章節 16: The calm before the storm part 3
Continuing where we left off
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We entered the restricted zone and immediately saw Fragmentum corruption being everywhere.
Seele:Is this.... The Fragmentum Gepard was talking about?
Dan Hang:Compared to this, the corrosion we saw in Backwater Pass pales into insignificance.
💭What is this? It seems like this place is full of energy... And this atmosphere...
Ritsuka: As we don't know the exact location of Stellaron we will have to explore this labyrinth of Fragmentum and find a way out, since Serval said that Stellaron is north of here full of snow fields.
March 7:Guys....does this place feel weird to you? It feels like....there are loads of eyes staring at us.
Said March 7 with a fearful expression.
Seele:This place makes my skin crawl...like there are insects under my skin.
Ritsuka: You're not the only ones. I don't like this place at all either.
I say this as I can feel a strange energy emanating from the entire area, it's as if I'm feeling mana coming from the planet's leylines.
💭This is very strange....
Ritsuka: Let's continue on our way. The stronger the Fragmentum contamination is, the closer we will be to Stellaron. Obviously our enemies will be stronger, but that is to be expected.
Stella: What are we waiting for? Time to start our search!
Stelle said, keeping her spirits up in a dangerous situation. We move forward from the corrupted city and on the way I find a certain blue toy that Seele had given to Bronya.
Seele:This is.... Bronya's!
Ritsuka:That's a sign she was here. Which is good news for us.
At that moment when we saw the toy we heard March's frightened scream.
March 7:Whoa! Quick, look!
March 7 shouted pointing to a direction that leads to a gate, but in the direction of the gate is an echo of Cocolia and Bronya.
March 7:That's Bronya! H-Huh? Is that Cocolia too?!
Ritsuka: It's not them. It is a type of echo, residual energy replaced by the Fragmentum. Basically it is an echo of memory from the past.
I say this by being able to understand what I am seeing in front of me.
March 7:That means they were definitely here, right? And it looks like they went that way.
Ritsuka: We can use these echoes to get to where Stellaron is hiding.
Seele: Great! I was getting worried that we would waste time exploring this deserted place.
We walked towards the gate and Stelle and I stopped towards the echoes of Bronya and Cocolia.
Stella: Hey, Ritsuka. Are you feeling something strange about these echoes? As if they are saying something.
Ritsuka: Hmm...
I pay more attention to the echoes when I hear what Stelle was talking to me and how she spoke, I can hear the echoes talking.
Bronya Echo: You still haven't told me what this place is about, Mom.
Echo of Cocolia:Seven hundred years ago,this was Belobog's northern border and the site of an ancient battle. Here is where Alisa Rand led the first Silvermane Guards in resistance against the Legion. Now...It is nothing more than an abandoned corridor, filled with the sounds of Old World echoes. Don't let its fragmented appearance fool you, Bronya. On the day the promise is fulfilled....these ruins will become the breeding ground of a new world.
💭Wait a minute! The first Guardian was fighting the legion?! And this happened seven hundred years ago?
Bronya's Echo:Mother, do you truly believe the Stellaron's promise? It summoned the blizzard beyond our walls and opened the door of the Fragmentum. It destroyed our civilization, It...
Echo of Cocolia:And yet, the crime of our ancestors was their inability to embrace that destruction sooner...
💭What?
Echo of Cocolia:From the moment those intruders descended from beyond the sky, this world was handed a death sentence. But the Stellaron....has reserved for us a thread of hope. There is a price to pay for new life. Wiping away every decaying vestige of the Old World, renewing the meaningless and lingering struggle.... This is the price the Stellaron demands. When the promise is fulfilled, Bronya....no longer will we have to squander our lives guarding this wasteland. You and I will witness the New world rise from the ruins.
At that moment the echoes stopped talking and I was left with a terrible feeling about the information I had acquired.
Stelle:What does that mean, Ritsuka?
Ritsuka: It means that Cocolia is completely under Stellaron's control and she wants to take Bronya along with her, to create this "new world". Let's continue, the rest are waiting.
The two of us continued along the path and stopped facing a blocked gate.
Seele:This is a complex mechanism. How did they get past?
March 7:I knew this wouldn't be simple at all.
March 7 said, letting out a sigh, already getting used to it. However, I don't have the patience for games.
Ritsuka:Since when are we going to waste time for a simple gate?
I say this by kicking the gate hard, forcing it to open. My friends who saw this opened their eyes when they saw my violent attitude.
Seele:Huh.... Look, I'm not surprised anymore after everything Ritsuka showed us.
March 7: I guess I'm not the only one who wants to ask this question. Ritsuka, you're not just a simple assistant director of the space station, are you?
March 7 said, looking at me with a neutral expression and I just give an innocent smile.
Ritsuka:Hehe... Anyway. Let's continue, we can't waste time.
