Chapter 10: The Turning Point, Marberry Shore
Response to reviews:
-Well, I'll consider it, but it's unlikely I'll do that, since there's nothing much about it that relates to the current plot so far.
-That, my friend, will be a side-story chapter, that will be a collection story in the near future.
-Well, Report 6 is done here, and I hope you like what I have done with it. Geld is going to blow his head off, when he realised that he got spared by the likes of a Darcsen.
-Yeah, and Maximilian will most definitely get called out by Richard for it.
A/N Note: Once again, another fan-made weapon makes its debut. The Tornerre, is a sniper rifle that is capable of semi-automatic fire. And unlike the VC2-onwards Brondel series, the Tornerre is capable of over-watch. Now let it sink in the fact that overwatch doesn't waste ammo for limited ammo snipers in actual gameplay, and then think about how far a sniper can see and shoot, and you'll see why this weapon is on the same tier of overpoweredness as the Victorie and Ruhm.
In the briefing room...
"Everybody gather around, I've got our orders." Welkin announced to everyone in the room, comprising of Rosie, Largo, Richard, Isara, Zaka and Alicia. "The target is on Gallia's northern coast."
He then pulled out a map, displaying the area, before using a wooden pointer to circle around the shore. "The enemy's entrenched along the shore flanking the industrial region up north." He continued on his briefing. "Squad 7 been given one of the camp at Marberry Shore to suppress."
"Hmm, looking at the map, seems there's nothing there but big cliffs and open sand." Largo stated with a grim tone.
"As you approach the cliffs, the beach slopes up steeply. Their camp is at the top of them." Welkin responded back with his frown deepening. "The path leading up there is narrow, meaning infantry will have to take the lead here. That said, they've lined the cliffside with gunnery to combat incoming foot soldiers."
"So, it's a near impossible task then...? Without the cover of either Shamrock or Edelweiss, the anti-infantry positions would tear us apart should we advance, no matter what tactics we try..." Richard sighed.
"And you're still telling us to dodge bullets running across an open beach with nothing for cover?" Rosie growled. "Boss, I may be catty, but I ain't got nine lives here."
"Stop your complaining. We're soldiers, Rosie." Largo argued. "Ain't no such thing as a safe mission. Dangerous or not, it's our job to get the job done as best as we can."
"You don't got to... I know that, alright?" Rosie grunted back.
"You're right. If we just charge in, you'll be facing a hailstorm of bullets." Welkin agreed.
"Welkin, any more brilliant ideas for another of your crazy plans?" Alicia asked Welkin hopefully.
"Hmm... Sorry, but I don't have any silver bullets for this one." Welkin sighed deeply. "What we need is some way to blind the enemy while we advance."
"A way... to blind them..." Isara repeated, placing a hand on her chin in thought of the idea.
"Ugh. This is just great." Rosie groaned.
"Come on, let's stay positive about this! Tomorrow's the Feast of All Spirits!" Alicia tried to cheer Rosie up.
"Combat on the Feast, huh? We sure got some kinda luck, don't we?" Largo grumbled.
"Well, getting down about it won't help anything. Let's just do what we can, and find out a way to work on the matter." Zaka replied back.
"If we could... Hmm, they might not need nine lives for this mission..." Isara muttered to herself.
"Everyone, dismissed." Welkin concluded the briefing, as everyone made their way out of the briefing room in a orderly fashion.
While Richard left the room, he met Captain Varrot on the way, as he immediately saluted her. "Ma'am!" Richard barked out.
"At ease, Ensign Rain." Varrot stated. "So, you're considering the mission that you have been assigned with?"
"Sort of, we have quite the problem, since the mission is a suicide run in the current conditions. We just need to find a way to make the situation go into our advantage at the least." Richard nodded back.
"I see, I wish you luck on that then." Varrot nodded as well. "Oh, and Ensign Rain...?"
"Yes, Captain?" Richard asked back.
"Thank you... Thank you for allowing me to move on." Varrot smiled back at him.
"No... It's your own doing, that you were able to let go of your hatred." Richard responded back. "You were the one who deserved praise for being able to understand that sometimes, murder is the worst possible resolution to a problem."
Richard then brushed past Varrot, as he recalled the mission, where he and Varrot had a close talk to each other about a certain matter...
A few days ago, in the briefing room...
"Thank you for coming, soldiers." Varrot addressed everyone, consisting of the officers of Squad 7, including Richard, Isara and Zaka. "I apologise for the lack of notice. I've called you for a special operation. You'll be liberating Gaillian hostages. I'm issuing this order by my own authority. I haven't reported it, but I'll bear the risk and blame for it."
"You don't have army clearance? Why not report it, Captain?" Welkin asked with a confused expression
"There will be no questions. You need only perform the mission as directed." Varrot told them all coldly. "The enemy are what's left of the Fouzen camp. They're holed up in a house on the outskirts of the city. Your objective are to return all hostages and capture or eliminate all Imperials. The enemy is led by a man named Geld... Giorgios Geld. He tortured and murdered Gallians in the First European War. He warrants no pity."
Welkin looked away, with a concerned expression, while Richard clenched his fists tightly, as Isara was the only one to notice it, while the others had their eyes on Varrot. She wondered what Geld must have done to Richard, to have caused him to react like that to his name.
"Giorgios Geld? Elle, is this about...!?" Largo tried to ask.
"Prepare for deployment immediately." Varrot interrupted Largo. "You are dismissed."
She then left the briefing room, without stopping for a moment to talk with anyone, as everyone looked at each other.
"The captain didn't seem like her usual self. It was almost scary." Alicia remarked at Varrot's unexpected cold tone during her briefing.
"No surprise there. She's been living the last 20 years to get revenge on Geld." Largo scowled.
"What!? Revenge for what?" Alicia exclaimed with shock.
"Back in EW1, she and I were called into the militia, just like you kids now." Largo explained. "She and a buddy of mine, Frederick, were in the same squad and fell for each other quite hard. But the enemy got Frederick one day. Word is, the enemy tortured him to death."
"And that enemy captain was Giorgios Geld." Zaka continued. "He's one of the men under General Gregor, and he's more than feared for his cruel and sadistic tendencies to any of his enemies, especially Darcsens..."
"When the war ended, she stayed on. My guess is it was just for a chance of revenge, like this." Largo said.
'"That's terrible... I had no idea." Welkin spoke with a sympathetic tone, as Richard's fists clenched tighter, causing his knuckles to turn slightly white from the sheer grip in his hands.
"Rain... Why are you aren't saying anything... And why are your fists clenched?" Isara asked, causing everyone to turn to Richard, whose expression was stony, although his fists were trembling and tightly clenched. "Did Geld do something to you as well?"
Richard noticed that everyone was looking at him, especially at what he was doing, but he didn't care, as he shook his head.
"That's not important for now." Richard answered back calmly. "Our mission comes in top priority. We'll liberate the prisoners, and then capture Geld and his men. What he had done to me isn't important. If he is truly here, then we must stop him before he flees into obscurity once again. I'll prepare for the mission."
Richard then left, as everyone watched him leave.
"I don't know what could possibly have him like this..." Welkin muttered.
"Like I said, he especially despises Darcsens. more than any of the other Imperials. In fact, he tortures and breaks Darcsens day by day, just to hear their screams and begging." Zaka stated with a grim expression. "Perhaps Geld was the one who ordered the hunt in his village, which is why he's determined to complete the mission. Or perhaps its something else as personal as this."
Isara frowned, as she silently hoped that Richard wouldn't do anything rash, when they finish the mission given by Varrot...
At the outskirt plains of Fouzen...
Richard was restraining a skinny and weaselly man, dragging him by the hands, as they and the legs were tied together. The man had short black hair and pale dark skin, as well as a handle-bar moustache, as well as grey eyes that radiated a craven and cruel nature in them. He tried to break free of his bonds, only to fail each time, before he was then thrown on the ground by Richard, as he cried in pain, while Richard walked over to Squad 7.
Captain Varrot came out of the squad herself, as she immediately walked up to the man, with ice-cold eyes and a scowl on her face. The man looked up at Varrot with fear in his eyes.
"So this is Giorgios Geld... Taking civilian prisoners violates treaty law, does it not?" Varrot hissed at the man, with animosity oozing from her words.
"Please, forgive me! We just wanted to see our homes again, that's all!" The man, now known as Geld, pleaded helplessly. "I'd have released the hostages along the way! It's true, Valkyrur strike me down!"
Varrot grit her teeth, as her anger flared, before she then unholstered her pistol, and whipped the stock of her pistol across Geld's face with such force that he was knocked aside slightly, as his nose began to bleed, as he was reduced to whimpering.
