Camp Alnus, Interrogation Room, February 19th 2017, 0700 AT
Sitting alone on the other side of the one-way mirror was a woman that George had been watching for the last few minutes. Her dark skin, long silver hair and long ears gave an unnatural feeling to her appearance, but that was to be expected from anything coming from this side of the Gate. Her head was down, hiding her eyes that were probably full of shame. In a certain way, it reminded him of how Myuute looked like when she was interrogated for the first time after Italica. This thought made him chuckle as he threw a quick glance at the Siren who was also in the observation room with him. She was observing the prisoner as well, but she still noticed his look.
« What ? » she asked, confused about the meaning of such a smile.
« Nothing, nothing… Anyway, what do we have about her ? » replied George, trying to go back to the topic at hand.
« Well the problem is that we do not know anything about her. We arrested her for threatening Lieutenant Moreau at the tavern and put her in a cell for the night. We checked through the checkpoints files for yesterday and the day before, but we could not find anything about a Dark Elf. She also has not said a single word so we do not know her name and we cannot tell why, how or from where she came to Alnus. »
« And what did she have on her ? »
« She had a cloak, a sword, some light food reserves, very light leather protections… Nothing out of the ordinary for any kind of traveler. The only unusual things we found were a very large amount of money and a really large diamond that is worth a fortune in itself. »
George only nodded. He was liking this new job he had been given. All the travelers that came through Alnus were full of information about many subjects that interested the Task Force and it was easy to ask questions about those subjects with someone already being questioned for assaulting someone else or attempting to steal from the General Store. So, George and Frank with their interrogation skills became interrogators for the Gendarmerie to gather all the needed intelligence directly from the source.
« Any idea why she tried to attack the Lieutenant ? »
This time, the question came from Frank who was sitting behind the various monitors, looking at various papers coming from the elf's file.
« We have interviewed a few witnesses and the transcripts are in the file. According to them, it was some form of misunderstanding about Her Holiness' age. She thought he was trying to get a young girl drunk and started to yell at the tavern staff. He tried to calm things but she immediately drew her sword the moment he stood up. »
George chuckled for a few seconds before returning to his serious face.
« Well then. Looks now we only have to ask her what happened. »
Frank handed him the file and he walked towards the door, taking a few deep breaths to really get into the best mood for this kind of interview. The light metallic sounds of the door opening and closing were enough to attract the elf's attention. Quietly, he sat down in front of her and pulled out a registration paper. Some of the most obvious information had already been filled up, but the most important questions were still unanswered.
« What is your name ? »
A basic question to start things calmly.
But no answer. The only thing George could see was her long hair that was completely masking her lowered face.
« I need to know your name before I can ask further questions. »
Her head moved up a little, allowing George to take a peak under the hair. What he discovered were two hopeless golden eyes looking directly towards him.
« Y… Yao… Yao Ha Ducy. » she faltered with a weak voice.
« What is your age ? »
« Two… Two hundred and five years old. »
« And where are you from ? »
« I… I come from the Schwartz Woods… In the south. »
« And why did you come to Alnus Hill ? »
There were no answer for a few seconds, but then suddenly she jerked her head up and almost started to yell.
« You must help us ! »
This sudden cry for help made George move back by reflex, the metal chair grinding against the ground.
« Whoa there. Calm down, calm down… For now I only want to know why you came to Alnus. »
« You do not understand. I… I traveled all the way from the mountains, I crossed the border between Elbe and Italica, I came to Alnus to get your help. I… I do not want any of this to be in vain. »
He scribbled down a note about what she had said before returning to his focus which was to actually understand what had caused her to do what brought her here.
« Why did you try to attack the Lieutenant at the tavern ? If you want to get any kind of help on anything, you must answer me. »
« I am so sorry, she said as she lowered her face again. I had a long trip through the forest and I was tired. The moment I saw him drinking with that girl, I immediately imagined the worse and I reacted without thinking… I thought he was trying to get her drunk to abuse her. What I did was stupid and it condemned my entire people. »
She broke down into tears as George wrote what he just learned. Out of respect, he tried to hide the small smile that had appeared at the thought of the Lieutenant's reaction if he was ever able to tell him. But with the case closed, he put back his intelligence officer hat back on to go fishing for information.
« But then, what kind of help are you looking for that requires carrying so much money and such a big gemstone ? »
Once again, she rose her head up again. But this time, there was a small amount of hope that had appeared in her two golden eyes.
« Are you going to help us ? »
She had asked her question with the tone of someone living through desperate times.
« If the Task Force officers think it is worth it, then probably. »
The perfect reply in that kind of situation. Positive enough to get the desired reaction from the subject but vague enough so that if things do not turn that way, he cannot be called a liar.
« My tribe needs help to kill the Fire Dragon. »
George immediately recognized the word used in the Saderan language to describe the only real threat to the Task Force. And even if killing that beast was a goal that many people shared, no one had ever showed up to ask the French to do it. Or at least no one before her.
