Unmei Force Solitary Legends: Betrayed Soul
Prologue: Enthusiastic Journey
Serious A/N: A word of warning for you all. Much like Vengeance, this story delves into very dark themes. Although this story is fairly more light-hearted with some fluffy moments, there will be a lot of dark moments, especially when each sacrifice of the homunculi daughters happens in the future. Child abuse and labour will be most definitely present, with the former in Faust's case.
Inside the GFS Ryujin...
The bridge was without Richard for once, as the commander was absent, with one of the standby XOs on duty, maintaining order in the area. Gus then entered the room, as he looked around for someone, his head turning around frantically, before he then turned to the officer on duty.
"Excuse me, have you seem Richard, your commander, anywhere?" Gus asked. "We've searched most of the fortress, and we haven't found him. He hasn't made any messages to us regarding where he would be, and he disappeared off to who knows where. If you have an idea where he is, could you please tell me?"
"I have no idea either." The XO responded back, with a shake of his head. "I was merely told by the commander that I am to take his duties temporarily, until it is stated that he will relinquish the order. I hope that he is not gone for too long, Major Campbell, because I fear for his safety, as the leading figure of this army. If news spread that his whereabouts have been left unknown for a while... Then it would not bode well for the army morale and composure."
"I understand. We'll find Richard double-time, and ask what's going on with him." Gus nodded back, before he then opened his communicator to talk with the others. 'Guys, he's not at the bridge."
"Well, I checked the training rooms, twice even. He's definitely not in there, and that's one of the few places that he commonly goes to, to keep himself honed and fit." Fox's voice crackled through the communicator.
"The cafeteria and mess hall are bustling with soldiers and men, but I don't see him anywhere, and the people here are even helping me with that." Sanae added through her side of the communications.
"Checked the system logs for his room, he left quite early, but that's the single clue we can discern for now." Erika informed Gus.
"I've asked some of my fellow kin, as well as Rina, to help out in the search. They've investigated the eastern wings of the upper floors. So far, no sign or clue of his whereabouts." Reisen stated.
"Richard couldn't have left here... He's not that foolish to go on a mission alone, would he...? Even if he did, he would tell us." Gus stated, before he then recalled Richard's behaviour as they left the trial grounds. "I have a bad feeling about all of this. Hope I'm wrong..."
At this very moment, Thrawn entered the bridge, as he swapped his Empire uniform out for a black officer suit, with the insignia of the UGF forces over his breast, as he looked fairly amused.
"Well now, what is this I hear about your friend?" Thrawn asked, with a sly tone, as it attracted the attention of both Gus and the XO, as they turned around to face him, both with surprise, although with the XO, there was also hints of tenseness in it.
"Thrawn...?" Gus asked back.
"Head Military Advisor Thrawn!" The XO stated with a frantic tone, before he then corrected himself, before Thrawn could throw a look in his direction. "Apologies for my outburst, I was surprised that you would visiting my station when the commander himself is off duty."
"My best interests is to maintain this army." Thrawn responded back stoically. "Surely, despite the fact that you are acting command here, you wouldn't be inspected by me beforehand, would you?"
"No, sir." The XO shook his head. "You had me appointed for this role. I wouldn't question your judgement, and I can understand your reasons for checking on me. I'm sure that I've been running this base to a acceptable degree, but I will see if I can tighten up order around here."
"It's well so far. I'm expecting a lot worse when the one leading them has left. But much to my surprise, there is no anarchy nor disorder. Richard truly is impressive, if his fame and leadership is what ensured this." Thrawn stated. "Continue your duties. If you find the duties too challenging or stressful for you, then I shall take over temporarily if the matter is severe. Otherwise, I expect you to resolve it on your own."
"R-Right, roger that." The XO answered back.
"So... You've been wondering where Richard is, haven't you, Major?" Thrawn asked Gus.
"Indeed I have. He disappeared without any trace, and that has left us concerned." Gus answered back. "We're a team, and we fear the worst for him."
