Capítulo 4: The Orphan
September 1940
The public was really rattled by the murder of a Duke
Desmond really struck so much fear into Gallia in such a short time…
Anthold Harbor
Midnight:
Desmond looks at the open sea, seemingly thinking about something, as a man, with a thick beard, approaches him
"Krypt" the gang leader said turning his face to the man "You have what I want, right?"
"Of course!" The shady man replied as a truck parks nearby "I never fail my customers"
Krypt. Desmond's personal arms dealer. Of course 'Krypt' is not his real name. A wanted criminal from the Federation, the then 29 year old fugitive fled to Gallia a few years before the 2nd Europan War began. Using his talents in arms dealing and intel gathering, the federation fugitive rose through Gallia's underworld.
"Check them" Desmond commanded as his men check the armor, weapons, and ammo in the truck
"They're good, boss!" the henchmen reported
"Very good" Desmond said as he hands over a suitcase "The payment as promised"
"Thanks for your business" the arms dealer said as he looks at the suitcase, filled to the brim with money
"Now" Desmond added "How about my intel?"
"Hmm…" Krypt muttered "I think I'm getting old. My memory seems to be fuzzy about that"
Without saying a word, Desmind throws a sack of money to the arms dealer
"Ah, I remember now!" he said "Your duchess will be in Merville by the end of the month"
"What's she doing there?"
"She's the head of the charity program that the local government would launch by the end of the month"
"Interesting…" the gang leader muttered with a smile "Merville… That's close to Riverwood… That means it's 'their' territory. I guess it's time to meet some old friends"
Merville. Another small town in the countryside.
A lot of people mistake that place for another town called Mellvere, although Merville is built on the side of a mountain
A town that lives in harmony with nature, Merville is famous for the beautiful forest surrounding the town, not to mention the highly therapeutic hot springs.
Back in 1935, the Imperial Army, like many towns, rolled through Merville with lightning fast aggression. Fortunately, the damage wasn't that severe.
It was a fairly cool September morning. I was doing my internship in the town's regional court when I saw the courtyard filled with police officers.
"That's a lot of officers…" I muttered to myself as I walked closer "… Quite a welcome"
Entering the courthouse, right after they meticulously searched my bag and person, I spotted Jake standing near one of the court rooms.
"Jake!" I called "What are you doing here? I thought your internship was in a hospital in Yuell?"
"My boss decided to go to this place to research about the medicinal plants in the area. I came here to help" my friend answered "How about you, how's your internship?"
"Well, its ok we're actually going to meet with a noble woman today"
"Wow. A noble woman. But what is someone like her doing in a small town like this?"
"She's doing some sort of charity event in the square. Actually, she's meeting with the mayor here to talk about the security measures and stuff"
As me and my friend continue our conversation, a familiar voice calls to me. "Denzel?"
I turned around and saw 2 police women, one Darcsen and one that was not
"Edna?" I uttered recognizing one of them "Is that you?"
"Wow" Edna responded "I knew it was you! It's been a while. How are you?"
"You know her?" Jake asked
"Yeah" I answered "She was part of the squad I was in back in 1935"
"And he was our squad leader" Edna added "A great tactician in the battlefield too"
"Stop…" I said, embarrassed "… Come on. I'm not that good…"
"Oh don't be so modest. If it wasn't for you, most of us would have been dead by Barious. Don't even get me started on Naggiar!"
"Whoah" Jake said "You were one hell of a commander then. Nice"
Like many others, I was drafted into the Militia during the Imperial invasion of Gallia. I was assigned to Squad 8.
After our original squad commander died in a skirmish at Melville, the entire team was in disarray over the shock. I never took the officer training courses nor did I have prior experience with strategy but I had no choice but to assume command so that we would get out of that battle alive.
I find it funny that one successful mission would be enough to have me promoted to the role of squad leader.
It's really embarrassing to talk about the things I did during the war. I don't know why thought. Actually, I'm feeling embarrassed right now just by writing the last few lines.
"So…" I said, trying to dodge the topic "… What brings you here, Edna?"
I wasn't looking at Jake but I heard him chuckle behind me
"Well" Edna replied "I'm the head of security for Duchess Radame"
"Wow" I responded "That's great. I guess you finally got your dream job"
"Yeah…"
"Ahem…" Drifa uttered
"Oh right" Edna said "I forgot. This is Drifa Castder, my partner"
"Denzel" I responded "This is Jake Keller"
"Hi" Jake said
At the same time, Desmond as also in the city.
From what I knew, he went there to meet with some old friends of his
"Desmond" a Darcsen woman said in a sultry tone "Haven't seen you in a while. Why didn't you visit Merville for so long?"
"Aria" Desmond responded "Sorry darling but I have scores to settle first"
"Another one you want to 'settle scores' with…" another similar looking Darcsen woman said as she emerges from the shadows "So what brings you here, in Raven Territory?"
