In the Depths of Winter

Finally!

You're such a pest, Outsider! Making me stand watch here... This Demon King's great talents are meant for leading hunts, not keeping tabs on that gloomy man!

That's because, you have a special gift for acting by stealth, "Your Majesty." Look at us, all big and clumsy, we'd be spotted by Henrik in no time.

Hmph, smart of you to have recognised my greatness, wait! That's just a roundabout way of calling me short!!

No, not at all. You're the tallest and mightiest, the towering Icelake gates were practically built for you...

Shh! ...He's coming out.

Right on 8 o'clock! If he ever changes careers again, he could offer time-telling services in the town square!

...Stick to the original plan. Snow and I will tail Henrik, and Outsider, you sneak into Henrik's office through the chimney. We'll meet up at your doorstep afterwards.

Got it.

Back already? Shouldn't you be following Henrik?

This should be the place... Yep, there he is!

Did you see that? Henrik just threw something in there...

This has gotta be his horrible secret! You stay here, I'll go fish it out...

Now comes the most exciting moment...

"Through great trials and hardships, the Demon king and her minion finally retrieved a precious treasure from the deep waters. With hopeful hearts and anxious breaths, they opened the box, only to find..."

Huh?! It's empty!

No... it's not really empty. It previously held something... some sort of powder, perhaps.

Powder... Why would Henrik bother to put a box of powder in the water? That's so strange.

No idea... but something feels really off. Let's go back and see how Outsider is doing.

*cough*

Ugh, got all covered in soot... Fina's going to make a fuss about it when I get home.

Anyway, finally made it in.

"The Slumber Project"... What's this?

"...September 3, Carolina Brown... October 29, Hunt Clark..."

"...November 25, Psyche Frey."

...

"The Slumber Project"... What's this?

"...September 3, Carolina Brown... October 29, Hunt Clark..."

"...November 25, Psyche Frey."

...

Mr Henrik, you're back. Here's a cup of hot water for you to warm up a bit...

Mmm.

(Drat, Henrik's back...!)

Are you saying Psyche is in danger?!

Hunt appeared on that list after he went missing... I fear things didn't end well for him. And I'm worried your friend Psyche might be next.

Ugh, Henrik came back at a bad time. If I had just a few more minutes... It's my fault, I wasted too much time with that chimney. D**n it! I knew he was up to no good.

What do we do now? Vita, Psyche is a good girl... we have to find a way to save her!

I'm going to the Hypnos' House right now.

Don't rush into it. We still have five days, so let's go back and get prepared first.

No, it's always better to act sooner rather than later to save someone. I can't just...

"Just stand there, helplessly watching her leave." Right?

...How did you know?

Just a guess, you seemed pretty shaken up, tossing all caution and reservations to the wind all of a sudden. She means a lot to you, doesn't she?

Imagine being thrown into a foreign land all alone, feeling unwanted and helpless. Then, someone reaches out and encourages you to hang in there for good things to happen.

If this person were in danger, you'd do anything to help, too.

Maybe you're right. The bitterness of failure after trying beats the endless regret of "Why wasn't I braver back then."

But remember, being brave doesn't mean acting recklessly. Being brave is... saying "I'm aware of all the possible endings of this path and I accept them all."

"Then, I tread this path with no regrets, and nothing will change my mind."

...

Thank you, I've calmed down. I'll make some preparations... But tomorrow, I still need to go see Psyche.

Don't worry, I've eased things with Henrik. I'll just pretend I don't know anything.

Okay. We also need a plan after we rescue those lodgers. You're not familiar with Icelake, so I'll handle that.

(Gotta act casually when I see Psyche to avoid suspicion.)

Psyche?

Are you... crying?

Sorry, I just...

What happened?

I'm sorry...

Oh, it's you.

What's going on? What happened to Psyche?

She's sick and needs treatment.

And she needs some time to rest. It's nothing serious, but please leave her alone for the next few days.

Psyche, would you like to go out for a walk with me?

Let's go outside for some fresh air. Don't be afraid.

...Vita.

...I want to go to the Lamenting Lake.

Sure, I'll go with you.

Mr Henrik, may I go out for a walk? Don't worry, it won't take long. I promise to come back shortly.

...

Go ahead. But remember what I've told you. Otherwise... you know what will happen.

...I understand.

If anything happens to Psyche, you won't have a second chance to leave Icelake.

Keep that in mind.

It sounds like a steam whistle. Is there a train passing by?

