Breath of the City

......

Okay, everyone. We can stop here for a while.

Uh, where exactly are we?

We've been climbing down all this time... It's like we burrowed ourselves into some kind of pipeline...

Huh...? *Cough*, you might be right about that.

Who the hell are you anyway, punk? Don't think we'll just follow your every word.

Hm... to be on the safe side, let me ask you the same question.

Who are you people? Why are you trying to sneak into Londinium?

Before we answer that, you need to let our employee go.

Is our hooded friend your commander?

Sure enough. I figured out who calls the shots in battle. That said, Cautus lady, you're the one who's actually in charge, right?

Don't be so surprised. I'll admit you have a few tricks up your sleeves, but... we're locals, and we know this playbook a lot better than you.

A local... You live in Londinium, then?

Were you part of that big fight earlier?

Stop with the guesses. We haven’t worked up the mutual trust yet.

Dublinn and the Sarkaz fighting each other doesn't prove anything. Them bickering doesn't mean we should fall down on either side.

Londinium's veins.

Wh-What did you say?

We've made it inside Londinium.

How can you tell?!

These pathways connect the city to the outside. They can get us past the Sarkaz guards and inside the city.

How long have we walked? Twenty minutes?

I reckon we're right underneath a certain key facility in Sudean right now.

Uh...

The facility isn't far from the walls. And it is a key hub. From here, you can get to many places in the city.

Rail tracks...

Just another kilometer or two ahead, and there will be a train station above us.

......

You know Londinium well. I suppose you used to live here?

I'm a local, too.

No wonder. I was about to say your hammer feels especially familiar. Feline lady... Uh, you're a Feline, right?

Whatever you are, that's what I am.

*Sigh*. I’m really gonna regret this if you guys are actually Sarkaz spies, aren’t I?

Don't hurt the Doctor—!

Huh?! W-When did you take over the drone?

Y-You're holding it in your bare hands?! I could detonate the drone bomb right now, you know?!

Urgh, this is bad.

When did you figure it out? When I was talking to you? Or when I led you down the underground passage?

Maybe even before that...? Hold on. You didn't... you couldn’t have figured out all the way back when I captured you? That this drone poses no threat?

And you let me drag you all the way down here?!

If I had thought for a second you were going to hurt the Doctor, my hammer would've cracked your skull before your hand could even touch the remote.

You know, you really should've picked someone dumber for your hostage, like this punk who only knows to speak with her fists. She might have fallen for your trick.

You think he could come anywhere close?

Uh... so the signal jammer I brought along isn't gonna come in handy?

—Mr. 'Local.'

I think it's about time we put an end to this charade. No more testing each other.

We may not face enemy cannon fire, but there's still a threat to the both of us out there.

Haven't we proven ourselves?

We've had many opportunities to take you down from the moment we met. Suppose we were actually spies sent here by the Sarkaz. We've already figured out the size of things here, so why waste any more time talking to you?

The only reason that the Doctor was playing the hostage here and that we willingly followed you into this passageway is because we believe you mean no harm.

So shouldn't you put your trust in us more and tell us what your goal is?

Hm, that sounds very convincing. I mean, you could say I'm your hostage now.

Rockrock, come on out.

......

D-D-Dr-Drones...? So many?! With that formation, they're aiming at us, aren't they? T-They could shoot us all full of holes!

Rockrock, stop it.

It doesn't matter if they spot you or your drones. Considering their strength, I wouldn't be able to get out alive, if we came to blows.

If you knew that, maybe you shouldn't have brought me along to play your stupid games.

Fine, you're right.

Hey, hooded friend, can you give Rock-17 back? The drone in your hand there. It's only half-done. If you break it, Rockrock is going to be livid.

Phew... Well, pleased to make your acquaintance.

I'm Feist. This is Rockrock, my partner.

We belong to the Londinium Citizens' Self-Salvation Corps.

How many places do you think there are in Londinium that our eyes cannot reach?

Countless many.

There are thousands of old factories in the city. Roughly four-in-ten are abandoned. The remaining sixty percent are still operational.

Most of the factories that are still running are built on the sites of even older factories. The factory buildings might as well be labyrinths filled with centuries' worth of industrial waste.

As many factories as there are, there are even more slums hidden away between the factory buildings. Not even the top echelons of the city's defense force can say how many there are living in these civilian industrial and old logistics districts.

Sometimes, I even think this place isn't so different from Kazdel.

The more colorful outer shell is the main difference. That, and they buried the rotten parts deeper inside to keep the stench from suffocating the distinguished elite.

Trying to fish a group of troublemakers out of the Kazdel slums in three days is like trying to rob a group of Lateran envoys covered by the Apostolic Knights on your own. Not an easy ask.

It is still built atop the foundation that we were all born in Kazdel.

Londinium... Who dares to claim to know Londinium so well?

How long did it take us to defeat the parliamentary guard and take command of seventy percent of the city's defense forces?

Less than a week.

How long did it take us to hang the aristocrats that took the lead in the opposition and defeat the hooligans they spent great sums to hire dozens of times, until they all finally fell in line?

A month and a half.

Yet we are now months into our tug-of-war with the so-called rebels here in the Sudean streets and alleys.

In just half a year, we seized nearly every borough of Londinium.

Every borough except this one.

A half-abandoned industrial district. From the south all the way to the north, it surrounds the mountains in Londinium's center and connects to the rarely-visited old logistics districts.

'This is where the history of Londinium begins.'

So the history books claim.

I know that there must be at least one king, perhaps even several, who are dissatisfied with my progress.

You mentioned that they wanted to completely seal off this ward.

They are far too easily offended. As soon as command here falls into their hands, they will build a new wall between Sudean and the other wards with the bodies of the Londiniers.

