Dusk

There is something I would like to ask.

Is Master Tung's finball stall nearby?

You... You are not from Lungmen, are you?

......

Came to sample his reputed finballs, have you?

Uh, yes, but of course! They're famous far and wide, hahaha—

Well, what time do you think it is? They closed for the day long ago.

If you truly want a bite, you'll want to line up at eight in the morning.

It has closed? Do you perchance know where Master Tung lives, then?

Hm...

Kind sir?

You're here to sample his finballs. Why would his name or address matter to you at all?

Err... Hahaha, quite right. Haha... I'll wait till the morrow then—

Young man...

Mmh—

—K-Kind sir? What is the meaning of this? Please, lower your cane—

What do you want with Tung?

I... I—

I suggest you behave yourself here, young man. Now, explain.

You covered practically the entire town within just one night, from the old folks to the Greytails' boss. Now, you even ask for a finball hawker.

No one would come to this place to seek him out at this hour. Moreover... I know what it is that you are holding.

—You... Are you...?! Mmph!

Don't move, young man. Answer me first. Who else do you seek?

Only those I've already asked about! I am looking for Uncle Tung only because I have no choice—!

Is your name Lien?

No! No, it is not! Please, listen to me—

Stop.

I am not one to mistake a man trained in the martial arts for a hooligan... And you hold the Lien clan's Yin-ch'ing fan. How are you related to Lien Tzu-hsu?

—She's my master!

What became of her?

My master...

What became of her?!

She passed!

...How?

She... She was damned well murdered... because of me, an imbecile of a disciple!

......

...A shame.

Master Lin—!

Hmph... You know my name. How?

I-I heard of you from my master... Please, I cannot be caught by those men yet!

You came here to Lungmen merely to drag out what time you have left.

The flame can't be snuffed!

I suggest you go to the L.G.D.

This is nothing the police can manage!

......

Very well... Out of respect for Tung's friendship with your old master, I give you this chance.

You have three moves. Break my cane, and you may come with me.

—N-No, I can't!

Do it.

My master told me. The debt that Uncle Tung owes Lin of Lungmen... is also hers. No matter the circumstances, I must not disrespect—

Do it!

—I'm afraid I can't!

You coward! Unfold your fan!

My name is not Lien! I am undeserving!

Yet you hold her fan!!

Lien is not my name!

Then your master died for nothing!

I—

Hm, well executed...

Master Lin... please forgive me.

Stand up. I forced your hand. Nothing to kneel for.

Stay here in Lungmen for five years. After five years, I will send you back to Kou-wu City. What happens next, you'll have to figure out yourself.

—!

Come.

Brother Nothing, are you really leaving?

......

Stay in Lungmen. It's a nice place, no?

I have yet to do what I must.

Looks like we aren't keeping you here... Can we share one last drink, then?

Save it. If I make it back alive, we will share this drink.

If that time comes, I suppose I won't be using this pseudonym anymore.

—Great!

We await your return!

So you really came back. That I did not expect...

But I must return. I am indebted to you. I cannot well just pack up and leave.

Hoh. Look how much of a smooth-talker you've become. I wish you'd seen how nervous you were when we first met.

Ha. Haha, Master Lin. At least save me some face.

What's your plan after this?

It's all over, but I've made enemies everywhere. It's not realistic for me to stay in my hometown.

I've got a storefront downtown you can have. Not cheap, though.

Of course, I can't take what's yours without proper payment.

So this is your training hall, Brother?

Indeed it is. I named it 'Friendship,' for friendship is wealth as the saying goes. What do you think?

Sounds kinda like a fitness center for the elderly...

As long as it earns me good coin, why does it matter in this day and age that it's a fitness center for the elderly?!

Will anyone actually come...? Ugh, you charge the memberships by the year too?

Ahaha... It's not necessarily a bad thing to have no customers. I heard this is fashionable in recent...

Excuse me, is this a fitness center?

My oh my. Please come this way, esteemed guest. We are a traditional Yan martial arts training center. I guarantee you'll find yourself most hale and hearty in no time!

