Morimens story · Main Story
Where Silence Reigns
26 scenes, 915 lines
1. Mouth of the Mad, before the fight
52 linesAs you cross the railway bridge into the Rye Sanatorium, dawn breaks over the horizon, casting a pale glow.
Dust swirls in the air, stirred by the opening of the heavy doors, filling the corridor with a peculiar, acrid stench. Though the day outside is bright with snow-dusted sunlight, the hallway remains shrouded in oppressive gloom.
This place gives me the creeps.
...
You give Lily a gentle pat, urging her to lead the group onward.
The empty corridor echoes with the sound of your footsteps, each dull thud reverberating with an unsettling weight.
This place reeks of disinfectant, like it's been pickled in it. Doesn't it make your nose itch?
As if to shatter the oppressive silence, Lotan deliberately stomps her boots, creating a rhythmic clatter.
Ramona responds with a soft "Mm," but the sound is swallowed by the void, and silence reigns once more.
Lily, you're about to see your mom. Are you excited?
Yeah... Mommy...
Lily's delicate hand clings tightly to your fingers, her palm faintly damp with sweat. You give it a reassuring squeeze.
If you don't want to stay here, how about coming with us to Mythag?
My father took me in years ago; I'm sure he wouldn't mind another. I'd love to have such a sweet little sister.
It's not about that. Lily, she...
Helot. If you're asking my role, I'm something like her sister. More precisely, our powers are "of the same origin".
If Helot speaks true, the gentle child holding your hand is undoubtedly an Awakener.
I get it. But we've got you, don't we? A temporary link should hold until we can connect her to the Black Pool at the university.
Lily's grip tightens. Her eyes dart between Ramona and you, brimming with unease.
Lily... still wants to be with Mother. Because... Lily only has one mother, and Mother only has one Lily.
Mother didn't choose to become like this. She lost something precious, and she's trying to take it back, that's why...
Her voice fades to a whisper, nearly drowned by the sound of her own breath.
Hiss,
You've finally arrived. Welcome to Rye Sanatorium.
Lily, why don't you go rest with Nymphaea for now?
Come on, Lily. You must be exhausted from the journey.
Lily hesitantly takes Nymphaea's hand, casting a lingering glance back at you before disappearing down the corridor.
Thank you all for coming. Allow me to introduce myself properly.
I'm Francis Oswood, the director of this sanatorium. Everyone here just calls me Francis, and you're welcome to do the same.
Judging by your attire, you two are students? And this one...
That's right, we're first-year students at Mythag University. Lotan... well, think of her as our escorting professor.
I see. Brings back memories. My student days are long behind me, along with the focus and conviction I once had.
Your eyes remind me of my younger self, though... there's a flicker of doubt in them today, unlike last night.
Something happen? Or perhaps... you've opened a box that should've stayed shut?
...
I wouldn't dare compare myself to you, Professor Oswood.
If you'd stayed in academia, you could've made waves in medicine. But you stepped away, vanished from the scholarly world.
Old stories, not worth dwelling on.
Hardly. You were part of the first Elworth Icefield Expedition.
I can't help but wonder how a scholar like you ended up hired by a place like this.
Less hired, more chosen. I chose this sanatorium.
You must know the expedition was far from a "success." I was the sole survivor. Everyone else was buried under the snow.
It changed me. I started questioning whether, in our pursuit of "progress," we've lost something far more precious, and what that loss truly means.
Is this place your answer?
A couple of rounds each day, chatting with those labeled "hysterical," then retreating to my office to think.
Compared to chasing the next big breakthrough, I prefer this quieter life.
Your compassion is inspiring.
Kind words. But it's just surface effort. It doesn't truly change their lives.
I disagree. You've given these stigmatized patients a home, a chance to reclaim normalcy.
Francis offers a faint, noncommittal smile.
Let's hope so.
But you didn't come to hear me preach. Come, let me show you around the sanatorium.
2. Mouth of the Mad, after the fight
28 linesYou fend off the eerie creature. Rapid footsteps echo down the corridor as the office door is flung open from the outside.
Mia!
Roar...
So this is where you've been hiding. Come with me...
She stops short, noticing you.
I believe I mentioned the office is off-limits.
Sorry, but "visiting" hours are over.
Per Article 81, Clause A of the Treaty, no individual, organization, or institution may conduct experiments on humans or unknown entities without authorization from the Mystia Treaty Committee.
We suspect human experimentation here, and the Committee has been notified. They'll be sealing this place off. Your cooperation is expected.
Ramona's direct confrontation catches you off guard.
Francis tilts her head, unruffled, as if Ramona's words missed their mark.
Human experimentation? I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding.
This sanatorium has two floors, fewer than twenty rooms. I inspect every inch daily. If illegal experiments were happening, I'd know.
Ramona frowns.
You can't be your own alibi, ma'am. Surely you're aware of that. And we've got plenty of evidence against you.
This "Mia"... she's been through quite a few procedures, hasn't she?
And Lily. You call yourself her mother, yet you're clueless about her not being human?
Francis pauses, then lets out a wry chuckle.
You've got it all wrong. Lily calls me mother, but I'm not her birth mother.
I rescued her from a den of thieves. Her abnormalities are the work of the scoundrels who took her first.
As for Koum and Mia, Lily brought them here. I don't even know where they came from.
Most people would recoil at the sight of Koum or Mia, or at least keep them away from kids.
But in my youth, I had a... bizarre encounter. I've seen things most can't imagine.
So, despite Koum's... unusual appearance, I kept it for Lily's sake.
It's her cherished companion, and she doesn't connect easily with others. How could I separate them?
...
If that doesn't clear things up, I'm happy to escort you through the sanatorium again, including my office.
Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere until the Committee arrives.
3. Cuckoo's Asylum, before the fight
50 linesTime ticks by, second by second. Leaving Francis behind, you turn the sanatorium upside down, no hidden doors, no secret mechanisms, no concealed rooms.
Even the forbidden office yields nothing out of the ordinary.
Beads of sweat begin to glisten on Ramona's forehead.
Ramona, did the Committee say when they're sending someone?
...I've been with you the whole time. Did you see me calling anyone?
Wait, you were bluffing her?!
I thought I could shake something loose, but she didn't flinch.
I kept an eye out while we searched. Not a single trace of D-Mark in this place.
Aside from Mia and Koum, this is just a plain, isolated sanatorium.
I jumped the gun, tipped our hand. If I'd thought it through a bit more...
Leave for now
What's done is done. Let's pull back for now. We can return once we've gathered more intel.
Hesitate
Got any ideas?
This place... it's too ordinary. Almost deliberately so.
A doctor sets up a tidy little sanatorium in a nowhere town, hiding from the world, keeping everything in perfect order.
And by pure chance, she rescues a child who's an Awakener? That's too many coincidences.
For now, let's contact Mythag.
Ramona taps the silver pin on her chest, and you all hold your breath, waiting for the connection.
...
Ten seconds pass, filled only with suffocating silence. Your heart begins to pound.
The comms... cut off again?
...It's not that simple. Keeper, can you sense the other Awakeners?
You focus, reaching for the faint thread of resonance, but the once-tangible connection has snapped, leaving only a blinding void at the other end.
I can just about sense you two, but Mythag's completely gone.
It seems Silver Technology is blocked here, or rather, anything tied to Dissolution is being suppressed.
