Chapter Text
*Location: Endless Void*
"How long has it been since i arrived here? Weeks? Months? Years? Decades?' I thought?/Spoke? to myself as i, floated? No, it couldn't be called that; the sensation was far too alien to truly comprehend, like your mind knows it's seeing and feeling something, but it just can't wrap itself around how alien it is compared to every other point of reference.
As such i decided to catalogue it as existing in this unusual realm, easier for the mind than trying to understand what's actually going on. 'Clip' rang through my mind as i was once again reminded of the cruelty of this place. "Here goes another memory, I guess. Which one is it this time? Can't tell. Ha, get it since it's gone. Lame joke? Well, sue me.' I joked to myself.'
On top of the unusual existence of this place, just existing in it was akin to torture the likes of which never thought humane. Bit by bit, small parts of memories vanish, taken by the void, weirdly feels like when you clip your nails, really. The process doesn't even follow a pattern; one moment you might have forgotten what cheese you liked the least, the next a memory of a loved one.
"How can I remember the changes, you may ask? I don't remember them; I find what's missing by focusing on what i can remember compared with what I can't. For example, I've long since lost the memory of having parents; how did i conclude i actually had them and wasn't just your run-of-the-mill orphan? Simple really i had lost the memory of ever having parents but not some of the memories of spending time with them. It was a weird feeling, like, you know they are your parents but the attachment that makes you truly recognize them as such just isn't there.
"For an example of such memories, my name, Holland Sorel. A memory of when i had asked them where my name had come from when i was younger, and they obliged. I was told it was because of an anime called Eureka Seven that both of them adored. They had met at a concert of the band that made the first opening, funnily enough. It had prompted me to watch the show when I was 12, and i kinda developed an obsession, like a full-on imprint on the series.' I continued to converse with myself, probably already gone mad but just couldn't care.
"It's funny how this whole charade works. I've lost a lot of myself here, yet for some reason Eureka Seven remains weirdly mostly untouched; well, that and Mobuseka..........' How that last one had remained untouched was beyond me, considering I never finished reading it. Which was admittedly on me for having let the light novel marinate after getting the web novel spoiled to myself while browsing Reddit. Sure i know how it ends. I think? I've got no point of reference to confirm the ending wasn't taken. Basically, from what I remember, Leon and Luxion kick the bucket against something called Arcadia.
There was also the sister series Anoseka, but I don't remember much, just that Leon stops Marie's shenanigans from starting and Luxion, for some reason, betrays him. "Hmmm, now that I think about it, Olivia was also miserable in there; sad she's adorable.' I concluded to myself as I continued my dammed existence. I continued dialoguing to myself as a thought made me curious enough to ponder it. "Hmmm, is this what hell feels like? Were the Abrahamic religions legit? Sounds kinda over the top for not believing in a single god if you ask me, but meh, who cares at this point.'
I continue to wait for this hell to be finally over, as other bits of memories vanish. I would have probably gone on another idiotic rant had it not been for my eyes? catching the glint of something new, something heading towards me, but most importantly something i could actually comprehend. It looked like a giant mass of large mushrooms, only these seemed to be made of rock and glowed green for some reason. Now, seeing something the size of a warehouse getting hurled at you would definitely invoke fear in most people, but at this point I physically couldn't really care if i died or not. Mostly because i had long forgotten how to actually feel that, so i waited until it collided with me.
And boy, what a feeling it was; after god knows how long, I felt genuine pain for the first time in probably ages. Not only that, but touching the rock thingy felt genuinely nice and comfy. Like lying on a cold bed, and before i knew it i fell asleep for the first time since i got here. As my eyes closed, i heard a whisper in my mind that felt kind and gentle. 'Rest now child, for you have suffered enough.'
*Location: Rault Estate.*
*Third Person POV*
Looking inside the imposing building located at the most naturally secure location of the Rault territory, we feel the gloomy atmosphere emanating from it, normally youd see many servants attending the building and its garden, but tonight, even though the lights of the estate were lit, no servant could be seen or heard.
Entering inside, the atmosphere doesn't change, with no servants to be seen anywhere. You'd think with such a huge building there would be servants running around constantly, doing the tedious but necessary chores to keep the estate in pristine condition, but alas, there isn't a single servant to be seen or heard. While the corridors were lit, every single door but one was closed. At the end of the hallway on the left stood a single door virtually identical to the ones before it, yet it was the only one from which sound could be heard coming.
Entering inside, we are met with a sight that was more befitting of a busy hospital than an estate where people lived on, nurses and doctors frantically circling a single bed surrounded by medical equipment. Lying on the bed was a little boy who couldn't have been any older than 5 years old; that boy was Leon Sara Rault. At the sides of the bed stood 2 people, an older woman and a young girl, both with green hair; those 2 were none other than Nicole and Louise Sara Rault, the boy's family. Both clung to the bed sheets, their knuckles long since having turned white from the strain as tears poured from their eyes.
"There has to be something you can do! No matter what it is or how much it might cost, I will make sure to get it!." Was heard from the corner of the room as a brown-haired man, none other than Albergue Sara Rault, spoke with one of the doctors present. "I'm deeply sorry, Lord Rault. There's nothing more we can do without knowing what it actually is. Neither healing magic nor medicine imbued with the sacred trees' sap seems to be having any effect in helping his condition. It is as if his very soul is trying to flee his body." Spoke the doctor slowly, clearly terrified of invoking the Rault patriarch's wrath.
"Please, there has to be something that you can do." The Rault patriarch pleaded with the doctor as the tears he'd been holding back for the past month started to surface. "I'm sorry my lord. All we can do now is pray." The doctor spoke for the last time as he lowered his gaze in shame about not being able to do anything. Albergue spoke no more as he made his way towards his son. As the nurses parted ways to let him pass, he sat by his wife's side and began to pray, for that was all he had left.
'Oh sacred tree that has guarded and blessed our family for generations, I beg of you to save my son. I don't want power, riches, or fame; only for my son to be able to live.' The family prayed, no, begged the guardian of the republic again and again as the moon moved through the horizon, never once asking for anything else but the youngest's well-being. Hours passed as Leon's condition continued to get worse; long had he lost the ability to speak by this point; the only sign that he was alive being the irregular heartbeats. Alas, even that sign stopped as the doctor confirmed his last heartbeat.
Albergue could do nothing more than hug his remaining family as it happened, his tears all dried up and the light in his eyes gone as he tried to provide any amount of comfort to his grieving wife and daughter. Yet before he could utter his final words to his son, bright, colorful lights started entering the room. Panicking and fearing the worst, he made way to the only window of the room, only to be met with 7 pillars of light adorning the horizon.
"What the...." He began but couldn't finish as the 7 pillars started converging into each other; the sky ripping itself open to allow something to pass. A mass of stone bigger than the Rault estate was what made it through, crashing into the territory at tremendous speed, making the entire island tremble. "Cough, cough, cough" Was heard through the room, catching everyone's attention. Leon, who had just been presumed dead not a moment earlier, was there, eyes wide open and coughing vigorously.
Albergue stood there frozen in shock, unable to move. His son, who was just presumed dead, was there alive. Only Nicole and Louise, hugging Leon in tears while saying his name, brought him out of his state of shock. Wasting no time, he too joined the family hug as tears he long since thought had been spent began flowing again.
To be continued.......................................
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