Project Sefirot

THANK YOU!!

“And with that, the seeds of light were planted in every heart in the city. Our story now draws to a close.”

Aletheia looked at the monitors in external observation, watching the last human staff of the first branch of Gisei Inc leave slowly, hesitantly into an unknown world. She bore a wistful smile as she watched. Everything had worked out this time.

“It’s all over, then... “ Ruach sighed. “We can finally rest?”

“No, not quite yet. We have to keep the light shining, right, Aletheia?” Neshama cut him off, posing a question. Aletheia chuckled dryly in response.

“Indeed.” She crossed her arms, nodding. “Yasu promised they would return for us in a week. Until then, we simply have to keep the light burning bright. Not only to fully stoke the hearts of the people in the city, but also… to serve as a lighthouse, to guide them back here.”

“But… is that… really okay?” Chayah spoke up quietly. “Do we really have a place in this world anymore?”

“I understand your concern. There will be questions to be answered. Consequences for our actions.” Yehidah responded, hsi voice level. “Surely. Despite that, I admit the notion is intriguing.”

“Really, old man?” Nefesh scoffed. “I thought you’d be all ‘bury the past’ and all that.”

“He simply recognizes the dearth of knowledge to be had in a world unknown to us.” Neshama chuckled softly. “Do you not want another chance at life, Nefesh?”

“I. Don’t know.” She seemed to hesitate in response. “My heart says yes, but my head says that’s a terrible idea.”

“I think we’ve earned the right to sleep, no?” Ruach added.

“After so long in the dark, all I want to do is just step into that light…” Chayah followed up. “I’m sorry…”

“I understand completely, you’ve no need to apologize.” Aletheia leaned forward a little bit in her seat, smiling faintly. “I’m sure they’ll be willing to honor your wishes when they return. Until then, I hope you’ll stick with me this long, my friends.”

“Whatever happens next? Thank you… for everything, my friends.”

The light shone across the city for days, spreading its warmth into the hearts of mankind. Stoking a flame of hope that would slowly spread in the coming months...

And then, just as suddenly as it started, the light went out.

The founders of Gisei Inc were not to be seen again in the city, disappearing along with the mysterious light. All that remained was the faint twinkle of the stars in the sky, forever watching over those down below.

Wherever the former employees wound up, they needed only look up to the night sky to be reminded of the shining light, and of those who stood with them through the darkness in order to reach this point. In order to free them from an untimely death, and the endless struggle that followed.

What are they up to now? Well, that’s another story for another time. I’m afraid this story is at its end.

Say, did you ever give any thought to what happens to stories like these after they’re concluded? I’d imagine not. There are countless stories in this city, all intertwined like threads, making up a greater whole. Weaving the very fabric of this strange place.

But that’s enough of my rambling. Should you ever desire to hear more of my tales, you are free to seek me out - that is, should you find yourself with an invitation.

Until then, though...

A great tree of light sprouted from the ground of the grey cityscape.

Shining bright over this new world, where humans still toiled away ceaselessly, cogs in a cycle they’d never see the benefits of.

It spread its tendrils from up high, down into the hearts of every being below. And within those hearts, something began to grow faintly.

A warm light. A gentle voice, whispering encouraging words. A firm hand, willing to guide your way.

A feeling called hope.

Who knows how long it would take to flourish in each individual heart? But the flame had been stoked. The seed had been planted.

As long as the light kept shining bright, the world would begin to change.

Waiting for you is a letter in a sealed envelope, labeled with your name. Opening the envelope, you find a handwritten letter, on official stationary.

From the desk of the CEO,

As Project Sefirot approaches its completion, I wanted to take this moment to handle some business on an official basis, I hope you can forgive me. First, the biggest point - as of the completion of Project Sefirot, your contracts with Gisei Incorporated will hereby expire. This means that your services will no longer be required here. You will be free to go wherever you desire henceforth, and start over wherever you’d like.

I do not intend to let you out into the city completely in the dark, though. As such you’ll find in this envelope all the information you’ll need for a compensation package I hope you will find amenable. A regular pension, and rights to property in District 7′s Nest for each of you. I can only guarantee you property in our Nest, unfortunately - should you wish to go elsewhere in the city, we have resources available to assist you, but the process of relocation is difficult.

Currently L Corp’s Lago Corps have been deployed to our Nest to restore order and provide security, since recent months have seen some instability and conflicts break out. So once you depart, I’ve arranged for you to meet with the Lago Corps captain, who will be your guide and guardian until you are settled in. I hope you’ll be able to get along - you have met before, several times, though this is quite the unique circumstance.

