CICADA SYNDROME

Desolation – Cryptomnesia

A loud noise goes off nearby, almost like a thunder. You open your eyes. Disoriented, grabbing by random crumbling things in hope of getting up. You look around.

Ruins all around, vines hanging from ledges. Looks like You are in some sort of a chamber with a mysterious machine in the middle. Nagging at the back of the mind, something just happened, but You cannot remember what was it.

Commencement – Aetherogenesis

You are surrounded by people that seem to be going through the very same feelings. Forgotten who they are, why are they here, what happened, but everyone, almost like pre-programmed robots, unanimously began gathering and working together for survival and rebuilding of what was lost. No one exactly knows what they lost though a feeling is nagging that it was something close to heart.

Pastoral – Technomancy

Survivors of the unknown disaster work together nicely, gathering materials and resources from the remains of what was here before the incident. You seem to have good aptitude with the technology left behind, quickly grasping working principles behind it, greatly helping out the recovery of this civilization. You set up a small workshop for analyzing and documenting inner works of the now seemingly mysterious tech.

Consummation – Singularitas

Forty years into the future now, the civilization is growing rapidly thanks to the technology left behind.

Thinking about it, You feel grateful for the disaster, it led you to this great experience of working with all these people, getting to explore the tech around You – Almost like a child getting new toys in their hands. You wish You could live forever with this feeling, with these experiences.

Your very own research facility, which has grown from small workshop to a massive complex is constantly exploring the boundaries of current technology, simultaneously pushing beyond the limits.

Work of Your life is almost fleshed out. Device to prevent, or... rather to revert various disasters is almost complete with very few nuances to eliminate. By the use of contained singularity within the machine together with quantum lensing, we can choose to revert time in an area of choice.

Destruction – Recursia

Recently people seem to be dissatisfied with your works. For various reasons You have clearly stated, that the machine to revert time cannot be used to bring back personal things or especially people, that were lost due to ethical and technical reasons.

Final straw was picked, death of an influential figure has started the engines of a protest. A protest against You. Society resented Your creations, which was essentially everything in this civilization, hence everything went up in chaos. Everything You have brought from the previous civilization went up in flames. Rage is flooding your mind. How can They be so ungrateful for what I've done for them?

You see masses outside move towards Your facility. Panic takes over, there is a way out of this whole situation:

FUSION CORE, ONLINE

DIVERTING QUANTUM LENSES TO... static noise takes over

Suddenly You get struck with a revelation. You remembered what happened before the disaster. No, actually relived it and are reliving it this very moment. You feel very calm, mumbling to yourself:

You want Your loved ones back?...

You don't feel sad or mad at the people, now You understand them, longing to go through the experience of meeting them, working together with them, spending time together, one more time...

INITIATING TIME REVERSAL

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Thank You for reading and listening through.  Soundtrack is made usin REAPER DAW. At first I had planned to do hard mode, I sidetracked, then after writing three tracks I burned out, hit a creative block. It was a very refreshing experience to participate in a jam, really gives one a kick to sit at Your DAW and make some music.

This soundtrack is inspired by Half-Life series and Borderlands 3 soundtracks.

Big thank You to Delectros for contributing to this project by drawing cover art.

https://delectros.newgrounds.com/