La danse macabre - Stage 8

[shionstear]

La danse macabre

Episode 26 – Twisted stage (I+II)

Underground.

Fuga:

Hah…! Hahahahahaha!!

Gunshot.

Libel:

…

Gunshot.

Libel:

Stop…

Fuga:

Ahhhh!!

Swing.

Sword clashing.

Libel:

I can’t… fight against you!

We’re comrades! We… had the same ambitions…!

Fuga:

Shut uuup!!

Sword clashing.

Fuga:

…fight me for real!! Are you saying someone like me isn’t an enemy!?

Libel:

…! Why do we have to fight…

Sword clashing.

Fuga:

You talked with Cura-san, didn’t you… You heard that I killed people from Rebellion!

Libel:

…

Fuga:

I worked together with Unity Order and gave Arme to Ark!

And I killed the three here too! I killed so many for this plan!!

Libel:

But why did you…!!

Fuga:

To make you return to your former self of course!!

Swing.

Sword clashing.

Fuga:

Ugh…

Libel:

Fuga!

…don’t do more than this. The wound Unity Order gave you will…!

It’s almost a miracle that you’re even still moving…

Fuga:

Ha… hahaha…

Why… Don’t try to save me now…

Because… because…

You haven’t saved me before, Libel-san…

Libel:

…what… are you saying…?

Fuga:

…when the Unity Order guy was beating me… you… you didn’t save me!

Even though it hurt! Even though I was scared!! Even though I thought I’d die!!

Libel:

…do you mean that incident in District 2? At that time, I was fighting with Qual and---

Fuga:

You saved me before! The Libel-san that I admired saved me from the verge of death!!

Libel:

…

Fuga:

You always saved me! You were my hero!

I was saved by you and wanted to become like you!

But the longer I was by your side, the more I just realized I’d never close the gap!!

Libel:

No, that’s…

Fuga:

It’s impossible, in this rotten world. I can’t even think of freeing the world, like you want to! It’s impossible! Simply impossible!!

Libel:

…Fuga.

Fuga:

It’s painful! Tiresome!! I’m miserable!!

I thought, if it were impossible either way, I needed to stop admiring you or I couldn’t endure it…!

Ahh!! And yet…! You weren’t what I admired after you met Arme…

Libel:

Arme is needed to give the world its freedom…!

Fuga:

Wrong!! I can tell by looking at your expression! You yourself are just being saved by him!

Don’t just look like a human…! You’re my hero, aren’t you!?!

Libel:

…!

Fuga:

Ahhh… Yes, yes! Even though…! Even though you’re a hero!!

Earlier too! When I was fighting Unity Order, you didn’t… y-you didn’t save me!!

Even though you were my hero!!! I don’t need you anymore!!

Libel:

…I see.

Fuga, you’re already…

Already broken, aren’t you?

Fuga:

Aha… hahaha!!

Libel:

Since when…? After Unity Order almost killed you?

Or even way before that? Were you always holding back?

Fuga:

…who knows. I’ve always been at the very limit…

Libel:

I’ll free you from the pain… Fuga.

Fuga:

Ha… haha… Then come and try…!!!

Aaahhhhhhhhhh!!!

Libel:

…!

Sword swing.

 

Libel:

…!

Sword swing.

Fuga:

Ugh…!

H-hah…!

Libel:

…it’s over. Fuga.

Fuga:

…ah… haha. So it’s the end…

Libel:

…Fuga.

Fuga:

As I thought…

You’re strong. Libel-san…

Libel:

I didn’t notice with what feelings you were fighting…

To think that I was the one driving you up the wall…

Forgive me.

Fuga:

Ah, please don’t apologize…

You’re a strong person, Libel-san. I can’t… even think of freeing the world… But you thinking of it… is already amazing…

Libel:

I…!

Even I…!!

Fuga:

Haha… what’s with that face, like you’re about to cry. This is… the first time I see you like… that…

Seeing you like that… you surprisingly look… like a normal person, huh.

Libel:

…

Yes, that’s right…

You’re right… Fuga.

Fuga:

I had fun… when the three of us ran wild… Though the fighting never stopped… And even… if I hadn’t seen it end…

Even if peace would have never come… I’d been happy… just like that…

Libel:

… Forgive me.

Even still… I can’t forgive the current world…

Fuga:

Ah… That’s it… This is Libel-san…

Ah… r-right…

Please… tell Arme I’m sorry… I… said something bad to…

…him…

Libel:

…Fuga.

Fuga… Fuga!!

