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Fate/Zero:Act 5 Part 1

2009-04-29T22:10:48Z

130.216.1.16: /* -150.39.43 */

=== Illustration ===
[[Image:FZ_v02_005.jpg|200px|thumb|Act 5.]]

== -150.39.43==



Further removed to the west than Miyama town of Fuyuki, the winding state highway stretched westwards with its back towards the city's lights. Meanwhile, an undeveloped piece of forest waited for visitors further up the road. Continuing beyond even the prefectural border, the state highway silently meandered on.

Although there were two lanes on the road, no crossing cars can be seen even with the sparse street lights. The state highway in the dead of night seemed to fade from memory and into the silence.

In such a silent night, a silver beast flew by.

Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe. The flowing, elegant, streamlined body with a scent of antiquity resembled a noble lady, while the roaring of the Straight-6 SOHC engine was like that of a fierce beast's. And behind the steering wheel of the classic sedan recklessly going beyond 100 kilometers per hour - were unexpectedly the slender wrists of a young lady.

"Hey hey, this goes pretty fast, doesn't it?"

Irisviel, who held the steering wheel and whose face was full of pleased smiles, said. Sitting in the passenger's seat, Saber's face was full of nervousness, and she barely managed to squeeze out a stiff smile and a nod.

"In-Indeed, unexpectedly, this is...some rather... skillful... driving..."

"Right? I had special training, even though it may not look like it."

That being said, based on the unfamiliar way she dealt with the gears, she's far from being a proficient driver.

"Among all the toys Kiritsugu brought to the Einsbern castle, I favor this one the most. I was always just running circles in the castle grounds, and today is the first time for me to drive in such a wide space. It's wonderful!"

"A toy, huh..."

There won't be any objections to call something like a skateboard or bicycle a toy. But for a machine with a speed of over 100 kilometers per hour on a serpentine road, it is a mismatch of classes. People would never call things that can put their lives in danger with the smallest mistakes as toys in ordinary situations.

Although it is a classic sedan made more than forty years ago, it possesses a 2996cc. M198 engine and its maximum speed is 260 kilometers per hour. Irisviel's reckless roam, compared to the car's potential ability, is merely a beginning prelude.

Apparently, Emiya Kiritsugu had specially prepared this car in the Einsbern castle earlier on, so Irisviel and Saber can have transportation apart from walking once they enter Fuyuki.

For over half a month, this car had been parked in the hotel's underground parkade. Now they are driving their precious car towards the Einsberns' castle residence.

"Hmm. Wait a minute, Irisviel. Haven't you been driving on the right side until just a moment ago?"

"Ah, that's right."

Irisviel nodded casually as if it was a very small mistake, and the car gave a jerk and moved onto the cruising lane.

Irisviel had never been outside of the Einsbern castle ever since she was born; for her, it is obviously her first time driving on a highway. Saber has been paying attention to her line of sight since they took off. Obviously Irisviel does not know anything about street signs. Although driving on the left is written in the law, it appears Irisviel doesn't even know this.

At least she could understand a little of what traffic lights mean, but that only went as far as
considering slowing down when she saw the red light.. Although right now it is midnight with little traffic, it would be a miracle for them to be able to safely arrive at their destination.

"...Do we still have a long way to go to reach the Einsbern castle in this land?"

"I heard it will only take one hour to reach by car. When we get close, we should be able to see it..."

Saber did not stop wishing for this dangerous journey to be over, even if only a second sooner. It is already very fortunate that no cars are coming towards them on the midnight highway, but the fact that the winding road still posed a great danger filled Saber's blood with adrenaline, as if it were right before a battle. As a Servant, she possesses extraordinary reflexes and strength, and can immediately carry Irisviel outside the car to escape if danger presents. However, this legendary sports car worth ten million yen would then be reduced to an unrecognizable pile of scrap iron. That doesn't fit with Saber's frugal economics.

"...Wouldn't it have been better to hire a chauffeur?"

"Of course not. That would be borin- no, that would be too dangerous. After all, once we enter Fuyuki city, we can be attacked by other Masters at any time. You're the one who doesn't want to see innocent people being dragged into this, Saber."

"That is true..."

Just which one is more dangerous on this mountainous road: being attacked by other Masters, or Irisviel's driving skills? - Saber was half-seriously considering this question when a cold wave reached her senses like the edge of a blade.

"Stop the car!"

"Aye?"

Not understanding Saber's sudden warning, the unmindful Irisviel asked dumbly.

Saber didn't have time to explain to her. She forcefully stretched her torso across the driver's seat, took hold of the steering wheel with one hand, and slammed her left foot tip-first on the brakes.

The reason Saber could immediately make decisions, enabling her to control this rampaging machine, is her skill of Riding as a Servant. She can completely understand the control of all ridden equipment both known and unknown to her.

Fortunately the car maintained a straight path during the sharp brake, and did not spin furiously.

The tires of the Mercedes skidded on the asphalt, emitting clouds of white smoke. As the car's uncontrollable slide continued, Saber once again confirmed the feeling that set her nerves on edge.

Without a doubt, it was definitely the scent of a Servant. Speak of the devil, indeed.

"Saber, that's-"

Irisviel fell silent. A figure of strange appearance emerged on the far stretch of the road lit by the Mercedes' headlights.

The tall figure before them, as though not even considering the danger of the speeding car, stood unperturbed in the middle of the road.

A luxurious robe of ancient design; sanguineous scarlet patterns adorned the pitch-black fabric. Those abnormally big eyes easily remind one of nocturnal animals. Even if one were to ignore these bizarre points, no ordinary passerby would appear in such a place at this time.

The car's momentum was overcome by the wheels' friction and the Mercedes finally stopped. There was barely ten meters between the car and the figure in front of it.

"... Saber?"

Saber quickly analyzed the current situation, then said to Irisviel.

"Get off the car as soon as I do. But don't go too far."

If the opponent is a Servant, a car with its steel frame would be as fragile as a mere cardboard box. If they were to remain in the car they would have been defenseless. After all, it's better to shift to a better defense position.

Saber opened the gull-wing door and stepped into the frigid night. Mixed with the smell coming from the trees rustled by the night wind was the acrid stench of burnt tire.

The figure in front of her eyes was different from the five she's seen before. If it's a Servant she hasn't met yet, it would be Caster, or perhaps Assassin... so Saber thought.

Although Saber and Irisviel, who didn't know about the ruse that occurred in the Tōsaka residence the other night, could not eliminate the possibility of Assassin, this Servant who was neither running away nor in hiding but standing proudly in front of them doesn't seem to be Assassin. Using the process of elimination, there's only one conclusion - the figure in front of them is Caster.

However...

Is the expression on his face really the expression of a warrior about to do battle?

The confused King of Knights surveyed the opponent's countenance once again.

He was smiling, which in itself is understandable. For a warrior to be filled with joy upon facing their decided place of death is decidedly not uncommon. But that was not Caster's expression. It was as though they were long-lost brothers finally reuniting, a face shining so purely with delight it was almost piddling...

Before the unnerved Saber could challenge his identity, Caster betrayed her estimations and acted.

Caster bowed his head deferentially, knelt down on the asphalt road like a courtier being presented before a king.

"I've been waiting, your majesty the holy maiden."

"Huh...?"

Saber was getting more and more lost with the situation. Although she was once a king and accepted the genuflection of countless lords and heroes, she had no memories for this man in front of her eyes. This man was not one of her former subjects of Camelot.

