Chapter 7: Conflict

The following is based on the entries written on the memoirs of Sgt. Emilia Lualdi

That man… Why did he help me? Didn't he know that I was an enemy? He's weird, really weird… And an idiot, that's for sure!

"Maj. Lualdi?"

I looked behind me and I saw one of my subordinates.

"Is the assault team ready?" I asked

"Yes ma'am!" he answered

"Good" I replied "Prepare for the operation"

"Yes ma'am" he replied as he gave me a salute and left

Once again, I was alone in my tent… I continued to wonder, is what we're doing the right thing? After meeting that man, I began to see the horrors that I helped unleash upon this country… It was at that time that I began to question my actions… Eventually, I realized that I had to accomplish the mission…

After several failures under my command, Central was starting to doubt my abilities to lead the battalion. I was afraid that they'd either recall me back to the capital. I had to redeem my name at all costs!

July 1935. I was going to assault the Arlem Region, located in Southern Gallia. We were to take a small village located there and capture any civilians, especially Darcsens, to be used as slaves for the mining operations in the Diebal Mountains. As the sunsets over the small village, we began our assault. The village was lightly guarded and we quickly overwhelmed the Gallian Soldiers protecting it and managed to capture almost all of the villagers, although some managed to escape…

Later that night:

I began to debrief the soldiers on the situation and contacted Central of my success. I was ordered to begin transporting the captured villagers into the concentration camps in the Diebal Mountains. Normally, I would have followed their orders without question but for some odd reason, I felt like I didn't want to hand the villagers to the concentration camps… I suddenly remember the face of that Gallian Soldier who helped me at Fouzen.

"Why is HE appearing in my HEAD!?" I thought "Why am I hesitating!?"

It was really weird…. Why was I hesitating or better yet, why was HE popping up in my head? What was happening to me?

"NO!" I said "I'm a proud Imperial Soldier and he's a Gallian! I'm supposed to kill him the next time I see him! I even swore it in front of him!"

As I said that, I felt a pain in my heart.

"What is this feeling!?" I thought "I can't possibly care about him?"

"IMPOSSIBLE!" I shouted "Why should I care for the well-being of my enemies!?"

Feeling frustrated, I decided to walk around the camp and I noticed an odd scene.

"What's going on over there?" I wondered

I saw that my own soldiers sorted the Darcsen Prisoners from the Non-Darcsen ones.

I walked towards the prisoners' location and made sure that none of the guards spotted me.

That moment, my eyes were opened…

"Darcsen pig!" Shouted one of the 2 guards as he punched a Darcsen woman in the face

"Please… don't… hurt me" she said as she tried to cover her face but was futile in stopping the guard

"Look at her!" said the other guard "Darsen filth like you don't deserve to walk this Earth!"

The guard then pulled out his pistol and hit the woman's head with it.

"You animals!" Shouted one of the male Darcsen prisoners

Hearing this, the guard looks at the man and said "Animals!? Who ravaged Europa like barbarians!?"

He then cocks his pistol and aims it at the woman's head "You filthy monsters did!"

For most of my life, I was taught to hate Darcsens because of the Darcsen Calamity but witnessing what my own soldiers did to those people… It was abhorrent! I had to make a choice and fast! Should I help the prisoner? Or should I remain true to my duty as an Imperial soldier. My head was a mess but I had to do something and soon...

"What's going on here?" I said as I revealed my presence to the guards

"Maj. Lualdi!" the two guards said as they stood in attention and saluted me

"What's going on here?" I asked again

"N-nothing ma'am…" said one of the guards "One of the prisoners nearly escaped but we managed to catch her"

I looked at the Darcsen woman and I saw how beat up she was… She was bleeding from her face and was in real pain.

"You're dismissed" I said "Go patrol the area"

"Ma'am?" they both said in confusion

"You want me to repeat myself?" I said in a menacing tone

"No Ma'am!" they said with a fearful tone "W-We'll be on our way!"

As the two guards left, I helped the woman to her cell. I saw how shocked the prisoners were to see me. I was surprised myself… Why did I help a Darcsen? But I didn't have time to think about that because the woman was still injured. I went to the medical tent and collected some medical supplies. Returning to the prisoners, I treated the woman's injuries to the best of my abilities. Just then, that same male prisoner came to me and asked "Why are you doing this?"

I couldn't find the words to reply… I merely stared at him

"Does it fill you with joy to see us in pain…" he said "You Imperials should have just left us alone! We did nothing to you and yet you do this to us! You're the real monsters!"

As he continued to berate me, I began to feel the guilt of my past actions… I had helped the Imperial army in the conquest of Gallia since March… I contributed to the destruction of many towns and villages… I commanded squads to kill Gallian soldiers and civilians… I… I helped destroy countless lives…

I guess, he was right… I am a monster…

"That's enough" said the injured woman

I was surprised to hear her say that and merely looked at her

"She may be an Imperial but look what she did!" the Darcsen woman said "She has a pure heart! She just happened to be on the wrong side!"

As the woman defended me, I felt a bit of joy… And for some ungodly reason, I, eventually, opened all of the prisoners' cages. They were all surprised that I was helping them escape.

"Why are you doing this?" the Male Darcsen asked

"I…I don't know…" I replied "But I feel that I should do this… Go! Get out of here before the guards see you!"

The Male Darcsen then offered to shake my hand. I hesitated for a moment but I eventually shook his hand and I heard him say "Thank you"

With that, the prisoners my battalion captured earlier that day, escaped… Of course, it didn't spell well for me. The next day, Central was furious to find out that my prisoners escaped. They then told me that I was going to be recalled to Central and my battalion would be reassigned to a new commander. Disappointed and curious, I asked who was going to replace me. And I heard the most ominous name I had ever heard in my entire life…

…. Lt. Kwad Tulius