Part 47: Raksha

Chapter 33: Raksha

Wednesday

Afternoon

I still can't believe it. This can't have happened. It's just unreal. Believe it. It happened. Maybe writing it all down will help me prove to myself that this wasn't all in my head. We wandered the woods for three days. We were getting pretty desperate.

VIDEO




Will nobody come for us...? What are we going to do?
Don't tell me I'm gonna die like this.

The earth shook again, a sobering reminder that we had a job to do.



But we have no way to contact her...
With her power, I bet she could rescue us with a flick of her wrist!
Hey, wow, let's not be crazy here. She's not a miracle worker.
And all your yelling's attracted some more company.
Damn, just leave us alone!

This time it was Draches. I'd never seen one before. For such big things they were unimpressive.

VIDEO


We easily defeated them, but were still lost in the woods. It seemed like we were doomed.

VIDEO




NOOOO!!!
Daddy, please don't die!
Mommy... Mommy!
No... no...
AHHHH!!!

Suddenly, the seal was broken!



Nng... haah...
Danette, are you okay?
Ahh... y-yeah, I'm okay...
I remember... everything.
That day... my mom and dad... They protected me...
And they've been with me ever since.
I heard my mom's voice. She told me good bye...
I think she used everything she had left to break the seal...
Danette...



Whoever was out there had to be the one who broke the seal. We should have known, really.

VIDEO




Ah, I'm glad to see everyone's okay.
Endorph here came and told me what happened. He told me how Dio sealed you away here.
...
Why are you looking at us like that?
No reason. I'm just glad you're safe.
Danette, I'm sorry. I had to reach out to your mother from out here. I'm sorry I couldn't prepare you for it.
Then... that was you?
Well, you don't have to be sorry. I remembered everything that happened. And I think I'm okay now.
But, um... what happened to my mom?



Hey... shouldn't we tell her about how the World Eater is being weird?
Weird...?
Yeah, it looks like it's dead.
Is that so? May I see?
Umm... we've actually been wandering around for a while... so the exact location is-
No, I can smell it! This way!



...

So we headed to the site of Raksha's body. And that's where... That's where...

I can't say it. I still can't believe it. It's just not possible.

Feinne on Soul Nomad:

Watch this video. Don't keep reading. Just watch it. This scene has to be seen. This is why it's SOUL NOMAD and not Generic JRPG XIX. The voice acting is also incredible all around, especially from someone we're about to get well acquainted with.

VIDEO




That's-?!
...



Levin, he... he stabbed Layna in the back. She fell to the ground, and for the first time I really saw her. She wasn't some immortal, all-powerful witch. She was just an old, frail woman who'd lived long past her time.



Guh...
Lady Layna?!
Levin?!
You!
Lady Layna!
Red spots...? Scarlet Iago?!
V-Vitali, come look... Lady Layna...!
No, it's spreading too quickly. A new strain, perhaps? But even then, it's just too fast...
Hey... hey, she's gonna be okay, right? Right?!
I can't say yet...



Hey! We could go back and see the Nereids! Yeah, let's hurry!
Danette... please remember... the promise...
No, I know! Just don't talk! Save your strength!
P-pro... mise...
I know! I will! But you have to promise you'll be okay!
You're a... good... girl.



And with that Layna the Firebrand, the greatest mage of all time, daughter of Lord Median the Conqueror, passed from this world. I still can't believe it. She's been around as long as the country itself. It was like she was a fact of this world. Nothing lasts forever, kid. When your time is up, it's up.



I don't feel her soul.
I can't believe it, but... The hag... died.
What? Died...?
No! No, that's not what I want! It's a lie! That's all you do is lie!
C'mon, tell him! It can't be true!
Danette... I'm sorry.
I don't believe you. I bet she just used some sort of magic. I bet she's fine!
I bet she's waiting for us back at the village!



Where am I supposed to call home?
L-Lady Layna...
LAYNAAAA!!!

But we still had no clue as to why that son of a bitch did it. He even sounded different. It was the same voice, but gone was the country bumpkin accent. Had it all been an act?



Next up...
It's your turn!



Ah, a little confused, are we?
Are you really so broken up over one decrepit old witch? She's better off, trust me.
And I should know. I'm the one who killer her! Hahaha!
Levin!!!
What's the matter?
You think I've gone insane, don't you?
Maybe it looks that way, since I'm not the moronic punching bag you've come to know and love.
Hm? Perhaps he's under a spell...?
Bzzt! Wrong! This is the real me!