Lotan.
Yeah, what's up?
We've lost contact with Mythag, and the Keeper's link to the Awakeners is weak. This is a Class Two emergency. Immediate evacuation, prioritize the Keeper's safety.
Fine, fine. I knew this trip was just babysitting duty...
Evacuate? What about Lily? And Koum?
Ramona sighs, glancing down the corridor.
They've been with Francis for a while; she has no reason to harm them. We're just strangers who pose a threat to her.
We're in the dark, she's got the upper hand. Let's not rush this. We'll come back for them, prepared.
The sharp clack of heels echoes through the corridor, followed by a voice as calm as still water.
I assume you've checked the place again? Found anything?
We're leaving.
Of course, of course. Lily rarely gets visitors, but I won't keep you if you're set on going.
Where are Lily and Koum?
I just settled them in. You're sharp, so you wouldn't say something foolish like taking them with you, would you?
I'm grateful you brought her back, but showing up at someone's home and trying to take their daughter and pet? That's a bit rude, don't you think?
Francis twirls a strand of hair around her finger, her voice dripping with menace.
Naturally. We just thought it proper to say goodbye in person, since we traveled together.
No need. They're young, worn out from the trip, and already asleep.
I've got my hands full with sanatorium business, so I won't see you out. Safe travels.
With that, Francis turns and walks away without a second glance. You watch her silhouette vanish into the corridor's shadows, realizing you're drenched in cold sweat.
Lotan, escort the Keeper out.
What about you?
Ramona draws her weapon, her face resolute.
I'm going to find Lily.
4. Cuckoo's Asylum, after the fight
37 lines
See? Having a Keeper around makes things so much easier.
Is this how you treat a "missing for ten days" VIP?
You're not missing now, are you?
Enough chatter. I've got critical intel for you, Keeper.
After we lost contact, we dug into Rye Sanatorium from the outside.
The place has been bleeding money for years, surviving on external funding. The biggest donor? The Nathan Greene Foundation. Following that lead, we found something.
That foundation loves bankrolling cutting-edge tech and human boundary-pushing, airship development, glacial expeditions, high-efficiency generators, even weird stuff like soul extraction.
But a sanatorium? That's not their style.
Digging deeper, we found the funds were a directed donation. The foundation was just a broker. The real donor is someone else.
Don't tell me it's from the top dog of the Kingdom of Leonia.
Way more interesting, the money's from the head of the Sculptors' Association, Herbert.
No surprise there.
Here's Francis's psychiatric report.
She was in therapy too?
I knew that woman was unhinged. Spouting nonsense worse than students during finals!
She claimed her "husband and daughter were dissolved by black slime." The doctor called it stress-induced delirium and prescribed sleep aids.
She could see Dissolution.
And page three, a photo of Francis with the Elworth expedition team.
This photo's dated 25 years ago?!
Exactly. She should be 52 now, but recent photos show her looking identical to 25 years ago.
What, is she working on immortality?
That's about the extent of what your muscle-brain can grasp.
Based on this, we searched her old lab. It was a wreck, like eight hundred Lotans had a brawl in there.
But?
But William's got grit. Coughing through the dust, he cleared the debris and found this in a crushed desk drawer.
Doll hands you a worn notebook, its brown leather cover bulging with stuffed pages.
November 21 Everyone's congratulating me, not just for my medical career, but for finding love. Tomorrow, after the wedding, I'll be Francis Oswood, starting a new life with @3, my husband. January 11 We're not rushing to have kids, but @1 is still the living proof of my love with @3. I swear I'll give her the best future.
July 7 At dinner, @1 excitedly told me about the tea party she and @3 held in the yard. Seeing her joyful smile, I nearly cried. If I could spend more time at home, I could laugh with them on the lawn, instead of... Then @3, by All-Father, the best husband and father, hugged me from behind. He said nothing, but I knew what he meant. "No need to worry, we are and always will be the happiest family."
February 7 They say I'm in bad shape, that writing things down might ease my mind, if not for me, then for @1. So, from the beginning. On @3 @1, while taking @1 to the amusement park, @3 collapsed. I rushed to the hospital after the call, only to see @3 smiling gently, telling me not to worry. I asked about the black hole on his shoulder. He looked puzzled, said I was overworked and needed rest, then patted my head, joking about who the real patient was. But I saw black slime oozing from his shoulder. ...I've seen that black slime before, somewhere. Where? Why can't I remember?
After @3, @1 fell ill too. Black slime seeped from her chest. They wouldn't believe me, they couldn't see it, but it was there, dripping like mud... @3 kept smiling, saying he passed some nameless disease to @1, that's why they both got sick. I held his pale hand, watching him waste away, the black wound on his shoulder growing, and I didn't know what to do. ...They lied. Writing this down doesn't help.
March 5 Mr. Herbert visited @3 and @1 again. He brought @1 her favorite biscotti. I'm so grateful. Since they fell ill, I've taken leave from the lab, and he's patiently urged me to spend time with family. About the black slime, he didn't dismiss me like others, didn't call it hysteria or hallucinations. Instead, he introduced me to some religious studies, mostly tied to an organization called the Church of the Lightbearers.
The diary ends abruptly here.
Herbert, the Church of the Lightbearers... She's tangled up in something big.
The diary feels incomplete. Where's the rest?
We turned that lab upside down. Nothing else turned up. Poor William nearly got lungfuls of dust leaving that place.
Speaking of, where's Ramona?
I was just about to tell you...
5. Asylum, before the fight
13 linesRamona treads lightly on her toes, slipping silently through the corridor's shadows.
Keeper disapproves of her choice but relents at her insistence, urging her only to withdraw quickly, success or failure.
Her reasoning is sound: if only one can help Lily, Ramona, still combat-ready and adept at stealth, is the best choice.
At the third turn, dodging gossiping patients, Ramona hesitates. A flicker of doubt creeps in about why she's here.
An indistinct call stirs within her, a vague sense of duty toward the girl.
That same call convinces her Lily is in the easternmost room of the sanatorium.
If luck holds, she can slip Lily out unnoticed. Then, notify Mythag to scour the place and uncover why the Silver Technology failed...
*Cough, cough!*
Ramona starts, ducking into the nearest empty room.
Ugh, Bob hasn't even come to see me... When will this end...
I've been here years, never seen a visitor. If he cared, he wouldn't have sent you to a place like this.
*sigh*...
Their chatter fades as they shuffle away. Ramona takes a moment to survey her hiding spot.
6. Asylum, after the fight
44 linesPhew, good thing Francis reinforced the door. That racket shouldn't have drawn anyone.
These files... Francis was studying... Dissolution?!
If you wanted another tour, you could've just asked. Why all the sneaking?
A sigh echoes from behind the filing cabinet.
?!
Or perhaps...
Francis snaps her fingers. Ramona's head spins, her vision warping strangely...
You've been swayed by her, haven't you? Stepped right into the vortex?
"All-mighty Doll," "Genius Brain in a Vat." Six hours and you still haven't cracked this little problem?
Flattering, but science isn't like swinging a sword, every cut drawing blood.
If we handed this to the research department's old fogies, they'd take eighteen hours and still not find the issue.
But Ramona should've been out by now. A quick room search doesn't take that long...
No need to worry. By my calculations... she's been in there maybe ten, fifteen minutes?
