level_act13d0_st01

中秋 史尔特尔

7:10 A.M. \ Clear

Kazdel exurbs

This is the mission location?

Judging by the image, this should be the place. The nomadic hamlet Bellony Village.

Though I think you could just call the entire village an oversized minecart instead.

It's a mining town that carries around its own Originium-powered drills to keep itself going. The people bring in some revenue just selling the excess resources to nearby cities.

If they find any big ruins, they even ask the larger nomadic cities to front the excavation costs.

Maybe, but this place still looks pretty rough.

There is dust everywhere and the fences are all run-down. There are obvious signs of habitation, but no one cares to do maintenance?

I don't see anything worth investigating.

Most of Terra isn't very interesting, but the people living in these uninteresting places still have their own unique lifestyles.

Wait, give that back!

What?! You said you'd share your ice cream!

Stop running! You're gonna squish it before we get home!

Idiot, give that back!

No way! I'm faster than you anyway. I'll be the one to bring it back to Dad!

Wait up!

There are many who struggle to survive in such terrible environments, but that doesn't mean they're unhappy.

They chase after one another for a mere ice-cream without regard to the commotion they are causing. To think they will be the same when they grow up...

You call this happiness?

Are you angry?

Why would some inconsiderate kids running around, kicking up dust anger me?

(She's totally angry.)

Sorry. Are you the operators from Rhodes Island?

Real sorry to keep you waiting.

Yes, we are. Nice to meet you, are you the local liaison?

Ah, yeah, that's right. I'm the leader of Bellony Village. Come with me. No need to stand around out here, let's go in. This way.

Thank you.

Before the mission

Rhodes Island Command Center

Bellony Village is a typical mining community located at the edge of Kazdel. A cave-in a few months ago completely sealed off the mines.

Not only were the mines ruined, the village's travel route and trading channels were also blocked.

For the past few months, the village has been requesting aid from nearby nomadic cities, but there has not yet been any city willing to help.

Meteorite, I would like you to carry out preliminary investigations and report on the situation.

We will organize a rescue mission based on that report.

Understood. This doesn't sound like a particularly tough mission.

The village's problems don't appear to be related to Catastrophes or Oripathy, but don't let your guard down.

Roger that. But...

Is Surtr going too? I don't think I'll need much help.

There is something I want to investigate in that area.

Surtr asked to go along for personal reasons. We've approved her request.

I won't be a burden to you, just pay me no mind.

We're a small village. Just wait here for a moment, I'll go and grab some tools first.

Oh, we have some basic prospecting tools with us.

No good, the mine entrance at the edge of the village has been sealed off with our own special tools.

Without these unlocking tools, it can't be opened. Our village is pretty good at excavation, if I do say so myself.

Even with all that experience, you still got yourselves stuck here.

Hahaha, that's true.

Aah! Please forgive her, she doesn't mean it. Hey, don't be rude!

No, we are really ashamed that for all our experience excavating, we still couldn't stop a major cave-in.

Part of the drill sunk into the collapsed area, so it's not safe to send anyone else over there.

Even with Rhodes Island's help, we're going to put some new precautions in place.

Just rest here a minute, I'll get the stuff.

Alright, please do.

You know, you could stand to be a little more polite.

I'm just stating facts.

Ah... Err...

(This is so awkward.)

(I've heard Surtr is tough to get along with, but I thought we'd at least have something to talk about.)

......(Recording)

Are you taking notes for a status report?

No.

So...?

You don't know? I thought my file was public.

I did read it, but...

Surtr. The file mentioned her.

Due to a memory impairment of unknown origins, she has difficulty reconciling her memories.

It is as if there is a large volume of memories existing simultaneously in her mind. The volume is such that Surtr is unable to properly recognize which of her memories are real and which are false.

And so she has been seeking out the places in her memories one by one.

The 'personal reasons' Dr. Kal'tsit mentioned are some places around here you remember?

When Dr. Kal'tsit was telling me about this area, I felt a sense of familiarity.

And I felt some deja vu when looking at photographs and records.

Now that you're here at the village, do you recall anything?

Nothing at all. When walking through the village, I saw the passing children and the run-down houses. They are similar to the images in my memory, yet completely different.

I do not know why.

Have you checked every spot in the village?

At a quick glance, I haven't missed anything.

How about we ask the villagers later? Maybe the village you remember is from a while ago? It could've been rebuilt.

...Perhaps.

The smell of dried plants in the air is no different from my memories.

When I close my eyes, it is as if I am on familiar streets.

The footsteps of children running by are like the sounds of friends chasing one another in my memories.

Yet when I open my eyes, I see nothing but an unfamiliar landscape.

Dr. Kal'tsit sent me on this mission, so let me help you investigate.

We'll look for clues in the village together after we're done with the mine collapse thing.

No need, I can handle it myself.

