Bakerlon Main Story: Shadow of the Night
Overview
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Commemorative Etiquette Ticket x350
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
There's still some time before dinner. Get some rest back in your suite.
You thought you wouldn't be able to sleep because of the noise in the carriage.
However, the slow, rhythmic movement of the train turns out to be the best lullaby you could ask for.
You sleep soundly this time. By the time you wake up and head to the dining carriage with everyone else, it is already dark out.
You: I only wanted to rest for a bit, but ended up oversleeping...
Luke: Don't worry. You must be exhausted from the journey, so it's good to get some rest.
Artem: Perfect timing as well. It's dinnertime.
You: Yeah, I'm feeling better!
Vyn: But...
Vyn pauses, frowning as he tried to speak.
You: What's wrong, Dr. Richter?
Vyn: The corridor seems a little different than it did during the day. What is that?
He points down the corridor.
Marius: Hmm, fog?
You: It kinda looks like it, but not really. It's hard to describe.
At night, the mountain fog becomes thick, turning the mountains that were visible during the day into blurry outlines.
Looking in the direction Vyn points, something seems to be moving slowly in the fog outside the window.
It feels as if the fog has seeped into the carriage...
Marius: Why don't we get closer? Maybe it's a publicity stunt for the train.
You're about to respond to what Marius said, when suddenly...
???: Ahhhh!
A scream comes from the corridor in front, creating an eerie echo through the empty corridor.
The scream is enough to send shivers down your spine.
You: What happened?
Vyn: There seems to be someone... crying on the other side of the corridor.
Luke: Let's go take a look.
Follow the direction of the scream and find out what's going on!
You follow the sound all the way to a guest carriage. Upon entering, Susan, who you met during the day, stands frozen in place, trembling.
Susan: D-Don't come over... Don't get any closer!
Dennis: Susan! Susan, my love, what's wrong!?
Dennis: Don't you recognize me? I'm your husband, your dear Dennis!
A man keeps trying to calm her down, but her face is pale, and she seems shocked.
You: Susan? Are you okay?
Dennis: You are...
You: We heard the scream and came to check it out. What happened?
Dennis: If only I knew!
Dennis: I had to take care of some work before I boarded the train, which left me in a bad mood. So I went to an empty room to cool off.
Dennis: I didn't think much of it at the time, but the next thing I knew, it was dark.
Dennis: I heard a crew member say my wife was desperately searching for me, so I hurried back.
Dennis: As soon as I entered the room, I heard Susan screaming that there was something invisible in the carriage.
You: What?
Dennis: I'm not too sure.
Dennis: She insisted that something hidden in the fog had drifted into her room... and even spoke to her...
You: ...
You look back at the people behind you, many looking surprised.
It is hard to understand what Mrs. Susan saw based on what Mr. Dennis said. Just as you're about to ask for more details...
You hear three knocks on the door from outside.
???: Dennis, Susan, are you okay?
???: This is Simon, the conductor. Do you need any help?
You: Hello...
You are stunned for a moment when the door opens. In addition to the conductor, there are many other passengers standing there.
Many have the same frightened look on their faces, while others look troubled.
Mark Kahn stands out in the crowd, a look of disdain on his face.
Dennis: Everyone... Eh, Mr. Kahn is here as well?
Mark Khan: What happened?
Dennis had no choice but to repeat what he had already told all of you.
Mark's face grows grimmer, but before he can speak, passengers in the crowd start shouting.
Tim: I saw it too! Just now... when fog came in through the window...
Tim: A strange shadow appeared in the corner of my room!
Lucca: It's true... As an accredited journalist, I swear I saw it as well!
Lucca: And the shadow... seemed to be talking to me.
Lucca: Oh my goodness, did I stumble upon a huge story?
The conversation between the two of them invites the other passengers to join in.
With each word, the crowded carriage fills with a cacophony of voices.
You: (I want to say something, but I can't chip in.)
Marius: So, what's the situation now?
Luke: A lot of people have met with strange happenings, huh?
Luke: It reminds me of the past... when people faced strange things somewhere in the desert.
Artem: Hmm... perhaps it has to do with someone as well. Who knows?
