Sixth Knot

Man...

I didn't think it was gonna be this dark out...

It might as well still be nighttime. Guess it's got something to do with the weird time nonsense...

Aaaaaaaaah!

...Aaand, nothing quite takes your mind off things like an ear-shattering scream in the morning...

I don't even want to know what this is about...

Th...th...

Th-the well outside... It's all full of tar!

And the milk's gone so rotten it looks like cottage cheese!

NOW how am I going to make our morning porridge!? How could the start of our day POSSIBLY get any worse!?

That is your concern?

Would it kill you. To grill some pork chops. Occasionally?

So tired. Of porridge.

It's not just any old porridge! It's my special kykeon porridge!

And I'll have you know, kykeon porridge is made with

What are you shouting about so early in the morning, Auntie?

Oh. Medea. Haven't seen you in... Wait. What.

Swear to Hecate that you'll never, ever call me "Auntie" again!

You hear me, Medea!? ...Wait, you CAN'T be Medea. Okay, who are you?

...Teehee.

Just a little illusion to disguise me. The Queen of Sheba lent me some of her power.

I might be good at makeup, but disguises are another thing altogether. At any rate...

...the whole village is in total chaos. It's not just the well water. There's also a swarm of insects, birds...

...and of course, this pitch-black sky.

At this point, if the dead got up and started wandering around, I don't think I'd even bat an eye!

...Nn...

Abby? ...You still have a bad fever. Please, try to stay in bed.

You've been sweating in the night... Here, let me dry you off.

...Oh Mash, you're exaggerating.

I feel great now. All I needed was a good night's sleep.

I have to thank you and Mr. Ringmaster again for all your help.

...I'm sorry, but...

...I really do have to ask you to stay in bed.

I know it's very dark outside right now, but it's still morning. Your fever has only gone down a little.

I'll bring you some breakfast in bed, so please get some more rest.

...

...Okay. I'll do as you say, Mash.

...Thank you.

Mash... Could I ask you for a favor?

...What is it?

Do you think...you could find Lavinia for me?

She must be scared, out in the woods...all by herself...nowhere to go...

...Okay.

And please, don't punish her. Just make sure...she gets on her boat...

...Okay.

I'll hold you to that...

...Zzz... Zzz...

Can I talk to you for a moment, Fujimaru?

Keep your voice down.

Right. That's Mata Hari disguised as Medea.

？！

I managed to speak to Sanson alone earlier.

I tried to give him some of my medicine, just in case.

But he refused to accept it!

？！

Right. The same stuff I made for Mata Hari.

I admit, it's tricky to use. I mean, it really does kill you, at least for a while.

Still, he might end up needing it depending on how this trial goes.

But he refused to even entertain the possibility... Does he have some kind of plan of his own?

What point could there possibly be in sacrificing himself? Just what is that dummy thinking?

He's a good-looking man, right?

...I'd hate to watch him die.

...I just don't get it. Why would he go out of his way to choose the more dangerous option?

Ugh! Why do men always do stuff like this!?

？！

Order!

This court is now in session! But before we begin...

I would like a moment of silence for the late Judge Hopkins, who devoted the last days of his life to hunting down the witches plaguing our fair town.

Reverend, would you mind saying a few words of prayer?

...

...And that concludes the testimony of our brave constables who were on the scene.

Lavinia Whateley, Judge Hopkins's murderer, is still on the loose.

Soldiers from the militia are searching for her as we speak, but are having no luck in this poor weather.

Now, where is Abigail Williams, the other person of interest in these events?

As her legal guardian, do you have anything to say on her behalf, Mr. Carter?

Abigail is currently recuperating from physical and mental exhaustion. I will be defending her.

...Very well.

Now then. Charles-Henri Sanson...

You volunteered to serve as Judge Hopkins's bodyguard.

However, you have completely failed in your charge of keeping him safe.

And, perhaps even more seriously, you assisted Lavinia in making her escape from the scene!

According to the constables' testimony, you were acting virtually as a lunatic.

Do you admit the truth of these allegations?

...I do.

It's all true.

Then it is clear that you were conspiring to murder His Honor all along!

What other explanation is there for this!?

？！

I disagree, Ringmaster.

