TW-7 Sundered Land

Severin, I need everything you have on the Catastrophe Messenger named Biederman.

Biederman? Why?

An old man told me he saw Biederman leading the riot. He's the one who destroyed the power plant.

An old man? Is he a reliable source?

He called himself 'the last of the Winterwisps.'

He... He's still alive? No. He might be a fraud.

A man like that wouldn't lie. It's just my intuition, but I don't think he would ever lie.

This is his diary and his knife. I took them as keepsakes.

But that means he must be...

I never expected this. I thought all his kind threw themselves into the lake.

I'll go see him. I... I don't know. Should I go see him?

He told me the whole story. According to him, the Winterwisps weren't behind this.

And he had no hate for you. He spoke very calmly.

I understand why, but the rioters do use the Winterwisp as an excuse for their looting.

And it's just that. An excuse.

Even if it's an excuse, they committed crimes. Next, they'll demand we throw open the granary and leave us to starve.

Besides, the Winterwisps have all mixed with the Wolumonders. At this point... *cough* *cough*...

No matter the excuse, we can't trust them with our lives.

We have a Catastrophe Messenger who should have died. Not only did he live, but he sparked a rebellion, and nobody even knew about it.

Putting it all together, it does seem likely that he was behind it.

Yes, it makes sense. If Biederman is indeed still alive, he is the one who could foment an uprising. And he knows Wolumonde is on the brink of famine.

What about a motive?

...The Great Rift.

After the Catastrophe, people blamed him for the damage to the town.

In a matter of months, we stopped at least seven acts of violence against him. There were more we weren't even aware of.

After that, he shut himself inside and refused to come out. Most days, he drank himself to violent outbursts. That is until Dr. Atro broke down the door of his house.

Sh-she broke it down?

Dr. Atro reached out to Biederman after he hit rock bottom. From then on, he was usually there helping her with her work.

It sounds like they got along?

Sure, at least on the surface. That's why I never suspected him. Biederman was always melancholic. And even when he worked with Dr. Atro, we never saw him smile.

The more understanding townsfolk like myself tolerated him and his work. But he had enough of an excuse to seek vengeance on us.

Emotionally, he has a clear motivation. Not that that means anything.

Pretty much everyone has some reason or another to try to get back at someone.

Vengeance... it's always vengeance.

And before you get too comfortable with this, you did tell us Biederman was dead.

You didn't positively identify the bodies. So you missed this possibility.

But you can't just assume—*cough* *cough*—*hack* *hack*

Are you okay?

—Just, a moment.

Why did it get all quiet out there?

Schultz!

The townsfolk are on the move! They... they've gone to siege Zwölftontechnik Strasse!

What?! Get out there and stop them!

We don't know who might be hiding in Zwölftontechnik Strasse. What if your 'Reunion' is holed up in there?

I- I tried. But they were too agitated. They wouldn't listen to reason!

They learned about 'Reunion' from somewhere!

Grr... those excitable yokels!

There is a lot of movement in the town.

And also... It looks like someone found their way here.

They raised a militia and started combing a town... That means they've already decided to go to war.

The townsfolk know we're here. They want to burn us alive.

...Burn?

Originium Arts are part of their normal schooling. Even their teamsters can do simple Arts. Starting a fire is easy enough for them.

We can't stay here. Will Rhodes Island lead the charge?

No.

I think... it's just the angry people. They see us as villains, drenched in sin. They are the ones who want to drive us away.

That's all.

Mudrock.

Don't forget our people died in this town.

We respect your choice, but you're still young... and you don't yet understand the meaning behind this.

Just so you know, we're not all that easily roused.

If we fight, an entire city will come after us.

If we run, they'll brand us as arsonists, partisans, bandits. What's the difference?

......

The normal Sarkaz way is pretty simple: just destroy the town. Level it. Done.

The only tricky part was the automatic Arts units. But their infighting already dealt with those.

Just give the order, and we'll leave the moon to rest forever in the Winterwisp Mountains. Spring... will never come.

Winter... is long, this year.

Time to make up your mind, Mudrock.

Give us back our home! Out with the bandits! Out with the Infected!

Weapons here! Men, come arm yourselves. Everyone with decent Arts!

What's happening? Why does it feel like they're preparing for war?

That's about right. It is a war.

Woah! GreyThroat! Gimme a little warning next time!

At least, that's what it is to them. They think they're fighting a war.

But why? Are the other operators okay?

I wouldn't say okay. It seems like Severin didn't want this to happen. Things are getting out of hand.

Folinic says she found some clues. The man in this picture, one Biederman, is now one of our key suspects.

Ayerscarpe is operating on his own. Remember this man. We just need to know where he is. He's probably the one behind this insurgency.

Find the bad guy! Got it!

What about Reunion?

