Disclaimer: I didn't own Gate and its characters but other characters than those belong to me and RedSS.

Chapter II: Enemy at the Gate Part I

27 May 1918, 06:26

South Outskirts of Craonne, Aisne, France

Around 6 hours later...

"We are surrounded!"

"Jerries coming this way!"

"We have to hold this position!"

"Doctor!"

"Grab your weapons and follow me, lads!"

"Where the bloody hell is reinforcement?"

"Another wounded here!"

Eugene was standing there as may people passed through him, he was holding his rifle but didn't know what to do under situation like this. It's been few hours now since Germans began their offensive against French and British troops at Chemis des Dames ridge. Because of that, 1/4th battalion had to retreated from the front line to Craonne, a small town that located to the south of Chemis des Dames ridge.

Right now Germans had already captured half of Craonne and were going to outflank his battalion from both sides, so most of them decided to stay on the south outskirts of the town but some were still trying to stop Germans from taking the whole town.

Eugene looked to the group of wounded soldiers who staying outside of the ruined house while medics were treating them with their best. Those wounded soldiers, if they didn't lost their arms or legs then they would be blinded by gas or worst, both. Although Eugene got minor head injury during the retreat but at least, he thought he was luckier than them.

"Eugene! Eugene!" It was another fellow in his company, Henry who called his name.

"Henry!"

"Thanks God, I finally found you..."

"Got lost during retreat, mate but I make it here now."

"I see... Alright, listen to me. Captain Davis is calling us right now."

"Us?"

"I mean... all of us, E company."

"Okay, okay... Where is he then?"

"You see that building over there? He is in there now along with some of us." Robert pointed to the building that still standing not far from where they where.

"Is Robert there too?"

"Robert?"

"I mean Robert Walker."

"Sorry, mate... But I don't know."

"Oh... Okay."

"Anyway, do you see our chaps around here?"

"Nah."

""Can I ask your favor? If you meet our chaps during the way to go there, bring them to go with you except those who are wounded. Captain Davis said he needs our men who are still okay as much as we can find."

"Okay, I will do that."

"Thanks, Eugene." Henry looked round. "I have to go to find the rest now, you should quickly go too."

"I see, good luck then."

"You too, lad."

Henry ran way, left Eugene behind before he began run on his own to that building to meet Captain Davis and his fellows. During the way, he met some of his company but most of them were wounded, so only few of them came along with him.

They quickly ran passed through people before arrived that building. From what Eugene saw, he was quiet surprised it was still standing on its own even though German bombardment already destroyed another buildings and houses in that area.

Eugene and his men then got inside that building without waiting. There were many men in there, mostly officers who were planning about their defense against German assault.

"Hey, those lads over there!" Someone shouted, Eugene turned his head to that person. From insignia on his shoulder, he could tell this guy is Lieutenant and it seemed he is calling him and his fellows. "Are you in E company?"

"Yes, sir. All of us." One of his fellows said.

"Good, good. Captain Davis is needing you right now. He is in that room right there." That person pointed to the room that was nearly at the end of the hall.

"Thank you, sir." Eugene said.

"You're welcome, lad."

Eugene and his fellows walked to that room before entered in. There were so many people in that room, about 50 and they were all looking at Captain Davis as he was going to tell them something. Eugene looked around in the room when his eyes spotted someone, it was Robert.

"Hey, hey. Robert." Eugene called his name quietly as he walked towards him. Robert turned his head and made surprised face.

"Oh my god, Eugene." Robert said in shocked voice. "You are here..."

"Yeah, mate."

"But how?"

"Well, long story but I'm here now."

"Do you get any injury?"

"My head was hurt because of bombardment but it is okay now." Eugene then looked at Captain Davis. "What is going on here?"

"I don't know but it seems Captain Davis is going to tell us something and trust me, it is not good thing."

"Alright, gentlemen. I think we have enough people now, so I'm gonna make it fast and clear." Captain Davis said. "There are some of C company stuck at the church in Craonne, surrounded by Jerries and we received an order to help them get out."

Now the voice could heard in the room as everyone was talking to their fellows about what Captain Davis said, it seemed they were quiet surprise to receive this kind of order.

"Is he serious?" Eugene said to Robert.

"Yeah."

"But that means we have to go back to Craonne again... Sounds like suicide mission for me."

"That's right, Gene."

"Gene?" Eugene said surprisingly. "Did you just call me Gene?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"Nothing... Nobody call me with that name before, so it is quiet surprise."

"I see."

"Like I said, we are going to rescue C company and then we will quickly retreat to Craonelle. Staying and holding our line there will give us better chance to stop those Jerries." Captain Davis said then looked at his pocket watch. "Alright, that's all I want to said. Any question?"

