The Choice
Endless red earth stretched before us. A coppery scent drifted in with the dust carried on the wind.
By the fifth loop, I was already thoroughly sick of it.
Together with Asherah, who was [in the West for the first time], I headed toward the place where we would meet the Western Liberators.
This time, the Western Liberators were not fighting the Voidborns.
Ceres, Lydia, and Besta were waiting for us up ahead.
Seeing that change, I realized Ceres had returned with her memories of meeting Venera intact.
So you've come.
Yeah. Looks like we can skip the explanations.
I don't know whether it was because I was linked to you, or because of Venera's powers, but...
This time, I was the one who had to explain things to Lydia.
We should discuss the rest... after we return to Raven Wall.
That evening, I sat across from Ceres in her office.
...My apologies.
For what?
...I apologize for making such a poor showing of myself.
I told you that I am apologizing... for making such a poor showing of myself.
...While I waited for you, I kept thinking it over.
About which choice I should make.
I've more or less reached a decision, but I would like to hear your thoughts.
...What do you think, Captain?
Which choice do you think is right?
That's a hard one...
If the Western Liberators destroy the Void Core—Olberos—as originally planned, the [Sword of Aldebaran] Venera warned us about would be released.
I still don't know exactly what it is, but there is a real danger it could bring about the end of Lavistar.
To prevent that, if we restore Olberos to its sealed state as the Void Core, just as Venera proposed...
We return to life as it was before.
The West would remain a red land where the Void Core slept forever, and the refugees of the West would spend their lives at Raven Wall, holding back Voidborns, never able to return home.
One choice: seal the Void Core to prevent a greater calamity and return to life as it has always been.
Or the choice to destroy the Void Core, end the West's disaster, and face the Sword of Aldebaran.
...And Ceres surely has one more dilemma to face.
Whether to let her beloved sister become the Void Core's sealing vessel, a soul bound forever.
Or destroy Olberos with her own hands, knowing her sister's soul remains inside.
...That's cruel.
Either choice forces her to give something up.
There is no way out that lets her keep everything she wants.
Endlessly looping time did nothing but point her toward that dark crossroads, repeating the same words.
[Choose one, and only one.]
As though a greedy child who tried to keep everything would never make it through.
As I struggled to find an answer, Ceres nodded and spoke.
Take your time. Just give me your answer before tonight is over.
When I stepped out of the office, Lydia approached me in the hallway.
You look like you have a lot on your mind, Captain.
You look like you're about to keel over.
She asked you which one you'd choose...? Hmm.
Don't tell me she still hasn't decided...?
Honestly, she tries so hard to act tough, but inside she's as soft as whipped cream.
Maybe she's waiting for someone beside her to give her that final push.
Anyway, Captain, which choice do you think is the [right] one?
If I think about it rationally...
It felt like following Venera's plan was the right thing to do.
If Venera went so far as to warn us, then ending the West's disaster might put all of Lavistar at risk.
We could keep it sealed for now, then take our time looking for another way later.
...Right. Thinking about it now, Alicia must have sent me that message because she knew the true nature of the Void Core.
If I talk to her, I'm sure there's something else she could—
Do you have any idea how many lives the people of the West have sacrificed just to hold Raven Wall?
You lived in peace, never once having to think about the Voidborns threatening the West, all because of those sacrifices...!
And now you DARE tell us to throw away the chance we bled for... to postpone this operation for YOUR convenience...?!
...No. Maybe what Alicia wanted was for the West's Void Core to be left exactly as it is, forever.
Everything demands a price.
To keep the [Sword of Aldebaran] sealed, the West would have to keep paying the price.
And that would remain the West's fate forever.
There's this thing Ceres once told me.
She said that she hates the idea that [fate is set in stone].
And so?
I hate that too.
If I have to choose, I'd choose to destroy it.
Hmm... And what will you do if that greater calamity gets unleashed?
Everyone in Lavistar would blame the West.
"Everything would've been fine if those idiots had just left it alone," they'll say.
Aw, surely not...
Oh, don't "surely not" me. Of course that's what will happen.
That won't happen.
How do you know?
