TW-8 Sinking Moonlight

Tatjana! They broke the last Gramophone! There's nothing we can do against those giants!

Hey! The rioters started burning houses! Bastards... and the fire's spreading!

Where are Tatjana and Severin?! At a time like this!

Schultz Severin is... wounded. He's resting.

He's resting while we're out here risking our lives—

Quiet! We can't be fighting each other right now. Look around you, moron!

Who's a moron?! I don't see you doing anything with your Arts!

S-stop! We need defensive Arts in place to regain control of each jurisdiction.

Caster on the east side down! We need another one up there!

Careful!

Fire! Incoming!

Help meeaaaaaaaaahhh!

P-put it out! Does anyone have some way of dousing the flames?!

It burns! Help meee!

Tatjana... Save... me....

Ahhh... Gaaaaahhhh!!

Tatjana! Focus! You're too far out! Careful!

Huh?

Lucky me! Another noble lapdog to burn alive!

——

......

Chaos. The town is all sliced up into nice little pieces, like a cake.

Now, the last piece is crumbling to bits. They can't stop us.

And even if we stopped ourselves. Even if we packed up and left. Do they really think they could survive?

Leithanien will leave them to die.

The nearest nomadic city has 24 of those towers, and not a single lord can spare a glance for the dying little town in the Winterwisp Mountains.

Tragic.

There was a time when we grew weary of such tragedy. Let's not forget, standing here.

Think things through.

Sure. Say, why don't you ever talk like this? I'm just complaining.

Complaining that we held out so long, biding our time, and nothing changed, in the end. It all went to hell.

It's just so anti-climactic. I'm disappointed.

They're pushing in!

Huh!

I- I'm coming!

Shit! Tough nut to crack!

Where did that Vulpo come from? Are those nine tails I'm seeing?

No way! She's Infected! Why is she with them?!

So young... After all you've suffered, shouldn't you be fighting back?!

...

Comrade! Don't be deceived! Fight the power!

They are the criminals who chain and oppress us!

You...

Hm?

You... don't know anything!

She, she sent them flying?

The Arts around her slowed down? Where do those Arts come from? I've never seen it in the books.

You can't decide someone else's fate. Rhodes Island, Mom and Dad, everyone's always been so good to me!

And you! Don't sneak up on me!

Agh...! I can't... move...!

Hnng!

Stop...

Stop ruining things for everyone! Think about all the pain you're causing everyone else!

...So, what's next?

Biederman... the culprit is dead.

We have no hard evidence until Click and Ayerscarpe return...

Then who is the real killer? What is actually happening here?

Now is not the time to discuss that. We have to put down the riot first.

......

Folinic?

I... I don't know what to do...

I understand.

It's ridiculous, ironic, and hopeless. A doctor dedicated to healing the Infected died in the midst of an Infected riot.

I've been fuming about it... more than anyone.

Hnng!

Why? Why does it have to be this way? Why doesn't anyone know what's happening here?

Killing each other doesn't solve anything! You're all going to die!

Get out of my way! I will go through you if I have to, kid or not!

I'm not moving!

You have to listen to me!

Listen to what? Are you playing judge here? Who are you to determine what's right and what's wrong?

How do you think we got here? Plenty of wannabe philosophers out there railing about the era, the country, and human nature. They don't know shit.

But if you're walking down the road and a highwayman with a knife asks you for some charity...

Are you gonna have a heart-to-heart about Leithanien's corruption? Or about Rim Billiton's blood-soaked operations?

No!

Uh oh...! I can't... hold out much longer...!

He's thinking about how to kill you and get away with it. And you're thinking about whether you should shoot first, or try to put a little distance between you.

Nine times out of ten, you're just trying to make it out alive.

There's always little people to sacrifice. Turns out they're people like us, not like you.

You rest easy, talk about your ideals, complain about the shitty state of the world. You talk about the big picture. The real enemy is far away, so you don't deal with the problems right in front of you. Hah!

It's working! Keep it up!

But you're all innocent! It's not like you all wanted this...

Innocent? Pfft. I don't need your sympathy. None of us are innocent. Piss off.

We're doing what it takes to survive. Even if that means somebody else can't. There's no charity in survival.

——!

Hey! What's up with that nine-tailed Vulpo girl?!

Target her! Quick!

Gah! My staff... it snapped! Where did that bolt come from?!

We're here.

Ayerscarpe and Click should be out there evacuating civilians. As for us...

Folinic?

...Reunion.

I know what I heard. They were cheering that Reunion liberated them.

But they're not...

No!

They're the core of this riot. Get rid of them and it falls apart!

If it weren't for them, Atro would still be alive!

Folinic!

...

Calm down.

Sorry.

This isn't your first time. It's not mine... either.

I'm just... at a loss.

Let's go. Rhodes Island is going to find a way to stop this riot.

