act37side

Your wounds...

Insignificant.

You don't need to involve yourself in the frontline work anymore. Take care of yourself.

Don't you understand how powerful I am by now, runt? You learned quite a bit from us back in the day, didn't you?

Bringing you into the city was the most I could do. Whatever is between you and the Regent—Rose Riverside will no longer be involved.

Good.

Where will you go next?

I'll keep tracking her down. She disappeared so suddenly, abandoning Her Highness at the most critical moment. That demands an explanation.

One of our sharp-eyed sisters managed to track her as she left Londinium. She's still heading west, though her destination is unclear.

And when you catch her? Will you bring her back, or kill her?

She owes all the Riverbank Canoes an explanation.

But you, runt, should worry about yourself first. The Regent is close at hand.

The Riverside Canoes swore not to get involved with anything related to Babel anymore. However, helping an old acquaintance doesn't break the rules.

This smear of blood—it's a gift and a blessing, for less pain and fewer scars. Safe travels, Ascalon.

Did you really have to wipe it on my neck?

Not my fault you always hide your face so well under that hood. You look better this way.

Hmph.

Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask—what do you think of that kitten?

She does not emerge from the shadows, and the wind carries her voice.

'My judgment is unnecessary. When the dust settles, the truth will reveal itself.'

'We're all the same.'

<i>Even today, many still argue about when exactly the war ended.</i>

<i>Some say it was when the Nachzehrer King fell at the gates of the Palace of Westhaleg. Others say it was when the Sarkaz fully withdrew from Londinium.</i>

<i>As someone who lived through it, I've been asked quite frequently about my opinion.</i>

<i>Luckily, I share the exact same view as Vina:</i>

<i>The war ended the moment we found the courage to take the sword from Vina's hands and wield it against the Nachzehrer King ourselves.</i>

<i>We fought back. We destroyed, with our own hands, the enemies who tried to ruin us. We never needed a singular hero.</i>

<i>That day, everyone who fought for her home and her future was a hero.</i>

'Everyone, no matter your unit number, which squad you belong to, or which duke you serve—'

'There's no retreating now!'

'Support the allied forces! Why should we lag behind this lot?'

'Quick, go help The Exemplars!'

'Captain, argh—my weapon's broken—'

'Take mine! If it breaks, grab another! If there's none left, snatch a blade from the devils and keep fighting!'

'Advance! Advance!!'

'For Victoria!'

'For Victoria!'

Soldier, you should not continue this assault empty-handed.

Take this sword.

...but, this is the Sighs of Kings... I can't possibly...

It belongs to Your Royal Highness.

No. It belongs to Victoria.

On the wreckage of the <i>Glorious,</i> trusted allies passed the sword from hand to hand until it reached me, completing its mission.

Now, take it from my hand! Let it reach the hands of everyone who needs it. Let its mission continue anew.

This is your right as a Victorian.

But if we take the sword, what will Your Royal Highness use?

I still have my hammer.

I will not stop. I will stay with you until the end.

The early morning sun breaks through the dark clouds. A golden-haired Feline and a Victorian stand together.

The soldier grips the sword tightly, her gaze locked on the determined Aslan, despite the blinding sunlight.

She refuses to look away, for she sees the thousands of Victorians rallied behind her, fighting for the same cause.

She sees the King, walking alongside her people.

As you bid.

All survivors of the 6th Column, 10th Infantry Regiment, advance with me!

For Victoria!

♪May the vast lands they keep owre kynge.

She cuts down two Nachzehrer Royal Court elites and a caster. Her blade bears two new notches.

♪His people, and alle his well-wyllynge,

However, she is too gravely injured to continue, so she passes the sword on.

A worker grips the sword and presses forward. He perishes alongside a Royal Court elite, leaving yet another notch on the blade.

♪And give them grace wythoute endyng!

An Infected picks the sword up from the pool of blood. She does not defeat any enemies, instead protecting it with her body.

In so doing, she protects her Victoria and hope itself.

♪Then may we call and savely syng,

♪Victoria, yeve thankes for owre hom!

<i>Finally, the sword pierced the Nachzehrer King, after which it disappeared into the chaos of the battle.</i>

<i>To this day, we still don't know who the final hero to wield the sword was, or whether they're still alive. But one thing is certain—the sword fulfilled its mission.</i>

<i>The Victorians wielded the blade against the invaders.</i>

<i>But its legend didn't end there. They say it was the workers who recovered the broken Sighs of Kings from the blood and mud.</i>

<i>As for the rest of the story, well, every child in Londinium can sing it loud and clear.</i>

<p=1>Auchterigg, the Nachzehrers' final camp</><p=2>October 2nd, 1098, 7:35 A.M.</>

I don't see any more Nachzehrers. Is the battle finally over?

But this blasted fog hasn't let up one bit.

Something's not right. The Sarkaz aren't attacking under the cover of the thick fog like before. Is this a trap?

Based on our previous encounters with the Nachzehrer army, they are far more elusive than they seem.

Horn, what do you suppose we should do next?

Coordinate with the main allied forces, hold off on advancing rashly, and minimize unnecessary casualties until we get a clearer read on the situation.

Alright. Sound strategy.

Dagda, send the orders to all of our troops.

I'll pass it on to the alliance commanders, as well as Closure and the others.

Hey, heyyy, hey! Did Hood even get the frequency right?

Huh? We're already live?

Gah! Everybody, listen up! Babel's captured the Military Commission's Command Center.

The bastards don't know their heads from their asses right now, and nobody's got it in them to help out the crusty old Nachzehrer King.

So quit wasting time and get those feet moving!

I don't care if you believe me or not, just go and get this over with!

Oh, and by the way, you might wanna look up.

The old hag owes me big this time.

Delphine—

We traced the transmission. It seems this communication was received on several different frequencies.

Both the allies and the Sarkaz probably heard it.

That voice... it was....

Wiš'adel. Sounds like they've been busy.

Horn, please re-assess the situation.

Vina, look at the sky! It's...

All eyes turn upwards, and soon they hear the sound of steam bursting at full force, echoing above the Palace of Westhaleg.

'Victoria!'

The Victorian army boils.

It's Charles Lynch! He's gone into the fog!

I can hear the commotion inside the clouds. He's battling the Nachzehrers.