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Faltering Dreams, or What The Lago Foretold - Episode 7
⭠ last episode | Episode 7 | next episode ⭢
Faust: The villagers' wishes and mindset have warped into an amalgamation of curses. The curse amplifies the fear and unease of the villagers, and the vicious cycle continues, where the curse causes fear in the villagers, which the villagers feed back into it, thus further strengthening the curse…
Bradley: I can’t say if the curse has its own consciousness or anything like that, but this place is pretty much an all-you-can-eat buffet for it. Look, it’s even getting frisky now.
Faust watched the wailing villagers calmly. He spoke with a steely glint in his eye.
[ Faust CG ]
Faust: Bradley has it exactly right. Moreover, if we leave the curse be, there is no doubt that it would someday bring a genuine disaster upon this village.
If that happens, what the water is showing everyone now is going to come true, just like the legend.
[ No BGM ]
[ Bubbling… ]
The next thing we realised, the previously calm lake surface was now violently rippling.
[ Splash! ]
'What's going-' ——— I never did get to ask my question.
Before I could even open my mouth, black globs started spraying in our direction from the lakewater.
Villager H: W-What's this…!? Someone help me…!
Arthur: « pernoctant nix zo » !
The black globs were instantly repelled by a bright flash of light.
[ BGM starts ]
Arthur leapt to the defence of the villagers at once.
The black globs burst and splattered around where Arthur stood, but they maintained the consistency of goopy, sticky sludge.
Akira: Arthur, are you alright!?
Arthur: You needn't worry about me. Since I was warned of a ‘devouring black’, I’ve been on the lookout for any surprises from the lake that might come our way.
It's all thanks to Mithra that I reacted so quickly.
Villager H: (screaming) (silence)
Akira: ……!
[ Splash! ]
Just when I thought I could sigh in relief, many more globs of sludge came spurting out of the lake.
Nero: « adnodis omnis »
Bradley: « adnopotensum »
Akira: Nero! Bradley!
The two of them chanted their spell-words at nearly the same time.
The globs of sludge were quickly sent back towards the lake.
Bradley's lips curved in a sharp grin.
Bradley: Hey, Eastern Chef. Funny how we're on the same wavelength. You might make a surprisingly good bandit.
Nero: I'll have you know that right now, I'm not job-hunting — look out, here comes the next wave!
[ Splash! ]
The two of them were a formidable combination, almost as if they had strategised in advance.
They continued to fend off the cursed sludge.
Snow: …… This amalgamation of curses is feasting on the fear-gripped hearts of these villagers, and it is growing stronger by the second.
White: We need to evacuate the villagers immediately. Chloe, could we count on your assistance?
Snow: Try to get them somewhere elevated and as far away from the lake as you can manage. If the lake overflows, they may be swallowed up by it.
Chloe: I-I've got this…!
White: As for Bradley and Nero — you two keep at taking down the cursed sludge. Snow…
Snow: Umu. Arthur, Faust, we shall now make our move. Kenja, on my broom.
We shall carry out our duty and quell this curse.
[ Central Country - Open Skies ]
Mithra: Oh. You're all late.
Akira: Mithra! So this is where you’ve been.
Mithra: White told me to stay here and watch for any funny business.
I believe I have found a funny business. Am I done here yet?
White: No, there is obviously a disaster going on! Mithra chan, you’re supposed to handle the funny business!
Mithra: Oh. Are you giving me even more work? But I’ve already done so much watching…
Arthur: Mithra, you're always so reliable and at ease regardless of the time and place. It’s much easier for me to stave off my nerves when I'm with you.
Faust: …… Are you seriously saying that with a straight face?
Snow: Mithra, look down. The curse is spraying around people’s twisted negativity and causing chaos.
Mithra: Yes, that seems to be the case. Bradley and Nero are countering each and every one of them. It seems like they'll be at it for a long while……
Snow: Correct. That is the ascended form of the weight of the wishes that have gathered here over hundreds of years.
White: As it has completely permeated the lakewater, the curse would grow faster than any attempt to purify it.
Therefore, we have to first gather up the curse into one spot.
Snow: And then we'll use purification magic to cleanse the amalgamation in one shot while it's gathered up. That'll be the end of it.
