Story Reader / Main Story / 31 Shaper's Ripples / Story
31-30 In the first light...
The vehicle races through endless wastelands and ruins, carrying everyone onboard for three days and nights without rest.
Throughout the journey, all three of you have barely uttered any words. Only the roar of the engine and the endless stream of passing scenery fill your senses.
You keep picking up the pulsing Hetero Tower core from the bumpy seat, wanting to confirm that this one possibility still exists, yet hoping that everything before your eyes is just a haunting nightmare.
Time and again, you reach for Lucia's hand to check for warmth between her fingers, and as always, she responds by gently caressing your hand in return.
But her fading warmth serves as a constant warning—time slips away with the setting sun... and the long night looms ahead.
Four hours.
Having been asked the same question countless times, Emma offers no further response.
Almost there.
As darkness devours the sky, the only hope that might exist at your destination pulls taut like a hangman's rope, leaving you uncertain whether what awaits is salvation or a death sentence.
The vehicle turns left, entering a street that resembles those in the Clean Zone.
The desolation and the prowling Hetero-Creatures on both sides tear away at what should have been familiar, letting despair rust away at your heart.
As if this despair isn't crushing enough, the supply vehicle suddenly begins to shake and emit eerie sounds.
Hold on tight. It's Hetero-Creatures.
Emma grips the steering wheel tightly, trying to break through the Hetero-Creatures' territory. However, the noise of the vehicle attracts the notice of those godless monsters as they begin their relentless pursuit.
...Commandant...
You open the window, ignoring the thick Punishing Virus that floods in, and fire several rapid shots at the Hetero-Creatures lunging towards you.
Behind us...!
Insectoid Hetero-Creatures are executing suicidal dives from the skies above.
You persist in aiming and firing, releasing your pent-up fury with each muzzle flash, until these repulsive insects erupt into splashes of fluid that merge into the darkness-swallowed ground, too feeble to continue the pursuit.
This brief turmoil splits the night's veil before drowning in the endless wasteland, as silence once again blankets this scarred earth.
The vehicle's roar becomes the only echo at this moment. The fleeting opportunity to vent your frustration fades away, leaving the weight in your heart unlifted.
The headlights push back the darkness ahead, like a wanderer stepping into the long night with nothing but a feeble torch.
As the vehicle jolts along, your hand holding the gun drops once more, disappearing into the pitch-black shadows.
Three hours, but...
Before she can finish her sentence, the supply vehicle's peculiar noises intensify. Then, amidst a deafening metallic screech, the vehicle is forced into a violent tremor before gradually grinding to a halt.
Emma immediately jumps out to inspect the vehicle, desperately trying to salvage whatever she can, but the engine failure renders all her emergency repairs futile.
The last mechanical whimper fades away, leaving behind a terrifying silence.
This is bad. I already lost a set of repair tools on my way over.
It's already dark, and walking is too dangerous. With your wounds, you'll soon get corrupted.
...
The argument lasts only a brief moment before Emma's shoulders slump in resignation, her will to protest fading away.
Commandant, I'll go with you.
...
...
...Sure.
Her voice strains with helplessness as she quietly closes her eyes.
I'll wait for you.
Under the rising moon, Emma and you reach your destination in the early hours.
With a detector in hand, you begin your painstaking search under emergency lights.
You search through every possible location, from the most promising armory to the surface combat preparation room.
From dust-covered personal lounges to the base's assembly hall.
Each round of searching yields nothing but hollow emptiness.
All around you, the ruins stretch out in leaden gray, their coldness cutting to the bone.
Your fists clench so tightly that your nails almost pierce through the gloves. Rising once more from the scattered rubble, you glance back to see the sky revealing the first hints of dawn.
Any luck on your end?
Emma, who left to search for supplies, has returned without your notice. Her empty hands tell you the answer unspoken.
She stares at her terminal in silence for a moment.
Rosa has sent a new analysis map. There are still two locations worth checking.
You dust off your palms and walk past Emma, turning toward the direction she's pointing.
Grab a bite on the way.
She hands you a compressed biscuit.
Despite having no appetite, even when eating has turned into torture, reason compels you to replenish the energy required to press on.
While rushing toward your destination, grappling with each swallow, the name Emma just mentioned abruptly springs to mind.
Your anxiety throughout this journey has made you overlook this matter.
...Well...
She came down in secret before they "set sail," and missed her transport back because of it.
I heard that... she was seeking revenge for her parents.
Her family died during Project Winter. After finding clues about the Ascendant who triggered it, she did everything she could to return to the surface.
She succeeded, by killing that Ascendant... Unbelievable, isn't it? She was still human then, and so young.
But after that, she seemed deeply traumatized and fell into depression for a long time... Even after her recovery, she wasn't quite the same person anymore.
