Lost In Space

WORLD UNDERNEATH 3 SUMMARY

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Rafayel's story. Anecdote 3 (Siren's Song) and Chapter 7 of the main story must be read prior to this one for better understanding.

Long story short:

Set after the events of Chapter 7, World Underneath 1 follows Rafayel as he commissions flowers and a wedding venue for Talia’s wedding. His interactions with Charles, the garden’s owner, and Talia reveal more about Rafayel’s character, showing his emotional complexity, role conflicts, and a hidden past. These facets manifest in his struggle to trust temporary comforts, a conflict between his duty as Lemuria’s protector and his personal desires, and the darkness that envelops him when memories of his past resurface. Throughout the anecdote, a secret girl is mentioned to have enamored Rafayel—either in the past or present—that he can’t let go of. Talia emphasizes the importance of having an anchor, to which Rafayel asserts that Lemuria has more importance. Despite Raymond’s death, he remains vigilant, unable to trust temporary comfort. Later, they attend Raymond’s funeral to pay respect to the Lemurian he kept in the fish tank. His mother accuses Rafayel of being a murderer, but he remains unfazed. Raymond was only 39. He had an opportunity for a fresh start and rebirth, only for it to be snatched away from him because of the painting. Reflecting on Talia’s words regarding an anchor, he takes flame lilies from Charles and wonders if the person he associates with it can be his anchor. He’s not sure. But while the darkness has yet to come, he’ll get good sleep before the nightmares arrive.

Charles, a garden’s owner, and Rafayel look at which plants will be good for Talia and her lover’s wedding. They met through conservation work for endangered plants and animals.

The owner says that choosing flowers is a psychological process akin to trying to understand another person, and giving one is said to be a surefire way to their heart. He is hinting for Rafayel to give it to MC.

Rafayel and Talia talk. He is acting aloof, despite being the one who commissioned Charles for her wedding. She asks for his blessing, but he is stingy about it, saying that he has already done it before.

He tries to hang up and shows Charles a sketch of a flower bouquet for the wedding, matching Talia’s favorite gemstone and the color of her wedding dress. To her elation, Rafayel didn’t hang up properly, so she looks forward to his presence.

Rafayel is annoyed. Charles says there’s no point in hiding it if he’s going.

The garden owner points out that his plans will be harshly criticized, to which Rafayel becomes lost in thought. Charles thinks that maybe he’s thinking about his lover.

Rafayel observes the guests’ interactions. They are praising Talia. At a table, a group of Lemurians whisper to each other. There is a familiar face he hadn’t seen since “the disaster,” who is cheerfully playing an ancient Lemurian instrument.

Talia’s husband likes whatever she likes, and says that he designed her dress for her. Rafayel thinks that choosing a dress may also be a process of understanding that person. He’s silent, then mentions that Raymond is dead.

Talia seems relieved, saying that they can get a good night’s sleep for now. Rafayel repeats “for now.” He doesn’t want fleeting happiness. When pointed out, he avoids it.

Despite the happy occasion, the Lemurians’ joy seems to have a looming darkness. She says that she married not because she forgot the past, but because she wants to live in the present. Every Lemurian is looking for an anchor—a reason to live, and she and others have found theirs. She pointedly refers to Rafayel as someone who doesn’t realize how important it is to have an anchor.

To him, Lemuria is more important. She asks him if there is anything that can pull him back when his heart is devouring him. Then she asks if he can let “her” go. This is implied to be MC.

Rafayel’s eyes darken. Talia asks if he ever thought about his own wedding. He leaves the scene that doesn’t belong to him, saying no.

Screenshot links here.

Yellow gardenias symbolize freedom, happiness, and rebirth. Rafayel intends to give it to a relative’s daughter. For a funeral.

He attends Raymond’s funeral, which is being held at the living room. Upon passing the butler, the man scrutinizes Rafayel. He ignores the malicious glances and moves in front of the Lemurian skeleton within the fish tank.

After pausing very shortly, he turns to the coffin. He puts the gardenias on top of it, making sure the beautiful side faces the fish tank. Rafayel silently recites a eulogy.

Talia sings a dirge. Sunlight passes through the fish tank, and the skeleton is described to be gazing at the sky in a frozen pose.

An elderly woman calls him a murderer, claiming that her boy was only 39. It was supposed to be a time for rebirth, a fresh start, but because of a painting that didn’t make any sense, he died.

Reporters surround him. With her son dead, her anchor was taken by a dark tide. Rafayel is calm as he leaves the room full of cameras.

A week from then, Rafayel visits Talia in a small house in Verona. He asks if her husband ever designed a wedding dress. She says he hasn’t, but if Rafayel wanted to commission him, she could help him get a family discount.

Talia tosses him a bouquet of flowers, the remaining of what she wanted to give him that day. An unknown flower reminds him of someone.

He remembers what Talia said about looking for an anchor, which is why they’re still here.

Screenshot links here.

Charles wraps up the fiery flame lilies Rafayel chose. The Lemurian says he is giving them to someone. The gardener asks if he is giving himself away. Charles has a hunch that there must be someone in Rafayel’s heart he didn’t want to mention.