No matter what's inside it...
We'll stop it. The Voyager Savior Party will give it everything we've got.
Mhmm...
That sounds nice and all, but can you actually promise that?
Ugh...
...Honestly, I barely pushed back, and you're already agonizing over it again.
You're every bit as soft as the Commander. Actually, scratch that. You're downright mushy.
Keep dragging your feet like that, and what will you do if she picks the [stupid choice]?
The stupid choice?
Why, the [choice to go back to how things were], of course.
Who cares what the rest of Lavistar thinks?
Who do they think made it possible for them to live peaceful, carefree lives all this time?
Hmm. I seem to remember someone saying she hated the West...
And the people there too.
Lydia's face flushed red.
Q-quiet! Who said anything like that? Hmph!
Fine. It's not like I'm a good girl anyway.
A useless, sand-covered wasteland like this can rot for all I care.
But if it's all going to rot anyway, then we might as well all go down together!
Oh? Kuku, you're hungry?
All right, let's go get you a tasty snack!
Lydia changed the subject and quickly made her escape.
It took longer than before to explain everything to Asherah, but she listened intently.
Yeah, I'd destroy it.
There was no hesitation in Asherah's answer.
The reason I wanted to become a Savior. The reason I joined the Voyager Savior Party, and even the reason I've kept going on this Journey...
All of it was because I wanted to be like him.
Him?
The [Star Savior] who fought the Void.
Ever since I was little, whenever I heard stories about the Star Savior, I thought...
I wanted to become someone like that too.
I don't think the Star Savior would have chosen a peace built on endless sacrifice.
If that sacrifice was happening because of the very enemy we should be fighting... he wouldn't have looked away.
So I, too...
Asherah's voice was quiet, but firm.
I'll face it head-on.
...Yeah.
Looking into Asherah's eyes, I slowly nodded.
I feel the same way.
I'm truly glad... I get to share this Journey with you, Asherah.
...Captain.
I'm counting on you, Asherah.
Yes. Me too.
We'll get through this, Captain. I know we will.
The look in Asherah's eyes wasn't that of someone preparing for a Void trial.
It was the gaze of a Savior resolved to fight the Void.
...It seems you've reached a conclusion.
What did you decide, Captain?
We'll destroy the Void Core.
I see.
Ceres rose from her seat and walked to the window.
Countless stars twinkled in the night sky over the West.
...I'm glad we've reached the same conclusion.
Ceres...
I refuse to simply accept a future dictated by fate.
Everyone here has fought for so long to win the chance at a different future.
Then... shouldn't we see that through to the very end?
I agree.
To be honest, I still don't know what kind of calamity the Sword of Aldebaran, sealed within the Void Core, truly is.
Whether it is a monster so terrible that even Venera, as strong as she was, feared it...
Or exactly what its name suggests, a weapon of terrifying power.
But tomorrow, the Western Liberators...
We will destroy the Void Core that has bound our lives for so long.
And we will overcome whatever stands in the way of our destiny.
Starlight shimmered in her steady gaze.
Just as the Star Savior once did...
The starlight in the night sky will never vanish.
Ceres looked at me.
She wore a gentle smile, one I had never seen from her before.
Tomorrow, I'm counting on you.
...Liberator Hamel, Darian, and former Commander Venera.
We remember the names of those we've lost, yet we pray our memories of them are not steeped in sorrow.
The one who made the stars knows them as well, and numbers each step toward rest...
We pray. May our footsteps be etched after theirs.
We pray. May the courage of those who went before us become our shield...
And may we, too, press forward with unwavering steps.
We pray. Hearing the cries of the wounded, we say there shall be no hesitation on this path...
May we one day laugh again beneath a sky full of stars.
...We pray. Though our oath carved in blood may be tested beneath the names we bear...
Grant us the courage to grasp the blade of truth over false peace.
Western Liberators, all assembled and accounted for, Commander Ceres.
We can move out at any time. Your orders, please.
Good. There's no need to drag this out.
Today, at last... we put an end to this long fight.
Move out.
We're taking back the West's golden fields!
Western Liberators. Operation: Destroy the Void Core
Operation Day