Foreword: Unlike my previous story TFC - Well, I'm experimenting with a more realistic setting but the ironic part is the story is more or less fictional unlike Well which was based on a true experience. Have fun reading and reviewing. Also, more or less, this IS the avanti map so let's all have incredible imagination and not complain if I'm wrong somewhere:)
It happened so quickly in the night, and nobody was prepared for such an onslaught. Defences fell one by one and many a good men died in that battle. There were many rumors about undercover agents and traitors but it could not be fully verified. It happened so quickly. Too quickly.
Our quiet hilltop town had been taken over and now it was a matter of time before the survivors got together for a quick counter strike. The enemy knew we were coming, and they would have had defences set up in the most unlikely places, combined with a score of battle hardened mercenaries. I knew a tough battle lay ahead. One I wasn't so sure I'd come out alive from.
Even so, it was my town. OUR town. I looked at the other faces while the leader of the group laid out the plans. All tired men. Some had managed to evacuate their families in the nick of time, some didn't. I watched the fire in their eyes, and the fear. I could imagine my little Maria hidden... cowering in some dark corner, waiting for me to rescue her. Most of all, I pray she is still alive. Unconciously, I fingered the locket I had of her, with her picture in it.
"We've got to get the church back. That's where they are holding the hostages," Marcello said. He was a tough burly man. No doubt he must have been involved with the mafia at some point of his life, for he spoke like one who has been in the darkness a long time. "If we are lucky, you will see your families again. But no matter what the costs. The town must be liberated."
There was a loud furore as the men agreed. Brother Lucient, the only surviving priest sat beside me. Unlike the other priests, he was still in his twenties. I recall the day he arrived in a cradle at the stairs of the church, abandoned no doubt. Then there was Vincento who sold carpets. He was old. Older than this town some say, and I felt sad for him, that he had to fight for his beloved town. His four sons were part of the defense but they fell quickly. Their corpses with stab wounds in the back.
We left the corpses that we had managed to salvage out back; it was not yet time for burials. The enemy may have been swift, but they are not without casualty. Old Vincento's sons had done a good deal of damage to them. It was time. Brother Lucient picked up a bread roller which made Marcello laugh.
"That would only be dangerous in the hands of a woman," the man said. "We go to war, my friends, with these." He lifted a trap door revealing an old wine cellar. Breaking the barrels, Marcello then pulled out much firearms, much to our surprise. Our suspicions were confirmed then about this quiet stranger who had only been part of our town a year back.
"No, no, Brother Lucient," Marcello cried as Lucient lifted the bread roller and was about to knock into another barrel. "Those contain real vintage. For our celebration after we retrieve our town, capice?"
Spirits were lifted. Everyone laughed but one by one we sobered again as we approached the town. The silence was disturbing, save for some clanking noise in the distance. A man coughed uneasily, and there and then, I identified him as the coward of the group. I presume he would be the first to flee when the going got rough. No matter. My Maria awaits me.
The crickets stopped their chirping. An uneasy silence loomed over the men. The silence before the storm. Then as if on signal, Marcello gave us the go. We rushed in with whatever weaponary we could get hold of. Yet, something told me to wait. I could not comprehend the meaning, but I did and it saved my life. The man I thought a coward at first was not so lucky. He had been among the first few and we watched in horror as he was cut apart, bullets going through him from every direction.
Marcello continued to cheer us on, leading the way himself. We rushed through the two entrances only to meet the smiling faces of the enemy forces. What could I say more? All hell broke loose. Rockets flew in every direction. The ground shook and rattled as empty bullet clips hit the ground. Vicento prooved more of an asset than a liability as I had thought. He was in a frenzy wielding a heavy machinegun like there was no tomorrow. I watched as he cut down two of the enemy who were charging towards us with crowbars.
"To the fountain!" someone cried as it was the plan. There was a small cafe on the second floor where we could hold up and reload our guns. It was not as easy however for two enemy machine gunners stood in the way, brandishing their bloody weapons dismembering anyone who tried to get too close. Still there were only four of them, and a horde of us. The sight of our own townsfolk dying did not affect us anymore. The battle frenzy took over. In time, their bullet ridden bodies lay in a smouldering mess on the granite floor.
Here we recuperated, and I was amazed to find myself unscathed. Old Vincento too looked like he could take back the town but perhaps it was the frenzy or the light but I sensed he was tired beyond relief. Marcello had taken a bullet to the feet yet he stood tall, in command. That wound would slow him down, but nothing would mar his courage. For that I respected him.
Our men held the cafe down while we planned the next move. So far, there was no enemy movement. All was silent again, except for the unknown clanking noise in the night. Still, positions had been set up in case a sniper would show up. The men began a quiet discussion of the next move but it was evident, they were no longer willing to fight. Already, half our forces had died, and truly in Marcello's words, this was only the first part of the battle. I left the crowd to the balcony where I looked down at the fountain below. The water rippled in the moonlight and it reminded me of Maria. The first time we locked gazes, siting by the fountain. I took out the locket I had and stared at it. Just then I blinked. I thought I saw bubbles coming out of the water in the fountain, but when I looked again, there were none.
A new plan had been laid out. A small band of men would take the set of stairs near the entrance that led to the bazaar. Their role was to surprise the enemy and warn us in case of anything unexpected. Our main forces would take the pathway from the fountain to the central area, a wide open space where we usually have markets on weekdays. Taking control of that area would totally stop the enemy forces from going in and out of our town, trapping them in the higher regions of the town. Quietly we descended not knowing what to hope for anymore.
