AC0 Cutscenes

1
25 Nov. 2005
Near a disputed border

“Oh him? Yeah, I know him. It’s going to take awhile… It happened years ago.”
“Did you know there are three kinds of aces? Those who seek strength, those who live for pride, and those who can read the tide of battle. Those are the three. And Him, he was a true ace,”

He was a fighter pilot called ‘Solo Wing Pixy’. He was a colleague of the man I seek.

10 years ago, there was a war that engulfed the world...the Belkan war.
And in that war was a pilot who trailed across the sky, and disappeared from history.
He was a lone mercenary who inspired both fear, and admiration.
He is the man I seek. And so…

With the words of Solo Wing, the curtain rises.

“It was a cold and snowy day…”

2----------------------------------------

The Belkan War is shrouded in mystery.
But now, a decade after the peace accords, a portion of the records was finally released.
I quickly got ahold of it. Wanting more details, I acquired information from unknown sources.
There was a reason for my obsession.

The roots of the Belkan War lie in the Belkan federal law review that took place in 1988.
Belka, suffering from economic strife, permitted its eastern territory to secede…
And the Republic of Ustio was born.

But Belka’s economic troubles did not subside.
Meanwhile, taking advantage of the situation, the world superpower Osea continued to flourish.
Amidst the economic panic, an extreme right-wing party took power within Belka, aiming to restore strength and stability to the nation.

And on March 25th, 1995, with the discovery of natural resources in Ustio, Belka began to invade its neighbors.

It was the beginning of the Belkan War.

Unprepared, each country fell before the might of the legendary Belkan Air Force.
In just a few days, they occupied all territories except for the mountain range.

In response, the occupied Ustio government military placed all its hopes on a joint operation between Osea and the foreign mercenary forces.

This, of course, can be found in any history book.

But I noticed a strange similarity in all the materials I gathered.
There were several accounts about a mercenary, all followed by the codeword ‘Demon’.
But most of the information was incomplete.
Still, I was intrigued.
I decided to pursue the history of the Belkan War through this mercenary.
I was certain I would find something there.

Would it be the hidden truth behind the war?
Or just another battlefield legend?

I wasn’t able to meet the mercenary himself.
Actually, it’s questionable if he ever did exist.
But thanks to some old friends in the military, I was able to track down several individuals who knew him.

“Solo Wing” is one such man.

3---------------------------------------------

13 May, 1995
Directus, Ustio

The true nature of the war begins from this point forward.
Accounts vary depending on the article and source.
Everyone's a hero and a villain.
And no one knows who’s the victim, and who’s the aggressor.

And what is “Peace”?

All questions commonly asked about any war in history.

As the battlegrounds move to Belka…
“He” is also thrust into the middle of this war.
This is also where my interests shift from the war to Him.

4---------------------------------------------------------------

My pulse raced at the astounding accomplishments of the mercenary known as “Demon Lord”.
I forgot about my job and read everything I had on hand.
Around the time “Demon Lord” received his nickname, South Belka was beginning to show weakness regarding the war.
Because the region was set up as a defense line to protect the birthplace of Belka in the north, the people’s dissatisfaction had reached a climax.
The cities declared themselves demilitarized, and peacefully surrendered to the Allied forces.

Unable to establish a defensive position, the Belkan army kept retreating to the north.

The end of the war was fast approaching.

I was given an opportunity to interview the former aces of the Belkan air force.
Back then, they were the masters of the sky.
And they had also known him.

So I crossed the border to follow his trail.
I wanted the capture the war and the “Demon Lord” from their point of view.
To capture the voices of those who were there.

5M---------------------------------------------------

Interview #01M
‘A Pilot That Lives By Pride’

The University of Dinsmark, Belka
12 Oct, 2005

Rot 1
Detlef ‘Red Swallow’ Fleischer
Belkan Air Force / 2nd Air Division / 52nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

With his skill and demeanor, he was practically a poster boy for the armed forces.
Today he is a professor of history at the University of Dinsmark.

“Back then, I was bursting with pride. I wanted to lead us to victory, for Belka’s honor.
 Staying where it was nice and warm wouldn’t accomplish anything.”

