Operation story: 9-19

Operation

Story

Previous 9-18	Next 9-20
Characters
Bagpipe Horn Janie Colonel Hamilton Harmonie Mandragora Outcast ??? Victorian Soldier Dublinn Soldier "The Elocutionist" Cello Oboe
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4

Before operation

Summary Horn finds herself in a tough battle at the communications base. Bagpipe shows up at the most critical moment, and the two fight Mandragora together.
<Background 1>
Harmonie	Our forces have taken over every last part of County Hillock, save a few small pockets. The barracks didn't realize our true strength until it was too late, just as planned. Did you see the looks on their faces? A force they thought to have been wiped out, and suddenly it reappeared. Like they were seeing actual ghosts. Their greatest failure coming right as they were celebrating their victories. Not many Victorians left with any fight in them. Grr. I almost forgot. My dear classmates are still struggling about in the outskirts. Pitiful, pitiful. Their last ditch effort isn't going to change anything, and even if we don't so much as lift a finger, they've long been on their last legs, exhausted by the corruption of the military. Mandragora's off looking for them. She's plenty enough to deal with the issue. All according to plan–all except one thing. Loughshinny got away.
[A mysterious Draco, who is likely to be the supreme leader of Dublinn, shows up.]
???	You mean to say my servants have failed.
Harmonie	I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised. They may be fools, but they hardly claim the title of "weak." That said, we have no need of them anymore. Their ambitions grew all too quickly. They only knew to fan the flames of war for their own benefit, even plotting to use Loughshinny to carry out their plans right under your nose. In the end, off they went, engulfed by the flames of their own appetite. Saved us some trouble.
???	What about you?
Harmonie	*Cough*... *cough*... Me? You know me. All I want... is to see the end. I asked you this when we first met– If death is inevitable, and order will always collapse no matter how many times it is rebuilt, then how do those who walk this journey bear with these pointless decisions again and again? And you... you reached your hand out to me. You showed me that even perished souls can dance brilliantly in death. Ever since, I've always wanted to see for myself just how this world looks beyond the flames.
???	Greedy, yet honest.
Harmonie	Hah... The biggest difference separating me and those fools is that I know when to lie. So, what will we do with Loughshinny?
???	My sister... Who did she pick?
Harmonie	We don't know much about the ones who saved her, but they rescued a great deal of the city's residents. They seem like... a medical-something aid group? To tell the truth, I'm deathly curious. They don't seem to have much to do with any one country, so why stand up against us?
???	Hoh, that sounds interesting.
Harmonie	Should I bring along a few men to scope them out?
???	Your call, my cherished strategist. Perhaps there will come a day when I take a good look at them myself.
<Background fades out and in>
Harmonie	Send word that the Victorian soldiers are our only targets. If anyone dares lay a hand on the civilians, they become an enemy of Dublinn.
Dublinn Soldier	Yes, ma'am. There are some civilians against us, though.
Harmonie	We must first make them believe we're standing on their side, no? What the people need after such a traumatic event isn't harsher rule. It's all the help they can get. Oh, yes. And you are not to harm the rescuers either–at least not within County Hillock, and not in view of the locals. The fire's burning plenty bright. It's about time to put it out before it consumes everything, and renders this all a pointless charade. Soon, the wounds will heal, and the masses will remember who it was that made them so cruelly suffer, and who it was that pulled them back out of hell. Dublinn warriors are not like the Victorians– And this idea will forever be etched onto the city's heart after its rebirth, like a scar.
Dublinn Soldier	What about the outsiders...? If we stop now, will they see it?
Harmonie	Anyone who's wanted for a look has already seen it.
Dublinn Soldier	That's all we need to do?
Harmonie	Of course. What did you think was the point of all this? To make the Tarans' voices heard? Do you really believe that? Neither you nor I have an ounce of anything to do with Tara. To take over County Hillock? Only an arrogant clown would believe that. Victoria may stand on shaky, even precarious ground, but any of the dukes' armies could easily reduce a nomadic city to ashes. All we need to do is make sure the fire burns, so that all of Victoria will turn their eyes to it. And in the fire, some of them will have seen only profit, some will have made known their hatred, and yet some will have found faith. In a way, this is quite the happy ending, wouldn't you agree? Let's go. We still have one last thing to take care of. Once we finish with that, it'll be time for us to leave. The traitors who continue to about on the stage are far more despicable than any clown. Before it's time for us to step into the limelight again, we should climb back into the graves that Victoria was kind enough to dig for us. Such is the spectre force–Wouldn't you agree, Hill?
