Operation story: 14-3

Operation

Story

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Characters
Doctor Amiya Kal'tsit Mon3tr Closure Logos Siege Morgan Indra Dagda Rockrock Horn Delphine Bagpipe } Misery Duke of Gododdin Shearer Sudaram "Shopkeep" "Miner" "Driver" "Driver" Rock-18 Victorian Soldier? (Injured Soldier)
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Before operation

Summary The Rhodes Islanders search for the Blood of Teekaz, a key influence on Amnannam, only to find themselves greeted by familiar faces and chased down by a Sudaram.
Thirteen hours into the operation...
<Background 1>
Kal'tsit	The further we go, the more dire the situation becomes. Freshly-rent canyons, diverted rivers... pathways that withstood the weight of great normadic cities, now torn, distorted, warped beyond recognition. The maps of the past are now no more than scrap paper. Every trail must be charted anew.
Logos	There is no doubt that the Blood of Teekaz lies this way, though. Our bond yet hums.
Kal'tsit	The closer we get to the heart of the battlefield, the higher the rate that Originium integrates with all information. The rocks, the soil, the waters, the peoples... Originium's influence has its clutch around virtually everything on Terra, yet perhaps we have long forgotten the fundamental principles of how it works.
Doctor	What did you mean by "information" just now, Kal'tsit?
Kal'tsit	... Perhaps you shall find out rather soon, Doctor. Or maybe... No, never mind. Objectively speaking, this Originium contaminated terrain does give a tactical advantage to Theresis's military operations. In contrast, the Victorian front is all but shattered. But this level of Originium activity still pales in comparison to the Catastrophe strike earlier. Theresis will never use Originium so recklessly just to gain a slight tactical advantage, this much I know of him. He knows the consequences.
Doctor	Sounds like we're in for a difficult journey.
[There is sound of rumbling tires in the distance]
Amiya	There's a vehicle heading this way!
Logos	"HALT".
<Background flashes>
The truck shudders to a STOP as several familiar faces hop off.
"Shopkeep"	Master Banshee, and... and the King of Sarkaz.
"Miner"	I told you we shouldn't have taken this road! We can't run away now!
"Driver"	Well, it's not like they're bad guys...
Amiya	You... Weren't you supposed to stay at the Lifebone?
"Shopkeep"	Ah, well, I... I-I'll be honest, here... Master Banshee, Your Highness, we were scared. Terrified. Having to stay inside that skeleton, not knowing who or what might come running over the hills to attack us. So we ran... I-I know that desertion is a crime! But... we were never going to be any use, were we? So I beseech you, milord, Your Highness, p-please don't execute us! We'll happily take the whip instead! However many lashings you wish!
Amiya	I'm not going to execute you, and I never demanded that you fight for me. If you want to go, then you may go.
"Shopkeep"	Oh, thank you, thank you so much, Your Highness! You are wise and merciful and—
"Driver"	Can we three go along with you?
"Shopkeep"	Shh! Say no more! Her Highness has already done us an incredible kindness by sparing our lives, and you would still demand more of her?
"Driver"	Don't be a fool, Shopkeep. How much of a chance do you think the three of us and that broken truck's got? We'd probably get blown up by a bomb, or worse. Your Highness, this is just my humble request, but please get us off this battlefield. I'll give you everything I have. As long as these two live. I... I'll swear my undying fealty to you.
Amiya	You... No, that's not the issue here. If you were to follow us, I'm sorry to say that it would be just as dangerous. What do you think we should do, Doctor?
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	I can't imagine they'll survive the battlefield on their own.
Amiya	Hmm...
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	They might expose our whereabouts to the Military Commission.
"Shopkeep"	No, no! We would never! I swear, we will never be mercenaries ever again! On our lives!
Amiya	Now that you've mentioned it, Doctor, I think it would be more prudent if they came with us.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Their ride's not bad, we could commandeer it.
Amiya	Doctor... Do you really want to do that...? I see... you're just trying to liven the mood.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Amiya	Very well then, Driver. We can travel together for a while. After we pass through the warzone, you should leave Victoria once and for all.
"Miner"	Thank you.
