Punishing : Gray Raven (Official)

Chapter 6 : Auguries of Innocence (Interlude)

EX04 : Echo Aria - Starry Tales

Chapter 6 : Auguries of Innocence (Selena's Interlude Finale)

"How much time has passed?"

"What is the world outside like now?"

"What am I doing?"

She has lost all her memories.

She is even close to forgetting who she is.

She seems to have been wandering around for a long time.

Gabriel : "Unfortunately, your fate is not in your own hands. Target Construct successfully captured. Both the corruption rate and functionality are in line with our estimatations."

Then an immense pain hits her.
Her already broken body is being further dismembered.

Selena : "..."

Roland : "..."

Gabriel : "Roland, are you still researching this woman?"

Roland : "She's interesting, don't you think? She's not completely dead, but she's not alive either-being in this state, I wonder how she views herself...?

And how does she view the world? That's what I'm interested in.

What is it that keeps you going.... You're still fighting to live even though you've been reduced to this."

Selena : "..."

Gabriel : "What is the source of your power...?
Hah, so that's how it is. No wonder...

Selena : "..."

Roland : "I wonder if Gabriel's realized it yet.
It'd be better for you to stay here with me. At least you'll be able to continue your beauty sleep, if but for the moment."

Selena : "..."

Red tides ripple against Gabriel's feet, and Hetero-Creatures now swarm around him.
Countless substances dissolve and reform in the tides, becoming part of the Hetero-Creatures.

A Corrupted wandering around Gabriel is suddenly crushed into pieces by Gabriel's giant hand. The pieces are then unceremoniously discarded into the Red Tide, attracting the Hetero-Creatures.

Gabriel picks up the black suitcase next to him with his right hand.

Gabriel : "It would take forever with only Corrupted, as I thought."

As soon as Gabriel has submerged the suitcase in the tides, the Hetero-Creatures start swarming around the suitcase. The suitcase disappears in the blink of an eye, exposing the wrecked half body in it.

Gabriel : "Now, for the entree."

She has lived through years of suffering.
Her groans did make wolves howl and penetrate the breasts of ever angry bears.

It is a torment to lay upon the damned, which nothing could again undo.

Memories of her past set upon her like vengeful spirits, dragging her down into an endless spiral.

(Construct : "Without faith, without glory, and most definitely, without forgiveness and blessing. There's just hatred and anger that knows no bounds. Damn! Why did we have to face all of that? Why did it have to be us who were there? Why did we get to a point when we were forced to destroy everything?")

(Task Force Captain: "I'm sorry we couldn't get you out, but... Selena, the shard you're carrying may be a critical key and you must get it back to Babylonia, no matter what the cost...")

Everyone she had ever met appear before her, one after another.

Eventually, there is a scarlet wave washes over them, and everything freezes.

A person looking exactly like her stands on top of the Red Tide.

§elena? : "What are you holding on for. "

"You can't even remember who you are anymore."

"What you love has been scorned by others. A promise is all that's keeping you going."

"But then again, it's been so long. Who would still remember that promise?"

"You can hate all who've abandoned you. You can rage at what's happened to you."

"You have every right."

"Come, join me in slumber here."

Selena : "..."

(Task Force Captain : "Before that... I always thought... when humans died... there was nothing left. When a Construct is broken, they're just scrap metal. No one remembers.
I thought... no one would... care... but... you sang for him...
That was... the most beautiful voice... I've ever heard in my entire life....)

"Just... naivety."

"But... it was... truly..."

"...Beautiful."

(Task Force Captain: "If everything was... really like that... how nice... would that be?")

Selena : "..."

"No, what I love has never been scorned."

"It was never others who scorned it, but myself."

Selena shakes her head, then turns her back on the figure and walks in the opposite direction.

§elena? : "Only a deeper hell awaits you down that path."

Selena : "I know."

Selena does not look back.
She has said there was no reason to keep fighting, but she knows better than anyone of the three beasts lurking in her heart.

Dante put them behind him as he advanced into hell and purgatory,

While she has brought them along with her to this place.

How they cry, scratch and roar wildly, struggling to break free.

For what she believes in, for what she love...

She'll use her claws if she loses her legs.

She'll use her fangs if her claws break.

She has to live on.

She will try.

And see just how long she can hold on.

The purple eyes of the wrecked Construct lying in the Red Tide suddenly fly open.

Her body is sinking.

It is so painful.

So very painful.

Her already shattered M.I.N.D. is decimated even further.

Selena does not know whether she has become bait or seed crystal. The beings above seem to be deconstructing her, but also reconstructing her at the same time.

She struggles to lift her head above the water, like a drowning person trying to draw her last breath.

And then-

She saw stars. Numerous stars in the sky.
In that moment, her M.I.N.D., which has been constantly battered, became unusually calm.

Her eyes take in the stars, which are changing into breathtaking star trails.

The moon is on the other end, shining brilliantly.

"So... is she on Earth?"

"It is so beautiful."

"I wish... Ayla could see this."

"Hmm... Who is Ayla?"

-to be continued-