A Wish Entrusted

Nnh...

Philo! Are you alright?

Sorry, just a bit of a headache...

That's no good. You do look pretty pale. Here, let's rest for a bit.

I-I'm fine, really. Just a bit of lightheadedness.

Nngh!!

Wh-what is this? A voice?

A voice?

Yes, there's a voice in my head. It's just like... Back then...

You mean, when the World Tree called out to you?

Yes. But it sounds much weaker, or rather...more faded...

Maybe something's happened to the World Tree?

I can't say for sure. But it's definitely asking for help...

Aah?!

Philo!

...Aaahhhh!

Wh-what's going on?!

Aaaaaah! Nngh...!

*huff* *huff* What...was...

Are you okay?!

Y-yes... I think so.

It felt like there was something heavy digging around my insides... But it's gone now.

That sounds really bad. What's going on with you?

Well now. Fascinating.

Ogre Rancorem?

What I felt emanating from the boy just now was, without a doubt, my own power. The dark power whereby I am known as a demon sword.

What? Well... Philo's an incarnation of the World Tree, right? And he's giving off dark power? ...Ogre Rancorem. What did you do to him?

Fool. What would I stand to gain by doing anything to this creature?

...Well, something's clearly not right. We need to figure out just what that something is, and fast. It may have something to do with why the World Tree asked for help, too.

Now that you mention it, the voice and the weird pain did start up at just about the same time.

Let's go to the Tree of Eternity. Maybe we'll figure something out.

What will you do, Philo? Want to rest up?

No. The World Tree asked for my help. I want to be there to give it.

I want to come with you! I need to see what's going on for myself.

Okay. Just be careful not to push yourself too hard.

Don't worry, I won't! The pain and dizziness have passed. I'll be good to go in a moment!

Alright. Let's go check up on the World Tree.

So it's not just that you were too far away to hear its voice... I mean, I can't hear it at all, so I didn't notice anything weird.

Overcast, huh?

Ggrrrgh...

What was that?

Grr... Grrr...

Is that...an ogre?! What's an ogre doing in this era?!

Is this why the World Tree has been weakened?!

Hoho. My first encounter with a comrade in some time, and it is here, of all possible places. Little wonder he is weakened, in the shade of this detestable tree.

The land blazes with enough celestial power to suppress the darkness inherent to our kind.

I see. So even the ogres that gave you your power can't withstand that kind of light.

This tree also took quite a lot of our dark power, as well. Truly an awful thing, it is.

Philo...

Hah. If you have complaints to make, make them to the Thunder King. We had no choice in the matter.

A-anyway, if this ogre is the cause of what's going on with the World Tree, we need to do something.

It's happening again?!

He's burning up! Stay with me, Philo. You'll get through it!

Grrgh...

Hrrgh?!

Huh? That ogre...

Obsolete test subject located. Obsolete test subject located. Subject #1 is to be terminated. Resistance is futile. Moving to attack.

Grrgh...!!

Test subject...terminated? You mean this ogre?

Philo?! Easy, you're in no shape to...

Philo?! What happened to you?!

Philo! What just happened?!

Take it easy. Go at your own pace.

Scared?

Resonating with the ogre?!

Philo...

Grrgh...

Huh? What is it?

Grrh...

......

I guess it ran out of strength. It was weakened anyway, after all.

What happened?

Are you okay?

Is that possible?

Looking down on the planet?! ...Maybe the Xeno-Domain, then? There are plenty of machines set up there, too.

Well, yeah, it sounds silly when you just say it out loud like that... But what else could it be? That machine called it a test subject, after all, so maybe it really was from the Xeno-Domain.

So there's something else behind it. We don't have any other leads, and I'm worried about your condition...

Alright. Let's go to the Xeno-Domain.

Maybe this way...?

How's it looking? Have you figured anything out?

Not yet, I'm afraid. I'm not really used to this kind of thing.

True, you don't really give off much of a "computer expert" feeling with that giant ax of yours.

Hee hee. Becoming a great woodcutter is the only thing on my mind day in and day out!

That said, I did still grow up in this era, after all.

I can manage simple operations like this no...

...Yikes!

Are you okay? You didn't press anything weird, did you?

N-no, it should be fine. ...I think. Probably.

Oh, hey...

Something's on the screen.

It's a document of some kind. Let's see, the title is... "Records Pertaining to the Planned Restoration of Extinct Species"...

It looks like a diary or something. Maybe we'll find a clue in here.

The update date is very recent. This could be what we're looking for!

It could have something to do with that ogre from before. What's the record say?

Um, let me see... "A message came to the Sapient Complex, to proceed with the Regression Plan. But I can't support this madness."

The Sapient Complex...and the regression of humanity?! The plan set up by the Twilight Cardinal Vestige, to regress humanity back into titans...

You know about this?!

