Chapter Text
July 6th, 2324 – Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine
“Psst! This way!” the wheelchair-bound Dominik hissed to his family in a dark alleyway.
Hand in hand, Karina drags Oliwia across the alleyway, looking both ways anxiously for any incoming Imperial patrol. They could hear the sounds of gunshots and artillery fire echoing in the distance all around them, only heightening the doom and gloom that befell the Ukrainian capital city.
"Hurry, before the patrols find us!” he turns his wheelchair around to face them.
They soon ran into the arm of the family patriarch as he held onto them tightly. He heaved a sigh of relief that his family is still safe and intact, but there was no telling how far that relief will go.
All around them, the once vibrant city of Kyiv – the capital city of Ukraine and the center of the European States Allied Forces’ temporary political power – has fallen to the Holy European Empire. There was nothing but muffled explosions and chaos as the last of the Ukrainian defenders succumb to the might of the Empire’s elite Enforcer Corps. Killings were taking place in all corners of the city, leaving no place safe to hide behind.
“We have to find another place to hide, we can’t let them find us.” Dominik urged them.
“But where will we go?” Karina questioned tensely, “There are patrols and guards at every building across the city!”
“Shh! Not too loud!
The small Oliwia huddled into her mother’s arms and cried softly, unable to hold the fear within her. Her whimpering could be heard by both parents, prompting them to huddle around her and hug onto her.
“Mama, Tata, I’m scared.” Oliwia whimpered.
“We’ll be okay, as long as we stick together.” her father tried to reassure her, but it doesn’t seem to be working.
“Why did we have to leave the church? We were safe there.”
Her parents explained that they had no choice but to leave their sanctuary, the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, when the Imperials broke through the church. Amidst the chaos, despite the cries of sanctuary by the priests inside, no one was safe as the enemy soldiers opened fire on the civilians hiding inside, killing many inside as everyone tried to flee the carnage. Oliwia's family was lucky to escape the church by running out of the back door, but the others inside did not share the same luck as bullets tore through their bodies indiscriminately.
“But why would they shoot in a church of God? It’s unthinkable!” Oliwia sobbed into her mother’s chest.
“I know sweetie… I know.” Karina held her closer into her arms. She had no words to express the barbaric actions of an Empire which prides itself of its Christian heritage, especially in the confines of a Catholic church.
Dominik rose up and urged his family to keep moving. It wasn’t safe where they were at the moment. It wasn't safe for them anywhere in this city now filled with Imperial occupiers. “Come on, we have to keep moving. We need to find a place to hide before the soldiers find us.” he tells them.
Once more, Karina picks Oliwia up and pushed Dominik across the alleyway. The small Oliwia struggled to keep up with both her parents as they plotted their escape to a more secure location, wherever that may be.
“Mama, wait! I can’t keep up!” she pleaded to them in a squeaky voice.
Her words fell on deaf ears as her parents continued to speed past her. Oliwia tried her hardest to keep up, but her heavy breathing was getting louder and louder with each passing breath.
“Mama, Tata, please! I can’t keep up!”
Her mother slowed down and went onto her only daughter, waiting patiently for her to catch her breath. She contemplates on carrying her all the way, but that will only slow both of them down; Oliwia isn’t a baby anymore.
“Take in deep breaths,” she whispered to her daughter, “Take in deep breaths…”
Oliwia did as her mother instructed, taking in deep breaths slowly to catch her breath. Meanwhile her father was slowly rolling his way back to them, his face contorted to a worried expression. “What are you doing? We must go now!” he hissed.
“Can’t you see that your daughter is trying to catch her breath?” his wife looked back at him tersely.
“B-but we must keep moving-”
“For God sakes, please wait for her!”
Dominik looked at his wife in the eyes worriedly before looking over to his daughter. He could see the fear and fatigue in her face, hearing her heavy breathing and panting echoing across the alleyway. He looked at her with a sorrowful expression; he shouldn’t be asking her to do all this. He shouldn’t be seeing his daughter in complete fear at all.
“Oliwia my dear, are you okay?” he asked calmly.
Oliwia looked up to her father. “I… I can’t keep moving.”
“Yes you can, we can get out of this together, I promise!”
Oliwia wasn’t sure if she could keep up any longer. “I don’t know if I have the strength to continue!” she said through baited breath.
Her mother held onto her hand tightly. “You must. We have to stick together.”
“But where will we go? I don’t want to get caught!”
Dominik pushed himself over to her and held onto her hand tightly. He have the biggest smile he could give even in difficult times; he had to if he wanted to reassure her that things will be alright, even when they don’t seem like it.
