2. Heat Death

This is the last thing I can do for you.

Don't waste your life.

Live on, brother.

Rayna!

Awake?

Where am I? Where's Rayna?

Calm down and listen to me. You're at the base of our organization, Teslovik.

You passed out, so we moved you here.

Your sister... fused with the Echo Crystals. She's still stuck back there.

Is she...

She's not dead, although you can't exactly call her current condition ''living''.

Damn, how's that different from dying!

Hey, you're not cleared to move around yet...!

It's all my fault... I couldn't protect her...

Let me tell you what you need, the Relic.

Lieutenant Fenriru?

Hehe... I'm here to tell him that with the Relic, his sister doesn't have to die.

Who are you? No, more importantly...

What on earth is the Relic you were talking about...! (Gurgle!)

Hey, Awakener! ...She passed out again.

His blood sugar is too low. Take him to get something to eat when he comes to, then bring him to the Training Unit.

I thought you were seriously injured! I guess I was overthinking it.

Well, it's not like I have time to grieve... So, where are we?

Hehe, nice to meet you, newbie. How are you? Fairly well, right? Then let's get started...

Newbie? Did I say I was joining you guys?

Huh? Uh, this may just be the Relic that can save your sister... Then again, if you don't want anything to do with it... Bye, I guess!

...

W-Wait. Fine. I'm in.

Okay, so what's my part in this?

Hehe... Glad you come around. You wish to know how to save your sister, don't you?

But we can't tell you everything at once. You see, we're technically an intelligence agency. We just can't reveal any information to a nobody, right?

As I said, I'm a newbie... Do you have to make things so complicated? Can't you just tell me everything you know already?

That's kind of rude... but alright. What exactly do you want to know?

What is this Relic?

To answer that question of yours... hmm... okay, first of all, tell me this.

How much do you know about Echo Crystals?

Uh, all I know is that it can combine things...

Correct. Fusion that transcends logic. Echo Crystals are capable of fusing together all kinds of matter, be it organic and inorganic.

For example a deer that has leaves growing from its antlers, a turtle with gemstones embedded in its shell, not to mention your sister, encased in crystal.

Uugh!

Ahem! Lieutenant.

Ah, I'm sorry. It's such a special case, I just...

Once objects have been fused in this way, there is no way they can be separated via conventional means.

The Relic is the only exception. It has splitting properties.

To only way to save your sister is to find the Relic.

What the... Tell me, where can I find one of those?!

Hehehe! That's enough for now. To find out more you will need to defeat more enemies.

Ha... ha... NOW can you tell me where the Great Relic is?

Good! As you wish. I am happy to oblige and tell you where it is... except I can't.

Because we have no idea where it actually is.

Huh?

The very existence of the Relic offends those people, and they will stop at nothing to destroy it.

Not just the Relic itself, they want to expunge any mention of it from history books as well.

So, why are you looking for it and why are you trying to fool me into thinking my sister will be okay?

Come on, let me finish first! Only idiots talk without thinking.

We're the only ones who can save your sister. That part is certain. The Relic component we have is proof of that.

Component?

That's right. To prevent it from being destroyed, the prototype Relic was taken apart and hidden in different places. One of its components is now in our possession.

And I'll tell you right off the bat that these ''people'' are our enemies. Well, they're now your enemies too.

These people you speak of, are they the ones who were hunting my sister and me?

That's right. Rasparta, worldly agents of the Ancient One.

Awakener, do you believe the Ancient One exists?

It was the Ancient One who brought the Echo Crystals to our world and caused all the disasters. But many people just laughed it off, treating it like a legend or something.

Oh, you've come this far. Not bad at all.

That's it? It's no big deal.

How about you fight me? If you can beat me, I will tell you.

Lieutenant Fenriru, are you really going to fight this noob?

Is that not okay?

No, it's not that. It's just the gap between you two is too great...

Please let me join. At least make the outcome of this battle a bit less predictable.

Is she really that strong?

Hehehe. Very well. Show me how much you have learned.

Thank you, Lieutenant. I still have much to learn...

Hm. Your skills are not as good as I thought, but still quite respectable.

Does that mean I've got your approval? Then tell me what's going on with my sister!

Why did Rasparta target her?

Hehehe... so you do want to know.

According to the prophecies contained in the Book of Falco, the Ancient One will return to earth, and he needs a vessel.

My sister... is the vessel?

The crystallized body... Rasparta's attack... and the incredible power shown in the battle with Wadjet... all these phenomena have proved one fact, that your sister is the vessel of the Ancient One.