Cost of Hope II

Who's there?!

They're coming. Prepare for battle!

Mia!

Miss Arclight... There are so many bad people here...

Don't be scared, Mia, it's alright... What happened here?

......

These friendly people are here to help. This is the Endmin...

Endmin! I remember your mask! Ginny showed me with her drawing!

I ... I was just following the drawings on the wall. I kept going and ... lost my way home.

And then I ran into some baddies... And ... a door suddenly opened on the hilltop, and some nice people came out and beat the bad guys.

What happened next? Where did the nice people go?

The baddies chased them into that gate over there. I hid myself and tried to be really quiet... And then you arrived...

In any case ... those who saved Mia might be in danger. We should look around quickly!

Those nice guys said it was dangerous outside, so they took me here. But ... the bad guys were in here too! And then ... and then...

Quick! Please get us out of here!

We're trying to open this, Zach. Remember me? Tell me what happened.

You're ... Arclight? Well, you're in for a long story...

So back then ... Valley IV turned into an apocalyptic blightshow. We got breakers and buggerloids stomping all over the place, the sky changing color, and even Ankhors falling out of the heavens!

This little group of ours walked for a really long time till we found this place... It's got a roof over our heads, and even some supplies.

So we just started hiding at this place. None of us dared to venture out 'cos there were breakers outside.

And we stayed till we heard some kid screaming for help. I opened the door a bit and saw a few breakers trying to get their hands on Mia!

Soon, another mob of breakers came rushing in from another entrance. We kept running deeper into the cave...

This gate looks pretty sturdy. Those breakers couldn't even put a serious dent in it.

I saw a small room across the way when we escaped in here. See if you can find any keys there!

Go ahead. I'll stand watch, just in case any more breakers try to get in.

This used to be the Landbreakers' base. We managed to take down their entire force not too long ago.

Well, I'm glad you tried fighting them and survived till our arrival...

We were scared of exposing our hiding place, but there's no way we'd let the breakers get the kid. That's why we charged out and whipped 'em hard. Sent 'em packing we did, but they ran off and called for help...

We had nowhere else to go, so we fled into this empty cell. At least the metal bars kept the breakers at bay... And thank Talos you showed up before they broke through and killed us all!

This key can't be used anymore. But I have another way ... I can make a "hot finger" to deal with this cage.

Hot finger?

I think you call it a thermal lance. The name is not important. They work on the same principles.

But we don't have any materials right now. How are you going to do that?

Easy. A few metal components plus a simple Originium circuit should work. In the wilderness, we often use scrap and salvage to make all sorts of tools. These tools can help us weld metal or cut glass. They're quite practical and easy to use.

That's incredible...

I have some of these materials with me and can start immediately. But I do need a few metal components to activate the completed tool. Can you help find some?

Look around the pile of Aggeloid remains we passed by on the way here. You might also find other useful things deep in this mine.

Found the metal components? Look around the pile of Aggeloi remains we passed by on the way here. You might find other useful things deeper in this old mine.

This should be enough. Give me a moment to craft the "hot finger".

I gotta say something about this bigger LB. He bulked himself by absorbing the Blight, right?

Mia, get behind us! Arclight, just focus on that hot finger thingy of yours. We'll handle these breakers!

Someone's coming! Stay alert.

Not sure. The Bonekrushers worship power. They'll do anything to get stronger.

They now have a new leader. Their actions have also become unpredictable. Do not let your guard down.

So, let me summarize what happened... You thought it was the end of the world, so instead of going outside, you decided to hide in here ... behind three locked gates?

The place behind each gate keeps getting smaller, and you ended up putting yourself in a metal cage.

Hah! You're the luckiest people I've ever seen. You picked up some LB supplies at a tiny shed, escaped the breakers on every occasion, and survived this whole ordeal without anyone losing a limb.

Yeah... I guess you can say that... We got lucky.

But if you weren't here, all of us would probably end up dead.

Hmm... You can't just stay here forever. The Landbreakers could show up at any time. Maybe you should follow us. There's a refugee camp outside, you know.

A refugee camp?! Awesome! Alright, people! We're getting proper shelters again!

Thank you for what you've done today! You saved our lives!

And thank you, Arclight. You taught us how to survive in the wilderness — and it was those techniques that helped us avoid the Landbreakers in the first place.

Good. The rains of the wilderness may turn the land into mud, yet from the mud springs forth the grass and trees. A blessing in disguise, your hardships may be.

...So, what's it like outside?

Ugh. Wait ... really? That place you said ... they got no breakers there, right?

The losses were great. Both the land and its people suffered grievous wounds. However, peace has at least returned. I shall take you to the refugee camp shortly.

Of course. No matter the storm you face, help each other and you'll endure. Learned well you have, the lessons of the wild.

I understand what your concerns are. I shall continue to teach you more hannas, songs that you will easily keep to heart.

Arclight, the songs you taught me ... I mean, the hannas! I remember them all!

The survival skills described by the hannas ... they're the reason we endured and survived these trying times! Thank you so much.

You're welcome. That is the intent of the hannas. I shall teach you more afterwards. A visit will happen in the future.

How we commune with others? I'd like to hear what you think of it.

Not entirely... Every Songseeker of the Hannabit Circuit has their personal code. What you said might be my personal habits as a Songseeker.

Every Songseeker is their own master. Every Songseeker sings different hannas. These hannas might be based on an Aldertone's wisdom, or from lessons acquired as we leave our tracks across this planet.

Every hanna will flow into a single chorus, as every road begins with the same intent — we help each other so that we may survive upon this planet.

And that is why I came to Endfield. I believe it offers a path that I should travel upon. Also, there is much ... I can learn from you.

...This is making me snivel as well...

Perhaps such warmth ... is what keeps Endfield going.

There really aren't any breakers around... Just the thought of this place being our home gives me peace of mind.

Alright, people! We gotta make this home a beautiful place! Time to put in our fair share of work!

Yeah!

Brother—

MIA! MIA!

Mia... You're finally back! It's my fault... I should have been a better brother...

No, it's my fault ... *hik, hik*... I'll never run off alone again, I promise!