Arknights story · Episode 10: Shatterpoint
10-10 Shadows of Days Past
Feist's group encounters Hoederer as they try to rescue their comrades inside the factory. W takes the rear guard to cover Amiya and the Self-Salvation Corps' retreat.
2 scenes, 466 lines
1. Before Operation
287 lines
This way, through the smoke! Follow the light of the fire!
Devil...!
S-Stay back!
Your side? Better not be too sure of yourself on that one.
W... it would be wise if you made an effort to be easier to work with. That is, if you hope to get any information out of me.
That's a pretty roundabout threat there...
Say... you wouldn't happen to be Kal'tsit's illegitimate daughter, would you?
What are you—
Nah, you two look nothing alike. Plus, how could that icy old hag have any kids?
Screw it. No way I could ever get buddy buddy with a lady like you.
Suits me just fine.
Don't you worry, I won't be here long. I know how much my head's worth in merc circles, and I'm not in a generous mood.
Alright, there.
Bombs... you buried more bombs. Did you blow up the other paths?
Where are your men? Aren't they still fighting the Sarkaz in the plant?
Do you really want to know?
......
Explaining the whole deal would be a huge pain. Let's skip right to the good part.
They're all dead.
Dead?
Did you think it would be easy to scoop you out of there? I lost most of the Londinium recruits I picked up the past few months in that nasty old factory.
So this had better be worth it. Can we go now?
I was hired to snag you, not an entire congregation. Tell Kal'tsit I'm charging double for this mess.
Bring your hooded monster and let's—what are you standing around for?
Duh. Not about to give our pursuers any chances.
But Feist and his team just left.
They went to rescue people.
Hail them, Closure.
Oh, come on... getting lost like this, at your age?
What's the situation, Blake?
They're down.
Good. Keep moving.
Horn, to your left!
Dublinn... I'll have your head!
Not Dublinn here. Not that you'll get the chance to wallow in your disappointment.
Another? How many Sarkaz bodies have we seen?
26.
All Dublinn?
Looks like it.
Horn, I don't know how to put this, but...
Dublinn saved us a lot of effort.
There's no shame in admitting it. How long have you been with me here in Sudean? We need to use every means at our disposal if we want to survive.
Come on, left door here.
Ready?
—
Clear.
Roger.
Go!
*Cough* G-Go away, devil! We're not talking!
Found them.
Y-You're...
Friends.
I never thought... we heard sounds of fighting, saw the flicker of Arts... I thought it was some new devil torture method.
Soldier... haven't heard that in a long time.
You an officer? You've got nerve to come here—
—
What are you doing? We're here to save you!
Save me? Why? So I can get tricked again? So I can die in your next plot with the foreigners?
In your dreams, 'sir'! We'd rather die here!
Horn? What are you—
Ammo is precious and not to be wasted.
But these are compatriots, loyal soldiers of Victoria.
If their last wish is to die here, then we'll grant it.
......
......
You'll really kill me?
Yes.
You'll die as you wish in this dark room, forgotten by Londinium.
You'll turn to bleached bones in this old abandoned factory, until the dust and dirt bury you.
......
Or, you could do something different with this crossbow.
You could take it, come with us, and fight your way out.
Perhaps you'll still get your wish and die trying.
But you'll have a chance to see the night sky, breathe the air full with the smell of rust and oil—
And think about your loved ones, breathing that same air.
I swear on my life that they'll remember what you gave.
......
Yes... they... they could still be alive...
I...
Have you made your choice? Time's flying.
......
I'll go with you. Give me a weapon.
What about the others? Are you coming too?
Good. Blake, you have seven... nine new men.
Tell me your names before we move out, soldiers.
Closure, have you made contact with the Self-Salvation Corps team?
Hold on... I just got this drone restarted... it's different from the other one...
This isn't good.
Heidi, lead the other civilians out of here. The 3rd regiment will be waiting—
W?
Hey, all the mines I left behind got blown up! Do you know what that means? Means a lotta guys are chasing us right now.
Using up my men wasn't enough for you, huh? You gotta use up my bombs too?
Five minutes.
We can't wait any longer.
Alright, five minutes it is.
Closure, get in touch with Feist and tell him that he and Rockrock need to be back within 5 minutes.
Doctor, we'll have to join the battle.
Bill, be honest with me... have you put on weight? You're heavier than I thought...
