Chapter 2: Struggle
August 25, 1935
It had been 2 days since Isara was killed in the aftermath of the battle for Marberry Shore followed by Welkin returned to the camp with Imperial scalps hanging all over him, the result of his vengeful rampage the night afterwards. Since that day, Welkin spoke to no one and would barely eat any food given to him by members of Squad 7; he was visibly lost within his own empty universe. Despite how hard they tried to get their friend back, neither Alicia nor Faldio was able to get Welkin back to his senses assuming his role as a commander.
Since that massacre, Imperial troops got fear striking down upon them after recovering the dead bodies of their scalped comrades. As Captain Varrot hoped, nothing about this incident ever reached General Damon's ears although members of the Gallian militia spoke among themselves in low voice about what happened. However, the greatest problem for Captain Varrot was then to find a new commander for Squad 7 considering that Welkin was unable to assume his position. In late afternoon, Alicia was summoned by the Captain in her office.
"You asked for me, Ma'am?" Alicia asked.
"Indeed, Sergeant. After what happened in the last few days, I'm sure you're already guessing why I asked for you here. Am I right?"
"I'm not one to assume anything, Ma'am."
"Listen, I know that you trusted Lieutenant Gunther since you were very close friends with him and with his younger sister. However since she passed away, things have become a mess for Lieutenant Gunther. I am usually not a pessimistic person, but I seriously doubt he'd be able to be a part of this army any longer. Hence, I'm considering promoting you as the leader of Squad 7." Captain Varrot said.
Alicia was stunned and couldn't find an answer.
"Is there a problem?" Captain Varrot asked.
"No Ma'am... It's just that it's so sudden and I didn't want things to turn out that way. I may need some time to consider."
"Sure... 3 weeks starting tomorrow, to be accurate. Your squad has done so much in recent months and Corporal Gunther's death has strained the squad's morale near breaking point from what I could see. For those reasons, Squad 7 will be removed from combat operations for 3 weeks and Squads 1 through 6 will take over during this time. It should give you enough time to think about this offer, bury your friend, and for everyone else to get some rest. But remember: when you earn everyone's trust in your squad like you did, they will follow you 'til the end."
"Thank you, Ma'am. What will happen with Lieutenant Gunther?" Alicia asked.
"Officially, he'll be demobilized and sent home. Furthermore, I'll get help from a military psychiatrist for his own sake. But for now, it's better for you to take the next 3 weeks off and come back ready for battle; it's all that matters now." Captain Varrot replied.
Alicia paused for a few seconds and then saluted her superior officer. "To us, nothing is impossible!"
"Never impossible!" Captain Varrot replied and saluted back to Alicia.
Afterwards, Alicia left the office and walked for a while. Despite what Captain Varrot told her and the 3-week rest Squad 7 was given, Alicia's thoughts were mostly aimed at Welkin as she was really worried about what will happen to him. 'Welkin... is there anything in this world that I can do to bring you back? I know you're not a lost cause at all.' she asked in her thoughts.
A few hours later, it was already dark and Welkin was asleep. However, all that Welkin saw in his dreams for the last few days were nightmares of Isara's death and of the screams of the soldiers he slaughtered. Except for this time, the dream was slightly different. After reliving the events at that Imperial campfire, Welkin was walking in the middle of a pool of blood oozing from the dead corpses of Imperial soldiers he just killed and the landscape turned from a forest into a wasteland. The sky was dark and mist was surrounding Welkin.
"What is this? Where am I?" Welkin shouted.
Suddenly the glowing shape of a little girl appeared behind the lieutenant, who never expected a familiar voice to speak behind him. "Stop it! Why did you do this?" the voice asked.
Welkin then turned to see who just spoke to him and he was mostly surprised. "Isara?"
"Why did you do this, Welkin?"
"It can't be... I saw you dying in front of me... They had to pay for everything they did... against you and all the other innocent people. They deserved to die."
Then Isara started shedding a few tears before she spoke again. "Look at you, Welkin. The brother I know and love always considered humans and animals with equal respect... because that brother of mine loves nature. That brother of mine also takes good care of his friends and loved ones. Where is he now?"
"Isara... I swore to protect you and to make sure you'd see the end of this war. When Father passed away, I swore I'd take care of you. And yet, I failed to follow Father's last wish... and now I have no one left to protect. First, I lost Mother. Then, it was Father. Now... What is there left for me, Isara? There's no one left!" Welkin replied as tears were rolling down his cheeks.