Firstly, the title 'holy maiden' is very strange. When she governed Britain as King Arthur, she never exposed the fact that she is in truth a woman even at the end.

Irisviel, who got off the Mercedes after a while, hid behind Saber, who was full of nervous guard, and silently observed Caster.

"Saber, do you know this person?"

"No, I don't have any impression of him -"

As if he had heard Saber and Irisviel's murmurs, Caster lifted up his head and said:

"... Oh, oh, how can you say that? Don't you remember me?"

In reply to his ever more exaggerated words, Saber was astonished.

"Whatever you may say, this is the first time I've met you - I don't know where you have gone wrong, but... maybe you've got the wrong person?"

"Oh oh, wuwuwu..."

Caster began to sob as if he was very sad, and his hands were clawing his hair. His extremely happy expression up till now changed completely, his strange, greasy complexion twisted by dismay and dejection like a caricature. Just based on this, it can be seen that he is a dangerous man whose emotions change at a whim.

"It's me! I am your forever most royal servant Gilles de Rais! I've always prayed for your resurrection, always waited for the miraculous day when I can meet you again. I came here to the ends of time for that purpose, Jeanne!"

When Irisviel heard the man's words, she caught her breath.

"Gilles de Rais...?"

This is already the second Servant to declare his real name in front of them. Although his purpose is unknown, the name is indeed the renowned title given to Caster in the current world.

But for Saber, once his origin became clear, doubt simply hardened into denial.

"I don't know your name, nor do I know of this Jeanne."

Sighing half with shock after Saber's declaration, Caster let out even more scattered wheezings.

"What... could it be, that you've forgotten? Who you were in mortal life?!"

Saber was getting annoyed with this situation in which she couldn't get her point clear, so she regarded Caster grimly and said:

"Since you've already declared your name, then according to the knights' decorum I'll tell you my true name too. I am Arturia, the rightful child of Uther Pendragon, and the king of Britain."

Caster, lost for words, stared in blank amazement at this girl in front of him, who puffed her chest and proudly declared her name. And then-

"Oh! Oh! Oh waaaaaa!!"

Caster began a fit of weeping which was almost a shriek, while unsightly hammering his fists on the ground.

"How painful, how tragic is this! Not only did she lose her memories, even her mind is this befuddled... you... you! God, why are you so cruel to this lovely maiden of mine?"

"What are you talking about? To start with, I'm not -"

"Jeanne, I understand why you won't admit it. You, who originally was more devoted to God and believed in Him deeper than anyone else, was instead discarded by God. When you were sentenced as a witch and executed God did not give you any help or salvation. It is not without reason that you're now acting in this way."

Saber suddenly felt a repulsive feeling completely different from fear. It was as if every single hair in her body was standing on their ends.

The man in front of her didn't hear Saber's words at all, and never wanted to hear them in the first place. He had come to a conclusion based on his own delusions regarding Saber, and he has no doubts toward this conclusion. Under the control of this train of thoughts, none of Saber's words can go into Caster's head.

"Wake up! Jeanne! You don't need to be bewildered by the likes of God! You are the holy maiden of Orleans, the savior of France, Jeanne d'Arc!"

"That's enough! This is unsightly!"

Saber shouted, no longer showing confusion or restraint and openly displaying her disgust towards the kneeling Caster.

"I am Saber, and you are Caster, a Heroic Spirit. We are both Servants who fight for the Grail. The reason we met here is nothing more, and nothing less."

"... Saber, there's no point in saying anything to this man."

Behind the agitated King of Knights, Irisviel rebuked her.

As Saber - that is, Arturia - is an incomplete Heroic Spirit, she would not possess the knowledge that surpasses time and space one gains when one has reached the Throne of Heroes. Therefore, she is not aware of that tale tainted by insanity, the legend of "Bluebeard", Baron Gilles de Rais.

Gilles de Rais rose to the position of general as a savior and hero of France, but he turned his back on glory when he indulged in the immorality and lust of black magic. The 'monstre sacré' who eventually slaughtered hundreds of youths...

Gilles' descent into madness occured about the same time as the final fate of the valiant Jeanne d'Arc, who he fought beside. Thus, there are many legends that have connected the two. The deep-rooted delusion that the Heroic Spirit called forth by the Grail, Gilles de Rais, is seeing now can be nothing but madness. It's impossible to know just how much similarity exists between Saber Arturia and Joan of Arc, but the two of them must be very similar indeed. No matter what, Gilles - Caster already firmly believes Saber to be that person he's always thought of, and did not allow any doubt to be present.

"Jeanne, please stop referring to yourself as Saber, or to me as Caster. We will soon be free from the bound of this shackle called Servant. The Holy Grail War is about to be over!"

"That's just your own wishful thinking."

This time it was Irisviel who answered in place of Saber, who was already too angry to speak.

"Hey, General de Rais, since you said the war is already over, what about the Grail?"

"It's so obvious; the omnipotent Grail, that wish-granting machine is already in my hands!"

Caster, full of satisfied smiles, said proudly.

"My only wish was that the holy maiden Jeanne d'Arc would be resurrected, and now this wish had already been fulfilled! Without even the need to compete with anyone, my wish had already become reality! The Grail has already chosen me – Gilles – without even fighting at all!"

Ding! A shrill sound reverberated. The asphalt before Caster's eyes split perfectly into two.

It was Saber's invisible sword. Although Caster couldn't see it, he could feel the aura of the sharp blade right on the tip of his nose.

"If you continue to ridicule all the wishes of us Heroic Spirits - I will cut you down without mercy, Caster."

While her words were free of emotions, Saber's voice itself was as cold as a blade.

"Come, stand up. Knights can't attack someone who's kneeling on the ground. If you're also a soldier, then you can keep your cunning arguments to yourself, and obtain the Grail with straightforward warfare. Let me, Saber, be your first opponent!"

The mad flame in Caster's eyes disappeared.

His face, which was twisted with excitement, also gradually returned to its calm. Caster lifted his head up to look at Saber; the formidable will harbored within his gaze did not change the slightest.

It was a look of silent resolution. He had merely changed his determination into an even firmer belief.

"It seems just words won't be enough... Is your heart still sealed, Jeanne?"

Caster's gloomy voice no longer contained the lament just then.

"Then I am very sorry. It seems there's a need to use enforced therapy on you. Whatever it may be – I will definitely complete all the preparations for you next time."

The long black robe floated backwards abruptly, creating a very big distance between him and Saber. Caster, standing up again, was almost a different person from the figure kneeling on the ground sobbing just then. A great air of majestic command that seemed to be able to stain the entire earth red with blood emitted from his person... not only Heroic Spirits, but even tyrants will feel the oppressing tension of fear.

The man in front of her is undoubtedly not an easy enemy – Saber, who stood in front of Caster, knew this from her instincts without a doubt.

"I swear to you, Jeanne. The next time we meet, I will definitely... save your soul from the curse of God."

"Save your words. Leave if you do not have the will to command a sword."

To Saber's cold reply, Caster silently removed his material form and disappeared into the night.

Letting out a long sigh, Saber also removed her battle tension. Irisviel collapsed onto the fender of the Mercedes, exhausted.

"Confronting such a senseless opponent... was rather tiresome."

"Right. However, I'm going to chop him up before he opens his mouth next time – I'm going to throw up if someone like that stayed a minute longer."

Although Caster has already left, Saber still said that indignantly.

"You regret how he escaped so easily?"

"Uh huh. I was just about to make him pay for his behavior of speaking absolute nonsense here - is what I want to say."

