Tales of the Epitaph 11

[Hayate]

Tales of the Epitaph

Chapter 11: The Curse of Lios

~ Capital of LeGable, Kingdom of Mac Anu ~

~ Lilithday, Gorre-Lunae 27, AC2038 ~

*in the LeGable Castle throne room, King Shirai of Mac Anu is seen sitting on his throne in deep thought*

Shirai: …

*moments later, Sakaki enters and bows her head politely*

Sakaki: You called for me, your Majesty Shirai?

Shirai: …Has there been word from Lumina Cloth…?

Sakaki: Regrettably, milord, Prince Kazuto and his consorts were indeed under official Lumina Cloth custody until they escaped sometime last week. His whereabouts are…currently unknown.

Shirai: … *sigh* It’s been nigh on two weeks now. Tell me, Sakaki… Did I make the right decision? Forfeiting the life of my son for the sake of the world?

Sakaki: …Every good ruler makes difficult decisions during their reign, my King. For the good of the people, certain sacrifices must be made.

Shirai: I am aware of this… But my own son… How he must despise me…

Sakaki: Despair not, your Majesty. In time, the young prince will come to realize his destiny and stop running away. And when that time comes, all will be right with the world once again.

Shirai: …You are dismissed, Sakaki.

Sakaki: Very well, milord. *bows* I shall take my leave of you now.

*as Sakaki exits the throne room, Shirai looks up towards the wall to his right and rests his eyes upon the grand painting of Queen Gardenia*

Shirai: …Gardenia, my queen, my beloved… Do you look upon me from on high with eyes of contempt…?

*outside the throne room, Sakaki could be seen walking away from the throne room with his hands casually positioned behind his back*

Sakaki: …Hehehe…

~ S.S. Twilight, on the Azure Sea ~

*on Captain Ciel’s ship, Kaori gazes out towards the blue sea alongside Ren*

Kaori: Ahhh… It’s remarkable how I never tire of looking at the ocean no matter how many times I look at it.

Ren: A marvelous sight, to be sure.

Kaori: …I can’t believe it’s already been four days since I left Arche Haokar.

Ren: When one departs from home for the first time, it does tend to leave a lingering sensation of homesickness.

Kaori: I came with you all because I wanted to show Aylie my worth, but now that I’m here…I can’t help but feel like a nuisance to you all.

Ren: *shakes head* Don’t be silly, Kaori. Kazu, Shiro, and Miss Saber all have much confidence in you, and let’s not forget that I wouldn’t be here standing beside you if it weren’t for your tenacity.

Kaori: Hehehe… You’re very kind, Miss Ren.

Ren: Please. You’re amongst friends. Just call me “Ren”.

Kaori: …Okay… *smiles* …Ren.

Ren/Kaori: Hehehe.

*Shiro enters from behind*

Shiro: Well, you two seem to be getting along well.

Kaori: Mr. Shiro.

Shiro: Please, Kaori, no need for formalities. If you plan to address Ren by her first name, it’s only right that you address the rest of us in the same manner.

*Shiro suddenly takes Kaori by the hand and gazes intently into her eyes*

Shiro: …Now that you’re traveling together with us, Kaori, my dear, I shall do all I can to make you feel as at home as you would in the Elven city.

Kaori: Uh… O-Okay. I…appreciate that, Shiro.

Ren: … *sigh*

*just then, a crewman holding a spyglass calls out from the crow’s nest*

Crewman: Boat spotted!

*approaching the bow of the ship, the party and Ciel notice a small wooden boat pulling up to the southern shore of Mac Anu; Sumomo could be seen climbing out and making her way towards a wooded village*

Shiro: That’s her! The ninja girl!

Ciel: Target sighted! Come about, Mr. Piros, and prepare to come ashore!

Piros: Aye-aye, Captain!

*as the ship pulls up to the shore, Kazuto and company disembark*

Kazuto: We appreciate you transporting us all the way out here to Mac Anu, Captain Ciel.

Saber: We’d be more than happy to recompense you for your troubles.

Ciel: Please, dear girl, perish the thought. I’m on commission for Citan, and a good sea captain doesn’t lend out his ship to comrades for the sake of monetary gain. Besides, battling Piscosapiens at sea, venturing to the city of the Elves, tracking down a ninja lass from Dol Dona -- these are adventures Lumina Cloth captains such as myself only dream of.

Shiro: So you’re fine with waiting for us here while we take care of things in Dol Dona?

Ciel: Ah, you needn’t worry about us, boyo. Just do what ya came here to do so we can ship out.

Kaori: Right! We promise not to take too long.

*with that, the group turns and enters the wood bordering the nearby village*

Saber: I would advise you all to take caution. The majority of Dol Dona’s populace consists of specialists in Daunian artes. Village security is no doubt one of their prime concerns.

