Chapter 7: Ever-distant Dream, The Mountains End
The water was tepid, as if it had just been pulled from a warm bath, or a sickly, bloated corpse. Gentle waves bobbing up and down, rippling along the river. A sickly shade of green with a pungent aroma of rotten compost or rancid manure wafted through the air. An oily scum floats on the surface of the water, floating like gelatine on a thin broth.
The river ran through the city's heart, cutting it in half. They were in the heart of it, overlooking the river bay on one of the few bridges constructed. Unlike most of the buildings in this city, the bridge looked modern, built of grey sandstone. It was one of the few things that looked well constructed.
Rotten wood boats bobbed on the water, each with thick green slime encrusting the sides of the boat. The boats were made from lengths of wood lashed together with rusted nails.
The smoke of the city rose into the air. The constant wave of black plumes billowed out of the town, permeating the sky. Shirou felt the darkness of the city on his tongue, a taste of blackness, like a sickening, oily taste.
Shirou looked around at everything. The city was hazy, the buildings blurred, distorting the world of their existence. The distant structures were like figures emerging from a fog, shapes shrouded in the mist, deformed like a creature in a nightmare.
The sound of the city's whirring clocks, the clicking of gears and cogs, the constant hum of electricity, the clatter of wheels and hooves, the screeching of metal and concrete, the dull, beating drum of a failing heart.
Ensia's face expressed disappointment. Her eyes are half-lidded, her brow drooped, her cheekbones sunken, and her lips pressed together. A grim face matched by every other person who passed by them. Her vision of a bustling, lively city was shattered shortly after she left the military facility.
She wore a tight mouth smile, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Her smile looked like a broken, hand-crafted clockwork, soldered and filmed. The attempt at happiness sits like a lump on her face, a mask of her face, a bronze cast melted into a shape that does not belong to her.
She leaned on the railing of the bridge, staring at the river below.
Pity. Shirou had been feeling a lot of this when he looked at Ensia. She'd had a lot of stress in such a short time, and the least she wanted was a lovely day touring the city. Her childlike excitement melted away before his eyes.
Ensia tugged on her shirt, which was wrinkled by the day's heat. Her dark black skirt was covered in dust, and her shoes had long since been worn beyond their smooth finish. Her grey eyes were clouded like the weather, and her expression was dull. She sighed, her shoulders drooping and her head bowed down.
Shirou put his hand on her shoulder.
She tensed from the contact, but didn't pull away. She sighed once more, raising her head to face Shirou.
"You alright, Ensia?" Shirou asked.
"Eh?" She blinked her eyes, startled for a moment. Her laughter was bitter. "I know, I'm…" She sighed again, closing her eyes. "I'm just tired. You should go on ahead. I'll catch up."
He raised his eyebrow. "Don't be an idiot" Shirou flicked Ensia on the forehead, causing her to flinch.
"You expect me to leave you in a shady spot in town after all that's happened?" Shirou shook his head, "C'mon. Let's talk elsewhere; it's busy around here."
Shirou held his hand out to her. Tentatively, she accepted it, taking his hand in hers. It was warm and soft, like a kitchen sponge fresh out of a hot water rinse; it was smooth, like a marble statue in the afternoon sun.
He gently pulled her away from the bridge, navigating through the streets like a maze, weaving through the crowds. Ensia stumbled behind him, her gaze darting around the city's busy life. People were everywhere, the sounds of horses neighing and the clattering of wheels echoing throughout the streets. She clung to Shirou's hand, and he smiled back at her as he led her through the crowds.
The crowd was like the river, everyone moving around each other's paths like water around rocks. People on the streets, their clothes and armour flapping in the wind. The shops on either side of the road are packed with goods, the vendors themselves protected by their wares.
They stopped in front of a large metal gate. It looked like a black dragon's maw, its teeth the spikes, its tongue the bars, through it; a park, full of life, flowers and trees and statues. The sound of birds fills the air, twittering and squawking, a green oasis in a city of smog. Their hands separated, Shirou looked back at Ensia, who was redder than an apple, her face scrunched up like a tiny ball.
He pushed the gate open, stepping into the park.