Relax, my numbers are almost done.
Just take a break. We'll be in to grab your buddy soon.
At the same time, in the operating room of Rye Sanatorium
Ramona stirs on a soft bed, greeted by a girl's worried face.
Where... am I? How long was I out?
She props herself up, clutching her forehead. Sunset light streams through the window, bathing the room in a warm, amber sea.
...It feels almost cozy.
No, it's not an illusion...
Ramona murmurs.
Were it not for the cold glint of surgical tools by the bed, this could pass for a girl's bedroom.
Ramona, you need to go. Take Koum... with you.
The girl ignores Ramona's question, dropping her words before turning to stroke Koum's head.
What about you?
Lily can't go; It will notice.
It? ...You mean the "Hellhound"?
Lily, don't be scared. We come from a university that fights anomalies. We can protect you.
No one escapes Its gaze. Those It marks become Its prey.
Besides, Lily needs to stay with Mother. She's too lonely alone.
She's done cruel things to you and Koum. I won't let her walk free.
No, Mother didn't lie. Koum becoming like this... it wasn't her fault.
Can you tell me what you know?
There's no time.
A rare sorrow flickers across Lily's face.
Koum, take her and go.
The door creaks as the handle turns.
Koum snatches Ramona up, slinging her onto its back. She struggles, but black slime binds her tightly to Koum.
Don't come back. Forget me, forget this place... Mother won't hurt anyone anymore...
Under the stunned gaze of the newcomer, Koum charges forward, bowling them over.
Francis stumbles, unable to steady herself. Koum breaks through, leaping into the fathomless dark.
Ramona glances back. Lily supports Francis, standing against the sunset, her pleading eyes bidding farewell.
Forget me. Like everyone else...
7. Sixth Sense, before the fight
47 linesPerhaps exhaustion has taken its toll. Doll told you to take a break, but you drift into a hazy sleep...
And plunge once more into a harrowing Dream.
He shall return... through the perverse @2, He shall rise from @4, heralding @3's advent...
The woman on the Altar chants. Your nerves tighten as black slime coats your body, sealing your mouth and nose.
Your face is submerged, yet breathing comes easily. The black pool feels like a mother's amniotic fluid, lulling you into slumber.
Can't sleep... mustn't sleep...
...
...
...
The ritual ends. The lead woman descends from the high Altar, followed by a procession of black-robed emissaries, moving like a migrating ant colony.
You struggle to rise, shedding soaked clothes, and find the ceremonial robe Murphy mentioned behind a boulder.
You change quickly, ignoring the cold, and grope toward the northern passage.
...
...
The passage is narrow, forcing you to stoop. No light penetrates here, only pitch-black darkness.
Can I... really escape from here?
You reach for the pocket watch that gave you strength, but it's gone.
...It was your last tie to @1 in this world.
...
Luckily, the ritual's over, and the cave is empty.
You rummage through your old clothes, finding no watch, then search the pool's edge where you were placed.
...Something's off.
The water level has dropped.
The comatose sacrifices in the pool have curled up unknowingly, like infants in a mother's womb.
Your hand brushes the "mud," finding your watch. As you turn to leave, you notice a figure beside you.
...
He's still breathing... You hesitate, then try to wake him.
With Cecily gone and no reason to return, you figure saving one is better than none.
...Colonel Bertrand, Colonel Bertrand.
You call softly. He stirs awake.
Where...?
We were used as cult sacrifices. It's a long story, we need to escape, now.
Just then, the black pool's surface ripples with eerie light.
It flashes three times in seconds, then goes dark.
Footsteps echo from all directions.
You're surrounded.
The circle tightens, black figures closing in like walls, suffocating those within.
On the distant platform, Murphy stands beside the lead woman, her expression a mix of disgust and resignation.
...Can I still escape?
...Can I see @1 one last time?
...Or is this the way for us to be reunited?
...If only... I could see...
...
Bubbles gurgle in the black pool.
From their center emerges a pale maiden.
In her hand, a viscous black orb, an eye-like mass with shark-like teeth, lurches forward with her.
Orders. Please give me orders, Master.
8. Memory Fragments, before the fight
19 linesHonestly, I'm impressed you can nap anywhere, anytime.
So, what's the situation now?
Done. If a problem like this stumped me, how'd my brain be any different from Lotan's? Put this on.
Doll hands you a small, triangular silver fragment.
Slot it into your brooch, don't lose it.
Oh, and William had someone deliver a file. Seems Daffodil sent it for you.
Codename: Cerberus Since the discovery of dimensions, crossing them has been taboo for most beings. The danger lies not only in alien environments and the visual strain of extradimensional data, but also in the presence of this meticulous "enforcer." ■■■■ Hounds can manifest in any dimension, systematically hunting all who have crossed dimensional boundaries.
1. Cases of Failed Pursuit Only a few species in the cosmos can evade their gaze. The ■■ race is known to use mental transfer technology to avoid the ■■■■ Hounds' sight, suggesting the Hounds lack the ability to track or hunt minds. Verification of their tracking logic through partial physical and mental transfers: Experiment 1: Transferring an untargeted subject's tail to another dimension. ■■■■ Hounds did not pursue. Experiment 2: Severing a targeted subject's arm and transferring it to another dimension. The subject was consumed in the original dimension. ■■■■ Hounds did not pursue the arm. Experiment 3: Transferring an untargeted subject's mind to another dimension. ■■■■ Hounds did not pursue. Conclusion: ■■■■ Hounds can only lock onto targets when body and mind are unified. 2. Attempts to Kill ■■■■ Hounds ■■. Conventional fatal wounds cause ■■■■ Hounds to ■■■■. ■■■■ Hounds are classified as undying entities; severing their form only temporarily slows them.
3. Attempts to Contain ■■■■ Hounds 3.1 First Containment Experiment: Failed. Could not restrict their traversal. Proposed adjustments to the array's scale and inscription precision. 3.2 51st Containment Experiment: Failed. Could not ■■■ their traversal. Hunted subjects cannot escape sealed spaces.
3.3 73rd Containment Experiment: Failed. Could not restrict their traversal. However, ■■■■ Hounds lingered in the sealed space for ■ minutes after completing the hunt, exiting via ■■■ gaps. Proposed adjustments to the precision of cipher ■■ inscriptions. 3.4 ■■■■■■ Experiment on ■■■■ Hounds: Success. Successfully confined ■■■■ Hounds in a space measuring 2.86 feet long, 2.08 feet wide, and ■ feet high. Continued ■■■■■■, but due to ■■ in combat ■■■■, the ■■■■ Hounds ■■■ escaped. Calculations suggest a similar rectangular space is the optimal ■■■■ for containing ■■■■ Hounds. Proposed enhancements to ■■■■■■■■■. 3.5 ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Containing ■■■■ Hounds is excessively difficult, but self-confinement to evade pursuit may be viable. ■■■■■■■■■■
This file's blacked out to hell.
That's Daffodil's style. She holds all the cards and calls it a fair trade.
We done? Keep dawdling, and your little schoolgirl's gonna be monster chow.
Let's go.
Before that, we've got some trouble to handle.
Ramona and I are peers...
ROAR!
9. Memory Fragments, after the fight
54 linesOi, big brain, your upgrades look like they're doing squat.
