Morimens story · Main Story
Eye of the Storm
24 scenes, 1,245 lines
1. Eye of the Storm, before the fight
143 linesKeeper! Don't let go of my hand!
Your nose stung with the acrid stench of burnt coal. After a fleeting moment of connection, you were yanked downward into the abyss by gravity.
The familiar voice and warmth faded swiftly, replaced by a creeping chill and dampness that clawed at the spine.
Keeper!
Was that... a dream?
Is it dawn yet...?
Every bone in your body feels as if it has been shattered and reassembled as you are overwhelmed with an untimely fatigue. Your temples throb, and the eyes are so dry that each blink feels like being pricked by needles.
Your throat feels like you just swallowed a mouthful of something thick and acrid, with every breath bringing suffocating blockage and pain.
Eyes open, head pounding, unfamiliar surroundings.
How many times has this happened? Can't there be a fresher way to start?
You force yourself upright, and an unexpected sight floods your vision.
A massive full moon hangs in the night sky, ethereal mist blanketing the sea, the air thick with gunpowder and the briny tang of saltwater.
Waves lap gently at the hull in a soft, rhythmic cadence, cradling the vessel as it drifts toward an unknown destination.
I'm on a ship?!
No doubt, you are aboard a steamer far out at sea. Ramona is nowhere near, and no sign of life meets your gaze.
Easy, easy. Let's think this through from the start. Why am I on this ship...?
Something about Herbert... the pattern... Francis's diary... the harbor...
Once you're ready, we'll set off. I'll be your partner, as always.
This time... the church... secrets... you have to...
...Ugh!
Fragments of memory surface, only to be shredded by a searing pain. Bile rises, scorching the throat, fresh air suddenly a rare luxury.
Whew, Ramona and I left the school together... yes, Ramona. I need to find Ramona. She'd know what's going on.
Connect the communicator
Ramona, can you hear me? Where are you?
Ignoring the soul-deep ache, you activate the Silver communicator as usual.
That's when you find the brooch, signifying your identity, is missing from your lapel.
What? How?!
Steady, steady... There's still a way. Just try Spirit Tracing.
You draw a deep breath, willing away the discomfort, and plunge once more into the depths of your spirit.
A constellation of lights twinkles, each a vibrant soul, far more numerous than you'd imagined.
So many people on this ship? That's odd...
Suppressing curiosity and a baseless dread, you focus inward. The link acts like an unyielding umbilical cord, drawing two radiant spirits toward you.
Two links? Besides Ramona, was someone else on this mission?
Your probing stirs ripples; one Gnosis seems startled. Before you can sense more, He turns sluggishly, then fixes on your position.
A chill races up your spine. Whatever is linked on the other end is coming for you!
Without time to ponder the stranger on the other end, instinct pulls you from the spirit realm, and you bolt in the opposite direction.
!
As if by cruel coincidence, the ship lets out a piercing wail the moment your foot hits the deck, a metallic beast's death cry, signaling its surrender to the sea.
Plunging into the spirit realm like that, blind to the peril. Reckless. Arrogant.
Soft, cool tentacles like orange pulp steady your teetering form, holding you firm.
I did not expect such rashness from you.
Tulu?!
You...
You're awake?
The young Awakener glances your way, his gaze calm yet commanding.
I shall overlook your impertinence... this time.
What are you doing here?
The young Awakener raises a brow in mild surprise, appraising you with a measured stare.
You still have the spirit for jests. You seem unharmed, then.
The brief lapse in our link must have been mere disturbance to the Gnosis.
Like Lotan and Ogier, Tulu is one of the many Awakeners under Mythag's administration. Yet in your year of training there, you've glimpsed him only a handful of times.
Tulu spends most of his days in slumber, his awakenings rare as comets. Assigning him to fieldwork with investigators? Unthinkable.
Yet now, an invisible link binds you tightly, his storm-like Gnosis ceaselessly scouring your mental domain.
Link lapse? No... wait, how are we even linked? And why are you outside the school?
Foolish questions. This is no time for games, the girl's time is running short. The Seafarers persist with The Ritual of Descent. The stars are aligning in their destined positions.
The girl? The Ritual of Descent?
Tension thickens between you and Tulu. After a pause, he sighs deeply, his youthful face etched with unchildlike gravity.
What do you remember?
Ramona and I left for the investigation... as for the rest...
You shake your head. Whether from external force or not, one thing is clear: your body resists recollection.
"The stars are rising to their destined positions", you know the ritual's conditions.
The Ritual of Descent, what's going on? And who are these fish-people?
I can't recall the details, but the link doesn't lie. We're allies here, Tulu, tell me what's happened.
Weariness shadows Tulu's features. He closes his eyes, as if gathering his thoughts.
My oversight, failing to notice your distress. For a human to be ensnared in this... it has taken its toll.
But "The Ritual of Descent" is a term too sensitive for a Mythag Keeper. As you press for more, Tulu's tentacles bar your path.
Someone approaches. Stay alert.
Plop...
Urgent footsteps mingle with the slap of webbed feet, vibrations rumbling beneath. A figure barrels from the deck's far end toward you.
Gur... gurgle...
Wah, help!
Help me!! %player%!
The girl dashes to your side, gasping for breath, clutching your cloak like a lifeline.
Give... @2... @1ther! @2!
These humanoid foes with aquatic traits let out eerie whines. The sounds are chaotic and grating, yet their intent pierces through.
They're saying... "give her back to us"?
The disordered roars clarify in your ears. Just a bit more, and you'd grasp what they wanted...
In that distracted instant, the girl stomps hard on your boot.
Hiss...
Are you just gonna stand there? Do something!
And you! Stop staring, focus! Don't let them grab us.
Tulu averts his gaze from you both. His tentacles whip fiercely, sweeping the relentless assailants overboard one by one.
Reinforcements incoming. They're after you.
The girl purses her lips, then brightens with a spark of inspiration.
Into the cabin! We can shake them for now.
She backs away a few steps, and you shield her as you follow. Kicking aside planks, she reveals a hatch in the deck.
A hidden door?!
Hidden door? Must you tease me at a time like this!?
It's not like you've never been belowdecks, stop dawdling, get ready!
Tulu raises no objection. Under his silent cover, you and the girl yank open the iron hatch.
Beneath lies a metal ladder descending into unseen depths.
Quick! You first!
You can't fight, I have to protect you, ah!
Ignoring your protests, the girl, slender and agile, slips behind you.
And with a solid kick, sends you tumbling into the black void.
Ouch, ouch...
You land in what feels like soft seaweed, the fishy reek and salty brine assaulting your senses, spinning your already aching head.
Hey! You! Don't just hang there, get down!
Tulu sweeps another fish-headed monster over the rail before glancing your way. He grips the hatch frame, but his next move defies expectation.
Don't worry. Proceed and rendezvous with the others. I must confirm why they cling to the ritual.
The hatch slams shut, plunging you and the girl into utter darkness.
The girl huffs in defiance, deftly cranking the winch to secure the lock.
Whew, should be safe for now.
She flicks a switch. The ancient bulb flickers, then floods the space with light, banishing the shadows.
And you finally behold the "seaweed" cushioning your fall.
Body and mind sink into hell's darkest lava, this is no mere seaweed. Your palm roots in a crimson mire of unidentified tissues, jagged bones pricking painfully.
Arcane runes smeared by fluids resemble a garish ballroom carpet, clearly, a minor pagan rite has unfolded here.
Decay permeates the cabin; fish remnants alone couldn't produce such stench. Larger, fattier participants must have joined this macabre revelry.
Urgh...
Typical Seafarer mess, they never clean up...
The girl mutters, eyeing your sprawl on the altar with distaste. She circles you, then hauls you up by your cleaner arm.
With Tulu up there, they won't chase us anytime soon... I'll find something to cover this altar, the smell's awful.
Your temples pulse in rhythm, agony splitting your skull. Bile surges, and you double over, retching uncontrollably.
Huh?! What's wrong?! Don't scare me like that!
Stay back!!
I'm not just some little girl; I have a name.
Murphy. Call me Murphy.
Her anxious face merges with fragmented memories, blending two similar yet distinct scenes into one.
Murphy...?
Y-You okay? Did the altar gross you out that bad?
She circles you again, then, under the dim light, tiptoes to inspect your state.
Murphy mumbles indistinctly, stiffly rummaging through the stacked crates.
No... this one's busted jewelry.
You glance over: a coral, pearl, and lapis lazuli headdress lies there, pricey-looking. Its eerie design induces a dizzying haze.
...Damn, all ritual junk.
The second crate brims with oddities: stone bowls, sage, powders... To the uninitiated, it might pass for an apothecary's stock.
Got it! Here, squat down.
A paste smears your scalp, cool with a spicy bite, easing the pain somewhat. Hair clumps under the ointment, prompting you to comb it...
Hey! Don't mess with it yet! It's not poison.
Murphy hands you the jar. No ingredients or name on the label, just a bizarre pattern, clearly homemade.
...Déjà vu? That design on the label... you've seen it somewhere.
She eyes you nervously, guilt plain over the stair tumble.
Yeah... not hurting now.
Temples still throb faintly, but the back of your head feels soothed.
Your gaze drifts to the ruined "altar"; Murphy has already draped cloth over it to spare you another bout of nausea.
Now, crimson and gray-green fluids bleed through the burlap, forming a grotesque shape, like a peculiar dagger, or an infant on the cusp of its first cry.
See? Told you it works...
Affirmation relaxes her, drawing out a smile. Gazing at her eased form, an inner voice whispers...
She is the eye of the storm. She holds the key to it all.
2. Dagger, before the fight
85 linesTulu said we should rendezvous with the others... Hmph, easier said than done.
Murphy paces the hold, her agitation plain to see. You draw a deep breath and call out to her.
Murphy.
Maybe we should just hunker down in a corner...
Murphy! I have something to tell you!
I... I'm a bit confused on what's happening. Why am I on this ship? How do I know you...?
Honestly, I only just remembered your name.
...Ah! Don't tell me that kick down the hatch knocked something loose! Damn it, why now of all times...
Murphy scratches her head in frustration, clearly at a loss.
The whole story... it's too complicated to explain. And this isn't exactly safe. We need to join up with the others first.
Others?
The Sona-Nyl's captain and his crew, and Ramona.
Oh! Can you try that thing again? The one where you dive into the spirit realm to find people.
Spirit Tracing? You know Ramona, Tulu, and even that I can do Spirit Tracing... What happened before?
Stop dawdling! Find Ramona's position first, I'll explain on the way.