For a brief moment meekness covered her anger, as Saber reluctantly furrowed her brows.

"But in all honesty, it might be that Caster's retreat is a good piece of luck for tonight's me."

"Aye? Really?"

Hearing Saber say such discontented words, Irisviel was very surprised.

For an opponent so skilled in thaumaturgical battle as Servant Caster, his bane would be Servant Saber, who has the strongest magic resistance. If the duo actually started fighting, Saber should achieve victory with an overwhelming advantage.

But Saber, with an expression that even she doesn't completely understand, shook her head with a bitter smile.

"That Caster... was a bit different. Or he's not quite the same compared with other magi. Although I can't be sure either... but it felt too dangerous for me to fight him in this condition of having my left hand sealed."

Saber's sixth sense was also strengthened to a degree due to her class's specialty, almost to the level of precognition. If even she felt uneasy about the enemy, Irisviel also had to reevaluate Caster.

"In any case, Lancer should be first..."

"Yes. But it's extremely fortunate that Lancer is also a noble warrior, not escaping or hiding himself away. He's also looking forward to our duel."

Although they are each other's enemies, Saber was sympathetic to Lancer's spirit. But even so, this did not erase Irisviel's tinge of unease. After all, no matter how the Servant is full of the spirit of chivalry, it's hard to say how much of that holds true for the Master.

And the King of Knights, who was put on the shackle of being a Servant, is she still fighting with the reputation of the sword...? When she thought of this, Irisviel couldn't help herself but feel sad.

Unknown to Irisviel, Saber, or even Caster who retreated first, the entire process of this chance meeting between them was under the surveillance of pursuers.

In the dense forest connected to the state highway, the pursuers wearing the ghastly skull masks concealed themselves on the treetops swallowed by the darkness, and surveyed all that just happened with a vigilant eye.

Not just melting into the shadows; the pursuers who cut all of their scents to evade Saber's senses seemed to be shadows themselves. No one else can achieve this apart from Assassin. Looks like Assassin, according to Kotomine Kirei's command, followed Saber and Irisviel from the warehouses to here.

Assassin, who was originally just given the mark of Irisviel, Einsbern's Master, obtained an unexpected gain. The last Servant who didn't even show himself in the melee of the warehouse district, Caster, was finally discovered by Assassin.

Although the scent of Caster, who departed in spiritual form, is quickly fading, Assassin's sharp spiritual sense can still detect it. Right now it is the best time for pursuit. 

"Of course, that is not a task for you."

A voice suddenly sounded behind Assassin. A vague outline hazily emerged from the dim forest – it is, unexpectedly, another skull mask.

The second Assassin differed from the previous Assassin only in body shape, while the mask they wore and the black cloak attire were identical. Meanwhile, both differed from the Assassin who reconnoitered in the warehouse district in body shape and build. Although they are Servants of the same class, they are all clearly, unmistakably different individuals.

"Then what about giving it to you?"

"Yes. You only need to keep following Saber and her Master... By the way, did Master Kirei see the situation here?"

"No, master Kirei did not share perceptions with me."

The Assassin who initially tailed Irisviel shook his head. Looks like it was another Assassin who reconnoitered in the warehouse district just then.

The second Assassin smacked his lips when he heard this reply.

"Just to be on the safe side, we should still report to master Kirei the things that happened here..."

"Give that job to me."

A third voice followed. It's nothing to be surprised about now; another white skull mask appeared in the darkness.

This time, it was a child-like Assassin with a shrill voice and short stature. Perhaps no one knows just how many Assassins gathered here.

The monstrous sound of the engine of the Mercedez once again resounded in the night sky, and it sped away roaring in the state highway. Maybe Irisviel and Saber hastily took the road again.

At the same time the three shadows nodded to each other, and also disappeared like a whirlwind in the vast night.

X X

In the darkness as thick as blood, only one solitary candle flicked. The dim candlelight reflected Uryū Ryūnosuke's handsome face.

Scarlet blood completely smeared these fingers too delicate for a man. In front of the man, who sat beside a long table, three rows of raw meat that reflected bright red were placed.

They were intestines. On the long table were human intestines.

Ryūnosuke stared intently at the intestines in front of him, then picked up a tuning fork with his left hand and hit it on the edge of the table. Ding. The tuning fork emitted a clear sound.

Before the clear sound of the tuning completely disappeared, he quickly poked everywhere on the intestines with his right hand.

At that time –

Ahhh...

Haaa...

A seemingly agonizing sound suddenly came out of the darkness.

Ryūnosuke listened carefully to the sound emitted, and nodded satisfactorily after he compared it with the residue echo of the tuning fork.

"Very good, so here it's ‘mi'."

As he spoke, he marked a point on the intestines with a pin. Many similar marks of musical notes have already been made on the incessantly quivering intestine.

The intestines seemed to be still alive. To be correct, it seems the owner of the intestines was still alive.

On the crucifix on top of the long table, a girl who was sobbing incessantly with pain was tied up. A horizontal cut was made on her abdomen, and the innards that were dragged out were being fondled with in Ryūnosuke's hand.

Even Bluebeard praised Ryūnosuke for his idea of making a living human into a pipe organ to play lamenting music. To make the girl picked as the material not die from massive blood loss or infections, Bluebeard placed a few healing and rejuvenation spells on her body, and specially made some adjustments to prevent the pain from numbing her brain.

Ryūnosuke had always been frustrated with the fact that the human body stops its life-like activities as soon as it encounters a slightly extreme stimulation. 

But now, with the help of thaumaturgy, all these previous hurdles were solved easily. Now, Ryūnosuke can flutter his wings of perception freely, improvising at will.

"Very good, so one more time. 'Do re mi~'"

Ryūnosuke hummed as he pressed down on the intestine keyboard. But the sound of agony that accompanied his movement was very unharmonious with his own tune.

"... Hm?"

The tuner smeared with blood furrowed his brows and tilted his head, and once again pressed down on the place he just fine tuned with the tuning fork. However, the sound made by the girl tied on the crucifix was completely different from the marked noted.

Upon careful reflection, although the stimulation happens in the same place it doesn't guarantee that the moaning made would be the same. This human instrument is flawed in its basic conceptual design.

"Huh... what a failure."

Ryūnosuke sighed unhappily and scratched his head.

After the human canopy he tried hard to design yesterday, this human instrument also ended in failure. If this frustration keeps going on, even Ryūnosuke would lose confidence.

But just then, Ryūnosuke suddenly remembered what Bluebeard said to him in consolation after his failure at making the canopy yesterday.

"No matter what, the idea is the most important. Even though the final result is not as satisfactory as imagined, the act of challenging it already matters a lot by itself."

Ryūnosuke was inspired by the words of the exalted fiend. For a youth who was never understood by anyone, who created art alone, the encouragement of these words held great meaning.

Hard work is needed. Ryūnosuke once again picked up his spirits. It won't do to be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success; a long journey begins from the ground beneath his feet.

After all, he has to think progressively. It's too early to discard the making of this human instrument. If he can find the root of the problem, he might be able to find some solution.

And, sounds aside, the expression of pain the girl had when he fondled with the intestine taken out of her body was also extraordinarily alluring. To discard such a precious expression would more or less be a waste.

The air, full of the stench of blood, suddenly felt heavy. The density of prana floating in the air became even thicker. All this signaled the owner of this thaumaturgical workshop has returned.

"Ah, welcome back, Sir."

