Sanctuary II

The people of Sanctuary came to a standstill as a faint light could be seen in the sky, for a moment, everything was silent, then the people began to realize what this meant.

Troopers were attacked in the streets, as the people of Sanctuary rose up, then the checkpoints were torn down. Within an hour, the city was in chaos.

Varla looked out of her apartment window, watching the chaos. Bartholme burst into her room and ran over to her.

"Ma'am we must evacuate you, a shuttle has landed on the roof to take you back to the Valkyrie" Bartholme said, as he panicked. Varla remained silent as she gazed at the streets below.

"I will be fine, Bartholme" She finally said. "We have the troopers downstairs, they will deal with any intruders" Varla shrugged. Bartholme shook his head.

"They've... joined with the people of Sanctuary" Bartholme frowned. Varla sighed and shrugged.

"Then I'll deal with them, the traitors, and the people of Sanctuary, myself" Varla said, as she turned her gaze to the labs across town.

"There are a select few who have stayed loyal to the Empire, I shall order them to protect this building" Bartholme bowed, as he turned to leave.

"Wait" Varla commanded as she turned to Bartholme. "I have a much better idea" She smiled.

"Ma'am?" Bartholme raised his eyebrow.

"Order all our remaining loyalists and gather them in the lobby" Varla ordered. Bartholme nodded and headed down to the lobby. Varla turned to the window and stared at the lab across town.

Around two hours later, all the loyalists were gathered in the lobby of the apartment complex, Varla stepped out of the nearby elevator and walked in front of them, the chants of the people outside could be heard.

"You may be wondering why I ordered you all down here" Varla began, as she headed behind the reception desk. "Did you ever hear of the Alman Fortress, in the Battle of Skarlit Sky? The story goes, that the Empire troops stationed there, as Atlas' fleet closed in, realized they would lose the upcoming battle. I am sorry to say, that this is where we find ourselves today" She continued, as people began muttering to each other.

"But the men and women of Alaman did NOT surrender, and neither shall we" She smiled, as she pulled a gun from under the desk. "We're gonna go out in a blaze of glory, and take as many of these traitorous fucks as we can. I will soon open the doors of the lobby, when I do, go out there and open fire, do not hesitate, kill as many as you can" She commanded.

A trooper stepped forward.

"I refuse to do follow that order" The trooper said.

"Fair enough" Varla said, as she walked from behind the reception desk. "I understand, go and join those outside, maybe you'll be lucky and live" Varla grinned.

"But, I..." The trooper stuttered.

"GO!" Varla roared. The trooper began walking, as they shook with fear toward the door, Varla raised a gun up and shot them in the back of the head. "Anyone else want to object?" Varla asked, as the remaining loyalists shook their head in a petrified silence.

"Then go forth, my loyal friends" Varla smiled.

"GO FORTH IN THE NAME OF THE VARLAN EMPIRE!" She shouted, as she pushed a button that unlocked the doors of the apartments, as she did a huge crowd of rioters charged into the lobby, the loyalists opened fire on the crowd within an instant, as Varla headed for the basement, Bartholme spotted her leaving and followed her down to the basement.

Varla quietly made her way to an escape tunnel that had been constructed, she knelt down and began spinning the wheel to unlock the door. She came to a stop when she heard footsteps and the click of a gun behind her.

"Was it all lies?" Bartholme asked, as he held a gun to Varla's head.

"Was what all lies?" Varla asked.

"The Empire, your mission, that speech?" Bartholme asked. Varla turned around and stood up, she grinned as Bartholme kept the gun aimed at her head.

"Oh, my sweet Bartholme" She sighed. "Don't tell me that you believed I ever cared about reclaiming the Empire" Varla chuckled.

"Then what was it all for?" Bartholme demanded to know. "Why did we do all this?!" He shouted.

"To stoke the flames of war. To rejoice in the glory of combat" Varla shrugged.

"Why?! What is to be gained from combat?" Bartholme asked.

"Nothing, it is combat for the sake of combat" She rolled her eyes.

"I don't understand" Bartholme frowned.

"I know" Varla sighed. "You aren't like me, Bartholme. I live for war, I killed my first person as a teenager, and it was the first time I ever felt alive. The only time I ever feel alive is when I am taking life" She shrugged. "I'm surprised you only now object, you've seen my cruelty, but did nothing. That disappointed me, I expected you to have at least a little fight in you" Varla frowned.

"I do, it's why we are here now" Bartholme grunted.

"Tell me, do you really think you will be the one to end me? You've never fought a day in your life" Varla shook her head. "Before you joined me, you were some lowly janitor, everybody's friend" She sighed.

"What is wrong with that?" Bartholme asked.

"It's weak, you're weak, your friends are weak. You disgust me, Bartholme. I expected you to break much earlier, but you never did, you helped me commit atrocities. In your fear of me, you became as bad as me" Varla laughed.

"Maybe I did, but at least this is how I die, and not in a lobby, killing a crowd of innocent people" Bartholme smiled.

"So you are prepared to die?" Varla asked.

"Yes, in the name of the Araneian Empire" Bartholme said, as he began to pull the trigger. Varla dodged and stabbed Bartholme in the neck, before kicking him to the floor.

"I'll give you one thing" Varla said, as she gazed down at a dying Bartholme. "You make an okay poached egg" She shrugged, before heading into the escape tunnel.

Varla exited the tunnel after several hours of crawling, in one of the city's parks, she looked around to see chaos around her, and fires roaring in the streets. She laughed to herself.

"Rejoice in the glory of war" Varla yelled, as several resistance members charged at her.