Still not enough. You won't be able to overcome my flames like this.
Ch'en
*Pant* *pant*...
Talulah?
With neither wisdom nor courage. Who would enjoy such a performance?
Talulah?
Ch'en Hui-chieh, how much longer will you swing your sword for the sake of others? Have you ever drawn that sword for yourself?
Talulah?
Lord of Fiends, haha... Perhaps the courts managed to create an inferior piece of trash.
Talulah?
Still not enough. Just not enough, you two.
Actually, it is enough.
Talulah?
If you continue speaking to my mind, I'll have to ask you to leave.
Amiya
It's enough.
Amiya
Madam Ch'en's emotions...
Amiya
They're flowing towards me from the Chi Xiao.
Amiya
Before, we didn't know each other at all. It's the things that happened here that have bound us together, the fate of the Infected that has brought us here...
Amiya
Because we believe that the coming dawn will always be better than today.
Talulah?
Hui-chieh is different from you, Cautus.
Talulah?
Rhodes Island is just a scarecrow for the various political entities. For them, you would kill your own kin while speaking of kindness, waiting for a chance to sow chaos for your own benefit. You don't care about the Infected at all.
Amiya
Who else do you want to kidnap? Are you still planning to feed those lies to Madam Ch'en?
Amiya
You used Talulah to hijack Reunion. You used Chernobog to seize the Ursus Army, dangling a carrot in front of the people of Ursus. Who else are you planning to kidnap now?!
Amiya
It's easy to see through your lies, since you only ever talk about the results and motivations, without ever saying what steps you take to achieve them! Your promise to Talulah was the exact same!
Talulah?
Oh...
Amiya
You promised Madam Ch'en and Reunion that you would create a home for the Infected. You promised that the Infected would rise up after a great battle. But Talulah would never have made such a promise again.
Amiya
Because the first time she made that promise brought so much pain...
Ch'en
Amiya!
Amiya
Madam Ch'en...?
Ch'en
Amiya... I have my regrets. If only I had met you sooner, so much may have turned out differently.
Ch'en
But I've made many mistakes.
Amiya
I think the old Madam Ch'en wouldn't have agreed with me anyway.
Ch'en
Not Madam. Just call me Ch'en.
Amiya
Miss Ch'en.
Ch'en
That's fine, it's a bit more formal. Or is it too formal?
Ch'en
Sorry to drag you into this sisterly quarrel. I thought our reunion would be a little more dramatic... or at least a little more conventional.
Amiya
I think that no matter how conventional it is, the feelings we have when reuniting after a long time are one and the same.
Amiya
Is crying very clichéd? I don't think so. Any normal person would cry.
Talulah?
Very eloquent, Cautus. An impressive assault on the emotional front.
Talulah?
However, such a skill is better suited to persuade the royal court and senate, to subdue the parliament and those spineless bastards, to incite the blind soldiers and irascible citizens... rather than me.
Talulah?
'Kazdel fell thrice to great fires. It was rebuilt multiple times, receiving millions of new souls and being reclaimed by the royal court each time. Yet, the previous residents have all been reduced to ashes in the wind.'
Talulah?
In Chernobog, you once raised a barrier, stopping my breath... I let you go, because the noble warrior who sacrificed his life for you was worthy of my respect.
Talulah?
But now, you've caught my attention once more. You won't get another chance to escape.
Talulah?
Survive this immolation, Cautus.
Ch'en
Damn it...! Amiya! Over here, quick!
Talulah?
I'm not talking to you, sister. Now——
Talulah?
——I wonder what her burning flesh will smell like.
She remembers FrostNova lamenting through gritted teeth.
She sees the Wendigo's corpse standing tall.
She hears Alina's irrepressible whispers.
She sees Ace and Scout, and remembers the elite operators dancing at the party.
She recalls Lisa taking gingerbread out of the oven. She thinks of Mimi's handmade badges. She sees the light that shines faintly at Sunty's chest as he walks through the corridor during a power outage, a silly grin on his freckled face.
She thinks of her parents.
She sees her mother holding onto her shoulder as she tries to grasp the fiddlestick. Her mother's fingers are long and fair, though she is displeased at all the scars and calluses.
She sees her father falling over after pushing her out the door. She cannot remember exactly what her father said, only that he had tears in his eyes. 'Goodbye. Live on, Amiya.'
She sees Theresa stabbing a sword into her chest.
She sees Theresa wishing her goodnight and turning off the lights.
