The following morning came, and the students gathered in the training field alongside officers from the army's 4th Armored Division, led by none other than Elliot's own father, Olaf Craig.
"Elliot, my boy! Good morning!" The red-haired general dropped his stoic facade and ran towards his son, arms wide open for a gigantic hug.
Neithardt covered his eyes with one of his hands, while Instructor Sara managed to stifle a laugh at the general's display of affection. Despite being a well-respected member of the army, the infamous Craig the Red was quick to drop that peerless image of himself at the sight of his "baby boy." The respect his troops had for him was secondary at this point; Olaf Craig was a father first, through and through.
"He's like a big Freddy bear…" Morgan remarked.
"Don't you mean 'teddy bear', Morgan?" Rean said in response.
Morgan blinked twice. "Yeah, that's what I said."
Elliot finally managed to pry his father off of him. As he joined the rest of his classmates, the morning training regimen commenced, beginning with a few laps around the field. Most of Class VII were able to keep pace with the rest of the army, though some of the more athletically challenged members, like himself and Emma, fell to the back of the group early on and remained there for the duration of the run.
"Why don't you hug him back for a change? I'm sure he'd like that."
Ellliot was surprised to see Fie suddenly running alongside him. He could have sworn that she started out somewhere near the front. Then again, her short stature would allow her to weave in and around crowds with great ease. As expected of a former jaeger.
"Are you kidding me? No way I'd be able to do that!" the red-haired teen exclaimed, shouting a lot louder than he had initially anticipated. "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to come off so hard. It's just, well…"
"You're still hung up over the music academy?" Fie guessed. "Thought we were over this."
"Well, yeah. I am…" Elliot looked down. "Seeing my friends during the summer festival did get me thinking a little more, but at the end of it, I still stand by what I said back at Bryonia. It's just… Seeing my dad again after so long, it's got me wondering how he'd react if I told him what I told you. Knowing him, he'd just push me to take the military path even more. I'm not sure how long I'd be able to hold my ground."
The former jaeger hummed to herself. "If you're looking for advice, you're talking to the wrong person."
"Yeah, I know. I'm just talking out loud at this point. Sorry…"
"S'okay. Least you're honest." Fie looked ahead at some of their classmates in front of them. "I was pretty surprised, though."
"How so?"
"I thought your dad was gonna be this big gruff guy who wouldn't acknowledge his son, based on the stories you told us. Instead, we got a big gruff guy who just wants to hug his baby boy."
Fie put a teasing emphasis on those last two words, which caused Elliot's face to flush. "Yeah, I really must've painted him in a bad light for all you guys, huh?"
"A bit," Fie bluntly admitted. "But I think I like this version better."
"Really?"
"Mm. His face lit up the moment he first saw you. It's kind of adorable."
Elliot had to resist the urge to snort a chuckle. His father? Adorable?
"Don't take those sorts of feelings for granted," Fie followed up. "You know how it can be with parents in the military."
"Yeah, you're right." Elliot smiled as best he could while he continued jogging. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thanks, Fie."
"Sure." Fie looked like she was ready to start sprinting ahead, but then she turned her head around and said, "You should try talking to Morgan."
"Morgan? How come?"
"Her dad's a tactician. Pretty sure she's still got a few stories in that jumbled head of hers."
"...Huh! I'd completely forgotten! Okay! I'll do that."
As the morning drills were wrapping up, Neithardt and Sara took the students aside to conduct a series of physical exams and gauge their performance in comparison to the average soldier.
"We will now be testing your endurance through a twenty arge pacer test," Neithardt announced. "This is a multistage aerobic capacity test that progressively gets more difficult as it continues-"
"-A lap needs to be completed by the time you hear the sound, run in a straight line, you fail after you mess up twice, yada yada yada! We've done this before in class!" Sara hurriedly said. "Do you have to say the entire spiel every single time, Major?"
"Proper protocol suggests that I do, Instructor Valestein. I will conduct the boys' times while Instructor Valestein will do the same for the girls."
The two groups split, with Sara taking the girls to their side of the field, marked by a single white line along with an orbal radio that would play the sounds for the test. Exactly twenty arge from the starting point was a crate marking the end point from which the girls would run back and forth.
"Alright, let's get this started!" the violet-haired instructor said cheerily. "Laura! You're up first!"
"Yes, Instructor."
Sara pressed the play button on the radio, which played back a recording that once again explained the rules of the exam. Laura waited for the countdown, and when she heard the signal to start running, she took off.
"Why do I gotta do this, too?" Millium complained.
"It's so we can test your endurance," Emma reminded her. "You never know when you might have to travel long distances at a time."
"Yeah, but if I need to go far, I can just hitch a ride on Lammy! It's way faster that way, and we can go as high as we want, too!"
A bead of sweat dropped from Emma's forehead. "I think Airgetlam's a bit of a…special case, isn't it?"
"You can try thinking of something else when you're running," Morgan suggested. "Like when I run, sometimes I go over what we learned in history class and try to name all the cities in the Empire…"
"Boooooring!"
"Then maybe…I know! Imagine there's a big plate of sweets sitting on top of that crate! And each time you get to the end, you take a bite!"
"Ohhh! Yeah! I can get behind that!" Millium's eyes lit up. "I can see it now! A big bowl of vanilla ice cream on the other side!"
The other girls chuckled as Millium's mouth started to show visible traces of salivation.
"She does bring up a good point, though," Alisa muttered. "Technology's only going to get more advanced from here on out. Things like endurance aren't going to be much of a problem when you're going to mostly spend your time in a tank."
Fie, Emma, and Morgan all nodded. They understood that Alisa was referencing the training exercise they all bore witness to the day before. To display the superiority of their new Achtzens, the 4th Armored Division pitted them against older tank models that were set to automatic piloting mode. While the exercise was just a simulation, it was still effective at getting the point across. A small glimpse of how battles would be fought in the future. There were no one-on-one duels or proud displays of fighting styles. Just pure, explosion-filled violence.
Morgan still remembered the ringing of heavy artillery fire. The smell of burning metal. The sight of a smoldering battlefield with nary a body in sight. It was a front row seat to the reality that the battles she knew of were a thing of the past. Heck, as far as Erebonia was concerned, they never happened at all. Which begged the question: if wars were going to be waged by large ballistae and railway cannons, would the skills of an individual soldier still be deemed important?
"Technology can definitely remove some of the hassles related to warfare, but in the end, it's no substitute for basic training."
The others stared at Morgan, who realized that she had spoken her thoughts without realizing it. "Uh, what I meant was… Tanks are just tools of war, right?. Any person can pick one up and use it, but it takes a certain kind of person to use it effectively. It's like how anyone can ride a horse, right? But only someone who's skilled enough to ride a horse while also using a spear can become part of the cavalry."
