Prologue

Mrow...

......?

Mrow. Mew...

Mm...

*yawn* Morning, Varuo. Did you come to wake me up?

The sun's already high above the pekari trees, huh?

Oh, that's what you came to tell me? *chuckle* Thanks, buddy.

...I almost forgot! I've got forest patrol duty today. I better hurry and get ready!

Hey, guys! Sorry, hope I'm not late!

Good morning! And don't worry, we're used to it.

I'm not so sure that's a good thing...

Anyway, Aldo, I hear Feinne's in Unigan running an errand for the mayor.

Yeah, she's putting me to shame with how much she helps around here.

Haha, I don't disagree. Anyway, now that you're here, let's begin our patrol of Moonlight Forest. Stay alert.

Right. I'll be extra alert to make up for being late!

Nothing seems out of the ordinary.

Good. Then I think we're done with the patrol.

Time to head back to...

......?

What is it, Aldo? Did you see something?

No, but I could've sworn someone was watching me.

I don't see anyone.

*chuckle* Maybe it was a ghost.

D-Don't even joke about that! I'm serious. I swear I felt some kind of presence...

Aldo! Darunis! Nomar!

May? Something wrong?

Hurry! You have to come back to the village!

Why? What's going on?

Well, uh... There's a bit of a problem, but it's easier if you just see it for yourselves. So come on!

I wonder what it could be...

Beats me. She seemed pretty flustered, though. We better hurry back.

Wow, I've never seen everyone all gathered like this.

L-Look! Over there!

What the...

How did she get stuck up there?

I-Is she okay? Shouldn't someone try to help her?

There you are! Finally!

Uh...

How did a girl end up stuck on the statue...?

We don't know. She just kind of appeared out of nowhere. We can't reach her, and we don't even know if she's hurt.

Leave it to us then. We'll make sure she's taken care of.

Yeah, we'll take it from here!

All right, if you say so...

......

(She doesn't look like she's from around here. Her clothes even kinda remind me of what the people in the future wear...)

Aldo?

Huh? Oh, yeah, she seems to be breathing.

Hey, you okay? Can you hear me?

...Mm...

*gasp* You're awake!

Phew... You had us worried. Don't try to get up yet, okay?

...en...

Hm?

E...den...

Huh...?

Oh no, is she all right?

Sorry for not coming sooner. What was all the commotion? Is everything all right?

Everything's fine. This girl ran into some trouble, but she's asleep now, and we don't know the details yet.

Hmm... Then we should take her home and look after her there. Aldo, I trust you're okay with this?

Oh, uh, yeah. Of course.

What the...

How did she get stuck up there?

I-Is she okay? Shouldn't someone try to help her?

There you are! Finally!

Uh...

How did a girl end up stuck on the statue...?

We don't know. She just kind of appeared out of nowhere. We can't reach her, and we don't even know if she's hurt.

Leave it to us then. We'll make sure she's taken care of.

Yeah, we'll take it from here!

All right, if you say so...

......

(She doesn't look like she's from around here. Her clothes even kinda remind me of what the people in the future wear...)

Aldo?

Huh? Oh, yeah, she seems to be breathing.

Hey, you okay? Can you hear me?

...Mm...

*gasp* You're awake!

Phew... You had us worried. Don't try to get up yet, okay?

...en...

Hm?

E...den...

Huh...?

Oh no, is she all right?

Sorry for not coming sooner. What was all the commotion? Is everything all right?

Everything's fine. This girl ran into some trouble, but she's asleep now, and we don't know the details yet.

Hmm... Then we should take her home and look after her there. Aldo, I trust you're okay with this?

Oh, uh, yeah. Of course.

Take her upstairs so she can rest. She doesn't look hurt, and her breathing is steady. She should wake up any minute. Thank you all for taking care of her.

I'm glad she's okay... I guess there's nothing more we can do right now, but we'll come by again later.

Well, let's keep an eye on her and...

......?!

What is it, Aldo?

I...

Can you watch her for a minute? I need to check something out.

Of course. I was planning on doing so anyway.

I know I'm not imagining this. I can feel some sort of presence... Like someone's watching me... It's creepy.

Maybe I should go back to the forest. The presence was stronger in there.

Ngh... There it is again... That sinister presence... What's going on?!

What is the meaning of this?

Ogre Rancorem? What do you mean?

