Chapter 3 – Gathering Storm (Currently 0800 - 4 Hours before the events of the prologue chapter occurred)
"Good Morning Soldaten. I hope you all ate already," Major Weber said as we settled into Sector 3's briefing room.
Wilhelm, Ernst, Klaus, Johann, Paul, and I sat at the front of the room while the other platoon members took their seats beside us, some in the middle and at the back. Lt. Schwarz stood near the front next to Major Weber, his face set in a determined expression. The room was filled with the low hum of murmured conversations and the occasional creak of chairs. The air was thick with anticipation and a hint of unease. I could see the tension etched on the faces of my squad mates. Wilhelm's jaw was clenched, and Ernst kept fidgeting with his hands. Johann's face has an unreadable expression on it, while Paul glanced around nervously. Klaus tried to maintain a calm demeanor, but the tightness around his eyes gave him away.
We had only been at the fort for less than a week, and it seems already they were dumping a mountain of work on our asses that is above our pay grade. I don't know if it's the higher-ups ordering our major to do these assignments but the nonetheless I find it bit irritating and it, seems like they're testing our limits… We're not even getting paid enough for all these bullshittery with the sirens. I eliminated the thought to avoiding stressing myself as I took a glance at our Major. His gaze swept across the noisy room then he decided to start.
"15 days ago reconnaissance duty discovered 7 dead bodies just lying lifeless on the cold snow of the dark forest and another similar occurrence happened yesterday early in the morning but more dead were discovered. There is a small town just 6 miles away, east side from this fort called Neuenburg. I called the mayor and he said there have been mysterious disappearances on that town and you surely don't need Sherlock holmes to figure out if the sirens actually did it. You all will be deployed as reinforcements at Neuenburg town to increase security because apparently it isn't enough and to prevent any further incidents from happening…" Major Weber said as he paused, his face tightening with a serious expression, though there was a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Wait what? Neuenburg?
Light murmurs filled the room. Everyone in the room amongst themselves and some of us in our squad like the 4 begins to whisper amongst themselves. It seems like everyone is concern if this deployment is actually relocation in a small town or we just keep coming back over there every day. I glanced at Wilhelm, his expression seems like he doesn't care anymore and I glanced at our major. He is currently conversing with our lieutenant. I raised my right hand at our commander and he nodded at me, giving me permission to speak. I stand up and spoke out.
"Sir, you mean we'll be relocated and stay there?" I spoke.
"That's right Corporal Fischer" he confirmed to us. Murmurs have gotten a bit louder in the room.
"Worry not everyone… there is a boarding house over there at the middle of the town, right next to the city hall. You'll all be staying there until high command sends more reinforcement here. I'll be sending supplies at the town for you lot to use like ammunition, weapons and food. I hope at least one or two of you all here know how to cook because you'll be cooking your own meals. So got any more questions?" Weber Said as he informed us all.
"Sir, what if the sirens attack while we're there and couldn't hold our ground for much longer? Do we have a plan for immediate extraction or-" Klaus questioned Weber.
"We have a contingency plan in place, Schmidt. You'll have radio contact with the fort, and we'll be able to send additional support if needed. Yours and the townsfolk's safety is a priority," Weber answered as he didn't let Klaus finish.
"Kommandant, what about our current duties here? Who will handle them in our absence?" a soldier from the Eiswolf squad asked.
"We've already arranged for many soldiers here to cover your duties here. Focus on the task assigned to you. The situation there demands your full attention," Weber replied.
I couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and resignation. We were soldiers, after all, expected to follow orders no matter how inconvenient. I glanced around the round, the faces of the people around here has that look of disappointment that I couldn't describe... It seems like they all felt the weight of this new assignment, but there was no choice but to press on.
"If there are no other questions, Go to your respective rooms, pack your stuff, gear up and report at 0900 at the east courtyard. You all move out then. Dismissed," Weber said as he left the podium and talk to our lieutenant in private.
We are currently on an Opel Biltz Transport truck all geared up with my squad and Eiswolf squad on board on our way to Neuenburg. The two other squads are right behind us on a truck and another Transport with Weapons and Food. We are also escorted by one Panzer IV at the front and one Armored Car equipped with a 20mm Cannon at the very back. It's been 14 minutes since we left the fort and I noticed the fog has gotten abnormally thick that we couldn't we see properly of what's in the distance in our sights.
We are confused by this because according to the conversation by the soldiers at the fort that I overheard that they never experience this kind of fog here in the Ardennes. It does fog here but it never has this been severe before but we didn't really have time to worry about that as we left the fort and went to our destination. I eliminated the thought, I glance at the icy road behind us and I see 3 of our abandoned tanks just there, never cleared up nor salvaged for the resources. One of the tanks is the Panther, King tiger and another Panzer IV.
