This is one of those signature chapters in ToaLx where the plot twists around and fucks you in the brain.
Episode 62 Revelations
Arai stares down upon Kunai, Ryuu, and Fayvard, a thin, mysterious smile on his face. His lightning yellow eyes glitter with impending doom, piercing into the souls of each of the three gathered in the arena before him.
Opening his mouth, Arai speaks into a microphone as his voice booms throughout the arena, reverberating throughout the massive hollow space.
“Welcome, Joukai.”
Kunai looks back into those hawkish eyes of a devil. His mouth opens slightly, quivering. “A-Arai…”
Next to Kunai, Fayvard stands stock still, gazing silently up at his former comrade. A stoic look rests on his face, as his hand inches closer to the hilt of his sword.
Unable to utter a response, Ryuu merely shudders, his body convulsing with pain. Dark bags under his eyes, Ryuu can only grit his teeth and look up at Arai with a hateful look on his face.
“Come now,” Arai replies, “it has been over five years since I last saw you face to face. I would have expected a warmer greeting. I am disappointed.”
Kunai suddenly spots the others standing in the glass box to his right far above the arena. He watches as the guards hold Zack and Cynthia in place, while Rill, Silver, and Wake are each held at the mercy of a masked Fatalist.
Without warning, a yell erupts from Kunai’s throat as he begins shouting vehemently. “ARAI! YOU BASTARD… Why are you doing this?! The Arai I knew would have never done this to his friends… How do I even know you’re the real Arai?!”
The smile hovering over Arai’s face suddenly grows wider. “I believe…” he whispers, “it is finally time that I reveal to you everything.”
Behind Arai, Midori shifts about uncomfortably as she lets out a quick gasp of surprise. She gazes worriedly at Arai from behind her Fatalist mask, attempting to remain composed.
Arai takes a seat in a throne-like chair behind him, crossing his legs and resting his arms upon the arm rests. He clasps his hands as a devilish gleam floats into his eyes.
“It is certainly true that the Arai you knew no longer exists…” Arai begins. “He was killed at the Castle of Kyreim in the Rift World just prior to your encounter with Lord Kimura. That Arai’s existence was then fully erased by my servant, Fain, in the Underworld.
“However…that Arai no longer matters!”
Kunai clenches his fists, his blood boiling as every moment leaves him angrier and angrier. “Then…tell me,” he hisses through clenched teeth, desperately trying to stay calm, “are you the real Arai, or was that the real Arai?”
Arai’s eyes gleam with a cool triumph. “They are all the real me,” he answers quietly. “You see, Kunai, my Fatalist power…is the ability to infinitely split my soul as many times as I want without impunity. Though, of course, it does not come without its discomforts…”
Kunai’s eyes widen upon this news. “Then…” he gasps.
“Yes,” continues Arai, “before arriving in the other dimension for the first time, I split my soul. The Arai you met in that dimension was the original.”
Arai places a hand across his chest. “I…am Ice, the clone. However, that does not matter any longer, because I live on by carrying Arai’s consciousness. As long as one of the clones exists, Arai cannot die. It does not matter that I am the second Arai. I am still the true Arai.”
“I see,” Kunai mumbles, “so I was lied to by the real Arai after all. In that case, that kind, well-meaning person never existed at all. IT WAS ALL A LIE, WASN’T IT?!”
“Exactly,” Arai replies matter-of-factly.
Breathing heavily, Kunai composes himself long enough to issue one more question. “Then…you truly do intend to destroy us, don’t you?”
After a slight pause, Arai returns to his feet once more, pacing several times before turning again to face his visitors below through the glass.
“I will now present you with a choice, Kunai.”
“Huh?” Kunai murmurs, caught off guard momentarily. “A choice…?”
“It is a difficult one. Do not take it lightly,” Arai continues. “If you wish to stop me, you must acquire the Sheath of the Sword of Nexon. That is the only thing that shall neutralize the Sword of Nexon.”
Midori jumps with agitation behind Arai. ‘What is he doing…?! How can he reveal the way to defeat us so casually like that?!’
“You mean the Sheath of the Maple Hero’s Sword?” Kunai replies. “I’ve already heard about it. So what?”
“Oh?” Arai retorts, slightly amused. “I see that Azuma has indeed taught you well. Very well. In that case, I will cut straight to the chase. To prove that I am still your friend, I shall show you how to acquire the Sheath. You can only acquire the Sheath of the Sword of Nexon the same way I acquired the Sword of Nexon. You must find the three Anti-Phonemes and use their souls to piece together once more the Sheath of the Sword of Nexon.”