"Me sir." Someone said "Do we have support, sir? Like tanks or something like that?"

"It seems we will go in there and get out quietly without any support, so that the Jerries won't notice and begin to fire their weapons at us." Captain Davis looked at his pocket watch. "Alright, if there is no more questions. I will give all of you 5 minutes to prepare then meet me at the outside and we will go there."

Captain Davis walked passed through crowd of E company and more noise could be heard as he walked out from the room.

"So we have to go in there, right? All of us here?"

"Yes, Gene." Robert said then looked at Eugene. "All of us."

Eugene felt goosebumps all over his body as he was thinking about what Captain Davis said few minutes ago. He and his E company fellows would go into Craonne to rescue C company stuck at the church surrounded by Germans...

This is suicide mission, he thought but what he could do to change it then? He was just new private who had never seen any combat before and today was the first time he saw it... He looked around in the room, he could see most of his fellows were unhappy about this.

Eugene would never mind to follow orders from officers but this was different, he and his company would go behind enemy lines where every second could their last. The chance of this mission would be successful was really low as their target surrounded by their enemy. If they rescue C company and successfully retreat to Craonnelle then it is okay, although some of his friends may be dead or wounded but what if it's not? If that happened, he would probably at least get captured or worse, get killed.

Eugene looked at his watch, there were few minutes left before meet up with Captain Davis outside and he still felt scared.

"Gene." Robert called his name. "We should go now."

"What? But there are few minutes left and I..."

"Listen to me." Robert put his hands on Eugene's shoulder. "No matter what you stay here for few minutes or go outside now, you still have go to there. I know you feels scared because I used to be but trust me, fear will get you killed... Remember what you said to me last night? Why you are here?"

Eugene then remembered what he said to Robert last night, he volunteered to be here at the front line because he want to serve his country. He came here to fight against Germans... That's what recruiter told him back when he joined military, isn't it? Why he should be afraid now? He chose this path and now he had to accept it.

"Okay... Okay." Eugene said. "I come here... To serve my king and country."

"Good, good. That's what I wanna hear!"

"But I..."

"Listen to me , mate. If anything happens... I promise I will protect you."

"Are you serious?"

"With my scout's honor!" Robert held up three fingers. For Eugene, it looked funny and made him wants to laugh but at least, it showed that Robert will do as what he said.

"Alright, alright... So shall we go now?"

"Oh right, I forget about it. Follow me then."

Eugene followed Robert to outside to meet Captain Davis before he and another men of E company would get into Craonne but he doesn't know one thing... On the other side of the battlefield... Another man who came here for his country and was fighting against his enemy along with his compatriots... A German captain who was leading his company against British soldiers and they aren't just regular soldiers but famous elite soldiers of Imperial German Army, the Stormtroopers.

XXX

"Come on! We need to hurry up!" That was the sound of Karl von Schmidt as he was leading his company through many ruined buildings in Craonne with MP-18 submachine gun on his both hands. These buildings were already damaged by bombardment but somehow, few of them still standing on their own.

Karl and his company were quickly crossing the crossroad to their objective that located not far from where they were now when suddenly a machine gun from nowhere began to fire at them without any warning.

"Take cover!" Karl ordered his men before he hid behind the wrecked car along with another two men. It turned out that there were some Britons hiding on one of the buildings and were waiting to ambush them. They fired their weapons at Karl's company mercilessly without stopping.

He peeked from his cover and looked around, most of his men were hiding behind cover right now but few didn't make it as their enemy killed them and made their bodies lay down on the road. He then looked at the building that British soldiers were but soon had to hide behind cover again when they began to fire machine gun at his position.

One of his men tried to throw grenade at the window where machine gun located but it didn't work. It seemed there was no way his men can take down as another men tried to fire their weapons back at British soldiers but it was the same, they couldn't stop British soldiers firing weapons at them since they were on the building which made them have advantage.

"There is a tank coming this way!" Suddenly someone who was not far behind him shouted as Karl was surprised to hear that.

"A tank?!" Karl asked back, he began to be afraid if it is enemy tank since now he and his company were in the middle of bullets. "Enemy tank?!"

"I don't know, sir! It is too far for me to see which side it is!" That guy was silent for a moment. "Wait! No, sir! It's our tank!"

"Alright, tell them to clear the building right over there! The enemy are firing at us and we can't do anything!"

"Okay, sir! Just hold on!"

That guy ran to the direction where the tank was coming and few minutes later, Karl could see the tank coming towards them. He pointed to the building where British soldiers were, so that the tank crews knew which building to shoot their tank guns at and wipe them out.

Without waiting, the tank soon fire its gun and destroyed that building as the scream from Britons could be heard when the building collapsed. Karl's company quickly rushed to it to see if there is any survivor left, so Karl followed them.

