Damn it, I have been without internet and updates for too long! Seriously, I'm pissed. Most of you are probably like "holy crap, you're alive?!" Seriously, I'm beginning to wonder that myself. And on the eve of Valentine's day (or if you're reading this right now, it probably is Valentines day. It's 11:42 PM here in the west coast.) In any case, I want to make a shout-out to those of you who are patient. Thanks. This chapter took a lot of work, but I think I've progressed a lot since my first chapters. At first, I was a bit nervous considering all the high standards here. But now, I think I'm up for the challenges here. I'm just so swamped in my studies and projects right now. But listening to Valkyria Chronicles tracks while writing helps a hell of a lot than you'd think. Sets the mood. I sometimes read with music on. "Desperate Fight" in particular helped me. But for now, I'll keep trying to write, update, and all that good stuff so you vultures can get off my ass for a while. Naw, I'm just kiddin' around. Seriously though, thanks for reading.
NOTE: This is the longest chapter I have posted to date: Do not read unless you really have the time for it.
NOTE 2.0: Updated the chapter, adding in some scenes and details. Minor, but enough to satisfy some of
Peter Rothchild advanced alongside Squad 7, thankful he was once again in their company. Most of the squad, with the exception of Susie and other squad members somewhat close or knowledgeable to Peter, never knew that he left. Leaving the torn desert behind them, the militia retreated towards the safety of the Kloden Wildwood, then take a detour straight back to base in Randgriz. Despite the retreat of the main Imperial forces, some of the stragglers and those with a grudge still focused on making the Gallians' life hell. But for now, as Squad 7 gradually trekked across Eastern Gallia, down towards Kloden, the raging winds and sandy ruins soon turned into the somewhat familiar sight of tall trees, soft soil, and grass and shrubs everywhere. The sight was much more welcoming than that of the dry and ruined sands of Barious, and the dead silence of the forests was a lot more calming, though some of the more paranoid members thought of Kloden being too quiet. And the dark night sky was also unnerving, using only the headlights of their vehicles to make the environment a little brighter. Handheld flashlights were passed around too, though the engineers and a few scouts were the only ones that had them on their person.
Much of Squad 7 was tired and exhausted from their previous battle. From what he had heard from Susie, Noce, and the others, they had to battle a huge tank that was lead by Maximilian himself. Prince Maximilian! What was the commander of the entire Imperial invasion force doing there? Why lead a force in that hellhole? As Peter pondered this, he wondered if he had truly endured the toughest battle of Barious, though seeing that there were only wounded soldiers and seemingly low casualties, Peter thought that Squad 7 must've gotten the easy way out, though the thought of a giant tank almost three times as big as the Edelweiss was a rather frightening concept.
Peter could almost fall asleep within the woods. The night sky above them, as well silence that accompanied it made for an easing sight, compared to what everyone had experienced earlier. Though there was still some idle and casual chattering, as well as some whining and complaining from members such as Edy about how tired they are, and how they are slowly getting more and more fatigued from the fighting and marching along. Homer was currently being forced to play piggy-back with the noisy and pompous girl, while she dozed and snoozed on his shoulder. Peter had no idea how anyone could put up with her. Then again, Homer was a masochist, so it made some sense as to why he accompanied her. Peter noticed Lynn support and walk with her lover, Karl, and the Bruhler noticed the leg wound he had on him, which looked much worse than his own he had received earlier today. His was already healed up by now. Welkin walked around on foot conversing with Alicia, possibly about future plans, with Noce probably fuming about it in the distance. Though its commander was outside, Isara piloted the Edelweiss as it rumbled loudly and lead the way for the squad, its treads stamping and crushing the small bushes and trees in its ways. With the exception of the bustle from the tank, most of the squad was silent, though there was the occasional conversation, cry, or other audible sounds coming from the soldier's mouths. Eventually, the squad came to a small clearing, relatively free of trees.
"Okay, 7's. This seems like a good place to stop and rest. We won't be able to set up camp just yet, but we'll take a brief respite here," Welkin stated, as he gestured the tank and truck to stop. Several sighs were let out, soldiers relieved they would be taking a break, while others let out more frustrated moans and groans, annoyed that their respite wouldn't be for the night. Nevertheless, the tired soldiers would take what they could get before moving on. Taking out some food and supplies, the squad set up a temporary camp here. Peter took advantage of the opportunity and lied down on the forest soil. The aroma was very... nostalgic of the countryside. Cut down some of the trees here, and this might not be a bad place to live. As the watchman rested his hands behind his head and laid his body on the ground, Peter was met with the night sky, and the sea of stars with it. The sight reminded him of the conversation he once had with Susie a while back. She babbled on about the stars, like Noce would about Alicia's looks, while Susie and Peter star gazed together. Peter never really knew the true meaning of her words back then. Hell, he still didn't know what the hell she was talking about. But, seeing the stars again, after what he'd been through today, maybe the words yielded a bit more understanding to him. He adjusted the front of his cap and contemplated.
"I mean, I find it truly beautiful, that despite the war, and all the evils surrounding the world, some things stay beautiful. Something just as simple and pure as the night sky..."
"It's... kind of sad though. I mean, this is possibly the last time we ever see these stars. So every night... I gaze in the at the night sky, somewhat as a distraction from the harsh reality of war... and savor it's precious moments..."
Heh. Noce should put that into a poem. But in all seriousness, Peter felt that Susie did have some sort of point hidden within her clichéd words. However, as he thought about the strange meanings, he couldn't help but feel drowsy, and the serene sight of the stars didn't help either. Someone was probably going to rudely wake him up, but a good five minute's rest could go a long way for Peter.
However, just as his mind and awareness of the environment around him was fading, Peter felt the surface of the ground rumbling. At first, he thought that the tank was merely driving nearby and paid no attention to it. But after hearing an explosion soon after, and the squad's frenzied and panicked screams, Peter woke without a trace of grogginess. Grabbing his rifle, Peter desperately ran, though without a set path, he was merely running around aimlessly. A whistling sound went off in the air, before another explosion ensued, toppling over the trees, Gallians running with every man or woman for themselves. As he saw a few more shells raining down from the night sky, Peter fearfully realized that they were currently being bombarded by enemy artillery fire. Yelping when an explosion went off too close for comfort, Peter made a mad dash in the opposite direction. Not paying attention, the Scout collided straight into another squad mate, both of whom fell backwards on the forest soil. Quickly getting up and checking his bearings, he saw Susie Evans lying on the ground next to him.
"Susie! What the hell is going on?!"
"I... I don't know! I was just talking to a friend, next thing I know we're being attacked! Lieutenant Gunther and Alicia were knocked off a cliff by the artillery blast! We have no command right now! What do we do? What do we do!?" Susie screamed, saying all of that in one panicked breath.