...You really don't respect the head of research, do you? The "isolation" here is tricky. I'm not an Ultra Awakener, so it's not exactly smooth sailing.
%player%, try Spirit Tracing.
You focus, feeling for faint threads of resonance in the air.
Ramona's shadow emerges in your fog-laden mind, first as an outline, then sharper.
She moves at an inhuman speed, closing in, faster, faster...
Ramona!
Ramona, astride a lion-like beast, charges toward you, kicking up dust as she skids to a halt.
She dismounts, and Koum stretches with a lazy yawn.
Ramona, you okay?
I'm fine, but Lily...
Enough with the Lily talk. Take {Male=him,Female=her} and go. Babysitting weaklings is a headache.
...I'm still here, you know.
This must be "Koum," huh? The Sculptors' Association's taste is getting sicker by the day.
Ramona, your Gnosis Index is all over the place. What happened?
Ramona nods, her already clouded face darkening further.
Where should I begin?
Keeper filled me in on everything before you split at the sanatorium.
Ramona recounts her time alone, from staying behind to being dragged out by Koum.
And Lily gave me...
She glances at you, then at Doll and Lotan, her eyes complex.
Alright, time for battle prep. Lotan, come with me for a sec.
Huh? Why?
No reason. You took a mental hit in that last attack, didn't you? Let me check your Gnosis Index.
Doll shoves Lotan away.
She pauses, eyes closing, swallowing hard with tension.
She hands you a file folder.
I found this in a hidden compartment in Francis's office. The notebook inside... I think Lily slipped it in.
Some calls are yours, and only yours, to make.
The file contains dozens of brief experimental logs:
observations, and surgical records of Dissolution Patients at various stages.
You've seen similar files at Mythag, but Francis's methods push far beyond your ethical boundaries.
The notebook seems to be someone's diary, written in neat, precise script.
March 13 I took samples of the black slime, testing its physical and chemical properties. After incineration, a trace of silver dust remained in the crucible. ...
May 3 @1 passed away. @3 didn't attend her funeral, he was too weak to leave his bed.
July 6 Like last time, the hospital handled @3's funeral. When I thanked them for helping me through my grief, they gave me odd looks, asking what I meant by "last time." ...
...
You skim the pages rapidly. For some reason, the entries feel familiar, like you've seen or heard them before.
You know these things.
At the end of the first diary, Francis resolved to go to Elworth, with no intent to return.
The second diary's first half recounts, in memories, what you already know. The latter half grows chaotic...
Professor Herbert visited again, bringing "specimens" from the Sculptors' Association. These people, ravaged by Dissolution, won't last a month before vanishing from the world. ...To cure a disease, you must study it thoroughly. Normal people can't see this black slime. I could never gather this many cases alone. I'm doing this to stop Dissolution's spread, to spare others the pain my daughter endured. ... ...
Last night, Lily lost control. She escaped. Professor Herbert warned me that newly Awakened entities can be unstable. ... I need to find her quickly and leave the clinic.
No... can that place even be called a clinic anymore? The equipment's been pulverized, organic matter reduced to viscous slime. She flattened an entire safe into a bookmark-thin sheet... Three researchers Herbert sent are missing too. I dread to think what became of them... ...
Thirty-fifth modification, Silver Core implantation. These Silver Cores, provided by Herbert, came from the Elworth Altar where I met Lily. That place is abandoned now. Herbert found this Silver Core in the embers. With the Silver Core, Lily gained basic communication skills and better command obedience. ...This wasn't my original goal, but knowing she won't harm others brings me some comfort.
Sometimes, I suddenly think Lily resembles her. ...But a monster is a monster. No matter how many surgeries, she never says, "It hurts." She has no pain response. For a monster, a sliced abdomen healing instantly is routine. Yet that detached gaze reminds me, my @1 is gone forever...
Why don't you feel pain? Why can't you feel pain like a normal person?
Eighteenth year since leaving Elworth, 374th experiment on Lily. A voice in my mind tells me the answers I seek lie within her. I can't resist the urge to operate on her.
She's calling to me, like marble calls to a sculptor, like blank paper to a painter.
... Lily escaped again. I have no time or means to bring her back now. The experiments are at a critical stage, and the "@4 Hound" is watching me. At least Lily has basic cognition now and won't harm others randomly. And if something happens... it's a necessary sacrifice... For the greater good of humanity...
That girl asked if there were human experiments here... Of course not. ...These things were human once, but now they're just alien monsters. Yes, just alien monsters. I'm here to cure the disease that took my daughter, to spare others my pain, step by step.
I'm so close to the answer, inches away...
10. 28 Days, before the fight
9 linesDone with your whispering?
You snap the notebook shut, a chill running down your spine, like you've been dredged from a millennia-old ice cave.
Whispering? Wait, my Gnosis Index was fine, wasn't it?
Can't know without checking. Seeing you as lively as when you were first Awakened warms my heart.
Rye's chaos is way beyond what we expected. We can't afford to waste time, let's move.
Doll pulls out several oddly shaped metal monocles and test tubes filled with dark golden liquid.
Koum nods, motioning for you to climb onto its back. Once you're settled, it lets out a long howl and charges toward the sanatorium.
11. 28 Days, after the fight
7 linesYou're sparing my life? If this place falls, people like us will be homeless again.
We're not here to destroy.
I just contacted Lord Dexter. He's happy to do some charity and take over operations.
The innocent can stay, and he'll ensure supplies.
...He talks a big game, but his promises are solid.
After we leave, this sanatorium will run smoothly again. It'll still be your home.
But... Mrs. Oswood... Please, don't hurt her. Everything she did was for a greater cause...
12. Don't Look Back, before the fight
16 linesYou leave Nymphaea on the other side of the steel bridge, pressing toward Rye Sanatorium. Beyond the bridge, the air grows deathly still, chillingly silent.
Nymphaea was stalling. It's too quiet, the patients have probably been moved. The Sculptors' Association's intel is sharp.
Francis and the Sculptors' Association are allies in name only.
Francis focuses on curing Dissolution, which clashes with Herbert's ideals.
In her diary, she treated Herbert as just an outside collaborator.
Open this gate, and we're back inside the sanatorium.
Everyone ready?
Ready for a brawl?
Ready
Everyone takes a deep breath. Lotan steps forward, pushing open the sanatorium's gates...
What the hell happened here?!
The interior glimmers with an eerie, shadowy light. Walls and floors split open, revealing chasms of endless chaos and starlight.
Dimensional breach. Francis's meddling with time and space... it drew The Gaze.
The keepers of time and space have caught her scent.
Could it be the real Hellhound...!
Focus on our mission. Do not engage It directly.
13. Don't Look Back, after the fight
36 linesThe roars fade into the shadows, and the black slime on the corridor floor evaporates like boiling water.
The Sculptors' Association's Test Subjects, cheap and effective.
Hope you're not thinking of something too sinister.
Wouldn't be surprising, would it? We're not exactly on the side of ordinary folks.
If that's your mindset, why not join us?
Techs from the Alaemyces civilization have fascinated me for ages.
Rare to see you in person, Herbert. Thought you hated showing your face.
Well, the Sculptors' Association invested heavily in this "genius." If you take her down, our efforts go to waste.
You're too confident. Your efforts never flowed anywhere else to begin with.
No rush to throw barbs. What do you say to my offer, Miss Doll?
