Anima, Ch.56: A Coming Storm

--01-- [Scene: Herba Jungle] <BGM: The End of the Saga>
After some time, I went back to the others...
I still have more questions than answers, but now it's a different set of questions.
I found Akule and Merlin disassembling the altar used in the ritual.


--02-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Akule)
Had some time to think?
So, I believe you can answer this now.
What exactly are you?


--03-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
"A princess of darkness who's lost her netherworld.
I can't stay in Erinn, being what I am, and knowing what I know.
It still won't end well for anyone if I don't leave...just not right away."


--04-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Akule)
No. That's who you *were*. What are you now?




--05-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
"The last fragment of a dead universe.
A shadow that has outlived the substance that cast it,
in search of a light to disappear into."


--06-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Akule)
I must say, I'm a bit dismayed...
You've still given up on this life, even after finding yourself?



--07-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
"Not exactly... Part of me desperately wants to live, but the other part knows I can't do it here.
I need to leave this world, before I give in to the temptation to misuse everything I remembered."



--08-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Akule)
So, you're afraid you'll still go through with everything we've tried to prevent?
Are you afraid you will yield to a madness within?
Is that it?


--09-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
Surprisingly, Akule took off his mask, showing his ragged face, and eyes brimming with
barely restrained madness. He locked his gaze with mine, staring into my own inhuman eyes.



--10-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Merlin)
Uh-oh, nothing good comes of it when he takes that mask off...




--11-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Lelach)
Quiet, you.
Hm... You have definitely changed, Meara.
Before, there were but embers of a flame slowly eating away at you, unopposed.
Now it is a raging inferno, yet you're holding it back. For now.

--12-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
"It's the 'for now' part I'm worried about.
If I'm still capable of everything I remember doing..."
I sighed. "I don't know if I could resist doing something...reprehensible, out of expediency."


--13-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
"At my worst, I could make Erinn a living hell.
I certainly don't *intend* to go on a rampage anytime soon.
But I don't know how long I can restrain myself, and I won't put this world at risk."


--14-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Lelach)
That's a...noble sentiment.
I believe you are a better person than you think you are.
Here, let me show you something.
Look at the Mirror of Memory. See it?

--15-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
Akule held up the mirror.
I don't get what I'm supposed to be looking at.
"What about it?"
It looked the same as when Merlin and I had gotten it from Kelpie.

--16-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Lelach)
Should one who does not want to face their past use the Mirror, it will crack.
As you can see, that didn't happen.
Perhaps you're right, though.
Power always brings the temptation to misuse it...

--17-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
"There's no way around it. I have to leave Erinn. I don't trust myself not to do more harm
than I have already. But I'm not sure how to do that..."

I got my memory back...now what do I do with it?

--18-- <BGM: Mischievous Soul>
(Lelach)
I'm afraid that's somewhat outside my area of expertise.
I've spent my life studying things not of this world, and how to bring them here...
But not necessarily how to send them back!
Ha ha...

--19-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
I may have an answer for you, then. Maybe...
You remember that huge flash of light in the sky a few months ago?
I'm sure you do, I bet everyone in the world saw it.


--20-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
Well, I was... I was there when it happened.
Long story short...there was a red-haired man covered in scars, who wanted revenge
against the gods so badly he was willing to die for it.


--21-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
And because of what he did...he opened a connection to another world, hoping another set of gods
would come through and attack the gods of this world...
That's what that flash of light was.


--22-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
I have a feeing he succeeded...
Weird creatures started showing up in Uladh soon after that.
This is the last thing we need after all that Erinn's gone though already!


--23-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
"What's happened to the world in the last few years? I've been...out of touch."




--24-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
When the Dark Knights first attacked...they killed all the blacksmiths and healers,
they torched all the crops, then they sieged the towns...
It took the Milletians two years to beat them back.


--25-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
But most of the kingdom was left in ruins.
Those who survived...either fled west to Tara or Taillteann, or east across the sea to Belvast or Iria.
Qilla's practically a city now from all the refugees.


--26-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
Then there was a rogue group of alchemists that...caused a huge mess in the capital.
Between that and the Dark Knights...Aliech doesn't have the strength left to overcome another major crisis!



--27-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
I didn't think they'd have an easy time with the Dark Knights, but...half the kingdom, ruined and abandoned?

"You said something about 'weird creatures?' What's going on with those?"


--28-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
They look like normal animals...but with crystals growing out of them, and they're really aggressive.
They'll attack anything that moves that isn't one of their own kind.



--29-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
"I see... One question, though...if there's all these things going wrong in the world, why are you here,
and not back in Uladh doing something about it?"



--30-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
I...I don't know what I can do about it.
But as for why I'm *here*...well, it ties into what I said earlier.
I was looking after this little kid, see?
But he, uh, got abducted by these...cultists.

--31-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
I chased them all over Iria to get the kid back, all the way to this crazy invisible tower in the desert!
They were going to use the kid as a sacrifice to open a gate to their world...



--32-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
But that red-haired man I told you about... Apparently he was a friend of that kid.
Said he didn't deserve to die. That the kid should live a normal life.
And...he sacrificed himself instead.


--33-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
Anyway, I saved that kid, but when I took him home...Starlet was *furious* with me
for letting him get into so much danger.
And...well...she yelled and screamed at me for hours...


--34-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
(Merlin)
Said she didn't want to see me again until I "became a better man" and "deflated my ego a bit"...
I'd do anything for her. I... I love her.
So here I am, trying to make good on it...


--35-- <BGM: Tale Untold>
"I see..."
Another person that love has made a fool of... It really can change anyone...
"So, you think those...altered creatures are coming through a gateway from another world?"


--36-- <BGM: The Storm is Coming>
(Merlin)
That, or something else from another world is changing the animals here.
Either way, I think it's a safe bet that *something* has come through that gateway into Erinn...



--37-- <BGM: The Storm is Coming>
"If Erinn is being invaded from another world, then maybe I can track down where those things are coming from...
Then go out the way they're coming in, and deal with them at the source."



--38-- <BGM: The Storm is Coming>
(Merlin)
That's a...pretty ambitious plan; I'll give you credit.
But how are you going to do that?



--39-- <BGM: The Storm is Coming>
"I don't know... I'll have to think about it. And I might need some...guidance.
But it's the least I can do to even begin to make up for what I've done...
Both to this world, and my old one..."

--40-- <BGM: The Storm is Coming>
(Lelach)
Then we'll help you prepare for it as best as we can.
If what Merlin said is right, you might be the only one
who can put an end to this new threat...


[end of chapter]