"You're wrong, Welkin. There's always something or someone to protect."
"Please let me go with you, Isara. I can't afford to lose you this time again."
"You won't lose me. I'll always be with you along the way."
Suddenly a loud noise was heard and a pillar of light appeared upon Welkin. Then he felt himself being dragged into moving up the pillar. Welkin didn't understand what was going on. "Isara! What is going on? Where am I going? What should I do?"
"You'll have to find the answer on the other side; I know you will. Farewell." Isara finished before Welkin disappeared up into the sky alongside that mysterious pillar of light.
Suddenly, Welkin woke up and the only sound he heard was gunfire and explosions. After a few seconds, he realized what was going on: the camp was under Imperial attack at night. Indeed, the Imperial forces, especially anti-Darcsen death squads, managed to rally a battalion in response to the attack on Marberry Shore and they were looking forward to destroy the units holding the beachhead with a surprise attack from the North. The attackers took advantage of the surprise effect by attacking in the dark although the defending Gallians shot a few flares to light up enemy soldiers. At this moment, the situation was getting bad.
"They've got an entire battalion!" a Gallian soldier shouted.
Imperials were now sending everything they had towards the Gallian positions, including tanks. As if the desire for revenge was not completely dissipated, Welkin felt anger building within himself almost the same way before he slaughtered the enemy soldiers in the forest; he knew blood would have to be spilled once again. Without further wait, Welkin gathered his pistol, his knife and his hatchet before gathering all the ammo supply he can carry on himself. As he stepped outside of his tent, he ran into young Sergeant Ramal Valt, who incidentally had a crush on Isara.
"Lieutenant Gunther?"
"Sergeant, where is the Edelweiss?" Welkin asked.
"It's still at the back of the base for re-supply. Why?" Ramal replied.
"Come with me! I'll need a driver so I can take down those tanks, NOW!"
Still shocked about Welkin's presence, Ramal took a few seconds before snapping out of it and then followed the lieutenant in double quickstep towards the Edelweiss. Despite the protests of the people re-supplying the massive Gallian tank who said that ammunition and fuel were still short, Welkin disregarded the pleas and got into the tank along with Ramal. Within seconds, Ramal started up the Edelweiss' engine while Welkin loaded up the cannon with an armor-piercing shell ready to be fired. At the same time, members of Squad 7 were holding their ground the best they could against the bulk of the enemy attack. However, it was very difficult considering the several attacking waves and the darkness of the night despite the flares being fired to help Gallian machine guns shooting at the enemies. At this point, the Gallian militia were barely holding the last line of defense of their camp.
"We can't let them get past this last line! Our camp would be wide open if they do." Alicia said.
"What orders, Sergeant?" Karl Landzaat asked.
For a few seconds, Alicia had some difficulty getting her thoughts together until Rosie's voice was heard. "Alicia, we need a new strategy to stop them! What do you want us to do?"
"OK! You, Lynn and Karl, get a machine gun and move up North into the woods. We need you to mow their infantry down from their flank." Alicia said.
"Got that! Let's move!" Rosie then ordered the other 2 soldiers before the 3-man team went on the move carrying the machine gun and ammo boxes towards the flank on the West.
"Here they come!" Largo shouted.
Within 3 seconds, a new wave of imperial soldiers charged towards the defensive lines only to be greeted by heavy fire. Largo, Vyse, and Jane were firing their machine guns from their nests. However, Imperial mortars started firing, prompting the machine gun crews to take cover. Despite that, one of the Imperial shells hit the position where Vyse and Aika were holding the machine gun. As a result the MG nest was blown away.
Quickly, Susie ran towards Vyse and Aika to have a status on their condition. Fortunately, neither of them was seriously injured and both got away with only a mild concussion. "Vyse and Aika will be fine… but the machine gun is totalled." Susie said to Alicia.
"Damn! I'm out of ammo! Get me a box!" Largo shouted.
"That's all I had left!" Nadine said.
With 2 machine guns out while the fate of Rosie's team was unknown at the time, things were getting worse when Jane shouted what Alicia didn't want to hear about the last machine gun nest still holding. "I'm out of ammo! Get me some ammo!"
"Tanks!" young sniper Oscar Bielert shouted.
To make matters worse, Imperial tanks arrived in front of their fellow ground troops and started aiming at the positions held by Squad 7. At that moment, Alicia felt it was the end of all resistance and all hopes of survival fainted. Suddenly, the first sound Alicia heard was an explosion destroying the lone and leading Imperial heavy tank. Looking towards the source of that shot, Alicia spotted her team's salvation.
