level_main_08-06_beg

Hui-chieh:

Back when I first became Infected, my mind wasn't clear on anything.

I knew Kashchey wanted to use me to do so much, but I was always afraid. What was it he wanted me to do?

Had he planned some kind of trick, one to destroy in a blink of an eye the network of Infected I'd spent so much time setting up?

Or had he planned to let me divide the Infected? Let them drift into two camps, the urbanites and the settlers?

Or the even more frightening scenario—perhaps he'd planned for the Infected to become a new army, and for Ursus to be plunged into war once more?

I could only speculate. He hung over my head like a murky specter, impossible to chase off.

But I could only move onward.

One of the Yetis, apparently called Petrova, used cystymilk yesterday to stir-fry oilseeds. A strange recipe, for sure. The taste was pretty interesting.

Oh, that... I remember that. The time's gone so fast. It's been two whole years.

Are the stories the fighters passed around true, then? You really fought with her? From the sound of it, you both blew the entire city ruins into oblivion.

It wasn't that dramatic. Rumors always get more outlandish as time goes on... all I did was melt her Originium ice crystals.

Sashenka, no running around! You'll slip!

Look at them, just free to live. It's so nice.

It's a duty of mine.

I never imagined you'd volunteer to teach the children.

I get along a lot better with the children than I do with Ursus. What was that about melting, just now?

FrostNova's Originium ice crystals. A sort of Arts device her squad used, by my guess.

That's something... I'm sure FrostNova didn't like it.

*chuckle*. Nope. I took a single breath, and she froze half my body.

And when I finally snapped out of it, she was already charging me, going for the neck with an ice blade.

I blocked it, took in the hissing sound, and this sword tasted frost for the first time in all its years.

It was probably a first for her, too, meeting someone who could chip her blade...

Ah, you're pretty happy to talk about this. Are you proud of it, maybe?

Not really... yeah maybe you are right... uh. That child. The one hiding behind the wood fence. What's her name?

Lyubov. That's enough spying on us, Liuba! I'll read a story for you all next period.

That's right, a story all about an old ghost in the gray forest... a scary story!

Could you help bring me some wood shavings? Put them in a basket. Thank you.

So then?

FrostNova... Alina, you know it's FrostNova we're talking about. Her name spread among the Casters of the Northwestern Tundra long before mine ever did.

I thought you didn't like it when people spoke your name.

If anyone ever uses it to threaten, then of course I won't be happy. But if hearing my name makes them want to challenge me, then that's not too shabby.

Nothing like you. I don't think FrostNova ever gives challenges the time of day. Thinking about it that way, you really stoked her fire, didn't you?

She's the top of the Infected Casters, the top squad commander, and the strongest of the Infected's warriors to boot.

...Don't misunderstand. It's not like that's what I aim for.

Plenty of people think you resemble each other in places, though. Some of the children say they want to be like FrostNova, and some of them say they want to be a hero like you.

Time out, time out. Now that's a word I'm not happy with. How about you, Alina? What do you think?

No two people are alike, in my eyes.

Figured you'd say something like that.

Truth be told, I don't really know what FrostNova's life was like as a child. She's been brought up well. It was probably alright.

But don't let any child experience the things I did.

You've been brought up well, too.

I don't want to talk about it.

...Talulah, none of us know the bitter things the world has in store for them, nor whether those things will be even more absurd than what we've already seen.

Well, that's depressing.

It's also the reason I wanted to be a teacher.

My 'teacher' wasn't anything like you, for sure.

...I get what you mean, now. You're saying maybe FrostNova also had, well...

Who knows. No two Infected live identical lives.

Well, to wrap up, I never slacked on practicing technique again after my dispute with FrostNova. Not just Arts, my swordsmanship too. Like hell she'll ever best me again in either.

I know you and her fought. What about after that?

It took until her anger abated before she told me she wasn't the one responsible.

Then that only leaves one person who could've been.

You're right on the mark, yes. It wasn't too long after our scuffle finished...

...that out from another end of the city, came a...

...person.

Is remembering it that much effort?

I should say, that first impression was too shocking. I'm scrambling to find the words for you.

The broad midday light spilled over his body, but couldn't melt away the black, black as tar.

I was in the middle of telling FrostNova about my project. I'd gotten up to where I was in contact with Infected in other cities.

I wanted to assemble the funds to construct or seek out a small-scale nomadic city, and invited them to join the project...

I saw his shadow. I couldn't keep speaking.

What stopped you?

I'm not THAT confident in myself.

Not that confident? I've never seen you short of confidence before.

I mean, this was... Patriot.

You couldn't talk him over.

I still haven't to this day.

You already know all the rest. After FrostNova and I had our 'friendly discussion,' our group successfully joined up with the guerrillas.

Good for us. All else aside, after hearing we could go with the guerrillas, plenty of our Infected here were happy beyond belief.

These last two years have been better to us than before. You made a good choice. You're finally in the right, Talulah.

I mean... the way I see it, the guerrillas definitely didn't care about me or the other Infected fighters, they just... couldn't ignore the rest of the Infected, traveling with us.

Then that's even less reason to be down about it. You thought the same way, after all.

But it's been two years. The situation hasn't made any headway at all.

Think about it this way, Talulah. From what moment did you start feeling Patriot didn't approve of you?

Over a year ago... not long after we joined up with the guerrillas. All the way up until now.

Not happening.

We don't even know how many more Infected are out on the tundra under Ursus's wretched rule. It's too early yet to be talking with the guerrillas about the Infected in the cities.

We're not intending to abandon the tundra's Infected. Why would I have brought them with me, otherwise?