Appearing gradually in the candle light, Bluebeard, Servant Caster, didn't even give Ryūnosuke a glance. The emotionless face, compared with the singing and dancing expression of joy when he left, was a complete one-hundred-eighty-degree turn.

Looks like something unpleasant happened while he was out. Although Ryūnosuke was a bit worried, he still couldn't wait to report the fruits of his research to him.

"Sir, I'm very sorry. As you said, the instrument didn't work. But I– "

"–not enough."

"Aye?"

Ryūnosuke haven't figured out what the sentence suddenly uttered by Bluebeard meant. Caster left the shocked Ryūnosuke at the side, stretched out a hand from inside the black robe, and placed it on the gasping girl tied on the crucifix like the claw of an eagle.

"It's definitely not enough! This degree!"

"Ah, yeah. I figured that out too... Huh?"

Ryūnosuke's sentence stopped halfway through. Caster's spider-like fingers gradually increased in force; the girl's head was squashed to pieces in his hand as if it was a fruit.

"T-This..."

Ryūnosuke wasn't very unhappy with Bluebeard's attitude towards him. He understood that right now he was in an emotionally agitated state, and was completely ignorant of Ryūnosuke's existence.

"Oh you abominable God, even now you still bind Jeanne's soul and are unwilling to let her go! These blasphemous sacrifices are not yet enough!"

There were no light of reason in Bluebeard's eyes, who was roaring with spit flying from his mouth. Although Ryūnosuke didn't know what happened, the Jeanne he spoke of must be the armored girl they saw in the crystal ball.

Probably trauma caused by emotional problems with his ex.

Ryūnosuke began to pity him. Although they haven't spent a long time together, Ryūnosuke knew this odd-looking fiend in front of him is in fact extremely simple in his emotions.

"I must let her know that in this world the so-called God is only a hollow myth. Things like save the entire world are only boasting lies. The prayers of the silent lamb will never be passed on to Heaven!"

"Hum, yes. I understand, Sir."

Chiming along, Ryūnosuke obviously had no idea what Bluebeard's words meant, and he had no intention of trying to find it out; he thinks it's very vulgar to barge in on other people's emotional problems.

"Just blaspheming God is not enough! We must also prove to the world the powerlessness of God's authority and the hypocrisy of God's love! We need to prove God does not have the ability to carry out judgment! No matter how much evil you've committed you will not suffer God's punishment. Isn't it so, Ryūnosuke?"

"Ah, stuff like God are just boring old tricks that stupid people believe in. Sir, you're so much cooler compared to that fake God."

"Then, let us blaspheme God even more vigorously! We will pile the sacrifices of blasphemy as high as mountains, and place this scene in front of her."

Toward Bluebeard's declaration, Ryūnosuke contemplated it a little.

"Um, that means... we're gonna go beyond what we're doing right now in quality and quantity?"

"Yes, exactly! You're indeed Ryūnosuke! You understood my meaning very well."

When he saw that Ryūnosuke completely understood what he meant, Bluebeard immediately had a face full of smiles and clapped the other's shoulder. Ryūnosuke got used to his extreme change of temperament ages ago.

Only that, to the change of methods he spoke of before, Ryūnosuke has absolutely no interest in.

"Ryūnosuke, how many children are still locked in the cells?"

"... There are still eleven of them alive. Three died when I just played a little with them."

"Very good. Start with those eleven; make them sacrifices as soon as possible. When we're finished with them, we'll capture other children as replacement before tomorrow morning."

"That's... a bit of a pity."

After all, mass slaughter doesn't fit Ryūnosuke's taste. At maximum, he enjoys the art of killing, and isn't a killing machine. Such acts that did not savor the feeling of the kill, but merely piled corpses into mountains, were not much different from wars or natural disasters. It is a waste of lives. Only by slaughtering people one by one can you experience the wonders of life.

Bluebeard perceived Ryūnosuke's discontent; therefore, with his face full of angelic smiles, he spoke to Ryūnosuke like someone reasoning with a naughty child.

"Say, Ryūnosuke, this isn't the time to be stingy. Every life in this world is our property. Therefore you need to have the right kind of attitude and a heart as generous as a king. Feel free to waste. Please do remember your wealth is never going to run out. Only then, are you fit to be called my Master."

"Like a king?"

Yes. Ryūnosuke is very rich.

Ryūnosuke is not even remotely interested in things like currency. For him, the only thing with expendable value is human life. Also he, who obtained Bluebeard's help, won't be persecuted by the law no matter how he kills people. He is free to kill whenever, wherever, and using whatever method. Only that, these powers was granted to him by Bluebeard.

If one can do anything he desires and waste in whatever ways he likes with everything in this world, it's effectively the same as owning all these things. Even the Pope and the President won't be able to compare with him. Uryū Ryūnosuke is currently the richest man in the world.

"But I still think we should plan a bit on how we use it."

"Ryūnosuke, you've been poisoned too deeply by this capitalist society. Living in this era, it's inevitable for you have such thoughts. But you need to know that for nobles, waste is a virtue. Someone who possesses wealth has a duty to exhibit his wealth to the world. Only by doing that can you show the brilliance of wealth and make it more meaningful."

"Hum..."

Bluebeard's few words completely convinced Ryūnosuke. This master of death and destruction once again received new inspiration.

Anyways, like what Bluebeard said, just concentrate on getting rid of those kids tonight. Maybe he can find some new ways to play in the short time period. Ryūnosuke became more excited as he thought about this.

But even so –

Although he accepted Bluebeard's point, Ryūnosuke could not forget the figure of the girl who had been used as the human instrument.

Her face, that had been squashed by Bluebeard and which was no longer visible – was originally quite cute.

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Kara no Kyoukai:Chapter05 012

2008-08-25T20:14:45Z

130.216.1.16:

'''/12 (Spiral Paradox, 9)''' 

The red sun lights up the spiral tower. 

Within the orange world confronted by the approach of sunset, Aozaki Touko set foot on the grounds of the mansion. 

The brown-dyed, lizard-skin longcoat doesn't suit her thin body. It looked more like armour than clothing. 

She looked up at the mansion once, then lifted up the orange bag in one hand and started to walk. 

Passing the lawn covered in green grass she enters the mansion. 

Constructed of glass, the lobby has been dyed a deep red by the light of the setting sun. 

The floor, the wall, and even the column that holds the elevator leading upstairs, they are all as red as if they were inside the sun. 

After thinking for a brief moment she changed her destination. 

And so she walked to the side that didn't face the elevator, the East side of the lobby. 

... Divided in two, this mansion has seperate lobbies on the East and West sides. 

She goes to one of those, the lobby on the first floor of the East building. 

The lobby is a wide semi-circular space. 

The second floor ceiling is clearly visible so it feels like some huge reception hall. Here inside the builing there is no orange light from the setting sun. Only the yellow illumination of the lights shines off the marble floor. 

"How surprising. You are very impatient, aren't you." 

Highly pitched considering his sex, a man's voice echoes through the lobby. 

Touko doesn't say anything in response, and wordlessly lifts her gaze. 

The stairway that connects to the second floor by way of its gentle incline. In the centre stands a man in a red coat. 

"But that's a delightful thing too. Hurry on in, to my Gehenna (Gehenna: A hill to the Southwest of Jerusalem in Israel. Sometimes called "Hinom's Hill". This names originates from the Hebrew name of "The hill of Hinom's son". The name is sometimes used to represent hell because Canaanites and Jerusalem inhabitants gethered here to burn their children as sacrifices for the god Morroc). I welcome you, greatest of doll-makers." 

