fartth

It is... a beautiful place.

What's your hometown like, Justyna? Tell me all about it!

Maybe next time.

Who's there?

A third patrol?

Come in, patrol... come in... do you require backup...?

We need to move.

But...

But I haven't said goodbye to Rita yet...

I told her not to play with uninfected children!

There are no kids Zola's age in the camp. She's lonely.

The Armorless Union doesn't care that she's a child.

She's Infected. To them, young doesn't mean innocent; it just means easier <i>cleanup.</i>

Justyna. How sure are you about Zola?

...I can't be sure.

We ruffled feathers when we got out of Sector 9. The Armorless Union is probably watching the warehouse right now. Scouts, troopers... they'll be out in force.

It's not just this district that we have to protect. There's another group of refugees who just arrived at the outskirts of Kawalerielki today, waiting for our escort.

I thought I heard something in that storage room. Should we check it out?

In an abandoned warehouse like this, there're bound to be critters crawling around. I'm not going in there.

The storage room... that's where Zola was drawing her pictures!

Green... red stripes...

Yes, yes... and yellow, just like her eyes.

There's a pattern on her quiver, and shiny bolts inside.

Justyna's an amazing shot... one bolt, and all the bad guys in black scatter...

No need to be scared... no need to be scared...

The scope's in the wrong place.

I couldn't aim properly if it were so far forward.

Justyna!

I... I'm so sorry... I just wanted to get the parting gift I made for Rita...

I wanted to keep it... even if I couldn't give it to her...

You'll meet again.

Let's get out of here. Can you walk?

I twisted my ankle when I came in... I'm sorry... I'm so scared...

It's okay. No need to apologize.

Close your eyes, Zola.

But...

Yesterday, you asked me what my hometown was like.

Close your eyes, and I'll tell you all about it.

The smell of haystacks.

The untrimmed stalks sting a little. Lie upon them, and all you see is the clear blue sky.

The sound of the flowing waves of wheat.

A bug buzzing in the air—

Wh-What's that sound?!

A-Are you okay, Justyna?

I'm fine. Keep your eyes shut.

The bug lands on a wheat stalk. The harvest sickle swings, and it dives into the soil.

And the wind.

The melody on the wind is the little tune that Uncle Cole liked to play.

That's my... home.

(The reinforcements came quickly. It's going to be hard to get through the front door carrying Zola...)

What was that sound?

We're under attack! This is where the Infected knights have been harboring the refugees. Be on your guard!

(Come on, Justyna... you've faced down multiple enemies in the tourneys... you can think of something...)

...Wild Mane?

So many assassins to guard one abandoned warehouse. Since when is the GCC in the business of bleeding money?

You think you can take us all by yourself?

Hmph, one more helper won't make a difference—

You're rushing too far ahead, Wild Mane!

That's what being a lancer is all about—charging into the fray and messing up enemy formations! Standard tactics.

Then what's the point of making a plan?

Got to adapt to change.

Ashley means you're too far from the formation for her to protect you with her shield.

That's not what I said!

We're here to get Justyna, aren't we? Where is she?

There.

You were right, Justyna. You found Zola.

Thanks... all of you.

You're welcome.

The rest of the knights are off to help our new friends. We were always going to hold back here.

I just didn't expect you to charge even faster than me.

We haven't talked much, but I think I like you!

More guys coming in, eleven o'clock and two o'clock.

Ashley—

They're too scattered. I don't have enough ammo left.

Leave it to me.

They have a sniper! Form up, don't get picked off!

Thanks.

Good job.

Front door's open. All the Armorless Union assassins in the factory are down.

Communications equipment's dealt with. There won't be any more reinforcements for a while.

Something isn't right.

Zola? You can open your eyes now. A pity you missed the fight, but you are too young for this.

The wind isn't right.

Justyna? What's the matter?

Argh—

Phew, that was close.

Didn't see that sniper up there.

How'd you spot him, Justyna?

I couldn't hear the sound of the wind.

What?

Well... there's a window there. Wind affects the trajectory of a projectile.

I'm guessing you didn't get it either.

You'll get used to the way Justyna talks soon enough.

Zola.

Justyna...

It's safe now.

Let's go home.

Justyna climbs the observation deck. Wind whirls through the streets, through gaps in the sewer pipes, swaying the less-than-sturdy scaffolding.

Back at the camp, Farone scolds Zola for running out on her own. Seeing her teacher's mouth twitch with fear and worry, Zola does not argue and simply grips the hands of her loved ones.

All of them will go into dreamland, not thinking about when the next evacuation might be, not asking whether this nomadic life might ever come to an end. Home is where they have made their beds from cardboard boxes and clothes.