level_main_11-08_beg

There are some things that will never change, Ailshie!

I'll grow up to be a Steam Knight, just like Sir Lynch! No, even greater than Sir Lynch!

I'll protect you all, and I'll drive every scoundrel away.

I'll uphold the glory of Cumberland, just like my great-great-great-great grandmother!

I promise this, Ailshie! You'll see!

Ailshie!

Hold on! I, I'll...

I promised that I'd...

Go, Allerdale.

The Vampire is coming. He cannot find you.

Ailshie is here. I have to—

You have to follow her orders. She will not allow you to deviate.

Y-You can't...

We can. The Duke has ordered us to help you 'complete your mission', but we are not your servants.

Do not forget her instructions.

Do not forget your place.

I...

There is only one thing that you must do. Fulfill your duty.

For an instant, Allerdale forgets where she is, and who is with her.

She wants to run, towards the fire that is burning away at what little remains of her life.

Just like that night twenty-six years ago, when she wanted to run towards another fire to stop Parliament's men from taking her father.

That is your sole responsibility.

Allerdale's eyes open wide. The tears in them evaporate before the fire.

But she sees a great silhouette is rising in the burning garden.

Is it the damaged suit of steam armor? The steam armor upon which she placed so many dreams and hopes?

Return to the person of interest. Now.

Through so many trials and tribulations, Allerdale had prayed that her great ancestor would descend into the steam armor and help her overcome all challenges.

Now she sees the ancient armor breathing the flames of hell.

She sees the shadow in the fire roar towards her.

It is not her hope. She has strayed far from it.

Even if her ancestor truly returned—

Allerdale knows it could only be her worst nightmare.

Tell her.

I will obey her will, as always.

I, I don't understand, Your Highness...

I thought you were pleased with our hospitality...

You even graced us with your presence at our banquets, did you not? You liked this place!

I will not deny that you have brought me joy, from time to time.

I find your petty flattery and exaggerated cordiality adorable.

You must be mistaken! I have no links to the dukes or the resistance! I swear...

Any trouble must be the work of the Cumberland woman! I'll expose her!

Sanguinarch... Your Highness... please, I'll give you anything! My collection, my money... take all of it! Just...

What good are those to me, my dear?

You wouldn't kill me, would you? We should hold a wine tasting! You haven't sampled my private reserve yet...

I'll be alright, won't I, Lt. Colonel Lettou? This is Londinium!

They—the Sarkaz are just here to protect Londinium at the invitation of the Duke of Cavendish? They wouldn't kill an innocent, of course?

Take him to the front.

I tire of the noise. Begin.

B-Begin what?

Run in when you hear the order.

Confirm everyone is dead and you can come back alive.

In... into the fire? A fire that big? N-No! I'll burn to death!

You're going to do exactly that.

The ancient Sarkaz steps on the Heart of Victoria and raises a finger.

Argh—!

He did not see what was chasing him.

As the Sarkaz warrior said, he follows the order instinctively, running forward like a man possessed.

In the fire, the slightest chance of survival. On his tail, the scent of certain death.

But he only takes a few steps before stumbling in confusion.

Blood spurts from his body.

It no longer belongs to him. It serves another master now.

At its new master's command, it charges forth towards the collapsing manor, towards the raging flames, chewing through the ruins, swallowing the rubble, covering the cinders.

Nothing can stop the march of blood, not even fire.

He was right, Lettou.

I haven't sampled his private reserve.

We should, shouldn't we?

This is it. Wait here.

Lund, Charlie...

This is where you kill us.

...How do you know?

Simple.

You never told the workers what you were building for the past two years.

But a factory boss gets a few clues.

I guessed you were close to the final stages, the way you people have been pressing us lately. And that means it's time for those who know too much to die.

You lied to me.

Just getting my affairs in order.

What could lowly workers like us do, after groveling for the past three years?

Don't you dare try anything.

You, you and you. Come with me; we'll take a look around.

Keep a close eye on her, Paprika.

Alright.

Can I have a smoke?

Hm... okay.

Thanks.

Did you ever consider running?

Where?

And anyway, it'd only make trouble for the workers left behind.

I've been thinking about what you'd do to us. Looks like whoever's giving the orders still has something of a heart.

But... what do you mean?

They said to get rid of us quietly so the workers don't panic, didn't they?

If my life buys a chance for the others to live, then so be it.

You think the rest of the old timers you brought here don't get that?

I don't get it...

Huff...

How old are you, girl?

Doctor, do you know the story of the Steam Knights?

Yes.;I've heard of them.

Granny used to build them.

It was a point of pride for us.

With our own hands, we built the armor worn by the defenders of Londinium, the ones who defended our home.

