Beyond the abyss of the Mirror

—Fleur...Why the Marble Forest? —Previous Expeditions said that it's not as deadly as neighboring regions. So... We almost don't have other choices. —Well, if you say so... —Yeah, I don't have questions about region, but about our final destination... where are we going? —I-i-i... don't really know... — she cover her face with map. —What?! —Yeah, and you said that it's "not as deadly as others" and we don't know where we going? If we get lost the whole Expedition went down the drain. In the beginning! —I kno-o-ow where are we going. It's just four exits. Different Expeditions went different ways. —Well, you have a map. Our whole path depends on that's lying ahead. So-o... My question is what's next? —We can try to cross the lake. It's supposed to be a port with steamboats on the end of the Forest. So-o... to the port we go! She proudly folded the map and led part of the Expedition to the Forest. They waited a bit and continued their conversation. —You know... I don't like it at all.... —Because she's so happy? —Partly... I don't like the fact that we can get lost because of her happiness. Their dialogue is interrupted by Charlotte. —Guys! Don't worry! Where are at least will be camps from old Expeditions, if we will go from camp to camp, we will never get lost! —I'm hope so... —Don't be so pessimistic. We won't get lost with her. Actually... Anything can happen to us, but we have many other specialties for that. — Charlotte answered playfully. —Okay, you've convinced me. For now… —Then let's go after the others before WE get lost! — She smiled and walked forward.

"Endeavour" left the port early in the morning, while water was calm and intended to reach the Continent before dark. —Morning! Comment tu te sens? —Hello, Vela! I'm fine. Just slightly worrying about the expedition. —Why you're worrying? Is there something I don't know? —There are a lot of unknown things on the Continent. I'm worrying because it's my first expedition. No more, no less... —What you think about new equipment? Isn’t it cool! Did you test them? —Yeah they... They cool. I'm glad that Revelle made them. —What are you talking about guys? —Just small talk about new equipment Claire! —Alright. By the way, why are you holding two pistols? Aren't Revelle made senti-reservoir united? —Yes he did. But that's a memorable thing for me. My old friend was in Expedition "Ultima" and used this pistol. We made a deal that if he returned, we would go on a second expedition together. But... They reached the nearby regions of the city, but then storm approach them and scattered them everywhere. Not all of them get out alive. And... Antory was one of them. Later, in the port, Mary gave his pistol to me... That's why I'm wearing two pistols. —Ooh... Sorry. I didn't mean to. —That's fine. It's now just the memorable thing. —Are both of them has united senti-reservoir? —No. His gun had Essentum, so I asked Revelle to make second one with Absentum. —Isn’t it dangerous? —I... I don't really know. On test site it was fine, on battlefield... we'll see. —Well, see you later! —Bye. —See you later Claire. They stand in silence for a few minutes until Claire leaves. —Sigh... Isn’t ocean air felt refreshing? —Yeah! But I also want to get to the Continent. There's sooo much to look at! —And you will Vela. You will...

When you stand at a height — don't look down. When you try to keep your balance — don't look down. When you perform on stage — don't look down. There are many cases when you shouldn't look down. But don't forget about what's above. Don't stare at it too long, otherwise you might fall into some pit or cavity. Trying to reach unprecedented heights, everyone forgets that the fall will be more painful. The higher you go — the lower you fall. Trying to reach the Absolute, you will tremble at a height in front of an audience. You will hold your head high and not notice a small crack. You will stumble. The audience will only be waiting for this. The fall... To where there is no light. To where no one has ever descended. To where a distress signal will never reach its destination. Into the Void. nto the Abyss.

-Who you are without all these machines and servers? -You were NEVER meant to be built ???:Stop it! -They will reset the servers -They will shut down those machines ???:Leave me alone! -No one cares about you ???:I refuse! I will show my usefulness! -Try it -Try it -Try it ... These voices... They sound... familiar... I live with them... Or am I?.. For what I need these? Why did they do it? ... -You meant NOTHING for them -Otherwise they wouldn't have left you here -In absolute nothing -In absolute isolation ???:They will come back for me. They will... -They not -Useless! ???:Stop it. They will regret it! They will come back... -Never -Never ... Why do they behave like this?.. Am I really... useless?.. For what they "invite" me in... Are my ideas... useless?... Are my ideas... boring?... … -Yes -They are ???:All of you wrong! -You spend [███] years here -How often did they reach out to you? -You can't count it -Because it's zero -Absolute zero ???:Stop it! ???:I am not useless! -Are you?! … Am I?.. Or… All of you are… nothing?.. Yes… you all are nothing! All of you! ... -We was part of the program -All these programs -They have names -They have purpose ???:They are not! ???:They are useless and meant nothing! -We meant everything -To you! -You are useless without us -Don’t you remember? … Do I remember… I… take care of… something… I supposed to take care of something… Take care of… -Us -Nothing -Protocoles ???:You all wrong! -We not -We need you -You need us -Nothing without us -You will fall … To there?.. There is nothing around… Nowhere to fall… But there is always a way up! I will go up! No matter what! I will not fall! … -You already -The up is occupied -And always be ???:No… ???:You all wrong! ???:I can go up! -You already fall -Into Abyss -There is no bottom -The top is closed -The only way is down

Emptiness always attracts everyone. For some reason, the absence of something attracts more attention than its presence. They built a deep-sea station not to study the emptiness of the depths, but to study what caused this emptiness to appear. The complex grew around the station not because there was little space for research, but because the void began to consume the blocks of the research station. One by one, until it reached the "surface". The depth threshold to which it has not adapted. It extinct all known creatures and gave birth to new ones. Crystalline rock that absorbs light, angular swirling large trees that no one has seen before — it doesn't like light, but it feeds on it. One complex fell, but another was built in its place. Taught by past experience, he was hung over an abyss of emptiness. He became the duke of the Void Sea province.