Your last memory is the grotesque claws of a Hetero-Creature.
After the explosion of sudden pain, your consciousness is violently torn from your body.
Your field of vision suddenly lurches skyward. This unbearably long "dream" grinds on, unbroken by your "unconscious" state.
The sky above you silently cracks open. A white bird soars through, carrying a storm in its wake, and within those chaotic clouds, Liv's memories glimmer and shine.
From this peculiar vantage point, you begin to read Liv's "memories."
When Liv switched to this new frame, it demanded a lengthy adaptation period of syncing her consciousness with the new data.
During that time, the two of you were virtually inseparable. You undertook a series of simple missions, side-by-side, and found a rare, almost peaceful rhythm in the quiet between them.
When there was only one week left until the adaptation period was over...
Holding the second-to-last set of frame data that needed submission, Liv carefully reviewed the detailed readings of her new frame.
Compatibility is stable... The new data framework is running smoothly. M.I.N.D.'s overall performance has increased by about 5.47%, which is 0.68% higher than last time.
There were a few minor fluctuations after the new dataset was activated. The peak was around 1.46%.
Let me see... No, the report doesn't say.
But it does note that "minor M.I.N.D. fluctuations are within expected parameters for a new frame."
It's okay, really. I remember having the same kind of readings when I switched to the Empyrea frame...
The initial development of the Empyrea frame used rather extreme approaches, but this current frame...
Longer...?
Future...?
Liv's finger stilled over the terminal. She turned, and her gaze found you.
High among the clouds, you see your own form reflected in her eyes.
Then, she smiled—a ray of light in a dying galaxy, a spring breeze coaxing buds to green. With infinite tenderness, she reached out and smoothed a wrinkle from your shoulder.
Have you ever thought about the future, Commandant? I mean... the distant one.
What does that future look like to you, Commandant?
Maybe you could think about it now? If the war really ended one day... what would you want to do?
You had worked for years to "end the war," but when suddenly faced with the question, only one thing came to mind...
Oh, that's right. Your goal has always been to "live long enough to collect a pension," hasn't it?
That does sound lovely. When that time comes, maybe I could retire with you. With all that free time, we could finally travel and see all sorts of places together.
Speaking of which... is "retirement" even a thing for Constructs?
Go down to the surface and do something, huh?
That sounds wonderful. When the time comes, I'd like to go down to the surface with you, Commandant.
Once we've saved up enough, we could even build a house where everyone can live together...
Eh... you have no idea at all?
I want to stay with Gray Raven. With you, Commandant.
Liv answered almost immediately. Clearly, this was an answer she'd thought about many times before.
What comes after... I've thought about that, too.
For once, Liv flashed a playfully mischievous smile.
I thought that if the war ended, Babylonia wouldn't disband the Task Force. We'd just transition to reconstruction work.
We could choose quieter missions then... like helping to cultivate plants? The war has lasted so long; it must have been so hard on the ecosystem.
Or maybe we could join the WGAA and help the archaeological team? Excavating Golden Age ruins sounds like fascinating work, too.
And if we could truly "retire" someday...
I've thought about this as well. Maybe we could open a bakery? I'd make the pastries, Lucia could manage the register, and Lee could prepare the drinks...
You, Commandant, would be our official taste-tester, of course.
Of course.
Right? I think so, too.
You've worked so hard for so long, Commandant. When that day comes, you should just rest and relax.
Maybe we could find a conservation area with a nice view... Oh, but by then, they'll probably be called "cities" again, won't they?
We could find a city with a nice view to settle down in, and maybe keep a few little animals.
We could go shopping together, take walks... and on rainy days, we could stay in, bake some pastries, and watch an old movie from the Golden Age...
Starlight glimmered in Liv's eyes as she meticulously envisioned every possible scenario—
And in every single one, the human Commandant was standing by her side.
But beneath the clouds, Liv is losing her Commandant.
I... I'm back.
Returning to "home," she still greets out of habit, but the human who would always welcome her back is now...
You've been sleeping for so long, Commandant.
