Story Reader / Main Story / 17 The Surviving Lucem / Story
City 043 Conservation Area Basement, 03:00 a.m.
Nearly five hours have passed since Liv and others set out. All refugees still able to move freely have been evacuated.
They have walked for five hours, but they still have not managed to evacuate the conservation area in City 043 due to the overall speed of the crowd.
The horde of Hetero-Creatures headed this way is estimated to enter the conservation area according to their "scheduled" arrival in three hours.
There are only a few dozen people left in the enclosed basement. All the Constructs stationed in the conservation area are on the surface, leaving the refugees anxiously waiting for news from Gray Raven.
Vanessa sits alone in the dark room, monitoring the trajectory of the Hetero-Creatures on a large number of holo-screens and sending the intel to Babylonia with no response.
Following that, she recalculates the tactical deployment of Constructs in the conservation area and the best evacuation route for Gray Raven based on the enemy's new trajectory.
After completing her work, she stands up from the screens and walks up to the sick bed nearby.
...Hah, Chief.
She smiles mockingly, then sits beside the bed.
If you knew your recklessness would have this outcome, would you still have done what you did?
Vanessa gently strokes your ear as if waiting for an answer.
Let me guess, you'd say, "I'll sacrifice everything to protect my comrades," huh?
She gives herself a smile of self-mockery, then slowly moves her fingers down your ear and puts her hand firmly on your throat.
I'm sure you'd be disgusted right now seeing yourself like this.
So weak and fragile that you can't even push my hand away.
Like a candle in the wind... All for just a couple of puppets? What do you think the instructor who praised you so highly would say now seeing you like this?
She leans down and whispers softly into your ear. Her fragrant aroma seems at odds with the musty smell of the basement.
He'd definitely take back what he said, [player name]. A fool like you can't even protect yourself.
Vanessa quietly looks at your closed eyes. Your malnourished face from having battled illness for so long looks even more lifeless under the dim lights.
Disgusting... Even if you were awake, the people who've only seen your face plastered on the screens after the Atlantis incident wouldn't even recognize you.
Even though her mockery falls on deaf ears, she still continues her senseless behavior.
Regardless, I wasn't wrong.
Before this disaster happened, I saw you as a rival that must be defeated... a futile illusion.
Hmph. But now, what a joke.
You know, [player name]? I could kill you right now.
Her grip on your throat suddenly tightens, then relaxes. She smiles and covers your pallid skin with her warm palm.
...But what's the point?
Before you went into a coma, I looked at your selfless naivety with contempt.
I figured you'd quickly lose in battle and realize that your starry-eyed view of the world didn't conform to reality.
This wasn't exactly quick, but maybe now you'll see the world for what it really is.
Your neck remains ice-cold despite her warm palm. She lifts a finger and checks your pulse.
Such a simple battle nearly cost you your life, Chief... What exactly distracted you?
Or did I waste my time focusing on you so much? You don't deserve to be chief, let alone a role model and a goal for others.
She slowly gets up, then looks at a holo-screen and a fold-up mirror next to it.
The Hetero-Creatures will be here in three hours. If Gray Raven isn't back by then, you're a goner.
Bambinata and I can get out of here whenever we want.
She combs her hair in the reflection of the mirror again, but the look in her eyes doesn't match the delicate gesture. Her gaze is wandering and vacant.
I know this isn't exactly what a commandant should do.
F.O.S. College teaches us to always fight the enemy and protect as many people as we can.
The lonely murmur echoes throughout the empty room. As before, no one responds.
But the battlefield isn't so merciful. Not everyone can be saved. No matter who you are, Chief.
As long as people die, their reputation, rights... or those ridiculous bonds are just dust in the wind.
You get nothing, and the people you protected will soon forget you.
Vanessa walks to the simple square table full of holo-screens, but leaves a mote of attention to you laying behind her.
She turns around once more and looks at the unchanged bed.
[player name], you stupid and naive piece of trash. You're only respected by so many people because they're lost in their own ideals.
