Character Bible: Short Story of Arietta
Short Story of Arietta
From Tales of the Abyss: Character Episode Bible
Translation by Pazu (otakara)
The moment Arietta learned of Ion's death, the world before her eyes turned to darkness.
I should have been the one to protect him...
Wrapped in Hresvelgr's wings, Arietta rubbed her red, swollen eyes against the feathers.
The city of Feres, with the ocean's breeze sweeping through its streets. This place was Arietta's home.
The Isle of Feres, upon which the city of Feres stood, had long ago been wiped out by a great tidal wave. Arietta, who was only just born at the time, miraculously survived the disaster and was picked up by a family of monsters known as ligers.
Ligers were carnivores. No one knew why they didn't just eat Arietta, but for some reason they took her and raised her as one of their own.
Growing up, Arietta came to think of herself as a monster as well. The first human she ever met was a soldier from the Order of Lorelei: the Oracle Knights' Commandant, Van. Van, surprised to find that Arietta lived among monsters despite being a human, took her back with him to the Order of Lorelei's headquarters in Daath.
It was there that Arietta met Ion.
The supreme leader of the Order, Fon Master Ion, took a liking to Arietta and would always keep her by his side. Paying no heed to those who insisted it was a dangerous move, Ion also invited Arietta's family, the ligers, to come live with them. The one who gave Arietta a name, taught her human language, and gave her the means to live as a human was also Ion.
To Arietta, Ion truly was a god.
Many tender days were spent at the side of this tender god.
Perhaps those things could be called 'happiness'... as it was during that time that Arietta learned the meaning of the word 'happiness'.
But now the person who symbolized that happiness, Ion, was dead.
Leaving Arietta behind.
The one who led Ion to his death was Anise, the false Fon Master Guardian.
Ion had many enemies. Arietta didn't understand the complicated details of it, but she understood that Grand Maestro Mohs disliked Ion. It was that same Mohs who made Ion read the Planet Score, even though he knew that with Ion's weak body, reading it would endanger his very life.
And Anise had taken the role of being Mohs' accomplice, even though she should have been protecting Ion as his Fon Master Guardian.
No, from the beginning, Arietta had known better than anyone that Anise wasn't qualified to protect Ion. Even so, Arietta wasn't able to do anything about it. It was so sad, and so frustrating, that when the tears began to fall from her eyes, Arietta couldn't stop them.
Even now, Arietta remembered.
She remembered the treasured words that Ion said to her, before he changed.
It was back when Arietta was still a Fon Master Guardian.
During Arietta's last three months as a Fon Master Guardian, Ion spent a lot of time staying in bed. Not even Arietta, the person who was closest to him, was allowed to see him. Unable to endure it any longer, Arietta went to check on Ion in secret.
When Arietta peeked through the crack of the door, she could see the figure of Ion, sitting upright in bed and reading over some documents. In the weeks since she last saw him, Ion seemed to have lost some weight, but he looked like he was all right, so rather than worrying, Arietta let out a small sigh of relief. When she did, Ion lifted his head at the sound of her breath, and looked over to where she watched him from.
He saw me!
Arietta was flustered, trying to hide herself, but Ion gave a small shake of his head, beckoning her to come inside. Since Arietta had been forbidden to come check on Ion's condition, she was somewhat uneasy, and frantically glanced around to confirm that no one was watching her before timidly setting foot inside the room.
“Come here, Arietta.”
Ion smiled gently. That smile was the same one he always wore when calling Arietta over. Overjoyed, Arietta bounded over to his side with so much enthusiasm that she nearly dove onto the bed.
“Ion! Are you... feeling well?”
Ion simply smiled at her. Without answering the question, he gently stroked her head.
“It's been a while, Arietta.”
“Y, yes...”
Thank goodness! Ion's acting like himself again!
Upon hearing Ion's voice, Arietta's eyes began to well up with tears.
The Ion she saw two weeks ago spoke to Arietta in the same way he talked to any other person, even when they were alone together. Arietta took pride in the special, intimate way that Ion would speak only with her, and when that changed, she felt terribly hurt and saddened by it. But today, he was speaking like he normally did again. Maybe before, he was only acting differently because he was sick.
“You're being... your usual self today.”
