
"Hunf, hunf, hunf... I—I can't tell you anything that isn't written in the book."
"Ich, you're useless...," Alexia snaps. "Well, at least now we know what the Cult is after. They're trying to unseal the right arm."
"Then why are they kidnapping students?"
"To undo the seal with, probably. It's easier to unseal these things with magic that's similar to the mana used to make the seal in the first place."
"So they're hunting down students to try to find people with compatible magic. Should we look for the sealed church?"
"…Before that, I need to talk to my sister." There's a clear note of resolve in Alexia's voice.
"Oh, that's right, you're part of the royal family. Why didn't you just do that from the start?"
"You seriously think I didn't?"
"Huh?"
"I tell her about this stuff constantly. I told her about the incident at the school, about what happened at the Sanctuary, everything."
"Alexia..."
"But this time... This time, I finally have proof, and Iris will finally believe me."
"I-I'm rooting for you, Alexia!"
"Shut up, fatso." Alexia glares with a look in her eyes that could kill.
"E-еер...!"
"Alexia...we should get out of here. If we stay too long, someone will find us."
"Good call. Before we do that, though, does this place have any books about the Cult of Diablos?"
There's a brief silence.
"...Not here, no."
"Okay... Then I guess that's that, then."
"Later."
"B-bye-bye... Take care, you two..."
Claire and Alexia find their bodies enveloped in magic, and the next thing they know, they're back in the original storeroom.
"Once she sees this book, Iris will have no choice but to—," Alexia says, clutching the contraband to her chest and stepping out of the room. As soon as she does...
"And what do you think you're doing, taking a forbidden book without permission?"
"—?!"
Alexia and Claire whirl around in unison.
There's a tall old man standing behind a bookcase. His face is long and narrow, and his eyes are sunken and practically goggle out of his head as he glares at them.
"Y-you're the head librarian..." Alexia hides the book behind her back, but it's far too late for that.
"Taking a forbidden book without permission is a heavy crime, Your Highness, even for one such as you. And that goes double for your non-royal accomplice."
Claire scowls when the man's gaze lands on her.
She's going to get suspended, maybe even expelled. Her brother might even take some collateral damage.
"Should we kill him...?" she asks quietly. There's no hesitation in her eyes.
Alexia hurriedly pushes her aside. "L-look, Mr. Librarian, we've got a really good reason for this! Would you at least hear us out?"
"For you, Your Highness, how could I possibly refuse?"
"Thank you. I really appreciate it."
"I know somewhere we can talk. Follow me."
With that, the head librarian leaves the library.
As Alexia follows him, she shoots a hushed question back over her shoulder to Claire. "Okay, so what the hell was that about?"
"If I get arrested, people will pick on Cid! They'll bully him and say that his sister's a criminal! He's so delicate, he might even end up killing himself..."
"He won't. He really, really won't." Alexia lets out a sigh.
"Do try to pick up the pace, Your Highness," the head librarian urges.
"Don't worry, we're coming." Alexia pulls Claire along by the hand and jogs after the man.
<<•>>
"I'm sorry, but how far exactly are you taking us?" Alexia calls to the head librarian. She can see his tall figure proceeding down the darkened corridor.
"We're almost there," he replies.
"We could have just talked in one of the classrooms, you know."
"…Then let's do it here, shall we?"
With that, the librarian comes to a stop. He's smack-dab in the middle of the hallway.
"Here?" Alexia asks.
"Why, yes. The preparations are complete."
He turns around wearing a faint smile.
Alexia doesn't like that smile one bit. She frowns.
"Alexia..." Behind her, Claire taps her on the shoulder. "The fog..."
"The what?" Alexia looks around and discovers that the entire hallway is enshrouded in white fog. "Why is there fog in here?"
The fog rapidly grows denser, and a cracking noise echoes from just out of sight.
"This is like what happened when I got attacked..."
"It is?"
Then the world fractures.
The sound of glass shattering rings out as the scenery breaks into a million tiny pieces.
"Wh-what's going on?!"