Akira: But how are we going to gather it up into one spot…?
I could see that a sticky black membrane had completely covered the lake beneath us. It seemed like it’d be impossible to gather it all up in one spot.
But…
[ Mithra CG ]
Mithra: « arsim »
Akira: ……!?
The wind whistled.
Standing atop his broom, Mithra lazily enunciated every syllable of his spell-word.
With just that, a giant hole instantly opened up in the lake.
Akira: (…… No, it’s not simply a hole.)
It was a vortex.
A giant vortex was starting to suck in the sludge that had overtaken the lakewater.
Akira: …… Wow……
Mithra: Will this suffice?
White: Ohoho, that's our Mithra. A fine display of power!
Snow: Good. Now we must prepare for the purification process. Everyone, I shall now instruct you the positions you shall assume around the vortex. Arthur, you go opposite—
Mithra: No, you remain here.
Arthur: Wh—!
Faust: Arthur!
Mithra had grabbed Arthur by the collar, ignoring the fact that Arthur was still mounted on his broom.
Faust: Hey, what are you trying to—
Mithra: You. You said you'd like to be just like me, didn't you? This is a good opportunity for you to study how. I'll spare you some of my time.
Arthur: ………
With his collar still firmly in Mithra's grasp, Arthur's eyes were round and wide as he looked up at Mithra. The way he looked reminded me of the conversation they had in the courtyard before leaving for the mission.
Arthur smiled, just as he had back then. He nodded.
Arthur: Yeah, thanks!
Snow sama, White sama, and Faust, I shall remain here with Mithra.
Snow: …… Even knowing full well that the prophecy had said Mithra will encounter a watery disaster of great magnitude, and in your reading, a devouring dark?
I quickly glanced down at the swirling black vortex in the lake. I swallowed.
Was it perhaps this thing that would attack them both, just as their fortunes had revealed…?
Arthur: I had managed to escape unscathed from the previous danger.
I think that if I’m cautious this time, I would be able to repeat the same feat. I think it'll be alright. At the same time, I also have a strong ally that makes me feel confident.
Mithra: But of course. If I am here, come what may, all problems will be overcome.
Arthur: Yes, I will give you my full support. Let us overcome this ordeal together.
Snow: …… Understood. Arthur, Mithra, don't try anything too dangerous, alright?
White: We shall now leave this all to the both of you.
Akira: You two, stay safe…!
Faust: Please don’t do anything too reckless.
[ Snow and Akira, White, and Faust take flight. ]
Three broomsticks left the vicinity of the large tree.
We took our respective positions around the vortex Mithra made.
Mithra: ………
Mithra quietly gazed upon the giant vortex. The wind gently danced around him, swaying with it his hair and clothing. The vortex started to expand.
However, the moment the vortex grew to reach the edges of the lake, something happened.
Akira: Wha—?
[ Curses fill the air. ]
It was as if the lakewater itself resisted Mithra's magic.
Something slithered out of the centre of the vortex, spiralling upward in a straight line.
The writhing water suddenly took the form of a giant pillar, surging upward with great force right at Mithra.
[ Splash! ]
Mithra: Hn?
Akira: (gasp) Watch out!
Arthur: « pernoctant nix zo » !
[ Splash! ]
Akira: Arthur! Mithra…!
After Arthur spoke his spell word, I couldn’t see or hear them anymore.
Both Mithra and Arthur had been swallowed by the pillar of water.
[ Lake Mizukagami ]
Village Child A: (crying) I'm scared.
Chloe: It's alright now. My friends are really strong. Oh, look, what's that behind you?
[ Splash! ]
Nero: « adnodis omnis »
Bradley: « adnopotensum »
[ Their magic disperses the sludge. ]
Bradley: Hmph. This doesn't even count as a warm up. If you’re picking a fight with me, you better give it your all, 'cause the Great Bradley's going to crush you!
Village Child A: Wow…!
Nero: You heard the idiot. We'll send every last droplet of this black stuff back into the lake, so leave it to us. You be a good kid and go on home.
Chloe: Alright, come with me! Let's go!
Village Child A: Okay…!
[ The lake rumbles. ]
Bradley & Chloe & Nero: ……!