She isn't as reckless as before, having become quieter... more rational too. To better survive on the surface, she built herself a frame and became a Construct.
Vanessa once joked that she's like the spiritual reincarnation of Asimov now... But I think this is just Rosa showing her true self at last.
Emma shakes her head.
The last I heard of him, he was gravely ill... Then, he left with the others.
30 years have passed in the blink of an eye. People are gone, times have changed—nothing stays the same.
Yes, she's a genuine prodigy.
If only we could have made it back to the Arctic Route Union in time... With Rosa there, maybe something could have been done for Lucia...
Among the many wounds this arduous journey has etched upon your heart, the one that keeps being reopened is these words: "There are no ifs."
...
We're almost there.
Rays of sunlight pierce through the thick clouds, casting down threads of light that were meant to illuminate the earth.
Under these rays' watchful gaze, you step into your new destination.
This used to be an event venue. Ayla had visited here several times before.
Yeah. It was infested with Hetero-Creatures a few years ago, and compared to other places, this area hasn't been thoroughly searched yet.
She calmly describes how the base has been picked clean, leaving nothing behind.
The two of you throw yourselves into another fruitless search.
Refusing to accept the detector's readings, you push past the dilapidated stage, searching every corner one by one.
You push open the door to the reception hall where gatherings were once held, desperately searching through remnants of past warmth, praying for the faintest glimmer of hope.
Nothing, nothing, nothing—there's absolutely nothing left here.
Only upon entering the WGAA's last lounge do you finally discover an unopened box behind a long-broken hibernation pod.
Filled with hope, yet prepared for disappointment.
You forcefully break open the box's combination lock, and are greeted by the sight of something perfectly sealed...
Just as you are about to close the box in disappointment, you notice Lucia's name written on the coating component case.
You pick up the case and activate the preview, revealing a drawing signed by Ayla before your eyes.
Hiya!
A message from the past streams forth alongside the preview.
The WGAA received a direct request from Celica to design a ceremonial dress for Lucia's medal ceremony.
Ayla's cheerful voice crackles through the static, worn by the passage of time.
Everyone was working at breakneck speed to get themselves ready for when you're back.
And this is the one that won the vote! What do you think? Pretty nice, right?
You can hear her twirling her pen in the recording.
Since it's for a formal occasion, I've included the venue design in the preview as well.
I can't wait to see her in this new coating!
The message and preview fade back into the component case, leaving only the dust-covered room in silent mockery.
Clutching the coating component case, you walk through the sunset glow as it reclaims the earth.
You search every empty corner until your heart grows just as hollow.
Emma shakes her head again, a gesture that has been repeated countless times in this same conversation.
...Let's go back.
When you step out of the sealed room once more, the bright moon has already climbed back to the treetops.
Just as you are about to head back, staggering footsteps echoing from the distant street reach your ears.
At the edge of your vision, a battle-scarred figure leans heavily on her weapon, desperately searching for any sign of you.
Com... man... dant...
She calls out with a weak voice, stumbling through the ruins in her desperate search.
Command... dant...
You rush to her side and catch her exhausted body, worn down by strain.
You were gone for so long... I was worried.
I was really worried...
...
She refrains from asking about the outcome of the search; the items you bear speak everything she needs to know.
As long as... you're safe...
She gently releases her embrace.
Where... do we go from here?
Should you head to the Arctic Route Union? Or return to the Hetero Tower for another attempt? Words catch in your throat.
No matter which side is picked, you know that futility and death are the only certain things.
You hand her the case of coating components.
I heard Miss Ayla and the World Government Association of Art have come up with a bunch of new coating designs. When you get back, let's go see them together.
...
Kind of like that summer, right?
...I remember...
She clutches the coating component case tightly against her chest, as if trying to contain all churning emotions within.
...Sure.
You part ways with Emma, who leaves to search for repair tools, and when the two of you finally return to the vehicle, it's always five in the morning.
The winter sunrise is still hours away, while a lone, icy moon looms high in the night sky, its frigid glow casting an unyielding frost over the silent streets below.
According to the initial estimate, Lucia only has one hour left.
On the way back, you are filled with desperate thoughts of other possible ways to get help, but despite all attempts and struggles, no solution presents itself.
If that's how it must be, these last moments should be spent giving her a proper farewell.
...
Sharing the same thoughts, Lucia turns around in the moonlight and gives you a gentle smile.
We'll let it end here.
Though the coating conceals all the cracks in her frame, her figure threatens to dissipate into the night breeze at any moment.
The one who has always been there whenever you look back, who has never left no matter what happens, is now slowly fading away.
If time could turn back to that day of departure, what choice would you make?
Seek help from more people? But back then, only you and Lucia could enter the Inver-Hetero Tower.
Act more cautiously? The traps within the Hetero Tower and the Chaos Contamination spreading alongside Agent Zero are far beyond what mere caution can handle.
