Opening

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Having been driven back, the Empire retreated from Barious, and Squad 7 began its return to the capital of Randgriz.
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[Nighttime in the Kloden Wildwood.]

Largo: I'm worried, boss. The scouts were due back a long time ago. Haven't heard a thing.

Alicia: Welkin...we should look. The enemy could be closer than we think.

Keith:She is right, Enemy patrols at night time can be a pickle.

Welkin: Right.

[Welkin and Alicia and Keith walk forward to a cliff that offers them a better viewpoint.]

Largo: Huh?

[All of a sudden, a blinding flash of light hits the place where Welkin and Alicia and Keith stand, knocking them off the cliff.]

Welkin: Gwaugh!

Alicia: Aaugh!

Keith:Shit!!

[As the cloud of dust recedes, the rest of Squad 7 sees only a crater where they were standing.]

Isara: Welks!

Conrado:Keith!

[She tries to run forth, but Largo stops her.]

Largo: Hold on! Where are you going? Don't be an idiot! Who's gonna drive the tank if you get hurt?

Rosie (gun raised): Largo, we've gotta move our butts now! Two more minutes and we'll be dead!

[A horde of Imperial soldiers suddenly charge through.]

Largo: Damn...no choice. We're outnumbered. Everybody take cover!

Rosie: Come on, Isara! Now!

Isara: Right.

Conrado:Fuck me. *Checks Tablet only to see Keith's Pulse* I knew you'd be still alive. <Capt. Conrado D. Yap to Maj. Dustin Walker, come in!>

Dustin:<Maj. Walker to Capt. Yap, I hear you over>

Conrado:<Fox is down, i repeat Fox is down, but not out, he is with Gunther and Melchiott, Transferring commands to you, over>

Dustin:<Roger, All JTF, Fox is down but not out, All JTF Authority are to me, over>
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[In another part of the woods. Welkin and Alicia come back to consciousness.]

Welkin: Where...?

Alicia: Nn...nngh...Welkin...?

Welkin: Oh, good. You're awake.

Alicia: Where are we? Is everyone all right?

Welkin: Looks like we got separated when that blast threw us down here.

Alicia: Oh.

Welkin: Alicia, there are probably still Imperials camped out up there. It's just a matter of time until they spot us here. We should move as soon as we can. Are you hurt anywhere? Do you think you can walk?

Alicia: I think I'm fine. (tries to get up) Augh! Scratch that. I think my ankle's sprained, actually. But I should be okay. It's not too bad to walk on.

Welkin: Sorry, I know it hurts but you gotta tough it out for now.

Alicia: Of course.

Welkin: Great...now let's try to sneak out of this mess before we're spotted.

Keith:Great you two aren't dead.

Welkin:Keith!? You alright?

Keith:It's gonna take more than that to affect me.

Welkin:Well, at least you're fine…

Keith:Come on let's go, we can really be on the same position.
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Welkin: Wow, it's really gotten dark. The lack of light means it's harder to see enemies in the distance, so watch out.

Keith:Here, NVGs, use them 

[Keith gives Welkin and Alicia NVGs]

Welkin:Thanks but, don't you need this?

Keith:Nah, i can rely on my own senses, i can still see in the dark, just like a Fox…

[Welkin and Alicia turns on their NVGs]

Welkin:Whoa! Is this what it feels like to see in the dark like a cat?!

Alicia: Ow!

Welkin: Is your ankle gonna make it?

Alicia: Sorry...I don't know how much I can run like this.

Welkin: That's all right. You set the pace and I'll follow.

[An emergency siren sounds, followed by a mortar boom in the distance.]

Welkin: Is that sound...a mortar?

Alicia: Have they spotted us?

Welkin: No, their aim is too far off. They're probably trying to scare us out with it. If we're careful, we can predict where they'll fire and steer clear of the target area.

[They move through the forest. It is dark; the only light comes from searchlights in the distance and what appears to be fireflies flying around.]

Alicia: Hey, Welkin, what's that light?

Welkin: Oh, that's a luciferant. It's bioluminescent, the same sort of thing as a firefly. Hey, wait...the luciferant feeds mostly on manure. There could be an animal trail here. With luck, it might let us sneak past without the enemy spotting us.

[They walk down the animal trail when on the path they spot a little clump of wildflowers glowing bright blue.]

Welkin: These leaves...great! This is ponisera.

Alicia: What's up, Welkin?

Welkin: I-it's a wild herb that works well on bruises. Just have to grind the stem and leaves down. Alicia, let me put this on your ankle.

[He applies the plant to her ankle. Alicia breathes sharply.]

Alicia: It...it kinda stings. But I think it hurts a little less now. Thank you, Welkin.

Welkin: Okay, let's push on ahead. We might find more ponisera growing nearby.

[There are Imperials in the forest, but for the most part they are scattered and easily dispatched. The mortar shelling continues sporadically, but Welkin and Alicia and Keith manage to avoid them. The path leads to a simple suspension bridge spanning across the Kloden River. There is a searchlight pointed straight on the other side of this bridge though.]

Welkin: Searchlights. This is bad news.

Alicia: What do you figure will happen if they see us?

Welkin: They'll radio our location to the mortars and we'll see them land a whole lot closer.

Alicia: Not high on my list of good things...we'd better keep our heads down out here.