All: Mm-hmm.

*however, contrary to Saber’s warning, the party finds that they are able to enter Dol Dona quite easily, and as they enter, they’re treated to the sight of barren land and people with pale skin and fatigue*

All: …

Shiro: …Wow. This place looks so…bleak.

Kaori: I feel sick.

Ren: Indeed. This sight’s enough to make anyone nauseous.

Kaori: No, I mean really sick. Like this air is draining all my energy away.

: GET AWAY FROM US!!!

: Please, I just want to-- Agh!

Kazuto: Sounds like something big is going down.

*making their way towards the commotion, Kazuto and company find Sumomo at the mercy of a middle-aged Dol Dona couple; the man lays into Sumomo with the heel of his sandals*

Man: You just can’t take a hint, can you!?

Woman: Why don’t you do us all a favor and get lost!?

Sumomo: …Please… I just want to help…

Man: We don’t need any help from a monster like you!

Shiro: Hey, it’s that girl!

Ren: What are you doing!? Stop this at once!

Man: This doesn’t concern you!

Kaori: You’re hurting her!

Man: I said, this doesn’t con--! *gasp, cough*

Woman: Oh! Haku! Are you alright!?

Haku: *panting* I’m fine, dear…

Woman: Come, you need your medicine.

Haku: Damn demon girl… Making me get all worked up…

*the man and woman walk away, and Sumomo rubs her bruises in quiet pain; Saber approaches to help*

Saber: Are you okay?

Sumomo: *slaps Saber’s hand away* Leave me alone! *rises to feet and faces party* What are you all doing here anyway!? Not satisfied with beating me in the Forest of Pain, so you decided to follow me!?

Kaori: No, you’re wrong!

Sumomo: Save it, alright!? I don’t have time to deal with you right now! My village needs me!

Shiro: It “needs” you? Hmph. Sure doesn’t seem that way. That man called you a “monster” and a “demon girl”.

Sumomo: What do you know!? Now get out of my way!

*shoving her way past the party, Sumomo approaches an elderly woman carrying a bucket of water*

Sumomo: Excuse me, Miss Yanagi, do you need help with--

Yanagi: Ah! You! Stay away from me, you witch!

Sumomo: B-But I just--

Yanagi: Don’t touch me! *quickly hobbles away*

Sumomo: …

Kazuto: …Care to explain why the entire village thinks you’re the devil?

Sumomo: …Hmph. I don’t have to explain anything to you. You shouldn’t even be here.

Saber: We’re here because we wish to understand the situation you’re in.

Sumomo: My situation? Why should you care about my situation? In case you’ve forgotten, I’m your enemy.

Saber: …Are you really?

Ren: We haven’t come here to fight you, miss. Please, let us hear your story.

Sumomo: …

*the party relocates to Sumomo’s residence; Kazuto, Shiro, Ren, Saber, and Kaori kneel in a row before her*

Sumomo: …For the past several years, this village has been on the decline. The soil’s all dried up, water is scarce, and the air is making people ill. Some have passed away because of these conditions.

Kaori: How awful.

Ren: Miss…Sumomo, was it? If these living conditions are so unbearable, why don’t the people of Dol Dona just move somewhere else?

Sumomo: If only it were that simple. Dol Dona’s been in this particular location for hundreds of years. Up until a few years ago, the land’s been good to us. I’ve tried convincing everyone to relocate, but they refuse to listen.

Shiro: Is that because of Dol Dona’s ancestry…or because everyone in the village despises you?

Sumomo: …

Kazuto: They all look at you with such hatred. Why?

Sumomo: It’s because of…an incident from when I was little. You see…just to the east of the village is a tree. It’s called the Great Tree of Lios. At the base of the tree is a shrine. Everyone in the village goes to the shrine to pray to Lios, an ancient spirit said to have founded Dol Dona so long ago. When I was young, I went to the shrine to pray to Lios as part of my training to become a ninja. Inside, I found this big glass ball. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. When I went up to touch it, it gave off such a pretty purple glow.

Kazuto: !!!

Piscosapiens: …

Sumomo: After that, I must’ve blacked out. When I finally came to, I was standing above my artes teacher… I was…covered in her blood… They’d told me that…I lost all self-control… That I’d turned into a monster…

All: …

Sumomo: My teacher lived…but after that day, she wouldn’t speak to me or look at me anymore… No one would… *trembles* I hurt my teacher…with my own two hands…

Kaori: …Sumomo…

Saber: …I don’t mean to sound cruel…but I’d like to revisit the degenerating village issue…

Sumomo: …Sometime after the incident, I went back to the shrine. The glowing ball I found before had vanished. It wasn’t until several years later that I realized that the purple glow it gave off…was now being given off by the Great Tree of Lios. Ever since then, the village had been slowly deteriorating. You can guess who some of the villagers chose to blame for that.