Vyn: To be seen by multiple witnesses in different locations at the same time...
Vyn: What could the so-called shadow be...? Intriguing.
???: Those shadows are not an artificial phenomenon.
???: This may be a reality of the Mobius itself...
Amidst your whispers, an old man's voice rises above yours.
Like a spoonful of ice in boiling water, what follows after a brief sizzle is an eerie calm.
Everyone in the crowd turns toward the old man with a kind face that had just entered the room.
You: Dr. Miller?
Lucca: You... Ohhh! I've seen you on TV before. You're Dr. Miller, an expert in the research of the occult!
Passenger A: What's the occult?
Passenger B: Is that... unknown mysterious forces?
Passenger A: W-what... Does that mean it's... g-gho...
Passenger B: Don't say it out loud. It's too frightening!
Dr. Miller ignores the whispers of the passengers and goes on.
Dr. Miller: Don't you know? According to the ancient legends of Bakerlon...
Dr. Miller: The fog of the Myerson Mountains has the power to record everything that has ever happened in these mountains.
Lucca: Can you elaborate!?
The reporter, perhaps sensing juicy gossip, presses on keenly.
Dr. Miller: The things that exist in this land will not change. They may present themselves at another opportunity.
Dr. Miller: Like the Mobius, which has been in operation since a hundred years ago. No matter how much it is renovated, it will always carry traces of the past.
Dr. Miller: For those of you who don't know, the train we're on was originally an important route for transporting Bakerlon crystals.
Dr. Miller: It is said that a hundred years ago, some conflicts happened on this train because of transportation issues...
You: (Conflicts?)
Somehow, an idea comes to your mind.
The person in the dream and the shadows passing by the window were not hallucinations, but... a memory of the past?
That's just what happens sometimes. Matters that are clearly unrelated are often tangled together by intuition.
Lucca: What kind of conflicts?
Mark Khan: Shut up, you old fool! This is an insult to the Kahn family!
Before Dr. Miller can say anything else, Mark Kahn rushes over in a fit of anger.
He has restrained himself somewhat since the incident at the dining carriage, but that doesn't stop the veins from throbbing on his forehead.
Mark Khan: I'm warning you — you better watch what you say, or I'll... I'll hire an attorney and sue you for defamation!
Mark Khan: Where's my attorney? Where did the guy from Stellis go!?
You: (What a smell of alcohol...)
Mark Kahn wobbles around and reeks of alcohol. He has been drinking.
Luke: What are you doing?
Vyn: ...
Marius: You shouldn't drink so much. Losing your composure is one thing, but it really does a number on your body.
Mark Kahn is visibly angered, but before he can say anything, a man in a doctor's coat holds him back.
Young Doctor: Sorry, you have my apologies. My brother has had a lot to drink.
Artem: You are...?
Young Doctor: My name is Yann, adoptive son of the Kahn family and Mark's personal physician.
The young doctor's respectful appearance wins him instant favor over Mark.
Yann Kahn: Mark had too much to drink at dinner and couldn't control his temper.
Mark Khan: Hmph!
Mark snorts coldly, but his eyes are wandering down the corridor.
Simon: So... what about the situation on the train?
Simon: At this point, the passengers won't be able to rest easy until the situation is figured out.
When Mr. Kahn is about to leave, the conductor, Simon, hurries to stop him.
Yann Kahn: This...
You: How about we check it out?
You ask tentatively, looking at everyone for confirmation.
Artem: Sure.
Luke: I agree. Seeing is believing. Since everyone says there's something going on, it's best to see for ourselves.
Marius: Yes, someone has to figure it out.
Vyn: Gladly.
Everyone nods in agreement without hesitation.
Tim: You guys are willing to check it out? Great! T-Then it's just down that corridor... there's something along that corridor!
As soon as someone offers to investigate, the passengers start talking again.
This time, though, their speech is mixed with excitement and curiosity.
Dennis: Everyone, my wife is having trouble calming down. Could you leave and let her get some rest?
Dennis: Why don't you all wait in the dining carriage?
You: Yes, please wait in the dining carriage.
Corridor of the Passenger Carriage
Carefully inspect the corridor where passengers say they feel very strange.
