Rejuvenating Pour

Rover, Aalto, and Encore stood before the final sealed door. Aalto placed a hand on its frame, exhaling. "Now, this is the last room..."

They had combed through the facility, gathering fragmented data from lingering holograms. From what they'd pieced together, the truth was troubling:

The lab had once belonged to exiled researchers—cast out by the Committee for their extreme scientific methods. Now funded in secret by a figure known only as the Fractsidus Overseer, they continued their work in isolation.

Their main project: recreating a Retroactive Rain, an artificial phenomenon drawn from Remnant Energy capable of replaying moments from the past—what they called a "divine miracle."

Though they had reached the second phase, with suspended droplets forming, the event refused to complete. The researchers debated if the ancient Whining Aix's Mire civilization held answers, though doubt in their method grew.

Worse still, another file revealed a classified subject: A038, an artificial replica of a godlike being. Though inert at first, it had begun emitting strange signals—frequencies interpreted as hunger.

Disappearances and disturbances in the facility were quietly blamed on it. Despite this, the researchers continued feeding it Remnant Energy… hoping it wouldn't spiral out of control.

As they stepped through the final door, Encore suddenly pointed toward the far end of the room. "Aalto! Rover! Encore found something!"

She hurried forward, reaching out to touch the object. At her touch, something triggered.

A hologram flickered to life.

It took the form of a man—kneeling, aged, and visibly worn by time. Unlike the others, this projection didn't bustle with data or chatter. It simply began to speak, though static broke through the words now and then.

Still, the message was clear—and final.

The voice, belonging to what seemed to be the lead scientist, left behind a somber reflection. He confessed that their downfall hadn't come from external threats, lack of knowledge, or even a loss of purpose. It had come from time itself.

Driven by a deep fear of death and a relentless pursuit of truth, they had strayed—led astray by a false Gate, one that promised salvation but warped their path.

Now, in retrospect, he realized the very entities they had studied—echoes of beings from the distant past—might hold the answers they had missed. Not as relics, but as guides to the true future.

His final plea was quiet, almost broken: "To whoever found this message, save us. Go beyond. Seek the real Gate—the one that could truly change the world."

As the previous hologram faded, another suddenly came to life.

This one was of a woman—silver-haired, red-eyed, and impossibly beautiful. Her presence radiated through the room like a memory too vivid to fade.

"Wow… she's so pretty," Encore whispered in awe, eyes wide.

Aalto turned toward Rover. "Rover, about this person..."

Rover's brows furrowed as he nodded. "I... I think I know her..." Then, with a pause, he added, "But I can't remember why...."

Aalto gave a subtle smirk, the thought brushing quietly through his mind: 'Heh, knew it...'

The projection didn't linger for long as it faded soon, prompting them to focus back in their main objective—recover the Resonance Beacon.

Aalto suggested they head to the lower floors now that the elevator systems were active again. The group agreed and descended.

Once they reached the lowest level, they were met with the Savantae's final display—suspended from the ceiling like a twisted monument hung in reverence, it was a massive chunk of metal, rusted and worn. A grim trophy of forgotten genius.

Encore gazed up at the towering machine suspended above them, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Wow! A big clunky monster!" she exclaimed with delight.

As she spoke, one of Rover's Terminals trembled faintly. A moment later, a soft pulse of light emerged from it—Hanya stepping out with a yawn.

"Did the princess have a good sleep?" Aalto asked, his tone teasing.

Hanya gazed at him, then offered a sly smile. "Yes, Uncle, I did."

Aalto's eye twitched. He grumbled under his breath, "I'm not that old…"

Still, he counted it as a small victory—at least this time, she didn't call him a "pervert".

Turning his attention to the hulking machine overhead, Aalto narrowed his eyes. "The signal's coming from that thing. Don't tell me… it swallowed the Resonance Beacon?"

As Aalto scanned the Resonance signal, something in the machine reacted. The suspended abomination stirred—its limbs twitching, thick cables snapping loose one by one with sharp, metallic pops.

With a shuddering crash, the massive construct broke free and slammed down to the floor, sending vibrations through the ground.

Aalto sighed, already setting his Terminal aside. "Well... looks like peace isn't an option."

