Night 6~
HI. Um. Not much to say. :|
The Ceremony Master's Notebook
The Malice coming from the ✻ is getting stronger. I've searched, and there is no record of it getting this strong in the past. Recently, poor harvests and deaths have begun to increase. The time of repentence for Tachibana's failure to perform the ritual is drawing near. Half of the Mourners were driven mad by the Malice and jumped into the ✻. We must prepare more Mourners, we'll use the sinners. If we don't do something, the ✻ will overflow in a few years. I must use my daughters in the ritual. Sae and Yae must be cleansed. For the village!
An Outsider visited with perfect timing. I'll use him for the Hidden Ceremony and pacify the ✻. We must ensure he doesn't escape before that.
When the twins were born, I was miserable knowing that they were doomed. They were raised freely, without pain or sadness. They say the pain of the ✻ never stops. The elder sister must kill the younger in the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual. It's a cruel horrible fate.
Sae and Yae ran away with that boy, a Remaining. The Kusabi calmed the ✻ a little, but it is still rumbling. If the twins aren't brought back, the village will be swallowed by the ✻. They are my daughters, I must find them.
Yae is not coming back. Did she really leave Sae behind? Did she survive in the forest? If Sae is cleansed and acts as Shrine Maiden alone, the ✻ might be appeased. The records do not mention any rituals with a single Shrine Maiden, but I will do it. I have to try. Yae, why did you run? Why won't you come back?
The Tome
The gate to hell is called the ✻ Gaze not upon the ✻. Eyes that glimpse the ✻ will be blinded by the ✻. Speak not of the ✻. The mouth which utters ✻ will be made speechless by the ✻. Listen not to the ✻. Those who heed the ✻ are turned heartless by the ✻.
In the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, the Shrine Maidens become one again, they become a deity and appease the ✻. The latter stays here, watching over the human world. The first shall pass through the ✻, calming the earth.
Shrine Maidens of the past and future, made into Crimson Butterflies, return from the ✻, as guardians of the village. Those that become butterflies ascend to heaven, parting the skies above, inviting the light upon us.
If the ✻ rumbles on a year without the ceremony, a Kusabi is needed. A Kusabi is an outsider, made into a Buddha and offered to the ✻. The more they suffer, the greater the calming of the ✻.
If the ritual is not performed the ✻ will open. Inhuman wretches shall burst forth from the ✻, villagers will be engulfed by the ✻, and the sky will be plunged into darkness. The darkness will spread over the land for generations, awaking the ✻. We must think of this disaster as a Repentence for our failure to fulfil our duty to the ✻, which grants us life. We must accept that this is the reason for our existence.
Calico Notebook
One of the handmaidens led a man who came to offer his pain into the Kuze Shrine and so tattoos have entered the priestess' eyes and the doors to the Chamber of Thorns have opened. We should never have let a man enter the shrine. No matter who it was, we should never have engraved the priestess' empty eyes. Now that I have felt the pain of the holly as well, even I am not allowed outside. Before the rift that has spilled forth from the Kuze Shrine spreads any further, we must find a way to shut the shrine withing the Rift. We must summon shrine carpenters and seal the Kuze Shrine. Many sacrificial pillars will be required. We should have cast that man away. Just as we did that male scholar who wandered here.
The pain etched into the priestess must have been very deep. The spread of the Rift continues. We may not be able to stop it even with the Shrine of Sleep. My body has been halfway engulfed by the Rift and misery surrounds me. It's not clear how many days have passed since the Unleashing. The only ones left are the young handmaidens. I feel pity in doing so, but I will instruct Hisame to conduct the final impalement. We must not allow the Rift to spread. Now that I recall, there was an Echo Stone Earring in that man's ear. He could have been Kyouka's forbidden child. Perhaps he came back from the village down below? If so, then he would be Amane's older brother. How sorrowful...
The Tome
The chosen maiden is put onto the Boat of Passing. The boat sways as it is sent to the Kuze Shrine. The Living flesh is cut, the tattoos etched in. Pain of the Holly shall be sealed within her. All her love shall be interred into a mirror. This she must break, shatter herself. Her attachments to this world must be broken.