"True, but that could take a long time," Fie pointed out. "With a tank, you just click the button to fire and then, boom."
"I'd argue there's still some level of marksmanship involved. Things like firing arcs and taking wind resistance into consideration…" Emma spoke up. "Alisa, you mentioned how using physical bolts with your orbal bow helped you improve your accuracy, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. With orbal weapons, it's easy to just turn your brain off and not have to think about where you're aiming or how much ammo you use. But after practicing with physical arrows, I understood the importance of fighting smarter, not harder."
"Right?" Morgan smiled. "Large artillery like cannons and tanks lower the barrier of entry, but that doesn't change the fact that there's still a barrier. Instructor Neithardt always talks about how the Imperial army sets a high standard for any aspiring officer. You still need to prove your worth before you can be trusted with those weapons. And besides…"
She looked across the training field at the firing range, where officers were practicing firing with rifles. "It's not like soldiers are guaranteed to be in a tank all of the time."
Her other classmates agreed with her. Despite the display of firepower they had witnessed previously, there was still an argument to be made for the importance of the individual soldier. Their time at Thors was not going to be in vain. In fact…
"Good work, Laura! That was a new personal best!" Instructor Sara called out.
The girls cheered for their classmate. That's right. The desire to prove that the old ways of combat weren't obsolete was what aspiring knights like Laura were striving for. And if the battlefield continued to evolve, so too should the tactics surrounding how those battles will play out. Her father's tactics still had a chance of being relevant. No, Morgan would make sure that they stayed relevant.
Morgan remembered the skepticism she faced yesterday from Lieutenant General Walter and some of the other officers. She had been so intimidated by them, but really, what was there to be afraid about? If people were going to doubt her, then all she'd have to do was show them something they'd never seen before. She'll do things her own way…the Ylissian way!
"Next up… Why don't we go with Millium? You look ready to go."
"Ready as I'll ever be! Just wait for me, my pancakes!"
"What happened to the ice cream?!" Morgan and Alisa retorted in unison.
"Oh… Heehee! Guess I forgot!"
Laura tilted her head in confusion. "What's this about pancakes and ice cream?"
"Mmm…" Fie smacked her lips together. "Pancakes and ice cream. Not a bad combo."
Sara merely shook her head in resignation as she began the playback once again.
And so began Millium's escapade to eat all the sweet treats that she could as her endurance permitted. By the time she finished her run, she had devoured three plates of pancakes, a slice of strawberry shortcake, two helpings of chocolate mousse, four different kinds of pudding, and a banana split.
Once the physical exams were over, the students were treated to a lukewarm redux of yesterday's lunch. Afterwards, Neithardt brought them to one of the conference rooms, where they commenced the special lectures. The topic? The latest information on the Imperial Liberation Front.
"...They have an airship," Machias said, his jaw almost hitting the table.
"Yes, they have an airship," Major Neithardt affirmed. "To be precise, a state-of-the-art military airship manufactured by the Reinford Group. Just how something that large found its way into the hands of the insurgents is currently unknown, but it seemed to be a high-speed model, different from the heavily armored types favored by the Imperial Army."
Everyone turned to the member of the Reinford family that was present among them. Feeling self-conscious, Alisa ran a finger through her hair as she replied, "Based on the description, it sounds like it came from the RF26 series. They were built with fast travel in mind. There are a number of different models within that series, though."
"In any case, the fact that they have an airship means they're going to be a lot harder to catch," Instructor Sara continued. "There's no telling when or where they'll pop up next."
"So they have the element of unpredictability on their side…" Morgan muttered worriedly. A thought occurred to her, which prompted her to raise her hand.
"Yes, Daraen?"
"Major, I want your honest opinion on something," she said. "What are the chances that the ILF will target the trade conference?"
Everyone visibly held their breaths as they awaited Neithardt's response.
"That's certainly within the realm of possibility," he eventually answered. "The terrorists have made clear their wish for Chancellor Osborne's head on a platter, and the conference would be the perfect place to make a statement."
"And yet despite that, the chancellor still decided to attend the trade conference?" Gaius asked.
"Lechter's over in Crossbell, too!" Millium cheered. "Between him and Gramps, I'm sure they'll figure something out."
Morgan hummed to herself. Chancellor Osborne was a shrewd man. Knowing the risks the ILF posed, she wagered that he wouldn't have attended the conference if he didn't have some sort of backup plan. Or maybe he figured that if anything were to happen, they'd just be able to pin the blame on Crossbell's lackluster security.
Immediately, she was reminded of the story that Crow told her about how the Empire pinned the blame of the railroad bombing on Jurai. Could Osborne be aiming for a similar situation to happen with Crossbell? She turned to her silver-haired upperclassman seated right behind her, and just as she had anticipated, his expression was unusually serious. Perhaps Crow was thinking about the same thing, but it was difficult to tell. That alone was enough to make her feel worried for him.
"Moving back on track…" Neithardt continued. "While the terrorists' attention is currently focused on Crossbell, we mustn't be any less diligent in our security on the home front. Imperial forces are to remain on high alert from now until the end of the conference."
"Our friends in the Railway Military Police have also beefed up security anywhere that seemed shorthanded," Sara added. "In fact, they were the ones who pushed the initiative in the first place."
The students let out a collective sigh of relief, with Morgan taking the news especially well. If people like Captain Claire were on the case, then they could at least rest assured that the emperor and everyone else connected to the Imperial family was safe. She was still worried about Olivert, Mueller, Towa, and any others who were attending the conference representing the Empire, but at the moment, there was little else she could do but hope that the authorities in Crossbell would be able to handle things. With that, the lecture continued on to discussing the ringleaders of the Imperial Liberation Front themselves. Neithardt used a projection screen to show each member of the terrorist group as they came up.
The first to be discussed was G, the glasses-wearing flute player who had attempted to instigate a war in the Nord Highlands. His true identity was discovered to be Michael Gideon, a former assistant professor at the Imperial Academy in Heimdallr who was dismissed after his intense criticism of Chancellor Osborne's hardline policies. Before the class could develop any sympathy for him, however, Sara and Neithardt added that he was known for handing out tracts and fliers in direct response to the Imperial government's activities. In short, he joined the ILF because they were in line with his personal ideals, which made him a vital asset to the group's morale.
Next was S, the red-haired woman who endangered the tourists at Bryonia Island during their island ceremony. Interviews with Manager Kono and other island staff revealed that she was registered as "Scarlet Lee" during her stay on the island, though there was also the possibility that she had been operating under a pseudonym. The only other piece of information the Intelligence Division had towards her background was her choice of weapon, which was reported by Class VII to be a templar sword used by knights in the Septian Church. Add that to the seamless disguise she donned at the Summer Festival, and there was more than enough of an incentive to reach out to the city-state of Arteria, where the Septian Church was based. Currently, it was still too early to make any informed statements, but at least the investigation was getting somewhere.
