The Outlander
-INDEX-
I. Battle Report. Centurion Cassius Fargheim (year 1552)
II. Confidential Orders. Legatus Boagrius van Haagen (year 1552)
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I. Batle Report. Centurion Cassius Fargheim
From: Centurion Cassius Fargheim
To: Legatus Boagrius van Haagen
Date: 01.01.1552
Locale: Fortification XXI, Quadrant 112
Legatus,
I'm afraid the news are very grim.
I apologise if my report sound a little emotional.
Dawn brought up the Sun as any other day. After the hours of physical training on early morning, I was studying the maps to trace the best way to go around the hills and about to present a strategical solution to his Lordship Legatus Tissius van Strauss when a messenger came to my office. He had orders for me to form a welcoming escort and go meet the caravan of a noble lady that had come to visit the fortification.
As any other soldier, I thought "What the hell is a noble lady doing on the front-lines?", but like any other soldier, I complied. As I rode with twenty of my best men to meet her, I soon recognized the standard with the personal banner of the Legatus and a chill run down my spine. My fears were soon to be confirmed as fair Lady Linia looked out of her window and smiled at me. I thought to myself: "This woman is 9 months pregnant! The Legatus will be furious." But of course, I said nothing, as it is not my place.
He was furious, though. As the majestic wagon crossed the gates of the Keep, he was already there. As it is expected from one in his position, he kept his composure and face in front of the men. He helped her down and escorted her to his quarters. The soldiers on guard duty by his door, though, mentioned that he gave her quite a chewing. They spent the whole day together and seemed that they had found their peace - though he ordered the wagon readied to take her away on the next morning on first light.
There was no time though. The beastmen we were expecting to attack came sooner than we had foreseen. And not from without, but from within. I heard a loud explosion and as I kumped from my bed to look through the window to the yard, I saw the ground caving in and a host of foul horned monsters pouring out of it. I dressed as soon as possible, even as the alarm sounded and the soldiers off-duty began to suit up themselves.
As I finally managed to get to the yard, all I saw was carnage. The fiends were slaughtering the men mercilessly, their sorcery burning soldiers alive inside their own armour, as molten metal scourged their flesh. The smell, the loud roars, the screams of agony - they were the worse I've ever witnessed. So I drew my sword and shield and joined in, shouting orders to the few remaining soldiers.
After what seemed like hours of fighting, I had already taken a dozen wounds and fell another daemon headed foe when I saw the Legatus. He was by the carriage, fighting with his gunblade against three opponents at once. I rushed to his side to aid him. There wes less than a score of our soldiers fighting now. As we fell the three beasts, he looked at me bloodied and battered and said: "Centurion, get my wife the hell out of here and give this tidings to Legatus van Haagen." I tried to argue but he smacked me across the face and shouted it was an order.
As I moved to obey, I noticed all the blood pouring from his armor and realized why he hadn't come himself. He wouldn't make it. So he was buying our way out with his life. He was a brave man. I hopped inside the wagon and there she was, on her night gown. I ordered the coachman to go on at full speed. She was on the ground, groaning and sweaty, holding her stomach as a lot of blood stained the lower part of her dress.
I thought she was badly wounded and took my medical kit from my belt and knelt at her side. "Where is the wound, my lady?" I asked. She roared at me. "It is no wound, curse your ignorance! It is my baby!" I was desperate, but just nodded. I tried talking to her to sooth her down as I tried to get the boy out. When I asked her why she had come, she said something about a dream, but the memory elude me, sir. I was paying attention on the birth.
I managed to get the kid out. It was a boy. As I put him on his mother's arms, she said something about how he had his father's eyes and how she would call him Augustus.
That's when the wagon exploded.
I was thrown away and as I got up I could see the debris of the carriage. There were three beastmen rushing towards us - one of them with a ball of flame on the tip of a staff. That's when I heard the baby cry. I followed the sound and found the body of Lady Linia ripped in half she died protecting her baby. By some miracle, the child was unscathed. I was about to take him when I was tackled by one of the beastmen. We fought. I managed to kill both of them and grab the kid.
The I remembered they were three and turned to see the third one aiming the now-huge ball of flame towards us. I pulled my gun and shot it on the stomach, his sorcery vanishing in the wind. I jumped on the last surviving chocobo and ran like the wind.
I've just arrived on the barracks in Grimmhagen. The child is safe - I found a milk-maid to take care of him. After I dispatch this report I shall seek an apothecary to see about my wounds.
I await your orders, my lord.
Centurion Cassius Fergheim,
The XII Legion of the Garlean Empire
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