You don't care about human survival, do you?
Indeed.
Doll?
Unlike them, I shed my human body long ago. The fate of ordinary people means nothing to me.
As a researcher chasing cutting-edge tech, who wouldn't want to cast off human ethics and run the wildest experiments?
But...
Compared to a spineless opportunist like you, I respect these folks' courage to fight against the odds.
Enough talk. Keep stalling, and Francis will be halfway across the ocean with Lily.
As expected of Mythag's Brain, nothing gets past you.
Herbert claps, and a dozen doors swing open.
A bone-chilling malice spreads through the darkness, the narrow corridor echoing with grotesque roars.
Ramona, %player%!
Right here!
I'll handle this old friend. You stop Francis.
Those monocles I gave you, put them on to see the Gateway to other dimensions.
Don't take them off unless absolutely necessary. Dizziness is normal. If it gets bad, drink a vial.
But you...
Go!
Mythag and the Sculptors' Association have been at it for years. If he could take us down, he wouldn't have waited this long.
May the Silver Key light your path.
...
May the Silver Key guide us.
You don the metal monocle and, with Ramona, charge toward the easternmost corridor.
In your peripheral vision, Herbert's dozen test subjects surround Doll, salivating and restless.
14. 21 Grams, before the fight
30 linesIf you could tell absurdity from greatness, you might choose your words differently.
No lifeform escapes Dissolution. Your obsession just leaves a trail of wreckage.
Doll casts a disdainful glance at the twisted creatures dubbed "wreckage."
Your taste is as ghastly as ever. I don't recall Mythag teaching you that.
Seems Alistair took charge and erased my grand work after I left. Speaking of which, how's he doing?
You still care about him? He'd be ashamed to hear it.
Don't say that. Among Mythag's "graduates," don't I count as a success? Not many walk out of that place alive.
I even pray for him sometimes, hoping he can stand like a normal man again.
Thanks for the sentiment, but Alistair's outliving your other mentor, at least.
Alistair's blessed with luck, he'll probably witness the world's end. Shame you won't see that day.
How long can you hold out, surrounded by these things?
Won't know till I try.
You honestly think you can take on all these test subjects alone?
Don't assume I'm as dim as you, Herbert.
Your voice is as grating as ever, Doll.
It's worth more than that caveman brain of yours.
Your colleagues might not agree. If there was a button to shut you up, they'd press it without a second thought.
You're underestimating Mythag's tolerance, and my value.
My mistake. But even the sharpest mind's helpless against monsters surrounding it, no?
Helpless? Watch closely, and see what I've got in place of human hands.
May the Silver Key light your path.
Doll's pupils begin to warp.
Ready, you amoebas?
Wait! Are you out of your mind?!
An explosion roars like thunder, shaking the cramped corridor.
...A deathly silence follows, lasting dozens of seconds, with only thick smoke coiling through the sanatorium.
Cough, cough... Damn it, Doll... Good thing I came prepared...
With her body blown to bits like that, I wonder how much of what's left is still useful...
15. Secret Window, before the fight
20 linesYou and Ramona sprint eastward down the corridor. Soon, a wall looms ahead.
A crude child's drawing hangs high on the white wall, a mother playing with her child... but where the child should be, only black slime remains.
A dead end?
No... trust your instincts. Step through.
The moment you pass through the wall, the painting seems to flicker... the girl's figure appears briefly, then sinks back into darkness.
This space...
If I'm right, this is a passage formed by Francis's consciousness.
Well hidden.
Why else did we find nothing?
That light in the distance...
It's the deepest obsession of the mind's owner, something they can't forget.
Looks like a clock face.
What, she wants to be the master of time?
She needed so much time to achieve her goal, so she locked herself in that room.
Locked herself?
Yes. The cost of dimensional travel isn't something most can bear.
Every time she leaves that room, she's taking a huge risk...
Watch out!
A chaotic triangular monster rises from the black mire beneath your feet.
Get out of here!
16. Mystic River, before the fight
52 linesQuick, the exit's right there!
You follow Ramona's gaze, and blinding white light floods your vision.
Your sight dissolves into a gritty white haze, like snow blindness.
In the warped chaos, your consciousness is torn from your body, your senses hurled to a distant, frigid dimension. The Dream visits you again...
...
What happened in Elworth defies all you know, but there's no time for confusion, more pressing matters await.
Help me... stop them.
Yes, Master.
The black orb emits a grotesque squelching, the girl's lips moving in sync, her murmurs blending with the orb's noises into a low, oppressive symphony.
@2, @1,
The black orb surges toward the cultists, sparking chaos in the crowd.
You and Colonel Bertrand seize the moment, slipping into a narrow path.
...
...
You trudge through the darkness for an unknown time, pursued by distant roars, shrieks, gasps, murmurs, and ravings.
Hurry, step on my shoulders, climb up!
With Bertrand's boost, you scramble out of the tight tunnel. A dazzling snowfield stretches before you.
Hold on, I'm snow-blind... I'll pull you up soon...
It's fine, I can manage...
Before Bertrand finishes, terror twists his face.
From the gap between him and the tunnel's exit, countless thick, writhing liquid tendrils erupt.
They coil around Bertrand's body with a will of their own.
He claws at the ground, fingers digging in, but the snow offers no grip. In a breath, he's dragged down.
Then, a nerve-wracking sound assaults your ears...
Wriggling, chewing, bones clashing... even the gurgle of digestive fluids against organic matter rings clear.
...After seconds of heart-stopping horror, silence falls. Only the snow-laden wind rustles, dusting the ground.
Nausea surges from your gut to your chest. You retch onto the snow.
Urgh...
Tears spill uncontrollably, whether from grief or fear, you can't tell.
You reach for the pocket watch, hoping for comfort, but the pocket is empty.
...You retrieved nothing.
A cold hand rests on your shoulder.
Danger, Master. Please give me orders.
...
...
After days of trekking, the pursuing monsters and cultists vanish into the snowfield. You and the girl clear some snow, huddling by a campfire.
She occasionally leaves, returning with bloody chunks of unknown creatures.
You avoid questioning, roasting the meat over the fire, ignoring smell and taste to swallow the rare protein.
The girl doesn't seem to need food, but if you offer, she devours it ravenously.
Do you have a name?
She chews juicy meat, shaking her head.
What about... family? Do you know where your parents are?
...
She glances at you, the distant peaks, then the boundless sky, and shakes her head.
...You still need a name.
How about Lily?
Whatever Master says my name is, that's my name.
I'm not your master...
Master, careful. Something's catching up.
How?! We're almost out of the snowfield...
Your nerves sting, consciousness squeezed and pulled. The Dream rejects you, trying to expel you from its white world. But...
No... I can't let them get caught... not even in my dream...!
17. Room, before the fight
48 linesThis is it. Lily and Francis... they should be inside.
We're out of the dimensional passage. How do you feel? Still dizzy or nauseous?
Much better. Even if something hits me, I'll push through.
With a deep breath, you push open the door, dripping with viscous slime, and step into the final chamber.
A timeless sunset bathes the room, its cozy, girlish decor radiating warmth.
The doll on the nightstand, the pink dress on the rack, the lace-trimmed canopy... all starkly out of place in the sanatorium's grim chill.
At the center, on a surgical table, lies a familiar small figure, a gaping hole in her chest, still as death.