…

Kabane:

It is quite difficult to preserve one’s presence of mind amidst a war.

Libel:

…! Kabane!?

Kabane:

He had probably always been on edge. After your body has been almost broken before, your mind starts breaking first.

Few and far between keep their sanity and dance until the end, on the stage of war.

…what about you, Libel?

Libel:

…didn’t Fuga kill you?

Kabane:

I’m living. …unfortunately so.

Libel:

What about Kuon and Konoe…?

Kabane:

They too are alive.

Libel:

…what… so Fuga didn’t kill you…?

Why would he lie like that…

Kabane:

…

Libel:

…and he can’t answer me anymore...

I’m glad you’re safe, Kabane.

Kabane:

Where are you going?

Libel:

…I have to go. I’ll go after Arme.

To put it in your words: I have no choice but to keep on dancing.

I sacrificed Fuga. I can’t possibly give up now.

Kabane:

Wait.

Libel:

…being overprotective again?

Kabane:

Follow me.

Libel:

…?

Kabane:

…I will tell you this world’s truth.

Episode 27 – Schau (I+II)

On an elevator.

Schau:

Come one get on, Lord Tenshi.

Shoving.

Arme:

...

Schau:

Right. It’s your first time, right Lord Tenshi?

The elevator that connects Ark to the ground. Just by standing still it’ll bring you back up.

Unity Order soldier:

Well then…

Schau:

Ah, right. I wanna talk with Lord Tenshi in private.

Unity Order soldier:

Uhm, but.

Schau:

It’s not like he can do much while we go up. …and you don’t often get to talk to him.

Unity Order soldier:

I see… Then please be careful.

Door closes.

Elevator noise.

Arme:

…

Schau:

How pitiful, Lord Tenshi. To be used by the lesser world humans.

To be kidnapped, to be used for their goals… or so you thought until you were betrayed… and taken back…

I really wonder what the Lord Tenshi is.

Arme:

…

I don’t think I’m pitiful.

Schau:

You’re not even angry that you were sold out?

Arme:

Fuga had important things that he needed to protect, so he probably had no other choice.

I have no intention to blame him for reaching that conclusion after, what I can’t even begin to fathom, all the anguish he must’ve gone through.

Schau:

You were like this, huh… You grew stronger in the short while you were gone…

I don’t like it.

Arme:

And Fuga isn’t the only one. Everyone on the ground is living their life earnestly.

Following only their own will.

Why aren’t the people of Ark like that? Why do they entrust their wills to the greater flow, to the church?

Schau:

…

Arme:

You might live an easier life if you give up your will to faith. But that’s not your---

Slap.

Arme:

Ah!!

Schau:

Thank you very much for your opinion.

Pray tell then, which of the two worlds is built on peace? Though I don’t think there’s any room for discussion.

Arme:

…ah…!!

Schau:

But you really think of unnecessary stuff, huh, Lord Tenshi?

I don’t really get that, personally.

Arme:

…Schau. Don’t you question anything about Ark? Have you never thought about the difference between Ark and ground?

Schau:

Hmm.

Nah.

Arme:

…why. You saw the ground, didn’t you? How can you be like that?!

Schau:

…

I don’t really talk about it but.

I was born in the lesser world.

Arme:

…!?

Schau:

When I was young, Reue picked me up when he went on an expedition one day. After that I was raised as a person of Ark.

Arme:

I… see…

 

Schau:

I don’t understand why Reue… why father would do something like that.

It’s a complete coincidence that I got to live on Ark.

There are people that think of those on the ground as different living beings, like Qual, right?

…but not me. I know they’re just humans too, there’s absolutely no difference.

Because there’s no difference to me, even though I am from down there.

Arme:

…I see.

Schau:

Above and below. You wonder what divided them? …it was luck.

Everything is luck. So I know there’s no point in thinking about it like you do.

There isn’t a reason for everything in this world. It just happened to be like that, it just happened to become like that.

Arme:

…but… but if you were born on the ground…

If there are no differences between you and people on the ground, then shouldn’t you try to meet them halfway?

Schau:

No. Precisely because there is no other difference, we have to maintain the one made by luck.

Arme:

That’s selfish…!

Schau:

Who’s the selfish one? Me who’s trying to keep up the status quo or---

You who’s trying to plunge our world into chaos with your fluffy philosophy?

Arme:

…!

Schau:

Lemme tell you straight: it’s a nuisance. The world isn’t your learning spot.

