The Steep Path Ahead [Familiar of Zero AU]
- Thread starter shadenight123
- Start date
Yeah, a lot of those would be actually willing to deal with an enemy instead of trying to redeem them or even worse, do nothing.
- Location
- Montana
You still consider zombies human? Maybe that was an issue once upon a time but popular culture has been demonizing zombies as horrible inhuman monsters since the 70's. Barring seeing one show up with the face of someone you know I suspect most of the world has been desensitized on that subject.
I think it's safe to say we disagree on this topic. I do agree Saito is on the passive side, but the manner of it seems reasonable and understandable to me. Looking ahead, I am unsure if he is going to be able to keep to his morals, but I suspect some of the passive is about to be beaten out of him the hard way.
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BadRoad
a thousand miles
Ever see the movie "Warm Bodies"?
- Pronouns
- she/her
Look I'm just saying it makes no goddamn sense for him to still be squeamish about cutting a human opponent when he's done this:
to a living human opponent without much of a reaction.
Recent fights have made it seem like he's forgotten swords are sharp or something.
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Madou Sutegobana
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- Location
- Twin Realms Mandala
I still see Zombies as human, mainly because to me the word Zombie means:
1. A person who has been drugged and is believed to be dead by their family members, but is actually enslaved by a unscrupulous person.
2. A drug addict.
3. A dead person reanimated by a Voodoo priest to act as their slave. Basically number 1 but with magic.
As to the infected, infested, or other movie monsters that 'Popular' culture has dubbed 'Zombies' in most cases they are actually still living despite rotting.
If the world has been overrun by the infested, with no other survivors, then they aren't hurting anyone and have just as much right to continue existing on the planet as non-infested would!
I wouldn't consider such a parallel earth to be a hunting ground for my amusement!
I've read a news story where a severely injured traffic accident victim was shot and killed by someone that put too much faith in 'Zombie' movies, and think that people should really reconsider the whole dehumanization aspect!
That said I believe in the doctrine of self-defense and the gospel of not turning my back on a threat. If any of the above are attempting to kill me, I'll attempt to kill them right back!
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- Location
- Germany
Zombie= undead
Undead = monster
agressiv monster = better to be killed monster
how about not making a science and a philosophy out of it k
- Pronouns
- she/her
Why don't we just leave it zombie = animated human corpse, which is what they were described as in this story.
Madou Sutegobana
Autocorrupt has been disabled.
- Location
- Twin Realms Mandala
Because people shooting a badly injured person, who is only seeking medical help, because they follow movie logic is bad.
It was brought up that modern culture should have desensitized Saito to killing human like enemies as long as he labels them 'Zombies'.
If it hasn't desensitized me to it, then it must not work that way on everyone!
Especially considering I am in favor of killing humans who are either an immediate threat or have proven themselves to be a continuous future threat to my life!
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- Location
- Germany
A Zombie is an animated corpse and that in most cases attacks you, they don't talk, they don't seek help, the only thing they seek is your brain and kill all living things
So can you please give it a rest with your headache creating nonsense
Madou Sutegobana
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- Location
- Twin Realms Mandala
I am referring to an actual event from the headlines, where a traffic accident victim was killed after having dragged themselves from the wreck to seek help.
As I stated here:
The nonsense is in the people who shot him's first instinct being to think he was "Zombie"!
As for the ring animated dead in this fic, Saito was killed and raised by the source of the same magic.
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- Location
- The Old Dominion
Okay... We've seemed to derailed into strangeness here... So the human hating elves who think void mages are demons and Brimir is the devil have 'rescued' Saito, well I can see nothing but ponies, sunshine and roses resulting from that, espically given that there is a elven faction at least in the light novels that I recall would love nothing more than to eliminate the human threat... permentantly.
Romantic_Kaiju
Romantic Kaiju
- Location
- National Battlefield
The Original Gandalfr was Sasha, a Female Elf who shanked Brimr when he tried to use her as a catalyst for a genocide spell targeting the Elves.
Sasha was then called Saint Anubis (?) or Anubis when she returned to the Elves. The Elves don't hate the Familiars, they hate the Void Mage.
- Location
- The Old Dominion
They consider void mages to be demons and they aren't much more fond of humans and from what has been seen they treat half elves worse than humans do. As I noted they have a entire faction that argues for a kill them all solution to humans while another argues that Saint Anubis(the elves don't really remember any about what happened in Brimir's time than the humans, its nothing but legend for them as well, they don't even remember Brimir or sasha's names) said they were to be left alone.
Madou Sutegobana
Autocorrupt has been disabled.
- Location
- Twin Realms Mandala
That's why I think its likely the Elves would use Saito as a trap for Louise.
Also when Saito finds himself unable to freely leave, I consider it to have ceased being a rescue and becomes an abduction.
Also when Saito finds himself unable to freely leave, I consider it to have ceased being a rescue and becomes an abduction.
- Location
- Germany
They didn't save 'Saito', they saved Saint Anubis, which is hilarious in so many ways, but dangerous in even more ways, because Saito now became a holy figure who is a fusion of the dalai lama and jesus for the elves, I mean that is good for Saito, but also downright terrible because it's Saito
I mean sure due his white knight mentality he won't accidently say something like 'I don't like humans' and cause the first crusade of the elves, but that wouldn't stop some of the more political engaged elves from twisting his words for their needs, nor will it stop him from being ignorant/thoughtless in certain situation/customs/traditions, something that due his newly found influence can have far reaching consequences
I'm also don't think the elves will use saito as a trap for louise, since there are easier ways for them to do that, they would also not call him Saint Anubis if they only want to use him as a bait,
No as I see it, Saito will most likely now get to know the elves, their situation and finally take their side in the upcoming conflict, while louise will make a deal with the pope and join the crusade in order to save Saito and that will lead all to one big ass conflict where both of them will meet on the battlefield,
The only question is, would louise abandon the crusade of the pope who screwed her over and kidnapped the love of her life for the elves she was raised to hate ?
