quercu

*cough* *cough*... Captain...

Corporal Forrest!

I order you to stand!

I'll carry you.

He's too gravely wounded.

The way she speaks is always so out of place and time, the cold-blooded pest.

Enough! I don't want to hear any more from you.

He is my soldier, and I will bring him back!

Bring him back?

They're dead. They've been labelled heroes.

The furnace is burning ever brighter.

Still more children are waiting to be thrown in.

If you're idle enough to flap at me, you would do better finding some way to tend to his wounds!

I can constrict the bleeding, but it still won't be any use.

I know you need him to make it back alive.

You want to tear the veil away from the ones who started the fire, and make them stare their own evils in the face!

You want to dig back out this honor dressed like a poison apple by your raw hands, straight from the mouths of the children!

Enough!

Yes! That is my selfishness!

But in the end, you'll return home alone.

Carrying all the festering blame.

Nobody will listen to your story.

Not the children back home. Legends of heroes are far more attractive than cruel reality.

Not the men at the pub. Because you haven't anything that could draw their attention.

Not the ones who started the fire. All they'll do is fault you for scattering sparks over their beloved carpets.

Enough! Enough! Enough!

You...

I said shut up!

Forrest...

So you remember my brother's name.

Seeing the man before me, I'm somewhat dazed.

But not because he's pointing a saber at my throat. Because he looks far too much like that child did.

He's been hiding here the whole time, away from everyone.

But he can't fool the earth.

I haven't told Grani, though.

I'd know you anywhere. It was you who brought back my brother's death notification.

But maybe you don't recognize us lot anymore.

I was watching you for days in the camp after I saw you, you know. But you never even noticed me.

So, you're a doctor now?

I saw that Feline burst into tears thanking you. I saw how the girl you saved was beaming ear to ear.

I bet you're happy, aren't you?

Bloody...! Son of a... bitch!

Howling, wailing, bawling...

The earth's sprawling roots are withered about this great land.

These are all I hear...

And it chokes me.

You must love it, bathing in atonement.

But my brother's dead!

To hell with your clear conscience, you self-righteous...!

What did you do?!

I did nothing, and I could do nothing.

Captain... just kill me.

My leg's broken anyway. I don't want to come back to my mum in this state...

And my little brother. He's always been so proud of me...

And I hear, you know... soldiers who die in action earn better compensation money...

See?

For him, surviving is hardly something worth celebrating.

And death doesn't seem so frightening after all.

Captain! Um...

You must tell them, when you return, about me at my bravest!

Heh, heh...

I can't ruin my brother's image of me, after all.

Heh. And here we are now...

He's become a model to you.

He doesn't want to die.

He's just scared of surviving...

Do it, Captain.

I know, see, without my leg... I'm nothing but rubbish.

So...

May as well be this way...

Enough!

Don't say a word more!

Are you talking to me?

Wait! Captain!

I don't want to die!

I want to go home...

May life endure.

Bastard!

What are you acting dumb for? Say something!

You're Forrest's younger brother, Michael.

If I'm remembering right, you should be on the Londinium front lines, in the Duke of Gododdin's army, and not here.

So...

That's right, I'm a deserter.

You can turn me in now if you want.

It must be of your own accord that you came looking for me.

I would never have come to you if there was any other choice.

I'd prefer to believe that Forrest never died.

That he's standing in front of me right now.

But I could never fool myself.

You killed him.

I had no other choice.

He begged for your mercy.

He found a peaceful passing.

So you killed him!

Are you done?

No!

Bastard! Bastard, bastard, bastard...!

If I was just able to kill you right here and now...!

So, what do you need of me?

The captured deserters, including Michael's comrades-in-arms, are all locked up on the west face of Caladon.