It’s unpleasant to be lectured about how the world should be by someone who only just left his cage and sees everything with fresh eyes.

Arme:

…

Schau:

You see… In fact, relating to this mission, we received an order from Lord Misericorde.

Arme:

From Misericorde…?

Schau:

Weird, right? Well, I don’t know what his intention was nor could I care less about it.

I just care about one thing. That Lord Misericorde told me he didn’t care if the Tenshi was alive or dead.

Arme:

…what…?

Schau:

Do I really need to spell it out for you? Do you get why I’m telling you?

Arme:

…th-that’s…

Schau:

It means to kill you.

Gunshot.

Arme:

Ahhh!!

Schau:

Hm, there’s still some minutes before we reach Ark. I’ll be done before then.

Arme:

Hah… hah… why…! Why did… Misericorde…!!

Schau:

Dunno.

Gunshot.

Arme:

Ahhh!!

Schau:

To be honest, I was kinda pissed. Thanks to you we had so much work.

I hate annoying work.

Everything is good as it is. I’m here because I was lucky. That’s important.

I don’t want to be bothered… My father and my colleagues too, we don’t want to be thrown into disorder by you!

Gunshot.

Arme:

…!!

Schau:

…man you’re annoying.

Arme:

…

Schau:

First time someone wants to kill you for real, right?

You may have been hurt before, but you were never in danger of dying, were you? After all, you were precious to the lesser world.

Arme:

Ah… Ahh…

Schau:

Bye-bye, Lord Tenshi.

Arme:

…!

Image noise.

Schau:

Eh…

Cough…!

Arme:

…!?

Schau:

Wh… what… Ugh… Cough…!

…! …….!

Arme:

H-hey…! Schau, wh…!

Schau:

N-No…! D-dad…!!

…

Arme:

Ah… ah… It’s the same… as that other time…

Elevator noise.

Arme:

…I arrived on Ark…?

Door opens.

Reue:

…!?

Arme:

Reue…

Reue:

Wha… that’s…!?

Schau-kun! Schau-kun!!

Schau…!

…what.

What happened.

Arme:

…

Reue:

Please answer me…

Answer me!! Tenshi!!

Cut.

Qual:

…

Punching sound.

Qual:

…I can’t go on like this.

Episode 28 – Tenshi (I+II)

Underground.

Libel:

This is…

What is this blood…?

Kabane:

Ah, don’t worry. We had no time to clean yet.

Libel:

…what do you mean don’t worry…! Are Kuon and Konoe really alright!?

Kabane:

…I told you they were, didn’t I? Just sit somewhere without blood.

Konoe:

Ah, were you talking? Can I clean up?

Kabane:

Yeah. Not like you can’t hear this.

Libel:

Konoe! So you were okay after all.

Konoe:

Ah, yeah we’re fine. But you had it rough too, huh…

Libel:

…?

Kabane:

Lemme get straight to the point.

Don’t get any more involved with Tenshi Arme.

Libel:

….I refuse.

Konoe:

Of course you would…

Libel:

I’ll thank you for saving my life. But I won’t listen to that.

Kabane:

Why?

Libel:

I want to improve the relation with Ark together with Arme. To get rid of the difference between Ark and the ground… And then we can be free…

Kabane:

Your assumption is wrong already.

Libel:

…how.

Kabane:

For Ark… no, for the Church of Nerve, the Tenshi isn’t what you think it is.

Libel:

…the Tenshi is Ark’s symbol. And for the Church too, he’s the absolute symbol, the object of faith…

Kabane:

Hm.

Libel. You noticed the strange occurrences happening to your body, didn’t you?

Libel:

…!

Kabane:

Times where, without any warning, you cough up large amounts of blood, right?

Flashback to Libel coughing up blood.

Kabane:

Times where your entire body feels mind-numbingly painful, right?

Flashback to Libel’s body feeling mind-numbingly painful.

Libel:

…

Kabane:

That comes from the “curse”.

Libel:

Curse…?

Kabane:

Your organs are slowly being destroyed by the Church of Nerve’s curse.

If you’re in contact with the curse for longer, you will definitely die.

Libel:

Wait a second.

What is this curse…?

Kabane:

A curse, created by the Church of Nerve a long, long time ago, to destroy their enemies.

It is called “Tenshi”.

Libel:

…!?

Konoe:

…

Kabane:

Your body has been going through all that because you were close to Arme.

Just by living, just by breathing, Arme is leading the people around him to death.

---A cursed weapon.

 

Libel:

N-no way…

Kabane:

The current world’s ruin was caused by a past Tenshi as well.

