Flickering Light

No medicine for more than a week now... all the injured... Infected... damn it!

Wh-What's that sound?

No reinforcements from Babel yet? Then keep looking for a path! Don't come back until you do!

The Catastrophe cloud's fully formed. Which *Sarkaz expletive* unit attacked the hospital? Not even Scareye's that crazy!

Stick together! It's too late to try to get out of the Catastrophe. We need to find some clean caves! Nothing with Originium traces on it, not even a little bit!

Doing this to the wounded... Theresis, you piece of...

Mom... my leg hurts...

Don't cry, don't cry... we're almost home...

...I hear it.

Children are crying.

It's starting to snow. This isn't good.

Two thousand, three hundred and thirteen.

All confirmed.

Location and physical data logged.

Fewer losses than expected, but time's of the essence.

Watching your Arts up close is always a remarkable experience, Mantra.

(Nods humbly)

Was the Djall in HR able to get you a few assistants?

(Closes eyes)

A shame.

Message sent to all squads.

Cave, seven kilometers to the northeast.

The children are there.

But the Military Commission's drones have found us.

I'll stay. You go.

(Frowns)

They don't want to face my squad head-on in this terrain.

Just going to say hi. Will try to take Manfred alive if he's leading them.

Don't take unnecessary risks—

Doctor here.

Sorry I'm late. Operations in the CA area have concluded.

Continue to carry out Mantra's plan. I'll provide support elsewhere. The priority is to help the civilians and wounded.

Good timing, Doctor.

Thanks. Misery is distracting the Military Commission, but he needs help.

Is this the part where I volunteer?

Yes, Ace.

Awaiting your orders.

And...

Theresa will go directly to the affected field hospital at the center to prevent further casualties.

If all goes well... I'll meet you there.

Explosion! Explosion!

Move away from the glowing area! Back off! The Originium underground is being activated—

*Sarkaz expletive* Too late—

Snow... floating in the air?

The snow crystals here are almost indistinguishable from Originium crystals. Control over them can be achieved with sufficient focus.

You... You're

Precise control over individual snowflakes is difficult, but it's not so difficult to hold a snowstorm off in an Originium-rich environment.

Have you been paying attention in class, Aidan?

Pith! You're here! You...

I can give you ten minutes.

Go back to the meadows at the bottom of the valley and head south. Scout will guide your path.

Don't you remember what I taught you? There are a lot of emergency precautions you can take in an Originium-dense environment, but you did nothing.

I—

Wait... you have acute Oripathy patients in your group! What were you thinking?!

Take this syringe! I'll do what I can. You have ten minutes to get everybody in order.

But you—

Move it, before the Catastrophe fully forms! This area will be safe while I can dampen it for a bit.

—One more thing.

I'm using several kinds of Arts at the same time right now. I want to see an essay from all of you on my table by this weekend, explaining which schools these Arts belong to.

So you better damn well make it out alive.

...It's me. Any instructions from Manfred?

What is he doing? Huh?

A Royal Court high rank in amongst the Babel forces and refugees? Impossible! Look it up!

Doubt there's anything to look up. Manfred probably made up the excuse on the spot.

Even if they were there, they're Babel prisoners now. Rescuing prisoners in the middle of a Catastrophe is not part of the contract.

But we have to do it anyway. Dammit, get Thorn Squad to check the blockade...

Alright... 86 here. Hello? Hello?

No response. Where did they go? It's not time for the shift change yet, is it?

...Wait.

Isn't it a little too quiet?

There were fowlbeast cries only a moment ago...

All the animals must have fled the Catastrophe.

It'll sweep through this place in five hours. This is no time to be taking a nap.

Hand me the schedule.

I said, hand me the—

Huh? Hey, where did you go?

Hello? This is Squad 86! Anyone hear me? Anybody? What's going on? Somebody's—

You called?

—

Phew.

Three squads silenced. No alerts. The path is clear.

Combat personnel, follow these coordinates. Medics, take the injured and follow the markings I've left.

...There's something I need to confirm.

......

It's the Military Commission's frequency alright, but these were scouts, not the rogue mercenaries that attacked our positions.

Mission briefing 'Strawberry'. Just monitoring the retreat of the civilians... hah, Manfred even lied to them that there was a 'Royal Court high rank' here.

Well, I guess I'll leave the rest to Ascalon.

......

Babel.

Are you my death?

You led the attack on Babel positions. Who's orders are you following?

It's just doctors and Infected civilians—

Ngh.

What are you—

......

—!