As it is I can't wait for the next chapter
- Location
- The Old Dominion
The elves that the only thing they would want to do with her at either is destroy her mind or kill her because after all she human and worse a void mage which makes her nothing but a demon.
Assuming of course the human hating faction doesn't use the affair to take control and launch a war to kill all the halk humans.
Assuming of course the human hating faction doesn't use the affair to take control and launch a war to kill all the halk humans.
Chapter Ninety-Eight
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Ninety-Eight
Hiraga Saito was a normal boy. He was a normal Japanese boy. He had thought his life boring, and had sought change. When it had happened, he had enjoyed it at first, he really had. New things, different things, fun things like magic, but also bad things like hunger, thirst, being dirty and seeking out baths everywhere. Still, he had kept his mood up.
Then realization had sunk in that this was going to be his world for the rest of his life, because he had fallen in love, he really had, and thus wouldn't leave Louise behind, not when she had a family that thought her dead, not when she literally had the future of this world on her shoulders. It would be horribly selfish of him to just leave her to her fate.
So he had made his choice. He had thought it easy. He had thought that making a choice was the right thing to do, that it was the best thing to do, that there was nothing wrong in choosing to be the valiant hero.
Whenever a character in a game had to pick a choice, normally it was obvious they'd go for the good one. It was obvious that the heroes would win the day, and only the truly bad would die, and normally fights weren't about killing, but knocking out.
Yet he didn't know anymore. No, perhaps it was that he never really wanted to think about it properly. Saying 'I want to be a hero, I want to be the Knight' didn't mean one became it. Shamelessly saying things, but then never truly meaning them-was that the extent of his resolve?
"You have questions, Saint Anubis?" it was an old Elf that spoke to him. The elf that had dragged him away hadn't brought him very far, only upwards, beyond the clouds and to where a floating ship rested. It was far smaller than what he had seen in Albion, and seemed to be devoid of cannons. On the other hand, it made up for it with the Elves that seemed to be keenly conversing with the air itself, their arms tense in front of them, their bodies lightly armored.
A few had floating bows twirling lazily around them, the arrows suffused with energy that glowed softly.
"I-" Saito mumbled. "I guess?"
"Follow me then," the old Elf said kindly, gesturing for the way below deck. "The winds are positively chilly up here, and my old bones cannot withstand such temperatures for long without bothering the spirits for warmth."
"Uh-I," Saito muttered, shaking his head. "All...right?"
The young elf that had instead brought him up simply returned to the side of the ship and then looked down, clicking his tongue in disgust. "Serenna's having trouble-" he nodded. "We have to move."
The Elves that were conversing with the air itself nodded, and with a nimbleness that Saito wouldn't have expected the ship followed suite, flying at a speed that was considerably faster than what he had experienced before.
"Better for us to move downstairs," the elder said with a dry chuckle, "Us weary old elves must stay away from the flames of war of youngsters," Saito followed mostly because he didn't think his help was needed, and even if it was, what help could he give except that of fumbling around without a weapon? "Would you not agree, Saint Anubis?"
"I'm not-my name's Saito, sir," Saito said hesitantly as he followed the elf down the wooden stairs, all the way into a room that had a kind of one thousand and one nights vibe to it. Sitting on a plush pillow, the old Elf simply smiled, and nodded. He gestured for another pillow, which was directly by his side, and as the smell of green tea filled the air, Saito furrowed his brows. It felt so familiar, it was just like being home.
"That might perhaps be the name you cherish, but it is not who you are," the elf said, "You are the Saint who saved our people, and you are the demon who condemned thousands of others," he smiled bitterly. "It is ironic, I suspect, that such a thing happened. It is not the first time, but neither will it be the last, but I forget myself. I am Nepthys, Nepthys the Second, do not confuse me with my son," he raised a lonely old finger in a 'no-no' gesture.
His hair was long and grey, but it didn't cover his long pointy ears. There was something vaguely familiar to him, but Saito couldn't place what it was.
"So...Mister Nepthys The Second?" Saito hazarded. "I'm Saito, Hiraga Saito. It is nice to meet you," he said formally and properly. His parents would be pleased, no doubts about that.
"Nepthys will do just fine," Nepthys answered with a shaky nod. "Now, would you like a cup of tea?" as he asked that, he gestured to a steaming pot in the middle of the room, the source of the fragrance that made Saito nostalgic. Saito squirmed due to the proximity. Wouldn't it have been better if they sat one in front of the other?
"This is herbal tea that is imported from the lands beyond Rub," Nepthys said softly. "I assure you, it is not poisoned."
Saito stared briefly at the empty cup in front of him, and then gave a small smile, "I'd like some, please."
"Well-mannered too? Politeness suits the young," the old elf chuckled as he grabbed the pot from the center of the table and deftly poured two hot steaming cups of green tea. "You have questions, Mister Saito, but I am sure they can wait until we have drank a bit of hot tea," Nepthys spoke as he gently deposited the teapot back to its rightful place and held his cup with both of his hands, softly blowing away the tiny columns of haze that emerged from it. He took a lone sip, just as Saito did pretty much the same.
"Ah-it's good," Saito murmured. "It's really good." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. "I-I just want to know what will happen now," he said in the end, shuddering slightly. One elf was already an impossible odd, a ship of them was downright suicidal.
"Nothing," Nepthys replied with a shrug. "I ordered you saved because I saw you fight a demon, thus I knew that Saint Anubis was within you, and whoever is blessed by Her deserves our aid unless he has been corrupted. Have you the desire to persecute the Elves and lead a crusade against our species?" as he asked that, Saito stammered and shook his head firmly.
