Liberi Reader

🔍

Priestess

You seem a bit down, {@nickname}.

Priestess

Care to share the reason with me?

Oracle

QHU9112, another fading star system.

Oracle

It's a new high tide. What surrounds us is merely the first wave, It's arriving much faster than we anticipated.

Oracle

We don't have much time left...

Priestess

But we're prepared, yes?

Priestess

We've planted a seed of hope, and now we need only wait for it to grow a solution.

Priestess

Don't fret. Treat it as a regular hibernation. No different than prior time travels, just a little longer.

Priestess

And this time, I will be there by your side.

Priestess

I hope after crossing the quiet, endless night, the first thing I see when awake is you.

Oracle

We still haven't figured out a solution from our debates...

Oracle

Originium is our last hope, and we have few alternatives. We must think twice before we choose our path.

Priestess

......

Priestess gently holds the hand of the person by her side.

She does not speak her thoughts, but they transform into images within this mind-resonance room—visuals symbolizing happiness and hope.

Her gaze is sincere and clear.

Priestess

I've never forgotten our matter of debate, {@nickname}. We shouldn't hold any reservations towards each other.

Priestess

Look, this is in fact my mindset when we discuss our future. We should harbor the same set of expectations.

Priestess

The identical lynchpins embedded in our minds are what tie us together.

Priestess

Our minds are inseparably linked, until our consciousnesses follow suit with the universe's demise.

Priestess

We do clash and argue endlessly, but that is precisely the reason why we most understand each other's disposition.

Priestess

I know for certain it is in our nature to harbor hope for the future. We serve as anchors for one another in this hollow sea of stars.

Oracle

Even if we can't agree on our differing views on Originium? Our planned paths for it can't coexist...

Oracle

Priestess, I'm not sure...

Priestess

Then let's continue to wait.

Priestess

It's fine if you're not willing to hibernate yet. We still have some time.

Priestess

We can read the classics stored inside DWDB together, or interpret the many verses left by dead planets in this universe.

Priestess

Before you make up your mind, I'll never force you—

Priestess

I'll wait, {@nickname}, until you make the choice to stand by my side.

Oracle

Priestess...

Priestess

Take it easy, {@nickname}. Your recent observations must have exhausted you.

Priestess

Close your eyes and rest a while. I'll play you a chord on the gravitational forces of distant stars, and you'll enjoy a sweet dream.

🔍

Mon3tr

(Excited roar)

Priestess

......

Mon3tr appears by your side, but its stance is slightly different than usual.

Without a command from Kal'tsit, it zips towards the enemy, although a cluster of Originium rises from the ground, fully encasing the monster within.

Kal'tsit! Watch out—

Priestess

You really have surprised me, AMa-10.

Priestess

You've broken free of my control at the price of severing your own gemini cycle system, even if this makes your life now utterly fragile.

Priestess

However, do you really intend to kill me via this method?

Kal'tsit

I knew from a long time ago your consciousness was already assimilated into the information within Originium.

🔍

Kal'tsit

Under these circumstances, it is impossible to truly kill you.

Kal'tsit

But what Theresa and Theresis accomplished convinced me of something.

Kal'tsit

Your control over Originium is not absolute, and there still exist some methods to limit your authority over it.

Priestess

I did meet the two you speak of, within the Originium.

Priestess

Their efforts were indeed unexpected, and a pleasantly surprising struggle.

Priestess

But what of it? How are you so sure now that killing me here won't be a futile act?

Kal'tsit

When Mon3tr attacked you, you chose to defend yourself.

Priestess

......

Priestess

How did you do it?

Kal'tsit

I see you have noticed.

Kal'tsit

Based on Theresa's research into Originium as well as the trap you set for Dr. {@nickname}, I added a few plans to your awakening room.

Kal'tsit

As long as you wake up here, your consciousness will be trapped in this body, unable to return to Originium's sea of information.

Priestess

...?

Kal'tsit

Perhaps you will eventually manage to break through this restriction, and regain control over Originium, but right now you are merely human.

Priestess

To think you'd go this far to rebel against me—

Kal'tsit

Priestess, you are not Terra's creator. The life on this land has no obligation to bend to your will.

Kal'tsit

...This is my revenge on you, and my final act of resistance.

You see the woman standing across from you reveal a hint of hesitation, but immediately after, Originium surrounds her.

Kal'tsit

...It's too late.

Amiya! Help Kal'tsit!

