Gate of Memoirs/Visions in Dust

Once again you find yourself brought before the Queen in Cobalt, in a place between wake and sleep.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Hazama"	Music: "Hazama"
 	
*Your return through space-time to Noel's laboratory was thankfully uneventful.
*It turns out that your signal had abruptly disappeared one day, roughly coinciding with the time you were captured by the Praetor. 
*Strangely enough, when the familiar panels came back into view,
 	
*a smiling Giselle was standing there, a mug of chocolate in her hands.
*You can't help but wonder if she was expecting you.
 	
*Giselle: ! Welcome back.
 	
*Giselle: Oh, this? It's mine, but you can have it.
*Giselle: I imagine you haven't had anything good in several days.
 	
*Several days... Looks like the flow of time is definitely inconsistent across the Veil.
*You grab a chair and start asking Giselle to take notes, much to her surprise.
 	
*Giselle: Oh, someone's excited. Where's Noel when you need him?
*Giselle: Ah. There he is.
 	
*Noel: You're back! Wait—you look a little funny. Are you all right?
 	
*You nod. It is imperative you get this information out before it slips your mind.
*This is the second time Kranus has intervened, and the first it did so in front of you.
 	
*Noel: ...I understand. Let's get started.
 	
*Giselle: So our hypothesis was correct.
*Giselle: Kranus has a lot more autonomy than expected.
 	
*Noel: Seems like it.
*Noel: Not only can it cross the Veil of its own volition, it can even directly affect the Echoes.
*Noel: Its role in this Athensphere is uncannily similar to its original appearance, too...
*Noel: And you say it only appeared *just* then? When the Archon was about to unleash the machine on all of you?
 	
*You nod. It was eerily similar to its catastrophic "birth", which resulted in the total annihilation of the original Athensphere.
*The first time it happened, it was entirely by chance; if its goal was to destroy the plane, then it wouldn't have intervened.
*But this time, Kranus *stopped* the Archon.
*Can it be possible it was trying to save Athensphere?
 	
*Noel: I wouldn't say it's implausible, but...
 	
*Noel: It's hard to determine if Kranus has any goals of its own outside of Gazia, even if it's been "liberated" from control.
*Noel: From a logical standpoint, I would say that it likely still views Zedus—the Archon, in this case—as a threat.
 	
*Giselle: Well, if the Echo of Elysia is any indication, it's definitely a bit of a grey area with regards to Kranus's motives.
 	
*That's right. In the Elysia you know, Miriam and Gortius died before their time.
*In the Echo, however, Miriam had not succumbed to illness, creating an entirely different branch of events...
*Though the Alethi queen had lived, her husband bore the brunt of that diverted fate instead.
*In other words... What has come to pass, *will* come to pass—in one way or another.
*And yet, the Echo of Athensphere was not destroyed.
 	
*Giselle: Well, in any case, it seems like both the Echoes of Elysia and Athensphere are doing all right,
*Giselle: so we can rule out the possibility that Kranus wants a repeat of Prime Athensphere for now.
 	
*Noel: That's fair.
*Noel: Whatever it's up to, it appears to exhibit a substantial amount of self-awareness.
*Noel: I'd say that warrants closer inspection.
 	
*Giselle: Looking for the ghost in the machine?
*Giselle: Why, that's not something I would have expected coming from you!
 	
*Noel: Look, that's not... There are many other ways of exploring sentience—
*Noel: Never mind.
 	
*Giselle: I think we've got enough material to work off now, so let's break for a bit before we decide what to do.
 	
*Giselle: I'm sure will appreciate the rest too.
 	
*Indeed. Jumping dimensions isn't really on your job description.
*Even if it was, you wouldn't want to do it as a living, either.
Portrait	Dialogue
 	
*You return to your room and settle down for the night, trying not to dwell on the past few months.
*But despite your best efforts, you fall into an uneasy sleep…
----
Eyinhel: Seabound Song Episode 1—Upon the Shore—
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "A God"	Music: "A God"
 	
*The wind again. This particular sound.
*Without opening your eyes, you know where this is.
*That world of stardust and shadows.
 	
*You don't even need to ask after the Queen; she seems to have been waiting for you.
*S'eljah: .
 	
*S'eljah: You have questions. No?
 	
*You have many, but you ask just one.
 	
*S'eljah: Such a curious little thing. Are you not afraid of drawing so close to the chaos?
*S'eljah: Have you not seen the tragedy of a queen, or the downfall of a civilization?
 	
*But Miriam and Evie came to terms in the end, and Athensphere was spared the fate of its Prime counterpart.
*For each time Kranus intervened, it stopped short of complete annihilation.
 	
*The Queen ponders your conclusion for a brief moment.
*S'eljah: You remember your wish, do you not?
 	
*For a world free of suffering... Was that even attainable?
*Humanity in every world seemed like creatures that thrived on conflict.
*How many cycles must pass, and for whom, before some unknown and cruel power decides it is enough?
 	
*S'eljah: Come with me, .
Portrait	Dialogue
 	
*The static ambience gives way to muted waves lapping at a silent shore.
*You find yourself at an island of some kind, though it's difficult to make out anything in this vision.
*Almost as if you were looking at this through someone else's memory.
 	
*S'eljah: You speak of nature, .
*S'eljah: Here is one who gave her everything to overcome it.
*S'eljah: A demon, but a kind one. One that understands love and loss.
*S'eljah: Her beloved slain, she took it upon herself to exact vengeance upon her own kind.
*S'eljah: But what comes after vengeance, ?
 	
*A hollow emptiness surrounds you and leaves your heart pining.
*In the mists, a vague shape catches your attention.
 	
*Staring into the distance is a comely woman dressed in thick furs.
*Upon her lips is a woeful, lyricless song that carries upon the breeze.
 	
*Your mind starts to drift out to sea, but some instinctual part of you reels back.
 	
*S'eljah: This is what *could* be, my dear.
*S'eljah: When passions are laid to rest and sleeping ghosts are left to lie.
 	
*S'eljah: Peaceful, is it not?
*S'eljah: Never to wander the straits of time, trapped in a beautiful illusion.
*S'eljah: Over time, even that illusion can become one's reality.
 	
*Before you can ask any further questions, the memory breaks, and you begin falling in slow motion.
 	
*S'eljah: But as for you, that illusion is yet to come.
 	
*S'eljah: I'm sure you'll figure out *how*.
*S'eljah: Till next time, .
Portrait	Dialogue
 	
*S'eljah: Try not to get eaten on your way out.