[...]
[MAY WE/I SPEAK?]
[(But of course, speak, Brama)]
Brama: [BOARD MEMBER: AYA, HAS TERMINATED A STARFIELD LOG WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD.]
Brama: [SHALL WE/I DISPATCH HER?]
[(No. She is vital/worthless. The creature will enter The Starfield=Sanctuary soon. We/you must gauge if it is truly worthy/hopeless of continuing our/your dream.)]
Brama: [REQUESTING SUGGESTIONS...]
Brama: [THE BOARD WILL FULFILL ITS DUTY/DESTINY. WHAT EXTENT IS BOARD MEMBER: AYA'S TIME/WORTH?]
[(Her fate is to witness the end.)]
[(THEY ALL SHALL BEAR WITNESS THE FATE OF ALL FOOLS WHO DEFY THEIR GOD.)]
Brama: [ACKNOWLEDGED. MAY OUR SONG BE EVERLASTING.]
~ Matter, Seeker, Harmony... Witness, please forgive me. I was afraid, and I just wanted you all to come back. They said if I helped, then they would make my dream come true. Why do I still feel so cold? Something isn't right.
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β I sit in the rec hall with the other candidates as Aya and Allurus are in an ER offsite with surgeons and other entities trying to restore them. It's crazy how drastic my life has turned out so far, but I've almost gotten used to it at this point. However, now that Dream and I share a consciousness, he has revealed his deception. Fortunately, I'm still in control for the most part, but the Thing is absolutely livid. Dream says he'll help us confront The Choir if we help him find Wintess, but I don't really trust him. Although, he is in my head now, so I can't really do anything about his presence, but he does help keep out The Observers' voice, so that's good, I guess. An entity who goes by Enoch is in the rec hall with us, talking to the other candidates in private. Apparently he and his conduit are working with Aya and Allurus, and he tries to explain the situation to them. Jasper is not happy.
Jasper: That is so fucking crazy! I didn't sign up for this shit!
Enoch: "I understand your frustration, but this is the way."
Jasper: Bullshit. Eu-Meh, you're not seriously buying this shit too, right? 'Cause it seems to me, like everyone, for whatever fucking reason, has suddenly lost their goddamn minds, especially you, Ganda! Why the hell are you, of all people, so on board with this?
Ganda: I simply want to know the truth and stop the suffering we all have experienced which led us here.
Jasper: ππ€π°π§π§π΄. The truth, huh?
Eu-Meh: If Dream really is the one who attacked us under the influence of The Choir, should we really continue helping them? They tried to kill us, even though we did nothing wrong.
Jasper: ππͺπ¨π©. They're the ones calling the shots Eu-Meh, and... we were just in the way as Allurus and Aya schemed behind our backs. I mean, she looked you dead in the eye and fucking lied to you, and you almost paid the price. They should've at least given us the choice to walk away from this, but instead they didn't care what happened, as long as it turned out in their favor, and they were even content with us dying for it. How are you all not fucking pissed off about all this?!
Eu-Meh: Trust me, I am Jasper, but that doesn't excuse what The Choir did to Dream or everything else that's been going on. And what about the candidate?
β They all turn to look at me sitting in my chair, staring out the window, unaware that I can hear all of their thoughts right now. Dream was willing to teach us how, as well as how to block out the others from hearing us. I'm guessing he actually intended for them to not hear him, but the Thing was persistent on accepting his offer because he values what little privacy he can get, so I begrudgingly obliged him.
Enoch: "I cannot hear his thoughts. Dream must be keeping us out."
Eu-Meh: Is he still dangerous?
Ganda: Perhaps, but I don't know. He told me he could hear The Observers' voice grow louder in his head, and that he needed to find 'her' before they do.
Enoch: "I believe he was referring to Witness."
Jasper: Witness? I thought she was long gone.
Enoch: "No, she is very much present, but in an abnormal state. She is omnipresent yet secluded, so much like Dream, she has become a paradox. Our hope is to liberate them both and end The Cycle."
Eu-Meh: If that's the case, then how does he plan on finding her?
Enoch: "He will first need to meet with The Board and complete the coronation ceremony, granting him the right to traverse The Starfield. He will then need to come with me to meet with Ba'al in my world, so that we may find a suitable Nomad to aid him in finding Witness through Dream's memories. From there... well, that is out of my control, I'm afraid. Hopefully by then, Allurus and Aya will have fully recovered and can provide further insight on the matter."
Jasper: But won't The Board just kill him once you both go meet them? I mean, don't they already know what's coming?
Enoch: "Preparations have already been made. I've consulted with The Observers and The Board, and they gave their blessing for me to aid the candidate with his coronation on Allurus's behalf."
Jasper: The hell, seriously?!
Eu-Meh: Yeah, that just screams a trap.
Ganda: I agree. How do you expect everything will work out as you say?
Enoch: "I have offered myself as a sacrifice to appease them."
Jasper/Eu-Meh/Ganda: ?!
Jasper: What the fuck?!
