The Night Returns
Ah...
Woah... how are these green lights still... green?
Another unexpected alarm. But we all react with measured astonishment, as we'd all grown rather used to the randomness of it all.
It is unlikely that it has completely evaded the influence of T Corp.'s Singularity. However, it can be said that this partial retention of color can be attributed to the fact that Walpurgis Night is a transitory moment in which numerous possibilities coincide.
<Makes sense...>
Faust nonchalantly walking up to the driver's seat and shutting off the alarm.
Lo! 'Tis return'd, this Wal-Walpu-whatever night!
Don Quixote and her eyes that begin twinkling at the smallest bit of diversion after another long-period of idle standby.
It's all just become a part of the routine.
Even mysterious things like these 'Walpurgis Nights'.
Oh. An additional volatility, aside from the Walpurgis Night, has been detected.
<An additional volatility?>
Indeed. The entrance to a new Mirror Dungeon has opened.
Oh, yeah. That.
Heathcliff mutters quietly as he rises from his seat.
I thought it was about time a new one popped up. It happens every time we go through the bloody wringer. ... Didn't expect it to appear with the green flashes, though.
Heathcliff lightly struck the end of his club against the floor in visible anticipation.
... The word that was once engraved into his club had changed.
A few days ago, I saw him sitting at the back of the bus, busily sanding and carving something into his club.
I didn't have to ask to know what he meant by that new word, so...
... I decided to not bring it up to anyone else.
Only Heathcliff and I retained that memory, after all.
Thought I was goin' mad from tedium. C'mon, let's go bash some sods.
How nice.
I like seeing some initiative from the Sinners. Miss Faust?
Indeed. Let us move without delay.
Dante, bring us to the corridor past the Backdoor.
<... Got it.>
Trying my best to shake this odd, uncomfortable feeling that Heathcliff's newfound enthusiasm didn't come off as entirely optimistic, I led the Sinners to the Backdoor.
<Two types of doors at once, huh...>
Two new sets of doors, just as Faust had predicted.
One set of doors was, as I expected, two metal doors resonant with the sound of wuthering gusts. A new Mirror Dungeon.
And the other set of doors was...
Are these... papers?
It's... all sparkly.
It was an unfamiliar door, radiating with an odd gleam of light.
Technically, we did see the weird, radio-frequency-like squiggly lines around the door before, but everything else about it was new.
I guess this one doesn't connect to the Lobotomy Corporation like the last one did...
Weird. I think I'm hearing... Is that jazz?
Oi, is this even a door...? It's more like a window than a door, innit?
Right... this new entrance definitely resembled a large window rather than a door. The window was blurry, and all I could see past it were some globs of shapes moving about.
There appear to be several shambling entities past the entrance...
…….
Faust seemed to have realized something, but she didn't tell us what it was. Instead, she merely looked in my direction without saying a word.
... I'm starting to get what she means by that look.
<... Guess I'll have to get in there to see what this is all about. Right, Faust?>
You are experiencing regular growth in capabilities. Faust considers this to be a positive development.
<... Yeah.>
A field of green and a wall of tall, great trees appear before us as we enter the door. But at this point, it'll take a bit more than this to surprise us.
Ah, so nice to have our colors back for once, huh~?
Quiet. There's an Abnormality.
<So these things were what we saw past the window earlier...?>
We are yet to be discovered. I recommend that we prepare for combat, Manager.
I didn't even need to tell the Sinners what they were. It was pretty clear from the get-go that we'd be fighting an abnormality; the Sinners all stood ready to charge into battle at my command.
But... it's a bit different this time.
<So... Faust. I'm starting to get the hang of this Walpurgis Night thing. And...>
Please, do continue.
<... I think there's something different about these Abnormalities. Can you explain why?>
... Considering the nature of Abnormalities, every encounter with an Abnormality would be equivalent to an encounter with a summoned entity.
Nevertheless, there exists a certain degree of difference when we encounter them in a Refraction Railway or a Mirror Dungeon.
That is to say...?
We enter a site once known as 'The Library'. A building that inexplicably appeared above the former L Corp. headquarters.
And this exact location is said to be a space that exists within a book in which the Abnormality resides.
'The Library'...? Where have I heard that term before? Some Sinners talked about it, that's for sure...
Quite... Yet this 'space' is fairly distinct from the containment units we had witnessed afore at one of the branches.
It appears as though an ideal habitat has been established precisely for that Abnormality's residence. A rather striking difference from the very limited space and unaccommodating environment provided by the containment units.
Yes. You may compare this place to a terrarium. The Abnormality inhabiting this place has transformed its environs to a form most suitable for its dwelling.
Here are some comparisons that may make it easier for one to comprehend: a fish would fill this space with water, and a worm would fill this space with soil.
Hmm...
Gotcha. So, as long as the Abnormality exists within this 'book', it can deck this place out with whatever fits its fancy, huh?
It would be more accurate to say that an Abnormality, once outside the confines of the Qliphoth Deterrence, can rebuild its environment to fit its needs.
Woah, that's kinda like free housing, huh...?
That's when...
... Don Quixote, who was standing rather far from the group, who was made aware of these revelations only after Meursault had relayed them to her...
Book...? Our journey hath brought us inside a BOOK, thou sayeth?!
T-th-th-the Library of legend that vanished like a mirage, for truth...?!
... suddenly blew up with explosive enthusiasm once again.
... I will add a preamble in the future to prevent such outbursts.
We've been detected, Executive Manager.
<Yeah... Let's get this over with first.>