Yeah. I was actually kind of involved in the whole mess. There was a group that wanted to revert all of humanity back to an older species called titans. We were able to stop them, though. It sounds like whoever wrote this was made to work on the plan.

Yeah. I'm actually kind of involved in the whole mess. There's a group that wants to revert all of humanity back to an older species called titans. It sounds like whoever wrote this was made to work on the plan...

It says "I can't support this", though.

So they're against the plan, I guess. But could anyone involved really go against Cardinal Vestige?

There's more. Let's keep reading.

"I've suceeded in synthesizing the ogre DNA that will form the base. I have no need for this lab anymore." "I miss my hometown...but I've assimilated into this time layer. I will continue my research." "I've found a vein of terrestrial energy, the power that changed the ancient species. I can use this." "My research will advance mankind. To that end, I will revive these lost creatures, the ogres!"

They wanted to revive the ogres?!

That must have something to do with the ogre we saw at the World Tree.

Definitely. These notes prove this researcher was in this time layer, after all.

...Ah! Aldo, look! There's more text! This report is getting updated in real-time!

It's what?

Let's see... "Subject #1's strengthening was a failure. Subject disposed of at the Tree of Eternity."

This "Subject #1" must be that ogre. They knew the World Tree's power would weaken it, and they sent that drone to finish it off.

They brought that life into the world only to cut it down? That's awful...

Philo...

I do fear the ogres' power... And they may be harmful to the World Tree. I don't know. But... That ogre had only just been given life, and then...

Aah?!

Aw no, not again!

Nngh, this feeling... My chest...is hot...! This rage and sadness... These aren't... my feelings! But my heart feels like it's going to burst!

Damn it, is there anything I can do?

Huh? There's more text!

"Found another energy vein. Once enough energy is collected... "I'll send Subject #2 to perform another test at Last Island"...!

*huff huff*

Are you okay, Philo?

Yes...it's settled now.

Did you learn anything else?

Yeah, I think so.

These "energy veins" the notes mention must be leftover energy from when the World Tree was the Tree of Woe. We thought all the dark energy disappeared when the tower fell, but I guess some stuck around.

And it's that energy that's affecting both you and the World Tree, I would bet.

I see!

And they're probably doing research on the Last Island, see? Rucyana would be the place for dark power in the past...and the Last Island just about matches, place-wise.

Either way, we should get going.

Yes. I want to help the World Tree get better as soon as I can.

Right. Let's get to the Last Island and stop those experiments!

...There! I can feel the evil power from over here! That must be Subject #2!

Hmm? Who are you two? You certainly know a lot for having appeared out of nowhere. Are you the ones stealing peeks at my notes?

You noticed?

It's just me out here, after all. I kept an eye on my old files just in case a like-minded person might come along... But I get the feeling that isn't quite the case for you two.

...It's not. We're here to stop you. I don't understand what you're after, but the more you use that power, the more the World Tree suffers!

The World Tree? That's unexpected. It's not reason enough to stop my work, unfortunately.

But, !

Why are you doing this? You'd even go up against Cardinal Vestige for this plan to revive the ogres?

Oh? I don't think I ever mentioned Cardinal Vestige in my notes. You really do know your stuff. Fine, I'll tell you. What I do, I do for the evolution of humankind as a whole.

Evolution? Via the ogres? What are you talking about?

Cardinal Vestige wants to return humanity to its titan roots to end all war and strife. But...

What is humanity without strife?! What are we, if not forged in the crucibles of war and conflict?!

What?!

The revived ogres will give humanity a fierce new foe to fight against. The threat of extinction will drive our species to greater heights, as it did in the ancient past!

You're out of your mind! You have no idea how much pain and suffering the Ogre Wars caused! How dare you say that?!

Aldo!

Yeah. We're bringing him down, no matter what!

I wonder if you'll manage... Well, let's find out together.

You're talking pretty tough.

Hm? Oh, true, I guess from a normal perspective I'm in a tight situation here, certainly. You did find my experimental grounds, after all, and I know you've already told the EGPD about me.

And yet I still feel confident. Would you care to guess why?

Wh-why is that?

It's very simple.

Because this creature... Has been modified to the absolute limits of bioengineering!

What?!

With the genes of the ancient ogres, and concentrated dark energy, he's the ultimate manmade ogre...

He's just a newborn, but he'll suffice to protect me from the likes of two meddlesome brats!

And once I can move into mass- production, my war against humanity's stagnation can begin in earnest!

Damn it. We'll have to take him down. Can you fight, Philo?

You can count on me, Ald...

...Aah!

Philo?! Not now... Is it because the ogre woke up?

Nn...nngh... The hatred...the loneliness... Everything is...so dark...! I, I can't... I want to...to smash something, I need to... I...!

It doesn't seem you're in any position to be stopping me at all, does it? That power is fascinating, but I can see from here that you have no idea how to control it.

Gghh...!

