Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 6 Part 2

We tune in on our end where you are running through Shinjuku Chuo Park on a rainy night where no stars can be seen. Much of what happens is a repeat of what happened in the beginning of Chapter 9 with you attempting to get back to the dorm before curfew and Solomon talking about how much of a help he is in your life. There are some divergence points however, what with the PTSD flashbacks also getting stitched with flashes of AI Solomon during the event. Then the rest of the night plays out the part where you go save Breke from being attacked by machine troopers.

 

Scene then shifts to Azathoth's weird dream realm safe room where he comments on the game continuing on as he watches what's happening through a TV. But he has enough watching for now as he decides to switch over to playing a game again, at which point someone knocks on the door of the meta safe room. Nodens lets himself in, saying he was looking all over for Azathoth and asks what the room is supposed to be. Nodens then dramatically sighs as he plops himself next to Azathoth, and Azathoth is mildly interested in his presence before answering that this is all Azathoth's dream. That in turn means Nodens is part of his dream fantasy, and Azathoth is willing to answer some of his questions if he asks.

 

Nodens cackles as he decides to accept Azathoth's offer and joins him in the fighting game he's playing. Nodens hassles Azathoth for playing a mob, and Azathoth in turn taunts Nodens for playing a high tier character. Nodens starts dominating the round, and Azathoth plays along for a bit before destroying Nodens' character in one hit.

 

Nodens throws his controller down as he gets pissy for having lost, commenting that he knew he'd be losing and couldn't really alter the outcome of his big battle. Azathoth points out that it was their (as in plural) battle to Nodens, which he took a look at. Nodens laughs as he says Azathoth has a horrible personality, then asks if that's why Cthulhu was set up to be the game's trophy. Azathoth however denies it after some cackling of his own, saying he as the All Powerful Know Nothing wouldn't know about it. Cthulhu getting exiled to the depths of the sea was something the damn fool did on his own.

 

Nodens is shocked by this statement, and Azathoth adds that he'll see the end of his dream himself because that's his hobby. He's already reached his own end, which is something everyone from his world should be aware of. Nodens is silently mad for a moment, then accepts it and asks if that meant he was wasting his time and effort to begin with. They themselves couldn't change the world on their own, and yet they threw themselves stupidly and desperately into a dream nobody else asked for.

 

Azathoth laughs madly for a while before telling Nodens that he doesn't know. He is the almighty and the totally ignorant and that title means something dammit. He knows nothing of Nodens' dream and nothing of Cthulhu's dream...but he'll still watch them to their end. He'll watch all the possibilities of worlds that have ended, or in other words all the bad endings. Nodens says he doesn't get it since their world already ended, but Azathoth clarifies that he means the bad endings for All Worlds.

 

Tokyo is in a time loop and the game is set up to decide which single world is the winner. But what happens if the ending where One World Wins...never happened? What if you define that as a bad ending having happened? Then after that bad ending, something completely different from it begins. If Old Ones were to win the wish of its exile Cthulhu can't be granted. Neither would Nodens's wish for that matter. Really, if any world wins, it'd be impossible to grant everyone's wishes. The end result is that no one's wish wins out and continues into an unknown future.

 

Nodens laughs as he calls everything above a pipe dream, incredulous at the idea that every world has failed. Azathoth says that everyone is stupidly repeating the loops over and over, but it's not a definite thing for no world to win. Put another way, no world has ever truly given up, and that is because every world has won against Old Ones. Nodens is unable to understand this since he doesn't have the intelligence to parse through it. But within him is the two Nodens who can since they have the wisdom for it. All worlds decide things based on a hierarchy, an incontrovertible rule that puts some things above others. Every other world always wins against Old Ones, which is an expression of this hierarchy and the only definite event to happen for the world when everything else is in flux. But now even this event is no longer set in stone, and all order to the game is lost.

 

Nodens looks back to the door he came in from as his eyes lights up in understanding. NG Nodens had lost against you, but he lost to you as Old Ones' representative. And NG Nodens also won against the other worlds as Old Ones' representative. Azathoth and Nodens start laughing like crazy together for a while, and eventually Nodens calls Azathoth an idiot and asks if such a thing is even possible. Azathoth fires back that it should be the best ending for Nodens, though he doesn't know or care himself. Nodens says it's the stupidest thing ever and admits that he's totally lost this. And, the both of them say it's also a win for Old Ones.

Nodens talks about how the game has been shown to have no definite parts to it, so what comes next is neither a true ending or a bad ending; it's on the path for something completely different. He starts to leave which prompts Azathoth to ask where he's going. Nodens says the room is the residence of what remains of Azathoth, so he can't stay there forever. He knows about the memory fragments of his time spent in the great space war. The great reversal of time has swept them away as pieces cut off from the original body, so if Nodens were to appear in Tokyo after this, he'd be a version of him without these memories. Nodens wonders aloud about whether he should retire like Azathoth did too, then sees the ones who have crossed over the horizon.

Tsathoggua starts sighing about how tired he is and says he wants some first class honey candy. Cthugha complains about how his role in the story turned out and says being treated as a disposable pawn by his friends hurt. He is happy with how cool his last actions were at the end though. Nyarlathotep jibbers nonsense suggesting he isn't too happy with how things went, but since Azathoth has been enjoying it all he leaves it be. The ex-rulers are moving on ahead from this frozen world for parts unknown, and Nodens decides that they want to see where that goes when Azathoth pokes him really hard.

Nodens is shocked at getting poked like so and asks Azathoth what his deal is. Azathoth tells him that since he's made a connection, he can be called over to Tokyo. When that might happen, nobody knows as a mutual bond can surpass anything and pull two things together. Azathoth tells him to go enjoy himself since that's probably what he wants. Not that he'd know or anything. Nodens rubs his forehead before twisting his face into a grin, then cackles as he tells Azathoth watch him make a mess of things before leaving. Cthugha follows behind looking excited while Tsathoggua feels more like it's all effort he can't be bothered to make. Nyarlathotep gives Azathoth a bow filled with reluctant sadness before leaving too, and soon the room goes back to being quiet.

Azathoth picks up his controller again as he thinks about what will be happening in the near future. There'll be a chance for him to reward you later on too. Azathoth wonders what it is he should give you, though he figures he could just tell you the same thing he told Nodens. He's already collected all the bad endings in this world, which is fine and all, but he's a little bored now. A thought then occurs to him as he reaches into empty space, then pulls a shocked Solomon out with a flash of light. Azathoth invites Solomon to play with him until he gets called again. He's half of you, so it should be fine to do this for a bit. Solomon thinks for a moment, then agrees. In the center of the universe where the ultimate mysteries are, it is said that the transcendent one sits there. He is the blind almighty yet incompetent one, forever dragging along in his sense of tedium. They say a tiny follower serves him to help relieve that boredom, but there is no one who can say whether this is true for sure. The End.

Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 6 Part 1

Nodens starts narrating, and he talks about remembering that one day invaders from space came to invade and conquer the planet. It was the day he lost his throne as king of the planet, and he was driven to the abyss in the land of dreams where he spent his days having retired from the world. Even someone as wise as him had nothing better to do there beyond mulling over his old dreams, and this was by will of the creator who made everything in the world including him, Azathoth. Nodens did not have the power to oppose this state of being, and all he could do was accept it. But still, it's not like he was having a case of sour grapes over his new life. And it's not to say his life was empty now either.

 

Nodens' life having anything in it at all had to be because he wasn't alone in the Dream Land. His new dominion was also the home of the race known as the night gaunts. He was surprised and perplexed by them at first, what with how they lived by parasitizing dreamers. They were mischievous yet cowardly, wicked yet charming on some level. With no one else around to talk to after so many days, Nodens tried to make contact with them and approach them. It could just be mutual comfort, yet they needed each other to live. So Nodens lived his life with them over many years. His emotions engaged, and he embraced his friendship with them. Or perhaps he adored them. But because of those feelings, Nodens was unable to accept that the world of Old Ones had come to a dead end. He couldn't accept the cruel reality that he couldn't give the night gaunts who stayed with him in his final days a new dream. They were born to a world that has lost, and they were fated to be unable to take a step forward. So Nodens wished to show them the future, even if he had to discard his vaunted wisdom.

 

Over in the Tokyo Cathedral, Michael and Duo are talking to each other with Michael looking off into the distance. The conversation tunes in at the point where Duo finishes telling Michael about what happened in the Nightglows incident, and Duo adds that all the victims of the night gaunts are sleeping peacefully in the Agate Castle. He compares this to how participants who have lost at a battle royal are invited to watch the rest of the game in the stands. Everyone there seems to be seeing the same dream, a dream where the fate of humanity hangs in the balance of a space war. But that said, if they didn't wake up their dream would be no different from reality, and Duo asks Michael if he's satisfied with that explanation.

 

Michael is surprised at the idea of an invasion from space, especially by the fact that Old Ones of all worlds managed to do this. Something like that would send shockwaves among the 'players.' But now that the security hole they exploited to make this happen is closed, Michael asks why they did it now. Duo notes that day was the same day where unusual heavenly phenomenon happens once every so many decades, even in Tokyo. Duo suggests it could just be like that time the Resident at the Top of the Tower did something in the sky using media manipulation, but a lot of people looked up at the sky because of TV and internet news. Nodens then probably took that moment to show a memory of his past, a memory of an invasion of Earth from space.

Many people had seen that phantom spectacle of space invaders descending upon the planet. Then those many people had their thoughts frozen upon seeing all that, leading them to accept it as true. Duo talks about how things become real if enough people believe it, even if it were originally an illusion. This would include an overworld shift that involved outer space as well. When the shift was resolved, the events falling within its borders were reverted, but it was big enough that the reversal was on the level of a great reversal of time like the loops. It's big enough that you can hear waves, and it's also big enough that most people involved in it have lost their memories from it. Few can correctly perceive what had happened, such as Pillars like him. The experiment that spanned specific wards from the other day proved it, as the great reversion that happened there took people's memories as well.

