Chapter III:

A small ceremony inside a silent "Operations Room", gathered several members of the "Strike Witches" and Double D, who looked at those who were there, among them was Nazz with that sheathed katana and the position in which they remained, standing firm as Sentinels and thus awaited the order to proceed. At one point, Minna picked up the object that seemed to glow in the light, throwing small flashes and catching the intellectual's attention. Her mind urged her to proceed, to investigate the matter, but she could not advance beyond the "cordon" that was blocking her way. From there he proceeded to watch as the redhead grabbed what was lying on the table and began to walk over to him, standing face to face, arms horizontal and extending the object she was carrying.

- Forgive my intrusion, Commander Wilcke, but what is this all about.- Double D asked hesitantly and more so when he saw what was lying before him. The glow kept flashing in front of his eyes, the silver color of a blade and its sheath appeared there, while the young woman stood there, ready to make that delivery.

- Double D, in view of your actions during the "War against the Shadow Neuroi", the "High Command" and I have witnessed that you have a great ability when it comes to combat and more when you protected the front during the Battle of Romagna along with the others, so, for these merits, I do honor to deliver this sword that you will use for good and Justice.- Spoke the redhead with a tone of command, making that delivery for him, who was not out of astonishment and after taking the weapon in his hands, he felt its weight.

He felt like King Arthur when he took the "Excalibur Sword" from that stone, a power that ran through his whole body, advancing at a fast pace, without stopping. Then he held that weapon in his hands, the sheath caressing his skin, the contact of leather and steel merged into one. He looked around him, the girls showed their respects, they gave him the military vengeance and with that he could look Minna in the eyes.

- From this moment on, you will use this sword against the enemy. Get it a "decoration" from me and the "High Command". I know you will be able to do it well.- She confided.

- And I will. You can trust me, Commander Wilcke.- Double D swore, while she placed the sheath with the weapon around her waist and responded to his salute.


A series of red drops fell on the floor, soaking it, while a team of doctors, belonging to the "Shadow Neuroi" were performing an operation to close the wounds suffered by those sisters during the fight for Romagna. Lee had been one of the three to be discharged, but she had received a lot of blows from the confrontation, especially the burns on her skin that would take some time to disappear completely. May and Marie were somewhat more injured but not to such a high degree.

Soon, when the others left the "Infirmary", they went to the "Operating Room" to continue with their work.

- Enough rest, we have to continue with the offensive. The wheel of destiny cannot be stopped after it has begun to turn.- Warned the redhead, as the doors opened and they entered the room.

Inside, the incessant movement of her henchmen could be appreciated, who went from one side to the other, carrying reports and passing on extremely important data about the next conquests and mobilization of troops. Above the Center shone an important hologram of the World and marked with a red "X" representing the defeats, positioned in Brittania, Gaul, Africa, Antarctica and Romagna, which was added to the list. Even so, in Central Europe they continued to maintain an important presence.

The three sisters, upon arrival, were greeted by their henchmen, who stopped working for a few brief moments to welcome them, and once that "ceremony" was over, they returned to their posts. They went down a staircase and reached where the hologram was located and stopped a few meters away. Marie reached out her right hand and touched it, showing an extension of the terrestrial map and focusing on the conquered countries.

- As you can see, Soldiers, we have lost Romagna and recently we received reports that the last forces that were in Northern Italy have had to retreat to come back here and avoid its total destruction.- May informed those present, while Marie read the latest reports.

One of her Servants approached to know if this would affect the fight in the East and its further advance, which would not be the case, they would continue as planned and without stopping.

- I know that the fall of Romagna, at the beginning, was beneficial but the Military Forces and especially the "Witch" have caused us many problems since we left in this war, but don't worry, we will continue with the conquest of the World. They have not defeated us yet and what's more...- At that moment the dark blue hair unfolded the hologram, enlarging it and showing the current situation.- We still keep and very well defended all of Karsland, including its Capital, Berlin, so we don't have to worry. We have established the bulk of our armies there and the same in Suomus and Orussia. Once we finish with these pending matters, we will begin the advance towards Eastern Europe, we will cross the Volga River and reach the Caucasus oil fields and the industries that were brought there by the Imperial Government of Orussia. Those wretches are not going to stop us.- Added the girl, boosting her spirits and turned to Lee.- I hope the fortifications in Karsland will hold while we launch the invasion towards that region, we can't waste any more time.- She warned seriously.

- Don't worry, it won't happen again. The "Witches" will have too many inconveniences to advance on the German lands and especially in Berlin. Besides, remember that we have other "Hives" in Suomus, Orussia and Liberion, this time they won't be able to destroy them.- She promised, although the dark blue hair had her doubts.

- I hope so.- Marie finished and left the place.

- Wait.- Lee stopped her for a moment and the listener turned around to see what he wanted.- Take this order to May, it is important.

That took her by surprise.


For May Kanker, having lost Ed forever was engraved in her head. She leaned against one of the walls but felt no sorrow or pain, anger gnawed at her insides and she clenched her fists, waiting for her chance to destroy that blonde Germana girl who had taken away the only man she loved all her life. A person's thoughts can turn dark and their desires become poison, one of which they want to use against anyone who gets in their way. Her fingernails almost buried themselves in the wall, her breathing deepened and she shifted her expression to a cold one as she remembered the words of Ed, who didn't want to see her again because of what he had done to Erica, that he almost murdered her during that encounter.

At one point, the young woman felt a hand resting against her shoulders, she turned and almost charged at the messenger, her sister, who backed away a few feet and took a defensive stance against a possible onslaught.

- Oh, Marie, what's wrong?.- May asked and saw her handing him something.