"You are indeed smart enough to assume the worst. But a team that is overly reliant on each other is bound to fail." Thrawn responded back, as Gus's expression dimmed hearing that. "However, I am not here to criticise the flaws within each of you. I am here to give you the answer you've been looking for. Take this. He has penned it himself, and told me to transfer it to any one of his companions that I can find. I decided to take a trip to the bridge, in order to 'kill two birds with one stone', as the saying goes."
Thrawn then handed the letter to Gus, as he folded it open, before reading the contents inside of it.
Dear friends, I would like to tell you that I will be departing from the Unmei Force temporarily. Before you overthink about things regarding my reason to make this choice, I will tell it to you straight. It's about what has been going on lately, and it has left me with a lot of mental strain. So I'll do something that a certain badass vampire does: Take a enthusiastic walk, or in my terms, a solo journey. By the time you've received this message from dear Thrawn, I will have relocated myself into a random dimension, as I like to take my chances. Don't you all worry though, you know that I'm a fairly tough cookie, and I won't waddle around worlds that are not suited for my liking. I've got my contingencies if this trip goes south. And if you guys try to get to me: DON'T. I need this time to myself, and I appreciate if you all would respect that. After all, I tend to get a little... unhinged from time to time, after the incident that changed me... But enough of that, all you need to know is that I'm somewhere in this vast reality, and that you all have nothing to worry about. I'll return when I feel like that I've wandered enough for my worries to seep out, and then you all can have that tearful and mushy reunion with me.'
P.S: If you are Gus, then you need to start learning how to be a good leader on the tactical aspect. Get Thrawn to train you while I'm away. He'll hammer all that knowledge into you. Hell, if you learn quick, you'll become more of a strategic genius than myself. Although you're going to have to catch up to months of progress I developed with him, so the bar's high. Still, don't let that stop you. I believe in you.
Yours Truly,
Richard Liu, Commander of the UGF and Leader of Unmei Force
Gus scanned the message once more, before he then felt frustration well up inside of him, as he firmly folded the letter back with a irritated sigh. "Seriously, Richard... at a time like this...?" Gus groaned.
"You seem to be dejected by the news. Is it the details inside of the letter that have left you like this?" Thrawn asked, taking the letter from Gus's hand.
"Yeah. Counting the brief moments within the Fates universe, and the Persona universe, this is the third time that he's been running solo. Both times went well, but I still worry about him." Gus stated. "And he stated that I should get some training from you, since you're good at teaching me to the tactical stuff. So..."
"In respect of Richard's favour, I will oblige to teach you, at a set schedule." Thrawn responded back, pocketing Richard's letter. "I warn you, I'm a very strict teacher, and I will ensure that you will turn your failures into lessons to further your successes, by all means necessary, even if it wears your mental fortitude down. The officers under my tutelage fear me for a good reason, for I have little mercy for ineptitude."
"Right..." Gus stated, trying to keep calm and stow away his anxiousness. "Richard mentioned that you've been doing things with him. How's that faring so far?"
"We've been getting to know each other, so to speak. War-games, games of intellect and wits, discussions about our ideals..." Thrawn answered back, before he gave off a faint smile. "I can tell you this, Richard still has much to learn, but in the same way, so do I from him. Whenever we connect through labours of tactics and knowledge, we progress each other. Hence between me and him... It is hard to discern who is teacher and who is student. I'd prefer to say we're... colleagues learning from each other."
"That's... surprising to hear." Gus admitted. "So... When do you believe that you'll be ready to teach me."
"You'll know." Thrawn cryptically stated, before he then left the bridge, leaving Gus and the XO in the bridge alone.
"Richard... I hope wherever you are, you don't kick up real bad trouble and get yourself in danger." Gus quietly stated to himself in a prayer.
Inside a unknown world...
Richard slowly exited through one of his sukimas, as his weapons were not on his body, although he could arm himself quickly in the face of danger, using his sukimas to acquire them. As his other foot stepped out of it, he then dusted his hands off with a smirk on his lips.
"Well now, I guess that I'm really doing this." Richard stated to himself, before his smirk faded away. "Still, I hope that the others can understand. I'm long overdue for some paid vacation. I can't be keeping watch over the others 24/7 every moment in our little space-fortress, and I need something to keep my head off everything that has been happening so far. Hopefully, I won't end up in a world where I have to deal with substantial problems. I came here to have a fun adventure to get myself a little happier for not having to take thing seriously for once."