« What do you mean ? Everybody wants to kill that thing. »
« No, no… You do not understand… We… We know where its nest is. We have known this for decades, but it woke up sooner than we thought and we were not able to prepare. Many of ours died… Please, I beg you. »
If her hands had not been cuffed, George was sure that she would have tried to grab his hand or his arm as tears slowly reappeared in her eyes. But still, emotions or not, what she just told meant that she knew a lot more and that a lot of people would be interested to know all of that.
« I understand your struggle, he said softly. But I need to ask you several questions to understand everything about the situation and you must give me the most precise answers possible. Do you understand ? »
« Yes. Yes, of course. Everything you need. »
A smile of satisfaction appeared on George's lips. His works had been the spark that started a hopeful fire in her eyes.
« And by the looks of it, you will get the help you and your people need. »
Alnus Village, Cooperative office, February 19th 2017, 0930 AT
The prefabricated lodging had barely changed since Lelei and her master had moved in a few months back. Since then, the former Coda villagers had created the Alnus Cooperative to organize trade with Italica and the construction of Alnus Village. With the permanent buildings completed, most villagers had moved out and the Cooperative claimed to lodgings for its offices and storage rooms. And even if Kato had moved to a small apartment, Lelei stayed in what had become her office.
As usual, she was alone behind her desk, looking at paperwork linked with the Cooperative. The only sound that was filling the room was the small taps of rain drops hitting the window, and Lelei liked that sort of calm. It was just like when she studied books from various libraries in Rondel or elsewhere. Just her and the words written down on parchment. There was also something she liked about doing things to help the community, not something unusual for a Rurudo. Years of living in relative isolation from the rest of the village had buried this deep in her, but one of the impacts of the refugee life was the discovery of that side of her personality.
That feeling of calm was broken by the sound if someone lightly knocking on the lodging door.
« Come in. » she simply said as she signed a document.
The door panel quickly opened, revealing Tuka, her coat completely soaked by the rain. She quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
« Good morning, Tuka. » said the mage with her usual voice.
« Good morning, Lelei, replied the elf as she put her wet coat on the nearby hanger which revealed a file she was carrying underneath. A merchant has arrived from the south on his way to the Capital and after seeing the General Store, he wants to directly trade what he has in his cart with goods imported from France. »
The file changed hands and was opened on the desk. It contained various parchments that acted as an inventory list of what this merchant transported. It was nothing out of the ordinary, the kind of goods that was always going to sell in any large city. But the Cooperative had a strict policy regarding trade. The only good it was selling to outside merchants were the wyvern scales and it used the profits to develop the village. There was also the fact that no imported goods were to leave the area controlled by the Task Force, an order that came directly from LaPointe's staff.
Lelei quickly made her mind on the subject, closed the file and stood up from her desk.
« I will handle this later, she said as she headed towards the small kitchen. I was about to make some tea. Care to join me ? »
Tuka looked surprised by the proposition, but gladly accepted. She sat down on one of the two small couches that were on either side of a coffee table. She was joined a few minutes later by Lelei, carrying a tray with a teapot, two cups and a few little cakes. With precise movements, she poured the steaming liquid into the two cups and handed one of them to the elf who accepted it with a timid nod.
The two women silently took a sip of their cups before Lelei made her voice heard again.
« Tuka ? »
« Yes ? »
« You look troubled. »
Lelei had noticed it ever since Tuka had entered her office. She was known for her radiant smile and upbeat personality, but this time her ears were slightly pointed downwards and she had barely said anything other than Cooperative related topics.
« No… It is just… It is just that this merchant comes from Elbe, and when I looked at the papers he brought, he talked with another merchant… Apparently the Fire Dragon has returned… And I am worried. »
At first, Lelei did not say anything, simply drinking from her cup before putting it back on the tray.
« You already know what happened when it tried to attack the Task Force. If it ever tries to go to Alnus, the French will shoot it down. You should not be worried. »
« No, I do not fear that. I know Alnus is perfectly safe. It… With my father always away… I fear that he will meet the Dragon again. »
The mage stayed emotionless, but she had acknowledged this new development to what was happening inside the elf's mind. Now, not only did she believe that her father was still alive at Alnus, but now it started to have a serious impact on her mood. The situation was getting worse, but she was just a mage studying physics. For her, the inner workings of an elf's mind were complete mysteries. For now, the only things she could do were trying to reassure her in the short term and tell the information to people that were more knowledgeable on such matters.
The current strategy was to change the subject of the conversation, and regular small talk seemed to be the best way to do it.
« Have you heard about the Dark Elf that arrived at Alnus yesterday ? »
« Oh yes. I heard it from Persia when I was at the Department Store earlier. I still have to understand why she attacked Rory and Anthony. »
Her tone had slightly shifted, like she had started to bury her worry under the current subject. She even reached for a dry cake and started to eat it.