V, the burly man with the gatling gun, evidently had experience on the field judging from his physique and weapon. His name never appeared in any military files, which only left mercenary and jaeger work as his background. Unlike Gideon and Scarlet, he didn't have a name to go off of, so he continued to be referred to by his codename. The rest of his background, like what corps he was a part of, was still to be determined. Even with that said, it was still more than what could be said for the last remaining leader of the ILF.
"...C."
Morgan clenched her fist upon seeing the image of the visored man on the screen. She still remembered her fight against him, how he was able to effortlessly see all of her attacks coming and even use some of her own techniques against herself.
"Unfortunately, there is very little we know about him," Neithardt reported. "He has had the least number of public appearances out of any member of the Imperial Liberation Front. Even during the Summer Festival, where they were front and center, the leader only showed up at the last few moments. Currently, his level of anonymity is rivaled by that of the group as a whole."
"That mask of his isn't doing him any favors," Sara commented. "As if wearing black on black and using that double saber didn't make him mysterious enough. Still, if there's one thing we do know, it's that he's a dangerous fighter. The rest of them are likely no slouches, either. Call it coincidence or fate, but you've all put the kibosh on their schemes on multiple occasions, so it's entirely possible they've come to hold a personal grudge against you. Don't be surprised if you see them standing in your way in the future; if that happens, be careful."
"I still can't believe you thought it was a good idea to take him on all on your own, Morgs," Crow remarked.
"I was feeling moody at the time," Morgan responded. "Sue me."
"He's strong, no doubt about it," Rean said. "But at the same time, we've got our ARCUS links. There's no way we're going to lose if we have each other."
There was a wave of relief among the students from Rean's statement, with a few chuckles reacting to how sappy his choice of words was. Morgan was borderline in the latter camp, but she couldn't deny that she felt reassured. Class VII was feeling more and more like one unified unit as opposed to the hodgepodge of teens they started out as at the start of the school year.
"That is all of the information we have on the Imperial Liberation Front as of right now. And therefore, this also marks the end of this afternoon's series of special lectures. You are free to do as you wish from now until 15:30 hours, at which point I will escort you to visit Garrelia Fortress' railway cannons. Dismissed."
With that final announcement from Neithardt, the students dispersed in all different directions, eagerly waiting for the appointed time to arrive.
Unfortunately, when that time came, all of their worst fears became a reality.
"What happened here?!" Neithardt yelled amidst the smoke in the burning hangar.
"The Achtzens!" Alisa coughed. "Who's piloting them?"
Neithardt, Sara, Class VII and a few other officers all gathered around a group of engineers who were lying dazed on the ground.
"Th-They just started moving…" one of the engineers managed to cough out. "No one's inside. They just…*cough* started moving on their own."
Morgan gasped, recognizing him as Douglas, the engineer she had helped the day before. However, his eyes were obscured by a nasty looking burn mark.
"Did the C-Units start malfunctioning?" the engineer beside Douglas croaked. He was bleeding from several places. "No, they shouldn't have…"
"A C-Unit?" Morgan echoed. She remembered that term. It was on the clipboard Douglas had dropped.
"It's an automatic control unit we put on vehicles that are going to serve as targets in military exercises," Neithardt hurriedly explained. "How did C-Units end up attached to our most advanced tanks?!"
Another explosion came from outside the hangar, prompting Neithardt to shake his head and reassume his command. "I'm going to assess the situation!" he told his men. "I need you here to help fight the fires and assist the injured maintenance staff!"
"Elliot, Emma, Gaius, Morgan, and Crow!" Sara called out. "You five stay behind and help the wounded with your healing arts! The rest of you, follow me and Major Neithardt!"
Everyone gave shouts of affirmation and split up into their groups. As the rest of their class exited the hangar, the remaining four students helped the other officers carry the engineers to the upper levels away from the smoke. Morgan immediately went to Douglas and lifted him from the ground.
"I got you, Douglas!" she said. "Upsy-daisy!"
"That voice…" Douglas recognized. "You're the girl from yesterday, right? Sorry, I can't really tell…"
"Just hold on! You said you needed to get back to your daughter, didn't you?"
"Ugh, you're right… I gotta see my little…Jae-Jae…"
His body went limp right as they made it up the stairs. After checking his pulse and confirming that he had only passed out momentarily, she set him aside and started to treat his burned face.
"Wrap the gauze around like this, then tie it like this…" Morgan recited, remembering the lessons from Instructor Beatrix. Even though the person she was treating was unconscious, she still managed to convince herself to stay calm so she wouldn't mess up.
"Is he going to be alright?" Emma's voice asked from behind her.
"He'll be fine. He just lost consciousness from the smoke. He got burned pretty badly, though. I'm guessing it was from one of the explosions from earlier."
"Hmm…" Emma brought out her orbal staff. "Hey. Watch my back?"
"Huh? Uh, sure…"
Morgan stood up and watched as Emma took her place in front of Douglas. First, she touched her staff at the engineer's chest and muttered a few words. The orb at the head of the staff glowed a little bit before Emma moved it to Douglas's eyes. She whispered another incantation, and the burn marks on Douglas's face became less severe.
"That should lessen the impact of the burn. Sadly, there isn't much I can do about his eyes. I also added another spell that should expel all the smoke from his lungs. It'll cause some discomfort, but since he's already unconscious, he'll get over the worst of it."
"Emma, you're…"
"I'm just helping in whatever way I can." The witch clenched her orbal staff tightly. "If I can't use my powers to help people now, I won't be able to live with myself later."
Morgan nodded and smiled. "That's what I like to hear! Come on! There's still other people who need our help!"
The two of them helped Elliot, Gaius, and Crow evacuate the rest of the maintenance staff up to the ground level and treat many of the injuries the staff had sustained. Once in a while, Emma would find an opportunity to utter a spell that would expedite the healing process while no one was looking.
"Alright, that's the last of them!" one of the officers shouted. "You kids aren't half bad."
Morgan smiled. "Glad to be of help!"
The officer nodded, and together with his two friends, they went back down into the hangar to put out the fires. It was only then that Morgan realized they had been working with the three officers she passed by the day before. That fact only made her feel even more ecstatic from hearing the compliments.
"Hey!" Crow called out. "No one's in the hangar, right?"
Morgan did a head count. "We're all here. All the maintenance staff is accounted for, too. The other officers went back down to-"
Suddenly, another explosion came from below them.
"What?!" Elliot exclaimed. "Again?"
"Those officers…!" Morgan gasped. "No!"
The students raced back down the stairs, only to find that the hangar had sustained even more damage from the outside. Off in the distance, they saw the horrifying image of three bodies that used to be the officers that had helped them, smoldering in the middle of the burning building.
