Early childhood memories often escape me.
I remember a woman everyone referred to as “Mother” who cared for me. Allegedly, other Dawn members were there too.
But to tell you the truth, it’s all left me now.
After the fall of Jail, I met some people who claimed to be mimicries of the original Dawn members’ emotions.
They all praised me for getting so big, but I recognized no one.
Their memories were getting fuzzier by the day.
It was Miko who said, “It’s better this way. They are who they are.” Her statement was tinged by a hint of melancholy.
So everyone whom I consider family are reincarnations of the original Dawn members.
In other words, Haru, Miko, all the Blood Maidens...and Dad.
I still can’t accept what happened in that Jail...
Despite everything that went down, and all he said, I am unable to shake the thought.
Is it all a lie?
He was fun.
He was kind.
I felt loved by him.
I know.
I’m the dumb one for not realizing he was lying sooner.
Because of that, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes.
I have encountered great sorrows.
Come to think of it, our last battle ended in the best way possible.
Even so...
“What’s wrong?”
Isn’t it horrible?
Here I am, standing at the end of the finish line with everyone else.
Even Little Mermaid, who wouldn’t even be here under normal circumstances.
“Oh, nothing.”
Little Mermaid was unconvinced by my response. She peered at me out of worry, so I faked a smile.
Along with everyone else, we were traveling down an unforeseen road. One with all of our hopes in its basket.
This was no time to stress.
As the first Blood Maiden. As everyone’s older sister. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect everyone.
Once, Dad told me...
Dawn stood for the breaking dawn, a new morning.
That day is coming.
By God, I swear it...
　 ◯ “It’s not as bright up here as I thought it’d be,” Alice muttered to herself. She glanced upward at the sky, adjusting to the new environment.
“Yeah. Well, maybe it’s not dawn yet,” replied Jack, who had also been looking up at the sky.
Neither of them had ever laid eyes on the sun before, so the concept of sunrise was unknown to them. Nevertheless, the sky was far dimmer than they expected.
“Maybe we should reach higher ground. Could be brighter.”
“Possibly, but that could also mean warmer.”
“Can’t you just take your coat off?”
“Haha. Now why didn’t I think of that?”
The two laughed together playfully.
“We’ve come a long way.”
“I’ll say.”
“Everyone else too. The Dawn, the Order of the Sun. The Blood Maidens, Mamoru’s group.
Otsuu and Little Mermaid. We couldn’t have done it without them. Their constant support gave us the strength to get here.”
We’ve clashed.
We’ve argued.
But in the end, we escaped from Jail as a team.
Nothing else could possibly faze us.
The surface may have Jails just like underground...
But at least, we were far from the root of our despair once and for all.
Jack, more than anyone, seemed resolute in this.
“You know what, Jack? Everyone else played their parts, but it’s you I should thank.”
“Me?” asked the clueless Jack.
Alice’s eyes met with his.
“Without you, I know I would have given up. The grand escape, all the torture, all to live...and make friends.”
Alice touched her cross-shaped hairpin.
“It’s you, Jack. All you. I’ve never seen the sun before. But what I do know is that the sun better be as warm and bright as you.”
“Alice...”
“Remember what you said to me back in Jail?”
He did.
There were countless examples Alice could have been asking about.
Yet for some reason, Jack knew precisely which one she was referencing.
“I will protect you. So let’s escape together.”
Alice smiled. “Right, Jack. I promise to protect you too. Here we go.”
Hands held tight, they pointed their eyes at the still-dim sky.
The sun, and with it new life, awaited them.
　 ◯ Another nameless protagonist.
When he awoke in the underground Jail, situated by the Liberated District, he recalled nothing about himself.
His name, his past, his purpose, and his objective.
He was a physical and emotional anomaly.
If someone were to grant him a name...
The wheels of time kept turning, endlessly.
　 ◯ The stage is set for the dramatic end to the great escape.
Interweaving strings of fate announcing the Finale’s curtain call.
The song of the Blood choir, an anthem of the cycle of oblivion and rebirth, will usher in peace and retrieve the world’s light from darkness and despair.