...

That's nice. Do the passengers have lights on? Are the windows looking pretty and warm, like tiny flames in a fireplace?

...Oh, I see.

Psyche... when did your eyesight start to fade?

When was it...

I don't really know. I thought it'd be the same as before, just blurry for a while, and then it'd go away. But now it just...

Let's not talk about that. There's a place I'd like to visit; could you come with me?

It's by the Lamenting Lake, near an old tree stump. My dad once took me there when I was little.

...It's been so long.

Here we are.

There should be a small box buried near the roots. Vita, could you help me find it?

Could you open it?

This is a...

It's called a "camera," an amazing treasure.

Dad gave it to me when I was four. That year, he had managed to grow beautiful Lamenting Lake Bellflowers. A wealthy man from the inner city loved the flowers and gave this camera to Dad, which he then gave to me as a birthday gift.

But I cherished it too much to actually play with it. I thought, if I buried this precious treasure in the ground, it would sprout many more cameras by harvest time. Then our family would become rich, and my parents wouldn't have to work so hard.

So I came here alone and "sowed" it. I was quite silly back then.

When Mum and Dad found out about this later, they didn't get mad at me. Instead, they said, "Let's dig it up on your coming of age, as a gift to your future self."

Vita, thank you for keeping me company these past days, but I don't have anything valuable to give you. Please take this camera as a gift from me.

I no longer need it because of my eyes, but your journey is still long.

Please see the world for me with your eyes.

...

Since we're already here, how about a little stroll around the lake?

When I was little, Dad would sometimes bring me here for walks.

Despite the occasional hide-and-seek with the Filthoids, I always looked forward to coming here.

Because I loved the floating ice and mountains here, and more so, I loved watching the trains roar by.

You like trains?

Yeah. I'm fascinated by their destination... the "South."

I've read that it's nothing like Icelake.

The sun's warmer there, and you get to see seasons change.

When spring comes, the ice and snow melt away, and there are flowers everywhere, even in the wilds.

I always dreamed that if I could catch a train, I could actually get there.

But Dad told me, it was not a dream we could afford.

Because... you're Charons?

Yes. And also because Mum and Dad are just ordinary gardeners. We were poor and didn't have the means to board that train.

So, the day you showed up at the door of the Hypnos' House, I was thrilled... I'd never met anyone outside Icelake.

I've always secretly wondered what your homeland is like. Have you seen the ocean with your own eyes? Is it as large as a hundred lakes put together?

If only I could also see it for myself...

...Look at me, almost eighteen and still daydreaming like a child.

Listen, Psyche. It can be more than just a dream.

Besides Berry, you were the first one to be so kind to me. I've always wanted to do something for you.

There's no one else here, so tell me, have you been under threat? You can trust me. No matter how scary the enemy may be, I'll protect you.

I'm a stranger here, I can take you away, just like the day we went to the pit together.

Once I find Berry, we can go to my hometown in the South, build little houses by the sea, and grow flowers around our homes. When spring comes and the flowers bloom, your eyes will heal.

Every day, the sun will shine so brightly that you might even find yourself missing Icelake's snow... Oh, it might be a slight damper on your dream, but are you scared of bugs? The ones in the South are bigger and noisier.

Thank you. I'm not under threat, it's just that...

I just can't leave Icelake, no matter what.

Psyche.

...!

Henrik...!

It's not safe outside the city. You've been out too long.

Sorry! I'll head back now.

Psyche, keep in mind what I said. If you decide to trust me...

Meet me by the ticket booth south of the Hypnos' House at 2 AM.

...Goodbye, Vita.

...

Keep your nose out of things that don't concern you.

The sun should be setting by now. I wonder if Lamenting Lake looks as beautiful as it always does at this time.

...

Yeah... it's a spectacular view.

Would you like to take a walk with me by the lakeside?

("Can't leave Icelake"... What does she mean by that?)

(...Not a clue. I'll just have to go back and see what happens.)

(That guy over there looks familiar... Have I met him before?)

Alright, alright, I surrender! But it wasn't me, I swear!

It's you?

Alright, I trust you, Ms Camilla. But remember, keep a close eye on this kid and don't let her stir up any trouble in town. If the Chief finds out about this, we'll both be in for it.

D**n ! Didn't expect to run into you... Do me a favour, miss, keep this between us, will you?

Who is this...

Alright, alright, here's your money bag! I haven't had a decent meal in days, so I got desperate... I'm sorry!