Her gaze, long accustomed to the stillness of the face on the bed, is soft as she brings a basin of fresh water. With a clean cloth, she gently wipes the human's cheeks.
Today... when I went to collect your nutritional supplements... Melinoe seemed so surprised when I mentioned your name.
She seemed confused... about why you're still "alive."
After injecting the nutrient solution into the device, Liv falls silent for a moment.
She raises her hand and gently caresses the human's forehead.
My mind is getting foggy, too. How many days... has it been since your coma?
She presses her lips together, blinking as she fights back the tears, then firmly takes the human's hands in her own.
I've never been afraid of my own life fading, Commandant. But you...
What am I supposed to do...
A sob catches in her throat, the words barely a whisper.
What am I supposed to do to bring you back...
At last, her tears fall, a warm drop against the human's wrist.
The door creaks softly. Liv hurriedly wipes her eyes as light footsteps approach from the entrance...
W-welcome back.
Aisling stands solemnly at the doorway.
...You're back, Aisling.
Liv kneels down, smoothing Aisling's long hair with a tender hand.
You didn't go out to play today? Or visit Dr. Melinoe?
I didn't go play. I went to find wild fruits out back.
She brings her little hand from behind her back, carefully revealing a single, bright red fruit cradled in her palm.
I want to eat the little lamb.
...Then, could you be a good helper and wash the fruits first?
Okay.
Outside the room, Aisling speaks suddenly.
Mom?
...?
Is [player name]... going to die?
No, sweetie. [player name]'s just resting.
But it looks like [player name] is dying.
On the health monitoring system beside the bed, the display shows the human's vital signs approaching zero.
I've seen machines like this at the medical station...
When the numbers look like this, Melinoe just shakes her head and says, "There's nothing we can do."
The little girl stands on her tiptoes to peer intently at the monitor, then shakes her head in a small, learned gesture.
Is [player name] really going to die?
...You won't have to be.
Hmm... Mom, what will you do if [player name] dies?
Me...?
I don't know.
Liv slowly rises to her feet.
I have never known a world without [player name], and I will not stand by and watch [player name] fade away before my eyes.
If...
No. There is no "if."
She would sacrifice her own life for a vision of the future, but...
She would never allow the commandant to be the price paid for it.
Deep into the night, the conservation area lies in perfect silence, its patrol lights now hidden behind the mountains.
Liv stands beside the dining table, moving with the vacant air of a sleepwalker.
The memory of the commandant coming home feels as if it happened only a moment ago. But in the blink of an eye...
The neglected white curtains billow like specters in the darkness, their fabric whispering a mournful dirge with the night wind.
[player name]... Commandant...
She murmurs the human's name, her gaze fixed on the empty doorway, as if waiting for a miracle, as if calling a soul to return.
The world does not pause for a single human. The sun rises as always. And so, Liv continues her daily routine in the conservation area.
As if nothing had happened, she works, she conducts her research, and she returns home to care for Aisling and the comatose human.
Liv...?
Yeah. I'm here to pick up this month's nutritional solution.
This month's... Ah, right, the nutritional solution. Of course...
Still the same dosage as before?
Alright.
Melinoe efficiently prepares the form, but as she hands it over, her movement falters.
?
Oh... here. I was just thinking...
[player name] has been comatose for quite some time now...
When I last visited, the vitals were... almost negligible. Are you certain you still wish to...
To keep caring for a patient in this condition?
...I believe that is a personal matter, not a medical one, Dr. Melinoe.
I'm sorry, I don't mean to overstep. It's just... caring for a... "patient" like this at home for so long...
She searches for the most delicate words.
For Aisling... won't it be tough for her too?
I know you're hurting, Liv. But for Aisling's sake, perhaps... it's time to think about moving forward.
...That's not within your professional purview, Dr. Melinoe.
I require the standard ration of life-support nutrients. Please provide me with the amount specified on the form. Thank you.
...My apologies.
Melinoe shakes her head, then turns to retrieve the nutrient solution from the storage room.
Carrying the heavy solution by herself, Liv offers a quiet thanks to Melinoe and leaves the medical station.
...