Morgan was about to start running towards them, but she was stopped by Crow's firm grip on her shoulder. His only response was a silent headshake.
Cursing the fact that she failed to save three lives on her watch, Morgan ushered the others back up to the ground level, closing the door behind them so the fire wouldn't spread. Not a moment later, her ARCUS began to ring. Still shaken from earlier, Morgan had to take a small breath to calm herself before putting her orbment on speaker mode. "Hello?"
"Oh, thank Aidios! You're alright!" Rean's voice called out. "What about everyone else?"
"We're all in the main command area, just above the hangar. All of the maintenance staff are safe, too, but the other three who were with us…" Morgan pursed her lips. "They couldn't make it."
"No…" Rean's voice was sorrowful, but he nevertheless continued with his message. "Listen, you guys need to be careful. The ILF are here. They've ambushed us with airships!"
"Damn! So the whole thing with the tanks was just a decoy?" Crow cursed.
"There's more! They landed on the right and left wings. They're going for the railway cannons!"
"The cannons?!" Elliot shouted. "But then that means…"
"They plan on using them to attack the trade conference," Gaius said solemnly. "To think they would stoop to such lows…"
"No…" Morgan thought of the people she knew attending the trade conference. "Olivert… Mueller… Towa…"
"Wait, hold the eff up," Crow abruptly cut in. "What about Towa?"
"Towa's in Crossbell, too! She was invited to sit in on the conference!"
Everyone in the surrounding vicinity gasped loudly. Even Rean's voice could be heard expressing his shock from the ARCUS.
But none took the news as badly as Crow. He immediately lost his cool and started cussing up a storm. "Shit, shit, shit!" he shouted, clawing at his hair. "Not like this! Not like this!"
"Rean, are you on your way there?" asked Emma.
"Yeah! We just entered the fortress through the main gate. We'll meet you guys-" Before Rean could continue any further, the line suddenly cut off.
"Rean! Rean!" Morgan called out.
"Is your orbment out of energy, Morgan?"
"Couldn't be! The light's still on, see?"
"Shh!" Gaius quickly hushed the group. "I sense some people coming near us!"
The students promptly drew their weapons and placed themselves in front of the injured engineers. As the footsteps gradually came closer, they preemptively started forming ARCUS links with each other. Morgan linked with Elliot, Emma linked with Gaius, and Crow opted to be on his own.
"Hey, over there! It's those kids!"
"Hold your fire! They're friendlies!"
"It's the Imperial army!" Elliot recognized. "And look who's with them!"
The rest of Class VII lowered their weapons as the squad of soldiers ran past them to tend to the maintenance staff. Then, they saluted at the leader of the squad.
"What's the status, Lieutenant General?" Morgan asked.
"Orbal communications are currently down within the fortress," Lieutenant General Walter replied. "The 4th Armored Division is suppressing the rogue tanks outside. Meanwhile, the terrorists have seized control of the right and left wings leading to the railway cannons."
"So they completely blindsided us…" Crow growled. "We knew they had airships, but who would've guessed they had another force lying in wait this whole time?"
"I hope Dad's alright…" Elliot said worriedly.
"Your efforts to take control of the situation and protect the injured maintenance staff are commendable. However, we can handle the rest here. This situation has escalated far beyond the scope of your field study, so I want you all to stand by-"
"No! We refuse!" Morgan interrupted, shaking her head.
Lieutenant General Walter looked disapprovingly at Morgan. "Young lady, I believe you may recall from yesterday that-"
"The rest of our classmates are heading over to the railway guns as we speak. We need to stop the ILF while there's still time! Please, sir! Tell us where we need to go!"
"She's right," Elliot supported. "Even with Instructor Sara and Major Neithardt, there's no way they'll be able to take back both cannons on their own."
"But even still…" Lieutenant General Walter continued to show his apprehension, even when the other students continued to rally behind Morgan. He was then forced to divert his attention when an officer came running to him from the other end of the hallway. "Has the path to the cannons been cleared yet?" he asked the soldier.
"Yes, sir, but our forces are currently engaged with another one of those metal monsters! We can't get through!"
"How many men are out there?"
"Four of them are engaging it as we speak, sir! It's one of the larger bipedal ones with turrets for arms!"
"We'll take care of that one!" Morgan shouted. "Come on, guys!"
"What? You can't possibly-!"
Before the lieutenant general could say any more, the five students ran in the direction the soldier came from. They turned a corner and found the squad of four trying to find cover against the archaism. Just as the officer had described, it was a bipedal machine with guns on its arms, just like the one they had encountered in Legram.
"You guys remember what to do, right?" asked Morgan.
"Um, no…?" Elliot sheepishly raised his hand. "This is the first time for me."
"Oh, it's simple! Aim for the legs, then hit it while it's down! You'll see in a bit." Morgan pointed to two of her classmates. "Emma! Gaius! You're up!"
Nodding at each other, Emma and Gaius each took aim at a different leg. The former summoned a slough of magical swords that punctured the left leg, while the latter gathered wind on his spear and thrust it forward to knock the right leg off balance. With the enemy downed, Crow took advantage of the opening by firing a bullet coated with a freezing art to stop it from escaping any further.
"Now's our chance! Go, go, go!"
At Morgan's command, all five of the students began wailing on the archaism with everything they had, all while each of their ARCUS units were shining with a brilliant blue light. Together, they relentlessly attacked the downed machine until it short-circuited and fell apart.
"There! You see?" Morgan said to Elliot. "What did I tell you? Simple!"
"Wow…" Elliot marveled. "It was almost like we were in the zone there. I guess that's the power of the ARCUS at work, huh?"
"It almost felt a little TOO easy, you know?" Crow remarked.
"Maybe it's because we knew what we were doing right from the start?" Emma guessed.
"Things do become easier with experience…" Gaius agreed.
Meanwhile, the four officers who had been engaging the autonomous machine were staring wide-eyed at them, muttering things like "Who ARE these kids?" and other expressions of disbelief.
Eventually, the celebration was cut short when Lieutenant General Walter appeared on the scene with several officers behind him. It was evident that he and his team were to provide support to the four who were already outside, so when he found the remains of the machine that was giving his subordinates so much trouble in front of the five Thors students, he was very much astounded by the implications.
"The five of you defeated this machine…all by yourselves?"
"Yeeeup," Crow replied nonchalantly. "You can thank us now."
Morgan elbowed Crow in the ribs, causing him to reel back in pain, before stepping forward. "We've dealt with these archaisms during our field studies. If you won't let us help our classmates take back the railway cannons, then at the very least, we can provide backup for clearing the fortress of these things."
She once again lowered her posture, only this time, her classmates followed her lead. "Please, Lieutenant General. We're military students. So let us do what we've been training to do."