Rafayel doesn’t know if he should give away the bouquet, nor has he come up with a good excuse.

He remembers what Talia asked about what could pull him back when his heart is devouring him, but is avoiding the underlying meaning. He wonders if the flame lily bouquet could become his anchor. He’s not sure.

The black waves haven’t fully rolled in. He still has a chance to get good sleep. Before he has to face the never-ending tsunami in his dreams alone.

WORLD UNDERNEATH 2 SUMMARY

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Zayne's story. Anecdote 2 (Never-Ending Winter) and World Underneath 1 (Longly Flame) must be read prior to this one for better understanding.

Long story short:

World Underneath 2 is set around the New Year of 2048. Carter, Zayne’s former labmate, is attempting to recruit him to Xander Sciences to further their research in Protocore use in medicine. The ethics of reviving dead cells—and perhaps the whole person—has been an ethical subject of discussion for them. Carter wants to break free from the shackles of natural law, while Zayne wants to respect it. This push and pull leads them to test each other’s boundaries. Cabin 607’s patient is suffering from a rare condition that requires heart surgery. The treatment is a continuation of Zayne’s canceled research during medical school, rebranded as X-Heart. Carter uses this to persuade and manipulate Zayne, but he remains stubborn in his stance. The researcher isn’t aware of why it was discontinued or what had happened to William. He needs a pair of hands that can carry out God's mission and allow for God's descent. Zayne's hands. At the face of Zayne’s adamant refusal, he turns his attention to MC, whom neither him nor Dr. Noah could treat, and begin pondering her potential value to X-Heart. As Zayne is reviewing MC’s patient records, he remembers the question William asked him when they were students: What would he do if the patient was someone he loved? Zayne would do anything he can, and if that still doesn’t work, he has a last resort in mind. Until then, he will stay by MC’s side for as long as he can.

Set around the New Year of 2048.

The executives of Xander Sciences are trying to hire Zayne, offering a large salary and high-quality research labs. However, Carter says that Zayne doesn’t care about those.

Carter has not gotten his doctorate degree because he quit school.

He tries his hand on persuading Zayne through Cabin 607’s patient file.

Reminiscing about the time before he quit school, he remembers discussing the ethics of applying Protocore technology to revive dead cells with Zayne. After that, they went in the opposite direction and never saw each other again.

Carter knows that no matter how the world changes, Zayne will be the same.

They meet again in a park. A child is crying and begging Zayne to save a dog, but he says that the dog has already passed away. He is consoling the child when Carter approaches the child with a Protocore in hand, offering to bring the dog back to live.

Zayne coldly refuses.

They head to a restaurant together. Carter questions the ethics of continuing the process of life, but mentions how most people don’t want to try. He asks if natural law is rooted on a moral basis, or just a way to remain comfortable with what is known.

Zayne has already made his stance clear and notes how Carter hasn’t changed.

Carter disagrees. Xander Sciences has given him many opportunities, and provides Zayne with a business card. If Zayne continued with his research, maybe he would’ve already broken free from the shackles of natural law. His talents are wasted at Akso Hospital.

Zayne ignores it, warning his former senior that failure would result in heavy consequences.

Switching his tactic, Carter provides Cabin 607’s patient file—a project with a rare condition that requires heart surgery and may not survive the side effects of the treatment.

Carter uses the compassion to patients approach, saying that taking a look won’t violate Zayne’s medical ethics.

Screenshot links here.

Carter is waiting for Zayne to go to Xander Sciences. The operation doesn’t go well, and he confronts the gap in skill between him and the genius. He wants to know where he falls short.

He doesn’t know what Zayne found out or why he stopped.

Zayne arrives at Xander Sciences.

Xander Sciences has 15 life pods that look like capsules with tubes connecting it to equipment. Red tubes suck away death, while the blue ones inject new life. The daily cost for one is equivalent to a month’s worth of resources in a hospital’s ICU.

Zayne watches the patient who is soaked in liquid, shriveled like a skeleton.

He asks how the surgery was done, and Carter offers the knowledge if he joins them.

Carter brought the project that they stopped working on during medical school to Xander Sciences, rebranding it as X-heart. They were able to increase the patient’s life expectancy from less than six months to two years.

Zayne brings up William, but Carter doesn’t understand why. He doesn’t know anything. Zayne warns him that hiding a Trojan horse in the medical records can get him arrested, then leaves.

Screenshot links here.

The patient’s parents accepted the institution’s donation to save him, and in return, the institution received full usage and disposal rights. He doesn’t have a heart anymore. Regardless, his parents still want to see him.

Zayne operates on the patient. Half an hour later, the patient appears in front of his parents in a clean, intact state. They mourn for him

Carter tries to appeal to him again, but Zayne doesn’t change. He simply doesn’t want people to face a cruel death.

Zayne officially joins Akso’s Evol-Cardiac Medical Research Lab as its principal investigator.

Carter sends him the patient’s life details, but Zayne ignores him. Annoyed, he sends another picture of a dead patient with black crystals on her chest like dahlia, asking what would Zayne do if that was his lover.

