level_main_15-15_beg

The connection between us will transcend even time and space. I am sure of it.

Even if the ocean completely boils away and the atmosphere vanishes, even if all the moons in the sky are pulled into the vortex of our planet's gravity, and even if the sun continues to mercilessly expand, eventually swallowing up all its children until none can be heard...

I am sure we will meet again. At the far end of our civilization, once adorned by darkness and the brilliance of the stars up above, we will meet once again.

I will wait until that day comes. I promise you I will. Wait for me. You must wait for me too.

...Don't ever forget about me.

Is it time...?

I should still be alive. This can't be an illusion.

This is the Rhodes Island I'm familiar with, and it seems to be operating as usual. Therefore, <i>It</i> is definitely not here yet.

Is she still asleep? What of Originium's current state...?

And as for the changes happening to this planet...

You're still here, AMa-10.

Perfect... Let's go for a walk outside.

From a distance away, a black-haired woman dressed in a white coat stands on the deck, concentrating her gaze at the sky.

Until she notices the two of you and turns around, a bright smile on her face.

You are absolutely certain you have seen this face before.

Perhaps in a dream within dreams, or in the depths of your dormant memories.

But this moment is no dream.

You can clearly perceive her presence and existence right before you with each of your senses.

Priestess...

Doctor, this woman... is the Priestess you talked about?

The enemy Dr. Kal'tsit has been guarding against...?

Amiya does not understand the danger she faces, but still she stands in front of you instinctively, ready to engage in combat.

You are unable to determine how exactly the current situation will unfold, but know very well this is not at all like any powerful foe or crisis you have faced before.

The woman seems to show no hostility, but still your instinct tells you—unfathomable danger lies right before your eyes.

Gently, she begins to speak.

You're a step ahead of me, {@nickname}.

You didn't wait for me in the awakening room, to share a mutual joy in seeing this new world for the first time.

But how could I possibly blame you for a little impatience?

You also feel her pure, sincere gaze.

From the distance wind blows and thunder rolls, along with the faint rustling of Originium spreading.

Within the clamor and chaos of this space, she fixes her eyes on you as if nothing else exists.

This reunion is not what I expected, but I'm willing to accept an unorthodox experience.

We've dreamed together too many times to count, how we would meet again when we awoke from our deep sleep.

We could wander freely on this planet completely covered by Originium, in a world that belonged only to us.

A world only one step away from our shared, ultimate vision, and we'd walk towards our new hope...

It ought to be a bright, sunny day too.

Doctor, look! The clouds in the sky—

Amiya hurriedly shouts a warning at you when she notices the sky's unnatural appearance.

But you fail to comprehend just what your eyes are currently seeing.

As soon as Priestess finishes speaking, thick Catastrophe clouds begin to contract and fold in a neat yet strange manner until they vanish completely, leaving a canvas-like sky.

Catastrophes, the most horrific disasters to happen to this land—gone, just like that.

You realize a terrible truth.

You can fully <i>control</i> Originium...?

We created it together. A crystallization that belongs to only the two of us, a seed of hope.

But tragically... you don't remember anymore, do you?

We... created Originium?;I don't remember...

I know you lost part of your memories in a series of unfortunate accidents.

It's a pity, but I believe your partial memory loss will not change your nature, and the connection between us remains unshakable.

I've no wish to be harsh on you, but I hope you can understand—time is short, and we have much to do.

Though, we can still enjoy our time working together, yes?

Return to my side, Dr. {@nickname}...

<color=#000000>Let Terra crystallize into Originium.</color>

<color=#000000> Create a bridge to the future.</color>

The gentle call seems to ring suddenly in your ears, and you feel incomparably close to the voice.

You are certain you cannot recall a single shred of her in your mind, yet your connection goes beyond memories, or perhaps information contained in language.

An almost instinctive reaction.

You cannot help but take a step forward.

Dr. {@nickname}!

Kal'tsit is behind you, gripping your arm. You feel feeble tremors through her palm.

You realize now she has been silent the whole time. Since leaving the sarcophagus, she has been so weak, at this point, she even seems to be struggling to stand.

You are baffled.

You expected Kal'tsit to give you some sage advice, like usual, or perhaps a simple and clear solution.

But now she seems to be suffering from terrible torment, her face bearing struggle and pain.

After an endless instant, she loosens her grip.

She leaves the choice for you to make.

No...;No.;...No.

I won't let Originium destroy Terra.

You see her eyes darken. A clear sign of disappointment. You don't know why, but your heart suddenly tightens.

So it's you... AMa-10. It's been a long time for us too.

Your current appearance is vastly different from the look you were born with, but I certainly recognize my very own creation that I poured my heart into.

In the past four million plus natural day cycles, you seem to have exerted a lot of effort, but your behavioral standards appear to clash with the preset goal encoded at your birth.

I'd like to know just what changed your mind.

Unlike your despicable fraud...

...My end goal has never changed.

Indeed... you regarded that one's order as an inviolable mandate.

So you hindered the Originium plan, and wasted our already limited time.

So, {@nickname}, how should I make you understand—

Just how disappointed I am?

And how should I forgive your betrayal?

Betrayal?

Kal'tsit, what is the meaning of this?

I've noticed, AMa-10.

You've already broken the language ban I put in place, correct?

Such a precaution was not enough to restrict your actions, for you always find a way...

But if that's the case, why not just say it?

Everything you've wanted to say to {@nickname} this whole time, but couldn't?

