Gallia
Randgriz military base
Officers' quarters
August 24, 1935
A young militia man with the uniform of 2nd lieutenant stare out of his office window with a broken expression. He watch as unlike him the base and its occupation force slowly start to shut down for the day and all he wished for was to be able to join them in escaping this living nightmare of a war and go to sleep and dream of better times with those that this war has taken and those which we are separated from due to this damn war.
This man was 2nd lieutenant Welkin Gunther of the militia's squad 7. In the eyes of Welkin Gunther his father was not a great man. As surly a 'Hero of Gallia' would be able to protect those he held closest to him. Welkin had always believe that if he was in the same situation he would not follow his father's footsteps and fail them people. His father had failed his mother and left to go defend his country and left her all alone. Unprotect! How could he have left his mother to die? He should have been there. But now like his father all them years ago. He had failed.
He had allowed his dear sister; Isera die at the hands of a lone imperial sniper. Only for him to be off site celebrating the victory gained by his sister endless labour of creating smoke bombs that turned a bloodbath into a walk in the park where until her death the great Marberry Shore had fallen without a single Gallian solder losing they life.
From what he could piece together from Rosie's report on his desk and other accounts of what happen, he learned that Rosie was left with her new-found friend desperately trying to bite back at the maintaining increase of pain gathering in her chest, even as her life left her. But even with this all happening, Isera had managed to face death with her last words being ' I'm happy'. This gave Welkin some peace at mind that even in death his little sister was still happy. As she had made the best of her life. Even with her Darcsen birth giving her trouble and hate from the day she was born. She had went out smiling.
He short found peace was soon broken as he question himself out load "Why not me damn it?". It was in a broken expression of a man who had truly lost something that he held dear to his heart. All that was left to do was let his rage and sadness at failing build up in him as he remember that he was the last remaining Gunther. This only add further grief to his mind. As if he allowed himself to lose himself in his grief then this would only lead to him making mistakes that would lead to further death. He could not be a weak commander. Not now. Not ever. Would his squad think less of him if he let his emotions show? No. But he had his duty as a squad leader to protect all his squad under him.
It was on that day. As he stared aimlessly out of his office that he vowed. Not one more death. If the fates be damn and demand another he would see that it was his own. Not one more death he thought to himself. He only wished that the promise he had made to end this war as quickly as possible would happen and no one else would have to feel the deep pain which struck him like the very bullet that ended her life.
Sadly unknown to the broken hero as he cast his eyes back to his desk and placed himself behind it, on top of his chair. They would be more death and his very decisions would lead to him losing more that he held dear or allowing himself to risk it all to stop the coming evil that would test his very nation to its roots. Only time would tell the outcome of the up and coming day where the world would change forever.
...
Gallia
Randgriz military base
August 24, 1935
Alicia Melchiott could not believe her luck. Not only had seen been stuck on guard duty. She was also alone. Usually she found it at least bearable, as Welkin or Faldio would offer to join her. But not this time. Welkin had not said a word on the return from Marberry Shore. Even to Largo's best attempt of him at least joining the land of the living again. It was like he was dead! Sure he had just lost his only remaining family member but in all the time she had spent with him he had never seem to be the person to hide or block they emoticons. He was now locked himself inside his office and she was left freezing outside feeling sorry for him.
Sure Faldio had offered to join her but since he had confessed his feeling her for. She had tried her best to evade him. This was mostly due to her overall mixed feeling for both of the two in question. Suddenly the thought came to her like a flash of lighting. Oh. Guard duty was why.
Like a light bulb had suddenly appear above her , she had an idea! She remember about a skirmish that happen near Frozen where Edy had said " I owe you one after Alicia had warned her out of an incoming grenade that was set to explode behind her cover, which she quickly took cover from. Also the thought of Edy saying that if see ever needed anything from her then he only needed to ask. This seemed like the right time to cash that favor in.
...
Gallia
Randgriz military base
August 25, 1935
Homer Peron could not believe this, only moments ago he wrapped up warm in the barracks dreaming about better times. But if he knew what the favor was when Edy came bursting through the door in the early hours of the morning he would have quickly refused it. The favor was guard duty. He was walking around half freezing to death instead of being wrapped up warm in his bed. He sighed to himself as he thought out load "Well at least it's not raining" and at that point the heavens opened and made this bad awakening even worst. Alone, tired and cold. That seemed to be the best way to describe his the start of this day.
