Chapter 29: What Started It All
"Retreat! Back, get back to the damn base!" a man in full body armor yelled, waiving away from the battlefield.
On his command several men started running back, some carrying wounded allies, some saving themselves. The other side chased them off the field, cheering their victory for the day. Back at the base the man that called the retreat was going from bunker to bunker, checking the status of his men. He entered one bunker to see only twelve men in it.
"Artem, what the hell happen to your men?" the man demanded.
One of the twelve stood up and saluted, he, as well as the other eleven were dressed in battle clothes and some chain mail all their hair was cut short, his hair was red and eyes were blue, "Sorry general, we were sent in first. We were lucky that the twelve of us made it back sir," Artem said.
"Then be grateful for the chance to live. And live for the kill of battle," the general said.
"Sir!" Artem said saluting again.
The general turned and left and Artem sat back down, he turned to the man sitting next to him, one with blond hair and blue eyes, "how you doin' Lukien?" he asked.
"Okay," Lukien said with a big grin, Artem grinned back and rubbed the blonds head.
"Yeah, we really were lucky to get out of there. What the hell does the general have against us?" a blond with brown eyes asked.
"I know, that's the third time we were first in. it's like he wants us gone," said the man with brown hair and blue eyes sitting on the other side of Lukien.
"Hey, Rhorik, Ivike, calm down," Artem said looking at the two in turn.
"He does what us gone. No new men have been assigned to this brigade since he became general," the white haired brown eyed man said.
"Orwin, what the hell are you talking about?" a red haired yellow eyed man asked.
"I arrived with the general. We were both assigned to this brigade, but he was moved out after a week because he wasn't able to keep up with the rough manner that we keep in battle," Orwin said.
"So you think this is revenge?" Artem asked.
"Hey, I know Orwin's always right, but this ain't some conspiracy against the country. We act on it, and we're committing treason," a man with black hair and grey eyes said.
"No, I know we can't act on it. At least not directly," Artem said.
"No. No way in hell! I am not doing this crap again!" the man with black hair and yellow eyes said standing up.
"Larc, calm down, he didn't say anything yet," the red haired yellow eyed man said.
"Kain, I know you're all anti violence and peace for all, but seriously, this is a damn war," Larc said.
"I'm trying to suppress a fight between friends," Kain said.
"Alright, what's the plan Artem?" the man with black hair and green eyes asked.
"Oh Delzan, please don't tell me you're gunna help," Larc said.
"Hey, Artem's plans usually work," a blond haired green eyed man said.
"At least listen to it," a black haired grey eyed man said.
"I'll give you that Bozel, the plans do usually work. But I ain't listening," Larc said.
"Please Larc, I don't like the fighting here," Lukien said.
Larc looked at Lukien and sighed, "yeah, okay, what's the plan Artem?" he asked sitting back down.
"I'm at a loss for one. It's usually Tunos who has the flawless plans anyway. Mine usually slip a bit and he saves me," Artem said looking at the brown haired green eyed man.
"What can I say, it's a gift," Tunos said shrugging and meeting Artem's eyes.
"So what do we do?" the black haired grey eyed man asked Tunos.
"I don't know Juret. All the ideas I have are guaranteed to get all those who help labeled as traitors. And with how the general feels about us now, added in with the wartime, its decapitation without a trial," Tunos said.
"Let's do it," the brown haired grey eyed man said.
"Geeze Siezz, try and be more pessimistic, your good attitude is so unfitting for the war," Ivike said looking at the man.
"What do you want, this war is gunna kill us. With this rout we expose corruption in our own system, and are guaranteed a quick and seemingly painless death," Siezz said.
"You're a dick you know that?" Bozel asked with a raised eyebrow and Siezz just shrugged.
Ivike stated rubbing his eyes with his palms. Lukien was first to notice and handed him a glass of water. Ivike took it and nodded to Lukien.
"Pain's back?" Artem asked.
"Yeah, they're burning again. Feels like they don't want to work the same anymore," Ivike said pouring some water into each eye.
"What the hell do you mean?" Delzan asked.
"Sometimes I see more than normal. I see through stuff that's solid. Right after I do though, I get hit by major migraines," Ivike said.
"Oh hell," Orwin said looking around at the others.
"What? Something wrong?" Larc asked standing up and looking around.
"I never noticed it until now, but we all have it," Orwin said.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Rhorik asked.
"I feel three different kinds of people. Most of the soldiers on both sides are the second kind. Nearly everyone else is the first. I always thought the first was normal people and the second was those built for battle," Orwin said.
"Yeah, you said that before, so what?" Bozel said.
"No, he never said it was three before," Artem said leaning towards Orwin.
"Yeah, just now I noticed it. All of us are a different kind. Further beyond the second kind. I always felt it with myself, Kain, Lukien, and Tunos. But just now I noticed it in Ivike too, then I checked the rest of you, and we all have it," Orwin said.
"What the hell does that mean?" Larc asked.
"Wait, I think I got it," Artem said standing up, "Kain was always more agile than normal, Orwin can feel these things, Tunos and his plans, and Lukien…Lukien's special. I think we all have something like this," Artem said.
"What the hell does that mean?" Rhorik asked.
"The opportunity for a new kind of battle. All of the second kind of people have the capacity, but we have it strongest. It is up to us to find this new fighting style," Siezz said.