Why are these tanks still here? Are these the same tanks we used against those Amis and Tommies back when we were at war. Why am I talking about this? I was part of this battle and we were using combined arms operations, integrating both mechanized units and infantry in our offense planned by our generals. But unfortunately it was relatively short lived as our advance was severely hampered by logistical issues, especially the fuel shortages… Many of our combat vehicles stopped and had no choice but to abandon the tank. Then Azur lane launched a counteroffensive against us… many of tanks were destroyed by planes and some of their tanks, Most importantly, many of my comrades died. I was one of the many lucky ones to be able to retreat without getting shot, but unfortunately many of my friends during that time weren't so lucky… I was even shocked to the core when my buddy beside me got shot through his helmet. I have never been in my life been that terrified when that happened, it felt so surreal that it almost made me puke but I had no time for that as our commander at that time ordered a retreat to regroup at north east of the forest to plan another push.
Also the fact that we're being relocate to Neuenburg by our Major brings back a lot of…unfortunate memories because that's the town where some Iron blood soldier decided to execute many Tommies and Amis that had recently surrendered to us. I remember one captain ordered one of the soldiers to mow them down with an MG42. But before they do the deed; the officer wanted the poor Tommies and Amis to beg for their lives first before targeting their torso because apparently that officer is rotten on the mind and wanted to spill a lot of blood as much as poss-
THUD!
I snapped out of my thoughts as I felt the truck shake by a rock on the road… a minute later we stopped and I noticed there's a military checkpoint halted us from going further. I took a closer look at one of the wooden houses… It's one of our checkpoints as I noticed the banner of the ironblood attached on the wooden wall. While I am seated to the very back, close to the exit I hear Schwarz talking through the window to speak with one of the guards on duty
"Morning Soldat, we got orders from Major Weber to guard the town to see if there is suspicious occurring at that town" Schwarz said as I see him gave something to the guard.
"Understood sir, we just need to double check the load you guys are carrying. It's quite difficult with a fog like this but it'll be brief" I heard the guard said to Schwarz as many other guards came checking the trucks.
"…Hurry up; we don't have all day here" Schwarz said impatiently.
4 guards moved in quickly and began inspecting the contents of our trucks. I watched as they checked the crates of weapons and food supplies, their flashlights cutting through the dense fog. 2 guards came at us and shined their flashlights on us and eventually at me. I instinctively blocked the light from my eyes with my hand. After that, the two guards left without saying anything to us like we're some sort of cargo in the truck… that fucker could've at least given head-ups before potentially blinding me with that flashlight.
"You're good to go now sir." the guard finally said after he bumped our truck 2 times signaling the driver that we're good to go before he gave a thumbs-up to Schwarz.
"Danke," Schwarz replied, giving the signal for the whole convoy to move out.
The trucks and the tank in front of us rumbled back to life, and we continued to drive towards to our destination. The fog still thick as we drove, making it feel like we were venturing into a ghost town. The sense of unease was palpable among the men; even the usual banter had died down, replaced by a tense silence. I glanced at Wilhelm, who was staring intently out the window while gripping his mp40 with his right hand.
"Sir, you see something? You can't even see anything out there." I asked with a sarcastic tone in my voice.
"Just keeping an eye out, fog is abnormally dense around here… I'm having this feeling that something might jump right at us and we'll be dead before we know it…" Wilhelm said to me after he turned his head to me with a serious expression.
"…are you still shaken up by what happened yesterday" I asked, noting the tension in his voice.
"Maybe a little unsettled by the thought the same might happen to us here … if i tell our lieutenant about this, I doubt that asshole will listen"
"Yeah, he's not exactly known for his empathy. We just have to keep our guard up" I said before I nodded in acknowledgement.
Our convoy continued to trek through the snow and dense fog, the eerie silence only broken by the rumble of our vehicles. As we approached the town, the fog seemed to lift slightly, revealing the outlines of buildings in the distance. The town looked quiet, almost too quiet. The sense of unease among the men grew stronger. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed one of the men from Eiswolf squad at the front, behind Schwarz, whose eye was twitching a bit for some reason. Huh? Could his eyes be itchy, sore, or just affected by the cold? I decided to ignore it as it didn't really concern me; it might just be a light itch on his part.
Minutes later we entered the town, our surroundings now filled with houses and many other small buildings. A few locals were walking around, probably going about their business. I noticed the expressions of some locals when they saw us. They seemed wary, eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and caution. This was probably not the first time they'd seen soldiers, but the sight of our heavily armed convoy must have been unsettling.
As we moved deeper into the town, the buildings grew closer together, the streets narrower. The fog clung to the ground, giving everything an eerie, almost surreal appearance. The tension among us was palpable, every sound seemed amplified, every movement scrutinized.
Sometime later, we finally reached the town square in the middle of town. The whole convoy parked on the side of the road. Schwarz ordered us to ready our things and disembark. We followed the order and left our truck. We're all now on the cold road with our gear and we see a few of our soldiers from the previous garrison guarding the perimeter of the town square. Also we see a middle-aged man with gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard dressed in a worn but well-kept dark blue overcoat that reached his knees came out from the city hall right next to the boarding house that Weber mentioned.
