La danse macabre - Stage10
Jan. 18th, 2021 02:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shionstearLa danse macabre
Episode 33 – Let’s have a talk about the past (I+II)
Cathedral.
Kabane:
Ha!!
Swing.
Clash.
Vida:
…! You’re not half bad…!
Kabane:
Go already!!
Libel:
Let’s run, Arme!
Arme:
Y-yeah!
Vida:
As if I’d let you!
Clash.
Kabane:
Don’t look away…
Vida:
Tch!! Don’t get in my way!!!
Swing.
Kabane:
Ugh…!!
Vida:
Don’t get ahead of yourself, small fry!!
Swing.
Arme:
Kabaneee!!
Libel:
Don’t look back, run!!
Arme:
Libel! Kabane will die with that much blood loss!!
Libel:
…it’s okay.
Qual:
…?
Vida:
Libel! You think you can run from me by bringing such a brat---!
Swing.
Vida:
Gah…!?
Kabane:
I told you to not look away, didn’t I?
Vida:
What…!?
How are you moving…! Why didn’t you die…!?
Kabane:
Hmph… why I didn’t die, huh.
Your opponent right now is exactly that.
Cut.
Qual:
I don’t know who that man is but… will he be okay?
He did seem skilled, but I don’t think he’ll survive fighting Vida.
Arme:
…it’s like we left him to die…
Libel:
It’s okay.
Arme:
Why…
Libel:
It is. It will be…
Arme:
…?
Libel:
That guy will definitely not lose…
Flashback starts.
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.
Flashback continues with new dialogue.
Libel:
…!?
What… do you mean…?
Kuon:
Exactly what I said. I was the Tenshi long before Arme.
Libel:
…
Kuon:
I understand that it’s unbelievable. But it’s true that I’ve been living for over 1000 years.
As have Kabane and Konoe.
Libel:
…!
Konoe:
Yup. We’re veeery much your seniors.
Libel:
Un…believable…
Konoe:
Uhh, well, yeah… Then let’s do this.
Lemme borrow your sword for a sec.
Libel:
…?
Konoe:
Like… this.!
Libel:
…!? Hey!
Konoe:
Ouch…
Kuon:
…
Libel:
What are you doing, Konoe…?! Cutting yourself…
Konoe:
Just look at it.
Libel:
…the wound… is disappearing.
Konoe:
Yup.
Kuon:
We don’t die. No…
…we can’t die.
Libel:
…!
Kuon:
Let’s have a talk about the past.
Over 1000 years ago I was the Tenshi. Just like Arme, I was raised as a cursed weapon inside of Nerve.
Though at that time, Nerve wasn’t a church yet and definitely not a city floating in the sky…
And the one who saved me from my confinement was the king of a hostile country: Kabane.
Libel:
…!
Kuon:
Yes, much like you and Arme, right?
Libel:
That’s…
Konoe:
At the time, Kabane-san was the king of a country called Gotho. Gotho was the only military country that could oppose Nerve.
And hey why hide it, I was Kabane-san’s right-hand man!
Libel:
So you were Kabane’s subordinate…
Konoe:
We learned of Kuon-san’s existence while we were attacking Nerve.
Kabane-san really was like the embodiment of justice, you know.
When he learned that a kid like Kuon-san was being used as a weapon he got extremely angry.
After that, he stole Kuon-san away from Nerve without paying any attention to his own life.
Kuon:
Kabane was very similar to you… He learned about my fate and wanted to free me.
And Kabane wanted to break my spell as well. I trusted him too and helped however I could.
We had to find a way to break it soon as the curse was gnawing at Kabane’s and Konoe’s bodies.
Konoe:
Like, the entirety of Gotho did research on it.
Kuon:
And, at the end of the research, we reached a conclusion, a way to break the curse.
Libel:
So there is a way to break it…!?
Kuon:
There is. There definitely… is.
Libel:
…?
Kuon:
But it was imperfect.
Konoe:
Force-breaking the Tenshi’s curse had severe side-effects. But we didn’t know about them then.