Sanson is a skilled and experienced fighter, and should have been more than capable of handling the situation.

What else could have kept him from upholding his duty to keep His Honor safe?

She's the daughter of the Whateley family!

She deserves every punishment she will receive! That family is nothing more than a pack of thieves!

They never once attended Mass! They're all sinners!

They always went around flashing their ill-gotten gains, acting like they were better than us!

Lavinia's a witch!

A witch!

Order! Order!

？！

...Ringmaster Fujimaru.

As the leader of your troupe, I understand that you are here to defend Sanson's case.

But you WILL watch your tongue in my court!

Remember, this comes on the heels of the execution of one of your members, Mata Hari, who earned that sentence by attempting to lead our people astray.

One could certainly draw the conclusion that they were acting on YOUR orders!

The only reason you still walk free is the absence of both evidence and accusations made against you.

...He's going awfully far...

Your Honor, I have evidence.

...!?

...

These people have been my guests. ...Or so I thought.

And they HAVE been very good to my niece. However...

...if that is simply the way they operate...I may have unwittingly invited demons into my own house.

？！

Fujimaru! You will hold your tongue.

Go on, Mr. Carter.

They are harboring a criminal in our own village.

One who was meant to be dead, no less.

They are hiding Tituba out in the woods, even after she was supposed to have been executed!

It seems that Sanson's guilt is no longer in question...!

Take him to the hill!

Wha...

...!

...This is absurd. This is COMPLETELY absurd.

Stop this, Uncle!

(Huff... Huff...)

Abby!

I'm sorry. Master. I tried. To stop her... But she begged. To let her go.

Abigail... The decision has already been made.

...This can't be right. Sanson isn't a sinner!

Can't you all see that for yourselves? He's only ever tried to do the right thing!

Hmm... Are you sure about that?

Sanson himself feels tremendous guilt over his sins, and is trying to atone for them.

He will be punished according to the laws we God-fearing people of Salem set down to protect our town.

We are passing judgment on our fellow man. Isn't that how it should be?

Or are you saying your conscience knows better than God Himself?

(Huff... Huff...) Ghhh...

That's not fair... Why won't you understand...

...Uncle. Is this...what you wanted to happen all along...?

Did you invite the troupe to stay with us...just so you could expose their sins?

Is there anyone in this world...who has never sinned...?

Is there any child of Eve unmarked by the serpent's deception?

...This is becoming irritating.

As you can see, my niece is severely exhausted. She is in no state to contribute to rational discourse.

My apologies, Your Honor. Please don't let her interrupt the proceedings any further.

Very well.

Now then. Ringmaster Fujimaru!

As your complicity in these crimes has been exposed, you too must be made to account for them!

Normally, I would have you taken into custody immediately. However, you and your troupe are also the family of the condemned.

As such, should you wish to attend his execution, I will grant that request. What say you!?

？！

...Your request is granted. But be warned that any attempt to interfere will be dealt with harshly.

And stop glaring at me like that. It will change nothing. Constables, keep a close eye on them.

Hey, hands off!

Stop trying to resist!

Hold on. Abby. Do not lose. Sight of yourself.

Stop this... Please, stop this...

This is wrong... Everyone is making a terrible mistake...

Charles-Henri Sanson. If you would like to offer any prayers to God, I will hear them now.

...

...I finished my prayers to God long ago.

These prayers are for those I executed myself.

Then let God hear what you have to say.

...Master.

You can't possibly be okay with this, can you? We don't have any tricks up our sleeves this time.

Since he's incarnated, Sanson's really going to die. This will end your contract with him.

Yeah. He will forget...everything that happened to him after he was summoned to Chaldea.

You're not seriously going to let that happen, right? If you're going to stop them, it's now or never!

It's a tiny rural village. Hardly any witnesses to worry about here!

What are you waiting for? You can do this, can't you? So go on, do it! Before he's gone for good!

Sen...pai...

Sanson...!

Ahh... Ahhh...

...

...I have taken many lives. Lives of criminals, traitors, and heretics.

Condemned men, every one of them. They deserved their deaths. Their sentence was more than enough to rob them of any hope they had.

And what greater despair could there be than in the absence of hope?