They were just in one of the academy's hallways, yet their surroundings have completely changed.
Now they're in a world enveloped in white fog.
A sweet smell drifts through the air.
"Get your sword ready, Alexia," Claire urges.
Alexia does just that.
"We're surrounded."
"Huh?"
Alexia searches for signs of people and discovers a group of them waiting in the fog. The group is slowly approaching while keeping a close eye on them, and it doesn't look like they come in peace.
"Good spotting, Claire."
"My spirit friend is good at stuff like that."
"Ah, got it." Alexia then turns her sword toward the head librarian and lowers her voice menacingly. "Now, as for you, buddy."
The librarian stands in the fog with that same thin smile. "However can I help you, Your Highness?"
"What exactly do you think you're pulling here?"
Alexia is no fool, and any trust she had for him has long since gone out the window.
"Oh dear. You're cleverer than I expected." The librarian pulls out a pair of large machetes, one for each hand.
"Well, those are grisly old things. Shouldn't a librarian like you be fighting with pen and paper?"
"Pens and paper are for depicting ideals. Reality is forged with the blade."
With that, he brandishes his twin machetes.
"I'll handle the librarian," Alexia says. "Claire, you handle the others."
"Got it."
The two of them stand back-to-back with their swords at the ready, and the fight begins.
A pair of machete strikes comes lashing out from the fog. Alexia dodges half a step back to avoid the first blow, then parries the follow-up strike with her sword.
"Oh?"
As the librarian's eyes go wide, Alexia launches into a counteroffensive. Her form is fluid and unfaltering, and her sword lands a shallow wound on his face.
"Well, isn't this something?" The librarian retreats to where he started from and wipes away the blood running down his cheek. "I must say, I'm shocked. The Princess Alexia I know would never have been capable of such moves."
There's nothing in his voice but genuine praise.
"Call it a growth spurt," Alexia replies.
"Even so, that's wonderful stuff. Swords carry with them the weight of their wielders' lives. Before, all you were doing was imitating Princess Iris. Now, though, you've taken that instinct and sublimated it. No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say you've combined it with something else."
"You really think you have time to be psychoanalyzing me?"
"Oh, absolutely."
"Even now?"
That last comment comes from Claire.
A number of figures lie crumpled on the ground around her. One by one, they shatter and vanish.
The head librarian's eyebrows furrow in surprise. "You took out all seven Seconds? Claire Kagenou... You won this year's Bushin Festival. You weren't nearly this strong back then, but now you're using some sort of strange power."
"…You noticed?"
"I saw you use those red tendrils, yes. How intriguing."
Even when he was battling Alexia, he still kept a close eye on Claire's fight.
Alexia and Claire square off against the head librarian.
"Now it's two-on-one."
"Looks like the shoe's on the other foot."
The librarian seems oddly sure of himself.
"Does it, now?"
"You're strong, but together, we can take you down."
"Ah, to be young."
"Well, someone's sure confident."
"It's because I've given up."
"What?"
"I've given up on swordplay. Ours is a big world, and no matter how good you get, there will always be someone better. That's why I enjoy seeing talented swordplay such as yours. I'm sure the two of you will surpass me in no time."
"If you've given up, then hurry and surrender already. We'll make you sing like a bird."
Alexia's comment earns her a weak grin from her foe.
"Ah, the folly of youth. If you'd just let go of your fixation on swordplay, you would realize that there are plenty of other ways to fight."
"Huh?"
A sweet smell tickles her nose.
Then, with a pair of overlapping clangs, Alexia's and Claire's swords clatter to the floor.
"What..?"
"M-my arms..."
"That sweet smell is a drug that relaxes the muscles and stifles your magic."
The librarian looks down at the two of them as they fall to their knees, unable to resist the drug's effect.
"Damn you... I thought we were supposed to be fighting with swords."
"You two are bursting with talent, and your futures are bright. That's why men like me come and steal it all away."
The librarian pulls out some rope and binds their arms.
"Why...?" Alexia asks. "Why are you doing this..."