"Driver"	My deepest gratitude. And please use our transport, it should carry us far enough.
"Shopkeep"	O K-K-King of Sarkaz, you are a most magnanimous soul, and I truly do not know how I could repay this kindness of yours—
Logos	The coin.
"Shopkeep"	Huh?
Logos	The coin I gave you.
"Shopkeep"	Ah, I completely forgot about that, haha, good thing I didn't drop it. Here, for you, milord! I was wrong to beg it of you! It was my honor to serve, Banshee Lord. How could I have expected payment for such a privilege?
Logos	...
Doctor	I think they're scared of you. / You really wanted your coin back.
Logos	I hope you don't think me a miser. I need to ensure that they are not imposters. You need not fear, I hold no malice against you.
Logos moves his finger, and the coin in his palm vanishes, only to reappear in the Shopkeep's hand in a heartbeat. The shopkeep stares, first at the hand capable of quaking the earth and shaking mountains with a single pen stroke, then at the coin in his own hand, and finally back at the deadpan Banshee, unsure of how to react.
"Shopkeep"	Was that... a magic trick? Haha, how delightful! You are a man of many talents, sire! I... Well, I better go help Driver start the car!
[The Shopkeep runs off.]
Logos	...
Doctor	A most interesting performance. / Tough crowd, huh?
Logos	I saw Scout and Outcast demonstrate it several times, but I could never quite get the movements right. It is my lack of skill that made for a lackluster effect.
Doctor	I've never seen that side of you. / Are you a bit of a jokester?
Logos	Doctor, there are times when I also regret the fact that many of our shared memories have disappeared into the ether.
Doctor	We never did talk about the past much... / I suppose the right time never came up.
Logos	If we ever find ourselves time to reminisce after this ordeal, perhaps you will be pleasantly surprised by the anecdotes of your past. But for now, we must go.
<Background fades out and in>
[Amiya looks around.]
Amiya	There's... no sound here. This stillness is... strange. I can't hear the sound of our breathing or the vehicle's engine. I can't even hear my own heartbeat. Is this some kind of Originium Arts? Could someone have blocked all sounds in the vicinity to conceal themselves?
Logos	No, Amiya. Listen carefully. It is not that sound has forsaken this place. Instead, there is a great, tremendous roar, so great that it drowns out its lessers. It is the deafening cry of death itself.
Amiya	Look, over there! That leaf...
A leaf hangs from the lowest branch, its surface tinted with vibrant yet bizarre colors, like the work of a haphazard artist or sunlight reflecting off a puddle of grease.
Doctor	Like the vestiges of some sort of Arts. / ... / Like some kind of fungal infection.
Logos	... It is rotting. Decay unhinges its maw, gnawing at all in its sight, leaving behind only iridescent bite marks.
Within a few seconds, the sprightly yet strange coloration spreads across the entire plant and even onto other bushes. The once succulent leaves become drips of foaming liquid, leaving behind only bare vein networks quivering in the wind. Just like a finbeast's skeleton after its flesh has been picked clean, unceremoniously discarded. The wind rises, as if wanting to tear at their skin. It is the sigh of an unsatiated beast.
Amiya	Logos, the marsh!
<Background flashes>
Silver incantations flow forth, plunging into the depths of the marsh.
<Background flashes>
[Logos' Arts explodes the area.]
Doctor	Did you manage to stop it?
Logos	...No.
The muffled sound of water sloshing ripples from the marsh, echoing about in the deathly silence. The sound of a foot pulling from the ooze, then stepping down again. Steady, unseen steps churn the muddy water, slopping it to the shore.
Amiya	Prepare for battle. Stay where I can see you, Doctor!
<Background flashes>
Black Arts shoot into the marsh, but the burst of sound quickly dies down, as though swallowed up. The steps begin again, their rhythm unchanging, their resolve unyielding. A tattered hem floats above the surface of the water as ripples crash into ripples, becoming a chaotic jumble of lines and shapes.
[The monster screeches.]
???	...
Kal'tsit	Mon3tr.