He then looked around, as he found himself in some sort of large forest. "Hm. Interesting. I seem to have landed myself smack-dab inside some sort of great forest." He stated to himself, before he then peered in all directions that he could travel along. "Without a proper idea of the place, all I can do is to wander for a while until I find something or someone of interest."
Richard then walked through the forest, keeping track of where he was going, often backtracking to reinforce the mental map that he was making of the place. For a long while, he hasn't found any exits that lead out of the dense forest, nor did he find anything that would pique his interest, as the woods seem to be normal and peaceful, with the occasional forest critter crossing his path. However, the streak of mediocrity came to an end, when he stumbled upon a clearing in the forest.
When he reached it, he noticed that in the middle of the clearing was a fairly large house, who looked like it came out from the Medieval era, with metal chimney pipes and a side-tower on the top of one side of the house. Intrigued by the building, he approached closer to it, keeping his magic senses active to warn him about any nasty surprise that may lie in wait, only to be relieved that there was only a faint magic signature, one that was far too weak to even threaten him at all, although it did leave him curious. He looked up to the sky and noticed that it was night already, meaning that there was only the moonlight from above to illuminate the area around him.
He made it to the front door, before he then gave it a few knocks, and waited for a reply. However, none came at all, and the same results met him when he repeated the process several times, knocking harder each time, to the point that he was beginning to thump the wooden door, almost strongly enough to damage it. Annoyed at the lack of reply, he decided to use some of his magic to use. He conjured a small ball of water, before he then slowly eased it through the slips of the door. Twisting and turning to manipulate the flow of the water, he moved it into the lock keeping the door shut, as he unlocked it slowly and carefully, so as not to make loud noises to attract whoever the house belonged to, before it succeeded, allowing him access into the house.
He walked through the house, but not before he conjured a gentle flame on a finger to help light up his surroundings. The house itself seemed to look normal enough, with regular furniture strewn in all of the rooms, before he then decided to head to the upper floor, where he found himself in a hallway, which had six doors, three for each side, and a seventh door ahead of him. From there, Richard could sense the faint magic signature that he could pick up in the house. However, Richard didn't move closer to it, as he took a peer inside each of the rooms first, finding out that they seemed to look like bedrooms that only contained the barest of necessities without any decorations or adornments to make the room look welcoming or beautiful.
"Hm... Whoever owns this place doesn't welcome guests here usually, if at all." Richard frowned, before he then made his way to the door at the end of the hallway. "Now then, time to see what's going on the other side."
He then placed a hand on the door knob, before twisting it, as it was unlocked, and slowly opening the door to enter. When he entered the room, he noticed that it was quite dark, but he was still able to barely see things clearly in the thin darkness, where he could notice the bright moon through the window in front of him, as there was a short bookshelf underneath it. On one side was a large cabinet with the picture of a smiling girl, as well as a book laid on top of another shelf, with the contents open for him to see.
The picture and the book itself intrigued him, as he walked over to it, keeping the flame burning on his finger, while he used his other hand to touch the book. As he looked through it, the book seemed to look like it has been messily wiped clean, as there was remnants of the contents that formerly belonged inside of it, as he checked each and every page, which was bereft of any legible content, which made Richard grumble a little. He then turned his attention to the picture, as he moved his flame in front of it, in order to get a better look at the painting, which seemed to have a young girl with flowing black hair and brown eyes. When he looked at the painting, it reminded him of something, as he was left speechless.
"This person... She looks familiar somehow... I know only a few girls who would look like this... Could it be..." Richard stated, before he then spun around, before he then took a look at the opposite side of the room, as the discoveries left him even more shocked. On the other side was a large bed which seemed to contain the body of a slightly older version of the girl that he saw in the painting, dressed in a child's dress and a small puffy hood over her head, as her face was locked in a eternal grimace, and her skin looked fairly wilted, which made Richard a fair bit anxious, and a small furnace which was closed.