"That's the question, isn't it?" he replies.
"You're obviously strong, so why debase yourself like this?"
"I told you, there's always someone stronger. My sword broke long ago."
"It broke? What does that even mean?"
The librarian gets a faraway look in his eyes. "There once was a dark knight by the name of Fenrir. Have you heard of him, perchance?"
"Never."
"Oh, I suspect you have. There isn't a person living in this country who hasn't."
Alexia thinks through all the past Bushin Festival participants and dark knights who made their name in other nations, but she comes up blank. "A dark knight named Fenrir... You're not talking about the guy from the legend, are you?!"
"The very same. He was once known the world over and hailed as the greatest dark knight alive."
"Okay, hold on! The dark knight Fenrir lived hundreds of years ago! Plus, people aren't even sure if he was actually real."
"Oh, he was real, all right. And what's more, he's still alive today."
"But if he's still alive... You mean he's using the Beads of Diablos?!"
Alexia thinks back to what she learned in the Sanctuary—about how there's a group called the Rounds who use the Beads of Diablos to obtain eternal life.
"You already know about the Beads? Well, now I really can't let you live."
"What are you going to do to us?"
"Offer you up as sacrifices. We were planning on leaving the two of you be, but we've barely managed to retrieve any possessed as of late."
The librarian withdraws a vial of liquid from his pocket and raises it to Alexia's mouth. There's a fiercely sweet aroma coming from it.
"Head off to dreamland now. Off to a sleep you'll never wake from."
"Rgh..."
Alexia holds her breath and turns her head away, but even so, her consciousness slowly slips into darkness.
"Alexia!"
"Cl...aire..."
That's when it happens.
There's a noise like something being forcefully ripped. It feels as if a powerful pressure is tearing into the world itself.
Then the ceiling shatters.
"What is this? What's going on?" The librarian sets down his vial and looks up.
A dark figure descends from a crack in the ceiling. After landing with an oddly muted sound, the figure rises to its feet.
"You..."
"It's you..."
The man stands alone in the fog, dressed in a black longcoat.
""Shadow!!""
His longcoat flutters behind him as he casually draws his sword.
The librarian readies his machetes with a harsh grimace. "Can't say I was expecting Shadow to show up in person...Nobody even gave me a warning."
Shadow gives him a scathing look. "You're revolting."
"And what about me is revolting, might I ask?"
"Everything."
"…Well, you can say that again." The librarian scowls, then lets out a laugh that echoes with self-contempt. "My life hasn't gone the way I hoped. I got swept away in its current, and it broke me. Now I live in shame. If you find me revolting, I have nothing to offer in my defense," he says calmly. "However, there was meaning to the shame."
"…Oh?"
"There you are, Shadow, standing at my journey's terminus. A fitting end for a sorry fool who had his sword broken and betrayed his nation."
"You've made your peace, then."
"On some level, I knew this would happen ever since Zenon bit the dust. Here at the end, though, I stand before you a swordsman—now, have at you."
He sweeps aside the fog with his oversize machetes and bears down on Shadow.
The librarian's words echo back in Alexia's mind: "Swords carry with them the weight of their wielders' lives."
And how radiantly his slash shines.
"Excellent stuff."
Shadow lays his sword in that radiance's path.
That's all it takes.
Transient and brittle, the huge machetes shatter into pieces.
"They shattered, did they?"
Nothing remains save their hilts, which let out a pair of sad clangs.
Shadow swings his sword.
[+]
A beat later, the sheer pressure from his slash blasts away the fog. Cracks begin splintering across the world, then loudly engulf everything in sight.
The world breaks.
Just like that, they're back in their original world, as if it were just a dream. However, the pool of blood the downed librarian now lies in serves as proof that it all really happened.
The librarian coughs, sending flecks of blood flying from his mouth. "Well, Shadow... Looks like I was no match for you..."
"I have yet to glimpse the pinnacle."
With a swish of his black longcoat, Shadow vanishes.
