Arknights story · Dissociative Recombination
15-1 The End of Past and Present
In the final moments of the war, a strong, nameless Infected Cautus walks the battlefield trying to save lives, only to ultimately walk towards a broken ending. Theresis enters the Originium Assimilated Universe.
1 scenes, 143 lines
1. Interlude
143 lines'Universe'.
How should we interpret this word? With mathematics, physics, faith, imagination—
We exhausted our minds attempting to define this still unfamiliar word in a variety of languages, and arrogantly claimed to have mastered true 'knowledge'.
So why are most of us silent when destruction is so near?
You cannot turn back from knowledge. Since we have glimpsed the partial truths of countless fallacies, it is only natural that we cannot retreat into the darkness of ignorance, and ignore the advent of the end.
I think, perhaps I've touched on the key to resolving this ultimate question—
Use the language you and I created, Doctor.
'It's time for this war to end, Dr. Doctor.'
'The purple flames ignited by that Draco have accelerated the course of the war. Once the Exemplars and the ducal alliance's troops push onto Nezzsalem's final stronghold—'
'Our goal of concluding this war will finally be within reach.'
'But... Dr. Kal'tsit, how long will it take for us to cover this short stretch?'
'There's no way to tell, Amiya.'
Originium...
Bloody Originium's really chopped this battleship in halves. I have to remain here and continue the fight with the local garrison...
Sorry, kid. I can't go on with you.
This whole time we've seen nothing but ruins and dead... no garrisons at all.
Also! Please don't call me kid! The monastery's already celebrated my coming-of-age!
Haha, you remind me of my daughter.
See the light shining up high there? That's part of Her Grace the Duke of Caster's Gloriana.
That gun's still working, which means the news I got from the broadcast is true. My squad served the Duke, so I have to go back.
But your wounds...
I can walk, since you helped patch me up.
But you, are you sure you want to go back to the city? It's the most polluted place there is. The active Originium in there will be the death of you.
The Bishop told me that the kind person who saved me from the mines went through hell and back to deliver me all the way to the monastery.
So I knew from an early age that salvation never comes without a cost.
Don't worry about me. The clergy taught me many ways to keep myself safe.
As long as I can save one more person, anyone, before I reach my end...
To be frank, this is the first time I've seen a cleric as devout as you... Your kind heart is the pride of Victoria.
The Bishop says faith is not at all for pride or glory... the faithful believe with sincerity that good deeds will better this land...
Better this land...? Hah, maybe.
But anyway, thanks, little Cautus. For everything.
Could you help me out one last time, kid? If you make it back to the city, if my family... and my daughter's still there...
Please tell her that papa's always protected her.
The Victorian soldier struggles to raise his injured arm, and gives a non-standard salute to the Cautus, before calmly turning towards the distant wreckage and vanishing into the thicket of Originium.
The Cautus looks to the faint light emanating from the ship's gun and cannot help but to sigh.
Artillery sounds in the distance, and the tiny Cautus continues towards the city on the horizon—Londinium.
'I hear the cannon fire too, Dr. Doctor. Madam Catherine's Crawler is already assaulting the Nachzehrer's front.'
'But will the war end once we beat them? And the innocents who've suffered... what will happen to them?'
'There's no way to save every single life in a war, Amiya. What we can do is help the Londiniers end this misery as soon as we can.'
'And that means the Nachzehrer aren't our ultimate problem.'
Mary, Davey, please don't tell anyone else this kid is hiding here.
I met him at the city walls, and he has nowhere to go. His parents are Londiniers, he said, and he met you two in the park a long while ago, yes?
......
I don't remember. You helped us, and I promised to help you. But he's not you!
......
Thank you. He'll just hide here and won't run off or make a sound. I guarantee he won't give anyone a fright.
(Nods quickly)
I'll be back soon. I promised someone I'd find his daughter.
It's impossible for me to protect you out there when there's so many hostiles—
Sorry, I couldn't find anywhere better for you to settle down. I've helped quite a lot of people here though, so I trust these kids to keep you safe.
The tiny Sarkaz tugs sharply on the Cautus's arm, but touches the pointy Originium crystals instead.
He pulls back his hand on reflex.
(softly) S-Sorry! When I was with my pa and ma... we rarely came in contact with Infected.
...I'll come back for you.
......
......
......
The Cautus is not gone for long.
When she arrives at the soldier's home as directed, there is nothing left.
But letters found in the ruin tell her the soldier's daughter joined a force rebelling against the Sarkaz in the city—the Exemplars.
It is a difficult journey for the Cautus as she returns to the refuge. When the Victorians joined forces to attack the Sarkaz front at the Palace of Westhaleg, Originium continued to spread throughout the city.
