Author's note:
I hope you like the past two chapters. Enjoy this one too.
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Next chapter coming soon. Thank you.
September 15, 1942
Stalingrad, Soviet Union.
As the smoke bellows from the destroyed buildings. Blue sky that is now grey. The red banner of the yellow sickle, hammer, and star was burnt, and blood spilled on the ground. The saying goes, never attack the Russians during the winter. She didn't think much of it because, in her opinion, she is the winter. All her opponents in the Soviet Union fell easily, but yet only a couple of times her ice powers were used. Even with all of the technological advancements, war is still the same. The strong killing the weak.
As Esdeath ponders this thought. A lone Soviet soldier attempted to bayonet rush the general, "Die you Fascist whore!" Without hesitation Esdeath lift up her left arm and ice sprang out like a spear, impaling the Soviet soldier in the head.
"This country sure has been a challenge for me. I've been called many names. Like Baba Yaga, or Marzanna by the locals. But yet, all of them are weak, though they still attack without fear or hesitation. Now that I can applaud too." This city brings a lot of memories back in her old world, especially in the North where she destroyed the Northern Tribes' capital and massacred the entire population, not leaving a single soul alive.
As Esdeath said this, the loudspeakers that littered the destroyed and burning city began to play. A song began to play. She didn't understand much of the Russian language. But the song sounds that of a Soviet cry of victory. All she knew of their language is that the Soviets are calling this, a "Sacred War" or "The Great Patriotic War" A voice began to speak while the music played.
"Attention, sons of the Motherland. We are about to witness the greatest moment of our lives. The Germans have lost hundreds of tanks, planes, and thousands of their men. Hitler's brutal horde have climb over their own dead to arrive at Stalingrad. For Stalingrad WILL BE THEIR GRAVES! Our Glorious Leader, comrade Stalin, has given an order to every single soldier of the Motherland. To not let them reach the Volga. Not One Step Back! All Cowards and traitors will be shot. Do not count weeks, days, hours, or even minutes. Do not count the distance taken back, only count the number of Fascist Germans you've killed! That is an order not only from our glorious leader, comrade Stalin, but of the Bolshevik Party, the cry of our Soviet Union, and the prayer of our Motherland! We will not waiver, we will not falter, we will NEVER Surrender! Kill the Germans that raped our Motherland and killed our people and made a mockery of the Red Army. KILL THE FASCIST INVADERS AND DRIVE THEM BACK! URRAAAA!" The Commissar spoke with great passion, as the song The Sacred War kept playing.
"DEATH TO THE FASCIST INVADERS." Was said in unison across the Volga River. A loud "URA! (x5)" was chanted across the Volga. It was as if the voice of hundreds if not thousands of soldiers were singing in unison. Waving the red banners of the Soviet Union of the yellow sickle, hammer, and star.
Esdeath couldn't help but contain her laughter at their attempt to intimidate her. "More! MORE!" She shouted.
"Is everything alright General?" A young officer asks.
"Yes, lieutenant. All is well. This is the kind of fight I wanted to see. You may see it as a massacre, but it's like more of a birthday to me. I've yearned for a battle like this. Bring out the speaker equipment and connect it with theirs throughout the city. I've got a little message for our Red friends."
"Yes madam!" The lieutenant saluted Esdeath with the Nazi salute, Esdeath saluted back.
*30 minutes- 1 hour later*
Blood and bodies of the invading Germans and defending Russians laid waste throughout the city of Stalingrad. Tanks laid waste throughout the city. Soldiers of Esdeath's battalion stand side by side to listen to what their general has to say.
Esdeath faces the Volga. "Attention, you red pigs. I heard your cry for war, and now I will give you what you want! I General Esdeath of the Third Reich love a challenge. Prove to me that you are no cowards, and I will grant you a warrior's death. You gave your rallying speech, and I will give mine." Esdeath turns around and faces her men.
"My soldiers. I expect nothing less from you. We've expanded the Fatherland to its greatest heights. I will tell you this, we Will crush them. For we are strong. The strong rule over the weak, while the weak die out. We will not only win but we will completely destroy them. All I ask from you, is to make this battle so grand, that even hell will be shaken. Soldiers, no, gentlemen of the Third Reich. I ask you; do you want total war? A total war that will boil over like a wave, leaving nothing for even the scavengers to find!? Well, do you?" Esdeath speaks to her men with great passion, assuring victory.
In unison, her troops shouted chants of Ja.
"Krieg, Krieg, Krieg!" Now every soldier of her battalion began to chant one word. "KRIEG!"