They set themselves up in a small, abandoned hunting village. People go in and out every day, but the big one doesn't move.

Oh, and while I was figuring out which way to go, I found a small group that seemed to be patrolling around the edge of the town.

It couldn't be...?

Wh-what's that?!

A rock? A giant made out of stone? G-get some Arts on it! But not fire! Fire's useless!

Does anyone know any other Originium Arts?! Hurry. We have to stop it!

It's no use!

You're making fools of yourselves. They aren't alive. They're just a bunch of rocks cobbled together by some Arts.

We need an artificer to get the 'Gramophone' back! Use it on that thing!

You think you can get away with this?!

Give it up! Open your eyes! You know why this is happening. You know what brought ruin to Wolumonde!

It's all you! Damned Winterwisps! Teaming up with Infected to steal the town!

What a bunch of morons! Heads full of music and garbage art! Don't you see this is the end of Wolumonde?!

I know. But it would've ended quicker if we just handed it over to you.

Has Severin ever told you how much food you have stored? Did he say when the town will get back on course? No! Never! There's no hope!

That's your fault! You destroyed my home!

Wrong! It's you high and mighty nobles who pushed us to desperation!

And that's why you're killing people?!

...

Folinic! We have to stop them!

Now that we know who could be behind this, we shouldn't be hurting each other like this.

Let's go talk to them. We can convince them not to storm the town hall. They know Rhodes Island, so there should be a way.

Folinic...?

Why... why are you stopping me?

......

If we don't do something...

(Silently shakes her head)

Folinic?

Let's go.

I can tell. You're still reluctant.

Reluctant...? When we came here, we only planned to... No. There's no point. There hasn't been, since we first set foot in Wolumonde.

We lost four of our people in the fire. I've already stopped so many. But now, the other Infected must be given... perspective.

Otherwise, we will lose control. No. The rage, the longing, will go unsated. We may even turn back to the way we were...

If you hate Reunion so much, why did you join in the first place?

I thought...

Never mind.

It's time to fight.

C'mon, over here!

The markings here... they look like they're simply venting.

Severin thought this was some kind of calculated sabotage. But was it, actually? This really does look like senseless violence.

Click, did you find something?

Sure did. But...

Can you come here, GreyThroat? I... I don't know how to say this...

What is it?

In that room...

Your pupils are red again. Control yourself. Don't be afraid. Ayerscarpe, stay outside with her. Warn the mob.

Roger.

In here?

(It's a mess. Someone's last desperate stand... Ugh... are these... frozen limbs?)

(Wait, who is this?)

Gah! She's a doctor?!

If you don't leave, we'll kill you too!

The solution I just sprayed on you is both volatile and toxic.

Wha?! Wh-what did you do to us?

Out with it! Or I'll... I'll... Ugh...

How do you feel?

Tell me where Biederman is and I'll give you the antidote. Or you can enjoy spending the next few hours vomiting between hallucination episodes.

You're sick... I... I don't know... any Biederman. I just... have to kill all... the nobles... nng...

Then I'm afraid you're all going to stay in jail.

Huh? A mushroom? That's a big mushroom... Why is it... moving? Why is it biting?!

Schultz! We have more wounded! A lot of them! The insurgents took over the market and Maibaumplatz. But many more people are still trapped in Zwölftontechnik Strasse.

They're unstoppable!

Once the fighting started, we lost all hope of stopping anything.

Now we face two possible outcomes: Surrender, or fight.

What should we do?

Surrender, hand over the city to Reunion and the insurgents, and go starve to death in the snow.

If we fight, both sides end up wounded or dead, and the survivors will starve to death in the snow.

Or...

......

If casualties are unavoidable, we want the fewest possible—*cough* *cough*, *hack*—

Ack... *cough* *cough* *cough*, *cough* *hack* *cough*—

Schultz— Uncle? Uncle??

Hey! Uncle, that's blood. You're coughing up blood!

Sorry! Just a second! Miss Tatjana!

My uncle, he can't speak and—

Are you okay? Abnormal breathing, lung lesions resulting in a loss of voice, this calls for... it calls for...

What happened?

Mr. Severin, he's actually—

You should listen to the doctor and quit smoking. We don't need a test to see you have some serious persistent lung damage.

Let me see here... I need to take this off——

Hey! Don't move!

......

You... you're Infected?

Huh?!

These are Oripathy symptoms. The Originium is pushing out from his lungs into his throat. This dark powdery substance below your throat... that's Originium crystals surfacing through your skin.

Your cells have begun fusing with the Originium. Is this why you don't care about your health?!

Did he get it from the battle just now?

This isn't an early symptom or an acute lesion. He's been Infected for some time.

Probably from the Catastrophe... No, that's too recent. It must have been even before that.

*Cough* *cough*——*cough* *cough* *cough*!

Black blood clots. Suzuran, take a sample.