Kuon:
The Tenshi’s curse is a curse that amplifies death. It’s connected to my own death in a very complex way…
Libel:
Your own… death?
Kuon:
To break the curse… meant to lose death itself.
Libel:
…you mean.
Kuon:
The very idea of death disappeared together with my curse. Involving everything around me as well.
Konoe:
Weeell… Hilarious, isn’t it?
Libel:
Impossible…
Kuon:
Kabane and I, as well as Konoe who was near me, we all received a body that can’t die.
Libel:
…!?
Konoe:
I really just got caught up in it all huh. Well, I followed Kabane-san, so I don’t really mind.
Libel:
…wh-what happened to the battle with Nerve?
Konoe:
…
Kuon:
The very moment my curse had broken, a new Tenshi appeared.
It was a baby.
Libel:
!?
Kuon:
The curse can probably only be inherited by a human with no sense of self yet.
Konoe:
You know that the curse’s power depends on the Tenshi’s stress, right?
Nerve just left behind that baby Tenshi in Gotho.
The country of Gotho was annihilated in one night alongside a baby’s crying.
Libel:
…
That’s… Can… can something like that be forgiven…
Kuon:
It’s horrible, isn’t it…
Konoe:
We were among the few survivors and moved underground.
Libel:
…so you’ve been living here for over 1000 years now.
Kuon:
Indeed.
Libel:
He told me not to get more involved with the Tenshi because of this…
Kuon:
Haha. He must regret the fact that he saved me…
Konoe:
No, Kuon-san. That’s wrong, he…
Kuon:
It’s okay, Konoe.
After my curse was broken and he learned about what happened to our bodies, he said he didn’t regret it.
I felt saved by those words.
But, living such a long life is very painful…
Konoe:
That’s… well, you’re right.
About 100 years after that all our comrades had died already after all…
Libel:
…I can’t even begin to imagine.
Kuon:
Kabane regretted it. To have saved me… That he had the courage and feeling of justice to save me…
But he’s a kind person. So to make sure he wouldn’t detest me. To make sure he wouldn’t be angry at me…
He started to avoid me someday.
Libel:
…
Konoe:
But Kuon-san, you too have been struggling with your guilt all the time. Thinking that it might’ve been better if Kabane-san had never saved you.
That he would’ve been able to die normally if he hadn’t saved you…
Kuon:
…
Konoe:
It was hard, you know. …seeing the two of you like that.
Libel:
That’s… that’s just…
Kuon:
Kabane doesn’t want you to repeat it. The same mistakes… That’s why he stopped you.
Because he felt you were the same as him. But… but you see…
I might’ve lived so long that I forgot time itself, but I have never even once thought that it would’ve been better if I hadn’t been saved.
If by merely living I had brought death to others, then I prefer to keep on living a harmless life.
I have never once forgotten my gratitude towards Kabane.
Libel:
…isn’t it painful? You can’t die… Not until now, nor from now on.
Kuon:
…painful?
There’s no way it could be. I’m… I’m the one that was saved.
Libel:
…
Kuon:
I’m not… allowed to think of it as painful.
Cut back to present.
Qual:
Libel?
Libel:
…we should continue forward. We can’t let Kabane’s will be for naught.
Episode 34 – Hero of old (I+II)
Cathedral.
Vida:
What’s up with this…
Why! Bastard!!
I kill and kill and kill and you just come back to life!!
Kabane:
Glad you’re enjoying this…
…but you really are strong. Even during my times there were no people like you…
Vida:
Don’t act so calm… in the middle of a fight!!
Swing.
Clash.
Kabane:
Ugh…!
Vida:
Gahhh!!
Swing.
Kabane:
…!
Vida:
Even if I send an arm flying…
Kabane:
…
Vida:
It just regenerates…! What a monster…!
Kabane:
…monster, huh.
You see, I always lived underground. Didn’t have the most splendid lifestyle.
Humanity’s strongest and an undying monster. A heart-pounding match-up, is it not…?
Vida:
Whatever…! Don’t get in my way!!
Swing.
Kabane:
Ugh…!
Cough… cough…!!
