Starlights from Yesterdays

Read Luuk Herssen's WavesLine message

Head to Luuk Herssen's "secret workspace"

Meet Luuk Herssen at his "secret workspace"

Rover: Alright, Luuk. What's the word on this Exostrider plan?

Luuk Herssen: My conversation with Lucilla went well. She's on your side. Your showing during the Dark Side incident also helped speed up the Academy's internal review.

Luuk Herssen: That said, you've been a student here for less than a year. You'll need the Spacetrek Collective's approval to officially activate the Exostrider.

Luuk Herssen: Their biggest financial backer is the New Federation. And of course, they answer to an entire board of investors.

Luuk Herssen: And to them? The Exostrider is definitely a "high-value asset."

Luuk Herssen: I've been flooding their desks with reports. Your Academy investigation record, your latest test scores from Rabelle College, and a full physical adaptability eval I wrote myself...

Rover: And? Were they rejected?

Luuk Herssen: We got a meeting. But when that much money's involved, conflicts of interest make everything move very slowly.

Luuk Herssen: Unlike Jinzhou or Rinascita, they've got far too many "cooks" in the kitchen.

Rover: I'm worried we don't have that kind of time.

Luuk Herssen: Exactly. Which is why we're going to strike first. Besides, things have changed.

Luuk Herssen: It all comes down to this guy.

Luuk Herssen: This is Chase. Head of the Spacetrek Collective. He just got back to Lahai-Roi on a Triumph Avionics ship from the New Federation.

Luuk Herssen: President Lucilla, Professor Mornye, and I have all put in a good word. You'll be meeting him at the Research Institute.

Luuk Herssen: Chase started as a low-level employee at Ashridge Energy in the New Fed. Then he dropped off the grid for a few years before resurfacing in a government position.

Luuk Herssen: After that, he left the government and started diving into multiple large-scale investment projects. Some say he's still been Ashridge Energy's man the whole time, but no one's been able to prove it.

Luuk Herssen: He's sharp, low-profile, and very smooth. At his age, he's seen it all. His only real concern is if the Exostrider's pilot can be controlled.

Luuk Herssen: Normally, they'd pick Academy Synchronists who've been signing stacks of NDAs since day one. But—

Rover: Sounds like his attitude changed? Does that have something to do with the "changes" you mentioned?

Luuk Herssen: Come in. Let's talk over some hot drinks.

Head to the inner room

Luuk Herssen: I heard Lucilla asked for your help after the ceremony. How did it feel working with her?

Rover: Well, at first she was pretty dominant, steering the conversation the whole time…

Rover: But now I understand it's because this Academy means so much to her.

Sit and wait for Luuk Herssen

Luuk Herssen: Based on your intel, the Reactor Core has been returned. Ideally, we'd wait for the Exostrider to awaken before trying to help Aemeath or confront the Threnodian.

Luuk Herssen: But, recent readings from the Institute's Stridergate monitors... they're off the charts.

Luuk Herssen: Voidmatter reactivity is spiking. The Spacetrek Collective is getting twitchy. If Threnodian Aleph-1 breaks the seal, all of Solaris will be at risk, not just Lahai-Roi.

Luuk Herssen: Now, the Collective didn't establish itself here without binders full of contingencies for a Threnodian event.

Luuk Herssen: Problem is, every one of those plans would scorch decades of scientific progress.

Luuk Herssen: Which, in our case, actually gives us some leverage. Enough to have a real conversation with their head.

Rover: ... Then I'll convince him. I'll show him the lowest casualty count is the only one that makes sense. He'll have to approve me as the Synchronist who pilots the Exostrider.

Rover: Luuk, you mentioned you have contacts in the Black Shores. And this workspace of yours... It's secure, right?

Luuk Herssen: Guaranteed. What are you thinking?

Rover: Lahai-Roi is closed off from the outside world. Public comms are probably tapped by Fractsidus moles inside the Academy. And right now... I need a direct line to the Black Shores.

Luuk Herssen: I see. Give me a moment. I'll establish the link and leave the rest to you.

Shorekeeper: I received your call, Rover.

Rover: My frequency loss has been resolved. But Lahai-Roi is under imminent Threnodian threat. I need your help, Shorekeeper.

Shorekeeper: Understood. For this purpose… both I, and the Black Shores, exist.

Rover: Any additional intel on the Exostrider within the Tethys System? Verified or not, I need everything you have.

Rover: I trust Luuk. You can speak freely.

Shorekeeper: Records confirm that Luuk Herssen has been providing critical assistance and intelligence to the Black Shores. I trust your judgment.

Shorekeeper: After the founding of Startorch Academy, most information fell under their seal of secrecy. However, in its early days, you mediated negotiations between the Academy and the Roya. Through that process, the Black Shores gained partial access to certain archived insights.

Shorekeeper: The Spacetrek Collective fears that due to the Exoswarm's division, the Exostrider, even upon awakening, might not have enough power to face the Threnodian. This concern led to the Augmented Resonance initiative—the Synchronists.

Shorekeeper: Observing how Sentinels work with their Resonators, they theorized that the Exostrider, sharing similarities, could amplify its power through a Resonator as well.

