TW-6 Fanning Flames

Nng...

Where am I...?

Argh—!

(So dizzy...! But I can see... and hear.)

(I can't feel... my ankle.)

(It's so quiet. Where did everyone go?)

(......)

(Silent as the grave... Did the rioters just leave me here?)

You're awake.

Aaah?!

Calm down.

Oh, sorry! You startled me.

Huh? You... I know you. You're from Rhodes Island.

GreyThroat, Operator.

Keep your voice down. We took care of the rebels in this area.

Took care of them...?

Even at this point, you still don't see them as the enemy.

Relax, most of them are still alive. Handed over to Officer Severin Hawthorn.

...Thanks.

Oh, um... What about Miss Folinic?

She's fine. I sent another operator to help her. But...

Did Atro really... sacrifice herself?

...Yes. I'm sorry.

That explains the way Folinic has been acting...

Just a few operators won't be able to retake this neighborhood on their own. We should fall back to the town center and regroup.

Right. Can you walk? You injured your ankle.

I... I can try. Ow...

Here, let me help.

Thanks...

One more question, Miss Tatjana. When I came here with Atro, Wolumonde was still thriving.

So what happened to all the Gendarmerie? There isn't a single one left in town.

Hng!

Put down your weapon. Look at yourself. You don't even have a decent set of clothes. You're going to fight like that?

What do you outsiders know? What do you even get out of helping those noble puppets?!

Nothing. I'm not interested in your politics at all. But... are you a Winterwisp?

Winterwisp...? Hah. I'm not aboriginal, but I do acknowledge their struggle!

How about you? Dr. Atro was a good person, but you? You're just here to help them crush us!

Wolumonde, no, all of Leithanien is rotten to the core! Today they burn the Infected alive, tomorrow it will be the entire working class!

......

Where's your proof?

There's not a single Gendarmerie in Wolumonde! Not one!

Why do you think that is?

Wolumonde and several surrounding towns formed a collective settlement network. When the Catastrophe struck, there were not enough Gendarmerie to care for all of the—

Oh really? If it was that simple, nobody would mind!

Enough stalling. Out with it.

Hmph.

For a wedding.

A wedding?

Some great nobleman in his high tower married the only daughter of another nobleman, so they sent all the Gendarmerie over to the nearest nomadic city!

And how long do you think the aristocrats' drunken revelries are gonna last? You wanna guess?

......

Oh and I almost forgot about the part where the nobles argued back and forth for a month about whose city should move to whose territory.

So our Gendarmerie had to go stand around some fancy mansions to boost a fortunate son's ego, and maybe keep out the riffraff. Isn't that funny? Are you laughing?

Because I'm not.

No, it's not funny. But that still doesn't give me any leads as to the fire.

Hmph...

Think about it: who's going to set fire to a medical camp that treats Infected? Would the Infected do that?

It could only be someone who wants to see the Infected suffer. You should be on our side—

—The side of Reunion!

Schultz! The rebels refuse to surrender!

There aren't many of them...

The truly horrific thing about this disaster is that both sides are ordinary civilians. There are no warriors here.

We should do everything we can to avoid the worst case scenario.

GreyThroat! Miss Tatjana! You're back!

And we're going to make the murderer pay for their crimes.

Tatjana!

Uncle... I'm sorry. I was careless...

No... All that matters is that you're safe.

Operator Folinic. Glad to see you safe and sound.

GreyThroat, I recall it was you who came with Atro to Wolumonde?

Do you know what happened?

...I've got the gist of it.

Do you think... If you were with her, that things would've turned out differently?

Folinic, you shouldn't—

No. The myriad contradictions this crisis has revealed in Wolumonde can't be solved by external forces. There is nothing we could've done.

......

But at least... I should have been there with her, to do what I could.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't with her.

No... *Sigh*. It was wrong of me to push that on you just to make myself feel better. What the hell am I doing...?

I'm the one who should be sorry.

People.

Let me start by offering my sincere thanks to Rhodes Island for saving Tatjana.

Rhodes Island is an organization dedicated to helping the Infected.

Severin Hawthorn, Leithanien is known for its lenient treatment of the Infected. But I still have to ask, before we get down to business—

On behalf of Wolumonde, can you guarantee that Wolumonde has not, in light of these exceptional circumstances, taken 'additional measures' against the Infected population?

The investigations you carried out with Miss Suzuran should have corroborated this.

Wolumonde has in no way, at no point, targeted the Infected. Nor have we ever held ill will toward Dr. Atro, who aided the Infected.

Are you satisfied?

......

Miss Folinic, I believe Mr. Severin.

Why?

Um... well... I'm not sure! But I do believe him! He wouldn't hurt Infected people!

Okay, Lisa. I'll trust your instincts, for now.

Thank you for understanding.

Now, I'd like to hear your opinions on what to do next.

