Upon reaching a relatively secure area, Liv immediately activates her light, kneels, and begins examining the child.
...She's okay. A few scrapes and she's severely malnourished... that's all.
While treating the child's scrapes with disinfectant, Liv speaks to her in a gentle voice.
How did you find your way here?
I... I came... the grown-ups... brought me.
Whether from extreme trauma or fear, her words come out in broken fragments.
The mine... bad... I didn't... want to come.
The grown-ups... from the house... brought me here.
Where did those grown-ups go?
I... don't know.
They gave me... a fruit... then they... disappeared.
I couldn't catch up...
How could anyone do this...
As the missing child is found, the mystery unravels—each cruel possibility confirmed, one by one.
Liv has never encountered adults who would treat a child like this.
The world is undeniably dark, ravaged by endless conflict. She has seen women risk their lives to bring newborns into this world, and strangers band together to care for orphaned youths.
She has never realized that "children" could be viewed as enemies, competitors for precious resources.
The mine, bad. I wanted to leave, but I... got lost...
The little girl recounts how she came to be here in fragmented words.
Then I just... got here...
As the reality of her situation dawns on her, her lip quivers, and she is on the verge of tears.
You frantically pat yourself down, searching for something to pacify the child, but find nothing except your sidearm, ammunition, and a few vials of serum.
The little girl sniffles and pushes away the cartridge casing, showing no interest.
The little girl sniffles and turns her head away, showing no interest in the serum.
Seemingly intrigued by the shiny Gray Raven emblem on it, the little girl sniffles and takes the insignia from your hand.
Commandant...?
Liv looks at you in confusion.
...
Well, maybe you're right.
Liv breaks into a smile.
In any case, you have successfully prevented the child from crying out loud and attracting Hetero-Creatures here.
Though this camp is relatively safe, it isn't a place to stay, especially not with an unpredictable child...
The bumpy path through the mining area is a nuisance, and the constant backtracking seems odd, but venturing deeper into the mines on a mission with a child is out of the question.
Yeah. Let me quickly update Rodent on the situation...
It seems that as Rodent ventures deeper into the "laboratory" area, establishing communication is taking progressively longer.
After a seemingly endless dial tone, they finally answer the call.
...This is... Rodent... reading you for the... 15:00... status check.
This is Gray Raven. We've located a child in the mine. We are returning to the conservation area to ensure her safety.
...child... conservation area...
The static grows increasingly harsh, his voice nearly drowning in a sea of interference.
...Copy that.
The call cuts off abruptly.
Ugh...
As if it were an illusion, the moment the call ends, that strange sense of dissonance rises again from within her visual module.
You steady Liv as she sways, immediately scanning her M.I.N.D. There are only minor fluctuations, well within normal parameters, and your own Mind Beacon shows no abnormalities.
It's still my visual module... Could be something wrong with the processor, but I'm not really sure.
It might be caused by the minor M.I.N.D. fluctuations from earlier... It's fine. Rodent also mentioned that the minerals in this area can cause slight M.I.N.D. disruptions.
Rodent Squad did mention these effects inside the mining tunnels, but for some reason, you can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than meets the eye.
After logging the fluctuations in Liv's M.I.N.D., the two of you escort the child toward the mine entrance.
Throughout the journey, the child remains quiet, clutching Liv's hand tightly as you walk forward—not once breaking into the loud crying you'd expect from a child in such a situation.
As you approach the mine entrance, the Punishing detector on your protective suit suddenly flashes red—
In one swift motion, you wrap the child in a spare protective suit while Liv already stands poised for battle.
Aren't they arriving a bit too soon...?
It was the same path you took when entering the mine. Even if new Hetero-Creatures had spawned, they couldn't possibly have formed this quickly...
Hetero-Creatures have always possessed an innate drive to attack humans, not for food, nor for sport.
The Science Council once delved into this behavior, but their research yielded nothing. These creatures are simply humanity's natural enemies, attacking for no reason other than to attack.
Moved here...
After eliminating the cluster of Hetero-Creatures, you find two human corpses at the center of the circle the monsters had formed—a discovery both shocking and grimly expected.
They look like... residents from the conservation area.
The... grown-ups.
The little girl, who had been silent for most of the journey, suddenly speaks. She stares at the two bodies, mangled beyond recognition by vicious bites, her amber eyes holding not fear, but an unsettling calm.
The grown-ups... from the house... brought me here.
...Were they the ones who brought you here?