« I do not know either and, in fact, I hoped that you would be able to answer my questions as you spend more time than me in the village. »
« Well I only heard about it this morning. I wanted to hang out with Anthony and the others that evening, but I did not expect my work to take so much time. When I was finished, it was late and I was tired, so I went directly to sleep. »
A small smile appearing at the corner of Tuka's lips which reassured Lelei. Even if it was for a few minutes, she was not thinking about her father, which was a success for the mage. On top of that, she interpreted the fact that she took her job to heart despite those troubled times as a proof of relative stability. Inside the Cooperative, she was taking care of all the paperwork related to the storage of both the collected scales and the goods imported from the other side of the Gate.
There was another moment of silence as they took the time to drink and eat. Imported tea was widely different from the local leaves that were used in infusions for centuries, but its taste was liked by many in the village. Lelei had drunk around half her cup when she put it down again.
« How are Dark Elves perceived by Forest Elves ? I do not remember reading anything on the subject and her appearance made me curious. »
Tuka took a last sip before also putting her cup down.
« Well… It is complicated. Most of us have never seen and will never see a Dark Elf in their entire life. But we do not have good feelings towards them. The legend goes that there was a tribe of elves that settled in a forest so luxurious all they needed was easily obtainable. But after many decades, all that comfort had changed their way of living so much that even that forest could not sustain them. All they could do was leave the forest to settle with the other species. But none of them wanted to welcome them, so the only thing they could do was go back to that forest. But in reality, the forest was Holy, blessed by Luna herself. The Goddess was displeased by their behavior, so she banned them to the harsh mountains and turned their skin dark so that everyone would know they were the ones that wasted such an opportunity. This story is told so that young elves do not waste what they have. »
Lelei nodded. She always liked to learn new things, especially when it came to other species.
« And so you do not hold the best of sentiments towards Dark Elves. » she calmly commented after finishing her cup.
« You… You could say that. But I guess that if one of them acted very nicely, any elf could change his mind. Anyway, I still have work to do. Thank you for the tea, Lelei. »
The Elf put down her own empty and stood up, heading towards the coat hanger. As she reached for her coat, Lelei also stood up.
« Tuka… »
« Yes ? »
« If you ever need to talk with someone, I will always take the time to listen. »
At the door, Tuka remained still for a few seconds, her eyes showing how deep in her thoughts she was. She then rose her look up back towards the mage.
« Thank you. »
She opened the door and stepped back into the pouring rain, leaving Lelei alone in her office. She had a weird feeling in her heart. She could see there was an important problem, but even the most intense of researches would not bring any answer.
The only thing she could do was tell other people and hope for the best.
Camp Alnus, LaPointe's office, February 19th 2017, 1630 AT
« Lieutenant. »
« General. »
The two officers saluted each other as Anthony entered the office. The grey lighting coming through the large window gave a strange atmosphere to the packed room. The first thing Anthony noticed was the large map on the wall, surrounded by the General himself and most of his staff. In a corner, there were also the two Rafale pilots, apparently chatting about some combat maneuver. But it was only a few seconds in that he noticed Myuute and another Gendarme surrounding a woman he had no trouble recognizing.
The Dark Elf that had attacked him the night before.
Their looks met for a few seconds. If at the inn, he had felt determination, here she looked sorry and full of regret. But he was not able to really identify her emotions as the General spoke.
« Now that everyone is here, we can start. Capitaine. »
Anthony stepped next to the map between the various aides. Alnus Hill, all the important landmarks and most roads were represented with the various corresponding symbols. Due to its size, it was way more precise than anything he could hope to bring on the field. As he quickly looked for the various points he knew, one of the two pilots stepped in.
« We intercepted the dragon over this part of the mountains. It was flying north-north-west when we engaged it and it went back in the same direction after we left. We tried our weapons but it was too cold for infrared guided missiles, the low altitude and the mountains made radar weapons unusable, and I doubt the guns had any effect. We still expect unguided air-to-ground weapons to have good effects seeing how an AT-4 managed to cut off its arm, but we were not able to test it. »
One of the aid pinned down a note on the map where the pilot had pointed indicating the most important information about the encounter. As the pilot stepped away from the map, Anthony looked towards the General with a look that asked if it was his turn to explain what had happen in his case. After a confirmation nod, the Lieutenant made a step forward, pointing his hand towards the map.
« The day before our encounter, it had already burned down the forest of Kowan and the Elven settlement that was in it. As you already know, there was only one survivor. It was directly menacing the village of Coda which led to its evacuation. It attacked us at around sixteen hundred hours when we arrived at the junction with the highway. It went directly towards the carriages of the villagers, I think it was to eat the horses but I am not sure about that. The first thing we did was open fire to get its attention and lure him away from all the villagers. The rifles and the Browning did not have any effect, but when we fired near its eyes, it stopped to protect him. It gave us enough downtime to fire a rocket that hit its arm which caused him to flee towards the south east. »
The aide stuck another note one the map before LaPointe stepped in, using his finger to make a line between the two encounter points.
