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Shouldn't more people know, before we're, silenced too?

They can't, kill everyone.

Can they?

You're right. But sending a message would reveal our position to the nearby Army...

We...

Eloysius swallows her words. She wanted to be the voice of cold reason, but she cannot say the words.

Vetochki is right.

We can't let them bury everything that happened here.

You've just been through a hard fight, Mantra.

There's no need to worry. It's my duty.

But I can't NOT worry...

You didn't want to come to the north, or reveal your Arts. There must be reasons for that, whether it's a past you didn't want to expose, or...

Rhodes Island won't place undue burdens on our operators. I don't know what you went through here, but I know it takes great courage to overcome it.

Thank you for your understanding, Amiya. But I no longer need to avoid it, for I've left it behind.

We'll reveal the tragedy that happened here, and expose their plot to all.

A-Alright!

And we have a witness.

Let's begin.

Calibration complete... how are you feeling?

Good.

We'll expand the area, then. Raidian?

One moment. Maybe I can make use of the magnetic storms. The electrical signals carried in the noise...

How are you feeling now, Mantra?

I can hear more now.

'More' is a vague answer. She not only hears more, she hears further, hears more details—

She hears the battleship's tracks rumbling across the tundra, the screams that not even Originium engines and guns can drown.

She hears parents speaking southern Ursine dialects, kissing their children goodnight; couples whispering words of love on the balcony before going inside, the curtains left open.

She hears a radio program in the Northern Tundra, interrupted from time to time by the magnetic storms; an old man falling asleep stroking a cloudbeast in his arms in a nursing home...

She feels as though she can hear everything, and she knows she has to interrupt.

'Comrades—'

Mantra suddenly realizes that she should not be the one saying the words.

At least, not the only one.

Vetochki.

Y-Yes?

These are your words.

Say them with me.

But I, don't speak, clearly—

You can do it.

I, I—

'Comrades in the mines and cities.'

'C-Comrades, in the mines, and cities.'

'We come from the Far North.'

'We come from... the Far North.'

'We are being slaughtered.'

'We are b-being...'

'Slaughtered.'

Comrades, in the mines, and cities. We are hunted miners from the Far North.

We are still alive, but we are being slaughtered.

We did not betray Ursus.

Ursus abandoned us.

I-I did it!

You did it.

Now...

I might need some help.

'Dispatch speaking.'

'Target acquired. They're moving toward Lake Neva.'

'Cease fire and surround the target coordinates.'

'Coordinates sent to your terminals.'

Are you out of the woods, Raidian?

Scout team here. We're at the rendezvous point.

The first batch of vehicles are here. We'll need to wait for the second batch to arrive.

Sorry, I didn't expect things to get so urgent.

Have you tracked more of the Armies' movements, Raidian?

Not yet... the military channel went dark after our broadcast. They're on guard now, and we're unable to get more information.

It's so quiet, it's making me uneasy...

Stay hidden, Amiya.

We'll be careful.

Stay in touch. How's Mantra?

Still exhausted. Vetochki and the others have made a stretcher for her—

Amiya.

Mantra! You shouldn't be 'talking'!

I'm awake. Tell Elysium that I can walk on my own.

No, not yet.

See? I told you so!

Remember how Blaze was bedridden for two weeks after getting injured on a mission? We didn't let her feet touch the ground for a single second.

So don't even think about it, dear Mantra.

...The situation is different.

Okay, here's a compromise. Once you're through the woods, you can choose me or Elysium to be your crutch.

Is G-Grypherburg, on the other side, of the frozen lake?

I heard, the Infected, can't enter n-nomadic cities.

I never went to the cities before I got infected. I lived all my life in the villages, until a Catastrophe infected most of us.

But they said we didn't need to walk, right? There'll be vehicles, like the ones we found.

I think Nikto was from Grypherburg. Too bad he isn't here.

Say, what do you think Nikto and Rankin are doing, Vetochki? Could they have already made it to that village they were talking about?

M-Maybe.

I hope so.

Everyone, take cover, now!

An explosion—from the forest? Is the Army here?

I just sensed it... Another army's attacking from the east.

They know where we are. They're trying to force us in the direction of Lake Neva.

They're out of their minds! We're already in the Central Governorate. The Armies must know what that means!

'Deity Grypherburg is under threat... the Army... will eliminate the enemy.'

It's a public broadcast. They're telling Grypherburg that they're putting down a rebellion!

I see... this was their plan all along...

All this killing and herding... they're planning to reach the capital under the pretext of putting down a rebellion, and negotiate with the State Council by pointing their guns at the gates of Deity Grypherburg!

This was what they're trying to achieve... by sacrificing hundreds of thousands in the Far North.

Can you hear me, Amiya?

There are Army units to your east—

...The magnetic storms are interfering with comms. I can't get a good signal at this range.

The rest of the group will arrive soon. Eloysius, I need you here to get them on the vehicles and evacuate in an orderly manner.