...I understand how it feels to have no past, or a place to call home.

As Sarkaz, without a Sarkaz home, I'm always fighting, together with the others, pressing on.

My situation is different.

Maybe it's different, maybe it's the same?

Maybe we're all just looking for a place to belong in the end.

But, as you look towards the unknown future, you can't ignore what's right beside you.

That's what Amiya taught me.

Sorry for the wait, let's set out now!

I'm all ready!

Anyway, let's complete our mission first.

So this is it...

Yep, this is the cave-in. Watch your step.

The excavation site is over there. The cave-in caused the surrounding area to sink downwards, so this entire area had to be sealed off.

This cave used to be the entrance to a tunnel that connects to the neighboring village. Now that it's sealed, we can't trade with our neighbors.

Surtr?

I think I remember this path.

Sir, what's the relationship between this village and the neighboring one?

It's a mining village just like ours. Since the nearby villages are all in the same business, we deal with each other a lot.

Some villagers even move back and forth between the communities.

But the cave-in blocked off our only means of communication. They've probably already moved on to keep mining.

The course of this path, the direction...

It's getting more familiar.

I used to pass through this place often.

The familiar figures of children run past me and disappear among the piles of rocks up ahead.

You want to go to another village?

If we got the path open, we could contact them pretty quickly.

That would be great... Surtr?

I'm not willing to wait that long.

Huh?

What?

Move aside!

Surtr, wait! I know you're eager for answers, but the mine isn't safe right now!

Think for a minute before you put yourself in danger!

Meteorite, just wait for me outside and guard the entrance!

The girl! She actually smashed through the rubble and rushed in!?

Hey, wait!

Stop! Don't you go in there too!

You're risking another cave-in!

Damn it!! Surtr!

Deep within the mine, the traces of heavy machinery are obvious.

The path snakes ahead, as if guiding Surtr forward.

So this is the path to that other village.

It's just an Originium Slug nest now.

It looks like they took over the empty space in the past few months.

Troublesome.

Hm...

Children holding hands walk along the path.

Passing by the countless traces of Originium Slugs.

Disappearing into the darkness ahead.

Huh?

An explosion!

Another cave-in!?

That girl is in danger! What do we do!?

The streets in my memories were filled with the rich aroma of the earth, not the scent of dried plants.

The companions in my memories would not chase after one another, ice-cream in hand.

The buildings looked the same, yet were completely different.

It was not just minor differences in the design. Even the materials and structures were completely different.

Ah, I'm hurt. Ouch. My palm's scratched.

Never thought there would be a day I got distracted enough to get ambushed by Originium Slugs.

Tch.

This... this is...

There's another empty space beneath the mining pit?

(Rustle rustle). It's the sound of Originium Slugs.

(Rustle rustle).

(Rustle rustle).

The ruins of a city in a giant cavern...?

Surtr enters the cavern deep beneath the earth.

Beside the glow of Originium Slugs, she can trace the outlines of buildings among the piles of stone and rubble.

Tiles of a road, bricks of a wall.

It is very clear that the entire place has been buried for a very long time.

Dozens of years? Hundreds of years?

Surtr does not know either. Yet, she has found that which she is looking for.

Here!

Surtr!

Ah, thanks for pinpointing the location. I was able to break the rock layer at the correct spot.

What were you thinking?! Why would you rush into such a dangerous place all by yourself?!

I was doing a little thing called 'investigating'.

Incidentally, I discovered the cause of the cave-ins. There was a nest of Originium Slugs below the mine, inside a giant cavern.

The mining put more pressure on the bottom, so the whole thing just collapsed.

I destroyed the Originium Slug nest and used the cave-in to seal up the entire cavern. Done.

Though we skipped over the standard procedures, the issue was resolved.

What!

Huh?

So, you solved the whole problem by yourself, but you didn't find the path to the neighboring village?

Right, I realized that neither village was the one in my memory.

I made a mistake. There aren't any memories I'm looking for here.

You'd mess up something you recorded so diligently all this while?

I suppose I would.

I've seen something like this before.

You run into all sorts of problems on the way to your goal.

It's thanks to the people beside me that I've made it this far.

I'm used to it.

After all, this isn't the first time there was a discrepancy in the places I remember.

But even if you didn't find the right place today, you still have a place to call home, right?

Are you trying to say I can rely on you too?

Um, I guess you could put it that way...

Ladies! I've notified the others in the village!

The exploration team is getting ready! It sounds like you've taken care of things and we can get back to mining.

Please wait for us to bring our data back to Rhodes Island before you go back in there.

We wouldn't want any more accidents.

Hahaha, that's fine. Everyone's too excited. I really have to thank you both.

If you don't mind, why don't you spend the night in the village?

You'll be our guests of honor!

Well...

We have to hurry back, so I'm afraid we'll pass.

But...

Could I have an ice-cream?