When Karl reached there, he saw many dead bodies of British soldiers among the ruin as they were killed by tank gun few minutes ago. Few of them were still alive and tried to escape but all of them were soon captured by Karl's company. They were still trying to search any survivor or technically, the POW but some of them were doing another thing; looting dead bodies to find anything useful.

"Tommy over here, sir!" Suddenly one of his men shouted. "He is still breathing!"

Karl quickly went to where that guy who found the British soldier; badly injured, bleeding and crying in pain. For normal civilians just like us, it would be horrible things to see but for Karl, it was what he saw every day. He then knelt next to his man and beside the Briton to check the wound, it was really bad as more blood bleeding from it.

"How is he?" Karl asked in cold voiced that you can't be sure if he wants to help since he could easily see that this Tommy isn't fine and he needed doctor.

"Not good, sir. Not good... We need to bring him to the medic."

"Wait, stop what you trying to do." Karl interrupted that soldier who was going to lift the wounded British soldier.

"What's wrong, sir?"

"I'm afraid if you move him like that, he'll lose more blood... Go and find the stretcher, so that we can bring him to medic easier."

"O-Okay, sir."

That soldier ran away to bring the stretcher, left he stayed with that wounded British. Karl looked at him and he looked back, still crying for the pain.

"Hey, hey! Listen, do you hear me?" Karl said to the wounded in English clearly and fluently.

"You c-can... S-Speak English?"

"And what language do you think I'm speaking to you now, huh?"

"It's s-so h-hurt." Karl looked at the wound, it didn't look really good as more blood bleeding from it.

"Hold on, I'll stop the bleeding."

Karl looked around, his company were guarding the area along with the tank that saved them from the enemy few moments ago while some were still looting the dead then looked a soldier who was looting the dead body not far from where he was now.

"Hey you over there." Karl shouted, made that soldier stop what he was doing and turned to him.

"What, sir?"

"I need a cloth to stop bleeding, you got some?"

"Sorry, sir. I don't have... But this guy over here may have them." That soldier then turned to the dead body and searched all over his body. "I found handkerchief, sir. Big enough to stop bleeding, I guess."

"Whatever, just give it to me."

That soldier gave handkerchief before went back to continue his looting and Karl then soon used it to wrap around the wound on that Briton, even though he didn't know much about first aid but he was really sure it would stop the bleeding

"Here you go, that's the best I can do now."

"Captain von Schmidt." It was the same soldier from few minutes ago and behind him were two men carrying stretcher. "I bring the stretcher just like you said, sir."

"That's great, you two put stretcher over here and you, help me lift him up. I stopped his bleeding already."

"Okay, sir."

Two men put stretcher down beside the wounded British before Karl and that soldier lifted him up, and lay him down on it.

"Hey you..." That wounded Briton called Karl when he, laying on stretcher was lifted up by the two men

"What?"

"T-Thank you so m-much for this..."

That wounded Briton grabbed Karl's hands and tear falling from his eyes before two men began to carry him to the medic through the ruined buildings. Karl looked at him before he was disappeared and wasn't in his sight anymore.

"So, sir... You can speak English, right?" That soldier asked.

"Yeah, what's your problem then?"

"N-Nothing, sir. Rumor has it you are half English half German and that's the reason why you can speak English."

"Then the rumor must be wrong..."

"But sir, you can spea-"

"I can speak English but that doesn't mean there is English race inside me..." Karl looked at that soldier with cold sight. "And I don't like it when people say that kind of thing behind me... Do you understand now?"

"A-Alright, sir... I understand now."

"Good." Karl looked back at his company, most of them finished their looting as they were resting and guarding the area along with the tank crews in case of enemy counterattack. Although, few were still doing their looting but he didn't care anyway as in the next few moments, he was going to lead his company to attack British position on the other side of the town.

"Captain von Schmidt!" Suddenly someone call him again and this time it was runner. "Message from headquarter, sir!"

"Let me see then." The runner gave message to Karl before he read it carefully.

"What's it, sir?" That soldier asked.

Karl didn't answer the question and kept message in his pocket before turned to his company who were looking at him to see what he's going to do next.

"Listen up, everybody... D Company is fighting against a group of enemy located at the church not far from where we are now and they need us to help capture that position." Karl looked at the tank crews. "Do you hear it, tank commander? Get you and your crews in the tank and lead us to the church. We'll need your help to capture it."

"Yeah, I got it. Alright, everybody! Get in your position!" Tank commander ordered his crews to get back in their tank.

Karl and his company soon prepared their weapons and equipment before they would advance forward to British position at the church. Today would gonna be another long day for them...

XXX

"More wounded over here!"

"Give him morphine!"

"Stop the bleeding!"

"Aaaaaargh!"

"Need bandage!"