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," Orwin said nodding.
"What's going on?" Lukien asked.
"Orwin just found a way for the fighting to stop sooner," Juret said.
Lukien grinned widely, "way to go Orwin!" he said.
Orwin smiled, "Thanks Lukien," he said.
"What do we do now? Confront the general? Work on this new fighting style? Leave the army?" Juret asked.
"Well, if we want to go with the new fighting we can't fight tomorrow. It'll take all twelve of us, we'll have to leave until we master it," Artem said.
"Is that what we all want to do?" Rhorik asked.
Lukien nodded instantly, the rest followed moments after, "Then how do we leave without getting hit with treason?" Bozel asked.
"Easy. We've been sent first the past three days, my bet is it'll happen again tomorrow. When we head out, we rush forward, leaving the sight of the other first strings. By the time they reach they ridge, we're gone, escaped, while they think us dead. No bodies found at night, maybe we were captured. When we return we confirm that theory," Tunos said.
"There are way too many holes in that," Larc said.
"There always are, and he never failed us," Artem said.
"Is that the plan then?" Siezz asked.
"We should vote on it," Artem said.
"No. you're the squad leader. We follow your decision," Lukien said, the others nodded their agreement in turn.
"Yeah, but this is kinda…" Artem said.
"We just voted, and we decided to go with what ever you chose. After all, Lukien's right, you are the squad leader," Delzan said.
Artem nodded, "Alright, we use Tunos' plan the next time we get put of first string," Artem said.
x-X-x
The next morning they found themselves on first string, and two days later, were thought dead or captured and walking in town. They had already gotten rid of their army uniforms and acquired street clothes, but they all had the army hair cut, and to disguise that they'd have to shave. Twelve grown men walking down a street all shaved bald is worse than being seen with army haircuts.
As they made their way through the busy streets they heard shouting from behind them. They turned to see Lukien and a store owner. Lukien was holding something in his arms and cowering while the store owner had a grip on Lukien's arm and was yelling at him severely.
"Damnit!" Artem muttered under his breath as he ran over to the two.
The instant Artem reached them the owner stopped his yelling and Lukien looked at Artem with apologetic eyes. Artem pulled the shop owners hand off Lukien and put his hands on what Lukien was holding, "Lukien, it's okay, let go," Artem said.
Lukien nodded and released his hold on the object, Artem found himself to be holding a white rabbit. "Lukien, go over to the others, I'll be right there, just let me talk to the man," Artem said.
Lukien nodded again and ran off to the others, Artem turned to the shop owner. "What the hell is going on?" the shop owner demanded.
"Sorry about him, but what were you doing with the rabbit?" Artem asked shifting the animal in his arms.
"What the hell are you talking about? That damn idiot ran in my store and grabbed the animal form a cage!" the shop owner yelled.
Artem took a step back to see what kind of place it was. He smiled grimly when he noticed it was a butcher. "Yeah, I'm sorry. My friend is mentally challenged and he doesn't like anything getting hurt or killed. He was trying to save the rabbit," Artem said handing it back to the shop owner.
"Yeah, well just keep him out of here, if he does it again…" the shop owner said.
"Me or one of the others will stop him again," Artem said before walking back to the others.
Once he met up with them Lukien immediately started the questions, "Is the bunny okay? What did the man say? Am I in trouble?" he asked.
"No, you're not in trouble, but if you do it again the man said you would be. And the bunny's fine, it won't get hurt, the man said so," Artem said as they continued to walk.
x-X-x
A few hours later and the twelve were sitting in a circle on the floor in an abandon building. It was their first real chance to rest since they left the battle and became deserters. They sat in silence for the most part, none really knowing what to do.
"Well, Tunos' plan worked perfectly. Some think us dead, others captured, and we're officially dead," Orwin said.
"Huh, I always thought dieing would be more painful," Bozel said.
"Shut up," Larc said waving his arm at Bozel, "what do we do now Artem?" he then asked.
"Well, we gotta work on finding that new fighting style right?" Artem asked.
"Yeah, but how?" Ivike asked, rubbing his eyes again.
"Any ideas Tunos?" Artem asked.
"Simple meditation could most certainly bring it out. but we should train our bodies as well," Tunos said.
"Yeah, and we'd need money for food, which means at least one of us needs to get a job," Juret said.
"We could steel food," Siezz said.
"Always so positive," Delzan said.
"We gotta answer something before we actually start. Are we going to do this to beat the Valleys, for the Mountains? Or are we doing this for everyone, end the war and teach all the new fighting style," Kain asked.
"I think a mix of the two. We do it to beat the Valleys, but after the war, teach it to everyone," Bozel said.
"What's the consensus on that?" Artem asked.
There was a murmur through the other eleven, "whatever you say Artem, you're still squad leader," Lukien said.
"We're not in a squad anymore. So I have no rank over you guys anymore," Artem said.
"Yeah, but you're a born leader, I'll stick with you being our group leader," Siezz said and the others nodded their agreement.
"Fine, whatever, but I'll calling for a vote on this one. Who what's which?" Artem asked.
After some somewhat confusion methods of retrieving the information, Artem finally had what he wanted, the groups decision on the matter. They would do it for the Mountains now, and after the war, teach it to all.