Laughing joyfully, the mage Cornelius Alba greets her with an overdramatic gesture as if he were an actor on a stage. 

*** 

"Gehenna(Hell)?" 

"Of course.This is the recreation of the altar of fire that was on the hill of Hinom. It's a tool within which we've gathered the concepts from burning, killing, and torturing people '''(I think my translation of this is a little off)'''. Although unfortunately Morroc who is the owner of this God's Palace (?) is away at the moment. How splendid is it? A twisted dimension of this level should be completely seperated from the physical laws of the outside world. Preparations for opening the path were finished long ago, Aozaki." 

The red mage looks down at Touko and speaks confidently. 

Contrary to the energetic young man, she keeps her emotions locked away as she replies. 

"For Agrippa's direct descendent to be wallowing in the religion of the Jews, how amusing. That's why you still haven't understood the true nature of this place. Hell? That kind of thing exists somewhere on this Earth at this very moment. If you want to see murder on a scale that the human mind cannot comprehend go to a battlefield. If you wish to see human's dying on a scale you could never believe just go to any starving nations. Something like this isn't Hell. It's merely Purgatory, this." 

And, she puts her bag down upon the floor. 

Tock, a dry sound. 

"A place where eternally tormented souls who committed small crimes and cannot go to heaven or hell reside. That is the true identity of this place. A closed loop where the torture isn't carried out to fulfil some purpose, but where the whole purpose is to torture. In something like this, there isn't any thaumatergical effect --- or at least not for a outsider like you." 

The piercing words cause the red mage to twitch and for a spasm to run across his face. 

Shenarrows her eyes, as if she was facing the building instead of the youth on the stairway. 

"This Taegukdo structure isn't of your doing is it? That's enough so bring Araya out. You aren't competent enough, and there isn't anything that would benefit you in the events that will occur now. I'm not sure what your objectives are, but there aren't any values here that are easy enough for you to understand. I'll say that at least in return for your warning last time." 

Touko looks around as if saying, that's all. Without giving the red mage who is standing right in front of her another glance, she looks for someone who isn't even there. 

The mage keeps looking at her acting like that. 

With eyes full of hatred that looks as if tears could come out at any moment. 

"You, were always like that." 

That mutterm was something that flowed out because he couldn't take it any longer. 

"Yes. You were always like this. You always underestimated me like that. I specialised in Rune before you. I was also the one who was famed as a dollmaker, I alone. But, those feeble minded idiots were fooled by that attitude of yours. Your condescending attitude, it gave them the impression that I was inferior to you. It's obvious if you think about it! I'm the director of Suponheim aren't I? I have spent over 40 years as a mage. So why was it that I had to be below a little girl who had just entered her twenties... !" 

His muttering, growing steadily louder it now filled the lobby. 

Touko-san stares disinterestedly at this person, who has now abandoned all pretense at friendliness and pours abuse upon her. 

"Age isn't important when it comes to academics. It's alright to make yourself look young, Cornelius. But it's because you are so concerned with your outward appearance that the contents don't match up." 

That one cold statement, it was a provocative insult like no other to the other mage. 

The face of the handsome young man whose age has passed fifty contorts with hatred. 

"--- Haven't I explained my objective yet?" 

With a strained calmness, the red mage changes the flow of the conversation. 

"You know, I don't care what happens to an useless thing like Araya's experiment. To tell you the truth I don't have any interest in the Maelstrom of Origins. Chasing after something that may or may not exist, it's nonsense. If you wish to intrude upon the domain of God all you have to do is devote yourself to Gnosis (Gnosis: Complete knowledge of this universe. The word comes from the Greek and can be translated as understanding, awareness, or wisdom. But because of the complicated religious and other entwined meanings implied by the word it is normally referred to as Gnosis). There's no reason to go upstream." 

He falls back one step. As if to get to the 2nd flor, little by little he climbs the stairs. 

"It was my own decision to tell you about Ryougi Shiki. Araya lost his life while capturing Ryougi Shiki. That fight was a draw. Following that this ward became mine. But you know, I have no intention of continuing his experiment. It's obvious as to why. You see, Aozaki, the only reason I came a god forsaken country like this was because I thought I could kill you!" 

Laughing so wildly as to make you worry that he may hurt his throat, the mage leaps up the stairs. 

She can only watch calmly as the mage goes up to the 2nd floor. 

Because... the 1st floor lobby was already full of things that could have been the realisation of the mage's ill will. 

At that time, her words contained more scorn and hatred than ever before as she spoke. 

"--- Slimes, is it." 

Aozaki quickly described the plasmous forms that were filling the space around her. 

But the things that were spreading out from the lobby walls weren't so simple as that. The cream coloured mucus dripped down from the wall and quickly took on a shape. 

Some took a human shape, others took the shapes of beasts. 

Their faces looked like Keloid (Keloid: a growth upon the body formed by a tissue swelling up and becoming hard. Normally they swell up flat and many are red and have a shiny surface) and kept melting away, but these things that kept rebuilding themselves looked very real. If you were to take an example they were like real animals and humans who rotted away for eternity, existences that were both disgusting and elaborate at the same time. 

"To think that you could only realise these sort of things in a place like this. Alba, it would be better for you to switch to being a film director rather than continue as a mage. If it was you there would be no reason to worry about the budget for preparing special effects. Of course, you would have to specialise in cheap horror movies, but it would still be a much more suitable job for you than a director." 

Surrounded by the objects that had filled the lobby, she muttered. 

Certainly, this scene was reminiscent of a horror movie. If you were to point out a difference, it would only be that crosses and holy bullets had no effect against these things. 

And so, although the slime-like objects had surrounded her on all sides but for a 1 metre gap around her, she didn't bat a eyelash as she reached for the pocket inside her suit. 

... Chit, she clicks her tongue. Now that she thought about it she had entrusted Mikiya with her cigarettes, Touko was slightly regretful. If she had known things were going to turn out like this she would have bought some Japanese brands at least, she muttered to herself. 

She hadn't expected such a boring outcome in her wildest dreams. How could she withstand this without smoking one cigarette at least ---. 

"No, you couldn't even be a director. Your presentation is too clumsy. Audiences these days won't be satisfied with just this. I suppose there's no helping it, I'll give you an example. Alba, If you are going to put forward a mystery, you will have to maintain this level at least." 

Tock, she kicked the bag beside her feet with the ends of her toes. 

"--- Come out." 

An order full of authority, disallowing refusal. 

In response to that the bag opens. Clunk, and the bag opens up like a tulip but there is nothing inside. 

At the same time --- some black thing starts spinning around the mage called Aozaki Touko. 

The black thing was a hurricane with a body. 

With Touko as the eye of the storm, it spins round and round and round at a high speed. 

That was a force which could drive one crazy. 

Within a few seconds there is nothing in the lobby. Not a body or a shadow remained of the things that had flowed out of the walls. The only things there were Aozaki Touko and her closed bag. And the cat sitting in front of her. 

"--- What." 

Stunned, Alba could only look upon all this. 

The cat is bigger than Touko. Its body is night black, but does not possess any thickness. A flat black cat made from shadow. No, he can't even tell if it is a cat. A shadow that resembled a cat, upon its head region is a eye that looked like an Egyption heiroglyph. 

"What, is that --- ?" 

From the 2nd floor, he looked down at the cat. 

His gaze meets the cat's drawing-like eyes. When they did --- erasing the space where its mouth should have gone, the cat gives him a broad smile. 

