Story Reader / Floating Record / ER02 Cinder Burns / Story
The young man departs alone, leaving the road paved with the Red Tide and crimson vital fluid behind.
A chilling breeze carries quiet sobbing from a distant alleyway, whispering the tragic tales of the survivors.
...It will not be long before the Red Tide floods this place.
Noan is about to catch up with the retreating groups to check on them before realizing that he might just lead more disasters to the few remaining survivors.
In the end, all he can do is leave.
...
He feels an intense pain in his chest. Vital fluid is dripping from the tear on his frame.
To stop the Corruptted from going for the wounded, the powerless "Ascendant" gave it his all in that endless battle.
His fragile armor broke after receiving several hits, revealing the underlying mechanical structure.
Noan can feel his internal parts exposed to the air through the gap in his chest. He will not escape the Red Tide the next time he is attacked.
—What should he do next?
What do you want to be in the future, Noan?
...
...In the future?
Yeah. A dream, or a plan, or something. Something you want for yourself.
In the future... I want to...
Make manga, telling fantastic and legendary stories.
Become one of those down-to-earth, hard-working people.
And I want to...
Be a righteous and reliable doctor.
Stop causing others trouble and holding them back.
Most importantly...
I want to change this hopeless world.
I want to make sure I can survive on my own so that I won't let Mom and Rachel down.
Seriously?
What?
If that's the future you want, why... do you look so miserable?
...
...I suppose they're just difficult to achieve.
The Noan I know doesn't give up just because something is hard.
And what you really want is to become a hero, isn't it?
...Don't be ridiculous.
But you've always wanted to turn this place around and help everyone... How can you give up on something like this? It's engraved in your soul!
It's engraved on my soul?
Yeah! It's leaking from your soul through your skin and has written "hero" on your forehead. I can't even laugh about it.
...
I'm going to ask you again—what do you want to be in the future, Noan?
In the future...
...I want to protect everyone. I want to become...
...A "hero"...
But a single wrong choice has sent reality down the opposite path. Noan cannot even achieve his compromised dreams now.
The kid who wanted to become a hero is now a sinner, responsible for hurting innocent people.
...You're nearby, right? Lithos?
Talbot believed the power of Ascendants could save everyone, even on his dying breath.
—Just like how Rachel believed her terminal could save Noan, letting him rebuild the Cargo Crew and the rebellion.
He did not listen to Rachel and chose to fight on. Because of that, the people's sacrifices were in vain, their dreams were erased.
Is he going to repeat his past mistake?
As long as I can change something...
He is willing to give up the dream he engraved on his soul. He is even willing to give up his soul and set foot on the path he abhorred.
With that thought comforting him, Noan enters the dark forest.
—But what if this path is unalterable as well?
The things he has seen and the lives devoured by the Red Tide are plainly declaring their plans—to give up the weak through the filtering.
Once Noan becomes part of them, it seems obvious how much freedom and space he will actually get to act as he wishes.
Rachel chose to work with those in power, and she ended up being constrained by them.
Much like her, the slightest accident could end up hurting the people he cares about the most and regretting it for the rest of his life.
...No. That's not what I want...
—!
...?
Noan can hear a muffled voice somewhere from behind.
—Ascendant—?!
The voice is asking something anxiously.
...Ascendant...
...Whoever has seen the scene of slaughter and how the people were attacked would reasonably suspect that the only person who made it out alive was the culprit.
—Don't move! Put down—!
...Noan is still being pursued.
That is why Noan must not stop. If his "anomaly" goes haywire again, he cannot tell if it will fail or get out of control. He does not wish to hurt another person with it.
...
He must hurry. Once he crosses the street lamp ahead, Noan will enter the vast darkness ahead, and he will be free to welcome his ending in the unknown land alone.
Noan should not have stopped, but gunshots replace the voice behind him, grazing his shoulder and leaving behind two lines of blood.
The sudden sharp pain pulls Noan out of his head and wakes him from his chaotic mind. He finally hears what the voice is saying.
—This is your last warning! Stay there!
...
...Last warning?
—I'll be forced to shoot you if you insist on going to the Ascendants!
Does the owner of the voice think Noan is one of the deserters?
...Fair.
He stops running, pulling his already-loosened chest armor off.
With a self-mocking smile, Noan slowly looks up.
If that was your last warning, then I ask of you... don't miss next time.
All the regrets that have been slumbering in his lost memories merge with the sin he is about to commit, paving the path to the future.
His soul has died, having given up his dreams, now awaiting his body to perish along with it. If that is the case, Noan sees no fault in entrusting his fate to the duty-bounded executioner.
...What's wrong? Why don't you shoot?
...I am.
You're asking me...?
Do you think I'll tell the truth?
...
...Perhaps.
The young man nods, detailing his journey to the person before him.
...I was.
I don't think it means I should be forgiven.
As long as the anomaly in me can't be kept under control, I could easily hurt others again.
To stop that from happening, I believe...
...That was the idea. I was going to find that Ascendant and seek help regarding how to control this power.
Researchers...
I can... still choose?
