Bit Earlier then I planned but what the hell. Here's chapter 4 of Valkyria Chronicles: A different direction.
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Gallia
Bruhl
3rd Regiment's base camp
1st September 1935
It had almost been a year since Welkin and Alicia had been forced to leave they hometown. But now nearly year since the fall of Bruhl , it would soon be back in the hands of Gallian forces once more. It had also nearly been a year since that hill side promise between Welkin and Alicia. The day that they both swore that someday they'll return to Bruhl and this day had arrived. But both of them would of never believe that Welkin was the one leading the liberation of their home town less than a year later. But here they were with the remains of the Sister Mills, the ionic landmark of the small border line town of Bruhl. The two large windmills in the centre of Bruhl were nothing more then remains of the once beautiful landmark now.
Welkin was looking out from his tank hatch on the Edelweiss and in a few brief moments he would be leading the charge into Bruhl. If they was ever a day in Welkin's life that he could live over and over then it was the 1st September 1935. Squad 7 had assembled around the Edelweiss and ever was looking towards him for he up and coming order to liberate the town ."All troops take attack formation Delta and use the trees and embankments as cover on your approach. The Edelweiss will go in first to draw the enemies fire and to destroy the majority of their limited armour support. Remember Squad 1 will be approaching from the north to cut off the Imperial forces line of retreat, so look out for them as the last thing we want is friendly fire. "
Welkin took in a deep breath, before he chose and deliver his next words. The liberation of Bruhl was a sure thing. But taking the town with the least amount of loss of life on both sides was something that was a little harder to achieve. The idea of Squad 1 flanking the enemy from behind was mainly down to the idea that with the Imperial forces seeing that they were surround from all sides of escape, would surrender and the minimal amount of blood would be shed in this town. As Welkin always wanted to capture the town without further damage to it. He felt that in retreating from the town in which felt like a different lifetime. He owed it in retaking the town without further damage or bloodshed on its once fully of live and peace full streets.
"Squad 7. Launch operation. Drive these Imperial forces back to where they once came from.
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Gallia
Bruhl
Abandoned residence
1st September 1935
Lieutenant Nonnenkof was awaken by the sound of panicking Imperial soldiers. At first he decide that it was probably nothing or just that Yosnoa the 'hound' had managed to hit one of the many Gallian scouting parties that had be doing recon on Bruhl if he had to guess, that were also increasing in appearance now that he thought about it. But at the sound of his door benign kick in made him jump out of his make sift bed and prepare for who and what just awoke him.
The intruder was a Imperial Private, that name escape his lips. "Sir" he shouted as the Private tired to regain his breath.
"Out with it boy. and this better be good considering you just broke my bloody door". He said in a cold and negative tone. "Sorry Sir. But Gallian forces are approaching the town and they".
A smirk grew on Nonnenkof face. "And why is that so important? The damn idiots couldn't fight they way out of a wet paper bag. Organise the Garrison and were show these Gallian dogs where they belong". Interrupting the Privates speech.
"Sir they lead by the Edelweiss which means Squad 7 is heading are way right now". The smirk on Nonnenkof's face dropped like the rest of his jaw at the mention of Squad 7. They were the ones who defeat and killed the demon of the Empire. Berhold Gregor. Rumours also were report that they were undefeated in battle and they were charging towards Nonnenkof's under manned garrison who were still getting out of their beds. This wouldn't end well.
As that thought crossed his mind a huge explosion happened in the background that turned the room's glass windows into a hail of deadly projectiles that struck the Private that was into front of Nonnenkof in the body. Shit. His dead Nonnenkof thought as he tried to check for vital signs that would conform the Private state. This wouldn't end well. Hell. It hadn't even started well.
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Gallia
Bruhl
1st September 1935
The advancement towards the town went like clockwork as every soldier knew his or her duty and that of the man or women beside them. The Edelweiss struck first blood which was a lightly armour Imperial tank that was surround by infantry. The Edelweiss shot struck the tank in the turret and due to the precision of the shot , the tank had its weakly armour joints in between the turret and the hull struck. This lead to the tank becoming a firer grave for the crew of the Imperial tank.