“What did you say?!” Kunai chokes, his eyes widening with shock. “Piece…their souls…then—the only way to acquire it is to kill them?!”
Next to Kunai, Fayvard shuffles uncomfortably, though his face remains stubbornly stoic. “The Anti-Phonemes, huh…?” he mutters under his breath. “That would definitely turn the tables…”
“Exactly,” answers Arai, “the only way to acquire the Sheath of the Sword of Nexon is to find and kill the three Anti-Phonemes and piece the Sheath back together from the fragments of their souls. What do you think, Kunai? Is that a fair deal? Sacrificing just three souls to save your dimension…”
“I…” stutters Kunai, at a loss for words.
“Allow me to make the process even simpler for you, Kunai,” Arai goes on coolly, “Phonemes apparently have a way of gathering around you. Shall I tell you the identities of the three Anti-Phonemes? They are the girl journeying with you now—Hyacinth of the Cloud Family—and the two girls of Ryuu’s Academy—Mira and Ophelia.”
“What?!” Wake gasps up in the sky box, turning to look at Cynthia in shock.
Her hands bound and her mouth held shut by the guardian behind her, Cynthia can only watch the scene unfold with bulging eyes as her name is spoken. Next to her, Zack glances at her silently, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
‘Impossible…’
“How about it, Kunai?” Arai taunts. “What will you do? Will you summon the Sheath of the Sword of Nexon to defeat me?”
“How do I even know you’re telling the truth in the first place?” Kunai growls softly, fuming so furiously that his entire body shakes. “How do I know it’s not just another pack of lies, just like everything you’ve said up until now?! HUH?!”
“Because I want to see what choice you make, Kunai,” Arai cuts in bluntly, “that is why I am not lying right now.”
“Huh?”
“You have grown stronger, Kunai,” Arai says, that strange smile still refusing to depart his lips, “but you have still yet to grow strong enough to defeat me. Therefore, will you obtain the power to do so at all costs? Or will you refuse? I want to know. I will not make it entirely easy for you, however.”
“Arai…” Ryuu suddenly growls hoarsely, pain in his every syllable. “You…sick bastard! How…how dare you make Kunai make such a choice!”
Arai closes his eyes momentarily, as if savoring the moment. “Ryuu. Dear, dear Ryuu. My friend and former comrade. You do not yet grasp how instrumental you’ve been to everything.”
“What are you talking about?!” cries Kunai, glancing from Arai to Ryuu.
Arai smiles. “I will reveal one last thing to you, Kunai. Yes. This is the real reason why I manipulated your arrival into this place at this time. The real Anti-Paradox used by the Fatalists is hidden inside Ryuu. Indeed, it has been for quite some time.”
“What?!” Kunai shouts again, his eyes drifting once more towards Ryuu. “That’s impossible!”
“It is simple,” Arai continues lazily. “The real Anti-Paradox is a wonderful thing. It can be transferred easily from object to object. Back then, six years ago, I needed quick and easy access to it, and what better storage than someone always by my side? If anything, Kunai, you were the one who aided me in storing the Anti-Paradox inside Ryuu.”
“It can’t be…” Kunai mutters. “When did I ever—”
“Do you remember when Ryuu’s soul was split a second time in Perion? Remember? We went George’s to create a hybrid seal for him. And the object that was used to seal Ryuu’s soul was…”
“Ayame’s necklace…” Ryuu heaves.
“Yes, exactly,” Arai smiles. “Unfortunately, now that I have told you the whereabouts of the real Anti-Paradox, I cannot possibly allow you to keep it. It is not yours to keep. I shall require that you…return it.”
“If the real Anti-Paradox is really in Ryuu, then do you think we’ll just let you take it back?!” Kunai howls angrily, stepping forward with his fist clenched.
“Of course,” Arai says lightly. “You are not in a position to protest.”
With a wave of his hand, Arai signals to the Fatalists and guards in the glass box nearby. They each hold their respective weapons to the throats of their captives threateningly.
Wake struggles against the grip of Recelo, who is holding onto him from behind. Recelo merely presses his Doombringer closer to Wake’s throat in response. “Don’t push your luck, kid,” he hisses into Wake’s ear.
