Tales of Graces f Part #59

Part 59: CH56: Endings

CH56: Endings

: That was a hard fight, but it could have been worse.

: *Huff, huff...*

: The Lastalia will soon return to its former state. And then in time, the valkines will also regain their eleth.

: Fun fact. At the time they beat down Richard, there was another month or so of eleth-sucking for him to do. Practically time enough to circumnavigate the Foselos on foot.

: Hmmm.

: So the world will be back to normal.

: Lambda is completely fading away... So if he doesn't have energy to leech, will he just, like, disappear?

: No. He won't.

: If we do nothing more, he will fall into sleep and someday he will regain his power.

: No...

: But we've come so far! There's gotta be something we can do!

: Sophie, wait! Don't sacrifice yourself for this!

: Ah!

: Huh!

: No!

: Wha!

: Being with you has made me happier than you know.
But now...I want to protect your home.
I want to protect your future... And you.

: No don't! You promised! You promised you wouldn't do this!

: Even if I disappear, a little part of me will still remain inside all of you.

: But that is no different than you dying!

: It will be like the time I distributed my particles to save your lives.
Except this time...I won't ever see you again.
But in a way, we will still be together.

: None of them could talk her out of it.

: Don't do this. I told you! I won't let you die!

: Asbel's plan was completely mad.

: Ah!

: Brother!

: Asbel!

: Asbel, no!

: Oh, no!

; Stay back!
Ungh!

: What do we do?

: No! Asbel, please!

: Don't do this!

: It's okay. I won't let him absorb me.
I'm going to find out...if all he wants is to live!

: ASBEL, NOOOOO!

: Surprisingly that didn't kill him immediately.

: Where...am I?

: We are in a shared mind space. It is a neutral place that belongs to neither you nor I.

: That voice...
Lambda!

: I will expel you from this place and seize control of your mind space.
And eventually your body will come under my full and complete control.
In exchange for becoming my vessel, I will permit you a place in my mind so that you might witness the birth of this new world.
This process will allow the world to become whole again. This process will make me...complete.

: Complete?

: Never again will anyone be permitted to cause me pain.
I have been pursued for my entire life, and this process will grant me peace.
I will finally be able to rest.

: That voice...

: Richard, you must stay still!

: I don't know. We've been hearing two voices for a while now.
One of them is definitely Asbel, but the other one is probably...

: Lambda.

: I think that Sophie allows us to hear them somehow...

: Curses, he is probably trying to take over Asbel's mind.
I hate to admit it, but Lambda responded most strongly to my feelings of anger and...resentment.
I thought that meant we understood each other. That we could help each other.
But in the end, our mutual feelings caused far more harm than good.
However, in Asbel's case...

: Asbel...

: So those visions we saw were your memories, right?

: Did you enjoy watching my painful past? Was it satisfying to see your enemy...suffer?

: I took no satisfaction in seeing your pain. I'm not like that.
I know that your past was filled with terrible things.
But that's no reason for you to do this.
That's why...

: wwYou overcame your pain, so I should be able to overcome mine? Is that what you're trying to say?
Human beings are cruel and greedy creatures. But above all, arrogant.
You pretend to care for those who suffer while in fact looking down upon them.
Do not try to sway me, human. I know your thoughts better than even you do.

: It's true I don't know my own thoughts very well. But to be honest, you're doing an even worse job then me this time.
I didn't say anything about you overcoming your pain alone, did I?
Some things require the help of others.

: So if we join forces and work together, we can accomplish anything. I truly believe that.

: Work together?... Really? Only foolish humans fall for such pathetic words.

: You're right, you know? It's true. Human beings can be pathetic.
And me? ...Well, I'm about as human as they come.
But...we're more than that. We can be so much more than that, and you know it's true.

: Is continuing with that cycle what you want to do with your life?
Behind all the tragedy lies your sadness.
And the actions that you took because of that sadness only made you even more alone.
Cornell wanted more for you. He didn't bring you up just to make you suffer.

: Cornell...told me to live...
...Even though I'm not human. And even though I can't maintain a human form!

: I'm just one person. I can't tell you what it means to live. However, I do know this...
Cornell wanted more than anything to show you as much of the world as he could.
He wanted you to learn. And he wanted you to live!
I know you've learned nothing but pain and sadness so far, and I'm sorry.
But there's so much more the world has to offer!
That's the world Cornell wanted you to see. I know that's what he wanted for you.

: The world, he wanted me to see.

: Come on, Lambda. Let's you and I go see what the world has to offer.
We can be as one and you could see the world through my eyes.

: I would consume you. In time, your space would fade and disappear.

: You won't consume me.

: It is inevitable. No human can resist me.

: I'll take that chance.
We'll see if I get taken over or not. You can add that to your list of things to observe.

: How can you make such an offer?
You could destroy me and end your troubles. So then why...

: We can't destroy you without destroying Sophie as well.
And besides, I have something to prove. I want you to know that humans have potential.
I'll help you to understand how terrible it would be to end this world.
It's not worth it. You still have so much left to learn.

: And if I refuse?

: Then...I guess I'll take your hand.
It doesn't matter who reaches out. What matters is that the other accepts.

