"I see, now.." Roland commented in a low tone. He began to motion Satoya to walk alongside him again, his constant grin was.. Gone. He wasn't smiling, and appeared to be rather, in a state of deep thought as he moved. They left the room where Roland had shown Satoya what an Wrehtched looked like, and started to walk through the hallway once again. That same hallway was labelled, Hallway 001, each step, they went past rooms.
Section A - 02
Section A - 04
Section A - 06
Section A - 08
Section A - 10..
Then, they entered another hallway, that was labelled Hallway 002. This instantly made Satoya rather confused. How was he able to travel so fast through hallways? Was he simply that agile? He couldn't comprehend the deal, but he felt as if everything he is feeling is that same repetitive feeling or thought he had seconds, minutes, or even hours ago as if he was in an endless time loop of sorts.
When Satoya snapped out of it, he took a glimpse at Roland's face, and noticed Roland side eyeing him with a sort of. How can he describe it, calm and indifferent? Not as indifferent as Ludwig, but in his own tone.
"That question sure is an odd one to answer. Even famous Celestial Nebulaian philosophers can't think of a viable answer." Roland commented again, he looked at the walls, seemingly lost in thought. Was this the first time he'd seen him contemplate this much?
Satoya raised an eyebrow at the sudden comment. "What do you mean by odd?" He asked.
"Well, I myself do not believe in that Unreachable Solace…"
After hearing that, Satoya began to grow curious. He was still fearing for his life, still vividly remembering the network of small nerve-like roots tucked away in Roland's lab coat, yet again.. The more he spoke, the more he wondered. Is he hiding something? Or does he have nothing to hide?
"To further explain why I do not believe in the existence of that place, is simply. It shouldn't exist." Roland said vaguely, however he continued to speak.
"That same question was asked, during the 4th Disaster to Ebenezer, the Sanctum Priest, a Cataclysm much like me, yet one of the two most greatest in history. A mere sinner asked, 'If that Unreachable Solace truly exists, why can we never reach it? Has the Gods renounced their guiding hands from us?'"
Roland tilted his head, a small smile formed with his mouth, his eyes relaxed.
"And would you like to know the answer The Sanctum Priest gave him?"
Satoya couldn't do anything but nod.
"Because that Unreachable Solace was never meant for us, nor the Gods. A place as absolute as that, with its truly perfect warmth, and breeze. It wasn't meant to be accessed, but to be prayed upon. To be reached upon. And to be wept upon its wake." Roland answered. He then turned to a closed steel door, where he touched the steel surface, and blood seeped from his fingertip, then Roland inspected the blood that is now on his fingertip, and began to fidget with it, before pulling the lever beside the door to open it.
This was yet another containment facility. Except more well kept compared to the last one containing the Wrehtched.
Satoya didn't really pay attention to the surroundings, but instead was distracted. He didn't understand what Roland had meant, so he asked him.
"And so, where are you going with this?"
Roland laughed, walking to the control panel distracting himself with a speckle of dust that was covering the panel.
"Well, in truth, that Unreachable Solace is simply a metaphorical idea. Humans believe it is the conclusion to their life, the lands where they'll meet their kin. While some reject that, and believe it is an actual place that allows anyone who never sinned in its perfect solace. I believe humanity never deserved something as peaceful as that Eternal Skyline, and that, even if it is an actual plane of existence, no one, even the 'Gods' who are also known as the Ancient Crucibles can reach it." Roland looked up at Satoya, his emerald eyes devoid of any sense of life doing nothing but gazing at him.
He then shook his head, and pressed a switch that opened a similar curtain that veiled the inside of the containment facility. This time, it was empty, except blood stained on the glass, splotches of what Satoya assumed to be remnants of human flesh still on the glass. Satoya walked forward to observe closer, only to see nothing except a single spot in the white area that made Satoya shudder in distress, even dropping his sheathed katana on the floor that made a loud clattering sound that echoed throughout the room.
A familiar grey patient gown was left abandoned in the middle of a circle of blood and red mass. The grey patient gown had bits of the red mass that was surrounded with blood stains.
Upon seeing this scene, Satoya slowly turned to Roland, who in response, spoke again.
"That is right. This is where Suya, that same girl who referred to Yurina as 'Big Sis' was killed."
Suya died here? Does Yurina know about this? But, that grey patient gown is definitely hers, I remember having a dream about this, that dream was too vivid and real for it to be a normal dream.
Roland let out a sigh, slicking his hair back, "appears I had gone off track, and yet again, I find that it is best for you to learn more about Suya from Yurina herself, after all. She was the one that believed in that Eternal Skyline as well."
He then asked Satoya once again.
"Do you believe in that Unreachable Solace?"
. . . W h a t ? . . .
Satoya was surprised by the question, however he immediately calmed down, as he should've expected him to be asked that. And, in memory, this is likely the second time Satoya's required to think about an answer.. The last time being that conversation between him and Rin weeks before, regarding the Truth he thought of from the question that was asked before him in his Elusive Solace on the night of his birthday.
Satoya clenched his hands, becoming progressively sweatier from nervousness and uncertainty. However, he felt that this answer isn't actually too hard to answer.
"Even if that Unreachable Solace was a metaphorical idea, or a place that was never meant to be in arm's reach.." Satoya said as he closed his eyes in a slow blink.
Except, upon opening his eyes. The pupils of his eyes weren't the normal brown eyes he always had, but instead. His pupils were crystal stars that were in iridescent rays of colors that were too celestial to ever be seen by the perceivable eyes of many. This sight was enough to make Roland briefly uneasy.
"Then I am willing to be the one who becomes the guiding step for everyone to reach that Unreachable." Satoya said, before the iridescent crystal stars that were his eyes faded back to his generic brown eyes.
Roland then began to walk closer, the sounds of his shoes cluttering the room, even the small subtle sounds of his lab coat rustling. The white lights of the room were gleaming brightly from the dark red stains in his blonde hair, and then, Roland replied.
"I felt a familiar pulsating resonance radiating off of you in that moment. It appears that you possess something.. Akin to that of the inverted needles Cataclysms like me, are cursed with… You never showed me your Verity, even in our, skirmish of sorts.."
The room felt darker, more gloomy as he approached closer and closer.
"But, I think I may have found a hint at what kind of Verity you wield."
"So well then.. Satoya Murayama."
Roland put his hands in his lab coat's pockets, his eyes were so clear, so calm, so serene that it felt.. Disturbingly comforting. He made a light but subtle smile with his lips, as he slowly asked him… One.. Last.. Time..
"Will You Guide Me There?"