But I continued to torture them far more than necessary. I humiliated them before crowds, inflicted pain and suffering on them far worse than death.

This may be my only chance to atone for what I've done...

Senpai... Senpai!

They've already put a noose around Sanson's neck...!

？！

？！

...Don't do it.

Stay out of this, Master.

？！

Let Frenchie do this his way.

He's not acting out of desperation. He's up there to help Chaldea with our mission.

He thought long and hard, and decided this was the only choice he had.

If you trust him at all, Master, then you can't try to stop him.

But, if he was going to do this...why didn't he tell Master about it!?

'Cause if he did, Master would stop him. And if he had, Mash...

...it might just be you up there on the gallows now.

Or even Master himself. And there'd be no coming back from that...!

...Gh... ...Khh...

Fujimaru, you're just barely hanging on by a thread yourself. Don't go making any reckless moves.

If you're going to do this, then give me an order. And if you can't...

Are you really telling me you went up against a Demon God Pillar without being prepared for any casualties?

Ease off Fujimaru, Robin. Of course he knew what could happen when we came here.

Still... You're right. This is a trap...

？！

Ahh... Sanson...

...!

...Charles...

Dammit...

Well!? Are you happy now, you goddamn hicks!?

How many people do you miserable shits need to watch die before you're finally satisfied!?

Or is it that your lives so freakin' awful you'd rather stick around watching good people suffer every damn day!?

What a foulmouthed, vile little man. Pay him no heed. More importantly...

Yes, Your Honor! I'll take Fujimaru to prison right now!

Good. I've set soldiers on the roads, but there's no telling what they might try. Be on your guard.

...

...

...I see... If only...

If only...I was a witch...

A witch who had turned her back...on the word of God...

If I were the one true sin...of this hollow Salem...!

...An evil aura...

Everyone... Please, listen to me.

I... I have a confession to make. I would like to accuse myself.

!!!

I'm...a witch.

I hid out in the woods, and conducted evil rituals. I led my friends astray.

...!?

Abigail. What are you saying!?

I'm a witch.

I made sacrifices to summon a demon, and chanted spells that blasphemed against God.

Yeah...! A-Abby's a witch...!

A-a demon led us astray!

She's a witch! A witch!

...

Ahh... Filthy witch...

...Ah!

Ow...ow...!

Abigail's a witch! A witch!

...!!!

Stone the one defending her too! They're both demons!

Nezha... ...Nezha...

This is my punishment to bear. You don't have to endure this.

These stones are a lot harder than the props in your plays, right? So, it's okay...

This is. Not okay. I am not. Okay with this.

RrrAAAAAAhhh!!!

ALL OF YOU! LISTEN!

...(Shudder)

You would. Throw stones. At your own neighbor!? You would. Abandon your. Fellow believer!?

Then you. Who wish. For loneliness. Take up. A rock!

You who. Despise love. Go ahead. Cast your stones!

...For I am Prince Nezha! Marshal of. The Central Altar! And I. Will not. Be crushed. By anything less. Than the great boulders. Of Five Elements Mountain!

...

...It's okay, Nezha.

These stones don't even bother me...

...anymore...

Aaaaaah!

？！

That looks just like a Spirit Origin being released... Does this mean Abby was a Servant all along...!?

Could she be...an Anti-Hero witch? Did these trials end up creating an actual witch...?

How is this...possible...

It's not.

Given all the crap he pulled, Hopkins was a much better fit for an Anti-Hero.

Abby... Her threat is. Rapidly growing!

Get back, Fujimaru. She's definitely a real witch.

Though I can't say I care for how blatant she's being about it.

...Aha. Now I see.

So this is the stage that's been set for me. Isn't that right, Queen of Sheba!

Well, then... It's time to show off what I can really do!

Come at me, you little punk! I'll give you your first lesson in real witchcraft!

？！

...Nn...gh...

The witches are fighting each other! Run away, before they curse you!

Did you see their twisted smiles!? It was like the Witches' Sabbath come to life!

Ah...

Abby!

Abigail is back to normal...

？！

Now the villagers are going to be more afraid than ever...

Move aside! Don't dare resist! We're taking the witch into custody!

