Where Have They Gone?

It's been ages since I last came here.

So this is your home town, huh?

Yes. This is where I'm from... Bran as well. Look at him. He looks more excited than usual, don't you think?

He just loves the gentle breeze blowing through here.

So, what made you suddenly decide to stop by home?

Well... A very important event happens each year around this time in Snake Bone Island.

What event is it?

It's called the illumination ceremony... Have you heard of it?

Illumination what? Don't think I've heard of it.

It's an old ritual, unique to this island that's been passed down since ancient times. It's the time when we prepare grass-paper lanterns for the returning souls and then release the lanterns into the sky.

Returning souls? Do souls actually come back here to our world?

Nope. Departed souls do not come back. But beasts living on this island believe they do. They believe that their deceased friends and family visit from the afterlife.

That's right. Everyone here still believes in the afterlife.

As a traveling Purifier, it is just as important to help with the ceremony as it is to perform Ascensions.

Got it. Since it's such important work, is there anything I can help with?

Thanks. Glad to know you're willing to help. Let's head down to Konium. The whole village is participating in the event.

Oh! That you Dunarith? How's your journey going?

Nothing to complain about. Luckily, I have a reliable friend here to travel with.

Hmm, a human...? Most unusual. Well, our destinies are all in the hands of the Winged Being.

Ah yes... We must rely on the winged being.

So, how's the preparation for the illumination ceremony going?

Ah, about that...

Well, you see, there was bit of a mix up. There's not enough lanterns.

Mix up? You wrote the wrong numbers when placing the orders! It's all your fault, knucklehead!

That's quite the problem. It's been a while but I think I could help make some more lanterns.

Really?!

No, no, you can't be bothered! You must be busy preparing for the ceremony!

R-Right...! It would be too much to ask!

Why are you acting as if this is a huge favor to ask?

Well... Because as far as I understand, sir, you cannot turn into your beast form...

What?

Shush! Be careful of what you say!

Oh s-sorry.

But it doesn't change the fact that it's dangerous, does it...?!

You are certainly right about that.

Thank you for worrying about me. But I'm alright. I even have a strong friend fighting alongside me.

Sir...

Hmm. I see. If you say so...

Don't give me that face. I won't let my past bother me again.

I want to know more about these materials that we need.

S-Sure... Give me a moment. I'll go and check how much more we need.

What do you mean by not letting yourself be bothered by your past? Did something happen?

......

Plus, they mentioned that you can't transform...

Once, after a battle, you seemed to be relieved because you didn't transform. What was that about?

It sounded to me like you could have turned into a beast, but you didn't really want to.

Right... Well, perhaps I should tell you about it.

What they were referring to is... an event I cannot escape from. It was at this incident that I lost my sister forever.

You had a sister and she...

Yeah...

It was years ago, around this time of the year when the illumination ceremony was going on. I was still a child.

My sister and I were secretly planning to make a lantern, so without telling the grown-ups, we went to Igoma to collect the materials.

It happened in a flash. I wasn't looking at her for a moment, and then she was gone.

......

Alright. I checked the materials and what we need right now is yuen herb.

...Oh. Did I interrupt something?

N-No, absolutely not. By the way, Dunarith. Do you know what yuen herb is?

Sure. I know them very well. They're a plant that grows in Igoma.

Igoma? (Perhaps it's what Dunarith and his sister went searching for...)

Okay. Well then, let's go and get some yuen herb!

Did you hear that? They're making lanterns! Grandpa and everyone will be super happy if we help them!

Yayyy!

Buttt... Daddy and mommy told us to never leave the village. I heard there are terrrrrible ghosts out there at this time of year.

It's just a made-up legend! Grown-ups go in and out of the village all the time!

Ummm you're right!

Hey, didn't those big guys say they're going to Igoma? Let's follow them!

Okay! Let's follow them!

So, is this where the yuen herb grows?

Yes. We use them as the heat source to lift the lanterns into the air.

The grasses all look the same though.

No worries. I've got an idea. Bran! I need your help.

Huh? What can Bran possibly do for us?

He can smell yuen herb and knows where it grows.

Oh wow. Bran's got a strong sense of smell for a bird.

Hahah. Have you forgotten about what I said before?

Bran can sense smells coming from souls. And it just happens that yuen herbs absorb the smells from souls. How convenient!

I see! That is very convenient to our task.

All right then. Let's follow Bran and collect those herbs.

There. We've collected quite a bit of them.

I'm sure this is more than enough.

And these herbs are a heat source for making the lanterns fly, right?