“My flight’s mission was to maintain air superiority in Area B7R, an essential area that we                couldn’t allow to be violated. That day, when I heard the order from HQ for reinforcements, I became angry. The stationed force was in chaos because of just two mercenaries.
There was no way the mighty Belkan Air Force could lose to mere mercenaries.
My pride was shot and the Round Table was defiled.”
“What went wrong? Whatever it may be, the fact remains I was forced to walk a different path in life than the one I had envisioned.”

5S----------------------------------------------------

Interview #01S
‘The Strategist’

Sudentor, Belka
15 Oct, 2005

Grun 1
Bernhard ‘Owl’ Schmidt
Belkan Air Force / 10th Air Division / 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron

A man with the eyes of an owl.
Fighting with distinguished service on the battlefield, he quickly earned the title of ‘Ace’ with his uncanny ability to adapt to the flow of battle.

“I had a bad feeling when I was flying towards the Round Table.
Why were they having problems downing two mercenaries?
I figured it was just temporary chaos and it would be over by the time I got there.
The pilots of the Belkan Air Force are true professionals, but when I saw the situation I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

“I thought maybe my IFF was malfunctioning. There were still two enemies on the radar.
Everyone else in my squadron had the same reaction, ‘This is really happening...’.”

“Every now and then, guys like that appear on the battlefield. Someone special, you know?
I squinted my eyes and confirmed the situation; checked the terrain, air currents, his plane, his maneuvers and his remaining ammo.
I figured I could do it.”

“I knew what I was getting into, but he still outmaneuvered me beyond my expectation.”

5K---------------------------------------------------

Interview #01K
‘A Man Who Upholds Honor’

Lichtenburg, Belka
10 Oct, 2005

Indigo 1
Dmitri ‘Indigo Heron’ Heinreich
Belkan Air Force / 7th Air Division / 51st Tactical Fighter Squadron

An ace whose precision and grace in flying earned him the title of ‘Blue Heron’.
Today, he has his hands full with the family business.

“That day, right before I deployed, my airspace assignment was changed.
Initially, my squadron was assigned to the stable eastern front.
That was changed to Area B7R.
The Round Table, where casualties were recorded at a fearsome pace.
It’s also the place where I met Him.”

“It was just two planes; Him and an Eagle.
And yet our lead force didn’t stand a chance against them.
I could tell he was good, and it was going to be bad for us.”

“But there was something else I noticed.
He hesitated. A vulnerability that can be exploited.
I was certain I would win. The pilot was still young.
He had yet to master the rules of combat…

But in the end, I was shot down.”

6M---------------------------------------------------

Interview #02
‘The Fallen’

Directus, Ustio
13 Sep, 2005

Gelb 2
Rainer ‘Cormorant’ Altman
Belkan Air Force / 5th Air Division / 23rd Tactical Fighter Squadron

Altman flew the skies of Directus during the capital’s liberation.
And he’s still there to this day.

“I met him above this very sky. I can still hear the sound of the missile alerts from that day.
I received an order to fly to Directus on my way back from an intercept mission on the southern defense line.
The order itself wasn’t unusual; we kept being deployed from one mission to the next without receiving even basic maintenance.
But the situation was the same all around.”

“We were late reaching the operational airspace.
The stationed squadrons had already retreated, and warning bells were going off in the city…
And the people were looking up to his plane, high above the sky.”

“He pursued me relentlessly; as soon as I thought I’d shook him off, there he was again.
The never ending sound of the missile alerts put fear in my heart for the first time.”

7M------------------------------------------

Interview #03M
‘The Bringer Of Death’

Oured, Osea
22 Sep, 2005

Schwarze Leader
Dominic ‘Vulture’ Zubov
Belkan Air Force / 13th Night Fighter Air Division / 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron

This man was head of the command group, and was known as the ‘Vulture’.
He fled after the final battle in order to avoid persecution for various war crimes.
He is still on the run, and is being hunted as an escaped killer.

“Sorry about the accommodations, it goes with the business. I’m not active during the day.”

“Back then, I was a shadow assassin, an ‘escapee killer’.
Given the order, I’d even shoot down my own comrades.
I received an order on that day to take down a deserting craft.
It was typical assignment. But… something unexpected happened.
My target was no new recruit, but a top ace of the Belkan Air Force.
And he just had to go and run straight into the chaos at the Round Table.
The man was sharp, just like the rumors.”