I wanted to see the birth of those great things, just like Granny... to take part in it.

Granny's been through a lot. She saw how Londinium became what it is today. And I can see how disappointed she is.

But I don't want to give up so soon.

Must be this drawer.

Hidden compartment... hidden compartment... ah, here it is.

Granny's incredible. I'd never know this desk had been altered, if she hadn't told me.

This is... my badge?

And a notebook?

I don't know who I'm writing this for, what I'm writing this for.

Harvey died before Feist was born.

Lindy tried to understand, but her sorrow turned into anger towards me. She blamed me for not stopping Harvey that day.

I couldn't argue with her. I couldn't blame her for leaving Feist behind.

I heard she remarried someone decent. Good for her.

I never told Feist. I didn't want him to know that his father died for nothing, and that his mother left with hate in her heart.

So you grew up in Columbia.

Yes, my grandma raised me.

Mom and Dad were both mercenaries, but they're dead.

Why did you become a mercenary, then?

To feed myself, and grandma.

Sarkaz aren't welcome most places, so I had to be a merc.

What a good girl.

So you agree with the Regent?

You mean with occupying the city?

Hmm... I don't know.

We do what we're paid to do. I didn't know we were going to occupy such a big city.

In Columbia, we were helping merchants smuggle goods that they didn't want people to know about, or hunting wild beasts.

But I can tell you, that was the first time I saw Grimm so excited. He said the Sarkaz would get to live a decent life, if we were successful.

Grimm? The smoker?

Yes.

Where's he now? I haven't seen him around in a while.

He's dead.

Aren't you sad about that?

He always said that death and parting are a normal part of the mercenary life.

Death and parting. All these years of chaos, and the Victorians haven't learned the slightest thing about the Sarkaz.

Catch, girl.

Huh?

Catherine takes a little thing from her cigarette box and tosses it at Paprika.

It is small, soft, made of wool, and bright in color.

This is... a finger sleeve...

Grimm...

You made it for the old merc, didn't you?

His finger hurt because of an old wound, but he couldn't cut the smoking habit. I saw him hide it in his cigarette box.

Guess he didn't want to get it dirty, even though you made it for him to use.

He gave me the box when he left. Payment for smokes, those few months.

He never talked about you, but the moment I saw you, I knew you were the girl he was always thinking about.

I... I don't...

I don't know what he thought about the war.

But I know, without hearing it from him... you don't know what war is.

I had a feeling Feist would leave.

He's too much like Harvey.

He thinks he can solve every problem with his wits.

Seeing him reminds me of Harvey.

I can't tell if I'm disappointed because the protest failed, or because Harvey didn't understand what the nobles were made of.

Maybe a little bit of both.

I let Feist go.

I knew I couldn't stop him.

Doctor, I thought about what I was going to say to Granny, before I brought you back.

I thought I was prepared. We've seen so much in our time.

But I think I owe her an apology.

You're family.;She doesn't need your apology, does she?

Catherine always looks strict and solemn. People forget that she's just an ordinary woman, who lost her livelihood.

The Sarkaz don't let workers into certain areas of the factories. They're definitely preparing some sort of weapon.

They shouldn't have the resources to hold out this long, not with the dukes breathing down their necks.

But from the material being sent to the factories, with what I know of their situation, all the signs point to them having their own supply line.

None of this was supposed to concern me.

All I can do is protect the workers.

But—

I noted things I shouldn't have.

Maybe, deep down, I thought I could do more than I did when I watched Harvey go out into the streets, if Feist came back to me for help someday.

Workers aren't allowed near it, but I know the place too well.

There are only a few places suitable for a supply depot.

Here, Doctor! Granny circled some places on the map.

They'll be heavily guarded.;I hope we get results on the other side.

Yes, it'll be hard to get close to the depots.

This information will help, though, even if we can't get close.

I wish I could say goodbye to Granny.

Guess it'll have to wait until next time.

Let's go, Doctor.

A lot of us don't actually know what we're fighting for.

It's just, we don't have a place to go. We're not welcome anywhere.

The King of Sarkaz promised us a home, a country, a future.

I've spent time with you people. I can tell that some of you haven't actually fought before.

What about you?

I can fight!

Have you killed anyone, girl? And I'm not talking about a villain you can kill without remorse... I mean real people.

You're just a worker. You haven't killed anyone. Don't talk to me like you know what it means.

You've been in Londinium for a while. You've heard of steam armor, haven't you?

I heard it's a powerful weapon that hasn't been seen for a long time.

Yes. It's a killing machine.

I built killing machine after killing machine with these hands right here.

I don't feel ashamed, because those machines were used to defend the land I lived on.

What about you, girl? Do you know what your weapon is for?

I...