In the dark corridors of the carriage, the fog stretches slowly against the wall like a living object.
Artem: Strange... there is indeed something different.
You: What is it?
Artem: The fog seems to be thicker than before.
Marius: I may be mistaken, but my body temperature seems to have dropped quite a bit.
Vyn: The Myerson Mountains are located in an inland region at a high altitude. Temperature drop does become more noticeable at night.
Marius: Geography plays a role, but... is this thick fog also a natural phenomenon?
Luke: Stop! Be quiet.
You: !!!
Luke: Something is in the corridor up ahead.
Vyn: What is it?
Luke: Not sure, let's check it out. [Player], stay close to me.
You: Yeah.
Investigate the abnormal phenomenon in the storage room.
You: I can vaguely make out a human-like shadow...
You: Can you guys see it? Or am I hallucinating...?
Artem: No, I see it as well.
You: (Mr. Wing sees it too? So it's really there...!?)
Before you can react, the faint figure seems to notice your presence and floats toward you.
The figure, transparent like the fog, comes off as particularly eerie in the dimly lit room.
Your heart drops, and Artem steps forward to shield you behind him.
Artem: Don't be afraid. I'm right here.
You nod gently, watching as the figure stops and makes a few noises.
Shadow: Psst... Woah...
Shadow: Next... it's me... and you...
You: (It... can speak?)
Artem: ...
Shadow: Remember... there're certainly... repeats...
The words trail off as the shadow fades in the darkness, as if it had never been there.
The dim light makes you feel dizzy, but the sweat on your palms reminds you that everything did just happen.
Investigate the abnormal phenomenon in the corridor
You: Susan? How are you doing now?
Vyn: I can offer free counseling if you require it.
Susan, now sitting by the window, shakes her head. She still looks distressed, but seems to be doing much better than before.
Susan: No thanks, but thank you for the offer... I-I'm already feeling better.
Susan: It's just...
She frowns, somewhat hesitant about what to say.
You and Vyn exchange a look, knowing exactly what Susan is hesitating about.
Vyn: If you feel uncomfortable talking to someone else, feel free to tell us.
Vyn: We will believe you.
You: Yeah, we're on your side.
Hearing the affirmations, she reaches out to grab your arm, her voice trembling slightly.
Susan: I saw it. I wasn't hallucinating or anything... I really saw it!
Susan: There must be a ghost on this train, and it can speak...
You: ...
Vyn: Susan, you do not need to be afraid. Tell us slowly what happened to you.
With Vyn's help, Susan describes her encounter in detail.
Vyn: Susan, we believe you.
Vyn: There is a reason for everything in this world, and we will figure it out.
You: Yeah, maybe you should go back to your room and rest up first.
Susan: Sure, thank you...
Investigate the abnormal phenomenon in the corridor
Marius: [Player], is that a human figure over there...?
As you look where Marius is pointing, you make out a pale figure of a person.
There is something ghostly about it, especially against the backdrop of the night.
You: Y-yeah...
Marius: So my eyes weren't deceiving me—you see it too!?
You: Yes...
Marius frowns slightly at your confirmation and takes a few steps forward while signaling for you to get behind him.
At that moment, the faint shadow seems to hear your conversation with Marius. It turns around to look at you...
Shadow: Dreaming... makes the most reasonable... plan...
Shadow: ...What's done is done, only... I'm not cruel...
You: ...
Marius: It spoke? Did I hear that wrong?
The shadow shakes gently, as if to corroborate Marius' words, before speaking in a hoarse voice again.
Shadow: I... must do this.
Shadow: ...It's not my fault, not my...
Marius: ...!
You: ...
You look at Marius, who is frowning even more at this point, his expression sullen.
You: Marius, you... don't look too well.
Marius: I'm fine. Things suddenly... took an unexpected turn.
Investigate the abnormal phenomenon in the showroom
You: (There doesn't seem to be anything special here...)
Just as you're about to turn away, you feel a cool breeze across your skin.
You: (Wait... what's that?)
Looking where the breeze came from, you notice the fog passing by... and disappearing in the corner.
You: ...
Luke: What's wrong, [Player]? Why are you just standing there?
You: I... I thought I saw something float by.
