The Beauty of Vocaloids

Part 1

Narrator: Once upon a time, in a world far, far away.

There lived a mighty yet terrible dragon, which resided in the center of the earth. Its name and origins have long been lost to the sands of time.

Since time immemorial, had been forewarned that if the dragon leaves the center of the earth, chaos will follow in its wake. The land will tremble and fissure, seas will rage and storm, and the sky will rain fire and lighting. But as long as it remains placated underground, life above ground will continue.

To prevent that end, a Diva was chosen from the Order of Songstress, and was charged with keeping vigil over the titan. But the destiny of the Diva is ultimately a woeful one, to sing for eternity to placate the ancient beast. And ultimately, when their voices grow hoarse with fatigue, they will be devoured by the dragon, after which a new Diva will be chosen to replace her.

For countless millennia, the chain remained unbroken.

…

It had been prophesized that one day, a child with honeyed hair, milk coloured skin and crystal blue eyes shall be born. The child shall be blessed with a voice fit for singing hymns to the Gods, and is destined to herald peace to the world. Since then, the world searched fruitlessly for the prophesized child.

And then, one day, a pair of twin babies with fine honeyed hair and skin the colour of milk were brought before the Order of Songstress. The girl, despite being merely a month old, had a voice that was as sweet as honey, yet calm and gentle. And so, the order adopted her into their ranks, to be raised and trained to become the next Diva.

As for the boy, who even in his babyhood was loud and rash, was sent to a faraway orphanage in the western territories that bordered against vast wasteland tundra, where winters were cold and bitter.

There, the boy grew to adulthood, toughened and strengthened from enduring the harsh elements. He was kind to the weak and righteous in mind, a man idolized by youths and besotted by a number of maidens. What more, a local Lord had recognized his skill at arms and leadership potential, and would often invite him to go hunting. There were even rumours of an arranged marriage between him and the local Lord's niece.

Then, at the age of twenty, mere days after the marriage rumour was confirmed, the young man disappeared with naught a word or note. They never saw him again.

In the meantime, far, far underground, in a place where no human should ever want to be, a young woman with long honeyed hair and milk-coloured skin heard and felt the beast stir. She turned.

Her crystal blue eyes made out the dragon's massive form curled up against a wall, its entire body covered in dark ashen scales. Jagged spikes jutted from the beast's spine, while several more crowned its serpentine head. Each of its wings were larger than the widest ship sail, and each claw talon were as long as she was tall.

What started as a snort which had interrupted an endless series of snores now became an earth-trembling rumble as the dragon slowly raised its massive head, the mere act causing the air to become heavy. Its eyes snapped open, revealing huge fiery yellow disks centered by coal black pits. Despite being fast asleep moments ago, its eyes immediately focused on the human standing in the dark, chilly cavern, and narrowed into thin slits.

Bracing herself, the Diva stepped forward and began to sing

And so begin the tragic tale of two twins separated after birth.

Part 2

Him: Without a destination, I head eastwards with only my own shadow for company. I carve the distant voice on the blank map of my mind, searching to whom it belongs to. Destined to go further, I set out on this journey with no end; trying to find the lost fragment of my heart, I keep wandering. Your singing voice, it soothes my parched soul. I won't give up looking for you, whose smile has been burned into my mind.

Her: At the bottom of this world deep, deep in the earth, I am destined to sing these prayers all alone. From a blank past with nowhere else to go, I dedicate myself to this endless requiem, and weave the echoing voices that never ends. I will sing for my whole life without ever seeing, a song for the sun, a song for the rain, songs for warm days and calm nights, songs of everlasting paradise. The words were passed down to me, though the hands that handed them were deathly cold.

They: Keep on singing. That is an order. Your destiny is to sing forever. It is our only purpose in life. That is our destiny.

Her: Sinking in my tears at the bottom of the world, destined to sing all alone, I hear a gentle voice from a distant past. I won't give up finding you, was what it said, turning my fear and despair into hope and the strength to sing.

Narrator: For many years, she continued to sing in solitary while he searched futilely. Though they remained countless leagues apart, their thoughts and voices gradually echoed to the other, as if carried by an unseen breeze.

From him, she felt the hollow cavity in his heart, a void she too felt keenly. Despite having never met him, she knew he was strong, with sharp crystal blue eyes, and skilled with the sword. She instantly knew that this was the person missing from her life.

From her, he felt agonizing fear and bitter loneliness, a type which he had never encountered before. Despite having never met her, he knew she was lovely, with soft honeyed hair and the gentle voice of an angel. He instantly knew that it was she that he was searching for his whole life.

Many years had passed since.

From a wandering traveller with no home or belonging save for the clothes on his back and the sword belted on his waist, he founded a group of companions. Their professions, origins and motivations differ, but their goal was the same. To defy the Order of Songstress, and slay the terrible dragon that resides in the middle of the earth.

