“Rastwurst City Garrison reported that the situation is under control. The Queen has appeared in the city hall to give a press conference about her survival. The unknown attackers are still being identified by local forces. The Queen has remarked the attack as devastating, and that she is a bit ‘shaken’ by it. She however warned the attackers and vowed to find justice for the civilians and security members who died in the fighting. Little footage has been retrieved, and there are still no official tallies of the casualties in the attack. However, it is estimated to be a few dozen.”
- ROCN News
+++
Duchy of Oldrach
Rastwurst City
Amelie collapsed on the side of the wall. Clenching her fist, she tried her best to hold off the tears. It went by too fast. The attack. The clean-up. The scenes of frantic soldiers and police who retrieved her and kept her safe. The drive to the Rastwurst City Hall. Then this. The press conference. At that time, Amelie found herself struggling to keep herself together.
I knew some of them.
Amelie punched the wall behind her.
I knew some of those men and women. They served closely under me.
And now, many were nothing but corpses. Many were injured too, still fighting for their lives in the city’s hospitals. While the remnants were nothing but shaken members of Salvo Company and the HMSD. The only ones who got off the fighting without lasting wounds were HMSD’s Alpha Squad.
Damn it! How did I not see this?! How did I not even know this would happen? If only, if only…
“There you are,” William’s cold voice interrupted her. Amelie frowned at him, as he picked up a box of cigarettes from his pocket, and lit it up. “You should know not to disappear like that, Amelie. Doesn’t help to calm things down, you know?”
“And you shouldn’t smoke,” Amelie snapped back, looking away. “It’s not good for you.”
“I rarely do it anyway. I need to clear my mind a bit. Lost quite the old buddies, you know?” He breathed in deeply as he pressed his back on the cold wall as well. He stood beside Amelie. “They were good men. Hardworking, diligent, and vigilant men. They thought protecting you was their only life purpose.”
“Ridiculous,” Amelie scoffed. “Why would anyone think that way?”
“Well, they’re the few men who get to see who you are up close. It makes sense that they developed a slight reverence for you. Especially with your attempts to speed up the reforms recently.”
“It’s too little, too late.”
“But it’s meaningful. You don’t understand just how much little change starts mattering when you’ve never seen change once in your life. Gives a little ray of hope to their hearts,” he smiled bitterly. “They died believing in you, Amelie. You saw them fight, right? They fought…without question. They threw themselves to die for you.”
“And that’s what hurts the most, William,” Amelie held her left hand as she looked down. “All those people…your men, Lady Lubaine’s girls, they all…they all sacrificed so much just to protect my stupid, weak…and…useless self. And I was unable to do anything, William. Unable.”
“You’re not supposed to do anything.”
“I am! I’m their Queen. Yet…I can’t even use my magic well, the only thing that I…”
She stopped, then laughed to herself.
“No, who am I kidding? I’m already so rusty at magic. And I never was good at it anyway. If I can’t even protect myself, how would I even do it to anyone else? Just…damn it…”
“You’re crying.”
“I am crying. That’s why I hid here!”
William remained silent, puffing a smoke as he stared at the dark hallways with an empty gaze. Then, he sighed as he shook his head. Amelie on the other hand took her handkerchief and wiped her tears. She felt nothing but weakness as William, who was closer to those who died, silently smoked on the side.
She continued rambling.
“...I’m going to avenge them. I’m going to…we’re going to find out who they are. Hunt them. Then…then kill them.”
“We’ll try,” William said. “I already contacted Marie about this. Two of her teams arrived at the city just hours ago. They’re already in on the investigation. Unfortunately, the bodies…they all are gone. Self-detonated. Not much we can do about that.”
“Why? Just why?”
“To avoid capture?”
Amelie shook her head.
“It’s barbaric. It’s like, they sent these guys to the maw of death with an explosive collar attached to their necks. That’s not something a normal organization does.”
“They’re a terrorist organization. Who they are, we don’t know. And unlike the usual terror organization you find here and there, they seem to be so good they can hide from nation-states.”
She noticed a slight shudder from William. Amelie narrowed her eyes.
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“You’re afraid of them?”
“A bit. But not really. If I had died I’d have died serving under you. There’s nothing for me to fear. Just keep doing the job and all. That’s my purpose.”
“That’s a stupid thing to say. You shouldn’t attach your reason to live on one purpose.”
“Where else would I attach it to? You’re asking silly things. What you should be asking about is how we’re dealing with this.”
“Aren’t you grieving?” Amelie asked. “These were your men. They died. Don’t you think you should take even just a little break to let yourself feel awful? I know you’re just hiding it. It’s just the two of us, and I’m already crying anyway.”
William just laughed further as he shook his head.
“You’re a funny woman, Amelie. Well, if it makes you feel better, I’ve already gotten over it. I have an agreement with my old buddies after all. If death comes, then death comes. Fact of life for battle brothers. No need to feel bad about it for too long, else, you might just follow them.”
“That sounds even more depressing than seeing you cry over it.”
“Eh, get over it, Amelie, I’m fine,” William shrugged. “You gonna visit the injured security guys?”