Okay! Sorry, sir. I'll be quick.

No way the hospital is functioning right now. Okay, take him into the town hall!

Wolumonde... can't be without... her Schultz!

If you keep pushing yourself, she's definitely going to lose him.

You... really look like a doctor right now.

*Cough* cough*, *cough* *cough*—

Phew, looks like I can talk for a minute after coughing up blood. Handy, that.

Tough guy.

I have a favor to ask.

Say your piece, but I'm taking you in. Lisa, hold him. Tatjana, help me lift.

Right!

Please, everyone, *cough* *cough*, don't tell anyone I'm Infected...

Then, I'll admit that I was the murderer who set the fire. I was the cause of all Wolumonde's problems...

And what of the real killer?

I don't care. I can't.

But at least... they'll have their scapegoat, and no excuse to keep fighting.

But it's not enough... Without an external force strong enough to clamp down on them, they'll continue their cycle of revenge.

So I request... Rhodes Island's assistance... Even though we can't afford to pay for it now.

But if Wolumonde survives this disaster... we will repay you.

We aren't a charity.

I'm begging you!

I don't have the authority to make promises on behalf of Rhodes Island. Saving a town of ten thousand people is beyond the scope of our mission, and way beyond the authority Amiya invested in me.

But, for Atro, 'we' won't abandon Wolumonde.

Thank you.

Stand aside, we have a wounded—

......

GreyThroat? Why are you alone?

Suzuran, take the Schultz to the upstairs parlor. And don't let anyone see you.

Brutal as it may be, once he settles down, Schultz Severin is going to have to stand up and lead again.

Roger that! I'll take care of it!

Tatjana.

There are riots all over town. People are getting hurt or killed. I... I can't just sit here.

I'll go organize the militia that didn't get caught up in the riot. At least... at least I can do something.

Sure. Go ahead.

Thank you!

Can we talk?

We found Biederman.

What?!

We need to capture him immediately and end the riots, we have to avenge Atro—

No.

He's dead.

...What?!

We found him on the 'Gramophone' at coordinate B2.

There were visible wounds on the back of his head, and ice crystals remained on the surface of his skin. All signs indicated an Arts attack.

The operator on scene could not make an accurate determination, but wounds on the surrounding cadavers indicated that Biederman had died in the riot at least a few hours prior.

Biederman is dead. But the riots continue. We all know what that means.

Click and Ayerscarpe are searching his residence. Unless they run into trouble—

Wait...! You said, you said he's already dead?

If you really need me to repeat myself, yes, he is already dead.

......

......

So it is.

What?

A Contingency Contract operation agreement. Signed by one Catastrophe Messenger Biederman.

So then, was it all part of the plan? Including your own death, Biederman?

Hm... but why? Could that Contingency thingamajig be the real mastermind?

Letting people die in a Catastrophe is not really their modus operandi. They wouldn't act in such a... brutal manner.

But if he was helping the insurgents to try to save more lives...? Why?

Is this really going to save lives, at the end of the day? GreyThroat says Wolumonde is in a real bad spot right now.

No. The Contingency Contract is just a platform.

It is true that a small percentage of the Messengers using the Contingency Contract have a utilitarian obsession, leading them to 'save' as many people as possible.

Wolumonde had already suffered a Catastrophe. Could he have... set the fire to draw in outside forces to intervene...?

I'm so glad Leonhardt and Rhodes Island's other Catastrophe Messengers don't get so mixed up with them.

But... that can't be right... What if..

Ayerscarpe!

What is it?

Look over there! By the music store! What's that weird thing?!

It's a... mountain?

No. It's a big moving boulder?

Could it be that one guy's Arts?

That isn't the kind of thing one man's Arts can do. Let's hurry back to the others!

There's no way an ordinary town militia is going to stand against a battle-hardened combat squad, and a Sarkaz one at that!

What's that? An earthquake?

Ah! It's that rock monster again! Quick! Start the 'Gramophone!'

They came! Reunion is here to liberate us!

Long live Reunion! Forward! Drive out the rotten nobles!

Long live Reunion!

Cover their retreat. Get back to the town center and activate the Gramophone. And stay safe!

Got it!

Tatjana, that one at the end of the street... do you know him?

Halt. At ease.

Yes. We are now just one step away.

One step away from destroying this town.

But there is no hope behind us. They cheer for liberation. But all we have freed is their anger and hatred. This is a typical, bloody invasion.

Is it? I don't really care. At this point, a happy ending is out of the question.

This is the last chance... a chance to give them, before we take the last step.

A chance to surrender?

No... a chance to fight back. A chance to show conviction and let us stand in for the people... let us decide the winners and losers for ourselves.

It's tough, thankless work, being a mercenary. Always the toughest. Never appreciated.

Whatever. It's your call.

Then—

—Arise, great boulder.