"SILENCE!" Varrot boomed with rage, before she then immediately cocked her pistol, pointing the barrel right where Geld's brain would be. "Who'd believe the word of scum like you? I've no doubt you'd slaughter them all. That is your true nature, Geld. Your evil won't go unpunished. For your inhumane crimes against Gaillia, I hereby sentence you to death right where I stand, by my own hand! Today, you will finally pay the price you have long eluded!"
"But, Captain Varrot! Prisoners of war have a right to a formal trial. You can't just..." Welkin tried to reason with Varrot.
"I can and I will! And I won't let you stop me! I have no reason to hesitate at all! I don't care if I get stripped of my rank, or discharged from the militia, or even given a lifetime of prison time for killing him right here and now! Nothing is much more worse than letting this monster go at all!"
"But, Captain, the militia needs you to lead them! Who will lead the other squads, if you're discharged!?" Alicia exclaimed.
"You are capable of leading yourselves. If killing him means that I have to leave the military, then I will do so without any regrets! I've lived for the day I end this bastard's life by my own trigger! I've spent every year waiting for a chance to get him, and in those 20 years, I have never forgotten what he done to me!" Varrot roared, as her arm began shaking. "It's all I can do for Frederick now! There's nothing else left for me, and I can finally step down, knowing that my vengeance is complete-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Richard immediately rushed forward, and slammed the butt of the Victoire into the back of Varrot's neck, causing her to fall unconscious and slump down to the ground, much to the shock of everyone.
"Sorry, Varrot. But I can't let you do that." Richard told the unconscious Captain with a low tone. "I've got my own score to settle."
"Rain, don't kill him! You'll be punish far worse, if you committed the act yourself!" Welkin desperately shouted. "Rain, please! Don't!"
Richard did not respond to Welkin's cry, as he slowly walked to Geld, with a stoic expression, before he then looked down at Geld with calm eyes.
"Hello, Geld." Richard spoke with a even tone, which caused Geld to be completely confused and surprised by his tone. "We meet again, after so long..."
"Who... Who are you...!?" Geld asked with a shaky voice. "Let me go...! I promise that I will leave you all alone forever! I'll do anything, just spare my life, please!"
"No. You won't be going anywhere." Richard stated, before he then raised the barrel of the Victoire towards Geld, who was immediately left with a deathly fear of his imminent demise in the hand of a Darcsen, a cruel act of irony on him, considering what he had done. "You won't be returning back to the Empire alive."
Everyone immediately panicked, seeing that, as Geld tried to scramble away in a futile attempt to run away from his demise. Largo prepared to intercept Richard, before he could fire, while Reisen, Marisa, Sanae and Gus only stood by to watch, although Gus was more worried than the others.
As Richard cornered Geld, the disgraceful Imperial officer immediately shielded himself with his arms, as if he believed that he could protect himself with them, and closing his eyes and wailing miserably. Richard merely watched for a few moments, before he then lowered his grip on the Victorie, to the grip of the gun, before he threw it aside with a casual swipe.
"But you won't die either, Geld." Richard stated. "You're going to be a prisoner of war for Gallia, Geld. And I hope that you'll soon get used to being that for a long time, considering your actions."
"Buh..." Geld whimpered pathetically, as everyone was left confused as to why Richard spared Geld so suddenly, before he was then dragged up by the collar, as his eyes met with Richard's own.
"You know, Geld..." Richard stated. "I got to admit, I once thought that I would personally kill myself, for what you have done to my people. I don't think you'll remember me, but I was one of the Darcsens who fled from your little purges. So of course you wouldn't know me at all. You just think of me as a living eyesore, not worthy of being a person at all. And worst of all, you slaughter my entire town, just to root me out. Well, now you have me here. Unfortunately, it's a role reversal, because it's not you who found me, but me who found you."
Richard then snorted with a disgusted expression, as he looked over to where the rest of Squad 7 were. "But it was thanks you you, Geld, that I managed to find another group of people who saw me as I truly was, and were free of prejudice from me. I fought for them, and they fought with me, and so we became together."
"What... What is the point of this!?" Geld demanded. "Do you think that I care about your pathetic friendship with the rats of Gallia?"
"Of course not. I didn't expect that at all. It's because of the fact that I met Squad 7, that I abandoned my own vengeance." Richard continued. "You see, when I fought against the Empire, I met people who were a thousand-fold more competent and honourable than you, Geld. And not a single one looked like the miserable weasel you were. They died fighting on the front-lines, and not once did they curse me by their last breath, while they laid dying. I guess that's vengeance enough for me."
Geld twitched with fury, as Richard mocked him as a weasel, as Richard smirked back at him.
"That's right. After all those years, you have stooped so low that you have become an utter weasel. That's another reason why I won't kill you. But you don't deserve to die." Richard stated directly to Geld. "Either because I refuse to dirty my hands killing you, someone who doesn't even have any power over my fate, or because I believe that dying is the easy way out for you, and that a lifetime of imprisonment and forced penance is more fitting for a cowardly bastard like you, that's for you to decide. Either way, I have my orders. And that is to capture or kill the Imperials. However, keeping you as a POW will have more benefits to our army, since the Empire will be crippled slightly with you, and many more lives will be saved without your presence."
"Grr..." Geld growled at Richard. "Don't think this is over-"
"Actually, we're done talking, and there's nothing you can do to stop me. Enjoy your forced atonement, Giorgios." Richard spoke with a sugar-coated tone of voice, as he cocked back a fist. "Bon soir."
He then slammed the fist into Geld's face with such force, that the blow immediately rendered him unconscious, and sent him flying back, while Richard shook his hand, as if he got something on them, punching Geld on the face.
"Man, that's more satisfying than putting an bullet in his head." Richard remarked, before he turned around to the rest of the squad. "Well, had you there for a moment, haven't I, all of you?"
"I... I was really frightened back then." Alicia stated. "I thought that you were really going to kill Geld yourself."
"Like I said, I'm above such things right now." Richard grumbled back. "Now then, Welkin, if you will please. I'll explain myself to Varrot, when she wakes up."
"I need to talk to her as well." Largo said as well.
"...Right. Squad 7, apprehend the enemy officer. We will have him detained in the city prison, when we return to Randgriz." Welkin stated, as Reisen and Sanae immediately pulled the unconscious Imperial officer up, before talking him away, as the others followed as well, while Richard slung Varrot's body over his shoulder.
When Varrot woke up, Richard and Largo were right in front of me.
"What happened...?" Varrot asked them both.
"That does not matter, Captain." Richard told her firmly. "What matters is what you might have done."
"I was doing this world a favour by getting rid of Geld once and for all!" Varrot shouted back at Richard. "What reason do you have for stopping me right now!? I have nothing else I desire, but a resolution to all of this!"
Largo shook his head with a grim expression. "Don't do this, Elle." He told her firmly. "This isn't like you at all. You should be much more calm about all of this.
"How can I be calm!? This snake of a man killed Frederick! He butchered our friend, Largo!" Varrot cried. "Frederick died horribly, tortured, broken and alone! Doesn't that make you angry towards that bastard!?"
"'Course it does, Elle. I could wring that rat bastard's neck myself." Largo responded back. "But do you think that Frederick would want you to waste his death on destroying yourself for revenge!? Look at Rain, he basically told everyone that it was Geld who personally led the hunt that razed his village and murdered all of the townspeople! He not only lost a friend to Geld, but also his family and his entire town! If he wanted Geld dead, he would literally wasted no time shooting him dead the moment he got his hands on him!"
"Rain... Is this all true...?" Varrot asked Richard with disbelief.
"Yes it is..." Richard stated with a bow of his head. "But you must understand, Captain, killing him won't change a thing. And to me, killing him would be a mercy, since he never gave a swift and painless death to those he killed. So he doesn't deserve to die by anyone's hand. Let nature take its course on him, as he will have no choice but to slowly fall into despair upon being condemned to live a pointless life eternally."
"Woah, that's a bit too harsh there, Rain." Largo told Richard.
"But the main reason why I did this, is because I am a good soldier. I may be going against your orders and wishes doing this, Captain, but a good soldier does not just blindly follow orders." Richard told Varrot with a serious tone. "A good soldier knows a erroneous order when they receive it, and they'll try their best to try and either find out why the order was made, or find a way to attain alternative results from following the order. You told me to capture or kill the Imperials, Geld included. I did capture all that aren't dead. If the enemy is disarmed, then I have no reason to kill them, since they'll be unable to cause harm to anyone."
"I..." Varrot muttered quietly back.