This unsettling gaze... A familiar presence draws near. ...It is upon us.

......! What IS that?!

A phantom?!

No, you're not like the phantoms I know... What are you?

Ngh! What are you doing?!

......

What are you?! Why are you here?! Are you the one who's been watching me?!

......

Say something!

Ngh! What...

Huh...?

What was that? What did I just see...?

Its miasma resonated with us, though it is unclear whether this was by chance or by design.

So the images belong to the phantom?

(And was that the girl from before...?)

Does it mean to fight me?!

Look out!

Huh?

I won't let you.

I'll protect him, no matter what it takes!

......

*groan*

It's gone...

I'm surprised to see you here. But I'm glad you're finally awake. You had us worried.

......

Hm? Something wrong?

No, I just didn't expect that to be the first thing you'd say. I heard you were the one who saved me. Thanks.

Oh, it wasn't just me. Everyone helped. What are you doing here anyway? Uh...

Ruvi. Nice to meet you.

I'm Aldo. Nice to meet you too.

Aldo...

Yeah? What's up?

Nothing. It's just a weird name, that's all.

Wait, what?! How is it weird?!

Well, where I come from, "aldo" means "one who's too good-natured for their own good."

Really...?! I mean, I guess I have been called good-natured before...

*giggle* I'm just kidding.

Are you...?

But seriously, we should get out of here. Who knows if that guy'll show up again?

Oh, don't worry about that. Its presence is completely gone as far as I can tell.

Huh, now that you mention it...

So you sensed its presence too? Is that why you showed up to save me?

Yeah, more or less. Trust me, it would've turned out badly if I hadn't.

That phantom's sword has a dangerous power, it can sever possibilities.

Once it's used, though, the sword needs time to regenerate, so we don't need to worry about it for a while.

Its sword has that kind of power...? How do you know so much about them anyway?

Because I've been studying them, trying to find a way to stop them. When I detected one here, I used a transfer gate to come all this way.

"All this way"? So you're from someplace far away then? Maybe even another time?

Huh? How did you know that?

I've traveled to a bunch of different times and places, so I can tell when someone's not from around here.

You have? Wow, what are the odds?

I don't have anything cool like that gate, though. Wait a minute, is that why you were stuck up there on that statue? Did it spit you out in the wrong place?

Let's just forget that ever happened, okay...?

So anyway, how come you know so much about phantoms?

Let's just say I ran into them on my travels.

But the one we just saw wasn't like any phantom I've seen before. It didn't say a word, it just attacked me out of nowhere. I can't explain it, but it just felt... more threatening somehow.

You're right. It's not like the others. It's what we call a Phantom of the Severing Swords.

Is it a special kind of phantom?

Yup, they're unique monsters, each with their own goals and swords that have special powers. And with every swing of their sword, they take away something important from someone.

Their memories or emotions, their present or their future... Even their existence.

They can do that?!

(So it's nothing like the ones I'm used to dealing with...) (But how does she know all this? Who is she?)

You know, I have to say I'm surprised. I thought we were the only ones who knew anything about the phantoms.

......

Anyway... Um... You said you've fought them before, right?

Then maybe, um, you want to...um...

Hm? Sorry, I was just thinking. Did you say something?

...Never mind. Don't worry about it.

Anyway, I should get going.

Ruvi, wait. You said you came here to stop them, right?

Why are you guys fighting them in the first place?

"Guys"? It's just me.

But I thought you just said "we."

Forget I said that. In fact, forget this whole conversation. This isn't your fight.

Hey, Ruvi, mind if I came along?

Huh?!

The phantoms I know wanna plunge the world into chaos. They're dangerous. So I can't just stand by knowing even stronger ones are out there.

......

But if you know they're dangerous, why would you wanna do this?

I could ask you the same thing. I'm not sure what your deal is, but I know you're taking on these phantoms by yourself.

I started my journey alone, but the only reason I've made it this far is because of my friends. I couldn't have done any of it alone.

Maybe so, but that doesn't mean you have to help me.

You saved my life. I owe you.

......

Come on, I'm strong, and I know a thing or two about phantoms. I won't get in the way, I promise. So? What do you say?

Well...

Fine, you can come. But only because you owe me!

Haha, thanks.

So Ruvi, what's your deal anyway? Why are you chasing these phantoms?