"That was what Shadow is capable of?" Claire murmurs. A chill runs down her spine. The head librarian was a powerhouse, and he was completely powerless before Shadow's might.
"He's gotten even stronger...," Alexia says, vexed.
The two of them stand up after working together to undo their bonds. They look down upon the librarian's figure.
"Mr. Librarian..."
"I'm...beyond help."
There's a deep wound in his chest.
"You were once a pretty famous dark knight, weren't you?"
Alexia can't help but ask the question. That final attack of his had a beauty to it that only the truly talented could achieve.
The librarian shakes his head. "No... Just a nameless hack."
The man is lying. Even Alexia can tell that much. She looks down at his arms and sees timeworn scars carved in his flesh. "What happened to your arms?"
"They were severed. The Cult used their technology to reattach them, but they were never quite the same. Back in my day, I was able to wield a much subtler blade."
"Who cut them off?"
"Fenrir. That was the day my sword broke."
"Would you mind if I asked what happened?"
The librarian looks down at his chest wound. "Very well... I'll share the story with you, right until I breathe my last."
Alexia and Claire sit down beside him.
"My story begins some fifty years ago, back when I worked for this nation's Knight Order..." He looks through the hallway window at the night sky now free of fog, dredging up old memories as he does. "I joined the Order after winning the Bushin Festival. There, I righted wrongs, apprehended villains, and secured a future for myself."
"See, I knew you were a notable dark knight," Alexia says.
"Zeal was the one thing I had in spades, and it led to me discovering evidence of wrongdoing far above my pay grade. I found vermin infesting the Midgar Kingdom...no, the entire world. I imagine you've discovered the same thing, Your Highness."
"…The Cult of Diablos."
"Exactly. At the time, I didn't know they existed. I thought the Holy Teachings priests had just gone rogue, and so I marched straight into the Church."
"Into the Church?"
"I was so young then. I believed that so long as I had justice on my side, I could do anything. There I was, so certain I was about to bring the hammer of justice down on the corrupt Church.
"My men and I searched the building, hoping to find hard evidence of their crimes.
"However... the ordinary clergy had nothing to do with it. Their devotion was true, and all they'd been doing was spreading the Church's teachings. And the believers were the same. They believed in Holy Teachings with all their hearts.
"It turned out, the crimes were being committed by just a tiny segment of the clergy leadership.
"After patiently surveilling the priests, we discovered that there was a secret chamber hidden beneath the church. After descending a long staircase, we were greeted by a horrifying sight.
"Down in the chamber, there were countless rotting possessed locked up and crying in agony. All of them had been wounded, and some of them had had something horrible implanted in them.
"As we stared at them in horror, we heard the door close behind us.
"It was a trap.
"I sensed hostility and immediately moved to protect myself. The mighty blow that came next sent me flying, and I skidded across the ground.
"When I returned to my feet, I saw my severed left arm, the corpses of my beheaded men...and the dark knight Fenrir, standing at the center of it all.
"I slashed at him, giving in to my rage as I clutched my sword in my remaining hand. That was how I lost my right arm, too.
"The Cult of Diablos was no stranger to having to deal with do-gooders like me."
He drops his gaze to the old scars on his arms.
"His power was overwhelming. As I lay there, prone, Fenrir brought an unconscious woman before me. It was my wife. I was a Bushin Festival winner and a prominent member of the Knight Order, so the Cult thought I could be valuable to them. I sold my soul to them in exchange for my wife's safety."
"What happened to her? If she's safe, I promise I'll protect her."
"Thankfully, she died of old age without ever learning the truth."
"And you never tried to defy them?"
The head librarian gives his head a sad shake. "Any will to resist I had was cut off in the same stroke that severed my arms. Take heed, Your Highness. The road you walk is the same one I did, and at its end lies despair and a darkness that never ends."
His stare bores into Alexia, but she meets it without flinching. "That doesn't change what I must do. As a princess, I have a duty to this nation."
The librarian stares at her in amazement. "You've become a fine young woman. In that case, I have one final thing to tell you..." His breathing is shallow, and a trickle of blood runs out the side of his mouth. "Tell me, Highness...do you know what the Cult's goal is?"