« So it was there and it could also go there, which means that it could reach any point between those two locations. »
Even if he did not add anything, the issue was obvious to everyone looking at the map, apart from the Elf. Most of that segment was situated in territory controlled by the Task Force and passed too close to Alnus. Even if it could easily be detected on Radar, the consequences of a surprise attack on an unsuspecting patrol or Cooperative convoy could be disastrous.
« But how do we take it down ? » The question came from one of the aide, holding some files containing the reports of the analysis of the few samples they had.
« If we can get it to stay on the ground, bombs should do the trick. » replied the second pilot.
« And how do we prevent it from getting airborne ? »
« You could send ground forces to set up a trap and injure it enough to give us a clear shot. »
The General turned his head towards the Dark Elf that lowered her look again when their eyes met. If anyone had any doubt, this was the proof of her regret.
« Miss Ducy, asked LaPointe with a calm voice, you said that people of your tribe knew where the nest of the Fire Dragon was. Could you indicate to us on the map where your village is located ? »
At first, she did not dare moving because of the two armed men that were next to her. But under all the looks of all the soldiers, she shyly made a step forward. The map looked alien to her. She recognized littles parts of some toads here and there, but all the perspectives and scales seemed off.
« My… My village is… was situated in the mountains of Elbe, in the Schwartz forest. But the Dragon has destroyed the village and we had to flee in the canyon nearby. Many of us died during the attack and many disappeared in the mountains. The elders of my village had heard of you, how you managed to cut one of its arm off. That is why they sent me here. Please. »
After a few seconds of search, the aides identified the locations she had been talking about and marked them accordingly. But there was still a problem. A problem that reduced the scale of any operation directed at the dragon. And it was Anthony that said it out loud.
« The Kingdom of Elbe is neutral, though. If we send a ground team, it cannot be large. »
The officers looked at each other while they tried to think of a solution.
« What is the current state of the border ? » asked one of the aide.
Another one reached for a file sitting on LaPointe's desk and pulled out a paper containing the information he was looking for.
« So… There is one main bridge on the Highway from Italica for trade and a few other crossing points used by the local population. The Highway Bridge is guarded by a border fort and, according to the patrols and Italican guards, all the other crossings have some sort of garrison that acts as a custom office. »
« Maybe that team could cross the river outside of those crossings with a motorized floating bridge and directly head into the mountains. In and out before Elbe can react. »
« I think I have heard that someone from Elbe is at the hospital. Might have to send one of the intelligence guys to get some information. »
LaPointe nodded and silence settled again inside the room. And if that silence did not feel long for those that were actively thinking about the operation, the Dark Elf felt every second of it.
« Lieutenant Moreau ? » suddenly asked LaPointe.
« Sir ? »
« The operation we are currently planning will involve going in very hostile regions with very little support to make contact with unknown community and to set a trap to kill a dragon the size of an airliner. I know you just recently came back from your deployment in the capital, but do you think you and your squad could do it ? »
In a way, he had started to expect the question to come his way the moment the planned operation started to take shape. After all, the Third Recon Team had all the dragon fighting experience and the thing had to be eliminated. However, he had reserves on the readiness and the morale of his men.
« I do not doubt the capabilities of the soldiers that are under my orders to accomplish this mission. But with all due respect, I would like to tell them first and get their opinion. Such a mission will probably have a significant impact on their morale, and if they are too tired it might have a negative impact on the mission. »
Even if some of the aides had some suspicious look, LaPointe nodded in agreement.
« Of course, of course. I would have given that mission to the Special Forces, but none of them are available right now. If you have any doubts, I will give that mission to the Fifth Recon Team. I want your answer tomorrow at sixteen hundred. »
Anthony saluted before leaving while some aides shared looks that clearly showed their surprise at such a strange protocol. But it did not matter for the General who looked back at the Elf who had been, for the past few minutes, wondering what meaning held all the words that had been spoken between those men.
But what was this man going to say ? She knew he was about to give her his verdict, but what was it going to be ? Her heart had never raced that fast before, and it felt a little strange when she realized that it was caused by a man simply walking towards her.
« Miss Ducy. It starts to look like we have a common objective. And soldiers under my orders always reach their objective. »
« Here is the bag of ice you asked for, Your Highness. »
In that kind of lone situation, Zorzal's bedroom felt very large. Too large, in fact. Or rather, what he had lived through was making him feel very small compared to the rest of the world. That beating had left him alone and miserable, with only one person at his side.
He only grunted when he reached for the cold bag, letting go of the other that had completely melted. The slave that had brought the ice reached on the ground to pick up the discarded bag, getting the white fur on her hands wet.
« Do you need something else, Your Highness ? » she asked with a soft voice that showed her genuine concern.
But before the Prince could reply, both of them heard the sound of the door opening.
« I have not seen you like that since that hunting trip six years ago. Do you remember ? »
Despite his vision still blocked by the bag of ice, Zorzal had no doubts on who this unannounced visitor was.