It's kind of a long story...

Let's go to the forest. I'll catch you up back at our base.

The forest? But isn't the gate in the village?

...Not anymore. I can never show my face there again. Not after what happened.

Oh, okay. Well, that's probably for the best. It'd probably be hard to get to anyway, being on top of the statue and all.

Hey, Ruvi, just one more thing. What's "Eden"?

Huh? Where did you hear that?

You mumbled it just before you passed out.

I did? I don't remember that at all...

Anyway, I must've been talking about "Project Eden." It's kinda like a code word.

Project Eden?

I'll explain later. Come on.

All right, lead the way.

......! Is that...

What are you doing here, Varuo? You know you're not supposed to be out here.

Aw, a kitty... How cute!

Is he yours?

Yeah, his name's Varuo. I take it you like cats?

Absolutely. They're the cutest, most adorable creatures in the entire world. So your name's Varuo, huh? Aww, look at you. You're so fluffy-wuffy.

Oh...

Hm? What is it?

Are you worried about me? I'll be fine. I promise to be back soon, okay?

......

Ruvi? Something wrong?

Huh?

Oh, no, nothing like that. Just a little jealous, that's all.

You like cats, right? Don't you have one?

I used to, but then...things changed.

Anyway, let's keep going.

Right.

Varuo, you go home and keep an eye on Grandpa and the others, okay? And no fighting!

I'll take good care of him. Don't you worry, Varuo.

...And that's how I ended up traveling to all kinds of different places and times.

Wow, I bet no one else in the world has experienced what you have. Traveling through spacetime, changing history... You're something else.

You know, most people are pretty surprised when they find out, but you don't seem surprised at all.

Well, I suppose it's because my life's been pretty similar.

Huh? Really?

Yup. Anyway, this is a good spot. Gimme a minute to set up the gate.

So this is how you got here...

This is some advanced stuff. You're basically creating a tear in spacetime, right?

Even Professor Chronos never figured out how to do that.

So you're not just from the future, you're from the FUTURE future?

......

Alrighty, let me explain!

Huh?! Wh-What's gotten into you all of a sudden?!

I'm Ruvi, a cute and brilliant mage with the power to manipulate time!

Wait, you made this with magic?

That's right! With a circular motion of my blade, time stands still! When it rends the sky, time surges forward!

Whoa! You can do all that?!

I wish. But no.

Huh...?

I don't have any powers. This thing does.

Your sword?

Yeah, but I'll tell you more about it later. Come on.

Is this it? It's so dark in here, I can't see anything.

Hang on, lemme boot up the system.

Whoa... Where are we? And what are all these machines? Wait, are we in space? Is this your base?

That's right, our base and trusty lab.

So you really did come from the future.

Nope, sorry to disappoint.

But all this technology...

Hm, how do I explain this? Technically, this ship and I do come from what you'd call the future.

But right now, we're outside the flow of time, beyond the bounds of any era.

This base, this ship, was built specifically to travel through this outer area.

Aldo, welcome aboard the temporal surveillance ship, Kairos.

We're on a ship...that can travel outside the flow of time...?

*giggle* You should see the look on your face.

W-Well, yeah, can you blame me? So you're saying that time doesn't flow here at all?

You got it. And that's why it's the perfect place to observe the flow of time and track phantoms.

This is way more than my brain can handle...

Maybe you need a change of scenery. Come on, follow me to my room. We can talk more there.

You said there were phantoms with swords that can sever possibilities.

But the one we ran into didn't have a sword, did it?

The thing is, those swords require a ton of energy to wield, so they can't just use them whenever they feel like it. It must've been waiting for its power to charge back up.

A sword that uses that much energy has to pack a serious punch. We've gotta do everything we can to stop it.

But why would it show up knowing it couldn't use its sword?

Good question. Either they're targeting your era... Or they've decided you're an enemy and wanna get rid of you.

So either way, I'm involved in this whether I like it or not.

......

Hm? What is it?

Oh, nothing.

What's Project Eden? You said it was a code word or something.

Right. My dad and I wanted to figure out a way to stop those phantoms so that no one else would get hurt.

We decided to call the operation Project Eden. We made it our mission to protect the world from the swords that spread chaos.

But why "Eden"?

You're curious about the name?

Yeah. It sounds a little familiar, so I was just wondering.