"Ahh… welcome, welcome to the Town of Neuenburg, fellows" the mayor said with a weary but genuine smile, his eyes showing both relief and weariness.
"It's been rough here with the disappearances but I am grateful for reinforcements that sir weber aided us with" The mayor said with a tired grin, looks like he's stressed.
"Ah… Apologies, forgive me for not introducing myself… I am Mayor Meier, the current mayor of this town," he said, his voice tinged with fatigue.
"… Also, who's your commanding officer here?" The mayor questioned us.
Schwarz stepped forward, presenting himself to the mayor and taking charge before he faced us. "Alright, Soldaten, for now, unload your gear in the boarding house and get settled. After that, report to me here outside immediately. Room assignments will be conducted later at night. Now get moving!"
We all lined up and ran to the boarding house. We all left our things at the entrance of what it seems to be a living space. After that, we went outside and we all formed up in front of Schwarz who is currently talking with the mayor. After we all formed up in front of the boarding house while holding our weapons with both hands, the mayor left the area and went back to the city hall. Then Schwarz faced us.
"So… I know we just arrived here, so you guys liking this place so far? I know it's quite tiresome when our commanding officers are busting our balls off to their limits, it's only been our 3rd day here in the Ardennes, but that's part of being a soldier and a man, am I right?" Schwarz said with a teasing grin, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
A few of the soldiers just exchanged knowing glances while some stared blankly at Schwarz's words. I only gave a slight nod to acknowledge his comment.
"… We're ready for orders sir." Wilhelm beside me said
"Right… So I need you soldiers do the usual guard duty around the town. I'll be giving each squad different areas of this town. It's a small town but still big for us cover the whole perimeter. The job is really simple just observe the area you're guarding and report anything unusual immediately to the other soldiers or to me. You all can do whatever you want as long as you lot do your job." Schwarz said
"Now Eiswolf guard the North-east side and Sturmklinge take the North-west" Schwarz Commanded
""""Jawohl!"""" Eiswolf and Sturmklinge responded before they ran their destination.
"As for Schwarzadler… Take the south-west and Schattenjäger take the South-east"" Schwarz commanded.
""""Jawohl!"""" We all responded before we also ran to our duty.
We now arrived at assigned area; i am currently with Paul and Wilhelm. The other three; Klaus, Johann and Ernst are at the other side of the road because Wilhelm ordered them for our squad to cover more ground while having enough power to counter anything weird around these parts. I subtly looked around the area and noticed that are other soldiers patrolling these streets. Judging by their uniforms, they're Iris soldiers. After seconds they noticed me looking and only gave me a slight nod and I gave mine in acknowledgement. Weber didn't even say that there are Iris presence arou-
"You guys hungry? Because I am again…" Paul said, snapping me out of my thoughts again.
"Why? You treat us or something?" Wilhelm asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I-I am just asking if you guys wanted to eat because there is a local bakery just in this street" Paul said, looking a bit defensive but hopeful.
"I can't really see properly with all the fog here" I said, squinting into the distance.
"Not really into bread right now" Wilhelm said his expression indifferent.
"J-Just follow me; it might be only just bread, but I'm sure there are other selections we can choose from. Also, our lieutenant said we can do anything as long as we do our jobs. So why not treat ourselves first and then continue our duties?" Paul said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Now that Paul said all that my stomach suddenly growling in need for some fuel. We went straight forward in the streets in search of that bakery he mentioned. The fog seemed to cling to us like a damp cloak, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. As we walked, I noticed the occasional flicker of candlelight from the windows of nearby houses, giving the street an eerie, almost ghostly appearance.
"Are you sure this bakery is around here?" I asked, trying to peer through the thick fog.
"Yeah, it should be just up ahead," Paul replied, his voice full of certainty despite the conditions.
We turned a corner, and there it was, a small, cozy-looking bakery with a warm glow emanating from inside. The sign above the door read "Les Délices de Neuenberg." Paul quickened his pace, and we followed suit, eager to get out of the cold.
Inside, the bakery was a stark contrast to the outside world. It was warm and inviting, with the smell of freshly baked bread filling the air. A young woman behind the glass counter filled with bread and sweets greeted us with a smile.
"Bonjour, how can I help you today?" she asked, her Iris accent thick but pleasant.
"We'd like to see what you have first" Paul said, stepping up to the glass counter and looking intently at the variety of selections.
I leaned over, inspecting the contents inside the glass counter. There was an impressive array of sweets and bread: golden croissants, colorful macarons, and a tempting blueberry cheesecake that caught my eye. Each item looked freshly made, the bakery's warmth and aroma making my mouth water.
The Iris woman behind the counter smiled warmly, noticing my interest. "We have a wide selection today. Can I help you choose something?"
Paul, eager and a bit enthusiastic, stepped forward. "I'll take two of those croissants and three of those macaroons," he said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the treats.