« Save me your comments, Diabo. I know you have not come here to wish me a good recovery. »
« Well if I cannot come and see my wounded brother without getting interrogated… »
« What do you want ? »
At first, Diabo did not reply, slowly walking towards the bed. The sound of every single of his step irritated Zorzal to a point where he was ready to do anything to get him to leave.
« Do you remember the last slaves you sold me ? They came from the other side of the Holy Gate and they were quite strong. Perfect for my mines. » he finally asked, stopping a few steps from his brother, right next to the bunny slave.
« Of course I remember, answered an annoyed Zorzal. They are the ones who got me in this position in the first place. »
« I paid you quite a lot for them, continued Diabo. But now, the French are forcing me to liberate them. I am losing a lot of money in this situation. »
« And so ? Out of both of us, you are the one that always does business. You should know everything has a risk. »
« I want to be reimbursed to buy new slaves. If I do not act quickly, I will be able to compensate such a loss. »
This time, it was Zorzal who played the silent game. Or at least he did until his head started to slowly bob back and forth, showing that he was silently laughing.
« Do you really believe I am going to accept simply giving you back your money ? I already spent it all myself. You can ask all my friends about the quality time it bought them if you want. »
« Look, there is more to it than simply money… But I would like to discuss that matter just between the two of us. »
Zorzal grunted before handing his bag of ice to Tyuule, revealing his swollen face to Diabo who could not help himself but flinch a little because of such a sight. He had only seen him earlier wearing bandages, and this sight was making him wonder what kind of man he had really encountered in the throne room that night.
« Leave us. I will call you if I need anything. » ordered Zorzal to his slave, who simply bowed before leaving with quiet but fast steps.
« Do you know what I produce in my mines ? »
The question seemed unrelated to the topic at hand, which confused Zorzal for a few seconds.
« Knowing you, I would say your slaves extracts enough stones to make all the jewelry needed in the Capital for a year. »
Diabo could only shake his head.
« Iron. My slaves work all day and all night to bring iron ore out of the heart of the mountain. I simply sell it away to anyone with gold in his pocket, but there is well enough to make the equipment for an entire army. »
« What do you mean ? »
« I am not blind, Brother. This Empire has never been this unbalanced. Even if Father negotiates a peace and manages to hold it, everything will come crumbling down when Hardy will call him to her realm. »
« But I am the Crown Prince. I am going to be the next Emperor, so I will take all the decisions I see fit. This peace deal can go to hell. »
« You might not be the one that will throw the first stone, but conflict is on the horizon. I have strategic assets, and I want to be sure that the one that gets to use them will do so in the best interests of the Empire. »
Zorzal could not help himself but laugh yet again at the dramatic speech his brother was delivering.
« Since when are you this patriotic ? Or are you just telling me that you will sell your iron to anyone in war time ? »
« I just want to see if you are willing to make an investment to secure your position. Pina has already started licking the boots of the French, and there is no doubt they will try to put her on the throne if anything going against their will happens. »
« I am still the Crown Prince. Nobody on his right mind would accept anyone other than me on the throne. Not even you or Gods forbid Pina could take my place without the nobles revolting. »
« Exactly. Now, are you ready to give up on your ludicrous way of living for the well-being of the Empire ? Or are you going to let it slip away from you while you blind yourself with alcohol and sex slaves ? »
« You are always so dramatic, brother. I will take care of these matters when the time comes. I know I do not have a long time left before I will sit in that throne, so at least please let me enjoy myself while I can. »
« Do you want to know what the senators really think about you ? »
Zorzal could not help but raise a curious eyebrow.
« I have to admit I never asked myself this question before. But what do you know about it ? You are the one who completely ignores the political life here in the Capital ? »
« Not participating does not mean I do not follow what is happening. Some of the senators believe that if someone gains your trust, then they will become the true ruler of the Empire. Many of them do not trust you. They think you are either incompetent or can be easily manipulated. If you do not start to act now, you are putting your entire reign at risk. »
« Those senators… They believe everything they see, do they not ? »
Diabo's eyes widened as he immediately understood the meaning behind his brother's rhetorical question. Zorzal saw it, and again he laughed in the face of his dumbfounded brother.
« For how long have you been playing that game, Zorzal ? »
« Long enough for everyone to believe I am weak. Only those that will still follow my lead will be worthy of my trust. The rest will become traitors to the Empire by doubting me. »
« So what am I ? Do your eyes see trust or treason ? »
« You will see soon enough, Diabo. You will see soon enough. I will handle your demand, and I am sure I can add a little something to ensure the solidity of our brotherly bound. »
Diabo simply nodded before pulling out a few rolled up parchments from a pocket in his tunic and putting it down on a nearby table.
« I have written down all the information you need to know. Take your time to read those parchments with a lot care, but I need a reply quickly. Now, if you would excuse me, I have important matters to attend to. Goodbye, brother. »
He bowed respectfully and started to walk away towards the door. But Zorzal did not wish him goodbye in return. Instead, he just called back his slave that quickly arrived next to the bed the moment the door closed behind Diabo.