“But that wasn’t the problem; the problem was that the mercenary team of Solo Wing and Him were there.
Thanks to them, I lost my target.
I figured the least I could do was take them down in return.”

“Of course, that was where my luck ran out.”

7S------------------------------------------

Interview #03S
‘A Man Who Lived For Battle’

The State of North Osea
7 Sep, 2005

Schnee 1
Erich ‘Phoenix’ Hillenberand
Belkan Air Force / 22nd Air Division / 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron

He never had great ambitions.
All he ever hoped for was to make a living as a regular pilot.
Today he works as a flight instructor for civilian pilots.

“The instant he shot me, I pulled the lever.
I barely managed to escape from my plane as it burst into flames.
After drifting from the blast, I landed below the Round Table.
It was a wide-open, barren wasteland.
How long would I have to wait for a rescue party?”

“Radio interference within the Round Table was fierce.
The odds of a distress signal actually reaching anyone were low.
I was at a loss for what to do.”

“Anyway, I’d really gone out with a bang this time.
I took it as a sign that it was time for me to retire.”

“But just then, I heard a roaring overhead.
It was his plane.
I was jealous of his calm, flying form.”

“Rather than waiting for the rescue team, I started walking towards the nearest base.
I was driven by a desire to get up there and fight him again.”

“Of course, it did take me three days to get there.”

7K--------------------------------------

Interview #03K
‘The Reborn Veteran’

Birneheim, Belka
24 Sep, 2005

Silber 1
Dietrich ‘Boss’ Kellerman
Belkan Air Force / 51st Air Division / 126th Tactical Fighter Squadron

He was once the top ace of Belka, and a fiery instructor at the Air Force academy.
In 1995, the Belkan Air Force sent him to the front line to bolster morale.

“He was good. From what I’d heard about him, I thought he was still just a young mercenary.
But he’d matured since then. He still wasn’t perfect, but I could see he’d come a long way towards understanding the rules of combat.
What’s important on the battlefield is to let go of hate, to survive, and to adhere to the rules you’ve set for yourself.”

“These are the rules I’ve taught my students.
And when I saw him, I could tell my time was done.
A new generation had inherited the sky.”

“There was no more need for an old soldier like me.”

8---------------------------------------

“Every time I flew with him, his skill stood out.
He was unstoppable.
He was cool-headed and proud; a combat professional.
‘Demon Lord’ fit him perfectly.
Maybe the man was blessed by the Goddess of War.

Before long, everyone had taken notice of him.
More and more would show up to watch him go off on sortie.
Mercenaries or maintenance crews, it didn’t matter.
People wanted to burn his image into their memories.

Hell, they weren’t the only ones.”

9------------------------------------------

--June 6th, 1995

I was still in school at the time, but I’ll never forget the images I saw on the news that day.
The Belkans set off seven nuclear explosions on their own soil.
Maybe their old, militaristic leaders couldn’t stand the idea of Allied forces invading their land.
And declared to the world that the land to the north was the Holy Land of Belka.

According to the records, more than 12,000 people died.
It was a grand self-sacrifice that engulfed all.
The only thing remaining was the desolate landscape.

How did the people of Belka feel about what they saw?

What did He think of it, when He looked down on it from the sky?

10----------------------------------------------

--June 20th, 1995
Lumen, Belka

A treaty declaring the cessation of hostilities was signed in Lumen, a city on the border of South Belka and Osea.
It was a one-sided treaty that heavily favored Osea.
The borders of the affected countries that fluxed greatly over the past years finally settled down at the cost of many human lives.

The battlefield shifted to the tables, and the politicians from all other countries squabbled with each other over the rights to the underground resources-- the initial cause of this war.

Six months passed without any developments.

Six months of void.

I focused on this time period for the hidden truth there.
And I learned that my pursuit of him was not a mistake.

11------------------------------------

30 Nov 2005
Avalon, Belka

So this is the hidden truth behind the war, and this is where his trail ends as well.