"You didn't stick around the force this long just to take revenge, Elle." Largo stated with a pitying tone. "You stayed for a chance to give yourself this new beginning, a chance for someone to break you free of the vengeance that burdens you."
"Captain... It's all over. Even if don't kill Geld, you have saved many more lives. And if Frederick was there... He would be proud that you have stopped his atrocities, and that would be enough." Richard told her with a warm smile.
"I... I...!" Varrot cried, as her voice became more and more shaky, before tears leaked from her eyes, as she sobbed uncontrollably, as she clutched her face with both of her hands.
"Don't cry, Elle." Largo tried to comfort Varrot, as he embraced her caringly. "If you'll have me, I... I'll watch over you. Forever."
Richard then did the same, as he hugged Varrot to comfort her some more, as her sobs slowly turned into sniffles, as both of her fellow comrades helped to soothe her aching heart, until she slowly calmed down.
In the lounge...
"Somebody said tomorrow's the Feast, right?" Largo asked. "I forgot all about it this year."
"Well, we're soldiers, not to mention that we got a mission on that very day." Gus remarked, as he sighed in a depressed manner.
"Hey, now! Do you guys even know the reason of this holiday?" Ellet asked them.
"Reason? It's the day you give presents to the guy you like, ain't it?" Rosie answered back.
"Yes, but no!" Ellet stated, wagging her finger cheekily at Rosie. "The Feast of All Spirits is the day all the spirits in Gallia share their love. They say the practice of giving gifts to those you love come from that belief."
"Well, I'm surprised that you know so much about the holiday, Irene." Sanae spoke with a astonished tone.
"What can I say, I'm a journalist! I don't let those kinds of details slip away in my mind." Ellet chuckled.
"Back in the day, people gave presents to everyone important to them, not just lovers." Zaka added.
"Bingo! Give the man a prize. For a big grizzly bear, you sure know your stuff!" Ellet cheered, pointing at Zaka with her pen.
"How gracious of you to say... Though I like to think I'm more of a teddy bear." Zaka grumbled back.
"Haha, well I can see how that would go, Zaka!" Richard laughed heartily.
"Everyone, could I have a moment?" Isara asked, as she came into the room, everyone's eyes directed to her.
"Sure, I'm surprised to see you in the lounge. What's up?" Largo asked her.
She didn't respond, as she then walked up to everyone, before producing small ragdolls, not unlike the one that the Darcsen girl carried, except they looked like miniature versions of the squad members, as she handed Rosie, Largo, Richard, Sanae, Reisen, Gus and Marisa their doll counterparts, surprising everyone.
"This is... like the one that the Darcsen girl always held in her hand...?" Largo asked with surprise.
"Those dolls are Darcsen good luck charms. I wanted to give them to you all." Isara stated with a warm smile. "I made them myself, and it took me quite a lot of time to make these dolls. Turns out that several of the squadmates helped me on it, including Jean."
"Woah... It looks so... adorable!" Sanae exclaimed with a amazed expression, as she looked at the plushy doll in her hands.
"I'm very grateful for the gift, Isara." Reisen responded back.
"Man, these dolls actually look quite good, when compared to the ones that a certain friend of mine made..." Marisa smiled, before she then looked up to nothing. "I wonder how she's doing in my absence, huh...?"
"Isara... I can't believe you made these for us..." Gus stated.
"You... Why would you do this for us, Isara? You didn't have to do this, we were happy to accept spending time with you all as a way to celebrate the Feast, even in war." Richard stated. "Well, not that I haven't considered the gifting tradition."
"I... I've always wanted to be your friend, from the first day." Isara admitted with a timid tone. "We may have had our share of disagreements, Largo and Rosie, but you've helped me more than I can say. I'd like to use the Feast as an opportunity to grow a little closer to all of you. As for the rest of you... I wanted to thank you for fighting so hard for the rest of us, and taking care of everyone, as if we were a whole family. Especially you, Rain, who treated me like a second brother, a Darcsen one who cares for me so well."
"I... I never though I would have such an impact on you, Isara, from that day on..." Richard sheepishly stated, with a blush on his cheeks, while rubbing the back of his head in a shy gesture. "I never thought about what you would think of me, other than being your friend..."
"You know, seeing Fouzen gave me a lot to think about. Plus, I... you know, I've been waiting to talk to you for a while now, too." Largo responded back to Isara. "For being so young, you got some perspective, still a little bull-headed though at times. But thanks for the lucky charm, and for coming out here, Isara."
"Largo... Thank you so much." Isara thanked Largo with a big smile.
"I can't just let you give all of this, and get nothing in return..." Richard stated. "I got something myself for you, Isara. But I'll leave it a surprise until you see it for yourself. So could you please close your eyes for me, just for a moment?"
"A-Alright." Isara replied back, as she closed her eyes tightly.
Richard then pulled out a small necklace from one of his pockets, before then placing it around Isara's neck, as the necklace itself was a sapphire gem in the shape of a bird with a silver border, encrusted with sky-blue gems. "You may open them now." Richard told Isara, as she did so, and was immediately shocked at the necklace Richard brought for her. "I have to admit, custom-ordering this necklace cost me quite a lot out of my own earnings, but I believe that it was worth every single ducat I paid."
"Rain... You can't possibly... How could I accept this?" Isara spoke with a flustered tone, overwhelmed by Richard's gift to her.
"Think of it as compensation for your efforts in making these good luck doll charms for us." Richard told her with a humble tone. "Keep it, now that it's on you, it looks truly fitting for someone like you."
"Rain... I... I'm so happy that you would return me a gift..." Isara spoke,moved by Richard's generosity. "I could never say how glad and thankful I am for this."
"Oh, don't worry, Rain's not the kind of guy to take things and give nothing back." Marisa smirked back at Isara. "That's just how he is, hehe."
While the others talked, Rosie was looking at the doll charm in her hands, as she gazed at it with a conflicted expression, as her hands shook holding it.
"I... I..." Rosie muttered, before she then gently placed the doll in her hands back on the table. "I can't take it, Isara..."
"Rosie, you ain't a kid here. Quit being so damn stubborn already!" Largo scolded her.
"You shut it! I just..." Rosie shouted, before she then sighed deeply. "Look, I got no need for presents from dark-hairs."
Rosie's words elicited a gasp from Sanae, Gus and Ellet, while Reisen glared coldly at Rosie, and Marisa gnashed her teeth together, as her fists were clenched so tight that her knuckles were white. Zaka shook his head with disappointment, while Largo was horrified by what Rosie just said. Isara herself, looked at Rosie, then at the doll of her sitting on the table, as she collected it with a sad expression. Richard looked at her with a sympathetic expression.
"...I understand. I'm sorry. I'll be on my way now." Isara muttered back, before she walked out of the lounge with a defeated expression.
"Yeah, I think I'm done, too." Zaka growled, before he left the lounge with a brisk walk.
Richard turned to Rosie, before he then shook his head with a disappointed expression. "How could you, Rosie... How could you just say that, like nothing changed...?"
Rosie looked at Richard, as she tried to say something, before Richard got up and left without another word. Gus and Sanae followed after him, but not after Sanae looked at her with a hurt expression, before she then left as well. Reisen left after them, not turning to address anyone.
The only people who were on the table now, was Largo, Rosie, Ellet and Marisa. Marisa was standing there silently.
"Even after all that, you haven't changed." Marisa muttered, before she then got up. "You utterly disgust me, Rosie. And here I thought that you would have at least tried to change."
"What do you expect me to do!?" Rosie shouted back at Marisa, annoyed. "I can't just change in such a short time! I'm not that big of a person!"
"You? Change? Pah!" Marisa spat out, as she turned to glare at Rosie with eyes filled with fury. "Just because you suddenly had a change of attitude, you would be forgiven by us? You forgot that you spent a long time distancing yourself to Rain, and mocking him behind his back. Do you think you deserve to have our forgiveness after all of that, especially right now? Listen here, 'Rosie'. In no way in goddamned hell, will I ever find it within me to forgive you. You repeatedly looked down at my friend, and that is truly unforgivable, and now you do this! You can cry and beg all you want, but only Gus and Sally will buy in your little act. I sure don't care a single bit about your remorse, since you showed none with what you did with Rain, or Isara in that matter. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to meet up with a actual comrade."
Marisa then stomped out of the lounge, as Largo looked at Rosie with a pitiful expression, as Rosie was shocked by Marisa's words, as she didn't do anything to stare at the table.
In the R&R department...
Isara was modifying the Edelweiss, as she had a sad expression on her face doing so, as if she was still hurt from what Rosie said earlier.