Mon3tr	(Cautious growl)
<Background flashes>
A dazzling beam of light spews forth from Mon3tr's mouth, but the shining lance is lost amidst the dark swamp. The slow sloshing changes.
???	Hah—
A series of hurried footsteps erupt in the silence, and all lost sounds return once more. A brilliant cacophony, an ear-splitting din.
[Mon3tr clashes against the warrior.]
???	... Death... has come for you all.
"Shopkeep"	Stay back, you... whatever you are!
"Driver"	Look out!
[The warrior screeches.]
Logos	"CAGE".
[Logos' Arts bind the warrior.]
Logos	A Sudaram... A burial shroud, still wrapped around a corpse.
Kal'tsit	His body has already rotten away. Conventional attacks will have no real effect. This is a form of witchcraft innate to the Nachzehrer, or possibly... an ancient tradition. Nachzehrers devour life to nourish their bodies, but all bodies have an end. Once at the cusp of that end, powerful Nachzehrers will nourish weaker ones with their flesh, gaining unfathomable speed and strength in return, alongside witchcraft energy that no ordinary body could bear. In so doing, they become even more powerful creatures, while their nourishment allows the Nachzehrer society to sustain and grow. Just as fallen leaves nourish the land, and the land supports new lives. An eternal cycle.
Logos	"FLOOD".
<Background flashes>
The muddy waters of the swamp rise swiftly, like a curtain, immersing the Nachzehrer up to his torso. At the same time, incantations wend and weave their way around the group, holding back the rot's incessant bite.
Amiya	Over there! Quick! We'll head into the forest!
<Background 2>
[The group run into the forest.]
Logos	Don't step on the mud.
<Background flashes black>
With the swamp rising, or perhaps the mist sinking, the dark ground becomes a gaping mouth, trying to engulf all. The group struggles through the mire, each breath growing more labored. A singular thought seizes the collective mind: living is a tedious and futile effort compared to the peaceful, eternal slumber that awaits if they simply turned around and embraced death.
Kal'tsit	Mon3tr, protect the Doctor.
Mon3tr	(Urgent growl)
Amiya	He's here!
The only sound they can hear is the whistling of the corroded blade as it swings down. The Nachzehrer, the one who walks alongside death, has arrived before them.
<Background flashes black>
Sudaram	—
[The Sudaram slashes Mon3tr with his giant blade.]
Mon3tr	(Piercing cry)
Amiya	Did Mon3tr... also feel the pain?
Logos	All life withers before his Arts. If we are caught in the Nachzehrer's witchcraft, our life force will be sapped to become its nourishment.
[The Sudaram disappears in the blink of an eye.]
Amiya	He's fast! Did he come from the mud or drop from a tree?
Kal'tsit	Either is possible. From life to death, from blossom to wither, they draw upon the entire life cycle, turning it into seeds that produce new Nachzehrers.
Amiya	I can feel it, the unending flow of witchcraft energy flooding towards us. And not just from the enemy before us... From the marsh, amidst the trees. It's everywhere.
Logos	We have been wrapped in the Nachzehrer's shroud. By his hands, death hangs above our very heads. Only by tearing apart this barrier of witchcraft can we defeat him.
"Shopkeep"	*whimpers* ...Miner, am I about to die?
"Miner"	...
"Driver"	He's tired, Shopkeep. Here, hold on to me so we don't get separated. I...
<Background pulses>
Amiya	Driver! Hold my hand! Whatever you do, don't fall!
"Driver"	I...
Amiya	She's fading out of consciousness! I can't hold her up much longer!
Kal'tsit	Ordinary healing techniques won't help. Nachzehrer witchcraft is devouring us all.
<Background pulses>
"Driver"	Lea... Leave me. I'll only... hold you back... *gasp* You can let go of us. I know that if it wasn't for us... you and Sir Banshee could fight... more easily...
Amiya	No. I promised that I would get you out of the battlefield. We're in this together.
"Driver"	Is that... so? Good.
Logos	The scent of blood. It pervades the air.
Amiya	It's Driver and the others' wounds...
Logos	No. This blood is... witchcraft.
Amiya	Huh? As in... a Vampire? This forest has Nachzehrers and Vampires?
