Story Reader / Main Story / 31 Shaper's Ripples / Story
The agent's hands gradually lower to his sides.
Though he can no longer fight, the spikes pursue him relentlessly, as if chasing down a sworn enemy who has thwarted them for years, determined to fight to the bitter end.
His form, scarcely resembling a human now, wrestles against the spikes piercing through him, as he strains to produce fragmented words.
...I must warn you again... merging with Chaos is the only stable solution...
I guess... you still won't listen...
If you insist on this path, if you truly believe... that you are right, then go. Leave the Hetero Tower.
The rifts and collapse within the Hetero Tower... Chaos and I will handle them.
Take the core... with you...
Chaos will do her best to keep the exit open...
Vonnegut falls silent for several seconds in the collapsing Hetero Tower, as if he can barely muster the strength for his final words.
But remember, the Hetero Tower's collapse... has become... far too severe...
Chaos and I... will seal off... the entire tower... no matter what...
Unless you return with results... I will never... let you enter again...
He forces out a nearly-mocking sneer, devoid of any hope, as if saying that he will be dead long before that moment.
...Farewell... The next time we meet... we will likely be true enemies.
She hands over the "Key" containing the Hetero Tower's core, then walks back to Vonnegut's side, waving goodbye.
Go now, while the collapse hasn't sealed off all paths.
Yup.
Chaos watches as the two take each other's hands and dash towards the treacherous shortcut.
Only after the two silhouettes, racing towards hope, vanish into the distance does she lower her head, turning to face the dying agent beside her.
...If you had taken Lucia out of the Hetero Tower before starting the fight, you would have won without even raising your blade...
Why didn't you do it?
Leaving the Hetero Tower unguarded would only make things more dangerous.
...Is that all?
Perhaps... I'm just tired.
I hope those two can prove themselves right, so I can finally be freed from this endless cycle.
You won't find freedom... I need you to help me stay conscious a while longer.
With the high concentration of the Punishing Virus, Chaos hovers before Vonnegut, spreading her arms to signal her next move.
...
I trust that when you chose to have the fight inside the tower, you were ready to become a Hetero-Creature.
...Yes... of course.
A broken, sardonic laugh escapes from Vonnegut's lips.
Since I've been left behind...
Let's go to hell together.
Haven't we been in hell all along?
...
With undying hatred in her heart, she embraces the agent's battered body.
She bestows upon him both a prolonged death sentence and her own broken existence.
The Hetero Tower teeters on the brink of collapse, violently shaking as countless walls crumble in succession—as if years of suffering are finally being obliterated along with it.
Every obstacle ahead crumbles to dust, and after the endless torment, a path toward hope unexpectedly lies clear and unobstructed.
Going home... going home...! Returning to everything once familiar, back to the peaceful life you used to have.
Lucia's footsteps match yours with uncanny harmony, the sound of your steps on the ground resonating like two hearts beating as one.
Sprinting alongside her on this long path, as if death had never befallen you, you once more near the exit of the Hetero Tower.
At last, your never-ending odyssey reaches its conclusion, with light shining ahead.
The enemies are subdued, and your injuries are minimal, nearly unscathed—much like when you first arrived.
All you need is securely tucked away in your tactical pocket—the core of the Hetero Tower, the amassed intel, and every resource to aid in your onward journey.
And here beside you stands Lucia, holding your hand so tightly, as if she intends never to let go for the rest of her life.
In this very moment, the never-ending night finally gives way to dawn...
Yeah, let's go, Commandant.
Behind you, countless hardships crumble into nothing.
And ahead of you lies everything.
The eerie oppression of the Hetero Tower fades away from your being. Maybe now, having finally escaped, you can at last lower your guard—and with it, the rush of exhaustion hits you.
...It's finally over.
The long-forgotten wind feels oddly foreign now, but the familiar warmth beside you remains unchanged.
You turn around to call out Lucia's name, eager to express your joy, just like you would always do after every mission before.
But the name dies on your lips.
...
The hand holding yours suddenly loosens its grip. Like a weathered flagpole giving way, Lucia crumbles to one knee.
Her warmth dissipates at an alarming rate as countless cracks and corrosion marks spread across her frame.
Her once indomitable form within the Hetero Tower now disintegrates, mirroring the collapse of the tower itself—falling apart in a mere moment.
Well...
You quickly extend your hand toward her, but the mere effort of lifting her shattering arm has drained what little strength she has left.
Seeing this, you waste no time grabbing her hand, doing your best to help steady her body.
At that moment, her exposed Omega Core visibly dims before your eyes, beginning to break apart.
You instinctively reach out, trying to catch the falling fragments, only to see them dissolve into nothingness at your fingertips.
You struggle to lift Lucia's immobilized body, searching frantically for a way to help her. Your eyes dart around, panic rising, when suddenly you notice it—something else is wrong, something off about the world around you.
Endless ruins sprawl across a vast wasteland. Crimson specks drift through the dusty air like embers burning through a curtain, searing a painful reality into your eyes.
This landscape is nothing like what you have seen before. The readings on your virus detector fluctuate wildly before settling at an impossibly high level.