Hehe... how about this?
Hey, that's better.
What did you do? Some magic trick?
Ha, just a change of posture... *cough*
A-Alright, just stay put, don't open your wounds.
When I saw you lying in that pool of blood, I thought...
Thought I was dead?
Ha... those devils don't got the skills... it's just... ouch...
Take a break, don't talk anymore.
Have you found an exit, Rockrock? The Sarkaz must have done something with these rooms... I feel like we're going around in circles.
Nrgh...
Never mind what I just said, Bill. Keep talking so you don't fall asleep.
Remember the reward you asked for? After that last win?
Er... a fruit can?
A FRUIT CAN? You said you wanted a mechanical metal crab to give to your niece in the City!
Yeah, I was hungry... lucky you've got a good memory.
Good memory? I didn't sleep at all the next few days, working on that thing between missions...
You'd better hang in there after all the effort I put in!
*Cough* Alright, boss... whatever you say.
Where did they go?
There's a blood trail. They can't have gone far.
We should hurry.
Er...
Come on, Captain, I'll take the other side.
Sigh... look at me, can't even walk without two people helping me.
Don't say that. We're family, and we look out for each other.
Captain, they're catching up!
Hold them off, Johnny! Gabby, you've got the grenades, right? Give us some cover!
Roger!
Rockrock, has Rock-17 found a way out? We're counting on it!
Right-turn here!
Alright, to the right!
Wait... who's talking? Rock-17? Y-You can talk?
What's that, some dumb engineering joke?
Took me ages to hack this drone's system... I didn't change anything, ok? The system was too simple.
......
...Closure?
Yes, it's me. I didn't have a chance to install voice data onto your drone, so I have to synthesize it... not cute enough?
Left-turn... wait, no, there are Sarkaz there. I mean enemy Sarkaz! Go back—
There are even more enemies to the rear.
Well then... let me think...
Right, let's go upwards!
Huh?
Don't you have that flying gear? Er, I mean grappling hook! There's a vent above you that should allow a man to pass through...
Should?
We have wounded here. Gotta be sure.
Well... I'll need Rockrock to take control of the drone for a moment...
Rockrock... do you really trust her?
Do you have a better plan?
......
Captain, they're coming! I can see their leader!
Quick, open the vent!
Gotcha! Rockrock, aim!
Rock-17—
Is it open?
Almost.
Again!
Finally found a way out? Isn't it a little late?
I'll hold him off! Quick—
Blind courage isn't worth much in battle.
Johnny!
Rockrock, the vent!
I... I can't...
I've got two grenades left. Even the Sarkaz can't—
What the... the grenade got cut in half?!
Captain, this is no ordinary Sarkaz—
Gabby!
I'm just an ordinary mercenary.
Did you really think you could beat Manfred or Theresis?
Pretty naive.
Sarkaz... did you think all I had was grenades?
......
Feist, Rockrock, you hear me? I've recalibrated... but you only have one chance. Hold on tight!
Rockrock—
You first!
No, you're with BIll, you go first—
Alright.
You're not getting through, Sarkaz!
I'll protect my family... you won't hurt them again!
Rock-17!
Captain... go...
Tell me, Feline... was it really worth it? Losing that many to save one?
Every one of them called out for their captain with their last breaths.
Will you take responsibility for their sacrifice?
...I would rather none of them died.
Hold on, Rockrock!
Huh?
......
The grappling hook again? Smart, but not smart enough.
You need better tricks to survive in battle.
We'll meet again, children... you don't know it, but there's no way you'll leave this inferno.
Are they here, Closure?
Amiya!
......
They won't be back.
We need to get out of here, now!
There's a really dangerous Sarkaz after us, and there are a lot of them... it's an ambush!
None of us would have made it, if not for Closure...
They knew we'd go there, and they know you're here. They're just waiting... it's a trap! We have to go, before it's too late!
Another last one?
How many last ones is that?
Stop bothering me, Doctor. Yes, I have one bomb left. Guess who it's for?
Are you nervous?
Got your hands full?
You didn't notice the explosion sounded kinda weird? I guess there's really nothing under that tin head of yours.
The guy didn't fall into my trap at all. He avoided it and disabled the Originium circuits.
Need me to say it even clearer? No, it didn't take me too much effort to set up the mines...
But the dragon lady was the last one to put all my mines out of commission.