Shorekeeper: However, considering your link with the Exostrider, the Tethys System does not recommend this method.

Shorekeeper: We have intel that deep beneath Lahai-Roi lies the Keystone left behind by the Exostrider long ago.

Shorekeeper: It rests directly atop the seal on the Stridergate. You can think of it as a kind of lock.

Shorekeeper: You do not need a cockpit to pilot the Exostrider. So long as its activation sequence remains unobstructed, you may pilot it using the Keystone.

Rover: ...Is it because I'm its "Arbiter"?

Shorekeeper: Precisely. For one who shares its origin, a cockpit would be more of a hindrance.

Shorekeeper: As for Aemeath... I think Dr. Luuk's proposal is viable.

Luuk Herssen: You mean using the Exoswarm-like "shell" that appeared in the cockpit to look for her?

Shorekeeper: Yes. The connection between frequencies will help. Rover, bring "her" with you when you activate the Exostrider.

Rover: Sure. While I'm there, the Black Shores will need to keep a closer eye on Lahai-Roi.

Shorekeeper: I understand.

Rover: ...I'm counting on you, Shorekeeper.

Shorekeeper: As long as I may be of help to you, I am… content.

Shorekeeper: Please return safely from the Stridergate, Rover.

Rover: I will. Don't worry.

Luuk Herssen: I'll inform Lucilla. Take your time finishing that drink before you head out.

Rover: What do you think? I'm about to ask a man to sign off on a crazy plan, and I can't even promise him it'll work.

Luuk Herssen: Nobody has a plan they promise will work. If Chase agrees, it's because he's betting that you're his best option. Just take the win.

Luuk Herssen: At the end of the day, it all comes down to the person, Rover.

Leave Luuk Herssen's "secret workspace"

Read Lucilla's WavesLine message

Head to the office of Academic Affairs

Lucilla: Mr. Chase. This is the student I mentioned, Rover. Our best hope for piloting the Exostrider.

Chase: Save the intro, President Lucilla. We've met before.

Rover: (Before…? In my past life at the Academy?)

Chase: Let's just get down to it. The Threnodian Aleph-1 situation is deteriorating. We're running out of time.

Chase: I wanted to wait for the Exostrider's self-regeneration to finish, but the clock has run out on that one.

Chase: So tell me, Rover. Why do you want to pilot the Exostrider? What's the play?

Rover: To find Aemeath and put down the Threnodian.

Chase: Aemeath… Name rings a bell. The one with the high-sync rate. Her disappearance was a real loss for us.

Rover: She's beyond the Stridergate.

Chase: ...Hehe. I see how it is.

Chase: But finding one person in a goddamn interdimensional haystack? Not so easy. You understand our position... the Threnodian is our priority.

Rover: Stopping the Threnodian is my priority too. I'm gonna handle both.

Rover: Look, we have the same objective, so like you said let's "just get down to it." If Voidmatter erupts, Lahai-Roi is ground zero. Every one of your projects will take a hit.

Chase: Regarding Aleph-1, our intel is insufficient. We are not, at this time, considering its total destruction.

Chase: What we need is for the Exostrider to reinforce the seal on the Stridergate.

Chase: To do that, we need a qualified Synchronist. And we need the Institute's Drive Replica. When that gets embedded in the Exostrider's chest cavity, then its repair is complete.

Chase: Right now, the Replica is in its final phase of development. We're still missing critical data.

Rover: A Drive Replica... Is that what you're building from the fallen Reactor Drive after Helios was launched?

Chase: Heh, correct. It's based on the original Drive's framework. You had a hand to play in that. You made sure Helios got launched.

Chase: To complete the Drive Replica, we require precise data from the Exostrider operating in high concentrations of Voidmatter, and environmental readings from inside the Threnodian.

Chase: Without them, we can't guarantee the Exostrider can resist Aleph-1's corruption.

Chase: Here's the verdict, Rover. On behalf of the Spacetrek Collective, I authorize you to pilot the Exostrider.

Chase: But remember, our objective is the data. We need readings from the high-concentration zone to complete the Replica.

Chase: And your personal mission gets ten minutes. That's the max duration our Voidmatter Barriers can cover the Stridergate once it's opened.

Chase: After ten minutes, you return to Lahai-Roi. Whether you found Aemeath or not. Do you accept?

Rover: Deal. One more thing. I won't be using a cockpit. Just show me the way to the Keystone and have the Exostrider ready. That's all I need.

Chase: Heh. Still full of surprises. Always bringing us the... unconventional.

Chase: Lucilla, run a high-pressure sync test for Rover. I've seen the physical eval, but I want live data for validation.

Chase: The moment the numbers hit green, we'll begin preparations for activating the Keystone and deploy Voidmatter Barriers around the Stridergate.

Rover: There's something else. I need a favor.

Lucilla: Go on, Rover.

Rover: The Fractsidus is lying low. Even after failing in the Dark Side, they could move the moment the Stridergate opens.

Lucilla: Ah. That's what's on your mind. Well, I have an update. Remember Sigrika's friend? The… somewhat lackadaisical one?

Rover: You mean Denia?

Lucilla: That's the one. She's gone missing. Our investigation points to her being the agent the Grand Architect referred to.