"No!" Saito exclaimed, "I just-I didn't want that! That's why they tried to convince me-the Pope and Julio, but I refused. If Charlotte hadn't helped me-wait, what about Daphne? I have to-"
"Do not worry," Nepthys spoke crisply. "The Vampire has left the premises together with a young Rhyme dragon," he smiled softly. "There is little that can escape our ears, especially when it concerns the spirits." He tapped with one of his fingers at the tip of his ears, chuckling softly. He took another sip of tea, and descended into peaceful silence.
"So...I can leave?" Saito asked.
"Will that change anything?" Nepthys asked carefully. "You were saved today, but that removed our cover. They will be wary of the skies now, and should this happen again-but you are, of course, free to leave."
Saito clenched the cup of hot tea in his hand, and took a sip of it. It calmed him down. "I just don't know what to do. Every time it feels like I have found the answer, but then when it comes the moment, it slips away from me."
"Perhaps you never found the answer to begin with, but simply picked the way you felt was best," Nepthys answered. "There is what is right, and what is easy. Sometimes, the two paths coincide. Sometimes, they do not."
"Could you answer something for me?" Saito asked softly, receiving but a brief nod in reply from the old elf. "Were the Pope's words true? Is there really no way for humans and elves to coexist peacefully?"
The Elf chuckled softly, and stared at the half empty cup of tea in his hands. "Understand this-we Elves-we do not believe in monarchies. We cohabit peacefully upon the land and divide ourselves in tribes, and that which the elders decide is best for all. The Chiefs among the tribes are also senators, who congregate in the senate and elect a Guide, known as the Guide of Nadis, who has limited power. We do not hate humans, we trade with humans-we commerce with them, we befriend them even-" here he sighed, "But the Markey are not humans, and the Void is a Taint, a taint that corrupts, that spreads, that is brought forth by malicious wills of their own and that has brought pain and misery among many, scattered through many tribes-" he smiled bitterly. "And that is why old wounds fester and linger-even if we could help, we decided aptly not to. It is the Markey's mess-let the Markey solve it or die."
He closed his eyes, and hummed softly. "Do you know-Do you truly know, what the Void is? Why we call those who bear the mark demons? Why we seek out those who can cast the spells and give them a merciful sleep of the heart and the mind?" he chuckled softly. "The humans, the Markey, they'll say we do it because we fear that power. It is not true. If we wished for it, the very ground would rise and snuff out every single living being we despise. We do not, because that is not the will of the world. We know of what awaits humanity, we know of those who came before-of the Spirit that came Before all Others, and we know of the crisis, but that is the Will of the Great Purpose, so it cannot be changed."
Nepthys sighed. "Understand that the world is merely answering to the earnest plea of the dying races. Understand this-sins must be paid in full. If you cannot pay, then your children will. If your children cannot, then your grandchildren will. The earth will make the Markey pay for what they have done. The earth has time, it has will, it has power. Even if the Markey were to move, their sins would follow them, crawling upon their back. Until the will of the Earth dies," Nepthys whispered. "Until the collective consciousness of all life dies, the Markey will pay the price for the blood spilled."
"But-But that's unfair," Saito whispered. "I-I don't understand much, if at all, but why should someone pay if he's innocent? The father's crime, they aren't the son's, are they?"
The elf simply laughed. "Do not give to spirits the same logic you give to man. An eye was gouged out? Then an eye needs to be gouged out to even the score. Whole races were slaughtered, killed, butchered-what you call 'The Founder' is to the eyes of the Will a brutal monster drenched in blood." Nepthys shuddered, as if recalling something unpleasant. "And for a while we did aid him, and that is the sin we carry upon ourselves, the reason we decided to opt for peace, rather than violence in our dealings. That is why we will not pay the price-" the old elf coughed slightly, taking a long sip of the cup of tea in his hands. "But the Markey did not listen. They quarreled among themselves-they fought and bled and brought up strife for land that they claimed was theirs, when one cannot own the land, one cannot own the spirits. They angered the earth, the Will of all, and because of that-they will pay."
Nepthys smiled softly. "I apologize if these words shock you, Saito. However they are the truth."
"Even if they were-even if those words were real-there has to be another way. Something! Anything-"
"When people build houses upon a moor, and the high tide drowns their children, the fools yell at the sea," Nepthys remarked. "The wise blame themselves, and make amends by building their houses upon sturdy rock. They do not dry out the sea, for the sea came before them, and the sea will return after them."
His eyes were kind as they looked straight into Saito's own. "This is not your fight, Saito. This does not need be your way. The humans will come, they will fight, and they will die. We will pray for their souls to find peace, and a decade will pass, more land will be lost, and in the end, the fools who did not heed the call of the spirits will pay with their lives."
"How can you be so cruel about it?" Saito said hotly. "There are-There are children! There are innocent people who did nothing wrong! You can't be this callous."
"So we should allow the world to die?" Nepthys replied softly, with a small sad smile on his face. "I understand if you feel this way. It makes none of us happy that the Markey must perish, but there is no choice. Down to the last of them, they must die. Thus, the Void will end. Thus, the corruption will cease being spread."
Saito swallowed the remaining green tea in his cup, and closed his eyes shut. "I-" his voice was trembling, "I can't do that."
"You have to do nothing," Nepthys answered truthfully. "You merely need not to fight. No matter the path you choose, it will end with blood. Is it perhaps unjust? Unfortunately, it is the nature of this world."
He began to refill his cup of tea. "I am an old elf. I am here merely because I wish to see justice served, nothing more, and nothing less," his lips curled slightly, and he sighed once more.
"So if I do nothing, the humans die. If I do something, the elves die," Saito clenched his fists, "Why? Why can't a solution be found? I-I'm not old or wise like you or the others, so-so why can't you find one?"
"The longer a mistake is left to itself, the wider the shadow it casts," Nepthys spoke after a brief instant of twirling the green tea gently with his hands. "It takes courage to accept one's view might be wrong. Unfortunately, it is now too late to make amends. The planet will render judgment," he took another sip. "And all will pay."
"Isn't there a way?" Saito asked. "A way to-to I don't know-to make them stop?"