Sinking into the spirit realm proves agonizing like never before, your consciousness scraping through thorns, laced with pinpoint pains. And when you finally spot the familiar glow...
Snap...
Urgh...!
Your mental tendrils barely graze your mind's edge before snapping like dry vines.
Soul-rending agony pierces your temples, dropping you at Murphy's feet.
H-Hey?! Don't scare me, don't die on me?!
I-I'm fine...
Spirit Tracing is usually your forte, but now your body blocks your spirit wanderings.
You're certain: it's your own body expelling you from the spirit realm, not some mysterious entity.
@2... gurgle...
That's the Seafarers, they've found us! Can't stay here. Follow me.
Murphy strains to haul you up, your weight making her legs quiver. You shift your balance toward the bulkhead, and with her support, you stagger deeper into the ship...
You halt before a heavy iron door, marred by eerie dents and bulges. From the ill-fitting seams wafts the acrid tang of smoke.
Murphy, are we going in?
Shh, let me listen...
Murphy gently releases you, presses her ear to the door, and listens intently with eyes closed.
Seems empty. Let's hide in here.
Before Murphy pushes it open, you glance at the label, "Engine Room."
No bustling scene awaits: no burly workers, no roaring boilers, just sparks flying everywhere.
Cold, rigid bodies litter the floor, the fish-headed monsters that pursued you.
Murphy and Tulu call them "Seafarers."
Massive breaches gape in the bulkheads, admitting gusts of chill wind. Murphy rubs her reddened ears, steadying you as you step over flames into the ruins.
Cough, cough... this stench is unbearable.
This place... saw a fierce battle?
Fierce battle? That's putting it lightly for what went down here.
Oh... right, you don't remember.
Amid the debris, something gleams conspicuously.
Before you identify it, Murphy's face twists, part horror, part sorrow.
I don't know when she turned into this raving lunatic...
Her lips curl as she haphazardly recounts the "past," edging toward the glint in the rubble.
She wouldn't listen to a word, no matter how I begged, she insisted on this ritual...
The gleam is an oddly shaped dagger, resting amid dying embers. Despite the dust, its edge screams sharpness.
She used to be so kind to me...
Murphy stares at the dagger for a moment, then scrambles into the wreckage on all fours, reaching for it.
Gur... gurgle...
Among the fallen Seafarers, one props itself up on a broken weapon, staggering to its feet, bulging eyes, nearly popping from sockets, fixing murderously on Murphy above.
Why... why... from the High Priestess... why?
Divine Mother, Divine Mother... Gurgle, gurgle...! I've found the Divine Mother!
High Priestess, High Priestess! The ritual nears, THE RITUAL NEARS!
The Seafarer's fish-like jaw gapes impossibly wide, the membrane connecting it stretched translucent.
Driven by fear, hope, and faith, it erupts with unimaginable vitality. The Seafarer shoves you aside, screeching as it bolts for the engine room exit.
No, he's getting away!
Shlkk...
A keen point bursts from the gray-blue chest, fluids spraying as the Seafarer crumples.
Murphy stands guard at the door, unnoticed until now, gray-green ichor dripping from the dagger's tip.
Fabric shreds cling to it, carvings clogged with flesh. Murphy trembles visibly, yet her grip remains ironclad.
...Sorry, can't let you go.
Murphy eyes the dagger a while longer, then wipes away the Seafarer's blood.
He was going to alert the others...
Leaning against the door, Murphy surveys the engine room's devastation, lashes fluttering uneasily.
But Miryam is already... why won't they give up...
Murphy murmurs the name, triggering an inexplicable dizziness. You blink through the nausea before voicing your question.
Who's Miryam?
She's the Seafarers'... the fish-people's leader.
Then this "Divine Mother"...
The question triggers mechanical swallows, tension mounting.
Your body knows the answer, yet subconscious dread blocks recall.
...
Murphy looks up, sorrow swirling in her eyes.
It's me.
I'm the pitiful wretch infested by monsters, the destined vessel for a pagan god's rebirth.
I... am the Seafarer cult's "Divine Mother."
As the final word escapes Murphy's lips, white light explodes before your eyes, laced with agony.
Hey?! Hey! %player%?!
Your body topples backward uncontrollably, low-frequency hums circling your ears, the girl's cries drowned in pain's torrent.
At the light's end, an intangible gaze fixes upon you.
The unknown entity judges you, whether your shattered skull merits mending, whether your unraveling soul can be rewoven.
Eyes wide, consciousness slips from your form...
3. The Ambush, before the fight
16 linesThree hours earlier Port Town Bridgeport Third Wharf
%player%, watch out behind you!
Detecting unalerted high-frequency waves; comms auto-linking. Once again, good evening, Keeper, Ramona.
Sounds like someone's scared witless.
Please refrain from unnecessary verbal interference with field personnel.
Fine, fine. So, need a hand?
We need backup!
We're at Bridgeport Town's Third Wharf, engaged with unknown hostiles.
Summoning nearest field investigators... Investigator Delapore expected at Third Wharf in thirty minutes.
Thirty's too long. South road's swarming, we'll break north.
Driver notified for pickup at Third Wharf north exit.
Unknown hostiles? Not the Church of the Lightbearers?
Log new enemy intel?
Please, Erica, not now.
Humanoids with undocumented aquatic traits; report forthcoming upon return.
%player%, stay on guard and prepare for breakout.
4. The Ambush, after the fight
43 linesYou sent the driver off, lots of enemy reinforcements?
Too many; retreat's cut off.
Moonlit waves rippled; in unlit corners, who knew how many lurked.
Back @2! @1! Order @1!
Tightening the noose at a certain berth, the fish-people halted their advance, muttering inscrutable gibberish in a standoff.
Why aren't they attacking?
...
Ramona, what is it?
From herding us north to sealing the exit, they've always left a path.
Their assault was deliberate, to corner us here at Third Wharf, Berth 2.
But this spot seems ordinary...
Ship?
Ramona's words unleashed a gale, scattering the fog in your mind.
!
A colossal vessel materialized behind you, eclipsing the moon, shrouding all in shadow.
Post-manifestation, the encircling fish-people erupted in cheers, then exhibited bizarre behavior.
Look at them!
The fish-people formed a queue, leaping toward the ship like suicidal possums heedless of life.
Weirder still, as webbed hands neared the hull, faint fluorescence rippled, repelling all boarders into the water.
This ship... is rejecting the fish-people?
The outer hull's rusted and faded, original markings illegible, its name in white paint barely discernible.
Sona...
Sona-Nyl. Erica, any Mythag records?
Sona-Nyl, formerly of Black Star Shipping, passenger liner for transoceanic routes.
Post-Black Star bankruptcy, anonymously acquired privately, reregistered and converted to cargo.
William, you know this ship?
A.F 288., Sona-Nyl sank in a storm. Years later, "ghost ship" sightings were reported along the coasts of northern sea.
A Mythag investigator boarded once but returned no usable intel.
Yes, memory gaps aside, no other anomalies. Brief convalescence, then back to the front lines.
Can we patch him in?
...Regrettably, no. He perished in a mission before you joined Mythag.
Wait! Ramona, you can't mean...
Yes, they won't let us wait for rescue.
Fish-people pivoted weapons toward you, no longer assaulting the Sona-Nyl. Circle shrank; you and Ramona backed against the hull.
Ramona inhaled deeply, touching the lowered gangway.
Unlike the repelled fish-people, her fingers met solid hull. You exchanged glances and pressed your hand to the ship.
Mild resistance halted your hand mid-air, then vanished; steel's chill penetrated your glove, numbing your scalp.
The Sona-Nyl accepts you.
Boarding now.
5. No Escape, before the fight
51 linesThree hours earlier Port Town Bridgeport Third Wharf
The acrid tang of rusted iron assaulted your nostrils. With each step, the gangplank groaned underfoot, teetering on the brink of collapse.
No signs of maintenance or repairs, but aside from the age, the hull looks solid enough. No obvious saltwater corrosion, and nothing clinging below the waterline, no barnacles, no oysters...
You and Ramona climbed the rickety gangplank side by side. The path ahead dissolved into a swirling fog, obscuring everything beyond.
Find anything?
The Sona-Nyl doesn't match the profile of a sunken ghost ship. It contradicts the records of it going down in a storm.
I'd love to dig into this ship's history, but now's not the time.
She glanced back. The enemies who herded you onto the gangplank clustered below, their vacant fish eyes locking onto yours.
Just as I thought, they're not following us up...
Ramona lowered her voice to a whisper.
These fish-people are blocked by the Sona-Nyl, but for some reason, the ship let us aboard.
We're the key to getting in. Once they're on board too, we're disposable.
Exactly. So... I've got an idea.
You stepped onto the final rung of the gangplank.
Your eyes were brushed by a warm breeze as gentle as the sky's caress upon a bird in flight, and the world seemed to be inverted before you.
The massive full moon vanished from the sky. Aurora-like halos twisted around the ship's hull, casting eerie hues across the deck.
Ramona, something's wrong!
The gangplank shuddered. Now that you were safely on deck, the fish-people abandoned their watch, scrambling up with hands and feet.
Too late, they're coming up.
Ramona swung her sword with full force, shattering the securing latch. The gangplank plummeted, but no thud echoed from below.
Your heart pounded wildly. The ship's anomalies flooded your mind. It took a moment before either of you could speak again.
At least they can't board from this one.
The sights on this ship... definitely fit my stereotype of a ghost ship.
No sound when the gangplank fell, means we're probably in some isolated space. Interesting, huh?
This is a visible Domain.
The fog around the school runs on Silver Technology. Wonder what force powers this ship?
Could it be an Awakener?
No records like this in the archives, but theoretically, an Awakener could create an isolated space, you want the details?
Spare me...
Doll, you hearing this?
Come on, read the room!
Ramona tapped her brooch. A faint glow flickered across the communicator's silver surface.
Huh...?
Ramona leaned over and tapped your communicator. You focused your mind as usual, but nothing happened.
Your mental energy dissipated like tears in the ocean, fading into silence.
Looks intact on the outside, but no signal's going out.
Why's everything always jamming comms? Last time in the Wax Museum too...
Silver tech isn't foolproof. Besides, we're only scratching the surface with Silver anyway.
Hope those fish-people don't climb up somewhere else...
Yeah. Stay alert, and pray this ship doesn't set sail.
Woo,
As if a lark answered an opera singer's trill, a long horn blast echoed Ramona's prayer.
...
...
I know what you're thinking, but please, not now.