Well, it's a little embarrassing to admit, but...

It's actually the name of a game. I used to play it all the time before my world was destroyed.

A game?

Yeah. When we were deciding on what to name our operation, Dad suddenly shouted:

"I've got it, Ruvi! Our mission will be called Project Eden, from that game you're always playing!" "Bet you love that, huh? Hahaha!"

So yeah, that's how it got its name.

Haha! Is that right? Well, I think it's a great name. It's easy to remember, too. You know, maybe your father chose it in hopes that you'd be able to enjoy the game again someday.

Yeah, maybe.

When you said "we" before, you meant you and your father, didn't you?

......

Alrighty, let me explain! This sword-like device, the Chronosphere, will help us accomplish the goals of Project Eden! What is it you ask? Well, it's a weapon crafted solely to fight the phantoms! Spectacular, isn't it?!

Wait, are you imitating your father? Is that what he sounds like?

Yeah, that was him, cheerful and chatty. He was full of energy, always loud and impossible to ignore. We were nothing alike, in case you couldn't tell.

So that's why you were talking like that back in the forest.

Where's he now?

We... We were hunting a phantom and got too close. When it attacked us, he shielded me and then...he disappeared.

It wasn't just my dad, though. I lost everyone, even the rowdy captain of this ship who I always thought was invincible.

So you carried on the work by yourself.

I was the only one left who could. Besides, it's not like I had anywhere else to go.

Ruvi...

Come on, don't look at me like that. True, life's been pretty quiet. But thanks to you, I finally have someone to talk to.

Yeah.

The Chronosphere's your sword, right? The one your father made?

Yeah, he really was a genius. He was able to create the sword because he discovered chronos, particles of time, and applied it to invent the Chrono-reactor.

Chrono-reactor? What's that?

It's a crystallization of condensed particles of time. Put simply, it's like a ball of energy.

So kinda like prisma.

I don't know the details of it. But my father was able to turn it into a safe and usable source of power.

It's used to power this ship and the temporal surveillance system, and it's even embedded in the Chronosphere. That's why I can do all sorts of things so long as I have it with me.

Right, like moving the gate to a different place. Can it stop the phantoms you're after, too?

In theory. But there's still a key step that needs to be completed.

......?

Nothing else you wanna ask?

I think I'm all caught up.

So the Phantom Veil's sword is regenerating as we speak. And in order to stop it, we need to complete the Chronosphere.

But how do we do that? What's the key step?

Aldo, I need to ask you again.

Ask me what?

You said it yourself: the future changes depending on our choices and actions. And no one can predict what's gonna happen.

Nothing might change. Or everything might change, maybe even for the worse.

Knowing that, are you sure you wanna do this?

......

This is an important decision for you. I want you to think it over carefully, so you don't have any regrets.

(She's right.) (There's still a lot I don't know about her, and I haven't had time to look around, either.)

Have you made up your mind? It's a big decision, so I want you to really think it through.

You're right.

I've made up my mind. I'm coming with you.

Are you sure?

Like you said, making choices is kinda scary.

But life's all about decisions, especially the tough ones. That's the only way to move forward.

Aldo...

Besides, it showed up in my world, which means it's targeting that next, right? And there's no way I'm letting it hurt anyone I care about.

Right.

To be honest, I was planning to ask you to join me anyway.

You were?

Yeah. I mean, there aren't a lot of people who know about the phantoms AND have a strong sense of justice like you do.

I figured you'd be willing to help if you knew your world was in danger.

But before I could bring myself to ask, you just volunteered out of nowhere.

See? I was right. You are good-natured.

I could say the same about you, you know.

Me?

Yeah. You said so yourself that you hadn't completed the key step to stand against the phantom yet. But you still showed up in my world anyway.

That's because...when I detected the reading, I knew I had to do something.

It was also the perfect chance to check out the state of its sword.

Even though you knew you had no way to stop it?

Your world was destroyed, and now you're determined to prevent others from experiencing the same pain.

You knew you were taking a risk, but you showed up anyway and ended up saving my life.

Sounds good-natured to me.

......

You're wrong. I'm only doing what's best for me.

*chuckle* Sorry, didn't mean to put you on the spot.

Honestly, I think what you're doing is pretty amazing.

......

You know what? You're right. And now that you finally see it, I expect you to show me some respect as project leader.

