act42side

(Gah—)

I can only provide first aid right now.

Andoain, unrestrained usage of luminescent Originium Arts has irreparably damaged your optic nerves.

I do not have the ability to heal these injuries. Once conditions allow for it, you need medical treatment.

Don't worry.

The path ahead has already revealed itself. We don't need eyes to see the way.

Follow the cursor running along the ground... This maze is too complex, and I cannot maintain my Arts for very long.

Let us go.

It's here.

Even if this is not the source of the calamity, what lies behind the door may be able to give us answers.

Follow me, Arturia.

Federico does not receive a response.

Ever since he caught up with her outside the Shrine of Nurtury, she has been exceedingly cooperative.

But now, the black-haired Sankta stands several steps behind him, gracefully drawing her bow across her cello's strings, with no intention of following him.

I really do intend to escape this time, Fede.

Andoain is hurt, and you're alone. There's no better opportunity than this, is there?

We have arrived at the door to the truth, Arturia. You know that your actions lack meaning.

Truth...? Meaning...?

Perhaps.

You really are the best of the executors, a walking law book, the first saint from outside the ranks of Pope... Truly worthy of the code name <i>Executor.</i>

Your rationality, your callousness, even the doubts you hold about these two traits of yours are all in service to the continuation of the Law.

If that is what the Holy City itself is, maybe you're the only one who can understand Him, haha.

As for you, Senior Andoain... You'll have to forgive me. It was never part of my plan, but when you were using your Arts earlier, I inadvertently touched upon the whispers of your heart.

It is complex, more complex than those of many people I know. But... not particularly unusual.

An overly inflexible melody leads them to all become adaptations or repetitions of the same tune. They say—

Your beginning and your end both lie in Laterano.

But you may find yourself alone at that point.

Ah, I beg your pardon, if you have taken offense.

(Nods) Arturia, this 'offense' you speak of, was it not a chance for me to perform a different sort of confession?

As for those last words of yours, I would rather treat them as a blessing. They stand as proof that I have reached the end.

Ooh, what an interesting answer.

Arturia turns away.

Not everyone is so obsessed with the truth and meaning behind Laterano.

At the very least, I'm not that interested.

I got a little peek at Him just now. Behind that door lies... a machine, right?

Yes.

In that case, the answer is bound to be boring.

Think back to our time in Zwillingstürme, Fede.

A calamity of similar scale struck the city, and in the chaos, the people lost their way or struggled and raged... At this very moment, there are millions of hearts in Laterano that demand appreciation.

If you turn away now, Arturia, it means you will have to face our enemies in this maze alone.

You need someone to lure them away, don't you?

Your patron firearm is lost. You have no way to defend yourself.

Perhaps I can find a way to turn them into my audience?

Don't worry about me, Fede. The Lateran <i>did</i> designate me a dangerous element.

Situation assessment: high-risk. Probability of survival: low. Executor's decision... You may leave.

Hah.

Time waits for nobody, you two. If you don't plan on leaving yourselves, no need to see me off.

Well then, farewell, my beloved little frater.

...All that pontificating just to say you want us to go help the Curia?

Full marks for listening comprehension.

No way.

Eh?

It's not our responsibility, Mostima.

Half of the people here were kicked out of Laterano by the Curia in the first place. Maybe it was because they Fell, or because of Oripathy...

As for the other half, they chose to leave Laterano, whether out of despair or doubt... not that it really matters.

Hah, then why come back now?

Because our halos started acting weird and breaking. Is that so hard to understand?

We're not a part of Laterano anymore. Alieni, even.

Doesn't matter if you chose to leave or if you were forced to, we all cut our connections with this city. But even after all these years, its changes still affect us, and they just never stop...

<i>Spurcissime!</i> Damn this stupid halo, damn it!

Sounds like there's no way to resolve all your complaints, even if we got every Notarial Hall executor out here.

That's why we came back, to settle things!

Did I tell you to save anything?

What?

My sob story is that I Fell during an accident in the line of duty. After that, I became a Legatus, mostly so I didn't have to stay in Laterano all the time.

I'm one hundred percent Alienus too.

There's no-one else who understands you better right now, amici.

Maybe the glitchy halos got you seeing Laterano in an extra-bad light, spurring you to come back...

If you came back out of hate, or pain, or despair... then you'd best come with me to block that procession.

Because the people who caused that hate, that pain, that despair? They're in that crowd over there. Go ahead, use bullets, explosives, whatever. Get your revenge however you like. Just make sure to give them a hard time!

You're all talk, Mostima.

Drat, you found me out.

But something's gotta be done. Besides, you're already here, aren't you?

Hey, Nueda.

Yes?

Keep going down this alley, then find an empty house to hole up in. It's not a good idea for a lone nun and a bunch of kids to run around the place.

This place is a decent distance from where the procession's headed. Monsters <i>probably</i> won't come running here.

Are you and your friends also going to help save Laterano, Patia?

Heh, us Pathfinders aren't that noble.

But our leader's chosen to wade into the depths of this disaster. We can't exactly sit back and watch, can we?

He told us the place he was going wasn't suited for numbers, so we'll do what we can out here.

As for you, Sister...

I will protect the children, no matter if they are from Laterano, or Bolívar.

(Fervent prayers)

These freaks started chittering like mad the moment the Tower's big bell stopped ringing... It's pissing me off!

I don't care what your sales pitch is, I DON'T WANT A STUPID HALO!

(Fervent prayers)

I swear, these <i>faex</i> just keep coming and coming...

You've got three seconds to get out of there, Fiammetta.

Three seconds?! Hey, how am I—

How was that? Got you in the nick of time!

Do you think everyone can go as fast as you or something?

Never mind. The situation up ahead's a complete mess. Even the Tower of Revelations's bell has gone silent. We've lost Pagus Ecclesia.

They'll be in Pagus Michaelion soon... If that monster can flatten one of our barricades with a single stomp, I don't think the Notarial Hall's defenses will be much use.

Blocking them's no good. If we can't use more destructive methods, we might not be able to slow them down at all.

Agreed.

So, where're your reinforcements?

Let's get moving, amici.

I'm sure you've all been to Michaelion before. Might have been for the firearms workshop, might have been for the Notarial Hall.

The last thing many of you fallen angels did before getting kicked out of Laterano was probably handing over your guardian gun to the authorities.