"One Eidolon in particular has recently caused some distress among the people of the Gamma Echelon Zone. While it is completely docile under normal circumstances similar to Acedia-00-0-246, it has an ability akin to it that forces those that stray too near into a deep slumber without any apparent exit. While this Eidolon's ill effects can be overcome using other sinful energies, excluding its like presence within what is commonly referred to as the Miasma, there is caution to be advised due to the exact mechanics of action. This Eidolon can form a barrier between body and mind that has an array of effects, among which are some that make haphazard attempts at rescue a potentially deadly endeavor. Worse yet, anyone who dies whilst a victim to this Eidolon is turned into an Eidolon, with current observations indicating a preference towards four specific sins. This Eidolon is to remain unnamed until further investigation and is to be noted as a Class 0 in regard to Project Malefectum. To common folk, it would be classified most closely as 'Luxuria-13-6.'"
- Aehal, the Tome of Ascent, in "On Eidolon: A Primer"
[The following day …]
I was waiting in the living room with Mary. Revenant informed us that he would be back by about 11 in the morning. It is now 11:21am. Finally, the doorbell rings. Already waiting at the door, I quickly open it to see a postman delivering a package, suddenly shocked by the quick response of the door.
With a shaky hand, he gives me the package and then leaves. I was about to close the door when a dagger flew in just past my head, landing in the wall behind. A very brief moment later, Revenant manifests where the dagger used to be, but now with another sheathed sword, though the scabbard is wrapped in some cloth. Even so, I can tell it is a slim blade without much of a handguard.
"You're late, Revenant."
"I planned to be gone for longer. You're lucky I showed up in the first place."
"Is that why you have a new sword?"
"Yes. It brings back bad memories, but I recently received a hint of an impending 'paradigm shift.'"
"I would've guessed that Calypso told you that, but I don't believe he talks quite like that. To be fair, I don't know the guy too well."
"Given that they're not really allies of mine anymore, I might as well tell you their names. The message was written by Shen Hao and handed to me by Kang-joon Guanyu."
"You said they weren't allies of yours anymore, right?"
"Yes?"
"Well, uh, I might have met someone named Fang Guanyu, and it didn't end peacefully."
Revenant's eyes widened when I mentioned that.
"You still look fine enough to me. Are you sure that you survived an encounter with someone like him? He wouldn't give his name to just anyone either."
"I'll tell you about it soon enough then. So… that sword."
"It's a Jian Eidolon sword. Its Rank is unknown due to its nature, but I personally have seen it peak at about Rank 6 so far."
"How intriguing. Wait, I just noticed. Could it be that you are opening up to me finally?"
He narrows his eyes at me and sighs.
"Is my past really that interesting to you?"
"I mean, duh. You have a lot of cool collections, an array of cool swords, and a cool nickname to hide your real name, and you are very skilled and knowledgeable."
"Would it be enough if I told you that I was part of a secret group in the past?"
"No, I'm just more curious now."
"For crying out loud. Sure, if we take down that one Eidolon, I will open up some amount of my past for you. Emphasis on some."
"Yeah, I understand."
Revenant walks by and sits down on the couch, with me following behind. Mary had stayed quiet so far and now went into the kitchen to brew some tea. I sit down next to Revenant and start to talk about my encounters. First was Abandoned Promise, followed by Dremonte, then by Pequ Asea, and lastly, by Fang Guanyu. Revenant wasn't exceptionally interested in anything, save for when I mentioned Dremonte's Scythe. He asked if it was Ira-09-7-013 – Mikazuki Munechika or not. When I looked at the image, I couldn't help but agree that it was in fact that weapon. In retrospect, a Rank 7 Eidolon being used by him is terrifying, though, if I recall correctly, he didn't use the effects of the Eidolon at all. The description in the Eidolon Register is also left pretty bare-bones.
"Tsukino Rei used to have that Eidolon. I wonder how she managed to have it taken from her, given that she isn't dead yet."
"Another one of your secret society friends?"
"Yes, but I don't like that phrasing."
Now that I am hearing about all of this, I am starting to doubt whether Revenant is a Link 4 or not. He was able to stand almost toe-to-toe with Ferrous Sovereign, which was a Rank 4 Eidolon, and he only really had his Eidolon sword to rely on, which I now learned was more of a secondary weapon as opposed to the Jian, which is at least Rank 6.
