act17mini

None of us here have any reason to lie. What's more, it was a Djall who invited all of us.

I've finished a whole cigarette already. Are you done with the roll call yet? I don't suppose anyone's going against their word?

Lich girl, try not to pick up your master's bad habits. Liches used to have a pretty great reputation, but now...

I'm not very well-versed in history, but I can tell you are making things up.

Okay, now. If everyone's ready, let's get going. Stay close. Don't fall behind.

Hooray! You're the best, Ermi! I knew you would be more amenable than those old, stuck-up fossils!

Turn right at the next corner.

There are potholes on the ground three steps ahead. Keep left.

You can open your eyes now. We're here.

So <i>this</i> is what it looks like inside! What's that faintly glowing thing?

The witchcraft core.

This is the deepest part of the Soul Furnace. As far as I know, ever since it was built, only Liches have come here to hold rituals to appease the revenants.

And the last ritual caused the big fireworks that led all of us here. Anything else to share?

Mr. Tin Man, should we proceed as we discussed?

Sure. I'll keep an eye out for you.

The fireworks were only an accident, and the ceremony wasn't completed.

My master tasked me with finding the revenant fragments scattered all over Kazdel, and I entrusted this mission to Nymph. Nymph then got your help. Which means...

My master owes all of you a favor. No, he owes all of <i>us</i> a favor.

As the keeper of the Temple of Knowledge, a favor of his is most valuable indeed. You could accomplish quite a lot with it.

But, as his student, I've already decided in his place to use this favor to do something exceedingly difficult.

I'm kinda getting the feeling you're about to say something horrible... Is it okay if I leave now?

No way! I invited you here. If anyone's leaving, I'm leaving first!

Ahem, it's actually nothing to be scared of. She's just being sulky that she got taught a lesson by the stubborn old man, and she's trying to win back some face.

What face?

The revenant's... face. I'll finish my master's appeasement ceremony without a flaw. So, are you in?

Yaaahhh!

Sorry, I couldn't stand that awkward silence, so I thought I'd make some noise.

Uh, like I said, I'm just here to admire that legendary designer's work... Since I've now seen it, I'll leave this revenant business to the rest of you.

We kept our eyes closed the whole time, and you're telling me you're already done?!

If it was just watching the ceremony, I'd be totally fine, but the Lich here seems to want us to be active participants?

If we're dealing with revenants, should we let Amiya know? And the Babel members, too?

All of us have seen how powerful the revenants can be. Even little fragments were causing chaos all over Kazdel.

Pohl, stop sweating! It's not that bad!

Not that bad? Think about it, Nymph. If it'd taken us just a little longer to get to any one of the fragments, what do you think would have happened?

There would've been bloodshed if those gangs had drawn their blades, and that berserk colossus wouldn't have stopped its fist...

And think about the risks when facing the revenants who have been burning in the Furnace for centuries. Is that really something we can take by ourselves?

Yes.

Like I said, I'll keep an eye out for you.

A revenant. A powerful revenant who turned his back on his homeland, only to return as if nothing had happened.

I have no qualms with this.

I'm fine with it, too! What's there to be scared of if we have such a bad-ass ancestor looking after us?

You're getting ahead of yourself, Nymph. Even with Mr. Tin Man here, it's not going to be easy to appease the ancestors with just the few of us.

Why do you think it'll be hard? We've met so many people on our way here. Everyone may live pretty hard lives, but we're all living life to the fullest.

Maybe the ceremony failed last time because the ancestors had heard enough nagging. I mean, when all you ever hear is the future and sacrifice, blahblahblah, how is anyone supposed to cheer up?

If we tell them about how people in Kazdel live these days, that might drive up their enthusiasm!

Besides, the revenants might still remember that legendary designer, they might know her true identity...

That sounds splendid. Count me in!

We've made it this far. We can't go back empty-handed. And if the revenants can show us a secret passageway out of the city...

Then you're in, too! Pohl, what do you say? Still hesitating?

It's a bit of a risk, but I can't think of a reason to not go for it. I'm in.

Okay, then let's throw the ancestors an appeasement ceremony like they've never seen! What do you think, Mr. Tin Man?

I'm intrigued. I said yes to the Lich girl there because she said basically what you just did.

Huh? Really, Ermi?

We're the ones who will walk the path of Kazdel's future, not them, so...

Of course, we have the right to do this.

Now cover your ears. I'll begin the incantations.

Let's try again. Relax... Flawed souls, come near, and heed my call.

In the flames... as your bloodlines melt away... heed my call.

What's going on? There's no response at all.

Mr. Tin Man, are you still there?

Maybe I've gone too deep... I'm not getting any response. Did I do something wrong?

No, if I turn back now, I'll be admitting to a failure before it's even over.

In the shapeless shadows, spots of cold light revolve around my consciousness, leaving layered trails behind them.

Once you try to understand the logic within, you will immediately lose yourself in it. Stop. Think, think...

These... are the revenants' fragments. I remember now. I try bringing them together, but they keep escaping through my fingers, like stardust.

They are talking. There's one... two. A lot of voices slowly drawing near me. The coldness fades away, and the frigid ice burns bright. I can feel it—

Agitation, hatred, chaos... It's more than them not hearing my cries, they... are simply ignoring me. Ultimately, they are annoyed.

They want to... tear me apart.

Step back... Three, two, one. Cut your senses off and step back!

Ermi, are you okay?! You were standing there, shaking. That was scary!

I... I'm alright. Where is Mr. Tin Man?

He's over there by the wall. He hasn't moved for a while now with his head down, and I'm not sure what's going on with him, or if those metallic joints ever ache.

The ceremony... did it work?

I was returning the fragments to the revenants, but I almost lost myself in their consciousness. It was the Tin Man who saved me.

Not a big deal. I just offered a hand. You could've handled it by yourself, although it would have taken more time.

He was standing still the whole time, why this sound feels like it's echoing inside my head?

It's not a bad thing for kids to have that kind of drive, but you went too deep. Good thing you had an old man like me to watch you from ashore and occasionally drop the odd pearl.

But the revenants didn't heed my call.

I half expected as much. Having spent so many years in the Furnace, their brains have been torched. No, they haven't had brains in a long time.

You, the schemy kid. Yes, you. Give me a hand. Take the notepad from my coat's inside pocket, and a few pens, too.

You aren't going to suddenly wake up and grab my hand, right? Like that kind of thing in the horror stories.

I'm not that cliche. Once you have the notebook, write down whatever you want to say to the revenants, tear the pages out, and burn them.

The lighter's in my pants pocket. Or use Arts. Either way.

Will that really reach them?

They can't make me look bad, right?

Write down whatever you want, but I suggest topics they might be interested in—Hey, what do you folks want to know about?

Things about Kazdel. Write them down, tear the pages out, burn them.

What are you doing right now...?

I ran into an old friend. We're catching up. Don't worry about me.

I'm finished! Ermi, make me a fireball, will you?

Can't you manage simple Arts like that...? Never mind. Who else has something ready to burn?

No need. I found the lighter.

Nymph, what did you write?

Not telling. Wishes don't come true if you say them out loud.

You aren't making a wish!

Can you feel it? The Furnace seems to be shaking... I can see it!

The ancestors have manifested!

Time to talk about you.

Me? Actually, he came to me back then too, but I didn't go with him.

I saw the bones on him, clattering away. Were you in there?