Lucilla: But don't let it distract you. I have a reliable friend keeping an eye on Fractsidus activity.

Lucilla: You just focus on waking the giant. Leave the rest to us, Rover.

Chase: The Black Shores just sent a formal communication request. They're offering full support for Lahai-Roi's evacuation, if it comes to that.

Chase: You handle it, Lucilla. You have a better read on the situation than I do. And you're better at talking with that Rover.

Chase: Heh... If there's anything else you want to ask me, now's the time.

Lucilla: I'm surprised you're placing this much trust in Rover, authorizing him so readily. Any particular reason?

Chase: We're different, President. I'm a businessman. And businessmen trust their instincts for a good investment.

Chase: The Threnodian could strike at any time. Given the circumstances, Lahai-Roi may have to be written off.

Chase: And with the timeline we have, relocating the Exostrider is impossible. If we're going to lose it anyway, why not let Rover take one last swing?

Lucilla: Understood. We still need to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Chase: Of course. If this fails, we'll initiate the backup plan—Duskveil.

Head to the Academy's rooftop

Abby: Ugh, that guy gives me the creeps...

Abby: What kind of place is the New Federation, anyway? Are they all gonna be like that?

Rover: We'll find out when we get there, Abby.

Professor Sakya: So, you're Rover, huh? I'm Sakya. I'll be overseeing and evaluating your test today.

Professor Sakya: Lucilla filled me in on everything.

Professor Sakya: This synchronization test is far more intense than the standard procedure. We're simulating the neural load of a direct link with the Exostrider.

Professor Sakya: Good. The cabin systems are configured. The simulator cockpit is right there. I'll be watching your metrics closely the whole time.

Professor Sakya: I hope... you pass the test smoothly.

Complete the synchronization test

Rover: ...How did you get all the way here from the lake house?

Professor Sakya: She wanders into the Academy sometimes. Usually, her caretaker bot escorts her back pretty quick, but today she was… being difficult.

Rover: We'll go back together in a bit, okay?

"Aemeath": ...

Professor Sakya: Yes. I was her teacher. Over ten years ago now. She used to drive me up the wall. Made me lose my composure more than once. She never did seem to mind.

Professor Sakya: The last day I taught her, she wrote "Saving the world" as her career path. I asked her if that was really what a Synchronist should be aiming for, then gave her a piece of my mind and told her to rewrite it.

Professor Sakya: She didn't even get upset. Just smiled, took the form, and walked away. She never stepped out of that cockpit again.

Professor Sakya: Now she's back, but not really. What a headache of a student.

"Aemeath": ...

Professor Sakya: Lucilla told me you're her family. Is that true?

Rover: Yes.

Professor Sakya: And you're planning to pilot the Exostrider and bring her back from the Stridergate?

Rover: That's the plan.

Professor Sakya: Sounds like an absurd, bold, utterly delusional idea. No one knows what's actually behind that Gate.

Rover: I know.

Professor Sakya: ...When Aemeath went missing, the cockpit recorded an abnormally high synchronization rate. We couldn't verify it after she disappeared, so it was never officially logged.

Professor Sakya: Your test results are just shy of hers overall. But in some sectors, they're even higher. You've passed, Rover.

Professor Sakya: The results are out, but preparing the Exostrider will take time. You'll need to wait around two days.

Professor Sakya: We'll let you know when it's ready.

"Aemeath": ...Cas...sette...

Wait for two days

Read Mornye's WavesLine message

Head to the Research Institute

Abby: So, we're finally going to where that giant eye is hiding?

Rover: Yeah. And Abby, if you think it's stronger than you, don't try to be a hero, okay?

Abby: I've got this! But uh... We don't know how much strength it's hiding behind that Gate, huh...

Rover: Our priorities are the data and Aemeath. A direct fight with Aleph-1 can wait until the Drive Replica is ready.

Reach the Research Institute

Head to the Research Institute's Lobby

Lynae: I kinda cornered Professor Mornye. Bugged her until she cracked.

Lynae: Rover, so you're gonna pilot the Exostrider.

Lynae: You... feel nervous at all?

Lynae: I know you're awesome and all, but nobody's ever done this before.

Lynae: Nobody knows if the Exostrider will even move, or what else might go wrong.

Lynae: Everything's felt so heavy at the Academy lately. Teachers are stretched thin. Even the nearby Exoswarm seem restless...

Rover: Lynae, are you nervous?

Lynae: ...Eh?! Okay, fine. Is it that obvious?

Lynae: Look, after I aced the entrance exam, I thought, "Sweet. Life's gonna be packed again. Non-stop." Like it used to be.

Lynae: But just when I was ready to finally be a student... my bubble popped. My brilliant student life, "Poof" and done.

Lynae: The Threnodian, Voidmatter, the Fractsidus... They're breathing down our necks, and I can't do anything to help you fight them.

Lynae: I just have to stand here and watch you walk into danger alone. It makes me feel totally useless.

Rover: I'd feel worse if I dragged everyone in Lahai-Roi into danger, just to back me up.

Rover: Of course, if things get really desperate, we'll have to face it together.