Libel:

…w-wait…

Kabane:

The beginning dates back to more than 1000 years ago. The Church of Nerve… no, during that time Nerve was the name of a country, huh.

Nerve created a curse in human form, called Tenshi. It was born to be used in war against other countries.

That curse was far too powerful.

For over 1000 years, whenever a force, that was equally strong as Nerve, appeared and showed resistance, Nerve would release the Tenshi’s curse of death and wreak havoc.

Libel:

…why… Why do you know all that…?

Kabane:

…

The Tenshi’s curse is always active. Think of it as a gas that is always floating around the Tenshi.

When the Tenshi gets stressed, the curse’s concentration rises.

Pain, anxiety, fear, anything works. The curse’s power rises proportionally to the strength of the harm…

It can even reach the state of instantly killing a person.

Libel:

…!

Flashback.

Arme:

That… The man who was standing guard was someone called Placer.

Libel:

The one who attacked us in the desert?

Arme:

Yes… him.

He suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed.

Libel:

…!

Cura:

He coughed up blood and… just collapsed?

Arme:

Yes. He was hurting me all over, and then suddenly looked like he was suffering and coughed up lots of blood…

Flashback ends.

Libel:

…

Konoe:

Seems like you remember something like that happening before.

Kabane:

Nerve used the Tenshi’s power to control other countries’ influence and monopolized all and every technology.

No, I should probably say they stopped all but Nerve’s evolution.

And then, making full use of everything they learned, they created a city in the sky.

Libel:

And that’s Ark…?

Kabane:

They turned the Tenshi into a symbol and changed themselves into a church. Which you know as today’s Church of Nerve.

After all, there’s nothing more convenient than faith in order to control people.

A city in the sky, looking down on everyone but themselves. Most suitable to show off one’s authority and the difference in technology and power.

And the faith towards the Tenshi, their so-called truth of how they maintain their lives, just further strengthens said faith…

Libel:

…you’re probably…

Kabane:

…

Libel:

Not lying, I guess. Why would you…

Kabane:

Yeah. This truth is only known by a handful of people of the church.

And there are replacements for the cursed weapon, for the Tenshi.

If Arme died, they can just use another Tenshi.

Libel:

Does Unity Order also not know about this?

Kabane:

Probably.

Libel:

Qual…

Kabane:

In other words, no matter how much you use the Tenshi as a shield, there’s simply no way for them to listen to negotiations. From their perspective it’s just a replaceable weapon after all.

A false divine vessel.

Libel:

…

Kabane:

And if you’re with the Tenshi, you will indubitably die.

If you distance yourself from the Tenshi from now on, your body should recover slowly.

Sorry to tell you but… give up.

Libel:

…

But what’ll happen to Arme?

What about his will!? His freedom!? What’ll happen to him if I give up!?

Konoe:

…

Kabane:

I’m telling you… to give up on that as well.

Libel:

…I know. I just have to overthrow the church.

They created the curse. They have to have a way to break it too…!

I’ll end the curse! If we do, then the ground and Arme will…!!

Kabane:

…there is no way to break the curse.

Libel:

…!!

Don’t screw with me!! Why did we! Then why did we!!

Kabane:

If you continue now, you will definitely regret it.

Stop it.

Libel:

Don’t decide that for me!! I will…!!

Kuon:

Let’s stop.

Kabane:

…!?

Libel:

Kuon…?

Kuon:

Kabane, let’s stop. They might be different from us.

Kabane:

…

We’re the same. …there’s no way anyone can bear this.

Konoe:

Ah, wait! Kabane-san…!!

Kuon:

Sorry. To suddenly be hearing so much at once, you must be surprised?

He had no ill intentions either. He was just thinking of you and…

Libel:

Nerve, Ark, Tenshi…! I feel like I’m losing my mind!

What even are you people!? Why do you know all this!?

Kuon:

…

You see.

I was the Tenshi too. Long, long ago.

Episode 29 – A false paradise

In the cathedral.

Reue:

Please explain what happened to me!!

Misericorde:

…hmm. How rare, for Captain Reue to be bewildered.

Reue:

I… I… one of my subordinates… Schau has died!!

Why did Schau have to die just by retrieving the Tenshi!?

What are you people hiding!?

Misericorde:

Hmm. We have no choice…

It seems he’d throw hands otherwise. My, how scary.

Reue:

You bastard…!!

Misericorde:

Where is our Lord Tenshi right now?

