A Braveyard
"A Braveyard" (ブレイブヤード) is the novella that mentions the story and biography surrounding Bergt, the Northern Sergal soldier who belongs to Shigu Army.
Episode Information
- Characters: Bergt, Rain Silves
- Places: Shigu, Reono, Magoe
- Timeline: RC32
- Written by Kiki CR
- Art by Kiki CR and Mick Ono
The Novella
Bergt, a soldier who belongs to the Shigu Army, was a very cowardly and young Sergal.
Feeling ashamed of his cowardice, he attempted to go up against a monster which was roaming around the village in order to put his courage to the test. However, his stride weakened, as he found himself not able to move even a step towards the monster. He was stunned, unable to do a single thing outside of watching his fellow village mates get mauled to death by the monster, even when they tried to assist him.
During this ordeal, fortunately, a young Rain Silves who was passing through the nearby area, came to their aid and went on to defeat the monster. Bergt's life was saved by Rain and as a result, he swore allegiance to her. In a small gesture of hospitality, Rain had offered him a cup of Imagoi drink. After that, he aspired to fight bravely as a Shigu soldier under Rain with his utmost respect and loyalty towards her.
When the invasion towards Reono was taking up a full swing, downwards the conquest path, he and his mates who were lead by Rain managed to capture a lot of hunter folk in the Reono region and executed them. He had never doubted this act, believing that all of them were taking the right course of action. Other youths were of the same mindset. As he hurt a lot of people, he also received many wounds. However, he was already beyond any notion of fear. His heart was always with the General. As such, he shivered with a great sense of satisfaction. Bergt had won over himself, conquering his inner fear and cowardice by virtue of brave combat, and as he let loose a loud shout, it sounded akin to a victorious cry.
One night, Rain was sitting on the grassy plain which had served earlier today as the battlefield, where the fire of war was still smoldering. All-around here, there was a distinct smell of Eltus blood — a unique odor similar to metal — splayed across all over the area. Underneath her body, there lay a corpse of a young soldier with an innocent, youthful face, one could say it was also similar to herself in the past.
The soldier’s throat had been torn off, as they were laying on their backs while their heart had ceased to beat. Rain was letting loose repeated breaths, filled with vulgar sounds akin to beastly snorts, it seemed as if she was toying the corpse of the young soldier.
Before long, she reached out her hand to the corpse of a female soldier, her belly slashed diagonally. Amongst a slew of other soldier corpses, her body was laying around Rain’s feet. It seemed that this one was near around the last month of pregnancy, a baby lay at the bottom of her opened belly. The infant did not utter any sort of birth cry, however, they were still breathing and trembling slightly. Rain let out a gulp as she hoisted the baby up from the open womb and swallowed it whole in one breath.
It was due to fortune or perhaps misfortune, that Bergt happened to witness all the details of this act. Due to this, terror finally set in with regards to Rain, his most adored person. He ran out of the camp while leaving his mates who were sleeping like logs, well past the corpses of Reono soldiers. He ran a lot, just like his past self which was being chased by the monster, even with complete disregard for his wounds, he ran, ran, and ran. Eventually he was entering into the off limits forest, Magoe. His body was wracked with pain and incredibly thirsty. As the situation unfolded, and he felt his consciousness let slip, he finally put his maw to the swampy waters of the Magoe which were forbidden from drinking. Because, somewhere, in his heart, he was placing belief in an unrealistic hope. If such a thing were to happen, someone — perhaps his former mates, or hopefully Rain, as he chose to remember her in memory — will come to help him.
In the year 32 of the Rain Calendar.
Interpretation
The story itself just ends with the range of what the novella provides. For the time being, the release of the future episode is not be planned.
At least, it suggests that Bergt would definitely get worse condition about his health because he eventually tried to get a drink of water from within Magoe forest. As this swamp or lake is of a definite Talyxian origin, there are a lot of various unidentified Talyxian microorganisms in this water, which can pose many potential high risks on aspects of health and hygiene. However, unfortunately, he was having a little bit of difficulty in judging with a clear head whether or not this water is safe for drinking, as he finds himself in a wounded and weakened state.
Trivia
Title of the Novel short story: "A Braveyard"
A word coined by Kiki, it is a portmanteau word formed from "Brave" and "Graveyard". What it alludes to is that of Bergt and his fate which is the final scene in the story and what the artwork offers in terms of visual suggestion.
Meaning of the Imagoi Drinking scene
It is a traditional custom that shamans perform. It serves the function of an easy to perform a magic ritual. By serving Imagoi drink to a newcomer, and allowing them to drink it, they admit the newcomer in as their tribesman.
This act doesn't necessarily have any sort of formal ceremonial manner or preparation, at the same time, however, the lack thereof does not imply that it has no meaning behind it at all, either.
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