The power from the other end of the spider silk has grown too strong. Melinoe can no longer maintain the "dreams."
In the pitch-black void, a sliver of daylight cracks open above you.
You hold your breath, and the next illusion isn't coming.
The thread of light slowly widens.
...We did it, Commandant.
We can get out of here soon...
You feel her gently cover your "eyes."
When you wake up again, we'll see each other in the real world...
In an instant, a brilliant white light flares. Even through the shield of Liv's palm, you can feel its powerful radiance.
Then, the world collapses into darkness.
Your consciousness settles gently back into your body. Your sensory systems confirm it: everything has returned to reality.
Your retinas adjust to the dimness. You are still inside the mine, in the same place where you last found Liv.
Your last memory was a frantic scramble onto the stone platform, your hands gripping strange, crystalline minerals as you initiated a Deep M.I.N.D. connection with Liv...
Suddenly, a faint rustling sound comes from the edge of the platform.
...
The child with golden eyes stands there, watching.
She knows with a cold certainty that Melinoe has failed.
For the first time, the seemingly omnipotent nurturer could not bring back the "food" she wanted.
How... could this happen?
She stares at the stone platform, utterly bewildered.
Don't you... love me?
On the stone platform, two figures are nestled closely together.
The silver-haired girl's eyes are tightly shut. Her weapon has dispersed, woven into a protective cocoon that firmly shields you, curled within, from the corruption of the surrounding minerals.
Love spins itself into a cocoon, holding you securely within. In her arms, she cradles her entire world.
Isn't love... supposed to be like what the nurturer does?
The nurturer would give her everything. Anything she wants. Anything she can get for her.
I don't understand...
"Aisling" steps barefoot onto the stone platform. Bewildered, she reaches out to touch Liv...
In that instant, the blades suddenly disperse, shattering the mineral cocoon around the two of you. The crystals crumble into sand, trickling down with a soft whisper.
You struggle free from the shattered "cocoon." At the edge of the stone platform, the blue-haired girl stands poised, her hand reaching out to trace the crystalline minerals encasing Liv.
You aim the dark gun barrel directly at "Aisling".
[player name]... Why...
It's just a fake dream woven in the name of love, not a real family.
But [player name], I really love you. Stay with me...
A bullet strikes the dirt before her feet, spraying soil over her toes. The child flinches, recoiling from the gun's dark muzzle.
She is only using Liv. Using Melinoe. Using you.
The blue-haired child remains silent, her gaze falling. She looks wounded, but is this true sorrow, or just another carefully performed lie?
Commandant...
A sharp crack pierces the air as the mineral fractures, and Liv begins to stir.
...
"Aisling" stumbles back a few steps, then whirls around, fleeing down a branching tunnel.
She casts one last look toward the stone platform.
Liv is fully awake now, her weapon hovering protectively as she turns to speak to the human...
She can't stand against Liv. Not now.
She can feel it clearly. Spurred by some inevitable "catalyst," Liv's M.I.N.D. is steadily filling, growing denser and more powerful.
This is a Liv who can counter illusions and stand against Melinoe; she is far beyond "Aisling's" current strength.
And that human...
Why can't she penetrate that person's mind, even with all her power?
And why... does she feel this irresistible pull to draw near?
Welcome hooome!
I picked lots of wild fruits again today!
So, what's a "grassland"?
Hmm, I've never seen a grassland before.
In the dim mine tunnel, "Aisling" runs forward barefoot.
The Gray Raven insignia is a cold, hard certainty clutched in her hand, a stark contrast to the countless questions and the hollow ache in her stomach.
But she has all the time in the world. Someday... she will unravel every mystery.
She will grow up, eventually.
...Commandant!
Like someone just waking from a nightmare, Liv frantically searches for any sign of you.
...Aisling!
Liv spots the child's silhouette in the distance. In one fluid motion, she snaps into a combat stance, her weapon drawn and ready.
In the next moment, her body betrays her. A wave of dizziness sends her stumbling, and she falls into your steadying arms.
Even with a Deep M.I.N.D. connection, your capabilities are limited. You can stabilize the core of Liv's M.I.N.D., but the chaos clinging to its surface remains impervious to your reach.
It's still chaotic on the surface... but with your connection, it's manageable. The real source of the problem has to be deeper in this mine...
The minerals might be part of it, but I have a feeling there's something else going on.
Swiftly, Liv retrieves a mineral sample from the stone platform and seals it in a container. But as she does, her brow furrows.
Aisling ran further inside.
I think there's a research lab deep in the mine that used to study these minerals. Melinoe mentioned that she used to work there.
I tried, but I can't get a signal through.
You pull up the rudimentary map from the Rodent squad. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the vast, uncharted sectors ahead, each boldly marked with a daunting question mark.
While Rodent never ventured into the depths, their preliminary map should at least trace the initial path they took.
Alright.