Lily!
Francis stands by the window, hands clasped behind her, gazing into the distance.
You betrayed Lily's kindness. Before Herbert got involved, we could've parted ways.
We won't stand by while you commit atrocities.
Atrocities... Is that how you see me? A freak, a lunatic, a criminal?
I'm not like Herbert. I've never willingly harmed anyone.
Maybe not in your eyes, but those altered humans... they might still have people who care for them.
I know you're kind, righteous people, but you're too young.
I've treated ex-convicts, shunned by everyone once their past was known, even after genuine remorse.
People are shaped by their experiences. After certain ones, they're no longer human, nor should they be treated as such.
That's not just my view, it's how the world sees them.
Even if you don't see Dissolution victims as human, what about their families who sent them here?
They were devoured by the Hellhound, weren't they? Your doing. And they were undeniably, purely human.
Those who abandon their sick or aging kin in this remote sanatorium, don't they deserve punishment?
Not death. You have no right to judge them.
I have no right to judge them... And you have the right to judge me?
Do you know where we are? This is my daughter's room. Time here is frozen at the dusk she vanished.
I tried everything to keep her, even if it meant selling my soul to the devil. But... no devil came, and she was still taken.
I gave Lily her name, but she's not my daughter. She's just a monster, the same age as my girl.
On the surgical table, the hole in Lily's chest slowly knits shut, color returning to her vacant eyes.
She's the perfect test subject. No matter how many wounds I inflict, she heals. Surgery never stops for pain.
But all I wanted was my daughter! A normal girl who cries, laughs, and whines to me when she hurts!
Those people... those who abandon their loved ones... they've already lost their humanity!
People who've lost their humanity, can you still call them human? Monsters becoming the Hellhound's prey, isn't that fitting?
You're beyond reason.
For once, we agree.
Francis steps forward, gently caressing Lily's pale, tender cheek, her tenderness jarring against her vicious words.
I knew you won't understand.
She murmurs, her voice barely audible.
By the third repetition of her whispered chant, you discern the cadence...
@2, @1,
@2, @1,
@2, @1,
The dormant monster stirs. Lily, once prone, rises stiffly, her eyes glowing an eerie green.
<Change>Return to the primal nest...
<Change>Return to the eternal realm...
<Change>Return to the Mother's embrace...
<Change>For Mother, eliminate them.
Hiss...
Ramona, find a way to wake Lily!
Understood!
18. Room, after the fight
31 linesMo...ther...
Lily, you don't want to fight us, do you?
This... is the... master's... command...
Lily, you don't want to obey your Master!
Because you've remembered, haven't you? You're you, not that monster anymore!
You can feel pain, can't you?
With a sharp slap, the widow strikes Lily's face.
Lily, clutching her cheek, retreats behind %player%.
...
Mother said... Good kids... don't fear pain...
But... Mommy... it hurts... Lily... it really hurts...
Black tears, laced with Dissolution slime, stream down Lily's face.
Lily... you...
Mommy... it hurts...
No... even if you feel human pain, you're still a monster...
You're not my daughter... My real daughter... she's gone, nowhere to be found...
Francis staggers back in despair, knocking over the surgical table. Scalpels scatter, slicing the doll on the nightstand and the rabbit blanket on the floor.
Ding-a-ling... Ding-a-ling...
A phone rings abruptly, shattering the room's tense air. No one answers, yet a man's voice spills through the receiver.
Hello, everyone.
Herbert! Where's Doll?!
Her? Blown to ashes in front of me, of course.
That's Mythag's unity for you, abandoning friends at the critical moment for a "noble sacrifice."
Back to business. I've noticed "the big one" getting closer. You're nearing the truth, aren't you?
As a reward for your efforts, I'll generously gift you the ultimate answer.
"Tap tap", a leisurely knock sounds at the door, its casual rhythm betraying the visitor's nonchalance.
No one answers, yet the door swings open.
There stands a woman in purple, ever-smiling, poised with elegance.
What's this? No warm welcome for me?
19. She, before the fight
53 linesAll eyes turn to Daffodil.
Under everyone's gaze, she waltzes across the room with ease, placing a pocket watch in Francis's hand.
Herbert insisted this be returned to its rightful owner.
With a cryptic smile, she flashes a playful, suggestive grin at you all.
If you need anything, monocles, Herbert's files, just reach out through Lord Dexter, alright?
Ramona grits her teeth, as if to speak, but steps aside, clearing a path.
Let's see how this plays out.
Understood.
That's when...
Francis lets out a scream, barely human.
As if beholding the world's most terrifying sight, she hurls the watch away, stumbling back, knees buckling as she collapses.
Her eyes bulge, pupils shrinking, hands clawing at the scalpels on the floor. Their blades nick her skin, blood beading drop by drop.
Unfazed, Francis kicks frantically, muttering incoherent ravings.
Impossible, impossible, it can't be, I won't believe it!
Ramona steps forward, retrieving the watch. She pops the clasp and silently hands it to you.
The watch's face is corroded, mottled with decay, yet its inner side is pristine, as if it had been sealed against some liquid.
Inside, a photo shows Francis holding a girl, the spitting image of the Lily you know, down to the last detail.
I suspected as much...
Francis's diary said she "awakened" Lily at the Elworth Altar.
An Awakener's "shaping" needs a tether from this world, and the most effective is human tissue.
In that diary, Francis wrote she kept Lily's hair in this watch, carrying it to Elworth.
Lily... is Francis's daughter.
Francis, answer me... Do you still think she's a monster?
Ramona's voice is soft, almost a whisper, yet in the room's oppressive silence, it's as clear as a pin dropping.
Francis shakes her head in disbelief, scooting back on the floor, crashing into the surgical table with a loud clang.
Lily, barefoot, steps toward Francis.
So you finally remember... Mommy...
No... you... stay back...
Francis's voice is hoarse, trembling with fear, a wail of protest.
Glass shards on the floor slice Lily's tender feet, healing instantly. Deaf to Francis's pleas, she draws closer...
She lifts the woman's bloodied hand, pressing it gently to her cheek. Then, she beams with a happiness never seen before.
Mommy, it's okay. It doesn't hurt, Mommy.
Mommy, do you remember? You promised to take Lily on the new subway...
But it hadn't opened yet, and Lily got sick.
Even though Mommy wasn't there, Lily felt what it's like to ride the subway.
A huge iron block, racing through dark tunnels... like flying underground.
When you come back up, you're so far from where you started.
We... can do more things like that together. Lily wants to do so much more... with Mommy.
So, Mommy, touch Lily's face like before, okay?
Can we start over?
...
Francis pulls Lily into a tight embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.
Lily... Lily...!
What... what have I done...
Don't cry, Mommy, don't cry... Mommy didn't do anything wrong. You didn't know Lily was Lily, and Lily didn't know she was herself.
If it wasn't for Mommy's efforts, Lily would've vanished long ago, unable to stay by Mommy's side for so long.
Mommy now remembers Lily. Lily's so happy now, like floating on a cloud... That's enough.
No, no, Lily, it's all Mommy's fault...
Mommy will make it up to you...
We can ride the subway, go to the amusement park, the fair...
Wherever Lily wants to go, Mommy will take you...
Mommy will stay with you, make you the happiest girl in the world...
Lily's already the happiest girl, Mommy.