“Oliwia, listen to me,” he looked into her eyes, “We will get out of here alive. We just need to keep moving.”
“B-but where will we go? Mama said that all-”
“We will find a way out of here. As long as we stick together as a family, nothing bad will happen to us. I promise.”
Oliwia looked into her father’s eyes with a mixture of hope and concern. She wished that she could believe in his words when he says that they will be alright, but after the indescribable terror in the church and their current situation, it’s hard for her to know what to believe in or not.
“But what happens if they find us?” she whimpers, “W-will they kill us?”
“Never, not a chance. I won’t let it happen.” her father tried to reassure her.
“We will do everything we can to protect you. No harm will come to you.” her mother tried to reassure her.
She looked into both her parents’ eyes and saw nothing but fragile hope and uncertainty in them. Despite her reservations, just hearing from her parents that they will do everything they can to protect her and the family was enough for her to just nod her head.
“Okay… I will put my trust in our family and God to guide us out of here.” she replies.
With a renewed sense of urgency, Oliwia catches her breath and got up. Karina got up and walked over to her husband and begins to push his wheelchair slowly towards the alley.
However, whatever hope they felt before soon faded by the sudden roar of engines.
“What the-? We’ve been spotted!” Dominik gasped.
“Quickly, we must go!” Karina cried out.
The family picked up the pace as they ran down the alleyway. Karina pushes Dominik’s wheelchair down the dark corridor as Oliwia ran behind them. Their frantic footsteps echoes across the alley, catching the attention of the enemy soldiers on the other side.
“¡Alguien está aqui!” they could hear an enemy soldier informing his comrades.
“¡No los dejes escapar! ¡No los dejes escapar!” the order from the other soldier responded to his compatriots.
The new orders were accompanied by the radio chatter as the platoon leaders warn their other compatriots of possible intrusions coming from their sector. Their voices reverberate across the alley, only heightening the fear within the Polish family escaping capture for their lives.
“Hurry! We must get out of here before they spot us!” Dominik gasped.
Karina looks back and sees Oliwia struggling to catch up; her motherly instincts kick in as she grabs onto her hand and pulls her closer. It became a balancing act for her as she has to pull Dominik’s wheelchair and guide her only daughter out of danger’s way.
“There’s the exit! Hurry!” the family’s patriarch cried out.
“Oliwia, stay close!” her mother pleaded to her.
But alas, it was too late.
As soon as they reach to the end of the alley, an Enforcer Corps AMZ-26 Badger rolls up in front of them.
“Eek! No!” Oliwia cried out.
“We’re too late!” Karina gasped, her heart sinking as she realizes they were trapped.
The family grinds to a halt as Dominik froze in his spot with both hands up in fear while Karina brings Oliwia close into her arms. The guns of the enemy points to the family as Enforcer Corps soldiers ran down the street and corners them.
“Hände hoch, alle!” one of the soldiers barked to the family.
The family did as they were told under duress and raised both hands up. “S-sir, please! We have done nothing wrong!” Dominik pleaded to the soldiers, but it seems as if the German soldiers did not speak the same language as them.
“Kein Gerede mehr! Durchsuchen Sie sie! Es könnten ukrainische Rebellen sein!” the platoon leader barked to the captured family before issuing the search order.
There was nothing but an atmosphere of fear as the German Enforcer Corps soldiers began to frisk the family for any weapons. Even though the family had nothing on them, it didn’t stop them from furthering their search. One of the soldiers grabbed Oliwia and dragged her away from Karina’s arms forcibly.
“No! Don’t touch! MAMA! TATA!” Oliwia screamed as the soldiers dragged her away.
“NO! MY DAUGHTER!” Karina screamed at the top of her lungs.
“Den Mund halten! Suche das kleine Mädchen!” the German platoon leader barked angrily.
“MAMA! TATA!” Oliwia screamed once more. Tears ran down her face as the soldiers dragged her away.
"Let go of my daughter, she’s done nothing wrong!” Dominik pleaded, but the Enforcer Corps soldiers did not listen to him.
“Halt die Klappe, Ketzer!”
The German soldier pushes Dominik off the wheelchair, sending his limp body to the ground. Karina and Oliwia screamed in terror as the soldiers mercilessly beat the family patriarch up. Their pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears as the beating continued.
The air fills with the sounds of sobbing as the soldiers forcibly frisks Oliwia for any “weapons” that she may be holding in her possession. Held back by the enemy soldiers, Karina and Dominik could do nothing but sob as their only daughter is defiled by the enemy soldiers for a crime she did not commit.