[They time their exit from the bridge so that they escape the gaze of the searchlight when it is roving away. On the path ahead, they find some more ponisera.]

Welkin: Alicia, here's some more ponisera. Let's get this on that ankle.

[He applies it onto her ankle.]

Alicia: All right...thanks. It hurts even less now.

Welkin: That's good. But still, don't push yourself.

[There are animal trails bypassing the main path. Welkin and Alicia and Keith use these to bypass the enemies in wait on the main trail. There's some more ponisera growing ahead.]

Welkin: Ooh, there's some more ponisera again.

[He applies it onto her ankle.]

Alicia: Ahh...the pain's mostly gone now. Thanks again.

Keith:I'll go further ahead and get a good view, I'll navigate you two to safety, Stay safe.

[Without another word, Keith disappeared to thin air]

Welkin: I'm just glad it's working.

Alicia: So, Welkin...umm...is that stuff edible?

Welkin: Why, are you hungry?

Alicia (blushing): Huh? No! I'm just...I wondered if I could use it in a new bread recipe.

Welkin: Oh, I see. Well, the flowers have a sweet nectar to them, so it could be good. (grinning) You tease me, we're sneaking around the woods and you're thinking of baking bread.

Alicia (annoyed): I don't want to hear it, nature boy!

Welkin: Ha ha! Okay, okay. Well, let's move on.

[The path ahead is mined and heavily searchlighted. Welkin runs ahead to the safe destination.]

Welkin: Okay, this is probably a safe distance. I wonder if Alicia's almost here...

[Alicia manages to limp over to Welkin's position.]

Welkin: Phew! We should be safe here, at least for a little while. Let's look for a spot where we can rest.

Alicia: Right. It's too dark to cover much ground even if we tried.
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[By a cottage deep in the Kloden Wildwood.]

Welkin: Who'd build a cottage way out here? Not that I'm complaining or anything.

[The cottage is deserted. There is a mat and a table in the log cottage, but there are no signs of habitation.]

Welkin: How's your ankle holding up? Sorry to make you walk so far on it.

Alicia: No, it's not too bad. Don't worry.

Welkin: That's good. Still, let's get an herbal compress on it just in case.

Alicia: It just figures you'd know about herbs, Welkin.

Welkin:<Keith, we made it safely in a cottage>

Keith:<Good, i'll stay out here to keep watch, Don't worry about me, You two can spend some time together>

[Welkin is pointing out a bunch of herbs in the compress.]

Welkin: Heh, this here's called aloe severa. It's a succulent in the lily family. There's a jelly substance in the leaves that helps combat swelling.

Alicia (giggles): I should start calling you "doctor nature." Very well, doc. I entrust my ankle's care to you.

[Welkin binds the compress around her ankle.]

Welkin: All right, that should do it. How's it feel? A little weird?

Alicia: No, it's nice and cool. Thanks, doc.

Welkin: I'm just glad we found something to help you. The pain should ease with time, too.

Alicia: So, Welkin, what got you interested in nature to start with?

Welkin: Well, I don't know. I guess it had a lot to do with my dad's influence.

Alicia: General Gunther's?

Welkin: Yeah. Whenever he came home, we'd take a trip collecting bugs in the mountains, or swimming. Somewhere along the way going on those trips turned a love of nature for me too.

Alicia: The general, out collecting bugs? That's...unexpected.

Welkin: Maybe so...I guess others see him as a big, stoic military hero. He had his own share of worries, though.

Alicia: Yeah...?

Welkin: My mom died as a casualty of the first Europan war. I don't think Dad ever got over the fact that he couldn't protect her, but everybody else was always praising him for being a great hero. The war won him respect and adulation, but it also cost him the love of his life. I think that always weighed on him...that question of what he fought the war for.

Alicia: I had no idea...

Welkin: But when he was out in the woods playing with me, he was always so bright and happy. Maybe I fell in love with nature because it always put the smile back on my dad's face.

Alicia: Oh, Welkin…
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[Deep in the night. An owl hoots in the distance. Welkin and Alicia are propped up against the wall, sleeping. There are some quiet footsteps outside, waking Welkin up. It is an Imperial soldier, Fritz, limping towards the cottage. Welkin wakes Alicia up.]

Welkin: Alicia, someone's coming.

[The door creaks open, and the soldier walks in unsteadily. Welkin's rifle is trained on him.]

Welkin: Freeze!

[Fritz's breastplate is riddled with bullet holes and smeared with blood.]

Fritz: Augh...Nnh...

[He crumples to the floor.]

Alicia: Ah! Welkin...what?!

Welkin: He's badly wounded. I'm surprised he can even walk.

Fritz: Help...me...

Alicia: Welkin...do something!

[Welkin tries to attend to Fritz's wounds.]

Alicia: Well?

Welkin: It's no use. The wound's way too deep.

[They have taken Fritz's helmet off. He gropes about blindly.]

Fritz: It hurts. It's so dark. Oh God! Mother!

[Alicia holds his outstretched hand.]

Fritz: Ungh. Mother...

Alicia (pats his hair): It's okay. Don't be afraid. Mother's right here. Everything's fine, see?

Fritz: Yes...it's...

[Fritz dies. His hand slips from Alicia's grasp.]
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To be continued

Ending