Story Reader / Main Story / 31 Shaper's Ripples / Story
In just ten seconds after reaching the art gallery steps, a surge of Red Tide sweeps across the street.
Keep your distance. Getting too close to that Red Tide can get you infected.
Infected...?
Mm.
She keeps her voice low as she cautiously peeks out from behind her clothes, looking at the street outside the exhibit hall that's now flooded by the Red Tide. Her slight silhouette briefly reminds you of the child who brought roses the other night.
The Golden Age is caught in the Red Tide now, too.
There's no other explanation. There has to be some link to that Tower here, letting the Red Tide flow into the Golden Age.
The catastrophe is only just starting—there are still many survivors, and the gear is in working order. There's still a chance to turn this around.
If only we could get out of here and hand the Omega Files over to the Golden Age's Science Council right this minute.
But we don't have the Omega Files. All we can do is warn people about what's coming... The second we open our mouths, they dismiss us as spreading rumors or acting out of line.
Then they drag us off for "examinations," leaving us no way to get out unscathed.
Lucia sighs, turning her gaze to the distance once more.
It's locked down here. First, we need to figure out how to get out, but there's something else bothering me.
If we break the lockdown, does that mean we'll accidentally jump-start the Red Tide in Golden Age?
...
The moment <b><ud><color=#34aff8ff><link=15>Rose</link></color></ud></b> hears that name, she looks like she wants to speak up, but ends up holding her tongue.
From what we found out during our investigation, Vonnegut is still working on keeping Cradle in check without her catching on, so he's probably too preoccupied to stir up any other trouble.
Hmm, back when we first ran into that humanoid Hetero-Creature, she showed an unusually keen interest in human civilization.
If the Red Tide can sweep away what's left of humanity's Golden Age before it's completely destroyed, she won't pass on that chance. Besides... Vonnegut is keeping a close eye on her, too.
That part's still a mystery.
Remember? He calls this place the Fog. Right before he shoved us out of the Tower, he said, "Then enter the fog and behold the true threat humanity faces! It's time to bring this drawn-out feud to a close."
One more thing—based on the offline map and environment analysis, it looks like we're still in the Inver-Hetero Tower.
Lucia goes over every bit of data on the terminal again, making sure nothing is overlooked.
Exactly... it's like the Tower disappears without a trace. Or maybe, right now, it hasn't shown up yet at all.
When we are stuck in the Inver-Hetero Tower, we never manage to send our whole selves to another era—we can only pass along information. I never think we actually get out.
I still don't know if this area counted as part of the Tower's influence before it even showed up.
And what's Vonnegut's reason for calling this place the "Fog"?
Overhead or underground? ...Got it. I'll watch for anything odd in both places.
Right. We're still inside the Inver-Hetero Tower—it could be affecting time somehow.
Darcie is likely back already, and her friends are over in the gallery.
She shyly points towards the staircase.
We literally just went to grab some instant noodles from the vending machine, and that's when they nabbed us.
Alright.
You stand behind Lucia, taking another look at this city.
Right now, Constellia lingers in silence, caught in the twilight of the Golden Age.
It shines like a celestial palace adrift in the clouds, stunning and radiant—Yet it also feels like the headstone of a once-great era, lonely and empty.