Rosie continued her advancement and only through the hard and old oak tree she was using as cover was she still alive as another bombardment of small arms fire struck the tree. All Rosie could do in response was blind fire her MAGS M3 in the direction of the Imperial squad that was taking cover behind sandbanks. Next to a light armour Imperial tank. Correction. Now the Imperial squad was taking cover next to a firer remains of said tank. All thanks to a Edelweiss round that struck it in what see believe was the turret of the tank.
Welkin sure knew how to make Imperial soldiers surrender, Largo thought. As a wave o Imperial soldiers simply dropped they weapons and raised they hands in the air at the sight of their armour support being destroy in only mere seconds. They must of thought the Edelweiss was the devil incrassated as they flinched at the Welkin appearing from the top of the tank to scream out orders to Susie and Jann to take the prisoner back to base. Unknown to Largo at the time the reason the troops were so scared was the rumour flying around the imperial forces in the invasion of Gallia was that Gallian troops executed there prisoners on site. Which was partly true if you listen to certain eyewitness accounts and records of it.
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Gallia
Bruhl
Unnamed Embankment
1st September 1935
Marina Wulfstan might of not been close enough to feel the horror of war in her embankment were she was over watching the battle that unfolded through the scope on her GSR-12. As she coldly ended the life of another Imperial trooper that was in her sights. The idea of sniping is that un like in a normal fire fight where a person you kill knows that the end might be near, in sniping that person world will just suddenly stop. Whatever that person was or could be is gone and you directly caused it. You decide when this person life would end. It was a godlike state. That most people could simply not deal with. But she wouldn't have it any other way.
Following her father's footsteps before her, she had taken up the role of the huntress in her case. As a child, her father had often said she was a born hunter and a brilliant shot. She had been taught in uncountable hunts that she should never let her prey escape. " As if you let your pray escape then it will come back to haunt you and you might find yourself with different roles. You the prey and it the hunter and the former pray will not make the same mistake of letting its prey escape like you have".
She would always whisper that advice to herself ever time she looked down her scope and took aim. Her father had lived and died by them few words and she intended to do the same. Even if that did mean dubbing herself as a cold heart 'killer'. Weren't we all. We all kill to survive in this world. She was just playing with the hand she had been dealt. Being a brilliant shot, to quote her father's words.
She was sure that one day someone like her would look down his or her scope and have to decide when to end her life and that she was sure of. Only time would tell who and when this would happen. The day that the hunter became the prey. But that was not to day and that she was sure of as she pulled the trigger to end a another Imperial soldiers life as her bullet took the soldier's helmet clean off and left a accurate hole in that soldier's head. Death instantly. It was a curse and a gift depending on the way you looked at it.
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Gallia
Bruhl
1st September 1935
To say the battle was going well was understatement of the year. It was going perfectly in Alicia's books. Not a single Gallian militia man or women had been killed in action and the worst injuries were only flesh wounds. Homer was one of the few unlucky people to be injured. Alicia had been present and only across the street with the Edelweiss pushing forward as a single rifle round struck Homer in the shoulder. But apart from that ever one was still pushing towards the remains Sister Mills in the centre of Bruhl. Where the Imperial forces were attempting to muster a counter attack.
But this counter attack failed miserably as the last remaining Imperial tank was struck from both sides. A armour pricing round, from the Edelweiss and a small ragnaid round from Largo's Theimer M10 as him and a detachment of Squad 7 surround the ever decreasing Imperial forces.
The thought and the very idea that this battle would soon be over filled Alicia with joy. She had lived to fight another day and her home town was nearing its complete liberation from Imperial forces. She wondered how Welkin and Susie and other Bruhl born Militia soldiers were feeling about liberating their own home town, with their two own hands.
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Gallia
Bruhl
Inside the Edelweiss
1st September 1935
This was bad. Very bad. Why had the Imperial forces not surrendered yet ? Did they break through Faldo's and Squad 1's defence line in the north. Was this force just a decoy that was designed to keep the Gallian forces attention long enough for the Imperial commander to flee with the remainder of his forcing or was it so he could flank around and attack the weakly defended 3rd regiment's command centre?