“Hm?”
“Lately... you've been almost like another person. I thought... maybe you hated me, and I was really lonely.”
“... I see. I'm sorry, Arietta. But there's no way I could hate you. After all, you're my... my one and only Fon Master Guardian.”
As Ion spoke those words, he gazed at Arietta with a frighteningly serious look in his eyes.
He must have been trying to say that because I'm his only Fon Master Guardian, I need to protect him properly.
Arietta dug her teeth into the stuffed doll she clutched against her body.
Even though he said those things...
Arietta wasn't able to protect Ion.
It was because Arietta had been dismissed from her position as a Fon Master Guardian. Surely, that couldn't have been what Ion truly wanted. That was why he told her she was his “one and only Guardian.” Even though many other Fon Master Guardians were assigned to guard him, only Arietta mattered... Perhaps at that point, Ion had already realized that Anise would someday kill him.
Hresvelgr snuggled its beak against Arietta's cheek. In response, Arietta snuggled back with her cheek as a hiccup escaped her throat.
This Isle of Feres that Arietta stood on now was a new home that Van had revived for Arietta's sake. Using fomicry, a technique for making substitutes, he created a replica of the Isle of Feres for her. Arietta had hoped that someday she could bring Ion to this island and surprise him, but that was a wish that would never come true now.
Arietta was Ion's one and only real Fon Master Guardian. But even so, she had accepted that she was dismissed from that position, and ended up neglecting her duty to protect Ion. That was why Anise had been able to kill Ion.
From afar, a large shadow approached.
Most likely, it was one who would observe her duel.
Arietta had challenged Anise to a duel. She could no longer protect Ion as his Fon Master Guardian, but she wanted to at least avenge him as his Fon Master Guardian. Arietta was determined to live up to the expectations Ion had placed on her.
“I'll... avenge him...” Arietta uttered the words she had already repeated to herself countless times before.
So that she wouldn't lose her resolve.
So that she wouldn't lose.
Because Arietta was Ion's Fon Master Guardian.
Because Arietta was Ion's only true Fon Master Guardian.
When Arietta stood up, Hresvelgr shifted around, looming over her head.
“Let's... go!”
From Tales of the Abyss: Character Episode Bible
Translation by Pazu (otakara)
The moment Arietta learned of Ion's death, the world before her eyes turned to darkness.
I should have been the one to protect him...
Wrapped in Hresvelgr's wings, Arietta rubbed her red, swollen eyes against the feathers.
The city of Feres, with the ocean's breeze sweeping through its streets. This place was Arietta's home.
The Isle of Feres, upon which the city of Feres stood, had long ago been wiped out by a great tidal wave. Arietta, who was only just born at the time, miraculously survived the disaster and was picked up by a family of monsters known as ligers.
Ligers were carnivores. No one knew why they didn't just eat Arietta, but for some reason they took her and raised her as one of their own.
Growing up, Arietta came to think of herself as a monster as well. The first human she ever met was a soldier from the Order of Lorelei: the Oracle Knights' Commandant, Van. Van, surprised to find that Arietta lived among monsters despite being a human, took her back with him to the Order of Lorelei's headquarters in Daath.
It was there that Arietta met Ion.
The supreme leader of the Order, Fon Master Ion, took a liking to Arietta and would always keep her by his side. Paying no heed to those who insisted it was a dangerous move, Ion also invited Arietta's family, the ligers, to come live with them. The one who gave Arietta a name, taught her human language, and gave her the means to live as a human was also Ion.
To Arietta, Ion truly was a god.
Many tender days were spent at the side of this tender god.
Perhaps those things could be called 'happiness'... as it was during that time that Arietta learned the meaning of the word 'happiness'.
But now the person who symbolized that happiness, Ion, was dead.
Leaving Arietta behind.
The one who led Ion to his death was Anise, the false Fon Master Guardian.
Ion had many enemies. Arietta didn't understand the complicated details of it, but she understood that Grand Maestro Mohs disliked Ion. It was that same Mohs who made Ion read the Planet Score, even though he knew that with Ion's weak body, reading it would endanger his very life.
And Anise had taken the role of being Mohs' accomplice, even though she should have been protecting Ion as his Fon Master Guardian.