I turned to Wilhelm, who had taken a seat at one of the tables in the back, looking contemplative as he rubbed his temples, trying to relax. "Sir! Are you going to get
something?" I called out to him.
Wilhelm looked up, his expression softening slightly as he considered the menu. "I'll have a slice of blueberry cheesecake and a cup of black coffee, miss," he said, his voice steady but tired.
The young woman nodded, her smile never faltering. She turned her attention back to me, her eyes sparkling with genuine curiosity. "And how about you, monsieur?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"I'll have three croissants and a cup of brown coffee, please," I replied, a slight smile tugging at my lips.
"That'll be ten gold for you," she said to Paul with a polite nod, "six for the monsieur at the table," she added, glancing at Wilhelm with a soft smile, "and nine gold for you," she finished, turning back to me with a warm expression.
Paul quickly handed over his payment. Wilhelm rose from his seat and approached the counter to pay, looking a bit more at ease now. I followed suit, handing over my coins and taking the fragrant croissants and warm coffee from the young woman.
We placed our order on the table where Wilhelm was and sat down together, the warm pastries and coffee providing a welcome comfort amidst the cold and uncertainty outside. I briefly stared at my order while Wilhelm in front of me and Paul beside me eating theirs. I took a bite at the soft croissant… wow this is really delicious.
We placed our orders on the table where Wilhelm was and sat down together, the warm pastries and coffee providing a welcome comfort amidst the cold and uncertainty outside. I briefly stared at my order while Wilhelm in front of me and Paul beside me started eating theirs. I took a bite of the soft croissant… wow, this is really good.
The buttery, flaky texture melted in my mouth, and I couldn't help but close my eyes for a moment to savor it. It had been a while since I tasted something this good. The warmth of the coffee complemented the croissant perfectly, adding a soothing contrast to the cold outside.
Paul grinned, clearly enjoying his own selection of treats. "I told you this place was worth it," he said between bites of a macaroon.
Wilhelm, too, seemed more relaxed as he sipped his coffee. "Moments like this are just what I need" he said thoughtfully. "Some can do wonders for morale."
I nodded in agreement, feeling a bit of the tension ease from my shoulders. "Yeah, it's nice to have a break from everything. Even if it's just for a little while."
We continued to eat in relative silence, each of us lost in our thoughts. The bakery provided a small bubble of normalcy, a fleeting escape from the reality we faced outside. For a small bakery in a town surrounded by the tall trees of the Ardennes, how did the lady on the counter made of all of these? I thought you can only get these items from big cities.
"Hey, lady!" Wilhelm called out to the Iris woman, his expression one of genuine curiosity
"Yes, monsieur?" The Iris woman responded with a polite smile, her eyes attentive.
"These are really good. I just wanted to know if you made all of these?" Wilhelm questioned the woman. After Wilhelm said that, Paul and I nodded repeatedly, showing our agreement.
"…No, it's not just me. My husband at the back helps with the process," the Iris woman answered as she smiled a bit wider.
"Well, it's really good, and I hope you and your husband's business grows bigger in the future. But I suggest taking these desserts to the city," Wilhelm said, offering the woman some advice, his tone earnest and encouraging.
"M-Merci, monsieur, but unfortunately, we were planning to. That was ruined due to these so-called 'Sirens' lurking around the area. We also just had a baby boy born a month ago, so it'll be really difficult," the Iris woman said, frowning slightly.
I felt a pang of sympathy for her. Trying to run a business and raise a newborn in these conditions must be incredibly challenging.
Wilhelm nodded thoughtfully before replying. "That's understandable. It must be tough. If there's anything we can do to help, just let us know. We're here to keep the peace, after all."
The woman's smile returned, albeit a bit more subdued. "Merci, monsieur. It's all because of you soldiers for making our business continue due to the humanitarian aid that you soldiers been sending here. This town might be iron blood but there are also a lot of iris citizens like me living here and I really love it here because the people here are friendly and fun during the hotter seasons that we decided to live here with my husband to have a better life for ourselves"
We nodded in acknowledgment, appreciating her gratitude. It's a great feeling when people appreciate our efforts and struggles as soldiers; not going to lie it's a morale boost for regulars like me. After that we continued eating our orders, chatting about lighter topics to take our minds off the ever-present tension.
After finishing our meal, we thanked the young woman once more and exited the bakery. The cold air outside was a stark contrast to the warmth inside the bakery.
Resuming our guard duty, Paul, Wilhelm, and I walked together with our weapons. While we were walking on the sidewalk, I glanced around and noticed Iris soldiers conversing on the side of the road. Also there is one of our half-track parked with two of our fellow soldiers beside it.
"Oswald, Paul; I'm going to take a smoke somewhere." Wilhelm said after he called us.
"Again? You know smoking can cause a lot of problems for you in the future…" Paul said with a frown.
"It calms my nerves" Wilhelm said blankly, unfazed.
With that, Wilhelm walked off to where we came from and went past the bakery, probably finding a spot to smoke. After that, we resumed our walk and stopped beside our half-track parked on the road.