A ringing sound interrupted the tense atmosphere of the area. From the back of Walter's team, a scout shouted, "Lieutenant General, sir! We've reestablished communications with the B Squad! They said they're ready to take back the cannons at your command!"
Lieutenant General Walter remained silent for a few seconds, debilitating the situation in his head. "...No need."
"Sir?"
He stretched out his hand. "Tell the B Squad to hold down a defensive line at the relay area. The four of you who were already out here, head towards the storage rooms to provide support. Sergeant, send a message to Major Neithardt and tell him that there's been a change in plans. The rest of you, begin escorting the maintenance staff to the barracks at once."
The commander of Garrelia Fortress gave his orders swiftly and decisively, and all of his men dispersed in different directions, leaving him and the students alone.
"As for you five, listen closely to what I am about to say…" Walter began. "The first bullet loaded into each cannon is a blank to prevent any firing accidents. At present, I estimate you have less than five minutes before the terrorists figure out how to fire the cannon. After the blank shot has been fired, it will take no more than thirteen minutes to reload and switch the cannons off of manual mode."
He then walked over to Morgan and handed her a white key card. "Follow the signs up ahead and you will eventually reach the right railway cannon. This key card will override any and all functions that are currently programmed into the cannon, so make sure you scan this first before you shut it down."
"Sir…!"
The lieutenant general cleared his throat and spoke in a loud voice, "Members of Class VII who are currently gathered, here are your orders: stop the activation of the railway guns. This is an actual combat situation, with real lives at stake. The Empire's future rests on your shoulders; failure is not an option. Dismissed!"
The five members of Class VII all saluted. "Yes, sir!"
"Damn it! How did these kids get here so fast?!"
Morgan was panting moderately. She, Crow, Elliot, Emma, and Gaius had made it to the right railway cannon and were in the process of apprehending the terrorists. While they hadn't been fast enough to stop the terrorists from firing the blank shot, as they had encountered one too many archaisms along the way, they were at least able to stop them while they were reloading.
"Morgan, quick!" said Elliot. "Now's our chance to stop the railway guns from firing!"
Instead of making a break for the cannon's control area, however, Morgan held out her hand. "Everyone, hold your positions. Stay focused."
"What are you…?"
Morgan looked around, behind her, and then straight forward. "I know you're out there! Come on out and face us!"
A few moments later, a woman's voice giggled from the cannon's general vicinity. "Heehee! Your instincts are as sharp as ever."
A red clad figure leapt out from the control area and landed in front of the students.
"It's Scarlet!" Elliot recognized.
"If she's here, then the other ringleaders must be somewhere nearby," Emma guessed.
"Heehee. V most certainly is. He's at the other gun. G is stirring up trouble in Crossbell. And as for C…" Scarlet shrugged her shoulders. "Who's to say?"
Crow scoffed. "Must not be a very good leader if he leaves the fighting to his underlings."
Scarlet glanced at Crow, then threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, wouldn't YOU like to know?"
The terrorist then snapped her fingers, and two giant archaisms manifested behind her. These ones were unlike any of the other models they had encountered previously, being larger, colored in red, and hovering above the ground.
"Th-They're huge!" Elliot yelled.
"And just my color, too~" Scarlet hummed happily. "For borrowed muscle, I've really taken a liking to them."
"Borrowed…" Morgan muttered to herself. "Looks like Instructor Sara was right on the money about the society."
"What should we do?" Emma asked.
Quickly going over the situation in her head, Morgan concluded that between the five of them, taking on Scarlet and her two robot minions at once would be a tall order. However, it was also important to keep in mind that their main objective at the moment was to stop the railway guns from firing another round. If Morgan had done the math correctly, then they had about ten minutes left.
Speaking of, how far ago did Rean and the others say they were again?
"Morgan! What's the plan?" Crow whispered urgently.
Eventually, Morgan told her friends, "Just stay focused and get ready to pounce. I want to ask her something first."
"Is this really the time for a Q&A session?"
But Morgan paid Crow's complaint no mind and proceeded to ask, "Why are you doing this, Scarlet? What would drive you to go to such extreme lengths?"
"We said it before, haven't we?" the red-haired terrorist responded. "We are the Imperial Liberation Front! In our hearts, the flames of silent anger! In our hands, the hammer of judgment that shall topple the dictator! That is our cause! Our purpose!"
"So you devised a two-pronged assault. You'd attack the trade conference in Crossbell first, and if that didn't work out, then you'd storm Garrelia Fortress to fire the railway guns. Why endanger the lives of civilians just for a cheap shot at the chancellor?"
"If he plans on remolding Erebonia with an iron fist from the top down, then we'll just have to dismantle it from the ground up. This is something we've devoted our lives to."
"Is she insane?" Elliot muttered.
"Her words carry the same conviction as Gideon's…" Gaius remarked. "But something in the air feels a bit off."
"I think I know why…" Morgan said. "Gideon has a set of ideals that he strives to live by. Scarlet identifies with those ideals, but there's something else driving her forward."
"And that thing is…?" Emma wondered.
"I know all about devoting my life to a cause. When I served under Her Highness, I wouldn't hesitate to lay down my life for her. However…" Morgan looked at Scarlet. "You're not doing it for something so noble, aren't you?"
"Oh?" The terrorist raised an eyebrow, the one above the eye that wasn't covered by an eyepatch.
Morgan took a calm, deep breath before continuing with her hypothesis. "He took something away from you, didn't he? Something personal was lost for the so-called good of the Empire. The chancellor was at the root of everything, and that desire for revenge is what's keeping all of you going! Isn't that right?"
"Morgan…"
The other members of her team were stunned by the words that were coming out of her mouth. Even Scarlet looked taken aback for a brief moment, but it was covered up as quickly as it had appeared.
"I don't think I'm at liberty to answer you right now," Scarlet abstained from answering. "Besides, do you really have the time to be talking with me?"
"She's right! We're running out of time!" said Elliot.
"No, we're waiting for the right time!" Morgan answered back. "Trust in our class!"
"Our class…?"
Sure enough, not a moment later, a pair of footsteps cluttered onto the platform. Before anyone could react, shots were fired, and two lightning-charged bullets landed face-first into each of the archaisms.
"Good work on keeping her occupied."
"Hey! Thank goodness you're okay!"
"Instructor Sara! And Rean!"
The other students gasped at the timely appearance of their instructor and classmate. Morgan, meanwhile, was grinning ear to ear like a mastermind. Her gambit had paid off. But she knew that the fight wasn't over yet.
"So all of that was just to buy time for the Purple Lightning to arrive. I should have known-Ugh!"
"Everyone! Attack at will!" Morgan shouted, having used Galeforce to give herself a boost of speed and crash into Scarlet while she was distracted. Then, while her adversary was still reeling, she dashed past the two giant archaisms and into the cannon's control area.
