Author's Note: I don't own Soul Nomad. Almost done, epilogue will be up in a day or two.
Chapter 9: Final JudgmentAll that was left was darkness.
Where am I?
She walked for what seemed forever but everywhere she went the blackness seemed to stretch out into eternity.
Is there any one out here?
The last thing she remembered was how tired she had felt…Gig had been saying something to her but she could barely hear Gig anymore…and then…
The finality of it sunk it for her.
Did I…die?
She had to have…
Upon that admission she suddenly felt heavier. She stopped walking.
So things really are over…
"It's over," a familiar voice whispered to her. There was a faint glow of red in the darkness. It was the same mesmerizing glow from the top of the mountains and the one she had seen in her dreams. "You are released…you can let go."
Let go? Of what?
----
The floor was shaking…
Outside in the hallways echoed the sounds of frantic footsteps. They skidded around the area before eventually closing the gap between them and the office.
More of them? A part of Gig thought dully.
Surprisingly, the person who appeared was not one of Lobo or Emries' men. They called out in relief at first but it stopped at the sight of the blood.
"What happened?" Mikaila looked sick. She inched closer, scanning the room as she went. Her gaze eventually settled on its second occupant. "Isn't that…"
She quickly turned away and whispered, "I'm sorry…"
"Why? You didn't kill her," Gig said, mostly out of reflex.
Bits of the walls were beginning to crack now.
"C'mon, the place starting to come apart, it's because of that Dracon," Mikaila said quickly. "I don't think the place is going to hold out very long. And your arm needs to be treated or something…"
Oh right…his arm had almost been sliced off…
"Can't you hear me?" She sounded desperate now. "This place is falling apart! I don't want to sound mean but there's nothing we can do right now…"
The more rational part of his mind agreed. Dwelling on the 'what if's was a waste. If he had any sense he'd get his sorry ass out of there. That's what he had been telling himself for the past minute or two. Hadn't he always believed that?
That's when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
The hilt of the black sword was pulsating a shallow red glow…
----
"Let go…" The Crimson Tear repeated in a soothing voice. She sounded sympathetic. Like the girl Revya had met in the world earlier, only more despondent. "Death isn't so bad. Unlike me, you can move on. You tried."
We didn't break the curse.
'If there was a way to break it in the first place...' was left unsaid.
"You're here, with me…You've accepted death. You can let go now."
Accepted her death?
She...she knew she was dead now. They hadn't broken the curse, she hadn't kept her promise to Danette, the only thing she could say she did was keep the Crimson Tear from doing exactly as she had to Lena and Felius.
All things died. That was something she had come to learn and expect, especially after the previous year. Remembering what had happened, what was happening now, it didn't feel real that she could reject her death.
It hurt knowing the things she would be leaving behind but it didn't make the urge to sleep less powerful.
"If you have really accepted it, why are you lingering here?" That had been a second voice, it sounded almost identical to the first voice only it was different. It sounded like-
Reira?
There was a second light. This one wasn't the one she and Gig had seen from their initial trip up to the Yuga Mountains or the one that had attacked Lujei or the one from her dreams…this one was the Reira that she had known during her time in the world of the Crimson Tear…
The Crimson Tear's light flared dangerously at the intruder but the second light seemed unaffected.
"If you are really satisfied with everything…if you've really accepted it, why haven't you passed on?" Reira asked again. "Why are you still here?"
The weariness was starting to lift a little…
She hadn't wanted to die. No one really wanted to. It simply came down to the fact that their time had come up. It sounded right to her, at least in her head. Knowing that and the call of sleep should have settled it for her but some reason, something she couldn't register kept clinging to her.
The second light had gravitated closer. It gently sparked…
"Damn it, kid you can't do this!" A voice cut through her mind.
Revya's consciousness suddenly jolted.
"You should have just hacked away when you had the chance or something! But, no, you had to pick the worst possible time to fall back on the bloody 'noble hero' shtick. Do you have any idea how cliché that is!?