We can't sail out with the Sona-Nyl. Too many red flags on this ship.
Check the other side of the deck! I see ropes for a lifeboat, let's try escaping on the water.
Hold up... I hear something.
Fish-like faces emerged on deck. The culprits who chased you aboard closed in.
6. No Escape, after the fight
43 linesUgh...! Mere lowly humans, how are they this tough...
The boy stared in disbelief, eyes wide. In the skirmish, Ramona's flurry of sword strikes had wounded his fins and tail. Grayish-red blood flowed freely across the deck, seeping into the planks.
He leaned on his weapon to stay upright, clearly unable to parry your attacks any longer.
You're different from those fish-headed monsters. And your power...
Ramona flourished her sword, its tip drawing a graceful yet lethal arc, pointing straight at the kneeling boy.
You're an Awakener... right?
Insolent! Our bloodline far surpasses you wretched humans, you've no right to call Seafarers monsters!
Ramona's words stung the boy's nerves. He surged with power, his dorsal spines bristling as he knocked her sword aside.
Ramona, watch out!
You drew your Silver Key, attempting to link and suppress the erupting Awakener boy.
But you sensed the anomaly instantly: his mind was utterly stable, tethered by a serpentine chain to something nearby.
To his Linker.
A twisted shadow slithered from the Seafarer horde, slamming into hand gripping the Silver Key like lightning. The force hurled you against the railing.
Caecus, that's enough.
L-Lady Miryam! Give me one more chance, I'll deal with these two.
The woman crowned with thorns glanced at him, silent. Her gaze shifted to Ramona, then to you, finally lingering on the faintly glowing Silver Key at your chest.
A Silver Key...
In the next instant, a snake-like shadow shot from beneath her veil, coiling up your body.
It was indeed a "snake", a violet energy construct wrapping your wrist tightly, its ominous fangs poised menacingly at you...
Hands off {Male=him,Female=her}!
Ramona whirled and hurled her rapier, shattering one snake-shadow eyeing you.
In the next second, her legs burst with astonishing strength. She leaped over the pair like she was flying, reaching your side in a flash. She yanked you into a roll, dodging the snake-shadow's renewed assault while drawing her weapon.
We're no match for that woman, get to the lifeboat!
Ramona gave you no chance to argue, shoving you into the lifeboat.
She vaulted onto the gunwale, knees bent for balance, then slashed sideways with precision. The lifeboat's securing mechanism shattered, and a massive wave of weightlessness engulfed your mind.
Ramona!
Ramona dangled half off the ship. A snake-shadow snared her ankle, dragging her back over the railing.
The lifeboat tipped in its descent. Darkness and bone-chilling seawater flooded your throat.
In your final glimpse, Ramona reached out to you.
Ramona slumped on the deck, rubbing her ankle with a furrowed brow.
Crack...
She gritted her teeth, snapped the dislocated joint back into place. Her face twisted briefly before resuming its usual composure.
The woman, poised like a leader, strode to Ramona and looked down at her.
Silver Key, Link, Awakener...
I overlooked your appearances at the harbor. Now it's clear, the prophecy of Our Lord comes true. None can halt the stars' alignment. All in this mortal world heads where it must.
The harbor... You're the one who ordered these Seafarers to chase us, using us to breach the ship's Domain boundary.
Miryam offered no denial, a devout smile gracing her elegant face.
Students from Mythag University, as nourishment for Our Lord, none could be more fitting.
Miryam turned away from Ramona, unconcerned by the weapon still clutched in her hand. She seemed utterly confident, as if Ramona's resistance had ceased.
Or rather, she was certain it wouldn't pose any threat.
This is your last chance, Caecus. Take her below. Guard her well.
She'll be the final piece of the ritual. Once Our Lord is reborn, He'll devour the fool's sweet flesh.
He will raise our city from the sea, restore our kingdom to this chaotic world, forging a new future for the Seafarers.
7. The Indulgent, before the fight
44 linesWater poured endlessly into your body. Nostrils, ear, throat, eyes... every orifice in your upper body filled with seawater.
Your blood reacted with the seawater in some way. Cells expelled from your frame, replaced by what seemed like coarse salt and grit flowing through your veins.
They scraped your body and soul from within. Your lungs brimmed with liquid. As your body sank, consciousness faded, worries for your partner squeezed out by pain and suffocation...
...
Ripples stirred the sea surface, crashing against your eardrums. You struggled to open your eyes. Something dove beneath the waves, silhouetted against the light.
It wrapped nimbly around your waist, like seaweed... no, not seaweed, but some soft yet incredibly tough muscle...
Swish...
The elongated muscle dragged you upward. Pink light from the Domain's sky entered your vision, followed by the beams of the lower deck, then the flickering electric lamps in the cabin.
Finally, a face both familiar and strange.
*Cough, cough, cough...!*
Dry air mixed with seawater lingering in your windpipe, irritating your respiratory tract like never before. Muscles spasmed, unleashing uncontrollable coughs.
The green-haired boy furrowed his brow slightly. Under his control, tentacles wrapped around you once more, then...
The tentacles contracted with precise force several times, expelling seawater and small fish from your throat.
*Cough, cough...* Thank you.
No need for thanks. Your voice is too loud, it'll draw the other Seafarers.
...I mean, for pulling me out of the sea.
Though becoming an Awakener was not my wish, Mythag University did end my millennia-long slumber. By reason and sentiment, I won't abandon a "Keeper" to death.
But... you shouldn't be here, right? The roster for this investigation only includes me and Ramona.
Without approval from the field operations leader, and unlinked by an investigator, Awakeners aren't allowed beyond Mythag's boundaries. I thought you knew that...
Awakener Tulu, File No. 6291. Codename: "Slumbering Sovereign."
You know those so-called "rules" at Mythag University mean nothing to me.
And don't use that foolish codename on me.
Tulu.
I'm not one of those rigid types from the committee. To me, Awakeners aren't beasts to shackle.
My concern is you're not on the field mission list, unlinked by anyone. Stray too far from Mythag's Black Pool for too long, and you'll slip into frenzy.
No matter. I won't be ruled by so-called instincts.
The Awakener retained his boyish form, yet every word and gesture carried the authority of a superior. A mere fleeting glance sufficed to make one's hair stand on end.
...Sigh.
I just want to know what you're doing here. You slumber year-round, not even stirring for the anomaly at the key-bestowal ceremony.
Yet you risk losing your sanity to come here... Whatever happened, it must mean a lot to you.
Everything unfolding here stems from me. As for the details, they're none of your concern.
Really? None of my concern, even when Ramona and I crossed paths with that woman Miryam, and you could barely show up to help?
I owe you no explanation, but if necessary, I'll lend aid.
Tulu's tight-lipped stance nearly ignited your anger, but reality preserved your reason.
Your hands clenched then relaxed yet again. After a few deep breaths, you finally turned to the Awakener boy before you.
Ramona's in the Seafarers' hands. Tulu, I need your help.
Tulu lifted his head, gazing into your eyes for a long moment, as if brewing words of refusal.
Just as his lips twitched, ready to utter a reply, a girl's piercing scream echoed from the cabin depths.
Is that Ramona!? Let's go!
We don't know how many Seafarers are aboard. Rushing in unprepared is truly foolish.
Foolish?
If, as you say, you won't abandon a "Keeper" to death...
Tulu, I'm about to walk to my doom.
Tulu cradled his head without reply, but as you turned to dash deeper into the cabin, you caught the boy's faint, almost imperceptible sigh.
8. The Indulgent, after the fight
32 linesThe tentacles smashed down heavily. The Seafarer's body crumpled into fragments, yet miraculously spared the girl's spot.
Tulu retracted his limbs, eyeing the gray-green and red-white slurry upon them. Disgust flickered on his face, vanishing as he discreetly wiped the filth on the deck.
Huff... Huff...
The girl clutched her wrist, breathing heavily, looking utterly shaken.
You okay?
Stay back!!
You took but half a step forward, and the girl shouted tensely, her eyes brimming with wariness.
Seeing this, you halted, raising your hands to show harmlessness.
Don't be scared, we're not bad guys. If not for us, that snake-faced creep would've used you in some ritual, right?
Ah! Speaking of rituals... Did they hurt you, miss? You're clutching your wrist, is it sprained?
I'm no "miss", I have a name.
Murphy. Call me Murphy.
Murphy, I've had first-aid training. Mind if I check your hand?
The girl eyed you hesitantly but ultimately allowed your approach, extending one hand.
You gently held her hand, pushing up her sleeve. She wore thick winter clothes. Aside from slight redness from tugging, no other injuries showed.
Probably a minor strain. Rest for a few days and it'll be fine.
Sensing Murphy's mood ease slightly, you bypassed the injury, suddenly gripping her upper arm firmly.
What are you doing?!
You know the Seafarers' leader Miryam, yet they're hunting you. Murphy, who are you really?
I-I...
That was when Tulu finished inspecting the runes and joined the conversation.
That rune is a Seafarer hypnosis ritual. Those guys wanted her asleep to avoid complications...
Before Tulu finished, Murphy's face turned ashen. Her kicking and biting struggles against you ceased, as if pondering something.
Murphy?
Thud!
Agonizing pain struck your forehead. The impact spun your world. Murphy seized the chance to break free, clutching her head as she fled deeper into the cabin.
I knew you weren't good people!!
W-wait... hear me out...
Murphy clearly ignored your feeble plea. Her figure soon vanished around the corner.
...Tulu, why didn't you stop her?
9. Apostle, after the fight
64 linesYou and Tulu ducked into a hidden nook. He stood guard while you plunged into the dreamlike spirit realm.
The familiar drowning sensation ebbed away. An intangible wind surged through your mind. You opened your eyes. The spirit realm struck you as both familiar and oddly unfamiliar.
...A ship?
A white sailing vessel bobbed at the horizon's edge, pristine, fragile, alien.
Must be because the Sona-Nyl's in a special Domain. It's actually warping the spirit realm.
Myriad glowing motes swirled around the ship, like stumbling into a summer woodland pond, with frog croaks rising and falling like drumbeats... Each Seafarer carried their own distinct imprint.
Stay calm, stay calm... Tulu's the closest to me, Ramona's the one I'm linked to...
In the gloom, a handful of light sources gleamed brightly, but chasing them proved futile. The Seafarers' presences walled off your mind like an iron barrier.
Move... get out of the way.
Ordinary humans manifested faintly in the spirit realm. Without this swarm of Seafarers, spotting Murphy on a ghost ship should've been straightforward.
