Tempest: The Renegade

Phase 1: Picking Up the Pieces, part 1

"I am fully aware what happened. And I know how much does it divide us. But now, it's not time to create imaginary enemies when we have real ones we have to face! The situation is grim and if we want to fend off the imminent danger, if we want a chance to do so, we have to stop dividing the society into Healthy and Castaways and start to divide it according to their allegiance - those who are on Nightingale's side and those who aren't. We're losing our ground, but there is still hope if we change the way we think and unite. We can reclaim Bifröst and win the war. But to do so, we have to get rid of the enmity within our own ranks, within the people who should be fighting together."

- The speech of Jaroslav Havel a day after Nightingale's attack on Bifröst

The battle for Bifröst and its consequences

After a long battle exhausting for both sides, the outlaw Castaway named Valentina, also known as Nightingale, had seized the city of Bifröst which is the capital of business, science, industry and technology in the Demilitarized Industrial Alliance of Northern Areas (DIANA).

The battle started in the morning and lasted until the late night hours where the Warden forces accompanied by the army finally decided to withdraw from the city. They surrendered after Valentina revealed a shocking fact - that she has both a cure and a vaccine for Flicker, a terminal Castaway illness. The scientists she accepted examined the samples and confirmed they really are able to stop the illness.

After Valentina revealed she possesses the serums and is willing to provide it to anyone who will join her ranks, many Castaway Wardens turned against their colleagues and, after joining forces with Valentina's henchmen and mutilated Castaways overdosed on Augments known as Vultures, they gradually pushed the allied forces away from the city.

Surprisingly enough, Valentina let the civilians leave the city in peace. A full evacuation was commenced and all the inhabitants are now safe, staying in temporary housing until the city is reclaimed. Only several designated people, chosen by Valentina herself, stayed in the city. They are mostly prominent scientists and technology experts who, apparently, are forced to mass-produce the cure for Flicker which is now heavily guarded on an unknown place in Bifröst.

The city became a stronghold guarded by Nightingale's army whose numbers are still growing - after proving she has a cure for the most feared illness among Castaways, many Castaways including successful Champions who were passive until now decided to join her ranks.

The politicians are aware of the situation, but all the official places can do at the moment is to closely observe the situation and discuss the possible solutions. Valentina already stated that a full military strike on the city would result on heavy civilian casualties in the neighboring cities since the Castaway terrorist already expanded her aerial fleet. Any action taken against her comes with an unacceptable risk the authorities aren't willing to take yet.

As Valentina stated right after her terrorist attack in Ostrava which started all the trouble, her ultimate goal is to liberate the Castaways in the Dead Zone, arm them with weapons and artificial limbs and seize the whole Europe. It can be presumed that Valentina's stay in Bifröst is only temporary, serving her to recruit new followers and stock supplies into several stolen aircarriers.

We can only guess for how long is she going to stay in Bifröst and when can we expect the final phase of her scheme. One thing is for sure - the whole of Europe is in grave danger and the chances of stopping the army of outlaws are very slim. Europe is now trying to negotiate an international help. All Neoclash tournaments have been postponed until further notice.