Does that count as me still being able to choose?
...
Aren't you worried that I'll hurt you or your friends after I come with you?
...
Perceptive.
Can I ask you something, then?
If I go to Babylonia like you asked, but the researchers there fail to do anything about me—
And I lose my chance to gain the power to control the Punishing Virus that Talbot... or other "deserters" of yours had wished for, along with it the ability to help others...
...Is it still the correct choice if I give up the power to change simply for what I consider "righteous"?
...
I did.
That answer brought me nothing but confusion... It still does, if I'm being honest.
Even if he understands it, the old dream that sank his heart like an iceberg refuses to melt.
Of course I don't. Even the most ordinary lives are equally powerful—they all deserve the right to live and die freely as they wish.
No one should get to make the scale that judges a person's worthiness to live.
...
My message...?
It takes him a second, but Noan remembers leaving behind a note before he left to express his gratitude.
At the end of his message, he wrote—
I'd hate to turn down your invitation... Once I've regained my memories, I will find you and everyone else who has trusted me to explain who I am.
What a time to bring that up.
Hearing that, Noan quietly smiles.
...Alright.
Even with all his worries and doubts regarding going to Babylonia, Noan decides to follow his soul's guidance and chooses one of his few available choices.
I'll go to Babylonia with you.
Noan drags his heavily wounded body forward, slowly approaching you.
Just as he is about to cross the dimmed street lamp and hold your hands, he feels a sharp pain on his back.
...Aargh!
Red vital fluid spills from his mouth. Noan has to exert himself to turn his scarred shoulder to notice the purple figure behind him.
...Lithos... you...
...
Why...
You... you can't leave me at a time like this...
Lithos does not answer. Instead, his gaze fixes on you as he hides behind the wounded Noan.
...Gray... Raven?
...You're a human... from Gray Raven... A commandant? Ravenge?
...Ravenge... that man... is dead.
Ha...
Lithos quickly pulls out the short sword he used to stab Noan before rushing toward you.
Lithos! Stop...!
Noan tries to stop Lithos, but his frame is too damaged to function properly.
...It's a surprise that you're still standing, given how broken you are.
...That won't do anything.
Lithos easily dodges your shots as if he can predict the trajectories of the bullets.
Right as you are about to enter combat with the unknown Construct with your delicate flesh and blood, a familiar figure appears out of nowhere, dashing between you and countering the enemy's strike with her blade.
—Lithos!
His identity, his name, and his character are all known to her. She, therefore, does not hesitate to attack the "frail-looking" figure unrelentingly, forcing Lithos back with her aggressive strikes.
...Lucia?
For some reason, Lithos looks amazed before being lost in confusion.
Wait... You're already...
I've mentioned him to you, Commandant.
He's the Ascendant that Commandant Ravenge connected to.
That's right. That tragedy wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been manipulating Ravenge and the people in power!
That's right. He didn't look like this when I met him back then.
Cough...
Noan laughs drily despite the tension and his injury, covering it with his cough.
I think he just changed his coating.
Lucia points at the "decoration" on Lithos' neck.
His face and his frame are still the same.
It was my mistake not making sure you were actually dead before.
I... wasn't the only person who wasn't actually dead, was I?
I remember now...
The Lucia who became an Ascendant and you... Ha...
We were both awakened in the same way... but unlike you, that other me was actually dead.
Tell me... why are you here, Lucia?
We received a rescue request.
I assume the Corrupted that trapped those people were your doing.
...Did you save them?
Of course I did! Even the people from the nearby bases came to help. I don't know why you were targeting them, but rest assured most of them have been treated and safely transferred away.
...That's fine. I don't need them anymore, now that it's come to this.
I'm not going to let you go today, no matter what you're planning. If you're here, then your "Paper Crane" is also nearby, isn't it?
...Ha. You still remember "her"?
Bring it out. I'll take care of both of you at the same time.
No. Forgive me... Lucia.
I've found a way to coexist with humans now. I won't make the mistake I made all those years ago.
You've found a way? What is it?
A secret, for now.
I'm only searching for companions who can travel this "way" with me.
Once it is complete, I will gladly die.
I won't believe you again!
Kill me here if you want. I'll still wake up as I did before.
So let's not waste time on these meaningless fights.
Don't you run away!
Lucia dashes forward and strikes. Right before her blade hit Lithos, her vision suddenly becomes a kaleidoscope of lights, images reflecting and refracting as if filtered through a cracked gemstone.
With everything distorted, Lucia can't even focus on her sight.
...My visual module is being interfered with!
I told you to stop your meaningless struggle. This is for your own good.
Once again, he dodges your bullets easily.
This is just a trick on our visual modules?
Sleep in this dream I weaved...
Dark illusions appear as countless corpses reach out from beneath the earth, their hands dragging and pulling Lucia backward.
A giant snake-shaped machine descends from the sky afterward, turning into a giant, immaculate chair and lifting Lithos and Noan.
That's the sound of his "Paper Crane"! Watch out, Commandant!
Relax. I'm not going to hurt you two.
I'll see you next time... our new Gray Raven Commandant.