Shiro: So that thing that happened back at the Forest of Pain…

Sumomo: …Heh… Hehehe… Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Sumomo: …Every once in a while, this thing, this…“other me” comes out and takes over my body. And when it does, I can’t control it. It’s because of this thing that I…that I hurt sensei…

Ren: If this strange force inside has alienated you from all the villagers, why go out of your way to help them?

Sumomo: …Because they’re my family. I don’t care how they see or treat me. Rule #1 of being a Dol Dona ninja: The good of the village always comes first.

Kaori: And that’s why you joined Atrum Neux?

Sumomo: Mm-hmm. But it’s mostly just monster extermination and courier jobs -- anything to help the villagers get by during these hard times. Beatrice had been looking for a Dol Dona ninja, and I said I’d join as long as I didn’t have to hurt another human being. …‘Cuz I didn’t want more people to hate the fact that I exist.

Kazuto: But you already know what’s causing the village to be like this. It’s that possessed tree, right? Why doesn’t anyone do anything about it?

Sumomo: *shakes head* I told you already, no one will listen to me. And even if they did listen, telling them to destroy the tree? That’d be like telling them to turn their back on Lios. You really think they’d do such a thing so enthusiastically after centuries of worship and servitude?

Kazuto: Then we’ll do it for them!

All: …?

Kazuto: The people of Dol Dona depend on Lios too greatly! The help they desperately need isn’t gonna come just by praying! If they aren’t gonna step up to save their village, who will!?

Sumomo: …

Shiro: …You might wanna think hard about what you’re saying, Kazu. The Tree of Lios has been a core element of Dol Dona history for generations. What right do we have to rid the world of it?

Kazuto: I’m not saying we destroy the tree completely. I’m saying we destroy what possesses it.

Kaori: …The purple glow!

Kazuto: *looks at Sumomo* You said so yourself, Sumomo. The good of the village always comes first.

Sumomo: …Why…would you want to help me? I’m a member of Atrum Neux. I tried to kill all of you.

Kazuto: You joined Atrum Neux because you wanted to help your village, didn’t you? There are other ways to help the ones you love than resorting to the life of a mercenary.

Sumomo: …

Beatrice: Three years it’s been, and you still have no idea what it means to be a mercenary, do you…?

Sumomo: … *closes eyes* …I’m no mercenary. I’m not like them. I refuse to be. *opens eyes and looks at Kazuto* I’ll lead you to the Great Tree. So…please. Help me save Dol Dona.

Kazuto: *nods* Of course.

Shiro: *sigh* I swear, I get mixed up in so many problems because of this kid…

Saber: Yes…but you have to admit it’s never boring.

Shiro: …Heh. Maybe.

Kaori: Hehehe.

Ren: *smiles* (…Kazu…)

*meanwhile, back at the southern Mac Anu shore, Captain Ciel looks out towards the sea from the starboard side of the S.S. Twilight’s deck*

Ciel: …

*just then, an Arc-en-Ciel crew member calls out to him*

Crewman: Captain! People approaching from the north!

Ciel: Ah! They’ve returned already? That was mighty quick work!

*Ciel hops off the ship and lands on the shore sand to greet the approaching individuals; as they draw closer, Ciel is surprised to discover that it wasn’t Kazuto and the others, but instead a pair of girls -- a tall woman with spiky bleach-blonde hair, and a short girl with long red hair*

Nanao: Captain Ciel of the Arc-en-Ciel crew, I presume?

Ciel: …Yes, that’s me. Can I help you two ladies?

Nanao: *looks at the S.S. Twilight* …That’s a fine vessel you’ve got there.

Ciel: Ah, you’ve noticed. Yup, the Twilight’s my pride and joy. No other ship in Lumina Cloth like it. Heh.

Nanao: Yes, I can see that. It’s rather…unfortunate…

Ciel: Hmm? How so?

Nanao: …Such a beautiful ship… And yet, after today, it’ll no longer have a crew…

*reaching behind her, Mitsuru draws a large scythe*

Mitsuru: …Eliminating targets.

Ciel: !!!

*in the face of Mitsuru’s scythe, every member of the Arc-en-Ciel crew draws weapons as well, ranging from long knives to lightweight swords*

Ciel: …More emissaries of Atrum Neux, eh? Hmph!

*reaching behind him, Ciel draws a large anchor and props it up on his shoulder*

Ciel: It’ll be a cold day in hell that the Arc-en-Ciel just rolls over and plays dead like dogs!

Nanao: Heh. Even dogs know when to stop their incessant barking.