“Of course, I am,” Amelie wiped her tears completely. She breathed in deeply, trying her best to wipe out any signs of her crying. “I need to be there, at least. And see what’s happening to them. I don’t know how much my presence will help, but I have to be there.”
“Hmm…you know, only Alpha Squad is functionally operational right now. You’ll be going there with just a few of our remaining men and women protecting the hospital.”
“The city garrison is on full alert. There’s no way they’ll attempt anything.”
“Only autocannons and heavy machine guns managed to scratch their armor, Amelie. As you’ve said, enchanted weaponry. All those soldiers that are wrangling around the city, I don’t think they’re going to be much use if a second attack happens. Unless we bring in IFVs inside the hospital that is.”
“Then Alpha Squad will take care of things. I don’t know. I need to at least go there. I mean, if there’s even a second attack, they’d have attempted it by now. They’re not.”
William leaned to his radio for a second. Amelie tried to listen to the transmissions coming from it, but only he heard it well. By the time William turned to her, it was clear that he disapproved of her idea.
“You risk yourself too much.”
“Clearly not as much as those under me,” Amelie tried to place a neutral mask. “Okay, I’m good to go.”
+++
The Rastwurst General Hospital was overwhelmed by dozens of injured soldiers, police personnel, and civilians. By the time Amelie arrived, it was all chaos in the emergency room. Many were in critical condition. Others were being pronounced dead as she and her security team passed by.
Families, friends, and others looked at their Queen in despair, as Amelie tried her best to tell them that she’ll find justice for them. Amelie almost cracked when a young girl standing beside her crying mother looked up at Amelie. Her eyes, eyes as young as Alice asked a simple question.
Why did her brother die?
Amelie retreated further and further into the hospital. One by one, she checked in on the injured and critical members of her security unit. One OPM operative was being desperately treated with magic from a headshot he somehow survived. Another HMSD member was being given emergency surgeries due to her body sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
On and on she went, unable to reassure anyone that everything would be fine. By the time the entire affair was done, the remnants of her security unit were gathered in the hallways of the hospital. All of them, standing, eyes downcast, as Amelie watched them.
Salvo Company.
HMSD.
Amelie breathed in, looking at William, Theresa, and Nia briefly. She looked back at her gathered personnel.
“Everyone,” she began. “I wanna ask a question. Is that…permissible?”
Brief nods. Some more languid. Some more firm. Amelie took their permission and continued.
“I…I question myself about this a lot. Is it even worth it for anyone to die for me? Today, so many of you…your brothers and sisters, died for—”
“Of course, it’s worth it!” One of the HMSD members broke from the ranks and shouted. “My sister died, but at least she died for a cause! I’ll die for the same cause! It’s why we signed up for this. I’m sorry, but please understand that, Your Majesty. The people who sacrificed themselves today aren't asking if it’s worth it or not. It’s if we’ll carry on with the cause we promised ourselves to complete. And my answer to that is a firm yes, for my…”
She began tearing up.
“For my sister…Your Majesty.”
Amelie was taken aback. Theresa eyed the young woman for a few seconds, while the other members of the Palace Security Unit looked away.
“...What’s…what’s your name?”
“I’m…I’m Ota Amari, Amari Ota, Your Majesty,” the woman sniffed. “My sister is Fujii Amari. She was from Delta Squad.”
“...You’re Asanaian?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Our family immigrated here two decades ago. This is my country, and my sister’s country.”
The firm response from the woman fixed Amelie in place.
“I see then. Well…if that’s the case, then I will be just as sure with my response to this. Everyone, this isn’t the end yet. This is just…another obstacle for us to overcome. We’ve been tracking and trying our best to learn of this new foe. And unlike the soldiers of the Federalists or of the CFN, they’re the ones you will be directly facing.”
She nodded to herself.
“Yes, those attackers…they’re the ones that will put your lives, and my life, and the lives of my close peers here, in danger. They’re powerful. And they strike from the shadows. And we know nothing, nothing about them. But we will learn. We will go on. New members will come in, and we will teach them. I do not tolerate high casualty rates. Not in the Armed Forces. Not here.”
She turned to William and Theresa.
“Director William Porter, Lady Lubaine, you two are tasked now to rebuild and revitalize the Palace Security Unit. I want us to learn the necessary lessons from this disaster, and get the necessary skills and equipment to prevent it should another attack come.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the two replied at the same time.
“I’ll be on it,” William finished.
“I’ll get my girls back in tip-top shape,” Theresa declared.
Amelie nodded.
“Good. For now, we will grieve. But we won’t let this stop why we are here. The reason why those who have fallen joined to fight for the cause that we stand for. It’s not over yet. The Great Cause lives on. And we’ll finish it for those who died. Because their sacrifices…will not be in vain.”
“Long live the Queen!” one of William’s operatives at the back shouted. Amelie flinched a bit before all of the gathered men and women on the floor followed suit.
“Long live the Queen!” All of them shouted.
Amelie recomposed herself.
“I’d prefer to say, ‘Long Live Orland’ more, but thank you, everyone.”