That was-why was she hearing that voice?
The Crimson Tear reacted. It flickered dangerously, angrily. The blood-red light broke into orbs and like it had with Lujei, struck out at the second light. A second flash of light went off in response, carrying with it another blast of sound before its light vanished into the darkness.
"You're supposed to be my friggin' soul mate! You can't just ditch me like this!"
Revya couldn't help but smile faintly. That was him all right…same old Gig…
Revya's expression froze.
And somewhere at the back of her mind, something clicked.
The call to sleep suddenly felt weak, as well as the voice of the Crimson Tear calling to her, trying to plead with her.
The reason she kept lingering was because…
On instinct alone, she suddenly turned and ran back in the direction she had come from. She ran until...
----
There was a loud gasp for air as the kid convulsed.
Mikaila let out a yelp of surprise while Gig felt his heart leap up his throat.
The kid let out a ragged breath followed by a series of coughs. Her eyes were wide and diluted from shock. For a moment it sounded like she was trying to say something but couldn't get the words out.
"Shut up and take it easy!" He muttered under his breath, for lack of better words as he clumsily tried to steady her so she could breathe easier.
The kid looked at him glassily before slowly closing her eyes again.
"Oh no, you are not ditching me again!"
Fortunately, it looked like she had just fallen unconscious again. She was still breathing at least, despite all the blood. The blood flow seemed to have lessened too, whether from his makeshift bandaging earlier or not. He didn't know what caused it but whatever it was, at least it had worked…
With another creak around them, Mikaila snapped out of her stupor. "Uh-sorry to say this but we really have to move now."
"Yeah, thanks for repeating the obvious, the falling rock and ominous crackling weren't a strong enough," Gig said. As carefully as he could he angled the kid over his shoulder. "Cut the commentary and give me a hand or -"
A distinct, familiar sound cut him off. It was that thrumming sound…
Mikaila suddenly went very still. She let out a whimper before her eyes rolled back into her skull.
Shit, what now!?
She stumbled forward, panting as the thrumming came to a stop. She seemed normal enough until Gig saw her eyes.
They were a deep shade of glowing red.
He didn't need to ask who this was.
"It's you," he growled. "You know, I was pretty sure there was something about the people here being their own person."
"She is one of my creations, remember? I'm just borrowing her," the Crimson Tear made Mikaila's voice usual voice sound quieter, more distant. She lifted her hand to her head and murmured, "She's confused right now so I only have a little time before she starts reacting too much and I have to leave. I don't want to stay for the destruction."
"Then do us both a favor and leave already," Gig replied curtly. He was becoming increasingly aware of the kid's infrequent breaths…
"I want to talk."
Gig barely missed a beat. He moved forward and angled himself around her. "Not interested."
"Stop."
"No. Trust me, as much as I'd love to stop and have a chat with you, given the circumstances, I'll take moving my ass instead. See ya."
The Crimson Tear ran in front of him and glared at him with the same ugly, distasteful look Gig remembered seeing on Reira's face the day she died. "Will you listen for? Just for a moment? I have an offer. Do you want to live?"
Gig kept moving. "What do you think I'm doing?"
"I think you're trying not to see the truth," she said, moving to keep up with him. "You're a lot of things. Mostly unpleasant things but you aren't an idiot, at least a complete one. We both know that you aren't getting out with her."
The words somehow stabbed deep inside Gig.
"Shut up…" He said in a quiet but dangerous tone.
"You're arm is still hurting," She continued in a matter-of-fact way. "I've seen injuries like that before. It's only holding on now because of a few ligaments but it's starting to lose feeling and go numb. Any longer and it'= will have to be removed, not even a highly skilled cleric will be able to save it. But I guess that doesn't matter if you're a corpse."
"I said, shut up…"
"Neither of you are in good condition but at least you can still walk. You might be able to make it out okay on your own but she's not going to, with or without help. She's hanging on now but there is only so long sheer will can last, the body is going to break down soon. Blood loss, exhaustion, lack of air, getting crushed by this building, one way or another it's going to happen."