Where was Faldio. He should of looped around by now and encircled the enemy forces. At this rate they would be no Imperial forces left to surrender. This wasn't war it was a slaughter house and he knew it. Suddenly the radio next to Welkin burst life with Faldio's voice.
"Sorry to keep you waiting we were busy cleaning up some Imperial that were trying to escape north". At the sound of his voice he knew he meant killed or rather murdered then 'cleaning up'. Welkin guessed that Zaka was thinking the same thing as he let out a small whisper of "murder you mean" that was only loud enough for welkin to be able to guess what he said.
"Faldio. You killed them didn't you". He delivered this with a heavy sigh that show his disappointed at what he had just received over the radio".
"They fired at us first you know, what did you want me to do ask them nicely to surrendered or get a bullet to the head". He doubt that Faldio had offered them a chance to surrender very much. His former best friend was slowly be changed into a harden killer right before his very eyes. "Why does it matter they were just Imperial dogs that thought there could exploit are nation and conquer her people."
"They were human first" Welkin respond in a voice of defeated. "Welkin out" was the last thing that Welkin said before he turned his radio off and cut Faldio's resonance before he could finish. Now he was faced with having to join this bloodbath. He load the Edelweiss main gun and prepared to fire at the group of Imperial forces directly in front of him.
In an all most slow emotion effect a lone Imperial officer raised his hands holding a white flag and slowly standing up to conform his forces surrender. But some of the Gallian forces around him took aim at the lone Imperial officer and were preparing to end his life till a almost terrifying scream that would wake the dead.
"CEASE FIRE" and like that the sounds of battle died down till a calm silence return to the small border line town of Bruhl. It was all ironic in a way. He had failed to save his allies, the Darcsen at Fouzen. But here he was saving the lives of his enemy. Imperial soldiers. Zaka's words re played in his mind.
"Sir, your learn that you can't save them all, but on the other hand you fight as hard as your mind and body will allow you till you can't physically or mentally go on". He had just done that but it still felt like it wasn't enough.
Welkin exited the Edelweiss and walk straight towards the Imperial commander and shook his hand to the confusion of Gallian and Imperial forces alike. If they had heard what Welkin said to the Imperial officer then who knows what they would of done. "Thank you friend you're saved many lives today with your surrender. What's your name?".
"Lieutenant Nonnenkof. It's a pleasure to meet the Edelweiss's famous commander. Your name is?"
"2nd Lieutenant Welkin". That was all that was said between the two commanders before the Imperial forces were taken to a more secure location. Unknown to the two commanders there next meeting in the near future would not be so civil and terms of surrender would be the other way around next time.
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Gallia
Bruhl
Outside the Sister Mills
1st September 1935
Alicia was worried. Since Welkin had order the cease fire and made sure the soldier would become POWs and taken to a more secure area. No one had saw or heard a word from him. After questioning a few of Squad 7 she was still no closer to finding where he was located. But she mentally slapped herself as she image the light bulb turning on over her head.
Bruhl was Welkin's home town and where would you go after you had been forced to abandon your home and had been away form for nearly a year? Your house of course. The Gunther mansion to be more accurate. Since the lose his sister wouldn't he have more reasons to attend as well.
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Gallia
Bruhl
The Gunter Mansion
1st September 1935
Entering the house he was meted by the pure destruction that his former home had went though. The walls had they wall paper clawed down in places and even the walls were missing chunks in other places. The furniture had been almost internally dismantled ,the leg of one of the houses many tables was someway between the garden and the path outside the house that led to Bruhl.
The most painfully part was upon entering his sister's room. A Imperial soldier was laying on the fall. After Welkin lifted his body he saw why. The whole upper part of this unnamed man's body was filled with the remains of what Welkin guessed were once the windows of this very. He dropped the body after conforming the state of the person. Dead.