I did then discuss a plan with Revenant towards dealing with the Eidolon I barely escaped from. It is unnamed, and we only have some clues towards its possible classification. I am very certain that it is of the dreams domain and also somewhat certain that it is a Lust Eidolon. As for its Rank: I would place it definitely above what I have encountered so far. The sheer number of people stuck in that eternal slumber is astounding and consists of more than just low-Link people. I doubt a Link 7 would lack some ability to counter it, so it rules out Rank 7 for me. This leaves a good guess at Rank 5 or 6.
The plan itself seems pretty simple. Revenant would use his teleportation dagger movement technique while carrying me to attempt to get close to the center of the ability, where it seems more likely the Eidolon itself to be. While in the dream, I would confront the Eidolon to figure out what its identity in the real word is. Elizabeth will wake me up after about half an hour, still within the area. Due to my chain shirt, I would gain immunity to the sleep effect for one minute, during which I must succeed in eliminating that Eidolon. While Elizabeth would not like to talk about how she will be able to wake me up, she says that it only would work once, so it's all or nothing from there. Once the smoke clears, Revenant would escort me safely outside, since I believe a melting pot of Iphte-houp localized in one city block to be hell on earth. Before we set out, I create a blood chalk circle in Mary's house named 'Nathan-TP-Gamma-Mary.'
With the plan set, it is time to spring into action. That means using my other circle at the Phalion Estate for quicker travel and then approaching the Eidolon once more. I also need to already buy more chalk. Weirdly enough, I did not expect to use them this quickly.
Revenant inflates a balloon, which slowly floats upwards. During that time I was already piggybacking onto him. Revenant breathes deep once. His Damascus stiletto is thrown into the air and perfectly hits the balloon due to its magnetic function. We are teleported to the balloon's prior location, allowing me to see the city from above for once. The sight isn't really that great due to the smog, but given how close the Rose District is to the next Echelon Zone, I do get to steal a peek at the Beta Echelon Zone.
The sight does not last long, since we are actively falling and Revenant acts fast to compensate. The odd mass shifts into what appears to be an exact replica of the stiletto, which he then throws to the center of the mass of people. On impact we teleport again, with momentum luckily not being carried over. Immediately I feel the same drowsiness as last time and, as such, fall asleep.
Rolling fields stretch out before me, and atop a hill a young woman sits leaning on a beautiful wisteria tree. Last time I was given a blue waxen outfit that dripped onto the floor below. This time it has shifted hue to red, and small flames burn atop the shoulders.
"Did you hope to surprise me by returning here? My dear, you forget that you lie to me like an open book. Of course I would love to tell you the best of the stories contained within. Instead of drifting across this turbulent river, let us return to its origins as a serene lake atop a mountain, the world below open to it."
"You would not be mistaken with what my desires dictate me to be, and you can read my memories. Still, while you perceive a vast and clear sky, you fail to notice the heavens beyond it, where stars bloom and sorrows wither."
"People like you are those that I like. And yes, I can read your memories, but I much prefer hearing the voices of people crying out with emotion rather than reading a black-and-white text. Tell me your reason for returning here."
This would be a question where a few days ago I would have likely just argued that I am doing this for the knowledge on the Miasma, to help the people caught in her trap, or maybe for revenge. But I have since changed.
"I return here to enforce my ideals with my own hands. You have shown me a world of your own desires, but I won't entertain it any longer. Today you and your delusion will end."
The girl flinches visibly, and her smile tenses slightly.
"And then what will you do?"
Her voice thunders throughout her realm, akin to gunfire.
"What will you do once you shatter my delusion? You are pathetic, an ant in the eyes of this world. I know way more than you ever will, and I can tell you that you will just die like the rest of them, like the rest of me. Just because you are determined now…"
Her eyes widen with a fearful expression. It is then I get to see my reflection in her eyes. A person younger than her stands among burning rubble. Someone that looks different from her but still reminds me of her likeness.
Pit-pat…
Droplets start to fall onto the flowers and trees, with dark clouds covering the skies. Even gods can cry, it seems.
"I am Nathan Verren, and I will make sure to inherit your desire for a better world within me as I continue. Still, today must mark the end of your reign as a god of tear-colored desire."
Fear clouds her judgement, or should I say, his beliefs. A boy that grew up with expectations of becoming a man, surrounded by girls that were allowed to cry and show their woes to the world and get pity instead of disdain. It is no wonder, then, that after losing them all and wishing to cry his heart out, he regretted never learning how to cry.