The grown-ups said I'm... old enough now, to earn my food, by mining.
...
How old are you?
This year... The grown-ups said, I'm almost eight years old.
Why are they sleeping there... like that?
The child seems unable to grasp the concept of death. She only stares at the two adults lying on the ground with puzzlement, wondering why they don't simply stand up and continue on their way.
They must be... just very tired. They'll wake up later.
Liv kneels down and gently pulls the child into her arms, shielding her from the grim spectacle.
Commandant, could you please take her to the next junction ahead?
I'll take care of things here and join you later.
A deep, thunder-like rumbling echoes through the rocky cavern.
Moments later, Liv catches up from behind.
I've buried them at that junction. That should prevent more Hetero-Creatures from being drawn to the area.
The daylight from the mine entrance is now just ahead.
Deeper in the rocky passages, deeper still, in places untouched even by the Rodent squads, a sourceless stream flows through the stone.
A vast web of interconnected strands carries messages through the darkness. Limbs rise, weaving the threads of the next chapter.
They are gone...
They left.
Have they... really left?
The journey back to the conservation area is remarkably smooth. The thick fog has been chased away by the setting sun, revealing the mountains' stark contours.
The sinking sun melts into the steep rock faces, painting them in varying shades of amber. No birds fly over the mining area, but the evening breeze carries one of autumn's rare, lingering warmth.
Like a signpost, the abandoned vehicle still stands by the roadside, now gilded in the rich, golden light.
Ark and Niler should be fine back at the mine, right...?
They should be. Rodent said that they've settled them safely at their camp.
The three arrive at the conservation area just as lead-gray clouds begin to spread across one corner of the sky.
Surprisingly, Melinoe stands at the entrance, anxiously scanning the road as if waiting.
As soon as she spots the vehicle in the distance, she races toward it desperately, nearly tripping over the hem of her dress in her haste.
Melinoe... has something happened at the conservation area?
Liv hits the brakes and pulls the vehicle to the side of the road. The moment the door opens, the little girl is the first to leap out.
Melinoe, who has been running over, immediately drops to her knees and sweeps the child into a tight embrace.
I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... This is all my fault. I should have known. I should have seen it...
Her hands flutter over the girl, frantically checking for injuries, her voice trembling.
I never should have left you with them. I knew better...
Melinoe clutches the girl tightly against her chest, but her strength is unyielding. The child gasps, her small hands pushing feebly against the metal arms.
Melinoe...? You're going to hurt her.
Catching the girl's pleading eyes, Liv's voice cuts softly through the tension.
Oh...! Oh, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to...
The embrace breaks as Melinoe recoils, sorrow and alarm warring on her features. The girl seizes the chance, darting from her arms to cower behind Liv.
What are you doing out here...? Is this the child you told us about?
...Yes.
Melinoe's gaze remains locked on the child behind Liv, terrified that even a blink will make her vanish again.
I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare her. I was just... so worried.
Melinoe's hands twist together in a nervous knot before she forcibly stills them at her sides. She draws a slow, deliberate breath.
This afternoon, I was on my way to the medical station. I passed their house, like I always do... but it was quiet. No one was home.
Aisling is always playing outside at that hour...
Aisling?
Yeah... that's the name I gave her. But they've never called her that.
I thought they'd give her a new name... but no. It's always just been "Hey".
After a brief silence, Melinoe continues.
I looked for Aisling everywhere. Their home, their worksite... The couple wasn't there either.
Someone said they saw the couple taking her toward the mining area early this morning.
I wanted to go after her, but... you know what I am. I'm just a psychologist model mechanoid, never built for combat.
I was too afraid to leave the conservation area. When I heard from the supervisor that you were also in the mining area... it was my only hope. I prayed you would run into them...
Where... where are they? I mean the two adults... Didn't they come back with you?
Melinoe peers behind Liv with a puzzled expression.
That couple... they're gone.
Liv leans in close to Melinoe and whispers in her ear.
W-what?! How could that happen...?
The traces found along the way make the story easy enough to piece together.
Like a discarded character from a fairy tale, a young girl with amber eyes named Aisling was led into the mine by her foster parents just before her eighth birthday. With her no longer able to secure the extra supplies from the conservation area, they decided she had outlived her usefulness.
She fought them, of course. But a child's instinctual struggle was nothing against adult strength. They dragged her into that pitch-black hell.
The mining tunnels twisted like the massive, intricate spine of a serpent. A labyrinth where even adults could barely find their way through was a perfect tomb for a child.