"If there was, it is not something I can achieve, and unless this Pope is taken care of, or ceases calling forth his troops-until the demons are dealt with-the Shaitan's Gate is activating once more, and with each day that passes, the death of the world lingers closer," Nepthys murmured. "So do nothing, and let us do as we have always done. Without their Heart and Shield, they are unable to complete the Demon's ritual, and thus like the crusades before, this one too will end in nothing more than dead corpses to be quietly devoured by the creatures of the desert."
Saito's face blanched, but so too did his knuckles. Only the sound of the old elf sipping tea quite calmly echoed in the room. It didn't even feel as if they were flying, no matter how fast he had seen the ship set sail.
"There's got to be something," Saito whispered. "The Pope said that reaching the gate-whatever it was, would stop the windstone crisis from happening."
"It would also mean the death of the World's spirits," Nepthys answered quietly. "And that would spell the death not just of the Elves, but of Firstborn magic as a whole. Dragons would fall into slumber and die, Vampires would disappear into ashes, many creatures would cease to exist altogether shortly thereafter. Why? Because of the egoism of a few people?"
"They aren't a small amount! They're-it's whole nations!" Saito exclaimed.
"And so there are whole nations on the other side," Nepthys said. "There are mermaids who swim free and unbound, Bird Men who spread their wings in the wide sky-how many must suffer for no crime of their own?"
"There has to be a way," Saito said firmly. "A way-any way, some-some form of magical sword that can fix this! Something-anything-" and then he blinked. "My world-"
"Your world?" Nepthys remarked. "Ah, then you are not from Rub altogether-I understand now why you felt so soft."
"That's-anyway! My world! If we can bring the people that are a problem out of Halkeginia-can you fix it? Would you be willing to fix it?"
"Uhm," Nepthys tapped his chin. "The power of the Void should perhaps cease to transmit itself if it came from the other world-or come through severely weakened. An exile of the Demons into your world? Well, if that was possible then of course, I could discuss it with the Senate, but they would be willing to agree to at least aid in giving more time to the people of Halkeginia. I still am owed a few favors, old as I am."
Saito took a small breath. "Thank you." He bowed his head, only for the old elf to rasp on it gently, gesturing for him to keep it up.
"But how would you bring them through? Giving a solution without having a plan, I cannot present such a thing only on hope and dreams," Nepthys added wryly. "You do not have the strength, even as the Saint Anubis of legends, to stand up against the Mind and the Right hand of God, thus your plan is impossible to realize."
"But that's-it's just that...argh, he wanted me to kill him!"
"And since when must you allow the enemy to dictate your approach on such matters?" Nepthys replied dryly. "All swords have a blunt side, do they not?"
"I just-it felt as if attacking him could only happen if I wished to kill him," Saito mumbled. "It's-No, maybe I just didn't want to do it? Maybe he convinced me, just a tiny bit, and I didn't want to win? Could that be it?"
"Such wishy-washy feelings are only possible in the truly young who do not know what they seek," Nepthys mumbled. "You wish to bring forth peace between Markey and Elves, and you wish to do with minimum bloodshed?"
Saito nodded at that.
"Then it's impossible with how you are like now," Nepthys nodded most wisely. "A tiny gust of wind, and you'd fold under pressure. Where is your will? Where is your desire? If you want something, then strive for it. Asking counsel to wise old men is agreeable, but it is not us who should have the last word. Youth should have that headstrong quality that makes them endearing and foolish, not be so pliable to bend their head at the tiniest of scoffs."
Nepthys shook his head. "The reason is far simpler. Until you act, until you put your foot down, you can tell others 'you didn't want this', so even if you're wrong, they'll accept it. You don't want the responsibility that comes with claiming something is right and fighting for it. Everyone is capable of speaking, few are capable of acting."
Nepthys sighed, and finished his second cup of tea. "But I am glad for the company. Very few youngsters are willing to put up with an old elf rambling about."
Saito stood up suddenly, as if a sudden flash of insight had caught him. "Dealing with the Pope alone-it wouldn't solve the problem. Even dealing with Julio wouldn't solve the problem. There's an army camped out here-an army of crusaders who believe in the Pope. Killing the Pope or knocking and exiling him-it would mean nothing, and just make them angrier. People would still die."
"Oh?" Nepthys remarked with a dry smile, an eyebrow raised. "So what is your intention?"
Saito clenched his fingers tightly. His body was sore, but still not sore enough he couldn't fight.
"If I'm really determined-if I really want it-then there's nothing I can't do, is that right?"
"That is what legends say of Saint Anubis, indeed," Nepthys nodded slowly. "Have you decided?"
"I'll break their legs," Saito said in the end, quite simply. "With their legs broken, they won't be capable of doing anything for months. If I break their legs, defeat the Pope, defeat Julio, if I do that once, then nobody will go against what I have to say-even if it's something as horrible as 'please listen to the Elves'. If the Pope really wishes to save his people-if he really wishes to save the world he lives in, then he'll accept an exile, won't he?"
"And if he refuses?"
"Then I'll just drag his unconscious body to the airplane and strap him to it. It has to be somewhere around here-I know he must have taken possession of it."
"Those are bold words," Nepthys said softly. His eyes crinkled. "If it's the Saint, then he does have a chance. However, will you be able to keep up until the end?"
Saito clenched a hand right over his chest. "If the mages can use this power-" he muttered, "Then why can I not? Even if it means I'll live one less year, then it simply means I'll die when I'm ninety than when I'm ninety-one."
Nepthys chuckled. "Well, if you have made your decision clear...you will have to prove it next," as he spoke, he gingerly gestured towards the door by the side of the room, rather than the one they had taken to step inside. "There's the armory there-many of those blades are unruly children, but a few do not have a voice, so claim them for your use and be on your way."
Saito stood up carefully from the pillow and made his way to the door, hesitating only briefly on its premises. "Why are you being so helpful?" Saito asked, only for the old elf to simply crinkle his eyes in reply.
