Just before the fingertips reached it…
Tokoyo: Do not touch it.
Tokoyo: So you also want the golden favour.
Rindou felt another existence behind her.
The feeling of a freezing distortion raised to the limit. No, this existence’s presence was what created that freezing feeling.
Rindou: …
What is this this and why it appeared behind her, Rindou understood perfectly.
Silent worlds, with an anger boiling inside. From the violent emotions similar to a twisting poisonous snake, it was clear who was the rotten owner of that voice.
More that anything, this being was completely different from Rindou.
This being, if turned around and came close enough to touch, was able to obliterate Rindou in a single strike. Rindou felt as if the cold sweat from all her pores turned into the icicles.
Tokoyo: Cannot say anything? That’s expected. But I would still ask.
Tokoyo: Do you expect to break the Hajun’s law with that? To restore that Hadou from the remains and let it flow out once again?
Tokoyo: It is useless. That there’s someone similar… I somehow understood. But this is only the gravestone now. Just a broken piece of a person who declared the destructive love.
Tokoyo: We are the only ones who still remain at the end of that cliff.
Tokoyo: The power to make this new law [beginning] is already crushed.
Tokoyo: Along with Snake and Dusk.
Somehow Rindou understoood the deep sorrow in those forlorn words. The girl-like presence behind her surely was the resident of this wicked land, but it seemed that she also felt sorrow and pain.
However, Rindou still have not understood the meaning of those words. And all she could do is trying to exchange words in this situation.
Rindou: I do not understand the meaning of your words.
Rindou: If you would be so kind, could you enlighten the ignorant me?
Tokoyo: So, you haven’t heard anything.
From whom? Following the question, girl kept talking.
Tokoyo: So it means you haven’t noticed. What exactly are you. What qualities you do posess.
Tokoyo: You… who are you?
As if trying to look deep into the fate, she asked with the genuine doubt.
She was cautious. Clearly. In front of the creature that could destroy her in a split second, the person known as Koga Rindou experienced feeling of not knowing her own nature.
Tokoyo: If so, let me change the way of asking.
Tokoyo: You — what do you want, and you have you came here?
Tokoyo: What are you trying to do, where are you trying to go, and what are you trying to complete?
Tokoyo: Do you really understand it?
Rindou was perplexed with that question. It appeared that Tenma standing behind her was trying to communicate with her using the rationality and logic.
Was she thinking that Rindou’s actions were just a game, just an invasion without any reason? Or was she just playing with Rindou before destroying her? No matter what the truth was, the circumstances have clearly changed.
The origins of soul are different, the history of the way of thinking is different, and so, the sense of values would also be different. Since there are many to not understand about each other, both sides looked like demons for each other.
And so, if they could reach the understanding here… Avoiding the conflict completely might still be impossible, but they might find some kind of a compromise.
Rindou: I am…
Even if it would lead to the decloration of war, there’s still a chance to understand a bit better the truth of what they were opposing.
That’s what Rindou thought.
Rindou: I came to this place because I wish for everyone’s happiness.
Rindou: To save my country, I stepped here, on the land of Edo, from where the distortion flows, to stop it.
Rindou: I desire the world where people can live in peace.
Tokoyo: Are you trying to justify the invasion? You want to destroy us, right?
Tokoyo: Hey… was Dusk really that sinful?
After all, she could not understand. In the end, was it even a real communication?
Somehow, it felt like the central point was a bit different. While Rindou was talking about the ground under their feet, the other side seemed to talk while looking from the sky far above.
And so, all the words that Rindou heard felt like they had some hidden meaning…
Rindou: Dusk?
Tokoyo: The world where we lived.
Tokoyo: With love to people, with affection, truly priceless world… that’s what we believed in. Even now, even after this is haven’t changed, we are still pridefull of this goddess’ prayer.
Tokoyo: I would never forget her wish to embrace.
Rindou: …
What is this? Somehow Rindou understood everything that was said. She understood it, painfully strong.
It was just a few words, but through them, the meaning was transmitted perfectly. But what is this complaint? What, for what reason, and why there?
Those ideals were so close to Rindou’s, no wonder that she felt like that.
As if from the very start, it was her…
Tokoyo: But, it was trumpled down by your ancestor.
Tokoyo: Now, with only eight people who’ve survived, we protected the only left part of Dusk [Edo].
Tokoyo: Are you going to take even that from us?
Tokoyo: Evil land? Spiders? Don’t make me laught. From out point of view, you are the real warped monsters.
Tokoyo: Not knowing anything but self-love, dirty cells.
Rindou: Then, the reason that makes you act...
Loved allies, bonds with the other people — wasn’t that what Rindou always wanted?
To be happy living with others, support them, and this is why she could not allow herself to dance in self-loving egoism.
But woman who stood behind her denied the words that Rindou almost said.