Shirou and Ensia walked down the pathway, winding past trees and bushes, the towering trees' leaves forming a canopy of green. The light of the sun filtered down through the leaves, filling the park with a warm, light haze. A breeze wafted through the grass and flowers, a gentle, warm wind that smelled of freshly baked pastries.
They stopped by a pond, the water still and calm. Loud, cheerful birds swooped above the water, dipping in and out of the water. A frog jumped from the water, landing on a lily pad. It stared at the birds with its large, black eyes, its cheeks bulging with air, ready to sink a jet of water at a moment.
"This place is so pretty." Ensia gushed. She skipped down to the pond, standing at its edge.
"Yeah." Shirou agreed.
Ensia was quiet for a moment, watching the birds. She smiled at one bird in particular, as if it prompted a distant memory. The bird was a small, slender bird, its body covered with brown plumage, speckled with white spots. It has a slim, slightly curved beak, with a black tip.
Minutes passed by, silent and comfortable, as if they were the only two people in the park. The sounds of the city faded, and they seemed distant, as if they were in their own little world.
Ensia broke the silence first.
"Hey Shirou?" Ensia turned to Shirou.
"Yeah?" Shirou lounged back into the bench, sitting on his back on the seat, his legs spread.
"It's pretty nice here" she said, looking around at the lush greenery. "All my life, I've only ever seen the white hills and mountains of Kjerag" She smiled wistfully, rubbing her arm with the other.
"A scene like this park and the fields outside this city could only be seen in pictures and told by word of mouth."
"This all must've been a hell of an experience for you then"
"Well, the city itself stinks, but I guess there are some good parts to it" Ensia rubbed her neck, "The countryside seemed so much more vibrant, I guess I just had too high an expectation"
Shirou recalled their journey through the rolling fields outside of Ascarat. Green and gold hills, like a long wave, with perfectly round curves, arid and baked like a thousand scorching days under their own sun, dusted with seeds that bounced and rolled with each grazing step.
The sight of the countryside reminds him of home, though it's not quite the same. He still remembers it fondly.
It felt strange returning to the hectic pace of a city after months of peaceful and relaxed living in Kjerag. A vast expanse of snowy mountains, spanning as far as the eye could see, was replaced by crowded streets. Instead of the silence of the mountains, hawkers, merchants, and the hustle and bustle of people filled the air.
Ensia stretched her arms, yawning. She then rubbed her bare arms, adjusting her clothes.
"Why were you so adamant about going to Londinium, anyway?" Shirou asked, resting his neck on the top of the backrest.
Ensia had been excited about coming to Victoria specifically for a city that had an oddly familiar name. She looked crushed when Enciodes told her she wouldn't be going.
"Oh! It's because it's the capital of Victoria! I heard so much about it from Vea" Ensia counted her fingers, flicking a finger up every point she made, "The flea markets, vintage shops to luxury department stores."
"The music houses, theatres to the museums!" Ensia said, an explosion of passion and excitement spread across her face and body language. "It's a centre of culture and history!"
"Vea said it was one of the most beautiful places she visited." Her eyes sparkled and her brows raised.
Her ears turned red, her eyes sparkled as big as saucers and conveyed the purest feelings of joy. Her smile was infectious, her body moved with the same excitement to where she could barely contain herself.
Vea, Shirou figured she had something to do with this. The elderly woman who mostly gushed about how Ensia was as a kid, being insistent on him staying at her home until she finishes her stories. She seemed to have lived an exciting life, one Ensia hopes to live as well.
From the whole attack to having to move immediately without even saying goodbye, he wondered how she felt about the whole thing. It would have been a little worrying if the Enciodes hadn't left some soldiers to guard the village. Hopefully, he could send a letter to her.
"I'm guessing Ascarat didn't quite match up to Londinium in that description" Shirou said, a tinge of amusement was present in his voice. It was an understatement of the extreme, the condition the city is in and the environment the people have to live in isn't exactly the epitome of comfort and luxury.
"No..." Ensia said in a quiet, disappointed whisper.
"Well, you'll eventually get the chance to visit someday, right?" Shirou reassures, watching the sunlight pierce through the tree leaves.