Michael talks about how Utopia has cutting edge technology for System management and defense, and he asks if the help given for this incident came from their vigilance. Duo says the incident was something that happened beyond his own assumptions, and if he made one mistake he wouldn't have been able to resist either and the game would have been over. Duo admits he doesn't remember much about what happened in this incident either, but he remembers naturally being recognized as the last commander of humanity. He believes it's highly likely the Game Masters intervened by setting him up with the role of a space army to resist against the faith of a space invasion. From another perspective, that's all the threat the faith Nodens hacked into almost all of Tokyo amounted to.

Michael decides to ask just in case if Transients from Utopia can pull off the same trick Nodens did. Duo is quiet for a moment before he denies the possibility, at least if they're going with the same methods. Utopia and Old Ones have different views on What the Universe is Like. The latter says terror comes forth from the unknown, and the former says science uses the unknown as a starting premise instead. Michael decides to accept Duo's explanation, saying they probably won't need unknown madness to cause dependence. He smugly comments that Utopians (which he groups Duo with) say science is enough to function as their religion, though he thinks that in itself is mad in his view.

Michael becomes even more cautious against Utopia, and it's noted that he believes their science and logic surpasses self-indulgent insanity. Their two worlds may be opposites but they are aware of their differing ideologies. Michael comments that the Game Masters can take care of the security hole now that it's been exposed. Duo says he also certifies the plan to deal with it and that there's no problem with anything.

Michael changes the subject to ask where the trophy is and if this incident has influenced them in any way. Duo is slow to answer that nothing's changed with them and things are going 'just like always.' They're probably going back to their regular life of being helped and helping others. Michael scoffs at how kind they are, just like always. But anyways, while the records may be the same as usual, Michael asks if Duo can share his memories of this incident with him. He's understood what happened based off Duo's oral report, but he says he wants to experience the feelings that went with it too.

Duo comments that their cooperative relationship does have him sharing loop memories as part of the deal, but he points out that Michael can only ask him for his memories, not demand them from him. Michael argues that the incident should be shared with everyone, and he asks if Duo plans on keeping it all to himself. It's presented as a right and proper proposal of action, all in the interest of fairness. The result would be that they show the other parties their hands, but then they get to see theirs as well.

Duo is quiet for a moment before asking Michael if he's sure he wants these memories made public record for the main players. It includes how Michael died, yelling someone's name. Duo whispers those last words into Michael's ears, causing him to stagger in response. Michael then whispers back harshly, demanding to know if Duo actually saw that and if he showed that to his allies. A moment later, Michael takes a slow breath as he composes himself again, then thanks Duo as he says this meeting was very important. He admits that sharing memories through artifacts could turn out to be a one-sided disadvantage for the Utopia faction. He agrees to leave the incident report as just an oral report, and he says he'll use his authority to put a stopgap in their information. If anyone complains, Michael offers to talk to them about it instead. Duo thanks him, then promises he 'won't speak a word of it to anyone.' Michael leaves it at that and walks off. Duo watches him go before walking off elsewhere himself.

Duo goes to meet Bertro later, who comments on how humanistic and sweet smelling the flower of wiliness smells. He asks about Duo making an overbearing move and figuring Michael must have made a sharp expression. Duo comments that Bertro speaks like he saw it himself, but he confirms as much and says the clean up is done now. Bertro comments that it's sad whenever a festival ends and comments that the endless days are starting up. He called this incident insanity, and he says that's correct. But can Duo say right now that isn't the case, that they aren't insane right now? Maybe they were in their right minds in that one-time area.

Duo asks Vice Commander Bertro if he liked it. Bertro laughs in response and plays coy with his answer, but he admits that a small part of him feels like something is different. It might've been fine to stay that way, he says to Commander Duo. Bertro then walks off, and Duo watches him go. Once he's gone Duo shifts his gaze to the clear skies of Tokyo. No stars shine above up there, only down below within his chest.

The next day, things tune in over at Shinjuku Station where Jambavan is putting up fliers for Alice and asks how many he's put up already. Alice says that's his job as she asks if counting is supposed to be part of a researcher's duties. Jambavan answers that the medical research lab he goes in and out of isn't supposed to send him out to count out fliers and stick them up around town though. Even a generous guy like him would have to protest being called up by a little girl in the morning to carry a mountain of fliers to stick up everywhere.

Jambavan decides to ask just in case if Alice got permission to put up the fliers she's making him put up since he'd rather not have a police officer get on his case for it. Alice suggests it should be fine, and if anything the police should be thanking her for all this. Jambavan expresses his doubt for that, and it turns out the posters have a weird drawing of a star with a burning eye at the top. Jambavan comments that looking at it reminds him of bird repellent eyeball balloons that would get hung up in farm fields, then wonders if he spent a day putting them up in a pumpkin patch.

Alice concedes that the posters may be similar to those balloons, then asks Jambavan if he knows that the eye in the center used to be open. Jambavan asks if that means they used to be a normal eye, so Alice says it was a terrible eye that saw through everything. It was the eye of someone or something that could see past time and space, the transcendent one who viewed everything greedily. The eye was meant to stop the old ones, the ancients, and the abyssals. When man brought forth fire, that eye was burned. It burns even now in that drawing. Alice hopes that they never see that Certain Someone from Somewhere.

Jambavan looks back and forth between Alice giggling and the flier in his hand, then decides to pretend he hadn't heard anything and didn't ask about anything. He doesn't want to know what happens next or hear anything about it either. Alice approves as she calls Jambavan a good boy. Jambavan is unhappy about that as he's sure the flier can't be about anything good and asks as much to Alice. Alice denies it and tells him the thing it's for is already over. Jambavan is shocked by that and asks what the point was in putting them up. Alice says it's the key to a treasure chest, though the contents of said chest are already 'stolen.' Jambavan says he doesn't get why an empty box should be locked, and Alice agrees with the point.

Alice looks pleased, as though she's found some beautiful jewel in front of her. She tells Jambavan that he needs to keep going since he still has 710,042 fliers to put out. Jambavan protests it would take more than a day to put out that many, so Alice offers to let him go after he puts up just 42 more fliers. It's all pointless after all. Jambavan then points out that he could've just not done all of this to begin with, them pleads for Alice to not walk off on her own as he chases after her. The two then disappear into the crowds.

Scene shifts over to the Crafters' guildhouse where Oz has come to visit as usual, weaving through all the work going on to see Kurogane. Kurogane apologizes for keeping him waiting, saying his work took him a while. Oz says it's fine and says he should be the one apologizing, since he had to break a promise to deal with some sudden work from his student council. Kurogane brushes it off and asks what Oz wants to do that day. Oz shyly tells Kurogane he bought a new telescope, so he tries to invite Kurogane to stargaze with him that night.

Kurogane is happy for the invite, but he tells Oz he heard it was supposed to rain tonight to his shock. Kurogane puts his hand on the disappointed lion's shoulder, then suggests an alternative plan where they go to his room where Oz can show him his telescope there. They can talk about stuff besides the stars too. Oz trips over his words as he agrees, saying he wanted to talk to him about something as well.

Kurogane asks Oz if something happened, figuring he must have had something rough come up through his work as a student council member. Oz says it's not that and more about him having a nightmare recently. Something big and dark fell from the sky and swooped down at him, and he's been having trouble sleeping ever since. Kurogane sympathizes, then decides to invite Oz to stay over then. Oz is surprised at the offer but accepts. Kurogane quickly apologizes before saying he had a nice dream himself. Oz is interested as he asks if he was dreaming about a rocket, but Kurogane says he dreamed about a giant space cruiser. He doesn't actually remember anything else though, and he comments that it felt strangely real. Oz thinks it sounds fun and asks to hear more about it, so Kurogane agrees as he leads the way for Oz.

Over at Shinjuku Chuo Park you are helping Nomad put up a big fold-up tent, and he takes a big breath after getting it up. Nomad then asks you to bring him the gas stove, and you comply as you either say yes sir, comment that he's really getting into the food stall state or comment that he's pretty much stopped being a detective. Nomad starts venting to you and asks you what you think his first thought was when he woke up that morning. It was him needing to go to the supermarket to get stocked up for the stall. But it feels like everyone has the wrong idea about him. He is a detective goddammit, not a street vendor! Even the Kabukicho people have offered to set him up with a stall with more foot traffic if he goes over there! And then there's Andvari offering to write up a year's contract to work as a seller for him. Where are the damn detective jobs!? Looking for missing people, spying on suspected adulterers, even finding lost pets man. Can't anyone give him work that gets him money and information? He finally got himself a lead, but these cost of living expenses are killing him!

You either comment that Nomad is having an identity crisis (in English), say Nomad has started smelling like some nice sauce lately, or note that stand vendors get a surprising amount of information. In A, Nomad says you're reminding him of that one CEO. Ever since he started working in public spaces he's been getting a lot of compliments on his work. "You could make a blue ocean in that area if you did it," he said. Why the hell is he so good at this kinda business? Is that the star he was born under? In B, Nomad says he's been grilling yakisoba noodles every day so the smell of the sauce has been sticking to his fur. And goddammit that is so not in line with the hardboiled detective image! He showers every day and it still won't go away. It's some kind of joke, man. In C, Nomad says he thought the same thing when he first did this, and it surprised him how it went. But the customers kept coming so he never got a break. There wasn't even any time to be cool and get some negotiations going! All he could talk about was about his sales but not about what he was going after, and he can't even go elsewhere for that!

Anyways, as you and Nomad talk while doing his everyday(?) routine, a streak of light flies through the sky. Nomad notices and comments someone new must have come to Tokyo, so he sorta welcomes them to town. It's just a carefree sort of comment, but it's also only natural. So many different people are guided by the rainbow light of summoning from far away, and here it's just as meaningful as passing by each other. Nomad says it's about time to open shop for the day, then asks you to bring him the cooler box of ingredients. You either cheer about getting the first taste test, say you'll buy the first order of the day since it's almost lunchtime, or say it's time for an honest day's work. In A, Nomad tells you to stop that since this is both his breakfast and lunch. He'll still make you one, so he tells you to wait. In B, Nomad thanks you and says he likes generous customers. That said, you have been helping him so he'll treat you an order. In C, Nomad is depressed about how accustomed to this he is. But he has enough of the small talk for now and says he'll make an order for you as thanks for your assistance.