It's Rhodes Island. You put all your hopes in a bunch of kids, huh?

They're so green. They didn't even get here in time to stop all this. It's already over.

...But they are warriors.

Oh?

Warriors, who have known the battlefield.

Have the others withdraw.

We will go.

Ah! Schultz! That's where you were!

I heard you were hurt. Are you being discharged?

*cough*... There are so many wounded. If this keeps up, we'll run out of beds.

Tatjana... how is Tatjana?

I- I'm not sure. I heard someone burned to death in front of her, and she...

Urk... Ahhh...

Let it out, child. Just let it all out.

I- I'm sorry... I just...

A good cry is healthy.

But it's still chaos out there!

I'll go. Between me, and the Rhodes Island team...

We'll figure it out.

No... Don't tell me...

Take her to a bed. I'm taking command.

Of course.

Uncle...! Promise me! Promise me you won't get yourself killed!

It's pointless.

It's pointless to even say it's pointless.

Have some hope, at least. There's always a chance to turn things around.

Let me... through!

We did it! We shattered the giants!

This persistence... unexpected.

If you keep holding back, we won't make it out in one piece.

Your eyes are full of hatred, and emptiness.

You are angry about Dr. Atro. But what of it?

We all have our own baggage.

Shut up.

Don't you dare... speak her name.

Gah—!

When winter comes, when the famine comes, you will still lose. No one will survive.

Wolumonde... will end.

That goes without saying.

Who is it you hate? Who are you going to save?

Grr! Those Arts again!

Gaaaaaaaah!

Folinic!

Delaying the time it takes for Mudrock's Arts to activate... what a strange ability.

But, do you really have the luxury to be getting distracted?

Hey! L-let go of me!

You're lucky. If you were a few years older, I'd have already hacked off your dominant hand.

Suzuran?!

Don't try to run.

GRAAAAAAAHHHH—!

You're just a medic. Don't try to fight.

Severin! You can't!

Another... warrior.

......

We found the real murderer.

The one behind everything! The traitor Biederman! Just moments ago brought to the Rathaus by the Rhodes Island operators!

......

Wait, Biederman... Biederman's still alive? What are you talking about?

Don't listen to his bullshit! Does it even matter who the real murderer is?!

What we're fighting for is the end marginalization of the Infected, and the end to the aristocracy's exploitation of the working class! Winterwisp will rightfully reclaim its land!

We are Reunion! A new era begins today!

Look, Severin, it's useless...

Then kill me, Reunion. Let's have a good fight.

And then what? Winter and famine will still destroy this city.

No.

It may be a dead end. But I'd rather believe Rhodes Island can keep things from getting worse.

At least some will survive.

You see how bruised and battered you are. Your mask is half broken. Your giant is falling apart. And you're exhausted, aren't you?

I can tell. We're not so different, you and I.

Say, got a light?

......

It'll be my last cigarette anyway... Forget it.

(Do it. Now. Don't give them a chance to save me.)

Severin Hawthorn, when you die, I will leave this place.

This is a ghost town. Staying here is just waiting to die.

I will tell them of your death. If they still wish to harm others, I shall personally deal with them.

...Fair enough.

Farewell.

These Arts, what is this power...?

Wh-why... must you die?

Get out of here, girl!

Don't die!

I have to... so that others can live!

Hey! Mudrock's in trouble! Let's go help him! Don't let up!

B-but they even broke the colossi...

Surrender.

Sarkaz is lost. What do you have to fight for?

Hmph...

If you just need to vent your frustration, fine. I volunteer.

Until you're satisfied.

Hurry! Fire up the Gramophone!

I, I don't know Leithanian Arts. Go get us a Leithanian. What, what's that up there? A drone?!

Don't look up! Look behind you! There's something with red eyes...

You probably shouldn't move. GreyThroat has you in her sights.

Oh and you don't want to turn around and look for her either. I'm watching you too.

You seethe. You protect. How many times is this?

You... Heh, you actually beat me.

Drop your weapon. You're not getting away this time, Mudrock.

......

You'll leave them hating Wolumonde same as they always did!

Doesn't matter. They don't really want change. They only care about what's good for them.

They could have worked together to get through the crisis. They didn't. They didn't care about the truth. They just wanted to loot and riot.

Miss Tatjana is right. Even if you sacrifice yourself, it won't help anything.

No matter how complex the backstory here is, a Rhodes Island operator won't sit by while Infected rioters destroy a town.

A town Atro wanted to protect.

A Rhodes Island op team will die defending this plaza, this town hall.

Really, this might lead to so much more death...

But that's after. After 'you' and after 'us.'

As long as we're still here, we'll fight to the end. So Atro can rest in peace.

......

......

......

You really have defeated me... Maybe you can actually defend this tower to the death. But... why?

Many will die.

Just like Atro. A meaningless death.

The Infected have a reason to fight.

There's always a justification. But for now, you're not solving the problem. You're only causing destruction.