There are also those mad Sarkaz mercenaries wandering recklessly around, as if they've lost any semblance of humanity.
Her head hurts, from the city's terrible condition, but also from the horrific black crystals on her body.
'I might be nearing my end now, Father Bishop.'
Excuse me... were you the troops who protected the people here from those mercenaries?
Yes. We have both Exemplar and ducal alliance troops in our squad, and we got a distress call while we were gearing up to enter the Palace.
Trust me, this mess will be over soon. Thank you too, for taking care of the kids and refugees.
......
Uh, are you looking for someone?
The Cautus shakes her head.
Right, we did mop up some of the devils hiding about. Probably here because their side's about to lose.
—!
See you. We have to hurry on to the front.
...I didn't see that kid.
......
...Follow me.
The child leads the Cautus through bunker after bunker within the factory, and the latter spots other refuge residents silently carrying away Sarkaz corpses.
They walk up to a pile of containers, and the child struggles but manages to push the messed up lid open.
The cowering Sarkaz child from before looks at them in fear.
She's here.
I promised you I'd help you, didn't I? It all happened so suddenly earlier, so this was the only place I could hide him.
But he can't stay here.
On my way back, I met a group called Reunion. They can take him in.
Don't worry, we'll take good care of that one—but what about you?
Your Oripathy's serious... you should come with us too.
I... still have some things to do.
Alright, I won't force you. You remind me of a lot of my comrades.
Here's some suppressants and protective gear. Good luck.
...You too.
Victorians advance in waves from afar towards the Nachzehrer King's last stand as life fades away.
That is not her war. She feels fear, and has no way of comprehending how these people overcome their fear of death, what keeps them pushing onward.
But she hopes to save people too, to continue numbly... one life after another.
...Even if it's all in vain.
She recalls the day she left the monastery. When she and the Bishop bid each other farewell by the riverside church.
What is faith, you ask?
Heheh... I traveled to Iberia in my youth, and saw with my own eyes how the lives of those around me collapsed during the Profound Silence, but that tenacious nation has never once yielded.
At first, I only admired the country's vitality, but as I lived my life, I came to realize...
That vitality, that is faith.
Who was there to teach me, or even the other Iberians, what path to take in life? Did anyone promise us we would surmount such a terrifying disaster?
No, but faced with calamity we always convince ourselves. Everything we go through is inevitably for something, suffering will eventually end, and we will enjoy a wonderful future.
That is faith.
Faith does not reside in scripture, nor in our prayers and hymns, but in our lives.
Faith is in our bodies and minds, in every heartbeat, in every breath. It is the source of all strength.
...Only because we believe.
Father Bishop, if it is as you say, that all suffering eventually ends, then where is our wonderful future you're talking about...?
Father Bishop... I think... I've tried my best.
The Cautus collapses from exhaustion among the ruins, to the sounds of gunfire and cries from afar.
An intense pain reminds her of a cruel truth: this body has met its end.
She waves to those nearby whom she saved from death, staying alone in a wide open space far away from them.
Her body begins to disintegrate.
...I'm willing to believe...
The light caught in the Cautus's eyes begin to dim, until she sinks into endless night.
Then, she seems to see someone hold her almost shattered hand, and light begins to flow back into her eyes.
...!
What's wrong, Amiya?
I think I heard the sound of an Infected disintegrating... again.
I could almost even see their final burst of light. Not too far from us.
We've seen this happen too often lately...
Let's go.
It's time we end this.
Let's go confront Theresis.
Let's go, Doctor.
......
Doctor?
Kal'tsit, a thought occurs.
What exactly does... stasis within the Assimilated Universe mean?
Does that place we've been prevent even time from escaping?
A surge of information rushes forward, trying to engulf him.
But Theresis does not budge.
I finally see with my own eyes what great feat you've managed, Theresa.
He looks up at the tower standing in the void as falling fragments turn back into irregular information and return into the nothingness.
Theresis grabs a fragment that has drifted down to him, but it instantly turns to nothing in his palm.
You opened this door for me, so I'll finish this last part of the journey in your stead, Theresa.
Once we Sarkaz seize the Originium that belongs to us, we shall for the first time hold the power to determine our own fate.
He grips the blade in his hand, and stares coldly at the large rhombus approaching him.
Then, he walks toward the crumbling tower. He knows well his opponent will be there.
Destroy anything, just to create a ladder. Theresa has left a path for him.
'The myriad souls who never gave up resisting until they completely dissipated, did one last thing for the Sarkaz within the Originium—'
'They fought for a future where everyone has a right to survive, for the ones still alive.'
'Onward, everyone.'
Just as always, my blade will cut our path forward. And you will lead the way.
I never break my promises, Theresa—
He walks up the flight of stairs, towards the top of the nearly collapsed tower.