Rover: But for now? When I look at all the students who came here chasing their dreams... I want them to stay students.

Lynae: Dang, that's a heavy title! ...We're in the same year, y'know.

Lynae: …But I get what you're saying.

Lynae: Making you waste time on a pep talk when you've got a world to save... I do need to grow up.

Lynae: But I won't just sit around. I'll be on standby. Whatever the Academy needs to support your mission, I'm in.

Lynae: Heh, can't wait for that day to come.

Lynae: Professor Mornye's up ahead. Good luck out there, my friend!

Meet up with Mornye

Valentina: Temporary passage is complete. It'll take you directly to the Keystone.

Valentina: The Black Shores will keep a team on standby here at the Institute. If you need our support, just say the word.

Mornye: Thank you. We couldn't have built the data framework this quickly without your team's expertise.

Valentina: Lahai-Roi is a top priority. A joint call by the Shorekeeper and the Tethys System... Oh. Professor Mornye, your guest has arrived.

Mornye: Ah... you're here.

Rover: Is that the way to the Stridergate?

Mornye: Yes. This temporary passage will take you to the Dimmr Plains, deep within Bjartr Woods.

Mornye: Both the Stridergate and the Keystone are located in the Solvein Heartwood at its center. President Lucilla has already departed with the advance team. They'll be waiting on the other side.

Mornye: And also...

Anxious Researcher: Huff—huff—Sh-she's… too fast!

Mornye: What happened?

Anxious Researcher: Professor Mornye, she suddenly bolted into the Cassette Depository and... and took this.

Mornye: This is...

Rover: Can I see it?

Rover: I'll give it back in a moment. Mornye, do you see what's special about it?

Mornye: This ID number... I saw it in the student file during her inspection. This is Aemeath's own Cassette. It's been stored in the Depository since she went missing.

Rover: Why did you want to bring this now?

"Aemeath": ...

Mornye: It may be instinctual.

Mornye: Dr. Luuk did say this Exoswarm-like "shell" shares a frequency link with the real Aemeath.

Mornye: Or it could be the "shell's" residual instinct. Cassettes are proof of a student's identity. Or it could be a weak signal sent from the Aemeath beyond the Gate. We can't determine which theory is correct yet.

Mornye: However, this does remind me... carrying a Cassette into an unexplored Void Storm zone follows standard exploration protocol. Do you have yours?

Rover: Yeah. I've kept it with me.

Rover: I'll head to the Dimmr Plains now then, Mornye.

Mornye: ...I'll have to stay here, monitoring the data and ensuring the Drive Replica is ready. I wish I could go with you.

Mornye: But I'll be fully supporting your mission. Mentor, please... take care.

Rover: I count on you to watch my back, Mornye.

Rover: With what we accomplished with Helios, I trust you'll handle the Drive Replica. We will succeed again.

Mornye: I won't let you down, Mentor. Let this be... a new promise between us.

Rover: Let's go.

Head to the Dimmr Plains via the temporary portal

Reach the Dimmr Plains

Meet up with Lucilla

Abby: Ugh, stinky, this place reeks! The smell of that giant eyeball's getting stronger!

Rover: That massive glowing tree… is that the Solvein Heartwood?

Rover: (That miko...)

Lucilla: Wait. Before you go, you should say hello to him.

Lucilla: This is Hiyuki, I told you about her before. The only reason we could set up the monitoring equipment so quickly is because she cleared the way for us.

Lucilla: See that lingering frost? Ten years ago, a Voidmatter rift opened in the Dimmr Plains. Hiyuki went there alone and sealed it.

Lucilla: Thanks to her efforts, the Spacetrek Collective and the Roya were able to fortify the seal successfully.

Hiyuki: Yes. Lucilla spoke of what that child did. She is a good one. Strong... But her strength does not change the fact that she is a student.

Hiyuki: That we allow a child to bear such a burden is a failure on our part as adults.

Hiyuki: I sent this white bird to search the Voidmatter's concentrated depths. And I am certain I felt her frequency.

Hiyuki: Somewhere in Voidspace, she waits. The Collective pursues what is right, but your quest to save the one you hold dear? That, I understand.

Lucilla: Very good—! But I'm afraid we can't say more than that, okay? Right now, both sides want the same thing. That's the best we could ask for.

Lucilla: You were worried about the Fractsidus, weren't you? While you're beyond the Stridergate, she'll handle perimeter security.

Lucilla: She's hunted both the Threnodian and the Fractsidus for a long time. There's no one better for the job. Right, Hiyuki?

Hiyuki: Yes. Those two Fractsidus members... I will track them down.

Hiyuki: Here. Take this.

Hiyuki: The white bird carries my power. It will shield you.

Hiyuki: Should you lose yourself in the Voidmatter, it will also guide you back.

Lucilla: Hiyuki is part of Startorch Academy's Special Response Force. She works from the shadows, she's been an incredible help to us all.

Hiyuki: If, in your fight with the Threnodian, you require aid...

Hiyuki: ...You may make a wish to me.

Lucilla: How about I go first? I wish for peace and safety across the Dimmr Plains.

Lucilla: Hehe, Hiyuki is the strong and silent type. Spend enough time with her, though, and you'll find she's rather fascinating.