Nomad deftly cooks up some noodles and vegetables, and the smell of sauce starts wafting up. A voice comments on the nice smell and wanting their host to have some, and you turn to welcome them before trailing off in confusion. Nodens is there and laughs, asking if you live around here and telling you you shouldn't be staring at someone you've never met before. Nomad notices Nodens there and explains to him that the brat kid he's talking to is his assistant. If he could not intimidate you that'd be great thanks. Then he asks if he's there to obstruct business.

Nodens laughs and apologizes, saying their pride getting ticklish is their bad point. Nodens then asks about the tiny bit of food Nomad is making, and Nomad gets offended as he calls his yakisoba is one of Tokyo's best dishes. You think to yourself that Nomad is relatively proud of his noodles, think it is good but Tokyo's best would be pushing it, or just nod along. Nodens is amused and asks for an order, so Nomad obliges as he cooks another one up. Nodens looks fascinated as he watches, and you wonder if Nodens is the Transient who just got summoned to Tokyo.

Nodens takes notice of you again and asks to see your face. He laughs and tells you you don't need to be afraid, he was curious about you since he first saw you. He compares your eyes to the stars in how bright they are, glittering like they would in dreams and something he feels like taking with him when he sees them. Nomad repeats himself as he requests Nodens not cause a problem here, then gives him a rainbow tenkasu yakisoba he ordered. More customers start pouring in, so Nomad turns his attention to them. While he tries serving them one of the randos tries to walk off without paying, prompting Nomad to yell at them to stay and pay.

Nodens starts smiling at Nomad and offers to catch that walker if Nomad will let him off on paying for his order. Nomad is taken aback at the offer, and Nodens then summons some night gaunts and says it's time to be the talk of the town. The night gaunts appear from Nodens' shadow, and Nodens says he doesn't have any money since he just showed up himself before tearing off. Nomad is pissed as he addresses you, so you tell him you'll hold the stall and wish him luck.

Nomad complains about all the problems happening as he pulls out his bike to chase after them all, just another ordinary day in Tokyo. Nodens then teleports back to you after Nomad drives away, having forgotten one other thing. He talks like he was there the whole time, and he leans in closer to your face. You react by either slapping him as hard as you can, tell him stealing is a crime, or snatch his food away from him. In A, Nodens reacts in pain, but he's still amused and says you hit hard enough to wake people up and thought he'd be sent flying. In B, Nodens admits he thinks so too, but he has no patience so he won't bother holding himself back. In C, Nodens is shocked and calls you an even naughtier kid than himself.

Nomad notices Nodens and tells you from offscreen to catch him. Nodens takes note of Nomad calling your name, then says he'll see you later as he teleports away again. It's unclear whether this is just another meeting for you, or if you have just met someone special as this is a regular repeating thing for you. The episode half ends with the title card popping up, and this episode is titled It's Just Like the Stars.

Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 5 Part 3

You find yourself in a small narrow room with undecorated concrete walls on all sides. The floor is spotless, and the room itself feels chilly. It's a place you have a recollection of, though perhaps it's better to say your memory of the place is returning. This place is the Shinjuku safe house in Tokyo, but no one is here. No one to say "I'm back" to, and no one to greet you with a "welcome back." It's an empty place now, devoid of life and warmth.

Someone's voice starts commenting on how crazy things are, and this person's voice seems out of place for the safe house. You then start picking up on the sounds of some lively music and electronic sound effects and the button pressing and control stick pushing of a console controller. You look over to see Azathoth, who tells you to stop standing there as he invites you to play with him. You ask him where you are, where everyone else is, and why he's here, but Azathoth laughs the questions off saying he wouldn't know. All he cares about are playing games and having fun dreams. Azathoth initially starts to claim that this place is his throne, THE center of the universe where neither past nor future exist, but then he says that just sounds cool and this place is the dregs of his fleeting dream. But whatever. He tells you not to Look Outside the Window, not unless you don't want to be able to come back here.

You ask Azathoth who he is, comment that he seems similar but different to someone you know, and/or ask if you've ever met him before. Azathoth seems mildly interested that you caught on and suggests it could be the opposite, but he waves off the tangent. He starts talking about how the avatar in Tokyo brought back some of the Original color to make things a bit more vivid, but if it kept going then a bunch of things would start breaking, so 20% is good enough. But that said, he's confused as to how you actually got there as he compares the current location to a debug room. You know, the hidden part of a game filled with spoilers that you normally wouldn't come across.

Azathoth stops for a bit and seems curious, so you ask him if he knows Nodens, ask what that world you were in actually is, and ask if Nodens is really who he says he is. Azathoth starts cackling to himself for a while, amused you'd ask that of all things. He jokes about you getting to the truth of things, calling you a good boy before pretending to be an announcer telling you you've unlocked an achievement for completing Chapter 5. He asks if you want to take the trophy, but then he notes that you yourself are a trophy as he laughs, hovering over you to look down at you.

Azathoth finally deigns to offer to tell you what's going on up to a certain point since it looks like the game you came from is starting to look interesting. The Tokyo App game is in truth an endless game, and Old Ones being one of the losers is a fixed part of it. Nodens in particular is someone who's set up to be an even bigger loser, which is why he came up with a plan to win for once by hacking the game. So yeah, the space war game you're going through is something Nodens came up with. He wrote it up so that it could fit into the Tokyo game's framework, then stacked the deck as best he could into his favor. He still couldn't write around the restriction that said that he couldn't leave the Dream Land though.

You start to ask about how he could stack the game in his favor before you stop silent and catch on. Azathoth talks about how Nodens originally wasn't qualified to join the Tokyo game as a player, so he had to cheat to get in. Since others had prior knowledge going into this game, none of them knew about Nodens. Obviously they couldn't since he was never a part of the game before, so he hacked the game from outside their ability to observe things. You could say he modded in the space stage into the beginning, and there aren't many worlds out there that have faith that can adapt to fighting in space. By stealing away the trophy he prevents them from being able to interfere.

You ask Azathoth about Nodens not qualifying to be a player at first but putting himself into the game afterwards anyway. Azathoth explains that the Tokyo game and the world have a bunch of big rules set in place. For example, to be in the game you need both a role and a power. Nodens's class is King, but it's something he partially lost a long time ago. That's why he took in the memories of a Transient of another world who had the same role and power as him, Nuada. Nuada had also lost half of his role, but putting two halves together adds up to a whole so that Nodens could reclaim his class and power.

You nod along to this explanation for a moment before something confuses you. Azathoth doesn't volunteer anything else, so you go ahead and ask how they can use their power despite fusing together. Azathoth laughs in response and says you're sharp for noticing. It's clear from by all accounts that everything Nodens has done has been at random, which is strange for someone who's supposed to be intelligent. In which case, who is he? Azathoth says he won't be giving you any more hints, so anything else you'll have to figure out for yourself. He does challenge you to work it out, and he'll just sit back and enjoy the game. If you do he offers to reward you with something, then laughs some more.

Azathoth's laughs fade off after some time, leaving the room silent once again. In the corner though, a TV and game console have been left behind, and Solomon's face is displayed on the screen. You ask Solomon if he knew what was going on from the beginning and point out he's been pretending to be an AI. Solomon explains he was bound by a protocol (re: contract) that had him (which he initially refers to the ship before changing to himself) guiding you to where Nodens is. He says his role is to be a guide for the game and a tool for those above him, so he can't defy the creator of the world. Even if the game contents change, his own role has not. If Nodens manages to obtain the trophy, then that means Old Ones wins. So he ended up betraying everyone, even you the one person he shouldn't.

You point out that Solomon must have had his reasons. He's your friend, so you ask him to explain himself. Solomon is touched, and he is silent for a moment before he starts admitting that Nodens pressured him into helping him. Solomon was restricted from doing anything he wasn't specifically ordered to do, but in exchange Solomon was able to finagle two benefits for himself. The first was that he was allowed to be with you the entire time in this world. The second is that Nodens would leave the bit of your memory that would have you calling Solomon by his name, and Solomon was betting that you would remember everything else about him through that.

You comment that it feels weird, like you're remembering something and that time has stopped. Solomon makes a comment that sounds a bit like Mephistopheles as he goes "Time be still. Thou...art beautiful." He then says just by being with you, he has power he can use as well. The words you gave him stayed as a shining memory within him, and he asks if you remember what they are. You tell Solomon that you guys should go together to learn about the people who made him, just like you promised before.

Solomon declares that the final lock has been disengaged and that his activity as the ship AI has restarted. He comes forward with what he calls an important suggestion, that being using your ability to break the deadlock on the situation. Your ability has the power to undo the system lock that's on the ship. Solomon continues playing along with being an AI to conform with the setting of this world while keeping with his given role, and he quietly looks at you as he asks you to choose to go for the truth. A quick flashback to Azathoth challenging you to figure it out comes back up.

You have a lightbulb moment about the central part of the actions happening now, then address Solomon. He waits for you to continue, so you say you're undoing the lock and asking him to help you again. Solomon confirms your choice as he reports that all the system locks on the ship are released and restarts the ship's systems. Then, the two of you declare a take off together as you fly back out.

Nodens is completely shocked to see you back, and he starts ranting that his shutdown command should have been accepted at light speed. He demands to know how you can be flying again. Solomon pipes up to tell you he's done analyzing what's going on with Nuada and Nodens' classes and power. Their class is King and concept is Grasping, but it isn't controlled by one mind. Under normal circumstances they shouldn't be able to use it even if both of them were trying to do the same thing. Due to that, Nuada and Nodens haven't really surfaced much. There's a third party at play parasitizing both of them, and Solomon concludes that the one you're fighting now is this third party instead of either Nuada or Nodens.

You either suspected this to be the case or comment with some understanding and point out that the Nodens in front of you hasn't shown any sort of wisdom. Solomon says that when he first met him he assumed the mad cackler was Nodens and the calm personality was Nuada. However he heard what Cthugha said through you about how Nodens is supposed to be a calm and wise king, so he hypothesizes that the Nodens here is actually something put together by the night gaunts with their near liquid bodies with properties similar to dark matter. Since they live in symbiosis, Nodens and Nuada in all likelihood are equivalent to the night gaunts. But after another bit of though, Solomon suggests the night gaunts are actually protecting and helping the two instead.