"I told you shut up!" Gig snarled. "Either get to the point or stop wasting my time!"
The Crimson Tear remained unperturbed. She merely stared in silence as he kept painfully walking.
"Get to the entrance."
Gig barely stopped. "What?"
"If you get to the entrance I'll send you back to your own world."
Gig finally stopped and digested it.
"Why the hell should I believe that?"
"Do you really have a choice?" The Crimson Tear countered. "Get to the entrance before this place collapses without external help and I'll do that for you. I'll give you your original body back too, without any injuries."
He shifted his balance. "So, if I'm hearing right, what you're saying is, this offer is exclusive me only, right?"
"Yes. It's the best I can offer you, where at least you can leave this place with something. Do you accept?"
"Are you kidding me?!" Gig said. "There's no way I would accept such a lame offer. For someone that used to sell greens for a living you think you'd have better sales pitches."
The Crimson Tear's eyes flared indignantly. "You really are an infuriating-"
"Hold up, let me finish. You already spent the last several minutes nattering on about shit so I deserve to have the mic for a bit. How about, I make you an offer. Me and the kid here will get to the entrance before this place falls apart and we both get sent back. No catches though. No missing limbs or a soul missing or another curse or one of your creations there or suddenly attacking us the moment after or anything cheap!"
The Crimson Tear gave him a level look. "'Suicide isn't a rescue method', you told this girl that. You can't win. It's impossible."
"You'd be surprised how many times I've heard that. Do we have a deal or not?"
"You won't be able to collect, you know that," she said. "So why are you being so stubborn about this-"
"Just because, all right!?" Gig snapped. "You're the one that wanted to make a deal so shut up and agree to it!"
"All right, but remember, you have to do it on your own," the Crimson Tear warned. She inclined her head slightly and said, "My original offer still stands. If you change your mind, call out to me."
Her eyes rolled back again and Mikaila, almost gasping for air. She looked at Gig with wide eyes. "Wh-where-what-how did I-what just happened just now? What was that thing talking about? That-that thing-it said-"
"Is nothing important," he said.
"No...that-that's a lie. She-she said that I was a-"
"Life changing identity crisis issues later, avoiding getting crushed now," he said hurriedly.
There was a thundering crackle from the rock.
Raul's voice echoed through the hallways, calling his sister's name.
Gig nodded toward the source of the noise. "Listen, you got what you came here for so move it already."
"But what about you?" Mikaila asked, casting a nervous glance at the unconscious redhead.
"Think about it, what sane guy sticks around in a collapsing building?" Gig answered with his usual conceding tone. "I don't know about you but getting buried to death isn't very high on my 'to do' list."
"Mikaila! Where're you!?" Cried her brother's voice again.
She whirled back to him and then back towards the stairs. Biting her bottom lip she slammed her heel back into the ground and quickly said, "I hope I see you again. And…I'm sorry. "
And then she was gone.
Of course, I were sane by normal standards, I wouldn't be in this mess to begin with.
But since he wasn't, he'd have to settle for just being able to move fast.
"Shit!"
Gig nearly slipped at the stairs. He slammed his shoulder against the grainy wall to keep from dropping the kid and gritted his teeth as pain exploded up his arm.
Looks like it isn't quite numb enough yet…Somewhere along the way he passed several corpses. A few belonged to Lobo's gang, a few were Raul's who hadn't been fortunate to get out fast enough, and some random people he couldn't place. He thought he might have seen Emries' somewhere along the way but he didn't dwell on it for long.
He barely glanced upwards as he began to feel pieces of rock begin to crumble and hit his back.
The kid didn't seem to react to it. If he couldn't hear the faint breaths of air he'd assume she was dead. It was getting harder to hear her though…
"My original offer still stands if you change your mind," the Crimson Tear's words unwillingly resurfaced.
