Genometrics Concert Hall ~Mrgrgr!!!~

Hmm. When I first came the the Unknown Ruins, I was expecting something like a ruined castle or a lost city or something. Not a old, but modern looking abandoned building. The local foliage has already begun to grow around it, but I could see the top of the building sticking out of the forest like a tower. I guess it'll be an interesting place to check out, none the less.

I take anything that I might need. Ropes, a flashlight attachment for my rifle, a respirator in case the air gets toxic, and I even brought one of the nanite injections just to be safe. It never hurts to be prepared. The GPS has an echolocation function that should give me some information as to the layout of the building, but only to a certain degree.

"Alright, let's see what this place has to offer." I say as I go in through the main entrance.

The first thing I notice is that there is glass everywhere. The wallpaper on the walls is long gone, though some bits and peaces remain. The air has a certain stale smell to it, but it isn't dangerous.

The first floor definitely has a 'reception area' feel to it. I try getting to the higher floors, but the stairs leading up are blocked off by rubble. I could probably blast through them with my rifle, but I don't know how stable this place is so I'll just leave that alone. The stairs leading down are still open, though.

I don't know how many floors down this thing goes. I've gone down two floors, though, and it's already pitch black. I turn on the flashlight attachment and proceed some three more floors down. Everything is in such a mess here. There are tables strewn out all over the place. The ground is also covered with a thick layer of dust. I casually kick some up to see the floor underneath and see that there are a bunch of papers under the dust. I pick one up and read.

"Reactor Core Status: Stable. Comments: There were a few false alarms during the test runs. Power surges were detected when powering up, but we managed to get them under control. It might be a while before we can work out what caused them, but I think we'll have everything under contr-"

The rest of the paper is missing. The rest is probably under the layer of dust here somewhere, but I don't feel like searching for it, though I do kick some more dust up to see what else is underneath. After I find nothing, I keep moving in to the next couple of floors bellow me. At around floor 8 or so, I realize I can't go further.

"What the?"

There is a huge whole at the end of the stairs. The GPS estimates that it is about 100 feet deep. it also states that is seems to be spherical.

"An explosion" I say to myself. Then I think back to that paper that talked about some reactor core. I guess they couldn't stabilize it.

I'm pretty sure that this is as far as I'll go so I turn back to leave. On my way back, though, I hear clicking sounds.

Click-click-click-click-click-click-click

It seems to be coming from me, and then I remember a small Geiger counter that I carry with me. It seems that the dust I kicked up earlier is radioactive. I'd better put on the respirator to avoid breathing it in and get out of here as fast as I can.

"It's a good idea to put that on" I voice says behind me. I quickly turn around, ready to fight.

"Who's there?!" But there is nobody there.

"Once someone came down here and stayed for a few weeks. He then started to feel very sick and left." Say's the voice, behind me again. I turn around once again and see nothing.

"Show yourself!"

"I doubt he got very far, though. He was in pretty bad condition when he left." Say's the voice, this time right above me. I look up, and again, nothing. What the hell is going on here?

"Show yourself." I repeat myself.

"Well, ok. since you insist so much. It's not like you can hurt me, anyways."

To my right, a faint glow appears. Within the glow, I see the shape of what appears to be a young lady. I can see through her, though. A hologram?

"Hello there" She says "I don't know my own name, but it's a pleasure to meet you. Before you say anything, how about we go upstairs. I doubt this dust is good for you."

I don't know if I should trust her, but I do agree that I have to get away from this radioactivity so I go upstairs.

「How long has it been since I've been walking around this ever changing dimension? Months? I've lost count... Every day, the scenery changes... I don't even know how I ended up here... Every day, I live every single one of my most painful memories... Every one of them. What is this world? I don't get it.」

「Today's scenery seems like it's modeled after that tragic day... When I woke up, I was in front a village, I heard screams, metal clashing sounds... I see people running for their lives... This is truly, the day where the village where my best friends and my family were murdered...」

「I ran through the village, trying to stop every enemy that I can, but as soon as they disappear from being defeated by me, the whole scene where they murder the villagers just instantly replays... I can't do anything, I can't change the past... Why do I have to see all of this again?! I want to run away, I don't want to go through this again!!」

