Nikki: Guides of Star/Memory

People named the star "Hope"—because it always shined so brightly upon the world through the chilliest, and longest of nights.
But now, the star has fallen.
With its long tail in tow as it plummets through the night sky, it was last seen where the sky and sea meet.
Where did it go?
Did it turn into ashes, having burnt itself out? Or is it fast asleep, in the sea now with only the hopes of the people?
▸ Where am I?
[Player]
Where are we, NIkki?
Nikki
This is Mraland after the annihilation.
Narration
I've lost count of how many times Miraland has been destroyed.
I've tried countless times to stop Miraland from being destroyed—all to no avail.
Is this how Miraland is destined to end? Am I just going to keep going—only at the end to realize that there was nothing I could do to save this world?
I thought it would be different this time.
With their wisdom, humans have conquered disasters and kept war at bay...
Until one day, the night grew longer and longer as the skies turned a pitch-black canvas. Even then, people would still pray through the night under that ever-shining star.
Upon meeting their bitter end, people let go of their differences as they keep hope alive in their own ways for one common goal.
Facing the west, followers of gods are praying for gods to keep their homeland safe.
In the east, elites with knowledge of artificial technology are building a space shuttle on Ruin Island. Using the power technology, they're trying to evacuate people from Miraland before it's too late.
They might all be holding onto different beliefs, but they all have what they want to protect.
All of these will become the power with which they will save Miraland.
I believe we'll see a miracle when everyone stands up to fate.
▸ Where did you go, Nikki?
[Player]
Where did you go, Nikki?
Nikki
I stayed.
[scene changes to that of a bastion]

Narration
Humanity built a "bastion of civilization" on the high ground. There, I found Miraland the same way I'd always known it to be.
In the bastion where the stone walls were covered in blueprints that had yellowed over time, I listened to people as they spoke about what they'd been through, the stories they'd heard, and their homeland.
Beauty commands the faith of all in Miraland, and people did not for a moment forsake their pursuit of beauty.
[a dark shadow appears, rippling like water]

Narration
Until, the intangible seawater rose, and bit by bit, devoured their hope.
So with the end of the world upon them, people joined hands and started singing that long-lost song. An elegy dedicated to the end of civilization, and a song praising its preservation.
[the bastion darkens]

Narration
Before anyone even knew it, however, everything—even the elegy—was silenced by the annihilation.
Miraland once again became the land of the dead, in which not a single trace of life could be found.
What used to be the magnificent civilzation of Miraland seemed to be some made-up fantasy of my own.
Even if all of this is but a dream, the starlight within it is still what I cherish most. I believe that civilization will live on, so long as I always hold on to those memories.
But... is there going to be a miracle?
I want to save Miraland—I want this beautiful continent to live on tangibly, forever, and beyond, even.
[scene fades to black]

Narration
When darkness has consumed my consciousness, Miraland once again finds itself stripped of all lives in the afternoon of another annihilation, following the prediction of the star trails.
Nikki
It's okay. I'll keep trying, and I shall walk among the star trails once again...
Narration
Plummeting through the sky, a star vanishes where the sky and the sea meet.
Carrying peoples hopes, the star shatters into dazzling specks under faraway skies.
The hope that sank into the sea along with the star shall one day dispel the darkness.
[end transcript]

### Chapter 2: Ending - Origin

Narration
I didn't wake up in the Ark.
There is nothing but stars in the abyss I am in. Before I know it, the star swooshes past me at light speed, leaving me only so much time to steal a glimpse of it.
In the confusion, I find myself slowly dragged towards the depths of the boundless sea of stars by the starry tides.
[Leonid appears]

Narration
Standing there, in the flickering starlight, is that certain someone from my distant memory.
Nikki
Sir?
Narration
Without saying anything, he points at a faint speck of light in the sea of stars.
The speck of light, as it turns out, is a space shuttle, glimmering like starlight as it lights up part of the sky.
Nikki
The Whale...
Narration
That's the name of the space shuttle. Carrying with it the hope that is Miraland's civilization, the Whale ventures into the unknown, reminiscent of a fish braving the merciless sea.
Did they find a solution?
[scene changes to that of a galaxy with a grey-black vortex]