This is the power of the Tree of Woe... The power of the ogres. The World Tree suffered this pain, long ago... I'm part of the World Tree, too. I can't let this darkness beat me. I can't let it swallow me up.

I will refuse it! I...will reject it...!

It's no use. It won't go away. M-my head...I can't...

...I'm sorry, big bro. You raised me with such care and such love, with such wishes for the future. To bring blessings on all the lives of this planet, and yet, I...

I know that this tree... might hurt many people in the future... But in the far future, it could possibly bring many more people great happiness.

You can't know that for sure!

I do!

B-Because... Within this tree is just one thing... hope!

Hope?

We planted this tree together. My mom, dad, and I. And I always prayed that this tree would bring happiness to the lives of many people in the future...

To bring happiness... To many people...

To all the lives of this planet...

That's right.

The ogres were born of the planet, just like we were. They deserve love and blessings all the same. If I turned them away, I would be betraying my big bro's wishes. And so...

I won't refuse them. I won't reject them.

I'll accept this power! I'll accept them, as part of me!

Philo! You're back to looking like you did earlier!

I'm okay, Aldo. I'm still myself.

What? You can control that power while maintaining a human form? That's simply not possible!

...Please let me pass, Mr. Ogre. I don't want to fight you. I don't want to deny you your life. I just want to put an end to this man's research.

Don't be ridiculous! It can't understand you, and it wouldn't listen if it could! Ogre! Protect me and my research! For the sake of humanity! Guard it with your life!

Damn it, I guess we have no choice.

We can't allow this to continue. For the sake of all the precious lives of the planet, I will stop you!

Grrrgh?!

Impossible! My ogre!

There's nothing protecting you now. Stop your research, right now!

I guess I have no choice... You want me to stop drawing on this energy, is that it?

You shouldn't have started in the first place!

...Fine. I'll do as you say.

Phew...it looks like it's over.

The EGPD! They found us.

It never rains, but it pours, I see. It's the end of the line for me...

So this is the end of my grand plan... For now. But someday I swear I will be the spark that flares humanity up to greater brilliance.

We'll be there to stop you as many times as it takes!

Hmph. We'll see then. Oh, it may be undignified to gloat after I've lost, but...

Don't tell me you two think you've saved even that ogre, do you?

What?!

Leave it. It'll die soon. It was already weak, and now its energy source has been cut off. Just thought I should let you boys know that, hm?

Oh, no... Mr. Ogre!

Grr... Grrr...

......

Philo...

No...I know. There was nothing we could have done.

But I want people to know... He was alive. He wanted to live... And he tried his hardest.

Yeah...just like any other living thing.

So I'll live on too, with the memories of the two ogres within me. As part of my choice to take them in and accept them as part of me.

...You know, Philo. You seem more mature now, somehow.

Haha...I've been doing some thinking lately, that's all.

Shall we head back to the Tree of Eternity? We stopped the scientist, but I'm still worried.

Yeah. And I bet the World Tree will be surprised to see your new look, too.

Well? How is the World Tree? With the experiments stopped, it can talk to you again, right?

...No, something's strange. I can't hear anything at all.

Huh? Does that mean there's still something bad happening?

Hmm...maybe...

The overcast feeling from before hasn't gone away. The World Tree may still be absorbing dark energy...

That scientist closed off the source, but I guess it hasn't dissipated yet.

I feel bad keeping the World Tree waiting until it all goes away...

...Oh! I know!

Got a plan?

Maybe. I'm not sure if I can do it, but maybe I can absorb this miasma just like I absorbed the ogres' power!

Uh...is that really a good idea?

It'll be fine...I think. I've accepted this power for what it is, now. All that's left is to try it...

Hnnnnngh...!

I did it! It worked!

Yes! I'm so glad to see you've returned to your senses.

Haha. See, what did I say?

But it really is me, I promise! I just absorbed a little bit of dark energy, that's all.

Yes. I accepted it, after all.

I want to affirm and accept all living creatures of the planet. That's what my big bro wanted. And when I thought that, this power made itself part of me, so naturally.

I could tell. But I really am okay. No matter what I take in, I'm me. As long as I accept it and love it, it's part of me, all the same.

Hee hee. I'm like another self, after all.

We were the same when I was born, but we won't stay the same forever. I'll have my own experiences... My own thoughts and feelings. My own life.

Yes. I may be a spirit, but... I'm also human, after all.

Of course I will!

Hey, Philo? You've been spacing out a while. Is the World Tree okay, then?

Ah, Aldo!

Whoa! You scared me there. How are things?

It seems the World Tree is back in high spirits!

That's great. You seemed pretty lost in conversation there. Did you talk about anything specific?

Um...if I had to summarize, mostly that I'm human, and therefore I can accept a lot of things!

...... S-sorry, I don't think I follow.

That's okay. What it comes down to is that I'll keep on living to bring blessings to this world and all its people.

Isn't that right, big bro?