[…]
A minute starts to count down. I lift myself off of the ground. 55 seconds. I enter the trance of my Thassular Relic while moving with the inline skates. 45 seconds. I look for the soul of that boy in the dream. 30 seconds. I run with all I have. 20 seconds. 15 seconds. 10 seconds. Seeing them, I pull out my revolver and still my breathing. 5 seconds. I line the shot up. 4 seconds. 3 seconds. 2 seconds. I pull the trigger. 1 second.
And then…
Bang!
Time slows down, and I can see the shot slowly flying through the air as my body already feels the tiredness again. My heart races as I spot its trajectory being off. My hand quivered too much, and it flew right of the head towards the torso. No, the neck, rather. It pierces through the neck with ease, but such a shot could still not be immediately lethal. Luckily, it pierced the artery. Blood spills forth like a fountain.
Is this the end?
I look around the area with bated breath. The people start to twitch, but not from a calm waking rouse. One man, maybe in his twenties. His back arches and jumps with cracking noises, jagged steel spikes shooting out of his spine. A lady in her thirties. Her eyes light up like a flashlight, and her head shapes itself more square than round. Her clothes are torn to shreds as her skin becomes a dull white plastic, scaling into many protruding squares, like keys on a keyboard. A child, no older than eight. Suddenly he is set ablaze and his hair looks like porcupine spines as they turn to matches.
Why is this happening? I have to fix this.
My mouth starts to chant and doesn't stop until my voice turns hoarse. I seal one person after another. Why are they all corrupting? For some, my incantation fails due to them having already gone too far for me to help. I eat the macarons given to me by Elizabeth to restore my Spiritual Energy. Even so, it is not enough. My pockets are left with no more Angelica. Talking has become challenging. My Spiritual Energy reserves are at an all-time low.
But it finally ends.
People stop corrupting. While about half were affected by whatever this had been, most were exempt from it. Revenant remains as he was before, and I start to pull him out as people begin to wake from their long sleep.
This battle is far from over. It is time for Lis and Revenant to show their prowess. Just as Revenant is awake enough to leave my grasp and place his hands on a sheath, Elizabeth spots us from a distance and begins to rush over.
"Gashadokuro, grant me your strength. Allow me to step silently and use my full strength. Oni, please allow me to borrow your intimidating sphere."
"Nathan, I trust you to not share what you are about to see. Black Blade, I call upon you once more. Please heed me once again."
The air around us becomes stale and balances on a knife's edge. That is the best way to describe it. To remain near Elizabeth makes one acutely aware of their mortality and fears.
Click.
The weapon starts to free itself from the sheath, and dark fog curls out. Revenant closes his eyes, and the fog empties out his sockets to enter inside, forming his eyes anew. When the eyes open themselves once more, there is only black. Black sclera, black irises, and black pupils. His mouth opens.
"When one stares into the darkness for too long, it will start to look back. My lifelong companion, return to my side in spirit once more, for we shall wear down this coil anew. Again and again we shall dance until eventually the string snaps."
A weird force emanates like a shock wave outwards, the black fog being pushed aside and around in response. Revenant is covered in countless ethereal chains of rust. The sword is a black Jian blade with white and pure depictions along it resembling lilies, white lilies. The handguard and pommel are made of rose gold with the handle being made of mahogany.
The purple vines on Revenant's head flare into luminescence. Chains on the blade start to be cleaned, now being pure silver chains instead of rusted iron ones. Meanwhile, on the blade, the white lilies start to glow, at first faintly and then more prominently.
Elizabeth looks at Revenant, deep in thought for a moment, before shifting towards recognition.
"So that is who you are! I knew there was something off about you."
Revenant glares at her while some strangers already start to close in with their weapons and incantations. Fear is keeping them at bay, whether it's the artificial one from Elizabeth's incantation or the one instilled by Revenant.
Even though Revenant is putting on a show with his newest sword, Elizabeth is not one to be outdone, and there is a reason for why she is Link 4. She flicks some of her hair away from her face, thus revealing that her usually ultramarine eyes have turned a deep crimson hue instead.
"I suppose it really hasn't been snowing all too much lately, has it?"
I look up to see her parasol spinning, releasing a red mist of bloody clouds, coalescing into small snowflake crystals slowly gliding outwards. Meanwhile, Elizabeth taps her feet and hums a tune. Briefly interrupting to tell me something.
