Dietrich was about to reply when Bösch asked rather loudly “What is your plan, Thomas?”

“There is a stable in the Empire camp outside the eastern gate, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And we are able to move the cannons freely, given enough manpower and time?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“I propose we blast down the eastern gate with the cannons, killing the Beans outside, then use the horses from the stable to escape farther east. I assume there would not be enough horses for every soldier to—”

“You’re insane!” Dietrich shouted. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to waste any more of my time listening to you people spout insanity. Your plan is too convoluted, there are far too many opportunities for it to fail spectacularly. We would be much better off defending the walls than attempting a suicide mission that has barely been thought out. Can you not see that? Don’t be so inept.”

Some of the people Sauer did not know exchanged glances and whispers among each other.

“I… I’m s-s-sorry, Thomas, b-b-but… I a-a-agree with L-L-Lieutenant Dietrich. It w-w-would be m-m-much s-s-safer f-f-for us t-t-to d-d-defend t-t-the g-g-gates from w-w-within the w-w-walls, r-r-rather th-th-than a-a-attempt your s-s-suicide m-m-mission…”

Bösch bit his lip. “I understand how you feel, I really do. If this was a normal situation, I would agree that defending our walls would be the best strategic option. But this is not a normal situation. If we wait inside the walls, we are going to die. There are no reinforcements coming to save us, only reinforcements from the enemy. Either we escape Dijon ourselves, now, or we will be overwhelmed. It’s as simple as that.”

Dietrich stood up. “His plan is insane! You can’t possibly be considering it, can you? There’s no way it could actually work. Blasting open the gate would only put us in more danger and make it impossible for us to hold the walls. Don’t be foolish, captain! You’ve already put us in danger by listening to General Krüger’s plan, don’t put us in more by listening to this man!”

The soldier next to Dietrich spoke again. “But, lieutenant… You heard what the captain said. We can’t expect reinforcements. If we could just figure out a better plan, escaping the town seems like it would be the best option. Using the horses is a good idea, but the rest of the plan needs to be worked on.”

Dietrich paused. “We can’t use the horses.”

Bösch narrowed his eyes. “And why is that?”

“The horses that aren’t in the western countryside being eaten by the monsters were given to the French civilians to escape. There may still be horses in the stables, but there are definitely not enough to transport our company, even with the losses we have already suffered.”

Bösch shook his head, his voice gruff. “Alright… We can work with this… Does anyone else—”

A soldier ran down the stairs to the bell tower. He was out of breath, his eyes wide as he glanced around the nave. “Captain Bösch,” the soldier said, his voice wavering, “there’s something… something you need to see, r-r-right now…” Without another word, he ran back up the stairs.

Bösch stood up with such force that his chair fell over. Without a word, he rushed to the stairs, taking them two at a time. The others in the nave went quiet. The soldier next to Dietrich put his head in his hands, Reist hugged the man next to her, and Wagner whispered “N-N-Not a-a-again…”

Sauer and Gladisch followed Bösch up the stairs.

Despite his stature and the fact that he was still wearing plate armor, Bösch was surprisingly nimble. By the time Sauer and Gladisch reached the top of the stairs, Bösch was already deep in conversation with the soldiers at the top. “— it’s easily big enough to break down the gate… my God…”

To the north and south, at least one hundred Beans were making their way steadily through the countryside towards Dijon. They were no further than a kilometer away.

But that was where Captain Bösch was looking. He was looking to the west.

Lumbering from the forest near the improvised camp, broken trees left in its wake, was the largest creature Sauer had ever seen. He was sure that no earthly creature could compare to the sheer size of the Bean emerging from the forest.

It was at least six meters tall and equally as wide, easily able to tower over Dijon's walls. Its pale white shell seemed to shine in the early morning light. It was round and stout, its legs short, perhaps only two meters tall, its arms nearly dragging along the ground as it walked. It had no neck or head, and in the center of its chest was a large, round cavity that looked like a two meter wide crater. Every step it took visibly shook the trees around it.

And every step brought it steadily closer to Dijon’s western gate.

“You,” Bösch said, pointing towards one of the soldiers. “Go downstairs and tell them that we’re doing Thomas’ plan, and that we need to do it now.” The soldier stared at Bösch, mouth agape. “NOW!” The soldier sprinted down the stairs.

A rumbling roar came from the white Bean, so loud and deep that Sauer could feel it in his chest. His throat was dry. “We will not be able to kill that… thing.”

Bösch replied quietly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know… God damn it, I know…” He took a deep breath as he looked to the west. “I know many of my men personally. This was never about protecting the Empire. Even before I saw these abominations, this was about one thing…” He paused, the white Bean’s steps shaking the belltower slightly as it approached. “This has always been about me protecting my brothers in arms, my friends. I would die ten times over before I allow another one of my men to die. I hope your plan works, Thomas, because it’s the only chance we have to get out of here with our lives. May God help us.”

With that, Captain Bösch returned to the nave of Saint Gotthard’s Chapel.