Narration
A second later, however, I see a black swirl gyrating in the sea. With it comes a hymn from the distance, suffusing the air with despair as its melody and mysterious lyrics echo.
The space shuttle slides toward a black hole in spite of itself, its fate sealed.
Nikki
No!
Narration
The enormous chunk of light shatters into infinitely smaller pieces, stirring a massive energy storm against a backdrop of the mysterious melody.
One can see a sparkling belt of light materializing above the seemingly bottomless black hole, calling to mind the end of a spectacular performance.
Leonid
There is nothing left to show for your effort. You have failed again.
Narration
Gone is our last hope of preserving Miraland's civilization.
Nikki
We were so close. We just needed a little more time...
Narration
Hearing my own voice, I start thinking out loud.
Nikki
Next time, I'm definitely going to...!
Leonid
There won't be a "next time." This is where your journey ends.
Nikki
This is what...?
Leonid
You've picked the wrong star trail, which proved that all the possibilities lead invariably to the annihilation of Miraland. This is, therefore, where your journey ends.
Narration
Have I really...reached the end of all possibilities?
Nikki
But I don't want it to end like this...
Narration
I find my own voice unfamiliar as it echoes unanswered through the quiet sea of stars.
Leonid
All journeys come to an end at some point. What would you consider a proper ending to your journey?
Nikki
A journey only ends... when it circles back to its beginning.
Narration
I bury my head into my knees, feeling hopelessly awash in fatigue...as loneliness, helplessness, disappointment, and pain swirl in my mind.
Leonid
What, then, lies at the beginning of your journey?
Narration
...
I remember he asked me the same question before, right after our trip around the world.
Nikki
I know the answer―I know I'll be able to tell him the answer if I try to recall it some more.
Narration
Leonid doesn't push me for an answer, as if trying to tell me he can wait an eternity for my answers.
[scene changes to a perspective from the surface of a planet]

Narration
Sucking in the space shuttle's remains, the enormous black hole lets go of not even light itself.
Then, a signal sound suddenly finds its way into my ears, reminiscent of a whale's blow through the sea even after it vanishes back into the water.
In the beginning, the sound goes on and one, rhythmically and monotonically.
It's joined by another signal sound. Alternating, the two sounds seem to have a conversation with each other, with rises and falls.
Eventually, the rises and falls turn into a song that echoes through this final annihilation.
The annihilation just might have given rise to what I haven't yet seen.
Right before the flood swallowed everything, the people on the bastion joined their hands, and sang an elegy for civilization itself.
The world slowly lost its colors after natural disasters struck. The walls around the bastion, tattered as they were, still carried with them poems from generals.
The world was dying because of war, but a fallen little girl was still trying to protect a blossoming flower with her body.
I was no stranger to annihilation, and I'd always hoped I'd one day see hope on the other side of it.
Raising my head, I look straight into the black hole―and through the barren land that stretches on and on that I see what I never expected to.
A pink-haired child is also looking straight into the night sky. Is she ready to make a wish to the meteor shower?
But I panic―for fear that this sea of stars, which has come to a complete halt, will most likely never grant her wish.
Does she not deserve to have her wish granted though?
She does. She definitely does.
Standing up, I hold out my hand to the little girl.
[the scene turns white]