I'm not as familiar with the field as Folinic. I followed her instructions during the operation.

There aren't a lot of them out there.

Counting those we have successfully subdued, there can't be more than a hundred or so.

A hundred or so rioters wouldn't be able to terrorize Wolumonde under normal circumstances.

As for the Gendarmerie, I've heard some interesting rumors.

That was one of the very few unfortunate decisions I've made in my military career. We can't do anything about it, so let's shelve it for now.

Allow me to interject. I'd like to discuss that captive, who called himself 'Reunion.'

Huh?

We have made contact with a certain lone member of the Reunion Movement, and he has very little in common with the outraged citizenry.

He's a battle-hardened warrior. And if he came with a squad, he could be a problem.

The partisans. This is not good news.

Reunion...

Chernobog... Ursus... Gah... Not Ursus again...

Why should I believe a single word they say?!

......

The fire was the trigger for all of this. But there was always a high risk of conflict.

Did these underlying problems cause the fire? Or was this fire the catalyst that revealed these problems?

Do we have a choice...? Do we have to fight?

This is the choice that decides the fate of Wolumonde. Thousands of lives hang in the balance. We can't be hasty.

We should return to the Rathaus for a formal resolution.

Hm. But it looks like the other side won't give us the chance.

If Reunion really is here, there's no need for a light touch.

......

Roger that. However, Folinic, you should stay here and tend to the wounded.

I'd rather get in there my—

Lisa, Operator Suzuran, is not a fully accredited medic operator. Only you are.

You should prioritize protecting the innocent over defeating the enemy.

I...

Miss Folinic... You should stay here.

If you keep fighting that hard, that aggressively, you won't be you anymore.

......

Right... okay. I'll... stay.

......

We're going to let them use us for nothing?

......

What's gonna happen if they really start calling themselves Reunion?

They definitely will.

We'll be hunted down.

A town of this size can't do anything to us. But... What if it was an entire nomadic city?

If we took just one of the big Leithanian bankers, musicians, or aristocrats out of their fancy towers, we'd be set for life.

Pride will ruin them.

It's the same pride that keeps Leithanien's aggressive streak in check.

We should avoid making trouble in Wolumonde. We will have nowhere else to go.

We should not meet on the battlefield. This... this is no battlefield. Is it?

You, all of you, your time grows short.

Um...? Who are you talking to?

No.

Just... musing.

Winter is coming. And we will have no choice.

Ugh... I've got a bad feeling about this.

Now, any more questions?

Just to be sure, how did you identify the eight corpses, Officer Severin?

Body type, sex, approximate age, a list of the town's missing persons.

But now is not the time to discuss the fire. We have more pressing issues at hand.

I don't disagree, but...

What have you got?

The number of Infected people who lost their lives in the fire was 'four,' according to the Reunion member we spoke to.

Is there a reason we should care what the enemy has to say?

With all due respect, this does matter. 'Caring' what he says is different from 'trusting' it. We have a major risk of misunderstanding here.

I still don't think this will solve the problem. Uncovering the truth about the fire will not improve our situation.

It means a lot to me.

Then, with all due respect, Miss Folinic, you've been letting your emotions pull you around too much.

But you must—

I fight for Wolumonde and Wolumonde alone. That is my duty. I'm not here to serve the justice in your heart.

I have a responsibility to give the truth to Rhodes Island, not your thirst for revenge.

You—

—No, you're right...

I need to go calm down... I, I'll go help Lisa with the wounded.

Then it's settled. Our top priority is to retake Zwölftontechnik Strasse.

War is inevitable, at this point. Rhodes Island will need to focus on the fight for the automated Arts units, all while keeping a close eye on the Sarkaz and other partisans.

Direct crowd control will be on us. The most difficult jobs, we give to you.

......

Erm, did I say too much?

No. Tell me, what did you see in their eyes? The insurgents, and the angry townspeople.

If they managed to overwhelm us, that would be the end of the town of Wolumonde.

And regardless of what the truth may be, headlines around the world would read 'Reunion resurfaces and destroys a town in Leithanien.'

After so many sacrifices, so many goodbyes, I did not want to see it happen again.

Ayerscarpe, contact Click. It's time to regroup.

I'm going to check on the Infected captives.

Schultz? I saw Miss Folinic already left. Is the meeting over?

Yes. Thank you.

They're getting loud out there.

They think they can destroy our homes and get away with it?!

They trashed my shop, and beat my children!

Those damned traitors! Ingrates! After all we gave them!

We have to fight back!

Fight back! Fight back! Fight back!

Ugh. Look at them. Every one of them an avatar of justice.

Uncle, you really shouldn't smoke...

Doesn't matter.

Okay, all better!

That being said, you still have a mild infection. So don't go abusing Originium Arts!