You too, Wings! Damned witch!

I am not A witch! I am THE QUEEN witch!

Hey, don't touch me! I can turn you into a dog, you know!

Senpai... What are we going to do now...?

...

Huh...!? No! Stop!

Please don't take Senpai away!

？！

Senpaaai!

...Hehe.

Looks like it's you and me together this time, Fujimaru. Didn't think I'd be doing time here again.

I guess I should be grateful they didn't hang me on the spot.

I'm reeeally light, so hanging would be a pretty long and painful death.

？！

...I'm sorry. You just lost one of your friends.

(Sigh)... But hey, look on the bright side, Fujimaru.

At least you've got a beautiful girl here to keep you company.

Gyah! I slipped!

Ughhh! I hate this place!

I have had it up to HERE with this jail and its slippery, slimy floors!

Here, let me sit on your lap for a bit, [%1.:move over a bit, will you, Fujimaru?]

？！

...

Hey, Fujimaru.

If you care about me at all, even just a little...

...what do you say we get out of here, together?

Hm? Nah, I'm not talking about this jail. I can get out of here whenever I feel like it, no problem.

I mean to the outside world. Beyond Salem.

？！

...

Heeey, wait a minute...

You wouldn't happen to have a ridiculously high tolerance for poison...would you?

Or maybe a prosthetic leg...?

？！

O-on second thought, never mind. Just forget about it.

Stooop! I'm sorry! I'll never do it again!

Aaah! Stooop! I'm sooorry! Forgive me! That reeeally hurts!

？！

...!

(...Hang on.)

(We have an unexpected visitor... Is that...)

We threw them in the cell in the back. Don't worry, it's locked up tight.

Oh, how kind of you... You shouldn't have.

Okay, I'll let you have some privacy. If you need anything, just let me know!

...Thank you.

...

？！

...

？！

...Hmm. When did you figure it out?

？！

...I see. Well, that's all right.

You're my guests. That much hasn't changed.

As your host, the very least I can do is give you a warm welcome.

In fact, I came here to thank you for pacifying my niece after she gave everyone such a fright.

No problem. Hehe.

Seemed a fitting show of gratitude after all I hear your kin did for MY niece. Hehe.

Is it so strange? I'm far from the first Demon God Pillar to raise a human.

And my own special trait comes from towns, after all.

That's why it doesn't bother me to present myself as human, or to wear clothes, or to live in a house. In fact, I find it rather comforting.

I suppose it would be fair to say that such things are precisely what led me to split from Goetia's consensus.

They feared death too much, to the point that they became fixated on it.

I'm not like Forneus or Häagenti.

Nor do my values align with any of the other members of the Five Envoys...

...namely Bael, Zepar, Andras, and Phenex.

...Now then, is there anything else you'd like to discuss?

？！

I want you to understand my objective.

Knowing will help you to make a more rational decision.

More like it'll help you manipulate us better. Why not tell us all this from the start, hm?

Because I failed with that batch.

But now, the time is right for me to tell you the truth.

Ha! Like you'd tell us any "truth" that might not further your own goals.

...Don't listen to anything he says, Fujimaru. That's the best thing you can do here.

Otherwise you'll fall into the same trap as the Queen of Sheba. One of your own making.

？！

I AM trying to save her. I promise you that much, from the bottom of my heart.

？！

Fujimaru!

OurGoetia's objective was to save mankind. That has been true ever since we were born.

That is precisely why Salem, and Abigail Williams, were chosen.

Salem is positioned on the border of sanity and madness. The wisdom of the modern age and the darkness of the Middle Ages are so closely entwined here as to be almost completely indistinguishable.

There is no other place where the two extremes of humanity's nature are so clearly laid bare.

Furthermore, Abigail is blessed with a rare talent.

Talent...? You mean her aptitude as a witch?

Abigail is pure and innocent. She is better suited as a medium than a witch.

Lavinia had talent for it as well, but Abigail was leaps and bounds beyond her.

She was everything I could have hoped for and more. Thanks to her, I am certain to succeed.

？！

Don't get me wrong. I am not making her do anything. She will do this because SHE chooses to.

She will complete the great work that we could not: the salvation of mankind.

