aurora

The hail is getting fiercer, and she feels Magallan's hands frantically trying to help support the barrier.

Aurora raises the prototype shield.

Aurora?

You can't run so much Arts at the same time. It'll overload you!

It won't, Maggy. I want to try it.

I developed this shield to protect my home and the people around me.

This is what it's made for. And this is the time to give my all.

I became infected with Oripathy because I couldn't do enough. I won't let it happen again.

I don't want to disappoint you, disappoint anybody else, or disappoint myself!

This is my choice, and I'll see it through.

How could I talk about protecting all of Kjerag, if I can't even protect you, here and now?

You've got the experience, Maggy! Tell me what to do to protect both of us once it's activated!

Activating drone offensive module. Move over a little, Aurora.

Listen for my cue once it's activated, and I'll blast the hail away!

How are you feeling, Aurora?

We're at the supply station that we left from, located at where the barrens meet the Icefields.

You passed out right after the hail ended. The prototype shield was damaged, but I knew you wouldn't throw it away, so I brought it here after cleaning it up.

...Are you hurt, Maggy? No infections or anything?!

No infections, just a couple of flesh wounds.

Whew... I thought I had to—

You thought you had to shield me with your torso? That's what your body language said. Protecting yourself is always the priority on the Icefields.

You need to keep yourself safe in order to keep others safe.

Maggy, I...

You want to see your shield, right? Here, all cleaned up and wrapped up.

No...

Maggy, I... Catastrophes are avoidable, right?

Not saying that we can stop them from happening, but if we had operated according to plan, we would have been back at base, going through the supplies in safety, while watching the hail fall outside...

Aurora.

I knew you'd think that way. Irregular events are a regularity when you do research this far north.

I've encountered blizzards that kept me in an ice hole for five full days. I've encountered avalanches that buried all my drones. And don't get me started on invisible cracks in glaciers...

The north doesn't change for anybody. We get what we want from it on our own, and pay the appropriate price.

A few months of solitude, or some kind of injury... this is what we deal with all the time.

The north doesn't cause a Catastrophe just because you decided to delay a few days. It does what it wants, and we just happened to run into it. Don't blame yourself.

Well, I wanted to let you see the aurora with your own eyes...

Magallan takes out a heavily-damaged drone.

Its camera module is connected to a data cable, and the screen is showing an intermittent video recording.

The little corner of sky visible from the edge of the shield is obscured by clouds and hail. Then, a single ray of light shines through.

Like a veil of silk, it slowly begins to cover the clouds.

It's at that time that Aurora lowers her head, and the shield's Originium circuit glows a bright blue, indicating overload.

Aurora presses at the barrier, forming an impregnable line of defense, as Originium and hail bounce off the shield.

The sky shines brightly with a myriad of colors.

I saw this recording when I was taking stock of the remaining supplies. The drone's camera kept running, showing that we actually encountered the aurora that you wanted to see.

But it was me who proposed that we stay two more days, Aurora.

I know the north better than you do, and I know better what we're dealing with here.

That's why I wanted to wait until you saw the aurora with your own eyes.

Maggy!

Maggy—

My goal has always been to achieve what I wanted under my own strength and hard work.

What I care about is that I managed to protect ourselves from the hail, and that you haven't been infected! And I completed the project I've been working on for so long!

Now I can tell my parents and siblings that I never stopped trying, even with my illness. I achieved a lot, and I'm gradually realizing my dream!

And I can tell myself that I made the right choice. It's not about seeing the aurora; it's about successfully accomplishing these things.

That's why this video is even more precious to me than seeing the aurora with my own eyes!

Look here, Maggy.

Aurora excitedly adjusts the playback bar until it stops on a particular frame:

Magallan is stretching out her arms, supporting Aurora's body, while a drone flies above the shield under her command.

Look! The drone didn't just record me supporting the defenses; it caught you on camera too!

We're in this shot together, under the aurora!

I love this recording sooooo much! This was a great mission!

<i>Dear Lara, The data you sent back has been received. The mines are planning to employ the new technology in mining equipment.</i>

<i>Dad and I received the photo as well. I'm putting it up with the <i>Kjeragandr</i>, so I can see you working hard every day.</i>

<i>Dad made some heat-to-eat cheese fondue packs for you. They'll last a long time.</i>

<i>We're always worried about you, but we support you and we're proud of you. Your life is your own. We'll be here, waiting for your good news.</i>

Maggy! Where are you?

I've been thinking about the next expedition, and I've been working with Engineering to come up with a draft for that new equipment I wanted to make!

I have a few other operators here who are interested. Let's talk things over.

Coming!