As the morning light rose from the distant land the final battle was about to commence. All our men, ready for battle. Mein was Infront of them keeping everyone in check, Oser making sure everything is in order as always, and I… I just stood back pondering what the future holds for us, maybe this is a mistake, maybe I am wrong, maybe what I'm doing is not bravery but reckless act of an hateful person.... No, It is not time for doubts,
for a second I remembered a glimpse of the sister,
my heart ached yet I knew what I must do, I knelt on one knee clutching my relic in my hand and I prayed, oh father give me strength, as what I see forward is a path covered by the mist of my own doubts, give me the strength to bring them back home, even if one more, as I prayed I felt as if a small burden was lifted, I was not doubtful, I was sure that, what I'm about to do is in his name and even if I don't believe in myself, my faith in the almighty is unwavering.
As I got up I was filled with renewed vigor, it was time. I finally came forward in light, I scanned the area my brothers and sisters ready for battle, our last tank ready for battle, and our mech positioned just in case, the time is now, I presented myself Infront, everyone tensed up, I could see the face of them all, everyone Egar yet fear was not totally gone. We are to face a monster who seems far from our reach yet it is today that we shall hunt that beast.
"My fellow brethren's, we have bled today, we have mourned, and worse of all we have lost brothers and sisters on the hands of the heretics, but it is no time to sulk, it is no time to shed tears as the battlefield has yet to dry out, and our enemy are licking their wounds waiting for their next moment, but there won't be a next time as we are the children of god, we are the rigorouness that shall bring justice to this forsaken land, we are the liberators that shall bring faith back to the faithless, We are the sword of the almighty and today we shall bring about divine wrath to the ones that soil his name by their very presence, so devote your blood, devote your body, and devote your faith as today you shall once again be born, as god as our witness. ADVANCEEE.
*Cheering*
As everyone was getting fired up mein approached me
Mein: "I must say captain as much as I question your intention in the battlefield, I will not lie you know how to boost moral very well."
Kortwil: "You mistake me mein. I did not say those words just to boost moral. I have felt it for a while, he is watching us, this is a test, a test we must pass."
Mein :"If that is the case captain make sure to not repeat the same mistake again, as our lord maybe merciful but this time I shall not be.".
Her comment left a bitter taste but at least she was willing to give me a second chance.
As I watched her back as she marched forward I too was getting ready to depart. As I readied my equipments ocer approced.
Ocer: are you ready kortwil.
Kortwil: Yes, the path is forward, his light guides us.
Ocer: I see, the lord have mercy on us all, and grant us his grace. But I want to ask again, kortwil. Are you ready?
....
Kortwil: I've never been surer.
Both me and ocer shared a brief moment of silence with the sunlight hitting the side of his face. His golden hair shining, and his eyes looking at me. He was mesmerizing to say the least.
Ocer: let's depart then. Make sure to have our back this time.
As the brief moment of our conversation ended I couldn't help but let out a small smile, walking side by side with him. For what to come this felt weirdly, comforting. Yet the challenges ahead were naught but easy.
As we marched in formation the battlefield was eerily silent, no heretics in sight and the only sound to be heard where the loud thumps of the marching soldier and the roaring tank leading forward. I marched through the rotting corpses of the heretics from previous battles, dismembered and disfigured. I looked around as the scene was familiar.
it was the same place where ocer saved me. A regretful memory to have, thinking back I froze for a bit just staring off towards the distance looking at the corpses of my comrades who gave their life for me. I was lost in thought when I felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked behind to see that it was ocer, he had noticed that I was falling behind and came to check,
Ocer: Captain, are you ok.
Kortwil: Ya, I'm fine. Also, when did you get so formal.
Ocer: It's a tense situation so I….
before ocer could finish a shouting could be heard
"ENEMY ATTACK"
It was from mein, enemy? There were no enemy as far as we could see but how.
As we quickly turned to look, we noticed that we had already been surrounded by heretics, but how. As I looked closer, I noticed some crawling out of the pile of bodies lying around. They were hiding in ambush for us. As they crawled out of the bodies lying on the ground, I could clearly see these were different. I quickly scanned them to find out what they were .Corpse crawlers. A mutation variant which devours on the flesh of fallen soldier ally or foe, hollowing out the insides and using the rest to lie in ambush for their next target.
They had fewer human features then before with their lower half being that of a snake, their head having an extra exoskeleton, and their arms shaped more like giant shovels.
The situation was not ideal but this is something we could handle. out of the 278 left I lead 78 of them with me and commanded mein and ocer to handle the front, the tank is to be stationed at the very back as we need it for the upcoming battle.
As we set formation, the enemy commence attack from all 3 sides. Everyone braced for impact as the enemy rushed towards us, First contact, I used my sword to strike one of the creatures but it used its hands like shied to block my attack and followed up by using its tail to hit me. As I struggle to block the attack, I could hear the same clashing noise of blade and armor, their armor is too tough, if we want to win we need to bypass it somehow. Quickly I ordered the flame throwers to be deployed as I held the line against them.
They blocked when I attacked, and when I'm steading my ground they attack, with no other option but to block it's attack. What else can I do. As I was brainstorming another one of them swiped towards my feet. I lost my footing, as I fell to the ground I could see the creature lunging towards me ready to use its teeth to carve me open.
But before it could land, I felt a sudden burst of heat, the Flammer's were finally here and they were pushing them back, I quickly stood up and while facing towards the enemy I noticed something. The creatures were using their hands to completely block the flame, using their shield-like hand to cover their body from the incoming fire. Fuck. I quickly prepared to fight again and ordered the Flammer's to stop as it was useless to use fire against them.
But something strange happened. For a second they did not attack, rather they were looking around as if searching for something while the fire fizzled out, before finally once again focusing on us.