20. Transcendence, before the fight
16 linesThe room echoes with sobs, clashing with the gentle sunset.
Are we calling the Committee?
She deserves a trial.
Let's bring her back to Mythag.
Sorry, she can't leave with you yet.
The clatter of chains rings out behind, like coarse, dull wind chimes.
Helot? Weren't you already...
Some meddler's been at work, huh.
Yeah, sorry about that. I crawled back from hell.
Suits me just fine.
Soft pustules slither in with Helot's steps, squeezing through the door's cracks.
Kids, go keep the others at bay. My only opponent is you, Lotan.
21. Transcendence, after the fight
14 linesYou lost again. That's three.
This... can't be... Why?
Helot kneels, defeated, her long hair coiling in pooling blood, a hoarse hum escaping her throat.
If I wanted to brush you off, I'd say it's just raw power.
But that's not it. Your moves are quick, your skills sharp.
Lotan walks past Helot, sword in hand.
But you're lost. You're still searching for a reason to fight.
Back at the railway bridge, you were a mindless monster... betrayed by your linker, right?
So you want revenge on the betrayer, to protect Francis who saved you. But fighting isn't about that.
Not for protection, not for vengeance, not for validation. Fighting is just fighting.
Your world's too small, always chasing the faint glow of someone else's light like a moth.
If you get the chance, go and explore a wider world.
Lotan passes her, moving forward without a backward glance.
22. Cracked Carapace, before the fight
24 linesThe ground trembles violently.
What's going on?
The runes on the walls tear apart.
Was it an accidental scrape when subduing Lily, collateral from the fight with Helot, or something Daffodil did on her way out?
It doesn't matter anymore.
Purple, amorphous smoke seeps from the rune cracks, pooling on the floor into a shape.
Your vision strains, nerves pulsing uncontrollably. From the warped fissures emerges a jagged, bestial monster.
This is...
The true Hellhound.
This isn't your first encounter with this beast, but now you're certain: it's the target of your investigation, the root of Rye's disappearances.
The numbing scalp, the chill down your spine, it's the same as the last two times you were "caught," but sharper, more intense.
Your vision blurs red.
In the blood-red haze, Daffodil's seductive voice whispers in your ear.
Take it off. Don't look, and your head won't hurt.
What happens if I do?
You'll slip out of consciousness, becoming fodder for the Dimensional Hound in peace.
Then I'll hold on.
You pull out one of Doll's vials, pop the cork, and gulp it down.
The taste is nothing like you expected, cloyingly sweet, rushing to your head.
If I'd known it tasted this good, I'd have asked for more to mix with water.
Smoke spreads through the room, more twisted monsters materializing.
You wipe blood and tears from your eyes, crimson veins on your hand urging you to act fast.
Ramona!
Yes! Cataclysm "Hellhound" detected, preparing for final combat!
23. Cracked Carapace, after the fight
23 linesYou battle the Hellhound for what feels like ages, yet it's not as grueling as expected.
It excels at mental oppression, but its claws deal scant damage. Doll's golden vials greatly ease the mental strain.
Soon, the Hellhound lets out a chaotic whimper, dissolving into the air.
Ramona glances at the sobbing mother and daughter, sighs, and taps her brooch.
Investigator Ramona, requesting log: The "Hellhound" is defeated. Mission complete.
Keeper %player%, preparing to retrieve Awakener Lily, modified entity Koum, and detain suspect Francis Oswood...
...Input...Zzz...Hell...
Erica's voice crackles, barely audible.
Erica, you there? Can you hear me?
..No! Watch out!
Amid Francis's scream, purple smoke rapidly coalesces, striking at you and Ramona like lightning.
You shove Ramona aside, stepping in front of her. Human instinct shuts your eyes, bracing for nightmarish pain.
Whimper!
The expected agony doesn't come. A beast, pierced through by purple spikes, stands before you.
The spikes vanish, leaving not a wound but a circular void.
The void seems to sap all of Koum's strength. Its massive body slumps, breath fading.
It happens too fast for you to react.
Purple smoke surges again from the fissures, a colossal form tearing the cracked runes into jagged gashes.
The Hellhound reveals its true form. What appeared before was a mere sliver; now, It looms as a titanic beast, glaring at those who dared claim victory.
In the room's corner, the calmed pale maiden rises, stepping back from her weeping mother's embrace.
Mommy, I'm so glad you recognized me.
It was %player% and Ramona who helped me decide... I'm so grateful to them.
So, I want to help them.
24. Sunset, before the fight
24 linesLily steps forward, her tender bare feet stirring black pus that pools around her.
Lisa said her mommy didn't recognize her, even shot her with a rifle.
Lisa said her mommy was strict, scolding or hitting her whenever we played.
Lisa said if her mommy knew she turned into a big dog because of me, she'd never forgive her.
But she couldn't help it. She was so hungry, and didn't want to steal, so she went home for food... and got caught.
Lily pauses.
But my Mommy is different.
She thought I was someone else, but the first time she cut me with a scalpel, she said sorry.
Back then, I didn't feel pain, not at all.
Later, things changed. Mommy locked me up, did more and more experiments.
But it's not Mommy's fault. She was locked in this room with me, unable to leave.
Because I lost control, killing so many people. Because it... it hurt so much.
Lisa said, as my only friend, she'd try to stay with me longer.
Otherwise, she couldn't have held on.
...Truth is, I couldn't hold on either.
The giant beast rips through more space, its claws slashing at Lily.
Before the faltering pale maiden, black pus forms balls and nets, deflecting Its attacks again and again.
Black pus balls explode, forming spikes that pin the Hellhound's claws.
The remaining pus sprouts knife-like teeth, severing the bound ankle.
It tears space apart, frozen time leaking through the cracks, the sunset swallowed whole.
You and Ramona exchange a glance and join the fray.
25. Sunset, after the fight
54 linesLily keeps maneuvering the black pustules against the Hellhound, her movements less nimble than before.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
Fifteen minutes.
Hey, you done yet?
That's it, done.
Her final stroke completes the pattern, connecting like an ouroboros. The design before Francis forms a dizzying cipher.
Don't stare!
Ramona shields your eyes, grabs a vial from your pocket, and pours it down your throat.
Open that door and walk out. You'll be free from Its reach forever.
And... take Lily... with you.
You're not coming?
It only appears to hunt prey. If this room is empty, why would It stay?
You're all good kids. I must atone for my sins.
Please... take care of Lily.
Mommy! Lily's not leaving you!
Lily, be good.
Lily won't be good! You said good kids don't cry out in pain... Lily listened. And then... So this time, Lily's not listening to you!
She raises her arm with effort, sending pustules at the purple smoke. The Hellhound pierces them instantly, splattering viscous liquid.
Francis looks at you, her gaze as earnest as her words.
Take her.
This is the final plea of a sinner, a failed mother.
You and Ramona act in sync.
As she once did for Ramona, you and Ramona hoist Lily onto Lotan's shoulders.
Tch, heavy lifting's on me again, huh?
Mommy!...
Lily, stripped of resistance, is carried from the warped space, away from Francis... her mother's final resting place.
As you leave, you glance at the window, flickering with eerie starlight.
Beyond lies chaos, nothing but deep light.
...
...
Francis, covered in grime, steps toward the colossal beast.
Daffodil warned me that even the slightest tampering with time draws the monster called "@4 hound."