She sees Theresa picking out a white dress for her, with a smile brighter than her own.
She sees the Doctor walking in front of her. She sees the Doctor looking back, waiting for her to catch up before continuing onwards.
She sees a Sarkaz.
A great fire. The very same great fire. A great fire that burns all, yet is unable to eradicate malice. A great fire that itself was born of malice.
Inside a tent surrounded by the great fire, the Sarkaz roars aloud.
We have been betrayed once more! They have broken the agreement, attacked our camp!
They are just normal civilians, not soldiers! They are just normal Sarkaz!
Why did you kill my wife? Why must my people suffer such injustice?!
Why do we not have the right to live?!
We just want to live in peace! A place to call home!
Is it just because we are Sarkaz?!
Amiya's tears evaporate in the scorching flames.
Is it just because we are Infected? Amiya asks.
Are we lower than the vilest beasts, a blight upon this land, simply because we are Sarkaz?
The Sarkaz's roars pierce through the tongues of flame, through the Arts, through the eras.
What crimes did they commit? Are they not innocent?!
Do you hate them? Amiya whispers.
A memory will not answer.
Yet, this great Sarkaz does so, as if he knows that this question will inevitably be asked.
No, perhaps he is the one who never stopped asking himself——
Do they hate us?! To massacre our kin without rhyme or reason, to renege on their promises, to cover up their crimes by committing an even greater crime!
Are they toying with us, or is this manipulation? Do they seek benefits, or is this purely abuse? Is this a moment of paranoia, or is it malice buried deep within?
Are we the ones they should hate?
They should hate themselves! They should hate themselves for reducing the land to this state, for turning us all into villains.
The Sarkaz raises his sword.
Black and cerulean engulf the entirety of the longsword. That weight presses heavily on Amiya's shoulders, the longsword that Amiya grips in her hand.
Do I hate them?
Rage. Rage.
An endless rage, encapsulating all the pain and injustice upon this land.
It breaks past the Sarkaz's bottom line, past Amiya's guard.
An enmity that cannot even be destroyed by hate. How can that which raises malice overcome malice?
Yet... This fury is different.
Even if I don't take revenge, even if I never hold a grudge, I still have the right to rage on forever! The Sarkaz roars furiously.
They should never have done so if they didn't expect this!
The flames tremble beneath his mighty roars. They shrink back, transforming from orange to cerulean in a display of self-mockery. The cerulean flames burn ever brighter.
The Sarkaz draws his longsword, the black blade long and sharp, wisps of blue flame trailing across it.
His fury swells forth.
If this is the end, come at me! I will bring the end to you! To all of us... To myself!
If this land will not permit myself to lay down my weapon, then I can only continue to fight, until the end of time itself!
Amiya knows, she knows that after killing all the oathbreakers, this great Sarkaz had committed suicide.
Amiya also knows that this sword had turned into little more than ashes, as if it had never existed.
Yet, the cerulean fury, and the history, of the Sarkaz lord have long become a part of Amiya.
From spinning to cutting. The embodied power did not increase, but the form has changed.
Talulah?
It's genuine. Congratulations, Cautus.
Talulah?
You're not a fragment, not an experiment, not an impostor.
Talulah?
You are indeed the Lord of Sarkaz... the enemy of humanity.
Amiya
No, I'm nothing but an Infected.
Amiya
A... person.
Ch'en
I'm a bit... speechless.
Ch'en
Amiya, you... what kind of magic is that?
Amiya
That doesn't matter right now...
Ch'en
Maybe. But actually, it matters a lot to me. Why are you holding a sword that looks so much like Chi Xiao? Why do you know the sword techniques that I've diligently practiced for over ten years?
Amiya
(Miss Ch'en... Is it that serious?!)
Ch'en
Nevermind, let's leave it for next time. How similar is this sword to Chi Xiao?
Amiya
You can think of it as another Chi Xiao.
Ch'en
Alright, Amiya. How much of my sword techniques do you know?
Amiya
All. All that I've seen, all that I've found within your heart, I know it all.
Ch'en
...What did you find in my heart?
Amiya
Erm, Miss Ch'en... D-don't worry, I only saw those things that you wished for me to learn. I can distinguish these things. I-I really didn't look at anything else.
Ch'en
Forget it all.
Ch'en
Wei Yenwu always said that handling Chi Xiao relies more on one's state of mind rather than one's mastery over the sword.