"I am an old elf," he answered in turn. "I have seen so many, many wars. I have seen so much blood, and I have prayed for a miracle with all my heart-if these crusades would stop, if peace would come, then perhaps-perhaps everyone would be happy for once," he sighed and stared at the tea pot once more. "The older one gets, the more regrets he has. The Great Purpose-it does not like meaningless battles, it does not like senseless slaughter. Thus, that it wishes to kill innocents, even as a way to pay their sins-I do not believe it like others do. Perhaps I am but a fool," he smiled and filled his cup for the third time. "But I am old, so senility is to be expected."
"Thank you," Saito whispered, opening the door and stepping through.
The old elf simply smiled, and took another sip.
"I did as was asked," he whispered to the wind, that would carry it to the water. "He simply needed a push in the right direction, that kid." He chuckled gingerly as he received his reply through his ears.
'If the Gandalfr finds himself in need, then by all means, aid him'.
Although the Spirit of Water had spent centuries among men and changed from 'Saint Anubis' to 'Gandalfr' and had accepted contracts with various people and nobles, it didn't mean it wasn't, at its foremost, yet one more spirit.
A spirit who would die if the crusade reached its intended end.
Now the rest was up to the folly of youth. Once more, the ring of Andvari had been recovered, and right in that moment the Left Hand of God was perhaps at its weakest.
While at first the Founder's decision of making weapons appear throughout the Sahara of the Other world had been a plan for his benefit, it was now just one more advantage of the Elves against the Markey's race. Had it been a lesser civilization, such weapons would have been studied and used against the Markey from the very instant they'd become understandable -and they had, but the Elves simply did not wish for bloodshed, nor for the death of millions for the guilt of so few. At least, the majority of the Elves was against claiming the blood of the Markey with their own hands. They had no qualms letting the Will of the World do it for them.
So Nepthys the Second sipped green tea quietly as he waited for the boy from the other world to come back fully armed and ready for the fight of his life.
Perhaps he wouldn't fail this time around, and if he did, well, then rather than a miracle prayed to the Will of the Planet, he'd do things the old way.
He was an old man.
This didn't mean his hands had never held a bow.
Hiraga Saito was a normal boy. He was a normal Japanese boy. He had thought his life boring, and had sought change. When it had happened, he had enjoyed it at first, he really had. New things, different things, fun things like magic, but also bad things like hunger, thirst, being dirty and seeking out baths everywhere. Still, he had kept his mood up.
Then realization had sunk in that this was going to be his world for the rest of his life, because he had fallen in love, he really had, and thus wouldn't leave Louise behind, not when she had a family that thought her dead, not when she literally had the future of this world on her shoulders. It would be horribly selfish of him to just leave her to her fate.
So he had made his choice. He had thought it easy. He had thought that making a choice was the right thing to do, that it was the best thing to do, that there was nothing wrong in choosing to be the valiant hero.
Whenever a character in a game had to pick a choice, normally it was obvious they'd go for the good one. It was obvious that the heroes would win the day, and only the truly bad would die, and normally fights weren't about killing, but knocking out.
Yet he didn't know anymore. No, perhaps it was that he never really wanted to think about it properly. Saying 'I want to be a hero, I want to be the Knight' didn't mean one became it. Shamelessly saying things, but then never truly meaning them-was that the extent of his resolve?
"You have questions, Saint Anubis?" it was an old Elf that spoke to him. The elf that had dragged him away hadn't brought him very far, only upwards, beyond the clouds and to where a floating ship rested. It was far smaller than what he had seen in Albion, and seemed to be devoid of cannons. On the other hand, it made up for it with the Elves that seemed to be keenly conversing with the air itself, their arms tense in front of them, their bodies lightly armored.
A few had floating bows twirling lazily around them, the arrows suffused with energy that glowed softly.
"I-" Saito mumbled. "I guess?"
"Follow me then," the old Elf said kindly, gesturing for the way below deck. "The winds are positively chilly up here, and my old bones cannot withstand such temperatures for long without bothering the spirits for warmth."
"Uh-I," Saito muttered, shaking his head. "All...right?"
The young elf that had instead brought him up simply returned to the side of the ship and then looked down, clicking his tongue in disgust. "Serenna's having trouble-" he nodded. "We have to move."
The Elves that were conversing with the air itself nodded, and with a nimbleness that Saito wouldn't have expected the ship followed suite, flying at a speed that was considerably faster than what he had experienced before.
"Better for us to move downstairs," the elder said with a dry chuckle, "Us weary old elves must stay away from the flames of war of youngsters," Saito followed mostly because he didn't think his help was needed, and even if it was, what help could he give except that of fumbling around without a weapon? "Would you not agree, Saint Anubis?"
"I'm not-my name's Saito, sir," Saito said hesitantly as he followed the elf down the wooden stairs, all the way into a room that had a kind of one thousand and one nights vibe to it. Sitting on a plush pillow, the old Elf simply smiled, and nodded. He gestured for another pillow, which was directly by his side, and as the smell of green tea filled the air, Saito furrowed his brows. It felt so familiar, it was just like being home.
"That might perhaps be the name you cherish, but it is not who you are," the elf said, "You are the Saint who saved our people, and you are the demon who condemned thousands of others," he smiled bitterly. "It is ironic, I suspect, that such a thing happened. It is not the first time, but neither will it be the last, but I forget myself. I am Nepthys, Nepthys the Second, do not confuse me with my son," he raised a lonely old finger in a 'no-no' gesture.
His hair was long and grey, but it didn't cover his long pointy ears. There was something vaguely familiar to him, but Saito couldn't place what it was.
"So...Mister Nepthys The Second?" Saito hazarded. "I'm Saito, Hiraga Saito. It is nice to meet you," he said formally and properly. His parents would be pleased, no doubts about that.