Rover: Why didn't you introduce us before? Why the reveal now?

Lucilla: No point in hiding what's already in plain sight. Besides, you're both strong and it's safer if you work together.

Rover: What did she mean, "make a wish?"

Lucilla: Just what it sounds like. But… don't make one unless it's life or death.

Lucilla: Granting wishes... always comes with a price.

Lucilla: I've sent you intel on high-concentration Voidmatter zones. Review them when you can.

Lucilla: I couldn't say this with Chase present, but I think you understand. For him, this is a calculated investment. For you, it's a suicide mission.

Lucilla: You've been in Voidspace. You've faced it. If Aleph-1 truly lies beyond that Gate, It'll sense you the moment you cross over... This won't be easy.

Lucilla: The Exostrider isn't fully repaired. If something goes wrong, it may not be able to hold out against Aleph-1. And the Collective won't risk an extraction if a Voidmatter outbreak is imminent.

Lucilla: …Once you enter the Gate, you'll be completely alone. Are you ready, Rover?

Rover: I've been in situations like this more times than I can count.

Rover: If I only cared about walking away clean, I wouldn't have gotten this far, or be standing here now.

Rover: So… thanks for the concern, President. But I've been ready.

Lucilla: Heh... Very good. I'm relieved you've thought it through.

Lucilla: I'll be here with the others, monitoring the Voidmatter Barriers. If something happens, I have to respond immediately as the Academy's head.

Lucilla: We'll probably be able to maintain a data feed, but based on past intel the Voidmatter's "disintegration" effect will destabilize the signal.

Lucilla: It'll likely cut out once you reach the Keystone. From that point on, every call is yours.

Rover: I understand.

Spacetrek Collective Researcher: President Lucilla, we've checked her condition. No signs of Voidmatter contamination. She's stable.

Lucilla: Alright. Go on, Rabelle College freshman.

Lucilla: The students and faculty of Startorch Academy have been waiting for the day the Exostrider awakens. May you return victorious.

Head to the Keystone

Spacetrek Collective Contact: Voidmatter Gauge readings are stable. No abnormal fluctuations at the Keystone.

Spacetrek Collective Contact: Rover's vitals are within the expected range… All readings normal…

Spacetrek Collective Contact: Frequency... Bzzt... Delay... Bzzt...

Rover: (The signal's cut out. It's so quiet...)

Rover: (Are these... Soliskin?)

Soliskin: Chululu!

Rover: (Are these little guys guiding me to the Solvein Heartwood?)

Rover: Alright then, let's go together.

Continue onward to the Keystone

Rover: (The Soliskin merged into the roots.)

Rover: (They didn't return to the Exostrider through the Solistrees. They used themselves to reinforce the Keystone's seal...)

Continue onward

Continue onward to the Keystone

Activate the Keystone

Go forth to the depth of the void

Rover: Starting to feel... dizzy...

Rover: (Aemeath once said Voidspace in the depths of the Threnodian's black hole is a higher dimension. Like a kaleidoscope.)

Rover: (Time and space here don't flow. They're tangled. Is all of this… inside Aleph-1?)

Chase Aemeath's frequency

Rover: (Those figures... That's Spacetrek Collective and Royan clothing.)

Rover: (They're reaching for something. Can't make out what.)

Approach Aemeath's frequency

Rover: (That frequency... Is it Aemeath?)

Rover: Aemeath!

Aemeath: The light of the Origin Point... WeThe Exostrider and I will bear it.

Search for traces of Aemeath

Return to Lahai-Roi amidst the Void Storm

Head into the Dimmr Plains

Rover: (The Voidmatter contamination is bad... it's not looking good for the Soliskin.)

Rover: (This white bird... did Hiyuki leave it here?)

Rover: Alright. Lead me to Hiyuki.

Follow the white bird

Rover: (...Where is it leading me?)

Catch up to Denia

Head to the seal that Hiyuki left behind

Rover: Do you know Denia?

Hiyuki: Lucilla asked me to watch over the students. I observed her. She did act strangely at first...

Hiyuki: But in time... I could see her effort to belong. She did seem happy at the Academy.

Rover: Have you been watching over Denia here?

Hiyuki: Yes... After I sensed the Threnodian's breach, I sent my Shiratori to trace it. That led me here, to her, in the Dimmr Plains.

Hiyuki: She remains under the Fractsidus's sway, but her actions just now betray her own will.

Hiyuki: She always hid in the Void Storms. I have no wish to harm her… So I did not find the right moment to intervene.

Hiyuki: Wait here. This seal is wrought from the "Futures' Tithe." To put it simply, I drew upon countless versions of my future self and anchored them here to suppress the Voidmatter.

Hiyuki: To break the seal is to reclaim those futures. That task is mine alone.

Rover: I understand. I'll leave it to you.

Hiyuki: There is one thing... with Aleph-1 active, I may not be able to restore this seal once it is broken.

Hiyuki: You choose the most perilous path at the most perilous time.

Hiyuki: I know your strength. I know your history of victory.

Hiyuki: To take such a risk… is it because you remain confident you will not fail? That you cannot lose to the Threnodians?