Ch'en
I always thought he was bullshitting, but I have to admit I'm unlikely to ever reach his level of swordsmanship.
Ch'en
So, you can just ignore him when he's waxing lyrical about cooperation and principles, but when it comes to the sword you must listen to us both!
Amiya
Got it!
Talulah?
Two swords. You actually had the gall to choose such an evil weapon like Chi Xiao.
Ch'en
Since when have weapons been evil or not? What kind of weapon could be more evil than you?
Ch'en
Listen up, Amiya!
Ch'en
If your resentment and my fury are one and the same, then so too are our swords!
Ch'en
Let's go, Amiya! Take her down, dead or alive!
Amiya
Huh?! Can we really...?
Ch'en
Don't act like we have a choice!
Talulah?
You've gained so much confidence from such a weapon?
Talulah?
I've been through this tomfoolery once already today, and I don't fancy an encore.
Talulah?
Let's test your sword, Cautus. I'll see your skills for myself.
(Dr. Kal'tsit was right. Chi Xiao is a sword that can cut through Arts...!)
The formless flames that endlessly devour their surroundings dissipate into nothingness after the flashes of cerulean, black and red.
Talulah?
A wound.
Talulah?
How could this...
Talulah?
Ever since I revived through my sheer hate, this body has not taken a single scratch.
Amiya
We only managed to cut her finger... Her Arts are too tremendously powerful!
Ch'en
Don't underestimate that little scratch!
Ch'en
Every little wound and cut we give her will build up and accumulate. We'll wear her down eventually!
Talulah?
That's really sad.
Ch'en
Who do you think you are, talking like that while wearing that face?
Talulah?
The L.G.D. really raised a kind-hearted girl.
Talulah?
You seem very happy carving up your sister's body with an outsider, Hui-chieh.
Ch'en
You dare call me that?
Talulah?
Kill me if you wish, Hui-chieh.
Ch'en
You...
Talulah?
I can never return. I hate all of this. I hate you. I hate this land that raised you. It made you like this.
Talulah?
Kill me, release me from all this. Otherwise, I will kill you.
Talulah?
At least... at least... Hui-chieh, Hui-chieh... Don't make me kill you. I don't want to, I can't...
Talulah?
Even if it's your fault I'm like this.
Ch'en
...I... That time twenty years ago, I...
Talulah?
You didn't come with me.
Talulah?
You backed out. You ran away, Hui-chieh. I became like this... Something that even I hate... All because of you.
Talulah?
It's all because of you. Because you went back on your promise.
Ch'en
Ah...
Talulah?
That night, under that torrential rain...
Talulah?
Why did you willingly stay by that evil dragon's side?
Talulah?
He killed my father, caused our mother's death... He split us apart!
Talulah?
And now you're doing his bidding?
Amiya
It's lying!
Amiya
Think about it, Miss Ch'en.
Amiya
What was it actually like that night?
Talulah?
......
Ch'en
The sky was clear. I will never forget... That night, there was no moonlight, no stars——
Ch'en
But it was daytime when you dragged me out. It was during the day.
Amiya
That means...
Amiya
No. Talulah, Kashchey's Originium Arts didn't begin taking effect after his death...
Amiya
He had already been using his Arts on you from that moment on.
Amiya
Just think! How many of your thoughts has he twisted? How many memories has he warped?
Amiya
Even if he didn't tamper with your memories, he was still exploiting those fuzzy corners of your mind!
Amiya
Talulah, if you are still Talulah——
Amiya
Even if you wanted to start a war, even if you ended up sacrificing many people...
Amiya
Would you have let them all die in vain just for yourself?
Amiya
If there had to be sacrifices, wouldn't you have let yourself be the first?
Amiya
Would you have let the Yetis and FrostNova die helplessly? Would you have used the thing Patriot was protecting to destroy him, you who greatly respected him? Would you have allowed countless Ursus and Infected to die for that?
Talulah?
Enough. You cannot shake my resolve.
Talulah?
Your actions are completely the same, down to the very rhythms... Disgusting.
Talulah?
Those two swords are still unable to best me.
Talulah?
You will eventually run out of stamina, yet my flames are endless.
Talulah?
Your swords are an extension of your bodies, whereas I embody power. You will fall to your fatigue, and I will claim your lives.
Amiya
Talulah, open your eyes and see... Do you truly wish for such an ending, such a tragedy?
Amiya
Is this really what you want?!
Talulah?
Enough!
Amiya
It's pointless to hide in your shell. Face me.