Doesn't... matter... wher...
She clutches onto you like a drowning person grasping at driftwood, forcing herself to stand once more.
Her battle-worn Pyro Katana flickers like a candle in the wind, yet remains planted in the ground. Using it as support, Lucia pushes away from your help and staggers forward.
Like a drowning person clawing their way out of death's depths—just as she once rose from the Red Tide after witnessing your death.
...have to leave now... The Punishing concentration here is too high, and the Omega Core is...
Yeah... It'll be fine...
Lucia turns back to look at you, her eyes carrying a feeble smile, but this attempt at encouragement only makes her gaze unbearable to witness.
Anxiety ferments into panic, drumming wildly in your heart.
(Can we really find help now?)
What if you end up in a desolate time or world, and the Hetero Tower's ongoing collapse makes it impossible for you to return?
A warning from the past echoes in your ears once again.
The strange doubts you once felt now tear mercilessly at your heart.
...How did it come to this? Is it because of the Hetero Tower? The strain on the Pyroath frame?
...
...It shouldn't be like this.
As if sensing your inner turmoil, Lucia raises her trembling hand and gently pats your shoulder.
Commandant...
Must... get out of here...
She manages two more steps before halting, desperately using her weapon as a crutch.
Lucia nods. Though she's supposed to rely on you for support, she keeps pushing you forward instead. She would never let you remain in danger, no matter what the cost might be...
A sharp pain twists in your chest as the metallic taste of blood spreads through your mouth.
Back then, you left the core with Lucia to prevent her from getting lost in the Fog, and forced Vonnegut to use the Bridge Across Dreams to get her out.
Out of the few choices available, you chose the path with the most promise. Yet, why did everything still turn out like this?
Time flows differently inside the Inver-Hetero Tower compared to outside.
...That shining glimmer of hope dissolves like a mirage, crumbling into nothingness.
...
Despite the Pyroath frame's perfection, it cannot possibly endure the ceaseless battles and the relentless strain on the Omega Core.
After emerging from the Fog, her apparent normalcy wasn't genuine—the repercussions were merely postponed by the Hetero Tower and the core.
Once you left the Hetero Tower—you hadn't left the Hetero Tower this entire time—once you left the Hetero Tower...
Without realizing it, Lucia gradually falls behind you. She is clearly preparing to guard the rear, yet her hand continues to push you forward, step by step.
The force from your back disappears, though it was already barely noticeable to begin with.
Lucia lowers her hand, her fingertips trailing down from your spine to your waist, finally finding their place to rest.
...Once more she holds up your palm, this time grasping your hand with all her remaining strength.
With her damaged frame, she struggles to close that small distance between you, returning to your side.
You promise?
Let's go together... until we find help, until you're safe...
Supporting each other, Lucia and you begin your long trek through the desolate ruins.
A dying Construct on one side, a slightly wounded but corrupted human on the other.
You call out and search, trudging through endless stretches of wreckage, only to find no signs of life.
From noon until nightfall you walk, stealing brief moments of rest as you lean on each other, then press on under the bright moonlight until dawn breaks anew.
It's a blessing to have her by your side, just as it is for her to have you by hers—alone, either of you would surely perish.
However, Lucia's remaining energy drains away with each hopeless step. She grows ever more silent, her gaze always fixed either on the path ahead or on you.
All that remains for her seems to be endless torment, wounds that won't heal, and agony that never ceases. As long as she maintains consciousness, every moment becomes another suffering to endure.
You have asked Lucia several times if she wants to shut down her pain module.
Her answer remains unchanged—a firm refusal. She needs the pain to maintain her sense of self, to reduce the strain on your consciousness that's connected to hers.
With her frame beyond repair, any disturbance in her M.I.N.D. now would only exacerbate the situation.
Lucia strives not to become a burden, while all you can do is cling to this faint glimmer of hope and keep moving forward.
Following broken road signs, you stumble into a desolate town.
She nods silently, and thus, you begin another round of searching.
Your wounded body aches with exhaustion, legs nearly numb in the bitter wind. Yet the unrelenting pain in your chest drives you onward.
You search through countless abandoned homes, defeat the Hetero-Creatures prowling nearby, and creep forward through wandering shadows.
Yet, all that you have discovered is futile—expired canned food, deteriorating electronic components, and depleted vials of serum.
It's not until you pass through the town center and enter a hospital that you finally stumble upon a communications transceiver.
Bzzzz—bzzzz—
BZZZZ—To all survivors who can receive this transmission: The Punishing Virus is spreading across the surface. Your current location is not safe.
Contact the nearest base or Support Force unit without delay. If you are unable to switch frequencies, transmit three short, three long, and three short signals on this channel. Personnel monitoring this frequency will pinpoint your location as soon as possible.
Repeat, to all...
After the tenth attempt to receive the frequency, the broadcast disappears.
Bzzzz—bzzzz—
BZZZZ—This is Emma Copperfield of the Arctic Route Union Support Force. We have located your position. Please remain safe and conserve your stamina.
Repeat, this is Emma Copperfield...
Emma...
