So i finished the game.. *SPOILERS*

[rizefall]

Was she real? Seems like they kind of hinted at her being on the mainland, but is it the same Nessa? What do you think after finishing the game?

[constantcompile]

After beating the game, I came to a conclusion that I'm surprised nobody here has proposed yet. Although parts of the story are clearly Demelza's imagination, there also seem to be pretty hard confirms of certain paranormal events. The librarian and the musician very clearly fall under the influence of the curse - we can use those in addition to the destroyed car to assume certain events actually occurred.

What no one here seems to be remembering is how prominently Demelza's mother features in the story. The book that the librarian gives Demelza was penned by her mother. Her father confirms that Demelza's mom had explored the island thoroughly. And, Faetrick, what do we see before Nessa returns at the rock pillar? Her mom's face, illuminated as a constellation the way the swords were.

I think that the spirit of Demelza's mother returned to lead her daughter on an adventure.

She had found the Pickled Knight's body as well as the treasure, and shaped this entire journey to help Demelza form the same conclusion that she did: that change is inevitable, and it is better to face it than live in fear of it. She wants her daughter to be able to accept her death, and her new home... and she also wants her daughter to be able to make a friend. So what does she do?

She assumes the form of a child that Demelza will, one day, meet. An imperfect child - one who will occasionally belittle Demelza, without meaning to, on account of being older. One who is maybe a little too preoccupied with material possessions, and scary movies, and punk music (and musicians). One who gets a little touchy whenever someone makes her feel "different." A child that Demelza won't always get along with, and might even sever friendship with entirely, if she hadn't forged a deep bond with her first.

One morning, Nessa sleeps in her bed - while she also climbs out of her bedroom window. Nessa is woken by her father and has breakfast - while she also hijacks a ferry with supplies to the island. She climbs on her bike and rides to school - while also having a footrace, for lack of a bicycle, against a little girl atop one.

Who tore those extra pages out of the book? Who pointed out the damaged binding? Nessa did. She knows the pages are there because she wrote them. She knows how the book is bound because she bound it. When Demelza decides against claiming the treasure, what does Nessa tell her? "It's okay. That's all I needed to hear. I've got to go. But you're going to be okay, Demelza." A short while later, Nessa - the real Nessa - will meet a very confused and excited little girl for the first time.

And they'll get along fabulously.

[jayelbird]

I think the idea that Ness was real until she dies at the end is the correct interpretation. The opening intro, where both girls are riding down a long route, appears to be the two girls riding down the slope until the final jump onto the castle turret/rock in the middle of the ocean. When the scene shows them doing it at the end, it shows the puffins helping. During the intro (which takes place on Day 6 according to the screen afterwards saying "6 days earlier"), we don't see the puffins. But we do see a single bike wheel crash into the ocean. I suggest that this is Nessa's bike wheel and that she crashed and didn't make it to the rock.

[constantcompile]

Agree to disagree. Even before the downhill bike ride, I feel there are hints that Demelza's mother is guiding the proceedings.