"Susie, calm the hell down! We'll get outta this thing alive! C'mon!"
Peter always had to help calm Susie down when in the middle of a bleak looking situation such as a battlefield, but what angered Peter was the fact that he can't really help everyone. He's just a scout. And there are plenty of things outside his control that he can't do much about. Like when Dan died earlier in the previous battle.
"I lost a good friend today, and damn it, I'm not about to lose another!"
Grabbing Susie's hand, Peter ran as fast as he could, practically dragging the frightened girl towards the direction where most of the squad was heading. However, as artillery fire became more focused on Squad 7's position, the militia soldiers started darting out in several different directions, disappearing in the woods. Peter became slightly confused as the squad broke up, leading him to hesitate as to which path he should go in. Suddenly, another artillery shell bombarded the area, the shockwave making Peter and Susie lose their balance while running and causing them to fall to the ground. Suddenly Peter heard Susie scream. Panicking as he looked up from his prone position on the ground, he saw that there was the edge of a cliff where Susie was supposed to be.
"Susie!"
Crawling forward towards the edge, Peter peered down and saw the blonde slowly trying to get herself up. Peter could see that she was also bleeding on her arm.
"Peter!" she called out, as she looked above her head.
"Susie, you hurt? Here, take this!" Peter tossed a Ragnaid capsule down. Susie caught it with her good arm and applied it to her injured arm. She struggled to get up, but another figure appeared next to her. Another Squad 7 soldier Peter hadn't met, from the looks of it. This one was a woman, with black hair that flowed down her face, cloaking her left eye. Peter had heard stories of this particular woman, especially from Ted and Melville. Marina offered a hand to help Susie up, which she hesitantly accepted. Susie eyed the sniper cautiously as she got up on her feet. She seemed unnerved by her presence. Peter saw Marina look up from her position towards him.
"We'll find our own way and regroup with the rest of the squad. I suggest you do the same."
Peter found it odd that she could talk calmly, and without yelling in the chaotic background, yet he could clearly understand her. As if maybe he just read her lips. Marina glanced at Susie, who flinched in response, before walking and disappearing into the forest. Susie looked up back at Peter.
"She's right. We'll be okay Peter. We'll regroup with anyone we can find on the way," Susie said, before reluctantly following in Marina's path.
Nodding, Peter got up from the ground and continued onward. It annoyed Peter that not after five minutes of swearing to be at his friend's side does he find himself separated from her. But for now, all he could do was run from the raining hell the Imps were inflicting on the people. Even though artillery would land at somewhat of a distance from Peter, the tall trees that made up the famous Kloden Wildwood were toppling down, giving more than enough reason to run as fast as he could. As Peter ran from the Imperials bringing the whole forest down, he saw someone trapped under a tree.
"Help me!"
Almost without thinking, Peter attempted to rush to the girl's aid. The girl had blonde hair in a bun, and her face looked very young. She was crying and yelping as she tried to get her leg out from under the tree. Adrenaline kicking in, Peter attempted to lift the massive tree from her leg. But no matter how much he struggled, the tree wouldn't budge.
"Need some help, Peter?"
Peter looked to his side to see Claudia Mann attempting to lift the tree with him. Despite her unusual trademark she had been labeled with, her timing was most fortuitous. Even though Claudia was a rather small girl, her assistance was all Peter needed to lift the tree for a few seconds, just so the girl could free herself. Both of them dropping it immediately, Claudia came to the girl's aid with some Ragnaid.
"Dorothy? Dorothy, talk to me! You gonna be alright?" Claudia asked.
Dorothy nodded, though when she stood up, she had a limp. She yelped as she stumbled a bit before being caught by Claudia.
"C'mon. We have to get moving. We can help you walk, Dorothy, but we have to move. It ain't the best idea to stand here like a bunch of idiots when the sky's falling on us," Peter explained, gesturing them to hurry the hell up.
"Can you walk, Dorothy?" Claudia asked.
Dorothy tested walking a few steps. She would be able to walk, though she couldn't run without any assistance. Still, Dorothy put an arm around Claudia so she could be supported by her.
"Alright, let's go! Let's go!" Peter ordered, trying to stay at a pace where they were still in his sights. Even though he was all for trying to stay in a group, Peter knew that this was a bit of a hindrance to be waiting for Claudia and Dorothy while he trudged ahead. He wanted to shout out for the two girls to hurry, but another falling tree from an artillery blast said a lot more than words, as they rushed faster to narrowly avoid it. The continuing chaos rang through the once-peaceful forest, as more people scrambled about in several directions. Suddenly, Peter heard a shriek coming from behind him.
"Peter, a little help here?" Claudia called out.
Dorothy tripped up and was on the ground again. Cursing, Peter grudgingly ran back to help her up. However, another large tree was tipping over, straight at Claudia and Dorothy.
"Go! Run!" Peter said, dashing to their aid. Claudia looked up and panicked as she ran away to safety. Dorothy was hopelessly trying to crawl away. Rushing faster than ever, Peter grabbed Dorothy's hand and dragged her away. Once again narrowly avoiding death, Peter hoisted the blonde up to her feet. Claudia wasn't too far away as she caught up with the group.
"Gee, you sure got knack for saving people, Peter... if only I was that lucky..." Claudia said, trying to talk despite being winded from running.
"Trust me, if I was that good at saving people, we wouldn't have suffered many casualties back at Barious..." Peter said, reminiscing the tragic losses of Squad 3.
Claudia said nothing as they continued making a mad dash toward some sort of haven or shelter from the hail fire. However, when the three saw an incoming artillery shell that looked like it was heading straight at them, they were at a loss for words, and even shocked to the point of being frozen in panic. Peter ran, while grabbing Claudia's arm as she stood still and Dorothy still moved at a snail's pace. However, all hope seemed lost when the artillery shell came ever closer, and the whistling sound of death was inbound.
"Just my luck..." Claudia mumbled.
"Aw, shi-"
Peter's words were cut off, as he felt himself get knocked off his feet. In an instant, he felt cuts and scrapes all over his body, as he tumbled down. He was moving at a fast pace, his sights were a blur as he moved involuntarily downward, until a strong hit to the head blackened all his perception. Feeling around his body was dampened, until it was removed altogether. His consciousness dived out soon after.
"Peter? Peter, are you alright? C'mon, don't die on me now!"
Eyes slowly slid opened. A blurry figure was before him. The voice was... familiar. Judging from the pitch, it was female. Was it Susie? No... Susie had blonde hair, and even in his blurred state, Peter could tell that the person in front of him had some dark tone to her hair. Then there was the pain on the back of his head. Peter rubbed the aching part and felt the moist warm feeling of blood. As he looked around to check his surrounding, the blurs and shapes started to focus and become more clear. The oblong in front of him shaped into a face. And the other figures behind her was that of two other people. As Peter turned back to the person in front of him, the face was much more recognizable. Once realizing who she was, he took a sigh of relief.