It happened so quickly in the night, and nobody was prepared for such an onslaught. Defences fell one by one and many a good men died in that battle. There were many rumors about undercover agents and traitors but it could not be fully verified. It happened so quickly. Too quickly.
Our quiet hilltop town had been taken over and now it was a matter of time before the survivors got together for a quick counter strike. The enemy knew we were coming, and they would have had defences set up in the most unlikely places, combined with a score of battle hardened mercenaries. I knew a tough battle lay ahead. One I wasn't so sure I'd come out alive from.
Even so, it was my town. OUR town. I looked at the other faces while the leader of the group laid out the plans. All tired men. Some had managed to evacuate their families in the nick of time, some didn't. I watched the fire in their eyes, and the fear. I could imagine my little Maria hidden... cowering in some dark corner, waiting for me to rescue her. Most of all, I pray she is still alive. Unconciously, I fingered the locket I had of her, with her picture in it.
"We've got to get the church back. That's where they are holding the hostages," Marcello said. He was a tough burly man. No doubt he must have been involved with the mafia at some point of his life, for he spoke like one who has been in the darkness a long time. "If we are lucky, you will see your families again. But no matter what the costs. The town must be liberated."
There was a loud furore as the men agreed. Brother Lucient, the only surviving priest sat beside me. Unlike the other priests, he was still in his twenties. I recall the day he arrived in a cradle at the stairs of the church, abandoned no doubt. Then there was Vincento who sold carpets. He was old. Older than this town some say, and I felt sad for him, that he had to fight for his beloved town. His four sons were part of the defense but they fell quickly. Their corpses with stab wounds in the back.
We left the corpses that we had managed to salvage out back; it was not yet time for burials. The enemy may have been swift, but they are not without casualty. Old Vincento's sons had done a good deal of damage to them. It was time. Brother Lucient picked up a bread roller which made Marcello laugh.
"That would only be dangerous in the hands of a woman," the man said. "We go to war, my friends, with these." He lifted a trap door revealing an old wine cellar. Breaking the barrels, Marcello then pulled out much firearms, much to our surprise. Our suspicions were confirmed then about this quiet stranger who had only been part of our town a year back.
"No, no, Brother Lucient," Marcello cried as Lucient lifted the bread roller and was about to knock into another barrel. "Those contain real vintage. For our celebration after we retrieve our town, capice?"
Spirits were lifted. Everyone laughed but one by one we sobered again as we approached the town. The silence was disturbing, save for some clanking noise in the distance. A man coughed uneasily, and there and then, I identified him as the coward of the group. I presume he would be the first to flee when the going got rough. No matter. My Maria awaits me.
The crickets stopped their chirping. An uneasy silence loomed over the men. The silence before the storm. Then as if on signal, Marcello gave us the go. We rushed in with whatever weaponary we could get hold of. Yet, something told me to wait. I could not comprehend the meaning, but I did and it saved my life. The man I thought a coward at first was not so lucky. He had been among the first few and we watched in horror as he was cut apart, bullets going through him from every direction.
Marcello continued to cheer us on, leading the way himself. We rushed through the two entrances only to meet the smiling faces of the enemy forces. What could I say more? All hell broke loose. Rockets flew in every direction. The ground shook and rattled as empty bullet clips hit the ground. Vicento prooved more of an asset than a liability as I had thought. He was in a frenzy wielding a heavy machinegun like there was no tomorrow. I watched as he cut down two of the enemy who were charging towards us with crowbars.
"To the fountain!" someone cried as it was the plan. There was a small cafe on the second floor where we could hold up and reload our guns. It was not as easy however for two enemy machine gunners stood in the way, brandishing their bloody weapons dismembering anyone who tried to get too close. Still there were only four of them, and a horde of us. The sight of our own townsfolk dying did not affect us anymore. The battle frenzy took over. In time, their bullet ridden bodies lay in a smouldering mess on the granite floor.
Here we recuperated, and I was amazed to find myself unscathed. Old Vincento too looked like he could take back the town but perhaps it was the frenzy or the light but I sensed he was tired beyond relief. Marcello had taken a bullet to the feet yet he stood tall, in command. That wound would slow him down, but nothing would mar his courage. For that I respected him.
Our men held the cafe down while we planned the next move. So far, there was no enemy movement. All was silent again, except for the unknown clanking noise in the night. Still, positions had been set up in case a sniper would show up. The men began a quiet discussion of the next move but it was evident, they were no longer willing to fight. Already, half our forces had died, and truly in Marcello's words, this was only the first part of the battle. I left the crowd to the balcony where I looked down at the fountain below. The water rippled in the moonlight and it reminded me of Maria. The first time we locked gazes, siting by the fountain. I took out the locket I had and stared at it. Just then I blinked. I thought I saw bubbles coming out of the water in the fountain, but when I looked again, there were none.
A new plan had been laid out. A small band of men would take the set of stairs near the entrance that led to the bazaar. Their role was to surprise the enemy and warn us in case of anything unexpected. Our main forces would take the pathway from the fountain to the central area, a wide open space where we usually have markets on weekdays. Taking control of that area would totally stop the enemy forces from going in and out of our town, trapping them in the higher regions of the town. Quietly we descended not knowing what to hope for anymore.