[Legend of Lineage] Episode 31: The Tuning of the End, and Resonating Souls (Chapter 9)

Chapter 9: The Boundary of Time and the Cathedral of Atonement

Episode 31: The Tuning of the End, and Resonating Souls

[Summary of Previous Episodes]

In Asbury, Artorius removed Silva's mask, freeing her from the shackles of her past. The party discovered the "Forbidden Book" at their next destination, the Cliffside Cathedral of Solas, and learned that the true key to calming the darkness is "sound".

Furthermore, with the "Sound Core" embedded in the "Royal Sash" left behind by his uncle Will, they forged a "Resonance Orb" with the help of the sage Clay. Artorius plunged into the "Boundary of Darkness" where his uncle's soul was imprisoned, but what awaited him there was his uncle's agonizing cry, refusing to be reunited as he bound himself to the darkness as a wedge of sin.

[Character and Terminology Guide]

For first-time readers or those wishing to review the overview, please see the [Introduction] below.

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*Please press the play button and enter the world of the story with sound. (You can also enjoy it without BGM)

1. The Roar of Nothingness, the Eroding Boundary

The Boundary of Darkness. It was nothingness itself, transcending the laws of physics, where one felt that even the concept of light did not exist.

The words of Artorius and his companions were sucked into the cold darkness and dissipated. Then, as if feeding on the rejection Will had spoken and the despair he had harbored for years under the name of "atonement," the jet-black mist behind them suddenly began to writhe madly.

In an instant, the mist became a massive lump, transforming into an even uglier remnant of the evil god, Luminaris Shadow, whom Artorius and his party had supposedly defeated. And Will, while on the verge of being swallowed into the vortex, was holding onto chains, trying to keep the evil god bound.

The vortex, cloaked in the jet-black darkness of Luminaris Shadow, had no fixed shape; countless faces of resentment appeared and disappeared on its surface, and each time, the space of the boundary itself trembled and cracked.

"Absolute 'nothingness' is the true peace granted to this rotten world. Sleep here forever along with your illusions of being warriors of light... This man's soul is already a part of me. I will not let you interfere."

The evil god's voice resonated as an unpleasant, low-frequency sound that shook the brain directly, not the ears. While using Will as a "wedge," they were actually devouring his soul little by little, gathering strength to crawl back out into the world of the living.

"I won't let you use my uncle's heart as your food any longer!"

Artorius drew his sword of light, which emitted a silvery radiance, and took a strong step forward, his feet struggling against the crushing pressure.

"Elise, Zeke! We're pulling my uncle out of the darkness. Strike it and sever its connection to him!"

The jet-black space of the boundary was dyed pure white by the fierce clash of light and darkness, shaking violently.

Zeke moved with agility that seemed to stitch through the shadows, dodging the giant dark tentacles swung down by the evil god by a hair's breadth, and thrust his dagger, aiming for its center. However, no matter how much he slashed or stabbed, the body of the Luminaris Shadow would dissipate like smoke, only to converge again, repeating an endless cycle of regeneration.

Elise concentrated all the magical power she possessed into both fists, unleashing a series of shockwaves wreathed in ominous purple lightning.

"A gloomy god like you will be shattered by my fists! Disappear!"

Her barrage, unleashed with the intent to pulverize the evil god along with the very space itself, pierced the giant body of the evil god many times, but each time, the surrounding void flowed in to fill the wounds, nullifying her attacks.

"Damn it, there's no end to this! Does this mean the darkness of this place itself is its body?! As long as this place doesn't disappear, it's immortal, isn't it!"

As Zeke retreated while cursing, Artorius took the evil god's onslaught head-on, searching for a way out. Will, still bound by the chains of darkness, twisted his face in intense conflict and pain. The self-loathing deep within his heart, the feeling that he "must not be forgiven," continued to grant the evil god limitless power.

2. Signs of Harmony, the Truth of Light and Shadow

At the end of the desperate battle, something shining could be seen within the darkness. A momentary light. When Artorius's full-force strike pierced that light and sent a crack running through it, a strange silence descended upon the space.

In a complete reversal from the ominous words of moments ago, a voice that was somehow sacred and clear resonated from every corner of the boundary.

"Light and shadow... they are not things that exclude each other. Only through beautiful resonance can their distortions be corrected, and true harmony be maintained..."

"...Huh? That voice, who is it?"

Elise opened her eyes wide in astonishment and looked up at the void.

"Artorius, look at that! That thing written in the forbidden book, the 'thing that connects light and shadow'...!"

A small light within the evil god. From that light, golden particles were overflowing as if it were shattering. It was the true form of the evil god, the will of light that had once watched over the world, which had been pushed deep into the "shadow."

Without hesitation, Artorius took out that faintly glowing "Orb of Resonance" from his pocket, which Clay had tuned with his soul poured into it.

"Uncle, this is the true melody of the world you protected, and of the memories we walked together!"

As Artorius poured in the magical power sleeping in his royal blood to the fullest, a melody more noble and infinitely more graceful than ever before overflowed from the orb.