Reue:

He’s wounded… I let him get minimal treatment and confined him in a cell.

He’s dangerous. That might’ve been disrespectful and put him in danger, but I decided it was necessary.

Misericorde:

I don’t mind. I also wasn’t about to say that it’s disrespectful.

Reue:

…?

Misericorde:

I shall tell you. The history of the Church of Nerve’s marvellous victories.

Cut to darkness.

Arme:

…I’m back on Ark, huh.

What a small cage. …reminds me of the past.

Ow…

Right. I was shot. …seems I got used to pain now too.

…

…I want to… go outside.

Cut back.

Reue:

I-impossible…

The Tenshi… is a weapon to destroy other countries…?

Misericorde:

Well, the difference to the lesser world is very much set in stone. The Tenshi has lost its original role at the moment.

Reue:

Then Schau…

Misericorde:

There wouldn’t have been any problem in such a short time. He must’ve hurt the Tenshi, which made him receive the curse in one go.

Reue:

Why… why didn’t you tell us… If you had, we could’ve assumed other measures and…!

Misericorde:

Don’t be such a fool. Who knows when and where this knowledge could leak out?

The Tenshi is our symbol of faith. It has to stay sacred.

But in truth it’s a poison that brings death. If others knew we’d be troubled. It would lose its sacred properties, wouldn’t it?

Reue:

…

Misericorde:

And this city’s history, being built on the destruction of countless other countries…

We wouldn’t want that, would we? That’d be difficult to love, right?

I want it to be a city that has always been afloat in the sky. I want to make it a legend centred around the Tenshi. …ufufu.

After all, there’s a 1000-year long difference in technology between us and the lesser world.

Even if their civilisation had started to grow, we could’ve just eradicated them, making humans and their writings disappear.

Our technologies for low-cost food manufacturing, industry, and science, that we maintain without resources, must look like nothing but a miracle to them.

“Paradise” is just something created artificially. As long as there is a hell underneath, of course.

Reue:

What in the world.

…wait, there’s an inconsistency. How come you’re not affected by the Tenshi if you’re around him all the time?

…! And Qual too! He’s been with the Tenshi since he was young.

Misericorde:

How perceptive. Why not work that head of yours a bit more then?

About our point in common.

Reue:

…!

The holy mark.

Misericorde:

Cooorrect.

To make Qual the Tenshi’s retainer we accepted him into the church.

He got the holy mark on that occasion. Thus, that is the one and only way to keep away the death brought by the curse.

Reue:

…

Misericorde:

What is the matter? You look quite bitter.

Reue:

Peace has been preserved based on such a lie…?

You’ve been using a kid like him to kill people…!?

Misericorde:

Huh? …Fufufu.

Yes, we’ve been telling a lie all this time. …ever since our ancestors’ times.

Now then, what will you do after learning the truth? If we lose the faith to the Tenshi then there’s no way to preserve this Ark.

You’ve been in charge of Unity Order and the city for many years. You would know that, wouldn’t you?

Reue:

…

Misericorde:

If you were to tell this to the believers, what would you do? What comes next? How do you calm the chaos, how do you let these many people live?

…let me tell you why I revealed it to you. Because you will choose to maintain the status quo.

I know because we’ve known each other for so long. You are… very brilliant…

Trustworthy… opportunist, after all.

Reue:

…!

Misericorde:

Ufufufufu. You don’t want to shoulder this decision, do you?

Sound.

Misericorde:

…? Who is it!?

Reue:

…!

Opens door.

Reue:

There’s no one there…

Misericorde:

My, it seems someone overheard us?

Reue:

…

Cut.

Arme:

It’s so noisy…

What happened?

Punching sound.

Arme:

…!

Breaking sound.

Arme:

…ah… ah…

Qual:

…

Arme:

Q-Qual…

Qual:

I’ve been thinking… ever since then.

What I was doing. What I was desiring.

Arme:

…

Qual:

I couldn’t think of an answer. No matter how often I repeated Libel’s words, I couldn’t find the exit of the labyrinth of my thoughts.

But, now, I learned the truth. Everything that was binding me was meaningless…

Arme:

…?

Qual:

…and if so, I will only follow my own will. I’ll do what I should do.

Draws sword.

Arme:

Eek…!

Cut.

Unity Order soldier:

L-Lord Qual! What are you doing! If you don’t return to your cell---!

Qual:

That I can’t do.

Sword swing.

Unity Order soldier:

Gah!?

Arme:

…!?

Qual:

I will…

I will save you… Arme.

To be continued…