Your mental tendrils fumbled through the Seafarer cluster, clumsily shoving aside one mote after another.
Murphy's mind... which one's hers...
As you silently chanted Murphy's name, an ethereal female voice suddenly tuned into your wavelength.
When you opened your eyes again, the spirit realm had twisted into an entirely different vista.
At the horizon's end, a warped, skewed city erupted from the ground. The chaotic mental clamor no longer plagued you. Utter silence prevailed, broken only by a lone dim light radiating ceaseless cold.
Who... is this?
Lady Miryam, those expedition teams wrecked the Elworth altar! The alignment's passed, and the thing we awakened...
Lady Miryam... This is Miryam's spirit realm?!
That's no Divine Mother fit to birth Our Lord! It's nothing but a killing machine!
...No matter. We'll just await the next stellar alignment. I've endured five thousand cycles, what's one more turn?
Tell the Church of the Lightbearers to remove that flawed specimen.
Y-yes...
But the new vessel for birthing Our Lord... what now?
Didn't you say the current vessel, corrupted by Dissolution, couldn't hold out another twenty-five years?
We can't see the Dissolution, but the vessel's weakening, it's plain to everyone.
The new Divine Mother...
Miryam lowered her gaze to the girl napping by the pool's edge. In the dim polar ice cavern, the girl's pink hair shone vividly, brimming with vitality.
Encircled by cultists, she cradled the sleeping girl.
Barefoot, she ascended to the altar's pinnacle, toward the frigid stone throne embodying utmost honor.
Savoring the human warmth for a prolonged silence, she spoke softly yet audibly to all.
The new Divine Mother... has already been granted by the heavens.
Murmurs burst forth among the prostrate cultists.
Murphy? The Divine Maiden? But isn't she...
Yeah, she's Lady Miryam's adopted daughter...
Even if the Church of the Lightbearers stops supplying new Awakening materials, surely Lady Miryam wouldn't sacrifice Murphy...
Isn't the high priestess being too rigid? Seafarer doctrine claims the Divine Realm fell tens of thousands of years ago.
Murphy's a kid we all watched grow... The high priestess has waited millennia, what's a little more time to find a new host?
But word is, the Divine Maiden was born during the last alignment. No one's more suited, right?
The babble of voices elicited no reaction from Miryam. Instead, the din roused Murphy, who stirred awake.
Miryam offered no reply, instead reaching to smooth Murphy's tousled hair.
When she spoke again, her words resounded with finality.
The Divine Mother has come! He shall awaken from @1, ushering in @2!
Elworth altar, expedition teams...
Could it be Francis...!
The thought scarcely formed before an icy chill seized your nape. A serpentine glare fixed upon you, hurling you out of Miryam's spirit realm.
Urgh...!
Any luck? Found her?
The irregular exit left you reeling. You steadied yourself on Tulu's tentacle.
I wandered into Miryam's spirit realm. Now she knows I'm alive.
!?
Webbed feet pounded the deck, drawing nearer. Whether Miryam had reversed the trace or not, Seafarers were encircling you.
Hey! What're you spacing out for, come with me!
Murphy beckoned from a doorway.
You and Tulu shared a look and dashed toward her lead.
Miryam perched at the bridge's apex, eyes half-shut, hand to her brow, appearing weary.
Yo, rare sight, you looking like that. What, done playing pretend with our little princess?
Watch your words, Goliath.
The Divine Mother... No mortal frame can evade the destiny I've decreed for her.
So confident, yet you haul me up here? I was in the thick of chasing that captain.
...The other Mythag student, {Male=he,Female=she}'s still breathing.
Eliminate {Male=him,Female=her}. {Male=He,Female=She} can't interfere with the ritual. It must unfold at this alignment...
Our Lord shall be reborn this night.
10. Crew Member, before the fight
26 linesMurphy led you through the cabins, tiptoeing to evade the Seafarers' patrols.
Where are we headed?
Somewhere safe, to find someone who can help.
Isn't your partner kidnapped? I know a person who knows every inch of this ship.
Find her first, then have her locate your friend... Beats running around like a headless chicken, right?
Speaking of which, you don't think we're bad guys anymore?
Murphy shot you a glare, huffing like a cat.
I'm not some idiot, I heard everything you and tentacle-boy said.
You pulled that mental trick to poke into Miryam's head, and now she knows "you're alive"... Even a dead fish on the beach could tell you're not with them.
What is this safe place you speak of?
Quit asking so much, just keep quiet and follow me.
Murphy paid no mind if you and Tulu were keeping up. She deftly pushed open another hatch and slipped through with ease.
As you prepared to follow, Tulu extended a tentacle, blocking the way between you and the door.
Keeper, do not drop your guard around this girl.
Why?
Tulu sidestepped your question with one of his own.
Tell me, how do you view the Seafarers?
Seafarers? Webbed digits, bodies fish-like above the tailbone, retaining some intelligence.
Sleek and natural forms, not like the Sculptors' Association's messes; those guys always botch their experiments into horrors.
I figured their looks came from mutations after Cataclysm exposure, but in these fights, I haven't spotted any clear D-Marks on them.
Seafarers... more like evolution's dumb joke on humanity.
They revere Miryam as high priestess. Less a tribe, more a group bound by faith.
"Evolution's dumb joke on humanity", I appreciate your metaphor.
This girl, Murphy. When we found her, Seafarers prostrated around her. And given her familiarity with Miryam, she's no ordinary follower.
Tell me, was "Murphy" present in Miryam's spirit realm?
You opened your mouth, but before your vocal cords vibrated, a muffled yelp and garbled noises echoed from beyond the door.
11. Crew Member, after the fight
16 linesA stiff boot sole stomped down hard on the Dissolution Mutant, splattering D-Slime across the floor.
Murphy lowered her swinging shovel, shaking her hand in disgust, as if flinging off the D-Slime that hadn't even touched her.
Whew... Good thing it wasn't a Seafarer, or I wouldn't have dared swing... You guys are too slow, let's move.
Hold.
Tulu's tone was icy, but recalling his words about the enigmas surrounding Murphy, you chose silence.
Though the cabins you've led us through show no Seafarer traces, the deeper we go, the more mutants we encounter.
You've been guiding us straight into danger.
Dissolution Mutants?... Oh, you mean these monsters?
Captain said the ship had some Cataclysm outbreak once. Some sailors turned into freaks, but he couldn't bear to clear them out, so he locked most in the hold.
Jeez, you done interrogating?
Murphy stomped her foot, pointing at you behind Tulu.
{Male=His,Female=Her} partner is still in Seafarer hands, right? If you keep dawdling and wasting time, and something happens to her, don't blame me.
...
Tulu glanced sideways at you for a moment, as if gauging your expression.
My partner's in peril, and we've been fighting non-stop, Tulu's just on edge. Hope you don't mind our rudeness.
Please lead us to the captain... to someone who can help find Ramona.
12. Madman's Cleaver, before the fight
22 linesWeird... I remember the captain saying to head toward the engine room if there's trouble...
Murphy...
Shush, you're interrupting my thinking.
You kept quiet on "interrupting Murphy's thinking." But you knew you had to stop her from "thinking" any further.
Under Murphy's lead, your trio reached the hold's end. Ahead loomed a cold steel bulkhead, with only an upward staircase, no way forward.
Are you lost?
No way! I don't get lost!
I've lived on this ship for months, I know every vent, every rat hole.
But look what's in front of us. Just a sealed wall, not even a vent to crawl through.
I... I just don't come down alone much. Usually I'm with the captain and crew.
There's a deck plan on the wall.
What's that supposed to mean? You doubting my memory?
I said I can find it, so I can, the captain's gotta be this way!
My partner's waiting for our help. Please, Lady Murphy, check the plan.
...Hmph!
Murphy stomped hard, reluctantly leaning in to examine the bulkhead's deck plan.
Hmm...
Let me see.
To reach the engine room, we must take these stairs up to the main deck.
Y-yeah! I remember now, the engine room's sealed tight, but with only one way in and out, it's safer.
So we'll have to head back to the deck.
Ramona and I got ambushed by Seafarers up there... The deck's probably crawling with patrols, we must be careful, avoid fights if possible.
13. Madman's Cleaver, after the fight
47 linesSuch insane power...! Terrifying even by Awakener standards.
Oh? How would a runt like you...
Tulu's hesitation prompted the giant to pause his assault, pondering. He squinted, sizing Tulu up from head to toe, his gaze lingering on the ostentatious crown.
That crown's design...!
Goliath's pupils contracted, his raw, piercing stare fixed on you both. Then, he burst into unrestrained laughter.
Ha, hahahaha! Interesting, how interesting!
If that woman saw this, what face would she make? She'd snap, right? Hahahaha, I can't wait for that moment!
The mad cackle echoed through the domain, ratcheting up the tension.
Relax, I'm not finishing you here.
Those Lightbearer incompetents can't even handle basic security, letting this runt sneak in... But thanks to their screw-up, this ritual just got way more entertaining.
Church of the Lightbearers... Seafarers are tied to them?
Ha? Don't lump me with those lunatics. Seafarers' forms make blending in tough, and they crave our power... Freaks using each other, huddling for warmth, that's all.
Not just linked to the Lightbearers, but this ritual you mention...
Goliath... who exactly are you?
Who am I? Hahahahaha! Why not ask your sidekick?
Where I, and these Seafarers, came from... You can't guess? After all, you're the supreme...
Insolence!
Scary, scary, but sorry, I'm no loyal subject of yours.
I've got ritual prep to handle, no time to tangle with you further.
Go ahead, scurry around with your tentacles tucked. But you know, the thing that woman wants, only you can provide.
The envoy who siphoned power from that impotent god... Ugh!
His taunts barely ended when violet phantoms erupted from the scar across Goliath's neck. They coiled like scarves around his throat, finally solidifying into serpents.
Goliath's face contorted at the phantoms' emergence, their fangs sinking into the neck wound.
Pain and venom intertwined, twisting his features into a grin, shark-like teeth quivering with thrill.
Ha, ha... Petty bitch, can't stand a word against her ethereal god.
A gutless, heartless coward... hah!
The phantoms yanked sharply, bowing the giant's spine into an arch, forcing him into prostration.
This all you got!?
Controlling you with inscrutable faith, letting the Cataclysm raze your civilization, a fanatic... Ha, in the end, He never even existed; it's all your delusion!
The phantoms constricted abruptly. Goliath coughed, spewing blood droplets.
H-he's...?!
An ancient punishment... Used in Lemuria to chastise and tame unbelievers and prisoners.