: So you really intend to co-exist with me?
The moment you lapse and your guard goes down, I will absorb all that it means to be you.

: Well...in that case then I guess my guard will just have to stay up.

: Very well... Then from this point forward, it will have to be a battle between the two of us.

: All right. If you insist. I'm ready whenever you are.

: I think I've talked for too long.
Or perhaps...I've finally reached my limit.
Asbel, I think I'm...going to sleep...for a while.

: Lambda!

: Oh no, his light is fading...
No wait! You can't just disappear!
Don't go, Lambda!
There are still so many amazing things left for you to do! Do you hear me?!
You can't just end it like this! Not when you're so close!
You have to see! I have to make you see!
Lambda! You must live on!

: Is Lambda...gone?

: Asbel!

: Brother!

: Asbel!

: Hey, come on!

: You gotta wake up!

: My friend!

: Nnngh?

: Asbel!

: Phew...

: All right!

: Oh thank goodness.

: Asbel...

: Yeah.

: Urgh...

: Asbel... Are you all right?

: Guessing not.

: Sophie? What are you doing?

: So then does that... Does that mean he's gone?

: I don't... No, Cheria, I don't think so.
I can't destroy this Lambda. This Lambda... doesn't need to be destroyed.

: What does that mean? I don't understand.

: Lambda said he was going to sleep. He's just asleep for a little while.

: So, that means Sophie doesn't have to sacrifice herself anymore, right?

: Right.

: All right guys. Let's go home. Time for us to go.

: Right.

: Yes.

: Yeah.

: All right!

: Okay

: Yes.

: At that point, all that was left was the living happily ever after.

: Men! Go and help those soldiers over there!
Knight: Sir!
Knight: Your Highness, watch out!

: Your Highness!

: I was heading to Fendel when I heard you arrived.
Here, let me heal your wounds, okay?

: I'll be all right. Please just go and help the others.

: Yes, Richard.
Just hold still. I'll fix you right up, okay?

: (This is all my doing. I must make amends.)

: (I can't stand still. Not any longer. Not when there is so much left to be done!)

: All right. Spread out men. We must secure the area!
Knight: Yes, sir!

: (Thank you...everyone.)

: Hmm... Yeah, I guess this is the only way.
We just can't seem to raise this valkines' output, no matter what we do.

: So the eleth is as difficult to extract as you thought?

: Looks like we can't go any higher without risking an explosion.
I thought I could use the steam from hot water to power the machinery, but it didn't work out.
We can't produce enough steam to make the thing function like I wanted it to.
Oh! Hey, Fourier!

: Researching the valkines again I see?

: Mmm! Yeah.

: I dunno. A week or something?

: Pascal! That's gross!

: Ah! What did I do?!

: You're a girl, for crying out loud. You're supposed to bathe! !
And even if you weren't a girl, going a week without a bath is just disgusting!!

: I guess I kinda get caught up in my work.
But I'll shower soon, I promise.

: Why do you hate to bathe so much?

: I don't really hate it. There's just never any hot water left when I think of it.

: So if there was always hot water around, you'd bathe more often?

: No, wait. We can let 'em use it for heat and for boiling their water!

: So if there were pipes running to their houses and stuff...
Okay, that should do for a rough draft. Now I just have to build the thing!
Sorry Fourier, but I don't think I'm gonna have time to take a bath until this is-

: Eeeek!

: Ah! Poisson! Help meeee!

: You're not getting away from me this time! Get back here before I toss you into the kettle!

: Eeeeeeeek!

: Thanks, Hubert.

: Oh, no. The thanks belong to you. That was a very productive meeting.

: Well-since I'm Fendel's new ambassador. I'm only doing my job.

: I must say, Pascal's idea really threw me for a loop there.
Pumping warm water to all of Fendel's homes and using it for heat...
It's so simple, and yet so elegant! I'm sure it will serve the people well.
You'll be overseeing the entire project, correct?

: Yeah. It'll be pretty dangerous work.
Fendel is now a freer, happier country than I could ever have imagined.
We still have many challenges ahead of us, but there's no doubt that things are improving every day.

: Captain Malik? I think we're seeing the dawn of a new age.

: Mmm.

: Sorry about that, Sophie. I couldn't get away.

: Come on, don't look at me like that. I'm not that late.

: Look down... On the ground.

: Look down? Oh!

: Be careful. Don't step on them.

: Don't!

: ...Sorry.

: Don't you dare crush even one of them.

: Yeah, you're right. Sorry about that. I'll be more careful.
So uh, how's the blossomgale coming along?

: They're almost ready. The sopherias have been glowing for a while now.

: So it's time?
You know... You really did a great job with this garden. There isn't a spare inch of dirt left.

: I don't want to just plant here, Asbel. I want to plant in lots of places.

: Whoa. Hey, hold on! At that rate, the world will be nothing but sopherias!

: I had this dream. It's kind of silly, but...
I dreamt I was riding in a huge blossomgale, and we went to a beautiful meadow where I fell asleep.
But then when I woke up...I was an adult. I wasn't a child anymore.

: You woke up an adult?

: I wonder if...I'll ever grow up?

: Yeah... I think you will. But, hey. What do you guys think, sopherias?

: ...

: Is there something on my face?