"Oh, Peter... Thank Valkyrur!" Claudia cried out. Before Peter could respond, the engineer held him tightly.
"Yeah, Claudia? Mind to tell me what the hell is going on?" Peter asked, becoming a bit awkward in the position he was in right now.
"Oh, right..." Claudia let go of Peter before explaining. "You've been unconscious for over an hour now. We dragged you out here, so we should be safe here, for now."
At the thought of where "here" was, Peter looked around his surroundings. He wasn't in the center of a dense forest right now. He appeared to be in a cave. A small campfire was made in the center of it, shining the area with an orange hue. Behind Claudia, there was Dorothy and another Squad 7 soldier whom Peter didn't recognize. He was a boy, maybe a couple years younger than Peter. He had a distinctive x shaped scar in his forehead. Judging from the rifle and light gear he was carrying, he looked to be a sniper. He was eating what looked like an army ration, his face clearly showing his distaste for it. Too bad Largo or Alicia weren't here. Their food was worthy of Princess Cordelia's own staff. But that wasn't the real concern right now. Behind Dorothy and the sniper was the exit towards the forests of Kloden.
"Where the rest of the squad?" Peter asked, wobbling a bit before getting up on his feet.
The three militia soldiers looked at each other with unease. The sniper piped in.
"We got separated from the rest of the group. For now, it's just me, you, Claudia, Dorothy, and Nils," he said. Beyond the cave entrance, Peter could make out a figure. He wasn't holding the lance, but the large blast shield mounted on his arm said it all. Nils was probably just keeping watch outside. "I'm Oscar, by the way." the sniper added.
Peter nodded and noticed the strange silence that hung within the air. Pondering, and trying to remember how he got here, the silence reminded him of something.
"When did the artillery fire stop?" Peter asked, wondering if the cavern would cave in on them from another mortar or artillery blast.
"About half an hour ago..." Dorothy said. "Me and Claudia had to drag you you someplace, and that wasn't really easy. We also found Oscar wounded, so we took him in too. Luckily Nils was here to help get you guys here in this cave. We figured it'd do until the artillery stops."
"Well then... should we all head out and try to find the rest of the squad?" Peter asked, grabbing his rifle that was resting against the wall.
"I, uh... I don't think so..." Claudia mumbled. "Well, you see... since the artillery stopped, they've sent in garrisons of troops out to hunt us in the woods. Soooo... I think we should just stick here and make camp until sunrise!" the engineer chirped cheerfully.
Peter raised a brow. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you crazy?"
"Aw, c'mon! But I'm tired, Peter! And Dorothy too..." Claudia exclaimed in a whiny voice. The headband wearing girl soon yawned after that statement.
"Okay, then what the hell's going to stop them from finding us when we're asleep, all helpless and vulnerable?" Peter asked, still not satisfied with the idea.
"Don't worry. Nils' will take watch!" Dorothy piped in.
"The lancer? What makes you think he can defend this place, or at least warn us 'till disaster strikes?"
"Oh, he's verrry territorial," Claudia mentioned. "He won't let the Imps take this place. Besides, shouldn't you rest too? I mean, you took nasty blow to the head, Peter."
Peter felt the the back of his head once again. Interestingly enough, he felt his brown frazzled hair, some blood, as well as the spot his wound was, though that wasn't his highest concern at the moment. "Any of you guys have my hat?" he asked.
Claudia nodded and took the blue felt cap from one of the pouches on her person. She handed it to the scout, who promptly wiped the some of the blood from his hair and rested it over his head. Judging from how much he wears it, she guesses that that was one of the only times she'll ever see him hatless. "Wow... guess if you're already worrying about a hat, then I guess you are fine."
Peter nodded. Checking for ammunition on his person and seeing if any rounds were still in the clip, Peter loaded his Gallian and checked his equipment.
"Claudia, you have a radio ready?" Peter asked.
The headband clad girl shook her head. "No, it got damaged while we were running around and fell off the cliff..."
"Damn, we could have used that. Well, hold on... I've got my radio..."
Peter rummaged through his things and pulled out a radio, which looked serviceable, and in decent enough condition. Adjusting the frequencies to report to any and all 7's in the area, Peter attempted to communicate with anyone who might be out there. "This is Private Peter Rothchild of Squad 7! Can anybody hear me out there? Hello?!"
Static responded on the line. Some of the others looked somewhat down since nobody's voice came through the static. Not even comm chatter, or just noises that indicated a radio was being tossed around.
"This is Peter Rothchild of Squad 7! Is anyone out there?" he repeated. After about a couple minutes of static, and no voices to respond, most everyone had a resigned look of defeat on their face.
"I guess no one's out there... I'd think my brother wouldn't have been too far away, but..." Oscar sighed, pacing back and forth trying to see towards a plan. Refusing to stay here, and determined to regroup with the rest of the 7's, Peter stood in a more commanding and readied stance.
"Alright guys, listen up! We'll rest here for another five minutes, and it's off into the forests. I'm not going to sit here idly by, until some Imps come here to put holes in us. Now come on, we have to regroup with the rest of the squad and see what to do from there!" Peter said, issuing the orders to his teammates.
"Hey, who put you in charge?" Dorothy complained. "Besides, we don't even know where the rest of the 7's are!"
"We have to. Better going out there with a purpose than just sitting here. Besides, I have no intent on being left behind in the forests, while the rest of Squad 7 is out on their way to Randgriz! They won't be waiting on couple of grunts like us, and I have no intention of making Kloden my new home… or a grave. Now come on, who's with me?" Peter asked, with much of the voice of a commander.
"Peter's right!" Oscar exclaimed. "I've got a brother out there, and I intend on coming back to be at his side and help him. And we're not going to get there while we're here in this cave!"
The Sniper held his rifle tighter and stood at attention, much like how one would when faced to their superior officer. Dorothy piped in again.
"What are our chances of survival out there compared to here? What if we die out there?"
Peter had a more serious look to his face. "Some of us may die. All of us may die. It's war. But we'll all die for sure if we just sit around and do nothing."
Oscar looked at the two girls, as if urging them to see Peter's direction. Claudia looked at the sight and shrugged.
"Alright, Peter. If you say so." The engineer also got up in a readied position, and topped it off with a mock salute to Peter. "I'll try my best!"
Dorothy looked at this and put a hand over her face. Exhaling a sigh, she came to terms and grabbed her MAGs machine gun from the ground and lined up next to the others.