A thin fog of blood floats all around them. This is entirely different from the Prince of Blood's Arts they witnessed before. It is subtle, like delicate strands of silk nearly smothered by the all-encompassing mist of decay around them. But it is these silken strands that slightly stir the stagnant air.
Logos	Amiya, feel the flow of wind.
[Logos prepares to casts his Arts.]
Logos	I will expose the weave of this shroud and locate its weakest point.
Amiya	Got it.
Black Arts gather before Amiya's body, condensing into a spear. Logos raises his hand, pointing at the depths of the thick fog.
Logos	"PIERCE".
[Logos' attack hits the hidden Sudaram.]
Sudaram	(Dull growl) Herald of death. You... resist the spread of the rot. But... to no avail. In the end, death... Will claim your corpse.
Logos	I have never once doubted that. "DISPERSE".
<Background flashes>
His giant blade falls, sticking into the soil like a gravestone. The Nachzehrer's shroud flutters and billows. In an instant, his imposing figure disintegrates, leaving behind only several tattered strips of cloth gently falling to the ground.
"Shopkeep"	Is-Is he dead? I can finally breathe—
Clack clack. It's the sound of bone scraping against bone. A withered hand stretches out of the mud.
"Shopkeep"	Eh? Ahh—!
"Driver"	Watch out.
[The Driver casts her Arts and destroys the hand.]
"Shopkeep"	It fell apart...?
"Driver"	Looks like it to me.
"Shopkeep"	*phew* When'd you become such a badass, Driver?
"Driver"	Shouldn't we keep going, Your Highness?
Amiya	Yes. It's best we leave at once, before the Nachzehrer reawakens and catches up to us again.
<Background 3>
[Amiya walks towards an Arts Circle.]
Amiya	I wasn't expecting a vampiric Arts Circle here.
Kal'tsit	It is still working.
Amiya	Those vampiric Arts that suddenly appeared as we were fighting the Sudaram... Was it because of this Circle?
Kal'tsit	I'm afraid it's not that simple. I'm sure you're well aware, Amiya, that those Arts were cast by a Vampire.
[Something squelches.]
Amiya	Perhaps... a descendent of a Vampire? I assume that while the Sanguinarch has been taken off the battlefield, the gifts he bestowed will not so easily fade away. It doesn't matter. I'll do my best to put these corrupted lives to rest, as I've done before. Logos, could you please assist me—
Logos	...Amiya.
The sound becomes ever clearer, coming from behind the bloodstained boulders. It is the sound of limbs dragging across the ground, a sound that they've heard countless times in previous battles. Amiya notices the expression on Logos's face. He looks not at the stone columns, but at Amiya, a trace of emotion flitting across his eyes. It is sorrow. Amiya recognizes it instantly. She has felt sorrow countless times since the war began, sometimes from an enemy, but mostly... from her companions.
Amiya	Driver.
[The Driver steps out from behind the boulder, with blood-coloured worms sprouting out of her like a Sarkaz Heirbearer]
"Driver"	... Your Highness.
Amiya	When did it happen? Was it while we were fighting the Nachzehrer?
"Driver"	Yes. When we left the skeleton, I brought along a rock that the Military Commission had ordered us to transport. I thought since it made us stronger before, it might come in handy in a battle. It really did help, right? I never dared to imagine that I could fight alongside you and defeat that strange enemy.
Kal'tsit	You used a blood crystal left behind by a Vampire. Did you pierce your body with it? No, that wouldn't have induced such a drastic change. You swallowed some fragments. You willingly accepted Duq'arael's blood and Arts.
"Driver"	I've always had the Vampire bloodline, even though it's pretty faint by now... But I could still sense the Sanguinarch's call, even if it felt nothing more like a whisper. I've seen those worms crawl out of Sarkaz corpses before, so there's no need to pity me for not knowing the consequences. Instead of dying in the gutter like a real worm without so much as a yelp, I rather accept this power and die on the battlefield. Like a real Sarkaz. This isn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. A few months ago, while driving aimlessly through the wilderness, I heard a broadcast about what was happening in Londinium... And somehow, I just drove all the way here.、. Shopkeep says I read too many stories about knights... That's rubbish. Everyone knows that Kazdel doesn't need knights. I just wanted to know if there was a real path in life that I could follow, one with a proper end. If I could give some meaning to my life without just wasting it. And then I met you. 'The path of the King of Sarkaz is the path for me.' We—gah—We fought alongside each other on this path. Like you said, we're in this together. And now, the fighting's stopped. At least, for now. My buddies are still alive. Your Highness, you can deal with me as you see fit.