Tokoyo: Wrong. This could never be a bonds of love.
Tokoyo: It... should not…
It was a self-criticism for sure. Without a doubt, the girl who stood behind Rindou was full of self-punishing thoughts.
Koga Rindou wondered just how deep she could undestand understand this person. Along with the voice, the very depth of the sould transmitted.
And therefore, she could read the next emotion.
Tokoyo: This is just a grudge. Hatred. We just cannot forgive.
Tokoyo: We would not admit. We would not yield. All that tortured him should just disappear.
Tokoyo: Just an anger of defeated? May be. But you are still alive only because of us.
Tokoyo: And you are just Hajun’s cells.
Tokoyo: Even if you don’t realize it, you don’t have a will of your own. You are just puppets, and obviously, you don’t have a self.
Tokoyo: And you are also, equally empty. You were recieving the influence of such person for a longest time.
Tokoyo: I would admit that you are a bit strange.
Tokoyo: But then… tell me. Are those feelings really yours?
Tokoyo: How would you prove that it’s not just you being self-righteous?
Don’t try to say that you can prove it. That’s what she was saying.
And then, for Rindou there was no other choice but to talk back.
Definetely, there was no way for her to prove it. But still, she had a will to not just stop there. She refused to just surrender and die there.
For sure, there would be a way to understand this person in another place, another time.
Rindou tightened her lips, regretting that this metting went like that.
Rindou: You…
Rindou: You have also lived. You have existed.
That why they could not step back. This feeling was very strong.
Strong. Powerful. Their memories, their pride, their bond, they were all connected.
Rindou could not say that she wasn’t envious of the strong impression that she had from them.
For a second, she even wondered if this once moment wasn’t the only thing for which she was born.
And this is why she understood. That she and this girl were incompatible. Because they were the same, they could not afford to step back.
Their world remained there, in Edo, named Dusk. And this is why Rindou thoughts that her own truth also existed there.
Their Eastern Expedition for sure was the invasion, and thier western ancestors were at fault. Rindou understood it. Painfully, dazzlingly clear.
Even through this little exchange, Rindou was able to that for that girl, there was something much more precious that her own self.
Rindou: But!
She still had to say it, even if it was painful.
She wanted to convey her whole true feelings, without a piece of lie, to that existence that seemed to mirror her own self.
Rindou: Even if our Eastern Expedition is an invasion, even if it was a mistake from the very beginning, it would not change what I am going to do.
Rindou: The sea has already became a lake. There are alive creatures there. We have our own world.
Rindou: And we are also want to protect our world. Desperately.
Rindou: I understand. Our sky might be distorted. But then what, should we just die and disappear?
And now, everything is said. Because you were born polluted, your salvation is death. Should we just disappear?
Rindou: I cannot admit it.
She could not admit it. Doing this would already mean throwing away human’s way of living. Because they are for sure live there.
And so, that was what she wished.
Rindou: I want to teach them. Not to surrender, not to die, but to live, truly.
Learing about this girl’s Dusk, she learned the envy, and so she could not take a single step back.
Because she wanted them to, no matter with good or evil intention, but to applaud not while watching inside themselves, but at the other people.
Rindou: And so, your accusation, I completely admit.
Because Rindou thought that sincerity is the ideal attitude in a talk with another person.
There was no way to avoid this war for survival.
If we protect the place for us to live that way, the someone for sure would feel the affection for that law.
Tokoyo: Is that so.
At that single moment, any signs of will disappeared from this girl’s voice.
Tokoyo: Then die. Because we believe that this moment and this dusk is one and only.
At this point, those two are the perfect enemies.
No, it would be more correct to say that in this very moment they truly became the complete opposite of each other.
Rindou: Supreme commander of Eastern Expedition, Koga Rindou Suzuka.
Tokoyo: Edo’s Taikyoku, acting as a commander, Yatsukahagi Tokoyo.
Tokoyo: Though this is just a name that were forced upon us.
She was saying that it would be better to not call her like that.
Tokoyo: You can color the others with your words.
It was as if she was telling Rindou to try it.
Rindou just shook her head in the answer to the raising resentment of the girl behind her.
Now the war starts, and so — die. In that very moment the future was decided, and she could not step back.
Therefore she wished, strongly. Wondering what she should do, at this moment Rindou felt like she could see the truth.
The thing that led her there… Like a turning fork, Rindou’s self and her desire resonated again with the materialized holy relic.
Golden shine… No, this is the destructive light.
The power to absorb things into the self, to spread the personal universe…
Rindou and Tokoyo, both at this moment…
Rindou: Worlds… What are those?
Break — For I love everything.
Rindou: [Teresia?]
Finally, after that perfect synchronization, Rindou touched the truth of the old world.
Next moment…
Along with the Mugen Kannadzuki shattering, the throne room began to collapse.