Yup. When yuen herbs are lit, they burn with an amazingly colorful flame. It's meant to guide the souls to the sky, back to their proper place.

The lantern illumination, huh... I can't wait to actually see it.

Just imagine hundreds of lantern flames brightening the sky of Snake Bone Island. It's simply breathtaking. It makes you think that souls which actually go to Purgatory can find their way to the peaceful world of the afterlife...

...Or not. Sometimes I wish I actually believed in such things.

Are you going to prepare a lantern for your sister?

No. I've never done that for her. And I'm not going to start this year either.

Huh? But if she is in Purgatory, why not at least try to reach her by lighting a lantern?

About my sister...

Her soul isn't in Purgatory.

It's not? What's that supposed to mean?

S-Somebody, help!

What's going on?! What are you doing out here by yourself, kid?!

My sister's gone... I looked everywhere, but I can't find her.

......

Why...?

You were supposed to stay in the village! What were you thinking?!

Eek...!

Calm down, Dunarith! I understand the feeling, but now's not the time to hassle the kid.

F...

...Forgive me. So, where were you when you last saw your sister?

Um... It's not far from here. It's just down this path.

We'll help you find your sister. In the meantime, you should head back to the village.

Okay, got it... I'm really sorry! Please find my sister and bring her back home!

Of course we will. We'll find her, and bring her back home no matter what!

Wow. I never expected to see you so intense like that.

I was just like him, so long ago. Yelling at him won't change anything but...

Dunarith...

Hahah... How silly it is...that I still can't...

I can never atone for my mistakes, but I can at least save his sister.

But how can a child disappear without a trace? What could possibly be happening?

I think I have an idea. The boy said it's down this path. Let's get moving!

Damn it. Can't find her! Dunarith! Can't you ask Bran to search for her?!

He's already helping the search.

But at this time of year, the smell of yuen herb distracts him, and it's not easy for him to recognize her smell.

Then we'll just have to search this entire island for her.

Aldo, didn't I tell you that I had an idea? Follow me!

An entrance to the Snake Dream?! How on earth did it get here?

To be accurate, it's a secret tunnel dug by a rare monster that lives in Snake Dream.

A rare monster?

Yup. And...bingo. I often hear that bad feelings always come true... Right now, I think I believe it.

I don't know about that, but the girl could be inside.

Yes...It's highly likely. Let's go!

We're here! We're inside Snake Dream!

Yes... This all brings back memories... Nothing has changed.

Dunarith...?

Be careful, Aldo. We're dealing with a monster that knows the taste of a living soul.

A living soul? Wait, does that mean...

These monsters once used to feed on the yuen herbs that carried the scents of souls. But now, they've discovered the taste of living souls.

They started with my sister's soul!

So that's what happened. Now I know why your sister's soul doesn't even exist in Purgatory.

I've been telling the children ghost stories and warning parents to keep their children in the village. But no matter what I did, something was bound to happen eventually.

This time, however, I end this for good!

Ahhhhh! Help! Brother!

Did you hear that?

It's her! Let's hurry, Aldo!

Ugh! Were we too late?!

No... She's just unconscious. Her soul is still untainted.

Do souls get tainted?

Originally this feeble monster only fed on the scents from the yuen herbs. They're not even capable of chewing, swallowing, or ingesting them!

But when one is held by them... Their soul experiences a never-ending torture as it is slowly nibbled away.

Once it has enjoyed the taste long enough, it spits the soul up like gum! It's a huge disgrace to the victim's fate, to divine providence, and to all other beings! It must be punished!

This is how my sister's soul became an evil spirit! I curse all the terrible injustices that plague our world!

You have every right to be angry!

Finally... I found you...

I've waited all my life for a chance to end you!

Dunarith!

Let me fight side by side with you! We'll save this girl whatever is takes!

Did we get it...?!

Not quite, Aldo...

Damn it... How does it still have strength...

Ugh! It must have attained all this power by eating Reliath's soul...!

If our strength isn't enough... Then I have only one option...

Watch out!

Aldo!

Dunarith... You don't have to transform!

Leave this to me... Take the kid and run! Get far from here!

Aldo! Why would you...

Urrgh!

The past is repeating itself... It's exactly the same as the day I failed to save my sister, Reliath...!

Come on, Dunarith! Run!

No... I can't run. I just can't.

I'm not running away! Not anymore!

Dunarith... You're form...

Forgive me, Reliath. This will only last a moment. No one has to see you like this for long...!

Here we go...!

Woah... He only needed a second to take down that monster...

Aldo. Are you alright?

Yeah, I'm fine... But what was that?