"I'm just here to do some business, Rain"
Aria and Rain. Twin Darcsen gang leaders. They led what was once known as the Ravens. They were a ruthless gang of hired assassins that has total influence over most of southern Gallia.
Rain, the older twin by 5 minutes, is the brain behind the gang while Aria, the younger twin, is the brawn
"Business, you say" Rain said in a sultry tone "What kind of business?"
"Oh you know, the usual stuff… A car, a room, a casket…"
It was around noon. Jake went to a local hospital to help his boss.
So I was left to eat lunch with Edna. Her partner went somewhere else although I don't know why
We decided to eat in a local café
Back in 1935, Edna was still aspiring to join the police academy when the war came. I was just a fresh graduate of Yuell University with the degree on Economics.
As the two of us were catching up on old times, another individual approached us.
"Edna?" The man said
Edna looked at the man for a second
"Aster?" she said, recognizing the man
"So it is you, Edna!" the man replied
"Whoah! Aster! It is you!"
"Nice to see you again, Edna"
"Oh! Denzel. This is Aster Claes. We were from the same orphanage a few years back! Aster, this is Denzel, my squadmate back in 1935!"
"Hello" Aster said as I responded with a "Hi"
Aster Claes. A veteran from the Imperial Invasion. One of the few survivors of Squad 9, the young man later became the chief of Riverwood's townwatch.
Aster then joined us for lunch and I heard some interesting tales from the man
Turns out Edna lived in Riverwood's orphanage between 1929 and 1933 and was well acquainted wuth Aster and some other individuals.
"So" Edna said "How's Croix and the others?"
I noticed Aster becoming a bit sad as Edna asked the question.
He was silent for a while before saying "They're gone…"
"Oh…" Edna responded "I'm sorry… I didn't know. What happened?"
"KIA"
"Since when?"
"1935"
"What? Shit… I didn't know… I'm sorry…"
"It's ok"
"Where are they buried?"
"Randgriz War Cemetery"
"Randgriz huh… I'll go visit them"
"They'll like that…"
"So what bring you here, Aster?"
"I was invited by a friend to attend the charity event"
"Wow. Nice"
"Yeah"
"Oh right. How about Emilia? How is she?"
"… And we're back… Emilia went back to the Empire last year"
"Aw… So that means you've been lonely for a year now huh…"
"Shut up…"
"Huh?" I muttered, sitting there clueless
"Oh right" Edna said "This guy here fell in love with an Imperial officer back in 1935 and even managed to get her to defect, isn't that something?"
"Hey!" Aster said
Edna chuckled as the conversation continues
At first Aster was really sad hearing the names of his old friends but he soon changed his expression as we talked about other topics.
Something must have happened back in 1935 cuz I never really got him to tell me what happened… I just hope he can move on eventually…
4:30pm
The event was in full swing.
People came in the hundreds as Duchess Radame personally helped in coordinating the event
A short while later, the duchess went to the stage and began her speech. I mostly forgot what she said but you can expect that she said the same cheesy lines we hear from politicians
As I stood near the stage, I saw Jake within the crowd, listening to the duchess' speech
Just then, a funeral car arrives and parks across the street.
I saw Edna talking to her radio, I guess she was suspicious of the car too…
In an instant, armed men emerge from the various cars, including the funeral car, parked in the area as well as the surrounding buildings
It didn't take long for bullets to start flying
Instinctively, I leapt to the nearest corner
Next to me, was none other than Aster, armed with a ZH-29 rifle (one of the new Gallian Rifle models)
"I guess these guys want to 'donate' bullets, huh?" the townwatch chief said as he fires several shots
"Shit!" I shouted as several bullets hit the concrete wall I was hiding behind
"You got a gun?" Aster asked
"No!" I responded
Aster then reaches for his holster and hands me a Tokarev
I grabbed the gun and some magazines as I proceeded to help the police
As I fired several shots against the enemy, I saw Jake, in a prone position, pinned down by enemy fire in the middle of the square
"Jake!" I shouted as more bullets whistle past me, forcing me to take cover
As I hide behind cover, I could see the duchess hiding behind the podium, pinned down by enemy fire
"Edna! I can reach the duchess!" Aster said over the radio "Want me to get her?"
"I'd appreciate that!" Edna replied "These bastards are raining bullets on us like there's no tomorrow!"
"Copy! I'll get her to safety!" the chief said as he gathers some of his subordinates through his radio "Denzel! I'm going to fetch the duchess! You provide cover!"
"Wait!" I retorted "My friend is pinned down in the middle of the square!"
"Don't worry!" Aster replied "Me and my men will cover you after we get the duchess!"
I couldn't really think of a proper strategy at the time
The trauma I experienced 3 years earlier was still fresh in my mind, so I was yet to 'unlock' my abilities in strategy and tactics once more.
