Story Reader / Festival Event Story / Lost in Whitebloom / Story
Shadowy Dream
Staying around Bianca as you've been told, you carefully set foot in the church—where she grew up as a child.
I did and found nothing, and we have a low infection rate here, too. But...
With it, Bianca holds up the Phantom Tracer in her hand, looking disturbed.
Slowly, the figures on the device sharpen into view, showing all of you with your hands on the door around the corridor.
There is Adeline and... another me?
This is where the Child of Revelation last worked his miracle, Ma'am. Please follow us this way.
Rest assured that the altar is going to keep us safe from here on out.
The altar, huh... Religion sure is amazing, isn't it? All they need are a few statues and fabricated stories to make people devoted enough to sacrifice themselves.
And useless sacrifices are exactly what they've turned you into. Consider yourselves lucky that they're using you for experiments instead of leaving you to rot in the garbage yard.
Did you say something, Ma'am?
Never mind, let's go. Let's have a look at this altar that commands so much respect from all of you.
Pushing through the door, however, they're utterly surprised by what they see.
So this... is the altar?
Once sat on by prayers, the benches now hold pots of flowers, while the morning sun comes through the dusty windows and rains down on the green leaves.
Shelves now sit where there used to be little statues, while baskets and wooden boxes—all carrying mud—cover the floor.
In the baskets and boxes are all sorts of flowers, vegetables, and grains, in a quantity sufficient to sustain five to six people.
The only things she finds familiar are the fallen statue in the main hall and the old heating system in the church.
Yes, everything grows just fine here with God's blessings, and this place is completely safe.
...
You still seem very nervous, though, Ma'am...
Occasionally looking your way, Bianca keeps an eye on the virtual images as she looks alarmingly around for any signs of Corrupted...
As though readying herself for what she knows is about to come.
C-Commandant?
A few moments later, Bianca finally puts her weapon away and holds your hand, although still vigilant.
Right. Let's keep looking around first, then.
The virtual images start moving when Bianca taps on the Phantom Tracer with her swordstaff.
Are you calling this place an altar when it's obviously a ******* greenhouse? Is this some sort of bad joke?
B-but how can plants grow out of snow if it isn't a work of God?
Does your God go by the name "Heating System"?
No way. The heating system here was all dead when we got here. What's there to power the heating system when the energy furnace is dead?
Fortunately, though, the Child of Revelation was still here then. He asked the Revelation for help—and with his guidance, we went to all sorts of places to look for energy sources to fix the heating system with, and that's how we were able to create this environment.
With his guidance, huh? Has it never occurred to you that you people are the ones that made all of these happen?
Such sacrilege. Do you really think people like us would have been able to bring all of these plants and fruit about were it not for God's blessings?
...Haha, I see. So you people never trust that you can do anything on your own. Why don't you all go and look for this Child of Revelation, then? And I don't see Grace. Still alive, I hope?
There are only so many people a single Child of Revelation can guide. Grace is God's favorite, but she just can't look out for more people than she already is.
Reaching full capacity here with Grace hanging out with the Forsaken, huh?
Babylonia did send you all to another refuge site, no? Why didn't you just stay there? Don't think it was easy coming back here for you all.
I never had a place at those places...
They almost beat her to death, and they did the same to me.
Yes... and I was one of them before I met God, and I did just about anything to stay alive, and so do they.
Self-organized refuge sites are not like conservation areas—anything goes, and power is the only thing that can keep you out of trouble.
Moony is just a kid, though—one left to die by her parents.
...And the Child of Revelation came along and saved us.
Indeed. At Scarlet Revelation, both He and the Red Tide have shown us that death is not where it all ends, which is how we found the courage in us and never fight again out of panic.
And He said He would guide us with the Revelation no matter where we are—be it here in the snow or in the Red Tide, which is why we decided to settle down here.
And this altar here... is proof of the Revelation.
So you decided to settle down here because this God of Revelation showed you how to fix the heating system and how to grow plants, huh? Where is everyone else?
They all went into the Red Tide.
And you're the only ones alive, huh... And what happened to this God of Revelation? Dead?
Well, I guess, "He went into the Red Tide," is how you people would put it.
No, He didn't. He decided to not do that because he ended up severely injured trying to protect us.
Where is he, then?
Saying nothing for a good few seconds, Gale points at the system furnace in the corner.
He threw Himself in there... saying that He'd had enough suffering, and that He did not wish to prolong his suffering with the Red Tide.
...