The whole room was suddenly filled of images of Isara. All the way from their first meeting when they were introduced to each other by their father all them years ago and slowly growing bond between them, that developed to the state that even if they weren't sibling in blood, they still treat and acted like siblings at heart . The last memory was that of sitting down as a family and enjoying a meal together. Welkin, Isara and Belgen. Just one small happy family that was enjoying supper and each other's company.
Welkin's trip down memory lane was soon interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the entrance to the room. "Who's there?" Welkin shouted angrily at the idea of someone would interrupted the small peace he was finally having. But at the sight at who was at the door this sense of angry, quickly left his body.
"Alicia". He didn't know why but he had finally made up his mind on who he was going to chose . Her. Now only if she felt the same way about him.
"I guessed I who find you here."
"I just want to say that final goodbye to her. Is that too much to ask for?
"No. But locking your emotion up inside is no way to deal with death!". As she spoke she slowly advanced on Welkin, until there were less then arms difference apart.
"I've tried. But nothing comes out". Welkin's emotion was quickly turning to that of a broken emotionally train wreck. The tears that had being building up for so long, poured like the floor gate had finally been open.
Alicia closed the distance between the two and wrapped her arms around his neck and in effect brought his head into the crown of her shoulder. They stayed in this embrace for some time, but neither party minded at all at the length of the embrace. When the tears stopped flowing from Welkin's eyes, he looked down at her, and his brown eyes introduce them self to her brown eyes.
They stay this was y for some time. As they were both lost in the others chestnut eyes. As Alicia looked like she was about to speak, the sound of broken china caused them both to separate and jump to opposite sides of the room. Welkin drew his pistol and signal for Alicia to do the same. Whatever was in this house would leave one way or the other. That Welkin was sure of.
They approached slowly down the wooden stairs to meet the intruders. But the sound of Welkin's feet crushing the remains of some kind food was enough for the unknown intrudes to know that someone else was in the house. This made Welkin sure that they were armed and military personal, by how as soon as the intruders thought someone else was in the house they went completely silent and were probably using hand signals to communication now and in preparing to defend them self form whatever was in the house.
Welkin knowing that he didn't want a shootout to happen in his own home decide that he revelling his identity that the intruders would hopefully leave the house and next turn the corridor and shoot an him and Alicia at the base of the stairs. Due to the poor and lack of cover at the bottom of the stairs they would surly die if that happen.
"I'm from the Gallian militia and if your forces withdraw now then you can still retreat. We won't open fire if you don't"
"Welkin? Welkin you idiot. It's me Faldio". The voice then gained a face as Faldio stepped into the corridor. Due to they no longer being any sign of danger, both Welkin and Alicia holstered their side arms.
"Oh, it's you". The air between the two commander was still quite bitter and sour over the last meeting that result in both of them throwing their fists around.
"Don't just stand there help us bring this in". The thing in question was a hard, 3 men, and steel bunk bed. Faldio further explained "Were making this house into Squad 1's command centre and living quarters"
"No, you're not". This statement puzzled everyone in the room apart from Alicia who knew why he didn't want them to be 'setting' up in this old, deserted building. If Faldio had known this fact then he probably wouldn't of act in the way he did next.
"I think we bloody are. What has Squad 7 already called this building for your headquarters. What does the star of the militia get to chose first where he sleeps. What are you going to do? Are you going to get your Imperial buddies on my. Are you sure your wearing the right uniform. "
Welkin's response was something that no one in that room would every forget. Rising his side arm in level with Faldio's face he said 3 little words "Get out. NOW!". To emphasis on the point he quickly moved the barrel of the gun to the right and fired harmlessly into the wall. This made the all the current members of Squad 1 to leave. Apart from Faldio. Who stood his ground and faced the barrel currently in front of him.
"Do it. You would be doing me a favour ". At the sound of them words Alicia flinched. How could a person be so ready for death, that they ask for it? The war had not only killed an uncountable amount of people, but it was them hidden scars that hurt the most. Thousands of other like Faldio started off as warm and gentle people as well as acts of violence just not being in their nature. But the war had changed them in to harden and calculated killers. War brought out the best in some, but the worst in others, Alicia thought to herself. Faldio would be in the worst category at the moment.