And as the sounds of female pleasure started to erupt from the bedroom, Diabo realized that he was even more troubled than when he entered.
Camp Alnus, Motor Pool, February 19th 2017, 1715 AT
« So that's the situation. Any questions ? »
While they were working on the regular maintenance of their vehicles, the entire Third Recon Team had paused to listen carefully to the explanation from the Lieutenant.
« So we're finally going after that motherfucker ? Took them long enough to give the order. » laughed John as he returned to the Browning machine gun he had cleaned and had started to put back together.
« Well if it was only that. We are also tasked with making contact with that community of Dark Elves and, after the operation, we will probably have to take a few requests if you all know what I mean. »
« Is it also going to involve escorting refugees ? » The question came from Frederico, his hands deep inside the engine of the Humvee, and sparked a few laughs from the rest of the squad.
« Even if we have a destroyed village on our hands, I don't think we will have to live through that again. Anyway, anyone has any objections ? »
The silent reactions were all he needed. He nodded and turned around to report to LaPointe but he stopped halfway through when Daniella called out to him.
« Lieutenant, can I talk to you for a minute ? »
As the rest of the squad focused back on maintenance, Anthony walked away with the British medic, already knowing the subject of the upcoming conversation.
« Something has happened with Tuka ? »
« No… Not yet at least. I have been thinking about it and… It's the dragon that caused all of this, so maybe if she sees us killing it, the feeling of vengeance will have the effect we want on her unconscious and she will accept that her father is dead. »
The two stopped when they were out of the earing range of the rest of the squad.
« I think I get what you mean, but what do you want to do ? »
« Well… Maybe we could… I dunno… Take her with us on the mission so that she can witness its death. »
« Are you serious ? »
Anthony's tone had suddenly become deeper, really conveying that this idea did not pass with him.
« I am really serious. It's either that or she will stay like that for centuries. »
« Do you realize how stupid your plan is ? You are speaking of bringing a mentally unstable girl to a long and difficult operation behind enemy lines. »
« Well I prefer doing something stupid than doing nothing. »
The Lieutenant and his Staff Sergeant looked each other in the eyes, telling without any words that neither of them were going to back down.
« Look. I understand you want to help her, but I do not want to risk both her safety and our careers. Do you imagine what will happen to me if LaPointe learns that I brought Tuka along ? »
« But… Do you want to stay on the side and let her sink into madness ? »
Anthony could only shake his head.
« We already talked about this yesterday. I am not going to change my mind so easily. »
Daniella made a step back.
« So that's how things are going, huh ? I really hope you will change your mind, Lieutenant. »
She turned around and walked back towards the rest of the squad that had already returned to joking around while they worked on the vehicles, leaving him alone with his thought in the wet ground. He tried thinking of something else, but his mind always returned an image of the young elf smiling brightly.
« Putain ! »
That yell came from the bottom of his heart, all of his thoughts clashing with one another. And if he had appeared firm in front of Daniella, in reality he was lost and did not know what to do. He wanted to help Tuka accept her father's death, and the medic's plan was the closest thing he had to an actual action, but he also did not want to risk losing his rank and his reputation as the Hero of Paris. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, but the rock was his career and the hard place was the sanity of an elf. The only thing he could do was tell LaPointe that his squad was ready for the mission and think about the matter alone.
And that was why, after the early winter night finally arrived and all his work was finished, he sat down on a bench outside the hospital of the camp. It was calm place, overlooking the lights of the village. It was the perfect place to be alone with one's thoughts. He tried to come up with a different method of helping Tuka, but each time he had too many doubts to settle on a solution. What he feared was the damage he could do to her mind.
« Care to leave me a place, young man ? »
Anthony turned his head to see an old man with a crutch and an eye patch, wearing a long hospital tunic as a cloak, covering most of his body. The Lieutenant slowly nodded and moved a little to the side of the bench, allowing the man to sit down. He took off the make shift cloak, revealing prosthetics where his left arm and leg.
« Those are pretty nasty injuries. » said Anthony, trying to initiate the conversation to change his mind for a bit.
« Indeed they are, replied the man with a large smile. When they found me, your doctors were really surprised that I was still alive. »
« What kind of things did you do to end up like that ? »
« I fought here. I was in the leading party of the night charge of the Allied Kingdoms. But before we were able to reach the bottom of the Hill, we were destroyed by your long range explosion weapons. In the moment, I thought that Emroy finally called me after all those campaigns. If only I knew I would get such incredible care. »
The smile that was on the man's mouth quickly spread to Anthony's. It was strange to see a man who could only be described as mutilated with such a happy tone. When he started to clearly show the plastic hand, the old experienced veteran was acting just like a child trying to make his friend jealous of a new shiny toy.
« You have not seen anything yet, he jokingly replied. There are some prosthetics that are so light and so sturdy that they allow some amputees to become high performance athletes. »
The man laughed before knocking on the plastic of his fake leg, wondering how such a feat could be possible. But as he did, the issue that had been worrying him returned, and the man noticed.