You ask Solomon if he noticed partway through, say you agree with him, or say they're like Solomon. He agrees with the point, and he tells you that the night gaunts are covering Nodens. Based on his structural analysis cutting the dark coating off of him should work, so your power should be the most effective means of attack here. You figure that there still needs to be something else to be done in order to win, and you ask Solomon to do this with you. He agrees enthusiastically.

After the battle, narration starts. Half of your self was split apart to continually witness infinite and innumerable partings. There was someone that you saved. Someone you crossed fists with. There was someone you lived an earnest life with. And there was someone you lived a just life with. These meetings and partings happened over and over again. Everything began with that day that meeting at the park, and you spent your days sharing the same joys and pain together.

Solomon calls out to Night Gaunt Nodens and asks if it's the same for them. NG Nodens answers that of course it is since there's no way they could abandon either Nodens. The world had outwitted them, so they were no longer able to live normally. If they were to separate from the night gaunts, they'd know what would happen to them. It's what living in symbiosis means, and NG Nodens angrily points out that Solomon should know since he's the same.

There is only one opportunity for this false game to go through, and that is something even the night gaunts are aware of. So they fight desperately in order to protect both Nodens. NG Nodens says it's time to use the Grasping power like he did before, but Solomon manages to preempt him. Enraged, Nodens starts firing off laser blasts at you instead with many of the night gaunts throwing themselves as well, but none of them manage to hit you. Solomon directs you to fly to the right and fire back at your port side, and you do as instructed, blowing night gaunts away and slipping away from their attacks. Your minds unite in purpose, your wills combine, and you fly straight for Nodens.

NG Nodens flips out at things turning badly against them, and they order Tsathoggua and Nyarlathotep to come back to defend them. Two voices call out to tell Nodens he's not going to get his back up and apologize for keeping you waiting. Breke and Cthugha turn up alright to your shock, and you ask about them surviving apparently blowing up earlier. Breke admits he did think he was done for earlier, but he's fine because of Bertro's construction of his body. Cthugha says there's no gravity in the vicinity, so his ship just stalled out and stopped moving.

Despite Breke and Cthugha coming to back you up, there are still a ton of night gaunts pulling up past data to regenerate and rush down the two. Cthugha scoffs at this and says there won't be a second time as he says they should get going to Breke, who agrees. Cthugha had never given any thought to how humans and humanity would die, just as he had never given any thought as to how he would never die. Cthugha asks you to call him by name one more time, and you either oblige or yell that you love him. In A, Cthugha is happy as he shifts into using a special move. In B, Cthugha is a bit bashful as he says he loves you too, then yells as he gets his special move ready.

Cthugha yells out Twin Fomalhaut Flare, willingly separating himself from his friends and using himself as a missile to bomb the mass of night gaunts. There is no past battle record data of him doing this, and every night gaunt in sight is blown away by the blast. Breke follows up by booting up his NP as a system protocol, shifting his ship into an Anti-Nuclear Blast Mode. His action also confounds the night gaunts, and Breke explains the current mode he's in allows him to survive any environment and prevent him from returning to his standard form for a while. This mode is a mode that will only save himself, meaning he's leaving you guys behind and closing himself out from everything. He'll also be flown away to who knows where, potentially leaving him to wander the edge of the universe by himself. But you radio Breke and promise to come get him and maybe say you love him. In A, Breke says he trusts you and will be waiting. In B, Breke says he loves you too, so instead of telling you goodbye he'll say he'll see you again.

Bertro starts commenting how that one power is such a hassle and thanks Duo for getting around it. Duo says his power was linking the two ships and substituting for the locked down systems. He admits that having to work three different ships is killing his head, so he asks Bertro to take over for the next ten minutes. Nomad cuts in to demand it be only five minutes because the load he's dealing with kill him if Duo isn't back by then. R-19 reports that he's sending out the pods and asks you to go meet with them, and he tells you that they're carrying every last resource they have left for you to use.

You grasp your ship's control stick harder, and NG Nodens laughs as he decides to turn around to leave in response to everything happening, abandoning the throne and concentrating all his power. You are shocked that Nodens is making a break for it, but Solomon stays on the ball as he flips on the ship's thrusters so you guys can chase after him.

The acceleration of your ship causes all that you can see to go dark, yet Nodens still manages to be faster than you. Once you all are outside in space, Nodens turns back around to attack you reasoning that you are unable to win in this situation. The claws on his silver arm rush at your ship like spears, and after a huge impact, Nodens pulls you out of your ship. Time seems to dilate as your ship starts to drifts away. Nodens says he figured Solomon would try this, then taunts you about how your escape gear would be nice right about now. He continues by trashing your cockpit, leaving it to be scrap to float in space.

Nodens is about to kill you himself when the pod carrying Kurogane comes by, and he comes to your rescue. He plays it cool briefly before he segues into complaining about how frightening midspace docking is and how the pod is a one-seater. Kurogane has flown out using a jet pack to grab you, and once he does have you he flies back. You thank him for his help, and Kurogane says Duo told him what the best course of action is. He's still worried though, but when he sees that you're sure about this he resolves to help you. Solomon is still fine on the ship and he quickly sets the ship to rush towards Nodens.

Your ship is falling apart as it shoots off, the damage Nodens did to it unstoppable. But still the ship pushes forward full speed ahead with blade at the ready. NG Nodens attempts to plead for you guys to stop since they are unable to evade this attack. Solomon declares himself the Nightglow's exclusive Anti-Night Gaunt support wizard, an AI meant to lead you down the best path regarding your survival and duty completion. That's what his role is.

Nodens screams in intense anger and indignation at the prospect of being run through. The sheer force of emotion causes your ship to fall apart, and just as it's about to explode Solomon calmly has a few things left to say. He's glad he got to see you again and that you called his name. He thanks you, then tells you he loves you. You call out to Solomon and reach out for him, as vain a hope as it is since he's too far away. NG Nodens still pulls away from the blast, damaged but gleeful that Nodens will survive.

NG Nodens's joy is short lived as something slips through right by him like a shooting star. It flies towards your hand, and you know what it is. It is the one thing your amnesiac self is allowed to hold, the thing Nodens sealed Solomon for in an effort to prevent you from having it here. Once you grasp it, you yell out the words to the invocation chant over Nodens' desperate attempts to tell you to stop. You sword shines brilliantly, your sword of the future that calls forth daybreak and glows at dawn. This sword was pursued by the people of Utopia, and it was eventually exiled in resignation. It is the one thing that can resist against the overwhelming demise that is the past and cross through time, and here it dances as it cuts Nodens' shadow into two.

Nodens laughs in disbelief for a moment, commenting that he doesn't actually feel anything from being cut in half like this. Silence holds for a moment before NG Nodens starts flipping out about how they're collapsing. The sword you cut them with didn't really affect their physical body, but it instead cut nothingness, an empty dream. A calm, wise voice responds to the night gaunts' bitter screams, telling them that they've done enough. Things can end now, and Nodens says Nuada also understands this. He sympathizes with all the effort they went through, and he thanks them for staying with him for so long.

NG Nodens says they refuse to let things end like this, but a sudden quake in space interrupts them as the Agate Castle and stars all begin to shake. The sound of great waves pick up, and the reversing flow of time that swallows everything begins. Nodens comments that reason is returning to the world and expresses his distaste for the curse of being walled up. Still, he says that all anger and sadness eventually comes to a stop. NG Nodens throws a tantrum cutting him off saying they wanted to live with both Nodens, so how can he just accept things like this? Nodens gently refutes the point, saying that the point of a battle is not victory in itself. It's in trying to win and in standing to fight. That way everyone wins, even if he's been removed from the game again.

Nodens holds his silver arm up as if to show he tried to fight to regain his stolen country and honor back. He says he fought heroically without any regards for his appearance. He was sent to the other side of the world, but he says it was a good battle. His only regret was his inability to have a victory drink together. It's the one thing he doesn't know as a king, and he tells the night gaunts to begrudge him if they want to resent anyone.

Nodens is shocked as he says the light from Kurogane's arm is the same as his own, but he realizes it's something else as he unconsciously reaches back to Kurogane. The arm that grabs the past and the arm that grabs the future intersect, which triggers another great shake in the world. You get the feeling that everyone on the ship is calling to you, and the space war comes to an end as you thank everyone and tell them you love them.

On the final episode! There was someone who saw stars, and there was someone who saw mud. That someone also reached out for hope once. With everything in Tokyo having come to an end, it closes up once again as time turns back. This heroic tale nobody knows about glimmers brightly at the far end of the universe, and the miraculous meeting creates a new future that no one knows. Find out what happens next time on Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 6: It's Just Like the Stars

Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 5 Part 2

Old Ones is the world where the planets of the universe are controlled by those known as the ex-rulers. In that world, the planet of abundant water known as Earth was once the home of a quiet, wise king. This king's name was Nodens, a man of white hair and ash grey facial hair with the shining silver arm that can grasp lightning. But this king eventually lost his throne, and it is said he was driven to the Dream Land where he came to employ the night gaunts that lived in the abyss who have skin like rubber and carry out abductions and movements.

The one who came to replace Nodens as ruler of the planet was driven into the deep sea. One theory says this being was driven away and sealed, and this being was Cu Littlelittle(???), otherwise known as Cthulhu. Cthulhu is said to have the power to cut away the space between dreams and reality and use telepathy (re: psychic waves) while sleeping. Nodens may have been the one to cede his throne as ruler of Earth to Cthulhu, but there was also another. He was someone extraordinarily close to him, yet someone who lived in a different world from Old Ones. That would be the calm and wise king from the world of fairies Tir na Nog, the one eternally closest to Nodens and yet another person who possesses a shining silver arm.