He originally thought this world was set in a medieval-like era, only to be proved wrong as soon as Enciodes arrived. If Londinium was the capital of Victoria, then surely the city would have the appropriate travel routes and infrastructure to justify that title.
"I don't really know" Ensia mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Shirou lifted his head. The expression on Ensia's face seemed pained.
Ensia rubbed her arm, refusing to look at Shirou in the eyes. Her eyes were planted at her shoes. "Shirou, do you know why I have that meeting with Rhodes Island?"
"... I can take a guess. "
"Do you know what being Infected means?" Ensia bit her bottom lip, shuffling uncomfortably in place.
He had first heard of them during their journey here, when Enciodes remarked on them in an offhand manner.
"- like the people in the rookeries and work camps?"
Shirou had not expected to experience the conditions that the Infected were going through first hand. He doesn't think Enciodes had expected it either.
The scent of decomposing meat, butchered and gutted, was open for all to see. bodies packed closely together, sweat and tears seep through the walls, the thin sheet of their home. The stench is overpowering, clogging the nose and throat. Homes stacked together, siding with cracked walls, roofs caved in. A chorus of heavy breathing, of whimpers, a symphony of the damned echoing through the streets. People slept shoulder to shoulder in beds of garbage. They wandered through the forlorn streets, waddling around like zombies, shuffling and scraping with their feet, their legs like chewing gum. They wailed and cried out for help, for their mothers and fathers and siblings, but no one came. Their cries turned to whimpers in the night, sobs and sighs of quiet desperation as the nightmare went on and on.
They were skeletons wrapped in skin, eyes hollow and sunken, skin as brittle as sandcastles, teeth worn thin. Black crystals ate away at their bodies, some engulfing them whole. The crystals gleam like obsidian, a dark black, shiny and smooth like a mirror.
Their faces were listless and hopeless. Some were gaunt and hungry, their eyes dull and sunken, their skin was pale and sickly, as if milk had replaced their blood. Their clothes were tattered, the fabric worn thin, almost skeletal. No matter where Shirou looked, he could see their pleading eyes, begging for him to help them, to save them, to kill them.
Though monsters exist, but they are too few to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common man, the functionaries are ready to believe and to act without asking questions. To commit such heinous actions to their fellow human, if he could even call them humans.
Humans have always despised each other, and their proclivity for murder has been both a brilliant trait and a stain. The ability to do so defines them, and humanity's history paints the image of the story. The sword, the arrow, even the hands and feet of peasants and soldiers fighting in a conflict would not have existed if humans were not eager to harm one another. The sword did not come into being by itself; it was born as a weapon. The spear was not produced by nature; it was invented by people who wanted to murder each other.
He has seen it. At night, glimpses, visions, dreams. Every time he used that card, it became more and more vivid, more surreal.
No matter what the world, hatred will always exist. Man will always want to destroy whatever moves or seems different from himself. Worlds of unending war, infinite cycles of violence and promises, endless war weapons and endless war techniques: a world of endless war, relentlessly, endlessly, without pause, respite, mercy, or end.
Even now, humans all over the world are at war. Their weapons are as varied and strange as the people themselves. Ostracism, imprisonment and genocide.
He thought it would be different here. But it's all been the same.
Loathing each other solely for the sake of it. Despising one other just for existing. Despising one other because of the five senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound. Despising each other because of the beauty of blood and death. Despising one other for the pleasures and sorrows of job, food, and sex. Despising each other for being brave and not realising that bravery is unachievable. Despising one other for not knowing how life began or ended.
World peace is just a dream, a dream that will never come true.
The false dream of the world and the false dream of humanity.
It was a beautiful and happy dream, a dream that could never become a reality. It was a beautiful dream that the world never wanted to see.
Humans can never be happy. They will never know peace.
Such was the world.
Miyu.
A world existing beyond his dreams, a world he never saw before, a world where Miyu can be happy.
While it cannot be done, it must be done.
He vowed to achieve such a feat.
His impossible wish.
All for Miyu, for her to live her life with no regrets.
His old world and this current one, he had to have been left behind. There is no other way his wish could've been granted.
He pledged to turn every stone on this planet to look for her, anyway. For what other purpose does he have left?