Leaving the gate I destroyed behind, we continued along the path and encountered a Fragmentum monster in human form. I easily deal with the creature without any problems.
March 7:This enemy was completely different! If I didn't know it was a product of Fragmentum, I would think Ritsuka was fighting a human.
Ritsuka: Unlike other types of monsters, this one could use complex attack tactics.
March 7:Look,Bronya and Cocolia's echoes...they must have come through here.
Said March 7 pointing to our path where it is possible to see the echoes of Bronya and Cocolia again.
Stelle: The voices are getting clearer.
Stelle said, leaving March 7 confused at what she heard.
March 7:What? Voices? What kind of voices?
Ritsuka: It must be the voices she heard in her dreams and as Cocolia has a huge connection with the Stellaron here and due to Stelle's circumstances, the closer she is to the Stellaron the easier she will be able to hear the voices.
I say this by explaining what I'm learning about the Stellaron and how it affects Stelle.
Dan Hang: Interesting. This will help us a lot. Let's continue. I feel like we are close to our destination.
We continued on our way and again like the other echoes, Stelle and I could hear them talking.
Echo of Cocolia:This is where the first guardian led the Silvermane Guards into battle. She made huge sacrifices for the sake of temporary respect. But the otherworldly Legion did not take off. She soon realized that flesh and blood could not contend with so ruthlees an enemy. When all was nearly lost, she chose to set her sights on the Stellaron....and made the first wish. As for what came later.....you know as well as I.
Bronya Echo:So....the Eternal Freeze was a disaster brought about by a human desire...?
Cocolia Echo: Ironic, no? All the Stellaron did was answer humanity's call, and yet we kept its existence a closely guarded secret for centuries. Even going so far as to attempt to use "It" to Control the Stellaron.... Woeful....laughable.
Bronya Echo:It?
Eco de Cocolia: Something created using otherworldly technology.... An inhibitor that the IPC from the Old World and the Architects attempted to use to house the Stellaron. I know you have many questions, my daughter. Be patient....soon you will have all the answers.
With this revelation the echoes stopped talking and the whole mystery about Jarilo-VI starts to make sense in my head.
💭So at first the legion attacked Jarilo-VI, but the people here were unable to repel the enemy forces, so the Guardian at the time made a wish to Stellaron and then a great disaster happened stopping the legion's attack, but this ended up almost destroying the entire planet with the exception of Belobog, which is under Preservation protection. Now it makes sense why the signal between other planets is horrible, this is the work of Stellaron!
Stella:My head! These voices are starting to irritate me.
Stelle said with a hand on her head.
Ritsuka: Then we're getting close. If the discomfort becomes unbearable, let us know.
Stella:Okay. I will.
We continue our way until we arrive in an open area with a long staircase for us to climb, however on the way there is another echo, but this time it is just Cocolia's echo.
Seele:It's that "shadow" of hers again....but Bronya's isn't with her this time.
Ritsuka: It's just an illusion of the Fragmentum. Let's take a closer look.
I say this and we approach the echo of Cocolia.
March 7:It feels like this echo is different from the others before.
Echo of Cocolia: Intruders.... Destroyer!
I hear the voice of Cocolia's echo, but this time the rest of my friends were also able to hear it.
March 7:Huh?! Did.... Did she just speak?!
March 7 said, starting to get scared.
Cocolia Echo: You can't....get closer...
At that moment I see the echo of Cocolia approaching me specifically.
Ritsuka: Everyone move away!
Echo of Cocolia:The Stellaron!
Cocolia's echo summoned two ice spears and started attacking me at high speed.
I dodge all the attacks and jump back away from the echo.
Echo of Cocolia: I will not allow you to destroy my desire!
Cocolia's echo said, emanating intense hatred towards me.
Ritsuka: Wow. You really hate me, look I haven't done anything to you yet.
I say this letting out a sigh seeing that her hatred is simply making me stronger.
March 7:R-Ritsuka. Are you sure this isn't the real thing?
Ritsuka: This is just a copy of Cocolia that the Fragmentum made.
💭But her hatred for me is genuine. Looks like I'm blacklisted from this Stellaron. Heh. Good. It'll make things a little more fun.
Cocolia's echo shoots several ice crystals towards me and I destroy them using my right arm. I see that the remnants of ice are starting to freeze my arm, but I simply make my right arm catch fire, eliminating the effect.
Stelle: Apparently you can handle her alone.
Ritsuka: Let's say she really wants my head, to the point of ignoring your existence.
Seele: Wow, what a great honor, to be hated so much by a copy of the Supreme Guardian.
Seele said being sarcastic and I let out a light laugh, not taking the look of pure hatred coming from the echo seriously.
Echo of Cocolia: Destroyer!!!
The echo screams loudly, coming towards me like an uncontrollable beast and I just keep dodging the attacks, unable to hold back a sadistic smile.