"It's just his way of coping, I guess. We're still at war, and many of us miss our loved ones at home…" I said a hint of sadness in my eyes as I thought about my parents and my younger siblings back home.
"I suppose that make sense…" Paul said, frowning slightly.
Paul leaned against the half-track and sighed, looking weary. Even though we had just enjoyed our treat at the bakery, Paul's face showed fatigue and worry, a reminder of how the war affected us all; especially inexperienced soldiers who hadn't seen real combat like Paul and the other three. I was about to inspect my Gewehr 43 when suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted from the building beside us. The force of the blast threw Paul off his feet, slamming him against the half-track, and the vehicle itself was struck by a powerful shockwave. I was hurled to the cold stone ground, the impact knocking the wind out of me. After that I blacked out.
Ardennes Forest, Neuenburg Town – 6 miles from Fort Grunwald – Month of ?, foggy winter (Back to the Present)
I watched in horror as Paul's head was crushed by a Siren infantry seconds ago, right in front of me with dozens of others. I am currently hidden under the disabled half-track, unable to help. My heart was pounding faster than normal as I tried to lay my head down and lessen my breaths to avoid death. I didn't have a weapon because I dropped it due to the explosion earlier that knocked me to the ground. I turned to my left and saw my Gewehr 43 shattered into three pieces, a concrete piece from the building beside me having fallen and broken it.
Seconds later, I heard gunfire crackle. One of the Sirens screeched, and all of them ran, leaving the area. They are finally gone… but I couldn't help but shake from the shock. One of my comrades had died instantly in front of me, and my uniform was stained with blood and brain matter from Paul. I quickly brushed off the brain matter that is sticking in my uniform while breathing heavily from the anxiety that I am currently experiencing.
After all that, I just stayed hidden under the disabled half-track, not knowing what to do. I couldn't see far due to the fog, and I am so scared that I couldn't move or even think properly. I looked around and saw a lot of civilians lying on the street and the sidewalk. Some of them are headless, missing a limb or had their faces torn apart due to Siren weaponry used fired on one of them. I also saw some of my fellow soldiers dead and Iri-
"Psst!" I heard someone trying to get my attention from my right side.
"Huh?" I murmured to myself.
I glanced to my right, trying to find the source of the call I had just heard. I looked at the dead bodies of the Iron Blood soldiers, and a moment later, I saw something moving among them. It was Sergeant Wilhelm! I felt a wave of relief as I saw him alive and well. He was currently crawling, blending in with the dead bodies of our comrades to stay hidden. He looked at me, and then scanned both sides of the street, checking for potential threats. Then he looked at me again.
"They're gone now, Oswald. Follow me if you want to live," Wilhelm whispered loudly while holding his P08 pistol.
After he said that, he stood up from the corpses of our soldiers, checking both sides again while pointing his sidearm. He then proceeded to walk carefully and slowly toward me before crouching to check on me again.
"You Coming?" Wilhelm asked.
I crawled out of my hiding spot, and we stood up together beside the half-track. He holstered his pistol on his right side and proceeded to dust the small debris off my uniform. As he was dusting the debris off, he stopped for a moment, noticing something on my uniform. I saw the look on his face, but he decided to continue dusting again. After that, he took out his pistol once more.
"I know you're scared, but I need you to be brave for our own good to survive this. We've been through this before since we were fighting Azur Lane Remember?" Wilhelm said, his tone and expression both serious.
"Yes, sir…" I replied, trying to muster some confidence.
"…I am sorry about Paul… he was still young but unfortunately, death doesn't discriminate especially when you're a soldier." Wilhelm said as he and I both looked at Paul's headless corpse in front of the disabled half-track.
I took a deep breath and approached Paul's body. Kneeling down, I found his dog tag partially buried under some debris. I unclipped it and held it in my hand for a moment. I placed the dog tag in my pocket, determined to keep it safe. I also went to the other Iron blood soldiers and unclipped theirs too.
I looked at Wilhelm who was watching me silently, waiting patiently as I paid my respects to our comrades. Once I was done, he approached two dead Iris soldiers as I followed right behind him. He knelt down to get something, then turned around and handed me a weapon. I inspected the weapon itself… Hey, this is an Eagle Union shotgun and it's already loaded.
"Ithaca Model 37, 12 gauge. And here is some shells for it too," Wilhelm said, giving me seven shells after handing me the weapon.
"Danke… are we going back to the fort, sir? Did the Kommandant say that there is a contingency plan?" I asked a hint of concern in my voice.
"…The plan is a bust now. I noticed all of our radios suddenly stopped working. First there was a loud static and then the radio completely shuts down —It's the same for our vehicles, the radio in it shuts down too. It might have something to do with the fog… You get it, Oswald? This is no normal fog. Our comrades back at the fort have been saying that they've never seen anything like it before. And with the sirens here finally making their move? It's all plausible," Wilhelm explained, his expression grave.