Talulah can't be here, can she? There's no way...
Hey, what's with the face, bunny? You've got her all locked up in...
Damn it, Doctor... damn you and damn that Kal'tsit!
Congratulations, Doctor, you're now second on my list of people to bomb.
This is not good news.
......
Thanks.
W, there's a lot of intel that we haven't shared. We need to get out of here...
Get out? Easy for you to say.
Be glad it's not Talulah here. I don't smell the arrogant stench of Draco fire. But...
Surround the place!
Theta, Iota, block the path on the other side!
They got so many men in so little time?
Oh no! Doctor, Lady Heidi and the others are still inside!
Sorry, Amiya...
Save that for when we get out.
Very well.
Doctor, let me... W? Why are you grabbing me like that?
Save your strength, bunny. Look at the gang you've got here. Artificer, wounded, garbage... who can fight?
Y-You're right, but we'll do our best...
W-We won't be a burden.
Save your strength for running. You'll wanna be fast.
Sigh... I didn't want to say this. It's really not my style.
But I need Heidi alive. There's something I need to ask the old woman.
W...
Go. Take your people, and pick up your trash.
Huh?
Good luck. We'll be waiting.
You're still here? Need me to blow you up?
Finally. Some peace.
She talks like we're actually friends.
As for you...
Wanna keep blasting? At this rate, there won't be much left to bomb.
What's this? A rock? Some kind of lame joke?
Congratulations, you've pissed me off.
I was hoping to be a little frugal today.
Why don't you come out? I promise I'll leave something of you that's recognizable.
Well, that was close. Only two bombs away from hitting me.
You've grown again, W.
2. After Operation
179 linesWho did you think would come? Manfred?
I'm thinking Theresis must be getting senile if he let you live. You even get to roam around Londinium like this?
I thought you guys were long dead, since I haven't heard anything from you in ages.
......
Well... you know what they say about assuming? See, you were right. I've become sentimental, almost forgot we're mercs.
Your detonator hand slowed down, W.
And your hand isn't trembling this time.
What about those mercenaries you brought from Reunion? Did you really come alone?
Why would I bring them? So that they could get bought out by the Regent, like you?
Looks like you care about them. No wonder I didn't see any familiar faces.
Speak for yourself. I saw lots of old friends in Londinium.
You really like headhunting under my nose, don't you?
Let me guess, Schwab is dead, isn't he? You killed him, didn't you, Hoederer? He knew you longer than he knew me, right?
Did your hand tremble when you killed an old friend? One who carried you on his back for an entire day, dodging dozens of Theresis's killers?
You're remembering it wrong. He was gone by the Battle for Rhodes Island.
Alright, you've always had a better memory than me for the people we fought with.
I've always wanted to ask... does it make you feel better to remember the dead?
......
I don't think so. I can see it in your eyes. Your dreams haunt you now more than ever.
I've known you for as long as you've known me.
You're only trying to hide your own feelings when move to provoke me like that.
Ha, like you'd know.
In the old days, you would have thrown out those useless resistance fighters as bait.
If someone told me that W volunteered to be the rear guard, I would have told them to find a funnier joke.
Did your time in Chernobog drive you mad, W?
Did Talulah burn your brains out, or are you seeing the shadows of the dead?
The mad never admit their madness, right? How do you know I'm the one who's mad?
Schwab's head isn't enough to buy Theresis's trust. What was the price you had to pay?
Could it have been her? Don't tell me...
Don't even say it.
Oh? There's a reaction.
Did I hear that right? Are you looking for an excuse for your screw-ups? Who was it who told me he had a plan for everything?
When do you think I lost my eye?
You don't mean that Ines...
Yes, she's dead.
Mercenaries pay a price for breaching trust. I've paid mine.
We're out.
We've been lucky, haven't we?
The Sarkaz got drawn to the explosions in the south. The ones guarding the interrogation room got taken out by Dublinn.
Nothing good comes of relying on luck in battle.
Ha. Did you think you would have lived this long, if not for lady luck?
—
W-Who's she? Did they escape from the interrogation room too? Are they friends?
Can't talk without your crossbow raised, soldier? Don't think I didn't know you only got out by following us.
You want me to thank you? Then you'd better take a trip with me to the hardest prison in Londinium.
......
I'll give you credit.
You're not like the nobles that seep oil from every pore.