Tulu gazed at Goliath, still wearing his feral smirk, and sighed.
Miryam's doing? ...Wait! Doesn't this mean Miryam knows where we are?!
Ha, no need to freak out.
Goliath braced his cleaver to rise. He wiped blood from his face with the back of his hand, the torment seemed a mere itch.
Just a leash from an arrogant fool who thinks she's in control.
Scram. Don't get taken out by some random grunt before I get my fill of this show.
Goliath, wait!
Oh? What's up? I like gutsy challengers. You've got one question before I lose patience.
Ramona... how's my partner now? What are you planning with her?
Ha... First off: I don't eat women. Sparing her for now, that's Miryam's call.
The current Divine Mother... the vessel for birthing a new god... is just some insignificant pink-haired brat. With that Divine Mother's puny frame, there's no way she can stifle the new god's first cry.
The phantoms vanished when he ceased mocking the "God." He flexed his neck side to side, shouldered his cleaver, and strode off, unconcerned about turning his back.
Before he turned, you distinctly saw him glance at Murphy's hiding crate.
14. Warped Reality, before the fight
113 linesMurphy, Murphy?
You can come out now, Goliath's gone.
R-really?
It's fine. The Seafarers on deck followed him off. Here, take my hand, I'll help you out.
As soon as Murphy stood, Tulu's tentacle coiled tightly around her ankle with your silent nod.
W-what?! I know ditching you to face Goliath alone was crappy...
B-but if he was after me, getting caught means I'm done for! I-I...
Murphy.
W-what? Why're you staring like that? What's with you two?
You knew it was Goliath from his footsteps. And earlier, your words showed your familiarity with Miryam.
You're deep in the Seafarers' organization, a member, high up even. Or rather, they're here for you.
You're the Seafarers' Divine Mother, the vessel to birth the new god... right?
I'm not!
Then explain your familiarity with Goliath and Miryam, and why you're fleeing the Seafarers.
I'm just... a maid... an ordinary one. Girls like me are a dime a dozen at the cult's base.
Human appearances are rare among Seafarers. Otherwise, with their combat prowess, they wouldn't need to ally with the Church of the Lightbearers.
If you're just some irrelevant human maid, why the massive hunt for you?
It's all... this is just...
Murphy, I need to know what's going on.
Only then do we stand a chance of surviving. Only then can we help you.
...
A fledgling bird with broken wings plunged into a black pool.
The high priestess's murmured prayers drifted firm and elusive. Fanatical words pierced the black slime, turning into blades that sliced open the fledgling's chest.
Crimson liquid welled from the wound, blooming eerily on the now-still black surface...
Yet she kept sinking, blood-trailing roots delving to the depths, into a soft, chilling embrace.
...
...
She saw it. Looking up, "Mother" lowered three pairs of eye stalks, meeting her gaze.
It was a colossal crimson entity, its blood-soaked parts turning translucent white. "Mother" emitted a faint glow, briefly illuminating a small patch of space.
By that light, she saw countless black wounds, large and small, scarring "Mother's" smooth skin.
"I'm sorry..."
Black slime churned, shattering the pool's calm.
"Mother" let out a shrill wail, tentacles writhing as they delivered something into the fledgling's chest.
Slick, icy soft tentacles wrapped around her. The black pool no longer clogged her mouth and nose, instead, like amniotic fluid, it buoyed her life.
"I'm sorry..." "I still... don't want to die..."
The surface held a prolonged calm. Even the howling polar winds couldn't ripple the viscous pool.
Lady Miryam, could the Divine Maiden have already...
She was born at the last stellar alignment, a child who "sees."
No one in the world is worthier of the divine bloodline's recognition.
The gaunt woman stood encircled, perched at the highest vantage overlooking all. Veils obscured her features; even close aides couldn't fathom her thoughts.
Murphy...
With the murmur, as if geothermal energy surged forth, the surface abruptly boiled.
Thick, viscous black water overflowed the banks, lapping over feet, flowing to the woman's bare soles.
Pushing through the young cultists' hushed gasps, she silently trod the black-liquid path, plunging her hands deep into the pool...
Splash
The girl clung to her hands, leaping from the pool. Black liquid traced her facial contours, like two ghastly tear streaks.
Heh, not bad. Looks like God accepted the new Mother.
Goliath's abrupt remark dripped mockery, yet no one minded his sarcasm anymore.
The Divine Maiden... succeeded? We did it!
Prayers rose in waves, harmonizing in the frigid cavern, fanatical, twisted, deafening.
Not just Murphy, Miryam heard it too. Two hearts with mismatched rhythms throbbed in the girl's chest.
Now, answer my question?
Ask anything.
Did you raise me from the start... just for today?
...
No.
You're my "Divine Maiden," meant to bridge the divine realm... Afterward, your soul would ascend there.
Today's rite was unplanned... but fear not. After the god-birth ritual, I'll preserve your essence, you won't wander the eternal night.
Soul, essence...
My death was set for this so-called "stellar alignment" from the beginning, right?
Miryam closed her eyes briefly, turning from questions to face the frenzied followers. She raised her arms high. Black liquid slid along her skin's grooves, instantly dyeing her veil a deep black.
The Divine Mother has come!
He shall awaken from @1, ushering in @2!
He shall awaken from @1, ushering in @2!
Three months later
You're giving that woman more headaches. Weren't you such a good girl a few months back? What, not listening to mommy anymore?
The girl glanced at Goliath, stabbing her knife viciously into the wood, tossing tool and material aside.
Mom... mommy?
You... where did you learn that term?
Dictionary! Look: "Female adult who cares for a child, with emotional bond."
No... I won't be your mommy.
You're the cult's Divine Maiden, a destined one of glory... If you wish, call me by name.
Uh... Miry... am?
Yes, Divine Maiden.
...She's not my mom, never was.
Only the higher-ups in the Church of the Lightbearers know where I came from. I have no mom, I'm just their gift to Miryam.
Huh? She told you even that?
To a prisoner with a death sentence, secrets don't matter, they'll all go to the grave with me.
That's her way of making it up to you. You know, the day they implanted the God in you, our high priestess grieved sleeplessly.
Grieved? What a joke, she doesn't feel that.
So cold, little princess. Girls too icy make mommy sad, you know.
Shut up! I said she's not my mom!
Don't be so sure about that. Wanna hear a story?
No, and I don't wanna see you! If you're here just to mock me, get out!
Nah, you do.
Goliath's tone turned grave, laced with battlefield authority. Murphy's two hearts nearly skipped from it.
She suddenly realized, the giant was never her plaything to toy with. She'd pushed her luck with her status, and he'd just enjoyed the show.
Y-Yes, please go ahead.
There's this secretive cult obsessed with pure bloodlines, all marriages decreed by the head. Anyone marrying outsiders and breeding gets purged eventually.
In the last purge, the enforcer brought back a baby, a girl who could see spirits.
A baby girl...
She'd hidden too long in a secret compartment under her mom. By the time cultists found her, she nearly choked on her birth mother's blood.
That mediocre nobody woman's greatest feat? Birthing a top-notch daughter and trying to keep the cult from taking her.
What touching mother-daughter love. Brings a tear to my eye.
Brooding's no good. Your state affects the god's growth, you know.
Next alignment's in twenty-five years. I bet Miryam's coming soon to put you under.
Do something fun, wreck stuff, whip Seafarers, torment your maids... whatever.
Goliath cut the talk unilaterally, patting her head roughly, devoid of warmth.
As he left, he eyed the wood carving Murphy had tossed in the corner. Her skill was awful, the squat, grotesque shape atop the wooden base repulsed at a glance.
Heh.
After Goliath departed, the space fell utterly silent. Even the caged sacrifices awaiting slaughter made no sound.
Murphy sat by the campfire for ages, until the light dimmed and embers faded. Only then did she slap her cheeks as if snapping from a dream.
She kicked a cage hard, recalling the woman who wrecked the ritual months ago... the one who escaped Miryam through sheer grit.
...
"I'm sorry..." "I... don't want to die..."
...
I don't want... to end like this...
15. Fate's Seed, before the fight
44 linesThe Seafarer cult, the ritual wrecked by expedition teams, the previous host tainted by Dissolution... and the "God" inside you...
You've encountered plenty of people with modified bodies, Aigis, Miss Mason, Lily, Lisa...
But transplanting a "God" into a living person? That's just...
What's with that look? Don't believe me? Fine, I didn't expect you to get it right away.
Sorry... it's just, this is all too bizarre to wrap my head around.
Murphy, can I see that... "God"?
And you say you're not doubting!
I-I'm just...
How much longer?
Longer for what?
The God. How long until It is born?
...I don't know. Why don't you check for yourself? From the way you talk about Miryam and Goliath, you're already neck-deep in this, aren't you?
The girl didn't hesitate. She began unbuttoning her clothes with brisk determination. As the last button came undone, you saw the "god" within her.
Her torso beneath the open shirt was starkly transparent, the skin and muscle stretched taut, rendering her chest and abdomen a ghostly, decaying white.
The anomaly laid bare her organs: a pale red heart, young and beating, and a milky "egg."
Countless fine threads sprouted from the egg, intertwining with Murphy's blood vessels in a symbiotic dance.
Were it not for the way It pressed against her heart, It might have seemed a natural part of her translucent body, not some foreign intruder.
Chaotic yet silent, It bore a frozen inverted triangle of black marks, like a grotesque work of art.
Dissolution... that thing's been marked by Dissolution.
Had enough of staring?
Sorry... please, button up.
Murphy lowered her head, adjusting her clothes while glancing at you.
You kept mentioning "Dissolution." Is that what you call those black wounds on It?
The previous vessel... the one who truly carried this thing, was covered in those marks.
If Dissolution hadn't weakened her, I wouldn't have been...
Her voice trailed off. She swallowed the rest of her words, pressing a hand to her chest, her expression shadowed.
Tulu, you saw what that god looks like. How long until It's fully grown?
It's remarkably robust, nearly complete... Only the guidance of the stars remains to spur It to tear through Its vessel's body.
I am astonished you can still move freely, even now.
Celeste?
Murphy gazed at the sky, swirling with strange, luminous hues. Birds wheeled beneath the shimmering veil, the light soft and warped, shielding the ship from any storm beyond.
The Seafarer cult's notes obsess over the stellar alignment, insisting the birthing ritual must happen at a precise moment. That's why that woman wanted me asleep.
The captain figured the god's growth might be tied to celestial cycles. So Celeste wove this isolated Domain around the ship.