Meanwhile, Cynthia catches Kunai’s eye even as her captor holds a firm hand across her mouth. Slipping under her captor’s arms, she breaks free momentarily. “Kunai! D—” she cries, before her captor regains the upper hand, elbowing her in the back and clamping a hand over her mouth again.
Kunai gulps hard, turning back to look the merciless Arai in the eyes. “I see. So that’s how it is…”
Arai smiles. “Yes. I am glad that we are in agreement.”
Kunai glances at Ryuu, who is breathing very shallowly by now. Blood drips down from his arms as he is bent in a half-kneeling position. Turning once more back to Arai, Kunai asks, “What do you want from us?”
“Kill Ryuu,” Arai orders with the most chilling firmness in his voice. “It is the only way to extract the Anti-Paradox from him.”
Kunai’s eyes widen upon hearing these words. He turns immediately to Ryuu, who appears to be barely conscious by now. His breathing is ragged, every gasp for air a struggle. “What did you say?!” Kunai cries, his voice cracking ever so slightly.
“Kill Ryuu,” repeats Arai, the smile having disappeared from his face long ago. Not the slightest hint of light gleams in Arai’s dead, yellow eyes. “I assure you I will kill all of the others if you do not do so.”
“Y-You’re kidding, right?” Kunai says, suddenly turning desperate. “Haha…you don’t really mean that, right, Arai? It’s all a joke, right? You don’t really mean to kill Ryuu?! He’s your friend!”
His face stone cold, Arai turns to one of the guards in the adjacent sky box. He makes the slightest gesture with his face. The guard immediately nods. A scream punctuates the deathly silence below in the arena, as blood suddenly splatters forth from Cynthia’s arm, a dagger driven into it.
Cringing from the sound of Cynthia’s scream, Kunai shudders suddenly, his teeth chattering as a certain cold feeling creeps into every part of his body. Paralyzed with uncertainty, Kunai merely stands still, his hands shaking violently.
“Do not make me repeat myself any longer,” Arai says, jerking Kunai out of his trance. “Kill Ryuu.”
The roar bottled up inside Kunai’s chest suddenly rises to his throat, and escapes in a violent outburst. “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!” he howls viciously, every fiber in his body screaming in protest. “THERE’S NO WAY I CAN K—”
“All right,” Fayvard mumbles, interrupting Kunai.
“Huh?” Kunai murmurs, turning wide-eyed to the green-haired man next to him. Tears sit at the very edge of Kunai’s eyes, ready to burst. “What…what are you talking about, Fayvard?”
“All right, I’ll do it,” Fayvard says a little louder and more firmly. At his feet, Ryuu coughs violently, heaving and shuddering with every breath. Silently, Fayvard draws his sword, its silver blade glimmering in the bright lights of the arena.
“Wait!” Kunai cries suddenly, turning panicky. “What are you doing, Fayvard?!”
Ignoring Kunai, Fayvard takes a step back and looks down at the once prideful figure of Ryuu, now groveling on the floor in front of him. By his side, Fayvard’s sword gleams brightly, as if sensing what is about to happen.
“What are you doing, Fayvard?!” roars Kunai again, jumping towards Fayvard.
However, Fayvard merely raises his sword against Kunai in warning. “Don’t come any closer!” Fayvard shouts.
Kunai’s body refuses to move. He remains motionless, watching Fayvard fearfully. ‘Damn it…’ he panics, ‘my body, my body won’t move…! Why…at a time like this, I should be doing something!’ His heart thumps mercilessly, as if trying to drown out the sounds of impending madness.
Far above, Arai watches the scene unfold coldly. The smile still has not returned to his face. Behind him, Midori stirs apprehensively. She glances at the Fatalist next to her, a much shorter girl with reddish pigtails. The girl remains stoic, though Midori cannot see her facial expression behind her mask.
Fayvard raises his sword against Ryuu. “F-Fayvard!” Kunai bursts out, all of his composure abandoned long ago. “Don’t do it! I beg you! There’s gotta be some other way!”
But Fayvard does not hear Kunai. The muscles in his arms flex as he thrusts his sword forward. “Fayvard! No! Fayvard, you bastard, don’t do it! FAYVARD! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Fayvard’s sword pierces Ryuu directly in the heart from behind. Blood splatters everywhere as Ryuu dies.
—END SIXTY-TWO—
One Comment
Damn. Mind blown.