「After countless running, I was suddenly warped to the scene where I see my family getting murdered... As the enemy's blade closes on my parents heads, I couldn't close my eyes at all, I don't want to see it. And then, the brutal scene just played before my eyes... My parents' head was decapitated... I snapped.」

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

「Suddenly, instead of losing my mind, an intense pain ran through my head, waking me up from this nightmare. I looked around me and I realized there was nothing but emptiness. Where am I? As soon as I questioned myself, a dark demon appeared before me... It had dark horns pointing towards the front, claws instead of hands and feet and had long pitch black hair. It had golden eyes... It was completely enveloped in darkness..」

"I am you and you are me..."
"..."
"It took you 7 months to snap from all of those painful memories... Never to be consumed by madness, by darkness."
"..."
"...."
"So, it was all just an illusion."
"Yes... Even though you have come out unscathed, yo--"
"So there was a way for me to get hurt."

「The demon just closed it's eyes and nodded, he doesn't seem to want to get into the details.」

"Are you ready to muster your dark self?"
"...."
"Not answering hm. One day, you will be consumed by me, on that day, I sh---"

「Not letting the demon finished it's sentence, I grabbed him by it's mouth.」

"Of course I will control you, of course I will master you. You are me, and I am you after all"
"...."

「Suddenly, a vortex started to form around us and the demon started to turn into dust, flowing into the vortex and finally seeping into me.」

"Hahahahahaha. Don't be so naive human, when your guard shall be left wide open, I'll consume you!!"
"Heh..."

「As soon as the demon's voice vanished, I was brought back into the scroll's reality. As soon as I realized where I was, I see Eva leaping towards me with her Sword of Conviction.」

"So you've finally woken up boya!! Taking care of your bestial self was a pain hak hak!!"
"..."

「As she got close, I grabbed her arm and swung her away from me without any difficulties. As I swung her, I realized that my arm resembled the demon that I saw. I see... I've assimilated Magia Erebea's true form...」

「Eva slowly walks towards me and started explaining that she spent 7 months fighting against my demon form, freezing me when she wanted to rest. She's that strong... By how she told me all of that, it felt like she was still taking it easy.」

"It seems like you've found your and Magia Erebea's true nature. Although, it seems that it's still unstable."
"...The demon in me, it said that one day, it'll consume me."
"Hak hak hak, no doubt about that boya! You have yet to master your own darkness!"
"This is it isn't it? For Magia Erebea that is."
"Hm."
".... Thank you for everything Evangeline."
"Leaving already boya?"
"Hm... It's been almost 3 years since I've been staying in this scroll haven't I? How long has it been outside?"
"Hmmm.... Roughly almost 2 weeks, it should leave you with half a year left."
"Before this scroll expires?"
"No, for it to be exactly 2 weeks outside. I have a parting gift for you before, if you want to accept it hak hak!"
"What is it?"
"Ice magic."
"..."

「I looked at Eva in the eyes, it seems like she's serious about this. I nodded. Half a year before I get out of here, half a year, to get stronger.」


******

「I put on my new clothes that Eva gave me, as one last parting gift. 」
"I thought you already gave me a parting gift."
"Haha, I thought it wouldn't looked bad on you!"
"... Thank you for everything Eva."
"So you're ready to leave now?"
"More like, are you done with me?"
"..."

「Eva suddenly assaults me.」
"That's how you thank someone who helped you get stronger?! Hmph. Be sure to visit my original self. I would be more than delighted to see how much you've grown."
"Sure."

「As soon as we're done bidding farewells, I finally got outside of the scroll. Aaah... The fresh air... And this feeling... I certainly have gotten stronger... I don't have any plans for now, I'll head back to Ostia and see what I'll do then. Maybe I should visit Stella and see how she's doing...」

「2 weeks and 4 days has passed since I've left. Yet it felt like years...」

「Before leaving, I removed the warding stones and as soon as they were picked up, they turned into dust. A one time use type of artifact... No wonder it's effect were amazing, my body stayed intact during these 2 weeks after all. Now that the preparations are done, I quickly dashed back to Ostia.」