"Nepthys will do just fine," Nepthys answered with a shaky nod. "Now, would you like a cup of tea?" as he asked that, he gestured to a steaming pot in the middle of the room, the source of the fragrance that made Saito nostalgic. Saito squirmed due to the proximity. Wouldn't it have been better if they sat one in front of the other?
"This is herbal tea that is imported from the lands beyond Rub," Nepthys said softly. "I assure you, it is not poisoned."
Saito stared briefly at the empty cup in front of him, and then gave a small smile, "I'd like some, please."
"Well-mannered too? Politeness suits the young," the old elf chuckled as he grabbed the pot from the center of the table and deftly poured two hot steaming cups of green tea. "You have questions, Mister Saito, but I am sure they can wait until we have drank a bit of hot tea," Nepthys spoke as he gently deposited the teapot back to its rightful place and held his cup with both of his hands, softly blowing away the tiny columns of haze that emerged from it. He took a lone sip, just as Saito did pretty much the same.
"Ah-it's good," Saito murmured. "It's really good." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. "I-I just want to know what will happen now," he said in the end, shuddering slightly. One elf was already an impossible odd, a ship of them was downright suicidal.
"Nothing," Nepthys replied with a shrug. "I ordered you saved because I saw you fight a demon, thus I knew that Saint Anubis was within you, and whoever is blessed by Her deserves our aid unless he has been corrupted. Have you the desire to persecute the Elves and lead a crusade against our species?" as he asked that, Saito stammered and shook his head firmly.
"No!" Saito exclaimed, "I just-I didn't want that! That's why they tried to convince me-the Pope and Julio, but I refused. If Charlotte hadn't helped me-wait, what about Daphne? I have to-"
"Do not worry," Nepthys spoke crisply. "The Vampire has left the premises together with a young Rhyme dragon," he smiled softly. "There is little that can escape our ears, especially when it concerns the spirits." He tapped with one of his fingers at the tip of his ears, chuckling softly. He took another sip of tea, and descended into peaceful silence.
"So...I can leave?" Saito asked.
"Will that change anything?" Nepthys asked carefully. "You were saved today, but that removed our cover. They will be wary of the skies now, and should this happen again-but you are, of course, free to leave."
Saito clenched the cup of hot tea in his hand, and took a sip of it. It calmed him down. "I just don't know what to do. Every time it feels like I have found the answer, but then when it comes the moment, it slips away from me."
"Perhaps you never found the answer to begin with, but simply picked the way you felt was best," Nepthys answered. "There is what is right, and what is easy. Sometimes, the two paths coincide. Sometimes, they do not."
"Could you answer something for me?" Saito asked softly, receiving but a brief nod in reply from the old elf. "Were the Pope's words true? Is there really no way for humans and elves to coexist peacefully?"
The Elf chuckled softly, and stared at the half empty cup of tea in his hands. "Understand this-we Elves-we do not believe in monarchies. We cohabit peacefully upon the land and divide ourselves in tribes, and that which the elders decide is best for all. The Chiefs among the tribes are also senators, who congregate in the senate and elect a Guide, known as the Guide of Nadis, who has limited power. We do not hate humans, we trade with humans-we commerce with them, we befriend them even-" here he sighed, "But the Markey are not humans, and the Void is a Taint, a taint that corrupts, that spreads, that is brought forth by malicious wills of their own and that has brought pain and misery among many, scattered through many tribes-" he smiled bitterly. "And that is why old wounds fester and linger-even if we could help, we decided aptly not to. It is the Markey's mess-let the Markey solve it or die."
He closed his eyes, and hummed softly. "Do you know-Do you truly know, what the Void is? Why we call those who bear the mark demons? Why we seek out those who can cast the spells and give them a merciful sleep of the heart and the mind?" he chuckled softly. "The humans, the Markey, they'll say we do it because we fear that power. It is not true. If we wished for it, the very ground would rise and snuff out every single living being we despise. We do not, because that is not the will of the world. We know of what awaits humanity, we know of those who came before-of the Spirit that came Before all Others, and we know of the crisis, but that is the Will of the Great Purpose, so it cannot be changed."
Nepthys sighed. "Understand that the world is merely answering to the earnest plea of the dying races. Understand this-sins must be paid in full. If you cannot pay, then your children will. If your children cannot, then your grandchildren will. The earth will make the Markey pay for what they have done. The earth has time, it has will, it has power. Even if the Markey were to move, their sins would follow them, crawling upon their back. Until the will of the Earth dies," Nepthys whispered. "Until the collective consciousness of all life dies, the Markey will pay the price for the blood spilled."
"But-But that's unfair," Saito whispered. "I-I don't understand much, if at all, but why should someone pay if he's innocent? The father's crime, they aren't the son's, are they?"
The elf simply laughed. "Do not give to spirits the same logic you give to man. An eye was gouged out? Then an eye needs to be gouged out to even the score. Whole races were slaughtered, killed, butchered-what you call 'The Founder' is to the eyes of the Will a brutal monster drenched in blood." Nepthys shuddered, as if recalling something unpleasant. "And for a while we did aid him, and that is the sin we carry upon ourselves, the reason we decided to opt for peace, rather than violence in our dealings. That is why we will not pay the price-" the old elf coughed slightly, taking a long sip of the cup of tea in his hands. "But the Markey did not listen. They quarreled among themselves-they fought and bled and brought up strife for land that they claimed was theirs, when one cannot own the land, one cannot own the spirits. They angered the earth, the Will of all, and because of that-they will pay."
Nepthys smiled softly. "I apologize if these words shock you, Saito. However they are the truth."
"Even if they were-even if those words were real-there has to be another way. Something! Anything-"
"When people build houses upon a moor, and the high tide drowns their children, the fools yell at the sea," Nepthys remarked. "The wise blame themselves, and make amends by building their houses upon sturdy rock. They do not dry out the sea, for the sea came before them, and the sea will return after them."