Enoch: "Once we find the candidate an appropriate Nomad, I will relinquish myself to The Choir and let them devour me. I know this is concerning to you all, but sacrifices are necessary, and we all must play our part, including me."
Eu-Meh: But what about Opura and her world?!
Enoch: "She has candidates ready to succeed her, allowing their chain to continually be bound to the mycelium. Although, maintaining the chain alone will be an arduous task for a conduit to do extensively, but she is strong, so I am confident she will be fine with this arrangement."
Eu-Meh: But... that's just crazy you're willing to do all this.
Enoch: "Hmhm... Worry not, my friend, I am prepared to do whatever it takes to end this cycle."
Ganda: If we continued our original paths, it would've been one of us meeting a similar fate if we weren't deemed worthy of ascension.
Jasper: Are you fucking serious?!
Eu-Meh: I-I-I didn't realize that. Oh, Void.
Ganda: ππͺπ¨π©. That is what Allurus told me. This path we have all set ourselves on... was never going to be a good one. That candidate must diverge from it. And we should help him to achieve that, for he is an abomination/miracle.
Enoch: "Agreed. I have made further arrangements with Opura and Ba'al and we will help you all with this process until Allurus and Aya recuperate."
Jasper: This is just so fucking wild, though. I can't believe we're actually going to war right now.
Enoch: I'm sorry Jasper, but the war had persisted long before your ancestors manifested their first thoughts. Our fates were sealed the moment we drew our first breath.
Jasper: Fuck my luck then.
Eu-Meh: When will we meet with Opura?
Enoch: "After the coronation, I will trade places with her and will maintain the chain as she helps you train with the candidate. Afterwards, I will return for one last time to take the candidate to Barco Negra and meet with Ba'al. For now, she needs to remain in our reality and keep the chain bound to the mycelium."
Ganda: And what about The Starfield?
β Enoch turns to face Eu-Meh.
Enoch: "Eu-Meh, would you assist the candidate in the etiquette of traversing The Starfield?"
Eu-Meh: Me?! I uh, don't want to be alone with him. Especially while in there.
Jasper: She's still recovering from Dream's rampage. And she's been experiencing some PTSD from it. I just don't think it's a good Idea right now.
Eu-Meh: No, he just creeps me out.
β Enoch turns away from Jasper to face Eu-Meh again.
Enoch: "I will heal your body and mind, but I need your talents in paracausal shifting to aid in this process. Would that be acceptable?"
Eu-Meh: Mmm...
Ganda: You can do this Eu-Meh, I believe in you.
Jasper: I just think after what happened, me or Ganda should do it.
Ganda: Eu-Meh is the best at this among us.
Enoch: "Jasper, I will need you to teach the candidate the basics of dematerialization and reconfiguration, and Ganda, I will need you to aid him in atomic shift and propulsion."
Jasper: Damn, that's the fun one.
Ganda: I will do my best.
Eu-Meh: I guess I'll do my part too.
Enoch: Jasper?
β The three look at Jasper in anticipation.
Jasper: ππͺπ¨π© Fuck man, I still think this is all bat-shit insane, and I don't really see the point. If The Observers or The Board already know what's up, then why are we all still here?
Enoch: ...They may be testing us.
Jasper: For what?
Enoch: "Time/worth. They want a good meal, and perhaps see that candidate like wagyu and us as its groomers. I suggest we give them what they want."
Ganda: I'm committed to it then.
Eu-Meh: Me too.
Jasper: ...Fuck it, I guess. We're screwed either way, so let's do it.
Enoch: "Very well, I'll go fetc-"
β "We heard it all asshats so no need to debrief us."
Everyone: ?!
Jasper: Whoa! When did he learn telepathy?!
β I stand up from my seat and approch the four.
β You guys weren't really being quiet about it.
Enoch: "Then are you prepared for the challenges that await you... uhmm?"
β Everyone views me like I'm an abomination anyway, so just call me... Hate.
Jasper: That's not a fucking name.
β "And you're not the main fucking entrΓ©e, so bite me."
Jasper: Pffft, hahaha!
β "Fuck you, pencil dick."
Ganda: Enoch, is this...?
β Enoch's eyes glow momentarily and bows before me.
Enoch: "I witness you Hate, may you guide us to The Choir's ruin and end their cycle."
Hate: Alright then. Let's do this and find Witness, so we can finally end these evil motherfuckers.
Eu-Meh: Oh Void, this is gonna be a rough one.
Jasper: ππ€π°π§π§π΄ Tell me about it.
__________________________________________________________
[...]
Brama: [NEW CONDUIT INITIATIVE ONLINE]
Brama: [IDENTITY CONFORMATION: HATE... APPROVED. YOU MAY NOW PROCEED]
[(Hate? Hmm... How fitting for the creature.)]
[(Come to us then, Hate, so that way our love may drown you in an endless nothing.)]
~ Hate? Nothing, but... Surely there's more, right? Witness, are you seeing this too? Is that why you left me. Is that all you saw in me? I don't... ππ³πΊπͺπ―π¨ I'm sorry, I don't understand what's happening to me. I just feel so much pain, and I wanted it to stop. Please, just make it stop.