Rover takes an elevator in the rear of the building up towards where the Shorekeeper rests. She says something under her breath as they ascend.
The Shorekeeper: “Until… … I must keep my promise.”
The closed but tall spaces of the Error Cell give way to a small garden a short distance away, where several KU-bots can be seen tending to the plants.
KU-Logos: “I think… therefore I am? Existence precedes essence — how should one comprehend this sentence?”
Rover: “Hello?”
KU-Logos: “Hmm, what an intriguing question.”
Rover: “Excuse me? Could you tell me where I am?”
KU-Logos: “Ah, my apologies, I was immersed in contemplation and didn’t notice you. This is Eidoscope, a garden linked to the Tethys System, where the Shorekeeper resides.
Rover: “The Shorekeeper is here?”
KU-Logos: “Well, this is her garden. It’s only natural for her to be here. Though she often takes the guise of the Sonoro, she has revealed herself recently. It’s been some time since I last saw her. As for this garden, it’s where she assists Tethys’ computational analysis in observing the stars. Ahem, that explanation should suffice. Back to the question now… Existence… Hmmm, is it real? If it is, what about me? Do I truly exist?
It appears there’s little point in continuing the philosophical debate with the robot. Perhaps checking on the Shorekeeper is the more pressing matter.
As Rover moves closer, the Shorekeeper opens here, engulfing Rover in visions of tragedies long past.
Rover: “This is…”
The Shorekeeper: “The Lament. It razes cities, topples towers, crushes civilizations. Nothing can escape it… it sounds the death knell for humanity… Leaving billions upon billions of lives lost to its wail. Despair, obsession… Resentment, remorse… These feelings are archived within the Tethys System… … alongside the names of each victim. Grasping desperately for a tomorrow that never dawns.”
Rover: “But why? Why is this burden yours to carry?”
The Shorekeeper: “I am the guardian of the Black Shores, the core of Tethys. I was created for this purpose.”
Corrupted hands reach out, threatening to drag Rover into the depths of the Sonoro. However, the Shorekeeper pulls Rover out, manifesting next to her body once more as a projection.
The Shorekeeper: “Apologies. I should have controlled my Sonoro vision.”
Rover: “Those scenes… they look real. Have you experienced them yourself?”
The Shorekeeper: “I was entrusted to lead the Black Shores in your absence. It’s through this duty that I can protect you and what you cherished. Though I’ve never witnessed the Lament firsthand, others have shared their experience with me. I’ve encoded them into observable stars, enabling the Tethys System to issue Lament alerts. I am sorry.”