He needs a pair of hands who can carry out God’s mission and allow for God’s descent. Zayne’s hands. He remembers that Zayne became a doctor because of MC. Carter intends on using her as leverage, becoming more interested in her and her potential value to X-Heart.

Zayne is reviewing patient records Dr. Noah transferred to him, implied to be MC. He recalls a conversation with Carter during medical school regarding death and saving loved ones. He would do anything to prevent MC’s death and save her, but things remain long and unclear. If everything else fails, he still has a last resort.

Until then, he only hopes to be with her

WORLD UNDERNEATH 1 SUMMARY

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Zayne's story. Anecdote 2 (Never-Ending Winter) must be read prior to this one for better understanding.

Long story short:

World Underneath 1  is set shortly after the events of Mt. Eternal. It takes a look at Zayne’s time in medical school, where he researched Protocore Energy in interventional cardiology procedures. A character named Carter is briefly introduced as Zayne’s senior and labmate. Zayne is in a rush to proceed to clinical rotations, revealing that he was in medicine in part because of his doctor parents, and also not to be incapable of doing anything and being a threat to “her.” This is implied to be MC. However, he destroys his part of the experimental data in order to cover up the existence of a black crystal covering a heart.   Dr. Noah thinks that Zayne walks on a path alone, and hopes that someone can let him rest. 

This is set in 2043, shortly after the event at Mt. Eternal.

William’s girlfriend, Sienna, pays Zayne a visit. She gives him a martyr badge.

The three of them—Dr. Noah, William, and Zayne—visit the medical university together every year during first-year admissions. She asks Zayne to give Dr. Noah his regards.

Dr. Noah is going to retire soon. He and Zayne meet up.

A character Carter is mentioned, but is dismissed shortafter.

They are attending the 47th First-Year Medical Oath Ceremony. Students take the oath with determination. Dr. Noah reminisces about the time when Zayne took the oath. He was younger than everyone else and had a presence that made him stand out.

They head to the cafeteria. Dr. Noah says that William and Carter used to be like the first-years too. However, he discontinues the topic again.

He brings up a rumor about The Ghost in the office.

Zayne dismisses it with exasperation as an unscientific rumor.

Flashback to 2040, in the university.

The dean of the medical school saw Zayne’s report. A theoretical model exploring the use of Protocores in . Other students tried to do it as well, but their ideas were limited by their methods. He thought Zayne’s approach was worth trying.

A security guard tells them a story of how he heard sounds in the research lab, but when he checked, there was no one there. They disperse upon hearing superstitions.

Zayne says that they can proceed with the next experiment tomorrow. He is noted to not slack off even for a second and was very thorough with the data. He is in a rush to move onto clinical rotations.

It turns out that Zayne is the one staying behind in the research labs.

It is also revealed that his parents were doctors. He chose the medical field to follow in their footsteps. Even as a child, he would read medical textbooks to kill time.

When Dr. Noah asks if there was another reason, he is shut down with a “No” too quickly. The doctor says that the obsession makes it seem like there isn’t only one reason.

Zayne shares that there is someone, and he doesn’t want to become incapable of doing anything again when he becomes a threat to her. The girl is implied to be MC.

Screenshot links here.

A few days later, Dr. Noah finds out Zayne destroyed his part of the experimental data. They know it wasn’t an accident.

Carter, his senior and labmate, tried to speak up, but was quickly dismissed by Dr. Noah, saying he’ll handle it.

Later, Zayne thanks the doctor. He also wants to leave the group.

Zayne shares that the project is about the application of Protocore Energy in interventional cardiology procedures, but something happened during the experiment. He shows an image that contains a heart covered in black crystals. Precisely, a human heart beating and growing out of black crystals.

Screenshot links here.

Flash forward to the autumn of 2047.

Dr. Noah asks Zayne if he has visited her yet. He has not. The girl is implied to be MC.

The doctor thinks that Zayne always feels surreal. Despite being in the crowd, he would never be a part of it. Perhaps Zayne is destined to walk alone. Dr. Noah hopes that one day, something can offer him tranquil respite.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Rafayel's, Xavier's, and Zayne's story. It is not heavy, but it is necessary to understand.

Due to the requests I've been receiving in Discord for a lore guide, I decided to make a brief post about it. This won't be able to answer all the questions, so feel free to ask me. I'll do my best to respond. Please note that this is simply my personal guide and not an official one. What works for me may not work for others.

A few things to note:

Anecdotes can be read in its natural order, but it's set the way it is for narrative experience. My order is just based on what I noticed came before or after.

There is no prioritization for LIs, but I follow the order of narrative in Sarah Brightman's theme song. This goes by Rafayel, Xavier, and Zayne.

Myths' conjunction to the Linkon timeline is currently and canonically unknown. There are theories and speculations in the community, but this is not that kind of post. This is a focus on making lore more digestible efficiently.

While this may be an efficient guide, I also suggest looking back to the text every once in a while to refresh memory. Not necessary, but it's helpful with understanding the story.