(This game has been out long enough that I don't think this requires a spoiler warning.)
When I first played through Oneshot, I knew what the right choice was immediately; at least, what the right choice was to me. Even if this world was nothing but data, it was still a matter of a hundred thousand lives to one. And, if they were older and wiser, I can tell Niko would've chosen the same thing.
That doesn't mean it didn't hurt immensely when I gave them up. As far as I knew, they would never get another pile of pancakes, never get to play out in the wheat fields, never get to see their mama again...even if they didn't die, I just had them sacrifice everything they ever knew to give hope to a world not their own. With how insistent the World Machine was, I can imagine this same grief carried through to all the residents in some way. I can imagine most of them felt as if something was "off," even in their most joyous moment. Thus, this piece.
Bright beams of blinding light shone from the heavens above for what felt like the first time in centuries, though the world wouldnāt have survived nearly that long without the sun. In truth it had only been a couple decades, but that was still long enough that Plight had never seen it himself. Never that he could remember, anyways. The instant the brightness hit his eyes he felt himself wincing and turning away in pain. Where was that comingā¦
Oh. Thatās right. Niko.
Hesitantly he turned his face to the sky and looked to what he assumed was the top of the tower. Working as a lamplighter, he thought he had seen the brightest and most brilliant lights available. He had almost believed the sun was nothing more than a fable. The glowing yellow ball Niko had a hold of even seemed dim compared to the synthetic lights they sometimes developed in the lab.
How wrong he was. How wonderfully wrong.
Georgeās six black eyes, for the first time in a long time, filled with tears at the world bathed in the purest, most beautiful light she had ever seen in her life. It was so bright she could see it covered the entire city, unlike the measly little red lamps that littered the streets. Even the thick purple curtains lining her far wall couldnāt keep light from seeping in as she closed them to look through a better vantage point.
It almost made an introvert like her want to go outside and breathe fresh air.
Hundreds of citygoers were lining the streets now, amazed at the beauty of the sun. Some danced with their family and friends while others fell down and basked in the glorious warmth. Almost everyone was crying a little. George stepped into the lower library---no one was inside but her desk robot. She didnāt blame them. In fact, she went out to join them.
The kiddo had actually done itā¦
āCalmus!! Calmus look!! Look at it!! Itās a big ball of warm and bright!! Itās like getting a hug from Niko!!ā
āI see it Alula, I see it!! Itās just like mom and dad said it would beā¦ā
Calmus had been inside cooking lunch when Alula ran in from the courtyard and demanded he come outside with her. When he insisted on waiting until the food was done she just grabbed his arm and drug him out instead, saying it was āthe most important thing youāll ever see.ā
He now saw why. The light bathed everything in sight. He could see for miles and miles. People were dancing in the streets, shouting each otherās names and crying together. The glen was still black and gnarled around the edges, but if this wasnāt a blessing from the heavens themselves, Calmus wasnāt sure what was.
And yetā¦
The prophet felt his robotic heart swell with pride as he looked up to the now bright blue sky and the sun with a light like he had never seen. The savior had completed their journey, thanks to his guidance! Though their role to play was very small, and now that it was complete he would be scrap metal, he still felt as though he had done something great for the world.
The humans in the glen and the refuge would be much safer and happier now that the sun had returned. Had they not been there to supply the savior information, who knew what might have happened?
But still...there was something residing just outside their code. Something dark and grim that they just couldnāt shake.
Niko had talked about returning homeā¦
Silver looked at the brilliant light and felt a moment of wonder before her heart sunk to the bottom of her chest. The world had its second chance now. She might even have a third one. Her mind flashed to the letters on her desk momentarily...to her creator...to the Refugeā¦
But the bad feeling wouldnāt go away. She had imagined, once the savior was done, they might get a chance to go back through the world they saved before returning home to their mother. A chance to reconnect with the friends they had made. One last chance to say goodbye to the god that had guided them as a parent through this dying land.
But it didnāt appear, after days of having the sun in place, that anything of the sort was happening. She didnāt want to think about it, but deep down in her mechanical heart Silver knew. She knew.
...a sacrifice had to be made.