Was he having a nightmare, Alba swallows his breath. 

Touko doesn't say anything. 

The only noise is a scratchy chkchkchk noise coming from somewhere. 

"That's not right, was the story that you lost your familiar to your sister only a lie ... !" 

As if he couldn't stand the silence, Alba shouts. 

She only replied with a 'I wonder' before shifting her glance to the black cat. 

"--- I fed you some nasty things. But this next one should taste a bit better. Real human flesh instead of these chunks of ether (Ether: The substance called the fifth element within the Association. Melting into the four great elements, it becomes the medium that is essential to form a shape. Within that whole it has no shape, but without this substance no magecraft can be achieved). It should also have plenty of spiritual nutritional value. There's no need to go easy because he's my old schoolmate. I always told you didn't I? That enemies are for eating." 

Instantly, the black cat starts running. 

Crossing the marble floor as if it were sliding along, it runs up the stairs. ... Even so the cat's feet do not move. Only its eye moves as its sitting shadow races towards the red coated human. 

To get from the 1st floor lobby where Touko was to the 2nd floor stairwell where Alba was, it probably hadn't taken 10 seconds. 

But, Alba wasn't some normal person to allow such a thing. 

He was a mage. 

"'''''Go away the shadow.''''' 
'''''It is impossible to touch the thing which are not visible.''''' 
'''''Forget the darkness.''''' 
'''''It is impossible to see the thing which are not touched.''''' 
'''''The question is prohibited.''''' 
'''''The answer is simple.''''' 
'''''I have the flame in the left hand.''''' 
'''''And I have everything in the right hand ---.'''''" 

Carefully, but with a speed which approached the human limits, Alba encants his spell. 

--- Spells, within the realm of mages they were nothing more than suggestions aimed at oneself. 

There is a magecraft for causing wind to blow. Just like a certain type of weapon, this was a power which had an ability that was determined from the start. No matter what mage used it its effect would not change. Only, the incantation was different. 

The incantations called spells were for the purpose of activating the magecraft that one's body had become familiar with. It's contents showed the nature of the mage. That was because as long as you kept the necessary meanings and keywords for the activation of that particular piece of magecraft, the details of the incantation could be changed to suit the user's fancy. 

The incantations of a narcissistic and pompous mage who easily got infatuated with themselves was long. But it was also true that the more meaning you put into the spell, the more powerful was the final effect. This was because the stronger the suggestion you put upon yourself, the stronger the ability you pulled out from yourself would be. 

Taken in that light Alba's incantation could be said to be outstanding. Not too long, holding the minimum required contents, and putting a phrase to fix his mind on top of that, the speaking of the incantation itself doesn't even take 2 seconds. 

At that fact Touko let out an exclamation of surprise, and admired the performance. 

The younger Alba had liked to use incantations that had been wasteful and longer then necessary, but it seemed that in the last few years he had definitely developed. 

His method and speed of forming the incantation, and his way of connecting his circuits in order to manipulate the physical world is remarkably precise. 

This incantation, in the realm of magecrafts that were designed to purely destroy things, was definitely first class. 

"'''''I am the order. Therefore,''''' 
''''''you will be defeated securely --- !'''''" 

Alba puts foward one arm. 

The instant that the black cat stepped onto the first of the steps, the air wavered faintly --- then the stairway erupted into flame. 

Like a wavering mirage rising up into the sky, a sea of blue flames fills the stairway. 

In a matter of seconds, the top of the flames that emerged from the stairs themselves have burnt through the second floor and disappear into the ceiling. 

It looked like a geyser in some geothermal hotspot. 

Sucking dry all the oxygen in the lobby in an instant, the sea of flame instantly erased the black cat from the world. That was only to be expected too. These thaumatergical flames that were well over a 1000 degrees Celsius, any animal that entered them would soon be melted like butter and turn from a solid to a gas. Passing through the liquid stage wouldn't have taken the time required for a comma. 

But, Alba saw it. 

The impossible shape of the black cat, suddenly appearing once all the flames had burnt themselves out. 

"--- That can't be right." 

Blue eyes stare at the stairs. 

The black cat licked it thin black body as if it that last spell had been unsatisfactory, then shifted its gaze to the red mage. 

The black monster resumes its charge. 

Alba didn't even have the time to try and puzzle out the cat's nature. 

"'''''Repeat ... !'''''" 

With a tearing sharpness Alba repeated his spell. 

The stairs erupted into flames. But this time the cat didn't even stop. It raced straight towards the mage as if saying it had already gotten used to this kind of fire. 

"'''''Repeat!'''''" 

Once again the sea of flame roars up, and disappears. 

The cat was already nearing the top of the stairs. 

"'''''Repeat!'''''" 

The fourth conflagration ended meaninglessly as well. 

Once the black cat reached the second floor, it went up to Alba and opened up its mouth. The body of the cat which was as big as a man, it opened up from its head to toe. As if opening up a treasure chest with the crown of its head as a lid. 

Inside of the flat, planar cat the corpses of the protoplasmic creatures it had swallowed earlier are pasted like mud. 

Alba realised only then. That this thing was only taking the shape of a cat, and that it was an organism that only had a mouth. 

"'''''Repeat --- !'''''" 

With death in front of his eyes terror makes him repeat his final spell. 

But before that, the shark's mouth in the body of a cat closes down upon the mage. When it swallowed him whole with his red coat, Alba lost consciousness. 

*** 

"'''''[Insert here].''''''" 

Suddenly a brief word was spoken. 

The cat that was in the process of biting Alba's body stops moving. 

Even Touko who had been just standing there watching like a spectator responds to that sound. 

There is a man behind Alba. 

With fierce eyes full of an endless suffering, the man is wearing a black coat. 

There was no sign of his appearance, as if he had been there this whole time. 

The black man grabbed Alba, then pulls him out of the cat and throws him onto the floor. Caught in one of the threefold circles the man carries about his being the cat cannot move. 

The man looks at the woman below him. With just that the air in the lobby changed dramatically. 

Was this what they meant when they said "the air froze over"? 

The tranquil atmosphere disappears. As if the house itself was getting tense after welcoming its true owner. 

"--- Long time no see, Aozaki." 

"Yeah, although we probably didn't want to see each other." 

The 1st floor and the 2nd floor --- divided between heaven and earth, Touko confronted the one called Araya Soren who was the source of this disturbance. 

"It looks like Alba leapt about too much. I originally intended to finish this without your noticing. Well, it can't be helped. I could not prepare sixty four bodies by myself. The fact that you are here in this city is probably coincidence as well as misfortune." 

"I don't know which side dragged the other in. But, coincidence is the jargon for mystery. In order to disguise a law we can't figure out we bring out the word coincidence." 

Giving that reply Touko retreated towards the wall. 

This opponent is on a completely different level to Alba. Ability wise they may have been similar, but in this building Araya Soren was greater than anyone else. If she does not put her back to the wall and concentrate on the enemy before her she was bound to leave herself wide open. 

"--- So. What kind of mechanism is this mansion? It couldn't be that it is a box where the paradox of those who are dead being alive are made real, could it? It was concluded hundreds of years ago that fabricating a world where a day is complete and gathering the souls at the moment they die isn't effective. No matter how many hundreds of deaths you gather you can't achieve your objective. 

"Of course. But there is a fact that you don't know. 