<Background 2>
"The entire city has fallen. Communication signal's lost. We can't reach any of the teams..." "The enemy's charging the base. They've clearly got us vastly outgunned. We can't hold here much longer!" "Report..." "Calling HQ. Retreat immediately. I repeat, retrea–Aghhhhh!"
[The transmission cuts off.]
Colonel Hamilton	–
[A soldier rushes towards Col. Hamilton.]
Victorian Soldier	Colonel, we have to go, now! We can't hold here. They have us surrounded–
Colonel Hamilton	Go...? Go where?
Victorian Soldier	Talk later! County Hillock's gone!
Colonel Hamilton	Gone? Shut your godforsaken flap! As long as I'm here, this city will never be lost! County Hillock will forever belong to the Victorian Empire!
Victorian Soldier	They won't show you any mercy, Colonel! They have no mercy for Victorians... Please, come with us!
Colonel Hamilton	...... Go.
Victorian Soldier	Colonel–!
Colonel Hamilton	What are you standing there for? Run! With your tail clutched between your legs and your head hung in shame! Don't you ever cross my sight again–unless you have a death wish!
Victorian Soldier	Right... Right, then, we're leaving. P... Please, stay safe!
[The soldier runs off, leaving Col. Hamilton alone in the operations center.]
Colonel Hamilton	...Hah. Stay safe? On the battlefield? How contrary to the meaning of a soldier. –Where's my blade? Here you are, old friend... How long has it been since you've last seen gunsmoke, since we last alighted a high-speed battleship together?
The sound of turret fire and screaming grows ever closer, before falling into silence for a brief moment. A silence quickly followed by densely packed footsteps–that all come to gather in front of the tightly shut door.
In the darkness, the colonel stands up from his chair and adjusts the collar of his uniform, before he steps toward the entrance. He stands up straight, draws his standard-issue saber, and raises it at what lies outside. The bright light of the blaze comes surging through.
<Background black>
"My saber and I hail from Victoria!"
<Background 3>
[Horn and Cello reach Hillock's communications tower complex. She reaches out to Oboe.]
Horn	Oboe, Cello and I have made it to the communications tower! How is it looking on your end?
Oboe	Leader, I have explosives planted on platforms 1 through 7. Just waiting on the enemy now!
Horn	Very well, let's start with Number 1–
[Horn signs off as Oboe distracts the Dublinn soldiers guarding the towers by firing their crossbow at them.]
Horn	Good, the enemy is heading in that direction! Watch out over there. Cello, climb up the tower! Oboe, Numbers 2 and 3!
[Horn fires her cannon onto the structure, cutting off the path. She reaches out to Oboe.]
Horn	Oboe... I'm seeing more Casters approaching through the passageway. Be careful! Watch the Casters' attack. I'm detecting a strong energy signal accumulating– Keep your distance from the enemy! ...... No, fall back immediately! Oboe, take your people and leave the passageway! The enemy's Arts have too wide an effect area! They aren't even going to look for you. They'll wipe out all the platforms with one gigantic fireball!
[Horn signs off.]
Oboe	Understood, Leader. Let's see who's faster.
[Suddenly, fire from Dublinn's Casters consumes Oboe mercilessly, killing them on spot.]
Horn	– Oboe...! Cello, Oboe bought us some time. Keep heading up! Get the word out as soon as you find the control panel. I'll stay here at the bottom to provide suppressive fire. Five minutes. You have my word, not a single one of them will be making it up the tower in the next five minutes. Shells, ready to fire–
[Horn fires her cannon onto the Dublinn soldiers.]
Horn	How's it looking up there, Cello?
[An expolsive bolt narrowly misses Horn.]
Cello	Still ten meters to go... Ugh...!
Horn	Are there hostiles up there?!
