Chapter 50 – The Truth
"I used to be an Orphan, who was raised by someone called Juroimoh.
One day while fishing at sea, he and a few fisherman spotted a smoldering, wrecked ship. All that remained of the crew were their mutilated corpse and a single man, barely alive. He was cowering in the state room. I heard him talk about the monstrous, man-eating hole and a Golden City at the bottom. Before succumbing to his injuries, the sailor gave Juroimoh a compass that pointed to the location of the Abyss.
As I grew older, I inherited the compass and was trained to be a Delver.
Soon, I joined the Ganja suicide corps led by Wazukyan, whose goal was the same as mine, and wished to reach out to the Abyss. Even though I wasn't confident, I was made one of the three great sages of the corps.
We followed the compass, and eventually we reached the edge of the Abyss and began our descent."
...
"We met a captive girl, called Irumyuui. She was a member of the tribe living inside the rim of the Abyss, but she was feared because of her infertility. So the tribe decided to send her as a sacrifice with us. We agreed because she could act like a guide to us.
It was when we reached the 6th layer that we found out about the curse of the Abyss. We could not ascend otherwise we will die, or worse lose our humanity , but we were named the Suicide Corps for a reason. We never planned to ascend anyway.
Accepting that we wouldn't be able to return, Ganja set up a permanent camp on the 6th layer.
During this brief time of peace, another great sage called Vueko and Irumyuui grew very close and developed a bond.
However, disaster struck. Although having a stable home, food and water supply, many of our members suddenly fell gravely ill. I then deduced it was because of the water. It was out only source of water that we found, but to our horror, it turned out to be an organism with the appearance of water.
We later found out that consuming it would turn it's hosts into stone.
We tried desperately to find a cure. It was then that a team that was scavenging returned with an egg shaped relic. It was identified as the Cradle of Desire, which could fulfil the holder's deepest wish. However, the mind of adults were too complex, and would most likely work for a child.
It was then given to Irumyuui in the hope to save the people. Vueko placed the egg on her chest and when she awoke from the disease, the egg had already fused with her body, becoming a sphere on her chest, but the pain was gone and she continued to transform.
At this point, I was also very ill."
...
"One day, I walked in and saw her cuddling a strange blob-like creature. It was then I found out that what she wished for... was fertility.
She kept giving birth, but every time they died soon after due to being born without organs for ingesting.
Every time they died, Irumyuui cried with grief. I tried to comfort her every time, but she still gave birth.
Later, I fell ill and was not able to comfort Irumyuui anymore.
Until, Wazukyan fed me something and my symptoms were alleviated. But I had a bad feeling, and later I was horrified to learn that the food was broth made from Irumyuui's children.
Irumyuui herself began to grow even more and became almost unrecognizable but I still knew it was her.
Every time, Wazukyan would come in and butcher her child in front of her.
I kept apologising to her..." Tears leaked out.
...
"Every time the bowl was put in front of me, I refused to eat. I would rather starve than trying to eat, until Vueko had to force-feed me. Bless her, but I would've rather died than eat that horrific food.
Despite her abilities, she still became weaker and weaker, but Wazukyan... he found another cradle and implanted it inside her again.
Then, Irumyuui, for the first time, began to move.
She continued to move and all the other members stayed close and followed her. Suddenly, she stopped and tentacles came out and started to consume the flying predators.
Seeing this, I wanted to be eaten too.
I wanted to be punished for all the sins I have committed. I ate her children, the ones she cried and cared over. I was pained by guilt so I approached her. A hole opened and after walking through, my body was destroyed and I became what I am today."
...
"Although the others changed, I didn't want to. I didn't think that was what Irumyuui truly wanted and tried to commit suicide, but Wazukyan used a cradle of desire on himself.
When I woke up, he informed me that I was in Irumyuui's head, and that being here I would be able to feel her emotions and can watch over her.
In the darkness, I was still able to see signals from various places, and it was then I realised that her wish was truly granted.
The birth of her last child Faputa... who will one day take revenge for all her dead brethren..."
...
"That's Faputa's mission nosu. One day, Faputa will go into the village and kill all those living there. You're not one of them so Faputa doesn't need to kill you sosu.
"What?" As expected of a teenager, such cruelty was definitely not what she was used to.
Her brain took a full minute to process all the information she was given. Unconsciously, tears dropped from her eyes.
"So are you saying...?"
...
"So are you saying that the entire village is Irumyuui?"
"Yes. That is also why we are not able to leave. As you said, inhabitants of this place will disappear should Irumyuui disappear. The membrane marks the border of where we are able to tread."
He looked deeply at the membrane, "and that is all regarding the history of this village. Did that answer your question?"
"Yes it did, thanks."
I don't know what to feel about that to be honest. Should I feel sad? Such stories were common back in the age of gods but for some reason I'm more impacted by this one than the others. Is it because it involves children?
