Chapter 12 - Encroachment [Flashback, inside the Sis household...] Thecto Sis: ...Are you actually okay, Fail…? Fail Urus: Yeah... sorry for worrying you... Airio Sis: Same goes for you. You're always looking after Thecto. Thecto Sis: ........... Airio Sis: Ah, I don’t think of it as a burden. Airio Sis: What I mean is both Thecto and I are deeply grateful, right? Thecto Sis: Yes. Fail Urus: Haha. You two really care about each other. Even though it’s hard to believe you’re twins since you don’t look super similar. Thecto Sis: We've always been together. Airio Sis: Aye, always together. Fail Urus: That's nice. The vision I saw earlier suffocated me in its isolation... Thecto Sis: ...Was it another vision from the darkness? Fail Urus: Yeah... The villagers don't believe me, but I truly feel it. Fail Urus: It's as if I’m touching the emotions of that darkness... its memories, maybe. Airio & Thecto: ...The darkness’ memories... Fail Urus: What I saw today was... an all-white, beautiful, clean, enormous room. Fail Urus: There were rows and rows of long, narrow desks, with people sitting at every one of them, facing forward. Fail Urus: They sat there doing nothing but moving their fingers, like this… Airio Sis: What a weird gesture. What’s up with that… Thecto Sis: It kinda looks like the way you’d scratch the back of a large beast? Fail Urus: Their fingers make a loud clacking sound. That sound echoes everywhere from all directions. Fail Urus: And while that clacking sound rings out, there's an overwhelming loneliness that washes over me. Fail Urus: As if I'll never once in my life be able to speak my truth. Airio Sis: ...Why not? Fail Urus: I don't know... But I'm too afraid of saying something wrong, so I can't bring myself to reveal the truth. Fail Urus: So the only words I know I can safely say out loud are ones someone else has already said. I swallow everything down deep and just smile. Fail Urus: I completely erase the sound of my own heart, and just keep making that dry clacking noise with my hands. Fail Urus: It’s a wretched, lonely existence. Thecto Sis: ...........I want to listen to you, Fail. You can tell me whatever comes to your mind. Fail Urus: Haha... Yeah. Thanks. Airio Sis: We're right here with you; you won't have to face those sad sights alone anymore. Get some rest. Fail Urus: Sorry for borrowing your bed. ...Thecto, are you sure you’re okay? Thecto Sis: I'm doing great. I felt good the entire day. Airio Sis: Good night, Fail. Airio Sis: Fail's got it rough hearing the darkness like that... Thecto Sis: I wonder why Fail can hear the darkness’ voice. Airio Sis: Hmm... Do you remember when Fail went missing a few years ago? Thecto Sis: Yeah... though I don't remember the details all that well. Thecto Sis: His family said they were crossing a high pass, looked away for a second, and he was gone. Airio Sis: Right. They said they thought he'd fallen off a cliff and died. Airio Sis: But ten days later, Fail came walking back to the village on his own completely unscathed. Airio Sis: Maybe an Echo saved his life. Airio Sis: They say Echoes will attach themselves to people who are badly hurt, right? Thecto Sis: ...But Echoes are born from the darkness. And darkness is destroying the world, isn't it? Why would a creature like that go around helping people? Airio Sis: Maybe, but... is anything ever purely bad? Or purely good, for that matter? Airio Sis: At the end, Dad caused a lot of trouble for people in the village, but he was still a good father to us. Thecto Sis: That's true, but... Airio Sis: Sorry... Did you not wanna talk about Dad? Thecto Sis: I haven't sorted out my feelings about it yet. Airio Sis: Yeah, I get that. Thecto Sis: But... I hate Echo Fusion. Thecto Sis: Echoes are creatures born from darkness. People started messing with it so the Gods got angry with us and... Thecto Sis: ...are now trying to end the world. That's what the village elder said. Airio Sis: So does that mean Echo Masters are evil? Thecto Sis: Probably... Airio Sis: I don't think so. Thecto Sis: Why not? Airio Sis: Because they're cool. Thecto Sis: You’ve always liked strong things. Deer with big antlers, bears with massive claws. Airio Sis: Because being strong is cool. Thecto Sis: ...What about me? Airio Sis: You're cool too. You're strong, Thecto. Your body might be weak, but your heart is incredibly strong. Thecto Sis: Haha... I'd like to believe that. Thecto Sis: ...If the world is going to end, then let it end. If we're going to face our final moments, I want all of us to spend it together peacefully. Thecto Sis: So... I don't want you or Fail getting tangled up with the darkness or with Echoes. Thecto Sis: When Dad was dying, he didn't seem like himself anymore. Thecto Sis: I want you to stay exactly as you are, Airio, right up to the end. I want to say goodbye to the Airio I actually know. Airio Sis: ........... Airio Sis: I want to get stronger. I want to protect everyone. Thecto Sis: ...........I see. [Cut back to the present...] Thecto Sis: Airio...! ...! AIRIO...! Nelpha Maxi: Thecto! Give it up! Thecto Sis: You can’t be serious...! Nelpha Maxi: Once the darkness catches someone, they never come back! I've seen it happen with my own eyes...! Nelpha Maxi: Lord Nuxma met the same fate... Fail Urus: Lord Nuxma...? Ecolina Villager: Nel! What's going on?! Ecolina Villager: What happened?! Nelpha Maxi: The darkness is spreading! Everyone run, now...! Ecolina Villager: What did you say?! Ecolina Villager: Hurry up before it swallows us all! Thecto Sis: ...! AIRIO...! To be continued...