« You look like you have a heavy weight on your heart. And I know the remedy for that kind of trouble. Go ahead. Tell me what it is. Is it a woman ? »
For a few moments, the Lieutenant stayed silent. He was unsure about sharing his mind with a stranger. But maybe he was right. After all, he looked like he had experience and maybe getting an outsider's point of view would get him a few results.
« Yeah… In a way you could say that. I… She is facing a challenge and I really want to help her but… But I fear that if I do something, I am going to put both of us at risk. »
« I see, I see. Tricky situation that you are in. But you are still young, and what is the life of a young soldier without taking risks to kill the dragon in order to save the princess in distress. »
Anthony could only nod at the irony, but that man had a point. Everything in life had risk linked to it after all.
« Yeah, but the moment you break down the door of the castle, the dragon might decide to eat the princess. »
« I like the way you speak, laughed the old man before tapping the Lieutenant's shoulder with his prosthetic. You should perhaps talk with her about this issue to understand what she really needs. It is good to take risk, but you should not just run towards suicide. I learnt that the hard way. »
It was at that moment that Anthony realized had not seen Tuka since the day before Third Recon had left to the Imperial Capital. He had learned everything that had happened since from Daniella who had herself learned it from Lelei. Maybe things were not as bad as they seemed. On that hopeful thought, he stood up from the bench.
« Thank you, huh… I do not believe you gave me your name. »
The man did not reply at first, simply reaching for his crutch to stand up too.
« People often use long titles to talk to me, but you can call me Duran. And you, young soldier, what is your name ? I know that it is written on your chest, but I still have to learn how to read those letters. »
Anthony extended his open hand towards Duran.
« Lieutenant Anthony Moreau, one hundred and twenty-sixth Infantry Regiment. It was a pleasure to meet you, Duran. »
The old man quickly reached for the hand with his intact arm and shook it.
« The pleasure is shared, Lieutenant Moreau. And I have the feeling that things are slowly starting to get interesting for both of us. »
Alnus Village, Main Street, February 19th 2017, 2100 AT
The village was buzzing with activity at this early hour of the night. Soldiers in their free time were going to the tavern while the villagers were going back to their homes and the last few travelers were arriving in town. It was a clear evidence of the well-being of the village as, if one were to remove all the signs written in French and ignore the giant compound looming over on the hill, there was no way to distinguish Alnus Village from any other trade focused town. But there was an added bonus to that atmosphere. The high number of people going about their day made it easy for someone to do business they do not want other people to know.
And that night, Lelei had personal business to do.
Since the small discussion she had with Tuka earlier that day, she was not able to shake the elf's mental health issue off her head. And as the hours went by, she felt a growing need to talk with her again to point out more precisely what was the true nature of the problem. But for that she needed an excuse to not look suspicious to Tuka. And she got that excuse when she passed by the tavern for Cooperative business, and Delilah asked her to give elf's coat that she had forgot a few hours earlier back to her. Even if it was really mundane, it was the prefect pretext to not only to start a conversation with Tuka, but also to see how her apartment was looking. In that kind of situation, every detail had its importance.
She turned into a smaller alley and, after a few dozen meters, she stopped in front of the door to a building that looked like all the other buildings in town. Before trying to enter, she took a deep breath. She knew that she could not expect anything, and it made her feel like she was not ready. But she had no real other choice.
She was about to step towards the door when she was interrupted by a voice calling her from up the street.
« Lelei ? What are you doing here ? »
She quickly turned her head, surprised, only to see Anthony casually walking towards her.
« Tuka forgot her coat at The Black Halberd and Delilah asked me if I could give it back to her. But what about you ? »
By the time she finished her question, he had arrived at her level in front of the door.
« Daniella told me what happened when we were away and… Look, we are about to leave for another long mission and I just want to see her at least once to see if she is alright. »
The mage simply nodded and entered the building, as the Lieutenant directly followed her up the small flight of stairs to a small door. Each building in the village had only one or two floors, with each of those floors only hosting one apartment. And even if the corridors that lead to those apartments were small, the two had enough room to stand in when Lelei knocked on the wooden door.
But no answer.
Anthony's heart started to beat faster as a strange disturbing feeling grew in his heart. They both knew that at this time of day Tuka was in her apartment, meaning that they needed to get that door opened. With his fist, Anthony gave several hits to the door to make sure that if she was in here, she would hear them.
But still no answer.
Slowly, Lelei grabbed the handle and pushed. The door offered no resistance and the panel opened up.
« Tuka ? Tuka, are you there ? » she asked, not really knowing what was behind the door.
But the only thing they saw was the living room, messy just like if a tornado had passed through it. This sight alone was enough for Lelei to dash into the apartment, calling out for the elf.
Anthony followed the mage, his eyes looking everywhere for details that might explain the situation. But he was interrupted when a silhouette suddenly burst out of the door leading to the bedroom.
