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(The factory's got no machines, it's just bombs after bombs... were they all moved here?)

(It looks like I don't need to keep wasting more time.)

(Lucky I'm carrying a reserve Arts Unit, or else things would be very tricky.)

She gives her ring a rub, the black gem's surface emitting a flicker of bright light.

Hey, what happened to your ropes?

Shh, keep it down. No matter what you hear next, just stay put and don't come out.

A... Alright...

Someone's running for it!

How? Who tied the ropes?

Oh, look at you, pretty little kitten! Thinking of scarpering on your own?

Look at that waist, though, heheh. I tell you, you put that in my hands and I could—

Honestly, you people really... sicken me...

*Sigh*...

Boom.

The violent sound of the detonation rings through the entire factory.

Along with the raging flames of the Originium Arts and fragments of the interior walls, several hooligans fall to the ground and are knocked out.

The Originium crystals fall away from their bodies in the heat, dropping to the floor.

Were these... stuck on? No, wait, this is just glass painted black!

(Fake Infected?)

What the hell happened!?

You useless ballsacks, I told you to watch them! Some shit mess you've made!

Who got you to do this? Why are you disguised as Infected?

No, let's be clear... you have no Infected among you at all, do you?

You bloody woman... not half-bad at this, are you?

What's it matter if we do or don't?

You're not getting out of here alive. Who's going to know the truth?

Communicating with you lot is really wearing me out...

What are you trying?

Park yourself on back, now! Else I'm done playing nice!

(It's clear they'll kill to silence, but they're still menacing us into complying using their arms. There's no logic to it at all...)

Just try and threaten me with those weapons, go on.

How many people like you do you think I've dealt with before?

The flames dance across the ground, drawing a brilliant show of firelight.

Piled in a corner, the resin shells of the Originium bombs melt apart in the blaze.

Their crystalline electronic components laid bare, they let out a boom.

The cores of the explosives emit blinding rays of light, then deactivate.

The bombs! The bombs got cooked!

Why didn't they explode? What happened?

Are you thick?! It's Originium Arts! She's a Caster!

Shit! We're in for it, now!

I'm giving you two choices.

First, you surrender nicely. I've got a lot I intend on asking you, still.

I'm not recommending the other choice, because right now, I'm in a VERY bad mood.

Piss off! Who do you think we are?!

Come on, boys, do her in! Do all these Infected in!

Excuse me! Did you not see those Originium Arts just now?!

How many people in Caladon could pull off Arts of that caliber?! Are you still going to resist?

What the hell is running through those brains of yours?!

Yeah, and what's all the fuss?! You're just a Caster!

I've seen a sight and a half, the places I've been! We've got Casters too! Show me what she's made of, go on!

*Sigh* And I've had enough...

Wait! No! We have to leg it!

What now?

Her! I just remembered! She's not a normal Caster!

It's King's Wand! She's that Mountbelan family's...

What?

Enough questions! Run!

A lively flame springs from the young lady's palm, its licks surging upwards. The sound of metal cracking under the sheer heat bursts forth before her, as if a gargantuan creature emerges from the blaze, awoken from its slumber.

The flames' light laps past the shattered fluorescents, flowing over the pillars, the air warped and twisting in the heat's dance. Only the flames themselves, sweeping about the debris on the factory floor, shine brighter, fiercer, more brilliantly.

The hooligans are wide-eyed and slack-jawed in terror, not daring to twitch a muscle.

Amidst this sea of chaos, the flames' tongues play gently with the ends of the lady's hair, unable to harm her in the slightest.

...Kneel before the flame of the heavens.

And all of it is thrown down, the resplendent red light filling their eyes, until soon enough they can see no more.

The lady brings down her two arms, held high.

That... that was marvelous.

You're... incredible!

Are the others alright? Is anyone hurt?

We're fine, we're all fine.

The Caster turns around, intending to help up the Infected.

When from behind, a figure hidden away in a corner comes charging a her.

Shit... bloody Caster, it's you or me!

Watch out!

Ugh...

Who's there?

From a staircase beneath the ceiling, a nimble silhouette quickly flits through the opening overhead, disappearing from Skyfire's line of sight.

Miss Caster, are you still fine?

I'm alright.

Help me with the others! First things first, we all get out of here!

November 27th, 1097, 6:40 A.M.

Kidnapping Infected? Blowing up the factory?

Right, though I still can't make sense of what in the world they were trying at.

Odd indeed...

What about those bandits you got? Did they say anything?

...Er...

Things were a bit of a mess there. I might've gotten slightly heavy-handed...

Never mind. I won't ask for the details.

Disguising as Infected to bomb a factory... I do have a guess for what made them do this.

Trying to capture those few runaways might pose some difficulty.

It's not too realistic to hope the guards look into an Infected community case, either.

And some other things are puzzling me about this... I could swear I saw...

Forget it, let's not mind this for now. Have any of you found Miss Susie yet?

I'm sorry, but not yet. I've already sent people to search. The guards say they saw her there when it caught on fire, but she quickly ran off in tears.

I'll search too if needs must... I'm a little worried for her.

Mr. Root! Open the door! Mr. Root!

Mr. Root! I'm begging you, save her!

We've got an Infected who's almost gone, help us!

Susie? Mr. Red? What happened??