"Well, if everybody else is doing it…"
Peter smiled at their cooperation, though it actually occurred to him that they were now looking up to him as if he were some sort of commanding figure. And that started to put pressure and doubt into him already. Nevertheless, he was ready to head out with his new detachment.
Tightening the grip on his rifle and waiting for his fellow soldiers to get ready, Peter felt like a real commanding officer. It was scary, but something about was also exciting and invigorating.
"Hehe… I bet Dad would be proud…" Peter thought to himself. "Huh... Dad... there's a guy I haven't thought of in a while..."
"Everybody ready?" the newly appointed commander asked.
When everybody nodded, Peter kicked out the fire and led his troops outside of the cave. Nils was waiting outside. Upon a closer inspection, Peter noticed the man was several years older than Peter, and he had a very gruff and hardened look to him. He looks like he has seen conflict, yet he looks too young to have fought in the first war. He inhaled a breath from his cigarette, practically exhaling in Peter's face when he noticed him.
"What the hell's going on? Why are we leaving?" Nils asked Peter, raising a brow.
"We're regrouping with the rest of the squad. We're not going to wait here before the Imps shoot us all while we're sleeping. C'mon. We might be able to find some other people out there," Peter said, turning his attention to the path ahead, the dense forests of Kloden.
"Hmph. Finally, a bit of command here. I'm tired of following these little girls' bullshit orders. I'm with you. Completely," Nils said, picking up his Lancaar. Taking another breath from his smoke, he flicked it aside and followed the team. Peter made no comment on Claudia and Dorothy's supposed "orders," though the two did scoff and felt disgusted at Nils' rudeness.
"Alright guys. Let's move out," Peter ordered, moving forward, into the unforgiving wilderness, with the rest of the militia soldiers following in suit.
"Oh, come on Peter! Face it, we're lost!"
Peter ignored Dorothy's comment and continued following his compass. He knew that the squad was heading out due west toward central Gallia, so he decided that that was as good as any place to go. However, with the lack of progress in finding any fellow 7's over the last hour, some of the others were getting impatient.
"Sure that blow to the head didn't really affect you? I mean, we're walking and walking, and I think we were better off in the cave…"
"Will you just be quiet for a minute, Dorothy!?" Peter said, desperately trying not to raise his voice to alert a possible Imperial patrol. "Look: This is war, alright? You joined the militia, so I should guess that you know the hardships and tough work that requires, right? Not to mention the fact that death lies right around every corner…"
"Hey, it wasn't my choice to join the militia, buddy! You don't need to be such an asshole over this! I was forced to join because of the government conscription and the fact that most of Fouzen was burnt to the ground! I don't need any of your-"
"Guys, both of you! Stop!" Claudia intervened. Both of them ignored her as the two started to escalate their argument. Peter looked like he wanted to pay attention to Claudia's plea, though his face showed he was visibly annoyed and more focused on Dorothy. The blonde was huffing, and her face was turning red, possibly out of anger, embarrassment of some sort, or some kind of quirk or tendency she has when talking.
Nils merely watched in bemused silence as the two raised their voice. He noticed Oscar looking through his scope lens, before the young man gasped. Through his sniper scope, he noticed a camouflaged gun emplacement. It looked like a mortar, and was no doubt one of the guns responsible for the bombardment earlier. But what worried the sniper more was the sight of an armed crew stationed around it, including at least two snipers. He gestured Nils to crouch down behind a natural barrier of shrubs and bushes. The man nodded and did so, but when Oscar turned his attention to the rest of them, they were a little less cooperative.
"Um… Guys? We've got company…!" the sniper said, trying to convince his teammates to get down and silence their discussion. His warning fell on deaf ears.
"I for one think this is just pointless, guys! Look, we've all got our problems and stuff, and it's no reason to fight abo-"
Claudia's words were interrupted by the sniper round grazing her arm. She yelped before falling to the ground, and Peter and Dorothy came to their senses to the unlucky girl's aid. Blood coursed through the bicep of her left arm. However it didn't look too bad enough to waste a Ragnaid capsule on. Maybe some bandages. Peter looked through one of the pouches on his waist full of basic first aid supplies. The Bruhler quickly wrapped the white cloth around Claudia's arm to stop the bleeding.
"You alright?" Peter asked, making sure the bandage was on tight enough.
"Yeah… thanks Peter…" Claudia replied, soothing her arm.
"Uh, yeah… Like I said earlier, we've got company," Oscar mentioned. He pulled out his sniper rifle and looked through the scope. "Let's see… We've got two…"
Oscar pulled the trigger of his sniper. After the light recoil, the boy loaded another round in the chamber.
"…one enemy sniper… And… four, no, five soldiers inbound. Three troopers and two scouts…" Oscar said, continuing his sighting and recon. It was soon ended prematurely by a hail fire of bullets coming from enemy machine guns. "Damn! Get ready guys!"
Claudia and Nils loaded a Lancaar round into the latter's lance, while Peter and Dorothy raised their weapons. Rustling in the bushes was faint in the distance, but was increasingly getting louder as the Imperials neared.
"Everyone, get behind something!" Peter said, pressing up behind a tree. Everyone took positions around, spreading out to the left and right, hiding behind trees and bushes, prepping for their flanking positions.
Everyone took cover behind the thick bushes and tree of the forest. Oscar ran back farther to try and provide covering fire with his sniper rifle. They all took aim, as the rustling grew louder and louder. Then it stopped.
Dead silence.
Some of the group looked over at each other uneasily. "W-what's going on?" Dorothy whispered amidst the silence.
The Gallians noticed a small canister rolling along the ground. A thick grey smoke emitted from the top, slowly enveloping the area. Peter, Claudia, Dorothy, and even Nils all looked at each other uneasily, before their vision was completely blocked. The smoke made some eyes teary, and others found it difficult not to cough when breathing the air in. Peter found himself trying hard to hold his breath, so as not to give away their positions to the Imps. The others were starting to break down though. And Oscar, who was out of the smoke's reach, was rather useless in his current position without clear vision. Peter noticed Dorothy gagging, and holding back a cough. The Bruhler put a gloved hand over her mouth. The girl tried to fight back, thinking she could handle it, but when the subtle sounds of branches and grass being crushed underfoot were heard way too close for comfort, they both went dead still. The two's color on their faces went pale, as they could barely make out the silhouettes of Imperial armor in the smoke. Peter couldn't communicate to Claudia or Nils, so he prayed that they could let the enemies pass by or ambush them at the right moment. When Dorothy stirred no longer, Peter removed his hand over her face. He'd regret it. As soon as he took his hand off, Dorothy felt her eyes water and her nose feel a tingling sensation. And then...
"Achoo!"
Peter quickly plugged Dorothy's nose, to which she had no objection this time.
"You hear something?" asked an unrecognizable voice.
"Yeah... I think we just found our little Gallians..." said another.