But unlike you, I'm not under anyone else's orders. I've got my own goals in mind.
You never really noticed?
No... no, I guess someone like you wouldn't. Haha.
Just who the hell are you?
I'm Levin! Duh!
But I guess I'm not the Levin you've come to expect, huh? Considering my whole routine was just an act.
What do you...?



I see... I suspected as much.
Euphoria was a captive of Yesterwind...
That's right. In order to move around the world without raising suspicion, I needed bodies.
I bought the brother and sister from Lobo, crushed their souls, and... commandeered their flesh.
Both top-notch vessels. Though, I did experiment a little too much with the sister, and she kinda... broke.
?!
So you killed her!
Hehe. You got me!



Find out what...?
You still haven't figured it out, huh? Wow, and you thought I was stupid.
I'm sick of being treated like some mindless weapon. I'm sick of taking orders and doing things against my will.
And the only way to avoid being controlled... is to become the controller!
To take the role of what you would call a god!
I get it now. Unbelievable
God...?
But just so there's no confusion, this isn't like Thuris' desire to become like a god. I want to rule everything.
And that means I have to obliterate anyone who might try to stand up to me.



Levin... I don't understand!
Heh. I wouldn't expect you do. The time I've spent on this planet can be measured in centuries.
You and I are nothing alike.
200 years I've waited... waited for my chance. I think it was about 100 years ago when a certain Dio contacted me.
At first, I wanted to just rip his head off. But we share a common interest, so I decided to work with him.
Since when...?
10 years ago, Gig, your soul cried out, for but a brief moment. I knew your revival was coming, so I got this body.



Hey, I think this one's starting to piece things together! Haha!
Gig... I'll never listen to another mindless word you utter ever again! I'll soon take the throne of Drazil himself!



Levin had been World Eater Raksha the whole time, without even Gig realizing the truth. He'd played us from the first minute. We'd neatly eliminated all his obstacles. While we could have never worked with Thuris, I'm not convinced Feinne wouldn't have sided with us against Raksha. Probably. She wouldn't have taken this kind of shit.

But now it was just us.



The World Eater?!
No... no... no! But that can't be-! He-! Lady Layna-!
Haha. Reality's finally starting to drill its way into your thick skulls. I killed Layna. And I enjoyed it.
Hey, Gig. You don't like that I've learned a few new words?
Well tough shit. I'm feeling verbose, okay? So I'm gonna talk, and you're gonna listen!
You know how you were always complaining that I dragged trouble wherever I went?
Hahaha! I really was a pain in the ass, wasn't I?



That's right. It was all my fault. Every single time.
And when I took this body 10 years ago, I went ahead and destroyed and entire country just to warm up.
Actually, I just wanted to make them suffer. But my hand slipped and... oopsie!
The Elsburgh Republic... it was vaporized in a single night...
I'm sure now that you know, a lot of fun little things spring to mind. You know, like... Sis?
...
Even Euphoria?!
yes, even my lovely big sister. Or more like my precious little doll. Her soul had long since faded away.
Endorph, you got a little too close and realized something was wrong, didn't you? Hehe.



Euphoria was no doll!
Hahaha! You crack me up! Well, it doesn't matter, anyway. Now she's just a broken, useless toy.
Oh, here's a fun fact! The poison that killer her and Layna was a refined concentration of Scarlet Iago.
And here's the funny part... she was the one who developed it! She had no idea what it was for. Sad, huh? Hahaha!



Yo, Gig. Next time I see you, I'm going to drag you out of that ugly meat sack and demolish you. Have a nice day!
Hahahaha!

It all makes sense, really. Levin was playing Thuris against us earlier. He tipped Thuris off to Danette being all alone at Muku. He led the Thurists to the village. He and Dio had Thuris gather Crimson Tears. But Thuris wasn't as smart as he thought, and they played him. Dio stole the Tears, leaving Thuris defenseless. And all of this was a trap to draw Layna out of hiding so Raksha could kill her.

We're all too exhausted to even think right now. The forest is unsealed. We'll leave soon, I guess. Grunzford needs to know what happened.

And then we need to find Raksha, and find Dio, and make those dirty sons of bitches pay. I swear on my ruined home, on my murdered friend, that those monsters will feel every bit of suffering they've inflicted over the years. I'm looking over at Endorph right now, and I can tell he's feeling exactly the same thing. He's lost someone even more dear than I, but looking at him right now he doesn't look sad. I've never seen a look like that, and I hope I never do again. We'll be hitting the road again soon, I'll write later. I just hope Tricia and Grunzford are okay.