"Isara, I don't think Rosie really meant to hurt you when she said that." Zaka told her, as he was working on his own tank, the Shamrock. "She just didn't know what to say."
"No, I... I know that, Mr. Zaka." Isara responded back. "But I do wonder if dreams of a future which we're all equal will only bring pain."
"Now, don't get impatient on me. Getting close to somebody takes time, Isara." Zaka scolded Isara lightly. "That said, nothing in this world doesn't change."
"Yes... I know. Even if slowly, change will happen." Isara agreed.
"Exactly. So don't let it get you down. She's just worked up over tomorrow's operation." Zaka smiled back.
Suddenly, Richard came rushing into the department, bee-lining for Isara.
"Isara... Thank god I managed to find you after looking for you for so long." Richard panted with exhaustion, as Isara turned to him, stopping her work on the Edelweiss. "I never expected that you would work off your worries on the Edelweiss. Look, I just want to tell you that Rosie shouldn't have said what she said before, but she just doesn't know what to do in the situation."
"Thank you, Rain, but Mr. Zaka told me about it already." Isara humbly responded back, before turning to Zaka. "Speaking of tomorrow's op? I need to speak to Welks about the plan."
"What plan? You come up with a solution for those guns?" Zaka asked, curious about Isara's idea.
"If we modify something I've been developing, it may provide our ground troops protection." Isara explained.
"Really!?" Richard exclaimed with relief and joy. "Tell me, Isara! I must know what kind of brilliant idea you have in mind to ensure the safety of all the infantry!"
"Sure, I'll just give you a quick look, Rain. But only for a while, I'll need to go and speak with Welks about it as soon as possible." She stated, before taking one of the developmental blueprints nearby her, and handing it to Richard.
He immediately opened it, before he was completely astonished by the contents of the blueprint. "This... This...!" Richard remarked, before he handed the blueprint back to Isara. "Isara, if I could kiss you on the cheek without earning the ire of anyone, I'd do it in a heart-beat, you little genius, you!"
"Hehe, you're welcome, Rain." Isara giggled, before she then waved off to both Zaka and Richard. "Goodbye!"
"Goodby... bye? Hey, Isara!" Zaka shouted to stop Isara, although she already left before she could hear it, as he sighed. "...And she's gone. Those two are really siblings. They get into something, and they're in their own world."
"Yeah, makes you wonder, huh...?" Richard nodded as well.
"By the way, what did you see in that blueprint, that caused you to react like that?" Zaka asked him.
"Something that will minimise our causalities, even completely negate them." Richard answered with a smile. "If you really want to know, take this as a hint: It regards the same method we used in our first official battle as Squad 7, the Liberation of Vasel."
Suddenly, the two of them heard the sounds of gunshots, causing them to whip their heads towards the sounds.
"What is that...?" Zaka asked Richard.
"I think it might be something related to one of the prototype weapon projects we recovered from the last battle." Richard responded back. "Remy's the one who found it, and it seems to be a weapon fitting of her class. I'll go and check her out. You just make sure the Shamrock is top-notch and ready for combat."
"Will do." Zaka nodded, before he went back to maintaining the Shamrock, as Richard immediately walked to where Reisen was in the building, as she was wielding a sniper rifle, which was modified with a long and wide barrel, as well as a reinforced shoulder stock, and a relatively long magazine attached to the bottom of the weapon, and painted with a blue and white paint-job, with the crest of white lightning bolts on the sides of the weapon, using it to snipe out targets on the same shooting range that Richard tested the Victoire out on, as she was landing shot after shot, as the rifle was firing at the rate that no standard sniper rifle could reach, shooting targets quickly left and right.
After she finished testing her new weapon, Reisen immediately slid the bullet waste chamber on the gun open, as many empty sniper bullet shells clattered on the ground, and she turned to face Richard.
"Hey, Remy. How's the new sniper rifle doing for you?" Richard asked.
"It feels different. But it feels like that, in a good way." Reisen stated. "Although I have to compensate for less accuracy with the rapid-fire capabilities, I can effectively utilise over-watch with the semi-auto firing mode of the weapon. And not a single point is sacrificed off the calibre of the utilised bullets, so the lethality of the weapon remains the same as the others."
"Ooh, I wouldn't want to be the Imp who crosses your line of sight after you have a weapon like this." Richard hissed in a sympathetic tone. "Still, no enemy would dare approach me from the front, when I have the Victoire on me. Speaking of which, what will you call this weapon?"
"In accordance to your naming scheme for that weapon of yours, I'll call it the Tonnerre." Reisen answered back.
"Storm, or Thunder, eh...?" Richard remarked with a hand on his chin, before he smiled. "I like it. Is it to your liking?"
"Yes." Reisen nodded, before she immediately placed the rifle on her back. "The researchers have made sure that this weapon is working at full order. "Don't you have training to get to?"
"Training...?" Richard asked, before he immediately blanched, when he realised that he's not in training, when it's time for stormtrooper training. "Crap! Sorry, got to go, now!"
Richard immediately turned around and rushed out of the department at full pace, as Reisen couldn't help but smile lightly at Richard's rushed attitude.
A day later, in the briefing room...
"Hey, boss. We, uh, got a plan today?" Largo asked, with a worried tone.
"Well, Isara and I came up with a little something last night." Welkin answered back. "It seems like that it's very helpful for the mission."
"Speaking of, Isara still isn't here, is she?" Alicia asked Welkin.
"Give it time, Alicia, Isara wouldn't leave us waiting for so long, without any reason for it." Richard assured her.
Suddenly, the briefing room's door opened, as Isara stumbled in. "I apologise for being so late. Welks, it's done." Isara declared as soon as she did so, causing everyone to turn to her.
"You finished in time, Is!" Welkin remarked with relief.
"Yes. These smoke rounds should help keep our foot soldiers safe from fire." Isara replied.
"Smoke rounds?" Alicia asked, not knowing what Isara is talking about.
"A new type of tank cannon rounds." Welkin explained, as he slapped a photo of the smoke tank cannon round on the war table. "They don't do any damage, but they create a smokescreen."
"And if we tactfully place our smoke clouds in our advance, we will be able to ensure that we pass through without getting shot at." Richard continued. "After all, no enemy, ruthless or not, is stupid to waste ammunition firing into a smoke cloud, if it's a diversion. So we'll make them think like that, and they'll be taken care of, without knowing where their enemies were all this time."
"And you just finished them now?" Zaka asked with a sigh. "So you didn't sleep at all last night, huh?"
"...The 7's are like my family... Alicia, Rosie, Largo, Mr. Zaka, Welks, Rain, Sally, Gus, Mari, Remy, and little Hans, too. I don't want... None of you can die." Isara told everyone in the room, as she then smiled warmly. "If these smokescreens can protect you even a little, it'll be well worth it."
"Isara, you..." Rosie stated with a astonished and deeply touched expression.
"Nice going, kiddo! With these things, we'll be practically invisible!" Largo exclaimed back.
"Yeah, this battle just got a lot less scary. Thanks, Isara." Alicia thanked Isara.
"You're welcome, all of you..." Isara replied back.
"All right, let's get ready. Squad 7, move out!" Welkin declared.
Richard was looking at Isara with a pained look, as he squeezed his eyes shut, and clenched his fists tightly.
'Isara... You won't die here. I won't allow it, even if I have to take a thousand bullets through me to change that sorrid fate of yours...' Richard thought with determination.
Advance Team: Edelweiss(Welkin & Isara), Shamrock(Zaka), Rain, Mari, Remy, Rosie, Largo, Sally, Gus, Vyse, Nancy
In Marberry Shore...
The team was separated into two squads, one with the Shamrock, and the other with the Edelweiss. Nancy, Largo, Rosie, Alicia and Vyse were behind the Shamrock, while Richard, Gus, Reisen, Marisa and Sanae were with the Edelweiss. Both squads made their way to the open shore, where there was no cover at all, making it extremely dangerous for the attackers.
"Clear out the Imperial shoreline defences!" Welkin ordered his team, dictating the objective. "Squad 7, move out!"
He then immediately hopped back into the Edelweiss, closing the top hatch, as both tanks of the squad immediately powered themselves up.
"Here we are, squad, the Marberry shore. There really isn't any cover at all out here." Welkin remarked through the comms.
"Welks, just to remind you, aim the smoke rounds at the ground, or objects. That should allow the cannon round to disperse its smoke properly around the area." Isara reminded Welkin. "And don't forget that the smoke will dissipate a short while after they're fired, Welks. Plus, an explosive blast in it will clear it out instantly with the force."
"My Shamrock can't fire smoke rounds like you, but I'll pick up the slack on offence." Zaka stated.