He glanced around at the others. "Guys, brace yourself. We'll need to take it down!"

Before anyone else could move, Encore stepped forward eagerly, a bright spark in her eyes. "Aalto, we doing it like we always do?" she called back over her shoulder.

Aalto gave her a nod. "Of course."

That was all she needed. With a mischievous giggle, she declared, "Hehe, then this big guy is Encore's to take on!"

In a blink, her two companions appeared—Cosmos and Cloudy, the black and white sheep-like beings.

She pointed at the towering machine. "Cosmos! Cloudy! ATTACK!"

Of course, the others didn't stand by and watch. As Encore charged forward, the rest drew their weapons, ready for battle.

What followed was no easy fight. It was more like, a one-sided beat do—a grueling, hard-won battle where having the numbers meant absolutely nothing.

The Mech Abomination surged with energy, its armored form radiating power. But it had a weakness: its joints.

Aalto, sharp-eyed and calm under pressure, quickly called out, "We should target its joints, use the fallen parts to counter its attacks and destroy its unstable structure."

Rover moved first, his grapple latching onto broken slabs of metal. With practiced force, he swung the debris straight into the abomination's knees.

Hanya followed with a fierce arc of Resonance, crackling like lightning. Aalto's bullets whistled with precision, striking key points one after another.

Encore, still smiling, directed her sheep-like companions to fire at the same weak spots, aiming to melt the supports entirely.

Under the relentless pressure, the Mech Abomination couldn't hold. It collapsed—thunderous and final—as their coordinated assault was too much to bear.

Encore raised her arms in triumph. "Hehe, Encore is strong! Told ya!"

Rover sheathed his sword, his gaze drifting to Hanya. She wasn't looking at the wreckage—her eyes were focused elsewhere, distant.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

Hanya nodded slowly, then murmured, "Papa seems sad."

Rover placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It'll be alright."

"Un," she whispered, leaning quietly into the embrace.

After consoling Hanya, Rover made his way over to Aalto, who stood brushing dust from his coat. True to his word, the silver-haired broker didn't delay.

"Well then," Aalto said with a familiar, easygoing smile. "Time for me to uphold my end of the deal."

He tilted his head, voice light but sincere. "So, Rover—what do you want to know about the Black Shores?"

Rover wasted no time. His first question cut straight to the heart: what exactly was the true purpose of the Black Shores?

Aalto explained they operated independently to monitor and study the Lament, using Resonance Beacons worldwide. Their base was on a Tacetite-rich island that powered their research, including phenomena like the Blake Bloom.

The island's location helped track the unpredictable Lament. The Black Shores aimed to identify patterns, predict outbreaks, and warn against disasters that had destroyed cities before.

When Rover questioned being watched, Aalto admitted monitoring him—not with hostility, but to ensure trust. The group included hackers, mystics, and Resonator experts, all united for survival.

Camellya was also confirmed as a party member who initially came with them; though unstable, her intentions were not harmful. She had tag along since she had some connections to Rover.

Aalto also revealed a new Threnodian revival near Jinzhou, prompting the Black Shores to alert authorities to prevent another catastrophe.

Finally, Rover asked, "What exactly is my connection to the Black Shores?"

Aalto paused thoughtfully before answering, "I'm just a low-level consultant within the Black Shores, so I don't have access to all their secrets." Still, he added, "But I think the information I'm about to share will make this journey worthwhile."

"This isn't the first time you've been reawakened," Aalto revealed. Rover took the news calmly, but the next detail caught him by surprise: "Last time, you woke up at the Black Shores."

He went on to explain that they share a common purpose—to stand against the Threnodians and halt the spreading Lament crisis.

Encore chimed in with bright enthusiasm, declaring the Threnodians villains and themselves heroes of justice, determined to stop them.

Hanya, however, frowned at the label of 'villain' applied to the Threnodians but said nothing. Rover noticed the sour expression but chose to remain silent.

Aalto acknowledged that trust doesn't come easily but reminded Rover of the Black Bloom token he had given him earlier. "It is more than just a symbol. It also holds the key to our headquarters. I'm sure it will come in handy for you," he said.