The loneliness he was now feeling as he circled around the base for that seemed to him like his hundredth time was a feeling that he knew far too well. As growing up as an only time living in a small village in the north of Gallia. He had felt it often. To make matters worse, he was an only child as well. So when his Mother and Father traveled into town for work he was left all lone. He would often stand outside of his home waiting for them to return and ask them how they day was only to be told that they were tired and briefly explain to him why he should stop waiting all night to greet them. Now it felt in a way familiar to return to his former way and once again stand alone in the darkness of the night. But instead of waiting for his parents, he was now waiting for his wrist watch to pass that golden mark of 6 o'clock where his 5 hour guard shift would be over and he could return to that familiar feeling of warmth and return to his dreams.
"Only 4 and a half hours left. Luckily me" he thought as he continued his walk into more darkness with his Gallian 3 rifle hanging off his back from its strap. This was a common sight as due to the Imperial forces effectively in a mass retreat at the moment why would he need his weapon at arm's reach. Would the Imperial even be able to launch at attack at the heart of Gallia? Or would they even dare. He thought as he continue his patrol.
...
Gallia
Randgriz military base
Officers' quarters
August 25, 1935
All Alicia had to do was knock his door and ask him. But why was this so hard to do she thought as she continued to stare at the wooden door in front of her which seem to of already done for a good 10 minutes up till this point.
Why was it so hard to do? They were close friends and comrades in arms. Weren't they? But was that man behind the door the same person she had learned to respect and follow till this day. Was it the same Welkin that she held at gun point and accused of being an Imperial spy ? Who drew and record about local wildlife as the country was panicking and was preparing for war all around him. Now that she thought about it, it felt like a life time ago she was learning to become a professional baker.
She stop thinking for moment of her dear home town that she was forced to leave all them months ago and lightly knocked on the door of the man would fueled her worrying up till this point.
"C...can I come in?"
Gallia
Randgriz military base
Officers' quarters
August 24, 1935
A knock on his door quickly broke him out of his trail of thoughts. "C...can i come in?".
"Yes, it's unlock". He respond to the voice behind the door. Judging from the voice he figured that it was Alicia.
True to his theory it was Alicia as she stepped into his office. She was one of the few members of squad 7 that had been present since the formation of the squad. Clad in her non commission's officers uniform, which was lacking the usual hip and shoulder amour plates. But still her trade mark scarf was around her head. It served as a reminder of to her self and others of better times when death was not a day to day thing.
"Welkin" she blurted out as her entrance came to a stand still. " We need to talk".
"Ok... what about?".
" Look i know that you have bigger concerns right now, but. Well i don't like how things have gone between us". "Why can't we go back to things were?"
"Oh. That's great, now Faldio won't have anything to worry about. It's good tha".
Interrupting his speech " Why do you have to bring him up? This is about us".
"Welkin what's wrong with you? Why won't you tell me? Is it about Isara? Welkin we all miss her. Do you think that she want you to lock yourself in your room and not live".
Largo's words about picking your best friend or her were slowly filling his mind. As much as he want to tell Alicia what he really felt for her he knew that in doing so he would put both of they lives at risk. He had already learned from his sister's passing that bring personal feeling into battle led to mistakes If only he would of learnt that sooner. She might still be alive.
"Are you even listening? Alicia look of confusion was quickly switching to that of anger. Welkin not knowing what to do yet chose simply putting of his decisions by saying "Can we leave this discussion till a latter date. I would like to be alone for a while". He deliver the words a bit colder then he would of like but they had they desired effect.
She salute him and simply left with only saying "You have changed" as she left his office. If he had seen the single tear traveling down her face then his resolve would of quickly broken.
She left his room and like only moments earlier he was no alone again but this time had even more on his mind to ponder. It was going to be a long night he thought as he continue were he left off in looking out across the base wishing that like them he could switch off everything going on in his mind and for a night dream about better times instead of the nightmare and horror he knew were waited for him when he tried to dream. It was going to be a long night.
Little did he know that things would get a lot worse in his young life before they got better anytime soon and this was all because of a piece of paper being signed between to great power miles away. If he knew what awaited his tiny nation then thought of quitting would surly come across him. But for the time been he could have a tiny bit of peace inside his office as it was the clam before the storm he was living in. Not the storm yet.
...
Authors' notes : So one chapter down only lots and lots to go. Tell me what you think or recommend. That's what the review button is for.