"That's right, this is our first op with you, Zaka. Good to have you." Welkin responded back.
"Wouldn't miss it at all. Now let's go sock one to the Empire!" Zaka exclaimed back.
"Right. Deploying smoke rounds. Edelweiss team, make your advance on my signal!" Welkin relayed to the team with the tank, as the Edelweiss launched the smoke round like a mortar round, as it exploded into a cloud of thick smoke. "Now!"
"Roger that!" Richard stated. "Let's go, guys! Make sure everyone stays an arm's length from each other! You don't want to come out of the wrong side of the smoke cloud!"
The team immediately sprinted into the smoke cloud, as they dissipated into the thick smoke, as their surroundings were murky, although they could see the faint outlines of their surroundings.
"Hey, Mari. You should be able to see one of the gun encampments, right?" Richard asked Marisa. "Mind if you can make the shot, even in the smoke?"
"Pft, I'm used to shooting in unfair circumstances like this!" Marisa scoffed, before she readied her lance. "Well, they won't see this one coming."
She then fired her lance, as her rocket shot out of the smoke cloud, dissipating some parts of it from the force of the attack, but still keeping the squad concealed within it, as the projectile impacted the top of one of the gun emplacement on the cliff-side, caving in the opening, and rendering it unusable.
"Woah... You actually made that shot from the smoke...?" Largo remarked. "Damn, you got good eyes for sure, better than mine, I'd say!"
"Right, with that side down, the Edelweiss team should be safe for now." Welkin stated. "Shamrock, and escort team, begin your advance when I fire the smoke round in your path!"
The Edelweiss immediately loaded another smoke round, before creating another smoke cloud, that allowed the rest of the Squad 7 infantry to make their way through the shore undetected. The Shamrock immediately resisted the rattling gunfire aimed at it, before Zaka fired the Shamrock's cannon, making a direct hit that destroyed the other cliff-side gun emplacement.
"Looks like both of them are down. I didn't expect this to happen, but still... Thank god, no one was injured by the gunfire." Welkin stated.
"You might need to use the smoke rounds in front. Surprising the enemy should make it easy to take the area in front of us." Gus suggested.
"Right, that would seem like a good idea, considering I can see an Imperial camp in front of us." Welkin replied back, before he fired a smoke round into the choke-point of the shore, as both teams made their way into the smoke cloud. When they came out, they were right on top of the enemy, as the Imperial soldiers panicked at their sudden appearances, allowing them to be cut down by Richard and Rosie, as Alicia claimed the camp for their own.
"All right, we've cleared the beach!" Welkin shouted. "Great job everyone."
"We managed to get rid of the threat of the enemy gun emplacements, at least for now." Isara remarked as well.
The scouts then observed the path ahead, as there was a fork in the path, although the left path was protected by a medium tank, while the right path was only accessible by foot-soldiers, and there were quite a few Imperial soldiers guarding the path.
"Say, Isara... Does smoke rounds work against enemy tanks. In the sense that they can obscure the sight of tanks as well?" Richard asked.
"Yes... Why?" Isara asked back.
"I can see where this is going." Sanae interrupted. "That medium tank has the high ground, and would be more likely to hit us than we can to them. If we use the smoke rounds to obscure their vision, they won't know where we are, but we can attack them from behind it, taking it out without the enemy knowing our location."
"Right. Deploying another smoke round." Isara stated, as the Edelweiss created a smoke cloud on the left path.
"Alright, time to bust a tank from the shadows, heh~!" Marisa chuckled maliciously, as she and Largo fired their lances into the smoke cloud, around about where the medium tank was, as they were rewarded with the sounds of two rockets piercing tank armour, before exploding quite loudly. "Deal with this, if you can!"
Right after Marisa's mocking statement, the plopping sound of a enemy mortar round being fired was heard, before the sound of it hitting the ground could be heard right within the smoke cloud, as it immediately dispersed in a explosion of blue light, exposing them to the gunfire, as both Lancers were shocked, and immediately ducked behind the Shamrock, just in time for the tank's MG to fire upon them.
"Shit, shit, I wasn't expecting them to do that!" Marisa exclaimed.
"Don't worry, I got you guys covered! Take this!" Zaka shouted, as the Shamrock fired off a cannon round, that immediately contacted with the severely damaged medium tank on the other side, destroying it. "Enemy down!"
"Alright, Sally, the Edelweiss and the Shamrock will take the right path. The rest of you take the left path. We'll make sure that we fire smoke rounds to cover your advance around the battlefield." Welkin ordered everyone.
"Will do." Rosie answered back, as she immediately made her way to the right path, before she was targeted by a Imperial stormtrooper, causing her to immediately snap to cover, before she fired her weapon in retaliation, scoring a few hits on the head and taking them out.
The rest of the group immediately advanced, covering each and every possible angle of attack while moving, before they immediately continued. They found a sniper nest, which Reisen took, immediately climbing up, and taking her position on it. The Imperial soldiers immediately mobilised, when they noticed Reisen taking aim at them, although their movement caused her to snipe out her enemies with quick succession, as she cleared out every single enemy that came into her sight, before immediately reloading her rifle, which the ruthless chain of sniper fire had exhausted.
"Damn, that's one powerful rifle there." Vyse remarked with a envious tone. "Accurate and far-reaching as a sniper, but just as fast as a standard rifle... She's going to get herself a lot of kills up there..."
"We still have other matters to deal with." Richard stated, pointing at a Imperial heavy tank in the distance, before he then activated his comms. "Welkin, requesting smoke round at coordinates 1, 1.5."
"Copy that, firing!" Welkin responded back, with a smoke cloud in their path, as it covered most of the front of the Imperial medium tank.
The group immediately advanced, as they moved their way through the curved route, as Nancy took out one of the enemy gatling bunkers, by detonating the ragnite energy containers on the back, causing an violent explosion that tore the bunker apart, while Marisa immediately took out the enemy heavy tank from behind, using the smoke to obscure her movement, and taking it out amongst the mist, as the explosion dissipated the mist, except the tank was in burning scraps. Richard, Vyse, Gus, Alicia and Rosie took out the rest of the enemies with their gun-fire, while the Edelweiss moved up the slope, and destroyed the other gatling turret in their path, with a single cannon shot, and Sanae immediately darted through the battlefield to take the enemy camp in the small area for the squad.
"Excellent work. Now all that remains is the enemy main camp." Welkin praised everyone.
"And there seems to be another set of cliff-side gun emplacements in the area." Isara added, referring to the other pair in the path to the enemy main camp. "We should regroup and plan our advance accordingly."
"Right, everyone, on the tanks." Reisen stated, as she immediately came down the sniper nest, and joined up with the other squad members with the Edelweiss and Shamrock.
"We got enemies ahead as well." Alicia responded back. "Looks like we'll have to shoot from within the smoke cloud."
"It may hurt our accuracy, and we might lose the element of surprise by doing so, but if we fire at the same time, surely we'll be able to hit something. And for you, Mari and Largo, surely something as big as a enemy tank couldn't possibly be invisible amongst the outlines of our surroundings inside the smoke cloud, right?" Richard said as well.
"Really?" Largo asked.
"Well, that big thing was really obvious to see, even in the smoke. Doubly so for their exposed radiator." Marisa responded back.
"Right, I'll take your word for it." Largo nodded.
"Permission for a all-out assault on enemy targets, Lieutenant?" Richard asked Welkin.
"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Rain..." Welkin told Richard.
"Come on, this isn't the craziest plan we've made as a squad, and you know that for a fact right...?"
"Yeah, I guess so. Sorry for doubting you. Let's do it." Welkin stated, before he laid the smoke cloud for the others to enter. "Now's your chance!"
"You heard our commander! Let's get this done and dusted!" Richard stated, as everyone followed him into the smoke cloud, as they waited in the centre, for the smoke to slowly dissipate and give them a clear view of the enemies ahead. "Wait for it, wait for it..."
As the smoke slowly waned out, the foot-soldier squad immediately got their line of sight on their enemies, or more specifically their blurred outlines, which was the signal for everyone to attack. "NOW!"
At the signal, everyone immediately fired everything they got on the enemy, as the overwhelming barrage of fire tore through their, and committed several acts of overkill, leaving the bullet-riddled corpses of the enemy squad's soldiers, and the rubble of its tank in the area, just as everyone rushed out of the smoke cloud, before it disappeared and exposed them to the cliff-side gun emplacements.
As they rushed around, they found the enemy main camp, devoid of its defenders, which could have possibly been the victims of said onslaught, as Nancy was given the honours of raising the Gallian banner, as everyone cheered at their victory, while the Edelweiss and Shamrock rolled into base.