- Lee sends you this "Order": She has appointed you "Berlin Defense Commander". You will go there and you will be in charge of the Armies stationed there to fulfill their duties.- She told the girl, who read the content of those documents and once she finished, she turned her eyes to the dark blue hair.

- What about Suomus and Orussia?. We should have advanced to the East by now. I don't understand why Lee is wasting our time with that Nordic European country.- Said the blonde seriously, but Marie only shrugged her shoulders at the lack of concrete answers.

- You already know that what Lee orders is not questioned and it's true: Now we have to get our act together and stop with the defeats. We will never have another Romagna again. This loss has allowed us to open our eyes and to know very well what to do about it.- Said the girl and the other one sighed deeply, closing her eyes.

- All right, I'll go over there. I will go there, when will my trip take place?

- You will leave tonight. And another thing, May: If that pathetic "Witch" called Erica Hartmann goes there, don't show any mercy and destroy her, keep your Ed. I'm not going to decline my position, neither is Lee. We will get them back, but by force.- She said with firmness and coldness in his heart.

Words become projectiles and arrows loaded with poison, one that destroys from within, corrupts and kills the body, the soul, turns people hostile against themselves and those they love, a chain of unprecedented self-destruction. May confirmed that he would be there, in command of his Armies and that he would defend Karsland and its Capital without hesitation. She withdrew and left for her room, she had to be ready for the journey she would have towards that bastion, being observed by Marie, who remained somewhat silent and doubted if the plan would work. Soon, she shook her head, shook that nonsense off and went to take care of her duties.


Once the "ceremony" was over, Double D left that place together with Eila and Sanya, carrying that sword with its sheath, so he would take advantage of the day to train with it. No swordsman or Knight mastered that weapon overnight, but it was an important advance for it.

He went to the outside of the headquarters in Brittania, drew the weapon and began to practice with it. He took a step forward, tensed his muscles, raised the sword to a certain height and began to execute a series of invisible movements with it, thus initiating the training.


Meanwhile, in the skies of Romagna, flying to the North, for the natural Italian-German borders, Eddy and Francesca were on a patrol round, on the lookout for a possible enemy incursion, although, when they got there, there was no result, only silence, the icy wind of the Mountains hovering over them and that led them both to wrap up warm and stay together to keep each other warm. Even so, the results were negative and even more so when they reported everything they had seen and heard to HQ by radio.

- What do you think, Eddy?.- Asked the Italian woman to her boyfriend, who was looking to the North, crossing the mountain ranges of the Alps and the Apennines.

- This smells to me that, sooner or later, the Kankers will be preparing some tricks.- Warned the boy and pointed towards those positions.

Francesca remained thoughtful and observed the place where the young man of short stature was pointing. There was no presence of enemy formations there but, somehow, such a pass could mean an excellent entry point for the invaders.

- The Spartans used the "Thermopylae Pass" and it was there that they fought against the Armies of King Xerxes I of the Persian/Achaemenid Empire, the same happened during the wars that the Republic had against the Seleucid Dynasty and their Allies but, even so, they were able to win. What I fear is that the Kanker could use these places like that to gain an advantage over us. They might even employ some kind of jamming to get their ships through the mountain passes without any problem.- There was a moment of silence, while the Italian was debating on what they could do, so she took a map and marked positions within it with the help of a black pencil.

Eddy waited for her and kept looking at the mountain ranges, he still had that feeling so, he pointed to one of the points, pointing it out to his girlfriend, who put the map away.

- We're going to have to talk to Minna and Trudie about this. Besides, we are going to have to accompany Erica and Ed's group when they travel to Karsland.- Said the black-haired woman and without more to say, they both took a last walk around the surroundings and from there they would return to the headquarters.


They watched him move with an elegance, attacking the air and tearing at it with a skill and agility that impressed. At one point, the young man took a step forward but stumbled. He got back to his feet and thought about the last move he made. He had to be careful when practicing and even more so if there were people nearby, which, on this occasion there were not.

- "A sword is not just any weapon. Many political and military leaders of the past used it as a symbol of leadership in the darkest moments of humanity. Julius Caesar, for example, he was one of those most important exponents, leaving aside his accumulation of power and the fear of the Senate about a possible return of the Monarchy".- He thought and from there he took the sword with both hands, holding it tightly and from there he moved it from one side to the other.


- He is learning how to handle it.- Sanya observed to the boy in the black cap.

- Yes, no one is born knowing or mastering a random art, but must travel a path and thanks to that experience will be able to fulfill that.- Added Eila, while both watched her boyfriend, who was finishing, after a long time and went to them.

While the two girls remained there, in front of the intellectual, both thought about the mission they would carry out in their respective countries. A fight that was about to begin and would mark a point in their favor, putting an end to the presence of the "Shadow Neuroi" in those regions of the world. They just had to wait.

- So this is Karsland?.- Asked Ed, astonished, as he was looking at some books that the Witches had there and that one of them was from the country where Erica came from.

She nodded her head.

- Yes, it is a beautiful country with a very rich history and I hope to see it again, before the Kankers destroy it completely.- Said the German blonde, while she was afraid of what they were going to find there.

- Don't worry, Erica, you will see that we will make it. We must not lose faith.- The boy encouraged her, giving her a hug, knowing that, soon, they would go to that new battle front.


[And with this chapter the break for the characters is over, adding that Double D has received a sword to fight with and that Matfix had told me this (his original idea). Now it's back to the war, what will happen in Karsland, how complicated will it be to reconquer that bastion? We will see in the next chapters.

Greetings to Matfix, Franco M. Romano and the others.

Good Tuesday, Comrades].