Lucia manages a weak smile, as if resigned to an inescapable cycle of fate.
Well, at least we found rescue.
Rays of sunlight pierce through the floating dust, bathing her silhouette in a gentle glow.
Watching the drifting motes, Lucia breaks into a gentle smile and turns to look back at you.
Commandant...
I'm so happy to be with you...
...So stop talking like you're saying goodbye.
A Support Force's vehicle comes to a stop beside the town.
The woman from your dream appears before you as promised, immediately performing emergency inspection and maintenance on Lucia.
This is no good. The Omega Core overload is irreversible. We must replace her frame immediately. Does she have any old frames left? There's no time for a new compatibility adjustment.
Asimov...
...
He's gone.
Emma lowers her head and begins recounting the events of the past years.
I couldn't believe you and Lucia would return either, but... yes.
Thirty years have passed since you entered the Hetero Tower.
Look...
She tears off a scrap of notice paper, once used to wrap her box of trinkets, and passes it to you.
Every word on this yellowed paper is familiar, but the reality they piece together is impossible to accept.
The first three years after your departure were manageable, but by the fifth year, the Hetero Zone crisis finally erupted.
Over these thirty years, humanity's frontlines have shrunk time and time again. Now, the Arctic Joint Route stands as the last bastion on the surface.
She shakes her head sorrowfully.
Babylonia has left Earth's orbit, venturing into space to search for a new home.
Gray Raven... Lee and Liv have boarded a starship bound for deep space... They wanted to fulfill that dream of finding humanity's future.
...Gray Raven's shared dream.
I'll let Vanessa answer any remaining questions you might have.
...Yes, she's one of the few who chose to stay behind.
Emma taps a few times on her terminal, and a figure slowly materializes on the screen before everyone.
...
Your eyes meet, and silence falls between you.
Though her appearance differs greatly from your memories, those familiar features unmistakably reveal her identity.
This greeting comes 30 years late, [player name].
I thought this time you were finally dead for real.
Unexpectedly, her voice catches with emotion.
Luna said you would definitely come back,
Yeah... In times like these, we can't even keep the Arctic Joint Route running without her.
...The Plume frame?
...There's one right in front of you, Emma.
...
Be quiet for a moment. I'm looking for someone who can answer your questions.
Vanessa raises her hand suddenly, and through the blurry image, mechanical structures are faintly visible within.
Oh, that's ancient history, when Egret went through another big crisis... I was the only one who survived. After that, I became a Construct.
Now I'm the captain of Scarab.
She's gone. I'll tell you about it another time.
Vanessa sits down, restlessly brushing the hair near her ears.
Listen, we have two options, but both are long shots.
First option: come back to the Arctic Joint Route with Emma. All the personnel and equipment for Construct maintenance are here.
Given the current surface conditions, it'll take at least 14 days to get here. Can Lucia hold out that long?
You cast a questioning look at Emma, but she shakes her head.
...
Vanessa's words hook into you like a grapple, draining away every ounce of your strength.
You slump back against the chair instinctively. Never did you imagine there would come a day when even forming words would feel this arduous.
Find the Plume frame.
As soon as those words are spoken, the communication device suddenly crackles to life.
I found it. Emma needs to drive 2,614 kilometers east to reach the old base.
Asimov left the Plume frame at that base before he left, but...
Let Rosa finish.
The girl on the video feed now inhabits a Construct body. Gone is the naive, reckless youth from your memories—in her place stands someone markedly more distant.
The warehouse containing the Plume frame, along with the entire base, was submerged by the Red Tide. The evacuation was rushed, and although we had teams sent over to recover resources after the Red Tide receded, there was no sign of the Plume frame.
Want to try your luck there?
...What do you think?
Naturally.
Emma nods in response.
Get in. We're running short on time.
Like a drowned person clinging to driftwood, you help Lucia climb into Emma's rescue vehicle.
Good luck to you.
[player name].
You lift your head in a daze, meeting Vanessa's gaze filled with inscrutable emotions.
Anyway... welcome back.
With those words, Vanessa disconnects from the channel, leaving Rosa alone on the comm line.
I'm here, Commandant.
Okay.
Looking through the window, you watch the wasteland rushing past on both sides.
Amid Rosa's crisp voice, information about the base and past events floods into your mind.
Lee repaired the rifts caused by the Hetero Tower. After watching both Lucia and you enter the tower at the unchanged date, he and Liv tried to enter it themselves, but all their attempts proved futile.
Despite the absence of the core, the tormented agent within the Hetero Tower has adamantly refused to allow anyone entry.
Only Chrome and Wanshi remain in Strike Hawk now. Camu disappeared during an investigation mission, and Camu went to search for him—neither of them ever returned.
Cerberus managed to evacuate safely, Murray passed away from illness, and Dark Aries volunteered for a rear-guard mission during the retreat, only to be completely wiped out. Now, only Scarab and members of the Support Force remain at the base.
...
Your attention begins to drift, your eyelids growing heavy. The scenery outside the window starts to blur.
Mm.
Her hand has grown cold.
Amidst your prayer-like whisper, darkness offers its long-awaited embrace.