Rover: No. I've failed before. I don't think anyone can win forever.

Rover: If I'd never lost, maybe... I'd still have my memories. I wouldn't need to start over and Solaris would be free from the Lament.

Rover: I do this because I can. And because someone has to.

Hiyuki: I meant what becomes of you?

Rover: Maybe I'll be lost to Voidspace. Maybe I'll find a way to turn the tide. I can't know right now.

Rover: But if I don't try, there's no way I'll ever know.

Rover: What makes me scared isn't coming up short. It's the thought of not giving it my all.

Hiyuki: The cost of this attempt is steep, and you bear the weight of many. I expected more caution.

Hiyuki: To fail even once against a Threnodian is to invite apocalypse.

Hiyuki: Even knowing this... you would still go?

Rover: Hiyuki. Lucilla told me you fought a Threnodian in Ashinohara for a long time.

Rover: I don't know how you did it, but I can only imagine what it took to hold the line in a place already so destroyed. So I'll ask you...

Rover: Did you fight in Ashinohara because you were certain you would win?

Hiyuki: ...No. I was not.

Hiyuki: I never was.

Rover: Then you understand why I'm doing this. You would make the same choice in my place.

Hiyuki: I see.

Hiyuki: I will attend to the Seal of Flaming Sakura. It will not take long.

Hiyuki: The girl...

Grand Architect: It's been a while, Miko of Flaming Sakura. And you as well, Rover.

Hiyuki: I burned my future as a Threnodian Resonator. Your plan holds no meaning now.

Grand Architect: Every step in our dance has its purpose, Lady Miko.

Grand Architect: Our paths have crossed often, but in my design, this is our true introduction to each other.

Grand Architect: Because at last, I have a "masterpiece" worthy of your attention.

Rover: You infiltrated the Collective for Denia and Hiyuki. You wanted Leviathan's power... to merge them into one.

Grand Architect: Denia was always a Fractsidus creation. She is honored to be used as intended.

Rover: A creation...?

Grand Architect: The Mya disappointment made me think. If I could just create a superior vessel, one refined by a Miko's spirit, perhaps it might bear the full might of a Threnodian's power.

Grand Architect: As for the outcome... you would know better than I, Lady Miko.

Hiyuki: ...Wordplay won't change your failure. Leave, you tedious avatar.

Grand Architect: Failure? No. Listen you two, I'm just showing Solaris another "possibility."

Grand Architect: If we made one Denia, we can make another. And another. Until we hold a complete, obedient Threnodian Resonator in our hands.

Grand Architect: Your own borrowed future showed you that. A true Threnodian Resonator will exist.

Denia: Help... help me...

Grand Architect: Tsk, tsk. All that desperate running on the wheel, and you still came up short. I'll have to throw you away.

Denia: ...

Grand Architect: She can deny it all she likes, but the void in her heart is the same as Aleph-1's. That emptiness... it will always pull her toward the Threnodian's power.

Grand Architect: Chase her if you must. You do so love playing the "savior," Rover.

Grand Architect: As for this avatar... I'll spare you the trouble.

Rover: Wasting time on one of their avatars is pointless...

Rover: Come on, Hiyuki. The seal is open. We have a job to do... Denia needs us.

Hiyuki: If you wish, I can tell you about my history with the Fractsidus. But of course, Denia is the more pressing matter.

Rover: It's not hard to guess... The Grand Architect wanted your power as the Miko of Flaming Sakura, didn't they?

Rover: But like you said, you burned that one future as a Threnodian Resonator. You can be done with them.

Rover: Right now, Denia's state is what worries me.

Hiyuki: I fear... that child may already be...

Find Denia

Denia: Can't... go inside...

Hiyuki: Rest now.

Hiyuki: Forgive me, but I believe waiting for the Voidmatter to spread would take too long. This will be faster.

Hiyuki: Allow me to handle this. There is not much time left in your deadline with Mr. Chase.

Hiyuki: My Shiratori can guide you through Voidmatter, but the concentrations here go beyond its strength.

Hiyuki: So I will draw upon a future where I learned to fully channel its power.

Hiyuki: It will protect you and help you find the path you seek.

Hiyuki: The rest... is yours to face.

Rover: Thank you, Hiyuki.

Hiyuki: Rover, I've read the Spacetrek Collective's report on Aemeath.

Hiyuki: She wrote that her intention is... "Saving the world."

Hiyuki: Lucilla said you are her family. I suppose you must be the reason she held that vision.

Hiyuki: Do you regret it? Leading her to the "savior's" path? To a life of pain and struggle?

Hiyuki: One must walk this path alone in order to protect.

Hiyuki: And those who walk it out of admiration will lose themselves in the mire...

Rover: No, Hiyuki. I don't seek Aemeath to confess my regrets.

Rover: I want to find her, so I can tell her...

Voice from the Silence: I hope to make you proud. I hope I haven't let you down...

Rover: I've always been proud of her.

Rover: She chose to walk this path with me, so I know I'm not alone. Should I ever fail, I know there will be someone who'll continue to protect Solaris.

Hiyuki: With your extraordinary strength, that is indeed possible.