"They want to resurrect the demon Diablos, don't they?"
"Let me rephrase. Do you know why they're trying to resurrect it?"
"Well, that's because, uh..."
Alexia is at a loss for words. She knows what the Cult is trying to do, but she's never stopped to consider the why.
"There are two reasons. The first is to obtain more power. The three heroes were all women, and the possessed are all women, too. Women are the only ones Diablos cells have ever responded to. That's why the Cult has been forced to rely on these flawed pills to gain strength."
The librarian pulls out some red pills.
"Those are the ones Zenon used," Alexia notes.
"He was a fool, that pupil of mine."
"Why didn't you use them?"
"Because to do so is to shame yourself as a dark knight. However, the Cult saw potential in them. They're trying to perfect them, to create a more potent version without the side effects. That's why they've spent so many long years researching the heroes' blood. If they resurrect Diablos, they'll likely be able to attain their goal and obtain power surpassing that of even the heroes."
"I don't like the sound of that."
"However, the Cult's second reason is the more pressing of the two. You know about the Beads of Diablos, correct?"
"They're supposed to grant you eternal life, right?"
"Well, the Cult can harvest only twelve a year. Imbibing a Bead prevents you from growing older for the coming year, but at the moment, the amount they're able to produce is declining."
"What do you mean, it's declining?"
"I don't know what's causing it, but if things go on like this, it won't be long at all before they lose that eternal life of theirs. That's something the Cult's leadership absolutely cannot allow to happen. They want to resurrect Diablos so they can go back to mass-producing Beads and ensure their eternal lives. The Cult has been ruling the world from the shadows for a long time, and their immortal leadership is what keeps their operation unassailable. If they lose the Beads, though, that foundation will waver... Koff."
The librarian takes a moment to steady his breathing, then looks up at the moon hanging in the night sky.
"I don't think it's a coincidence that this is the era the Shadow Garden appeared in. This is the beginning of the end for the Cult's long rule. That's why you must pro...ceed with caution. Are those people truly...defending the peace and fighting for justice?"
Alexia has no answer for that. All she knows about the Shadow Garden is that they stand in opposition to the Cult. Aside from that, everything about the organization is shrouded in mystery.
"They might simply...be trying to steal it from the Cult…"
"Steal it? Steal what?" Alexia asks the head librarian.
"Eternal life... And also...the world itself... Koff, kaff!"
"Mr. Librarian..."
"Wh-when the Cult falls...the world... will belong... to...the Shad..ow Gar... Koff."
The librarian hacks up a huge mouthful of blood.
"Mr. Librarian!"
"P-Princess Alexia..." He sucks in a pained breath as he chokes out the words. "The fate of Midgar...is in your hands..."
And with that, he breathes his last.
<<•>>
A beautiful young woman with fiery-red hair inspects the librarian's corpse.
The woman is Iris Midgar, one of the Midgar Kingdom's princesses as well as Alexia's older sister. Alexia sent Claire home and went to explain to the Knight Order what had transpired.
"Right before he died, the librarian told me what the Cult was planning. They were the ones behind the disappearances, and they're trying to unseal the right arm of Diablos that's here in the—"
"That's enough," Iris says, cutting Alexia off.
"Huh?"
"I'm through with listening to this nonsense."
"N-nonsense?" Alexia repeats in bewilderment.
Iris gives her a stern look. "Listen to me, Alexia. The Cult of Diablos doesn't exist."
"Doesn't exist? Iris, what are you talking about? You swore to me we would investigate the Cult together..."
"And through that investigation, we learned that the Cult of Diablos doesn't exist."
That statement doesn't come from Iris, but rather from the tall man beside her. He has eyes like a snake's and pallid skin, both of which are vaguely unsettling.
"And who are you?" Alexia asks.
"It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess Alexia. I'm Adder, vice-captain of the Crimson Order."
"He's Glen's successor," Iris adds. "His talents have been a huge asset to us."