Gig scowled.
Not like he could take the offer, even if he wanted to. Not only would several of his so-called friends kill him but he'd have to kill himself for bending over for someone like that.
Before he became conscious of it, he slid against a nearby wall. His legs refused to cooperate as he tried pushing himself back up.
Move, damn it!
He should have been able to, he was better than this, he was the indestructible Gig after all, but the earlier fight when Liam had highjacked his body and supporting the kid's full weight had worn down on him a lot more than he would have thought.
There was a terrible crack overhead as the shaking began to increase. This time the cracks were spreading to the main foundations. Gig couldn't help but notice how the rocks seemed to be starting to fall at an unnaturally fast pace...
He managed to inch a bit further.
Absently, he thought back to when he and the kid got cursed and ended up back at the village, asking for help. About how they had gotten laughed at over their condition, what Grunzford had said about how to break the curse, and the reactions about how the kid and him were 'perfect' for this…
"'Perfect' huh… perfect mess is right," Gig said to the kid "Still cursed, I'm losing an arm, you're already dying, and we're about to get buried by granite while the Crimson Bitch sits back and enjoys all this."
Several more rocks began to fall, one narrowly missing his skull.
He couldn't help but laugh ruefully at their position. Surviving everything but the goddamn roof, that seemed kind of anti-climatic considering his other three deaths…
"Heh…too bad things didn't work out…Revya."
----
It was ending again, as it had the time before that, and the time before that, just another show with different players. How many times this made she couldn't recall but it hardly mattered now. She should have been satisfied. It had taken longer than she wanted and needed more interference than she wish to extend but it was almost over.
This time it left her vexed.
"You aren't going to do anything?" Asked a voice, identical to her own.
"You're still here?" The Crimson Tear asked sharply.
"I couldn't have disappeared from something like that," the other replied. "I'm a Crimson Tear too…"
"A copy."
"But I'm you."
"If you were really me you wouldn't have interfered like that."
"You interfered too."
"I didn't change the plan. I was trying to end it. What you did wasn't apart of our agreement. You got your revenge, wasn't that all you desired?"
"It was."
"What happened doesn't matter anymore," the Crimson Tear said. "Revya will stay dead this time and Gig will die too. Because they both made the wrong choices."
"If they had made the 'right' choice you still would have hurt them…just like with Lena and Felius?" Reira asked.
"It still would have been better or at least wiser. I should have thought he would have been the one to make it at least." The Crimson Tear voice became quieter. "Based on what I observed. He should have. I'm surprised he chose that."
"I'm not," Reira said after a moment, almost awkwardly.
"What do you mean?" The Crimson Tear asked. "He's selfish, rude, and has that unearthly obsession with hotpods. You heard it from Revya-you lived around him for a short while. The only thing I could respect about him was he had some common sense."
"You don't see it? The reason why?"
"There's nothing to see," the Crimson Tear said dismissively.
There was a faint crackle of tension in the air as the universe of the Crimson Tear trembled.
"It won't be much longer," the Crimson Tear murmured.
"What if they actually make it?"
"They won't. This is my world. The way things were designed won't allow it. Even if they get close, that place will just fall apart faster."
"That's-"
"Wrong? Immoral? A decision worthy of a 'witch'?" She laughed quietly. "It shouldn't have gotten this far. Instead, they kept pushing it to this point. I didn't mind it at first; it was refreshing after the last pair, they fell apart before the outbreak of Scarlet Iago. Now they're just a source of irritation."
"Because things didn't go as you were sure they would?" Reira inquired. "Or because you're bothered by their actions?"
"What would a copy understand about that?" The Crimson Tear asked scornfully.
"I'm you so I guess I can understand you best," she explained. "Like…when this all started. Why you reacted the way you did to the first pair that came to your grave in the Yuga Mountains…"
"Really?" The Crimson Tear sounded dully curious.
"It was because the man looked a lot like Him. While you barely remember the woman well what you do remember is how similar they looked to you and Him, down to him giving her his ring."