Melinoe watches Liv's retreating figure for a long moment, then lets out a barely audible sigh.
Does she... still remember that human?
Her M.I.N.D. remains in disarray. Logically, she should have forgotten everything by now...
No one should be able to escape the illusions woven by its power.
I don't know why she still remembers that human either.
It's fine.
That is precisely why... she is worthy of being my mother.
...
So, your decision is made?
Of course.
The voice from the void whispers with an ethereal lightness.
I have already claimed the consciousness shards of that human... of [player name].
I will claim her, too.
I will make her... and her M.I.N.D. truly mine.
Beyond the fog, her eyes begin to shimmer with a covetous, golden light.
M.I.N.D...
What exactly do you want to do with her M.I.N.D.?
I don't know, but I want it.
What of... another? Like... mine?
No.
A greedy, singular desire swells within those golden pupils.
Only hers... It must be hers.
...
Melinoe lets out a gentle sigh.
If... this is truly what you want.
Her fingers dance through the air, and the very fabric of the space begins to unravel, peeling away layer by layer into unreality. Behind the torn celestial curtain looms a colossal spiderweb.
The web contracts, layer upon layer, its strands coalescing and thickening into a surging Red Tide.
So it shall be... Aisling.
Whatever you desire, I will give it to you, to mend that indelible regret.
The Red Tide descends on schedule, a voracious, crimson shroud that smothers the mountain-nestled conservation area.
Caught completely off guard, the patrol team loses half its members in an instant. Now, Conservation Area 368 stands isolated, like a solitary manor trapped in a blizzard, utterly cut off from any hope of rescue.
...We've lost contact with all surrounding conservation areas!
The supervisor paces in frantic circles across the central plaza.
What... what do we do now?! The serum stocks are gone; we don't even have a reserve of protective suits...
Mommy... Mommy! I'm scared...
Liv stands motionless amid the swirling chaos.
To her, the scene feels staged, the people around her like actors in a play, each fervently performing their prescribed roles of "desperation." It's as if they are all waiting, urging her to step into the spotlight and play her part...
...Mom?
The little girl with blue hair tugs gently at Liv's sleeve.
...Aisling? Sweetie, why are you out here? I asked you to stay in your room.
Liv kneels down, gently smoothing Aisling's hair, which has become disheveled from running.
The person in the room... [player name] woke up.
Aisling whispers the news softly to Liv.
Woke up...? Where is [player name] now?!
I saw [player name] open eyes, so I came to tell you...
Liv breaks into a desperate run.
Their house is near the edge of the conservation area, not far from where the Red Tide is spreading.
Commandant!
Two streets away, she spots the emaciated figure stumbling out the front door.
...NOOO!
The figure seems to hesitate for a fraction of a second.
But it does not stop at the sound of her desperate, shattered cries.
The Red Tide suddenly rears up like a leviathan, its crest curving into an impossible, towering arc.
Commandant...!
Liv, don't!
Liv lunges forward, her fingers stretching, straining—and brushing nothing but the empty air where the human's clothing had just been.
The figure is gone. Instantly, utterly engulfed by the crashing tide of crimson.
Commandant...
A grief so violent it feels physical seizes her M.I.N.D. It is a blizzard, a shock of ten thousand needles, and her fingers go instantly, deathly cold.
She screams, a raw, gut-wrenching sound torn from her core, but the Red Tide offers no answer. It simply recedes, its waves lapping indifferently against the shore.
No... it shouldn't be this way...
Liv, stay calm. You have to stay calm...
And remember... remember you still have Aisling...
Melinoe's voice is strained, the simplest comfort feeling futile as she offers it.
Aisling...
Liv turns toward the child aside, a hollow look in her eyes...
...
[player name] is over there!
[player name]!
The child, oblivious to the danger of a Red Tide projection, lets out a gleeful cheer as she darts through the forest of adult legs—
And sprints headlong into the Red Tide.
...
An absolute, suffocating silence crashes down upon the conservation area. Slowly, mechanically, Liv rises to her feet.
Melinoe's hand shoots out, a futile gesture. With her movement, the very dust motes hang frozen, and time itself seems to stretch into a brittle, endless moment.