...You executed him!? I don't think he deserves this...

Keep it down! I told you it wasn't me. I was just trying to sneak the body out.

My name's Kevin. We've met before, I'm in the outskirts escort... And this poor soul here is Hal, my old neighbour. We've known each other since we were kids.

He lost his mother at an early age and had been getting into countless brawls ever since. My family doesn't allow me to interact with Charons, but he was an old friend from when I was a kid, so I'd sometimes help him out...

One day, he came to me, acting all weird. I thought he'd racked up debts again, or that he came to moan about being hit again by his drunkard dad. But to my surprise, he said he was showing signs of Deterioration...

What exactly is "Deterioration"?

As a Charon, you don't know about Deterioration? Are you really a native?

Ah right, Camilla did mention something about that. Makes sense then.

Alright, alright! I won't ask any more questions! Please don't tell anyone!

So Deterioration is a peculiar disease that only Charons might suffer from. Once you've got it, there's no cure.

You folks usually awaken some kind of power around your teens, but not everyone's that lucky.

There are always a few poor wretches who somehow get it wrong and turn into Filthoids, but way stronger than the regular Filthoids out there; a whole escort might not even be able to take one down.

If a Deteriorator appears in the city... the entire neighbourhood is doomed.

Now you get why most Solas hate Charons, right? They say it's the evil magic running through their veins that brings all this disaster. And the Deteriorators? They're seen as the worst of the worst among all Charons.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sold on this, but... How come such a rare thing had to happen to Hal?

About two weeks ago, he came to me all in a flap, but what could I do? Harbouring a Deteriorator is as serious a crime as sheltering a member of the Forsakens, one slip and you're done for. All I could do was give him some food and tell him to sort himself out.

Later I heard he got nabbed for stealing, and when they found out he was a Deteriorator, they took him straight to the Security Bureau.

Like I said, there's no cure for Deteriorators. What else could happen? They get handed over to the Escort, and then... well, you know.

He pretty much had it coming... But still, we were friends for a few years. I couldn't bear the thought of him lying in a cold morgue, so I sneaked him out... I was gonna bury him by Lamenting Lake, right next to his mother.

Hold on, I'm curious, what symptoms would appear between the onset of Deterioration and its full development?

I wouldn't know. But I've heard that some would turn extremely violent, and some poor souls would gradually lose their senses, like going blind or deaf or something, perhaps.

This is all just hearsay though. If you're curious about it, better ask a doctor. But it seems to me you've awakened already successfully, why do you care?

...

Uh! I got a little dizzy and didn't see the step, thank you.

I suddenly couldn't see clearly back there and ended up startling that monster... I'm so sorry!

Psyche... when did your eyesight start to fade?

When was it...

(...Could Psyche's sight loss be a symptom of Deterioration... Could all the "lodgers" at the Hypnos' House be Deteriorators?)

Sir, I'd like to inquire about someone, and I hope you'll be frank and supportive. See this camera? If you refuse, I might just hand it over to the Security Bureau, they'd surely be interested.

Come on! Cut me some slack... If you're digging for some military secrets, you don't need to corner a mere foot soldier like me, I'm basically just a gatekeeper!

Do you know anything about Henrik Ethelred, the owner of the Hypnos' House in the north of the city? I mean ANYTHING about him, I'd like to hear it all.

Henrik Ethelred... isn't he just an inn owner? Oh, my superior does have some connection with him. He's got a bit of a history, but has been a law-abiding citizen these past years.

Oh, that man's got quite the temper, not a rare occasion he's shut the door on travellers. But that's just how he is, even back in his proper job days, he wasn't a nice guy either, though at least back then he had his family to keep him in check.

Well, it was... what, some fourteen, fifteen years ago? Henrik Ethelred committed a murder up in Scarletriver, Flagson.

The victim was a Charon, one with signs of Deterioration, like I just said. Not a major crime though, so he only served a few months before getting released.

Why would he do that?

...I don't know. But everyone would fear and despise a Deteriorator, I guess.

I just heard this from my superior. It's been a long time and it didn't happen locally, so don't hold it against me if I've got some details wrong!

The older folks in Icelake all know that Henrik was once a renowned doctor. Quite the skilled medic, he was, even the nobles from the inner city would go to him.

But then something happened, and he shut down his clinic at the height of his fame, only to reopen it as an inn a couple of years later.

Oh, come to think of it, that was right around the time he got in trouble in Scarletriver...