"Shoot!" Scarlet was about to retaliate, but before she could swing her templar sword, Crow fired several bullets at her feet. Setting her sights on him, Scarlet unfurled the full length of her weapon and swung it at the opposition, forcing Emma, Gaius, Elliot, Crow, Rean, and Instructor Sara to scatter in different directions.
"Whoa-ho! Damn, sister!" Crow swore. "Watch where you're swinging that thing!"
Scarlet feigned a gasp. "Oh, I'm sorry! Did you want me to hold back?"
"Just steer clear of the face! Shouldn't be too hard for a beautiful woman like yourself."
"Well, I can't say no to such a silver-tongued charmer~"
Sara let out an exasperated sigh. "You two are acting awfully chummy all of a sudden."
"Haha! You know me, Instructor! If it's got knockers, it's fair game!"
"Yeah, well, skirtchasing time's over! Go support Rean and the others! I'll handle this one on my own."
"Okay! Just leave them to me! Anything for my cute underclassmen."
Crow rushed past Scarlet, who didn't even attempt to acknowledge him as he ran by. A tad perplexing, considering how deliberate Scarlet had targeted him before, but Sara paid that no mind at the moment.
"I take it that one's broken one too many hearts?"
"Oh, you have no idea…" Sara pointed her orbal gun at the terrorist. "Now how's about we have ourselves a good old-fashioned catfight?"
Scarlet purred with excitement. "A chance to throw down with the Purple Lightning? Don't mind if I do!"
With Rean and Instructor Sara on their side, the battle became much more manageable. While Sara dueled Scarlet, the other five students engaged with the two giant archaisms, using everything that they had learned to dispatch them while taking minimal damage.
At the same time, Morgan used the key card given to her by Lieutenant General Walter to access the cannon's main controls. Deep down, she felt that it was a shame the only time she would get to be this close to such devastating weaponry was when she had to shut it down.
"All this power, sitting in the palm of my hands…"
A blade required finesse. Magic required studying. Poison required planning. Corruption required time. But this? All she required was the press of a single button, and she could lay waste to an entire mountainside. Ballistae had existed in Ylisse, but they were effectively larger bows. Gunpowder had not yet been discovered, and yet that invention alone was virtually enough to catapult Zemuria ahead of anything Ylisse had to offer. The level of the playing field was standardized so everyone had an equal chance against each other, but at what cost? The act of taking a life was now so much easier than saving a life.
"Humans can be so cruel…"
Shaking those thoughts out of her head, Morgan promptly disabled the automatic firing mode and pulled down on the main control lever.
"The people of Crossbell should be safe now." Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. "Now to help the others!"
After a long battle, the students and Instructor Sara were able to destroy the two archaisms and subdue Scarlet. Meanwhile, the rest of the class worked with Neithardt to regain control of the other railway gun. However, their victory wasn't a total one; the ILF had pulled one last trump card at the very end and escaped on another airship piloted by C. Those who were gathered couldn't catch a glimpse of the man himself, but C still made his voice known through one of the ship's speakers, congratulating them for preventing their assault and warning that there was still more to come. The leaders of the ILF then flew away to live another day. Meanwhile, the other terrorists the students had managed to capture all committed suicide by swallowing neurotoxin capsules, taking away any potential information with them.
With some quick thinking, hard fighting, and a little luck, Class VII was able to stop a potentially devastating terrorist attack in its tracks. But with the political climate as it was, the incident, overshadowed by the crisis in Crossbell, was never made public. Only those who survived the assault on Garrelia Fortress, as well as those closely involved with the class, knew of their contributions.
Two days later…
"Thought I'd find you in here."
Morgan looked up from her father's book. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking, my Trickster?"
"Yeah, well, your door was open. Might as well have been an invitation."
Crow nonchalantly stepped into her dorm room and twirled around once to get a full view of it. Now that Morgan was looking at him, he wasn't dressed in his school uniform, instead wearing…an all black outfit. A black flight jacket over a black buttoned shirt, faded black jeans… Heck, even his signature white and red bandana was switched for a pure black one.
"Nice place you've got here."
"It's the same as every other room in the dormitory."
"Yeah, but you've got it all organized and stuff! Almost reminds me of Towa's room."
"You've been in her room before?!"
"Hey, no need to make it sound so awkward! It was just for Student Council stuff. Honest."
"Student Council stuff… Riiight…" Morgan squinted her eyes at the silver-haired trickster.
Speaking of Towa, not long after Class VII had returned home, Towa also made the safe journey back. Apparently, the fact that she was in Crossbell wasn't such a well-kept secret after all, because the moment she stepped out of the train station, she was swarmed with students and townsfolk alike, a testament to how much of an influence she was in Trista. Though none welcomed her back as fervently and as forcefully as Angelica Rogner, who enveloped the diminutive girl in a loving embrace and swearing to never leave her side ever again. Towa managed to pry her off, but only after promising that she would take the next few days off. Tonight, Angelica was supposedly going to drive her to the capital for a girls' night out.
"Hey, what's that book called?" Crow quickly said to change the subject. "I always see you reading it these days."
"It's my father's." Morgan closed the book shut and held it away from her upperclassman. "No touching."
"Okay, okay! It's important to you. Got it. So what's it about? Tactics?"
"Along with a lot of anything else relating to warfare." Morgan opened one of the drawers by her desk and put her father's book into it. "There's still so much we don't know about the ILF. We managed to stop them a few times, but it was always by the skin of our teeth. What are they planning on doing next? And how many more lives are they going to put at stake? We have to be prepared, no matter what."
"Yeah…" Crow scowled. "Trashing the festival and kidnapping the princess is one thing, but hijacking the railway guns to attack innocent civilians? That shit's not gonna fly."
Morgan giggled. "Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so…even if I don't agree with your language."
"What? Got a problem with my language?"
"Just kick it down a few notches when you're with us. If Millium ends up learning how to swear, well, I'm sure a certain Icy Maiden would love to know where you live."
"Oh, f-" He almost blurted out. "Funky fresh. Yup. Got it."
She giggled again. His reactions were simply too priceless. "So? Was there anything you wanted to ask me?"
"Just wanted to curb my curiosity. Remember back when we were up against that terrorist chick?"
"You mean Scarlet?"
"Yeah, her. You were going on and on about finding out her motivations. I was wondering why you even bothered asking. Cause, you know, you were pissed about them kidnapping the princess and all that."
"Oh…" Morgan nodded her head. "It's just something I've been thinking about. The reason they hate the chancellor…"
"The reason they hate the chancellor…?"