His eyes were kind as they looked straight into Saito's own. "This is not your fight, Saito. This does not need be your way. The humans will come, they will fight, and they will die. We will pray for their souls to find peace, and a decade will pass, more land will be lost, and in the end, the fools who did not heed the call of the spirits will pay with their lives."
"How can you be so cruel about it?" Saito said hotly. "There are-There are children! There are innocent people who did nothing wrong! You can't be this callous."
"So we should allow the world to die?" Nepthys replied softly, with a small sad smile on his face. "I understand if you feel this way. It makes none of us happy that the Markey must perish, but there is no choice. Down to the last of them, they must die. Thus, the Void will end. Thus, the corruption will cease being spread."
Saito swallowed the remaining green tea in his cup, and closed his eyes shut. "I-" his voice was trembling, "I can't do that."
"You have to do nothing," Nepthys answered truthfully. "You merely need not to fight. No matter the path you choose, it will end with blood. Is it perhaps unjust? Unfortunately, it is the nature of this world."
He began to refill his cup of tea. "I am an old elf. I am here merely because I wish to see justice served, nothing more, and nothing less," his lips curled slightly, and he sighed once more.
"So if I do nothing, the humans die. If I do something, the elves die," Saito clenched his fists, "Why? Why can't a solution be found? I-I'm not old or wise like you or the others, so-so why can't you find one?"
"The longer a mistake is left to itself, the wider the shadow it casts," Nepthys spoke after a brief instant of twirling the green tea gently with his hands. "It takes courage to accept one's view might be wrong. Unfortunately, it is now too late to make amends. The planet will render judgment," he took another sip. "And all will pay."
"Isn't there a way?" Saito asked. "A way to-to I don't know-to make them stop?"
"If there was, it is not something I can achieve, and unless this Pope is taken care of, or ceases calling forth his troops-until the demons are dealt with-the Shaitan's Gate is activating once more, and with each day that passes, the death of the world lingers closer," Nepthys murmured. "So do nothing, and let us do as we have always done. Without their Heart and Shield, they are unable to complete the Demon's ritual, and thus like the crusades before, this one too will end in nothing more than dead corpses to be quietly devoured by the creatures of the desert."
Saito's face blanched, but so too did his knuckles. Only the sound of the old elf sipping tea quite calmly echoed in the room. It didn't even feel as if they were flying, no matter how fast he had seen the ship set sail.
"There's got to be something," Saito whispered. "The Pope said that reaching the gate-whatever it was, would stop the windstone crisis from happening."
"It would also mean the death of the World's spirits," Nepthys answered quietly. "And that would spell the death not just of the Elves, but of Firstborn magic as a whole. Dragons would fall into slumber and die, Vampires would disappear into ashes, many creatures would cease to exist altogether shortly thereafter. Why? Because of the egoism of a few people?"
"They aren't a small amount! They're-it's whole nations!" Saito exclaimed.
"And so there are whole nations on the other side," Nepthys said. "There are mermaids who swim free and unbound, Bird Men who spread their wings in the wide sky-how many must suffer for no crime of their own?"
"There has to be a way," Saito said firmly. "A way-any way, some-some form of magical sword that can fix this! Something-anything-" and then he blinked. "My world-"
"Your world?" Nepthys remarked. "Ah, then you are not from Rub altogether-I understand now why you felt so soft."
"That's-anyway! My world! If we can bring the people that are a problem out of Halkeginia-can you fix it? Would you be willing to fix it?"
"Uhm," Nepthys tapped his chin. "The power of the Void should perhaps cease to transmit itself if it came from the other world-or come through severely weakened. An exile of the Demons into your world? Well, if that was possible then of course, I could discuss it with the Senate, but they would be willing to agree to at least aid in giving more time to the people of Halkeginia. I still am owed a few favors, old as I am."
Saito took a small breath. "Thank you." He bowed his head, only for the old elf to rasp on it gently, gesturing for him to keep it up.
"But how would you bring them through? Giving a solution without having a plan, I cannot present such a thing only on hope and dreams," Nepthys added wryly. "You do not have the strength, even as the Saint Anubis of legends, to stand up against the Mind and the Right hand of God, thus your plan is impossible to realize."
"But that's-it's just that...argh, he wanted me to kill him!"
"And since when must you allow the enemy to dictate your approach on such matters?" Nepthys replied dryly. "All swords have a blunt side, do they not?"
"I just-it felt as if attacking him could only happen if I wished to kill him," Saito mumbled. "It's-No, maybe I just didn't want to do it? Maybe he convinced me, just a tiny bit, and I didn't want to win? Could that be it?"
"Such wishy-washy feelings are only possible in the truly young who do not know what they seek," Nepthys mumbled. "You wish to bring forth peace between Markey and Elves, and you wish to do with minimum bloodshed?"
Saito nodded at that.
"Then it's impossible with how you are like now," Nepthys nodded most wisely. "A tiny gust of wind, and you'd fold under pressure. Where is your will? Where is your desire? If you want something, then strive for it. Asking counsel to wise old men is agreeable, but it is not us who should have the last word. Youth should have that headstrong quality that makes them endearing and foolish, not be so pliable to bend their head at the tiniest of scoffs."
Nepthys shook his head. "The reason is far simpler. Until you act, until you put your foot down, you can tell others 'you didn't want this', so even if you're wrong, they'll accept it. You don't want the responsibility that comes with claiming something is right and fighting for it. Everyone is capable of speaking, few are capable of acting."
Nepthys sighed, and finished his second cup of tea. "But I am glad for the company. Very few youngsters are willing to put up with an old elf rambling about."
Saito stood up suddenly, as if a sudden flash of insight had caught him. "Dealing with the Pope alone-it wouldn't solve the problem. Even dealing with Julio wouldn't solve the problem. There's an army camped out here-an army of crusaders who believe in the Pope. Killing the Pope or knocking and exiling him-it would mean nothing, and just make them angrier. People would still die."