Cello	Crossbowmen...! Eight o'clock!
Horn	Hngh... There's too many of them! If I head up there, we won't be able to hold the bottom of the tower... I can't get a lock on them... They're too far away for me to reach!
Cello	This isn't the time to worry about... that!
Horn	Don't do it! You'll bleed out before you reach the control panel! Find cover!
Cello	We can't... drag this out! I know you're hurt too... Leader!
Horn	I'm fine... *cough*...
Cello	Don't give me that, Leader. It's been six minutes. How many hostiles are there on your end? Twenty? Thirty? More?
Horn	I...
Cello	Don't even have the leisure to talk, right? It's seven meters away. I'll–
[The Dublinn crossbowmen threatening Cello are dispatched by someone.]
Horn	What's going on...?
Cello	Ah... hah! Leader, I'm fine! Someone took out the crossbowmen!
Horn	What? Could that be...
[The one who saves Cello from the soldiers is none other than Bagpipe.]
Bagpipe	Leader!!! Look who's arrived–
Horn	Ah... haha... You little menace...
Bagpipe	Hold on just a bit longer! Just a bit! I'll take down these fire breathers!
Horn	Cello, Bagpipe's drawing their attention. Hurry!
Cello	Leader... I got the control panel open! We're almost there... almost... Ughh...!
[Suddenly, Cello is instantly stabbed by stone shards from some Arts formation coming out of nowhere.]
Horn	Cello?!
Cello	Her... Her stones... Leader... Watch out...
Horn	What's going on?!!
Bagpipe	–Leader!
[The sound of something faling down is heard.]
Bagpipe dives toward Horn, sending the two of them tumbling to the side. A large stone column falls from the top of the communications tower, leaving a hole where Horn stood just moments ago.
Bagpipe	Where'd this column come from...? Ugh... A spectre force Caster?!
[Bagpipe passes out. Upon regaining her consciousness, she could only see Mandragora approaching her and Horn, carrying Cello's body with her.]
Mandragora	Is she one of yours?
Bagpipe	You killed Cello!!
Mandragora	Not a fan of people touching my things without permission.
Bagpipe	What do you mean, yours?! It was the spectre force that invaded County Hillock!
Horn	–
[Horn fires her cannon onto Mandragora, but the atrillery bombs are stopped by stone shards floating around her.]
Mandragora	Hmn... hah! Not even going to say hi before you fire? That's your Victorian Army etiquette, is it?
[Undeterred, Horn continues firing at Mandragora.]
Mandragora	You...! Are you thick?! Don't you see you can't harm me? That you're wasting all your effort?
Horn	The rubble... (No weaknesses, no matter the angle.) (Before my lance shells even get anywhere close, she maneuvers the stones around her to block off the attack.)
Bagpipe	(Is that her Arts?)
Horn	(Take a look at Cello's body.)
Bagpipe	(Was it the stones that bored through Cello like that? Whatever did it's all gone too... So she can manipulate stones to defend herself, AND conjure them as weapons?) (Not the best news.)
Horn	(Let's test her and see how far she can go. I'm sure we'll find an opening.)
[Bagpipe strikes Mandragora, but the stone shards block it.]
Mandragora	Hmph. Got me wondering now if this is some suicide attempt. Thanks to my men, I'm thinking you don't have much ammo left. If you keep shelling like that, you'll have nothing left to fight with. Then you'll just have to sit and wait as your death comes. To think Harmonie kept telling me over and over how impressive you were. "Oh, they're the true face of the Victorian Army..." Hah. Look at you. Helpless, nowhere to go. Is that all a Royal Guard Academy distinction has to give? The way I see it, you aren't much better than the barracks... I'll make short work of you!
Horn	You hate the Victorian Army, don't you...?
Mandragora	Guess again. I don't hate soldiers. No matter whose orders you're taking, we're all poor little shits throwing our lives away in the mess of war. It's people like you I hate. You have a decent family background, and you think that gives you the right to trample us lot under your feet– What could be better than watching you kneel before me? Go, run her through–!
[Mandragora unleashes a hail of stones onto Bagpipe and Horn, but they block it.]