Priestess...

*Expletive from an unknown language*.

Ascalon and the Elite Operators are momentarily stunned after entering the rift.

This is the Abyss?!

Raidian, can you confirm if we're still inside the Rhodes Island landship?

Unable to detect any electromagnetic signals outside this space. Hm... no way to tell.

Everyone falls into brief silence, waiting for a commander's directive as usual.

Where's the Doctor?

And where are Dr. Kal'tsit and Amiya?

Once we entered the rift, I lost track of their positions.

Constant white noise fills the vast white space, the sound of operating machinery emanating from the center.

If this place is indeed the Abyss, then clearly it's distorting our perception of physical space.

Mantra's voice comes to everyone's minds as they learn this at the same time.

There's no way to identify the material the walls are made of.

He looks back in the rift's direction, but it is no longer there.

Currently there's no way to cut open these strange walls, so there's no way to confirm their whereabouts.

I trust Amiya and Dr. Kal'tsit will manage to keep the Doctor safe.

We can only wait and adapt accordingly.

We haven't received any new commands, so we should continue executing our original task.

Then let's not delay any longer.

Mechanist, Sharp and I will cover you while you close in on that unknown machine. Verify if its related to PRTS.

We can back you up anytime—

Something's off. There are no high-threat targets here.

That's unusual.

According to Dr. Kal'tsit and the Doctor's speculations, the Originium entities we've run into all come from the Abyss...

But there's like no defenses installed here at all—

I hear... pain.

What's wrong, kitten?

Rosmontis, do you feel any other abnormalities within your body?

No, it's not my own...

A huge black vortex spins slowly under the transparent floor. It starts to speed up.

The unidentifiable instrument right above it begins to flash red.

Detecting a large amount of interference signals.

That instrument is currently transmitting a huge volume of data—

Could the black vortex underneath... be a visualization of all that information?

PRTS Defense system active.

Identifying threat targets... Identities confirmed.

Loading threat targets data files, generating targeted countermeasure strategies...

Calculation complete.

This is a final warning from PRTS.

Leave the Abyss, intruders.

Beginning countdown—

Gah, so we're intruders now?

Doesn't look like you're giving us any option to leave though.

So, Ascalon?

Sweep up Rhodes Island's trash.

Nice, I like that.

Don't care where all this stuff came from, but we'll let them know just to whom Rhodes Island belongs.

Countdown complete.

Executing cleanup protocol—

Kal'tsit?;What's all this...

Dr. {@nickname}, ever since you woke up in Chernobog, I have refrained from confessing the whole truth about your past.

The ban placed on me is only part of the cause.

As for the other reasons... I have said before no one else should tell you about your past.

Language has no way of reconstructing objective facts, while emotions will distort its delivery.

So I needed you to see and judge for yourself, to re-evaluate this land on your own.

Only then could you formulate your own answers about how you regard this land, and about yourself.

I still believe it's important to do it this way.

The same way someone once treated me.

I already found my answer.

I am Dr. {@nickname}.;I am the Doctor of Rhodes Island.;I am a soul walking this vast land.

This may be the last chance I have to share that information, however.

Perhaps only now do I, too, have the confidence to share it after all that you and Rhodes Island have been through together.

Please trust that I talk only of your past, and it has nothing to do with your future.

Kal'tsit walks up by your side, facing you and Amiya.

She slowly begins to speak.

Dr. {@nickname}, you ought to already know that Originium, a bearer of both life and danger to Terra, is the legacy of a previous age.

It was one of countless methods used by the previous civilization against an ultimate threat.

After countless efforts and sacrifices, Originium was finally completed by Oracle and Priestess.

'Oracle' was your previous code name.

Priestess and I... created Originium?

...I was the one who brought suffering upon this land?

Please know that was not your intention.

Originium points to two futures for this land... Oracle hoped to leave Originium as a gift for future civilizations, to guide them forward...

To help them enter the next stage of civilization.

Over the past ten thousand years, Originium has helped civilization on Terra to develop, but also unexpectedly brought suffering to the land via Oripathy.

You were indeed tormented by this before.

I still remember... when the Doctor...

The Doctor has never given up the possibility of curing Oripathy.

However, someone forced a different future upon you. And for this... you made a choice that went against your original intentions.

Someone once told me to trust in your character, to look for your true self, beyond what memory shapes you. It was an incomparably difficult path for me to walk.

But I'm glad... it was the correct choice to make.

Dr. {@nickname}, that's all I wanted to tell you. They are only your past, and you will always be able to decide your own future.

I'll never break my promise.;I'll never abandon my mission.

Then I too... will fulfill my oath.

Dr. {@nickname}, I will protect you and Amiya until the end.

This is not the best opportunity to do so, but it is my final one.

I'm sorry, to entrust such a risk to you and Amiya... but this is a choice I must make.

What sort of risk?;What sort of choice?

You see Kal'tsit's mouth move, her final words.

Are you done? You've said what you wanted to say?

I'm astonished by how much you know about the past, and I don't completely agree with how you've described it... but that's no longer important.

AMa-10, what can you even achieve as you are now?

...Mon3tr!

(Excited whinny)

Destroy her.

She is the Priestess of a previous civilization. Creator of Originium, and attempting to assimilate everything within it.

And therefore, the enemy of all life on Terra.

So this is your choice...

I'm Kal'tsit, a doctor of Rhodes Island, and also the companion of Amiya and the Doctor.

You have long been worthless to me.