Back to the present, your ship shakes from an impact, causing your vision to go blurry for a moment. The opaque wall before you crumbles in response. R-19 reports that the wall is down and says the mission is moving onto Phase 3. Bertro urges you to get going as the rest of them will be covering for you. You report that you're going on ahead and ask them to hold on as you'll be back as soon as you can. The castle turns out to be bigger than it looked from the outside, and countless night gaunts are amassing inside. Surprisingly though, the faceless minions do nothing more than quietly observe you. Solomon takes note of this, and while he doesn't know why they aren't attacking he still tells you to stay on guard. Solomon also picks up on a large open space up ahead, where he's picking up a signal for a single being that isn't the night gaunts.

You make your way into the center of the castle, where one man is standing there and looking up towards you. He looks dignified and composed, and he spreads his arms out to you. Nuada welcomes you as he refers to you as the one to inherit his dream (re: throne), calling you Samildánach the one skilled in many arts and Lugh. You recognize him as someone you saw in your dream, but you get the feeling that something is different. Cthugha radios in to tell you that he looks exactly like the Nodens he knows, but he's acting completely different. His presence and speaking pattern are mostly the same as well, yet something is off about those too, and Cthugha demands to know who he is.

Nuada is indifferent as he replies, giving his name and calling himself the former king who once ruled Erin but lost his throne. He is the king of the fairy land of Tir na Nog, someone who once fought Balor and possessor of the shining silver arm. Breke is shocked by this and asks Cthugha what's going on, but Cthugha says he doesn't recognize him or the names Nuada and Erin. Bertro radios in to call off the mission and tells everyone to make an emergency retreat. Solomon prompts you to leave since command has ordered a retreat, but you plead for a bit more time. You try to ask Nuada where Nodens is, and you comment that it feels like you're being welcomed.

Bertro flat out tells you no to attempting to negotiate with an unknown entity, and Nodens starts talking through Nuada to laugh about how everyone always panics whenever things don't go to plan. You came all this way, you might as well look cool for him! For a second, nobody can figure out who's saying that. Nodens then switches over with Nuada, giving you a welcome for finally reaching him after all those hardships you must've gone through. Cthugha asks who he is, so Nodens gives his name and says he's the Lord of the Abyss and lord of the Agate Castle before cackling.

You are taken aback by this change in demeanor, but Nodens says you can just stop thinking, saying the moment you came here was the moment things have ended. He comments that the one problem here was how to get you over there since they couldn't leave the Dream Land. The only way they could figure out how to arrange for that was to push humanity to the brink, send Cthugha over to your side, then have you guys learn about the Agate Castle, and he says it was a huge pain in the ass to get that done.

Breke and Cthugha have no idea what Nodens is on about, but they figure everything will be fine if Nodens is taken out. Nodens cackles again and says he already told you guys you can't win anymore, then calls out the invocation chant. Nodens's class is Ruler and his concept is Grasping. Nodens uses his ability to seize and take away light, then uses his NP to force a shutdown of Breke's and Cthugha's ships' energy systems. You call out over the radio to them in alarm and ask what happened, but all that answers you is the sound of explosions as their ships disappear from the radar.

Nodens explains that their (which he uses in the plural sense) power is Grasping, and by order of the king light cannot defy him. Nothing can oppose him whether it be man or machine. And to go back to an earlier question you guys asked of him, he doesn't have multiple personalities or anything. You guys were talking to Nuada earlier, who is a Lord Nodens from another world. You think to yourself that it's odd how Nodens used an honorific title there, and Nodens says that's enough side chatter as he asks if you get that you can't oppose him now.

You tell Nodens that you don't get what's going on at all or just send him a look saying as much, so Nodens laughs and says he'll just have to make you understand then. Nodens then commands the night gaunts to release the light that's been sealed in the abyss. Go mad at the agonizing past regrets and losses from the bleak memories of the past, he says. Let the reminiscence come to thee past time, space, and the sleeping gate! Part of the castle breaks up into its component night gaunts that rushes you during Nodens' dramatic command, and you react in shock as visions start pouring into you.

A vision of Ryouta at Shinjuku Academy calling to you comes to you. It's a place you shouldn't know and a person you don't know, supposedly. A vision of Kengo in the classroom comes to you as he calls you partner. You don't know him, yet he calls to you like he's known you for a long time. A vision of Shirou at the school dorm comes to you as he calls your name. You shouldn't know who any of these people are...yet you do. These are experiences you've never had, yet you know what these memories are. Visions of Touji and R-19 come as well, and wild confusion from this contradiction bewilders you. Then comes memories of the Berserkers, the Missionaries, the Tycoons, and the Genociders come in. Something else surges from within you, from these past memories that happened but you haven't experienced. There is an unfolding war of 24 worlds happening in a walled city, and the memories of the people of these worlds converging in that world and your true self come to you like a roiling wave. Pain and pleasure pour in relentlessly to torture you.

Nodens laughs and asks if you're still alive or if you've gone insane. But either way he calls you his trophy. So what if you lost a bit of your mind? You look better that way! Nodens is then surprised and impressed that you seem okay. You say you remember that you were in Tokyo before, so you ask him what all this outer space business is. Nodens decides to tell you as he asks if you know about the many worlds theory about parallel worlds embodying multiple possibilities. This whole thing is one of those worlds where the battle has shifted into a space war, where you happened to meet a night gaunt that first night in the park, which then led the world down to a different path.

All of your guildmates, your teachers, and your enemies? None of them could come to this world, and none of them could defend against Nodens' attack. The reason for that? None of their worlds have a concept of outer space or space battles. Every other world has a concept of the sky, but they were unable to recognize this new world, so Nodens laughs about how they couldn't keep up with the world that lost they look down upon so much. That's what they get for not being able to conceptualize an invasion from outer space!

You point out that things still aren't over since everyone on the main ship wasn't destroyed either, and you're about to say why that is when Nodens repeats his earlier point that you need to know about the idea of a battle in space in order to resist against him. The biggest exception would be anyone from the future world of Utopia since they have that concept in their heads already. While they couldn't avoid his conceptual attack, they still managed to land a good counterattack on him since they brought in people with the role of a space defense force that repels space invaders.

Nodens is surprised to see that you're still willing to go against him, but he approves since that's why he detests you and Nyarlathotep so much. You came for his throne, so it's obvious he'd want revenge right? Nodens then orders Nyarlathotep and Tsathoggua to get rid of your guys' main ship since he'll be busy toying with you, you usurper. You throw yourself at him in an attempt to force him to stop, since if he goes down he can't keep doing what he's doing. Nodens is amused at you charging him and tells you to come at him as the episode section battle begins. More happens afterwards.

The story picks up with Nodens flying in the sky with giant dark wings attached to his back, misshapen appendages formed by a fusion of countless night gaunts. A great number of shadowy spears fly out at you, but you do your best to avoid the barrage and look for an opening to cut Nodens down. It isn't going well for you though, and Nodens laughs madly at your vain efforts. He taunts you about dancing for him or go boom for him. He likes his RPGs, fighters, and simulation games, but damn are shooting games the best. The thrills of grazing bullets, the tension of being on your last life, and then the dejection of getting a game over!

You are frustrated at being unable to get closer to Nodens and wonder why he's making so many game references, though you do get the feeling you remember this about someone else. Solomon calls out some emergency evasion and suggests you back away from Nodens. Nodens cackles some more about liking how you're struggling so futilely, but you argue back that there's still a chance as you keep at it. Nodens tells you he said you're wasting your time because there's a traitor among you. You either reject the idea or ask if he meant Cthugha. B gets an extra line where Nodens laughs at the idea of someone as dumb as Cthugha being able to act as a traitor.

Nodens prompts the traitor to change sides already, though he's perplexed for a moment when Solomon doesn't do anything. He then remembers that's how the contract was set up here, meaning Solomon being a ship control AI in this world means he has to be ordered to actually do something. Nodens proceeds to do just that, pulling rank as the administrator to force a shutdown command. Solomon is shocked by the command usage but reluctantly complies, shutting your ship down and himself with it. The ship's HUD blink off in a second, and Solomon's projection blips out after. The ship starts falling, and the section ends as you realize you were set up to never have a chance to begin with.

Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 5 Part 1

The last few days of humanity were spent with everyone together. People talked about their dreams after the final battle would be over, even though there wasn't supposed to be any chance of surviving it. Most everyone smiled in the face of an unchangeable ending. Even if humanity were to make the long shot and survive this war, most everyone knew this would be the end for them. This is the one final battle this world is having coming up, so perhaps no one had anything else to do. Someone came up with a silly suggestion: what if we all knew each other from long ago? Everyone laughed at the question...and there was someone who didn't.

 

Cthugha sobs as he asks why humans have to die. He finally met you guys and became friends, and yet... You express concern for Cthugha or stay quiet, and Cthugha cries some more saying he's done with being alone, that he can't bear it anymore. Over in the hallway, Bertro asks Breke if he hates him. Breke finds it odd that Bertro isn't laughing like he usually is and comments on him being weirdly sentimental. Bertro admits that this time he doesn't know what to do with himself. But even so, he's sure that Breke will survive this because that's how he made him to be. Breke was designed to be living proof that humanity had lived, able to adapt to any harsh environment like heat, airlessness, or radiation. No one else is like that though, so he's likely to outlive all of you.

 

Breke has nothing to say to that, so Bertro argues that Breke has the right to hate him for being made without his input. Breke however brings up a parallel between him and Bertro and Duo, saying neither of them asked to be born as geniuses either. Bertro is surprised at this comparison, so Breke talks about them being designer babies. They can hate, or not hate. They can use that right, or they can leave it. But either way, Breke says they can't be lonely anymore because they aren't isolated anymore. There were meetings and partings in this dark night. It's been a long, long journey, and they just stopped in the middle to comfort each other when their paths crossed for a moment. But that meeting still exists now. Even if someone forgets, the fact that it happened won't disappear. 

Over at the deck of the Wall of Time, three window screens are up. The starry sea streams past, a scenic view from a dream from the distant past. Duo says the ship is going at top speed, then sighs and wonders if they'll make it in time before humanity is destroyed. It's noted that without Kurogane's power to grasp light, which the engine uses, then it'd be impossible to do so. Duo notes that you guys are going at the theoretical fastest speed you can achieve. Any faster is the realm of the eternal future, which no one can get, even if you guys have reached the furthest into space than anyone from humanity has accomplished.