[The Shopkeep runs over.]
"Shopkeep"	D-Deal with you? What are you all talking about? Driver, why've you become like... like...?
"Driver"	Real scary, aren't I?
"Shopkeep"	... Your Highness, please, I beg of you, help her! A-And, Lord Banshee, sire, I humbly return this coin to you. It is the only thing of worth I have.
Logos	Witchcraft is the trigger to her condition, not the cause. There is nothing I, Amiya, and even Dr. Kal'tsit could do to reverse the changes.
"Shopkeep"	Then what are you going to do? Don't tell me you're going to kill her like you killed those red worms?
"Driver"	Stand aside, Shopkeep. This was my decision. Your Highness, I heard that... in the past, the greatest warriors of the Sarkaz, right before they died, could request that the King grant them a vision. I don't know if *cough* if I count or not.
Amiya	...
Amiya raises her hand. Black Arts coalesce at her fingertips. A desperate smile emerges on the Driver's face as she unconsciously looks at the top of the Cautus's head, searching for the legendary Black Crown.
"Driver"	My... King... What will I see? I just hope... it won't be me driving that piece of junk around Kazdel, haha.
Amiya	Driver, can you tell me your name? Your real one.
"Driver"	Is this part of the ceremony too?
Amiya	Well... If I knew your name, it would be a lot easier.
"Driver"	...Maryla. A common name.
Amiya	(Kazimierzian) Maryla. Sorry, I never stayed in Kazimierz for long, so my pronunciation might be off.
"Driver"	No, it's good. It's been so long since anyone called my name so gently, ever since my mother died.
Amiya	Maryla, I refuse your request.
"Driver"	You won't grant me a vision? I suppose... I was never a warrior to begin with.
Amiya	No, that's not it. I refuse to let you die here, by my hand, Maryla. You have not become the Vampire's creation. Your looks have changed, but I don't sense you becoming any more evil or bloodthirsty. And even if you are showing a bit more of your ancient bloodline, you're still you. You do not deserve punishment, nor should I be the one to give you your honor.
"Driver"	But you are the King of Sarkaz...
Amiya	Please, call me Amiya. Miss Maryla, I've had my share of worries because your team, er, isn't comprised of Rhodes Island operators. I was thinking earlier about how we could get along with you three. But in truth, it wasn't a problem at all. If you wish to fight alongside us for our common goal, then I welcome you with open arms.
The young Cautus keeps her arms outstretched, her blue eyes blinking. The Sarkaz woman grasps her slender fingers. Despite not feeling much sorrow, two rows of scarlet tears still flow down her cheeks.
<Background fades out and in>
Kal'tsit	...
Doctor	Were you watching Amiya?
Kal'tsit	She's changed a lot these past few years.
Doctor	She's become more mature. / She's always been a good leader.
Logos	The core of the Vampire's ritual has changed. It is no longer just a tool to amplify the strength of the Sarkaz, nor a simple collector of energy.
Kal'tsit	It is deepening the Sarkaz bloodlines' bond with Originium... with Amnannam. The Blood of Teekaz is playing a role in this somehow. The strength of the Sarkaz bloodlines acts as a direct catalyst to the Originium’s spread. In turn, the information within Originium empowers the bloodlines, changing their powers and other traits.
Doctor	The effect of these Arts seems familiar.
Doctor	Didn't Salus merge a lot of bloodlines? / Confessarii are skilled at bringing out the power in bloodlines.
Kal'tsit	We must be ready. The threat that Amnannam represents... may very well be far greater than anything we expected.

After operation

Summary Led by Siege, the Exemplars arrive in Gibsonham, where Horn and Bagpipe reunite. Their reunion is abruptly interrupted by an unexpected visitor: the Duke of Gododdin.