Vida:
That one must’ve blown off your intestines, huh? Just lay there and sleep…!
Kabane:
Ha… hahaha…! Wait!!
Vida:
Tch. Get off…!
Kabane:
How unfriendly… Entertain me more, humanity’s strongest. In my first battle in 1000 years…!!
Swing.
Vida:
Ugh…!
Ahh!? You’re already healed…!
Kabane:
You were… from the 12th district, right? The village of the creed of the dead… It’s been around since my era.
Vida:
…
Kabane:
The tribe that worships the dead and believes in the dead’s guidance.
Apparently, by throwing the corpses of their tribe into a big hole it accumulates their power.
The source of your strength… is it that cursed power…?
Vida:
…
Kabane:
Is that strength drowning you and making you rampage…?
Vida:
…don’t talk like you know anything.
If I hadn’t been strong, I wouldn’t have gone through all this.
If I just… hadn’t been strong.
Kabane:
…I see.
I was a hero. Over 1000 years ago.
Vida:
Huh? What’re you suddenly talking about…?
And 1000 years? You lost it or what?
Kabane:
Obeying my own justice and do what is right. That was my ideology.
Vida:
…
Kabane:
I thought that I could never be wrong. I had the confidence to accompany it, after all.
Though I never thought I’d receive a body that can’t die thanks to that sense of justice.
Vida:
…whatever!!
Swing.
Vida:
…whatever!!
Swing.
Kabane:
…
Vida:
He won’t even avoid it…!!
Kabane:
Look. Even though that attack of yours cut me in half, I’m already healed…
I’m hated by death.
Vida:
What even are you. It’s sickening…!!
Kabane:
Even when my body became this, I thought I wasn’t wrong…
That I did the right thing for a friend! That I am a hero that knows no shame!
Vida:
…you sure talk a lot.
Kabane:
Ah right. I don’t have anything better to do so just attack whenever.
I can’t die even if killed… I got free time. Entertain me during my repentance.
Vida:
You…!!
Swing.
Kabane:
The pain of eternity was unfathomable to me.
It didn’t even take 100 years to start regretting my sense of justice…
Vida:
Ha… hahaha! If your story’s true, then you sure are a loser.
Swing.
Kabane:
Yeah, it’s just like you say. I wasn’t a hero or anything…
I’m just a hopeless human that resented the person that he saved…
I even betrayed my own decision of wanting to save him. I was worthless…
Vida:
You just keep on talking… what do you wanna say? Why did someone like you appear before me?
Even if you can’t die, there’s no way it doesn’t hurt, right?
If that’s how you’ve been feeling, then why are you butting in!?
Kabane:
I talked to him… to Kuon, after hundreds of years. Comfortably…
Vida:
Huh?
Kabane:
He desperately tried to persuade me… That those guys… might be different from us.
I just… decided for myself that Libel would feel the same regrets I did.
Kuon… has always been careful around me. Because he felt inferior for having been saved.
And yet… he was brave and told me directly.
“Believe in them. It’s the senior’s duty to push their backs”!!
That’s why I… once more!!
Swing.
Vida:
…!?
Kabane:
I came to become a hero once more.
Vida:
Ugh…!?
Damn it all!!
I don’t give a fuck about your story!! Do whatever you want!!!
Kabane:
…!!
Swing.
Swing.
Swing.
Vida:
Hah… hah… I killed you 100 times, damn it!
Kabane:
… …!
Vida:
Ha… haha… if I cut you into pieces regenerating takes more time, huh?
Hahahaha!! Nice…!
I’ll finely chop you up…!!
Kabane:
Would like to… see you try…
Episode 35 – Sin (I+II)
Cathedral.
Misericorde:
I see… Thanks for the report.
Lord Eternea. It seems the Tenshi and Qual are heading toward us.
Eternea:
I see… I assume they want to break the curse.
Misericorde:
Well, most probably. How trivial…
Unity Order’s base seems to be completely destroyed as well. It’s been quite a while since Nerve had been cornered this much, hasn’t it?
Eternea:
Yes, I believe so…
Misericorde:
But don’t fret.