Is that a joke? I'm a Leithanian. An educated Leithanian. How could I—

No fighting!

No, it's not about fighting. Without Arts, I can't even use my refrigerator!

You just use it normally, through the device. Don't irritate the Originium in your body. That way, you don't worsen your infection!

...I cheaped out and bought a second-hand one that needs a caster to operate...

No!

Y-you're an outsider! What do you know? Will I ever get to lead a normal life? With what we're fighting against, we—

Okay, okay. Just remember to take care of yourself so you don't get worse. You're still pretty healthy. And no more using Arts!

We're fighting against... Never mind. What can I say to a child...?

All right. Next up...

Oh, an old man? What's he doing here at his age...?

Heh heh. A nine-tailed Vulpo. That's something you don't see every day.

Hm. That reminds me. I've been hearing a lot of talk of Winterwisps and outlanders. Would that be you?

Oh, yes. Can you tell me where you're hurt?

Hm? Oh, I'm not hurt. I'm just here to wait for death. I'm old, and getting sleepy...

D-death? Let's not get too morbid here...

Child, I'm a Winterwisp. Last of the Winterwisp clansmen, in fact.

What?!

Heh heh. You're awfully cute when you're shocked, child... And, I sense no hostility from you.

The last...? But everyone's been saying the Winterwisps are helping the Infected rebels.

*Sigh*. It's only when they're so filled with hate that they think of their heritage. And that heritage is just an excuse. They hate something else altogether.

Would you indulge an old man for a minute? I'm already your prisoner, after all. I'm not going to do anything... ever again. I'm too old.

Oh, um... As old as you are, I should treat you. Even if it's just a flesh wound.

Hah hah. I'm still pretty strong, in my old age... No, no. That's a lie.

My clansmen mostly went elsewhere. Or they intermarried with the people of Wolumonde.

In the end, how many real Winterwisps are left? Just a few of us old fogies.

Sir... what did you do?

I... killed. Many people.

A traveling merchant who came to Wolumonde, a noble who dared to wander into the wilds... and so many more.

At first we thought it was justified. Proper vengeance...

So the old-timers did all the hard work. The younger ones just stood by. None of it meant anything to their lives anymore.

But vengeance. We couldn't kill the traitors. We couldn't kill the rotten nobles. It turns out, we could only unleash our hatred on so many innocents.

We couldn't defeat Leithanien. Not its laws, not the mighty roar of the engines of its nomadic cities.

We started giving up. I escaped into Wolumonde, and Severin picked off the other old clansmen one by one. He's a hunter. Never wavers.

But they say he'll sit with a dying enemy and have one last smoke with him. Too bad today's manufactured cigarettes are awful.

As for me, I built myself a nest out of scavenged tin, underneath Wolumonde. Severin didn't get the last one, in the end.

Am I afraid to die? Nay. Believe me, little Vulpo girl, I'm not afraid.

I just want to hear the sound of a town's power plant roaring to life, after my own lifetime of fruitless revenge.

Maybe someday Wolumonde will grow into a nomadic city, or maybe it'll die out.

But... Hah... I'm a Winterwisp. Was I furious the first time I saw that boiler heat up and send the town crawling away? Yes, but what could I do? I remember it. I just cried.

It surged, it scorched, it singed, unstoppable. What could I do with only my bow and a short sword? I fell in love with it... with this murder weapon...

But Biederman did it, treacherous boy. A Catastrophe Messenger, and an outsider, did what I'd never dare to do in my entire life...

S-slow down, sir! Th-that Biederman you're talking about...

I remember a Catastrophe Messenger in Leithanien by that name, but I think he died in the fire?

Hm? I'm not sure about that. He's the one giving the orders.

So that means...?

Do you know that feeling of powerlessness?

Huh?

When I watched Biederman... take the Infected, the Arts, the destruction... When I watched him ruin the power plant, I was completely powerless...

It turns out the thing that conquered us all those years ago was just a big hunk of iron... How weary I've become.

...Are you still there?

Yes, I'm listening.

Don't rush to revenge. Don't fight. Listen to me, girl.

The Winterwisps aren't the reason for all this... At least, not anymore.

How many here in Wolumonde have the Winterwisp blood in their veins? We were the ones who built this place in the beginning.

Winterwisp, Winterwisp is Wolumonde... It's the moon... And they, they destroyed themselves...

So that's the story.

Look, little Vulpo girl, do you see where the road leads?

Up ahead? It's an ordinary road. It leads to the town hall.

No...

It leads to the mountains.

The long banner flies... twelve twists and turns in the trail... travelers and blowing snow... ah... the power plant...

Ahh... ...

Right. I forgot.

That is the way to the mountains.

Good night.

......

Did you hear that, Folinic?

We've been going in circles.

A Catastrophe Messenger thought dead is actually leading the mob?

Biederman, huh...?