<Background Black>
Twenty-three hours into the operation...
<Background 4>
[Siege smashes through the rubble with her hammer.]
Siege	The route ahead has been cleared.
[Misery replies via transmission.]
Misery	I'll continue scouting the Sarkaz army's movements. Haven't found any trace of them yet.
Siege	Thank you, Misery. Continue to set up those sentry posts. Morgan, found any surviving Victorian soldiers where you're at?
[Morgan replies via transmission.]
Morgan	I'm afraid not. Nothing but Originium crystals here. We haven't run into any Victorian troops, corpses, or wrecks since we entered the Westbound Forest.
Indra	Dammit! We can tell there's been a bloody huge battle, so where've all the people gone?
Dagda	The terrain here keeps changing. Maybe the ground... ate them all up.
Siege	... We cannot underestimate the tenacity of the people. It is only because there are those who refuse to give up that the Exemplars even exist. It's why we're here in the first place. Shearer, keep the medics ready to receive any army remnants and civilians.
[Sharer replies via transmission.]
Shearer	We've got extra supplies, so no need to worry on that front. The bad news is that with so many Infected among our troops now, it's almost impossible to distinguish between infected and uninfected soldiers.
Siege	I'd like your professional opinion on that matter. Would registering the Infected help our men or not?
Shearer	Funny you should ask. "Registering the Infected"... That might have been the first thing they taught me at the military academy. But where we stand now, I'd say there's no real sense to it.
Siege	I see. Then let's stop registering them. Just try your best to provide everyone, infected or not, with Rhodes Island's recommended protective measures. The rest... is not up to us anymore, at least not for now. Let's all focus on surviving this war first. Then we can worry about the wars to come.
[Siege ends the transmission.]
Rockrock	Oh, my drone's back.
[Rockrock's drone flies down towards them.]
Rock-18	—
[Rockrock deactivates the drone and examines it.]
Rockrock	How awful, the entire propulsion system has been clotted up by crystal dust. Based on monitored data, environmental Originium concentration is still fluctuating wildly.
Closure	Send me that data you just got, Rockrock. We've got a new iteration of our Originium activation trend model, and I want to see if our calculations fit real-world data.
[Rockrock transmits the data to Closure using her terminal.]
Closure	Ugh, looks like there's not enough data to do that. The trend of this curve... Let's wait for Viktor's team to finish off that diffractometer analysis report, then we should be able to calculate the safe areas in real-time. This place freaks me out. It's like one minute it's deadly quiet, the next there's some terrifying Originium mountain pushing its way up out of the dirt. The safe areas keep changing. Although we've managed to reestablish short-range comms after working our asses off, if you go even a step out of range, all that interference'll just get in the way again. Good thing I planned ahead and asked Raidian for her Arts Unit before we left for Londinium. After a little copy and paste, I made a knockoff version. It's not as good as the real deal, but it should help. Once we've got these portable communications towers up, we'll be able to transmit the locations of the safe areas to anyone on the battlefield who needs them.
Siege	This information will save many lives.
Closure	Well, yeah. That's what Rhodes Island does.
[Siege turns on her transceiver.]
Siege	Horn, status update.
Horn	We've successfully arrived at Gibsonham. It's the last supply point before we reach the front at Silverrock Bluffs. The reconnaissance team's already made their initial scouting report. Looks like there are traces of the ducal armies here. Must have passed through on the way to the front a few days ago. I think we can confirm at this point that the route Trilby Asher provided is safe.
Siege	Is there anyone in town?
Horn	The streets are empty, but I can sense the flicker of shadows and the smell of food. We decided against contact to avoid unneeded misunderstandings.
Siege	Understood. We'll rendezvous with you as soon as we can.
[Siege ends the transmission.]
Siege	It's getting dark. Seems like everything's going smoothly. Best we let our fighters get some rest and some hot soup in them.
Closure	Remember to save some for my team! They'll be taking a while longer to get back after their work is done. Rockrock and I still have to head over to Feist... I'm not sure if we'll be able to double our communication range by nightfall, but we'll do our best to finish ASAP.