They crossed vast plains and steep mountains, visited bustling cities and abandoned hamlets. But wherever they went, they found only despair and sorrow caused by war, famine, disease, corruption, lawlessness, feuds, and misfortune. A dying world kept alive by a sleeping beast.

As for her, she remained alone in the center of the earth, singing to the dragon. Rest came few and far in between, for the restless titan would wake shortly after the song ends, as if sensing the great turmoil above ground. Alone, unknown and unseen by the rest of the world, she sang for the world that was dying far above her.

And throughout the whole time, their thoughts and voices continued to flow to each other, a spiritual link between two separate minds and bodies.

Him: Across this dying world, I seek for the lost voice which echoes in my heart, agonized and suffering. Am I fated to wander from street to street, hill to hill, further and further away? In the wake of these dark days, I long only for the decades stolen from our past. I hear your agonized voice, echoing in the depths of my heart.

Her: I pray to protect this warm world, this everlasting paradise, so that everyone can smile.

Him: This world is unfit for everlasting paradise. It is distorted with cruel voices and vanished hopes. I desire only the sound of your voice next to mine, your warmth on my hands. I will fight with a roaring voice to end this curse, where I see only you crying all alone. I will end this artificial paradise with my own hands.

Part 3

Narrator: At long last, after countless years of searching and singing, the separated twins were reunited. But the reunion was anything but joyous.

A great battle had taken place in middle earth, where he and his band of companions attacked the dragon. Despite numerous differences, they were bonded by mutual hatred for the dragon and the Order of Songstress. The battle lasted for many days, the effects of which shook the very pillars of the world. And then, at long last, they did what no one had ever done before. They slew the dragon.

But the price was great. He was the only one that remained.

As he stood before the massive corpse of the rapidly cooling beast, he sensed a presence that felt both intimately familiar yet strangely alien. He turned, and met a pair of crystal blue eyes that were identical to his.

Ah, decades of singing endlessly without rest had worn out the once lovely Diva. It was a miracle that she could still stand! Her long, honeyed hair, once soft and sleek, was now frizzled and thinned. Her skin was so pale, paler than the faces of his fallen companions. Even so, she smiled kindly at the brother she had longed so much for.

Ah, decades of fighting endlessly without rest had broken the mighty traveller. It was a miracle that he could still stand! His short, ash-stained honeyed hair was singed and dishevelled. His skin was dyed in the colour of his companion's life fluids. Even so, his exhausted features softened upon finding the sister he had searched so long for.

And for the very first time, they spoke face to face with each other.

Him: Long ago in a distant cradle of time, I had a cold dream. You sang for me, a kind, warm, gentle lullaby. Tell me, what is it that you desire?

Her: A world that will never end.

Him: And what I want-

Her: Was the end of the world.

I, the voice that was chosen, must keep singing, to turn sadness and suffering into smiles of joy.

Him: Though you remain unappreciated, fated to perish!?

Her: Even so, I pray to protect this world! I want to bring peace and blessings to this weary world-

Him: I would end all life by my hands-

Her: Oh, but my voice can't reach you!

Him: Ah, my hands can't reach you!

Him & Her: Our desires go separate ways. Our wishes leave only desolation.

Narrator: Realizing there was no hope of changing his mind, and that there was little time left, she approached the slain dragon, which had slumbered for countless ages and devoured countless Divas, only to fall to the blade of a Diva's brother. She told him that she will gather the beast's remaining life essence into her final requiem, to bring prosperity to the dying world above. It was noble feat, one that will drain the rest of her life essence and inevitably lead to her demise.

Him: Why?! Do you wish to perish?!

Her: What I wish is your future.

Him: I don't want a future, I want our stolen past!

Narrator: He stepped forward to seize her, but she started to sing. Her magical voice rooted him to the spot, and he was forced to watch and listen. So beautiful, truly her voice was fit for singing hymns to the Gods. She sang like never before, putting all her strength and spirit into one final song. The time has come.

Her: Illuminate the future, this requiem which will last forever. Light and darkness, I set you free! With this eternal voice, change endless despair to endless hope. Bring peace and blessings to an endless world. Light and shadows, fate and destinies, set them all free!

Narrator: Her voice resounded throughout the cavern, and abruptly cut off. She collapsed, and remained silent forevermore.

At long last, he approached, weeping, and cradled her lifeless form in his arms. It was then when he remembered, what he had been pursuing for all his life.

It was her gentle smile. Kind, compassionate and benevolent, which she now wore even in death.

Him: What you wanted, was peace for the world… What I wanted, is the gentle smile you now wear… My lonely voice mourns by itself, so I will sing a song just for you.

I will bring your peace and blessings into an endless world. Illuminate the future, your requiem that lasts forever, bring hope to despair, turn sorrow into joy, free the darkness. A world where all can live in peace.

Narrator: And so the prophecy came to be. That a child with honeyed hair, milk coloured skin and crystal blue eyes, blessed with a voice fit for singing hymns to the Gods, heralded peace to the world.

The End