"Edelweiss!"
Indeed, the Gallian tank managed to put itself in position to fire at the Imperial tank's vulnerable backside. The remaining 3 Imperial medium tanks started firing at their new opponent, but the Edelweiss used full advantage of its speed to avoid enemy fire and retaliate with accurate shots. Every time, Ramal's driving ability managed to get the Edelweiss within firing angle towards the enemies' ragnite engines and the Imperial tank crews could only pray for their lives to no avail. Within a few minutes, all Imperial tanks were destroyed and Welkin was lucky because Edelweiss ran out of shells after the last Imperial tank was destroyed.
"Burn, you bastard!" Ramal shouted.
From their positions, the Gallian militia cheered at the sight of the Edelweiss and were about to join the fight with a newly galvanized spirit to push back the attackers. "Here's our chance. Push forward, everyone!" Alicia shouted.
"You heard the lady! Charge!" Largo added to the battle cry.
Within seconds, the Gallian militia came out of their defensive positions and started the counterattack at the Imperial ground troops who were still mesmerized by the Edelweiss' presence on the battlefield. Meanwhile on the Edelweiss, Welkin started manning the tank's machine gun firing frantically at anything moving and wearing brownish uniforms in front of him, especially mortar crews. As a result, panic struck the remains of the Imperial battalion and many of them started retreating with the prospect of defeat looming large.
"We lost all of our tanks and our mortar teams have been neutralized. We won't be able to press the attack any further." an Imperial soldier informed to his superior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Hargreaves.
"Order everyone to fall back! Fall back!" the Imperial lieutenant colonel yelled at his soldiers, who immediately complied with that last order.
In the midst of their retreat, Imperial soldiers were greeted with an unpleasant surprise. Indeed, Rosie was now firing her machine gun from the woods at Northwest of the Gallian camp and straight towards the Imperials' flank. Providing extra fire, Lynn also fired her submachine gun while Karl unleashed a few rounds from his shotgun. At the same time, elements of Squad 7 kept on pushing up alongside the Edelweiss. The final result was deadly as dozens of Imperial soldiers were slaughtered in the crossfire.
Soon, the few surviving Gallian troops converged towards the limits of the clearing while pushing back the enemy. Once the Imperials disappeared into the woods, the Edelweiss and the Gallian militia stopped moving forward. However, Welkin wanted more than just pushing the enemy back. "Why did you stop, Sergeant? They are getting away!"
"Those woods are too thick for tanks to move in, Sir." Ramal replied.
Then Welkin jumped out of the tank with weapons on his back before asking the same question to all Squad 7 members still standing. "What are you doing? They are running away! AFTER THEM!"
"It's no use, Sir. They are in no condition to strike back." Karl Landzaat replied first.
"We also need to take care of the wounded from other squads. We can't carry on for now." Largo added.
Quickly, Welkin looked around and set his sights upon Rosie: she was still carrying the machine gun she used earlier to mow down the attackers from their own flank. Immediately, the Gallian lieutenant walked towards her. "Give me that!"
"What, Boss?" Rosie asked.
"If you don't want to carry on, I'll take that machine gun. They must ALL die." Welkin said as he laid his hands on the machine gun. "I'll not let those bastards escape this time until they are all dead!"
"NO! Please don't!" Rosie replied as she tried to keep her grip on the machine gun and resist Welkin's attempt to take it. "Has been there not enough blood spilled? That is not what Isara would have wanted if she was still here."
Upon hearing his sister's name, Welkin felt his blood boiling even more and instinctively threw his head forward hitting Rosie in the face, who fell backwards and unconscious at the same time she lost her grip on the machine gun. Before anyone else could make a move, Welkin quickly ran into the woods with only one thing in mind: kill every single soldier from the nearby Darcsen-hunting squads he can find until there's no one left or until he dies.
"Rosie!" Largo attended his unconscious friend.
Meanwhile, Alicia took a few seconds to get a full grasp of the situation as she never saw Welkin in such a violent state of mind. She knew something had to be done even though it would be risky and time was running out for a decision to be made. "I'll go after him."
"What for?" Largo asked.
"I don't know yet. But I have to do something to bring his former self back. Otherwise, we'll lose him for good and God knows what he'll do to himself." Alicia replied.
"Karl and I will go with you for this." Lynn said.
"Don't. It's better if I do this alone… because I might be the only one standing a chance to get through his shell."