The Piercing of the Soul thus concludes. Impale her with the stake of tattoos. The Rite of Commandment must be conducted. Sleeping undisturbed for eternity. Dreaming the endless dream of the Rift. Enclosed, entombed in her Chamber of Thorns. She shall continue to feel the Pain of the Holly for all time.
The tattooed priestess must lose all of her attachments to this world during the Rite of Commandment. For this reason, those who enter the Kuze Shrine must be sure to cover their faces with masks and carry out the ceremony without feeling. It is especially forbidden for men to enter the Kuze Shrine without concealing their faces in order to keep the priestess' heart from stirring.
Those who would offer their pain to the priestess must allow the red and indigo of living and dead blood to mix together to become the ink of the soul, which is then used to tattoo their pain into the priestess. The pain etched in with the ink of the soul appeases that memory, while the pain flows into the priestess. After the pain has matured, the ink of the soul must be rinsed away with the running water of the other shore.
If the feelings of loss for those who crossed to the other side begin to spill into dreams, they shall bring great trouble in this world. Those feelings of loss must be etched into the priestess as tattoos in the Piercing of the Soul. The tattooed priestess who has been engraved with the pain shall then bear that pain into her sleep and calm the troubles of this world.
The Engravers who make the tattoos must be tattooed in order to know the priestess' pain and should be blind in order to see the priestess' dream. During the Rite of Spirits, they must gouge out their eyes so that they might see dreams even while awake and distinguish the emotions of the red and indigo ink. During the Piercing of the Soul, they must pierce their hands and dye them in pain in order to transfer it to the tattooed priestess. Those dyed hands must then be cut off and cast away.
The pain engraved into the tattooed priestess becomes a dream and eats away at her soul. The pain, or the attachment to this world, is impaled as a doll dyed in soul ink and enshrined and then the handmaiden's song must be sung and prayers must be said for the priestess to lay in peace. This impalement is the duty of the handmaidens.
The tattooed priestess who cannot enter the sleep of no regrets must be stripped of her tattoos and sent to the other shore. The removed tattoos must then be enshrined in the tranquility of te stone shrine and the lullaby must be sung to pray for an end to the pain. The tattoo priestess who will not sleep, who cannot endure the pain, will be enshrouded in misery and cast into the Rift.
The priestess' pain is reflected in the Mirror of Loss. The commandment must be placed upon the priestess' empty eyes. If tattoos should enter her eyes, the empty eyes will become mirrors and all her pain shall be unleashed. If the commandments break and the priestess awakes, the gates will open and the Rift shall spill forth from the Chamber of Thorns. The Rift which spills forth will pass through dreams into the world and love shall be consumed by torment.
Yae's Diary
June 10th
Mikoto really seems to like this mansion. She’s playing Demon Tag here with her neighborhood friends again today. I guess a big mansion is the perfect place for kids to play. But for people in my sickly condition, it’s a little bit too big…
June 15th
Today was a wonderful day. My husband, my daughter and I took a walk in the mountains. I’m feeling pretty good these days, and I was even able to walk quite a distance today. I had so much fun!
June 18th
That camera seems to have some kind of uncanny power. It can capture things that aren’t even there… Mikoto begged me to let her have the camera back. I don’t understand the things that camera captures… But I know I can never let Mikoto see them! I have to protect her. Something terrible is going to happen. I can feel it.
June 24th
Mikoto is missing. She said she was only going to play Demon Tag here in the mansion. I don’t think she would have gone outside… She had that camera with her… None of Mikoto’s four friends have come home, either. It’s as if they’ve all been snatched up away by ghosts…
June 27th
It’s been three days since Mikoto was snatched away from us. Everything has been so strange! Ever since we moved to this mansion… Ever since we got that camera… If I lost my sanity now, too, I wouldn’t have to think about it anymore. I could be free… I can see them… I can see them now even without the camera...
Dear Ryozo, It's all my fault...
It's all because I let Mikoto use the camera that day!
And now evil spirits have gone and taken her away from us...
It's all my fault. I'm sorry.