Narration

### Chapter 3: Aurora -Hope

Narration
As my vision turns snow-white, I can see a pure white canvas of memory slowly unfurl before me.
I see the girl with pink hair — that's me, from when I was but a child.
[Player]
What is she doing here?
Nikki
Perhaps I'll be able to find the answer here in this memory.
Narration
Dad and Mom once took Yoyo and me to see an aurora. To the child I was back then, it was a very long trip.
Carrying a bag on his back, Dad was ready to leave the car to set up his camera and wait for the aurora.
Dad
It's cold out there. Feel free to stay in the car. Mom and I will let you know when the aurora appears.
Yoyo
I'm not going to stay in the car! There's no way I'm going to miss even a single second of this!
Mom
And you, Nikki?
Narration
Through the window, I stared at the world outside the car. The starry sky was so close to me I felt as if I could grasp them when I reached out my hand. Was there a miracle among these stars?
Momo
Nikki! Chop—chop! Let's take some pictures of the aurora!
Nikki
Sure.
Narration
Mom put another scarf on us each, and with our hands in hers, took us to the snow-white world.
Nikki
It's snowing so hard!
Narration
As a kid, I would always be so excited about the first snow of the year, because the first snow of the year always came around my birthday.
When it came, I would always be the first one to rush out the door to catch that first snowflake. It was a most special gift — from the world itself.
But when I looked behind me... I saw my tiny footprints quickly disappear under the snow, as if they'd never been there.
Momo
What are you thinking about, Nikki?
Narration
I shook my head, sudden feeling a little upset. The snowflakes and I were much too insignificant compared to the snowfield and the starry sky.
Yoyo
Nikki, look! The aurora!
Narration
I snapped back when Yoyo called my name. She took my hand and dragged me to where Mom and Dad were.
I raised my head and held my breath—in the absolute silence that immersed us all.
The tranquil night and the white snow were polar opposites. The ever—changing yet beautiful light belt showered down upon me, as if inviting me to join it.
Forgetting how cold it was, I traced out the shape of the aurora as I accepted its invitation.
It was as if I scooped up a handful of starlight and sprinkled on the softest fabric. I always imagined turning my less-than-perfect design drafts into dresses that would billow in the breeze.
The warmth I was feeling was throbbing in unison with my heartbeat. As I winked, a camera captured the moment with a snap.
A snowflake landed softly in my hand.
Nikki
So pretty...!
Narration
So this is that special snowflake of the year.
On our way back, we were all excited as we started going through the photos Dad took on his camera.
The inside of the car warmed up right away, with four nicely wrapped human heat bags and a cat packed in it.
Dad would always go to all sorts of dangerous places to take pictures, and I never understood why he would do that.
But I guess I know why that is now—it's because we, in spite of ourselves, gravitate towards and seek out beauty.
Nikki
So you travel the world to take pictures of these beautiful places, Dad...
Dad
Well, you're only half-right.
The mountain could be high up and the stars could shine in all their glory, but they are ultimately only so because they are seen through our eyes.
These views are only beautiful because we define them as beautiful, and this is what gave rise to civilization.
Nikki
Hmm?
Yoyo
You're trying to sound all smart and worldly, aren't you, Dad?!
Narration
Dad burst out laughing as he picked a photo out of his camera—the dazzling aurora that seemed straight out of a fairytale, with a pink—haired girl standing at one end and the starry night hanging on the other.
It seemed as though she was one step away from setting foot in the depths of the night sky.
Even then, I knew there was more to those pictures than what meets the eye—they were bits and pieces of the world as Dad saw them, too.
The time we spent together on the trip was what made the aurora seem all the more real and beautiful.
The snow erased my footprints, but Dad's pictures were proof that they'd once been there.
Small as I was, I was still able to carry myself tall as I met one of Mother Nature's miracles face to face.
To the world, our existence might be insignificant. To our family, however, we were the world.
[scene changes to a hotel room]

Dad had the picture developed as soon as we got back to the hotel. It wasn't until I was ready for bed that I found the picture stuffed in an envelope beside by my pillow.
On the back of the picture were lines of words Mom and Dad wrote.
You'll probably go somewhere faraway from home to pursue your dream when you're older, Nikki.
We'll miss you a lot, but we aren't going to worry about you,
because we know you'll share your adventure with us when you're home.
We can't wait for your turn to share your stories, Nikki.
Narration
I put the picture inside my sketchbook and wrote down a wish on the page next to it.
Nikki
I hope one day, I'll be able to travel the world to see even more beautiful sights.
Narration
I fell asleep hugging my sketchbook that night—it felt as if I was asleep with the entire galaxy in my arms.
Momo
Uhm, is Nikki sleep talking?
Nikki
...Dear Aurora, could you take me to where all the stars are...? Dad hasn't even been there...
Narration
I wasn't awake to see what happened then—but outside the window, a shooting star quietly painted the night sky, leaving behind a gorgeous trail.
Perhaps it heard my wish.
[end transcript]