While Duo looks surprised, Kurogane shrugs, his eyes shining. Duo comments on him always looking forward at the one thing faster than light in this world. Duo also comments that some poet must have said something similar, something along the lines of people or humanity calling it hope. Kurogane has not been paying any attention as he excitedly looks at a planet he'd only ever have seen through a telescope coming close by, only to be disappointed when the ship zooms by it in a second. He tries with the other planets the ship passes by, though he doesn't do any better given the speed. Duo smiles as he tells him he'll remember them for him. He's got a good head on his shoulders after all.

Back to you and Cthugha, Cthugha is crying some more so you smile at him, pat his head, and/or hug him. He's surprised by this gesture, and you tell him that since you've met him, he's not alone anymore and that you're glad you've met him. This prompts more tears as he attempts to deny that he's crying. You cuddle him and send him to his room, or you go lie down with him, and either way you eventually drift to sleep.

You awaken middream wondering where you are when you see the Agate Castle since you're sure you were sleeping in your room beforehand. Nuada and Nodens greets you, saying you've done well to reach him as he calls you the one who will be inheriting his dream (re: throne). You demand to know who he is, more politely ask him where you are, or think to yourself that you can't tell if you're talking to one person or two. Nuada explains that you are in his dominion, the innermost part of the Dream Land, and describes himself as the king who once held the throne before being chased away from it, his former glory sealed within dreams.

You ask Nuada some more about you guys being inside a dream, then wonder how you can see someone you've never met before here. Nuada explains that you are the one who entered his abyss of a dream since he can't leave that place. He didn't actually expect you to come here, nor did he expect you to make direct contact with him. You express confusion about his being unable to leave and ask about him being stuck inside a dream. Nuada asks if you pity him or came to laugh at how wretched he is. But either way, he says the same goes for you the way you've been sealed in a tiny city with high walls. He's not that lonely about his circumstances though, since he has his servants here.

Night gaunts appear, and you are alarmed at Shadow Buggers turning up and suspect who he is from him saying they serve him. Nuada says he's been waiting so long for you calling you the inheritor of his territory, [REDACTED]. At this point the dual layered voice Nuada has been speaking in starts breaking up, and Nuada reacts like he's suddenly in pain to your somewhere-from-not-to-great level of concern.

The story flashes back a bit to before the announcement broadcasted through the ship alerted you guys of your arrival. The first to physically confirm this was Duo, sensing a dreadful sense of realism from the projected picture of the Agate Castle on the ship's screens. Duo tells Bertro he's entrusting him with command during the operation, any thoughts and opinions about this be damned since Duo will be focusing everything on operating the ship. He'll be counting on him. Bertro comments on how decisive that decision was and says Duo's different from how he used to be. Duo jokes that an evil spirit may have left him, then starts being personal with Bertro as he tells him how he always stood up carrying heavy baggage, never having been able to take a step away from his Given Reason for Being. He just stood there and watched his three different siblings continue to hurt each other. But after getting out of that world and looking at outer space, a thought came to him: wow that's such a tiny place he was standing in before. Duo says he'll fight now and do as he pleases. His brother is still waiting for him back at that city, so he'll worry about him if he stays out too long. Ah, the burdens of being a younger brother.

Title card: Thank You, Everyone

Over where Nodens is, he laughs about you getting away after you finally came to see him. He shrugs it off though since you'll be jumping back in sooner or later, and he then commands his subordinates to come welcome you guys. Nyarlathotep and Tsathoggua appear silently, their hearts locked, giving him a short bow before teleporting out. Nodens cackles about this being the last party and welcomes everyone to Dream Land, eyes filled with mad determination as he laughs into the void.

Silence hangs in the room again for a moment until Nomad angrily speaks again. He talks about how he's the only one able to say what he's saying, so he'll say it: is Duo really planning on sending all of you into a meat grinder for nothing? Nomad argues that a person's life should be used as they see fit, not something to be wasted on grand causes or duties. Duo says you guys are the only ones left in humanity able to fight for it, which is reason enough for him to not send you guys out with a mission plan that ends with you all dead. It is going to be harsh enough to kill you though.

Everyone is surprised at Duo's declaration again, and Nomad is impressed as he tells Duo he can only act uppity for so long before agreeing to go with his plan and asking him to explain. Duo says it's really just avoiding the mobs and heading straight for the leader, that's it. Nomad says this isn't a game you guys are in and doubts you guys can avoid 20 times as many enemy attacks as you guys have, but Duo says it's possible to avoid and defend against it all with your guys' powers. His artifact shines and floats above his hands, sending out lines of light to connect to the ship again to control all its functions.

Duo asks R-19 to handle observing the enemy. The ship's guns can be set to auto-fire with friend/foe identification turned on. R-19 says he'll devote all he has to it and accepts the task. Duo orders Kurogane to stay on top of the Wall of Time's main critical functions. Kurogane accepts, but he warns him that even with his own power the battle can only last for up to thirty minutes before the ship blows up. Duo is about to assign Nomad to his task when Nomad figures out it's going to be the same thing he did last time. He pleads for Duo to not spam evasive maneuvers since it'll drain Nomad to the point he might die.

You ask if this mission has any chance of success, ask if Duo plans on using the main ship for battle, and/or point out that you can't win just by running way. Duo says he understands your reservations, but he says he's not doing this out of desperation. He pulls up a closeup screen of some of the special element Shadow Buggers, and Cthugha recognizes them as direct servants to Nodens. Duo says they give off a threatening force unlike anything else before and have not been seen before now. He suggests that these ones act as relay antennas for Nodens' power. If they were going to attack like normal, they could just overwhelm with sheer numbers. Duo however points out that your guys' power means you can evade simple attacks. Nodens will need something to relay his will when it comes to point defense.

R-19 makes a point of saying the Shadow Buggers will be called night gaunts from now on, then says it seems their army is made up of about ten million enemies organized into 20:1 ratio'd units. Breke points out that's a lot of them and asks if he and Cthugha are supposed to thin them out. Duo confirms this, then orders them to escort the main ship to clear the path forward. They acknowledge the order, and Duo says it looks like the enemies have set up 100 defensive lines centering on the Agate Castle. The quickest way Duo can see into it still takes you guys through 30 of them, and Breke and Cthugha are to cut through 25 of them. Your task...is cut off by a scene transition.

Time passes as the three of you board your ships and are put on alert. You can't sense any sounds of battle, as the vacuum of space cannot carry sounds. Even so, the ships take on unimaginable evasive actions. Cthugha is on the radio attempting to take deep breaths, but he eventually yells that it's not helping him calm down. He's freaking out at the idea of having to jump deep into enemy territory and says he might blow up soon. Breke sympathizes since it's a natural reaction to suddenly heading into a harsh battle, so he offers to teach Cthugha a way to calm himself.

Cthugha is surprised there's a way and asks to learn how. Breke tells Cthugha to repeat to himself that he is nervous, but Cthugha reacts with baffled disbelief thinking it won't help. Breke persists and tells him to breathe deep while repeating the words to himself, so Cthugha relents and does so. After two rounds of this, he comments on feeling ridiculous and asks if the method really works. You point out that it does to some extent since he stopped sounding so shaky and is able to say it relatively smoothly.

Cthugha is surprised as he realizes the method worked. Breke explains that getting nervous is the natural response to being faced with danger, and that suppressing it doesn't work. In that case, you'd do better acting like a third person observer to your own behavior. Doing so makes you aware of how stupid you might look, which should ease up the tension. Cthugha thanks Breke and says he's never met anyone who'd tell him that before. He's never had anyone be this nice to him, nor has he ever felt like not wanting someone else to die, so he swears to do his best in the upcoming battle.

R-19 radios in to tell Breke and Cthugha it;s almost time to move onto the next phase of the mission. Both respond back that they can go at any time, so R-19 says he'll open the hatch and directs Breke to head to the launch catapult. The hangar door slowly opens as bright red lights light up in a line, and Breke flies over to the catapult, causing blue flames to burst from the nozzle. R-19 counts off, and at zero Breke announces his takeoff as he blasts out. R-19 instructs Cthugha to get on next, and Cthugha psyches himself up before zooming out next.

Sparks fly in the distance, and the battle has begin. Bertro radios in to ask you to answer if you can hear him. If you can't, answer him anyway. You reply that you hear him and comment that it's new for him to be operating. Bertro says Duo is busy with operating the main ship, so he'll take over going through the last checks with you. You guys have currently broken through the 25th defense line, and Breke and Cthugha are currently escorting the main ship. Your job is to be the surgical strike against Nodens, which he phrases as a needle injection to wake him up.

Once the ship hits the 30th line, you are to fly out to the Agate Castle. The main ship will beeline for the Agate Castle's outer wall and create a defensive line of its own there to hold out until the end of the mission. You have to end things within 20 minutes, and Bertro says that all ships have been modded to share all information gained on Nodens. You either ask Bertro what the victory conditions or loss conditions of the mission are. In A, Bertro says it's the pacification, capture, or defeat of Nodens, whichever way it goes. Once that's done you're to return to base so that you can all blast out of there. In B, Bertro comments on that being something people wouldn't want to think about, but you have to here. When the time comes, he tells you to destroy as much of the castle as you can before coming back to ship with no detours. A war isn't over until you actually lose, so come back safely.

R-19 messages you that the main ship has hit the 29th layer, so it's time to get ready to go. Solomon answers and takes the ship over to the catapult. You think about how many times you've seen the launch area from the hangar now, and the ship starts slightly shaking as the engine turns on. You either tell Solomon you're counting on him, take Breke's advice for yourself to tell yourself you're nervous, or smile silently. In A, Solomon says after a moment to say he'll assist you with every function on board, then suggests use both of your abilities to the fullest to make the mission a success. In B, Solomon notes that you're concentrating by doing self-objectification, then observes that your pulse and brain wave activity are calming down. Since he doesn't feel the need to provide mental support now, he focuses on controlling the ship systems. In C, Solomon notes that your breathing, pulse, and brain waves are all okay. He talks about maintaining your current condition and says he estimates success has risen by 11%.

