Cost of Freedom

Benny stood at the wreckage, overseeing his men as they diligently searched for anything salvageable. It was a devastating scene, and amid his thoughts, Nozomu approached him, a glimmer of sympathy radiating in his eyes.

"Benny... I'm sorry..." Nozomu said, attempting to provide comfort to him during this difficult time. Benny shook his head, a mix of weariness and realization crossing his face. 

"No need to apologize... Now that I've had time to think about it, this was bound to happen. It always struck me as suspicious that they would employ us, the People of the Wastelands, to craft weapons for them. I foolishly believed that being contracted by a Section Commander meant something more—a sanctuary for my people in exchange for our hard work. I was naive to think that striking a deal with a puppet whose strings belong to the God-King would bring salvation to my people."

Turning his gaze towards his men toiling in the wreckage and then to the families huddled around the fire, silently mourning the fallen, their eyes fixed on the burning bodies, Benny's determination resurfaced. 

"I need to find a way to take care of them somehow, but just look at her," Benny continued, his voice full of grief and anger as he gestured towards the devastated Iron Fortress, a sense of helplessness seeping through his words.

"I understand," Nozomu said, nodding, understanding the depth of Benny's anguish and the fire of rage boiling within him.

"She's beyond repair... There's no rebuilding her," Benny confessed, and a wave of weakness and frustration washed over him, leaving him feeling feeble and inadequate as Nozomu gently placed his hand on his shoulder.

 "I know you're still hesitant about the idea, but remember, you're always welcome to join us. You know we have more than enough space for you and your people." 

Nozomu's words carried an undercurrent of persuasion as he sought to win Benny over and convince him to join their cause. Benny covered his face with his palm, muffling his voice as he mumbled, "I know what it means to come with you, Nozomu. I can't lead my people down that path."

Nozomu's eyes locked with Benny's, his gaze loaded with seriousness. "But if we continue living under the rule of the Mad King, there will be no future for the People of the Wastelands... His reign needs to end. I'm not asking you to follow us into battle, Benny. I'm asking you to have faith in me, to trust that this path will ultimately save all People of the Wastelands."

Benny's attention shifted to Mera, Faye, and Colt, who were braving the aftermath of the chaos, and then to Theo and the other recruits, assisting in the cleanup effort. As Benny stared at the faces of his people, the ones he had cared for, he contemplated before letting out a deep sigh.

"I have no choice..." Benny admitted, his voice heavy with reluctant acceptance. "Fine... You've finally won me over. Happy now?"

"We have to keep forging ahead, Benny. If not for ourselves, then at least for the sake of our collective future," Nozomu urged, beginning to take his leave.

"We'll extend our camp here a little longer, allowing you to gather whatever you can recover. We'll head out around noon," Nozomu said, but Benny had been lost in a daze, silently observing the blazing inferno, a fiery spectacle of bodies near them.

"Yeah..." Benny replied, his voice absent-minded as Nozomu continued his journey along the trail of rubble, his eyes catching the sight of Pop up ahead.

"Yo," Pop greeted Nozomu, falling into step alongside him.

"What do you want, Pop?" Nozomu asked, a hint of suspicion in his tone.

"Firstly, who said I wanted something? And secondly, why assume that I have nothing to report?" Pop retorted, feeling personally affronted by Nozomu's words.

"If it were important, why waste your time waiting for me when you could have sent a whisper?" Nozomu questioned, leaving Pop momentarily speechless, caught off guard by Nozomu's pointed response.

"Okay, you've got me..." Pop answered as they continued down the dirt path. 

"So, what is it?" 

"...You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Nozomu?" Pop asked, causing Nozomu to come to a halt. He turned to face Pop, his gaze unsettling.

"You knew he was following us, didn't you?" Pop asked, but to Nozomu, Pop's question seemed to have materialized out of thin air. But Pop was a sharp thinker, and the information did not add up. 

A brisk morning breeze swept across the landscape as the two locked eyes, a tense silence hanging between them.

"And why do you think that?"

"...Suddenly altering our course away from the base... Coincidentally giving Evaughn and Tana orders to rendezvous with us here, and where did you disappear to in the end? It wasn't to check on Bella and the others. It just doesn't make any sense. Know what I mean?"

Nozomu stared at Pop, then turned his gaze toward the rising sun as it emerged on the horizon, casting a warm glow across the terrain. "Of course, I knew, Pop."

Pop's anger surged, his fist clenching tightly. The intensity of his emotions radiated from within him, flushing his face with heat.

"Nozomu... Are you saying that you intentionally led the enemy here?" Pop muttered under his breath, his voice laced with disbelief and anger.

"What's the problem, Pop?" Nozomu asked, glancing at Pop, his expression remaining stoic as ever.

"What's the problem...?" Pop repeated, his frustration unmistakable as he seized Nozomu by the collar, his grip tightening.

With calmness, Nozomu maintained eye contact with Pop before his gaze fixed on the hand clutching his collar. Slowly, Pop's grip loosened, and Nozomu took a moment to adjust his collar before clearing his throat, preparing to explain himself.

"I won't lie to you, Pop, because you're one of the few people I trust completely. They had been following us shortly after we departed from Artimia. That's when I realized there was an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Leading them here would prevent them from finding our base, and if they attacked us here, Benny would have to reconsider abandoning this place and joining our cause. However, I never anticipated this plan to bring down the Iron Fortress."

