Falling. Falling. Falling.
Going straight through the sea of night that used to be the ground, the body of Hakuno Kishinami falls into a bottomless darkness —
There’s no end to this fall. There’s nothing but all sense of directions flowing together. Nothing but an image of myself breaking into pieces as I fall. Vision is useless, possessions, memories, they’re all falling away, eventually nothing will be left but my bones. It seems like there’s nothing I can do escape that fate. — in other words, this is Game Over.
One moment, or maybe eternity. I hear a faraway voice. As I fall, the burning of my body leaving a trail of light, I accelerate.
Look at the sky.
Reach out a hand.
I just need to call out.
In my throat and lungs, unused for what feels like forever, a fire appears.
My voice still won't come out. Even if I wanted to raise my hands, they won't move. It must have really been an illusion. My heart splits in two again. But--
I can hear a voice telling me, "Don't give up".
Going straight through the sea of night that used to be the ground, the body of Hakuno Kishinami falls into a bottomless darkness —
There’s no end to this fall. There’s nothing but all sense of directions flowing together. Nothing but an image of myself breaking into pieces as I fall. Vision is useless, possessions, memories, they’re all falling away, eventually nothing will be left but my bones. It seems like there’s nothing I can do escape that fate. — in other words, this is Game Over.
One moment, or maybe eternity. I hear a faraway voice. As I fall, the burning of my body leaving a trail of light, I accelerate.
Look at the sky.
Reach out a hand.
I just need to call out.
> ...............
In my throat and lungs, unused for what feels like forever, a fire appears.
My voice still won't come out. Even if I wanted to raise my hands, they won't move. It must have really been an illusion. My heart splits in two again. But--
I can hear a voice telling me, "Don't give up".
How many things this bright pass through this darkness? A meteor passes through the darkness, breaking apart as it falls.
Unknown speaker :: Awawa, Master, quickly! Any further and it'll really, really be a dead end! That's outside of the world, where even gods can't reach! Aah, even one word, one word would be fine! Even if you have regrets, even if you forget the days we spent together---
Unknown speaker :: Please, remember. Your name. The way your soul should be. If that's left, no matter what condition you may be in - after all, it was I who always dreamed you could be my Master!
I know this light. I know that voice.
I force my remaining strength into my lost voice and my weakened arms.
Yes - her name was---
> Come, Caster!
Caster :: Kyaaaa!!!!! That's it, that's it, that's my name! I apologize for the wait ☆!
There's something touching my hand. The sensation of constant falling disappears, replaced by something nostalgic -
Caster :: OK! It's been a while! Your long, dark trip - even if the Moon permits it, this sun will not allow it!
Caster :: I am the guardian of the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor, a pulse from the shadows guiding the fate of the Kunlun! Golden sunlight reflecting across a mirror formed by water's surface!
Caster :: Rain or shine, stepping over flowers or tempests in a straight line to Master's heart! The mage Heroic Spirit - wait, "Heroic Spirit"? Oh well, it's probably fine - I'm something like that!
Caster :: Generally accepted as Master's good-wife servant, Caster! I've arrived!
There's a lot I'd like to point out, but I'll ignore it for now. This pink haired, fox eared, fox tailed girl is the mage servant, Caster. Though I had forgotten until now, it seems that I couldn't completely forget her. This is the servant that fought alongside me. So no matter how incapable of reading the mood she may be, she's my old friend who saved me, body burning, from this neverending darkness.
She's the one who believes in me more than anything, my irreplaceable friend!
That's wrong.
Caster :: Ah - friend? Master, could some important memories not have returned yet? I can't believe it.... Tamamo is very sad. Master... Even though you fluffed my important places in such a beastlike manner...
I have no idea what this situation is or what I might have forgotten, but my soul is screaming that this one detail is wrong. That such a reality does not exist.
[Yet.]
Caster :: Hmph. It seems my plan to take advantage of the situation to fabricate facts has failed... Oh well, we'll take this step by step. Alright, Master, please put your hands together. We are about to break free of this tight space!
Caster's takes my hand in hers and holds it tightly. For an instant my blood burns in my now-cooled body. My sleeping heart finally awakens for real.
I hear Caster's words as I drift further from consciousness. The sea of stars and Caster's form both disappear. The last thing left is the sensation of the fingers I hold in mine. Even if everything else disappears, that reassuring sensation alone is something I will not lose.
Caster :: -Yes. It seems the poison has finally left your body. This time, please relax and awaken. I have purified the curse that befouled your body.
Caster :: ...But I'm really glad that you're alright. When we return to the surface, please let me see you looking full of energy again, Master.
I really don't know how I'm doing with Caster's dialogue, which is really hard to translate properly. You lose a lot of the nuance and playfulness. Hopefully I'm doing alright. Here's the Gil route version of this: https://tsukinoura.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/entry-15-hakuno-encounters-the-absolute/
No comments:
Post a Comment