Huh? O-Okay. Roger that, leader!

I'm kidding. Call me Ruvi, please. Anyway, let's head back to the control room and figure out our next move.

(Is there anything else I should ask? Maybe I'll take a look around the room and see if anything stands out.)

Cute plushies. So you really do like cats.

*giggle* They're cute, right? And I have to say, they turned out great.

You made them yourself?

Well, Dad and I did.

That's awesome. Makes them even more special.

Right? We 3D printed my design and then we made them with the auto-stitching machine that Dad developed.

W-Wow...

(I don't know what that means, but I guess that's how it works in her world?)

Dad built most of the stuff you see on this ship.

But these plushies remind me of him the most.

Yeah, I can see they're special to you.

What's that room next door?

That used to be Dad's room. It's empty now, though.

Oh... Sorry.

It's okay. Heh, leave it to an adventurer to notice every little thing around him. I saw the way you were looking around the room before.

Just don't snoop too much, this is my private space, after all.

S-Sorry! Force of habit... I didn't mean to intrude or anything.

I'm kidding. Take a look at whatever you want. Oh, and you're also welcome to use Dad's old room if you want.

Really? Thanks, I might just do that.

You like games, huh?

Yeah, I used to play them a lot when I was a kid.

Really? What kind of games?

Hmm, all genres really. Dungeon crawlers, FPSs... But sandbox games are my favorite. They're relaxing, and I like being able to play at my own pace.

I'm not sure what any of those are, but...

We should play something together sometime.

Really? You play games too?

Yeah, you know, the one with cards, or the board game with the pieces you move. I'm not too good at those brainy games, though, so you'll have to go easy on me.

Uh, we might be talking about different kinds of games...

Oh? Well, how about arm wrestling or skipping stones? That's what I usually do with Darunis and the others.

You know what? Thanks for offering, but the games I play are usually ones you play alone.

They're kinda tricky to play with other people.

Oh, they are? Okay, well, it was just a thought.

Cute plushies. Guess she really does like cats.

So she really does live here. But I wonder who that other room belongs to.

She must spend a lot of time in here. I wonder what she likes to do for fun.

Hey, Aldo. Do you know what the phantoms really are?

Hmm...

Come to think of it, I don't know that much about them.

All I know is they're trying to make the world fall into chaos.

All I know is they're trying to destroy the world.

Right, and you know what that looks like. You saw the future destroyed with your own eyes.

Yeah...

It was devastating... I'll never forget what I saw.

I found out later that it was all because Professor Chronos changed the past.

I found out later that it was all because the past was changed.

And the phantoms wanted me to stop that from happening so they could steer the world toward destruction themselves.

That's basically their reason for being. They crave chaos because they're the manifestations of the possibilities that were discarded from this world.

What do you mean?

Well, the world we're seeing now is only one of countless possibilities.

The future you saw get destroyed and the one that ended up being saved were both possibilities that could've existed.

So they're kinda like time layers?

That's right. Except time layers are possibilities that ended up becoming part of history.

Compared to time layers, possibilities are infinite. Take this moment, our choices and actions could lead to all sorts of possibilities.

Really?

Yeah, think about it. You could start dancing around like a maniac, and I'd have no choice but to kick you off the ship.

You could get homesick and go back to Baruoki, leaving poor little me here all alone.

Or you could suddenly attack me, leaving me to take my final breaths right in this very spot.

Do you really think I'd do any of those things?!

I mean, come on... None of those possibilities would ever happen.

*giggle* I'm just kidding.

But I see what you mean. Every little thing we do can lead to all sorts of possibilities.

Right. And phantoms are all the possibilities that could've been. That's why they hate the world so much.

So that's their deal.

I've made a ton of decisions in my life, so I'm probably responsible for a bunch of them...

Any regrets?

Nope, not even one.

Life is all about making choices, whether we like it or not. And no matter what the phantoms' deal is, we can't let them destroy the world.

I'm glad to hear you say that.

Now, lemme fill you in on the special phantoms, like the one we saw.

What was it you called them? Phantoms of the Severing Swords? So what's their deal?

First, what you need to know is that phantoms don't have a sense of self or identity.

They're a collective with a shared will and a single goal. When they speak, they speak for the collective, not as individuals.

That was the case, at least, until we started seeing ones that didn't fit that mold.

The Phantoms of the Severing Swords...