"Yeah... that's what happens when you come into prolonged exposure to Originium" Ensia sighed, tired, defeated. "Oripathy, incurable and guaranteed death unless treated"
"Victoria is not even the worst nation in terms of their treatment of them"
Shirou crossed his arms, "-From where you're going with this, are you...?"
Ensia nodded, closing her eyes. She gave a mirthless smile. It burned itself into her face, as if to mask the pain, to hide it from the world.
"Oh" Shirou said, taking a pause.
"I've- had it for a little while now", Ensia rubbed her hands together. "I'm really sorry I didn't tell you earlier"
"I didn't want you to fear me or treat me differently," Ensia said, opening her eyes again. Shirou could see how tired and hollow they were. Ensia smiled, a weak and tired smile. "but don't worry! The medical staff at Rhodes Island say person-to-person transmission is highly unlikely!"
Shirou shook his head furiously, His hands ball into fists, his knuckles turned white.
"What do you mean you've been infected for a while?!" Shirou stood up from the bench, approaching Ensia.
"It's kind of hard to explain," Ensia said, putting her hand on his arm.
"Doesn't that mean you're going to die?" Shirou's eyes were fierce and solemn. He was going to push Ensia to talk and to look him in the eyes. He wanted to see the truth. He knew it was there. "Why haven't you tried seeking treatment for it earlier?" Shirou grabbed her shoulders, rocking her forward and back.
Ensia tensed when Shirou touched her. She looked into his eyes, but did not relax. "I had my reasons, alright?" she told him. Her hands moved to Shirou's arms and gently pushed them away from her shoulders.
"Do you remember my dream? To climb Mount Karlan?"
"What does that have to do with this?" Shirou's eyes narrowed.
Her thin, soft smile was like a maiden's lament. Her lower lip quivered as it hung half-open. "My siblings" She let out a sigh, a rusty sigh from deep below the great salt sea that rises and falls at the world's stormy ceiling.
"It may not look like it, but the three of us were inseparable once"
"Even when our parents were killed, Enciodes took care of us until we were old enough to look after ourselves" Ensia walked past Shirou, making her way to the bench. "He left for Victoria when we were old enough to look after ourselves"
Ensia plopped down on the bench and leaned against the wall. It creaked in response. "The man who came back is not the man we knew," she continued.
"It's like he's someone completely different."
"This was a man who returned from the real world. It was like he grew old and crippled all in a few years. He was stronger than anyone else in the world, but weak at the same time. Alone."
Ensia stared at her shoes. She let a moment of silence blanket the area.
"He forced Enya to take the Saintess trials"
"The ritual, to become a Saintess, no one could've done it, it's tantamount to suicide" Ensia paused, lifting her gaze to the sky.
"But my sister did it. She was deemed worthy by the Goddess and was given her protection"
"My sister, someone who loved staying at home, knitting and reading books, scaled a mountain that was perilous to most people, while performing religious rituals at the same time" Ensia's eyes were glassy with tears she had yet to shed, her hands gripped the edge of the bench.
"What..."
"And I knew that either way, whether Enya died or succeeded, I would never see her again" She was quiet for a moment, then continued.
"They both wanted to change Kjerag, but I didn't want to sacrifice our bond or lives for it" Ensia clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Bit selfish of me"
"The Saintess can never leave the mountain" Ensia winced. "I can't fathom how she feels being trapped on that mountain peak. I get glimpses of her feelings with the rare and secret letters she sends me."
The feeling of loneliness had plagued the back of his mind for a while now. Sometimes it was a vast and obvious force in his psyche, other times a small and insidious entity. It crept in slowly, with the night and the darkness.
He had tried ignoring it ever since he got here, but it was always there.
If he scoured every country, every city and every inch of this planet- only to realise Miyu wasn't here and he was truly alone.
He doesn't know what he would do.
He could relate to Ensia's sister in a way.
"This has been the first time I've seen Enciodes around in a long time" Ensia
"I love them, I love them both so much"
"So, I can't let things be as it is"
"And how are you going to do that by killing yourself climbing a mountain?" Shirou stared at Ensia, his eyes unwavering. "Your sister can't even leave the mountain. What are your plans even if you get up there?" Shirou said, his voice quiet, barely louder than a whisper.
