12-21: Quiet On The Front

12-21 Quiet On The Front	Episode 12 Previous 12-20 (Story)
The horns of battle are yet to be blown. The soldiers are afraid to even gasp for air.

Characters

Duke of Caster Duke of Wellington Eblana Ermengarde Nine Percival Red Talulah Theresa Dublinn Soldier Infected Citizen

Backgrounds

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“

The Nachzehrer King's Army has been assembled, and the Duke of Wellington's as well as Dublinn's troops are primed and ready. Meanwhile, the new Reunion, led by Nine, has found its way into the chaos.

”

The Catastrophe cloud in the sky has not yet dissipated. Should you take off your gloves, you would be able to feel the Originium dust in the air scratching the palm of your hand. The Nachzehrer King sits atop his throne, casting his eyes across his army. The Nachzehrer's army will not be shaken. The Nachzehrer's army will not show weakness. They pass through the storm, beyond injuries, and over the carcasses of compatriots and enemies alike. The Sarkaz continue to march. Until the enemies of the Nachzehrer King are completely crushed, they have no right to stop. "They are War itself."
<Background 1>
Dublinn Soldier	Your Grace, we've sustained heavy losses. Nearly a third of the high-speed battleships in the vanguard's squadron have been incapacitated. We're trying to turn the situation around, but the outlook isn't positive. That violent Catastrophe... just slammed into our front line all of a sudden. It's very difficult for us to conduct standard operations in these high-density Originium zones, and the exposed Active Originium clusters greatly limit the maneuverability of our high-speed battleships. But, the Sarkaz forces don't seem to be affected much. They... don't care at all. Most of them are already Infected. The Nachzehrer's troops are also fielding some witchcraft contraptions we've never seen before. The chaotic fissures they spew out are... tricky to deal with. We're still looking for countermeasures.
Duke of Wellington	Hold the line. Have the artillery in the rear lay suppressive fire, and open up a gap to the east.
Dublinn Soldier	It shall be done, milord.
[The Duke of Caster calls the Duke of Wellington.]
Duke of Caster	No mercy for poor Windermere eh, Duke Wellington? She just bailed out the fleet we sent to claim our plaything, and you're going to repay the favor by driving the Sarkaz onto her turf?
Duke of Wellington	I don't remember giving you permission to tap into my communications, Caster.
Duke of Caster	Stiff as always, aren't you? I will remind Windermere to take adequate preparations. After all, we are still Victorians. I know what you're after, old Wellington. You're getting ahead of yourself.
Duke of Wellington	Next time, I hope you'll find a more appropriate manner of exchanging ideas with me.
[The Duke of Wellington hangs up...]
Duke of Wellington	Hmph.
[...as Eblana joins him.]
Eblana	Your Grace, you shouldn't continue standing on the deck like this. Though we're a fair distance away from where the Catastrophe struck, the dust can't be good for your health.
Duke of Wellington	This is my duty, Your Royal Highness Eblana.
Eblana	You are always worthy of my trust. Haha... Those two siblings are being extremely cautious. This is not the full extent of The Shard's might. They either don't want us to know that they haven't fully mastered the storm's power, or... they're waiting for a better opportunity.
Duke of Wellington	This storm should've belonged to Victoria alone, but now, we will be first to face it.
Eblana	I hear the officers murmuring amongst themselves nervously, Your Grace, but you don't seem flustered. If anything... you seem to be rather excited?
Duke of Wellington	Indeed, milady. I won't deny it. This battlefield commands fear and respect. When is the last time I've faced an enemy like this since Gaul's Vieux Vanguard? We've long been ready for this. Regardless of whose hands it is in, the storm will only serve to wash away hesitation and weakness from the Tarans, and it shall temper our young troops. I can see him... The Nachzehrer King. Let us drop all pretense and face each other in battle. The Tarans will not be stopped here. Our rage is no less than yours. Your Royal Highness Eblana, I shall secure a future for you and the Taran people.
Eblana	My faithful Duke... Very soon, the final chapter will be written.
<Background 2>
Theresa	Welcome, Lady Ermengarde. With your arrival comes the goodwill of the Liches. We will never forget. At the moment the Sarkaz needed unity the most, the Liches chose to leave their library and stand at our side.
Ermengarde	Hehe. No need to be so formal, Your Highness. I am simply an observer.
Theresa	But, you still brought us a gift, and the soldiers on the front lines will put it to good use.
Ermengarde	It is but a trifling trick to play with the fissures.
Theresa	The liches' mastery over dimensional space transcends most people's cognition.
Ermengarde	Naturally, unlike your people who've always been in Kazdel, we liches are keen on self-preservation, always looking for a place to hide our phylactery.
Theresa	But, the Lich's throne has never been removed from the Royal Court's chamber.
Ermengarde	We appreciate Your Highness's thoughtfulness. I assume you know that Kal'tsit paid me a visit on my way here? She tried hard to convince me... not to take your side. The young master of the Elegiac Court is fighting alongside them. I've heard the teachers say before that the Banshees' strength is not to be overlooked. Dame Kal'tsit claimed that the war you and the Regent started will only push these lands into irreversible disorder and strife.
Theresa	These things are only temporary. We... have no choice but to endure. This is the only way the consensus needed for solidarity can be built.
Ermengarde	...Hah. Want to know what the funniest thing is, Your Highness? Your words sound just like hers. You both call for unity. You both tell me that this is the only way to avert the impending calamity.
Theresa	Kal'tsit...
Ermengarde	Then, why do the two of you stand in opposition?
Theresa	Perhaps because... we're both in a hurry.