### Chapter 4: Snowflake - Glow

Narration
Then, the snowflake necklace around my neck twitched and glowed a dazzling white light— before it turned into billions of snowflakes and took me out of the memory.
[scene changes to an empty, snowy landscape]

Narration
I'm back at Miraland, where nothing but dead silence is left.
Nikki
Snow... It's snowing in Miraland, too.
Narration
The unceasing snow seems to be penning a final chapter of the world.
Clutching the snowflake necklace by my chest, I tread through the thick snow beneath my feet— slowly, but surely.
?
H-hello... I...
Narration
A tiny, laggy voice reaches my ears, jolting my body as I feel a tinge of hope. Could it be a survivor? Gathering my thoughts, I begin searching around. Finally, by a pile of rubble, I find a gadget all but completely buried in the snow, with a protruding part of it reflecting light. Wiping off the snow sitting on it, I now see what the gadget really is— a broken camera.
Camera
... Human, I am... Glow.
Narration
This device is supposed to be able to communicate with the user, except it has long lost that function, and is only repeating one single preprogrammed line. The voice that came out of the camera is a pure female voice reminiscent of a smiling girl. I break into a smile myself.
Nikki
Hi, my name is Nikki. I really like your name, Glow.
Narration
She isn't able to respond to me, but I'm perfectly alright with that. At a time like this, her very existence and the fact she speaks the same language that I do are not unlike telling the world that civilization will live on and that not all hope is lost.
[a trail of light flicks across the screen, and the background changes to that of an aurora borealis]

Narration
Suddenly, over this silent, icebound land appears a flickering aurora. Against the snow, its luster is reminiscent of crystal. The miracle—like beauty comes to this destroyed land, embracing the relics of civilization with gentle blessings. I carefully pick up the camera and train its lens at the sky. I know full well the camera is too hopelessly broken to take any pictures now. Still, recalling what I've learned from Dad, I press the shutter button... With the hope that Glow would be able to see what I see in front of me.
Nikki
I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing such a beautiful aurora.
Narration
Travelling with Glow, I came across many a place I've once seen. They are proof of the civilization that was once Miraland, and with them comes a flood of memories.
[scene changes to an urban street]

Narration
Down the street was where we used to run around gathering materials to make clothes with, and by the lake in the forest was where the elf sang us a ballad.
[scene changes to the Ark]

Narration
Throughout my journey, I came across a lot of interesting people, designs that are the brainchild of painstaking hours of hard work, and faith in designs that gave me strength.
[scene changes to an empty black background with fractions of light seeping through]

Narration
Some people left and never returned, while some became strangers. Great arguses make their way across the blue skies when suddenly, the strangers who were once friends turn around, and are exactly as I remember them.
[scene changes to Nikki gazing out the open window of a train to gaze upon a sunset]

Narration
Am I just another passerby to the world? I always ask myself this question when I feel defeated. But every time I look back upon the path I came, it always hits me how many unforgettable moments there are and how many design ideas those moments gave life to.
[scene changes to Nikki gazing at a orb of light by a mirror, shards of glass falling into an abyss]

Narration
In Miraland, dreamland isn't the only place where one can find their wishes, for courage still allows one to change the world all the same. If I try hard enough, perhaps that one day will still come when we can all walk in Miraland, under the sun as we laugh and enjoy one another's company.
[scene changes to a starry sky]

Narration
Like shooting stars that decide to travel back the way they came to chase their dreams, the memories turn into starlight and speed through the boundless night sky. When the ice and snow finally fade away, colors slowly wash over the pure—white world, with it melting the same while an ice spring would when spring comes, time itself once again stars moving forwards. The tides born out of the starlight and snowflakes slowly become a star case that leads into the distance. I quickly set foot on the staircase reminiscent of the aurora I had seen as a child. Gaining a firm foothold, I dash into the depths of the sea of stars.
[scene changes to outer space, overlooking a black hole]

Narration
Still swirling in the Ocean of Memories, the black hole stares at me like an eye as it creates a blizzard. Except I feel lost no more.
[scene changes to Nikki wearing the Guides of Star, reaching out to the black hole]