"Alright" I replied as I positioned myself close to the edge of the wall
Aster and 2 other members of Riverwood's town watch cock their brand new rifles, ready to make the mad dash
"Now!" Aster shouted as he and his men began the sprint
Immediately, I broke cover and unloaded my pistol's magazine as Aster sprinted towards the duchess while his men provide additional coverfire.
Within less than a minute, Aster reaches the duchess
"Denzel!" he shouted "When I say 'go', you run to your friend! My men will cover you!"
"Alright!" I replied with a thumbs up
"When you get to him, pick him up and get out of there fast!"
"I got it!"
I reload my pistol. "8 rounds…"
I inhaled and exhaled as I could feel the adrenaline quickly coursing through my body
"GO!" Aster shouted as I ran towards Jake while Aster escorted the duchess to safety
I quickly made my way to Jake, unloading half my magazine
"Denz!" Jake uttered as I grab his arm
"No time!" Let's go!" I shouted as we ran back to the safety of the building with Aster's men providing cover
"That was tight…" Jake said as we catch our breaths
"Nice one Denzel" Aster said
"Thanks" I replied
"Hey!" the Duchess shouted "Aren't you going to lead me to safety?!"
"But ma'am" Aster replied "We don't know how many shooters are there or where they are positioned. Not to mention that the police is being overwhelmed by bullets"
"Screw all of them!" the Duchess interrupted "I am the matriarch of the Radame family! One of the most influential families in southern Gallia! My life is more valuable!"
Aster stays silent for a time before saying "Right. Right. We will take my truck and hide somewhere safe"
At the time, I couldn't help but notice the sarcasm in his voice.
"I'm sorry, Denzel" Aster said "I need you to help the police in securing this area"
"Don't worry. Me and Jake can handle this"
"You're gonna need this. Just give it back when this is all over but I'll be needing my pistol"
Without another word, I traded Aster's rifle for his pistol and the 3 men drive off with the duchess in a truck
"Let's do this" Jake said, brandishing a submachinegun
"Where'd you get that?" I asked
"One of those guys gave me a gun"
I chuckled for a bit before me and my friend entered the fray
It only took 5 minutes before the attackers retreated
Surprisingly, there were no casualties, not a single person was hurt.
It was amazing actually… But I couldn't help but feel that something was wrong…
Somewhere in town
7:30pm:
"How much longer should we wait?!" the duchess complained "We have been in this random apartment for hours!"
"1 hour, ma'am" Aster retorted
"Don't act smart!" the duchess shouted "Where are the police?!"
Before Aster could say another word, the front door slowly opens
Suspicious, Aster prepares his pistol as his 2 men check the hallway
In a blitzkrieg-like fashion, several armed men flood the room, quickly pointing their weapons at the 3 town watchmen before they could react.
"My. My" Desmond said, entering the room "You really inconvenienced me today"
"Desmond" The duchess said with a hint of worry
"I think you know why I'm here" the gang leader said with a sinister smile
"So you're going to kill me, like what you did the others"
"Oh I won't do the killing" Desmond replied as he points a revolver at Aster's head "He will"
"What?!" the duchess said as Desmond spins the pistol around hands it to Aster, who promptly grabs it
"You're one of them?!" the duchess said "How dare you! A town watch chief, let alone a former member of the Militia would set this country's best interests aside to work for scum like Desmond!"
"Set my country's best interests aside?" Aster said as he pistol whips the duchess "You're one to talk. Hypocrite!"
"How dare you!"
"How dare me? How dare YOU! Putting up an image of a 'caring' politician! Well… I know what kind of person you really are and I won't be fooled!"
"What?!"
"Does the name Dupont ring a bell?"
"How did you-" the duchess said as Aster interrupted her mid-sentence with a bullet to the head
"That's for Elena" he said, spitting at the duchess body
"Nice work, Aster" Desmond said "I never pictured you to be a good actor"
"Well, I have my moments" Aster replied as everyone lowers their weapons "You should get going. The police will be here soon"
Aster then hands over the revolver
"You're right" Desmond replied, taking the revolver "But there's still one loose end"
"Us three, right?"
"Yep. You know what I should do, right?"
"I know. Do what you have to do"
Desmond nods as he shoots the 3 town watchmen in the legs with a 9mm pistol
The three men collapse to the ground
"See you around, Aster" Desmond said "And thanks again for the favor"
"Anything for a fellow orphan" Aster replied with a calm tone "Besides, I understand why you're doing this"
"Thanks… When this is all over, I'd like to buy you a drink"
"I'd like that"
"And I'd also like to go see Croix and the others"
"They would like that. Especially since it's been decades since they last saw their roommate"
Desmond smiles as Aster salutes
The gang leader then order his men to leave as the sounds of sirens can be heard in the distance
The last one to leave, Desmond, turns around saying "I'll keep in touch" before walking through the door.
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