Work with Vonnegut earlier to eliminate Agent Zero? The successor would only bring about the same problems.
It's like a cursed cycle—to fix past mistakes, the Hetero Tower must be used, but using it only creates new problems.
In this endless loop of pain, everything fades into nothingness, leaving only the vast expanse of stars behind.
...Do you remember what happened before we left?
She tries to pull you back from the distant past, but your thoughts spiral into another round of torment.
The space inside the Hetero Tower isn't particularly large. At least, that was how it felt to me.
Every faction's assessment warned of potential dangers in the Hetero Tower, but none thought that venturing inside would evolve into such a protracted ordeal.
But regardless, you have to watch out for potential dangers.
None expected the Hetero Tower itself to undergo such dramatic changes.
If only we had known before leaving that the Hetero Tower was like a giant Rubik's cube... continuously shifting with every twist and combination...
Would I have been able to... keep you safe?
You still remember her tears—tears that never stopped, not since that first time she held your blood-covered body in her arms.
Was that when she made up her mind? To prevent such suffering from ever happening again, no matter the cost.
Yet, the more the two of you gave your all, the deeper you became entangled in that cursed cycle.
When you look back now, the time behind you is already strewn with mountains of lifeless bodies and oceans of blood.
Lucia falls silent for a moment, then nods.
But I still believe in miracles, believe that sacrifice isn't the answer to everything.
Even if this outcome was inevitable, at least we have tried everything possible...
Regardless, we have found the seed of a miracle.
No one has ever managed to take the Hetero Tower's core outside in such a safe form, right?
Please forgive me... I'll have to stay in the past for now.
But you will press on, far beyond, until you reach the place where everyone can be brought back.
Liv, Lee... and our other companions... They didn't leave Earth because they abandoned it... They left to look for hope in places far beyond... to look for you.
When that time comes... if you still want to, come find me.
...I know.
Lucia smiles, her voice growing softer with each word.
You know... before I met you, I kept asking myself, "Where should I go?"
For me, the crucial part of that question wasn't "where," but "I."
Because I am "me," I felt lost about where to go next. I am Lucia, but I'm only a replica of her.
I am Gray Raven's captain, but back then, the old Gray Raven had no one left but the name itself.
I am Luna's sister, yet how can I claim to be her sister while standing against her?
The blanks in my memories didn't give me blind confidence. They only left me with an unshakeable sense of confusion and discord.
"Where should I go?" "What identity should I continue with?" "When they look at me, who are they really reaching out for?"
If I hadn't met you, I would have remained lost forever...
I'm glad... that there are no "ifs" in this situation.
You found me, not for "Lucia's" combat abilities, but for who I was standing before you—you saw the heart that belonged to me alone.
After that, we formed the new Gray Raven, met Liv and Lee. I found a place to call home. Together, we tackled countless missions and accomplishments, one after another.
And so, all those days and nights, years and seasons, wounds and tears, love and regrets we have shared... they can all belong to me alone.
I can move forward as my unique self—the "me" that I've come to accept.
Because of that, and because of you, I have become who I am today.
I will never regret paying this price. A future without you is meaningless, and a future that doesn't align with our vision of peace is even more futile.
So please... don't blame yourself once I'm gone. It's not because we made the wrong choice.
Then we will surely meet again.
Remember the four-leaf clover we folded together before setting out?
Lucia reaches out, placing the paper four-leaf clover she has kept close to her into your hand.
In return, you hand back to Lucia the voice recorder you have carried with you all along.
Commandant, every failure has its meaning. We've obtained the seeds of a miracle, and from here on, we'll surely find a miracle that belongs to this world... and to us.
She places her hand on her chest and gives you a salute.
...Commandant, I'm so happy to have walked this long path with you. Meeting you is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me.
Thank you... really, thank you so much.
As the morning sun rises, you take the paper four-leaf clover and pin it to Lucia's chest.
Thank you, Commandant... thank you...
She keeps repeating these words until her voice grows too weak to speak.
...Hmm...
You take her cold hand and sit down together with her beside the vehicle.
The morning sun rises above the horizon, gradually illuminating the desolate land.
You lean against each other in the cold wind, locking eyes. There's so much you want to say, yet neither of you speaks a word.
...The time to say goodbye draws near. Despite her best efforts to stay upright, her body slowly begins to collapse.
...The time to say goodbye draws near. Soon, she will fade into the light of dawn.
If you don't speak now... you will lose even the chance to say goodbye.
...Commandant...
Your suffering at the Hetero Tower is over... I believe better days will come, and from now on, you'll be safe and sound.
...I... hope all your wishes come true... Please take care of yourself, for that sake.
Her words come out strained, as if even after long deliberation, she can't find the right thing to say. All she can manage are these stilted words of wishes in place of a proper farewell.