...And she will do so through great pain.

It is pain that is the basis of human happiness. Nothing in the world could be more valuable.

Everyone feels pain in equal measure. Without it, well, you would all cease to be human.

It is worth far more than love or death could ever hope to be. Abigail will be its harbinger.

Tomorrow, when the courthouse opens at dawn, she will be tried as a witch...

And all is going well...

Many have tried to save Abigail before. But none have ever succeeded.

Even I was not up to that task. That is why I invited Chaldea here again...

I expect great things of you, Mr. Fujimaru... Great things indeed.

Man, what a sick freak, even for a Demon God Pillar. No wonder he ended up among the remnants.

Hehe, yup. You fell right for their trap, and I ended up busting out some pretty flashy spells.

Sorry about that.

？！

...Hm? Wait... Hang on a minute. What'd you mean "that batch," Carter?

Don't tell me you've been repeating the last several days trying to produce results?

That's playing dirty, in multiple senses of the word! Have you no shame!?

Repeat? Loop? Recreate? What would be the point of that?

You will take her away from here. Anywhere that is not Salem.

？！

I have no interest in moving backward. I only want to move forward, towards suffering.

All I did was compress that process. I sped up the cycle of life and death.

It's possible to do that within the bounds of a town. Especially after I secured a source of magical energy.

I tested for optimal conditions, made adjustments, and invited guests, which were an indispensable factor.

So you've been repeating that over and over with no real endgame to speak of, huh!?

？！

It seems you have the wrong idea. Not one person in Salem is here against their will...

Even you all met the necessary conditions. That is why I invited you.

That was the guard. It seems that visiting hours are up.

Hey! We're not done with our questions!

？！

...At this point, it's mine. I AM Randolph Carter.

(Huff, huff...)

I'm amazed how well you can see in these dark woods, Robin. I can barely keep up with you...

I'm actually the son of a forest sage, believe it or not. That said, even I can't tell night from day here.

...Aha. There's our little albino girl.

...! Lavinia...!

...A...

Thank goodness we found you before the court reconvenes at dawn...

We're not here to capture you, I promise. We only want your help...!

N...no...

...Forget...it... ...Aa...

Oho. Running away again, are we?

For all his other faults, Frenchie never ran.

...! ...N...gh...

Is...he...?

...

...Aa...aaa...

Aaa... San...son... ...Sanson... Sanson...

Idiot... You're such...an idiot...

...

...Thank you, Lavinia. Are you feeling better now?

If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you about your situation, and how you got here.

We can't bring you back to the village now, for...many reasons...

But I hope you'll at least take advantage of the fire and Robin's cloak to stay warm.

...Th... Than...ks...

...The...

...The Demon God Pillar...brought me and my family here...and threatened us...

I knew...this Salem wasn't...supposed to be here. Because...even the time period...was wrong...

But... But we couldn't...run away. The Demon God Pillar...had us all trapped.

M-me...my parents...and my grandfather...

We tried wagons...sailboats...but none of us...could ever leave...

When the Demon God Pillar appeared...and gave us orders...

...it always looked like...a wriggling, raven-black pillar... A really grotesque creature...

...

...What did the Demon God Pillar ask your family to do?

...N-nothing.

Huh? Nothing?

All he said was, "Do what must be done."

We Whateleys...come from a line of...alchemist mages.

Our greatest wish...has always been for the Outer God...to descend here...

It's been a closely guarded secret...for generations... But somehow, the Demon God Pillar...knew about it.

And he was...very interested.

I eventually understood why...while I was investigating Salem.

There were foreign guests here...ones who came before us. I think...we were probably the sixth ones.

And I think...there used to be other people here...that the Demon God Pillar...forced to serve him.

Did you figure that out from the graves in the forest? I noticed six pretty shabby-looking graves there.

Some of them were still empty, too...

...That's right. That is...the altar. But...I still couldn't see...the whole picture...

I think the natives that killed Abigail's parents...

...and the wharf and trade ships...that shouldn't exist in this time...were probably also guests...

Then...Tituba was probably one of them too.

Abigail adored that woman... She...always seemed...special...

For a time...I suspected she was...actually controlling everything. But then...she was executed...