I knew something was unusual about the fog here, and my suspicions were proven right. This was no ordinary fog. The eerie atmosphere, combined with the broken communication devices and increased Siren activity, pointed to something more sinister. It felt like we were being trapped, manipulated into a deadly game orchestrated by the Sirens. As these thoughts raced through my mind, Took a deep breath and let it out, knowing that surviving this ordeal would require every ounce of courage and determination. I still have my whole family waiting for me to return alive.
"Let's get out of here. We might find Ernst, Klaus, and Johann on our way to the exit," Wilhelm said, his expression resolute.
"What if we don't find them?" I asked, my voice tinged with worry.
"Then we leave them… I know it's cruel. The town is probably infested with Sirens, and we need to report this back to Weber," Wilhelm replied, his face hardened as he picked up a MAS-36 rifle with a bayonet attached from another dead Iris soldier.
We left the area quietly, our weapons ready in our hands and moving cautiously through the streets.
…
Minutes later, after coming across of dead people mostly civilians we finally arrived at the main entrance of the town, the same entrance we passed through when we first arrived. As we were about to proceed, we heard the distinct click of a rifle, the unmistakable sound of a rifle being chambered. Turning around, we saw Klaus, pointing his weapon at us, his eyes wild.
"Drop... your guns... or else..." he demanded, his expression twitching with a strange intensity.
I was shocked to see one of my squadmates aiming to kill us if we didn't obey. His twitching unnerved me, adding to my confusion.
"What the fuck are you doing, Klaus?! We're on the same si—" Wilhelm started, his own weapon now aimed at Klaus.
"DROP... YOUR... GUNS, YOU MISERABLE OLD SOD!" Klaus roared, his face contorted with anger and more twitching.
"Hey, Klaus, calm down! We're one of your friends here! What the hell is going on with you?!" I tried to reason, hoping to snap him out of it.
Wilhelm and I exchanged a quick, bewildered glance, and then turned our attention back to Klaus.
"Where are Johann and Ernst?! Aren't they with you?" I demanded my voice tense.
"Johann didn't drop his gun, so I shot him... as for Ernst he—" Klaus was cut off as a plasma bolt struck him in the head, killing him instantly.
I was stunned, my heart pounding in my chest. Klaus had just been killed by something behind us. We turned to see eight Siren infantry, reptilian-looking humanoids, screeching at us.
"Run!" Wilhelm shouted, and we sprinted through the exit and into the woods, trying to escape the Sirens. They chased us, firing relentlessly. As we dashed through the trees, one Siren ambushed us. I immediately raised my shotgun and fired.
BOOM! KA-CHUNK!
I killed it, yellow blood spewed out from its chest. We continued to run, our breaths ragged, our hearts pounding. Another Siren appeared from the trees and fired its weapon, its shot narrowly missing us. Wilhelm raised his rifle and charged the Siren with his bayonet, stabbing the creature in the chest and killing it. Ahead of us was a snow-covered ledge; the fall wasn't deep enough to hurt us. Without hesitation, we jumped, landing hard on the snow below. We scrambled to our feet and spotted a small, dark cave nearby. We hurried inside and hid behind rocks big enough to get us out of sight, panting and hoping to God that the Sirens wouldn't find us. In the dim light of the cave, we tried to catch our breath, the reality of our situation sinking in.
The Sirens followed, we heard them clambering down the ledge. They landed in the snow; they are surely scanning the area around them. Not spotting us immediately, they hissed and we heard them began searching the area, inspecting everything. We heard one of them entered our cave.
I readied my knife, my heart pounding. As the Siren stepped further in, Wilhelm and I exchanged a glance and he nodded signaling me to kill it silently. As the Siren got close enough I immediately sprinted towards the siren and stabbed it straight in the neck, sinking the knife deep. The creature didn't manage to make a sound as yellow blood poured out. We a bit surprised by the color of its blood since this thing look like a lizard; we dragged the body deeper into the cave and covered it with snow to hide it.
Minutes passed in tense silence before the Sirens finally left the area to continue their search elsewhere. We sighed in relief as the immediate threat dissipated.
Emerging from the cave, Wilhelm and I exchanged a look, both of us sighing in relief, releasing the stress from all that chasing and hiding. How the hell did we not get shot from all that?! Also did they not suspect that we were in the cave given that one of their comrades hasn't come out of the cave yet?
"We need to keep moving," Wilhelm said his voice low. "If I remember correctly, there is a frozen river up ahead with a bridge to cross. When we were just on our way to the town, the other end of that bridge is one of our checkpoints… There's a high chance that the guards there are either dead or have left the area." Wilhelm's face was grim as he spoke.
"Sir, I think we should just take the frozen river route instead of the bridge because it'll be too obvious even with all the fog" I suggested, my voice tinged with concern.
"Alright, let's move" Wilhelm said as he readied his rifle again and we resumed to advance forward back towards the fort.