Now you have no one to count on. Let me tell you how to maximize the value of survivors.
04:30 a.m.
An hour and a half before the Hetero-Creatures enter the conservation area, Commandant Vanessa and the four Constructs stationed in the conservation area have all gone to the surface to prepare for combat.
In the enclosed basement, Commandant [player name], 41 soldiers with minor wounds and mobility issues, and the 4 critically wounded patients, Nagayuki, Kanata, Lindsey, and Cali still remain.
Aside from them, there is another surprising refugee.
...
What are you lookin' at? Never seen anyone fall on stairs before?!
...No, it's not that.
The boy should've evacuated with the first group, but he sneaked into the warehouse on the 3rd floor underground, and accidentally slipped on the stairs, hitting his head and spraining his ankle.
He had been unconscious for over an hour, completely out of sight. Despite being woken up by Matches, he had missed the opportunity to leave with the first group of refugees.
Why's your dog going into the warehouse at a time like this?!
...Matches probably just smelled someone in here. What about you? What were you doing here?
I was just checking to see if that mutt had gone into the warehouse!
...Even if that meant not making it out with the others on time?
I was just going to take a peek!
He rubs the back of his head and his sprained ankle.
You don't believe me, do you?
...
Why are you being so defensive?
Because your mutt ate all of my cans! My friend gave me those before he died. He risked everything to get his hands on those... but your dumb mutt ate them!
Being reminded of the past, the boy chokes back tears.
I already told you! Matches didn't do anything!
(Whimper)
Who cares what you say?! I only believe what I saw!
I wouldn't have gone in there if that stupid conservation was safe!
They said "we should all be in the same boat," then they took all my cans and allowed someone like you to get in!
...
(Sniffles) I thought... I could use those cans to find my big bro...
The boy falls onto an empty sick bed and starts to cry.
...You have a big brother?
Yeah... He's the best big bro in the whole entire world...
The boy sobs and takes out a shabby journal from his jacket pocket. Half of the pages had fallen out, and the rest are barely clinging on with layers of tape.
He'd tell me stories every day and draw me whatever I wanted...
He gently rubs the few remaining pages, which are covered with an assortment of vivid drawings.
Roasted chicken, new clothes, an entire house, a bed, a soccer ball, a garden... and even a kind-looking woman.
Below the pictures, there's the same phrase repeated over and over.
Can you read?
A bit. How bout you?
That's nice. My mom taught us a bit before she died, but Bro and I forgot.
He tries to stop crying and sniffling, then points to the writing beside the kind woman.
Bro said we can write our wishes in it and Mommy will make our wishes come true up in Heaven.
Look. Mom told us to just write this beside each picture, and Mom will hear our wishes.
Stanley looks to where the boy is pointing, but discovers that it isn't some magical spell.
..."Sorry"...
What?
..."Sorry I brought you into this world".
What'd you say?
Stanley opens his mouth to explain the meaning of the dense handwriting but lowers his head silently as if noticing something.
N-nothing. I just zoned out there for a second is all.
Hmph... I've never shown this to anyone, and you just get distracted.
Sorry... Anyway, why are you showing me this?
Because... You saved me?
He awkwardly covers his face with a blanket and curls up.
Forget it. What's the point of telling someone without any family? Anyway, your dog only found me because he was trying to steal food.
Matches didn't...!
Shut up!
...I know already!
...I've been watching you for the past few days. I... know it now.
Perhaps, he was beginning to sense the truth. At least, that's how Stanley interprets his response.
He knows he wrongly accused Stanley, but can't admit his mistake and doesn't apologize.
Go to sleep!
Anxiously rolling over in bed, he winces in pain from the injuries on his head and ankle.
Alright.
Stanley stops speaking. He looks up into the basement and imagines what was happening outside the window.
But right as he wants to lie down on the empty bed and get some rest, he hears a heart-rending cry from the other side of the basement.
NOOOOOO! Don't go! LINDSEY!!!
In this sad cry, another person wandering in the twilight falls into the cold embrace of eternal night.
How much longer... until daybreak?