Once you have departed, we have come to the decision that this branch of Gisei Incorporated is to be shut down. This world has passed us Sephirah by, and this district will continue to function without us. You need not spare us any thought - I’m sure most of you would not regardless, and I don’t blame you for that. We simply cannot leave this place, so we will take responsibility for this facility’s last days.

I understand in many ways we stole your lives from you. And I know we may not ever deserve your forgiveness for this sin. When this facility was attacked, and everyone inside was killed, I didn’t see another way forward but starting this cycle. I had no idea at the time that death would pervade these cycles in every possible way - from the abnormalities, to the ordeals, to the recurring attack that killed us all, the hard timeline at the end of every cycle. Would there have been another way, a better way, I would gladly choose that next time. But perhaps this was the only possible favorable outcome left - seeing the Project through to the end.

For that you have my eternal gratitude.

Wishing you the best in this new world,

Yehidah

As the quota crept closer and closer to being met, the facility itself seemed to react. You couldn’t tell how; all you could hear was the occasional rumbling outside the walls. And yet with the encouragement of Yasu and the Sephirah, you continued working, the end in sight.

The rumbling grew more intense. Something was clearly happening outside, but oddly you didn’t feel in danger in the slightest. Rather, you found yourself gripped with a firm anticipation. Eagerly awaiting what was about to happen. But you weren’t quite there yet.

Just a little further.

And so, what felt utterly impossible came to pass.

The quota was met.

“It’s over, everyone. We’ve done it. We’ve reached the quota.” Yasu’s voice came over the loudspeaker. “Can you feel it? I can’t believe it, but we’re… moving upward, towards the surface. It’s as if the seed itself is… literally about to bloom.”

You couldn’t help but gather in the external observation room after the work was done. But even then, the sensors were going wild, cameras a mess of blurred lights and static. There was no clear indication of what awaited on the outside to be found here.

“Hang on tight, everyone…” Yasu spoke over the PA. “Whatever is waiting for us up there, we’ll all face it together. I promise.”

After a few weeks of warm cooperation and work experience passed without serious incident, you found yourselves summoned to the presentation room one morning. As you arrived, you took note of a group in the corner of the room discussing something amongst themselves - Yasu, Hideyoshi, Aletheia, and Yehidah. You hover near your seats as the other Sephirah join you, until Yasu breaks away from the group and approaches you.

“Take a seat, everyone!” They say with a grin. “This won’t take long, but it’s real important, so I need you all to listen closely.”

They turn to the group in the corner and nod. Aletheia taps on a monitor in the corner, and the projector in the room fires up. On it, you see the same measure they showed you at the end of the last cycle - the one that showed the progress of the seed of light.

It currently stood at 97%.

“As you can see, the seed has been progressing gradually as the weeks have gone on. We’ve gotten closer day by day than we ever have in the past, and I couldn’t have done this without all of you, so… thank you, first of all.”

They nod deeply to you.

“We’ve overcome so much together, all of us. Not just our own problems, our own pasts, but everything this place has thrown at us. And we’ve finally done it. The ordeals… they were the last of the obstacles holding us back. And we’ve overcome them. We made it through this cycle without incident, and now… the only obstacle left is just energy.”

Gesturing to the screen, they take a step back. Numbers flash across the screen, before settling on a number.

“With Hide-kun’s help, we’ve calculated the amount of energy needed to finish the Seed. So this? This is going to be our final work day, before we’re able to bloom the seed.”

A grin, from the manager. More energy in them than you saw in the previous cycle, when everything came to a head. Even Aletheia seemed to hold a warmer expression than she had all this time. Had she changed too?

You’d gotten to know the echoes of the founders, and got to know them as their own people. Seen them at their worst, and seen them grow stronger despite everything. You’d gotten to know each other, seen your darkest moments and the light that came from growing from them and moving past them. And in these few weeks, you’d managed to stoke an unexpected emotion in the air amongst you - hope.

All that remained was one last energy quota.

Yasu's sitting at their desk, screens alit with charts and graphs, and what appears to a collection of diary entries, spanning this entire last loop. There's a smile on their face as they scroll through them all, from top to bottom. 

Day 5

Miss Mary breached today, but was easily returned to containment, after Nikki ran into her in the hallways....Dressed like Nikki themself. It only took a moment for them and Kenta to corner her in the hall and return her to containment. They're a powerful duo, the two of them.

Day 11

I caught Sayuri and Neshama at the piano today... Sayu-nee is improving a lot as each day goes by and it warms my heart to see her so invested in it. Airi was there too, singing along with the notes... I didn't want to disturb them, so I continued my patrol, but I'm glad I got to hear it, for a little while. 