Chloe: What's that…!? A black geyser of water…?
Episode 8 ⭢
Faust: The villagers' wishes and mindset have warped into an amalgamation of curses. The curse amplifies the fear and unease of the villagers, and the vicious cycle continues, where the curse causes fear in the villagers, which the villagers feed back into it, thus further strengthening the curse…
Bradley: I can’t say if the curse has its own consciousness or anything like that, but this place is pretty much an all-you-can-eat buffet for it. Look, it’s even getting frisky now.
Faust watched the wailing villagers calmly. He spoke with a steely glint in his eye.
[ Faust CG ]
Faust: Bradley has it exactly right. Moreover, if we leave the curse be, there is no doubt that it would someday bring a genuine disaster upon this village.
If that happens, what the water is showing everyone now is going to come true, just like the legend.
[ No BGM ]
[ Bubbling… ]
The next thing we realised, the previously calm lake surface was now violently rippling.
[ Splash! ]
'What's going-' ——— I never did get to ask my question.
Before I could even open my mouth, black globs started spraying in our direction from the lakewater.
Villager H: W-What's this…!? Someone help me…!
Arthur: « pernoctant nix zo » !
The black globs were instantly repelled by a bright flash of light.
[ BGM starts ]
Arthur leapt to the defence of the villagers at once.
The black globs burst and splattered around where Arthur stood, but they maintained the consistency of goopy, sticky sludge.
Akira: Arthur, are you alright!?
Arthur: You needn't worry about me. Since I was warned of a ‘devouring black’, I’ve been on the lookout for any surprises from the lake that might come our way.
It's all thanks to Mithra that I reacted so quickly.
Villager H: (screaming) (silence)
Akira: ……!
[ Splash! ]
Just when I thought I could sigh in relief, many more globs of sludge came spurting out of the lake.
Nero: « adnodis omnis »
Bradley: « adnopotensum »
Akira: Nero! Bradley!
The two of them chanted their spell-words at nearly the same time.
The globs of sludge were quickly sent back towards the lake.
Bradley's lips curved in a sharp grin.
Bradley: Hey, Eastern Chef. Funny how we're on the same wavelength. You might make a surprisingly good bandit.
Nero: I'll have you know that right now, I'm not job-hunting — look out, here comes the next wave!
[ Splash! ]
The two of them were a formidable combination, almost as if they had strategised in advance.
They continued to fend off the cursed sludge.
Snow: …… This amalgamation of curses is feasting on the fear-gripped hearts of these villagers, and it is growing stronger by the second.
White: We need to evacuate the villagers immediately. Chloe, could we count on your assistance?
Snow: Try to get them somewhere elevated and as far away from the lake as you can manage. If the lake overflows, they may be swallowed up by it.
Chloe: I-I've got this…!
White: As for Bradley and Nero — you two keep at taking down the cursed sludge. Snow…
Snow: Umu. Arthur, Faust, we shall now make our move. Kenja, on my broom.
We shall carry out our duty and quell this curse.
[ Central Country - Open Skies ]
Mithra: Oh. You're all late.
Akira: Mithra! So this is where you’ve been.
Mithra: White told me to stay here and watch for any funny business.
I believe I have found a funny business. Am I done here yet?
White: No, there is obviously a disaster going on! Mithra chan, you’re supposed to handle the funny business!
Mithra: Oh. Are you giving me even more work? But I’ve already done so much watching…
Arthur: Mithra, you're always so reliable and at ease regardless of the time and place. It’s much easier for me to stave off my nerves when I'm with you.
Faust: …… Are you seriously saying that with a straight face?
Snow: Mithra, look down. The curse is spraying around people’s twisted negativity and causing chaos.
Mithra: Yes, that seems to be the case. Bradley and Nero are countering each and every one of them. It seems like they'll be at it for a long while……
Snow: Correct. That is the ascended form of the weight of the wishes that have gathered here over hundreds of years.
White: As it has completely permeated the lakewater, the curse would grow faster than any attempt to purify it.
Therefore, we have to first gather up the curse into one spot.
Snow: And then we'll use purification magic to cleanse the amalgamation in one shot while it's gathered up. That'll be the end of it.
Akira: But how are we going to gather it up into one spot…?