He had a wife and a daughter, they were just an ordinary family of three. But then his wife passed away quite early, and he raised his daughter on his own.

As for his daughter... what's her name? Heidi? Hayley? I don't quite remember, anyway, she went on a trip to Scarletriver with Henrik but never returned with him.

He never talks about his daughter. One year, my superior asked about her over drinks, and Henrik just smashed his glass and stormed off.

I swear, I've told you everything I know. Can you please let me off now? Just give me the film, damn it, you look nice, how could you be so cunning!

Well, take care, sir.

Hey! You're just gonna leave like that? Where are you going?! Oi!

You promised not to tell anyone, didn't you? You have to stick to your word...

I've been meaning to ask, what do your parents do?

Why do you ask?

Because the power of Resonance is quite special, isn't it? The magical abilities among Charons often relate to their bloodline. Who knows, you might be from some prestigious background.

Truth is, I don't know... It's always been just Berry and me since my earliest memories. I don't remember any other family members.

Ah, I see...

Hey, if you ever find out you're actually some princess or duke's secret love child, don't forget about this poor old friend of yours, alright?

Hah, that would be nice, wouldn't it?

Finally!

You're such a pest, Outsider! Making me stand watch here... This Demon King's great talents are meant for leading hunts, not keeping tabs on that gloomy man!

That's because, you have a special gift for acting by stealth, "Your Majesty." Look at us, all big and clumsy, we'd be spotted by Henrik in no time.

Hmph, smart of you to have recognised my greatness, wait! That's just a roundabout way of calling me short!!

No, not at all. You're the tallest and mightiest, the towering Icelake gates were practically built for you...

Shh! ...He's coming out.

Right on 8 o'clock! If he ever changes careers again, he could offer time-telling services in the town square!

...Stick to the original plan. Snow and I will tail Henrik, and Outsider, you sneak into Henrik's office through the chimney. We'll meet up at your doorstep afterwards.

Got it.

Back already? Shouldn't you be following Henrik?

Little Minion, hurry up!

Shhh, Keep it down, or he will notice us.

You again? Are you stalking me? What do you want?

No, no! We were just, uh, heading back to the tavern! Total coincidence!

(He stopped... We need to find a place to hide.)

Ooh, I've got an idea! We hide inside this big guy and follow him without making a sound!

...Then tell me how you're planning to sneak inside without the soldiers noticing?

Uh... well... um... Oh, look, Henrik's leaving! Let's go!

Flowers of Solicitude...? Looks like it's a flower shop.

He went in there to buy flowers...? Wait...! Is he going on a date!?

Hey, you two.

Yes, I'm talking to you. What exactly are you doing sneaking around on the roof?

Sneaking around? Nah-uh! We're just admiring the lovely view! Look at that gorgeous sunlight...

...It's nighttime. And I need to fix this roof. Move.

Let's leave.

Aw... We totally lost him...

Let's check with the florist. Maybe they saw something.

Hello! We found this silver coin, pretty sure that man just dropped it! We wanted to return it to him...

Wait, Are you crying? Did that guy say something mean to you?

Ah... no, it's just some Dewiolet pollen in my eyes. Thank you for asking.

If you mean the gentleman in white... I believe he's by the pond, northeast of here.

Got it. Thank you.

Wait, you...

Hm? Are you talking to me?

...No, I might have mistaken you for someone else. Sorry... Here, please take this.

Y...Y...You're still here?! Scared me half to death.

Alright, alright, I surrender! But it wasn't me, I swear!

It's you?

Alright, I trust you, Ms Camilla. But remember, keep a close eye on this kid and don't let her stir up any trouble in town. If the Chief finds out about this, we'll both be in for it.

D**n ! Didn't expect to run into you... Do me a favour, miss, keep this between us, will you?

Who is this...

Alright, alright, here's your money bag! I haven't had a decent meal in days, so I got desperate... I'm sorry!

...You executed him!? I don't think he deserves this...

Keep it down! I told you it wasn't me. I was just trying to sneak the body out.

My name's Kevin. We've met before, I'm in the outskirts escort... And this poor soul here is Hal, my old neighbour. We've known each other since we were kids.

He lost his mother at an early age and had been getting into countless brawls ever since. My family doesn't allow me to interact with Charons, but he was an old friend from when I was a kid, so I'd sometimes help him out...