R-19 radios in that the ship has hit the 30th layer and that launch preparations are done. You respond back by announcing your departure, and the ship suddenly accelerates making everything outside look like streams of green light. When things clear up, you see a castle out there as big as you imagined at a minimum. Night gaunts swarm you, but Breke and Cthugha shoot them down as they tell you to get going and that they'll cover you. They fly to your sides, and the castle up ahead looks like it's half covered by something transparent. Bertro comments that you should think of it as having the same regenerative ability as the night gaunts, but you have your power, so he asks you to use it to break through. The silver blade on your ship glows, cutting a way forward as the episode section battle begins.

Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 4 Part 2

It's been thirty minutes since the simulation room training has started. After eyeing each other vigilantly for some time, one particular result keeps repeating itself. Cthugha complains, baffled that his attacks aren't landing as he keeps trying to carpet bomb Breke's ship. Breke however slips from view for a moment, only to reappear the next to show he's unharmed. Breke concedes that Cthugha's destructive power is threatening and personally vouches for it, but he points out that it's only when he's able to fight calmly. Cthugha accuses Breke of cheating, but Breke says he isn't and what's happening is simply just a difference in skill.

 

Cthugha's ship seems to be pulled into Breke's attack, though this is really predictive firing, as in shooting where you read your opponent will be based on your observations. You anticipated Breke doing this, so you throttle your control stick down and and attempt to attack him from his blind spot. Breke was also prepared for this and disappears from view again, leaving you to charge at Cthugha's ship as he panics. Breke then pops up elsewhere and ends the round by blasting the both of you down.

 

Once you're back outside the sim, Cthugha complains and asks why he lost every other round after winning the first. Breke says you guys did win that first round, but after he got more used to riding his ship he noticed that his attacks are easy to read. Cthugha is in disbelief at that since he feels he has a complicated personality, but Breke points out his attack pattern consists of pursuit and exploding things. His blasts are easy to run away from for anyone that's faster than him. He may be trying to win with one attack, but that's wasting the special traits of the ships.

Cthugha asks Breke what he means by traits, so Breke says Cthugha's ship is loaded with tons of his missiles. He shouldn't shoot them one by one, he should dump them all out for suppression fire. He'd be better off using them to cornering enemies rather than attempting to shoot them down himself. Breke also advises Cthugha to use everything on the battlefield too since missiles aren't his only weapons. He was blessed with strength, so he should make good use of them. Cthugha is flattered to be told he was blessed with something, so he says he'll try doing as Breke says. Breke tells him that if pushing doesn't work, he can always try pulling.

Breke turns to you next for the debriefing, and you either apologize for doing poorly or be confident you did well. In A, Breke comments you were more led around by your power than controlling it. In B, Breke agrees you did great and says he'd point out your power leading things would be why. Either way he says your hit and run tactics are great, but your methods are so by the book that the direction and timing of your attacks are easily read. They won't be any effective on people past a certain level of skill.

Breke concedes that he did teach you how to move and fight, so it's no surprise that he knows how you'd move. He can't have you stuck in place though. If everything lines up with what you guys already know, the side with more numbers to it will win and that side currently isn't yours. So, Breke reminds you to keep in mind that unexpected things may happen. You are both Breke's subordinate and student, so there's no need to keep copying what Breke is doing. He challenges you to surpass him, and when you do so he'll be proud of having taught you.

Breke suggests ending training for the day, at which point R-19 walks in carrying a thermo case saying he's brought food and water. Cthugha cheers saying he just started feeling hungry, and R-19 asks if he has any favorites as he'll try to accommodate if he can. Cthugha decides to ask for a drink in a tube and a nutrient bar for the aesthetics, adding he's read that's what the library books said about being cool and stoic. R-19 hands him the S ration then, and Cthugha happily opens up the package.

Breke warns Cthugha that he’ll have his fill and then some to the point of getting sick of them if he goes on long missions. Cthugha says it's fine since it fits the mood, so Breke lets him be and asks for an M ration. R-19 complies, handing Breke an even bigger package than Cthugha's that turns out to have hot steaming rice balls inside. They're bright and picturesque in the light, with a slight salty aroma and filled with pickled vegetables that Breke washes down with tea in his drink tube.

Breke says the riceballs are good, though Cthugha is having trouble wrapping his mind around having them available as food since he pictures his nutrient bar as the definitive space food. Breke says no one's ever said that, but he admits that the nutrient bars and stuff was what was around during the early stages of space traveling. But anyways, Breke talks about how food is one of the important pleasures of life for soldiers stressed from battle. Better quality rations means better results in battle, so there's a lot of variations of them to help with that. The riceballs themselves became popular just recently, and apparently they got the idea for them from entertainment of some kind.

You either ask for an M ration too, comment that rice balls taste great, or say rice will give you strength for tomorrow. Cthugha complains that he should have been told about that earlier, so Breke offers to trade meals with him since they do have that much room to change things. R-19 is also happy to go along with this if Cthugha likes and offers to trash his first choice. Cthugha opts to keep and finish it saying it's bad manners to leave leftovers, and you guys enjoy a moment of peace.

R-19 excuses himself for the time being saying he has duties around the ship to attend to, but if you need anything you can call him. Breke suggests you guys all break up for the day and go on standby until something comes up, but Cthugha says he wants to try one more round in the simulation in an attempt to even out his win-loss ratio. You remember what Duo told you earlier about meeting him, so you excuse yourself. Breke says he'll see you later then and tells you to get some rest.

You walk with R-19 out into the hallway, and he asks if you're going to the bridge. Since he's going in the same direction for part of his route, he asks if he can accompany you. You comment that it must be hard for him since he also handles the ship's guns and medical staffing. R-19 says that's partly true as he isn't assigned to one set role, but a bunch of different ones at once. Like during battles he handles the guns and operating for you guys when you pilot. Outside of battle he handles ship security and health checks of all members. Bringing food like he did earlier was part of his medical job. You either thank him for everything, offer to help him out with stuff, or offer to hug him for doing so well.

In A, R-19 thanks you back, then notes that you are physically and mentally fine. You being that way is proof that he's doing good, and he promises to do his best to make sure you stay that way. In B, R-19 says he's fine and that this is his job. He asks you to focus on getting your rest, as that would be the best help you can give him. In C, R-19 is surprised by the offer and has to look up what a hug is. Once he's done with that, he notes that it does help humans on a mental level, so he says he can let you do so for a minute since it's outside his job purview. You two hug, and he then asks if it did anything for you.

In any case, R-19 asks to talk to you about something in private, so you agree. R-19 has trouble voicing what he wants to say when you give him permission, with his vocal intonation going out of wack as he starts saying he wanted to give you his thanks. Ever since you joined the ship's crew, he says that everyone's mental health has been great. Things have been getting more difficult and it's hard to tell what's going to happen next, but you've turned things around in your guys' favor. This goes especially for Duo, though R-19 admits he might not look that way. But since he's a terminal for him, he figured he'd thank you on Duo's behalf. You either tell him 'you're welcome' and happy to hear that, or you call R-19 cute and say you love him. C gets an extra line where he feels that's not quite right a compliment for him but moves on.

R-19 repeats his thanks for you again as the commander's terminal. You think aloud on how he describes himself and start to ask him if Duo was his creator when R-19 preemptively confirms as such, though he also says it applies in a broad sense. He was once on a mission where he sustained considerable damage and had to cease function a number of times. The commander then remade him and extended his shelf life, so he serves him and carries out various missions for him. He knows him better than the other crew members do. R-19 also tells you that based on his analysis, Duo's mental state has been worsening since getting on board the ship.

You either react in disbelief or agree after a moment that Duo might not be doing well on the mental side of things. R-19 admits that this is the first time he's ever seen Duo like that, but he's not sure how to approach this. He's looked up psychiatrical databases for research, but he feels he can't do it himself since Duo is his superior. You try to ask R-19 to elaborate on that last point, so R-19 says that the closest comparison he can come up with after looking it up would be "an all-powerful all-knowing god." That's something he's decided he can't do anything about or give comfort with, but you point out that Duo is important, ask if R-19 wanted to do so, and/or ask if he wanted to do something for him. R-19 says after a moment that he wasn't equipped with that function since it was deemed unnecessary. He was just made to fulfill his preset role, but you stop R-19 and make a point of asking what it is he wants to do.

R-19 is surprised silent at the question, and you suggest that since Duo made him, Duo needs him. R-19 takes a moment to look up what it is you're doing with him, then recognizes that you're counseling him. He seems slightly offended as he tells you his emotions are an imitation of humanity's so there's no need to console him. But after a moment passes he still thanks you for doing so, smiling in his own way and bowing before going to do his own thing.

Once you meet Duo, he tells you you're earlier than he expected as he tells you to be at ease. Duo then asks if you think Cthugha is usable, so you either tell him you think he's not the type to hide things, say he'll help a lot in battle, or say he needs more observation. Whatever you chose, Duo decides to accept your judgment given that you're the one working closer with him. There's a certain sharpness to his words, and he looks different from usual.

Duo says this is to be a confidential conversation and says you can't tell Breke even if he is your direct superior. Now, as this is the last mission he intends on working you to the bone. It's for the sake of humanity, and he's sure this is going to end up killing you. If he has to, he'll treat you like a useful disposable pawn, though you probably already know that. If there's anything you want to say about that, he offers to hear them out but makes no promises about doing anything about it.

You calmly accept what Duo tells you as you ask him to use you well and point out there's no other way. Duo is surprised silent as he looks at you, so you decide to ask him why he's pushing himself so hard and if he can carry the burden of humanity on his shoulders. He doesn't give an answer, so you continue by pointing out that he's still a kid and too young to be carrying anything that heavy, though you admit he could pull it off.

Duo points out that you're a kid too, but he agrees to tell you how he does it. He says you can just think of everything as a game and think of you as a replaceable piece since he can always just start over. It's how he dealt with it up until now, over and over and over again. You tell Duo that this isn't a game and that he should know that. Duo is quiet again for several moments, eventually admitting that he does as his whole body shakes while his voice sounds so tired and disillusioned.