I could see that a sticky black membrane had completely covered the lake beneath us. It seemed like it’d be impossible to gather it all up in one spot.
But…
[ Mithra CG ]
Mithra: « arsim »
Akira: ……!?
The wind whistled.
Standing atop his broom, Mithra lazily enunciated every syllable of his spell-word.
With just that, a giant hole instantly opened up in the lake.
Akira: (…… No, it’s not simply a hole.)
It was a vortex.
A giant vortex was starting to suck in the sludge that had overtaken the lakewater.
Akira: …… Wow……
Mithra: Will this suffice?
White: Ohoho, that's our Mithra. A fine display of power!
Snow: Good. Now we must prepare for the purification process. Everyone, I shall now instruct you the positions you shall assume around the vortex. Arthur, you go opposite—
Mithra: No, you remain here.
Arthur: Wh—!
Faust: Arthur!
Mithra had grabbed Arthur by the collar, ignoring the fact that Arthur was still mounted on his broom.
Faust: Hey, what are you trying to—
Mithra: You. You said you'd like to be just like me, didn't you? This is a good opportunity for you to study how. I'll spare you some of my time.
Arthur: ………
With his collar still firmly in Mithra's grasp, Arthur's eyes were round and wide as he looked up at Mithra. The way he looked reminded me of the conversation they had in the courtyard before leaving for the mission.
Arthur smiled, just as he had back then. He nodded.
Arthur: Yeah, thanks!
Snow sama, White sama, and Faust, I shall remain here with Mithra.
Snow: …… Even knowing full well that the prophecy had said Mithra will encounter a watery disaster of great magnitude, and in your reading, a devouring dark?
I quickly glanced down at the swirling black vortex in the lake. I swallowed.
Was it perhaps this thing that would attack them both, just as their fortunes had revealed…?
Arthur: I had managed to escape unscathed from the previous danger.
I think that if I’m cautious this time, I would be able to repeat the same feat. I think it'll be alright. At the same time, I also have a strong ally that makes me feel confident.
Mithra: But of course. If I am here, come what may, all problems will be overcome.
Arthur: Yes, I will give you my full support. Let us overcome this ordeal together.
Snow: …… Understood. Arthur, Mithra, don't try anything too dangerous, alright?
White: We shall now leave this all to the both of you.
Akira: You two, stay safe…!
Faust: Please don’t do anything too reckless.
[ Snow and Akira, White, and Faust take flight. ]
Three broomsticks left the vicinity of the large tree.
We took our respective positions around the vortex Mithra made.
Mithra: ………
Mithra quietly gazed upon the giant vortex. The wind gently danced around him, swaying with it his hair and clothing. The vortex started to expand.
However, the moment the vortex grew to reach the edges of the lake, something happened.
Akira: Wha—?
[ Curses fill the air. ]
It was as if the lakewater itself resisted Mithra's magic.
Something slithered out of the centre of the vortex, spiralling upward in a straight line.
The writhing water suddenly took the form of a giant pillar, surging upward with great force right at Mithra.
[ Splash! ]
Mithra: Hn?
Akira: (gasp) Watch out!
Arthur: « pernoctant nix zo » !
[ Splash! ]
Akira: Arthur! Mithra…!
After Arthur spoke his spell word, I couldn’t see or hear them anymore.
Both Mithra and Arthur had been swallowed by the pillar of water.
[ Lake Mizukagami ]
Village Child A: (crying) I'm scared.
Chloe: It's alright now. My friends are really strong. Oh, look, what's that behind you?
[ Splash! ]
Nero: « adnodis omnis »
Bradley: « adnopotensum »
[ Their magic disperses the sludge. ]
Bradley: Hmph. This doesn't even count as a warm up. If you’re picking a fight with me, you better give it your all, 'cause the Great Bradley's going to crush you!
Village Child A: Wow…!
Nero: You heard the idiot. We'll send every last droplet of this black stuff back into the lake, so leave it to us. You be a good kid and go on home.
Chloe: Alright, come with me! Let's go!
Village Child A: Okay…!
[ The lake rumbles. ]
Bradley & Chloe & Nero: ……!
Chloe: What's that…!? A black geyser of water…?
Episode 8 ⭢