Richard stumbled towards the girl, as Richard took a closer look at the unresponsive girl, as he could see that she was most definitely not alive at all, yet her body still seems fairly fresh. "What is this... I don't sense any life from her... This is really itching at my memories here... I know that I've seen this before, but where...? A house in the forest, a enigmatic book which does not contain a single shred of information, and yet it lies open as if waiting to be read... And a girl who resides in this very house, as a preserved corpse..." Richard said to himself, before he then sensed around the room, before he then noticed that the magic signature inside the house was coming right from the small furnace itself. "I have a bad feeling about this... I think that I might have a idea which world I ended up in, and I hope that I'm not right at all..."
He then opened the small furnace, as inside of a small sphere which seemed to look shiny and glossy, as there was ethereal wisps emanating around it, as Richard was left surprised, as he could tell that inside this orb, was a soul, but he couldn't tell clearly whose soul it was. "A spherical prison for a soul... This is not looking good." Richard stated. "No... Although this narrows the possibilities... I cannot be sure of what is going on, without conclusive evidence. For all I know, this could be something that I might end up misunderstanding. If I could only check what kind of soul is inside there."
Richard then grabbed the soul orb, as it rested gently in the palm of his hand, while he extinguished the flame from his finger. He then clasped both hands around it, and closed his eyes, snaking his magic to connect with the soul orb slowly and carefully. When he did manage to make the connection, he was suddenly taken aback, as a surge of memories went through his head, all depicting the truncated journey of a man, starting from what seemed to be a simple homunculi, to a malicious and all-powerful warlock, who went back in time to ruin what seemed to be his past self, and then sealing his own very soul inside the soul orb. The last image that appeared in his head was the girl before him, opening her eyes, which were stained black with darkness from the possessing soul, and a twisted smile on her lips, as she pounced at Richard.
This caused Richard to let out a surprised cry, as he dropped the soul orb on the floor, which clattered on the ground, rolling along for a bit, before it stopped, while Richard himself fell backwards, and fell onto his bottom, as he looked at the rolling soul orb, then at the girl, as he was silent for a moment.
"...I see now... So in bitter irony for my actions, I end up being sent to this world... The world of My Lovely Daughter..." Richard remarked to himself. "That soul orb... there's no mistaking it with how the memories played out. That's the Master Warlock inside of there, and that's Arhea by the bed... The only person missing for this is Faust... He'll come here, and he'll realise what is going on, and begin all of this... He'll start doing the cruellest of things to revive his soulless daughter... by taking the lives of the homunculi he created, feeding them false love and care to garner their emotions, and then sacrifice them as energy for the soul. And all of it... will be in vain, as the cycle will repeat and repeat... Because the Master Warlock, he inadvertently locked himself in a time loop of suffering for himself..."
Richard then slowly rose up. "This place... I should have just went to the Underworld or some other world I recognised. But instead, in pure defiance with my rampant emotions, I throw myself right into this realm of despair... Everyone here is unwitting pawns to the ascent of a eternal darkness, and there is nothing to stop all of this from continuing..." Richard stated. "Unless... Unless I act first... Unless I shatter this cycle myself."
He then picked up the soul orb with his right hand. "This soul orb, the Master Warlock ensured that it would be durable enough to not be destroyed by conventional means. He would not let his plans fall to jeopardy that easily..." Richard continued. "But I'm not from here, so he won't account for my power. Just one attack... Just one attack and the cycle will be shattered free forever. Without a soul orb, there will be no way for the Master Warlock to take control of Arhea when Faust succeeds. Without this, the Master Warlock will cease to be, and in sacrifice for this cycle's Faust... The other Fausts will never have to share the same tragedy. Just this one thing..."
Richard then began to coat his hand with holy energy, as the aura began to lap around the soul orb gently, as the ethereal aura around it was flickering agitatedly, as if it was trying to resist Richard's power. "Arhea will certainly die if she is without any soul to resurrect her... But it's a small price to pay to end the Master Warlock, who would ruin lives in a endless cycle for the lust of power and wealth, as well as his ego, which started this entire loop in the first place. Not to mention that... It's a better alternative than to spend every loop having to be a soulless body waiting to be replenished. It would be mercy to her endless suffering."