"Need help!"

"Put him right here!"

"He's loosing more blood!"

A lot of noises could be heard around German field hospital located on North outskirts of Craonne not far from front line where Allied and German soldiers were fighting each other. There were many wounded here including wounded French and British POWs that some of them had to lay down on the ground because there weren't enough beds.

That's why all medics and nurses here were busily doing their jobs with the best they can; giving morphine, wrapping the the wound and many other things that you can't describe all of them.

And Corporal Frederick Roth was one of them as he was treating the wounded German as fast as he can because there were another wounded waiting for him before they will be send to another hospital far from this hell on Earth.

"Okay, this will help you feel better." Frederick said, injecting morphine with syringe into the leg of that wounded to relieve his pain.

"Oh god, it's so hurt..."

"Just hold on a little bit." Frederick said before he put the syringe out and wrapped bandage around the wound. "There you are."

"Much better now... Thanks doc."

"You're welcome."

"Wounded Tommy!" Two stretchers from nowhere shouted as they were carrying wounded British into the tent and yeah, it was the same man whose Karl saved his life. "We need medic right here, he is badly injured!"

Frederick heard that but didn't mind at first as he thought other doctor will treat that wounded British but he was wrong. Other doctors were treating other wounded and he was the only one who wasn't busy in this moment.

"Corporal Roth!" It was a young soldier who called his name. "Come over here, sir!"

"Alright, alright! I'm on my way!"

Frederick quickly ran to that wounded Briton and examined him, his wound was really bad as there was blood coming out although it was wrapped with handkerchief. He didn't stop crying as the pain from the wound was making him agonize.

"My god... The wound is pretty bad." Frederick said in terrified voice.

"Water... W-Water..." The wounded Briton said in low voice that Frederick had to lean, so that he could hear clearer.

"Get me water and equipment for sewing. We need to fix the wound right now." Frederick said to the young soldier.

"Right away, sir."

The young soldier walked away to find the things to fix the wound while Frederick looked at the wounded Briton, trying to see what he can do for now and trying comfort the Brit as best as he can.

"Listen to me... Just hold on, we'll fix your wound." Frederick said in broken French, hoping that this Briton will understand him even a little bit.

"It's hurt... What did you just say?"

Frederick found out this Briton doesn't understand French and because of that, he had to speak English. Luckily he knew English a little bit, so he understood some of what the British just said. He held the hands of that Brit, thinking what he is going to say in English as he never talk face to face with British before.

"Mein name iz... Freterick Roth... I'm docdor." Frederick said, trying to speak English clearly as much as he can but it still sounded like German. "I'll fix your vound, chust hold on."

"I'm going to die..."

"Nein! You von't!"

"I get these things for you now, sir!" The young soldier came back along with water bottle and equipment including bandage, alcohol, needle, thread and other stuffs.

"Give me water bottle."

The young soldier gave water bottle to Frederick before he opened it for that wounded Briton to drink then he looked at the equipment, counting them to make sure there's nothing missing.

"Alright, let's do this quickly." Frederick said and began to do his surgery. "Give me the scissor."

XXX

And so this is what all of them are doing right now, doing their own duties in the war and didn't know when will be the last day of their life... Maybe they would be dead in the next hour of the battle, who knows?

But today is going to be different... Something big is going to happen, something that is going to change the war and the whole world forever... Nobody will know and can stop it in time... And now it already happened...

XXX

Somewhere in another world

Unknown date & time

"We are ready now, sir." A soldier in medieval clothes said to the man on horse who seemed to be a general as they were both looking at the large army in front of them.

"What about our army at the other gate?"

"Ready to get in there just like us, sir." A soldier looked at the army again before looked back at his general. "Do you want to give them a speech, sir? Before launch our attack?"

"Of course."

A general then looked at his army and they all looked at him, waiting what he is going to say including Alexandros Babineaux, a new-recruited soldier who was going to be in the battle for the first time.

He looked around but was told to stand still by his fellow next to him, of course he felt quite scared but that wouldn't change his mind to go into the war. He had been trained and ready to kill enemy, no matter who they are. He would do anything to make the Emperor proud and his Empire win the war.

"Listen, I don't have anything to say much but I want all of you to remember..." A general stopped for few moments. "That all of you are going to fight in the name of the Empire and our Emperor, Molt Sol Augustus and no matter what will happen, we will fight until our last breath!"

"For the Emperor and his Empire!" Suddenly the entire army yelled the battle cry that you could hear across the land. "For the Emperor and his Empire!"

"Let's march toward the gate and show no mercy to our enemy!"

The entire army full with human and humanoid races began to march toward the gate as they were going to have a war with whatever countries behind the gate with the flag flying above them... They were the Imperial Army of the country known as "Empire"...

To Be Continued

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