“Don’t hurt my daughter, please!” Karina cried out, but again they did not listen.
Oliwia stood against the wall crying as the soldiers frisked her. She couldn’t hold back her emotions as they searched her, whimpering as tears covered her face. She fears that she will die today if she made a false move; these soldiers appear to not be messing around.
“B-but I’ve done nothing wrong! I’m innocent!” she begged them, but they obviously weren’t taking note, ignoring her willfully.
“Schweigen!” her captors growled.
“I don’t have any weapons, I promise!”
The German soldier got tired of her constant begging and raises his hand to strike her. Dominik and Karina gasped in horror as the soldier prepares to strike their only daughter for nothing.
“Wenn du nicht den Mund hältst, werde ich es tun-!”
“Enough!” a booming voice calls out.
Everyone stopped to see a tall and imposing German with weathered features and steely-blue eyes, chestnut-brown hair with silver streaks tied to a ponytail approaching them. He wore the Enforcer Corps battle uniform with a clerical collar and white fascia sash – all worn and meticulously maintained – bearing the emblem that identifies him as a member of the Imperial Templars, the Empire’s political officers.
“Father Tobias Keller.” the German soldiers moved out of the way.
“What are you doing? Stealing from an innocent family? Have you not plundered the city enough already? You should all be ashamed.” the priest looked to his troops, his stature giving out a commanding presence to all those around.
“Father, they’re rebel spies with weapons on them.” one of the soldiers replied.
“That’s not true! Father, we’re innocent victims fleeing the war!” Dominik explained fearfully.
Father Keller looked to the family intensely, examining them before looking back at the soldiers under his command. “They don’t look like rebels to me,” he said, “All I see is a family in need of help.”
He glares at the soldiers frisking Oliwia; the German soldiers backed off as Oliwia ran back into her mother’s arms.
“Father, we’ve been given orders by Lord Dragunov to hunt down all heretics and traitors. These people were found fleeing the alleyways, the perfect hiding ground for heretic rebels.” the soldier insisted.
“So you think it was a good idea to strip the daughter away from the parents and beat a disabled person without any evidence?” Father Keller demanded.
“F-father, we are only following orders-”
“Enough! I don’t want to hear anymore of your lies.” the German Catholic priest said before issuing new orders to the group.
“Take the family to the city square, they are to be relocated out of the city westward.”
“B-but father, that’s not our current orders!” the platoon leader remarked.
The German father glares at the questioning platoon leader. “Do you defy the orders of a priest?”
The platoon leader in question became silent and shook his head. Father Keller scoffed and turned around, “Take the family to the city square now. That’s an order!”
He looks to the disabled Dominik and glares at the offending soldiers that beat him up. “And put him back on the wheelchair! I don’t have to bark it out!”
The German soldiers complied, helping Dominik back up on his wheelchair while the others ushered the fearful Karina and Oliwia into the back of the Badger IFV. As soon as Dominik is loaded up into the armored vehicle, the door slams behind them as the vehicle speeds away down the road.
Father Keller, the only one remaining on the street, shook his head and sighs as another platoon of predominantly Spanish soldiers approached him from the other side.
*****
Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine
“We’re here. Get out!” the German soldier orders to the Zielinski family.
The rear doors open as the soldiers ushered Dominik, Karina, and Oliwia out of the vehicle. In front of them were the remains of the once vibrant Ukrainian Independence Square; many buildings were bombed out and scarred as debris lay all around them. Dead bodies not picked up were also a common sight in the destroyed city square, only adding to the tragedy that awaits those under occupation.
“Oh no… This is horrible…” Oliwia sighed sadly.
In the square, hundreds of other frightened civilians like them are being herded like cattle as the Imperial Army’s battle droids ushered them in groups into trucks.
“Move it people, get on the trucks!” one of the battle droids ordered in the characteristic nasally, robotic voice.
The Zielinski family are herded into another group of frightened civilians of all European nationalities. They could see the worried looks and hear the crying voices all around them as the battle droids stood over them menacingly. No one dared to oppose them; the dead bodies in front of them served as a reminder of what happens to those who defied the will of the Holy European Empire.
“Stay together.” Dominik huddled with his family.
Oliwia hugged onto her mother tightly, sobbing silently in fear for what was to come. Karina held onto her husband and daughter as the future looked bleak for all of them. She sobbed alongside her daughter as Dominik did everything he could to calm them down to no avail.
“As long as if we’re together, we will be alright…” he tried to reassure them. It was all he could say in these dark times.