As I was about to about to leave, in the corner of my right eye, I saw a figure, a human head peeking on one of the tall trees. I turned my head immediately, and there was nothing. Am I seeing things or was that just a ghost just now?
"…Hm? What's wrong, Oswald?" Wilhelm asked after he turned around, noticing me stopping in my tracks.
"…I thought I saw something on that tree over there." I replied, my expression uncertain as I look at the same tree.
"That is probably something given the circumstances we're in right now… I'll get right behind you," Wilhelm said, his expression serious.
We continued our walk and moved cautiously. Instead of crossing the bridge we used earlier, we crossed a frozen river, our steps careful to avoid cracking the ice. The fog was still dense, and every sound seemed amplified, adding to the tension. There was a slippery-looking riverbank slope on the other side of the river. I threw my shotgun onto the flat surface ahead and climbed up, grabbing onto some grass sticking out of the riverbank and a rock. I managed to climb up the flat surface and peeked down below the riverbank, seeing Wilhelm with his rifle slung around his shoulders. Within my reach, I extended a helping hand and lifted him up beside me.
"Danke" Wilhelm said his expression grateful.
I gave him a nod and grabbed my shotgun beside before we stood up. Eventually, we reached the checkpoint with all the houses where we had been inspected last time. The scene was eerie, as there were no guards here, they all probably fled. As we were checking the abandoned site, we noticed two silhouettes beside a vehicle. I squinted my eyes, and then we realized it was a silhouette of a human, specifically a soldier.
"Hey!" I called out to them.
Both of them turned in our direction, and one of them came closer. It was one of our squad mates, Ernst! He survived the attack, and behind him is our lieutenant, Schwarz himself. He looked at us and seemed a bit surprised as his eyes widened.
"Y-you guys are alive!" Ernst exclaimed as he saw us, walking towards us at a fast pace and hugging me. He then turned to Wilhelm, who refused the affectionate gesture but showed a rare smile, glad to see him alive.
Schwarz stood nearby, just staring at the three of us. "Glad you made it," he said his voice steady but strained. "I'm guessing you have the same agenda as us?"
"… Yes, sir. It's really convenient that you have a jeep for us all," I heard Wilhelm said, his expression laced with sarcasm.
"We already refilled its gas because it had none when we came here," Schwarz replied, his tone neutral but with a hint of irritation at Wilhelm's sarcasm.
"What happened back at the town when you were with Johann and Klaus?" I questioned Ernst, I want to know what happened to him and I am still confused on why Klaus is like that.
Ernst frowned as he began his story. "We were doing our job as our lieutenant ordered. Then minutes passed and us 3 become bored and decided to take a break at a bar nearby. We were just about to order some drinks for ourselves and suddenly, we heard explosions and saw people, soldiers, getting killed on the streets. Then, out of nowhere, Klaus pointed his weapon at Johann and me, telling us to drop our weapons. His eyes were twitching for some reason. We were confused with all this, and then Klaus shot Johann in the chest. He died a minute later, bleeding from the mouth."
I listened intently as Ernst continued, "I fought back, managed to knock Klaus to the ground, and ran into the town square. That's when I ran into Lieutenant Schwarz. He told me that he and I should leave town and leave everything behind, including our stuff at the boarding house. There was nothing we could do about the chaos. We ran, and that's how we ended up at the checkpoint."
I processed Ernst's account, my mind racing. The eerie atmosphere, combined with the broken communication devices and increased Siren activity, pointed to something more sinister. It felt like we were being trapped, manipulated into a deadly game orchestrated by the Sirens. It's like we're the lab rats here. As these thoughts raced through my mind, I steeled myself, knowing that surviving this fuck-fest would require every ounce of courage.
"You two! Get over here and hop on! Just save it for later and let's get out of here!" We heard Schwarz's voice calling us, interrupting my thoughts.
We looked at Schwarz, who was currently in the passenger seat, calling us while Wilhelm was in the driver's seat beside him. We wasted no time, went to him, and boarded the jeep. Ernst and I climbed into the back seat, our weapons ready, as Wilhelm started the engine and hit the gas. The jeep lurched forward, and we began our journey back to the fort, trekking cautiously on the icy road.
The fog was still thick, and the visibility was poor, making every shadow and sound seem more menacing. We kept our eyes peeled, scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. The tension was palpable. Moments later, as Wilhelm drove our jeep; we noticed a red glow in the distance. Even in this fog, we could still see the red glow on the right side of the road beside the trees. Ernst and I gripped our weapons tightly, knowing it was definitely a Siren. The light suddenly moved to the road in front of us. As we closed the distance, IT TURNED OUT TO BE A GIANT BUG WITH A RED SAC ATTACHED TO ITS BACK. The Giant bug that resembles a scorpion, currently blocking our path, tried to stop us before it shrieked at us.
"W-W-WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Ernst exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear.
"Scheiße!" Schwarz cursed while holding his sidearm.