We have no idea why He said that, nor do we know why He made that choice. We don't know what we're supposed to do next, which is why we're staying here to learn about the other Children of Revelation.
And then someone came along and told us that we'd be able to see Him again if we passed a test from God.
Before we left for the test, we entrusted a friend from the site with the altar—and let the friend pick the vegetables here in exchange for taking care of the altar.
And after everything they tried, we were told that we didn't pass the test.
Oh... and that's how I ended up with all these pieces of junk, huh?
Please stop calling us that. You might be a prophet, but you failed the test all the same.
Wait, what?
The person who came to see us off said, "She might be able to predict revelations, but she failed the test like you all did."
She refused to accept that. We even got into a fight when we told her that she'd failed the test.
I'm not like you people!
Grandpa Gale had a long argument with us—and when he finally convinced her, she started crying...
Looking down, Bianca rubs Renee's nameplate in her hand.
I just wanted to see him again... and I ended up here before I even knew it.
And so did we. We just wanted to see Him again, too.
...
Seeing these people—people that she thought were no better than garbage—Renee finally realizes how alike they are.
Renee bursts into laughter, finally stopping in tears.
Oh boy... We're the same. We don't trust ourselves, we want to get things done with someone's power, and... it never even hit me how wrong I am.
I thought that was just an insignificant blunder, but when you put all the blunders and biases together, they become a mountain that can crush you.
Renee looks up at the statue before her.
You said you never wanted to give up on these worshippers, Bianca. Have you ever thought the same of me?
She then answers her own question.
No, I don't think so... because I've crossed that line that I shouldn't have.
Who am I to even laugh at others...
But not all hope is lost, Ma'am. Together, we're strong, and I'm sure we'll be able to find the Revelation.
Renee is ready to say something in response—when her terminal starts buzzing.
We've got a situation here. Bianca asked the Gray Ravens for help and they wiped out the men we sent there. The terminal you lost proved mighty "helpful" for Bianca.
What are you talking about?
You need to clean up your own mess.
I'm still going to try to trick Bianca into coming to this church. You need to ask those worshippers to meet her—I just started the countdown timers on their EMP collars remotely.
Are you trying to sacrifice them to kill Bianca?
Look, we're putting garbage to good use here, and I'll have you meet Ascendants once you're done.
And that's what you've been telling me this whole time, you friggin' liar!
Get ahold of yourself there. I'm just one of the points of contact and I'm just doing what I've been told to do. Getting mad at me isn't going to change anything.
Haha... Right, you're just doing what you've been told to do. So am I, and so are these people. We're all the same, and we're all just items to be dispensed with at the end of the day.
Except I'm nowhere as lousy as you.
That happens to be my thought exactly—until today, that is.
She threw away the terminal after the call and said she was going to remove this thing she called a "test band" from me.
And that's when I knew what that band was for... But right when she removed it from me, I heard a "Bang!" coming from her head...
She seemed in pain all over, but she just kept on talking to us.
We're out of time... Go now. Go... to the Holy Maiden, the one who's as white and pure as this snowfield. She's on her way here...
I'm sure she can save you—unlike me, who's a fake...
Just go now...! I might turn into a Corrupted any second now...! Go, just go already!
And then we met you... Gale was tough and ran the fastest, but he didn't make it...
Adeline... is Grandpa Gale ever coming back?
Holding Moony in her arms, Adeline shakes her head.
What are we supposed to do now, Holy Maiden?
...
If you don't want to go to the refuge site, then Grace is the only person who can take you in now. She's with the Forsaken.
I'm afraid the Child of Revelation can't look after more people than she does now.
That's for the Parliament to decide, but before they come up with a definite plan, would you both be able to travel to one of Babylonia's direct conservation areas with us as witnesses?
Would it be dangerous?
Thank you, Commandant. I'll try to be quick with the investigation to get Purifying Force back on track.
Thank you, Commandant.
Bianca looks at you thankfully. Then, lowering her hand and tightening her grip around the nameplate in her hand, she walks up to the fallen statue in heavy steps.
Is Holy Maiden sad?
Seemingly lost, she looks around at the plants.
I'm done. It's safe here, unlike how it was back at the church covered in snow. This is good, though... because I don't ever want to see you get hurt.
...
I've never doubted the way Purifying Force handles all the misdeeds committed, but I never wanted to "deal with" it after all this has happened.
Because it's exactly as they said—we just can't help everyone.
Very logical of you, and that's a quality that a commandant should have that most people don't.
