Part 97: Day 44 - Story

Day 44: Story

Music: story 3 ending


Just do as you’ve done before. Although the energy you’ve collected will not be supplied to the outside, that doesn't mean your work was for nothing, or that this place no longer serves a purpose.



Are you finally asking me now? After all this time? Of course, it’s the same as yours. The conclusion of the script we have. If not, I wouldn’t have a reason to go through all this trouble just to help you.

In summary: Angela confirms we're near the end of our journey, and we ask her what her goal is. She responds that it's the same goal as we have-the conclusion of the script.

I suppose that's as much as I could ask for. If nothing else, let's both get out of here. I can… Mmm…

It appears you have just realized the issue with your leaving this place.

Yep. Still can't stand the idea of being outside. What the hell, I'll cross that bridge when we get there. Let's bust out of this place.

Of course, A. Before that, Binah has finally gotten back to you. It appears there is something she wishes to say.

Wonderful. Let's hear it.

Music: Unfolding


There was the sun and the moon, and also the clouds and winds that floated around them. It was a world of light, so to speak. But you couldn’t stay there. You were robbed of innumerable things. You lived with a broken heart, clinging to the void where pieces of your heart used to be. No one could understand your pain, nor embrace you.



I actually hid a loss meme somewhere in this Let's Play. I'm not going to tell you where, so that eternal loss can dominate everyone equally!

I was one of the thieves who robbed you of countless things. While I was at the top of the world, I watched you and looked down on your struggle. Not just you. I have seen many others that struggled. Those attempts were no less futile than an insect writhing. All I had to do was simply stomp on them a couple times.



It seemed that this was going to be another fun little trip, so I would drink a cup of tea before leaving with light steps. But as you can see, an unexpected encounter with the Red Mist got the best of me.



You were familiar with how to break the mind without utilizing torture or violence. After everything was done, you gathered up every little bit of what was left of my humanity. And you threw them into this pit until even my spirit soured and rotted. Maybe you told yourself that I deserved worse than that. Therefore you’re an upholder of justice who has defeated the evil, no?



And what happened with that coward? The one who with fear averted his gaze from my dying one. Why is he down here, suffering the same punishment as I?



Is this all that idealism of hers came to be? You’ve dragged down your heroine with your own hands. Do you truly believe that your duty completes itself just for shedding tears at the funeral of the innocent? While you never even let their bodies rest in peace? Ironically, you found a hope in all this misery. The raw material of the Bucket. And the path to the river of all.



The Bucket rises from the Well of a person, filled with the water that can only be drawn by that person. An ancient fount that has been flowing at the bottom, even before the birth of the world. Now it simply is drawn, regardless of the consent of the person.



This choice doesn't matter.



Music: Behind heaven


These lines of text scroll their way up the screen, it's a very cool effect.

It’s taxing, but for you, I’ll gladly do it. The people selected long ago are awaiting their turns. I bring them here according to the register.



He has nothing left, for he has abandoned all that he is a long time ago. For him, things like the remnants of the past or the pain of the present don’t matter. He only stares into the future. Did you dream well?



Yes, you’ll finally dream for as long as you want, one that you will never wake up from. The employees will inject him with Cogito soon. What river flows in you? What world lies in you? There are as many worlds as there are people. Discovering them is rather fun.

There is a gurgling noise here, it is quite unsettling.

………..………..………..

………..

………..Grr….grrrrrrrrrrr…..ggggggggg……



That is why they adjust the level of Cogito according to my orders, keeping their eyes and ears covered.

…………………

……………………………..



But I can never dare to look away from him or to close my eyes, no matter how unbearable it may be. In the eyes of the drawn there are the abysses that only I can endure, and there are the things that shouldn’t exist in this world…



A normal person would have gone mad thousands of times over if they had to put up with this. Thanks to you, I cannot even be graced with insanity or lose my mind; all I can do is capture all of it in my eyes.

There are some more wet-sounding squishy noises here.


Now, we wait. Will it rise anew, or is it destined to be stuck in this pillar and spend eternity with me down in this place? We just need a little more time to find out.



Well, consider yourself lucky today. At times, when the level of Cogito is adjusted inadequately, some things that shouldn’t exist come up as fragments. How funny that I say this, but they’re like an adverse reaction that has its price for doing something unspeakable to a human being.



From the past, from the present, even from the future. All kinds of beings that have existed and will exist in this world. Given that they’re outside our dominion, there’s nothing we could do to govern them. They float around aimlessly, resonating with the Abnormalities and manifesting themselves in front of us when the moment comes.



Thankfully, they react to the Qliphoth Deterrence, so we can put them to sleep like the Abnormalities, but that’s all we’re able to do. Yes, as you have learned, extracting Abnormalities is my job. But creating them is Carmen’s, whom you buried a long time ago.



Tell me, how do you feel now that you know that those Abnormalities that you’ve faced above were part of these pillars? It’s an agonizing sight to confront, but it doesn’t matter to you, not at all. Or am I wrong?





In summary:

There's... a lot to unpack here. In no particular order: Binah shows us how the Abnormality creation process works by having an employee get Cogito'd, then mentions that now she gets to wait to see if anything comes of it. She also mentions that when the Cogito isn't adjusted right impurities can surface-these are the Ordeals we fight. Failed attempts at making Abnormalities all sleep down here inside of the pillars within Extraction, and Carmen is the mother of all of them, including somehow any Abnormalities that haven't been created yet.



The missing text here is "researched to observation level 4," meaning having all information unlocked for every Abnormality in the facility. Normally this mission wouldn't be a problem at all. Unfortunately…



Yeah, we can't do this one yet.

You gave me this knowing full well it was impossible.

Not impossible, manager. It will simply require you to risk once more leaving those you claim are important to die for your own gain. It's another specialty of yours, isn't it?

That's… I'd rather not do that.

The clock is moving of its own accord. You cannot hold its gears in your hands any more than you could hold the tide.

That doesn't mean you try to speed it up, either.

I have given my task. I look forward to seeing how you face it... this time around, things have been far more interesting than usual.

You're the last person I want to be complimented by. Go stare into the well or something.



Angela, open Records.

Of course. Has Binah managed to thoroughly disgust you once more?

On the nose, as usual. I figure we should get Hokma to have his hissyfit soon while we're at it.

I see. I shall have things put underway for you immediately.

As for me, I need a drink. One of those ones to help with mental fatigue.

I shall have it delivered right away.

Good, because I didn't even see anything and that was still enough to make me shudder.

Next time, on Lobotomy Corporation: A perfectly ordinary filler day. Mostly.








Excuse me, what are you doing there?!

Mine dwelling is not adequate to assist they who need my service. I am moving its location.

But… the Deterrence.

It sealeth much of mine power, but I am e'er wake enough for this.

This is concerning. I was informed you were a ZAYIN. The least of the Abnormalities!

And I was told thou were a human. Thine allegiance is elsewhere.

!!! That-how… I've no idea what you speak of! I'm a regular human doing regular human things!

And mine place is that of an Abnormality, doing that which cometh naturally to Abnormalities.

...Okay!

Very well.

I'll be going then!

Seek me again in the morning. I shall be able to aid you in your quest.

Maybe I shall! Maybe I shan't! That's what a normal person like me does-be noncommittal!

Splendid.

Exquisite!

Farewell.

Goodbye!