Richard then increased his power, as the holy energy spread further on the soul orb, as it was beginning to bear down upon it, as Richard clenched his hand to add pressure to it, in order to crush it to pieces. However, as he tried to do that, he hesitated for a moment, as a memory flashed through his head, causing him to loosen his grip.
"But... even so... Even so... What's different between her and my sister from that hellish realm...?" Richard asked himself. "What would be the difference between them, who are repeatedly set up to meet their untimely demises...In that sense, Faust and I are similar and we have fallen the same... If I could redeem myself... then maybe Faust..."
Richard's words trailed off for a moment, as he mentally weighed upon his own actions, of whether to spare the soul orb and let events play along, or end this cycle, and deny Arhea the life she deserved, and Faust his only near-hopeless but still present chance to find a better ending for all of this, and break free of this cycle of suffering. After some thought, he made his choice, as he lowered the soul orb into the furnace.
"...It seems that I have chosen the merciful path for him then..." Richard stated to himself, looking at the soul orb. "If that's the case, then I will have to find a way to stop Faust from re-enacting the cycle. If I can understand this from a logical perspective, his fall attributed to two things. His lack of sympathy and care for homunculi, and a lack of means to see the truth before him, and find a way to set things right. I can deal with the latter, but that would require addressing the former... And Faust... the depths he would go to pretend to father them... It twists my heart how little he cares about them. There has to be some way to make him realise that the homunculi don't deserve to die for his goals, and that there is another way to fix this... If only there was-"
Richard then realised something, as his eyes widened. "Wait, that's it...!" Richard exclaimed. "If Faust could garner emotional energy from the homunculi by sacrificing them, then there should be other means that are less direct, but won't require the sacrifice of the homunculi itself." Richard stated. "But still, if I'm going to help him along, I'll eventually be forced to sacrifice them. But... if I can do it by my own hands... then I might be able to find a way to preserve their souls... They might be able to return to the physical world so long as there is a mean to recreate a body for them... And I think that keeping their souls... it will help me in undoing all of this as well. I need a means to preserve the souls myself... but how can I do that...? Either way, I need to help Faust along."
Richard then looked at the book on the top of the bookshelf, as he lifted it. "And perhaps... just perhaps... If I can use the book itself... I can use the knowledge inside to my own benefit." Richard stated, before he then smiled grimly. "I think that whatever I might do... It will be considered unethical and sick-minded... But for my own sake and my own sanity... It has to be done. And the others will come to realise that this will help the others as well."
He then heard footsteps coming his way, as he put the book down. "Faust is awake now...? I see. It's time for the act to begin... All I hope that this tragedy...will have means for me to change the tragic end that lies ahead into one that will bring hope back to this dark land." He stated to himself.
When the door opened again, Richard saw that the person who entered the room was a man with brown hair and brown eyes that looked fairly worn as if he was restless, and dressed in a a white coat and a black shirt, as well as having black socks and shoes on his feet. He looked around the room for a bit, before he then noticed Richard, as his eyes widened.
"Who... Who are you...!?" The man exclaimed. "Why are you here...?"
"I should be asking you the same question. I've done some investigating here, and suddenly you appear." Richard answered back stoically. "Why have you come here? I merely chanced upon this residence, and here I find some interesting things that require explanation."
"I... I do not know. I woke up in this residence, without much clue about what is going on around me." The man answered back, before he then raised a hand to his head, as if he was holding his head like it was aching. "It feels like I have been here for a long time... This scent... The wooden feel of this room... But where am I? I cannot remember anything about anything other than myself..."
"I do not care about your instincts, sir." Richard answered back dryly. "If you are curious to see the room for yourself. I start suggesting checking the body this young lady over on the bed. She does not seem to be alive at all, let alone well at all."
The man then turned to the body of Arhea, as he walked over, before he then got a closer look at her. "Oh dear Celestials, her face and body... They are pale... You are right, she is unmistakably dead, and yet her body is still reasonably intact... And that face... Is she my own daughter...? But she looks older than I recall... Is it really her? Arhea?" He stated.
