act28side

What, you want me to bury it for you, too? Hold a funeral while we're at it?

No... Every animal in the forest is hungry during the winter. If we leave it here... maybe one of them can have a good meal.

I might be a bit of softy, but... that doesn't mean I'm completely oblivious.

If you get it, then try to keep up, Miss Mercenary. I'm guessing you don't wanna get lost in the woods again.

The wind's cleared the fog... Sir, did you bring us here just to get a view of Davistown?

...When I was little, I loved running to the high places near the plate, just to get a good look at the town I lived in.

What was it like back then?

Livelier, more glamorous... More full of life.

As for now... Well, there's no going back. No turning back the clock.

Brrrr... It's freakin' cold. Can't believe they shipped us off to a place like this.

Franka...

What's on your mind?

I was just... thinking about Jessica again.

What about her? Didn't you say you weren't worried?

...I was thinking about that 'opportunity' we were talking about.

Oh, you mean the chance for her to see her own worth?

Who knows? Maybe one day... it'll come to her in a gust of wind. A freaking cold one, so cold it makes her shiver all over.

But it'll sweep away all the fog before her eyes, and everything will become as clear as day.

I just hope that what she sees then... won't be anything like what we're looking at.

Amidst the dispersing fog, huge tracks formed of fallen trees and broken branches can be seen winding down the hillside towards the center of the valley.

At their end is an abandoned plate.

Despite the distance, everyone can clearly see an energy tower rising from the middle of it, feebly wheezing out puffy white breaths.

Like a dying patient, struggling for air.