Siege	No need to worry, we'll save the best for your people.
Closure	...It's all just the same canned provisions though, right?
Rockrock	Would you like some engine oil for dressing then?
Closure	Oi!
Siege & Rockrock	Hahahahaha!
Siege	All units, continue onwards until you reach Gibsonham. I hope things can be as peaceful tonight as things are now.
<Background 5>
[Siege and Delphine walk through Gibsonham.]
Siege	All the houses seem to be empty. Have the residents gone into hiding?
Delphine	Gibsonham's not far from the dukes' defense line, so I doubt the Sarkaz ever fully captured it, not to mention that the ducal armies just passed through a few days ago. Horn's caution is warranted, though. There might be some scattered ducal troops who want to reconvene with the main army and decided to camp out here first. Although Trilby Asher's helping us out with his advice, Victoria's never exactly been a model for unity. Not to mention the... complicated nature of the Exemplars. I dare say there are a few old-fashioned military nobles who would rather not tolerate our very existence.
Siege	I see, then let's show them the full scale of our forces. It'll deter those with ulterior motives and alert anyone who needs our help of our arrival.
The rumbling of traveling tanks reverberates through the quiet night, the low roar of the engines forceful yet steady. The soldiers cautiously advance, observing their surroundings, but still, all they see are pitch-black windows and doorways.
Delphine	It doesn't look like they want to make first contact.
Siege	That's fine, as long as it means we can get along—
[Something metallic clangs faintly.]
Horn	Wait, I hear something. From the building to the front and left. That's the sound of artillery shell casings falling on the ground!
Siege	An ambush? On your guard, everyone. I'll lead a team to scout ahead.
Horn	First Squad, Second Squad, follow my lead!
[Siege and the others enter the building.]
There are no signs of life in the abandoned factory. Contrary to expectation, there is no sound of an explosion following the fallen casings.
<Background 6>
Delphine	Are you sure that was falling casings, Horn?
Horn	Absolutely sure. That's a special model only allocated to elite Victorian troops.
Siege	No traces of anyone living here—
Horn	Don't move, Siege.
Siege carefully puts her foot down back to where it was. Horn points at a thin tripwire, barely visible against the ground.
Horn	Nicely concealed, what with the surrounding piping obstructing the view. Real tricky to spot.
Siege	A booby trap?
Horn	No... It's not linked to any explosives, just a simple alarm system. Based on how they've installed it, I'd say they're military.
Delphine	Should we try to initiate contact?
Siege	Yes. Everyone, get behind us, and prepare to engage.
Delphine	Hello, we don't mean any harm! Our unit's called the—
[A hidden door suddenly opens.]
Horn	A secret passage! Get ready to enter! Stay behind my shield!
[An injured Victorian soldier runs out of hiding and into the passageway.]
Horn	Halt! We're not...
[Horn chases after him.]
<Background fades out>
Victorian Soldier?	— H-Help!
<Background 7>
[Horn runs through the passageway, where she is suddenly blocked by someone with a giant spear.]
Injured Soldier	I knocked over some spent ammunition while on watch. How could they have heard from so far away?! They avoided your alarm, too! These troops, I don't think they're any ordinary—
Horn	...
Injured Soldier	She... She can block your piledriver spear?
[The soldier with the spear disengages, revealing herself as Bagpipe.]
Bagpipe	... Captain? And Siege too?
Horn	It really is you, Fiona.
The lady with long, red hair suddenly throws herself into the arms of her captain.
Bagpipe	So ye were alive all along... Wonderful... how wonderful.
Horn gently releases Bagpipe from her embrace, then claps a hand on her shoulder.
Horn	Good to see you in one piece, and in rather good shape, too.
Bagpipe	I-I'll make my report now, Captain! I've done it, I've managed tae extract the intelligence on the Spectre Force, and I ken what they're plannin' now! I survived! I got my memories, I got the truth, and I stayed alive! Yer orders... I never forgot a word of 'em.
Horn	Good to hear. I knew you could do it. I always knew. Welcome back, Bagpipe.