I watched as Wilhelm quickly turned the jeep to the left, avoiding the bug since we were currently on the right side of the road. As we got close enough to be beside the bug, it spat some red substance at us. Luckily it missed us but some of the acid hit the trunk of the jeep, and the metal began to corrode. It spits acid?! Now we know that the acid is more effective on melting our flesh and bones as it can corrode metal too. After ditching the siren bug and spitting its acid at us, it started to chase us with 8 of its legs and ITS ACTUALLY THAT FAST! Wilhelm is already driving at the fastest speed on this jeep and it's able to chase us.
I fired a couple of shots at the bug, hitting its face and it seems to stagger a bit. Ernst is firing his mp40 emptying his mag on it and loading another mag. I fired 2 more shots and Ernst emptied his mag on it again. Finally the Siren bug stopped chasing us as it wandered off the road onto the snowy road. Ernst and I let out a sigh of relief as the situation didn't end with the jeep rolling over the road or car crashing onto that creature.
"It left us alone!" I said out loud for the three to hear.
"W-Where is it going?!" Ernst said
"No one knows, it must be headed for the fort, so we need to hurry and notify everyone of the situation and this encounter," Schwarz said as he looked behind.
Wilhelm drove fast enough for the jeep to not slip on the icy road. It was already a given that the Sirens would target the fort next. When we arrived and notified everyone, we'd be prepared.
"…What happened to the rest of the garrison there? Are they all dead? Is the mayor dead too?" Weber's face showed deep concern as he spoke.
The four of us were sitting on the couch facing Weber in his office in Sector 3, the Inner Sanctum of the Fort. After we passed the gates, we parked the jeep in the courtyard, not even bothering to park it in the vehicle depot as we hurried to report to our superior. The soldiers on duty inside stared at us, probably wondering what was happening and why we were there. We knocked on Weber's office door and began to report.
"Gone sir, either they are all dead or some are missing. I counted 43 Ironblood soldier including from the previous garrison have perished in that attack, excluding the guards from the checkpoint. Only the four of us survived," Schwarz said his expression grim. "And the Iris Garrison didn't fare any better. As for the mayor… he was killed in front of me."
"…What about our hardware? And other villages and towns?" Weber asked his tone serious.
"They're all broken for some reason. The radio, telephone, and even Morse code can't reach the Fatherland as for the other settlements here… The chance is high that the locals have perished too, Major" Schwarz replied, his frustration evident.
"Sir, I have an urgent report regarding our time back at the town during the attack," I said, my voice steady despite the tension.
"Speak, Corporal," Weber ordered his expression focused and stern.
As I began recounting our experiences, my thoughts raced. The orchestrated nature of the attack became clear. The fog was likely causing our electronic devices and hardware to fail. It was too unusual, too thick—undoubtedly the Sirens' doing. That's why the contingency became useless; we couldn't contact anyone, as Schwarz mentioned. There was also something strange happening with the soldiers. We observed unusual, almost twitching behavior. For example, Klaus was twitching and demanding that we drop our guns. It was uncanny and violent behavior. We also encountered a large Siren creature during our journey back to the fort. It had eight legs and a red sac behind it, and it chased us while we were in the jeep. The creature resembles a scorpion or a lobster? Maybe a combination of the two? It spits acid which melted part of the jeep. Thankfully, it didn't hit any tires or vital machinery that could have rendered the jeep immobile. We shot it multiple times with a shotgun and submachine gun, aiming for its head, but it barely slowed down. We might need anti-tank weaponry to kill it or target the sac behind it. I mentioned that the creature ran away, there's a high chance that the Sirens will attack the fort soon, and we need to be prepared for their onslaught.
Weber listened intently, his expression growing more serious with every word. Finally, he spoke, his voice resolute. "…Thank you, Corporal. You all deserve some an hour of rest, I'll speak about this through the whole fort if the intercom still works. Dismissed."
After we left Weber's office, we heard his voice echoing through the fort's intercom system, reaching every corner, including the courtyard outside.
"Attention, all personnel. This is Major Weber speaking. I have just been informed by 1st Lieutenant Friedrich Schwarz and Corporal Oswald Fischer about a dire situation we're about to face. This is not a drill; this is a life-or-death emergency. The Sirens are on the move, and they are expected to target this fort next. Our communication devices have been sabotaged by an abnormal fog that is preventing any contact with the Fatherland, our allies and even the civilians around the area. The Town of Neuenburg has fallen to siren hands, killing everyone in it. Other villages and Towns have probably fallen too. Prepare the defenses and again expect an imminent attack from the Sirens. Remember what you all gained from training; work together to survive this. May God have mercy on our soul and protect the fatherl—" Weber's intercom was abruptly interrupted by a loud explosion coming from the top of the fort, shaking the ground a bit.
The deafening roar of explosions continued… Panic and adrenaline surged through me as the realization hits —we're under siege!
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! I REPEAT! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! ALL PERSONNEL TO YOUR BATTLE STATIONS IMMEDIATELY!" Weber screamed through before he ended the announcement by slamming it.