"Alright... You three! Go over more to the north. Me and Yakov will check out this area. These mongrels can't hide forever..."
Some murmuring followed by "yes, sirs" ensued, before the forest returned to its silence. The smoke was fading ever so slightly, and the silhouettes became darker and more discernible. The rustles of the ground and branches beneath the Imperials' feet grew louder, and Peter and Dorothy found themselves backing away, consequently making as much noise as the enemy was. Dorothy started whimpering, as the Imps were walking straight toward them.
"I think we just found our target..." one of them mumbled.
By now, Peter and Dorothy had gotten outside the range of the smoke, and while they could see the Imperials if they were following them, they themselves had nothing but the darkness of night to camouflage them. Even though they held onto their weapons, the two couldn't exactly take the anxiety of the position they were in right now. The Imps still had the element of surprise, and they didn't know when the hell they were going to attack. There were several directions as to where the hell they were hiding. As they continued backing up, the Gallians took their arms and aimed at the cloud of smoke, determined to shoot down anything that came out. Peter prayed Nils, Claudia, and Oscar had better luck hiding than they did.
A head clad in a metal helmet popped out of the smoke. His eyes fell upon Peter and Dorothy, before the rest of him came out, with a machine gun pointed straight at them. Suddenly, a burst of red showered the soldier's armor, before he crumpled to the ground right at their feet.
"Sniper fire, get down!"
The Imperial shouted out, but out of some impulse, Dorothy too the gun and aimed at the dark shape within the cloud of smoke. Letting out a burst from her MAGs, the Imperial groaned and dropped dead. She quickly got up and ran head first into the fray. Seeing as how stealth was no longer a factor, Peter got up from the ground ran behind the shocktrooper as they started trying to gun down the enemy Imps. Dorothy wasn't exactly aiming, but rather firing bursts from her gun and hoping she would hit something. Essentially a waste of ammo, but they managed to get through this skirmish alive, then perhaps Claudia might be able to better supply everyone.
"Guys, get back! Back!"
Peter and Dorothy recognized that as Nils' voice. Hesitantly doing as he said, the two retreated. Suddenly a large Ragnite blast covered the area, almost knocking the two off their feet. Looking over their shoulder to see what had happened, the explosion had cleared the smoke, and left several visible bodies in its place. Not too far from there, was the smoking end of Nils' lance, with Claudia cheering and flashing a victory sign. From the Lancaar's wake, some of the bodies got up, and the Imps tried to run away. One looked relatively unscathed, while the other had tears in his armor, no doubt from the shrapnel. Peter aimed down the sights toward the first Imperial, and squeezed the trigger a few times. Following the slight recoil, Peter saw that the man stumbled and fell to the ground, but was still crawling. The Bruhler fired another shot for good measure. Peter then had his sights on the next Imp, but before he could even fire a shot, he witnessed a bullet hole develop on the back of his helmet, staining the armor in blood. At first bewildered at the sight, Peter nodded in gratitude.
"Thanks, Oscar."
"No problem," said the aforementioned sniper, who was regrouping with the rest of the team. They all huddled around next to some thick bushes, trying to plan out the next step in their attack.
Everyone took glances at each other, seeing how composed or what their reactions were. Peter payed special attention, as to see when and how they should press onward. Dorothy seemed a bit on edge. Her face was slightly red, and she was breathing a bit heavier than normal. Nils still had a stern look that seemed permanently molded on his face. It was hard to see what his true reactions were. Oscar and Claudia seemed rather composed and confident even, though the latter was a bit more put off seeing how distraught her friend was.
Oscar looked through the scope of his sniper once again and checked the area around the artillery piece.
"Alright... one more sniper and... rest of them look like engineers, so I think we just took out their main defense. We shouldn't get too much problems from them," Oscar said, with the remaining Imperial sniper in his crosshairs. The man was completely unaware, trying to scout out other areas completely unaware of Oscar. A single shot echoed throughout the forest and the Imperial stumbled a bit before falling like a stone.
"Alright guys, let's move up!" Peter exclaimed. After a couple nods, or otherwise resigned expressions, everyone behind him followed suit.
Not too far away...
"Any report on the two Gallian officers spotted in the forests?"
"No, sir. Our dogs have tried tracking the scent, but there's a lot of other things in these damn woods that mess with their sense of tracking."
The Imperial officer frowned. He'd supposedly found the commander of Squad 7, as well as another officer at his side. He looked at his motley crew of soldiers and scowled.
"Keep looking, or else I'll have no more use for these mutts and put them down myself..."
One of the dogs next to the trainer started fiercely growling, bearing teeth and all. The Imperial trainer started tugging on the reins a tad tighter at the sight. The officer narrowed his eyes, and slits of blue hues glared at the war dog.
"Silence, you pathetic hound!"
The dogs ears went down, and moved away with a tail between his legs, as he whimpered pathetically. Satisfied, the Imperial officer turned away, almost ready to give up the search in this area, when he noticed another dog intently sniffing around a certain area, a soldier following it. Even from his distance, and the mask of the helmet, the Imperial could see the astonishment at the soldier's eyes.
"Hey guys, I think Panzer found something!"
The Fhiraldan Shepard was sniffing its nose around an area, until it discovered an opening alongside the steep wall of a cliff. There, was a cave. Interested, the Imperial moved towards the entrance, carefully observing for a sign of Gallian treachery. A soldier was giving a treat to the dog who had made the discovery, though the caring for the hounds meant little to the commander.
"I want a scouting team to search the cave! Shoot at anything that moves in there!"
A small group of soldier saluted and marched into the depths of the cave, with a couple dogs following them. They all took up flashlights and shined the area with light. Nothing there. Skeptical, they continued searching in the cave before finding what looked like a pile of wood. There was still a hint of smoke and dying embers. One of the dogs was now sniffing what looked to be tracks on the ground. A trooper lit his flashlight on the ground, and noticed footprints. There were several tracks, meaning there was some number of them around.
Outside, the Imperial officer noticed something peculiar on the ground, definietly not of the forest. He knelt down to pick it up, and he looked at the cigarette carefully. The end was still lightly lit, and the cigarette wasn't used up entirely. This couldn't have been more than a couple hours ago. Sighing, he pulled out a lighter lit the smoke in his hands.
"Colonel!"
The aforementioned Imperial saw one of his troops, while the others as well a pack of dogs were picking up a path.
"Yes? What did you find?" he asked, going back to his smoke.
"We found evidence that someone was here. A campfire, and judging from the embers, it couldn't have been more than about two hours," stated the armor clad scout.
"Indeed... Anything else?"
"Oh, we found footprints. They were definitely of Gallians sir, though there was about four or five sets of tracks, so it's a possibility that the two Gallian militia soldiers you were looking for are there."
