Story Reader / Festival Event Story / Lost in Whitebloom / Story

The ragged memories are illuminated one by one by the Phantom Tracer, metamorphosing into lanterns in the chilly night, revealing themselves to the visitors.

This is Renee. I'm at the designated location. I'm injured. I request frame repair.

There is a medical kit in the temporary base. Take care of it yourself.

Send your people to pick me up. My original terminal went missing. I have to find it.

I just checked. We are blocked from getting its coordinates. It is either broken or in Bianca's hand.

Didn't you receive the battle record? Me plus the Corrupted and the helper in ambush were no rival to that witch!

She's severely injured. You just need to push it further.

The others are dead, and I'm also seriously injured. Send more people over.

What you need is right in the room behind you.

What?

Perplexed, Renee turns around and looks behind.

There are only a few refugees in there.

That'll be enough. Take them to "that church." We will send someone to mislead Bianca to save them in the church.

Will Captain fall for that?

We have our plan. You don't need to know everything.

Why would the refugees listen to me?

They're believers who have "strayed" from the Scarlet Revelation. I told them a prophet would lead them back to the altar. You just need to play along as the prophet.

Strayed... Ha... For you, I'm also a betrayer who strayed from you.

I'm glad you know. This is your last chance.

And don't forget I only work with you to see the Ascendants again.

Do you have any other choice? Your captain won't forgive you.

I can still drag you down even if I can't change how it'll end for me.

Remember we had your Inver-Device "enhanced" when you just arrived? Try it yourself to see what will happen if you betray us.

You bastards!

Blame it on yourself and Ryan. This is your choice.

Lithos, Renee's infection is going beyond the threshold! Please save her!

But I already helped you three times... You know it's not free this time.

Three times...? Ryan... you've been working with the Ascendants for that long...?

We've known each other for a long time, Ryan. Be it Babylonia or the Purifying Force, they always sent you to dangerous places like this.

...What do you want from me?

No, Ryan...! Don't help the Ascendants!

Forgive him. He just wants to live so he can see you again.

But... you could get yourself...

Sorry, Renee... for making you do this. Don't hate yourself. This is all my fault...

Do it, Renee!

Let's end it here. Promise me to take care of yourself.

I don't understand... How did we end up like this, Ryan...?

Sorry, I can't make it this time. I'm on a mission.

...At first, it was just that guy breaking promises.

We were both on a mission when our foster mother passed away. Neither of us was there to bid farewell to her the last time...

You broke the promise three times yourself...

Are we pointing fingers at each other here? Ryan?

...I'm sorry. I'll definitely come on the same day next month.

Hmm...? The next month?

Yes. It's your birthday next month. We promised to celebrate the Activation Date with the other guys but spend our birthdays with each other.

Fine... I'll forgive you one more time...

However, word arrived the following month that he was severely injured. And when he was finally free, Chiko's team was in danger, and I was seriously injured.

Chiko was right. We should focus on the battle at hand. And only when the real peace is here can we get together.

How many of us could make it to that day?

Says a guy who keeps breaking his promises?

She waves goodbye and boards the transporter without looking back.

Keep struggling. We'll meet again in battle or at the Star of Life.

I'm already used to this.

Why do we save them? I'm tired of this. They would run away again even if we save them!

I agree. We could get us killed before them if we keep doing this... But why? Why do we have to die first? We are the ones who made the most efforts!

Many in the team had similar thoughts... We started to hate Captain Bianca for taking these missions.

The rescue missions were ordered by the parliament. The Task Force has been overloaded these years... Captain Bianca always says that helping them is helping ourselves.

And you're still defending Bianca? Get prepared to fight until death and not be able to fulfill your promise! I don't wanna see you again!

No, I just want to say that we did what the circumstances made us do... Um... R-Renee...!

I'm ready for the separation. But no matter how many times I reassured myself... I still felt extremely painful when I executed Ryan.

Hello. Long time no see. No, it's not too long since we last met. I guess the captain of the Purifying Force is looking for Chiko around here, right?

...

How's Ryan doing? I haven't seen him recently...

He... betrayed the Purifying Force, and I executed him myself...

You did that...? How could you do that?

The purple-haired Ascendant shakes head in disbelief.

I remember when I saved him the first time, he struggled among the Corrupted, shouting that he had an unfulfilled promise and he couldn't die there.

...

The second time I saved him, he said he wanted to change and that he should cherish the present, fulfill his wish, and stop accepting help from the Ascendants.

You shouldn't have saved him!

You really think so? He did everything for you... And you told me that I shouldn't have saved him? I'm surprised that a good kid like you could be so coldblooded.

No, that's not what I meant. All I wanted to say is that we could've ended everything before we got so deeply involved with the Ascendants...

So you think it makes more sense to throw friends away and patch up Earth's scars with dead bodies?

...!

...Do you still hate him for standing you up?

...No, I don't... I just don't have any hope for him anymore... and I thought he'd feel the same way too, and that we'd just drift apart.

How could he, though? See, regret is more long-lasting than either love or hate.

Wrapped in the Punishing Virus, Lithos controls the virus and wraps his hand gently around Renee's.

I'm just trying to save him and fulfill his wish, Renee... Does being an Ascendant make my help any less valuable?

Lithos lets out a deep sigh.

...Do you still care about Ryan?

Of course! I know he's already dead, but I...

But you just can't help but feel regret, don't you? See, you're both the same...

No, you're just trying to trick me into paying for it.

I don't need you to pay for anything, because there is no guarantee that it's going to work. I'm testing it, though... Do you want to give it a try with me?

What are you testing?

Have you heard about Project Cthylla? Cthylla is what came out of the project—and I have her with me now.

Wait, Cthylla is still alive?!

Yes, and she deserves credit for the Hetero-Hive Mother that gave birth to the twins.

...

I'm out of time. I need to go to Bianca now—for my "verdict of justice" for bringing the Red Tide into the sea.

You do know that this is suicide, don't you?

A "bad kid" is supposed to let people take their anger out on them and punish them. This is the price I need to pay—and I'm not going to last for much longer without this, anyway.

And that was the last thing he said before he disappeared without a trace—and to find him, I have since been looking everywhere for traces of him.

I know what you've been doing, and I have the evidence to prove what I say.

And judging from the fact that you're withholding it, I assume you're here to make a deal, huh?

...Tsk. Still in touch with Ascendants?

So what if we are?

Well... you wouldn't happen to know where Lithos is, would you? He's been missing for a long time, and we haven't been able to find him.

Why are you trying to find him?

Because we have a promise to fulfill!

I see. Why don't you come and join us, then? We can get you changed into a specialized frame if you're part of us.

Where is Lithos?

He comes by every now and then, so we'll just have to wait... Now, come here and join us.

The altar is right up ahead, Ma'am.

...I know.

Been a while since we last came back. I wonder if the altar is fine...

Don't sweat it. God blesses his land, and Hammod has promised to drop by whenever he can.

Will we be able to find the Child of Revelation? He's promised me to... Ma'am?

Hey, I'm at the church already. When is she coming?

Stay put in there. We are just... Dammit, pieces of trash!

What's going on?

Got a few things to take care of here. Stay put where you are!

Bianca seems nervous.