Mandragora	Still have the strength to block? You've got perseverance, Lupo. Much better than your fellow nobles who pissed themselves the moment they saw me. But you still can't work it out? You don't stand a chance! Our forces have taken over County Hillock. Yours are dead or shackled. Oh, and by the way, we've had eyes on you ever since you and your unit waltzed merry into Hillock. We've been watching your every move.
Horn	Hrgh... You have a spy in the barracks?
Mandragora	You thought you failed because of rotten luck? Or you weren't trying hard enough, misjudged? That's why you missed the chance? Wrong! Fate has never been on your side! Because–Victoria's long abandoned you! You're more pitiful than all those poor sods dying ignorant on the field of war–you threw yourself into this bloodbath willingly! And now, you're just a sacrificial pawn for your country!
Horn	You mean... It's not just one spy... The military's filled with your supporters... Even some of the top brass...? In that case... what is your leader after...? ...... Is it Victoria's... Crown...? What right do you... have?
Mandragora	Shut your mouth! How–DARE you doubt our leader's nobility, when you're just a lapdog of the Aslans?!
Horn	Hah, haha...
Mandragora	What are you laughing at?!
Horn	Your hypocrisy. You grit your teeth, talking of arrogant aristocrats and moneyed men, but you worship your oh-so-noble "Leader" all the same– You can't make this stuff up, can you?
Mandragora	And what... do you know?! The Leader... She's noble for more than just her blood! She... She's strong, and gentle... Hah, I get it. You want to buy time for yourself and milk information. Am I wrong? You think your tricks'll work on me? You think it's going to matter even if I let slip something I shouldn't? Neither of you will make it to the top of this tower– And anyone hearing me is dead or soon will be!
Horn	You'll need to try harder–little Feline.
Mandragora	Grrr! You're pretty good, I'll give you that. Very precise control over your weapon. You're trying to adjust your firing angle to pick out any openings in my Arts. Too bad–If you weren't so heavily injured and had more ammo, you might just have given me a few scratches. This is it, then. Discussion time's over–
Horn	Now!
[Bagpipe dismantles a nearby column, causing it to fall onto Mandragora.]
Mandragora	What...? The column just... collapsed on me...
Bagpipe	Man alive, my arms are sore with all that back and forth!
Mandragora	That Vouivre...! And I thought she was berserking like an idiot. I never realized I wasn't her target. It was the columns at the tower base... Dammit... Dammit! How did you know?!
Bagpipe	Leader, the rubble around her's clear!
Horn	Mm.
Bagpipe	We made the right guess. She's agile with those Arts of hers, but she can only do one thing at a time– Doesn't matter whether she's shiftin' the rubble to shield or usin' them as spikes, she's wide open while she's castin'!
Horn	The column's shattered her shield! Seize the day! Charge!

After operation

Summary Dublinn broadcasts the barracks' atrocities to the whole of County Hillock and its surrounding cities. Horn realizes that County Hillock's fall is now all but inevitable. She orders Bagpipe to leave County Hillock and tell the world the real truth.
<Background 3>
Bagpipe	Did she fall down there...?! Leader, did we win?
Horn	......
Bagpipe	Oh no, Leader... That wound... Hang in there! I'll help you up. Don't you close your eyes–
Horn	*cough*, *cough*... Don't... pull so hard. You're shooting pain through my whole body.
Bagpipe	G–Got it! Leader, as long as you're okay.
Horn	Right... I can't... go down just yet. The enemy's... still...
[Mandragora climbs out of the hole in front of Bagpipe and Horn.]
Mandragora	Hoh... Hahahaha... Hahahahaha! You think... that was enough to bring me down?! Victorian soldier dunces! I–I dug my way out of a grave by a bloody wastewater ditch! And I still have a score to settle with you–Victorian blue bloods!
Bagpipe	Oh? She actually managed to climb her way out! Well, isn't that somethin' odd? Even if my shot didn't blow a hole through her chest, I thought at least she'd be down for the count.
Horn	...Arts.
Bagpipe	She knocked my lance a few centimeters off?! She only had a few stones left! Flip, we won't get another shot like that...! Feline... You may be the enemy, but your resolve is rock solid for sure. You've got my respect.