"Very well then. Now, let's make this battle interesting." Esdeath walked in front of the Volga river. Across the river she sees multiple row boats being sent out or being loaded with men. She gives off a smirk. Esdeath raises her right hand in the air and aimed it at the Soviet piers that surround the Volga. She let out an ice blast that froze the Volga in a three-mile radius. Freezing many of the ships making way to Stalingrad, even freezing many of the occupants in them. With the river now frozen this allows her men to cross along with a few support vehicles and men from General Paulus who is in a joint operation with General Esdeath.
A Soviet soldier enters the Forward Operations Base that of Stalingrad to warn his Commissar.
"Commissar, the Volga is frozen." A soviet soldier says. He presents photos that he recently.
Shocked. The Commissar was in disbelief. He has heard about this "Ice General" from earlier defeats but didn't believe in it. What is worse is that of the feeling of déjà vu. The feeling of knowing a person very well though not once the two have met in this life. But soon the Commissar recompose himself. "Very well, it's a battle of the ice they want, then it's a battle of ice they get." "Send these photos to comrade Stalin and the Central Committee in Moscow and warn them about this wretch, and to develop a new strategy. Good luck comrade." The Commissar left for the frontline where a battle on the ice will occur. The Commissar arrived at the frontline and stood out and saw the Germans charge, with their leader behind them. All the commissar has to say is this. "Hold this position. Do not let the Germans get through. Kill them all. Fight and defend the motherland! That is an order!" The Commissar shouted.
The Soviets began to shout with chants of uras, for the motherland, and for Stalin, broke through the clouds.
The Commissar pulled out his pistol. With one single word, the Commissar shouted that change the wheels of history for either Nazis or Soviets.
"FOWARD!" The Commissar shouted and gestured the army to attack. Causing the defense line to break formation and charge at Esdeath, her men, and the German army. Like in the song, Sacred War. The Red Army at Stalingrad roared over their noble wrath like a boiling wave. But like a wave, they receded.
They once said. That Stalingrad was the line in the sand that is protected by the people. They were wrong as the city was hell itself, and the people defending it are now trapped in the city of hell they swore to protect. The streets are covered in the blood of friend and foe alike. Caused by the brutal melee of bayonets, rifles, shovels, knives, and fists, and ice. Tanks and planes litter the city. T-34's and Panzers lay waste with their crews dead, in their iron tombs. Kar 98K's and Mosin Nagants layout through the ice or land. Today the Volga River bleeds red with the blood of her people.
September 30, 1942.
Berlin, Germany
Soldiers sang out with glee and pride as they march through the streets of Berlin. For they have returned home from the Eastern Front with spoils of war. Returning home from the bloody and fiery hell that was Stalingrad. They knew that Stalingrad was not only the city that bore Stalin's name but also the pathway to Moscow from the Volga. This victory weakened Stalin's pride and crippled the Red Army's morale to the point where peace talks were considered.
As the soldiers of the Jager Battalion march through Berlin singing their song. General Esdeath led from the front stopping in front of the Reichstag. She stood herself at attention and gave the Nazi salute to Hitler. Hitler, proud of her and her men's achievement of Stalingrad, saluted back to her.
"My Führer, my men and I put an end to those Red devils at Stalingrad. They were crushed under the might of the German people. Like dogs, they scattered and ran with their tails between their legs. But those who fought at Stalingrad were true warriors. Their Commissar is reduced to a mere animal. The Soviets are now easy picking for the German eagle." General Esdeath spoke. She stood to the side to let Hitler speak.
"My fellow German people. I stand before you, that on this day, that your sons have returned from the east. Led by the great General Esdeath, they've crippled those communist scum, these evil and cowardly Judeo-Bolsheviks are now nothing. General Esdeath and her battalion have brought victory for the Fatherland. Enemies now tremble under her, when these same enemies used to look down at us many years ago. Now I ask you, my fellow soldiers, to lend us your strength to win this war. To march onto Moscow and destroy the communist horde, one and FOREVER!" Hitler spoke with great passion, just like any of his speeches.
The people gave the Nazi salute and began to chant "Sieg Heil".
Hitler saluted his people back. He turned around and walked with General Esdeath off stage.
"My Führer, what will be next?" General Esdeath asks with curiosity.
"Well, my dear General. With your expertise, I believe it's time to revive an old operation that was scrapped." Hitler said.
"What operation may that be?" Asked the General.
"An old operation that I scrapped because of its great potential failure. But with you, it is now a possibility. An operation called, Operation Sealion." Said, Hitler.
"Tell me more about Operation Sealion." Esdeath tells Hitler.
Endnote
For maximum immersion play the song Sacred war and read out loud the speech made by the Commissar in the speakers.