Captain Reue will protect us. He may look the way he does, but he’s a hero that has experienced many, many battles. I’m sure he won’t fall behind.
Furthermore… The preparations for a replacement baby, so the Tenshi may die whenever, are proceeding swiftly.
The very moment the Tenshi dies, the curse will transfer over there.
It’ll be a hassle to raise one again, but it might just be easier than a rectification of the Tenshi that has learned the sense of value on the ground.
Eternea:
…
Misericorde:
What hurts more is Qual. I wanted to let him become Unity Order’s top eventually and have him as an easily controlled puppet but---
Eternea:
Misericorde.
Misericorde:
What is it?
Eternea:
…once Arme arrives here, I am thinking of breaking the Tenshi’s curse.
Misericorde:
What are you…
What are you talking about…!
Eternea:
We of Nerve have achieved great prosperity thanks to the Tenshi’s curse.
It has been going on long before we were even born, for over 1000 years.
Misericorde:
Indeed. It is thanks to that history that we can live in happiness.
Eternea:
Yes, happiness drenched in blood and attained by inhumane methods.
Misericorde:
…so, what?
Eternea:
If we see this as something good, then the next generation and the one after that too… this lie will continue on.
Misericorde:
Again. So what?
Eternea:
Don’t you feel anything when looking at the faces of our believers?
Misericorde:
…
Eternea:
What becomes of it if we let people pray to a god that doesn’t even exist?
We are merely using an innocent child to control it as a weapon.
Ark has no god. There are only lies and a curse…
We should end it with our generation.
Misericorde:
…
You mentioned… breaking the curse, yes?
Indeed… you, Lord Eternea, are able to completely break the Tenshi’s curse.
The curse has been passed on through the generations of Nerve. But not a method to create it anew from scratch…
If the curse were to be broken, this church could not be reborn anymore.
We would lose the mightiest weapon against opposing forces.
Eternea:
…yes, precisely.
Misericorde:
Records of the past remain which state, that outsiders succeeded in imperfectly breaking the curse once. But even then, it didn’t stop the curse from existing.
Our curse is an undefeatable weapon!! With it, Nerve will continue on forever!!
Eternea:
I know.
Misericorde:
You understand…? You’re saying that you understand?
Eternea:
But I cannot bear to continue this history covered in ostentation.
Misericorde:
…
Then what do you plan to do… Say that the church was a deception? That the miracle doesn’t exist?
That the Tenshi is nothing more but a mass-murder weapon!? That everyone’s lives are built on innumerable corpses!?!
You’re okay with telling them all that!?
Eternea:
…Misericorde.
Misericorde:
Please reconsider. What do you think of the people of Ark, saying something like that after all this time…?
Are you saying to throw away the current glory and the people that believe in you and the church…?
Eternea:
…
Misericorde:
Do you think… they will forgive you…
Eternea:
I doubt they would.
But I intend to atone for it for the rest of my life.
Misericorde:
Lord… Eternea…
Eternea:
I know that I’m being selfish. But I want you to understand.
Not the words of the church of Nerve’s top. But those of one single human.
I want you to listen, as a friend. Misericorde.
Misericorde:
…
Eternea…
You really… don’t change. Do you…
Eternea:
…yes, it looks like it.
Misericorde:
Hah… Have you no idea of how much I went through to support you?
Eternea:
…forgive me.
Misericorde:
You’ve always been a weakling.
Eternea:
I’m sorry for the trouble I caused, Misericorde.
Misericorde:
So then… What will you do after you break the Tenshi’s curse?
And not only about the people of Ark, but the fighting with the lesser world will also surely continue.
Eternea:
I have heard that Arme wanted to cooperate with them.
Isn’t that alright? What supports Ark is the technology we stole from the ground after all.
We could also return that.
To end the sins our predecessors committed. To rid ourselves of all our sins, that’s all we can do.
Misericorde:
…
Fufu.
I understand your feelings now, Lord Eternea.
Eternea:
Misericorde… Thank you.
Misericorde:
I shall accept it as well. …that sin.
To be continued…