Luke walks over quickly to you, a look of concern on his face.
Luke: Did you not get enough rest? Are you feeling uncomfortable?
You: No... I... I really saw it.
Luke: ...
At Luke's suggestion, the two of you check every corner of the exhibition.
But the shadow you saw at that moment doesn't appear again.
You: Now I'm starting to wonder if I was mistaken...
Luke: I believe you weren't mistaken.
Luke: Yeah, there are many questionable things about this train...
Luke: What you just saw is, perhaps, what Susan and the conductor saw.
You: Yeah.
Exhibition Room
It seems there's something special in the showroom. Go check it out.
You: Eh, this is...
Walking past a window in the exhibition, you notice a Bakerlon Druse that looks a little different.
The druse is emitting a faint white glow...
Marius: ...This looks familiar.
Artem: I remember it as well.
Luke: Isn't this what Dr. Miller gave you?
You: Yeah!
You: Oh, yeah, I placed it in there during the day... and forgot to retrieve it.
You subconsciously turn the druse.
With that movement, the light of the Bakerlon Druse changes slightly.
Swoosh—
Suddenly, a strange sound rings from the druse. Not far away, a faint figure appears.
It seems to come out of the dark, floating eerily in the fog from which it was created.
You: !!!
Before you can react, its hollow "face" changes slightly and makes an indistinguishable sound...
Figure: No... don't...
Figure: That... is not the truth...
You: (Is this caused by the ore magnetic field...?)
You: (But... what is it saying...?)
For a moment, everyone falls into a brief silence.
A strange phenomenon appears after the crystal cluster is moved around. Everyone seems to have something to say about that...
The air feels stagnant, with everyone looking at each other, unable to explain the strange incident that just occurred.
Vyn: ...
Marius: What do you guys think?
Luke: Let's just say nothing is ever too strange. I wouldn't have believed it, had I not seen it with my own eyes.
Marius: So, do you believe that what we just saw is what Dr. Miller calls a "magnetic phenomenon"?
Luke: Hmm... it's tricky.
Marius: I'm starting to believe Luke's hypothesis now. The analogy to magnetic tape...
Luke: That's the only way to explain it.
Luke: Probably because the crystals themselves have a remarkable magnetic field, plus the night fog...
Luke: When the ion concentration in the air reaches a certain level, they project the things that were once there.
It sounds scientific, but way too bizarre.
For a moment, you don't know whether to believe Luke.
Just then, a white mass passes by.
You: Ugh...
You feel a swelling pain in your eardrums as if something is blocking them. You subconsciously look down, pressing your hands against your ears.
Luke: What happened!?
You: No...
You open your mouth to say you're fine, but no words come out.
Vyn: Over there!
A gust of wind appears out of nowhere in the dimly lit exhibit. It is chilly enough to penetrate through your clothes to your bones.
In the direction of the gust of wind, a white shadow flutters behind the cold glass of the display case.
In the fog, you can feel the shadow staring at you.
It feels like a beast lurking in the darkness, gazing at the ignorance of mankind.
You: What... is that?
When you ask that question, your mouth feels stiff.
Vyn: A human!? N-No, not a human...
Artem: It's a shadow.
Or rather, the shadow of a woman.
You can even tell that she should have a pretty face with that dress.
She looks at you with clouded eyes, just like the ones in your dream... Her lips move, saying something.
You: !!!
Marius: This isn't some kind of ion projection, is it?
Luke: ...Is she trying to say something? I see her lips moving.
Artem: Ka...hn...
You: Did she say Kahn!? As in... Kahn Corporation?
Luke: I'll go check it out.
Luke frowns, inspecting the shadow carefully for several seconds, then suddenly takes a step forward.
You: Luke...
You subconsciously want to pull him back, but Luke has already walked out of your reach.
However, it is also this one step that forces the shadow to disappear before your eyes as if it had never existed.
You: She's gone!?
Artem: ...
Luke: Strange. It doesn't make any sense.
Luke has a sullen expression on his face, deep in thought about something that confuses him.
You: (Luke? Is he all right...?)
The hairs on the back of your neck are still standing. For the first time, you feel the uneasiness of the unknown in your heart.