At the very least, the Regent supports you.

No, it is I who must do everything I can to support the general.

The court does not understand the general's pain... They do not understand how fragile the current balance is.

Do you know why I insisted on activating only the secondary defense cannons?

If I activate the primary cannons right now... will the dukes out there march right inside?

Suppose we proceed to slaughter all the people of Londinium. Will that once again stir disloyalty among the nobles in the city and the soldiers who joined us, causing them to turn their swords against us and fight to the bitter end?

Suppose we completely abandon this industrial district. How much longer will the general's plans be delayed without the trains carrying materials to The Shard every day?

The lords' pride prevented them from casting their ancient skulls downward to see these foreign cities.

In my opinion, if we are to control all of Londinium, the most difficult battle we must fight is right before our eyes.

The Sarkaz calls us the rebels. We got no complaints in that department.

If the only way to save ourselves is by standing up against them, then even the most ordinary of Londiniers will take up arms.

Do you know what's happening in the other wards?

Can't be better than here.

All of us either work for the Sarkaz or die.

We've been getting bits and pieces of news from up north. From what I heard, the Sarkaz army there's much more cruel.

Vina, does that mean Baird and the rest who stayed behind...

Calm down.

How am I supposed to be calm?! It's been five years! Five years! I don't even know if they're still...

We'll find them.

Soon, we'll find each of them, one by one.

Okay, Vina. I trust you. No matter where they are. No matter if they're alive or...

Never mind! I won't get so gloomy in front of everyone.

Ladies, as long as your friends are still alive, we should have a way to get in touch with them.

You operate outside of Sudean too?

We can get anywhere in Londinium. Even outside the city.

For each of us they take away, ten more join our ranks.

Rockrock is a born and bred Sudean girl. She's one of our most senior fighters. She knows better than the rest of us how our team grew, bit by bit.

Seeing as you're leading a team now, we might've been adding to our ranks a little too quickly.

Haha, who do you think led you to eleven victories, Lieutenant?

All we did was lead people underground. How does that count as a victory?

Managing to live another day under the Sarkaz's noses, all while we get to keep operating in the dark? I'd call that a win.

It's just as you saw. The Sarkaz haven't taken complete control of Sudean yet.

The terrain and flow of people here are so chaotic that if the Sarkaz really are trying to take control of every inch, then they must really have underestimated the place.

And besides... This is where the last Londinium defense force squad fought the Sarkaz.

Looks like they lost too.

*Sigh*... They fought and they lost.

That battle was over quick... way too quick. Before any of us could react, the Sarkaz were already standing atop the walls.

It's all because of the traitors! They bought out our elite squads!

Miss, were you in the military?

......

No, I wasn't. I was... uh... a local, like them.

Alright, a local.

I know the military had its share of traitors. Plenty of them, even.

The traitors and some of the aristocrats defected to the Sarkaz with much of the defense force.

Outside Sudean, you may still find Londinium forces patrolling the streets, but their commanding officers are all regulars at Sarkaz soirees now.

What about the last squad that fought here?

They held out to the bitter end. Each of them paid a dear, terrible price.

I don't know how many of them survived, but I think... having experienced a hopeless fight like that, even if they made it out alive, their hearts must ache whenever they look at Londinium's walls.

Don't be so alarmed. Keep your head up. Take your hand off the crossbow, and relax a little.

*cough*, *cough*.

The residents here are used to seeing all kinds of people. They won't help us, but as long as they don't feel their lives are in danger, they won't follow Dublinn or the Sarkaz's orders.

Life under the enemy's watchful eyes... I can't imagine going through that.

Do you know how they used to think of us?

Uh, I haven't thought about it.

I never did either.

Lieutenant...?

Alright, stop calling me Lieutenant. I'm Horn here. There are way too many lieutenants running around, of all different factions.

Right, Horn. Where are we going?

To regroup with my companions first.

The Sarkaz patrol will pass by the area in five minutes. We'll split into two teams and follow the rail tracks east separately.

After three hundred and fifty meters, you'll see an iron staircase leading up.

If you hear five metallic knocks, come on up. Three, stay put. Two, disband immediately.

You might think the abandoned factories there look familiar... Don't be surprised. It's Dublinn's stronghold.

Isn't that a little dangerous?

With Dublinn occupying the area, the Sarkaz don't go there often.

Want to try your hand at hide-and-seek? You're welcome to join in on the fun.

So are you really just a normal business?

Haha... That's putting it simply.

Now that the Sarkaz are in charge of Londinium, who am I to doubt your excuses? You're security personnel working for a medical corporation, right?

Let's see... a team with a total of seventeen people. All of you are outfitted with military-grade equipment, and you work well with each other. You even have these half-decent drones.

'Half-decent...?'

What do you mean, 'half-decent?' You can't talk about my work like that!

Ehhh, settle down.

I didn't get a good look at them up there. Maybe you can show them to me another time?

The Sarkaz blew them all up! Just thinking about it makes my heart ache!

Why don't you try fixing them? You should have a couple wrecked drones left, right? How about I take a look at them for you? I have all the tools we need.

Closure, I did manage to snatch two...

I gotta find something nice to trade with you, then?

Whoa, someone's cautious.

Doctor... What kind of doctor are you anyway? Eh, never mind. We'll talk about it another time. I'm in no rush.

That aside, how did you make it to Londinium in the first place? I've told you plenty about the city's situation. If we're working with each other, why don't you tell me something about the outside?

It was a long journey...

I know you already fought Dublinn.

You have eyes outside the city?

Cautus lady. We talked about this. We're sharing information with each other.

Okay.

Taking us back a bit... We did have a run-in with Dublinn outside Londinium...