Since the night my mother passed away, I haven't set foot in the cemetery where she is buried.
It's truly unsettling when fate presents itself in such a tangible form.
But then, on a whim, I decided to go there.
It was like receiving a revelation.
Atticus: ... Alma?
She ought to be busy preparing for the voyage, but here she is, standing silently on the grass, like a living tombstone.
When she sees me, she isn't surprised, as if she had already known what fate had planned.
Alma: Atticus, my child, your timing is perfect.
Alma: I know you've always harbored doubts, and our shared bloodline has only added to this divide.
Alma: You've tried to counter the 'revelation' with knowledge, but it only leads you further into confusion. You get lost in a maze of thoughts and fears, unable to find the red thread of escape.
Atticus: ... I've heard this before, Alma.
She smiles, shaking her head, and pulls out a hardcover book.
Alma: I think you're going to need this.
Alma: Good afternoon, child.
I hear her footsteps fade away beyond the trees, like a dewdrop sliding off a leaf.
Lowering my head, I see the name of the book.
Atticus: The Voice From Above.
It's a children's picture book, familiar to every child on the island. It has been endlessly discussed and even argued over. The story is vivid and clear in my mind without even seeing the pages.
Atticus: "A voice from the above spoke to a man, 'An important thing will happen to you.'"
Atticus: Thus, he spends his life waiting for a miracle.
Atticus: Until death arrives, and nothing has happened.
Atticus: "When the man lay sick in bed, he cried up to the voice from above, asking, 'When will all that you have promised finally arrive?'"
Atticus: "The voice from above said, 'I gave you countless opportunities to work miracles, but you missed them all.'"
Atticus: "Because you thought you knew your fate, you took no action. In the end, you achieved nothing."
I used to despise this story because it dressed the will of the heavens as a kind of desirable benefit and said nothing about the cruelty of fate.
But stripping away all misunderstandings, its message is simple: Do not wait; you must take destiny into your own hands.
—This is something I've long known and acted by.
Atticus: ... What else is there in this book that I had missed? That I needed?
Before I realized it, I found I had walked to the beach. And it was already dark.
GAMEPLAY
The days that follow are calm.
The believers, seeking truth and knowledge, sail out to explore a world of constantly changing phenomena.
But the ship's return is far later than expected.
Believer I: No ... impossible, they are already well past the maximum deviation possible. They must return today ...
Believer I: As long as they are alive and on the ship, there’s no way they cannot be headed back ...
They wait day and night by the coast, eagerly anticipating the return of their leader and the ship.
Soon, they grow increasingly panicked.
Believer II: Hey - look, that's the ship!
Until one person shouts excitedly, jumping high with the joyful news.
Believer I: I knew it, I knew they were alright!
Believer II: I’m so glad–
The ship returns from its voyage along its planned route, with no deviation in angle or speed.
People run to the coast, waiting to welcome new insights from the outside world, believing these unprecedented ideas will illuminate the path of truth.
Sophia: Dad—!
Among them is Atticus's dear friend.
Sophia: —
The "emanation" descends upon them.
Everyone is calling out; everyone is in an uproar. They scream, cry, and fall to the sandy ground.
The ominous noise even reaches the roofed room.
Atticus: ...
Ignoring his trembling fingers, Atticus takes the book and opens it on the table.
Regardless of the worst outcome, this is what he had planned to do.
Atticus: "A voice from the above spoke to a man."
Atticus: An important thing will happen to you.
Atticus: What will it be? The man asked.
Atticus: You will gain wealth, you will gain fame. You will walk in the garden of wisdom and happiness. The voice answered ...
The reading voice stops. His fingers lingering on the page.
At the same time, a geometric shape washes ashore.
It's a beautiful tetrahedron, brilliant with a golden hue like Alma's shining blonde hair when she was in good health.
—The "revelation" has knocked on his door.
Countless ancient knowledge is conveyed through the imprint of the Soul Number 6.
Moral, historical, empirical, abstract, mathematical, humanistic.
This is the crystallization of wisdom passed down from generation to generation by the island's leaders, a glimpse of the mysteries transmitted through the bloodline by those who perceive the truth.
Revelation, knowledge, wisdom —
They surge so tumultuously and vastly that entire lifetimes of achievements and thoughts from mortals are like bottles of water compared to the mighty ocean.
The boulder of fate has rolled down from its peak, and a new 6 is born.
6: ...
The reef remains unchanged. It has been hardened by the erosive force during the long night.
The paused hand gently falls and turns the page.
6: "Revelation" ...
6: It is just as simple as it is.