Day 13

Abyssal Pup got out, but Raven was able to take it down, assisted with Yora, who we've promoted to captain of the security team, thanks to her tireless work ethic. It's about time she was promioted, seriously. Raven's a powerhouse on her own too, I've never seen anyone go toe to toe with that abnormality so easily, save for Leveret. 

Speaking of, Leveret, Maro and Nefesh had all the rabbits out in the garden today for exercise. It was cute.... Seeing them all together, especially Nefesh's rabbit, Mr Floofums, who's been through all this too...

Day 20

Pale Man had a meltdown today, but Theo and Nadezhda managed to shut him up before too many people were afflicted by his aura of despair, saving three clerks in the process, as well as Tsugumi, who we've moved to the day shift so she can spend time with the others again. Maro also handled a Reaper Bird breach flawlessly today and we had zero injuries on that front. He hasn't lost his touch at all with animals...

Day 25

No breaches to report today! Or Meltdowns! Chiaki basically bullied Tundra into submission before it could cause any trouble. She's excellent at handling that wily little bear. Jun and Noburu also rescued Hideyoshi U from the hall of mirrors, after he got trapped in it briefly. No injuries to report, and Hideyoshi U seems to be doing fine afterwards. Nefesh gave them a clean mental assessment. 

Airi and Raven were playing something in the Theatre, while Sayuri danced. I think the three of them are working on a new song together? 

Day 33

Noburu saved me from making a pretty serious mistake today. I almost walked into the wrong containment unit, which was a little embarrassing, but I'm so glad he was walking by and caught me before I walked into Abyssal Pup instead of Heavy Sleeper. 

Nikki once again managed to keep the Feral Hive from melting down. Their courage in the face of their worst fear is super admirable. 

Day 35

Mothman was accidentally let out today, but Chikako got him back under control with help from Leveret, who was on security detail that day. They're always so willing to go toe to toe with a lot of the abnormalities, and but they're a lot safer about it than they used to... Thank goodness. 

Chiaki and Nadezhda were talking about stuff for Nad's wedding in the halls today... It shouldn't be too much longer, until that can become a reality. It's wild to think about.

Day 42

Shuuya and Sayuri handled a Harvester of Sin Breach today, managing to distract a clerk long enough that the sword knocked them out before they could reach The Pillar of Sin. The clerk was fine, shaken but is expected to make a full recovery, and the salt circle around the pillar has been restrengthened. Sayuri's gotten really good with EGO weapons as of late, I'm really proud of her!

Theo's been using her stock of credits from previous loops to make sure people have access to Neshama's beverages when they need them, so there's never a worry about not having enough energy or needing help for a specific work type. 

Day 47

Yora's been working hard as always, it's always reassuring to see her patrolling the halls with an EGO weapon at her side, and a look of determination on her face. Airi's taken to assisting her a lot, and the two of them have kept many potential breaches or meltdowns from happening. 

They stopped reading, and brought up a new entry, typing away with a gleam in their eyes, before saving it to the database with the rest.

Day 49

It's a new day. You awaken in your rooms, everything as you remember on your first day of work, but you know it isn't. You remember that this time. Back to the start but with actual hope of moving forwards, finally, breaking free of the loops at last. It's an uneasy, cautious hope. For some of you, awakening back in your rooms may be jarring, but for others it may be a relief. You have a few moments to lay back in bed, and think about all of this, before the intercom crackles to life.

“Good morning, everyone!” Yasu’s voice calls out to you. “Please meet up in the Presentation room when you’re ready - we have a lot to talk about!”

When you all arrive to the Presentation room, the core Sephirah are already in attendance. A few moments later, the managerial team arrives. Aletheia and Yehidah of course, followed by Yasu, still in their manager get up from the trial... And Hideyoshi at their side with a  matching armband. They turn to face you all.

As the light started to fade away, Yasu got to their feet, and turned to you all, their eyes bright, a faint smile on their face. "Thank you. All of you. Without you guys, we never would have gotten to this point, so thank you for giving me a chance, and for helping me finally realize that I couldn't carry this alone anymore. I appreciate it more than I could put into words... Really. I'm just so grateful for you all." They smile warmly, trying not to get too teary eyed again. 

"With your help and support, we'll make this loop work, and that's a promise. Especially if you're still on board to help me out, Hide-kun? Your organizational skills would be a really huge help..." They look towards Hideyoshi hopefully. 

Hideyoshi rolls his eyes, fiddling with his tie as the adrenaline of the trial starts to die down. He side eyes Yasu, a glower returning to his face.

“Komori… Ugh. D-Do you think, I was… j-joking? Obviously, I’m helping. Y-You couldn’t ssssstop me from helping. Someone h-has to keep, this fucking thing... together.”