Now, I think all of you...and Hopkins...must be the seventh guests.

...That so? Well then, which of us was the uninvited one?

(Maybe Judge Hopkins was originally supposed to be the seventh guest.)

(And if so, does that mean we're the ones who Rayshifted here unexpectedly? Or had the Demon God Pillar accounted for us as well...?)

(No, that can't be right... And that would mean this is NOT all going as the Demon God Pillar planned...)

(That said, I don't think there's much time left... Either for us, or the Demon God Pillar.)

...Between Judge Hopkins and us, we really made a mess of things here in Salem, didn't we?

So what's this Outer God stuff all about?

Is it a god like Crom Cruach that demands sacrifice and whatnot?

... ...

Hmm, no answer to that one, eh?

...Something doesn't add up.

I don't understand why a Demon God Pillar would seek another divine being when he already has godlike power.

He probably just gets off on twisted crap like that. Or he just really likes the idea of dominating humans.

Case in point, he went out of his way to recreate these sick witch trials.

...But would that really be enough for him to split off from Goetia?

...Not too long ago, Circe passed along a message to Nezha from jail, and Nezha gave it to me.

She said that the Demon God Pillar showed up looking like Mr. Carter, and that he says his mission here is to "save mankind"...

...!!! Car...ter...!!!

Apparently he's taking a different approach from Goetia, whose plan focused on storing up unimaginable amounts of magical energy...

But...what could it be...?

...

Wh-what are you two...talking about...?

Are you...Kabbalists? Rosicrucians? Free...masons?

I can't imagine...you used to be mercenaries...or soldiers...

Oh...uh... I guess you could say we're...stargazers.

...All right.

Since Senpai isn't here now, I'll tell you about the organization we belong to, Chaldea.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, you serious about this, Mash?

In exchange...will you tell us everything you know about this secret Outer God? Please.

I'm sure it will help us with Senpai and Circe's trial...

...and that it will help us save Abby from her predicament.

...Okay. I'll...tell you.

I'm already...dead anyway.

I tried to sacrifice everything...to the Outer God... B-but I failed.

I f-feared...for my life...so I ran away... B-because of that...my prayers never reached him.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to stay alive, Lavinia. I'm sure Abby and...Sanson feel the same way.

Mash...

Where's Abigail...?

Abby is being confined in the house where Hopkins was staying.

I refused to leave the guards be until they put her there. That prison is no place for a young girl.

Afterwards, Mata Hari, Nezha, and I snuck over there to visit her...

But we couldn't see inside, so...we still don't know how she's doing.

I'm worried about her fever...

...

...My familymy grandfatherstarted to change after we were brought here.

He started to believe...he was feuding with Abigail's parents...even though...he wasn't.

...! Our perceptions were disoriented in the same way...

...

...But despite that...my family's wish never changed.

If anything, it made Grandfather...even more eager to complete...the Ritual of Descent.

It was dangerous...to do that in this village. But there was...nothing I could do about it...

...Lavinia...

...Abigail followed me...everywhere... It was really...annoying...

She wasn't like...the other villagers...

...But my grandfather...thought he hated her parents. And that Abigail...was hiding something...

So I pretended...to be friends with her...

She was curious about...the outside world... So I taught her...the Ritual of Descent...with a fake grimoire.

It was always...my job...to catch birds and animals...to be sacrificed.

She was so happy...playing with the six-sided star altar... She called it...a holy symbol...

It was our own...secret game...

Over time...I started to...go mad myself...

Memories...of things I'd never seen...started flooding into me...

It made me feel like...I had grown up in Salem... I don't even know...about any comet...

...Sounds like it was pretty rough for you too, Lavinia.

...

No...it wasn't...

The one who...had it roughest is...

...

...The Outer God is...the god of the great gate...and the key.

The six doors...up, down, left, right, front, and back...represent all possible...dimensions.

And...this Outer God...

...is enshrined beyond the ultimate gate... The outside of our universe...where light can never reach.

But despite that...he also borders all possible dimensions...and is tied to all possible things.

Some know him as...Sut-Typhon...but...

...in the Book of Eibon...that's been with our family for generations...the Outer God is described as...

...the All-in-One...and the One-in-All.