We nailed it, since we left the true sky behind, It's gone dormant. If we can stay on this ship through this stellar alignment, maybe It'll sleep forever.
So Celeste created this Domain, and she's the one steering the supposedly sunken Sona-Nyl.
Sounds like she's an Awakener too. Wait... is she the one you said could help find Ramona?
Exactly. Nothing on this ship escapes her notice.
She must be with the captain, hiding from the Seafarers. If we find her, tracking down your friend will be a piece of cake.
In other words, whether we help you first or save Ramona, Celeste is the key.
Tulu fell silent, tilting his head to watch you, waiting for your decision.
Indeed, whether to return the ship to land, halt the birthing ritual, or rescue Ramona, the only path forward was to find Celeste.
Murphy, lead the way. Find the captain. Find Celeste.
16. Fate's Seed, after the fight
22 linesThe captain told me about a safehouse behind that door.
What was the knock we agreed on... three light, one heavy? Light light heavy light?
Eek!
As Murphy racked her brain for the signal, sweating with urgency, the door flew open from within. A hand yanked her inside.
Tulu quickly propped the door to keep it open. You exchanged a glance and slipped inside together.
C-Captain! Thank goodness, you're here waiting for me...
A middle-aged man with dark skin, dressed in a sailor's uniform, patted Murphy's head with a fond gesture.
Keeping one's word is something adults must adhere to.
So, will you introduce your friends?
This grumpy crowned brat's Tulu, and the other one's name is...
...
I, uh... I never asked your name...
Murphy scratched her head sheepishly, ducking behind the captain and leaving the awkward introduction to the only adult present.
I'm %player%, a student at Mythag University.
You're the captain, right? Our records say a senior from our school once boarded the Sona-Nyl.
The captain pulled a cigarette case from his pouch, pinching the last bit of tobacco, but Murphy lightly swatted his hand.
Didn't you promise me you'd quit smoking?
The captain gave a wry smile and pocketed the case.
I recognize that uniform. Shame it's not a better time. Should you come another day, I'd pour you a drink and we could have a proper chat.
Elton. My name's Elton.
While you introduced yourselves, Murphy wandered the dim cabin. When she reappeared in your sight, her face was etched with confusion.
Captain, isn't Celeste with you?
17. Another Miracle, before the fight
21 linesCeleste...
Elton closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, as if he could exhale the filth within him.
When the Seafarers boarded, Celeste and I weren't together. I've been waiting in this safehouse, and you're the first to find me.
How, how could that be? Celeste isn't built for fighting. What if she...
She's fine. The link between us is steady.
Link? So Celeste really is an Awakener...
Elton gave a bitter smile, reaching instinctively for his cigarette case. But as his fingers brushed the cold metal, his hand shook violently, and the case clattered to the floor, spilling tobacco everywhere.
You suddenly noticed Elton's hands trembling, whether from lingering shock or sheer exhaustion.
Captain, you're shaking all over.
...Old habit. I'm no handpicked student from Mythag University like you. Just an ordinary guy, no ironclad mental strength, no ability to see Dissolution.
During an Awakener's rebirth, their consciousness is inevitably tainted by unknown entities. That taint drives their loss of control.
A link is one way to suppress it, but if the linker is an ordinary person without the gift...
What are you guys talking about? What's this "loss of control"?
Elton took the cigarette case Murphy picked up, chuckling softly as he caught her kicking the stray tobacco into a corner.
It means if we don't find Celeste, this ship might go haywire and sink.
Murphy's face twisted, her lips trembling, at a loss for words.
Easy, easy, don't be scared.
He patted Murphy's stiff head reassuringly before turning to you and Tulu.
I can sense Celeste's general direction. You got Murphy to me. I trust you can help me find Celeste, right?
Tulu, can we?
Tulu didn't answer. Instead, he pulled open the safehouse door, signaling he'd take the lead.
18. Another Miracle, after the fight
52 linesYou laid Murphy across your lap. Her muscles felt rigid, like holding a stone statue.
Captain, do you know what's happening to her?
The god... the god inside her...
Tulu's expression shifted subtly. A tentacle, under his control, coiled around Murphy's left arm.
Silence.
Tulu closed his eyes, sensing through his tentacle. For a moment, the deck was filled only with the sound of waves against the hull and Murphy's pained whimpers.
The seconds stretched agonizingly. Just as your patience neared its breaking point, Tulu withdrew his tentacle.
How is she?
The moment the Domain faltered, the "false god" inside her felt a powerful pull.
She's been in this Domain too long, hence the intense reaction. Now that the Domain's stabilizing, she'll recover soon.
Before Tulu finished, Murphy sat up, drenched in sweat. She touched her chest, her face blank with confusion.
I... I'm still alive...
We need to remove It quickly. Even if this Domain blocks the celestial pull, Its presence alone is a burden on you.
Easy for you to say...
You recalled the parasite clinging to her heart.
Its vessels fused with her aorta. Even Londinium's finest surgeons couldn't guarantee such an operation.
The Sona-Nyl's Domain had stalled the celestial influence. Could there be another way to buy Murphy more time?
Time... time... stop...
Murphy...
The captain lifted her with slow, careful movements, as if handling fragile porcelain.
Kid, I saw you thinking. Got a solution?
Not exactly a solution... and it's risky.
At this point, risk's the least of our worries. Spit it out. Anything to get Murphy out of danger...
Mythag University has been working on "time-stopping" research.
You mean the rune you brought back from Rye Sanatorium...
Exactly. Doll and Ms. Winkle are studying it, hoping to create a space safe from the Dimensional Hound for experiments.
The research is taking shape. Before we left, Ms. Winkle was already prepping animal tests.
Don't bother.
Your school... it's not on the sea, is it? Getting back to land, then to your school, there's no time.
Besides, Celeste... if she's in that woman's hands, whether this ship even makes it to shore is anyone's guess.
That's why we need to move faster. Captain, can you point me to Celeste's general location? Tulu and I will find her. You and Murphy, get back to the safehouse.
No way!
Captain?
Elton realized his outburst and reached for his cigarette case, only to remember the tobacco was long gone when he opened the empty box.
...Don't go after Celeste.
Why? Captain, do you know something?
Elton stepped back from supporting Murphy, his tall frame half-hidden in the shadows as he looked down at you.
Celeste... she's with Miryam.
What?!
That giant... Goliath, found me and Celeste the moment he boarded. He took us to Miryam...
Moved by our shared fate as wayward souls, I gifted you the means to bring the departed back to this world.
Her presence fulfilled your deepest wish. Surely you've found solace in your lost kin...
But my wish, the great hope Our Lord bestowed upon me, lies with that girl. Return the Divine Mother to me.
As High Priestess, I swear: when Our Lord is reborn, when the Divine Realm rises... you too shall enter it, finding eternal peace.
High Priestess, I was shocked to hear the Divine Mother went missing. But I've told you, she's not on this ship.
Why play the fool with such pretense?
I once admired your cunning and resolve. What changed your loyalty to me? This frail Golem?
It was my call. I'm the master of this ship. Celeste has barely any will of her own, how could she sway me?
Is that so? I gave you the power to awaken her, and I can reduce her to a pile of silver dust.
You...!
19. Pursuit of Stars, before the fight
67 linesOuter Sea Freighter: Sona-Nyl Engine Room
Coal slag piled into mounds, and the damp-skinned Seafarers shuffled through the engine room, their tail fins dragging muddy black trails across the floor.
There's only one exit. From my position, a full sprint would take seven seconds, but...
She leaned down to rub her ankle. Though she'd treated the dislocated joint, the swelling was unavoidable. Even a light touch sparked a burning pain.
Pain level around four. Based on this semester's mobility assessment, my speed's down twenty percent...
Not enough time. The engine room's their stronghold now. Too many enemies, I'd be stopped by Seafarers before reaching the door.
Besides... this guy's watching me like a hawk.
The Seafarers prepared for the "ritual," while the Awakener boy loyally fulfilled his duty, guarding her without moving an inch.
Each time Ramona shifted, even just to ease her pain, Caecus shot her a wary glance, weapon trained on her.
Caecus, you...
Stay put! Don't think you can pull anything under Lady Miryam's nose. I'll keep you in line.
...Completely shutting me out. Is he scared of Miryam?
An Awakener linked to another Awakeners, Miryam must be something extraordinary...
Ramona took a deep breath, steadying herself to ignore the nagging pain in her ankle while scanning the engine room for any opportunity.
When the lock clicked, her muscles tensed.
Cough, cough... This place reeks of stale decay.
The woman's graceful figure stood in stark contrast to the Seafarers. Her face twisted with disgust, clearly reluctant to walk alongside the cult.
Hey! Lend a hand, would you? I'm wrangling an Awakener here!
An Awakener?
Ramona snapped her head toward the door. A girl in a white dress, bound by the black-clad cultist, met her gaze.
Pure, pristine, transcendent, fragile, countless descriptors flashed through Ramona's mind.
...Human.
The black-clad cultist shoved the Awakener girl. She masked her faint surprise, her face returning to an emotionless void.
What are you worried about? If she posed more threat than you, would Miryam have us drag her back to the outpost?
Hmph... nesting in this filthy, rundown dump. These savages have no class.
That's enough. Once we're done and back at the Lightbearer outpost, you can gripe all you want. Don't forget, we're on their turf now.
Lightbearer outpost... these two are from the Church of the Lightbearers? So they're tied to the Seafarers after all.
The woman snorted, taking the rope binding the Awakener girl and yanking her roughly to Caecus.
Lady Miryam asked me to tell you: keep an eye on both of them.
Despite the Lightbearer's rudeness, Caecus remained eerily calm. He pulled the Awakener girl to Ramona's side and resumed his silent vigil.
One freak after another, trying to "rebirth" a Dissolution-tainted god-king? Utter nonsense.
I don't know why Lady Lantern even bothers with these lunatics. You already botched your shot twenty-five years ago.
Pipe down!
Yo, quite the party.
A deep, gruff voice cuts through, silencing the Lightbearer Devotees instantly.
Lord Goliath.
Caecus bows his proud head to the giant, his tone thick with reverence. Goliath ignored his loyalty, turning to the Lightbearers Devotees with keen interest.
Why stop? I'm all ears. Keep gossiping about Lemuria.
He gave them no chance to backpedal, his gaze shifting sharply to the doorway.
Bet no one's dared say that about the "Divine Realm" to your face, huh, Miryam?
Miryam's figure melted into the shadows at the door. Her expression was unreadable, but a bone-chilling cold radiated from her.