He then suddenly collapsed on the ground, as if something jolted his head. "Argh! I cannot remember anything! If she is really my daughter, I cannot just leave her here and do nothing. I must find answers! I must know what is going on!" He exclaimed.
Richard then walked over to the man, before then forcefully pulling him up on his feet, with a serious and damning expression on his face. "That's your daughter, you say?" Richard asked back. "Do you recall anything about how she ended up like this? Because the fact that your own child's body is laid in bed is fairly solid evidence that you dabble in arts that are not legal or ethical at all. Speak, or I'll have you reported for dabbling in dark arts!"
"I do not know! But I would never harm dear Arhea like this! I must find a way to fix her condition. Perhaps... Perhaps there's a way to return her back to life... But how...?" The brown-haired man answered back, before he then walked over to the furnace, and opened it to see the soul orb inside of it. "This...! I cannot believe it! This is a soul orb, pure and intact! Only alchemists of extremely high mastery could hope to create a soul orb, let alone create one that is without flaw like this one! But it's supposed to be a forbidden act. Why would this be here... Unless, that soul orb has the soul of my daughter here! Why would someone entrap her soul in the orb, separate from her body...! No wonder she is dead, a body without soul is left in a vegetative state. But if it's here, with the right means, I can restore her soul back in her body and get her back... But the orb, it's faint... I don't have much time...! I need something to feed it energy to sustain it further!"
"And how do you intend to do that? I have heard of soul orbs as well, but I would never think that something like this would happen." Richard answered back. "...Very well, this convinces me fairly that you did not commit this atrocity. For now, I shall do all I can to assist."
"...I don't know who you are, but I thank you for helping me out." The man answered back. "I should introduce myself. My name is Faust. I am a alchemist who has spent years delving into the advanced arts of it. I don't know what happened in the past, but something terrible must have happened for both me and Arhea to end up in this situation."
"I see. You can call me Raison." Richard answered back. "You could consider me to be a practitioner of magic. I have delved in elemental magic and some alchemy, so I think that I might be of some help to you, in several different ways."
"Right... So the only way to strength a soul orb's intensity, is to feed it spiritual energy." Faust stated. "If I could use the ingredients I found earlier, it would be enough to transmute a living homunculus for me, one that would be sufficient to feed the soul enough to allow it to endure for longer. Transmuting a homunculus... That's the problem, I don't know how to do it, and I've never seen it in action. Yet my mind has the faintest traces of memories of performing this before. Either way, the transmutation circle is require to start with, and it has to be the right pattern. Why can I not think of it, if I have known it before...!? There must be clues around here. Raison, do you have any idea where I could find a book to help me?"
"I have found what seemed to be a blank book, but there is something inside of it, which is not revealed yet." Richard answered back, as he picked up the book sitting on the shelf. "I'm willing to chance upon the idea that this item is soul-bound to someone, so that the contents inside of it will not be disclosed to the unauthorised. Perhaps you are the one that the book will recognise as a party allowed access to it."
"The book, it calls to me...!" Faust exclaimed, before he then snatched the book from Richard's hand, before he then flipped it open to the first pages, as they slowly restored themselves before both of their eyes. "The book, it's revealing itself to me. The transmutation circle, there are failed attempts, but the correct circle is shown, as well as the materials that could be used to transmute homunculi... This must have belonged to a master alchemist."
He then flipped through the pages, as they seemed to be still empty. "The other pages are still too faded to make out what is inside of them." Faust stated, before he then closed the book. "But these first pages are all I need to start this. Even if this book is faded, and might not show more to me, I can still use the pages to record my experiment notes. Now then, all I need to do is use something to inscribe the transmutation circle."
Richard then looked around, before he then opened one of the shelves, and finding a dark coloured chalk inside of it, as it emanated magical energy. He then picked it up and showed it to Faust. "Will this suffice, Faust? I can sense that this chalk has uses as a tool to inscribe magical formation." Richard stated.