They left her with nothing but a single wild fruit, abandoning her in the dangerous abyss.
Untouched for years, the tunnels could offer countless ways to die:
Discovery by Hetero-Creatures, the snap of a forgotten trap, a sudden collapse of rock, or...
...a silent, endless fall into one of the deep shafts that scarred the mining area.
...
Tears already stream silently down Melinoe's face.
I'm so sorry... I should have known... I should have seen it...
What kind of parent would let their own child "accidentally" wander into the mine alone...?
Her hand trembles as she reaches out, a hesitant gesture toward the girl hiding behind Liv.
...This isn't your fault.
No one could have predicted such a tragedy.
When I brought Aisling to them... she was so small. Just a baby.
From all the emotions I've detected in humans... I've learned that humans form bonds, that they care for their young. I thought if she didn't remember me, she could form a real bond with that family...
That they would love her and raise her as their own.
Melinoe lowers her gaze, a sigh escaping her lips.
I was built to absorb negative emotions... But I can't absorb the malice in human nature.
Even psychologists... can't cure the malignancy within a soul.
...
Liv finds it difficult to pass judgment on anything that's happened here.
So, what will you do now? Will you look after her?
I can help you apply for extra supplies... For Aisling. At least until she's older.
The neglect Aisling suffered in her adoptive home is evident. It has left her with a lasting impact: a struggle to form clear words and articulate her thoughts, skills that should have been nurtured long ago.
I...
Melinoe presses her lips together, gazing sadly at Aisling, who is still hiding behind Liv.
Can I really take proper care of her?
Her voice drops to a pained whisper.
I'm just a mechanoid. What can I truly offer? I have no human warmth. I don't understand a human child's needs... I could never be... a "mother" to her.
Aisling shrinks further behind Liv, refusing to leave the safety of her shadow.
Then, Aisling...
Could you... could you look after her? Just for a little while?
Summoning her courage, Melinoe makes her request, her voice barely a whisper.
Us...? Take care of her?
Yes. She trusts you. She's grown attached to you already... If you could just keep her safe for a few days, I can inform the supervisor and find a proper family for her. A real family this time.
It wouldn't be for long. You're planning to stay here for a while anyway, right?
The supervisor mentioned your mission—clearing the Hetero-Creatures from the mine. She could stay in the medical station while you work. She's so well-behaved. She wouldn't be any trouble at all, I promise...
Melinoe's pleading eyes shift from Liv to the human commandant, her desperation laid bare.
But we have other missions to attend to...
Liv glances helplessly at the human commandant beside her, seeking guidance.
Please. Just for a little while. She really likes you... I can see it.
Her voice is earnest, bordering on a plea.
In the twilight, the conservation area is bathed in the warm glow of amber bonfires. Liv hesitates, caught in a moment of hesitation...
Grrrumble—
A loud stomach growl erupts from beside her.
...Are you hungry?
The child named "Aisling" says nothing, merely clutching Liv's sleeve with one hand and that wild fruit with the other.
...Why don't you eat that fruit? It's yours.
The fruit...
Her gaze, when it lifts to Liv's, is pure and guileless.
This fruit... really sweet. You eat it.
You helped me, big kids ran away. You're nice. This person gave me gruel, also nice.
The fruit. You eat it.
Then, she extends her hand. The fruit is crushed beyond recognition in her grip—a muddy, misshapen thing, yet a faint, sweet fragrance still rises from it.
...
You see? She's... she's already attached to you. Just for a little while, I promise. I'll find a proper family for her as soon as I can...
Please. Can you help her?
...Alright.
All resistance melts away.
Liv takes Aisling's little hand in hers and lets out a soft, resigned sigh.
Melinoe? It's just...
Yes? What is it? Aisling really doesn't eat much. I'll find a way to provide for her meals...
No, it's not about Aisling. It's just... Nothing. Don't worry about it.
Liv answers Melinoe with a warm smile, deftly steering the conversation elsewhere.
Only once Melinoe has gone does she let her focus settle on the nearby vehicle, her gaze lingering pensively on its tires.
During today's trip... she remembers she hasn't slowed down at all.
...
A soft rustle of fabric breaks her thoughts. She looks down to find Aisling staring up at her. A faint trace of anxiety is visible in the child's eyes, as if she is waiting for a sign.
...Ah.
Understanding, Liv gently ruffles Aisling's hair, her voice soft and tender.
Come on, let's go home.