"Oh?" Nepthys remarked with a dry smile, an eyebrow raised. "So what is your intention?"
Saito clenched his fingers tightly. His body was sore, but still not sore enough he couldn't fight.
"If I'm really determined-if I really want it-then there's nothing I can't do, is that right?"
"That is what legends say of Saint Anubis, indeed," Nepthys nodded slowly. "Have you decided?"
"I'll break their legs," Saito said in the end, quite simply. "With their legs broken, they won't be capable of doing anything for months. If I break their legs, defeat the Pope, defeat Julio, if I do that once, then nobody will go against what I have to say-even if it's something as horrible as 'please listen to the Elves'. If the Pope really wishes to save his people-if he really wishes to save the world he lives in, then he'll accept an exile, won't he?"
"And if he refuses?"
"Then I'll just drag his unconscious body to the airplane and strap him to it. It has to be somewhere around here-I know he must have taken possession of it."
"Those are bold words," Nepthys said softly. His eyes crinkled. "If it's the Saint, then he does have a chance. However, will you be able to keep up until the end?"
Saito clenched a hand right over his chest. "If the mages can use this power-" he muttered, "Then why can I not? Even if it means I'll live one less year, then it simply means I'll die when I'm ninety than when I'm ninety-one."
Nepthys chuckled. "Well, if you have made your decision clear...you will have to prove it next," as he spoke, he gingerly gestured towards the door by the side of the room, rather than the one they had taken to step inside. "There's the armory there-many of those blades are unruly children, but a few do not have a voice, so claim them for your use and be on your way."
Saito stood up carefully from the pillow and made his way to the door, hesitating only briefly on its premises. "Why are you being so helpful?" Saito asked, only for the old elf to simply crinkle his eyes in reply.
"I am an old elf," he answered in turn. "I have seen so many, many wars. I have seen so much blood, and I have prayed for a miracle with all my heart-if these crusades would stop, if peace would come, then perhaps-perhaps everyone would be happy for once," he sighed and stared at the tea pot once more. "The older one gets, the more regrets he has. The Great Purpose-it does not like meaningless battles, it does not like senseless slaughter. Thus, that it wishes to kill innocents, even as a way to pay their sins-I do not believe it like others do. Perhaps I am but a fool," he smiled and filled his cup for the third time. "But I am old, so senility is to be expected."
"Thank you," Saito whispered, opening the door and stepping through.
The old elf simply smiled, and took another sip.
"I did as was asked," he whispered to the wind, that would carry it to the water. "He simply needed a push in the right direction, that kid." He chuckled gingerly as he received his reply through his ears.
'If the Gandalfr finds himself in need, then by all means, aid him'.
Although the Spirit of Water had spent centuries among men and changed from 'Saint Anubis' to 'Gandalfr' and had accepted contracts with various people and nobles, it didn't mean it wasn't, at its foremost, yet one more spirit.
A spirit who would die if the crusade reached its intended end.
Now the rest was up to the folly of youth. Once more, the ring of Andvari had been recovered, and right in that moment the Left Hand of God was perhaps at its weakest.
While at first the Founder's decision of making weapons appear throughout the Sahara of the Other world had been a plan for his benefit, it was now just one more advantage of the Elves against the Markey's race. Had it been a lesser civilization, such weapons would have been studied and used against the Markey from the very instant they'd become understandable -and they had, but the Elves simply did not wish for bloodshed, nor for the death of millions for the guilt of so few. At least, the majority of the Elves was against claiming the blood of the Markey with their own hands. They had no qualms letting the Will of the World do it for them.
So Nepthys the Second sipped green tea quietly as he waited for the boy from the other world to come back fully armed and ready for the fight of his life.
Perhaps he wouldn't fail this time around, and if he did, well, then rather than a miracle prayed to the Will of the Planet, he'd do things the old way.
He was an old man.
This didn't mean his hands had never held a bow.
- Location
- Germany
So is Saito really Sashas reincarnation ?
That'd be a trick, considering they came from different worlds.
"The World is going to kill you anyway, we'd prefer if you did it over on that side of the continent so as not to get blood on our carpet."
While this does a lot to explain the perspective of the elves, it doesn't make them any more sympathetic. In fact they are even less likable knowing that, as a whole, elf society is aloof and fatalistic. The World Spirit demands that every last child of markey descent die to pay for Brimir's crimes, and the elves agree because they view the Will as absolute. For a society that claims not to believe in monarchy, that reeks of hypocrisy.
While this does a lot to explain the perspective of the elves, it doesn't make them any more sympathetic. In fact they are even less likable knowing that, as a whole, elf society is aloof and fatalistic. The World Spirit demands that every last child of markey descent die to pay for Brimir's crimes, and the elves agree because they view the Will as absolute. For a society that claims not to believe in monarchy, that reeks of hypocrisy.
- Pronouns
- she/her
My take is that either the original Saito has been dead since Wardes killed him and this is a zombie. Or the runes + Derflinger were part of the Lake Spirit the whole time, and the power of Gandalfr runes come from that Spirit not the Void. Which would explain why the elves don't think he's demonic despite being a familiar. And seem to think the Ring of Adwhatever is linked to the Left Hand's strength.
- Location
- The Old Dominion
Well we got the truth from a certain point of the view of the pope and truth from a certain point of view of the elves which is admittedly just as tainted the halk humans by their hate of the Markey who they refuse to consider even human. Its also a tad ironic given that the only reason the elves even still exist is because Brimir killed the race that would have exterminated the humans and elves. It also likely doesn't take into account that the nonhumans in halk will be destroyed from the birdmen and vampires to the goblins, orcs, echos , airies(who may or may not exist) and others.
Its also good to keep in mind that the elves ability to gather what the world spirit wishes is tainted by their hatred of the Markey and a lot of it may be twisted because of their hate.
Its also good to keep in mind that the elves ability to gather what the world spirit wishes is tainted by their hatred of the Markey and a lot of it may be twisted because of their hate.