The whispers grew louder, and soon we began to see fleeting images in the darkness. Ghostly figures moved between the pillars, their faces indistinct but their presence undeniable. A chill ran down my spine as one of the figures turned to look at me, its eyes filled with sorrow and longing.

These are memories, Maude said quietly. Echoes of the past.

I nodded, trying to shake off the eerie feeling. It's like the city is trying to communicate with us.

We continued forward, the hallucinations growing more vivid and intense. I saw scenes from the city's history flash before my eyes: bustling markets, children playing in the streets, and families gathered around dinner tables. The images were interspersed with scenes of chaos and destruction: riots, fires, and the slow, inevitable decay of the city.

As we walked, Maude seemed to grow more agitated. I noticed her clenching her fists, her eyes darting nervously from side to side.

What's wrong? I asked.

It's just... this place, Maude replied, her voice tight. It's bringing back a lot of memories.

I nodded, understanding. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.

Maude was silent for a moment, then sighed. Like you, I have a connection to NeoTokyo. I need to know why it fell.

Is that the only reason? I pressed gently, sensing her holding back.

Maude glanced at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and something else I couldn't quite place. Let's just say there's more to it than that. But I don't want to talk about it right now.

I accepted her answer, sensing that pushing further would only make things worse. I turned my attention back to the path ahead, trying to focus on the task at hand. I came here to understand what killed my parents. Ever since I was a kid, everyone just told me to accept that bad things happen when dealing with NeoTokyo, but I never understood that as an answer. There has to be more to their story.

Maude nodded, her expression softening. I get it. We both have our reasons for being here.

We walked in silence for a while, the hallucinations continuing to swirl around us. As we ventured deeper into the pillar forest, the whispers grew louder, filling our ears with a cacophony of voices. I felt a growing sense of urgency, as if we were running out of time.