Quickly, Alicia ran into the woods following the path Welkin took a short time ago. No matter how much the members of Squad 7 wanted to help, they knew Alicia was right and that they can't risk facing a berserk Welkin at this point in time without risking being caught in his rage. All they could do now was to pray for Alicia and Welkin to safely return to them.
While chasing the remaining enemy troops in the woods, Welkin was dashing through the forest like a man possessed. Whenever he found a safe shooting position, he unleashed a deadly salvo with the machine gun upon the unlucky Imperial soldiers standing in his way. It went on for several minutes until the machine gun ran out of ammo, forcing Welkin to drop it before pushing forward to kill more enemies with his pistol until it gets empty too.
From time to time, Imperial soldiers stopped in their retreat and fired at Welkin. However, Welkin moved so swiftly that he got to each soldier before striking with either the knife or the hatchet. Sometimes, an Imperial soldier could be used by Welkin as a human shield before attacking another nearby soldier. In the final stages of the massacre, a badly wounded Imperial soldier managed to reach a radio.
"This is… Corporal Slovnik, Blue squad... It's total mayhem in the woods south of your position... Gallians stopped following us, but everyone is getting killed by a single man... This man's a ghost. What should I do, Sir?"
"Slovnik, this is Hargreaves. Hang in there, son. I'll come down the road from the North and deal with this bloodthirsty bastard myself before pulling back. Are you still there, Slovnik? Slovnik?"
Unknown to Hargreaves, Slovnik was already slashed dead to the head by Welkin, who heard the orders from the man commanding the anti-Darcsen death squads. The Gallian lieutenant picked up the radio and started speaking: "Hargreaves! I finally found you."
"Who is this?"
"Your worst nightmare. You fled away from Fouzen like a coward after setting fire to the barracks where Darcsen workers were held. You killed many Darcsens since the first days of the war. I'll make you pay for all your crimes."
"If you're so eager to face me, why don't you meet me down the nearby road? I'm just a klick north."
"I'll see you out there." Welkin finished.
Within a matter of a few minutes, Welkin arrived on the country road, which goes through the forest. From there, the Gallian lieutenant moved up north and kept on pushing up. Once the front lights of Hargreaves' car appeared in distance, Welkin drew his pistol as he knew what he planned to do next... charging the enemy vehicle.
"You want to play, uh? Let's get this done!" Hargreaves said as he also drew his pistol for this duel. "Run over him, Lieutenant Jenkinson!"
Upon this order, Hargreaves' car increased speed while the Imperial senior officer started firing towards Welkin, who avoided bullets on his way up. At the same time, Welkin fired multiple shots from a stolen Imperial rifle, destroyed the car's front lights, and then struck a few deadly hits on Lieutenant Jenkinson. With no driver left and with the car going at a high speed, the Imperial vehicle flipped over. Hargreaves was thrown out of the car and fell unconscious.
A few minutes later and still stunned by the forced stunt, Hargreaves felt some pain in his right leg and his right arm: both got broken because of the accident. Then, he looked for his pistol knowing the man threatening his life was still there. When the moonlight appeared through the clouds, Hargreaves spotted the gun... only to find Welkin standing with his foot on it. Welkin was only grazed by a couple of Hargreaves' shots in the earlier standoff.
"COME HERE!" Welkin shouted as he grabbed Hargreaves by the collar before dragging him off the road.
"What do you want now?" Hargreaves said.
"You and your men killed many civilians. You killed harmless prisoners. Some of them were children. Last but not least, your men are responsible of killing my sister. The judge and jury find you guilty, and you are sentenced to death. Any last words?"
"The Darcsen-loving scum like you will die by the hands of the Empire." Hargreaves replied defiantly.
"You won't see that in your lifetime." Welkin said. Upon those words, the Gallian lieutenant drew his hatchet and struck Hargreaves several times to death. All the cumulated feelings longing for vengeance were vented out upon each stroke of the hatchet. Now that the head of the Darcsen-hunting department in the Imperial Army was killed, Welkin started feeling empty and knew that there was no way he could come back to his fellow squadmates after everything he did to satisfy his selfish desire for vengeance.
Welkin then took his knife and put it under his own neck; his intentions were clear. "There's nothing left for me here and I can't go back after what I did, Isara. Please forgive me."
Suddenly, a voice shouted behind him. "STOP IT, WELKIN!"
To be continued
Notes: I must admit that I was busy with so many things, but I haven't forgotten about this story. Now that this short fic has reached the peak of the action, stay tuned for the conclusion.