"Nozomu... A lot of innocent people lost their lives! Can't you understand that!?" Pop's voice trembled as he spoke with anger and sorrow, his words heavy with the weight of the lives lost during the battle. 

"I do understand, Pop. Trust me, I do. But to liberate the People of the Wastelands from the chains of the Mad King, we must be prepared to accept the sacrifices and casualties that come with it. Regardless of the methods used, whatever the means to the end. We must continue moving forward."

Pop's expression twisted as he listened to Nozomu's words, battling his internal turmoil, torn between his emotions and the cause they fought for.

"Pop, what's the cost of freedom?" Nozomu probed, giving him a moment to contemplate. After a brief silence, Pop sighed, surrendering to the truth as he replied, "Sacrifices..."

"Exactly, sacrifices," Nozomu affirmed before resuming his stride down the dirt path. "This stays between us. Understood?"

"...Yes, sir," Pop replied, his face still etched with a whirlwind of emotions.

Later, around midday, Benny and his companions salvaged what they could from the wreckage. The two carriages belonging to Nozomu and his comrades contained supplies and luggage, while Benny also had an equally-sized carriage loaded with salvageable from the wreck.

"That should be everything," Benny informed Evaughn, settling himself at the helm of the horses and taking hold of the reins.

"Are you sure? Once we set off, there's no turning back. It'll be a good amount of time before we can return here," Evaughn gently reminded him, emphasizing the weight of their decision.

"Marco! Have we gathered all the valuable items we could recover?" Benny shouted back to the group with a sense of urgency.

"Yes, sir!" Marco swiftly replied, navigating his way to join Benny in the front of the carriage.

"Alright then, it's time to move out!" Nozomu called out to the group, prompting the rest of Benny's people to board the three crowded carriages brimming with belongings. 

Theo stood outside the carriage, accompanied by David and Dawn, gently caressing Mimi's head. The remaining recruits gathered around them, their presence providing a sense of camaraderie.

"Thank goodness we all made it out alive," Curtis exclaimed, stretching his arms out in relief.

"Barely. It's still hard to fathom that something like this would happen," Clarissa shared with the group.

"Yeah, it felt like a fever dream," Aida chimed in, her words reflecting the disorienting nature of their recent experience.

"It's crystal clear now. We need to become stronger," Arthur conveyed to Bryce and the others.

"Speak for yourself. I'm no pushover," Bryce retorted, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Yeah? Last time I checked, you were damn near about to piss your pants back there," Arthur replied, getting in Bryce's face.

"Do you two ever stop arguing!?" Aeda interjected, her annoyance apparent in her raised voice, fed up with their constant banter.

"I just wish that Benny's friends didn't have to..." Aida's voice trailed off, overwhelmed by her emotions and unable to complete her sentence.

Clarissa placed her hand on Aida's shoulder, comforting her. "I understand. I feel the same way," Clarissa assured Aida as they found solace in their shared grief.

Suddenly, Pop appeared behind them, startling the group. "Why are you all still standing around? Get on the carriage! The Commander has ordered us to move out, so move out!" Pop scolded the recruits, his words brimming with sharp impatience.

"We're sorry! We'll go right away!" Clarissa, Aeda, and Aida replied in unison, ready to comply. However, as they moved to board the carriage, Nozomu blocked the entrance, capturing everyone's attention.

"I have heard reports from the others about your valiant efforts on the battlefield," Nozomu stated, his words carrying a mixture of seriousness and curiosity. The recruits stood nervously, their silence reflecting their anticipation of what he would say next.

"You've all surpassed our expectations and performed admirably. I understand the weight of the casualties hangs heavily on you all, but remember this. Without you here, we would have lost more lives than the ones saved. So be proud of this accomplishment. Your journey towards freedom has just begun," Nozomu commended the recruits, his words filled with admiration for their hard work.

With his encouraging words echoing in their minds, Nozomu boarded the waiting carriage, and the recruits followed after him until only Theo, David, and Dawn remained behind. The air grew heavy with suspense until Dawn finally mustered the courage to break the silence, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"Hey, guys..." Dawn's voice trembled as she stumbled upon a newfound belief.

"Yeah?" 

"What's up?"

Theo and David responded respectively, their tones filled with supportiveness. 

Dawn took a deep breath before continuing, her words punctuated with fear and conclusion. "Even though it's undeniably daunting and filled with risks, I can't help but feel that we've made the right choice by joining their cause."

Dawn's confession hung in the air until both Theo and David broke into smiles, their eyes reflecting a shared sentiment. "Yeah, I think so, too," Theo affirmed. It was as if they had found a new purpose in life. "Just like the Commander said, our journey has just begun."

David nodded in agreement, a flicker of excitement dancing in his eyes as the trio's confidence grew. "Absolutely. We've taken the first step towards something greater."

Suddenly, Pop descended from the top of the carriage, hovering above them, injecting a touch of urgency into the moment.

"Move your ass, or we're leaving you behind!" Pop bellowed, his words accompanied by a distasteful look, prompting the trio to scramble and board the carriage swiftly in a mild panic before it departed.

"Move out!" Nozomu's voice thundered, amplified by a surge of adrenaline as he, Evaughn, and Benny took the reins of the three carriages, skillfully guiding them into the vast and breathtaking expanse of the Wastelands, their destination cloaked in uncertainty.