"Nathan, I never really was all too desperate for blood. But because of your generous donations, I can now do something I've been meaning to try. You see, there's something in an anime that inspired me."
Besides her, the same crimson crystals emerge, building a sculpture like a 3D print from the ground up. A humanoid sculpture resembling her.
"This might actually be a good spot for a little lesson. When you abuse Eidolon like I am currently, you can do some pretty neat things like this, but it comes at a cost. One isn't asked if they're willing to sin, but rather how much. If you're ever scared of becoming an Eidolon, you are leaving yourself ready to die. Well then, let's dance."
Elizabeth snaps with her fingers for a few beats before returning to her humming, moving in tandem with her bloody doppelganger. Elizabeth herself uses her coffin lid shield and headstone hammer, while the duplicate uses her lantern and chain.
Various people have stopped fighting each other and started to look towards our group with disdain. They likely see our light show, which is primarily intended for defense, as a personal declaration of war. This is bad.
It might seem like overkill for what Elizabeth and Revenant are doing, but we don't know what Link all these people are. If fighting one or two Link 4s can already completely drain me if I somehow manage to win, then the same applies with both of them not being able to fend of Link 5s for long. If I were to think about Calypso and Dremonte, then for them to be able to even fend off even one of the two is impressive. Now among all these people, I don't doubt that a few of them are Link 5, and maybe one or two could be Link 6.
I ready myself too. While I cannot rely on any incantations, like my Tengu call for swordsmanship, I still have my Thassular Relic and my Judge Gauntlet. With all those corpses around me, I can make sure to keep my gauntlet filled to the brim. Now, my revolver is really starting to run out of rounds, so I shouldn't use it much more, especially not with my somewhat poor aim.
Some lower Link people still attempt to attack us, thinking highly of their own skills like I did at first. But there is a good reason for why the fear of the unknown exists in the first place.
The snowflakes softly land on them before melting into their skin. Within a second they start to scream out in severe pain, the likes of someone being on fire. Three seconds later, ruby branches burst out of their skin all over their bodies. That is when their screaming stops, and only a few more seconds later they are held slightly aloft as the blood in their body has shaped itself into a tree.
Meanwhile Revenant cuts the air haphazardly, without much reason, but when people walk through where the blade had previously cut, they themselves get cut. It's as if the air itself were turned into a sharp blade by the trail of the sword.
Throughout the rain of icy blood, Revenant shows a rare smile on his face, and Elizabeth laughs out loudly.
So this is what can be called a massacre. We aren't the only ones creating bloodbaths out of the lower Links surrounding us; some other people of Links 4-6 have also started to thin the crowd using various means that couldn't be easily described. But that is not all. I wasn't able to seal everyone that had too high a corruption, so as people died, it wasn't the end of it.
The bodies shifted and changed into various monstrous forms as well as an assortment of various objects. Eidolon. Many, many Eidolons are born before my eyes. Exactly what I tried to prevent is still happening, just at a smaller scale. But is it really better to leave these bloodthirsty people out in this city again?
We continued to run as fast as our legs would carry us, away from here. All three of us picked up anything of value from the ground, but we won't remain here any longer than necessary. Technically we could fight it out king of the hill style, but the odds aren't really in our favor with the potential of high Links.
I can feel the same pressure as when I was within the Eidolon's Domain. This pressure that made me corrupt that one time. This is even with the protection that my Thassular Relic would grant me. But I cannot be corrupted yet. If I were to corrupt, then hopefully for something worth it, at least.
Clank.
A noise of metal on metal, one that is very close and very fast. A person? It looks like a white Chinese dragon holding a dadao in its front claws. Its long body, akin to one of a snake, is woven perfectly around the sword swings of Revenant, and it approached fast enough that I couldn't notice it before it already made contact with Revenant.
"Give me that sword and I might just let your group live."
They were talking about Revenant's sword. Obviously he wasn't very happy with the request, but instead of anger, he just deepened his smile. A smile of finally being able to enjoy something you've been longing to do for years. The Jian sword's blade flips the white and black parts of its blade, and some of the chains wrapped around Revenant shatter into pieces before disappearing. The smoke is now a mix of black and white, while the glow turned black.
"Do you know why I chose Revenant? It is a term to define someone that once died and came back to life. Suffice to say, I'm starting to grow sick of being considered dead."