No, from the beginning, Arietta had known better than anyone that Anise wasn't qualified to protect Ion. Even so, Arietta wasn't able to do anything about it. It was so sad, and so frustrating, that when the tears began to fall from her eyes, Arietta couldn't stop them.
Even now, Arietta remembered.
She remembered the treasured words that Ion said to her, before he changed.
It was back when Arietta was still a Fon Master Guardian.
During Arietta's last three months as a Fon Master Guardian, Ion spent a lot of time staying in bed. Not even Arietta, the person who was closest to him, was allowed to see him. Unable to endure it any longer, Arietta went to check on Ion in secret.
When Arietta peeked through the crack of the door, she could see the figure of Ion, sitting upright in bed and reading over some documents. In the weeks since she last saw him, Ion seemed to have lost some weight, but he looked like he was all right, so rather than worrying, Arietta let out a small sigh of relief. When she did, Ion lifted his head at the sound of her breath, and looked over to where she watched him from.
He saw me!
Arietta was flustered, trying to hide herself, but Ion gave a small shake of his head, beckoning her to come inside. Since Arietta had been forbidden to come check on Ion's condition, she was somewhat uneasy, and frantically glanced around to confirm that no one was watching her before timidly setting foot inside the room.
“Come here, Arietta.”
Ion smiled gently. That smile was the same one he always wore when calling Arietta over. Overjoyed, Arietta bounded over to his side with so much enthusiasm that she nearly dove onto the bed.
“Ion! Are you... feeling well?”
Ion simply smiled at her. Without answering the question, he gently stroked her head.
“It's been a while, Arietta.”
“Y, yes...”
Thank goodness! Ion's acting like himself again!
Upon hearing Ion's voice, Arietta's eyes began to well up with tears.
The Ion she saw two weeks ago spoke to Arietta in the same way he talked to any other person, even when they were alone together. Arietta took pride in the special, intimate way that Ion would speak only with her, and when that changed, she felt terribly hurt and saddened by it. But today, he was speaking like he normally did again. Maybe before, he was only acting differently because he was sick.
“You're being... your usual self today.”
“Hm?”
“Lately... you've been almost like another person. I thought... maybe you hated me, and I was really lonely.”
“... I see. I'm sorry, Arietta. But there's no way I could hate you. After all, you're my... my one and only Fon Master Guardian.”
As Ion spoke those words, he gazed at Arietta with a frighteningly serious look in his eyes.
He must have been trying to say that because I'm his only Fon Master Guardian, I need to protect him properly.
Arietta dug her teeth into the stuffed doll she clutched against her body.
Even though he said those things...
Arietta wasn't able to protect Ion.
It was because Arietta had been dismissed from her position as a Fon Master Guardian. Surely, that couldn't have been what Ion truly wanted. That was why he told her she was his “one and only Guardian.” Even though many other Fon Master Guardians were assigned to guard him, only Arietta mattered... Perhaps at that point, Ion had already realized that Anise would someday kill him.
Hresvelgr snuggled its beak against Arietta's cheek. In response, Arietta snuggled back with her cheek as a hiccup escaped her throat.
This Isle of Feres that Arietta stood on now was a new home that Van had revived for Arietta's sake. Using fomicry, a technique for making substitutes, he created a replica of the Isle of Feres for her. Arietta had hoped that someday she could bring Ion to this island and surprise him, but that was a wish that would never come true now.
Arietta was Ion's one and only real Fon Master Guardian. But even so, she had accepted that she was dismissed from that position, and ended up neglecting her duty to protect Ion. That was why Anise had been able to kill Ion.
From afar, a large shadow approached.
Most likely, it was one who would observe her duel.
Arietta had challenged Anise to a duel. She could no longer protect Ion as his Fon Master Guardian, but she wanted to at least avenge him as his Fon Master Guardian. Arietta was determined to live up to the expectations Ion had placed on her.
“I'll... avenge him...” Arietta uttered the words she had already repeated to herself countless times before.
So that she wouldn't lose her resolve.
So that she wouldn't lose.
Because Arietta was Ion's Fon Master Guardian.
Because Arietta was Ion's only true Fon Master Guardian.
When Arietta stood up, Hresvelgr shifted around, looming over her head.
“Let's... go!”