Story Reader / Main Story / 25 Everglowing Justice / Story
The bloody fog in the skies has cleared away to reveal the pale clouds behind. Collapsing on the ground, the horrendous test subject seems one last coup de grace away from his demise.
Her frame broken and her fingers shaking, Echo struggles to her feet, puts an arrow on her bow—and aims it straight at the test subject.
Father...
For the longest time, I wanted to believe that you chose this path because you were misled.
Never did it once cross my mind that this whole thing had been wrong from the very start.
Alisa...
The space around the test subject vibrates violently as it appears on the verge of a breakdown, apparently experiencing a M.I.N.D. turmoil.
This... is the way this world is...
And there is no way you're changing this world on your own... Haha... Argh...
The only thing you can change is yourself. Survival of the fittest always holds true—which is why the path I... we've chosen is the right one.
You're right. This is the way this world is.
But... I've always believed that I have these people by my side who are trying to make their way through the darkness with me.
They guide me toward the right path and light in the darkness. They've been with me all along, and they'll always be with me going forward...
There is nothing you need to fear as long as you let nothing change you.
Let's go.
You're the one bearing their hopes, so you must press on.
Justice is bound to echo through the land. Darkness might have already devoured this world, but there will eventually come a day when the light of the sun shines through.
From behind Echo, the armor puts a hand gently on her shoulder.
Farewell... Father!
Commandant, watch out!
Following ear-splitting blowups, the flying fortress' deck shakes violently. When a piece of metal flying your way is only meters away from crushing you, Lucia comes to your rescue and blocks it out.
Over there...
Looking into the distance, you see that Utopia's central flying fortress has grown distorted in your sight with heat waves.
More explosions ensue. The central flying fortress seems severely damaged from the inside.
This place is blowing up soon, too! Hurry up and come this way!
After wiping out the few Aurora Squadron soldiers still resisting, Liv wastes no time figuring out the fastest retreat route.
We're experiencing heavy signal interruption here because of the explosions, and we probably won't be getting any signal around here for quite a while... This way!
With its central flying fortress collapsing, Utopia seems to have hit the start button of a domino effect, sending its smaller flying fortresses into downward spirals one after another.
The smoke and gunshots blend into a most bizarre symphony, while the deck behind you lets out cries hinging at a horrendous tilt.
We're breaking through forward and jumping off the deck.
Let's get our short-distance jetpacks ready for deployment... You're safe with us, Commandant.
Fear not, Commandant.
Yeah, it's been a while.
Watch out!
Get ready...
Jump!
Behind you is a bizarre mess of flying fortresses threatening to fall at any moment, while up ahead you're looking at a burning land.
Even with all odds against you, however, you don't seem to feel one bit of fear.
Lucia holds the protective belt on your suit with all her might, while Lee and Liv deploy their short-distance jetpacks nearby.
Seeing pieces of metal that used to be Utopia pierce the sky and leave blood-red parabolas, you find it hard to believe that such a behemoth met its bitter end just like that.
This marks the end of a giant.
Commandant? Are you okay?
You're almost unscathed under the Gray Ravens' protection.
Echo has chosen to face it—the war that's hers only to fight—all by herself.
Collapsing and aflame, the behemoth that's Utopia is falling apart in the air.
The horrendous test subject takes not another breath.
Her frame severely damaged and her M.I.N.D. unstable, Echo lies on the slanted deck and flicks the string of her bow powerlessly.
Cecily... Lena...
I've already come so far, and I just hope... that I didn't let you down.
Not... yet.
!!!
In a daze, Echo sees the same valiant female Construct that she's seen before.
But... you've already worked so hard.
Let me give you a hand, now.
Lena—
The name is stuck in her body, unable to make it past her vocal model.
Before she knows it, her body begins moving on its own as the armor gets to her feet and supports her other arm.
Don't give in here, Alisa. Leave this place—this place that's always been a mistake—and go pursue freedom.
Feeling as though her M.I.N.D. is shrouded by lukewarm spring water, Echo falls deeply asleep—the same kind she once experienced.
You're on your own going forward, Alisa.
You need to be strong enough...
Lena... It was you before, too...
Tears trickling down her face, Echo has apparently realized something.
When she sets her foot once more on the hard ground, the same figure is no longer there anymore in her M.I.N.D.
Gently, the armor stands next to Echo and supports her by her arm with a firm hold.
Lee shakes his head.
Signal jammers were likely installed on the flying fortresses, and the recent explosions have disrupted reception in this area.
Help is on the way...
You can't hear the rest of what Lee has to say—as a heavy humming noise makes its way into your brain through your ears like the piercing noise of a drill.
Following the noise is nonstop explosions, sending the gigantic flying fortress into a slow downward spiral amidst a cascade of firelight and smoke.
You can't go there, Commandant! Things are falling and you're going to get yourself killed!
1.3 kilometers out. Will be here in about five minutes.
Cough...
A weak voice comes through the fog shrouding the wilderness. As the smoke from explosions slowly lifts, a few blinding shafts of light come pouring through a crack in the parted gray clouds.
C... Commandant?
A legless armor can be seen supporting a frail girl in shards and sparks raining down from the sky.
She looks worn and drained, but casts you a smile in the morning sun like a triumphant soldier coming home.
C-cough... I apologize for leaving without informing you. It was very rude of me.
And I want to express my gratitude to all of you... There is no way I could have made it into Utopia's central flying fortress on my own.
As Echo keeps talking, Liv goes ahead and starts running a quick check on her.
There is something I need to tell all of you while I still can.
Pickman... is dead. He injected his consciousness into a new test subject and made contact with the Corrupted.
He seemed certain that his experiment was going to be successful, but...
The still-falling Utopia has explained everything unspoken.
I was going to leave this memory chip behind and never thought I would make it out of Utopia alive... but Lena and Cecily brought me out.
Yes, she's always been there...
And Cecily is severely damaged. I can feel it—her M.I.N.D. is in chaos now, and I was hoping...
The memory chip in her hand alone already warrants a full fix of their frames.
With everything Lee has brought out of the other flying fortresses, Asimov should have no trouble recovering all the data from this experiment.
You have a thousand burning questions for Echo, except she's already fast asleep from exhaustion.
However, things will only get better from now on, right?
Dark as the skies might be...
The sun will eventually shine through.
No matter what happens, everything comes to an end one day or another.
