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I will let them restore their lost dignity.

In the future of Ursus, the same holds true for the Infected.

I will bring about exaltation and equality, for the Infected and non-Infected, for Ursus and other nations.

Inevitably, a winner will emerge between the borderland armies and the State Council. I fan the flames of this war, so that they may decide immediately.

As time passes, life is eroded and passion is ousted. When Ursus becomes incapable of setting off the slightest spark, its lands and people will rot and become lost in the annals of history.

I will never let that happen.

I had intentionally let Reunion fall here, to be regathered in my hand and crumble once again, just so that there is a starting point to all this.

Yet, you deny all of this. You deny everything that I will do for Ursus.

How can your shortsightedness see the events a century henceforth?

How can you even begin to imagine the Infected and non-Infected united in their struggle? Why would you disrupt the peace and glory that will follow a thousand years, simply for the sake of a little suffering today?

In the end, you are too immature.

You have never experienced despair at the brink of destruction. The Infected may struggle, but they still live on. In contrast, Ursus has nearly fallen to ruin in a single night on multiple occasions.

Have you ever listened to the cavalry of Khagan galloping across the land, the sound of weapons clashing so thunderously they can level mountains and shift rivers?

Have you ever heard the shrill cries of the Kheshigs of Nightzmora as they run their scimitars across their skulls?

Have you ever experienced the ear-splitting sound of thousands of Warriors of Rus firing simultaneously, reducing the high and mighty Gauls to little more than ashes amongst the blood and mud?

You are clueless, but I don't blame you for that.

If you really wish to put your foolish thoughts into action and prevent the revival of Ursus, the reunification of the Ursus under the same banner of faith, the revitalization of the Ursus land...

Then, try and stop me. Try and stop this incarnation of Ursus.

Come.

Well done.

You've done well...

What is this? The dragonslaying sword couldn't cut me, the sword of the Lord of Fiends' couldn't pierce me, so why is... my Arts... My control is fading away?

The flames gradually die down. Even though the heat remains harsh enough to kill, it's far less brutal than several minutes ago.

Ch'en's bloodstained hands don't stop trembling. She's barely blinking.

Do you feel joy?

Is it a good feeling?

You are so close to victory, so why are your expressions so heavy?

Victory is close at hand... is it not?

...Ugh.

Her Arts have been dispelled... We can talk again.

Don't be rash, Amiya. We're also...

Are you planning to banish me from this body?

Feel free.

Who the hell are you mocking?

O Lord of Fiends, why do you not speak?

Come and chase me out of her body. You——

You can do it, no?

What difference is there between judging her and judging me? Are these crimes not all my fault?

Lord of Fiends? Answer me.

You're not wrong, Kashchey.

If she was completely unwilling... you wouldn't have been able to do those things.

Those thoughts that belong to you... Regardless if they have been twisted, they all originated from... Talulah herself.

You!

Are you planning on harming Miss Talulah's body?!

What are you doing?! Put that sword down!

Have you ever seen someone cut his throat in front of you, 'sister'?

Not even a Draco's body can withstand the sharpness of this sword.

I cannot do what she does not wish to do.

So, can Talulah continue to live?

Don't even think about it!

The despair within her heart, the unescapable shame. Are they strong enough, powerful enough that she would want to——

End it all?

Kashchey! Everything you've done to Talulah is unforgivable!

Regardless if you're just her shadow, an obstacle to her awakening, or another side of her... No matter how many wrongs Talulah has committed, you're definitely not in the right.

I am merely 'educating' her.

My failure stems from my enduring persistence. When you encounter a person without persistence, you will come to realize how much is contained within the word 'suffering'.

Just like how those Ursus warriors unfortunate enough to become her sacrifices are relegated to nothing more than the solid road beneath her feet.

These poor, pitiful Infected that should have exerted their value... They're all wasted now.

Even I myself am just part of the road she steps upon. If I had succeeded in killing you, 'sister'... It'd be a lot simpler.

You could say that we are the Black Snake. You could also say that I am Talulah.

Ch'en Hui-chieh, oh Hui-chieh. Talulah and I are just one of the many types of father-daughter pairs.

Perhaps Wei Yenwu is similar to me.

You have the nerve to say that?! After sacrificing your own 'daughter'? He's nothing like you!

N-No... You mustn't——

Too late, Lord of Fiends. I will not let you reveal my secrets.

Kashchey, you were planning to kill Miss Ch'en so that you could kill off Talulah once and for all!

And now, you can't do it anymore. We've aroused her memories and caused them to echo within her mind for long enough. She can no longer bear it.

Miss Talulah! Please remember... Please recall who you are!

No matter what kind of sacrifice it may be, if it was you... You would sacrifice yourself first for the sake of others, right?

Think about FrostNova, about Faust... Think about all the warriors who believe in you. Think about yourself!

Are you really just going to let us take your life like this...! You could never accept your death while having your body manipulated like this!

Even if you were to feel remorse, even if you felt sinful, you should do so as yourself... And not as the carrier of a curse, the victim of an ancient evil!

Even if you wanted to die, you should die as Talulah! Die as the Talulah who wanted to change the snowfields, the Talulah who wished to change the fate of the Infected!

Miss Talulah, I know!

I know that you weren't seeking achievement nor glory when you began fighting for the Infected... It's fine even if you failed! You did so because you believed it was the correct thing to do!

That's why, no matter what kind of people we are facing, no matter what world we face... We will always strive to move forward, never stopping until we can finally rest!

Aren't you that kind of person... Aren't the people you know all like that?

Talulah, are you content being a puppet of this snake?

Will you let it end like this? Is this really the Talulah I know?

Are you really worthy of being called the leader of the Infected?!

... I'm not worthy.

Hng!

Could it be... Miss Talulah...!

This is definitely not the first time the white-haired Draco attempted to resist her 'father'.

The leader of the Infected...?

I have never been.

He has only ever taught her about his schemes. Those schemes were in fact statements of intent.

Though she knew all about it, she was never able to stop herself.

Even before the hatred she has for those things she cannot accept, she first and foremost...

Hates herself.

I've failed. I've fallen into your trap. What's worse is that it was all of my own doing.

Yet, even so——!

You may not mock my kin.

What right do you have to mock those kin of mine who refused to concede to the bitter end?!

The different between me and you is that your 'love'... is just sacrifice.

Mister Buldrokkas'tee, Yelena, little Eno, little Sasha, the quiet Lyudmila, the kind Alex, Alina...

What right have I to mock them?

What right have I to mock my Infected kin who're struggling to survive?

Enough. You can stop here. I'm no longer you, Kashchey. I'm different from you... I'm not another Black Snake.

I might be a Kashchey... But I'm definitely not another Black Snake.