Things took a turn for the worst as a platoon of four Badger IFVs suddenly pulls up into the city square. Everyone looked in fear as the rear doors of the lead IFV opens up; out came a man sporting all black armor and cloak, his battle mask defined by blood red visors and three scratch marks running down the front.
“It’s him.” one of the battle droids whispered to the Imperial Army’s tactical battle droid.
The tactical battle droid looks to the IFV carrying the dark lord. “It’s him. It’s Lord Dragunov."
Behind Lord Dragunov came five more of his dark acolytes, all wearing the same style of black armor with red scar marks plastered visibly across their armor.
“The Knights of Stain. Ghouls.” a battle droid quipped.
“Shut up.” the tactical battle droid ordered.
The captured civilians murmured and whimpered in fear as the dark lord of the dreaded Knights of Stain approached them. They knew too well of their atrocities and deeds of how they slaughtered the ESAF soldiers and pro heroes with ease. They feared of what they will become if their lives are in the hands of those the Empire deems as the Imperial warlords.
“Get up! Get up now!” the tactical battle droid commanded.
Everyone got up under duress as Dragunov, his feared presence demanding fear and obedience, stood in front of them.
<<Citizens, you have been liberated from the tyranny of the European States Allied Forces,>> the dark lord’s voice boomed, <<You are no longer slaves to an oppressive regime that favors heretics over the innocents.>>
The fear-struck civilians said nothing as Dragunov’s dark presence looms over them. <<For those with Quirks, you are all automatically guilty of treason and heresy and will be dealt with swiftly. Traitors have no place in this new Empire. For those without Quirks, you will be relocated to a more… secure location, where you will be processed and relocated to a better location.>>
Everyone around stood in fear, but Oliwia began to feel a strange sensation brewing in her. It was as if her blood was boiling with indignation, replacing fear with anger.
She couldn’t believe with what she was hearing; she couldn’t comprehend that those with Quirks – her family including – are to be “dealt with swiftly”. She’s heard it many times before, but to hear it up close made her mad. She questions how they could accuse innocent people of treason and heresy because of their Quirks, how they could tear families apart without a second thought.
It made her do the unthinkable.
Driven by a surge of righteous anger, she stepped forward, her voice ringing out clear and defiant. “You have no right to do this!” she cried out.
Everyone gasped at the thought of someone standing up to the Empire. “We’re not traitors! We’re just trying to survive!”
“Oliwia, no!” Dominik whispered urgently before Karina quickly pulled Oliwia back in.
But already it was too late. Dragunov heard her outburst and turns around with his crossguard lightsaber ignited. << Who said that?!>> he growled.
The battle droids, also hearing her cry of defiance, began to scan the crowd and searched for the source of the insubordination. Everyone held their breaths, their fear tightening around them as their eyeless heads turns to face the crowds.
“It sounded like a child made that remark.” the tactical droid reported to the dark lord.
<<An arrogant child?! Which one?!>> he demanded.
“We do not know. There are too many people around to search for the little one.”
Dragunov scoffed and disarms his signature weapon. <<Oooh, impudent wretch…>>
To the Zielinski family’s relief, Oliwia’s outburst seemed to go unnoticed. Still, Dragunov’s gaze swept over the crowd as his expression hardened with hatred and anger. Just seeing these people made him sick; it was time to send them off.
<<Get these traitors and heretics out of my sight now! Load them up in the trucks! Now!>> he orders.
The battle droids complied, moving forward with their assault rifles forward and forcing the crowds to move or face death. Against their will, the captured civilians move towards the back of the waiting trucks. Dragunov and his dark acolytes walked over to the convoy leader, banging his fist on the rear door of the Badger before one of the soldiers opened up.
“Yes my Lord?”
<<Take these heretics to Bakhine. All of them. Tell the warden that new arrivals are coming from Kyiv, and make it snappy!>>
“Yes my Lord!” the soldier saluted him before going off to warn the driver.
As Dominik, Karina, and Oliwia are herded onto one of the trucks, they clung onto each other tightly. Their hearts became heavy with grief and fear for what lays ahead.
“Mama, Tata, where are we going? I’m scared.” Oliwia whimpered.
Neither her father or mother answered her question. They too don’t know where they will be taken to, or what laid ahead of them.
The engines of the trucks soon roared to life before they rolled down the streets of the ruined capital city. It wasn’t long before the convoy – and the hundreds of civilians captured and held against their will – leave Kyiv and heads west towards Bakhine, where their fates will soon be sealed.