Amiya raises her head.
She speaks as if describing a simple fact.
Ch'en looks at Amiya. The girl next to her is unrecognizable from the Amiya of ten minutes ago.
Her unusual tone is surprising. It feels as though a third of it is coming from Amiya herself, another third from subtly imitating her, and the last third...
Ch'en does not know either.
The Draco pinches her lips together.
After much hesitation, she opens her mouth once again.
Talulah?
What sights did you see this time? Whose last words did you hear?
Talulah?
Cautus, only those who face imminent death like to spout such platitudes. The events of the past cannot harm me.
At the same time, she taps the hilt of her sword, lightly pulling apart the shaking air ahead of her and sending the scorching heat towards the two Infected.
Ch'en roars. Just before she moves, it occurs to her that it may be better for Amiya to deal with this.
Amiya
Chi Xiao - Fleeting Night!
She turns to look at Ch'en, a smile on her face.
Amiya
Um, sorry. It's something like this, right?
Blue? Black... probably cerulean. It looks good. Compared to this, Chi Xiao is a lot bloodier.
At this moment, Ch'en considers that perhaps this battle should have just gone like this.
The oxygen supply devices have all been destroyed during the battle. To fight a fire dragon while carrying an oxygen supply is nothing short of suicidal.
With a huff, Ch'en discards her extraneous equipment and laments the fact that she was far too hasty with her preparations.
Ch'en
Amiya, there's not much time left. She's planning to burn off all the oxygen here.
The rabbit beside her is also a veteran of many battles. This reminder should have been unnecessary, but it's enough to divert her attention.
There's only one reason to do so. Ch'en wants to draw her attention. Ch'en breathes in deeply.
She's struggling to keep calm.
Refusing to be bound by its scabbard, the temporarily restrained Chi Xiao trembles violently, as if eagerly awaiting its release, to the point of madness.
Though, it may be because her own hand is shaking.
After all these years, only now... only now does Ch'en feel the tenacity of Chi Xiao. She fears that she will lose her grip on the sword, yet she is unable to stop herself from rejoicing together with it.
Ch'en comes to a realization. Chi Xiao possesses no will of its own. Its will is the will of the wielder.
It wasn't that she was unable to draw Chi Xiao before. She just hadn't reached a point where she needed to use it.
But now, as she faces a veritable wall of flames and the villain in front of her, the person she longed for, that friend, sister, criminal, along with a sense of total despair, it all weighs down heavily on her.
The trembling gradually stops. It's time, Ch'en feels. Chi Xiao has been waiting for far too long.
And she has, as well.
Amiya
Miss Ch'en, please wait. We may be able to hurt her, but even if we have the power to do so—— Killing her is meaningless.
Amiya doesn't feel as if she is the one speaking.
She feels like a sharp blade, a sharp blade bent from injustice and tragedy. Even so, Amiya feels that this blade will return to its original shape, as sharp as ever.
She feels a little like Ch'en.
That's not a bad thing. She cannot actually be Ch'en, after all.
Amiya gazes at Talulah.
Miss Ch'en, did you arrest suspects just so you could flog and humiliate them? To take away their lives?
Yet, her nameless anger is nothing like Ch'en. She feels betrayal, manipulation, isolation. She is experiencing a story that has yet to reach its end, a gloomy future that which still exists.
Amiya
That is just an outcome, I believe. Besides, we don't possess that authority.
Amiya
I know you'll say that just washing away her suspicions is too easy.
Amiya
No, Madam Ch'en... Miss Ch'en. That's not right.
Amiya
Whether or not her suspicions can be washed away must wait until this matter is resolved.
Ch'en bites down hard on her lip, drawing blood. Why does she feel joy at blood kin harming one another? She cannot answer.
She stops herself from raising Chi Xiao.
She sighs.
Ch'en
Exactly. That's just an outcome. I want them to be judged for their crimes. Death can come after they are sentenced.
Talulah?
Where does your confidence stem from?
Ch'en
It's not confidence, monster.
Ch'en
It's called responsibility.
Ch'en holds her head up high.
Amiya
It's our duty.
Amiya
On the other hand, Kashchey, you possess nothing.
Amiya
Your body is borrowed. Your deceptions are laid bare. Your flames falter before Chi Xiao.
Amiya
You chose this place as your battlefield, relying on your weapons and disguise. Staying in the core city is proof of your arrogance and folly.
Amiya
You've driven yourself into a corner. You cannot escape.
