Blazblue: Phase Shift 2 Chapter 4

"I am certain that you came from the future and were washed down the timestream into this age. ...The manipulated future."

"Manipulated future...?"

The feeling of dizziness remained. It wasn't helping Jin to make any sense of this new information.

Clavis' thin shoulders dropped along with a sigh.

"It is an old story. Long before the repeating, barren history of the world... Before the Black Beast materialized. Humanity had come into contact with the Boundary for the first time."

Again, Clavis' hand undid a seal.

Coupled with his narrative tone, it seemed as though the old vampire was unraveling a history which he had been seen with his own eyes.

Proceeding past the now unlocked seal, the group continued moving.

"The world gained a will by the hands of man. In accordance with its will, the world has determined the path on which humanity should tread. There are some disparities, but with the same base state, humanity will repeatedly pursue the same process and be led to the same fate."

"The future... has been determined...?"

"Perhaps it is easier to comprehend when put in that manner."

Gently and slowly, Clavis spoke as if picturing a distant scenery. Although the crimson pair of eyes had deep foresight, they were also brimming with swaying emotions rather than simply being two calm pools of serenity.

"...Let me give you an example, young man. Your coming from some other future, and arriving in our era was also one of the procedure which has been determined by the world."

"Tsk, DON'T MESS WITH ME!!"

Yelling, Jin hit the wheelchair's handrail with his fist.

"To hell with the world's will! Screw determined procedures! Then my brother... Tsubaki... ARE YOU TELLING ME THEY WILL FALL TO THAT FATE!?"

Filled with vigor, Jin flared at Clavis and tried to push himself out of the chair. But his weak and injured body wouldn't support his weight.

Even so, Jin violently squirmed as if trying to shake off something. Valkenhayn had to pull him back to keep him in his wheelchair.

"Be quiet! Surely you realize that your body is too damaged to move! Be aware of your own situation, kid."

"Ugh..."

The strength left his body and pain and dizziness suddenly came rushing to fill the void its exit had left. He was unable to move again, but Jin's shoulders rose and fell with his ragged breathing. He glared at Clavis.

Paying no mind to Jin's outburst, Clavis' wheelchair continued forward.

Rachel gave Jin a cold stare. In contrast, Clavis' gaze remained warm.

"…It seems you are filled with sorrow."

"I don't know… I can't remember why! But… but…"

Ragna and Tsubaki. A while ago, those names didn't mean anything to him, sunk deep inside the mist of his memory. When his subconscious raised them to the surface for a moment, a whirl of emotions followed.

He couldn't remember even a fragment of the specifics as to what he had gone through with them. Despite that, he felt an awful sorrow, frustration, and agony. His eyes, grown weak and tired, now burned hot with emotion.

Clavis turned to look forward once more; he slowly closed his eyes as if deep in contemplation.

"This world is like a dream seen by god. God has seen the same dream many times over. Its story is a repeating cycle of life and death... The dream of fate."