Ritsuka: I think it's time for us to finish this little dance. After all, I have a promise to keep.
I say this by kicking Cocolia in the stomach, making her move a few meters away from me and then a sword in its sheath appears in my left hand.
Before the echo could act again black flames cover my body I quickly move towards the echo and cross her body with my sword almost out of the sheath.
Ritsuka:Disappear into the abyss of oblivion....
When I put the sword in its sheath, several cuts appear on the echo's body and it immediately begins to combust, its body disappearing and being consumed by my flames.
March 7: I have to admit this was a little scary.
Seele: You really made her suffer.
Ritsuka: I'm sorry about that. My powers aren't very....."gentle".
Stelle: Of course they aren't. You have the powers any emo boy wants to have.
Stelle said with her arms crossed making fun of me and I remained silent.
💭The bad thing is that she is right in this regard...
Ritsuka:Anyway. We are close to Stellaron now. We are now on the last route of our journey.
March 7:Awww, but I want my journey to last forever.
Seele:That means Bronya is up ahead....along with the fate of the Overworld and the Underworld.....It's all in our hands. Strange, I thought she would be nervous or scared, but I'm not. The only feeling I have is that none of this is real.
Stelle:Is this how Trailblazing expeditions usually come to an end?
March 7:Not always. Sometimes there are happy conclusions.
Dan Hang:The Express has traveled world after world. We are even merely passing travelers. Witnesses are part of a bigger story. We invariably avoid getting drawn into turbulence that can decide the fate of a world....but there are always times when we have no choice but to act.
💭In Chaldea it is very different. We look for problems or the problems themselves come to us, more precisely to me.
Ritsuka: So this first expedition of ours is going to be very memorable. How lucky are we, Stella?
Stella: True. I am so lucky to have discovered the true beauty of trash cans....
Stelle said with an expression as if she was dreaming and I let out a sigh when I saw her acting like that.
Ritsuka:Are you a raccoon by any chance?
March 7:At this point all she needs is to turn into one.
Dan Hang: Let's go, we have a Stellaron to seal.
Said Dan Hang and we went up the long stairs heading towards Stellaron's location.
**************
We arrive at snow hills and you can see that we are at a high height, plus I am feeling high amounts of imaginary energy here.
💭It looks like we've arrived at our destination.
March 7: It's f-freezing here. The blizzard's so fierce! The power from the Trailblazing Path isn't enough to stop the cold....
Ritsuka:That means we are very close to Stellaron and the heart of Eternal Freeze.
I say that and we continued our climb until we saw a giant robotic hand above us.
Seele:Did the Architects build this?
Said Seele being shocked by what she is seeing.
Dan Hang:Hmm....very different from the uniform style of the buildings we saw in the city.
March 7:Does It....look like the palm of a huge hand to you?
Ritsuka: It doesn't look like a hand. It's a giant robot hand. Fortunately it doesn't seem to be functional.
March 7: Great! So we don't need to worry.
Said March letting out a laugh of relief while I'm a little disappointed about it.
💭A shame.... I so want to see this beauty being active.... It would be so cool...
March 7:If Cocolia threatens us by taking Bronya hostage....
Ritsuka: You can be sure that I won't allow that to happen. Cocolia won't want to have me as an enemy
I say this with a serious expression and we finally arrive where Bronya and Cocolia are.
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Narrator's view..
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Meanwhile Bronya and Cocolia are in front of Stellaron and Bronya is starting to hear Stellaron's whispers in her mind.
Bronya:N-No...
Cocolia:Don't resist, Bronya.... Accept the common will!
Said Cocolia being completely submissive to Stellaron's control while Bronya is resisting.
Bronya: No! I..... I don't want this....
Cocolia starts to give a big speech saying that Stellaron promised a perfect world where they will be able to guard and protect a world. Cocolia also said that everything that happened seven hundred years ago that it is human nature that is responsible for this suffering and that they must listen to Stellaron's call and she told Bronya to let go of human weakness and mistakes to embrace the evolution that Stellaron is promising .
Before the Stellaron voices could take control of Bronya, Ritsuka and her friends arrived just in time.
Ritsuka:That's enough, Cocolia!
This catches their attention and Bronya looks at Ritsuka and company in surprise.
Bronya: Ritsuka....?
Cocolia:You came. I thought the blizzards had entombed you....
Cocolia said, speaking in a tone of pure hatred towards Ritsuka, who just let out a smile, teasing the guardian.
Ritsuka: Well, you know, Cocolia, a simple cold can't stop me.
Said Ritsuka and he looks at his friend Bronya.
Ritsuka:Bronya. Listen to me. As tempting as the Stellaron offer is, it is just an illusion! All Stellaron wants is to destroy these worlds and all the people who live in them. I promised you that if you are in danger that I will save you and yourself and you forget, you can be sure that this will not stop me from fulfilling this promise!
