act17d0

Tina! Bandages! Hurry!

Stay with me! Don't close your eyes, boy!

Why... what happened?

When you push yourself to use Originium Arts... it worsens your Originium infection...

Rhodes Island doesn't have a countermeasure? Isn't this what you people do?

Between the blood loss, burns, and acute Oripathy symptoms, even if we were back on the landship...

...*cough*...

I said stay with me, kid.

...You can do this. Remember how you wanted to travel the world? Picture that Columbia you were dreaming about.

...Stay with me!

*cough* *cough*...

...*cough*...

...Doctor...

...He's gone.

...I'm sorry. I couldn't...

No... it's not your fault.

...No... I had nothing to do with that. It wasn't me!

(Russian profanity), I'm going to twist your *profanity* head off.

I just...don't...

You're done for, (Russian profanity). You're toasted.

No! Don't hurt me! It wasn't me! No!

Alexsandr! Stop! Calm down!

Where did that guard captain go? The Lord's daughter?

She chased someone trying to get away. Rangers went with her, don't worry.

Wait... the crystals on the doctor's skin... are glowing?

Huh?!

So soon? How?

We've got bigger problems! Find an empty room here!

What are you doing?

No time to explain! Move!

We need cloth! Curtains, bedspreads, anything!

Get the doctor into that little house! Hurry!

What's happening?

What's wrong with the doctor? Why...?

M-Miss Cohen, please calm down. Franka's dealing with the doctor's—

Dealing?

Dealing with what?

You've never seen it before? I'll explain it to you later—

Cover the doors and all the windows! No cracks!

The chimney! Block it! And the vents!

What... are they doing?

I'm not sure? What's wrong with... the doctor's corpse?

Don't look.

Why?

Don't look...

We're good here!

Doors and windows good! Ready.

Hey, is that room lighting up? The window's glowing?

Miss Cohen! Get back!

Don't watch...

What on earth is going on?

The doctor...

Oh...

In the dark of the house, glittering dust crumbles from the departed's wounds and spreads throughout the enclosed space. Before long, rays of light pierce the darkness.

Brilliant, dazzling, prismatic light. Originium dust floats in the air among the lights, then slowly settles.

An Infected returns to the earth that birthed him.

Wretched thing.

Boss, what are we gonna do?

I think we better fall back.

Fall back? We haven't lost yet.

We already wiped out the guardsmen, we just need to wait for the right time to counterattack.

A couple Rhodes Island mercs are no big deal.

Where's my egghead?

Where's anybody?

What's that smell?

What happened to the guys we had watching him?

Looks like you're in a tough spot, my friend.

Let me guess, even with my mighty Originium creations, you still failed.

To be honest, I'm not the least bit surprised.

I don't have time for your sarcasm.

Well, knowing what I know of you, you're here to ask me for new toys... No wonder your father doesn't like you.

Enough bullshit, I need...

Are you talking to me, sir?

Because I think you forgot the magic word.

What?

You're asking for my help. Was that the proper attitude?

Are you screwing with me...?

Do I look like I'm joking?

Oh, this old geezer needs a beating!

Aaaahh!

What is this?! What is this?!

My head! My head's... gonna explode... it's...

You! What have you done?!

You apes really have nothing of value beyond your brute strength.

And you, sir, do you really think you can keep science locked up in here with this bunch of mentally deficient clods?

Go, and tell our grand old sponsor to settle down.

Gaa...

Guh...

What the hell are those...??

You can't tell? They're your men.

Of course, they've become so much more now. Much more obedient.

And soon, you'll be just like them.

Why can you control them? You know no Originium Arts!

Only Originium Arts can control them? You people are so blinkered.

Have you ever thought about why 'Originium Arts' can control those 'infected creatures'?

Of course, you, with your tiny brain, can never figure it out.

The mad scientist rolls up a sleeve.

A swollen Originium lump is twitching under his arm.

As if it were alive, having its own mind.

As long as you become a part of them, naturally you can communicate with them. We are having a good time together.