When did she get there?! I didn't even notice her approach...
A frigid breeze crawled across the floor, draining the color from the Lightbearers' faces. Had she returned with Goliath? How much had she heard?
But to Ramona's, and the Lightbearer Devotees', surprise, Miryam didn't erupt in rage or show a hint of displeasure.
She surveyed the room with lofty disdain, as if the commotion were mere birdsong.
Goliath, how's your task going?
Ha... those Mythag rats are good at scurrying. I told you, unless we tear this ship apart, I won't find them. Besides, we've got a hostage, don't we?
Goliath gestured with his massive cleaver toward Ramona.
Keep this lady in hand, and her partner'll come sniffing around soon enough.
Speaking of which, why'd you drag Elton's Awakener here? Where's Elton?
The ritual draws near. The Divine Mother's condition is critical. My acolytes know the sleep runes, but if possible, I don't want her to suffer.
As long as Celeste is in our grasp, Elton will deliver the Divine Mother to keep the Sona-Nyl from spiraling out of control...
So this Awakener controls the ghost ship Sona-Nyl. This Domain must be her work.
Wait... maybe there's a way.
While all eyes were on Miryam, Ramona brushed the Awakener girl's hand. Celeste looked up, her face devoid of emotion.
Celeste... I might have a way to get us out.
A flicker of astonishment pierced the fog in Celeste's eyes.
You're the Domain's master. If you could make it vanish for a moment, cause chaos among the Seafarers...
Celeste didn't respond, only blinked. Ramona wasn't sure if she understood, but her gloves were already slick with nervous sweat.
Is this... your wish?
Ramona froze but nodded instinctively before her mind caught up.
Celeste raised her compass high. Radiant streams swirled around her skirt, then vanished without a trace.
At that moment, the true North Sea air swept in, cold and damp. Shouts erupted from the deck.
Moon! The moon!
In that instant, the engine room plunged into darkness. An alien, profound silence spread, swallowing all forms, but Ramona's adrenaline surged.
Now!
Ramona grabbed the Awakener's hand, channeling all her strength into her legs. She barreled through the Seafarers, sprinting for the exit.
20. Pursuit of Stars, after the fight
28 linesA rotting stench crept into your nostrils.
The Seafarers, summoned by their leader, poured from every cabin. Leading the pursuit was the giant you dreaded most.
What a relentless enemy...!
Don't engage him! Tulu, cover our escape!
You pulled Ramona away, desperate to flee the cabin.
Goliath fought with his usual blunt ferocity, smirking as he hurled his massive cleaver toward your retreating figures.
Watch out!
You shoved Ramona forward, but the blade pierced your calf, pinning you to the floor. Your communicator dropped from your chest.
Agony blinded you, a buzzing roar drowning out Ramona's scream.
Urgh...
Investigators from Mythag University, plus the Awakener who stole Lemuria's power... Is this all you've got?
Tulu stepped in front of you as Ramona knelt beside you, sweating, struggling to pull out Goliath's blade.
Tulu, get them out.
Are you out of your mind?
Ramona yanked harder at the weapon, the blade slicing her glove, dark red blood soaking her sleeve.
I'll be fine. Miryam wants someone to feed her newborn god, right? Protect Celeste and Murphy, stop the ritual... I'll find a way out.
Your mind went blank, spinning excuses even you couldn't believe.
You...
Get them out!
...
Tulu didn't argue further. He gave you one last look, as if confirming your resolve.
Tulu! Put me down!
Two sturdy tentacles wrapped around Ramona and Celeste. In an instant, Tulu carried them deep into the corridor.
Goliath laughed wildly, yanking his blade free. He crouched before you, gripping your chin to force your gaze.
I told you: don't get taken out by some random grunt before I get my fill of this show.
His tone was half-mocking, half-sincere, his true intentions impossible to read.
But you've got guts, I'll give you that. Too bad Miryam's got her heart set on dragging someone back to answer for this.
Was it mere toying, or did Goliath harbor some disloyalty toward Miryam...
21. Resolve, before the fight
80 linesOuter Sea Freighter: Sona-Nyl Third Cargo Hold
Hard-soled boots clacked rhythmically on the deck, each step heavy and dull.
Murphy paced anxiously, unable to sit still. She kicked a crate, then tugged at its securing ropes.
They better not be in trouble...
She couldn't settle down to pray or rest.
Bang!
Who's there, Celeste!!
Elton took several deep breaths, facing the three who stumbled in.
Tulu's tentacles supported Ramona, her face grim, muscles trembling with strain.
That uniform... you're %player%'s partner.
Ramona scanned the group. Besides Tulu, whom she'd met at school, and Celeste, who escaped with her, there were two unfamiliar faces.
These were Murphy and the Sona-Nyl's captain, the ones Keeper risked everything to protect.
Ramona Dexter. Call me Ramona. Skip the pleasantries. I need to know everything happening on this ship, short and fast.
Who are you, why are the Seafarers after you, and what's this "ritual" Miryam's obsessed with...
I, I'm...
Elton cut off Murphy's rushed attempt to speak, knowing the pressure would muddle her explanation.
I'm Elton, and that's my partner Celeste, the only other crew on this Sona-Nyl.
In my youth, Miryam helped me awaken Celeste. In return, we sailed the Sona-Nyl between continents and the polar regions, hauling supplies for the Seafarer cult.
In the end, we got hunted by Miryam for helping Murphy escape the cult.
Murphy carries the false god Miryam aims to summon. I don't know if it's a true deity, but if the ritual happens, Murphy won't survive.
Murphy shared fragments of her story, her body, her ties to Miryam, her past in the cult...
So much has happened...
I'll have Celeste steer full speed toward land, but I can't promise we can save %player%.
Before Elton finished, everyone staggered as the ship lurched, Celeste was indeed pushing it faster.
Cough, cough...
Captain! Running the ship this fast is too much for you.
...It's nothing.
I turned a blind eye to your suffering while colluding with the cult. My sins are heavy enough.
My... suffering?
I'm the one who delivered you to Miryam.
...
You were the most precious "cargo" I ever transported for the cult. That flawless voyage earned me Miryam's favor.
So that's why, back at the cult's base, you agreed to help me without hesitation...
Once we're close enough to shore, I'll have Celeste get you off this ship. The farther you get from the sea, the better.
As if in response, Celeste spun her compass.
You mean for Celeste to go with me?
Ramona caught the captain's meaning first.
The Keeper and I can arrange transport. If Celeste can extend her Domain to our vehicle...
Exactly. That'll buy you enough time.
Are you kidding? You think you can hold off those monsters? You're not even a Seafarer, just a plain human!
No, leave that to us.
Stopping pagan rituals, guarding the world from the unknown... That's the duty of everyone at Mythag University.
Are you crazy too? You don't even know if we're lying to you!
Keeper chose to trust you, so I'll trust you too.
The captain steadied himself, then reached for Murphy... ruffling her hair roughly.
Hey! Don't rub so hard! You're messing up my hair!
I want you to break free from all this. Let that be my final wish.
The worst that happens is I go down with the Sona-Nyl. I should've sunk with her long ago.
Murphy clutched the captain's coat, stubbornly refusing to let go.
Ramona clenched her fist, then, with a resolute glint, handed Murphy an object, a communicator from Mythag University.
An... heirloom?
It's a communicator. It may not work in this Domain, but the school must be trying to reach us.
If you can see Dissolution with your own eyes, you must have enough mental strength to use it. Focus when the brooch lights up, and you'll connect with someone on the other end.
Even if the Keeper and I don't make it back, our colleagues will help you.
Murphy took the brooch, staring at its intricate metalwork, her eyes suddenly red.
What's with this... like you're marching off to die.
Tulu, uninterested in the argument, stood at the door, sensing the flow of power, ready to head to the engine room.
Wait! Where are you going!
The girl shoved the door open, grabbing a tentacle.
Are you going to save {Male=him,Female=her}?
My actions are not for outsiders to question.
I'm coming too.
Murphy! Don't be reckless.
You stay here. Tulu and I will help the Keeper escape. If you fall into Miryam's hands, our efforts are for nothing.
I know.
But... I can't... I don't want to die, but... what if you don't come back?
I... don't want... that to happen...
I can't stay in this Domain forever. If I want to truly escape, I... I need you to vouch for me.
I can't just show up at your school and tell your headmaster their students died for me. I need your introduction. Neither of you is allowed to die.
I won't waste energy protecting you.
I don't need your protection. I know the Seafarers' weaknesses by heart. I can handle myself.
Fine, if you're that determined.
What's that look?
I thought you weren't worth their sacrifice. It seems I misjudged you.
What's with the riddles? Move it, move it!
Murphy pushed Tulu with one hand, pulled Ramona with the other, and they vanished into the ship's shadowy corridors.
She... fine, if that's her choice.
Celeste, keep us at full speed.
22. Lost Light, before the fight
55 linesOuter Sea Freighter: Sona-Nyl Engine Room
Miryam stood at the room's center, eyes half-closed, poised like a sacred statue. Even as Goliath roughly tossed you before her, she merely flicked her gaze your way.
That look was cold as a viper's, radiating cruelty and detachment, you were neither her match nor part of her food chain.
Where are the others?
Didn't I tell you? Mythag's little rats are good at scurrying. Catching this one was hard enough.
But the others don't matter anymore, do they? Looks like you've built the altar for your "God" already.
Miryam turned slowly, her serpentine shadows dissolving, bathing her in purple radiance like a baptized devotee.
The altar behind her came into view, the engine room's dim light casting eerie shadows on her face. At its center lay two unrecognizable bodies.
Their limbs twisted, their half-faces frozen in the moment of death, congealed blood forming incomprehensible runes, filling the air with death's fervor.
Your "God" probably won't like such creepy offerings, huh? Their envoys went missing on our watch. How you gonna explain that to the Church of the Lightbearers?
Before Goliath finished, the scar on his neck constricted, seizing his muscles.
I did not forge your head with Lemuria's blood for you to blaspheme my God, Goliath.
My great, almighty Lord draws strength from my prayers and knows my devotion through my sacrifices.
As for those Lightbearer envoys... rude, foolish, insignificant dregs. If the Lightbearers complain, I'll have no need to walk with them further.
Miryam wiped the blood from her fingers and finally turned to you. A lingering stench of decay clung to her, each inch closer tormenting your sanity.
What did you... do to them?
You're different from them.
Miryam ignored your question. She looked at you, her eyes like a still abyss harboring millennia-old bones.
You possess the most unique soul I've seen since becoming an Awakener... brighter and darker than your companion's.
