Chapter 16

Sweden was so easy to take down. I wasn't even expecting it. The once powerful nation was a pile of dung and I enjoyed stepping in it. In a matter of weeks, my men had infiltrated his country and taken many cities down. All we had left was the capital, and I was saving that job for myself. What was left of his nation was in total chaos. People practically ran around screaming. I shot everyone I saw on the streets. When it came time to bomb his capital, I prepared my best plane and called on my best men. We set out at dawn. I didn't care if anyone saw us. Nobody would fight us now. Finland would only be able to watch as his precious Swede was reduced to nothing.

I hoped Sweden is there. I wanted to watch him explode.

Finland didn't put up much of a fight as we passed through his territory. One of my planes was shot down, but we compensated by shooting down another three or so of his. His men quickly decided to back down. Before long, we had reached the warring capital. Both my men and his were fighting below now. In just a few moments they would be nothing but dust. I grinned. Now we can finally fix the human race and turn the world into what it was supposed to be. The planes around me scattered as I prepared to drop the bomb. I would only have thirty seconds to get out of the path of the immediate explosion, and then I would have to continue flying at top speed until I was miles away. Then I would move on to Norway. No one in my nation knew it, but I had decided to bomb the great Norwegian nation that would not shut up and die. Right now, he was my biggest threat. And threats must be eliminated.

I still felt the explosion rattle my wingtips as I sped away.

That feeling went away after a moment.

But the feeling of thousands of my men dying all in one second never stopped haunting me.

Toris would die soon. I could feel it. The radiation was killing him, sucking the life out of him, and he wasn't fighting it. Toris never talked, and he sat staring outside as the days crept by. He was starving, and I had to get food myself.

We were probably the only ones starving.

The rest of the nations were hiding in their houses eating canned goods.

They were living comfortable lives while Russia was forced to live in a cave with an ex-nation who didn't care for life anymore.

His country had kicked him out, and now he would waste away.

"But I am a nation!" Russia hissed. "I will never be anything else."

Then one day, Toris moved from his solitary position. He came and found Russia and pulled him to the front of the cave. There, standing in the entrance was one of the nations Russia hated the most. But right now it did not matter. This was another nation who was probably destroyed or kicked out, and now Russia would not have to live alone. He would have someone to talk to that would probably talk back.

Russia smiled, and the tall, blond nation took a step back. His once slicked back hair was ruffled and grown out. stubble lined his jaw.

"Privet, Germany. What brings you here on my land?"

"I am just passing through and trying to find a place to sleep," Germany replied, not making eye contact with Russia. This frustrated him.

"But, Germany, you surely do not want to leave. This cave has plenty of space for you to stay here for the night. All you have to do to stay here is bring us some dinner. That is the only payment. Then the three of us can feast," Russia grinned.

Germany nodded. "I will see what I can do. How long do I have?"

"As long as you need. It's your loss if you don't get back here by night, not mine," Russia giggled.

Germany closed his eyes and sighed. "Very well." He turned and left.

Russia looked at Toris. "That went quite well, da?"

Toris only nodded.

Russia spent the next hour pacing back and forth. The sky was beginning to darken and Germany still hadn't returned. Had he scared away the fearless German? The two were enemies, after all, and Russia had destroyed much of Germany's lands. He almost doubted that Germany could really be called "Germany" now.

Despite his concerns, Germany came stumbling back in a few minutes before the sun set over the horizon.

"Germany, so glad to see you!" Russia jumped up.

Germany flinched. "I found a fox that doesn't seem too affected by the radiation, but it is thin and won't feed us for long." He held up a scrawny arctic fox.

"Good!" Russia smiled. "I like it. Let me get the fire started." Russia disappeared into the back of the cave and returned with a handful of sticks. Then he made a fire and the trio ate well for the first time in a very long time. Russia was liking the idea of Germany being there.

If only I can figure out how to use him, I can keep him here as long as I like, and we can get all the food in the world.

Nobody else noticed that Russia's smile had grown bigger.

The flight to Norway wasn't as I expected. I thought I would be able to effortlessly drop the bomb and speed off into the night that was growing, but it was not nearly as simple as that. Norway saw the bombs in Sweden and was expecting me. I knew it the moment I saw his plane approaching me. It wasn't like the rest; this one was older, the exact plane I saw Norway fly many years ago. I was surprised to see that it still worked.

All that meant was it would be easier to shoot down.

We engaged in a long, confusing battle. The other plane tried to lead me away from Oslo, but I could tell what they were doing, and I made sure to keep them on track. Soon, it would be too late for them. Norway would be blown up with his precious capital.

I saw my chance when the plane rocked and almost fell out of the sky. I caught up to him a little, making it harder for Norway to get away. I called for General Winter, and he began his work on freezing the other plane. I was intent on making Norway fall, but I wanted him to live and watch as his capital fell. Then he would die with it as the last flames burned his people to a crisp.

Then I got an idea and sped up. I shot past the smaller plane and sent it tumbling for a moment. It quickly righted itself, but I kept flying ahead of it. The plane followed, keeping up to my astonishment. I dove.

Still, it persisted. I would have to fight them. General Winter shot me toward the plane, but Norway dropped his plane just in time. He was smart, that one. He knew I was using magic, and fought back with it. I sometimes wondered why he bothered himself with the other nordics. He was so much more intelligent. He had potential.

But I was stronger, and with each passing minute, my magic grew. Norway would never be able to out-magic me. I was the best. This war was because of General Winter. It was funny to think he could beat the reason for this very battle.

Norway began dropping elevation, and I followed. He flew close to the ground. If anything rose up, it would knock him out of flight.

Precisely what should happen, I thought. I swooped underneath him then flew up into his plane. Mine was much stronger, so it would survive this, but his was knocked out of control and flew up into the sky, flipping over and over again.

But before I could continue to Oslo, the strongest wave of magic ever created in the history of nation-kind slammed into me, and I flew much farther than that weakened planed. I couldn't even eject from the seat, but as I landed many miles away, General Winter sent some snow to soften my fall. But his snow was weak, and I still felt the force of the impact. I scrambled out of the burning plane and fell just out of reach of the explosion. My whole body hurt, and I could barely see. I was back in Sweden, though, by the feel of it. Radiation seeped up from the ground.

Through the haze, I saw a man.

"Help…" I called to him. He stepped toward me. "Help."

I stared up at the form. I couldn't make out any features through all the dust, but by the way he moved, I knew he was alive.

"Please help me," I croaked. I wasn't even sure what I was doing. The great Russian nation never asks for help, but I was so hurt. I vaguely remembered the crash and the bomb falling just after I was hit by that wall of magic.

The form shook its head and walked away.

"No!" I shouted after it. "Come back!"

I could tell it never looked back. I was alone.