Echoes of a Dream
...Hah...!
*Huff...* *Huff...*
...
Was that... a dream?
Commander. Do you have a moment?
I've come to report on a matter ahead of tomorrow's operation.
...Come in.
Commander. Reporting an anomaly detected during sentry duty.
An unidentified Void reaction has been observed in Sector 1972-023A. Readings exceed normal parameters...
...
Commander, are you all right?
...My apologies. I lost focus. That was unlike me.
Now then...
...The person behind you, Besta... the Journey Captain from NOA, was it?
I'd requested a meeting on the pretext of getting a better understanding of the situation in the West.
I'd figured there was nothing to lose, but to my surprise, Ceres gave it some thought before agreeing.
Seated across from Ceres, we exchanged the usual formalities as we discussed the situation in the West.
Even if this ended the same way and I was sent back in time again, there was nothing to lose by learning more about the West.
If I could find an opening to steer the conversation toward postponing the operation, all the better.
That was my thinking, but...
...Are you all right?
...What? Did you just ask if I'm all right?
I had the odd sense that Ceres was having trouble focusing.
I recalled how, when Besta and I entered, Ceres had straightened up from her slumped posture.
...You look very tired.
...Spare me your sugar-coated concern.
The West's long-awaited operation begins tomorrow. Fatigue can be overcome with willpower.
I can sleep as much as I want once the Void Core is destroyed.
I guess sleep would feel like a waste of time right now.
Of course. Besides, even if I wanted to sleep, that wretched dream of mine keeps—
...
...A dream?
...No, never mind.
A slip of the tongue. Forget it. It seems I truly am tired.
I recalled the faint groans I'd heard just before entering with Besta.
...I'm asking just in case.
What is it?
Can you tell me what kind of dream it was?
With a thud, Ceres slammed her hand on the table.
Do you think this is the time to sit around talking about dreams?!
...It is not fatigue. My mind is unsettled.
A disgrace, on the eve of an operation.
Why would I tell you about a dream born from such weakness—
...I've never learned anything of the sort from Luna, though.
It may not be a proper interpretation... but it might help.
Dream interpretation? Dream interpretation, you say? Ha!
Then let's hear it, Mr. Dream Interpreter.
In the dream...
In the dream, we were defeated.
Voidborns surrounded us... Every last Liberator lay motionless upon the ground.
I tried to move, only to realize my body was already broken. I couldn't even hold my sword properly with both hands.
All I could do was sit there helplessly among the fallen troops.
And... I knew death was near.
The enemy's final blow came crashing down on me... and when I closed my eyes, I woke from the dream.
With a heavy thud, Ceres's fist slammed into the table again, far harder than before.
Well? Does that sound like the kind of dream that needs interpreting?
I know nothing about such things, but even I understand all too well what it means.
That's...
...It's disgraceful.
On the eve of the operation to destroy the Void Core, with the hopes of everyone in the West resting on it... here I am, the commander, dreaming dreams like this.
Because, somewhere deep down, I still haven't cast off my fear of defeat. If only I were stronger... If only I had been stronger...
That's not a dream.
...What?
That really happened.
...
Hah. Is that so?
I see.
Yeah... huh? You're taking this better than I expected.
I must truly be out of my mind to have told an idiot like you about my dream.
I will purge this weakness by killing you!
Enough!
Tomorrow's operation... You're deploying your forces in three units, aren't you?
I quickly described everything I'd seen. Their deployment, their formations, and the order of their advance during the final operation.
As I spoke, I could see the disbelief growing on Ceres's face.
Kgh...
You... you've heard the operation plan. Who told you?
Am I wrong?
You're lying! Don't try to unsettle me with this nonsense!
Am I wrong?
Ngh...!
Memories of events I'd never lived through.
Memories of a shared past with people I'd only just met.
I'd dismissed it as nothing more than an aftereffect of amnesia. A confusion born of memory loss.
But even if those memories flashed by for only the briefest instant...
Even if they seemed like impossible fragments surfacing from my fractured mind...
The vividness of those memories as they surfaced...
The emotions and sensations they carried told me one thing with absolute certainty.
This was no delusion or dream spun by a distorted mind...
They were my memories... of what I had truly lived through.
...So that really [happened]? And you went through it too?
You...! Who in the world are you?!
What...?
In the dream...
We advanced toward the center of the Void Core with almost no casualties.
When we reached the inner area, a colossal Voidborn appeared, but that wasn't unexpected.
The Liberators had long passed down stories of a colossal Voidborn guarding the Void Core.
The Voidborn that guards the Void Core, [Olberos].
When I finally came face to face with Olberos, whom I'd only ever heard of in stories, I was almost relieved. At last, I thought, we could end this.
...Correct. I heard panicked voices behind me, and then...
In an instant, the formation collapsed, and the battle dissolved into chaos. Voidborns were everywhere.
Convinced we would be wiped out if things continued, I charged at Olberos, and then...
That's where Ceres's dream ends, and my time loop begins again.
...About a week ago.
At first, it was only about once a day... but now, every time I close my eyes, it's there.
If we're trapped in a loop spanning a specific period of time, then Ceres must be dreaming memories of what she already [experienced].
Then the loop must span roughly a week.
Probably...
An [unidentified spacetime discontinuity] has been detected ahead along the current route.
Spacetime discontinuity...? You mean space isn't continuous...?
Maybe I was drawn into this phenomenon on the second-to-last day of that repeating week, and now I'm trapped reliving those final two days.
You mean postpone the operation? Why? On what grounds?
Answer me! If you blurted that out for some absurd reason, I won't forgive you!
Ceres's unusually harsh demeanor back then was probably because the dream was weighing on her too.
After that, Ceres went silent for a long while.
...I've decided.
What will you do?
There will be no postponement. We proceed tomorrow as planned.
Had I been my usual self, I would have cut you down on the spot.
I despise empty talk about dreams and such that only serves to make people weak.
...But for some reason... I don't think you're trying to deceive me.
Then why...?
There is one more thing I despise above all else...
The idea that [fate is set in stone].
After hearing Ceres's words, I couldn't bring myself to say anything.
They were the very words I least wanted to hear.
The people of the West have always fought against things like [fate], [curses], and [destiny].
That's why we became Liberators.
We've fought for so long because we refused to accept that this land was fated to remain a land of death forever.
Everything has been prepared for tomorrow. The manpower. The supplies. We've committed too much to do this all over again.
Captain, I may be able to trust you, but...
I cannot accept our fate simply because someone else claims that's what it is.
...In any case, I'd done everything I could.
If it repeats again, I'll have to try a different approach.
Like Ceres, I couldn't accept the fate awaiting the Western Liberators.
In any case, yes. Tomorrow...
...I'll command tomorrow bearing the possibility of a sudden formation collapse in mind.
Throughout each loop, Ceres had probably dismissed her dreams as delusions born of weakness.
Simply recognizing that and acting on it might be enough to change tomorrow.
I should be satisfied with at least that much progress.
Lydia...
She's clever, resourceful...
And a shrewd officer at that.
She's the sort who could disappear in the middle of the final battle without a word... and I wouldn't be surprised.
If you ask whether I can trust her...
Yes. I trust her as one of my own.
I do.
After a much longer conversation with Ceres than I'd expected, I returned to the room.
I wondered how I should explain everything I'd learned so far to Asherah.