Story Reader / Extra Story / EX00 Frozen Darkness / Story
Commandant! Commandant, wake up!
You open your eyes to a world of freezing cold...
The white vapor from your breath clouds the dark gray sky before you...
Thank goodness... You're finally awake...
Looking around, you see an endless sea of trees...
Phew... What a relief...
Northeastern Siberia.
Correct...
How could you tell?
Based on the date, the position of the sun, and our records. Also, the unique signature found in this area...
Ionizing radiation from all the nuclear waste buried in the ground...
It seems that Watanabe has been rubbing off on you ever since you met him, hasn't he?
...Don't compare us.
(Clears throat) Anyway, now that Babylonia has crossed path with the space station, reinforcements have to go a long way to get to you. They'll arrive in approximately fourteen hours...
But now that you've entered the ARU... see if you can seek shelter with the survivors.
The ARU... I heard they've isolated themselves ever since the Post-Pandemic Age...
Most of them even opposed the evacuation efforts. Only a small group of them has ended up in Babylonia.
It's just as you said. The ARU has been avoiding contact with Babylonia... But at least they aren't hostile.
That's good...
I suggest making your way north out of the coniferous forest to a base called New Murmansk.
There you can meet up with the Support Force.
Understood.
Commandant, are you... fit to move?
The commandant's uniform was specially tailored for arctic climates at high altitudes. Thankfully, it will be of some use here.
That may be the case, but it will do little good against the radiation.
Let's get the commandant out of this environment. One more thing, don't forget to take an anti-radiation pill.
Right, I have some with me!
Commandant, say "Ah"!
Look at all the footprints. Most of them aren't ours.
Maybe they belong to the locals. Or... Corrupted...
We're moving slower than expected.
After all, we've been trudging through snow.
If we were to run into Corrupted like this...
(Slither, slither...)
—Raaargh!—Rrrgghh!
Tch, speak of the devil.
Don't get careless. There may not be that many of them, but the terrain puts us at a disadvantage.
—Urgh!
Tsk...! There's more...
—Raaargh!—Rrrgghh!
This doesn't look good, Commandant!
Get out of the way!
An agile figure leaps out of the snow—
Heeyah!
Following that, a lance swings by and slices the Corrupted in two.
Who's there?
More unfamiliar figures leap out of the forest and join the battle.
Nausicaa, over there!
You got it!
—Urgh!
By the time you can react, the nearby Corrupted have all fallen to the ground with a loud thud.
...
Only after the others slowly approach and surround you all do you finally get a good look at your rescuers...
...
Each one of them is slender and tall, having to look down at the bewildered outsiders even when standing a few feet away.
Their mechanic frames are fully armed. You notice each of them wearing an assortment of sharp and angular-looking equipment.
The hallmark of a Construct—Inver-Devices.
Not just that...
They are... centaurs...
Each member has the upper body of a human accompanied by four horse-like legs.
...
They seem accustomed to surprised looks from others. The leading centaur takes a stern step forward.
We are the Forest Guards. We defend this territory from unwanted visitors.
Well... We're actually...
Step back!
Ah!
The centaur brandishes its lance, stopping Liv in her tracks.
Liv!
Lucia pulls Liv behind her.
Thank you for your assistance just now. We are the Gray Raven task force. We just crash-landed here, and now we need to travel north to New Murmansk.
As I've said, outsiders are prohibited from entering without express permission! Otherwise...
Just as the centaur raises her lance—
Diana!
A powerful voice comes out from within the depths of the forest.
Halt...
Rosetta?
Another tall figure slowly trudges through the snow with a lance.
The white landscape offsets her inorganic profile, emanating indisputable authority.
...That lance!
Correct. I was the one who saved you.
How could you possibly... throw a lance into the low Earth orbit... from several kilometers away...?
So, Rosetta, you threw that lance because...
Well, it was just spur of the moment.
But... it's against our tradition...
Our tradition dictates that these people should have died by your hand already, Diana.
You were already uncertain about it. Do you still intend to fight them to the death?
...
Besides... Among all the Forest Guards, aren't you the one who is always the most excited to make contact with outsiders?
...R-Rosetta!
Hah...
All of a sudden, the crisp sound of laughter surrounds you all.
What's going on...
Gray Raven...
Diana, take them back to the camp.
Good grief...
Fine.