It was Tuka, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. It was not hard to understand that she had caused this mess for a reason or another.
« Lelei ! Have you seen my… »
At first, she was looking at Lelei with panicked eyes, but she interrupted herself when she made eye contact with Anthony.
« Father ! »
The next thing he knew she had thrown herself at him, her arms holding him tightly around his chest.
« Tuka, what are… » he tried to ask to understand what was happening, but he was interrupted by the elf looking directly into his eyes.
« I was so worried ! I searched everywhere and I could not find you ! I thought something bad happened ! »
Her eyes started to fill up with tears. For Lelei, it felt like all kinds of various emotions were overrunning the elf's mind. But for Anthony, it was complete nonsense. He grabbed both of her shoulders and pushed her off him.
« Calm down ! Calm down ! Take a breath and tell us what is going on. » he almost shouted, still holding her.
She stayed silent for a few seconds as her breathing slowed down. She slowly wiped off her tears and shook her head like to put everything back into place inside.
« I… I am sorry. It is just that I started imagining that the worst had happened. But everything is fine. You are here and I worried for nothing. »
« What are you saying ? I am not your father. You should get some rest. »
It was only when he finished his sentenced that Anthony realized the mistake he had just made.
Tuka's eyes widened, her breath became faster and she started to shake.
« You… are not… » she started to falter.
« Stay calm Tuka. Breathe slowly. »
« I need to find him ! Where is he ? »
She was yelling as she tried to escape the Lieutenant's grasp, and he had a hard time maintaining her where she was. That struggle lasted for a little less than a minute until he started to hear Lelei mumbling and noticed the crystal of her staff starting to glow.
Between his hands, Anthony felt Tuka's strength diminish before she lost her balance. Had he not held her, she would have fallen heavily on the ground. Her closed eyes and her sudden soft breathing made it clear what kind of spell the mage had used.
Silently, he lifted the elf off the ground and carried her back into the bedroom. But after putting her down on her bed and tucking her under the covers, he was not able to keep his calm.
« Bordel de merde ! What the fuck was that ? »
« It seems the situation has worsened since our discussion this morning. Not only does she believe that her father is alive and with her, but now it looks like her mind is making her believe that you are her father. »
Her usual emotionless voice seemed out of place in such a context as Anthony's mind was racing to try understand the situation
« But why ? »
« It is a question I would like to know the answer to. But sadly, I fear that even she cannot tell herself what is happening in her mind. »
Heavily, he let himself drop on the small living room sofa, his head between his hands. He hated being in the kind of situation where there were no text book examples even remotely close to the issue he was facing. It meant doing things blindly and taking unnecessary risks for a payoff that might not even be the wanted result. But he still had that one thought that kept coming back.
« Lelei, do you know what is the objective of the long mission I talked about earlier ? »
« Well I only learned about this mission when you said it, so no, I do not know. »
« Well long story short, we are going to kill the dragon. Long story long, the Dark Elf that almost attacked me yesterday comes from a tribe that was recently decimated but knows where it nests and she went all the way here to ask us if we can get rid of the thing. And, well, it is in the Task Force's interest so Recon Three is going there. »
« Killing the Fire Dragon would indeed help a lot of people all over the continent. But what does it have to do with Tuka's situation ? »
« Daniella had an idea, but I am absolutely not sure it is a good one. What if we take her with us and witness the fucker get killed. »
« So because the dragon is what started all of this, you want to get rid of it ? »
« Look, it's the only course of action I see right now, and I don't have a lot of time to take a decision. »
For a few seconds Lelei said nothing, deep in her thoughts.
« Maybe that a feeling of vengeance could help her cope with her father's death, but it would require her pulling the trigger directly at it. And I guess killing the Fire Dragon requires a high amount of explosives, so I cannot say I recommend bringing a mentally unstable person along. »
« So what do I do ? What do we do ? »
« I think Daniella and I should bring this up to the psychologist. Maybe this new turn of events will allow him to help us. As for you, I think I will have to teach you the basic rules of elven society. »
Hello and thanks for reading the twenty-seventh chapter of GATE : Opération Marteau de Justice.
As you have probably noticed, I'm finally starting the Dragon killing part of the story. In my opinion, that moment is where the source material really started to come crashing down like a German blimp in New Jersey. What it means is that I had to bring quite a few modifications like the fact that the entire squad gets to be part of it.
Now I must announce that I am starting another story. Unlike Demon Lord that was a side project that I started without really thinking, I want this new fiction to be on the same level as OMJ. It means that I will try, at least for now, alternating writing a chapter for one story then write for the other story. For now, I cannot give any date, but if you follow my account, you'll get notified in time. The only thing I can say is that it's related to an anime that was pretty popular early this year.
Finally, I will move to another city in early Septembter to enter in an engineering school. It means I will have to adapt to a completely different schedule and for now I can't tell if I'll have to slow down or if I'll be able to speed up. The impact might probably be minimal, but I still want to gove a heads up.
Anyway, thanks a lot again and see you later.