"And I made him and that woman suffer for it with that Curse," the Crimson Tear said, the words coming out before she realized it. "I…almost felt bad at the time when I remembered it wasn't Him.
"But it felt good too."
"It did," the Crimson Tear agreed. "The two of them were making vows to be together forever…It was so sickeningly sweet I just willed it to happen and before I realized it, they ended up fused like that. I was surprised at first. I had heard what a Crimson Tear could do but the power was amazing. I could do so much…it was a little comforting after being alone and without being interact from my prison."
"But you thought it was wrong, or least you did then. You were going to reverse the damage-"
"Until I saw how they treated each other after the casting of the curse," she interrupted. "It was humorous at first, seeing two who had been so much in love willing to rip out each other's throats within a day."
"It meant you weren't the only one to lose what seemed like a beautiful love," Reira said. "Soon after, people began to tell stories of the Crimson Tear of the Yuga Mountains."
"'A soul betrayed who died a gruesome death, betrayed by a loved one," the Crimson Tear said. "And they were right."
"But people kept coming anyway."
"And I kept playing my 'tricks'. One new 'trick' with my power each time, to see the extent of what I could do."
"Until a pair asked if there was a way to convince you to break the Curse."
"That was the first time I ever tried talking to someone. It was difficult since they weren't on the boarder of death but I managed to reach them in dreams. I talked about the tests on a whim," the Crimson Tear murmured. "They were such a loving pair…or I thought they were. Just like with the first couple, just like with my own love. They really were kind people and I thought..."
"You would be able to see something to prove 'love' could-"
"No, that's what you don't understand," the Crimson Tear said quickly."It was never about that…only about wanting to see what would happen. Just like all the other times I've watched.
"Every time it just proved something to me. Growing up, loving Him, I always thought love as something that was powerful, sacred. Now, after all this time of watching, I understand that love isn't that way at all. The idea of 'love' is weak. With enough pressure it just shatters. I died because of it and His love for his own position was more important than what we had and then the guilt stemming from our love was what caused him to kill himself. That, you should be able to understand."
"I do."
"Doing this was about more than just mere enjoyment or passing eternity. It's almost like watching those stories that the players at McNally's would run or the ones He would tell me. Watching tragedies feel more real than any happy ending ever could because unlike the classic happy endings you know tragedy actually happens, I lived a tragedy. The idea of 'happy endings' feel about as real as the idea of love."
"Beautiful but sad, that's why I liked tragedies the most," Reira said. "I used to love those stories the most. But now…"
"But now?"
"I'm just… becoming tired of constant tragedy."
The world of the Crimson Tear began to crumble away at its edges now…
"What do you see when you watch Revya and Gig then?" Reira asked. "Even after what's happening right now."
"There wasn't really anything there to begin with," the Crimson Tear replied. "The entire time they've been focused on the curse. Right now… the only reason he was so worried was because he was losing his way of breaking the curse."
"Then why didn't he just take your first offer when he had the chance?" Reira asked.
"The reason he helped her that far was because I made that second offer," the Crimson Tear bristled. "You know he's as much an idiot as he is stubborn. I can imagine the real reason he didn't accept the first offer was out of arrogance and pride."
"No, because it would mean she'd live," Reira retorted. "That's what he was focused on, not the curse. And Revya cared enough to let herself get nearly killed not because of the curse and cared enough to come back!"
"She came back because of your interference," the Crimson Tear snapped.
"Yes but she came back because of him, the same reason she initially came back when you released her. That's why she couldn't move on" Reira said firmly. "Don't you see that?"
"You heard her too," the Crimson Tear said acidly. "When she first came back here after leaving she said 'the curse still isn't broken yet', that's what she was focused on."
"You know that isn't all there was to it." A beat passed. "You're…I think I understand. You're doing what you accused Gig of…You're trying not to see the truth. You're afraid of having centuries of bitterness proven wrong."
