Liberi Reader

I see gravel kicked up by tires, pounding the glass.

Similar sights keep retreating from the car window: muddy earth, dried bloodstains, shell craters we carefully steer around... War flows persistently, like an oil slick set alight.

The atmosphere outside the car is tense. Everyone remains silent. The driver is focused on driving, Paprika sits beside her, occasionally turning her head to cast a worried glance.

In the cab, the Miner casually oils his weapon, the Shopkeep from Kazdel mimics him. He cries out suddenly, looks like he cut his palm.

Kazdel has grocery stores, children gazing longingly at candy as they lean against the counter, old folks complaining about the changing price of salt. It makes sense, but... I never really thought about those sights before.

For me, Kazdel is just a distant memory. When I was little, Babel briefly stopped near Kazdel.

I only remember it from a distance, a sight like a steel monster crawling through the wastes, leaving debris and thick smoke in its wake. Theresa held my hand and told me that was her home.

I remember... at the time, I didn't know what the look on her face meant.

Much later, I talked to the operators about Kazdel. Mudrock called it a barren land of houses stacked on top of each other, Stormeye talked about an eternal furnace and crystal clusters on the city walls.

W... she laughed an icy laugh and said: 'If I were a bunny like you, I'd steer clear of the place.'

Kazdel feels like a vague symbol, representing all kinds of things: pain, hatred, oppression, slaughter... I know these are all true, objectively, but they're not everything that is Kazdel.

Setting all that aside, I know it's the place where Theresa sacrificed everything.

Even Theresis, the mastermind behind this war, grew up there. What does the Kazdel they envision look like?

Logos quietly wipes his bone pen. On the other side, I see the Doctor turning to look out the window. What's out there?

I tug on the Doctor's sleeve.

In the distance, the town of Brentwood is already coming into view.

A crimson light rises from the center of the town, staining the surrounding land.

The blood-covered veil gently envelops all living things.

The Doctor looks calm.

Right, after all we've been through, we finally get to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our friends again.

The Ursine miner swings his weapon and a sharp whistling sound rings out.

He looks a little frightened of his own strike, almost losing his grip on the weapon.

The driver and the Shopkeep gather around him, investigating his new strength.

Paprika moves a few steps toward me.

Logos looks at the Sarkaz girl.

Yes, a large colony of crimson worms is drilling out of the ground, rushing around in all directions.

A good number of them seem to have caught our scent.

I look at Paprika's team in the distance, those Sarkaz unaware of the danger here.

I can feel that the girl is not hostile.

In the distance, the Sarkaz let go of the sudden surge of power they're feeling for a moment, and call out to Paprika.

I get a little closer to her.

But she seems to misunderstand my intent, and retreats half a step. Then, as if making a difficult decision, she holds her ground in front of me.

And at this point, I realize she's about the same height as I am.

I think of the fires in Auchterigg, the factory pipes in Sudean, the street corners of Norport...

The survival of the Sarkaz means the destruction of Victoria.

The triumph of Victoria means the cleansing of the Sarkaz.

Those caught in the vortex no longer have the power to choose.

The fractured, surging land spreads out before us.

The Vampiric offspring bathe in blood, indulging in the pain. Their bite is the touch of the Sanguinarch himself.

I raise my hand and close my eyes. I will stitch together this scarred land.

I will hold the whispered fate of the myriad souls in my hands.

A black rhombus, a black shadow.

Black Arts surge from my fingertips.

These twisted offspring deserve peace.

We reach the town to find the battle has mostly subsided.

Logos has not yet returned from the town center. Seems dealing with the Vampiric ritual is no simple task.

I catch sight of Siege and Delphine, as well as Misery and Closure, along with fighters from the Self-Salvation Corps

When we left Londinium, we never expected this rendezvous in Brentwood would be so... difficult for each of us.

We make our way to a dilapidated house, but the atmosphere isn't the kind of exhaustion and relief you'd expect from a long-awaited reunion with friends.

After giving me a quick physical, Dr. Kal'tsit and the Doctor take some crystal samples and move to talk privately.

The room falls silent, and all eyes turn to Hoederer, leaning against the wall alone.

The rhythm of his sword sharpening is as steady as his breathing.

Delphine recognizes Hoederer with a glance.

General Manfred of the Kazdel Military Commission's right hand man. He was involved in the execution and assassination of many political figures throughout Londinium.

Then, Hoederer tells us about a Feranmut brought to Londinium by the Sarkaz.

We all turn to the Sarkaz who have not yet figured out the situation.

I see Hoederer smiling. It seems this is a side of Siege that relaxes him, at least a bit.

After all, he seems to be hiding something.

Hoederer expresses his gratitude and the discussion comes to a close.

Sarkaz mercenary, Hoederer.

After reuniting with W in Chernobog, Ascalon gave me his complete file. It dates back to the time of... Babel.

So, I trust him.