"Operation complete! We've taken the Marberry Shore for our army!" Welkin exclaimed. "And I was so afraid of the causalities that might have resulted... Thank god for those smoke rounds from Is... Thank you for it."
"No worries, Welks. I'm glad that we managed to make it out of this all alive." Isara spoke back with a warm tone.
A few hours later, in the Marberry Shore base...
The officers of Squad 7 were taking care of matters in the base, as Isara was taking care of the Edelweiss, while Alicia and Welkin conversed with each other, and Largo was leaning against one of the building walls, taking a smoke from a large cigar. Reisen was immediately doing maintenance on her new weapon, making sure that no part of it is damaged or worn, while Gus and Marisa were taking a look around, and Zaka was looking up to the sky, from the top of the Shamrock. Richard and Sanae were talking to each other.
"So, this should help the others advance, right?" Sanae asked Richard, as she veiled her true meaning behind her words.
"Yeah, it should be, Sally. With the shore taken back, the Imperials will have one less route to invade the rest of Gallia with." Richard responded back. "Surely that they'll react quite badly to this kind of development right, that they'll start getting desperate to attain their goals, right?"
"Hm... And I hope that no-one is left behind, dead or not..." Sanae stated with a sorrowful look in her eyes, as she looked briefly at Isara.
"Don't worry. None of us will let it happen, and neither will Welkin and the others." Richard assured Sanae, with a hand on her shoulder.
Soon, Rosie walked over to Isara, as she had a guilty expression on her face, while her hand clutched the doll that Isara made for her, as Isara turned around to address her.
"Hi Rosie, how can I help you?" Isara asked her, as she stood up.
"Well... you have already." Rosie weakly smiled, in a attempt to lighten the mood, before it dropped back down, as she raised the doll for Isara to see.
"You mean the doll I made for you?" Isara questioned Rosie, as she was surprised to see her doll in her hands. "I didn't know you kept it."
"Funny that, you said it was a 'good luck charm', right?" Rosie asked back. "I still owe you one from the Feast, and especially with Rain giving you a present back for it. So... Anything you want, just name it..."
Everyone turned around to face Rosie, including Marisa, who was genuinely curious to see what was going on.
"Let me think..." Isara hummed, placing a fist under her chin in thought, before she then thought of her request. "You know what? I'd like to hear you sing, Rosie."
"Huh? You want me to... sing?" Rosie asked, stunned and pointing at herself.
"Yes, you told me before that you always enjoyed it." Isara cheerfully stated. "I'd really love to hear you. I bet you're great."
Rosie was silent for a few moments, before she then smiled back. "Okay then. It's a promise." She nodded, as she reached a hand out.
Isara smiled back, as she moved to take the hand, before Richard looked around, and managed to see a Imperial sniper that was aiming for Isara, as no-one noticed it, with their attention on both Rosie and her. The Imperial soldier's finger was immediately on the trigger, as they slowly pressed down on it quietly.
'Shit! I've managed to find where the shot is coming from, but it's too late to shoot them... But I can still...!' Richard frantically thought, before he immediately kicked off the ground and ran into a break-neck sprint towards Isara.
"Rain...?" Sanae muttered, before Richard managed to reach Isara, as both Rosie and Isara saw Richard coming their way, as they turned to face him.
"Rosie, down!" Richard shouted loudly, as Rosie instinctively did so, while Richard darted towards Isara.
As the Imperial soldier's squeezed the trigger fully, Richard pushed Isara right onto the ground, taking Isara's place as the target. The weapon fired off, right through the right side of Richard's chest, as the shot pierced right through the combat suit he was wearing, as the high-calibre round went in and out of Richard's chest, as he was knocked back slightly, with a shocked expression on his face.
Even with pain searing through his chest, as he felt himself unable to breathe properly, he managed to keep himself from screaming and straight-out falling into hemorrhagic shock, as the bullet wound began to leak blood, that ran down the front and back, as he groaned and growled, before falling onto his knees and landing on the ground, clutching the wound on his chest.
Rosie and Isara watched with horror, as Richard grit his teeth, as he tried to resist the pain, while Reisen immediately slammed a clip into the Tornerre, and killed the hidden Imperial sniper with a shot through the head.
"No... Rain!" Rosie exclaimed.
"Rain!" Isara cried in horror.
They both immediately went over to Richard, who was breathing weakly, as the bullet pierced through one of his lungs, causing a whistling sound to be faintly heard from the wound itself. He then looked up, as his expression was twisted with pain.
"Don't you die on me...!" Rosie exclaimed, as she slowly raised him onto his feet, by lifting him under his shoulder, as he slumped slightly on her. "I... I still haven't apologised for what I have done earlier... To both you and Isara..."
"Heh heh... The enemy really wanted to take any of us officers down, eh...?" Richard tried to joke, with a slightly distant and wheezy voice, before he coughed up some blood. "Fuck, that was a high-calibre sniper rifle... That tore through my right lung... That's a few steps more worse than the fractured leg from encountering that Valkyria..."
"Rain, please... Don't strain yourself trying to talk!" Isara exclaimed with concern and worry about Richard. "Your lung is already punctured, and you could die if you don't get treatment soon enough!"
"I'll get the medic!" Welkin exclaimed, as he immediately entered the Edelweiss, as he activated the squad comms. "Fina! We need your medical attention! Rain has been critically wounded by a enemy sniper, and is in need of your help!"
"Lieutenant!?" Fina's voice rang through the comms. "I'll be there as quick as I can!"
Largo then noticed that there were several Imperial soldiers making their way to the base, as he growled. "We got company! Everybody get ready for combat!"
"I'm sorry, Rain... I shouldn't have stayed in the open like that..." Isara spoke with a very sorrowful voice, as she felt guilty for getting Richard shot. "If it wasn't for you, I'd be..."
"Don't say that..." Richard responded back with a weak growl. "Isara... What matters is that you're unharmed. I can handle this kind of wound. But you certainly won't... I'm glad that it wasn't you who took the shot..."
"Rain... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...!" Isara cried, as tears began to flow down her cheeks.
Rosie immediately moved Richard behind one of the buildings, as Marisa immediately went over to him.
"Oi, Rain... You alright there?" Marisa asked with slight concern in her voice. "You can't possibly be done in by something like this, right?"
"Remember that time I got shot in the abdomen, Mari?" Richard questioned her back. "I'll tell you right now, getting shot through the lung is a few times worse than that. At least I could breathe properly getting shot in the stomach... My remaining good lung feels like it's about to explode, and the other one feels like that its being squeezed dry... That how the pain feels like."
"Shit... Just hang in there, alright?" Marisa told Richard with a worried look in her eyes, before she turned to Sanae, who just equipped her rifle. "Hey, Sally! Get yourself over here and take care of Rain! You'd want to give him some of your magical ragnaid!"
"Right away!" Sanae yelled back, as she rushed over, and pulled out the ragnaid diffuser. "Rain, this will sting for a few moments, but it should stop your bleeding, but not the punctured lung itself."
"Do it..." Richard whispered back, before Sanae activated it over the bullet wound, as the wound was slowly being sealed together, although doing so caused Richard's pain to spike, as he writhed and roared in pain, but keeping himself where he was, until the process was complete, as he was left wheezing and groaning.
Everyone immediately fired their weapons at the Imperial soldiers, as they were being forced back, or killed by the soldiers. While they did so however, they heard the sound of a Imperial light tank rolling into the area, as everyone paled in fear at the arrival of enemy armour in the area.
"Crap! And we don't have our lances with us right now!" Marisa exclaimed. "Welkin, what now!?"
"We'll have to hold the tank off as long as we can!" Welkin shouted. "Zaka, Is, into the tanks, now!"
Both of the squadmates complied, as they entered their respective tanks, as Zaka managed to get the Shamrock moving, although it seemed to be dry on ammunition, while the Edelweiss still had a few cannon rounds left, although it was taking some time to get it ignited, while the Imperial light tank rolled into the air, as it immediately used its MGs to target the foot-soldiers of the squad, forcing them into cover. When it did so, it immediately aimed its tank cannon at the Edelweiss, knocking it back and shocking the occupants of the Gallian tank, while Zaka immediately attempted to ram it.
"Sorry, Lieutenant, but I'm dry on cannon rounds here!" Zaka stated. "I'll buy you some time to get your Edelweiss running! Don't worry about me!"
"Zaka!" Welkin cried, as the Shamrock wrestled with the light-tank, crashing into the Imperial tank's side, pinning it to the cliff wall. "Is, ignite the Edelweiss, please! We can't let Zaka do this alone!"