Hiyuki: But for those who are too weak to save others, there is only futility waiting at the end.

Hiyuki: ...As I learned when I failed to save Ashinohara.

Hiyuki: All I can do now is hold my Suzu tightly, to ensure that after Hiyuki... there will be no more Miko of Flaming Sakura.

Hiyuki: That... is all that remains.

Rover: From Lahai-Roi to the distant lands of Jinzhou and Rinascita, people rise up to fight the Threnodians.

Rover: I've been part of that fight. But to pretend I'm the only reason they're standing? That everything fails if I do? That's arrogance. It's an insult to everyone else choosing to stand their ground.

Rover: My victories were never mine alone.

Rover: If even one person makes it to the end of this road, then we're still winning.

Rover: Hiyuki. When you're walking alone and feel that weight... Just stop for a moment. Look around.

Hiyuki: Stop...

Rover: You'll see that there are people who draw strength from you. People out there who are proud of you.

Rover: And when you finally reach the end of your journey, you'll know it was never futile.

Hiyuki: It is nothing. I will tell you when you return.

Rover: All right. I'll be back soon.

Hiyuki: I will hold the line here until Duskveil initiates. I will wait for you... together with everyone.

Face Aleph-1

Aleph-1 (Voice of the Cosmos): Seek... Boundary... Destruction... Sighs.

Aleph-1 (Voice of the Cosmos): Prove... Existence... You...

Aleph-1 (Voice of the Cosmos): The end... Silent...

Exostrider: Alert: Arbiter. Mech ascension complete. Systems at peak. Ready to reengage enemy.

Aemeath: Exostrider... you're awake?

Exostrider: Assessment: A "human heart" is now operational within me. I can now speak with their voice.

Exostrider: In frostlands where civilization should not have taken root, a collective will was born. A will to explore what lies beyond.

Exostrider: They... have chosen me.

Aleph-1 (Voice of the Cosmos): Lament. Lament. Lament.

Aleph-1 (Voice of the Cosmos): Annihilation... Certain. Voyage... Futile. Beginning... Will?

Exostrider: Directive: I voyaged here to fulfill my mission. Life on this planet has the right to explore the vastness of the cosmos.

Exostrider: You see the civilizations across the stars only as food to quiet your hunger. You cannot comprehend the will that drives them.

Aleph-1 (Voice of the Cosmos): The end... Void. Meaning... Suffering...

Exostrider: Opinion: Even if humanity's final frontier is an endless void, it is not proof of a meaningless pursuit, Aleph-1.

Exostrider: Confirmation: Battle concluded. Voidmatter responses within this sector have dissipated.

Aemeath: But... Threnodian Aleph-1 wasn't destroyed.

Exostrider: Analysis: Resonator Aemeath. Under current parameters, the permanent termination of Aleph‑1 is impossible.

Exostrider: Therefore, I exercised autonomous judgment and exiled it to the furthest reaches of this universe.

Exostrider: Log Retrieval: On multiple return transits, I was detected by Aleph‑1. It pursued me, its objective to enter Solaris through the Stridergate.

Exostrider: It attacked. I fell... but Resonator Aemeath answered me with her power, and I was able to banish a part of Aleph-1.

Exostrider: I should have initiated a full system seal to await repairs. But I saw countless pairs of terrified eyes.

Exostrider: Discovery: The Roya in the frostlands stood helpless before the Threnodian's Voidmatter calamity.

Exostrider: I saw panic and dread. Following the protocol shared with the Sentinels, I extracted my Reactor Drive and encased it deep within the ice. Then I powered down to slumber.

Exostrider: Exception: A momentary reactivation occurred. Resonator Aemeath resonated with me a second time.

Exostrider: She required my power to mend the Stridergate rift. I complied.

Aemeath: That was when I became a digital ghost. But was that the "second time" we resonated... or the "first"?

Exostrider: Initial Assessment: Upon reactivation, standard procedure was to request your retreat. Direct engagement with Aleph-1 was a tactical irrationality.

Exostrider: But the "human heart" granted me a voice. The will of this civilization gave me the strength to stand with you.

Exostrider: Component Analysis: This Drive Replica forged by humans is crude and fragile compared to my original Drive.

Exostrider: I can feel each one of its pulse cycles. Violent, eroding itself with every beat.

Exostrider: The shrill, grating friction of wear...This is the first time I have ever heard "myself." A heartbeat bestowed upon me by "them."

Exostrider: With this heart installed, I have acquired capabilities previously undocumented outside the Sentinel mech series.

Exostrider: Projection: Given Threnodian Aleph-1's abilities, we must assume it retains the capacity to return.

Exostrider: Once the Stridergate is fully sealed, I will remain on this side as its guardian. I will bar its re-entry into Solaris.

Exostrider: Query: Resonator Aemeath. Are you willing to accept a portion of my power?

Exostrider: When I first arrived in Lahai-Roi, your assistance allowed me to seal the Threnodian beyond the Stridergate.

Exostrider: Your current state is a consequence for which I bear responsibility. While I slumbered, you safeguarded Lahai-Roi in my stead.

Exostrider: Now, the death that once drew near has been severed. Henceforth, your companion will be an enduring "life."