Duo says he knows that what you guys are doing 'right now' is no game that can be redone however many times. He starts tearing up as he asks what you want him to do when you say so. He's always put up with everything by thinking of it as a game. If he thinks about how redoing things won't work even once, his legs start shaking too much to keep going anymore.

You ask Duo what he wants to do and try to get him to calm down, or you just quietly pull him into a hug. Duo thinks about Shuichi and Bertro as he tells you he has siblings who he was raised with in the same place. They were all raised as geniuses, but Duo was the only one to run away. But still he wasn't able to to do anything, not even stand up on his own. He always felt like giving up, but thinking of it as a game that he could retry helped. However, he's finally understood that everything will be over if he makes even one mistake. He's always put on a calm face, but he can't handle it anymore. He wants to protect everyone and he wants everyone to survive, so he has to stand in front so he won't have to see how badly beaten his siblings have gotten. You tell him you know and compliment him for saying so, or you quietly pat him on the head, and either way Duo bursts into wailing tears.

Time passes a bit to the point where Duo says he's calmed down. He was trying to keep it in mind on an intellectual level, though it was only an attempt at it. He's embarrassed about the side of you he showed you, but he says he's okay now as he's the commander. He goes back to smiling the way he's done before, continuing to think out his strategies while carrying his heavy burden. You either pour him some coffee, rub his shoulders, or turn off the monitor.

In A, Duo thanks you and says he doesn't need any milk or sugar to go with it. He talks about how caffeine is bad for your health and how he knows there's safe medicines for mental activity. But when he's working as the commander he ends up wanting something pointless like this, and he comments that the human System needs to play as a buffer. In B, Duo says you don't need to do that since there's someone else who's in charge of this. But after thinking on it some more he thinks it should be fine because getting used to the other massage might make it less effective. He winces a little as he says you're doing it too hard and tells you to control your strength better, then approves when you lighten up. In C, Duo is surprised as he says he wasn't planning on giving you the power to interrupt work. There's no holidays for the managers and this goes even more for the frontliners. He has to study information and plan strategies, and soldiers have to be ready to act without hesitation. He admits he might be sticking too closely to regulation and the stress may be getting to him. He thanks you and says he'll forgive your unilateral action.

In any case, Duo says he's taken his mind off of things thanks to you and notes he's gotten anxious before he realized it. He leaves Cthugha's handling to you and says you can ask Breke for help with that. That's all for the discussion he's had in mind with you, so he says you can go now. You excuse yourself, then ask him not to push himself too hard and say you guys should do your best to survive this. Duo doesn't respond as he sits down in his chair, and you leave the room.

Immediately after you leave Kurogane walks in and comments that Duo's face is saying he's gotten his mind off of things. Duo sighs at him and tells him eavesdropping is rude, and Kurogane says he thought about walking midway but decided against interrupting. Kurogane then tells Duo that he has the same opinion that Bertro does, and Duo decides to officially ban eavesdropping and threatens Kurogane with military court if he breaks the rule before sighing and asking how the ship remodeling is going.

Kurogane uses a nearby computer terminal to shut the door to prevent anyone from listening in from outside. He comments that this should be good enough to prevent leaks and comments he's the big brother of the ship crew. Duo sighs about getting another big brother out in the ends of space, baffling Kurogane into asking if he said something wrong. Duo says it's fine, then warns Kurogane he's always harsh on his big brothers. Kurogane protests that that's different from what he's said before.

Duo comments that he doesn't think he has any big brother who can put up with him, then changes the subject to say that Cthugha is in plain terms, bait. He's suspicious of how convenient the information he brought is, and he suspects Cthugha was sent to be taken prisoner with information they could afford to leak to lure you guys into a trap. Kurogane says it might be true, though he doesn't understand that force of personality.

Duo says that you like Cthugha, then asks Kurogane's opinion of him. Kurogane says he's honest and pleasing, and also quick to understand so he's fast at learning how to pilot. He's still concerned about his personality and power though. Duo calls Cthugha uncontrollable and says he wouldn't want him at base if he were the enemy leader. He also thinks about the possibility that Cthugha could blow up on your side at any point. Kurogane points out that they still added him to the party despite that, and all Duo can do in response is nod grimly.

Duo talks about how you guys wouldn't have gotten out unscathed from the enemy siege without Cthugha's information. You guys are also low on fighting potential so you have to use anyone possible, which Duo believes is what the enemy is expecting. He sighs about smart they are, then points out how their plans up to this point wasn't about completely crushing you all. Whatever their motive is, Duo needs to figure it out within the next three days. Nodens' apparent ability to materialize the past is problematic too as it's still unclear as to how it works, and he sighs about all the problems he needs to look into.

Kurogane points out that Duo isn't alone. He may be a genius, but there's still a lot of people around him he can rely on. Duo concedes the point after a moment, then asks if he can ask Kurogane about something. Kurogane agrees, so Duo asks why Kurogane chose to be a spaceship engineer since he wasn't born to do that. Plus it's sent him to where the battle for the survival of humanity is happening, so why would he do that? It's not like he was exiled from Earth for crimes or something.

Kurogane squirms a little at how hard it is to answer that, and while he admits part of it is to chase after his parents for going into the same career, he wanted to see and meet someone he doesn't know. Space is filled with unknown things, and he wanted to pursue that. Duo expresses his condolences for doing that and having to deal with space invaders. Kurogane laughs as he points out that he also met a nice guy like Cthugha out of all this, surprising Duo into pointing out that he just talked about how dangerous he is. Kurogane says that's true, but space is full of danger. He's still surprised he was hired by the army, but what can you do with the end of humanity in the balance?

The past and future are sure to clash at one point or another, and that happens at some point here in the present. Wherever those things come together, there's sure to be intense friction. It's terrifying, but terror is another name for the unknown. Kurogane says that's why he wants to go and see what's out there, even if he doesn't know what it is. He remembers seeing the brilliance in the night sky from back when he was young, which was when he knew it wasn't just the light of other stars. It was the shine of the night atmosphere where his home planet and outer space met, the nightglow. It was the blueish light of Earth, visible only in dark nights. He was fascinated by it, and one day he wanted to go where it was. Duo is quietly surprised as he looks at Kurogane's artificial arm stretching out as if to grasp something. Though whether it really was surprise, no one can say.

Back to your end, you decide to take a walk around since you can't sleep. Something not quite anxiety and expectations weighs on you, and you figure you should talk to someone about it, so you decide to head for the hangar. You eventually climb into your ship, where Solomon is surprised to see you there. He says you need at least six hours of sleep, and he says it's more comfortable for you to go sleep in your cabin rather than in the ship as he suggests you go there.

You say you're fine being there and ask Solomon to listen since you want to be with him. Solomon is silent before deciding to humor you as he turns on the engine to recline your seat and puffs up the cushions. It's still relatively cramped, but it does feel like a comfortable sleeping bag inside the ship now. Solomon notes a slight disturbance in your brain waves, so he asks if you regret choosing to join the army. You either tell Solomon about your discussion with Duo, ask his opinion on Nodens, or ask what he thinks you used to be like.

In A, Solomon says Duo's concerns as commander are natural to have. If he's opening up emotionally to you, Solomon figures he's thinking you're worth relying upon. He suggests that maybe it was some counseling that helped with his mental stress, and then says he'll put a lock on his memory banks to abide by Duo's rules. In B, Solomon says your question is unclear, so he's not sure how to answer. He also says it's not part of your job as a frontliner to do, so he asks you to get some rest for the battle ahead. In C, he says he's aware of your amnesia, but he suggests that you not let it get to you much since it affects your survivability. The both of you are tools of war, and he asks you not forget that.

Solomon talks about how your mental anxiety is coming from the current situation. He believes that there's no one on board including him who can help with it at its core. The situation has led to a positive self-evaluation, so he says mutual understanding or compromise would be good. You ask if he's telling you to come to grips with reality, comment on how human he seems for an AI, or just acknowledge the statement.

Solomon asks you what's wrong, so you ask him if he thinks you can pull it off or ask his evaluation of you as a soldier. Solomon says you've done the best you could in unknown situations. He'll do his best to prove his worth as your assistant and prove that judgment right. You're plenty competent as the pilot. You thank Solomon, say it's all thanks to him, and/or call him partner and say you love him. He goes quiet for a moment before saying he'll continue to suggest the best course of action for your survival until you're no longer needed. Until then, it's his role to be the best partner he can be for you.

You think on Solomon's comment about his role, then ask him where he came from. Solomon is quiet for a second before telling you he can't answer because he can't access that information. You nod in sympathy and wonder if he has parents. If he does, you say you want to see them someday. Solomon gets pensive at your comments, so you say you guys resemble one another and suggest looking for them together one day. Solomon says nothing for a moment before changing the subject, saying you're cutting into your rest time and suggesting you sleep and end the counseling session.

You tell Solomon you want to sleep in the cockpit, so Solomon relents and says he'll adjust the temperature and humidity to make it the most comfortable for sleeping, then wishes you sweet dreams. You doze off, and everyone on board the cruiser is doing their own thing as it sails through the stars. Some time later your awakening happens in an instant, and tension floods the ship. Duo commands everyone to be vigilant until the end of the operation as the final destination is now in sight. The ship's monitors show an image of an absurd castle shining in conspicuous colors among the sea of stars, and the Agate Castle rises with an unsettling silence.

On the next episode! On Earth, people make a wish upon a falling star. In which case, what sort of wish should be made here among the ocean of stars? You and everyone aboard the Wall of Time are making every effort you can as you head for the Agate Castle. The ceaseless waves of enemies rising against you comes to sneer at your determination. The dreaming king laughs at the center of this world and roars in triumph. The impossible final hope awakens from the dark enthusiasm from the sea. Find out what happens next time on Nightglows of the Starlit Sky Episode 5: Thank You, Everyone

Bonus because I felt like it: https://www.mediafire.com/file/hnj9sk5gw31clzk/Nightglows+Breke+Special+Quest.txt/file