“Kishishi, I just wanted to make sure, that’s all. But now that that’s all squared away, we should head back… I’m sure the Sephirah and Aletheia are worried about us. Come along, this way everyone.”

Once they're all out of the elevator, Yasu spots the Sephirah and Aletheia not far from the doors, and makes a beeline for them, nearly bowling Aletheia over as they pull her into a hug. They step away after a moment and excitedly explain the situation, gesturing animatedly with their arms while laying out the plan for another loop and what they were going to do about the memories for everyone, but especially for the dead.

Yasu then turns to look at the group one last time before nodding and looking back at Aletheia. "Right. Here goes then, hopefully...This will all work out well." A deep breath. "Aletheia, Let's initiate the TT2 protocol, one last time! See you on the other side everyone..."

And thus, it-

With the voting clear, Yaldabaoth spread their arms wide, addressing the room with a desperate laugh.

“Death is inevitable. And each time I am there, watching their souls ferried along, another chip in the foundation of this miserable prison. Do you really expect this to have any meaning in the end? There is no way to break this endless cycle of suffering! Embrace it! Remember what you’ve been through, recall the pain, the ceaseless torment!”

You hear a loud chime in the air.

♫ ♫ ♫

And I tell you, you are Shuuya the apostle, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

You recall the Sweeper attacks, and the chaos that lead to Shuuya’s death. Another loud chime rings out.

Tell us, asked Tsugumi the apostle, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?

You recall Tsugumi’s noble sacrifice, all to spare you the torment of freezing to death. Another loud chime rings out.

Do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?

You recall Yora’s selfless actions, her pain at what she had done, her guilt. Her end. Another loud chime rings out.

Yora the apostle and Hideyoshi the apostle, to them they gave the name of Boanerges, meaning ‘children of thunder’.

You recall Hideyoshi Ueno, who preferred working on their own, until stepping into the wrong room at the wrong time. Another loud chime rings out.

Nikki the apostle said, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

You recall Nikki Hera, their kind smile, and the twisted and pained expression on their face in death. Another loud chime rings out.

They saw a man named Noburu the apostle. “Follow me,” they told them, and Noburu got up and followed them.

You recall the change in Noburu, and the turn in his attitude as he desperately tried to avoid termination. Another loud chime rings out.

Now for some time a man named Jun the apostle had practiced sorcery and amazed all the people.

You recall the agony Jun appeared to have died in, and the immeasurable pain his death had to have caused him. Another loud chime rings out.

Then Chikako the apostle said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

You recall Chikako’s feeble attempts to derail Project Sefirot, struggling against the endless cycle of fate. Another loud chime rings out.

Then Airi the apostle declared, “You are the Child of him, you are the king.”

You recall the day you found the peaceful garden forever stained with the blood of a precious songbird. Another loud chime rings out.

Then Kenta the apostle said, “But why do you intend to show yourself to us but not to the world?”

You recall the days Kenta spent cooking for you, offering you a kind smile in the worst of times. Another loud chime rings out.

“From now on, let no one cause me trouble,” I said to Sayuri the apostle, “for I bear on my body the marks of the King.”

You recall the last traces of life fading from a broken dancer, her fire at long last extinguished. Another loud chime rings out.

Yaldabaoth turns to face Yasu directly.

“Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil?”

The clock chimes one last time.

Votes:

Yaldabaoth: 8

The clock chimes once more.

Current Ballot:

The clock chimes once more.

Current Ballot:

"Huh. So it became Mad Max... I'm more disappointed by the fact humanity let that fashion trend happen. Freaks." Now really wasn't the time to be commenting on who clearly got in control of the fashion pulse of the world, there was a bigger fish to fry. "Anyways, thanks for the footage, and that's all I needed to see."

Yasu was a sobbing mess on the other side of the room. Typical. Though given their pouring out of the emotions they've had bottled up for the past hundred years... She'll let it slide. This time. "Komori... Keep your head up." Admittedly, Nadezhda is still on the fence about this whole plan. The data Yasu showed was something that she could sink her teeth into given time. Sadly, time requires a vote. What isn't so sad is that the choice was made much easier thanks to the fact that Yaldabaoth was an absolute douche canoe. 

The others let out their support of Project Sefirot and the idea to stick around to finish the seed. Nadezhda was happy to see Theo smile back at her, even if she did groan a little at her anime-esque shenanigans of dramatic pointing. This really was just some ultimate power of friendship end sequence, wasn't it? Feels a little cliché for her tastes. Ah well, can't win them all.

She once again looks to the crying manager. "As much as I'm with Kaneshiro in not wanting to do another loop, it seems to be the best option at the moment. Besides," she turns over to the spectral malevolence that was Yaldabaoth, "what good would doing a scorched earth strategy be when it looks like it already has been?"