2014
Londinium
The CBC (Commonwealth Broadcasting Company)

After somehow surviving the first battle of the Dacian front through means not entirely understood, the Dacian known as Lieutenant Alexander Anton seemed to vanish into the Empire's countryside. How he could sneak past the border patrols and the Imperial army is highly debated since there are several rumors from multiple towns of a Dacian showing up to towns "capture" the town for a night where he would help the locals making the locals raise the flag of Dacia before leaving the next morning with a few rations and a bottle of wine. In all these stories, the Dacian Lieutenant would claim Dacia had not fallen but would be incredibly kind and willing to help any that asked for it solving disputes by claiming Dacian law. How true these stories are is debatable since there was never any proof, and some locations had reports of high military counts for the days he claimed he was there. What is known is he officially was turned up in Berun on October 20, 1924.

October 20, 1924
Berun
Alexander Anton

I figured I could get far in the Empire Land, but not going to lie. I never thought that I would get to the capitol. I almost got noticed a few times, and I didn't exactly hide my presence after the first week. Occupying several towns for a day or two was fun, and I think I solved some issues. Getting more supplies was helpful, especially since I didn't need to steal them; instead, it was being gifted because I helped in town or just politely asked.

The scariest thing was when I accidentally entered a town swarming with imperials. For some reason, though, they thought I was a general and instead gave me a town tour. I think they even took some photos. I also awarded medals to some soldiers for bravery or something.

If I ever meet the little Major, I will have to hope she believes I did try to surrender in that town, but no one spoke Dacian. They must have thought the flag was one I captured or something, and maybe they thought I was an Ildoan or something. I genuinely don't know. I am now in the empire's capital, the country I heard has officially taken over my country.

I am still in my Dacian uniform but now have an imperial Lieutenant's overcoat. I got it from a town where I helped calm tensions between it and a neighboring town by claiming it didn't matter what happened 400 years ago in some minor war since they were now both under Dacian law. Somehow, that worked.

They gave me a coat that an imperial Lieutenant had accidentally left a few months and later learned he died on the front when trying to return it. It was by far warmer than my Dacian coat and helped me not stick out like a sore thumb the closer I got to here.

Still, I didn't have anything else that was imperial, and to avoid any issues, I replaced the epaulets with an extra set, of Dacian one I had the two were so similar though no one ever noticed. Where since I was here, I might as well surrender to the highest authority I could get to.

As neat as it would be to surrender to the Kaiser himself, that was probably not possible. Then again, I shouldn't have gone this far. I looked up. I was in front of what was the most militaristic building, with flags draped all over the building and military personnel. The building was massive, with pillars all around. I began walking up the steps, and as I passed a guard, they gave a confused look but still stood at attention as I passed.

I entered the building with no hassle, surprisingly. Even though I looked very roughed up, looking at the other officers who either passed by me or I passed, I didn't look the worst. Physically at least, everyone was clearly exhausted. Still, their uniforms definitely looked better than mine, but mine was currently covered up, so the rest of my uniform was in good condition.

The issue was the overcoat was covered in mud, and the hat was nothing like the rest of the military. I saw a desk in the lobby I was in and walked over. There was an enlisted, I believe, behind the desk. He looked up to see me and was rather disgusted by the state of the jacket and confused with the hat since it was all he could see. He then said some snide remark in imperial.

Shit, I still don't know Imperial. In every town, at least someone had known Dacian. I raised the paper the Major gave me and said what few things I knew in Imperial.

"Paper from Major Tanya Von Degurechaff very important need higher up," I said in my best Imperial.

The man took a second and then reached his hand out for the paper.

"No, I give only, secret," I said, hoping to meet someone.

The man signed and picked up a receiver, called someone talked to them for a bit before sighing again, pointed in a direction, and said what I think were numbers before holding his hand out with three fingers, then down, then five fingers. I took it as I needed to go to room 35, down the direction the man pointed to.

I walked in that direction and found an office door that said Lieutenant General Hans Von Zettour, then some words in Imperial I didn't Know. I knocked on the door and heard what sounded like a welcoming tone. I opened the door, where there was relatively lovely furniture, but there were large stacks of paper all over the place, and behind the desk was an older gentleman with a perfect uniform but tiredness in his eyes.

He, too, had confusion about the coat and the Hat and said something else in imperial, probably asking me to present myself and give him the message. I noticed a coat hanger and took off my coat, revealing my bright red uniform showing more confusion on the general's face. I then stood before the man, snapped to attention along with a salute, and recalled everything on the card the Major gave me.