"Yes, that should be enough." Faust stated, before he then took it, and took the moment to inscribe the magic circle shown in the book on the ground, carefully and slowly, before he then dusted his hands off. "There... That should do it. The pattern seems to match the one in the book almost identically. I think that I can proceed with the transmutation experiment. I need to have the ingredients inside the three points of the circle, and then infuse it with magic."
"I'll provide you with the latter." Richard assured Faust. "Where did you say that the ingredients you have found were?"
"I have them on body." Faust answered back, before he then placed down several withered branches on the circle's points. "Now then, Raison, if you could... I wonder if you have enough power to do this?"
"Worry not, Faust. I have far more than enough power to catalyse the transmutation." Richard responded back, before he then placed his palm out, as blue magic energy seeped from it in the form a opaque mist, that floated down into the magic circle, which sucked it in, as the magic circle turned blue, as the outer ring of runes began to spin, before there was a bright flash of light, causing them to both shield their eyes.
Before them, standing on the circle, was what seemed to be a dryad girl, which seemed to be more tree than human, with bark-like skin, entwined roots for legs, and wooden claws on her fingers, and small leaved branches sprouted from her roots and arms. She also had a skirt of green leaves, and her chest was completely bare. She had green leaves that looked like hair, which was short and flowing, as well as a cute red flower on top of her head. Her hollow eyes met with Richard and Faust.
"Fa... ther...? Two...?" The homunculi girl spoke a raspy voice.
"Incredible...! It worked without any fault...! Raison, you have managed to do this much for me!" Faust exclaimed with what seemed to be triumph. "I still do not believe it, with a magic circle and these flimsy ingredients, I have created a functional homunculi before me... But that's only the first step, I'll need a place to store it."
"Store it for what...? I thought that we require her to feed the soul orb?" Richard asked Faust.
"We will need a room large enough to perform the sacrificial ritual to consume the homunculus." Faust answered back. "Hopefully, this should be enough to feed the soul orb."
"What...?" The homunculi stated. "What... is...?"
"...I see." Richard stated with a calm expression. "You and I have seen that there are enough rooms up here to store at least 6 guests, or six homunculi in this case. I do have a request though."
"What is it?" Faust asked back.
"Faust, although you might have a good idea how to do alchemy, I think that you should leave the sacrificial rituals to me." Richard answered back, before shaking his head. "It's not that I believe that you won't be able to do it, but I would be able to achieve more out of the ritual if I was the one to perform it. After all, between you and me, I have the greater link to the esoteric and astral side of magic here, so I would be more suited for the job."
"Very well." Faust stated. "I'll trust you to do it for me then. Take the soul orb, it is necessary for the ritual itself."
Richard nodded, before he then took the soul orb, before he walked towards the tree homunculi, who looked at him with confusion in her eyes.
"You. You said that you acknowledge us as your father?" Richard asked back, to which the homunculi nodded hesitatingly. "Very well, then come with me. You'll need a place to reside in."
Richard then led the homunculi outside the room, as he then led her into one of the rooms in the hallway, as they then stopped in the middle of the room.
"Father... What do you... want...?" The tree girl spoke with a broken tone and voice.
Richard closed his eyes, as he steeled his heart for what he was about to do, as he pulled out the soul orb in one hand, while engulfed the other hand in blue energy. "...Forgive me." He spoke in a solemn voice.
He then thrust the aura-coated hand through the centre of the tree-girl's chest, as her expression twisted into one of horror and shock, as she then let out a ear-piercing shriek, as she fell forward as blood-like sap leaked on the ground. As he did, the soul orb in Richard's hand reacted, as it absorbed the homunculi's body in motes of light, leaving behind a branch, as withered as the one that Faust used to create her. The soul orb itself was burning more brightly, as Richard glared at it with disdain.
"I hope you choke on that soul. Soon enough, your time will come." Richard hissed at the soul orb, before he then pocketed it, picked up the branch, and left the room.
When he re-entered Arhea's room, Faust was looking at him with anticipation. "So... What has happened...?" He asked Richard.
"It sustained the soul, that's a given. Although I have bad news for you as well." Richard answered back. "The soul orb itself, it's only been sustained. I found out something terrible about the soul orb: It lacks any substance."