......

Oh, I see. Give me a minute. Let me find my card.

...?!

You...

Brother Nothing!

Don't you think you're safe just because you're in Lungmen. You aren't getting away—

Bastard, die!

Brother Nothing, are you alright?!

Open your eyes... Do I look alright...?

Hang in there! I'll call an ambulance right away—

Save it... *cough* *cough*... It's too late; I can tell. It's opening day, and blood has already been spilled. Just my luck...

I... *cough*, stop crying. You are a big guy. It's nothing uncommon to see a fellow man die.

I... I'm not... I...

It's okay... This... is how it's meant to be...

Brother Nothing!!

Oh, so you aren't doing anything the rest of your life but avenging your master. You even had to kill yourself in your dream. Really, man?

I... Did I just...?

Did you what? If I didn't come fetch you, you'd have started all over again from the moment you left Kou-wu.

Now get up and get to work!

?!

...Why am I...

Kroos! You're up!

...Beagle?

Why are you still... wearing your Rhodes Island outfit...?

Hehe, we may be on vacation, but I really like it.

See? This part here is nice, right?

...Is this your new place?

Mm-hm!

Why don't you stay here for a few more days? I'll take real good care of you!

......

...Yeah!

Do we really need to go from here...?

Shh!

Look over there...

...Tsk, what a pain in the ass. That caravan barely had anything to take. Drew this big of a crowd here too! If I knew it'd be this much trouble, I wouldn't have taken the job!

No use complaining now though. Hey, get the goods moved over here. That's a pretty good spot! Be sure to mark it down!

—Bandits?

Yeah, a Messenger said it's not very safe out on the mountains... So this is where they've all been hiding.

Kroos, we need to hurry back to tell security—

—Why? We can take care of them.

Kroos, let's not get ahead of—

Hey, there's another caravan! Might be a merchant!

We'll lose our chance if we don't hurry.

I never expected you of all people to say that...

...I...

Oh, looks like they're on the move! I'll protect—

—Huff!

You—?!

Ugh?! What's wrong? Why did he pass out?!

I'm here.

Whoa... you took care of them all so quick... Even avoided their vitals so that they're only incapacitated.

When did you become such a badass?

Let's go get the guards.

Sure!

*Yawn*... Morning.

Hey, Kroos, did you sleep well?

I had to go to bed early all of a sudden. How was I supposed to fall asleep fine?

Haha, but you know how early the Messengers leave. If you want to hitch a ride, you gotta head there early.

......

Oh, don't be like that. We just won't get to see each other for a while. You can come visit me any time.

Oh, and be sure to tell Fang I said hello. I wonder how she's doing these days...

Yeah.

Hehe.

Okay, here's your luggage. I got it all packed up for you.

Yeah.

Alright, enough with the sad face. Smile! You'll get to see Fang real soon!

Be sure to bring me some Columbian souvenirs!

...Yeah!

See you, Kroos!

We'll meet again, Beagle—

—

What...? Did I just...

...Finally awake, huh?

We've been stuck here for a long time... Looks like you had a pretty sweet dream, though.

...Sorry.

It's nothing to apologize for... but we're running out of rations, Kroos.

We gotta give it a shot, head to the other side of the valley and see what's going on there.

It's been way too long since we heard anything from the Bolívarian army. Did they change their route or something?

Beagle...

Anyway, we gotta leave. The mission was over a long time ago... We need to report back to Rhodes Island as well...

No, this isn't right.

This isn't... This makes no sense...! The emergency comms aren't working!

B-But their camp shouldn't be that far away, going by the operation's map!

Hey—! Where are you guys?!

...!

T-This...

...Beagle...? Are you sure it's her?

N-No way! How come?!

...We'll have a detailed report later on.

And well... Kroos, we probably shouldn't get too involved in this mess... If Bolívar's really this complicated... there's nothing we can do for her.

We need to head back to the Rhodes Island landship...