Back then, I was obsessed with changing the past, stealing even a second to undo what Dissolution took.
But the most important thing was always, always by my side.
I almost realized...
I came alone to tell you something vital.
I won't hand Lily over to you.
Have you thought this through? Give me Lily, and whether you sabotaged rituals or hid test subjects, your past won't be held against you.
Your research can continue. The Association will keep funding you.
The Church won't hesitate to share their latest Awakener tech. You could create another "Lily."
I must decline.
After all these years, Lily's become like my daughter.
Yet I was blind, locking myself in the past.
Even the monster of causality or my imprisonment in this tiny sanatorium won't stop me.
Mommy, look, a subway poster...
Want to go on a trip, Lily? But we can't leave the hospital, sorry.
The surgery's at a critical point. Once you're better, Mommy will take you anywhere.
...
So, I've made up my mind.
My fault, my amends.
You're the monster I "awakened." My obsession opened the dimensional passage, bringing you here.
If obsession is a form of mental strength...
Until my mind is exhausted, you won't reach my child!
26. Epilogue, before the fight
114 linesNymphaea! Mr. Crawford wants to hear that white water lily poem again, go read it to him!
One moment, please.
By the way, haven't seen Director Oswood in ages.
The director... she's working on some important research alone. It might be a long, long time before she returns to the sanatorium.
Fair enough! Someone as brilliant as her, stuck in this rundown place? What a waste! If you see her, tell her I wish her luck with her research.
Yes, we'll wish her... all the best.
...
Hey, you're Lisa's mom, right? Lisa wrote again! She says she and Lady Daffodil left the Remouahe Desert, sailing across the ocean to the new Aglo Republic.
So cool! I wish I could go somewhere that far...
Alas... hope she writes back as soon as she hits the next port...
...
Helot stands alone at the dock, her long hair dancing in the wind.
Ship's leaving. You boarding?
Helot waves, signaling the ferry to leave without her. She hasn't decided on her next stop.
If you get the chance, go and explore a wider world.
...
Amid the sailor's shouts, Helot hooks her chain and leaps onto the deck.
As the whistle blows, the shore fades into the distance.
...
Back at Mythag, you collapsed on your dorm bed for three days, without food or water.
The Keeper's coma became big news, splashed across the front page of the school paper by Hannah. Students from other departments peeked at your door.
Your awakening spread just as fast, no surprise.
Ramona later told you this. At the time, you only felt drained, as if all strength had been sapped.
When you open your eyes, the first face you see makes you think you're hallucinating.
Congrats on recovering from the dimensional backlash, Keeper. I've got good news.
This mission was way tougher than we estimated, but you pulled it off. It'll look great on your final report.
Amazing, huh? Doll doesn't praise often.
Doll...? Weren't you... but Herbert...
I'm rethinking that praise.
No! Please, don't!
I'm called the Brain in a Vat. The brain back at Mythag is the real me.
The artificial body that got blown up? I can make as many as I need.
Can't waste them, though, or the Awakening Studies Department's budget will tank. Then you'd have to drag Ramona to perform sword dances for Lord Dexter's sponsorship.
I'd be thrilled to watch.
Oh, by the way, those dimensional monocles you used? One-use items.
Bought from that black-hearted Daffodil. One's worth about five of my artificial bodies.
So if you used a few extra, I suggest indenturing yourself to Lord Dexter to pay it off.
It would be my honor.
...
The stream of visitors is relentless, more exhausting than field missions.
When they finally disperse, you close your eyes for a breather, ready to rest, when a familiar figure quietly appears by your bed.
Shall we... visit Lily?
A small figure sits on the bed, leaning against a white pillow, gazing out the window.
Lily, %player%'s here.
%player%.
How're you feeling about my earlier offer? Linking with %player%, becoming our partner...
Lily turns away, avoiding your gaze.
If... if I don't want to? Will you lock me up... as a monster?
Sorry, I didn't mean to push you. Just...
Let me handle this.
Lily.
Yes?
What happened to you... maybe everyone shares some blame. But from another angle, neither you nor your mother were wrong.
The root of all this evil is Dissolution... a disease that makes people forgotten.
Because those around you forgot you, Francis obsessively chased proof of your existence.
Because she, too, began to forget you, she couldn't recognize her closest kin.
If we don't unravel the secrets behind Dissolution, tragedies like this will keep happening.
Francis's pursuit was right, Lily... your mother wasn't wrong. She was just led down the wrong path.
But we'll walk the right path. We'll fight Dissolution to the end. So, will you help us, Lily?
Francis... Mommy...
At Francis's name, Lily sobs, clear tears rolling from her eyes.
Family? Bah.
Lotan storms in, barging into the conversation with gusto.
You visit Lily without me? That's how you treat a comrade who fought beside you?
Lotan, you're... not heading back to the Black Pool?
Waiting around's boring. Field missions with you might bring some fun opponents.
Stop crying already.
Lotan pats Lily's frail shoulder.
A.F.290, Elworth
Francis gently wipes the grime of oil and black mud from the girl's face.
If you don't mind, you can call me mom from now on.
...
Feels like a weight's lifted from my chest.
With Lotan around, and if she hangs out with Aurita and the others... Lily should fit in here fast.
Good thing not everyone's as stone-faced as you, Doll, or William. Living at Mythag would be rough otherwise.
You try to lighten the mood, but Ramona doesn't bite.
Ramona?
Keeper, we need to talk.
She used your title, not your name. You straighten up instinctively.
During this investigation, your face looked off a lot.
The worst was when you read Francis's diary... Your reaction wasn't what I expected.
The first half was long-winded, but you flipped through it so fast, like you already knew it all.
I have a theory about this.
You saw her dream, didn't you?
You hesitate, then spill everything you saw in the dreams.
Synaesthesia manifesting so strongly in you... You knew the whole story, that's why you were so resolute at the end.
I've been thinking these past few days. To us, Awakeners are comrades, sometimes even friends we'd trust with our lives.
But to Francis, Lily was a life born from Dissolution. To her, it was no different from the monster that took her loved ones.
Just laying out the truth... were my words back then too harsh? Did I completely disregard her and Lily's feelings?
Harsh or not, Francis's cruel experiments on Lily... that's undeniable. Even if it wasn't us, the Mystia Treaty Committee would've tracked them down eventually.
But...
Seeing Ramona's face darken, your mind races for a new topic.
Speaking of which, I saw a sigil at the Altar in my dream.
What sigil?
Hold on, I'll sketch it.
You pull out a notebook, scribbling a rough outline.
Wait, I've seen that sigil before...
So, how's it feel to be blown to bits, dear Miss Doll?
Thanks to you, not a thing. Unlike some, I'm not torn between new lifeforms and clinging to mortal flesh.
Calling the school's public line? Seriously? Taunting doesn't suit your usual cowardice.
Easy, now. I've got good news.
That Silver Core you left me? Prime stuff. This trip wasn't a total loss.
But Lady Daffodil's pissed. Says her reserved skull got locked somewhere even she can't reach. Bad deal, bad luck.
For old times' sake, a word of advice: stop chasing me. Those who try to get one over on me end up with nothing.
Doll's voice is ice-cold, but to Herbert, it carries a mocking lilt.
On the sketchbook by Doll's side, a clear pattern is etched.