Injured Soldier	Wait, she's...? You're not—
Delphine	Everyone, we mean you no harm. It's alright to come out.
One by one, silhouettes emerge from the shadows. The elderly, children, the sick and the wounded, civilians. Hundreds of pairs of eyes stare at Siege and her men in fear and curiosity, taking their measure.
Injured Soldier	You're not with the ducal armies? M-Most of you aren't dressed like Victorian soldiers. In fact, you mostly look like workers to me?
Siege	That's right. We're not under any of the dukes. We're called the Exemplars.
<Background 8>
Horn	Shearer's counting up the civilians who were hiding in the factory and giving them a check-up. All he can say at the moment is that it's looking better than we expected. Aside from those infected soldiers under the Duke of Fife who came along with you, and a small team of military engineers under the Duke of Normandy, everyone else is just local civilians who couldn't escape. The ducal alliance armies came through here a few days ago, but they rather give up a chance at being rescued than seek help from the Grand Dukes.
Dagda	It's understandable why the soldiers would avoid them. They're either worried about the status of their infection, or worried about a court-martial. But as for the civilians... Perhaps this was the year the people living around Londinium got to reassess their country and those decorated higher-ups.
Horn	Bagpipe, how did you manage to get their trust— ...Are you listening, Bagpipe?
Bagpipe	... Huh? Oh, er, aye, Captain!
Horn	You need to pay attention during tactical meetings. The map's on the wall, not my face.
Bagpipe	Sorry, Captain!
Horn lets out a small sigh.
Horn	*sigh* I really shouldn't be asking. You are Fiona, after all.
Bagpipe	Hehe. I'm just... a wee bit glad. The Exemplars, the Tempest Platoon's predecessors. I guess the rumors were true.
Horn	I'm actually amazed that you still remember what you learned in military history class.
Bagpipe	Well of course! When I was still at trainin' camp, Triangle made sure I committed this fact to memory! Out by the trainin' field, the sycamores were full o' leaves, blockin' the sun juuust right. Then there were the rocks at the top of the cliff, hard as, well, rocks. Hand'll sting if ye tried to climb them.
Horn	I remember when Cello and Oboe had a wager on who could complete the rock climbing training course the fastest. The loser had to do a hundred one-handed push-ups.
Bagpipe	Oboe was a right fool! Who would've taken that bet wi Cello?!
Horn	Maybe you should have reminded him back then. You were even sitting on his back the whole time he was doing those push-ups.
Bagpipe	Hehe. I was just helpin' him with his training. And I'd say it turned out alright in the end, aye? He was just a hair behind Cello the next time!
Horn	...
Bagpipe	...
Horn	The Exemplars... When the Tempest Platoon was first established, nothing was left of this legendary unit from the War of the Four Nations, not even its unassigned unit ID. But now, it has returned once more to the battlefield. We're all members of the Exemplars now, Bagpipe. As long as our team is still here, we will never stop fighting the good fight.
<Background 5>
Siege	...
Delphine	Isn't there a strategy meeting inside? Why're you standing out here in the cold?
Siege	Just wanted to clear my head for a few minutes.
Delphine	Did you think I was someone else? Baird, or...
Siege	No, not really.
Delphine	I believe you. If someone suddenly popped out of the fog tonight, I wouldn't have any expectations either. Not everyone is as lucky as Horn, reuniting with the person they most want to see.
Siege	"Luck" eh? That's a luxury around here. That's enough blues for tonight. We should head inside. Wait.
[An army of soldiers suddenly emerge.]
Delphine	Victorian soldiers? Are they the remnants who stayed behind? No, they can't be. I never noticed them until they got this close. They're the elite of the elites. Caster's men?
???	Ah! It's positively frigid out here! My hands are frozen stiff. The days truly are getting colder as they go by. Why, I've only taken a little jaunt, and my full plaid's already half soaked through.
[The Duke of Gododdin walks down the center of his line of soldiers.]
Duke of Gododdin	My young friends, won't you invite me inside to warm my hands for a spell?
Siege	Since you've come all this way in person, I suppose we should show you some courtesy. Delphine—
Delphine	Yes, Vina?
Siege	... Let's show the duke the way.