Story Reader / Floating Record / ER15 The Dying Sun / Story

All of the stories in Punishing: Gray Raven, for your reading pleasure. Will contain all the stories that can be found in the archive in-game, together with all affection stories.
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ER15-15 The Sun-Seeker and the Ash-Bearer

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AAAAAH!! GET OUT OF MY WAY!!

Kamui mustered his strength to send the last Corrupted clinging to his feet flying through the air. It crashed hard against the distant ruins and finally stopped moving.

He was nearly at his limit, but fortunately, all obstacles before him had finally been cleared away.

The exit... we finally made it...

Azael... Catrayv... you guys okay?

Still breathing... I'll make it back to Ezette. Don't waste time. Keep moving.

I'm... managing.

You two head back with everyone who can still walk. I'll find a safe spot for the ones who can't.

Go back and call for rescue. Until then... I'll keep them safe.

We've broken the wall. With our new power... we can do this. I know we can.

Kai? Hey, wake up. We made it. Let's find a safe place, then we wait for rescue—

...Kai?

Kamui...

Put me down... then you... keep going... without me...

Kamui... put Kai down.

With trembling hands, Kamui gently lowered Kai from his back and propped him against the wall.

Only then did Kamui clearly see the terrible state Kai was in.

Kamui

You lied to us too... didn't you, Kai?

With what little strength he had left, Kai placed his hand on Kamui's arm.

Kamui...

Kamui felt tears welling up in his eyes.

Kamui

Just like the others... everyone who fell. They told us they weren't hurt bad. That they could hold the rear. They'd be fine.

...Why? Why'd you throw yourself in front of us like that?

You knew... you knew this would happen... so why...

Because we knew... this was... as far as we could go, Kamui.

But you're different...

This hope you found... this chance... don't let it go again...

...Kamui, you always say we're family...

We can't... be the sun anymore. So you... you have to see the dawn... for us.

Look, the sun... is rising...

The sun was rising.

The sun was rising, but why? Why couldn't he see the light?

Kamui

Nngh...

As the essence continued to affect his Corona Gene, Kamui instinctively clutched his head, enduring the unavoidable pain of the absorption process.

Kamui

Essence... breakthrough... power...

I've got it now. Everything I fought for...

So why... why don't I feel happy at all?

Isn't this the future we wanted? The one we all fought for?

Kamui

It hurts... my wounds... they hurt so much...

No... It's not the wounds...

His brain burned with the power he had once desperately craved, forcing him to stay awake and see, with perfect clarity, how he differed from his fallen family lying before him.

Kamui

How did this happen... We actually made it... so why?!

What's the point if only we see the dawn?! What about all of you?!

We fought together! We came this far together... We did it all to protect everyone...

Without you... what was any of it for?!

He lost the he once depended on, and gained these instead.

The were the essence gained from burning, extracted from their bodies and channeled into his own.

They were the final traces left behind by the fallen, both empowering him and imprisoning him.