Fate of Io
13. The Top of the World
Last updated at 2003/10/19 16:27:27 PDT by Dev
  • Fading from a whiteout, we see a small memorial built in the snow with Syne's weapon stuck into the ground. Enna stands before it, silently, and then removes the lilac from her hair and places on the makeshift monument. (*Enna is starting to acknowledge her deep fondness for Syne, but is still confused about her feelings at this point. Appropriately, lilac traditionally symbolizes "first emotions of love.")

  • After the long pause, a "new" Cade tells Enna and Delloran to move out, firmly taking command with a demeanor colder than their surroundings (*his response to Syne's death is to completely shut out everything he feels and force some semblance of order onto the situation). He announces that he noticed another set of tracks heading up the mountain besides Kydran. Dell simply complains, and Enna's silence is taken for consent, so the group ends up following Cade around the glacier for a while.

    • Eventually, the three catch up with none other than Rheya, who has apparently been struggling up the mountain with only some success. Her skin is pale with frost, and she trembles even to turn to the party.

    • Before anyone has a chance to say anything, Cade lunges after her, calling "traitor!" He grabs the eumonic roughly by the neck and readies his armblade into a threatening stance. Enna, her senses quickly aroused by the sudden situation, and aims with her bow straight at Cade's head, warning him not to harm Rheya. Dell backs away from the tense situation like a frightened dog.

    • Still holding onto Rheya, Cade slowly lowers his armblade; Enna puts away her bow and goes over to the ill-looking Pylos scientist. Gasping for breath in Cade's clutches and struggling to get free, the word "up" sneaks out of her raspy throat. She thereafter falls unconscious.

    • Cade lets her fall with a "bah!" and starts down the mountain. This enrages Enna, but she uncharacteristically contains it for the moment. She tells Dell and Cade that they ought to continue up the mountain. Cade thinks that's nonsense, since the only way off is obviously down; "she's just trying to fool us and get us killed ... again." Dell points out that Rheya was going up the mountain herself when they found her. The two agree, and head with the deadweight Rheya uphill, leaving Cade no choice but to follow.

      • During battles on Mount Nimbus (and there certainly will be the compulsory ice monsters and whatnot), Rheya will be present, and irreparably in KO status. As always, if any character moves from KO to death, the player arrives at a Game Over, and Rheya is no exception here.

  • The very cold and weak party finally arrives just below the summit, and finds a modern-looking building firmly attached around the top spire of Mount Nimbus. The three conscious adventurers pound on an exterior hatch until someone finally comes; the man is dressed formally and welcomes them inside. He informs them that they have arrived at Camp Nimbus Sky-high Resort, and asks if they have reservations.

    • The staff, once they realize the dire situation of the party, helps Enna and Rheya to a room. They more or less stabilize the latter, but the resort is not a hospital, and she remains comatose. Enna stays by the bedside, in spite of the treachery at Pylos Gamma, to overlook Rheya's condition. Dell finds a warm corner and curls up, keeping to himself.

    • Cade decisively detaches himself from the party and goes to explore the rest of the resort. In the lounge, there is a very upbeat band playing, which is a very blatant contrast to the atmosphere of every up till now. This finally grates Cade's nerves to the point where he screams, "Will you and your happy music just shut up!?" From then on, background music in Camp Nimbus is very mellow or nonexistent. In the diner, he can buy food and treat the serving staff to a few choice words when he finds the tiniest thing wrong with his order. In the game room, Cade finally finds a way to get his mind off his troubles. (Enter: profusion of mini-games.)

  • It's been over two weeks, and Rheya's condition is slowly but surely deteriorating. They haven't been able to get her off the mountain because a terrible storm severed any transportation links the resort had. They will be repaired when the storm abates (which may be a matter of days or even weeks), and the resort is well-equipped to be isolated for months if necessary; this means, though, that Rheya may not get the specialized medical treatment she needs in time.

    • Dell continues to be very reserved during this time, and Cade spends his time detached from any social setting or anything that would remind him that there's a real world out there. Enna continues to monitor Rheya and still sits with her hours at a time. She has "conversations" with the comatose eumoneticist, providing insight into just what Enna has been thinking...

      • Did Rheya really mean for them all to die? Why did she help them so many times before, or was she just lying about that? If so, then who did help them? Enna yearns for a time when she could take things at face value and trust her own perceptions. Syne did; he took Rheya's earnestness to heart and let her join them. What would he think now?

      • Dell, who has been curled up in the shadows, sadly raises his head and comments that "she seemed nice."

    • The two are startled by a loud knock on their door. Enna opens it, and is surprised further: it is Dantalian. Dell becomes very defensive very quickly, but Enna calms him for a moment and wants to know what Dantalian is doing here. Dell wants to know what they're still doing alive. The tall Pylos exec understands their hostility, and explains that he only wants to talk peacefully about matters as they stand now.

      • He admits that Pylos is now in a very tough position. They no longer have any mines on the whole continent, Kydran--who was very much in the driver's seat of the whole campaign--has been killed, and there are a lot of frightened people all over the place. (*Of course, Dantalian doesn't mention the existence of Pylos Epsilon, nor the current attempts to resurrect Kydran during the last week or so.)

      • Enna is just as frank as Dantalian, expressing her bitter feelings about what has been done. Yet, she realizes that this is, in a way, exactly what she wanted to begin with.

      • Dell tries out the "being blunt" thing, and asks Dantalian what he plans to do next. The latter tells the two (three, counting unconscious also) about a hidden laboratory in the northwestern desert, which is where Pylos has been doing a good portion of its eumonetic research. He offers to bring everyone there, get Rheya some help, and show them that the eumonetic line of products is really not going to be the end of the world. (*This is Miriel's idea. She is open to the possibility that she will be unable to resurrect Kydran, and she sees Delloran as a possible replacement. She needs a magic creature to assist her with the Antarean magic language (though she isn't aware that Dell doesn't know it).)

      • Hyde comes in with an unconscious Cade over his shoulder. He apologizes to Enna, but the "little kid was getting annoying."

      • Dantalian tells them that they have a way off the mountain if Enna is willing to consider making amends. Enna may refuse his offer (this is the player's choice, which allows for more mini-game time if desired), but ultimately, Dantalian is her only ticked off Mount Nimbus.

    • Everyone is taken to the rooftop of the resort, where a Pylos flyer has landed. This surprises Dell; he thought he had taken care of that craft. Dantalian smirks at the Antarean and ask him if he really thought they'd make just one. Rheya is brought onboard to a special compartment where she is secured. Hyde dumps the limp Cade into a seat, making sure he's strapped in very well, then leads the rest of the group in as well. The craft powers up its eumonetic mechanisms, and then floats off toward the western horizon.

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