The sword is now like a paintbrush, painting in various things. The opponent shies away as soon as this occurs, cautious of the abilities that are unknown to them.
Or it might be something else. Since they wanted specifically that Eidolon, it means that they likely know about it already, so then what is happening is very dangerous.
The air being cut suddenly becomes a trail of fire behind the blade, then a trail of falling snow, then crackling lightning, and lastly, seemingly nothing. I'm not stupid, so I know that what is happening is very likely not "nothing," but instead something that I cannot see. Something like certain gasses. This is speculation, but couldn't Revenant just create something like mustard gas this way?
If this is true, then I can see why you would back away. Creation, or transmutation, is a terrifying beast to contend with. There is obviously a limit to it. But what it is, I would not know. As an enemy, something like this can be terrifying to find out.
We have made it outside of the radius by now, but there are still a few people chasing us. I see someone, though. Someone with the same markings as Dremonte. But as opposed to him, they seem weaker and are about to lose a battle. This is where I deviate in path from the other two.
Their attacker seems like just some Link 2 with a fancy Sin Equipment greatsword. I interject by parrying the greatsword. While I may not be good with swords, I did pick up a thing or two about it as I was being guided by the incantation. They are angry at me, obviously, but their reckless anger leaves someone very vulnerable, as I would know firsthand.
I can easily close the distance, and since I have a far lighter and smaller sword, I easily cut their vital spots open. Then I turn to pick up the other person. As I do, something swooshes past my head just barely, not because it missed, but because it was pulled back at the last second. Standing there is Dremonte, who managed to make out my intentions and my face just barely in time. He nodded at me, then quickly left with his friend.
He was still in the area and probably got the memo just very recently. I mean, a massacre like this isn't going to fly under anyone's radar. Quickly I rejoin Revenant and Elizabeth, though. I'd rather not be caught in the open by someone like that dragon. Luckily they are obsessed with Revenant.
We weave through countless alleys, yet still we cannot get past the dragon. As such, I start to use my chalk, and we decide to just fend him off until we can leave. With Revenant being mostly able to do this on his own, the only reason to hurry is that whatever Elizabeth is doing is enough to make her slowly corrupt, so every second still counts.
With a last stroke, all three of us are transported to Mary's house.
Elizabeth immediately stops her actions and starts to catch her breath, but her pupils don't return to normal. Revenant sheathes his sword, and it is as if nothing happened in the first place for him. Even his expression and demeanor return to what it was before. I also sheathe my falchion.
"So, uh, good job, everyone."
"Woohoo~"
"Nathan. There were quite a number of Eidolon. You know about that, right?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't know why it happened."
"I do. For some reason, that girl's envy went through the roof as she tried to keep people inside with force, which just hurt them in regards to their sin, leading to their corruption."
"Well, there isn't really much anyone could've done against it. For all of us being below Link 5, this is already an incredible achievement. It was about Rank 6 after all."
"Yes. Luckily for you, we will be visited shortly."
"What? By who?"
As I finish my sentence, a tall, but thin, man falls from the sky and lands in front of us. He is wearing a gray suit underneath a large white cloak. They have a modern and sleek hairstyle with short black hair and brown eyes.
"DECR here, at your service. I have been summoned by someone by the name of Nathan Verren due to the retirement of a particularly notorious unnamed Eidolon."
"DECR?"
"Department of Eidolon Classification and Research."
"Wait. What Echelon are you from?"
"Currently I reside in the Alpha Echelon Zone due to the generosity of my workplace, but my own residence is within the boundaries of the Gamma Echelon Zone."
"Huh. I guess you are similar to those cleaners then?"
"The DRSC? I mean, the Department of Restoration from Spiritual Corrosion. In regards to what I am allowed to tell you, I too am restricted, but not to the same degree."
"Right. Then what is your business here, Mister…"
"Imar."
"Mister Imar."
"I come here to request a preliminary identification for that Eidolon, as the person to retire an Eidolon is often linked to one that knows a large amount about it."
"Like those codes?"
"Yes, indeed."
I look over to the other two to see if they have anything to add to this here, which it seems like they don't.
"How about Luxuria-13-6 then?"
Mr. Imar takes a moment to look over their tablet, then looks at me again.
"That lines up with what is already within the database, so there would not be any changes there. Still, I appreciate your comment on this. What I was mostly referring to was specifically the nickname."
"Oh. Uh…"
This is where Revenant interjects.
"We shall call it Elysium."