Back when they had confronted Scarlet, Gaius had noted that there was something off about her. Deep down, Morgan had also noticed it, but the conclusions she drew from it made her uneasy. She didn't know why at the time, which is why she was glad that Gaius was the first to speak up. But after looking back in hindsight…
She pointed her index finger at Crow. "In a way, she reminded me of you."
Crow looked at her with a wide-eyed stare. The surprise lingered for a few seconds before he shook it off with a nervous laugh. "Morgs, you're not suggesting I'm one of those bozos, are you?"
"N-No! Not at all!" Morgan shook her head and both of her hands furiously. "What I meant to say was, erm… Remember when I asked you about Jurai?"
"Yeah. I'm surprised you still remember that old sob story."
"It's not just any old sob story to me."
Crow blinked momentarily in surprise.
"But that's besides the point," Morgan continued. "After learning about what happened to your hometown, I took a step back to look at the bigger picture. There's probably thousands of other stories like yours. People whose lives were uprooted for the greater good of the Empire. There's the people of Karlorff, and heck, even Instructor Sara lost her job because the government didn't trust the bracers anymore. None of them asked for change, and yet Chancellor Osborne forced it upon them. And now they're expected to go along with it like nothing happened? Who wouldn't want to lash out at him?"
"I…" Crow's voice trailed off. "But I'm guessing you still haven't given up on fighting them?"
Morgan stood up from her chair and walked to her window. "Just because I sympathize with their cause doesn't mean I forgive them. These people don't care what happens to the masses so long as they get what they want. In the end, they're no better than Osborne. Those are the sort of people we're up against. They won't hesitate to lay down their lives for their cause…because they have nothing else keeping them going. That's why we can't afford to hesitate, either. Otherwise…"
She clenched a fist against the wall of her room. The reason she had felt so uneasy was because…
"We are the Imperial Liberation Front! In our hearts, the flames of silent anger! In our hands, the hammer of judgment that shall topple the dictator! That is our cause! Our purpose!"
"...a little bird told me Chancellor Osborne was the one behind the annexation in the first place. It also told me he used some pretty forceful tactics to get them to agree. And of course, most of their tax money takes a brand new detour straight into the Imperial government's pockets… Heh. I wouldn't be surprised if he made the annexation happen just to fatten his pocketbook."
Morgan closed her eyes. If the circumstances were different, it could very well have been Crow facing them down. All the animosity he had towards the chancellor over what happened to Jurai… He was such a perfect fit for the organization. As much as she worried over the future of the Imperial Liberation Front, the thought of someone she knew joining them SCARED her. If that were to happen, where would she be able to direct her own anger?
Her fears momentarily dissipated when a hand placed itself on top of her head and started rubbing her hair.
"Trickster…?"
"You're a good kid, Morgs. You keep that up, I'm sure they'll be able to listen to reason eventually."
"You really think so?"
"Hey, you were able to get Walter to listen to you, yeah? Not a lot of people could do what you did and talk back at him like that. You're going places. So don't stop being you, you hear?"
"Mmm…" She looked up at him. "Thank you, Crow."
"What're you thanking me for? Still a bit early to say that."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing. Just joshing with you. Well, I already got what I wanted to know, so I'll leave you alone for now. Make sure you don't skip dinner again!"
"It's not like I do that all the time, I'll have you know!"
Crow laughed. Unlike before, his laugh felt genuine and carefree. "Sure, sure! Adios, Morgs!"
And with that, Crow left her room just as easily as he did when he first entered it. Now that she thought about it, that was probably the first time a boy had entered her room, wasn't it? Never mind the fact that it was just her dorm room…
"Ah," Morgan realized. "I forgot to ask him why he was all dressed up…"
She shook her head. It wasn't like what her Trickster did was any of her business. Maybe he was going to hang out and gamble with his old friends from Class V. Or maybe he was going on a midnight romp with a secret lover. It wasn't too out of character for him to have one… Why was she frowning all of a sudden?
The sound of the front door of the Class VII dorm faintly echoed from the bottom floor. Sharon was back, and Crow was exchanging some greetings with her.
Before Morgan could realize it, she was already walking down the stairs to the first floor of the dormitory. She managed to catch a glimpse of Crow saying good-bye to Sharon before he turned around and exited the building.
"Oh! Hello, Lady Morgan!" Sharon said upon noticing her presence. "You're right on time. Do you think you can help me bring these groceries into the kitchen?"
"Of course! Let me take those…"
Morgan took the bag that Sharon had been holding in her left hand and walked with her into the kitchen. "Hey, you were talking to Crow just now, right? Do you know where he ran off to?"
"Hmm? What's this?" Sharon eyed her with an arousing suspicion. "Do I detect a hint of interest in his personal life, Lady Morgan?"
"Um…yes? I mean, it's not every day he wears all black clothes."
"Ah, of course. The color of his garments."
"Really, that's it!" Honestly, what was Sharon raising that eyebrow for?
The Reinford maid giggled to herself. "Well, if that's really all you're thinking about, then surely you must recall there's only one suitable event where all those present must be wearing black…"
"An event where everyone must all be wearing black…" What Sharon said was correct; there was only one event Morgan could think of. "A funeral?"
Sharon nodded grimly. "An acquaintance of his was in Crossbell the day the terrorists stormed the city. He received the news not long after you all returned from your field study that he was killed in the crossfire. Instructor Valestein saw fit to request for him a temporary leave of absence."
Morgan was beginning to feel stupid for getting worked up over nothing. Instead, it only served to highlight that there were still plenty of things she didn't know about Crow.
"He's gonna miss out on a lot of material."
"Then why don't you take notes for him?" Sharon suggested. "I'm sure he'd appreciate that."
"I dunno. Bridget sometimes mentions how my military science notes can get a bit eccentric."
The Reinford maid sighed. "Oh, you poor, innocent soul…"
A moment later, Morgan's ARCUS started ringing. Puzzled as to why she would receive a call out of nowhere, she fished it out of her skirt pocket and answered with a tentative "Hello?"
"Hey, Morgan!" Angelica shouted from the other line. Her voice sounded oddly out of breath. "Listen, do you know where that asshole went?!"
"Wait! Just calm down first!" Morgan replied. "Who are you talking about?"
"Crow! That bastard left a note saying that he's using my bike! I was planning on using that to drive Towa to Heimdallr tonight, and he just went and stole it! Is he still in Trista?!"
"Uh…"
The sound of an orbal bike driving past the Class VII dormitory gave Morgan all the information she needed.
"...And so, it is with heavy hearts that we must press on without our fellow leader and comrade. From this day forth, let the name Gideon be etched onto your hearts, for it is his ideals that shaped the very core of the Imperial Liberation Front. Indeed, we will be the ones to carry out his wish and bring the hammer down once and for all."
C raised up a gloved fist. "To Gideon, and all our fallen comrades!"