I get It, they might be sensing us using heat, I quickly ordered one of the flamers to shoot a short burst to act as cover, and as the flame traveled the creatures once again went on a defensive stance, but this time I could get to their weak spot, while the creature was focused towards the flame I quickly got to its back and sliced it's head clean. It worked, it fucking worked. I quickly ordered
Kortwil: "These creature sense us through heat. So, use the flames as distraction to get to their vital spots,"
As soon as I relayed the information ocer and mein jumped into action.
Ocer performed a brilliant move by encasing the creatures in a flame circle while creating small gaps in the flame for his team to finish them off, while the creatures were confused.
Meanwhile Mein threw Molotov's randomly causing them to instinctively turn while their senses get overloaded and confused.
As for me, I let my team to perform short flame bursts while quickly killing as many as possible while they go to defense mode.
After half an hour of fighting, the battle finally ended, the battlefield was filled with bodies and scorched earth. Our casualty was low with 7 dead and 19 injured, the tank also sustained some minor damage. With that we kept marching, there was no time to stop.
We quickly patched up the injured troops while burying the dead. This is all we could do for them, but the lord will guide them from here on. As I walked towards the front I saw ocer tending to the wounded, it was one of the soldiers, I didn't know her name yet ocer was comforting her while patching her up. She had lost one of her arms in the conflict, I walked towards them.
Kortwil: Ocer, how are you wounds.
Ocer: Captain, I am fine. no injuries.
Kortwil: Good, and who is this?
Ocer: Ahh this is mahrin. I'm tending to her wound.
As he said that I looked at the soldier lying on the ground, injured and bruised. I asked her
Kortwil: How are you doing, soldier? Can you still stand?"
Mahrin: Yes, captain.
Kortwil: Good. Then you can still fight, we will keep moving. There is no time to waste.
As I said so ocer looked at me with a worry look, yet I gave it, no mind. After this short break we kept going.
An hour later
We got ambushed again, more of those corpse crawlers. The fight was easier, better co-ordination, better strategy.
3 died.
She lost an eye.
Half an hour later
Another ambush but this time in smaller number, no worries, just follow me.
No casualty
She god injured on her leg.
An hour later
A ambush, but this one was different, the number was closer to the first ambush but in their rank was snipers. It was harder to deal with but we pulled through. Just do what I do.
5 died
One of Mahrin's kidney blown.
2 hours later
The final stretch. We were right Infront of the castle, just a little more and this battle was over. Don't fall behind.
Ambushed by more enemies, manageable.
2 died
Mahrin's leg injury made it so she could not flee in time. Half her face burnt.
As the battle finally ended, I could see it. the massive fortress right Infront of us. A castle stretching towards the sky, it's very foundation build on bodies of our people. This was it, it was our time. I quickly called everyone to formation to march towards the castle. But before I could, I was quickly pulled aside by ocer and mein.
Ocer: Captain we need to slow down. We are in no condition to fight again.
Kortwil: The enemy is right in front, now is the best time to strike.
Mein: Are you insane? Look at them. Look at us. Does this look like readiness to you?"
Ocer: "Mein is right. Most of the men are exhausted. We need time to recover."
Kortwil: "There is no time, what is to say that in the time we are arguing the enemy has already fled or are ready to attack?"
Ocer: "That may be, but we are in no condition either."
Kortwil: "That does not matter right now."
*scilence*
Mein: "I knew this would happen again… and I still trusted you."
"I don't care about your authority as captain. I am overriding your command."
"My men will rest and recover. Tomorrow, if you still want to lead us into your death march, you can."
As she said so she left.
Ocer: "Captain, please. I understand you want to press on, but not everyone can keep up with you."
Kortwil: "Why do you hesitate? Pain is nothing but doubt made flesh—cast it aside. Faith in the Almighty is all you need."
Ocer: "Faith alone does not win wars."
.....
A silent wind blew between us as we both looked at each other.
Ocer "It carries us—but it doesn't carry the blade for us."
As he said that he left looking a bit disappointed, his words sounded almost heretical, yet it had a logic I could not deny.
As that happened our assault was postponed to tomorrow. Everyone was preparing, resting, recovering, or just by steeling their resolve, I just laid on my camp, pondering his words. Faith.
As the next day came, I once again stood in front of everyone.
The rest was well needed. The formation was tighter, steadier.
My eyes moved across the ranks—until they stopped on.
Mahrin.
She stood among them.
A mechanical arm now replaced what she had lost. The metal frame still rough, unfinished. Her face… still marked, the burns not yet faded. Bandages wrapped tightly around her torso where she had sustained major injuries.
And yet—
She stood straight.
Unshaken.
Ready.
…
"My brothers, my sisters, we have come here today to prove something: to prove our resolve, to prove our worth, and to prove our faith in this unending war. The fact that you stand before me is proof that you are no less qualified than I to be called a paladin of God.
You have bled, you have lost, and you will bleed more for our righteous purpose, for we are nothing more than a sword.
Stand proud, for you are strong. More of us will fight, more of us will bleed, and more of us will die—but remember this: God as our witness, we shall give our lives in His name.
"So pick up your arms, draw your blades, and steel your will. As God wills it!"
As I was about to depart, I was approached by ocer,
Ocer: "kortwil, … about yesterday."
Kortwil: "Ocer, I understand as captain, I have reflected on my action, it is my duty to look after my men,
but as an officer yourself, it is not your place to question my decision and their resolve—or the faith—of our men towards our almighty. "
Kortwil came close to ocer towering him in his shadow.
Kortwil: "If you do, I will cut out those heretical thoughts myself."
I Ocer: "Understood, captain"
And after saying that I walked to the front line ready to march again.
As the men prepared for battel, and the machine hummed to life. I looked forward the giant gate awaiting the next fight.