"Where were they heading to?"
"Judging from the tracks right now, I'd wanna say they were heading... west."
The colonel thought for a moment before turning back.
"What of Camp 4? They are not too far away from this location."
"Sure, I'll check on the radios..."
The scout took the radio from his belt and turned the frequency to the artillery emplacement.
"Camp 4, do you copy?"
"..."
"Camp 4, please respond. Status report!"
"..."
"Is anyone there, hello?!"
Some static, followed by some fumbling with the radio could be heard from the other line, before someone responded on the line.
"Yeah, yeah, this is Camp 4, over."
The scout raised a brow.
"What took you so long to respond?"
"Oh, nothing we were just trying repair the and tune up the... gun emplacement."
Some indiscernible popping sounds were coming from the other line.
"What was that in the background? Was that gunfire?"
"Oh no, that was... just a misfire. Someone fired at a forest critter roaming the woods. You know how jittery these kinds of places make guys, right?"
"Have you or your men spotted any Gallians in the vicinity?"
"No sir, no problems whatsoever. We're... we're fine. H-how are you?"
"Well, I'm sending a team of troopers over there. I'm seeing footprints and some Gallians might be heading your wa-"
"Negative! Negative, we've had an ammunition problem with the gun emplacement, and it's highly unstable. We've actually lost a guy already. But our engineers are already on it, working on it."
"... Who is this?" the scout asked, more skeptical of this person than ever.
"Me? Oh, I'm... Corporal... Yakov. Corporal Yakov, sir."
"Who?"
"Corp... Ah, fuck it."
Static ensued after that, leaving the Imperial scout confused and panicked.
"S-sir! I think the Gallians already reached Camp 4! I think they might've taken out the crew stationed there!" the scout yelled frantically at his commander, practically yelling in his face.
"What! They took out all of them?!" The Colonel looked at his troops, before pointing his arm. "I want you three to stay with me! The rest, take out all hostiles! I don't care if they are left dead or alive! Take the mutts with you!"
The group of soldiers marched forward, dogs sniffing out the trail to snuff out their Gallian prey. The officer nodded, and left the area with his three guards. As he stepped into the forest, his black uniform blended into the night. The scout lead the troops through the woods, everyone determined to finish off the Gallians who humiliated them back at Barious. He served with several of those men for years, and damn it, he wasn't about to let these pigs get away from this frenzied yelling and battle cries of soldiers, as well as the barking and howling of dogs echoed through the night skies.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
Peter cursed at the now broken radio, his rifle barrel still smoking. His attempted to sway the Imperials away from their position failed epically, as he cracked down under pressure, and judging from the tone of the Imp on the radio, he wasn't likely to buy the excuse anyway. Some of the others were looking panicked, others even accusingly at Peter, making him very nervous indeed.
"Shit, we are screwed!"
Peter had no idea how Isara was able to smooth-talk an Imperial on the radio back in Vasel, but that was the least of his concerns. What was his concern was the indeterminable number of Imperials on their way to their location. Peter was desperately looking back and forth for some kind of guidance, or an answer to just suddenly reveal itself, but so far, he was only met with the stares of everyone else. After a sigh, and coming to resolutions, Peter came to a conclusion.
"Alright, guys. Take whatever supplies they've got here: ammunition, rations whatever. Then we burn this place and get the hell out of here. Any objections, complaints?" Peter said, straightening his back to try and look slightly taller and imposing. Dorothy opened her mouth to remark something, but stopped herself before speaking. With a nod, Peter began rummaging through the affects of the dead Imperial crew. Peter felt as though they were running out of the essential survival items, like ammo, medical supplies, and the like. Squad 7 already exhausted most of it from the previous battle from Barious. Pulling out some rations and MREs from the corpses, Peter and Claudia grabbed what they could from the bodies, and other supplies from boxes and crates. Oscar was lucky enough to find more medical supplies, while Dorothy and Nils scrounged any ammo they could find. While he was at it, the latter also armed himself with an Imperial machine gun, which was more practical than a lance in a tight situation. Time was ticking down, as they grabbed what they could use. Then, a succession of what sounded like... barking.
"Uh, guys do you hear that?" Claudia asked, putting a hand against her ear.
"Are there wolves in the forests out there?" Dorothy asked, now worried.
"I don't think they'd come out here, not with all the gunfire and commotion. No... it might be... it's something worse..." Nils contemplated. He thought for a moment before his brows rose in shock. "Shit! They've got dogs! The Imps have got attack dogs, we have to move it!"
At hearing the phrase "attack dogs," the group quickly went pale as they grabbed everything they had with them and began to hurry it out of there. Before they went, Peter did the liberty of sliding a grenade down the barrel of the artillery piece, as a safety precaution so they never use the thing against them again. The grenade went off with a boom before the artillery barrel broke in two. Everyone then ran as fast as they could, and not looking back. Some indistinct shouting could be heard from back at the camp, and the popping of gunfire came along. Bullets whizzed by, as the group kept running. Everything was frantic, as all of them ran forward, and not turning back. Suddenly, one of the troops turned in one direction, another split in a different direction, and Peter found himself following Claudia and Oscar, while Dorothy and Nils ran off in some other. Whether or not that was desperation or some kind of way to throw off the Imperials was unknown to Peter, though at the moment, he could care less. He ran. He, Claudia and Oscar ran frantically, the dogs barking ever nearing. Though they were still some ways away from them, the barking sounded as if they were right behind them, echoing through the forests and the Gallians' minds.
Then Peter heard some gunfire. Through some almost involuntary impulse, the Bruhler stopped and looked to the origin of the firefight. He could see Dorothy and Nils, firing their weapons fiercely at some unseen foe, even through the thickness of the Kloden Wilds. Starting slowly, Peter walked then ran toward them, but a huge force knocked the scout to the ground. Clawing and scratching were overwhelming, being forced down all over Peter, still not registering what was going on. All he could sense, was pain, and the sound of inhuman growls. Daring to open his eyes, he was met with the muzzle of a dog, baring its teeth and barking at his face. In a futile attempt to get the canine off, Peter tried smacking the hound with his rifle butt, though the animal responded by biting his arm, releasing his weapon. Footsteps were running by, closer and closer, and with no way to get the dog off, Peter knew he was done for, if not made a prisoner to the Empire. Then, there was a single gunshot. The clawing stopped. Everything felt silent. Daring to open an eye once more, Peter was surprised that he wasn't harmed in any way, save for getting mauled by the dog. The canine's black eyes were still set on his own, though nothing was backing them anymore.
Oscar kicked the dead hound off of Peter, while Claudia helped him up.
"Get yourself up, Peter. You're not dying, not yet," Claudia said, hoisting Peter off the ground. She was horrified to see some scratches through his uniform, blood seeping through each one. "Oh, god... Peter, you're bleeding. We've got to get that treated, fast!"