- Yae
The Ceremony Master's Notebook
The Malice coming from the ✻ is getting stronger. I've searched, and there is no record of it getting this strong in the past. Recently, poor harvests and deaths have begun to increase. The time of repentence for Tachibana's failure to perform the ritual is drawing near. Half of the Mourners were driven mad by the Malice and jumped into the ✻. We must prepare more Mourners, we'll use the sinners. If we don't do something, the ✻ will overflow in a few years. I must use my daughters in the ritual. Sae and Yae must be cleansed. For the village!
An Outsider visited with perfect timing. I'll use him for the Hidden Ceremony and pacify the ✻. We must ensure he doesn't escape before that.
When the twins were born, I was miserable knowing that they were doomed. They were raised freely, without pain or sadness. They say the pain of the ✻ never stops. The elder sister must kill the younger in the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual. It's a cruel horrible fate.
Sae and Yae ran away with that boy, a Remaining. The Kusabi calmed the ✻ a little, but it is still rumbling. If the twins aren't brought back, the village will be swallowed by the ✻. They are my daughters, I must find them.
Yae is not coming back. Did she really leave Sae behind? Did she survive in the forest? If Sae is cleansed and acts as Shrine Maiden alone, the ✻ might be appeased. The records do not mention any rituals with a single Shrine Maiden, but I will do it. I have to try. Yae, why did you run? Why won't you come back?
The Tome
The gate to hell is called the ✻ Gaze not upon the ✻. Eyes that glimpse the ✻ will be blinded by the ✻. Speak not of the ✻. The mouth which utters ✻ will be made speechless by the ✻. Listen not to the ✻. Those who heed the ✻ are turned heartless by the ✻.
In the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, the Shrine Maidens become one again, they become a deity and appease the ✻. The latter stays here, watching over the human world. The first shall pass through the ✻, calming the earth.
Shrine Maidens of the past and future, made into Crimson Butterflies, return from the ✻, as guardians of the village. Those that become butterflies ascend to heaven, parting the skies above, inviting the light upon us.
If the ✻ rumbles on a year without the ceremony, a Kusabi is needed. A Kusabi is an outsider, made into a Buddha and offered to the ✻. The more they suffer, the greater the calming of the ✻.
If the ritual is not performed the ✻ will open. Inhuman wretches shall burst forth from the ✻, villagers will be engulfed by the ✻, and the sky will be plunged into darkness. The darkness will spread over the land for generations, awaking the ✻. We must think of this disaster as a Repentence for our failure to fulfil our duty to the ✻, which grants us life. We must accept that this is the reason for our existence.
Calico Notebook
One of the handmaidens led a man who came to offer his pain into the Kuze Shrine and so tattoos have entered the priestess' eyes and the doors to the Chamber of Thorns have opened. We should never have let a man enter the shrine. No matter who it was, we should never have engraved the priestess' empty eyes. Now that I have felt the pain of the holly as well, even I am not allowed outside. Before the rift that has spilled forth from the Kuze Shrine spreads any further, we must find a way to shut the shrine withing the Rift. We must summon shrine carpenters and seal the Kuze Shrine. Many sacrificial pillars will be required. We should have cast that man away. Just as we did that male scholar who wandered here.
The pain etched into the priestess must have been very deep. The spread of the Rift continues. We may not be able to stop it even with the Shrine of Sleep. My body has been halfway engulfed by the Rift and misery surrounds me. It's not clear how many days have passed since the Unleashing. The only ones left are the young handmaidens. I feel pity in doing so, but I will instruct Hisame to conduct the final impalement. We must not allow the Rift to spread. Now that I recall, there was an Echo Stone Earring in that man's ear. He could have been Kyouka's forbidden child. Perhaps he came back from the village down below? If so, then he would be Amane's older brother. How sorrowful...
The Tome
The chosen maiden is put onto the Boat of Passing. The boat sways as it is sent to the Kuze Shrine. The Living flesh is cut, the tattoos etched in. Pain of the Holly shall be sealed within her. All her love shall be interred into a mirror. This she must break, shatter herself. Her attachments to this world must be broken.
