Return of the Fallen Volume 12 Chapter 3
(Hmm, do you wish to separate so badly? Isn’t it I who should be saying this to you Kazuki? I have literally shared a piece of myself and allowed myself to be lowered in some part to your level. Can you imagine the disgust I currently feel? You think I want to be connected to you and fused so deeply. Continue to act ungrateful, it shows me everything I’ve already known about humanity and its foul nature.)
Kazuki sighed inwardly and thought about it from Arc’s perspective as he tried to understand where Arc came from.
(In your eyes, I am nothing more than a bug, I get that but still, I like my individuality. I have nothing against you Arc. Even if you are as mighty and grand a being as you claim you of all beings should know it just does not sit well to be a part of something so…unfamiliar. Just as you feel unwhole being separated from your missing piece. I too feel unwhole not being 100%…me. Therefore I wasn’t trying to offend just merely wishing I were me and you are you, that’s all.)
If Arc had real eyes it would be rolling them right now.
(Kazuki you think of yourself too highly if you think a few words from you could affect me but at least you see my point. Whatever. As for separating, I can do such a task easily so long as I have a bit of Origin energy. Your soul is already healing rapidly. It seems that soul reading ability of yours, along with my fusion is giving you a much speedy recovery. Once your soul is undamaged, and I have enough power, I can remove my fragments from your soul with a mere thought.)
Kazuki felt some relief and as they were speaking he could feel a small tinge of power somewhere nearby. It was like a tiny flame slowly building. It was his soul. It was broken up into trillions upon trillions of tiny fragments and with Arc’s fused properties and his own soul-reading ability, these tiny pieces were coming together bit by bit. Arc’s fused properties were bringing the pieces together and preventing them from actively being destroyed while Kauzki’s own soul-reading ability was putting the pieces back together like a vast mixed puzzle.
Everything had to be put in the exact right spot or Kazuki could suffer greatly. From a new twisted personality, all the way to mental deficiencies that could leave him in a catatonic state of sorts if he wasn’t careful.
Still, he was surprised at the speed his soul was recovering. Everything was falling into place without him doing anything and he quickly found that if he concentrated on a small group of gathered fragments they would come together and repair even faster.
(Ok, so if things are seemingly going well it usually means there is something I am not seeing. So am I right? Is there some other problem you haven’t mentioned yet or are things actually going my way for once?)
(Kazuki, look out into this odd place and ask that dumb question once more. I’m currently doing everything in my power not to be destroyed in this place and you ask if there’s a problem.)
Arc allowed Kazuki to borrow its senses and see their surroundings. Once again it was space folding in every which direction with constant explosions and reversals of space. Things crashed and erupted while some things reversed and seemed to put themselves back together other things just flowed and flew all over seemingly forever.
The distance one could see was both far and close and Chaotic space continuously pulled and crushed them from every direction.
(Currently, I am pulling in as much energy from all around as quickly as possible but it is barely enough to maintain and protect myself from outside forces. This place is just too odd, too unpredictable. The calculations involved just to counter the crushing forces and bending tearing of space are astronomical and are causing me to push my own limits. Just conversing with you is already stealing an amount of focus that is taxing on me. If things don’t change soon, I believe I will break apart and you will be exposed to the outside forces and truly be obliterated.)
Alarm bells rang in Kazuki’s mind.
(DAMN! why did you not mention this sooner. What can we do!?)
(Do…You can do nothing. You have no power here and are simply a burden. The other two freeloaders on the other hand are taking up space and contributing nothing.)
Arc motioned at the empty book, Codex, and the dull heavy sword, Sword.
Kazuki tried to be as respectful as possible but he just couldn’t understand why they would not help out.
(You said your name was Codex. Why are you refusing to help Arc? If Arc’s power fails then I will be destroyed and your goals of returning to your master’s side will be dashed. What is this?)
Codex floated around Kazuki’s slowly forming soul fragments and pointed at a few of them before extending a tiny tendril of energy and tapping into them. As soon as Codex did this, the memories contained within said soul fragments played on repeat for all to see.
Codex pointed at these memories and held nothing back.
(Kazuki, you are a great man but you like all men have flaws. Your word is your word and in most cases, it is strong and unbreakable…but, this is not always the case. Your heart has much love inside of it and a the same time, a dangerous amount of hate. Obsessive, soul-dragging hatred that has filled your mind on many occasions and blinded you to your purpose. Your willingness to forgo relationships to seek out your revenge does not bode well for us. Because of this, we need more than your word.)
(This…makes no sense. Moments ago my word was more than adequate and now suddenly it is not. You have been able to see these memories have you not so why is there a sudden change, now of all times?)
The heavy sword slashed forward and twisted and Codex sighed.
(Sword and I have both agreed, now is the only time we hold sway over you. We had reservations before. After all, humans are greedy beasts who lust for wealth, power, and more. At the time we agreed, we held nothing but Kori as a bargaining chip. With one promise from you, we released our hold over him and allowed you to heal him. We were desperate. We had been separated from our master for eons and this seemed to be the only way to touch upon a small semblance of hope. Now things have flipped. Now it is you who are in a desperate situation and it is us who hold the cards. Not only that but now that Arc has fused a fragment of itself with you, we can now communicate like so. I can speak with you and tell you exactly what we want from you in order for us to help.)
Arc was annoyed.
(These bastards speak of greed and beastly notions but it is them who seek advantage in our dire situation. I almost wish to be destroyed rather than agree just to spite you fucks.)
Codex ignored Arc.
(We do not ask for anything outrageous. The sacrifice is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Spiting us would do no one any good. If Arc’s defenses fail, I and Sword still have enough power to maintain ourselves for a few million years in this place, who knows what the future will hold, we may just fall out of this place randomly in that time frame. You and Arc, on the other hand, will soon be reduced to nothingness in this place.)
(Codex, do you really wish to play such a dangerous game? After all, there is no guarantee you will ever escape this place and you and Sword could very well be obliterated in here just the same as us. How would you return to your master’s side then?)
(You’re right, there is no guarantee. Even if we do somehow leave this place, there is still no guarantee we can return to our master but it is a risk we are willing to take. We have waited for far too long. Waiting a few more million years, if destruction awaits at the end, we will have no choice but to accept even that. I do not believe such a drastic choice is necessary.)
(And why is that? Why don’t you think a choice like that is necessary when you’re basically saying you’ll do it?)
Codex used a tendril of energy to point at the flashing memories in the floating soul fragments once more.
(As I said, humans are highly obsessive creatures. My choice is unnecessary for the simple fact that you still have unfinished business. Business that you would do anything in your power to see through to the very end. It is something that you can not give up on, it is in your nature to never let go. You Kazuki, cannot let go, and therefore your choice, even as I speak has already been decided long ago. Right?)
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