After the Catastrophe struck Wolumonde, with supplies low and manpower short, what did you do?

Tell me. Tell me what you did!

......

You were told not to move.

Your Arts are so sloppy that at this distance, my crossbow is enough to incapacitate you.

Rhodes Island...

What led to that fire? And what did that fire lead to?

The mastermind is already dead.

Is he?

......

Retreat.

What? But we just...

I said, retreat.

Only a few... can pass through the Great Rift and return to the land of warmth.

It doesn't matter if you want to take back your land or get revenge on the rich... You will only end up a corpse in the snow.

Do you want to spend the winter burning with rage? Do you want to warm yourselves with a fire fed with the bodies of innocents?

The murderer is dead. It's time to leave.

B-but we have to take back Wolumonde! It's our land!

Quiet, Winterwisp. All you want is power. You want to cower behind the strong and pick up whatever scraps of power we leave behind.

Don't question the leader. Wise up, or you'll be six feet under.

Err...

This isn't over!

We lost so many people! Are we going to leave like that? With our tails between our legs? Just because of a few words?

Calm him down, friends.

Gaaaah! A.... fist...?!

A stone fist from underground? You still have the strength?

You don't need to go that far just to stop them. They were on our side until a minute ago.

I wanted to scare them, but... never mind...

And stop calling your Arts monsters 'friends.' It's creepy.

You don't have to listen. Leave me alone.

I have decided to retreat. I can't force you all to listen, but...

I am leaving. Those who follow me are also leaving.

Those who stay... you're on your own.

By the way, do you have a match?

They might be wet. Those casters back there were a real pain.

Give a light to that Severin man.

Defeated warriors... are lucky to leave the battlefield alive. Don't dawdle.

Pfah! Forget about Reunion then! It's only a matter of time before we take the Rathaus. This town needs us!

Surrender, Severin!

I told you they wouldn't go down easily *cough* *cough*—

They're coming! Eyes left!

Get behind me.

Ugh. Bunch of lunatics.

Rhodes Island is protecting this place. You have to go through us.

They're going to use Arts. Prepare the defenses. Target the casters.

——

Wh- what? They blocked my Arts?

Why are you doing this?!

Leader's orders.

Even if we have to fight you, devil, we're not giving up!

Hah.

What happened? Are they fighting each other?

Wait... Mudrock... stopped moving?

Leader?

Earth.

Arise...

Stop, Mudrock. You're burning through your own life.

Doesn't matter.

You don't have to use that ancient power—

I said... Arise!

It's... huge!

A last gasp. Its body is collapsing. He pushed himself too hard.

Fall back. Don't be hasty.

......

N-no... Mudrock already spent all his energy. These Arts...

That's Sarkaz... witchcraft?

(I said...)

I said...

This is way too dangerous. You're sharing your life with your own creation. It's not worth it just to subdue them.

......

Fine. As you wish.

(Shed your hate and strife. Live. This is your last chance to escape.)

Leave this place.

(Those who still fight... only seek death for all.)

So... come destroy me.

Come defeat me!

Wh-why...? Didn't he come to help us? Is he not Reunion?!

I... I don't care! Screw him!

In the past... we helped you. That fire unsettled us all.

We joined you, we guided you, but not for the sake of their deaths. Only for the sake of our lives.

Now, sadly, it looks like we're not on the same side.

Killing innocent people, and Rhodes Island's warriors, that's not our way.

And if we're dealing with a bunch of rioters who don't follow orders, why show mercy?

Us, the Sarkaz, the 'devils,' we're enough to take on anyone.

More than enough.

What happened? Everything got quiet as soon as that giant appeared.

So uh, that mountain-sized monster is a kind of Originium Art?

Let's figure out how to get back to Folinic.

Gah! Damn it!

Come on, let's go. This town is done for. We have to find a way over the Great Rift before winter sets in!

Abandon the town, Winterwisp clansmen, workers, and Infected.

There are other places to exact our revenge. Leave Wolumonde to its fate!

There's no reason to fight the Sarkaz. Fall back.

Let's go.

Mudrock, that's enough!

——!

Phew... Haah... Haah...

They stopped... That was crazy. Since when are we in the conflict mediation business?

Look at this town... We, brought chaos.

It's not what we intended, but a rebellion is about self-interest, at its core. Not so many people come with high-minded ideals.

You're right... So what do we do with our struggle...? With our deceased?

Loss and pain follow us everywhere.

Erm, just a second... I found a spare match.

Hey, Gendarmerie, here.

......!

Huh. Do Sarkaz warriors smoke?

I already quit.

How about that. Looks like everyone who quits still carries matches.

Cherish your life.

And you, Rhodes Islanders...

......

......

It's time... to say goodbye.

Maybe... just maybe, you can find a way to help these people.

But none of that has anything to do with the Sarkaz anymore.