As everyone in the conservation area turns their heads in mechanical unison, a chaotic, staticky buzzing swells—
Only to stop dead immediately.
Within the Red Tide, "Aisling" is deconstructed. Her form dissolves like clay in water, only to be remolded by the tide.
...Mo... Mom?
The Red Tide's delirious whispers coil through the air. And then, another figure begins to rise beside the child.
It has no face, no defining features, yet its silhouette is a scar upon Liv's soul, a shape she knows all too well...
...Commandant...?
Li...
Liv...
...
Mom...
Can we... eat... the little lamb now?
The child's voice, once innocent, now twists into something grotesque as it echoes from within the Red Tide.
Mom... why are you not coming?
Aisling "speaks" with confusion. Beside her, the humanoid figure instantly collapses as if foreshadowing an inevitable end.
Mom...
Tears well in the eyes of the child denied her mother. When she realizes Liv will not come closer, her confusion shatters into heart-wrenching wails.
Mom... why are you not coming? Come stay with me...
I want you to hug me. Come stay with me and [player name]...
Mom...
Her weeping amplifies, resonating through the crimson medium as the Red Tide swells, climbing steadily higher.
...Aisling.
Liv lowers her gaze, veiling the profound sorrow within her eyes. The Red Tide laps hungrily at the soil, its leading edge nearly reaching her ankles.
It's you, isn't it?
She lets out a quiet sigh.
...Mom?
The Red Tide projection murmurs, its small hands reaching for Liv.
I'm here. [player name] is here. Let's be together forever...
It's you, isn't it, Aisling?
Since the very beginning... it has always been you.
The Red Tide rustles at her feet, the crimson waves churning as if brewing a new storm.
Yet Liv does not flinch. As she has always done, she kneels, meeting the "projection" at eye level. Her expression holds no fear, only a profound, bottomless sadness.
...
This is not the reaction it anticipated.
After losing her family, her child... shouldn't she be terrified? Shouldn't she be furious? Shouldn't she be shattered by grief?!
Mom...
Its voice falters, like a child denied a treat. The projection freezes, its wailing dying into utter bewilderment.
Why isn't she like the humans from Melinoe's memories? Why doesn't she rush headlong into the Red Tide, desperate to join her perished loved ones?
Don't you love me? Don't you love [player name]...?
Of course, I love Commandant. And I love you, too.
Perhaps for a while, I truly let myself get lost in the warmth you created...
You must've worked hard. Would you like to eat something first?
Welcome hooome!
I picked lots of wild fruits again today!
Alright, come wash your hands. Lunch's almost ready.
Though the world is an illusion, the memories they have shared together are real enough.
You... you do love me.
But why...?
Why did I wait until now to expose your charade?
Of course, it's because...
The sky shatters, piece by piece, peeling away to reveal a horrifying crimson void. Waves of Red Tide surge ever higher, now pouring down from the broken heavens.
I want to catch you.
Liv's gaze is steady, fixed on Aisling.
I need to know who created this place, and who wants...
Wants Commandant and me dead.
Thundercracks, violent and final, shake the very air.
The world freezes in this moment. The Red Tide projection shatters. The false sky dissolves as a monstrous, crimson wave erupts through it, sending the illusion crashing down in a rain of nothing.
Liv thrusts her hand into the surging Red Tide. Instantly, the "infection" crawls like venom from her fingertips.
All this time... I've suspected everyone. I've run through every possible ending in my mind...
I just didn't want to believe... that it was really you.
The "Red Tide" creeps greedily up her arm, a corrosive whisper trying to invade her chaotic M.I.N.D.
This is what you wanted, isn't it?
Then... come see for yourself.
As the last of the false illusions is devoured by the "Red Tide", Liv's fingers close firmly around something solid within—
A cloth strip. The Gray Raven Commandant's cloth strip, the very one once tied firmly around her own wrist.
Come and see the thing you want... what it truly is.
Her Lotus Wheel slices a fierce, silver scar through the air, striking toward the heart of the Red Tide—
