Story Reader / Alternative Interpretation / Awakening Tundra / Story
The unknown Construct's broken form slowly sinks into the black tide. Her pale features fade into the darkness, until she's fully laid to rest at the bottom of the sea.
Stark-white ice merges with the inky tide, producing a scene as unsettling as a nightmare.
People are sticking to Antonov's plan exactly, but there's still this unsettling feeling they just can't shake.
Are we really doing the right thing? Could we have missed something?
Everyone looks around uneasily with that thought, but no one dares to speak up.
...Let's go back.
Tatyana finally breaks the silence and speaks.
Let's make sure we put up a proper headstone for her...
She might have caused a lot of harm, but she was a victim of that incident too.
She was not just tricked into leaving her homeland and used as an experiment; her body was taken apart bit by bit, until she ended up as nothing more than a vessel carrying M.I.N.D. of a humanoid-hybrid Construct...
She escaped here on her own today, and I suspect all she truly wanted was to find her way back home.
Let's keep her tragedy in our thoughts... We can't allow a nightmare like this to happen again.
Let's do it then.
The group nods in unison, each one signaling their support.
Determined to head home, Tatyana inhales deeply, willing herself to break free from that numbing emptiness.
Pushing down the anxiety churning in her chest, she turns on her heel and strides toward the city.
Suddenly, a sinking sensation washes over her.
Out of nowhere, something strong wraps itself around her ankles. She flails against the ice for a brief moment—then it yanks her straight into the ocean's depths.
Suffocation, a biting chill, and the ache of no air all grip her throat in relentless agony.
She can't resist the powerful force dragging her deeper.
Then, from the ocean's dark depths, the pale face of "something" slowly rises into view.
In the blue light of the lighthouse, it looks heartbreakingly sad yet strangely affectionate.
The sight is terrifying, and that haunting emotion sends a shiver through the air.
A primal fear of death, rooted deep in human instinct, completely overwhelms Tatyana's senses.
Yeah... all I wanted was to come back here for just one look. It was such a simple wish...
Why can't anyone understand that?
The cold hands of the humanoid-hybrid Construct clamp around her ankle, as if determined to drag her into the abyss.
I'm just as desperate to survive too... to reclaim my right to walk these lands again...
Why does this world keep turning its back on my simple desire?
It doesn't matter anymore. I've finally found the freedom I've been longing for...
...Let's cross these deep waters together and head for the far side.
Nngh... Mmph!!
She tries to resist, but more seawater rushes into her lungs, pushing her closer to the brink of suffocation.
A deep-blue light cuts through the ocean depths, revealing the two figures and making this inevitable death feel even more inescapable.
...Stop resisting. You'll soon see that without hope, betrayal can never take root...
Let's hate this world together—hate every last thing that's happened here...
The Construct's cold fingers curl around her pale, delicate neck.
Plop—
The final bubble floating in the water pops with a soft release.
...
As you stir from a long dream, you feel something lodged in your throat. Your newly awakened body won't stop coughing, desperate to get rid of whatever's making you uncomfortable.
But after a prolonged bout of coughing, you realize there's really nothing there—just the lingering echo of your dream messing with your senses.
"Projector", you sure took your time waking up this time around.
Constantly diving in so deeply isn't good for you; you need to step back now and then.
You don't have time to follow that advice. You just wipe the thin threads from your lips, shut out the remnants of the dream's interference, and settle back into the chair.
Are we starting again already?
I see... Since you made up your mind, I'm glad I can help you continue this journey.
Her delicate fingers rebuild the fragile sandcastle, gradually weaving the magic into place once more.
But this time, please make sure you take better care of yourself.