Yup. Unlike the others, these phantoms have a sense of self and an unwavering focus. And on top of that, they wield swords with extremely dangerous powers.

They can slice through things that normally can't be touched, like ideas or anything without a physical form. These phantoms act of their own will and are constantly waiting for a chance to strike.

How can they slice through things that don't have a physical form?

Well, let's say there's a phantom wielding a sword that has the power to sever names. If it strikes you with it, you won't exist any longer as "Aldo."

I'm not sure what that would mean exactly, whether you'd live as someone without a name...

Or whether you'd be treated as if you don't exist in the world anymore.

That's a scary thought...

Anyway, these phantoms, or Severing Swords for short...

They each have a different power.

The most dangerous one, the one we ran into, has the power to sever possibilities. We named it Phantom Veil because it's a being that cloaks light in chaos.

What happens if it gets you?

All of your possibilities disappear, and along with them, your existence. It'll be like you were never here in the first place. And it's not only people, it works on things and even entire worlds.

I can't believe that almost happened to me...

How do you know so much about that Phantom Veil anyway?

Because I've seen what it can do.

It took everything from me, first my world, and then my dad.

What...?

One day, it suddenly appeared before us and lashed out with its sword.

In that instant, my entire world was destroyed.

What?!

We survived thanks to my dad, he studied the flow of time and knew about their existence. We made it onto the ship just in time and fled to the outer area so they couldn't reach us.

Ruvi, I'm so sorry...

......

Anyway, that's about all there is to know about them. Is there anything else you wanna know?

I mean, yeah, but I'm not sure what I should ask.

And I'm not sure what I should tell you.

So we're both not sure what to do.

Guess I'll just start with whatever pops into my head. That okay?

Sure. Go ahead.

Take a look, Aldo.

What is this thing?

A temporal surveillance monitor. Think of it like a radar, but for tracking phantoms. When a Severing Sword shows up, it causes a distinct distortion in the flow of time, and that's how we locate them.

Oh, so that's how you knew that phantom was in my world.

Exactly. And now, let me tell you what our next goal is.

Right. Hit me with it, leader.

We're gonna forget about the Phantom Veil for now.

Huh?

Instead, we're gonna track down and stop five other Severing Swords.

Five? Wait a minute, does this have anything to do with that key step to complete the Chronosphere?

You got it. If we wanna defeat the Phantom Veil, we'll need a way to stop it from using its sword.

That's where the Chronosphere comes in. It's equipped with a feature that can sync with its sword. First, we'll extract and analyze the energy of the five other Severing Swords. Then we'll use it to sync the Chronosphere with the Phantom Veil's sword, so when they clash, their powers will cancel each other out.

......?

To put it simply, we're gonna collect the same power that phantom has and use it to cancel theirs out. So far, I've detected five Severing Swords aside from the Phantom Veil. According to my calculations, the energy from all five of them should be enough to complete the Chronosphere.

Okay, I think I get it now.

But there's actually another reason for stopping the five. When they use their swords, they consume a huge amount of chaos.

That chaos then cycles to a different Severing Sword. That's what the Phantom Veil is waiting for, another phantom to consume chaos so its sword can regenerate.

So stopping the five means stopping the Phantom Veil's sword from regenerating...

And completing the Chronosphere.

Yup, two birds. But if we can't pull it off, our chances of stopping it will be almost zero.

So we can't fail no matter what.

But are we really gonna be able to find all five of them?

Well, we know they exist.

So all we have to do is wait until we detect any odd readings, and then use a gate to get to that location. Should be easy.

And you're sure they're gonna use their swords once they show up?

Yeah, that's the only reason they'd reveal themselves.

I don't know what they're capable of, but we can't let anyone else get hurt.

We'll stop them. We have to.

Right.

In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out for our friends, so you can relax for now. By the way, if you ever need a refresher, you can access all the info from the terminal in my room.

Good to know, thanks.

(She's lost everything and everyone she cared about... I can't imagine what that kind of loneliness feels like.) (I wonder if that image I saw...)

(That image the Phantom showed me...) (Could that be one of the possibilities that's waiting for us?)

No, I won't let that happen. I'll change the future, no matter what.

(I never would've been able to make that decision as quickly as he did.) (But he's right. Our only choice is to move forward.)

I'll save you this time, before our future is lost forever.