Mitsuru: …Woof.

Ciel: Grrrr… I’ll teach you to mock me! Show no mercy, boys!!!

Crew: AYE-AYE, CAPTAIN!!!

*Ciel and his crew charge forward to meet Nanao and Mitsuru head-on; Nanao and Mitsuru don’t even move a muscle*

Nanao: …Heh!

*back in Dol Dona, Sumomo leads Kazuto and company down a short wooded path just to the east of the village; once they were past the trees, the Great Tree of Lios and the shrine at its base were in full view; the tree’s massive trunk gives off a faint purple radiance*

Sumomo: …There it is. The Great Tree of Lios. As you can see, the soil’s even worse out here than it is back in the village.

Kaori: This air feels charged. I can’t breathe very well.

Saber: The tree must not be releasing enough oxygen into the atmosphere.

Kazuto: All the more reason to free it of what’s possessing it. Let’s go.

*the group enters the shrine of Lios and approaches the tree’s roots that extended inside its walls; like the tree itself, the roots emit a faint purple glow*

Ren: This was where you first found the glass ball, correct?

Sumomo: Mm-hmm. …Ohhhh…

*Sumomo suddenly collapses to one knee, and the others rush to her side*

Shiro: You okay, Sumomo?

Sumomo: Y-Yes. I just felt…a little dizzy all of a sudden.

*just then, the shrine doors close shut by themselves with a loud slam*

All: !!!

*Kaori rushes over and attempts to open the doors, but to no avail*

Kaori: We’re trapped!

Sumomo: *gasp*

*Sumomo then grasps her own stomach in excruciating pain*

Sumomo: Gah…! The pain…!

Kazuto: Sumomo! What’s wrong!?

Sumomo: T-The “other me”…! It’s…trying to-- AGH!!

Ren: What’s going on!? What’s happening to her!?

*looking towards the Tree of Lios’ roots, Shiro notices that their purple glow was stronger than before*

Shiro: It’s the tree! It’s reacting with Sumomo’s other self! She’s trying to force her way out!

Sumomo: I-I can’t…hold her back…! The pain is…too unbearable…!

*finally, with one last scream of anguish, Sumomo’s eyes go blank and her body becomes momentarily limp; as an act of caution, everyone (except Kazuto) backs away from her*

All: …

Kazuto: …S-Sumomo?

*Kazuto reaches out his hand to touch Sumomo, but Sumomo’s hand suddenly grasps Kazuto’s wrist*

Kazuto: *gasp*

*lifting her head up, Sumomo glares at Kazuto with purple eyes and a wicked smile*

Sumomo: Sorry… Sumomo isn’t here right now!

*drawing a single dagger, Sumomo swipes it across Kazuto’s chest; Kazuto quickly backs away and manages to escape from the sneak attack with just a small chest wound; his feet planted on the shrine floor, he draws his sword; everyone else draws their weapons as well*

Sumomo: Hehehe… So glad you could make it, folks… Now…we can play some more!!!

Kaori: Don’t do this, Sumomo! You have to fight it!

Shiro: It’s no good, Kaori! She can’t hear us! The tree’s influence is too powerful, especially since we’re this close to it!

Saber: *grasps broadsword* Then it appears we have no choice!

Kazuto: (…Sumomo…)

Sumomo: Hehehe… HAHAHAHA!!!

*as the second battle between Kazuto’s group and Sumomo commences, the battle between Ciel’s crew and Nanao and Mitsuru at the southern shore had just about ended; every member of the Arc-en-Ciel lay slain on the beach, and the S.S. Twilight was reduced to debris that floated in the ocean*

Nanao: *sigh* Well, that was fun. I didn’t expect them to put up such a fight.

Mitsuru: …Nanao.

Nanao: Hmm?

*Mitsuru turns Nanao’s attention to Ciel’s body several meters away; the heavily injured sea captain drags himself across the sand to reach his anchor*

Ciel: Just…a little…more…

*he reaches out his hand…*

Ciel: Almost…there-- GAH!!!

*…but Nanao drives her heel into it at the last second; Ciel slowly lifts his head to look up at the murderous blonde’s face*

Nanao: Still got a bit of life left in you, huh? Heh. Fabulous. I love it when my prey squeezes out every last bit of energy they’ve got. It makes the kill that much more satisfying.

Ciel: D-Damn you…to hell…

Nanao: Ooh… What a scary face. Would you like to do the honors, Mitzi?

Mitsuru: …Understood. *raises scythe*

Ciel: *gasp*

Mitsuru: …Die.

*the last two things that could be heard were the sound of Mitsuru’s scythe whooshing through the air and the sound of a weapon tearing into human flesh*

TO BE CONTINUED…