"Force her down the mountain?"
"I don't know..."
"All I can do is climb. It's all I have and is what I am," Ensia said. "Compared to them, I'm nobody."
"There is no way for the three of us to be as we once were."
"But if there were anything I could do to reunite them, I'll gladly do what it takes."
"I'll reach the summit. I have to talk to Enya and figure out a way to bring us three back together."
"I want to live, but I want to live with them. I don't want to be a saint or a corpse. I want to be alive and together with them." Ensia stared at the sky. "As long as I have a chance, I'll do all I can to reach that dream."
She lifted her hand up, grabbing nothing but air, squeezing at the sunlight showering her face.
Ensia lifted her skirt a tad, the skin on her thigh was crystallised, it was like a black mould, obsidian crystals melded into her skin like a graft, it was smooth and shone like black glass, the skin it bordered had cracked and peeled away.
"My first attempt at climbing, it was like the Goddess herself wanted to punish me." Ensia grazed the infected site with her fingers, her nails tapped the crystals, a glassy clink sounded with each tap. "Landslide came out of nowhere, no weather warning signs, nothing"
"I survived the ordeal but not without an Originium shard piercing my leg" Ensia caressed her leg.
"And- I guess that's that"
"You had to get medical help somehow, your brother must've realised- "
Ensia interrupted, "No... Weiss, and I got into an argument, but I convinced him to stay quiet"
"How the hell did you get him to do that?"
"Not easily, but I have my ways" Ensia smiled coldly.
"My brother found out eventually, he was already arranging my treatment with Rhodes Island, but I guess he's doubling down on it ever since the attack"
"You're a moron" Shirou sighed in defeat. He sat next to her on the bench.
Ensia laughed. Her bitter laughter was as acidic as molten aluminium, burning her throat.
After that revelation, Shirou and Ensia left the park behind them. The skies darkened, and the streets they walked were lit by lamps and lanterns, the faint lights from the houses above them gave them a dancing mirage of shadows. Shirou couldn't think of anything to say.
Ensia just walked along the streets, keeping pace with Shirou. She didn't even bother to look at him. Her eyes were dead. She was replaying the conversation they just had.
He was in a similar state. They were both lost in thought. Neither wanted to be the one to speak first. His throat felt dry and constricted, like a heavy weight was pushing down on his chest.
Shirou's ears perked up at the sound of faint footsteps. It was a hushed, subdued tread, more like that of a small animal anxiously traversing a busy city intersection than that of a person with a purpose. He can hear the soft sound of leather soles on the cobblestone floor. He can also hear the uneven shuffling of feet, like a person dancing a minuet and trying to move in time to music they can't hear. A shadow flickered at the edge of his vision.
Shirou tensed up, eyes narrowed, his body became coiled like a snake ready to strike. He grabbed Ensia's arm, rounding the corner to the right, his shoulder brushed against the wall as he pulled Ensia with him. Shirou slipped into the shadows, his body as motionless and still as the shadows themselves.
Shirou held his breath. His eyes darted left and right, searching for any movement. He looked up when one lantern above them briefly sputtered, dying out for a split second, and then relit, casting the area in a warm yellow light, before fading away again.
Motes of blue light emerged from his hands, morphing and forming into a familiar shape. The handle of Bakuya welcomed his right hand. The white blade, its pristine, clear against the black leather grip, its edge as sharp as a blade of grass. Ensia peered out from behind Shirou. Her eyes widened, her hand shot towards her ice-pick on her hip, but she found nothing, forgetting that she was in casual attire.
"Shirou!" She hissed, "Shirou what's wrong?"
Shirou put a finger to his lips, ushering her to silence. He peered past the corner of the wall.
A man stepped into view, emerging from the shadows, their face hidden by the cowl of their cloak. The man adorned a heavy black overcoat, lined with navy blue accents, emanating with strength and power. It hung like a wall of armour. His head was covered in a helmet, goggles covered his eyes. He had a military backpack covered in pouches of various sizes, straps, zippers, and loops. Charcoal black, its canvas material bearing obvious signs of wear. The straps creaked and groaned under the weight.