You want me to stand by and watch her—

—No, I... I... I should've stopped her! I should've stopped her, whatever it took...!

Hey, Kroos.

...Sorry, Nian, but I'm not in the mood to...

Okay. Huh. Turns out Dusk couldn't have given you guys a better life, even in your dreams.

All she did was draw the rest of your lives out in the painting and let them play out again from the beginning. It's all fake anyway. Couldn't you have picked a better ending?

What are you talking about—

Don't worry, don't worry. Nian's here to save the day.

I'm her big sister, after all.

Kroos! Mr. Nothing!

It's so dark here... What's going on...?

I thought I saw the Umbrella-Boiler... put out the flames that he just lit up...?

...What's going on...?

Hm, I wonder how things are going with Saga...

...There's ground beneath my feet, at least, but I gotta be careful...

Lava.

Waaahhh?!

N-Nian?! What are you doing here?

Oh, don't worry. I'm the real, 100% legit Nian you know and love, here to save you guys' asses.

It's just, uh, how should I put this. She sure threw you for a loop...?

I can't see anything—

—Hold up, I can kinda make something out... Is there someone over there?

That's a trap.

She noticed what that thing I gave you is for, so she put all of you in some far-fetched, otherworldly dream right away. Too bad... got here a bit too late.

How do you even do this?!

No idea. It's not that hard to carve a person's consciousness out of their minds. After all, the point wasn't to give you guys a second life. Fundamentally, it's more like... a kaleidoscope for you to reflect on and question yourself.

Whether it's a large mirror, a huge lake, or a vast sky full of stars, once you enter the painting, there is no way out. This is that almighty.

I wonder why you alone are an exception, though. Oh, maybe it's cause we had all that hotpot together...?

Don't drag me into a mess like this for a reason like that. Anyway, thanks.

......

Nian?

...Hm? Oh, it's nothing.

Wanna hear another story? Unlike Dusk, I'm not some uptight shut-in who hates the outdoors. This one isn't going to be nearly as boring.

Given the circumstances, I think we should worry about how to get out—

Eh, you don't want to learn about how these people from the olden days fought off those Feranmuts when they were years behind with their industries, populations, and Originium Arts?

The last time you changed the conversation like that, we ended up with the Dark Devastator stuff.

Well, looks like you're interested.

I... Whatever, go ahead...

A long time ago, there existed many gods in the lands of Yan.

The Yan emperor at the time saw his territory prosper, but his people suffered disasters and misfortunes one after another. He lamented this vicious cycle, and spent a long time to come up with a solution.

He was the True Lung. Likely one of the most controversial men in Yan history, he was at the time still young in years, and his passion was unrivaled. As the emperor of Yan, he turned to his trusted retinue and told them this—

All the lands under heaven belong to the throne, and all men are my servants. Why then do the divinities above listen not to the will of the people of Great Yan and deprive our lands of their protection?

...As you probably know, when the 'gods' are brought up in certain countries' folklore or history, they aren't necessarily merely philosophical concepts. That said, they aren't exactly all that mighty and revered either.

Case in point, the Lung found one such god deep in the mountains. A prideful and disdainful god.

Yan's long history was a brief stretch of time to him... Naturally, he didn't give any thought to the Lung's opinions, and he had no reason to care about the lives of mere mortals.

Now, this is where the problem lies. The Lung was too concerned with his subjects and his country.

He issued and personally led his entire military, joined by many a formidable fighter, to take to the mountains on this wild hunt—

And... beyond anyone's expectations, being that the Lung first uncovered there decided to betray his kin and his fellow deities. It divided up its own strength, and participated in this once-in-a-lifetime wild hunt.

After this great wild hunt, Yan slayed several of these 'gods' who dared to stand up against the Lung, and all those unwilling to submit to his rule were exiled.

Much blood was shed, and many lives were lost. Yan paid a dear price, and that's how this controversy surrounding the True Lung came to be.

But he personally didn't care about this, and his campaign continued for as long as the Lung lived.