They're the ones who kneel before anyone to cling to their way of life. Sarkaz or Dublinn... it makes no difference to them.
You, though... you just won't give up. You're like flies, getting in my way no matter where I go.
That's my line.
Why you...!
*Cough* *cough* Mandragora...
Your friend's in pretty bad shape.
Same to those soldiers behind you.
Looks like we're both in a hurry.
......
It's a shame that I don't have time for you today.
......
Let's go.
By the way, soldier—
Huh?
You had better not die at the hands of the Sarkaz...
Before I have the chance to impale you with my rock.
Whew... they're gone.
Good. Save your ammo for the Sarkaz.
Do you mean...?
Don't you think it's too easy?
Whoever Dublinn took from the interrogation room, I doubt the Sarkaz would let them go so easily.
Or us, for that matter.
Do you have everyone, Lady Heidi?
Yes, Amiya. They're all here.
Careful!
Let the weakest go first. We'll take care of any pursuing mercenaries.
Feist, can you still fight?
Of course.
Hang on tight, Bill. Things could get bumpy.
More enemies ahead! They must have come in from another entrance!
Target found!
Over here! Get them!
Hey, don't run too fast. Got to keep a pair of eyes in the back of your head when moving.
A few got away.
Thank goodness you are back.
We aren't late to the party, are we?
Great.
What luck.
Whew... Doctor, you didn't tell me there was only one fighter meeting up with us.
One is enough.
There's more than one.
You know, Doctor, the more I learn about Rhodes Island, the more mysterious it seems.
But at the end of the day, the most mysterious one is always you.
You always have a card up your sleeve, don't you?
On this point, we're the same.
It looks like the Sarkaz have been drawn over here. But we didn't see many souls on the way.
The ones holding off the enemies inside... I'm worried about them.
I'm worried about W...
W? The one who made such an impression on all those operators at Chernobog?
Er, yeah.
Rhodes Island really IS filled with talent.
We have a... temporary understanding.
Doctor, I felt something eerie in her gaze when she said she was looking for Lady Heidi.
What did you feel, Amiya?
Isn't she always like that?
Her emotions can be unusual, but there are times that she doesn't try to hide them. Her eyes don't lie at times like that.
The last time I saw that look from her was when she was yelling at me for the codes to stop the core city.
Is she still hiding something?
Ask her when she comes back.
She's W. She'll be back.
Alright... I trusted her once, I'll trust her again.
Huff... huff...
You're bleeding a lot.
You've got a few holes in you.
You should have hidden another bomb on yourself, like you used to. That way, you'd at least have a chance to take me down with you.
Sorry, W. The Regent has better things to do than remember the name of a random merc.
Ha... did you say that to Ines too? Before she gave her life for your little dream?
Still talking big, eh?
What were you expecting? A big laugh and a standing ovation for your dumb shit? No tears on my face, Hoederer. That's not like me.
Who's the dumb one? You're on the ground, not me.
Like I said, I'm just... a little surprised.
So surprised you missed multiple chances to maim me?
Now that's not like you, W. What made you lose your cool?
Let's see... how about an old friend coming back from the dead and trying to put his sword through me?
That's what I don't like about you... You always think you can see right through me, same as her.
Too bad for you, I'm right again.
It's been a while since you snuck into Londinium. There aren't too many distractions like this in here. What did you see in the city?
You're the one following Theresis, not me. Have you not kowtowed to his traitor throne enough times? Still can't see through his tricks?
So you knew.
Stop playing this game of you-know I-know. Look like a mercenary for once, Hoederer.
I can't let you leave here alive, W.
Of all the old friends that I've killed... you're probably the one who could best understand the choice I'm making.
Now who's indecisive?
I'm not taking my eyes off you. I want to see the Sarkaz who had the nerve to put his sword through me.
Alright then.
Goodbye, W.
...Huh?
Something deflected my sword... a dagger? Where did it come from?
Don't move.
Same to you. Don't move.
......
Don't tell me you came to help him? Don't you know what Theresis did to her—
......
Maybe work on your aim? I just barely dodged that, what with my injuries and all.
Too bad.
......
......
You know you can't kill me now, right?
You've been my boss, and I've been yours. But there's someone here who's been boss to both of us. And she's clearly not in a good mood.
I know, thanks for the concern.
Looks like you'll have to accept a little failure if you don't want to die here together, 'Captain' Hoederer.