"To Gideon, and all our fallen comrades!" the crowd that was gathered shouted in unison.
"You are dismissed."
With a swish of his cape, C turned around and exited the warehouse. The two remaining leaders of the Imperial Liberation Front followed alongside him.
"It still doesn't feel real…" Scarlet said morosely.
V put a comforting hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Yeah, and it doesn't get any easier from here. Believe me, I know."
"Comrade G…no. Gideon knew the risks, leading that mission on the front lines. We will not let his sacrifice be in vain, no matter who stands in our way."
The three leaders finally arrived at the airship that they had used to make their getaway from Garrelia Fortress. Or rather, only two of them had used it to escape. Unbeknownst to everyone but the three of them, C's voice had been played back from a recording; the man himself was elsewhere during the entire operation.
"You know, leader, I feel like I gotta ask…" V spoke up once they boarded the airship. "You sure you're giving this your all?"
"Vulcan…" C's volume rose slightly. "Are you accusing me of abandoning this mission?"
"I must voice my suspicions as well…" Scarlet cut in. "You were working alongside those students remarkably well to take back the railway guns."
"A necessary measure to maintain my facade. And I know their true strength. At the rate at which they are growing, it is only a matter of time before they rival me in physical prowess."
"What sort of curriculum does Thors employ? Color me intrigued."
"Haha! Can't argue with you there. Both Sylphid and that Arseid girl make one nasty team comp. On the one hand, I'm glad she was able to find a new family after Rutger bit it, but on the other…" Vulcan flexed his left arm. "Man! I can still feel that team attack they pulled off. And I wasn't even holding back!
"But going back to my point. You're our mole on the inside, leader, so you're the last person we need to get attached to those kids. Especially that girl you fought one-on-one at the Summer Festival. What was her name again?"
"Morgan," Scarlet answered. "She's a dangerous one. I don't know if you missed the memo, leader, but she's explicitly gunning for your head. If she ever finds out about you…"
"I know, I know…" C chuckled. "And I'm looking forward to the moment when she does."
Both Scarlet and Vulcan looked at the leader of the Imperial Liberation Front in bewilderment.
"That girl may have proven to be one of the bigger thorns in our sides, but in time, she will be our greatest asset."
"You're not suggesting you're going to convert her to our side, are you?"
"Ha! Sure! And in the meantime, I'll win the lottery!"
The masked man shook his head. "Unfortunately, that will never come to pass. I confirmed it earlier today. Though she sympathizes with our cause, she is no less deterred from her goal to stop us. But over the past month, I have obtained something else that I'm certain will prove far more instrumental to our success…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Her trust."
"Oh?" Scarlet's mouth started to curve upwards.
"And it doesn't stop with her," C continued. "In our most recent operation, we have successfully disassociated the terrorist from the student. With that, I don't foresee my cover being blown anytime soon. I will continue to exploit their naivete to meet our goals, and when the time comes to take off the mask…"
C put his hands around his helmet and gingerly lifted it from his head, revealing a head of silver hair, red eyes, and a pure black bandana wrapped around his forehead. "Seeing their despair will make our victory all the sweeter."
Vulcan let out a long whistle. "Man, that is diabolical. I almost feel sorry for the girl."
"You're telling me…" Scarlet agreed. "Toying with a woman's heart never ends well for all parties involved. Take it from a former squire when I say that you shouldn't take the phrase 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' lightly."
Crow chuckled. "Duly noted. Hey, Vulcan? You still got some of that gin Gideon liked?"
"Sure I do. Might as well finish it, since he's, you know, not gonna be drinking it anymore."
"Wait, don't you have to ride back on that…orbal bike?"
Crow shrugged his shoulders. "Nah. I can just head back tomorrow."
"You'll get in trouble if you miss out on curfew, leader."
"Got that taken care of, too. I told the folks back at the academy that one of my friends in Crossbell got caught up in the crossfire, and I wanted to attend their funeral service. Mind you, this is coming from the guy that's in danger of repeating his second year. And you know what they said? 'These are turbulent times, and we must treasure our loved ones while we still can. Take as much time as you want!'"
"Hahaha! You clever little sneak!" Vulcan cheered as he set up a small circular table in the middle of the passenger area and procured four small glasses. He then grabbed a bottle of gin and poured its contents into each glass. He passed two of the glasses to Scarlet and Crow, claimed one for himself, and left the last one by itself.
"I would've loved to have this as a martini," Scarlet remarked. "Then we would really be paying tribute to Gideon."
"He never could handle his alcohol, but damned if he wasn't hilarious when he was under the influence!" Vulcan chuckled.
"I remember the time he sat me down and taught me an entire week's curriculum while he was drunk."
"Haha! I remember that, too! The look on his face when you said you were about to fail your political science class! He took one look at me and said, 'Comrade V? Hold my gin.'"
"Once a professor, always a professor."
"Yup, and he was damn proud of it, too." Crow smiled wistfully. "But at the same time…I think that lesson was the only reason I didn't flunk my political science exams. Granted, I nearly got kicked out of the exam room for laughing every time I thought about it. Freaking Mustache Man…"
"Mustache Man?" Scarlet snorted.
"The vice principal's got one mean mustache. Also, he's a noble."
"Ah, so just the sort of person Gideon would butt heads with. Brilliant."
The three of them sat around the circular table and raised their respective glass towards the lone glass of gin.
"To Michael Gideon," said Crow. "Our fallen comrade."
"To Michael Gideon, our fallen comrade," Vulcan and Scarlet repeated.
"May we meet again in the fires of Gehenna."
CHAPTER 5 END
Author's note: And thus, the Legram/Garrelia Fortress arc is finally over! I knew going into it that this would be challenging to conceptualize, since I had technically had to worry about two locations as opposed to just one for the field study. As a result, it definitely felt a lot more drawn out than previous chapters, and this is where I need to address a problem that's been plaguing me ever since I started writing this chapter: the pacing. Yes, the Kiseki series prides itself on the details, and yes, I've come to realize that that doesn't always translate well into literature form unless I take the time write all of it in an engaging manner, time that I unfortunately do not have a lot of at the present moment. As a result, the visit to Garrelia Fortress feels a lot shorter and insignificant than it actually is in the game, especially compared to all the work I've put in to the other field study locations. I apologize for those of you who wanted more focus on this part, but considering that each chapter is becoming larger than the last, I feel that now is a better time than ever to decide which parts are worth writing about and which parts are better left to the reader's imagination. Besides, a criticism I frequently face is retreading material that doesn't deviate too far from the source; so from this point onward, if a part doesn't get covered, assume that it plays out exactly like it does in the game except with a black-haired tactician hanging out in the background. But who knows? Maybe I'll slip back into my detail-oriented writing style in the future. It'll depend on what mood I'm in. You'll just have to wait and see what's in store for next time.