When he was finally old and frail, he found the last such being remaining in Yan's lands. The most ancient and the most sacred. The eternal being that chose to betray its kin for the Lung's cause.

The traitor had already received the justice it deserved. When its kin left the lands of Yan, they also took care to put out its flames of arrogance. Thus, its true nature was laid bare to the emperor—

Anyway, its contributions had more than earned it the Lung's mercy. Nonetheless, the Lung forced it to serve Yan. To serve heaven, the lands, and its people to keep the world at peace.

Ever since, the fortunes of Yan have always belonged to the True Lung and his subjects.

And at the same time, the so-called 'gods'—Though they had existed long before all the nations in the world came to be, they chose to hide themselves. They spread their own seeds across the land, placed the broken shards of their power and souls, and let them take root in this world in their place.

They still exist in all shapes and forms across Terra, though their numbers are nowhere as great as before.

But they all learned their lesson. Now, they're living across the world with everyone like one big family. Yep, it's a pretty good ending, don't you think?

You...

...Many nations have risen in Terra, and each one went through major changes throughout history. Yet, beyond Yan, there isn't a dynasty, a human who can tell this tale of the ennobling of the gods.

......

Yan is a real scary place.

Eh, anyway, let's blow this joint. I don't wanna stay here any longer.

This painting is Dusk's trump card. We've got her indecisiveness to thank though. We wouldn't have a way out otherwise.

...H-How are you going to do that...?

What... What happened to us...?

Mnn, my brain hurts... Hmm? My benefactor, Kroos?

Nothing...? Where's Lava? Where's Saga?

No idea, they... M-My benefactor, are we back in Mount Hui-ch'i?

...Leave.

Who are you...?

I'll say this only once.

Don't tell me... You are Dusk?

This was Nian's idea, wasn't it?

I don't know who you people are, and I don't want to know what you've got to do with her. I don't care.

Now leave.

Don't tell me... You are the villain behind it all...?

What if I am?

For someone who dared to disrupt my tranquility over and over, this is no punishment at all.

You don't mean, it's all because of the firecrackers...?

You've got it all wrong. We weren't trying to—

Wrong?

Nian may be able to fool you, but she can't fool me.

No matter what she says, I don't want to see her. Tell her that.

That's...

But what about Lava and Saga?

They—

—!

What... Where?!

W-What?! Where is this sound coming from?

Get down!

*cough* *cough*—

—What in the world did you come up with again?!

Oh, it's just a big-ass firecracker. Eight feet long and three feet wide, uses the latest and greatest technology, never before seen in Terra, for its ignition!

You know how close I was? You could've at least warned me before you set that thing off!

We didn't have the time. She would've gotten away again.

Isn't that right, my dear little sister?

—You.

How dare you burn my art!

Your art?

Oh, I see. The moment we flung that door open, we'd already stepped into the world of your paintings, huh?

Or are we in the middle of a hike? Maybe this whole mountain is just a fantasy that you've dreamt up?

Oh, no wonder I could never find you, you unsociable loner—

W-What?

That's right. I mean, you can't possibly hide all that junk in a cottage that small, can you? Are you telling me none of you figured that out?

Hm, I guess most people's cognition and senses get affected, though. Can't blame you for not noticing, then.

It's just like how you wouldn't feel anything's off no matter what kind of weird dream you have in your sleep.

......

Aha, you mad because I blew your little secret?

I'll beat you up and send you back to that mausoleum, 'Big Sis.'

Eh, that place was destroyed long ago.

Oh, perfect, then. It's time to build a new one, and we'll give its design a little more thought this time.

Hehe, you haven't changed at all. Always such a foulmouth when you're pissed... Did you just call me 'Big Sis' though?

...You heard that right. After all, when you have to kill someone, it costs nothing to be cordial.

Don't worry, my 'little sister.' How many times have you defeated me?

Don't be so confident, my all bark and no bite big sister.

Well, I wonder about that, my cocky little sister.

Kroos, Mr. Nothing, hide!