The Piercing of the Soul thus concludes. Impale her with the stake of tattoos. The Rite of Commandment must be conducted. Sleeping undisturbed for eternity. Dreaming the endless dream of the Rift. Enclosed, entombed in her Chamber of Thorns. She shall continue to feel the Pain of the Holly for all time.
The tattooed priestess must lose all of her attachments to this world during the Rite of Commandment. For this reason, those who enter the Kuze Shrine must be sure to cover their faces with masks and carry out the ceremony without feeling. It is especially forbidden for men to enter the Kuze Shrine without concealing their faces in order to keep the priestess' heart from stirring.
Those who would offer their pain to the priestess must allow the red and indigo of living and dead blood to mix together to become the ink of the soul, which is then used to tattoo their pain into the priestess. The pain etched in with the ink of the soul appeases that memory, while the pain flows into the priestess. After the pain has matured, the ink of the soul must be rinsed away with the running water of the other shore.
If the feelings of loss for those who crossed to the other side begin to spill into dreams, they shall bring great trouble in this world. Those feelings of loss must be etched into the priestess as tattoos in the Piercing of the Soul. The tattooed priestess who has been engraved with the pain shall then bear that pain into her sleep and calm the troubles of this world.
The Engravers who make the tattoos must be tattooed in order to know the priestess' pain and should be blind in order to see the priestess' dream. During the Rite of Spirits, they must gouge out their eyes so that they might see dreams even while awake and distinguish the emotions of the red and indigo ink. During the Piercing of the Soul, they must pierce their hands and dye them in pain in order to transfer it to the tattooed priestess. Those dyed hands must then be cut off and cast away.
The pain engraved into the tattooed priestess becomes a dream and eats away at her soul. The pain, or the attachment to this world, is impaled as a doll dyed in soul ink and enshrined and then the handmaiden's song must be sung and prayers must be said for the priestess to lay in peace. This impalement is the duty of the handmaidens.
The tattooed priestess who cannot enter the sleep of no regrets must be stripped of her tattoos and sent to the other shore. The removed tattoos must then be enshrined in the tranquility of te stone shrine and the lullaby must be sung to pray for an end to the pain. The tattoo priestess who will not sleep, who cannot endure the pain, will be enshrouded in misery and cast into the Rift.
The priestess' pain is reflected in the Mirror of Loss. The commandment must be placed upon the priestess' empty eyes. If tattoos should enter her eyes, the empty eyes will become mirrors and all her pain shall be unleashed. If the commandments break and the priestess awakes, the gates will open and the Rift shall spill forth from the Chamber of Thorns. The Rift which spills forth will pass through dreams into the world and love shall be consumed by torment.
Yae's Diary
June 10th
Mikoto really seems to like this mansion. She’s playing Demon Tag here with her neighborhood friends again today. I guess a big mansion is the perfect place for kids to play. But for people in my sickly condition, it’s a little bit too big…
June 15th
Today was a wonderful day. My husband, my daughter and I took a walk in the mountains. I’m feeling pretty good these days, and I was even able to walk quite a distance today. I had so much fun!
June 18th
That camera seems to have some kind of uncanny power. It can capture things that aren’t even there… Mikoto begged me to let her have the camera back. I don’t understand the things that camera captures… But I know I can never let Mikoto see them! I have to protect her. Something terrible is going to happen. I can feel it.
June 24th
Mikoto is missing. She said she was only going to play Demon Tag here in the mansion. I don’t think she would have gone outside… She had that camera with her… None of Mikoto’s four friends have come home, either. It’s as if they’ve all been snatched up away by ghosts…
June 27th
It’s been three days since Mikoto was snatched away from us. Everything has been so strange! Ever since we moved to this mansion… Ever since we got that camera… If I lost my sanity now, too, I wouldn’t have to think about it anymore. I could be free… I can see them… I can see them now even without the camera...
Dear Ryozo, It's all my fault...
It's all because I let Mikoto use the camera that day!
And now evil spirits have gone and taken her away from us...
It's all my fault. I'm sorry.
- Yae