The impact of the seven nuclear detonations on the world’s psyche was great.
Those who witnessed the carnage went on to organize a global arms reduction.
Perhaps they were admonishing themselves.

Furthermore, the existence of the V2 was concealed.
The events that occurred after the war faded from people’s memories, and these men were also sealed away from history.
Maybe this was one path to achieve peace.

And here the curtain falls on this story.

However, that doesn’t mean their own stories came to an end.

12M------------------------------------------

A nation is comprised of the individuals who live in its borders.
It can only become a nation when it is supported by those individuals.
But mercenaries who cross lines and allegiance for money have no country to protect.
They only fight for their own power and fame.
But if that was the case, why did I lose to him?
Maybe not having the burden of a nation allows you to fly faster.

-Detlef Fleischer

12S------------------------------------------

War is something fought on the desks of politicians.
As long as they win in the end, that’s all that matters.
But for us, it’s a matter of survival.
In order to survive, you need to analyze the situation in an instant.
It’s the same as living in a city.
The rules of this little city apply just as well to that wide-open sky.
That guy had the same feel about him as this city.

-Bernhard Schmidt

12K-------------------------------------------

I fly under the code of Knighthood.
It’s no surprise since we soldiers are the descendants of the Belkan Knights.
We protect the meek, and give our lives for honor.
But that does not mean that we are generous, since generosity will cost us our lives.
If the pilot survived until the end of the war, he must’ve carried out these rules.

-Dmitri Heinreich

13---------------------------------------------

I bailed out and landed here; the captain was gone.
I’ve lived a comfortable life since then….
And I probably have Him to thank for that.

They ring the bells at dusk to honor the liberation of the capital.
It signals peace, but to me, they are the sounds of death.

-Rainier Altman

14M---------------------------------------------

Is the man still alive?

Though I guess it is hard for bad guys like us to die.
The real heroes always manage to die first.
But guys like Him, Solo Wing and me?
We live the rest of our lives in hell.
But, then again, being alive is proof that we were good!

-Dominic Zubov

14S----------------------------------------------

When a fighter plane goes down, that’s the end.
It disintegrates into pieces, incinerated beyond recognition.
It’s a scary thought.
But it also makes you feel alive.

I left the military, but I still fly that sky.
But it’s pretty lonely up there all by myself.
I’d love to fly with him again someday....

-Erich Hillenberand

14K------------------------------------------------

Hatred cannot be the only motivation for war.
It only brings about more pointless deaths.

I lost most of my students.
They were all my children, flesh and blood.
I will never overcome that grief.

I’ll probably never teach anyone again, nor will I ever go up into the sky again.
I’ve entrusted everything I know to a new generation.

I’ll just look on from here.

-Dietrich Kellerman

15----------------------------------------
Interview #04
‘A Woman Of Undying Faith’

Gran Rudigo, Sapin
20 Oct, 2005

Espada 2
Marcela ‘Macarena’ Vasquez
Sapin Air Force / 9th Air & Land Division / 11th Tactical Fighter Squadron

She is thought to be a survivor of the Coup D’etat squadron.
She currently earns a living as a dancer.

“If the Demon Lord hadn’t appeared, our lives might’ve been different.
For me, it wasn’t about flying, or ideals.
Most of all, it was about Him, my flight lead.”

“Our mission was to escort the Heavy Command Cruiser that was to act as transportation for the organization.
And the Demon Lord appeared, as if to block our paths.
I will never forget his overwhelming power.
One by one, my comrades were shot down, including the mother bird we were supposed to protect.”

“I returned alive from that battle, and I returned to this city, where I grew up.
I left the organization, too.
I never went back to the sky again.
There’s no meaning now that he’s gone.
He died in that fight.”

“But I don’t blame anyone.
The regret and suffering that remained after that battle...were also what he had given me.
They’re among the precious few things he left behind.”

16M------------------------------------------

Interview #05M
‘The Witness’

Oured, Osea
31 Oct, 2005

Sorcerer 1
Anthony ‘Bedivere’ Palmer
Osean Air Force / 8th Air Division / 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

He’s been missing for some time, along with Captain Bristow of the same unit, since the decisive Battle of Waldreich.
Captain Bristow is rumored to be one of the founding members of A World With No Boundaries.
Palmer’s ties to the Captain have led many to believe that he is a high-ranked individual within the group.
He currently works for an insurance company based in Oured, the capital city of Osea.