Mon3tr

(Agitated roaring)

Amiya

Dr. Kal'tsit... it's my turn to protect you now.

Black Arts crash and smash the Originium cluster, freeing Mon3tr as it quickly resumes its attack.

Originium crystals begin to grow again, but it's too late to form a barrier strong enough to resist Mon3tr's claws.

You see a nervous look on Priestess's face, a show of fear from the creator towards her creation.

Priestess

...!

As if Priestess finally recognizes the threat she is facing, the Originium on the entire deck responds to her consciousness and begins to rapidly grow.

Mon3tr has already closed in on its prey.

🔍

Mechanist

Five on the right confirmed paralyzed.

Logos

'Perish.'

Blaze

A bit scary at first, but in the end it just brought out enemies we've beaten before. Easy peasy.

Blaze

Eat this now—

Blaze

Am I just imagining it, or are our enemies spawning slower now?

Raidian

This is PRTS's core system. The whole time it's been copying data of enemies we've faced in the past and pasting them here.

Raidian

But now it's reading the data so slowly, like something's hindering it...

Raidian

It seems like whatever the Doctor and the rest are doing is taking effect.

Ascalon

Let's seize this chance and smash it.

Ascalon

We need to reach the Abyss's depths... there are people waiting for us.

🔍

Smoke and dust scatter, leaving only Originium fragments on the ground.

And a tattered white coat.

Did we... defeat her?

Kal'tsit

......

Amiya

I can't feel... any signs of life, or any emotions...

Amiya

Maybe...

Everything happens so suddenly you haven't had the time to regard the series of events as reality.

You saw that fearsome foe reduced to ashes right before your eyes.

Yet you feel no relief at all.

???

Are we quite finished playing yet?

What's that?!

Amiya

How—

Kal'tsit

Doctor, Amiya, fall back!

Priestess

A powerful show of resistance, AMa-10. Your plan has proven effective.

Priestess

As you say, there is indeed a chance for you to kill me now...

Priestess

But how does a single substitute made of Originium fluster you so?

Kal'tsit

...!

Priestess

AMa-10, I have no intention of debating the value of your beliefs.

Priestess

The principles you have always insisted on are so insignificant I can't even find a credible logical framework to assess their significance.

Priestess

It is not uncommon for experiments to turn out like this—small errors ultimately growing into huge obstacles. I have no choice but to accept this result.

Priestess

I'm very sorry, but I must treat you as an error, and wipe you out.

Priestess raises her hand.

Originium begins to grow once more. Thorned crystal branches tightly envelop you and Amiya in a second, nearly swallowing you both.

Amiya tries her best to shatter the surrounding Originium with her Arts, but the crystal clusters only grow faster.

Amiya

Doctor! Get behind me—

Kal'tsit

—!

Kal'tsit

Mon3tr—

It all happens in a flash of light.

You see the Originium crystal cluster near you explode. Amiya wanted to protect you, but time does not allow for her reaction.

You see the black monster rush over, blocking you both from the cluster with its large, solid body.

You see Kal'tsit...

Priestess

What a pity.

🔍

Doctor, do you ever doubt the meaning in your own existence? I do.

I understand my mission clearly. It is difficult, but I recognize its meaning.

As for the future, I believe you will find an answer. I can only persevere in that belief.

Don't spare too much worry for me. Rhodes Island shouldn't be so fragile that one person's departure would leave it unable to proceed on.

My hope?

It is to protect yours and Amiya's hopes.

Though our definitions of 'protect' have nothing in common, it's an oath I will never abandon. I will be standing here with you, until the very end.

We are unable to forget the past, but a different future may await you.

🔍

I have found the meaning of my life.

Please lead Rhodes Island...

And keep going.

{@nickname}.

Unconsciously, I seem to have grown accustomed to having someone at my side, guiding me.

Until now. I finally am sure of what I want to do.

No matter what happens, I will continue down this path. I will not abandon hope.

But...

...What about you?

🔍

Amiya

Dr. Kal'tsit—！

...Kal'tsit...?

🔍

It all happens so quick, but you still manage to comprehend the cruel truth.

The foe you all face is incomprehensible by conventional means. She has authority over all Originium.

The bit of Originium on Kal'tsit's right shoulder is proof that she was born human, but also what steals her life away.

Originium crystals begin to spread as they swallow her entire body, only to shatter as the wind blows them away—your eyes fail to capture the entire process.

With strength, comes fragility.

A long life ends here.

She has kept her promise.

🔍

Settings