"...What...?" Faust asked back, as his expression shifted into confusion and dread. "What do you mean... it lacks any substance...?"
"The soul inside there is still intact. However, as it is now, the soul is a empty husk. It is nothing like what it used to be." Richard answered back. "Faust, are you aware of the four main components of the human psyche?"
"Yes, I do. It has been written before. They are Anger, Fear, Joy and Sadness." Faust answered back. "If there is a imbalance in one of these four attributes, then a person is bound to suffer from mental illnesses... Wait, do you mean...!?"
"Yes, the soul inside is completely emotionless, not a single shred of the four affinities inside of it." Richard answered back. "I wouldn't infuse the soul merely because it has been strengthened. Even if you succeeded in shoving this empty soul inside of Arhea, it would change nothing, as a empty soul is no better than having no soul at all."
"Then how are we supposed to garner these affinities...!?" Faust exclaimed with desperation in his voice "These are things that are not tangible in the physical realm...! Some way, there has to be some way to fill that soul orb with the mental affinities...? The book might have answers for this!"
He then flipped open the book, as one of the pages was restored, as it showed Faust that sacrificing Homunculi could potentially transfer mental affinities to another soul, but the means were left unknown, as it flustered Faust. However, when he turned the page, he found an entry on the homunculi that he created, the Tree Homunculi, which was a homunculi capable of gathering Sadness.
"Sadness... I see... So merely sacrificing the homunculi is not enough." Faust stated under his breath, before he closed the book. "They seem to be able to gather these affinities within their own artificial bodies, which somehow allow them to possess emotions and personalities of their own. Their own psyches must be tempered through social interaction and exposure to these affinities. Only then, will the sacrifice be of any use, in order to fill the soul orb with these affinities."
"So there is a reason why the sacrifices are necessary." Richard answered back, before he then sighed deeply. "Faust... I don't know if this would be the right way to do all of this, but as of now, this is the only way we have. Even if it seems cruel, we can only begin with this for now. Perhaps... I might have a way to speed up that process, and ensure that the results will receive maximum benefits for us, so that we will be washed of our hands with this cruelty as soon as we can."
"...Don't be fooled, Raison. Although these homunculi possess emotions and sentience, there are merely creations, who only act human, to their own twisted benefits." Faust stated, before his expression softened. "Yet still... you have a point regardless. The sooner we can end this, the less of this we'll have to do. Somehow... it leaves me with a ill feeling thinking about doing all of this sacrificing."
Richard's expression shifted into surprise for a moment. 'Faust... He has a hint of reluctance about all of this...?' He thought to himself. 'Then maybe there is hope that I can turn his opinions and thoughts of the homunculi around. He is sorely mistaken, if these homunculi's emotions are artificial as he sees them as. If only I could find a way to prove it solidly, and break through that dark determination to save his daughter... Then there lies the way to a better ending to all of this.'
"Raison, are you well?" Faust asked Richard, who was silent in thought.
"Faust...? No, I'm fine. I'm just a little worried about all of this." Richard answered back. "You need not worry about me. Although I might come to regret all of this later, I think that I can bear with it, as long as there is only a few sacrifices needed to restore your daughter's soul back to normal. The question is, do you have any more ingredients that can be transmuted?"
"Not as it is now." Faust shook his head.
"Then we'll need to search for ingredients when morning comes next." Richard answered back. "Faust, if this is your house, do you have a place to rest for me?"
"There is. Downstairs, there is a bedroom that used to belong to my wife. She has been long dead when Arhea was so young." Faust answered back. "You can take up residence there. Raison, before you turn in for the night, I would like to state that your help is much appreciated."
"I thank you for your gratitude. Hopefully it continues." Richard answered back, before he then left the room, before he then went downstairs to enter the bedroom, which seemed to look like a regular room, as the curtains were closed, and there was a lone queen-size bed in the middle on the right wall, with a lantern on the side of the bed.
"...So begins my walk into hell." He stated to himself, before he then climbed onto bed, and slowly let himself fall to sleep. "All I hope... is that there won't be as much suffering if I help Faust achieve his goal, compared to if he was forced to work alone..."