"I'm trying not to make it anything more than it is!" The Crimson Tear snarled vehemently. "I don't need a copy pretending to understand anything."
There was a long pause.
"Then you really won't change your mind?" Reira asked. Something in her voice sounded…odd.
The two Crimson Tears fell into silence…
And suddenly, there was a familiar sound in the air.
"What are you doing?" The Crimson Tear asked, a twinge of worry in her voice.
"I'm just a creation you made for this world," Reira said solemnly. "Even if I'm a Crimson Tear, once this world dies, I'll die and return to being a part of you again. Just like all the other Reiras before me…just like you're other creations. That's why…that's why I don't want to let it end like this."
A beating pulse filled the air.
"Stop it," the Crimson Tear gasped. "You aren't the real thing. You're just a…cheap copy."
"I know, I'm just a shadow of you," Reira answered sadly. "But….that other witch said that even us, your creations, have our own will so as my last act I want to try. Even if I just end up shattering before I succeed."
The pulse echoed again, this time there was a second, involuntary pulse in sync with the first.
"You can't be serious," the Crimson Tear's voice was edged with something else now: fear. "You said you were a part of me so why are you doing this?"
"Because I've watched everything." The pulse grew stronger. "I've watched those two, I saw Lena, and above all…I've watched you. That's why I have be the one to make this judgment. It wouldn't matter what any pair did for you because you've already decided about them the moment you placed the curse. Even now, after all this you refuse to see anything more than what you want to see. Maybe it's because you've existed longer than me but I understand the reason why you lash out at close pairs, why you remain attached to this world, constantly replay your own tragedy, and why you're so upset watching those two right now."
"What are you talking about!? The only reason I still remain is because-"
"Because you don't understand love anymore."
"Love?" The Crimson Tear was taken aback. "I understand love well enough to understand that it brings an illusion of happiness that hides the reality of pain. It's selfish."
"It is."
"Then stop this before we both-"
The duel pulse however, intensified.
"Before, after my death, when you explained my situation and offered me revenge, I would have agreed with you. But now…" Reira's voice sounded more subdued now. "Love is selfish. It's…troublesome. It's even infuriating at times. But those aren't the only real things about it. The feelings felt from the time spent together, being able to have that much faith, the imprints left on each other's self, being able to care more about someone other than ourselves, and the long attachment that lasts even after death isn't an illusion, even when we fail to fully realize it ourselves. It's because those feelings last despite things such as selfishness that make it sacred, not weak."
"I don't believe you," the Crimson Tear's voice shook.
"You don't have to. Even if you keep refusing to see it a part of you already knows it's true," Reira said softly. "Me."
"You're just rambling now!"
"Heh...I'm sorry, but I can't help it. Especially now. I want a happy ending for once, not a 'beautiful but sad' tragedy` because constant tragedy isn't 'real' either. I don't want one not just for them but for us. We've existed for far too long…"
"No, I don't want to," the Crimson Tear whispered. The pulsing intensified. "Not again. I don't want to return to the darkness-"
"Death isn't so bad, we will finally be moving on," Reira said. "Maybe…we'll see Him…Liam again one day. Maybe next time will be different… But our time is over. It's time for all of us to return to the one that cares about us the most…"
The two red lights flared one final time…
Followed by the sound of something gently shattering.
----
As she opened her eyes, Revya found herself blinking her eyes repeatedly at the sudden flood of light. It wasn't the red light of the Crimson Tear though…
It was the sun.
She was back where everything began...
There was something heavy on her lower body.
The thing let out a groan, followed by a familiar string of curses.
When it looked up at her she found a pair of astonished blue eyes that mirrored her own expression. It didn't last for long before his quickly shifted to anger as he began ranting out at her but she could barely care at the moment. She ended up tightly embracing him, nearly knocking him over. He looked at her confused, though still admonishing her as he tried gently prying her off him for a short while.
But surprisingly, awkwardly, he returned it.