Forcing people to be all cold and logical is both unrealistic and cruel, and people only grow more desperate and end up doing riskier things when threatened with punishment.
Renee has paid her price, so I just want to prevent something like this from happening instead of looking for ways to punish those in the wrong.
Turning around, Bianca looks at you intently.
And you'd be right, Commandant... There have been times when I was lost and couldn't think with a straight head, and I've only been able to pull through because you've always been by my side.
Do you remember the dream I told you about?
Walking over the flowers, Bianca sits down before the statue.
This is where that dream ended...
You came here alone to this church—unaware that there were temporarily inactive Corrupted buried under the snow... because you only saw me, and I was just wandering about.
Everything was blurry in the dream... except for your face, which I'll never forget.
Right then, the clock starts ticking again, when the past and the future cross each other's paths.
And that... is how you gave me a chance to hurt you... and when the Gray Ravens got here...
Closing her eyes, Bianca says no more.
...When I became a nun here, the godfather said, "Understand the heart's fragility, for it is because of it that devils and gods persist."
Right or wrong and legal or not, humans fall prey to emotions, which is why humans love and hate and hurt and protect.
And maybe somewhere down the road, when this church is completely buried under snow, I will be betrayed once more and take my last breath here.
The human reaches over—with a small bundle of pink roses.
Commandant...
Changes, huh...
...
Yes... this church is definitely changing, too.
Bianca lets out a sigh as she breaks into a smile.
Can you put the roses on my headband, Commandant? I want to remember what happened today and what you said—and that flowers can bloom in the snow, too.
Thank you... How does it look?
This coating is no longer just a dream in the "snow"... It looks more like a wedding dress now, like what those people from WGAA said.
I never thought it possible to have plants grow out of snow, and... I'd never craved putting flowers on this coating with "snowfield" as a motif.
I was ready to meet my fate before you came to me... not knowing that my "dream" would end differently.
Nodding with a smile, Bianca turns to look at the thriving plants around her.
Yes... flimsy as their faith was, they made it happen despite all odds.
Bianca lets out a quiet sigh.
Nothing binds one down better than sweet home—and knowing that it works, Ascendants have no trouble tricking people into betraying their friends and family.
We shouldn't blame them for choosing to side with the wrong people. Like you said, no one should ever get used to betrayal and parting ways with whom they love.
And these all cause pain—pain that eventually sets the tone for people to part ways for good.
People only want to stay where they feel warm. We need to open ourselves up to people, be encouraged, and help each other patch up.
Which is why I want to make changes.
Yes, but that's just one of the many changes I want to make. I'll have to come up with a detailed plan and have the Parliament's approval first.
The Phantom Tracer picked up the voiceprints of some other deserters now—and from that, we know that "Cthylla" is likely to be among Ascendants.
I'm not surprised to find out that Project Winter still has to do with Ascendants, though.
Every time we try to bust them, they always manage to steer clear of investigation—sometimes by using a scapegoat, sometimes by telling the scapegoat that it'd be a chance for them to "redeem" themselves.
Yup, and I'm never going to forgive those wiseasses for crossing that line.
...And that goes for you, too, Commandant.
Everyone sees the Gray Ravens as heroes, hence all the perks and how the Gray Ravens never really get into trouble for doing things that might be out of line.
Which is what puts you in frequent contact with Ascendants, and I just wanted you to never get in any trouble.
You don't, but... I just really hate the idea of having to be the one to purify you down the road.
...?
Well, I guess a quick talk in the interrogation room will probably change your mind.
...Are you sure?
Bianca says with a sigh.
Jeez, you got me worried for a second, Commandant.
I'll take your word for it, then.
And sorry for always being so nagging, but being Purifying Force's captain, I just know that there will come a day when I'll have to...
Right, which is why I want to make every moment count.
Bianca looks down with a quiet smile.
Your terminal beeps, signaling that Lucia is around.
Yup.
Gently, Bianca grabs the human's hand as she stands up before the statue.
Before exiting the church, Bianca turns back and takes one last look at the unmoving clock, seeing her young self standing under it with the godfather.
How can the lily answer where to best stay? Please don't lie just to make me feel better.
White and pure as snow, flowers now stand over the ruins once soaked in tears.
No longer the young girl that would pray to God, she clenches her weapon and, like all struggling in the face of doomsday, walks the earth in place of God—God that has allowed all to occur under His very nose.
She <//WE> knows that there exists no god.
She <//WE> will not stop praying.