Mandragora	Pfft. Who needs... your respect?! What I want... is your lives! Come, Forest of Thorns!!!
[Mandragora unleashes her Arts by creating several columns out of the floor.]
Bagpipe	There's more columns growin' from the ground?! We can't stay here much longer... Leader, I'll carry you. Let's go that way!
Mandragora	Fleeing? Think again–I'd never let down the Leader! Wait, what's that sound?
[Far on top of the tower, someone broadcasts a misleading message across Hillock and other counties.]
"To the residents of County Hillock and the surrounding towns, this is a broadcast to you in real-time." "As you are aware, a great disaster befell this beloved city at noon today, injuring our friends and family, and destroying our homes." "Together, we witnessed this heart-wrenching event transpire before our eyes." "They have put us through countless tribulations, one after the other, for several centuries–" "We did not raise our voices then, because we thought they had an ounce of mercy left, and that simply by enduring longer, we would be able to coexist with them on these lands." "But today, the Victorian Army pressed its knife against our throats–" "They blanketed our city in a mist of Oripathy. What they have done is far more merciless and horrifying than any Catastrophe." "We do not want war, but they have left us no choice but to fight back." "If you can hear this broadcast, if you are willing to rise up and stand with us–wherever you may be, you can become part of our movement." "With our flames, we will cleanse this country of the filth that has accumulated over the centuries." "With our flames, we will comfort the countless lives lost in the fight against injustice." "With our flames, we will burn open a path to a future of freedom and peace." "We are not your enemies. We are your friends." "We have, and always will be, one family." "Remember our name–" "We are Dublinn."
[After the "message" ends...]
Bagpipe	Is that... the spectre force? Are they broadcastin' to the townsfolk? No, it's not just this city... they've got all the communications bases under their control. The surroundin' cities are receivin' that message too! Now that everyone knows what the barracks did... this is goin' to spread like wildfire. The scariest thing is, most of what they're sayin' is true! We've got no argument, no way against it! And even if we wanted to say somethin', we've got no way to send the message...
Horn	...... We're in the worst case scenario now.
Bagpipe	Is this why you were tryin' so hard to take the communications center? You had to get news to the outside world, but you wanted to keep the enemy from doin' the same, too...
Horn	We've lost, Hamilton... Both you... and I. We've failed, utterly.
Bagpipe	No, we haven't lost yet! They've got their side out first, but it's better late than never for us! The spectre force's tryin' to dress themselves up, but we saw them burnin' their supporters to death all heartless, slaughterin' the townsfolk! We saw that with our own eyes! We have to get the word out! We have to show the true face of their army to the world!
Horn	...... Yes, you're right. This battle... is far from over.
Bagpipe	Uh... Leader? This Caster, what's she doin'? Is she spaced out?
Mandragora	...... Harmonie, Harmonie... you bastard! You fooled me into coming here so you could make that broadcast? What gives you... What gives you...! What gives you the right to speak on The Leader's behalf while I have to sweep up the rubbish down here?! Oh, I'm going to Londinium... I'm going right now!!!
[Enraged, Mandragora uses her Arts to rend the ground...]
Bagpipe	Whoa... that's a gust! Why's she so ticked off all of a sudden? Doesn't it hurt when she casts Arts like it's the end of the world? Leader, watch out! It's about to blow over the column–!
[...which causes the columns to tumble and collapses all around Bagpipe and Horn. Horn uses her shield to protect herself and Bagpipe.]
Horn	Ugh... hrnn!
Bagpipe	Stop pushin' yourself! Your shield's out of energy. You're burnin' your own flesh for it now!
[Horn punches the column out of the way.]
Horn	Hah... this is nothing.
Bagpipe	Nothin'? What do you mean, nothin'? You're coughin' up blood–
Horn	You could wipe that for me.
Bagpipe	Now's–now's no time for your jokes. And if truth be told, they've never been funny, not for one second. I can't always hide behind your shield... Even if you order me to, I can't. I'll run out right now. I can take a few beatin's. I think I can at least make it to her, give her another taste of my spear... I've still got at least one more shot! She summoned all those columns at once, she should be at her limit, almost... I'll find an openin'!