It's true that I was only pursuing the number of deaths. I was certain that if I experienced tens of thousands of different deaths among different people, I would be able to find a spiritual diffusion that led to the origin. However with just that alone I cannot reach the origin. The only thing that you can come close to with that, is humanity's 'origin'. You cannot reach the origin of that totality known as the dominant organism. 

The important thing is not the amount of deaths. It's the quality of death. If you approach the origin the ways of dieing become surprisingly well defined. By dissecting the road to death, I determined that there are 64 different methods of dieing. The ones who are gathered here are people who die in everyone of those 64 ways. In other words they are a miniture copy of the world. I experience their suffering, and engrave it into my heart. In order that I may soon simplify that from [insert here] ([insert here]: Eight divination tools drawn in the Chinese Book of Divination [insert here 8 types]. It is said that the first emperor of China created them after observing the heavens) to [insert here] ([insert here]: The four symbols of Yin-Yang. Formed by the merging of Yin and Yang there are four the manifestations called [insert here 4]), so that I may reach Yangyi." 

"Hmph. Do you like things that are one that much, Araya? Light and Darkness weren't divided because they had to oppose each other, but because that had the potential for containing the greatest number of things. Everything is lonely if by itself. That is why they try to multiply. You were never able to forgive that. Investigating the various deaths of humans, and making that your own by researching those lives. You would probably take even my death and make it into a piece of knowledge about the life and death of a human called Aozaki Touko to be stored away in the corner of your brain. You mean to figure out the value of a human that way, but doing that is the role of Yanma (Yanma: The king of hell in Buddhism). As a human yourself, all you can do is to continue existing in a hell that keeps sucking in deaths." 

"--- I'm perfectly content with that. Whether its heaven or hell, the fact that it is close to the floor doesn't change." 

Araya's words contain not a hint of hesitation or regret. 

His ridiculously powerful will that concludes that he is alone in this world. 

Touko thinks. 

Within this building that repeats the spiral of daily life, the original form of all the deaths that humans experience is swirling around. The records that the physical body called Araya Soren contained until now, this building has succeeded him as their container. This place was him, his will itself. 

... So, that meant that she was inside his body. 

Touko observed the atmosphere filling the lobby as she muttered to herself. The strained air wasn't for Araya's benefit. Rather, it was the soundless hatred of all the residents who had been murdered by this building. 

This amount of hatred that threatens to crush even her, day by day, Araya keeps expanding it. To borrow his words it wasn't the amount he was increasing but the quality. Since in the end, all those hundreds of deaths were but one identical way of dieing. 

Murder born from love, in other words family, lover, mother, father, child. 

Murder born of hatred, in other words family, lover, friend, sempai, stranger. 

Various ways of dieing for various reasons. 

Repeated everyday, a conclusion that keeps getting clearer. 

--- Death, becoming denser. 

This building is a spell. An altar constructed to solidify Araya Soren's will. In order to carry out magecraft of a grand scale you needed not only an incantation and your own prana, but also the sacrifice of other lives and the strength of the land itself. 

By constructing a magical temple in the present day, Araya is attempting ot carry out magecraft of an even greater scale. 

No, it wasn't magecraft. A mystery that used a twisted dimension of this level was already no longer on the level of magecraft. 

This was --- that was right, a mystery of a province unreachable with today's knowledge. 

There was no doubt that this was an act of absolute power that human hands could not reach, magic. 

"--- Are you trying to open the road to the origin? 

But, how? Even if you don't set out a magical ward to testify that you aren't a mage, you can't fool the will of the dominant race. The only ones you can fool by using a technological ward are other mages. If you use this building a path will definitely open. Since its the realisation of the Taegukdo, a hole would certainly appear. But the first thing to come out of that hole will be a Counter Guardian. As long as we are who we are, there is no way we can stand up to that." 

"--- The Counter Force is already acting. The fact that you are in this city. The man who came to rob an empty house for no reason, as if he was possessed by something. The woman who was assaulted and killed on this road that has never known such things in the past. I tried this hard to hide my activities, but the Counter Force has already acted three times. 

But that is all. I will not be going any closer to the origin. The many failures I have experienced will not go to waste. There was a time when I didn't know of the power called the Counter Force and tried to open a path, but I couldn't fool its eyes. One time I attempted this with a way to overthrow the Counter Force itself, but it always appeared with strength greater that any I could bring to bear. 

There is only one conclusion. I do not have the ability." 

For the first time --- the voice carrys a sound which is close to emotion. 

The black-clad man contains the mage beneath his eyes within his field of vision. 

"The Counter Force interferes with any attempt to reach enlightment to this extent. Because that is an act which leads to the power which humans cannot be allowed to attain, a return to nothingness. If the individual called a human becomes completed, all meaning of life disappears. In spite of that these rank and file humans unconsciously reject completion because of their desire to just keep on living. All humans from the point where they realise they are human, becoming things lower than animals. They exist in order to be completed, but in order to exist they reject completion. Humanity's beginning starts from that paradox. 

In that case, why are there those who reached the origin? The answer is simple. There is no way of reaching it. There are just humans who have reached it. No matter what branch you study, magecraft is nothing but a descendant that was attached later on. Ability is like that. You have it from the moment that you are born. It is the difference between being chosen and not being chosen. A humans who is connected to the origin from the moment they are born. We are a dominant organism that has digressed too far from the first great element that was our origin by becoming complicated and diversified, but there are rarely people who are born from the origin. Colourless souls who are born connected to 「　　」. That is probably the only existence that can reach the original source. In that case all that remains if to find it. In finding it, I spent ten years of my life." 

"Is that so? So that's how you concluded that you had to destroy Ryougi Shiki." 

She narrows her two eyes. 

Ryougi Shiki. The Ryougi clan was a family who had toiled over the ages to give birth to one with an empty body who could act as a vessel, all in order to create a human with maximum uses. To be empty was 「　　」. Without realising what a dangerous thing they were doing, they had given birth to a body called Shiki who was connected to 「　　」. 

"--- Is that why you used Fujoh Kirie and Asagami Fujino? 

If you moved yourself you would get found out by the Counter Force. So you had to always be at arms length while you destroy Shiki without allowing it to notice your existence. Right? By making Shiki confront murderers who held concepts totally opposite to her own, you made Shiki realise her own nature. If you are trying to make someone realise an idea I guess it is faster to let them experience it than to teach them. 

So, what was it that you wanted, Araya? For Shiki and SHIKI to tear each other apart and leave behind an empty shell? Or did you just want to meet Ryougi Shiki?" 

"Two years ago was to draw 'her' out. But it's different now. I told you the conclusion was already out. Shiki does not require that body. That body which is connected to the origin, I shall be taking it and making it my own." 

Upon hearing that undisguised statement, Touko went Huh, and her mouth hung open. Her mind that had instantly understood what Araya was saying had gone white with shock. 

"It couldn't be, that you plan to move your brain to Shiki's body... ?!" 

Araya does not reply to Touko's disbelieving remark. Seeing his stare that implied he had nothing to say, Touko mumbled something about him really having bad tastes. 

"But still, the fact that you are still in that body must mean that Shiki is still unharmed. I'm just asking, but is there any chance of you returning Shiki?" 

"If you want her do as you will." 

"Oho. Does that mean I have no choice but to fight. Geez, I never was a combat specialist. It looks like I'm going to suffer a bit for the sin of knowing that person." 

"I'll just ask as well but, Aozaki. Will you not join me?" 

His hostile gaze or his determined will never changed, but amidst the tension Araya Soren asked that of her. 

Touko replied. 