That was me, wrapped in a veil called sin and punishment.

My beast form is where my sister's soul... Reliath's evil spirit resides.

I see... No wonder you insisted on not transforming.

Once her soul was consumed by that monster... Reliath's soul could no longer sustain itself until reincarnation. It would just wait and then vanish forever... Once I realized this, I allowed her evil spirit to curse me, trapping her in our world.

...Which was the key point of our contract.

Normally I'd have to take her soul with me right away, but I've agreed to let it slide... In return, he'd keep working for me. He'd keep sending me souls of the beasts. It's a win-win situation.

Are you taking advantage of Dunarith's tragedy?!

Who knows? You could say that. All I can say is that I'm doing him a great favor. Whether he agrees with me or not is entirely up to him. Isn't that right?

You monster...

It's okay, Aldo. You don't need to say anything more. I'm happy that you care about my sister and me.

......

Alright. If you say so, Dunarith.

Hah hah. Anyway, I've got to get going. You helped me remove the cause of souls changing into evil spirits. It makes my job much easier.

Well, then. Let us bring the child back to the village. Everybody must be worried about her.

Right. Let's get out of here.

Dunarith!

It's you... What are you doing here?

I was worried when you didn't return. What about the children?

They're fine... See.

Brother...?

I'm sorry... This is all my fault! You must've been terrified.

*sniffle* Brother...!

...You're all right now. The monster won't come back for you ever. Aldo took care of it.

Huh?

Oh... that's a relief. I don't know how to thank you...

Please, I didn't...

Can you look after the children? I've got lots to do to get ready.

Sure thing. Leave them to me.

Oh... and this is for you.

Ah, the yuen herbs. I'll take them off your hands. Finally I can finish up the rest of the lanterns. You guys go ahead and make your way to Mescita.

I'll see you guys later.

Thanks you!

Thanks for saving me!

Shouldn't we have told him that you saved the girl by transforming?

I never told the village the truth about my sister. For all they know she rests peacefully in the afterlife. It's better to have them think that way for the sake of my sister's legacy. No one needs to know about how she became an evil spirit and what happens when I transform.

Alright... If that's what you wish.

I'm sorry for keeping so many things from you, Aldo.

Don't worry about it. You can always count on me. I know very well how difficult it is to keep secrets from others...

Thank you for understanding, Aldo.

Anyway... we should start heading to Mescita. You've got lots of preparations to do for the illumination ceremony, right?

Yeah, you're right. I'm glad to have you around, my friend.

Seems that the villagers aren't here yet.

Well, we've still got some time till the ceremony starts.

Don't you think it's ironic? I've met a being from Purgatory and know that the afterlife doesn't exist. Yet here I am, working as a Purifier, teaching people about the afterlife that doesn't actually await them.

Can you possibly name someone else who is living a life as twisted as mine?

Here I am, performing Ascensions for my own ends.

......

I don't think so.

Huh?

I've been watching you as we travel. You care so much about the people who...you know. And you always show compassion for their loved ones. It's for them that you work. Even if the afterlife is all made up, those people believe in it! For those left behind, isn't it the same as truth?

Aldo, I don't know what to say...

But it's almost time. The villagers will be here soon.

We pray for those who await us in the afterlife.

May the souls of our loved ones rest in peace.

Our prayers shall guide the souls of our friends and family back to their resting place.

Our hopes shall lighten the path to the harmonious world where they belong.

Incredible. The view is simply breathtaking.

I know, it's odd. The concept of the afterlife and these lanterns carry no meaning whatsoever.

But still, part of me believes that one day, I'll make a lantern for Reliath.

Can't we somehow change an evil spirit back?

...... I'm not sure really. I don't know anyone who can answer that question for sure.

Really...

But I know one thing for certain. Each time I perform an Ascension for a soul, a little bit of my sister's soul fades away.

Is that true? Does it mean that one day, she might be able to reach Purgatory?!

No. It's just a feeling I get.

I see.

But you shouldn't always doubt your feelings. There must be a reason why.

Here's the truth. Before I met you, I had all but given up...

But things have changed. Now here you are.

You've got to be crazy to travel with someone who keeps such dark secrets. But still you help me.

Dunarith...

Hahah! Did I just hear a little birdy say "don't forget about me!"

That goes without saying, Bran my friend! You'll always be my best buddy.

I'm a liar. Far from becoming the respected Purifier that people can look up to. All along I've been performing Ascensions for my own sake, trying to atone for everything...

Still... Deep down, I wish to truly guide those souls to their final resting place. And I hope that every lost soul will be saved. So that they too, may light up this sky.