Stretching with a triumphant grin, Aalto exclaimed, "Phew! Anyways, mission accomplished! We've secured the Resonance Beacon—and snagged some juicy secrets from the Court of Savantae along the way!"

He thanked Rover sincerely, but when he turned to check the Beacon, his face suddenly tightened with worry. "Wait… This is... It can't be…"

Without hesitation, he dashed toward the elevator. Encore called after him, "Hey, Aalto! WAAITT!"

Rover and Hanya quickly followed as they all hurried out of the abandoned facility. Lightning rumbled overhead, and Encore said, "Encore heard lightning! When there's lightning, it's going to rain, and when it rains, Encore should bring an umbrella…"

But after a closer look, she changed her mind. "Uh, no, no, no… Aalto said when it rains like this, we hide!" She tried shielding her head as Rover asked, "Is this part of the Court of Savantae's experiment?"

"No… This is…" Aalto removed his sunglasses, a serious glint flashing in his eyes as he grimaced, "…the real Retroact Rain."

Just then, Rover's Terminal let out a sharp beep, and Yangyang's voice crackled through—strained and panicked. "Rover… Jinzhou…" she said, her breath ragged, "Jinzhou is under attack! It's a TD outbreak!"

Rover's eyes widened, a flicker of alarm flashing across his face.

But before he could respond, Hanya tugged at Encore's sleeve. "Sister Encore," she asked softly, "Is this rain… bad?"

Encore's expression turned grave as she nodded frantically. "Very bad."

Hearing that, Hanya turned her gaze toward the horizon, clasping her small hands in a prayer. "Papa… save us."

Aalto gave a half-smile at the gesture but muttered grimly, "Give it up, princess. This rain isn't something you can wish away—it's a Waveworn Phenomena—mmph"

Before he could finish, Rover clamped a hand over his mouth and pointed at the sky.

Aalto followed his gaze—and froze.

The clouds… were moving.

Not with the wind—but as if something higher had willed them to retreat. The Retroact Rain began to falter, and the oppressive Waveworn resonance that had clung to everything started to lift like fog peeling off a lake.

Aalto stood slack-jawed. He turned slowly to look at Hanya—still clasped in silent hope—and though his mind resisted accepting what his eyes told him, he finally burst out, "Just what in the world is going on?!"

Within a few minutes, the black storm had nearly vanished from mainland Huanglong. The ominous clouds of the Retroact Rain had dispersed, replaced by a gentler, more natural downpour.

The sky remained gray, but the atmosphere had shifted—it was no longer heavy with anomaly, just rain.

To ordinary humans and Resonators, it seemed like nothing more than a gentle, unremarkable rain.

Yet to the Tacet Discords, there was something irrefutably different about it—an invigorating force. With every falling drop, their senses sharpened, and their strength quietly swelled.

Though it remained a mystery whether the rain itself was the cause, their power grew stronger with each passing moment.

Far from the mainland, in the ancestral city of Hongzhen, storm clouds rolled in as the soft rain reached its borders. Most residents sought shelter indoors, shuttering their windows against the falling sky.

Yet near the city's edge, outside a modest hut, a young man—Lian—stood beneath the open rain. His mouth was parted, lips slick as he drank the water directly from the air.

"Mmm… It's not even nighttime, but the water tastes amazing," he murmured, licking his lips. He had been feeling thirsty for quite some time now, and the rain at this moment felt like a godsend.

He stood still, eyes half-lidded in pleasure. 'There's something mixed in this water… a kind of Resonance,' he noted, letting the droplets wash over him. It felt… rejuvenating.

"Water good!" he declared with childlike contentment.

And in that soaked, unguarded moment, something stirred from within him.

A strange Resonance chord rippled outward, subtle but undeniable. It was unlike anything normal—almost as if the Etheric Sea itself had sung through him.

And in response, the world's Tacet Discords began to stir—growing a little more animated, a little more alive. Their movements gained sharpness, their cries more clarity, as if something was breathing vitality into them.

Something had changed. An unknown Waveworn Phenomena had emerged—silent, seamless, and unmistakably real.

This phenomenon, unlike any before, was born from the Threnodian of Impermanence drinking the remnant resonance carried within the Retroact Rain.

To be continued...