"You flatter me, Highness," Adder says, smiling faintly at Iris's compliment. "Now, you wanted to know about the Cult's nonexistence? Well, we've gathered plenty of proof."
"The entire thing is a Shadow Garden hoax."
"I-I'm sorry, what?"
"The Shadow Garden has committed countless crimes," Adder explains. "They kidnapped you, Princess Alexia, they attacked the school, they destroyed the Sanctuary, and they slaughtered scores of people over in the Oriana Kingdom. And we've heard talk that there are even more victims across the world."
"But it was the Cult of Diablos that was behind all that!"
"The Shadow Garden made the Cult up. In order to cover up their own crimes, they invented a criminal enterprise that doesn't actually exist."
"You seriously think anyone's going to believe that deranged nonsense?!"
"Here's our proof."
"Huh?"
Adder hands Alexia a hefty document.
On the cover, it says "How the Shadow Garden Invented the Cult of Diablos."
"A thirty-four-year-old man confessed that he pretended to be a Cult adherent on the Shadow Garden's orders. They took his family hostage, so he had no choice but to obey them. A twenty-eight-year-old woman was kidnapped by the Shadow Garden and forced to forge documents about the Cult of Diablos. A fifty-seven-year-old man was—"
"This is all bullshit!!" Alexia throws the document on the ground. "These confessions aren't worth the paper they're written on! If anything's been forged, it's this!!"
"Don't be uncouth, Princess Alexia. Are you accusing these fine people of falsifying their testimonies?"
"I'm not even convinced they exist!"
"We have material evidence as well, you know. This here proves that the Shadow Garden—"
"I can't take this anymore!"
When Adder tries to hand her something, Alexia shoves it aside. Adder's eyes narrow.
"You have to open your eyes, Iris," Alexia pleads. "Why are you listening to this charlatan? Please, look at me!"
Iris averts her gaze. "You're the one who needs to open your eyes, Alexia."
"I'm begging you here. They're trying to free the right arm of Diablos!"
"The Shadow Garden has pulled the wool over your eyes. All those people you thought were working for the Cult were acting as another arm of the Shadow Garden."
"You're wrong, Iris!! You have to listen to me!!"
As Iris turns her back on Alexia, Alexia reaches out for her.
Slap.
Iris swats Alexia's hand away.
"But..."
"My enemy is Shadow, and I'll mow down anyone who gets in my way. Even my own sister."
With that, Iris leaves.
"The Crimson Order is busy dealing with the Shadow Garden," Adder says triumphantly. "I'm afraid we need to take our leave."
Alexia stares in shock as her sister goes.
Then she hears a voice from her side and turns to see a familiar face. "Princess Alexia..."
"Marco..."
It's one of the Crimson Order's founding members. He's still young, but Glen trusted him a lot, and Alexia had always assumed that Marco would be the one to fill Glen's shoes.
"I'm sorry, Princess Alexia." Marco walks briskly off, unable to meet Alexia's gaze.
"You too, Marco?"
Marco doesn't answer her question. Members of the Order carry the librarian's corpse away.
The forbidden book tumbles from Alexia's hand.
<<•>>
A golden tail sways amid the white fog.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm."
There's even some idle humming.
The girl's graceful footsteps are like those of a dancer. There are red pools of blood all around her, and each step she takes is accompanied by a loud squelch.
"You're certainly in a good mood, Zeta."
On hearing her name, Zeta stops mid-hum. "I was just at the good part."
"My apologies."
"Hmph." Zeta twirls a blood-flecked chakram around her finger.
A short, hooded girl emerges from the fog. "If you're thinking of throwing that at me, please don't."
"I'm not. Where's Victoria?"
"Working on the plan."
"Mm."
"I have a report from her."
"Mmm." All of a sudden, Zeta stops spinning her chakram and hurls it into the air.
Shlunk.
A severed head falls from above. It cracks and shatters with a look of shock still etched on its face.
"Good spot."
"Mm."
"I have a report from Victoria."
"Mmm."