One day, he came to me, acting all weird. I thought he'd racked up debts again, or that he came to moan about being hit again by his drunkard dad. But to my surprise, he said he was showing signs of Deterioration...

What exactly is "Deterioration"?

As a Charon, you don't know about Deterioration? Are you really a native?

Ah right, Camilla did mention something about that. Makes sense then.

Alright, alright! I won't ask any more questions! Please don't tell anyone!

So Deterioration is a peculiar disease that only Charons might suffer from. Once you've got it, there's no cure.

You folks usually awaken some kind of power around your teens, but not everyone's that lucky.

There are always a few poor wretches who somehow get it wrong and turn into Filthoids, but way stronger than the regular Filthoids out there; a whole escort might not even be able to take one down.

If a Deteriorator appears in the city... the entire neighbourhood is doomed.

Now you get why most Solas hate Charons, right? They say it's the evil magic running through their veins that brings all this disaster. And the Deteriorators? They're seen as the worst of the worst among all Charons.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sold on this, but... How come such a rare thing had to happen to Hal?

About two weeks ago, he came to me all in a flap, but what could I do? Harbouring a Deteriorator is as serious a crime as sheltering a member of the Forsakens, one slip and you're done for. All I could do was give him some food and tell him to sort himself out.

Later I heard he got nabbed for stealing, and when they found out he was a Deteriorator, they took him straight to the Security Bureau.

Like I said, there's no cure for Deteriorators. What else could happen? They get handed over to the Escort, and then... well, you know.

He pretty much had it coming... But still, we were friends for a few years. I couldn't bear the thought of him lying in a cold morgue, so I sneaked him out... I was gonna bury him by Lamenting Lake, right next to his mother.

Hold on, I'm curious, what symptoms would appear between the onset of Deterioration and its full development?

I wouldn't know. But I've heard that some would turn extremely violent, and some poor souls would gradually lose their senses, like going blind or deaf or something, perhaps.

This is all just hearsay though. If you're curious about it, better ask a doctor. But it seems to me you've awakened already successfully, why do you care?

...

Uh! I got a little dizzy and didn't see the step, thank you.

I suddenly couldn't see clearly back there and ended up startling that monster... I'm so sorry!

Psyche... when did your eyesight start to fade?

When was it...

(...Could Psyche's sight loss be a symptom of Deterioration... Could all the "lodgers" at the Hypnos' House be Deteriorators?)

Sir, I'd like to inquire about someone, and I hope you'll be frank and supportive. See this camera? If you refuse, I might just hand it over to the Security Bureau, they'd surely be interested.

Come on! Cut me some slack... If you're digging for some military secrets, you don't need to corner a mere foot soldier like me, I'm basically just a gatekeeper!

Do you know anything about Henrik Ethelred, the owner of the Hypnos' House in the north of the city? I mean ANYTHING about him, I'd like to hear it all.

Henrik Ethelred... isn't he just an inn owner? Oh, my superior does have some connection with him. He's got a bit of a history, but has been a law-abiding citizen these past years.

Oh, that man's got quite the temper, not a rare occasion he's shut the door on travellers. But that's just how he is, even back in his proper job days, he wasn't a nice guy either, though at least back then he had his family to keep him in check.

Well, it was... what, some fourteen, fifteen years ago? Henrik Ethelred committed a murder up in Scarletriver, Flagson.

The victim was a Charon, one with signs of Deterioration, like I just said. Not a major crime though, so he only served a few months before getting released.

Why would he do that?

...I don't know. But everyone would fear and despise a Deteriorator, I guess.

I just heard this from my superior. It's been a long time and it didn't happen locally, so don't hold it against me if I've got some details wrong!

The older folks in Icelake all know that Henrik was once a renowned doctor. Quite the skilled medic, he was, even the nobles from the inner city would go to him.

But then something happened, and he shut down his clinic at the height of his fame, only to reopen it as an inn a couple of years later.

Oh, come to think of it, that was right around the time he got in trouble in Scarletriver...

He had a wife and a daughter, they were just an ordinary family of three. But then his wife passed away quite early, and he raised his daughter on his own.

As for his daughter... what's her name? Heidi? Hayley? I don't quite remember, anyway, she went on a trip to Scarletriver with Henrik but never returned with him.

He never talks about his daughter. One year, my superior asked about her over drinks, and Henrik just smashed his glass and stormed off.

I swear, I've told you everything I know. Can you please let me off now? Just give me the film, damn it, you look nice, how could you be so cunning!

Well, take care, sir.