On one hand, the people did what they needed to do to survive, but on the other they used viscous ways to do it. Which side do I blame here? And more importantly, how do I 'save' Irumyuui? Is it to destroy this village and kill everyone living here? Or is it to make her regain her old self?
"Now, if you don't mind I would like to ask you the three questions you promised."
"Of course."
"How do you know of Irumyuui? I don't think the others told you?"
"You're right in a sense. The others in your explanation such as Wazukyan and Vueko didn't tell me, but someone else did."
"Interesting... second question, who are you? And I don't mean just your name, but who are you truly?"
She smiled, "I am called Medea. I am a mage and a delver. My title is the Witch of Betrayal, and I am a moon whistle"
"Although you replied truthfully, I am still dissatisfied, but I guest that will have to do. Now, third question. How strong are you? I don't sense the force of the Abyss on you..."
"I am very strong. You don't sense the Abyss because of my unique abilities. I am, to an extent, able to ward of or even cancel the force of the Abyss on myself."
"..."
"I wish to ask one more question, would that be alright?"
"I also wish for one more question, so the feeling is mutual."
"I'll go first then. In your opinion, how would I 'save' Irumyuui."
Belaf was shocked to an extent, but then, for some reason one could sense a smile on his expressionless face, "to kill her. Now for my question, can you do it?"
As I thought...
"Yes."
...
On a cliff face looking down at the village, now known as Irumyuui's body.
"Hey Medea."
"You also found out the truth?"
"Yeah..."
"Don't dwell too much on it. The past is in the past, there is no changing it."
"But... the people... how could they kill..."
"I know... it is inhumane, but in their perspective, it would either be dying or surviving. Would you rather have everyone and yourself suffer or just suffer yourself? Maybe part of her wish was for the events to happen, but we would never know."
"... Your heartless."
"If someone went through the things I went through, maybe one wouldn't call me heartless, but indifference. These things happen more common than you think."
"...So what do we do now?"
"Now? I'm not so sure. The mission is to save Irumyuui, which can be interpreted as killing her. There are two ways we can do that, either destroy the membrane and let Faputa kill everyone there, or we do it ourselves."
"Then, can't we let Faputa do it?"
"I would also lean towards that option, if it wasn't for the fact that it would count as Faputa saving Irumyuui, not us. I don't know what will happen to the mission if such a thing happened. And secondly, think about it. Faputa would make the people suffer first, and take revenge. Moreover, the membrane is serving as a protective layer. If it was destroyed then other creatures would invade. It would only cause much more suffering for the people."
"I-I guess."
"Mm, so it is up to us to conclude this act."
"*sigh... the people though."
"Someone once said to me, all that is lost will be returned. That is the natural cycle. Death may only be a form of release for them."
"I know, then could we at least tell Riko and the others who aren't an inhabitant of the village?"
"Is this to not get them caught up in the fire?"
"Yes."
"Well, that doesn't matter. I can control my attack perfectly to exclude them, but I will have to put them to sleep in order for them to not notice..."
"Again, you're boasting... but what about Faputa? It was Irumyuui's wish for her to take revenge right? If we kill her then what will she do?"
"Actually, Faputa doesn't mind." A familiar voice sounded behind her.
"Huh?"
All this time, she was invisible behind them. Only Medea knew however.
"Faputa's target was to take revenge and destroy mother. As long as Faputa plays a part, Faputa doesn't mind how it is destroyed sosu."
"Then what about-"
"Faputa knows. Medea showed Faputa the missing memories mother left Faputa. The one called Vueko and some others were always there for mother. Mother never gave Faputa those memories because she wanted to treasure them alone. This shows that she still loved some.
As Medea said, destroying the membrane will only cause needless suffering to those mother loved, so Faputa decided to accept Medea's help."
"... So what's the plan?"
"Faputa and Misaka will go into the village with Medea's help. Medea will fight against the creatures that try to invade. After Faputa kills the ones that deserve to die, then Medea will destroy mother."
"Yeah, but isn't killing Irumyuui just going to end up killing everyone anyway?"
"Yes, but Faputa doesn't care. They can die with mother, whilst the ones that doesn't deserve to die with mother will die by Faputa's hands."
"Oh, okay."
"Faputa knows of your abilities, and Faputa won't question why you are here, but if it is for the sake of taking revenge then Faputa is willing to work with you."
"We will begin tomorrow. Misaka, take a good night's rest, you're gonna need it."
"I don't need rest!"
"Psychological rest."
"I don't- nevermind maybe I do..."
"Faputa will also get Gaburoon and prepare."
"Mm, I'll see you tomorrow then."
Faputa then hopped away to her own nest, and both Misaka and Medea left as well.
...
A figure could be seen standing in an open grounds in the middle of the night.
No one is around as they are all in their own houses, only he was there, awake.
He was quite large, and covered by what appears to be an intricately crafted fur robe. His face is flat, with the left half of it marked in a shape reminiscent of a white skull. Two large horns protruded from the sides of his head.
This was Wazukyan, one of the three sages.
He stared at nothing; blank into space.
"So, it has begun huh?"