"It would appear that Master Shadow intervened on behalf of Princess Alexia and the sister."
"That's Claire to you."
The chakram whirls, and the girl's hood flutters. "My apologies."
"Make sure it doesn't happen again. So? What did he do?"
"After dispatching the librarian, he brought them back out of the Sanctuary."
"Clever. Fenrir is in trouble now."
"That's right. He doesn't have many moves available to him. How is your progress coming along?"
"Hmm?"
"You know, analyzing the Sanctuary."
"Oh, I'm done."
"Already? But it's only been a few days."
"Eta's artifact is great." Zeta produces a strange palm-size device. When she imbues it with magic, it begins faintly glowing. "It makes magic circuits visible. You can tell where they're flowing and what they do at a glance."
Thin veins of light spread outward. They pulsate and lead to a set of pillars of red light. Inside each of the four pillars, there's an academy student hooked up to a slender tube.
"They're trying to use the students' magic to break the seal," Zeta explains.
"Looks like they don't have enough mana."
"Yeah. They need high-quality magic. From the heroes' descendants. I've figured out how the Cult sealed Diablos and how they built the Sanctuary."
"Then I guess we're done here."
"Mm."
"What do you want to do? If we destroy the tubes, the seal will stay protected."
Zeta ponders the hooded girl's question for a moment.
However, there's no need for her to do so. She already knows her answer. Zeta merely wants to steel her own resolve.
"We leave them be."
"Are you sure about this?"
"I've made my choice." Zeta strides through the fog. After passing the pillars of red light and arriving at a massive door, she lays her hand on it. "The right arm is sealed away just past here."
"What do you intend on doing?"
"While we're here, I thought l'a pay my respects."
"Should we give the sign?"
"If you want. Zeta, going in."
Zeta pours magic into the door.
The door is covered in ancient script, and it's locked shut with layers of thick chains.
"Will it open?" the hooded girl asks Zeta.
"Dunno. But I know who sealed the demon's arm here."
"Who?"
"Here she comes."
Zeta pours even more magic in.
When she does, the door flashes red, and the magic circuits in the air expand. There's a creak, and the door starts vibrating ever so slightly.
However, it doesn't open.
The magic circuits gather in front of the door, and the vein-thin lights coalesce into the shape of a person.
"Fall back."
"Yes, ma'am."
On Zeta's order, the hooded girl backs all the way up.
Eventually, the thin lights vanish, revealing a therianthrope woman standing in their place. She has golden hair, golden cat ears, a golden tail, and decidedly feline eyes. She bears a striking likeness to Zeta.
The hooded girl gulps. "Is that...'"
"Nice to meet you, therianthrope hero."
"Zeta, what in the world is going on?"
"None of this is new information," Zeta says matter-of-factly.
Not a moment later, the therianthrope hero's claws flash, and Zeta's head goes flying.
After spinning through the air, the severed head turns into black mist and vanishes. As it does, Zeta's torso vanishes as well.
The black mist melds into the white fog, and from it, Zeta emerges unscathed She floats in the air and casts a cold look down at the therianthrope hero.
"But I wanted to double-check it," she says.
The hero doesn't reply. She simply gazes up at Zeta with eyes devoid of emotion.
Still floating in the air, Zeta shoots a question down at the hooded girl. "Do you remember the day you first met our lord?"
The hooded girl presses a hand to her chest. "Of course. How could I ever forget?"
"Me neither. I'll never forget that day."
Zeta stares intently at the therianthrope hero like she's seeing the distant past just behind the woman's frame.
"I was just a tiny kitten—and our master took me in."
That there is what fuels Zeta's resolve.
"Bye-bye, Hero. I've chosen a different path than you." Zeta turns to go.
The short, hooded girl hurriedly follows her. "Are you sure about this? We haven't given the sign yet."
"Mm. We can give it next time. We've achieved our current goal. Now we lurk in the shadows and wait for our moment."
"Then wait we shall."
As they talk, the two girls disappear into the fog.
The therianthrope hero silently watches them go.