"Lieutenant General Hans Von Zettour, I am Lieutenant Alexander Anton of the Dacian armed forces, and I hereby surrender to the Imperial army." After stating this, I reach for my sword and offer it to the general while I await his response.

Zettour began laughing, getting more hysterical before quickly stopping. He then picked up the phone and made a call; after a few moments of awkward silence, a tall skinny man with glasses came in. After looking shocked for a moment, Zettour said something in imperial, leading to the man turning to me and speaking.

"Hello, I am Lieutenant Colonel Lergen. I'll be translating for the General since, guessing from the accent of your surrender Imperial is not a language you can speak. The general first wishes to apologize for his response to your surrender request. He was just surprised since it is not every day that a lieutenant is able to surrender to a general, let alone one in his office of the capitol. Usually, a surrender in a general's office means the war is over, and the front is in the capital. Still, he will, in fact, accept," I once again offer my sword to the general, and the general takes it, examining it before setting it carefully on his desk. Zettourr then says something in imperial, to which Lergen responds,

"General Zettour gladly accepts the sword saying it reminds him of his youth and notes the craftsmanship of the sword, but he is more curious about how you came to be here," Lergen said.

"Well, it's rather funny. I started walking here after meeting one Major Tanya Von Degurechaff back in September." I said, facing the general.

After a moment of translating and a back-and-forth between the two, Lergen replied, "How exactly did you meet the major."

"Well, it's a bit of a long story-" I replied, with which I explained how I was part of the invading Dacian forces and was able to respond to the Majors joke about visa and promised to turn myself to the Imperial forces and how I had planned to get as close to the capitol to try to get some honor after such a humiliating defeat and how I traveled from town to town helping and cases of mistaken identity ending the story with the papers the young major had given me along with the promised letter to be sent to her when I could.

"Well, that's certainly an exciting story, though Zettour is a bit concerned with internal security if you could make it this far with little to no help." Lergen had said after a brief discussion with Zettour.

"Well, I don't entirely think it is your fault borders always have ways around them. I'm pretty sure I could do it in either of the other countries Dacia finds itself allied with. If I can get to Berun, I think I could beat you to Parsiee or the Entente." I was exaggerating it, but it didn't matter anymore; the war was over for me.

Zettour seemed to smile, a rather odd thing to do when I was clearly joking, but then again, I was only here because I took a joke seriously. Zettour said something to Lergen, which caused an argument between the two but was quickly ended when Lergen sighed and turned towards me.

"Zettour wants to know if you'd be willing to prove that," Lergen said with a defeated face.

"I don't think I know what you mean. I've surrendered. I am supposed to spend the rest of the war in a prisoner-of-war camp until the war is over and someone wins," I replied, perplexed.

"Zettour wants you to go to the Entente's capitol before the army does; if you can do that, he wants you to do it to the republic as well," Lergen answered.

"I get that, but does it not violate the rules of war," I asked.

"That's the thing you'd be labeled as escaped," Lergen answered once again.

"But why would I agree to do that? As far as I know, it serves no practical purpose for anyone," I chuckled.

"That's the thing he wants to do it, not as a soldier but because he will pay you a thousand reichsmark in gold to do it," Lergen said while shifting in his chair uncomfortably.

"Excuse me what," I said, nearly raising my voice.

"The moral here is rock bottom; the food is terrible, and the statistics of the casualties are alarming. While alcohol is the choice for many, none of the officers can partake since news of the front constantly changes, so we can't have any intoxicated, and that is the idea is to have a betting contest from you accomplishing this to motivate some to work better since lives are one thing but a paycheck might get people to work harder to try to keep their bet." Lergen said as monotone as he could.

"Right, well would the money be for each capitol I go to," I asked, now considering the proposition since the worse case, I can rejoin the fight. Best case, I make a lot of money.

After talking with Zettour, Lergen answered, "No, but you will get the thousand for the entente, but depending on how it goes, it could be renegotiated to a higher amount if proven successful.

"How much assistance would I get at the beginning" I responded.

"Not much since we can't entirely trust you, but you'll start in our northern POW camp with a few weeks' rations and what you had last time, minus the sword, of course."

"Very well, I'll do it, but only if Dacia falls," I proudly said.

Two weeks later, I was on my way to the Entente's capitol