Seele: We need you, Bronya! Belobog and everyone in the underworld needs you!
Said Ritsuka and Seele, leaving Bronya surprised.
Bronya: Ritsuka, Seele, all of you.
At that moment Cocolia lets out a light laugh, catching everyone's attention.
Cocolia:Are you done yet? I think I gave you enough time to....say goodbye. It's time for me to tell you my other reason for bringing you here, Bronya. I want to witness your choice. I told you all the truth you have to tell: The Stellaron deal, the wish I made... There are no more secrets between us. Many years ago, Stellaron's voice rang in my ears for the first time. I was no different from the other previous generations of guardians..... I backed away, refused to listen. I was what you are now. Defending what Architects call "Preservation". My conviction was firm as a rock, unbeatable...until a drastic change threw everything into chaos. Another choice appeared before me. A rejection of the old order...and a welcome to the new world. And compared to the elusive, forever far away Preservation, this was so tangible....
Bronya stays silent and Cocolia continues to talk and she said that she wants Bronya to join her mother into this new world and that if she doesn't go along, Cocolia will fall into torment. And Cocolia awaits her daughter's choice on which path she will follow.
After a while, Bronya responds and she refuses her mother's offer. Bronya said that even though humanity falls into despair due to the circumstances this world is going through, the ancestors still managed to create a civilization with the hope of a better future and the proof of this is the people of the underworld that Cocolia had ignored. And that we must fight for the future that they are fighting for and not for Stellaron that only wants ruin.
After hearing Bronya's choice, Cocolia has a sour smile.
Cocolia: So that's her choice. I understand, Bronya. Too bad... Too bad that you will never be able to see that shining world... Unable to free yourself from the chains of your mind... Did you know? That you were to be the mother of the new world.
The moment Cocolia said this the ground started to shake and at the same time, Ritsuka felt a very familiar energy appearing in his pocket.
Ritsuka: Huh?
March 7: Guys, is it just me or is the ground shaking?!
Seele:That's a very bad sign!
Ritsuka takes something out of his pocket and he is shocked to see one of his treasures emanating a light and he immediately understands why it is glowing.
(Photo)
Ritsuka:This... This should be impossible!
Cocolia:The fate of this city...of Belobog...is sealed. The future is in our hands. And you will be becoming the new foundation of the new world! You must break down the old to build the new. The supreme guardian commands you! Rise,Engine of Creation!
Cocolia shouted, summoning a spear in her right hand and she began to float, activating the giant robot that the group saw.
The group moves away from the giant hand that tried to catch them and everyone is surprised by what they are seeing except for Ritsuka who is super excited on the inside.
Ritsuka:💭I WANT THAT!!!
March 7:Th-This is robot's a thousand times bigger than Svarog!
The group does not have the ability to fight this giant robot, but Ritsuka has the solution to this problem.
Ritsuka: Don't worry guys. I have a way to call for help.
Ritsuka said with a calm smile leaving the entire group surprised to see him being calm in a situation like this.
March 7:How are you going to ask for help from others on the Express?! We can't talk to them!
Ritsuka: I didn't say I would be their help.
Ritsuka said with a colorful prismatic crystal in his hands.
Ritsuka: It's going to be something much better than that.
Said Ritsuka with a confident expression and he extends his right arm that is holding the crystal and he begins to perform an incantation. Cocolia noticing this commands the robot to attack, but a person comes out of Ritsuka's shadow and holds the robot's giant hand.
The person holding the giant's hands is the shadow servant version of Hercules who is protecting his master.
Ritsuka:Heed my words! My will creates your body and your sword creates my destiny! If you heed the Grail call,then follow humanity's path and answer me! Seventh Heaven clad in the great words of stargazers... Come forth pass your judgment and punish my enemies! Guardian of the Scales!
At that moment, the crystal releases a high glow that reaches the snowstorm sky, making it possible to see the light outside the planet.
When the light dissipates two silhouettes are visible, one giant and the other female-sized and both speak at the same time before Ritsuka and he recognizes the Servants he summoned.
Ivan the Terrible/Anastasia:By our master's call we answered the planet's cry for help. We await your orders Master.
(Photo of Ivan)
(Photo of Anastasia)
Ritsuka: Glad to see you guys again. Unfortunately we have to leave the meeting for later, we have an enemy to defeat! Ivan I want you to use your noble phantasm now! Ana, you protect us with Viy! Freeze all monsters that got in the way.
Ritsuka's servants listen to his orders without a hint of hesitation.
Ivan/Anastasia: Understood, Master!
Ritsuka:Ahhh...How I missed this.
Said Ritsuka with a happy smile while their friends are in shock.
Bronya: Ritsuka these are...
Ritsuka: Don't worry, guys...
Our reinforcements are right here....
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Next chapter.... The wild storm!
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