"We've got to get the hell out of here alive first, Claudia!" Oscar exclaimed, able to take another shot at an incoming Imperial, even through all the chaos.
"I... I can shake it off for now..." Peter weakly declared, though Claudia insisted on helping him walk. "Damn it, it's not like that dog crippled me! I'm fine!"
Slightly taken aback, Claudia nodded, and focused on trying to get away. Peter nursed his arm, which had a deep scratch on his chest that was bleeding quite a bit. Continuing to press forward, he applied a Ragnaid capsule to help ease it until Claudia could administer proper treatment when the Imps weren't chasing after them anymore. Tossing the spent Ragnite drug aside, Peter looked around to see if Dorothy or Nils were in the distance. After the hound knocked him down, he had lost his sense of direction, from the disorientation, as well as the infamous natural illusions of the forest that would make any traveler lost, whether it be civilian, or a militia scout. The two were nowhere to be found, and the cluster of the sounds of gunfire and barking that accompanied were more indistinct than ever. As if off in the distance. While Peter and Claudia went up farther into the woods, Oscar continued laying out support fire to anyone still focused on them.
"Alright, let's see what we can do..." Claudia said, finding a relatively safe spot amongst the battle. Peter sat down, she pulled out some medical supplies, some of them were courtesy of the Imperial camp they looted some ways back. Applying some Ragnaid on the wounds, she wiped and padded down any blood. Then, she took out a suture kit to sew back the wounds. Even though the headband wearing girl was to stay focused on treating Peter's wounds, she periodically looked over her shoulder to see how Oscar was doing. He was currently defending them, a lone sniper of all things. However, Claudia was confident that Oscar would be able to handle himself, and he was going to help them get everyone out of here alive. Sure, she'd been through some pretty unlucky turn of events these past few hours, starting with the artillery chaos, but she was at least feeling lucky that she had some good company, and that was a big morale booster for her to the least. Maybe she would be lucky enough to see the dawn of morning.
Oscar loaded a new round into the chamber of his sniper. He quickly aimed and found a new target, which he downed quickly. Another one down. It was awfully hard to fire at these Imps with so much pressure, and with each enemy that fell at the scope of his sniper, it became harder and harder to steady his focus. Sure, there were less Imps now focusing on them, some dead and others looking for Dorothy and Nils, but it was a true test of his abilities nonetheless. Oscar felt himself falling back, walking away to move with his comrades, but he still wasn't about to back out now. No, they need him. And somewhere, his brother needed him. He wasn't about to leave Emile behind in this world. Oscar would soon reunite with his comrades, but not until he used up every single one of his sniper rounds. So he fought. And he fought hard.
Dorothy Howard was now stuck with a sick man, and here she was, fighting for her very life. She had no idea what she was thinking when she separated and followed Nils. She panicked. Now she probably was going to pay for it. Several Imperial troopers were on their tail, and dogs dashing ever closer were if no comfort. But now she was on the run, firing her weapon at the incoming enemy. She never wanted this. She was forced into this war. And she hated it. She missed the days in the Fouzen jewelry foundries, and making and trying out the various styles. But in all honesty, these days in the Militia were the best in her life. She met new people. She actually made friends. She learned a lot about others and herself in the days of training and combat. She was still prone to a little stage fright every now and then, but she tried the hardest she could. Dorothy came out of her box, and she knew she was never going back in. She hoped that Claudia and all the others would make it out safely. Dorothy still had regrets. She still thought that she deserved more. But now, in these fleeting moments, she decided to give some payback to all the bastards that burned Fouzen to the ground. And so she fought. For her family. For her friends. And for Gallia. For once, Dorothy Howard gave herself a bit of confidence and the sheer will to back it up. As she fired her weapon, the enemy bullets penetrated her uniform, losing blood and vitality with each and every painful shot. And with every last bit of life she still had, she clang to it just to live that much longer. With every late and borrowed breath she took, she stole a last breath from one of the Imps. But even iron wills decay and rust. Soon enough, she couldn't take anymore.
So when she died, she did so with a little pride, a little sadness, and left with her a hope for all her friends and family, both by bond and blood.
Nils Daerden was pinned down, the odds against him. He was running out of ammunition, and looking at the corpse of the girl beside him, it didn't exactly encourage him much. This was what the Gallian Militia got, when they sent a girl to do a man's job, or so he always thought. She was whiny and annoying, but here, she fought and died with a hint of honor in a way Nils respected. They weren't just a girl and man now. They were soldiers. But what he thought didn't matter now. What did matter, was the Imperial force in front of him. He lived through the mafia wars following the depression of Gallia after the first war. He killed a man at age ten. He was then the Daerden family leader when his father died. He's been swept into the criminal underground since childhood, and now it seemed like he was he was going to die for an actually just cause.
He was running out of ammo. The dogs were barking, cornering him against a cliff. Nowhere to run.
Nils loaded his last clip into the Imperial gun and made every last shot count. He was about to make his final stand right here. A lone wolf never gives up its claim. A wolf fights to the death.
A few more Imperials were marching in, and though their numbers were getting smaller, he was still just one man, and now he was out of ammo for his machine gun. Nils looked towards the massive weapon leaning against the cliffside. His lance. There was just one Lancaar round left in it, and damn it, he was now going to give the Imps what for. He grabbed the lance, armed the warhead and aimed. Several soldiers were clustered together, and when they saw the receiving end of the lance, it was too late. In a flash, the group of Imps were taken out, and through the smoke of the explosion, Nils had thought he had won. Dropping the massive weapon, he started to walk away with a smug grin on his face. Maybe it wasn't his time yet.
From the smoke, a single round flew through and struck Nils in the chest.
Or perhaps it was.
A lone Imperial in bloodied vermilion armor came out, a couple soldiers following. Nils couldn't support himself any longer, and his body felt weak. He fell backwards onto the ground, where the Imp officer met him. He placed a boot on Nils' chest, and loaded a single round into a revolver. The officer pointed the gun at the crime-lord's head, but not before offering some kind of pay of respect by placing a fist over his heart. It was as if he was saluting his enemy one last time. Nils nodded in acceptance. Did he fail at his duty by not coming home? Not seeing the end of this war? Not even this battle? He never denied that he did. But through this war, he became a hell of a lot more than what he was back in the streets of Randgriz. And that in itself was his greatest victory.
The Imperial fired his weapon.
"There, you're good as new!"
Claudia seemed happy enough that she was able to treat Peter successfully. She had always considered becoming a medic instead of an engineer, though with her infamous luck, she was always worried that she'd end up accidentally killing the person. But Claudia was glad her first operation was a relative success.