Ermengarde	Rest assured, as a Messenger of the Lich King's Court, I didn't make any promises to Dame Kal'tsit. Just like how I haven't made any promises with you. We Liches are never in a hurry to pick a side for ourselves.
Theresa	Of course. These languishing pains and broken hearts... At long last, they will eventually have a home to return to. Not much longer now. Amiya, will you be able to find that path?
<Background 3>
Infected Citizen	Damn those officers! They'd rather bring along a tuskbeast than us! Who the hell does he think he is? Back in the days, before I got sick, he didn't even dare look me in the eyes! Damn it, damn it all! This bloody Oripathy! I'd rather go without those Rhodes Island peoples' inhibitors, and blow up in a cloud of Originium Dust over in Norport! At least, I'd be able to give those freeloading bastards a faceful! They'd get a good taste of what I'm going through too! Hah! That Cautus gave me an inhibitor too... These bloody pills aren't gonna save shit! ...I'm done for. I can't leave this place. My life... isn't worth a damn thing. What was the point o' crawling outta Norport? These damn crystals... These damn Originium crystals in my body! Run me through, dammit! Run me through already!
The Infected citizen angrily scratches at the Originium crystals on his arm, as if crushing them would make everything go back to normal. Severe pain rips through him, and the newly-infected person gasps for breath. He is overwhelmed by the pain that had just become familiar to him, and a mixture of tears and sweat rolls down his cheeks. He lies on his back in a patch of mud. Before his eyes, the sun has risen to its zenith. Before he closes his eyes, a strand of pink hair suddenly breaks into his vision.
Percival	This is no place to be sunbathing, sir. The mud's going to get in your clothes.
Infected Citizen	Get away from me. I'm an Infected, and might explode any minute now.
Percival	Hah, if I had to guess, I don't think you've had Oripathy for more than a week. Everyone looks just like you the first few days. Shock and denial, pain and guilt, anger and depression... In the end, they have no choice but to accept that they're a miserable, hapless lot.
Infected Citizen	The hell do you know? You're–
Percival	Also an Infected. What's so strange about that?
Infected Citizen	You're also an Infected? But, you look so... Wait, I've seen you before...
Percival	Hello, sir. My name is Percival, and I'm the doorman at the Sunset Street Hotel. It's a shame, but it seems you don't have much luggage for me to carry.
Infected Citizen	No, I meant... in Norport...
Percival	Hmm? Now that is awfully quaint.
Infected Citizen	I was with the Mounted Police for quite a few years, Miss Percival. I've been involved in a number of cases, some of which involved the Infected as well. Hah, I should've thought twice about how I treated 'em back then. Now, I'm one of them. I've heard of an organization whose activities have reached even the doors of Londinium. If I remember properly, they were called...
[Red joins in.]
Red	Percival? What are you doing here?
Percival	Oh, Red. I found an Infected on the side of the road. Must've been one of those people thrown here by the Duke of Windermere.
Red	Another one? Truth be told though, Percival, had you not sent out the news that the separation sequence between Norport and Londinium was underway, the fate of these Infected people might've been even more miserable.
Percival	Heh heh, I've always been a sharp one, and quite proud of it!
Red	Thanks to you figuring it out, you even managed to hide our comms as a Londinium public broadcast. You should be glad I have the good habit of tuning into the radio.
Percival	It's not as easy as you make it sound. I had to dismantle the communication station in the hotel before I could finally find a place to pass on the news. But, Rhodes Island and that Delphine lady did get the short end of the stick as a result...
Infected Citizen	Who exactly are you people...?
Percival	Have you ever heard of "Reunion?"
Infected Citizen	Reunion?! Did you just say–
[More Reunion fighters including Nine show up.]
Percival	Woah, the whole gang's here.
Nine	Well done, Percival. We've taken in a number of Infected persons along the way, and they're doing much better than we initially expected.
Percival	Red was doing most of the hard work. I've pretty much just been slacking off. And though I don't want to admit it, Rhodes Island also played a big part.
Nine	Rhodes Island... So, they're here too.
Infected Citizen	Reunion... I know what you people have done. What kind of disaster are you trying to invite upon Victoria this time?
Nine	You have the wrong idea, sir. We are the ones who gathered the debris from the ashes of the previous Reunion. But, we are no longer what we used to be. We will not abandon the name, nor the sins it carries. We must remember our past mistakes, but must also set out once more to prove ourselves to the Infected. The new Reunion no longer needs a leader. We've traveled across several countries, fighting side-by-side with the Infected peoples who see themselves as our comrades.
Infected Citizen	What exactly are you trying to do?
Nine	Medicine and compassion cannot help the Infected in a way that matters, but solidary and strength can. Sir, the Infected have no country of their own, so the new Reunion shall be where they belong. Interested in joining us?
<Background fades out and in>
Percival	Talulah? What are you looking at?
Talulah	The lingering Catastrophe cloud. The Shard has been activated.
Percival	Ugh, there's gonna be a lot more Infected soon. I also have a message for you, Talulah. I saw... a Draco who wielded purple flames.
Talulah	Did you now...? Percival, I often find myself thinking these days– Indeed, there's a certain kind of person that seems naturally born to make waves. They will claim to be their catalysts, leaders, and creators. In a sense, they tend to find success... but I would never call them winners. I refuse to accept... that everything they've made deserves to enter the annals of "history." I refuse to accept it.