"I'm trying, Welks!" Isara shouted. "But the maintenance on the Edelweiss was half-done! Igniting it immediately will cause major complications on the tank! I have to utilise time to slowly rousing the tank into ignition without causing these problems!"
"Is..." Welkin muttered, before he growled and slammed his fist onto the side of the tank. "Curse it all... Please, Zaka... Don't throw your life away...! We won't let a single squadmate die!"
Richard immediately looked at the Imperial light tank, where he was slumping against, as he watched as the Imperial light tank fired at the Shamrock, damaging it greatly, although it was still using its full force to pin the Imperial light tank.
"No... Zaka... Zaka...!" Richard coughed and wheezed, as the Shamrock was being heavily damaged by the Imperial light tank, before another shot destroyed most of its armour. "Don't do this, Zaka...! Isara still looks up to you. Don't throw your life away... Don't... Don't...!"
Richard slowly stood up, as Rosie was shocked that Richard still had the strength to stand, although his legs were shaking as if he was using most of his waned strength do so. As soon as he got up, a golden aura emanated from Richard, surprising her, and Gus, who saw it as well.
"I won't... I won't let you..." Richard muttered under his breath, as the blade and shield he was carrying on his back, resonated with his supernatural power, glowing brightly. "I won't let you... kill anyone... Squad 7... They're my comrades... They're my friends... They're the only people who accepted me... So I won't lose a single one of them. I won't..."
Suddenly, the golden aura exploded, as he immediately whipped out the shield and sword into his hands, as his hair and eyes turned golden.
"I WON'T! LET YOU!" Richard roared with unbound fury, as he immediately rushed at the Imperial light tank at a speed that astonished everyone in sight.
"What is that...?" Welkin remarked. "It looks much like when that Valkyria transformed... But Rain's a Darcsen... But could that mean...!?"
"Rain..." Isara muttered, half with awe, and half with worry.
"URRRAGGGGHHH!" Richard screamed loudly, as he leapt into the air towards the Imperial light tank, and rose the blade into the air.
"What is he trying to do...!?" Largo remarked. "The tank's armour is too thick to be cut open with a blade like this!"
As Richard came down, he swung his blade down with such ferocity, that the speed of the blade left a fleeting after-image of his blade, as he came down through the Imperial tank, the blow cleaving it cleanly into two, as the pieces immediately exploded in a violent manner, due to the ragnite reactor within the tank being sliced open as well, knocking the critically-damaged Shamrock away, and leaving everyone except Gus, Marisa, Sanae and Reisen, utterly shell-shocked and speechless.
"What... What is that!?" Rosie screeched. "What the hell did Rain just do before all of us!?"
"That power... So there was another power among the Darcsens as well...! Alicia remarked. "That's why it took the Valkyrias many years to subjugate the Darcsens, because within them are kinsmen with power to rival that of a Valkyria...!"
"Damn... And here I thought that Rain was already crazy enough, with how he's a more physically fit soldier than all of us!" Largo stated with awe. "I guess he's a Valkyria of some sorts, except its some sort of variations only for Darcsens...?"
"Rain... What is that power... And why are you the one to have it...?" Isara pondered.
"Well... I guess that many of the militia are going to literally pop their own eyes out, if I told them what I saw here..." Welkin chuckled awkwardly, trying to downplay the utter miracle that happened before him.
Richard immediately stepped out of the smoking wreck of the Imperial tank, as he was panting and huffing heavily, and looking like as if his lung wound wasn't affecting him at all. After a few moments, he immediately snapped towards the direction where the Imperial soldiers fled, before rushing down it.
"We have to chase him!" Welkin stated. "What happens if he suddenly loses this form! He could well possibly die if that form was attained at the cost of his life!"
"I'll go after him!" Gus stated, as he immediately ran down the path, as the rest of the officers and friends followed him from behind, as the Edelweiss followed soon after, having managed to ignite its engine and systems properly.
As the group went through, they heard the anguished cries of Richard, as well as the death cries of many Imperial soldiers, which were filled with terror and despair, as well the sounds of gunshots and explosions, indicating how intense the occurring battle was. When they managed to catch up to Richard, they found that the entire area was spattered with the blood of the Imperials, as their sliced and disembowelled corpses riddled the ground, as well as several smoking wrecks of the Imperial tanks. In the middle of the bloody carnage, was Richard, who was flat on the ground, with his blade and shield coated with both blood and oil, as well as on several places on his body.
"Urgh... This is...!" Rosie gagged, resisting the urge to retch, when she saw the horrific scene before her. "God... What made Rain do this...!?"
"I don't think that he even had control over his actions..." Sanae remarked, as she looked at the unresponsive Richard on the ground.
"Rain! Rain!" Marisa cried, as she rushed over to the fallen Richard, before grabbing Richard by the shoulders. "Come on, talk to me! You're just exhausted after all, right?"
Richard didn't respond, as his head slumped down towards her. Everyone immediately rushed up to Richard, as they were shocked to see Richard like this.
"No..." Alicia spoke with horror, with her hands on her mouth. "Rain can't possibly be..."
"I'll check for a pulse, move aside!" Reisen barked out, as everyone did so, Marisa placing Richard on the ground, flat on his back. She immediately started testing for a pulse on Richard's body, searching each and every spot for any signs of life, moving from one part to another, when she was met with a few moments of silence, as her expression became more and more worried, despite trying to hide the emotion. When she moved to Richard's jugular, and pressed her fingers on it, she managed to feel faintly Richard's pulse, which was weak and slow, but still present. "He's... He's alive...!"
Isara immediately exited the Edelweiss, parking it nearby, as she hugged Richard tightly to herself, with a relieved expression on her face.
"Thank god, oh thank god... Rain... I'm so glad that you didn't die... If you didn't... I won't be able to handle the guilt of being responsible for it...!" Isara wept, holding Richard tightly to her, as her tears leaked onto Richard's uniform.
Everyone immediately moved back to give Isara her space, as Fina immediately appeared, the very same medic who took care of Richard before, holding a medical supply kit in both of her hands.
"Where is he...?" Fina shouted to the group, before she found Richard being held by Isara, as she was afraid of what might have happened. "...Is he..."
"He's not dead." Reisen confirmed for Fina. "He's got a faint and weak pulse, so please... hurry and get him the medical treatment he needs."
"Right...!" Fina exclaimed with determination, before she immediately pulled out the portable stretcher and assembled it quickly. "Help me get him onto the stretcher. Welkin, if we could use the Edelweiss..."
"Go ahead. We'll place him into the Edelweiss, and make a return for Randgriz. It should be a few hours, right?" Welkin stated.
"I'll help." Rosie stated. "After all... I feel like I owe him for what he did for Isara. If it wasn't for him... It would have been Isara... And he still fought on... I feel like that I don't deserve to continue treating him and the other Darcsens like I did before. I feel like that I was the one in the wrong, for blindly hating them for something that they didn't have any involvement in..."
Rosie and Fina immediately placed Richard into the stretcher, before they moved him inside the Edelweiss, with the help of the others, as he and the stretcher was laid on the tank's floor, while Isara and Welkin started the tank up.
"Everyone... We're returning to Randgriz." Welkin solemnly stated.
Two weeks after the Marberry Shore incident, back in Randgriz...
"Let's begin the strategy meeting." Varrot stated, as Gus, Welkin, Faldio, and Isara immediately nodded back. "First off, I need to ask... Lieutenant, how is Squad 7's morale?"
"We're unsure. The casualty of one of our officers, Ensign Craider, has hurt our morale slightly. And yet our victory at Marberry Shore counteracted this morale drop, but to what degree, that is what we're trying to make clear." Welkin reported back. "Rain took sniper fire for my sister, Corporal Isara, and suffered a punctured lung. He is taken off the active roster until he has made considerable recovery, much like he has when he was disabled temporarily back in the Barious desert."
"Captain, if I may." Isara interjected politely. "I wanted to state that I am undeniably ever grateful towards Rain. He took the fatal shot that was meant for me. I wished that he would recover quickly, so that I could thank him for saving my life back there."
"Is that all, Corporal Isara?" Varrot asked her with a firm manner.
"...That is all I have to say. I just simply hope he recovers. He treats his squadmates like his own family, and everyone either respect him or like him." Isara responded back. "It would be a shame if he would be taken out of service, because there will be people who will miss him."
"I see." Varrot nodded. "I sent in a request to General Damon to allow a single operation and received full clearance for it. The operation is that the Gallian militia is to liberate a small border town called Bruhl."