Narration
With starlight gathering at the tip of my finger, I reach out for the hole and touch it. Then, following the dead silence that calls to mind the heartbeat of a new life, the starlight erupts. As the stopped time ripples across the land, the grand flow of the stars joins the cracks among the different dimensions of time. These different civilizations should have been on their respective star trails— yet at this very moment, they're attracting one another as they summon and sense one another. Finally, forming a most sparkling star chart, they glow dazzlingly together in a blast of light. The never-ceasing river that is history has been left to us with innumerable treasures in all corners of the world, connecting the past and the future with a unique path, which is also what has left me this far. My journey hasn't ended. and I'm making my own decision from here on out.
[end transcript]

### Chapter 5: Star Sea - Newborn

Narration
When I open my eyes again, I'm back at the sea of stars, with Leonid still beside me.
Nikki
I'm stopping at anything—even when all the star trails and possibilities have been tried but failed.
From here on out, I'm creating my own possibility.
Narration
Afar, a star stripped of its light long ago starts shining dazzlingly a it approaches me, forming a star trail I've never seen before.
In response to my wish, the stars have come together to create a star trail as it slowly but surely reaches out to me, eventually arriving at my feet.
Every single star here has borne witness to my journey, and every single one of them knows the choices I made.
This is the sea of stars formed by the countless times I retraced my memories.
I know—that at the end of this starry trail is a door waiting to be opened.
Walking toward that door, however, I hear Leonid's voice from behind.
Leonid
As soon as you open that door, everything about this sea of stars will stay here on this side of the door—meaning you will forget all the stars here as well as your past self.
Are you willing to trade in your memories for this new path?
Nikki
Of course.
Leonid
Well, I suppose this is where we "call it a day," then.
Narration
His sleeves fluttering, Leonid is standing, rooted to the ground. As his gaze is fixed on the newborn river bed in the dried up universe, he lets out a chuckle.
Nikki
Before my first journey, you told me that you would be waiting for me here when I've walked through all the star trails and woken the "factor" up.
The fact that we're having this conversation conversation means—I gather—that I've done just that?
Leonid
An end is a new beginning. Show me the new possibility you brought about.
Narration
With that, he vanishes into the sea of stars.
But I'm not alone, because with every step I take along this new star trail, I reunite with one of my past selves.
Those are reunions as much as they are confessions. Or, perhaps they are promises to reunite.
"Nikki"
Are we going to fail again?
Nikki
I don't know if this is going to work, but we've never let go of a chance when it seems promising, right?
I already have a plan—to go back in time before this all happened to look for the truth the Ocean of Memories holds.
I believe I will find the answer as long as I keep looking.
"Nikki"
But you will forget everything, meaning you won't be able to take advantage of your hard work and experience. You'll be starting everything from scratch. Does that not make you afraid?
Nikki
It doesn't, because my first wish will neither be changed nor forgotten.
People love the world, enjoy exploring the unknow, and create beauty that lives through the end of eternity—and that is what I'm fighting for.
"Nikki"
Do you think you will be able to change everything with the "factor"?
Nikki
I have never been alone, though—because whenever I failed, I always manage to get back on my feet recounting all the kind words from others.
A game changer doesn't suddenly show up out of nowhere, and it's never the creation of a single mind.
It's the belief born out of those memories. The belief awakened the "factor"—an unpredictable element.
That is why I am sure the element holds the same belief I do—that a miracle will happen, that civilization will be here to stay, and that we must trust the human mind.
Together, we will find every last Faith of Salvation on this continent.
All the Faiths of Salvation come together to form a belt that connects them all.
Following this winding yet sparkling path,
we shall eventually reach the dazzling stars.
Narration
Before I know it, I find myself at the end of the trail.
The star trail that has taken me here has completely vanished, its pieces turning into a scatter of stars.
When the gentle starlight showers down on me, I feel as though I were in the gentle arms of my past selves.
Beyond the door, the newborn starlight grows still more dazzling by the second, as if sensing some sort of summoning.
That is our destiny right there—of the making of all of us.
▸ Let's open this door together.
[Player]
Let's open this door together.
[background changes to white]

Nikki