A Keeper of Mythag University... I cherish the gifted. I truly wish you could bask in Our Lord's divine light.
The clever shouldn't be buried in the mundane. The Divine Realm, woven from sacred blood, welcomes foreign veins.
Your hope to save the world from corruption doesn't clash with the rebirth of the Divine Realm.
Serve us, join the rebirth and revival of the Divine Realm, and walk in eternal bliss with me.
If your so-called rebirth and revival mean using living people as sacrifices, turning the innocent into vessels for monsters...
Sorry, I can't do it. Your ritual is barbaric and cruel. I see no trace of reason or civilization in it.
To be the vessel for God's rebirth, the cornerstone of the Divine Realm's return, that's the ultimate glory!
I misjudged you. No need to waste words on fools... this farce ends now.
Power erupted from the shadows, formless energy coalescing into a massive, solid serpent.
The giant snake thrashed wildly, its eyes locking onto you, coiling around your waist, lifting you effortlessly into the air.
Stop, Miryam.
Who goes there!
A voice, achingly familiar, leaped across history's chasm, soft as an offshore breeze, yet stirring a tidal wave in your heart.
I don't know your face, but your presence... it carries traces of Our Lord.
A flicker of pity crossed Miryam's face. Her eyes, like flowers battered by a sudden storm, brimmed with endless sorrow and pain.
Cold, slick scales slid across your body, the serpent tightening like a predator strangling its prey.
Tears carved indelible trails down her face. She stared at Tulu, as if to pierce his soul, to unravel their shared history from eons past.
My Lord... my glorious King... How could You... bear the taint of an Awakener?
Who defiled Your sacred relics? Who... broke our covenant?
You dangled upside down in the serpent's grip, blood rushing to your head, vision fading to black.
But in your haze, you glimpsed two girls... surrounded by Seafarers, drawing closer.
Ramona! Now!
Ramona took a deep breath, bending one knee, channeling energy beneath her feet, and leaped high...
Her rapier's tip pierced the serpent's scales, striking its vital point.
Hey, hey! {Male=He's,Female=She's} gonna fall!
You plummeted amid the serpent's roar...
into a trembling, warm embrace.
...You okay, %player%?
Ramona... I...
Sorry, now's not the time for a reunion.
Ramona held you, sprinting away from Miryam without looking back.
You glanced back at Miryam. The serpent reformed, her gaze falling on you and Ramona.
A predatory stare, like a viper eyeing its prey.
Tulu! Don't engage her. Get Murphy out first.
23. Lost Light, after the fight
31 linesThese structures are fading. Is it... over?
This is the illusion Miryam conjured, perhaps her vision of the Divine Realm...
The God's realm, the eternal Lemuria.
"Lemuria"... I recall some Mythag historians debating its existence.
Had catastrophe not struck, it would stand where...
Since it's all history, can we talk about this city after we're safe? Let's deal with this thing first.
Ramona, once we're ashore, we'll leave the Domain and contact the school. Tulu, stay on the ship and take care of Murphy for a while.
Right, we'll need a surgical table ready with the time rune. Extracting the parasite might require Acting Dean Czort herself.
By the way, does your leg still hurt? It's not bleeding anymore.
I barely feel it...
As you discussed future plans, Miryam's illusion peeled away like melting snow. The enemy regained some sanity from her frenzy, shedding her monstrous form.
Miryam lay weakly in black dust, her gaze vacant, unresponsive even as Tulu approached.
The emaciated woman finally showed a reaction. She blankly looked up, muttering to herself.
My almighty God will wield His power... and judge these unworthy heretics who made this false thing!
She drew a dagger from her waist, purple-black flames like thick fog coating the blade, radiating deathly chill.
You fake... Die!
Cold, sinister flames ignited the coal dust.
Aaahhh!
In the chain reaction of fire and ash, a deafening blast engulfed everyone, the ship lurching sharply to one side.
Flames swelled before you, the bulkhead behind torn open by the explosion.
Keeper! Don't let go of my hand!
Your nose stung with the acrid stench of burnt coal. After a fleeting moment of connection, you were yanked downward into the abyss by gravity.
The familiar voice and warmth faded swiftly, replaced by a creeping chill and dampness that clawed at the spine.
Keeper!
Time froze in that moment. The searing heat cut your skin like a thousand blades, every tendon baked brittle as cicada wings.
A chaotic, deafening horn pierced your spirit realm, shattering the reason and peace you've known for the past year. In this endless instant, you felt the unrest and struggle of chaos.
But in the end, all was consumed by flame, your consciousness fading into boundless darkness...
24. Eyes Open, before the fight
100 linesWhy are you sleeping here?
Wake up. You'll catch a cold out here.
Ugh... Ramona?
How long was I out?
Who knows? You even missed this afternoon's pre-mission briefing.
Briefing?
Host?
How was your sleep?
Doll?!
Don't panic. Now's not the time to chew you out for napping on the lawn during work hours.
So you'll chew me out later...
Ramona avoided your gaze, her back practically screaming "you're on your own."
Francis's diary mentioned some details about the Church of the Lightbearers, oh, right, you haven't reviewed those three mandatory courses yet.
The Church of the Lightbearers worships the idea that "extinction is divine salvation and humanity's only redemption," luring sick patients to join and contract Dissolution.
Thanks for the recap, Professor Dexter. But I doubt Erica appreciates you stepping on her toes.
My bad, my bad. The floor's yours.
Francis left plenty of clues pointing to the Church of the Lightbearers, especially their "resurrection of the dead".
With Lily's appearance, we have reason to suspect they've mastered the art of summoning Awakeners.
Aren't Awakeners supposed to be top secret?
Looks like you didn't pay attention in Awakener history either. I'm starting to wonder how you passed the initial tests.
Mythag isn't the only one with Silver Core Awakening Tech or something like it.
Awakeners date back to before the Flood. Even in the tombs of the nineteenth dynasty of Remouahe, there are murals hinting at summoning rituals.
The "Golem" tech closest to Mythag's Awakeners comes from the sorcerer clans of the Levant.
Now back on topic.
Based on the beliefs and ritual details in the diary, the "Church of the Lightbearers" Francis encountered doesn't quite match our intel.
Also, that remote imaging device I left with Herbert sent back this rune. We suspect Herbert's the middleman linking Francis to the Church of the Lightbearers.
Your next field mission is to verify the diary's contents, and investigate this rune's connection to the Church.
Francis documented her movements before heading to the polar region. We'll go to her embarkation point, Bridgeport. There might be clues there.
Once you're ready, we'll set off. I'll be your partner, as always.
My gear's always packed and ready.
No need for another nap?
No need! I've got the mission down, and I remember all the details from last night's briefing!
Then let's move. If we set off today, we might catch the premiere of Londinium Opera House's new show on our way back.
I'll grab the driver. Meet me at the school gate.
Ramona's figure vanished from sight, and you turned to head back to your dorm for your gear.
Keeper.
This mission might lead to direct contact with the Church of the Lightbearers.
Uncovering their secrets is secondary. Your top priority is staying alive. I don't know where I'd dig up another Keeper from the rubble.
Don't be so hard on kids.
But Doll's right. The cultists you've faced before were just outer-ring grunts. The Church's true core hasn't surfaced yet.
Sounds like you know a lot about them, Professor?
Ha, haha... just an old entanglement.
If needed, Mythag will send seasoned investigators or even request aid from the Mystia Treaty Committee to handle this.
Do come back alive.
Got it. We'll make it back safe.
...
What are you staring at? They're already gone.
Don't worry. They know what they're doing.
I'm not worried. Even if we need to train a new Keeper, the funds come from the Dexter family's account.
Worry about yourself. I heard someone's daughter is off to a date at the opera.
Ha, haha... kids these days...
That Night
A regular ship to the polar region? You must be crazy! There's no such ship here, and no churches either!
Stop asking. We're just simple fishermen. We don't know anything!
Ma'am, please wait...
You're city bigshots bullying us country folk!
That's not our intent, hey!
The woman slammed the door. If Ramona hadn't pulled you back, you'd have gone back to school with a crooked nose.
Bridgeport... this town's weird.
That's the third door we've knocked on, and not one person will share a scrap of info about this place.
We're just asking for directions. It's unnatural how they're all covering something up.
What's wrong?
Maybe it's my imagination, but I thought I heard voices in the wind.
Hey, perfect timing. Two out-of-towners just walked in. Should we grab them? Saves us the trouble of finding others.
Herd them toward the ship.
Tch, devious jerk.
Go, Caecus. Your time to shine.
As you command, Lord Goliath.
Countdown: Three Hours
Thud!
Agonizing pain struck your forehead. The impact spun your world. Murphy seized the chance to break free, clutching her head as she fled deeper into the cabin.
I knew you weren't good people!!
W-wait... hear me out...
Countdown: @2 Minutes
Boarding now.
Had enough of staring?
The moment the Domain faltered, the "false god" inside her felt a powerful pull.
You fake... Die!
Keeper! Don't let go of my hand!
The sea's embrace turned sharp, the water reacting with your scorched skin in a choking struggle. Blind chaos, like a specter in the night, tore and broke your body.
Then, that chaos bore a flicker of warmth. In the boundless dark, loneliness, helplessness, and despair receded swiftly, a mysterious glow shining in the frigid cosmos.
As if touching the universe's mercy, your consciousness teetered on the edge of Gnosis. Your body melded with the oxygen in the sea, and you snapped your eyes open, water flooding from the corners.
Finally, a gentle light sliced through the ocean's darkness. A pale blue force reached for you, a goddess of safe passage extending her hand.
I remember now... Miryam's dying struggle triggered the explosion. I couldn't hold Ramona's hand and fell into the sea... but no, this is the Sona-Nyl's deck.
That final force that helped me... was it Celeste? She pulled me from the deep...
Then the others must be okay too!
The dreamy warmth gave way to stark moonlight, the veil shrouding the ship shattering, dissolving, and sinking into the deep.
The veil... it's gone?!
Thick smoke billowed from the stern, where the engine room lay.
Oh no!
Ignoring the searing pain from your soul's depths, you leaned on the railing, staggering toward the rising smoke.
Your throat was choked with blood and gunpowder, each breath a torture.
Ramona, Murphy, Celeste, Tulu... I have to find them fast.
Before you got far, a violent tremor, strong enough to tear the ship apart, surged from below.
Amid the massive explosion, flames roared skyward, the scorching air hurling you to the deck.
Before your consciousness faded again, the last sight was seabirds streaking across the full moon's sky.