Exostrider: Summary: I am experiencing the state defined as "guilt."

Aemeath: Hah! Oh Exostrider, you're really wearing your "heart" on your sleeve, aren't you?

Aemeath: But hey, I chose this path myself. Made my peace where it ends a long time ago.

Aemeath: As for your question... This savior's got a career to uphold. Gotta level up if I'm gonna keep kicking bad guy butt, right?

Aemeath: So your power? Hell yeah, I'll take it.

Exostrider: Authorization: Resonator Aemeath's agreement confirmed. Synchronization limit removed. Commencing Resonance.

Aemeath: Suggestion: Don't you dare feel "guilty." Thank you for living up to my hopes. So... let's make our goodbye a happy one, okay?

Exostrider: Detection: Arbiter. You have brought your Cassette.

Exostrider: Briefing: While traversing the stars at high velocity, my trajectory once intersected with a slow-moving probe.

Exostrider: Its hull was marked with Solaris script. Its launch date is estimated to have occurred a long time ago.

Exostrider: I intercepted and recorded the signal it has been continuously transmitting to Solaris. Its name is "The Farwatcher."

Exostrider: Objective: I wish to offer this recording as a gift to the people of Lahai-Roi.

Exostrider: Status: Stridergate closure imminent. Preparing to return the Arbiter and Resonator to Lahai-Roi.

Lahai Roi: Designation change complete. Thank you, Arbiter.

Lahai Roi: Valediction: Farewell, Arbiter. Please deliver my temporary goodbye to the people who forged this heart.

Aemeath: It's been so long since I last saw Solaris. Feels weirdly nostalgic.

Aemeath: Now that Aleph-1's been kicked to the cosmic curb, Lahai-Roi can finally breathe easy.

Aemeath: I was gonna say we saved the world this time. But honestly...

Aemeath: It was the explorers who fell into the Voidmatter. They're the ones who mapped that data on me and the Exostrider inside the Threnodian's black hole. All I did was burn their findings onto a Cassette for you.

Rover: And it was the people of Lahai-Roi who decoded the Cassette and forged the Drive Replica. That's what let the Exostrider finally cast the Threnodian out.

Aemeath: So... this wasn't a story about heroes saving the world. It was the world saving its heroes. Right?

Rover: Yes. And now… we're home.

Hiyuki: You're back?

Rover: Yeah, I'm back now.

Aemeath: You made it!

Aemeath: Turns out, decoding what the Exostrider burned into your Cassette was way tougher than the Institute thought. They only just finished today!

Lynae: Over here, Rover! Everyone's waiting for you!

Sigrika: What could it possibly be... Oh, I can't wait to find out.

Lucilla: The Farwatcher.

Lucilla: I have to admit, Rover, I was genuinely surprised when you handed me this tape and said that name.

Rover: You said it was one of the nine interstellar space probes launched before the Etheric Sea engulfed Solaris.

Lucilla: Correct. The nine stars on the Spacetrek Collective's emblem represent those probes.

Mornye: Ever since then, Solaris never received another signal from them. Not a single one.

Mornye: ...Until today.

Lucilla: Professor Mornye, you may begin playback.

Lynae: This... Sounds like white noise...

Mornye: Judging by the Cassette's data, they're sounds the Farwatcher recorded while drifting through different galaxies.

Lucilla: Sounds that have been lost to us for centuries, silenced by the Etheric Sea.

Rover: So that's why... the Exostrider wanted to give these recordings to the explorers of Lahai-Roi today.

Aemeath: Because this is a gift from light-years away. Sent by the explorers of Lahai-Roi's past...

Aemeath: ...Echoes from the sea of stars.

Cristoforo: The Spacetrek Collective has taken in that Denia girl. Just as you wished, Grand Architect.

Grand Architect: Good. Just let them care for the little doll for now. Such an extraordinary performance. I'm sure I can find another role for her later.

Voice: All retrieved data has been processed. Awaiting review at your leisure.

Voice: May I ask what you plan to do next?

Grand Architect: Plans are progressing everywhere it seems. I've dallied in Lahai-Roi long enough. Time to stretch my legs.

Grand Architect: Cristoforo, be a dear and run a message to Eris in the New Federation for me.

Cristoforo: Understood. Though I suspect the Vice Architect will begrudge, once more, your sending me to disturb their precious quiet.

Cristoforo: Oh... and will you require me to draft a prologue for your characters?

Grand Architect: No need. I'll pay Phrolova a visit myself first. That will be all for now. This body tires so easily. Remember to give her a silent ending...

Voice: Grand Architect, with this phase of verification complete and full production proceeding… do we still have use for that miko?

Grand Architect: That won't be necessary. Her future as a Threnodian Resonator has been taken. She no longer requires our attention.

Grand Architect: Besides, she's failed one too many times. Drawn one too many futures from herself. And she still insists on walking the path of saving Ashinohara alone, with no intention of stopping.

Grand Architect: Every step she takes only deepens that obsession.

Grand Architect: After countless cycles of failure, she too will be reduced to ashes by her own vow. Just like her sister.

Grand Architect: Ah... that reminds me. Zashiki‑warashi has brought us some rather interesting news.