Sooner or later will come the day we return. Our objective is to have Ursus's, no, the entire world's Infected come together...

We may be in differing places, but our lack of resignation to our circumstances is one and the same, indistinguishable.

A friend of mine in a certain city calls that kind of behavior 'reunion.'

He calls on the Infected to come together, naming it the 'Reunion Movement,' revolving around one identical belief, protesting against Ursus's cruel rule over the Infected.

And we should get the chance to protest the Ursus soldiers on the tundra about the exploitation in the mines, but I can't say it'd make them turn over a new leaf.

Talulah, forget the common people for a moment. Talk about the soldiers. The Ursus Army wouldn't let a single one of us go.

If you want to go south to 'protest,' we could just save ourselves the trouble and find a division to kill us.

Ursus is not a single-minded entity. This is our chance. What the Reunion Movement aims to do is pass on the belief, but I see even more opportunities in it. We have our own signal to send.

What signal?

'You are not alone.'

You know better than I do that staying on the tundra is a life of attrition, eating away at our strength. We need to go beyond it.

I don't decide this stuff.

You're still not willing to decide it.

If the price of leaving is death, then my life never had much use outside of taking down an Ursus soldier or two.

But what about the people around us?

Talulah, you haven't got brothers and sisters by your side. I'm not going to let mine throw away their lives.

But I think the other part's right.

Which part?

Telling the Infected they're not alone.

We've spent too much time on one thing, here on the tundra.

Seeking friends.

But linking up with the city Infected?

Guess people from the big city really do like to dream a little bigger.

I don't need you mocking me yet, FrostNova.

I'm not mocking you. You're so strong. You've taken all of them a long, long way, just like us.

But it's a dream, going south, trust me.

The guerrilla force grows, but we're Infected.

We don't have many years left... and your alliance would need plenty of years, at least...

And that's precisely why—

Dad?

Ah...

Mr. Patriot?

Patriot sits down by the bonfire. Like Talulah simulated over and over in her mind, Patriot simply sits down, wordless, and gazes into the fire.

You're good. Keep going.

It's precisely because we don't have many years left.

The south has fields of bumper crops, suitable temperatures, four seasons to tell apart, and all sorts of fresh food.

Resources, education, prospects...

And a future.

—Future?

FrostNova, there's every likelihood I know what you're thinking.

What I'm thinking is written on my face. I don't know anything you'd call a 'future.'

We may not have much time left at all. There's only so many places it'd let us set foot.

But the Infected should have a future. For the future Infected, for those who come after us.

FrostNova... we'll find those Infected a home.

Somewhere Ursus and the Infected Patrol Unit won't disturb. Somewhere the Ursus armies can't surround.

And you know for sure, taking the Infected with us would get in the way of the guerrillas' operations. But we won't abandon them.

It'll be a seriously difficult path.

At the very least, what hopes we bring about before we die can be left to others.

And, if we overthrow Ursus's present system over the Infected...

Everything will change.

We're thin on the ground.

If you weren't an Infected, would you shake my hand?

We'd start from a handshake, in that case.

...What you're saying is probably...

Dad? Where are you going?

I've had enough.

Sir...

Hey.

Don't mind it too much.

He was probably just thinking it over.

He's been thinking it over for ages, if so.

It's been two years, and the only conversations we've ever had have been about team composition and following plans. He's never asked me once about anything to do with any project.

Talulah, no matter if he's ridiculing you or opposing you—ah, not that I think he's the type to really ridicule other people—you're still going to wait forever. Am I right, or not?

If we want to leave the tundra, we need the power of the guerrillas. I'll keep at it.

Because he's the hope of the tundra's Infected?

I thought you didn't say things like that. I mean, you never... you don't say things like that, right?

I just want to know what your thought process is like.

...I think—it's because he's the symbol the tundra's Infected unite behind.

A symbol with no way of passing on to the next generation.

Get up! How long are you planning to stay there?

You gave me a chill, you goddamned white rabbit...!

I don't care how stick thin you are, don't tell me this cold front's too much for you!

You sure weren't saying that when you iced these Ursus weapons.

Brothers and sisters, withdraw! Let them follow! Draw out the mine guards!

Just hold on until the Shieldguards can support us! Don't lose hope!

—Pace. Pick it up. Faster. The guerrillas are in place to get the mine guards double-teamed.

How do you figure—wait.

Those strange Originium ornaments. Did the guerrillas arrange those?

Those were set up for my father.

The Ursus army isn't pursuing us anymore. Seems like they're really not a fan of what those entail.

Wait, are... are these some kind of Sarkaz thing?

His Sarkaz ceremony. These two are the best we could make with what we had on hand.

Patriot... is Patriot here?

You said it yourself. You were expecting our team to be surprise-attacked. And if we wanted to annihilate their whole company, of course we'd come up short if we only relied on our squad.

...They're already beginning to rout.

Have you ever seen my father in battle before, Talulah...?

The... him... It's him... Why did none of you s—say... say he was here?!

Retreat! Retreat! Just forget them, forget them!

Wait, hold on! He's coming from the rear? Then what's all this in front of us?

Hello? Hello? ! Say something! Say something!

Until those local troops let loose their violence upon him, the Sarkaz who towered over all others makes no move, nor does he make a sound.

Yet Talulah hears, laced through the north wind of the tundra, something not unlike cries. The shudders of the world itself, its wickedness cowering back, step after step, before the Wendigo.

Patriot stands fast, and casts toward the tundra a long halberd.

And in the gloom of a sky that knows only to devour all life, suddenly, a chasm is cut.