Horn	Bagpipe...
Bagpipe	Let me go! I WILL be insubordinate now! You survive this, and you can punish me with umpteen handstands, you can even get on top of me while I do 'em!
[Mandragora uses her Arts to make herself float above the ground.]
Horn	She's... Now she's flying.
Bagpipe	......
Horn	Ha... You don't know how to fly. You can jump up there, with the rocks as stepping stones, but it won't be easy to hit her at the same time.
Bagpipe	Won't know until we try...
Horn	Enough. You remember what you said just now, don't you?
Bagpipe	Which?
Horn	We... have... to tell them.
Bagpipe	Right, we'll definitely get the word out. I won't forget! This is why we need to take her out. It's our only way to make it up the communications tower!
Horn	Ha... communications tower... They've got agents in the brass... agents of the spectre force. She said it herself. Even if we make it up there... Our message... will never make it to Londinium.
Bagpipe	It's too early to give up hope, Leader! You're the one who taught me to trust our friends–
Horn	Right. I... I trust my friends. Bagpipe... that's why... you need to make it out of here.
Bagpipe	What do you mean?!
Horn lifts her mostly destroyed shield with one hand and tightly grips Bagpipe's arm with the other.
Horn	Don't waste what energy you have left. Hold onto your spear, activate the catapult, and fly out of here– The city's covered with hostiles. People guarding every exit... but none of them will be ready to stop you blasting out through the air. Bring all the information with you. Find someone you trust, and let out what's really going on with the spectre force... Londinium needs to know the truth behind County Hillock. Bagpipe–get out of here alive! This... is our last chance!
Bagpipe	– Leader!!!
There is no other way. She knows this. All the words she would use to argue are stuck in her throat. It feels as though her eyes are about to pop. She is going to abandon her leader–her one and only remaining friend. She is a Victorian soldier. In combat, she has never once disobeyed the orders of the one whom she trusts the most.
[After sending Bagpipe into the air through her steam lance, Horn makes her stand by engaging Mandragora with her cannon.]
Mandragora	Your bloody cheap tricks...! Fine, just one of them slipping off won't change a thing. And the one that's left here... Heh, you can barely stand. Not going down easy, are we?! –Let's get it over with. I'm sick of this place.
<Background 1>
Janie	That's everyone, Uncle Oliver. I've talked to the locals already. They've found us a way out of the city that's safe enough. There are still a lot of hostiles around... Dublinn, that is. The residents all believe what they say, that with the villains defeated, they won't harass the civilians anymore. But we need to stay vigilant. No matter the face they wear, I will never forget who got our good friend–our respected coworker killed. Right, give me another blanket to keep the injured girl wrapped, please. We can't let anyone see her until we make it to the nearest safehouse. We have a long road ahead of us. I'm sure she would wish us a safe journey. Look, Uncle Oliver... It truly is daybreak now.
<Background black>
"Bagpipe, I told you to shy at no cost–" "What I mean by that is that you must make it out yourself, even if the rest of us die here." "Don't look back." "Bagpipe, I know you can do this. Only you can do this.
The piledriver spear tears through the skies over the remnants of the city, and bores into a swath of barren land. Bagpipe tumbles a few times before standing up. Then, she plucks her weapon from the ground and grips it in her hand– She cannot look back. That's an order. She takes a deep breath, suppresses all the emotions welling up in her heart, and steps toward the ends of the barren plains. Straight ahead, the real sun is beginning to rise. "No matter what happens in our world, the sun will never fail to rise." "Even if it is slow to rise, many will yet make their way forward, casting rays of hope with their lives one after another."
<Flashback starts here>
<Background 4>
Midnight \ Rainy County Hillock, Unknown alleyway
[Outcast makes her stand as the Dublinn commander "Elocutionist" approaches her.]
Outcast	Finally. You kept me waiting.
"The Elocutionist"	...Sankta. You are alone. What of the one you rescued? Where is she?
Outcast	Not something you oughta worry your pretty little head about.
"The Elocutionist"	Listen. I know the formidable foe you are. How did she find you, and how did she convince you to protect her? Could she have reached an agreement with Laterano behind our backs? No, that can't be. They said there was a Victorian soldier working with you. So she chose to seek Victoria's protection? In that case, who sent you–Which duke?