Bomb... you're crazy.

Surrender. You have no chan—

......

...It's me. I'm done.

Sorry, couldn't take him alive. He blew himself up.

Something's not right.

He recognized me as Babel immediately, realized he was no match for me and quickly chose to blow himself up.

I found a pouch. It's undamaged. I must have cut it off.

There's a Babel sleeve badge and a Military Commission medal inside.

It's not unusual for a mercenary working both sides of a war.

And a piece of paper. Possibly personal notes.

Most of it is illegible. The only thing I can make out is...

'...del. Home.'

......

Forget it. Not important.

Communications are out? Well, I guess the old stuff won't do it when a Catastrophe is so close.

Let's hope the other teams found a way out.

Don't just stand there.

Bring all the Infected who can't move over here.

What's the point? It's not like they'll be able to get away from the Catastrophe.

Just do it. It's not like you have anything to lose, is there?

And...? Some of them are comatose.

My condition isn't that far off from theirs. I'll end their suffering.

Originium particles will spread when they die. I'll take the brunt of it. Take your bow, keep your distance, and finish the job.

(Mumbles) Hell no.

Hey, stay away from the Infected. Julie will deal with them.

...Infected.

You're just leaving them here like firewood.

I'm not doing it because I want to.

Is there any hope for them?

No. Just death. They'll turn to dust in ten minutes or so.

They could have been saved.

Does living a little longer count as being saved?

......

Their conditions are too severe. If they don't die here, they'll die in some forgotten alleyway in Kazdel. I should have stayed in Sargon...

Here, give them these suppressants. It'll at least relieve their pain.

Where did you get these suppressants? No, who are you anyway? When did you get here?

Don't move!

Your ID code, now, or I'll—

Let the Doctor pass.

It's fine.

Everything will be fine.

You look familiar—

Y-Your Highness! How could you—

We're right in the middle of the Catastrophe! W-We're very grateful, but...

You shouldn't have come! It's too dangerous—

Your... Highness...

I'm sorry I came late.

Too late to save your lives... I'm sorry I couldn't do enough...

Please... don't...

I'm listening, my children.

I will remember how all of you lived and died... forgive me that I could not promise you more, but for your family, children, friends and comrades...

There will come a day when they will no longer live in fear.

......

Your lives should have been so much more.

Now, though, dream a warm dream... a dream that will come true.

Sleep, children of Kazdel. Sleep in the warm embrace of home.

Sleep.

Thank... you...

......

So, you... er...

You can call me anything you like. Even 'evil spirit', if that's what you prefer.

I-I don't mean that! It's just, this is the first time we've spoken to each other alone.

You brought us many victories. I've had a hand in some. They also say you're an expert on Originium...

...'Expert'.

Yet it's the first time I've seen Infected die like this with my own two eyes.

You're lucky.

I never thought it would be so...

Does living a little longer count as being saved?

...Never mind.

It's time to go, Theresa.

Right.

But it's too late, even if we leave now. And the Military Commission has set a trap for us...

It'll be fine.

Let's go home.

Doctor.

I heard about the operation. You...

Doctor?

There's something I want to ask, Kal'tsit.

Go ahead.

As a physician, is it saving a life when all you can do is stave off death for a little while?

Unless it goes contrary to the patient's wishes, the duty of a physician is to save lives.

That's what we've always worked to do.

Why do you ask?

Looking at Amiya and the people around us makes me feel that you shouldn't have to deal with this kind of suffering.

......

And I...

Doctor, Kal'tsit, there you are.

The intelligence meeting just ended. The unexpected Catastrophe has led to a stalemate, and some breathing room for us.

The two of you need to get some rest. Especially you, Doctor. You've hardly slept since you've been back, right?

I'm fine...

Doctor... do you think all this is your fault?

It is.

I won't run from my responsibility, and I won't wallow in self-pity... I just need time to accept the present.

I—

......

You're tired, Doctor. I'm grateful that you have chosen to bear the burden of these emotions for the sake of this great land.

Your pain and struggle shows your kindness and ideals. I won't try to wipe them away, but we could share this burden, if you are willing...

...?

(The Doctor is rejecting me? Or is it...?)

Sorry, Theresa, but this is not something you need to take on.

No need to use Civilight Eterna on me. It takes a toll on you too. There are more important uses for it.

More important than helping someone who's given everything for us?

Hehe... thank you. I mean it.

You and Scout said we have some breathing room, right?

I'll make dinner for us, then. I learned it off Misery.

For our future challenges.