Don't worry... You'll see many familiar faces at the Arctic Route Union. This isn't the Hetero Tower. You won't be alone and helpless anymore.
Even without me by your side, Commandant, I know you'll be fine.
...
...But I...
...But I still don't know how to say goodbye to you...
At a time like this... what should I say? What words could possibly...
Your words are cut short by her kiss.
A kiss as gentle as a breeze, and just as fleeting.
And so, as if expelling all the pent-up emotions as agonizing as a torn wound, you hold Lucia tightly, desperately seeking proof of her existence within this kiss.
A faint taste of vital fluid lingers in your mouth, coming from wounds hidden beneath her coating.
...Why did it still come to this? Why must this be the only ending?
These questions hammer at your heart as the pain threatens to tear your chest and mind apart.
The tighter you hold her, the more you feel her once fiery warmth slipping through your fingers, fading into nothingness.
Before her breath stops, she breaks away from the kiss, mustering what little strength she has left to cling onto you.
...Commandant...[player name].
I think... I finally understand why I couldn't find the right words to say goodbye...
Having stood by your side for so long, I've forgotten that some words need to be said out loud.
Of course, if you don't want to respond, please don't feel pressured to do so... You mean more to me, than anyone in the world. Commandant... I love you.
I just can't... bring myself to part ways with you like this...
How could I forgive myself for... leaving you here all alone...
How could this ever be enough... I just can't... bring myself to part ways with you like this...
And how could I ever forgive myself... for leaving you here all alone...
Commandant... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... that I can't... keep moving forward by your side...
No matter how many times I reassure myself that it's alright, that all of this is justified... when I see you in pain, I still can't help but hate myself for being the one causing it.
Bound by this soul-deep regret, Lucia leans against your shoulder as her eyes slowly close.
I don't... want it all to end here...
Holding her gradually slumping body, you slowly begin to speak of the plans you made before setting out.
...Hmm...
...Yeah...
...
She stops answering.
She will never answer again.
No matter what words are spoken, only the echoes of your own voice reverberate back from the lifeless streets.
This is only the beginning.
Days like these will continue to stretch on.
You don't know how long this journey will take before you find a way to make things right.
You don't know how much longer you must endure before you can hold these hands in yours once again.
To the still body in your arms, you whisper her name time and time again, until the winter wind snatches off the paper four-leaf clover pinned to her chest.
Before the wind steals it away, you catch the paper clover you folded together with her, as memories of days long past come rushing back.
Earlier, whenever I had a spare moment while getting used to my frame, I'd drop by the library to look for those books you mentioned, Commandant.
Whenever I see a passage that moves me, I can't help but jot it down. That's how this new notebook came about...
Now this time-worn paper four-leaf clover rests in your palm. When you folded it, you had no idea what words she had written inside.
The faded handwriting slowly comes into view, revealing the final verse from the prologue of "Songs of Experience":
Turn away no more;
Why wilt thou turn away?
The starry floor,
The watery shore,
Is given thee till the break of day.
Indeed... The night has waned, and dawn is here.
Mm.
...Remember to stay warm and rest properly. I know you always have trouble sleeping when you feel stressed out... At times like these...
She wants to suggest seeking medical help, but the thought of the current situation stops her. The words die in her throat once again, leaving only silence.
...
Time crawls by, and the silence between you stretches on.
When all emotions have been drained away in the silence, Lucia finally speaks her farewell in a faint voice.
I'm so sorry...
I... lost the right to keep going...
But as long as you're alive... wherever you are... whoever you're with... I'll be... happy...
Goodbye... Commandant...
Under the radiant light that bathes the earth, Lucia quietly closes her eyes.
Mm.
...Remember to stay warm and rest properly. I know you always have trouble sleeping when you feel stressed out... At times like these...
She wants to suggest seeking medical help, but the thought of the current situation stops her. The words die in her throat once again, leaving only silence.
...Can I... lean on you?
With permission granted, Lucia gently leans over and closes her eyes.
I'm so sorry...
I... lost the right to keep going...
All this time, I've been thinking about how to say goodbye to you... but not a single word would come out...
But as long as you're alive... wherever you are... whoever you're with... I'll be... happy...
Goodbye... Commandant...
Her voice grows fainter with each word.
Goodbye...
After what feels like an eternity, a travel-worn Emma finally returns to the vehicle with her newfound tools.
...Is it her imagination? She thinks she hears the sound of crying through the bitter winter wind.
As she approaches slowly, she sees the human sitting by the car, cradling Lucia while humming a fragmented, tuneless song.
...depths of the sea... edge of the sky...
...build... a rough... warm home...
The human's gaze has long since lost focus, wandering somewhere beyond the horizon.
...sowing seeds... sprouting life...
A weathered piece of paper flutters in the wind.
...filled with... clovers...
—Dawn has broken, yet the miracle remains out of reach.