Outcast	You sure you wanna waste your time thinking on something as pointless as that?
"The Elocutionist"	My comrades are indeed in quite a hurry, but I suggested talking to you nonetheless. Whatever your employers promised, we can offer you much more. Wealth, power, titles–
Outcast	Aha, I'm afraid you couldn't give me what it is I need.
"The Elocutionist"	Dublinn's power likely far exceeds your expectations– Please do tell. What is it?
Outcast	– Justice ain't gonna dispense itself, what do you think my gun's for?
"The Elocutionist"	So you mean to say... you are determined to stand in our way?
Outcast	Now there's a question worth asking. Should've started with that one.
"The Elocutionist"	How regrettable, my lady. This is truly regrettable. –It's time.
Five other silhouettes emerge from the shadows.
Outcast	"The Accountant," "The Convict," "The Immolator," "The Toxicologist," "The Bandit"–And you, "The Elocutionist." Mighty familiar names. Far from the first time we've met– You, "The Accountant." You've meticulously worked out the profit this war'll reap you, and you're racking your brains to turn even more lives into bigger numbers, deeper black on your balance sheet. You, "The Convict." You escape from prison again and again only to commit greater crimes, get yourself sent back to prison to repeat the cycle again. You, "The Immolator." Burning single houses and families hasn't given you what you need for a long while. Soon, not even burning a whole city will fill the hole in your heart. You, "The Toxicologist." You call yourself a scholar, but fancy titles don't hide the truth, that you're all caught up in heartless slaughter and one nasty scheme after another– –And your next betrayal will take a few cities to hell with you. You, "The Bandit." Living up to that name, you're thirsty to snatch anything you can from the hands of others, and not just money, either. You steal their dignity, and your lust for it will bring whole countries to ruin. And then there's you, "The Elocutionist." You're really into those five dollar words, trying your hardest to turn fancy talk into a political weapon, the kind to spark wars greater and uglier. If I let any of you through, that girl will die, and all that evil I just talked about gets to carry on, free and clear.
[The sound of a rumblind thunder is heard...]
Outcast	So–
[...as Outcast loads her revolver.]
She pops her last bullet into her revolver's cylinder.
Outcast	It's about time for you to stand trial, for the last time.
"The Elocutionist"	...... This is your so-called faith?
Outcast	You got the wrong idea. My faith ain't exactly the kind you're thinking of– If I believe in anything, it's my gun.
"The Elocutionist"	There is only one of you, and there are six of us.
Outcast	I got enough ammo. Don't worry, nobody's missing out.
"The Elocutionist"	You will die here.
Outcast	Lucky I won't do it alone.
<Background black>
"Outcast, I understand everything you said." "You've walked a great many roads. You've never looked back. You judge people with gunfire, but you know in your heart that the very last one awaiting judgment at the end of the road... is you." "I don't want you to get there–I don't want any one of you to get there." "Fate is there to be shattered. You may be happy with this ending yourself, but I want to try to change it." "Right. Even if the days gone by showed me my failure time and again, even if all of you left me one by one, I don't want to, and I can't accept this." "Outcast, give me this chance." "Come back alive."
Outcast	Aha, old friend... In the end, it looks like I'm not gonna be able to follow that order.
[Six gunshots in quick succession are heard.]
Six bullets shoot out of her revolver at once. At the same time, six enemies are charging toward her– One of them is trying to hack away at her with his axe. Another is trying to spray a toxic gas at her. A third is trying to deflect her bullets with his Arts, while a fourth is trying to take the chance to dash past her, toward the other end of the alleyway. But their actions will forever be frozen at the very moment they began. Before any of them can cry out in surprise or fall to the ground, they have turned to dust in a holy light. The moment she fired her gun, their judgment was already complete.
The brilliant gunfire surges fiercely into the sky, illuminating almost the entire city. Outcast stands still, allowing the impartial flames to engulf her. Starting at her fingertips, they reduce her to ashes.
<Background white>
"This road, it was always meant to end like this." "This road, it was always meant to end like this."
<Flashback ends here>