At that Faldio turned his back to the shock Welkin and Alicia. Not a word was said as Faldio walked out the house. The quiet town of Bruhl return to its former silence. But do to events elsewhere the town would soon be thrown back into the flames of war.
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Unnamed location
1st September 1935
"Today is a great day for the two super powers of Europa. Today are nations will have peace in are time and the endless bloodshed between are great nations will finally come to a end. On this day the Second Europan War will go down in the history books as the day it end.". Lies. Townshend thought. This was just a short cease fire between are two great nations. The Imperial forces would conquer Gallia , and the Federation got to reorganise its forces. That was the unwritten part of the deal. That was the real reason this false dawn becoming made.
Townshend waited for dramatic effect before he continued. " Today I can put my hand out and shake the hand of the man next to me, and have no worry about the possibility of him placing a knife in my back. Today the Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance and the Atlantic Federation can shake they hands in friendship".
The crowd that was surrounding Townshend were shocked at this speech. But due to Townshend words of peace, if any one didn't clap their hand and agree with it, then they would look like they supported war over peace. Even if a majority of the masses knew what this empty peace would bring about. The fall of the Principality of Gallia. Alone they would fall. Now all eyes in Europa was on their response to this 'treaty'.
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Gallia
Randgriz military base
1st September 1935
The eyes of all members of the room were on Georg Von Damon. He was now in charge of the defence of a nation that was dictated to fall. His over stretch force would have to defend a line that covered a nation and to simply put it he didn't have enough men. He could only defend about quarter of the nation effectively but that would take time to withdraw his forces to more defendable position.
Even if he could pull back is troops they would only get shot in the back by counter attacking Imperial forces. Gallian forces were outnumbered from 1:4 before this 'treaty' and with the full weight of the Imperial army coming their way he simply couldn't think of a way to get his troops back in time.
A grin appeared across his face as he thought of an solution to his problem. He would only call back the regular army forces. The militia could be the meat shield that they were design to be. But this only got better when he saw what units had retaken Bruhl. The 3rd regiment of the militia. Which contain that damned Squad 7. It seemed like he had finally found away to be rid of him once and for all.
The militia would hold the line while the regulars army would build a defensive line from Marberry shore in the north to Randgriz. Where Imperial forces would have to try and cross the heavily defend Great Vasel Bridge. Due to the heavy casualties the Imperial would suffer they would have to redraw they forces and call for peace with Gallia because they need the man power to fight the new war with the Federation that should and would break out once they saw weakness in the Imperial forces. He would then be dubbed a 'Hero Of Gallia'. That would scare away any sized forces just by the mention of his name leading the Gallian troops. Or so he thought. Even the best plans don't account for the human factor.
The only problem of the plan was that Georg Von Damon had forget that the Imperial forces could attack from two more direction and a new enemy might step into the fray to destroy his plan all together. Only time would tell.
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Author's notes : Update was a lot quicker then I was planning on but here it is. But unlike this time updates should start to slow down a bit, due to me having exam revision and school work to do and that I can't just write straight away as I've got to think of events that won't cancel out the ending I have partially plan or make the story to boring and predicate. So we will see how that goes in the near future.
One more quick note, I would like to say thank you to MrShmee for his review as I can't tell what people think of my work from views alone and on the topic on views. This story is currently on 77 views which is more than I thought I would get in writing about a series that has a smaller fan base (Might be wrong there)then just jumping on the bandwagon and writing about something like Kingdom Hearts, which has a huge fan base by all accounts. But no disrespect to people who do write stories in that universe. As a lot of it is original and fun to read and you have to remember that it takes longer then you think to write a good story. That both keeps elements from and develop that world at the same time.
But in all I hope you all in enjoyed this update and are try to get the next one out by Friday and are try and make it a little bit longer as the real plot should start to come into play and the story will take a 'different direction' to the cannon story. And happy mother's day to all as well.
See you all again in about a week. I'm going to enjoy the rest of my weekend now :)