It was the miracle harmony of sound, woven together by Clay's god-like tuning: the memories of compassion that had resided in the "Royal Sash," and the immutable bond that the three of them—Artorius, Elise, and Zeke—had built through their journey.

The pure sound waves penetrated even physical walls, turning the viscous darkness of the boundary into crystals of light one after another, purifying it.

3. Sealing the Shadow, Liberation of the Soul and Reunion

The flowing melody released from the Orb of Resonance, which illuminated the darkness and enveloped the surroundings, began to turn the chains of darkness binding Will's limbs into particles of light, one by one.

"W-what is... this warm resonance? My frozen heart feels like it is melting..."

The murky despair vanished from Will's eyes, and peace began to overflow along with astonishment and tears.

In the next moment, a dazzling flash exploded, repainting the entire boundary of darkness.

The melody played by the orb and Will's trembling soul resonated perfectly, and from the void, a magnificent being with pure white wings, the Spirit of Light Luminaris, descended. The spirit enveloped Will as if to cherish him, like a loving mother, and gently uprooted the evil curse of darkness that had been nesting inside him.

Luminaris Shadow, the mass of separated darkness, was ensnared by the beautiful melody at its opposite pole. Struggling in agony, it was drawn into the center of that resonance and intertwined with Luminaris into one. Shadow became light, and light became melody. The two forces that had once divided and pitted the world against each other were tuned back into the peaceful form they were meant to be, using this miraculous tone as a medium.

"Thank you, brave warriors of light. The balance between light and shadow is now preserved here..."

The calm, compassionate voice of the Spirit of Light Luminaris resonated as if soaking directly into the hearts of Artorius and the others.

"And, through the guidance of light and shadow, the world shall be granted a resonance that brings forth a new mission and role..."

A warm voice, as if speaking directly to their souls in a dream, enveloped the three of them.

"I, too, shall finish my long-standing duty and fall into a deep slumber. I sincerely hope that this world will once again be filled with beautiful resonance and hope..."

As the spirit's form rose into the sky as pale particles of light, the darkness of the evil god also vanished completely from this world. Will's body, which had been ensnared by the darkness, was no longer bound by chains and collapsed quietly to the ground as if released from gravity.

Then, Artorius ran to Will's side.

4. Closing the Boundary, and Walking Toward Tomorrow

Will, in his translucent, clear soul form, gazed at Artorius with affection. On his face, there was no longer the pressure of being a "King" or the self-loathing of a "sinner."

"Elios... you have truly... become a fine man. To think you would deliver such a merciful sound for a sinner like me who committed such mistakes... I am truly proud that you were my nephew."
"Uncle, that is enough. You tried to protect this world until the very end. We know that truth, and so does this 'Orb of Resonance'."

Will smiled gently, and his form sublimated into even purer white light. He was no longer the lonely 'wedge' meant to seal away the evil god. He had finally been released from that heavy responsibility and deep guilt.

The distortion in space that had served as an entrance to the darkness began to close rapidly, as if its duty had been fulfilled.

Artorius held up the Orb of Resonance entrusted to him by Clay once more and released his magical power to ensure its closure.

"Uncle. We will protect this Exaltia, which you loved and tried to protect... even if it costs us our lives."

A blinding light enveloped the surroundings, and by the time the party opened their eyes, the pitch-black otherworldly space had vanished without a trace. Looking around, they found themselves in a corner of a crumbling underground altar.

From the partially collapsed ceiling, the pure morning light of the royal capital shone through, and from the distant street corners, the lively voices of people preparing for the morning market and the chirping of small birds could be heard.

The entrance to the boundary of darkness had disappeared without a trace, and there was no longer any lingering scent of eerie magical power to be felt. The area was wrapped in silence, and the rubble simply lay there.

“...It’s over, isn’t it? Finally, everything...”

Elise fell to her knees in relief, and Sieg sheathed his sword, looked up at the sky, and took a deep breath.

“Yeah. It was the most stimulating and most troublesome journey ever. You know, Artorius. No... you are the new hope of Exaltia.”

Artorius quietly pressed his free hand against his chest. The physical 'Orb of Resonance' no longer existed in his hand. However, its graceful melody was still engraved deep within his soul as an immutable warmth that would never fade.

—Silence.

At that moment, a faint 'click' sound echoed from deep within the silence.

Reflexively, Elise turned around, gasping as she pointed toward the other side of the rubble.

“...No way, that is...!”

As if Artorius had sensed something, he immediately turned his gaze in that direction.

“...Uncle!?”

There, bathed in the morning light, was Will, desperately trying to lift his fallen body. He was not a translucent soul. The dust of the rubble clung to his clothes as dirt, and his chest was indeed rising and falling slightly, seeking the air of the living world.

In his still-hazy consciousness, he was staring at the pale, shining morning sun spreading outside the window.

The sky of Exaltia beyond that was infinitely high, clear and blue, and filled with a new resonance.

▶Read Episode 32: 'Melody for Eternity, Harmony Leading to the Sky'

▶Click here for the Prologue

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