Though their face was hidden from view, Shirou could sense a tinge of panic from the way they moved, like they had lost sight of their prey. The figure scanned and surveyed their surroundings, turning their head at a fast pace, taking in the area.
Shirou let go of Ensia's hand, taking advantage of the man's turned back. Shirou threw Bakuya towards the man. The blade whistled through the air. A metallic twang rang out, followed by a dull thunk as the blade found its mark, sticking the end of the weapon in the cobblestone road.
The man let out a sharp, loud gasp. He turned around and found Shirou holding another pair of traced weapons in his hands. He had barely dodged the speeding projectile and his hand raced towards his back, unsheathing the sword that was in his bag.
The sword groaned and threatened to snap as it stopped downward a blow from Shirou's swords. The man was wide-eyed. Shirou's face was still yet calm. He flowed like water through rock. The man was losing his centre of gravity. Shirou could see the man's arms shaking. The man's sword was pushed towards the ground. Shirou raised his leg and kicked the man in the stomach, sending him airborne.
The man rolled and tumbled to the ground. The man was on his feet, hands shaking, his face still hidden under his helmet. Shirou could feel the panic emanating from him in waves, and he could hear his breathing. The man turned around, tugging at his face cover.
The man's face was youthful, maybe even younger than him. Shirou looked harder at him.
His face was clean-shaven, the man's face was rather soft, he had a strong jawline, and his cheeks were puffed out, giving him a rugged face that was just touching maturity. His eyes were a bleary, milky grey, their tired expression hidden behind his helmet.
He turned and ran, scrambling for the radio on his belt, "-District 4, help!" He called for help between bated breaths.
Shirou took off in a sprint. With Ensia on his heels, he ran down the street, whipping around corners, avoiding lights. The sounds of shouting and screams of panic filled the air. He didn't look back.
As the man collapsed onto the cobblestone road, Shirou was on him in a flash, pointing his sword at his neck. The man let out a breath, wheezing in his throat, pleading for his life, pleading for mercy.
"Please don't!" The man held his shaking hands out, "P-please don't hurt me!" The man pleaded, shaking his head.
Shirou leaned down. His eyes were cold and dark, hard like steel and made sharp by the night.
The man's eyes darted between both Shirou and Kanshou in his hand. The blade of his sword was held out at an angle. The man's eyes widened in terror, his lips moved as he tried to speak, the only words left his mouth were "Please..."
"Answer me or die," Shirou let the sword slowly continue its downward travel towards the man's neck, slicing against the fabric of his coat, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Stop!" Ensia screamed, barely catching up to them. "He's from Rhodes Island!" She stopped in her tracks and lurched forward, desperately trying to get air into her lungs.
Shirou stilled in his movements. He looked down at the man, who looked up at him. The man's eyes were desperate and pleading.
Shirou lifted the blade slowly, stepping away from the terrified man. "What were you doing, stalking us like that?"
The man slumped onto the cobblestone road, his body heaved with the exertion of the confrontation. The man's coat was torn in several places and he was covered in a fine layer of dust. His breathing was heavy and loud, his hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions.
"I was sent to retrieve you" He sat up slowly, adjusting his goggles and mask. "My name is Notebook, you must be Shirou and Ensia." Notebook groaned as he stood up, massaging his stomach where Shirou had kicked him.
Shirou's eyes narrowed in distrust, gripping his swords more tightly. "Why didn't you just approach us normally instead of scurrying around like a rat?"
The man laughed nervously, rubbing his shoulder.
"I wanted to let your date finish first...?" Notebook said nervously. He reached for his radio, mumbling that he was fine.
Shirou massaged the bridge of his nose, his brows furrowed, his lips pursed.
Ensia guffawed, her laughter echoed off the street and buildings, a smile so wide it nearly crossed her eyes.
Notebook let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.
Shirou sighed heavily, relaxing his grip on his swords. "No worries" He turned to Ensia, who was still teeming with laughter. She covered her mouth with her hand.
"A-anyway! Let's get to the meeting spot! The boss ladies want to see you both!" Notebook stuttered. He patted down his body, seeing if any equipment was damaged or missing. "If we don't get there soon, I'll be dead for real!"
A/N: sorry for the wait, university started. Thanks for reading the chapter!