“‘Demon Lord’ was right.
Everything he touched fell apart.
I thought I was watching magic.”

“When I was in the military, they called me an ace too.
I got medals for my actions on numerous battlefields.
I’d never felt fear towards an opponent.
The same went for my ideals; I wasn’t afraid to take on even an entire country.”

“But when I was fighting him, something felt different.
At first I didn’t know what it was.
It wasn’t until I looked down and noticed my hands shaking on the flight stick that I realized…
It was fear.
It’s embarrassing, but once I felt that, I couldn’t fly anymore.
I felt guilt towards my companions at the time.”

“There’s always a war somewhere and I’m sure he’s on some battlefield somewhere fighting, even now.
He’ll always have a place to live.”

16S-------------------------------------------------

Interview #05S
‘The Guardian’

Holtz Public Cemetery, Belka
25 Oct, 2005

Gault 1
Anton ‘Dr.’ Kupchenko
Belkan Air Force / 18th Air Division / 5th Tactical Fighter Squadron

Thought to be head director of A World With No Boundaries.
In his glory days, he was a Belkan Ace, and later became head of their department of weapons development and technology.
But the military sent him back out to the front lines as a commander.

In March of 1995, he suddenly disappeared along with his platoon, and was never accounted for after that.
The Belkan Air Force announced that he died in combat.

Several months after that, his corpse was found close to the Belkan border.
The whole story is still shrouded in mystery.

‘THE GATE TO THE NEW WORLD HAS BEEN OPENED

MY SOUL SHALL BE THE WIND THAT ENTERS THE GATE

WHEN THE SLEEPING KING AWAKES, MY BODY, TOO, SHALL SURELY RISE’

16K---------------------------------------------

Interview #05K
‘The Revolutionary’

The Osea Federal Prison of Land Ford
11 Nov, 2005

Wizard 1
Joshua ‘Lucan’ Bristow
Osea Air Defense Force / 8th Air Division / 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

His actions during the Belkan War are shrouded in mystery.
And he is rumored to be one of the founders of A World With No Boundaries.
His whereabouts were unknown after the decisive ‘Battle of Waldreich’
But several years later he resurfaced as the leader of a terrorist organization.
Today he is serving time in prison.

“This darkness and that little window are my entire world now.
I’m actually rather fond of it.
The darkness envelops me in a borderless world, a world with no boundaries.”

“He was not the reason we were unable to change.
No matter what the desired outcome is, the world can still change as long as people expand their knowledge and desire change.
Today’s world has already changed from what it was back then.”

17------------------------------------

Final Interview
‘A Brother In Arms’

The Usea continent: Delarus
25 Nov, 2005

Galm 2
Larry ‘Pixy’ Foulke
Ustio Air Force / 6th Air Division / 66th Air Force Unit

Larry Foulke, also known as ‘Solo Wing Pixy’.

That’s right. This man was his buddy.
And his enemy.

“I should have died that day. But I didn't. I dragged my wounded body and reached ground zero of the nuclear detonations. A barren, empty land.”

“I felt an unbearable sadness when I witnessed that landscape. There were still people living there. They were the ones that saved me.”

“It may be true that the world has no need of borders. But would getting rid of them really change anything? The world won't change for the better unless we trust people. Trust is vital in a peaceful world. But that will never happen.”

“I'm still on the battlefield. Right now I'm near a border. I want to see for myself what borders really mean and what their volition really is. I may not find what I'm looking for, but I still want to try.
Anyway, that's what I've come to believe, and I think that's enough.”

“Will he see this video? If you do meet him, give him a message for me:

'Yo buddy. Still alive? And thanks, friend. See you again.’”

The Demon Lord of the Round Table.
A warrior who soared through the Belkan War, inspiring both fear and admiration.
His presence filled the sky for but a few short months before he disappeared.
Apart from that, nothing is known about him.
I was never able to find out what kind of a person he really was.

But whenever they talked about him, they always had a slight smile on their faces.

That, perhaps, may be my answer.