Saying, not a chance, with pumpkin coloured eyes that glared at him in the same manner. 

"... Is that so. How disappointing. I always thought you were better than that. We once fought in order to reach the origin. To tell the truth I was interested in you." 

Thump, Araya's feet made noise as he came foward. 

As if he meant to get close to the stairway leading to the first floor. 

"In that academy you at least weren't a part of the collective. I aimed for the original form of the soul, and you aimed for the original form of the body. I was certain that you would be the one to reach our goal first. 

But --- you gave up. Why? The you right now has even thrown away the fact that you are a mage. 

What did you study for, and what did you build up your power for? 

What was it that you pilgrimage was meant to save, what was it meant to achieve?" 

The black mage growls. 

Quietly, with a voice no different from any other time, his two eyes alone are burning with rage. 

Seeing that light in his eyes Touko replied. 

"There was no great reason. I just became tired of creating more paradoxes every time I tried for the fundamental truth. The more we studied, the further away we got. It's the same as the Maelstrom of Origins. You can't approach it without the innocence we call emptiness, but in an empty state you aren't aware of it, so there's no point. --- It's the same as you. I accepted that, and you haven't. Just that, but it's a decisive difference." 

Araya listened to the confession that was tinged with sadness without blinking an eyelash. 

The gazes of the two collide. 

Touko says to Araya. A mage's true nature, the paradox of becoming dumber the more wise you got. 

Araya says to Touko. A mage's true quality, the fact of reaching higher and higher places the more you studied. 

"You, have degenerated." 

Briefly, he speaks with all his feelings. 

"In that case what are you aiming for? Why do you stand there?" 

"... Who knows. The reason I'm here, there really isn't much. I'm not even that interested in Shiki. Her body is full of black boxes so I can't even make anything similar." 

That was right, she has no definite reason. 

It could be that without her realising it she had been pushed into the act by some unidentifiable thing like the Counter Force. 

However, that was alright even if that was the case. She had accepted the life she now led under the name of Aozaki Touko. She knew that this was something that had been built up through miracles and coincidence, and could never be formed again. Even supposing she was to repeat everything from the beginning like this paradoxical mansion, she would not be able to obtain a life like the one she had now. 

So --- all that had happened was that she had decided to protect it if it could be protected. 

"... Really, it's an incredible degeneration. I'm steadily getting weaker. 

Araya. What I regard as the idealistic transcendent being is a hermit. Staying by themselves alone in a mountain, doing nothing even though they possess immense power and knowledge ---. I always admired such a way of existing. But when I realised what had happened I could no longer go back. A day when I can reach that state will never come to someone so full of greed like me. That, is what I believe. 

You see, Araya. A mage always lives hurriedly. What for? If it was for themselves alone they wouldn't bother with the outside world. So why do they intrude upon the rest of the world? Why do they rely upon it? What will they achieve with that power? What wills they save with the Ars Magna (Ars Magna: Meaning 'great secret technique', it stands not for a technique that is not learnt through study but for a mystery that is secretly passed down)? If that was the case it would have been better for them to become a king instead of a mage. 

You think people live foully, but you yourself would not be able to live like that. You would not be able to live while accepting the fact that you know that everything is worthless and base. You would not be able to live without the pride of knowing that you alone are special, and that you alone can save this crumbling world. Of course, I was like that too. But that sort of thing has no meaning. 

--- Accept it, Araya. We chose the path of transcendence called magecraft because we are weaker than everybody else." 

The mage does not reply. 

Taking one step after another, he approaches the stairs. 

"... I have already obtained the road to the origin. With but a few steps more my hopes will come to fruition. Those who interfere, no matter who it is I will acknowledge as the Counter Force. Aozaki, you too were nothing more than human in the end." 

The air in the lobby becomes tense. 

A pressure that makes you wonder it space itself is not responding to the mage's killing intent and crumpling into itself. 

Inside there, she gazed at her former comrade from a distance. 

The long questioning in order to fill in the years they were apart ends here. 

Lastly --- As a mage called Aozaki, she asks of Araya a few questions. 

"Araya, what do you wish for?" 

"True wisdom." 

"Araya, where will you look for it?" 

"Only, in myself." 

The man answers without any hesitation. 

The footsteps stopped at the end of the stairs. 

In order to erase each other's existence from the world, both of them initiated their actions. 

***

Talk:Kara no Kyoukai

2008-07-27T20:10:29Z

130.216.1.16: /* Activity */

== Thanks ==

Thank you [[User:Question|Question]],

While it sort of makes the contribution by alyeris kinda futile,
I hope this doesn't put you off in doing other chapters,

You are always welcome to practise your "rusty" korean here on any of our hosted series.

(^_^)/

[[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 16:10, 14 January 2007 (PST)

== Shirazumi Lio/Rio ==

I propose that we start using the name Lio instead of Rio; it would make more sense considering that Araya said that he was one letter away from being a lion.

==Project Status==

Is Kara No Kyoukai an official current project? Its not in the list of current projects on the left, neither is it in the list of teaser projects. -- Question

Ask Oni :) As far as I know none of the translators are a part of Baka-tsuki's official translation team so I guess it isn't an official project.

The problem is that its impossible to get to the kara no kyoukai project page unless one is given a direct link or knows what to enter in the search bar. Its not linked from the main page or anywhere else. -- Question

==Scripts==

Just a note that all my scripts are draft versions only, pending editing by me or any other helpful person that wishes to help out.

[[user:Alyeris|Alyeris]]

==distinction between sorcery and magic==

Is it sorcery which is capable of 'miracles' or magic. I'm not sure which is which here.

Magic is the realisation of miracles, things that have absolutely 0% chance of happening otherwise. Sorcery can only replicate effects achievable by science. However there is a contradiction...in Fate/stay night it was stated that Caster was very close to achieving magic as she was capable of spatial teleportation which is not possible by science, and that should already be magic. Note that i got this info about caster through second hand sources so it may not be accurate. -- Question

*nope, just sorcery -> medea's (casters) sorcery is from a different age, which is why it "seems" like magic to the modern day maguses

==Void Shrine==

I want to clarify, for those chapters marked "Draft" does that mean that the translation is done and waiting editing, or the translation is still incomplete? [[User:Question|Question]] 07:00, 9 March 2007 (PST)

==Clarification of Status==

Any scripts I put up with (draft) tagged to the chapter link is a chapter I have completed translating but not really satisfied with. I wouldn't mind fairly major revisions being done on them, especially regarding the grammar and sentence style. My Korean isn't that great so sometimes I find it hard to get across Nasu's style of writing.

[[user:Alyeris|Alyeris]]

*I removed the draft status of the last chapter of Void Shrine. I could find no typo or grammar errors and the sentences flowed quite well. [[User:218.186.8.13|218.186.8.13]] 17:38, 28 March 2007 (PDT)(Question)

== Activity ==

Is this project still alive?

The last changes were made in August 2007 (Ch 05 Pt 05), which means everything has been standing still since more than a half year (at least here on the Baka-Tsuki page).

This is no critisicm whatsoever, it's just I think there are many many people who are eagerly awaiting progress to continue reading the book.

*:Unfortunately considering no recent activity or contact from the translator i have to concluded that this project is effectively stalled. The need for a new translator apparently clear, hopefully someone will jump in to help.

--[[User:Onizuka-gto|Oni]] 12:33, 27 February 2008 (PST)

*I'm still alive damn it XD. Although I am still on the MIA list lol.

-Alyeris