Getting up and dusting off, Peter grabbed his weapon once more, though the forests seemed relatively quiet again. A few indistinct sounds were heard in the distance, but he could no longer determine if they were that of a skirmish or just more forest creatures in the area. Oscar came back, somewhat bloodied, though looking fine overall. He was holding his pistol with his rifle strapped around his back. Claudia didn't even need a word, as she got down to doing the same procedure she did with Peter, as well as supplying some more ammo for Oscar. Oscar, though silent at the moment, smiled slightly at the appreciation for Claudia's treatment. Taking a deep sigh, Peter sat down on a nearby fallen tree. He had been through so much this day. He'd seen his best friend die, saw his old squad almost destroyed, got bombarded with artillery, and chased through the forests. And now, it was only dawn. Through the night skies, Peter saw that the darkness began to fade, and the stars receding. Hints that the sun would come up soon shone through gray clouds. Dusk was coming, and Peter thought he'd be lucky just to see the sun again. However, Peter couldn't help but wonder where Nils and Dorothy were. Separating in the chaos was probably the stupidest this they could have done, but frankly, Peter was somewhat thankful that they took the attention of some of the Imperials on their tails. Still, Peter prayed for their safety, and if they were dead... then they're probably in a better place. Taking another deep sigh, Peter rested his weary body against the fallen tree, if only for a few moments.
"Bzzt... Come in all 7's! Repeat! Come in all 7's!"
Peter stirred slightly at the disturbance, before some light started to shine on his eyes. He slightly cracked open an eye and noticed blinding light everywhere. Grumbling, he tossed and turned away from the light.
"Come in all 7's! This is Lieutenant Welkin Gunther!"
At the louder sounds Peter almost yelped as he woke up. His eyes opened wide in surprise as he frantically reached for his gun and looked around for the origin of the voice. Astonishingly, Peter discovered that the Kloden Wildwood was now brightened by the sun's light. Rubbing his eyes, it took a few moments to realize that it was morning. Save for the birds chirping and the slight rustling of the trees, it was quiet and peaceful.
"... What the hell...?"
Peter tried thinking what had just transpired recently, until memory rushed in. He had probably slept through the night, though the Bruhler was surprised at how he was still in one piece. He looked around some more until he noticed Oscar and Claudia, both of them snoozing in the cover of the bushes. A breath escaped from Peter's mouth at how relieved he was seeing his friends alright.
"Come in all 7's! Good morning!"
Shocked at hearing the voice again, Peter soon realized that the voice was coming from his own radio. He recognized the voice as his own lieutenant's and the sound of his voice was that much relieving to hear. The noise and static coming from the radio stirred and woke up Claudia and Oscar as well.
"Uh... what happened last night...?" Claudia asked, yawning and stretching. "This don't look like Port Water... eh?"
Claudia was still drowsy, and probably didn't know where she was. A quick check of her surroundings though, and it soon came back to her. Oscar got up, still tired, though a bit more in focus with the environment than Peter or Claudia.
"Good morning, guys!" Peter said, rather happy that they at least got some rest and were out okay. After more yawning, the other two came to their senses. More static came up on the radio grabbing the attention of everyone.
"This is Welkin Gunther! To all troops who got separated in the attack last night, I hope you're alright. We need to regroup and soon head off back to Randgriz. Myself, Alicia, and several others are currently at an occupied enemy camp. I'm sending a flare on my position. But I can't wait forever... report back ASAP! I hope to see the rest of you here!"
Peter smiled as he got together his things. Not too long after the radio transmission, a flare went up at the promising morning sky, leaving trail and smoke, and spread spectacularly in the air. Oscar got up with his things too, and they were soon ready to leave. However, Claudia still remained where she was, almost worried or saddened even.
"Um, Claudia? What's wrong, aren't you happy that we're going back to Randgriz?"
Claudia remained silent before she spoke up. "... What about Dorothy? She's still somewhere out in the forests. We never found her..."
Oscar looked at Peter, somewhat unsure of how he should respond. Judging from the forlorn look on the boy's face, he and Peter were probably thinking of the same fate the befell Dorothy Howard.
"Erm, well she's probably going towards the flare like us. She probably got the message to, I mean, if she's still ali-"
Peter abruptly gestured for Oscar to silence himself, which the sniper understood quickly. However, Claudia was pretty sure of what he was going to say, and the look on her face became even more depressed. She hopelessly sat on the ground, her arms around her legs starting to sniffle. Peter knelt down to the engineer's level and put an arm around her, to comfort her.
"Look, I know it's sad. I'm sure she was you're best friend. But we'll need to get moving. I won't lie; she's probably dead."
"B-but it just doesn't seem right... leaving her... we don't even know if she's dea... dead..."
It saddened Peter to see Claudia broken up like this. As if her "bad luck" thing wore down her self confidence, this was probably the breaking point.
"Look, half the Imp troops went after her and... I think we were even lucky just to-"
"Don't even say that word..."
Peter realized he had just pushed Claudia further by mentioning the simple "L-word." Sighing again, Peter continued talking to her.
"I get it, Claudia. I know how you feel... I... I lost a friend too. Yesterday, actually..." At this point, Claudia's sniffling desisted a little, as if she were listening, spurring Peter to continue. "I lost him to a land mine. Sacrificed himself even. His name was Dan... known each other for over ten years. He died, but he died a hero. And... I'm sure Dorothy did the same. She died to help us get out here. And it's best to dwell on the now, than the past. I know you just lost her, but this is war. If we don't do something, we'll lose a lot more than just our friends. And it's not about remembering how people died... just remember and respect the way your friend lived."
Claudia sniffled again, a tear rolling down her eye. She got up from the ground, now ready to move on. She didn't have to like it, but there was truth to what Peter said. It was doubtful that Dorothy was still alive, and it was a miracle in itself that she and the others were alive, but she had to move on. Otherwise, she sit and do nothing, Dorothy's death would be in vain.
"Okay... thanks Peter... I'm sure... Dan was a good man. And Dorothy was a good friend... I'll... um... never mind..."
As she wiped her last tears, Claudia readied herself along with Peter and Oscar. Following the trail set before them, they soon regrouped with the rest of Squad 7. The recent journeys have been bittersweet for Peter and Squad 7. Leaving behind the scorching deserts and thick forests, the painful memories and everlasting wounds were left with them. But with such left, there lied a hope. A hope for friends. A hope for family. A hope for the country. And a hope for tomorrow.
From there, they all headed back en route to Randgriz.
Yes! I did it! It's finally over! You have no idea how long this took me. Anyway, I hope this met up to standards. I realize some things could have been done better, but as always, I leave that up to you. I'll try to update the next chapter faster, because I'm positive that the next won't be as long as this one. Thank you, and good night.
~Mr. Wang