Chapter 3.5: The Guardian of the Castle

Silence and cold reigned over that dark, ominous chamber.

Tenzak began making the final preparations while Shun and Edén waited nearby, seated in silence.

—Why do you both look so worried? —Edén asked without lifting his gaze from the floor.

—Let’s just say the price of failure… is extremely high.

—How high could it possibly be?

…

—Death.

—Huh?

Edén looked at Shun in confusion, a bitter expression crossing his face.

—What the hell are you talking about, Pinky…?

—Why the hell do I have to do something so dangerous?

—It’s the only way to gain access to Zenka.

—You have to be joking…

—I wish I were… —Shun murmured with a nervous smile—. For as long as anyone can remember, this has been the only way to awaken it.

—They say it is a way of abandoning your former self so that a new one may be born.

—What kind of idiot came up with such a suicidal method? —Edén asked sarcastically.

—Look on the bright side. There’s a chance you might finally leave your idiotic self behind.

—Do you want me to kill you, you damn pink-haired bastard?

—You couldn’t even graze me, idiot.

…

The two of them smiled warmly, setting aside everything they carried upon their shoulders, if only for a moment.

—Everything is ready! —Tenzak announced after placing the final candle.

Both of them rose to their feet, prepared to begin the ritual.

But before Edén could take a step forward, Shun placed a hand on his shoulder.

—Remember what you have to do, Edén.

—Yeah. I’m not supposed to do anything reckless.

—I just have to reach that place and see which elements were assigned to me at birth, right?

—Correct. Reaching it isn’t complicated. You only need to follow the single corridor before you.

—Leave it to me!

The memories of that moment faded like dust scattered by the wind.

Now that he stood there, everything he had been told seemed like complete nonsense.

—Heh… This was supposed to be easy? —Edén murmured with a nervous expression—. You’ve got to be kidding me…

Countless paths stretched out before the boy, each one seemingly endless.

—And besides… What the hell was all that? —he wondered, touching his chest in search of a wound.

—I’m going to kill him when I get back.

…

In the blink of an eye, a sound that seemed to split the air itself echoed through the area.

THOOM—CRASH!

With one ferocious blow, a rusted iron axe split the ground in two.

—What?!

Edén rolled across the floor, barely managing to evade the attack.

BAM!

Eventually, he crashed into one of the fortress’s solid walls.

—Agh… That hurt like hell… —he muttered, slowly rubbing his head.

THOOM… THOOM…

Edén’s face turned so pale that it seemed as though his soul had momentarily left his body.

—You have to be fucking kidding me…

THOOM!

Before him stood a colossal iron warrior more than thirty meters tall, its entire body covered in rust.

Its gaze was cold and piercing, and in one hand it carried an enormous axe stained with old, rust-colored blood.

“I’m going to die…”

BOOM!

A massive cloud of dust rose after the devastating impact.

…

—W-welcome… Master… —the being declared in a broken, mechanical voice.

The cloud of dust slowly dispersed.

Edén cautiously opened his eyes.

To his surprise, his body was completely unharmed.

And before him knelt the gigantic knight, showing him the utmost respect, one knee pressed against the ground and its head bowed.

—W-what…?

—I have waited a very long time for this moment, Master —the knight confessed, looking at Edén with unexpected warmth.

—W-who are you…?

—Your servant…

—Sabitokigami (錆時神).

Edén let out a faint smile and murmured:

—What the hell is going on here…?

Sabitokigami extended its enormous iron hand toward him.

—Please allow me to guide you, Master.

—O-okay…

THOOM… THOOM! THOOM… THOOM!

The colossal warrior’s footsteps echoed throughout the area like a voice from the distant past.

Edén remained seated silently upon its shoulder.

His mind was filled with nothing but confusion.

He could not understand any of what had just happened.

—I’m sorry I’m not the person you were waiting for —Edén murmured—. All of this is confusing… especially for me.

—It feels like the more I understand about this world, the less I understand about myself.

…

Silence consumed the entire place.

But then, Sabitokigami broke it.

—Do not concern yourself with that…

—Huh?

—My mission in this place was to wait for him…

—But he never returned —it said in its broken voice.

Upon hearing those words, a knot formed in the boy’s throat.

—Isn’t it lonely? —Edén asked, lowering his head.

—What is?

—Being here alone for so many years.

—Yes… But I trust that those years will have been worth it —Sabitokigami murmured with a bitter smile—. I believe in him.

A smile scarred by sorrow appeared on Edén’s face.

…

CRASH!

Without warning, Edén’s mind shattered.

—Aaaaaaargh!

—Edén!

His body began to convulse as images flooded his mind.

Two swords.

A promise.

Wars.

Wings.

Horns…

Amid his screams, those images continued to invade his mind like a cruel reminder.

Then, within seconds, they all disappeared.

Edén remained on the giant’s shoulder, his breathing ragged and uneven.

“W-what the hell was all that?”

—Edén! Are you all right?!

—Y-yeah…

—What just happened?

—I don’t know… —he stammered as tears streamed down his face.

…

The two continued walking through that endless corridor until they finally reached an enormous door.

A vast amount of golden energy flowed across its surface.

With great care, Sabitokigami lowered Edén from its shoulder, holding him in its hand before placing him gently upon the ground.

—We have arrived —the colossus declared—. Once you pass through this door, you will reach the place you have been seeking.

—I do not understand what brought you to this place.

—But I would like to believe it was not mere coincidence.

—I’d like to believe that too —Edén replied with a faint smile.

Edén extended his small fist toward the colossus.

Then, with a wide smile, he said:

—I hope we meet again soon, my friend.

Sabitokigami showed a hint of surprise.

For a brief moment, it saw that “master” reflected within Edén’s face.

—I hope so too, my friend.

Their fists met, sealing their friendship like a solemn vow.

Afterward, Edén began walking toward the portal, one step at a time.

Doubts continued to invade both his body and mind.

But without ever looking back, he slowly vanished into the unknown gateway.

Sabitokigami watched everything in silence.

Then, raising its gaze toward the heavens, it spoke:

—Master, please guide his path…

—That boy carries the same light you once did.

—He even smiles the way you used to.

—There is no doubt that he will turn the entire world upside down.

…

A flash of light passed before Edén’s eyes, blinding him for an instant.

Little by little, his vision began to return.

A smile appeared upon his face.

Before him stretched an immense chamber that seemed to exist at the very center of the galaxy.

The cosmos itself adorned its walls, floor, and ceiling.

And at the center of the chamber floated six radiant spheres, each one held by a hand covered in mysterious engravings.

Within them were the kanji for water, fire, earth, air, light, and darkness.

—At last… I’ve made it —Edén declared, determination burning within his eyes.

At that very moment, the world began to change without anyone realizing it.

The balance slowly started to tip toward one side.

And sooner or later…

The world would come to an end.