Welkin, Isara and Gus reacted to this quite strongly, as Welkin and Isara were surprised, while Gus was quite moved at the fact that they and Alicia have the chance to retake their hometown from the Empire.
"The regiment will surround the area, while your squad enters and secures the plaza." Varrot continued to elaborate on the operation. "Any questions, Lieutenant?"
"...No, Captain." Welkin answered back, shaking his head.
"I'm taking temporary personal leave, but I wish you the best of luck out there." Faldio stated, before he left the briefing room.
"That concludes our meeting then. I look forward to good news from Bruhl. Dismissed." Varrot stated, before everyone left the room in order.
"So, Welkin, should we visit Rain...? I mean, it's been two weeks, and there has been good news recently about his recovery." Gus told Welkin.
"Yeah... I still can't believe it though... Rain has a power that is on par with that of a Valkyria..." Welkin muttered. "I don't know what would happen if such a thing was to be spread among the public, a Darcsen possessing the powers that are akin to that of a Valkyria... I dread to think of the results, so I had to make sure that everyone swore an oath of silence regarding this matter... And fortunately, there's enough trust between the squadmates to ensure that no-one would betray such a promise."
"I know... But still, if he has those powers, surely he'll recover faster than normal, right?" Gus noted, to try and cheer Welkin up. "I mean, if Alicia could heal from a bullet through her arm, then Richard could slowly heal that wound in his lung, after its been fixed up, right? I mean, he did have abnormally fast speed, like when he literally ran as fast as the Edelweiss at full speed back in Fouzen, and that he recovered from that leg fracture quite quickly to join the next operations."
"It sure is convenient... But I wonder what consequences must be paid for such a power in our disposal..." Welkin sighed.
At the main hospital in Randgriz...
Richard was waiting in the hospital bed, as his entire torso was wrapped in bandages, especially towards the right side of his chest, as there was a large scar from the surgery that he had, to re-inflate his right lung, and seal the bullet wounds on the lung itself. He slowly felt his way across the scar, as doing so give him a slightly painful sensation, although it felt more itchy than painful for him.
When he heard the door to his ward open, he immediately sat up, as Welkin, Alicia, Isara, Rosie, Largo, Zaka, and Richard's friends came into the room. Alicia was holding another set of flowers in her hands, for the flower pot on the side of Richard's bed.
"Oh, hello again you all." Richard stated. "Everyone's doing fine, without me?"
"Yeah." Welkin smiled back. "But we're waiting for you to come back and fight with us again. Vyse is literally being a drag when you left, because he doesn't have someone to compare against."
"Haha, good old Vyse." Richard chuckled, before he lightly coughed, as the laughter irritated his lung wound enough to do so. "Sorry, but I'm going to be stuck here for a while, Welkin. You just have to do without me. I mean, look at the others. Remy just needs a high point now, and she'll be your ever-vigilant sentry. And then there's Mari, who is daring enough to come face-to-face with a tank and not back down, even with how close she could get. And then there's Sally and Gus, who both have their own traits, as Gus could keep an good eye out for everyone, and Sanae is a walking ball of recovery for you all, with how much Ragnaid she's been carrying. I mean, sure, we rarely used it with how well your plans are, but she did manage to save Wavy and keep my wounds from worsening, right?"
"Man, for a injured soldier, you talk way too much, especially with a broken lung." Largo moaned.
"Can't help it. Just making my point, Largo." Richard smirked, before he turned to Isara. "Isara... Have you and Rosie finally gotten along?"
"Yes, Rain. She and I are much better than we were before. She sang to me, like she promised, and she also promised that she would sing more often for the squad." Isara responded back, as Richard looked at Rosie, who was looking quite shy about having her deeds told. "And by the way, I think that Mari is feeling better towards Rosie as well, since Rosie has managed to change her ways."
"Well, it's more that I owe her for getting you out of the combat zone." Marisa corrected. "But still, although I'm still quite sore about what she done in the past, I'm willing to overlook that, and just enjoy having her as someone I don't actually hate, now that she's a better person now."
"Heh heh, I'm glad that it is so." Richard smiled. "By the way, Rosie... What was the song that you sung for Isara? I would like to hear it as well."
"Really? You want to hear my singing?" Rosie asked Richard.
"Well, if Isara said that she believed your singing is great, and you kept your promise, I think that whatever song you have in mind couldn't be that bad." Richard stated, before he then adopted a pleading tone of voice. "And come on, sing for a dark-haired hospital patient, please~?"
Marisa laughed at Richard's mock cutesy tone, as Rosie was slightly taken back by what Richard's tone, as she scowled a little at Marisa, before then sighing.
"Alright, then listen closely, because I'm sure that you'll be crying when you hear this one." Rosie stated, before she then cleared her throat, and took a deep breath to begin singing the song.
You start always smiling,
Every quiet, ever tender.
And I, a lost child,
Always frightened, I remember,
That you came and found me,
Blinded by unshed tears.
The tears we cried are echoes,
That tell what tomorrow will hold.
And I wept,
In your arms.
And I heard,
Bells ring out across the land,
Bringing peace at last.
To your heart,my dearest friend.
And now, the love that you gave me,
Blooms and will live on,
Through the tears in us all,
Without end.
When Rosie finished her song, Isara wiped a tear from her cheek, as the others gave applause to Rosie, who bowed curtly in response. Richard himself, was utterly moved, as his head was bowed down, as he began to sob and weep, as he placed his hands together and clapped them slowly in applause at Rosie,as he lifted his crying eyes to Rosie.
"That... That was utterly beautiful... When I hear that song and your voice, Rosie... I couldn't help but cry without restraint..." Richard whimpered, as he sniffled and sobbed a few times. "When you sung, it reminded me of my own mother, who often sung me lullabies to sleep... I felt like for a moment, I was back with my family..."
"Woah... You're actually crying...?" Rosie asked with awe, before she then knocked on the back of her head by Marisa, as she clutched the back of her head in pain.
"Rosie... No, Bridgette Stark... Thank you... Thank you for bringing me a moment of happy memories back into my life." Richard sniffled, as he smiled as well as he could, while still crying. "May I hug you, please...?"
"Yeah, why not...?" Rosie asked. "You deserve it after everything you had to deal with. I guess that it was due some time later, right...?"
Rosie then walked over, as Richard immediately threw her arms around her, and sobbed and wailed into her, as the others watched as Rosie comforted Richard, patting his head soothingly like a caring mother, as she whispered to him silently with a calm and caring tone, until Richard slowly went into a few dry hiccups and sniffs, as the front of Rosie's uniform was wet with his tears and snot.
As soon as both of them separated, Richard immediately took a tissue to blow his own nose out, and then taking another to wipe the tears and moisture off his face, his eyes slightly raw from the long moment of crying.
"So... I take it that there's no operation for you yet, Welkin?" Richard asked Welkin, as he slowly calmed down.
"Quite on the contrary. But it's actually good news for me, Isara and Alicia." Welkin stated. "We're going to be taking back Bruhl."
"Really?" Richard asked with surprise. "I should be proud for the fact that you have the chance to regain the hometown you have lost. I'm sure that Martha's son will be able to live a proper life when you guys take it back. And just one more thing, Welkin..."
"Yes, Rain...?" Welkin asked, before Richard sat up, and put out a thumbs up with a serious expression.
"Promise that even after the war, you guys will stay as you were, and that you will always be what you wanted to be." Richard told him.
Welkin was surprised by the sudden change in Richard, although he was happy that Richard still cared about them, even when he was hospitalised.
"Yeah, I promise you, I'll make sure everyone will be happy." Welkin responded back, placing a hand on Richard's shoulder.
"Glad to hear that. Now then..." Richard stated, before he then pointed outwards, as he adopted a bold tone. "Onwards to victory, Lieutenant Gunther! Take back the land that is rightfully yours, and bring back the peaceful life that many have desired!"
"Aye aye." Welkin chuckled, as he did a quick salute, before everyone left the room, while Sanae gave Richard a playful wink, before turning away, as the door to the ward closed, and Richard was alone in the ward again, as he looked up the ceiling and sighed.
"Well, I'm glad that's one thing dealt with." Richard stated. "I'm truly glad that I managed to save Isara. Didn't expect that I'd have to take the shot myself, if I want to change fate, but still... It's better than having to watch her die without any control over it. Now then..."
Richard then immediately snapped his fingers, as a sukima appeared, and he pulled out another blueprint manufactured specifically for one of his friends, as it was a rifle that is meant to house anti-armour rounds in it.
"I wonder how Gus will react, when he gets a rifle powerful enough to bring down tanks, fufufu..." Richard chuckled deviously.